bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forgotten driving forces in right heart failure (Part II): experimental study
Authors: Nour Sayed , Dai Gang , Wang Qinmei , Wang Fei , Chachques Juan Carlos , Wu Guifu
Published: May 2013

Background: Cardiac-assist devices for right ventricular failure remain controversial with poor results. This study evaluated a pulsatile cardiac-assist device in an acute right ventricular failure model vs. current therapies.

Materials and methods: Pulmonary regurgitation was created in 12 piglets by valve avulsion and external transfixation of 2 pulmonary artery cusps suspended to the pulmonary arterial wall. The piglets were divided into 2 treatment groups: a pulsatile group P and a non-pulsatile group NP. Management started when severe right ventricular failure was observed (48.1 ± 24.5 min). In group P, pulsatile trousers driven by a pneumatic generator were pulsated intermittently at 40 beats·min−1. Group NP was treated with oral tadalafil 1 mg·kg−1, intravenous fluids, and adrenaline 0.3 µg·kg−1. After 1 h of therapy, cardiac output was significantly better in group P than group NP (1 ± 0.2 vs. 0.7 ± 0.2 L·min−1). Mean right ventricular pressure (16 ± 6 vs. 24 ± 2 mm Hg) and pulmonary arterial pressure (22 ± 1 vs. 31 ± 2 mm Hg) were lower in group P. Vascular resistances indices were lower in group P than group NP: pulmonary resistance index was 174 ± 60 vs. 352 ± 118 dyne·sec·cm−5·kg−1; systemic resistance index was 611 ± 70 vs. 1215 ± 315 dyne·sec·cm−5·kg−1. Western-blot analysis showed higher endogenous NO synthase expression in group P pulmonary arteries.

Conclusions: The pulsatile suit can be used safely as a noninvasive cardiac-assist device in acute right ventricular failure. This represents a cost-effective nearly physiological method, suitable for adults and children.
Prognostic value of biological markers in myocardial infarction patients
Authors: Berezin Alexander E , Samura Tatiana A
Published: May 2013

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the prognostic value of matrix metalloproteinase-3 and -9, and NT-pro-natriuretic peptide for fatal and nonfatal complications in Q-wave myocardial infarction patients in the acute and postinfarction periods.

Patients and methods: 85 men and women with documented Q-wave myocardial infarction were observed for 1 year after hospitalization. Clinical endpoints were identified through the hospital patient-tracking system, with a review of medical records for each recorded endpoint. Left ventricular ejection fraction and wall motion index were calculated. Measurements of matrix metalloproteinases and NT-pro-natriuretic peptide were performed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: A cutoff value of 9.7 ng·mL−1 for matrix metalloproteinase-3 showed the best discriminatory power (sensitivity = 77.8%, specificity = 90.8%). The optimal cutoff value of matrix metalloproteinase-9 was 18.1 ng·mL−1 (sensitivity, 70.5%; specificity, 75%), and the cutoff for NT-pro-natriuretic peptide was 885 pmol·L−1 (sensitivity, 58%; specificity, 68.6%). Matrix metalloproteinase-3 and -9 were strongly related with a positive prognostic value of 70% (sensitivity and specificity, 84% and 82%, respectively).

Conclusion: These data may be helpful for further stratification of patients into cardiovascular mortality risk groups.
Prolonged Support with Intraaortic Balloon for Postinfarction Ventricular Septal Rupture
Authors: Bedi Harinder Singh , Sharma Vijay , Kohli Vijay , Mishra Anil , Jayant Ashok , Bazaz Surinder , Trehan Naresh
Published: May 2013

The optimal timing of repair in postinfarct interventricular septal rupture remains controversial. We report a 53-year-old man with a postinfarct ventricular septal defect sustained on intraaortic balloon pump for 20 days before successful surgical closure. In the presence of proponents of routine early closure of postinfarct ventricular septal defects the possibility of prolonged intraaortic balloon pump support to stabilize the patient must be kept in mind.
Effect of Oral Vitamin E on Oxy-Free Radical Status in Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Chandra Mahesh , Gupta Vivek , Rath Anil Kumar , Vaish Arvind Kumar , Srimal Rikhab Chand , Pandev Vikas Chand , Ghatak Ashim , Sircar Amulya Ranjan , Bhardwaj Rajpal Singh , Singhal Shyam Sunder
Published: May 2013

