bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tetranectin Binds to the Kringle 1‐4 Form of Angiostatin and Modifies Its Functional Activity
Authors: Mogues Tirsit , Etzerodt Michael , Hall Crystal , Engelich Georg , Graversen Jonas H. , Hartshorn Kevan L.
Published: July 2004

Tetranectin is a plasminogen kringle 4 domain‐binding protein
present in plasma and various tissue locations. Decreased plasma
tetranectin or increased tetranectin in stroma of cancers
correlates with cancer progression and adverse prognosis. A
possible mechanism through which tetranectin could influence
cancer progression is by altering activities of plasminogen or
the plasminogen fragment, angiostatin. Tetranectin was found to
bind to the kringle 1‐4 form of angiostatin
(AST K1-4). In addition, tetranectin inhibited binding
of plasminogen or AST K1-4 to extracellular matrix
(ECM) deposited by endothelial cells. Finally, tetranectin
partially counteracted the ability of AST K1-4 to
inhibit proliferation of endothelial cells. This latter effect of
tetranectin was specific for AST K1-4 since it did not
counteract the antiproliferative activities of the kringle 1‐3
form of angiostatin (AST K1-3) or endostatin. These
findings suggest that tetranectin may modulate angiogenesis
through interactions with AST.
Serial Analysis of Gene Expression: Applications in Human Studies
Authors: Tuteja Renu , Tuteja Narendra
Published: July 2004

Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) is a powerful tool,
which provides quantitative and comprehensive expression profile
of genes in a given cell population. It works by isolating short
fragments of genetic information from the expressed genes that are
present in the cell being studied. These short sequences, called
SAGE tags, are linked together for efficient sequencing. The
frequency of each SAGE tag in the cloned multimers directly
reflects the transcript abundance. Therefore, SAGE results in an
accurate picture of gene expression at both the qualitative and
the quantitative levels. It does not require a hybridization
probe for each transcript and allows new genes to be discovered.
This technique has been applied widely in human studies and
various SAGE tags/SAGE libraries have been generated from
different cells/tissues such as dendritic cells, lung fibroblast
cells, oocytes, thyroid tissue, B‐cell lymphoma, cultured
keratinocytes, muscles, brain tissues, sciatic nerve, cultured
Schwann cells, cord blood‐derived mast cells, retina, macula,
retinal pigment epithelial cells, skin cells, and so forth. In
this review we present the updated information on the
applications of SAGE technology mainly to human studies.
Differential Behavior Between Isolated and Aggregated Rabbit Auricular Chondrocytes on Plastic Surfaces
Authors: Villar-Suárez V. , Calles-Venal I. , Bravo I. G. , Fernández-Álvarez J. G. , Fernández-Caso M. , Villar-Lacilla J. M.
Published: July 2004

A knowledge of the behavior of chondrocytes in culture is
relevant for tissue engineering. Chondrocytes dedifferentiate to
a fibroblast‐like phenotype on plastic surfaces.
Dedifferentiation is reversible if these cells are then cultured
in suspension. In this report a description is given of how when
chondrocyte aggregates formed in suspension are next seeded on
plastic, most of them attach as round or polygonal cells. This
morphological differentiation, with synthesis of type II
collagen, is stable for long culture periods. This simple method
can be of use as a model for studies of chondrocyte behavior on
plastic. The results indicate that in addition to culture
conditions, such as cell isolation method or cell density,
chondrocyte behavior on plastic depends on the presence of
aggregates.
Estrogen, Heat Shock Proteins, and NFκB in Human Vascular Endothelium
Authors: Hamilton Karyn L. , Mbai F.N. , Gupta S. , Knowlton A.A.
Published: July 2004

Background—

We hypothesized that estrogen would increase HSP72 in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC), and that these would be more sensitive to estrogen than our previous observations in myocytes.

Methods and Results—

HCAEC were treated with 17β-estradiol or tamoxifen, ranging from physiological to pharmacological(1 nM to 10 μmol/L) for either 24 hours (early) or 7 days (chronic). HSP expression was assessed by Western blots. Both early and chronic 17β-estradiol and tamoxifen increased HSP72. Electromobility shift assays (EMSA) showed activation of HSF-1 with early, but not chronic, 17β-estradiol. 17β-Estradiol activated NFκB within 10 minutes, and the ER-α selective inhibitor, ICI 182 780, abolished this effect. Transcription factor decoys containing the heat shock element blocked HSP72 induction. Estrogen pretreatment decreased lactate dehydrogenase release with hypoxia. This protective effect persisted despite blockade of HSF-1 by decoys. However, an NF-κB decoy prevented the increase in HSP72 and abolished the estrogen-associated protection during hypoxia.

