bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heavy metal scavenger metallothionein mitigates deep hypothermia-induced myocardial contractile anomalies: role of autophagy
Authors: Jiang Shasha , Guo Rui , Zhang Yingmei , Zou Yunzeng , Ren Jun
Published: November 2012

Low-ambient temperature environment exposure increased the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study was designed to examine the impact of cardiac overexpression of metallothionein, a cysteine-rich heavy metal scavenger, on low temperature (4°C)-induced changes in myocardial function and the underlying mechanism involved, with a focus on autophagy. Cold exposure (4°C for 3 wk) promoted oxidative stress and protein damage, increased left ventricular end-systolic and -diastolic diameter, and suppressed fractional shortening and whole heart contractility, the effects of which were significantly attenuated or ablated by metallothionein. Levels of the autophagy markers LC3B-II, beclin-1, and Atg7 were significantly upregulated with unchanged autophagy adaptor protein p62. Fluorescent immunohistochemistry revealed abundant LC3B puncta in cold temperature-exposed mouse hearts. Coimmunoprecipitation revealed increased dissociation between Bcl2 and Beclin-1. Cold exposure reduced phosphorylation of the autophagy inhibitory signaling molecules Akt and mTOR, increased ULK1 phosphorylation, and dampened eNOS phosphorylation (without changes in their total protein expression). These cold exposure-induced changes in myocardial function, autophagy, and autophagy signaling cascades were significantly alleviated or mitigated by metallothionein. Inhibition of autophagy using 3-methyladenine in vivo reversed cold exposure-induced cardiomyocyte contractile defects. Cold exposure-induced cardiomyocyte dysfunction was attenuated by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine and the lysosomal inhibitor bafilomycin A1. Collectively, these findings suggest that metallothionein protects against cold exposure-induced cardiac anomalies possibly through attenuation of cardiac autophagy.
Potential role for Nrf2 activation in the therapeutic effect of MG132 on diabetic nephropathy in OVE26 diabetic mice
Authors: Cui Wenpeng , Li Bing , Bai Yang , Miao Xiao , Chen Qiang , Sun Weixia , Tan Yi , Luo Ping , Zhang Chi , Zheng Shirong , Epstein Paul N. , Miao Lining , Cai Lu
Published: November 2012

Oxidative stress is a major cause of diabetic nephropathy. Upregulation of the key antioxidative transcription factor, nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), was found to prevent the development of diabetic nephropathy. The present study was designed to explore the therapeutic effect of Nrf2 induced by proteasomal inhibitor MG132 at a low dose (10 μg/kg) on diabetic nephropathy. Transgenic type 1 diabetic (OVE26) mice displayed renal dysfunction with albuminuria by 3 mo of age, at which time MG132 treatment was started. After 3-mo treatment with MG132, renal function, morphology, and biochemical changes were examined with real-time PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemical examination. Compared with age-matched, nontreated diabetic mice, MG132-treated diabetic mice showed significant improvements in terms of renal structural and functional alterations. These therapeutic effects were associated with increased Nrf2 expression and transcriptional upregulation of Nrf2-regulated antioxidants. Mechanistic study using human renal tubular HK11 cells confirmed the role of Nrf2, as silencing the Nrf2 gene with its specific siRNA abolished MG132 prevention of high-glucose-induced profibrotic response. Furthermore, diabetes was found to significantly increase proteasomal activity in the kidney, an effect that was significantly attenuated by 3 mo of treatment with MG132. These results suggest that MG132 upregulates Nrf2 function via inhibition of diabetes-increased proteasomal activity, which can provide the basis for the therapeutic effect of MG132 on the kidney against diabetes-induced oxidative damage, inflammation, fibrosis, and eventual dysfunction.
Early genetic responses in rat vascular tissue after simulated diving
Authors: Eftedal Ingrid , Jørgensen Arve , Røsbjørgen Ragnhild , Flatberg Arnar , Brubakk Alf O.
Published: November 2012

Diving causes a transient reduction of vascular function, but the mechanisms behind this are largely unknown. The aim of this study was therefore to analyze genetic reactions that may be involved in acute changes of vascular function in divers. Rats were exposed to 709 kPa of hyperbaric air (149 kPa Po2) for 50 min followed by postdive monitoring of vascular bubble formation and full genome microarray analysis of the aorta from diving rats ( n = 8) and unexposed controls ( n = 9). Upregulation of 23 genes was observed 1 h after simulated diving. The differential gene expression was characteristic of cellular responses to oxidative stress, with functions of upregulated genes including activation and fine-tuning of stress-responsive transcription, cytokine/cytokine receptor signaling, molecular chaperoning, and coagulation. By qRT-PCR, we verified increased transcription of neuron-derived orphan receptor-1 ( Nr4a3), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 ( Serpine1), cytokine TWEAK receptor FN14 ( Tnfrsf12a), transcription factor class E basic helix-loop-helix protein 40 ( Bhlhe40), and adrenomedullin ( Adm). Hypoxia-inducible transcription factor HIF1 subunit HIF1-α was stabilized in the aorta 1 h after diving, and after 4 h there was a fivefold increase in total protein levels of the procoagulant plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI1) in blood plasma from diving rats. The study did not have sufficient power for individual assessment of effects of hyperoxia and decompression-induced bubbles on postdive gene expression. However, differential gene expression in rats without venous bubbles was similar to that of all the diving rats, indicating that elevated Po2 instigated the observed genetic reactions.
Treatment with Ginger Ameliorates Fructose-Induced Fatty Liver and Hypertriglyceridemia in Rats: Modulation of the Hepatic Carbohydrate Response Element-Binding Protein-Mediated Pathway
Authors: Gao Huanqing , Guan Tao , Li Chunli , Zuo Guowei , Yamahara Johji , Wang Jianwei , Li Yuhao
Published: November 2012