The present work was conducted to study the status of oxidative stress (oxy-free radicals) in 24 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 12 matched healthy control patients and furthermore evaluate the effect of oral vitamin E on altered oxyfree radicals in these patients. The parameters assessed for oxy-free radical status were superoxide anion and malonyldialdehyde. These were found to be increased during acute myocardial infarction and this increment had a normalizing trend with the passage of time. It was found that the administration of vitamin E accelerated the normalizing trend of both superoxide anion and malonyldialdehyde. Thus, vitamin E has an antioxidant effect in acute myocardial infarction.
Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma of the Left Atrium
Authors: Suri Rajendar Krishan , Manjari Ratna S , Jha Neerod Kumar , Kim Vaiphei , Juneja Rajnish , Singh Mandeep
Published: May 2013

A 25-year-old female presented with symptoms resembling those of critical mitral stenosis. Echocardiography revealed a left atrial mass without a stalk, which was suspected to be a left atrial myxoma. An irregular soft friable mass was found at surgery. It measured 10 × 8 cm, with finger-like extensions and occupied almost the entire left atrial cavity, extending into the three tributaries of the right pulmonary vein. Histopathology of the excised tumor including electron microscopy showed a pleomorphic cytology interlaced with bundles, areas of necrosis, and occasional bizarre tumor giant cells. Characteristic histiocytes containing lysosomes identified the tumor as malignant fibrous histiocytoma. A postoperative course of radiotherapy with a dose of 4,000 cGy/20 fractions was applied to the mediastinum. At follow-up 4 months later the patient was asymptomatic. This case is reported because of the extreme rarity of left atrial malignant fibrous histiocytoma.
Large Tracheal Cast: An Unusual Cause of Acute Airway Obstruction
Authors: Kumar Sankarapillai Pratap , Muralidharan Srinivasan , Sundar Rajani
Published: May 2013

Acute airway obstruction developed after overnight ventilation in a patient who had undergone a closed mitral valvotomy for mitral stenosis. This was due to a large tracheal cast that had formed probably as a result of fibrinous or plastic tracheobronchitis. The cast was expelled by coughing, after which the postoperative course was uneventful.
Prediction of Pulmonary Parenchymal Reexpansion by Computed Tomography after Pleural Decortication
Authors: Pyoung Jeon , Young Chung Kyung , Dong Kim Kil , Hwan Shin Dong , Koo Cho Bum , Ok Choe Kyu
Published: May 2013

Twenty-six patients underwent pleural decortication for chronic empyema. All had a computed tomgraphy scan of the chest showing no marked parenchymal destruction. Multiple subpleural linear densities perpendicular to the pleura were seen to various degrees and the sum of the areas of these densities was evaluated for each patient. The thickness of visceral and parietal pleura, nodularity of the empyema wall, presence of calcification, and homogeneity of the inner content of the empyema were assessed. The degree of lung reexpansion was quantified from the ratio of the aerated areas of the affected and unaffected lungs on postoperative chest radiography. Successful lung reexpansion was achieved in 23 patients. The 3 patients in whom lung reexpansion failed required a subsequent pneumonectomy. The thickness of extrapleural fat and the sum of the areas of subpleural linear densities were significantly higher in these 3 patients. In the successful decortication group, the degree of lung reexpansion correlated with the sum of subpleural linear densities and with a noted homogeneity of the inner content of the empyema. Computed tomography appeared to be useful in determining the appropriate surgical method of treating chronic empyema.
Chordal Replacement with Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Suture: Early Results
Authors: Chotivatanapong Taweesak , Chaiseri Pradistchai , Kasemsarn Choosak , Sungkahapong Vibhan
Published: May 2013

