bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enlightened Localism and Local Experimentalism in Public Policy: Schooling Policies of Children with Immigrant Backgrounds in Denmark and Spain
Authors: Ahedo Manuel
Published: July 2010

I examine how local municipalities in Denmark and Spain carried out experiments in schooling policy on pupils with immigrant backgrounds, toward improving the process of social integration and academic performance. Policy affecting second generation immigrant children generated conflicts over rights, values, and norms in the public sphere. I analyze local public policy decisions first by confronting two perspectives, local experimentalism and enlightened localism, with one another, and then by identifying various ways in which they are complementary.
Divorce in an Islamic American Context: Muslim Lebanese-American Women Navigating Religious and Civil Legal Systems
Authors: Berry Moulouk
Published: July 2010

This essay discusses divorce and Islamic law in the United States. Specifically, it examines the Shi‘i Muslim Lebanese-American community in Detroit, Michigan, and the way different actors such as women, local imams, judges, and lawyers are working to bridge the differences that exist between secular and religious laws in issues pertaining to divorce and the concomitant complexities involved. In particular, the essay highlights the contingent character of Islam, and the ways in which Muslim-Americans are working to navigate the nuances and find innovative legal solutions for marriage and divorce that take into consideration American civil law, Islamic law, the ethnic Lebanese subculture of the Lebanese Shi‘i community as well as the wider American culture.
Public Spaces/Muslim Places: Locating Sierra Leonean Muslim Identity in Washington, D.C.
Authors: D’Alisera JoAnn
Published: July 2010

In this paper I explore the way in which Muslim space is produced in public venues to become a tangible medium through which Sierra Leonean Muslims living in Washington, D.C. reflect upon the harmonies and tensions of life in the city. I ask how secular sites such as work spaces, street corners and sidewalks are remade by a multiplicity of sanctifying patterns of action that are performed in conscious tension with the way American public spaces are normally perceived. I illustrate the complex ways that spatial practices that emplace the sacred onto mundane sites creates complex social fields in which Sierra Leoneans negotiate the social relations and practical knowledge of their world. In so doing, I show that sacred meaning and significance can coalesce in any place that becomes a site for intensive religious interpretation and thus essential locations of self-reflection and self-constitution in cities.
Many Gateways to the Gateway City: Elites, Class and Policy Networking in the London African Diaspora
Authors: Werbner Pnina
Published: July 2010

Can we speak of the existence of an ‘African diaspora’ over and above the many discrete national diaspora groups in Britain? The present paper explores the conviviality and reach of black African elite networks in London across ethnic boundaries, their mastery of a shared language of governance and their capacity as actors and activists operating in civil society. Their achievement has been, the paper argues, to create a nascent black African diasporic public sphere in which the diaspora is imagined, constructed and mobilised across divisions of language, religion, nation and class. New multicultural policies in Britain have facilitated this networking, which is grounded in ethical notions of caring, justice and ethnic permeability.
Israel and the ‘Holy Land’: The Religio-Political Discourse of Rights among African Migrant Labourers and African Asylum Seekers, 1990-2008
Authors: Sabar Galia
Published: July 2010

The religious arena created in Israel by sub-Saharan African migrants from 1990-2008 was an expanded and flexible one which touched on complex questions related not only to what some may term “purely” religious themes but, among other issues, to identity and rights. The present paper compares two waves of migration,1 the first arriving in Israel by air as tourists or pilgrims throughout the 1990s, mainly from West Africa, part of a larger worldwide expansion of African international labour migration; and the second, which started in 2005, of predominantly Sudanese and Eritreans, who entered the country illegally in search of asylum or work opportunities across its lax border with Egypt. While the former cohort deployed a religious rhetoric of attachment to the Holy Land, the latter invoked international human rights to claim their rights as refugees in addition to religious rhetoric. The paper considers the context and grounds for this shift in political tactics and rhetoric of migrant discursive stance vis-à-vis the state.
The Moral Economy of the African Diaspora: Citizenship, Networking and Permeable Ethnicity
Authors: Fumanti Mattia , Werbner Pnina
Published: July 2010

Scholarship on the African diaspora has documented the legal hurdles African migrants face in acquiring residence and begun to record the religious efflorescence of African Independent churches. Missing, however, is attention to the complex moral assumptions informing African diasporic sociality and claims to citizenship, whether through churches or voluntary associations. The present volume fills this hiatus by theorising the moral economy of citizenship claims and transnational giving. Its contributors explore the underlying ethical assumptions, ideas and practices of African migrants implied by their calls for recognition and the right to work and live in the diaspora, whether or not they possess the required legal documents, and despite being different racially and culturally. We interrogate both the tendency of migrants to encapsulate themselves in religious or home town associations with compatriots or coreligionists, and their expansive horizons and moves towards ‘permeable’ ethnicity, ‘cosmopolitan’ networking and multiculturalism, as they create, imagine and construct the ‘African diaspora’.
Substance P Sensitizes P2X3 in Nociceptive Trigeminal Neurons
Authors: Park C.K. , Bae J.H. , Kim H.Y. , Jo H.J. , Kim Y.H. , Jung S.J. , Kim J.S. , Oh S.B.
Published: July 2010

