bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-Linked Toxic Responses to Dietary Iron Overload
Authors: Whittaker Paul , Dunkel Virginia C. , Bucci Thomas J. , Kusewitt Donna F , Thurman J. Dale , Warbritton Alan , Wolff George L.
Published: April 2009

Genome-related differences to Fe overload between and within rodent species were evaluated in the present study. Male B6C3F, mice, yellow and black C5YSF1 mice, and Fischer 344 (F344) rats were fed AIN-76A diets containing 35 (control), 1,500, 3,500, 5,000, or 10,000 μg carbonyl Fe/g for 12 wk. No effects on body weight gain were observed in the B6C3F, and black C5YSF, mice, whereas at all doses of Fe above the control, weight gain was reduced in yellow C5YSF1 mice and F344 rats. At the 10,000 μg Fe/g dose, 9 of 12 rats died, but there was no mortality among the mice. In all animals, there was a dose-related increase in liver nonheme Fe, and the Fe was stored in hepatocytes predominantly in the periportal region. There was significant hypertrophy of the hepatocytes in both B6C3F, mice and F344 rats fed the 10,000 μg Fe/g diet. PCNA assays showed significant stimulatory effects of the high dose of Fe on hepatocyte proliferation in the F344 rats and the C5YSF, mice but not in the B6C3F, mice. In the rat, there was pancreatic atrophy with loss of both endocrine and exocrine tissue. Morphometric evaluation of pancreas showed fewer β cells in B6C3F, and yellow C5YSF1 mice but not in the black C5YSF 1 mice. There were fewer islets in the yellow C5YSF1 mice, and total and mean islet areas were smaller than in the control mice. Rats in the 10,000 μg Fe/g dose group had markedly exacerbated dose-dependent nephropathy and changes in glomerular and tubular epithelium associated with Fe accumulation. The rats also showed degeneration of the germinal epithelium of the testis, formation of multinucleated giant cells, and lack of mature sperm.
Time Course of Stomach Mineralization, Plasma, and Urinary Changes After a Single Intravenous Administration of Gadolinium(III) Chloride in the Male Rat
Authors: Rees Jeremy , Spencer Andrew , Wilson Susan , Reid Alexandra , Harpur Ernest
Published: April 2009

In a previous experiment it was reported that the intravenous administration of gadolinium chloride (GdCl,) to rats results in a discrete band of interstitial mineralization in the fundic glandular mucosa of the stomach. To investigate the time course for the development of this lesion and its relationship to plasma calcium and phosphate concentrations, 2 experiments were carried out in male Sprague-Dawley rats given a single intravenous dose of 0.07 mmol/kg GdCl,. Plasma calcium and phosphate concentrations approximately doubled between 30 min and 12 hr postdose but had regressed back to near normal values by 24 hr. However, there were no observable clinical signs in treated animals. Histologically, there was progressive mineralization of the lamina propria of the neck region of the fundic glands from 6 hr postdose, forming a distinctive mineral band by 12 hr postdose. At 7 and 14 days postdose the mineral deposits were accompanied by mucous cell hyperplasia, interstitial fibrosis, and a very sparse infiltration of inflammatory cells. By 56 days postdose only occasional mineral deposits remained. Transmission electron microscopy showed mineral first nucleated on collagen in the interstitium, but there was no evidence of cell necrosis. X-ray microanalysis showed that the interstitial mineral was composed of calcium and phosphate in the form of hydroxyapatite; gadolinium (Gd) was only very rarely identified. These findings are consistent with metastatic mineralization. The source, cause, and the exact nature of the excess plasma calcium and phosphate are unknown, and the possible significance of this effect for clinical use of Gd-containing chelates in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging requires further investigation.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in post-traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Hidalgo Rosario B. , Davidson Jonathan R. T.
Published: April 2009

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex psychiatric condition, which can be triggered by a variety of traumatic events. Lifetime prevalence rates range from 1.3% to 10.4%, with women twice as likely as men to be affected. The clinical management of this condition is complex, since PTSD is associated with high rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders, particularly major depression, other anxiety and panic disorders, substance abuse and antisocial behaviour. Broadly, there are two main approaches to treatment: pharmacotherapy and cognitive or behavioural therapy. This paper reviews available pharmacological approaches for the treatment of PTSD and comorbid disorders. Although the optimal pharmacological approach has yet to be established, there is increasing evidence to support the use of antidepressants, and particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), as first-line therapy. In addition to alleviating the core symptoms of PTSD, some SSRIs are also effective for the treatment of common comorbidities, such as depression, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder; a fact which would appear to have important implications for patient management.
Methamphetamine and HIV-1: potential interactions and the use of the FIV/cat model
Authors: Phillips T. R. , Billaud J. N. , Henriksen S. J.
Published: April 2009

