bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of smoking relapse by duration of abstinence: findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey
Authors: Herd Natalie , Borland Ron , Hyland Andrew
Published: November 2009

Aim  To explore predictors of smoking relapse and how predictors vary according to duration of abstinence.

Design, setting and participants  A longitudinal survey of 1296 ex‐smokers recruited as part of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Survey (Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and United States).

Measurements  Quitters were interviewed by telephone at varying durations of abstinence (from 1 day to approximately 3 years) and then followed‐up approximately 1 year later. Theorized predictors of relapse (i.e. urges to smoke; outcome expectancies of smoking and quitting; and abstinence self‐efficacy) and nicotine dependence were measured in the survey.

Findings  Relapse was associated with lower abstinence self‐efficacy and a higher frequency of urges to smoke, but only after the first month or so of quitting. Both these measures mediated relationships between perceived benefits of smoking and relapse. Perceived costs of smoking and benefits of quitting were unrelated to relapse.

Conclusions  Challenging perceived benefits of smoking may be an effective way to increase abstinence self‐efficacy and reduce frequency of urges to smoke (particularly after the initial weeks of quitting), in order to reduce subsequent relapse risk.
Identification and characterization of odorant‐binding protein 1 gene from the Asian malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi
Authors: Sengul M. S. , Tu Z.
Published: November 2009

Insect odorant‐binding proteins (OBPs) are small, water‐soluble molecules that are thought to transport the hydrophobic odorants to their receptors in the chemosensory neurones. Here we report the identification and molecular characterization of the Anopheles stephensi odorant‐binding protein 1 gene (AsteObp1), an Obp1 gene in An. stephensi, a major malaria vector in Asia. We show that AsteObp1 and Anopheles gambiae Obp1 (AgamObp1) are orthologues. These two genes share similar coding sequences and conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs) that may be involved in their regulation. Transcript of AsteObp1 was observed in larvae and reached a relatively high level in late pupae. Quantitative real‐time PCR on female adult chemosensory tissues showed ∼900‐fold higher expression of AsteObp1 in antennae than in maxillary palp and proboscis. The amount of AsteObp1 in female legs was approximately 15‐fold lower than that of maxillary palp and proboscis. The level of AsteObp1 transcript was seven and 85‐fold higher in females than in males in the antennae, and maxillary palp and proboscis, respectively. Moreover, the AsteObp1 level was reduced by approximately 20‐fold in maxillary palp and proboscis 24 h after a bloodmeal. Our results indicate that AsteObp1 is likely to function in the female olfactory response and may also be involved in blood‐feeding behaviour.
Testing for biogeographic mechanisms promoting divergence in Caribbean crickets (genus Amphiacusta)
Authors: Oneal Elen , Otte Daniel , Knowles L. Lacey
Published: November 2009

Aim  This work examines whether the history of diversification of Amphiacusta (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) in the Caribbean corresponds to a vicariant or a dispersalist model.

Location  The Greater Antillean islands of the Caribbean region.

Methods  The phylogenetic relationships among species were estimated using a procedure that directly estimates the underlying species tree from independent loci (in this case, one mitochondrial and one nuclear locus). This tree was then used to test for topological congruence with a vicariant model, and to estimate divergence times.

Results  The analyses based on the expected pattern of species divergence (i.e. species‐tree topology) support a vicariant model. With the notable exception of a dispersal event marking the colonization of Jamaica, the timing of the events are generally consistent with a vicariant scenario, given the current taxon sampling and potential errors with dating the divergence events.

Main conclusions  The tendency of species to co‐segregate by island suggests that intra‐island diversification is common. Despite their flightlessness, species of Amphiacusta are apparently capable of long‐distance dispersal, such as colonization from the Puerto Rican/Virgin Island bank to Jamaica. The topology of the species tree is consistent with a vicariant model of divergence, and the dates of divergence between island groups are generally consistent with an island–island vicariance model. A strict island–island vicariance scenario can, however, be rejected because of inferred dispersal events such as the colonization of Jamaica. Nevertheless, the biogeographic tests suggest that most of the diversity was generated under a combination of intra‐island diversification and island–island vicariance. Additional sampling of taxa will be needed to verify this hypothesized scenario. Our findings indicate that Amphiacusta presents an ideal opportunity for examining the role of sexual selection in promoting diversification, which would complement the large number of studies focused on adaptive divergence of Caribbean taxa.
The effect of nurse‐performed preoperative skin preparation on postoperative surgical site infections in abdominal surgery
Authors: Dizer Berna , Hatipoglu Sevgi , Kaymakcioglu Nihat , Tufan Turgut , Yava Ayla , Iyigun Emine , Senses Zeynep
Published: November 2009

Aim.  To determine the effect of preoperative skin preparation procedures performed by nurses on postoperative surgical site infection in abdominal surgery.

Background.  Despite all interventions, postoperative SSIs still greatly affect mortality and morbidity.

Design.  This is an experimental study.

Methods.  Procedures developed for nurse application of preoperative skin preparations were tested on a control group (n = 39) and study group (n = 43).

