bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Psychology of Residential Mobility: Implications for the Self, Social Relationships, and Well-Being
Authors: Oishi Shigehiro
Published: February 2010

Residential mobility is an increasingly important personal and societal issue in both the United States and the world in general. However, it has received relatively limited attention in psychological theorizing and research. This article demonstrates the importance of residential mobility in understanding the self, social relationships, and well-being. Recent research has shown that residential mobility (number of moves for an individual or percentage having moved recently for a neighborhood) is associated with the primacy of the personal over the collective self. It is also associated with “duty-free” friendships and group memberships rather than obligatory friendships and group memberships. Overall, residential mobility is associated with lower levels of well-being at the individual level of analysis. Finally, residential mobility is associated with personal forms of subjective well-being (based on self-esteem, the verification of the personal self) as opposed to interpersonal forms of subjective well-being (based on social support, the verification of the collective selves). In short, residential mobility is a powerful, parsimonious explanatory construct in the self, social relationships, and subjective well-being and may be a key to understanding the future of mind and behavior in the increasingly mobile world.
Directed Attention as a Common Resource for Executive Functioning and Self-Regulation
Authors: Kaplan Stephen , Berman Marc G.
Published: February 2010

Research on executive functioning and on self-regulation have each identified a critical resource that is central to that domain and is susceptible to depletion. In addition, studies have shown that self-regulation tasks and executive-functioning tasks interact with each other, suggesting that they may share resources. Other research has focused specifically on restoring what we propose is the shared resource between self-regulation and executive functioning. Utilizing a theory-based natural environment intervention, these studies have found improvements in executive-functioning performance and self-regulation effectiveness, suggesting that the natural environment intervention restores this shared resource.
Commentary on Trzesniewski and Donnellan (2010): A Transdisciplinary Perspective on Young People's Well-Being
Authors: Eckersley Richard
Published: February 2010

The health and well-being of young people are important not only for their own sake, but also for the future health of populations and societies. Yet the debate about the patterns and trends in young people's well-being and their causes is marked by uncertainty and contradiction. This article draws on evidence from trend analyses, cross-sectional studies, research on explanatory factors, expert opinion, and public-attitude surveys to argue that social changes of the last half century have harmed successive generations of young people because of their developmental vulnerability and that these young people have carried their enhanced risk into later life.
Birth Cohort Differences in the Monitoring the Future Dataset and Elsewhere: Further Evidence for Generation Me—Commentary on Trzesniewski & Donnellan (2010)
Authors: Twenge Jean M. , Campbell W. Keith
Published: February 2010

A substantial majority of published studies have reported increases of individualism and materialism and declines in mental health and interpersonal trust over generations. The data Trzesniewski and Donnellan (2010, this issue) present from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey of high-school students is almost entirely consistent with these previous findings, showing decreases in civic interest and trust and increases in high expectations, materialism, and self-satisfaction. Problems with measurement and variable labeling explain the few seeming discrepancies. They analyze only 15% of the variables in MTF, ignoring many others that also demonstrate increases in individualistic traits. Ecological correlations are not an issue in previous studies as the individual-level standard deviation is used to compute effect sizes. Increases in narcissism are clear when important moderator variables (e.g., campus) are controlled. The real puzzle is why these authors’ conclusions fall so far from the data.
Oh, Grow Up! Generational Grumbling and the New Life Stage of Emerging Adulthood—Commentary on Trzesniewski & Donnellan (2010)
Authors: Arnett Jeffrey Jensen
Published: February 2010

In this commentary on the article by Trzesniewski and Donnellan (2010, this issue), I focus on the question of why young people today are viewed so negatively, despite the lack of evidence that they are worse (or worse off) now than they were in decades past. I propose that an important reason is the rise of emerging adulthood as a new life stage in between adolescence and young adulthood. Emerging adulthood developed in part because young people enter adult roles of stable work, marriage, and parenthood later now than they did in the past, leading many older people to view them as “late” or selfish, and the new features of this new life stage are frequently misunderstood and misinterpreted. I emphasize that the rise emerging adulthood is not merely generational but is likely to be a permanent addition to the life course.
Influence of C and Mn on hot ductility behaviour of steel and its relationship to transverse cracking in continuous casting
Authors: Mintz B. , Banerjee J. R.
Published: February 2010