Peripheral inflammation produces pain hypersensitivity by sensitizing nociceptors. Potentiation of P2X3 receptor activity in nociceptors may play an important role in this peripheral sensitization. However, we do not fully understand how P2X3 activity is elevated in inflammation. Thus, we investigated whether P2X3 activity in trigeminal nociceptive neurons is regulated by the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor that is activated by an inflammatory mediator, substance P. Single-cell RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed that NK-1 in nociceptive neurons was mainly co-expressed with P2X3. Ca2+ imaging and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings indicated that both substance P and Sar-substance P, a selective NK-1 agonist, significantly potentiated α,β-meATP-induced currents and [Ca2+]i responses in nociceptive neurons. These potentiating effects were completely blocked by GR82334, a specific NK-1 antagonist. Our results demonstrate that substance P sensitizes P2X3 receptor through the activation of NK-1, thus warranting these receptors as possible targets for pain therapy in the orofacial region. Abbreviations: α,β-methylene adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), α,β-meATP; neurokinin-1, NK-1; single-cell reverse-transcription polymerase chain-reaction, single-cell RT-PCR; [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-substance P, Sar-substance P.
Family Policy in Germany: Is the Romanticized Idealization of the Male Breadwinner Losing its Relevance?
Authors: Nill Alexander , Shultz Clifford J.
Published: July 2010

The authors examine interactions among public policy, family values, and family living in Germany, a unique and evolving marketing system. A brief historical synopsis of family policy and family matters in Germany is presented. Then, the traditional normative framework underlying most family matters—the paradigm of the male breadwinner—is discussed. For many Germans, the values behind the male breadwinner paradigm do not provide guidelines for daily decisions. Rather, they reflect a romanticized abstraction of idealized family living. The article concludes with a call for an open dialogue about the normative foundations of family policy in Germany, eventually to establish agreed upon norms and guiding principles for public policy aimed at family, with implications for the marketing system and societal well-being.
Values, objectivity and credibility of scientists in a contentious natural resource debate
Authors: Yamamoto Yuri T.
Published: July 2010

In contentious natural resource debates, the credibility of scientists is at risk. In this case study, citizens in contending communities and scientists in a forest management controversy constructed the scientists’ credibility differently. Shared values and views of the nature of science and objectivity were primary factors for constructing scientists’ credibility. Citizens who expected value-free, objective scientists to authenticate their knowledge were concerned about how the values of scientists on the opposite side affected research framing. Citizens who emphasized limited objectivity were less skeptical of scientists. Scientists acknowledged their values but defended their credibility in terms of professional standards, balance and resource constraints. In short, scientists’ credibility is relative because each individual has unique values and views of the nature of science and objectivity. Through a collaborative policymaking process, citizens and scientists should develop shared values and visions to reconstruct a temporary, intersubjective sense of credibility.
Respondent Satisfaction and Respondent Burden among Differently Motivated Participants in a Health-Related Survey
Authors: Wenemark Marika , Hollman Frisman Gunilla , Svensson Tommy , Kristenson Margareta
Published: July 2010

Response rates in surveys have declined in many countries over the last decade. Reasons for refusal by nonrespondents have been discussed in many studies, but less attention has been paid to motivation among respondents who do take part. One theoretical framework for studying motivation is self-determination theory, which distinguishes between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. This article describes respondents’ experiences of participating in a self-administered health-related survey. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze data from semistructured telephone interviews with 30 Swedish respondents aged 45—64 years. The results show a broad spectrum of positive as well as negative aspects of survey participation.
Commentary on a Case Study of State-Owned Hotels in China
Authors: Stambler Eric
Published: July 2010

The recent liquidity crisis in the global hotel sector makes valuation more critical than ever, as a two-year scarcity in transactions and reduced prices have challenged hotel valuation methodology in certain markets. Chinese owners and sponsors of new projects should have all the tools at their disposal to negotiate successful transactions at reasonable valuations. Access to information makes buy-sell transactions more efficient and often rewards the sellers with higher valuations if they can make a persuasive case. One effective valuation approach is a discounted cash flow model, with particular attention paid to the risk premium. The Chinese hotel sector has evolved into segments, divided according to geography and according to service offerings. Sellers must accurately interpret scarce data and be innovative in their application of capitalization rates and comparable transactions from similar markets, both within the Asia Pacific region and in other emerging markets at similar stages of development.
Surfactant protein B and RAGE increases in the plasma during cardiopulmonary bypass: a pilot study
Authors: Agostoni P. , Banfi C. , Brioschi M. , Magrì D. , Sciomer S. , Berna G. , Brambillasca C. , Marenzi G. , Sisillo E.
Published: July 2010

Surfactant derived protein B (SPB) and plasma receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) have been proposed as markers of lung injury. The former is produced specifically by pneumocytes while RAGE production is present in several body tissues. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) generates a transient lung injury. We measured SPB and RAGE in plasma before surgery and after CPB, as well as 24 h and 48 h later.

