bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polymorphisms and Promoter Overactivity of the p22

phox

Gene in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells From Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Zalba Guillermo , José Gorka San , Beaumont Francisco J. , Fortuño María A. , Fortuño Ana , Díez Javier
Published: June 2012

Abstract
—In a previous study, we found that the p22

phox

subunit of the NADH/NADPH oxidase is overexpressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) with enhanced vascular production of superoxide anion (
·
O
2
−
). Thus, we have investigated whether changes in the sequence or activity of the promoter region of p22

phox

gene are present in SHRs. To carry out this analysis, first of all, we characterized the rat gene structure and promoter region for the p22

phox

subunit. The p22

phox

gene spans ≈10 kb and contains 6 exons and 5 introns. Primer extension analysis indicated the transcriptional start site 100 bp upstream from the translational start site. The immediate promoter region of the p22

phox

gene does not contain a TATA box, but there are a CCAC box and putative recognition sites for nuclear factors, such as SP1, γ-interferon, and nuclear factor-κB. Using reporter-gene transfection analysis, we found that this promoter was functional in VSMCs. Furthermore, we observed that p22

phox

promoter activity was significantly higher in VSMCs from SHRs than from normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. In addition, we found that there were 5 polymorphisms in the sequence of p22

phox

promoter between Wistar-Kyoto rats and SHRs and that they were functional. The results obtained in this study provide a tool to explore the mechanisms that regulate the expression of p22

phox

gene in rat VSMCs. Furthermore, our findings show that changes in the sequence of p22

phox

gene promoter and in the degree of activation of VSMCs are responsible for upregulated expression of p22

phox

in SHRs.
ELF-1 Is a Transcriptional Regulator of the Tie2 Gene During Vascular Development
Authors: Dube Antoinise , Thai Shelley , Gaspar John , Rudders Susan , Libermann Towia A. , Iruela-Arispe Luisa , Oettgen Peter
Published: June 2012

Abstract
—Vascular development requires the tightly coordinated expression of several growth factors and their receptors. Among these are the Tie1 and Tie2 receptors, which are almost exclusively endothelial cell–specific. The critical transcriptional regulators of vascular-specific gene expression remain largely unknown. The Ets factors are a family of evolutionarily conserved transcription factors that regulate genes involved in cellular growth and differentiation. We have recently shown that the Ets factor NERF is a strong transactivator of the Tie1 and Tie2 genes. To extend these studies, we have begun to identify the Ets factors that are expressed in developing blood vessels of the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), a highly vascular embryonic network. RNA was extracted from microdissected CAM blood vessels, and reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction was performed using oligonucleotides encoding conserved amino acids within the Ets domain. One of the polymerase chain reaction fragments was subcloned and identified as the chicken homologue of the Ets factor ELF-1, cELF-1. ELF-1 is most closely related to the Ets factor NERF. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry demonstrate that cELF-1 is enriched in developing chicken blood vessels. cELF-1 is also a strong transactivator of the Tie1 and Tie2 genes and can bind to conserved Ets sites within the promoters of these genes. A complex of similar size forms when gel shifts are performed with cellular extracts derived from the CAM blood vessels, which is recognized by an antibody against cELF-1. In summary, ELF-1 belongs to a subset of Ets factors that regulate vascular-specific gene expression during blood vessel development.
Cytoprotection by Jun Kinase During Nitric Oxide–Induced Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis
Authors: Andreka Peter , Zang Jie , Dougherty Christopher , Slepak Tatiana I. , Webster Keith A. , Bishopric Nanette H.
Published: June 2012

Abstract
—Nitric oxide (NO) induces apoptosis in cardiac myocytes through an oxidant-sensitive mechanism. However, additional factors appear to modulate the exact timing and rate of NO-dependent apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) (extracellular signal–regulated kinase [ERK] 1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase [JNK] 1/2, and p38MAPK) in NO-mediated apoptotic signaling. The NO donor
S
-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes, preceded by a rapid (<10-minute) and significant (≈50-fold) activation of JNK1/2. Activation of JNK was cGMP dependent and was inversely related to NO concentration; it was maximal at the lowest dose of GSNO (10 μmol/L) and negligible at 1 mmol/L. NO slightly increased ERK1/2 beginning at 2 hours but did not affect p38MAPK activity. Inhibitors of ERK and p38MAPK activation did not affect cell death rates. In contrast, expression of dominant-negative JNK1 or MKK4 mutants significantly increased NO-induced apoptosis at 5 hours (56.77% and 57.37%, respectively, versus control, 40.5%), whereas MEKK1, an upstream activator of JNK, sharply reduced apoptosis in a JNK-dependent manner. Adenovirus-mediated expression of dominant-negative JNK1 both eliminated the rapid activation of JNK by NO and accelerated NO-mediated apoptosis by ≈2 hours. These data indicate that NO activates JNK as part of a cytoprotective response, concurrent with initiation of apoptotic signaling. Early, transient activation of JNK serves both to delay and to reduce the total extent of apoptosis in cardiac myocytes.
Fluorescent Imaging of a Dual-Pathway Atrioventricular-Nodal Conduction System
Authors: Nikolski Vladimir , Efimov Igor R.
Published: June 2012