The hot ductility behaviour of plain C–Mn steels, with C levels of ≤0·3%C, with heat treatments given to provide a coarse grain size and straining at a strain rate of ∼10−3 s−1 to simulate the conditions that are applicable to the straightening operation during continuous casting, has been reviewed. For steels with a Mn level of 1·4%, the trough generally extends from the Ar3 to the Ae3. In the trough, deformation induced ferrite forms but only as a thin film surrounding the austenite grain boundaries, which is not able to spread into the interior. The difference between the Ae3 and Ar3 becomes less as the transformation temperatures increase so that the width of the trough decreases. The minimum reduction of area value, i.e. the depth of the trough, is then not influenced by the C level. However, if the transformation temperatures are raised sufficiently by reducing the C and Mn levels, so that deformation induced ferrite can form readily below the Ae3, then the depth of the trough becomes less, so that at very low Mn and C levels, there is no trough and ductility is excellent. The use of the hot ductility curve in predicting the likelihood of transverse cracking occurring in the commercial straightening operation is discussed, and it is concluded that since both deformation induced ferrite in sufficient amounts to improve ductility and dynamic recrystallisation are not generally likely to occur because the strain during the unbending operation is so low (∼2%), the curves have to be used with great caution and with an understanding of their limitations.
Shorter GT repeat polymorphism in the heme oxygenase-1 gene promoter has protective effect on ischemic stroke in dyslipidemia patients
Authors: Bai Chyi-Huey , Chen Jiunn-Rong , Chiu Hou-Chang , Chou Chia-Chi , Chau Lee-Young , Pan Wen-Harn
Published: February 2010

Background

The microsatellite polymorphism of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 gene promoter has been shown to be associated with the susceptibility to ischemic event, including coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction, and peripheral vascular disease. We aimed to examine whether the length of (GT)n repeats in HO-1 gene promoter is associated with ischemic stroke in people with CAD risk factors, especially low level of HDL.

Methods

A total of 183 consecutive firstever ischemic stroke inpatients and 164 non-stroke patients were screened for the length of (GT)n repeats in HO-1 promoter. The long (L) and short (S) genotype are defined as the averaged repeat number >26 and ≦26, respectively.

Results

Stroke patients tended to have more proportions of hypertension, diabetics and genotype L, than those of genotype S. Patients with genotype L of HO-1 gene promoter have higher stroke risk in comparison with genotype S especially in dyslipidemia individuals. The significant differences on stroke risk in multivariate odds ratios were found especially in people with low HDL-C levels.

Conclusions

Subjects carrying longer (GT)n repeats in HO-1 gene promoter may have greater susceptibility to develop cerebral ischemic only in the presence of low HDL-C, suggesting the protective effects in HO-1 genotype S in the process of ischemic stroke, particularly in subjects with poor HDL-C status.
Effects of Liver × receptor agonist treatment on signal transduction pathways in acute lung inflammation
Authors: Crisafulli Concetta , Mazzon Emanuela , Paterniti Irene , Galuppo Maria , Bramanti Placido , Cuzzocrea Salvatore
Published: February 2010

Background

Liver × receptor α (LXRα) and β (LXRβ) are members of the nuclear receptor super family of ligand-activated transcription factors, a super family which includes the perhaps better known glucocorticoid receptor, estrogen receptor, thyroid receptor, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. There is limited evidence that LXL activation may reduces acute lung inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of T0901317, a potent LXR receptor ligand, in a mouse model of carrageenan-induced pleurisy.

Methods

Injection of carrageenan into the pleural cavity of mice elicited an acute inflammatory response characterized by: accumulation of fluid containing a large number of neutrophils (PMNs) in the pleural cavity, infiltration of PMNs in lung tissues and subsequent lipid peroxidation, and increased production of nitrite/nitrate (NOx), tumor necrosis factor-α, (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Furthermore, carrageenan induced the expression of iNOS, nitrotyrosine and PARP, as well as induced apoptosis (TUNEL staining and Bax and Bcl-2 expression) in the lung tissues.

Results

Administration of T0901317, 30 min after the challenge with carrageenan, caused a significant reduction in a dose dependent manner of all the parameters of inflammation measured.

Conclusions

Thus, based on these findings we propose that LXR ligand such as T0901317, may be useful in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.
Comparative transcriptome analysis coupled to X-ray CT reveals sucrose supply and growth velocity as major determinants of potato tuber starch biosynthesis
Authors: Ferreira Stephanus J , Senning Melanie , Sonnewald Sophia , Keßling Petra-Maria , Goldstein Ralf , Sonnewald Uwe
Published: February 2010

Background

Even though the process of potato tuber starch biosynthesis is well understood, mechanisms regulating biosynthesis are still unclear. Transcriptome analysis provides valuable information as to how genes are regulated. Therefore, this work aimed at investigating transcriptional regulation of starch biosynthetic genes in leaves and tubers of potato plants under various conditions. More specifically we looked at gene expression diurnally in leaves and tubers, during tuber induction and in tubers growing at different velocities. To determine velocity of potato tuber growth a new method based on X-ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT) was established.

Results

Comparative transcriptome analysis between leaves and tubers revealed striking similarities with the same genes being differentially expressed in both tissues. In tubers, oscillation of granule bound starch synthase (GBSS) expression) was observed which could be linked to sucrose supply from source leaves. X-ray CT was used to determine time-dependent changes in tuber volume and the growth velocity was calculated. Although there is not a linear correlation between growth velocity and expression of starch biosynthetic genes, there are significant differences between growing and non-growing tubers. Co-expression analysis was used to identify transcription factors positively correlating with starch biosynthetic genes possibly regulating starch biosynthesis.

