bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No fitness consequence of experimentally induced polyandry in a monandrous wasp
Authors: King  , Bressac
Published: January 2010

Tests of the effects of multiple mating by females on female fitness have been primarily with polyandrous species, where a benefit to multiple mating has usually been found. In contrast, no such benefit was found here for the parasitic wasp Spalangia endius, a highly monandrous species. Females that mated only once prior to oviposition exhibited a rapid decline in daughter production long before they died. The production of daughters, but not sons, is sexual in this species, i.e., requires sperm. Nevertheless, females with greatly decreased daughter production did not then remate. When such females were experimentally manipulated into copulating with a second male, additional sperm were stored in the females' sperm storage organs. However, this sperm increase had no significant effect on daughter production, total offspring production or longevity. There was no evidence that either immediate or delayed polyandry currently benefits females. The lack of benefit may be a general feature of highly monandrous species or a common feature of parasitic hymenopterans regardless of mating system.
Shelter size influences self-assessment of size in crayfish, Orconectes rusticus: Consequences for agonistic fights
Authors: Percival Daniel , Moore Paul
Published: January 2010

Theoretical models of animal assessment and decision strategies have assumed animals possess accurate information about themselves. The imperfect nature of self-assessment could cause animals to make inaccurate decisions during agonistic encounters. By manipulating sensory information used in self-assessment in crayfish, Orconectes rusticus, it may be possible to alter either decision-making paradigms or outcomes associated with agonistic encounters. We examined the role of self-assessment in the agonistic behaviour of crayfish by using differing shelter sizes to alter self-assessment of size. Similar-sized crayfish were kept in tanks with small, medium, and large shelters (relative to body size) and subsequently were fought against size-matched, naive opponents in novel chambers to remove resource value as a variable. Crayfish in small shelter treatments initiated and won more fights than crayfish in other shelters. Crayfish in the small shelter treatment had shorter durations of fight when compared to crayfish with the medium and large shelters. These results are consistent with the concept that crayfish placed in smaller shelters may be self-assessing their physical size and, thus, their fighting ability, higher than crayfish in larger shelters. Based on these results, current theoretical models need to include the role of inaccurate self-assessments in agonistic decision making paradigms.
Effects of gravidity on the locomotor performance and escape behaviour of two lizard populations: the importance of habitat structure
Authors: Díaz José , Monasterio Camila , Iraeta Pablo , Salvador Alfredo
Published: January 2010

In lizards, locomotor costs of gravidity may depend on habitat structure and refuge availability. We compared the locomotor performance and escape tactics in the laboratory, before and after oviposition, of two populations of Psammodromus algirus separated by 700 m altitude. When gravid, females escaped using a larger number of slower and shorter runs, and had lower temperatures at the time of trial, than after oviposition. Some of these effects differed between populations: when gravid, but not after oviposition, low-elevation females ran shorter distances at a slower average speed than high-elevation ones. Low-elevation females laid their clutches earlier than high-elevation ones, which conditioned their lower speed when gravid in simultaneous running trials. However, their escape distances were still shorter after controlling for the effects of temperature and laying date. In the field, refuge availability was lower at the low-elevation site, where females spent more time inside refuges and perching above ground. The shorter escape distance of low-elevation females may, thus, represent a behavioural response to minimize detectability, especially if predator avoidance depends primarily on whether or not the lizard is seen by the predator. Such behavioural adjustments might inhibit selection for evolutionary shifts in the performance of gravid females.
The Formation of Armenian Identity in the First Millenium
Authors: van Lint Theo Maarten
Published: January 2010

In tracing three possible answers to the question what the 'first millennium' might be for the Armenians, various layers of the Armenian tradition constitutive of the formation of Armenian identity are presented. Three periods are distinguished: the Nairian-Urartian stretching from about 1200 bce to the conquest of the Armenian plateau by the Achaemenids; followed by the Zoroastrian phase, in which political, religious, social, and cultural institutions in Armenia were closely related to Iranian ones, lasting until the adoption of Christianity as state religion in Armenia at the beginning of the fourth century. This heralds the third and last phase considered in this contribution, concluding with the cornerstone of Armenian identity formation in the direction given to Armenia and its Church by Yovhannēs Ōjnec'i (John of Odzun, d. 728), who opted for a moderate form of Miaphysitism after the rejection of the Council of Chalcedon. The developments in each of the three periods are measured against the criteria Smith considered central for the presence of an ethnie, while attention is given to the Iranian aspects of Armenian society, the presence of a Hellenistic strand in its culture, and its western turn upon the adoption of Christianity.
The Psalm Commentary of Daniel of Salah and the Formation of Sixth-Century Syrian Orthodox Identity
Authors: Taylor David
Published: January 2010

