bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic alterations in ovine maternal corticosteroid levels influence uterine blood flow and placental and fetal growth
Authors: Jensen Ellen , Wood Charles E. , Keller-Wood Maureen
Published: July 2004

Previous work from this laboratory demonstrated that the elevation of maternal plasma corticosteroid concentrations during pregnancy is important for the support of fetal development. Reducing ovine maternal plasma cortisol concentrations to nonpregnant levels stimulates homeostatic responses that defend fetal blood volume. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that chronic decreases or increases in maternal plasma cortisol concentration alter uterine and placental blood flow and morphology. Three groups of pregnant ewes and their fetuses were chronically catheterized and studied: ewes infused with cortisol (1 mg·kg−1·day−1; high cortisol), ewes adrenalectomized and underreplaced with cortisol (0.5 mg·kg−1·day−1; low cortisol), and control ewes. The normal increment in uterine blood flow between 120 and 130 days was eliminated in the low-cortisol ewes; conversely, uterine blood flow was increased in the high-cortisol group compared with the control group. Fetal arterial blood pressure was increased in the high-cortisol group compared with controls, but there was no increase in fetal arterial pressure from 120 to 130 days of gestation in the low-cortisol group. The fetuses of both low-cortisol and high-cortisol groups had altered placental morphology, with increased proportions of type B placentomes, and overall reduced fetal placental blood flow. The rate of fetal somatic growth was impaired in both low-cortisol and high-cortisol groups compared with the fetuses in the intact group. The results of this study demonstrate that maternal plasma cortisol during pregnancy is an important contributor to the maternal environment supporting optimal conditions for fetal homeostasis and somatic growth.
Cardiovascular responses to microinjection of ATP into the nucleus tractus solitarii of awake rats
Authors: de Paula Patrícia M. , Antunes Vagner R. , Bonagamba Leni G. H. , Machado Benedito H.
Published: July 2004

Microinjection of increasing doses of ATP (0.31, 0.62, 1.25, and 2.5 nmol/50 nl) into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) produced a dose-dependent pressor response. Prazosin abolished the pressor response and produced no change in the bradycardic response to ATP. Microinjection of pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2′,4′-disulfonic acid (0.25 nmol/50 nl), a nonselective P2 receptor antagonist into the NTS, reduced the bradycardic response but had no effect on the pressor response to microinjection of ATP (1.25 nmol/50 nl) into the NTS. Microinjection of suramin (2 nmol/50 nl), another nonselective P2 receptor antagonist, had no effect on the pressor and bradycardic responses to microinjection of ATP (1.25 nmol/50 nl) into the NTS. Antagonism of A1 receptors of adenosine with 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine also produced no changes in the cardiovascular responses to microinjection of ATP into the NTS. The involvement of excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors in the pressor and bradycardic responses to microinjection of ATP into the NTS was also evaluated. Microinjection of kynurenic acid, a nonselective EAA receptor antagonist (10 nmol/50 nl), into the NTS reduced the bradycardic response and had no effect on the pressor response to microinjection of ATP into the NTS. The data show that 1) microinjection of ATP into the NTS of awake rats produced pressor and bradycardic responses by independent mechanisms, 2) the activation of parasympathetic component may involve an interaction of P2 and EAA receptors in the NTS, and 3) the sympathoexcitatory response to microinjection of ATP into the NTS was not affected by the blockade of P2, A1, or EAA receptors.
Sleep restriction does not affect orthostatic tolerance in the simulated microgravity environment
Authors: Grenon S. Marlene , Hurwitz Shelley , Sheynberg Natalie , Xiao Xinshu , Judson Brad , Ramsdell Craig D. , Kim Christine , Cohen Richard J. , Williams Gordon H.
Published: July 2004

Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is a major problem following spaceflight, and, during flight, astronauts also experience sleep restriction. We hypothesized that sleep restriction will compound the risk and severity of OI following simulated microgravity and exaggerate the renal, cardioendocrine, and cardiovascular adaptive responses to it. Nineteen healthy men were equilibrated on a constant diet, after which they underwent a tilt-stand test. They then completed 14–16 days of simulated microgravity [head-down tilt bed rest (HDTB)], followed by repeat tilt-stand test. During HDTB, 11 subjects were assigned to an 8-h sleep protocol (non-sleep restricted), and 8 were assigned to a sleep-restricted protocol with 6 h of sleep per night. During various phases, the following were performed: 24-h urine collections, hormonal measurements, and cardiovascular system identification. Development of presyncope or syncope defined OI. There was a significant decrease in time free of OI ( P = 0.02) and an increase in OI occurrence ( P = 0.06) after HDTB among all subjects. However, the increase in OI occurrence did not differ significantly between the two groups ( P = 0.60). The two groups also experienced similar physiological changes with HDTB (initial increase in sodium excretion; increased excretion of potassium at the end of HDTB; increase in plasma renin activity secretion without a change in serum or urine aldosterone). No significant change in autonomic function or catecholamines was noted. Simulated microgravity leads to increased OI, and sleep restriction does not additively worsen OI in simulated microgravity. Furthermore, conditions of sleep restriction and nonsleep restriction are similar with respect to renal, cardioendocrine, and cardiovascular responses to simulated microgravity.
Forced Expression of Myocardin Is Not Sufficient for Induction of Smooth Muscle Differentiation in Multipotential Embryonic Cells
Authors: Yoshida Tadashi , Kawai-Kowase Keiko , Owens Gary K.
Published: July 2004

Objective—

Myocardin, a coactivator of serum response factor, has been shown to be required for expression of multiple CArG-dependent smooth muscle cell (SMC) marker genes. The aim of the present study was to determine whether myocardin alone is sufficient to induce SMC lineage in multipotential stem cells as evidenced by activation of the entire SMC differentiation program.