Results.  Only clinical routines for preoperative skin preparation were performed on the control group patients. Control group members’ skins were mostly prepared by shaving with a razor blade (41%). For the study group members, the researchers used the preoperative skin preparation procedure. Clippers were used to prepare 55·8% of study group members while 44·2% of them were not treated with the clipper because their wounds were clean. As a requirement of the procedure, all members of the study group had a chlorhexidine bath at least twice after being hospitalised and at least once a night before the operation under controlled conditions. In the group where chlorhexidine bath was not applied, the infection risk was found to be 4·76 times (95%CI = 1·20–18·83) greater even after corrections for age and gender had been made. The difference between control group and study group with respect to surgical site infections was also statistically significant (p < 0·05).

Conclusion.  Preoperative skin preparation using clipper on the nights before an operation and a 50 ml chlorhexidine bath excluding head area taken twice in the pre‐operative period are useful to reduce SSI during postoperative period.

Relevance to clinical practice.  We find that preoperative skin preparation using the procedures developed as a result of findings of this study is useful in reducing surgical site infection during the postoperative period.
Psychometric properties of the extended Care Dependency Scale for older persons in Egypt
Authors: Boggatz Thomas , Farid Tamer , Mohammedin Ahmed , Dijkstra Ate , Lohrmann Christa , Dassen Theo
Published: November 2009

Aim.  The aim of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the modified Arabic Care Dependency Scale for self‐assessment of older persons in Egypt and to compare these self‐assessments to proxy assessments by care givers and family members.

Background.  The Care Dependency Scale is an internationally used instrument to measure care dependency. The Arabic version may improve data collection on this phenomenon in the Middle East where the population is ageing.

Design.  A cross‐sectional study with a sample of 611 older persons living in Greater Cairo. Participants belonged to three groups: nursing home residents, home care recipients and non‐care recipients; 459 participants were also rated by proxies and 171 repeated their self‐assessment after two weeks.

Methods.  The correlation between sum scores of the Care Dependency Scale and the Activities of Daily Living scale was calculated to establish criterion validity. Construct validity was determined by comparing care recipients and non‐care recipients with regard to their Care Dependency Scale sum scores and by exploratory factor analysis. Intraclass coefficients were used to assess test‐retest reliability of self‐ratings for each item. Mean differences between self and proxy assessment were calculated.

Results.  The Care Dependency Scale had a strong correlation to the Activities of Daily Living scale and is able to distinguish between care recipients and non‐care recipients. Factor analysis revealed one factor for basic needs and one factor for psychosocial needs. ICC values were >0·7 for most items related to the factor for basic needs among care recipients. Proxy assessment yielded higher care dependency than self assessment.

Conclusion.  Care Dependency Scale items for basic needs are suitable to assess care dependency among Egyptian care recipients.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Assessment of care dependency is useful to obtain data for appropriate resource allocation among care recipients.
Prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccines: will they do their job?
Authors: Stanley M.
Published: November 2009

Abstract.  Stanley M (University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK). Prophylactic HPV vaccines: will they do their job? (Foresight). J Intern Med 2010; 267: 251–259

The prophylactic HPV L1 virus like particle vaccines are highly efficacious preventing >98% of HPV 16/18 caused high grade cervical intra‐epithelial neoplasia (CIN2/3) according to protocol group in phase III randomized clinical trials over approximately 4 years. Data from the trials together with postvaccine surveillance indicates that they have a good safety profile. As the current HPV vaccines include only two of the 15 oncogenic HPVs, they will not eliminate cervical cancer or the other HPV associated ano‐genital diseases but could reduce, for example, the incidence of cervix cancer by up to 70–80%, if effectively delivered to adolescent females.
Cross‐protection or enhanced symptom display in greenhouse tomato co‐infected with different Pepino mosaic virus isolates
Authors: Hanssen I. M. , Gutiérrez‐Aguirre I. , Paeleman A. , Goen K. , Wittemans L. , Lievens B. , Vanachter A. C. R. C. , Ravnikar M. , Thomma B. P. H. J.
Published: November 2009

The potential of three mild Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) isolates, belonging to the CH2, EU and LP genotypes, to protect a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crop against an aggressive challenge isolate of the CH2 genotype was assessed in greenhouse trials and PepMV symptoms were rated at regular time points. After challenge infection, enhanced symptom display was recorded in plants that were pre‐inoculated with a protector isolate belonging to a different genotype (EU, LP) from the challenge isolate. A quantitative genotype‐specific TaqMan assay revealed that in these plants, the accumulation of the challenge isolate only temporarily slowed down. By contrast, efficient cross‐protection was obtained using the mild isolate of the CH2 genotype, and in this case the challenge isolate was barely detectable in the pre‐inoculated plants. These results suggest that the interaction between PepMV isolates largely depends on RNA sequence homology and that post‐transcriptional gene silencing plays an important role in cross‐protection.
Real‐time monitoring of herbivore induced volatile emissions in the field
Authors: Schaub Andrea , Blande James D. , Graus Martin , Oksanen Elina , Holopainen Jarmo K. , Hansel Armin
Published: November 2009

