bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Costs of Chronic Conditions in the VA Health Care System
Authors: Yu Wei , Ravelo Arliene , Wagner Todd H. , Phibbs Ciaran S. , Bhandari Aman , Chen Shuo , Barnett Paul G.
Published: October 2003

Chronic conditions are among the most common causes of death and disability in the United States. Patients with such conditions receive disproportionate amounts of health care services and therefore cost more per capita than the average patient. This study assesses the prevalence among the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care users and VA expenditures (costs) of 29 common chronic conditions. The authors used regression to identify the marginal impact of these conditions on total, inpatient, outpatient, and pharmacy costs. Excluding costs of contracted medical services at non-VA facilities, total VA health care expenditures in fiscal year 1999 (FY1999) were $14.3 billion. Among the 3.4 million VA patients in FY1999, 72 percent had 1 or more of the 29 chronic conditions, and these patients accounted for 96 percent of the total costs ($13.7 billion). In addition, 35 percent (1.2 million) of VA health care users had 3 or more of the 29 chronic conditions. These individuals accounted for 73 percent of the total cost. Overall, VA health care users have more chronic diseases than the general population.
Congress Invokes Public Opinion on Welfare Reform
Authors: Paden Catherine , Page Benjamin I.
Published: October 2003

If democratically elected public officials respond to the policy preferences of ordinary citizens, one might expect them to make frequent, favorable references to public opinion as revealed by polls and surveys. An analysis of the 1995 congressional debates leading up to the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (welfare reform), however, generally corroborates the findings of Cook, Barabas, and Page concerning policy elites' discussions of Social Security. Congresspersons' references to public opinion were quite infrequent and vague. In some cases, they were significantly misleading. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed.
Preventing Youth Violence through Health Realization
Authors: Kelley Thomas M.
Published: October 2003

This article proposes that youth violence is primarily a function of the generally poor mental health of American youth. It asserts, therefore, that the optimal solution to this vexing problem is to teach young people how to live in the experience of psychological health that is their birthright. It then suggests that this can be best accomplished by helping youth understand the principles behind Health Realization—a psychospiritual model that purports to account for all youthful behavior. The three principles behind Health Realization (i.e., Mind, Consciousness, and Thought) are delineated, contemporary research in support of its major assumptions cited, and the results of applied Health Realization programs with at-risk youth in clinical, educational, and community empowerment settings described.
Adverse Prognostic Effect of Methylation in Colorectal Cancer Is Reversed by Microsatellite Instability
Authors: Ward Robyn Lynne , Cheong Kay , Ku Su-Lyn , Meagher Alan , O’Connor Terence , Hawkins Nicholas John
Published: October 2003

Purpose: DNA methylation is an important biologic event in colorectal cancer and in some cases is associated with the development of microsatellite instability (MSI). In this study, we sought to determine the prognostic significance of DNA methylation, both in univariate analysis and in concert with other clinicopathologic factors known to influence outcome.

Patients and Methods: Fresh tissue (625 cancers) was obtained from 605 individuals (age range, 29 to 99 years) undergoing curative surgery for colorectal cancer at one institution during a period of 8 years. Clinicopathologic details were recorded for all tumors, including stage, grade, type, vascular space invasion, and clinical follow-up to 5 years. Microsatellite status was assessed using standard markers. Methylation of p16 and hMLH1 promoters was determined by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), whereas methylation at methylated-in-tumor loci (MINT)1, MINT2, MINT12, and MINT31 loci were assessed by bisulfite-PCR.

Results: Patients with microsatellite unstable tumors (12%) had better disease-specific survival than those with microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors (univariate analysis: hazard ratio [HR], 0.53; 95% CI, 0.27 to 1.0). Overall survival of individuals with MSS tumors was influenced by three independently significant factors: tumor stage (HR, 7.3; 95% CI, 5.1 to 10.4), heavy tumor methylation (HR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1 to 4.0), and vascular space invasion (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3 to 2.9). In MSS tumors, methylation at any single site was not independently predictive of survival. Neither methylation nor microsatellite status predicted a favorable response to chemotherapy.

Conclusion: DNA methylation is associated with a worse outcome in colorectal cancer, but this adverse prognostic influence is lost in those methylated tumors showing MSI. The mechanisms of these events warrant additional investigation.
Randomized Trial of Cytoreduction and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Versus Systemic Chemotherapy and Palliative Surgery in Patients With Peritoneal Carcinomatosis of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Verwaal Vic J. , van Ruth Serge , de Bree Eelco , van Slooten Gooike W. , van Tinteren Harm , Boot Henk , Zoetmulder Frans A.N.
Published: October 2003

Purpose: To confirm the findings from uncontrolled studies that aggressive cytoreduction in combination with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is superior to standard treatment in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal cancer origin.

Patients and Methods: Between February 1998 and August 2001, 105 patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard treatment consisting of systemic chemotherapy (fluorouracil-leucovorin) with or without palliative surgery, or experimental therapy consisting of aggressive cytoreduction with HIPEC, followed by the same systemic chemotherapy regime. The primary end point was survival.