Ginger has been demonstrated to improve lipid derangements. However, its underlying triglyceride-lowering mechanisms remain unclear. Fructose overconsumption is associated with increase in hepatic de novo lipogenesis, thereby resulting in lipid derangements. Here we found that coadministration of the alcoholic extract of ginger (50 mg/kg/day, oral gavage, once daily) over 5 weeks reversed liquid fructose-induced increase in plasma triglyceride and glucose concentrations and hepatic triglyceride content in rats. Plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentration was also decreased. Attenuation of the increased vacuolization and Oil Red O staining area was evident on histological examination of liver in ginger-treated rats. However, ginger treatment did not affect chow intake and body weight. Further, ginger treatment suppressed fructose-stimulated overexpression of carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) at the mRNA and protein levels in the liver. Consequently, hepatic expression of the ChREBP-targeted lipogenic genes responsible for fatty acid biosynthesis was also downregulated. In contrast, expression of neither peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- (PPAR-) alpha and its downstream genes, nor PPAR-gamma and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c was altered. Thus the present findings suggest that in rats, amelioration of fructose-induced fatty liver and hypertriglyceridemia by ginger treatment involves modulation of the hepatic ChREBP-mediated pathway.
Time to Get Serious About Skin Cancer Prevention
Authors: Lazovich DeAnn , Choi Kelvin , Vogel Rachel Isaksson
Published: November 2012

In this commentary, we discuss the skin cancer epidemic in the United States and provide data to indicate that the United States public is not protecting itself from ultraviolet radiation, the primary risk factor for melanoma, and nonmelanoma skin cancer. In our opinion, skin cancer control in this country may be hindered by uncertainty about the effectiveness of sun protection strategies, inconsistent messages about the relative effectiveness of sun protection measures by federal and national organizations, and conventional research approaches that have identified few effective sun protection interventions for adults and targeted individuals for behavior change without considering the environmental context. A policy and research agenda is put forth to remedy the apparent insufficiencies in the current approach to skin cancer prevention in the United States. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(11); 1893–901. ©2012 AACR.
Trends in HPV Vaccine Initiation among Adolescent Females in North Carolina, 2008–2010
Authors: Moss Jennifer L. , Gilkey Melissa B. , Reiter Paul L. , Brewer Noel T.
Published: November 2012

Background: To better target future immunization efforts, we assessed trends and disparities in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine initiation among female adolescents in North Carolina over 3 years.

Methods: We analyzed data from a stratified random sample of 1,427 parents who, between 2008 and 2010, completed two linked telephone surveys: the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program surveys. Weighted analyses examined HPV vaccine initiation for girls ages 11 to 17 years.

Results: HPV vaccine initiation increased modestly over time (2008, 34%; 2009, 41%; 2010, 44%). This upward trend was present within 11 subpopulations of girls, including those who lived in rural areas, were of minority (non-black/non-white) race, or had not recently received a preventive check-up. Looking at differences between groups, HPV vaccine initiation was less common among girls who attended private versus public school, were younger, or lacked a recent check-up. However, the latter difference narrowed over time. The low level of initiation among girls without recent check-ups increased substantially (from 11% to 41%), whereas initiation among girls with recent visits improved little (from 39% to 44%, Pinteraction = 0.007).

Conclusions: Although HPV vaccine initiation improved among several groups typically at higher risk for cervical cancer, the lack of progress among girls with recent check-ups suggests that missed opportunities for administration have hampered broader improvements.

Impact: Achieving widespread coverage of HPV vaccine will require redoubled efforts to vaccinate adolescents during routine care. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(11); 1913–22. ©2012 AACR.
Methylation of the Polycomb Group Target Genes Is a Possible Biomarker for Favorable Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Dallol Ashraf , Al-Maghrabi Jaudah , Buhmeida Abdelbaset , Gari Mamdooh A. , Chaudhary Adeel G. , Schulten Hans-Juergen , Abuzenadah Adel M. , Al-Ahwal Mahmoud S. , Sibiany Abdulrahman , Al-Qahtani Mohammed H.
Published: November 2012

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with ever increasing incidence rates. DNA methylation is a common event in CRC where it is now considered an important phenomenon in CRC carcinogenesis and useful for the classification and prognosis of CRC.