When plants are damaged by herbivorous insects they emit a blend of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which include a range or terpenoids and green leaf volatiles (GLVs) formed via different metabolic pathways. The precise timing of these emissions upon the onset of herbivore feeding has not been fully elucidated, and the information that is available has been mainly obtained through laboratory based studies. We investigated emissions of VOCs from Populus tremula L. ×P. tremuloides Michx. during the first 20 h of feeding by Epirrita autumnata (autumnal moth) larvae in a field site. The study was conducted using Proton Transfer Reaction‐Mass Spectrometry (PTR‐MS) to measure emissions online, with samples collected for subsequent analysis by complementary gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry for purposes of compound identification. GLV emission peaks occurred sporadically from the outset, indicating herbivore activity, while terpene emissions were induced within 16 h. We present data detailing the patterns of monoterpene (MT), GLV and sesquiterpene (SQT) emissions during the early stages of herbivore feeding showing diurnal MT and SQT emission that is correlated more with temperature than light. Peculiarities in the timing of SQT emissions prompted us to conduct a thorough characterization of the equipment used to collect VOCs and thus corroborate the accuracy of results. A laboratory based analysis of the throughput of known GLV, MT and SQT standards at different temperatures was made with PTR‐MS. Enclosure temperatures of 12, 20 and 25°C had little influence on the response time for dynamic measurements of a GLV or MT. However, there was a clear effect on SQT measurements. Elucidation of emission patterns in real‐time is dependent upon the dynamics of cuvettes at different temperatures.
Reactive oxygen species from type‐I photosensitized reactions contribute to the light‐induced wilting of dark‐grown pea (Pisum sativum) epicotyls
Authors: Hideg Éva , Vitányi Beáta , Kósa Annamária , Solymosi Katalin , Bóka Károly , Won Sungae , Inoue Yumi , Ridge Robert W. , Böddi Béla
Published: November 2009

Type‐II, singlet oxygen‐mediated photosensitized damage has already been shown to occur in epicotyls of dark‐germinated pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings upon illumination, resulting in fast turgor loss and wilting. In this study we show evidence that the palette of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is more complex. Hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals are also formed, suggesting the occurrence of type‐I reactions as well. Moreover, hydrogen peroxide injection into the epicotyls in the dark was able to provoke wilting directly. Formation of hydroxyl radicals could also be triggered by the addition of hydrogen peroxide in the dark, preferentially in the mid‐sections where wilting occurs, showing that potential mediators of a Fenton reaction are present in the epicotyls, but unevenly distributed. Localization of light‐inducible ROS formation fully (hydrogen peroxide) or partially (superoxide radicals) overlaps with the distribution of monomer protochlorophyllide complexes, showing that these pigment forms are capable of provoking both type‐I and type‐II reactions.
The evolution of haplodiploidy by male‐killing endosymbionts: importance of population structure and endosymbiont mutualisms
Authors: KUIJPER B. , PEN I.
Published: November 2009

Haplodiploid inheritance systems, characterized by male transmission of only their maternally inherited genomic elements, have evolved more than 20 times within the animal kingdom. A number of theoretical studies have argued that infection with certain male‐killing endosymbionts can potentially lead to the evolution of haplodiploidy. By explicitly investigating the coevolutionary dynamics between host and endosymbiont, we show that the assumptions of current models cannot explain the evolution of haplodiploidy very well, as the endosymbiont will often go extinct in the long term. Here, we provide two additional mechanisms that can explain the stable evolution of haplodiploidy by male‐killing endosymbionts. First of all, a spatially structured population can facilitate the long‐term persistence of haplodiploidy, but this applies only when levels of inbreeding are very high. By contrast, endosymbionts that are mutualistic with their hosts provide a much more general and promising route to the stable evolution of haplodiploidy. This model is the first to provide a formal explanation of the supposed association between the evolution of haplodiploidy and the highly inbred lifestyles of some ancestors, while it also provides a hypothesis for the evolution of haplodiploidy in more outbred ancestors.
Food Recruitment Information can Spatially Redirect Employed Stingless Bee Foragers
Authors: Sánchez Daniel , Nieh James C. , León Adolfo , Vandame Rémy
Published: November 2009

Within a rewarding floral patch, eusocial bee foragers frequently switch sites, going from one flower to another. However, site switching between patches tends to occur with low frequency while a given patch is still rewarding, thus reducing pollen dispersal and gene flow between patches. In principle, forager switching and gene flow between patches could be higher when close patches offer similar rewards. We investigated site switching during food recruitment in the stingless bee Scaptotrigona mexicana. Thus, we trained three groups of foragers to three feeders in different locations, one group per location. These groups did not interact each other during the training phase. Next, interaction among trained foragers was allowed. We found that roughly half of the foragers switched sites, the other half remaining faithful to its training feeder. Switching is influenced by the presence of recruitment information. In the absence of recruitment information (bees visiting and recruiting for feeders), employed foragers were site specific. Foragers only switched among feeders that were being visited and recruited to. Switching was not caused by learned aversion to experimental handling. Switching in response to recruitment could provide a fitness benefit to the colony by facilitating rapid switching among exploited patches and provide a benefit of increasing plant gene flow between patches.
Parental and Mating Effort: Is There Necessarily a Trade‐Off?
Authors: Stiver Kelly A. , Alonzo Suzanne H.
Published: November 2009

