bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Brazil and Access to HIV/AIDS Drugs: A Question of Human Rights and Public Health
Authors: Galvão Jane 
Published: June 2005

I explore the relationship between public health and human rights by examining the Brazilian government’s policy of free and universal access to anti-retroviral medicines for people with HIV/AIDS. The Brazilian government’s management of the HIV/AIDS epidemic arose from initiatives in both civil society and the governmental sector following the democratization of the country. The dismantling of authoritarian rule in Brazil was accompanied by a strong orientation toward human rights, which formed the sociopolitical framework of Brazil’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Even if the Brazilian experience cannot be easily transferred to other countries, the model of the Brazilian government’s response may nonetheless serve as inspiration for finding appropriate and lifesaving solutions in other national contexts.
Work Factors and Occupational Class Disparities in Sickness Absence: Findings From the GAZEL Cohort Study
Authors: Melchior Maria , Krieger Nancy , Kawachi Ichiro , Berkman Lisa F. , Niedhammer Isabelle , Goldberg Marcel 
Published: June 2005

Objectives. To estimate the contribution of stress-related and physical work factors to occupational class disparities in sickness absence from work. Methods. Our sample consisted of 8847 men and 2886 women participating in the French GAZEL cohort study. Occupational class and medically certified sickness absence data (1995–2001) were obtained from the participants’ employer. Work characteristics (physical and stress-related) were self-reported. We calculated rate ratios with Poisson regression models; fractions of sickness absence attributable to work factors were estimated with the Miettinen formula. Results. Sickness absence was distributed along an occupational gradient. Work characteristics accounted for 19% (women) and 21% (men) of all absences. Physical work conditions accounted for 42% and 13% of absences for musculoskeletal reasons, and work stress accounted for 48% and 40% of psychiatric absences. Overall, about 20% of the occupational class gradient in sickness absence could have been associated with deleterious work conditions. Conclusion. Work conditions contribute to sickness absence, particularly among manual workers and clerks. Policies that decrease ergonomic constraints and work stress also could reduce the burden of ill health and sickness absence among the lowest strata of working populations.
Quality of Parental Consent in a Ugandan Malaria Study
Authors: Pace Christine , Talisuna Ambrose , Wendler David , Maiso Faustin , Wabwire-Mangen Fred , Bakyaita Nathan , Okiria Edith , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth S. , Emanuel Ezekiel , Grady Christine 
Published: June 2005

Objectives. We surveyed Ugandan parents who enrolled their children in a randomized pediatric malaria treatment trial to evaluate the parents’ levels of understanding about the treatment trial and the quality of the parents’ consents to allow their children to participate in the study. Methods. We conducted 347 interviews immediately following enrollment at 4 Ugandan sites. Results. A majority (78%) of the parents, most of whom where mothers (86%) had at most a primary school education. Of the participating mothers, a substantial percentage reported that they remembered being told about the study’s purpose (77%), the required number of visits (88%), the risks involved (61%), treatment allocation (84%), and their ability to discontinue their children’s participation (64%). In addition, most reported knowing the trial’s purpose (80%) and the required number of visits (78%); however, only 18% could name possible side effects from the drugs being administered, and only 19% knew that children would not all be administered identical treatments. Ninety-four percent reported that they made the enrollment decision themselves, but 58% said they felt pressure to participate because of their child’s illness, and 15% said they felt some type of pressure to participate from others; 41% reported knowing that they did not have to participate. Conclusions. The consent Ugandan parents provided to allow their children to participate in the malaria study was of mixed quality. Parents understood many of the study details, but they were not very aware of the risks involved or of randomization. Many parents felt that they could not have refused to participate because their child was sick and they either did not know or did not believe that their child would receive treatment outside of the study. Our results indicate that further debate is needed about informed consent in treatment studies of emergent illnesses in children.
The Limits of Social Capital: Durkheim, Suicide, and Social Cohesion
Authors: Kushner Howard I. , Sterk Claire E. 
Published: June 2005

