bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physician Cognitive Processing as a Source of Diagnostic and Treatment Disparities in Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Lutfey Karen E. , Eva Kevin W. , Gerstenberger Eric , Link Carol L. , McKinlay John B.
Published: March 2010

Literature on health disparities documents variations in clinical decision-making across patient characteristics, physician attributes, and among health care systems. Using data from a vignette-based factorial experiment of 256 primary care providers, we examine the cognitive basis of disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). We explore whether previously observed disparities are due to physicians (1) not fully considering CHD for certain patients or (2) considering CHD but then discounting it. Half of the physicians in the experiment were primed with explicit directions to consider a CHD diagnosis, and half were not. Relative to their unprimed counterparts, primed physicians were more likely to order CHD-related tests and prescriptions. However, the main effects for patient gender and age remained, suggesting that physicians treated these demographic variables as diagnostic features indicating lower risk of CHD for these patients. This finding suggests that physician appeals to perceived base rates have the potential to contribute to the further reification of socially constructed health statistics.
Victimization in Early Life and Mental Health in Adulthood
Authors: Hill Terrence D. , Kaplan Lauren M. , French Michael T. , Johnson Robert J.
Published: March 2010

Although numerous studies have documented the long-term effects of childhood victimization on mental health in adulthood, few have directly examined potential mediators and moderators of this association. Using data from the Welfare, Children, and Families project (1999)—a probability sample of 2,402 predominantly black and Hispanic low-income women with children living in Boston, Chicago, and San Antonio—we predict psychological distress in adulthood with measures of physical assault and sexual coercion before age 18. Building on previous research, we test the mediating and moderating influences of emotional support, instrumental support, and self-esteem. Although we observe no indirect effects of physical assault, the effect of sexual coercion is partially mediated by instrumental support and self-esteem. We also find that the effects of physical assault and sexual coercion are moderated (buffered) by emotional support and self-esteem.
Effect of Garment Design on Liquid Cooling Garments
Authors: Kayacan Özlem , Kurbak Arif
Published: March 2010

In this study, two different types of liquid cooling garments are designed and their cooling effects are comparatively investigated. The tubing lengths and the inner layers of these garments are taken as the same, and the other parameters of the garments differed. In the outer layer of the garments, 10 × 3 rib and single jersey knitted wool fabrics are used. In the inner layer of the fabrics, cotton wound dressings are used. In one garment design, S-shaped sponges are used as the mid layer. For 10 × 3 rib the mid layer is obtained by three loops of 10 × 3 rib, and the outer layer is obtained by 10 loops of 10 × 3 rib, due to its three-dimensional structure. To test these garments, a thermal manikin and a chiller are developed. The effects of water inlet temperature and flow rate on the cooling effect are examined. Outer garments of 10 × 3 rib structure are found to provide effective cooling. When the water inlet temperature decreases, the effective cooling slightly increases. At lower flow rates, effective cooling increases slightly, while this effect disappears for higher flow rates.
Performance of an Objective Fabric Pilling Evaluation Method
Authors: Junmin Zhang  , Xungai Wang  , Palmer Stuart
Published: March 2010

In previous work, we established the principle of objective fabric pilling evaluation based on two-dimensional dual-tree complex wavelet transform (2DDTCWT) image reconstruction and non-linear classification using a neural network. This proof-of-principle work was performed using standard pilling test images. Here, we demonstrate the practical operation of the objective pilling evaluation method using a large set of real fabric pilling samples. We show that piling classification results from a trained multiple-layer perceptron neural network achieve a regression correlation of approximately 96% with the corresponding human expert pilling ratings.
Speaking Into the iPhone: An Interview With John Durham Peters, or, Ghostly Cessation for the Digital Age
Authors: Kane Carolyn L. , Durham Peters John
Published: March 2010

Conducted by media scholar, Carolyn L. Kane, this interview was recorded on Saturday morning of April 25, 2009, in an empty classroom at MIT, during the MIT6 Media in Transition conference, using Ms. Kane’s iPhone. The morning before, John Durham Peters gave his lecture, “What Ever Happened to Loneliness?” The interview also occurs in honor of the 10th anniversary of Speaking into the Air: A History of the Idea of Communication, a text that bridges European, Canadian, and American communications scholarship within an intellectual framework of lost loves and uncanny ghosts. This 2009 interview extends the discussion to more recent issues of loneliness in light of social networking technologies, critical methods, and coping strategies for the information age, the ghosts of digital media, and the present, past, and future of media studies and archiving in the United States.
Searching Chinese patent information on free online sources
Authors: Kämmer Christine
Published: March 2010