The interaction of methamphetamine with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the aetiologic agent of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), has not been thoroughly investigated. However, increasingly, a larger proportion of HIV infected individuals acquire the virus through methamphetamine use or are exposed to this drug during their disease course. In certain populations, there is a convergence of methamphetamine use and HIV-1 infection; yet our understanding of the potential effects that simultaneous exposure to these two agents have on disease progression is extremely limited. Studying the interactions between methamphetamine and lentivirus in people is difficult. To thoroughly understand methamphetamine's effects on lentivirus disease progression, an animal model that is both clinically relevant and easily manipulated is essential. In this report, we identified potential problems with methamphetamine abuse in individuals with a concurrent HIV-1 infection, described the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)/cat model for HIV-1, and reported our early findings using this modelling system to study the interaction of methamphetamine and lentivirus infections.
Urinary retention caused after fluoxetine–risperidone combination
Authors: Bozikas V. , Petrikis P. , Karavatos A.
Published: April 2009

A case of urinary retention emerging after fluoxetine (20 mg/day) addition to low risperidone doses (2 mg/day) is presented. Severe extrapyramidal side-effects (EPS) also occurred after fluoxetine–risperidone combination. Several possibilities, based on the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of risperidone and fluoxetine, which merit consideration in an attempt to explain our patient's side-effects, are discussed. Extrapyramidal side-effects can be due to an increase of the plasma concentration of risperidone and/or the intrinsic propensity of fluoxetine to produce EPS. Urinary retention may be the consequence of a central serotoninergic mechanism in, or without, combination central D2 blockade.
A randomized, double-blind controlled comparison of nefazodone and paroxetine in the treatment of depression: safety, tolerability and efficacy in continuation phase treatment
Authors: Baldwin David S. , Hawley Christopher J. , Mellors Karen ,   On behalf of the CN104-070 study group
Published: April 2009

We investigated the safety, tolerability and efficacy of nefazodone and paroxetine in the continuation phase of treatment of depression. The study comprised a double-blind, parallel-group comparison over 4 months, of patients who had previously improved following random allocation to nefazodone or paroxetine during an 8-week acute treatment study. Assessments included Clinical Global Impression Scales, Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression and Anxiety, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and the Patient Global Assessment Scale, in addition to a review of reported adverse events, vital sign measurements, electrocardiograms and clinical laboratory tests. One hundred and eight patients participated in the continuation study (53 received paroxetine, 55 nefazodone) and 73 completed treatment. No clinically relevant differences in antidepressant efficacy were seen. Headache and somnolence were the most common reported adverse events in both treatment groups. Both nefazodone and paroxetine maintain their efficacy in continuation treatment, and both are generally well tolerated.
Nimodipine prevents scopolamine-induced impairments in object recognition
Authors: Norman G. , Brooks S. P. , Hennebry G. M. , Eacott M. J. , Little H. J.
Published: April 2009

The effects of acute administration of the dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, nimodipine, were studied on the actions of scopolamine in the object recognition test. Scopolamine at 0.125 mg/kg decreased the difference in the time spent exploring novel and familiar objects when given either 15 min before, or immediately after, exposure to objects. Administration of nimodipine at 10 mg/kg, or 1 mg/kg, at the same time as the scopolamine completely prevented the deleterious effects on memory in this task. This effect was seen when nimodipine and/or scopolamine were given prior to the object exposure and also when the drugs were given after the experience of seeing the objects. Nimodipine had no effects on performance when given in the absence of scopolamine. This lack of change in total time spent exploring the objects indicated that the effects of scopolamine and nimodipine were not due to changes in motor coordination or alertness. The results are discussed in the light of the role of cholinergic transmission in memory and the known actions of dihydropyridines on brain function.
Health Values and Prospect Theory
Authors: Stratmann-Schoene Diana , Klose Thomas
Published: April 2009

In a recent volume of Medical Decision Making, Treadwell and Lenert stated that under prospect theory, community members compared with patients underestimate the utility of health improvements. In this comment, the authors show that this statement holds only for a subset of possible preference functions. Furthermore, the authors provide arguments that, in general, the rater’s current health state is not the appropriate reference level if applying prospect theory to health valuations.
Marriage in 1901 Canada: An Ecological Perspective
Authors: Burke Stacie D. A.
Published: April 2009

In the absence of comprehensive national-level databases, historical patterns of Canadian marriage behavior remain poorly understood. This study draws on the Canadian Families Project’s 5 percent sample of the 1901 Census of Canada to contextualize district-level variation in both the timing and intensity of marriage among Canadian women and men. Local constraints and freedoms on marriage were conceptualized by a selection of marriage-market, economic, demographic, and general social characteristics. The results of ecological regression modeling indicate that, collectively, these were important factors underlying national variation in Canadian nuptiality, particularly with reference to striking interprovincial differences in marriage behavior.
“A Fragment of Heaven on Earth”? Religion, Gender, and Family in Turn-of-the-Century Canadian Church Periodicals
Authors: Marks Lynne
Published: April 2009

