bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring physiotherapists’ guideline adherence by means of clinical vignettes: a validation study
Authors: Rutten Geert M.J. , Harting Janneke , Rutten Stephen T.J. , Bekkering Geertruida E. , Kremers Stef P.J.
Published: September 2006

Rationale, aims and objectives  To assess the criterion validity of paper‐and‐pencil vignettes to assess guideline adherence by physiotherapists in the Netherlands. The evidence‐based physiotherapy practice guideline for low back pain was used as an example.

Methods  Four vignettes were constructed and pre‐tested. Three vignettes were found to represent an adequate case‐mix. They described one patient with specific low back pain, one with non‐specific low back pain and a normal recovery process and one with non‐specific low back pain and a delay in the recovery process. Invited to participate were 113 primary care physiotherapists who had joined an randomized controlled trial study 8 months before, in which guideline adherence had been measured by means of semi‐structured treatment recording forms. The criterion validity was determined with Spearman’s rs, using Cohen’s classification for the behavioural sciences to categorize its effect size.

Results  Of the 72 physiotherapists who agreed to participate, 39 completed the questions on the vignettes. In the end, both adherence measures were available for 34 participants, providing 102 vignettes and 268 recording forms. Mean guideline adherence scores were 57% (SD = 17) when measured by vignettes and 74% (SD = 15) when measured by recording forms. Spearman’s rs was 0.31 (P = 0.036), which, according to Cohen’s classification, is a medium effect size.

Conclusion  Vignettes are of acceptable validity, and are an inexpensive and manageable instrument to measure guideline adherence among large groups of physiotherapists. Further validation studies could benefit from the use of standardized patients as a gold standard, a more diverse case mix to better reflect real physiotherapy practice, and the inclusion of longitudinal vignettes that cover the patients’ course of treatment.
Rapid assessment of severe cognitive impairment in individuals with developmental disabilities
Authors: Walsh D. M. , Finwall J. , Touchette P. E. , McGregor M. R. , Fernandez G. E. , Lott I. T. , Sandman C. A.
Published: September 2006

Background  Most standardized intelligence tests require more than 1 hour for administration, which is problematic when evaluating individuals with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (IDDD), because a significant proportion of these individuals can not tolerate lengthy evaluations. Furthermore, most standardized intelligence tests are of limited usefulness for individuals with severe cognitive deficits because of floor effects.

Methods  A number of low‐difficulty items were selected from standardized tests. A total of 271 participants with profound, severe, moderate and mild levels of cognitive impairment took part in this study. In the formative phase, 68 participants were evaluated with the selected items, and those items that differentiated between levels of cognitive impairment were retained in the battery. The instrument was then modified and standardized with an additional 203 participants.

Results  The instrument, referred to as the Rapid Assessment for Developmental Disabilities (RADD), required 10–25 min for administration. Internal reliability estimates from the RADD total score and from individual subtests satisfied conventional and rigorous statistical criteria (median alpha r = 0.93). The RADD total score was strongly correlated with the level of cognitive impairment (rho = 0.86). The RADD total score and individual subtests differentiated between all levels of cognitive impairment ( Wilks Λ = 0.135, F42,525.832 = 12.075, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curves indicated the instrument was particularly sensitive to the cognitive abilities of the most seriously impaired participants.

Conclusions  The RADD, composed of low‐difficulty items from published tests, is rapidly administered, assesses a wide range of cognitive skills and differentiates among all levels of cognitive impairment. The battery has clinical utility with populations exhibiting short attention spans because of its ability to quickly assess a wide range of cognitive abilities. The RADD also has research potential for the documentation of cognitive function in studies of individuals with IDDD.
Temperament in velocardiofacial syndrome
Authors: Antshel K. M. , Stallone K. , AbdulSabur N. , Shprintzen R. , Roizen N. , Higgins A. M. , Kates W. R.
Published: September 2006

Background  Velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) is a microdeletion syndrome caused by a 22q11.2 chromosomal deletion.

Methods  In this study, parents reported on their own temperament as well as the temperament of their child. Sixty‐seven children with VCFS (mean age = 10.8, SD = 2.8; range 6–15), and age‐, race‐ and gender‐ratio matched samples of 47 community control participants (mean age = 10.4, SD = 2.6; range 6–15), and 18 sibling control participants (mean age = 12.1, SD = 1.9; range 9–15) took part in the current project.

Results  Children with VCFS have a temperament that may best be described as modestly difficult; while participants with VCFS were not more difficult across all temperamental domains, children with VCFS were rated by their parents as being: (1) less regular in their daily habits (e.g. eating at the same time each day, etc.); (2) less able to focus/sustain attention; (3) less cheerful/pleasant; (4) less likely to stay with an activity for a long time; and (5) less able to respond flexibly to changes in the environment.

Conclusions  The best predictors of parent report of behavioural symptoms in children with VCFS were poor concordance between parent and child temperament across general activity level and mood domains.
An evaluation of Beck’s cognitive theory of depression in adults with intellectual disability
Authors: Esbensen A. J. , Benson B. A.
Published: September 2006

Background  The theories supporting cognitive treatment for depression among individuals with intellectual disability (ID) have not been formally tested with this population. The current study evaluated Beck’s cognitive theory of depression to determine its appropriateness for adults with ID.

