American Conferences Research Articles

Thinking Off the Map

My career in academic pharmacy has largely focused on geriatrics. I try not to about how old I am because quite frankly, chronological age is irrelevant to me. While age might be irrelevant, one thing you do learn from decades of experience is that important things take both time to develop and bold thinking. To continue thinking boldly, I have chosen Thinking Off Map as my presidential theme, and I'd like to describe 3 major initiatives that I intend to pursue under this theme. They are: (1) globalization of pharmacy education, (2) faculty recruitment and retention, and (3) curricular reform. In keeping with notion that really important efforts take time, I have decided to approach these initiatives by going back to a planning model that American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) has used in past. Some of you may recall Initiatives X, Y, and Z. It actually was recipe for ultimate agreement to move to PharmD as sole professional degree. New initiatives such as Globalization of Pharmacy Education will be assigned as X issue; it will be vetted by various committees and Board of Directors in 2008-2009 and following year it becomes Y issue for further discussion and debate. The next year, Y topic becomes Z issue and will be finalized. Faculty Recruitment and Retention in 20082009 will be Y topic and will move to Z topic following year. Curricular Reform will be Z issue in 2008-2009. Let me explain to you why I have chosen globalization of pharmacy education as Issue X. We are in a period of dramatic change in academic pharmacy and delivery of health care. And pharmacy's dramatic change is only a small part of changes that are occurring in virtually all aspects of society. To quote Thomas Friedman's, The World is Flat, the world is changing in profound and unsettling ways. But there is something about flattening of world that is going to be qualitatively different from great changes of previous eras; difference is in speed and breadth with which it is taking hold. He further states that, the great challenge for our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people or leave them behind and none of this will be easy. And ladies and gentlemen, this is our task as well. It is inevitable and unavoidable. The issue of global pharmacy education is not new to academy or even to AACP for we have been engaged in activities like Thai Consortium and Pan American Conferences on Pharmacy Education for decades. The 2007-08 AACP Strategic Planning Committee took a fresh look at needs and opportunities for AACP to contribute to global changes in pharmacy education and concluded that timing is right for us and our member schools and colleges to take a more strategic approach to global engagement. I continue to be impressed with how many of our schools and colleges, students, and faculty members are already engaged, and in many cases, have formal arrangements with other schools outside United States. A 2007 survey conducted by Bruce Currie and Rosalie Sagraves, documented that many of our programs already provide for faculty as well as student exchange, clerkship experiences, and collaborative research partnerships. Being more strategically involved with global pharmacy education represents an opportunity for leadership and collaboration with other national and international organizations. Organizations such as ASHP, ACCP, and FIP have seen link between quality pharmacy education and progressive pharmacy practice. The opportunities to learn with and from professionals in other countries and to determine what part of our new and evolving North American educational model might be useful to others will stimulate all of us to think off our own individual maps. Many of us have had privilege of being invited to other countries to share our experiences that moved degree program to doctor of pharmacy level and we find that most of barriers we had to overcome are same barriers or challenges they are currently facing. …

Hemodynamic Performance of Stentless Versus Stented Valves: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Several trials have compared stentless with stented valves following aortic valve replacement (AVR). The goal of this review was to systematically locate, critically appraise, and quantitatively combine results to determine if stentless valves improve cardiac hemodynamics. We performed an unrestricted search of Pubmed Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane databases, and EBM reviews. Article reference lists and online abstracts from major North American conferences were also searched. We included randomized trials of adults undergoing AVR that compared stentless and stented valves. Blinded reviewers performed assessment of trials for inclusion and trial quality. Two individuals performed data extraction independently. Kappa statistics were used to assess reviewer agreement. A random effects model was employed for statistical analyses. Assessments were made for postoperative, early, and late outcomes. Heterogeneity was explored with sensitivity analyses. Eight studies were identified for inclusion in the primary analysis, with four others included in sensitivity analyses. Baseline comparisons between groups revealed no differences. Our primary analyses revealed no differences between groups for assessments of LV mass or mean transvalvular gradients. Secondary analyses showed stentless valves to have lower peak gradients. Sensitivity analyses were supportive of our primary results. Heterogeneity was observed in some comparisons and sensitivity analyses failed to completely explain this heterogeneity. Stentless valves did not display hemodynamic benefit in terms of LV mass regression or postoperative mean gradients, but do appear to display superior hemodynamics in terms of peak gradients. Further well-designed and adequately powered trials are required to fully address this question.

