bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Repeated liver resection for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Faber Wladimir , Seehofer Daniel , Neuhaus Peter , Stockmann Martin , Denecke Timm , Kalmuk Sinan , Warnick Peter , Bahra Marcus
Published: March 2011

Background and Aim:  Tumor recurrence after liver resection occurs in the majority of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was conducted to clarify the safety and effectiveness of repeated liver resection as a curative option for intrahepatic HCC recurrence.

Methods:  Between July 1990 and January 2009, 483 patients underwent 514 curative hepatic resections for HCC in our institution. Among this collective, 27 patients underwent 31 repeated resections due to recurrent HCC (27 s resections, three third resections and one forth resection). The outcome of these patients was retrospectively reviewed using a prospective database.

Results:  Perioperative morbidity and mortality was 11% (three of 27) and 0%. Six patients showed multiple liver lesions, 23 underwent minor liver resections (fewer than three segments) and five patients underwent major resections (three or more segments). The majority of the patients showed no signs of chronic liver disease (16 of 27). The median tumor free margin was 1.5 mm (range: 0 to 20 mm). The median tumor diameter was 40 mm (range: 10 to 165 mm). Tumor dedifferentiations at time of tumor recurrence were not observed. The 1‐, 3‐ and 5‐year overall survival rates after second liver resection were 96%, 70% and 42%.

Conclusions:  Repeated liver resection is a valid and safe curative therapy option for recurrent HCC and results in significant prolongation of survival in comparison to interventional treatment strategies in selected patients. However, due to impaired liver function, multifocal intrahepatic or extrahepatic recurrence repeated resection is only feasible in a minority of patients.
Alveolar capillary dysplasia associated with duodenal atresia: Ultrasonographic findings of enlarged, highly echogenic lungs and gastric dilatation in a third‐trimester fetus
Authors: Obata‐Yasuoka Mana , Hamada Hiromi , Ohara Rena , Nakao Atsushi , Miyazono Yayoi , Yoshikawa Hiroyuki
Published: March 2011

We report a case of alveolar capillary dysplasia, wherein duodenal atresia was diagnosed during the third trimester. A 36‐year‐old mother was referred to our hospital for polyhydramnios at 31 weeks' gestation. Duodenal atresia was suspected from the ultrasonographic findings, which showed gastric dilation. Other findings noted were enlarged, highly echogenic lungs, a spherical heart and an increased lung–thorax transverse area ratio. A male infant was born at 37 weeks' gestation. The findings of serial radiography of the infant's upper gastrointestinal tract were compatible with the diagnosis of duodenal atresia; however, he developed persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn eight hours after birth and died at five days of age. The autopsy revealed alveolar capillary dysplasia and duodenal obstruction. We propose that the detection of duodenal atresia should prompt the physician to conduct a thorough ultrasonographic examination to rule out associated anomalies, such as alveolar capillary dysplasia, which can be detected by the presence of highly echogenic lungs.
Health management of adults with Turner Syndrome: An attempt at multidisciplinary medical care by gynecologists in cooperation with specialists from other fields
Authors: Sakakibara Hideya , Yoshida Hiroshi , Takei Maki , Katsuhata Yukiko , Koyama Makiko , Nagata Tomoko , Ishikawa Masahiko , Hirahara Fumiki
Published: March 2011

Aim:  Since women with Turner Syndrome (TS) have various complications, they require comprehensive medical evaluation and multidisciplinary treatment. Although TS patients receive adequate care in childhood, many adults with TS do not. Since most TS adults attend gynecologists for hormone replacement therapy, we suggest gynecologists take primary responsibility for their management. In an attempt to provide TS patients with a comprehensive treatment regimen, we started multidisciplinary medical management in the Reproductive Health Clinic at Yokohama City University Hospital. To evaluate the efficacy of this medical care system, a retrospective analysis was conducted.

Methods:  The clinical profiles of 57 TS patients were examined. The past histories, complications and clinical data of these patients were extracted from their medical records and examined clinically. Bone mineral density measurements of lumbar vertebrae (L2–4), anti‐thyroid antibody titer measurements, hearing tests and cardiovascular MRI were also performed.

Results:  Mean follow‐up duration was 5.1 years (range, 1–8 years). At the time of transition, patients with complications developed in childhood, such as amenorrhea, osteopenia/osteoporosis, otitis media, thyroid dysfunction and cardiovascular disease were identified. All these complaints were successfully followed up in our adult care system. Several complications common to TS adults, such as glucose intolerance, liver dysfunction, hyperlypidemia and hypertension could be identified by our screening system. Patients were referred to specialists when necessary.

