bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blurring of the Public/Private Divide: The Canadian Chapter
Authors: Thomas Bryan , Flood Colleen M.
Published: June 2010

Blurring of public/private divide is occurring in different ways around the world, with differential effects in terms of access and equity. In Canada, one pathway towards privatization has received particular attention: duplicative private insurance, allowing those with the financial means to bypass queues in the public system. We assess recent legal and policy developments on this front, but also describe other trends towards the blurring of public and private in Canada: the reliance on mandated private insurance for pharmaceutical coverage; provincial governments’ reliance on public-private partnerships to finance hospitals; and the incorporation of for-profit clinics within the public health care system.
Health System Reforms in The Netherlands: From Public to Private and its Effects on Equal Access to Health Care
Authors: den Exter Andre
Published: June 2010

Dutch health system reforms can be characterized by an ambiguous approach, combining competition and private initiatives on several health care markets with restrictive measures inspired by social values. Respecting equal access to necessary health care services on a competitive market appears to be an extremely difficult and bureaucratic exercise, if not impossible.
Holy Orders: Nehemiah Goreh's Ordination Ordeal and the Problem of 'Social Distance' in Nineteenth-Century North Indian Anglicanism
Authors: Young Richard Fox
Published: June 2010

Using the example of Nehemiah Goreh, a mid nineteenth-century Brahmin Hindu convert to Christianity, the essay explores how Anglican missionaries interacted with Indian counterparts, sometimes encouraging their ordination (as was the case in the South), or (as was the case in the North) placing obstacles in their way. After an agonistically 'cognitive' struggle with Christian faith, Goreh was recommended for ordination by the Low-Church Anglican missionaries of Benares, only to be denied 'Holy Orders' by superiors in Calcutta, who felt that ordination would entail social intercourse of a kind detrimental to British status in colonial society. Having been a 'subaltern' of mission for some twenty years, Goreh converted again, this time to High-Church Anglicanism. I demonstrate that he did this not only to secure his ordination (High-Church Anglicans being less averse to having Indian counterparts), but also because, in the process of understanding the faith he had embraced, he had become convinced by High-Church Tractarians of the “Grace of Orders.” I argue, therefore, that Goreh's little-known ordination quest demonstrates exemplary integrity, politically and theologically.
Dental Pulp Cells for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Banking
Authors: Tamaoki N. , Takahashi K. , Tanaka T. , Ichisaka T. , Aoki H. , Takeda-Kawaguchi T. , Iida K. , Kunisada T. , Shibata T. , Yamanaka S. , Tezuka K.
Published: June 2010

Defined sets of transcriptional factors can reprogram human somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. However, many types of human cells are not easily accessible to minimally invasive procedures. Here we evaluated dental pulp cells (DPCs) as an optimal source of iPS cells, since they are easily obtained from extracted teeth and can be expanded under simple culture conditions. From all 6 DPC lines tested with the conventional 3 or 4 reprogramming factors, iPS cells were effectively established from 5 DPC lines. Furthermore, determination of the HLA types of 107 DPC lines revealed 2 lines homozygous for all 3 HLA loci and showed that if an iPS bank is established from these initial pools, the bank will cover approximately 20% of the Japanese population with a perfect match. Analysis of these data demonstrates the promising potential of DPC collections as a source of iPS cell banks for use in regenerative medicine.
Behavioral Pathways Explaining Oral Health Disparity in Children
Authors: Gao X.-L. , Hsu C.-Y.S. , Xu Y.C. , Loh T. , Koh D. , Hwarng H.B.
Published: June 2010

Policymakers’ understanding of and ability to reduce health disparities are pivotal for health promotion worldwide. This study aimed to verify the behavioral pathways leading to oral health disparities. Oral examinations were conducted for 1782 randomly selected preschoolers (3-6 yrs), and 1576 (88.4%) participants were followed up after 12 months. Parents were surveyed on their knowledge (K), attitude (A), and practices (P) regarding their children’s oral health homecare (infant feeding, diet, and oral hygiene) and dental attendance. Structural equation modeling substantiated the links between specific KAs and corresponding practices, while generic KA did not affect practices. KAP pathways partly explained the ethnic and socio-economic disparities in oral health. Deprivation had a direct effect (not mediated by KA) on dental attendance, but not on oral health homecare. Ethnicity directly influenced oral health homecare practices, but not dental attendance. These behavioral pathways, furthering our understanding of health disparity, may have practical implications for health promotion and policy-making.
Self-Congruity Theory: To What Extent Does It Hold in Tourism?
Authors: Boksberger Philipp , Dolnicar Sara , Laesser Christian , Randle Melanie
Published: June 2010