Conclusion

Most starch biosynthetic enzymes are encoded by gene families. Co-expression analysis revealed that the same members of these gene families are co-regulated in leaves and tubers. This suggests that regulation of transitory and storage starch biosynthesis in leaves and tubers, respectively, is surprisingly similar. X-ray CT can be used to monitor growth and development of belowground organs and allows to link tuber growth to changes in gene expression. Comparative transcriptome analysis provides a useful tool to identify transcription factors possibly involved in the regulation of starch biosynthesis.
Outbreak of chickenpox in a refugee camp of northern Thailand
Authors: Shimakawa Yusuke , Camélique Olivier , Ariyoshi Koya
Published: February 2010

Although chickenpox is a generally mild, self-limited illness of children, it can cause fatal disease in adults. Accumulating reports from tropical countries showed a high prevalence of seronegativity among the adults, implying that varicella diseases could become a heavy burden in tropical countries. However, in the situation of humanitarian emergencies in tropical areas, chickenpox has largely been ignored as a serious communicable disease, due to lack of data regarding varicella mortality and hospital admissions in such a context. This is the first report describing an outbreak of chickenpox in a refugee camp of tropical region. In 2008, we experienced a varicella outbreak in ethnic Lao Hmong refugee camp in Phetchabun Province, northern Thailand. The attack rate was 4.0% (309/7,815) and this caused 3 hospitalizations including one who developed severe varicella pneumonia with respiratory failure. All hospitalizations were exclusively seen in adults, and the proportion of patients ≥15 years old was 13.6% (42/309). Because less exposure to varicella-zoster virus due to low population density has previously been suggested to be one of the reasons behind higher prevalence of susceptible adults in tropics, the influx of displaced people from rural areas to a densely populated asylum might result in many severe adult cases once a varicella outbreak occurs. Control interventions such as vaccination should be considered even in refugee camp, if the confluence of the risk factors present in this situation.
Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Reddy Venkataprasanth P , VanVeldhuizen Peter J , Muehlebach Gregory F , Dusing Reginald W , Birkbeck James P , Williamson Stephen K , Krishnan Leela , Meyers David G
Published: February 2010

A 68-year-old white female presented with two years of progressively worsening dyspnea. Echocardiography revealed a large right atrial mass and partial obstruction of the inferior vena cava. Further imaging revealed a cystic dense mass in the inferior vena cava and right atrium. Immunohistochemical stains were consistent with leiomyosarcoma. Intraoperatively, the tumor was noted to originate from the posterior aspect of the inferior vena cava. The patient underwent successful resection of the mass. Adjuvant radiation therapy was completed. The patient's dyspnea gradually improved and she continues to remain disease free five years post-resection.
Discrepancy between the in vitro and in vivoeffects of murine mesenchymal stem cells on T-cell proliferation and collagen-induced arthritis
Authors: Schurgers Evelien , Kelchtermans Hilde , Mitera Tania , Geboes Lies , Matthys Patrick
Published: February 2010

Introduction

The goal of this study is to analyze the potential immunosuppressive properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on T cell proliferation and in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). An additional aim is to investigate the role of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in these processes.

Methods

MSC were isolated from bone marrow of DBA/1 wild type and IFN-γ receptor knock-out (IFN-γR KO) mice and expanded in vitro. Proliferation of anti-CD3-stimulated CD4+ T cells in the presence or absence of MSC was evaluated by thymidine incorporation. CIA was induced in DBA/1 mice and animals were treated with MSC by intravenous or intraperitoneal injections of wild type or IFN-γR KO MSC.

Results

Purity of enriched MSC cultures was evaluated by flow cytometry and their ability to differentiate into osteoblasts and adipocytes. In vitro, wild type MSC dose-dependently suppressed anti-CD3-induced T cell proliferation whereas IFN-γR KO MSC had a significantly lower inhibitory potential. A role for inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), but not indoleamine 2,3-dioxigenase (IDO), in the T cell inhibition was demonstrated. In vivo, neither wild type nor IFN-γR KO MSC were able to reduce the severity of CIA or the humoral or cellular immune response toward collagen type II.

Conclusions

Whereas MSC inhibit anti-CD3-induced proliferation of T cells in vitro, an effect partially mediated by IFN-γ, MSC do not influence in vivo T cell proliferation nor the disease course of CIA. Thus there is a clear discrepancy between the in vitro and in vivo effects of MSC on T cell proliferation and CIA.
Survival and Years of Life Lost in Different Age Cohorts of Patients With Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Ludwig Heinz , Bolejack Vanessa , Crowley John , Bladé Joan , Miguel Jesus San , Kyle Robert A. , Rajkumar S. Vincent , Shimizu Kazuyuki , Turesson Ingemar , Westin Jan , Sonneveld Pieter , Cavo Michele , Boccadoro Mario , Palumbo Antonio , Tosi Patrizia , Harousseau Jean-Luc , Attal Michel , Barlogie Bart , Stewart A. Keith , Durie Brian
Published: February 2010

Purpose

To assess the impact of age on outcome and to analyze the projected years of life lost in patients with multiple myeloma.

Patients and Methods

Ten thousand five hundred forty-nine patients were evaluated; 6,996 patients were treated with conventional chemotherapy, and 3,553 patients were treated with high-dose therapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation.

