bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bayesian Analysis of Human Movement Curves
Authors: Alshabani A. K. S. , Dryden I. L. , Litton C. D. , Richardson J.
Published: August 2007

We consider the Bayesian analysis of human movement data, where the subjects perform various reaching tasks. A set of markers is placed on each subject and a system of cameras records the three-dimensional Cartesian co-ordinates of the markers during the reaching movement. It is of interest to describe the mean and variability of the curves that are traced by the markers during one reaching movement, and to identify any differences due to covariates. We propose a methodology based on a hierarchical Bayesian model for the curves. An important part of the method is to obtain identifiable features of the movement so that different curves can be compared after temporal warping. We consider four landmarks and a set of equally spaced pseudolandmarks are located in between. We demonstrate that the algorithm works well in locating the landmarks, and shape analysis techniques are used to describe the posterior distribution of the mean curve. A feature of this type of data is that some parts of the movement data may be missing—the Bayesian methodology is easily adapted to cope with this situation.
Statistical Inference for Olfactometer Data
Authors: Ricard I. , Davison A. C.
Published: August 2007

Olfactometer experiments are used to determine the effect of odours on the behaviour of organisms such as insects or nematodes, and typically result in data comprising many groups of small overdispersed counts. We develop a non-homogeneous Markov chain model for data from olfactometer experiments with parasitoid wasps and discuss a relation with the Dirichlet–multinomial distribution. We consider the asymptotic relative efficiencies of three different observation schemes and give an analysis of data intended to shed light on the effect of previous experience of odours in the wasps.
Markets and Medical Care: The United States, 1993–2005
Authors: WHITE JOSEPH
Published: August 2007

Many studies arguing for or against markets to finance medical care investigate “market‐oriented” measures such as cost sharing. This article looks at the experience in the American medical marketplace over more than a decade, showing how markets function as institutions in which participants who are self‐seeking, but not perfectly rational, exercise power over other participants in the market. Cost experience here was driven more by market power over prices than by management of utilization. Instead of following any logic of efficiency or equity, system transformations were driven by beliefs about investment strategies. At least in the United States' labor and capital markets, competition has shown little ability to rationalize health care systems because its goals do not resemble those of the health care system most people want.
Rewarding Excellence and Efficiency in Medicare Payments
Authors: DAVIS KAREN , GUTERMAN STUART
Published: August 2007

Medicare could become an innovative leader in using financial incentives to reward health care providers for providing excellent and efficient care throughout a patient's illness. This article examines the variations in cost and quality in the provision of episodes of care and describes how a pay‐for‐performance payment system could be designed to narrow those variations and serve as a transition to a new Medicare payment policy that would align physicians' incentives with improvements in both quality and efficiency. In particular, Medicare could stimulate greater efficiency by developing new payment methods that are neither pure fee‐for‐service nor pure capitation, beginning with a pay‐for‐performance payment system that rewards quality and efficiency and moving to a blended fee‐for‐service and case‐rate system.
Public/Private Partnerships for Prescription Drug Coverage: Policy Formulation and Outcomes in Quebec's Universal Drug Insurance Program, with Comparisons to the Medicare Prescription Drug Program in the United States
Authors: POMEY MARIE‐PASCALE , FOREST PIERRE‐GERLIER , PALLEY HOWARD A. , MARTIN ELISABETH
Published: August 2007

In January 1997, the government of Quebec, Canada, implemented a public/private prescription drug program that covered the entire population of the province. Under this program, the public sector collaborates with private insurers to protect all Quebecers from the high cost of drugs. This article outlines the principal features and history of the Quebec plan and draws parallels between the factors that led to its emergence and those that led to the passage of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) in the United States. It also discusses the challenges and similarities of both programs and analyzes Quebec's ten years of experience to identify adjustments that may help U.S. policymakers optimize the MMA.
Reflection and Disagreement
Authors: Elga Adam
Published: August 2007

How should you take into account the opinions of an advisor? When you completely defer to the advisor's judgment (the manner in which she responds to her evidence), then you should treat the advisor as a guru. Roughly, that means you should believe what you expect she would believe, if supplied with your extra evidence. When the advisor is your own future self, the resulting principle amounts to a version of the Reflection Principle—a version amended to handle cases of information loss.