Methods and Results—

Overexpression of myocardin induced only a subset of SMC marker genes, including smooth muscle (SM) α-actin, SM–myosin heavy chain (MHC), SM22α, calponin, and desmin in A404 SMC precursor cells, whereas expression of smoothelin-B, aortic carboxypeptidase-like protein, and focal adhesion kinase-related nonkinase, whose promoters lack efficacious CArG elements, was not induced. Similar results were obtained in cultured SMCs, 10T1/2 cells, and embryonic stem cells. Moreover, myocardin inappropriately induced expression of skeletal and cardiac CArG-dependent genes in cultured SMCs. Stable overexpression of dominant-negative myocardin in A404 cells resulted in impaired induction of SM α-actin and SM–MHC by all
trans
-retinoic acid but had no effect on induction of smoothelin-B and aortic carboxypeptidase-like protein expression.

Conclusions—

Taken together with previous studies, results demonstrate that myocardin is required for the induction of CArG-dependent SMC marker genes but is not sufficient to initiate the complete SMC differentiation program.
Oxidized Omega-3 Fatty Acids Inhibit NF-κB Activation Via a PPARα-Dependent Pathway
Authors: Mishra Archana , Chaudhary Ashok , Sethi Sanjeev
Published: July 2004

Objective—

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of oxidized versus native omega-3 fatty acids on the endothelial expression of chemokines MCP-1 and IL-8, and, if effective in inhibiting chemokine expression, to determine the mechanism for the inhibition of chemokine expression.

Methods and Results—

Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, we show that oxidized EPA and DHA but not unoxidized EPA or DHA inhibit cytokine-induced endothelial expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and, to a lesser extent, IL-8. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays, oxidized EPA but not unoxidized EPA potently inhibited cytokine-induced activation of endothelial nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Using Western blot analyses, we show that the inhibition of NF-κB activation was not caused by prevention of phosphorylation of IκBα because oxidized EPA did not inhibit cytokine-induced phosphorylation and ubiquination of IκBα. Furthermore, oxidized EPA inhibited NF-κB activation in endothelial cells derived from wild-type mice but had no inhibitory effects on NF-κB activation in endothelial cells derived from peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα)-deficient mice, indicating that oxidized EPA requires PPARα for its inhibitory effects on NF-κB.

Conclusions—

These studies show that the antiinflammatory effects of fish oil may result from the inhibitory effects of oxidized omega-3 fatty acids on NF-κB activation via a PPARα-dependent pathway.
Functional Analysis of Genomic DNA, cDNA, and Nucleotide Sequence of the Mature C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Gene in Vascular Cells
Authors: Pelisek Jaroslav , Kuehnl Andreas , Rolland Pierre H. , Mekkaoui Choukri , Fuchs Alexandra , Walker Greg F. , Ogris Manfred , Wagner Ernst , Nikol Sigrid
Published: July 2004

Objective—

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) sequences (genomic DNA [CNPDNA], cDNA derived from mRNA [CNPcDNA], and sequence coding for 22 amino acids of the mature CNP [CNP22aa]) on the growth of primary porcine vascular cells.

Methods and Results—

Gene transfer was performed with cationic lipid DOCSPER or linear polyethylenimine. All 3 CNP sequences led to significant inhibition of smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. In contrast, significant stimulation of cell growth was observed in endothelial cells (ECs) using CNPDNA or CNPcDNA but not CNP22aa. In a porcine restenosis model, a significant reduction in neointima hyperplasia was found 3 months after application of the CNPcDNA vector compared with the control transfection.

Conclusions—

The results demonstrate that the first intron in the CNP sequence does not contain any additional enhancer-binding sites. However, the signal sequence is indispensable for secretion of CNP and its appropriate physiological function. Furthermore, the results show for the first time the therapeutic effect of CNP using liposome-mediated gene transfer and local adventitial delivery. Advantages of the CNP gene are its dual effects with inhibition of SMC proliferation and simultaneous promotion of EC growth.
Correlation of NO Metabolites and 8-Iso-Prostaglandin F
2a
With Periventricular Hyperintensity Severity
Authors: Shibata Hiroshi , Nabika Toru , Moriyama Hidehiko , Masuda Junichi , Kobayashi Shotai
Published: July 2004

Objective—

Oxidative stress and NO are thought to play important roles in arteriosclerosis pathogenesis, a major cause of white matter lesions in the brain. Therefore, we examined whether NO metabolites (NOx) and 8-iso-prostaglandin F
2α
(IsoP) levels in vivo correlated with the severity of periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) to evaluate potential roles of oxidative stress and NO in white matter lesions.