Abstract
—A dual-pathway theory to explain atrioventricular-nodal (AVN) reentry has been proposed previously. However, the exact anatomical and functional correlates of the fast pathway (FP) and slow pathway (SP) have not yet been elucidated. We used optical mapping to reconstruct patterns of activation during retrograde conduction through the AVN and during AVN reentry in the triangles of Koch of 12 rabbits. Reentry was inducible by a premature stimulation of the bundle of His in 6 preparations (50%). A functional FP and SP appear to be anatomically correlated with posterior and posterolateral extensions of the AVN, which were recently described. Retrograde breakthrough points in 6 noninducible preparations were clustered near the apex of the triangle of Koch (FP), whereas 6 inducible preparations had either cycle length–dependent FP and SP exits (n=3) or only SP exits located near the coronary sinus orifice. The shift of breakthrough points from FP to SP during progressive shortening of the coupling interval was accompanied by a discontinuity in the conduction curve. We observed a transmural reentrant circuit involving the AVN, FP, SP, and the superficial endocardial layer of atrial and transitional cells. The presence of a functional SP during retrograde conduction was associated with inducibility of AVN reentry. The full text of this article is available at http://www.circresaha.org.
Reverse Mode of the Na
+
-Ca
2+
Exchange After Myocardial Stretch
Authors: Pérez Néstor G. , de Hurtado María C. Camilión , Cingolani Horacio E.
Published: June 2012

Abstract
—This study was designed to gain additional insight into the mechanism of the slow force response (SFR) to stretch of cardiac muscle. SFR and changes in intracellular Na
+
concentration ([Na
+
]
i
) were assessed in cat papillary muscles stretched from 92% to ≈98% of L
max
. The SFR was 120±0.6% (n=5) of the rapid initial phase and coincided with an increase in [Na
+
]
i
. The SFR was markedly depressed by Na
+
-H
+
exchanger inhibition, AT
1
receptor blockade, nonselective endothelin-receptor blockade and selective ET
A
-receptor blockade, extracellular Na
+
removal, and inhibition of the reverse mode of the Na
+
-Ca
2+
exchange by KB-R7943. KB-R7943 prevented the SFR but not the increase in [Na
+
]
i
. Inhibition of endothelin-converting enzyme activity by phosphoramidon suppressed both the SFR and the increase in [Na
+
]
i
. The SFR and the increase in [Na
+
]
i
after stretch were both present in muscles with their endothelium (vascular and endocardial) made functionally inactive by Triton X-100. In these muscles, phosphoramidon also suppressed the SFR and the increase in [Na
+
]
i
. The data provide evidence that the last step of the autocrine-paracrine mechanism leading to the SFR to stretch is Ca
2+
entry through the reverse mode of Na
+
-Ca
2+
exchange.
A
1
or A
3
Adenosine Receptors Induce Late Preconditioning Against Infarction in Conscious Rabbits by Different Mechanisms
Authors: Takano Hitoshi , Bolli Roberto , Black Richard G. , Kodani Eitaro , Tang Xian-Liang , Yang Zequan , Bhattacharya Samita , Auchampach John A.
Published: June 2012

Abstract
—We investigated whether activation of A
1
or A
3
adenosine receptors (ARs) induces late preconditioning (PC) against infarction in conscious rabbits using the selective AR agonists 2-chloro-
N
6
-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA) and
N
6
-3-iodobenzyladenosine-5′-
N
-methylcarboxamide (IB-MECA). In vitro radioligand binding and cAMP assays demonstrated CCPA to be ≈200- to 400-fold selective for the rabbit A
1
AR and IB-MECA to be ≈20-fold selective for the rabbit A
3
AR. We observed that (1) pretreatment of rabbits 24 hours earlier with CCPA (100 μg/kg IV bolus) or IB-MECA (100 or 300 μg/kg) resulted in an ≈35% to 40% reduction in the size of the infarct induced by 30 minutes of coronary artery occlusion and 72 hours of reperfusion compared with vehicle-treated rabbits, whereas pretreatment with the selective A
2A
AR agonist CGS 21680 (100 μg/kg) had no effect; (2) the delayed cardioprotective effect of CCPA, but not that of IB-MECA, was completely blocked by coadministration of the highly selective A
1
AR antagonist N-0861; (3) inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) with
N