This paper investigates (1) if, and to what extent, self-congruity theory is applicable in tourism, (2) to what extent travel and person characteristics explain the degree of self-congruity, and (3) how the operationalization of self-congruity affects the conclusions about whether self-congruity holds in tourism. Results derived from a large-scale study of Swiss travelers indicate that conclusions depend heavily on how self-congruity is measured. Using a relatively strict measure, more than half the trips under study can be classified as self-congruent. However, travel and sociodemographic characteristics are very limited in their ability to explain when self-congruity occurs.
Newborn Care among Tribes of Central India
Authors: Sharma Ravendra K.
Published: June 2010

This article highlights the state of maternal and newborn health and traditional practices observed by tribes of central India. The study presents a review of micro level studies conducted in undivided Madhya Pradesh state and wherever needed these results are supported or compared with the national and state level statistics. The study demonstrates that utilisation of maternal and child health services is very poor among the tribes of central India. Clinically acceptable maternal and newborn care practices for delivery, cord cutting and care, bathing of mother and newborn and skin massage are uncommon. Therefore, newborns remain at high risk of hypothermia, sepsis and other infections. Prelacteals, supplementary feeding practices and delay in breastfeeding are very common, although colostrum is less frequently discarded. Malnutrition is a severe problem among tribes and many tribal children and women are severely malnourished as well as anaemic.
Self Employment of Women
Authors: N. Neetha
Published: June 2010

After the recent releases of employment and unemployment data by NSSO the hype around self employment seems to have multiplied, though there have been some attempts to uncover details of the self employed. Whether individuals take to self employment as a result of a ‘push’ out of the formal economy, or a due to a ‘pull’ towards more lucrative and advantageous employment opportunities is an intensely debated topic in the labour economics literature. The analysis in the essay reveals that self employment in the post liberalisation period is not one of new productive opportunities, resultant of a high growth economy, but of lack of employment opportunities. The growing social and economic crisis is locking vast sections of women workers into a downward spiral of more labour for less income resulting in an enhancement of gender based inequality in the world of work as a whole.
Vulnerability and Adaptation Analysis in Flood Affected Areas of Orissa
Authors: Mishra Sujit Kumar , Mishra Niharranjan
Published: June 2010

This article is an attempt to study about the way people adapt to the impact of climate change, especially with floods. It also looks at the sustainability of the coping mechanisms, which the communities adopt for this extreme event. This study tests for ex-ante and ex-post adaptation responses to weather risk for rural farm households of Orissa and also examines how poor rural families adapt with the changing pattern of livelihood. An examination of the coping mechanisms of the agricultural households during the flood period revealed a number of factors that include the sequencing of adaptation options adapted by the people responding to a particular event. The next step is to find out the factors affecting the success of the adaptation. The very important task then is to integrate those factors with the climate policy, which will have an adaptive solution in a sustainable way.
Multiple Informant Methodology: A Critical Review and Recommendations
Authors: Wagner Stephan M. , Rau Christian , Lindemann Eckhard
Published: June 2010

The value of multiple informant methodology for improving the validity in determining organizational properties has been increasingly recognized. However, the majority of empirical research still relies on single (key) informants. This is partly due to the lack of comprehensive methodological narratives and precise recommendations on the application of this important methodology. Therefore, the authors have developed a critical review and derived clear recommendations for the key challenges that researchers face in using multiple informants: (1) Which and how many informants should be considered? (2) How should the consensus among the informants be judged? (3) How are multiple responses combined into a single, organizational response to conduct further data analyses?
Ethics and Motivation in Remedial Mathematics Education
Authors: George Michael
Published: June 2010

This article examines motivational potentialities in remedial mathematics education within an ethical context, applying a model for ethical decision making in education developed by Shapiro and Stefkovich, in which three broad ethical categories are discussed: the ethic of justice, the ethic of care, and the ethic of critique. These ethical categories are applied to two broad categories of motivational strategy: motivation by intervention and motivation by policy. It is argued that individual interventions risk encroaching on student autonomy and are ethically contravened, whereas motivation-based regimens—such as graded homework, graded tests, and required tutorials—are recommended if they may be implemented in a way that privileges a standardized placement examination as the ultimate criterion for successful remediation.
Information and Communication Technology Sequences and Message Repetition in Interpersonal Interaction
Authors: Stephens Keri K. , Rains Stephen A.
Published: June 2010

This study examines the impact of using different sequences of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to deliver repeated messages in the context of an interpersonal influence attempt. Supporting portions of ICT succession theory (Stephens, 2007), the findings suggest that, compared to using the same ICT, using complementary ICTs to deliver a repeated message increases perceptions of information effectiveness and behavioral intentions. A path model was tested to further explore the influence of complementary ICT use.The results suggest that the use of complementary ICTs functions by mitigating perceptions of overload and, in turn, increasing perceived information effectiveness, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.
Nationality and Neighborhood Risk at the Origins of FHA Underwriting
Authors: Light Jennifer S.
Published: June 2010

Histories of the emergence of federally sanctioned mortgage underwriting in the United States have made racial discrimination a central theme. Yet their emphasis on systematic favoritism for whites over blacks tells only part of the story. This article examines how a broader, waning concept of race that encompassed nationality as well as skin color influenced the practice of locational risk rating at the Federal Housing Administration. Using qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the construction of “neighborhood risk” reveals how, from the introduction of the agency’s underwriting standards, raters depended on a more nuanced population classification scheme in evaluating urban areas. The evidence presented here about the differential treatment of nationality groups points to new directions for studies of housing policy in the United States.
An investigation of two interventions for micrographia in individuals with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Bryant MS , Rintala DH , Lai EC , Protas EJ
Published: June 2010

Objective: This pilot study was designed to compare a change in micrographia between using grid lines and parallel horizontal lines as visual cues in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

Design: Single group pre- and post-test.

