bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Response to fesoterodine in patients with an overactive bladder and urgency urinary incontinence is independent of the urodynamic finding of detrusor overactivity
Authors: Nitti Victor W. , Rovner Eric S. , Bavendam Tamara
Published: November 2009

Study Type – Therapy (RCT) Level of Evidence 1b

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the presence of detrusor overactivity (DO) in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) and urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) is a predictor of the response to treatment with fesoterodine.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This phase 2 randomized, multicentre, placebo‐controlled trial consisted of a 1‐week placebo run‐in phase followed by an 8‐week double‐blind period. Eligible for the study were men and women aged 18–78 years with symptoms or signs of OAB with UUI; they were stratified into two balanced strata depending on the outcome of a baseline urodynamic assessment. By using this particular study design it was possible to investigate whether there were differences between the strata. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline to week 8 in mean voids/24 h. Secondary endpoints were the changes in UUI episodes/week, and for those patients with DO at baseline, the mean changes in volume at first involuntary contraction associated with a feeling of urgency, first desire to void, and strong desire to void, and change in maximum cystometric capacity. Because there were few patients the secondary analyses were considered exploratory.

RESULTS

Overall, there were linear dose‐response relationships for placebo and the fesoterodine groups for the reduction in the number of voids/24 h and UUI episodes/week. Compared with the placebo group, the least squares mean changes from baseline to week 8 in both variables were significantly improved in patients receiving fesoterodine 4 mg (P = 0.045 and 0.040, respectively), 8 mg (P < 0.001 for both), and 12 mg (P < 0.001 for both). There were no significant differences in treatment responses, as measured by both variables between patients with and without DO. For patients with DO, the mean volume at the first desire to void improved in all fesoterodine treatment groups and worsened in the placebo group.

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of the presence of DO, the response to fesoterodine treatment was dose‐proportional and associated with significant improvements in OAB symptoms, indicating that the response to OAB pharmacotherapy in patients with UUI was independent of the urodynamic diagnosis of DO.
Distributed Teaching Presence and Participants' Activity Profiles: a theoretical approach to the structural analysis of Asynchronous Learning Networks1
Authors: COLL CÉSAR , ENGEL ANNA , BUSTOS ALFONSO
Published: November 2009

The rapid spread of learning networks based on asynchronous written communication — Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALNs) — makes it crucial to assess the possibilities offered by these new environments to facilitate and promote learning processes and learning outcomes. Our interest in this area is specifically directed towards the study of distributed teaching presence understood as the exercise of educational influence, i.e. as the help provided to each other participant in an ALN to promote individual and collective learning. We adopt a multi‐method approach that integrates the structural analysis of presence (access and participation) and connectivity (reciprocity and responsiveness) with the content analysis of the participants’ contributions. This article focuses on structural analysis as a relevant and powerful tool for the study of collaborative learning in networking and asynchronous contexts. Its main objective is to show how a relevant and useful system of indicators and profiles, which identify and examine the distribution of educational influence in ALNs, can be constructed. We present the theoretical assumptions surrounding the concept of distributed teaching presence and illustrate the analysis with data from two didactic sequences in higher education. The results show that the structural analysis, when theoretically grounded and oriented, is a powerful tool for identifying different activity profiles related to different levels and modalities of the exercise of educational influence and for assessing the distributed teaching presence in learning networks. Finally, we discuss the benefits and constraints of this kind of analysis.
Rapid analysis of Jatropha curcas gene functions by virus‐induced gene silencing
Authors: Ye Jian , Qu Jing , Bui Ha Thi Ngoc , Chua Nam‐Hai
Published: November 2009

Jatropha curcas L. is a small, woody tree of the Euphorbiaceae family. This plant can grow on marginal land in the tropical and subtropical regions and produces seeds containing up to 30% oil. Several Asian countries have selected Jatropha for large scale planting as a biodiesel feedstock. Nevertheless, Jatropha also possesses several undesirable traits that may limit its wide adoption. An improved understanding of plant development and the regulation of fatty acid (FA) and triacylglyceride biosynthesis in Jatropha is particularly facilitative for the development of elite crops. Here, we show that a tobacco rattle virus (TRV) vector can trigger virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) in Jatropha. Our optimized method produced robust and reliable gene silencing in plants agroinoculated with recombinant TRV harbouring Jatropha gene sequences. We used VIGS to investigate possible functions of 13 Jatropha genes of several functional categories, including FA biosynthesis, developmental regulation and toxin biosynthesis, etc. Based on the effects of VIGS on the FA composition of newly emerged leaves, we determined the function of several genes implicated in FA biosynthesis. Moreover, VIGS was able to discriminate independent functions of related gene family members. Our results show that VIGS can be used for high‐throughput screening of Jatropha genes whose functions can be assayed in leaves.
EFFICIENT MARKOV NETWORK DISCOVERY USING PARTICLE FILTERS
Authors: Margaritis Dimitris , Bromberg Facundo
Published: November 2009