Conclusion:  Multidisciplinary health management in our Reproductive Health Clinic improved the status of medical care for TS adults.
Self‐reported depressive symptoms and suicidal feelings in perianal Crohn’s disease
Authors: Mahadev Srihari , Young Jane M. , Selby Warwick , Solomon Michael J.
Published: March 2011

Aim  Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that has been associated with high rates of mental illness. Perianal lesions are prevalent; however, their specific impact on depression has not been studied. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence and associations of self‐reported depressive symptoms in the subset of Crohn’s patients with perianal disease.

Method  Patients with perianal Crohn’s disease from one institution were surveyed to elicit the frequency of self‐reported depressive symptoms. Patients completed a questionnaire and consented to medical records audit.

Results  Of the 130 patients invited, 69 (53%) returned a survey. Depressive symptoms were self‐reported at very high rates, with 73% reporting feeling depressed and 13% reporting feeling suicidal at some point. Associations were found between depressive symptoms and duration of disease, prior surgery, past or present stoma, and anal stenosis. Patients who self‐reported depressive symptoms had lower overall utilities, and were willing to trade very significant proportions (upwards of 15%) of their life expectancy for disease cure.

Conclusion  This study suggests that many patients with perianal Crohn’s disease experience significant emotional distress that impairs their overall quality of life. Further controlled studies are required to assess the impact of perianal disease and to address the need to target interventions to meet the mental health needs of this population.
Revitalizing Entrepreneurship: How Visual Symbols are Used in Entrepreneurial Performances
Authors: Clarke Jean
Published: March 2011

abstract

To gain and sustain support for novel ventures, entrepreneurs must use symbolic means to signal to resource providers that their venture is feasible and legitimate. Previous research has generally focused on how entrepreneurs use language to symbolically represent their ventures as compatible with more widely established sets of activities. This paper suggests that entrepreneurs' use of visual symbols also plays a direct role in achieving support for a venture. Based upon a visual ethnographic study of three entrepreneurs, this paper demonstrates how entrepreneurs use visual symbols to: present an appropriate scene to stakeholders; create professional identity and emphasize control; and regulate emotions. The types of visual symbols used by the entrepreneurs are: setting, props, dress, and expressiveness. Overall, the results suggest that more experienced entrepreneurs are more effective at using a wider range of visual symbols during interactions.
Evidence for prospective associations among depression and obesity in population‐based studies
Authors: Faith M. S. , Butryn M. , Wadden T. A. , Fabricatore A. , Nguyen A. M. , Heymsfield S. B.
Published: March 2011

Obesity may lead to depression or be one of its consequences. We reviewed population‐based studies in order to, first, identify the most commonly used research methods, and, second, to evaluate the strength of evidence for prospective associations among obesity and depression. We examined 25 studies, of which 10 tested ‘obesity‐to‐depression’ pathways, and 15 tested ‘depression‐to‐obesity’ pathways. Descriptive statistics summarized the frequency with which various measurements, designs and data analytic strategies were used. We tallied the number of studies that reported any vs. no statistically significant associations, and report on effect sizes, identified moderating variables within reports, and sought common findings across studies. Results indicated considerable methodological heterogeneity in the literature. Depression was assessed by clinical interview in 44% of studies, weight and height were directly measured in 32%, and only 12% used both. In total, 80% of the studies reported significant obesity‐to‐depression associations, with odds ratios generally in the range of 1.0 to 2.0, while only 53% of the studies reported significant depression‐to‐obesity associations. Sex was a common moderating variable. Thus, there was good evidence that obesity is prospectively associated with increased depression, with less consistent evidence that depression leads to obesity. Recommendations for future research regarding study samples, measurement and data analysis are provided.
Pre‐pregnancy and pregnancy obesity and neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring: a systematic review
Authors: Van Lieshout R. J. , Taylor V. H. , Boyle M. H.
Published: March 2011

Maternal obesity in pregnancy is associated with a number of adverse outcomes for mother and her offspring both perinatally and later in life. This includes recent evidence that suggests that obesity in pregnancy may be associated with central nervous system problems in the foetus and newborn. Here, we systematically review studies that have explored associations between maternal overweight and obesity in pregnancy and cognitive, behavioural and emotional problems in offspring. The 12 studies eligible for this review examined a wide range of outcomes across the lifespan and eight provided evidence of a link. These data suggest that the offspring of obese pregnancies may be at increased risk of cognitive problems and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood, eating disorders in adolescence and psychotic disorders in adulthood. Given the limitations of existing data, these findings warrant further study, particularly in light of the current worldwide obesity epidemic.
Coopetition Strategy – When is it Successful? Empirical Evidence on Innovation and Market Performance
Authors: Ritala Paavo
Published: March 2011

