bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical trial of optical mammography.
Authors: Ogura H , Sakahara H , Nasu H , Teruya C , Yamashita D , Ueda Y , Ohmae E , Suzuki T , Oda M , Yamashita Y
Published: December 2010

Abstract #807

Objectives: Optical mammography (O-MMG), which utilizes near-infrared light for the detection of abnormal breast tissue, can be a potentially useful and non-invasive tool for the screening of breast cancer patients. Here we report on the results of our initial clinical trial using a time-resolved O-MMG system developed by Hamamatsu Photonics (Hamamatsu, Japan).  Materials and Methods: In principle, the technique involves sequential irradiation of the breast tissue with a pulsed laser with a wavelength of 800 nm, which is then detected by the system at multiple sites after passing through the breast tissue. The irradiation takes place with the breast incorporated in a breast cup. The space between the cup and the breast tissue is filled with a liquid interface material, which is prepared beforehand on the basis of the optical properties of the breast tissue of each individual patient. The data are analyzed and tomographic images of the absorption coefficient of the breast are then reconstructed based on our tomographic reconstruction algorithm.  The clinical trial was started in January 2007. A total of forty-two breast cancer patients participated in the trial and written informed consent was obtained from all of the patients.  Results: Only optical properties without tomographic images were obtained for eight of the forty-two patients because of system malfunctions or due to patients' wishes. Higher absorption areas were noted in 22 out of the remaining 34 patients, which were identified as positive for abnormal breast tissue. No such positive tissue signals were identified in 12 patients.  Conclusion: In this initial clinical trial, we believe that optical mammography as a non-invasive and painless investigative tool may have some advantages over conventional mammography in the initial screening of breast cancer patients. Currently, we launched multiwavelength measurements to improve the diagnostic performance.  This work was partially supported by a Grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan, to promote leading projects on "Research and Development of Technology for Measuring Vital Function Merged with Optical Technology."       

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 807.
Harnessing apoptosis to kill breast cancer cells.
Authors: Letai A
Published: December 2010

Abstract #ES-2

Most of the therapies that are used to treat breast cancer induce programmed cell death via the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. The key step in commiting to cell death via this pathway is permeabilization of the mitochondrion with subsequent release of proapoptotic factors. Control over permeabilization is mainly exerted by the BCL-2 family of proteins which consists of both pro- and anti- apoptotic proteins. However, it is generally poorly understood how the targeting of intracellular niches by both conventional and targeted therapies ultimately signals to the BCL-2 family. I will discuss how conventional chemotherapy as well as more modern targeted therapies enlist pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins to induce apoptosis. Furthermore, I will discuss the potential role of novel drugs that specifically target the apoptotic pathway in the treatment of breast cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr ES-2.
Communicating with patients and the risks of cancer risk prediction.
Authors: Elmore JG
Published: December 2010

Abstract #MS1-4

BACKGROUND  Patients may ask, “What is my risk of getting cancer?” and they may use cancer risk prediction models that are readily available on the web. Unfortunately, our risk models are less able to predict cancer at the level of the individual patient and our ability to communicate numeric information is limited.  ASSESSMENT OF RISK MODELS  Most cancer risk prediction models perform well at the population level. The calibration of risk prediction models is assessed at the population level by comparing the number of patients who the model estimated would develop cancer with the number of patients who actually were diagnosed with cancer.  Unfortunately, risk prediction models often fall short on their ability to discriminate at the level of the individual patient. The models are less able to separate individuals who are, and are not, going to develop diseases like cancer. Many “low risk” individuals develop cancer, while many “high-risk” individuals do not. Discrimination is the degree to which the estimates from the risk model are consistently higher for individuals who develop cancer, compared to those who do not develop cancer.  COMMUNICATION  Communicating information to individuals about their risk of developing cancer is challenging. There is a great deal of fear about cancer in the community and a heightened sense of risk. Much of the discussion about cancer risk is in terms of relative risks, which sound more threatening than absolute risk differences. Use of both positive and negative framing of the risk estimate numbers is helpful. However, the challenge of understanding numbers is not unique to patients; clinicians are also challenged with both understanding and communicating this information.  CONCLUSION  Although we have high-tech medical programs and decades of research on cancer, our ability to individually tailor cancer risk prediction tools is sorely lacking. Our current risk prediction models may be appropriate for educating patients about aggregate or population-level cancer risk statistics. However, patients should be counseled that the estimates say little about which specific individuals will develop cancer. We need to develop better risk prediction tools and tools that facilitate basic communication regarding risk and benefit. Both of these challenges may be difficult, but would be extremely worthwhile.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr MS1-4.
Breast ultrasound in the screening and diagnosis of breast cancer.
Authors: Berg WA
Published: December 2010