Serum thyroglobulin measurement: clinical background and main methodological aspects with clinical impact

It is worldwide recognized that circulating thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement represents a fundamental tool in the follow-up of patients affected by differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). In the last American and European Consensus Conferences, a surveillance guideline has been extended to the use of thyrotropin (TSH)-stimulated Tg levels for thyroidectomized patients without clinical evidence of residual tumor with Tg below 1 μg/l during TSH suppression. Therefore, sensitivity of the methods is critical to detect small amounts of Tg and/or to observe minimal changes in Tg concentration in the management of DTC patients. It has been proposed that only methods providing the greatest distinction between the lower limit of euthyroid reference range (~ 3.0 μg/l) and the functional sensitivity limit (at least 1 μg/l) of the assay may offer a suitable clinical sensitivity for detecting small amounts of functioning thyroid tissue in TSH-suppressed state (1 g of normal thyroid tissue results in a serum Tg of approximately 1 μg/l when TSH is normal and about 0.5 μg/l when TSH is suppressed). In the last 30 years sensitivity of Tg measurements has been greatly improved, nowadays methods can achieve very good analytical and functional sensitivity to give reliable results also in the very low concentration range (between 0.1 and 1 μg/l). In addition, with the introduction of fully automated assays, results can be readily available to the clinician while patients are still in the ambulatory area. However, despite the large clinical use of Tg measurement, wide differences (by threefold) still remain between results produced in different laboratories due to poor standardization, heterogeneity of circulating Tg, interference from auto-antibodies, differences in the epitope recognition by antibodies used in the assays.

Solitudes in Leisure Research: Just the Tip of the Iceberg?

Jackson's study, comparing Canadian and American leisure research, shows some interesting differences between the two communities of researchers. While these difference do not represent completely separate solitudes, they do show that Americans are more likely to share their research (through publications and conference presentations) with other Americans and that Canadian are more likely to share their research with other Canadians.As Jackson points out, there are explanations for these tendencies towards parochialism, including differences in the relative sizes of the two communities, the relative number of outlets for research dissemination, and perceptions of the relative quality of journals. An additional set of factors, not mentioned by Jackson, is that there may be a natural tendency to publish close to home. This may be either because of familiarity with local academic and research organizations, and/or because research generated in one culture is believed to be (and indeed may be) of particular interest to others in that same culture.Despite these explanations for the preponderance of home-based research dissemination, the findings from Jackson's study do raise some concerns. In particular, they are an indication of a level of academic parochialism, which could have some negative consequences for the leisure research community as a whole. For example, they suggest that perhaps research findings may not be widely shared, that new knowledge and insights may not be effectively communicated, and that research may have a tendency to look towards their own local research communities for understandings and explanations of leisure phenomena. Thus breadth of understanding and vision within leisure studies may be somewhat limited.Of course Jackson's research, which looks only at numbers of publications and outlets for research dissemination, does not directly address these issues, nor the question of an inward orientation or narrow vision. Nevertheless, one of the intriguing aspects of his study is whether, and to what extent, his data are indicative of some significant problems in the leisure research field, which may be largely hidden. In other words, the findings of his study may be only the tip of the iceberg. Other issues that may constitute the hidden portion of the iceberg include the isolation of North American research from research in other parts of the world, intellectual or theoretical isolation, and isolation from other disciplines.The Isolation of North American Research?The fact that Jackson's research shows some significant differences between Canadians and Americans is particularly disturbing because of the relatively high level of interaction among North American leisure research scholars. Although many of us (perhaps especially Canadians) do perceive some fundamental differences between American and Canadian societies, there are also many similarities and avenues of connection, due, if nothing else, to geographic proximity. For example, although American are more likely to attend American rather than Canadian conferences, Americans certainly make up the largest contingent of foreigners at the tri-annual Canadian Congress on Leisure Research. This is also true of Canadians' attendance at American conferences such as the Symposium on Leisure Research. Tn addition, both Americans and Canadians are found on the editorial boards of North American journals located in both countries. Thus, if Canadian research and American research can be seen as two solitudes, the separation between North American researchers and those in other parts of the world can be expected to be much greater: solitudes within North America likely translate into considerably greater degrees of isolation worldwide.This is an issue that deserves further research as a follow up to Jackson's study. For example:- To what extent do North Americans publish in British, Australian or other non-North American journals? …