Conclusions—

17β-Estradiol upregulates HSP72 early and chronically via different mechanisms in HCAEC, and provides cytoprotection during hypoxia, independent of HSP72 induction. NF-κB mediates the early increase in HSP72, suggesting that estrogen activates NF-κB via a nongenomic, receptor-dependent mechanism, and this leads to activation of HSF-1. Activation of NF-κB was critical for estrogen-associated protection. Further studies are needed to elucidate the involved signaling pathways.
Heparin-Binding Domains in Vascular Biology
Authors: Muñoz Eva M. , Linhardt Robert J.
Published: July 2004

Heparin is a major anticoagulant with activity mediated primarily through its interaction with antithrombin (AT). Heparan sulfate (HS), structurally related to heparin, binds a wide range of proteins of different functionality, taking part in various physiological and pathological processes. The heparin–AT complex, the most well understood facet of anticoagulation, serves as a prototypical example of the important role of heparin/HS in vascular biology. Extensive studies have identified common structural features in heparin/HS–binding sites of proteins. These include the elucidation of consensus sequences in proteins, patterns of clusters of basic and nonbasic residues, and common spatial arrangements of basic amino acids in the heparin-binding sites. Although these studies have provided valuable information, heparin/HS–binding proteins differ widely in structure. The prediction of heparin/HS–binding proteins from sequence information is not currently possible, and elucidation of protein-binding sites requires the individual study of each glycosaminoglycan–protein complex. Thus, x-ray crystallography and site-directed mutagenesis experiments are among the most powerful tools, providing accurate structural information, facilitating the characterization of heparin–protein complexes.
Selective Inhibition of Inward Rectifier K
+
Channels (Kir2.1 or Kir2.2) Abolishes Protection by Ischemic Preconditioning in Rabbit Ventricular Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Diaz Roberto J. , Zobel Carsten , Cheol Cho Hee , Batthish Michelle , Hinek Alina , Backx Peter H. , Wilson Gregory J.
Published: July 2004

Volume regulatory Cl
−
channels are key regulators of ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Because Cl
−
efflux must be balanced by an efflux of cations to maintain cell membrane electroneutrality during volume regulation, we hypothesize that
I
K1
channels may play a role in IPC. We subjected cultured cardiomyocytes to 60-minute simulated ischemia (SI) followed by 60-minute of simulated reperfusion (SR) and assessed percent cell death using trypan blue staining. Ischemic preconditioning (10-minute SI/10-minute SR) significantly (
P
<0.0001) reduced the percent cell death in nontransfected cardiomyocytes [IPC
CM
18.0±2.1% versus control (C
CM
) 48.3±1.0%]. IPC protection was not altered by overexpression of the reporter gene (enhanced green fluorescent protein, EGFP). However, overexpression of dominant-negative Kir2.1 or Kir2.2 genes using adenoviruses (AdEGFPKir2.1DN or AdEGFPKir2.2DN) encoding the reporter gene EGFP prevented IPC protection [both IPC
CM
+AdEGFPKir2.1DN 45.8±2.3% (mean±SEM) and IPC
CM
+AdEGFPKir2.2DN 47.9±1.4% versus IPC
CM
;
P
<0.0001] in cultured cardiomyocytes (n=8 hearts). Transfection of cardiomyocytes with AdEGFPKir2.1DN or AdEGFPKir2.2DN did not affect cell death in control (nonpreconditioned) cardiomyocytes (both C
CM
+ AdEGFPKir2.1DN 45.8±0.7% and C
CM
+AdEGFPKir2.2DN 46.2±1.3% versus C
CM
; not statistically significant). Similar effects were observed in both cultured (n=5 hearts) and freshly isolated (n=4 hearts) ventricular cardiomyocytes after
I
K1
blockade with 20 μmol/L BaCl
2
plus 1 μmol/L nifedipine (to prevent Ba
2+
uptake). Nifedipine alone neither protected against ischemic injury nor blocked IPC protection. Our findings establish that
I
K1
channels play an important role in IPC protection.
Incidence of Stroke and Stroke Subtypes in Malmö, Sweden, 1990–2000
Authors: Khan Farhad Ali , Zia Elisabet , Janzon Lars , Engstrom Gunnar
Published: July 2004

Background and Purpose—

The proportion of immigrants has increased in Sweden markedly during the last decades, as in many other Western countries. Incidence of stroke has increased during this period. However, it is primarily unknown whether incidence of stroke and stroke subtypes in Sweden is related to country of birth.

Methods—

Incidence of first-ever stroke was followed during 10 years in a cohort consisting of all 40- to 89-year-old inhabitants in the city of Malmö, Sweden (n=118 134). Immigrants from 12 different countries were compared with native-born Swedes.

Results—

Adjusted for age, sex, marital status, and socioeconomic indicators, the incidence of stroke (all subtypes) was significantly higher among immigrants from former Yugoslavia (relative risk [RR], 1.31; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.6) and Hungary (RR, 1.33; CI, 1.02 to 1.7). A significantly increased incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage was observed in immigrants from Peoples Republic of China or Vietnam (RR, 4.2; CI, 1.7 to 10.4) and the former Soviet Union (RR, 2.7; CI, 1.01 to 7.3). Immigrants from Finland had a significantly higher incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (RR, 2.8; CI, 1.1 to 6.8). A significantly lower incidence of stroke was observed in the group from Romania (RR, 0.14; CI, 0.04 to 0.6). Immigrants from Denmark, Norway, Germany, Chile, Czechoslovakia, and Poland had approximately the same risk as citizens born in Sweden.