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene suture has been used for chordal replacement to achieve better results of mitral valve repair in patients with severe subvalvular disease. From March 1994 to December 1996, 16 patients with mitral valve disease were successfully repaired with this suture at Central Chest Hospital. There were 10 males and 6 females. The average age was 36.5 years. Mean follow-up was 18.18 months. Mitral valve disease was rheumatic in origin in most patients. The suture was attached to the posterior leaflet in 11 patients and to the anterior leaflet in the other 5. The average number of pairs of sutures used per patient was 1.37 (range 1 to 4 pairs). The average number of surgical procedures for mitral valve repair per patient was 5.1. There was no hospital mortality and no thromboembolic complication or reoperation during this study. Postoperative functional status and mitral regurgitation improved substantially. We concluded from this study that this suture can be used safely and effectively for chordal replacement in mitral valve repair.
Medium-Term Outcome with Small Size ATS Medical Valves in Aortic Position
Authors: Demirkiliç Ufuk , Kuralay Erkan , Özal Ertuğrul , Bingöl Hakan , Sağ Cemal , Yilmaz Ahmet T , Tatar Harun
Published: May 2013

Records of 33 patients (group 1) who received 19-mm or 21-mm ATS aortic valve prostheses were retrospectively reviewed and compared with those of 26 patients who received 25-mm ATS valves (group 2). Group 1 patients were younger (20 ± 2 years versus 43 ± 15 years) and had a smaller mean body surface area (1.6 m2 versus 1.83 m2). Valve pathology was usually congenital aortic stenosis in group 1 and rheumatic in group 2. There was no operative mortality. The mean postoperative Doppler resting gradient was higher in group 1 (21 mm Hg versus 7 mm Hg). Total follow-up was 294 patient-years. There was no perivalvular leak, valve thrombosis, or endocarditis in either group. In group 2, there was 1 anticoagulant-related hemorrhage and 1 late death due to congestive heart failure. We concluded that in spite of the higher transprosthetic gradient, 19-mm and 21-mm ATS aortic valve prostheses performed satisfactorily in adult patients with a body surface area of less than 1.6 m2. This valve can be used in a small aortic annulus as an alternative to performing an annular enlargement procedure.
Hyperbilirubinemia after Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Prospective Study
Authors: Chandra Abha , Gupta Debasish , Saibaba K Sri Satya , Dilip Dronamraju , Kola Srinivas , Naidu Madhu Sudan
Published: May 2013

Postoperative hyperbilirubinemia is one of the complications of cardiopulmonary bypass. This prospective study was conducted on 77 patients who underwent open-heart surgery, to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and prognostic significance of postoperative hyperbilirubinemia. Liver function tests were conducted preoperatively, immediately after surgery and on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th postoperative days. The overall incidence of postoperative hyperbilirubinemia was 26%. The incidence was significantly higher in patients who underwent prosthetic valve replacements (31%) than in those without prostheses (22%) and very high in patients undergoing double valve replacement (50%) compared to single valve replacement (27%). Most (90%) of the increase in serum bilirubin was due to a rise in unconjugated bilirubin on the 1st postoperative day. There was no mortality related to postoperative hyperbilirubinemia but it prolonged intensive care stay when it occurred early after surgery and prolonged hospital stay when it occurred later. Preoperative total bilirubin concentration, number of valves to be replaced, and preoperative high right atrial pressure were the factors associated with increased risk of postoperative hyperbilirubinemia by logistic regression analysis.
Low-Dose Dopamine in Coronary Artery Bypass Patients with Preoperative Renal Dysfunction
Authors: Chaiyaroj Suchart , Tatoulis James
Published: May 2013

Fifty-two patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery with preoperative renal dysfunction were studied to evaluate the effects of low-dose dopamine on renal function during the postoperative period. Patients were randomly assigned to the dopamine-treated group or an untreated control group. The treatment period was 24 hours commencing on induction of anesthesia. Serum creatinine levels were followed up for 6 days postoperatively. The degree of preoperative renal dysfunction was higher in the dopamine group but the pattern of change in the creatinine levels was similar in both groups, with an initial fall and a rise to maximum levels at 48 to 72 hours postoperatively, followed by a fall on day 6. We could not demonstrate any beneficial effect of low-dose dopamine in patients with preoperative renal dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.
Flexible Angle-Retaining Dual-Stage Venous Cannula
Authors: Akiyama Kazuya , Takazawa Arifumi , Taniyasu Naohito , Sato Hiroaki
Published: May 2013

