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Unanswered Questions (unanswered + question)
Selected AbstractsExercise in the Oldest Old: Some New Insights and Unanswered QuestionsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 12 2002FRACP, Maria A. Fiatarone Singh MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] Integrating Message Effects and Behavior Change Theories: Organizing Comments and Unanswered QuestionsJOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION, Issue 2006Joseph N. Cappella Three broad classes of theories about message effects in cancer control are presented in this special supplement to the Journal of Communication. These are behavior change, information processing, and message effects theories. All three types have implications for the design of messages for cancer control. The theories are not just different approaches to a complex problem but offer complementary perspectives on the effects of messages on audiences. This summary article explores why theory is so important to efficient research in message effects and speculates about the interrelation among behavior change, information processing, and message effects models. [source] The Disaster Response System: Unanswered QuestionsPERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHIATRIC CARE, Issue 1 2007Heather Shover MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] PPPs: Nature, Development And Unanswered QuestionsAUSTRALIAN ACCOUNTING REVIEW, Issue 33 2004Jane Broadbent Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are the newest and latest "new public management" development for the public services. PPPs are becoming a worldwide development, although the origins can be traced to the United Kingdom's private finance initiative (PFI), which remains the most advanced and developed form of PPP. This paper explores the development of PPPs, concentrating first on the PFI and then tracing the increasing presence of PPPs in Europe, the Americas and Australasia. [source] Unanswered questions: A preliminary investigation of personality and individual difference predictors of 9/11 conspiracist beliefsAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2010Viren Swami Given the widespread appeal of conspiratorial beliefs, it is surprising that very little empirical research has examined the psychological variables associated with such beliefs. In the present study, we examined individual and demographic predictors of beliefs in conspiracy theories concerning the September 11, 2001 (9/11) attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon among a representative British sample of 254 women and men. Results of structural equation modelling showed that 9/11 conspiracist beliefs were positively associated with belief in other conspiracy theories, exposure to 9/11 conspiracist ideas, political cynicism, defiance of authority and the Big Five personality factor of Agreeableness. In total, a model including demographics, personality and individual difference variables explained over 50% of the variance in 9/11 conspiracist ideas. The implications of these findings for the literature on conspiracy theories are discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Care for the Adult Family Members of Victims of Unexpected Cardiac DeathACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2006Robert Zalenski MD Abstract More than 300,000 sudden coronary deaths occur annually in the United States, despite declining cardiovascular death rates. In 2000, deaths from heart disease left an estimated 190,156 new widows and 68,493 new widowers. A major unanswered question for emergency providers is whether the immediate care of the loved ones left behind by the deceased should be a therapeutic task for the staff of the emergency department in the aftermath of a fatal cardiac arrest. Based on a review of the literature, the authors suggest that more research is needed to answer this question, to assess the current immediate needs and care of survivors, and to find ways to improve care of the surviving family of unexpected cardiac death victims. This would include improving quality of death disclosure, improving care for relatives during cardiopulmonary resuscitation of their family member, and improved methods of referral for services for prevention of psychological and cardiovascular morbidity during bereavement. [source] A General Dynamic Capability: Does it Propagate Business and Social Competencies in the Retail Food Industry?*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 1 2006Alfred A. Marcus abstract Given that firms have both business and social goals, an important unanswered question is whether a general dynamic capability breeds competencies in both these areas. In studies of the US retail food industry, we find that while a general dynamic capability affects firms' competence in supply chain management (a business competency), it does not affect their competence in environmental management (a social competency). Firm mission and the extent to which firms obtain technical assistance are found to affect the acquisition of this latter competency. These findings offer insights into the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm and provide lessons for corporate social responsibility. They reveal more precisely what a general dynamic capability yields and how far its reach extends, suggesting that the factors that drive competitive advantage are not the same as those that drive social responsibility. [source] Early