Results: After a median follow-up period of 21.6 months, the median survival was 12.6 months in the standard therapy arm and 22.3 months in the experimental therapy arm (log-rank test, P = .032). The treatment-related mortality in the aggressive therapy group was 8%. Most complications from HIPEC were related to bowel leakage. Subgroup analysis of the HIPEC group showed that patients with 0 to 5 of the 7 regions of the abdominal cavity involved by tumor at the time of the cytoreduction had a significantly better survival than patients with 6 or 7 affected regions (log-rank test, P < .0001). If the cytoreduction was macroscopically complete (R-1), the median survival was also significantly better than in patients with limited (R-2a), or extensive residual disease (R-2b; log-rank test, P < .0001).

Conclusion: Cytoreduction followed by HIPEC improves survival in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal origin. However, patients with involvement of six or more regions of the abdominal cavity, or grossly incomplete cytoreduction, had still a grave prognosis.
Dissemination of Information on Potentially Fatal Adverse Drug Reactions for Cancer Drugs From 2000 to 2002: First Results From the Research on Adverse Drug Events and Reports Project
Authors: Ladewski Lisa A. , Belknap Steven M. , Nebeker Jonathan R. , Sartor Oliver , Lyons E. Allison , Kuzel Timothy C. , Tallman Martin S. , Raisch Dennis W. , Auerbach Amy R. , Schumock Glen T. , Kwaan Hau C. , Bennett Charles L.
Published: October 2003

Purpose: To describe the clinical findings, occurrence rates, causality evidence, and dissemination media for serious cancer drug–associated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported in the postmarketing setting.

Methods: ADRs were termed serious if they resulted in death or severe organ failure. ADR information for oncology drugs from package insert (PI) revisions, so-called Dear Doctor letters, and journal articles was evaluated to identify serious ADRs reported from 2000 to 2002. Timing and content of information disseminated was assessed.

Results: Twenty-five serious ADRs associated with 22 oncology drugs were identified after approval. Approximately half of these serious ADRs are associated with drugs approved before 1995. ADRs were described in articles in medical journals (17 ADRs), PI revisions (18 ADRs), and Dear Doctor letters (12 ADRs). PI revisions occurred less than 1 year after peer-reviewed publication for four ADRs. These revisions often differed for similar ADRs that occurred with drugs of the same class. Five of the seven ADRs lacking PI changes occurred with off-label use, for which PI change is not recommended by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy. No cancer drug was withdrawn from the market during the observation period.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that serious ADRs may be discovered as long as 36 years after a drug receives FDA approval. This suggests a need for continued vigilance and efficient strategies for dissemination of information about ADRs associated with cancer drugs.
Randomized Phase III Trial of Standard Timed Doxorubicin Plus Cisplatin Versus Circadian Timed Doxorubicin Plus Cisplatin in Stage III and IV or Recurrent Endometrial Carcinoma: A Gynecologic Oncology Group Study
Authors: Gallion Holly H. , Brunetto Virginia L. , Cibull Michael , Lentz Samuel S. , Reid Gary , Soper John T. , Burger Robert A. , Andersen Willie
Published: October 2003

Purpose: To determine if circadian timed (CT) chemotherapy results in improved response, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and lower toxicity, when compared with standard timed (ST) chemotherapy.

Materials and Methods: Eligibility criteria were stage III, IV, or recurrent endometrial cancer with poor potential for cure by radiation therapy or surgery; measurable disease; and no prior chemotherapy. Therapy was randomized to schedules of ST doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 plus cisplatin 60 mg/m2, or CT doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 at 6:00 am plus cisplatin 60 mg/m2 at 6:00 pm. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks to a maximum of eight cycles.

Results: The ST arm included 169 patients, and the CT arm included 173 patients. The objective response rate (complete responses plus partial responses) was 46% in the ST group compared with 49% in the CT group (P = .26, one tail). Median PFS and OS were 6.5 and 11.2 months, respectively, in the ST group; and 5.9 and 13.2 months, respectively, in the CT group (PFS: P = .31; OS: P = .21, one tail). Median total doses were 209 mg/m2 doxorubicin and 349 mg/m2 cisplatin in the ST group, versus 246 mg/m2 doxorubicin and 354 mg/m2 cisplatin in the CT group. Grade 3 or 4 leukopenia occurred in 73% of patients in the ST arm and in 63% of patients in the CT arm. There were eight treatment-related deaths.

Conclusion: In this trial, no significant benefit in terms of response rate, PFS or OS, or toxicity profile was observed with CT doxorubicin plus cisplatin in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma.
Early Molecular Response of Marrow Disease to Biologic Therapy Is Highly Prognostic in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Cheung Irene Y. , Lo Piccolo M. Serena , Kushner Brian H. , Cheung Nai-Kong V.
Published: October 2003

Purpose: A promising treatment strategy for stage 4 neuroblastoma patients is the repeated application of anti-GD2 immunotherapy after activating myeloid effectors with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). To use early marrow response as a prognostic marker is particularly relevant for patients not likely to benefit from this therapy.

