bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recombinant human lactoferrin inhibits matrix metalloproteinase (MMP‐2, MMP‐3, and MMP‐9) activity in a rabbit preterm delivery model
Authors: Nakayama Ken , Otsuki Katsufumi , Yakuwa Kyoko , Hasegawa Akitoshi , Sawada Maki , Mitsukawa Kaori , Chiba Hiroshi , Nagatsuka Masaaki , Okai Takashi
Published: September 2008

Aim: To investigate the effect of recombinant human lactoferrin (rh‐LF) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase as a marker of cervical maturation, using a rabbit preterm delivery model in which preterm labor was induced by bacteria.

Methods: We used cervical tissues that had been excised in a previous study in which rabbits were randomly assigned to receive either inoculation withEscherichia coli (E. coli)or saline solution and to receive pretreatment with or without rh‐LF inserted into the cervix two hours before bacterial inoculation (Condition A: saline + saline; Condition B: rh‐LF + E. coli; Condition C: saline +E. coli).E. coli, saline solution, and rh‐LF were inserted into the cervix using a hysteroscope and a sterile polyethylene cannula. Both cervices of the rabbit uterus, which is bicorpus‐bicolli, were taken out and preserved, and expression of matrix metalloproteinases MMP‐2,‐3, and ‐9 in the cervix was evaluated using Western blot.

Results: MMP‐2,‐3, and ‐9 levels in the cervix under Conditions A and B were significantly lower than that under Condition C.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the prevention of preterm delivery by rh‐LF in a rabbit model has been achieved through inhibition of cervical maturation promoted by matrix metalloproteinase activity.
Island biogeography of Caribbean coral reef fish
Authors: Sandin Stuart A. , Vermeij Mark J. A. , Hurlbert Allen H.
Published: September 2008

Aim  The goal of our study was to test fundamental predictions of biogeographical theories in tropical reef fish assemblages, in particular relationships between fish species richness and island area, isolation and oceanographic variables (temperature and productivity) in the insular Caribbean. These analyses complement an analogous and more voluminous body of work from the tropical Indo‐Pacific. The Caribbean is more limited in area with smaller inter‐island distances than the Indo‐Pacific, providing a unique context to consider fundamental processes likely to affect richness patterns of reef fish.

Location  Caribbean Sea.

Methods  We compiled a set of data describing reef‐associated fish assemblages from 24 island nations across the Caribbean Sea, representing a wide range of isolation and varying in land area from 53 to 110,860 km2. Regression‐based analyses compared the univariate and combined effects of island‐specific physical predictors on fish species richness.

Results  We found that diversity of reef‐associated fishes increases strongly with increasing island area and with decreasing isolation. Richness also increases with increasing nearshore productivity. Analyses of various subsets of the entire data set reveal the robustness of the richness data and biogeographical patterns.

Main conclusions  Within the relatively small and densely packed Caribbean basin, fish species richness fits the classical species–area relationship. Richness also was related negatively to isolation, suggesting direct effects of dispersal limitation in community assembly. Because oceanic productivity was correlated with isolation, however, the related effects of system‐wide productivity on richness cannot be disentangled. These results highlight fundamental mechanisms that underlie spatial patterns of biodiversity among Caribbean coral reefs, and which are probably also are functioning in the more widespread and heterogeneous reefs of the Indo‐Pacific.
Simulating vegetation shifts in north‐eastern Mediterranean mountain forests under climatic change scenarios
Authors: Fyllas Nikolaos M. , Troumbis Andreas Y.
Published: September 2008

Aim  To explore potential shifts in vegetation and fire regime in some dominant forest types in the north‐eastern part of the Mediterranean basin under climate change.

Location  Two altitudinal gradients in the continental part of Greece.

Methods  We developed a forest gap dynamics simulator that provides feedback from the stand to its water balance and flammability status. The model is used to simulate vegetation dynamics in two mountainous areas, currently found under different aridity conditions. Two climatic change scenarios (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change A1 and B2) were applied to explore differences in the response of the established forest types. In addition we explicitly accounted for the role of fire, under both current and altered climate patterns.

Results  Fire was identified to play a significant role in low‐altitude sites. Its significance increased with the severity of the climate change scenario. Elevational shifts of the dominant species were simulated for each site, while in some cases these changes were associated with a shorter fire cycle and a frequent resetting of processes of vegetation change.