We analysed plasma samples from 20 subjects scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting. We performed a quantitative analysis of plasma levels of RAGE and SPB mature form (8 kDa) by ELISA and a semi-quantitative analysis of SPB immature form (∼40 kDa) by Western blotting.

Surgery procedures were uneventful. After CPB RAGE median (75th–25th interquartile difference) increased from 633 (539) pg·mL−1to 1,362 (557) pg·mL−1(p<0.01), while mature SPB increased from 5,587 (3,089) ng·mL−1to 20,307 (19,873) ng·mL−1(p<0.01). RAGE and mature SPB returned to normal values within 48 h. This behaviour was confirmed when RAGE and SPB were normalised for protein content. Parallel changes were observed for immature SPB.

Plasma RAGE and SPBs are sensitive and rapid markers of lung distress.
Association of inflammatory bowel disease risk loci with sarcoidosis, and its acute and chronic subphenotypes
Authors: Fischer A. , Nothnagel M. , Franke A. , Jacobs G. , Saadati H.R. , Gaede K.I. , Rosenstiel P. , Schürmann M. , Müller-Quernheim J. , Schreiber S. , Hofmann S.
Published: July 2010

Sarcoidosis is a complex granulomatous inflammatory disorder that shares several clinical and pathogenic features with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Postulating a common genetic basis of inflammatory diseases, we tested 106 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are known or have been suggested to be associated with IBD for a potential association with sarcoidosis and its acute and chronic subphenotypes.

We genotyped 1,996 German sarcoidosis patients, comprising 648 acutely and 1,161 chronically affected individuals, 2,622 control subjects, and 342 German trios with affected offspring using SNPlex™ technology.

The nonsynonymous SNP rs11209026 (Arg381Gln) in the interleukin (IL)-23 receptor (IL23R) gene was associated with chronic sarcoidosis (OR 0.63; p = 5.58×10−5), which was supported by the result of a transmission disequilibrium test analysis in the independent family sample (OR 0.50; p = 0.031). Marker rs12035082 located at chromosome 1q24.3 was found to be associated with the acute subphenotype (OR 1.36; p = 6.80×10−7) and rs916977 (HERC2locus; OR 1.30; p = 4.49×10−5) was associated with sarcoidosis.

Our results highlight the potential importance of the IL-23 signalling pathway for the development of chronic sarcoidosis. The finding links sarcoidosis pathogenesis to other inflammatory conditions and may contribute to new hypotheses on disease mechanisms.
Agenesis of paranasal sinuses and nasal nitric oxide in primary ciliary dyskinesia
Authors: Pifferi M. , Bush A. , Caramella D. , Di Cicco M. , Zangani M. , Chinellato I. , Macchia P. , Boner A.L.
Published: July 2010

Agenesis of paranasal sinuses has only been described in case reports of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). As agenesis of paranasal sinuses may contribute to low nasal nitric oxide levels, a common finding in PCD, we speculated that this condition might frequently occur in PCD patients.

Patients referred for PCD evaluation were consecutively recruited for 30 months. In addition to standard diagnostic testing for PCD, a computed tomography (CT) scan of paranasal sinuses was performed in all subjects.

86 patients (46 children aged 8–17 yrs) were studied. PCD was diagnosed in 41 subjects and secondary ciliary dyskinesia (SCD) was diagnosed in the remaining 45 subjects. Frontal and/or sphenoidal sinuses were either aplastic or hypoplastic on CT scans in 30 (73%) out of 41 PCD patients, but in only 17 (38%) out of 45 with SCD (p = 0.002). There was a significant inverse correlation between the score for aplasia/hypoplasia of each paranasal sinus and nasal NO values in the PCD patients (p = 0.008, r = −0.432) but not in SCD (p = 0.07, r = −0.271).

The findings of aplasia/hypoplasia of the frontal and or sphenoidal sinuses may be part of the spectrum of PCD and this finding should prompt exclusion of this condition.
Degradation of HER2/neu by ANT2 shRNA suppresses migration and invasiveness of breast cancer cells
Authors: Jang Ji-Young , Jeon Yoon-Kyung , Kim Chul-Woo
Published: July 2010

Background

In breast cancer, the HER2/neu oncoprotein, which belongs to the epidermal growth factor receptor family, may trigger activation of the phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, which controls cell proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion. In this study, we examined the question of whether or not adenine nucleotide translocase 2 (ANT2) short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated down-regulation of HER2/neu and inhibitory effects on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway suppressed migration and invasiveness of breast cancer cells.

Methods

We utilized an ANT2 vector-based RNA interference approach to inhibition of ANT2 expression, and the HER2/neu-overexpressing human breast cancer cell line, SK-BR3, was used throughout the study.

Results

In this study, ANT2 shRNA decreased HER2/neu protein levels by promoting degradation of HER2/neu protein through dissociation from heat shock protein 90 (HSP90). As a result, ANT2 shRNA induced inhibitory effects on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling by ANT2 shRNA caused down-regulation of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, decreased matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and MMP9 activity, and suppressed migration and invasion of breast cancer cells.

