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Many Similarities (many + similarity)
Selected AbstractsUnderstanding anorexia nervosa through analysis of thematic content of letters in an adolescent sampleEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 5 2006Glen Freedman Abstract Objective Positive and negative themes about their illness have been identified in an adult population with anorexia nervosa. It was our goal to explore the thematic content of the letters written by an adolescent population in order to better our understanding of how this different population relates to the illness. Method Twenty-seven adolescents with anorexia nervosa were asked to write two letters to their eating disorder, one addressing it as a friend and the other, as an enemy. The coding scheme initially developed by Serpell and Treasure, with minor adjustments, was used to code the letters by two trained raters, with high inter-rater reliability. Results Many similarities and a few notable differences between the adolescent population and an adult population were noted. Compared to an adult population, adolescents valued to a greater degree the sense of feeling looked after by the disorder and the increased attention that they felt the disorder provided. In contrast, they did not view loss of periods as a benefit. Regarding perceived costs of anorexia nervosa, adolescents described a greater degree of psychological distress in relation to the disorder, and a greater sense of having been tricked by the disorder. They did not describe as much frustration with preoccupation with thoughts about food or of being controlled by food. All other themes were not considered appreciably different in terms of percentage of statements or of subjects. Discussion An understanding of how adolescents relate to their illness in terms of themes can help to provide the therapist with a sense of where a patient is in terms of motivation and readiness for recovery. This in turn can aid in the determination of an appropriate treatment approach that is most likely to foster an optimal therapeutic alliance and to enhance motivation to recover. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Coarse sediment transport in mountain streams in Colorado and Wyoming, USAEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 3 2005Sandra E. Ryan Abstract Since the early 1990s, US Forest Service researchers have made thousands of bedload measurements in steep, coarse-grained channels in Colorado and Wyoming, USA. In this paper we use data from 19 of those sites to characterize patterns and rates of coarse sediment transport for a range of channel types and sizes, including step,pool, plane-bed, pool,riffle, and near-braided channels. This effort builds upon previous work where we applied a piecewise regression model to (1) relate flow to rates of bedload transport and (2) define phases of transport in coarse-grained channels. Earlier, the model was tested using bedload data from eight sites on the Fraser Experimental Forest near Fraser, Colorado. The analysis showed good application to those data and to data from four supplementary channels to which the procedure was applied. The earlier results were, however, derived from data collected at sites that, for the most part, have quite similar geology and runoff regimes. In this paper we evaluate further the application of piecewise regression to data from channels with a wider range of geomorphic conditions. The results corroborate with those from the earlier work in that there is a relatively narrow range of discharges at which a substantial change in the nature of bedload transport occurs. The transition from primarily low rates of sand transport (phase I) to higher rates of sand and coarse gravel transport (phase II) occurs, on average, at about 80 per cent of the bankfull (1·5-year return interval) discharge. A comparison of grain sizes moved during the two phases showed that coarse gravel is rarely trapped in the samplers during phase I transport. Moreover, the movement and capture of the D16 to D25 grain size of the bed surface seems to correspond with the onset of phase II transport, particularly in systems with largely static channel surfaces. However, while there were many similarities in observed patterns of bedload transport at the 19 studied sites, each had its own ,bedload signal' in that the rate and size of materials transported largely reflected the nature of flow and sediment particular to that system. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Are differences in guidelines for the treatment of nicotine dependence and non-nicotine dependence justified?ADDICTION, Issue 12 2009John R. Hughes ABSTRACT Despite the many similarities between nicotine dependence and other drug dependences, national guidelines for their treatment differ in several respects. The recent national guideline for the treatment of nicotine dependence has (i) less emphasis on detailed assessment; (ii) less emphasis on treatment of psychiatric comorbidity; (iii) less acceptance of reduction of use as an initial treatment goal; (iv) greater emphasis on pharmacological interventions; and (v) less emphasis on psychosocial treatment than national guidelines for non-nicotine dependences. These treatment differences may occur because (i) nicotine does not cause behavioral intoxication; (ii) psychiatric comorbidity is less problematic with nicotine dependence; (iii) psychosocial problems are less severe with nicotine dependence; and (iv) available pharmacotherapies for nicotine dependence are safer, more numerous and more easily available. However, it is unclear whether these treatment differences are, in fact, justifiable because of the scarcity of empirical tests. We suggest several possible empirical tests. [source] The National Treatment Outcome Research Study (NTORS): 4,5 year follow-up resultsADDICTION, Issue 3 2003Michael Gossop ABSTRACT Aims ,The National Treatment Outcome Research Study (NTORS) is the first prospective national study of treatment outcome among drug misusers in the United Kingdom. NTORS investigates outcomes for drug