bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of occlusal scheme on masticatory forces using implant stabilized bridges
Authors: HOBKIRK J. A. , BROUZIOTOU‐DAVAS E.
Published: May 2007

summary
The objectives of this study were to determine the effects on masticatory forces of using implant stabilized mandibular bridges with occlusal schemes providing either balanced or unbalanced articulation. The investigation was carried out in a group of six subjects who had dentate, or restored dentate maxillary arches and who used implant‐stabilized mandibular prostheses. Peak masticatory forces, chewing frequency and load rate were determined when chewing bread, carrots and nuts. The mean peak masticatory force varied markedly from subject to subject, and, together with the masticatory load rate were lowest when eating bread and highest when chewing nuts, with values for chewing carrots between the two. There was no detectable difference in mean peak masticatory force or load rates associated with chewing bread with the two occlusal schemes; however, these were lower with balanced occlusion when chewing nuts and carrots. The ranking of subjects in terms of mean peak masticatory force and load rate was consistent and peak load rates of up to 2000 N/sec were recorded. Chewing frequency was relatively consistent for a particular subject irrespective of the foodstuff.
Determining mandibular condyle and ramus height with the help of an Orthopantomogram®– a valid method?
Authors: TÜRP J.C. , VACH W. , HARBICH K. , ALT K.W. , STRUB J.R.
Published: May 2007

summary
The asymmetry of condylar and rami heights was determined from Orthopantomograms® of 25 macerated skulls and compared with the results of the ‘true’ values obtained by direct measurements of the skulls. The correlation between the two measuring methods was low.
Gum chewing and jaw muscle fatigue and pains
Authors: CHRISTENSEN L.V. , TRAN K.T. , MOHAMED S.E.
Published: May 2007

summary
To study possible associations between gum chewing and fatigue and pains in the jaw muscles, eight healthy adults performed prolonged idling, prolonged unilateral chewing of gum, and brief vigorous clenching of the teeth (MVC). Through surface electromyography (EMG), the authors monitored the cumulative (μV.s) as well as the average rates (μV.s−1) of contractile activities in the right and left masseter muscles. During 10 min of idling there was an absence of muscle fatigue and muscle pains when the EMG rates of the right and left masseter muscles were 2% and 3%, respectively, of those required to elicit isometric muscle pains through MVC. During 10 min of right‐sided gum chewing at a rate of 1.2 Hz, the majority of subjects (75%) experienced weak jaw muscle fatigue—not jaw muscle pains—when the EMG rates of the right and left masseter muscles were 38% and 19%, respectively, of those required to elicit isometric pains through MVC. In comparison with 10 min of idling, the weak muscle fatigue of 10 min of unilateral gum chewing appeared when the total contractile activities of the right and left masseter muscles were increased by 1664% and 519%, respectively. It seemed as if prolonged unilateral gum chewing and previous pain‐releasing MVC caused some sensitization of muscle nociceptors which, in turn, aggravated subsequent isometric jaw muscle pains elicited through MVC. Even though the right masseter muscle was the most frequent site of clinical fatigue and pains, the authors found no evidence supporting the theoretical foundation of the myofascial pain/dysfunction syndrome.
Relationship between condylar and incisor point displacement during habitual maximum open‐close movements
Authors: LÖTTERS F.J.B. , ZWIJNENBURG A.J. , MEGENS C.C.E.J. , NAEIJE M.
Published: May 2007

SUMMARY
The relationship between condylar movements and incisor point movements during habitual maximum open‐close movements were studied in 10 healthy male and 10 healthy female subjects. Jaw movements were recorded by means of an opto‐electronic jaw movement recording system, OKAS‐3D, capable of recording the six degrees of freedom at a sample frequency of 300 Hz. The lower jaw position of the lateral pole of the condyles was found by means of palpation. In order to analyse the movements, the opening and closing path of the incisor point were divided into ten equal intervals and the corresponding condylar displacement in each interval was calculated. A displacement index was obtained by normalizing the condylar displacement with respect to the maximum condylar displacement. Due to the normalization, the displacement index is not sensitive to possible errors in the location of the lateral condylar point. A clear condylar displacement was already recorded in the first movement interval, right at the start of opening (average displacement index in the first opening interval was significantly greater than zero, P < 0.0005). The condylar displacements in the start and the end interval of opening and closing were smaller than in the intermediate movement intervals (P < 0.00005).
Biocorrosion study of titanium‐nickel alloys
Authors: Chern Lin J.H. , Lo S.J. , Ju C.P.
Published: May 2007

