bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘To Try to Form Some Connections with the Natives’: Encounters between Captain Cook and Indigenous People at Botany Bay in 1770
Authors: Nugent Maria Louise
Published: February 2008

This article examines Captain Cook's encounters with indigenous people at Botany Bay in 1770. It argues that a cross‐cultural interpretation of the evidence in the voyage journals of Captain Cook and Joseph Banks exposes the fictions that have structured Australian settler narratives about Cook's first landfall on the continent. It is proposed that an approach that considers carefully the nature of encounters between the mariners and the local people during Cook's time on the Australian east coast can make a substantial contribution to the ongoing critique of Captain Cook's foundational meanings and mythical status.
The Globalization of Mexican Cuisine
Authors: Pilcher Jeffrey
Published: February 2008

The international presence of Mexican cuisine has expanded tremendously since the 1960s. Before that time it was hard to find tacos or enchiladas outside Mexico or its former territory in the Southwestern United States, but Mexican restaurants and processed foods are now available around the world. This transformation has come about largely as a result of North American marketing of Tex‐Mex, which raises important questions for theories of globalization. This article begins by surveying the political and cultural economy of the early modern Columbian Exchange, the mechanization of tortilla production, and the incorporation of Mexican agriculture into international commodity chains. This is followed by an examination of ethnic stereotypes and the class position of Mexican food within the United States. The article concludes by considering ethnic fast food and the origins of the taco shell as a tool for rethinking McDonaldization.
Neonatal Mortality for Primary Cesarean and Vaginal Births to Low‐Risk Women: Application of an “Intention‐to‐Treat” Model
Authors: MacDorman Marian F. , Declercq Eugene , Menacker Fay , Malloy Michael H.
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT:  Background:
The percentage of United States births delivered by cesarean section continues to increase, even for women considered to be at low risk for the procedure. The purpose of this study was to use an “intention‐to‐treat” methodology, as recommended by a National Institutes of Health conference, to examine neonatal mortality risk by method of delivery for low‐risk women.
Methods:
Low‐risk births were singleton, term (37–41 weeks’ gestation), vertex births, with no reported medical risk factors or placenta previa and with no prior cesarean section. All U.S. live births and infant deaths for the 1999 to 2002 birth cohorts (8,026,415 births and 17,412 infant deaths) were examined. Using the intention‐to‐treat methodology, a “planned vaginal delivery” category was formed by combining vaginal births and cesareans with labor complications or procedures since the original intention in both cases was presumably a vaginal delivery. This group was compared with cesareans with no labor complications or procedures, which is the closest approximation to a “planned cesarean delivery” category possible, given data limitations. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model neonatal mortality as a function of delivery method, adjusting for sociodemographic and medical risk factors.
Results:
The unadjusted neonatal mortality rate for cesarean deliveries with no labor complications or procedures was 2.4 times that for planned vaginal deliveries. In the most conservative model, the adjusted odds ratio for neonatal mortality was 1.69 (95% CI 1.35–2.11) for cesareans with no labor complications or procedures, compared with planned vaginal deliveries.
Conclusions:
The finding that cesarean deliveries with no labor complications or procedures remained at a 69 percent higher risk of neonatal mortality than planned vaginal deliveries is important, given the rapid increase in the number of primary cesarean deliveries without a reported medical indication. (BIRTH 35:1 March 2008)
Women’s Autonomy and Scheduled Cesarean Sections in Brazil: A Cautionary Tale
Authors: Potter Joseph E. , Hopkins Kristine , Faúndes Anibal , Perpétuo Ignez
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT:  Background:
In Brazil, one‐fourth of all women deliver in the private sector, where the rate of cesarean deliveries is extremely high (70%). Most (64%) private sector cesareans are scheduled, although many women would have preferred a vaginal delivery. The question this study addresses is whether childbearing women were induced to accept the procedure by their physicians, and if so, how?
Methods:
Three face‐to‐face structured interviews were conducted with 1,612 women (519 private sector and 1,093 public sector) early in pregnancy, approximately 1 month before their due date, and approximately 1 month postpartum. For all private sector patients having a scheduled cesarean section, women’s self‐reported reasons given for programming surgical delivery were classified into three groups according to obstetrical justification.
Results:
After loss to follow‐up (19.2% of private sector and 34.4% of public sector), our final sample included 1,136 women (419 private sector and 717 public sector). Compared with public sector participants in the final sample, on average, private sector participants were older by 3.4 years (28.7 vs 25.3 yr), had 0.4 fewer previous deliveries (0.6 vs 1.0), and had 3.4 more years of education (11.0 vs 7.6 yr). The final samples also differed slightly with respect to preference for vaginal delivery: 72.3 percent among those in the private sector and 79.6 percent in public sector. The cesarean section rate was 72 percent in the private sector and 31 percent in the public sector. Of the women with reports about the timing of the cesarean decision, 64.4 percent had a scheduled cesarean delivery in the private sector compared with 23.7 percent in the public sector. Many cesarean sections were scheduled for an “unjustified” medical reason, especially among women who, during pregnancy, had declared a preference for a vaginal delivery. Among 96 women in this latter group, the reason reported for the procedure was unjustified in 33 cases. On the other hand, more cesarean deliveries were scheduled for “no medical justification,” including physician’s or the woman’s convenience, among women who preferred to deliver by cesarean (35/65). The incidence of real medical reasons for a scheduled cesarean section diagnosed before the onset of labor among private sector patients who had no previous cesarean birth and who wanted a vaginal delivery was 13 percent (31/243).
Conclusions:
The data suggest that doctors frequently persuaded their patients to accept a scheduled cesarean section for conditions that either did not exist or did not justify this procedure. The problem identified in this paper may extend well beyond Brazil and should be of concern to those with responsibility for ethical behavior in obstetrics. (BIRTH 35:1 March 2008)
Suspicious Findings in Antenatal Care and Their Implications from the Mothers’ Perspective: A Prospective Study in Germany
Authors: Petersen Juliana , Jahn Albrecht
