bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Choice of Contact Points during Multidigit Grasping: Effect of Predictability of Object Center of Mass Location
Authors: Lukos Jamie , Ansuini Caterina , Santello Marco
Published: April 2007

It has been shown that when subjects can predict object properties [e.g., weight or center of mass (CM)], fingertip forces are appropriately scaled before the object is lifted, i.e., before somatosensory feedback can be processed. However, it is not known whether subjects, in addition to these anticipatory force mechanisms, exploit the ability to choose where digits can be placed to facilitate object manipulation. We addressed this question by asking subjects to reach and grasp an object whose CM was changed to the left, center, or right of the object in either a predictable or unpredictable manner. The only task requirement was to minimize object roll during lift. We hypothesized that subjects would modulate contact points but only when object CM location could be predicted. As expected, object roll was significantly smaller in the predictable condition. This experimental condition was also associated with statistically distinct spatial distributions of contact points as a function of object CM location but primarily when large torques had to be counteracted, i.e., for right and left CM locations. In contrast, when subjects could not anticipate CM location, a “default” distribution of contact points was used, this being statistically indistinguishable from that adopted for the center CM location in the predictable condition. We conclude that choice of contact points is integrated with anticipatory force control mechanisms to facilitate object manipulation. These results demonstrate that planning of digit placement is an important component of grasp control.
Preclinical and clinical experiences with the role of somatostatin receptors in the treatment of pituitary adenomas
Authors: van der Hoek Joost , Lamberts Steven W J , Hofland Leo J
Published: April 2007

The patho-physiological role of somatostatin receptor subtypes (sst) in neuro endocrine diseases has gained enhanced scientific interest in the past few years. The development of novel somatotropin-release inhibiting factor analogs, both sst-specific and universal ligands, seem promising as a tool to further increase fundamental insights in sst function. Eventually, this research should result in novel medical therapeutic opportunities in patients suffering from neuro-endocrine diseases. In the present review, the functional role of sst in all types of pituitary adenomas, based on recent preclinical and clinical studies, is being discussed.
Novel insights in dopamine receptor physiology
Authors: Pivonello Rosario , Ferone Diego , Lombardi Gaetano , Colao Annamaria , Lamberts Steven W J , Hofland Leo J
Published: April 2007

The dopaminergic system has a pivotal role in the central nervous system but also plays important roles in the periphery, mainly in the endocrine system. Dopamine exerts its functions via five different receptors, named D1–D5, belonging to the category of G protein coupled membrane receptors. Dopamine receptors are heterogeneously expressed in different cells, tissues and organs, where they stimulate or inhibit different functions, including neurotransmission and hormone synthesis and secretion. In particular, the dopamineric system has a pivotal role in the physiological regulation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis. Recent data have demonstrated the expression and function of dopamine receptors not only in endocrine organs but also in endocrine tumors, mainly those belonging to the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis, and also in the so-called ‘neuroendocrine’ tumors. These data confirm the important role of the dopaminergic system in this endocrine axis, as well as in the neuroendocrine system. This review summarizes the main structural and functional characteristics of dopamine receptors, emphasizing the most recent novelties, and focused on the physiological and pathological regulation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis by the dopaminergic system. In addition, the recent findings on the relationship between dopamine receptors and neuroendocrine tumors are summarized.
Novel chimeric somatostatin analogs: facts and perspectives
Authors: Ferone Diego , Saveanu Alexandru , Culler Michael D , Arvigo Marica , Rebora Alberto , Gatto Federico , Minuto Francesco , Jaquet Philippe
Published: April 2007

Dopamine and somatostatin receptor agonists inhibit hormone secretion by normal pituitary cells and pituitary adenomas. Indeed, initially several dopaminergic drugs, and lately somatostatin analogs, have been developed for the treatment of pituitary adenomas. Recently, it has been demonstrated that subtypes of somatostatin and dopamine receptors may form homo- and hetero-dimers at the membrane level, as part of their normal trafficking and function. Interestingly, a specific ligand for a given receptor may influence the activity of an apparently unrelated receptor, and the association between the two different receptors could be induced by addition of either dopamine or somatostatin. The new properties of these families of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) offer a potential explanation for the apparent conflicting results observed both in vivo and in vitro in human cell systems treated with the presently available analogs. Moreover, this observation not only increases the possibilities of modulating the activities of these receptors, but also raises new questions on the role of associations of specific receptors in the control of cell functions. In fact, results from preclinical studies have shown that receptor activation may not only trigger different intracellular signaling pathways, but also induce a distinct response depending upon the specific cell type. Recently, a number of new interesting compounds (subtype selective analogs and antagonists, as well as bi-specific and hybrid somatostatin/dopamine compounds) have been developed. The effects of these new molecules have been explored in few animal and human cell lines and primary cultures from human tumors, revealing a heterogeneous, but broader, profile of activities. Further studies are certainly needed to fully elucidate the complex interplay between the GPCRs and consequent biological effects, to identify suitable therapies for controlling hormonal secretion of pituitary tumors. However, these recent observations form the basis for the application of new interesting strategies for the treatment of not only pituitary tumors but also other human malignancies.
Szénforráskezelés hatása a talaj mikrobiális aktivitására és biomasszájára felhagyott homoki szántókon
Authors: Szili-Kovács Tibor , Török Katalin
Published: April 2007