Abstract #MS3-1

Six single center and two multicenter studies of screening breast ultrasound have shown a consistent detection yield of 3-5 per 1000 for supplemental screening breast ultrasound after mammography. The vast majority of these additional cancers seen only on ultrasound are invasive, with mean tumor size of 9-11 mm across series, and, where reported, approximately 90% are node negative. Supplemental detection is mainly seen when the breast tissue is dense. Screening ultrasound carries a substantial risk of false positives, with 9-11% of biopsies prompted by ultrasound proving malignant. In the first year of the ACRIN 6666 protocol, 1 in 40 women had an unnecessary biopsy due to mammography, compared to 1 in 10 after both mammography and ultrasound. Modeling to predict impact on mortality and cost-effectiveness of screening ultrasound is in progress, and results of incidence screens in ACRIN 6666 will be forthcoming.  Ultrasound is widely used to characterize abnormalities seen on mammography and to guide biopsy, including biopsy of MRI-depicted suspicious findings. At the time of biopsy of suspicious masses, ultrasound of the ipsilateral axilla can help identify and guide FNAB of suspicious node(s) if present. In the setting of widespread malignant-appearing calcifications, ultrasound can help identify a mass which may represent an invasive component. Ultrasound has also been shown to be more accurate in identifying the source of abnormal nipple discharge than galactography.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr MS3-1.
Preclinical Pharmacology, Antitumor Activity, and Development of Pharmacodynamic Markers for the Novel, Potent AKT Inhibitor CCT128930
Authors: Yap Timothy A. , Walton Mike I. , Hunter Lisa-Jane K. , Valenti Melanie , de Haven Brandon Alexis , Eve Paul D. , Ruddle Ruth , Heaton Simon P. , Henley Alan , Pickard Lisa , Vijayaraghavan Gowri , Caldwell John J. , Thompson Neil T. , Aherne Wynne , Raynaud Florence I. , Eccles Suzanne A. , Workman Paul , Collins Ian , Garrett Michelle D.
Published: December 2010

AKT is frequently deregulated in cancer, making it an attractive anticancer drug target. CCT128930 is a novel ATP-competitive AKT inhibitor discovered using fragment- and structure-based approaches. It is a potent, advanced lead pyrrolopyrimidine compound exhibiting selectivity for AKT over PKA, achieved by targeting a single amino acid difference. CCT128930 exhibited marked antiproliferative activity and inhibited the phosphorylation of a range of AKT substrates in multiple tumor cell lines in vitro, consistent with AKT inhibition. CCT128930 caused a G1 arrest in PTEN-null U87MG human glioblastoma cells, consistent with AKT pathway blockade. Pharmacokinetic studies established that potentially active concentrations of CCT128930 could be achieved in human tumor xenografts. Furthermore, CCT128930 also blocked the phosphorylation of several downstream AKT biomarkers in U87MG tumor xenografts, indicating AKT inhibition in vivo. Antitumor activity was observed with CCT128930 in U87MG and HER2-positive, PIK3CA-mutant BT474 human breast cancer xenografts, consistent with its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. A quantitative immunofluorescence assay to measure the phosphorylation and total protein expression of the AKT substrate PRAS40 in hair follicles is presented. Significant decreases in pThr246 PRAS40 occurred in CCT128930-treated mouse whisker follicles in vivo and human hair follicles treated ex vivo, with minimal changes in total PRAS40. In conclusion, CCT128930 is a novel, selective, and potent AKT inhibitor that blocks AKT activity in vitro and in vivo and induces marked antitumor responses. We have also developed a novel biomarker assay for the inhibition of AKT in human hair follicles, which is currently being used in clinical trials. Mol Cancer Ther; 10(2); 360–71. ©2010 AACR.
Pressure-Volume Relationships in Patients With Transthyretin (ATTR) Cardiac Amyloidosis Secondary to V122I Mutations and Wild-Type Transthyretin
Authors: Bhuiyan Taslima , Helmke Stephen , Patel Ayan R. , Ruberg Frederick L. , Packman Jeff , Cheung Kin , Grogan Donna , Maurer Mathew S.
Published: December 2010

Background—

ATTR cardiac amyloidosis can result from a mutated variant of transthyretin (eg, V122I) or wild-type variant (ATTRwt). We evaluated pressure-volume (PV) indices at baseline and over time to further characterize abnormal pump function in these subjects.

Methods and Results—

Twenty-nine subjects (18 with ATTRwt and 11 with ATTRm (V122I) had 2-dimensional echocardiograms with complete Doppler measures at baseline and every 6 months for up to 2 years. PV indices were derived from echocardiographic measures of ventricular volume coupled with sphygmomanometer-measured pressure and Doppler estimates of filling pressure. The end-systolic and end-diastolic PV relations and the area between them as a function of end-diastolic pressure, the isovolumic PV area (PVA
iso
), were calculated. Clinical, demographic, and PV indices were compared between V122I and ATTRwt subjects and between survivors and nonsurvivors at baseline and over time. Cox proportional hazards model identified correlates for mortality. Stroke volume decline was associated with alterations in ventricular-vascular coupling and a decrease in ventricular capacitance with significant decrement in ejection fraction (56±12% to 48±14%,
P
=0.0001) over 18 months. PVA
iso
was lower in V122I subjects compared with wild-type at baseline and declined over time. Twelve (41%) subjects died or underwent a cardiac transplant after a mean follow-up of 478 days (range, 31 to 807). Multivariable survival analysis demonstrated that initial ejection fraction (a measure of ventricular-vascular coupling) <50% was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio, 6.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 40.3).

