bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Unity in Environmental Discourse? The role of decision makers, experts and citizens in developing Finnish environmental policy
Authors: Jokinen Pekka , Koskinen Keijo 
Published: September 2007

English
This article deals with the construction of the content and goals of Finnish environmental policy. The basic issue is whether there are discourse and strategy coalitions of key players to be identified as well as interests with which the discourses and strategies coincide. In the study, 41 key players in the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development were interviewed. The main result is that environmental discourses show diversity. Two ideal types of basic environmental policy strategies, termed ‘ecological modernisation’ and ‘structural change’, were found. It is concluded that there is no easy starting point for unity in environmental policy making. However, additional research is needed to examine the relevant policy sectors from the broad viewpoint of social development and environmental politics.
The Politics of Evidence-Based Medicine in the United Kingdom
Authors: Harrison Stephen 
Published: September 2007

English
Evidence-based medicine, the doctrine that professional clinical practice should be based on sound research evidence about the effectiveness of the procedures used, is now official policy for the National Health Service. Despite its obvious common-sense and political appeal, the policy seems to be based on a number of questionable assumptions about implementation, political popularity and scientific consensus, yet accords in general terms with contemporary developments in modes of controlling organisations.
Decentralisation and Land-Use Planning in France: a 15 year review
Authors: Booth Philip 
Published: September 2007

English
In France, decentralisation of powers from central to local government has been one of the major reforms of the past 15 years. This article examines the way decentralisation has enabled French local authorities to define and implement policy and how far actors within the system have modified their behaviour as a result of the changes. It explores the commentaries on decentralisation in France, and looks at land-use planning, which was one of the major powers to be transferred to the communes, examining how communes have used the powers and how central government has responded. The article concludes that there have been significant gains in local autonomy but that central government has struggled to redefine its own role. It also identifies a series of problems that have yet to be resolved for decentralisation to be fully effective.
Instruments of Government? Voluntary sector boards in a changing public policy environment
Authors: Harris Margaret 
Published: September 2007

English
This article explores how recent changes in public policies have been experienced by the governing boards of voluntary agencies. It looks at impacts on the way boards perform their main functions and examines how board members perceive changes in social welfare policy such as moves towards contracting, competition and community care. Public policy implementation processes are perceived as problematic when they threaten the essentially voluntary and independent nature of the board role. Thus over-zealous direction, control or monitoring of voluntary agencies’ boards may have the perverse effect of discouraging the impulse to be an ‘active citizen’.
Mental Health Policy and the Politics of Mental Health: a three tier analytical framework
Authors: Pilgrim David , Rogers Anne 
Published: September 2007

English
Mental health policy and the politics of mental health are complex topics, studied by a wide range of academic disciplines using a variety of methodologies and styles of analysis. This article offers a broad unifying analytical framework which includes this range and variety while bringing some order into a field which can overwhelm individual scholars. The framework has three tiers: macro, meso and micro. These refer respectively to global and transhistorical factors; national and cultural factors; and local and personal factors. A case study is outlined (mental health, violence and coercion) to illustrate the utlilty of the framework. In conclusion, its advantages and limits are discussed in relation to interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity.
Making evidence fit for purpose in decision making: a case study of the hospital discharge of older people
Authors: Glasby Jon , Walshe Kieran , Harvey Gill 
Published: September 2007

English
As a conclusion to this special edition, this article explores discussions at the final seminar in the series. Focusing on a case study topic (hospital discharge), participants were provided with six sources of evidence chosen to illustrate six very different approaches to generating valid knowledge. Participants then explored a series of questions about each (including reliability/validity, key limitations and contributions to new knowledge). Overall, none of the sources was felt to offer a definitive insight into the issue at stake. A key challenge, therefore, is to design deliberative processes to synthesise and integrate evidence of different types and from multiple sources.
Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy Identifies Symmetric PO2− Modifications as a Marker of the Putative Stem Cell Region of Human Intestinal Crypts
Authors: Walsh Michael J. , Fellous Tariq G. , Hammiche Azzedine , Lin Wey-Ran , Fullwood Nigel J. , Grude Olaug , Bahrami Fariba , Nicholson James M. , Cotte Marine , Susini Jean , Pollock Hubert M. , Brittan Mairi , Martin-Hirsch Pierre L. , Alison Malcolm R. , Martin Francis L. 
Published: September 2007

