bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wadaiko Performance Enhances Synchronized Motion of Mentally Disabled Persons
Authors: Mizuno Eriko , Sakuma Haruo
Published: May 2013

People with mental disabilities tend to lack communication skills and have difficulty with interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal communication skills were examined in two people with Down Syndrome with regard to playing wadaiko (Japanese drum). Motion analysis compared single play and two-person play in which one participant was more skillful than the other. The effect of wadaiko play was quantified using two different methodologies: motion delay and hit-timing analysis and visual analog-scale (VAS) ratings before and after play. The motion analysis indicated that the study participants became mutually synchronized in playing wadaiko, and that a participant played more accurately when he played with a senior member. VAS ratings indicated that participants felt more positive after practicing wadaiko than before and self-confidence improved. Synchronized gestures of wadaiko performance may be an effective therapy for people with limited communication skills.
Coordination of Breathing and Various Movement Markers during Pianists' Performance Tasks
Authors: Nassrallah Flora , Comeau Gilles , Russell Donald , Cossette Isabelle
Published: May 2013

Few investigations have analysed the relations of breathing and pianists' movements. In past studies, however, coordination of breathing with repetitive movements were examined. The current experiment explored the coordinative relations of breathing with three different finger-movement markers (pitch, meter, and thumb passage) during the performance of repetitive exercises at the piano. Eight pianists played the C major scale and arpeggio at different tempi. The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data were collected and the pianists' respiration was simultaneously monitored by inductive plethysmography. Analysis showed that the breathing varied between participants. Other than some exceptional cases for which movement markers coincided with the end of inspiration and the end of expiration of the breathing curve, no coordination or relation occurred between breathing and finger movement.
Motor and Cognitive Performance of Overweight Preschool Children
Authors: Krombholz Heinz
Published: May 2013

Gross and fine motor skills and cognitive performance in obese and overweight children were compared to healthy weight children. Participants were 1,543 children (797 boys and 746 girls) ages 43 to 84 months, attending child-care centers in Munich, Germany. According to German Body Mass Index (BMI) standards for age and sex, 4.6% of the children were classified as obese (percentile greater or equal 97), 6.8% as overweight (percentile greater or equal 90 and less than 97), 5.9% as underweight (percentile less than 10), and 83.1% as being of healthy weight. Dependent variables were physical characteristics (height, weight, skinfold thickness), physical fitness (standing broad jump, shuttle run, hanging), body coordination (balancing forward, balancing backward, lateral jump, hopping), manual dexterity (right and left hand), and cognitive performance (intelligence, verbal ability, concentration). Higher proportions of children from lower socioeconomic and immigrant backgrounds were overweight. There was no association between weight and sex. Overweight children showed lower performance on gross motor skills (coordination and fitness), manual dexterity, and intelligence compared to healthy weight children, even after controlling for the effects of social class and immigration status.
Initial Evidence of the Reliability and Validity of a Three-Dimensional Body Rating Scale for the Congenitally Blind
Authors: Morcado Fabiane F. Rocha , Campana Angela N. N. B. , Ferreira Maria Elisa C. , Rigby Alan S. , Tavares Maria Da ConsolaçãO G. C. F.
Published: May 2013

Research on body dissatisfaction has grown significantly. However, valid and reliable instruments for measuring body dissatisfaction in the congenitally blind have yet to be developed. In three studies, we report on development, test-retest reliability, and concurrent and content validity of the Three-dimensional Body Rating Scale (3BRS) for the congenitally blind. In Study 1, 58 people with congenital blindness (28 women, 30 men; M age = 36.7, SD = 13.1) numerically ordered models of the 3BRS and models of the Two-dimensional Body Rating Scale (2BRS), from very thin to the very fat. In Study 2, the construct validity and reliability of the 3BRS was assessed. The same participants from Study 1 chose the 3BRS model that represented their ideal body and the 3BRS model that represented their actual body. Two weeks later, a re-test was done. In Study 3, 16 experts judged the content validity of the 3BRS. The psychometric properties of the 3BRS, its utility, and its limitations are discussed along with considerations for future research.
Quiet Eye Gaze Behavior of Expert, and Near-Expert, Baseball Plate Umpires
Authors: Millslagle Duane G. , Hines Bridget B. , Smith Melissa S.
Published: May 2013

The quiet eye gaze behavior of 4 near-expert and 4 expert baseball umpires who called balls and strikes in simulated pitch-hit situations was assessed with a mobile eye cornea tracker system. Statistical analyses of the umpires' gaze behavior (fixation/pursuit tracking, saccades, and blinks)—onset, duration, offset, and frequency—were performed between and within 4 stages (pitcher's preparation, pitcher's delivery, ball in flight, and umpire call) by umpire's skill level. The results indicated that the quiet eye of expert umpires at onset of the pitcher's release point occurred earlier and was longer in duration than near-expert umpires. Expert umpires were able to track the flight of the ball for a longer duration than near-expert umpires. The area outside the pitcher's ball release point may be the key environment cue for the behind-the-plate umpire.
Further Thoughts on Boundary Height and Perceived Enclosure
Authors: Li Xiaoshu , Sun Yan , Li Aimei
Published: May 2013