By the 540s the anti-Chalcedonian Syrian Miaphysites had experienced frequent periods of persecution and were in the process of developing into an independent church, with distinct structures and doctrine. Unable to found schools for their clergy, they needed alternative methods to provide ideological formation. This paper argues that the Miaphysite leaders identified the exegesis of the Psalms, the quintessence of the scriptures and the heart of the daily liturgy, as a key means not only of shaping their community's religious beliefs but also of addressing larger political issues. Their chosen exegete was Daniel of Salah who in c.542 produced a Psalm commentary in homiletic form which addressed numerous issues of contemporary relevance. His response to Christological controversy is touched upon, but the focus is on his development of Miaphysite imperial ideology. Previous historians have usually argued that the Miaphysites demonstrated great loyalty to the institution and person of the emperor, despite persecution at their hands. This paper argues to the contrary that while Daniel accepted the need for political allegiance to the emperors, he denies them any role as special mediators of divine revelation or faith. The true king is the crucified Christ, in whose image the mind or reason of each human was created, and it is the guidance of these which is to be followed in religious matters.
Michael the Syrian and Syriac Orthodox Identity
Authors: Weltecke Dorothea
Published: January 2010

This paper discusses the concept of Syriac Orthodox identity in the chronicle by Michael the Great as it is expressed in terms for the self-designation (like mhaymnē, Suryōyē) and in the structure of the narrative. The heritage of the ancient Near East, based on the ethnical and historical conception of the Arameans (including the Chaldeans and the Ōturōyē as well as the Ōrōmōyē) since the times of the ancient empires was a very important element of the identity. Just as important to him was the historical legitimacy of the Orthodox Church as a group excluding other Aramaic-speaking Christians. This conception of identity was complex, dialectic, and multi-layered, comprising ethnic, historic, cultural, and religious elements. Not unlike modern people, he and the members of the Syriac Orthodox communities participated in different and overlapping cultures and identities throughout the Syriac Orthodox world. The Syriac Orthodox identity had been under polemical attack for a long time, against which both historical and theological answers were formulated over the centuries. At the same time, Michael can be a witness only for a certain group and a certain region. He speaks mainly for the Syriac-speaking regions of the Syriac Orthodox world and the clergy. Neither the Syriac Orthodox identity of Arabic speaking Syriac Orthodox Christians, for example in Takrit, nor the identities of laymen are of his concern.
Value Reprioritization in Psychoanalysis
Authors: Horowitz Mardi J.
Published: January 2010

As psychoanalysts, we sometimes seem to regard values as radioactive materials that must be handled with heavy lead gloves. But the gloves should not be so thick that they interfere with the goal of sorting out values. Reasons for our hesitation to deal with issues related to values may include real disagreements with the morals of a patient, a fear of evoking unproductive and negative emotional states, and our own unresolved conflicts about value dilemmas. Psychoanalytic technique should at times include clear verbal statements of values. By being explicit about what is often implicit, we can help our patients in their work of ameliorating harsh, primitive, and critical attitudes and to self-own rules, principles, and codes of conduct. A patient with reprioritized personal values may then function with heightened interpersonal compassion, kindness, and cooperation, gaining in return love, intimacy, respect, and self-esteem.
The Complex Nature of Exposure To Early Childhood Trauma in the Psychoanalysis of a Child
Authors: Chertoff Judith M.
Published: January 2010

When an intense transference relationship evolves during psychoanalysis, sensory and emotional experiences associated with trauma can arise spontaneously. Detailed clinical process material is presented from the psychoanalysis of a six-year-old boy whose severe trauma at age two and a half contributed to his conflicts about aggression and gender identity, impeding his development. A series of analytic sessions during which he spontaneously enacted fantasies, feelings, and defenses associated with the trauma in the immediacy of the transference relationship are used to illustrate how psychoanalysis provided him the safety to rework this overwhelming experience and its aftermath, thereby restoring progressive development. It is hypothesized that while work with trauma was only one feature in an otherwise complex treatment, psychoanalysis provided a sophisticated form of reexposure to developmentally primitive emotions, images, and fantasies that this child had not consciously connected with the trauma. Associated early childhood conflicts pertaining to aggression, separation, and gender identity, warded off with rigid defenses, had become intertwined with the trauma and its aftermath, rendering them otherwise inaccessible.
Smells Like Teen Spirit: Evaluating a Midwestern Teen Court
Authors: Norris Michael , Twill Sarah , Kim Chigon
Published: January 2010

Teen courts have grown rapidly in the United States despite little evidence of their effectiveness. A survival analysis of 635 teen court and 186 regular diversion participants showed no significant differences in recidivism, although program completers were half as likely to reoffend as noncompleters. Older offenders survived significantly better than younger ones, and girls better than boys. For the full sample, increasing the number of sanctions resulted in earlier reoffending. This effect disappeared when noncompleters were removed from the analysis, suggesting that increasing sanctions may lead certain teens to drop out and/or reoffend. Implications for policy include screening younger juveniles out of teen courts and reconsidering their panacea status.
Stresses Experienced By Psychiatrists and Their Role in Burnout: a National Follow-Up Study
Authors: Kumar Shailesh , Hatcher Simon , Dutu Gaelle , Fischer Jesse , Ma'u Etuini
Published: January 2010

Background: Many studies have looked at sources of stress in psychiatrists, yet the role played by different factors in the causation of burnout in psychiatrists remains unclear. We had two aims, first, to develop a predictive model for the onset of burnout. Second, we aimed to study the differences in the perception of what caused stress between psychiatrists who rated themselves high on Emotional Exhaustion compared to those who rated themselves as low on Emotional Exhaustion.

