bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Schizophrenia and offspring's risk for adverse pregnancy
outcomes and infant death
Authors: Nilsson Emma , Hultman Christina M. , Cnattingius Sven , Olausson Petra Otterblad , Björk Camilla , Lichtenstein Paul
Published: September 2008

Background

Women with schizophrenia are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy
outcomes. It is not known whether offspring born to fathers with
schizophrenia also have an increased risk.

Aims

To evaluate paternal and maternal influences on the association between
schizophrenia and pregnancy outcomes.

Method

A record linkage including 2 million births was made using Swedish
population-based registers. The risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes was
evaluated through logistic regression.

Results

Offspring with a mother or father with schizophrenia faced a doubled risk
of infant mortality, which could not be explained by maternal behaviour
alone during pregnancy. Excess infant death risk was largely attributable
to post-neonatal death. Maternal factors (e.g. smoking) explained most of
the other risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes among both mothers and
fathers with schizophrenia.

Conclusions

The risks to offspring whose fathers had schizophrenia suggest that, in
addition to maternal risk behaviour, nonoptimal social and/or parenting
circumstances are of importance.
Payment by results and mental health services
Authors: Jacques John
Published: September 2008

Payment by results is likely to be applicable to mental health services, with the exception of specialist services, next year. Its introduction will completely change the way mental health services are funded. It has three main components: national tariffs for treatments, codings or currencies for treatments according to resource use, and diagnosis and activity-based funding. This article describes payment by results, how ‘currencies’ are being developed for mental health, and outlines some of the problems and advantages of introducing this new system.
The development of animal models for the study of necrotizing enterocolitis
Authors: Sodhi Chhinder , Richardson Ward , Gribar Steven , Hackam David J.
Published: September 2008

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the leading cause of death and long-term disability from gastrointestinal disease in preterm infants, and is characterized by acute and chronic intestinal inflammation that may lead to systemic sepsis and multi-system organ failure. NEC typically develops in the preterm infant after the administration of tube feeds, although it may occasionally be seen in full-term babies. Despite extensive clinical experience in the management of patients with NEC, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to its development remain incompletely understood. Several animal models have therefore been developed in a variety of species in order to study the pathogenesis of NEC and to develop more effective treatment strategies. This review seeks to examine the pros and cons of animal models that have been developed in the study of NEC over the past 30 years. It will highlight the various strengths and weaknesses of experimental approaches that have been used, and discuss potential directions for the development of such models for the future.
Removing the cloak of invisibility: phenotyping the mouse
Authors: Justice Monica J.
Published: September 2008

If you study a human disease, it is likely that you have tried to generate a mouse model. Sometimes, these models are excellent; others are disappointing. Or, so we think. How often does our mouse mutant not model the human disease because of limitations in how we may look at it? In any living organism, many factors work together to produce the phenotype. Here, new phenotyping paradigms for assessing mouse biology and physiology are described and proposed. Advances in mouse phenotype assessments have paralleled human clinical diagnostics. The future brings a multitude of mouse strains that might be exposed to a variety of conditions. To assess health will require the ability to perform a broad-based phenotype assessment of every animal until we can understand how the perturbation of one system affects others.
Mutational analysis of the U12-dependent branch site consensus sequence
Authors: Brock Jay E. , Dietrich Rosemary C. , Padgett Richard A.
Published: September 2008

Highly conserved sequences at the 5′ splice site and branch site of U12-dependent introns are important determinants for splicing by U12-dependent spliceosomes. This study investigates the in vivo splicing phenotypes of mutations in the branch site consensus sequence of the U12-dependent intron F from a human NOL1 (P120) minigene. Intron F contains a fully consensus branch site sequence (UUCCUUAAC). Mutations at each position were analyzed for their effects on U12-dependent splicing in vivo. Mutations at most positions resulted in a significant reduction of correct U12-dependent splicing. Defects observed included increased unspliced RNA levels, the activation of cryptic U2-dependent 5′ and 3′ splice sites, and the activation of cryptic U12-dependent branch/3′ splice sites. A strong correlation was observed between the predicted thermodynamic stability of the branch site: U12 snRNA interaction and correct U12-dependent splicing. The lack of a polypyrimidine tract between the branch site and 3′ splice site of U12-dependent introns and the observed reliance on base-pairing interactions for correct U12-dependent splicing emphasize the importance of RNA/RNA interactions during U12-dependent intron recognition and proper splice site selection.
Analysis and classification of RNA tertiary structures
Authors: Abraham Mira , Dror Oranit , Nussinov Ruth , Wolfson Haim J.
Published: September 2008