Recent applications of social capital theories to population health often draw on classic sociological theories for validation of the protective features of social cohesion and social integration. Durkheim’s work on suicide has been cited as evidence that modern life disrupts social cohesion and results in a greater risk of morbidity and mortality—including self-destructive behaviors and suicide.We argue that a close reading of Durkheim’s evidence supports the opposite conclusion and that the incidence of self-destructive behaviors such as suicide is often greatest among those with high levels of social integration. A reexamination of Durkheim’s data on female suicide and suicide in the military suggests that we should be skeptical about recent studies connecting improved population health to social capital.
A Critical Analysis of the Brazilian Response to HIV/AIDS: Lessons Learned for Controlling and Mitigating the Epidemic in Developing Countries
Authors: Berkman Alan , Garcia Jonathan , Muñoz-Laboy Miguel , Paiva Vera , Parker Richard 
Published: June 2005

The Brazilian National AIDS Program is widely recognized as the leading example of an integrated HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment program in a developing country. We critically analyze the Brazilian experience, distinguishing those elements that are unique to Brazil from the programmatic and policy decisions that can aid the development of similar programs in other low- and middle-income and developing countries. Among the critical issues that are discussed are human rights and solidarity, the interface of politics and public health, sexuality and culture, the integration of prevention and treatment, the transition from an epidemic rooted among men who have sex with men to one that increasingly affects women, and special prevention and treatment programs for injection drug users.
The Right to Health Under International Law and Its Relevance to the United States
Authors: Yamin Alicia Ely 
Published: June 2005

In recent years, there have been considerable developments in international law with respect to the normative definition of the right to health, which includes both health care and healthy conditions. These norms offer a framework that shifts the analysis of issues such as disparities in treatment from questions of quality of care to matters of social justice. Building on work in social epidemiology, a rights paradigm explicitly links health with laws, policies, and practices that sustain a functional democracy and focuses on accountability. In the United States, framing a well-documented problem such as health disparities as a “rights violation” attaches shame and blame to governmental neglect. Further, international law offers standards for evaluating governmental conduct as well as mechanisms for establishing some degree of accountability.
Beyond Questionnaires
Authors: Peköz Bayram 
Published: June 2005

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate language learning motivation within an educational approach. Within this framework, the present study investigated learners’ actual classroom motivation as opposed to GARDNER’s (1985) self-report motivation. Two AMES (Adult Migrant English Service) classes were observed for 11 weeks each, totalling 72 hours altogether. The observations were carried out through an observation scale designed to rate learners’ motivation. A questionnaire which was based on GARDNER’s (1985) ‘Attitude and Motivation Index’ was also administered to test Gardner’s socio-psychological approach to second language (SL) motivation. The study confirmed the hypotheses, which had predicted that there was no relationship between a) attitudes towards the target language commulllty and actual classroom motivation; and b) self-report motivation and observed classroom motivation.
Terminology in Interlanguage Pragmatics
Authors: Tran Giao Quynh 
Published: June 2005

AbstractInter language pragmatics research has spanned a number of different areas in second language acquisition and pragmatics. In the large corpus of interlanguage pragmatics studies, basic terms such as “interlanguage pragmatics”, “speech acts” and “pragmatic transfer” have been referred to more often than not. But rarely have we stopped to re-evaluate the applicability and appropriateness of these terms. This paper aims to properly interpret or redefine their meanings and to propose more appropriate terms where possible.
Edad y Competencia Oral en la Adquisición del Inglés Como Tercera Lengua
Authors: Zarobe Yolanda Ruiz De 
Published: June 2005