Patients and Methods: Eighty-six stage 4 neuroblastoma patients older than 1 year at diagnosis were classified in four clinical groups on protocol entry: complete remission or very good partial remission (n = 33), primary refractory (n = 33), secondary refractory (n = 10), and progressive disease (n = 10). Bone marrow samples collected before and following treatment were assayed for GD2 synthase mRNA by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Response and survival analyses were performed on posttreatment samples before the third cycle at 1.8 months from protocol entry.

Results: GD2 synthase mRNA was evident in pretreatment marrow samples of the four clinical groups (42%, 52%, 60%, and 80% of samples, respectively), with median transcript level of 10.0, 16.6, 26.5, and 87.2, respectively. This marker became negative following antibody plus GM-CSF in 77% of complete remission or very good partial remission, 45% of primary refractory, 25% of secondary refractory, and 0% of progressive disease group. Progression-free survival was statistically different between responder and nonresponder groups (P < .0001). Among patients with minimal residual disease, molecular responders had a significantly lower risk of disease progression at a median follow-up of 29.8 months (P = .0001).

Conclusion: GD2 synthase mRNA is a sensitive response marker of neuroblastoma in the bone marrow. It is particularly useful for minimal residual disease evaluation and may potentially be useful as an early predictor of resistance to antibody plus GM-CSF immunotherapy.
Effects of loading and size on maximum power output and gait characteristics in geckos
Authors: Irschick Duncan J. , Vanhooydonck Bieke , Herrel Anthony , Andronescu Anemone
Published: October 2003

Stride length, stride frequency and power output are all factors influencing locomotor performance. Here, we first test whether mass-specific power output limits climbing performance in two species of geckos(Hemidactylus garnoti and Gekko gecko) by adding external loads to their bodies. We then test whether body size has a negative effect on mass-specific power output. Finally, we test whether loading affects kinematics in both gecko species. Lizards were induced to run vertically on a smooth wooden surface with loads of 0-200% of body mass (BM) in H. garnoti and 0-100% BM in G. gecko. For each stride, we calculated angular and linear kinematics (e.g. trunk angle, stride length),performance (maximum speed) and mean mass-specific power output per stride. The addition of increasingly large loads caused an initial increase in maximum mass-specific power output in both species, but for H. garnoti,mass-specific power output remained constant at higher loads (150% and 200%BM), even though maximum velocity declined. This result, in combination with the fact that stride frequency showed no evidence of leveling off as speed increased in either species, suggests that power limits maximum speed. In addition, the large gecko (G. gecko) produced significantly less power than the smaller H. garnoti, despite the fact that both species ran at similar speeds. This difference disappeared, however, when we recalculated power output based on higher maximum speeds for unloaded G. gecko moving vertically obtained by other researchers. Finally, the addition of external loads did not affect speed modulation in either species:both G. gecko and H. garnoti increase speed primarily by increasing stride frequency, regardless of loading condition. For a given speed, both species take shorter but more strides with heavier loads, but for a given load, G. gecko attains similar speeds to H. garnotiby taking longer but fewer strides.
van der Waals and hygroscopic forces of adhesion generated by spider capture threads
Authors: Hawthorn Anya C. , Opell Brent D.
Published: October 2003

Cribellar thread is the most primitive type of sticky prey capture thread found in aerial spider webs. Its outer surface is formed of thousands of fine fibrils that issue from a cribellum spinning field. The fibrils of primitive cribellar thread are cylindrical, whereas those of derived threads have nodes. Cribellar threads snag on insect setae but also adhere to smooth surfaces. A previous study showed empirically that cylindrical fibrils use only van der Waals forces to stick to smooth surfaces, as their stickiness is the same under different humidity. By contrast, noded fibrils are stickier under high humidity, where they are presumed to adsorb atmospheric water and implement hygroscopic (capillary) adhesion. Here, we model thread stickiness according to these two adhesive mechanisms. These models equate stickiness with the force necessary to overcome the adhesion of fibril contact points in a narrow band along each edge of the contact surface and to initiate peeling of the thread from the surface. Modeled and measured thread stickiness values are similar, supporting the operation of the hypothesized adhesive forces and portraying an important transition in the evolution of spider threads. Cribellar threads initially relied only on van der Waals forces to stick to smooth surfaces. The appearance of fibril nodes introduced hydrophilic sites that implemented hygroscopic force and increased thread stickiness under intermediate and high humidity.
Sensory innervation of the ovotestis in the snailHelix aspersa
Authors: Antkowiak Tomasz , Chase Ronald
Published: October 2003