This article examines the ideals and anxieties about gender, family, and religion expressed in nineteen turn-of-the-century Canadian Christian journals. This article reveals the existence of a range of common ideals across denominations. Idealization of the Christian home was shared as was a profoundly unrealistic idealization of the Christian role of mothers. While religious anxieties were similar in many ways across denominations and regions, they did differ in both expected and more surprising directions. Anxieties about men’s religious roles were strongest in British Columbia, where a skewed gender ratio left many men without the “civilizing” and Christianizing influence of white women. While young men were the focus in British Columbia, francophone Catholics tended to focus more attention on the religiously delinquent husband and father. Despite efforts to draw men into family prayer, most denominations recognized the increasingly strong association between women, Christianity, and the home and granted women Christian leadership roles in this important sphere.
The Triumph of Techniques Over Purpose Revisited
Authors: Pynes Joan E.
Published: April 2009

This article examines the tension that often arises between the values of public personnel administration and the technical/psychometric characteristics found in the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection. It is recommended that selection examinations for police officers move beyond focusing on logical-mathematical skills and expand to include additional individual variables that affect behavior in organizations. A comprehensive review and reassessment of police officer recruitment, selection, training, supervision, and evaluation is needed.
The Size and Shape of Phoenix’s Urban Fringe
Authors: Gober Patricia , Burns Elizabeth K.
Published: April 2009

Annual changes in the amount and location of residential fringe development in metropolitan Phoenix are tracked from 1990 to 1998 using local records of housing completions. New development covered a wide geographic area in 1990 but became more geographically concentrated with time. Metropolitan Phoenix is organized into five belts: (1) an outer rural zone, (2) an area of pioneer settlement where the construction of single-family housing began in 1990, (3) a peak zone of intensive development, (4) a zone of infill, and (5) a built-up area where little new construction occurs. Multiple-family housing construction occurs primarily in the infill zone. Between 1995 and 1998, new home construction moved outward at the pace of almost one-half mile per year to an average distance of 18.94 miles from the metropolitan center. Planners can use information about the size, shape, type, and timing of urban fringe development to anticipate infrastructure and service needs.
Invited Review: The Medical Management of Obesity and the Role of Pharmacotherapy: An Update
Authors: Apovian Caroline M.
Published: April 2009

The prevalence of obesity in the United States has been increasing since the 1980s and has become a public health concern. The etiology of obesity is complex and includes a host of genetic influences in addition to overconsumption of energy and a sedentary lifestyle. Obesity is strongly associated with several chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and thus accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. The previous failures of short‐term therapy for obesity have led experts to recognize that obesity is a chronic disease that should be treated with long‐term programs to ensure the best chance for maintenance of weight loss. In addition, clinical studies have demonstrated that a modest weight loss of 5% to 10% can produce significant decreases in comorbidities. This articles summarizes the current medical approach to the treatment of obesity and includes strategies for diet modification, exercise therapy, and lifestyle change. The rationale and appropriateness of pharmacotherapy are discussed, followed by case histories that highlight the management of obesity and its comorbidities by using diet, exercise, and pharmacotherapeutic modalities.
Current Literature: A Survey of Bedside Methods Used to Detect Pulmonary Aspiration of Enteral Formula in Intubated Tube‐Fed Patients
Authors: Metheny NA , Aud MA , Wunderlich RJ
Published: April 2009

Background: The most frequently recommended methods to assess for pulmonary aspiration of enteral formula in intubated, tube‐fed patients are (1) adding dye to enteral formulas and observing for dye‐stained tracheal secretions and (2) testing tracheal secretions with glucose oxidase reagent strips to detect the presence of glucose‐rich formula. Reportedly, the glucose method is more sensitive than the dye method, and the dye method may have greater potential for harm. It is not known if this information has resulted in wider use of the glucose method in practice settings. Objectives: To describe the frequency with which nurses in intensive care units use the dye and glucose methods to detect pulmonary aspiration of enteral formula in tube‐fed, intubated patients. Methods: One registered nurse in the medical intensive care unit at 285 acute‐care facilities was contacted by telephone and asked about the methods used to detect pulmonary aspiration of enteral formula in tube‐fed, intubated adult patients. Results: Responses were obtained from 281 facilities. More than 73% of the respondents reported using only the dye method; about 1% reported using only the glucose method. Approximately 13% used both methods; another 13% did not use either method. Conclusions: The dye method is used far more often than is the glucose method. Two probable reasons are that the dye method is easier to implement, and it is recommended in commonly used basic nursing textbooks. (Am J Crit Care 8:160–167, 1999)
Current Literature: Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Content to Diagnose Iron Deficiency in Children
Authors: Brugnara C , Zurakowski D , Dicanzio J
Published: April 2009

