bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IOTA simple rules for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses: prospective external validation
Authors: Alcázar J. L. , Pascual M. Á. , Olartecoechea B. , Graupera B. , Aubá M. , Ajossa S. , Hereter L. , Julve R. , Gastón B. , Peddes C. , Sedda F. , Piras A. , Saba L. , Guerriero S.
Published: April 2013

Objective

To determine the diagnostic performance of International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) ‘simple’ rules for discriminating between benign and malignant adnexal masses.

Methods

A prospective study was performed between January 2011 and June 2012. Eligible patients were women diagnosed with a persistent adnexal mass who presented to the participating centers. Four trainees evaluated the adnexal mass by transvaginal ultrasound under the supervision of an expert examiner. The trainee analyzed the mass according to IOTA simple rules and provided a diagnosis of benign, malignant or inconclusive. All women included in the study underwent surgery and tumor removal in the center of recruitment. Diagnostic performance was assessed by calculating sensitivity, specificity and positive (LR+) and negative (LR–) likelihood ratios.

Results

A total of 340 women were included (mean patient age, 42.1 (range, 13–79) years). Of the tumors, 55 (16.2%) were malignant and 285 (83.8%) were benign. The IOTA simple rules could be applied in 270 (79.4%) cases. In these cases, sensitivity was 87.9% (95% CI, 72.4–95.2), specificity 97.5% (95% CI, 94.6–98.8), LR+ 34.7 (95% CI, 15.6–77.3) and LR– 0.12 (95% CI, 0.05–0.31).

Conclusions

Application of the IOTA simple rules yielded acceptable results in terms of specificity in the hands of non‐expert examiners. However, with non‐expert examiners there was a 12% false‐negative rate, which is relatively high. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Riding the crest of the wave: parallels between the neural crest and cancer in epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and migration
Authors: Powell Davalyn R. , Blasky Alex J. , Britt Steven G. , Artinger Kristin B.
Published: April 2013

The neural crest (NC) is first induced as an epithelial population of cells at the neural plate border requiring complex signaling between bone morphogenetic protein, Wnt, and fibroblast growth factors to differentiate the neural and NC fate from the epidermis. Remarkably, following induction, these cells undergo an epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), delaminate from the neural tube, and migrate through various tissue types and microenvironments before reaching their final destination where they undergo terminal differentiation. This process is mirrored in cancer metastasis, where a primary tumor will undergo an EMT before migrating and invading other cell populations to create a secondary tumor site. In recent years, as our understanding of NC EMT and migration has deepened, important new insights into tumorigenesis and metastasis have also been achieved. These discoveries have been driven by the observation that many cancers misregulate developmental genes to reacquire proliferative and migratory states. In this review, we examine how the NC provides an excellent model for studying EMT and migration. These data are discussed from the perspective of the gene regulatory networks that control both NC and cancer cell EMT and migration. Deciphering these processes in a comparative manner will expand our knowledge of the underlying etiology and pathogenesis of cancer and promote the development of novel targeted therapeutic strategies for cancer patients. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2013, 5:511–522. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1224

This article is categorized under:

Biological Mechanisms > Cell Fates

Biological Mechanisms > Cell Signaling

Developmental Biology > Developmental Processes in Health and Disease
Tensor modes on the string theory landscape
Authors: Westphal Alexander
Published: April 2013

Abstract

We attempt an estimate for the distribution of the tensor mode fraction r over the landscape of vacua in string theory. The dynamics of eternal inflation and quantum tunneling lead to a kind of democracy on the landscape, providing no bias towards large-field or small-field inflation regardless of the class of measure. The tensor mode fraction then follows the number frequency distributions of inflationary mechanisms of string theory over the landscape. We show that an estimate of the relative number frequencies for small-field vs large-field inflation, while unattainable on the whole landscape, may be within reach as a regional answer for warped Calabi-Yau flux compactifications of type IIB string theory.
Local genetic structure of a montane herb among isolated grassland patches: implications for the preservation of genetic diversity under climate change
Authors: Ernst Anna , Sauer Jan , Wittig Rüdiger , Nowak Carsten
Published: April 2013

Habitat loss, fragmentation of meadow patches, and global climate change (GCC) threaten plant communities of montane grasslands. We analyzed the genetic structure of the montane herb Geranium sylvaticum L. on a local scale in order to understand the effects of habitat fragmentation and potential GCC impacts on genetic diversity and differentiation. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting and cpDNA sequencing was performed for 295 individuals of 15 G. sylvaticum populations spanning the entire distribution range of the species in the Taunus mountain range in Germany. We found patterns of substantial genetic differentiation among populations using 150 polymorphic AFLP markers (mean FST = 0.105), but no variation in 896 bp of plastid DNA sequences. While populations in the center of their local distribution range were genetically diverse and less differentiated, higher FST values and reduced genetic variability was revealed for the populations at the low‐altitudinal distribution margins. Projections of GCC effects on the distribution of G. sylvaticum in 2050 showed that GCC will likely lead to the extinction of most edge populations. To maintain regional genetic diversity, conservation efforts should focus on the diverse high‐altitude populations, although a potential loss of unique variations in genetically differentiated peripheral populations could lower the overall genetic diversity and potentially the long‐term viability in the study region. This study documents the usefulness of fine‐scale assessments of genetic population structure in combination with niche modeling to reveal priority regions for the effective long‐term conservation of populations and their genetic variation under climate change.
Influence of Spacer on Association Behavior and Thermodynamic Parameters of Dimeric Cationic Surfactants
Authors: Kumar Sanjeev , Parikh Kushan
Published: April 2013