When you count an advisor as an epistemic peer, you should give her conclusions the same weight as your own. Denying that view—call it the “equal weight view”—leads to absurdity: the absurdity that you could reasonably come to believe yourself to be an epistemic superior to an advisor simply by noting cases of disagreement with her, and taking it that she made most of the mistakes. Accepting the view seems to lead to another absurdity: that one should suspend judgment about everything that one's smart and well‐informed friends disagree on, which means suspending judgment about almost everything interesting. But despite appearances, the equal weight view does not have this absurd consequence. Furthermore, the view can be generalized to handle cases involving not just epistemic peers, but also epistemic superiors and inferiors.
SCIENCE AND SEMANTICS: THE CASE OF VAGUENESS AND SUPERVALUATION*
Authors: WEINER JOAN
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  It is widely assumed that the methods and results of science have no place among the data to which our semantics of vague predicates must answer. This despite the fact that it is well known that such prototypical vague predicates as ‘is bald’ play a central role in scientific research (e.g. the research that established Rogaine as a treatment for baldness). I argue here that the assumption is false and costly: in particular, I argue one cannot accept either supervaluationist semantics, or the criticism of that semantics offered by Fodor and Lepore, without having to abandon accepted, and unexceptionable, scientific methodology.
Freedom and Futures: Personal Priorities, Institutional Demands and Freedom of Religion
Authors: Leader Sheldon
Published: August 2007

How should one define the legitimate reach of individuals' institutional obligations in the light of their right to freedom of religion? The most divisive settings for this question involve exclusions from certain jobs and schools. At the same time, some fundamental issues of ethics and law lie in the background. One of the most central concerns choice. On one approach, if there are other sources of work or education that do not make the same demands on the objector then she should choose between conforming and taking up that alternative. On another approach, even if there are such alternatives, people should not be confronted with such a dilemma: they should be entitled to stay in their preferred institution, which must make its best effort to accommodate them. The conflict between these two views arises from underlying differences concerning the nature of free choice itself; about the obligations borne by institutions in civil society; and about basic rights. The connections between these notions are investigated, and a way through the disagreement is suggested.
Identifying Miscarriages of Justice: Why Innocence in the UK is Not the Answer
Authors: Quirk Hannah
Published: August 2007

This article examines two contrasting proposals for the reform of criminal appeals: the government's recent proposal that the guilty should no longer have their convictions quashed on ‘technicalities’; and calls by campaigners for the Court of Appeal to consider innocence rather than the ‘safety of the conviction,’ together with their associated attempts to establish Innocence Projects in the UK. Despite the rhetorical power of ‘innocence’ as a campaigning tool, it is contended that to import such a standard into the legal system would be retrogressive and counter‐productive, both as a safeguard against wrongful convictions and in protecting the integrity of the system. In order to be meaningful, due process protections must apply to all. The government's proposals attack this principle directly; innocence campaigners risk unwittingly assisting their endeavours.
Reengineering the Child Support Scheme: An Australian Perspective on the British Government's Proposals
Authors: Parkinson Patrick
Published: August 2007

After years of problems with the Child Support Scheme in Britain, the Government has decided to attempt reform again, less than four years after a previous major change was implemented in 2003. The author evaluates these reform proposals, drawing upon his experience in leading a recent major review of child support policy in Australia. While many of the reform measures offer a sensible way forward for child support policy, Britain risks going backwards in terms of community acceptance of the child support obligation. The Government needs to consider the likely impact of its policy settings on private agreements about child support. Ways are proposed both to protect the Treasury and to promote the wellbeing of children by adopting different policy settings that ensure the resident parent has an incentive to bargain for the level of child support required by the new formula. The new formula itself is evaluated in the light of the international research on the costs of children. Ways are also suggested for developing a co‐ordinated approach across government to the provision of support services for parents who do not live together.
Auditing the strategic role of operations
Authors: Lillis Bob , Lane Robin
Published: August 2007

The literature relating to auditing the strategic role and contribution of operations has been dominated by methodologies attuned to the predominance of the environmental and competitive forces, and entry deterrence approaches to achieving and sustaining competitive advantage, broadly termed the outside‐in perspective. However, tools suited to the resource‐based and associated dynamic capability view to strategy formulation, deemed the inside‐out perspective, are sparse. This paper makes a contribution to furthering understanding of the auditing of the strategic role and contribution of operations by conducting a review and critique of established ideas, practices and approaches from both strategy formulation perspectives. It argues that the reported methodologies reflect the traditional outside‐in perspective to strategy formulation. It highlights the limitations of the available tools for an inside‐out view and questions the suitability of the existing methods to the more recent inside‐out emphasis, also a factor vital in circumstances where a firm typically is pursuing a combination or blend of the outside‐in and inside‐out approaches to strategy formulation. Finally, it presents the outline of an additional audit tool designed to address these limitations and describes next steps in future research.
Trinity and Ontology: Colin Gunton's Ecclesiology1
Authors: CHIA ROLAND
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  Colin Gunton argues that there is a need to develop an ontology of the church on the basis of the concept of God as triune. There is an analogy between the being of God and the being of the church. Against the monistic and hierarchical conceptions of the church, so common in the West, Gunton develops a communio‐ecclesiology based on his understanding of relationality as a transcendental. In addition, Gunton argues that we must move towards an ecclesiology of perichoresis in which the church as a community is the result of the mutual constitutiveness of persons.
Eucharist, Matter and the Supernatural: Why de Lubac Needs Teilhard
Authors: GRUMETT DAVID
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  Henri de Lubac intended to found his theology on a revaluation of nature achieved by reasserting nature's dependence on divine supernatural action. He usually identifies nature with human nature however, and therefore fails to demonstrate that the wider natural order also depends on God for its creation, preservation and redemption. In his extensive engagement with the oeuvre of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, de Lubac nevertheless begins to revise this reduction of nature to human nature, although does not fully incorporate the insights gained into his theology. Teilhard's fundamentally eucharistic understanding of materiality provides suggestive possibilities for the successful completion of de Lubac's abolition of the philosophy of pure nature.
Association of the C677T Polymorphism in the MTHFR Gene with Migraine: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rubino E , Ferrero M , Rainero I , Binello E , Vaula G , Pinessi L
Published: August 2007

