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Terms modified by Unacceptable Selected AbstractsA Review of 21 Curricula for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage ProgramsJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 3 2005Kelly L. Wilson ABSTRACT: The authors reviewed the content, methods, and overall quality of 21 curricula used in abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Only materials designed for use in middle school grades (fifth to eighth) or with middle school-aged audiences (9,13 years of age), which presented the abstinence message in at least 40% of their content, were included. A rating instrument adapted from 2 sets of education guidelines structured the assessment of each curriculum. Four experienced teachers rated each curriculum. Curricula exhibited considerable variability in overall quality ratings. While on average, materials scored a 3.33 on a 1-to-5 scale (1 = Unacceptable; 5 = Excellent), 12 curricula received summative scores above the average, with 4 scoring 4.0 or higher. Eight curricula, however, received a below-average rating. While abstinence materials vary considerably in terms of overall quality, the values and world views underlying this sample of curricula were clear and consistent: those who develop abstinence education curricula value nonsexual antecedents of sexual behavior such as skills (goal setting, decision making, and assertiveness), ideals (fidelity, friendships), and psychological factors such as self-esteem. [source] Laser-Assisted Hair Transplantation: Histologic Comparison Between CO2 and Ho:YAG LasersDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 4 2001Eugene A. Chu MD Background. Various laser wavelengths and devices have been advocated for use in the creation of recipient channels during hair transplant surgery, including flash-scanned CO2, Ho:YAG (, = 2.12 ,m), and Er:YAG (, = 2.94 ,m). Objective. To determine the tissue injury caused by flash-scanned CO2 and pulsed Ho:YAG lasers during the creation of hair transplant recipient channels and to assess the efficacy of the Ho:YAG laser. Methods. Recipient channels were created in vivo in human scalp tissue using both lasers, and were excised and prepared for histologic examination. Optical micrometry of tissue sections was used to assess thermal injury. Results. The Ho:YAG laser created jagged, irregular-shaped channels with larger zones of thermal injury (superficial deepithelialization, thermal necrosis, and thermal damage). In contrast, the CO2 laser produced well-defined cylindrically shaped channels free of cellular debris with minimal epithelial disruption and significantly less lateral thermal injury. Conclusion. Given that the Ho:YAG produced larger regions of thermal injury and recipient channels that were unacceptable for graft, the CO2 laser remains the better choice for the creation of recipient channels during hair transplant surgery. However, ongoing research will be necessary to determine the optimal laser wavelength and/or devices for this procedure. [source] Clinical issues in using buprenorphine in the treatment of opiate dependenceDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 3 2000Dr A. Chadderton MB Abstract This paper looks at the current role of buprenorphine in the treatment of opiate dependence. It suggests that buprenorphine is a useful alternative to methadone and that in at least some cases it may be the preferred option. Buprenorphineis a partial agonist and a partial antagonist with a ceiling of opiate activity probably approximately equal to 30mg methadone. It achieves this at a dose of 10-12mg, although there is considerable individual variation. Because of its ceiling effect it has a good safety profile compared to full agonists such as methadone although some overdose deaths, particularly in conjunction with benzodiazepine abuse, have been reported in France. Induction of buprenorphine may take slightly longer than for methadone and there is a higher dropout rate compared to methadone in the first 2 weeks. This is probably due to the antagonist action of buprenorphine causing more withdrawal symptoms in comparison to methadone. Also, the ceiling effect for buprenorphine means that some clients do not experience sufficient opiate activity to satisfy them. Buprenorphine has a long half-life and dissociates slowly from opiate receptors. Most clients can be dosed second-daily but some find this unacceptable due to mood swings and/or withdrawal symptomson the second day. For these clients daily dosing is required. Transferring from buprenorphine to methadone is straightforward and well tolerated by clients. Transferring from methadone to buprenorphine, however, is more difficult because of the partial antagonist action of buprenorphine. Clients experience withdrawal symptoms that can take up to 2 weeks to settle. Most clients find these symptoms unacceptable when transferring from doses of over 30mg of methadone. The optimum method for transferring from methadone to buprenorphine is still to be determined. Withdrawal from buprenorphine appears to be relatively easier than from methadone. This is presumably due to buprenorphine's partial agonist effect at mureceptors. It is expected that during 2000 buprenorphine will be approved for use in Australia for the treatment of opiate dependence. It may well becomea first-line choice for opiate replacement in heroin dependence. It is also likely to be useful in assisting detoxification fromboth methadone and heroin. [source] Levetiracetam in the Treatment of Idiopathic Generalized EpilepsiesEPILEPSIA, Issue 2005Richard Grünewald Summary:, Since its introduction into clinical practice in 1999, levetiracetam, the S enantiomer of piracetam, has rapidly found a secure place, initially in the therapy of partial onset seizures and subsequently in the treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE). It has many of the properties of an "ideal" antiepileptic drug, including rapid absorption, linear pharmokinetics, and sparse drug interactions. Tolerabiliy is generally excellent in both adults and children, although tiredness is a common dose-limiting adverse effect. Occasionally the drug can precipitate behavioral abnormalities, especially in patients with learning disability. There is a wide safety margin in overdose. In common with most antiepileptic drugs its mode of action remains uncertain. Levetiracetam binds to a specific site in the brain, influences intracellular calcium currents and reverses negative allosteric modulators of GABA- and glycine-gated currents in vitro. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated in animal models of epilepsy and in clinical trials of partial onset and IGE. Treatment of IGEs may be straightforward, with many patients demonstrating an excellent and robust response to valproate monotherapy. However, there remains a significant minority of patients for whom valproate is unsuitable, including those who experience unacceptable adverse effects (e.g., weight gain or hair loss) and women of childbearing age in whom the teratogenic potential of valproate is unacceptable. Therapeutic response to lamotrigine in this group is often disappointing, and many clinicians now are turning to the choice of levetiracetam. Efficacy in generalized tonic,clonic seizures and myoclonus is usually apparent and some patients experience improvement in typical absences. Experience of combinations of levetiracetam with other antiepileptic drugs is limited in IGE and the responses are largely anecdotal. In our hands, patients with refractory IGEs may respond to combinations of levetiracetam with valproate, lamotrigine, and phenobarbital, and adverse effects when they occur are usually limited to tiredness. Levetiracetam does not interact with the oral contraceptive pill, simplifying treatment in women of childbearing age. Although animal data look encouraging, questions over levetiracetam's teratogenic potential and overall safety in pregnancy will remain for many years to come. [source] The Causal Exclusion PuzzleEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHILOSOPHY, Issue 1 2002David Pineda The article is divided into two parts. The first part offers a careful reconstruction and detailed discussion of the argument of causal exclusion, as well as of the implications it has for physicalism. In its second part the article examines two important objections to the causal exclusion argument: the generalization objection, which holds that the argument is unacceptable since it confers causal efficacy only to ultimate basic properties, which arguably might not exist; and Yablo's objection, according to which underlying the argument of causal exclusion there is a principle of causal parsimony which leads to strong counterintuitive results and should therefore be abandoned. The article offers grounds for rejecting both objections as well as a new diagnosis of the problem for mental causation generated by the causal exclusion argument. [source] Empathy and Strategic Interaction in Crises: A Poliheuristic PerspectiveFOREIGN POLICY ANALYSIS, Issue 2 2009Jonathan W. Keller Empirical evidence supports the poliheuristic (PH) theory of decision making, which states that leaders typically employ a two-stage non-compensatory decision-making process. In stage one leaders reject options that do not meet some minimum criteria of acceptability on one or more dimensions, and in stage two they choose among the remaining options using a more rational utility-maximizing rule. While PH theory has primarily been applied at the monadic level, to explain the process and content of states' decisions, we contend it has important implications for strategic interaction and can help to explain outcomes in world politics. Specifically, we argue that a crucial variable shaping crisis outcomes is the degree to which leaders' non compensatory decision criteria in stage one include options' acceptability to the opponent. When leaders empathize with their opponent and screen out those options the opponent considers unacceptable, crises will be resolved more quickly and with a lower likelihood of escalation. Empathy introduced during the second, utility-maximizing stage, may also dampen conflict but is less effective than stage one empathy. We illustrate this dyadic non compensatory model by examining two cases involving the U.S.,China and U.S.,Iraq bilateral relationships. [source] A bird can't fly on one wing: patient views on waiting for hip and knee replacement surgeryHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 2 2007Barbara L. Conner-Spady PhD Abstract Objectives, To obtain patients' perspectives on acceptable waiting times for hip or knee replacement surgery. Methods, A questionnaire with both open- and close-ended items was mailed to 432 consecutive patients who had hip or knee replacement surgery 3,12 months previously in Saskatchewan, Canada. A content analysis was used to analyse the text data from the open-ended questions. Results, The sample of 303 (response rate 70%) was 59% female with a mean age of 70 years (SD 11). The median waiting time from the decision date to surgery was 17 weeks. Individuals who rated their waiting time very acceptable (48%) had a median waiting time of 13 weeks compared with a median waiting time of 22 weeks for those who rated it unacceptable (23%). The two most common determinants of acceptability were patient expectations and pain and its impact on patient quality of life. The median maximum acceptable waiting time was 13 weeks and median ideal waiting time, 8.6 weeks. Seventy-nine per cent felt that those in greater need (higher severity) should go before them on the waiting list. Patient ratings of maximum acceptable waiting time were based on: pain and loss of mobility, time needed to prepare for surgery, and severity at the time of seeing the surgeon. In consideration of changing their surgeon to one with a shorter waiting list, 68% would not. Conclusions, Patient views on waiting times are not only related to quality of life issues, but also to prior expectations and notions of fairness and priority. Understanding patient views on waiting for surgery has implications for better management of waiting times and experiences for joint replacement. [source] A Report Card to Grade Helicobacter pylori TherapyHELICOBACTER, Issue 4 2007David Y. Graham Helicobacter pylori causes a serious bacterial infectious disease, and the expectations of therapy should reflect this fact. Increasing antibiotic resistance, especially to clarithromycin, has significantly undermined the effectiveness of legacy triple therapy consisting of a proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin. Current cure