New dimeric surfactants [16‐s‐16, s: (CH2)4; CH2–COO–(CH2)2–OCO–CH2; CH2–COO–ISO–OCO–CH2 (ISO = d‐isorbide) and CH2–CONH–(CH2)2–NHCO–CH2] were synthesized and characterized (I–IV, respectively). The micellization behavior of dimeric surfactants with various spacers was studied by conductance/steady‐state fluorescence quenching (SSFQ) measurement and compared with the conventional surfactant (cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide, CTAB). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) values of several surfactants were found to be nearly the same by both techniques. Conductance measurements were used exclusively to obtain CMC and degree of dissociation (α) values at various temperatures, while SSFQ measurements were used to obtain a few CMC values (for comparison) and an aggregation number (Nagg). A decrease in CMC and Nagg values and an increase in α were observed for dimeric surfactants when compared with CTAB. CMC decreases and then increases with a continuous increase in temperature (U‐shaped behavior). The temperature of minimum CMC, Tm, was distinctly different for CTAB and the dimeric surfactants. Tm values were dependent on the nature of the spacer. The temperature dependence of CMC and α value was used to calculate the thermodynamic parameters of micelle formation for two classes of surfactant (conventional and dimeric). Enthalpy‐entropy compensation plots exhibited fair linearity except for IV. Compensation lines for spacers containing ester groups are parallel to one another. Micro‐polarity and apparent dielectric constant (εa) data suggest that the micellar environment felt by pyrene is similar to that of an alkanol with a 3–4 carbon chain.
Painful heat attenuates electrically induced muscle pain in men and women
Authors: Gullander Maria , Knardahl Stein , Matre Dagfinn
Published: April 2013

Aabstract

Background and purpose

Women exhibit higher prevalence of most painful disorders. Several explanations have been proposed for this discrepancy, one being that endogenous pain modulatory pathways, which affect incoming nociceptive signals, act differently in men and women. A less efficient pain inhibitory system has been proposed as a contributing factor to explain why women exhibit higher prevalence of most painful disorders. The present study determined whether muscle pain, induced experimentally by electrical stimulation, is inhibited by a painful heat stimulus. This conditioned pain modulation (CPM) paradigm was used to determine whether women show signs of reduced inhibition compared to men.

Methods

Forty self-reported healthy individuals (20 female, 20 male) participated in a cross-over design with painful and non-painful heat as a conditioning stimulus. Test stimuli were painful intramuscular electrical stimulation of the tibialis anterior muscle at two intensities; low (1.1 × pain threshold) and high (1.6 × pain threshold). Painful conditioning was contact heat (45–49 ° C) to the contralateral forearm. Nonpainful conditioning was contact heat at 35 °C. Ten test stimuli were delivered in three blocks (before, during and after conditioning) in two sessions (painful and non-painful conditioning). The women were tested during days 12-14 of the menstrual cycle. This interval corresponds to the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle, the interval during which women are reported to show the largest inhibitory effects.

Results

Test stimuli were rated significantly lower during painful conditioning, compared with before conditioning. This was found for both low and high test stimulus intensities. Anonspecific attenuation was seen during non-painful conditioning for the low test stimulus intensity. Test stimuli were rated significantly lower also 3 min after conditioning, compared with before conditioning. The inhibitory effects were not different between men and women. Similar findings were obtained also if six non-CPM-responders (subjects rating test stimuli higher during conditioning than before conditioning) were excluded.

Conclusions and implications

The present findings indicate that painful contact heat inhibits electrically induced muscle pain and that inhibition was not different between men and women, when women were tested in the interval 12-14 days after their last menstruation. Some inhibition of muscle pain was seen during non-painful conditioning, indicating that nonspecific inhibitory effects were triggered. Also the nonspecific inhibitory effects were similar in men and women.
Health-Related Quality of Life Domains and Household Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2006-2010
Authors: Strine Tara W. , Neff Linda J. , Crawford Sara
Published: April 2013

Background

This study examined the association between self-reported levels of household disaster preparedness and a range of physical and mental health quality of life outcomes.

Methods

Data collected from 14 states participating in a large state-based telephone survey were analyzed (n = 104 654). Household disaster-preparedness items included having a 3-day supply of food, water, and prescription medications; a working battery-powered radio and flashlight; an evacuation plan; and a willingness to evacuate when instructed to do so. Quality-of-life items were categorized into 2 domains: physical health (general health, unhealthy physical days, and activity-limited days) and mental health (unhealthy mental days, social and emotional support, and life satisfaction).