A study conducted by Stamps (2011) examines the effect of boundary height on perceived enclosure based on an experiment asking participants to scale a set of images. The experiment and results are quite instructive. However, some parts of this experimental design should be reconsidered by future researchers because the provided images may not support accurate perceptual recognition in a full 360-degree view and some irrelevant factors should be excluded to the extent possible in realistic designs, conditions, and stimuli.
A Psychometric Evaluation of the Group Environment Questionnaire in a Sample of Professional Basketball and Soccer Players
Authors: Steca P. , Pala A. Norcini , Greco A. , Monzani D. , D'Addario M.
Published: May 2013

Psychometric properties of the Group Environment Questionnaire were investigated in a large sample of soccer ( n = 222) and professional basketball players ( n = 375). Confirmatory factor analysis was performed both on the total sample and on the two subsamples through a multi-group approach; associations between cohesion and the duration of belonging to the team were also explored. Results confirmed the four-factor structure proposed by Carron's original model even though some items with low loadings were eliminated. No significant associations were found between team cohesion and the duration of belonging to the team.
Measuring Motor Skills in Finnish Children with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Rintala Pauli , Loovis E. Michael
Published: May 2013

This investigation examined differences in motor skill development between Finnish children (12 boys, 8 girls) with mild intellectual disability and typically developing Finnish children between the ages of 7 and 11 years. Ulrich's Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD) assessed the performances of 20 children with intellectual disability and an age- and sex-matched sample of 20 children without disabilities. Videotaped performances were assessed by the authors who were very familiar with the TGMD–2. The group with intellectual disability performed at a statistically significantly lower level on the Gross Motor Quotient, Locomotor, and Object Control subtests of TGMD–2, compared to the group without intellectual disability. The delay was equivalent to 3 to 4 years behind the Finnish normative group in gross motor development. In five out of 12 subtests, the group with intellectual disability achieved 0% mastery. Given low gross motor skills, children with intellectual disability require additional fundamental motor skill training in their active school or free time.
Color-Picture Interference in Children: Effects of Spatial and Temporal Segregation of Color and Form
Authors: Heij Wido La , Boelens Harrie , Akerboom Simone P.
Published: May 2013

Children 5 to 8 years of age find it harder to name the color of a meaningful picture (e.g., of a table) than to name the color of an abstract form. Previous research suggests that this color-object interference effect is most likely due to competition between the task set of color-naming and the children's prepotent tendency to name the picture's identity. The present article examined whether color-object interference diminishes when cues are provided that have been shown to facilitate the segregation of the relevant (color) attribute and the irrelevant (form) attribute of the stimulus. Experiment 1 examined the effect of a spatial separation, and Experiment 2 the effect of a temporal separation between color and picture. Both manipulations resulted in the elimination of color-object interference, suggesting that children 5 to 8 years old were able to use these cues to overcome task competition.
Questionable Use of Performance Testing to Predict Success in Soccer Players: Comment on Ljach, et al. (2012)
Authors: Ré Alessandro H. Nicolai , Cattuzzo Maria Teresa , Monteiro Carlos Bandeira De Mello
Published: May 2013

This commentary addresses a prior article by Ljach, et al. (2012) on the topic of talent identification and development in soccer. Despite the potential usefulness of their findings to organize training processes, the predictability of performance testing in talent identification for soccer remains unclear.
PTPN4 negatively regulates CrkI in human cell lines
Authors: Zhou Juan , Wan Bingbing , Shan Jingxuan , Shi Huili , Li Yanhong , Huo Keke
Published: May 2013

PTPN4 is a widely expressed non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase. Although its overexpression inhibits cell growth, the proteins with which it interacts to regulate cell growth are unknown. In this study, we identified CrkI as a PTPN4-interacting protein using a yeast two-hybrid, and confirmed this interaction using in vitro GST pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization assays. We further determined the interactional regions as the SH3 domain of CrkI and the proline-rich region between amino acids 462 and 468 of PTPN4. Notably, overexpression of PTPN4 inhibits CrkI-mediated proliferation and wound healing of HEK293T cells, while knockdown of PTPN4 by siRNA in Hep3B cells enhances CrkI-mediated cell growth and motility. Moreover, our data show that ectopic expression of PTPN4 reduces the phosphorylation level of CrkI in HEK293T cells. These findings suggest that PTPN4 negatively regulates cell proliferation and motility through dephosphorylation of CrkI.
PCR amplification and DNA sequence analysis of parasitic intestinal protozoa in specimens stained with Chlorazol Black E
Authors: Morimoto Norihito , Korenaga Masataka , Nishida Yoshie , Takeuchi Hiroaki , Kumon Yoshitaka , Sugiura Tetsuro
Published: May 2013

