bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taiwanese maternal health in the postpartum nursing centre
Authors: Hung Chich‐Hsiu , Yu Ching‐Yun , Ou Chu‐Chun , Liang Wei‐Wen
Published: March 2010

Aim.  To investigate the association between postpartum stress as well as social support and the general health status of women recently discharged from postpartum nursing centres where the ritual of Tso‐Yueh‐Tzu is followed.

Background.  Taiwanese women stay in postpartum nursing centres to take care of their newborn babies and perform the traditional Chinese ritual of Tso‐Yueh‐Tzu, the custom of a postpartum month‐long rest.

Design.  A non‐experimental research design was used in the study.

Methods.  Two hundred and fifty‐eight postpartum women who had stayed in postpartum nursing centres for at least 20 days were recruited at eight postpartum nursing centres in the Kaohsiung metropolitan area of southern Taiwan. They were administered the Hung Postpartum Stress Scale, the Social Support Scale and the Chinese Health Questionnaire.

Results.  Women without minor psychiatric morbidity had higher social support, lower postpartum stress and longer length‐of‐stays in the postpartum care centre than women with minor psychiatric morbidity. Postpartum stress revolved around changes in body shape. A one‐point increase in postpartum stress increased the likelihood that a mother would suffer minor psychiatric morbidity by 1·04 times; while giving birth to a boy decreased that likelihood by 0·51 times.

Conclusions.  This study found Tso‐Yueh‐Tzu as practised in postpartum nursing centres gave the postpartum women the opportunity to receive tangible support and, therefore, helped decrease postpartum stress and improved their general health. The greatest source of postpartum stress was concern over negative body changes.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The postpartum nursing centre plays an important role in helping postpartum Taiwanese women observe the traditional ritual of Tso‐Yueh‐Tzu and in improving these women’s general health. These centres may want to pay more attention to providing exercise that promotes body toning and relaxation.
Spiritual care provided by Thai nurses in intensive care units
Authors: Lundberg Pranee C , Kerdonfag Petcharat
Published: March 2010

Aim.  The aim of this study was to explore how Thai nurses in intensive care units of a university hospital in Bangkok provided spiritual care to their patients.

Background.  The function of nursing is to promote health, prevent illness, restore health and alleviate suffering. An holistic approach to this promotion includes spirituality.

Design.  An explorative qualitative study was used.

Method.  Thirty Thai nurses, selected through purposive sampling with the snowball technique, participated voluntarily. Semi‐structured interviews with open‐ended questions were carried out, taped‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to content analysis.

Results.  Five themes related to the provision of spiritual care emerged: giving mental support, facilitating religious rituals and cultural beliefs, communicating with patients and patients’ families, assessing the spiritual needs of patients and showing respect and facilitating family participation in care. Several ways of improving the spiritual care were suggested by the nurses.

Conclusions.  Spirituality was an important part of the care for the nurses when meeting the needs of their patients and the patients’ families. Therefore, nursing education should enhance nurses’ understanding and awareness of spiritual issues and prepare them to respond to human spiritual needs.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses should consider spirituality as an important component of holistic care. During their professional career, they should expand their knowledge and understanding of spirituality and develop tools for assessment of spiritual needs.
What is the evidence for the use of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease?
Authors: Cary Virginia A , Boullata Joseph
Published: March 2010

Aims and objectives.  The purpose of this article is to investigate the use of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Background.  Probiotics have been successfully used to treat various acute illnesses such as Clostridium difficile infection, rotovirus diarrhoea and traveller’s diarrhoea. Recently, some studies have reported success with probiotics in the treatment of chronic intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Design.  Literature review.

Methods.  A literature search was performed to include studies on Bifidobacteria‐fermented milk, Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces boulardii, VSL #3 and probiotic use. Results of the literature are analysed, and a discussion is made regarding evaluation of the literature and implications for care.

Results.  The majority of probiotics studied have proven to have beneficial effects in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, especially when taken as a dietary adjunctive to standard treatment. All probiotics studied, with the exception of Lactobacillus GG and LA1, demonstrated positive results.

Conclusions.  The increasing use of probiotics combined with the insufficient knowledge regarding the use of probiotics in treating inflammatory bowel disease requires that future multilevel, multicentre large randomised control trials be conducted to understand better the specific measures and effectiveness of such treatment.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Given that few clinical trials exist to study the potential role of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, it is imperative that healthcare providers become knowledgeable about the use of probiotics and their effects on inflammatory bowel disease.
Effect on blood pressure of a continued nursing intervention using chronotherapeutics for adult Chinese hypertensive patients
Authors: Zang Xiao‐Ying , Liu Jin‐Feng , Chai Yan‐Fen , Wong Frances Kam Yuet , Zhao Yue
Published: March 2010

Aims and objectives.  (1) To explore the effect of continued nursing intervention on hypertensive patients based on chronotherapeutics. (2) To identify the factors affecting hypertensive patients’ compliance to the chronotherapeutics‐oriented nursing interventions.

Background.  Chronotherapy provides a means of individual treatment for hypertension according to the circadian blood‐pressure profile of each patient and constitutes a new option in optimising blood‐pressure control and reducing risk from hypertension.