Conclusions—

In this urban population from Sweden, there are substantial differences in stroke incidence and stroke subtypes between immigrants from different countries. To what extent this could be accounted for by exposure to biological risk factors remains to be explored.
Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas Are Not Associated With Prothrombotic Factors
Authors: Jellema K. , Tijssen C.C. , Fijnheer R. , de Groot P.G. , Koudstaal P.J. , van Gijn J.
Published: July 2004

Background and Purpose—

The cause of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVF) is unknown. In intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas, an association with factor V Leiden mutation has been found. Therefore, we studied the association between prothrombotic factors and SDAVF.

Methods—

Factor V Leiden mutation, factor II mutation, protein S, protein C, factor VIII, von Willebrand factor, antithrombin III, and lupus anticoagulant were determined by means of standard laboratory tests in 40 patients and 119 control subjects matched for sex and age.

Results—

Factor V Leiden mutation was not found in the patient group and was found twice in the control group. Factor II mutation was found in 1 patient and in none of the control subjects. There was no decreased activity of protein S, protein C, factor VIII, von Willebrand factor, or antithrombin III in patients in comparison with controls. Lupus anticoagulant was not found in the patient group and once in the control subjects.

Conclusions—

We conclude that it is unlikely that prothrombotic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas, but subtle associations are not ruled out.
Age As a Determinant of Adverse Events in Medically Treated Cryptogenic Stroke Patients With Patent Foramen Ovale
Authors: Homma Shunichi , DiTullio Marco R. , Sacco Ralph L. , Sciacca Robert R. , Mohr J.P.
Published: July 2004

Background and Purpose—

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is associated with cryptogenic stroke. There is no study that assessed the effect of age on adverse event rates in cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO. The purpose of this retrospective analysis from PFO in Cryptogenic Stroke Study (PICSS) database was to assess the effect of age on the risk of adverse events in medically treated cryptogenic stroke patients with PFO.

Methods—

250 cryptogenic stroke patients from PICSS were followed-up for 24 months, with death and recurrent ischemic stroke as primary endpoints. Hazard ratios were calculated for determination of relative risk in cryptogenic stroke patients with and without PFO in 3 age groups (younger than 55, 55 to 64, and 65 years or older).

Results—

Among the 2 younger age groups, the presence of PFO did not significantly affect the risk of adverse events (
P
=0.15; hazard ratio=0.21; 95% CI, 0.02 to 1.78; 2-year event rates, 2.0% versus 9.3%; and
P
=0.70; hazard ratio=0.72; 95% CI, 0.14 to 3.73; 2-year event rates, 10.0% versus 13.9%). However, in those aged 65 years or older, the risk of adverse events was significantly higher in the patients with PFO (
P
=0.01; hazard ratio=3.21; 95% CI, 1.33 to 7.75; 2-year event rates 37.9% versus 14.5%).

Conclusions—

In this exploratory analysis, the presence of PFO in the younger cryptogenic stroke patients did not increase the risk of adverse events. However, in the older patients, PFO significantly increased the risk of adverse events.
Negotiation Support Systems: Communication and Information as Antecedents of Negotiation Settlement
Authors: Neijens Peter , Swaab Roderick , Postmes Tom
Published: July 2004

Innovative approaches such as the use of technology in negotiations raise questions of how technology interacts with the manifold contextual factors that play a role in negotiations. In this article, we introduce a theoretical framework that seeks to inform the design of Negotiation Support Systems (NSS) by focusing on two antecedents of negotiation success. On the one hand, we argue that NSS should stimulate a common (cultural) identity among the individual negotiators, a strong predictor of integrative agreements in prior research. On the other hand, NSS should seek to provide information in order to develop shared cognition among negotiators. Negotiators' perceptions of the problem at hand and possible solutions often diverge significantly as a consequence of their different knowledge and motives. In this article, we report some experimental support for this framework. We conclude that shared identity and shared cognition are relatively powerful predictors of outcomes of international negotiations, and that minimal variations in the configuration of an NSS can have strong effects on these results.
Leadership and Individual Principal-Teacher Relationships in Schools
Authors: Barnett Kerry , McCormick John
Published: July 2004

Transformational approaches to leadership have increasingly been advocated for schools. Research evidence suggests that the effect of leadership on student learning outcomes is mediated by school conditions such as goals, structure, people, and school culture. Using the combined approach of multilevel analysis and structural modeling, this study investigated the relationships of leadership with school learning culture. Data were collected from a random sample of 373 teachers. The results suggested relationships between leadership and school learning culture did exist, and they highlight the importance of individual principal-teacher relationships in schools.
An Evaluation of the Relative Efficiency for Various Relevant Labor Markets: an Empirical Approach for Establishing Teacher Salaries
Authors: Young I. Phillip , Delli Dane A. , Miller-Smith Kimberly , Buster Amy
Published: July 2004