Felhagyott homoki szántók természetes regenerációjának felgyorsítása érdekében különböző szénforrásokat alkalmaztunk a talaj-nitrogén mikrobiális immobilizációjának elősegítésére. Azt vizsgáltuk, hogy a kezelések hatással vannak-e a talajok mikrobiális aktivitására és biomasszájára.  A mikrobiális biomassza becslés megbízhatóságát három eltérő módszerrel hasonlítottuk össze. A Kiskunsági Nemzeti Park fülöpházi homokbuckása mellett három kísérleti területen - egymáshoz közel, de eltérő térszínen (buckatető, buckaköz és mélyedésben fekvő rét) - a nitrogén immobilizációjának elősegítésére gyorsan (szacharóz) és lassan lebomló (tölgyfa fűrészpor) szénforrásokat alkalmaztunk 100 m²-es parcellákon. A mikrobiális biomassza nagyságát kloroform fumigációs extrakciós (CFE), kloroform fumigációs inkubációval (CFI) és szubsztrát indukált respirációs (SIR) módszerrel becsültük.  A szénforráskezelések hatására a nitrogén hozzáférhetősége, különösen a nitráté erősen lecsökkent a talajanalízisek és az in situ N-mineralizációs vizsgálatok eredményei alapján. A talaj nitrát-N koncentrációja mind a három területen a kezelt parcellákban szignifikánsan kisebbnek mutatkozott a tavaszi szénforrás-kezeléseket követően. A vegetációs időszak alatt a talaj-N felvehetősége lecsökkent a kezelt parcellákban mind a három területen, az in situ ioncserélő teszt alapján. Ez alól csak a nyár elejei másfél hónapos időszak kivétel, feltehetőleg azért, mert akkor alig volt csapadék.  2003 tavaszán (április 17.), csaknem fél évvel a megelőző szénforrás-kezelést követően, az alaprespiráció a buckaközi és rét területen, a SIR mind-három területen, a CFI a buckaközi területen, a CFE a rét területen szignifikánsan nagyobb volt a kezelt parcellák talajában. A másfél hónappal későbbi (május 29-i) mintavétel elemzésekor, miközben egyszer volt fűrészpor- és kétszer cukorkezelés, az alaprespiráció és a SIR mindhárom területen, a CFI és a CFE a buckaközi és a rét területen szignifikánsan nagyobb volt a kezelt parcellákban.  Az eredmények azt mutatják, hogy a szénforráskezelések rövidtávon megnövelik a talaj mikrobiális biomasszáját, és ez a hatás, kisebb mértékben ugyan, de hosszabb időszakon keresztül fennmaradhat. A mikrobiális biomassza növekedése indirekt módon a N-immobilizációt is jelzi. Az alaprespiráció, a SIR, a CFI és CFE között szignifikáns korreláció volt mindkét vizsgált időpontban. A szénforráskezeléssel serkentett N-immobilizáció miatt megváltozott feltételek a természetvédelmi restauráció során segíthetik a jelentős N-igényű fajok visszaszorulását.
Téri tájékozódási zavarok szerepe a pánik és az agorafóbiás állapotok fenntatásában
Authors: Kállai János , Bicsák Éva , Koller Erzsébet , Karádi Kázmér
Published: April 2007

Tizenöt pánikbeteg agorafóbiával, tizenöt generalizált szorongó és tizenöt kontrollszemély téri tanulási és emlékezeti teljesítményét vizsgáltuk valós labirintustájékozódási, valamint komputer által létrehozott virtuális téri tájékozódási feladatban. Eredményeink szerint a pániktól és agorafóbiától szenvedő személyek a generalizált szorongókhoz és a kontrollszemélyekhez viszonyítva labirintusséta által kiváltott stresszhelyzetet követően gyengébb teljesítményt mutattak téri tanulási feladatokban. A labirintusban való tájékozódási feladatot követően a pániktól és agorafóbiától szenvedő betegek gyakrabban vétették el a laboratóriumból kivezető útvonalat, és pontatlan térképet rajzoltak a bejárt labirintus szerkezetéről. Nem használták hatékonyan az allocentrikus referenciákhoz kötődő disztális tájékozódási pontokat. Ugyanakkor a labirintus stressze után a virtuális téri tájékozódási feladatban is rosszabbul teljesítettek, annak ellenére, hogy a labirintus bejárása előtt végzett vizsgálatban nem mutatkozott különbség a csoportok között. Az eredményeket a Figyelemáthelyezés-, valamint a Stressz indukálta felidézés modell alapján értelmeztük.
Interdisciplinary questions of stroke therapy
Authors: Csiba László
Published: April 2007

Számos, az akut stroke-kezeléssel kapcsolatos nagy, nemzetközi, randomizált, multicentrikus vizsgálatot kezdeményeztek vagy fejeztek be az elmúlt években. Ezeknek köszönhetően a magyar és nemzetközi társaságok evidenciákon nyugvó ajánlásokat dolgoztak ki az ischaemiás stroke kezelésére. A mindennapi gyakorlatban a stroke-kal foglalkozó neurológus, belgyógyász, kardiológus, ér- és szívsebész azonban számos olyan diagnosztikus és terápiás problémával találkozik, melyekre a típusos esetekre fókuszáló nemzetközi vizsgálatokban nem talál elfogadott ajánlást. A szerző az irodalom és saját tapasztalatai alapján a határterületi kérdésekkel (stroke a kórházban, szívműtét és carotis-endarterectomia, endarterectomia vagy stent, endarterectomia utáni szövődmények) kapcsolatos diagnosztikus és terápiás javaslatait foglalja össze.
When does an autoimmune disease begin? Importance of the early diagnosis
Authors: Bodolay Edit , Dérfalvi Beáta , Gergely Péter , Poór Gyula
Published: April 2007