reproductive maturity among Pumé foragers: Implications of a pooled energy model to fast life historiesAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Karen L. Kramer Life history theory places central importance on relationships between ontogeny, reproduction, and mortality. Fast human life histories have been theoretically and empirically associated with high mortality regimes. This relationship, however, poses an unanswered question about energy allocation. In epidemiologically stressful environments, a greater proportion of energy is allocated to immune function. If growth and maintenance are competing energetic expenditures, less energy should be available for growth, and the mechanism to sustain rapid maturation remains unclear. The human pattern of extended juvenile provisioning and resource sharing may provide an important source of variation in energy availability not predicted by tradeoff models that assume independence at weaning. We consider a group of South American foragers to evaluate the effects that pooled energy budgets may have on early reproduction. Despite growing up in an environment with distinct seasonal under-nutrition, harsh epidemiological conditions, and no health care, Pumé girls mature quickly and initiate childbearing in their midteens. Pooled energy budgets compensate for the low productivity of girls not only through direct food transfers but importantly by reducing energy they would otherwise expend in foraging activities to meet metabolic requirements. We suggest that pooled energy budgets affect energy availability at both extrinsic and intrinsic levels. Because energy budgets are pooled, Pumé girls and young women are buffered from environmental downturns and can maximize energy allocated to growth completion and initiate reproduction earlier than a traditional bound-energy model would predict. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Epigenetic control of skeletal muscle fibre typeACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 4 2010K. Baar Abstract Adult muscle is extremely plastic. However, the muscle precursor cells associated with those fibres show stable and heritable differences in gene expression indicative of epigenetic imprinting. Epigenetic processes in the development of skeletal muscle have been appreciated for over a decade; however, there are a paucity of studies looking at whether epigenetics determines the phenotype of adult and/or ageing skeletal muscle. This review presents the evidence that epigenetics plays a role in determining adult muscle function and a series of unanswered questions that would greatly increase our understanding of how epigenetics works in adult muscle. With the increased interest in epigenetics, over the next few years this field will begin to unfold in unimaginable directions. [source] Post-karyokinesis centrosome movement leaves a trail of unanswered questionsCYTOSKELETON, Issue 3 2002Young Y. Ou Abstract The centrosome is a complex structure composed of a large number of proteins (pericentriolar material, PCM) usually organized around a pair of centrioles (or a centriole duplex). This structure is capable of nucleating and organizing microtubules, duplication, and motility. In general, episodes of dramatic centrosome movement correlate with periods of cellular reorganization and nowhere is cellular reorganization more apparent, or more important, than in the periods before and after cell division. It is now clear that centrosome movement occurs not only prior to cell division but also at its completion, in concert with cytokinesis. The focus of this review is the newly emerging picture of centrosome activity during the post-karyokinesis period and the role that this activity might play in the transition of cells from mitosis to interphase. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 51:123,132, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Intrathecal baclofen use in adults with cerebral palsyDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 2009LINDA E KRACH MD Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) is an effective treatment for both spasticity and dystonia in people with cerebral palsy (CP). Its use is becoming increasingly common. ITB is typically associated with fewer side effects than the oral form of the product, but there are risks related to the hardware needed for intrathecal delivery. Much of what has been reported in the literature about ITB is based on experience with children or groups of children and adults; few reports exclusively address its use in adults with CP. These reports indicate that muscle tone is consistently reduced, but there is some variability in functional outcomes. Few well-controlled studies have been done. Controversies remain concerning ITB, including whether a trial is needed before pump implantation, proper catheter tip placement, and programming options, as well as whether it contributes to the development or progression of scoliosis. These and other unanswered questions should be addressed in a systematic way. [source] Scale-dependence in species-area relationshipsECOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2005Will R. Turner Species-area relationships (SARs) are among the most studied phenomena in ecology, and are important both to our basic understanding of biodiversity and to improving our ability to conserve it. But despite many advances to date, our knowledge of how various factors contribute to SARs is limited, searches for single causal factors are often