There is a fast growing interest in noncoding RNA transcripts. These transcripts are not translated into proteins, but play essential roles in many cellular and pathological processes. Recent efforts toward comprehension of their function has led to a substantial increase in both the number and the size of solved RNA structures. With the aim of addressing questions relating to RNA structural diversity, we examined RNA conservation at three structural levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary structure. Additionally, we developed an automated method for classifying RNA structures based on spatial (three-dimensional [3D]) similarity. Applying the method to all solved RNA structures resulted in a classified database of RNA tertiary structures (DARTS). DARTS embodies 1333 solved RNA structures classified into 94 clusters. The classification is hierarchical, reflecting the structural relationship between and within clusters. We also developed an application for searching DARTS with a new structure. The search is fast and its performance was successfully tested on all solved RNA structures since the creation of DARTS. A user-friendly interface for both the database and the search application is available online. We show intracluster and intercluster similarities in DARTS and demonstrate the usefulness of the search application. The analysis reveals the current structural repertoire of RNA and exposes common global folds and local tertiary motifs. Further study of these conserved substructures may suggest possible RNA domains and building blocks. This should be beneficial for structure prediction and for gaining insights into structure–function relationships.
Endoscopically-assisted single-bundle posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Authors: Jackson W. F. M. , van der Tempel W. M. , Salmon L. J. , Williams H. A. , Pinczewski L. A.
Published: September 2008

We evaluated the long-term outcome of isolated endoscopically-assisted posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in 26 patients using hamstring tendon autografts after failure of conservative management. At ten years after surgery the mean International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee score was 87 (sd 14) of a possible 100 points. Regular participation in moderate to strenuous activities was possible for only seven patients pre-operatively; this increased to 23 patients post-operatively. The mean Lysholm score improved from 64 (sd 15) to 90 (sd 14) at ten years (p = 0.001).

At ten years endoscopic reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament with hamstring tendon autograft is effective in reducing knee symptoms. Of the series, 22 patients underwent radiological assessment for the development of osteoarthritis using the Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale. In four patients, grade 2 changes with loss of joint space was observed and another four patients showed osteophyte formation with moderate joint space narrowing (grade 3). These findings compared favourably with non-operatively managed injuries of the posterior cruciate ligament.

This procedure for symptomatic patients with posterior cruciate ligament laxity who have failed conservative management offers good results.
Correlation between inclination of the acetabular component and metal ion levels in metal-on-metal hip resurfacing replacement
Authors: De Haan R. , Pattyn C. , Gill H. S. , Murray D. W. , Campbell P. A. , De Smet K.
Published: September 2008

We examined the relationships between the serum levels of chromium and cobalt ions and the inclination angle of the acetabular component and the level of activity in 214 patients implanted with a metal-on-metal resurfacing hip replacement. Each patient had a single resurfacing and no other metal in their body. All serum measurements were performed at a minimum of one year after operation. The inclination of the acetabular component was considered to be steep if the abduction angle was greater than 55°.

There were significantly higher levels of metal ions in patients with steeply-inclined components (p = 0.002 for chromium, p = 0.003 for cobalt), but no correlation was found between the level of activity and the concentration of metal ions. A highly significant (p < 0.001) correlation with the arc of cover was found. Arcs of cover of less than 10 mm were correlated with a greater risk of high concentrations of serum metal ions. The arc of coverage was also related to the design of the component and to size as well as to the abduction angle of the acetabular component. Steeply-inclined acetabular components, with abduction angles greater than 55°, combined with a small size of component are likely to give rise to higher serum levels of cobalt and chromium ions. This is probably due to a greater risk of edge-loading.
Transphyseal reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament in prepubescent children
Authors: Liddle A. D. , Imbuldeniya A. M. , Hunt D. M.
Published: September 2008

We present the results of 17 children of Tanner stage 1 or 2 who underwent reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament between 1999 and 2006 using a transphyseal procedure, employing an ipsilateral four-strand hamstring graft. The mean age of the children was 12.1 years (9.5 to 14). The mean follow-up was 44 months (25 to 100). Survival of the graft, the functional outcome and complications were recorded. There was one re-rupture following another injury. Of the remaining patients, all had good or excellent results and a normal International Knee Documentation Committee score. The mean post-operative Lysholm score was 97.5 (sd 2.6) and the mean Tegner activity scale was 7.9 (sd 1.4). One patient had a mild valgus deformity which caused no functional disturbance. No other abnormality or discrepancy of leg length was seen. Measurements with a KT1000 arthrometer showed no significant difference between the normal and the operated legs.

In this small series, transphyseal reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament appeared to be safe in these young children.
Revisited: die ›zerdehnte Sprechsituation‹
Authors: Oesterreicher Wulf
Published: September 2008

The article focusses the important concept ›zerdehnte Sprechsituation‹ (expanded speech-situation) elaborated by Konrad Ehlich since the 1980s. The concept refers to ›texts‹ that are re-used and transmitted. It is employed especially in linguistics, cultural analysis and history of medieval literature and is thought to contribute to the understanding of certain types of oral discourse like ritual speaking, epics, oral poetry etc. Nevertheless the conceptualization of this fundamental communicative pattern proposed by Ehlich must be modified in the light of new theoretical insights.
Gottfrieds ›Tristan‹ und die generische Paradoxie
Authors: Bleumer Hartmut
Published: September 2008

Taking the example of Gottfried's ›Tristan‹ it can be seen how a paradoxical relationship between epic literature and Minnesang is being established which, far before the era of lyric poetry, allows a certain lyrical quality to appear in the narrative. The narrative, stressing the aesthetical effect of the Sang on different levels and even imitating it, leads – especially in ›Tristan‹ – to certain effects which can be described as »poetical emergence«. On the one hand Gottfried's narration – as in the sang – aims at overcoming its own undeniable temporal distance from the narrated by the contact-medium of voice. This is an attempt to sublate the narrative into a presence of its own, which is why it fails in the narrative course. On the other hand Tristan's and Isolde's failure and, likewise, that of their story and of its narrator turns out to be the prerequisite for aesthetically realizing the ideal of a time-exempt presence.
Performing virtue. Zur Performativität der ›Krone‹ Heinrichs von dem Türlin
Authors: Vollmann Justin
Published: September 2008