Az autoimmun kórképek, így a 1-es típusú diabetes mellitus, a poliszisztémás autoimmun betegségek, és a rheumatoid arthritis korai fázisában, még a definitív betegség kialakulása előtt klinikai és laboratóriumi eltérések észlelhetők. Ezek ismerete különösen fontos mind a háziorvos, mind az autoimmun és korai arthritises betegeket ellátó szakorvos számára. A betegség gyanújának felvetése, a beteg specialistához küldése, minél koraibb felismerése és prognosztizálása, és mindezek alapján adekvát terápiája esetén jelentősen javulnak a beteg életkilátásai, és lehetővé válik a betegség szövődményeinek elkerülése. A speciális diagnosztika, gondozás és terápia igénye szükségessé tette a hazai immunológiai és arthritiscentrumok kialakítását, ahol megfelelő tapasztalat és szakmai tudás birtokában tudják ellátni ezen betegeket.
The autoimmune features of vasculopathies
Authors: Soltész Pál , Prohászka Zoltán , Füst György , Dér Henrietta , Kerekes György , Szodoray Péter , Zeher Margit , Szekanecz Zoltán
Published: April 2007

Az atheroscleroticus plakk kialakulásában jelenleg három autoantigént tudunk azonosítani, amelyek patológiai jelentőségét experimentális és klinikai adatok egyaránt bizonyítják. Ezek az antigének a 60 kDa-os hősokk fehérje, a β2-glikoprotein I és az oxidált LDL. Szerepük van az antigénspecifikus T-sejt differenciálódási folyamatokban, valamint ellenük autoantitestes mechanizmusok indulnak be, amelyek prothromboticus hatással bírnak és az atherosclerosis folyamatát felerősítik. Az autoimmun betegségekben ezen tényezők mellett egyéb, betegségenként eltérő mechanizmusok vannak jelen, amelyek összességében az autoimmun vasculopathiák kialakulásához vezetnek. Az összefoglaló közlemény ezen vasculopathiák rövid áttekintését adja.
Change in the cholesterol metabolism associated with the combined inhibition of synthesis and absorption
Authors: Márk László , Paragh György
Published: April 2007

A cardiovascularis prevencióban, a lipid célértékek elérésére törekedve megelégszünk a szérum-koleszterinszint mérésével, és keveset törődünk azzal, hogy ez milyen hatások eredményeként alakul ki. A koleszterin vérszintje a diétával elfogyasztott mennyiségen túl nagymértékben függ a bélbe történő felszívódás/kiválasztás és a szintézis egyensúlyától. A felszívódás és a szintézis arányának vizsgálata csak az utóbbi időben került az érdeklődés előterébe. Számos megfigyelés igazolja, hogy a ma legerősebbnek ismert koleszterincsökkentő gyógyszerek hatására, amellett, hogy a májban csökken a szintézis, akár 50%-ot meghaladó mértékben is nőhet a koleszterin felszívódása. Amikor egy statinkezelés hatékonyságát vizsgáljuk, a mindennapi gyakorlatban csak a végeredményt, a szérum-koleszterinszint csökkenését mérjük, és nem vizsgáljuk a szintézis és a felszívódás mértékének változását sem. Az, hogy a szervezetben mennyi koleszterinszintetizálódik,illetve szívódik fel – indirekt módon – a nem-koleszterin szterinek (fitoszterinek) mennyiségének mérésével állapítható meg. Azabszorpciómarkerei a kampeszterin, a szitoszterin, az avenaszterin, valamint a kolesztanol. A koleszterinbioszintézisea latoszterin, a kolesztenol, a dezmoszterin szintjével korrelál. A gyakorlatban a latoszterin vagy latoszterin/koleszterin-koncentráció a szintézis, a kampeszterin vagy kampeszterin/koleszterin-arány a felszívódás markereként értékelhető. Az újabb vizsgálati eredmények tehát azt igazolják, hogy a koleszterin szintézisét gátló statin adása mellett fokozódik a koleszterin felszívódása, és a felszívódást gátló ezetimib hatása pedig a szintézis erősödését eredményezi. A statinok okozta felszívódás emelkedését ezetimibbel kombinálva tudjuk csökkenteni, illetve kivédeni. Ezen adatok azt támasztják alá, hogy a statin és ezetimib kombinációja, a szintézis és felszívódás együttes gátlása biztosítja a leghatékonyabb és legkevesebb mellékhatással járó koleszterinszint-csökkenést.
Efeito do manejo pós-plantio no estabelecimento de pastagem de capim-elefante
Authors: Xavier Deise Ferreira , Carvalho Margarida Mesquita , Botrel Milton Andrade , Freitas Vicente de Paula , Verneque Rui da Silva
Published: April 2007