The coverage and the functionality of free online databases for Chinese patent data have improved gradually over the last few years. People without knowledge of Chinese now have more opportunities to find information using English search interfaces. English machine translations of Chinese patents and utility models became available on the internet in April 2008, making it easier for users to understand the content of the documents. Furthermore, English abstracts for utility models have been included in free databases, either as human or machine translations. English legal status information for Chinese documents has also recently become available in two databases. In addition to patents and utility models, users can now also search information on Chinese industrial designs via an English search interface. This article gives an overview of the options for searching for Chinese patent data in free databases, namely the European Patent Office’s esp@cenet and various sources offered by the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China (SIPO). Patent information users will see how they can search both English language sources and use the Chinese interfaces to retrieve additional information — even without being able to read Chinese.
A practical and tested infrastructure design for large business warehouse systems
Authors: Davis Carol , Haefele Edmund
Published: March 2010

Large enterprises depend more and more on huge business information systems to determine trends in their markets and their business that will allow them to respond quickly and effectively. These systems have moved from being reference systems to becoming strategic tools for executive planning. This shift in focus as well as the increasing size of these systems has a significant impact on the practical management of these systems. The new role demands increased availability, as well as quick integration of new data, and fast response times. How does an IT organization manage a multi-terabyte (TB) database, with extreme availability requirements, and a fixed window of tolerance for failure recovery regardless of database size? This article describes a proof of concept done for such an enterprise to test the feasibility of a 60TB database using a system design based on conventional tools available today. The goal of this article is to present a practical approach to such a challenge.
Musical identities in transition: Solo-piano students’ accounts of entering the academy
Authors: Juuti Sini , Littleton Karen
Published: March 2010

The purpose of this study was to explore the identity work of adult instrumental students negotiating their entry to a prestigious music academy and the professional field of music. Ten classical solo-piano students’ accounts of their musical histories and experiences were collected through research interviews. The thematic analyses presented suggest that comparative dynamics between self and other(s) are key mediators of students’ musical identity work. The analyses explore how students’ identity work was resourced both by the discursive (re)contextualization and harnessing of entrance test results and their accounts of their early experiences of being in the academy. The salience of key musical practices and the significance of listening, as well as being overheard practising, are also considered. In addition, the analyses reveal how constructions of practice ‘norms’, ‘exceptionality’ and ‘typical’ life-courses and trajectories enter into students’ identity work.
Quantitative case-studies in musical composition: the development of creativity in popular-songwriting teams
Authors: Hass Richard W. , Weisberg Robert W. , Choi Jimmy
Published: March 2010

In the present study, we examined the development of expertise in the careers of three collaborative songwriting teams, Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and George and Ira Gershwin. The primary goal of the study was to extend to collaborative songwriting teams the results of previous research (Hass & Weisberg, 2009), which examined the career development of two seminal composers of American popular music, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter, who wrote both music and lyrics. A quantitative case-study methodology was employed here, using the proportion of hit songs per year within collaborators’ active careers as a measure of aesthetic significance (hit ratio). Regression analysis revealed significant positive hit-ratio trends over the careers of the Rodgers—Hart team, and the Gershwin team. In contrast, the Rodgers—Hammerstein team began at a high level of success and exhibited no significant hit-ratio trends. That team began their collaboration when both members were mature professionals, with years of experience writing for Broadway. In addition, both members of the team had collaborated with other individuals earlier in their careers, and both exhibited the expected significant increases in hit ratio with other collaborators prior to their teaming up. Such results are evidence that a process of learning to write hits occurs early in the careers of collaborative songwriting teams, as it does in the careers of composers who both write music and lyrics. Implications of the results and future directions for study are discussed.
The Development and Validation of a Functional Assessment Tool for the Upper Extremity in the Overhead Athlete
Authors: Alberta Frank G. , ElAttrache Neal S. , Bissell Scott , Mohr Karen , Browdy Jason , Yocum Lewis , Jobe Frank
Published: March 2010

Background

There are no validated upper extremity instruments designed specifically to evaluate the performance and function of overhead athletes. Current shoulder and elbow scoring systems may not be sensitive to subtle changes in performance in this high-demand population.

Hypothesis

The scoring system developed in this study will be valid, reliable, and responsive in the evaluation of overhead athletes.

Study Design

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Based on the results of a pilot questionnaire administered to 21 overhead athletes, a final 10-item questionnaire was developed. Two hundred eighty-two healthy, competitive overhead athletes completed the new questionnaire, as well as 2 established upper extremity questionnaires, and were self-assigned into injury categories: (1) playing without pain, (2) playing with pain, and (3) not playing due to pain. Correlations between the scores and differences between injury categories were measured. Responsiveness testing was performed in an additional group of 55 injured athletes, comparing their scores before and after an intervention.

Results

The new score showed high correlation with the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score and the DASH sports/performing arts module. The new score correctly stratified overhead athletes by injury category (P < .0001). The new score also demonstrated excellent responsiveness, varying appropriately with improvements in injury category after treatment of injuries (P < .05).