misusers treated in existing services in residential and community settings. Design, setting and participants,The study used a longitudinal, prospective cohort design. Data were collected by structured interviews at intake to treatment, 1 year, 2 years and at 4,5 years. The sample comprised 418 patients from 54 agencies and four treatment modalities. Measurements, Measures were taken of illicit drug use, injecting and sharing injecting equipment, alcohol use, psychological health and crime. Findings, Rates of abstinence from illicit drugs increased after treatment among patients from both residential and community (methadone) programmes. Reductions were found for frequency of use of heroin, non-prescribed methadone, benzodiazepines, injecting and sharing of injecting equipment. For most variables, reductions were evident at 1 year with outcomes remaining at about the 1 year level or with further reductions. Crack cocaine and alcohol outcomes at 4,5 years were not significantly different from intake. Conclusions, Substantial reductions across a range of problem behaviours were found 4,5 years after patients were admitted to national treatment programmes delivered under day-to-day conditions. The less satisfactory outcomes for heavy drinking and use of crack cocaine suggest the need for services to be modified to tackle these problems more effectively. Despite differences between the United Kingdom and the United States in patient populations and in treatment programmes, there are many similarities between the two countries in outcomes from large-scale, multi-site studies. [source] IL-15 is critical for the maintenance and innate functions of self-specific CD8+ T cellsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 7 2009Momoe Itsumi Abstract IL-15 is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in host defense as well as autoimmunity. IL-15-deficient mice show a decrease of memory phenotype (MP) CD8+ T cells, which develop naturally in naïve mice and whose origin is unclear. It has been shown that self-specific CD8+ T cells developed in male H-Y antigen-specific TCR transgenic mice share many similarities with naturally occurring MP CD8+ T cells in normal mice. In this study, we found that H-Y antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in male but not female mice decreased when they were crossed with IL-15-deficient mice, mainly due to impaired peripheral maintenance. The self-specific TCR transgenic CD8+ T cells developed in IL-15-deficient mice showed altered surface phenotypes and reduced effector functions ex vivo. Bystander activation of the self-specific CD8+ T cells was induced in vivo during infection with Listeria monocytogenes, in which proliferation but not IFN-, production was IL-15-dependent. These results indicated important roles for IL-15 in the maintenance and functions of self-specific CD8+ T cells, which may be included in the naturally occurring MP CD8+ T-cell population in naïve normal mice and participate in innate host defense responses. [source] Conservation of arthropod midline netrin accumulation revealed with a cross-reactive antibody provides evidence for midline cell homologyEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2009Wendy Simanton SUMMARY Although many similarities in arthropod CNS development exist, differences in axonogenesis and the formation of midline cells, which regulate axon growth, have been observed. For example, axon growth patterns in the ventral nerve cord of Artemia franciscana differ from that of Drosophila melanogaster. Despite such differences, conserved molecular marker expression at the midline of several arthropod species indicates that midline cells may be homologous in distantly related arthropods. However, data from additional species are needed to test this hypothesis. In this investigation, nerve cord formation and the putative homology of midline cells were examined in distantly related arthropods, including: long- and short-germ insects (D. melanogaster, Aedes aeygypti, and Tribolium castaneum), branchiopod crustaceans (A. franciscana and Triops longicauditus), and malacostracan crustaceans (Porcellio laevis and Parhyale hawaiensis). These comparative analyses were aided by a cross-reactive antibody generated against the Netrin (Net) protein, a midline cell marker and regulator of axonogenesis. The mechanism of nerve cord formation observed in Artemia is found in Triops, another branchiopod, but is not found in the other arthropods examined. Despite divergent mechanisms of midline cell formation and nerve cord development, Net accumulation is detected in a well-conserved subset of midline cells in branchiopod crustaceans, malacostracan crustaceans, and insects. Notably, the Net accumulation pattern is also conserved at the midline of the amphipod P. hawaiensis, which undergoes split germ-band development. Conserved Net accumulation patterns indicate that arthropod midline cells are homologous, and that Nets function to regulate commissure formation during CNS development of Tetraconata. [source] Delayed onset of midline netrin expression in Artemia franciscana coincides with commissural axon growth and provides evidence for homology of midline cells in distantly related arthropodsEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2007Molly Duman-Scheel SUMMARY Although many similarities in arthropod central nervous systems (CNS) development exist, differences in midline cell formation and ventral nerve cord axonogenesis have been noted in arthropods. It is possible that changes in the expression of axon guidance molecules such as Netrin, which functions during commissural axon guidance in Drosophila and many other organisms, may parallel these differences. In this investigation, we analyze this hypothesis by examining Netrin accumulation during development of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana, a branchiopod crustacean. An Artemia franciscana netrin (afrnet) orthologue was cloned. An antibody to the afrNet protein was generated and used to examine the pattern of afrNet accumulation during Artemia development. Despite