Methods  Forty‐eight adults with primarily mild or moderate ID participated in semi‐structured interviews, twice approximately 16 weeks apart, as did an additional 12 adults diagnosed with depression. Participants reported on depressed mood, the cognitive triad, as measured by views of the self, the world and the future, hopelessness and self‐esteem.

Results  The Cognitive Triad Inventory for Children (CTI‐C) displayed adequate psychometric properties in this sample. In addition, it was correlated with depressed mood, and individuals diagnosed with depression had significantly higher scores on the CTI‐C than those with no psychiatric diagnoses. Contrary to hypotheses, a negative cognitive triad did not predict depressed mood 4 months later, but the inverse relationship where depressed mood predicted a later negative cognitive triad approached statistical significance.

Conclusions  The findings indicate that the cognitive triad can be measured among individuals with mild or moderate ID and is related to depression and depressed mood. However, the role of the cognitive triad in the development of depression is still unknown. The findings provide some support for Beck’s cognitive theory of depression among individuals with ID and provide suggestions for further testing the theory. Implications for the treatment of depression among individuals with ID are discussed.
Morphological Substrate of the Catecholaminergic Input of the Vasopressin Neuronal System in Humans
Authors: Dudás B. , Semeniken K. R. , Merchenthaler I.
Published: September 2006

It has been postulated that the stress response is associated with water balance via regulating vasopressin release. Nausea, surgical stress and insulin‐induced hypoglycaemia were shown to stimulate vasopressin secretion in humans. Increased vasopressin release in turn induces water resorption through the kidneys. Although the mechanism of the stress‐mediated vasopressin release is not entirely understood, it is generally accepted that catecholamines play a crucial role in influencing water balance by modulating the secretion of vasopressin. However, the morphological substrate of this modulation has not yet been established. The present study utilised double‐label immunohistochemistry to reveal putative juxtapositions between tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)‐immunoreactive (IR) catecholaminergic system and the vasopressin systems in the human hypothalamus. In the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, numerous vasopressin‐IR neurones received TH‐IR axon varicosities. Analysis of these juxtapositions with high magnification combined with oil immersion did not reveal any gaps between the contacted elements. In conclusion, the intimate associations between the TH‐IR and vasopressin‐IR elements may be functional synapses and may represent the morphological basis of vasopressin release modulated by stressors. Because certain vasopressin‐IR perikarya receive no detectable TH innervations, it is possible that additional mechanisms may participate in the stress‐influenced vasopressin release.
Evaluation of the WHO Haemoglobin Colour Scale for diagnosis of anaemia in children and pregnant women as used by primary health care nurses and community health workers in western Kenya
Authors: Lindblade Kim A. , Mwololo Kumbu , Van Eijk Anna M. , Peterson Elizabeth , Odhiambo Frank , Williamson John , Slutsker Laurence
Published: September 2006

Objectives  To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the WHO Haemoglobin Colour Scale (HCS) for anaemia in three groups of children aged 2 months to 2 years (sick children, those visiting an immunization clinic and a community‐based random sample of children) and a sample of pregnant women.

Methods  Finger‐prick blood samples were taken from all consenting participants. Haemoglobin (Hb) levels from the HCS were compared with results from a HemoCueTM portable haemoglobinometer. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for the HCS were calculated.

Results  A total of 457 sick children, 336 children visiting immunization clinics, 454 children from the community at large and 643 pregnant women participated. The prevalence of anaemia (Hb < 11 g/dl) in these groups was 87%, 79%, 74% and 52%, respectively. The prevalence of severe anaemia (Hb < 7 g/dl) was 24%, 11%, 10% and 2%, respectively. The sensitivity of the HCS for anaemia ranged from 60% to 79% and specificity from 59% to 94%. The sensitivity of the HCS for severe anaemia ranged from 24% to 63% and the specificity from 97% to 100%. Through use of the HCS, the proportion of sick, anaemic children visiting peripheral health facilities diagnosed and treated for anaemia would increase from 3% to 65%.

Conclusions  In an area with high prevalence of anaemia among sick children, use of the HCS has the potential to significantly increase the proportion of sick, anaemic children who are diagnosed with anaemia and given appropriate treatment. Further evaluations of the effect of the use of the HCS on treatment practices at the health facility level are required.
New onset diabetes mellitus post‐kidney transplantation
Authors: Kiberd Mathew , Panek Romauld , Kiberd Bryce A.
Published: September 2006

