bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Political activism as a social work strategy in Africa
Authors: Mmatli Tlamelo 
Published: April 2008

English Africa faces many social, economic and political problems: unemployment, poverty, inequality, illiteracy, homelessness, diseases, human rights abuses, official corruption and civil conflicts. These are structural problems, created through political processes. To prevent or resolve them, African social workers must participate in the political processes determining the life circumstances of their clients. French L'Afrique est aux prises avec d'innombrables problèmes sociaux, économiques et politiques tels que le chômage, la pauvreté, les inégalités, l'analphabétisme, le manque de logements, la maladie, la corruption officielle et les conflits civils. Il s'agit de problèmes structurels qui découlent de processus politiques. Afin de prévenir, d'alléger ou de résoudre ce genre de problèmes, les travailleurs sociaux africains doivent prendre part aux processus politiques qui déterminent les conditions de vie de leurs clients. Spanish> África se encuentra ante una serie de conflictos: problemas sociales, económicos y políticos, desempleo, pobreza, desigualdad, analfabetismo, falta de vivienda, mala salud, corrupción oficial y conflictos civiles. Estos son problemas estructurales creados a través de procesos políticos. Para prevenir, aliviar o resolver tales problemas, los trabajadores sociales en África deben participar en los procesos políticos que determinan las circunstancias de vida de sus clientes
Genocide and its aftermath
Authors: Kabeera Benon , Sewpaul Vishanthie 
Published: April 2008

English This article describes the experiences of returnees from exile into Kigali, Rwanda and the efforts of the Government of Rwanda (GoR) and the UNHCR to meet the needs of returnees, and to deal with the aftermath of the genocide. Particular attention is paid to the Gacaca courts and the role of social work therein. We identify gaps in services and make recommendations in respect of the refugee phenomenon on the African continent. French Cet article décrit l'expérience des exilés qui retournent à Kigali, au Rwanda, ainsi que les efforts du Gouvernement du Rwanda et du Haut Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés (UNHCR) pour répondre à leurs besoins et aux séquelles du génocide. L'étude porte une attention particulière aux Juridictions Gacaca et au rôle du travail social dans ce contexte. Elle identifie des lacunes dans les services et formule des recommandations concernant le phénomène des réfugiés sur le continent africain. Spanish En este artículo describimos las experiencias de los retornados del exilio en Kigali, Rwanda y los esfuerzos del gobierno de Rwanda (GoR) y la UNHCR para conocer las necesidades de los retornados y tratar con las secuelas del genocidio. Se pone especial atención en los tribunales Gacaca y en el papel del Trabajo Social en ello. Identificamos vacíos en los servicios y hacemos recomendaciones respecto al fenómeno del refugiado en el continente africano.
South African social work education
Authors: Smith Linda 
Published: April 2008

English In the context of ongoing internalized and structural forms of oppression in post-apartheid and post-colonial South Africa, social work education must be critical and engage with structural, modernist analysis and post-modern critical theory. This article explores how students experience a critical conscientization process as part of preparation for praxis which meets social change imperatives. French Dans un contexte où les formes d'oppression structurelles et intériorisées de la période post-apartheid et postcoloniale se maintiennent, il est nécessaire que la formation en travail social soit critique et qu'elle fasse place à l'analyse structurelle moderne et à la théorie critique post-moderne. Cette étude explore la façon dont les étudiants font l'expérience, dans leur cheminement pratique, d'un processus de conscientisation critique qui répond aux exigences du changement social. Spanish En el contexto de las internalizadas y estructurales formas de opresión actuales en la Sud Africa post-colonial y post-apartheid, la educación en trabajo social debe ser crítica y comprometida con el análisis estructural moderno y con la teoría crítica postmoderna. Este artículo explora cómo los estudiantes experimentan el proceso de concientización crítica como parte de la preparación para la práctica, la cual se enfrenta con los imperativos del cambio social.
Moisture Buffering and its Consequence in Whole Building Hygrothermal Modeling
Authors: Rode Carsten , Grau Karl 
Published: April 2008