Coopetition (collaboration between competing firms) has been viewed as a potentially beneficial but also a risky relationship for a firm. Earlier literature provides inconclusive evidence in terms of the effects of a firm's coopetition strategy on innovation and market performance, suggesting both positive and negative implications. Some of this variation could be attributed to the fact that coopetition is successful only in certain types of business environment. In order to take the research further, this study examines the effect of a coopetition strategy on the firm's innovation and market performance, focusing on the moderating effects of market uncertainty, network externalities and competitive intensity. The results from a cross‐industry survey of 209 Finnish firms provide novel evidence on the conditions under which coopetition is successful and when it is not.
RHODES' CONTRIBUTION TO GOVERNANCE THEORY: PRAISE, CRITICISM AND THE FUTURE GOVERNANCE DEBATE
Authors: KJÆR ANNE METTE
Published: March 2011

This article discusses Rod Rhodes' contribution to governance theory. Rod Rhodes' work on governance has been much quoted. He has contributed to setting a new governance agenda and to an ongoing governance debate. This debate has also had an impact on political practice. However, as this paper argues, Rhodes' definition of governance is problematic in that it is narrowly identified with networks, and it is not consistently applied. Rhodes' concept of governance remains too narrow for it to be able to include a comparative analysis of a variation of governance forms. In addition, the governance concept needs to be equipped with tools from political economy in order be able to incorporate important aspects of interests, power and conflict. The way forward for governance theory would seem to involve the inclusion of political economy analysis of context as it affects beliefs and dilemmas.
INTERPRETING INTERPRETIVISM INTERPRETING INTERPRETATIONS: THE NEW HERMENEUTICS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Authors: HAY COLIN
Published: March 2011

This article seeks to gauge the nature, distinctiveness and significance of the ‘interpretivist turn’ in public administration and political science more broadly. It considers the various interpretations and, indeed, misinterpretations to which this new hermeneutics of public administration has given rise, its relationship to (genuinely and seemingly) cognate perspectives (notably constructivism, the new institutionalism and critical realism) and its strengths and weaknesses – both as an analytical perspective and as a developing research programme. In the process it argues for a broadening of the interpretivist research agenda to accord a greater role to the institutional contexts in which the ideas and beliefs that actors hold acquire and retain resonance and for the value of exploring more thoroughly the synergies with constructivist variants of the new institutionalism.
NETWORKS: REIFIED METAPHOR OR GOVERNANCE PANACEA?
Authors: BÖRZEL TANJA A.
Published: March 2011

This article will discuss the contribution of Rod Rhodes to the research on networks. I will focus on networks as a typology of state/society relations and as a particular form of governance. It is not only here that Rhodes has left his deepest mark; most research on networks still falls in one of the two sub‐fields. The typology of policy networks, which he developed with David Marsh more than 15 years ago, has become a classic and still forms a major reference point for studies on public policy‐making. Rhodes also pioneered the concept of network governance in the study of British politics to capture the profound changes in the Westminister model since the late 1970s. Regarding more recent developments, Rhodes has been among the first to discuss the reflexivity of networks, introducing some postmodernist thinking into public administration research. Finally, Rhodes has helped advance the ‘ethnographic turn’ in network studies.
From Workers to Entrepreneurs: Development of Bangladeshi Migrant Businesses in The Republic of Korea
Authors: Fee Lian Kwen , Rahman Md Mizanur
Published: March 2011

The emergence of migrant businesses has been a part of the urban landscape in some metropolitan cities of relatively developed countries of East Asia and South‐East Asia in recent decades. These businesses are owned and operated by migrant entrepreneurs who were mostly temporary migrant workers in their early phase of migration. Drawing on the experiences of Bangladeshi migrant entrepreneurs in the Republic of Korea (referred to as South Korea throughout), this paper investigates how the migrants reposition themselves from the rank of workers to that of entrepreneurs under circumstances of temporary migration. We argue that opportunity structure and market conditions are central to understanding the development of entrepreneurship in Bangladeshi migrants. The study highlights the ingenuity of migrants in entrepreneurship. We suggest that Bangladeshi entrepreneurs will continue to maintain a dual orientation in cultivating both the ethnic and local markets, and even develop transnational operations to grow their businesses.
The energetics of lactation in the Northern elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Authors: Costa D. P. , Boeuf B. J. Le , Huntley A. C. , Ortiz C. L.
Published: March 2011

The energy and material transferred from Northern elephant seal mothers to their pups during the 26.5‐day lactation interval was measured using mass change and water influx data. The dilution of tritium‐ and deuterium‐labelled water was monitored in six female elephant seals and their pups. During the nursing period, pup mass increased by 10.4% of the initial body mass per day while females lost 4.19% of their initial body mass per day. Over the entire nursing period, females lost 42.2±4.9% of their initial body mass. Maternal mass transfer to the pup was efficient; pups gained 54.9% of the mass lost by their mothers. Females lost only 14.9% of their lean mass compared to 57.9% of their adipose mass. The fasting metabolic rate of females was 66.2±7.5 MJ/day, 2.41 times the predicted standard metabolic rate (SMR) of a terrestrial mammal of equal size; the total energy output was 163±11 MJ/day, 5.98 times the predicted SMR. Energy consumption for the entire lactation interval was 4330±460 MJ. Milk production accounted for 60% of this energetic expenditure. This efficient milk production was made possible by temporal separation of lactation and feeding. Separation of feeding from lactation confers several energetic and ecological advantages: reduction in the metabolic overhead used for maintenance metabolism onshore, reduction of foraging effort required to meet the demands of lactation, since feeding can be spread out over a significantly longer interval, and a greater flexibility while foraging at sea due to the absence of the pup.
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) dentition and nutrition. II. Implications of tooth wear in nutrition
Authors: Lanyon Janet M. , Sanson G. D.
Published: March 2011