O bom estabelecimento é um dos fatores que garantem índices satisfatórios de produtividade em pastagens de capim-elefante. No entanto, deve-se considerar que, além da adoção das práticas agronômicas recomendadas no plantio dessa gramínea, é importante adotar manejos pós-plantio adequados, que não interfiram negativamente na produtividade e na persistência da pastagem. Com o objetivo de se obter boa densidade inicial da pastagem de capim-elefante, foram estudados os seguintes tratamentos de manejos pós-plantio: pastejo com três meses de idade seguido de corte com alturas de resíduo de 20 (P20-3), 40 (P40-3) e 80 cm do solo (P80-3); corte com três meses de idade, com altura de corte de 20 cm do solo (C20-3); corte com quatro meses de idade, a uma altura do solo de 20 cm (C20-4). O experimento foi conduzido no campo experimental da Embrapa Gado de Leite, localizado em Coronel Pacheco, MG, em Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições, com parcelas de 8 x 10 m. A disponibilidade de forragem, o número de touceiras/ha e a cobertura do solo não apresentaram diferenças significativas entre os tratamentos estudados. O corte realizado a 20 cm do solo aos três meses de idade não proporcionou aumento na densidade de touceiras e no rendimento do capim-elefante. A formação de perfilhos basais também não foi afetada pelos tratamentos. Concluiu-se que o capim-elefante pode ser pastejado três meses após o plantio, sem afetar seu rendimento futuro.
Estimativa da ingestão voluntária a partir das características de degradação do capim-coastcross (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.), sob pastejo, por vacas em lactação
Authors: Berchielli Telma Teresinha , Soares João Paulo Guimarães , Aroeira Luiz Januário Magalhães , Furlan Cláudia Lopes , Salman Ana Karina Dias , Silveira Roselene Nunes da , Malheiros Euclides Braga
Published: April 2007

O consumo de matéria seca (CMS) do capim-coastcross, sob pastejo, de vacas lactantes mestiças (HPB x Gir) e Gir, foi calculado a partir da relação entre a digestibilidade in vitro da MS (DIVMS) da forragem (extrusa colhida com animais esôfago- fistulados) e a produção fecal obtida com auxílio do cromo mordante por meio de um modelo não-linear. A pastagem foi manejada com uma taxa de lotação de 1,6 e 3,2 animais/ha, respectivamente para as épocas seca e chuvosa do ano, num sistema de pastejo rotativo com três dias de ocupação e 27 dias de descanso. Quatro diferentes equações baseadas em variáveis de degradação ruminal foram utilizadas para predizer o consumo de MS: CMS = -1,19 + 0,035 (a+ b) + 28,5c (1), CMS = -0,822 + 0,0748 (a+ b) + 40,7c (2), CMS = -8,286 + 0,266a + 0,102b +17,696c (3) e CMS = [%FDN na MS]* [consumo de FDN ] / [(1-a-b)/K P +b/(c+ k p)]/24] (4). Os dados observados utilizando as equações 1 e 2 (12,2 e 12,7 kg/vaca/dia respectivamente) foram similares entre si e superiores aos resultados obtidos na equação 4 (7,8 kg/vaca/dia). Já o resultado obtido pela equação 3 (5,5 kg/vaca/dia) foi menor do que aqueles determinados pelas outras equações, subestimando o CMS calculado a partir do cromo mordante (6,3 kg/vaca/dia). A predição do consumo de forrageiras tropicais sob pastejo, utilizando equações baseadas nas variáveis de degradação, constitui um importante potencial para estas avaliações. Entretanto, mais estudos devem ser realizados antes de se usarem estas equações na prática.
Determinação do sistema endócrino difuso nos intestinos de três Teleostei (Pisces) de água doce com hábitos alimentares diferentes
Authors: Seixas Filho José Teixeira de , Fonseca Cláudio César , Oliveira Maria Goreti de Almeida , Donzele Juarez Lopes , Menin Eliane
Published: April 2007

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de verificar a presença de células endócrinas nos intestinos médio e posterior, ou reto, e nos cecos pilóricos de três espécies tropicais de peixes Teleostei de água doce com hábitos alimentares diferentes: piracanjuba, (Brycon orbignyanus) e piau (Leporinus friderici), onívoro; e surubim (Pseudoplatystoma coruscans), carnívoro. Para tanto, foram utilizados sete exemplares da piracanjuba, com médias de peso e comprimento-padrão de 410,16 ± 66,33 g e 27,42 ± 1,17 cm, respectivamente, 13 exemplares de piau com médias de 77,71 ± 24,31 g e 14,84 ± 1,56 cm de peso e comprimento-padrão, respectivamente; e cinco exemplares do surubim com médias de peso e comprimento-padrão de 309,91 ± 94,23 g e 32,70 ± 1,79 cm, respectivamente. Pode-se constatar a presença de células endócrinas do "tipo aberto" nos segmentos referentes aos intestinos médio e posterior das espécies onívoras e do "tipo fechado" no intestino médio e no reto da espécie carnívora. As células argirófilas foram observadas entre as células absortivas do epitélio intestinal. Os resultados permitem concluir que a presença de células endócrinas nas espécies estudadas pode indicar que estas atuam no mecanismo de controle da absorção dos nutrientes do alimento.
Unburying the Dead in the “Mother City”: Urban Topographies of Erasure
Authors: Grunebaum Heidi
Published: April 2007

Those who have died have never never left The dead have a pact with the living

—Birago Diop, “Breaths”

CAPE TOWN, A GLOBAL CITY IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN POSTCOLONY. The emancipatory or transformative moments signaled by the prefix post are often incomplete, unfinished, haunted. This essay is about the human bones on which the foundations of Cape Town are built. It is a story about the human cost of the city's development, which led to the resurfacings of disavowed histories of violence. It is a recounting of a slowly unfolding reckoning with the haunting claims of the dead as they return, in their time and on their terms.
Dispatches from Benghazi
Authors: Mattawa Khaled
Published: April 2007