Conclusions—

In ATTR cardiac amyloidosis secondary to a V122I mutation and wild-type transthyretin, PV analysis reveals alterations that are associated with reductions in the ability of the ventricle to perform work and, ultimately, with reduced survival in these subjects.
Common Musk Turtles (Sternotherus odoratus) select habitats of high thermal quality at the northern extreme of their range
Authors: Picard Gabriel , Carrière Marie-Andrée , Blouin-Demers Gabriel
Published: December 2010

In ectotherms, variation in body temperature (Tb) affects physiological
performance and, ultimately, fitness. Therefore, reptiles regulate Tb
behaviourally by choosing habitats of optimal temperature. The main goal of
this study was to determine the link between patterns of thermoregulation
and habitat selection in Common Musk Turtles inhabiting a thermally
challenging region. We expected habitat selection to be based on the
fulfillment of thermoregulatory requirements, which can be accomplished by
selecting thermally superior habitats. From early May to late August 2007,
we tracked 22 Common Musk Turtles with temperature-sensitive
radio-transmitters and collected daily Tb profiles with automated
radio-telemetry data loggers. In addition, temperature data loggers were
placed in the study area to measure the range of environmental operative
temperatures (Te) available to musk turtles. The habitats with the highest
thermal quality were aquatic habitats with surface cover (i.e., lily pads,
macrophytes, etc.) followed by shallow water. As expected, musk turtles used
habitats non-randomly and had a strong preference for thermally superior
habitats. This is consistent with the typical aquatic basking behaviour
observed in musk turtles, suggesting that there is a strong link between
thermal quality of habitats and habitat selection, even in this almost
entirely aquatic turtle.
Is the horned pitviper Ceratrimeresurus shenlii Liang and Liu, 2003 from China a valid Protobothrops?
Authors: Gong Shiping , Hitschfeld Ellen , Hundsdörfer Anna , Auer Markus , Wang Fumin , Zhou Lihua , Fritz Uwe
Published: December 2010

Previous records of horned pitvipers from Vietnam and China are reviewed and
the phylogenetic placement of four snakes from two sites in Tianjingshan
Forest, China (Ruyan County, Guangdong Province; 24°43′N, 113°03′E, 563 m
a.s.l.; 24°43′N, 113°02′E, 585 m a.s.l.) is examined. Using mitochondrial
DNA sequence data (12S, 16S, ND4, cyt b; 2306 bp) and Bayesian and Maximum
Likelihood analyses, the Tianjingshan pitvipers are revealed as sister to
Protobothrops cornutus with a differentiation resembling those of P.
flavoviridis and P. tokarensis. This indicates a close relationship with P.
cornutus and suggests that Ceratrimeresurus shenlii Liang and Liu, 2003,
previously considered a junior synonym of P. cornutus (Smith, 1930), could
be a valid subspecies of P. cornutus or a recently split distinct species.
However, further studies and samples from intermediate localities are needed
to decide whether the observed differentiation reflects a pattern of
isolation-by-distance or a phylogeographic, and thus perhaps taxonomically
relevant, break.
Genetic patterns of a range expansion: The spur-thighed tortoise Testudo graeca graeca in southeastern Spain
Authors: Graciá Eva , Giménez Andrés , Anadón José Daniel , Botella Francisco , García-Martínez Santiago , Marín María
Published: December 2010

In the present work we analyzed the genetic structure of the populations of
the terrestrial tortoise Testudo graeca graeca in southeastern Spain,
identified as a recent range expansion from North Africa. The study and
interpretation of the species' genetic spatial pattern could provide clues
to the processes related to the species' arrival and, because of its
endangered status, is especially useful in implementing appropriate
management measures. We used microsatellite markers to analyze 17
populations located in the coastal region of the species' range in
southeastern Spain, and an external group of Algerian tortoises. Three
genetic units with a high level of spatial coherence and moderate levels of
admixture resulted from a cluster analysis, and an isolation-by-distance
pattern covering the entire study area was detected. These results suggest
that southeastern Spanish populations show a complex spatial genetic pattern
resulting from their isolation from North African populations and their
natural dispersal in this region. Finally, our work shows that conservation
actions such as captive breeding, introductions or translocations, may have
played a relevant role in the modification of the genetic structure of some
populations in southeastern Spain. Therefore, these types of conservation
measures should be carried out with more caution.
Activity and body orientation of Gallotia galloti in different habitats and daily times
Authors: Bohórquez-Alonso Martha , Font Enrique , Molina-Borja Miguel
Published: December 2010