Because oviposition in the land snail Helix aspersa is a metabolically expensive process coupled to a high fixed cost, one expects oviposition to occur only when the clutch size surpasses a minimum value at which the reproductive benefit exceeds the cost. We propose that neural innervation of the gonad allows H. aspersa to monitor oocyte production and ensure an adequate supply of gametes prior to ovulation. The ovotestis is innervated by a branch of the intestinal nerve in which the majority of axon fibres measure <0.2 μm in diameter. We found a strong positive correlation between the number of mature oocytes in the ovotestis and the frequency of spontaneous afferent spikes in the nerve branch. Tactile stimulation of the ovotestis resulted in a 20-fold increase in afferent spikes and an efferent reflex directed towards the ovotestis and the pericardium. Afferent activity also increased 10-fold after an experimentally induced increase in the volume of the ovotestis. These results suggest that the growing oocytes expand the walls of the acini and trigger action potentials in the mechanosensitive nerve terminals that lie within the acinar walls. We hypothesize that the resulting tonic signal is permissive for ovulation. In addition, a phasic sensory signal may occur during ovulation to trigger CNS motor output related to oviposition.
Burrow surveillance in fiddler crabs I. Description of behaviour
Authors: Hemmi Jan M. , Zeil J.
Published: October 2003

When defending resources, animals need to reliably detect and identify potential competitors. Animals that live at high population densities would be expected to be efficient in this aspect of resource defence since the time lost in false alarms could be substantial and the failure of identifying a competitor could be very costly. How does an animal decide whether another animal is or is not a threat to a resource or a territory?

Fiddler crabs [Uca vomeris (McNeill)] operate from burrows that they guard and defend vigorously against other crabs. The crabs live in dense populations, with many animals inhabiting one square metre of mudflat. We describe here the behavioural responses of foraging crabs to repeated presentations of small crab-like dummies approaching their burrows. We explore the relationship between the probability and the timing of burrow defence responses, the crab's behavioural state, and the visual appearance and direction of approach of the dummies. We find that the probability of response of resident crabs is independent of the relative position of crab and dummy but is strongly affected by the dummy's position and movement direction relative to the crab's burrow. The critical stimuli are the dummy's distance from the crab's burrow and whether the dummy is moving towards the burrow or not. The response distance (dummy-burrow distance) increases with the crab's own distance from the burrow, indicating that the crabs modify their assessment of threat depending on their own distance away from the burrow. Differences in dummy size and brightness do not affect the probability or the timing of the response.

We discuss these results in the context of fiddler crab social life and, in a companion paper, identify the visual and non-visual cues involved in burrow defence.
Slow death in the leopard frogRana pipiens: neurotransmitters and anoxia tolerance
Authors: Milton Sarah L. , Manuel Liscia , Lutz Peter L.
Published: October 2003

While frogs such as Rana temporaria are known to withstand 4-5 h anoxia at room temperature, little is known about the neurological adaptations that permit this. Previous research has shown that changes in neuroactive compounds such as glutamate and dopamine in anoxia-sensitive (mammalian)brains follow a strikingly different pattern than is observed in truly anoxia-tolerant vertebrates such as the freshwater turtle. The present study measured changes in the levels of whole brain and extracellular amino acids,and extracellular dopamine, in the normoxic and 3-4 h anoxic frog Rana pipiens, in order to determine whether their neurotransmitter responses resemble the anoxia-vulnerable or anoxia-tolerant response. Increases in whole brain serine, glycine, alanine and GABA levels were similar to those seen in anoxia-tolerant species, although the levels of glutamine, taurine and glutamate did not increase as occurs in true facultative anaerobes. Extracellular levels of aspartate, taurine and GABA also increased significantly, while glutamate levels decreased. The maintenance of low extracellular glutamate was the most significant difference between the frog and the anoxic/ischemic mammalian brain, although aspartate did increase 215%over a 4 h period of anoxia. A 12-fold increase in extracellular dopamine levels during anoxia was the biggest contrast between anoxia-tolerant vertebrates and R. pipiens. The frog could thus be an interesting model in which to examine the mechanisms of dopamine failure in early anoxia,which occurs rapidly in the mammal but over a period of hours in the `slow death' of the anoxic frog brain.
Waved albatrosses can navigate with strong magnets attached to their head
Authors: Mouritsen Henrik , Huyvaert Kathryn P. , Frost Barrie J. , Anderson David J.
Published: October 2003

The foraging excursions of waved albatrosses Phoebastria irrorataduring incubation are ideally suited for navigational studies because they navigate between their Galápagos breeding site and one specific foraging site in the upwelling zone of Peru along highly predictable,straight-line routes. We used satellite telemetry to follow free-flying albatrosses after manipulating magnetic orientation cues by attaching magnets to strategic places on the birds' heads. All experimental, sham-manipulated and control birds, were able to navigate back and forth from Galápagos to their normal foraging sites at the Peruvian coast over 1000 km away. Birds subjected to the three treatments did not differ in the routes flown or in the duration and speed of the trips. The interpretations and implications of this result depend on which of the current suggested magnetic sensory mechanisms is actually being used by the birds.
Energy metabolism and valve closure behaviour in the Asian clamCorbicula fluminea
Authors: Ortmann Christian , Grieshaber Manfred K.
Published: October 2003

Since its invasion of Europe in the early 1980s, the Asian clam Corbicula fluminea has become very abundant in nearly all western river systems. Today this species is one of the most important biomass producers in the River Rhine. Monitoring the valve movements of C. fluminea over a period of 2 years revealed a circadian rhythm in summer,with extended periods (10-12 h) of valve closure, predominantly in the morning hours. Altogether valve movements were very scarce, frequently fewer than four movements per individual per day.