Costs associated with teacher salaries are relative in that these costs are referenced to a relevant labor market rather than based on the absolute value of the services provided by teachers. Because the selection of a relevant labor market can substantially influence the costs associated with teacher salaries, a field study was conducted to assess the relative efficiency of four different labor markets that could be used to establish teacher salaries. Within this study, specific economic principles are used to define different labor markets for teachers, and these different labor markets are cast within a randomized block design. Efficiency of these markets was defined from a least squares perspective and was assessed relative to a beginning teacher salary and to an average teacher cost. Results of a MANOVA indicate that some labor markets are more efficient for determining the average teacher salary, and all markets are equally efficient for setting beginning salaries for teachers.
An Evaluation of Sisters of Nia: A Cultural Program for African American Girls
Authors: Belgrave Faye Z , Reed Melba C , Plybon Laura E , Butler Deborah S , Allison Kevin W , Davis Trina
Published: July 2004

In this study, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of a cultural intervention for increasing cultural values and beliefs Fifty-nine African American girls in early adolescence participated in a 15-session cultural program or in an activity comparison group Measures of ethnic identity, gender roles, and relational aggression were administered at pretest and posttest There were significant increases in ethnic identity and a marginally significant increase in androgynous gender roles for girls in the intervention group but not the comparison group Findings also revealed that the intervention decreased relational aggression Implications for early adolescent African American girls’participation in culturally enhanced prevention programs are discussed
A Lexicon of Conflict under Concertive Control Conditions
Authors: Summers Juliette
Published: July 2004

While much of the literature on teamworking has become focused on employer-driven design of work teams, this article casts a critical eye on employee-driven workgroups through the examination of a selfselected and autonomous employee group. The evidence from this case study suggests that groupworking can result in a quest for homogenization, and in strong informal controls on members’ behaviours, where these controls operate through covert confiict expressions, mediated by the work environment. The evidence to emerge indicates that some of the suggested positive impacts on employees of groupworking may be simply surface constructs, while covert, suppressed confiicts persist. The unique contribution of this study is the modelling of a lexicon of confiict under concertive control conditions and the integration of social identity theory into a groupwork framework.
Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic Assessment of Tolerance to Central Nervous System Effects of a 3 mg Sustained Release Tablet of Rilmenidine in Hypertensive Patients
Authors: van der Post J. P. , de Visser S. J. , Schoemaker R. C. , Cohen A. F. , van Gerven J. M. A.
Published: July 2004

Previous single-dose studies have shown clear blood pressure-lowering effects of a potential sustained release (SR) profile of rilmenidine, with concentration-dependent effects on the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential changes in concentration-effect-relationships for these central nervous system effects during a 4-week treatment period with an experimental SR formulation of rilmenidine 3 mg once daily in 15 mild-to-moderate hypertensive patients. The central nervous system effects of the treatment were evaluated using saccadic eye movements for sedative effects and visual analogue scales for subjective effects on alertness, mood and calmness. Measurements for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluations were performed on the first day of the treatment period and repeated after 1 week and 4 weeks of treatment. Drug concentrations increased during the study, whereas treatment related reductions in saccadic peak velocity (SPV) remained similar on all three study days. The slopes of the concentration-effect-curves for SPV remained unchanged throughout the study, while the intercepts tended to increase as a result of increased pre-dose values. Similar effects were observed for visual analogue scales for alertness: pre-dose values increased significantly during the study, while the size of the treatment responses (slopes) remained unaltered. The reasons for these adaptations cannot be determined but may include drug tolerance and habituations to study procedures. Blood pressure control remained stable and adequate throughout the study.
Recreational Drug Use: Patterns from a South Wales Self-Report Survey
Authors: Wadsworth Emma J. K. , Simpson Sharon A. , Moss Susanna C. , Smith Andrew P.
Published: July 2004

This study aimed to examine patterns of illicit recreational drug use, alcohol consumption, and smoking in a community-based population sample. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of people who were selected at random from the Electoral registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Twelve percent of respondents reported illicit recreational drug use in the last year, and 7% in the last month. Among respondents aged under 25 years, 34% (39% of males and 31% of females) had used illicit drugs in the last year, and 19% (23% of males and 17% of females) in the last month. Twenty-one percent of respondents smoked (20% of males and 22% of females). Twenty-seven percent of respondents reported drinking more alcohol than currently recommended sensible limits (36% of males and 21% of females). Among respondents aged under 25 years, 53% of men and 38% of women drank over these limits. Illicit drug use was associated with heavy alcohol consumption and, in particular, with smoking. Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption combined was most strongly associated with illicit drug use. Rates of illicit recreational drug use were higher than have previously been reported for Wales. Illicit drug use and smoking varied with age, sex, work status and geographical location, whereas heavy alcohol consumption varied with age, sex and work status, but not geographical location. Both smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with illicit drug use, with smokers who were also heavy drinkers being those most likely to report illicit drug use.
Factors Associated with Recreational Drug Use
Authors: Wadsworth Emma J. K. , Moss Susanna C. , Simpson Sharon A. , Smith Andrew P.
Published: July 2004