Chlorazol Black E (CBE) stain has been used for the detection and identification of intestinal parasitic protozoa. In recent years, genotyping of protozoa has been performed to examine pathogenicity and for epidemiologic analysis. In this study, protozoan DNA was amplified from preserved human fecal specimens stained with CBE that were positive for Giardia intestinalis (syn. G. lamblia and G. duodenalis), Chilomastix mesnili, Pentatrichomonas hominis, and Entamoeba histolytica. DNA was amplified from 11 of the 12 (91.6%) samples examined. DNA from CBE-stained smears of G. intestinalis, E. histolytica, and P. hominis was amplified, whereas any amplification product could not be obtained from one of three smears of C. mesnili. Storage term and protozoan number had no association with results of PCR amplification. In genotyping of G. intestinalis, four out of six (66.7%) samples were of genotype AI, while the remaining two (33.3%) samples were of genotype B. The amplified DNA sequences showed high similarity (>99%) with that of G. intestinalis in the GenBank database. These results suggest that DNA remains stable in CBE-stained smears for long term. The present study demonstrates that nuclear extracts from specimens stained with CBE can be amplified by PCR and suggests that specimens stored for extended periods could be applied to genetic and prospective epidemiologic analyses.
Evaluation of the immune response of male and female rats vaccinated with cDNA encoding a cysteine proteinase of Fasciola hepatica (FhPcW1)
Authors: Wesołowska Agnieszka , Norbury Luke , Januszkiewicz Kamil , Jedlina Luiza , Jaros Sławomir , Zawistowska-Deniziak Anna , Zygner Wojciech , Wędrychowicz Halina
Published: May 2013

Not only do males and females of many species vary in their responses to certain parasitic infections, but also to treatments such as vaccines. However, there are very few studies investigating differences among sexes following vaccination and infection. Here we demonstrate that female Sprague-Dawley rats vaccinated with cDNA encoding a recently discovered cysteine proteinase of Fasciola hepatica (FhPcW1) develop considerably lower liver fluke burdens after F. hepatica infection than their male counterparts. This is accompanied by differences in the course of their immune responses which involve different eosinophil and monocyte responses throughout the study as well as humoral responses. It is evident that host gender influences the outcome of parasitic infections after vaccination and research on both sexes should be considered when developing new treatments against parasites.
Variation in ectoparasite load in the Mehely’s horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) in a nursery colony in western Iran
Authors: Sharifi Mozafar , Taghinezhad Najmeh , Mozafari Fatema , Vaissi Somaye
Published: May 2013

We studied variation of ectoparasite load in a free ranging populations of Mehely’s horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus mehelyi) on five successive occasions in a nursery roost in western Iran. In total, 87 Rhinolophus mehelyi were captured. The patterns of abundance differed greatly among parasite species but total parasite load was markedly higher in pregnant females in spring and early summer and lower in solitary males. On average, 90% of bats were infested by Eyndhovenia sp. with a mean intensity of 13.79 individuals per bat. Penicillidia sp. and one species from Streblidae were found in 66.7% and 11.49% of bats with parasite load of 2.31 and 1.8 parasite per bat, respectively. Using ratio of forearm length to body mass as an indication of bat health the correlation coefficient between parasite load and the health indicator was 0.002 for males and 0.06 for females indicating that parasite load has no apparent impact on bat’s health.
Detection of Theileria equi in spleen and blood of asymptomatic piroplasm carrier horses
Authors: Ribeiro Isabel , Câmara Antônio , Bittencourt Marta , Marçola Tatiana , Paludo Giane , Soto-Blanco Benito
Published: May 2013

This study aimed to determine whether asymptomatic horses naturally infected with Theileria equi retain infected erythrocytes in the spleen and whether the presence of the hemoparasite in this organ is associated with parasitemia. We collected samples from 25 adult horses without clinical signs of any disease. From each animal, we collected whole blood samples from the jugular vein and a splenic puncture blood sample. All samples were submited to blood cell counts and detection of Theileria or Babesia. DNA extraction and PCR were performed in all samples for identification of piroplasm infection (T. equi and B. caballi). From the 25 horses evaluated for piroplasm detection by PCR, seven horses (28%) were positive in jugular vein blood but negative in splenic blood samples, five horses (20%) were positive in splenic blood samples but negative in jugular vein blood samples, and 13 horses (52%) were positive in both jugular vein and splenic blood samples. The hematological evaluation revealed anemia in 13 of 25 (52%) infected horses, lymphopenia in five (20%), neutrophilia in two (8%), neutropenia in one (4%), and thrombocytopenia in one (4%) infected horse. The present study demonstrated that several (20%) of the asymptomatic piroplasm carrier horses did not show parasitemia, but show infected erythrocytes in the spleen.
Differential detection of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba moshkovskii in fecal samples by nested PCR in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Authors: ElBakri Ali , Samie Amidou , Ezzedine Sinda , Odeh Raed
Published: May 2013