Moisture absorption and desorption of materials in contact with indoor air of buildings can be used as a passive, i.e., nonmechanical, way to moderate the variation of indoor humidity. This phenomenon, which is recognized as `moisture buffering', could potentially be used as an attractive feature of building products to improve indoor air quality and to save energy. Of interest therefore is to establish a unit to appraise this quality of building products and to investigate the importance of moisture buffering when it is considered in whole building hygrothermal simulation. This paper will illustrate both. A new test method specifies a protocol for determination of what has recently been termed the Moisture Buffer Value (MBV) of building products. The paper presents the definition of MBV and introduces a test protocol which has been proposed for its experimental determination. The MBV is primarily meant as a value to characterize the ability of building products to moderate the variations of humidity in air which is in contact with the products, since it indicates the rate of flow of moisture over the product's surface when exposed to a certain humidity excitation. Hygroscopic interaction between air of the indoor climate and materials in the building envelope is taken into account in a model for whole building heat and moisture simulation. By means of an example, it will be investigated if: 1. it is possible to use the benefits of moisture buffering to save energy by reducing the requirement for ventilation if indoor humidity is a parameter for controlling ventilation rate, 2. it is possible to improve the perceived acceptability of indoor air, as judged by the temperature and humidity of the air, by using moisture buffering to control the indoor humidity. The results of the whole building hygrothermal simulations show that it is possible to rather significantly reduce the amplitudes of indoor relative variation when the moisture buffering effect of building materials is taken into account, compared to a situation with moisture tight interior building surfaces. The modeling also shows some possible benefits on energy consumption if humidity-controlled ventilation is employed, as well some benefit on the indoor acceptability with the hygrothermal quality of indoor air. However, both benefits seem to be somewhat limited in the model room used for analysis.
NOTCH1 extracellular juxtamembrane expansion mutations in T-ALL
Authors: Sulis Maria Luisa , Williams Odette , Palomero Teresa , Tosello Valeria , Pallikuppam Sasikala , Real Pedro J. , Barnes Kelly , Zuurbier Linda , Meijerink Jules P. , Ferrando Adolfo A. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractHeterodimerization domain (HD) mutations in NOTCH1 induce ligand-independent activation of the receptor and contribute to the pathogenesis of one-third of human T-cell lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALLs). Here we report a novel class of activating mutations in NOTCH1 leading to aberrant activation of NOTCH1 signaling in T-cell lymphoblasts. These so-called juxtamembrane expansion (JME) alleles consist of internal duplication insertions in the vicinity of exon 28 of the NOTCH1 gene encoding the extracellular juxtamembrane region of the receptor. Notably, structure-function analysis of leukemia-derived and synthetic JME mutants demonstrated that the aberrant activation of NOTCH1 signaling is dependent on the number of residues introduced in the extracellular juxtamembrane region of the receptor and not on the specific amino acid sequence of these insertions. JME NOTCH1 mutants are effectively blocked by γ-secretase inhibitors and require an intact metalloprotease cleavage site for activation. Overall, these results show a novel mechanism of NOTCH1 activation in T-ALL and provide further insight on the mechanisms that control the activation of NOTCH1 signaling.
Overlapping genes in the human and mouse genomes
Authors: Sanna Chaitanya R , Li Wen-Hsiung , Zhang Liqing 
Published: April 2008

Abstract

Background
Increasing evidence suggests that overlapping genes are much more common in eukaryotic genomes than previously thought. In this study we identified and characterized the overlapping genes in a set of 13,484 pairs of human-mouse orthologous genes.