One of the common assumptions in the study of the evolution of parental care is that trade‐offs exist between parental investment and other fitness‐related traits. In general, this body of work follows the traditional definition that parental investment (in the current offspring) decreases that individual’s ability to invest in future reproduction (Trivers 1972). However, examination of the empirical evidence shows that assuming a trade‐off between parental and mating effort is not always appropriate. This overemphasis on a trade‐off between mating and parental effort has arisen in part because of an oversimplification of female reproductive strategies, a failure to consider interactions between the sexes, and a tendency to consider behaviours as unifunctional, thereby ignoring the more complex relationship between mating and parental effort in many species. Here, we first examine the empirical evidence for trade‐offs between mating and parental effort in males and females to ask when trade‐offs occur and what pattern they take. By highlighting a number of exemplar species, we then explore how the presence or absence of trade‐offs relates to mate choice and sexual selection in both sexes. Finally, we highlight the importance of considering individual variation, which has been particularly overlooked in examinations of female investment, and how preferences in one sex may influence the existence and our interpretation of apparent trade‐offs in the other sex.
Perinatal outcome of recurrent pre‐eclampsia versus pre‐eclampsia in nulliparas
Authors: Chen Yi‐Yung , Wu Mao‐Lin , Kao Mei‐Hua , Su Tsung‐Hsien , Chen Chie‐Pein
Published: November 2009

Aim:  The aim of the study was to compare the perinatal outcome of recurrent pre‐eclampsia in multiparas with that of pre‐eclampsia in nulliparas.

Methods:  This retrospective study was performed by collecting maternal and perinatal data from records of women with pre‐eclampsia who delivered at Mackay Memorial Hospital over a 10‐year period. Fifty women with recurrent pre‐eclampsia were compared with 207 women who developed pre‐eclampsia as nulliparas. In the 50 multiparas, the outcome of recurrent pre‐eclampsia was also compared with that of their earlier episodes of pre‐eclampsia. Maternal and fetal variables compared included maternal blood pressure, serum biochemistry, rate of preterm delivery, rate of abruptio placentae and neonatal outcome.

Results:  Compared with nulliparous women with pre‐eclampsia (n = 50), women with recurrent pre‐eclampsia (n = 207) had a smaller increase in mean maternal blood pressure (27.0 ± 18.9 mmHg vs 34.3 ± 19.3 mmHg, P = 0.021), less dipstick proteinuria (≥++; 36.0 vs 58.5%, P = 0.004), and bore children with a heavier mean birthweight (2909.1 ± 895.5 g vs 2551.1 ± 933.0 g, P = 0.017). No significant statistical difference was found in the gestational age of delivery, maternal serum biochemical levels and rate of abruptio placentae or preterm delivery. Within the multiparous group (n = 50), recurrent disease was associated with a lower mean maternal blood pressure and dipstick proteinuria and with higher birthweight than in their previous pre‐eclamptic pregnancies.

Conclusion:  Recurrent pre‐eclampsia appears to be less severe and to have a better perinatal outcome than pre‐eclampsia in nulliparas.
Are the dynamics of tropical forests dominated by large and rare disturbance events?
Authors: Lloyd Jon , Gloor Emanuel U. , Lewis Simon L.
Published: November 2009

Ecology Letters (2009) 12: E19–E21

A recent Ecology Letters paper of Fisher et al. (2008) utilized a modelling framework to investigate disturbance effects on forest biomass dynamics. But it contains serious methodological and conceptual errors. Associated conclusions are unlikely to be correct.
Phylogenetic diversity metrics for ecological communities: integrating species richness, abundance and evolutionary history
Authors: Cadotte Marc W. , Jonathan Davies T. , Regetz James , Kembel Steven W. , Cleland Elsa , Oakley Todd H.
Published: November 2009

Phylogenetic information is increasingly being used to understand the assembly of biological communities and ecological processes. However, commonly used metrics of phylogenetic diversity (PD) do not incorporate information on the relative abundances of individuals within a community. In this study, we develop three indices of PD that explicitly consider species abundances. First, we present a metric of phylogenetic‐abundance evenness that evaluates the relationship between the abundance and the distribution of terminal branch lengths. Second, we calculate an index of hierarchical imbalance of abundances at the clade level encapsulating the distribution of individuals across the nodes in the phylogeny. Third, we develop an index of abundance‐weighted evolutionary distinctiveness and generate an entropic index of phylogenetic diversity that captures both information on evolutionary distances and phylogenetic tree topology, and also serves as a basis to evaluate species conservation value. These metrics offer measures of phylogenetic diversity incorporating different community attributes. We compare these new metrics to existing ones, and use them to explore diversity patterns in a typical California annual grassland plant community at the Jasper Ridge biological preserve.