Abstract:  The study explores the prevalence of unrecognized diabetes mellitus (DM), the incidence and risk factors new onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) and determines whether patient survival differs between patients with transient (NODM that resolves) compared with those with fixed NODM. This is a single center review of solitary kidney recipients transplanted from 1993 to 2003. Of the 381 patients without DM pre‐transplant, 111 met criteria for DM post. Of these 17 were unrecognized to have DM, 31 had transient (resolved) NODM and 64 had fixed NODM. In a multivariate analysis, age, body mass index, repeat transplant and rejection were risk factors for NODM. In a separate analysis of only fixed NODM, tacrolimus use showed a trend for an independent association (HR 1.7 95% CI 0.95–2.9). NODM patient survival was comparable to non‐diabetic recipients even up to 10 yr; however, excess mortality started to be seen in the fixed NODM subgroup at late follow up. Use of more stringent DM criteria results in a population with relatively good intermediate term survival and allows detection and treatment of early disease. Transient NODM represents approximately one third of NODM and has a relatively good prognosis.
Post‐Strike Behavior of Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) During Natural Predation Events
Authors: Clark Rulon W.
Published: September 2006

The complexity of natural environments is an important component of animal behavior, and laboratory environments often cannot reproduce that complexity. Strike‐induced chemosensory searching (SICS) is a robust phenomenon among venomous snakes that has been studied extensively in the laboratory. To date, observations of this behavior in the field have been limited largely to anecdotes; the extent to which post‐strike behaviors in the laboratory accurately reflect what occurs in nature has not been examined. In this study, I use time‐lapse video equipment in the field to record the predatory behavior of timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus). This represents the first quantitative analysis of post‐strike predatory behaviors associated with natural feeding events. As in the laboratory, stereotyped post‐strike behaviors were only observed after successful strikes, and not after missed strikes. Snakes in the field were observed to proceed through the same basic behavioral stages that have been documented in the laboratory: striking prey, releasing prey immediately after strike, post‐strike immobility, location of the chemosensory trail, trail following, and prey swallowing. However, the duration of post‐strike immobility, trail location, and prey swallowing was substantially longer in field than in laboratory studies. Additionally, post‐strike immobility was significantly longer when snakes struck large prey (prey over 100 g) than when they struck small prey. Overall, these results indicate that the behavioral challenges associated with SICS may be more robust than laboratory studies have indicated.
Calculation of intraocular lens power after corneal refractive surgery
Authors: Chan Colin CK , Hodge Chris , Lawless Michael
Published: September 2006

Abstract

Purpose:  Underestimation of required intraocular lens (IOL) power with resultant hyperopia is common in post‐corneal refractive surgery eyes. A number of methods to minimize error have been proposed but most studies have been small and theoretical.

Methods:  We retrospectively reviewed 34 eyes that had undergone routine phacoemulsification and IOL implantation after photorefractive keratectomy or laser in situ keratomileusis. Sixteen eyes were included in the final analysis. Using known pre‐ and postoperative data, four methods were used to obtain keratometric values combined with three common IOL formulae (Holladay 2, SRK/T and Hoffer Q) and Koch’s published Double‐K nomogram. The Double‐K method was also used in conjunction with the Holladay 2 formula. Target refractions were calculated and then compared to actual postoperative results.

Results:  The Clinical History method at the spectacle plane produced the lowest mean K‐values. Shammas adjustment formula combined with the Holladay 2 and Hoffer Q produced results closest to emmetropia. The Double‐K methods produced the least number of hyperopic results. Overall, all methods would have resulted in unacceptably high rates of hyperopia and deviation from target refraction.

Conclusions:  No method produces acceptably consistent results because modern IOL formulae were designed for presurgical eyes. Accuracy will only be improved when new IOL formulae based on the anatomy of postrefractive eyes become available. Shammas adjustment formula and regression formulae are viable alternatives especially when there is a lack of preoperative data. The Double‐K methods are best suited to avoiding a hyperopic surprise.
Immunofluorescence detection of globotriaosylceramide deposits in conjunctival biopsies of Fabry disease patients
Authors: Rozenfeld Paula A , Croxatto Oscar , Ebner Roberto , Fossati Carlos A
Published: September 2006

Abstract

Background:  Fabry disease is an X‐linked disorder due to a deficiency of α‐galactosidase A and leads to the accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) in various cells. The detection of Gb3 deposits may help in the diagnosis. To date, no immunofluorescence‐specific detection of Gb3 in conjunctival biopsies has been reported. The aim of this work was to detect Gb3 accumulation in conjunctival biopsies from Fabry patients by immunofluorescence.

Methods:  Conjunctival biopsies taken from Fabry males and females, before and after enzyme replacement therapy, and normal controls were processed for immunofluorescence with a monoclonal antibody specific for Gb3.

Results:  Positive green immunofluorescence was observed in all biopsies from Fabry patients before enzyme replacement therapy. After 6 months of treatment, immunofluorescence in blood vessels was not observed.