Intentional Insularity? Alternative Interpretations of Jackson's Analysis

I could refute any one of the findings in Jackson's paper. As I read through it I made a list of points-alternative explanations or interpretations-that could be imposed on the findings. Some of these points were acknowledged by Jackson in his own reflections on the meanings of these analyses. However, the most compelling feature of this paper, and one I could not refute, is the fact that the same patterns emerged again and again as the data were systematically examined from a variety of perspectives. Whether he looked at publications or presentations, analyzed by person or by authorship, Jackson's analyses repeatedly led him to the same conclusion.It surprised me that I tried so hard to refute his findings. In many respects, his message of insularity parallels and extends my own work in this area (cf. Samdahi & Kelly, 1999). Perhaps I was feeling defensive at the unflattering image his data conveyed about the parochial nature of American leisure researchers. Jackson began his discussion by citing Valentine, Allison, and Schneider (1999) who suggested that North American leisure scholars are ethnocentric, then Walker's (2000) rejoinder that forced a distinction between Americans and Canadians. By elimination, and in conjunction with Jackson's own discussion, this leaves the United States standing alone in a shameful myopia.But putting national pride aside, I feel there are other important considerations that must be examined before accepting Jackson's conclusions. His analysis is meticulous and his results are clearly presented, but the meaning behind those statistical patterns is open to debate. It reminds me of an important distinction between quantitative and qualitative research: With interviews you would be able to return to the participants using probes and member-checks to sec if your understandings were correct; with statistics you are on your own to impute meaning onto numbers.An important overriding issue that undoubtedly influenced Jackson's database, and a point he himself acknowledged in his summary remarks, is the uneven nature of opportunities lor publishing or presenting in the United States and Canada. Looking just at 1995, the midpoint of the decade in Jackson's analysis, the four American leisure journals published over 100 articles; in contrast, the two Canadian journals published 42. Likewise, from 1994 to 1996 there were over 330 papers presented at the American leisure research conferences; during that same period the Canadian leisure conference, which only occurs once every three years, had 77 presentations. Given that American and Canadian leisure researchers are comparably productive (Table 1), and that the United States offers significantly more opportunity for publications and presentations, it is hardly surprising to learn that Canadians are more likely to publish or present in the United States (Tables 2-7). Though Jackson pointed out this concern, he pushed it aside as less important than the striking patterns in the data. I argue that this concern might explain those patterns and that all interpretations should be filtered through this fact. We must be cautious giving any other interpretation to these results.Another important point stems from the unique decade that is captured in Jackson's analysis. In the 1990s Canadian leisure research was just beginning to emerge with an international reputation. This decade saw the establishment of the first Canadian doctoral program that was solidly grounded in leisure studies. Most Canadian students came to the United States to earn their doctoral degrees, where they undoubtedly were socialized towards the American leisure research outlets. That background plus on-going collaborations might account for some of the Canadian presence in American journals and conferences. Does this mean Canadians were less parochial? Or were they simply using and extending the networks that circumstance had provided?These tables also imply that co-authorships are more common among American leisure scholars than Canadian leisure scholars. …

Collective action under the Articles of Confederation

The American confederation faced several collective action problems between 1775 and 1789. The confederation could not enforce a unified response to trade barriers imposed by foreign nations (), it had problems coordinating attendance at the confederation congress (), and it could not enforce judicial decisions over the states. But perhaps the most obvious collective action problem was associated with the system of requisitions. Requisitions were a request for state resources, similar to an unenforced tax upon the states. The confederation requisitioned the states for soldiers, money, and supplies and used these resources primarily for defense and the reduction of war debts.