Since the year 2000 i have spent most of my summers in benghazi, libya, the city of my birth and childhood. I have been able to return for the past six years, after an absence of twenty-one. At first I anticipated disorientation. The two decades that I'd lived in the United States saw extreme forms of oppression in Libya, as well as hostility between Libya and the West, which by 2003 was coming to an end. Yet little surprised me about my city when I returned. I had expected the buildings to appear smaller than I'd remembered, the streets to seem shorter and narrower, and, given how the Qaddafi regime had mismanaged the country, everything to be shabbier.
Modernist Miniatures: Literary Snapshots of Urban Spaces
Authors: Huyssen Andreas
Published: April 2007

This essay focuses on a little–studied narrative form I call the modernist miniature. Its practitioners after Baudelaire include novelists like Kafka and Musil, poets like Rilke and Benn, social thinkers and critics like Kracauer, Benjamin, and Adorno. Central concerns of these modernist miniatures, written primarily for the newspaper feuilleton and published only later in book form, were the perceptions and image spheres of urban space, which were undergoing radical change in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Modernist miniatures can be alternately narrative or philosophical, lyrical or sociological, temporal or spatial. I draw on photographic and architectural discourse to analyze this hybrid literary form, which flourished in the interwar years in Austria and Germany.
The Fate of a Stereotype: Little Paris
Authors: Spiridon Monica
Published: April 2007

“The French Connection”

A CHRONIC IDENTITY CRISIS AND AN OBESSIVE INTEREST IN STRONG LEGITIMATING MODELS ARE PERHAPS THE MOST CHARACTERISTC maladies of the modern Romanian cultural consciousness. Like many other peripheral nations, Romania has always been in search of strategies for being accepted as a full-fledged member of the “western European club.” Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the interminable debates concerning national identity focused repeatedly on the cultural heritage of the Roman Empire and the Romance origins of the Romanian language. Membership of the national idiom in the club of Romance languages was viewed as an irrefutable proof of a western European connection and allegiance.
Afropolis: From Johannesburg
Authors: Nuttall Sarah , Mbembe Achille
Published: April 2007

On saturdays we sometimes drive across the city to buy fish. We stand at the counter and try to choose fresh fish in a land-locked city—pink salmon, gray sole, yellow kabeljou, silver red roman. Delicious fish, at least six hours from the nearest coast. After that, we're back in the car, on the road. If we take the highway around the city, we see the mine dumps, man-made hills of gold dust, yellow in the winter sun, relics of the old gold mines on which this city was founded, heaving earth to the surface, the debris of wealth extraction. From all around, among and beyond the gold dumps, the city rises.
Lima the Horrible: The Cultural Politics of Theft
Authors: Spitta Silvia
Published: April 2007

In Europe, as michel foucault aptly pointed out, western identity was constituted by the privileging of time and history (understood as alive, fluid, and ontological) over space (viewed as inert and dead); Latin America has followed a diametrically opposed process. The urban and the city in particular have dominated Latin American thought since 1492. Shaped by metropolitan centers much more than cultures in early modern Europe, the great pre-Hispanic civilizations forced the conquistadors to understand the process of conquest and evangelization in terms of urbanization. It suffices to see the map of the great city of Tenochtitlán (today's Mexico City) that accompanies Hernán Cortés's second letter to Emperor Charles V, his “Carta de relación,” and to read about the awe that overcame the historian Bernal Díaz del Castillo when he first saw the sheer vastness, beauty, and order of the great Aztec center to understand the important role urban planning would play throughout the colonial period and well beyond.
Afterword: The Buenos Aires Affair
Authors: Molloy Sylvia
Published: April 2007

When I Wrote My First Novel, En Breve Cárcel, I was Determined to Erase References to Space and Have All Action (If That is the apposite word) occur in a place devoid of particular markings, as close to abstraction as I could possibly make it. This rather pretentious gesture was destined to thwart any recognition by the reader, rendering the city—or, in this case, the cities—unrecognizable and therefore a little (but not excessively) uncanny. Then, toward the end of the novel, with an equally pretentious gesture, I identified those cities and arbitrarily revealed their names. One of those cities was Paris, where I had lived for many years, the second was Buffalo, where I had lived briefly, and the third city was Buenos Aires, where I was born and spent the first thirty-odd years of my life. Looking back, I think my desire to mask all three cities may have been less frivolous than it would appear. I suspect that I didn't want to identify Paris because it was too obvious as a place of exile, especially for a Latin American. Buffalo I preferred to avoid because, although I had spent some time there, it felt very much to me like Alfred Jarry's Poland—c'est à dire nulle part. Buenos Aires, I'm guessing now, was masked for reasons more complex: mainly, I think, because the city, which for a long time had been for me a more or less familiar and stationary construct, made out of manageable and no doubt embellished memories, was becoming more and more disquieting with every trip I took there. Political repression makes short shrift of auratic illusion. It is difficult to recognize a city, or what you remember of that city, when you see soldiers with machine guns on every corner.
North Hoyle offshore wind farm: design and build
Authors: Carter J. M. F.
Published: April 2007