Design.  Experimental study.

Methods.  All participants enrolled were randomly divided into the intervention group and the control group and they all took antihypertensive medicine prescribed by their doctors under ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. According to individual ambulatory blood pressure monitoring measures, interventions were implemented.

Results.  (1) There were significant differences in blood pressure and compliance to chronotherapeutics between the two groups before and after the intervention. (2) Single variant and multiple factors analysis revealed different characteristics influencing chronotherapeutic compliance of hypertensive patients.

Conclusions.  Under ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, continued nursing intervention for hypertensive patients guided by chronotherapeutics could effectively improve blood‐pressure control and chronotherapeutic compliance.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Health care providers who deal with Chinese hypertensive patients can improve patients’ therapeutic compliance and blood pressure control guided by chronotherapeutics. According to different influencing factors on patients’ chronotherapeutic compliance nurses should pay more attention to those whose compliance might be worse.
An analysis of nursing and medical students’ attitudes towards and knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
Authors: Yildirim Yasemin , Parlar Serap , Eyigor Sibel , Sertoz Ozen O , Eyigor Can , Fadiloglu Cicek , Uyar Meltem
Published: March 2010

Aims and objectives.  This study aims to evaluate and compare nursing and medical students’ attitudes and knowledge about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Background.  Despite increased popularity of the use of complementary and alternative medicine, it is not included in nursing and medicine schools’ curricula in many countries.

Design.  A cross‐sectional design was used.

Method.  This study’s research population included 972 students who were educated at a school of nursing and a faculty of medicine during the academic year 2006–2007. The study used a questionnaire the researchers prepared as data collection form. Pearson chi‐square test was used to observe the differences between nursing and medical students. A p‐value <0·05 was accepted statistically significant.

Results.  The population was 49·1% nursing students and 50·9% medical students. Of the nursing students, 57·8% agreed with the statements that complementary and alternative medicine modalities should be integrated into clinical practice, 61·3% agreed for curriculum. Of the medical school students, 32·6% agreed for clinical practice and 37·9% for curriculum. The nursing students had sufficient knowledge of mostly massage and imagery; and medical students had sufficient knowledge of mostly diet therapy, vitamins and prayer.

Conclusions.  The results of current study reveal that nursing students adopt more positive attitudes than medical students towards complementary and alternative medicine therapies and that both student groups have limited knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine modalities.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Physicians and nurses play important roles in helping patients use complementary and alternative medicine safely and accurately. Therefore, as future nurses and physicians, nursing and medical students should have sufficient knowledge of and education on complementary and alternative medicine modalities. In this context, handling complementary and alternative medicine on a scientific scale and including it in nursing and medical students’ educational programmes should be among the goals and plans in Turkey.
Food for Thoughts: Feeding Time and Hormonal Secretion
Authors: Feillet C. A.
Published: March 2010

Many daily cycles are imposed on us by our environment, such as alternating days and nights, temperature fluctuations or rhythms in food availability. When food is accessible every day at the same time, animals will adapt their physiology and behaviour to match the daily meal. They will anticipate the access to food by waking up and being active in the hours prior to feeding, foraging for food. Adaptation of physiology to changing conditions of food availability is not only evident at the behavioural level, but also for hormonal systems. Thus, corticosteroids, melatonin, leptin/ghrelin, insulin/glucagon, orexins and thyroid hormones, which show rhythmic profiles of secretion in ad libitum feeding conditions, are sensitive to increase and/or depletion in energy supplies and will be influenced when food sources are limited or available at unusual times. The present review reports the influence of restricted feeding schedules on secretion profiles of diverse hormones compared to normal ad libitum feeding conditions in rodents. In the end, the interplay between these systems and their response to environmental challenges will allow the animal to maintain their fitness for survival.
Parasitoid fig‐wasp evolutionary diversification and variation in ecological opportunity
Authors: MCLEISH M. J. , VAN NOORT S. , TOLLEY K. A.
Published: March 2010

Ecological processes are manifest in the evolution and form of phenotype diversity. The great abundance of parasitoid species has led to speculation whether rates of speciation and extinction are dependent on parasitoid diversity. If these factors are mutually exclusive, species diversity should fluctuate instead of remaining relatively constant over time. It is not known whether radiations constrained by coevolutionary interactions conform to density‐dependent diversification processes. Here we test the prediction that parasitoid fig wasp diversification responds to changes in ecological opportunity and density‐independent processes. A phylogenetic approach is used to estimate relative divergence times and infer diversification rate changes using γ‐statistics. Monte Carlo constant rates tests that accommodate incomplete sampling could not reject constant rates diversification. Parasitoid fig wasp diversification is consistent with a more complex explanation than density‐dependent cladogenesis. The results suggest contemporary African parasitoid fig wasp diversity remains a legacy of an ancient ecological opportunity facilitated by fig tree diversification following the breakup of Pan‐African forests and evolution of the savanna biome over the last 55 Ma and the more recent aridification of the African continent in the last 5 Ma. These results imply that amplified phenotypic differentiation of specialist insects coevolving with plants is coupled to evolutionarily infrequent changes in ecological opportunity.
Histology of the explanted hearts of children transplanted for dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Crossland David S. , Edmonds Katy , Rassl Doris , Black Fiona , Dark John H. , Smith Jon , O’Sullivan John J.
Published: March 2010