The Koala has a greatly expanded caecum and colon where some fermentation appears to take place and where selective retention of fine particles and solutes takes place. Nutrient availability in the small intestine and rate of fermentation is affected by particle size, which in turn is dependent on mastication. The efficiency of mastication over the life of the animal is affected by tooth wear. When expressed as a function of a composite tooth wear class of a tooth row, the length of the occluding enamel edges increases to a peak then declines with extreme wear. The morphology of the teeth and the pattern of dentine exposure are important factors in the maintenance of effective occlusal morphology. Animals with very worn teeth have much larger particles and a greater proportion of these present in the stomach than animals with unworn teeth. However, the increased proportion of large particles in the stomach of older animals is accompanied by only a slight increase in the percentage of the largest size class within the caecum. Thus old animals still maintain some selective retention of fine particles as distinct from large particles in the hind gut, even though the dentition produces a lower proportion of these. This is probably achieved by an increased intake and gut passage rate.
Individual variation in the flexor cruris lateralis muscle of the Tyrannidae (Aves: Passeriformes) and its possible significance
Authors: Mckitrick Mary C.
Published: March 2011

Dissection of a series of individuals of several species in the avian family Tyrannidae revealed extensive individual variation in a hind limb muscle, M. flexor cruris lateralis (FCRL), especially in the kingbirds. Three possible explanations are explored: (1) the adaptive variation hypothesis, that morphological variation is maintained by selection as a means of subdividing the niche of a population and reducing interindividual competition; (2) the transformation hypothesis, that variation is not maintained but represents a transient stage in the active process of structural reduction and loss; (3) the random variation hypothesis, that there is no selection. A correlation between morphology and behaviour exists in tyrannid species, but was not found in an Old World ecological counterpart, Muscicapa striata. This may reflect divergent phylogeny rather than the unimportance of natural selection in shaping morphology of FCRL. Asymmetry, atavisms, atrophy, heritability of morphology and sexual dimorphism are discussed.
The morphology of the respiratory organs of the African air‐breathing catfish (Clarias mossambicus): A light, electron and scanning microscopic study, with morphometric observations
Authors: Maina J. N. , Maloiy G. M. O.
Published: March 2011

The morphology of the gas exchange organs of the African air‐breathing catfish (Clarias mossambicus) (Peters) have been examined grossly, and by light, electron and scanning microscopes. The respiratory organs in Clarias comprise a gill system and accessory organs which include the labyrinthine organ and the suprabranchial chamber membrane. The similarity in the morphology of the marginal channels and the transverse capillaries (the terminal respiratory components) in the three respiratory organs suggested a strong developmental relationship between the gills and the accessory respiratory organs. Morphometric analysis of the respiratory organs revealed that the mean weight specific surface area of the gills (17.30 mm2/g) exceeded that of the labyrinthine organs (4.65 mm2/g) and the suprabranchial chamber membrane (7.79 mm2/g). However, due to the relatively thick water‐blood barrier, the mean harmonic mean thickness of the gills being 1.97 μm compared with a mean value of 0.30 μm in the accessory respiratory organs, the gills contribute only 15% of the total morphometric diffusing capacity of the respiratory organs, the labyrinthine organs contribute 50% and the suprabranchial chamber membrane 35%. The accessory respiratory organs thus contribute 85% of the overall diffusing capacity. This may explain why C. mossambicus is an obligate air‐breather, for the gills may not provide enough oxygen even in well‐aerated water.
Timing of autumn migration of young Corncrakes Crex crex
Authors: DONAGHY ANITA M. , GREEN RHYS E. , O’HALLORAN JOHN
Published: March 2011

Knowledge of the timing of migration of young Corncrakes is required for effective implementation of conservation measures. Forty Corncrake chicks were radiotracked during the period between independence and departure from the natal area to determine the age and time at which fledged juveniles depart on migration. Departure occurred between early August and mid‐September at a mean age of 44 days, around the age at which growth of the primary feathers ceases. Chicks from later broods are exposed to greater risk of being killed during mowing, but provision of late mowing options in conservation schemes could enhance their survival.
The importance of passerine birds as tick hosts and in the transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease: a case study from Scotland
Authors: JAMES MARIANNE C. , FURNESS ROBERT W. , BOWMAN ALAN S. , FORBES KEN J. , GILBERT LUCY
Published: March 2011

