Power, Pathological Worldviews, and the Strengths Perspective in Social Work

This article takes up Blundo’s (2001) assertion in this journal that in order to practice from the strengths perspective, social workers need to alter their “frames.” Expanding on this assertion, we specify a particular frame that requires change: a pathological worldview. Examining the strengths perspective with regard to a Foucauldian analysis of power, we argue that to thoroughly implement the strengths perspective, we need to consider the dividing practices that allow us to maintain power and that reflect a pathological worldview. This article provides considerations for social work practice that will be of interest to practicing social workers and social work educators interested in continuing to develop their strengths-based practice

Apparent bypass of negative selection in CD8+ tumours in CD2-myc transgenic mice.

A role for antigen stimulation in lymphoid neoplasia has been postulated and is supported by indirect evidence that suggests that the interaction of antigen with both T cells and B cells may constitute an epigenetic event that can contribute to tumour induction or tumour progression. Using myc-bearing transgenic mice that develop mainly clonal T-cell lymphomas we have investigated the possibility that endogenous antigen-mediated clonal deletion might be overridden in tumorigenesis. CD2-myc transgenic mice were backcrossed on to a CBA/Ca background to ensure Mtv-mediated deletion of V beta 11-expressing T cells in the resultant offspring. Lymphomas arising from these mice were subsequently screened for V beta 11 expression. There was a clear correlation between the age at which mice developed neoplasia and the tumour phenotype. Mice with CD4- CD8+ tumours succumbed to thymic lymphoma at a significantly younger age than mice developing CD4+ CD8+ tumours. A small number of tumours consisted of the 'forbidden' V beta 11 phenotype, showing that cells vulnerable to transformation could escape negative selection. The majority of the V beta 11-positive tumours were CD4- CD8+ and were only observed in mice showing clinical evidence of tumour development at a relatively young age. The phenotype of these cells and the age at which tumours arose suggests that T cells escaping tolerance may be susceptible to transformation

An approach to the control of disease transmission in pig-to-human xenotransplantation.

Abstract: Although several major immunologic hurdles need to be overcome, the pig is currently considered the most likely source animal of cells, tissues and organs for transplantation into humans. Concerns have been raised with regard to the potential for the transfer of infectious agents with the transplanted organ to the human recipient. This risk is perceived to be increased as it is likely that the patient will be iatrogenically immunocompromised and the organ-source pig may be genetically engineered in such a way to render its organs particularly susceptible to infection with human viruses. Furthermore, the risk may not be restricted to the recipient, but may have consequences for the health of others in the community. The identification of porcine endogenous retroviruses and of hitherto unknown viruses have given rise to the most concern. We document here the agents we believe should be excluded from the organ-source pigs. We discuss the likelihood of achieving this aim and outline the potential means by which it may best be achieved

Solving the puzzle of subhalo spins

Investigating the spin parameter distribution of subhalos in two high-resolution isolated halo simulations, recent work by Onions et al. suggested that typical subhalo spins are consistently lower than the spin distribution found for field halos. To further examine this puzzle, we have analyzed simulations of a cosmological volume with sufficient resolution to resolve a significant subhalo population. We confirm the result of Onions et al. and show that the typical spin of a subhalo decreases with decreasing mass and increasing proximity to the host halo center. We interpret this as the growing influence of tidal stripping in removing the outer layers, and hence the higher angular momentum particles, of the subhalos as they move within the host potential. Investigating the redshift dependence of this effect, we find that the typical subhalo spin is smaller with decreasing redshift. This indicates a temporal evolution, as expected in the tidal stripping scenario

Comparison of the novel ResPlex III assay and existing techniques for the detection and subtyping of influenza virus during the influenza season 2006–2007

Influenza virus is a major cause of disease worldwide. The accurate detection and further subtyping of influenza A viruses are important for epidemiologic surveillance, and subsequent comprehensive characterization of circulating influenza viruses is essential for the selection of an optimal vaccine composition. ResPlex III is a new multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based method for detecting, typing, and subtyping influenza virus in clinical specimens. The ResPlex III assay was compared with other methods with respect to sensitivity and accuracy, using 450 clinical specimens obtained from subjects throughout Germany during the 2006–2007 influenza season. Samples were analyzed for the presence of influenza virus in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells by rapid cell culture using peroxidase staining and conventional cell culture confirmed by hemagglutination inhibition assay, a rapid diagnostic assay (Directigen Flu A+B test; BD Diagnostic Systems, Heidelberg, Germany), in-house real-time RT-PCR (RRT-PCR), and ResPlex III (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). ResPlex III had the highest sensitivity for detecting influenza virus in clinical specimens, followed by in-house RRT-PCR (96% compared with ResPlex III). Conventional cell culture in MDCK cells, rapid culture, and quick test assays were substantially less sensitive (55%, 72%, and 39%, respectively). Virus subtyping results were identical using ResPlex III and the standard virological subtyping method, hemagglutination inhibition. ResPlex III is a quick, accurate, and sensitive assay for detecting and typing influenza A and B viruses and subtyping influenza A viruses in clinical specimens, and might be considered for a supplemental role in worldwide seasonal and pandemic influenza surveillance