Abstract:  There is little information as to the histology of the explanted hearts of children transplanted for presumed dilated cardiomyopathy. We therefore aimed to describe the histology of these explants. Thirty‐six children [mean age 7.4 years (range 0.1–17)] transplanted for dilated cardiomyopathy were identified. Based on histological examination of the explanted hearts patients were classified into three groups: severe inflammation, mild to moderate inflammation, and minimal or no inflammation. Cell death/damage and fibrosis were also scored. Duration of symptoms and degree of support at transplant were ascertained from the case notes. Two patients had severe confluent inflammation, nine mild or moderate focal inflammation, and 25 minimal or no inflammation. The degree of inflammation and fibrosis did not correlate with the interval between presentation and transplant (p = 0.37 and p = 0.78). Patients requiring inotropes or ventricular assist had a shorter time interval between presentation and transplant (p = 0.017) although these levels of support were not associated with the degree of inflammation or fibrosis (p = 0.90 and 0.5). We conclude that the explanted hearts of one‐third of children transplanted for presumed cardiomyopathy have some degree of inflammation. Histological findings are not associated with symptom duration or support required.
Unrelated HSCT in an adolescent affected by congenital erythropoietic porphyria
Authors: Faraci Maura , Morreale Giuseppe , Boeri Elio , Lanino Edoardo , Dallorso Sandro , Dini Giorgio , Scuderi Francesca , Cohen Amnon , Cappelli Barbara
Published: March 2010

Abstract:  CEP is a rare inborn error of porphyrin–heme synthesis. Clinical manifestations can range from mild to severe and include erythrodontia, reddish‐colored urine, and hemolytic anemia that can be mild or severe and may result in splenomegaly. Completely avoiding exposure to the sun is crucial. Attempts to reduce erythropoiesis and to lower circulating porphyrin levels by means of erythrocyte transfusions have been successful in reducing the expression of the disease. However, the complications of a chronic transfusion regimen are potentially severe. Successful bone marrow transplantation has been reported in CEP. We report a case of successful bone marrow transplantation and prolonged follow‐up in an adolescent CEP patient.
Genetics of male nuptial colour divergence between sympatric sister species of a Lake Victoria cichlid fish
Authors: MAGALHAES I. S. , SEEHAUSEN O.
Published: March 2010

The hypothesis of sympatric speciation by sexual selection has been contentious. Several recent theoretical models of sympatric speciation by disruptive sexual selection were tailored to apply to African cichlids. Most of this work concludes that the genetic architecture of female preference and male trait is a key determinant of the likelihood of disruptive sexual selection to result in speciation. We investigated the genetic architecture controlling male nuptial colouration in a sympatric sibling species pair of cichlid fish from Lake Victoria, which differ conspicuously in male colouration and female mating preferences for these. We estimated that the difference between the species in male nuptial red colouration is controlled by a minimum number of two to four genes with significant epistasis and dominance effects. Yellow colouration appears to be controlled by one gene with complete dominance. The two colours appear to be epistatically linked. Knowledge on how male colouration segregates in hybrid generations and on the number of genes controlling differences between species can help us assess whether assumptions made in simulation models of sympatric speciation by sexual selection are realistic. In the particular case of the two sister species that we studied a small number of genes causing major differences in male colouration may have facilitated the divergence in male colouration associated with speciation.
Histological Assessment of Selected Blood Vessels of the Phocid Seals (Northern Elephant and Harbour Seals)
Authors: Smodlaka H. , Khamas W. , Tkalcic S. , Golub T. , Palmer L.
Published: March 2010

Phocid seals exhibit vascular adaptations that allow them to undertake prolonged deep dives. These vascular adaptations are either unique to phocids, or are modified vascular equivalents to those present in terrestrial mammals. One such adaptation, the aortic bulb, is a spherical enlargement of the ascending aorta specific to phocid seals. Its histological make‐up consists of a reinforced tunica media with circular and longitudinal layers of elastic fibres. This reinforcement enables multi‐axial deformation of the aortic bulb, thus complementing its function as a prominent elastic reservoir or ‘windkessel’. A second adaptation, the hepatic sinus, is an asymmetrical dilation of the abdominal portion of the caudal vena cava and accompanying hepatic veins. The hepatic sinus is comprised of a relatively thin tunica media, with a scant smooth muscle component. The bulk of the sinus wall is comprised of tunica adventitia. A third vascular adaptation distinctive to the phocids is the pericardial venous plexus, composed of convoluted veins circumnavigating the perimeter of the heart. Microscopically, these veins have a thick tunica media and also contain valves. Smaller arteries, venules and distinct capillary beds are observed interspersed in‐between these veins. It can be hypothesized, that in seals, certain vascular embryonic development may be arrested at an earlier embryonic stage, resulting in these unusual vascular formations. These modifications play a vital role in blood pressure regulation and distribution of oxygenated blood during prolonged deep diving. The purpose of this work was to elucidate the histological aspects of these unique vascular modifications and relate them to specific function.
PEP005 (ingenol mebutate) gel for the topical treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma: Results of a randomized phase IIa trial
Authors: Siller Greg , Rosen Robert , Freeman Michael , Welburn Peter , Katsamas Janelle , Ogbourne Steven M
Published: March 2010

Objectives:  To evaluate the safety of two applications of PEP005 (ingenol mebutate) gel in superficial basal cell carcinoma. Efficacy was a secondary end‐point.