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) is the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, the most common tick‐borne zoonosis of humans in Europe and North America. Here, we assessed the relative importance of different passerine bird species as tick hosts and their contribution to the B. burgdorferi s.l. transmission cycle in a rural residential area in Scotland. We caught 1229 birds of 22 species during the tick‐questing season. On average, 29% carried larval ticks (0.8 larvae per individual) and 5% carried nymph ticks (0.06 nymphs per individual). All attached ticks tested were Ixodes ricinus. Using a nested‐PCR, we found that 20% of nymphs tested positive to B. burgdorferi s.l. and all these were of the genospecies Borrelia garinii. We identified two new bird species carrying infected nymphs: Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus and European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris. Ground‐foraging species were more important than arboreal species in hosting I. ricinus nymphs and B. burgdorferi s.l. Common Blackbirds Turdus merula were the most common hosts, with Song Thrushes Turdus philomelos, Dunnocks Prunella modularis, European Greenfinches and Chaffinches Fringilla coelebs also hosting high rates of infection.
Understanding bird collisions with man‐made objects: a sensory ecology approach
Authors: MARTIN GRAHAM R.
Published: March 2011

Sensory ecology investigates the information that underlies an animal’s interactions with its environment. A sensory ecology framework is used here to seek to assess why flying birds collide with prominent structures, such as power lines, fences, communication masts, wind turbines and buildings, which intrude into the open airspace. Such collisions occur under conditions of both high and low visibility. It is argued that a human perspective of the problems posed by these obstacles is unhelpful. Birds live in different visual worlds and key aspects of these differences are summarized. When in flight, birds may turn their heads in both pitch and yaw to look down, either with the binocular field or with the lateral part of an eye’s visual field. Such behaviour may be usual and results in certain species being at least temporarily blind in the direction of travel. Furthermore, even if birds are looking ahead, frontal vision may not be in high resolution. In general, high resolution occurs in the lateral fields of view and frontal vision in birds may be tuned for the detection of movement concerned with the extraction of information from the optical flow field, rather than the detection of high spatial detail. Birds probably employ lateral vision for the detection of conspecifics, foraging opportunities and predators. The detection of these may be more important than simply looking ahead during flight in the open airspace. Birds in flight may predict that the environment ahead is not cluttered. Even if they are facing forward, they may fail to see an obstacle as they may not predict obstructions; perceptually they have no ‘prior’ for human artefacts such as buildings, power wires or wind turbines. Birds have only a restricted range of flight speeds that can be used to adjust their rate of gain of visual information as the sensory challenges of the environment change. It is argued that to reduce collisions with known hazards, something placed upon the ground may be more important than something placed on the obstacle itself. Foraging patches, conspecific models or alerting sounds placed a suitable distance from the hazard may be an effective way of reducing collisions in certain locations. However, there is unlikely to be a single effective way to reduce collisions for multiple species at any one site. Warning or diversion and distraction solutions may need to be tailored for particular target species.
Novel drug targets for the pharmacotherapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Authors: Ventura S , Oliver VL , White CW , Xie JH , Haynes JM , Exintaris B
Published: March 2011

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the major cause of lower urinary tract symptoms in men aged 50 or older. Symptoms are not normally life threatening, but often drastically affect the quality of life. The number of men seeking treatment for BPH is expected to grow in the next few years as a result of the ageing male population. Estimates of annual pharmaceutical sales of BPH therapies range from $US 3 to 10 billion, yet this market is dominated by two drug classes. Current drugs are only effective in treating mild to moderate symptoms, yet despite this, no emerging contenders appear to be on the horizon. This is remarkable given the increasing number of patients with severe symptoms who are required to undergo invasive and unpleasant surgery. This review provides a brief background on prostate function and the pathophysiology of BPH, followed by a brief description of BPH epidemiology, the burden it places on society, and the current surgical and pharmaceutical therapies. The recent literature on emerging contenders to current therapies and novel drug targets is then reviewed, focusing on drug targets which are able to relax prostatic smooth muscle in a similar way to the α1‐adrenoceptor antagonists, as this appears to be the most effective mechanism of action. Other mechanisms which may be of benefit are also discussed. It is concluded that recent basic research has revealed a number of novel drug targets such as muscarinic receptor or P2X‐purinoceptor antagonists, which have the potential to produce more effective and safer drug treatments.
Analysis of opioid efficacy, tolerance, addiction and dependence from cell culture to human
Authors: Morgan Michael M , Christie MacDonald J
Published: March 2011

Opioid agonists are the most effective treatment for pain, but their use is limited by side effects, tolerance and fears of addiction and dependence. A major goal of opioid research is to develop agonists that have high analgesic efficacy and a low profile for side effects, tolerance, addiction and dependence. Unfortunately, there is a serious lack of experimental data comparing the degree to which different opioids produce these effects in humans. In contrast, a wide range of experimental techniques from heterologous expression systems to behaviour assessment in whole animals have been developed to study these problems. The objective of this review is to describe and evaluate these techniques as they are used to study opioid efficacy, tolerance, addiction and dependence.

LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed issue on Translational Neuropharmacology. To view the other articles in this issue visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2011.164.issue‐4
Thomsen‐Friedenreich activation in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Lin‐Yen , Chan Yung‐Shu , Chang Feng‐Chuan , Wang Chang‐Ling , Lin Marie
Published: March 2011

BACKGROUND: Thomsen‐Friedenreich (T) activation in infants with neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) has in some cases led to severe hemolysis after transfusions of plasma‐containing blood components, causing some authors to advise routine screening for T activation in all infants with NEC. However, no data are available on the frequency of T activation in infants with NEC in Taiwan.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 43 infants with NEC managed in our hospital from 2000 to 2007. In all cases, Arachis hypogaea lectin was used to test for T activation.

RESULTS: Of the 43 infants, 16 infants (37%) had Stage II and 27 (63%) had Stage III NEC. Four infants had trace T activation, two of whom received transfusions with washed red blood cells (RBCs) and two with unwashed RBCs. None had evidence of hemolysis. The overall mortality in this series was 16% (7/43), but none of the four babies with T activation died.

CONCLUSION: In this series of Taiwanese infants with NEC, weak T activation was present in only 9% (4/43) of infants, and RBC transfusion did not result in hemolysis, regardless of whether washed or unwashed cells were administered. We considered routine screening for T activation and provision of prepared blood components in infants with NEC in Taiwan might be unnecessary.
Attitudes Towards Food Safety and the Environment: A Comparison of Conswners in Japan and the U.S.1
Authors: Jussaume, Jr. Raymond A. , Higgins Lorie
Published: March 2011

Abstract Numerous studies have demonstrated dwindling consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply and growing interest in purchasing "safe" foods. However, this research has painted no consistent picture of those concerned about food safety, nor has it investigated the relationship between environmental and food safety attitudes. A mail survey of Japanese and the United States consumers is used to evalulate whether selected environmental attitudes can explain food safety concerns and behavior.

Findings indicate high concern about food safety in both countries, but income, age, education, and attitudes about the impacts of fossil fuel use explain little of the variance. Instead, that concern appears to be prompted largely by an interest in obtaining a healthy diet. It is also noted that Japanese consumers are more concerned about both food safety and the impacts of fossil fuel use, perhaps because of Japan's lack of natural resources and high food import levels.
Sideline and Lifeline: The Cultural Economy of Maple Syrup Production1
Authors: Hinrichs C. Clare
Published: March 2011

Abstract Why do people engage in economically minor resource production activities? This field study of Vermont and Quebec maple syrup producers and their households and enterprises examines the diversion of motivations and concerns m contemporary maple syrup production. Farmers, former farmers, and non‐farmers all produce maple syrup. The concept of embeddedness provides a framework for understanding how producers understand their involvement with maple syrup, by highlighting the social and cultural context of economic action. An embeddedness perspective emphasizes how other work activities, household relations, the surrounding community, and the resource environment shape the possibilities for and understandings of minor resource production activities. Maple syrup generally only supplemented the household income of the 76 producers interviewed. Producers articulated a cultural economy of syrup production centered on its contribution to overall livelihood, cultural identity, and lifestyle. Reasons included managing risks, making seasonal use of land and labor resources, developing a retirement income, demonstrating a rural, agrarian identity, and strengthening family and community ties. Implications for policy include the place of minor resource production activities in securing rural livelihoods and providing cultural anchors in rural regions experiencing demographic and economic change.
Influence of BaTiO3 Content on the Structure and Properties of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 Crystals
Authors: Ge Wenwei , Cao Hu , DeVreugd Christopher , Li Jiefang , Viehland Dwight , Zhang Qinhui , Luo Haosu
Published: March 2011

Lead‐free Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3–x%BaTiO3 single crystals of different compositions (x=0, 2, 4, 4.5 and 5.5) were grown using a top‐seeded solution growth method. Temperature‐dependent X‐ray diffraction revealed the presence of a high‐temperature tetragonal phase that existed over a narrow composition range of 0<x<2, at temperatures far in excess of the ferroelectric Curie temperature Tc. Polarized light microscopy images confirmed the presence of tetragonal domains in NBT that persisted until Tc+250°C; whereas for x>4, rhombohedral domains were found that persisted on heating to only about Tc‐150°C. Investigations of the properties revealed a dramatic increase in the dielectric constant (upto 500%), a decrease in the coercive field (300%), and an increase in the longitudinal piezoelectric constant (1000%) with modest increases in x, as the high‐temperature tetragonal ferroelastic phase was suppressed and as the morphotropic‐phase boundary approached.
Thermodynamic Assessment of the System CaO–P2O5: Application of the Ionic Two‐Sublattice Model to Glass‐Forming Melts
Authors: Serena Sara , Carbajal Leticia , Sainz Ma Antonia , Caballero Angel
Published: March 2011