Conclusions

These results indicate that knock-down of ANT2 by shRNA down-regulates HER2/neu through suppression of HSP90's function and inhibits the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, resulting ultimately in suppressed migration and invasion of breast cancer cells.
Morphological and molecular characterization of developing vertebral fusions using a teleost model
Authors: Ytteborg Elisabeth , Torgersen Jacob , Baeverfjord Grete , Takle Harald
Published: July 2010

Background

Spinal disorders are a major cause of disability for humans and an important health problem for intensively farmed animals. Experiments have shown that vertebral deformities present a complex but comparable etiology across species. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in bone deformities are still far from understood. To further explicate the mechanisms involved, we have examined the fundamental aspects of bone metabolism and pathogenesis of vertebral fusions in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Results

Experimentally, juvenile salmon were subjected to hyperthermic conditions where more than 28% developed fused vertebral bodies. To characterize the fusion process we analyzed an intermediate and a terminal stage of the pathology by using x-ray, histology, immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR and in situ hybridization. At early stage in the fusion process, disorganized and proliferating osteoblasts were prominent at the growth zones of the vertebral body endplates. PCNA positive cells further extended along the rims of fusing vertebral bodies. During the developing pathology, the marked border between the osteoblast growth zones and the chondrocytic areas connected to the arches became less distinct, as proliferating cells and chondrocytes blended through an intermediate zone. This cell proliferation appeared to be closely linked to fusion of opposing arch centra. During the fusion process a metaplastic shift appeared in the arch centra where cells in the intermediate zone between osteoblasts and chondrocytes co-expressed mixed signals of chondrogenic and osteogenic markers. A similar shift also occurred in the notochord where proliferating chordoblasts changed transcription profile from chondrogenic to also include osteogenic marker genes. In progressed fusions, arch centra and intervertebral space mineralized.

Conclusion

Loss of cell integrity through cell proliferation and metaplastic shifts seem to be key events in the fusion process. The fusion process involves molecular regulation and cellular changes similar to those found in mammalian deformities, indicating that salmon is suitable for studying general bone development and to be a comparative model for spinal deformities.
Self-rated quality of life and school performance in relation to helminth infections: case study from Yunnan, People's Republic of China
Authors: Ziegelbauer Kathrin , Steinmann Peter , Zhou Hui , Du Zun-Wei , Jiang Jin-Yong , Fürst Thomas , Jia Tie-Wu , Zhou Xiao-Nong , Utzinger Jürg
Published: July 2010

Background

Expert opinion-derived disability weights are widely employed for estimating the global burden of diseases and injuries. For chronic diseases such as soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis, it has been suggested that a patient-based quality of life (QoL) approach should be considered for a more accurate appraisal of disability weights.

Methods and Results

We carried out a cross-sectional survey and assessed the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth infections as well as self-rated QoL indicators among 252 students attending grades 5-8 in two schools (Bulangshan and Pu'er) in Yunnan province, People's Republic of China. Each student provided a single stool sample, which was subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smear readings and a single FLOTAC examination for parasitological diagnosis. Prevalence rates for hookworm, Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides were high in Bulangshan (75.9%, 70.0% and 68.2%), while the respective prevalence rates in Pu'er were 66.9%, 56.5% and 9.2%. Students were interviewed with two standardised questionnaires, the EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) and ShortForm-12 (SF-12) Health Survey. Impairment in any of the five dimensions of the EQ-5D was reported by 87% of the students. However, no clear differences could be observed between individuals with and those without helminth infections, and there were discrepancies between the two schools. A multivariate logistic regression model revealed no differences between students with varying infection status in the domains of the SF-12 (odds ratio close to 1.0). Somewhat more pronounced, yet not statistically significant differences were observed when end-of-school-term marks were compared with students' helminth infection status: infected individuals had lower marks in Chinese, English and mathematics, but not in sports, compared to their helminth-free counterparts.

Conclusions

Our results point to unresolved issues and challenges regarding the cultural appropriateness of the widely used standard QoL questionnaires. Hence, new research is needed to further develop these instruments and to validate them in connection with chronic parasitic diseases.
Dendritic cell function at low physiological temperature
Authors: Hammarfjord Oscar , Wallin Robert P A
Published: July 2010

DC are differentially regulated by low temperature and this can affect DC in inflammation, migration, and T cell activation.