differences between Drosophila and Artemia nerve cord development, examination of afrNet accumulation suggests that this protein functions to regulate commissure formation during Artemia CNS development. However, detection of afrNet at the midline and on commissural axons occurs at a relatively later time point in Artemia as compared with Drosophila. Detection of afrNet in a subset of midline cells that closely resemble Netrin-expressing cells at the Drosophila midline provides evidence for homology of midline cells in arthropods. Expression of Netrins in many other tissues is comparable, suggesting that Netrin proteins may play many conserved roles during arthropod development. [source] Expression pattern of somatostatin receptor subtypes 1,5 in human skin: an immunohistochemical study of healthy subjects and patients with psoriasis or atopic dermatitisEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 12 2006Lena Hagströmer Abstract:, In psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, the inflammatory events have neurogenic components and the neuropeptides modify the functions of immuno-active cells in the skin. Somatostatin is a neuropeptide with several neuroendocrine and immunomodulating properties and mediates its actions by five distinct subtypes of G-protein-coupled receptors (SSTR1-5). This study describes the distribution of SSTR1,5, analysed with immunohistochemistry, in psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and controls. Normal human skin and lesional skin from patients with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis showed many similarities, but also some differences, as regards SSTR expression. SSTR1,3 were strongly expressed in the epidermis of healthy skin, and in the skin of patients with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. It is noteworthy that SSTR4 and 5 were strongly expressed in the epidermis of psoriasis patients, but weakly expressed in the epidermis of those with atopic dermatitis and normal skin. The intensity of the staining also varied considerably between the different layers of the epidermis, especially in psoriasis patients. In all cases, the dendritic cells, found mostly in the papillary and upper reticular dermis, showed a strong expression of SSTR1,4, but a weak expression of SSTR5. SSTR1,5 were strongly expressed in the sweat glands in all skin biopsies. Hair follicles and sebaceous glands expressed all five subtypes. Striated muscle fibres showed an intense positive expression of SSTR1,4, but a weak or negative expression of SSTR5. The wide distribution and expression pattern of all five SSTRs in human skin suggest that somatostatin is involved in the interactions between the nervous system and the skin. [source] Contemplating the murine test tube: lessons from natural killer cells and Cryptococcus neoformansFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 4 2006Kaleb J. Marr Abstract Murine experimentation has provided many useful tools, including the ability to knockout or over-express genes and to perform experiments that are limited by ethical considerations. Over the past century, mice have imparted valuable insights into the biology of many systems, including human immunity. However, although there are many similarities between the immune response of humans and mice, there are also many differences; none is more prominent than when examining natural killer cell biology. These differences include tissue distribution, effector molecules, receptor repertoire, and cytokine responses, all of which have important implications when extrapolating the studies to the human immune responses to Cryptococcus neoformans. [source] Shear wave splitting changes associated with the 2001 volcanic eruption on Mt EtnaGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2006Francesca Bianco SUMMARY The time delays and polarizations of shear wave splitting above small earthquakes show variations before the 2001 July 17,August 9 2001 flank eruption on Mt Etna, Sicily. Normalized time delays, measured by singular value decomposition, show a systematic increase starting several days before the onset of the eruption. On several occasions before the eruption, the polarization directions of the shear waves at Station MNT, closest to the eruption, show 90°-flips where the faster and slower split shear waves exchange polarizations. The last 90°-flip being 5 days before the onset of the eruption. The time delays also exhibit a sudden decrease shortly before the start of the eruption suggesting the possible occurrence of a ,relaxation' phenomena, due to crack coalescence. This behaviour has many similarities to that observed before a number of earthquakes elsewhere. [source] Evaluating Medical Effectiveness for the California Health Benefits Review ProgramHEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 3p2 2006Harold S. Luft An important aspect of the mandate assessments requested by the California legislature is a review of the scientific and medical literature on the medical effectiveness of the proposed health insurance benefit mandate. Although such a review bears many similarities to effectiveness reviews that might be undertaken for publication as research studies, several important differences arise from the requirements of the California legislation. Our reviews are intended to assist the legislators in deciding whether to support a specific mandate to modify health insurance benefits in a particular way. Thus, our assessments focus on how the scientific literature bears on the proposed mandate, which may involve a complicated chain of potential effects leading from altered coverage to ultimate impact on health. Evidence may be available for only some of the links in the chain. Furthermore, not all the evidence may be directly applicable to the diverse population of California or the subpopulation affected by the mandate. The mandate reviews, including the medical effectiveness analyses, may be used in a potentially contentious decision making setting. The legislative calendar requires that they need to be timely, yet they must be as valid, credible, and