Results

Persons with self-reported impaired mental health were generally less likely to report being prepared for a disaster than those who did not report impairment in each domain. Persons with low life satisfaction were among the least likely to be prepared, followed by those with inadequate social and emotional support, and then by those with frequent mental distress. Persons reporting physical impairments also reported deficits in many of the preparedness items. However, after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, some of the associations were attenuated and no longer significant.

Conclusion

Persons reporting impaired quality of life are vulnerable to increased mental and physical distress during a disaster, and their vulnerability is compounded if they are ill-prepared. Therefore, persons reporting impaired quality of life should be included in the list of vulnerable populations that need disaster preparedness and response outreach.
Throughput Times for Adults and Children During Two Drive-Through Influenza Vaccination Clinics
Authors: Banks Laura L. , Crandall Cameron , Esquibel Luke
Published: April 2013

Objectives

Successful planning for public health emergencies requires knowledge of effective methods for mass distribution of medication and supplies to the public. We measured the time required for the key components of 2 drive-through vaccination clinics and summarized the results as they applied to providing medical countermeasures to large populations of children and adults. We hypothesized that vaccinating children in addition to adults would affect throughput time.

Methods

Using 2 separate drive-through vaccination clinics, we measured elapsed time for vehicle flow and vaccination procedures. We calculated the median length of stay and the time to administer vaccinations based on the number of individual vaccinations given per vehicle, and compared the vehicles in which children (aged 9-18 years) were vaccinated to those in which only adults were vaccinated.

Results

A total of 2174 vaccinations and 1275 vehicles were timed during the 2 clinics. The number of vaccinations and vehicles per hour varied during the course of the day; the maximums were 200 and 361 per hour, respectively. The median throughput time was 5 minutes, and the median vaccination time was 48 seconds. Flow over time varied by the hour, and the optimum number of vaccinations per vehicle to maximize efficiency was between 3 and 4. Our findings showed that the presence of children raised the total number of vaccinations given per vehicle and, therefore, the total vaccination processing time per vehicle. However, the median individual procedure time in the vehicles with children was not significantly increased, indicating no need to calculate increased times for processing children 9 years of age or older during emergency planning.

Conclusions

Drive-through clinics can provide a large number of seasonal influenza vaccinations in a relatively efficient manner; provide needed experience for students and practitioners in techniques for mass administration of medical countermeasures; and assist public health and emergency management personnel with disaster planning. Including children older than 9 years does not reduce efficiency. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;0:1–7)
Potential enstrophy in stratified turbulence
Authors: Waite Michael L.
Published: April 2013

Direct numerical simulations are used to investigate potential enstrophy in stratified turbulence with small Froude numbers, large Reynolds numbers, and buoyancy Reynolds numbers ($R{e}_{b} $) both smaller and larger than unity. We investigate the conditions under which the potential enstrophy, which is a quartic quantity in the flow variables, can be approximated by its quadratic terms, as is often done in geophysical fluid dynamics. We show that at large scales, the quadratic fraction of the potential enstrophy is determined by $R{e}_{b} $. The quadratic part dominates for small $R{e}_{b} $, i.e. in the viscously coupled regime of stratified turbulence, but not when $R{e}_{b} \gtrsim 1$. The breakdown of the quadratic approximation is consistent with the development of Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities, which are frequently observed to grow on the layerwise structure of stratified turbulence when $R{e}_{b} $ is not too small.
On the internal vorticity and density structures of miscible thermals
Authors: Zhao B. , Law A. W. K. , Lai A. C. H. , Adams E. E.
Published: April 2013

Miscible thermals are formed by instantaneously releasing a finite volume of buoyant fluid into stagnant ambient. Their subsequent motion is then driven by the buoyancy convection. The gross characteristics (e.g. overall size and velocity) of a thermal have been well studied and reported to be self-similar. However, there have been few studies concerning the internal structure. Here, turbulent miscible thermals (with initial density excess of 5 % and Reynolds number around 2100) have been investigated experimentally through a large number of realizations. The vorticity and density fields were quantified separately by particle image velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) techniques. Ensemble-averaged data of the transient development of the miscible thermals are presented. Major outcomes include: (i) validating Turner’s assumption of constant circulation within a buoyant vortex ring; (ii) measuring the vorticity and density distributions within the miscible thermal; (iii) quantifying the effect of baroclinicity on the generation and destruction of vorticity within the thermal; and (iv) identifying the significantly slower decay rate of the peak density as compared to the mean.
Career Development of Upper Primary School Students in Turkey
Authors: Nazlı Serap
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this exploratory-descriptive study was to determine the career development of upper primary school students in Turkey. The Revised Career Awareness Survey (RCAS) was completed by 644 Turkish upper primary school students. Results indicated that the students were able to associate their own personal characteristics with particular careers and knew the characteristics of careers. They were less knowledgeable about life/career implications and life/career management tasks. The implications of the findings for career guidance and counselling practice are considered.
Genopolitics and the Science of Genetics
Authors: CHARNEY EVAN , ENGLISH WILLIAM
Published: April 2013