Methods and Results—

Participants (687 males and 528 females) of a health-screening examination were recruited into the study. The plasma NOx and urinary IsoP levels were measured using the Griess method and ELISA, respectively. PVH was diagnosed on the basis of MRIs. In nonparametric univariate trend analyses, plasma NOx as well as aging, presence of hypertension and of lacunes, mean blood pressure, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol showed highly significant monotone correlation with PVH severity (
P
≤0.01). By the multivariate ordinal regression analysis, the plasma NOx (
P
=0.002) and urinary IsoP (
P
=0.01) levels were found to be independent factors influencing the severity of PVH together with aging (
P
<0.001), presence of hypertension (
P
<0.001) and lacunes (
P
<0.001), and mean blood pressure (
P
=0.001).

Conclusions—

Oxidative stress and NO have a close correlation with PVH severity.
Homozygosity of the
T
Allele of the 46 C→T Polymorphism in the
F12
Gene Is a Risk Factor for Ischemic Stroke in the Spanish Population
Authors: Santamaría Amparo , Mateo José , Tirado Isabel , Oliver Arturo , Belvís Roberto , Martí-Fábregas Joan , Felices Rosa , Soria José Manuel , Souto Juan Carlos , Fontcuberta Jordi
Published: July 2004

Background and Purpose—

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a complex disease that involves genetic and environmental factors. In a family-based study (the Genetic Analysis of Idiopathic Thrombophilia [GAIT] Project) that included a genome-wide scan, we demonstrated that a common polymorphism (46 C→T) in the exon 1 of the
F12
gene jointly influences variability of plasma Factor XII levels and susceptibility to thrombotic disease. We have investigated the risk of IS related to this polymorphism in a case–control study.

Methods—

We studied 436 individuals: 205 diagnosed with IS and 231 age–gender–ethnic control subjects. We measured Factor VIIIc, fibrinogen, and Factor XIIc levels, and we genotyped the 46 C→T polymorphism in the
F12
gene.

Results—

There were 91 women and 114 men in the IS group and 109 women and 122 men in the control group. We confirmed our previous observation that individuals with different genotypes for the 46 C→T polymorphism showed significant differences in Factor XIIc levels. Most importantly, the mutated
T
allele in the homozygous state (genotype
T/T
) was associated with an increased risk of IS with an adjusted odds ratio of 4.1 (95% CI, 1.1 to 15.9).

Conclusions—

This study suggests that the 46 C→T polymorphism is a genetic risk factor for IS in the Spanish population. In addition, our results confirm that the use of genetic linkage studies along with a case–control association study is an extremely valuable approach for identifying DNA variants that affect complex diseases.
Decline in Blood Pressure Over Time and Risk of Dementia
Authors: Qiu Chengxuan , von Strauss Eva , Winblad Bengt , Fratiglioni Laura
Published: July 2004

Background and Purpose—

Low blood pressure has been related to an increased risk of dementia. We sought to verify blood pressure variations before and after a dementia diagnosis and to relate blood pressure decline to subsequent Alzheimer disease and dementia.

Methods—

A community dementia-free cohort aged ≥75 years (n=947) underwent follow-up examinations twice over a period of 6 years to detect dementia cases (
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
, 3rd edition, revised [DSM-III-R] criteria, n=304). Blood pressure variation before and after dementia diagnosis was verified with linear mixed-effects models. Using the dementia-free cohort identified at first follow-up (n=719), the association between blood pressure decline from baseline to first follow-up and subsequent risk of dementia was examined.

Results—

Blood pressure markedly decreased over 3 years before dementia diagnosis and afterward, whereas no substantial decline was present 3 to 6 years before the diagnosis. However, among subjects with baseline systolic pressure <160 mm Hg, systolic pressure decline ≥15 mm Hg occurring 3 to 6 years before diagnosis was associated with relative risks (95% CI) of 3.1 (1.3 to 7.0) for Alzheimer disease and 3.1 (1.5 to 6.3) for dementia. There was a dose–response relationship between systolic pressure decline and dementia risk in subjects with vascular disease.

Conclusions—

Blood pressure starts to decrease only 3 years before dementia diagnosis and continues to decline afterward. A greater decline in systolic pressure occurring 3 to 6 years before diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of dementia only in older people with already low blood pressure or affected by vascular disorders.
Population-Based Study of Symptomatic Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion
Authors: Flaherty Matthew L. , Flemming Kelly D. , McClelland Robyn , Jorgensen Neal W. , Brown Robert D.
Published: July 2004

Background and Purpose—

Internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion is an important cause of transient ischemic attack (TIA) and cerebral infarction. There are no previous population-based natural history studies evaluating outcome after symptomatic ICA occlusion (SICAO).

Methods—

We performed a retrospective, population-based study of SICAO. All Olmsted County (Minnesota) residents with possible SICAO from 1986 to 2000 were identified by cross-referencing appropriate clinical and imaging codes. Inclusion criteria were cerebral infarction or TIA in a carotid distribution and imaging documentation of ipsilateral ICA occlusion <3 months after the index event. Kaplan–Meier estimates were used to calculate the risk of cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction, and death after SICAO.