Main conclusions  Our simulations suggest a greater vulnerability of mountainous Mediterranean drier areas regarding compositional alteration and flammability trends. Changes in vegetation could take place through both a discrete and synergistic realization of changes in the drought stress and fire frequency.
Central executive function in mild cognitive impairment: A PET activation study
Authors: LAINE MATTI , TUOKKOLA TERHI , HILTUNEN JAANA , VOROBYEV VICTOR , BLISS IRINA , BADDELEY ALAN , RINNE JUHA O.
Published: September 2008

Using positron emission tomography (PET), we explored the neural correlates of an executive function, dual tasking, in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and in elderly controls. The experiment employed simple auditory and visual tasks that were presented both in isolation and simultaneously to create a task condition requiring enhanced attentional control. Behaviorally, both groups performed well, albeit the patients made more errors on the visual task. The PET analysis focused at prefrontal regions where group differences in task‐related activation patterns were expected. During dual task performance, the patients showed attenuated activity in the left inferior frontal region when compared to the controls. This suggests abnormalities in the neural processes underlying attentional control in aMCI.
The effects of cystic fibrosis on couples: Marital satisfaction, emotions, and coping strategies
Authors: DELELIS GÉRALD , CHRISTOPHE VÉRONIQUE , LEROY SYLVIE , VANNESTE JOHANNE , WALLAERT BENOÎT
Published: September 2008

An earlier diagnosis and better overall multidisciplinary care enable people suffering from Cystic Fibrosis (CF) to have a life expectancy of 40. Consequently, new populations and questions about the development of the life of couples have arisen. This study by questionnaires takes a first look at marital adjustment, anxiety, depression, and emotion focused, social support focused, and problem focused coping strategies in 16 CF patients and their partners. As a whole, the couples’ marital adjustment level was good; it was higher for men who were patients than men who were partners, and vice versa for women. Anxiety was high for at least one partner in 10 of the couples; depression, for at least one partner in seven of them. The participants seem to use coping strategies to a lesser extent than the general population. The results are discussed in terms of how the quality of life as a couple with one partner suffering from CF is affected by the proper mutual adjustment of the partners.
Headache Classification by History has Only Limited Predictive Value for Headache Episodes Treated in Controlled Trials With OTC Analgesics
Authors: Diener H-C , Pfaffenrath V , Pageler L , Peil H , Aicher B , Lipton RB
Published: September 2008

We investigated the consistency between the headache diagnosis based on medical history and three treated headache episodes diagnosed based on a diary. In a randomized double-blind study including individuals with either migraine or tension-type headache (TTH) we showed significant superiority of the fixed combination of acetylsalicylic acid + paracetamol + caffeine over the combination without caffeine, the single preparations, and placebo in the treatment of headache. A neurologist performed a classification of the usual headache episodes and each of the three treated ones in a blinded fashion based on a structured questionnaire. This was done for the 1734 patients included in the efficacy analysis who usually treated their episodic TTH or migraine attacks with non-prescription analgesics. The overall percentage of patients with migraine and TTH remained relatively stable. The treated headache episodes were between 75 and 77% migraine, 18–20% were TTH and 5–7% could not be classified. We observed some shift in headache type within patients from prior history and in treated attacks. In 60% of patients all three treated episodes were of the type initially diagnosed by the neurologist by history (56% migraine and 4% episodic TTH). Of those with an initial diagnosis of migraine, 24% had at least one attack meeting criteria for TTH. Of patients with an initial diagnosis of TTH, 54% had at least one attack meeting the diagnostic criteria for migraine. Our results demonstrate that an initial headache diagnosis does not accurately predict the headache type treated in a randomized trial. Symptom features of treated headaches should be captured to ensure that the attack is of the type targeted by the clinical trial. The International Headache Society Guidelines for controlled clinical trials should be updated accordingly.
Hypotheses, mechanisms and trade‐offs of tolerance and adaptation to serpentine soils: from species to ecosystem level
Authors: Kazakou E. , Dimitrakopoulos P. G. , Baker A. J. M. , Reeves R. D. , Troumbis A. Y.
Published: September 2008

Understanding the relative importance of the abiotic environment and species interactions in determining the distribution and abundance of organisms has been a challenge in ecological research. Serpentine substrata are stressful environments for plant growth due to multiple limitations, collectively called the “serpentine syndrome”. In the present review, our aim is not only to describe recent work in serpentine ecology, but also to highlight specific mechanisms of species tolerance and adaptation to serpentine soils and their effects on community structure and ecosystem functioning. We present hypotheses of the development of serpentine endemism and a description of functional traits of serpentine plants together with a synthesis of species interactions in serpentine soils and their effects on community structure and ecosystem productivity. In addition, we propose hypotheses about the effects of the ‘serpentine syndrome’ on ecosystem processes including productivity and decomposition.
Virus infection improves drought tolerance
Authors: Xu Ping , Chen Fang , Mannas Jonathan P. , Feldman Tracy , Sumner Lloyd W. , Roossinck Marilyn J.
Published: September 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02673.xCommentary p 738
Neural activity and diurnal variation of cortisol: Evidence from brain electrical tomography analysis and relevance to anhedonia
Authors: Putnam Katherine M. , Pizzagalli Diego A. , Gooding Diane C. , Kalin Ned H. , Davidson Richard J.
Published: September 2008