There are conflicting data concerning the association between migraine and C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene. The C677T polymorphism reduces enzymatic capability by 50% and causes hyperhomocysteinaemia. We performed a meta-analysis of all published studies investigating the association between the MTHFR gene and migraine. Pooled odds ratios (OR) were estimated using random (RE) and fixed effects (FE) models. Among the overall 2961 migraineurs there was no significant difference compared with controls. Only in migraine with aura was the TT genotype associated with a higher risk of disease compared with the CC genotype [FE OR 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06, 1.58; RE OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.06, 2.59]. In the same subgroup a significant difference was observed in the comparison between TT and CT + CC genotypes (FE OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10, 1.59; RE OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.10, 2.43). This study provides evidence for an association of the MTHFR gene only in migraine with aura.
Contact dermatitis: epidemiology and frequent sensitizers to cosmetics
Authors: Diepgen TL , Weisshaar E
Published: August 2007

Contact dermatitis is defined as a pattern of inflammatory response that may occur as a result of contact with external factors. The two most common causes are irritants and allergens.

 Very few reliable data on prevalence and incidence of contact dermatitis exist, and data from the few studies that have been carried out cannot be compared because of differences in methodology.

 Occupational contact dermatitis constitutes up to 30% of all occupational diseases for which compensation is payable and affects sufferers’ home and social lives as well as their working lives. Patients can be advised about the use of personal protective equipment and creams and emollients to avoid or ameliorate their condition, but there is little epidemiological evidence for their efficacy.

 Patch testing, using the European Standard Series of Allergens, is necessary to determine which agent is responsible for the condition. Fragrances and preservatives used in cosmetics are among the most common allergens in contact allergic dermatitis, although the frequency of contact allergy in the general population is small.

 It is to be hoped that the European Dermato‐Epidemiology Network Fragrance Study will go some way to addressing the need for a large population‐based epidemiological study in order that public health organizations can give reliable advice about avoiding and treating contact dermatitis.
Is there room for improvement in the emollients for adjuvant therapy?
Authors: Trapp M
Published: August 2007

Emollients play an important part in the management of patients with dry skin disorders, such as atopy, allergy, eczema, psoriasis or dryness following chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Their use in the treatment of diseased and sensitive skin requires not only an efficient hydrating and lipid‐replenishing effect on the skin, but minimal risk for skin irritation or sensitization. This will be influenced by their formulation and number and type of ingredients and, due to the nature of their application, requires clinical testing to ensure their appropriateness for dermatological rather than cosmetic use. A new generation of emollients has been developed for the care of dry, or very dry, and sensitive skin. Among these, Dardia® Lipo Line (Intendis GmbH, Berlin, Germany) has been formulated specifically for use in post‐therapy preventive skin care. The current clinical evidence for this line of emollients is reviewed here.
Countertransference as active imagination: imaginative experiences of the analyst
Authors: Schaverien Joy
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  Active imagination is at the heart of Jung's elucidation of depth psychology. Yet, in the discourse of present day analytical psychology theory it is not always given the serious attention accorded to some other Jungian concepts. Active imagination emerges spontaneously within the ‘third’ area—the imaginal or dynamic field—in‐between patient and analyst. It is commonly regarded as the patient's experience but I am proposing that, looked upon as the analyst's experience as well, active imagination offers a distinctly Jungian way of understanding some forms of countertransference. I am describing what I think many present‐day analytical psychologists already do in their clinical practice but, as far as I know, it has not been theorized in quite this way before. The intention is to exploit the unique contribution of our Jungian heritage by reframing certain profoundly symbolic countertransference‐generated imagery as active imagination. In this article these are differentiated from other less complex forms of imaginative countertransference through examples from clinical practice. The point is that such countertransference experiences may activate the symbolic function in the analyst and thus contribute to the mediation of emergent consciousness in the analysand.
Stimulating ethical awareness during training
Authors: Abramovitch Henry
Published: August 2007