Context: Early identification of iron deficiency in children is essential to prevent the damaging long‐term consequences of this disease. However, it is not clear which indices should be included in a diagnostic panel for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in children. Objectiiv: To develop an effective approach for the diagnosis of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in young children. Design and Setting: Retro spective laboratory analysis, carried out over 7 weeks in 1996, using blood samples ordered by pediatricians and sent to a large metropolitan hospital for analysis. Patients: A total of 210 children (mean [SD] age, 2.9 (2.0] years; 120 were male) who had a lead screening test (complete blood cell count and plasma lead level) ordered by a primary care pediatrician. Main Outcome Measures: Levels of hemoglobin (Hb), iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation (Tfsat), ferritin, and circulating transferrin receptor (TfR) and reticulocyte Hb content (CHr) among patients with and without iron deficiency, defined as Tfsat of less than 20%, and iron deficiency anemia, defined as Tfsat of less than 20% and Hb level less than 110 g/L. Results: Of the 210 subjects, 43 (20.5%) were iron deficient; 24 of these had iron deficiency anemia. Reticulocyte Hb content and Hb levels were the only significant predictors of iron deficiency (likelihood ratio test [LRT] = 15.96; P < 0.001 for CHr, and LRT = 6.59; P = 0.01 for Hb), and CHr was the only significant multivariate predictor of iron deficiency anemia (LRT = 30.43; P < 0.001). Plasma ferritin level had no predictive value (P = 0.97). Subjects with CHr of less than 26 pg (optimal cutoff value based on sensitivity/specificity analysis) had lower Hb level, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular Hb level, serum iron level, and Tfsat, and increased red blood cell distribution width vs those with CHr of 26 pg or more (P < 0.001 for all). Conclusions: Reticulocyte Hb content level was the strongest predictor of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in children. It holds promise as an alternative to biochemical iron studies in diagnosis. (JAMA 281:2225–2230, 1999)
Clinical Observations: Ten Years Later: Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)? A Team‐Oriented Approach
Authors: Baugh Eileen , Webber Charles , Carter Pamela
Published: April 2009

The identification of areas for performance improvement has originated from many sources and is best achieved through a collaborative effort from all health care team members. In 1987, five individuals spearheaded an organization‐wide program to develop an optimal system for processing total parenteral nutrition (TPN) from initial order through administration. Secondary goals included staff education, improved patient care and monitoring, and an increase in interdisciplinary communication. Outcomes measured included cost data and patient outcomes. Key changes brought about by this group included a TPN form that was focused on patient needs and was also was used as an education tool, hospital‐wide policy/procedure changes, and patient/staff education tools. Organizational improvements included a 60% decrease in inventory supplies, 59% increase in appropriate orders, and an 80% decline in nursing time. Overall changes resulted in an 843% reduction in TPN cost/day. The added benefits of “spin off” programs have improved our nutrition support delivery to patients.
Invited Review: Micronutrient and Trace Element Monitoring in Adult Nutrition Support
Authors: Misra Sudhakar , Kirby Donald F.
Published: April 2009

Certain disease states, strict diets, or excess nutrient intake can affect the normal balance of micronutrients and trace elements. Over time, syndromes of excess or deficiency states may be recognized. Some conditions are more common and predictable than others. This article reviews the important micronutrient and trace elements relevant to nutrition support and offers monitoring suggestions for clinical practice.
Techniques and Procedures: Pediatric Parenteral Nutrition via Computerized Worksheet and Automated Compounding
Authors: MacKay Mark W. , Farr Fred L. , Jones Kevin , Eggert Larry D. , Jackson William Daniel , McDonald Catherine M.
Published: April 2009

Ordering parenteral nutrition (PN) that is nutritionally appropriate, pharmacy acceptable, and physically compatible can be complex and time consuming. The Nutrition Support Service at Primary Children's Medical Center has developed a user‐friendly, single‐screen computer program for prescribing individualized PN orders for pediatric patients based on weight and nutrient requirements. Educational windows define dosage guidelines and unacceptable parameters. An internal surveillance process identifies incompatibilities resulting from calcium and phosphate concentrations, fluid restrictions, dosages, and cation and anion imbalances. An incompatible solution is prevented and corrected before it is compounded. The completed PN order generates a medical order, pharmacy order documentation sheet, compounding document, and label. The stored PN order interfaces directly with an automated system for compounding without physical manipulation. The computerized worksheet enhances efficient ordering of individualized nutrition therapy, reduces incompatibilities, ensures accurate compounding, and reduces staff time to order and compound PN.
Clinical Research: Can Changes to a Total Parenteral Nutrition Order Form Improve Prescribing?
Authors: Cerulli Jennifer , Malone Margaret
Published: April 2009