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus, and amygdala are implicated in the regulation of affect and physiological processes, including hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis function. Anhedonia is likely associated with dysregulation of these processes. Dense‐array resting electroencephalographic and cortisol were obtained from healthy and anhedonic groups. Low‐resolution electromagnetic tomography was used to compute intracerebral current density. For the control group, voxelwise analyses found a relationship between current density in beta and gamma bands and steeper cortisol slope (indicative of more adaptive HPA axis functioning) in regions of the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and mPFC. For the anhedonic group, the mPFC finding was absent. Anhedonia may be characterized by disruptions of mPFC‐mediated neuroendocrine regulation, which could constitute a vulnerability to the development of stress‐related disorders.
Modality‐specific attentional startle modulation during continuous performance tasks: A brief time is sufficient
Authors: Alhadad Sakinah S.J. , Lipp Ottmar V. , Purkis Helena M.
Published: September 2008

Attentional startle modulation has been found to be modality specific in continuous performance tasks (CPTs) and modality nonspecific in trial‐structured tasks. Experiment 1 investigated whether attentional blink modulation in a CPT would change if a trial structure was imposed. Participants performed a visual CPT either continuously (CONT), or during brief periods of time signaled by a change in screen color with stimuli either presented all the time (MIXED) or only during the trial segments (DISC). Contrary to expectation, evidence for modality‐specific attentional startle modulation—smaller acoustic startle during targets than during nontargets—was strongest in Groups MIXED and DISC. Experiment 2 confirmed that this pattern of results was present during the first stimulus of the task period in group DISC. This suggests that the continuous nature of a task is not critical in determining the attentional mechanisms engaged.
Psychiatric and neurophysiological predictors of obesity in HIV/AIDS
Authors: Bauer Lance O.
Published: September 2008

The objective of the study was to identify predictors of obesity. One hundred eleven nonobese and 48 obese HIV‐1 seropositive patients provided information on medical history and other characteristics. They were then asked to detect the passage of 2‐s time intervals while the contingent negative variation (CNV) was recorded. Obese patients were healthier, more likely to be receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, and less likely to be substance dependent. Obese patients also exhibited a greater CNV slope and responded prematurely. A path model suggested that CD4+count and protease inhibitor use directly predicted obesity. Depression had no direct effect. However, when incorporated into a hypothetical construct, “mood dysregulation,” that also included childhood conduct problems and stimulant dependence, the shared variance among the indicators did predict obesity. This relationship was mediated through premature response preparation (anterior scalp CNV amplitude) and its hypothesized association with impatience/impulsivity.
Modulation of the human mirror neuron system during cognitive activity
Authors: Muthukumaraswamy Suresh D. , Singh Krish D.
Published: September 2008

In this experiment we examined the relationship between the mirror neuron system and increased attention caused by task demands. Whole head MEG recordings were made from 13 participants who were asked to passively observe finger movement sequences, observe these sequences with the knowledge they would later have to perform the sequence presented, and finally, to perform a nonmotor mathematics task based on the finger‐movement sequences. Beta‐band (15–35 Hz) sensorimotor desynchronization was found in overlapping areas during passive observation and in a separate motor execution condition, indicating the activity of the human mirror neuron system. The beta desynchronization in these areas was enhanced relative to passive viewing when participants had to watch the stimuli to later imitate and when they performed the mathematics task, indicating that mirror neuron system activity can be modulated by attention.
Cardiovascular dynamics in blood phobia: Evidence for a key role of sympathetic activity in vulnerability to syncope
Authors: Sarlo Michela , Buodo Giulia , Munafò Marianna , Stegagno Luciano , Palomba Daniela
Published: September 2008

This study was aimed at clarifying the mechanism predisposing people with blood phobia to syncope by investigating the complete hemodynamic response pattern and the underlying autonomic control. Blood phobics and controls were shown 3 film‐clips: phobia‐related, phobia‐unrelated, and neutral. Hemodynamic responses were recorded using impedance cardiography and Finapres. Preejection period and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were employed as indices of cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. Self‐ratings of emotion were also collected. Blood phobics displayed global heart rate and cardiac output increases to the phobic film, mediated by augmented cardiac sympathetic activity. Systolic blood pressure and total peripheral resistance markedly declined, with no evidence of diphasic reaction or parasympathetic activation. An impaired vasomotor response under sympathetic control might be the key mechanism underlying the phobic dysfunctional response.
Affective modulation of inspiratory motor drive
Authors: Van Diest Ilse , Janssens Thomas , Bogaerts Katleen , Fannes Stien , Davenport Paul W. , Van Den Bergh Omer
Published: September 2008

The present study aimed to explore inspiratory motor drive as measured by inspiratory occlusion pressure (P100) during affective picture viewing. P100 is the decrease in mouth pressure that develops 100 ms after an inspiratory effort against a closed breathing circuit. The P100 is a measure of the “central respiratory drive.” Seventy‐eight healthy women viewed four pictures series (160 s) varying in content: neutral, positive, threat, or pain. They also rated each picture series on pleasantness and arousal. An occlusion was applied at the onset of inspiration in 33% of the breaths. The threat and the pain picture series were associated with an increased P100 and were rated as most unpleasant and highest in arousal. We conclude that inspiratory motor drive is affectively modulated and is a measure of the respiratory response to threatful stimuli.
City of Fear: Reimagining Buenos Aires in Contemporary Argentine Cinema
Authors: LEEN CATHERINE
Published: September 2008