Amoebiasis is one of the most important infectious diseases afflicting mainly tropical and subtropical countries. This study was carried out in the Sharjah Emirate, UAE in order to accurately detect and differentiate Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar and E. moshkovskii in fecal samples collected from the Sharjah municipality public health clinic by ELISA and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One hundred and twenty specimens were examined and the PCR was positive for E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii (collectively referred to as Entamoeba complex) in 19.2% (23 out of 120). Of those, 10% (12/120) were mono — infection with E. histolytica; 2.5% (3/120) with E. dispar; and 2.5% (3/120) E. moshkovskii. The nested PCR also detected mixed infections by both E. histolytica and E. dispar in 3.3% (4/120) and E. dispar and E. moshkovskii in 0.8% (1/120). The TechLab ELISA kit failed to detect E. histolytica in any of the E. histolytica PCR positive samples. Overall, the percentage of E. histolytica including those found in mixed infections was 13.3% (16/120). Compared to nested PCR, microscopy was found to have an overall sensitivity of 52.2% and a specificity of 75.2% for detection of Entamoeba complex. The present study indicates that E. histolytica is present in the UAE with an average incidence rate of 13.3%. However, larger studies need to be conducted in order to confirm these findings. We propose the use of PCR in both the routine diagnosis of amoebiasis and epidemiological survey in the UAE.
Massive parasitism by Gussevia tucunarense (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) in fingerlings of bujurqui-tucunare cultured in the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: Mathews Patrick , Mertins Omar , Mathews John , Orbe Rosa
Published: May 2013

A high infestation of the monogenean Gussevia tucunarense in a cultivation of bujurqui-tucunare was reported. The prevalence was 100%. The mean intensity and abundance of the parasite was 164.4 of parasites per individual. This is the first report of a high infestation by G. tucunarense in C. semifasciatus cultured from the Peruvian Amazon.
Molecular characterization of kudoid parasites (Myxozoa: Multivalvulida) from somatic muscles of Pacific bluefin (Thunnus orientalis) and yellowfin (T. albacores) tuna
Authors: Abe Niichiro , Maehara Tomofumi
Published: May 2013

The public health importance of Kudoa infection in fish remains unclear. Recently in Japan a Kudoa species, K. septempunctata, was newly implicated as a causative agent of unidentified food poisoning related to the consumption of raw olive flounder. Other marine fishery products are also suspected as causative raw foods of unidentified food poisoning. For this study, we detected kudoid parasites from sliced raw muscle tissues of a young Pacific bluefin and an adult yellowfin tuna. No cyst or pseudocyst was evident in muscles macroscopically, but pseudocysts were detected in both samples histologically. One substitution (within 1100 bp overlap) and ten substitutions (within 753 bp overlap) were found respectively between the partial sequences of 18S and 28S rDNAs from both isolates. Nucleotide sequence similarity searching of 18S and 28S rDNAs from both isolates showed the highest identity with those of K. neothunni from tuna. Based on the spore morphology, the mode of parasitism, and the nucleotide sequence similarity, these isolates from a Pacific bluefin and a yellowfin tuna were identified as K. neothunni. Phylogenetic analysis of the 28S rDNA sequence revealed that K. neothunni is classifiable into two genotypes: one from Pacific bluefin and the other from yellowfin tuna. Recently, an unidentified kudoid parasite morphologically and genetically similar K. neothunni were detected from stocked tuna samples in unidentified food poisoning cases in Japan. The possibility exists that K. neothunni, especially from the Pacific bluefin tuna, causes food poisoning, as does K. septempunctata.
Parasitic infections of the African dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) and the ornate Nile monitor (Varanus ornatus) from Nigeria
Authors: Enabulele Elisha , Ozemoka Habibat , Awharitoma Agnes , Aisien Martins
Published: May 2013

The parasitic infections of market derived Osteolaemus tetraspis from the rainforest and Varanus ornatus from locations in the savanna-mosaic and the rainforest of southern Nigeria were investigated. Parasites recovered from O. tetraspis included members of the Pentastomida, Trematoda and Nematoda. An undescribed pentastomid belonging to the family Sebekidae was recovered from O. tetraspis. The same parasite was also found to parasitize V. ornatus from the rainforest. Other parasites found in O. tetraspis were Pseudoneodiplostomum thomasi, Dujardinascaris sp. and larva of a Camallanus sp. Varanus ornatus from the rainforest and the derived savanna had some parasites including Duthiersia fimbriata, an unidentified pseudophyllidean cestode and Tanqua tiara in common. Cosmocerca ornata and Oswaldocruzia hoepplii were restricted to hosts from the derived savanna while the unidentified trematode occurred only in lizards from the rainforest. The unidentified pseudophyllidean cestode bears a close resemblance to Probothriocephalus, a cestode previously reported only from deep water teleosts. Pseudoneodiplostomum thomasi and Duthiersia fimbriata are new locality records for Nigeria.
Prevalence, mean intensity of infestation and host specificity of Spinturnicidae mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) on bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in the Pantanal, Brazil
Authors: Silva Camila , Graciolli Gustavo
Published: May 2013