Results

Mean observed and relative overall survival times in the entire cohort were 3.7 and 3.9 years, respectively. Observed survival decreased steadily from 6.4 years in patients younger than age 50 years to 2.5 years in patients ≥ age 80 years. A similar decrease was noted for relative survival. Higher age correlated significantly with higher International Staging System (ISS) stage. Relative excess risk of death differed significantly between 10-year age cohorts beginning from age 40 years (P < .001 for age 50 to 59 v age 40 to 49, P < .001 for age 60 to 69 v age 50 to 59, P < .001 for age 70 to 79 v age 60 to 69, and P = .009 for age ≥ 80 v 70 to 79). The average years of life lost per patient was 16.8 years in the entire patient cohort and decreased steadily from 36.1 years in patients younger than 40 years old to 4.6 years in patients ≥ age 80 years.

Conclusion

Age is associated with higher ISS stage and is an important risk factor for early mortality. Survival declined continuously by each decade from age 50 to age ≥ 80 from more than 6 to less than 3 years. The average of years of life lost in patients with myeloma is higher than in many other cancers and amounts to more than 30 years in patients younger than 40 years old but decreases to less than 5 years in patients age 80 years or older.
Early Detection of Superficial Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the Head and Neck Region and Esophagus by Narrow Band Imaging: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Muto Manabu , Minashi Keiko , Yano Tomonori , Saito Yutaka , Oda Ichiro , Nonaka Satoru , Omori Tai , Sugiura Hitoshi , Goda Kenichi , Kaise Mitsuru , Inoue Haruhiro , Ishikawa Hideki , Ochiai Atsushi , Shimoda Tadakazu , Watanabe Hidenobu , Tajiri Hisao , Saito Daizo
Published: February 2010

Purpose

Most of the esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) and cancers of the head and neck (H&N) region are diagnosed at later stages. To achieve better survival, early detection is necessary. We compared the real-time diagnostic yield of superficial cancer in these regions between conventional white light imaging (WLI) and narrow band imaging (NBI) in high-risk patients.

Patients and Methods

In a multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial, 320 patients with ESCC were randomly assigned to primary WLI followed by NBI (n = 162) or primary NBI followed by WLI (n = 158) in a back-to-back fashion. The primary aim was to compare the real-time detection rates of superficial cancer in the H&N region and the esophagus between WLI and NBI. The secondary aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these techniques.

Results

NBI detected superficial cancer more frequently than did WLI in both the H&N region and the esophagus (100% v 8%, P < .001; 97% v 55%, P < .001, respectively). The sensitivity of NBI for diagnosis of superficial cancer was 100% and 97.2% in the H&N region and the esophagus, respectively. The accuracy of NBI for diagnosis of superficial cancer was 86.7% and 88.9% in these regions, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy were significantly higher using NBI than WLI in both regions (P < .001 and P = .02 for the H&N region; P < .001 for both measures for the esophagus, respectively).

Conclusion

NBI could be the standard examination for the early detection of superficial cancer in the H&N region and the esophagus.
Prognostic Significance of Focal Lesions in Whole-Body Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Asymptomatic Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Hillengass Jens , Fechtner Kerstin , Weber Marc-André , Bäuerle Tobias , Ayyaz Sofia , Heiss Christiane , Hielscher Thomas , Moehler Thomas M. , Egerer Gerlinde , Neben Kai , Ho Anthony D. , Kauczor Hans-Ulrich , Delorme Stefan , Goldschmidt Hartmut
Published: February 2010

Purpose

With whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (wb-MRI), almost the whole bone marrow compartment can be examined in patients with monoclonal plasma cell disease. Focal lesions (FLs) detected by spinal MRI have been of prognostic significance in symptomatic multiple myeloma (sMM). In this study, we investigated the prognostic significance of FLs in wb-MRI in patients with asymptomatic multiple myeloma (aMM).

Patients and Methods

Wb-MRI was performed in 149 patients with aMM. The prognostic significance of the presence and absence, as well as the number, of FLs for progression into sMM was analyzed.

Results

FLs were present in 28% of patients. The presence per se of FLs and a number of greater than one FL were the strongest adverse prognostic factors for progression into sMM (P < .001) in multivariate analysis. A diffuse infiltration pattern in MRI, a monoclonal protein of 40 g/L or greater, and a plasma cell infiltration in bone marrow of 20% or greater were other adverse prognostic factors for progression-free survival in univariate analysis.

Conclusion

We recommend use of wb-MRI for risk stratification of patients with asymptomatic multiple myeloma.
Why Patients of Low Socioeconomic Status with Mental Health Problems Have Shorter Consultations with General Practitioners
Authors: Videau Yann , Saliba-Serre Bérengère , Paraponaris Alain , Ventelou Bruno
Published: February 2010

Objective

Poor people receive shorter consultations in general practice than more affluent people. Our aim was to study the two reasons generally advanced for this for patients consulting with mental health problems: people of low socioeconomic status (SES) demand shorter consultations or they tend to match with practitioners who devote little time to their patients.