Abstract:  This paper argues for a preventative approach to ethical violations through developing and maintaining ethical awareness in training and in the group life of each society. Rather than teaching ethics as a theoretical subject, a method is proposed that encourages direct personal confrontation with ethical dilemmas through the consideration of key examples, in the Talmudic manner. This develops ethical ‘muscles’ and allows candidates to explore the dilemmas of what Primo Levi called the ‘grey zone’ where the boundaries between good and bad are unclear. Several illustrations of such ethical dilemmas are described, as used in workshops that the author has run in several societies and developing groups. In this way, ethical awareness becomes part of the group life of the society so that analysts become an ethical resource for each other.
Evolution of nakedness in Homo sapiens
Authors: Rantala M. J.
Published: August 2007

Homo sapiens L. is the only existing primate species lacking in functionally effective thermally insulating fur. As all other primates have considerable hair covering, it has always been accepted that our ancestors must once have had a respectable amount of body hair. Unfortunately, fossils cannot help us when it comes to differences in skin and hair. Recent DNA analysis, however, has given us some idea of when and where the great denudation took place. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to account for this feature, but none of these has gained general acceptance. In this paper, I present these hypotheses in the light of current empirical evidence and discussion.
A comparison of butterfly populations on organically and conventionally managed farmland
Authors: Feber R. E. , Johnson P. J. , Firbank L. G. , Hopkins A. , Macdonald D. W.
Published: August 2007

Habitat loss and reduction in quality, together with increasing homogeneity of the farmed landscape and more intensive field management, are believed to be major drivers of biodiversity loss on farmland. Organic farms demonstrate features that are now rare elsewhere in UK farming systems, such as crop rotations incorporating grass leys, exclusion of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and reliance on animal and green manures. They may also contain greater densities of uncropped habitats such as hedgerows. In this study, we examined whether organic farming affected populations of one group of insects of conservation interest, butterflies, on farmland. The abundance of butterflies on pairs of organically and conventionally managed farms was recorded over 3 years and a number of habitat and crop variables, likely to be related to butterfly abundance, were also measured. Organic farms attracted significantly more butterflies overall than conventional farms. Significantly more butterflies in both farming systems were recorded over the uncropped field margin than the crop edge. The difference in butterfly abundance between crop edge and field margin was relatively greater in conventional than organic systems. Species richness of butterflies tended to be greater on organic farms. Five species of butterfly were significantly more abundant on organic farms in at least 1 year, while no species was significantly more abundant on conventional farms. Organic and conventional cropping patterns differed, the former having proportionally more grass leys, and hedgerows were larger on organic farms. Although no significant effects of farming system on the numbers of grass or forb species present in the field margin or crop edge were detected, some individual plant species showed differences in frequency between organic and conventional field boundaries. Increasing the extent of organic farming, or practices associated with it, could help to restore biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
Bottom or midwater: alternative foraging behaviours in adult female loggerhead sea turtles
Authors: Hatase H. , Omuta K. , Tsukamoto K.
Published: August 2007

Intrapopulational polymorphism in habitat use is widely reported in many animal species. The phenomenon has recently also been recognized in adult female loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta, with small females tending to inhabit oceanic areas (where water depths are >200 m) while presumably feeding pelagically and large females tending to inhabit neritic areas (where depths are <200 m) while presumably feeding benthically. In this study, dive recording satellite telemetry units were used to verify their foraging and diving behaviours in these habitats. Two females that nested on Yakushima Island, Japan, were tracked for 124 and 197 days. The small female wandered in the oceanic Pacific, and spent most of the time at 0–25 m depths regardless of day or night, implying that she foraged pelagically at the surface and shallow depths. Her mean dive durations were significantly longer at night than during the day. The large female moved into the neritic East China Sea, and spent most of the time over the continental shelf at 100–150 m depths during the day and at 0–25 m depths at night, suggesting that she alternated between diurnal benthic foraging and nocturnal resting within the depths where she could attain neutral buoyancy. Her mean dive durations were not significantly different between day and night. The increase in dive duration for both turtles coincided with a seasonal decrease in water temperature. The small female sometimes showed midwater dormancy at 0–25 m depths with a duration of >5 h that was in contrast with bottom dormancy by sea turtles inhabiting other regions. The diving behaviours observed during this study were consistent with their estimated main feeding habits, which demonstrated resource polymorphism in a marine reptile.
bFGF promotes photoreceptor cell survival in vitro by PKA‐mediated inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β and CREB‐dependent Bcl‐2 up‐regulation
Authors: O’Driscoll Carolyn , Wallace Deborah , Cotter Thomas G.
Published: August 2007

