bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drug usage, prescribing patterns and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients in community‐based practice
Authors: Montag K. , Gingold M. , Boers A. , Littlejohn G. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractAims: Our aim was to examine the spectrum of disease activity and usage of disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs (DMARD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients seen over a period of 12 months in community‐based rheumatology practice.Methods: Data were prospectively collected on 1059 consecutive RA patients who attended two private, community‐based rheumatology clinics from 1 May 2007 to 1 May 2008. Information on patient demographics, medication history and disease activity was collected. Life table graphs were developed to track medication retention over time. Statistical significance was determined by log–rank tests.Results: One thousand and fifty‐nine patients with RA were entered into the database over a 12‐month period. Eight hundred and twenty‐six patients (85%) were treated with single or combination conventional DMARD compared with 159 patients (15%) on a biologic DMARD either alone or in combination. Methotrexate monotherapy was the most commonly prescribed DMARD, used in 41% of patients studied. Almost half (47%) were on combination DMARD therapy. Methotrexate and tumour necrosis factor inhibitors had the highest retention rate over 12 and 30 months since first prescription. A large proportion of patients (47%) had moderate disease activity.Conclusion: Rates of biologic DMARD usage were similar to other studies and the predominance of methotrexate use was also in keeping with current recommendations for management of RA. There appears to be a significant unmet need for improved disease control among RA patients with moderate disease activity, which requires further investigation.
Influence of native ants on arthropod communities in a vineyard
Authors: Chong Chee‐Seng , D'Alberto Clare F. , Thomson Linda J. , Hoffmann Ary A. 
Published: April 2010

Ants can have a range of effects on arthropods in crops, including suppressing herbivores such as caterpillars. However, ants can also increase hemipteran densities while reducing natural enemy numbers. In vineyard ecosystem, the effects of native ants and their interactions with other arthropods are poorly understood.
An ant‐exclusion experiment was designed to test the impact of native ants on both canopy and ground arthropods concurrently. The potential influence of ants on predation and parasitism of light brown apple moth (LBAM) eggs, a grape pest, was also examined. Adult grapevine scale insects and earwigs under bark were counted after a season of ant‐exclusion.
Among 23 ground ant species collected, six were found to forage in the canopy, with two Iridomyrmex species being the most commonly encountered.
There was no difference in the abundance of most arthropod orders and feeding groups between ant‐excluded and control vines, although ground spiders were more abundant under ant‐excluded vines, despite increased ground ant foraging pressure. LBAM egg parasitism and predation were low and probably affected by weather and other arthropods. Ant exclusion did not reduce survival of scale insects, although the distribution and abundance of scale insects were negatively associated with earwigs.
In conclusion, native ants did not consistently suppress arthropod assemblages, including natural enemies, and they did not promote the survival of scale insects. Interactions among native ant species within a vineyard might minimize their effects on other arthropods, although this needs further study.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Sri Lankan adults
Authors: Katulanda P. , Jayawardena M. A. R. , Sheriff M. H. R. , Constantine G. R. , Matthews D. R. 
Published: April 2010