Methods

Of 600 general practitioners (GPs), 144 agreed to participate. During the study period (2005), 713 patients consulted with mental health problems of whom 405 (56.8%) completed questionnaires. Of these, 144 (34.8%) were defined as suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Multilevel modelling was used to explore the relationship between patient and GP characteristics, and duration of the consultation.

Results

A multivariate model found two significant patient variables for the consultation duration: severity of MDD symptoms (P = 0.01) and SES (proxied by education level, P = 0.05). The multilevel model including GPs’ characteristics demonstrated that the apparent correlation between patients’ SES and consultation length was due to a confounding factor: low SES patients were visiting GPs who are, generally, providing shorter consultations (P < 0.001). With the SES variable no longer significant: P = 0.2, although severity of symptoms remained in the model (P = 0.001).

Conclusion

The shortness of the consultation length is due to a supply-side effect, implicating dissatisfaction for patients with mental health problems. This may not be generalizable to other patients. Findings are in favour of a specific intervention aimed at giving poor people equal access to GPs’ time.
Police Stop and Search in a Southern English County
Authors: Qureshi Faiza
Published: February 2010

This article looks at recorded Stop and Search activity in a southern English county from April 2003 to March 2006. The discussion explores the distribution of Stops and Searches and arrests made by police officers in the county, followed by an analysis of the demographic characteristics. The analysis of police recorded statistics offers the opportunity to identify patterns and trends in the police tactic which can influence and inform policing policy. It can identify whether the power falls unequally against certain sections of the population and/or whether the patterns are because of the deployment of resources based on the crime control strategy of the southern English police service area. These factors have implications for the service delivery role of police officers in the southern English county.
Maturity Levels for Police Oversight Agenciespetter Gottschalk
Authors: Gottschalk Petter
Published: February 2010

Stages-of-growth models have been applied to a variety of organisations to understand organisational evolution over time. In this article, the case of oversight agencies is explored. Some oversight agencies are more advanced than others and have more appropriate procedures, more advanced knowledge, more successful approaches, and more professional performance management. The advancement and sophistication of an oversight organisation may be determined by means of maturity levels for oversight agencies, as discussed in this article.
Therapeutic Effectiveness of Self-Efficacy in the Reduction of Police Attitude to Corruption in Nigeria
Authors: Aremu Amos Oyesoji , Pakes Francis , Johnston Les
Published: February 2010

This study investigates the therapeutic effectiveness of self-efficacy as a counselling strategy in tackling the Nigeria Police Force attitude to corruption. Using a quasi-experimental approach, 200 police personnel were purposively and conveniently sampled from two State Police Commands, Ogun and Lagos States. With the aid of an instrument, the Police Attitude to Corruption Scale, administered twice (pre- and post-test), results showed that the self-efficacy counselling strategy positively influences corruption attitudes of the treated group. Gender was found to moderate significantly, with female police officers showing more positive change than their male counterparts. The results suggest the inclusion of self-efficacy counselling as a bottom-up approach strategy in tackling corruption in the Nigerian Police. The implications of this on police transformation, police practice and counselling practice were discussed.
Identification of a Maize Locus That Modulates the Hypersensitive Defense Response, Using Mutant-Assisted Gene Identification and Characterization
Authors: Chintamanani Satya , Hulbert Scot H , Johal Gurmukh S , Balint-Kurti Peter J
Published: February 2010

Potentially useful naturally occurring genetic variation is often difficult to identify as the effects of individual genes are subtle and difficult to observe. In this study, a novel genetic technique called Mutant-Assisted Gene Identification and Characterization is used to identify naturally occurring loci modulating the hypersensitive defense response (HR) in maize. Mutant-Assisted Gene Identification and Characterization facilitates the identification of naturally occurring alleles underlying phenotypic variation from diverse germplasm, using a mutant phenotype as a “reporter.” In this study the reporter phenotype was caused by a partially dominant autoactive disease resistance gene, Rp1-D21, which caused HR lesions to form spontaneously all over the plant. Here it is demonstrated that the Rp1-D21 phenotype is profoundly affected by genetic background. By crossing the Rp1-D21 gene into the IBM mapping population, it was possible to map and identify Hrml1 on chromosome 10, a locus responsible for modulating the HR phenotype conferred by Rp1-D21. Other loci with smaller effects were identified on chromosomes 1 and 9. These results demonstrate that Mutant-Assisted Gene Identification and Characterization is a viable approach for identifying naturally occurring useful genetic variation.
Infectious Disease and Risk of Later Celiac Disease in Childhood
Authors: Welander Adina , Tjernberg Anna Röckert , Montgomery Scott M. , Ludvigsson Johnny , Ludvigsson Jonas F.
Published: February 2010

OBJECTIVE:

The goal was to examine whether parent-reported infection at the time of gluten introduction increases the risk of future celiac disease (CD).

METHODS:

Through the population-based All Infants in Southeast Sweden study, parents recorded data on feeding and infectious disease prospectively. Complete data on gluten introduction and breastfeeding duration were available for 9408 children. Those children had 42 826 parent-reported episodes of infectious disease in the first year of life (including 4003 episodes of gastroenteritis). We identified 44 children with biopsy-verified CD diagnosed after 1 year of age, and we used Cox regression to estimate the risk of future CD for children with infection at gluten introduction.