rates are consistently below 80% intention-to-treat, the accepted threshold separating acceptable from unacceptable treatment results. Grading clinical studies into effectiveness categories using prespecified criteria would allow clinicians to objectively identify and compare regimens. We offer a therapy report card similar to that used to grade the performance of school children. The intention-to-treat cure rate categories are: F or unacceptable ( 80%), D or poor (81,84%), C or fair (85,89%), B or good (90,95%), and A or excellent (95,100%). The category of "excellent" is based on the cure rates expected with other prevalent bacterial infectious diseases. We propose that only therapies that score "excellent" (grade = A) should be prescribed. Regimens scoring as B or "good" can be used if "excellent" results are not obtainable. In most regions legacy triple therapy should be abandoned as unacceptable. Quadruple therapy and sequential therapy are reasonable alternatives for initial therapy. [source] Protestation, Vow, Covenant and Engagement: swearing allegiance in the English Civil WarHISTORICAL RESEARCH, Issue 190 2002Edward Vallance This article discusses four political tests imposed between 1641 and 1649. Using printed pamphlets and manuscript oath rolls, the article explores both the guidelines established by casuists and pamphleteers for swearing lawfully, and the responses of individual subscribers when confronted with conflicting demands for their political allegiance. In this way, the article demonstrates the importance of subscription returns as a source for political historians, as well as genealogists and demographic researchers. The article concludes that individuals often chose to equivocate or to refuse oaths, not because they found them politically unacceptable, but because they were afraid of forswearing themselves. [source] Griefing in virtual worlds: causes, casualties and coping strategiesINFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL, Issue 6 2009Thomas Chesney Abstract A virtual world is a computer-simulated three-dimensional environment. They are increasingly being used for social and commercial interaction, in addition to their original use for game playing. This paper studies negative behaviour, or ,griefing', inside one virtual world through a series of observations and focus groups with users. Data were collected to identify griefing behaviours and their impact, examine why griefing happens and who the likely targets and perpetrators are, and suggest strategies for coping with it. Findings show that griefing behaviour is common. It is defined as unacceptable, persistent behaviour and is typically targeted at inexperienced residents by those with more knowledge of the virtual world. Community and individual coping strategies are identified and discussed. [source] An audit of intra-oral digital radiographs for endodonticsINTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 4 2010R. Austin Aim, The aim of this study was to improve the quality of digital radiographs taken during endodontic treatment at King's College Hospital Dental Institute, UK. There were three phases. The first phase compared the Schick CDR system with Digora Optime. The second and third phases involved ways of improving the quality of the digital radiographs produced by the Schick CDR system. Methodology, The Faculty of General Dental Practitioners Royal College of Surgeons of England (FGDP) guidelines on Selection Criteria for Dental Radiography and Guidance Notes for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-Ray Equipment-National Radiological Protection Board enabled the use of a three point quality scale (one excellent, two diagnostically acceptable, three unacceptable), which took into consideration sensor angulation, positioning, contrast and focusing. The recommended FGDP guidelines are not less than 70% images scoring excellent. For the first phase 50 exposures recorded with the Schick CDR system were compared with 50 recorded using Digora Optime. For the second and third phases 50 radiographs for each phase were evaluated with images generated by the Schick system with training provided between the phases. Results, Images produced by the Schick system showed an inferior quality compared with the images generated by the Digora method. Both systems failed to reach the desired quality FGDP standard of 70% excellent (Schick 55% Digora 69%). Comparison of the results in the second and third phases showed that training the operator improved the quality but recommended the purchase of a size 1 or 0 Schick sensors to improve positioning errors. Conclusions, This study was carried out in order to minimise the ionising radiation dose to patients and to maximise the clinical and administrative benefits of using a digital system. It demonstrated an improvement in the quality of radiographs across all criteria measured up to and beyond the desired standard, from 55% of radiographs scoring excellent in the first phase to 80% in the third phase. As a result of the study it was decided to install the Schick CDR system because of the speed it produced images even though the first phase of this study demonstrated inferior image quality. The audit had clear, measurable standards with explicit targets. The audits have been through the entire audit cycle, data collection, change and a further data collection to provide evidence of the benefit of the change. A third data collection, demonstrated an ongoing commitment to quality. [source] Localization , an alternative to corporate-led globalizationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 4 2003Caroline Lucas In the aftermath of 11 September, there has been a growing recognition that an increasingly unequal world is not only morally unacceptable but also deeply insecure. This paper defines globalization as economic, corporate-led globalization, a process that impacts every facet of our life. For illustrative purposes, this paper will briefly examine the role played by the globalization process in exacerbating the gap between rich and poor. It will make the case that, contrary to popular wisdom, there is nothing inevitable about this process. One such alternative is localization , a set of interrelated and self-reinforcing policies that actively discriminate in favour of the more local, whenever it is feasible and