North Hoyle is the UK's first major offshore wind farm. It comprises 30 wind turbine generators each capable of generating up to 2MW. The total installed capacity is therefore 60MW and enough electricity is generated each year for some 40 000 homes. The wind farm offsets an annual release of about 160 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Initial site investigations began in the summer of 1999 and by April 2001 a Development Licence was awarded by Crown Estate and the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). Public consultation commenced in July 2001 and the Consent Application was submitted in February 2002. All the required consents were granted by October 2002. Following a competitive bidding process, a design and build contract was awarded to the North Hoyle Consortium (comprising Vestas Celtic Wind Turbines and Mayflower Energy) in the autumn of 2002. Onshore construction commenced in November 2002 with offshore construction commencing in April 2003. First offcial generation from the site was in mid November 2003 and the wind farm was fully operational in April 2004. Total project costs were around £80 million.
Evidence and Effectiveness in Decisionmaking for Quarantine
Authors: Bensimon Cécile M. , Upshur Ross E.G.
Published: April 2007

When public health decisionmakers turned to quarantine during the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, difficult questions were raised about the legitimacy and acceptability of restrictive measures to attain public health goals. SARS also brought to light how scientific uncertainty can permeate public health decisionmaking, leading us to think about the relationship between the adequacy of evidence of the effectiveness of an intervention and its role in the justification of public health action.

In this article, we critically examine the role of evidence and effectiveness in decision-making for quarantine. It is our contention that the effectiveness of a public health intervention should not be defined exclusively in (absolute and objective) scientific terms but rather conceptualized relationally and normatively in public health decisionmaking.
Optimal Shift Duration and Sequence: Recommended Approach for Short-Term Emergency Response Activations for Public Health and Emergency Management
Authors: Burgess Paula A.
Published: April 2007

Since September 11, 2001, and the consequent restructuring of the US preparedness and response activities, public health workers are increasingly called on to activate a temporary round-the-clock staffing schedule. These workers may have to make key decisions that could significantly impact the health and safety of the public.

The unique physiological demands of rotational shift work and night shift work have the potential to negatively impact decisionmaking ability. A responsible, evidence-based approach to scheduling applies the principles of circadian physiology, as well as unique individual physiologies and preferences. Optimal scheduling would use a clockwise (morning-afternoon-night) rotational schedule: limiting night shifts to blocks of 3, limiting shift duration to 8 hours, and allowing 3 days of recuperation after night shifts.
A Review of Model Public Health Laws
Authors: Hartsfield DeKeely , Moulton Anthony D. , McKie Karen L.
Published: April 2007

Model public health laws (public health laws or private policies publicly recommended by at least 1 organization for adoption by government bodies or by specified private entities) are promoted as exemplary. We assessed the information sponsors of model public health laws provide on the methods used in developing their models and on their models’ adoption and effectiveness.

Through a systematic search, we identified 107 model public health laws published from 1907 to 2004. As of our assessment in 2005, only 18 (44%) of the sponsors presented any information on the procedures and evidence used in developing their model public health laws; information on adoption was provided for only 7 (6.5%) model laws. No sponsors provided information on model effectiveness. We recommend sponsors improve their disclosure of information about the methods and evidence used in developing model public health laws and about their adoption and effectiveness.
Disaster Planning and Risk Communication With Vulnerable Communities: Lessons From Hurricane Katrina
Authors: Eisenman David P. , Cordasco Kristina M. , Asch Steve , Golden Joya F. , Glik Deborah
Published: April 2007

Objectives. We studied the experience of Hurricane Katrina evacuees to better understand factors influencing evacuation decisions in impoverished, mainly minority communities that were most severely affected by the disaster.

Methods. We performed qualitative interviews with 58 randomly selected evacuees living in Houston’s major evacuation centers from September 9 to 12, 2005. Transcripts were content analyzed using grounded theory methodology.

Results. Participants were mainly African American, had low incomes, and were from New Orleans. Participants’ strong ties to extended family, friends, and community groups influenced other factors affecting evacuation, including transportation, access to shelter, and perception of evacuation messages. These social connections cut both ways, which facilitated and hindered evacuation decisions.

Conclusions. Effective disaster plans must account for the specific obstacles encountered by vulnerable and minority communities. Removing the more apparent obstacles of shelter and transportation will likely be insufficient for improving disaster plans for impoverished, minority communities. The important influence of extended families and social networks demand better community-based communication and preparation strategies.
Trauma and Stress Response Among Hurricane Katrina Evacuees
Authors: Mills Mary Alice , Edmondson Donald , Park Crystal L.
Published: April 2007

Objectives. Hurricane Katrina’s impact on public health has been significant and multifaceted, with trauma-related psychological sequelae likely to result in a sizable burden of disease. Data were collected that assessed acute stress disorder (ASD) prevalence and factors related to ASD symptomatology among sheltered evacuees.

Methods. On days 12 to 19 after Katrina, evacuees at a major emergency shelter completed surveys that assessed demographics, Katrina-specific experiences, and ASD symptomatology.

Results. Sixty-two percent of the sample met ASD threshold criterion. Projections based on the predictive power of ASD to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suggest that 38% to 49% of the sample will meet PTSD criteria 2 years post-disaster. Female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 4.08), positive psychiatric history (OR=5.84), injury (OR=2.75), increased life-threat perception (OR=1.37), and decreased sense of personal control (OR=1.56) were significantly related to ASD. Black race was associated with greater symptom severity (B=7.85, SE[B]=3.50).

Conclusions. Katrina-related trauma and its psychological sequelae will remain a significant public health issue for years to come. The identification of several vulnerability factors related to ASD and PTSD provides a brief sketch of those at greatest risk.
The Role of the Public Health Official in Communicating Public Health Information
Authors: Regidor Enrique , de la Fuente Luis , Gutiérrez-Fisac Juan L. , de Mateo Salvador , Pascual Cruz , Sánchez-Payá José , Ronda Elena
Published: April 2007

The prevailing views on the role of public health professionals refer to professionals in the academic world, without taking into account the fact that many public health professionals are government employees. For example, the American Public Health Association states that public health professionals play an active role in communicating public health information to nonscientific audiences, such as the general population or the mass media.