Acari ectoparasites were collected from bats during 12 months in the Rio Negro farm (19°34′22″S and 56°14′36″W), Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul. A total of 654 bats belonging to the families Phyllostomidae, Noctilionidae, Molossidae, Vespertilionidae and Emballonuridae were captured. Only 136 bats of nine genera and 11 species were parasitised. Periglischrus iheringi Oudemans was the most abundant mite species, and this prevalence may be related to the low degree of host specificity of this species and due to the broad geographical distribution of its hosts. The greatest mean intensity was found to Periglischrus torrealbai Machado-Allison on Phyllostomus discolor Wagner (Phyllostomidae) and Periglischrus tonatii Herrin and Tipton associated with Lophostoma silviculum d’Orbigny (Phyllostomidae), which also had the highest prevalence of infestation.
Parasitism of ectoparasitic flies on bats in the northern Brazilian cerrado
Authors: Santos Ciro , Pereira Agostinho , Bastos Vagner , Graciolli Gustavo , Rebêlo José
Published: May 2013

In this work we record the highest number of bat flies species among those already performed in the Brazilian cerrado and discuss the associations and patterns of parasitism of these species and their hosts. A total of 1,390 ectoparasitic flies were collected, belonging to 24 species of Streblidae and one of Nycteribiidae, parasitizing 227 bats of 15 species. Among the species found, the presence of Trichobius sp. on Lonchophylla mordax and the first occurrence of Hershkovitzia sp. on Thyroptera devivoi are highlighted. Lophostoma species presented the highest proportion of individuals with infracommunities and the highest values of parasitological indexes. The high number of bat fly species and hosts, as well as the high values for rates of parasitism and infracommunities, suggests that this area of cerrado has good shelter conditions for these species. The abundance of species and high rates of parasitism detracts from the hypothesis that a higher mean intensity of ectoparasites results from lower competition among flies for hosts in areas with lower ectoparasite species richness. Biogeographical and historical factors of host populations, besides the number of host species and individuals sampled, may contribute to species number and intensity of parasitism.
Metabolomics and protozoan parasites
Authors: Paget Timothy , Haroune Nicolas , Bagchi Sushmita , Jarroll Edward
Published: May 2013

In this review, we examine the state-of-the-art technologies (gas and liquid chromatography, mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance, etc.) in the well-established area of metabolomics especially as they relate to protozoan parasites.
Wilde in Arden, or the Masks of Truth
Authors: Danson Lawrence
Published: May 2013

Worrying the difference between illusion and reality in art is best left for examinations in which (as Oscar Wilde has it in "Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young") "the foolish ask questions which the wise cannot answer." An undergraduate once wisely foreshortened my own classroom discussion by referring to Hamlet as "a case of the standard I&R — you know, Illusion and Reality — it's all over the place"; so all over the place that we can even find Wilde himself, in his most extensive essay in dramatic theory, struggling to get out of an I&R swamp. The immediate occasion is his revision of an early essay, "Shakespeare and Stage Costume" (1885), for inclusion in the 1891 volume of essays called Intentions. But the occasion spreads to other essays and reviews; it has for its context a central polemic of fin-de-siecle aestheticism; and it involves actual productions and plays, where theory and practice meet. But I begin with Wilde's problem in revising the old essay for the new volume.
Oscar Wilde, Social Purity, and An Ideal Husband
Authors: Dellamora Richard
Published: May 2013

The Oscar Wilde who edited a magazine entitled The Woman's World between 1887 and 1889 was an enthusiastic supporter of the advent of women's influence in politics: "The family ideal of the State may be difficult of attainment, but as an ideal it is better than the policeman theory. It would mean the moralisation of politics. The cultivation of separate sorts of virtues and separate ideals of duty in men and women has led to the whole social fabric being weaker and unhealthier than it need be." Wilde's endorsement of this change, however, was by no means simple. He welcomed the advent of "the family ideal" in politics only on the condition that "separate ideals of duty in men and women" be abandoned. Within the context of social purity agitation of the day, this phrase meant the abandonment of the double sexual standard for men and women as well as the doctrine of separate spheres, i.e., the doctrine that women should exercise influence within the home while public influence should be reserved to men. A change in "separate ideals" confined to these terms was liable to operate at the expense of the Wilde who, within a few years, was circulating as a "John" in London's male sex trade, The erosion of separate spheres deprived Wilde of the sorts of protection that upper- and upper-middle-class men customarily enjoyed.
The Origins of The Importance of Being Earnest
Authors: Raby Peter
Published: May 2013

The progress of The Importance of Being Earnest from its first embryonic state in the summer of 1894 to the triumphant opening at the St James's Theatre on February 14th, 1895 is both complex and obscure. There are gaps in Wilde's correspondence, most of which is undated. The relationship between the various drafts, manuscript and typescript, both the three- and four-act version, is hard to establish definitively. The prompt-copy of the first production is missing, though an early prompt-copy of Alexander exists. This essay will begin by tracing some of the background to the play's inception, and propose a few adjustments to the sequence; and it will review one or two stages of the business negotiations which form an integral part of the process which shaped Wilde's last play.
Narcissistic Reflections in a Wilde Mirror
Authors: Beckson Karl
Published: May 2013

At the opening of Act III of An Ideal Husband (1895), the dandiacal Lord Goring engages in conversation with his servant, Phipps, described by Wilde as "a mask with a manner" who represents the "dominance of form," the perfect reflection of his master. Thus, Phipps echoes Goring's remarks with affirmative responses as though validating his master's narcissistic vision of reality (indeed, the following should be staged with Goring gazing into a mirror in admiration of his self-generated, idealized existence as though an artist admiring his own creation).
Wilde Interpretations
Authors: Stokes John
Published: May 2013

