bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pattern of Response of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Components to Early Recanalization in the CLOTBUST Trial
Authors: Mikulik Robert , Dusek Ladislav , Hill Michael D. , Fulep Eva , Grotta James C. , Ribo Marc , Molina Carlos , Alexandrov Andrei V.
Published: February 2010

Background and Purpose—

Early recanalization is the likely mechanism by which intravenous thrombolysis improves stroke outcomes. Limited data exist on the patterns of early recovery of various brain functions.

Methods—

Data from the Combined Lysis of Thrombus in Brain Ischemia Using Transcranial Ultrasound and Systemic t-PA (CLOTBUST) trial was used to determine time-related trends in neurological function recovery, as measured by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) components at baseline, 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes, and 24 hours. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare patients with complete recanalization versus no or partial recanalization of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) at 120 minutes from tissue plasminogen activator bolus. The correlation structure of the NIHSS was analyzed with multivariable factor analysis. The ability of individual components to diagnose recanalization was assessed with area under the receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results—

Altogether, 113 patients from the CLOTBUST trial had complete follow-up NIHSS scores available. All received 0.9 mg/kg IV tissue plasminogen activator within 3 hours of symptom onset (mean age 69±12 years; 58% men; median NIHSS 16; complete MCA recanalization 27%). All NIHSS components attributable to MCA occlusion contributed with varying degrees to the decrease of the total NIHSS score after MCA recanalization. NIHSS components responded in 2 major and mutually independent clusters representing left and right brain functions. The best performing component in diagnosing recanalization was gaze deviation (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.80), but its results were similar to the total NIHSS score (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.75).

Conclusions—

All neurological functions, impaired because of MCA occlusion, recovered after recanalization, although not to the same extent. The total NIHSS score is more useful than the individual components in detecting MCA recanalization.
Years of Disability-Adjusted Life Gained as a Result of Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Hong Keun-Sik , Saver Jeffrey L.
Published: February 2010

Background and Purpose—

Disability-adjusted life year (DALY) metric reflects years of healthy life lost because of living with disability and years of life lost because of premature mortality. Widely used in epidemiological analyses, DALY has not been applied to acute stroke trials.

Methods—

From previous studies, we derived, for each modified Rankin Scale level, disability weights, disability-linked mortality hazard ratios, and age-specific life expectancies. We then analyzed patient level data from the 2 publicly available National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) recombinant tissue plasminogen activator trials. For each subject, we abstracted age, treatment assignment, and 3-month modified Rankin Scale outcome and calculated the DALYs lost resulting from the qualifying stroke.

Results—

The disability-linked hazard ratios for premature annual mortality for a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 5 were 1.53, 1.52, 2.17, 3.18, 4.55, and 6.55, respectively. In the NINDS recombinant tissue plasminogen activator trials, DALYs (mean±SE) lost as a result of the qualifying stroke were substantially less with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator than with placebo (4.64±0.17 versus 5.91±0.21;
P
<0.0001), a finding that remained robust after adjustment for baseline prognostic factors. When DALYs gained were apportioned to the 29% of patients experiencing any benefit from lytic therapy, each patient gained an average of 4.4 DALYs. DALY analysis showed greater power than dichotomized modified Rankin Scale analysis in discriminating treatment effects overall and in patients ≥70 years of age.

Conclusion—

For patients who benefit from treatment, <3-hour thrombolytic therapy adds the equivalent of 4.4 years of healthy life, free of disability. The DALY metric provides a continuous scale that increases statistical power, is intuitively understandable, and is applicable to a wide range of conditions and treatments.
Replacing Either/Or With Both/And: Illustrations of Perspective Alternation
Authors: Moradi Bonnie , DeBlaere Cirleen
Published: February 2010

This article discusses the concept of perspective alternation as an approach that might be helpful in moving through recurrent limitations or impasses within the literature about lesbian, gay, and bisexual people of color and sexual minority populations more broadly. Specifically, perspective alternation is conceptualized as taking on and moving between different perspectives. The authors use perspective alternation as a way to integrate different emphases offered by the reactants to the Major Contribution. They illustrate alternation between shared and unique experiences, group comparison and individual differences, inclusiveness and distinctiveness, and nonprototype and prototype perspectives and suggest that such perspective alternation can help to identify the assumptions, biases, and limitations of different perspectives and reveal what is gained by each perspective.
CYP3A5 but Not CYP2D6 Polymorphism Contributes Significantly to the Variability in Dextropropoxyphene Disposition
Authors: Yin Ophelia Q. P. , Tomlinson Brian , Chow Moses S. S.
Published: February 2010