Methods: To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underpinning CRC in Saudi Arabian patients, we profiled the DNA methylation frequency of key genes (MLH1, MSH2, RASSF1A, SLIT2, HIC1, MGMT, SFRP1, MYOD1, APC, CDKN2A, as well as five CIMP markers) in 120 sporadic CRC cases. CRC tumors originating from the rectum, left, and right colons are represented in this cohort of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues.

Results: The most common methylation frequency was detected in the polycomb group target genes (PCGT) including SFRP1 (70%), MYOD1 (60.8%), HIC1 (61.7%), and SLIT2 (56.7%). In addition, MGMT methylation was detected at a high frequency (68.3%). RASSF1A, APC, and CDKN2A methylation frequencies were 42.5%, 25%, and 32.8%, respectively. K-means clustering analysis of the methylation events results in the clustering of the CRC samples into three groups depending on the level of methylation detected.

Conclusion: Group II (PCGT methylation and CIMP-negative) methylation signature carried a favorable prognosis for male patients, whereas older patients with group I rare methylation signature have a potentially poorer clinical outcome.

Impact: Methylation of the PCGT genes along with RASSF1A, APC, and MGMT can be potentially used as a new biomarker for the classification and prognosis of CRC tumors and independently of where the tumor has originated. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(11); 2069–75. ©2012 AACR.
Iron in Relation to Gastric Cancer in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study
Authors: Cook Michael B. , Kamangar Farin , Weinstein Stephanie J. , Albanes Demetrius , Virtamo Jarmo , Taylor Philip R. , Abnet Christian C. , Wood Richard J. , Petty Gayle , Cross Amanda J. , Dawsey Sanford M.
Published: November 2012

Background: Iron is an essential micronutrient that can have carcinogenic effects when at high or low concentrations. Previous studies of iron in relation to gastric cancer have not assessed subtype-specific relationships. We used the prospective Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene (ATBC) Cancer Prevention Study to assess whether iron metrics were associated with gastric cardia cancer (GCC) and gastric noncardia cancer (GNCC).

Methods: We selected 341 incident gastric cancer cases (86 cardia, 172 noncardia, and 83 nonspecified), accrued during 22 years of follow-up, and 341 individually matched controls. We measured prediagnostic serum iron, ferritin, unsaturated iron binding capacity, and C-reactive protein. Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and transferrin saturation were estimated from these metrics. Dietary iron exposures were estimated from a food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used for analysis.

Results: Serum iron metrics were not associated with GCC, except for a potential “n”-shaped relationship with TIBC (global P = 0.038). GNCC was inversely associated with serum ferritin (global P = 0.024), serum iron (global P = 0.060) and, possibly, transferrin saturation. TIBC appeared to share a “u”-shaped relationship with GNCC (global P = 0.033). Dietary iron exposures were not associated with either subsite. Adjustment for Helicobacter pylori and gastric atrophy had little effect on observed associations.

Conclusions: We found little evidence for the involvement of iron exposure in the pathogenesis of GCC. GNCC was associated with an iron profile similar to that of iron deficiency.

Impact: Our findings indicate that inverse associations between iron metrics and gastric cancer are driven by associations with GNCC. Further elucidation of potential mechanisms is warranted. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(11); 2033–42. ©2012 AACR.
Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Aldo-Keto and Carbonyl Reductase Genes Are Not Associated with Acute Cardiotoxicity after Daunorubicin Chemotherapy
Authors: Lubieniecka Joanna M. , Liu Jie , Heffner Daniel , Graham Jinko , Reid Ronald , Hogge Donna , Grigliatti Tom A. , Riggs Wayne K.
Published: November 2012

Background: Evidence suggests that interpatient variability in anthracycline metabolic rate may contribute to the cardiotoxicity associated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Therefore, polymorphisms in the anthracycline metabolizing enzymes have been proposed as potential biomarkers of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC).

Methods: We have previously shown that 13 of the naturally occurring nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNP) in the aldo–keto reductases (AKR) and carbonyl reductases (CBR) reduce anthracycline metabolic rate in vitro. Here, we test these SNPs individually and jointly for association with daunorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Results: Five of the 13 nsSNPs exhibiting an in vitro effect on anthracycline metabolism were detected among the 185 patients with AML. No association was found between the SNPs and daunorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in either individual or joint effect analyses.

Conclusions: Despite the shown in vitro effect of nsSNPs in reductase genes on anthracycline metabolic rate, on their own these SNPs do not explain enough variability in cardiotoxicity to be useful markers of this adverse event.