In this paper, we introduce an efficient independence‐based algorithm for the induction of the Markov network (MN) structure of a domain from the outcomes of independence test conducted on data. Our algorithm utilizes a particle filter (sequential Monte Carlo) method to maintain a population of MN structures that represent the posterior probability distribution over structures, given the outcomes of the tests performed. This enables us to select, at each step, the maximally informative test to conduct next from a pool of candidates according to information gain, which minimizes the cost of the statistical tests conducted on data. This makes our approach useful in domains where independence tests are expensive, such as cases of very large data sets and/or distributed data. In addition, our method maintains multiple candidate structures weighed by posterior probability, which allows flexibility in the presence of potential errors in the test outcomes.
POYRAZ: CONTEXT‐AWARE SERVICE SELECTION UNDER DECEPTION
Authors: Şensoy Murat , Zhang Jie , Yolum Pinar , Cohen Robin
Published: November 2009

The increasing number of service providers on the Web makes it challenging to select a provider for a specific service demand. Each service consumer has different expectations for a given service in different contexts, so the selection process should be consumer‐oriented and context‐dependent. Current approaches for service selection typically have consumers receive ratings of providers from other consumers, where the ratings reflect the consumers' overall subjective opinions. This may be misleading if consumers have different contexts and satisfaction criteria. In this paper, we propose that consumers objectively record their experiences, using an ontology to capture subtle details. This can then be interpreted by consumers according to their own criteria and contexts. We then integrate a method for addressing consumers who lie about their experiences, filtering them out during service selection. We demonstrate the value of our approach through experiments comparing our model with three recent rating‐based service selection models. Our experiments show that using the proposed approach, service consumers can select the service providers for their needs more accurately even if the consumers have different criteria, they change the contexts of their service demands over time, or a significant portion of them are liars.
Your Ontology, My Ontic Speculations … on the Importance of Showing One's (Ontological) Working
Authors: Hay Colin
Published: November 2009

In a discipline such as ours, in which all contributions are necessarily preliminary – and should perhaps best be seen as openings to potential conversations rather than definitive statements in their own right – it is always pleasing to have one's work engaged with explicitly and directly. Yet the satisfaction that comes with a new opportunity for a fresh conversation about ontology in political analysis is tempered on this occasion by the length of the charge sheet in front of me. In the space of approximately 3,400 words, Nigel Pleasants accuses me of many things. My article on ‘King Canute and the “Problem” of Structure and Agency’ ( Hay, 2009 ), he suggests, is part of a broader ‘crusade’, of which I am a ‘chief protagonist’ ( Pleasants, 2009 , p. 885), to convert political analysts to the value of arrant, arid and ultimately unhelpful ontological reflection, foisting this on unwitting and unwilling students of political science to boot. Even taken on its own terms, my contribution is flawed in almost all significant respects. It rests, it seems, on the false premise that ontological reflection is an aid to a reflective political analysis, it fails to differentiate between genuine ontologies (deserving of their designation as ‘ologies’) and mere ontic speculations, superstitions and hunches, it achieves no fresh analytical purchase on the story of King Canute and the waves and it adds next to nothing to our understanding of the structure-agency relationship. In fact, were we to bracket out the (numerous) references to structure, agency and ontology that litter the text, we would find ‘that nothing of significance is … lost to the historical and political analysis of the story of King Canute’ (p. 891). Indeed, ‘neither Canute himself, nor the current-day reader … need know anything about theories of structure and agency or “ontological reflection” in order to conceive or understand those events' (p. 891).
Remembering theauca: violence and generational memory in Amazonian Ecuador
Authors: High Casey
Published: November 2009

In Amazonian Ecuador and beyond, indigenous Waorani people have received considerable attention for their history of revenge killings during much of the twentieth century. In pointing to the heterogeneous forms of social memory assigned to specific generations, the article describes how oral histories and public performances of past violence mediate changing forms of sociality. While the victim's perspective in oral histories is fundamental to Waorani notions of personhood and ethnic identity, young men acquire the symbolic role of ‘wild’ Amazonian killers in public performances of the past. Rather than being contradictory or competing historical representations, these multiple forms of social memory become specific generational roles in local villages and in regional inter‐ethnic relations. The article suggests that, beyond the transmission of a fixed package of historical knowledge, memory is expressed in the multiple and often contrasting forms of historical representation assigned to particular kinds of people.

En Amazonie équatorienne et ailleurs, les peuples autochtones Waorani ont bénéficié d’une attention considérable pendant une bonne part du XXesiècle pour leur histoire de vendetta. En pointant l’hétérogénéité des formes de mémoire sociale associées à différentes générations, l’auteur décrit la façon dont les histoires orales et les performances publiques des violences passées médient des formes changeantes de socialité. Tandis que le point de vue de la victime dans ces récits oraux est fondamental dans les notions de personnalité et d’identité ethnique des Waoranis, les jeunes gens acquièrent le rôle symbolique des tueurs amazoniens « sauvages » lors de performances publiques évoquant le passé. Plutôt que des représentations historiques contradictoires ou concurrentes, ces multiples formes de mémoire sociale se muent en rôles générationnels spécifiques dans les villages locaux et en relations interethniques régionales. L’auteur suggère qu’au‐delà de la transmission d’un bagage immuable de connaissances historiques, la mémoire s’exprime dans les formes multiples et souvent très différentes de représentation historique attribués à certaines catégories de personnes.
Multidimensional analysis and the study of world Englishes
Authors: XIAO RICHARD
Published: November 2009