This study evaluated the effect of CYP2D6, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 polymorphisms on dextropropoxyphene disposition in healthy subjects. A total of 14 healthy male Chinese subjects received a single oral dose of a combination tablet of 325 mg of paracetamol and 32.5 mg of dextropropoxyphene. Serial blood samples were collected for up to 24 hours to determine plasma concentrations of paracetamol, dextropropoxyphene, and nordextropropoxyphene by liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectroscopy. CYP2D6, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 genotyping were performed using polymerase chain reaction—based methods. No CYP3A4 mutant alleles were detected in the study subjects. There were no significant differences (P > .05) in dextropropoxyphene and nordextropropoxyphene pharmacokinetics among CYP2D6 genotypes. In contrast, plasma concentrations of dextropropoxyphene were significantly higher (peak plasma concentration, 54.4 ± 25.5 vs 31.0 ± 10.9 ng/mL; area under the plasma concentration‐time curve, 260.8 ± 88.1 vs 142.3 ± 42.4 ng·h/mL, both P < .05) and apparent oral clearance value was significantly lower (2.2 ± 0.9 vs 3.6 ± 1.4 L/h/kg, P < .05) in CYP3A5*3/*3 (n = 8) than CYP3A5*1/*3 (n = 5) subjects. Nordextropropoxyphene exposure also tended to be higher in CYP3A5*3/*3 subjects, but the difference was not statistically significant between the 2 groups. One subject who was identified as a CYP3A5*1/*1 carrier exhibited a very high apparent oral clearance value of 12.5 L/h/kg. No significant difference in paracetamol pharmacokinetics was observed among CYP2D6 or CYP3A5 genotypes. These results suggest that CYP3A5 but not CYP2D6 polymorphisms appear to exert a significant influence on dextropropoxyphene disposition.
Gender, Status and Empowerment
Authors: Hancock Peter
Published: February 2010

This article is based on an AusAID-funded study which sampled 521 young factory women working in Sri Lanka’s largest Export Processing Zone (EPZ) – Katuanayake. The analysis of qualitative data provides insights into the lived experiences of factory women and was designed to provide a more complex understanding of the ways in which women may be empowered or indeed dis-empowered as a result of formal factory employment. The research was funded by AusAID specifically in the interest to offset the macro and often crude ways were adopted in which gender empowerment is measured through the UNDPs Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) and the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI). In essence the qualitative research presented in this article shows clearly the shortcomings of the GEM and GGGI and provides new insights into the ways in which women in Sri Lanka’s EPZs experience and understand empowerment. The rationale being that the sample group are at the ‘cutting edge’ of economic development and should be, according to the GEM and GGGI, ‘empowered’ simply because they have full time and relatively well paid employment. Indeed the conclusions in this article present a contrary argument and in the process new ways to conceptualize empowerment of women in developing nations.
Systemic Corruption and the Programme on Basic Education in the Philippine Department of Education
Authors: Reyes Vicente Chua
Published: February 2010

This article contextualizes corruption and implementation as it occurs in the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd). Described as a national agency suffering from ’systemic corruption’, an in-depth qualitative case study analysis of one of its programmes is imperative. The Programme on Basic Education (PROBE) hailed as a success and which has managed to be relatively free from corrupt activities is the focus. Providing findings from a study undertaken on PROBE participants from the three main islands of the Philippines, this article analyzes the various organizational factors that have an impact on the prevalence and absence of corruption and the enabling and disabling elements of successful implementation.
At-home palliative sedation for end-of-life cancer patients
Authors: Alonso-Babarro Alberto , Varela-Cerdeira Maria , Torres-Vigil Isabel , Rodríguez-Barrientos Ricardo , Bruera Eduardo
Published: February 2010

Using a decision-making and treatment checklist developed to facilitate the at-home palliative sedation process, we assessed the incidence and efficacy of palliative sedation for end-of-life cancer patients with intractable symptoms who died at home. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 370 patients who were followed by a palliative home care team. Twenty-nine of 245 patients (12%) who died at home had received palliative sedation. The mean age of the patients who received palliative sedation was 58 ± 17 years, and the mean age of the patients who did not receive palliative sedation was 69 ± 15 years (p = 0.002). No other differences were detected between patients who did or did not receive palliative sedation. The most common indications for palliative sedation were delirium (62%) and dyspnea (14%). Twenty-seven patients (93%) received midazolam for palliative sedation (final mean dose of 74 mg), and two (7%) received levomepromazine (final mean dose of 125 mg). The mean time between palliative sedation initiation and time of death was 2.6 days. In 13 of the cases (45%), the palliative sedation decision was made with the patient and his or her family members, and in another 13 patients (45%), the palliative sedation decision was made only with the patient’s family members. We concluded that palliative sedation may be used safely and efficaciously to treat dying cancer patients with refractory symptoms at home.
Climate Change: The Political Economy of Kyoto Flexible Mechanisms
Authors: Vlachou Andriana , Konstantinidis Charalampos
Published: February 2010

The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on February 16, 2005. Emissions reductions targets established by the protocol will be met by domestic policies and by three international flexible mechanisms: clean development, joint implementation, and emissions trading. Following a value-theoretic and class-based approach, the purpose of this paper is to analyze these flexible mechanisms. In particular, the paper investigates the nature and adoption of flexible mechanisms, and their class and environmental links and implications. Carbon-intensive capitalist firms and developed economies are found to be exerting great influence on the shaping and implementation of flexible mechanisms. Environmental effectiveness and justice, and equal sustainable development raised and claimed by worker-citizens, social movements, local communities, and developing countries have not been secured. Thus flexible mechanisms do not present a real challenge to current institutions and practices for sustainable climate conditions for the workers-citizen of the world.