Methods: A previously described questionnaire that identified stressors relevant to consultant psychiatrists was mailed out to 426 psychiatrists, with 240 replies. Scores on the Emotional Exhaustion dimension of the Maslach Burnout Inventory were available for 131 respondents.

Results: Based on an earlier literature review, the Sources of Stress Questionnaire (SOS-Q) used in the study had 45 factors, categorized into predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating and protective factors for burnout in psychiatrists. Of these, factor analysis identified 11 non-correlated factors which were used in the final analysis of this study. Four factors emerged as associated with burnout in psychiatrists in New Zealand: too much work; working long hours; an aggressive administrative environment; and lacking support from management. Two factors negatively correlated with Emotional Exhaustion were a high level of job satisfaction and/or enjoyment, and low pay compared to other countries.

Conclusions: Most factors associated with burnout are preventable and can be managed jointly between psychiatrists and administrators. Service providers need to address burnout seriously.
Igbo Women in the Nigerian-Biafran War 1967-1970
Authors: Achebe Christie
Published: January 2010

This study presents a brief history of the events of the Nigerian-Biafra Civil War and the roles played by women in the Biafra sector. An analysis of women’s coping strategies using the two process model of primary and secondary control shows that rather than privileging one over the other, the women combined both processes in ways that were functional and meaningful in the Biafra cultural context.
Street Traders and the Emerging Spaces for Urban Voice and Citizenship in African Cities
Authors: Brown Alison , Lyons Michal , Dankoco Ibrahima
Published: January 2010

As informal commerce has grown to become the lifeblood of African cities, street trade—among the largest sub-groups in the informal economy—has become a visible but contested domain. Yet the increase in street traders has not been accompanied by a corresponding improvement in their status as citizens or in their political influence. The paper first discusses the implications of theoretical debates on ‘citizenship’ and ‘voice’ for street traders and then explores characteristics of traders’ associations and influence in four case study countries: Senegal, Ghana, Tanzania and Lesotho. Drawing together the authors’ findings from research between 2001 and 2008, the paper identifies a fluidity of both formal and informal traders’ organisations which fail to achieve lasting impact. Finally, the paper discusses urban policy implications, arguing for a more flexible definition of urban citizenship based on rights and responsibilities, and an understanding of the complexity of grassroots associations of the marginalised poor.
Assessing the Relative Merits of Development Charges and Transferable Development Rights in an Uncertain World
Authors: Clinch J. Peter , O'Neill Eoin
Published: January 2010

Traditionally, regulatory instruments have been used to achieve planning objectives. However, emerging market-based policy instruments, such as transferable development rights, a quantity-based approach, and development charges, a price-based approach, are now being implemented in some jurisdictions. Despite this, there has been no comparison in this context of the relative effectiveness, or potential differences in outcomes, that these different market-based instruments can achieve when the benefits and costs of development are uncertain. This paper shows that, in the presence of uncertainty, significantly different outcomes in terms of overall welfare and the social distribution of costs and benefits of development can result, depending on which instrument is chosen. Therefore, careful analysis of instrument choice is required to improve overall efficiency.
Becoming a Creative City: The Entrepreneurial Mayor, Network Politics and the Promise of an Urban Renaissance
Authors: Ponzini Davide , Rossi Ugo
Published: January 2010

This paper critically explores the ‘politics of becoming’ in a ‘wannabe’ creative city in the United States. It shows how, in Baltimore’s policy sphere, Richard Florida’s theory has served as an ‘intellectual technology’ aiming at the invention of a new macro-actor (the creative class), while related urban regeneration outcomes and prospects appear to be more problematic. In particular, at the city-wide level, the creative class policy has favoured the interests of local politicians and their closer institutional partners; while, in the described context of a socially deprived neighbourhood, the embraced culture-led policy, albeit successful in redesigning a more attractive urban realm and thus in attaining its stated goals, has proved to be concerned more with real estate revitalisation than with issues of social inclusion and life-chance provision. It is concluded that the prevailing institutional imperative of networking and collaboration, as observed in Baltimore’s creative class initiative, overemphasises the importance of the politics of association in contemporary urban regeneration processes, while neglecting the relevance of classic goals of socio-spatial justice.
A Pharmacokinetics Evaluation of a New, Low‐Volume, Oral Sulfate Colon Cleansing Preparation in Patients With Renal or Hepatic Impairment and Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Pelham Russell W. , Alcorn Harry , Cleveland Mark vB.
Published: January 2010