Setting: Research lab.

Participants: Eleven males with Parkinson’s disease.

Interventions: Practice writing words with parallel and grid lines. The sequence of practising was randomized.

Main outcome measures: Length of words.

Results: The length of the words after practising with parallel lines was longer than in the initial free writing condition (17.83 ± 3.93 cm vs. 23.36 ± 5.82 cm, P =0.008). The length of the words after practising with grid lines was also longer than during free writing (17.83 ± 3.93 cm vs. 22.65 ± 4.04 cm, P =0.003). The length of the words after practising with parallel lines was not different from that after practising with grid lines.

Conclusion: Improvements in letter size after practising with horizontal parallel lines and grid lines were not different. The addition of vertical lines to form a grid did not appear to improve the writing more than horizontal lines alone in persons with Parkinson’s disease who experienced micrographia.
Eyes on the prize: life goals in the context of visual disability in midlife
Authors: Popivker Luba , Wang Shu-wen , Boerner Kathrin
Published: June 2010

Objective: To investigate implications of vision loss in midlife, identify life goals that are important to middle-aged adults and assess how vision loss interferes with goal pursuit.

Design: Cross-sectional exploratory study.

Setting: Vision rehabilitation agency.

Subjects: Two hundred and sixteen middle-aged adults with visual impairment.

Methods: Telephone interviews composed of structured and open-ended assessments of life goals (i.e. priorities, plans, or hopes people have in their lives) and goal interference due to vision loss.

Results: Across the three assessed domains, functional goals were reported most often (N = 214), followed by social goals (N = 72) and psychological goals (N = 28). Among functional goals, career, daily tasks and mobility goals were identified by the highest percentage of participants. Family goals were identified most frequently for social goals, and life quality was identified most often for psychological goals. Vision-related goals occurred throughout the three domains, representing the majority of functional goals, a third of social goals, and almost half of psychological goals. Participants reported highest interference in functional and social goals and least in psychological goals. While participants reported moderate interference for most goals, markedly high interference was reported for daily tasks, mobility, independence and leisure goals. Goal identification was related to timing of onset of vision loss primarily for functional goals.

Conclusions: Findings illuminate multifaceted goals held by middle-aged adults with vision impairment and how visual disability can interfere with goal pursuits. These findings suggest that identifying clients’ life goals and the vision-related interference they experience in goal pursuits may be a helpful step in vision rehabilitation services.
Preoperative therapeutic exercise in frail elderly scheduled for total hip replacement: a randomized pilot trial
Authors: Hoogeboom Thomas J , Dronkers Jaap J , van den Ende Cornelia HM , Oosting Ellen , van Meeteren Nico LU
Published: June 2010

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of therapeutic exercise before total hip replacement in frail elderly.

Design: A single-blind, randomized clinical pilot trial.

Setting: Outpatient physiotherapy department.

Subjects: Frail elderly with hip osteoarthritis awaiting total hip replacement.

Interventions: A short (3—6 weeks) tailor-made, therapeutic exercise programme was compared with usual care.

Main measures: Feasibility was assessed through patient satisfaction, adherence, occurrence of adverse events and the number of eligible non-volunteers. Preliminary preoperative effectiveness was assessed with performance and self-reported measures of pain, functioning, physical activity and quality of life. Postoperatively we measured functional recovery and length of hospital stay.

Results: Sixty-two eligible patients were approached of whom 21 (mean age 76 years) agreed to participate. Exercisers (n = 10), rated the intervention as very good 8.9 (8—10) (10-point rating scale). No serious adverse events occurred. Forty-one (66%) eligible patients did not participate, mainly because of logistic considerations, resulting in selection bias. The intervention group (trainings sessions participated 91%) showed relevant preoperative improvements on the chair-rise time

(delta —2.9 seconds; 95% confidence interval (CI) —6.2 to 0.4) and timed-up-and-go (delta —4.4 seconds; 95% CI —9.3 to 0.5). Postoperatively, no significant differences were seen.