In an earlier article we challenged the findings of Fowler and Dawes (FD) that two genes predict voter turnout as part of a more general critique of “genopolitics.” FD now acknowledge that their finding of a “significant” direct association between MAOA and voting was incorrect, but claim to have replicated their finding of an “indirect” association between 5HTT, self-reported church attendance, and self-reported voting. We show that this finding is likely driven by population stratification and omitted variable bias. We then explain why, from the standpoints of genetics, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology, genopolitics is a fundamentally misguided undertaking; we also respond to FD's charge that some of our previous statements concerning genetics are “highly misleading,” “extremely disingenuous,” and “even incorrect.” We show that their criticisms demonstrate a lack of awareness of some basic principles in genetics and of discoveries in molecular genetics over the past 50 years.
Unbundling the Relationship between Authoritarian Legislatures and Political Risk
Authors: Jensen Nathan M. , Malesky Edmund , Weymouth Stephen
Published: April 2013

A strong statistical association between legislative opposition in authoritarian regimes and investment has been interpreted as evidence that authoritarian legislatures constrain executive decisions and reduce the threat of expropriation. Although the empirical relationship is robust, scholars have not provided systematic evidence that authoritarian parliaments are able to restrain the actions of state leaders, reverse activities they disagree with, or remove authoritarian leaders who violate the implied power-sharing arrangement. This article shows that authoritarian legislatures, by providing a forum for horse trading between private actors, are better at generating corporate governance legislation that protects investors from corporate insiders than they are at preventing expropriation by governments. The statistical analysis reveals that the strength of authoritarian legislatures is associated with corporate governance rules and not expropriation risk.
Medically unexplained symptoms and somatisation in ENT
Authors: Ullas G , McClelland L , Jones N S
Published: April 2013

Background:

Somatisation has been described as the perception of a physiological event influenced by emotion.

Method:

A review of the medical literature was carried out using the following Medical Subject Headings: somatisation (which identified 357 articles), medically unexplained symptoms (749 articles), unexplained or idiopathic dizziness (142 articles), tinnitus (360 articles), catarrh (1068 articles) and globus pharyngeus (3114 articles).

Results:

Up to 40 per cent of out-patient attendances have medically unexplainable symptoms. In ENT clinics, this includes patients with dizziness, tinnitus, ‘pseudo’ eustachian tube dysfunction, being ‘unable to hear’, catarrh and postnasal drip, atypical facial pain, globus pharyngeus, and functional dysphonia. Medical explanations of these symptoms often differ from patients' perceptions. Demonstrating normal test results and providing reassurance have little effect on patients' doubts and anxieties. Consultations that recognise the symptoms and their impact, and offer a tangible and involving explanation are more likely to satisfy and empower patients.

Conclusion:

The treatment of medically unexplained symptoms has changed in recent years; there is now more emphasis on psychological factors due to an association with anxiety and depression.
Collateral thermal injury during endoscopic skull base surgery from endonasal CO2 laser and coblation
Authors: Chin D , Snidvongs K , Sacks R , Harvey R J
Published: April 2013

Introduction:

Effective tissue removal techniques are essential in endoscopic skull base surgery. Improvements in technology permit more accurate application of CO2 laser and coblation during endonasal procedures. This study assessed the thermal injury patterns associated with fibre CO2 laser and coblation.

Methods:

Fresh frozen cadaveric heads were used. Mucosal removal was performed at the ethmoid roof. Structured lesions were created using either CO2 laser or coblation. The corresponding thermal injury patterns on dural tissue were assessed and compared between the two groups.

Results:

Five cadaveric heads were obtained; five sides received CO2 laser lesions and five coblation lesions. Forty per cent (n = two sides) of the CO2 specimens had macroscopic foci of grey-black discolouration on the dural aspect. No macroscopic dural changes were seen in the coblation specimens.

Conclusion:

Dural injury was seen following CO2 laser use despite attempts to avoid it. Both CO2 laser and coblation have their advantages; however, the lower thermal working power of coblation and superior depth control may make it more suitable for endoscopic endonasal periorbital and peridural surgery.
Cryptococcal infection of the larynx: case report
Authors: Mittal N , Collignon P , Pham T , Robbie M
Published: April 2013

Objective:

Laryngeal cryptococcosis is a rare condition. In this report, we describe the findings for and treatment of a 58-year-old man withCryptococcus gattiiinfection of the right vocal fold.

Method:

Case report and review of the relevant English language literature.

Results:

The patient presented with persistent hoarseness of voice. Laryngoscopy demonstrated an irregular, red lesion on the right vocal fold. Histopathological examination identified cryptococcus. The patient was treated with oral fluconazole 400 mg/day for eight weeks.

Conclusion:

Laryngeal involvement byCryptococcus gattiican result from prolonged inhaled corticosteroid therapy and proximity to eucalyptus trees. The clinical presentation, laryngoscopic findings and imaging results of laryngeal involvement may mimic a neoplasm. Histopathological examination can demonstrate the causative organism. Management consists of advice from an infectious disease specialist together with adequate treatment by antifungal agents.
Disinfection of flexible fibre-optic endoscopes out-of-hours: confidential telephone survey of ENT units in England – 10 years on
Authors: Radford PD , Unadkat SN , Rollin M , Tolley NS
Published: April 2013

Objective:

To audit out-of-hours flexible endoscope disinfection practice in England and compare the findings with a previously published first audit cycle, with the 2005 ENT UK guidelines as the key intervention.