We propose that public health officials have an important responsibility to promote the practice of public health. However, they must do so within the bureaucracy. Any actions that public health officials wish to take as advocates of particular public health activities should be carried out independent of their role as government officials.
Tsunami Mortality Estimates and Vulnerability Mapping in Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: Doocy Shannon , Gorokhovich Yuri , Burnham Gilbert , Balk Deborah , Robinson Courtland
Published: April 2007

Objectives. We aimed to quantify tsunami mortality and compare approaches to mortality assessment in the emergency context in Aceh, Indonesia, where the impact of the 2004 tsunami was greatest.

Methods. Mortality was estimated using geographic information systems–based vulnerability models and demographic methods from surveys of tsunami-displaced populations.

Results. Tsunami mortality in Aceh as estimated by demographic models was 131066 and was similar to official figures of 128063; however, it was a conservative estimate of actual mortality and is substantially less than official estimates of 168561 presumed dead, which included those classified as missing. Tsunami impact was greatest in the district of Aceh Jaya, where an estimated 27.0% (n=23862) of the population perished; Aceh Besar and Banda Aceh were also severely affected, with mortality at 21.0% (n = 61 650) and 11.5% (n = 25 903), respectively. Mortality was estimated at 23.7% for the population at risk and 5.6% overall.

Conclusions. Mortality estimates were derived using methodologies that can be applied in future disasters when predisaster demographic data are not available. Models could be useful in the early stages of disaster response by facilitating geographic targeting and management of humanitarian assistance.
Benefits and Barriers to Electronic Laboratory Results Reporting for Notifiable Diseases: The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Experience
Authors: Nguyen Trang Quyen , Thorpe Lorna , Makki Hadi A. , Mostashari Farzad
Published: April 2007

Objectives. Despite national support for electronic laboratory reporting (ELR), the transition from paper to electronic reporting has been slow both nationally and locally. We assessed the ELR experience of New York City’s surveillance programs to identify barriers to ELR implementation and generalizable lessons about automated electronic notifiable disease surveillance.

Methods. We conducted interviews with key staff of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to evaluate ELR implementation. A review of paper and ELR disease reports enabled a comparison of the reporting systems.

Results. The completeness and timeliness of ELR were similar to, and sometimes better than, paper reporting for certain diseases. Incorporating electronic data into surveillance databases created new problems with data quality, shifted work demands, and required additional skills for data monitoring. ELR improved the handling of high-volume and time-sensitive diseases but did not completely automate reporting for diseases that required complicated assessments by staff.

Conclusions. Although ELR streamlines data processing, electronic reporting has its own limitations. A more successful use of ELR can be achieved by understanding its strengths and limitations for different disease types.
The Effect of the 1995 Heat Wave in Chicago on All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality
Authors: Kaiser Reinhard , Le Tertre Alain , Schwartz Joel , Gotway Carol A. , Daley W. Randolph , Rubin Carol H.
Published: April 2007

Objectives. We sought to reexamine the effects of the 1995 Chicago heat wave on all-cause and cause-specific mortality, including mortality displacement, using advanced time-series analysis methods.

Methods. We used Poisson regression with penalized regression splines to model excess mortality and mortality displacement over a 50-day period centered on the day in which the heat wave temperature peaked, adjusting for meteorological and other variables. We controlled for temporal trends by using daily mortality data during 1993–1997. We estimated relative risks (RRs) with reference to the first day of the 50-day period.

Results. We estimated that there were 692 excess deaths from June 21, 1995, to August 10, 1995; 26% of these deaths were owing to mortality displacement. RR for all-cause mortality on the day with peak mortality was 1.74 (95% confidence interval=1.67, 1.81). Risk of heat-related death was significantly higher among Blacks, and mortality displacement was substantially lower.

Conclusions. The 1995 Chicago heat wave substantially effected all-cause and cause-specific mortality, but mortality displacement was limited. Mortality risks and displacement affected Blacks disproportionally. Appropriately targeted interventions may have a tangible effect on life expectancy.
African Americans’ Decisions Not to Evacuate New Orleans Before Hurricane Katrina: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Elder Keith , Xirasagar Sudha , Miller Nancy , Bowen Shelly Ann , Glover Saundra , Piper Crystal
Published: April 2007

Objectives. We examined the psychosocial and personal factors that influenced African Americans’ decision not to evacuate New Orleans, La, before Hurricane Katrina’s landfall.

Methods. We conducted 6 focus groups with 53 African Americans from New Orleans who were evacuated to Columbia, SC, within 2 months of Hurricane Katrina.

Results. The major themes identified related to participants’ decision to not evacuate were as follows: (1) perceived susceptability, including optimism about the outcome because of riding out past hurricanes at home and religious faith; (2) perceived severity of the hurricane because of inconsistent evacuation orders; (3) barriers because of financial constraints and neighborhood crime; and (4) perceived racism and inequities.