Results—

Seventy-five patients qualified. Annual SICAO incidence was 6 per 100 000 persons (age and gender adjusted to the 2000 US white population). Risk of cerebral infarction during follow-up was 8% at 30 days, 10% at 1 year, and 14% at 5 years. Five of 11 cerebral infarctions occurred within the first week after diagnosis of occlusion. Risk of myocardial infarction was 0% at 30 days, 8% at 1 year, and 24% at 5 years. Risk of death was 7%, 13%, and 29%, respectively.

Conclusions—

There may be 15 000 to 20 000 incident cases of SICAO in the United States annually. Risk of cerebral infarction after SICAO is initially high and then stabilizes, whereas risk of myocardial infarction is initially low but gradually increases. Better strategies are needed to reduce early stroke recurrence in this setting.
Prospective Study of Major Dietary Patterns and Stroke Risk in Women
Authors: Fung Teresa T. , Stampfer Meir J. , Manson JoAnn E. , Rexrode Kathryn M. , Willett Walter C. , Hu Frank B.
Published: July 2004

Background and Purpose—

Many foods have been suggested to influence the risk of stroke. However, no previous studies have examined the relationship between overall dietary patterns and risk of stroke.

Methods—

Using dietary information collected in 1984 from 71 768 women aged 38 to 63 years without a history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes in 1984, we conducted factor analysis and identified 2 major dietary patterns: “prudent” and “Western.” We calculated scores for each participant for each pattern and prospectively examined their associations with stroke risk using a proportional hazard model, adjusting for other stroke risk factors.

Results—

The prudent pattern was characterized by higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, and whole grains, whereas the Western pattern by higher intakes of red and processed meats, refined grains, and sweets and desserts. During 14 years of follow-up, we identified 791 incidents of stroke, with 476 ischemic and 189 hemorrhagic strokes. After adjusting for potential confounders, we observed a relative risk (RR) of 1.58 (95% CI, 1.15 to 2.15;
P
=0.0002 for trend) for total strokes and 1.56 (95% CI, 1.05 to 2.33;
P
=0.02 for trend) for ischemic stroke when comparing the highest with lowest quintiles of the Western pattern. For the prudent pattern, the RRs comparing extreme quintiles were 0.78 (95% CI, 0.61 to 1.01) for total stroke and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.54 to 1.02) for ischemic stroke.

Conclusions—

These data suggest that a dietary pattern typified by higher intakes of red and processed meats, refined grains, and sweets and desserts may increase stroke risk, whereas a diet higher in fruits and vegetables, fish, and whole grains may protect against stroke.
Television Debates as a Form of Pre-negotiation in Protracted Conflicts: Nightline in South Africa (1985) and Israel (1988)
Authors: Botes Johannes Jannie
Published: July 2004

This article provides an analysis of Nightline's involvement in deep-rooted conflicts in both South Africa and Israel and an examination of whether media debates as a form of "track two," or unofficial diplomacy, can assist in preparing the ground for a proper "track one," government-to-government negotiation process. The extent to which the news media, in this case an ABC Television public affairs program, can play a role in the pre-negotiation phase when formal processes of intervention or formal fora of negotiation are absent is the focus of this article. Three levels of data gathering were utilized to analyze Nightline's week-long programs in South Africa in 1985 and in Israel in 1988. In addition to a content analysis of the ten programs, the participants in these debates, including moderator Ted Koppel, were interviewed, and the public and journalistic response to the Nightline broadcasts in both countries were analyzed. The findings suggest that in the process of facilitating the highly positional debates between the parties, Nightline empowered and legitimized the out-parties' causes and gave in-parties an opportunity to publicly defend their positions. However, the programs' main impact was their fulfillment of pre-negotiation roles: creating an atmosphere for negotiation, enabling reciprocal education of the parties about the conflict, and modeling peaceful interaction.
A Comparison of Parametric and Nonparametric Approaches to Item Analysis for Multiple-Choice Tests
Authors: Lei Pui-Wa , Dunbar Stephen B. , Kolen Michael J.
Published: July 2004

This study compares the parametric multiple-choice model and the nonparametric kernel smoothing approach to estimating option characteristic functions (OCCs) using an empirical criterion, the stability of curve estimates over occasions that represents random error. The potential utility of graphical OCCs in item analysis was illustrated with selected items. The effect of increasing the smoothing parameter on the nonparametric model and the effect of small sample on both approaches were investigated. Differences between estimated curve values for between-model within-occasion, within-model between-occasion, and between-model between-occasion were evaluated. The between-model differences were minor in relation to the within-model stabilities, and the incremental difference attributable to model was smaller than that attributable to occasion. Either model leads to the same choice in item analysis.
A Comparison of Winsteps and Bilog-Mg for Vertical Scaling with the Rasch Model
Authors: Pomplun Mark , Omar MD Hafidz , Custer Michael
Published: July 2004