The Research in Market Finance

Promoting research in finance contributes to making financial places attractive. Comparing French research in finance with the American and British ones shows that France has a research of quality, capable of mobilising sophisticated mathematical and statistical tools. But French research is dependent - as actually most of the world’s research - on dissemination and evaluation networks based in the United States. The selection process of American reviews and conferences, though it may be contested, gives American researchers the advantage of organising a true market for research productions and thus to facilitate their financing. But the influence of this market goes beyond American borders. French research, in addition, is affected by specific shortcomings : the excessive segmentation of its branches, the lack of financial incentives for researchers and of financial means for research laboratories. Paris, as a financial center, could contribute to solving these two shortcomings. JEL Classification : A23

Overview of National Cancer Institute networks for cancer control research in Native American populations

The National Cancer Institute established two Native American cancer control research networks. These networks were created to develop and promote a cadre of cancer prevention and control scientists to conduct culturally sensitive research among Native American populations (i.e., American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and American Samoan). The primary objective of these research efforts is to reduce morbidity and mortality from cancer. Toward reaching this objective, the networks have (1) conducted research, (2) affiliated with or stimulated other groups to conduct research, or (3) facilitated research by encouraging the training of new researchers of Native American origin to promote prevention and early detection as well as state-of-the-art treatment among their people. The networks are organized and financially supported by the NCI. Members of the network have established working committees that follow up on tasks identified during the meetings. Accomplishments of these networks have been recorded between 1990 and 1996. Two strategic plans for cancer control research among American Indians and Alaska Natives have been drafted and disseminated. One of the plans was designed for federal agencies and the other for state health departments. The networks have conducted three national surveys regarding native peoples' access to cancer prevention and control services and conducted two national Native American cancer conferences. The Native Hawaiian/American Samoan Task Force was established in 1992 due to the high incidence and mortality statistics for cancer in these populations. Through support mechanisms such as those implemented by the NCI, independent networks can be created to advocate actively for cancer prevention and control efforts within Native American communities, among nonnatives, and within professional organizations and governmental agencies.

A progress report of cancer centers and tribal communities: Building a partnership based on trust

Over the past 20 years, considerable progress has been made in the early detection and treatment of cancer. Despite these advances, cancer incidence and mortality rates among Native Americans have not kept pace. Cancer centers are in a unique position to offer technical assistance, resources, and a long term commitment that can help address these concerns within tribal communities. The University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center developed a proactive plan to build collaborative partnerships with Wisconsin Native Americans. This began with an outreach plan that prioritized intervention strategies. A Native American health professional was hired to serve as liaison and advocate. Resources were committed, and staff was assigned to work with the community to develop intervention strategies that would be culturally competent and able to address the concerns of community members. Various collaborative activities resulted from these efforts. These included participation in Native American cancer work groups, conferences, and seminars. Most importantly, these efforts resulted in a partnership with the Native American community that is based on honor and mutual respect. Careful planning, prioritization, allocation of resources, and a commitment to Native Americans can result in partnerships with the community and interventions that address their cancer control needs. Building and sustaining these partnerships takes time and thoughtful exploration of issues and concerns to develop mutual trust and respect. Both cancer centers and tribal communities can benefit by recognizing that shared power, as a reciprocal value, can benefit the whole.

A progress report of cancer centers and tribal communities: Building a partnership based on trust

BACKGROUND Over the past 20 years, considerable progress has been made in the early detection and treatment of cancer. Despite these advances, cancer incidence and mortality rates among Native Americans have not kept pace. Cancer centers are in a unique position to offer technical assistance, resources, and a long term commitment that can help address these concerns within tribal communities. METHODS The University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center developed a proactive plan to build collaborative partnerships with Wisconsin Native Americans. This began with an outreach plan that prioritized intervention strategies. A Native American health professional was hired to serve as liaison and advocate. Resources were committed, and staff was assigned to work with the community to develop intervention strategies that would be culturally competent and able to address the concerns of community members. RESULTS Various collaborative activities resulted from these efforts. These included participation in Native American cancer work groups, conferences, and seminars. Most importantly, these efforts resulted in a partnership with the Native American community that is based on honor and mutual respect. CONCLUSIONS Careful planning, prioritization, allocation of resources, and a commitment to Native Americans can result in partnerships with the community and interventions that address their cancer control needs. Building and sustaining these partnerships takes time and thoughtful exploration of issues and concerns to develop mutual trust and respect. Both cancer centers and tribal communities can benefit by recognizing that shared power, as a reciprocal value, can benefit the whole. Cancer 1996;78:1633-7.