ABSTRACT: The multidimensional analysis (MDA) approach was originally developed by Biber to compare written and spoken registers in English, but it has since been applied extensively in synchronic and diachronic analysis of registers in English as well as non‐Western languages. While the WordSmith‐style keyword analysis represents a quick and simple means of evaluating a genre against the MDA dimensions, the keyword approach nevertheless provides a less comprehensive contrast of genres and may not work for more fine‐grained types of genre analysis. However, Biber's MDA model has so far been confined largely to grammatical categories, though Biber and others have started to incorporate semantic categories of some word classes in the model. In this paper, we will seek to enhance the MDA framework with semantic components and also introduce this enhanced MDA model, for the first time, in the research of world Englishes by exploring variation across twelve registers and five varieties of English in the International Corpus of English (ICE), which are annotated with grammatical and semantic categories.
/r/ and the construction of place identity on New York City's Lower East Side1
Authors: Becker Kara
Published: November 2009

This paper argues that a group of white residents on the Lower East Side of Manhattan use a New York City English (NYCE) feature – non‐rhoticity in the syllable coda – in the construction of a place identity, one aspect of identity tied to localness and authenticity. A quantitative analysis confirms that the change in progress towards rhoticity in NYCE (Labov 1966) continues to advance slowly, so that non‐rhoticity remains a resource for New Yorkers, imbued with local social meaning. Ethnographic observation of the Lower East Side reveals conflict among residents, which motivates one group to highlight their place identity by using non‐rhoticity. These Lower East Siders utilize micro‐variation of /r/ in stretches of interview talk, increasing non‐rhoticity when discussing neighborhood topics. Results support a social practice approach to stylistic and sociolinguistic variation, where Lower East Siders use /r/ in constructing a place identity in order to present themselves as authentic neighborhood residents.
Acquisition of Information and Share Prices: An Empirical Investigation of Cognitive Dissonance
Authors: Argentesi Elena , Lütkepohl Helmut , Motta Massimo
Published: November 2009

This paper deals with the determinants of agents’ acquisition of information. Our econometric evidence shows that the general index of Italian share-prices and the series of Italy’s financial newspaper sales are cointegrated, and the former series Granger-causes the latter, thereby giving support to the cognitive dissonance hypothesis: (non-professional) agents tend to buy the newspaper when share prices are high and not to buy it when share prices are low. Instead, we do not find support for the hypothesis that the agents acquire information in order to trade in the stock market: we find no relationship between quantities exchanged in the market and newspaper sales, nor between stock market volatility and newspaper sales.
Not Thinking Ethnicity: A Critique of the Ethnicity Paradigm in an Over‐Ethnicised Sociology
Authors: CARTER BOB , FENTON STEVE
Published: November 2009

The many critical approaches to an ‘ethnicity framework’ have fallen short of a very possible conclusion—that the language of ethnicity provides, for the most part, a poor paradigm with which to work. In the present paper we seek not only to re‐state some key weaknesses of this paradigm but also to suggest that these weaknesses are more general in an over‐ethnicised sociology. There are numerous critiques of particular models or elements of ethnicity thinking, including critiques of primordialist approaches (Fenton 2003), of multiculturalism (Barry 2000), and of the over‐objectification of groups (Brubaker 2004; see also Jenkins 2008). The major critiques constitute a strong case against ‘thinking with ethnicity’; the broader weaknesses are more general in contemporary ‘identitarian’ sociology. From this position we turn to the question of offering an alternative approach in a sociology which emphasizes agency, and is grounded in an analysis of actors in material situations. This is allied to the concept of ideational resources, social categories and identities upon which actors draw, and a middle‐range view of causality and tendency in social change. Ideas of ancestral belonging are among those ideational resources, and these ideas and assumptions are played out in a context of material and political change. The subject of study is not ethnicity, but power, resources, social relations and institutions (which may and may not be) informed by cultural identities and ideas of ancestry. The strategy of the paper will be first to re‐state the deficiencies of ‘ethnicity thinking’ and second to offer an alternative framework for thinking about social action and social structure.
Liver X receptor agonist treatment regulates inflammatory response after spinal cord trauma
Authors: Paterniti Irene , Genovese Tiziana , Mazzon Emanuela , Crisafulli Concetta , Di Paola Rosanna , Galuppo Maria , Bramanti Placido , Cuzzocrea Salvatore
Published: November 2009

J. Neurochem. (2010) 112, 611–624.

Liver X receptor α (LXRα) and LXRβ are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand‐activated transcription factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of T0901317, a potent LXR receptor ligand, in a mouse model of spinal cord injury (SCI). SCI was induced by the application of vascular clips (force of 24 g) to the dura via a four‐level T5–T8 laminectomy in mice. Treatment with T0901317, 1 and 6 h after the SCI, significantly decreased (i) the degree of spinal cord inflammation and tissue injury (histological score); (ii) neutrophil infiltration (myeloperoxidase activity); (iii) inducible nitric oxide synthase expression; (iv) nitrotyrosine, lipid peroxidation, and poly‐ADP‐ribose formation; (v) pro‐inflammatory cytokines expression; (vi) nuclear factor‐kappa B activation; and (vii) apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase‐mediated UTP end labeling staining, FAS ligand, Bax, and Bcl‐2 expression). Moreover, T0901317 significantly ameliorated the loss of limb function (evaluated by motor recovery score). These data suggest that LXR ligand may be useful in the treatment of inflammation associated with SCI.
Gender-Related Discourses as Mediators in the Association Between Internalization of the Thin-Body Ideal and Indicants of Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating
Authors: Morrison Todd G. , Sheahan Emer E.
Published: November 2009