summary
The present study provides results of the corrosion behaviour in Hank's physiological solution and some other properties of three Ti‐Ni alloys with 18, 25 and 28–4 wt% Ni, respectively. Results indicate that a‐titanium and Ti2Ni were the two major phases in all three Ti‐Ni alloys. The relative amount of the Ti2Ni phase increased with additional Ni content. Hardness of the Ti‐Ni alloys also increased with added nickel content, ranging from 310 to 390 VHN, similar to the hardness of enamel. Melting temperatures of the Ti‐Ni alloys were all lower than that of pure titanium by least 600°C. The three Ti‐Ni alloys behaved almost identically when potentiodynamically polarized in Hank's solution at 37°C. The critical anodic current densities of the alloys were nearly 30 |iA/cm2and the breakdown potentials were all above 1100 mV (SCE).
Long‐term follow‐up of cross‐arch fixed partial dentures in patients with advanced periodontal destruction: evaluation of occlusion and subjective function
Authors: YI S.W. , CARLSSON G.E. , ERICSSON I. , WENNSTRÖM J.L.
Published: May 2007

summary
The study aimed to investigate occlusal factors in fixed partial dentures (FPDs) still in service for more than 10 years, and to assess the patients' opinions regarding oral function with these constructions. Thirty‐four patients with 43 FPDs were examined clinically concerning occlusion and by means of a questionnaire on functional aspects. The most common occlusal contact pattern was group function (51% on both sides, 7% on one side) while canine protected occlusion was recorded in 16% on both sides, 7% on one side. Balanced occlusion (19%) was mainly found when the FPD occluded against a complete denture and when there were few abutments and a small amount of abutment supporting tissue. The number and intensity of the occlusal contacts were assessed by means of thin occlusal sheets (50pm). On average, one occlusal contact was observed on each dental unit with antagonist. The average number of sheets that could be introduced between the antagonists when the patient bit hard in the intercuspal position was two without significant differences between different areas (anterior/posterior) or type of dental unit (abutment, pontics, cantilever section). In the cantilever sections there were looser contacts (more interocclusal sheets) more distally. The great majority of patients were satisfied with the function of their FPDs (mastication, phonetics, aesthetics, comfort, and hygiene). Subjective function was not significantly influenced by FPD design, occlusal factors or number of FPD units. The only significant difference observed was that patients with a small amount of supporting tissues said they had more difficulties with hard foods than the others had. Although a stable occlusion was found in all FPDs, none of the other occlusal parameters examined were related to the long‐term results.
Sleep habits and circadian preference in Italian children and adolescents
Authors: RUSSO PAOLO M. , BRUNI OLIVIERO , LUCIDI FABIO , FERRI RAFFAELE , VIOLANI CRISTIANO
Published: June 2007

Sleep habits and circadian preference (morningness/eveningness, M/E) have been extensively analyzed in adolescents and young adults, while few studies were conducted on children and early adolescents. Aim of the present study was to investigate the developmental changes of circadian preference and to analyze its relationship with sleep habits, sleep problems and circadian preference in a large sample by means of a school‐based survey. One thousand seventy‐three participants (50.8% boys and 49.2% girls; mean age = 10.6; range = 8–14 years), recruited from four schools randomly extracted within the district of Rome, completed a modified version of School Sleep Habits Survey developed by Carskadon et al. The questionnaire included items about sleep habits during schooldays and weekends; a Sleepiness Scale; a Sleep–Wake Problems Behaviour Scale; a Morningness/Eveningness scale. The results show a consistent age‐related change in sleep habits, particularly in the weekends. The difference in sleep duration between schooldays and weekends increases linearly with age. No gender difference was observed in morningness/eveningness, while a significant linear increase in evening preference was found with increasing ages. M/E total scores correlated significantly with both self‐reported sleep/wake problems and daytime sleepiness indicating a higher prevalence of sleep complaints in evening‐type subjects. Overall, the present results support the existence of consistent age‐related changes in sleep habits and M/E dimension in the 8‐ to 14‐year age range.
Alcohol‐induced sleepwalking or confusional arousal as a defense to criminal behavior: a review of scientific evidence, methods and forensic considerations
Authors: PRESSMAN MARK R. , MAHOWALD MARK W. , SCHENCK CARLOS H. , BORNEMANN MICHEL CRAMER
Published: June 2007

An increasing number of criminal cases have claimed the defendant to be in a state of sleepwalking or related disorders induced by high quantities of alcohol. Sleepwalkers who commit violent acts, sexual assaults and other criminal acts are thought to be in a state of automatism, lacking conscious awareness and criminal intent. They may be acquitted in criminal trials. On the other hand, criminal acts performed as the result of voluntary alcohol intoxication alone cannot be used as a complete defense. The alcohol‐induced sleepwalking criminal defense is most often based on past clinical or legal reports that ingestion of alcohol directly ‘triggers’ sleepwalking or increased the risk of sleepwalking by increasing the quantity of slow wave sleep (SWS). A review of the sleep medicine literature found no sleep laboratory studies of the effects of alcohol on the sleep of clinically diagnosed sleepwalkers. However, 19 sleep laboratory studies of the effects of alcohol on the sleep of healthy non‐drinkers or social drinkers were identified with none reporting a change in SWS as a percentage of total sleep time. However, in six of 19 studies, a modest but statistically significant increase in SWS was found in the first 2–4 h. Among studies of sleep in alcohol abusers and abstinent abusers, the quantity and percentage of SWS was most often reduced and sometimes absent. Claims that direct alcohol provocation tests can assist in the forensic assessment of these cases found no support of any kind in the medical literature with not a single report of testing in normative or patient groups and no reports of validation testing of any sort. There is no direct experimental evidence that alcohol predisposes or triggers sleepwalking or related disorders. A legal defense of sleepwalking resulting from voluntarily ingested alcohol should be consistent with the current state of art sleep science and meet generally accepted requirements for the diagnosis of sleepwalking and other parasomnias.
The association between children’s sleep disruption and salivary interleukin‐6
Authors: EL‐SHEIKH MONA , BUCKHALT JOSEPH A. , GRANGER DOUGLAS A. , ERATH STEPHEN A. , ACEBO CHRISTINE
Published: June 2007