In lizards, site selection is related to the acquisition of resources such as
refuges, mates or prey, but also to the exploitation of sites suitable for
thermoregulation. The latter process may be affected by lizard posture and
body axis orientation in relation to the sun as a way to optimize heat
exchange throughout the day. Specific postures and body orientations could
also contribute to more efficient signal transmission in social contexts. In
this paper we analyze activity and body axis orientation of adult males and
females of the lacertid Gallotia galloti in two localities of Tenerife with
different structural habitats. We performed transects at both sampling
localities in the morning and at midday during May and June of three years
(2002-2004). The numbers of lizards detected per unit time during transects
at both localities were similar; however, significantly more males than
females were detected. Moreover, more lizards were found oriented parallel
or perpendicular to the sun than in alternative (oblique) orientations.
Heating rates were not different for copper lizard models oriented parallel
or perpendicular to the sun, neither in the morning nor at midday, and there
was no significant relationship between air temperature and lizard body
orientation. This suggests that lizard body orientation is not constrained
by thermoregulatory requirements. We discuss alternative hypotheses and
conclude that body axis orientation in G. galloti lizards may reflect a
compromise between the conflicting demands imposed by thermoregulation and
social communication.
Breeding-site selection by red-belly toads, Melanophryniscus stelzneri (Anura: Bufonidae), in Sierras of Córdoba, Argentina
Authors: Pereyra Laura , Lescano Julián , Leynaud Gerardo
Published: December 2010

Differences among wetlands can have important consequences on reproductive
success of amphibians; therefore habitat selection is expected to be of
particular importance for anurans inhabiting heterogeneous environments. To
investigate if the red-belly toad (Melanophryniscus stelzneri; Anura:
Bufonidae) uses available habitats differentially and to determine the main
factors influencing the use of certain water bodies as breeding habitat, we
surveyed 30 spawning sites used by red-belly toads, and 30 adjacent unused
sites, in an area of the Sierras of Córdoba, Argentina. We evaluated the
relative importance of morphological and biotic features of ponds, and the
presence of other organisms within the water body on the use of ponds as
breeding sites by red-belly toads. Eight habitat variables related to
important water body features were recorded and were used to fit a habitat
selection model with GLM. Red-belly toads presented a positive selection to
mallines, a wetland characteristic of the Sierras of Córdoba. They were
associated with small, shallow ephemeral ponds with muddy banks and a high
percent of vegetation cover. In general, the ponds used did not host other
anuran species or potential predators. Breeding site selection by red-belly
toads is largely consistent with records for other species of the genus in
other parts of Argentina.
Peer sexual health education
Authors: Sriranganathan Gobika , Jaworsky Denise , Larkin June , Flicker Sarah , Campbell Lisa , Flynn Susan , Janssen Jesse , Erlich Leah
Published: December 2010

Peer education is used as a health promotion strategy in a number of areas, including sexual health. Although peer education programmes have been around for some time, published systematic evaluations of youth sexual health peer education programmes are rare. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of youth sexual health peer education programmes, the importance of programme evaluation, and strategies for developing effective programme evaluation tools. The value of conducting both process (programme delivery) and outcome (programme impact) evaluation is examined as well as methods for conducting these forms of assessment. Considering the wide range of peer education programmes and the diversity of communities served, the article concludes that the creation of a single evaluation method may be an impossible task. To address this challenge, principles for effective programme evaluation are proposed with tools that can be tailored to the unique goals of specific sexual health organizations.
Total NIH Support to US Dental Schools, 2005-2009
Authors: Lipton J.A. , Kinane D.F.
Published: December 2010

This study compared total NIH research funding across US dental institutions from 2005 to 2009. Utilizing the online NIH RePORT, we obtained comprehensive award data for US dental schools by funding NIH Institutes/Centers (ICs). Fifty dental schools were awarded a total of $974.393 million, 69.3% from NIDCR and 30.7% from 21 other ICs. These provided the majority of support to 12 schools. Greater than 50% of non-NIDCR support came from 4 ICs. The median dental school NIH portfolio was $14.572 million, with a minimum of $0.241 million and a maximum of $88.609 million. Forty-six schools received $544.899 million for R01 awards. Thirty-five schools were awarded $100 million in research training and career development grants. Several dramatic differences are found for dental schools’ rankings based on total NIH dollars compared with NIDCR-only support. Dollars from ICs other than NIDCR increased 34.6% between 2005 and 2009. Grants to US dental institutions comprised 50% or less of total NIDCR awards globally from 2005 through 2009. Funds received from all NIH ICs are an objective metric for evaluation of the research performance of dental schools. NIDCR has played a diminishing role in funding research at US dental schools between 2005 and 2009.
Cross-national Differences in Educational Achievement Inequality
Authors: Montt Guillermo
Published: December 2010