Argentine cinema has experienced a rebirth since the late 1990s, despite the country’s economic crisis. Buenos Aires, long a key setting for the nation’s films, has not escaped the negative impact of the crisis, yet filmmaking in the capital has thrived. This article explores the radically different presentation of the city since the first explosion of film in Argentina after the end of the military dictatorship of 1976–1983. It takes Luis Puenzo’s controversial La historia oficial as a starting point for a reflection on the current presentation of Buenos Aires as a city plagued by fear in productions from the late 1990s to the early twenty‐first century.
Survival Strategies Among the Mexican Rural Elite
Authors: BREWSTER KEITH
Published: September 2008

This article focuses on a sector of society that has received comparatively little attention in the recent historiography of post‐revolutionary Mexican rural society: the local elite. Using the district of Zacapoaxtla in the Sierra Norte de Puebla as a case study, it explores the ways in which external agents of change challenged pre‐existing relationships between communities, classes, and ethnic groups. It shows how, in trying to retain their positions of local dominance, the elite displayed remarkable degrees of pragmatism and willingness to compromise on long‐standing prejudices. Above all, the article offers a detailed example of how political patronage at national and regional levels enabled local factions to overcome formidable opposition.
Dopaminergic system dysregulation in the mrsk2_KO mouse, an animal model of the Coffin‐Lowry syndrome
Authors: Marques Pereira Patricia , Gruss Michael , Braun Katharina , Foos Nicolas , Pannetier Solange , Hanauer André
Published: September 2008

The Coffin‐Lowry syndrome, a rare syndromic form of X‐linked mental retardation, is caused by loss‐of‐function mutations in the hRSK2 (RPS6KA3) gene. To further investigate RSK2 (90‐kDa ribosomal S6 kinase) implication in cognitive processes, a mrsk2_KO mouse has previously been generated as an animal model of Coffin‐Lowry syndrome. The aim of the present study was to identify possible neurochemical dysregulation associated with the behavioral and morphological abnormalities exhibited by mrsk2_KO mice. A cortical dopamine level increase was found in mrsk2_KO mice that was accompanied by an over‐expression of dopamine receptor of type 2 and the dopamine transporter. We also detected an increase of total and phosphorylated extracellular regulated kinase that may be responsible for the increased level of tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation also observed. By taking into consideration previously reported data, our results strongly suggest that the dopaminergic dysregulation in mrsk2_KO mice may be caused, at least in part, by tyrosine hydroxylase hyperactivity. This cortical hyperdopaminergia may explain some non‐cognitive but also cognitive alterations exhibited by mrsk2_KO mice.
An antagonistic interaction between A2Badenosine and D2dopamine receptors modulates the function of rat carotid body chemoreceptor cells
Authors: Conde Silvia V. , Gonzalez Constancio , Batuca Joana R. , Monteiro Emilia C. , Obeso Ana
Published: September 2008

We have previously demonstrated that adenosine controls the release of catecholamines (CA) from carotid body (CB) acting on A2Breceptors. Here, we have tested the hypothesis that the control is exerted via an interaction between adenosine A2Band dopamine D2receptors present in chemoreceptor cells. Experiments were performedin vitroin CB from 3 months rats. The effect of A2Badenosine and D2dopamine agonists and antagonists applied alone or in combination were studied on basal (20%O2) and hypoxia (10%O2)‐evoked release of CA and cAMP content of CB. We have found that adenosine A2agonists and D2antagonists dose‐dependently increased basal and evoked release CA from the CB while A2antagonists and D2agonists had an inhibitory action. The existence of A2B‐D2receptor interaction was established because the inhibitory action of A2antagonists was abolished by D2antagonists, and the stimulatory action of A2agonists was abolished by D2agonists. Further, A2agonists increased and D2agonist decreased cAMP content in the CB; their co‐application eliminated the response. The present results provide direct pharmacological evidence that an antagonistic interaction between A2Badenosine and D2dopamine receptors exist in rat CB and would explain the dopamine‐adenosine interactions on ventilation previously observed.
Persistent MDMA‐induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity in the striatum and substantia nigra of mice
Authors: Granado Noelia , O’Shea Esther , Bove Jordi , Vila Miquel , Colado Mª Isabel , Moratalla Rosario
Published: September 2008

Acute administration of repeated doses of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) dramatically reduces striatal dopamine (DA) content, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and DA transporter‐immunoreactivity in mice. In this study, we show for the first time the spatiotemporal pattern of dopaminergic damage and related molecular events produced by MDMA administration in mice. Our results include the novel finding that MDMA produces a significant decrease in the number of TH‐immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). This decrease appears 1 day after injection, remains stable for at least 30 days, and is accompanied by a dose‐dependent long‐lasting decrease in TH‐ and DA transporter‐immunoreactivity in the striatum, which peaked 1 day after treatment and persisted for at least 30 days, however, some recovery was evident from day 3 onwards, evidencing sprouting of TH fibers. No change is observed in the NAc indicating that MDMA causes selective destruction of DA‐containing neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway, sparing the mesolimbic pathway. The expression of Mac‐1 increased 1 day after MDMA treatment and glial fibrillary acidic protein increased 3 days post‐treatment in the striatum and SN but not in the NAc, in strict anatomical correlation with dopaminergic damage. These data provide the first evidence that MDMA causes persistent loss of dopaminergic cell bodies in the SN.
Health status, symptoms and health counselling among middle‐aged men: comparison of men at low and high risk
Authors: Näslindh‐Ylispangar Anita , Sihvonen Marja , Sarna Seppo , Kekki Pertti
Published: September 2008

Aim:  To assess the levels of health indicators, health behaviour and health counselling among men at low and high risk for adverse health outcomes.