Conclusions:  Immunofluorescence detection of Gb3 in conjunctival biopsies may be a reliable method for the diagnosis of Fabry disease in family members, and to evaluate effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy.
Giant cell arteritis presenting with scalp necrosis – the timing of temporal artery biopsy?
Authors: Morris Olivia C , Paine Mark A , O’Day Justin
Published: September 2006

Abstract

Scalp necrosis in patients presenting with clinical features suggestive of giant cell arteritis is rare. The immediate concern is that temporal artery biopsy might further compromise scalp circulation. We report a case of extensive scalp necrosis caused by giant cell arteritis. Temporal artery biopsy performed after 14 days was not associated with any significant damage and still provided florid evidence of the disease. Rapid and complete scalp healing was achieved with aggressive treatment.
Effect of pruning and ground treatments on the populations of Hylobitelus xiaoi Zhang, a new debarking weevil in slash pine plantations
Authors: Wen Xiaosui , Shi Mingqing , Zhu Liubo , Fu Delu
Published: September 2006

1 Adults of Hylobilus xiaoi Zhang spend the daylight hours in bark crevices of lower stem or shallow cracks in the soil near the base of the host. Adults are both thermophobic and photophobic.

2 Pruning the lower whorls of slash pine branches and removing duff and scraping soil around the tree base modified the adult habitat.

3 Both adult and larval abundance was inversely related to intensity of treatment, suggesting that the greater exposure to light or heat, or both, at the tree base, the less favourable was the habitat to the insect.

4 It was concluded that branch pruning together with duff removal and ground scarification was the best silvicultural approoach to reduce weevil abundance.
Comparative fecundity and oocyte size of Aristaeomorpha foliacea and Aristeus antennatus in the Greek Ionian Sea (E. Mediterranean) (Decapoda: Aristeidae)
Authors: Kapiris Kostas , Thessalou‐Legaki Maria
Published: September 2006

Absolute and relative fecundity of 49 ripe gonads (from the cephalic and the abdominal sections of the same specimen) of Aristaeomorpha foliacea and 71 ripe gonads of Aristeus antennatus caught in the Ionian Sea (E. Mediterranean) and their oocyte size were studied. Both average absolute and relative fecundities estimated for A. antennatus were statistically higher than those estimated for A. foliacea; the average absolute fecundity of A. foliacea was 151 936 oocytes/female and that of A. antennatus was 200 472 oocytes/female and the average relative fecundity of A. foliacea was 5477 oocytes/g and that of A. antennatus was 9386 oocytes/g. Fecundity in both red shrimp species is linearly related to carapace length, body and gonad weight, although, the most precise estimation is provided by the relationship of body weight and fecundity. In the present study, the oocyte size (diameter, volume) of both species could be considered very large. In conclusion, A. foliacea shows lower fecundity than A. antennatus, having a lower ovogenetic activity, but it produces larger oocytes. This is in accordance with the highest value of the gonad weight and gonad volume of A. foliacea exhibited in relation to A. antennatus.
Arenophilic mantle glands in the Laternulidae (Bivalvia: Anomalodesmata) and their evolutionary significance
Authors: Sartori André Fernando , Passos Flávio Dias , Domaneschi Osmar
Published: September 2006

The mantle margins of several anomalodesmatans bear multicellular arenophilic glands, the mucoid secretions of which attach sand grains and other foreign particles to the outer surface of the periostracum. These glands have been recorded for many of the anomalodesmatan families and are used as a key morphological character in recent attempts to unravel the evolutionary relationships within the Anomalodesmata. The glands occur in Laternula elliptica, L. truncata, L. boschasina and L. marilina, discharging from the top of muscular papillae at the distal tip of the siphons. The secretions are laid down as threads organized in longitudinal lines along the length of the periostracum that covers the siphonal walls. This is the first record of arenophilic mantle glands in members of the Laternulidae, a finding that not only broadens our current knowledge of the family's morphology, but assists in the reconstruction of anomalodesmatan evolutionary history.
External morphology of the short‐beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis: growth, allometric relationships and sexual dimorphism
Authors: Murphy Sinéad , Rogan Emer
Published: September 2006

Growth, allometric relationships and sexual dimorphism are described from measurements of 105 male, 149 female and 38 unsexed specimens of short‐beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, stranded along the Irish coastline (53.8% of the sample) or by‐caught in fisheries (46.2% of the sample), from 1990 to 2003. For each dolphin, 24 external body length measurements were recorded. Ages were determined for 183 dolphins by analysis of growth layer groups in the dentine. Males ranged in total body length (TBL) from 105 to 231 cm and females from 93 to 230 cm, with a maximum age of 25 years obtained for both sexes. Using a single Gompertz growth curve, asymptotic values obtained for TBL were 211.6 cm and 197.4 cm for males and females, respectively. Asymptotic lengths were attained at 11 years in males and 9 years in females. The gestation period was estimated to last approximately 11.5 months. Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) was evident, with males being significantly larger than females for 20 of the characters measured, and an SSD ratio of 1.06 was obtained. Sexual shape dimorphism was lacking, except for the presence of prominent postanal humps in mature males.
Sperm aggregations in the spermatheca of the red back salamander (Plethodon cinereus)
Authors: Sever David M. , Siegel Dustin S.
Published: September 2006