reasonable. [source] Nutritional and therapeutic value of fermented caprine milkINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAIRY TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010ANAC, VEDRAN SLA Caprine milk is a nutritional and therapeutic food. The unique and beneficial characteristics of caprine milk that are superior to bovine milk include: better digestibility; greater buffering capacity; fat globules that are smaller in diameter and better distributed in the milk emulsion; higher content of short-chain fatty acids in the milk fat; higher content of zinc, iron and magnesium; stronger lactoperoxidase (antimicrobial) system as well as better immunological and antibacterial characteristics. The larger amounts of some minerals, such as calcium, zinc and magnesium, in caprine milk may influence the growth of lactic acid bacteria since they are a normal part of some enzymatic complexes involved in lactose fermentation. The higher whey protein content could also be significant because Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacteria grow better in the presence of higher levels of some amino acids (valine, glycine, hystidine). The use of caprine and ovine milk in cheesemaking is well known, but the production of fermented caprine milk via probiotics has not yet been developed, although many studies have highlighted the requirements for production of that kind of healthy food. During fermentation caprine milk loses its characteristic ,goaty' taste, which is unacceptable to many consumers. Moreover, the nutritive value of caprine milk increases during fermentation. The rise in the number of goat farms in Croatia has created the need to find other products that can be produced using caprine milk. According to the present situation in Croatia, there is no real possibility of producing fermented caprine milk for the global market, but many studies of fermented caprine milk have been performed. [source] Shelf life of Turkish whey cheese (Lor) under modified atmosphere packagingINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAIRY TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2009HASAN TEM In this study, the shelf life of Lor cheese stored under different atmosphere compositions was assessed and compared. Lor cheeses were held in four different atmospheres containing: vacuum packaging (VP), 40% CO2/60% N2, 60% CO2/40% N2 and 70% CO2/30% N2 (modified atmosphere packaging). Control cheeses were stored in air. All cheese samples were kept in the refrigerator at 4°C for 45 days and investigated for physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties. The acidity index value was significantly higher (,P < 0.05) in the control and vacuum packaged samples than in those stored for the same period under CO2. Microbiological results showed that modified atmosphere packaging delayed microbial growth compared with air and VP samples. Of the three modified atmospheres, gas mixtures 60% and 70% CO2 were the most effective for inhibition of growth of micro-organisms. Sensory evaluation (odour and taste) results showed that Lor cheese packaged under modified atmosphere packaging (60% CO2/40% N2 and 70% CO2/30% N2,) retained good characteristics for 45 days of storage, while vacuum and control samples were sensorily unacceptable after 10 days of storage. [source] Effect of gamma irradiation and sulphitation treatments on keeping quality of white button mushroom Agaricus bisporus (J. Lge)INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Ali M. Wani Summary Gamma irradiation, alone and in combination with sulphitation, was tested for preventing the browning and maintaining the quality attributes of the white button mushrooms. Mushrooms were subjected to treatment of gamma irradiation in the dose range of 0.5,2.0 kGy and to combination treatments of sulphitation at a concentration of 0.1% potassium metabisulphite (KMS) and gamma irradiation (dose range 0.5,2.0 kGy) followed by storage at 10 ± 2 °C (RH 85%). A dose of 2.0 kGy significantly reduced the weight loss, prevented browning and mould growth. Cap and veil opening of mushrooms was delayed by 9 days and shelf life was extended by 12 days at a dose level of 2.0 kGy. Sulphitation alone at a concentration of 0.1% KMS was effective in controlling browning only upto 3 days, beyond which both browning and cap opening increased significantly (P , 0.05) and the samples were unacceptable after 6 days of storage. No synergistic effect of sulphitation and irradiation was observed with respect to the shelf-life extension of mushroom. [source] The effects on the quality of Cavendish bananas, which have been treated with ethylene, of exposure to 1-methylcyclopropeneINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 7 2003N. Bagnato Summary After 48 h of ethylene treatment (300 ,L L,1), to induce ripening of mature, green bananas (Musa sp., AAA type, Cavendish subgroup, cv. Williams), fruit were exposed to 0 (control), 3, 300 nL L,1, or 30 ,L L,1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) for 24, 48 or 72 h at 20 °C. Bananas treated with 300 nL L,1 1-MCP had a 6-day shelf-life compared with 3 days for non-treated fruit, and 4 days for fruit treated with 3 nL L,1 1-MCP. Increased shelf-life (half-ripe to over-ripe) occurred without affecting the green life (unripe to half-ripe) of bananas, peel appearance, pulp texture, soluble solid concentrations or aroma profiles. Fruit treated with 30 ,L L,1 were externally and internally commercially unacceptable, as fruit developed crown rot prior to ripening. Application of 1-MCP at suitable concentrations could extend banana shelf-life, by enhancing marketing and consumer expectations without compromising banana quality. [source] Effectiveness and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce wandering in dementia: a systematic reviewINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2007L. Robinson Abstract Background Wandering occurs in 15,60% of people with dementia. Psychosocial interventions rather than pharmacological methods are recommended, but evidence for their effectiveness is limited and there are ethical concerns associated with some non-pharmacological approaches, such as electronic tracking devices. Objective To determine the clinical and cost effectiveness and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce wandering in dementia. Design