AbstractEI presente trabajo estudia el desarrollo de la competencia oral en la adquisición del inglés como tercera lengua. Específicamente, analiza la influencia que la edad puede ejercer en el desarrollo de la competencia oral por parte de niños bilingües de español-euskera. Para llevar a cabo esta investigación, hemos contado con un corpus de 81 alumnos de una ikastola privada de Gipuzkoa, divididos en tres grupos según la edad, aunque con un mismo período de instrucción en inglés. Los resultados de nuestro estudio indican que son los alumnos más jóvenes los que presentan ventajas en el desarrollo de su competencia oral. Este hecho puede deberse a la metodología seguida en el aula, que es fundamentalmente comunicativa con los grupos de menor edad.
Influence of Burner Scale‐up on Characteristics of Flame‐Synthesized Titania and Silica Nanoparticles
Authors: Dittmann R. , Richter J. , Vital A. , Piazza D. , Aneziris C. , Graule T. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractThe influence of geometrically‐similar upscaling of a laboratory diffusion flame burner on the morphology, specific surface area and phase composition of titania and silica nanoparticles has been investigated. For these two materials systems, two flame configurations were studied using both a laboratory‐size and an upscaled burner. Independent of the burner size, smaller and more aggregated particles form in the double diffusion flame, while spherical particles result from the single diffusion flame. The titania and silica powders produced in the upscaled burner have a lower specific surface area and are less homogeneous, despite being synthesized at the same overall flame stoichiometry and gas outlet velocities as used with the laboratory burner. These results can be explained by the increase in flame height, which causes the residence time of the growing particles in the high‐temperature flame to increase. The larger single diffusion flame stems from the longer radial diffusion paths between the reactant gases in the upscaled burner.
Cover Picture: Nanotechnology: An Approach to Mimic Natural Architectures and Concepts (Adv. Eng. Mater. 5/2005)
Authors: Gröning P. A. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractThe lotus leaf's ability for self‐cleaning is considered as a model to produce dust‐ and dirt‐repellent surfaces, e.g. “anti‐graffitti” spray. This cover picture shows a water droplet condensing on the leaf surface and lifting up graphite particles (from ESEM in‐situ experiments). Further examples how researchers try to mimic nature are described in the article <?twb>“Nanotechnology: An approach to mimic natural architectures and concepts” by P. A. Gröning on page 279.With the invention of the Scanning Tunnelling Microscope (STM) in 1981 by G. Binnig and H. Rohrer, the gate to the nanoworld was pushed open. The prospect to control matter and units on molecular and atomic level, inspired many scientists to think about new technological approaches – nanotechnology in the sense of Richard Phillips Feynman became reality. Thus, nanotechnology is not only the next step of the miniaturisation following microtechnology – nanotechnology is an approach to investigate natural architectures and to mimic them for technological problems. In the present article we try to show that nanotechnology is an evolutionary process of our technological society with the potential to solve everyday problems with revolutionary concepts and devices.
Effect of plasma exchange on cytokines measured by multianalyte bead array in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Authors: Shariatmadar Sherry , Nassiri Mehdi , Vincek Vladimir 
Published: May 2005