Methods:  Randomized, vehicle‐controlled, phase IIa study conducted at eight private dermatology clinics in Australia. A total of 60 patients with histologically confirmed superficial basal cell carcinoma (lesion size, 4–15 mm) were randomized to treatment on days 1 and 2 (Arm A) or days 1 and 8 (Arm B) and, within each arm, to ingenol mebutate gel, 0.0025%, 0.01% or 0.05%, or vehicle gel. The main outcome measures were the incidence and severity of adverse events and local skin responses in Arms A and B; lesion clearance at day 85 was a secondary measure.

Results:  The incidence of adverse events was low. One patient treated with ingenol mebutate gel, 0.05% in Arm A experienced severe flaking/scaling/dryness extending beyond the application site. Non‐severe, potentially treatment‐related events included erythema extending beyond the application site, application‐site pain and headache in two patients each. Six patients in Arm A had one or more severe local skin responses. Efficacy appeared to be dose‐related and there was a trend towards higher clinical and histological lesion clearance rates in Arm A compared with Arm B. Histological clearance occurred in five of eight patients (63%) randomized to ingenol mebutate gel, 0.05% in Arm A.

Conclusions:  Two applications of ingenol mebutate gel, 0.05%, are safe and have efficacy in patients with superficial basal cell carcinoma.
Dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin, a novel nuclear factor‐κB inhibitor, prevents inflammatory injury induced by interferon‐γ and histamine in NCTC 2544 keratinocytes
Authors: Cardile Venera , Libra Massimo , Caggia Silvia , Frasca Giuseppina , Umezawa Kazuo , Stivala Franca , Mazzarino Maria Clorinda , Bevelacqua Ylenia , Coco Marinella , Malaponte Grazia
Published: March 2010

1. The novel nuclear factor (NF)‐κB inhibitor dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ) is a derivative of the antibiotic epoxyquinomicin C fromAmycolatopsissp. that has been found to inhibit tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α‐induced activation of NF‐κB by suppressing nuclear translocation of NF‐κB. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of DHMEQ on interferon (IFN)‐γ‐ and histamine‐activated NCTC 2544 keratinocytes.

2. Keratinocytes were stimulated or not with 200 U/mL IFN‐γ and 10−4 mol/L histamine in the absence or presence of different concentrations of DHMEQ (1, 5 and 10 μg/mL) or hydrocortisone (10−5 mol/L), which was used as a reference anti‐inflammatory drug. After 48 h, each sample was tested for the presence of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)‐1 by western blot analysis, as well as for the release of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)‐1, RANTES and interleukin (IL)‐8 using specific sandwich ELISAs. To verify the effect of DHMEQ on cell viability of non‐stimulated NCTC 2544 keratinocytes, the 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2 thiazoyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used.

3. The results showed that 10 μg/mL DHMEQ potently inhibited ICAM‐1 production (by 50%), as well as the release of MCP‐1 (to 25% of control), RANTES (to 5% of control) and IL‐8 (to 2% of control). The results of the MTT assay indicated that DHMEQ has no effect on cell viability.

4. In conclusion, DHMEQ inhibits the IFN‐γ‐ and histamine‐induced activation of the keratinocyte cell line NCTC 2544. The anti‐inflammatory effects of DHMEQ could be exploited by applying the drug topically alone or in combination with sub‐toxic concentrations of anti‐inflammatory drugs to producer a synergistic effect.
Trends in overweight and obese adults in Malaysia (1996–2009): a systematic review
Authors: Khambalia A. Z. , Seen L. S.
Published: March 2010

Like other nations experiencing rapid industrialization, urbanization and a nutrition transition, there is concern in Malaysia of a possible escalation in the prevalence of overweight and obesity. In 1996, the National Health and Morbidity Survey reported a 16.6% and 4.4% prevalence of overweight and obesity, respectively. In the following decade, there have been several national and community surveys on overweight and obesity in Malaysia. The objective of this systematic review is to describe the trend from 1996 to 2009 in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults in Malaysia nationally and by gender, age and race. Results indicate that there has been a small rise in overweight adults in the years 1996, 2003 and 2006 (20.7%, 26.7% and 29.1%) and a much more dramatic increase in obesity in 1996, 2003, 2004 and 2006 (5.5%, 12.2%, 12.3% and 14.0%). Evidence showed a greater risk for overweight and obesity among women compared with men. Based on the highest‐quality studies, overweight and obesity levels were highest among adults 40–59 years old. Overweight levels were highest among Indians, followed by Malays, Chinese and Aboriginals, with less consistency across studies on the order of risk or obesity by ethnicity.
A comparison of business ethics commitment in private and public sector organizations in Sweden
Authors: Svensson Göran , Wood Greg , Callaghan Michael
Published: March 2010