based on the best information available as possible. The focus on applicability also implies the need for informed, technical decisions concerning the relevance of the articles for the report, and these decisions need to be made as transparent as possible. These goals and constraints yield an approach that differs somewhat from an investigator-initiated review of the literature. [source] Affect expression in prenatally psychotropic exposed and nonexposed mother,infant dyadsINFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 4 2002Pratibha N. Reebye This prospective study examined infant, maternal, and dyadic affective profiles at three months postpartum in infant,mother dyads that were exposed to psychotropic medications in utero compared with nonexposed control dyads. Control dyads of nondepressed mothers and their infants showed many similarities in affect expression with mother,infant dyads who were exposed to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) alone for treatment of maternal depression. In contrast, mothers who received SSRIs and Rivotril (Benzodiazepine derivative) for treatment of depression and anxiety expressed both positive and negative affect towards their infants. Clinical implications regarding use of psychotropic medications such as SSRIs alone or in combination with other drugs for treatment of maternal anxiety and depression during pregnancy are discussed. Clinicians should be aware of the possible differential response in maternal,infant interaction in a mixed diagnosis group (i.e., depression and anxiety) regarding infant temperament, possibly suggesting latent behavioral teratogenicity with psychotropics. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. [source] Comparative analysis of mt LSU rRNA secondary structures of Odonates: structural variability and phylogenetic signalINSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2003B. Misof Abstract Secondary structures of the most conserved part of the mt 16S rRNA gene, domains IV and V, have been recently analysed in a comparative study. However, full secondary structures of the mt LSU rRNA molecule are published for only a few insect species. The present study presents full secondary structures of domains I, II, IV and V of Odonates and one representative of mayflies, Ephemera sp. The reconstructions are based on a comparative approach and minimal consensus structures derived from sequence alignments. The inferred structures exhibit remarkable similarities to the published Drosophila melanogaster model, which increases confidence in these structures. Structural variance within Odonates is homoplastic, and neighbour-joining trees based on tree edit distances do not correspond to any of the phylogenetically expected patterns. However, despite homoplastic quantitative structural variation, many similarities between Odonates and Ephemera sp. suggest promising character sets for higher order insect systematics that merit further investigations. [source] Developmental variation in epidermal growth factor receptor size and localization in the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiaeINSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2001G. Lycett Abstract The AGER gene encoding the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae was cloned and sequenced. It represents a canonical member of this family of tyrosine kinase proteins exhibiting many similarities to orthologues from other species, both on the level of genomic organization and protein structure. The mRNA can be detected throughout development. Western analysis with an antibody raised against the extracellular domain of the mosquito protein suggests developmental variation in protein size and location that may be involved in the function of EGFR in the mosquito. [source] Ritz finite elements for curvilinear particlesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2006Paul R. Heyliger Abstract A general finite element is presented for the representation of fields in curvilinear particles in two and three dimensions. The formulation of this element shares many similarities with usual finite element approximations, but differs in that nodal points are defined in part by contact points with other particles. Power series in the geometric coordinates are used as the starting basis functions, but are recast in terms of the field variables within the particle interior and the points of contact with other elements. There is no discretization error and the elements of the finite element matrices can all be evaluated in closed form. This approach is applicable to shapes in two and three dimensions, including discs, ellipses, spheres, spheroids, and potatoes. Examples are included for two-dimensional applications of steady-state heat transfer and elastostatics. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Tidal Model: Psychiatric colonization, recovery and the paradigm shift in mental health careINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2003Phil Barker ABSTRACT: Psychiatric research and practice involves the colonization of the personal experience of problems of human living. From a Western perspective, this process shares many similarities with the subjugation of women, people of colour and people embracing non-Christian faiths and cultures. The Tidal Model® is a mental health recovery and reclamation model, developed to provide the framework for discrete alternatives to the colonizing approach of mainstream psychiatric practice. The Model asserts the intrinsic value of personal experience and the centrality of narrative in the development of contextually bound, personally appropriate, mental health care. This paper summarizes the features of the Model, which attempt to address the foci of the more significant critiques of psychiatric practice (and psychiatric nursing), against a background sketch of psychiatric colonization. [source] Toward an Integrative Theory of Counterproductive Workplace Behavior: A Causal Reasoning PerspectiveINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SELECTION AND ASSESSMENT, Issue 1-2 2002Mark J. Martinko