We live in an age of interpretation, a fact that is constantly mentioned in the theatrical journals. Some think that it has always been this way, that there never has been representation without mediation; others, like the director Jonathan Miller, that the power of interpretation is a recent phenomenon with complex origins. "[H]istorical change has accelerated so much in the last fifty years that the differences between 'now' and even a quite recent 'then' are much more noticeable" says Miller, "the bequests of the past arouse our interpretative energies as never before." "Besides," he goes on, "the life of the mind has now taken a distinctively 'interpretative turn', and with the development of self-consciously hermeneutic interests the problem of meaning assumes a paramount importance."
Wilde Designs: Some Thoughts about Recent British Productions of His Plays
Authors: Cave Richard Allen
Published: May 2013

It might seem perverse, given the current revaluation of his achievements, to claim for Wilde a pioneering status in the field of stage design. We have only two rudimentary sketches for settings in his own hand (one a rough groundplan attached to a manuscript of Salome, in which he appears to be deciding what would be the ideal disposition of cistern and staircase within the stage space; the other is also a groundplan of the starkest dimensions suggesting in a letter to George Alexander precisely how and where a particular sofa should be placed on stage for the last act of Lady Windermere's Fan to focus the audience's attention consistently on Mrs. Erlynne). There also Burvives, though not in holograph form, a further sketch for a stage setting for Salome, which was made by Charles Ricketts when in conversation with Wilde; it exactly matches in its details with Ricketts's published account of their talk in his essay, "On the Art of Stage Decoration," where he describes how their ideas took shape; and it exactly renders Wilde's groundplan as a practicable design.
Oscar Wilde: A "Writerly" Life
Authors: Jackson Russell , Small Ian
Published: May 2013

For many of Wilde's works there are numerous manuscript and typescript texts and drafts; many works, too, exist in more than one published version. This fortunate circumstance allows us to study his methods as a writer, and it affords modern scholars a degree of intimacy with him not available to earlier critics. The constant revision of his work exhibited in the manuscripts and typescripts will be documented in the forthcoming Oxford English Texts edition of Wilde's works. But does this material have implications beyond textual scholarship? Does acknowledge of Wilde's writing practices bear in any way on his biography?
"Effeminacy" and "Femininity" Sexual Politics in Wilde's Comedies
Authors: Sinfield Alan
Published: May 2013

We need to recover the initial perceptions of Wilde, and of his dandy characters — before the notoriety of the trials. It is a mistake to suppose that Wilde and his audiences "really" had a concept of gayness like our own, but kept it behind a mask; that it is lurking, therefore, beneath the text — as if it were a statue under a sheet, fully formed but waiting to be unveiled. The modern idea of the homosexual was in the process of getting constituted — largely, I argue elsewhere, through the figure of Wilde himself.
Narcissistic Reflections in a Wilde Mirror
Authors: Bristow Joseph
Published: May 2013

At the opening of Act III of An Ideal Husband (1895), the dandiacal Lord Goring engages in conversation with his servant, Phipps, described by Wilde as "a mask with a manner" who represents the "dominance of form," the perfect reflection of his master. Thus, Phipps echoes Goring's remarks with affirmative responses as though validating his master's narcissistic vision of reality (indeed, the following should be staged with Goring gazing into a mirror in admiration of his self-generated, idealized existence as though an artist admiring his own creation).
Does Phallic Masculinity Still Matter?: Masculinities in Indonesian Teenlit during the Post-Reformasi Period (1998–2007)
Authors: Wulan Nur
Published: May 2013

This paper examines the representation of masculinities in commercial or popular Indonesian literature for young people published during the Post- Reformasi period. Within the climate of more open socio-political atmosphere of the period, the teenage literature shows more involvement of young female writers. While the representation of female protagonists indicates more progressive gender roles, the portrayal of male protagonists in teenlit written by female writers reflect more conservative gender perspective. on the other hand, ways of being male in the form of literature written by male authors indicate the stream of masculinity derived from the Javanese aristocratic values ( priyayi). This variant of masculinity, which was promoted actively in the previous regime (the New order regime), shows signs of restraint.
Men against the Wall: Graffiti(ed) Masculinities
Authors: Lombard Kara-Jane
Published: May 2013

This paper invokes the categories of the masculine that have been discursively constructed in the historical and social context of hip hop and graffiti culture. The production and performance of graffiti(ed) masculinities are the result of a complex mix that samples notions of class, race, violence, space, commodification, gender, resistance, and violence. Graffiti culture embodies the colonizer's ideals of a masculinity that is dangerous, aggressive and takes risks, while giving men a medium with which to tell their stories and allowing them to express their emotions. The article argues that graffiti(ed) masculinities are composed of seemingly disparate and complex components that shadow the masculine ideals of the colonizer, of hegemonic masculinity, as well as borrowing from notions of subordinate and resistive masculinities.
Intracerebral schwannomas: a rare disease with varying natural history
Authors: Scott William W. , Koral Korgun , Margraf Linda R. , Klesse Laura , Sacco David J. , Weprin Bradley E.
Published: May 2013