This study aimed to examine demographic, lifestyle, mental health and personality factors associated with illicit recreational drug use, heavy alcohol consumption and smoking in a community-based population sample. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of people who were selected at random from the Electoral registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Illicit drug use was associated with risk taking, neuroticism, being male, having a higher education qualification, not being married, being unemployed, being aged under 25 years, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and living in Cardiff. Smoking was associated with anxiety, depression, being female, lower income and educational qualifications, looking after the family or home, being aged over 25 years, illicit drug use and heavy alcohol use. Heavy alcohol consumption was associated with not being depressed, experiencing sleeping problems, risk taking, being male, higher income, no higher educational qualification, not being married, being a student, being aged under 25 years, smoking and illicit drug use. Illicit drug use, smoking and heavy alcohol use were strongly associated with each other. Illicit drug use was associated with alcohol use and, to an even greater extent, with smoking. Illicit drug and alcohol use were associated with similar characteristics, but smoking was associated with a rather different demographic combination.
Adult Civic Education Through the National Issues Forums: Developing Democratic Habits and Dispositions Through Public Deliberation
Authors: Gastil John
Published: July 2004

Adult educators stress the importance of civic education, but few studies have theorized and measured the impact of such educational programs. This study presents a social cognitive model of political participation that posits connections among deliberative education, civic dispositions, and political conversations. The validity of this model was tested using two field studies of National Issues Forums participants, and the results provided partial support for the model. The first investigation indicated that deliberative civic education had a negative relationship with participants’ group efficacy and conversation dominance and positive associations with the ideological and demographic diversity of participants’ conversation networks. A second study demonstrated that civic dispositions and behaviors were positively associated with forum experiences that involved higher levels of reading, listening, observing, and enactment. These findings suggest the potential value of deliberative forums as a means of civic education, but they also demonstrate that forums vary considerably in their educational impact.
Lifelong Learning as Transitional Learning
Authors: Glastra Folke J. , Hake Barry J. , Schedler Petra E.
Published: July 2004

Globalization and individualization have radically changed both the economic system and the personal life world in industrial or postindustrial nation-states. To survive hypercompetition and volatile consumer choice, learning organizations and a workforce engaged in lifelong learning are needed. Constructing “the good life” has become an individual responsibility demanding reflexivity and skills. The question pursued in this article is how current policies in the context of lifelong learning relate to the requirements of a competitive economy, on one hand, and the good life on the other hand. To be able to evaluate dominant and alternative answers thoroughly in terms of lifelong learning, the authors look at the consequences of globalization and individualization. After having analyzed lifelong learning policies in the Netherlands, the article examines an important alternative, the so-called biographicity approach. In conclusion, the authors outline their own “transitional learning” perspective as an integral approach to lifelong learning as life-wide learning.
Public-Sector E-Commerce and State Financial Management
Authors: Reddick Christopher G.
Published: July 2004

This article examines the development of public-sector e-commerce at the state level with a focus on financial management. The author first provides a review of the current literature and relevant theories on e-government in relation to e-commerce and financial management. Second, an overview of state issues, trends, and development in the domain of e-commerce are investigated with data from an e-commerce survey. Third, the author develops and tests a model of e-commerce development. An e-commerce index is tested against a series of management and social-economic characteristics of the states. The overriding factors that explain e-commerce development at the state level are information technology (IT) management capacity and social services IT capacity. The traditional factor used to explain technology diffusion, being state wealth, was not found to be statistically significant.
MyEmpowerNet.gov
Authors: Tonn Bruce
Published: July 2004

A national web-based system called MyEmpowerNet.gov is proposed to empower citizens to become more involved in public decision making and to increase social capital. The system would be designed to allow citizens more voice in bureaucratic decision making on topics as diverse as the management of national forests to changes in local zoning ordinances. Each citizen would have a personal site on MyEmpowerNet.gov. The system would inform users of current and impending public federal, state, or local participation processes of potential interest to them. The system would help citizens organize their participation-related information. It is proposed that a new federal organization, titled the U.S. EmpowerNet Administration (USEA), be established to develop and manage the system and facilitate public participation nationwide. Major social and information science research issues will challenge the developers of My EmpowerNet.gov.
The Unspeakable Nature of Pediatric Palliative Care: Unveiling Many Cloaks
Authors: Rallison Lillian , Moules Nancy J.
Published: July 2004

In this article, the authors address the topic of pediatric palliative care and the unspeakable nature of the very practice of caring for children that are dying. This unspeakableness shows up in many ways around a silencing of the practice itself, a silencing of the topic of death within in the practice, and ultimately, a silencing of children and families who are faced with one of the most profound life events of loss imaginable. The authors speak to this unspeakable nature and offer family systems nursing practices and the illness beliefs model as one way to give language and voice to the suffering and strengths that inhabit this often-wordless terrain.
Language Ideologies Mediating Literacy and Identity in Bilingual Contexts
Authors: Martínez-Roldán Carmen M. , Malavé Guillermo
Published: July 2004

This article presents a qualitative case study of a sevenyear-old Mexican American student and his family. Using Critical Discourse Analysis, we examine both the child’s emergent ideas about language, as expressed in bilingual literature discussions, and his parents’ ideological discourses about the use of a minority language in public schools. Vygotsky’s theory of learning oriented this research on language ideologies, focusing on how parents’ ideological discourses shape both literacy development and identity formation in early childhood. Our findings illustrate the importance of looking beyond the classroom and school contexts to identify diverse factors that may affect children’s development of biliteracy in early childhood, such as the role of language ideologies. This study demonstrates the complex relationships between literacy, language ideologies, and issues of identity within the broader contexts of controversies over bilingual education and official English laws in the USA.
The Development of Human Resources During the Process of Economic and Structural Transformation in Poland
Authors: Szalkowski Adam , Jankowicz Devi
Published: July 2004