The CaO–P2O5 binary system has been thermodynamically assessed using the CALculation of PHAse Diagram technique. A two‐sublattice model, (Ca2+)P (O2−, PO3−, PO43−, PO7/22−, PO5/2)Q, is proposed to describe the liquid phase in the system. The selection of the species constituting the liquid phase has been based on the structure of phosphate melts. All the solid phases have been treated as stoichiometric compounds. Taking into account the phase equilibrium data already measured and the thermodynamic properties determined, a set of thermodynamic functions have been optimized for the liquid and the CaP4O11, Ca2P6O17, and Ca4(PO4)2O solid phases. A good agreement between calculated results and experimental data was obtained. The model proposed to describe the liquid phase offers a reasonable approximation to the thermodynamic properties of the system and could be used to attain a better understanding related to the behavior of melts in glass‐forming systems.
Hierarchies of care work in South Africa: Nurses, social workers and home‐based care workers
Authors: LUND Francie
Published: March 2011

This article examines care‐worker hierarchies in South Africa, notably since the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the structural changes it has brought. The nurses, social workers, home‐based care workers and volunteers are mostly women, of varying racial, socio‐economic, demographic and educational backgrounds; they work in the public, private, and not‐for‐profit sectors. Recent changes in care provision have brought improved earnings for some, but the “care penalty” remains, and task‐shifting because of the epidemic has been mostly downwards, increasing the burden on the lowest paid – or even unpaid – in the worst working conditions, thus increasing inequality between women.
Nurses and home‐based caregivers in the United Republic of Tanzania: A dis‐continuum of care
Authors: MEENA Ruth
Published: March 2011

Home‐based care (particularly by non‐household caregivers) has been presented as a way to lighten the HIV/AIDS care burden on families in the United Republic of Tanzania. It is also meant to reduce the pressure on the country's formal health facilities, which are collapsing under the care demands imposed by the pandemic as well as severe resource constraints. The work of home‐based caregivers falls between unpaid and professional work on the “care continuum”– a continuum which in Tanzania suffers from gaps caused by weak referral systems, an overburdened professional health cadre, and serious staff shortages.
Does empathy change in first‐year dental students?
Authors: Beattie A. , Durham J. , Harvey J. , Steele J. , McHanwell S.
Published: March 2011

Introduction:  Professionalism is a central tenet of the dental undergraduate curriculum. Dental undergraduate curricula and standards expect the dentist to put the patient’s interests first, and in this respect, an important attitude is empathy.

Objective:  This study examined the self‐reported empathy levels of first‐year dental students before and after an early analytical exposure to behavioural sciences and the clinical encounter.

Method:  First‐year dental undergraduates were given an attitudinal questionnaire to complete before and after the behavioural science course. The questionnaire consisted of the HP version of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy and the Patient‐Practitioner Orientation Scale. Paired non‐parametric tests and Spearman’s Rho correlations, along with simple descriptive statistics, were used to test the statistical significance of observations.

Results:  A total of 66 paired questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 75%. There were no correlations between age and total mean score of JSPE or PPOS, and no gender differences. There was a significant increase (P < 0.01) in empathy as measured by the JSPE between pre‐ and post‐course scores. The PPOS did not record any significant change in the sharing, caring or total scale scores pre‐ to post‐course.

Conclusion:  The modified JSPE has potential utility in assessing the cognitive‐affective aspect of dental students’ empathy. Using the JSPE, short‐term measurable empathy changes can be detected in first‐year dental undergraduates after the structured and assessed analytical introduction to the clinical encounter and environment.
Accelerating improvements in nutritional and health status of young children in the Sahel region of Sub‐Saharan Africa: review of international guidelines on infant and young child feeding and nutrition
Authors: Wuehler Sara E. , Hess Sonja Y. , Brown Kenneth H.
Published: March 2011