Conclusions: A short, tailor-made, exercise programme is well tolerated and appreciated in elderly patients awaiting total hip replacement. However, a larger randomized clinical trial in the same setting is not warranted, because of the high number of eligible non-volunteers.
Gauging the Magnitude of Civilization Conflict
Authors: Ellis Glynn
Published: June 2010

Multiple studies of Huntington’s suggestion of a clash of civilizations have found no support for it. This study does not reanalyze his thesis, but rather focuses on specific features of the different-civilization conflict he theorizes about. Using empirical analysis I find that different-civilization conflict is more prevalent than same-civilization conflict, and is therefore appropriate for continued scholarly examination. Even so, I conclude that over time it is not only shrinking as a percentage of the overall world conflict as previously reported but is doing so at a rate more pronounced than heretofore realized. My results support Roeder’s findings that the most contentious civilizations are the West, Orthodox, and Islam, with Western states as a group being more contentious than the other two. As for a most contentious civilization dyad, I find the probability of conflict to be about the same for Western-Islamic and Western-Orthodox states. Finally, I conclude that the contentiousness of Western states derives in large part from their tendency to band together or cooperate during violent conflict.
Apoptosis contributes to testicular toxicity induced by two isomers of bromopropanes
Authors: Xin Qian-Qian , Yong Huang  , Jie Li  , Zhang Wan-Jun , Tao Yu  , Hua Wang  , Cheng Zhang  , Ye Dong-Qing , Fen Huang
Published: June 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the different testicular toxicity and the role of apoptosis in the possible mechanism induced by the two isomers of bromopropanes (BPs) in the same dosage. Following the 14-day treatment with a single dose of 1-BP and 2-BP (1 g/kg), male rats were killed and a series of experiments were performed. 1-BP and 2-BP both significantly decreased the epididymal sperm count, while only 2-BP induced an increase in sperms with abnormal heads. Morphological evaluation showed that 1-BP did not cause morphological changes in seminiferous epithelium, but 2-BP treatment resulted in the disappearance of spermatogonia, atrophy of the seminiferous tubules and degeneration of germ cells. 2-BP significantly increased the TUNEL-positive cells and the activation of caspase-3 and decreased the genes and proteins expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and p53. In contrast, there were no significant changes in the expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins in 1-BP group, though the TUNEL-positive cells were significantly increased. Taken together, this study indicated that those two isomers both have toxicity in male rats, however, the testicular toxicity and the role of apoptosis in the toxic mechanism induced by 1-BP and 2-BP may be different.
Lost in Transition?
Authors: McNamara Martin S.
Published: June 2010

A critical discourse analysis of Irish nurse academics’ comments reveals a dependent, fragmented discipline with a weak academic infrastructure, prone to colonization by other discourses. Respondents lack a language that articulates an academic and professional nursing identity, the form and content of educational programs that are distinctively nursing, and lack the proper focus and scope of nursing research. These findings are discussed in light of the role of academic clinical practice and nursing discipline-specific discourses in providing the conditions of possibility for the establishment, maintenance, and reproduction of a critical mass of nurse scholars with both academic and clinical legitimacy.
Hormesis and its relationship with homeopathy
Authors: Bellavite Paolo , Chirumbolo Salvatore , Marzotto Marta
Published: June 2010

Homeopathy is an ancient and complex therapeutic method that is rediscovering its scientific foundations. Hormesis is a frequently observed phenomenon that has been rigorously reported with precise dose-response curves. The therapeutic method based on the principle of ‘like cures like’ should not be confused with hormesis, which has several different implications from those of homeopathy. Yet, because both these approaches to nature and medicine are very broad in scope, they do end up having some points of contact. Thus, the well-established and consolidated field of hormesis can help cast light, through its ideas and research methods, on the possible mechanisms of action of remedies in ultra-low doses.
Evaluating homeopathic drugs within a biomedical framework
Authors: Calabrese Edward J , Jonas Wayne B
Published: June 2010

The concept of hormesis can provide an evaluation framework for the assessment of homeopathic treatment preparations following a post-conditioning hormesis protocol based on the research of van Wijk and colleagues. This proposal would require that doses of administered drug conform to analytical chemistry requirements for quantification. This developmental framework can provide a scientific ‘point of contact’ between the homeopathic and biomedical communities, which has long been lacking.
Hormesis and homeopathy: Bridge over troubled waters
Authors: Oberbaum Menachem , Singer Shepherd Roee , Samuels Noah
Published: June 2010

Homeopathy is an empirical method of treatment. Hormesis, while stemming from within the rationalist tradition, has yet to be explained according to current pharmacological theory. Both share in common sub-threshold doses of toxic substances and an initial semi-toxicological insult followed by a greater compensatory (or healing) response. We question whether the differences between these fields may be amenable to scientific research. We identify five cardinal differences between homeopathy and hormesis: (1) Hormesis is a universal phenomenon, while homeopathy is highly specific; (2) Hormesis uses only measurable quantities of compounds, as opposed to homeopathy, which frequently administers medicines at dilutions far beyond the material range; (3) Preparation of hormetic solutions follows standard laboratory procedure, while homeopathy requires a sequential series of dilutions, each followed by vigorous shaking (‘succussion’); (4) The effects of hormesis are moderate and temporary, while homeopathy claims curative and permanent responses and (5) Hormesis is a lab phenomenon observed primarily in healthy organisms, whereas homeopathy is a mode of treatment administered primarily to ailing individuals. We believe that all five of these differences are amenable to scientific investigation, and suggest comparing succussed to non-succussed diluted solutions as an optimal first evaluation. We conclude that while certain differences exist between hormesis and homeopathy, hormesis may in fact be a subset of homeopathy.
Miasmas, germs, homeopathy and hormesis: Commentary on the relationship between homeopathy and hormesis
Authors: Moffett John R
Published: June 2010