Methods:

A telephone survey of the 104 ENT units in England was conducted out-of-hours, replicating the first cycle. The on-call clinician answered questions concerning access to flexible endoscopes, training, disinfection procedures and record keeping. Information regarding the clinician's trainee grade and their cross-covering duties was also acquired. Responses were compared to the first cycle results and published guidance.

Results:

In total, 72 of the 104 units agreed to participate. The on-call clinician cleaned the flexible endoscope in 43 per cent of units. However, adequate training in disinfection only occurred in a minority of units (37 per cent), though this was an improvement from the first cycle (12 per cent). Furthermore, 27 per cent of units used an inadequate method of disinfection out-of-hours. One confounding factor may be the increase in cross-cover out-of-hours, with 68 per cent of respondents covering one or more other specialties.

Conclusion:

An overall moderate improvement in the safety of out-of-hours endoscopy in the past 10 years cannot obscure the urgent need for universal compliance with national guidelines.
Contemporary evaluation and management of parapharyngeal space neoplasms
Authors: Eisele D W , Richmon J D
Published: April 2013

Objective:

This review summarises the contemporary, multidisciplinary approach to managing parapharyngeal space neoplasms.

Overview:

Parapharyngeal space neoplasms are uncommon head and neck tumours and are most often benign. Most tumours are of either salivary gland or neurogenic origin. Patients tend to be asymptomatic even when tumours reach large sizes. Patients may present with a mass in the pharynx or neck, although frequently the tumour is found incidentally on an imaging study. Due to the limitations of physical examination in this anatomical area, imaging studies are essential to the evaluation of parapharyngeal space neoplasms. Cytopathology may provide additional diagnostic information. Open biopsy is rarely necessary and can be hazardous. Treatment is primarily surgical, and various surgical approaches can be tailored for a given neoplasm. Recently, a trend toward observation of select patients with asymptomatic neurogenic tumours has been advocated.

Conclusion:

The evaluation and management of parapharyngeal space tumours is best done by a multidisciplinary team. Treatment should be individualised, and the risks and benefits of surgical intervention need to be carefully weighed. Complications are best avoided by careful surgical planning.
Seasonal change in macromolecular support of reproduction of the tropical scallopNodipecten nodosus: evidence from lipid content and fatty acid profiles of four tissues
Authors: Freites Luis , García Natividad , Lodeiros César , Maeda-Martínez Alfonso N. , Troccoli Luis , Vásquez Aleikar , Guderley Helga
Published: April 2013

Changes in total lipids and fatty acid profiles (FAPs) of gonad, digestive gland, mantle and muscle of the tropical scallopNodipecten nodosuswere examined during coastal upwelling and upwelling relaxation periods. Total lipids were most abundant in digestive gland, and intermediate in female gonad. Multidimensional scaling analysis of similarities (MDS-ANOSIM) and similarity percentage analyses (SIMPER) revealed significant changes of FAPs of the four tissues during the upwelling and upwelling relaxation periods. During both periods, SIMPER analysis revealed an internal similarity index greater than 90% for FAP of each tissue. However, during upwelling the gonad-FAP showed a lower dissimilarity index with the digestive gland-FAP (10), than with muscle-FAP (11) or mantle-FAP (13). In general, during upwelling, the fatty acids 16:0, 18:0, 16:1 n-7, 20:5n-3, 22:6n-3 and total PUFAn-3 explained 42 to 63% of variance between tissues; during upwelling relaxation, these fatty acids together with 14:0 and 18:1 n-7, explained 46 to 64% of variance. During upwelling period, MDS-ANOSIM showed a close association between FAP of digestive gland and gonad, suggesting a rapid transfer of fatty acids between these tissues, and consequently, thatN. nodosusfollows an opportunistic strategy during this period. In contrast, during upwelling relaxation, the slow and continuous fall in total lipid contents of digestive gland (September to November) and the progressive reduction of MDS distances between FAPs of digestive gland and gonad (August until November), suggest a gradual transfer of lipids from digestive gland to gonad to support the gonad development observed during this period. This suggests thatN. nodosusswitches to a conservative strategy during the upwelling relaxation period.
Theology in a Subjunctive Mood: Reflections on Charles Taylor'sA Secular Age
Authors: Asiedu F. B. A.
Published: April 2013

Charles Taylor'sA Secular Ageis by any account a monumental work. It has spawned a cottage industry of comment which should not abate for a long time to come. While social theorists have engaged Taylor's arguments from the very moment the book appeared, theologians seem to have been slower to comment. Recently, however, two important theological assessments have appeared in theJournal of ReligionandModern Theology.
Divine Passibility in Light of Two Pictures of Intercession
Authors: Wiarda Timothy
Published: April 2013