Although intracerebral schwannomas are typically regarded as benign intracranial tumors, malignancy and recurrence have been reported among patients harboring such neoplasms. The available literature consists of case reports and small series that present variable characteristics distinguishing these unusual lesions. Little advancement has been made to further the understanding and management of these tumors. The authors present 3 cases from their institution that highlight the difference between typical benign intracerebral schwannomas and histopathological variants that may portend more aggressive behavior. Also provided is a review of the literature in the hope of gaining a better understanding of these rare tumors.
William P. Van Wagenen (1897–1961): pupil, mentor, and neurosurgical pioneer
Authors: Kimmell Kristopher T. , Petraglia Anthony L. , Ballou Mary Ann , Pilcher Webster H.
Published: May 2013

William Perrine (“Van”) Van Wagenen (1897–1961) was the first Chief of Neurosurgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), serving from 1928 to 1954, and was a leading figure in 20th-century neurosurgery. He was a devoted pupil of Dr. Harvey Cushing and helped to found the Harvey Cushing Society (now the AANS) in honor of his mentor and was elected as its first President in 1932. He served as the 27th President of the Society of Neurological Surgeons in 1952. Upon his death in 1961 he bequeathed an endowment for the Van Wagenen Fellowship, which has advanced the education of many leaders in American neurosurgery. His legacy of operative skill, his commitment to resident education and research in neurological disease, his inspiration for the foundation of the Cushing Brain Tumor registry, and his contributions to organized neurosurgery form the foundation of the legacy of neurosurgery at URMC.
Association of increased body mass index with Chiari malformation Type I and syrinx formation in adults
Authors: Arnautovic Kenan I. , Muzevic Dario , Splavski Bruno , Boop Frederick A.
Published: May 2013

Object

In this paper the authors describe an association between increased body mass index (BMI) and Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) in adults, as well as its relationship to the development of syringomyelia.

Methods

In the period between January 2004 and December 2011, the senior author reviewed the data for all CM-I patients with or without syringomyelia and neurological deficit. Analyzed factors included clinical status (headaches and neurological signs), radiological characteristics of syringomyelia (diameter and vertical extent of syrinx), BMI, and relationship of age to BMI, syrinx diameter, and vertical extent of syrinx.

Results

Sixty consecutive adults had CM-I, 26 of whom also had syringomyelia. The mean BMI among all patients was 30.35 ± 7.65, which is Class I obesity (WHO), and was similar among patients with or without syringomyelia. Extension of the vertical syrinx was greater in overweight patients (p = 0.027) than in those with a normal body weight. Evidence of de novo syrinx formation was found in 2 patients who gained an average BMI of 10.8 points. After repeated decompression and no change in holocord syrinx width or vertical extent, a reduction in the syrinx was seen after BMI decreased 11.7 points in one individual. No correlation was found between patient age and BMI, age and vertical extension of the syrinx, and age and diameter of the syrinx.

Conclusions

An association between increased BMI and CM-I in adults was recognized. Gaining weight may influence the de novo creation of a syrinx in adults who previously had minimally symptomatic or asymptomatic CM-I, and reducing weight can improve a syrinx after unsuccessful surgical decompression. Therefore, a reduction in body weight should be recommended for all overweight and obese patients with CM-I.
Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring of extracranial-intracranial bypass procedures
Authors: Dengler Julius , Cabraja Mario , Faust Katharina , Picht Thomas , Kombos Theodoros , Vajkoczy Peter
Published: May 2013

Object

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) represents an established tool in neurosurgery to increase patient safety. Its application, however, is controversial. Its use has been described as helpful in avoiding neurological deterioration during intracranial aneurysm surgery. Its impact on extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery involving parent artery occlusion for the treatment of complex aneurysms has not yet been studied. The authors therefore sought to evaluate the effects of IONM on patient safety, the surgeon's intraoperative strategies, and functional outcome of patients after cerebral bypass surgery. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring results were compared with those of intraoperative blood flow monitoring to assess bypass graft perfusion.

Methods

Compound motor action potentials (CMAPs) were generated using transcranial electrical stimulation in patients undergoing EC-IC bypass surgery. Preoperative and postoperative motor function was analyzed. To assess graft function, intraoperative flowmetry and indocyanine green fluorescence angiography were performed. Special care was taken to compare the relevance of electrophysiological and blood flow monitoring in the detection of critical intraoperative ischemic episodes.

Results

The study included 31 patients with 31 aneurysms and 1 bilateral occlusion of the internal carotid arteries, undergoing 32 EC-IC bypass surgeries in which radial artery or saphenous vein grafts were used. In 11 cases, 15 CMAP events were observed, helping the surgeon to determine the source of deterioration and to react to it: 14 were reversible and only 1 showed no recovery. In all cases, blood flow monitoring showed good perfusion of the bypass grafts. There were no false-negative results in this series. New postoperative motor deficits were transient in 1 case, permanent in 1 case, and not present in all other cases.