Is hormesis related to homeopathy? Despite the superficial similarity of the low dose of the applied stimulus, there are compelling reasons for maintaining hormesis and homeopathy as unrelated. Homeopathy originated in the medical knowledge vacuum of the 19th century, prior to the acceptance of the germ/gene bases of disease. Homeopathy was never grounded on empirical scientific evidence. Hormesis, on the other hand, has always been an empirical science, involving properly controlled experiments. Hormesis is a concept in toxicology that involves biphasic dose responses in biological systems, wherein low doses of stressors can have beneficial effects and higher doses have harmful effects. Hormesis, as it applies to toxicology, is a necessary and useful concept describing adaptive organismic responses to applied stressors. Conversely, homeopathy is a medical doctrine based on the erroneous belief that substances which cause the symptoms of a disorder will cure the disorder when given to patients in small doses. To suggest that homeopathy is a form of post-exposure conditioning hormesis assumes that homeopathic practitioners employed the scientific method with measurable experimental end-points and proper controls, and that their ‘provings’ had actually determined the correct compound, at the correct dose, required to cure a disorder. Because many homeopathic preparations are diluted to a point where none of the starting solutes would likely remain, the idea of a beneficial or harmful hormetic dose becomes moot. Without supporting scientific evidence for the efficacy or purported mechanisms of homeopathy, the term hormesis should not be linked with it in any way.
Postconditioning hormesis and the homeopathic Similia principle: Molecular aspects
Authors: Van Wijk R. , Wiegant FAC
Published: June 2010

Postexposure conditioning, as a part of hormesis, involves the application of a low dose of stress following exposure to a severe stress condition. Depending on whether the low-dose stress is of the same type of stress or is different from the initial high-dose stress causing the diseased state, postconditioning can be classified as homologous or heterologous, respectively. In clinical homeopathy, the same distinction is found between isopathic and homeopathic application of low-dose substances. Homeopathy is unique for its Similia principle, which implies that substances causing symptoms in healthy biological systems can be used to treat similar symptoms in diseased biological systems. The evaluation of the Similia principle in an experimental set-up requires the analysis of a complex sequence of ‘damage-disease-treatment-effect’ events. The process of recovery from an insult is then monitored and a possible beneficial effect on this recovery process, upon application of a range of substances in low dose, can subsequently be analyzed using molecular and functional parameters. It is then possible to compare the effect of treatment with the degree of similarity between the diseased state and the effects caused by homologous and/or different heterologous substances. Beneficial effects of postconditioning mild stress conditions have been described in terms of an increase of the synthesis of stress proteins. In this commentary paper, we present additional information on this aspect. The experimental data suggest that the beneficial effect of the low-dose stress condition used as heterologous postconditioning is related to similarity in molecular stress response.
Treatment of Cancer-Related Chest Wall Pain Using Spinal Cord Stimulation
Authors: Yakovlev Alexander E. , Resch Beth E. , Karasev Sergey A.
Published: June 2010

Objective: It has been estimated that 15% to 40% of chronic cancer pain has a neuropathic component, and this type of pain often responds poorly to opioids. In an attempt to provide increased pain relief for patients with intractable cancer pain, unconventional agents and interventional management approaches have received considerable attention. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been used with increased frequency for the treatment of intractable cancer pain. Methods: The patients with a history of cancer-related chest wall pain underwent an uneventful SCS trial with percutaneous placement of 2 temporary 8-electrode leads (Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, Minnesota) placed at the level of T3-T4-T5. Results: After experiencing excellent pain relief over the next 2 days, the patients were implanted with permanent leads and rechargeable generator 2 to 2 ½ weeks later and reported sustained pain relief at 12-month follow-up visit. Conclusion: SCS provides an effective, alternative treatment option for select patients with cancer-related chest wall pain who have failed conservative treatment. SCS may provide pain relief with advantages over conservative treatments and more invasive techniques.
Electronic Medical Records and the Efficiency of Hospital Emergency Departments
Authors: Furukawa Michael F.
Published: June 2010