JEL classification: B5, P1, Q4
Confronting Neoclassical Myths about Self-employment in Latin America
Authors: Montes-Rojas Gabriel V.
Published: February 2010

This article analyzes the nature of micro-entrepreneurship in Argentina and relates it to the empirical evidence available for other Latin American countries. It focuses on whether the sector resembles the neoclassical view, characterized by the risk-taking nature of the entrepreneurial activity, or if it is a precarious form of employment of last resort. The evidence confronts the neoclassical view of the micro-entrepreneur sector. It is argued that self-employment should be interpreted as functional to the capital accumulation process and not as a residual activity.

JEL classification: J23, L25
Voices of Special Education Teachers in an Inclusive High School: Redefining Responsibilities
Authors: Eisenman Laura T. , Pleet Amy M. , Wandry Donna , McGinley Vicki
Published: February 2010

Because of recent changes in general and special education policies, special educators who previously worked with secondary students in self-contained academic classes, resource rooms, or cotaught classes find themselves assigned to new roles that demand different collaborative skills. Based on 2 years of interviews, field notes, and observations in an inclusive high school, this study focuses on the perspectives of two special educators who redefined their daily practices in partnership with a university professional development specialist as they implemented an unusual collaborative-consultation model. Their responsibilities and relationships with teachers, students, and administrators are examined in light of the literature on collaborative models for inclusive education of high school students.
Impact of Retirement Populations on Local Jobs and Wages
Authors: Hamilton Karen L.
Published: February 2010

Prior research has suggested that attracting retirement communities to local areas results in job and wage growth. This article examines whether significant growth in local retirement-age populations has led to such job and wage growth. The results suggest that general retirement population growth does create job growth. However, the average wage growth results are mixed. Understanding these economic implications of attracting retirees is necessary for communities to determine how to manage the benefits yet control for the costs of increases in retirement populations.
A 500-year record of summer near-ground solar radiation from tree-ring stable carbon isotopes
Authors: Young Giles H.F. , McCarroll Danny , Loader Neil J. , Kirchhefer Andreas J.
Published: February 2010

Tree-ring stable carbon isotope ratios (d13C) in environments of low moisture stress are likely to be controlled primarily by photosynthetic rate. Therefore, sunshine, rather than temperature, represents the more direct controlling factor. Temperature reconstructions based on tree-ring d13C results thus rest on the assumption that temperature and sunshine are strongly coupled. This assumption is tested using a d13C series from pine trees in NW Norway, where there are long (>100 yr) records of both summer temperature and cloud cover. It is demonstrated that when summer temperature and d13C diverge, summer temperature and cloud cover also diverge, and that cloud cover/sunshine may provide a stronger and more consistent parameter with which to calibrate tree-ring d13C series in this area. When a 500-year reconstruction of summer cloudiness is compared with a published reconstruction of summer temperatures in northern Sweden based on tree-ring maximum densities, the two time-series are largely parallel, with high levels of annual—decadal coherence. We identify, however, three distinct periods of lower frequency divergence: two (AD 1600—1650 and AD 1900—1927) when we propose summers were cool but sunny and one during the first half of the sixteenth century when summers were warm but cloudy. These episodes where temperature and sunshine decouple may represent large-scale changes in circulation as recorded in the Arctic Oscillation (AO) index. Strongly negative values of the summer AO index, as occurred during the early twentieth century, are associated with persistent high pressure over northern Norway and Fennoscandia, bringing cool summers with clear skies. Long reconstructions of cloudiness (near-ground radiation), based on tree-ring d13C series from suitable sites, would be extremely valuable for testing General Circulation Models (GCMs), because the generation of cloud is a strong control on temperature evolution, but remains a major source of uncertainty.
Detection of DNA strand breaks by comet assay in sputum leucocytes of bitumen-exposed workers: A pilot study
Authors: Marczynski B. , Raulf-Heimsoth M. , Pesch B. , Kendzia B. , Käfferlein HU , Vosshans B. , Borowitzki G. , Lee E-H. , Bramer R. , Brüning T.
Published: February 2010