We designed a flexible and angle-retaining dual-stage venous cannula by attachment of a U-shaped stainless steel wire, heat-contracted tube, and synthetic resins. Initial clinical use showed that this cannula has several benefits compared to a conventional fixed-angle cannula for establishing cardiopulmonary bypass for aortic root and coronary artery bypass surgery.
Religious chameleons: Exploring the social context for belonging without believing
Authors: Wollschleger Jason , Beach Lindsey R.
Published: May 2013

Following previous discussions of objective religious hypocrisy, we now explore the concept of subjective religious hypocrisy; that is, belonging to a religious group but not believing in its tenets. In exchange terms, subjective hypocrisy can be understood as cheating on one’s subjective religious commitments (belief) in order to gain access to otherwise unavailable social incentives. Drawing on existing literature, we specify the social structural conditions that lead to higher levels of subjective religious hypocrisy. We also explore the costs and risks this behavior can create for individuals and the consequences it can have for religious groups. We offer a series of testable deductive propositions.
Nurses’ Interpretation of Patient Status Descriptions on the Braden Scale
Authors: Choi Jeungok , Choi Jeeyae , Kim Hyeoneui
Published: May 2013

The risk of pressure ulcers is widely assessed using the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk, which describes patient characteristics for various severity levels. However, many of these characteristics are described in vague terms that nurses may interpret inconsistently, potentially threatening scale reliability. To examine the consistency of nurses’ interpretations of five vaguely described patient characteristics on the Braden Scale we surveyed a convenience sample of 102 nurses and compared their interpretations with those of two nurse experts. The results show large variations in nurses’ interpretations. Although the highest frequency of nurses’ responses to the majority of descriptions was consistent with the experts’ interpretation, the large variation in responses may seriously threaten consistent and accurate assessment of pressure-ulcer risk with the Braden Scale. Our findings suggest that training programs provide operational definitions of these vague patient descriptions, so the Braden Scale can be used consistently in patient care.
The Case for Participatory Evaluation in an Era of Accountability
Authors: Chouinard Jill Anne
Published: May 2013

Evaluation occurs within a specific context and is influenced by the economic, political, historical, and social forces that shape that context. The culture of evaluation is thus very much embedded in the culture of accountability that currently prevails in public sector institutions, policies, and program. As such, our understanding of the reception and use of participatory approaches to evaluation must include an understanding of the practices of new public management and of the concomitant call for accountability and performance measurement standards that currently prevail. In this article, the author discusses how accountability has been defined and understood in the context of government policies, programs, and services and provides a brief discussion of participatory and collaborative approaches to evaluation and the interrelationship between participatory evaluation and technical approaches to evaluation. The main part of the article is a critical look at key tensions between participatory and technocratic approaches to evaluation. The article concludes with a focus on the epistemological and cultural implications of the current culture of public accountability.
The management of epilepsy in pregnancy at the Whittington Hospital: a retrospective audit 2004–2006 and 2007–2010
Authors: Allen Rebecca , Grosu Liliana , Das Ishita , Kyei-Mensah Amma
Published: May 2013

Background:

In the last maternal death enquiries report there were 14 indirect deaths due to epilepsy.

Methods:

Retrospective case-note analysis of epileptic women seen antenatally over two separate time periods were examined. Care in the routine antenatal clinic (ANC) was compared with that in the obstetric medicine clinic (OMC).

Results:

1st audit, 65 epileptic women seen. In OMC 14% had documented preconception counselling, 58% were on anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). In ANC 0% had documented preconception counselling, 34% were on AEDs. 2nd audit, 88 epileptic women seen. In OMC 37.5% of women had preconception counselling, 84% were on AEDs. In ANC, 4.2% had preconception counselling, 31% were on AEDs.

Conclusions:

Women seen in OMC received care more compliant with Scottish Obstetric Group and Audit Project recommendations. All women with epilepsy should be reviewed in an OMC.
Variation of crystal structure in nickel nanoparticles filled in carbon nanotubes
Authors: Liu B , Liu L R , Liu X J , Liu M J , Xiao Y S
Published: May 2013