The New Testament's two pictures of divine intercession, that of the risen Christ interceding at the right hand of God (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25) and that of the Holy Spirit interceding from within believers’ hearts (Rom 8:26–7), offer additional perspective on the difficult issue of how God comes in touch with human suffering. Romans 8:26–7 connects the Spirit's intercession with the experience of human suffering, and through its reference to groaning implies that the Spirit communicates something of the believer's felt experience of weakness to God. Hebrews links Christ's high priestly work, including his intercessory activity, with his experience of struggle, thereby implying that he brings the needs of weak and pressured believers to God with an empathy born of direct experience of suffering. These scriptural pictures open a fruitful path for theological reflection, suggesting that God comes to know human suffering not simply by unmediated divine knowledge, or even by the bare fact of the divine Son's incarnation, but also in a mediated fashion, through complementary actions of Christ and the Spirit best described as acts of intercession.

Applying a model of thought which emphasises the intercessory activities of Christ and the Spirit to the problem of divine passibility has a number of advantages. First, it coheres well with New Testament patterns for describing the roles of Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Christ's intercession is rooted in his incarnation and distinctive redemptive mission, while the Spirit's intercession emerges from his redemptive indwelling. Second, its picture of God knowing human suffering through the mediated process of intercession suggests that God maintains his freedom and holiness even as he gets in touch with human suffering. Third, the intercession model may shed additional light on how the sufferings of the incarnate Son touch or otherwise relate to the Father. Fourth, the Bible's pictures of divine intercession suggest that God is brought in touch with two dimensions of human suffering: the objective reality of human affliction (mediated through Christ's intercession) and the subjective experiences of afflicted people (mediated through the Spirit's intercession). Finally, these scriptural pictures of intercession orient our thoughts about the question of passibility in a pastoral direction.
Vatican II: Some Ecumenical Reflections on the 2012 Lyndwood Lecture
Authors: Hill Christopher
Published: April 2013

The biennial Lyndwood Lectures are a significant ecumenical joint commitment by the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland and the Ecclesiastical Law Society. The Canon Law Society, as host, selected Professor Norman Tanner SJ to deliver the 2012 lecture1 and as is customary it fell to me, as chairman of the guest society, to conclude the event with comment and thanks.
Effects of foliage invertebrate availability and forest structure on the abundance of the critically endangered Rota White-eye Zosterops rotensis in Rota, Mariana Islands
Authors: ZARONES LAINIE , COLÓN MELANIE R. , HA JAMES C. , HA RENEE R.
Published: April 2013

The Rota White-eye, Zosterops rotensis, is a critically endangered species endemic to the island of Rota, in the Mariana Islands, western Micronesia. There has been a dramatic decline in both its population size and range over the past few decades. The population, estimated at approximately 1,000 individuals in 1999, is found exclusively in 300 ha of mature limestone forest, though nearby areas of mature limestone forest remain unoccupied. We compared the bird community, vegetation characteristics and foliage-invertebrate density in forest plot pairs with known high and low densities of Rota White-eyes. Discriminant function analysis suggested that certain vegetation characteristics were best at predicting whether a plot was high-density or low-density. High-density plots had more stems with 20–50 cm DBH, more foliage intercepts at 3–9 m, more epiphytes, greater total canopy cover and fewer overall plant species. This information is essential for the protection of the current habitat of the Rota White-eye and for future efforts in the protection and management of this species.
Bipolar depression in children and adolescents
Authors: DeFilippis Melissa S. , Wagner Karen Dineen
Published: April 2013

Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder may have depression as the presenting mood state. It is important for clinicians to distinguish between unipolar and bipolar depression in youth. Depressive episodes are common during the course of bipolar illness in children and adolescents. Evidence-based treatments are needed to guide clinicians’ treatment decisions for youth with bipolar depression. This article reviews the prevalence, diagnosis, course, and treatment of bipolar depression in youth, and emphasizes the need for large, controlled treatment studies in the pediatric population.
Genomic sequencing for psychiatric disorders: promise and challenge
Authors: Biesecker Barbara Bowles , Peay Holly Landrum
Published: April 2013

Whole genome/exome sequencing (WGS/WES) integration into medicine will yield a new disease paradigm moving from clinical to molecular diagnosis. This paradigm will present significant challenges in the interpretation of sequence data and clinicians will face dilemmas about if, when and how to offer information to patients. Sequencing will ultimately reshape psychiatry in predicting disease risk and lead to greater understanding of aetiology, prognosis and/or treatment response. This commentary on the ethics of returning WGS/WES results describes the nature of the data as a dynamic health resource, the importance of understanding participant motivations, determinations of personal utility and potential effects of WGS/WES on self-concept and well-being. As this technology unfurls, ethical challenges will not be novel but they will be compounded by the volume and scope of the data. Research into participant/patient perceptions, preferences and outcomes will identify areas of caution and prepare psychiatrists for eventual integration into clinical care.
Thailand–Cigarettes (Philippines): A More Serious Role for the ‘Less Favourable Treatment’ Standard of Article III:4
Authors: DAVEY WILLIAM J. , MASKUS KEITH E.
Published: April 2013