School systems are called not only to instruct and socialize students but also to differentiate among them. Although much research has investigated inequalities in educational outcomes associated with students’ family background and other ascriptive traits, little research has examined cross-national differences in the total amount of differentiation that school systems produce, the total achievement inequality. This article evaluates whether two dimensions of educational systems—variations in opportunities to learn and intensity of schooling—are associated with achievement inequality independent of family background. It draws data from the Programme for International Student Assessment for more than 50 school systems and models the variance in achievement. Findings suggest that decreasing the variability in opportunities to learn—in the form of greater homogeneity in teacher quality and the absence of tracking—within the school system might reduce achievement inequality. More intense schooling is also related to lower achievement inequality to the extent that this intensity is homogeneously distributed within the school system, particularly in the form of a more highly qualified teacher workforce.
Racial Mismatch and School Type
Authors: Renzulli Linda A. , Parrott Heather Macpherson , Beattie Irenee R.
Published: December 2010

Studies of teacher satisfaction suggest that satisfaction is related to both the racial composition and the organizational structure of the schools in which teachers work. In this article, the authors draw from theories of race and organizations to examine simultaneously the effects of school type (traditional public vs. charter) and racial mismatch on teacher satisfaction and subsequent turnover. In doing so, they examine the organizational differences between traditional public and charter schools that contribute to systematic differences in satisfaction and turnover across these school types. Using 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey data, the authors find that charter school teachers are more satisfied than are public school teachers because of greater autonomy. Charter school teachers, however, are more likely to leave teaching than are traditional teachers. The authors also show that teaching in racially mismatched schools results in lower levels of satisfaction for white teachers and that being in a charter school reduces this negative effect.
The May Fourth Movement and Provincial Warlords: A Reexamination
Authors: Zhongping Chen
Published: December 2010

This article reexamines the relationship between the May Fourth Movement and warlordism by questioning the long-held assumption that the movement was from its inception as anti-warlord as it was anti-imperialist. In particular, it shows that popular nationalism before and at the beginning of the May Fourth Movement received continual support from many provincial warlords under and beyond the nominal control of the Beijing government. It demonstrates how and why these provincial warlords endorsed the patriotism of the movement at the national and international levels, even as they suppressed radical protests in their political domains. This analysis uncovers the long-obscured fact that the May Fourth Movement succeeded with crucial support from such provincial warlords because of its broad nationalism and the disunity of warlord politics. This rediscovery also reveals how military involvement in the movement changed the trajectory of both warlord politics and anti-warlordism in modern China.
Resource-Based Theory and Corporate Diversification
Authors: Wan William P. , Hoskisson Robert E. , Short Jeremy C. , Yiu Daphne W.
Published: December 2010

Corporate diversification, a major strategic management research topic, has been influenced significantly by resource-based theory. In this review, the authors make two main contributions to this literature. First, they discuss the historical development of corporate diversification research employing the resource-based theory perspective and related concepts, highlighting important insights to date. They then review this literature and discuss its main contributions. Second, the authors identify open issues and suggest opportunities for future contributions and describe ways that research on corporate diversification using the resource-based theory perspective could be further enriched by integration with theoretical insights culled from the organizational economics, new institutional economics, and industrial organization economics literatures.
Effect of Palatal Implants on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Compliance
Authors: Gillespie M. Boyd , Wylie Paul E. , Lee‐Chiong Teofilo , Rapoport David M.
Published: December 2010

Objective

Determine if the Pillar palatal implant system reduces continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) pressure and improves patient compliance with CPAP therapy.

Study Design

Randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study.

Setting

Four geographically dispersed tertiary sleep disorder referral centers.

Methods

Subjects with mild to moderate sleep apnea dissatisfied with CPAP because of pressure‐related complaints were randomized to receive Pillar implants or a sham procedure performed in double‐blind fashion. Active and sham groups were compared for changes in therapeutic CPAP pressures (primary outcome) with a 90‐day follow‐up sleep study and CPAP compliance (secondary outcome) with a 90‐day smart card report.

Results

Twenty‐six subjects were randomized to Pillar implants and 25 to a sham implant procedure. There were no differences between groups with regard to demographics and baseline parameters. Both sham and active groups had reduced mean CPAP pressure (−1.1 vs −0.5 cm H2O) with no difference between groups (P =. 32) at 90‐day follow‐up. In addition, there was no difference in average daily CPAP use between groups (P =. 80). Both groups experienced improvements in Epworth sleepiness scores and Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire scores at 90 days with no differences between groups. The active group reported significantly higher CPAP satisfaction scores than the sham group (P =. 04).