RESULTS:

Eighteen children with CD (40.9%) had an infection at the time of gluten introduction, compared with 2510 reference individuals (26.8%; P = .035). Few children had gastroenteritis at the time of gluten introduction (1 child with CD [2.3%] vs 166 reference individuals [1.8%]; P = .546). With adjustment for age at gluten introduction and breastfeeding duration, we found no association between a future diagnosis of CD and either any infection (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.8 [95% confidence interval: 0.9–3.6]) or gastroenteritis (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.6 [95% confidence interval: 0.2–30.8]) at the time of gluten introduction. We found no associations between breastfeeding duration, age at gluten introduction, and future CD.

CONCLUSION:

These results indicate that parent-reported infection at the time of gluten introduction is not a major risk factor for CD.
Clinical Assessment of Extremely Premature Infants in the Delivery Room Is a Poor Predictor of Survival
Authors: Manley Brett J. , Dawson Jennifer A. , Kamlin C. Omar F. , Donath Susan M. , Morley Colin J. , Davis Peter G.
Published: February 2010

BACKGROUND:

Some neonatologists state that at the delivery of extremely premature infants they rely on “how the baby looks” when deciding whether to initiate resuscitation. Previous studies have reported poor correlation between early clinical signs and prognosis.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine if neonatologists can accurately predict survival to discharge of extremely premature infants on the basis of observations in the first minutes after birth.

METHODS:

We showed videos of the resuscitation of 10 extremely premature infants (<26 weeks' gestation) to attending neonatologists and fellows from the 3 major perinatal centers in Melbourne, Australia. Antenatal information was available to the observers. A monitor visible in each video displayed the heart rate and oxygen saturation of the infant. Observers were asked to estimate the likelihood of survival to discharge for each infant at 3 time points: 20 seconds, 2 minutes, and 5 minutes after birth. The predictive ability of observers was expressed as the area (95% confidence interval [CI]) under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve.

RESULTS:

Seventeen attending neonatologists and 17 neonatal fellows completed the study. Receiver-operating-characteristic curves were generated for the combined and individual groups. Observers' ability to predict survival was poor (combined results): 0.61 (95% CI: 0.54–0.67) at 20 seconds, 0.59 (95% CI: 0.52–0.64) at 2 minutes, and 0.61 (95% CI: 0.55–0.67) at 5 minutes. Level of experience did not affect the observers' accuracy of predicting survival.

CONCLUSION:

Neonatologists' reliance on initial appearance and early response to resuscitation in predicting survival for extremely premature infants is misplaced.
Childhood Obesity and Survival After In-Hospital Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Srinivasan Vijay , Nadkarni Vinay M. , Helfaer Mark A. , Carey Scott M. , Berg Robert A. ,   for the American Heart Association National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Investigators
Published: February 2010

OBJECTIVE:

We hypothesized that childhood obesity would be associated with decreased likelihood of survival to hospital discharge after in-hospital, pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

METHODS:

We reviewed 1477 consecutive, pediatric, CPR index events (defined as the first CPR event during a hospitalization in that facility for a patient <18 years of age) reported to the American Heart Association National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation between January 2000 and July 2004. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. A total of 1268 index subjects (86%) with complete registry data were included for analysis. Children were classified as obese (≥95th weight-for-length percentile if <2 years of age or ≥95th BMI-for-age percentile if ≥2 years of age) or underweight (<5th weight-for-length percentile if <2 years of age or <5th BMI-for-age percentile if ≥2 years of age), with adjustment for gender.

RESULTS:

Obesity was noted for 213 (17%) of 1268 subjects and underweight for 571 (45%) of 1268 subjects. Obesity was more likely to be associated with male gender, noncardiac medical illness, and cancer and inversely associated with heart failure. Underweight was more likely to be associated with male gender, cardiac surgery, and prematurity and inversely associated with age and cancer. Self-reported, process-of-care, CPR quality was generally worse for obese children. With adjustment for important potential confounding factors, obesity was independently associated with worse odds of event survival (adjusted odds ratio: 0.58 [95% confidence interval: 0.35–0.76]) and survival to hospital discharge (adjusted odds ratio: 0.62 [95% confidence interval: 0.38–0.93]) after in-hospital, pediatric CPR. Underweight was not associated with worse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS:

Childhood obesity is associated with a lower rate of survival to hospital discharge after in-hospital, pediatric CPR.
Diferenciais entre homens e mulheres na mortalidade evitável no Brasil (1983-2005)
Authors: Abreu Daisy Maria Xavier de , César Cibele Comini , França Elisabeth Barboza
Published: February 2010