This study examined the relationship between electronic medical records (EMR) sophistication and the efficiency of U.S. hospital emergency departments (EDs). Using data from the 2006 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, survey-weighted ordinary least squares regressions were used to estimate the association of EMR sophistication with ED throughput and probability a patient left without treatment. Instrumental variables were used to test for the presence of endogeneity and reverse causality. Greater EMR sophistication had a mixed association with ED efficiency. Relative to EDs with minimal or no EMR, fully functional EMR was associated with 22.4% lower ED length of stay and 13.1% lower diagnosis/treatment time. However, the relationships varied by patient acuity level and diagnostic services provided. Surprisingly, EDs with basic EMR were not more efficient on average, and basic EMR had a nonlinear relationship with efficiency that varied with the number of EMR functions used.
Gigi’s Tipis
Authors: Giorgio Grace
Published: June 2010

As an autoethnography, Gigi’s Tipis experiments with the short-story format as a “new style” of qualitative investigation into family communication. Gigis Tipis presents narrative of family conventions and resistance as experienced by the author and her new family. When Jake’s girlfriend, Gigi, makes an offhanded joke that upsets his sister, a series of scenes unravel the family’s deep-seated tensions. Eventually miscommunication leads to no communication until Gigi takes matters into her own hands, revealing a family structure that has promoted dysfunction for at least a generation.
You Have a Gift to Hear: A Performative Text Exploring Embodied Sexual Harassment
Authors: Day Angela M.
Published: June 2010

This text adopts characteristics from autoethnography and performative writing to investigate the embodiment of lived gendered experiences. It attempts to emphasize the sensations of sexual harassment as understood through rhythm; specifically, the use of repetition as a type of rhythmic performance. The author describes how for almost three years, while she was a graduate student, she struggled with being sexually harassed by a fellow student, and in an unsupportive academic environment. The author feels that this text, which was prepared while she made formal charges against her harasser, helped her cope with the intensity of the moment. The author shares her story and tries to illustrate how that particular event dealt with the contrasting emotional and sensual sensations of her current gendered identity with her past embodied gendered identity. This manuscript is meant to be experienced as a text; therefore, to avoid disruption of the flow of the work it does not contain any direct writing about theory.
“All the Men Here Have the Peter Pan Syndrome- They Don’t Want to Grow Up”: Navajo Adolescent Mothers’ Intimate Partner Relationships-A 15-Year Perspective
Authors: Dalla Rochelle L. , Marchetti Alexandria M. , Sechrest Elizabeth A. , White Jennifer L.
Published: June 2010

In 1992 and 1995, data were collected from 29 Navajo Native American adolescent mothers. In 2007 and 2008, data were collected from 21 of the original 29 (72%). Guided by feminist family theory, this investigation sought to (a) examine Navajo adolescent mothers’ intimate partner relationships during the transition to parenthood, (b) identify themes in the young mothers’ intimate partnerships across time, and (c) assess participants’ psychosocial well-being in adulthood. Four themes emerged in the women’s long-term intimate relationships: limited support, substance abuse, infidelity, and intimate partner violence. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Going Along With It: Sexually Coercive Partner Behavior Predicts Dating Women’s Compliance With Unwanted Sex
Authors: Katz Jennifer , Tirone Vanessa
Published: June 2010

Sexual compliance involves willing consent to unwanted sex despite a lack of sexual desire.The authors hypothesized that compliance would be significantly more common among women with sexually coercive partners because compliance allows women to bypass possible coercion. Undergraduate women in heterosexual relationships ( N = 76) responded to self-report measures of partner sexually coercive behavior at baseline and sexual compliance 6 weeks later. As expected, reports of partner coercive behavior at Time 1 predicted women’s willing consent to unwanted sex at Time 2. Most compliant women consented to unwanted sex after learning their partners may coerce them if they refuse.
Psychometric properties of the Fatigue Severity Scale: Rasch analyses of responses in a Norwegian and a Swedish MS cohort
Authors: Lerdal A. , Johansson S. , Kottorp A. , von Koch L.
Published: June 2010

Background: Rigorous testing of the original Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS—9) with modern psychometric methods is warranted.

Objective: To determine the psychometric properties of the FSS—9 in multiple sclerosis (MS): internal scale validity; person response validity; unidimensionality; uniform differential item functioning; temporal stability of response patterns; and ability to separate people into distinct groups of fatigue.

Methods: Rasch analyses were conducted on data from a Norwegian and a Swedish MS cohort followed for two years.

Results: Item estimations in the FSS—9 did not differ between sex or levels of education but between the cohorts with regard to disability, disease course and time for evaluation, however, items 1 and 2 demonstrated unacceptable high outfit mean-square values in both cohorts. In an FSS—7 item version, items 3 and 4 in the Norwegian and 4 in the Swedish cohort demonstrated unacceptable goodness of fit but high separation indexes. In the FSS—7, the first unidimensional factor explained 87.5% (Norwegian cohort) and 86.4% (Swedish cohort) of the total variation.