The Nutrition Quality Improvement Team identified low compliance with institutional recommendations regarding total parenteral nutrition (TPN) prescribing and monitoring. Particular problems identified included excessive use of dextrose with resultant hyperglycemia and provision of the goal caloric requirements on day 1 of TPN therapy. To improve compliance, the TPN order form was revised. To determine the impact of the revisions, orders were compared for 50 patients for whom TPN had been prescribed using the original form (1996) to 50 patients using the revised form (1998). Total calories received on day 1 were significantly reduced from 25.7 ≤ 9.7 kcal/kg per day in 1996 to 21.0 ≤ 7.0 kcal/kg per day in 1998 (p = .007). Dextrose concentrations were also significantly reduced from 5.1 ≤ 2.4 g/kg per day to 3.7 ≤ 1.3 g/kg per day, respectively (p = .004). Although prescribing of calories and dextrose was reduced, the incidence of hyperglycemia was unaffected. This suggests that additional interventions are necessary to educate prescribers regarding the importance of avoiding hyperglycemia.
Current Literature: Hypocaloric Parenteral Nutrition Support in Elderly Obese Patients
Authors: Liu KJ , Cho MJ , Atten MJ
Published: April 2009

Hypocaloric nutrition support has been successfully used to achieve positive nitrogen balance in obese patients. However, advanced age is associated with changes in substrate metabolism. To evaluate the efficacy of this practice in elderly patients, we retrospectively reviewed 30 obese patients requiring parenteral nutrition support. Total caloric requirements (TCR) were calculated on the basis of the Harris‐Benedict equation. Patients were given a minimum of 1.5 g/kg/day protein, 75% of TCR when current body weight was >120 and ≤150% of ideal body weight (IBW), and 60% of TCR if current body weight was >150% of IBW. The patients were divided into two groups: group I (N = 18) patients were age <60 and group II (N = 12) patients were ≤60 years of age. Only one of the group I patients (143.2 ± 25.7% IBW, received 18.2 ± 3.7 keal/kg/day and 1.6 ± 0.4 g/kg/day protein), but five of the group II patients (141.3 ± 14.4% IBW, received 18.3 ± 2.6 keal/kg/day and 1.7 ± 0.3 g/kg/day protein), had negative nitrogen balance (p = .025). Apparently, elderly obese patients have limited capacity to mobilize their fat stores as energy sources and may continue to undergo protein catabolism with hypocaloric high‐protein nutrition support. Therefore this form of nutrition support should be used with caution in elderly obese patients. (Am Surg 66:394–400, 2000)
Current Literature: Quality of Life and Home Enteral Tube Feeding: A French Prospective Study in Patients with Head and Neck or Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Roberge C , Tran M , Massoud C
Published: April 2009

A prospective study was conducted to evaluate the impact of home enteral tube feeding on quality of life in 39 consecutive patients treated for head and neck or esophageal cancer at the Center Francois Baclesse in Caen, France. Patients were taken as their own controls. Quality of life was evaluated using the EORTC QLQ‐C30 core questionnaire, and the EORTC H&N35 and OES24 specific questionnaires. The feeding technique tolerance was evaluated using a questionnaire specifically developed for this study. Two evaluations were made, the first a week after hospital discharge (n = 39) and the second 3 weeks later (n = 30). Overall, the global health status/quality of life scale score slightly improved; among symptoms, scale scores that significantly improved (p < .05) concerned constipation, coughing, social functioning, and body image/sexuality. The physical feeding technique tolerance was acceptable while the technique was psychologically less tolerated with two‐thirds of the patients longing to have the tube removed. One‐third of the patients were also uncomfortable about their body image. Home enteral tube feeding was responsible for not visiting family or close relations in 15% of patients and not going out in public in 23%. We conclude that home enteral tube feeding is a physically well‐accepted technique although a substantial proportion of patients may experience psychosocial distress. (Brit J Cancer 82:263–9, 2000)
Oral Nutritional Supplements in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease: A Review of the Evidence
Authors: Keithley Joyce K. , Swanson Barbara
Published: April 2009

Oral nutritional supplements are commonly used to reduce or prevent malnutrition‐related morbidity and mortality in patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). In this review, nine prospective randomized clinical trials comparing a variety of oral nutritional supplements with or without nutrition counseling are critically evaluated, and recommendations for future investigations and current therapy are made.
Celiac Disease: Going Against the Grains
Authors: Pietzak Michelle M. , Catassi Carlo , Drago Sandro , Fornaroli Fabiola , Fasano Alessio
Published: April 2009

Celiac disease (CD) occurs in genetically predisposed individuals who demonstrate a permanent intolerance to gluten, found in wheat, barley, and rye. This leads to the development of an autoimmune enteropathy, resulting in the malabsorption of critical vitamins, minerals, and calories. Signs and symptoms of the disease classically include diarrhea, short stature, iron‐deficient anemia, and chronic abdominal pain. However, patients may present with another autoimmune disease (such as type I diabetes) or a family history of the disease, with no gastrointestinal symptoms. Serum antibodies can be used to screen for CD. However, the keys to confirming the diagnosis remain a small intestinal biopsy and the patient's clinical response to a gluten‐free diet. Clinicians in the United States must maintain a high index of suspicion for CD, because it is significantly underdiagnosed in this country.
Clinical Observations: National Advisory Group's Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) Guidelines: Why They Are Needed and Causes for Concern
Authors: Gura Kathleen M.
Published: April 2009