Conclusions

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring is a helpful tool for continuous functional monitoring of patients undergoing large-caliber vessel EC-IC bypass surgery. The authors' results suggest that continuous neurophysiological monitoring during EC-IC bypass surgery has relevant advantages over flow-oriented monitoring techniques such as intraoperative flowmetry or indocyanine green–based angiography.
Pancraniosynostosis following endoscope-assisted strip craniectomy and helmet orthosis for sagittal suture craniosynostosis in a nonsyndromic patient
Authors: Jenkins Gregory H. , Smith Nicola R. , McNeely P. Daniel
Published: May 2013

A variety of surgical strategies are used to correct sagittal craniosynostosis. There is increasing experience with the use of endoscope-assisted techniques, although there is no consensus regarding the optimal technique. Pancraniosynostosis occurring after the surgical repair of single-suture craniosynostosis is an unusual complication. The authors describe the case of a nonsyndromic patient who underwent an endoscope-assisted strip craniectomy with the subsequent use of a helmet orthosis for correction of an isolated sagittal suture craniosynostosis. The patient's early postoperative course was uneventful. Pancraniosynostosis subsequently developed, requiring much more extensive surgical correction. Awareness of this potential complication is necessary to ensure its recognition and appropriate management.
Nonoperative management of solitary eosinophilic granulomas of the calvaria
Authors: De Angulo Guillermo , Nair Sushmita , Lee Vivian , Khatib Ziad , Ragheb John , Sandberg David I.
Published: May 2013

Object

Solitary eosinophilic granuloma (EG) of the calvaria is most commonly treated with surgical excision. The authors hypothesize that many solitary EGs will resolve without intervention, and observation may be a reasonable option. This study was undertaken to investigate that hypothesis.

Methods

The authors reviewed their institutional records and identified 14 cases of solitary calvarial EG. In 6 cases the patients underwent resection based on family and/or neurosurgeon preferences. A strategy of nonoperative management (purposeful observation) was chosen for the other 8 cases. The authors report the clinical course and imaging results in these 8 cases.

Results

One of the 8 patients underwent surgery 2 months after presentation because of slight enlargement of the lesion and increasing pain. After a median follow-up period of 1 year (range 6–19 months), none of the other patients had required surgery. Five of these 7 patients had pain at presentation. Pain resolved completely in all 5. The remaining 2 remained asymptomatic. Complete resolution of pain was reported in the 5 patients who had pain at presentation. There was complete clinical resolution of the palpable soft-tissue lesion in all 7 cases. Complete radiographic resolution of the lesion was observed in 5 cases and near-complete resolution in the remaining 2.

Conclusions

Observation is a safe and reasonable approach in the management of solitary calvarial EG and may prevent unnecessary surgical interventions.
Arachnoid cyst slit valves: the mechanism for arachnoid cyst enlargement
Authors: Halani Sameer H. , Safain Mina G. , Heilman Carl B.
Published: May 2013

Arachnoid cysts are common, accounting for approximately 1% of intracranial mass lesions. Most are congenital, clinically silent, and remain static in size. Occasionally, they increase in size and produce symptoms due to mass effect or obstruction. The mechanism of enlargement of arachnoid cysts is controversial. One-way slit valves are often hypothesized as the mechanism for enlargement. The authors present 4 cases of suprasellar prepontine arachnoid cysts in which a slit valve was identified. The patients presented with hydrocephalus due to enlargement of the cyst. The valve was located in the arachnoid wall of the cyst directly over the basilar artery. The authors believe this slit valve was responsible for the net influx of CSF into the cyst and for its enlargement. They also present 1 case of an arachnoid cyst in the middle cranial fossa that had a small circular opening but lacked a slit valve. This cyst did not enlarge but surgery was required because of rupture and the development of a subdural hygroma. One-way slit valves exist and are a possible mechanism of enlargement of suprasellar prepontine arachnoid cysts. The valve was located directly over the basilar artery in each of these cases. Caudad-to-cephalad CSF flow during the cardiac cycle increased the opening of the valve, whereas cephalad-to-caudad CSF flow during the remainder of the cardiac cycle pushed the slit opening against the basilar artery and decreased the size of the opening. Arachnoid cysts that communicate CSF via circular, nonslit valves are probably more likely to remain stable.
Extradural cyst causing spinal cord compression in osteoporotic compression fracture
Authors: Lee Jung-Hee , Kim Ki-Tack , Suk Kyung-Soo , Lee Sang-Hun , Jeong Bi-O , Oh Hyun-Seok , Lee Chul-Hee , Kim Myung-Seo
Published: May 2013

Intraspinal cystic lesions with different pathogeneses have been reported to cause neurological deficits; however, no one has focused on the intraspinal extradural cysts that develop after osteoporotic compression fracture. The reported case features a 66-year-old woman presenting with progressive neurological deficit, back pain, and no history of additional trauma after undergoing conservative treatment for an osteoporotic fracture of L-1. The authors present serial radiographs and MR images demonstrating an epidural cyst successfully treated via a single posterior approach. This appears to be the first such case reported in the literature.