This study examined whether the gender-related discourses of self-objectification, self-silencing, and anger suppression mediated the association between internalization of the thin-body ideal and body dissatisfaction and eating pathology. We employed a cross-sectional design to study both university ( n = 140) and community ( n = 76) samples of women from Ireland ranging from 17 to 30 years of age ( M = 21.48, SD = 3.05). Structural equation modeling was used to test for mediation, with the final model suggesting that gender-related discourses (silencing the self/anger suppression and body surveillance) mediated the association between thin-body ideal internalization and attitudes and behaviors characteristic of disordered eating. Limitations of the current study and directions for future research are highlighted.
Evidence that Gender Differences in Social Dominance Orientation Result from Gendered Self-Stereotyping and Group-Interested Responses to Patriarchy
Authors: Schmitt Michael T. , Wirth James H.
Published: November 2009

Numerous studies have found that, compared to women, men express higher levels of social dominance orientation (SDO), an individual difference variable reflecting support for unequal, hierarchical relationships between groups. Recent research suggests that the often-observed gender difference in SDO results from processes related to gender group identity. We hypothesized that two aspects of gender group identity could account for men's higher SDO relative to women's: responses to patriarchy that reflect the interests of the gender ingroup (as measured by hostile and benevolent sexism) and self-stereotyping in gendered terms. We found the gender difference in SDO was fully mediated by gender differences in feminine self-stereotyping, hostile sexism, and benevolent sexism. The discussion addresses implications for social dominance theory's treatment of gender and the complexity of social-contextual forces that produce gender differences in SDO.
Stereotype Threat and Gender Differences in Performance on a Novel Visuospatial Task
Authors: Campbell Susan Miller , Collaer Marcia L.
Published: November 2009

Stereotype threat research has shown that being a member of a negatively stereotyped group may result in impaired performance on tests of skills thought to be relevant to the stereotype. This study investigated whether stereotype threat influences gender differences in performance on a novel test of visuospatial ability. Undergraduates ( N = 194) were told that men outperform women on the test (explicit threat), were given no gender-relevant information (implicit threat), or were told that men and women do not differ (nullified stereotype). Although men outperformed women in the explicit and implicit stereotype threat groups, women's performance did not differ significantly from men's when told there is no gender difference. The effect was most pronounced for difficult line judgments. Although stereotypes regarding visuospatial ability may be less culturally salient than those of other cognitive abilities, these findings suggest that they influence performance nonetheless. Implications for optimizing cognitive test performance are discussed.
Elevation of alanine transaminase and gallbladder wall abnormalities as biomarkers of anaphylaxis in canine hypersensitivity patients
Authors: Quantz Jonnie E. , Miles Macon S. , Reed Ann L. , White George A.
Published: November 2009

Objective –The purpose of the study was to evaluate alanine transaminase (ALT) and gallbladder wall abnormalities as possible biomarkers for anaphylaxis in dogs presented for acute hypersensitivity reactions.

Design –Pilot study.

Setting –A private practice, small animal, 24‐hour emergency and specialty hospital.

Animals –Ninety‐six dogs presenting 101 times on an emergency basis for hypersensitivity reactions from March 2007 through March 2009.

Interventions –Veterinarians acquired a history, physical exam, serum chemistry panel, blood pressure, and ultrasound image of the gallbladder.

Measurements and Main Results –Dogs were then divided into 2 groups: dogs fulfilling the definition for anaphylaxis (moderate and severe systemic hypersensitivity) and dogs that did not fulfill the definition and were classified as allergic reactions (local hypersensitivity and mild systemic hypersensitivity). Elevated ALT was significantly associated with anaphylaxis (P<0.001). Increased gallbladder wall thickness and a striated wall pattern were significantly associated with anaphylaxis (P<0.001) and these changes were readily apparent to first‐responder veterinarians. Decreased body temperature (P<0.001) and hypothermia (P=0.006) were significantly associated with anaphylaxis. There was no significant difference between groups regarding age, heart rate, or presence of respiratory signs. Lower blood pressure was significantly associated with anaphylaxis (P<0.001) but hypotension was not significantly different (P=0.09) between groups. Cutaneous signs were significantly associated with the allergic reactions group (P<0.001) and, when seen with anaphylaxis, were subtle.

Conclusions –This study showed an elevated ALT and an abnormal gallbladder wall to be biomarkers significantly associated with anaphylaxis in dogs with acute hypersensitivity reactions.
Plasma arginine vasopressin concentration in horses undergoing surgery for colic
Authors: Ludders John W. , Palos Hanna‐Maaria , Erb Hollis N. , Lamb Stephen V. , Vincent Stella E. , Gleed Robin D.
Published: November 2009

Objective –To determine if horses before undergoing anesthesia for surgical correction of colic would have lower plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentrations than healthy horses undergoing anesthesia for arthroscopic surgery, and would not increase their plasma AVP concentrations in response to anesthesia and surgery.