inconclusive, and true predictive power remains elusive. We believe that progress in these areas has been impeded by 1) an emphasis on single-factor approaches and thinking of factors underlying SARs as mutually exclusive hypotheses rather than potentially interacting processes, and 2) failure to place SAR-generating factors in a scale-dependent framework. We here review mathematical, ecological, and evolutionary factors contributing to species-area relationships, synthesizing major hypotheses from the literature in a scale-dependent context. We then highlight new research directions and unanswered questions raised by this scale-dependent synthesis. [source] Regulatory impact on insect biotechnology and pest managementENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2007Chris A. WOZNIAK Abstract The application of insect biotechnology is promising for the development of environmentally compatible pest management solutions. As we have refined and enhanced genetic engineering techniques in several insect species that cause significant economic loss and public health injury, it has become clear that insect biotechnology will move forward as one of the key tools of pest management in agriculture and in the human environment. Well characterized genetic elements can be manipulated toward specific aims and maintain a viable insect, albeit one with diminished capacity to exchange genetic material, vector a virus or bacterium, or complete its life cycle. Despite this degree of knowledge and precision, there remain unanswered questions regarding environmental fate, release and public acceptance of this technology. The uncertainty surrounding any novel technology inevitably increases the level of regulatory scrutiny associated with its use. Although the term "insect biotechnology" has many connotations, it certainly includes the genetic modification of symbiotic or commensally associated microbes as a means of delivering a trait (e.g. a toxin) to manage plant and human diseases and insect pests. The distinction between this paratransgenic approach and direct genetic modification of insect pests is an important one biologically as well as from a regulatory standpoint. The regulatory framework for microbial applications to agriculture is in many instances in place; however, we must strive to forge the development of guidelines and regulations that will foster deployment of insect biotechnologies. [source] The Role of Government Policy on Entrepreneurial Activity: Productive, Unproductive, or Destructive?ENTREPRENEURSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE, Issue 5 2008Maria Minniti This paper serves as an introduction to the special issue of Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice on government policy and entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurship is an important engine of growth. Government policy, in turn, shapes the institutional environment in which entrepreneurial decisions are made. Thus, government policy is important for entrepreneurship. But what policies are more conducive to productive entrepreneurship? In spite of a significant amount of work on this and related topics, there is still much we do not know about this important relationship. After reviewing recent literature on entrepreneurship policy, this paper summarizes the contributions included in this volume and puts them in the context of the ongoing research debate. The goal of the special issue is to address important unanswered questions and trigger a constructive debate among diverging views. [source] Short and long germ segmentation: unanswered questions in the evolution of a developmental modeEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2005Paul Z. Liu Summary The insect body plan is very well conserved, yet the developmental mechanisms of segmentation are surprisingly varied. Less evolutionarily derived insects undergo short germ segmentation where only the anterior segments are specified before gastrulation whereas the remaining posterior segments are formed during a later secondary growth phase. In contrast, derived long germ insects such as Drosophila specify their entire bodies essentially simultaneously. These fundamental embryological differences imply potentially divergent molecular patterning events. Numerous studies have focused on comparing the expression and function of the homologs of Drosophila segmentation genes between Drosophila and different short and long germ insects. Here we review these comparative data with special emphasis on understanding how short germ insects generate segments and how this ancestral mechanism may have been modified in derived long germ insects such as Drosophila. We break down the larger issue of short versus long germ segmentation into its component developmental problems and structure our discussion in order to highlight the unanswered questions in the evolution of insect segmentation. [source] A plaidoyer for cutaneous enzymology: our view of some important unanswered questions on the contributions of selected key enzymes to epidermal homeostasisEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2008John M. Wood Abstract:, This review highlights the importance of enzymology, a field of great neglect in current cutaneous biology research. It was therefore the aim by using selected examples of epidermal enzymes and their action including some open questions to demonstrate the importance of this area. Clearly a thorough understanding of basic knowledge in this field is needed