DNA strand breaks were determined in leucocytes of induced sputum (IS) and compared with DNA strand breaks in blood lymphocytes from 42 bitumen-exposed workers pre and post shift. Comet assay results were expressed in arbitrary units based on visual scoring (sputum leucocytes) and Olive tail moment (OTM, blood lymphocytes). DNA damage in IS leucocytes was overall high but did not change during shift. Level of DNA strand breaks in IS samples correlated with total cell count and neutrophil content (Spearman rank correlation coefficient rs = 0.47, p = 0.001, rs= 0.48, p = 0.001, respectively) and with IL-8 concentration before and after shift (rs = 0.31, P = 0.048, and rs = 0.43, P = 0.005). DNA damage in IS was not associated with DNA strand breaks in blood lymphocytes (rs = —0.04, p = 0.802 before shift, rs = 0.27, p = 0.088 after shift). A higher level of DNA strand breaks was measured in blood lymphocytes before shift (median OTM 1.7 before and 1.3 after shift, p = 0.023). A strong correlation was found between the number of neutrophils and IL-8 concentration in IS before and after shift (rs = 0.77 and rs= 0.75, p < 0.001). This study showed an association between genotoxic and inflammatory effects in the lower airways and compared simultaneously DNA strand breaks in IS and blood of bitumen-exposed workers.
Late onset of pANCA renal and pulmonary vasculitis in a girl affected by undifferentiated connective tissue disease
Authors: Alpigiani MG , Calcagno A. , Salvati P. , Rossi GA , Barbano G. , Ghiggeri G. , Lorini R.
Published: February 2010

Vasculitides are clinicopathologic entities characterized by inflammation and damage of blood vessels. They are heterogeneous diseases related to immunopathogenetic mechanisms. For example, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies directed against perinuclear or cytoplasmic proteins of neutrophils are present in a high percentage of patients with systemic vasculitis, and they can be suggestive of Wegener’s Granulomatosis and Microscopic Polyangiitis. This case report underlines the necessity of more specific laboratory and instrumental testing if clinical signs and/or other parameters (p-ANCA and/or c-ANCA staining and/or urinalysis) are suggestive of systemic vasculitis.
Contradictory rescaling: Confronting state restructuring and the building of new spatial policies
Authors: Oliveira Carlos , Breda-Vázquez Isabel
Published: February 2010

The paper explores the tensions between state and spatial policy rescaling processes. It argues that the different timescales of their dynamics may produce significant barriers to the transformative goals of spatial policy. Supported by evidence of the gradualist nature of state restructuring in Portugal and the rescaling of a new spatial policy instrument, the paper illustrates and discusses the transformative difficulties in issues such as territorial integration, strategic negotiation at local level, inter-municipal cooperation and new forms of multi-level, multi-sectoral and state—society networking. Cross-national comparison with other Southern European countries allows conclusions to be drawn with regard to a dynamic approach to context-dependent phenomena and to the relevance of a timescale approach to state and spatial policy rescaling processes.
A Constructive Debate With the CDC on the Empirical Case Definition of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: Jason Leonard A. , Porter Nicole , Brown Molly , Brown Abigail , Evans Meredyth
Published: February 2010

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates of the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have dramatically increased over the past 20 years, from 0.002% to 2.54%. Once considered a rare disorder, CFS is now characterized as a more common chronic health condition, with prevalence numbers suggesting that more than 4 million people in the United States have it. The authors’ research group proposes that selection criteria for CFS cases have broadened and provides data indicating 38% of those with a Major Depressive Disorder were misclassified as having CFS under the new CDC empirical case definition. The authors respond to concerns cited in Reeves, Gurbaxani, Lin, and Unger (2009). Given the importance of standardizing procedures for identifying CFS, more research is needed using different criteria on samples of patients with CFS and other illnesses. The erroneous inclusion of people with primary psychiatric conditions in CFS samples has detrimental consequences for interpreting epidemiologic and etiological findings.
The State, Power, and Agency: Missing in Action in Institutional Theory?
Authors: Clegg Stewart
Published: February 2010

Issue is taken with the relative absence of the analysis of power from many leading institutional theory accounts of organizations. The category of institutional entrepreneurs is seen as a functionalist theory-saving device. The stress on norms, myths, and legitimacy is questioned. The importance of a consideration of explicitly political organization is illustrated with an account of the deinstitutionalization of the Bjelke-Peterson government in Queensland. As well as institutionalization the importance of deinstitutionalization is suggested as is the centrality of translation. Recent work that has brought power and agency back into focus is discussed. The centrality of power as the main concept of the social sciences is promoted. The central importance of the state for early institutional accounts, its relative absence from more current ones, and its role in the creation of an “audit society” that would seem most likely to expand significantly in the wake of the global financial crisis is noted.
The Critical Decision Vortex: Lessons From the Emergency Room
Authors: Coget Jean-Francois , Keller Eugene
Published: February 2010