Abstract
Complex biomolecules absorb in the mid-infrared (λ = 2–20 μm), giving vibrational spectra associated with structure and function. We used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy to “fingerprint” locations along the length of human small and large intestinal crypts. Paraffin-embedded slices of normal human gut were sectioned (10 μm thick) and mounted to facilitate infrared (IR) spectral analyses. IR spectra were collected using globar (15 μm × 15 μm aperture) FTIR microspectroscopy in reflection mode, synchrotron (≤10 μm × 10 μm aperture) FTIR microspectroscopy in transmission mode or near-field photothermal microspectroscopy. Dependent on the location of crypt interrogation, clear differences in spectral characteristics were noted. Epithelial-cell IR spectra were subjected to principal component analysis to determine whether wavenumber-absorbance relationships expressed as single points in “hyperspace” might on the basis of multivariate distance reveal biophysical differences along the length of gut crypts. Following spectroscopic analysis, plotted clusters and their loadings plots pointed toward symmetric (νs)PO2− (1,080 cm−1) vibrations as a discriminating factor for the putative stem cell region; this proved to be a more robust marker than other phenotypic markers, such as β-catenin or CD133. This pattern was subsequently confirmed by image mapping and points to a novel approach of nondestructively identifying a tissue's stem cell location. νsPO2−, probably associated with DNA conformational alterations, might facilitate a means of identifying stem cells, which may have utility in other tissues where the location of stem cells is unclear.
Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Suppression of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Production Impairs the Ability of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells to Promote Ischemic Tissue Revascularization
Authors: Cai Liying , Johnstone Brian H. , Cook Todd G. , Liang Zhong , Traktuev Dmitry , Cornetta Kenneth , Ingram David A. , Rosen Elliot D. , March Keith L. 
Published: September 2007

Abstract
The use of adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs) for promoting repair of tissues is a promising potential therapy, but the mechanisms of their action are not fully understood. We and others previously demonstrated accelerated reperfusion and tissue salvage by ASCs in peripheral ischemia models and have shown that ASCs secrete physiologically relevant levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor. The specific contribution of HGF to ASC potency was determined by silencing HGF expression. RNA interference was used to downregulate HGF expression. A dual-cassette lentiviral construct expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) and either a small hairpin RNA specifically targeted to HGF mRNA (shHGF) or an inactive control sequence (shCtrl) were used to stably transduce ASCs (ASC-shHGF and ASC-shCtrl, respectively). Transduced ASC-shHGF secreted &gt;80% less HGF, which led to a reduced ability to promote survival, proliferation, and migration of mature and progenitor endothelial cells in vitro. ASC-shHGF were also significantly impaired, compared with ASC-shCtrl, in their ability to promote reperfusion in a mouse hindlimb ischemia model. The diminished ability of ASCs with silenced HGF to promote reperfusion of ischemic tissues was reflected by reduced densities of capillaries in reperfused tissues. In addition, fewer GFP+ cells were detected at 3 weeks in ischemic limbs of mice treated with ASC-shHGF compared with those treated with ASC-shCtrl. These results indicate that production of HGF is important for the potency of ASCs. This finding directly supports the emerging concept that local factor secretion by donor cells is a key element of cell-based therapies.
Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Human Amnion Mesenchyme Harbors Cells with Allogeneic T-Cell Suppression and Stimulation Capabilities
Authors: Magatti Marta , De Munari Silvia , Vertua Elsa , Gibelli Lucia , Wengler Georg S. , Parolini Ornella 
Published: September 2007

AbstractCells derived from the amniotic membrane of human placenta have been receiving particular attention because of their stem cell potentiality and immunomodulatory properties, which make them an attractive candidate source for cell therapy approaches. In this study, we isolated cells from the mesenchymal region of amnion and identified two subpopulations discordant for expression of the HLA-DR, CD45, CD14, and CD86 cellular markers. We therefore refer to the unfractionated cell population derived from this region as amniotic mesenchymal tissue cells (AMTC). We studied the suppressive and stimulatory characteristics of the unfractionated, HLA-DR-positive, and HLA-DR-negative AMTC populations and demonstrated that all three fail to induce an allogeneic T-cell response. However, unfractionated AMTC, which could inhibit T-cell allogeneic proliferation responses, induced proliferation of T cells stimulated via the T-cell receptor (TcR), in a cell-cell contact setting. We have shown that this stimulatory capacity can be attributed to the HLA-DR-positive AMTC subpopulation. Indeed, even though the HLA-DR-positive AMTC fraction surprisingly failed to induce proliferation of resting allogeneic T cells, they could cause strong proliferation of anti-CD3-primed allogeneic T cells. This stimulatory effect was not observed using the HLA-DR-negative AMTC fraction. The revelation that human amniotic mesenchyme possesses cell populations with both suppressive and stimulatory properties sheds additional light on the immunomodulatory functions of this tissue and may contribute to the clarification of some ongoing controversies associated with mesenchymal stromal cells of other sources, such as the presence of HLA-DR-positive cells and the suppressive versus stimulatory properties of these cells.Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Concise Review: Mesenchymal Stem/Multipotent Stromal Cells: The State of Transdifferentiation and Modes of Tissue Repair—Current Views
Authors: Phinney Donald G. , Prockop Darwin J. 
Published: September 2007