Conclusion

The new patient-reported instrument is valid and responsive in the evaluation of overhead athletes. Reliability was also demonstrated for the 13-item pilot questionnaire. The results support its use for the functional assessment of overhead athletes in future studies.
Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy
Authors: Clarke Andrew W. , Ahmad Muaaze , Curtis Mark , Connell David A.
Published: March 2010

Background: Lateral elbow tendinopathy is a common condition often diagnosed by ultrasound. Debate exists regarding which ultrasound findings correlate with disease severity and prognosis.

Hypothesis: Sonographic predictors for tendon healing in patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy can be found by correlating initial ultrasound findings with subsequent changes in pain and functional disability scores after a period of nonoperative management.

Study Design: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: Sixty-two elbows (34 right, 28 left) in 62 patients (30 male, 32 female) with a clinical diagnosis of lateral elbow tendinopathy underwent sonographic evaluation of the common extensor origin after assessment with a validated outcome measure, the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE). After 6 months of nonoperative standardized treatment (physiotherapy with eccentric loading), the PRTEE questionnaire was repeated.

Results: The mean pretreatment PRTEE was 78 (range, 51-97) and posttreatment score was 29 (range, 0-91). This difference in means was found to be significant ( P < .0001). A positive correlation was identified between the presence of a lateral collateral ligament tear ( P < .0001) and the size of the largest intrasubstance tear ( P < .0001) and poor outcome. A negative correlation was identified with amount of hypoechogenicity ( P = .0009). No correlation was found with age, sex, side, duration of symptoms, thickness of tendon, or amount of neovascularity.

Conclusion: The size of intrasubstance tears and presence of a lateral collateral ligament tear on ultrasound can be used to assess lateral elbow tendinopathy severity, indicate those who may not respond to nonoperative therapy, and potentially guide more invasive treatment. Those patients with a large intrasubstance tear or tears identified on ultrasound are less likely to respond to nonoperative treatment. Presence of neovascularity has little correlation with change in pain severity or functional disability and may be a poor predictor of prognosis.
One Woman’s Commodity Bag Garments Compared to Styles in Good Housekeeping, 1949 to 1968
Authors: Banning Jennifer L. , Tedrick Kuttruff Jenna
Published: March 2010

The research objective of this study was to compare characteristics of one woman’s home-sewn daywear commodity bag garments with characteristics of fashionable women’s ready-to-wear daywear garments depicted in a national magazine targeted to women of middle socioeconomic status. Characteristics of the garments were compared with characteristics of garments pictured in Good Housekeeping magazine’s ‘‘Fashion’’ sections during the same time period. Analysis showed the commodity bag garments shared similar design and fabric characteristics as styles that appeared in Good Housekeeping magazine. This finding indicates that although the commodity bag garments were primarily made for work in a rural setting, they had many of the same fashionable features as mass produced garments that could be purchased in department stores nationwide and could, therefore, be considered fashionable.
Evaluating the effects of ideology on public understanding of climate change science: How to improve communication across ideological divides?
Authors: Zia Asim , Todd Anne Marie
Published: March 2010

While ideology can have a strong effect on citizen understanding of science, it is unclear how ideology interacts with other complicating factors, such as college education, which influence citizens’ comprehension of information. We focus on public understanding of climate change science and test the hypotheses: [H1] as citizens’ ideology shifts from liberal to conservative, concern for global warming decreases; [H2] citizens with college education and higher general science literacy tend to have higher concern for global warming; and [H3] college education does not increase global warming concern for conservative ideologues. We implemented a survey instrument in California’s San Francisco Bay Area, and employed regression models to test the effects of ideology and other socio-demographic variables on citizen concern about global warming, terrorism, the economy, health care and poverty. We are able to confirm H1and H3, but reject H2. Various strategies are discussed to improve the communication of climate change science across ideological divides.
A case of conflicting norms? Mobilizing and accountability information in newspaper coverage of the autism–vaccine controversy
Authors: Clarke Christopher E.
Published: March 2010

When reporting health risks, the news media are often criticized for omitting “mobilizing” information that allows readers to act on existing attitudes. Using American and British newspaper coverage of the autism–vaccine controversy as a case study, this article takes a “behind the scenes” look at normative pressures that may influence whether such information appears in coverage. In particular, can holding health officials accountable for their actions potentially “crowd out” mobilizing information? A content analysis suggests that mobilizing information (at least one of four examples) was present in only 16% of articles, compared to 38% that mentioned accountability messages (at least one of two examples). US newspapers were significantly more likely to mention at least one mobilization example. Finally, although only 11% discussed both, articles were more likely to discuss certain mobilizing and accountability examples together. Implications for journalism ethics and vaccine risk communication are discussed.
Employee Satisfaction in the Health Care Sector
Authors: Barhem Belal , Younies Hassan , Younis Mustafa
Published: March 2010

Health care workers play a vital role in patients’ well-being. Their satisfaction is an important issue for all health care managers. Health care providers can be categorised into two groups on the basis of their financial goals and sources of funding. The two categories are: not-for-profit (NFP) publicly funded organisations; and for-profit (FP) privately funded organisations. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), FP and NFP health care organisations operate under similar government regulations and workforce diversity. However, the objectives and source of funds for FP and NFP health care organisations always affect the management style and decisions. These differences—in addition to differences related to job satisfaction and personal development—such as medical equipment, materials, facilities and the availability of support staff, have an impact on the satisfaction of health care workers.