This paper reports the results of a study of the top 500 private sector organizations and the top 100 public sector organizations in Sweden. It is a replication of the study by Svensson et al. (2004). The aim of the study was to describe and compare the business ethics commitment of organizations across the two sectors. The empirical findings indicate that the processes involved in business ethics commitment have begun to be recognized and acted upon at an organizational level in Sweden. Some support is provided to show that codes of ethics are developing in some of Sweden's largest private and public sector organizations – although this is happening to a lesser extent in the public sector. It is noted that an effect of a code of ethics on the bottom line of the business was acknowledged by respondents in both private and public sector organizations. We believe that the supporting measures of business ethics commitment appear to be underutilized in both private and public sector organizations in Sweden (among those that possess codes of ethics), thus indicating that the commitment to business ethics in Swedish organizations has potential for future development.
Corporate social responsibility in small‐and medium‐size enterprises: investigating employee engagement in fair trade companies
Authors: Davies Iain A. , Crane Andrew
Published: March 2010

Employee buy‐in is a key factor in ensuring small‐ and medium‐size enterprise (SME) engagement with corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this exploratory study, we use participant observation and semi‐structured interviews to investigate the way in which three fair trade SMEs utilise human resource management (and selection and socialisation in particular) to create employee engagement in a strong triple bottomline philosophy, while simultaneously coping with resource and size constraints. The conclusions suggest that there is a strong desire for, but tradeoff within these companies between selection of individuals who already identify with the triple bottomline philosophy and individuals with experience and capability to deal with mainstream brand management – two critical employee attributes that appear to be rarely found together. The more important the business experience to the organisation, the more effort the organisation must expend in formalising their socialisation programmes to ensure employee engagement. A key method in doing this is increasing employee knowledge of, and affection for, the target beneficiaries of the CSR programme (increased moral intensity).
Alienation, the Cosmos and the Self
Authors: Dickens Peter
Published: March 2010

This paper is concerned with the alienation between the self and the cosmos. On the one hand, the binaries involved in this process (including the division between society and nature and between mental and manual labour) have been widely described and commented on. Social scientists and activists alike have shown that dichotomies of this kind are used by social elites to legitimate control over nature and over ‘inferior’ human beings. These insights are all vital but this paper attempts to combine them with elements of psychoanalysis. Binary ways of thought also appeal to elements (especially infantile elements) of the human psyche that divide parts of society and nature into ‘good’ and ‘bad’. These binaries are the product of psychic defence mechanisms operating under uncertain, challenging or difficult- to-understand circumstances. They result in a narcissistic rather than an anaclytic relation to the cosmos, one in which a divided cosmos is mirroring a divided self rather than (as in archaic societies) a self which develops in close relation to ‘others’ on which it depends. The paper concludes by arguing that a highly general, ‘universal’, knowledge of the cosmos and external nature is unstable and eminently challengeable.
The Agency Effect of Repurchases on Closed‐End Funds
Authors: An Jingfeng , Gemmill Gordon , Thomas Dylan C.
Published: March 2010

Share prices rise after companies announce repurchases, but there are differing views as to why this happens. Repurchases are announced by closed‐end funds when their discounts are widening (market‐to‐book is falling). The immediate post‐announcement effect is a small jump in a fund's share price, but the main effect occurs over the next four years during which time there is significant outperformance both of the fund's price and of its investment portfolio. Liquidity of the shares does not change. Repurchases, if executed, reduce the size of a fund and therefore the manager's fees. Our findings are consistent with directors using the threat of repurchases to discipline managers whose investment performance has been poor, leading to a closer alignment of pay and performance.
SYMMETRIES OF THE KINGDOM: SUGGESTIONS FROM GIRARD AND BONHOEFFER ON THINKING THE CHURCH—STATE RELATION
Authors: LENEHAN KEVIN
Published: March 2010

The work of René Girard invites us to re‐imagine a ‘religious–secular’ interactivity within social space in a way released from the violent dualisms of the ‘sacred/profane.’ Earlier Dietrich Bonhoeffer considered the same task and suggested directions for a positive theology of church‐state relations, even as the inherited forms of these institutions were collapsing about him. This paper explores the Girardian scenario for church and state becoming rivalrous ‘doubles’– whether it be secular utopic projects doubling religious narratives of redemption, or churches doubling the state as parallel yet purer societies – and suggests resources from Bonhoeffer by which a non‐rivalrous church‐state relationality ‐ both mutually‐constituting and mutually‐limiting ‐ may be configured.
Endothelin‐1 enhances cell migration via matrix metalloproteinase‐9 up‐regulation in brain astrocytes
Authors: Wang Hui‐Hsin , Hsieh Hsi‐Lung , Wu Cheng‐Ying , Yang Chuen‐Mao
Published: March 2010