Conclusions: In MS, the FSS—7 demonstrates better psychometric properties than the FSS—9; items 1 and 2 neither empirically nor conceptually fit with the other seven items.
Is global justice a mirage?
Authors: Langlois Anthony J.
Published: June 2010

Chandran Kukathas has argued that ‘the political pursuit of global justice is not a worthy goal, and that our aims in establishing international legal and political institutions should be more modest’. In this article I will examine Kukathas’s argument, and argue in turn that he is mistaken to decry the efforts of those who press for global justice. Despite Kukathas’s professed support for international law and cosmopolitanism, and his concern about global inequality and other injustices, he argues that we should forswear the use of political power and political reform to secure the former or address the latter. Instead, Kukathas points us towards the possibility of a future global convergence on moral standards, which, despite being belied by his focus on human diversity, he seems to view as a prerequisite for political activity towards global justice. Kukathas is mistaken in his arguments about the relationship between power and justice, and this leads him to false conclusions about the role that political reform and political institutions should play in consideration of global injustice.
Modeling the human 8p11-myeloproliferative syndrome in immunodeficient mice
Authors: Ågerstam Helena , Järås Marcus , Andersson Anna , Johnels Petra , Hansen Nils , Lassen Carin , Rissler Marianne , Gisselsson David , Olofsson Tor , Richter Johan , Fan Xiaolong , Ehinger Mats , Fioretos Thoas
Published: June 2010

The 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS), also referred to as stem cell leukemia/lymphoma, is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder that rapidly progresses into acute leukemia. Molecularly, EMS is characterized by fusion of various partner genes to the FGFR1 gene, resulting in constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinases in FGFR1. To date, no previous study has addressed the functional consequences of ectopic FGFR1 expression in the potentially most relevant cellular context, that of normal primary human hematopoietic cells. Herein, we report that expression of ZMYM2/FGFR1 (previously known as ZNF198/FGFR1) or BCR/FGFR1 in normal human CD34+ cells from umbilical-cord blood leads to increased cellular proliferation and differentiation toward the erythroid lineage in vitro. In immunodeficient mice, expression of ZMYM2/FGFR1 or BCR/FGFR1 in human cells induces several features of human EMS, including expansion of several myeloid cell lineages and accumulation of blasts in bone marrow. Moreover, bone marrow fibrosis together with increased extramedullary hematopoiesis is observed. This study suggests that FGFR1 fusion oncogenes, by themselves, are capable of initiating an EMS-like disorder, and provides the first humanized model of a myeloproliferative disorder transforming into acute leukemia in mice. The established in vivo EMS model should provide a valuable tool for future studies of this disorder.
Human FANCC is hypomorphic in murine Fancc-deficient cells
Authors: Hays Laura E. , Keeble Winifred W. , Yates Jane E. , Rathbun R. K. , Koretsky Tara , Olson Susan B. , Sun Zejin , Clapp D. Wade , Bagby Grover C.
Published: June 2010

Fancc suppresses cross-linker–induced genotoxicity, modulates growth-inhibitory cytokine responses, and modulates endotoxin responses. Although loss of the latter function is known to account for endotoxin-induced marrow failure in murine Fancc (mFancc)–deficient mice, some argue that cytokine and endotoxin hypersensitivities devolve simply from genomic instability. Seeking to resolve this question, we planned to ectopically express instructive human FANCC (hFANCC) mutants in murine Fancc-deficient hematopoietic stem cells. To first assure that hFANCC cDNA was competent in murine cells, we compared hFANCC and mFancc in complementation assays for cross-linking agent hypersensitivity and endotoxin hypersensitivity. We found that mFancc complemented murine Fancc-deficient cells in both assays, but that hFANCC fully suppressed only endotoxin hypersensitivity, not cross-linking agent hypersensitivity. These results support the notions that Fancc is multifunctional and that structural prerequisites for its genoprotective functions differ from those required to constrain endotoxin responses known to lead to marrow failure in Fancc-deficient mice.
Calcium-sensing receptors regulate cardiomyocyte Ca2+ signaling via the sarcoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrion interface during hypoxia/reoxygenation
Authors: Lu Fang-hao , Tian Zhiliang , Zhang Wei-hua , Zhao Ya-jun , Li Hu-lun , Ren Huan , Zheng Hui-shuang , Liu Chong , Hu Guang-xia , Tian Ye , Yang Bao-feng , Wang Rui , Xu Chang-qing
Published: June 2010