Ecology Letters(2010) 13: 96–105
Logistics and outcome in urgent and emergency colorectal surgery
Authors: Elshove‐Bolk J. , Ellensen V. S. , Baatrup G.
Published: November 2009

Aim  Infrastructure‐related factors are seldom described in detail in studies on outcome after surgical procedures. We studied patient, procedure, physician and infrastructure characteristics and their effect on outcome at a Norwegian University hospital.

Method  All patients admitted between 1st January 2002 and 30th June 2003 who underwent urgent or emergency colorectal surgery were extracted from the hospital databases and retrospectively analysed.

Results  There were 196 patients. The overall complication rate was 39%. Forty‐six (24%) patients died during admission after surgery. Those who died were less likely to be operated by a subspecialized colorectal surgeon (17%vs 30%, P = 0.001). The anaesthesiologist was a resident in most of the cases (> 75%) for both those who survived and those who died. Surgery performed out‐of‐office hours was common in both groups, although the patients who died were more likely to be operated upon at night (28%vs 18%, P = 0.001). The time interval standard from admission to surgery was met in only 84 (43%) patients. Forty‐nine (49/196, 25%) procedures were delayed beyond the time requested by the surgeon by more than 120 min (mean 363 min).

Conclusion  The outcome after emergency colorectal surgery was consistent with the literature but the infrastructure was not optimal. Improvements may be achieved by a focus on decreasing waiting times, abandoning of out‐of‐office emergency surgery and increasing the involvement of senior staff.
Colesevelam lowers glucose and lipid levels in type 2 diabetes: the clinical evidence
Authors: Fonseca Vivian A. , Handelsman Yehuda , Staels Bart
Published: November 2009

Simultaneous control of blood glucose and other risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidaemia is essential for reducing the risk of complications associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). As relatively few patients with T2DM have their risk factors managed to within the limits recommended by the American Diabetes Association, American College of Endocrinology or National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, treatment that can simultaneously control more than one risk factor is of therapeutic benefit. Clinical studies have shown that bile acid sequestrants have glucose‐lowering effects in addition to their low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol‐lowering effects in patients with T2DM. The bile acid sequestrant colesevelam hydrochloride is approved as an adjunct to antidiabetes therapy for improving glycaemic control in adults with T2DM. This review examines data from three phase III clinical trials that evaluated the glucose‐ and lipid‐lowering effects of colesevelam when added to the existing antidiabetes treatment regimen of patients with T2DM.
Robot‐assisted radical cystectomy: intermediate survival results at a mean follow‐up of 25 months
Authors: Martin Aaron D. , Nunez Rafael N. , Pacelli Anna , Woods Michael E. , Davis Rodney , Thomas Raju , Andrews Paul E. , Castle Erik P.
Published: November 2009

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4

OBJECTIVE

To assess the overall and disease‐specific survival rates of patients undergoing robot‐assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) compared with historical open cystectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Survival, pathological and demographic data were collected on all patients undergoing RARC for bladder cancer from both Tulane University Medical Center and Mayo Clinic Arizona. Of a total of 80 RARCs we only included those with a follow‐up of ≥6 months from surgery. Survival curves were compared with those from historical series of open cystectomy.

RESULTS

Of the 80 patients 59 were identified as having a follow‐up of ≥6 months from the date of surgery. The mean (range) follow‐up was 25 (6–49) months. Overall survival rates at 12 and 36 months were 82% and 69%, respectively, and disease‐specific survival rates were 82% and 72% at 12 and 36 months, respectively. These results are comparable to survival rates from open cystectomy. As expected, patients with lymph node‐positive disease fared worse than those with lymph node‐negative disease. Patients with extravesical lymph node‐negative disease (pT3, pT4) fared worse than patients with organ‐confined lymph node‐negative disease. Also, patients with lymph node‐positive disease fared worse than those with extravesical lymph node‐negative disease, which is consistent with historical results of open cystectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

RARC has a comparable survival rate to open cystectomy in the intermediate follow‐up. Further study with a longer follow‐up and more patients is necessary to determine any long‐term survival benefits.
The Ecuador Project: the five ‘R's’ of an education collaboration
Authors: Palmer S.P. , Bracken Deborah R.
Published: November 2009

Background:  The Ecuador Project is an ongoing venture with hospitals in Guayaquil, Ecuador owned by the Junta de Beneficencia working with the College of Nursing at Brigham Young University, Utah, USA.

Aims:  In efforts to positively change patient outcomes in these large charity hospitals, a cultural exchange of staff and student experiences have taken place for the past 6 years.

Materials and methods:  Over 900 hospital personnel in Ecuador have participated in classes including neonatal resuscitation, paediatric and adult advanced life support, and basic life support. The courses were organized and implemented through combined efforts from both groups and have been well received by all participants.

Results:  Positive changes have been observed and are improving health care in Ecuador.