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT:  Background:
Antenatal care services are well established in Germany, with at least 10 routine antenatal consultations per pregnancy. Although many individual antenatal screening procedures and tests have been assessed in clinical trials, little is known about the overall prevalence of suspicious findings in routine antenatal surveillance and about related effects on psychological maternal well‐being. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the views of pregnant women on prevalence, type, and consequences of suspicious findings during antenatal care; to assess related worries and anxiety; and to compare the reports of risk factors by these women with the antenatal records.
Methods:
We enrolled 360 pregnant women participating in antenatal classes in the Rhein‐Neckar area, Germany. They were followed up from the beginning of antenatal classes to the puerperium using self‐administered structured questionnaires that covered previous antenatal consultations and related worries. The Spielberger State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to assess current and general levels of anxiety. Antenatal records were also analyzed. Postnatally, pregnancy outcomes were assessed by telephone interviews.
Results:
Two‐thirds (67.2%) of antenatal care attendees reported suspicious or abnormal findings, almost half of which (45.1%) resulted from routine ultrasound scans. More than half (53.2%) of those with suspicious findings reported that they were acutely worried. The suspected problem often did not materialize: 13 (81.3%) of 16 suspected malformations and 34 (81%) of 42 suspected growth‐retarded babies were in the normal range. Many suspicious findings reported by mothers were not documented in the antenatal records.
Conclusions:
Contrary to their expectation of reassurance, most antenatal care attendees are warned about possible abnormalities, which often lead to further investigations and cause considerable worries. More research is needed to evaluate the long‐term impact and consequences of suspicious or false screening results in routine antenatal care. (BIRTH 35:1 March 2008)
Men’s and Women’s Patterns of Substance Use Around Pregnancy
Authors: Bailey Jennifer A. , Hill Karl G. , Hawkins J. David , Catalano Richard F. , Abbott Robert D.
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT:  Background:
Little is known about men’s patterns of substance use around their partner’s pregnancy, despite evidence from studies of pregnant women that men’s substance use may reduce women’s ability to desist from substance use during pregnancy, increase the probability that women will return to use postpartum, and increase the risk of adverse child outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the association between pregnancy or partner’s pregnancy and month‐by‐month patterns of binge drinking, daily smoking, and marijuana use among young men and women.
Methods:
Data were drawn from the Seattle Social Development Project, which included 412 men and 396 women (age 24 yr) from a community sample of individuals who attended elementary school in the northwestern United States. Event history calendars were used to measure month‐by‐month patterns of binge drinking, daily smoking, marijuana use, and childbirth over a 3‐year period from 1996 to 1999.
Results:
Births during the calendar period were reported by 131 women and 77 men. Hierarchical generalized linear modeling analyses showed that men’s rates of binge drinking and marijuana use were unaffected by their partner’s pregnancy. Pregnancy decreased the probability of substance use among women, but use returned to prepregnancy levels within 2 years postpartum.
Conclusions:
Men’s substance use was not affected by their partner’s pregnancy. Pregnancy decreased the probability of substance use among women, but substantial proportions of women users of cigarettes and marijuana used these substances during pregnancy. Many of the women who desisted from substance use while pregnant returned to use after their child was born. (BIRTH 35:1 March 2008)
Mothers’ Reflections about Infant Irritability and Postpartum Tobacco Use
Authors: Gaffney Kathleen F. , Beckwitt Asher E. , Friesen Mary Ann
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT:  Background:
Recent research has shown that most women who stop or substantially reduce cigarette smoking during pregnancy return to previous levels of tobacco use soon after delivery. The determinants of postpartum tobacco use have not been adequately identified. To address this gap, the present study examined one potential contributor to postpartum smoking, namely, unexplained infant crying and fussiness. The purpose of this study was to describe mothers’ reflections about perceived infant irritability and postpartum tobacco use.
Methods:
A qualitative descriptive approach was applied to the responses of low‐income women who participated in a mixed methods study of smoking relapse among mothers of infants. The subset of mothers for the present study (n = 86) was composed of women who intended to be nonsmokers after delivery. Thematic content analysis was conducted of the texts from their interviews. Results: Four major themes were identified with respect to perceptions of infant irritability and postpartum tobacco use: not knowing what to do, seeking renewal, seeking relief, and evaluating self. Conclusions: The reflections of the study participants suggest that the challenges of handling infant irritability often trigger thoughts of smoking or smoking behavior. Health practitioners may strengthen cessation interventions by using strategies to help mothers cope with this experience, which is unique to the first few months after delivery. (BIRTH 35:1 March 2008)
Women as Consumers of Maternity Care: Measuring “Satisfaction” or “Dissatisfaction”?
Authors: Redshaw Maggie
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT:  The measurement of “satisfaction” has been intrinsic to the models of evaluation of health care. However, a thoughtful approach to its use has not always been evident in which this concept is understood to represent a complex group of theoretical constructs involving attitudes, expectations, and perceptions that may be both positive and critical. These constructs require investigation and evaluation using recognized and developed methodologies. At the same time the importance of listening to patients and to women and their partners in evaluating and carrying out research on maternity care cannot be underestimated if the instruments used are to have construct and face validity. Qualitative data of this kind have a dual function of contributing to a more complex picture of women’s experience and of suggesting that researchers need to explore the issues related to “dissatisfaction” at least as much as those arising from a positive overall view of care. (BIRTH 35:1 March 2008)
Noble Gene Transduction Into Pancreatic β‐Cells by Singularizing Islet Cells With Low Doses of Recombinant Adenoviral Vector
Authors: Tsukiyama Shusaku , Matsushita Michiaki , Matsumoto Shuichiro , Morita Tsunehiko , Tsuruga Yosuke , Takahashi Tohru , Kasai Hironori , Kamachi Hirofumi , Todo Satoru
Published: February 2008