We explored relations between children’s sleep and levels of salivary interleukin‐6 (IL‐6). Children were healthy boys (n = 28) and girls (n = 36) who ranged in age between 8 and 9 years. Through actigraphy, the amount and quality of children’s sleep was examined objectively in their homes for 1 week. Children also rated their Morningness/Eveningness predisposition and subjective sleepiness, and parents reported on their children’s Sleep Disordered Breathing and Sleepiness. Children provided saliva samples before and after a series of cognitive/social tasks (an intelligence test, listening to a marital argument, and performing a star‐tracing task), which were later assayed for IL‐6. Children with higher salivary IL‐6 levels reported increased Eveningness predispositions and their parents reported higher levels of Sleep Disordered Breathing. Furthermore, lower levels of sleepiness, longer sleep amount, and better quality sleep in children were each predictive of increased IL‐6 reactivity from pre‐ to post‐task conditions. The findings illustrate (for the first time to our knowledge) that sleep disruptions in otherwise healthy and normally developing children may be associated with individual differences in levels of IL‐6 in saliva.
Trait interindividual differences in the sleep physiology of healthy young adults
Authors: TUCKER ADRIENNE M. , DINGES DAVID F. , VAN DONGEN HANS P. A.
Published: June 2007

Despite decades of sleep research by means of polysomnography (PSG), systematic interindividual differences in PSG‐assessed sleep parameters have been scarcely investigated. The present study is the first to quantify interindividual variability in standard PSG‐assessed variables of sleep structure in terms of stability and robustness as well as magnitude. Twenty‐one carefully screened healthy young adults were studied continuously in a strictly controlled laboratory environment, where their PSGs were recorded for eight nights interspersed with three separate 36 h sleep deprivation periods. All PSG records were scored blind to subject and condition, using conventional criteria, and delta power in the non‐REM sleep EEG was computed for four electrode derivations. Interindividual differences in sleep variables were examined for stability and robustness, respectively, by comparing results across equivalent nights (e.g. baseline nights) and across experimentally differentiated nights (baseline nights versus recovery nights following sleep deprivation). Among 18 sleep variables analyzed, all except slow‐wave sleep (SWS) latency were found to exhibit significantly stable and robust – i.e. trait‐like – interindividual differences. This was quantified by means of intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), which ranged from 36% to 89% across physiologic variables, and were highest for SWS (73%) and delta power in the non‐REM sleep EEG (78–89%). The magnitude of the trait interindividual differences was considerable, consistently exceeding the magnitude of the group‐average effect on sleep structure of 36 h total sleep deprivation. Notably, for non‐REM delta power – a putative marker of sleep homeostasis – the interindividual differences were from 9.9 to 12.8 times greater than the group‐average increase following sleep deprivation relative to baseline. Physiologic sleep variables did not vary among subjects in a completely independent manner – 61.1% of their combined variance clustered in three trait dimensions, which appeared to represent sleep duration, sleep intensity, and sleep discontinuity. Any independent functional significance of these sleep physiologic phenotypes remains to be determined.
Genetic testing for heart disease susceptibility: potential impact on motivation to quit smoking
Authors: Sanderson SC , Michie S
Published: May 2007

As genetic tests for common gene variants and multifactorial, lifestyle‐related conditions become available, it will be increasingly important to determine the psychological and behavioral impact of this emerging class of genetic tests. Our aim was to examine the potential impact of genetic testing for heart disease susceptibility on psychological predictors of smoking cessation. Two hundred and sixty‐one smokers were asked to imagine that they had undergone a test for heart disease risk. They were randomly assigned to a genetic test scenario (low‐ or high‐risk result) or an oxidative test scenario (high‐risk result). Smokers in the genetic test‐high risk group reported greater intention to quit smoking than smokers in the oxidative test‐high risk group (p = 0.009); 30% of this was mediated by their holding stronger beliefs that quitting would reduce their heart disease risk (outcome expectations) (p = 0.011). The effect of genetic test‐high risk feedback on outcome expectations was greatest amongst smokers with no heart disease family history (p = 0.038). The results suggest that genetic testing for heart disease risk may enhance interventions designed to improve health via increasing smoking cessation rates. Whether the findings hold true in studies that use real rather than hypothetical genetic tests remains to be seen.
Imiglucerase (Cerezyme®) improves quality of life in patients with skeletal manifestations of Gaucher disease
Authors: Weinreb N , Barranger J , Packman S , Prakash‐Cheng A , Rosenbloom B , Sims K , Angell J , Skrinar A , Pastores GM
Published: May 2007

Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) can be diminished in patients with type 1 Gaucher disease (GD) owing to the debilitating clinical manifestations of this chronic disease. This study investigates the impact of imiglucerase treatment on HRQOL of patients with type 1 GD and bone involvement. Thirty‐two previously untreated type 1 GD patients with skeletal manifestations including bone pain, medullary infarctions, avascular necrosis, and lytic lesions received biweekly imiglucerase (at 60 U/kg). The Short Form‐36 Health Survey (SF‐36) was administered at regular intervals to assess HRQOL. Mean baseline SF‐36 physical component summary (PCS) scores were diminished relative to US general population norms. Low PCS scores were more common in patients with medullary infarction, lytic lesions, and higher bone pain severity scores. Statistically significant improvements were observed for all eight SF‐36 subscales after 2 years of treatment. Mean PCS and mental component summary (MCS) scores increased to within the normal range after 2 years of treatment and were maintained through year 4. Large HRQOL gains were observed even in patients with the most advanced disease and lowest baseline PCS scores. Imiglucerase treatment has a significant positive impact on HRQOL of type 1 GD patients with skeletal disease, including those with bone infarctions, lytic lesions, and avascular necrosis.
Clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of gastric and colorectal carcinomas in the elderly
Authors: Arai Tomio , Takubo Kaiyo
Published: May 2007

The occurrence of malignant neoplasms increases with advancing age. Although aging and carcinogenesis are basically different processes, there are phenomena common to each such as accumulation of DNA damage and abnormal proteins. Gastric and colorectal carcinomas are representative tumors in which the prevalence and the number of patients increase significantly with age. Compared with gastric and colorectal cancers occurring in younger patients, those occurring in older patients have clinicopathological differences in tumor location, gender distribution, histological type, histological diversity, multiplicity, incidence of lymph node metastasis, and prognosis. In the elderly there are peculiar types of carcinoma such as medullary‐type poorly differentiated colorectal adenocarcinoma and solid‐type poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma, both of which occur in older women. Methylation, apoptosis, and telomere dysfunction play important roles in the development of gastric and colorectal cancers in the elderly.
Is the circumferential resection margin a predictor of local recurrence after preoperative radiotherapy and optimal surgery for rectal carcinoma?
Authors: Khani M. Hosseinali , Smedh K. , Kraaz W.
Published: May 2007

Objective  Circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement has been correlated with a high risk of developing local recurrence. The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic significance of the CRM involvement after curative resection of rectal cancer in patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy and postoperative chemotherapy where indicated.

Method  All patients with rectal cancer treated in a regional central unit from 1996 to 2004 were identified. A surgical resection was performed on 257 patients, and in 229 of these this was assessed as potentially curative. The CRM was examined in all patients. A CRM of ≤1 mm was considered positive.

Results  A positive margin was seen in 19 (8%) patients. At a median follow up of 40 months, only four (1.7%) patients had developed local recurrence, one of whom had a positive CRM. In the four patients the tumour was 5 cm or less from the anal verge. There were no significant differences regarding local recurrence and survival between CRM positive and negative tumours.

Conclusion  Rectal cancer managed by combined radiochemotherapy and surgery resulted in a low positive CRM rate and a low local recurrence rate. An involved CRM was not a predictor of local recurrence.
Tracking Edges, Corners and Vertices in an Image
Authors: HALL PETER , QIU PEIHUA , RAU CHRISTIAN
Published: June 2007

Abstract.  In a range of imaging problems, particularly those where the images are of man‐made objects, edges join at points which comprise three or more distinct boundaries between textures. In such cases the set of edges in the plane forms what a mathematician would call a planar graph. Smooth edges in the graph meet one another at junctions, called ‘vertices’, the ‘degrees’ of which denote the respective numbers of edges that join there. Conventional image reconstruction methods do not always draw clear distinctions among different degrees of junction, however. In such cases the algorithm is, in a sense, too locally adaptive; it inserts junctions without checking more globally to determine whether another configuration might be more suitable. In this paper we suggest an alternative approach to edge reconstruction, which combines a junction classification step with an edge‐tracking routine. The algorithm still makes its decisions locally, so that the method retains an adaptive character. However, the fact that it focuses specifically on estimating the degree of a junction means that it is relatively unlikely to insert multiple low‐degree junctions when evidence in the data supports the existence of a single high‐degree junction. Numerical and theoretical properties of the method are explored, and theoretical optimality is discussed. The technique is based on local least‐squares, or local likelihood in the case of Gaussian data. This feature, and the fact that the algorithm takes a tracking approach which does not require analysis of the full spatial data set, mean that it is relatively simple to implement.
What is the relationship among atherosclerosis markers, apolipoprotein E polymorphism and dementia?
Authors: Altamura C. , Squitti R. , Pasqualetti P. , Tibuzzi F. , Silvestrini M. , Ventriglia M. C. , Cassetta E. , Rossini P. M. , Vernieri F.
Published: May 2007