Over the past decade, there has been an increase in attention to counterproductive workplace behaviors including violence, stealing, dishonesty, volitional absenteeism, drug and alcohol abuse, and aggression, many of which have been addressed in this special issue. Accompanying the attention to these specific types of behaviors has been a proliferation of theories developed to explain, understand, and manage counterproductive behavior. While these theories have addressed many apparently divergent types of behaviors, many similarities exist between and among these various perspectives. In this article, we integrate these various perspectives into a causal reasoning framework, proposing that individuals' attributions about the causal dimensions of workplace events are a primary factor motivating both the emotions and behaviors that result in counterproductive workplace behaviors. [source] Linking reductionist science and holistic policy using systematic reviews: unpacking environmental policy questions to construct an evidence-based frameworkJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Andrew S. Pullin Summary 1. There is a mismatch between broad holistic questions typically posed in policy formation and narrow reductionist questions that are susceptible to scientific method. This inhibits the two-way flow of information at the science-policy interface and weakens the impact of applied ecology on environmental policy. 2. We investigate the approaches to building policy in the health services as a model to help establish a framework in applied ecology and environmental management by which reductionist science can underpin decision making at the policy level. 3. A comparison of policy documents in the health and environmental sectors reveals many similarities in identifying approaches and specific interventions that might achieve policy objectives. The difference is that in the health services, information on the effectiveness of potential interventions is far more readily available through the collaborative process of systematic review. 4.Synthesis and applications. Decision makers are increasingly looking to produce policies that are shaped by evidence through evidence-based policy making. The approach that we outline here provides a framework for structuring systematic reviews to deliver the evidence on key policy issues in a way that will see a faster return and provide better use of the systematic review methodology in environmental management. [source] Handling Mass Death by Integrating the Management of Disasters and Pandemics: Lessons from the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the Spanish Flu and Other IncidentsJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2007Joseph Scanlon At first glance, there appear to be significant differences between mass death from disasters and catastrophes and mass death from pandemics. In a disaster or catastrophe the major problem is identifying the dead and, sometimes, determining cause of death. This can be very frustrating for next of kin. In a pandemic, the identity of the dead is usually known as is the cause of their death. There is an immediate certainty in pandemic death. Despite these major differences there are many similarities. Because it takes time to identify the dead after a disaster or catastrophe, there is a steady release of bodies for cremation or burial, just as in a pandemic. In both types of incidents, there tends to be a shortage of supplies and personnel and, therefore, a need for use of volunteers. There are also massive amounts of paper work. This would suggest a need in both cases for stockpiling and for training of volunteers. And, although this does not always happen, both types of incidents tend to strike harder among the poorer elements in cities yet both create serious economic problems. Despite these many similarities, planning for the first tends to be done by emergency agencies, especially the police; planning for the second by health agencies. Given the many similarities this separation makes no sense. Since both types of mass death incidents lead to similar problems, it would make sense to take an all-hazards approach to planning for dealing with mass death. [source] Castleman's disease with numerous mantle zone lymphocytes with clear cytoplasm involving the skin: case reportJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 8 2009Dario Tomasini Castleman's disease (CD) is an unusual lymphoid hyperplasia occurring in the mediastinal lymph nodes and, less frequently, in the neck lymph nodes. CD is classified clinically into a unicentric and a multicentric type, whereas three histomorphological variants are recognized: the hyaline vascular type, the intermediate type and the plasma cell type. We report the clinical and pathological features of a 54-year-old female suffering with multiple sclerosis and developing a lymph node hyaline-vascular type CD relapsing in the skin after 24 months. Histological features showed a nodular dermatitis with atrophic germinal centers and an ,onion skin' rimming of lymphocytes in the mantle zone with numerous mantle zone lymphocytes with clear cytoplasm, with a CD20+, CD79a+, IgM+, IgG,, IgA,, CD5,, CD10,, CD43,, CD45RO,, bcl-2+ and bcl-6, phenotype with polytypic nature supporting the diagnosis of lymphoid variant of hyaline-vascular CD. This case shows that skin CD recapitulates all the histological variants of lymph node CD. Considering the many similarities between the present case and the primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma, it is important to bear in mind this atypical lymphoproliferative disorder in order to avoid overdiagnosis and overtreatment. [source] Coping strategies in developed and developing societies: the workings of the informal economyJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 8 2000Madeleine Leonard The purpose of this paper is to examine the persistence and significance of informal economic activity in both the developed and developing world. Drawing on empirical work carried out in Belfast, the paper suggests that many similarities exist between the informal economic activities of people on low incomes in Belfast and the poor in developing countries. The paper illustrates these connections through an examination of three aspects of the informal economy: reciprocity between households, informal self-employment and informal paid employment. By examining the variety of ways in which people at the lower end of the economic scale attempt to secure their economic livelihoods in the absence of formal employment opportunities, the paper demonstrates the global nature of the informal economy. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Intended management of children with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: A national surveyJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 1-2 2005MK Marks Objective: In Australia acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is mainly treated by paediatricians (either general paediatricians or paediatric haematologists/oncologists). A survey was conducted to gauge the current practice of treating children with acute ITP in Australia. Methods: All practising Australian paediatricians registered by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians were surveyed regarding their intended management of children with acute ITP. The questionnaire, adapted from a study of paediatric haematologists/oncologists in North America, presented four clinical scenarios of children with acute ITP with a platelet count of 3000 × 109/L, with and without mucosal bleeding (wet and dry purpura, respectively). Questionnaires were returned by mail or filled in online at a dedicated webpage. Results: Five hundred and sixty-three of 1097 (51%) paediatricians responded to the survey. Data from 140 who had treated at least one child with ITP in the previous 12 months were analysed. Respondents indicated that children with acute ITP are usually or always hospitalised (58,92%) and that 48% would be given active treatment, even with dry purpura. Various regimens of i.v. immunoglobulin or corticosteroids are used when treatment is administered. In comparing Australian and North American management of acute ITP there were many similarities, although Australian paediatricians were less likely to arrange a bone marrow aspirate if corticosteroids were prescribed. Conclusions: There is great variation in the intended management of children with acute ITP in Australia. Previously published management recommendations regarding investigation and treatment have had little impact on intended practice. Prospective studies are required to evaluate hypotheses so as to produce evidence-based recommendations for treatment of patients with acute ITP. [source] A Conceptual Framework for Hispanic Oral Health CareJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 1 2008Gloria C. Mejia DDS Abstract The need to study the health and health care determinants of US Hispanics is mandated by their rapid population growth. Nonetheless, it is challenging to study such a diverse population that incorporates many similarities and differences in values and experiences. This paper aims to highlight the factors that should be considered in Hispanic oral health research in the United States, and presents, in a theoretical framework, the relationships between these factors. The proposed ecological framework is supported by an extensive literature review, with an emphasis on the factors that are reported to differ among ethnic groups. It has a foundation in social science and is based on existing models from different fields of knowledge. To be comprehensive, the framework simultaneously addresses individual and environmental constructs. Within these, antecedent factors shape the intention to seek oral health care, while empowerment factors play a mediating role between intention and actual receipt of care. Individual antecedent factors incorporate risk markers, need, and predisposing factors. Environmental antecedent factors are represented by social constructs that allude to the population's health culture. Empowerment factors explain the level of control that a person perceives or the environment provides in receiving care. A thorough consideration of the factors that drive Hispanics' oral health care usage will aid US researchers and practitioners in improving this population's health and access to care. [source] Northwest Africa 011: A "eucritic" basalt from a non-eucrite parent bodyMETEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 3 2005Christine Floss This meteorite bears many similarities to the eucrites it was initially identified with, although oxygen isotopic compositions rule out a genetic relationship. Like many eucrites, NWA 011 crystallized from a source with approximately chondritic proportions of REE, although a slightly LREE-enriched bulk composition with a small positive Eu anomaly, as well as highly fractionated Fe/Mg ratios and depleted Sc abundances (Korotchantseva et al. 2003), suggest that the NWA 011 source experienced some pyroxene and/or olivine fractionation. Thermal metamorphism resulted in homogenization of REE abundances within grains, but NWA 011 did not experience the intergrain REE redistribution seen in some highly metamorphosed eucrites. Despite a similarity in oxygen isotopic compositions, NWA 011 does not represent a basaltic partial melt from the acapulcoite/lodranite parent body. The material from which NWA 011 originated may have been like some CH or CB chondrites, members of the CR chondrite clan, which are all related through oxygen isotopic compositions. The NWA 011 parent body is probably of asteroidal origin, possibly the basaltic asteroid 1459 Magnya. [source] 3D models of radiatively driven colliding winds in massive O + O star binaries , III.MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2010Thermal X-ray emission ABSTRACT The X-ray emission from the wind,wind collision in short-period massive O + O star binaries is investigated. The emission is calculated from 3D hydrodynamical models which incorporate gravity, the driving of the winds, orbital motion of the stars and radiative cooling of the shocked