Abstract:  Adenovirus‐mediated gene transduction into the intact islets has thus far been limited to the surface cells of islets. We evaluated the efficiency of gene delivery by singularization of islets, followed by self‐reorganization into islet‐like masses. Adenovirus‐mediated gene transduction was performed on dispersed islet cells, obtained by two‐step digestion of collagenase and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid/dispase. Good self‐reorganization of islet cells in culture was observed until 120 h in islet cells of a control group, a group with a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1, and a group with an MOI of 5, with their sizes of 66.7 ±14.17, 64.0 ± 15.14, and 60.8 ± 23.71 µm, respectively. No significant difference in spontaneous reaggregation capability among the islet cell masses was noticed. However, fragmentation of the reaggregated islet mass was observed in the groups with an MOI of 10 and 50 at 72 and 48 h, respectively. The gene transduction rates at an MOI of 0.5, 1, and 5 into islet cells were 56.1 ± 1.43, 97.6 ± 0.92, and 100 ± 0.00%, respectively. The insulin stimulation indices of the reaggregated islet mass at an MOI of 0.5 and 1 were preserved to the level of a nontransduced islet mass; those at an MOI greater than 5 were significantly low. Efficient adenovirus‐mediated gene transduction into islet/β‐cells was achieved by adding a process of dispersion of islets into single cells prior to gene transduction without losing the characteristic ability of islet cells to form a functional islet mass in culture.
Removal of the Uremic Retention Solute p‐Cresol Using Fractionated Plasma Separation and Adsorption
Authors: Meijers Björn K , Weber Viktoria , Bammens Bert , Dehaen Wim , Verbeke Kristin , Falkenhagen Dieter , Evenepoel Pieter
Published: February 2008

Abstract:  Removal of protein‐bound uremic retention solutes, including p‐cresol, by peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis (HD) is limited. p‐Cresol, mainly circulating as sulfate conjugate (p‐cresyl sulfate [PCS]), is independently associated with mortality. Fractionated plasma separation and adsorption (FPSA) is a nonbiologic detoxification system for the treatment of liver failure. The FPSA clearance of uremic retention solutes is unknown. We studied PCS clearance by FPSA, using the Prometheus system. The neutral resin adsorbent and the anion exchange adsorbent bind PCS in vitro (reduction ratios [RRs] 37 and 70%). Ex vivo, the adsorbent mass removal (MR) (median 47.5 mg) contributes more than half to total MR (median 89.6 mg). In vivo, PCS RR during FPSA (50%) exceeded the RR during high flux HD (30%). We halted the study after four inclusions due to repeated thrombosis of the arterio‐venous conduit. In conclusion, FPSA is a promising technique to improve clearance of protein‐bound uremic retention solutes.
Ex Vivo Magnetofection With Magnetic Nanoparticles: A Novel Platform for Nonviral Tissue Engineering
Authors: Yang Shieh‐Yueh , Sun Jui‐Sheng , Liu Cheng‐Heng , Tsuang Yang‐Hwei , Chen Li‐Ting , Hong Chin‐Yih , Yang Hong‐Chang , Horng Herng‐Er
Published: February 2008