AbstractThe serum cytokine profile in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) has not been extensively characterized. In this pilot study, a novel technique was utilized to evaluate multiple cytokines in patients with idiopathic TTP during a course of plasma exchange (PE). Single serum samples were obtained from five TTP patients before and after each PE. Random sera were obtained from nine healthy volunteers who served as controls. The samples were evaluated for 13 cytokines (IL‐1B, IL‐2 , IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐7, IL‐8, IL‐10, IL‐12, IL‐13, IFN‐γ, GM‐CSF, and TNF‐α) using the Luminex bead array (LINCOplex) multianalyte detection system that permits simultaneous detection of multiple cytokines from a single sample. Each patient received 4–6 PEs (Cobe Spectra) with 3.0–4.0 L of fresh frozen plasma as replacement fluid. Four of 5 patients received corticosteroids prior to and during PE. The control group did not receive steroids. Baseline values for IL‐8 (182.9 vs. 6.5 pg/mL, P < 0.05) and TNF‐α (11.4 vs. 0.9 pg/mL, P < 0.001) were significantly higher in TTP patients compared with controls. Other tested cytokines were not significantly different between the two groups. Comparison of cytokine values pre‐ and post‐PE indicate a substantial decrease after each PE. However, cytokines rebounded to abnormal levels by the following day. There was no correlation between cytokines and serum LDH or platelet count. These findings suggest that certain cytokines, particularly IL‐8 and TNF‐α, are altered in TTP, and this may indicate a direct role in TTP pathogenesis, reflect ongoing tissue injury, or perhaps indicate an inadequate attempt to limit tissue injury. Am. J. Hematol. 79:83–88, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spectrin's E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating activity is diminished in sickle cells
Authors: Chang Tsui‐Ling , Kakhniashvili David G. , Goodman Steven R. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractErythrocyte spectrin contains E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating activity in its α subunit. Ankyrin is a target of spectrin's E2/E3 ubiquitin conjugating/ligating activity in vitro and in vivo. We compare the ubiquitination levels of ankyrin mediated by control and sickle cell spectrin using a biotinylated ubiquitin cell‐free assay. Sickle cell spectrin has diminished ability to transfer ubiquitin from an intermediate spectrin–ubiquitin thioester adduct (α′ spectrin) to ankyrin, which may be due to glutathiolation of spectrin's E2 and/or E3 active site cysteines. There is also a diminished ability of the sickle cell ankyrin to serve as target of spectrin's E2/E3 activity, probably due to oxidative damage to ankyrin. A direct correlation exists between the α′/α spectrin ratio and spectrin's ability to ubiquitinate ankyrin. There is also an inverse correlation between severity of the disease and the α′/α spectrin ratio in SS erythrocytes. These results suggest that reduced spectrin E2/E3 activity is an important determinant of sickle cell severity. Am. J. Hematol. 79:89–96, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ultralow‐Dielectric‐Constant foams by crystallisation from supercritical solution: Application to advanced electronic packaging
Authors: Ehrlich P. , Ehrlich D. J. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractAccurate moulding of polymer foams of density 0.02–0.3 g cm−3 has been achieved by crystallising polyethylene and ethylene/methlacrylate copolymers from dry supercritical solutions. Adherent thick films can be sealed to electronic substrates and are proposed as insulating layers for interconnections on multichip modules and other high‐speed electronic devices. The dielectric constant achieved for films of several‐mil thickness is between 1.05 and 1.3 and can be tailored along with the physical properties of the film by adjusting the density and composition of the copolymer. Planarisation or complex patterning is possible by detailing the mould.
Photophysical processes in low‐fluence UV laser–material interaction and the relevance to atomic layer processing
Authors: Helvajian H. , Wiedeman L. , Kim H.‐S. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractAtomic‐scale material‐processing tools must be developed to allow the in situ synthesis of complex, nanometre‐scale, multilayer structures. These processing tools must be cost‐effective, extendible to large‐area surfaces and adaptable to realistic manufacturing equipment. Presented here are experimental results on the photophysical processes in low‐fluence UV laser radiation of surfaces. The results suggest that atomic‐level synthesis/modification of materials is possible by the laser‐induced desorption by electronic excitation (LIDEE) process. The processing action employs resonance behaviour to gain species selectivity in the products desorbed. It naturally lends itself to automation (pulsed processing) and is designed for manufacturing laser systems currently used in materials processing. In addition, no potential limitations exist on the surface area which can be processed. Presented are the experimental data using crystalline Al and Bi2Sr2Ca1Cu2O8 targets along with supporting results from Ag and W targets. The results are interpreted in the light of photodesorption models which best support the data. As a conclusion we present an outline of how the LIDEE process might be used as a nanometre‐scale material‐processing tool.
Laser direct writing of gold conductors from metallorganic inks