The pharmacokinetics (PK) of an oral sulfate solution (OSS) for bowel cleansing preparation was studied. OSS (30 g of sulfate) was split between 2 doses, 12 hours apart. Safety measures included electrocardiography, vital signs, adverse events, hematology, blood chemistry, and urinalysis. Six adult patients with moderate renal disease (MRD), 6 with mild‐moderate hepatic disease (M/MHD), and 6 normal healthy volunteers (NHVs) completed the study. Adverse events were mild to moderate in severity and were mainly limited to headache and expected gastrointestinal symptoms. Serum sulfate levels were highly variable at all times, even after adjusting for baseline. Sulfate was higher in MRD in comparison to the other groups. The Cmax and AUC were higher in the patients, but no statistically significant differences emerged. Sulfate levels returned to predose values within 54 hours after dosing. No electrolyte disturbances occurred. Urinary sulfate excretion was approximately 20% of the dose. OSS was well tolerated. The types and severity of adverse events were similar to those seen in large phase III trials. While patients with MRD had elevated sulfate, the levels were less than those in renal failure and did not alter biochemical parameters that are associated with hypersulfatemia.
Arts and Culture in Urban or Regional Planning: A Review and Research Agenda
Authors: Markusen Ann , Gadwa Anne
Published: January 2010

Amid the buzz on the creative city and cultural economy, knowledge about what works at various urban and regional scales is sorely lacking. This article reviews the state of knowledge about arts and culture as an urban or regional development tool, exploring norms, reviewing evidence for causal relationships, and analyzing stakeholders, bureaucratic fragmentation, and citizen participation in cultural planning. Two strategies—designated cultural districts and tourist-targeted cultural investments— illustrate how better research would inform implementation. In guiding urban cultural development, researchers should examine and clarify the impacts, risks, and opportunity costs of various strategies and the investments and revenue and expenditure patterns associated with each, so that communities and governments avoid squandering “creative city” opportunities.
Cultural Clusters: The Implications of Cultural Assets Agglomeration for Neighborhood Revitalization
Authors: Stern Mark J. , Seifert Susan C.
Published: January 2010

Cultural districts have attracted increased attention as an urban economic development strategy. Yet for the most part, cities have focused on the agglomeration of cultural assets to increase tourism or lure wary suburbanites downtown. This article examines an alternative use of the arts for community development: cultivating neighborhood cultural clusters with modest concentrations of cultural providers (both nonprofit and commercial), resident artists, and cultural participants. The article presents innovative methods for integrating data on these indicators into a geographic information system to produce a Cultural Asset Index that can be used to identify census block groups with the highest density of these assets. The article then demonstrates the association between the concentration of cultural assets in Philadelphia in 1997 with improved housing market conditions between 2001 and 2006. The article concludes by exploring the implications of a neighborhood-based creative economy for urban policy, planning, and research.
New Thermo-responsive Hydrogels Based on Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide)/ Hyaluronic Acid Semi-interpenetrated Polymer Networks: Swelling Properties and Drug Release Studies
Authors: Santos João R. , Alves Natália M. , Mano João F.
Published: January 2010

New pH and temperature sensitive semi-interpenetrated polymer networks (semi-IPNs) were developed by combining cross-linked PNIPAAm with hyaluronic acid (HA). At pH 7.4, the PNIPAAm/HA semi-IPN hydrogels had significantly greater and faster swelling at 25°C and a more complete deswelling at 37°C than PNIPAAm hydrogels. The temperature-dependent reversibility behavior was analyzed for biomaterial applications. Gentamicin was incorporated as a model drug, and the release profile from the hydrogels was followed under physiological conditions. The presence of HA, even in small quantities, allowed a more complete release of the gentamicin from the hydrogel. The PNIPAAm/HA semi-IPN hydrogels respond to both changes in temperature and pH making it suitable as a delivery system for therapeutics.
In Vitro and In Vivo Behaviors of the Three-layered Nanocarbonated Hydroxyapatite/Collagen/PLGA Composite
Authors: Liao Susan , Wei Wang  , Yokoyama Atsuro , Yuhue Zhu  , Watari Fumio , Ramakrishna Seeram , Chan Casey K.
Published: January 2010

A three-layered nano-carbonated hydroxyapatite/collagen/poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (nCHAC/PLGA) composite membrane that consisted of 8 wt% nCHAC + PLGA/4 wt%nCHAC + PLGA/PLGA was developed using a layer-by-layer casting. The human periodontal ligament and osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured on the three-layered composite membrane; the co-culture gave a more positive response than the pure PLGA membrane. Subsequently, the composite and pure PLGA membranes were implanted into critical 6.2 mm defects in rat crania. After 4 weeks, significant healing was observed in the defects implanted with the nCHAC/PLGA composite membrane, while similar healing was only observed with pure PLGA implants after 8 weeks. This novel composite appears to be a very promising candidate for periodontal and bone defects therapy.
Binge Drinking and Rape: A Prospective Examination of College Women With a History of Previous Sexual Victimization
Authors: McCauley Jenna L. , Calhoun Karen S. , Gidycz Christine A.
Published: January 2010