Abstract:  Several methods have been described to introduce DNA expression vectors into mammalian cells both in vitro and in vivo. Each system has benefits and limitations, and to date there is still no ideal method for gene transfer. In this study, we introduced a novel method of gene transfer by using Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The magnetic nanoparticles composed of Fe3O4, and the transfected genes used are Lac Z and enhanced green fluorescence protein gene (EGFG). Four different groups of preparations included in this study were homemade liposome‐enveloped EGFP–DNA/Fe3O4, homemade liposome EGFP–DNA gene without magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, lipofectamine 2000‐enveloped EGFP–DNA, and EGFP–DNA gene only. Mice osteoblast and He99 lung cancer cell line were used as host cells for gene transfection. The time‐dependent EGFP gene expression was monitored and analyzed. The results showed that the diameter of the complex was less than 100 nm. There was no cytotoxicity observed at any of the magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle concentrations tested. In the presence of magnetic field, the liposome‐enveloped EGFP–DNA/Fe3O4 complex exhibited a much higher efficiency for transfecting EGFP–DNA into osteoblast cells under external magnetic fields. The gene can be transfected into cells with an aid of magnetic vectors and magnetic force. Under a gradient magnetic field, the efficiency of magnetofection is enhanced as compared to that without magnetic field.
Total Insulinlike Growth Factor 1 and Insulinlike Growth Factor Binding Protein Levels, Functional Status, and Mortality in Older Adults
Authors: Kaplan Robert C. , McGinn Aileen P. , Pollak Michael N. , Kuller Lewis , Strickler Howard D. , Rohan Thomas E. , Xue XiaoNan , Kritchevsky Stephen B. , Newman Anne B. , Psaty Bruce M.
Published: February 2008

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between total insulinlike growth factor (IGF)‐1, IGF binding protein‐1 (IGFBP‐1), and IGFBP‐3 levels and functioning and mortality in older adults.

DESIGN: Cohort study.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: One thousand one hundred twenty‐two individuals aged 65 and older without prior cardiovascular disease events participating in the Cardiovascular Health Study.

MEASUREMENTS: Baseline fasting plasma levels of IGF‐1, IGFBP‐1, and IGFBP‐3 (defined as tertiles, T1‐T3) were examined in relationship to handgrip strength, time to walk 15 feet, development of new difficulties with activities of daily living (ADLs), and mortality.

RESULTS: Higher IGFBP‐1 predicted worse handgrip strength (P‐trendT1‐T3<.01) and slower walking speed (P‐trendT1‐T3=.03), lower IGF‐1 had a borderline significant association with worse handgrip strength (P‐trendT1‐T3=.06), and better grip strength was observed in the middle IGFBP‐3 tertile than in the low or high tertiles (P=.03). Adjusted for age, sex, and race, high IGFBP‐1 predicted greater mortality (P‐trendT1‐T3<.001, hazard ratio (HR)T3vsT1=1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.15–1.90); this association was borderline significant after additional confounder adjustment (P‐trendT1‐T3=.05, HRT3vsT1=1.35, 95% CI=0.98–1.87). High IGFBP‐1 was associated with greater risk of incident ADL difficulties after adjustment for age, sex, race, and other confounders (P‐trendT1‐T3=.04, HRT3vsT1=1.40, CI=1.01–1.94). Neither IGF‐1 nor IGFBP‐3 level predicted mortality or incident ADL difficulties.

CONCLUSION: In adults aged 65 and older, high IGFBP‐1 levels were associated with greater risk of mortality and poorer functional ability, whereas IGF‐1 and IGFBP‐3 had little association with these outcomes.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Generalized Epilepsy?…Show Me the Evidence!
Authors: Kanner Andres M.
Published: February 2008

Is Vagus Nerve Stimulation a Treatment Option for Patients with Drug-Resistant Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy? Kostov H, Larsson PG, Røste GK. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl 2007;187:55–58.

Background

The value of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for treating patients with drug-resistant idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) is not well documented.

Patients and Methods

Twelve patients (2 males, 10 females) with a mean age of 31 years (11–48 years) and with drug-resistant IGE had VNS implanted in the period 1995–2006. All had generalized seizures documented by video-electroencephalogram. Mean follow-up period was 23 months (9–54 months).

Results

There was a total seizure reduction of 61% ( p = 0.0002). There was 62% reduction of generalized tonic-clonic seizures ( p = 0.0020), 58% of absences ( p = 0.0003), and 40% of myoclonic seizures ( p = 0.0156). Eight patients were considered responders (>50% seizure reduction); two of these patients became seizure-free. Five out of seven patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy were responders. At the last follow-up visit, the patients had reduced the antiepileptic drug (AED) usage from an average of 2.3 to 1.7 AED per patient ( p = 0.0625). Two patients are currently being treated with VNS therapy only. Nine patients reported side effects, which were mostly mild and tended to diminish overtime.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that adjunctive VNS therapy is a favorable treatment option for patients with drug-resistant IGE. Rapid cycling seems worth trying in some of the nonresponders.
Firth and Wagner (1997): New Ideas or a New Articulation?
Authors: GASS SUSAN M. , LEE JUNKYU , ROOTS ROBIN
Published: February 2008

This article begins with a review of second language acquisition research leading up to the 1997 article by Firth and Wagner. We argue that the Firth and Wagner article did not represent a new direction, but rather continued a type of argumentation that was already prevalent in the field at the time of the 1997 publication. We identify 3 issues as key in Firth and Wagner's argument: the scope of the research question, the multiple identities of research participants, and the context considered in research. A survey of 4 journals in the field and their treatment of these 3 issues, beginning before Firth and Wagner (1997) and leading up to the present, suggests that the article did not result in significant changes to the field and its target questions. The significance of Firth and Wagner's article lies in its licensing of situated research, and that broadening of the research base is undoubtedly positive.
“New” Mainstream SLA Theory: Expanded and Enriched
Authors: SWAIN MERRILL , DETERS PING
Published: February 2008