plasma. Changes in the amount of stellar occultation and circumstellar attenuation introduce phase-dependent X-ray variability in systems with circular orbits, while strong variations in the intrinsic emission also occur in systems with eccentric orbits. The X-ray emission in eccentric systems can display strong hysteresis, with the emission softer after periastron than at corresponding orbital phases prior to periastron, reflecting the physical state of the shocked plasma at these times. Our simulated X-ray light curves bear many similarities to observed light curves. In systems with circular orbits the light curves show two minima per orbit, which are identical (although not symmetric) if the winds are identical. The maxima in the light curves are produced near quadrature, with a phase delay introduced due to the aberration and curvature of the wind collision region. Circular systems with unequal winds produce minima of different depths and duration. In systems with eccentric orbits the maxima in the light curves may show a very sharp peak (depending on the orientation of the observer), followed by a precipitous drop due to absorption and/or cooling. We show that the rise to maximum does not necessarily follow a 1/dsep law. Our models further demonstrate that the effective circumstellar column can be highly energy dependent. Therefore, spectral fits which assume energy-independent column(s) are overly simplified and may compromise the interpretation of observed data. To better understand observational analyses of such systems we apply Chandra and Suzaku response files, plus Poisson noise, to the spectra calculated from our simulations and fit these using standard xspec models. We find that the recovered temperatures from two- or three-temperature mekal fits are comparable to those from fits to the emission from real systems with similar stellar and orbital parameters/nature. We also find that when the global abundance is thawed in the spectral fits, subsolar values are exclusively returned, despite the calculations using solar values as input. This highlights the problem of fitting oversimplified models to data, and of course is of wider significance than just the work presented here. Further insight into the nature of the stellar winds and the wind,wind collision region in particular systems will require dedicated hydrodynamical modelling, the results of which will follow in due course. [source] Discovery of large-scale methanol and hydroxyl maser filaments in W3(OH)MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2006L. Harvey-Smith ABSTRACT Images of the 6.7-GHz methanol maser emission from W3(OH) made at 50- and 100-mas angular resolution with the Multi-Element Radio-Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) are presented. The masers lie across the western face of the ultracompact H ii region in extended filaments which may trace large-scale shocks. There is a complex interrelation between the 6.7-GHz methanol masers and hydroxyl (OH) masers at 1.7 and 4.7 GHz. Together the two species trace an extended filamentary structure that stretches at least 3100 au across the face of the ultracompact H ii region. The dominant 6.7-GHz methanol emission coincides with the radio continuum peak and is populated by masers with broad spectral lines. The 6.7-GHz methanol emission is elongated at position angle 50° with a strong velocity gradient, and bears many similarities to the methanol maser disc structure reported in NGC 7538. It is surrounded by arcs of ground state OH masers at 1.7 GHz and highly excited OH masers at 13.44 GHz, some of which have the brightest methanol masers at their focus. We suggest that this region hosts the excitation centre for the ultracompact H ii region. [source] Pulmonary mucus: Pediatric perspectivePEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Duncan F. Rogers PhD Abstract Airway mucus hypersecretion is a clinical feature of a number of childhood diseases, including asthma and bronchitis-associated conditions. However, compared with adults, there is relatively scarce information concerning mucus pathophysiology in respiratory diseases in children. The available evidence indicates many similarities between adult and childhood respiratory hypersecretory conditions, including goblet-cell hyperplasia and submucosal gland hypertrophy, and airway mucus plugging in asthma. Consequently, it is likely that treatments that are effective in adults would be effective in children. Numerous therapeutic targets are linked to the pathophysiology of airway mucus hypersecretion in experimental models and adults with respiratory disease. Whether or not these same targets are relevant in children is for the most part unclear. These targets include the inflammatory cells mediating the inflammatory response that generates the hypersecretory phenotype, and highly specific cellular elements such as epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase and calcium-activated chloride (CACL) channels. Identification of these factors is linked with the development of different classes of pharmacotherapeutic molecules directed at these targets. Compounds with a broader spectrum of anti-inflammatory activity are likely to be more effective than compounds with restricted activity. However, certain highly specific targets, such as human CACL1 channels, appear to be strongly associated with the development of an airway hypersecretory phenotype. Data from current clinical trials in adults with blockers of these specific targets are awaited with great interest. The hope is that, if effective, pediatric trials with these compounds could be initiated with a view to alleviation of the clinical impact of airway mucus hypersecretion in children. A significant challenge to the therapeutic progression of these new compounds is effective delivery to the airways in children, with the research effort into development of new compounds matched by advances in inhaler design. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2003; 36:178,188. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Functional characterization of AP3, SOC1 and WUS homologues from citrus (Citrus sinensis)PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM, Issue 3 2007Fui-Ching Tan Flowering and flower formation are defining features of angiosperms and the control of these developmental processes involves a common repertoire of genes which are shared among different species of flowering plants. These genes were first identified using various homeotic and flowering time mutants of Arabidopsis and snapdragon, and homologous genes have subsequently been isolated from a wide range of different plant species based on the conservation of protein sequence and function. Using degenerate reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we have isolated one APETALA3 -like (CitMADS8) and two SOC1 (SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1)-like (CsSL1 and CsSL2) homologues from sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.). Although the translated amino acid sequence of CitMADS8 shares many similarities with other higher plant APETALA3 proteins, CitMADS8 fails to complement the floral organ identity defects of the Arabidopsis ap3-3 mutant. By contrast, the two citrus SOC1 -like genes, particularly CsSL1, are able to shorten the time taken to flower in the Arabidopsis wild-type ecotypes Columbia and C24, and functionally complement the late flowering phenotype of the soc1 mutant, essentially performing the endogenous function of Arabidopsis SOC1. Once flowering has commenced, interactions between specific flowering genes and a gene required for meristem maintenance, WUSCHEL, ensure that the Arabidopsis flower is a determinate structure with four whorls. We have isolated a citrus WUSCHEL homologue (CsWUS) that is capable of restoring most of the meristem function to the shoots and flowers of the Arabidopsis wus-1 mutant, implying that CsWUS is the functional equivalent of Arabidopsis WUSCHEL. [source] Comparative Cellular Morphology Suggesting the Existence of Resident Dendritic Cells Within Immune Organs of SalmonidsTHE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008Jan Lovy Abstract This report is the first morphological description of cells that resemble dendritic cells, which appear to form resident populations within the spleen and anterior kidney of fish. Based on examination of three salmonid species, including, rainbow trout, brook trout, and Atlantic salmon, the cells were most abundant in the spleen, although they were always present in the anterior kidney. The cells appeared diffusely distributed, often near blood vessels of the spleen and kidney of healthy fish and within the epithelium, connective tissue, and blood vessels of rainbow trout gills with experimentally induced microsoporidial gill disease. The dendritic-like cells in this study contained granules that resemble Birbeck granules, which are considered to be morphological markers of Langerhans cells in mammals. The cells were approximately 6 ,m in diameter and contained Birbeck-like (BL) granules localized near centrioles. Although the dendritic-like cells in the three salmonid species shared many similarities, morphological differences were found in the fine structure of the rod portion of the BL granules. Rainbow trout BL granules contained amorphous material, while the other salmonid species contained particulate material arranged in a square-lattice arrangement. The BL granules in the cells of Atlantic salmon had a narrow diameter and contained four layers of particulate material when sectioned longitudinally; two layers enveloped by the granule membrane and two central layers making up a central lamella, which is common in mammalian Birbeck granules. Anat Rec, 291:456,462, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Premature Ejaculation: On Defining and Quantifying a Common Male Sexual DysfunctionTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2006Gregory A. Broderick MD ABSTRACT Introduction., Premature ejaculation (PE) and its individual and relationship consequences have been recognized in the literature for centuries. PE is one of the most common male sexual dysfunctions, affecting nearly one in three men worldwide between the ages of 18 and 59 years. Until recently, PE was believed to be a learned behavior predominantly managed with psychosexual therapy; however, the past few decades have seen significant advances in understanding its etiology, diagnosis, and management. There is, as yet, no one universally agreed upon definition of PE. Aim., To review five currently published definitions of PE. Methods., The Sexual Medicine Society of North America hosted a State of the Art Conference on Premature Ejaculation on June 24,26, 2005 in collaboration with the University of South Florida. The purpose was to have an open exchange of contemporary research and clinical information on PE. There were 16 invited presenters and discussants; the group focused on several educational objectives. Main Outcome Measure., Data were utilized from the World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, the European Association of Urology, the Second International Consultation on Sexual Dysfunctions, and the American Urological Association. Results., The current published definitions of PE have many similarities; however, none of these provide a specific "time to ejaculation," in part because of the absence of normative data on this subject. While investigators agree that men with PE have a shortened intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT; i.e., time from vaginal penetration to ejaculation), there is now a greater appreciation of PE as a multidimensional dysfunction encompassing several components, including time and subjective parameters such as "control,""satisfaction," and "distress." Conclusion., There is a recent paradigm shift away from PE as a unidimensional disorder of IELT toward a multidimensional description of PE as a biologic dysfunction with psychosocial components. Broderick GA. Premature ejaculation: On defining and quantifying a common male sexual dysfunction. J Sex Med 2006;3(suppl 4):295,302. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||