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) filled with metals can be used in capacitors, sensors, rechargeable batteries and so on. Atomic arrangement of the metals plays an important role in the function of the composites. Here, we show that Ni and NiO nanoparticles in CNTs are crystalline, which results in the occurrence of lattice shrinkage. Interplanar spacing of (111)Ni, (200)Ni, (220)Ni and (311)Ni lattice plane decreases by 0·08–0·35. The crystal lattice constant of the Ni diminishes by 0·35. Lattice shrinkage causes a misfit of the lattice constant between the nickel and the internal CNT surface: from theoretical 1·21 to actual 0·86. This variation is beneficial to heterogeneous nucleation of Ni crystal nucleus on the surface at a point with the lowest interfacial energy at coherent interface, where the match is (111)Ni//(0001)C. According to our findings, one-dimensional nanostructures can be changed and controlled during synthesis by use of CNTs as a template.
The sexual quality of life-female (SQOL-F) questionnaire: translation and psychometric properties of the Iranian version
Authors: Maasoumi Raziyeh , Lamyian Minoor , Montazeri Ali , Azin Seyed Ali , Aguilar-Vafaie Maria E. , Hajizadeh Ebrahim
Published: May 2013

Background

Female sexual dysfunction is a common condition that extremely affects reproductive health and quality of life. To assess this health condition, a valid and reliable questionnaire is required. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F) questionnaire in Iran.

Method

Forward-backward procedure was applied to translate the questionnaire from English into Persian. After linguistic validation and pilot examination, a cross-sectional study was carried out and psychometric properties of the Iranian version of questionnaire were tested. One hundred reproductive aged, married, healthy and sexually active women completed the questionnaire. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), and test-retest (intraclass correlation coefficient) analyses. In addition, content, and face validity were assessed and the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing exploratory factor analysis.

Results

The mean age of participants was 33 (SD = 8.07) years, and the mean quality of sexual life score was 86.4 (SD = 1.78) ranging from 36 to 108. Most women were housewife (n = 92). Reliability evaluation revealed high internal consistency and good test-retest reliability. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.73 and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.88. The mean scores for the content validity index (CVI) and the content validity ratio (CVR) were 0.91 and 0.84, respectively. The results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated a four-factor solution for the questionnaire that jointly accounted for 60.8% of variance observed.

Conclusion

The findings from this study suggest that the Iranian version of SQOL-F questionnaire has good psychometric properties and it will be useful to assess the female sexual quality of life in reproductive health care settings.
Presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in emergency department: a case report
Authors: Fernandes Natália , Gomes Guilherme , Capela Carlos
Published: May 2013

Background

Abrupt and life-threatening presentations in connective tissue diseases (CTD) are rarely reported. Their early recognition and specific management could change course disease. SLE is a multisystem inflammatory disease that is often difficult to diagnose in the emergency department (ED).

Case presentation

A 26-year-old woman presented to the ED with a 48 hour history of progressive dispnea, generalized edema and left lower chest pain with non-productive cough. On examination, patient was feeling very ill, afebrile, tachycardic, tachypneic and a peripheral oxygen saturation of 94% on 40% supplemented oxygen with raised jugular venous pressure was noted. Intermittently, she presented an obtunded state of consciousness. A large pericardial, pleural and abdominal effusion was confirmed and a broad differential diagnosis was made. The patient had a 6 months history of inflammatory polyarthralgias involving initially interphalangeal joints, evolving, sometime later, the knees and elbows bilaterally and she was started glucocorticoids. 12 days before admission, she had had symptoms of a urethritis episode. In the context of an immunosupressed patient, with initial focal urologic complains, evidence of multiorgan dysfunction and a picture resembling a distributive shock, dictated a low threshold for sepsis.

Conclusions

Separating an acute episode of SLE from sepsis, on emergency grounds, can even be the most challenging decision. In the ED, acute life-threatening and multisystemic conditions should arise the suspicion of autoimmune diseases, particularly SLE.
A solitary hyperfunctioning thyroid nodule harboring thyroid carcinoma: review of the literature
Authors: Mirfakhraee Sasan , Mathews Dana , Peng Lan , Woodruff Stacey , Zigman Jeffrey M
Published: May 2013