How have the ideas raised byFirth and Wagner (1997)influenced the construction of second language acquisition (SLA) theories? In this article, we take the position that prior to and since 1997, there was and has been a notable increase in SLA research and theory that prioritizes sociocultural and contextual factors in addition to acknowledging individual agency and multifaceted identities. This article focuses on 4 major influences on a growing body of SLA research: sociocultural theory of mind, situated learning, poststructural theories, and dialogism. We highlight aspects of these perspectives that have been used in SLA theory, and provide examples of research that illustrate the richness and complexity of constructs such as languaging, legitimate peripheral participation, subjectivity, and heteroglossia. These perspectives and constructs address Firth and Wagner's call for a reconceptualization of SLA by offering alternative understandings of language and language learning.
Extending Firth and Wagner's (1997) Ontological Perspective to L2 Classroom Praxis and Teacher Education
Authors: LANTOLF JAMES P. , JOHNSON KAREN E.
Published: February 2008

In this article, we extendFirth and Wagner's (1997)call for an ontological perspective that (re)unites the individual and the social by proposing some fundamental implications that this call has for second language (L2) classroom praxis and teacher education. We propose that the (re)unification of language and culture (re)establishes the unity between people and language, and thus reorients the focus of language instruction to feature centrally how meaning is situated in concrete human activity rather than in the language itself. From this stance, the goal of L2 classroom praxis is for learners to develop a conceptual understanding of how meaning gets expressed through the L2 in concrete everyday activity, and to build their capacity to make choices about how to function in and potentially alter that activity to suit their needs and goals. To make our proposal concrete, we draw on two classroom case studies: on verbal aspect in Spanish and learning to read L2 literature, as illustrations of conceptualizing learning and use as dialectically intertwined. We also focus on how foregrounding the meaning that results from the reintegration of language and culture reorients both L2 classroom praxis and how L2 teachers come to think about language, language learning, and language teaching.
Research “Fitting” Practice: Firth and Wagner, Classroom Language Teaching, and Language Teacher Education
Authors: FREEMAN DONALD
Published: February 2008

This article argues that Firth and Wagner's 1997 contribution gained influence in second/foreign language teaching partly owing to a loose group of conceptual and ideological preconditions that drew on classroom methodologies, debates over educating second language teachers, and new views of how teachers could document and analyze their own practices. The article is organized around four issues drawn from Firth and Wagner: focus (How was classroom language teaching refocused by their critique?); meaning (What is the nature of meaning as the central driver in instructed learning?); locus (Given the preceding questions, how then does the locus of activity in the language classroom shift?); and identities (How are the notions of learner and teacher identities reshaped by this critique?). The discussion draws connections between the thinking articulated by Firth and Wagner and the practices of classroom language teaching, and includes suppositions that are susceptible to further investigation.
Influence of Precursor Densification on Strength Retention of Zirconia‐Coated Nextel™ 610 Fibers
Authors: Bockmeyer Matthias J. , Krüger Reinhard
Published: February 2008

Strength degradation of Nextel™ 610 fibers by continuous liquid phase coating was investigated for four different zirconia precursors. The precursors differed regarding their chemical composition (with or without yttrium), phase composition (amorphous or crystalline), and decomposition behavior. Phase transformation and densification of the films were characterized and found to depend on the kind of precursor. Single fiber Weibull's strength was measured for calcination temperatures between 250° and 1150°C for all precursors. Each precursor had an individual degradation behavior. For an annealing temperature of 1150°C highly damaged (∼1600 MPa) and undamaged (>3300 MPa) fibers were obtained depending on the kind of precursor. Fiber degradation could be correlated to mechanical stresses. Stress concentration due to inhomogeneous film thickness distribution is proposed as the cause of fiber strength degradation. Full strength could be retained for porous coatings or coatings where stresses were reduced by phase transformation.
Ondansetron versus Promethazine to Treat Acute Undifferentiated Nausea in the Emergency Department: A Randomized, Double‐blind, Noninferiority Trial
Authors: Braude Darren , Crandall Cameron
Published: February 2008

Objectives:  The authors sought to compare ondansetron and promethazine among emergency department (ED) patients with undifferentiated nausea. The hypothesis was that ondansetron was not inferior to promethazine and that rates of adverse effects were similar.

Methods:  This was a randomized double‐blind noninferiority clinical trial conducted in an urban academic ED. A convenience sample of nonpregnant adults with at least 40 mm of self‐reported nausea measured on a 100‐mm visual analog scale (VAS) were enrolled. Patients who had already received more than 1 L of intravenous fluid or an antiemetic agent were excluded. Subjects were block‐randomized in groups of 10 to either 4 mg of ondansetron or 25 mg of promethazine delivered intravenously. The primary outcome was change in nausea over 30 minutes. The authors used a 15‐mm margin of noninferiority. Secondary endpoints included changes in anxiety, sedation, and other adverse effects. Analyses included t‐tests, tests for proportions, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results:  A total of 120 subjects completed the study, 60 in each arm. Baseline nausea, anxiety, and sedation scores were similar. Ondansetron and promethazine reduced nausea similarly (ondansetron −34 mm, promethazine −36 mm; difference −2 mm; 95% CI = −13 to 8 mm). The reduction in anxiety was similar (ondansetron −13 mm, promethazine −14 mm; difference −1 mm; 95% CI = −10 to 10 mm). Promethazine was associated with significantly more sedation than ondansetron (ondansetron 5 mm, promethazine 19 mm; difference 14 mm; 95% CI = 5 to 24 mm). There were no cases of akathisia in the ondansetron group and 2 cases in the promethazine group.