The spermatheca of Plethodon cinereus is a compound tubular gland that stores sperm from mating in early spring (March–April) to oviposition in summer (June–July). The seasonal variation of sperm storage in this species has previously been studied by light and transmission electron microscopy. In this paper, sperm aggregations, interaction of sperm with the spermathecal epithelium, and spermathecal secretions are studied using scanning electron microscopy. Within spermathecal tubules, relatively small groups of sperm are aligned along their entire lengths in parallel arrays. This pattern is similar to other plethdontids with complex spermathecae. Lumina of spermathecal tubules are filled with secretory material in April prior to the arrival of sperm, and after sperm appear, a coating of secretory material persists on the apices of the spermathecal epithelium. Sperm peripheral to the central luminal mass can become embedded in the secretory matrix or pushed deeper into the spermathecal epithelium. The spermathecal secretions may serve to attract and prolong the viability of sperm, but sperm that become enmeshed in the secretions or epithelium are phagocytized. Sperm and spermathecal secretions are largely absent after ovulation and in summer months, and new secretory vacuoles are formed in fall, although mating does not occur until spring.
Revisiting dandruff
Authors: Piérard‐Franchimont C. , Xhauflaire‐Uhoda E. , Piérard G. E.
Published: September 2006

Synopsis

Dandruff is a common scalp disorder affecting almost half of the postpubertal population of any ethnicity and both genders. It may, however, represent a stubborn esthetical disturbance often source of pruritus. Skin biocenosis, in particular the Malassezia spp. flora, plays a key aetiologic role, in combination with the unusual capacity of some corneocytes to be coated by these yeasts. Substantial evidence indicates that keratinocytes play an active role in the generation and expression of immunopathological reactions. This is probably the case in dandruff. Upon stimulation of a critical colonization of corneocytes by Malassezia yeasts, the release of pro‐inflammatory mediators is increased. This could lead to the subclinical microinflammation present in dandruff. In seborrheic dermatitis, local deposits of immunoglobulins and the release of lymphokines are responsible for the recruitment and local activation of leukocytes leading to the eventual amplification of the inflammatory reaction. Some ancillary non‐microbial causes of dandruff may operate through physical or chemical irritants. Many methods have been described for rating dandruff. Our favourite tools are clinical examination and squamometry. Dandruff can precipitate telogen effluvium and exacerbate androgenic alopecia. Antidandruff formulations exhibiting some direct or indirect anti‐inflammatory activity can improve both dandruff and its subsequent hair cycle disturbance.
Effects of environmentally realistic levels of ozone on stratum corneum function
Authors: He Q. C. , Tavakkol A. , Wietecha K. , Begum‐Gafur R. , Ansari S. A. , Polefka T.
Published: September 2006

Synopsis

The impact of troposphere ozone (O3), the major oxidant in photochemical smog, on the overall wellbeing of skin is of considerable interest. To date, limited information is available on the impact of O3 on human skin. Using a specially designed O3 exposure chamber, we provide the first evidence that exposure of human skin to O3 (0.8 ppm, 2‐h time‐weighted average) significantly reduced vitamin E by 70% and concomitantly increased lipid hydroperoxides by 2.3 fold in the superficial stratum corneum (SC). Although the dose of O3 used here reduced the resident microflora population by 50% and created a state of oxidative stress within the SC, it did not affect several key enzymes involved in SC homeostasis including the redox‐sensitive transglutaminase and the SC tryptic (KLK5) and chymotryptic (KLK7) proteases. Importantly, no signs of skin dryness or erythema were observed. We hypothesize that the limited effects of low doses of O3 on SC function is attributable to several factors including: (i) protection provided by the anti‐oxidant defence system; (ii) inability of O3 to penetrate the SC; and (iii) limited water available to catalyse the Criegee reaction. Although chronic exposure to O3 may produce a different outcome than that reported here, our data suggest that exposure to environmentally relevant doses of O3, at best, induces a moderate state of oxidative stress, without producing a visible clinical response. In our opinion, exposure of skin to UV radiation is a much more significant threat than exposure to ground‐level O3.
Can the Large Swings in Russian Life Satisfaction be Explained by Ups and Downs in Real Incomes?*
Authors: Frijters Paul , Geishecker Ingo , Haisken‐DeNew John P. , Shields Michael A.
Published: September 2006

Russians reported large changes in their life satisfaction over the post‐transition years. In this paper, we explore the factors that drove these changes, focusing on exogenous income changes, using panel data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey over the period 1995 to 2001 and implementing a recently developed ordinal fixed‐effects estimator. We apply a causal decomposition technique that allows for bias arising from panel attrition when establishing aggregate trends in life satisfaction. Changes in real household incomes explained 10% of the total change in reported life satisfaction between 1996 and 2000, but up to 30% of some year‐on‐year changes.
The Production of Whiteness in Education: Asian International Students in a College Classroom
Authors: Diangelo Robin J.
Published: September 2006