Conclusion

Pillar implants do not significantly reduce CPAP pressure or increase CPAP compliance compared to sham controls but may subjectively improve CPAP satisfaction. These findings do not presently support the use of Pillar implants as an adjunctive treatment to improve CPAP compliance.
Life beyond the planned script: Accounts and secrecy of older persons living in second couplehood in old age in a society in transition
Authors: Koren Chaya , Eisikovits Zvi
Published: December 2010

Israel is a transitional society with a range of fluctuating social phenomena. Second couplehood in old age, as a case in point, can be located in the ambiguous space between non-normative and normative. The aim of this article is to describe and discuss how couples navigate that space. Data were collected within the framework of a larger qualitative study on second couplehood in old age among 20 couples in Israel. Forty individual semi-structured interviews were conducted, tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. Strategies of bridging between the normative script and the ambiguities surrounding actual life were identified. Bridging was achieved by accounts and secrecy. The discussion focuses on the transitional social context of second couplehood in old age in the Israeli society.
The role of giving and receiving emotional support in depressive symptomatology among older couples: An application of the actor-partner interdependence model
Authors: Ko Linda K. , Lewis Megan A.
Published: December 2010

The present study investigated whether perception of receiving emotional support mediates the relationship between one partner’s giving of emotional support and the other partner’s depressive symptomatology using a population-based sample of 423 couples from the Changing Lives of Older Couples study. A path model was used guided by the Actor—Partner Interdependence Model. Results indicated that spouses’ giving emotional support was related to the degree to which their spouse reported receiving emotional support. Perception of receiving emotional support, in turn, was related to lower depressive symptomatology of the support recipient. Both husbands and wives can benefit from emotional support through their perception of receiving emotional support, and spouses’ perceptions, as well as their actions, should be considered in support transactions.
Who Dates? The Effects of Temperament, Puberty, and Parenting on Early Adolescent Experience with Dating
Authors: Ivanova Katya , Veenstra René , Mills Melinda
Published: December 2010

This article focuses on how temperament, pubertal maturation, and perception of parenting behaviors affect the propensity to date in early adolescence (mean age = 13.55). Hypotheses are tested with a representative sample of 2,230 Dutch adolescents, the TRacking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). The results suggest that adolescents are more likely to have experience with dating when they score higher on the need for high-intensity pleasure, pubertal maturation, and perceived parental rejection. Shyness, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. In addition, a moderation effect is observed such that the more rejecting the parents are perceived to be, the less effect the temperament characteristic of high-intensity pleasure has on dating. Future research should investigate in further detail whether dating could be seen as a way for early adolescents to establish their grown-up status or as a way to compensate for heightened parental rejection.
Overestimation Error and Unnecessary Antibiotic Prescriptions for Acute Cystitis in Adult Women
Authors: McIsaac Warren J. , Hunchak Cheryl L.
Published: December 2010

Background. Empiric antibiotic prescribing for suspected acute cystitis may lead to unnecessary prescriptions when urine cultures are negative. This study assessed whether physician overestimation of the likelihood of bacterial infection contributed to unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study in Toronto, Canada, from 1998 to 2000 of 231 women 16 years and older who underwent standardized clinical assessments and urine culture testing. The main outcome was an unnecessary antibiotic prescription, defined as a prescription where the urine culture was negative. The difference between physician estimates of the likelihood of a positive urine culture and the measured culture rate for women with similar symptoms was used to measure overestimation error. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between unnecessary prescriptions and clinical factors or overestimation error. Multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for the effect of clinical factors. Results. Of 230 women assessed, 186 (80.9%) were prescribed antibiotics and 74 (32.2%) were prescribed an unnecessary antibiotic where the urine culture was negative. When an overestimation error above the median value (14.75%) was present, the odds of an unnecessary antibiotic prescription were increased (adjusted odds ratio = 3.72; 95% confidence interval = 1.75–7.89). A high overestimation error was associated with the symptoms of urinary frequency or suprapubic tenderness and costovertebral angle tenderness on examination. Conclusions. Physician overestimation of the likelihood of a positive urine culture in women with symptoms of acute cystitis was associated with unnecessary antibiotic prescribing. Antibiotic overuse may be reduced by developing treatment strategies that deemphasize nonspecific clinical findings that contribute to physician overestimation error.
Decision Making for HIV Prevention and Treatment Scale up
Authors: Alistar Sabina S. , Brandeau Margaret L.
Published: December 2010