Impact: The results of this study provide important information for biomarker studies on side effects of anthracycline chemotherapy. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(11); 2118–20. ©2012 AACR.
Percutaneous Transluminal Pulmonary Angioplasty for the Treatment of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Kataoka Masaharu , Inami Takumi , Hayashida Kentaro , Shimura Nobuhiko , Ishiguro Haruhisa , Abe Takayuki , Tamura Yuichi , Ando Motomi , Fukuda Keiichi , Yoshino Hideaki , Satoh Toru
Published: November 2012

Background—

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension leads to pulmonary hypertension and right-sided heart failure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty (PTPA) for the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Methods and Results—

Twenty-nine patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension underwent PTPA. One patient had a wiring perforation as a complication of PTPA and died 2 days after the procedure. In the remaining 28 patients, PTPA did not produce immediate hemodynamic improvement at the time of the procedure. However, after follow-up (6.0 ± 6.9 months), New York Heart Association functional classifications and levels of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide significantly improved (both
P
<0.01). Hemodynamic parameters also significantly improved (mean pulmonary arterial pressure, 45.3 ± 9.8 versus 31.8 ± 10.0 mm Hg; cardiac output, 3.6 ± 1.2 versus 4.6 ± 1.7 L/min, baseline versus follow-up, respectively; both
P
<0.01). Twenty-seven of 51 procedures in total (53%), and 19 of 28 first procedures (68%), had reperfusion pulmonary edema as the chief complication. Patients with severe clinical signs and/or severe hemodynamics at baseline had a high risk of reperfusion pulmonary edema.

Conclusions—

PTPA improved subjective symptoms and objective variables, including pulmonary hemodynamics. PTPA may be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.umin.ac.jp
. Unique identifier: UMIN000001572.
High Blood Pressure, Physical and Cognitive Function, and Risk of Stroke in the Oldest Old
Authors: Sabayan Behnam , van Vliet Peter , de Ruijter Wouter , Gussekloo Jacobijn , de Craen Anton J.M. , Westendorp Rudi G.J.
Published: November 2012

Background and Purpose—

Epidemiological studies have shown mixed findings on the association between hypertension and stroke in the oldest old. Heterogeneity of the populations under study may underlie variation in outcomes. We examined whether the level of physical and cognitive function moderates the association between blood pressure and stroke.

Methods—

We included 513 subjects aged 85 years old from the population-based Leiden 85-plus Study. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure were measured at baseline. Activities of daily living and Mini-Mental State Examination were assessed to estimate level of physical and cognitive function, respectively. Five-year risk of stroke was estimated with Cox regression analysis.

Results—

In the entire cohort, there were no associations between various measures of blood pressure and risk of stroke except for the inverse relation between pulse pressure and stroke risk (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66–0.98]). Among subjects with impaired physical functioning, higher systolic blood pressure (HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.59–0.92]), mean arterial pressure (HR: 0.68 [95% CI, 0.47–0.97]), and pulse pressure (HR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.55–0.93]) were associated with reduced risk of stroke. Likewise, among subjects with impaired cognitive functioning, higher systolic blood pressure was associated with reduced risk of stroke (HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.65–0.98]). In subjects with unimpaired cognitive functioning, higher diastolic blood pressure (HR: 1.98 [95% CI, 1.21–3.22]) and mean arterial pressure (HR, 1.70 [95% CI, 1.08–2.68]) were associated with higher risk of stroke.

Conclusions—

Our findings suggest that impaired physical and cognitive function moderates the association between blood pressure and stroke.
Timing of Stroke in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Replacement and Matched Controls
Authors: Lalmohamed Arief , Vestergaard Peter , Cooper Cyrus , de Boer Anthonius , Leufkens Hubertus G.M. , van Staa Tjeerd P. , de Vries Frank
Published: November 2012

Background and Purpose—

Stroke is a potentially fatal complication of total hip replacements (THR). However, timing of stroke in THR patients compared with matched controls and influence of drug use remain unknown. The objective of this study was to determine timing of stroke in patients with THR compared with matched control subjects.

Methods—

A nationwide cohort study was conducted within the Danish registers (1998–2007). Included patients were those with a primary THR in the study period (n=66 583) and were matched by age, sex, and region to three referent subjects without THR or total knee replacements. Time-dependent Cox models were used to derive hazard ratios and were adjusted for disease history and drug use.

Results—

A 4.7-fold increased risk of ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.69; 95% CI, 3.12–7.06), and a 4.4-fold increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.40; 95% CI, 2.01–9.62) were found within 2 weeks following THR, compared with matched controls. The risk remained elevated during the first 6 postoperative weeks for ischemic stroke, and the first 12 weeks for hemorrhagic stroke. Outpatient antiplatelet drug use lowered the 6-week hazard ratios for ischemic stroke by 70%, although not affecting risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Conclusions—

This study shows, that THR patients have a 4.7-fold increased risk of ischemic stroke, and a 4.4-fold increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke during the first 2 weeks postsurgery. Risk assessment of stroke in individual patients undergoing THR (ie, evaluate other risk factors for stroke) should be considered during the first 6 to 12 weeks.
A Compositional Approach Derived from Material and Ephemeral Elements
Authors: Fullman Ellen
Published: November 2012

The author discusses her experiences in conceiving, designing and working with the Long String Instrument, an ongoing hybrid of installation and instrument integrating acoustics, engineering and composition.
Materials Innovation in Acoustic Guitars: Challenging the Tonal Superiority of Wood
Authors: Pedgley Owain , Norman Eddie
Published: November 2012