The problem and the solution. Is it possible to speak of national differences in human resource development (HRD) when the term itself is culturally dependent? One kind of solution is exemplified here: By reading between, as well as on, the lines, the reader might appreciate the ways in which contemporary Polish managerial culture construes the concept of HRD. This article contains a description of the socioeconomic transformation that occurred in Poland during the 1990s and an examination of the human resourcing problems faced by a command economy undergoing systemic transition. The resulting discussion gives an account of the bimodalities (of form and source of ownership) that currently dominate human resource development, and it concludes with a discussion of future development within a global context.
The Legend of the Bush Gang: Imperialism, War, and Propaganda
Authors: McLaren Peter , Martin Gregory
Published: July 2004

This article explores the dialectical relationship between the Bush administration’s domestic policies and its deranged “war on terrorism,” which is being waged on a number of different fronts, for example, Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, and the United States. The authors argue that the Bush gang is using the external “international crisis” to override the remnants of U.S. bourgeois democracy in order to reestablish conditions of profitability. Perhaps not surprisingly, at least from a Marxist perspective, the supporting repressive (e.g., the Department of Homeland Security’s secret police) and ideological state apparatuses (e.g., schools and the corporate media) have played a profound role in building support for the Bush gang’s totalizing ambitions.
Apocryphal Now
Authors: Bratich Jack Z.
Published: July 2004

This article examines current events through the lens of secrecy. From public relations management of political images to new leadership figures in the electoral process, the importance of visibility in the New Normal is discussed. Culture as strategy is posited as a way of thinking through the current crisis.
Who Needs the Government to Police us When We Can Do it Ourselves? The New Panopticon in Teaching
Authors: Goldstein Rebecca A.
Published: July 2004

The purpose of this essay is to discuss the creation of a new panopticon created by the media, the state, and the discourses of No Child Left Behind. In this new panopticon, teachers and scholars police themselves into silence for fear of serious personal and professional consequences should they critique public education policy (e.g., No Child Left Behind), which is currently eroding freedom, democracy, and social justice. This essay will describe the new panopticon, the media’s role in constructing No Child Left Behind as a benign, even beneficial regulation, and how the media has supported the state in its efforts to silence opposition to the new federal legislation. The essay will conclude with a reflection on the relationship on how teachers and scholars might once again “police the crisis” instead of the crisis policing them.
The small GTPase Rac1 links the Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus vGPCR to cytokine secretion and paracrine neoplasia
Authors: Montaner Silvia , Sodhi Akrit , Servitja Joan-Marc , Ramsdell Amanda K. , Barac Ana , Sawai Earl T. , Gutkind J. Silvio
Published: July 2004

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a multifocal angioproliferative neoplasm strictly dependent on angiogenic growth factors and cytokines and invariably associated with infection by the Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV or HHV8). A G protein–coupled receptor encoded by KSHV (vGPCR) is able to initiate KS-like tumors when targeted to the vascular endothelium of mice. Analogous to human KS, vGPCR sarcomagenesis involves the paracrine secretion of angiogenic growth factors and proinflammatory molecules from vGPCR-expressing cells. Here we demonstrate that vGPCR up-regulates expression and secretion of critical KS cytokines by stimulating key transcription factors, including nuclear factor–κB (NF-κB), activator protein-1 (AP-1), and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), through the activation of the small G protein Rac1. Inhibition of Rac1 blocked vGPCR-induced transcription and secretion of KS cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, and growth-regulated oncogene α (GROα), in vitro and reduced vGPCR tumorigenesis in vivo. Moreover, endothelial-specific infection with the constitutively active Rac1QL induced vascular lesions in mice that were remarkably similar to early vGPCR experimental lesions. These results identify Rac1 as a key mediator of vGPCR paracrine neoplasia, suggesting that this small G protein and its downstream effectors may represent suitable therapeutic targets for the treatment of KS.
Difficulties with use of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 by general practitioners in rural Scotland
Authors: Begum Millia , Helliwell Rebecca , Mackay Angus
Published: July 2004

Aims and Method

Anecdotal evidence suggests that considerable difficulties are experienced in rural areas by isolated general practitioners, when detaining patients under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act1984. The aim of this study was to identify the range and extent of these difficulties in a structured way, and to identify ways of responding to them. A postal questionnaire was sent to 85 general practitioners in a sparsely populated area of Scotland to assess their experience of emergency detention.

Results

The questionnaire response rate was 62%. Considerable difficulties were recorded from those who responded, notably their lack of support with clinical management during the delay between the patient's detention and the arrival of psychiatric staff, the lack of satisfactory places of safety for the patient during this period, and the difficult logistics of safe and satisfactory transport to hospital.