Design –Prospective clinical study.

Setting –University teaching hospital.

Animals –Fourteen horses with colic and 8 healthy horses.

Interventions –Horses with colic underwent anesthesia and surgery for alleviation of colic, and healthy horses underwent anesthesia and surgery for arthroscopy.

Measurements and Main Results –Plasma AVP was measured perioperatively in horses with colic and in healthy horses. Before anesthesia, and 30 and 60 minutes after induction, horses with colic had greater median plasma AVP concentrations than control horses (P≤0.001); thereafter during anesthesia differences in AVP concentrations between the 2 groups were not significant. In the control group, plasma AVP concentration increased during 120 minutes of anesthesia; no such increase occurred in colic horses.

Conclusions –Compared with healthy horses, horses with colic had higher preanesthesia plasma AVP concentrations that did not increase further in response to anesthesia and surgery. Exogenous AVP is associated with decreased splanchnic perfusion in a variety of animal species and, therefore, could be detrimental to horses with colic. Thus, it may be inappropriate to use exogenous AVP in support of blood pressure in anesthetized horses with colic. Further studies are warranted to define appropriate indications for the use of AVP in horses with colic.
Endoscopically guided nasojejunal tube placement in dogs for short‐term postduodenal feeding
Authors: Pápa Kinga , Psáder Roland , Sterczer Ágnes , Pap Ákos , Rinkinen Minna , Spillmann Thomas
Published: November 2009

Objective
–
To evaluate a method for endoscopically guided nasojejunal tube placement allowing short‐term postduodenal feeding and chyme withdrawal in dogs.

Design
–
Pilot study.

Setting
–
University teaching hospital.

Animals
–
Three healthy Beagle dogs with jejunal nipple valve fistulas.

Interventions
–
After the dogs were anesthetized, an 8 Fr, 250‐cm polyvinyl chloride catheter was advanced through a gastroscope into the jejunum. Correct jejunal placement was established using endoscopic visualization and confirmed by fluoroscopy and radiography. The proximal end of the tube was pulled out through 1 nostril and sutured to the skin of the forehead. Thereafter, jejunal feeding was administered for 4 days. Follow‐up examinations included daily confirmation of the tube's position using radiography, physical examination, and blood analyses. Withdrawal of jejunal chyme was performed after jejunal and oral feeding.

Measurements and Main Results
–
Fluoroscopic examination confirmed that endoscopic visualization alone allowed correct jejunal placement. During a 4‐day postduodenal feeding period, repeated radiographic examination revealed stable positioning of the tubes within the jejunum with minor cranial displacement. The tubes were functional throughout the study without causing identifiable problems. Repeated physical examinations and blood analysis showed no abnormalities. We were able to administer the daily caloric requirements as a liquid diet. Jejunal chyme was successfully withdrawn via the tube.

Conclusions
–
Endoscopically guided nasojejunal tube placement was shown to be a minimally invasive, well‐tolerated method for short‐term jejunal feeding in healthy dogs. This technique is a viable option for dogs requiring jejunal feeding but not laparotomy. The feasibility of chyme sampling is another unique application of the procedure.
Late Quaternary glaciation and equilibrium line altitude variations of the McKinley River region, central Alaska Range
Authors: DORTCH JASON M. , OWEN LEWIS A. , CAFFEE MARC W. , BREASE PHIL
Published: November 2009

Dortch, J. M., Owen, L. A., Caffee, M. W. & Brease, P. 2009: Late Quaternary glaciation and equilibrium line altitude variations of the McKinley River region, central Alaska Range.Boreas, 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2009.00121.x. ISSN 0300‐9483

Glacial deposits and landforms produced by the Muldrow and Peters glaciers in the McKinley River region of Alaska were examined using geomorphic and10Be terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) surface exposure dating (SED) methods to assess the timing and nature of late Quaternary glaciation and moraine stabilization. In addition to the oldest glacial deposits (McLeod Creek Drift), a group of four late Pleistocene moraines (MP‐I, II, III and IV) and three late Holocene till deposits (‘X’, ‘Y’ and ‘Z’ drifts) are present in the region, representing at least eight glacial advances. The10Be TCN ages for the MP‐I moraine ranged from 2.5 kyr to 146 kyr, which highlights the problems of defining the ages of late Quaternary moraines using SED methods in central Alaska. The Muldrow ‘X’ drift has a10Be TCN age of ∼0.54 kyr, which is ∼1.3 kyr younger than the independent minimum lichen age of ∼1.8 kyr. This age difference probably represents the minimum time between formation and early stabilization of the moraine. Contemporary and former equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) were determined. The ELA depressions for the Muldrow glacial system were 560, 400, 350 and 190 m and for the Peters glacial system 560, 360, 150 and 10 m, based on MP‐I through MP‐IV moraines, respectively. The difference between ELA depressions for the Muldrow and Peters glaciers likely reflects differences in supraglacial debris‐cover, glacier hypsometry and topographic controls on glacier mass balance.
LTA 252GG and GA Genotypes are Associated with Diffuse‐Type Noncardia Gastric Cancer Risk in the Japanese Population
Authors: Suzuki Gen , Cullings Harry , Fujiwara Saeko , Matsuura Shinsuke , Kishi Takeshi , Ohishi Waka , Akahoshi Masazumi , Hayashi Tomonori , Tahara Eiichi
Published: November 2009

Background:  There are limited numbers of reports on the association of lymphotoxin‐alpha (LTA) genotypes with gastric cancer.