The authors explore perceived sound properties of acoustic guitars built with foamed polycarbonate soundboards rather than spruce or cedar. The research seeks to establish the extent to which polymer acoustic guitars are an acoustically credible alternative to wood instruments. Data are generated through participation by members of the public (n = 320) in blind listening tests. Remarkably, participants are found unable to distinguish much beyond a 50% success rate whether sound originates from wood or polymer acoustic guitars. The findings challenge deeply rooted ideas about traditional material-instrument relationships and champion the use of design as a driver for instrument innovation and artistic engagement.
Resonance: From the Architectural to the Microscopic
Authors: Driscoll John
Published: November 2012

The author's work has focused on the use of acoustical phenomena, as opposed to electronic and computer-based sound synthesis, for sound generation. His approach to sound generation and processing utilizes a number of self-built instruments, including resonant sculptural objects, ultrasonic instruments and robotic rotating loudspeakers. The author illustrates the development and implementation of these instruments for the creation of a sonic architecture.
Sustained Tones and the Auditory Experience
Authors: Glover Richard
Published: November 2012

The author describes his approach to using sustained tones in his compositional work and how he harnesses acoustical and psychoacoustical occurrences to create individual listening experiences.
Ear as Instrument
Authors: Haworth Christopher
Published: November 2012

The desire for instrumental qualities in computer music often leads the artist to a process of “synthetic limitation,” wherein constraint is designed into a performance system, permitting creation only within prescribed limits. These practices can emerge as a consequence of the sheer dearth of possibilities available to the digital artist: as though the path to new sounds and ever more intimate control leads ultimately to a retreat. The author's response to this perennial dilemma has been to try to discover instrumental limitations within the ear itself. He describes an “ear-as-instrument” approach to the composition of Correlation Number One (CNO), an eight-channel computer music work he created in 2010 that uses a self-authored form of Distortion Product Oto-Acoustic Emission (DPOAE) synthesis.
It's for You: Muddy Waters's “Long Distance Call” and How Delta Blues Re-Set the Controls for the Heart of the Earth
Authors: First David
Published: November 2012

In this paper the author expresses his view that the music of the Mississippi Delta region of the U.S.A. was a major instigator in returning musical impulses to a more natural and intuitive path, while also presaging many of the formal compositional innovations that took place in the latter half of the 20th century.
Tropical Cloud Cluster Climatology, Variability, and Genesis Productivity
Authors: Hennon Christopher C. , Papin Philippe P. , Zarzar Christopher M. , Michael Jeremy R. , Caudill J. Adam , Douglas Carson R. , Groetsema Wesley C. , Lacy John H. , Maye Zachery D. , Reid Justin L. , Scales Mark A. , Talley Melissa D. , Helms Charles N.
Published: November 2012

Tropical cloud clusters (TCCs) are traditionally defined as synoptic-scale areas of deep convection and associated cirrus outflow. They play a critical role in the energy balance of the tropics, releasing large amounts of latent heat high in the troposphere. If conditions are favorable, TCCs can develop into tropical cyclones (TCs), which put coastal populations at risk. Previous work, usually connected with large field campaigns, has investigated TCC characteristics over small areas and time periods. Recently, developments in satellite reanalysis and global best track assimilation have allowed for the creation of a much more extensive database of TCC activity. The authors use the TCC database to produce an extensive global analysis of TCCs, focusing on TCC climatology, variability, and genesis productivity (GP) over a 28-yr period (1982–2009). While global TCC frequency was fairly consistent over the time period, with relatively small interannual variability and no noticeable trend, regional analyses show a high degree of interannual variability with clear trends in some regions. Approximately 1600 TCCs develop around the globe each year; about 6.4% of those develop into TCs. The eastern North Pacific Ocean (EPAC) basin produces the highest number of TCCs (per unit area) in a given year, but the western North Pacific Ocean (WPAC) basin has the highest GP (~12%). Annual TCC frequency in some basins exhibits a strong correlation to sea surface temperatures (SSTs), particularly in the EPAC, North Atlantic Ocean, and WPAC. However, GP is not as sensitive to SST, supporting the hypothesis that the tropical cyclogenesis process is most sensitive to atmospheric dynamical considerations such as vertical wind shear and large-scale vorticity.
An Effective, Economic, Aspirated Radiation Shield for Air Temperature Observations and Its Spatial Gradients
Authors: Thomas Christoph K. , Smoot Alexander R.
Published: November 2012

This paper presents the design and evaluates the performance of a double-walled electrically aspirated radiation shield for thermometers measuring air temperature and its gradients in the atmospheric surface layer. Tests were performed to quantify its solar radiation error and wake production, and to characterize the observer effect of the forced aspiration on vertical temperature gradients in the calm and stable boundary layer. Construction requirements were to design a unit that uses inexpensive off-the-shelf components, to assemble easily, to facilitate reconfiguration to accommodate various sensors, and to reduce power consumption with the goal of reducing costs and enabling use in sensor networks in remote locations. The custom-aspirated shield was evaluated in reference to a triple-walled commercially available model and subjected to rigorous testing in a wind tunnel and field experiments.