Communication between the SR (sarcoplasmic reticulum, SR) and mitochondria is important for cell survival and apoptosis. The SR supplies Ca2+ directly to mitochondria via inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) at close contacts between the two organelles referred to as mitochondrion-associated ER membrane (MAM). Although it has been demonstrated that CaR (calcium sensing receptor) activation is involved in intracellular calcium overload during hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/Re), the role of CaR activation in the cardiomyocyte apoptotic pathway remains unclear. We postulated that CaR activation plays a role in the regulation of SR-mitochondrial inter-organelle Ca2+ signaling, causing apoptosis during H/Re. To investigate the above hypothesis, cultured cardiomyocytes were subjected to H/Re. We examined the distribution of IP3Rs in cardiomyocytes via immunofluorescence and Western blotting and found that type 3 IP3Rs were located in the SR. [Ca2+]i, [Ca2+]m and [Ca2+]SR were determined using Fluo-4, x-rhod-1 and Fluo 5N, respectively, and the mitochondrial membrane potential was detected with JC-1 during reoxygenation using laser confocal microscopy. We found that activation of CaR reduced [Ca2+]SR, increased [Ca2+]i and [Ca2+]m and decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential during reoxygenation. We found that the activation of CaR caused the cleavage of BAP31, thus generating the pro-apoptotic p20 fragment, which induced the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and the translocation of bak/bax to mitochondria. Taken together, these results reveal that CaR activation causes Ca2+ release from the SR into the mitochondria through IP3Rs and induces cardiomyocyte apoptosis during hypoxia/reoxygenation.
permGPU: Using graphics processing units in RNA microarray association studies
Authors: Shterev Ivo D , Jung Sin-Ho , George Stephen L , Owzar Kouros
Published: June 2010

Background

Many analyses of microarray association studies involve permutation, bootstrap resampling and cross-validation, that are ideally formulated as embarrassingly parallel computing problems. Given that these analyses are computationally intensive, scalable approaches that can take advantage of multi-core processor systems need to be developed.

Results

We have developed a CUDA based implementation, , that employs graphics processing units in microarray association studies. We illustrate the performance and applicability of within the context of permutation resampling for a number of test statistics. An extensive simulation study demonstrates a dramatic increase in performance when using on an NVIDIA GTX 280 card compared to an optimized C/C++ solution running on a conventional Linux server.

Conclusions

is available as an open-source stand-alone application and as an extension package for the statistical environment. It provides a dramatic increase in performance for permutation resampling analysis in the context of microarray association studies. The current version offers six test statistics for carrying out permutation resampling analyses for binary, quantitative and censored time-to-event traits.
CGHpower: exploring sample size calculations for chromosomal copy number experiments
Authors: Scheinin Ilari , Ferreira José A , Knuutila Sakari , Meijer Gerrit A , van de Wiel Mark A , Ylstra Bauke
Published: June 2010

Background

Determining a suitable sample size is an important step in the planning of microarray experiments. Increasing the number of arrays gives more statistical power, but adds to the total cost of the experiment. Several approaches for sample size determination have been developed for expression array studies, but so far none has been proposed for array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH).

Results

Here we explore power calculations for aCGH experiments comparing two groups. In a pilot experiment CGHpower estimates the biological diversity between groups and provides a statistical framework for estimating average power as a function of sample size. As the method requires pilot data, it can be used either in the planning stage of larger studies or in estimating the power achieved in past experiments.

Conclusions

The proposed method relies on certain assumptions. According to our evaluation with public and simulated data sets, they do not always hold true. Violation of the assumptions typically leads to unreliable sample size estimates. Despite its limitations, this method is, at least to our knowledge, the only one currently available for performing sample size calculations in the context of aCGH. Moreover, the implementation of the method provides diagnostic plots that allow critical assessment of the assumptions on which it is based and hence on the feasibility and reliability of the sample size calculations in each case.

The CGHpower web application and the program outputs from evaluation data sets can be freely accessed athttp://www.cangem.org/cghpower/
C. elegans ten-1 is synthetic lethal with mutations in cytoskeleton regulators, and enhances many axon guidance defective mutants
Authors: Mörck Catarina , Vivekanand Vivekanand , Jafari Gholamali , Pilon Marc
Published: June 2010

Background

Teneurins are transmembrane proteins that assist morphogenetic processes in many organisms. ten-1 is the C. elegans teneurin homolog with two transcripts, ten-1a and ten-1b, that respectively encode a long (TEN-1L) and short (TEN-1S) form of the protein. We previously isolated a C. elegans mutant where one pharyngeal neuron was frequently misplaced, and now show that it corresponds to a novel allele of ten-1.

Results

The novel ten-1(et5) allele is a hypomorph since its post-embryonic phenotype is weaker than the null alleles ten-1(ok641) and ten-1(tm651). ten-1 mutants have defects in all pharyngeal neurons that we examined, and in vivo reporters show that only the long form of the ten-1 gene is expressed in the pharynx, specifically in six marginal cells and the M2 neurons. Defects in the pharyngeal M2 neurons were enhanced when the ten-1(ok641) mutation was combined with mutations in the following genes: mig-14, unc-5, unc-51, unc-52 and unc-129. None of the body neurons examined show any defects in the ten-1(ok641) mutant, but genetic interaction studies reveal that ten-1(ok641) is synthetic lethal with sax-3, unc-34 and unc-73, and examination of the hypodermal cells in embryos of the ten-1(ok641) mutant point to a role of ten-1 during hypodermal cell morphogenesis.

Conclusions

Our results are consistent with ten-1 normally providing a function complementary to the cytoskeletal remodeling processes that occur in migrating cells or cells undergoing morphogenesis. It is possible that ten-1 influences the composition/distribution of extracellular matrix.