A systematic review to evaluate effectiveness of the interventions and to assess acceptability and ethical issues associated with their use. The search and review strategy, data extraction and analysis followed recommended guidance. Papers of relevance to effectiveness, acceptability and ethical issues were sought. Results (i) Clinical effectiveness. Eleven studies, including eight randomised controlled trials, of a variety of interventions, met the inclusion criteria. There was no robust evidence to recommend any intervention, although there was some weak evidence for exercise. No relevant studies to determine cost effectiveness met the inclusion criteria. (ii) Acceptability/ethical issues. None of the acceptability papers reported directly the views of people with dementia. Exercise and music therapy were the most acceptable interventions and raised no ethical concerns. Tracking and tagging devices were acceptable to carers but generated considerable ethical debate. Physical restraints were considered unacceptable. Conclusions In order to reduce unsafe wandering high quality research is needed to determine the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions that are practically and ethically acceptable to users. It is important to establish the views of people with dementia on the acceptability of such interventions prior to evaluating their effectiveness through complex randomised controlled trials. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Comparison of Computerized and Pencil-and-Paper Tasks in Assessing Cognitive Function in Community-Dwelling Older People in the Newcastle 85+ Pilot StudyJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 10 2007Joanna Collerton MRCP OBJECTIVES: To compare the acceptability and feasibility of computerized and pencil-and-paper tests of cognitive function in 85-year-old people. DESIGN: Group comparison of participants randomly allocated to pencil-and-paper (Wechsler Adult Intelligence and Memory Scales) or computerized (Cognitive Drug Research) tests of verbal memory and attention. SETTING: The Newcastle 85+ Pilot Study was the precursor to the Newcastle 85+ Study a United Kingdom Medical Research Council/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council cohort study of health and aging in the oldest-old age group. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-one community-dwelling individuals aged 85. MEASUREMENTS: Participant and researcher acceptability, completion rates, time taken, validity as cognitive measures, and psychometric utility. RESULTS: Participants randomized to computerized tests were less likely to rate the cognitive function tests as difficult (odds ratio (OR)=0.16, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.07,0.39), stressful (OR=0.18, 95% CI=0.07,0.45), or unacceptable (OR=0.18, 95% CI=0.08,0.48) than those randomized to pencil-and-paper tests. Researchers were also less likely to rate participants as being distressed in the computer test group (OR=0.19, 95% CI=0.07,0.46). Pencil-and-paper tasks took participants less time to complete (mean±standard deviation 18±4 minutes vs 26±4 minutes) but had fewer participants who could complete all tasks (91% vs 100%). Both types of task were equally good measures of cognitive function. CONCLUSION: Computerized and pencil-and-paper tests are both feasible and useful means of assessing cognitive function in the oldest-old age group. Computerized tests are more acceptable to participants and administrators. [source] Kootenai River velocities, depth, and white sturgeon spawning site selection , a mystery unraveled?JOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 6 2009V. L. Paragamian Summary The Kootenai River white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus population in Idaho, US and British Columbia (BC), Canada became recruitment limited shortly after Libby Dam became fully operational on the Kootenai River, Montana, USA in 1974. In the USA the species was listed under the Endangered Species Act in September of 1994. Kootenai River white sturgeon spawn within an 18-km reach in Idaho, river kilometer (rkm) 228.0,246.0. Each autumn and spring Kootenai River white sturgeon follow a ,short two-step' migration from the lower river and Kootenay Lake, BC, to staging reaches downstream of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Initially, augmented spring flows for white sturgeon spawning were thought to be sufficient to recover the population. Spring discharge mitigation enhanced white sturgeon spawning but a series of research investigations determined that the white sturgeon were spawning over unsuitable incubation and rearing habitat (sand) and that survival of eggs and larvae was negligible. It was not known whether post-Libby Dam management had changed the habitat or if the white sturgeon were not returning to more suitable spawning substrates farther upstream. Fisheries and hydrology researchers made a team effort to determine if the spawning habitat had been changed by Libby Dam operations. Researchers modeled and compared velocities, sediment transport, and bathymetry with post-Libby Dam white sturgeon egg collection locations. Substrate coring studies confirmed cobbles and gravel substrates in most of the spawning locations but that they were buried under a meter or more of post-Libby Dam sediment. Analysis suggested that Kootenai River white sturgeon spawn in areas of highest available velocity and depths over a range of flows. Regardless of the discharge, the locations of accelerating velocities and maximum depth do not change and spawning locations remain consistent. Kootenai River white sturgeon are likely spawning in the same locations as pre-dam, but post-Libby Dam water management has reduced velocities and shear stress, thus sediment is now covering the cobbles and gravels. Although higher discharges will likely provide more suitable spawning and rearing conditions, this would be socially and politically unacceptable because it would bring the river elevation to or in excess of 537.66 m, which is flood stage. Thus, support should be given to habitat modifications incorporated into a management plan to restore suitable habitat and ensure better survival of eggs and larvae. [source] Graft copolymers of methyl methacrylate and poly([R]-3-hydroxybutyrate) macromonomers as candidates for inclusion