ω

-nitro-
l
-arginine during the 30-minute occlusion abrogated the infarct-sparing action of CCPA but not that of IB-MECA; and (4) inhibition of ATP-sensitive potassium (K
ATP
) channels with sodium 5-hydroxydecanoate during the 30-minute occlusion blocked the cardioprotective effects of both CCPA and IB-MECA. Taken together, these results indicate that activation of either A
1
ARs or A
3
ARs (but not A
2A
ARs) elicits delayed protection against infarction in conscious rabbits and that both A
1
AR- and A
3
AR-induced cardioprotection involves opening of K
ATP
channels. However, A
1
AR-induced late PC uses an NOS-dependent pathway whereas A
3
AR-induced late PC is mediated by an NOS-independent pathway.
The Distribution of Refractory Periods Influences the Dynamics of Ventricular Fibrillation
Authors: Choi Bum-Rak , Liu Tong , Salama Guy
Published: June 2012

Abstract
—The spatial and dynamic properties of ventricular fibrillation (VF) may be random or related to cellular electrical properties of the normal heart. Local activation intervals (AIs) in VF may depend on the local refractory period (RP), and sustained VF may require a steep action potential (AP) restitution curve. In guinea pig hearts, AP durations (APDs) and RPs on the epicardium are shorter at the apex and progressively longer toward the base, producing gradients of RPs that may influence the spatial organization of VF. In the present study, the influence of APDs on VF dynamics is investigated in perfused guinea pig hearts stained with a voltage-sensitive dye by comparing APD gradients to the dynamics of VF elicited by burst pacing. In VF, AIs had no clear periodicity, but average AIs were shorter at the apex (57.5±8.1 ms) than the base (76.1±1.5 ms, n=6,
P
<0.05) and had gradients similar to APD gradients (correlation coefficient 0.71±0.04). Analysis of local velocity vectors showed no preferential directions, and fast Fourier transform (FFT) power spectra were broad (10 to 24 Hz) with multiple peaks (n=6). However, the selective inhibition of delayed K
+
rectifying currents,
I
Kr
(E4031; 0.5 μmol/L, n=3), shifted FFT spectra from complex to a lower dominant frequency (10 Hz) and altered repolarization but retained the correlation between mean AIs and RPs. Thus, VF dynamics are consistent with a multiple wave-make and wave-break mechanism, and the local RP influences VF dynamics by limiting the range of VF frequencies and AIs at each site. The full text of this article is available at http://www.circresaha.org.
Cyclooxygenase-1 Participates in Selected Vasodilator Responses of the Cerebral Circulation
Authors: Niwa Kiyoshi , Haensel Cindy , Ross M. Elizabeth , Iadecola Costantino
Published: June 2012

Abstract
—Cyclooxygenase (COX) is a prostanoid-synthesizing enzyme present in 2 isoforms: COX-1 and COX-2. Although it has long been hypothesized that prostanoids participate in cerebrovascular regulation, the lack of adequate pharmacological tools has led to conflicting results and has not permitted investigators to define the relative contribution of COX-1 and COX-2. We used the COX-1 inhibitor SC-560 and COX-1–null (COX-1
−/−
) mice to investigate whether COX-1 plays a role in cerebrovascular regulation. Mice were anesthetized (urethane and chloralose) and equipped with a cranial window. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry or by the
14
C-iodoantipyrine technique with quantitative autoradiography. In wild-type mice, SC-560 (25 μmol/L) reduced resting CBF by 21±4% and attenuated the CBF increase produced by topical application of bradykinin (−59%) or calcium ionophore A23187 (−49%) and by systemic hypercapnia (−58%) (
P
<0.05 to 0.01). However, SC-560 did not reduce responses to acetylcholine or the increase in somatosensory cortex blood flow produced by vibrissal stimulation. In COX-1
−/−
mice, resting CBF assessed by
14
C-iodoantipyrine was reduced (−13% to −20%) in cerebral cortex and other telencephalic regions (
P
<0.05). The CBF increase produced by bradykinin, A23187, and hypercapnia, but not acetylcholine or vibrissal stimulation, were attenuated (
P
<0.05 to 0.01). The free radical scavenger superoxide dismutase attenuated responses to bradykinin and A23187 in wild-type mice but not in COX-1
−/−
mice, suggesting that COX-1 is the source of the reactive oxygen species known to mediate these responses. The data provide evidence for a critical role of COX-1 in maintaining resting vascular tone and in selected vasodilator responses of the cerebral microcirculation.
Regional Flow-Pressure Relationship in Response to Angiotensin in the Intact Dog and Sheep
Authors: ASSALI N. S. , WESTERSTEN ALLAN
Published: June 2012