Conclusions. Federal, state, and local government disaster preparedness plans should specify criteria for timely evacuation orders, needed resources, and their allocation (including a decentralized distribution system for cash or vouchers for gas and incidentals during evacuation) and culturally sensitive logistic planning for the evacuation of minority, low-income, and underserved communities. Perceptions of racism and inequities warrant further investigation.
The Courts, Public Health, and Legal Preparedness
Authors: Stier Daniel D. , Nicks Diane , Cowan Gregory J.
Published: April 2007

The judicial branch’s key roles, as guardian of civil liberties and protector of the rule of law, can be acutely relevant during public health emergencies when courts may need to issue orders authorizing actions to protect public health or restraining public health actions that are determined to unduly interfere with civil rights. Legal preparedness for public health emergencies, therefore, necessitates an understanding of the court system and how courts are involved in public health issues.

In this article we briefly describe the court system and then focus on what public health practitioners need to know about the judicial system in a public health emergency, including the courts’ roles and the consequent need to keep courts open during emergencies.
The Law and Emergencies: Surveillance for Public Health–Related Legal Issues During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Authors: Weiss Rachel I. , McKie Karen L. , Goodman Richard A.
Published: April 2007

Law influenced every aspect of the public health response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, from evacuation orders, to waivers of medical licensing requirements, to the clean-up of public health threats on private property. We used public health surveillance of news reports to identify and characterize legal issues arising during the disaster response in 5 Gulf Coast states. Data collected from news reports of the events in real time were followed-up by interviews with selected state legal and emergency management officials. Our analysis indicates the value of surveillance during and after emergency responses in identifying public health–related legal issues and helps to inform the strengthening of legal preparedness frameworks for future disasters.
Use of Electronic Health Records in Disaster Response: The Experience of Department of Veterans Affairs After Hurricane Katrina
Authors: Brown Steven H. , Fischetti Linda F. , Graham Gail , Bates Jack , Lancaster Anne E. , McDaniel David , Gillon Joseph , Darbe Melody , Kolodner Robert M.
Published: April 2007

Objectives. We describe electronic health data use by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the month after Katrina, including supporting technologies, the extent and nature of information accessed, and lessons learned.

Methods. We conducted a retrospective study using cross-sectional panels of data collected sequentially over time.

Results. By September 30, 2005, clinical data were accessed electronically for at least 38% (14941 of 39910) of patients cared for prior to Hurricane Katrina by New Orleans–area VA medical facilities. Approximately 1000 patients per day had data accessed during the month following Hurricane Katrina, a rate approximately two thirds of pre-Katrina values. Health care data were transmitted to more than 200 sites in 48 states and to at least 2300 users.

Conclusions. The VA electronic health records supported continuity of care for evacuated veterans after Katrina. Our findings suggest that pharmacy and laboratory computerization alone will not be sufficient for future disaster support systems.
Sorption and Fractionation of Dissolved Organic Matter and Associated Phosphorus in Agricultural Soil
Authors: Gjettermann B. , Styczen M. , Hansen S. , Borggaard O. K. , Hansen H. C. B.
Published: April 2007

Mobility of dissolved organic matter (DOM) strongly affects the export of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from soils to surface waters. To study the sorption and mobility of dissolved organic C and P (DOC, DOP) in soil, the pH‐dependent sorption of DOM to samples from Ap, EB, and Bt horizons from a Danish agricultural Humic Hapludult was investigated and a kinetic model applicable in field‐scale models tested. Sorption experiments of 1 to 72 h duration were conducted at two pH levels (pH 5.0 and 7.0) and six initial DOC concentrations (0–4.7 mmol L−1). Most sorption/desorption occurred during the first few hours. Dissolved organic carbon and DOP sorption decreased strongly with increased pH and desorption dominated at pH 7, especially for DOC. Due to fractionation during DOM sorption/desorption at DOC concentrations up to 2 mmol L−1, the solution fraction of DOM was enriched in P indicating preferred leaching of DOP. The kinetics of sorption was expressed as a function of how far the solution DOC or DOP concentrations deviate from “equilibrium.” The model was able to simulate the kinetics of DOC and DOP sorption/desorption at all concentrations investigated and at both pH levels making it useful for incorporation in field‐scale models for quantifying DOC and DOP dynamics.
Controls on Catchment‐Scale Patterns of Phosphorus in Soil, Streambed Sediment, and Stream Water
Authors: van der Perk Marcel , Owens Philip N. , Deeks Lynda K. , Rawlins Barry G. , Haygarth Philip M. , Beven Keith J.
Published: April 2007

Many models of phosphorus (P) transfer at the catchment scale rely on input from generic databases including, amongst others, soil and land use maps. Spatially detailed geochemical data sets have the potential to improve the accuracy of the input parameters of catchment‐scale nutrient transfer models. Furthermore, they enable the assessment of the utility of available, generic spatial data sets for the modeling and prediction of soil nutrient status and nutrient transfer at the catchment scale. This study aims to quantify the unique and joint contribution of soil and sediment properties, land cover, and point‐source emissions to the spatial variation of P concentrations in soil, streambed sediments, and stream water at the scale of a medium‐sized catchment. Soil parent material and soil chemical properties were identified as major factors controlling the catchment‐scale spatial variation in soil total P and Olsen P concentrations. Soil type and land cover as derived from the generic spatial database explain 33.7% of the variation in soil total P concentrations and 17.4% of the variation in Olsen P concentrations. Streambed P concentrations are principally related to the major element concentrations in streambed sediment and P delivery from the hillslopes due to sediment erosion. During base flow conditions, the total phosphorus (<0.45 μm) concentrations in stream water are mainly controlled by the concentrations of P and the major elements in the streambed sediment.