Hyperfunctioning nodules of the thyroid are thought to only rarely harbor thyroid cancer, and thus are infrequently biopsied. Here, we present the case of a patient with a hyperfunctioning thyroid nodule harboring thyroid carcinoma and, using MEDLINE literature searches, set out to determine the prevalence of and characteristics of malignant “hot” nodules as a group. Historical, biochemical and radiologic characteristics of the case subjects and their nodules were compared to those in cases of benign hyperfunctioning nodules. A literature review of surgical patients with solitary hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules managed by thyroid resection revealed an estimated 3.1% prevalence of malignancy. A separate literature search uncovered 76 cases of reported malignant hot thyroid nodules, besides the present case. Of these, 78% were female and mean age at time of diagnosis was 47 years. Mean nodule size was 4.13 ± 1.68 cm. Laboratory assessment revealed T3elevation in 76.5%, T4elevation in 51.9%, and subclinical hyperthyroidism in 13% of patients. Histological diagnosis was papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in 57.1%, follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) in 36.4%, and Hurthle cell carcinoma in 7.8% of patients. Thus, hot thyroid nodules harbor a low but non-trivial rate of malignancy. Compared to individuals with benign hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules, those with malignant hyperfunctioning nodules are younger and more predominantly female. Also, FTC and Hurthle cell carcinoma are found more frequently in hot nodules than in general. We were unable to find any specific characteristics that could be used to distinguish between malignant and benign hot nodules.
Qualitative Enquiry into Women's Views of the Specialist Menopause Service in Dundee and Media Coverage of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Authors: Reed Dianna
Published: May 2013

A qualitative study was undertaken via a questionnaire in a specialist menopause clinic in Dundee, to assess patient views of the service, their opinion of media coverage of hormone replacement therapy and whether their visit helped them reach an informed decision about using it. All women felt that they were given enough information and their concerns were addressed. Only 11% (3/28) of the women sampled viewed media coverage in a positive light.
Documenting the Zenith of Women Song Composers: A Database of Songs Published in the United States and the British Commonwealth, ca. 1890–1930
Authors: Reynolds Christopher
Published: May 2013

This article calls attention to a database devoted to women composers and songwriters and points to a few of the historical issues that this database makes it possible to investigate. The focus is women who composed songs between roughly 1890 and 1930, and who published in the United States, Great Britain, and the British Commonwealth. The database contains more than 15,500 entries of songs and song publications by 1,607 women who wrote in all styles (including classical, popular, and a range of styles in between). The database documents the extraordinary rise and decline of women song composers that occurred in the years before and after the First World War, to identify the leading composers and the most popular poets, and to discuss differences in the careers of American and British women songwriters. Among these was the propensity for American women to self-publish, not only successful women such as Anita Owen and Carrie Jacobs Bond, but also hundreds of amateurs who published just one or two songs. The thirty women with the best representation have at least eighty songs or song collections. At the top of the list are Liza Lehmann (with 334 songs and cycles), Lily Strickland (309), Maude Valerie White (233), and Carrie Jacobs Bond (194). World War I affected women composers deeply, reducing productivity and even ending some careers as songwriters. The database also makes it possible to study shifts in the poetry women chose to set before and after the war.
My Dear Ego, Be
Authors: Triplett Pimone
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Tanka Diary
Authors: Mullen Harryette
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Patron Saint of Quiet Lives: A Look2 Essay on Barbara Pym by Raina Lipsitz
Authors: Lipsitz Raina
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
What Happens Next
Authors: Bernard Emily
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Transfer Station
Authors: Juska Elise
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Church
Authors: Swayze Kimberly
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
What We Lost in the Flood—
Authors: Brimhall Traci
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Beware of the Dark Sedan Idling Inside You
Authors: McDaniel Jeffrey
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Another Elegy
Authors: Brown Jericho
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
In Which I Am Famous
Authors: Pierce Catherine
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Radios
Authors: Jackson Major
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Salt on the Tongue
Authors: Handal Nathalie
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Porto, Portare, Portavi, Portatus
Authors: Meitner Erika
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Letter Written in Black Water and Pearl
Authors: York Jake Adam
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Swan Road
Authors: Lehmann Rebecca
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Crossing Water
Authors: Hoagland Tony
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Because There Is No Ending
Authors: Triplett Pimone
Published: May 2013