In response to several incidents involving the improper preparation and administration of parenteral nutrition solutions, the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition's (A.S.P.E.N.) Board of Directors charged the National Advisory Group to develop guidelines as standards of practice for the safe provision of parenteral nutrition; these guidelines were approved in January 1998. As with all practice guidelines, however, these recommendations are broad in scope and need to be interpreted by practitioners to fit the individual clinical scenario. A review of several cases illustrate that had the guidelines been in existence, potentially life‐threatening situations could have been avoided. More recent experiences are also reviewed in which the guidelines were applied, but crucial clinical issues that were not expressly addressed by the guidelines still resulted in opportunities for error. It is important to recognize that clinical guidelines for the safe provision of parenteral nutrition are effective in reducing some but not all sources of potential error.
Professional Development: Writing and Publishing for a Clinical Journal
Authors: Guenter Peggi , Dean Stephanie
Published: April 2009

There are many clinicians in nutrition support who have valuable information that they would like to share with a broad audience. Often, however, the idea of getting published can be daunting. The purpose of this article is to provide clinicians who are novice authors (and those who have published) with a practical guide of the needed steps for creating and, ultimately, publishing an article in a clinical journal.
The Impact of Family Control on the Performance and Financial Characteristics of Family Versus Nonfamily Businesses in Japan: A Matched-Pair Investigation
Authors: Allouche José , Amann Bruno , Jaussaud Jacques , Kurashina Toshiki
Published: April 2009

Research on family businesses has undergone rapid development in the past two decades. Broadly speaking, such companies perform better than nonfamily businesses, as recent investigations in Japan support. To obtain a more precise result, this research has applied to the Japanese context a research methodology that has proven its worth in Western cases. On the basis of data covering the years 1998 and 2003, we found better performance among family businesses in Japan.
Mercury Poisoning after Disc-battery Ingestion
Authors: Mant T.G.K. , Lewis J.L. , Mattoo T.K. , Rigden S.P.A. , Volans G.N. , House I.M. , Wakefield A.J. , Cole R.S.
Published: April 2009

1 A case is described of a 2-year-old girl who swallowed an alkaline disc battery containing mercuric oxide. Two days after ingestion it disintegrated in the stomach necessitating laparotomy to remove the battery casing and most of its contents.

2 Postoperatively her blood mercury concentration rose to 340 μg/l and subsequently she developed small bowel obstruction due to adhesions. She was treated wth dimercaprol but blood mercury concentrations did not fall until after a second laparotomy to relieve the obstruction and to remove residual mercury salts from the colon.

3 The corrosive effects of swallowed disc batteries are well documented. The maximum blood concentration of mercury reported in this case is 17 times the 'acceptable level of mercury in the blood' and nearly double the highest level recorded previously after disc-battery ingestion.

4 A policy for management of swallowed batteries is suggested.
The Sad Story of Anthropology 1950-1999
Authors: D'Andrade Roy
Published: April 2009

Within the social sciences, anthropology appears to have been more strongly affected by external political trends than its sister disciplines. The trends affecting anthropology appear to primarily reflect ideas and attitudes of the intellectual Left in American universities and colleges. As the intellectual Left moved from the antigovernment activism of the early 1960s to Marxism and expectations of the death of capitalism in the 1970s, and through the disenchantment with socialist communism and alienation from Western culture expressed by postmodernism in the 1980s and 1990s, the centrality of these attitudes in the anthropology professorate of the elite universities resulted in profound changes in the research organization of anthropology and its choice of methods. This article will attempt to outline these changes and their impact on the effectiveness of anthropology as science.
Shock Isolation Through the Use of Nonlinear Energy Sinks
Authors: Vakakis Alexander F.
Published: April 2009

We consider shock isolation designs based on the use of nonlinear energy sinks (NESs). These are a priori determined points of a system where unwanted disturbances are transmitted (“pumped”) and then eliminated by passive or active means. The underlying dynamic phenomenon that causes nonlinear energy to pump into a sink is resonance capture on a 1:1 resonance manifold of the dynamics. In this work, essentially nonlinear stiffness elements are used to couple the NES with the primary system in order to achieve robust energy pumping, in a sufficiently fast timescale. “Fast” energy pumping at the early stage of the motion is important in order to achieve the shock isolation objectives. The proposed shock isolation design is practical and realizable. Its modular form enables the alteration of the global dynamics of a system by attaching a number of local NESs. The proposed design has the additional interesting feature of dual mode shock isolation, e.g., the capacity to significantly reduce the level of unwanted disturbances initiated at different points of the system.
Optimal Control of Homoclinic Bifurcation: Theoretical Treatment and Practical Reduction of Safe Basin Erosion in the Helmholtz Oscillator
Authors: Lenci Stefano , Rega Giuseppe
Published: April 2009