The current study prospectively examined the longitudinal relationships between binge drinking behavior and rape experiences among a multisite sample of college women with a history of prior attempted or completed rape ( N = 228). Rates of binge drinking among this high-risk sample were high. Prospective analyses indicated that binge drinking significantly increased risk for subsequent rape. Monthly binge drinkers were significantly more likely to experience alcohol-involved rape than forcible rape at follow-up. Only prior binge drinking, and not type of rape experience, predicted subsequent binge drinking. Findings have direct implications for targeted programming addressing combined risks for binge drinking and rape among college women.
ASD and PTSD in Rape Victims
Authors: Elklit Ask , Christiansen Dorte M.
Published: January 2010

In recent years, a number of studies have investigated the prediction of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through the presence of acute stress disorder (ASD). The predictive power of ASD on PTSD was examined in a population of 148 female rape victims who visited a center for rape victims shortly after the rape or attempted rape. The PTSD diagnosis based solely on the three core symptom clusters was best identified by a subclinical ASD diagnosis based on all ASD criteria except dissociation. However, a full PTSD diagnosis including the A 2 and F criteria was best identified by classifying victims according to a full ASD diagnosis. Regardless of whether cases were classified according to full PTSD status or according to meeting the criteria for the three PTSD core symptom clusters, the classification was correct only in approximately two thirds of the cases. A regression analysis based on ASD severity and sexual problems following the rape accounted for only 28% of the PTSD severity variance. In conclusion, the ASD diagnosis is not an optimal method for identifying those most at risk for PTSD. It remains to be seen whether a better way can be found.
A Longitudinal Assessment of the Victim-Offender Overlap
Authors: Jennings Wesley G. , Higgins George E. , Tewksbury Richard , Gover Angela R. , Piquero Alex R.
Published: January 2010

Although research has established an offending/victimization overlap and that offenders and victims share similar characteristics, much less work has examined the longitudinal sequencing of victimization and offending in the same developmental period and whether key risk/protective factors significantly distinguish both offenders and victims.This study uses longitudinal data from a large sample of adolescents to examine these issues and does so using a novel methodological approach, the trajectory methodology, which allows for the examination of covariation between offending and victimization. Results indicate that there is a considerable degree of overlap between victims of physical violence and offenders over time and that certain covariates including school commitment, parental monitoring, low self-control, and sex significantly discriminate victim and offender groups. Furthermore, low self-control appears to be the most salient risk factor for distinguishing both victimization and delinquency trajectories.Theoretical and policy implications and directions for future research are identified.
Hormesis in high-throughput screening of antibacterial compounds in E coli
Authors: Calabrese Edward J , Hoffmann George R , Stanek Edward J , Nascarella Marc A
Published: January 2010

This article assesses the response below a toxicological threshold for 1888 antibacterial agents in Escherichia coli, using 11 concentrations with twofold concentration spacing in a high-throughput study. The data set had important strengths such as low variability in the control (2%—3% SD), a repeat measure of all wells, and a built-in replication. Bacterial growth at concentrations below the toxic threshold is significantly greater than that in the controls, consistent with a hormetic concentration response. These findings, along with analyses of published literature and complementary evaluations of concentration-response model predictions of low-concentration effects in yeast, indicate a lack of support for the broadly and historically accepted threshold model for responses to concentrations below the toxic threshold.
Antihyperglycaemic and antihyperlipidaemic effect of poly-constituents, in aqueous and chloroform extracts, of Withania coagulans Dunal in experimental type 2 diabetes mellitus in rats
Authors: Hoda Quaisul , Ahmad Shoaib , Akhtar Mohammad , Abul Kalam Najmi  , Pillai KK , Shibli Jameel Ahmad
Published: January 2010

Withania coagulans is used in indigenous system of medicine in several conditions, and its aqueous extract alone has reported antihyperglycemic activity. As per the principles of Indigenous System of Medicine, the combined use of aqueous and chloroform extracts of W coagulans fruits, containing multi-constituents, has been evaluated for the effect on blood glucose, lipid profile and body weight in type 2 diabetic rats. The aqueous and chloroform extracts were prepared by simple maceration and hot refluxing using Soxhlet apparatus, respectively. They were administered orally singly and concurrently as combination, once daily, a dose of 1 g kg —1 for 14 days in different groups of normoglycemic and hyperglycemic rats. Orally normal saline 1 mL 100g— 1, and Metformin 500 mg kg—1, were used as control and standard, respectively. Aqueous extract showed highly significant (p < .01) decrease in the blood glucose (52%), triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL level and highly significant (p < .01) increase in HDL level. The antihyperglycemic effect was found slightly (6%) superior to metformin. The combination of aqueous and chloroform extracts showed highly significant (p < .01) decrease in the blood glucose (55%), triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL levels, and a highly significant (p < .01) increase in HDL level. The antihyperglycemic effect being better than Metformin and aqueous extracts, 9% and 3%, respectively.
Prazosin treatment in the management of scorpion envenomation
Authors: Peker Erdal , Oktar Suleyman , Dogan Murat , Kaya Ergun , Duru Mehmet
Published: January 2010

Scorpion stings represent an important and serious public health problem worldwide due to their high incidence and potentially severe and often fatal clinical manifestations. Children are at greater risk of developing severe cardiac, respiratory, and neurological complications due to lesser body surface area.