Results
About 10% of the genes under study are overlapping genes, the majority of which are different-strand overlaps. The majority of the same-strand overlaps are embedded forms, whereas most different-strand overlaps are not embedded and in the convergent transcription orientation. Most of the same-strand overlapping gene pairs show at least a tenfold difference in length, much larger than the length difference between non-overlapping neighboring gene pairs. The length difference between the two different-strand overlapping genes is less dramatic. Over 27% of the different-strand-overlap relationships are shared between human and mouse, compared to only ~8% conservation for same-strand-overlap relationships. More than 96% of the same-strand and different-strand overlaps that are not shared between human and mouse have both genes located on the same chromosomes in the species that does not show the overlap. We examined the causes of transition between the overlapping and non-overlapping states in the two species and found that 3' UTR change plays an important role in the transition.

Conclusion
Our study contributes to the understanding of the evolutionary transition between overlapping genes and non-overlapping genes and demonstrates the high rates of evolutionary changes in the un-translated regions.
Coordinated prophylactic surgical management for women with hereditary breast-ovarian cancer syndrome
Authors: Batista Larissa I , Lu Karen H , Beahm Elisabeth K , Arun Banu K , Bodurka Diane C , Meric-Bernstam Funda 
Published: April 2008

Abstract

Background
Women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations have a substantially increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer compared with the general population. Therefore, prophylactic mastectomy (PM) and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) have been proposed as risk-reduction strategies for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. We aimed to assess the feasibility of coordinated PM and BSO in hereditary breast-ovarian cancer syndrome.

Methods
High risk women for breast and ovarian cancer who underwent coordinated PM and BSO were included in this study. Clinical characteristics and surgical and oncologic outcomes were retrospectively reviewed.

Results
Twelve patients underwent coordinated PM and BSO. Ten had history of previous breast cancer. Autologous breast reconstruction was performed in ten patients. The mean age at surgery was 43 (range 34–65). Mean operating time was 9.3 hours (range 3–16) with a mean postoperative hospitalization of 5.4 days (range 4–8). Intraoperatively, there were no major surgical complications. Postoperatively, one patient developed an abdominal wound dehiscence, another reoperation for flap congestion; one had umbilical superficial epidermolysis, and one patient developed aspiration pneumonia. At a mean follow-up of 84 months, 10 of patients were cancer-free. Although no patients developed a new primary cancer, two developed a distant recurrence.

Conclusion
Coordinated PM and BSO is a feasible procedure with acceptable morbidity in selected high-risk patients that desire to undergo surgery at one operative setting.
A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial to investigate the effects of nasal calcitonin on bone microarchitecture measured by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computerized tomography in postmenopausal women — Study protocol
Authors: Richert Laura , Uebelhart Brigitte , Engelhardt Marc , Azria Moise , Rizzoli René 
Published: April 2008

Abstract

Background
Bone microarchitecture is a significant determinant of bone strength. So far, the assessment of bone microarchitecture has required bone biopsies, limiting its utilization in clinical practice to one single skeletal site. With the advance of high-resolution imaging techniques, non-invasive in vivo measurement of bone microarchitecture has recently become possible. This provides an opportunity to efficiently assess the effects of anti-osteoporotic therapies on bone microarchitecture. We therefore designed a protocol to investigate the effects of nasal salmon calcitonin, an inhibitor of osteoclast activity, on bone microarchitecture in postmenopausal women, comparing weight bearing and non-weight bearing skeletal sites.

Methods
One hundred postmenopausal women will be included in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial comparing the effect of nasal salmon calcitonin (200 UI/day) to placebo over two years. Bone microarchitecture at the distal radius and distal tibia will be determined yearly by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (p-QCT) with a voxel size of 82 μm and an irradiation of less than 5 μSv. Serum markers of bone resorption and bone formation will be measured every 6 months. Safety and compliance will be assessed. Primary endpoint is the change in bone microarchitecture; secondary endpoint is the change in markers of bone turnover.

Hypothesis
The present study should provide new information on the mode of action of nasal calcitonin. We hypothezise that - compared to placebo - calcitonin impacts on microstructural parameters, with a possible difference between weight bearing and non-weight bearing bones.

Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00372099
Imp-L2, a putative homolog of vertebrate IGF-binding protein 7, counteracts insulin signaling in Drosophila and is essential for starvation resistance
Authors: Honegger Basil , Galic Milos , Köhler Katja , Wittwer Franz , Brogiolo Walter , Hafen Ernst , Stocker Hugo 
Published: April 2008

Abstract
Background
Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) signal through a highly conserved pathway and control growth and metabolism in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In mammals, insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) bind IGFs with high affinity and modulate their mitogenic, anti-apoptotic and metabolic actions, but no functional homologs have been identified in invertebrates so far.

Results
Here, we show that the secreted Imaginal morphogenesis protein-Late 2 (Imp-L2) binds Drosophila insulin-like peptide 2 (Dilp2) and inhibits growth non-autonomously. Whereas over-expressing Imp-L2 strongly reduces size, loss of Imp-L2 function results in an increased body size. Imp-L2 is both necessary and sufficient to compensate Dilp2-induced hyperinsulinemia in vivo. Under starvation conditions, Imp-L2 is essential for proper dampening of insulin signaling and larval survival.

Conclusion
Imp-L2, the first functionally characterized insulin-binding protein in invertebrates, serves as a nutritionally controlled suppressor of insulin-mediated growth in Drosophila. Given that Imp-L2 and the human tumor suppressor IGFBP-7 show sequence homology in their carboxy-terminal immunoglobulin-like domains, we suggest that their common precursor was an ancestral insulin-binding protein.
Phase II Study of Rituximab Plus Three Cycles of CHOP and Involved-Field Radiotherapy for Patients With Limited-Stage Aggressive B-Cell Lymphoma: Southwest Oncology Group Study 0014
Authors: Persky Daniel O. , Unger Joseph M. , Spier Catherine M. , Stea Baldassarre , LeBlanc Michael , McCarty Matthew J. , Rimsza Lisa M. , Fisher Richard I. , Miller Thomas P. 
Published: April 2008

Purpose To evaluate the effect of rituximab in limited-stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), we conducted a multicenter phase II trial combining rituximab with three cycles of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone; R-CHOP) followed by involved-field radiation therapy (IFRT). Patients and Methods Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) study S0014 enrolled patients with newly diagnosed, aggressive, CD20-expressing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Patients had limited-stage disease and at least one adverse risk factor as defined by the stage-modified International Prognostic Index (nonbulky stage II disease, age > 60 years, WHO performance status of 2, or elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase). Four doses of rituximab were infused on days −7, 1, 22, and 43, and CHOP was administered on days 3, 24, and 45, followed 3 weeks later by 40 to 46 Gy of IFRT. Results Sixty patients with aggressive NHL were eligible. With the median follow-up of 5.3 years, treatment resulted in a progression-free survival (PFS) of 93% at 2 years and 88% at 4 years. Overall survival (OS) was 95% at 2 years and 92% at 4 years. These results were compared with those from a historic group of patients treated without rituximab on S8736, demonstrating PFS of 78% and OS of 88% at 4 years. Conclusion In limited-stage DLBCL, the addition of rituximab to three cycles of CHOP plus IFRT met prespecified study criteria of efficacy, with 2-year PFS of at least 84%, meriting further investigation. There is a pattern of continuing relapse with modest survival gains. We hypothesize that such a pattern may be the result of biologic differences between limited- and advanced-stage lymphoma.
Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure With Heliox Versus Air Oxygen in Infants With Acute Bronchiolitis: A Crossover Study
Authors: Martinón-Torres Federico , Rodríguez-Núñez Antonio , Martinón-Sánchez Jose María 
Published: April 2008