Discussion:  This paper reviews our experiences through the ‘Ecuador Project’ which have shown there are five ‘R's’ that guide an international educational exchange: realistic goals, repetition, reinforcement, reassessment and remaining open to change (Table 1). First, realistic expectations must be set. Are the intended outcomes desired by all individuals involved, and are they attainable? Repetition and reinforcement of new concepts are important in all types of education, especially where there are cultural and language differences. Reassessment of the outcome is essential in determining the effectiveness and alignment of teaching strategies. Lastly, remaining open to change is vital to maintaining open and lasting relationships in an international setting.

Five ‘R's’ of an International Educational Collaboration (Sheri P. Palmer and Deborah R. Bracken)

Five ‘R's’ of an International Educational Collaboration:

Realistic goals

Repetition

Reinforcement

Reassessment

Remain open to change

Conclusion:  Using these five ‘R's’ can guide the success of any international venture.
Displaced persons' perceptions of human rights in Southern Sudan
Authors: Pavlish C. , Ho A.
Published: November 2009

Background: A human rights framework has become more important in advancing equitable health and development opportunities. However, in post‐conflict settings, human rights violations persist. Women and girls are especially vulnerable to discrimination and violence.

Aim: To deepen understanding about the social context that influences human rights experiences and gender relationships in a post conflict setting.

Methods: Focus groups and key informant interviews were conducted in an ethnographic study among displaced persons, government officials and community‐based organizations in Southern Sudan.

Findings: Participants defined human rights as the right to good governance, self‐determination and participation in society's development, security and equality. Human rights violations included discrimination, insecurity and inadequate health and development opportunities. Education, language and geographic location influenced human rights perspectives. Some social groups were at higher risk for human rights violations.

Conclusions: Community perspectives on human rights indicated complex connections between obligations, claims, conditions and social relationships. Nurses can create conditions that advance people's human rights and improve their health.
Membership Matters: On the Value of Being Embedded in Customer Networks
Authors: Fjeldstad Øystein D. , Sasson Amir
Published: November 2009

abstract

Learning about customers and their contexts is vital to firm strategy. We examine how firms can learn by participating in their customers' networks. Specifically, we explain how a bank can increase the value that it creates for customers by being embedded in the networks in which the customers are embedded. We argue that knowledge pertinent to a particular customer is available in the network of affiliated, inter‐related customers, and that being structurally embedded in this network can help banks overcome information asymmetries. We use hierarchical linear modelling to test the argument that a bank's structural embeddedness in its customers' network positively affects the bank's ability to offer favourable credit terms. We find that not only does such structural embeddedness affect credit terms, but it also moderates the effects of previously examined relational embeddedness on credit terms.
Middle Manager Leadership and Frontline Employee Performance: Bypass, Cascading, and Moderating Effects
Authors: Yang Jixia , Zhang Zhi‐Xue , Tsui Anne S.
Published: November 2009

abstract

We investigated the relationship between middle managers' transformational leadership and the performance of frontline employees who are two levels below the middle managers. We identified two pathways through which this cross‐level influence occurs and tested two moderators operating on these two pathways. The first pathway is a direct effect from middle managers to employees, bypassing the influence of employees' immediate supervisor (the bypass effect). We further hypothesized that the bypass effect is moderated by the employees' collectivistic value. The second pathway is a cascading of leadership behaviours from middle managers to first‐line supervisors, whose transformational leadership then enhances employees' performance (the cascading effect). We further hypothesized that this cascading effect is moderated by the supervisors' power distance value. These hypotheses were tested with a sample of 491 frontline employees, 98 frontline supervisors, and 30 middle managers in three organizations in China. The three‐level hierarchical linear modelling results supported the four hypotheses.
Confusing One Instrumental Other for Another: Goal Effects on Social Categorization
Authors: Fitzsimons Gráinne M. , Shah James Y.
Published: November 2009

How do everyday goals shape the way people categorize others in the social environment? Research on social categorization has emphasized the role of feature-based categories such as race and gender, showing that people rely on such categories when perceiving and remembering others. We tested the hypothesis that social perception may depend on a new type of category—what we call “goal instrumentality,” or the extent to which others are useful for an active goal. We demonstrate that people make more memory errors within the categories of “instrumental” and “noninstrumental,” and fewer between-category errors, when a goal has been subtly activated. We also demonstrate that people perceive others within the categories of “instrumental” and “noninstrumental” to be more similar, and others from the two different categories to be less similar, following subliminal goal activation. We discuss implications for the understanding of social categorization and the influence of goals on social cognition.
The Efficient and Fair Approval of “Multiple‐Cost‐Single‐Benefit” Projects under Unilateral Information
Authors: KAHANA NAVA , MEALEM YOSEF , NITZAN SHMUEL
Published: November 2009

This paper focuses on indivisible “multiple‐cost‐single‐benefit” projects that must be approved by the government. A simple mechanism is proposed that ensures an efficient and fair implementation of such projects. The proposed mechanism is appropriate for a unilateral information structure: the single beneficiary has complete information on the cost and benefit of the project while the government official has no such information and the cost bearers have information only on each other's costs.
Energy as an indicator of modernization in Latin America, 1890–1925
Authors: RUBIO M. d. MAR , YÁÑEZ CÉSAR , FOLCHI MAURICIO , CARRERAS ALBERT
Published: November 2009