Simultaneous measurements of heat dissipation and oxygen consumption(calorespirometry) revealed an intermittent metabolism in the clam. With the onset of valve closure, C. fluminea reduced its metabolic rate to 10%of the standard metabolic rate (SMR) measured when the valves were open. Nevertheless, this depressed metabolism remained aerobic for several hours,enabling the clam to save energy and substrates compared to the requirements of the tenfold higher SMR. Only during long-lasting periods of valve closure(more than 5-10 h) did the clams become anaerobic and accumulate succinate within their tissues (2 μmol g-1 fresh mass). Succinate is transported into the mantle cavity fluid, where it reaches concentrations of 4-6 mmol l-1. Because this succinate-enriched fluid must pass the gills when the valves open again, we suggest that this anaerobic end product is at least partly reabsorbed, thus reducing the loss of valuable substrates during anaerobiosis. Propionate was also produced, but only during experimental N2-incubation, under near-anoxic conditions.

The intermittent metabolism of C. fluminea is discussed as an adaption to efficiently exploit the rare food supply, saving substrates by the pronounced metabolic depression during valve closure.
Design and development of a vertical take-off and landing uninhabited aerial vehicle
Authors: Avanzini G , D'Angelo S , de Matteis G
Published: October 2003

This paper reports the status of the activities carried out at Polytechnic of Turin and University of Rome “La Sapienza” to design, build and fly a shrouded-fan uninhabited aerial vehicle. The project goal is the realization of a reliable vertical take-off and landing platform to be used for research activities in various fields including autonomous remote sensing, design and development of rapid prototype vehicles, flight control system design and high-fidelity modelling for simulation-based control system validation.
The ‘good father’: Reading men's accounts of paternal involvement during the transition to first‐time fatherhood
Authors: Henwood Karen , Procter Joanne
Published: October 2003

The study investigates men's responses to contemporary sociocultural transformations in masculinity and fatherhood, and revised expectations of them as fathers. Four cultural and academic perspectives on ‘new fatherhood’ are described: a progressive psychosocial transformation agenda, attempts to reinstate traditional family values, a mix of optimism and resistance to change in men and fathers' relationshipto the gender order, and criticism of new fatherhood discourse for reproducing hegemonic masculinity. A qualitative analysis is conducted of interviews conducted with a heterogeneous sample of 30 men aged 18–35 years in Norfolk. Interviewees overwhelmingly welcomed the opportunities offered to them by the new fatherhood model and supported a perceived cultural shift towards men and fathers being involved in, rather than detached from, family life. But three areas of tension and difficulty in living the ideal were also reported: providing cash and care; valuing selflessness and autonomy; and negotiating fairness, equity and decision making (for fathers who rather than helping out wanted full involvement in child care). We conclude that neither the ‘hegemonic masculinity’ nor the ‘men as part of the family’ perspectives exhaust the options for reading the gratifications and tensions advanced in men's accounts of living contemporary fatherhood. Arguments for greater balance in appreciating the problems and advantages of new fatherhood, or that men need to undergo greater change, also fail to offer points of closure.
Shared impression formation in the cognitively interdependent dyad
Authors: Ruscher Janet B. , Santuzzi Alecia M. , Hammer Elizabeth Yost
Published: October 2003

We examined the role of cognitive interdependence in determining how close friends form shared impressions of another person. Cognitive interdependence should provide a processing advantage, such that close friends are more efficient in forming shared impressions and are more successful at doing so. Under normal circumstances, the conversations of close friends should be marked by little necessity to make explicit requests for information, mutual recognition of who currently is controlling the flow of conversation, and willingness to express differences in opinion. Given these advantages, close friends also should be able to form complex shared impressions that go beyond mere one‐sided stereotypic judgments and that instead resolve apparent discrepancies in the target's personality. However, if the cognitive interdependence system is disrupted by mutual distraction, these advantages should attenuate or even reverse. Dyads of varying degrees of closeness were mutually distracted or not while discussing their impressions of another female college student. Results supported predictions and are discussed with reference to how cognitive interdependence may help close dyads function within their mutual social networks.
Mentality or morality? Membership categorization, multiple meanings and mass murder
Authors: Rapley Mark , McCarthy David , McHoul Alec
Published: October 2003