Alpha receptor stimulation plays important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary edema. Prazosin, a post synaptic alpha blocker, can be recommended as an effective drug in the treatment of serious scorpion envenomations with significant sympathetic symptoms. Oral prazosin is fast acting, easily available, relatively cheap, free from any anaphylaxis and highly effective.
Echocardiography at diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome provides prognostic information on valvular disease evolution and identifies two subtypes of patients
Authors: Pardos-Gea J. , Ordi-Ros J. , Avegliano G. , Cortés-Hernández J. , Balada E. , Evangelista A. , Vilardell M.
Published: January 2010

The evolution of valvular disease in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is barely known. In order to evaluate whether the presence or absence of valvular disease at the time of diagnosis of APS, assessed by an initial echocardiogram, predicts its subsequent evolution, we performed a prospective cohort study. We included 53 patients with APS. An initial transthoracic echocardiogram was performed on patients at the time of diagnosis of APS. Serial echocardiograms were conducted along a 12-year follow-up. Final echocardiograms were used for comparative purposes. We started with 29 patients (54%) with and 24 (45%) without valvulopathy at initial echo. At the final echocardiogram, 27 of 29 patients with initial valvulopathy continued to have valvular disease (a 93% observed likelihood), and 22 of 24 patients without initial valvulopathy demonstrated an absence of valvular disease (a 91% observed likelihood). Patients with valvulopathy in comparison with those without presented more arterial thrombotic events (69% vs. 20%, P < 0.001), atherosclerotic risk factors (62% vs. 29%, P = 0.01), livedo (48% vs. 16%, P = 0.01) and migraine (41% vs. 12%, P = 0.02). We have identified two subtypes of APS patients with and without valvulopathy by defining differential clinical features and with little crossover in valvular involvement over a long follow-up period, giving a high prognostic value to the initial echocardiographic assessment. Lupus (2010) 19, 575—582.
War-Culture and Sacrifice
Authors: Denton-Borhaug Kelly
Published: January 2010

What would we say about the losses associated with war if we did not describe them as sacrifices? What would we say about Jesus’ life and death if we did not associate the Gospel narratives with a cosmic framework of sacrificial self giving? This article first explores and exposes the interpenetration of the ethos, institutions and culture of militarism in the United States’ culture at large. The somewhat heightened awareness regarding US ‘war-culture’ leads to questions regarding its supporting pillars and dynamics. Thus, second, the article investigates the rhetoric and practices of sacrifice that act as an electrical current running between war-culture and popular understandings and practices of Christianity in the United States of America. Frameworks of sacrifice both animate war-culture and simultaneously mask its operations with a sacred canopy. Consequently, we must face the difficult but all-important question: is there any way to rehabilitate understandings of sacrifice for Christianity without at the same time aiding and abetting war-culture?
Female Genital Mutilation: A Socio-Cultural Gang Up Against Womanhood
Authors: Olubanke Akintunde Dorcas
Published: January 2010

This article uses the voices of women to investigate the horror of the cultural practice of female genital mutilation. Case studies graphically illustrate the way in which the bodies of young girls are literally moulded for male satisfaction, physical, religious and cultural. Female genital mutilation is a socio-cultural offensive against women and young girls which we would join with female theologians in condemning.
The Spirituality of, and at, Greenham Common Peace Camp
Authors: Welch Christina
Published: January 2010

This paper explores the spirituality of, and experienced at, Greenham Common Peace Camp, Berkshire, Southern England (1981-2000). Although mentioned in much of the discourse on the nuclear protest site Greenham, spirituality is, at best, marginalized in favour of socio-politics. However, there is evidence to suggest that spirituality played a significant role for many of the Greenham women, informing their protests through poetry, song and prose, as well as visually— with eco-feminist thealogy a potent theme. Through examining existing discourse and by interviewing protesters (I use an initial to identify those preferring to remain annoymous), this paper concludes that spirituality at Greenham Common Peace Camp requires further attention, and should no longer be seen as a subsidiary aspect of the camp.
Numerical Investigation of the Effects of MR Damper Characteristic Parameters on Vibration Isolation of SDOF Systems Under Harmonic Excitations
Authors: Laalej H. , Lang Z.Q.
Published: January 2010

Magnetorheological (MR) damper has recently received considerable attention particularly for vibration isolation applications. However, the relationship between the current and damping force of MR dampers is extremely non-linear. Although it is possible to directly control the current of MR dampers to reduce the vibration of a system, this direct use of MR dampers often cannot achieve a desired system performance. As a result, researchers normally develop a feedback control system to accommodate the non-linearity associated with MR dampers. This technique, however, results in a significant increase in the system cost and complexity. This article applies the concept of the output frequency response function derived recently by the authors to analyze the effects of the damping characteristic parameters and current in an MR damper on the output frequency response of single-degree-of-freedom vibrating system. The results gained from this work are of great significance as they can facilitate the analysis of the effects of MR damper characteristic parameters on output response of the system and potentially allow engineers to directly control the current of a commercially available MR damper to achieve a desired system response without the need to develop a feedback control system, thereby reducing the system cost and complexity.
Multi-cell Active Acoustic Metamaterial with Programmable Bulk Modulus
Authors: Akl Wael , Baz Amr
Published: January 2010