The poet Major Jackson (Holding Company, Hoops) compiles this eclectic Spring issue, which includes the work of several distinguished writers and newcomers. Featuring poetry by writers like Mark Doty, Martin Espada, Tony Hoagland, Laura Kasischke, Sharon Olds, Carl Phillips, and Tracy K. Smith, the issue is a dazzling tour of the modern poetic landscape in America. There is also a wide variety of fiction, from the story of a high school girl in the South and her relationship with a white teacher ("What Happens Next," by Emily Bernard) to a New York doorman dying of cancer ("The Rubber Game," by Sherri Phillips). The issue also features a Plan B essay by Floyd Skloot ("The Great Dream"), about the mostly thwarted ambitions of the members of his family, and an appreciation of the British writer Barbara Pym ("Patron Saint of Quiet Lives," by Raina Lipsitz).
Food for Soil, Food for People: Research on Food Crops, Fertilizers, and the Making of "Modern" Indian Agriculture
Authors: Saha Madhumita
Published: May 2013

Fertilizer was the lynchpin of the modernization narrative of Indian agriculture. Its appeal lay in its capacity to raise production and thereby fight hunger, bring prosperity to farmers, and achieve modernization for backward tropical agriculture. Fertilizer use took various forms in India, ranging from green manure, farmyard manure, and leguminous plants to c! hemical fertilizers. Research on each of these fertilizers in independent India has been closely linked to the political imperatives of the Indian state, its policy of social equity, the farmers' economic condition, the dynamics of cold war politics, and the agro-ecological specificities of farming in India. Through extensive archival research in India and the U.S., this paper explores the pattern of technoscientific knowledge transfer and the factors impacting its production and dissemination. It sheds light on how the scientists grappled to mediate the universalist claim of science with its vast and largely diversified site of application.
Voclosporin as a Treatment for Noninfectious Uveitis
Authors: Schultz Clyde
Published: May 2013

Voclosporin is a relatively new calcineurin inhibitor that has been used successfully in humans for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. Available data indicate a good safety profile for this treatment and a significant increase in quality of life for psoriasis patients. More recently, voclosporin has been used to treat ophthalmic conditions such as uveitis. The limited data available indicate at least comparable results relative to current therapy with a better safety profile. Here, we analyze data from human and animal studies and the mode of action of voclosporin. Available safety profile data are also discussed.
The Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Erythropoietin Resistance in Stable Hemodialysis Patients with Adequate Iron Stores
Authors: Afsar Baris
Published: May 2013

Introduction

Resistance to erythropoietin (EPO) treatment has been associated with inflammation and malnutrition in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Depression has also been associated with both inflammation and malnutrition; however, the specific relationship between depressive symptoms and EPO resistance is not known. In the current study, the relationship between depressive symptoms and EPO resistance as evaluated by erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA) hyporesponsiveness index (EHRI) was analyzed.

Methods

Study participants had their medical history taken and underwent physical examination; dialysis adequacy calculation, biochemical analysis and evaluation of depressive symptoms by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were performed. EHRI was calculated as the weekly dose of EPO divided by per kilogram of body weight divided by the hemoglobin level.

Results

The mean BDI score of the patients was 10.99 ± 3.94. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the logarithmically converted EHRI score was correlated with albumin (r = -0.270, p = 0.011), hs-CRP (r = 0.383, P<0.0001), hemoglobin (r = -0.617, p<0.0001), intact PTH (r = 0.215, p = 0.043) and logarithmically converted BDI (r = 0.299, p = 0.004). The stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that being female (p = 0.012), presence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.119), hs-CRP (p = 0.009) and BDI score (p = 0.037) were independently related with logarithmically converted EHRI (as a dependent variable).

Conclusion

Depressive symptoms were independently related with EHRI in HD patients. Studies are needed to highlight underlying mechanisms between depression and EHRI.
Cost Efficiency of Portuguese Hotels in the Algarve: A Comparative Analysis Using Mathematical and Econometric Approaches
Authors: Oliveira Ricardo , Pedro Maria Isabel , Marques Rui Cunha
Published: May 2013

A sample of 28 prestige hotels on the Algarve (Portugal) is analysed to compare the results of the data envelopment analysis and stochastic frontier approach techniques in order to measure cost, allocative and technical efficiencies. The results suggest that efficiencies are similar when they are calculated by these two models. Companies with five-star hotels, hotels with golf courses and owners of only one hotel have higher efficiency levels than their peers. One explanation for this evidence is that these models express themselves through cost or production technologies, allowing them a better fit.