J. Neurochem.(2010)113, 1133–1149.

The bioactivity of endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) has been suggested in the development of CNS diseases, including disturbance of water homeostasis and blood‐brain barrier integrity. Recent studies suggest that hypoxic/ischemic injury of the brain induces release of ET‐1, behaving through a G‐protein coupled ET receptor family. The deleterious effects of ET‐1 on astrocytes may aggravate brain inflammation. Increased plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in particular MMP‐9, have been observed in patients with neuroinflammatory disorders. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying ET‐1‐induced MMP‐9 expression remain unknown. In this study, the data obtained with zymographic, western blotting, real‐time PCR, and immunofluorescent staining analyses showed that ET‐1‐induced MMP‐9 expression was mediated through an ETB‐dependent transcriptional activation. Engagement of Gi/o‐ and Gq‐coupled ETBreceptor by ET‐1 led to activation of p42/p44 MAPK and then activated transcription factors including Ets‐like kinase, nuclear factor‐kappa B, and activator protein‐1 (c‐Jun/c‐Fos). These activated transcription factors translocated into nucleus and bound to their corresponding binding sites in MMP‐9 promoter, thereby turning on MMP‐9 gene transcription. Eventually, up‐regulation of MMP‐9 by ET‐1 enhanced the migration of astrocytes. Taken together, these results suggested that in astrocytes, activation of Ets‐like kinase, nuclear factor‐kappa B, and activator protein‐1 by ETB‐dependent p42/p44 MAPK signaling is necessary for ET‐1‐induced MMP‐9 gene up‐regulation. Understanding the mechanisms of MMP‐9 expression and functional changes regulated by ET‐1/ETBsystem on astrocytes may provide rational therapeutic interventions for brain injury associated with increased MMP‐9 expression.
A Contemporary, Sex‐Limited Change in Body Size of an Estuarine Turtle in Response to Commercial Fishing
Authors: WOLAK MATTHEW E. , GILCHRIST GEORGE W. , RUZICKA VICTORIA A. , NALLY DANIEL M. , CHAMBERS RANDOLPH M.
Published: March 2010

Abstract:  Juvenile growth rate and adult body size are important components of life‐history strategies because of their direct impact on fitness. The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a sexually dimorphic, long‐lived turtle inhabiting brackish waters throughout the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. In parts of its range, terrapins face anthropogenically imposed mortality: juveniles of both sexes inadvertently enter commercial crab traps and drown. For adult females, the carapace eventually grows large enough that they cannot enter traps, whereas males almost never reach that critical size. We compared age structure, carapace dimensions, growth curves, and indices of sexual dimorphism for a Chesapeake Bay population of terrapins (where mortality of turtles is high due to crab traps) with contemporary terrapins from Long Island Sound and museum specimens from Chesapeake Bay (neither group subject to commercial crab traps). We also calculated the allochronic and synchronic rates of evolutionary change (haldanes) for males and females to measure the rate of trait change in a population or between populations, respectively. We found a dramatic shift to a younger male age structure, a decrease in the length of time to terminal female carapace size, a 15% increase in female carapace width, and an increase in sexual dimorphism in Chesapeake Bay. In a new twist, our results implicate a fishery in the selective increase in size of a reptilian bycatch species. These sex‐specific changes in life history and demography have implications for population viability that need to be considered when addressing conservation of this threatened turtle.
Early Trajectories of Spontaneous Vegetation Recovery after Intensive Agricultural Land Use
Authors: Baeten Lander , Velghe Darline , Vanhellemont Margot , De Frenne Pieter , Hermy Martin , Verheyen Kris
Published: March 2010

The early phases of plant colonization after the abandonment of agricultural land are a crucial starting point for a suite of successional mechanisms, such as priority effects, facilitation, and inhibition. Therefore, the first years of vegetation development substantially shape the trajectory of future vegetation recovery on former agricultural sites. Studies describing the abandonment of traditional, extensive agriculture are numerous, but what about intensively cultivated sites? This study covers the vegetation development in 47 plots in former maize fields in an intensive agricultural landscape in Belgium (Western Europe); fields were abandoned in 2001, 2002, and 2003. The woody canopy and the herbaceous understorey were recorded in 2006 (and in 2003 for the 2001 fields). The additional environmental variables measured were plot distance to seed trees and forest edges, soil nutrients, and soil pH. The colonization success of woody species in terms of abundance and species composition was highly variable between years, and presence–absence was hard to explain. However, the growth of the most abundant species (Salix caprea agg.) was positively related to a soil nutrient gradient. Whether or not a woody canopy did establish successfully was related to alternative trajectories of herbaceous vegetation development. Under a sparse canopy of woody species, fast‐growing, opportunistic species became dominant. A denser canopy favored a higher percentage of bare ground, which may have offered suitable sites for the recruitment of additional shrub and tree species. Apparently, strong agricultural legacies can be both beneficial and detrimental to vegetation recovery following abandonment.
Modification of Fertility of Soil Materials for Restoration of Acid Grassland Habitat
Authors: Farrell Mark , Healey John R. , Godbold Douglas L. , Nason Mark A. , Tandy Susan , Jones Davey L.
Published: March 2010