in acrylic bone cement formulations: Compression testingJOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH, Issue 1 2006Sophie Nguyen Abstract Graft copolymers of methyl methacrylate and biodegradable, biocompatible bacterial poly([R]-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) blocks were synthesized and evaluated as possible constituents in acrylic bone cements for use in orthopaedic applications. The copolymers were produced by conventional free radical copolymerization and incorporated in one commercially available acrylic bone cement brand, Antibiotic Simplex® (AKZ). Cements with formulations containing 6.7 and 13.5 wt % of PMMA- graft -PHB were prepared. The morphology of the graft copolymer particles was suggested to influence the ability of the modified cement to be processed. Formulations containing more than about 20 wt % of the graft copolymer resulted in cement doughs that, both after first preparation and several hours later, were either sandy or soft spongy in texture and, thus, would be unacceptable for use in orthopaedic applications. The morphologies of the powders and the volumetric porosity (p) and ultimate compressive strength (UCS) of the cured cements were determined. Micro computed tomography showed that the cements presented average porosities of 13.5,16.9%. It was found that, while the powder particle shape and size for the experimental cements were markedly different from those of AKZ, there was no significant difference in either p or UCS for these cements. The latter was determined to be about 85 MPa for the modified cements and 84 MPa for Antibiotic Simplex. Furthermore, the UCS of all the cements exceeded the minimum level for acrylic bone cements, as stipulated by ASTM F-451. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2006 [source] Nefopam hydrochloride compatibility and stability with selected proton pump inhibitors in bionolyte G5 injection for intravenous infusionJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 1 2009N. K. Kambia PharmD PhD Summary Background:, The use of extemporaneously prepared admixtures of drugs must be supported by documentation of their chemical stability. Objective:, To assess the physical compatibility and the chemical stability of nefopam hydrochloride, a centrally acting non-opioid analgesic, when admixed with selected proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, esomeprazole or pantoprazole), in bionolyte G5 injection for intravenous infusion. Method:, Admixtures were assessed for periods of up to 72 h after storage at ambient temperature without protection from light and at +4 °C protected from light. A preparation was considered stable if the compounds of the mixture retained at least 90% of their original potency during the storage. Triplicate samples of nefopam and the selected proton pump inhibitors as well as the following mixtures (nefopam/omeprazole, nefopam/esomeprazole and nefopam/pantoprazole) were prepared in the concentrations required, in polypropylene bottles of bionolyte G5 injection. The physical compatibility was assessed by visual observation at each sampling interval. The chemical stability of the drugs was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography and by measurement of pH values. Results:, During refrigerated storage, nefopam as well as the selected proton pump inhibitors, when prepared separately in bionolyte G5 injection maintained chemical stability for up to 7 days. At ambient storage conditions, the protons pump inhibitors maintained chemical stability for 24 h, but thereafter their concentrations decreased significantly at day 1. Nefopam maintained chemical stability for up to 72 h at +25 °C. Nefopam/omeprazole and nefopam/esomeprazole mixtures in bionolyte were physically incompatible with the mixtures exhibiting a black colour. They underwent rapid and extensive loss, making the combination unacceptable within minutes of mixing. However, the nefopam/pantoprazole mixture was compatible over the study period, but with a reduced duration of the stability. Conclusion:, Within the limits defined above, nefopam and the selected proton pump inhibitors may be prepared separately in advance in bionolyte G5 injection. The nefopam/pantoprazole mixture was stable for a short period, while the nefopam/omeprazole and the nefopam/esomeprazole mixtures were incompatible and unusable, immediately upon admixture. [source] Domestic violence against women: Understanding social processes and women's experiencesJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Jan Bostock Abstract The prevalence of domestic abuse against women has been estimated as high as one in four. The risk is particularly high for women who are younger, economically dependent, unemployed and with children. Research about the factors that maintain situations of abuse has generally focused separately on the coping strategies of women, barriers to leaving the relationship and the perpetrators' means of abuse. In this study we used a community psychology perspective to seek a broader understanding of what maintains situations of abuse, in order to suggest interventions in a rural County in the North of England. Twelve women who had experienced domestic abuse and had used voluntary sector services agreed to be interviewed about their experiences and the resources and strategies available to them. Using grounded theory we generated four themes: (1) Commonalities and contradictions in the experience of abuse; (2) living with abuse; (3) the response of systems reinforced or challenged the abuse and (4) dealing with abuse beyond the relationship. These findings illustrate how situations of domestic abuse can be prolonged by limited options available to victims for support and protection, and a lack of active public acknowledgement that domestic abuse is unacceptable. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] You still feel different: the experience and meaning of women's self-injury in the context of a lesbian or bisexual identityJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Natasha Alexander Abstract This article reports an intensive qualitative study of the subjective experience and meaning of self-injury for 16 women who identified as lesbian or bisexual and who had deliberately self-injured on repeated occasions. In individual interviews, the women talked about their experiences of self-injury and the role it played in their lives as lesbian or bisexual women. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to elicit themes arising within their accounts. These highlighted a number of ways in which social and contextual factors contributed to the development of self-injury. Although many of these factors seemed applicable to any woman who self-injures, there were some aspects that were specific to the experience of lesbian and bisexual women. In addition, the women's accounts raised a number of important issues about the way in which mental health services respond to lesbian and bisexual women who self-injure. It is argued that self-injury can be understood as a coping response that arises within a social context characterized by abuse, invalidation, and the experience of being regarded as different or in some way unacceptable. These factors are especially salient in the lives of women, and they emerge particularly strongly as part of the experience of women who are developing a lesbian or bisexual identity. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Carbon Taxes and Carbon Emissions TradingJOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SURVEYS, Issue 3 2001Paul Elkins This paper surveys the literature on, and examples of current implementation of, carbon taxes and carbon emission permits. It sets out the theoretical basis for these instruments, with special reference to the revenue-recycling and tax interaction effects. This theoretical work concludes that instruments which raise revenue which can be recycled so as to reduce pre-existing distortionary taxes are significantly less costly than those which do not. The paper then reviews the sizable literature on the distributional effects of these instruments, especially with regard to industrial competitiveness and regressive effects on low-income groups, evaluating attempts to mitigate these where they are perceived as unacceptable. The paper concludes that such efforts at mitigation, while possible, can substantially reduce the efficiency benefits of the instruments. The projected costs of carbon taxes depend on a wide range of assumptions. This is still a contested area, but the paper concludes that, on a range of plausible assumptions, these costs need not be high. Finally the paper notes that early evaluations of the environmental effectiveness of carbon taxes have been generally positive. This suggests that, if concern about anthropogenic climate change continues to increase, more countries will introduce carbon taxes and emission permits, with the latter increasingly auctioned. [source] A Prospective Ten-Year Clinical Trial of Porcelain VeneersJOURNAL OF ESTHETIC AND RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2006Article first published online: 25 APR 200 abstract Objective:, The purpose of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the performance of porcelain veneers after 5 and 10 years of clinical service. Materials and Methods:, A single experienced clinician placed 87 porcelain veneers in 25 patients in 1990 and 1991. The teeth included maxillary central incisors to first premolars. As described in the 5-year report of this study, preparations included a chamfer margin, 0.3 to 0.7 mm labial enamel reduction, and incisal edge coverage. A single laboratory technician fabricated the veneers using feldspathic porcelain on refractory dies. Internal surfaces were etched with 5% hydrofluoric acid and silanated. Teeth were isolated with a rubber dam prior to veneer placement. All veneers were bonded with a light-activated resin cement. Patients were recalled at 5 to 6 years and at 10 years after initial veneer placement. Two evaluators examined each veneer for retention, fractures, color match, surface roughness, marginal adaptation, leakage, recurrent caries, pulp vitality, and patient satisfaction. Marginal adaptation was assessed further using scanning electron microscopy to examine epoxy replicas. Results:, Five years after placement, all 87 veneers remained in place and had "perfect" color match and surface smoothness. Four veneers had fractures, but only one of those required repair. Ninety-nine percent of the veneers had clinically acceptable marginal adaptation, although just 14% of the veneers had "perfect" marginal adaptation at all margins. One had clinically unacceptable staining from leakage. Recurrent caries was present at the proximal margin of two veneers. At the 10-year evaluation, which had a 93% recall rate, color match and surface roughness remained optimal. Thirteen of 22 patients were very satisfied with the esthetic result, whereas 7 complained of minor esthetic problems. The fracture rate increased substantially, to 34% at the 10-year recall. However, only 11% of the fractures were clinically unacceptable. None of the veneers had debonded, but the percentage of veneers with "perfect" marginal adaptation had declined to only 4%. Leakage was now evident around two-thirds of the veneers, and eight restorations had recurrent caries. Conclusion:, Porcelain veneers are a reliable and effective means for conservative esthetic treatment of anterior teeth in the long term. After 10 years of clinical service, esthetic results remained good, patient satisfaction was high, and the retention rate was excellent. The number of irreparable fractures was low. Appropriate preparation design, occlusion, and use of adhesive materials contribute to the ultimate outcome. [source] The importance of growth and mortality costs in the evolution of the optimal life historyJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2006D. A. ROFF Abstract A central assumption of life history theory is that the evolution of the component traits is determined in part by trade-offs between these traits. Whereas the existence of such trade-offs has been well demonstrated, the relative importance of these remains unclear. In this paper we use optimality theory to test the hypothesis that the trade-off between present and future fecundity induced by the costs of continued growth is a sufficient explanation for the optimal age at first reproduction, ,, and the optimal allocation to reproduction, G, in 38 populations of perch and Arctic char. This hypothesis is rejected for both traits and we conclude that this trade-off, by itself, is an insufficient explanation for