Methods:  A total of 273 middle‐aged men, 145 at low and 128 at high risk for adverse health outcomes, were studied. Two‐ and three‐way tables with chi‐squared tests were performed to identify differences between the groups. A step‐wise logistic regression model was used to analyse symptoms and complaints associated with the likelihood of perceived health.

Results:  One‐half of the low‐risk men were overweight, of whom 8% were obese. Forty per cent of the low‐risk men smoked cigarettes and one‐fifth used alcohol excessively. Headache, chest and back pain, stress, and insomnia occurred frequently (range: 20–38%) and were highly correlated with depression. Joint pain (p = 0.012) in the low‐risk men and sciatica (p = 0.047) in the high‐risk men were the only statistically significant differences related to normal weight vs. overweight status. There was a greater than sixfold odds of average/poor health among low‐risk men who were depressed than in those who were not depressed men. Only a small percentage of the low‐risk men had received counselling from professionals for different health issues, including weight control and smoking cessation; the corresponding percentages were somewhat higher when given by family members.

Conclusions:  A real need for better counselling was found among middle‐aged men identified with obesity and risky behaviours. Public health nurses and other health workers should be aware of the differences between men at low and high risk. Men had different health experiences and lifestyles in these groups. More research is needed to determine the most efficient counselling strategies among men.
The Prediction of Fatigue Crack Initiation Life in Spot Welds
Authors: Hassanifard S. , Zehsaz M. , Tohgo K. , Ohguma T.
Published: September 2008

Abstract:  In this paper, strain‐based fatigue life prediction method has been used to estimate the fatigue crack initiation life of spot‐welded joints of Mild Steel JSC270D and Ultra‐High Strength Steel JSC980Y. To do so, the joints were simulated using three‐dimensional finite‐element (FE) models, and then nonlinear FE analysis was performed to obtain the local stress and strain ranges and finally, the Morrow equation was applied to estimate the crack initiation lives. The results have been compared with those obtained from experimental crack growth morphology. In addition, the difference between fatigue limits for smooth specimens and spot‐welded joints for mentioned materials has been briefly discussed. It has been shown that mean stress values in the Ultra‐High Strength Steel can significantly decrease the fatigue limit of spot‐welded joint because even at very low load level the stresses exceed the yield point at the root of nugget of spot‐welded joint, while the amount of mean stress in the Mild Steel for the same load level is much less than that of Ultra‐High Strength Steel. The comparison between numerical results of fatigue crack initiation lives and experimental data provided good agreement between numerical predictions and crack growth morphology observations. The results also shows that in some cases, depending on the joint type, the life spent in the nucleation phase can be an important part of the final failure lifetime.
Effects of State Minimum Staffing Standards on Nursing Home Staffing and Quality of Care
Authors: Park Jeongyoung , Stearns Sally C.
Published: September 2008

Objective. To investigate the impact of state minimum staffing standards on the level of staffing and quality of nursing home care.

Data Sources. Online Survey and Certification Reporting System (OSCAR) merged with the Area Resource File from 1998 through 2001.

Study Design. Between 1998 and 2001, 16 states implemented or expanded staffing standards in excess of federal requirements, creating a natural experiment in comparison with facilities in states without new standards. Difference‐in‐differences models using facility fixed effects were estimated to determine the effect of state standards.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods. OSCAR data were linked to the data on market conditions and state policies. A total of 55,248 facility‐year observations from 15,217 freestanding facilities were analyzed.

Principal Findings. Increased standards resulted in small staffing increases for facilities with staffing initially below or close to new standards. Yet the standards were associated with reductions in restraint use and the number of total deficiencies at all types of facilities.

Conclusions. Mandated staffing standards affect only low‐staff facilities facing potential for penalties, and effects are small. Selected facility‐level outcomes may show improvement at all facilities due to a general response to increased standards or to other quality initiatives implemented at the same time as staffing standards.
Transportation Brokerage Services and Medicaid Beneficiaries' Access to Care
Authors: Kim Jinkyung , Norton Edward C. , Stearns Sally C.
Published: September 2008

Objective. To examine the effect of capitated transportation brokerage services on Medicaid beneficiaries' access to care and expenditures.

Data Sources/Study Setting. The study period from 1996 to 1999 corresponds to the period of a natural experiment during which Georgia and Kentucky implemented transportation brokerage services. Effects were estimated for asthmatic children and diabetic adults.