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child holds governments responsible to ensure children's right to the highest attainable standard of health by providing breastfeeding support, and access to nutritious foods, appropriate health care, and clean drinking water. International experts have identified key child care practices and programmatic activities that are proven to be effective at reducing infant and young child undernutrition, morbidity, and mortality. Nevertheless, progress towards reducing the prevalence of undernutrition has been sporadic across countries of the Sahel sub‐region of Sub‐Saharan Africa. In view of this uneven progress, a working group of international agencies was convened to ‘Reposition children's right to adequate nutrition in the Sahel.’ The first step towards this goal was to organize a situational analysis of the legislative, research, and programmatic activities related to infant and young child nutrition (IYCN) in six countries of the sub‐region: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. The purposes of this introductory paper are to review current information concerning the nutritional and health status of infants and young children in the Sahel and to summarize international guidelines on optimal IYCN practices. These guidelines were used in completing the above‐mentioned situational analyses and encompass specific recommendations on: (i) breastfeeding (introduction within the first hour after birth, exclusivity to 6 months, continuation to at least 24 months); (ii) complementary feeding (introduction at 6 months, use of nutrient dense foods, adequate frequency and consistency, and responsive feeding); (iii) prevention and/or treatment of micronutrient deficiencies (vitamin A, zinc, iron and anaemia, and iodine); (iv) prevention and/or treatment of acute malnutrition; (v) feeding practices adapted to the maternal situation to reduce mother‐to‐child transmission of HIV; (vi) activities to ensure food security; and (vii) the promotion of hygienic practices concerning food preparation and storage and environmental sanitation. The following papers in this issue will present results of the situational analyses for the individual countries.
Legislative Success and Political Failure: The Public's Reaction to Barack Obama's Early Presidency
Authors: JACOBSON GARY C.
Published: March 2011

During his first two years in office, fulfilling prominent campaign promises, Barack Obama pushed through legislation attacking the recession and its causes, initiated sweeping reforms in the health care system, and shifted U.S. forces from Iraq to Afghanistan. His reward was to see his Democratic Party suffer a crushing defeat in the 2010 elections. I examine the contours of opinion regarding Obama before he was elected and as they subsequently evolved during his early presidency in order to understand where, how, and why the president's legislative and policy successes turned into political failures.
Decision Making in the Obama White House
Authors: PFIFFNER JAMES P.
Published: March 2011

Presidents attract extremely smart, ambitious people to serve in the White House, but the quality of the advice the president receives depends upon how he or she uses the available talent. Chief executives face daunting challenges in evaluating the onslaught of information, judging the perspectives of their subordinates, and ensuring that they receive advice based on presidential perspectives rather than the priorities of their subordinates.

Political scientists who study presidential decision making have come to consider several factors as central to understanding White House organization and process: the level of centralization, the extent of multiple advocacy, and the use of honest brokers to manage advice to the president. This article examines President Obama's decision‐making style with respect to these three factors and uses several case studies to illustrate them: economic policy, detainee policy, and decision making on the war in Afghanistan.
Where Does the Buck Stop? Applying Attribution Theory to Examine Public Appraisals of the President
Authors: SIRIN CIGDEM V. , VILLALOBOS JOSÉ D.
Published: March 2011

This study applies attribution theory to examine public appraisals of the president. To date, most political science research on attribution theory has focused on domestic policy, and no work has considered both domestic and foreign policy domains in tandem. To fill this gap, we formulate and experimentally test a series of hypotheses regarding the level of responsibility and credit/blame that individuals attribute to the president in both policy domains across varying policy conditions. We also consider how party compatibility affects people's attribution judgments. Our findings provide a new contribution to the literature on political attributions, executive accountability, and public perceptions of presidential performance.
KINETIC MODEL AND TECHNOLOGY OF ULTRASOUND EXTRACTION OF SAFFLOWER SEED OIL
Authors: HU AI‐JUN , FENG QI‐QIN , ZHENG JIE , HU XIAO‐HUA , WU CONG , LIU CHUN‐YAN
Published: March 2011

Safflower seed oil rich in linoleic acid is a kind of functional health oil. The effects of various parameters, such as solvents, liquid–solid ratio and extraction time, on both ultrasonic‐aided and conventional safflower seed oil extractions were investigated through experiments. The results indicated that n‐hexane was a better solvent for the two above‐mentioned extraction methods. Under the following conditions: temperature 35C, liquid–solid ratio 5, extraction time 30 min and ultrasound power 300 W, the oil extraction yield reached 27.02%. However, with the conventional safflower seed oil extraction method, it was only 25.00% when the technical parameters were: temperature 50C; liquid–solid ratio 6; extraction time 60 min. Obviously, the advantages of ultrasonic extraction were as follows: reducing extraction temperature; decreasing solvent quantity; saving time; and improving oil yield. In addition, on the basis of Fick's first law, the kinetic models of ultrasonic extraction and conventional extraction were compared and authenticated. The results showed that a close match was found between experimental data and kinetic equations, and the equations could better simulate safflower oil extraction process. This approach provided a theoretical background for the extraction of safflower seed oil.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

In this work, an efficient extraction method – ultrasound‐aided extraction method for safflower seed oil – was acquired. Compared with conventional extraction method, the advantages of ultrasonic extraction were: reducing extraction temperature, decreasing solvent quantity, saving time and improving oil yield. In addition, equipments used in ultrasound‐aided extraction and operation were simple and high efficiency. Therefore, this ultrasonic technology has a brilliant application prospect in extraction of safflower seed oil and other vegetable oils.