The present study compares vertical scaling results for the Rasch model from BILOGMG and WINSTEPS. The item and ability parameters for the real and simulated mathematics tests were scaled across five grades, second to sixth. The simulated data were based on real data for a series of mathematics tests for Grades 2 to 6. The results from WINSTEPS and BILOG-MG were compared in terms of differences and correlations between estimated item and ability parameters. Generally, WINSTEPS appeared to capture the individual and mean estimates more accurately, and BILOG-MG captured the standard deviations more accurately. However, because of the many possible variations in vertical scaling studies, the generalizability of these specific findings may be limited. More important, the findings illustrate that choice of software, in addition to data collection and scaling method decisions, influences vertical scaling results.
An Application of Generalizability Theory and Many-Facet Rasch Measurement Using a Complex Problem-Solving Skills Assessment
Authors: Smith Everett V. , Kulikowich Jonna M.
Published: July 2004

This study describes the use of generalizability theory (GT) and many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM) to evaluate psychometric properties of responses obtained from an assessment designed to measure complex problem-solving skills. The assessment revolved around the school activity of kickball. The task required of each student was to decide on a team T-shirt based on visual characteristics of the T-shirts and written descriptions of other T-shirt characteristics. Forty-four fourth-grade students, comprising the control group of a longitudinal research project to foster complex problem-solving skills of disadvantaged urban youth, participated in this study. Results indicate both measurement techniques agree on the relative magnitudes of variation among the facets but differ on how to handle the sources of variation.
Measuring Conflict-Related Behaviors: Reliability and Validity Evidence Regarding the Conflict Dynamics Profile
Authors: Davis Mark H. , Capobianco Sal , Kraus Linda A.
Published: July 2004

For a number of years, the dominant approach to measuring individual differences in how people respond to interpersonal conflict has been the dual-concerns model, which assesses five broad conflict styles said to result from one’s standing on two underlying dimensions: concern for self and concern for other. This article describes the development of a new instrument, the Conflict Dynamics Profile, that takes a different, explicitly behavioral approach to measuring responses to conflict. The Conflict Dynamics Profile assesses 15 specific behavioral responses to provocation in one’s life. Some of these responses are constructive, and some are destructive; some are active, and some are relatively passive. Four studies are reported that establish the psychometric adequacy of the instrument, including evidence for internal reliability, test-retest reliability, freedom from social desirability contamination, correlation with related constructs, and agreement between self-ratings and ratings by observers. Implications of these findings and the potential usefulness of the new instrument are discussed.
Measuring Social Provisions for Physical Activity among Adolescent Black and White Girls
Authors: Motl Robert W. , Dishman Rod K. , Saunders Ruth P. , Dowda Marsha , Pate Russell R.
Published: July 2004

The authors evaluate the validity of the Social Provisions Scale for physical activity among adolescent Black ( n = 896) and White ( n = 823) girls. The girls completed the scale and measures of subjective norms and physical activity in the eighth and ninth grades. Within the sample of White girls, the Social Provisions Scale contained 24 items that were represented by six first-order substantive factors and a single second-order factor, plus an orthogonal method factor for the negativelyworded items. Within the sample of Black girls, the Social Provisions Scale contained 22 items that were represented by four substantive factors and a single second-order factor, plus an orthogonal method factor for the negatively worded items. Those models exhibited longitudinal invariance. Social provisions influenced physical activity and correlated with subjective norms. The Social Provisions Scale for physical activity exhibited evidence of factorial and construct validity among Black and White girls.
Schizophrenia and Criminal Offending
Authors: TengstrÖm Anders , Hodgins Sheilagh , Grann Martin , LÅngstrÖm Niklas , Kullgren Gunnar
Published: July 2004

This study investigated the associations of psychopathy and substance use disorders (SUDs) with criminal offending among 202 men with schizophrenia and 78 men with a primary diagnosis of psychopathy. Comparisons among six groups of offenders indicated that non–mentally ill offenders diagnosed with psychopathy committed the highest numbers of offenses per year at risk. Among offenders with schizophrenia, those with high psychopathy scores committed more crimes than those with low psychopathy scores. Among non–mentally ill offenders with psychopathy and schizophrenic offenders with high psychopathy scores, those with and without SUDs committed, on average, similar numbers of offenses. These findings suggest that among offenders with psychopathic traits, the traits, not substance abuse, are associated with criminal offending.
Adjudicative Competency in a Juvenile Population
Authors: Burnett Darla M. R. , Noblin Charles D. , Prosser Vicki
Published: July 2004

Differences in adjudicative competency among juveniles who were either awaiting adjudication ( n= 70) or members of an age-matched control group ( n= 40) were assessed, and their scores were compared with those of an adult sample. Competency was assessed using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool–Criminal Adjudication, which contains three scales: Understanding, Reasoning, and Appreciation. Participants in the comparison group did not complete the Appreciation scale and were compared only on the Reasoning and Understanding scales. The scores earned by participants awaiting adjudication were significantly lower than those earned by comparison participants on the Reasoning scale ( p< .05). Scores on the Reasoning and Appreciation scales were found to be related to age. When compared with adults, significant adjudicative deficits were noted among adolescents groups.
Co-Occurring Substance Use and Delinquent Behavior during Early Adolescence
Authors: Tubman Jonathan G. , Gil AndrÉs G. , Wagner Eric F.
Published: July 2004