The effects of intravenous administration of angiotensin on the arterial pressure and on the renal, carotid, iliac, uterine, and femoral blood flows were investigated in dogs and sheep through the use of implanted electromagnetic flowmeters. The rise in arterial pressure was immediate and, within the range of doses employed, presented little relation ship to the dose. The pressor effect of angiotensin was accompanied by a consistent fall in the renal blood flow and a rise in the femoral, iliac, and uterine flows. Carotid flow was less affected. These studies demonstrate the specificity of flow response to a given change in pressure in the various areas of the body.
Electrocardiogram in the Normal Rat and Its Alteration with Experimental Coronary Occlusion
Authors: NORMANN SIGURD J. , PRIEST ROBERT E. , BENDITT EARL P.
Published: June 2012

A reliable and reprodueible method of recording rat electrocardiograms is described, including the use of precordial electrodes This system was utilized in studying 44 nor mal animals and in recording the electrical abnormalities associated with the ligation of the left coronary artery in 10 rats. The char acteristics of the normal electrocardiogram of the rat arc described. Following apical and anterior infarction, Q waves in associatioii with transitory R-wavc augmentation ap peared, with prolongation of the Q-T interval, electrical axis deviation, and inversion of the T wave. No abnormal conduction patterns were noted. The pathological lesions are described, and attention is called to the absence of mural intraventrienlar thrombosis despite transmnral infarction.
Oxygen Consumption of Normal and Atherosclerotic Intima
Authors: WHEREAT ARTHUR F.
Published: June 2012

This investigation has been a comparison of the intimal metabolism of the aorta in normal and atherosclerotic rabbits, and at various aortic locations. The thinnest possible layer of tissue was separated from the inner surface of the aorta. This layer proved to be intima with a small and fairly constant amount of media (smooth muscle).

The intima from the animals rendered atherosclerotic by cholesterol-feeding showed a much higher rate of oxygen consumption than the controls when succinate was used as a substrate. Moreover, the most atherosclerotic area (the aortic arch) showed a higher oxygen consumption than the less atherosclerotic areas (the thoracic and abdominal areas). This acceleration of oxygen consumption is presumably due to either an increased energy requirement (for either accelerated synthesis or catabolism) or an uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation.
Adrenocortical Hormones in Human Hypertension and Their Relation to Angiotensin
Authors: GENEST J. , BIRON P. , KOIW E. , NOWACZYNSKI W. , CHRÉTIEN M. , BOUCHER R.
Published: June 2012

In summary, we have demonstrated that: (a) Infusions of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and phenylephrine in 5 per cent glucose for 7 to 10 hours have little effect on, or decrease, urinary aldosterone excretion. (b) Angiotensin II infusions markedly decrease sodium excretion and the Na/K ratio and increase the excretion of aldosterone; of its ring-A reduced metabolite, pregnane-3-α,18,21-triol,11,20-dione; and, to a much lesser degree, of cortisol and tetrahydrocortisone in all normal subjects studied. (c) In patients with benign essential hypertension, infusions of angiotensin also stimulate urinary aldosterone excretion hut have a completely opposite effect on electrolytes-that of increasing sodium output and the Na/K ratio. This basic difference in response to angiotensin points to a fundamental problem to be solved for a better understanding of the disease. It is felt that the relative or absolute excess of aldosterone over progesterone secretion may be the important adrenal disturbance among the basic factors involved in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension. This disturbance is definitely linked with angiotensin and sodium regulation.
Histochemical Studies in Atherogenesis
Authors: ZUGIBE FREDERICK T. , BROWN KENNETH D.
Published: June 2012