Clinical Implications

Rural general practitioners and their patients appear to be disadvantaged through lack of coordinated help in the management of inherently difficult and risky clinical situations. Even without additional resources, the process could be improved through coordinated, multi-agency action plans which take account of local conditions.
The Electroconvulsive Therapy Accreditation Service
Authors: Caird Helen , Worrall Adrian , Lelliott Paul
Published: July 2004

The Electroconvulsive Therapy Accreditation Service (ECTAS) was launched in May 2003. Its purpose is to assure and improve the quality of the administration of electroconvulsive therapy. Participating clinics undergo a process of self- and peer-review. The Royal College of Psychiatrists' Court of Electors will award an accreditation rating to clinics that meet essential standards; this accreditation will last for 3 years, subject to annual self-review. Participating clinics will also receive feedback and advice about local strengths and areas for improvement. The accreditation service is endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Anaesthetists and has the support of the Healthcare Commission in relation to English services. Clinics that participate in ECTAS will be listed on the College website, with the accreditation rating awarded.
The Use of a Dissected Bovine Heart to Teach Cardiac Sonography
Authors: Campanella Lisa Marie , Pancu Diana , Gang Maureen , Marill Keith A. , Ort Victoria
Published: July 2004

Objectives: To create and test a dissected bovine heart model (BHM) to facilitate the interpretation of cardiac sonography (CS). Methods:After a pretest and an instructional video on CS, emergency physicians (EPs) were randomized into two groups. Group 1 viewed two‐dimensional (2D) anatomic pictures of human hearts. Group 2 examined the BHM and the same anatomic pictures as group 1. The EPs retook the pretest. The differences between the raw pretest and posttest scores of the groups were compared with an unpaired Student's t‐test. Multiple linear regression was used to adjust for confounding by variation in education and initial test scores. EPs with previous experience in CS were excluded from the analysis. Results: Thirty‐five participants met the inclusion criteria, 16 in group 1 and 19 in group 2. The groups were well balanced with respect to postgraduate year training. The EPs in group 1 had a higher average pretest score of 11.6 versus 8.1 in group 2. Compared with the pretest scores, the average improvements in group 1 and group 2 were 7.6 and 11.3 points, respectively. Group 2 improved an average of 3.7 points (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.7 to 6.7; p = 0.016) more than group 1. After adjusting for confounding by the difference in initial scores, group 2 improved 1.8 (95% CI =−1.1 to 4.8; p = 0.22) more points on average than group 1. Conclusions: A dissected bovine heart model did not significantly improve the ability of EPs to label structures on static ultrasounds over inspection of static‐labeled anatomic pictures alone.
Muscle-Specific Overexpression of CD36 Reverses the Insulin Resistance and Diabetes of MKR Mice
Authors: Héron-Milhavet Lisa , Haluzik Martin , Yakar Shoshana , Gavrilova Oksana , Pack Stephanie , Jou William C. , Ibrahimi Azeddine , Kim Hyunsook , Hunt Desmond , Yau Daphne , Asghar Zeenat , Joseph Jamie , Wheeler Michael B. , Abumrad Nada A. , LeRoith Derek
Published: July 2004

Insulin resistance is one of the primary characteristics of type 2 diabetes. Mice overexpressing a dominant-negative IGF-I receptor specifically in muscle (MKR mice) demonstrate severe insulin resistance with high levels of serum and tissue lipids and eventually develop type 2 diabetes at 5–6 wk of age. To determine whether lipotoxicity plays a role in the progression of the disease, we crossed MKR mice with mice overexpressing a fatty acid translocase, CD36, in skeletal muscle. The double-transgenic MKR/CD36 mice showed normalization of the hyperglycemia and the hyperinsulinemia as well as a marked improvement in liver insulin sensitivity. The MKR/CD36 mice also exhibited normal rates of fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle when compared with the decreased rate of fatty acid oxidation in MKR. With the reduction in insulin resistance, β-cell function returned to normal. These and other results suggest that the insulin resistance in the MKR mice is associated with increased muscle triglycerides levels and that whole-body insulin resistance can be, at least partially, reversed in association with a reduction in muscle triglycerides levels, although the mechanisms are yet to be determined.
Selective Modulation of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels in the Terminal Nerve Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons of a Teleost, the Dwarf Gourami (Colisa lalia)
Authors: Haneda Kosuke , Oka Yoshitaka
Published: July 2004

GnRH neurons in the terminal nerve (TN) have been suggested to function as a neuromodulatory system that regulates long-lasting changes in the animal behavior. Here we examined electrophysiological properties of TN-GnRH neurons in a teleost (dwarf gourami, Colisa lalia), focusing on the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, which are thought to be coupled to several cellular events such as GnRH release. TN-GnRH neurons showed low-voltage activated (LVA) currents and three types of pharmacologically distinct high-voltage activated (HVA) currents. The L- and N-type currents constituted 30.7 ± 3.1 and 41.0 ± 3.9%, respectively, of HVA currents, which was recorded at the holding potential of −60 mV to inactivate the LVA currents. Although P/Q-type current was small and negligible, R-type current accounted for the remaining 23.6 ± 1.6% of HVA currents. Next we examined the possibility of Ca2+ channel modulation induced by GnRH released in a paracrine/autocrine manner. HVA currents of up to 40% was inhibited by the application of salmon GnRH, which is the same molecular species of GnRH as is synthesized by TN-GnRH neurons themselves. However, salmon GnRH had no measurable effects on LVA currents. The inhibition of HVA currents had a dose dependence (EC50 was 11.5 nm) and type specificity among different HVA currents; N- and R-type currents were preferentially inhibited, but L-type currents had by far lower sensitivity. The physiological significance of different Ca2+ influx pathways, and their paracrine/autocrine regulation mechanisms in TN-GnRH neurons are discussed.
CONSTANS acts in the phloem to regulate a systemic signal that induces photoperiodic flowering ofArabidopsis
Authors: An Hailong , Roussot Clotilde , Suárez-López Paula , Corbesier Laurent , Vincent Coral , Piñeiro Manuel , Hepworth Shelley , Mouradov Aidyn , Justin Samuel , Turnbull Colin , Coupland George
Published: July 2004