In our study, we investigate the major factors affecting health care workers’ satisfaction level within private and public health organisations in the UAE. Differences in satisfaction level based on gender, ethnicity, work type and organisation size are studied. The findings of the study show a medium level of satisfaction in the private and public sectors, with differences in all satisfaction dimensions between both sectors except for nature of job. Organisation size, too, seems to affect the satisfaction level.
Rate of Use of Referrals in the Emergency Department
Authors: Downey La Vonne A.
Published: March 2010

The objectives of this article are: First, to determine the rate of referral completions for primary care physicians (PCPs) given out in the emergency department (ED) to the patients who are present without a PCP. The second objective is to determine the reasons given by the individuals who did not use the referrals given.

The methods used during this article are: A retrospective study looking at who uses the referrals given to them in the ED during a six month ED-based pilot programme. A second prospective study using a phone survey was then done; those who did not use the referrals were contacted, which helped in determining the reasons for the non-usage. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB).

The results of this article indicate that there was a significant difference based on gender (p = 0.001). Males, who made up 48 per cent of the total survey population, used referrals only 9 per cent of the time as compared to females. Females, at 52 per cent of the total respondents, used referrals 42 per cent of the time. There was also a significant difference (p = 0.01) based on method of payment for services. The type of payment was mixed, with 51 per cent self-pay, 30 per cent public and 18 per cent private. Those in the category of self-pay had 43 per cent non-usage as compared to 30 per cent of those with public and 7 per cent of the private payers. There was no significant difference based on the type of illness, age and/or education. The reasons given for not using referrals were: 25 per cent did not remember being given a referral; 14 per cent did not speak English well enough to understand referrals; for 10 per cent the location was inconvenient; and 10 per cent reported improvement in health condition.

The usage of referrals was affected by several factors. It was affected by the insurance status, despite the patient being told that the health care provider was free of charge. The second factor was gender, with females being more likely to use the referrals given. The reasons given for non-usage were also multidimensional, with the largest percentage (25 per cent) not remembering that they were given referrals in the ED, 14 per cent having language barriers that affected use, 10 per cent finding the location difficult to reach and 10 per cent stating their condition had improved, thus not needing the referral.
Residency Training Programme in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Gujarat
Authors: Shah B.K. , Shah V.N. , Shah C.J.
Published: March 2010

The fact that is known to everyone but still least studied is that the junior doctors working in teaching hospitals are overworked, under stress, short of sleep and face a lot of problems. This study was designed to obtain information related to work schedules and environment, professional training, financial status, accommodation facilities and health of resident doctors working in a large teaching hospital in the state of Gujarat in India. A pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain necessary information. These questionnaires were used later on to derive data and were analysed. The study was done during a period of three months, from 1 October 2004 to 31 December 2004. Out of the 200 residents contacted, 160 responded and out of these only 154 qualified for the final analysis. It was observed that more than 50 per cent did not receive any stipend. Teaching, training and library facilities have not been considered satisfactory by majority of them. Their health status is not satisfactory and a sizable minority feels that they are overworked and tortured by the senior colleagues. More than 65 per cent get less than seven hours of sleep in a day. There is obvious need to remedy the situation at earliest possible.
A Comparison of Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, and Acanthosis Nigricans in School-Age Children
Authors: Otto Debra E. , Wang Xiaohui , Tijerina Sandra L. , Reyna Maria Elena , Farooqi Mohammad I. , Shelton Margarette L.
Published: March 2010

The purpose of this retrospective quantitative study was to examine the relationships among acanthosis nigricans (AN), body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), school grade, and gender in children attending elementary school located in South West Texas. Data were collected by attending school district nurses. Researchers reviewed 7,026 previously collected records from a state mandated public school health screening program in elementary school Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9, conducted by school nurses. Of 7,026 records, 6,867 were included for the secondary analysis. A logistic regression analysis was carried out with the AN marker as the dependant variable and school grade, gender, BMI, and BP as the independent variables. The results of the study suggest that a direct relationship exists between the AN marker, BMI, and BP in school-age children. Further study is warranted based on the number of school-age children who are now found to be obese.
Noninvasive Screening for Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes in Young, Rural, Caucasian Children
Authors: Peterson Sharon , Sheffer Sarah , Roth Sara Long , Bennett Paul A. , Lloyd Les
Published: March 2010