A central topic for social psychology is how we identify, categorize or represent ourselves to ourselves and to each other. Previous work on this topic stemming from attribution theory, social identity theory, self‐categorization theory and social representations theory has tended to accept the dominant cognitivist tenet of an interior self which is (with varying degrees of success) re‐presented in ordinary discourse. Against this tradition, and drawing on membership categorization analysis, we argue here for an attention to ordinary members' methods of categorizing the self. Such devices are constitutive of a culture. Accounts of the self (whether lay or professional) cannot avoid reliance on such devices. Our particular case involves a corpus of materials from the press surrounding the Port Arthur massacre: the shooting of 35 people by a lone gunman, Martin Bryant, in Tasmania in 1996. In this case, where public accountings for what ‘makes up’ a particular person are tied to an otherwise inexplicable but ultra‐newsworthy event, we find that lay and professional methods of accounting are remarkably congruent. One of the reasons for this congruence, we suggest, is that the categorization of persons is a fundamentally moral matter. Devices for producing everyday moral accounts, in actual practical circumstances, precede and ground, for example, ‘technical’, ‘clinical’ or ‘scientific’ judgments. We conclude that describing such routine (but ultimately grounding) cultural devices can be a central goal of social psychology, as opposed to explaining ‘the self’ by tacitly relying upon those same devices in an unacknowledged and unproblematized fashion.
Self‐views in close relationships: The influence of attachment styles
Authors: Broemer Philip , Blümle Melanie
Published: October 2003

Two studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that self models (positive vs. negative) determine whether temporarily accessible information changes one's self‐evaluations. Regularly dating participants were led to review selectively their relationship‐related behaviours which had either favourable or unfavourable implications for their close relationships. Based on the four‐group model of attachment (secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing; Bartholomew, 1990), attachment orientations were either assessed (Study 1) or activated by a guided imagination task (Study 2). The results show that participants holding a negative model of the self were more susceptible to variations in accessible information than those holding a positive model of the self. Their self‐evaluations shifted in the positive direction when positive information was salient and in the negative direction when negative information was salient. Secure and dismissing (positive self model) participants were largely unaffected by the salience manipulation. The results are discussed in light of theories that propose a dynamic self‐concept
Sol‐Gel‐Derived Sb‐Doped SnO2 Nanoparticles Controlled in Size by Nb2O5
Authors: Zhu X. , Geis‐Gerstorfer J.
Published: October 2003

Nanocrystalline Sb‐doped SnO2 particles were prepared by sol‐gel and their particle growth was controlled by niobium oxide. In the present synthesis, SnCl4 and SbCl3, as precursors, were dissolved and hydrolyzed in ethylene glycol at 80–120 °C, and further 0.1 mol.‐% Nb2O5 through its precursor NbCl5 was mixed to the above solution. The mixture was then dried at 120–150 °C and calcinated at 600 °C for 2 hours. By XRD and TEM, Sb‐doped SnO2 nanoparticles were highly crystalline and their mean crystal size was ca.10–20 nm with narrow particle size distribution. As the addition of antimony increased, the crystallinity and particle size distribution of SnO2 particles had the trend to decrease.
Disorder‐induced heating of ultracold plasmas
Authors: Gericke D.O. , Murillo M.S.
Published: October 2003

We report calculations for the disorder‐induced heating of the ions in ultracold plasmas that were created by ionization of ultracold, trapped gases. Since the ions gain a large amount of kinetic energy while building up negative potential energy, plasmas are usually heated to a moderately coupled state that is almost independent of the initial temperature. We show how this process is related to the establishment of Coulomb structure in the final plasma state. Several possibilities for reducing the heating by the introduction of structure in the initial state, i.e., the gas before ionization, are then discussed. (© 2003 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Effect of partial hepatectomy on in vivo engraftment after intravenous administration of human adipose tissue stromal cells in mouse
Authors: Kim Dong Heon , Je Chang Min , Sin Jin Yong , Jung Jin Sup
Published: October 2003

Their multidifferentiation potential makes human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) candidates for cell‐based therapeutic strategies for tissue injuries and for hematopoietic disorders by both local and systemic application. Despite their potential clinical utility in cellular and gene therapy, the fate of adipose stromal cells (ATSCs) after systemic administration is mostly unknown. In this study, we investigated the distribution of ATSCs injected intravenously and the effect of partial hepatectomy on their distribution. Adipose tissue stromal cells (hATSCs) were obtained from adipose tissues of adult human donors. Under appropriate culture conditions, hATSCs were induced to differentiate into osteocytes and adipocyte lineages. The hATSCs were marked by infection with the lacZ‐adeno virus, and the distribution of injected cells was examined by X‐Gal staining. Immunosuppression was achieved by the administration of cyclosporin into mice. The hATSCs were engrafted onto various tissues, including brain, thymus, heart, liver, and lung, after intravenous administration. Liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy enhanced the integration of hATCSCs into the liver. These results demonstrate that hATSCs have the ability to proliferate extensively in culture, and that they maintain their multilineage differentiation potential in vitro, establishing their progenitor cell nature. These cells are promising candidates for developing novel cell‐based therapeutic approaches to postnatal tissue repair. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:424–431 2003
Nanoscale structure–property relationships in conjugated polymers: Implications for present and future device applications
Authors: Winokur M. J. , Chunwachirasiri W.
Published: October 2003