Evidence suggests the important role of vascular factors both in vascular dementia (VaD) and Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis. However, the relationship between apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism and markers of atherosclerosis is still controversial. The aim of the study was to investigate the interplay between APOE polymorphisms and atherosclerosis in patients with AD and VaD. In this cross‐sectional study, 101 demented (68 AD and 33 VaD) patients underwent APOE genotyping and neck vessel ultrasound to evaluate carotid artery disease [intima‐media thickness (IMT) and plaques]. Patients with AD carrying ɛ4 allele presented increased IMT values with respect to non‐ɛ4 carriers and VaD patients, whereas no relation was found between APOE polymorphisms and the presence or grade of carotid plaques both in AD and VaD patients. The ɛ4 APOE allele may promote intima‐media thickening, interacting with other factors contributing to AD development.
Prevalence and cognitive performances of vascular cognitive impairment no dementia in Japan: the Osaki–Tajiri Project
Authors: Ishii H. , Meguro K. , Yamaguchi S. , Ishikawa H. , Yamadori A.
Published: May 2007

Abstract  Prevalence, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, cognitive function and depression are four major aspects of vascular cognitive impairment no dementia (vascular CIND). We performed a community‐based study to examine these using 497 community‐residents aged 65 years or older. Vascular CIND was defined as a clinical dementia rating (CDR) 0.5 with cerebrovascular disease. Several neuropsychological tests were performed, including MMSE, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Trail Making Test (TMT). Cerebrovascular disease and white matter lesions were visually assessed using MRI. Prevalence of vascular CIND, localization of cerebrovascular disease, and the relationships amongst MRI findings, white matter lesions, cognitive impairment and depression were analyzed. The prevalence of vascular CIND was 8.5% amongst the total population, corresponding to the rate being 37.2% amongst the CDR 0.5 participants. Compared with the CDR 0, the CDR 0.5 group had more subjects with strategic cerebrovascular disease in the thalamus, etc. No effects of cerebrovascular disease on MMSE and GDS scores were found, but the CDR 0.5/strategic cerebrovascular disease group showed impaired TMT‐B scores. In the CDR 0 group, only anterior periventricular hyperintensity was associated with TMT‐A score independent of cerebrovascular disease. A vascular CIND population was identified, and executive dysfunction in this population is probably based on an impaired fronto‐subcortical circuit.
Awareness of potential valvulopathy risk with pergolide and changes in clinical practice after label change: a survey among European neurologists
Authors: LLedó A. , Dellva M. A. , Strombom I. M. , Wilkie J. L. , Jungemann Mark E. , Royer M. G. , Simmons V. E. , Cavazzoni P. A.
Published: May 2007

In response to concern about the reported frequency of ergot‐associated valvulopathy in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), Eli Lilly and Company updated the Risk Minimization Program for pergolide, changing the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and distributing a Dear Doctor Letter (DDL) highlighting the new label changes. A survey was conducted subsequently to assess neurologists’ awareness of the revised SmPC and their resulting changes in practice. A random sample of 20.3% of neurologists (n = 4056) from 12 eligible EU countries were invited to participate. Of the target population of 247 neurologists who treated patients with PD, used pergolide in 2005, and were willing to participate, 244 (99%) responded. Overall awareness of the DDL and the SmPC changes was 94.2%. Over half (58.3%) of neurologists indicated that they prescribe pergolide exclusively as second‐line treatment, although some (21.9%) used pergolide exclusively as first‐line treatment. In response to the DDL, most neurologists perform echocardiograms before treatment (67.5%) and during treatment (76.7%), and over half (55%) avoid prescribing doses >5 mg/day. Overall, use of a DDL to communicate an SmPC change was effective in increasing the awareness of pergolide‐associated valvulopathy and in modifying neurologists’ clinical practice to minimize this risk.
A national stroke quality register: 12 years experience from a participating hospital
Authors: Appelros P. , Samuelsson M. , Karlsson‐Tivenius S. , Lokander M. , Terént A.
Published: May 2007

Registration of all hospitalized stroke patients is practiced in Sweden in order to assess care quality. Data in this register, Riks‐Stroke (RS), may be biased due to incomplete registration. The purpose of this paper was to report changes in stroke outcome in relation to fluctuations in registration. Patients registered in RS at a hospital during the period 1994–2005 were analyzed. Case fatality at 28 days, living conditions, and activities of daily living (ADL) performance at 3 months were correlated to the number of patients registered and follow‐up frequency. A total of 4994 stroke cases were registered during the period. A high annual registration rate was significantly correlated to a high case fatality ratio. A low annual follow‐up rate was associated with a low proportion of patients living in their own home without any need of help. Quality parameters are sensible for selection bias, which make them difficult to compare over time and between hospitals. We suggest that by weighing outcome data against stroke severity, safer conclusions may be drawn. Additionally, hospitals considering setting up quality registers should make every effort to attain complete case ascertainment at all times, including patients managed outside the hospital, in order to avoid selection bias.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a risk factor for stroke‐related seizures
Authors: De Reuck J. , Proot P. , Van Maele G.
Published: May 2007