School nurses play an important role in identifying students who are at risk for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Few studies have screened Caucasian students, and none have targeted rural, low-income, elementary children. The five noninvasive risk factors used for this study were family history, high body mass index (BMI) for age/sex, racial/ethnic background, hypertension, and acanthosis nigricans. Two thirds of those screened ( n = 299) had at least one of the five risk factors for T2DM. Seventeen students (5.6% of those screened) had three or more of the five risk factors and were considered at risk for T2DM. Fifteen percent ( n = 43) had hypertension or prehypertension, and 18% (n = 53) were morbidly obese. Hypertension and acanthosis nigricans were significantly associated with being at risk in morbidly obese students. School nurses play an important role as frontline health professionals who are aware that risk factors for T2DM exist in all schools, regardless of students' age, size of community, or ethnic background.
Differences in CSF Phospholipid Concentration by Traumatic Brain Injury Outcome
Authors: Pasvogel Alice E. , Miketova Petra , Moore Ida M.
Published: March 2010

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. A cascade of events is initiated with TBI that leads to degradation of the membrane lipid bilayer of neurons and neuroglia. The purpose of this study was to (a) describe changes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) phospholipid concentration over time for those who survived and those who died following TBI; and (b) determine whether there were differences in the CSF phospholipid concentration between those who survived and those who died following TBI. Thirty-nine CSF samples were obtained from 10 participants who sustained a TBI. Following extraction, phospholipids were separated and quantified by normal-phase high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector. For those who died, the highest median concentration was on Day 1 after TBI for lysophosphatidylcholine and on Day 4 after TBI for phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin. For those who survived, the highest median concentration was on Day 1 after TBI for phosphatidylcholine, on Day 3 after TBI for phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine, on Day 4 after TBI for sphingomyelin, and on Day 5 after TBI for lysophosphatidylcholine. There were significant differences in the concentrations of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine on Days 1—2 and of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin on Days 3—4 after TBI between those who survived and died, with the highest concentrations in those who died. These findings provide preliminary evidence of greater disruption of central nervous system membrane phospholipids in participants who died after TBI.
Evaluation of the Analgesic Effect of Aqueous Extract of Brugmansia suaveolens Flower in Mice: Possible Mechanism Involved
Authors: Muccillo-Baisch Ana Luiza , Parker Alexander Garcia , Cardoso Gianni Peraza , Cezar-Vaz Marta Regina , Flores Soares Maria Cristina
Published: March 2010

The study was conducted to test the aqueous extract of Brugmansia suaveolens (AEBs) flowers for their antinociceptive effects in mice. In the hot plate test, a significant increase in reaction time for two doses of AEBs at 60, 90, 120, and 150 min after treatment was noted. Pretreatment of animals with naloxone (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally [IP]) left the antinociceptive effect of AEBs at a dose of 100 mg/kg unaffected at 60, 90, 120, and 150 min after treatment and at a dose of 300 mg/kg at 30 min but not at 90, 120, and 150 min. In the writhing test, the AEBs significantly inhibited acetic acid—induced abdominal constriction and was equally potent at both doses. Pretreatment with naloxone (5 mg/kg, IP) left the antinociceptive effect of both doses of AEBs unaffected. Pretreatment with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 20 mg/kg, IP) caused a significant change in the number of abdominal constrictions but did not change the antinociceptive effect of AEBs. Pretreatment of animals with methylene blue also did not change the effect of AEBs on the number of writhing movements in mice. Flumazenil (5 mg/kg, IP) antagonized the antinociceptive effects of diazepam and also reversed the antinociceptive effect of AEBs. AEBs showed a depressant effect on the central nervous system, and the treatment of mice with pentobarbital combined with AEBs increased the animals’ sleeping time in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the antinociceptive activity of AEBs may be related in part to benzodiazepine receptors, although peripheral mechanisms cannot be excluded.
Concept mapping
Authors: Aberdeen Suzanne M. , Leggat Sandra G. , Barraclough Simon
Published: March 2010

A person-centred assessment and problem-solving approach is acknowledged widely as the preferred method for managing the behavioural and psychological symptoms of residents with dementia (BPSD). Currently this is not well implemented in residential dementia care. In this paper concept mapping is discussed critically as a process that has the potential to improve the quality of resident care by providing an efficient framework for problem-solving. It facilitates data analysis, a missing link in problem-solving BPSD. Overtime concept mapping may also reduce the burden on individual staff, improve the skills and knowledge of all levels of staff and foster learning organizations. Potential challenges to the implementation and success of the process, which include staff shortages, the need for effective leadership and organizational support, are also addressed.
‘What Works’ and the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel: Taking stock from an inside perspective
Authors: Maguire Mike , Grubin Don , Lösel Friedrich , Raynor Peter
Published: March 2010