Compared with the stable core temperature, the skin temperature is lower and varies depending on ambient temperature and convection conditions. The function of DCs, which are plentiful in the skin at lower physiological temperatures, has not been reported. We show that DC performed some functions normally at 28°C, including phagocytosis and macropinocytosis. TLR-4 signaling via MAPK pathways was delayed at 28°C but reached normal levels, which may explain the observed slower kinetics of stimulated macropinocytosis and TNF production. TLR-4-induced NO production was compromised severely at 28°C. Collagen degradation and migration through matrigel-coated transwell inserts were decreased, but no effect on podosome number or DC migration through noncoated transwell filters was seen. Lowering the temperature differentially regulated functions associated with the role of DCs in adaptive immunity. LPS-induced up-regulation of CD86 was normal; however, CD40 up-regulation was suppressed after TLR-4 stimulation at 28°C. Nonactivated DC processed and presented antigen on MHC class II equally well at 28°C and 37°C. However, DCs that were loaded with antigens and stimulated with TLR ligand at 28°C were poor at activating T cells at 37°C compared with DCs that were activated and loaded with antigen at 37°C.
Pathologic natural killer cell subset redistribution in HIV-1 infection: new insights in pathophysiology and clinical outcomes
Authors: Brunetta Enrico , Hudspeth Kelly L , Mavilio Domenico
Published: July 2010

Review discusses the clinical significance of the pathologic NK cell subset redistribution during HIV-1 infection.

Several lines of evidence indicate that the interaction of HIV-1 with NK cells markedly affects host immune responses and leads to a defective control of the virus. Until recently, it was generally believed that the absolute number of total circulating NK cells was decreased during the course of chronic and active phases of HIV-1 infection and that this explained, at least in part, the defective NK cell antiviral activities. However, scientific advances made over recent years have changed this concept and have clarified that HIV-1 viremia is associated with a pathologic redistribution rather than an absolute decrease in the number of circulating NK cells. In particular, the expansion of dysfunctional Siglec-7neg and/or CD56neg NK cell subsets expressing an aberrant repertoire of activating and inhibitory receptors has been associated with functional impairments of NK cells and with clinical outcomes of HIV-1 disease. Indeed, these pathologic NK cell populations often comprise the majority of NK cells in the presence of high levels of chronic HIV-1 viremia. The reasons for these NK cell aberrancies remain unknown, as freshly purified CD4neg NK cells are not productively infected by HIV-1. Disclosing the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying such dysfunctions represents an important challenge of biomedical research, also considering that the presence of a rare KIR3DS1pos NK cell population represents a protective factor against HIV-1 disease progression. In this review, we will summarize the recent updates regarding NK cell pathophysiology during the course of HIV-1 infection.
Outcome following saphenopopliteal surgery: a prospective observational study
Authors: Ikponmwosa A , Bhasin N , Weston M J , Berridge D C , Scott D J A
Published: July 2010

Objectives

High recurrence rates following small saphenous varicose vein surgery have been reported. The aim of this study was to ascertain initial success rates following saphenopopliteal junction (SPJ) surgery using pre- and postoperative duplex scanning.

Methods

A prospective study was performed on patients with ultrasound-proven SPJ reflux. Patients underwent preoperative duplex skin marking and a postoperative quality assurance scan.

Results

Ninety procedures were performed in 88 patients. The SPJ was successfully ligated in 87 (96.7%) cases. Reflux was completely abolished in 51 (56.7%) cases, but persisted solely in the small saphenous vein (SSV) in 32.2%. Subsequently, 10 consecutive patients underwent 11 SPJ ligations with stripping of the SSV. Follow-up ultrasound scan demonstrated successful ligation of the SPJ and elimination of superficial venous reflux.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that preoperative duplex SPJ marking results in a high percentage of successful ligation. Given that residual persistent reflux was avoided in patients who underwent stripping of the SSV, we propose that patients who require SPJ surgery undergo duplex marking along with specific consideration with regard to treatment of the residual SSV.
A comprehensive analysis of translational missense errors in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Kramer Emily B. , Vallabhaneni Haritha , Mayer Lauren M. , Farabaugh Philip J.
Published: July 2010

The process of protein synthesis must be sufficiently rapid and sufficiently accurate to support continued cellular growth. Failure in speed or accuracy can have dire consequences, including disease in humans. Most estimates of the accuracy come from studies of bacterial systems, principallyEscherichia coli, and have involved incomplete analysis of possible errors. We recently used a highly quantitative system to measure the frequency of all types of misreading errors by a single tRNA inE. coli. That study found a wide variation in error frequencies among codons; a major factor causing that variation is competition between the correct (cognate) and incorrect (near-cognate) aminoacyl-tRNAs for the mutant codon. Here we extend that analysis to measure the frequency of missense errors by two tRNAs in a eukaryote, the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. The data show that in yeast errors vary by codon from a low of 4 × 10−5to a high of 6.9 × 10−4per codon and that error frequency is in general about threefold lower than inE. coli, which may suggest that yeast has additional mechanisms that reduce missense errors. Error rate again is strongly influenced by tRNA competition. Surprisingly, missense errors involving wobble position mispairing were much less frequent inS. cerevisiaethan inE. coli. Furthermore, the error-inducing aminoglycoside antibiotic, paromomycin, which stimulates errors on all error-prone codons inE. coli, has a more codon-specific effect in yeast.
Stability and regularization of a backward parabolic PDE with variable coefficients
Authors: Feng Xiao-Li , Eldén Lars , Fu Chu-Li
Published: July 2010

We consider a backward parabolic partial differential equation (BPPDE) with variable coefficient a(x, t) in time. A new modification is used on the logarithmic convexity method to obtain a conditional stability estimate. Based on a formal solution, we reveal the essence of the ill-posedness and propose a simple regularization method. Moreover, we apply the regularization method to two representative cases. The results of both theoretical and numerical performance show the validity of our method.
The Collaborative Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in Primary Care (CCARP) Study
Authors: Evans Charity D. , Eurich Dean T. , Taylor Jeff G. , Blackburn David F.
Published: July 2010

Study Objective. To evaluate whether a simple pharmacist protocol, consisting of patient screening and cardiovascular risk stratification, identification and reminders about uncontrolled risk factors, and drug adherence support, can significantly reduce cardiovascular risk.