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disorders and different types of stroke. The present retrospective study investigates whether COPD is also a risk factor for the development of seizures in stroke patients. The study population consisted of 237 patients with stroke‐related seizures. The control population was composed of 939 patients, admitted for a stroke between 2002 and 2004 and who did not develop epileptic spells on a follow up of 2 years. The stroke type and aetiology, and the vascular risk factors, including COPD, were compared. The seizure patients were older (P = 0.009) and had more arterial hypertension (P = 0.046) and cardiac‐embolic strokes (P = 0.045) than the control group. On logistic regression only partial anterior circulation syndrome/infarct (PACS/I) and COPD (P < 0.001) emerged as independent risk factors for the development of seizures in stroke patients. The occurrence of seizures was not related to the severity of the COPD or to its type of treatment. The present study confirms that seizures occur most frequently in patients with a PACS/I. Although we were unable to demonstrate why COPD is a risk factor for seizures in stroke patients, its frequent associated nocturnal oxygen desaturation seems to be the most plausible explanation. Further prospective are needed to assess the role of COPD as a possible independent risk factor for stroke‐related seizures.
Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics of Migraine Among School Children In The Menderes Region
Authors: Akyol A , Kiylioglu N , Aydin I , Erturk A , Kaya E , Telli E , Akyildiz U
Published: June 2007

The goal of this study was to collect and analyse information on the prevalence of childhood migraine and disability due to migraine in primary school children of 4th to 8th grades (ages ranging from 9 to 17 years) in the Aydin urban area. A cross-sectional school-based study was conducted between March and June 2004. There were 76 333 children of 4th to 8th grades in primary schools in Aydin. Nearly 10% of this population (7721 out of 76 333) was evaluated by a multistage clustered sampling procedure. Four questionnaire forms were applied to each child by a study neurologist during class time. Questionnaire A consisted of a single question, ‘Have you ever had a headache?’. To those who responded ‘yes’, questionnaire B was applied as a second step, which consisted of eight questions. Diagnosis of migraine headache was made according to International Classification of Headache Disorders 2004. Migraine disability was measured with questionnaire C, which was originally the Pediatric Migraine Disability Assessment (PedMIDAS). Migraine history, previous migraine diagnosis and pain intensity were measured with questionnaire D. According to questionnaire A, 79.6% of boys and 87.1% of girls suffered from headaches. The prevalence of migraine was 9.7% (7.8% in boys, 11.7% in girls) according to questionnaire B. The male:female ratio was 1:1.5. Total PedMIDAS score was 9.94 ± 8.41 days in boys and 11.50 ± 12.28 days in girls. Only 1.9% of the children had previously been diagnosed with migraine. The average migraine headache history was 2.48 ± 1.18 years in girls and 2.57 ± 1.18 years in boys. Although migraine is a common health problem among school children in Aydin, it is mostly still under-recognized.
On Elder‐Vass: Refining a Refinement
Authors: PORPORA DOUGLAS
Published: June 2007

This paper responds to Dave Elder‐Vass's generally sympathetic critique of Margaret Archer's position on structure and emergence. Elder‐Vass does helpfully emphasize the synchronic effects of structure. Yet, it is argued here, in his treatment of structure, Elder‐Vass tends to concede too much to methodological individualism and to overemphasize social rules at the expense of social relations. Finally, a question is raised about how both Archer and Elder‐Vass and Critical Realism in general speak of emergence.
Why I am not an Individualist
Authors: KING ANTHONY
Published: June 2007

In his defence of emergence, David Elder‐Vass assumes that my hermeneutic position represents a form of individualism. Although a common reading of my position, the claim that I am in individualist is incorrect; I, too, recognize the centrality of collective phenomena to social reality. In fact, there is a close convergence between emergence and the hermeneutic sociology I advocate. However, there also remains an important divide between us. Despite his care to avoid reification, Edler‐Vass descends into ontological dualism, conceptualizing society in terms of structure and agency.
Publicity and Privacy in the History of the British Coffeehouse
Authors: Cowan Brian
Published: May 2007