The dominant model of decision making, rational decision making, is increasingly challenged by research on intuitive decision making and emotion. This article contributes to the debate by articulating a model of how rational decision making, intuitive decision making, and emotion influence each other: the critical decision vortex. The critical decision vortex emerges from a discussion between an emergency room (ER) doctor and a management scholar. The experience of the doctor diagnosing and treating patients in the ER provides the background for a reflection on decision making in critical conditions. One of the main findings of this collaborative effort is that to be effective, ER doctors, like managers, need to remain centered in the critical decision vortex; they need to attend equally to their analytical conclusions, the intuitive hunches that come from their experience, and remain open and attentive to their emotions.
A Generic and Synchronous Ontology-based Architecture for Collaborative Design
Authors: Dutra Moisés , Ghodous Parisa , Kuhn Olivier , Nguyen Minh Tri
Published: February 2010

Today’s complex design projects require teams of designers to come together to facilitate the sharing of their respective expertise in order to produce effective design solutions. Due to the increasing need for exchanging knowledge, modern design projects are even more structured to work with virtual distributed teams that collaborate over computer networks to achieve global optima in design. This article presents an architecture where collaborative design is synchronously and generically achieved. That is, where particular representation models are transformed into ontology instances and merged together in order to accomplish the final product design. It is a synchronous approach because the merging process is undertaken at the same time that interaction among designers takes place. As supporting technologies, Web Ontology Language and Web Services are used to implement such an architecture.
Targeting Apoptosis in the Heart of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Baraka Azza , AbdelGawad Hala
Published: February 2010

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to address the issue of cardiomyocyte apoptosis as a possible contributor in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy and whether it would be possible to suppress this apoptosis by the use of a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α agonist (fenofibrate) or a PPAR-γ agonist (rosiglitazone). Methods: Ten normal male albino rats (group I) were injected intraperitoneally (IP) by a single dose of saline and served as a control for group II. Thirty male albino rats were made diabetic by IP streptozotocin (STZ) injection and were divided into 3 groups: group II (nontreated diabetic rats), groups III and IV (diabetic rats treated with PPAR-γ agonist (rosiglitazone), and PPAR-α agonist (fenofibrate) respectively, for 12 weeks starting 1 week following STZ injection. Results: The studied drugs decreased left ventricular to body weight ratio and cardiac: caspase-3, tumor necrosis factor-α, hydroxyproline, free fatty acids (FFAs) as well as triglycerides (TGs) and improved oxidative stress parameters as well as left ventricular papillary muscle developed tension (DT). Conclusions: The results of the current study support the hypothesis that apoptosis plays a key role in the pathophysiology of diabetic cardiomyopathy and demonstrate that the use of PPAR-α and -γ agonists might have a protective role against diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Cardioprotection With Adenosine-Regulating Agent, GP531: Effects on No-Reflow, Infarct Size, and Blood Flow Following Ischemia/ Reperfusion in the Rabbit
Authors: Hale Sharon L. , Kloner Robert A.
Published: February 2010

GP531, a potent, second-generation adenosine-regulating agent, is pharmacologically silent under basal conditions but increases localized endogenous adenosine during ischemia. GP531 improves functional recovery after myocardial ischemia, but its effects on infarct size and no-reflow have not been reported. The objective was to determine whether GP531 reduces necrosis and the anatomic no-reflow defect and to evaluate its effects on regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF). GP531 was given as a loading dose plus infusion at 2 doses (700 μg/kg and 10 μg/kg per minute or 2100 μg/kg and 30 μg/kg per minute) or vehicle, starting 12 minutes before a 30-minute coronary occlusion and throughout 3 hours reperfusion in rabbits. Risk zone was delineated by blue dye, necrosis by tetrazolium staining, RMBF by radioactive microspheres, and no-reflow defect by thioflavin S. The extent of the ischemic risk zone was similar in all groups. Low-dose GP531 reduced infarct size by 34% (0.33 ± 0.4 of the risk zone) compared with vehicle (0.50 ± 0.4, P < .01) and reduced the extent of the anatomic no-reflow zone by 31% compared with vehicle (0.25 ± 0.3 of the risk zone vs 0.36 ± 0.4 in the vehicle group, P < .05). Infarct size and zone of no-reflow in the high dose were reduced by 22% and 16%, respectively (P = NS vs the other 2 groups). GP531 did not affect hemodynamics or blood flow. Thus, GP531 was effective at the lower dose evaluated in this study, reducing the severity of ischemic/reperfusion injury, without inducing the adverse hemodynamic effects associated with adenosine administration such as bradycardia and hypotension.
Effects of Labetalol on Hemodynamic Parameters and Soluble Biomarkers of Inflammation in Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients With Active Cocaine Use
Authors: Hoskins Michael H. , Leleiko Rebecca M. , Ramos Julie J. , Sola Srikanth , Caneer Patrick M. , Khan Bobby V.
Published: February 2010