Conclusions:  Promethazine and ondansetron have similar efficacy in reducing nausea among ED patients. Change in anxiety was similar, but promethazine was associated with greater sedation.
Is a combined therapy more effective than either CBT or SSRI alone? Results of a multicenter trial on panic disorder with or without agoraphobia
Authors: Van Apeldoorn F. J. , Van Hout W. J. P. J. , Mersch P. P. A. , Huisman M. , Slaap B. R. , Hale W. W. , Visser S. , Van Dyck R. , Den Boer J. A.
Published: February 2008

Objective:  To establish whether the combination of cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy (SSRI) was more effective in treating panic disorder (PD) than either CBT or SSRI alone, and to evaluate any differential effects between the mono‐treatments.

Method:  Patients with PD (n = 150) with or without agoraphobia received CBT, SSRI or CBT + SSRI. Outcome was assessed after 9 months, before medication taper.

Results:  CBT + SSRI was clearly superior to CBT in both completer and intent‐to‐treat analysis (ITT). Completer analysis revealed superiority of CBT + SSRI over SSRI on three measures and no differences between CBT and SSRI. ITT analysis revealed superiority of SSRI over CBT on four measures and no differences between CBT + SSRI and SSRI.

Conclusion:  Both the mono‐treatments (CBT and SSRI) and the combined treatment (CBT + SSRI) proved to be effective treatments for PD. At post‐test, CBT + SSRI was clearly superior to CBT, but differences between CBT + SSRI and SSRI, and between SSRI and CBT, were small.
Different Motifs Regulate Trafficking of SorCS1 Isoforms
Authors: Nielsen Morten S. , Keat Sady J. , Hamati Jida W. , Madsen Peder , Gutzmann Jakob J. , Engelsberg Arne , Pedersen Karen M. , Gustafsen Camilla , Nykjær Anders , Gliemann Jørgen , Hermans‐Borgmeyer Irm , Kuhl Dietmar , Petersen Claus M. , Hermey Guido
Published: February 2008

The type I transmembrane protein SorCS1 is a member of the Vps10p‐domain receptor family comprised of Sortilin, SorLA and SorCS1, ‐2 and ‐3. Current information indicates that Sortilin and SorLA mediate intracellular protein trafficking and sorting, but little is known about the cellular functions of the SorCS subgroup. SorCS1 binds platelet‐derived growth factor‐BB (PDGF‐BB) and is expressed in isoforms differing only in their cytoplasmic domains. Here, we identify two novel isoforms of mouse SorCS1 designated m‐SorCS1c and ‐d. In situ hybridization revealed a combinatorial expression pattern of the variants in brain and embryonic tissues. We demonstrate that among the mouse variants, only SorCS1c mediates internalization and that the highly conserved SorCS1c is internalized through a canonical tyrosine‐based motif. In contrast, human SorCS1a, whose cytoplasmic domain is completely different from mouse SorCS1a, is internalized through a DXXLL motif. We report that the human SorCS1a cytoplasmic domain interacts with the αC/σ2 subunits of the adaptor protein (AP)‐2 complex, and internalization of human SorCS1a and ‐c is mediated by AP‐2. Our results suggest that the endocytic isoforms target internalized cargo to lysosomes but are not engaged in Golgi–endosomal transport to a significant degree.
Queering the Seventeenth Century: Historicism, Queer Theory, and Early Modern Literature
Authors: Webster Jeremy W.
Published: February 2008

This article explores the continuing prevalence of historicism and queer theory in seventeenth‐century literature. While some scholars have announced the demise of new historicism and queer theory and others have challenged these critical perspectives’ methodologies and assumptions, scholarship on the history of sexuality published within the past ten years demonstrates the continuing importance of historicist and queer theories on seventeenth‐century literary criticism. Queer historicists, also called alteritists, constructivists, or differentialists, argue that the seventeenth century's constructions of same‐sex sexual practices, desires, and emotions are fundamentally different from those of the present day. Challenges to this position maintain that early modern representations of same‐sex eroticism share some continuity with those of today. Through an examination of scholarship on female same‐sex erotics, passionate male friendship, constructions of ‘sodomy’ as a legal and social category, the exiling of homoeroticism from the center of government to the margins of society, and depictions of same‐sex desire in the theater during the seventeenth century, this piece concludes that queer historicism remains a dominant voice in early modern studies.
Distinct pathways for the involvement of WNK4 in the signaling of hypertonicity and EGF
Authors: Shaharabany Miriam , Holtzman Eliezer J. , Mayan Haim , Hirschberg Koret , Seger Rony , Farfel Zvi
Published: February 2008