Background. Effectively controlling the HIV epidemic will require efficient use of limited resources. Despite ambitious global goals for HIV prevention and treatment scale up, few comprehensive practical tools exist to inform such decisions. Methods. We briefly summarize modeling approaches for resource allocation for epidemic control, and discuss the practical limitations of these models. We describe typical challenges of HIV resource allocation in practice and some of the tools used by decision makers. We identify the characteristics needed in a model that can effectively support planners in decision making about HIV prevention and treatment scale up. Results. An effective model to support HIV scale-up decisions will be flexible, with capability for parameter customization and incorporation of uncertainty. Such a model needs certain key technical features: it must capture epidemic effects; account for how intervention effectiveness depends on the target population and the level of scale up; capture benefit and cost differentials for packages of interventions versus single interventions, including both treatment and prevention interventions; incorporate key constraints on potential funding allocations; identify optimal or near-optimal solutions; and estimate the impact of HIV interventions on the health care system and the resulting resource needs. Additionally, an effective model needs a user-friendly design and structure, ease of calibration and validation, and accessibility to decision makers in all settings. Conclusions. Resource allocation theory can make a significant contribution to decision making about HIV prevention and treatment scale up. What remains now is to develop models that can bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Subjective Well-Being of Different Consumer Lifestyle Segments
Authors: Ganglmair-Wooliscroft Alexandra , Lawson Rob
Published: December 2010

The enhancement of quality of life (QoL) is one of marketing’s contributions to society. It is frequently investigated using Subjective Well-Being (SWB)—a concept that focuses on individual’s perceived QoL. Consumer lifestyle segments are a modern day stratification tool that explores how people choose to use available resources to express and develop their status in a society. How SWB varies across New Zealand’s consumer lifestyle segments and potential explanations for the differences in perceived levels of satisfaction is investigated. While overall levels of SWB are influenced by available resources, the characteristics of lifestyle segments provide richer explanations for perceived differences in well-being. This information is useful for policy makers as a first stage to diagnose problems and to develop strategies. Ultimately, lifestyle segmentation may provide an effective basis for targeting interventions aimed at raising SWB in particular population groups.
Was cultural deprivation in fact sensory deprivation? Deprivation, retardation and intervention in the USA
Authors: Raz Mical
Published: December 2010

In the 1950s, the term ‘deprivation’ entered American psychiatric discourse. This article examines how the concept of deprivation permeated the field of mental retardation, and became an accepted theory of etiology. It focuses on sensory deprivation and cultural deprivation, and analyzes the interventions developed, based on these theories. It argues that the controversial theory of cultural deprivation derived its scientific legitimization from the theory of sensory deprivation, and was a highly politicized concept that took part in the nature—nurture debate.
Eating for Pleasure or Profit
Authors: Cooke Lucy J. , Chambers Lucy C. , Añez Elizabeth V. , Croker Helen A. , Boniface David , Yeomans Martin R. , Wardle Jane
Published: December 2010

Parents commonly use rewards to encourage children to eat healthfully, but this practice remains controversial because rewards are suspected of undermining children’s intrinsic motivation. A cluster-randomized trial examined children’s acceptance of a disliked vegetable over 12 daily taste exposures. These exposures were paired with a tangible reward, a social reward, or no reward, and the findings were compared with the results from a no-treatment control condition. Liking and intake of the vegetable were assessed in a free-choice consumption task at preintervention, postintervention, 1 month after intervention, and 3 months after intervention. Liking increased more in the three intervention conditions than in the control condition, and there were no significant differences between the intervention conditions. These effects were maintained at follow-up. Children in both reward conditions increased consumption, and these effects were maintained for 3 months; however, the effects of exposure with no reward became nonsignificant by 3 months. These results indicate that external rewards do not necessarily produce negative effects and may be useful in promoting healthful eating.
Toward Broadband Vibration-based Energy Harvesting
Authors: Tang Lihua , Yang Yaowen , Soh Chee Kiong
Published: December 2010

The dramatic reduction in power consumption of current integrated circuits has evoked great research interests in harvesting ambient energy, such as vibrations, as a potential power supply for electronic devices to avoid battery replacement. Currently, most vibration-based energy harvesters are designed as linear resonators to achieve optimal performance by matching their resonance frequencies with the ambient excitation frequencies a priori. However, a slight shift of the excitation frequency will cause a dramatic reduction in performance. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of practical cases, the ambient vibrations are frequency-varying or totally random with energy distributed over a wide frequency spectrum. Hence, developing techniques to increase the bandwidth of vibration-based energy harvesters has become the next important problem in energy harvesting. This article reviews the advances made in the past few years on this issue. The broadband vibration-based energy harvesting solutions, covering resonance tuning, multimodal energy harvesting, frequency up-conversion, and techniques exploiting non-linear oscillations, are summarized in detail with regard to their merits and applicability in different circumstances.
Sharing Songs
Authors: Pascale Louise Mary
Published: December 2010

Teaching songs from a wide variety of cultures is commonplace in music classrooms around the United States. Students gain understanding of and insight into a wide range of cultures by singing their songs and listening to their music. The Afghan Children’s Songbook Project is a project focused on preserving and returning traditional songs, eradicated by the Taliban. This project opened up an entirely new level of awareness about the importance of not only learning traditional songs, but also the role they play in teaching tolerance and cultural understanding for a group of third to fifth graders in Connecticut. By adopting the Songbook Project as a service learning project, the students learned firsthand about bias and prejudice, but through many meaningful experiences that integrated not only music but all the arts, the students shifted their initial beliefs and gained true cultural understanding of Afghans.
A Review of Documented Oral Care Practices in an Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Goss Linda K. , Coty Mary-Beth , Myers John A.
Published: December 2010