Methods:  A nested case–control study was carried out in the longitudinal cohort of atomic bomb survivors using stored sera before diagnosis (mean, 2.3 years) and blood cells. Enrolled were 287 cases with noncardia gastric cancer of diffuse and intestinal types and three controls per case selected from cohort members matched on age, gender, city, and time and type of serum storage and counter‐matched on radiation dose.

Results:  LTA 252GG and GA genotypes were associated with the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori IgG seropositivity and higher antibody titer against H. pylori cytotoxin‐associated gene A (CagA) protein in controls and they were an independent risk factor for noncardia gastric cancer of diffuse type (RR = 2.8 (95% CI: 1.3–6.3), p = .01, and RR = 2.7 (95% CI: 1.5–4.8), p < .001), but not for intestinal type, after adjusting for H. pylori IgG seropositivity, CagA antibody titers, chronic atrophic gastritis, smoking, and radiation dose. Cessation of smoking (RR = 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2–0.7), p < .001) and never smoking (RR = 0.4 (95% CI: 0.3–0.6), p < .001) were both protective for future noncardia gastric cancer. Radiation dose was associated with noncardia gastric cancer in subjects with both the LTA 252G‐allele and never smoking/quit smoking histories (RR = 3.8 (95% CI: 1.7–5.9), p = .009).

Conclusion:  The LTA 252 genotype is associated with noncardia gastric cancer of diffuse type in Japan and interacted with radiation dose.
Reactive Nitrogen Species Mediate DNA Damage in Helicobacter pylori‐Infected Gastric Mucosa
Authors: Katsurahara Masaki , Kobayashi Yoshinao , Iwasa Motoh , Ma Ning , Inoue Hiroyuki , Fujita Naoki , Tanaka Kyosuke , Horiki Noriyuki , Gabazza Esteban C. , Takei Yoshiyuki
Published: November 2009

Background:  Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) can play an important role in cellular injury and carcinogenesis of gastric epithelial cells infected with Helicobacter pylori. 8‐OH‐deoxy guanosine (8‐OHdG) and 8‐nitroguanine (8‐NG) are markers for ROS‐ and RNS‐mediated DNA oxidation, respectively. In this study, RNS‐mediated DNA damage in gastric mucosa was observed directly using a newly developed antibody to 8‐NG to clarify how H. pylori infection causes nitrative DNA damage to gastric epithelial cells.

Methods:  Immunohistochemistry with anti‐8‐OHdG and anti‐8‐NG antibodies was performed on gastric tissue samples from 45 patients (25 men and 20 women) with H. pylori‐positive gastritis and 19 patients (11 men and 8 women) exhibiting successful H. pylori eradication. Histologic factors for gastric mucosal inflammation were graded according to the guidelines of the Updated Sydney system.

Results:  In corpus mucosa, 8‐OHdG and 8‐NG production were significantly associated with the degree of glandular atrophy, infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells and intestinal metaplasia in the glandular epithelial cells. Successful H. pylori eradication resulted in a significant reduction of chronic inflammatory cell infiltration and neutrophilic activity. Mean 8‐OHdG production was lower after H. pylori eradication in both corpus and antral mucosa (p = .022 and .049, respectively). However, the reduction in 8‐NG exhibited was more pronounced than the reduction of 8‐OhdG (p = .004 and .007, respectively).

Conclusions:  Helicobacter pylori infection can induce inflammatory cells infiltration, which evokes DNA damage of gastric epithelial cells through ROS and RNS production. 8‐NG might be a more sensitive biomarker than 8‐OHdG for H. pylori‐induced DNA damage in gastric mucosa.
The Modified Sequential Treatment Regimen Containing Levofloxacin for Helicobacter pylori Eradication in Turkey
Authors: Aydin Ahmet , Oruc Nevin , Turan Ilker , Ozutemiz Omer , Tuncyurek Muge , Musoglu Ahmet
Published: November 2009

Background:  Eradication rates of Helicobacter pylori have declined to unacceptable levels in recent years. New and effective treatment options are warranted both as a first and second line treatment.

Aim:  To test an effectiveness of modified sequential therapy with levofloxacin for H. pylori eradication in Turkey.

Material and Methods:  Helicobacter pylori infected dyspeptic patients were included to the study. Subjects were treated with modified sequential therapy consisting of rabeprazole 20 mg b.i.d. and amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., for 7 days followed by rabeprazole 20 mg b.i.d, levofloxacin 500 mg q.d. and metronidazole 500 mg b.i.d for the remaining 7 days.