This study uses a poststructural analysis to explicate the social production of Whiteness in a college classroom. Whiteness scholars define Whiteness as reference to a set of locations that are historically, socially, politically, and culturally produced, and intrinsically linked to relations of domination. Using this framework of social production, I analyze a graduate-level college classroom for evidence of Whiteness. More than 50% of the class members were Asian international students. I suggest that Whiteness was operating on multiple levels, which I categorize as: Whiteness as Domination; Resources and the Production of the Other; and the Discourse of Cultural Preference. I argue that Whiteness not only served to deny Asian international students and other students of color an equal opportunity to learn in that classroom, but most pointedly, Whiteness also served to elevate the White students by positioning the students of color as their audience.
International Oligopoly and the Taxation of Commerce with Revenue‐Constrained Governments
Authors: HAUFLER ANDREAS , PFLÜGER MICHAEL
Published: September 2006

We evaluate the incentives for strategic commodity tax‐setting under destination and origin regimes when competition is imperfect and commodity taxes must be used to finance the government budget. Different cases of international duopoly are compared, where firms compete over quantities or prices and markets are segmented or integrated. In each setting the international spillovers of tax policy are isolated and evaluated at the Pareto‐efficient tax rate. We find that origin‐based commodity taxation leads to a downward competition of tax rates in each of the models analysed, whereas no similarly broad‐based incentives for beggar‐thy‐neighbour policies exist under the destination principle.
Secular nationhood? The importance of language in the life of nations
Authors: BLATTBERG CHARLES
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACT.Because of their failure to distinguish enough between interpretation and creation, scholars of nationhood have tended to neglect the role of creativity in both the genesis and persistence of national communities. Giving creativity its due leads us to question the standard conception of nations, and of the states that recognise them, as secular. This, in turn, suggests that we need to interpret the significance that language has for nationalists in a new way. After showing how, the paper concludes with an argument about what this new interpretation should mean for language politics.
Linear association between maternal pre‐pregnancy body mass index and risk of caesarean section in term deliveries
Authors: Barau G , Robillard P‐Y , Hulsey TC , Dedecker F , Laffite A , Gérardin P , Kauffmann E
Published: September 2006

Objective  Maternal obesity is a well‐known risk factor for caesarean delivery. The aim of this study is to determine whether all the spectrum of pre‐pregnancy maternal corpulence (body mass index [BMI]) is associated with the risk of caesarean delivery.

Design  Observational study over 4.5 years (2001–05).

Setting  Groupe Hospitalier Sud‐Réunion’s maternity (island of La Réunion, French overseas department, Indian Ocean).

Population  All consecutive singleton live births having delivered at the maternity.

Methods  Data have been analysed according to different risk factors. Maternal corpulence has been defined as the maternal pre‐pregnancy weight. BMIs have been studied by multiples of 5 kg/m2 from 10–14.9 kg/m2 to 40–44.9 kg/m2.

Main outcome measure  Rate of caesarean section.

Results  There were 17 462 singleton live births during the period, of which 16 952 (97.1% of the total) pre‐pregnancy BMIs have been determined. There is a linear association (χ2 for linear trend, P < 0.001) between maternal corpulence and risk of caesarean deliveries, the leanest mothers having the best rate of vaginal delivery. This linear association exists in a model controlling for diagnosis of gestational diabetes, term deliveries (≥37 weeks), very short maternal height (<1.50 m), primiparity and maternal age ≥ 35 years (adjusted χ2, P < 0.001).

Conclusion  There is a significant linear association between pre‐pregnancy maternal corpulence and risk of caesarean deliveries in pregnancies at term. The authors discuss several interpretations including the adaptability of fetal birthweights to maternal corpulence and the concept of soft‐tissue dystocia.
Review article: Maternal obesity in pregnancy: is it time for meaningful research to inform preventive and management strategies?
Authors: Krishnamoorthy U , Schram CMH , Hill SR
Published: September 2006

The growing epidemic of obesity in our society has become a major public health issue, with serious social and psychological consequences in addition to the physical health implications. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally with a similar rise in prevalence among women in the reproductive age group. This has critical consequences for fetal and maternal health in the antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum periods. The aims of this study were to summarise the implications of maternal obesity on maternal, fetal and neonatal health and to recommend good practice guidelines on the management of this problem. The authors highlight the need for good quality interventional research on maternal obesity while identifying avenues with potential scope for future research in this context.
The Establishment of a Triage System in a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic in Hong Kong
Authors: Lai Kelly Yee Ching
Published: September 2006

Background:  The problems of long waiting time and non‐attendance prompted the implementation of a triage procedure in a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic in Hong Kong.

Method:  A two‐stage triage procedure was set up, incorporating an initial screening by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, followed by a semi‐structured telephone triage interview scored according to pre‐set criteria. Results from the triage interview were compared with clinicians’ rating of urgency.

Results:  The procedure was successful in identifying cases that were in need of urgent assessment, whose waiting time was shortened substantially. The non‐attendance rate also improved.

Conclusions:  The triage procedure helped to streamline the service in a grossly under‐resourced clinic, but further refinement is still needed.
Child Mental Health is Everybody's Business: The Prevalence of Contact with Public Sector Services by Type of Disorder Among British School Children in a Three‐Year Period
Authors: Ford Tamsin , Hamilton Helena , Meltzer Howard , Goodman Robert
Published: September 2006

Method:  A third of the children from the 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey were followed‐up over 3 years. Parents provided summary information on service contacts in relation to mental health; selected subgroups provided more detailed information by telephone interview.