Initially, the article addresses the concept of performativity, its history, its media implications and its principal possibilities for utilization in (medieval) literature studies, to subsequently test it on the ›Krone‹ by Heinrich von dem Türlin. The thesis argued is that Heinrich's novel lays the focus on a specific literary performativity: the ›Krone‹ as measuring instrument for virtue and its reception as a test of virtue.
Latein – Vulgärlatein – Moselromanisch: zur Sprache der frühchristlichen Grabinschriften im Raum Trier
Authors: Barme Stefan
Published: September 2008

Resümee

Im Moseltal ist während des frühen Mittelalters aus dem dort verwendeten spätantiken Provinziallatein ein romanisches Idiom, das Moselromanische, entstanden, das sich in einzelnen Rückzugsgebieten bis ins Hochmittelalter hinein halten konnte. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden einige lautliche Auffälligkeiten sowie jeweils eine lexikalische und eine phraseologische Eigentümlichkeit des vor allem in epigraphischen Zeugnissen greifbaren spätantiken Vulgärlateins der Moselregion behandelt. Aus romanistischer Perspektive sind diese Besonderheiten deshalb von besonderem Interesse, weil sie Rückschlüsse auf die Herausbildung und die Gestalt des Moselromanischen erlauben.
Die Rektion des Verbs mit Objektergänzung im Spanischen
Authors: Timmermann Jörg
Published: September 2008

Resümee

Grammatikographisch wird die Rektion des Verbs mit Objektergänzung sowie mit Infinitivergänzung listenförmig dargestellt. Es geht hier um die Frage, inwiefern die Präposition innerhalb der Rektion des spanischen Verbs – hier mit Objektergänzung – grammatischer Natur ist, also durch Regeln bestimmt werden kann: Der Autor geht von einem zeitlichen Modell aus. Demnach verweist die Objektergänzung mit de auf etwas im Vergleich zur Verbalhandlung zeitlich Vorangehendes, während die Objektergänzung mit a der Verbalhandlung zeitlich folgt. Ferner lassen sich auch weitere Präpositionen sowie die Konstruktion mit Objektergänzung ohne präpositionalen Anschluss sinnvoll in dieses Modell integrieren.
Reaction mechanism in combustion synthesis of α-Si3N4 powder using NaN3
Authors: Chung Shyan-Lung , Chang Chih-Wei , Aires F.J. Cadete Santos
Published: September 2008

A combustion synthesis method for the synthesis of α-Si3N4 from a reactant compact composed of Si, NaN3, and NH4X and wrapped up with an igniting agent was investigated. Wrapping the reactant compact with the igniting agent (i.e., a mixture of Ti and C powders) was found necessary for the synthesis of Si3N4. In addition to NH4Cl, which was considered previously to function as a catalytic agent, other ammonium halides (i.e., NH4F, NH4Br, and NH4I) were found to be capable of catalyzing the synthesis reaction with NH4Cl being the most effective. Si3N4 could not be produced when NaN3 was replaced by C3H6N6. NaN3 was thus considered to exert an essential effect on the combustion synthesis reaction other than functioning as a solid-state nitrogen source as considered previously. It was proposed that Na vapor produced by decomposition of NaN3 reduces SiXx (formed by reaction of Si and NH4X), promoting the nitridation reaction to form Si3N4. NaN3 thus plays a role as a reducing agent in the synthesis reaction.
Effect of electropulsing treatment on solid solution behavior of an aged Mg alloy AZ61 strip
Authors: Jiang Yanbin , Tang Guoyi , Guan Lei , Wang Shaonan , Xu Zhuohui , Shek Chanhung , Zhu Yaohua
Published: September 2008

The effect of electropulsing treatment (EPT) on the solution behavior of aged Mg alloy AZ61 strip was investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that EPT accelerated tremendously the dissolution of β phase into α matrix in an aged Mg alloy AZ61 strip. The dissolution of β phase took place in less than 4 s at relatively low temperature under EPT, compared with that in conventional heat treatment. A mechanism for rapid solid solution process during EPT was proposed based on the coupling of the thermal and athermal effects. The results in this investigation indicated that EPT played an important role in the nonequilibrium microstructural evolution in the alloy. It is supposed that EPT can provide a highly efficient approach for solid solution treatment of the alloy.
Improved thermal stability of hard magnetic properties in rapidly solidified RE–TM–B alloys
Authors: Liu Z.W. , Ramanujan R.V. , Davies H.A.
Published: September 2008