Results:  Sixty‐three treatment naive patients and 37 previous treatment failures were enrolled to the study (59 F, 41 M, age: 21–80 years). There was five drop out. Helicobacter pylori eradication was achieved in 80 patients, intention‐to‐treat (ITT): 80% (95% CI: 71–87%) and per‐protocol (PP): 84.2% (95% CI: 75–91%), totally. In treatment naive patients ITT and PP eradication rates were 82.5% (95% CI: 71–91%), and 86.7% (95% CI: 75–94%), respectively. As a second line treatment eradication was successful in ITT 75.7%.(95% CI: 59–88%), and PP 80% (95% CI: 63–92%).Mild side effects were reported by 8 patients (8.4%).

Conclusions:  Sequential therapy using “rabeprazole and amoxicillin 7 days followed by rabeprazole, metronidazole and levofloxacin for 7 days” is a new regimen with acceptable eradication rates in naïve patients in Turkey. Further modifications in the dose or duration of this new sequential therapy might increase its effectiveness as both first and second line treatment.
Clarithromycin–Amoxycillin‐Containing Triple Therapy: A Valid Empirical First‐Line Treatment for Helicobacter pylori Eradication in Hong Kong?
Authors: Hung Ivan F.N. , Chan Pierre , Leung Sally , Chan Fion S.Y. , Hsu Axel , But David , Seto Wai Kay , Wong Siu Yin , Chan Chi Kuen , Gu Qing , Tong Teresa S.M. , Cheung Ting Kin , Chu Kent Man , Wong Benjamin C.Y.
Published: November 2009

Background:  Recent studies have suggested the eradication rate for Helicobacter pylori infection with standard amoxycillin–clarithromycin‐containing triple therapy as first‐line treatment have fallen below 80%. Levofloxacin‐containing triple therapy was proposed as an alternative. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and tolerability of the standard 7‐day clarithromycin‐containing triple therapy against the 7‐day levofloxacin‐containing triple therapy, and to assess whether the classical triple therapy is still valid as empirical first‐line treatment for H. pylori infection in Hong Kong.

Methods:  Three hundred consecutive H. pylori‐positive patients were randomized to receive either 1 week of EAL (esomeprazole 20 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d., and levofloxacin 500 mg daily) or EAC (esomeprazole 20 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d., and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d.). H. pylori status was rechecked by 13C‐urea breath test 6 weeks after treatment. Patients who failed either of the first‐line eradication therapy were invited to undergo H. pylori susceptibility testing.

Results:  H. pylori eradication was achieved in 128 of 150 (85.3%) patients in EAL and 139 of 150 (92.7%) patients in EAC groups, respectively (p = .043), for both intention‐to‐treat and per‐protocol analysis. More patients in the clarithromycin‐ than the levofloxacin‐containing therapy group developed side effects from the medication (21.3% vs 13.3%, p = .060). Nine patients (six from the EAL group and three from the EAC group) who failed their corresponding eradication therapy returned for susceptibility testing. All nine isolates were highly resistant to levofloxacin (minimum inhibitory concentration or MIC > 32 μg/mL), whereas only two of the six isolates from the EAL group were resistant to clarithromycin (MIC > 0.5 μg/mL).

Conclusions:  The standard 7‐day clarithromycin‐containing triple therapy is still valid as the most effective empirical first‐line eradication therapy for H. pylori infection in Hong Kong, as prevalence of primary resistance of H. pylori to amoxycillin and clarithromycin remains low. Patients who failed their empirical first‐line eradication therapy should undergo H. pylori susceptibility testing to guide further treatment.
Helicobacter pylori Multiplex Serology
Authors: Michel Angelika , Waterboer Tim , Kist Manfred , Pawlita Michael
Published: November 2009

Background:  Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with severe gastrointestinal disease including cancer. It induces complex antibody responses that might vary depending on disease state but currently cannot be assessed adequately. The objective of this work was the development of a sensitive and specific H. pylori multiplex serology assay with high‐throughput capability that allows simultaneous detection of antibodies to a protein array.

Methods:  Seventeen proteins of up to three H. pylori strains (26695, G27, 151), including CagA, VacA, UreA, Catalase, Omp, and GroEL, were recombinantly expressed as glutathione‐S‐transferase fusion proteins, affinity‐purified, and used as antigens in a fluorescent bead‐based antibody‐binding assay. Reference sera (n = 317) characterized by commercial assays (screening ELISA with Western blot confirmation) were used for validation.

Results:  H. pylori seropositivity by multiplex serology defined as reactivity with at least four proteins showed good agreement (kappa: 0.70) with commercial serologic assay classification, and a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 82%. For individual antigens, agreement with Western blot was good for CagA (kappa: 0.77), moderate for UreA (kappa: 0.53), and weak for VacA (kappa: 0.12). Of the 13 proteins expressed from two strains, only VacA showed serologic strain differences. High antibody reactivity to CagA (Type I infection) was negatively associated with antibodies to GroEL, Cad, CagM, catalase, HcpC, NapA, and UreA, suggesting type‐specific differences in protein expression patterns and/or immune response.