A control method of the homoclinic bifurcation is developed and applied to the nonlinear dynamics of the Helmholtz oscillator. The method consists of choosing the shape of external and/or parametric periodic excitations, which permits us to avoid, in an optimal manner, the transverse intersection of the stable and unstable manifolds of the hilltop saddle. The homoclinic bifurcation is detected by the Melnikov method, and its dependence on the shape of the excitation is shown. We successively investigate the mathematical problem of optimization, which consists of determining the theoretical optimal excitation that maximizes the distance between stable and unstable manifolds for fixed excitation amplitude or, equivalently, the critical amplitude for homoclinic bifurcation. The optimal excitations in the reduced case with a finite number of superharmonic corrections are first determined, and then the optimization problem with infinite superharmonics is investigated and solved under a constraint on the relevant amplitudes, which is necessary to guarantee the physical admissibility of the mathematical solution. The mixed case of a finite number of constrained superharmonics is also considered. Some numerical simulations are then performed aimed at verifying the Melnikov's theoretical predictions of the homoclinic bifurcations and showing how the optimal excitations are indeed able to separate stable and unstable manifolds. Finally, we numerically investigate in detail the effectiveness of the control method with respect to the basin erosion and escape phenomena, which are the most important and dangerous practical aspects of the Helmholtz oscillator.
Impact of Oregon’s Priority List on Medicaid Beneficiaries
Authors: Mitchell Janet B. , Bentley Fred
Published: April 2009

Since Oregon’s controversial priority list was implemented in 1994, there has been only anecdotal evidence available on its possible impact on Medicaid beneficiaries. The authors surveyed over 1,400 beneficiaries to determine how often a service was denied because it was below the line, what kinds of services these represent, and any resulting health impact. About one third of all respondents reported that they had needed a service that Medicaid would not cover; in 38 percent of these cases, the reason was that the service was below the line. Frequently mentioned services included hernia repair, chiropractic treatment, dental splints, and newborn circumcision. About half of the respondents received the service anyway, often by paying for it themselves. Of those unsuccessful in getting the service, many reported that their health had worsened as a result. However, there was no evidence that getting (or not getting) the service had a causal impact on health status.
Research as Relationship
Authors: Ceglowski Deborah
Published: April 2009

This article explores the author’s multiple relationships with the Head Start staff and children at Wood River. The text is presented in a story-narrative form. Interspersed are the Head Start teacher’s comments about an earlier draft of this article. There are three aspects of these relationships that the author explores. The first is the relationships among researchers’ multiple community memberships when conducting research. The second is the relationships with mentors who guide researchers in how they conduct their investigations. The third entails the author’s relationships with the Wood River staff and children. These relationships do not follow a smooth path; rather, they shift over time and from one moment to the next based on the context at hand.
Evaluating Ethnography
Authors: Richardson Laurel
Published: April 2009

With full awareness that criteria are mutable, the author argues that ethnography needs to be evaluated through two lenses: science and arts. The author suggests five criteria: substantive contribution, aesthetic merit, reflexivity, impact, and expression of a reality.
Feminist Media Ethnography in India: Exploring Power, Gender, and Culture in the Field
Authors: Parameswaran Radhika
Published: April 2009

This article is a self-reflexive account of one postcolonial feminist media scholar’s research among young middle-class women in urban India who read Western romance fiction. Urging feminist scholars to pay attention to the politics of representation of audiences in media studies, the article explores power imbalances in the field that arise due to social constructions of gender, ethnic, class, and sexual identities. The article reflects on failures, successes, and dilemmas experienced during the research process to show that feminist media ethnographies are embedded within discourses of power. By examining the multiple positionalities occupied by the researcher in relation to people encountered in the field, this account challenges binary distinctions between categories such as Self/Other, native/Westerner, and insider/outsider. In concluding, the article underscores the implications of research by non-Western feminist scholars in their own cultures for postcolonial feminist ethnography, feminist media ethnographies, and for media reception research on globalization in the cultural studies tradition.
Exhuming and Slaying Adorno
Authors: Doane Randal
Published: April 2009

Autoethnography allows the sociologist the ultimate hermeneutic method: the ability to tease out the nuanced structure of unconscious desire. The author theorizes desire here as a driving force that informs the symbolic work of everyday life. To explore subjectivity, desire, and the patriarchal family, the author juxtaposes memory and social theory, extending and embodying a theoretical conflict that informed the work of Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin. With this device, the author makes connections between childhood representations of masculinity and psychoanalytic notions of freedom and (non)identity.
The Next Night Sous Rature: Wrestling With Derrida’s Mimesis
Authors: Ronai Carol Rambo
Published: April 2009