This article provides an ‘insider’ perspective on the work of the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel (CSAP) of England and Wales, a key plank of the government’s ‘What Works’ strategy and in particular its aim of reducing re-offending through the development of ‘gold standard’, ‘evidence-based’ interventions (principally — but not exclusively — offending behaviour programmes). The article begins with a brief discussion of the concept of accreditation, its value and potential drawbacks. It then provides an account of CSAP’s working practices and some reflections on the results of its work so far, set against the background of challenges and tensions arising from a changing policy environment, resource constraints, mixed results from outcome studies, and debates about what some perceived as an over-narrow remit for accreditation. It concludes with some thoughts about possible future directions for CSAP or successor bodies with broadly similar goals.
Surviving the First Half of 2010 Is Foremost on Hoteliers’ Minds
Authors: Smith Randell A.
Published: March 2010

Additional foreclosures loom over the hotel industry in 2010, as hoteliers run out of ways to economize while demand remains low and economic recovery elusive. Although industry operators’ resourcefulness has lowered average breakeven occupancy to 50 percent, diminished rates have limited profitability. Supply will grow in 2010 when rooms already in the pipeline open. Demand should recover in 2011, although the unprecedented nature of the current economic situation means that all predictions are subject to constant scrutiny and revision.
A Prospective, Randomized Comparison of Traditional and Accelerated Approaches to Postoperative Rehabilitation following Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation: 2-Year Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Ebert Jay R. , Robertson William B. , Lloyd David G. , Zheng M.H. , Wood David J. , Ackland Timothy
Published: March 2010

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of “accelerated” postoperative load-bearing rehabilitation following matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI). Design: A randomized controlled study design was used to investigate clinical outcomes in 70 patients following MACI, in conjunction with either accelerated or traditional approaches to postoperative weight-bearing (WB) rehabilitation. Both interventions sought to protect the implant for an initial period and then incrementally increase WB. Under the accelerated protocol, patients reached full WB at 8 weeks postsurgery, compared to 11 weeks for the traditional group. Clinical outcomes were assessed presurgery and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postsurgery. Results: A significant effect ( P < 0.017) for time existed for all clinical measures, demonstrating improvement up to 24 months in both groups. A significant interaction effect (P < 0.017) existed for pain severity and the 6-minute walk test, with accelerated group patients reporting significantly less severe pain and demonstrating superior 6-minute walk distance over the period. Although there was a significant group effect (P < 0.017) for maximal active knee extension range in favor of the accelerated regime, no further significant differences existed. There was no incidence of graft delamination up to 24 months that resulted directly from the 3-month postoperative rehabilitation program. Conclusion: The accelerated load-bearing approach that reduced the length of time spent ambulating on crutches produced comparable if not superior clinical outcomes up to 24 months postsurgery in the accelerated rehabilitation group, without compromising graft integrity. This accelerated regime is safe and effective and demonstrates a faster return to normal function postsurgery.
Clinical Outcome and Return to Competition after Microfracture in the Athlete’s Knee
Authors: Mithoefer Kai , Gill Thomas J. , Cole Brian J. , Williams Riley J. , Mandelbaum Bert R.
Published: March 2010

Microfracture is frequently used for articular cartilage repair in athletes. This study aimed to define the strength and weaknesses of this minimally invasive cartilage repair technique in the athletic population in an effort to optimize indications, functional outcome, and athletic participation after microfracture in the athlete’s knee. A systematic analysis of original studies using microfracture in athletes was performed. Functional outcome was assessed by activity outcome scores, ability to return to sports participation, timing of the return to sport, level of postoperative sports activity, and continuation of athletic competition over time. Thirteen studies describing 821 athletes were included in the analysis with an average follow-up of 42 months. Good or excellent results were reported in 67% of athletes with normal International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores in 80% and significant increase of Lysholm scores, Tegner activity scores, and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) sports subscales. Return to sports was achieved in 66% at an average of 8 months after surgery, with return to competition at the preinjury level in 67%. Forty-nine percent of athletes continued to compete without change in level of play, while decreasing function was observed in 42% after 2 to 5 years. Athlete’s age, preoperative duration of symptoms, level of play, lesion size, and repair tissue morphology affected sports activity after microfracture. Microfracture improves knee function and frequently allows for return to sports at the preinjury level, but deterioration of athletic function occurs in some patients. Several independent factors were identified that can help to optimize the return to athletic competition after microfracture in the athlete’s knee.
Impact of highly conserved HLA haplotype on acute graft-versus-host disease
Authors: Morishima Satoko , Ogawa Seishi , Matsubara Aiko , Kawase Takakazu , Nannya Yasuhito , Kashiwase Koichi , Satake Masahiro , Saji Hiroo , Inoko Hidetoshi , Kato Shunichi , Kodera Yoshihisa , Sasazuki Takehiko , Morishima Yasuo ,   for the Japan Marrow Donor Program
Published: March 2010