In the absence of comparable macroeconomic indicators for most of the Latin American economies before the 1930s, the apparent consumption of energy is used in this paper as a proxy of the degree of modernization of Latin America and the Caribbean. This paper presents an estimate of the apparent consumption per head of modern energies (coal, petroleum, and hydroelectricity) for 30 countries of the region, 1890 to 1925. As a result, it provides the basis for a quantitative comparative analysis of modernization performance beyond the few countries for which historical national accounts are available in Latin America.
The Evolution of the Phillips Curve: A Modern Time Series Viewpoint
Authors: GRANGER CLIVE W. J. , JEON YONGIL
Published: November 2009

Phillips' (1958) original curve involves a nonlinear relationship between inflation and unemployment. We consider how his original results change due to updated theoretic and empirical studies, increased computer power, enlarged datasets, increases in data frequency and developed time series econometric models. In the linear models, there was weak causation from unemployment to inflation. Rather than using any of the many nonlinear models that are now available, we adopt a time‐varying parameter linear model as their convenient proxy, which empirically supports Phillips' use of nonlinear model form and causation, but the strength of this result is much weaker in recent periods.
The Importance of Telling a Good Story: An Experiment in Public Criminology
Authors: FEILZER MARTINA
Published: November 2009

Abstract: This article explores the potential role for criminologists in contributing to the public debate on crime and criminal justice. Do reasoned academic contributions based on objective evaluation of relevant empirical evidence and ‘facts’ about crime and criminal justice have the potential to influence the public sphere dominated by competing communication strategies, media, and political discourses on crime? The author reflects on findings from research on a subject which can be broadly described as an experiment in public criminology. The author's research found that factual information on crime and criminal justice presented through a mainstream media outlet was largely ignored and did not have the expected and desired effect on members of the public.
Multiple primary malignancies in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma1
Authors: Gass JK , Chan SK , Rytina E , Greenberg DC , Burrows NP
Published: November 2009

Background  Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare malignant cutaneous tumour, the incidence of which is increasing. Second malignancies have been reported to occur with high incidence in these patients.

Objectives  We report the rate and nature of multiple malignancies in patients with MCC treated over a 10 year period in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, United Kingdom, as well as the temporal relationship of these additional malignancies to the diagnosis of MCC.

Results  The 27 patients had an approximately equal sex incidence with a median age at diagnosis of 79 years. Seventy percent (n=19) of patients had a second primary malignant tumour; and 7 of these patients had two or more tumours in addition to the MCC. Eighteen patients had additional cutaneous malignancies: melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, and 8 patients presented non‐cutaneous malignancy including colorectal, haematological and breast tumours.

Of the 28 additional tumours in our patients, half were diagnosed prior to presentation of MCC, 32% within 6 months of diagnosis, and 18% between 6 months and 3 years after diagnosis. Possible reasons for the high rate of additional tumours in this population are discussed.

Conclusions  Our figures reflect a higher incidence of multiple malignancies in those with Merkel cell tumour than has previously been reported. This has important implications for the care and surveillance of these patients.
Basement membrane antibodies in sera of haematopoietic cell recipients are associated with graft‐versus‐host disease
Authors: Hofmann SC , Kopp G , Gall C , Bruckner‐Tuderman L , Bertz H
Published: November 2009

Background  Graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) occurs frequently after haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Mucocutaneous lesions of GvHD may mimic bullous autoimmune dermatoses, and 10 cases of concurrent GvHD and a bullous autoimmune disease have been reported in the literature.

Objective  To determine the frequency of circulating antibodies to the cutaneous basement membrane zone (BMZ) in HCT patients with GvHD in comparison with HCT patients without GvHD, psoriasis patients and healthy controls.

Subjects and methods  We examined 42 patients with chronic GvHD, 18 HCT patients without GvHD, 11 psoriasis patients and 40 healthy controls, prospectively. Sera were tested by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on salt‐split skin, NC16a‐ELISA and immunoblot using keratinocyte extracts. Univariate statistical analyses and logistic regression were performed to assess possible correlations of graft and patient characteristics with the presence of BMZ antibodies.

Results  Circulating basement membrane zone (BMZ) antibodies were detected in 10/42 (24%) GvHD sera by immunoblot, but not in any of the HCT sera from patients without GvHD (0/18; 0%). The antibodies targeted collagen VII, BP230, collagen XVII/BP180 or p200/laminin γ1. Clinically manifest bullous autoimmune dermatoses (bullous pemphigoid or epidermolysis bullosa acquisita) were found in two GvHD patients. 1/11 (9%) psoriasis sera and 1/40 (2.4%) healthy control sera reacted with collagen XVII or BP230, respectively.