Oral care is recognized as an essential component of care for critically ill patients and nursing documentation provides evidence of this process. This study examined the practice and frequency of oral care among mechanically ventilated and nonventilated patients. A retrospective record review was conducted of patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) between July 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate analyses to determine the variables related to patients receiving oral care. Frequency of oral care documentation was found to be performed, on average, every 3.17 to 3.51 hr with a range of 1 to 8 hr suggesting inconsistencies in nursing practice. This study found that although oral care is a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation for the prevention of hospital-associated infections like ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), indication of documentation of the specifics are lacking in the patients’ medical record.
Dynamics of Extravascular Pulmonary Water and Intracranial Pressure in Patients With Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Verein Mikhail , Valiahmedov Azat , Churliaev Yuri , Sitnikov Pavel , Redkokasha Larisa , Lukashev Konstantine
Published: December 2010

The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship among extravascular pulmonary water, intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressure, hemodynamic parameters (eg, cardiac index, system vascular resistance index), and brain stem function during acute ischemic stroke. The subjects were 17 comatose patients with ischemic stroke who were admitted to an intensive care unit. The results revealed an elevation in extravascular lung water in the absence of cardiac dysfunction. The absence of correlation between indices of brain vascular resistance and mean arterial pressure confirmed that a disturbance of cerebral blood flow was present. There was a correlation between auditory-evoked potential parameters and extravascular lung water during the study period. The correlation between auditory-evoked potentials and extravascular lung water may imply that ischemic brainstem injury plays a significant role in the development of increased pulmonary capillary permeability and the elevation of extravascular lung water. Brain stem injury is a cause of noncardiogenic lung edema in comatose patients following acute ischemic stroke.
Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Nosocomial Pneumonia
Authors: Kuzovlev Artem N. , Moroz Viktor V. , Goloubev Arkady M. , Polovnikov Sergey G.
Published: December 2010

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) complicates nosocomial pneumonias (NPn) in 12% to 33% of patients with associated increases in mortality of up to 80%. A timely diagnosis of ARDS with NPn is, however, problematic. The aim of this investigation was to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the early stages of ARDS with NPn. A total of 82 cancer and multiple trauma patients were enrolled in the investigation. Patients were split into 3 groups according to standard ARDS and NPn diagnostic criteria: group 1 (“ARDS + NPn”), group 2 (“NPn”), group 3 (“no ARDS, no NPn”). ARDS was diagnosed using 3 methods: the Murray score, the American—European Consensus Conference criteria, and the V. A. Negovsky Research Institute of General Reanimatology criteria. Elevation of extravascular lung water index along with other ARDS diagnostic criteria (oxygenation index, central hemodynamic indices) was predictive of early stage of ARDS in patients with NPn. The standard diagnostic criteria for ARDS, including the Murray score, oxygenation index, and radiographic data only predicted the later stages of ARDS in NPn. Early diagnosis of ARDS with concomitant NPn in the current study was associated with improved treatment results with decreased duration of artificial ventilation and intensive care unit stay.
Macro- and Microstructure of Erythrocyte Membranes Under Acute Massive Hemorrhage and Subsequent Blood Reinfusion
Authors: Moroz Viktor V. , Kirsanova A.K. , Novodergkina I.S. , Alexandrin V.V. , Chernysh A.M. , Kozlova E.K.
Published: December 2010

The authors studied changes in erythrocyte membrane nanostructure using a rodent model of hemorrhagic hypotension and resuscitation. Both macro- and microstructural elements were examined using atomic force microscopy. Membrane “roughness” was characterized using spatial Fourier transformation and was stratified according to the periodicity of the membrane. Acute hemorrhage resulted in an increase in the diameter and height of erythrocytes, which returned to baseline levels by the end of the hemorrhagic hypotensive period. The effect of hypotension on the erythrocyte surface was nonuniform. In those regions where damage was considerable, the rate of restoration of the membrane microstructure to baseline levels was prolonged. The less damaged surfaces were restored more rapidly to control values after reperfusion. More detailed use of atomic force microscopy in the definition of the erythrocyte membrane microstructure may further define the mechanisms of cellular functional restoration after hemorrhage.
Completely Isolated? Health Information Seeking Among Social Isolates
Authors: Askelson Natoshia M. , Campo Shelly , Carter Knute D.
Published: December 2010

To better target messages it is important to determine where people seek their health information. Interpersonal networks are a common way most people gather health information, but some people have limited networks. Using data from the 2004 General Social Survey ( N = 984), we compared social isolates and nonisolates in their health information—seeking behaviors. Results indicate that those with limited social networks are less likely to use interpersonal communication to seek health information and are also less likely to use mediated channels. The results suggest that isolates may also be suffering from a health knowledge gap.