The most prevalent molecular level structures and structure–property relationships for three basic classes of conjugated polymers are summarized. This discussion encompasses linear unsubstituted conducting polymers and those containing linear side‐chain and branched side‐chain substituents. The impact of these structural attributes on charge transport and photophysics is emphasized. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2630–2648, 2003
Imprecise color constancy versus color realism
Authors: Funt Brian V.
Published: October 2003

Byrne & Hilbert's thesis, that color be associated with reflectance-type, is questioned on the grounds that it is far from clear that the human visual system is able to determine a surface's reflectance-type with sufficient accuracy. In addition, a (friendly) suggestion is made as to how to amend the definition of reflectance-type in terms of CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage) coordinates under a canonical illuminant.
A Speedy Algorithm for Estimating the Correlation Dimension
Authors: Miao Xiaobo , He Wei , Yang Hao , Fang Liang
Published: October 2003

A new modified Grassberger and Precaccia Algorithm (GPA), called Δr neighborhood GPA, is investigated to estimate the correlation dimension (D2) in this paper. Comparison of time cost between the new algorithm and other GPAs exhibits its efficiency with scaling as O(N * Nref/q2), whereas the original algorithm's is O(N2), the box-assisted correlation algorithm's is O(N log N). The D2 result of Lorenz model calculated by the new algorithm satisfies the expectation well and thus tests its accuracy. Finally, a theoretical evaluation of the time cost of the Δr neighborhood GPA is discussed.
Transition to Measure Synchronization in Coupled Hamiltonian Systems
Authors: Wang Xingang , Hu Gang , Hu Kai , Lai C.-H.
Published: October 2003

The transition to measure synchronization in two coupled φ4 equations are investigated numerically both for quasiperiodic and chaotic cases. Quantities like the bare energy and phase difference are employed to study the underlying behaviors during this process. For transition between quasiperiodic states, the distribution of phase difference tends to concentrate at large angles before measure synchronization, and is confined to within a certain range after measure synchronization. For transition between quasiperiodicity and chaos, phase locking is not achieved and a random-walk-like behavior of the phase difference is found in the measure synchronized region. The scaling relationship of the phase distribution and the behavior of the bare energy are also discussed.
A Frequency Accurate Temporal Derivative Finite Difference Approximation
Authors: Orlin Peter A. , Perkins A. Louise , Heburn George
Published: October 2003

A method is presented for designing temporal derivative finite difference approximations that achieve specified accuracy in the frequency domain. A general average value approximation with undetermined coefficients is fitted in the spatial frequency domain to attain the desired properties of the approximation. A set of constraints to insure that the approximation convergences as the grid spacing approaches zero and satisfies the Lax Equivalence Theorem are imposed on the fitted coefficients. The specification of the underlying partial differential equation is required in order to replace the temporal frequency domain dependence of the approximation with an explicit spatial frequency domain relation based on the dispersion relation of the PDE. A practical design of the approximations is pursued using an heuristic zero placement method which results in a linear matrix formulation.
Local Intraosseous Injection of Staurosporine Increased Bone Formation in Rats
Authors: Yang Rong-Sen , Liu Tang-Kue , Lin-Shiau Shoei-Yn
Published: October 2003

The effects of local intraosseous injection of staurosporine on bone formation were investigated in the weaning Sprague-Dawley rats. The left tibia received administration of staurosporine (0.5 pmole/day for 2 weeks) into the metaphysis. The contralateral right tibia received injection with DMSO vehicle and saline was used for the control. Another group of rats which received no injection provided another normal control. The results showed that the body weight gain was decreased by staurosporine, but the tibial length was not affected. Histological examination showed that local injection of staurosporine significantly increased the metaphyseal bone trabeculae by 36%, as compared to the controls. In addition, periosteal bone formation was demonstrated in the staurosporine-treated limbs. The number of osteoblasts in primary spongiosa of the staurosporine-injected limbs and those of contralateral limbs was not different, so was the osteoclasts. However, the number of osteoblasts and that of osteoclasts in secondary spongiosa in the staurosporine-injected limbs increased, as compared to the controls. This finding confirmed a stimulatory role of staurosporine in bone formation.
Dynamic Force Properties of Soleus, And Sensorimotor Interactions of Soleus, Medial Gastrocnemius, and Tibialis Anterior in the Freely Moving Cat
Authors: Herzog W. , Leonard T. R.
Published: October 2003

The dynamic properties of the cat soleus muscle were studied in freely walking animal preparations. The force and EMG responses of the soleus following supramaximal, ins tants of the step cycle. The sensorimotor interactions of soleus with the medial head of the gastrocnemius (a functional agonist of the soleus at the ankle) and the tibialis anterior (a functional antagonist of soleus at the ankle) were studied by measuring their force and EMG responses following the artifical stimulation of the soleus nerve. Supramaximal nerve stimulation showed distinct increases in the soleus forces during the entire swing phase and the second part (after peak forces had been reached) of the stance phase. Soleus forces could only be increased slightly in the first part of stance (from paw contact to peak force).