Overview of the Native American Cancer Conference III: Risk factors, outreach and intervention strategies

Based on the lack of published information regarding Native Americans and cancer and the success of previous meetings, the Network for Cancer Control Research among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (NCCR-AIANP) and the Native Hawaiian and American Samoan Cancer Research Network determined there was sufficient need to have annual national Native American cancer conferences. The NCCR-AIANP, the Native Hawaiian and American Samoan Cancer Research Network, and the AMC Native American Cancer Research Program collaborated to organize the third national Native American cancer conference, "Native American Cancer Conference III: Risk Factors, Outreach and Intervention Strategies." The conference was held in Seattle, Washington, June 16-19, 1995. It provided a forum for scientific discussion and dissemination of information related to cancer prevention and control. Conference participants benefited from the topics presented and the diversity of the audience members. There continues to be a need to share what is happening in cancer research with this unique population and to address new issues of concern. A cancer conference seems to be a useful mechanism to provide such an opportunity.

Logic activities in Europe

During Fall 1992, thanks to ONR, I had an opportunity to visit a fair number of West European centers of logic research. I tried to learn more about logic investigations and applications in Europe with the hope that my experience may be useful to American researchers. This report is concerned only with logic activities related to computer science, and Europe here means usually Western Europe (one can learn only so much in one semester). The idea of such a visit may seem ridiculous to some. The modern world is quickly growing into a global village. There is plenty of communication between Europe and the US. Many European researchers visit the US, and many American researchers visit Europe. Neither Americans nor Europeans make secret of their logic research. Quite the opposite is true. They advertise their research. From ESPRIT reports, the Bulletin of European Association for Theoretical Computer Science, the Newsletter of European Association for Computer Science Logics, publications of European Foundation for Logic, Language and Information, publications of particular European universities, etc., one can get a good idea of what is going on in Europe and who is doing what. Some European colleagues asked me jokingly if I was on a reconnaissance mission. Well, sometimes a cow wants to suckle more than the calf wants to suck (a Hebrew proverb). It is amazing, however, how di erent computer science is, especially theoretical computer science, in Europe and the US. American theoretical computer science centers heavily around complexity theory. The two prime American theoretical conferences | ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC) and IEEE Foundation of Computer Science Conference (FOCS) | are largely devoted to complexity theory (in a wider sense of the term). That does not exclude logic. As a matter of fact, important logic results have been published in those conferences. However, STOC and FOCS logic papers belong, as a rule, to branches of logic intimately related to complexity. Finite model theory is a good example of that; see [Fagin 1990, Gurevich 1988] and especially [Immerman 1989]. The di erence between theoretical computer science and the rest of computer science (and computer engineering) is relatively well delineated in this country. In Europe, the line between theoretical computer science and the rest of computer science and engineering is much more blurred, partially because computer science and engineering in general are more theoretical. A much greater proportion of European research goes into programming language theory, semantics, speci cation languages, proof systems, veri cation methods, etc. For brevity and the lack of a better term, I will use the term \formal methods for all of these areas. Europeans put much more faith and e orts into

The American and Canadian consensus conferences on dementia: is there consensus?

The American and Canadian consensus conferences on dementia: is there consensus?

Latin American telecommunications networks

The early history of telecommunications in Latin America is briefly recounted. Some activities arising from international American conferences are described. Differences between Latin American and US networks are identified. An overview of current Latin American systems is followed by details of networks in Colombia, Uruguay, and Costa Rica.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