Rapidly solidified nanocrystalline RE–TM–B (RE = Nd, Pr, Dy, TM = Fe, Co) alloys with enhanced hard magnetic properties were synthesized by melt spinning. The composition- and microstructure-dependent elevated temperature magnetic properties were investigated. The temperature coefficients of remanence (α) and coercivity (β) were determined. The effects of Pr substituting Nd, Co substituting Fe, Dy substituting RE, and grain size on the Curie temperature and thermal stability were studied. Co or Dy substitutions were found to have a significant beneficial effect on the thermal stability. Reducing grain size could also improve elevated temperature behavior. Maximum energy product (BH)max > 100 kJ/m3 could be obtained in compositionally optimized nanophase alloys at temperature of 473 K. Extremely low coefficients of α and β were realized in exchange coupled nanocomposite alloys. Bonded nanocomposite magnets with α = −0.052%/K and β = −0.0365%/K for 300–400 K were also successfully fabricated.
Characterization of the ternary phase at the Sn/Ni–V joint
Authors: Chen Chih-chi , Chen Sinn-wen , Chang Chih-horng
Published: September 2008

Ni–7 wt% V diffusion barrier is commonly used in flip chip technology, and Sn is the primary element of all commercial electronic solders. Different from the interfacial reactions in the Sn/Ni couples, a ternary T phase is formed in the Sn/Ni–7 wt% V couples reacted at temperatures lower than 350 °C. The T phase is a mixture of an amorphous phase and the Ni3Sn4 phase with grains about 50 nm in size. The amorphous phase is composed mainly of Sn and V atoms, and it is formed due to the fast diffusion of Sn and relative immobility of V. Activation energy of the T phase formation is 16.5 kJ/mol, which is approximately 50% of that of the Ni3Sn4 phase determined from the Sn/Ni interfacial reactions. The T phase is no longer formed and the reaction product is the Ni3Sn4 phase in the Sn/Ni–7 wt% V couples reacted at temperatures higher than 350 °C.
Formation and characterization of calcium silicate hydrate–hexadecyltrimethylammonium nanostructure
Authors: Beaudoin James J. , Dramé Harouna , Raki Laila , Alizadeh Rouhollah
Published: September 2008

Results of an investigation of the interaction potential of synthetic and pre-treated calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) [with hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA)] are reported. The effective and strong interaction of these molecules with the C-S-H surface was shown using 13C and 29Si cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance, x-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The HDTMA–C-S-H interaction is influenced by the poorly crystallized layered structure of C-S-H. An indefinite number of layers and an irregular arrangement are confirmed by the SEM images. The position and shape of the 002 reflection of C-S-H are affected by drying procedures, chemical pre-treatment, and reaction temperature. Recovery of the initial 002 peak position after severe drying and rewetting with distilled water or interaction with HDTMA is incomplete but accompanied by an increase in intensity. It is inferred that the stability of C-S-H binders in concrete can be affected by a variation in nanostructure resulting from engineering variables such as curing temperature and use of chemical admixtures.
Inducing growth of highly ordered molybdenum oxide nanoplates under ambient conditions
Authors: Shao Ke , Luo Hai mei , Cao Hui qun
Published: September 2008

Large area uniform nanoplates of molybdenum oxide (MoO3), a typical semiconductor material, have been synthesized under soft conditions by using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as template. Under ambient condition, hydrolysis of ammonium molybdate into layered molybdenum oxide, and its subsequent inclusion of CMC polymers results in formation of lamellar CMC/molybdenum oxide hybrid. Calcinations of this lamellar hybrid at 500 °C lead to formation of large area uniform nanoplates of orthorhombic phase of MoO3. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images show that these MoO3 nanoplates are regularly packed, about 100 nm in thickness and 10–100 μm in length. The mechanism of the hybrid reaction and the templating ability of CMC polymers have been extensively discussed. The oriented growth of short molybdenum oxide flakes into long-range ordered plates has been induced by CMC polymers because of the shrinking of CMC during the hybrid reaction. This is the first report that large area highly ordered molybdenum oxide nanometer materials have been obtained under soft reaction conditions.
Fabrication of continuous ultrathin ferroelectric films by chemical solution deposition methods
Authors: Ricote J. , Holgado S. , Huang Z. , Ramos P. , Fernández R. , Calzada M.L.
Published: September 2008

The integration of ferroelectrics in nanodevices requires firstly the preparation of high-quality ultrathin films. Chemical solution deposition is considered a rapid and cost-effective technique for preparing high-quality oxide films, but one that has traditionally been regarded as unsuitable, or at least challenging, for fabricating films with good properties and thickness below 100 nm. In the present work we explore the deposition of highly diluted solutions of pure and Ca-modified lead titanates to prepare ultrathin ferroelectric films, the thickness of which is controlled by the concentration of the precursor solution. The results show that we are able to obtain single crystalline phase continuous films down to 18 nm thickness, one of the lowest reported using these methods. Below that thickness, the films start to be discontinuous, which is attributed to a microstructural instability that can be controlled by an adequate tailoring of the processing conditions. The effect of the reduction of thickness on the piezoelectric behavior is studied by piezoresponse force microscopy. The results indicate that films retain a significant piezoelectric activity regardless of their low thickness, which is promising for their eventual integration in nanodevices, for example, as transducer elements in nanoelectromechanical systems.
Perfil de pacientes que evoluem para óbito por tuberculose no município de São Paulo, 2002
Authors: Lindoso Ana Angélica Bulcão Portela , Waldman Eliseu Alves , Komatsu Naomi Kawaoka , Figueiredo Sumie Matai de , Taniguchi Mauro , Rodrigues Laura C
Published: September 2008