The continuing debates amongst early modern historians about the supposed rise of a public sphere have invigorated the history of the British coffeehouse. This article interrogates one central aspect of many histories of the coffeehouse – the presumption that there was a ‘golden age’ of British coffeehouse society in the later seventeenth and earlier eighteenth centuries which entered into a state of decline during the later eighteenth and nineteenth centuries – and finds it wanting. The article suggests that the history of the coffeehouse public sphere is better understood in terms of a transformation from an early modern ‘performative publicity’ to a Romantic style of public life which reflected changing notions of the relationship between the self and society that have been identified by cultural historians of the Romantic age. Rather than trying to identify the moment of its decline, historians should try to explain the continuing vitality of the coffeehouse, and by extension the coffeehouse public sphere, as they have evolved over the course of the last three and a half centuries.
Coronary Heart Disease Events Preventable by Control of Blood Pressure and Lipids in US Adults With Hypertension
Authors: Lopez Victor A. , Franklin Stanley S. , Tang Simon , Wong Nathan D.
Published: June 2007

Hypertension (HTN) and dyslipidemia are major risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). In 676 (projected to 26.1 million) US persons from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2002 with HTN, the authors estimated the preventable CHD events from statistical control of blood pressure (BP) and lipid levels. Using Framingham algorithms, the authors projected the CHD events that could be prevented from statistical control of BP, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. If BP was controlled to nominal levels, the authors projected 19% of CHD events (37% if controlled to optimal) would be prevented. Improving lipid levels to nominal levels was estimated to prevent 27% of CHD events (62% if controlled to optimal). Combined control of BP and lipid levels to nominal levels was projected to prevent 38% of CHD events (76% if controlled to optimal). The authors' results demonstrate that combined control of BP and lipid levels may prevent the majority of CHD events in Americans with HTN.
“I Am Not Alone”: The Feasibility and Acceptability of Interactive Voice Response‐Facilitated Telephone Peer Support Among Older Adults With Heart Failure
Authors: Heisler Michele , Halasyamani Lakshmi , Resnicow Kenneth , Neaton Marie , Shanahan Jan , Brown Stephanie , Piette John D.
Published: June 2007

Patient self‐management is a critical determinant of heart failure (HF) outcomes, yet patients with HF are often frail and socially isolated, factors that may limit their ability to manage self‐care and access clinic‐based services. Mobilizing peer support among HF patients is a promising strategy to improve self‐management support. In this pilot, the authors evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of an interactive voice response (IVR)‐based platform to facilitate telephone peer support among older adults with HF. Participants completed a baseline survey, were offered a 3‐hour training session in peer communication skills, and were paired with another patient who had HF. Participants were asked to contact their partner weekly using a toll‐free IVR phone system that protected their anonymity and provided automated reminders if contacts were not made. Times and duration of participants' telephone contacts were monitored and recorded. After the 7‐week intervention, participants completed surveys and brief face‐to‐face interviews. The authors found high levels of use and satisfaction and improvements in depressive symptoms among the 20 pilot study participants. An IVR peer‐support intervention is feasible, is acceptable to patients, and may have positive effects on patients' HF social support and health outcomes, in conjunction with structured health system support, that warrant more rigorous evaluation in a randomized trial.
Epileptogenesis in Experimental Models
Authors: Pitkänen Asla , Kharatishvili Irina , Karhunen Heli , Lukasiuk Katarzyna , Immonen Riikka , Nairismägi Jaak , Gröhn Olli , Nissinen Jari
Published: June 2007

Summary:  Epileptogenesis refers to a phenomenon in which the brain undergoes molecular and cellular alterations after a brain‐damaging insult, which increase its excitability and eventually lead to the occurrence of recurrent spontaneous seizures. Common epileptogenic factors include traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, and cerebral infections. Only a subpopulation of patients with any of these brain insults, however, will develop epilepsy. Thus, there are two great challenges: (1) identifying patients at risk, and (2) preventing and/or modifying the epileptogenic process. Target identification for antiepileptogenic treatments is difficult in humans because patients undergoing epileptogenesis cannot currently be identified. Animal models of epileptogenesis are therefore necessary for scientific progress. Recent advances in the development of experimental models of epileptogenesis have provided tools to investigate the molecular and cellular alterations and their temporal appearance, as well as the epilepsy phenotype after various clinically relevant epileptogenic etiologies, including TBI and stroke. Studying these models will lead to answers to critical questions such as: Do the molecular mechanisms of epileptogenesis depend on the etiology? Is the spectrum of network alterations during epileptogenesis the same after various clinically relevant etiologies? Is the temporal progression of epileptogenesis similar? Work is ongoing, and answers to these questions will facilitate the identification of molecular targets for antiepileptogenic treatments, the design of treatment paradigms, and the determination of whether data from one etiology can be extrapolated to another.
Emotional Climate in Organizations: Applications in Latin American Prisons
Authors: Ruiz José Ignacio
Published: June 2007