Cocaine use is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and can promote acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Use of β-blockers is controversial in patients who use cocaine, and the safety and efficacy of these medications in ACS in patients actively using cocaine is unknown. We enrolled 90 patients with ACS and positive urine drug screen for cocaine. Patients received standard ACS therapy plus either labetalol (n = 60) or diltiazem (n = 30). Blood pressure and heart rate were measured at baseline and 48 hours. Levels of serum CD40 ligand, interleukin (IL)-6, and choline at baseline and 48 hours were determined. There were no baseline differences in hemodynamics or serum levels of inflammatory markers between the labetalol and diltiazem groups. Both groups experienced a significant and equivalent decrease in BP and HR at 48 hours compared with baseline. At 48 hours of treatment, there were significant decreases of 17% in CD40 ligand (P < .005) and 16% in IL-6 (P < .005) but no change in choline in the diltiazem group. Furthermore, in the labetalol group, there were significant differences of 30% in CD40 ligand (P < .005 time and group comparison), 22% in IL-6 (P < .005 time and group comparison), and 18% in choline (P < .005 time and group comparison). There were no adverse events during hospitalization in any patients who received labetalol. In conclusion, labetalol appears to be safe in cocaine-associated ACS. Furthermore, labetalol provides a beneficial hemodynamic response and, in comparison to diltiazem, potentiates an anti-inflammatory vascular response in this setting.
An Exploratory Study of Victim Resistance in Child Sexual Abuse: Offender Modus Operandi and Victim Characteristics
Authors: Leclerc Benoit , Wortley Richard , Smallbone Stephen
Published: February 2010

The use of self-protection strategies and related situation in rape has been studied by several scholars. The circumstances in which children are more likely to resist sexual victimization have, however, not been studied. This study examines the association between offence-related factors—specifically, the preoffence situation, the modus operandi strategies adopted by offenders, and victim characteristics—and victim resistance in sexual offences against children.The sample consisted of 94 adult offenders convicted of having committed a sexual offence against a child (or adolescent) of 16 years of age or younger and who agreed to provide confidential self-report data concerning their offending behavior and victim resistance actions. Victim resistance strategies were regrouped into three categories, namely, physical resistance, forceful verbal resistance, and nonforceful verbal resistance. The total number of resistance strategies was also used in the analyses. Overall, the age of the victim was found to be related to nonforceful verbal resistance, and violence was related to all forms of resistance.Younger girls were found to be more likely to employ nonforceful verbal resistance than older girls and to use a greater number of strategies as well. To provide reliable knowledge to build on for reducing the risk of child sexual abuse, this study suggests the need for prevention programs to include empirical findings regarding the circumstances in which children are more likely to resist sexual victimization.
Examining the Influence of Denial, Motivation, and Risk on Sexual Recidivism
Authors: Harkins Leigh , Beech Anthony R. , Goodwill Alasdair M.
Published: February 2010

This study examined the relationship between denial, motivation, static risk (Risk Matrix 2000), and sexual recidivism. Denial was measured in three ways: A Denial Index (resulting from the combination of several measures of different aspects of denial), Absolute Denial, and Denial of Risk. Motivation for treatment was also examined. Logistic regression analyses in a sample of 180 sex offenders using a fixed 10-year follow-up found that risk moderated the relationships between the Denial Index, Absolute Denial, and sexual recidivism. In particular, among high-risk offenders, denial predicted decreased sexual recidivism. An opposite pattern was observed for the low-risk offenders who were in denial, although these differences were not significant. In terms of Denial of Risk, those who were denying they presented a future risk for offending (i.e., higher on Denial of Risk) were less likely to reoffend than those who reported seeing themselves as presenting a high risk. Motivation for treatment was positively correlated with recidivism, but the effect disappeared once static risk was controlled.
Theory of Mind in Men Who Have Sexually Offended Against Children: A U.K. Comparison Study Between Child Sex Offenders and Nonoffender Controls
Authors: Elsegood Kelly J. , Duff Simon C.
Published: February 2010

Child sex offenders are typically characterized by empathy problems, cognitive distortions, and social skills deficits. It has been proposed that these characteristics may be attributable to an underlying impairment in the ability to attribute mental states to others (i.e., theory of mind).This study compared a group of nonincarcerated child sex offenders ( n = 46) with a group of community controls ( n = 46) matched for age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and status as a parent. Both groups completed two measures of theory of mind: one that measures the ability to infer the mental states of adults and another that measures the ability to infer the mental states of children. Offenders were significantly worse than controls at inferring the mental states of adults. In contrast, there were no differences between offenders and controls in their ability to infer the mental states of children. The results are discussed with regard to psychological theory, clinical work, and future research.
The Use of Randomization Tests in Single-Subject Research
Authors: Haardörfer Regine , Gagné Phill
Published: February 2010

Some researchers have argued for the use of or have attempted to make use of randomization tests in single-subject research. To address this tide of interest, the authors of this article describe randomization tests, discuss the theoretical rationale for applying them to single-subject research, and provide an overview of the methodological research into the Type I error rates and statistical power of randomization tests in single-subject designs. It is found that randomization tests generally are an awkward fit to single-subject designs, and they are found to have low statistical power in single-subject contexts. It is therefore recommended that single-subject researchers make sparing, if any, use of randomization tests to analyze their data.
What have scholars retrieved from Walsh and Ungson (1991)? A citation context study
Authors: Anderson Marc H. , Sun Peter Y. T.
Published: February 2010