Study Design. We used difference‐in‐differences models to assess the effects of transportation brokerage services on access to care, measured by Medicaid expenditures and health services use. The study design is strengthened by the staggered implementation dates between states and within each state.

Principal Findings. For asthmatic children, transportation brokerage services increased nonemergency transportation expenditures and the likelihood of using any services; reductions in monthly expenditures more than offsetting the increased transportation costs. For diabetic adults, nonemergency transportation costs decreased despite increased monthly use of health services; average monthly medical expenditures and the likelihood of hospital admission for an ambulatory care‐sensitive condition (ACSC) also decreased.

Conclusions. The shift to transportation brokerage services improved access to care among Medicaid beneficiaries and decreased the expenditures. The increase in access combined with reduced hospitalizations for asthmatic children and ACSC admissions for diabetic adults are suggestive of improvements in health outcomes.
Corporate Governance and Agency Conflicts
Authors: DEY AIYESHA
Published: September 2008

I investigate whether corporate governance is associated with the level of agency conflicts in firms. I employ exploratory principal components analysis on 22 individual governance variables to obtain seven factors that represent the different dimensions of governance for a firm. I measure the level of agency conflicts in firms based on seven proxies for agency conflicts used in the literature. I find that firms with greater agency conflicts have better governance mechanisms in place, particularly those related to the board, audit committee, and auditor. I also find that the composition and functioning of the board, the independence of the auditor, and the equity‐based compensation of directors are significantly associated with firm performance, but primarily for firms with high agency conflicts. Overall, the results support the theory that the existence and role of various governance mechanisms in a firm are a function of the level of agency conflicts in the firm.
Comparative life table statistics for the ladybeetleScymnus syriacusreared on the green citrus aphid,Aphis spiraecola, fed on two host plants
Authors: SOROUSHMEHR Zahra , SAHRAGARD Ahad , SALEHI Latif
Published: September 2008

Demographic statistics for the ladybeetleScymnus syriacusMarseul (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were investigated when reared on the green citrus aphid,Aphis spiraecolaPatch (Homoptera: Aphididae), fed on two host plants: spirea (Spireasp.) and Thompson orange (Citrus sinensiscv. Thompson) under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% relative humidity and 16 h light : 8 h dark). Mean developmental times from egg to adult were 20.32 ± 0.18 and 22.07 ± 0.15 days for spirea and Thompson orange, respectively. The survival rate from egg to adult was higher for spirea (85%) than for Thompson orange (72.5%). The oviposition periods were 41.8 ± 2.47 and 39.71 ± 2.6 days and the total number of eggs per female were 657.6 ± 29.5 and 587.9 ± 32.6 on spirea and Thompson orange, respectively. Fertility life tables were also constructed to compare the effects of host plants. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm) on spirea was higher than that on Thompson orange. Jackknife estimates ofrmvaried from 0.149 on spirea to 0.133 on Thompson orange. The mean population generation times on these host plants were 38.16 and 40.65 days, respectively. These results indicate that spirea‐fedA. spiraecolais more suitable forS. syriacus, producing a higher survival rate and shorter developmental time.
Proposed Conservation Landscape for Giant Pandas in the Minshan Mountains, China
Authors: SHEN GUOZHEN , FENG CHAOYANG , XIE ZONGQIANG , OUYANG ZHIYUN , LI JUNQING , PASCAL MARTY
Published: September 2008

Abstract:  The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), is one of the world's most endangered species. Habitat loss and fragmentation have reduced its numbers, shrunk its distribution, and separated the population into isolated subpopulations. Such isolated, small populations are in danger of extinction due to random demographic factors and inbreeding. We used least‐cost modeling as a systematic approach to incorporate satellite imagery and data on ecological and behavioral parameters of the giant panda collected during more than 10 years of field research to design a conservation landscape for giant pandas in the Minshan Mountains. We identified 8 core habitats and 4 potential linkages that would link core habitats CH3, CH4, and CH5 with core habitats CH6, CH7, and CH8. Establishing and integrating the identified habitats with existing reserves would create an efficient reserve network for giant panda conservation. The core habitats had an average density of 4.9 pandas/100 km2 and contained approximately 76.6% of the giant panda population. About 45% of the core habitat (3245.4 km2) existed outside the current nature reserves network. Total estimated core habitat decreased between 30.4 and 44.5% with the addition of residential areas and road networks factored into the model. A conservation area for giant panda in the Minshan Mountains should aim to ensure habitat retention and connectivity, improve dispersal potential of corridors, and maintain the evolutionary potential of giant pandas in the face of future environmental changes.
Obstacles to Bottom‐Up Implementation of Marine Ecosystem Management
Authors: EVANS KIRSTEN E. , KLINGER TERRIE
Published: September 2008