WNK4 kinase mutations produce the autosomal dominant disorder familial hyperkalemia and hypertension (FHH), also known as pseudohypoaldosteronism type II, by a molecular mechanism that is not completely understood. In vitro experiments in frog oocytes showed that WNK4 affects ion transport systems such as the Na–Cl cotransporter and the renal outer medullary potassium channel. Some features of FHH suggest that long‐term effects are involved in WNK4 signaling. In addition, WNK1 and WNK2, paralogs of WNK4, were shown to be involved in MAP kinase signaling. We therefore investigated possible WNK4 involvement in MAP kinase signaling. We stimulated HEK 293 cells overexpressing WNK4 by hypertonicity or using EGF, and measured phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and p38. WNK4 augmented the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 in response to both hypertonicity and EGF. The FHH‐producing and kinase‐deficient mutants behaved similarly to wild‐type WNK4. Hypertonicity stimulation was accompanied by cellular relocalization of WNK4 as manifested by its reversible disappearance from the supernatant fraction following extraction with a detergent‐containing buffer. Live‐cell microscopy showed that the cytoplasmic‐soluble WNK4 redistributes rapidly to membrane‐bound organelles, which, in the case of WNK1 kinase, were recently shown to represent trans‐Golgi network/recycling endosomes. In contrast, EGF stimulation was not accompanied by redistribution of WNK4 as determined by cell fractionation or cell microscopy. The observation that WNK4‐induced MAP kinase stimulation caused by hypertonicity, but not that caused by EGF, is associated with WNK4 subcellular redistribution suggests that this redistribution has a role in WNK4 signaling.
Are the black hole masses in narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies actually small?
Authors: Decarli Roberto , Dotti Massimo , Fontana Marcella , Haardt Francesco
Published: February 2008

Narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) are generally considered peculiar objects among the broad class of type 1 active galactic nuclei, due to the relatively small width of the broad lines, strong X-ray variability, soft X-ray continua, weak [O iii], and strong Fe ii line intensities. The mass MBH of the central massive black hole (MBH) is claimed to be lighter than expected from known MBH–host galaxy scaling relations, while the accretion rate on to the MBH larger than the average value appropriate to Seyfert 1 galaxies. In this Letter, we show that NLS1 peculiar MBH and L/LEdd turn out to be fairly standard, provided that the broad-line region is allowed to have a disc-like, rather than isotropic, geometry. Assuming that NLS1s are rather ‘normal’ Seyfert 1 objects seen along the disc axis, we could estimate the typical inclination angles from the fraction of Seyfert 1 classified as NLS1s, and compute the geometrical factor relating the observed full width at half-maximum of broad lines to the virial mass of the MBH. We show that the geometrical factor can fully account for the ‘black hole mass deficit’ observed in NLS1s, and that L/LEdd is (on average) comparable to the value of the more common broad-line Seyfert 1 galaxies.
PHYTOCHEMICAL AND FATTY ACID PROFILE OF SELECTED RED RASPBERRY CULTIVARS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
Authors: KAFKAS E. , ÖZGEN M. , ÖZOĞUL Y. , TÜREMIŞ N.
Published: February 2008

Seven red raspberry cultivars (Heritage, Canby, Willamette, Hollanda Boduru, Newburgh, Tulameen and Meeker) were evaluated for their total anthocyanin (TACY), total phenolics (TP), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), fatty acids (FAs) and soluble sugars properties. The TACY, TP and TEAC content ranged from 171.5 to 475.0 µg/g fresh weight (fw), 864.4–1246.9 µg gallic acid equivalent/g fw and 19.4–32.7 µmol TE/g fw, respectively. The highest values of TACY, TP and TEAC content were obtained from the Newburgh cultivar. The FA compositions of raspberry cultivars ranged from 4.97 to 20.31% saturated FAs, 14.65–18.47% monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) and 62.85–78.68% polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs). Cultivars Meeker and Newburgh had the highest level of MUFAs, respectively, while the highest level of PUFAs was observed in cultivar Hollanda Boduru. The main soluble sugars of the seven raspberry genotypes were also separated, identified and quantified using high‐performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection. According to the results, fructose, glucose and sucrose were detected as the main soluble sugars, while xylose and mannose were not detected in the raspberry fruits.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

There have been no previous studies comparing the fruit quality characteristics of raspberry cultivars. Raspberries may be a good alternative crop with a high market value, especially highly profitable due to the long harvesting period, because of the ideal climatic conditions. The objective of this work was to evaluate seven red raspberry cultivars in terms of their total anthocyanin, total phenolic, antioxidant capacity, fatty acids profile and soluble sugar properties.
Cooperative Modeling: Linking Science, Communication, and Ground Water Planning
Authors: Tidwell Vincent C. , Van Den Brink Cors
Published: February 2008

Equitable allocation of ground water resources is a growing challenge due to both the increasing demand for water and the competing values placed on its use. While scientists can contribute to a technically defensible basis for water resource planning, this framework must be cast in a broader societal and environmental context. Given the complexity and often contentious nature of resource allocation, success requires a process for inclusive and transparent sharing of ideas complemented by tools to structure, quantify, and visualize the collective understanding and data, providing an informed basis of dialogue, exploration, and decision making. Ideally, a process that promotes shared learning leading to cooperative and adaptive planning decisions. While variously named, mediated modeling, group modeling, cooperative modeling, shared vision planning, or computer‐mediated collaborative decision making are similar approaches aimed at meeting these objectives. In this paper, we frame “cooperative modeling” in the context of ground water planning and illustrate the process with two brief examples.
Seasonal variability in velocity and ablation of Te Moeka o Tuawe/Fox Glacier, south Westland, New Zealand
Authors: Purdie Heather L. , Brook Martin S. , Fuller Ian C. , Appleby John
Published: February 2008