Use of composts for habitat restoration offers advantages in terms of efficient use of resources. Chemical amendment of compost to reduce its pH and P availability was investigated in order to improve suitability for use in reclamation of blocky quarry waste to acidic grassy heathland. The effect of these amendments was observed on competition between two grass species: Agrostis capillaris and Festuca ovina. A factorial, pot‐scale greenhouse experiment was set up using two composts (one a mixture of green waste and catering waste, and the other a mixture of green waste and sewage sludge). In addition, two soils were collected from upland acidic grassland to provide a natural comparison. S0 was applied to reduce soil pH, and Fe(OH)3 from a coal waste treatment plant was applied to counteract the expected increase in P availability due to acidification of the composts by S0. Addition of S0 significantly reduced soil solution pH and addition of Fe(OH)3 significantly reduced soil solution P concentration. In one compost S0 reduced the biomass of F. ovina while increasing that of A. capillaris, whereas Fe(OH)3 had no significant effect on the biomass of either species. Although S0 and Fe(OH)3 did adjust the chemical properties of the soil solution, Fe(OH)3 did not bind P strongly enough to make it unavailable to plants. Further work is required, however, the use of chemically amended composts provides a sustainable sink for organic wastes and we conclude from this study that they have great potential for large‐scale restoration of blocky waste tips.
Yield Responses of Ruderal Plants to Sucrose in Invasive‐Dominated Sagebrush Steppe of the Northern Great Basin
Authors: Brunson Jessi L. , Pyke David A. , Perakis Steven S.
Published: March 2010

Restoration of sagebrush‐steppe plant communities dominated by the invasive ruderals Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) and Taeniatherum caput‐medusae (medusahead) can be facilitated by adding carbon (C) to the soil, stimulating microbes to immobilize nitrogen (N) and limit inorganic N availability. Our objectives were to determine responses in (1) cheatgrass and medusahead biomass and seed production; (2) soil microbial biomass C and N; and (3) inorganic soil N to a range of C doses and to calculate the lowest dose that yielded a significant response. In November 2005, we applid 12 C doses ranging from 0 to 2,400 kg C/ha as sucrose to plots sown with cheatgrass and medusahead at two sites in the northern Great Basin. Other ruderal plants established in our plots, and this entire ruderal community was negatively affected by C addition. End‐of‐year biomass of the ruderal community decreased approximately by approximately 6% at each site for an increase in C dose of 100 kg C/ha. For the same increase in C, microbial biomass C increased by 2–4 mg/kg in November 2005 and March 2006, but not in July 2006. There was little, if any, microbial soil N uptake, as microbial biomass N increased by 0.3 mg/kg at only one site at the earliest date, in November 2005. Soil nitrate (NO3−) measured via resin capsules placed in situ for the study duration decreased at both sites with increasing C. Although we found no threshold dose of C, for a significant reduction in ruderal biomass, we calculated lowest significant doses of 240–640 kg C/ha.
Perceived Health Risks of Manganese in the Molango Mining District, Mexico
Authors: Catalán‐Vázquez Minerva , Schilmann Astrid , Riojas‐Rodríguez Horacio
Published: March 2010

A series of investigations, using an ecosystem approach to human health, have been conducted in the Molango Mining District in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. Given that risk perception plays a key role in the public response to environmental exposures, it is important to recognize the perceived health risks of manganese (Mn). The aim of this study was to analyse the Mn risk perception by describing the attitudes of adult residents toward their communities, assessing the importance they give to environmental problems, including Mn, and their recognition of the links established between Mn and health‐illness‐death. A quantitative study based on interviewer‐administered questionnaires was conducted. A sample of 402 residents was randomly selected from six communities at different distances from the mines and/or Mn processing plants. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to identify Mn risk perception predictors. The results show that roughly 30% of the residents identified mining activities and the resultant pollution as their most important concern. This proportion is greater in communities that have processing plants within them. More than 70% perceive a high Mn pollution regionally, but this proportion decreases when the residents attribute the pollution to their home area. More than 20% of the adults interviewed associated Mn exposure with their own illness, mainly “lungs” and “sight.” Factors influencing Mn risk perception are community of residence, age group (41–60), and the report of having a chronic illness. The risk management plan for the mining district must take into account these differences to have a greater local impact.
Percutaneous Mechanical Assistance for the Failing Heart
Authors: DE SOUZA CRISTIANO FREITAS , DE SOUZA BRITO FLAVIO , DE LIMA VALTER CORREIA , DE CAMARGO CARVALHO ANTONIO CARLOS
Published: March 2010