Organizational memory is fundamentally important to organizational learning. The seminal work on organizational memory is Walsh and Ungson’s article published in the Academy of Management Review in 1991. More than 300 articles have cited this classic work, but a simple citation count reveals nothing about the nature of what has been retrieved. We examine this issue through a citation context analysis (i.e. content analysis) of the citations that citing authors have made to this classic article. Our analysis provides a richer understanding of which knowledge claims made by Walsh and Ungson have been retrieved and have had the greatest impact on later work in the area of organizational memory, and also what criticisms have been leveled against their claims. Through this analysis and a review of the citing articles that contain the largest number of citations to Walsh and Ungson, we identify several important directions for future research.
A Man for All Seasons
Authors: Hatcher Andrea C.
Published: February 2010

In this article, I examine the roll-call voting behaviour of U.S. Senate Majority Leaders, finding that Leaders generally locate around the ideological mean and median of their party at selection and at the beginning of their tenure but move toward the partisan extreme as their leadership progresses. Statistical analysis links this movement to size of majority; that is, as their partisan majority increases, their roll-call voting becomes more extreme. These findings, then, contribute a new interpretation of the existing literature’s ‘middleman’ theory of congressional party leadership.
Common polymorphisms of Fibulin-5 and the risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm development
Authors: Badger Stephen A , Soong Chee V , O'Donnell Mark E , Sharif Mohammed A , Makar Ragai R , Hughes Anne E
Published: February 2010

Fibulin-5 is a crucial protein in the connective tissue structure of the aortic wall. The purpose of this study was to determine if genetic variation within the Fibulin-5 gene was associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). AAA patients, with disease-free controls, were recruited and a past medical history questionnaire completed. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the FBLN5 gene (rs2498834, rs2430366 and rs2254320) were genotyped. The two cohorts were compared and haplotype analysis performed. A total of 230 AAA cases and 278 controls were successfully genotyped. The mean age was 71.9 years (± 6.8). No difference between cases and controls was found in the distribution of alleles of FBLN5 SNPs rs2498834 (p = 0.47), rs2430366 (p = 0.45) or rs2254320 (p = 0.46). Haplotype analysis did not reveal any significant difference. In conclusion, genetic variation within FBLN5 is unlikely to play any role in the development of AAA.
Peripheral arterial disease, chronic kidney disease, and mortality: The Chinese Ankle Brachial Index Cohort Study
Authors: Yingyi Luo  , Xiankai Li  , Jue Li  , Xiaoming Wang  , Yuanxi Xu  , Yongxia Qiao  , Dayi Hu  , Yunsheng Ma
Published: February 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and examine the combined effect of CKD and PAD on all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. The Chinese Ankle Brachial Index Cohort consisted of 3732 adults aged 35 years or older enrolled in 2004 and followed-up in 2007. Complete baseline data were compiled on 3610 people which were examined in the final analysis. Mortality surveillance was completed from December 2007 to February 2008. Survival analysis was used to compare the survival rate in different CKD/PAD groups. The relative risks (RR) of death from all-cause and CVD were compared using a Cox regression model. It was found that the prevalence of PAD in patients with and without CKD was 41.9% and 22.3%, respectively ( p < 0.001). The survival rate for the CKD and PAD group was significantly lower than that for any single disease, for both all-cause and CVD mortality (log-rank: p < 0.001). In conclusion, CKD is a risk factor for PAD. The combined CKD and PAD patients had the highest risk for all-cause and CVD mortality. Early recognition of risk can be made by taking an ankle—brachial index measurement of PAD; a corresponding laboratory assessment should be used as a measurement of renal function for PAD patients.
Data on education: From population statistics to epidemiological research
Authors: Pallesen Palle Bo , Tverborgvik Torill , Rasmussen Hanna Barbara , Lynge Elsebeth
Published: February 2010

Background: Level of education is in many fields of research used as an indicator of social status. Methods: Using Statistics Denmark’s register for education and employment of the population, we examined highest completed education with a birth-cohort perspective focusing on people born between 1930 and 1974. Results: Irregularities in the educational data were found for both men and women born from 1951 to 1957. For the birth cohorts born from 1951 to 1954, a sudden increase in the proportion of persons with basic school education only was seen, and a following decrease in this proportion was seen for the birth cohorts born from 1955 to 1957. For the same birth cohorts, a reverse curve was found for the proportion with vocational training as highest completed education. Using proportion of women with at least one child at the age of 30, our analysis illustrated that spurious patterns may emerge when other social phenomena are analysed by partly misclassified educational groups. Conclusions: Our findings showed that register data are not always to be taken at face value and that thorough analysis may unravel unexpected irregularities. Although such data errors may be remedied in analyses of population trends by use of extrapolated values, solutions are less obvious in epidemiological research using individual level data.
The utility of educational action research for emancipatory change
Authors: Kinsler Kimberly
Published: February 2010