Although the effects of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) locus matching on clinical outcome in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantations have been characterized, the biologic implications of HLA haplotypes have not been defined. We demonstrated the genetic fixity of Japanese conserved extended haplotypes by multi–single nucleotide polymorphism analysis in 1810 Japanese donor-recipient pairs matching with HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 alleles. Three major Japanese conserved extended haplotypes (named HP-P1, HP-P2, and HP-P3) were essentially completely conserved at least in the 3.3-Mb HLA region from HLA-A to -DPB1, and extended far beyond HLA-A. The risk of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) of these HLA haplotypes was assessed with multivariate Cox regression in 712 patients transplanted from HLA fully (HLA-A, B, C, DRB1, DQB1, and DPB1) matched unrelated donors. HP-P2 itself reduced the risk of grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.63; P = .032 compared with HP-P2-negative), whereas HP-P3 tended to increase the risk (HR = 1.38; P = .07). Among 381 patients with HP-P1, HP-P1/P3 (HR = 3.35; P = .024) significantly increased the risk of acute GVHD compared with homozygous HP-P1. This study is the first to demonstrate that a genetic difference derived from HLA haplotype itself is associated with acute GVHD in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Hydroxyurea enhances sickle survival
Authors: Eckman James R.
Published: March 2010

In this issue of Blood, Voskaridou et al provide more compelling evidence that hydroxyurea improves survival in adults with severe sickle cell disease.1 This comes at the centennial of the recognition of sickle cell disease in Western medicine. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the pathophysiology of this complex disease caused by a single nucleotide change in the β-globin gene that causes replacement of glutamic acid by valine.
Wake-up call for endothelial cells
Authors: Cao Yihai
Published: March 2010

VEGF exhibits broad vascular functions by activation of its VEGFRs in endothelial cells. In this issue of Blood, Suehiro and colleagues show that VEGF-induced endothelial activities are mediated by activation of Egr-3 transcription factor and that Egr-3 is a potential therapeutic target for angiogenesis-related diseases.
Reconstructing genome trees of prokaryotes using overlapping genes
Authors: Cheng Chih-Hsien , Yang Chung-Han , Chiu Hsien-Tai , Lu Chin Lung
Published: March 2010

Background

Overlapping genes (OGs) are defined as adjacent genes whose coding sequences overlap partially or entirely. In fact, they are ubiquitous in microbial genomes and more conserved between species than non-overlapping genes. Based on this property, we have previously implemented a web server, named OGtree, that allows the user to reconstruct genome trees of some prokaryotes according to their pairwise OG distances. By analogy to the analyses of gene content and gene order, the OG distance between two genomes we defined was based on a measure of combining OG content (i.e., the normalized number of shared orthologous OG pairs) and OG order (i.e., the normalized OG breakpoint distance) in their whole genomes. A shortcoming of using the concept of breakpoints to define the OG distance is its inability to analyze the OG distance of multi-chromosomal genomes. In addition, the amount of overlapping coding sequences between some distantly related prokaryotic genomes may be limited so that it is hard to find enough OGs to properly evaluate their pairwise OG distances.

Results

In this study, we therefore define a new OG order distance that is based on more biologically accurate rearrangements (e.g., reversals, transpositions and translocations) rather than breakpoints and that is applicable to both uni-chromosomal and multi-chromosomal genomes. In addition, we expand the term "gene" to include both its coding sequence and regulatory regions so that two adjacent genes whose coding sequences or regulatory regions overlap with each other are considered as a pair of overlapping genes. This is because overlapping of regulatory regions of distinct genes suggests that the regulation of expression for these genes should be more or less interrelated. Based on these modifications, we have reimplemented our OGtree as a new web server, named OGtree2, and have also evaluated its accuracy of genome tree reconstruction on a testing dataset consisting of 21 Proteobacteria genomes. Our experimental results have finally shown that our current OGtree2 indeed outperforms its previous version OGtree, as well as another similar server, called BPhyOG, significantly in the quality of genome tree reconstruction, because the phylogenetic tree obtained by OGtree2 is greatly congruent with the reference tree that coincides with the taxonomy accepted by biologists for these Proteobacteria.

Conclusions

In this study, we have introduced a new web server OGtree2 at http://bioalgorithm.life.nctu.edu.tw/OGtree2.0/ that can serve as a useful tool for reconstructing more precise and robust genome trees of prokaryotes according to their overlapping genes.
Ectodermal Wnt6 is an early negative regulator of limb chondrogenesis in the chicken embryo
Authors: Geetha-Loganathan Poongodi , Nimmagadda Suresh , Christ Bodo , Huang Ruijin , Scaal Martin
Published: March 2010

Background

Pattern formation of the limb skeleton is regulated by a complex interplay of signaling centers located in the ectodermal sheath and mesenchymal core of the limb anlagen, which results, in the forelimb, in the coordinate array of humerus, radius, ulna, carpals, metacarpals and digits. Much less understood is why skeletal elements form only in the central mesenchyme of the limb, whereas muscle anlagen develop in the peripheral mesenchyme ensheathing the chondrogenic center. Classical studies have suggested a role of the limb ectoderm as a negative regulator of limb chondrogenesis.