which in turn offers a plethora of innovative research projects for a curious mind. Moreover, in order to gain the closest understanding to the truth instead of generating esoteric results, emphasis is put forward on a holistic view utilizing a combination of modern and sometimes old methods to get the answer. Last but not least the bench work is only useful for the welfare of our patients if we can apply our basic knowledge. [source] Reactive oxygen species are signalling molecules for skeletal muscle adaptationEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Scott K. Powers Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is crucial to the remodelling that occurs in skeletal muscle in response to both exercise training and prolonged periods of disuse. This review discusses the redox-sensitive signalling pathways that are responsible for this ROS-induced skeletal muscle adaptation. We begin with a discussion of the sites of ROS production in skeletal muscle fibres. This is followed by an overview of the putative redox-sensitive signalling pathways that promote skeletal muscle adaptation. Specifically, this discussion highlights redox-sensitive kinases, phosphatases and the transcription factor nuclear factor-,B. We also discuss the evidence that connects redox signalling to skeletal muscle adaptation in response to increased muscular activity (i.e. exercise training) and during prolonged periods of muscular inactivity (i.e. immobilization). In an effort to stimulate further research, we conclude with a discussion of unanswered questions about redox signalling in skeletal muscle. [source] University-to-industry knowledge transfer: literature review and unanswered questionsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT REVIEWS, Issue 4 2001Ajay K. Agrawal This paper reviews the economic literature concerning university-to-industry knowledge transfer. Papers on this topic are divided into four categories. Research in the ,firm characteristics' category focuses directly on company issues, such as internal organization, resource allocation, and partnerships. In contrast, research in the ,university characteristics' stream pays little attention to the firms that commercialize inventions, but rather focuses on issues relating to the university, such as licensing strategies, incentives for professors to patent, and policies such as taking equity in return for intellectual property. The ,geography in terms of localized spillovers' stream of research considers the spatial relationship between firms and universities relative to performance in terms of knowledge transfer success. Finally, the ,channels of knowledge transfer, literature examines the relative importance of various transfer pathways between universities and firms, such as publications, patents, and consulting. Each of these research streams is discussed and key papers are described highlighting important methodologies and results. Finally, an outline of topics requiring further research in each of the four categories is offered. [source] Addressing the unanswered questions in global water policy: a methodology framework,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 1 2003Charlotte de Fraiture Demande et fourniture de l'eau et de la nourriture au niveau globale 1995,2025; modélisation globale; politique globale sur l'eau; projections 2025 Abstract Are the available water resources sufficient to produce food for the growing world population while at the same time meet increasing municipal, industrial and environmental requirements? Projections for the year 2025, presented by different research groups at the second World Water Forum in The Hague, show an increase in global agricultural water use ranging from 4 to 17%. Estimates for the growth of total withdrawals, including domestic and industrial sectors, vary from 22 to 32%. This range is the result of differences in model structure and assumptions. Although these analyses were instrumental in raising awareness concerning the extent of present and future water scarcity problems, they raise many questions, which remain largely unanswered. The questions relate to the impact of water- and food-related policies on global and regional water scarcity, food production, environment and livelihoods through the year 2025. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) embarked on a joint modeling exercise to address these questions. This paper lays out the issues and discusses the methodology. During the 18th ICID Congress in July 2002 at Montreal, preliminary results will be presented. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. RÉSUMÉ Est-ce que les ressources en eau disponible sont suffisantes pour produire la nourriture pour une population mondiale qui s'accroît, et satisfaire en même temps les besoins municipaux, industriels et environnementaux? Les projections faites pour l'an 2025 par différents groupes de chercheurs lors du 2ème Forum Mondial de l'Eau à la Haye montrent une augmentation de 4 à 17% dans l'utilisation globale de l'eau agricole. Les estimations pour l'augmentation des prélèvements, y compris les secteurs domestiques et industriels, varient de 22 à 32%. Cette portée est le résultat des différences dans la structure des modèles. Quoique ces analyses permettent de sensibiliser le peuple sur les problèmes actuels et futurs de la disponibilité de l'eau, elles soulèvent de nombreuses questions qui restent non-résolues en bonne part. Ces questions concernent l'impact aux niveaux régionau et globau des politiques sur l'eau et la nourriture, la production alimentaire, l'environnement et les moyens d'existence et sources de revenu vers l'an 2025. L'Institut International de Recherche sur la Politique Alimentaire (IFPRI) et l'Institut International de Gestion d'Eau (IWMI) préparent conjointement un modèle pour traiter toutes ces questions non-résolues. Le rapport en question identifie toutes ces questions et discute la méthodologie. Au 18ème Congrès de Montréal en juillet 2002, les résultats préliminaires seront présentés. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Radical prostatectomy: men's experiences and postoperative needsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 7 2005Jean Burt MN Aims and objectives., This study sought to explore men's experiences after radical prostatectomy and whether they perceived their preoperative teaching adequately prepared them for postoperative recovery. Tape-recorded telephone and face-to-face interviews were conducted at days 2, 7 and 21, and 3 and 12 months postdischarge. Background., Although verbal and written instruction about postoperative expectations and care are provided routinely before radical prostatectomy, patients express concern about a lack of preparation in managing urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Design., This qualitative descriptive study explored in-depth men's experiences during the year following their surgery. Methods., Multiple, tape-recorded, semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with 17 participants and a single, in-depth, face-to-face interview was conducted 12 months postoperatively with a subset of five men selected for their reflective and descriptive abilities. Results., Although participants received comprehensive written and verbal information preoperatively, it was not sufficient to foster their management of all postoperative sequelae. Telephone follow-up, used as a data collection strategy, was helpful in fostering adjustment after surgery and relieved anxiety caused by side effects of surgery and unanswered questions. Conclusions., Pre- and postoperative teaching needs to make allowances for the impact of stress on the recall and processing of information. Written information in itself is not adequate to answer necessary questions and provide reassurance. Follow-up telephone support is recommended as a way of fostering adjustment after surgery. Relevance to clinical practice., This study shows that: (i) Written information in itself is not adequate to answer necessary questions and provide reassurance, (ii) Nurses need to be prepared, both educationally and psychologically, to observe non-verbal cues and to address questions and concerns that are rarely voiced in ways that indicate their significance to the person and (iii) Men may not speak about sexuality issues in ways that accurately reflect the extent of their worry and/or distress about erectile dysfunction. [source] CASE REPORT: Efficacy of Hoodia for weight loss: is there evidence to support the efficacy claims?JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 5 2010A. M. Whelan PharmD Summary Increasing rates of adult obesity and its negative health consequences are likely to become an increasing burden to the Canadian health care system. Consumers are looking for treatment options and often try the natural health products that are heavily promoted as safe, fast and effective. In this case report, MH, a 57-year-old overweight female wanted advice regarding whether she should use the natural product Hoodia to help her attain her weight loss goals. A literature search was conducted using Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database and IPA from inception to March 2009. The internet, files of the authors and bibliographies of articles were searched for additional references. No published, peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials examining efficacy of Hoodia were found. Unpublished data from two small trials reported promising results with no adverse events. However, this leaves many unanswered questions regarding the use of Hoodia for weight loss such as the appropriate dose and duration, short and long term safety and use in patients with concomitant diseases. Literature suggests that some commercial products may not actually contain Hoodia at all. Additionally, Hoodia is not yet listed in the Canadian Licensed Natural Health Products Database meaning products sold in Canada may not meet Canadian regulatory standards. Upon discussing this information, MH decided not to use Hoodia, and other evidence-based recommendations were discussed. [source] The load of short telomeres, estimated by a new method, Universal STELA, correlates with number of senescent cellsAGING CELL, Issue 3 2010Laila Bendix Summary Short telomeres are thought to trigger senescence, most likely through a single , or a group of few , critically shortened telomeres. Such short telomeres are thought to result from a combination of gradual linear shortening resulting from the end replication problem, reflecting the division history of the cell, superimposed by a more stochastic mechanism, suddenly causing a significant shortening of a single telomere. Previously, studies that have tried to explore the role of critically shortened telomeres have been hampered by methodological problems. With the method presented here, Universal STELA, we have a tool that can directly investigate the relationship between senescence and the load of short telomeres. The method