SummaryThe aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity, and the underlying socio‐demographic correlates among Sri Lankan adults. Data were from 4532 adults aged ≥18 years randomly selected for a national level study on diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Weight, height and waist circumference (WC) were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. The mean (95% confidence interval) BMI and WC were 21.1 kg m−2 (20.9–21.3), 22.3 kg m−2 (22.1–22.4) and 78.0 cm (77.5–78.6) and 77.5 cm (77.0–78.0) for males and females, respectively. According to the proposed World Health Organization cut‐off values for Asians, the percentage of Sri Lankan adults in the overweight, obese and centrally obese categories were 25.2%, 9.2% and 26.2%, respectively. Based on the cut‐offs for Caucasians, these were 16.8%, 3.7% and 10.8%. Our findings were compatible with prevalence of obesity in regional countries. In addition, female sex, urban living, higher education, higher income and being in the middle age were shown to be associated with overweight and obesity in Sri Lankans. In conclusion, we have documented a relatively high prevalence of overweight and obesity, particularly, abdominal obesity among adults in Sri Lanka which is a middle‐income country. Urgent public health interventions are needed to control the problem at an early stage.
Alienation and obligation: Religion and social change in Samoa
Authors: Thornton Alec , Kerslake Maria T. , Binns Tony 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThis paper will explore social change in contemporary Samoan society with respect to the traditional expectations of the church and kinship conflicting with the modern needs of an urbanising population. In the Samoan way of life – the fa'aSamoa – religion, matai (chiefly system) and reciprocal ‘gift‐giving’ kinship arrangements among the aiga (extended family) are fundamental and closely related elements. However, pressures from continued integration into the global economy, the importance of remittance income and related migration of well‐educated and highly skilled Samoans overseas are presenting several challenges to the strongly held traditions of kinship and church obligations. Among these challenges, low‐income households are increasingly placing the material well‐being of the immediate household first, thus ‘opting out’ of the culturally defined primary obligation to the church and risk alienation from beneficial familial ties. As a result, settlement patterns are shifting towards leaseholds in urbanising Apia, with consequences, we will speculate, that may have deeper cultural implications. Our research revealed that the church has been slow to accept that, increasingly, Samoans are seeking relief from hardships that spirituality alone cannot address. However, given its influence, strengths and resources, the church is well positioned to take a lead role in facilitating opportunities for ‘bottom‐up’, alternative development in Samoa, as well as providing lessons for church‐led participatory approaches in the Pacific Island Region.
SITEs revisited: Socioeconomic and demographic contours of small island tourist economies
Authors: McElroy Jerome L. , Hamma Perri E. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThis study attempts to do three things: (i) provide a review of recent advances in the small island economy literature using the tourism penetration index, (ii) update the impact of tourism across the same global sample of 36 small islands (less than 1 million in population and 5000 km2 in area) introduced in APV 47 (1) 2006, and (iii) employing an abbreviated version of the destination life cycle as a development paradigm, construct three different socioeconomic and demographic profiles based on low, intermediate and high tourism impact. Results using cross‐sectional data of 27 indicators reveal three statistically distinct profiles that demonstrate three stages of economic development. Specifically, the findings contrast the low‐income, labour‐exporting, least tourism‐penetrated MIRAB‐type (Migrant/Remittances and Aid/Bureaucracy) emerging islands with their more advanced intermediate impact neighbours. In turn, the latter fall at a significant distance from the most successful small island tourist economy (SITE) destinations. Thus, this study further refines the characteristics of SITE islands and confirms the viability of tourism in general and the destination life cycle in particular as an effective engine and model, respectively, of island development.
Islands and beers: Toasting a discriminatory approach to small island manufacturing
Authors: Baldacchino Godfrey 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThis paper explores the relationship between beers and island development, using a global sweep but with a special reference to the insular Pacific. It adopts a discriminatory approach, touching upon the role and impact that niche and bouquet beer manufacturing can have on the socioeconomic development of small islands. It departs from a personal observation: many small island jurisdictions have their own brewery. Indeed, the brewery could also be the island territory's largest indigenous manufacturing concern. While small islands are associated with low manufacturing capacity and diseconomies of scale, nevertheless ‘a local brewery’ comes across, in many cases, as a profitable and glaring exception that speaks to the attractions and virtues of locality branding.
Hierarchical Structure Recovery of Point‐Sampled Surfaces
Authors: Attene Marco , Patanè Giuseppe 
Published: April 2010

Abstract We focus on the class of ‘regular’ models defined by Várady et al. for reverse engineering purposes. Given a 3D surface  represented through a dense set of points, we present a novel algorithm that converts  to a hierarchical representation . In , the surface is encoded through patches of various shape and size, which form a hierarchical atlas. If  belongs to the class of regular models, then  captures the most significant features of  at all the levels of detail. In this case, we show that  can be exploited to interactively select regions of interest on  and intuitively re‐design the model. Furthermore,  intrinsically encodes a hierarchy of useful ‘segmentations’ of . We present a simple though efficient approach to extract and optimize such segmentations, and we show how they can be used to approximate the input point sets through idealized manifold meshes.
Race and sex in a lifetime
Authors: De Shong Meador Betty 
Published: April 2010