These results suggest that force production of the soleus is virtually maximal during the early phases of stance but is submaximal for the remainder of the step cycle. Forces and EMGs of the medial gastrocnemius muscle were affected by the soleus nerve stimulation only in the latter part of the swing phase. In these cases, the force and EMG of the medial gastrocnemius were reduced significantly for the step cycle following the perturbation. The active force production of soleus during late swing causes an inhibition of medial gastrocnemius activity and force. Forces and EMGs of the tibialis anterior muscle were always affected by the soleus nerve stimulation during the swing phase of the step cycle. In these case, the force EMG of the medial gastrocnemius were reduced significantly for the step cycle following the perturbation. The active force production of soleus during late swing causes an inhibition of medial gastrocnemius activity and force. Forces and EMGs of the tibialis anterior muscle were always affected by the soleus nerve stimulation during the swing phase of the step cycle. In these instances, forces and EMGs of the tibialis anterior were significantly increased compared to step cycles preceding or following the perturbation. Part of the force enhancement is caused by the stretch of the activated tibialis anterior by the soleus, and part of the enhancement is caused by reflex activation. No effects on forces or EMGs of the tibialis anterior were observed when the soleus nerve stimulation showed its effects during the stance phase of the step cycle. The results of theis study suggest that the magnitude and the quality of ensorimotor interactions of soleus with medial gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior depend on the phase of the step cycle. The strongest interactions appear to exist during the swing phase; no observable interactions were found during stance.
Traumatic Occipitocervical Instability
Authors: Lee E-J. , Hung Y.-C. , Wang L.-C. , Chen H.-H. , Yu Chin-Yin
Published: October 2003

Traumatic occipitocervical instability (OCI) is a serious injury which often leads to death. It represents a group of instabilities at the occipitoatlantoaxial (C0-C1-C2) region. With the improvement in emergency transport services, more patients survive the injury. Over a 24-month period beginning July 1993, 4 patients of 82 cervical spinal injuries had traumatic OCI with an incidence of 5%. Three of these OCI patients were injured in deceleration crashes of their motorcycle (distractive or distractive flexion injury), and displayed either anterior displacement or vertical distraction of C0-C1 on C2. The remaining patient was a hanging suicide (distractive rotatory-extension injury), and showed posterior C0-C1 dislocation. At admission, all four OCI patients presented in a state of unconsciousness, complete quadriplegia and ventilator dependence. Three of the four patients died of primary brain stem injury within 48 hours of admission. The remaining patient who regained consciousness following emergency resuscitation and Gardner-Wells skeletal traction survived for over two weeks with unchanged quadriplegia and ventilator dependence. Clinical presentations, trauma mechanisms, radiological findings as well as outcome of the 4 patients are discussed.
Interactive boolean operations on surfel-bounded solids
Authors: Adams Bart , Dutré Philip
Published: October 2003

In this paper we present an algorithm to perform interactive boolean operations on free-form solids bounded by surfels. We introduce a fast inside-outside test to check whether surfels lie within the bounds of another surfel-bounded solid. This enables us to add, subtract and intersect complex solids at interactive rates. Our algorithm is fast both in displaying and constructing the new geometry resulting from the boolean operation.We present a resampling operator to solve problems resulting from sharp edges in the resulting solid. The operator resamples the surfels intersecting with the surface of the other solid. This enables us to represent the sharp edges with great detail.We believe our algorithm to be an ideal tool for interactive editing of free-form solids.
Bosnian and Soviet Refugees' Experiences with Health Care
Authors: Lipson Juliene G. , Weinstein Harvey M. , Gladstone Eleanor A. , Sarnoff Rhonda H.
Published: October 2003

Studies of refugees in the United States rarely address health the first few years following resettlement in part because the refugees become subsumed under the foreign-born or immigrant category. A national study reaffirmed the so-called healthy immigrant effect, but fewer sick days and less physician use may actually reflect access problems, economic concerns, and health beliefs or practices that clash with American health care. Because statistics may mask differences in health and why people seek professional care, it is important to combine qualitative and quantitative approaches. This study examined health, illness, and health care use patterns of refugees in Northern California using a database analysis, a medical record review, and an ethnographic study of the Bosnian and former Soviet Union refugee communities. This article describes some ethnographic findings from participant observation, semistructured interviews, and focus groups, with an emphasis on people's experiences with health care, health risk behaviors, and self-care.
Working Out
Authors: Zoller Heather M.
Published: October 2003

This article examines workplace health promotion (WHP) from a critical perspective. Based on a 2-year ethnographic case study of the development of the Associate Recreation Center (ARC) at an automobile manufacturing plant, the study investigates the interrelationships between health promotion discourse and managerial ideology, and the corresponding implications for employees perceptions of health, the healthy body, and personal identity. Analysis suggests that the field of WHP draws on dominant social discourses of health that embody managerialist values. This initiative encouraged employees to adopt managerial-values of self-denial and self-control as the central components of health, producing self-disciplining bodies and hegemonic judgments of self and other.