Design. Prospective, randomized, controlled pilot study.

Setting. Large primary care medical clinic in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Patients. One hundred seventy‐six adult patients (mean age 60 yrs) who exhibited a 10–year Framingham risk score of 15% or greater, or a coronary artery disease risk equivalent (coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, or diabetes mellitus).

Intervention. Eligible patients initially met with the pharmacist to receive general counselling about cardiovascular disease and were then randomly assigned to receive ongoing follow‐up by the pharmacist (follow‐up group [88 patients]) or to return to usual care (single‐contact group [88 patients]) for a minimum of 6 months.

Measurements and Main Results. The primary end point was mean reduction in the 10–year Framingham risk score. Secondary end points included individual modifiable risk factors (systolic and diastolic blood pressures; total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL], and triglyceride levels; total cholesterol: HDL ratio; and hemoglobin A1c value), as well as statin utilization, initiation, and adherence rates. Baseline characteristics were similar across both groups. Neither the mean reduction in 10–year risk (−2.68 for the follow‐up group and −1.25 for the single‐contact group, one‐tailed p=0.098) nor individual risk factors were significantly different between groups. The proportion of patients exhibiting statin adherence of 80% or greater did not significantly differ between groups at study end (73.1% [57/78] and 80.0% [52/65], respectively, p=0.333). However, 85.2% (75/88) in the follow‐up group continued with statin therapy at the end of the study compared with 67.0% (59/88) in the single‐contact group (p=0.005). Statin initiations were more frequent in the follow‐up group than in the single‐contact group (75.0% [30/40) vs 48.9% [22/45], p=0.013).

Conclusion. This simple cardiovascular care protocol for nonspecialist pharmacists did not result in a clear improvement to cardiovascular risk reduction success among patients in a primary care medical clinic. The intervention did, however, appear to improve statin utilization.
Characterizing the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Practice‐Based Research Network
Authors: Marinac Jacqueline S. , Kuo Grace M.
Published: July 2010

Study Objective. To present the member registry survey methods and characterize the first national clinical pharmacy practice‐based research network (PBRN).

Design. Cross‐sectional online survey.

Setting. A national clinical pharmacy association.

Participants. American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) full and associate members, integrated health system groups of pharmacists, and existing PBRNs were invited to participate in the registry and complete the survey.

Intervention. An association‐wide invitation to join the ACCP PBRN was sent to ACCP members who were actively involved in direct patient care or who had access to a patient base for research purposes. Interested pharmacists completed a three‐part online survey regarding professional background, practice site, and clinical pharmacy practice.

Measurements and Main Results. A total of 416 members completed the online registry. These pharmacists practice at 263 distinct clinical sites in 43 states. Forty‐six percent of the sites were located within a university hospital, and 30% were within a community hospital setting. Of those working in these two hospital settings, 33% and 40%, respectively practiced within an outpatient clinic. The ACCP PBRN member pharmacists spent an average of 5 half‐days providing clinical pharmacy services and saw a median of 30 patients/week. The most common laboratory tests ordered by member pharmacists were metabolic panels, prothrombin times or international normalized ratios, liver function tests, and blood glucose levels. The most frequently managed conditions or disease states were pharmacotherapy and/or polypharmacy, anticoagulation, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Almost two thirds of the pharmacists used an electronic medical record system. Thirty‐five percent operated with the use of collaborative practice documents within their sites, whereas 32% had scope of practice agreements. Ninety‐five percent did not bill for clinical pharmacy services rendered.

Conclusion. The ACCP PBRN is the first national clinical pharmacy PBRN. Its membership has a distinctive profile of primary care and specialty clinical pharmacists who work both within inpatient and outpatient settings. Both internal and external stakeholders are expected to use these ACCP PBRN registry data to support the capabilities and capacity of the ACCP PBRN.
Effect of Platinum Addition to Coinage Metals on Their Ultrasonic Properties
Authors: Singh Devraj , Yadawa Pramod K.
Published: July 2010