This paper analyzes a number of economic and legal issues raised by the Appellate Body Report in the Thai–Cigarettes case. The paper suggests two improvements that could be made to Panel procedures; supports the Appellate Body's interpretation of Article XX(d) in the present case, which seems to discard an earlier mistaken approach to Article XX; and examines, in some detail, whether the Appellate Body's application of the ‘less favourable treatment’ component of GATT Article III:4 in this and other cases is consistent with its jurisprudence under GATT Article III:2 and TBT Article 2.1. From an economics perspective, the case is straightforward on its face. However, the Appellate Body's rigorous application of the ‘less favourable treatment’ principle might not survive a fuller market analysis in terms of policy impacts on conditions of competition. Further, while we agree with the rejection of Thailand's Article XX claim, we raise the question of whether a strict national-treatment rule may be an unwarranted constraint on policy where there is a clear trade-related external cost to address.
When Social Security Fails to Provide Emotional Security: Single Parent Households and the Contractual Welfare State
Authors: Tonkens Evelien , Verplanke Loes
Published: April 2013

The provision of services in the contractual welfare state is conditional. If one wants to receive a service, one has to comply with the demands of the provider. If one fails to do so, the organisation threatens to terminate its services, and indeed often does so. There are, however, people who breach their contracts time after time, falling back into the same dire situation that prompted them to ask for help in the first place. Social workers must then visit these people to help them re-enter the contract. This article draws on an in-depth analysis of such ‘behind the front door’ policies, focussing on single mothers on welfare. It argues that for many single mothers on welfare, social security fails to provide emotional and relational security, which undermines their ability to fulfil the terms of the contract. So long as the welfare state is based on the idea of (material) social security, ‘behind the front door’ workers remain urgently needed.
Delivering Localism: The Critical Role of Trust and Collaboration
Authors: Padley Matt
Published: April 2013

Debate regarding the relationship between individual and state has been prominent throughout the current UK government's term in office and localism has come to occupy a central role in current policy. This article argues that attempts to deliver this localist vision should focus on the critical role of social trust and that this is best developed through collaboration. The actions identified as necessary for delivering decentralisation are considered alongside a review of the view of localism articulated in Coalition policy. The article then explores collaboration and co-production as a means of strengthening social networks and delivering the promises of localism.
Talking Active Citizenship: Framing Welfare State Reform in England and the Netherlands
Authors: Verhoeven Imrat , Tonkens Evelien
Published: April 2013

This article reviews how activation policies frame citizens as individual welfare agents. The analysis focuses on the framing of feeling rules employed by governments that encourage active citizenship, in this instance in the Netherlands and England. In England, encouraging voluntarism is central to the Big Society agenda; in the Netherlands, it is at the heart of the 2007 Social Support Act and more recent ideas on citizenship. Governments cannot compel their citizens to volunteer their time; they can, however, try to seduce people by playing on their emotions. Based on an analysis of thirty-nine policy documents and political speeches, we find that English politicians employ ‘empowerment talk’ calculated to trigger positive feelings about being active citizens, while Dutch politicians employ ‘responsibility talk’ conveying negative feelings about failure to participate more actively in society. Responsibility talk runs the risk that citizens respond with counter-responsibility claims, whereas empowerment talk can fail to incite sufficient enthousiasm among citizens.
Two enduring lessons from Elinor Ostrom
Authors: FRISCHMANN BRETT M.
Published: April 2013

This article is a tribute to Elinor Ostrom. It explores two enduring lessons she taught: a substantive lesson that involves embracing complexity and context, and a methodological lesson that involves embracing a framework-driven approach to systematic, evolutionary learning through various interdisciplinary methodologies, theories, and empirical approaches. First, I discuss Ostrom's work on environmental commons. I illustrate the two lessons through a discussion of the tragedy of the commons. Next, I explain how the two lessons play a significant role in recent efforts to extend Ostrom's work on environmental commons to knowledge/cultural commons. I draw a parallel between the tragedy of the commons allegory and the free-rider allegory, and show how many of the problems Ostrom explored in the environmental context are manifest in the cultural environmental context. I discuss an ongoing research project that follows the path that Ostrom blazed and systematically studies commons in the cultural environment.
Renal echo-3D and microalbuminuria in children of diabetic mothers: a preliminary study
Authors: Cappuccini B. , Torlone E. , Ferri C. , Arnone S. , Troiani S. , Bini V. , Bellomo G. , Barboni G. , Di Renzo G.
Published: April 2013

Maternal diabetes has assumed epidemic relevance in recent years and animal studies have provided some evidence that it may cause abnormalities in renal development and a reduction in nephron endowment in the offspring; however, human data are lacking. The renal cortex contains ∼95% of the glomeruli and its volume could be taken as a surrogate measure of glomerular number; based on this assumption, we measured renal cortex volume and in addition, microalbuminuria in a homogeneous sample of 42 children of diabetic (pregestational, n = 13, and gestational, n = 29) mothers, compared with 21 healthy children born of non-diabetic mothers. The offspring of diabetic mothers showed a significant reduction of renal cortex volume and higher albumin excretion compared with controls, possibly attributable to a reduction in the number of nephrons and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Although further studies on a larger sample are necessary, our preliminary findings suggest that maternal diabetes may affect renal development with sequelae later in life, requiring closer monitoring and follow-up. Furthermore, the importance of strict maternal diabetes management and control must be emphasized.
Entwicklung von Übergewicht und Adipositas beim Mammakarzinom und ihre Bedeutung für Diagnose und klinisches Management: Resultate der Basler Mammakarzinom-Datenbank 1990–2009
Authors: Güth Uwe , Schmid Seraina , Eichholzer Monika
Published: April 2013