The relative radiation error of air temperature measurements in the custom-aspirated shield was equal to or smaller than that in the reference shield within ±0.08 K for solar irradiances ≥1000 W m−2 and calm winds. At night, thermal imagery revealed no significant differences in surface temperatures of both shields and the air temperature. Both shields produced significant wake within a ±30° sector of incident flow. Even for weak flows ≤0.7 m s−1, higher-order moments were increased by a factor of 3, while the mean airflow speed was reduced by up to 30% compared to uncontaminated directions. Careful inspection of the spatiotemporal dynamics of air temperatures in a vertical profile showed negligible impact of the forced aspiration on the finescale structure of the observations for the nocturnal and transitional calm surface layers.
Assessment of Wind Pattern Accuracy from the QuikSCAT Satellite and the WRF Model along the Galician Coast (Northwest Iberian Peninsula)
Authors: Sousa M. C. , Alvarez I. , Vaz N. , Gomez-Gesteira M. , Dias J. M.
Published: November 2012

Surface wind along the Galician coast is a key factor allowing the analysis of important oceanographic features that are related to the great primary production in this area, as upwelling events. A comparative analysis between surface winds obtained from the Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT), the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, and in situ observations from buoys along the Galician coast is carried out from November 2008 to October 2009. This comparison evaluates the accuracy of satellite and modeled data. The results show that the wind speeds derived from QuikSCAT and the WRF Model are similar along the coast, with errors ranging from 1.5 to 2 m s−1. However, QuikSCAT tends to overestimate wind speeds when compared to the buoys measurements. Regarding the wind direction, the RMSE values are about 35° for the stations under analysis. The bias presents a similar pattern between satellite and modeled data, with positive values at the western coast and negative values at the middle and northern coasts, the satellite data always being lower in absolute value than the modeled data. A spatial comparison between QuikSCAT and WRF data is also performed over the whole Galician coast to evaluate the differences between the two datasets. This comparison shows that the modeled wind speed tends to be lower than satellite winds over the entire domain, with the highest RMSE and bias values found for the wind speed and direction observed near the shoreline.
Welfare States and Social Trust
Authors: Lee Cheol-Sung
Published: November 2012

This article tests the linkage between institutional configuration and social trust, highlighting the role of the welfare states in coordinating interests among different labor market actors. This study initially builds a theoretical framework distinguishing training-supplemented welfare regimes from transfer-based welfare regimes. Evidence from descriptive and multivariate analyses of World Values Survey based on 17 advanced industrial democracies supports my argument that public investment in skill provision prevalent in training-supplemented welfare states leads to higher accumulation of social trust, whereas passive social transfers result in lower social trust. Especially, high investment in public skill provision leads to a decreased gap in social trust between employers and low-skilled workers, as well as among different occupational groups. In addition, the negative effect of passive social transfers on trust is greatly ameliorated when it is jointly configured with high active labor market policies. The findings lend credibility to my claim that specific social policies aiming to upgrade citizens’ skill levels provide employees with better prospects for managing life chances (and risks) and therefore building higher social trust.
Reflections on My Journey in Biomedical Research
Authors: Slavkin H.C.
Published: November 2012

Scientific Discovery often reflects the art, science, and advocacy for biomedical research. Here the author reflects on selected highlights of discovery that contributed to several aspects of our understanding of craniofacial biology and craniofacial diseases and disorders.
Effects of Selected Demographic Variables on Music Student Teachers’ Self-Reported Cross-Cultural Competence
Authors: McKoy Constance L.
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of race/ethnicity and school community setting for early field experience practica and student teaching on music student teachers’ self-reported cross-cultural competence. Participants ( N = 337) from 36 colleges and universities across the United States completed a survey designed to examine the extent of cross-cultural competence as specified by three constructs: (a) factors fostering readiness to teach in culturally diverse educational environments, (b) factors constraining readiness to teach in culturally diverse educational environments, and (c) educational experiences during teacher preparation relative to multicultural education and multicultural music education. The “Foster,” “Constrain,” and “Teacher Preparation” dimension subscales served as the dependent variables. Results indicated no significant main effect of school community setting on participants’ cross-cultural competence; however, a significant main effect of race/ethnicity ( p < .05) was observed for the Constrain subscale of the survey.
Urban Surges
Authors: Valenzuela Aguilera Alfonso
Published: November 2012

Delinquency and organized crime have a direct impact on territory. Nonetheless, the dominant form of analysis in urban Latin America has focused on their social, economic, and institutional dimensions. The limited success of regional government responses over the past decade that have privileged occupations, surveillance, panoptics, coercion, territorial control, and urban fortification leads to consideration of alternative strategies focused on social development, the strengthening of institutions, and the improvement of living conditions. Recent Latin American initiatives to address organized crime and drug trafficking with force have weakened state institutions while simultaneously increasing violence.