OBJETIVO: Descrever o perfil de pacientes adultos residentes no município de São Paulo que evoluíram para óbito associado à tuberculose, segundo fatores biológicos, ambientais e institucionais. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo, abrangendo todos os óbitos por tuberculose (N=416) ocorridos em 2002, entre maiores de 15 anos. Os dados analisados foram obtidos do Sistema Municipal de Informações de Mortalidade, prontuários hospitalares, Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos e Sistema de Vigilância de Tuberculose. Os cálculos dos riscos relativos e intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC 95%) tiveram como referência o sexo feminino, grupo de 15 a 29 anos, e os naturais do Estado de São Paulo. A análise comparativa usou o teste do qui-quadrado de Pearson e o exato de Fisher para variáveis categóricas e o teste Kruskal-Wallis para variáveis contínuas. RESULTADOS: Do total de óbitos, 78% apresentavam a forma pulmonar; o diagnóstico foi efetuado após a morte em 30% e em unidades de atendimento primário em 14% dos casos; 44% não iniciaram tratamento; 49% não foram notificados; 76% eram homens e a mediana da idade foi de 51 anos; 52% tinham até quatro anos de estudo, 4% eram prováveis moradores de rua. As taxas de mortalidade aumentavam com a idade, sendo de 5,0/100.000 no município, variando de zero a 35, conforme o distrito. Para 82 de 232 pacientes com registro de tratamento, havia referência de tratamento anterior, e desses, 41 o haviam abandonado. Constatou-se presença de diabetes (16%), doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (19%), HIV (11%), tabagismo (71%) e alcoolismo (64%) nos pacientes. CONCLUSÕES: Homens acima de 50 anos, migrantes e residentes em distritos com baixo Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano apresentam maiores riscos de óbito. A pouca escolaridade e apresentar co-morbidades são características importantes. Observou-se baixa participação das unidades básicas de saúde no diagnóstico e a elevada sub-notificação.
HIV testing among pregnant women in Brazil: rates and predictors
Authors: Veloso Valdiléa G , Portela Margareth C , Vasconcellos Mauricio T L , Matzenbacher Luiz A , Vasconcelos Ana Lúcia R de , Grinsztejn Beatriz , Bastos Francisco I
Published: September 2008

OBJECTIVE: To assess rates of offering and uptake of HIV testing and their predictors among women who attended prenatal care. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among postpartum women (N=2,234) who attended at least one prenatal care visit in 12 cities. Independent and probabilistic samples were selected in the cities studied. Sociodemographic data, information about prenatal care and access to HIV prevention interventions during the current pregnancy were collected. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to assess independent effects of the covariates on offering and uptake of HIV testing. Data collection took place between November 1999 and April 2000. RESULTS: Overall, 77.5% of the women reported undergoing HIV testing during the current pregnancy. Offering of HIV testing was positively associated with: previous knowledge about prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV; higher number of prenatal care visits; higher level of education and being white. HIV testing acceptance rate was 92.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicate that dissemination of information about prevention of mother-to-child transmission among women may contribute to increasing HIV testing coverage during pregnancy. Non-white women with lower level of education should be prioritized. Strategies to increase attendance of vulnerable women to prenatal care and to raise awareness among health care workers are of utmost importance.
Anthropology and Epidemiology: learning epistemological lessons through a collaborative venture
Authors: Béhague Dominique Pareja , Gonçalves Helen , Victora Cesar Gomes
Published: September 2008

Collaboration between anthropology and epidemiology has a long and tumultuous history. Based on empirical examples, this paper describes a number of epistemological lessons we have learned through our experience of cross disciplinary collaboration. Although critical of both mainstream epidemiology and medical anthropology, our analysis focuses on the implications of addressing each discipline's main epistemological differences, while addressing the goal of adopting a broader social approach to health improvement. We believe it is important to push the boundaries of research collaborations from the more standard forms of "multidisciplinarity," to the adoption of theoretically imbued "interdisciplinarity." The more we challenge epistemological limitations and modify ways of knowing, the more we will be able to provide in-depth explanations for the emergence of disease-patterns and thus, to problem-solve. In our experience, both institutional support and the adoption of a relativistic attitude are necessary conditions for sustained theoretical interdisciplinarity. Until researchers acknowledge that methodology is merely a human-designed tool to interpret reality, unnecessary methodological hyper-specialization will continue to alienate one field of knowledge from the other.
Transdisciplinary research strategies for understanding socially patterned disease: the Asthma Coalition on Community, Environment, and Social Stress (ACCESS) project as a case study
Authors: Wright Rosalind J. , Suglia Shakira Franco , Levy Jonathan , Fortun Kim , Shields Alexandra , Subramanian SV , Wright Robert
Published: September 2008