This “layered account” of the author’s night dancing and wrestling with Kitty’s All Girl Review, for the purposes of gaining access to her male and female striptease dancers, is and is not Part 2 of an article that appeared in the September 1998 issue of Qualitative Inquiry. Making use of the metaphor of drawing, the author invokes Derrida’s nonconcepts of “mimesis” and “sous rature” as a lens through which to view her lived experiences with the troupe, identity, and writing. As each layer is superimposed on prior layers, new meanings emerge. All images and impressions are subject to erasure at any time given the absence of a one-to-one correspondence of representation to reality and the changing nature of relationships between performers over time and from differing perspectives. Ultimately, lived experience, identity, and writing can be seen as simultaneous processes of destruction and creation.
Representing the Divided Self
Authors: Blumenthal Dannielle
Published: April 2009

This article is an experimental treatment of conflict and ambivalence in a study of mothers’ accounts of child rearing. Encouraged by the postmodern critique of overly rationalized academic texts, the author intentionally fragments her work to highlight the process of journal-article writing itself. Interspersed with the researcher’s text are reflections on the main narrative. These reveal fragmentation, multiplicity, and a sense of work in progress, all of which are seen as valuable to future paradigms of representation.
Cultural Variation in Male Partner Violence Against Women
Authors: Brownridge Douglas A.
Published: April 2009

This study investigates the question of whether Québec possesses a different culture of male partner violence against women than the rest of Canada. It is hypothesized that Québec will have a lower prevalence of violence than the rest of Canada and that men in Québec who hold patriarchal attitudes will be more likely to be violent than those who do not. Using a large-scale representative sample of Canadian women, tests provide support for both hypotheses. The key to understanding the difference in prevalence between the two cultural groups is patriarchal domination, and the common thread for interpretation of many cultural differences in risk markers is patriarchy.
A Risk Marker Analysis of Wife Assault in Latino Families
Authors: Aldarondo Etiony , Kantor Glenda Kaufman , Jasinski Jana L.
Published: April 2009

This study used national survey data to assess the utility of commonly recognized risk markers for wife assault to predict violence against women in various ethnic groups of Latino families (i.e., Mexican, Mexican American, Puerto Rican). The authors identified various combinations of factors affecting violence risk within different ethnic groups. Level of conflict emerged as the strongest and most stable factor across ethnic group and gender of respondent. Generic risk markers did not adequately account for the observed between-group variability. The results highlight the need to investigate both generic and culture-specific variables associated with an increased risk for wife assault.
The Interface between Evaluation and Public Policy
Authors: Weiss Carol Hirschon
Published: April 2009

Evaluation has much to offer to policy makers, but policy makers rarely base new policies directly on evaluation results. Partly this is because of the compedting pressures of interests, ideologies, other information and institutional constraints. Partly it is because many policies take shape over time through the actions of many officials in many offices, each of which does its job without conscious reflection. Despite the seeming neglect of evaluation, scholars in many countries have found that evaluation has real consequences: it challenges old ideas, provides new perspectives and helps to re-order the policy agenda. This kind of 'enlightenment' is difficult to see, and it works best when it receives support from policy champions. Many channels bring evaluation results to the attention of policy makers, and they listen not only because they want direction but also to justify policies, to show their knowledge and modernity, and as a counterweight to other information. Openness of the political system and a thriving evaluation community tend to make some nations more attuned to evaluation-than others.
Mediascape missionaries?
Authors: Lundby Knut , Dayan Daniel
Published: April 2009

Addressing the issue of identity construction, this article shows that global fluxes of information provide new resources to actors in specific settings. The field analysed here is that of Anglicanism in Africa. Building on theoretical elements from Arjun Appadurai, Pierre Bourdieu and Michael Schudson, the discussion is based on empirical material concerning the relationship between media, religion and culture in a small religious community in Zimbabwe.1
Not woman enough
Authors: Bray Abigail
Published: April 2009

This article examines the limitations associated with Irigaray’s concept of a culture of difference. I suggest that her concept of sexual difference depends upon a conservative fiction of sameness. I argue that a fiction of phallic sameness underpins her evangelical championing of difference, and that such a fiction retains a conservative blindness to the complexities of contemporary social relations and erases the positive effects oppositional discourses have had on the culture of modernity. I question the debt Irigaray disavows to other non-difference feminism, her insistence that woman are radically marginalized and suggest that her culture of difference is prescriptive and normative. Egalitarian feminism, understood as a postmodern project, is far more strategic, insofar as it offers a multiply-situated analysis of the relationship between women and power within modernity. I replace Irigaray’s negative image of the egalitarian feminist as an unnatural woman with the figure of the cyborg who embraces ontological impurity and strategically works within culture.
The politics of coercion
Authors: Rockwell Rick , Janus Noreene
Published: April 2009

This article critically reviews the type of media controls used by various countries in Central America during a transition from decades of war to a period of democratization. In doing so, it traces the strong role of central governments in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua in checking media which sought a more independent role. The article shows how advertising and other constraints of the market system have been used to restrict free speech and also have actually impeded the movement toward real democracy in each of these nations, despite trends elsewhere for more open media systems.