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar a mortalidade de homens e mulheres em municípios brasileiros entre 1983 e 2005, segundo três grupamentos de causas de morte evitáveis: evitáveis por diagnóstico e tratamento precoce, evitáveis por melhoria no tratamento e na atenção médica e doença isquêmica do coração. A associação entre a mortalidade evitável e as variáveis selecionadas foi realizada usando-se o modelo de regressão binomial negativa. Avaliou-se a magnitude da incidência das causas evitáveis na esperança de vida por meio da técnica de tábua de mortalidade de múltiplo decremento. Os homens apresentaram um risco maior de morrer em relação às mulheres para os grupos de causas evitáveis estudados, após controle de variáveis selecionadas. O ganho na esperança de vida ao nascer é sempre maior para as mulheres, com um aumento de até 5 anos para elas, ao eliminar as causas evitáveis por diagnóstico e tratamento precoce. Deve-se avançar na análise de fatores relacionados à questão de gênero, que podem estar associados ao risco diferenciado de morte entre os sexos.
Regulation of thyroid hormone activation via the liver X-receptor/retinoid X-receptor pathway
Authors: Christoffolete Marcelo A , Doleschall Márton , Egri Péter , Liposits Zsolt , Zavacki Ann Marie , Bianco Antonio C , Gereben Balázs
Published: February 2010

Thyroid hormone receptor (TR) and liver X-receptor (LXR) are the master regulators of lipid metabolism. Remarkably, a mouse with a targeted deletion of both LXRα and LXRβ is resistant to western diet-induced obesity, and exhibits ectopic liver expression of the thyroid hormone activating type 2 deiodinase (D2). We hypothesized that LXR/retinoid X-receptor (RXR) signaling inhibits hepatic D2 expression, and studied this using a luciferase reporter containing the human DIO2 (hDIO2) promoter in HepG2 cells. Given that, in contrast to mammals, the chicken liver normally expresses D2, the chicken DIO2 (cDIO2) promoter was also studied. 22(R)-OH-cholesterol negatively regulated hDIO2 in a dose-dependent manner (100 μM, approximately twofold), while it failed to affect the cDIO2 promoter. Truncations in the hDIO2 promoter identified the region −901 to −584 bp as critical for negative regulation. We also investigated if 9-cis retinoic acid (9-cis RA), the ligand for the heterodimeric partner of TR and LXR, RXR, could regulate the hDIO2 promoter. Notably, 9-cis RA repressed the hDIO2 luciferase reporter (1 μM, approximately fourfold) in a dose-dependent manner, while coexpression of an inactive mutant RXR abolished this effect. However, it is unlikely that RXR homodimers mediate the repression of hDIO2 since mutagenesis of a DR-1 at −506 bp did not interfere with 9-cis RA-mediated repression. Our data indicate that hDIO2 transcription is negatively regulated by both 22(R)-OH-cholesterol and 9-cis RA, which is consistent with LXR/RXR involvement. In vivo, the inhibition of D2-mediated tri-iodothyronine (T3) production by cholesterol/9-cis RA could function as a feedback loop, given that T3 decreases hepatic cholesterol levels.
Propagule pressure and stream characteristics influence introgression: cutthroat and rainbow trout in British Columbia
Authors: Bennett Stephen N. , Olson John R. , Kershner Jeffrey L. , Corbett Peter
Published: February 2010

Hybridization and introgression between introduced and native salmonids threaten the continued persistence of many inland cutthroat trout species. Environmental models have been developed to predict the spread of introgression, but few studies have assessed the role of propagule pressure. We used an extensive set of fish stocking records and geographic information system (GIS) data to produce a spatially explicit index of potential propagule pressure exerted by introduced rainbow trout in the Upper Kootenay River, British Columbia, Canada. We then used logistic regression and the information‐theoretic approach to test the ability of a set of environmental and spatial variables to predict the level of introgression between native westslope cutthroat trout and introduced rainbow trout. Introgression was assessed using between four and seven co‐dominant, diagnostic nuclear markers at 45 sites in 31 different streams. The best model for predicting introgression included our GIS propagule pressure index and an environmental variable that accounted for the biogeoclimatic zone of the site (r2= 0.62). This model was 1.4 times more likely to explain introgression than the next‐best model, which consisted of only the propagule pressure index variable. We created a composite model based on the model‐averaged results of the seven top models that included environmental, spatial, and propagule pressure variables. The propagule pressure index had the highest importance weight (0.995) of all variables tested and was negatively related to sites with no introgression. This study used an index of propagule pressure and demonstrated that propagule pressure had the greatest influence on the level of introgression between a native and introduced trout in a human‐induced hybrid zone.
Linking environmental nutrient enrichment and disease emergence in humans and wildlife
Authors: Johnson Pieter T. J. , Townsend Alan R. , Cleveland Cory C. , Glibert Patricia M. , Howarth Robert W. , McKenzie Valerie J. , Rejmankova Eliska , Ward Mary H.
Published: February 2010

Worldwide increases in human and wildlife diseases have challenged ecologists to understand how large‐scale environmental changes affect host–parasite interactions. One of the most profound changes to Earth's ecosystems is the alteration of global nutrient cycles, including those of phosphorus (P) and especially nitrogen (N). Along with the obvious direct benefits of nutrient application for food production, anthropogenic inputs of N and P can indirectly affect the abundance of infectious and noninfectious pathogens. The mechanisms underpinning observed correlations, however, and how such patterns vary with disease type, have long remained conjectural. Here, we highlight recent experimental advances to critically evaluate the relationship between environmental nutrient enrichment and disease. Given the interrelated nature of human and wildlife disease emergence, we include a broad range of human and wildlife examples from terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems. We examine the consequences of nutrient pollution on directly transmitted, vector‐borne, complex life cycle, and noninfectious pathogens, including West Nile virus, malaria, harmful algal blooms, coral reef diseases, and amphibian malformations.