is a variant of the chromosome-specific STELA method but has the advantage that it can demonstrate short telomeres regardless of chromosome. With Universal STELA, we find a strong correlation between the load of short telomeres and cellular senescence. Further we show that the load of short telomeres is higher in senescent cells compared to proliferating cells at the same passage, offering an explanation of premature cell senescence. This new method, Universal STELA, offers some advantages compared to existing methods and can be used to explore many of the unanswered questions in telomere biology including the role that telomeres play in cancer and aging. [source] When marital interaction and intervention researchers arrive at different points of view: the active listening controversyJOURNAL OF FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 1 2003McArthur Hafen Jr In 1998, John Gottman and his associates published an article which asserted that training ,active listening' between couples was an ineffective therapeutic intervention. Not surprisingly, this claim generated considerable controversy, particularly in relation to treatment and educational models that were heavily dependent on active listening as a major part of their intervention programmes. The authors of one such approach, the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP), were particularly vocal in their disagreement with Gottman's conclusions. This paper provides an account of the controversy, a summary of the current status of the debate and a discussion of the remaining unanswered questions. [source] The Impact of Gender Similarity on Employee Satisfaction at Work: A Review and Re-Evaluation*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 8 2005Riccardo Peccei abstract We used data from the British 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey (WERS98) to examine key unanswered questions about the impact of gender similarity on employee satisfaction at work. The study sample consisted of 11,848 men and 11,278 women from over 1700 workplaces across Britain. In line with gender-specific compositional arguments, the effects of gender similarity were found to be asymmetrical for men and women, with similarity tending to have a greater positive impact on men than on women. The effects involved were primarily linear in nature. Net of the potentially confounding influence of other factors, they were also found to be quite weak, weaker than has commonly been suggested in the literature. [source] Simian AIDS: an historical perspectiveJOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 4-5 2003M.B. Gardner Abstract: The author has had the unique opportunity to participate, over the last 35 years, in the retrovirus research field that proceeded and followed the discovery of human, simian and feline AIDS. The onset of human AIDS was certainly unanticipated, but in retrospect, the warning signs had been present for at least a decade in captive macaques. I will briefly summarize the key scientific knowledge and ,mindset' leading up to these events and will outline the major contributions and unanswered questions arising from the simian model of AIDS. [source] WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD: HOW CAN REGIONAL SCIENCE CONTRIBUTE TO THE STUDY OF NEIGHBORHOODS?,JOURNAL OF REGIONAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010Ingrid Gould Ellen ABSTRACT We argue in this paper that neighborhoods are highly relevant for the types of issues at the heart of regional science. First, residential and economic activity takes place in particular locations, and particular neighborhoods. Many attributes of those neighborhood environments matter for this activity, from the physical amenities, to the quality of the public and private services received. Second, those neighborhoods vary in their placement in the larger region and this broader arrangement of neighborhoods is particularly important for location choices, commuting behavior and travel patterns. Third, sorting across these neighborhoods by race and income may well matter for educational and labor market outcomes, important components of a region's overall economic activity. For each of these areas we suggest a series of unanswered questions that would benefit from more attention. Focused on neighborhood characteristics themselves, there are important gaps in our understanding of how neighborhoods change , the causes and the consequences. In terms of the overall pattern of neighborhoods and resulting commuting patterns, this connects directly to current concerns about environmental sustainability and there is much need for research relevant to policy makers. And in terms of segregation and sorting across neighborhoods, work is needed on better spatial measures. In addition, housing market causes and consequences for local economic activity are under researched. We expand on each of these, finishing with some suggestions on how newly available data, with improved spatial identifiers, may enable regional scientists to answer some of these research questions. [source] Serotonin and Parkinson's disease: On movement, mood, and madness,MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 9 2009Susan H. Fox MRCP Abstract An appreciation of the multiple roles that serotonin (5-HT) may play in Parkinson's disease (PD) has increased in recent years. Early pathological studies in PD demonstrated nonselective reductions of 5-HT in brain tissue but little correlation to comorbidities such as dyskinesia and mood disturbance. This, combined with treatment failures using serotonergic drugs in comparison to levodopa, meant the field was largely neglected until recently. The multitude of subtypes of 5-HT receptors in the brain and an increased understanding of the potential function 5-HT may play in modulating other neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine, GABA, and glutamate, have meant an expansion in efforts to develop potential serotonergic drugs for both motor and nonmotor symptoms in PD. However, several unanswered questions remain, and future studies need to focus on correlating changes in 5-HT neurotransmission in both pathological and in vivo imaging studies with a full clinical phenotype. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society [source] Onset of acute myocardial infarction after use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 4 2008Tarek A. Hammad MD Abstract Purpose To examine the association between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective and traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and to address unanswered questions regarding the contour of risk over time. Methods A cohort of new NSAID users aged 40,84 years was followed for the occurrence of first AMI. Data were collected within the General Practice Research Database (GPRD) from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2004. Results The study population included 1185 AMI events (889 probable and 296 possible) from a cohort of 283,136 patients. After adjustment for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors, the hazard ratio (HR) for AMI was significantly increased for both coxib (2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04,4.26) and non-coxib (2.24, 95%CI 1.13,4.42) COX-2 selective NSAIDs when compared to remote exposure to NSAIDs, but was not increased for traditional NSAIDs. Stratifying exposure into the first month of use versus use beyond 1 month, the risk of AMI was increased during the first month of COX-2 selective NSAIDs use, but not later (3.43, 95%CI 1.66,7.07 and 1.88, 95%CI 0.82,4.31, respectively p -value for interaction,=,0.6). Conclusions The results suggest that the use of coxib and non-coxib COX-2 selective NSAIDs was associated with an elevated risk of AMI within the first month of exposure. Recent past exposure to NSAID was not associated with a similar increase in risk. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of aneuploidy using cell-free nucleic acids in maternal blood: promises and unanswered questionsPRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 1 2008William M. Puszyk Abstract The discovery of cell-free fetal (cff) DNA and RNA in the maternal circulation has driven developments in noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) for the past decade. Detection of paternally derived alleles in cff DNA is becoming well established. Now much interest is focussing on NIPD of fetal chromosomal abnormalities, such as trisomy 21, which is a considerable challenge because this demands accurate quantitative measurements of the amounts of specific cff DNA or cff RNA sequences in maternal blood samples. Emerging strategies for distinguishing and quantifying the fetal nucleic acids in the maternal circulation promise continued development of the field, and pose a number of unanswered questions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Beyond the ivory tower: from business aims to policy makingPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2006Richard Tudway Abstract This article explores the provenance of some of those deepest heart-felt anxieties of modern times,and offers a practical response. There is a pervasive sense of angst in OECD countries about where we are headed. Somehow the values, public and private, we once thought we all stood for are compromised. The democratic process looks tired and shop-soiled. This backdrop plays upon deeper existential fears. Do we have any real control over our individual or collective destinies? The effect is morally and spiritually debilitating. This is, in brief, the core of the Argument from the first section. It is followed in section two by a presentation of the Facts that support this rather uninviting scenario. After looking at how things are shaping up on the socio-economic and political fronts, one provisional conclusion is that values and beliefs, along with policies and institutions, are in a state of poor repair. Section three on Findings adds to the sense of existential woe. It does so by exploring the real or imagined psychological disjunction which is common in the today's work-place and everyday living. The alienation and the loss of direction that affects the wellbeing and even the balance of otherwise normal people is striking. We are left with unanswered questions at many different levels. Why are the prospects of progress in dealing positively and constructively with these problems so uncertain? Is there any all-in-one solution, or are we simply to address each symptom as it comes along, and disregard the wider context? Section four of the paper tries to provide a holistic Prognosis of the situation, seen from an all-level encompassing perspective. It does so in the belief we cannot meaningfully begin to address specific symptoms outside the context of the wider whole. It concludes with a few simple, in some ways ageless aspirations of mankind, whose aim is to equate what we say with what we do. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||