the observed values of , and G. Similarly, a fitness function that assumes a mortality cost to reproduction but no growth cost cannot account for the observed values of ,. In contrast, under the assumption that fitness is maximized, the observed life histories can be accounted for by the joint action of trade-offs between growth and reproductive allocation and between mortality and reproductive allocation (Individual Juvenile Mortality model). Although the ability of the growth/mortality model to fit the data does not prove that this is the mechanism driving the evolution of the optimal age at first reproduction and allocation to reproduction, the fit does demonstrate that the hypothesis is consistent with the data and hence cannot at this time be rejected. We also examine two simpler versions of this model, one in which adult mortality is a constant proportion of juvenile mortality [Proportional Juvenile Mortality (PJM) model] and one in which the proportionality is constant within but not necessarily between species [Specific Juvenile Mortality (SSJM) model]. We find that the PJM model is unacceptable but that the SSJM model produces fits suggesting that, within the two species studied, juvenile mortality is proportional to adult mortality but the value differs between the two species. [source] Contrasting pragmatic and suffering-centred approaches to fish welfare in recreational anglingJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 10 2009R. Arlinghaus Two views dealing with fish welfare in recreational fishing are discussed in an effort to stimulate the current discourse on the topic. The pragmatic approach asks whether and how strongly recreational fishing compromises the health and fitness of individual fishes and what can be done to avoid or mitigate such effects. Its implementation rests on accepting recreational fishing as a principally legitimate activity. The second approach to fish welfare focuses on suffering and pain in fishes and is usually morally prescriptive. Its central tenet is that some or all recreational fishing practices may be unacceptable unless sufficient benefits to humans are created, which justify the supposedly cruel treatment of the fishes. The pragmatic approach to fish welfare is preferred because it relies on objectively measurable variables of impaired fish welfare (e.g. physiological, behavioural or fitness indicators) and does not question recreational fishing on moral grounds. Contrary to a suffering-centred approach to fish welfare, a pragmatic perspective emphasizes positive messages and facilitates constructive dialogue among stakeholders. In contrast, a suffering-centred approach to fish welfare tends to promote tension and enduring conflict that cannot be reconciled objectively and thus should be avoided. [source] Compartmentalisation: flood consequence reduction by splitting up large polder areasJOURNAL OF FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2010F. Klijn Abstract River and coastal floodplains are often protected by vast systems of connected embankments. In the Netherlands, about 55% of the country is protected in this way, by some 3600 km of primary defences. The protection level is probably the highest in the world, and annual mean flood risks are low. Nevertheless, the consequences of a major flood event might be unacceptable. This is a reason to consider whether and how the consequences of floods could be reduced in a cost-effective manner. Splitting up large polder areas into smaller portions, the so-called compartmentalisation, would reduce the area subject to flooding, and thus the economic damage, the number of people exposed and the fatality risk. We carried out a policy analysis for the national authorities in order to establish whether, where and under which conditions a further compartmentalisation of the country would be desirable. This paper gives some results, discusses our experiences in four case studies and finally focuses on the fundamental questions of assessment and the trade-off between better flood protection and the benefit/cost ratio of reducing consequences. [source] OPTIMIZING ELECTRON BEAM IRRADIATION OF "TOMMY ATKINS" MANGOES (MANGIFERA INDICA L.)JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2007MARIA A. MORENO ABSTRACT We determined the optimum irradiation treatment for decontamination of physiologically mature fresh "Tommy Atkins" mangoes, without detriment to the fruits' sensory and chemical properties. Mangoes were irradiated at 1.0, 1.5 and 3.1 kGy using a 10-MeV linear accelerator (14-kW LINAC, double beam mode). Mangoes were stored for 21 days at 12C and 62.7% relative humidity with nonirradiated fruits as controls. Dose distribution within the fruit was determined using Monte Carlo techniques. Irradiation did not affect the overall sensory quality of mangoes at doses up to 1.5 kGy. Only fruits irradiated at 3.1 kGy were unacceptable by the panelists. Irradiation at 3.1 kGy enhanced the fruit's aroma characteristics. Irradiation at all levels caused a significant (P , 0.05) decrease (,50,70%) in ascorbic acid content by the end of storage. Mangoes irradiated at 1.5 and 3.1 kGy had slightly higher levels of phenolics than the control (27.4 and 18.3%, respectively). E-beam irradiation of Tommy Atkins mangoes up to 3.0 kGy causes no detriment to the fruit's overall sensory and chemical quality. [source] POSTHARVEST CHANGES IN FRESH SWISS CHARD (Beta vulgaris, type cycla) UNDER DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONSJOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY, Issue 2 2000SARA INÉS ROURA ABSTRACT The effects of storage temperature and relative humidity on the quality of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris, type cycla) were investigated. Quality was assessed through determinations of water content, weight loss, chlorophyll content, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids content and sensory evaluations. Storage conditions were 4 and 18C and 43, 86 and 98% relative humidities (RH). The quality of chard leaves was unacceptable after three days of storage at 18C, independent of the RH. Chard leaves kept at 4C and 86 and 98% RH remained acceptable for 9 days. The dehydration suffered by samples kept at 4C and 43% RH turned them unacceptable after 4 days of storage. 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