Histochemieal studies of grossly normal and early lesions of cerebral arteries of 75 iudividuals ranging from fetuses to 70 years of age were made, utilizing newer histochemieal techniques. The following conclusions were made: There is no apparent relationship between acid mucopolysaccharides and lipids in respect to staining intensity and/or distribution in any of the age groups. In older juveniles and adults, lipid material was consistently observed intimately associated with the internal elastic membrane and other reduplicated elastic fibers, even in the absence of gross lesions. Fragmentation, fraying, and/or reduplication of the internal elastic membrane were absent in the fetuses, infants, and young juveniles. There was no apparent association between lipid and these elastic changes. In fetuses, infants, and young juveniles there was an accumulation of acid mucopolysaccharides hydrolyzable by testicular hyaluronidase, principally in the area of the proximal media, suggesting that the polysaccharide material was hyaluronic acid and/or chondroitin sulfate A and/or chondroitin sulfate C. In the adults, there was an accumulation in acid mucopolysaccharides resistant to hydrolysis by testicular hyaluronidase in the proximal media and in the intima. This accumulation in acid mucopolysaccharides corresponded to the areas of collagen increase. It was further suggested that these polysaccharides were chondroitin sulfate B and/or heparitin sulfate and/or hepa-rin. The significance of these findings was discussed.
Lymphatics of the Mitral Valve of the Dog
Authors: MILLER ALBERT J. , PICK RUTH , KATZ LOPIS N.
Published: June 2012

Thin-walled vessels have been visualized histologically in the mitral valve of the dog; these vessels were increased in number and caliber in animals with chronic impairment of cardiac lymph flow. Injection of diluted India ink into the free edge of the anterior mitral leaflet of the beating heart revealed extensive networks of vessels, grossly visible on the atrial surface of the valve. Histological study showed the India ink to be within thin-walled channels. Thus, there is compelling evidence that the visualized vessels are lymphatics and that their size and number increase when the cardiac lymphatic drainage is chronically impaired. The possible significance of the presence of lymphatic capillaries in the mitral valve is discussed.
Inflammation and Not Cardiovascular Risk Factors Is Associated With Short Leukocyte Telomere Length in 13- to 16-Year-Old Adolescents
Authors: Masi Stefano , Nightingale Claire M. , Day Ian N. M. , Guthrie Philip , Rumley Ann , Lowe Gordon D. O. , von Zglinicki Thomas , D’Aiuto Francesco , Taddei Stefano , Klein Nigel , Salpea Klelia , Cook Derek G. , Humphries Steve E. , Whincup Peter H. , Deanfield John E.
Published: June 2012

Objective—

Short leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with cardiovascular (CV) disease in adulthood. However, the biological basis of this association remains unclear. We sought to define early determinants of the association between CV disease and LTL in an adolescent population.

Methods and Results—

One thousand eighty adolescents, aged 13 to 16 years and participating in the Ten Towns Heart Health Study, provided blood samples for DNA extraction and measurement of a range of CV risk factors. LTL was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. LTL was inversely associated with age (
P
=0.04), longer in females than in males (
P
=0.03), and longer in South Asians than in white Europeans (
P
=0.01). No associations were found between LTL and traditional CV risk factors. There was a significant and inverse association between LTL and inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (
P
<0.001) and fibrinogen (
P
=0.001). The associations between LTL and inflammatory markers were not affected by multiple adjustments for behavioral and metabolic factors.

Conclusion—

High levels of inflammation are associated with shorter LTL from early adolescence; traditional CV risk factors have little association with LTL in adolescence. Inflammation in early life may play a causal role in the adult association between short LTL and CV disease.
Size and Ionic Currents of Unexcitable Cells Coupled to Cardiomyocytes Distinctly Modulate Cardiac Action Potential Shape and Pacemaking Activity in Micropatterned Cell Pairs
Authors: McSpadden Luke C. , Nguyen Hung , Bursac Nenad
Published: June 2012

Background—

Cardiac cell therapies can yield electric coupling of unexcitable donor cells to host cardiomyocytes with functional consequences that remain unexplored.