Flower development at the shoot apex is initiated in response to environmental cues. Day length is one of the most important of these and is perceived in the leaves. A systemic signal, called the floral stimulus or florigen, is then transmitted from the leaves through the phloem and induces floral development at the shoot apex. Genetic analysis in Arabidopsisidentified a pathway of genes required for the initiation of flowering in response to day length. The nuclear zinc-finger protein CONSTANS (CO) plays a central role in this pathway, and in response to long days activates the transcription of FT, which encodes a RAF-kinase-inhibitor-like protein. We show using grafting approaches that CO acts non-cell autonomously to trigger flowering. Although CO is expressed widely,its misexpression from phloem-specific promoters, but not from meristem-specific promoters, is sufficient to induce early flowering and complement the co mutation. The mechanism by which COtriggers flowering from the phloem involves the cell-autonomous activation of FT expression. Genetic approaches indicate that CO activates flowering through both FT-dependent and FT-independent processes, whereas FT acts both in the phloem and the meristem to trigger flowering. We propose that, partly through the activation of FT, CO regulates the synthesis or transport of a systemic flowering signal, thereby positioning this signal within the established hierarchy of regulatory proteins that controls flowering.
Fgf9induces proliferation and nuclear localization of FGFR2 in Sertoli precursors during male sex determination
Authors: Schmahl Jennifer , Kim Yuna , Colvin Jennifer S. , Ornitz David M. , Capel Blanche
Published: July 2004

Recently, we demonstrated that loss of Fgf9 results in a block of testis development and a male to female sex-reversed phenotype; however, the function of Fgf9 in sex determination was unknown. We now show that Fgf9 is necessary for two steps of testis development just downstream of the male sex-determining gene, Sry: (1) for the proliferation of a population of cells that give rise to Sertoli progenitors; and (2) for the nuclear localization of an FGF receptor (FGFR2) in Sertoli cell precursors. The nuclear localization of FGFR2 coincides with the initiation of Sry expression and the nuclear localization of SOX9 during the early differentiation of Sertoli cells and the determination of male fate.
Lmx1bcontrols the differentiation and migration of the superficial dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord
Authors: Ding Yu-Qiang , Yin Jun , Kania Artur , Zhao Zhong-Qiu , Johnson Randy L. , Chen Zhou-Feng
Published: July 2004

The differentiation and migration of superficial dorsal horn neurons and subsequent ingrowth of cutaneous afferents are crucial events in the formation of somatosensory circuitry in the dorsal spinal cord. We report that the differentiation and migration of the superficial dorsal horn neurons are regulated by the LIM homeobox gene Lmx1b, and its downstream targets Rnx and Drg11, two transcription factors implicated in the development of dorsal horn circuitry. An analysis of Lmx1b mutants shows that Lmx1b normally acts to maintain the expression of the Ebf genes and to repress the Zic genes. Lmx1b mutants also exhibit the disruption of the cutaneous afferent ingrowth, suggesting that the dorsal horn cells might provide important cues guiding sensory axons into the dorsal spinal cord. Our results thus indicate that Lmx1b has a pivotal role in genetic cascades that control the assembly of circuitry in the superficial dorsal horn.
Force enhancement in single skeletal muscle fibres on the ascending limb of the force–length relationship
Authors: Peterson Daniel R. , Rassier Dilson E. , Herzog Walter
Published: July 2004

It has been assumed that force enhancement in single fibres of skeletal muscles only occurs on the descending, and not the ascending or plateau region, of the force–length relationship. This assumption has been based, however, on theoretical considerations or isolated experiments, in which neither stretch conditions nor fibre lengths were optimized for force enhancement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the residual, steady-state force enhancement following active stretch in single muscle fibres of frog on the ascending limb of the force–length relationship. Twenty-nine stretch experiments on ten single fibres from the lumbrical muscle of the frog Rana pipiens were carried out on the ascending limb of the force–length relationship. Force enhancement was observed in 28 out of the 29 tests. Moreover, the force produced for stretch experiments finishing at optimal fibre length always exceeded the force obtained for an isometric contraction at optimal length. We conclude from these results that steady-state force enhancement occurs systematically on the ascending limb of the force–length relationship, and that the steady-state force in the enhanced state can easily exceed the maximal isometric force of the fibre.