La delincuencia y el crimen organizado tienen un impacto directo en el territorio. Sin embargo, en las ciudades de América Latina el análisis predominante se ha centrado en las dimensiones sociales, económicas e institucionales como claves de lectura. A partir de los magros resultados obtenidos en la última década de los gobiernos de la región, los cuales han privilegiado las ocupaciones, la vigilancia, panóptica, la coerción, el control territorial y la fortificación de las ciudades, se contemplan estrategias alternas centradas en el desarrollo social, el fortalecimiento institucional y el mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida de los ciudadanos. Las recientes iniciativas por solucionar las cuestiones del crimen organizado y el narcotráfico mediante la fuerza por parte de los estados latinoamericanos han tenido como resultado tanto el debilitamiento de las instituciones estatales como el escalamiento de la violencia.
Interpreting a Helping Hand
Authors: Mojaverian Taraneh , Kim Heejung S.
Published: November 2012

Research has shown that Asians/Asian Americans are less likely to seek social support to deal with stressful situations than European Americans. Two studies examined the effectiveness of two types of social support: support that is sought directly (solicited support) and support received without prompting from the recipient (unsolicited support). It was theorized that receiving unsolicited support may reinforce social belonging and relational ties, whereas soliciting support may pose relational threats for Asian Americans. In contrast, European Americans may be less affected by type of support received. The first study examined culture (European American vs. Asian American) and type of social support (solicited vs. unsolicited) on stress responses to a task in a lab setting. The second study used vignettes of possible stressors with unsolicited or solicited coping techniques. Results supported our hypothesis, with Asian Americans reporting better outcomes from unsolicited support and European Americans showing little difference between support types.
A Note on Specifying the Guessing Parameter in ATFIND and DIMTEST
Authors: Socha Alan , DeMars Christine E.
Published: November 2012

The software program DIMTEST can be used to assess the unidimensionality of item scores. The software allows the user to specify a guessing parameter. Using simulated data, the effects of guessing parameter specification for use with the ATFIND procedure for empirically deriving the Assessment Subtest (AT; that is, a subtest composed of items that potentially measure a second dimension) and DIMTEST for assessing whether that AT represents a second dimension were investigated. Results suggest that specifying higher guessing parameters in ATFIND and DIMTEST result in higher Type I error rates.
Invisible at Work
Authors: Robinson Sandra L. , O’Reilly Jane , Wang Wei
Published: November 2012

This article offers a review, integration, and extension of the literature relevant to ostracism in organizations. We first seek to add conceptual clarity to ostracism, by reviewing existing definitions and developing a cohesive one, identifying the key features of workplace ostracism, and distinguishing it from existing organizational constructs. Next, we develop a broad model of ostracism in organizations. This model serves to integrate the relevant findings related to ostracism in organizations and to extend our theorizing about it. We take a decidedly organizational focus, proposing organizationally relevant factors that may cause different types of ostracism, moderate the experience of ostracism at work, and moderate the reactions of targets. We hope this article will provide a good foundation for organizational scholars interested in studying ostracism by providing a framework of prior literature and directions for future study.
Changes in the Cultural Model of Father Involvement
Authors: Milkie Melissa A. , Denny Kathleen E.
Published: November 2012

Cultural models are shared frameworks that people use to make sense of the world. The cultural model of father involvement (a) specifies ideal roles fathers should play, (b) provides evaluations of involvement, and (c) describes the benefits of fathers’ interactions with offspring for family members. Discourse about benefits of father involvement remains underexamined empirically but is vital to study because it may motivate and/or justify fathering actions. We perform content analysis on the 575 Parents’ Magazine articles on fathering (1926-2006) to describe articulated benefits of father involvement. About half of articles state rewards for fathers, with a shift from enjoyment to fulfillment. Fifty-eight percent of articles state benefits to children, with a dramatic decline from 79% in the 1920s to 30% in the 2000s, and a relative shift in focus from character development to achievement. Nineteen percent of articles mention benefits to mothers; these discussions are sometimes cautious or conditional.
Childhood Family Structure and Romantic Relationships During the Transition to Adulthood
Authors: Valle Giuseppina , Tillman Kathryn Harker
Published: November 2012

We use the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to examine whether childhood family structure experiences influence the development of romantic relationships during adolescence and whether adolescent relationships, in turn, help to shape long-term relationship trajectories. Young people who live in “nontraditional” families during their childhood are more likely than their peers to engage in romantic relationships during adolescence. Family-related mechanisms are significant mediators of this association. Individuals who were raised in stepparent and single-parent families are also more likely to cohabit during adulthood, and those who were raised in single-parent families are less likely to have ever married. Childhood family structure is not associated with serious relationship conflict during adolescence or adulthood, however. Moreover, although adolescent relationship experiences have long-term effects on relationship trajectories, they do not significantly mediate the associations between childhood family structure and relationship outcomes in adulthood.
Correlation of Histopathology, Urinary Biomarkers, and Gene Expression Responses Following Hexachloro-1:3-Butadiene–induced Acute Nephrotoxicity in Male Hanover Wistar Rats
Authors: Maguire David P. , Turton John A. , Scudamore Cheryl L. , Swain Aubrey J. , McClure Fiona J. , Smyth Rosemary , Pereira Ines B. , Munday Michael R. , York Malcolm J.
Published: November 2012