Methods and Results—

We micropatterned cell pairs consisting of a neonatal rat ventricular myocyte (NRVM) coupled to an engineered human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cell expressing either connexin-43 (Cx43 HEK) or inward rectifier potassium channel 2.1 (Kir2.1) and Cx43 (Kir2.1+Cx43 HEK). The NRVM–HEK contact length was fixed yielding a coupling strength of 68.9±9.7 nS, whereas HEK size was systematically varied. With increase in Cx43 HEK size, NRVM maximal diastolic potential was reduced from −71.7±0.6 mV in single NRVMs to −35.1±1.3 mV in pairs with an HEK:NRVM cell surface area ratio of 1.7±0.1, whereas the action potential upstroke ([d
V
m
/d
t
]
max
) and duration decreased to 1.6±0.7% and increased to 177±32% in single NRVM values, respectively (n=21 cell pairs). Pacemaking occurred in all NRVM–Cx43 HEK pairs with cell surface area ratios of 1.1 to 1.9. In contrast, NRVMs, coupled with Kir2.1+Cx43 HEKs of increasing size, had similar maximal diastolic potentials, exhibited no spontaneous activity, and showed a gradual decrease in action potential duration (n=23). Furthermore, coupling single NRVMs to a dynamic clamp model of HEK cell ionic current reproduced the cardiac maximal diastolic potentials and pacemaking rates recorded in cell pairs, whereas reproducing changes in (d
V
m
/d
t
)
max
and action potential duration required coupling to an HEK model that also included cell membrane capacitance.

Conclusions—

Size and ionic currents of unexcitable cells electrically coupled to cardiomyocytes distinctly affect cardiac action potential shape and initiation with important implications for the safety of cardiac cell and gene therapies.
Black Carbon Aerosol Concentration in Five Cities and Its Scaling with City Population
Authors: Paredes-Miranda G. , Arnott W. P. , Moosmüller H. , Green M. C. , Gyawali M.
Published: June 2012

A question of importance for urban planning and attainment of air quality standards is how pollutant concentrations scale with city population. This study uses measurements of light absorption and light scattering coefficients as proxies for primary (i.e., black carbon aerosols) and total pollutant concentration to start addressing the relationship between per capita air pollutant concentration and city population. Analyses of aerosol light scattering and absorption measurements in suburban Mexico City, Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada; Reno, Nevada; Beijing, China; and Delhi, India, suggest that common air pollutant concentrations scale approximately as the square root of the urban population, which is consistent with a simple 2D box model. This simple scaling relationship for per capita air pollution concentration might be useful both as a guide for comparing cities as well as for preparing for future projections of increased urbanization, especially for cities having more than 10 million inhabitants.
Working to live, not living to work: Work, leisure and youth identity among call centre workers in North East England
Authors: Lloyd Anthony
Published: June 2012

Recent debate has questioned the centrality of work in everyday life. Using evidence drawn from participant observation in a call centre and interviews with young call centre workers, this article suggests that, in locales characterized by insecure labour markets dominated by low-paid service sector jobs, work no longer serves to define individual identity. When the idea of a job for life disappears and fragmented work careers become normal, individuals look beyond their working life to frame their identity and attach meaning and significance to their existence. Analysis of the data provides an opportunity to critically explore Bourdieu’s concept of habitus; the notion of a working-class habitus must be re-examined in the face of a postmodern culture thoroughly attuned to the principles of consumer capitalism and neoliberal ideology. What constitutes a ‘new’ working-class habitus when work, typified here by call centre work, fails to impact on identity formation?
The Mental Health Effects of Housing Tenure: Causal or Compositional?
Authors: Baker Emma , Bentley Rebecca , Mason Kate
Published: June 2012

Housing tenure sits at the heart of much academic and policy literature across many post-industrial countries, and, while debate is often centred on promoting tenure choice, surprisingly little is known of the underlying ways that the tenure chosen can affect health. While population characteristics tend to vary between tenure types, this largely reflects the forces of broader social and economic selection into those tenures. This paper examines what identifiable effect tenure has upon the mental health of individuals, over and above the characteristics of selection. The analysis is based upon 40 828 responses of 10 245 individuals in the Australian working-age population who participated in the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia study between 2001 and 2007. It is found that, while mental health varies significantly between tenure types, once tenure population differences are accounted for there is little evidence of an intrinsic relationship between tenure and mental health.
Worry as a Predictor of Fear Acquisition in a Nonclinical Sample
Authors: Joos Els , Vansteenwegen Debora , Hermans Dirk
Published: June 2012