Self-reported substance use and delinquent behavior were assessed yearly, 3 times beginning in the sixth or seventh grade, for a multiethnic sample of middle school students ( n= 5,045). Both substance use and delinquent behavior became more prevalent across early adolescence, but only a small fraction of adolescents were using illicit substances at the end of the study. The proportion of adolescents reporting neither substance use nor delinquent behavior dropped significantly in contrast to the proportion reporting both behaviors. Co-occurring problem behaviors were associated with significantly higher mean levels of each behavior, with increasing group differences over time. In addition, more persistent copatterning of substance use and delinquency was associated with significantly higher levels of nearly every indicator of these problem behaviors at Year 3.
Another Look at HIV in African American Women: The Impact of Psychosocial and Contextual Factors
Authors: Jipguep Marie-Claude , Sanders-Phillips Kathy , Cotton Lisa
Published: July 2004

This study tested a conceptual model that integrates structural and psychological determinants of HIV prevention for African American women. The sample consisted of African American mothers (N = 129) of children in Head Start programs. Higher levels of perceived stress were associated with higher levels of HIV risk; higher levels of perceived racism were related to higher HIV prevention behavior. A combined psychological functioning score, representing levels of depression and anger, significantly moderated the relationships of perceived stress and racism to prevention behavior. This study confirms the importance of interactions between sociostructural factors and psychological factors as predictors of health behavioral outcomes and reinforces the need to examine the impact of structural factors on psychological functioning, perceived HIV risk, and HIV prevention behavior in African American women.
Multiple Resistance Strategies: How African American Women Cope with Racism and Sexism
Authors: Shorter-Gooden Kumea
Published: July 2004

This qualitative study of a community sample of 196 African American women aimed to identify the coping strategies that Black women use to manage the stress of racism and sexism. The findings reveal that they use multiple resistance strategies: (a) three ongoing internal coping strategies (resting on faith—relying on prayer and spirituality; standing on shoulders—drawing strength from African American ancestors; and valuing oneself—sustaining a positive self-image); (b) one ongoing external coping strategy—leaning on shoulders, or relying on social support; and (c) three specific coping strategies (role flexing—altering their outward behavior or presentation; avoiding—diminishing contact with certain people and situations; and standing up and fighting back—directly challenging the source of the problem.
The Effects of Social Activism on the Occupational Experience, Locus of Control, and Well-Being of Black Midlife Women
Authors: Lee Kimya S.
Published: July 2004

The purpose of this study was to address the confluence of social activism, occupational experience, and overall well-being in midlife Black college-educated women. The participants included 205 Black women who graduated from a historically Black university between the years of 1958 and 1968. This study of educated Black midlife women resulted in a number of suggestive findings. The structural equation model supported the relationship between social activism and occupational experience in this sample of women.
A Longitudinal Study of African American Women and the Maintenance of a Healthy Self-Esteem
Authors: Patterson Kelly L.
Published: July 2004

The present study examined the self-esteem of African American women (N = 428) over a 14-year period using the National Survey of Black Americans: A Panel Study of Black American Life 1979-1992 (NSBA; Jackson& Gurin, 1996). Difference-of-means tests were used to examine self-esteem in four time periods (1979 to 1980, 1986 to 1987, 1988 to 1989, and 1992), and OLS regression was used to determine the effect of three variable categories (support networks, achievement outcomes, and racial esteem) on self-esteem in 1979 and 1992. Although historical analyses of self-esteem predicted low self-esteem for Blacks in general and Black women in particular, African American women maintain a very high self-esteem in three decades. Support networks and achievement outcomes significantly affected self-esteem in both years, and racial esteemwas significantly related to self-esteem in 1979. The findings are discussed in relation to historical and current analyses of self-esteem and within a feminist paradigm that supports the maintenance of a healthy self-esteem despite membership in a marginalized group.
Japanese Employment Relations in Transition
Authors: Kwon Hyeong-ki
Published: July 2004

In exploring why and to what extent the Japanese model of participatory employment relations has changed at the turn of the century, this article criticizes prevalent paradigms of political economy, specifically the paradigms of the neoliberals and the institutionalists, instead proposing a theoretical alternative, that of agents’ refiexivity in international competition. Contrary to the institutionalist arguments for the path-dependent persistence of a national model, the concepts of lifetime employment and seniority in Japan have changed from being sources of competitiveness to objects and conditions for reform. Additionally, in contrast to the neoliberals’ expectations based on the universal relevance of liberal markets, the Japanese adjustments do not converge towards the American liberal market model, but instead generate new divergences inspired but not determined by foreign competitors.
Securing Commitment in an Insecure World: Workers in Multinational High-Tech Subsidiaries
Authors: McKay Steven C.
Published: July 2004

The article explores the relationship between high-tech work reorganization and worker commitment using case studies of three multinational electronics firms in the Philippines. The author analyzes firms’ work organization strategies and traces three work systems; the panoptic, the peripheral human resource and the collectively negotiated work systems, and the corresponding types of commitment they generate; coerced, purchased and bargained, respectively. The results show that high performance and worker commitment is not incompatible with more traditional managerial hierarchies and workplace control, and that the continuum of commitment types leads to varying worker ability to leverage their commitment into real gains in compensation, autonomy and participation.
An Analysis of Wage-Earner Funds in Sweden: Distinguishing Myth from Reality
Authors: Whyman Philip
Published: July 2004