Two studies in Latin American prisons analyzed the relation between emotional climate and subclimates, organizational culture, stress, coping, and social support. In the first study, emotional climate was measured in prisons in three different countries by asking employees and prisoners how they perceived the climate in their own group and how they perceived the climate in the outgroup. Employees perceived more positive and less negative emotions in their own group than the prisoners perceived in theirs. The employees correctly perceived high levels of loneliness and sadness in the prisoner group but perceived more guilt and anger and less hope than inmates reported. Within their own group, detainees perceived less joy and confidence in the institution and much more sadness and loneliness than did employees. Participation in institutional activities was associated with a more positive emotional climate. In a second study, using data compiled from five different prisons, it was again found that prisoners perceived high amounts of sadness and loneliness. A negative balance of climate among detainees was associated with a violent and avoidance subculture and with a negative climate among employees. A more positive balance of climate was associated negatively with PTSD and avoidance coping and positively with internal locus of control and subjective social support. The results suggest the importance of distinguishing between positive and negative emotional climate.
Human Security in Communities in Costa Rica and the United States
Authors: Mahoney Caitlin O. , Pinedo Tatiana M.
Published: June 2007

This study has three aims: to create and validate a measure for the experience of human security, to begin exploring how the experience of security relates to the socioeconomic status of the community in which one resides and the emotional climate and culture of peace of one's nation, and to examine what personal factors influence the experience of security within different communities. To assess the security experienced by individuals, we developed a self‐report questionnaire based on seven objective aspects of human security outlined by the United Nations: economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security. We compared middle and lower class communities in the United States and Costa Rica and examined the extent to which individuals depend upon themselves and others in these different communities. Our results show that it is possible to measure the experience of human security, that this experience depends more on national emotional climate than socioeconomic status, and that for community samples, a large part of human security depends on support from family and friends.
Political Violence, Impunity, and Emotional Climate in Maya Communities
Authors: Lykes M. Brinton , Beristain Carlos Martín , Pérez‐Armiñan Maria Luisa Cabrera
Published: June 2007

This article explores the effects of political violence and impunity on the emotional climate of Guatemalan Maya communities and the processes that may be drawn upon to improve such climates as revealed by three studies conducted in the 1990s. The first investigated Guatemalan peasants' emotional responses to political and military repression during an ongoing conflict; the second, the effects of participation in judicial processes among a Guatemalan community recovering from a massacre as peace was being negotiated; and the third, the emotional impact of responding to extreme human rights violations among rural Maya women who also critically examined their gendered location in war and peacemaking. Taken collectively, the findings of these studies suggest several resources that have been deployed by survivors of human rights violations in Guatemala as tools for improving emotional climate and for moving forward in ongoing struggles for truth and justice, even in contexts of persistent violence and impunity.
Collective Rituals, Emotional Climate and Intergroup Perception: Participation in “Gacaca” Tribunals and Assimilation of the Rwandan Genocide
Authors: Kanyangara Patrick , Rimé Bernard , Philippot Pierre , Yzerbyt Vincent
Published: June 2007

Fifty survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and 50 prisoners accused of being responsible of genocidal acts completed four scales 45 days before and 45 days after their participation to a gacaca trial. The scales assessed (1) negative emotions presently felt with regard to the genocide, (2) perceived emotional climate, (3) negative stereotypes of the outgroup, and (4) perceived similarity among outgroup members. Building upon

Durkheim's (1912)

theory of collective rituals, we predicted that participation to the gacaca would involve a reactivation of negative emotions in both groups and would also impact negatively on perceived emotional climate. In contrast, we expected positive consequences for intergroup perception under the form of a reduction of (1) the prejudicial reactions of survivors and prisoners toward each other and (2) the perceived homogeneity of outgroup members. The collected data supported all four predictions.
Culture of Peace: Sociostructural Dimensions, Cultural Values, and Emotional Climate
Authors: Basabe Nekane , Valencia Jose
Published: June 2007

This article examines how objective measures of sociostructural dimensions of a culture of peace are related to subjective national values, attitudes, and emotional climate. National scores on objective measures of four sociostructural dimensions were correlated with national means from a number of cultural value data sets and national indexes of emotional climate. Liberal Development was congruently associated with egalitarian, individualist values, a low negative emotional climate, and less willingness to fight in a new war. By contrast, Violent Inequality was associated with lower harmony values and less valuing of intellectual autonomy. State Use of Violent Means was strongly associated with low harmony values. Nurturance was associated with horizontal individualism, tolerance, cooperative values, and positive emotional climate. The conclusion discusses how the construction of a culture of peace must be based on values as well as objective sociocultural factors.
Subjective Well‐Being and Peace
Authors: Diener Ed , Tov William
Published: June 2007

Hierarchical generalized linear modeling was employed to examine the relations between person‐level subjective well‐being (SWB) and peace‐relevant attitudes, and how these relations vary across nations in the World Values Survey. Person‐level SWB was associated with more confidence in the government and armed forces, greater emphasis on postmaterialist values, stronger support for democracy, less intolerance of immigrants and racial groups, and greater willingness to fight for one's country. These associations were moderated at the nation level by liberal development, violent inequality, gross domestic product, and nation‐level SWB. The moderator effects indicate that happy people are not completely blind to the conditions of their society and that their endorsement of peace attitudes is sensitive to whether the conditions for peace do exist.