People seem to differ in their conditionability, that is, the ease by which fear associations (neutral stimulus–unconditioned stimulus [CS-US] contingencies) are learned. Recently, the level of trait worry has been proposed as a predictor of heightened conditionability. The current research aimed to (a) further investigate this influence of individual differences in trait worry on the strength of fear acquisition, (b) explore whether this association could be explained by trait anxiety, and (c) assess possible underlying mechanisms of this relationship. In a nonclinical sample, the amount of trait worry predicted heightened conditionability in a differential fear conditioning paradigm, both in fear ratings and in performance on a secondary probe reaction time task. A significant correlation was observed for general conditioning to the CS+ and also for differential conditioning (taking into account excitatory and inhibitory responding) in Experiment 1. These associations could not be fully explained by trait anxiety. US inflation and strengthening of the CS-US contingency through rehearsal are discussed as possible underlying mechanisms.
A Scheme for Categorizing Traumatic Military Events
Authors: Stein Nathan R. , Mills Mary Alice , Arditte Kimberly , Mendoza Crystal , Borah Adam M. , Resick Patricia A. , Litz Brett T. ,   STRONG STAR Consortium, Belinfante Kenneth , Borah Elisa V. , Cooney John A. , Foa Edna B. , Hembree Elizabeth A. , Kippie Amber , Lester Kathleen , Malach Steffany L. , McClure Jennifer , Peterson Alan L. , Vargas Veronica , Wright Edward
Published: June 2012

A common assumption among clinicians and researchers is that war trauma primarily involves fear-based reactions to life-threatening situations. However, the authors believe that there are multiple types of trauma in the military context, each with unique perievent and postevent response patterns. To test this hypothesis, they reviewed structured clinical interviews of 122 active duty service members and assigned the reported index (principal, most currently distressing) events to one or more of the following categories: Life Threat to Self, Life Threat to Others, Aftermath of Violence, Traumatic Loss, Moral Injury by Self, and Moral Injury by Others. They found high interrater reliability for the coding scheme and support for the construct validity of the categorizations. In addition, they discovered that certain categories were related to psychiatric symptoms (e.g., reexperiencing of the traumatic event, guilt, anger) and negative thoughts about the world. Their study provides tentative support for use of these event categories.
Cohort comparisons in resources and functioning among centenarians: Findings from the Georgia Centenarian Study
Authors: Cho Jinmyoung , Martin Peter , Margrett Jennifer , MacDonald Maurice , Poon Leonard W. , Johnson Mary Ann
Published: June 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine cohort comparisons in levels of resources (e.g., mental health, physical functioning, economic and social resources, and cognitive functioning) for 211 community-dwelling centenarians (whose Mini-Mental Status Examination score was 23 or higher) of phases I and III of the Georgia Centenarian Study. The earlier cohort was defined as those born between 1881 and 1895 (part of phase I) and the later cohort included persons born between 1901 and 1907 (part of phase III). Five specific domains were compared: mental health; mental status; physical functioning; social resources; and economic resources. Results showed that there were significant cohort comparisons in five domains: mental health; mental status; physical functioning; social networks; and economic resources. Findings suggest that the later centenarian cohort was more satisfied with life, felt less depressed, showed less positive or negative emotion, had higher scores on perceived economic status, and higher levels of physical and cognitive functioning when compared to the earlier cohort. In conclusion, our findings suggest that recent cohorts of centenarians may be better off than previous ones with respect to several areas of individual resources. This study suggests that, even as the number of centenarians increases and some proportion of centenarians experience severe deterioration at the end of their life, there are improvements of functioning, health, and overall life quality among advanced older adults.
Biocompatibility Comparison of Novel Soft Tissue Implants vs Commonly Used Biomaterials in a Pig Model
Authors: Kolb Caroline M. , Pierce Lisa M. , Roofe Scott B.
Published: June 2012

Objective

To develop a model to evaluate biocompatibility, integration, and substrate independence of novel porous bioscaffolds for maxillofacial and plastic reconstruction using sphere‐templated angiogenic regeneration technology compared with currently available synthetic and biologic soft tissue implants.

Study Design

A prospective pilot study using animals.

Setting

Military medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Five pigs underwent dorsal subcutaneous implantation of a polypropylene‐based material coated with precision pore silicone granules (sphere‐templated scaffold), expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, human dermis, and porcine dermis. Sham and undissected sites were also used as controls. Specimens were harvested 7, 21, 90, and 180 days after surgery and evaluated histologically for inflammation, neovascularization, and collagen deposition.

Results

All materials and sham sites induced a mild to moderate inflammation that decreased over time, except for human dermis, which elicited a moderate to severe inflammatory response. The responses were varied and measurable using subjective scoring methods. The sphere‐templated scaffold demonstrated numerous foreign body giant cells adjacent to the silicone granules, which were not seen in any of the other specimens.