Ultrasonic attenuation for the longitudinal and shear waves due to phonon-phonon interaction and due to thermoelastic relaxation mechanisms have been evaluated in bimetallic alloys of the coinage metals (copper, silver or gold) with 1, 2, 3 or 4 at% platinum. The evaluations were carried out along the 〈100〉, 〈111〉 and 〈110〉 crystallographic directions at room temperature. Second- and third-order elastic constants, ultrasonic velocities and thermal relaxation times have also been computed for these alloys. In each case, the addition of platinum to the coinage metal reduces the attenuation, which indicates that bimetallic alloys with a higher platinum content are more ductile and stable and contain fewer defects in their crystal structure than those with a lower platinum content. The predominant mechanism of attenuation of ultrasonic waves is phonon-phonon interaction rather than thermoelastic loss. The results are compared with available theoretical data and experimental measurements for the pure coinage metals. These results, in combination with other well-known physical properties, can be applied to the non-destructive testing of materials for various industrial applications.
The FDA Should Test the Safety of ECT Machines
Authors: Breggin Peter R.
Published: July 2010

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the machines that deliver it have never been tested for safety and efficacy in order to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The American Psychiatric Association and ECT advocates protested when the FDA took steps to classify the machines as posing “an unreasonable risk of illness or injury,” which would have required their testing before approval. Without requiring this testing, the FDA is now preparing to classify the treatment and the machines as safe. This article reviews evidence demonstrating that ECT is very harmful to the brain and mind and concludes that the FDA should demand the usual testing required before psychiatric treatments and machines are approved for marketing and use.
New Information That People in High Places Do Not Want Us to Know About Autism
Authors: Seitler Burton Norman
Published: July 2010

Until the 1930s, the term “autism” was not mentioned in the literature. Until then, vaccination programs did not exist in the United States. Leo Kanner applied the term “early infantile autism,” detailing 11 cases of children born in 1931. He thought these children seemed like they inhabited a world of one, hence the term “autism,” originally derived from Bleuler (1911). Kanner furnished the following description: “aloneness that, whenever possible, disregards, ignores, shuts out anything that comes to the child from the outside.” He initially claimed parents of children with autism were often cold and humorless perfectionists (Kanner, 1943), considering them to be “emotional refrigerators,” a characterization that haunted him, one he deeply regretted and ultimately recanted. There has been a significant rise in autism. Some of this is probably due to looser definitions, widened to include a broad “spectrum” of behaviors. However, even when I tightened up the criteria for inclusion, I still was able to observe a rather sizeable—in fact, dramatic and alarming—increment. Curious about why this might be so, I began to investigate. I discovered a great deal of secrecy, nontransparency, obstructionism, mystification, and even falsification of data in which people in high places were engaged. This article is intended to disclose facts heretofore obscured, hidden, or reassembled in fanciful ways and to raise questions and make scientific statements and social commentary on this highly important issue. Possible sources of toxicity are listed.
Periodontal Therapy and Low Birth Weight: Preliminary Results From an Alternative Methodologic Strategy
Authors: Gomes‐Filho Isaac S. , Cruz Simone S. , Costa Maria da Conceiçao N. , Passos Johelle S. , Cerqueira Eneida M.M. , Sampaio Fábio P. , Pereira Eliesita C. , Miranda Lituânia F.
Published: July 2010

Background: The purpose of this study is to present the use of a non‐randomized experimental design with multiple controls, with emphasis on a historical control group, as an alternative methodologic resource for studies on the association between periodontal disease and prematurity/low birth weight.

Methods: The sample consisted of 234 pregnant women: 54 in the Test Group (treatment of periodontal disease); 68 in Control Group I (without periodontal disease); and 112 in Control Group II (historical control group, with untreated periodontal disease). The diagnosis of periodontal disease was established by means of a complete clinical examination, using measurements of probing depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment loss, and bleeding index. The women in the Test Group were treated for periodontitis and followed‐up with periodontal support therapy throughout their pregnancies. After delivery, they were reevaluated regarding their periodontal condition, and information on the newborn's birth weight was obtained. This was also done for Control Groups I and II. Descriptive analyses on the study variables were performed using the χ2 and Fisher exact tests. Association measurements (relative risk) were obtained using a significance level of 5%.

Results: The frequency of low birth weight among the Test Group was similar to Control Group I and lower than Control Group II.

Conclusion: The results suggest that successful periodontal therapy in pregnant women suffering from periodontitis is a protective factor promoting the birth of children with normal weight.
Outcome Measurements in Studies on the Association Between Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease
Authors: Passos Johelle de Santana , Gomes‐Filho Isaac Suzart , Vianna Maria Isabel Pereira , Cruz Simone Seixas da , Barreto Maurício Lima , Oliveira Tiago José Silva , Borges Leandro Dias , Monteiro Fernanda Marques
Published: July 2010

Background: The present study aims to compare different diagnostic criteria for periodontal disease that were used to study the association between periodontal disease and osteoporosis.

Methods: A database from a case‐control study was used. The present study included sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health‐condition data; panoramic radiographs; and clinical measurements on periodontal conditions from 139 postmenopausal women. Each participant was classified with regard to the diagnosis of periodontal disease using five different criteria for the outcome measurement (OM) found in the literature in studies on the association between osteoporosis and periodontal disease (OM1 through OM5). The frequency of periodontal disease and diagnostic values were calculated taking OM5 as the gold standard and the main association measurement for all criteria using odds ratios.