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of administering either heliox or air oxygen in combination with nasal continuous positive airway pressure in infants with refractory bronchiolitis.
PATIENT AND METHODS. We conducted a prospective, interventional, single-center, crossover study in a teaching hospital including infants 1 month to 2 years of age, consecutively admitted to the PICU from February 2004 to February 2005 for treatment of severe acute bronchiolitis unresponsive to therapy. Patients with a clinical score (Modified Wood's Clinical Asthma Score) of &gt;5, arterial oxygen saturation of &lt;92%, or transcutaneous CO2 pressure of &gt;50 mmHg despite supportive therapy, nebulized L-epinephrine, and heliox therapy through a nonrebreathing reservoir face mask were eligible. During the study period, 40 infants with bronchiolitis were admitted to the PICU; 12 fulfilled inclusion criteria. A predetermined balanced sequential allocation to either 30 minutes of treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure with heliox or to air-oxygen nasal continuous positive airway pressure was performed. Measurements were taken at baseline and after 30 minutes of each treatment.
RESULTS. Baseline mean values were as follows: nasal continuous positive airway pressure of 7.2 cmH2O; clinical score of 7.7 points; transcutaneous CO2 pressure of 61.6 mmHg; and arterial oxygen saturation of 88.6%, with the fraction of inspired oxygen at 35.4%. Clinical score, transcutaneous CO2 pressure, and arterial oxygen saturation improved during the study time with both heliox-nasal continuous positive airway pressure and air-oxygen-nasal continuous positive airway pressure: after 1 hour, the clinical score fell 1.7 points, transcutaneous CO2 pressure decreased 8.2 mmHg, and arterial oxygen saturation increased by 7.7%. Improvement in clinical score was double with heliox-nasal continuous positive airway pressure compared with the air-oxygen-nasal continuous positive airway pressure (2.12 vs 1.08 points), and the fall in the transcutaneous CO2 pressure was greater with heliox-nasal continuous positive airway pressure compared with air-oxygen-nasal continuous positive airway pressure (9.7 vs 5.4 mm Hg). There was no difference in arterial oxygen saturation between groups. No patients required endotracheal intubation. No adverse effects attributable to either of the study interventions were detected.
CONCLUSIONS. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure improves the clinical score and the CO2 elimination of infants with refractory bronchiolitis. These positive effects are significantly enhanced when nasal continuous positive airway pressure is combined with heliox instead of air oxygen. Both techniques are noninvasive, seem safe, and may reduce the need for endotracheal intubation.
SAIPEM's Leadership in Safety Program: Bringing a New Safety Culture to the Oil & Gas Construction Industry
Authors: Planeix Michèle , De Sanctis Sabatino , Forzan Andrea , Prandini Fabio , Matkin Darren , Scotti Davide , Trickey David 
Published: April 2008

Abstract
SAIPEM, as a major contractor working for some of the most demanding organizations within the oil & gas industry, has come to recognize the necessity of safety leadership in achieving an accident-free workplace. In order to break through the TRIR (Total Recordable Injury Rate) plateau, SAIPEM has established a Leadership in Safety (LiS) program, which is in the early stages of deployment.
Developed internally, and tailored to the company's operations, the program addresses all levels of management, starting at the top. One of its main features is the LiS workshop.
The LiS workshop aims to hit the delegates in the heart and get them thinking differently about safety. To achieve this, two powerful and original tools were developed: a movie inspired by a real life work fatality and a web-based "safety culture profiler". –The movie was filmed to illustrate "leadership expectations", demonstrate good and bad "intervention", show "behavior that leads to incidents", all reinforcing the workshop as it unfolds. In the movie the CEO speaks about SAIPEM's vision, values and commitment to safety.–The "profiler" is completed prior to a workshop to assess the emphasis delegates give to different safety leadership expectations. The results are not disclosed until the "expectations" sequence in the workshop, and then on a confidential individual basis. In addition to this personal feedback, the tool can give a "picture" of the perceived safety culture within a group.
Hands-on exercises allow delegates to analyze behaviors (ABC) and practice intervention (SAIPEM's Five Stars Intervention Tool).
This paper describes the program, why it was developed and how it is deployed. It will be of interest to project managers aiming for zero-accident in the construction phase.