Abstract:  The Jungian analysts who participated in the writing of this paper1 explicitly or implicitly address issues of social and political stasis, retrogression and change via their particular usages of the concept of the transcendent function.Singer proposes that the transcendent function is a term that is usually applied to individuals in whom symbolic material appears that suggests the reconciling of opposites, leading to psycho‐spiritual growth. He also looks at the notion of the transcendent function as it can appear in a similar way in the collective psyche. In addition, he gives attention to the opposite phenomenon—what might be called the descendent function—as it appears in the collective psyche and its leadership, wherein symbolic material can create the division of groups of people into opposites, mobilizing destructive rather than transformative experience.Meador states that Jung designated the mediating process of assimilating unconscious images and ideas into consciousness as the transcendent function. Just as this synthesizing process can produce insight in the individual, it can also be applied to changes in collective society. Embedded collective assumptions tend to shift when opposites collide, as they did, for example, in the turmoils of the 1960s. Her contribution focuses on the recent revolution in racial and sexual attitudes as the product of a collective struggle between certain ingrained social mores from the past and conflicting new points of view.Samuels’ conclusion is that the concept of the transcendent function has little value with respect to political problems. His contribution focuses on: (i) The limitations of using ideas (such as the transcendent function) derived from analysis with individuals in furtherance of an understanding of social and political phenomena. (ii) The specific problem of a lack of credible psycho‐political models for social progress and regress—he argues that the transcendent function is not useful in this regard. (iii) The question of political aggression, violence and conflict in society is explored from the standpoint of the transcendent function so as to investigate its possible role in the management of political conflict. Samuels severely criticizes what he terms ‘triangulation’ and ‘hyper‐reflection’ on the part of analysts who engage with political debates and issues. (iv) Leadership is examined from the standpoint of the transcendent function which, again, does not seem pertinent. Rather, new discoveries in family psychology about the role of the father have greater possibilities as a basis for new thinking about leadership.
The possible role of the kynurenine pathway in adolescent depression with melancholic features
Authors: Gabbay Vilma , Klein Rachel G. , Katz Yisrael , Mendoza Sandra , Guttman Leah E. , Alonso Carmen M. , Babb James S. , Hirsch Glenn S. , Liebes Leonard 
Published: April 2010

Background:  Although adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is acknowledged to be a heterogeneous disorder, no studies have reported on biological correlates of its clinical subgroups. This study addresses this issue by examining whether adolescent MDD with and without melancholic features (M‐MDD and NonM‐MDD) have distinct biological features in the kynurenine pathway (KP). The KP is initiated by pro‐inflammatory cytokines via induction of the enzyme indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO), which degrades tryptophan (TRP) into kynurenine (KYN). KYN is further metabolized into neurotoxins linked to neuronal dysfunction in MDD. Hypotheses were that, compared to healthy controls and to NonM‐MDD adolescents, adolescents with M‐MDD would exhibit: (i) increased activation of the KP [i.e., increased KYN and KYN/TRP (reflecting IDO activity)]; (ii) greater neurotoxic loads [i.e., increased 3‐hydroxyanthranilic acid (3‐HAA, neurotoxin) and 3‐HAA/KYN (reflecting production of neurotoxins)]; and (iii) decreased TRP. We also examined relationships between severity of MDD and KP metabolites.Methods:  Subjects were 20 adolescents with M‐MDD, 30 adolescents with NonM‐MDD, and 22 healthy adolescents. MDD episode duration had to be ≥ 6 weeks and Children’s Depression Rating Scale‐Revised (CDRS‐R) scores were ≥ 36. Blood samples were collected at AM after an overnight fast and analyzed using high‐performance liquid chromatography. Group contrasts relied on analysis of covariance based on ranks, adjusted for age, gender, and CDRS‐R scores. Analyses were repeated excluding medicated patients. Fisher’s protected least significant difference was used for multiple comparisons.Results:  As hypothesized, KYN/TRP ratios were elevated and TRP concentrations were reduced in adolescents with M‐MDD compared to NonM‐MDD adolescents (p = .001 and .006, respectively) and to healthy controls (p = .008 and .022, respectively). These findings remained significant when medicated patients were excluded from the analyses. Significant correlations were obtained exclusively in the M‐MDD group between KYN and 3‐HAA/KYN and CDRS‐R.Conclusions:  Findings support the notion that adolescent M‐MDD may represent a biologically distinct clinical syndrome.
Psychological support and outcomes for ICU patients
Authors: Papathanassoglou Elizabeth DE 
Published: April 2010