Our synthetic examination suggests that the effects of environmental nutrient enrichment on disease are complex and multifaceted, varying with the type of pathogen, host species and condition, attributes of the ecosystem, and the degree of enrichment; some pathogens increase in abundance whereas others decline or disappear. Nevertheless, available evidence indicates that ecological changes associated with nutrient enrichment often exacerbate infection and disease caused by generalist parasites with direct or simple life cycles. Observed mechanisms include changes in host/vector density, host distribution, infection resistance, pathogen virulence or toxicity, and the direct supplementation of pathogens. Collectively, these pathogens may be particularly dangerous because they can continue to cause mortality even as their hosts decline, potentially leading to sustained epidemics or chronic pathology. We suggest that interactions between nutrient enrichment and disease will become increasingly important in tropical and subtropical regions, where forecasted increases in nutrient application will occur in an environment rich with infectious pathogens. We emphasize the importance of careful disease management in conjunction with continued intensification of global nutrient cycles.
Are inland wolf–ungulate systems influenced by marine subsidies of Pacific salmon?
Authors: Adams Layne G. , Farley Sean D. , Stricker Craig A. , Demma Dominic J. , Roffler Gretchen H. , Miller Dennis C. , Rye Robert O.
Published: February 2010

Wolves (Canis lupus) in North America are considered obligate predators of ungulates with other food resources playing little role in wolf population dynamics or wolf–prey relations. However, spawning Pacific salmon (Oncorhyncus spp.) are common throughout wolf range in northwestern North America and may provide a marine subsidy affecting inland wolf–ungulate food webs far from the coast. We conducted stable‐isotope analyses for nitrogen and carbon to evaluate the contribution of salmon to diets of wolves in Denali National Park and Preserve, 1200 river‐km from tidewater in interior Alaska, USA. We analyzed bone collagen from 73 wolves equipped with radio collars during 1986–2002 and evaluated estimates of salmon in their diets relative to the availability of salmon and ungulates within their home ranges. We compared wolf densities and ungulate : wolf ratios among regions with differing salmon and ungulate availability to assess subsidizing effects of salmon on these wolf–ungulate systems. Wolves in the northwestern flats of the study area had access to spawning salmon but low ungulate availability and consumed more salmon (17% ± 7% [mean ± SD]) than in upland regions, where ungulates were sixfold more abundant and wolves did or did not have salmon spawning areas within their home ranges (8% ± 6% and 3% ± 3%, respectively). Wolves were only 17% less abundant on the northwestern flats compared to the remainder of the study area, even though ungulate densities were 78% lower. We estimated that biomass from fall runs of chum (O. keta) and coho (O. kisutch) salmon on the northwestern flats was comparable to the ungulate biomass there, and the contribution of salmon to wolf diets was similar to estimates reported for coastal wolves in southeast Alaska. Given the ubiquitous consumption of salmon by wolves on the northwestern flats and the abundance of salmon there, we conclude that wolf numbers in this region were enhanced by the allochthonous subsidy provided by salmon and discuss implications for wolf–ungulate relations.
Host‐adapted parasitoids in biological control: Does source matter?
Authors: Henry Lee M. , May Nigel , Acheampong Susanna , Gillespie David R. , Roitberg Bernard D.
Published: February 2010

It has been hypothesized that the success of a biological control introduction is, in part, dependent on the ability of the control agent to become established in its new environment or to its new population of hosts through local adaptation. Despite this, few studies have investigated the influence of the recent coevolutionary history of pest species and natural enemies on the efficacy of biological control agents, especially for agents that are mass‐reared for release in agriculture. We investigate the evolutionary potential of a biological control agent Aphidius ervi to adapt to a key pest species, the foxglove aphid Aulacorthum solani, through components essential to the evolution of parasitoid virulence. We explored (1) the influence of genetic variation from natural source populations on the ability to parasitize natal and non‐natal host species; (2) the heritability of key traits related to parasitoid fitness; and (3) the efficacy of parasitoid host‐selection lines in a greenhouse system. Source populations maintained genetic variation in the ability to utilize natal and non‐natal host species; however, only some of the traits sampled suggested local adaptation of parasitoid populations. The ability to parasitize a host was found to be genetically determined and strongly heritable, irrespective of host species. The greenhouse study demonstrated the potential of parasitoid selection lines to substantially increase performance of parasitoids for target pest species. This research provides insight into novel techniques that can be used to increase the quality of biological control agents through the development of lines of natural enemies adapted to particular pest species.