Although there is substantial evidence supporting the neuroprotective efficacy of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the rodent retina there is no consensus to date as to the protective mechanism involved. We hypothesise that bFGF can assert its neuroprotective effects directly on mouse photoreceptors transduced via the activation of specific intracellular signalling pathways. In mouse photoreceptor‐derived 661W cells, bFGF promoted a rapid inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) by phosphorylation at Ser9.The effects of bFGF on GSK3β were dependent on protein kinase A (PKA) activation, as inhibition of this pathway blocked inactivation. Furthermore, bFGF protection against oxidative stress was dependent on PKA inactivation of GSK3β as PKA inhibition attenuated bFGF‐induced protection. Furthermore, transfection of cells with mutant dominant negative GSK3βS9A that cannot be phosphorylated on Ser9 also abrogated neuroprotection. Activation of the transcription factor cAMP‐response element binding protein (CREB) and subsequent up‐regulation of Bcl‐2 in response to bFGF was also dependent on PKA as inhibition with H‐89 attenuated increased pCREB levels and Bcl‐2 expression. These results indicate that the protective efficacy of bFGF in mouse photoreceptors involves PKA‐dependent inactivation of GSK3β and subsequent up‐regulation of Bcl‐2 via CREB activation.
GABAAreceptors in aging and Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Rissman Robert A. , De Blas Angel L. , Armstrong David M.
Published: August 2007

In this article we present a comprehensive review of relevant research and reports on the GABAAreceptor in the aged and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain. In comparison to glutamatergic and cholinergic systems, the GABAergic system is relatively spared in AD, but the precise mechanisms underlying differential vulnerability are not well understood. Using several methods, investigations demonstrate that despite resistance of the GABAergic system to neurodegeneration, particular subunits of the GABAAreceptor are altered with age and AD, which can induce compensatory increases in GABAAreceptor subunits within surrounding cells. We conclude that although aging‐ and disease‐related changes in GABAAreceptor subunits may be modest, the mechanisms that compensate for these changes may alter the pharmacokinetic and physiological properties of the receptor. It is therefore crucial to understand the subunit composition of individual GABAAreceptors in the diseased brain when developing therapeutics that act at these receptors.
A role for polyamines in retinal ganglion cell excitotoxic death
Authors: Pernet Vincent , Bourgeois Philippe , Polo Adriana Di
Published: August 2007

Neuronal death due to excessive activation of N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. The polyamines: putrescine, spermine, and spermidine, bind to specific sites on the NMDA receptor and promote its activation, but their role in NMDA‐induced neuronal death is ill defined. In this study, we characterized the role of polyamines in excitotoxic death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), a population of central neurons susceptible to NMDA‐induced damage. Our data show that endogenous arginase I, the rate limiting enzyme for polyamine biosynthesis, is expressed in the intact, adult retina. Intraocular injection of NMDA visibly increased arginase I expression in Müller cells, the predominant glial cell‐type in the mammalian retina. Inhibition of polyamine synthesis using di‐fluoro‐methyl‐ornithine (DFMO) was markedly neuroprotective, while injection of exogenous polyamines in conjunction with NMDA exacerbated RGC death. Blockade of the polyamine binding sites on NMDA receptors using the non‐competitive antagonist ifenprodil was neuroprotective, suggesting that polyamines contribute to excitotoxic death, at least partly, by binding to NMDA receptors. Importantly, we also demonstrate that NMDA leads to activation of both the Erk1/2 and PI3 K/Akt pathways, but only the PI3 K/Akt kinase was required for di‐fluoro‐methyl‐ornithine‐induced RGC survival. In summary, our study reveals that polyamines modulate neuronal death in the retina via different mechanisms that potentiate NMDA‐triggered excitotoxicity.
Miscarriages of apothecary justice: un‐separate spaces of work and family in early modern Rome
Authors: Cohen Elizabeth S.
Published: August 2007

Claiming that a disruptive inspection by the College of Apothecaries had caused his wife and co‐worker to miscarry and shortly die, a Roman candymaker in 1609 brought criminal charges against six guildsmen. A microanalysis of the trial records tells two linked stories. The first reconstructs tensions between, on the one hand, communal and corporate discipline and, on the other, one master's practices. The second recounts an obstetrical crisis involving self‐help and several sorts of medical practitioners. These themes of work, health, public authority, and domesticity intersect within the confines of the artisan's shop and home. To explicate the meanings of these ‘un‐separate’ spaces, this case study draws on Michael McKeon's reformulation for the early modern world of the binary, often invoked by scholars, of public and private. His ‘distinction without separation’ better characterizes the experiences of this candymaker and his family. (pp. 480–504)
Pharmacies as centres of communication in early modern Venice
Authors: De Vivo Filippo
Published: August 2007