Results:  Common overlaps in service use were between health services, between teachers and educational specialists, and between the latter and CAMHS or social services. Services other than primary health care saw more children with externalising disorders, while children with anxiety disorders were less likely than children with other psychiatric disorders to be in contact with any service.

Conclusions:  Child mental health is everybody's business, and professionals need to be alert(ed) to the types of disorders that children using their service may have.
From market to multifunctionality? Land stewardship in Australia
Authors: COCKLIN CHRIS , DIBDEN JACQUI , MAUTNER NAOMI
Published: September 2006

Recent assessments of Australia's land and water resources have revealed widespread patterns of serious decline, much of it directly associated with agricultural practices. The environmental degradation associated with agriculture has both biophysical and socio‐economic underpinnings. While there have been calls to attend to the sustainability ‘crisis’ of Australian agriculture, policy settings remain firmly locked onto a productivist trajectory. We consider the implications of contemporary policy settings for farmland sustainability against the background of debates as to the meaning of ‘multifunctionality’. The discussion is then turned to the Land Stewardship project, a strategic policy initiative within the State of Victoria that was looked to as a means of redressing environmental degradation in agricultural landscapes while also being attentive to rural community and economic issues. Towards the end of the paper we reflect on the question of how the Land Stewardship project aligns with theorizations of multifunctionality.
Does the Market Value Racial and Ethnic Concordance in Physician–Patient Relationships?
Authors: Brown Timothy T. , Scheffler Richard M. , Tom Sarah E. , Schulman Kevin A.
Published: September 2006

Objective. To determine if the market‐determined earnings per hour of physicians is sensitive to the degree of area‐level racial/ethnic concordance (ALREC) in the local physician labor market.

Data Sources. 1998–1999 and 2000–2001 Community Tracking Study Physician Surveys and Household Surveys, 2000 U.S. Census, and the Area Resource File.

Study Design. Population‐averaged regression models with area‐level fixed effects were used to estimate the determinants of log earnings per hour for physicians in a two‐period panel (N=12,886). ALREC for a given racial/ethnic group is measured as the percentage of physicians who are of a given race/ethnicity less the percentage of the population who are of the corresponding race/ethnicity. Relevant control variables were included.

Principal Findings. Average earnings per hour for Hispanic and Asian physicians varies with the degree of ALREC that corresponds to a physician's race/ethnicity. Both Hispanic and Asian physicians earn more per hour in areas where corresponding ALREC is negative, other things equal. ALREC varies from negative to positive for all groups. ALREC for Hispanics is negative, on average, due to the small percentage of the physician workforce that is Hispanic. This results in an average 5.6 percent earnings‐per‐hour premium for Hispanic physicians. However, ALREC for Asians is positive, on average, due to the large percentage of the physician workforce that is Asian. This results in an average 4.0 percent earnings‐per‐hour discount for Asian physicians. No similar statistically significant results were found for black physicians.

Conclusions. The market‐determined earnings per hour of Hispanic and Asian physicians are sensitive to the degree of ALREC in the local labor market. Larger sample sizes may be needed to find statistically significant results for black physicians.
Aβ induces endoplasmic reticulum stress causing possible proteasome impairment via the endoplasmic reticulum–associated degradation pathway
Authors: KANAYAMA Daisuke , KUDO Takashi , KIMURA Ryo , TABUCHI Nobuhiko , FUKUMORI Akio , MORIHARA Takeshi , TAGAMI Shinji , TANII Hisashi , OKOCHI Masayasu , KAMINO Kojin , TANAKA Toshihisa , IMAIZUMI Kazunori , TABIRA Takeshi , TAKEDA Masatoshi
Published: September 2006

Background:  Accumulation of β‐amyloid is a major pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As in other neurodegenerative diseases, it is also reported that proteasome activity is deteriorated in post‐mortem brains of AD patients. However, the mechanism of proteasomal dysfunction in AD remains unexplained. There is, however, increasing reported evidence that the unfolded protein response (UPR) is involved in AD pathology. Here we show that Aβ causes not only the UPR leading to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress mediated cell death, but also proteasomal dysfunction in cultured cells.

Methods:  Mouse primary cultured neurons and other cultured cells such as HEK 293T or SH‐SY5Y were treated with Aβ or other reagents, such as thapsigargin and lactacystin, to study UPR or proteasome activity. The UPR was investigated using proteins or mRNA expression. To ascertain proteasome activity, we also recruited SH‐SY5Y cells stably transfected with GFPu.

Results:  In vitro study showed that UPR, phosphorylation of eIF‐2α and BiP degradation preceded proteasome dysfunction. It is known that the UPR of ER occurs with the assistance of proteasome as ER‐associated protein degradation (ERAD).