This article analyses the performance of one of the most innovative ‘experiments’ in the extension of infiuence over the economic sphere, namely the Swedish wage-earner funds (WEFs). It examines the ability of the WEFs to pursue economic democratization in terms of macroeconomic, .nancial and democratic objectives. Results are mixed, with favourable .nancial and macroeconomic performance constrained by the limited size of the scheme, whereas employee infiuence through shareholding was inconsistent and of little significance. Nevertheless, WEF performance has legitimized collective investment funds as a potential instrument of economic democratization, while demonstrating that pursuit of social goals need not undermine allocative efficiency.
Functional Recovery and Exercise Behavior in Men and Women 5 to 6 Years Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery
Authors: Treat-Jacobson Diane , Lindquist Ruth A.
Published: July 2004

Improvement following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has been reported to be less in women than men. Relationships between exercise behavior and functional status of men and women 5 to 6 years after CABG have not been examined in a representative patient sample. This study compared the 5- to 6-year recovery in a cohort of 184 patients at the Minnesota site of the Post CABG Biobehavioral Study. Data were collected by telephone interviewand self-administered questionnaires. Results showed that women had lower physical ( p ≤ .004) and social ( p = .001) functioning scores; men were more likely to participate in regular exercise ( p = .01). Exercisers had higher functional status scores. ANCOVA demonstrated that differences in measures of functional status by exercise category were maintained even after controlling for age, sex, and symptom severity ( p ≤ .01). In conclusion, individuals who exercised had more positive functional outcomes 5 to 6 years post-CABG.
Is the Medical Record an Accurate Reflection of Patients’ Symptoms During Acute Myocardial Infarction?
Authors: DeVon Holli A. , Ryan Catherine J. , Zerwic Julie Johnson
Published: July 2004

Documentation of symptoms in the medical record provides clinicians and researchers with valuable information about the patient’s experience during acute myocardial infarction (AMI). To examine the consistency between the patient’s reported symptoms and the medical record, 215 patients were interviewed and their medical records examined for information about their admission symptoms. Chest pain was the most frequently reported and recorded symptom, and there was good agreement between the patient’s report and the medical record. Although fatigue was the second most frequently reported symptom by patients, it was rarely documented in the medical record. Time of symptom onset was identified by 87.9% of patients but only documented in 60.5% of medical records. Clinicians may be recording those symptoms that support the AMI diagnosis and not those perceived to be less relevant. Findings suggest that the medical record is an inaccurate and inadequate source of information about patients’ actual experience of AMI symptoms.
Variables Predictive of Poor Postdischarge Outcomes for Hospitalized Elders in Heart Failure
Authors: Roe-Prior Paula
Published: July 2004

Heart failure (HF) affects more than one million older Americans. As the population ages, the incidence of HF will increase. The purpose of this study was to identify variables that profile elders hospitalized with HF who are at high risk for poor postdischarge outcomes. A total of 103 patients were enrolled in the study. A low serum sodium and a fair or poor self-reported health status predicted all-cause readmission. A low serum sodium predicted HF-related readmissions. Four or more HF symptoms and index admission to an urban hospital predicted physician office visits. Admission to a community hospital predicted emergency department visits, and the number of coexisting medical conditions indicated an increased risk for an emergency department visit. The findings indicate that it is possible to profile hospitalized elders with HF who are at risk for poor postdischarge outcomes.
Enhancing Postoperative Recovery of Cardiac Surgery Patients
Authors: Tranmer Joan E. , Parry Monica J. E.
Published: July 2004

The purpose of this trial was to determine the effectiveness of advanced practice nursing support on cardiac surgery patients’ during the first 5 weeks following hospital discharge. Patients ( N = 200) were randomly allocated to two groups: (a) an intervention group who received telephone calls from an advanced practice nurse (APN) familiar with their clinical condition and care needs, twice during the first week following discharge then weekly thereafter for 4 weeks, and (b) a usual care group. Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQL), symptom distress, satisfaction with recovery care, and unexpected health care contacts were obtained at 5 weeks following discharge. There were no significant group differences in HRQL, unexpected contacts with the health care system, or symptom distress. The provision of APN support via telephone followup after cardiac surgery is feasible. However, further randomized trials of single and multicomponent APN interventions are needed to prove effectiveness.
The Influence of Schizotypy Traits on Prepulse Inhibition in Young Healthy Controls
Authors: Abel K. M. , Jolley S. , Hemsley D. R. , Geyer M. A.
Published: July 2004

Deficits in sensorimotor gating or prepulse inhibition (PPI) have been demonstrated repeatedly in patients with schizophrenia or with schizotypal personality disorder, but not consistently in schizotypal non-psychiatric controls. The appearance of normal PPI in this group has been interpreted as reflecting a discontinuous underlying vulnerability to psychosis in high-risk groups. An alternative interpretation is that underlying vulnerability to psychosis is continuously distributed in the normal population (Claridge, 1972, 1987), and therefore that performance on information processing tasks should vary continuously with increasing levels of schizotypy in non-clinical populations. We attempted to examine further the notion of a continuous relationship between PPI and schizotypy in 44 (17 female, 27 male) healthy, non-smoking subjects controlling for menstrual phase. In this selected sample, the findings do not support a continuum model, and suggest that PPI deficits may indeed be the result of a discontinuous neurophysiological change in those with psychotic illness, rather than one continuously distributed in the normal population.
QTc Interval, CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 Genotypes and Risperidone Plasma Concentrations
Authors: Llerena Adrián , Berecz Roland , Dorado Pedro , de la Rubia Alfredo
Published: July 2004