This article explores a hitherto neglected aspect of the apothecaries’ profession and of their pharmacies’ social and cultural function. In sixteenth‐ and seventeenth‐century Venice, pharmacies were amongst the most important centres for the retrieval and redistribution of information. News was one of the vast array of goods on sale in Venetian pharmacies, and people did not only go there to buy medicines, but also to discuss current affairs, religious beliefs, and political trends. Such activities affected both the Venetians’ perception of pharmacies, and the pharmacies’ physical arrangement. The clientele consisted of a relatively wide cross‐section of Venetian society, including both members of the political élites (Venetian patricians, foreign diplomats, professional informers), and others who were excluded from the formal avenues of politics. The sources examined in this article include Inquisition records, notarial inventories, and above all the reports of the many secret informers in the pay of the Inquisitors of State. (pp. 505–521)
Spatial Economic Analysis in Data‐Rich Environments
Authors: Bell Kathleen P. , Dalton Timothy J.
Published: August 2007

Controlling for spatial effects in micro‐level studies of consumer and producer behaviour necessitates a range of analytical modifications. These range from modest changes in data collection and the definition of variables to dramatic changes in the modelling of consumer and producer decision‐making. This paper discusses conceptual, empirical and data issues involved in modelling the spatial aspects of economic behaviour in data‐rich environments. Attention is given to established and emerging agricultural economic applications of spatial data and spatial econometric methods at the micro‐scale. Recent applications of individual and household data are featured, including models of land‐use change at the urban–rural interface, agricultural land values, and technological change and technology adoption.
Beyond One‐Size‐Fits‐All: Differentiating Market Access Measures for Commodity Systems in the Kenyan Highlands
Authors: Baltenweck Isabelle , Staal Steve
Published: August 2007

Market access measures employed by economists and spatial analysts may not adequately capture local market or product‐specific variation. Analysis is conducted on the effects of market access on two commodities in the Kenyan highlands: milk and bean seeds. Both simple and composite measures of market access are applied to spatial price formation models to create spatial price decay functions in the context of household‐specific transaction costs. Composite measures of market access include negative exponential (using travel time or distance as cost) and gravity measures. The results demonstrate that the effects of market access differ significantly depending on the particular goods of interest. Simple measures of market access have the advantage of being more easily interpretable, and should therefore be preferred when communicating research outputs to the non‐scientific community, especially decision‐makers. The implications are that research addressing commodity‐specific development questions needs to look beyond generic measures of market access and develop tailored measures that reflect the characteristics of the commodity system of interest. The analysis also demonstrates that spatial price formation can be used to generate potentially more accurate measures of unit‐distance marketing costs.
Making sense of hypertrophic scar: a role for nerves
Authors: Scott Jeffrey R. , Muangman Pornprom , Gibran Nicole S.
Published: August 2007

Healed partial thickness wounds including burns and donor sites cause hypertrophic scar formation and patient discomfort. For many patients with hypertrophic scars, pruritis is the most distressing symptom, which leads to wound excoriation and chronic wound formation. In spite of the clinical significance of abnormal innervation in scars, the nervous system has been largely ignored in the pathophysiology of hypertrophic scars. Evidence that neuropeptides contribute to inflammatory responses to injury include inflammatory cell chemotaxis, cytokine and growth factor production. The neuropeptide substance P, which is released from nerve endings after injury, induces inflammation and mediates angiogenesis, keratinocyte proliferation, and fibrogenesis. Substance P activity is tightly regulated by neutral endopeptidase (NEP), a membrane bound metallopeptidase that degrades substance P at the cell membrane. Altered substance P levels may contribute to impaired cutaneous healing responses associated with diabetes mellitus or hypertrophic scar formation. Topical application of exogenous substance P or an NEP inhibitor enhances wound closure kinetics in diabetic murine wounds suggesting that diabetic wounds have insufficient substance P levels to promote a neuroinflammatory response necessary for normal wound repair. Conversely, increased nerve numbers and neuropeptide levels with reduced NEP levels in human and porcine hypertrophic scar samples suggest that excessive neuropeptide activity induces exuberant inflammation in hypertrophic scars. Given these observations about the role of neuropeptides in cutaneous repair, neuronal modulation of repair processes at two extremes of abnormal wound healing, chronic non‐healing ulcers in type II diabetes mellitus and hypertrophic scars in deep partial thickness wounds, may provide therapeutic targets.
Hypertrophic scar model in the rabbit ear: a reproducible model for studying scar tissue behavior with new observations on silicone gel sheeting for scar reduction
Authors: Kloeters Oliver , Tandara Andrea , Mustoe Thomas A.
Published: August 2007