Aims and objectives:To critically review evidence on the effects of psychological support during intensive care unit (ICU) treatment on adult ICU patients' psychological and physiological outcomes. Evidence from intervention studies on imagery and relaxation has been included, as well.Background:Stress and negative emotions may have both immediate, as well as long‐term effects on ICU patients' psychological and physical well‐being, and they are linked to delayed physical recovery.Design, methods:A narrative critical review methodology was employed. Databases searched included Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, PsychInfo and the Cochrane Library. Experimental, quasi‐experimental or pretest‐posttest peer‐reviewed intervention studies published since 1970 were included.Results:Fourteen studies: seven on nurse led relaxation, three on guided imagery, one on nurse‐patient interaction, two on physician‐patient interaction and one correlational study on perceived social support were included. The results suggest significant improvements in patients' outcomes: improved vital signs, decrease in pain ratings, anxiety, rate of complications and length of stay, and improved sleep and patient satisfaction. Eight studies employed randomized experimental, four quasi‐experimental and two descriptive correlational designs. Two studies explored effects on patients' sleep, and two on procedure‐related pain.Conclusions:The literature is limited in exploring the effects of nurse‐patient interactions. The amount and quality of psychosocial support in the ICU, as well as imagery and relaxation techniques, are linked to short‐term and long‐term patients' outcomes.Relevance to clinical practice:ICU nurses need to engage in psychological support in a systematic way, and to acknowledge the high priority of support interventions.
Standards for nurse staffing in critical care units determined by: The British Association of Critical Care Nurses, The Critical Care Networks National Nurse Leads, Royal College of Nursing Critical Care and In‐flight Forum
Authors: Bray Kate , Wren Ian , Baldwin Andrea , St Ledger Una , Gibson Vanessa , Goodman Sheila , Walsh Dominic 
Published: April 2010

Background: Since 1967 the gold standard for nurse staffing levels in intensive care and subsequently critical care units has been one nurse for each patient. However, critical care has changed substantially since that time and in recent years this standard has been challenged. Previously individual nursing organisations such as the British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) and the Royal College of Nursing have produced guidance on staffing levels for critical care units. This paper represents the first time all three UK Professional Critical Care Associations have collaborated to produce standards for nurse staffing in critical care units. These standards have evolved from previous works and are endorsed by BACCN, Critical Care Networks National Nurse Leads Group (CC3N) and the Royal College of Nursing Critical Care and In‐flight Forum. Aim: The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the much more detailed document ‘Standards for Nurse Staffing in Critical Care’, which can be found on the BACCN web site at www.baccn.org.uk. The full paper has extensively reviewed the evidence, whereas this short paper provides essential detail and the 12 standard statements. Methods: Representation was sort from each of the critical care associations. The authors extensively reviewed the literature using the terms: (1) critical care nursing, (2) nursing, (3) nurse staffing, (4) skill mix, (5) adverse events, (6) health care assistants and critical care, (7) length of stay, (8) critical care, (9) intensive care, (10) technology, (11) infection control. Outcomes: Comprehensive review of the evidence has culminated in 12 standard statements endorsed by BACCN, CC3N and the Royal College of Nursing Critical Care and In‐flight Forum. The standards act as a reference for nursing staff, managers and commissioners associated with critical care to provide and support safe patient care. Conclusion: The review of the evidence has shown that the contribution of nursing can be difficult to measure and consequently support nurse staffing ratios. However, there is a growing body of evidence which associates higher number of registered nursing staff to patient ratio relates to improved safety and better outcomes for patients. The challenge for nurses is to produce accurate and meaningful outcome measures for nursing and collect data that accurately reflect the input of nursing on patient outcomes and safety.
The Effects of Extra‐Articular Suture Tension on Contact Mechanics of the Lateral Compartment of Cadaveric Stifles Treated with the TightRope CCL®or Lateral Suture Technique
Authors: Tonks Catherine A. , Pozzi Antonio , Ling Hang‐Yin , Lewis Daniel D. 
Published: April 2010