As we have seen a global increase in asthma in the past three decades it has also become clear that it is a socially patterned disease, based on demographic and socioeconomic indicators clustered by areas of residence. This trend is not readily explained by traditional genetic paradigms or physical environmental exposures when considered alone. This has led to consideration of the interplay among physical and psychosocial environmental hazards and the molecular and genetic determinants of risk (i.e., biomedical framing) within the broader socioenvironmental context including socioeconomic position as an upstream "cause of the causes" (i.e., ecological framing). Transdisciplinary research strategies or programs that embrace this complexity through a shared conceptual framework that integrates diverse discipline-specific theories, models, measures, and analytical methods into ongoing asthma research may contribute most significantly toward furthering our understanding of socially patterned disease. This paper provides an overview of a multilevel, multimethod longitudinal study, the Asthma Coalition on Community, Environment and Social Stress (ACCESS), as a case study to exemplify both the opportunities and challenges of transdisciplinary research on urban asthma expression in the United States.
Avaliação da existência de controle de infecção oral nos pacientes internados em hospitais do estado do Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Kahn Sérgio , Garcia Carlos Henrique , Galan Júnior João , Namen Fátima Maria , Machado Walter Augusto Soares , Silva Júnior Joel Alves da , Sardenberg Eleanor Mobley Scofield , Egreja André Medina
Published: September 2008

O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a existência de um protocolo de controle de infecção oral nos hospitais do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Foram avaliados 62 hospitais da rede pública e privada. Quando questionados se existia na instituição algum procedimento destinado aos pacientes internados (no caso de UTIs), 39% dos hospitais pesquisados responderam positivamente. Das instituições pesquisadas, apenas 15% possuem um protocolo regular para o controle de placa nos pacientes internados. Pesquisas têm demonstrado a inter-relação da doença periodontal com doenças sistêmicas, como doenças cardiovasculares, osteoporose, nascimento de bebês de baixo peso e parto prematuro, diabetes e doenças respiratórias. A cavidade oral tem sido considerada como um potente reservatório de patógenos respiratórios. Diante destes fatos, evidencia-se a importância da higiene bucal como um meio de se prevenir patologias diversas. Desta forma, existe a necessidade de se criar um protocolo de controle de infecção da cavidade oral para contribuir para a redução da mortalidade de pacientes internados e propor medidas preventivas para este fim.
Implementação do diagnóstico da infecção pelo HIV para gestantes em Unidade Básica de Saúde da Família em Fortaleza, Ceará
Authors: Araújo Maria Alix Leite , Vieira Neiva Francenely Cunha , Silva Raimunda Magalhães da
Published: September 2008

A garantia do diagnóstico da infecção pelo HIV em gestantes representa a primeira etapa de prevenção da transmissão vertical. Falhas na cobertura desse diagnóstico impossibilitam a adoção precoce das medidas profiláticas. Esse estudo objetivou analisar a implementação da detecção da infecção pelo HIV em gestantes em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde da Família em Fortaleza, Ceará. Utilizou referencial teórico-metodológico da grounded theory, que propõe a construção de modelo teórico a partir dos dados da realidade social. Realizou-se observação participante e entrevistas abertas com médicos, enfermeiros, gestantes e grupos focais com gestantes e agentes de saúde. As gestantes enfrentam barreiras de acesso à consulta pré-natal e ao teste anti-HIV. Evidenciaram-se dificuldades na marcação da consulta, na captação precoce da gestante e demora para atendimento. Quanto ao teste anti-HIV, detectou-se que a unidade básica não realiza a coleta do material biológico, poucos laboratórios o realizam e há distância geográfica entre os laboratórios e a residência da gestante. Concluiu-se que, mesmo em Unidades de Saúde da Família, o acesso à consulta pré-natal é difícil e a prevenção da transmissão vertical do HIV depende de mudanças políticas, institucionais e estruturais.
Anemia como problema de saúde pública: uma realidade atual
Authors: Batista Filho Malaquias , Souza Ariani Impieri de , Bresani Cristiane Campello
Published: September 2008

Em 1990, as Nações Unidas promoveram a Reunião de Cúpula de Nova Iorque, onde foram traçadas metas para o decênio vindouro, dentre as quais, a redução de um terço na prevalência das anemias nas mulheres em idade fértil. Porém, apesar de percentual modesto, indícios epidemiológicos apontam no sentido inverso, ou seja, indicam a crescente e grave ocorrência de anemia em diferentes regiões do mundo, inclusive no Brasil. Ao reunir esses informes, constata-se que a anemia continua, desde a antiguidade, a ser uma das entidades nosológicas mais prevalentes e difundidas nas populações humanas. A partir daí surge uma série de questionamentos ainda sem respostas em relação às reais prevalência e etiopatogenia do problema, ao grau de implantação e à efetividade das medidas de controle.
Vigilância epidemiológica no plano de intensificação das ações de controle de malária no estado de Mato Grosso: estudo de caso
Authors: Galvão Noemi Dreyer , Yokoo Edna Massae , Santos Marina Atanaka dos , Natal Sonia
Published: September 2008

Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a vigilância epidemiológica no Plano de Intensificação das Ações de Controle de Malária (PIACM), nos dezoito municípios mato-grossenses, de 1999 a 2002. Realizou-se uma pesquisa avaliativa do tipo análise de implantação. A análise foi realizada através do Modelo Lógico de Avaliação, considerando quatro dimensões de análise - contexto externo e político, contexto organizacional, implementação e efetividade - e cinco bases de evidências, sendo três de dados primários e os outros secundários. Os municípios foram denominados de CASOS. Os dados foram coletados por questionários semi-estruturados. A implementação das ações do PIACM apresentou-se adequada apenas em 5,6% dos CASOS. A efetividade das ações em apenas um CASO e nenhum CASO teve condição adequada nas características contextuais. Os fatores que mais influenciaram a implementação foram: rotatividade dos gestores municipais e profissionais de saúde; capacitação fragmentada e esporádica; promoção e prevenção à saúde limitada aos profissionais da atenção básica. Conclui-se que a vigilância epidemiológica, no PIACM, mostrou-se desarticulada, com problemas de ordem estrutural, o que vem dificultando o pleno desenvolvimento das ações.
Os restos na história: percepções sobre resíduos
Authors: Velloso Marta Pimenta
Published: September 2008

O artigo busca, em diferentes períodos da história, as percepções sobre os resíduos resultantes da atividade humana. Está dividido em três partes: 1) narra o episódio da peste negra do século XIV, mostrando como ela foi associada aos resíduos produzidos pelo corpo humano; 2) explicita como as prenoções sobre resíduos, ainda hoje, remetem à sujeira, à doença e à morte; 3) descreve as medidas de higiene, a partir do renascimento e a saúde pública no início do século XX, que começa combatendo os agentes microbianos das doenças infecciosas e os seus vetores.
Regulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis by interleukin-1 in cultured bovine endometrial cells
Authors: Tanikawa Michiyo , Lee Hwa-Yong , Watanabe Kikuko , Majewska Magdalena , Skarzynski Dariusz J , Park Soo-Bong , Lee Dong-Seok , Park Choon-Keun , Acosta Tomas J , Okuda Kiyoshi
Published: September 2008

Interleukin-1 (IL1) has been shown to be a potent stimulator of prostaglandin (PG) production in bovine endometrium. The aim of the present study was to determine the cell types in the endometrium (epithelial or stromal cells) responsible for the secretion of PGE2 and PGF2α in response to IL1A, and the intracellular mechanisms of IL1A action. Cultured bovine epithelial and stromal cells were exposed to IL1A or IL1B (0.006–3.0 nM) for 24 h. IL1A and IL1B dose-dependently stimulated PGE2 and PGF2α production in the stromal cells, but not in the epithelial cells. The stimulatory effect of IL1A (0.06–3.0 nM) on PG production was greater than that of IL1B. The stimulatory actions of IL1A on PG production was augmented by supplementing arachidonic acid (AA). When the stromal cells were incubated with IL1A and inhibitors of phospholipase (PL) C or PLA2 (1 μM; anthranilic acid), only PLA2 inhibitor completely stopped the stimulatory action of IL1A on PG production. Moreover, a specific cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) inhibitor blocked the stimulatory effect of IL1A on PG production. IL1A (0.06 nM) promoted COX2 and microsomal PGE synthase-1 (PGES1) gene and its protein expression. The expression of COX1, PGES2, PGES3, and PGF synthase (PGFS) mRNA was not affected by IL1A in the stromal cells. The overall results indicate that 1) the target of IL1A and IL1B for stimulating both PGE2 and PGF2α production is the stromal cells, 2) IL1A is a far more potent stimulator than IL1B on PG production in stromal cells, 3) the stimulatory effect of IL1A on PG production is mediated via the activation of PLA2 and COX2, and (4) IL1A induced PG production by increasing expressions of COX2 and PGES1 mRNAs and their proteins in bovine stromal cells.
Modelling effects of realignment of Keelung River, Taiwan
Authors: Liu W.-C. , Chen W.-B. , Wu C. H.
Published: September 2008

A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model was implemented and applied to the Danshuei River estuarine system and its adjacent coastal sea in northern Taiwan. The model was calibrated and verified with the available hydrological data measured in 2000. A detailed model calibration and verification was performed using field data which consisted of the measured amplitudes and phases of five tidal constituents, water surface elevations, tidal current and salinity distributions. The overall performance of the model was in qualitative agreement with the field data. The validated model was then used to investigate the changes in salt water intrusion and residual circulation as a result of channel regulation in the Keelung River. The residual circulations before channel regulation differed slightly from those after channel regulation and the result for the limits of salt intrusion before channel regulation were only slightly different from those after channel regulation. At the Kuan-Du wetland, the saline difference was only 0·3 parts per thousand. These results suggest that the channel regulations for flood control in the Keelung River made no substantial contribution to the expansion of the mangrove areas and disappearance of freshwater marshes in the the Kuan-Du wetlands.
“BACK! Back! Back! CENTRAL Mind-Machine PENTAGON …”: ALLEN GINSBERG AND THE VIETNAM WAR
Authors: Houen Alex
Published: September 2008

This article explores ways in which the poems Allen Ginsberg wrote against the Vietnam War entailed resisting what he viewed to be effects of “coldwar subjectivity” – in particular, the automation of thinking and feeling. Many of these poems are what Ginsberg called “auto poems”: lyrical ﬂights of autobiography dictated while traveling in automated transport. I argue that in an auto poem like “Wichita Vortex Sutra,” Ginsberg develops a poetic “potentialism” whereby lyric language is made a vehicle for new possibilities and powers of individual feeling and dissent. Combating the anaesthetizing effects of war propaganda and statistics, Ginsberg’s potentialism is also aimed at short-circuiting the mass media’s role in mechanizing language. I go on to discuss how Ginsberg develops his antiwar poetics in relation to three counterculture events: the march on the Pentagon in October 1967; the demonstrations at the August 1968 Democrats’ Convention; and the demonstrations at the August 1972 Republicans’ Convention.
Sampling Schemes for Weigh-in-Motion Traffic Data Collection
Authors: Hong Feng , Prozzi Jorge A. , Leung Arthur
Published: September 2008

Weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology has been widely used in highway traffic monitoring to support design and reconstruction of pavement structures. WIM systems are capable of continuously collecting vehicle size and weight data. However, collecting, storing, and processing the large amount of data required is costly. The cost is a critical concern of many state highway agencies (SHAs) because of their budget limitations and resource constraints. To address this issue, adopting sampled data instead of complete or population data has been recommended in most SHAs. However, it has been recognized that a gap inevitably exists between data samples and population. Therefore, a balance between data needs in pavement design and cost in data supply should be obtained. The effect of different sampling schemes on data accuracy on the basis of traffic information collected by WIM systems in Texas was comprehensively investigated. Three criteria involving both mathematical implication and engineering context were developed for evaluation of sampled data accuracy. A relationship between typical sampling schemes and data accuracy was established. The results and suggestions can provide more cost-effective and efficient WIM data collection for SHAs.
Fluctuation and Seasonality of Hourly Traffic and Accuracy of Design Hourly Volume Estimates
Authors: Capparuccini David Mario , Faghri Ardeshir , Polus Abishai , Suarez Robert E.
Published: September 2008

The measurement of traffic volumes is one of the most basic functions of highway planning and management. The most accurate measurements of highway demand and highway capacity are calculated at automatic traffic recorder sites, which yield the average daily traffic and design hourly volume for the segment of roadway on which it is located. Because of monetary constraints, the majority of roadway segments do not have automatic traffic recorders. For these sites, highway demand and highway capacity must be estimated from short-term traffic counts. A group of Delaware automatic traffic recorders was used to determine the fluctuation and seasonality of hourly traffic using statistical techniques. With the use of short-term traffic counts and an understanding of traffic volume fluctuation, the accuracy of design hourly volume estimates was compared with the true values reported from nearby automatic traffic recorder sites. The study found that design hourly volume estimates were less accurate for roads with greater variability in volume fluctuation, but selection of one method of analysis over another for particular traffic pattern groups resulted in smaller error. On average, the error of design hourly volumes estimates was approximately 5% for less variable roads and 8% to 9% for roads with increasing variability.
Sensor Locations for Reliable Travel Time Prediction and Dynamic Management of Traffic Networks
Authors: Viti Francesco , Verbeke Wouter , Tampère Chris M. J.
Published: September 2008

State estimation and prediction models rely on the quality and the dissemination of the available traffic data. In complex networks, such as large urban areas, the position of traffic counts (i.e. loop detectors) is critical for such models. Nevertheless, sensor locations are typically chosen for other objectives (e.g., monitoring bottleneck sections, estimating origin–destination flows). As a result, link state estimations and predictions are often found to be inaccurate. A new approach to the sensor location problem was proposed; the objective was optimizing the position of traffic counts for reliable state estimation and prediction at complex networks. To do so, the maximum possible relative error, used in past approaches, was reformulated to minimize the error in link traffic states. By doing so, more reliable predictions of partial as well as whole network travel times can be obtained. Computing the new maximum possible relative error (MPRE) requires two extra inputs—the specification of a state estimation model and the specification of the network traffic variability—to set the boundaries of the solution space. For large complex networks, the latter information might be very difficult to obtain. As an alternative, a simple solution algorithm to the problem was proposed that uses link flow and travel time correlations between links to select, in sequence, the most representative locations in the network. The algorithm was tested on a toy network, which showed that it succeeds in catching a substantially larger percentage of link flows with respect to a classical approach.
Six-Wave Odometer Panel for Evaluation of Voluntary Travel Behavior Change Programs
Authors: Stopher Peter , Swann Natalie
Published: September 2008

A six-wave panel survey of household vehicle use in Adelaide, South Australia, and Melbourne, Victoria, was reviewed, with odometer readings as the key measurement. The study was conducted to explore the feasibility of using this method to evaluate the effectiveness of voluntary travel behavior change (VTBC) projects implemented at the household level. Odometer surveys are a practically feasible, publicly acceptable, and reliable method for measuring change in household vehicle use. The collection of odometer readings was chosen because it was a direct way to quantify distance traveled in private vehicles that was difficult to manipulate or misreport. The panel design was useful to minimize variation, and burden was reduced by keeping the task simple. Although the sample obtained may have been subject to coverage error, the demography of the sample is stable over time; this status indicates that there is no selective dropout from particular population segments. The data collected in this pilot suggest that sample sizes upwards of 1,000 households would be necessary to conclude with 95% confidence that an actual difference in daily vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT) per vehicle of ±1 km was significantly different from zero. Although the data here show that the average daily VKT per household and per vehicle in Adelaide stayed stable for VTBC nonparticipants and dropped in participating VTBC households, the small sample size means it cannot be stated with statistical confidence whether this was significant.