Conclusion:  This evidence, taken together, suggests that Aβ may induce proteasome dysfunction by preceding the UPR through ER‐associated protein degradation.
Family caregiver burden and quality of home care in the context of the Long‐Term Care insurance scheme: an overview
Authors: ARAI Yumiko
Published: September 2006

This review outlines the findings of 22 studies conducted between 1997 and 2005 by Arai and 19 collaborators regarding caregiver burden and assessment of quality of home care for the elderly. The published research covers the following: cross‐sectional studies on caregiver burden; changes in caregiver burden; appropriateness of the Long‐Term Care insurance assessment scheme; attitudes towards caregiving among caregivers; the development of the short Japanese version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (J‐ZBI_8); and the effectiveness of service use in reducing caregiver burden and development of a Home Care Quality Assessment Index (HCQAI).
Central anticholinergic syndrome secondary to atropine treatment of organophosphate poisoning*
Authors: DOĞAN EROL Demet , GEÇİCİ Ömer
Published: September 2006

Anticholinergic syndrome is a common phenomenon because of the frequent administration of atropine in organophosphate poisoning. This diagnosis should be considered in patients with altered mental state following therapy with atropine. We report a case of delirium 48 h after atropine treatment for organophosphate poisoning.
A Conditional Defense of Plurality Rule: Generalizing May's Theorem in a Restricted Informational Environment
Authors: Goodin Robert E. , List Christian
Published: September 2006

May's theorem famously shows that, in social decisions between two options, simple majority rule uniquely satisfies four appealing conditions. Although this result is often cited in support of majority rule, it has never been extended beyond decisions based on pairwise comparisons of options. We generalize May's theorem to many‐option decisions where voters each cast one vote. Surprisingly, plurality rule uniquely satisfies May's conditions. This suggests a conditional defense of plurality rule: If a society's balloting procedure collects only a single vote from each voter, then plurality rule is the uniquely compelling electoral procedure. To illustrate the conditional nature of this claim, we also identify a richer informational environment in which approval voting, not plurality rule, is supported by a May‐style argument.
Options and the Bubble
Authors: BATTALIO ROBERT , SCHULTZ PAUL
Published: September 2006

Many believe that a bubble existed in Internet stocks in the 1999 to 2000 period, and that short‐sale restrictions prevented rational investors from driving Internet stock prices to reasonable levels. In the presence of such short‐sale constraints, option and stock prices could decouple during a bubble. Using intraday options data from the peak of the Internet bubble, we find almost no evidence that synthetic stock prices diverged from actual stock prices. We also show that the general public could cheaply short synthetically using options. In summary, we find no evidence that short‐sale restrictions affected Internet stock prices.
The Evolution of Security Designs
Authors: NOE THOMAS H. , REBELLO MICHAEL J. , WANG JUN
Published: September 2006

We consider a competitive and perfect financial market in which agents have heterogeneous cash flow valuations. Instead of assuming that agents are endowed with rational expectations, we model their behavior as the product of adaptive learning. Our results demonstrate that adaptive learning affects security design profoundly, with securities mispriced even in the long run and optimal designs trading off underpricing against intrinsic value maximization. The evolutionary dominant security design calls for issuing securities that engender large losses with a small but positive probability, but that otherwise produce stable payoffs, almost the exact opposite of the pure state claims that are optimal in the rational expectations framework.
Dynamic Portfolio Selection by Augmenting the Asset Space
Authors: BRANDT MICHAEL W. , SANTA‐CLARA PEDRO
Published: September 2006

We present a novel approach to dynamic portfolio selection that is as easy to implement as the static Markowitz paradigm. We expand the set of assets to include mechanically managed portfolios and optimize statically in this extended asset space. We consider “conditional” portfolios, which invest in each asset an amount proportional to conditioning variables, and “timing” portfolios, which invest in each asset for a single period and in the risk‐free asset for all other periods. The static choice of these managed portfolios represents a dynamic strategy that closely approximates the optimal dynamic strategy for horizons up to 5 years.
Liquidity and Autocorrelations in Individual Stock Returns
Authors: AVRAMOV DORON , CHORDIA TARUN , GOYAL AMIT
Published: September 2006

This paper documents a strong relationship between short‐run reversals and stock illiquidity, even after controlling for trading volume. The largest reversals and the potential contrarian trading strategy profits occur in high turnover, low liquidity stocks, as the price pressures caused by non‐informational demands for immediacy are accommodated. However, the contrarian trading strategy profits are smaller than the likely transactions costs. This lack of profitability and the fact that the overall findings are consistent with rational equilibrium paradigms suggest that the violation of the efficient market hypothesis due to short‐term reversals is not so egregious after all.
Executive Stock Options: Early Exercise Provisions and Risk‐taking Incentives
Authors: BRISLEY NEIL
Published: September 2006

Traditional executive stock option plans allow fixed numbers of options to vest peri‐odically, independent of stock price performance. Because such options may climb deep in‐the‐money long before the manager can exercise them, they can exacerbate risk aversion in project selection. Making the proportion of options that vest a gradually increasing function of the stock price can ensure that appropriate numbers of options are retained while they provide risk‐taking incentives, but are exercised once they have lost their convexity. “Progressive performance vesting” can allow the firm more efficiently to rebalance the manager's risk‐taking incentives.