Objective:To determine the effect of suture tension on contact pressures in the lateral compartment of the stifle for the TightRope CCL®(TR) and circumfabellar–tibial suture (LS) techniques.Study Design:Ex vivo biomechanical study.Sample Population:Pelvic limbs (n=12) from dogs weighing 21–24 kg.Methods:A pressure sensor was used to record peak contact pressure (PCP) and mean contact pressure (MCP) and contact area (CA) in limbs mounted in a materials testing machine. Stifles were stabilized using either a TR or LS technique and the prosthesis was tensioned increasingly from 25 to 70 N. PCP, MCP, and CA were collected at each applied tension before and after applying an axial load of 150 N.Results:In the unloaded condition, LS stabilization resulted in a significant increase (P=.034) in PCP at ≥40 N tensions, whereas TR stabilization resulted in a significant increase (P=.047) in PCP at 70 N tension. There was a significant increase in CA at tensions ≥60 N in the LS group. No effect on MCP was noted. No significant differences in contact pressures were observed in the loaded condition. There were no significant differences in normalized PCP and CA between stabilization groups at any of the tension increment.Conclusions:The application of high tension to the extra‐articular prosthesis alters lateral compartment contact pressures in the unloaded stifle in this ex vivo model.Clinical Relevance:Over tightening of an extra‐articular prosthesis may increase lateral compartment pressure at the time of surgery. The clinical implications of this finding are unknown, as weight bearing may negate any detrimental effect of high prosthesis tension.
Computer Simulation of the Distal Aspect of the Femur for Assessment of Donor Core Size and Surface Curvature for Autologous Osteochondral Transplantation in the Canine Stifle Joint
Authors: Böttcher Peter , Zeissler Markus , Grevel Vera , Oechtering Gerhard 
Published: April 2010

Objective: To report topographic matching of selected donor sites and donor core sizes for congruous reconstruction of the weight‐bearing aspect of the femoral condyles in dogs for autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) using computer simulation.Study Design: Computer simulation.Sample Population: Computed tomographic scans of the distal aspect of 1 femur from each of 6 mature dogs (>20 kg).Methods: Three‐dimensional surface models of the distal femora were constructed for virtual AOT. Different donor sites (n=15) within and outside the femoropatellar joint and 5 transplant sizes (diameters 3.5, 4.5, 6.0, 8.0, and 10.0 mm) were analyzed with respect to their topographic match with the articular surface of both femoral condyles.Results: Transplants from the proximal abaxial aspect of the medial condyle and from the abaxial aspects of the medial and lateral trochlear ridges were the best topographic match. Mismatch increased linearly with increasing core diameter. Small core diameters (3.5 mm, 4.5 mm) from within the femoropatellar joint allowed restoration of surface contour at both femoral condyles similar to large core diameters (6 mm, 8 mm) from outside the femoropatellar joint.Conclusions: Based on this computer simulation, large core diameters should only be harvested from convex donor sites outside the femoropatellar joint, whereas transplants from the concave, axial aspects of the trochlear ridges may result in similar topographic match provided they are of small diameter.Clinical Relevance: The abaxial aspect of the medial trochlear ridge and the proximal aspect of the medial femoral condyle appear to be the preferred AOT donor sites.