Abstract:  Ecosystem management (EM) offers a means to address multiple threats to marine resources. Despite recognition of the importance of stakeholder involvement, most efforts to implement EM in marine systems are the product of top‐down regulatory control. We describe a rare, stakeholder‐driven attempt to implement EM from the bottom up in San Juan County, Washington (U.S.A.). A citizens advisory group led a 2‐year, highly participatory effort to develop an ecosystem‐based management plan, guided by a preexisting conservation‐planning framework. A key innovation was to incorporate social dimensions by designating both sociocultural and biodiversity targets in the planning process. Multiple obstacles hindered implementation of EM in this setting. Despite using a surrogate scheme, the information‐related transaction costs of planning were substantial: information deficits prevented assessment of some biodiversity targets and insufficient resources combined with information deficits prevented scientific assessment of the sociocultural targets. Substantial uncertainty, practical constraints to stakeholder involvement, and the existence of multiple, potentially conflicting, objectives increased negotiation‐related costs. Although information deficits and uncertainty, coupled with underinvestment in the transaction costs of planning, could reduce the long‐term effectiveness of the plan itself, the social capital and momentum developed through the planning process could yield unforeseeable future gains in protection of marine resources. The obstacles we identified here will require early and sustained attention in efforts to implement ecosystem management in other grassroots settings.
Psychosocial Factors Associated With Lifetime Experience of Serious Unintentional Injury in South Korea
Authors: Ham Ok Kyung
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of lifetime unintentional‐injury experience and evaluate the quality of life of unintentional‐injury victims, to provide useful data for the development of interventions aimed at decreasing the incidence of unintentional injuries.

Design, sample, and methods: This study utilized data obtained from cross‐sectional surveys of 24,327 Korean individuals aged 19–65 years, performed using face‐to‐face interviews. Demographic characteristics, unintentional‐injury experience, attributes of health behavior, and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) questions were included in the study instruments.

Results: About 11.8% of the subjects had experienced an unintentional injury that required hospitalization at least once in their lifetime. Being older, being male, having less education and lower income, working in a blue‐collar job, and being enrolled in medical aid programs were associated with increased likelihood of having an unintentional injury. Among the HRQoL and risk‐taking behavior variables, limitations in daily activities, suicide ideation, and binge drinking were significantly associated with injury experience.

Conclusion: Public health efforts to prevent unintentional injuries should target high‐risk populations such as males, those with low incomes and education levels, and binge drinkers. Efforts should also be made to enhance the HRQoL of injury victims.
Responses of Chinese Elderly to the Threat of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in a Canadian Community
Authors: Wills Betty Shuc Han , Morse Janice M.
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACT
Objective: To describe responses of Chinese elderly living in Edmonton, Canada, during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic, and their use of Western and/or traditional Chinese medicine.

Design: A QUAL‐qual mixed method design, using grounded theory as the core method and ethnographic strategies are used to inform the cultural aspects of the study.

Sample: A purposeful sample of 19 Chinese elderly was interviewed and tape recorded. Four traditional Chinese Practitioners were also interviewed.

Methods: The interviews were transcribed and analyzed in Chinese and later translated into English. Data analysis utilized the constant comparison method.

Results: Participants experienced a 5‐stage process of protecting self, family, and others, responding according to the perceived threat of SARS. Participants used both Western and traditional Chinese strategies to combat SARS. Their desire to protect others took precedence under the moral code of filial piety. Once SARS was under control, the community remained vigilant and continued to monitor for its possible reoccurrence.

Conclusions: Cultural beliefs and practices within the Chinese population support the recommendations set by the health department for the protection of individuals and the community during the SARS pandemic. Therefore, the public health sector should become familiar with and support these Chinese cultural networks during pandemics.
DNA variants in coding region of EFHC1: SNPs do not associate with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
Authors: Bai Dongsheng , Bailey Julia N. , Durón Reyna M. , Alonso María E. , Medina Marco T. , Martínez‐Juárez Iris E. , Suzuki Toshimitsu , Machado‐Salas Jesús , Ramos‐Ramírez Ricardo , Tanaka Miyabi , Ortega Ramón H. Castro , López‐Ruiz Minerva , Rasmussen Astrid , Ochoa Adriana , Jara‐Prado Aurelio , Yamakawa Kazuhiro , Delgado‐Escueta Antonio V.
Published: September 2008

Purpose:  Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) accounts for 3 to 12% of all epilepsies. In 2004, we identified a mutation‐harboring Mendelian gene that encodes a protein with one EF‐hand motif (EFHC1) in chromosome 6p12. We observed one doubly heterozygous and three heterozygous missense mutations in EFHC1 segregating as an autosomal dominant gene with 21 affected members of six Hispanic JME families from California and Mexico. In 2006, similar and three novel missense mutations were reported in sporadic and familial Caucasian JME from Italy and Austria. In this study, we asked if coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of EFHC1 also contribute as susceptibility alleles to JME with complex genetics.

Methods:  We screened using denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and then directly sequenced the 11 exons of EFHC1 in 130 unrelated JME probands, their 352 family members, and seven exons of EFHC1 in 400–614 ethnically matched controls. We carried out case‐control association studies between 124 unrelated Hispanic JME probands and 552–614 ethnically matched controls using four SNPs, rs3804506, rs3804505, rs1266787, and rs17851770. We also performed family‐based association on SNPs rs3804506 and rs3804505 in 84 complete JME families using the Family‐Based Association Test (FBAT) program.