COTAL — Latin American confederation of tourism organizations

COTAL — Latin American confederation of tourism organizations

Confederation and Federal Liberty

Conventional accounts of American history treat confederation and federation as two very different ways of dealing with the problem of political organization. Indeed, within the limited context of American history, this approach can be understood as reflecting the sense of profound transformation brought about by the U.S. Constitution of 1787. In a larger sense, however, the American experience shows federation and confederation to be two species of the same genus-federalism, each seeking in its own way to combine liberty with appropriately effective government. As we commemorate the 200th anniversary of the completion of the adoption of the Articles of Confederation, it behooves Americans and students of politics everywhere to reexamine the American experience under confederation as well as federation, and most especially the principles underlining the confederal experiment, to try to understand exactly how both species of the same genus were given their modern form in the new United States. Such a reexamination is especially appropriate at this time because the serious revival of confederal options around the world since World War II inevitably leads us back to the original American experience. In the century following adoption of the Articles of Confederation, there were other confederal experiments in Europe and Latin America, all of which foundered in the face of the nationalistic tendencies of the modern epoch which emphasized the linkage of nation-building and state-building on a centralized basis or, at a minimum, along the lines of federation. In the post-modern epoch, on the other hand, constitutionalized transnational political organization based on shared economic and cultural foundations has been more acceptable, leading to a renewed interest in the possibilities of confederation. The modern character of the American confederation and its connection with federalism are important to note at the outset. One of the reasons for ignoring the close relationship between the confederal and federal experiences of the American confederation is that students have treated it as if it were simply a late example of a pre-modern league rather than a perpetual union of states. Indeed, this view was developed directly and explicitly by the authors of The Federalist as part of their polemic against

The British government, sir Edmund head, and British North American confederation, 1858

The British government, sir Edmund head, and British North American confederation, 1858

Revolutionary Labor in Latin America: The CLASC

The greatest change in the Latin American labor picture during the 1960s has been the emergence and growth of the Latin American Confederation of Christian Trade Unionists (Confederación Latino Americana de Sindicatos Cristianos—CLASC). The outcome of the struggle between the Organización Regional Interamericana de Trabajadores (ORIT), the older, AFL-CIO influenced movement in Latin America, and the CLASC for the leadership of the non-Communist sector of Latin American labor remains in question, but the result, even if a situation of peaceful coexistence develops, will have a significant impact on the political, social, and economic evolution of Latin America. This study attempts to sketch the unique ideological base on which the CLASC is founded, to outline its method of operation, and to explain the nature of its competition with the ORIT.

Some Legal Aspects of the Colonial Problem in Latin America

The colonial problem in Latin America is not one of that continent's most urgent problems, but it does exist, and the jurisprudence of the United Nations concerning colonial territories has set into motion a comprehensive debate on colonialism. The two Latin-American principles embodying the best solution to these problems are: (1) The territories of America cannot be the object of colonization and (2) American states do not recognize territorial acquisition or special advantages obtained by coercion. The first is based on the politico-juridical principle known as the uti possiditis jure of 1810, which has been cited often in various crises of Latin-American history. The second has long constituted an outstanding characteristic of the political and juridical thinking of Latin America. Similar legal principles are embodied in international law. Therefore, the resolutions made by International American Conferences and by other Inter-American organizations are based on long-standing legal principles. These resolutions, along with the legal decisions of the United Nations on colonial matters, provide a means for solving Latin-American colonial problems—thus eliminating the suspicion and frustration resulting from them, and creating an atmosphere in Latin America more favorable to the co-operation necessary for its development.—Ed.

Mexico and the Spanish-American War

So wrote foremost literary figure of Peru, Ricardo Palma, Pedro Santacilia, Cuban patriot and son-in-law of Benito Juarez, just prior outbreak of Spanish-American War. The sentiment was echoed by dean of Latin American diplomats in Washington, Matias Romero, Mexican Minister United States, who expected United States annex Cuba.2 Fear of Yankee menace was also reflected in works of Latin American poet Ruben Dario and increased by ever-quickening Pan-Hispanism movement.3 As war approached, Spain let loose barrage of propaganda aimed at making herself the polar star of Latin American confederation. 4 Pan-Hispanism, which was strongly cultural in its emphasis, has been defined as a Spanishled movement that aims at achieving solidarity among Hispanic nations and as conscious expression of persistence of idea of empire. 5 It was quite clear that achievement of solidarity was in part to be forged upon anvil of Yankeephobia.6 Few Latin American countries felt Yankee menace as keenly as did Mexico. No Latin American country was as close United States as Mexico. The outbreak of Spanish-American War revealed in