Hypertrophic scarring poses a clinically relevant problem as it can be cosmetically disfiguring and functionally debilitating. A lack of animal models has hindered an understanding of the pathogenesis and development of new treatment strategies therefore has largely been empiric. Our group has developed a unique hypertrophic scar (HS) model in the rabbit ear. The model has been reproducible, quantifiable, and measurable over a time period of 1 month. We describe the development as well as the reliability and responsiveness of this model to different therapeutic agents, such as TGF‐β blockade, silicone occlusion, and application of collagen‐synthesis inhibitors. Moreover, it has given insights into the mechanism of action of silicone sheeting occlusive treatment and ultimately suggests that the epidermis plays a critical role in the development of HS. Additionally, we will present new data supporting the importance of the epidermis and further clarify the mechanism of action of silicone sheeting. When a semi‐occlusive polyurethane film was left in place for an additional time period, scar formation was reduced. HSs of this model covered with silicone sheets and five layers of Tegaderm® showed a significant scar reduction by 80% compared with wounds with only one layer of Tegaderm®. The HS model in the rabbit ear is a highly reliable, responsive, and practical model for studying scar tissue behavior. Furthermore, our data suggest that the degree and the duration of occlusion are most important for reducing scar tissue formation.
Role of keratinocyte–fibroblast cross‐talk in development of hypertrophic scar
Authors: Ghahary Aziz , Ghaffari Abdi
Published: August 2007

The ability to generate or repair injured tissue is essential to the continuity of human life. As in all other organs, wound healing in the skin is a dynamic process involving tissue response to different types of insults. This process involves a continuous sequence of signals and responses in which platelets, fibroblasts, epithelial, endothelial, and immune cells come together outside their usual domains to orchestrate a very complex event that results in tissue repair. These signals, which are mainly growth factors and cytokines, orchestrate the initiation, continuation, and termination of wound healing. An imbalance in the synthesis and release of these cytokines and growth factors at the wound site, therefore, may result in either retarded wound healing, as is seen in diabetic patients and the elderly population, or overhealing wounds such as fibroproliferative disorders frequently seen following surgical incision, traumatic wounds, and severe electrical and thermal injury. In general, regardless of the site of injury, in any phase of the dynamic healing process, a fine balance between synthesis of extracellular matrix and degradation by a large family of enzymes, known as matrix metalloproteinases, is required for maintaining the structural integrity of healing tissue. The availability of new models such as organotypic co‐culture systems have allowed us to gain new insight into the cell–cell interactions at both cellular and molecular levels. Recent evidence indicates that mesenchymal–epithelial interactions play a critical role in regulation of skin homeostasis and this cross‐talk is mediated by soluble factors acting as autocrine/paracrine regulators of fibroblast and keratinocyte growth, function, and differentiation. In this review we address the question of how keratinocyte–fibroblast interaction plays a role in controlling the expression of key extracellular matrix molecules such as matrix metalloproteinases, which are critical in the healing process following any types of insults to the skin.
Improving Quality of Care for Urban Older People with Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Caruso Lisa B. , Clough‐Gorr Kerri M. , Silliman Rebecca A.
Published: August 2007

The management of older patients with chronic medical conditions dominates medical practice. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM) in patients aged 65 and older have reached epidemic proportions. Using elements of the Chronic Care Model (CCM), a quality improvement project was undertaken to restructure the Geriatric Ambulatory Practice at Boston Medical Center, Boston's safety net hospital, to improve the quality of care for CVD and diabetes mellitus. Two hundred eighty‐three eligible patients who had CVD, DM, or both were identified. The 39‐month project period was divided into a 12‐month baseline period and three follow‐up periods. The multifaceted intervention consisted of development of a disease registry that centralized clinical information, implementation of an electronic medical record, patient education, physician education regarding evidence‐based guidelines, feedback of provider‐specific and practice data to physicians, and implementation of a foot examination protocol. Clinical measures included glycosylated hemoglobin, a diabetic foot examination, lipid profile, and blood pressure measurement. These were collected at baseline and at each patient visit for the entire project period. The average age of all patients was 76; 64% were female, 64% were African American, 72% had Medicare, and 22% had state subsidized medical insurance. Patients in all disease groups showed significant improvement in all clinical measures over time, independent of the frequency of visits. Using the CCM as a quality improvement framework can improve clinical measures for older urban minority populations with CVD and DM.
Blood donor screening for parvovirus B19 in Germany and Austria
Authors: Schmidt Michael , Themann Anna , Drexler Camilla , Bayer Michaela , Lanzer Gerhard , Menichetti Eva , Lechner Sigrid , Wessin Dietmar , Prokoph Barbara , Allain Jean‐Pierre , Seifried Erhard , Kai Hourfar Michael
Published: August 2007

BACKGROUND:Although the main transmission pathway of parvovirus B19 (B19) is typically via the respiratory route, several transfusion‐transmitted infections have been reported. To increase blood safety, all blood donations to our blood donor service have been screened by a B19 minipool real‐time nucleic acid testing (NAT) since April 2000. Additional customers have been screened since the summer of 2003.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:In total, 2.8 million donations from Germany and Austria were screened for B19 by real‐time minipool NAT. A subgroup of 50 B19 DNA–positive donors was screened for B19 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies and B19 DNA over a 6‐month period. Results were compared to those of 100 B19 DNA–negative donors.