Results:  We found no statistically significant differences between JME probands and controls in case‐control association and no genetic transmission  disequilibria in family‐based association for the tested SNPs. In addition, we identified four new DNA variants in the coding region of EFHC1.

Conclusion:  The four coding SNPs, rs3804506, rs3804505, rs1266787, and rs17851770, of EFHC1 may not be susceptibility alleles for JME.
Validation of the Triage Risk Stratification Tool to Identify Older Persons at Risk for Hospital Admission and Returning to the Emergency Department
Authors: Lee Jacques S. , Schwindt Graeme , Langevin Mara , Moghabghab Rola , Alibhai Shabbir M. H. , Kiss Alex , Naglie Gary
Published: September 2008

OBJECTIVES: To assess the predictive validity of the Triage Risk Stratification Tool (TRST) to identify return to the emergency department (ED) or hospitalization in a multicenter patient sample.

DESIGN: Prospective, observational study with 1‐year follow‐up.

SETTING: EDs of three hospitals in Toronto, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred eighty‐eight subjects aged 65 to 101 (mean age 76.6, 58.5% female) who presented to the ED and were discharged home from the ED.

MEASUREMENTS: Trained clinical assessors completed the TRST on patients aged 65 and older during a 4‐week study period. Patients who subsequently returned to the ED or were admitted to the hospital were identified using hospital information systems and classified as experiencing the composite endpoint at 30, 120, and 365 days.

RESULTS: The mean TRST score was 1.55 (range 0–5), and 147 (18.7%) patients experienced the composite endpoint of return to the ED or hospital admission by 30 days. The sensitivity of a TRST score of 2 or greater was 62%, (95% confidence interval (CI)=54–70%), specificity was 57% (95% CI=53–61%), and likelihood ratio was 1.44 (95% CI=1.23–1.66). The area under the curve was 0.61 using a cutoff score of 2.

CONCLUSION: The TRST demonstrated only moderate predictive ability, and ideally, a better prediction rule should be sought. Future studies to develop better prediction rules should compare their performance with that of existing prediction rules, including the TRST and Identifying Seniors at Risk tool, and assess the effect of any new prediction rule on patient outcomes.
Securing Passenger Aircraft from the Threat of Man‐Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS)
Authors: Okpara Uche , Bier Vicki M.
Published: September 2008

In this article, we develop a model for the expected maximum hit probability of an attack on a commercial aircraft using MANPADS, as a function of the (random) location of the attacker. We also explore the sensitivity of the expected maximum hit probability to the parameters of the model, including both attacker parameters (such as weapon characteristics) and defender parameters (such as the size of the secure region around the airport). We conclude that having a large secure region around an airport offers some protection against MANPADS, and that installing onboard countermeasures reduces the success probability of a MANPADS attack.
Formation of Oxide Scales on Zirconium Diboride–Silicon Carbide Composites During Oxidation: Relation of Subscale Recession to Liquid Oxide Flow
Authors: Karlsdottir Sigrun N. , Halloran John W.
Published: September 2008

The formation of oxide scales on zirconium diboride (ZrB2)–silicon carbide (SiC) composites oxidized at high temperatures (>1500°C) is studied. Subscale recession found in oxidized ZrB2 composites is proposed to form due to flow of boron oxide (boria) (B2O3)‐rich borosilicate liquid through convection cells that form upon oxidation of the composite at high temperatures. The flow of the B2O3‐rich liquid to the surface, with the subsequent loss of B2O3 to evaporation, explains the formation of a glassy silica‐rich layer on the surface commonly reported in the literature. Also the outward flow of the liquid creates a localized inward path for oxygen due to lower viscosity that allows faster oxidation under the convection cells which creates the subscale recession. Optical and electron micrographs of a ZrB2–15%SiC composite oxidized at 1550°C are presented as evidence of flowing liquids. Micrographs of oxide scale deformations are also presented, which are proposed to be related to the formation of oxide scale features called convection cells. The subscale recession and oxide scale deformations of ZrB2–15%SiC composites oxidized for 3 and 4 h at 1550°C were studied with microstructure and chemical composition analysis.
Regularly Interstratified Layered Silicate‐Polymer Nanocomposite
Authors: Tamura Kenji , Yamada Hirohisa , Yokoyama Shingo , Kurashima Keiji
Published: September 2008

A method to control the number of layers of dispersed silicate platelets was investigated. In order to achieve control over the number of layers, a layered silicate with two antagonistic properties, swelling and nonswelling, was prepared in each particle. A new regularly interstratified layer silicate composed of talc/talc/smectite (TTS) in an ordered sequence was synthesized using a hydrothermal technique. A novel layered silicate‐polymer nanocomposite was then prepared through exfoliation of the regularly interstratified TTS. The controlled morphology of the nanocomposite indicates that silicate nanolayers consisting of three layers/group are uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix, which suggests a method for the control of the number of dispersed layers in polymer nanocomposite technology. More importantly, this new composite system could extend the field of high‐performance materials beyond traditional applications to encompass new unexpected functionality.