Considerable interest has been devoted to the development of various classes of acoustic metamaterials that can control the propagation of acoustical wave energy through these materials. However, all the currently exerted efforts are focused on studying passive metamaterials with fixed material properties. In this article, the emphasis is placed on the development of a new class of composite acoustic metamaterials with effective bulk moduli that are programmed to vary according to any prescribed pattern along the volume of the metamaterial. The composite consists of an acoustic cavity, which is coupled with an array of actively controlled Helmholtz resonator to enable the control of the effective bulk modulus distribution along the cavity. The theoretical analysis of this class of multi-cell composite active acoustic metamaterials (CAAMM) is presented and the theoretical predictions are determined when the Helmholtz resonators are provided with piezoelectric boundaries. These smart boundaries are used to control the overall bulk modulus of the cavity/resonator assembly through direct acoustic pressure feedback. The interaction between the neighboring cells of the composite metamaterial is modeled using a lumped-parameter approach. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the performance characteristics of the proposed CAAMM and its potential for generating prescribed spatial and spectral patterns of bulk modulus variation.
Metamaterial-based Broadband Elastic Wave Absorber
Authors: Pai P. Frank
Published: January 2010

This article presents modeling and analysis techniques for and reveals the actual working mechanism of longitudinal metamaterial bars as elastic wave absorbers. A metamaterial-based elastic wave absorber can be a uniform isotropic bar with many tiny spring-mass subsystems attached at separated longitudinal locations. In the literature, each cell that consists of a bar segment and an attached spring-mass subsystem is modeled as a discrete system of two degrees of freedom by integration and/or finite difference, and the idealized model becomes a dispersive medium for elastic waves and has a stop band that allows no waves to propagate forward. This work shows that these idealized models can be used only for elastic waves having wavelengths much longer than the unit cell’s length. Moreover, it is revealed that a metamaterial-based elastic wave absorber is actually based on the concept of conventional mechanical vibration absorbers, which uses the local resonance of subsystems to generate inertia forces to work against the external load and prevent elastic waves from propagating forward. This concept is extended to design a broadband absorber that works for elastic waves of any wavelengths, including waves having wavelengths shorter than the unit cell’s length. Numerical examples validate the design and reveal the cause of stop band. Moreover, the effect of negative effective mass and acoustic and optical modes are explained.
What Makes a Phenomenological Study Phenomenological? An Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Empirical Nursing Studies
Authors: Norlyk Annelise , Harder Ingegerd
Published: January 2010

This article contributes to the debate about phenomenology as a research approach in nursing by providing a systematic review of what nurse researchers hold as phenomenology in published empirical studies. Based on the assumption that presentations of phenomenological approaches in peer-reviewed journals have consequences for the quality of future research, the aim was to analyze articles presenting phenomenological studies and, in light of the findings, raise a discussion about addressing scientific criteria. The analysis revealed considerable variations, ranging from brief to detailed descriptions of the stated phenomenological approach, and from inconsistencies to methodological clarity and rigor. Variations, apparent inconsistencies, and omissions made it unclear what makes a phenomenological study phenomenological. There is a need for clarifying how the principles of the phenomenological philosophy are implemented in a particular study before publishing. This should include an articulation of methodological keywords of the investigated phenomenon, and how an open attitude was adopted.
Culture and Comorbidity in East and West Berliners
Authors: Fechner Mary J.
Published: January 2010

Following the collapse of socialism, fluctuations in cardiac mortality rates in East Germany and a West-to-East cardiac health gradient became topics of interest. Researchers suggested possible causes for these phenomena, including stress from postsocialism. I proposed that a cultural investigation of heart disease comorbid with depression could inform our understanding of the potential health effects of the postsocialist transition. I conducted ethnographic and survey research. In the study described here, I administered a depression scale (CES-D) and an ethnographically derived measure of cultural stress (Good Life Survey) to over 200 East and West Berliners with cardiovascular disease. Comparison of the groups’ depression means revealed no difference. However, correlation of the Good Life Survey and the CES-D revealed unique profiles of cultural variables associated with depression in the two groups, suggesting that culture shapes depression and cardiac risk. I discuss the value of cultural studies to comorbidity research.
The Inextricable Nature of Mental and Physical Health: Implications for Integrative Care
Authors: Weiss Sandra J. , Haber Judith , Horowitz June Andrews , Stuart Gail W. , Wolfe Barbara
Published: January 2010