RESULTS:Data accumulated over the past 6 years indicate a high incidence period from May 2004 to January 2006. In total, the incidence was 12.7 and 261.5 per 100,000 donations with high virus loads equal to or above 105and below 105IU per mL, respectively. Median virus concentration in the case group was 4.85 × 107 IU per mL at Time Point T0 and was reduced to 4 × 102 IU per mL at the time of the next donation (3 months later). Neutralizing antibodies (VP2) were detected in all donations if virus load was reduced to less than 105 IU per mL.

CONCLUSION:The release of B19 DNA–positive blood products with a concentration of less than 105 IU per mL is thought to be safe due to the high level of neutralizing VP2 antibodies and is currently examined in a donor recipient infectivity study. In contrast, blood products with a high B19 DNA concentration (≥105 IU/mL), some of which did not contain neutralizing antibodies, were discarded to protect at risk individuals.
Detection of anti‐D in D– recipients transfused with D+ red blood cells
Authors: Yazer Mark H. , Triulzi Darrell J.
Published: August 2007

BACKGROUND: The D antigen is highly immunogenic, requiring only a small quantity of transfused red blood cells (RBCs) to cause alloimmunization in D– immunocompetent recipients. The relatively low sensitization rate in oncology patients transfused with D+ platelets is well documented. A study of the alloimmunization rate of primarily nononcology D– recipients transfused with D+ RBCs was undertaken.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Transfusion service records were examined to identify D– recipients who were not alloimmunized to the D antigen and who had a follow‐up antibody screen performed at least 10 days after the initial D+ RBC transfusion(s). The age and sex of the recipients, date and number of D+ RBC transfusion(s) and their leukoreduction status, all subsequent serologic investigations, and the hospital ward where the units were issued were recorded.

RESULTS: There were 98 study‐eligible recipients identified who received a total of 445 D+ RBC units. The mean follow‐up length was 182 days. Most recipients (87%) had antibody screens performed more than 21 days after the initial D+ RBC transfusion. In total, 24 recipients made 44 new alloantibodies: 22 anti‐D (22%), 11 anti‐E, 5 anti‐C, 2 anti‐K, and 1 each of anti‐Kpa, anti‐Jka, anti‐Bg, and anti‐Fyb. The rate of anti‐D alloimmunization among recipients of entirely leukoreduced D+ units was 13 percent (1/8). Reexposure to D+ RBCs after the initial bleeding episode did not increase the rate of alloimmunization.

CONCLUSIONS: The 22 percent rate of anti‐D alloimmunization in patients requiring urgent RBC transfusion was intermediate between the rates previously reported for D– oncology patients transfused with D+ RBCs and that in immunocompetent volunteer recipients.
Divergent expression of cellular prion protein on blood cells of human and nonhuman primates
Authors: Holada Karel , Simak Jan , Brown Paul , Vostal Jaroslav G.
Published: August 2007

BACKGROUND: Four recent transmissions of variant Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease infection by transfusion highlight the need for detailed understanding of blood‐related prion pathogenesis. Nonhuman primates are the most relevant models of human prion diseases.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Quantitative flow cytometry with monoclonal antibodies FH11, 3F4, and 6H4 against different parts of the normal cellular form of the prion protein (PrPC) was used to evaluate its expression on blood cells of humans, chimpanzees, cynomolgus macaques, rhesus macaques, squirrel monkeys, and microcebe lemurs.

RESULTS: Chimpanzees, rhesus macaques, and squirrel monkeys displayed a much higher quantity of total blood cell membrane PrPC than humans, due to a markedly higher expression of PrPC on their red blood cells (RBCs). In contrast, cynomolgus macaques and lemurs demonstrated substantially lower levels of membrane PrPC due to the lack of significant PrPC expression on RBCs and platelets (PLTs). All species displayed PrPC on white blood cells (WBCs), with the highest levels found on human cells. Only humans, chimpanzees, and to a lesser degree rhesus macaques expressed PrPC on PLTs.

CONCLUSION: If PrPC contributes to the propagation or transport of prion infectivity in blood, the differences reported here need to be considered when extrapolating results of transmission studies in primate models to blood and blood components in humans.