Hexachloro-1:3-butadiene (HCBD) causes segment-specific injury to the proximal renal tubule. A time course study of traditional and more recently proposed urinary biomarkers was performed in male Hanover Wistar rats receiving a single intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 45 mg/kg HCBD. Animals were killed on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 14, and 28 postdosing and the temporal response of renal biomarkers was characterized using kidney histopathology, urinary and serum biochemistry, and gene expression. Histopathologic evidence of tubular degeneration was seen from day 1 until day 3 postdosing and correlated with increased urinary levels of α-glutathione S-transferase (α-GST), albumin, glucose, and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), and increased gene expression of KIM-1, NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinone 1, and heme oxygenase (decycling) 1. Histopathologic evidence of tubular regeneration was seen from day 2 postdosing and correlated with raised levels of urinary KIM-1 and osteopontin and increased gene expression of KIM-1 and annexin A7. Traditional renal biomarkers generally demonstrated low sensitivity. It is concluded that in rat proximal tubular injury, measurement of a range of renal biomarkers, in conjunction with gene expression analysis, provides an understanding of the extent of degenerative changes induced in the kidney and the process of regeneration.
Dysphagia Characteristics in Zenker’s Diverticulum
Authors: Bergeron Jennifer L. , Long Jennifer L. , Chhetri Dinesh K.
Published: November 2012

Objectives

To evaluate dysphagia characteristics in patients with Zenker’s diverticulum (ZD).

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Outpatient tertiary care dysphagia clinic.

Subjects and Methods

All ZD cases surgically treated over a 6‐year period were identified and reviewed for dysphagia history and dysphagia characteristics on initial presentation using fiber‐optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). Dysphagia symptoms and swallowing abnormalities were compared across groups based on diverticulum size (small <1 cm, medium 1‐3 cm, and large >3 cm).

Results

Forty‐six patients underwent a total of 52 procedures during the study period. ZD size was available in 49 cases (6 small, 26 medium, 17 large). Regurgitation symptoms were less frequent in patients with small (17%) compared with medium (68%) or large diverticula (76%;P=. 03). Postswallow hypopharyngeal reflux (PSHR) was less frequent in patients with small (17%) compared with medium (91%) and large diverticula (87%;P<. 01). PSHR was present on all FEES available for patients who presented with a recurrent or residual ZD (n = 7). In all cases, PSHR resolved after successful treatment of ZD. Pharyngeal residue indicating possible weakness was present in 24% of all patients at initial presentation.

Conclusions

Preoperative assessment of dysphagia characteristics in ZD patients reveals that PSHR is predictive of a ZD larger than 1 cm and may be useful in surgical planning. PSHR is also helpful in identifying patients with recurrent or residual symptomatic ZD following surgical treatment. Pharyngeal weakness is present in a subset of ZD patients.
Derivation of Background Mortality by Smoking and Obesity in Cancer Simulation Models
Authors: Wang Y. Claire , Graubard Barry I. , Rosenberg Marjorie A. , Kuntz Karen M. , Zauber Ann G. , Kahle Lisa , Schechter Clyde B. , Feuer Eric J.
Published: November 2012

Background. Simulation models designed to evaluate cancer prevention strategies make assumptions on background mortality—the competing risk of death from causes other than the cancer being studied. Researchers often use the U.S. life tables and assume homogeneous other-cause mortality rates. However, this can lead to bias because common risk factors such as smoking and obesity also predispose individuals for deaths from other causes such as cardiovascular disease. Methods. We obtained calendar year-, age-, and sex-specific other-cause mortality rates by removing deaths due to a specific cancer from U.S. all-cause life tables. Prevalence across 12 risk factor groups (3 smoking [never, past, and current smoker] and 4 body mass index [BMI] categories [<25, 25–30, 30–35, 35+ kg/m2]) were estimated from national surveys (National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys [NHANES] 1971–2004). Using NHANES linked mortality data, we estimated hazard ratios for death by BMI/smoking using a Poisson regression model. Finally, we combined these results to create 12 sets of BMI and smoking-specific other-cause life tables for U.S. adults aged 40 years and older that can be used in simulation models of lung, colorectal, or breast cancer. Results. We found substantial differences in background mortality when accounting for BMI and smoking. Ignoring the heterogeneity in background mortality in cancer simulation models can lead to underestimation of competing risk of deaths for higher-risk individuals (e.g., male, 60-year old, white obese smokers) by as high as 45%. Conclusion. Not properly accounting for competing risks of death may introduce bias when using simulation modeling to evaluate population health strategies for prevention, screening, or treatment. Further research is warranted on how these biases may affect cancer-screening strategies targeted at high-risk individuals.
Enduring Bonds
Authors: Phạm Quỳnh N.
Published: November 2012

This essay questions assumptions about agency expressed in prevailing concepts of freedom understood as autonomy. It also turns to contexts of bondedness, where one endures and negotiates one’s embeddedness in relations of power and thick webs of sociality, to explore alternative modes of agency, of response-ability. The theoretical analysis engages two sites of communal agency, particularly women’s: first, I draw from Saba Mahmood’s study of the women’s mosque movement in contemporary Egypt; and second, I look closely at Hồ Xuân Hương folk poetry in eighteenth-century Confucian-dominated Việt Nam. One can be conceived as a politics of piety, whereas the other can be aptly called a politics of impiety. Both offer glimpses into alternative ways of being and acting in the world. Together they challenge the prevalence of a freedom-centered approach in international relations and political theory.