Conclusion:  With its high‐throughput and simultaneous detection abilities, H. pylori multiplex serology appears suited as tool for large seroepidemiologic studies assessing H. pylori prevalence, antibody patterns, and associations with specific diseases.
Bioaccumulation of Amylose‐Like Glycans by Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Ferreira José A. , Pires Cristiana , Paulo Marina , Azevedo Nuno F. , Domingues M. Rosário , Vieira Maria João , Monteiro Mario A. , Coimbra Manuel A.
Published: November 2009

Background:  Helicobacter pylori cell surface is composed of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) yielding structures homologous to mammalian Lewis O‐chains blood group antigens. These structures are key mediators in the definition of host‐microbial interactions and known to change their expression pattern in response to environmental pressure.

Aims:  The present work is focused on the identification of new H. pylori cell‐surface glycosides. Special attention is further devoted to provide insights on the impact of in vitro subcultivation on H. pylori cell‐surface phenotypes.

Methods:  Cell‐surface glycans from H. pylori NCTC 11637 and two clinical isolates were recovered from the aqueous phase resulting from phenol:water extraction of intact bacteria. They were evaluated in relation to their sugars and glycosidic‐linkages composition by CG‐MS, size‐exclusion chromatography, NMR, and Mass Spectrometry. H. pylori glycan profile was also monitored during subcultivation in vitro in agar and F12 liquid medium.

Results:  All three studied strains produce LPS expressing Lewis epitopes and express bioaccumulate amylose‐like glycans. Bioaccumulation of amylose was found to be enhanced with the subcultivation of the bacterium on agar medium and accompanied by a decrease in the expression of LPS O‐chains. In contrast, during exponential growth in F12 liquid medium, an opposite behavior is observed, that is, there is an increase in the overall amount of LPS and decrease in amylose content.

Conclusions:  This work shows that under specific environmental conditions, H. pylori expresses a phase‐variable cell‐surface α‐(1→4)‐glucose moiety.
Serum Levels of Leptin As Marker For Patients At High Risk of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Capelle Lisette G. , De Vries Annemarie C. , Haringsma Jelle , Steyerberg Ewout W. , Looman Caspar W. N. , Nagtzaam Nicole M. A. , Van Dekken Herman , Ter Borg Frank , De Vries Richard A. , Kuipers Ernst J.
Published: November 2009

Background:  Serological screening for gastric cancer (GC) may reduce mortality. However, optimal serum markers for advanced gastric precursor lesions are lacking.

Aim:  To evaluate in a case–control study whether serum leptin levels correlate with intestinal metaplasia (IM) and can serve as a tool to identify patients at high risk for GC.

Materials and Methods:  Cases were patients with a previous diagnosis of IM or dysplasia, controls were patients without such a diagnosis. All patients underwent endoscopy. Fasting serum was collected for the measurement of leptin, pepsinogens I/II, gastrin, and Helicobacter pylori. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and their area under the curve (AUC) were provided to compare serum leptin levels with other serological markers.

Results:  One hundred nineteen cases and 98 controls were included. In cases, the median leptin levels were 116.6 pg/mL versus 81.9 pg/mL in controls (p = .01). After adjustment for age, sex and BMI, leptin levels remained higher in cases than in controls (p < .005). In multivariate analysis, male sex (p = .002), age (<0.001), low pepsinogen levels (p = .004) and high leptin levels (p = .04) were independent markers for the presence of IM. In addition, a ROC curve including age, sex and pepsinogen I levels had an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI (0.73–0.85)). Adding serum leptin levels increased the AUC to 0.81 (95% CI (0.75–0.86)).

Conclusions:  High leptin levels are associated with an increased risk of IM. Moreover, serum leptin levels are a significant independent marker for the presence of IM. However, in combination with the serological test for pepsinogen I the additional value of serum leptin levels is rather limited.
A Gentle Introduction to Risk Aversion and Utility Theory
Authors: Cather David A.
Published: November 2009

Abstract

While the topics of risk aversion and utility theory have been discussed extensively in the academic literature on risk and insurance, this literature does not include a pedagogical discussion that is widely accessible for classroom use. This article provides a practical introduction to risk aversion that is designed for readers with little prerequisite course work in economics or statistics. We describe a simple model of insurance demand that can be applied to the property, liability, life, and health insurance markets. We also demonstrate how risk aversion affects a variety of real‐life insurance decisions made under conditions of uncertainty, including how much the market will bear to pay for insurance administrative expenses and how demand varies for different types of auto insurance coverage. Exercises and practice problems are provided so that readers can test their mastery of the concepts presented in the article. An instructional note on using this article to teach risk aversion in the classroom is also provided.
The limits of solidarity: Labor and transnational organizing against Coca‐Cola
Authors: GILL LESLEY
Published: November 2009

In this article, I explore the concept of “solidarity” through an examination of the alliances and disjunctures that shaped a transnational campaign against the Coca‐Cola Company. I consider how the balance of power within cross‐class coalitions influenced the framing of issues and the development of tactics, and I examine the tensions that arose among diverse groups who chose to struggle together but shared different goals and perspectives. I argue that the labor philanthropy of northern activists on behalf of Colombian workers could not substitute for the labor solidarity that Colombian workers asked of their northern allies. My study suggests that transnational activists from the North focus on tactics that push states, as well as corporations, to protect labor rights and that they pay closer attention to the analyses and objectives of the working people with whom they claim solidarity.