Übergewicht und Adipositas scheinen die Entstehung von postmenopausalem Brustkrebs zu fördern und die Prognose von Brustkrebs generell zu verschlechtern. Diese Beobachtungen wurden in der vorliegenden Studie an 1459 Frauen der Basler Mammakarzinom-Datenbank (1990–2009) und den Schweizerischen Gesundheitsbefragungen (1992–2007) überprüft. In unseren Daten war ein steigender Body-Mass-Index (BMI) nicht mit einem erhöhten Brustkrebsrisiko in der Postmenopause verbunden. Hingegen zeigte sich ein positiver Zusammenhang zwischen BMI und Tumorgrösse (dies galt sowohl für von der Patientin selber detektierte als auch für radiologisch diagnostizierte Tumoren), Tumorstadium, Grading und St. Galler Risiko-Score. Brustkrebspatentinnen wiesen mit steigendem BMI eine bessere Compliance und Persistence bezüglich adjuvanter Therapien auf. Die bekannt schlechtere Prognose von Patientinnen mit hohem BMI ist damit nicht auf eine ungenügende Therapiebereitschaft zurückzuführen.
Überblicksstudie zur pädagogischen Arbeit mit Kindern mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten in Kindertageseinrichtungen
Authors: Fröhlich-Gildhoff Klaus , Lorenz Friederike Lea , Tinius Claudia , Sippel Melanie
Published: April 2013

Kinder mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten stellen für pädagogische Fachkräfte in Kindertageseinrichtungen eine besondere Heraus- und manchmal Überforderung dar. Es gibt so gut wie keine empirischen Studien und evaluierten Konzepte, auf die sie in der pädagogischen Arbeit zurückgreifen könnten. In diesem Beitrag werden die Ergebnisse einer Fragebogenbefragung unter pädagogischen Fachkräften in Kindertageseinrichtungen zur Arbeit mit Kindern mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten vorgestellt. Insgesamt wurden Fachkräfte, überwiegend Erzieherinnen 1 Zugunsten einer vereinfachten Lesbarkeit wird in diesem Bericht die weibliche Berufsbezeichnung verwendet. Selbstverständlich sollen sich auch männliche pädagogische Fachkräfte angesprochen fühlen. , aus 101 Kindertageseinrichtungen, in vier Bundesländern zu ihrem Konstrukt von Verhaltensauffälligkeiten, zum Erkennen derselben und zum pädagogischen Umgang mit Kindern (und deren Eltern), wenn eine solche Besonderheit beobachtet wurde, befragt. Darüber hinaus wurde der Unterstützungsbedarf der professionellen Fachkräfte erfragt. Es zeigte sich, dass zwar nur in der Minderheit der Einrichtungen Konzepte zur pädagogischen Arbeit mit Kindern mit Verhaltensauffälligkeiten vorliegen, dass aber dennoch gezielte ‚Antworten‘ unter Einbezug der Eltern und in Kooperation mit anderen Diensten zu identifizieren sind. Darüber hinaus äußerten die Fachkräfte deutlichen Unterstützungsbedarf in Form von Weiterbildung, Supervision und verbesserten Rahmenbedingungen.
„Aufsuchende Psychoanalyse“ in der Frühprävention
Authors: Leuzinger-Bohleber Marianne , Laezer Katrin Luise , Neubert Verena , Pfenning-Meerkötter Nicole , Fischmann Tamara
Published: April 2013

Anhand der Frankfurter Präventionsstudie und dem sich noch in Durchführung befindenden EVA Projekt (EVAluation zweier Frühpräventionsprojekte in Kindergärten in Stadtteilen mit erhöhter sozialer Problemlage) wird diskutiert, welcher spezifische Beitrag eine „aufsuchende Psychoanalyse“ im Bereich der interdisziplinär ausgerichteten Präventionsforschung leisten kann. In diesen Präventionsprojekten stellen klinisch erfahrene SupervisorInnen und TherapeutInnen den ErzieherInnen, aber auch den Eltern, in diesen Einrichtungen psychoanalytische Erfahrungen und Konzepte (z. B. im Umgang mit traumatisierten Kindern) zur Verfügung. Dabei ist der interdisziplinäre Dialog „auf Augenhöhe“ entscheidend, was auch in einem kurzen Exkurs in die Geschichte der psychoanalytischen Pädagogik erläutert wird.

In der Frankfurter Präventionsstudie konnte die Wirkung des psychoanalytischen Präventionsprogramms nachgewiesen werden. Die Ergebnisse der EVA Studie stehen noch aus.