Abstract:  Seasonal variations in ablation and surface velocity were investigated on the lower Fox Glacier. Variations occur between summer and winter ablation, with surface velocity also showing marked seasonality. Recent advance has resulted in the glacier gaining around 200 m length since late 2004. Longer term, Fox Glacier appears linked to the Southern Oscillation Index, with positive glacier mass balances associated with negative Southern Oscillation Index (El Niño). An estimated glacier response time of approximately 9–14 years suggests the current terminus advance was linked to mass gains in the mid‐1990s. Recent collapses at the terminal face continue to prove a hazard at this busy tourist destination.
Failure deconstructed: Histories and geographies of soldier settlement in New Zealand circa 1917–39
Authors: Roche Michael
Published: February 2008

Abstract: The New Zealand discharged soldier settlement scheme of the 1920s has been much criticized as being a failure. This paper draws on the existing literature and new case study research to break open ‘failure’ as an undifferentiated term and proposes that it was of three different types relating to what was termed the ‘personal equation’, to debt levels and to broader structural adjustment problems in farming. Each operated at differing scales. This is incorporated into a typology of failure and is put forward as basis for further research.
The place of fieldtrips in New Zealand university geography
Authors: Stirling Susan
Published: February 2008

Abstract: This paper considers three questions: Why are fieldtrips used in geography? How does this mesh with the geographers’ own understandings of geography? What do lecturers hope to achieve on fieldtrips? Understandings are gleaned from interviews with those who run fieldtrips. There has been a tradition of fieldtrips in New Zealand and this very tradition helps to maintain them. Fieldtrips are shaped by geographers’ particular philosophical approaches to geography and take different approaches according to their aims.
Authenticity
Authors: Guignon Charles
Published: February 2008

This article discusses the ordinary, the existentialist, and the virtue‐ethics senses of the word ‘authenticity’. The term ‘authentic’ in ordinary usage suggests the idea of being ‘original’ or ‘faithful to an original’, and its application implies being true to what someone (or something) truly is. It is important to see, however, that the philosopher who put this technical term on the map in existentialism, Martin Heidegger, used the word to refer to the human capacity to be fully human, not to being true to one's unique inner nature. Authenticity might also be thought of as a virtue, and interesting questions arise whether such a virtue should be regarded primarily as a personal or as a social virtue.
A Genetics Primer for Social Health Research
Authors: Way Baldwin M. , Gurbaxani Brian M.
Published: February 2008

The recently completed sequencing of the human genome heralds a new era in the study of social influences upon health. Because the interactions between genes and the environment are bidirectional, expertise in the areas of psychosocial processes and health behaviors will be necessary for elucidating how genes, behavior, and the environment interact to affect health outcomes. For investigators whose primary background is in social health research, the terminology used by geneticists may seem like a foreign language. To help navigate this foreign territory, the nature of genetic variation and gene action is presented in non‐technical terms using the serotonin transporter gene as an example because it is thought to influence sensitivity to the social environment. In addition, we describe several methodological pitfalls to be avoided when associating genetic variation with psychosocial and behavioral risk factors for poor health outcomes.
United States' electricity imports from Quebec and the fair trade issue
Authors: Bernard Jean‐Thomas
Published: February 2008

Abstract: Hydro‐Québec's energy exports to neighbouring American electric utilities have increased substantially over the last decade as a result of conditions created by the oil crisis of the seventies. These increases have mostly been in the form of interruptible energy exchanges. Considering prices and costs of production on both sides of the border, the prospects for further growth of firm energy exports to the United States appear to be reasonably good. Some institutional features of electricity production in Quebec may raise concerns about fair trading. These concerns have little foundation, however, when consideration is given to the size of energy imports relative to the American northeast market, the pricing method of Hydro‐Québec electricity exports to the United States, and the role played by the National Energy Board in Canada.

Sommaire: Les conditions créées par la crise pétrolière des années soixante‐dix ont permis à Hydro‐Québec d'accroître de façon significative ses exportations aux services d'électricité américains. Cette croissance a pris la forme, en grande partie, de ventes d'énergie interruptible. Compte tenu des prix et des coûts de production actuels de chaque côdé la frontière, il serait raisonnable de s'attendre à une croissance des exportations d'énergie ferme aux États‐Unis. Quelques caractéristiques institutionnelles de la production de l'électricité au Québec pourraient par contre soulever des inquiétudes quant au commerce équitable. Toutefois, ces inquiétudes apparaissent avoir peu de fondements quand on tient compte de la taille relative de ces exportations vers le marché de la Nouvelle‐Angleterre, de la méthode tarifaire employée par Hydro‐Québec pour ses exportations américaines et du rôle joué par l'Office national de léenergie du Canada.