AbstractMesenchymal stem cells or multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) isolated from the bone marrow of adult organisms were initially characterized as plastic adherent, fibroblastoid cells with the capacity to generate heterotopic osseous tissue when transplanted in vivo. In recent years, MSCs or MSC-like cells have been shown to reside within the connective tissue of most organs, and their surface phenotype has been well described. A large number of reports have also indicated that the cells possess the capacity to transdifferentiate into epithelial cells and lineages derived from the neuroectoderm. The broad developmental plasticity of MSCs was originally thought to contribute to their demonstrated efficacy in a wide variety of experimental animal models of disease as well as in human clinical trials. However, new findings suggest that the ability of MSCs to alter the tissue microenvironment via secretion of soluble factors may contribute more significantly than their capacity for transdifferentiation in tissue repair. Herein, we critically evaluate the literature describing the plasticity of MSCs and offer insight into how the molecular and functional heterogeneity of this cell population, which reflects the complexity of marrow stroma as an organ system, may confound interpretation of their transdifferentiation potential. Additionally, we argue that this heterogeneity also provides a basis for the broad therapeutic efficacy of MSCs.Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Use of Geographic Information Systems for Planning HIV Prevention Interventions for High-Risk Youths
Authors: Geanuracos Catherine G. , Cunningham Shayna D. , Weiss George , Forte Draco , Henry Reid Lisa M. , Ellen Jonathan M. 
Published: September 2007

Geographic information system (GIS) analysis is an emerging tool for public health intervention planning. Connect to Protect, a researcher–community collaboration working in 15 cities to reduce HIV infection among youths, developed GIS databases of local health, crime, and demographic data to evaluate the geographic epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections and HIV risk among adolescents. We describe the process and problems of data acquisition, analysis, and mapping in the development of structural interventions, demonstrating how program planners can use this technology to inform and improve planning decisions. The Connect to Protect project’s experience suggests strategies for incorporating public data and GIS technology into the next generation of public health interventions.
Association Between Fear of Crime and Mental Health and Physical Functioning
Authors: Stafford Mai , Chandola Tarani , Marmot Michael 
Published: September 2007

Objectives. Studies have reported an inverse association between fear of crime and subjective mental and physical health. We investigated the direction of causality and the curtailment of physical and social activities as a possible mediating pathway. Methods. We analyzed data from 2002 to 2004 of the Whitehall II study, a longitudinal study of more than 10 000 London-based civil servants aged 35 to 55 years at baseline. Results. Fear of crime was associated with poorer mental health, reduced physical functioning on objective and subjective indicators, and lower quality of life. Participants reporting greater fear were 1.93 (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.55, 2.41) times as likely to have depression as those reporting lower fear of crime and had lower mental health scores (0.9 points on the Medical Outcomes SurveyShort Form 36; 95% CI=0.4, 1.3). They exercised less, saw friends less often, and participated in fewer social activities compared with the less fearful participants. Curtailed physical and social activities helped explain the link between fear of crime and health. Conclusions. Fear of crime may be a barrier to participation in health-promoting physical and social activities. Public health practitioners should support fear-reduction initiatives.
Regulating and Litigating in the Public Interest
Authors: Hawkes Corinna 
Published: September 2007

The pressure to regulate the marketing of high-energy, nutrient-poor foods to young people has been mounting in light of concern about rising worldwide levels of overweight and obesity. In 2004, the World Health Organization called on governments, industry, and civil society to act to reduce unhealthy marketing messages. Since then, important changes have taken place in the global regulatory environment regarding the marketing of food to young people. Industry has developed self-regulatory approaches, civil society has campaigned for statutory restrictions, and governments have dealt with a range of regulatory proposals. Still, there have been few new regulations that restrict food marketing to young people. Despite calls for evidence-based policy, new regulatory developments appear to have been driven less by evidence than by ethics.
Projecting Heat-Related Mortality Impacts Under a Changing Climate in the New York City Region
Authors: Knowlton Kim , Lynn Barry , Goldberg Richard A. , Rosenzweig Cynthia , Hogrefe Christian , Rosenthal Joyce Klein , Kinney Patrick L. 
Published: September 2007