Results: The frequency of periodontal disease varied from 24.5% to 98.6% depending on the OM used. OM4 and OM3 presented the highest specificity (98.9% and 94.5%, respectively), whereas OM2 and OM1 presented the highest sensitivity (100% and 77.1%, respectively). The association measurements with adjustments for age and smoking varied significantly according to the OM over a range from 1.87 to 3.75, and there were also variations in the statistical significance of the associations found.

Conclusions: The results of this study emphasize that the frequency of periodontal disease may be influenced by different OMs and indicated variations outside of the association between osteoporosis and periodontal disease. Therefore, there is a need for prior selection of a precise measurement of periodontal disease in investigations on this topic.
0.2% Chlorhexidine Mouthwash With an Antidiscoloration System Versus 0.2% Chlorhexidine Mouthwash: A Prospective Clinical Comparative Study
Authors: Solís Carols , Santos Antonio , Nart José , Violant Deborah
Published: July 2010

Background: The goal of this study is to evaluate the degree of staining and clinical efficacy of a chlorhexidine mouthwash with an antidiscoloration system (ADS) versus 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash (traditional). Secondary objectives are to evaluate the patient “compliance” factor according to patterns assigned by the clinician and to observe the side effects of the two mouthwashes.

Methods: This comparative study is carried out on a sample of 15 non‐smoking patients with chronic periodontitis at the Department of Periodontology, the International University of Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain. All patients used either 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash (control group = bottle B) or chlorhexidine with ADS (test group = bottle A) for 15 days. Each patient first rinsed with a randomly assigned mouthwash for 15 days followed by a 15‐day washout period. Subsequently, each patient used a second mouthwash. Before each cycle, a full dental prophylaxis was performed. The plaque, gingival, and Brecx staining indexes were used.

Results: The results showed less tooth staining with the test group (P <0.01). No statistically significant differences were observed in plaque (P = 0.1496) and gingival indexes (P = 0.1688). Eighty‐eight percent of patients followed the instructions outlined in the protocol. In terms of other adverse effects, two patients reported a bad taste with both mouthwashes.

Conclusions: The test group with ADS had less staining than the control group during a usage period of 15 days. However, the two mouthwashes seemed to be equally effective as antiplaque and antigingivitis agents.
Affirmative Action at Nearby Colleges: Temporal and Regional Changes
Authors: Long Mark C
Published: July 2010

This paper is the first to document how the magnitude of affirmative action preferences in college admissions has varied across U.S. regions and across time and to illustrate how affirmative action practiced by "nearby" colleges varies. Two new contributions are established: 1) evidence of substantial variation in affirmative action at students' nearby colleges and 2) initially higher levels of affirmative action in the Northeast and Midwest in 1972, with affirmative action increasing in the South and West and declining in the Northeast and Midwest by 1992.
CO
2
laser beam welding of AM60 magnesium-based alloy
Authors: Belhadj Asma , Masse Jean-Eric , Barrallier Laurent , Bouhafs Mahmoud , Bessrour Jamel
Published: July 2010

Magnesium alloys have a 33% lower density than aluminum alloys, whereas they exhibit the same mechanical characteristics. Their application increases in many economic sectors, in particular, in aeronautic and automotive industries. Nevertheless, their assembly with welding techniques still remains to be developed. In this paper, we present a CO2 laser welding investigation of AM60 magnesium-based alloy. Welding parameters range is determinate for the joining of 3 mm thickness sheets. The effects of process parameters including beam power, welding speed, focusing position, and shielding gas flow are studied. Experimental results show that the main parameters that determine the weld quality are the laser beam power, the welding speed, and the shielding gas flow. The focal point position has a minor effect on weld quality, however, it has an influence on melting zone width. For optimized welding parameters, metallurgical observations show that after laser welding of AM60 alloy dendritic microstructure is observed on melting zone after high solidification rate. A small heat affected zone is also detected. Finally, hardness tests indicate that microhardness of the weld is higher than that of base metal.
Characterization of the melt removal rate in laser cutting of thick-section stainless steel
Authors: Wandera Catherine , Kujanpaa Veli
Published: July 2010

The efficiency of the laser cutting process depends on both the rate of melting and rate of melt removal from the cut kerf. The depth of flow separation and the dross attachment on the lower cut edge relate to the efficiency of the melt removal process and can be used to characterize the rate of melt removal from the cut kerf. The melt flow velocity and melt film thickness are formulated in this study by consideration of the fundamentals of viscous incompressible fluid flow. The calculated melt flow velocity and melt film thickness are correlated with the depth of flow separation on the 10 mm stainless steel AISI 304 (EN 1.4301) laser cut edge. The effects of process parameters—including assist gas pressure, nozzle diameter, nozzle standoff, focal point position, and cutting speed—on the depth of flow separation and the dross attachment on the lower cut edge are investigated. The assist gas pressure, nozzle diameter, and focal point position are found to significantly affect the efficiency of melt removal from the cut kerf.