Conclusions  Circulating BMZ antibodies are significantly associated with chronic GvHD in contrast to uncomplicated HCT. Recurrent mucocutaneous lesions in chronic inflammatory skin disorders may liberate antigens, which may lead to production of BMZ antibodies, particularly in the context of GvHD‐mediated reduced self‐tolerance.
Functional morphology of the sound‐generating labia in the syrinx of two songbird species
Authors: Riede Tobias , Goller Franz
Published: November 2009

In songbirds, two sound sources inside the syrinx are used to produce the primary sound. Laterally positioned labia are passively set into vibration, thus interrupting a passing air stream. Together with subsyringeal pressure, the size and tension of the labia determine the spectral characteristics of the primary sound. Very little is known about how the histological composition and morphology of the labia affect their function as sound generators. Here we related the size and microstructure of the labia to their acoustic function in two songbird species with different acoustic characteristics, the white‐crowned sparrow and zebra finch. Histological serial sections of the syrinx and different staining techniques were used to identify collagen, elastin and hyaluronan as extracellular matrix components. The distribution and orientation of elastic fibers indicated that the labia in white‐crowned sparrows are multi‐layered structures, whereas they are more uniformly structured in the zebra finch. Collagen and hyaluronan were evenly distributed in both species. A multi‐layered composition could give rise to complex viscoelastic properties of each sound source. We also measured labia size. Variability was found along the dorso‐ventral axis in both species. Lateral asymmetry was identified in some individuals but not consistently at the species level. Different size between the left and right sound sources could provide a morphological basis for the acoustic specialization of each sound generator, but only in some individuals. The inconsistency of its presence requires the investigation of alternative explanations, e.g. differences in viscoelastic properties of the labia of the left and right syrinx. Furthermore, we identified attachments of syringeal muscles to the labia as well as to bronchial half rings and suggest a mechanism for their biomechanical function.
Micro‐magnetic resonance imaging and embryological analysis of wild‐type and pma mutant mice with clubfoot
Authors: Duce Suzanne , Madrigal Londale , Schmidt Katy , Cunningham Craig , Liu Guoqing , Barker Simon , Tennant Gordon , Tickle Cheryll , Chudek Sandy , Miedzybrodzka Zosia
Published: November 2009

Gross similarities between the external appearance of the hind limbs of the peroneal muscle atrophy (pma) mouse mutant and congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), a human disorder historically referred to as ‘clubfoot’, suggested that this mutant could be a useful model. We used micro‐magnetic resonance imaging to visualize the detailed anatomy of the hind limb defect in mutant pma mice and performed 3D comparisons between mutant and wild‐type hind limbs. We found that the pma foot demonstrates supination (i.e. adduction and inversion of the mid foot and fore foot together with plantar flexion of the ankle and toes) and that the tibiale and distal tarsals display 3D abnormalities in positioning. The size and shape of the tibia, fibula, tarsal and metatarsal bones are similar to the wild‐type. Hypoplasia of the muscles in the antero‐lateral (peroneal) compartment was also demonstrated. The resemblance of these features to those seen in CTEV suggests that the pma mouse is a possibly useful model for the human condition. To understand how the observed deformities in the pma mouse hind foot arise during embryonic development, we followed the process of foot rotation in both wild‐type and pma mutant mice. Rotation of the hind foot in mouse embryos of wild‐type strains (CD‐1 and C57/Black) occurs from embryonic day 14.5 onwards with rotation in C57/Black taking longer. In embryos from both strains, rotation of the right hind foot more commonly precedes rotation of the left. In pma mutants, the initiation of rotation is often delayed and rotation is slower and does not reach completion. If the usefulness of the pma mutant as a model is confirmed, then these findings on pma mouse embryos, when extrapolated to humans, would support a long‐standing hypothesis that CTEV is due to the failure of completion of the normal process of rotation and angulation, historically known as the ‘arrested development hypothesis’.
Tissue distribution of cells derived from the area opaca in heterospecific quail‐chick blastodermal chimeras
Authors: Karagenç Levent , Sandikci Mustafa
Published: November 2009

The objective of the current study was to determine the tissue distribution of cells derived from the area opaca in heterospecific quail‐chick blastodermal chimeras. Quail‐chick chimeras were constructed by transferring dissociated cells from the area opaca of the stage X–XII (EG&K) quail embryo into the subgerminal cavity of the unincubated chick blastoderm. The distribution of quail cells in embryonic as well as extra‐embryonic tissues of the recipient embryo were examined using the QCPN monoclonal antibody after 6 days of incubation in serial sections taken at 100‐μm intervals. Data gathered in the present study demonstrated that, when introduced into the subgerminal cavity of a recipient embryo, cells of the area opaca are able to populate not only extra‐embryonic structures such as the amnion and the yolk sac, but also various embryonic tissues derived from the ectoderm and less frequently the mesoderm. Ectodermal chimerism was confined mainly to the head region and was observed in tissues derived from the neural ectoderm and the surface ectoderm, including the optic cup, diencephalon and lens. Although the possibility of random incorporation of transplanted cells into these embryonic structures cannot be excluded, these results would suggest that area opaca, a peripheral ring of cells in the avian embryo destined to form the extra‐embryonic ectoderm and endoderm of the yolk sac, might harbor cells that have the potential to give rise to various cell types in the recipient chick embryo, including those derived from the surface ectoderm and neural ectoderm.