Objectives. We sought to project future impacts of climate change on summer heat-related premature deaths in the New York City metropolitan region. Methods. Current and future climates were simulated over the northeastern United States with a global-to-regional climate modeling system. Summer heat-related premature deaths in the 1990s and 2050s were estimated by using a range of scenarios and approaches to modeling acclimatization (e.g., increased use of air conditioning, gradual physiological adaptation). Results. Projected regional increases in heat-related premature mortality by the 2050s ranged from 47% to 95%, with a mean 70% increase compared with the 1990s. Acclimatization effects reduced regional increases in summer heat-related premature mortality by about 25%. Local impacts varied considerably across the region, with urban counties showing greater numbers of deaths and smaller percentage increases than less-urbanized counties. Conclusions. Although considerable uncertainty exists in climate forecasts and future health vulnerability, the range of projections we developed suggests that by midcentury, acclimatization may not completely mitigate the effects of climate change in the New York City metropolitan region, which would result in an overall net increase in heat-related premature mortality.
Differences in A1C by Race and Ethnicity Among Patients With Impaired Glucose Tolerance in the Diabetes Prevention Program
Authors: Herman William H. , Ma Yong , Uwaifo Gabriel , Haffner Steven , Kahn Steven E. , Horton Edward S. , Lachin John M. , Montez Maria G. , Brenneman Tina , Barrett-Connor Elizabeth ,   for the Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group
Published: September 2007

OBJECTIVE—We sought to examine racial and ethnic differences in A1C in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— We studied 3,819 individuals aged ≥25 years with IGT who were found to be eligible to participant in the Diabetes Prevention Program. A1C was compared among five racial and ethnic groups before and after adjustment for factors that differed among groups or might affect glycemia including age, sex, education, marital status, blood pressure, adiposity (BMI and waist circumference), hematocrit, fasting and post–glucose load glucose levels, glucose area under the curve (AUC), β-cell function, and insulin resistance.
RESULTS—Mean ± SD A1C was 5.91 ± 0.50%. Among whites, A1C was 5.80 ± 0.44%, among Hispanics 5.89 ± 0.46%, among Asian 5.96 ± 0.45%, among American Indians 5.96 ± 0.46%, and among blacks 6.19 ± 0.59%. Age, sex, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, BMI, fasting glucose, glucose AUC, corrected insulin response, and insulin resistance were each independent predictors of A1C. Adjusting for these and other factors, mean A1C levels were 5.78% for whites, 5.93% for Hispanics, 6.00% for Asians, 6.12% for American Indians, and 6.18% for blacks (P &lt; 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS— A1C levels are higher among U.S. racial and ethnic minority groups with IGT after adjustment for factors likely to affect glycemia. Among patients with IGT, A1C may not be valid for assessing and comparing glycemic control across racial and ethnic groups or as an indicator of health care disparities.
Exercise Capacity and Cardiovascular/Metabolic Characteristics of Overweight and Obese Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Ribisl Paul M. , Lang Wei , Jaramillo Sarah A. , Jakicic John M. , Stewart Kerry J. , Bahnson Judy , Bright Renee , Curtis Jeff F. , Crow Richard S. , Soberman Judith E. ,   on behalf of the Look AHEAD Research Group
Published: September 2007

OBJECTIVE— We examined associations of cardiovascular, metabolic, and body composition measures with exercise capacity using baseline data from 5,145 overweight and/or obese (BMI ≥25.0 kg/m2) men and women with type 2 diabetes who were randomized participants for the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) clinical trial.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— Peak exercise capacity expressed as METs and estimated from treadmill speed and grade was measured during a graded exercise test designed to elicit a maximal effort. Other measures included waist circumference, BMI, type 2 diabetes duration, types of medication used, A1C, history of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, β-blocker use, and race/ethnicity.
RESULTS— Peak exercise capacity was higher for men (8.0 ± 2.1 METs) than for women (6.7 ± 1.7 METs) (P &lt; 0.001). Exercise capacity also decreased across each decade of age (P &lt; 0.001) and with increasing BMI and waist circumference levels in both sexes. Older age, increased waist circumference and BMI, a longer duration of diabetes, increased A1C, a history of cardiovascular disease, having metabolic syndrome, β-blocker use, and being African American compared with being Caucasian were associated with a lower peak exercise capacity for both sexes. Hypertension and use of diabetes medications were associated with lower peak exercise capacity in women.
CONCLUSIONS— Individuals with diabetes who are overweight or obese have impaired exercise capacity, which is primarily related to age, female sex, and race, as well as poor metabolic control, BMI, and central obesity.