One of the most challenging situations in contemporary medicine is, doubtlessly, the approach and treatment of patients presenting with severe left ventricle failure. Since its first clinical application in patients with cardiogenic shock in 1968, the intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) has been widely accepted by heart failure physicians. Although IABP therapy has been shown to be effective for the support and stabilization of hemodynamically compromised patients, it has failed to promote any improvements in patient outcomes. For this reason, much attention has been invested in the development of external devices that can collaborate with the treatment of this condition. In this context, the percutaneous left ventricle assist device (pLVAD), like TandemHeart (Cardiac Assist, Inc.; Pittsburgh, PA, USA), and, more recently, the Impella 2.5 (Abiomed Europe, Aachen, Germany) has emerged. The purpose of this review is to describe the history of pLVAD, from its beginning, to the other devices currently available, including those created for right ventricle and biventricular support. (J Interven Cardiol 2010;23:195‐202)
Clinical Experience with a Novel Intracoronary Perfusion Catheter to Treat No‐Reflow Phenomenon in Acute Coronary Syndromes
Authors: MALUENDA GABRIEL , BEN‐DOR ITSIK , DELHAYE CEDRIC , GONZALEZ MANUEL A. , COLLINS SARA D. , TORGUSON REBECCA , XUE ZHENYI , SUDDATH WILLIAM O. , SATLER LOWELL F. , KENT KENNETH M. , LINDSAY JOSEPH , PICHARD AUGUSTO D. , WAKSMAN RON
Published: March 2010

Background:
 The no‐reflow phenomenon is an often seen complication in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This event is associated with poor prognosis and poses a therapeutic challenge.

Methods:
 This retrospective study cohort was composed of 30 patients who presented with ACS between September 2007 and April 2009, and developed no‐reflow during subsequent PCI. The primary end‐point was defined as normal Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 3 flow with myocardial blush grade (MBG) ≥2 or an increase in TIMI flow by ≥2 grades with a MBG ≥2 after intracoronary drug infusion via the ClearWay (CW) RX perfusion catheter.

Results:
 The population presented with a relatively high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. ST‐elevation myocardial infarction was the most common presentation (60.0%), while 20% of the patients presented with cardiogenic shock. After intracoronary infusion of nicardipine or nitroprusside using the CW catheter, TIMI flow improved from the baseline in 19 cases (63.3%, P < 0.001), and 16 patients (53.3%, P < 0.001) achieved normal coronary flow at the end of the procedure. The rate of in‐hospital death was 6.7% (2 cases). No clinical differences were noted between those patients who successfully achieved normal coronary flow and those with persistent no‐reflow.

Conclusion:
 The infusion of intracoronary drugs using the novel perfusion CW RX catheter seems to be safe and could help to improve myocardial perfusion in a selected group of patients presenting with ACS who developed no‐reflow during PCI. (J Interven Cardiol 2010;23:109‐113)
Regarding the Rise in Autism: Vaccine Safety Doubt, Conditions of Inquiry, and the Shape of Freedom
Authors: Kaufman Sharon R.
Published: March 2010

Abstract
Beginning in the 1980s in the United States, a growing number of parents of children diagnosed with autism and other problems related to neurodevelopment began to suspect that their children's conditions were caused by, or somehow related to, vaccinations. By the early 21st century, the idea that something about childhood vaccinations are the cause, may be the cause, or may be one contributing factor in the apparently rising numbers of children with neurodevelopmental problems had spread widely. This article traces parent anxiety about a connection between autism and vaccines. It illustrates the ways in which a large number of parents think about potential risks of vaccines and make decisions about immunizing their children. It focuses on their doubt and responsibilities, and shows how they negotiate their relationship to medical expertise and the ethics of citizenship. Overall, this article explores the rise of autism into public awareness—as a mutable object of knowledge, a protean disease category, and an exemplar of the condition of uncertainty today—to show the limits of risk assessment as a way of managing life. [risk assessment, subjectivity, ethic of care, technologies of doubt]
An Exceptional Path: An Ethnographic Narrative Reflecting on Autistic Parenthood from Evolutionary, Cultural, and Spiritual Perspectives
Authors: Prince Dawn Eddings
Published: March 2010

Abstract
As the recognition of Autism Spectrum Disorder has increased, professionals and academics have theorized its epidemiology and pathology. As valuable as those perspectives are, rarely is the voice of the autistic person heard as a source of understanding. In this ethnographic article, I share my story as a person on the spectrum. I hope to illuminate not the disability of autism, but the reward of the struggle and the gifts that are part of a different way of being. As I reflect on the transformations that have occurred in my life, it becomes clear that my most important role is that of a mother to a son who would himself be diagnosed as autistic in a different context. This narrative offers thoughts about the complex challenges of living with autism—not only from a professional and academic standpoint but also from a deeply human one as well. [autism spectrum disorder, belonging, motherhood, experience]
Effect of Calcium Additions on N–A–S–H Cementitious Gels
Authors: García‐Lodeiro Ines , Fernández‐Jiménez Ana , Palomo Angel , Macphee Donald E.
Published: March 2010

This paper reports a research on the properties of synthetic sodium aluminosilicate hydrate gels as models for the gels arising in alkali‐activated aluminosilicate systems. The interaction between these N–A–S–H gels and aqueous calcium was studied to explore a potential consequence of mixing conventional Portland cements and alkali‐activated systems. The properties of two N–A–S–H gels (with Si/Al=1 and 2) synthesized in highly alkaline media, in the presence of calcium are reported. N–A–S–H gels were synthesized using aluminum nitrate, sodium hydroxide, and a sodium silicate. FTIR, NMR, and TEM/EDX techniques were used to characterize N–A–S–H gels before and after adding calcium. The results obtained show that calcium is uptaken in N–A–S–H gels resulting in a modification of the chemical composition due to the substitution of sodium per calcium.