The role of certain drug metabolizing enzymes in cardiotoxicity, such as CYP2D6 for thioridazine, has been suggested. Risperidone has been shown to inhibit the delayed rectifier leading to lengthening of cardiac repolarization. The heart-rate corrected QT (QTc) interval lengthening has been reported in psychiatric patients receiving risperidone under steady-state conditions. CYP2D6 is involved in the metabolism of risperidone to 9-hydroxy (OH)-risperidone. CYP2C9 enzyme is also involved in the metabolism of several psychotropic drugs, although there are no data about its implication in risperidone metabolism. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 genotypes, and plasma concentrations of risperidone and 9-OH-risperidone on the QTc interval in patients under steady-state conditions. The relevance of CYP2D6 and CYP2C9 genotypes on risperidone metabolism was also analysed. Thirty-five White European psychiatric patients receiving risperidone monotherapy were studied. QTc interval was longer ( p < 0.05) in subjects with one active CYP2D6 gene compared to those with two. The number of CYP2D6 active genes was related to the dose-corrected plasma concentration of risperidone ( p < 0.05), the active moiety (risperidone plus 9-OH-risperidone) ( p < 0.05) and the risperidone/9-OH-risperidone ratio ( p < 0.05). CYP2C9genotypes were not related to plasma concentrations of risperidone or 9-OH-risperidone, nor QTc interval. The results suggest that CYP2D6, but not CYP2C9, may be related to QTc lengthening during treatment with risperidone. The effect of the CYP2D6 genotype in risperidone metabolism is also shown.
The Effect of 5-Hydroxytryptophan on Cholecystokinin-4-Induced Panic Attacks in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Maron Eduard , Tõru Innar , Vasar Veiko , Shlik Jakov
Published: July 2004

Previous studies suggest a modulatory role of serotonin (5-HT) in experimentally-induced panic attacks. In the current study, we investigated the acute effects of 5-HT precursor l-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) on the response to panicogenic challenge with cholecystokinin-tetrapeptide (CCK-4) in healthy volunteers. Thirty-two subjects were randomized to receive either 200 mg of 5-HTP or placebo with the CCK-4 challenge following in 90 min in a double-blind, parallel-group design. The results showed a nonsignificant difference between the groups in panic rate (19% after 5-HTP and 44% after placebo, p = 0.13) with a trend for lower intensity of symptoms after 5-HTP ( p = 0.08). Further analysis by gender revealed that females in the 5-HTP group had a significantly lower panic rate and intensity of cognitive symptoms whereas, in males, the effect of 5-HTP was limited to lowering the intensity of somatic panic symptoms. Thus, an increased availability of 5-HT may have a gender-dependent protective effect in CCK-4-induced panic.
Tolerability of High-Dose Venlafaxine in Depressed Patients
Authors: Harrison C. Louise , Ferrier Nicol , Young Allan H.
Published: July 2004

High doses of antidepressants are often used for treatment-resistant depression. Venlafaxine, a dual serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, has been shown to have a tolerable side-effect profile in previous studies using doses of up to 375 mg/day. We investigated the tolerability of higher than currently recommended doses of venlafaxine using the UKU side-effect rating scale. Seventy outpatients fulfilling DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder were recruited into two demographically matched groups according to their daily dosage of venlafaxine: high dose n = 35 (≥ 375 mg/day, range 375-600 mg, average 437 mg/day) or standard dose n = 35 (< 375 mg/day, range 75-300 mg, average 195 mg/day. Clinical characteristics were noted and the UKU side-effect rating scale was administered to a subsample of patients. The most frequently reported complaints in both groups were increased fatigue (48%), concentration difficulties (48%), sleepiness/sedation (37%), failing memory (44.4%) and weight gain (29.6%). Apart from weight gain, the complaints were found to be experienced significantly more severely by the high-dose group. Six patients discontinued venlafaxine due to intolerable side-effects but only two of these patients were on a high dose. There was a tendency for mildly raised blood pressure in 10% of patients on an average dose of 342 mg/day. However, no difference between the two groups was found. This preliminary open study demonstrates that venlafaxine is tolerated at higher than British National Formulary recommended doses (i.e. up to 600 mg daily). However, increased frequency and severity of reported side-effects in the high-dose group are not associated with increased rates of discontinuation.
Korean Culture and the Reentry Motivations Of University-Graduated Women
Authors: Jang Suh Young , Merriam Sharan
Published: July 2004

Well-educated Korean women are returning to higher education in unprecedented numbers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the motivations of these women for returning to higher education. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 Korean full-time housewives aged 25 to 45 who already had a bachelor’s degree and who enrolled as students at a 4-year university, a graduate school, or a university-affiliated lifelong education center. The major finding of this study was that the reentry women returned to school to reclaim their identities as independent individuals. Respect for scholarship in Korean society made their return to school an acceptable escape from the boring and isolated life of full-time housewives.