There is growing evidence that physical health problems are caused and exacerbated by psychological factors. Research indicates that psychological distress leads to physical disease through impairment of the neuroendocrine system and its interface with the body’s immune response. However, the current health care delivery system splinters care into “psychiatric” and “physical” health silos. New approaches are needed to assure adequate professional knowledge of behavioral health at basic licensure, to increase the use of advanced practice psychiatric—mental health nurses in primary care settings, to identify and teach behavioral competencies for primary care providers, and to fund the design and evaluation of integrative models of care.
Post-ART Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis in a Patient With AIDS
Authors: Ferreira da Silva Leila Cristina , Espinosa Miranda Angelica , de Lima Ferreira Luiz Carlos , Moreira da Silva Roberto , Távora Mira Marcelo , Talhari Carolina , Talhari Sinésio
Published: January 2010

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare disorder characterized by persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Here, we describe a 48-year-old, black, married male with AIDS, presenting a 1-year history of asymptomatic hypopigmented lesions that appeared 3 years after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Pre-ART, the initial CD4 count was 32 cells/mm3 and the skin lesions appeared when the CD4 count reached 122 cells/mm3. Dermatological examination demonstrated thin, scaly, slightly verrucous hypopigmented macules and papules, isolated or presenting with a linear aspect (Köbner phenomenon) in some areas, distributed on the neck, trunk, and superior and inferior members. Skin biopsy of a macular lesion revealed epidermal acanthosis with vacuolated keratinocytes presenting blue-gray pallor, arranged in clusters at the granular and upper spinous layer. Immunohistochemistry revealed expression of p16 INK4a with diffuse positivity in the upper third of the epithelium, corresponding to the vacuolated keratinocytes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was positive for type 12 HPV, and a diagnosis of EV-like associated to AIDS was made. EV-like is a rare disease and in this patent might be a manifestation of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.
96-Week Efficacy and Safety of Atazanavir, With and Without Ritonavir, in a HAART Regimen in Treatment-Naive Patients
Authors: Malan D.R. , Krantz Edrich , David Neal , Rong Yang  , Mathew Marina , Iloeje Uchenna H. , Jun Su  , McGrath Donnie
Published: January 2010

This study assesses virologic response, safety, tolerability, and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in antiretroviral (ARV)-naive patients treated with 2 atazanavir (ATV)-based regimens over 96 weeks. Treatment-naive adult patients (n = 200) were randomized to receive either ATV 300 mg with ritonavir (RTV) 100 mg (ATV300/r, n = 95) or ATV 400 mg (ATV400; n = 105). At week 96, 75% of ATV300/r-treated and 70% of ATV400-treated patients achieved viral loads <400 copies/mL (difference estimate [95% confidence interval, CI] = 5.1 [-7.1 to 17.2]). Five and 20 patients, respectively, experienced virologic failure. Adverse event-related discontinuations occurred among 8% receiving ATV300/r and 3% receiving ATV400. Plasma lipid elevations were generally low. Both regimens were well tolerated and associated with sustained improvements in HRQoL. These findings demonstrate long-term efficacy, tolerability, and safety of both ATV300/r and ATV400 in ARV-naive patients through 96 weeks with improvements in HRQoL.
Routine HIV Testing in Health Care Settings: The Deterrent Factors to Maximal Implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Monjok Emmanuel , Smesny Andrea , Mgbere Osaro , Essien E. James
Published: January 2010

The sub-Saharan region of Africa is the most severely affected HIV/AIDS region in the world. The population of this region accounts for 67% of all people living with HIV/AIDS and 72% of all AIDS-related deaths. As international collaboration makes access to HIV treatment more widely available in this region the need to increase the population’s awareness of its serostatus becomes greater. The incorporation of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (routine HIV testing model) as part of a routine medical care would not only increase the population’s serostatus awareness but also lead to a better understanding of HIV prevention and treatment and ultimately, increased utilization of available HIV/AIDS prevention programs on a much larger scale. This mini-review summarizes some important regional, sociocultural, economic, legal, and ethical issues that may be deterrent factors to maximal implementation and integration of provider initiated HIV testing and counseling as part of routine medical care in the sub-Saharan African region.
Sexual Behaviors and Results of Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections Testing Among Frail HIV-Infected Individuals
Authors: Önen Nur F. , Shacham Enbal , Stamm Kate E. , Turner Overton E.
Published: January 2010

Background: The impact of premature frailty in HIV-infected individuals on the prevalence of sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is unknown. Methods: We compared these factors among individuals aged ≥18 years, who had prior determination of a frailty phenotype at the Washington University HIV Clinic between June and December 2008. All P values were 2-tailed and considered significant at <.05. Results: Of 445 individuals (71% male, 30% Caucasian, median age 43 years) assessed, the prevalence of frailty was 9%. Reports of recent sexual activity (44%) did not differ by frailty status. Consistent condom use (69% overall) was similar between sexually active frail and nonfrail individuals, and there was no significant difference in STI prevalence between groups (0 vs 32 [9%], P = .08). Conclusion: In this relatively young population, frailty did not affect reports of recent sexual activity or consistent condom use and no significant difference in STI prevalence was observed.