Results

In this paper, we investigated the molecular nature of the inhibitory influence of the ectoderm on limb chondrogenesis in the avian embryo in vivo. We show that ectoderm ablation in the early limb bud leads to increased and ectopic expression of early chondrogenic marker genes like Sox9 and Collagen II, indicating that the limb ectoderm inhibits limb chondrogenesis at an early stage of the chondrogenic cascade. To investigate the molecular nature of the inhibitory influence of the ectoderm, we ectopically expressed Wnt6, which is presently the only known Wnt expressed throughout the avian limb ectoderm, and found that Wnt6 overexpression leads to reduced expression of the early chondrogenic marker genes Sox9 and Collagen II.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the inhibitory influence of the ectoderm on limb chondrogenesis acts on an early stage of chondrogenesis upsteam of Sox9 and Collagen II. We identify Wnt6 as a candidate mediator of ectodermal chondrogenic inhibition in vivo. We propose a model of Wnt-mediated centripetal patterning of the limb by the surface ectoderm.
An allele separating skeletal patterning and spermatogonial renewal functions of PLZF
Authors: Ching Yung-Hao , Wilson Lawriston A , Schimenti John C
Published: March 2010

Background

The promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger gene Plzf (also called Zbtb16, Zfp145 or Green's luxoid) belongs to the POZ/zinc-finger family of transcription factors. It contains a BTB/POZ domain that mediates epigenetic transcriptional repression. PLZF is essential for proper skeleton patterning and male germ cell renewal. Two alleles have been reported that display similar phenotypes: a targeted knock-out, and the spontaneous nonsense mutation luxoid.

Results

We describe a new ENU induced missense allele of Plzf called seven toes (Plzf
7t
). Homozygous animals exhibit hindlimb and axial skeleton abnormalities. Whereas the skeletal abnormalities are similar to those of the other alleles, Plzf
7t
differs in that it does not cause spermatogonial depletion and infertility. Positional cloning revealed a point mutation changing the evolutionarily conserved amino acid Glu44 to Gly, possibly altering the BTB domain's activity.

Conclusions

Plzf
7t
is a separation-of-function allele that reveals differential requirements for domains of PLZF in different developmental milieus.
The M1 form of tumor-associated macrophages in non-small cell lung cancer is positively associated with survival time
Authors: Ma Junliang , Liu Lunxu , Che Guowei , Yu Nanbin , Dai Fuqiang , You Zongbing
Published: March 2010

Background

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play an important role in growth, progression and metastasis of tumors. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), TAMs' anti-tumor or pro-tumor role is not determined. Macrophages are polarized into M1 (with anti-tumor function) and M2 (with pro-tumor function) forms. This study was conducted to determine whether the M1 and M2 macrophage densities in NSCLC are associated with patient's survival time.

Methods

Fifty patients with an average of 1-year survival (short survival group) and 50 patients with an average of 5-year survival (long survival group) were included in this retrospective study. Paraffin-embedded NSCLC specimens and their clinicopathological data including up to 8-year follow-up information were used. Immunohistochemical double-staining of CD68/HLA-DR (markers for M1 macrophages) and CD68/CD163 (markers for M2 macrophages) was performed and evaluated in a blinded fashion. The M1 and M2 macrophage densities in the tumor islets, stroma, or islets and stroma were determined using computer-aided microscopy. Correlation of the macrophage densities and patient's survival time was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

Results

Approximately 70% of TAMs were M2 macrophages and the remaining 30% were M1 macrophages in NSCLC. The M2 macrophage densities (approximately 78 to 113 per mm2) in the tumor islets, stroma, or islets and stroma were not significantly different between the long survival and short survival groups. The M1 macrophage densities in the tumor islets (approximately 70/mm2) and stroma (approximately 34/mm2) of the long survival group were significantly higher than the M1 macrophage densities in the tumor islets (approximately 7/mm2) and stroma (13/mm2) of the short survival group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). The M2 macrophage densities were not associated with patient's survival time. The M1 macrophage densities in the tumor islets, stroma, or islets and stroma were positively associated with patient's survival time in a univariate analysis (P < 0.01 or 0.001). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, the M1 macrophage density in the tumor islets was an independent predictor of patient's survival time.

Conclusions

The M1 macrophage density in the tumor islets is an independent predictor of survival time in NSCLC patients.