Authors: Scelsi G. B. , Notaro J. , Arnone C. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractLaser deposition of gold lines from spin‐on metallorganic (MO) precursors has been studied. A readily available and relatively low‐cost commercial MO ink has been used to write gold interconnects on different substrates. The physical properties of the ink, its laser‐firing process on oxidised silicon substrates and its electrical characterisation are presented here, together with the experimental procedure needed for obtaining low‐resistivity deposits.
Optical non‐linearities and excitation dynamics in II–VI bulk and epitaxial materials
Authors: Gutowski J. , Hoffmann A. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractExcitonic processes in the band edge regime determine the optical properties of II–VI bulk and novel epitaxial materials. The interdependences of excitonic systems (i.e. free and bound excitons), high‐density systems (e.g. biexcitons) and the transition into the electron‐hole plasma state are of high complexity and depend sensitively on sample quality and purity, dopant concentration, excitation condition and density, etc. Resonant excitation spectroscopy and time‐resolved analysis of creation and decay processes provide valuable experimental access to clarification of the above‐mentioned mutual interactions. In this paper recent results obtained using these methods are surveyed.In the first part the development of luminescence and resonant excitation of bound exciton systems is treated under various excitation densities, for high excitation levels accompanied by biexciton formation and exciton–exciton collision processes. The specific properties observable when using heteroepitaxial structures instead of conventional bulk samples are discussed.In the second part the time characteristics of excitonic transitions are evaluated for various impurities, dopants and dopant concentrations, excitation via particular resonant excitation channels, and various excitation densities. Relaxation and conversion channels between excitonic systems are analysed, in particular in strained heteroepitaxial systems which show splitting effects of the bands from which the carriers stem. Time‐resolved analysis is demonstrated to be extremely helpful for the analysis of unknown excitonic systems and transitions. Methods of varying the characteristic time constants are discussed, in particular with regard to intentional changes in impurity contents and excitation densities which are interesting for any application.
Identification of the volatile decomposition products produced in the deposition of (Hg,Cd)Te by MOVPE
Authors: Hails Janet E. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractThe pyrolysis reactions of di‐isopropyl telluride and dimethyl cadmium, both alone and in combination and with and without mercury, have been studied using the technique of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). For example, when mercury and dimethyl cadmium are mixed in hydrogen at the growth temperature (370°C), the volatile products observed are methane, ethane and dimethyl mercury. In contrast, when di‐isopropyl tellurideis substituted for the cadmium precursor in this reaction, the products observed are propane, propene and 2,3‐dimethylbutane with no volatile mercury‐containing compounds. Heating the two organometallic precursors together at the growth temperature in the absence of mercury gives products expected from the pyrolysis of each one alone plus a number of interaction products such as 2‐methylpropane. The results of these studies will be presented, a mechanism for the reactions proposed and the implications for MOVPE growth discussed.
MOVPE growth and characterization of ZnSxSe1 − x/ZnSe quantum wells
Authors: Heuken M. , Söllner J. , Geyzers K. P. , Schneider A. , Guimarães F. E. G. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractIn this work we report on ZnSxSe1 − x/ZnSe quantum wells grown by atmospheric pressure MOVPE on GaAs substrates. Diethylznc (DEZn), diethylselenium (DESe), diethylsulphur (DES) and H2S were used as source materials. Binary quantum wells with ZnSe or ZnS as barrier were usually grown in sets of 10 pairs on a 0.5 μm ZnSe or ZnS buffer, respectively. QWs with different well thicknesses (1–4 nm) show a typical shift to higher energies with decreasing well thickness and also a large decrease in PL intensity with increasing well thickness. Owing to the onset of relaxation above 5 nm well thickness, no PL emission could be observed. QWs of the same thickness but grown at different temperatures (420–520°C) show a broadened line shape with decreasing growth temperature. Growth interruption (3–50 s) also causes a broadening of the PL emission with decreasing interruption time. This is caused by interface reconstruction at higher growth temperatures and longer growth interruption. A ZnS buffer of 0.5 μm improves the PL line shape compared with a ZnSe buffer.ZnSxSe1 − x/ZnSe single and multiple QWs (Lz = 1–4 nm) were grown to reduce the strain in the structures. A typical quantum confinement energy shift of 160 meV for the 1 nm well can be observed in ZnS0.68Se0.32/ZnSe QWs. In comparison with the binary QWs, the FWHM could be reduced by about a factor of two to 34 meV. This improvement was obtained by an optimisation of the switching process to prevent the desorption of sulphur from the ZnSSe during the growth interruption.
Defect‐induced fundamental edge distoritons in two‐photon spectroscopy of semiconductors
Authors: Gavryushin V. I. , Kazlauskas A. , Račiukaitis G. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractThe influence of grown‐in and impurity defects on the form of the fundamental absorption edge in ZnO, ZnSe and CdS crystal was studied by the method of two‐photon absorption (TPA). A considerable long‐wavelength shift of the TPA spectra was measured in Zinc‐rich compounds after thermal treatment. This can be explained by a very good saturation of interstitial Zni atoms up to a concentration of 1018 cm−3 causing deformation of the band edge.