Much has been written about the potential of action research (AR) to advance social justice and emancipatory change. However, since its original promulgation in the 1940s and despite its increasing popularity and acceptance in many academic fields, AR in general, and educational AR in particular, appear to have fallen short of significantly advancing these ends, particularly in the industrialized world. In fact, to the dismay of many of its most ardent advocates, AR has more often been used as a technical tool to facilitate the use of particular teaching techniques; increase practical professional efficacy; and implement government policies. This may in part be due to the primacy advocates give to its meeting key theoretical and practical university-based considerations. While there has been increasing discussion and advocacy for particular forms of AR as best suited to produce emancipatory consciousness and work, it is here asserted that each form has its own unique emancipatory potential and challenges. It is also asserted that too little attention has been paid to the practical outcomes of much educational AR, suggesting the need to rethink the esoteric nature and narrow range of criteria used to determine what counts as emancipatory AR.
Promising Strategies for Collaborating With Hispanic Parents During Family-Centered Speech-Language Intervention
Authors: Kummerer Sharon E.
Published: February 2010

Early intervention programs are developed on the premise that parents or primary caregivers generalize treatment strategies within naturalistic environments. The diverse characteristics of children within early language intervention reinforce the urgency for services that consider the needs of each child within his or her broader social, cultural, and familial context. Furthermore, effective language interventions require the integration of many factors including cognitive, linguistic, and cultural influences. This article presents strategies for implementing collaborative, family-centered language intervention with Hispanic parents and their children with communication disabilities. General strategies include establishing a trusting relationship, valuing parents as experts of their children, creating mutually constructed goals, accommodating families’ schedules and roles, individualizing intervention in the home language, and encouraging parental education and advocacy. The intent of this article is to guide understanding of communication disabilities among young Hispanic children and provide speech-language pathologists with information on implementing evidence-based practices.
Plastic flow and microstructural evolution in Ti–6Al–2Zr–1Mo–1V alloys during hot deformation
Authors: Dong X. J. , Lu S. Q. , Zhang H. Z. , Li W. , Wang K. L.
Published: February 2010

The hot deformation behaviour and microstructural evolution in Ti–6Al–2Zr–1Mo–1V alloys have been studied using isothermal hot compression tests. The processing map was developed at a true strain of 0·7 in the temperature range 750–950°C and strain rate range 0·001–10 s−1. The corresponding microstructures were characterised by means of a metallurgical microscope. Globularisation of lamellae occurring to a greater extent in the range 780–880°C and 0·001–0·01 s−1 had a peak power dissipation efficiency of 58 at about 850°C and 0·001 s−1. The specimens deformed in 750–880°C and 0·01–10 s−1 showed an instability region of processing map, whereas the specimens deformed in 880–950°C and 1–10 s−1 indicated three kinds of flow instabilities, i.e. macro shear cracks, prior beta boundary cracks and flow localisation bands.
Single pass laser joining of Inconel 718 superalloy with filler
Authors: Krenz D. , Egbewande A. T. , Zhang H.-R. , Ojo O. A.
Published: February 2010

Microstructure and mechanical property of CO2 laser beam welded IN 718 superalloy were studied by electron microscopy and hardness testing. The use of a welding filler wire produced a sound fusion zone with no cracking but grain boundary microfissuring occurred in the heat affected zone (HAZ) and was observed to be significantly influenced by pre-weld heat treatment and laser welding speed. Crack-free weld was produced by a pre-weld heat treatment that minimised non-equilibirum grain boundary boron segregation and inhibited grain growth. While post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) reduced the difference between the hardness values of the base alloy, HAZ and the fusion zone, it resulted in increased HAZ cracking, which was likely aided by pre-existing cracks. The PWHT cracking was, however, avoided by subjecting pre-weld material to the heat treatment condition that produces crack-free weld during welding process.
Synthesis and characterisation of alumina fibres using organic/inorganic composite sol
Authors: Zhang Y. B. , Ding Y. P. , Li Y. , Gao J. Q. , Yang J. F. , Guo L. T.
Published: February 2010

The polyvinyl butyral–Al(NO3)3 composite sols and alumina fibres were synthesised by the sol–gel process in an aqueous solution using the polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and Al(NO3)3.9H2O (AN). The viscosity of PVB–AN composite sol increased with increasing AN content and aging time when it was laid at room temperature. The addition of AN leads to the formation of new weak peak and the deviation of diffraction angle to higher degrees according to the X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD). The exothermic peak of PVB disappeared and a weak endothermic peak was observed in differential scanning calorimetry curves of composite powders. The XRD pattern of fibres sintered at 1200°C showed the formation of α-alumina and the fibres showed smooth surface and uniform diameter.