Conclusion

Subjective scoring of pathology slides and measurement of capsule thickness appeared to show differences between the materials, but these differences require a larger number of subjects and proper statistical analysis to assess. The robust foreign body reaction elicited by the polypropylene/silicone‐based scaffold argues against the use of this material in future studies. The authors advocate using inert biodegradable substances for future bioscaffold constructs.
The effects of zero-balance ultrafiltration on postoperative recovery after cardiopulmonary bypass: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Zhu X , Ji B , Wang G , Liu J , Long C
Published: June 2012

Objective:

Considered as a significant ultrafiltration technology during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), zero-balance ultrafiltration (Z-BUF) has always received controversial support regarding its effectiveness in reducing inflammatory mediators in plasma. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical effect of Z-BUF through screening all relevant published randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods:

A comprehensive search was conducted to screen all RCTs of Z-BUF. Three trained investigators searched databases, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Google scholar, and Chinese literature databases (CNKI, WanFang, WeiPu). RCTs that compared Z-BUF with non-ultrafiltration were included. We focused on clinical outcomes such as length of stay in ICU, duration of ventilation, hospital stay, total amount of chest tube drainage and mortality. Finally, a total of 7 studies containing appropriate criteria were divided into an adult group and a pediatric group. A random effects model was used to calculate weighted mean difference with 95% confidence intervals.

Results:

In the adult group, the benefits of Z-BUF in duration of ventilation (WMD=-2.77, 95% CI = [-6.26, 0.72], I2=71%, p=0.12) and the length of ICU stay (WMD=-4.13, 95% CI = [-10.09, 1.84], I2=77%, Z=1.36, p=0.17) were not apparent, with significant heterogeneity existing in the statistical results. The rest of the clinical parameters could not be evaluated due to insufficient data. In the pediatric group, combined analysis showed Z-BUF could reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation (WMD=3.07; 95%CI= [-7.56, -3.46], I2=17%, p=0.27). The advantage of Z-BUF was not observed in other clinical outcomes.

Conclusion:

The benefits of Z-BUF were not apparent, according to the report. Further studies involving combined ultrafiltration are expected to provide improved ultrafiltration during CPB.
Crime and compassion
Authors: Shdaimah Corey S , Wiechelt Shelly A
Published: June 2012

Women who are charged with prostitution sit at an intersection of victimization and criminality. It is widely acknowledged that many women who engage in prostitution, especially those engaged in street prostitution, suffer from a variety of problems including past and current trauma and abuse, substance abuse, mental and physical health disorders, and housing instability. Our interviews and focus groups with 17 women currently and formerly engaged in prostitution reveal that survival needs and coercion are factors in their involvement in prostitution. They are also commonly victimized prior to and during their involvement in prostitution. In August 2007, the State’s Attorney’s Office of the City of Baltimore began an initiative to create an alternative for people who are charged with prostitution, which is a crime in Maryland. These efforts stem from what may be considered a discomfort and ambivalence with a criminological approach to offenders who are simultaneously considered victims. Diversionary approaches are an attempt to manage these ambivalent and often conflicting constructions of women who engage in prostitution. However, such programs will largely serve as a palliative rather than a long term solution if they fail to address the personal and structural factors that severely circumscribe the choices available to this marginalized population.
Acute Respiratory Distress in an Alpaca
Authors: Uzal F. A. , Mukai M. , Woods L. , Poppenga R. , A.Valentine B. , Smith J.
Published: June 2012

An alpaca was presented with a history of respiratory difficulty and death. Histology of the phrenic nerves and diaphragm revealed degenerative changes consistent with denervation atrophy, and a diagnosis of diaphragmatic paralysis was established. No gross or histological abnormalities were observed in the spinal cord or other organs. The etiology of the phrenic nerve neuropathy could not be determined. The need to examine phrenic nerves and diaphragm in camelids with respiratory distress is emphasized, as failure to examine these samples will preclude a diagnosis of diaphragmatic paralysis.
A Systematic Review of Complications and Failures Associated With Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction for Recurrent Patellar Dislocation
Authors: Shah Jay N. , Howard Jennifer S. , Flanigan David C. , Brophy Robert H. , Carey James L. , Lattermann Christian
Published: June 2012

Background:

Patellofemoral instability affects activities of daily living and hinders athletic participation. Over the past 2 decades, more attention has been paid to medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction for the treatment of recurrent patellar dislocations/subluxations. Numerous techniques have been reported; however, there is no consensus regarding optimal reconstruction.

Purpose:

This study sought to report on the various techniques for MPFL reconstruction described in the literature and to assess the rate of complications associated with the procedure.

Study Design:

Meta-analysis.

Methods:

A systematic review of the literature was performed in early October 2010 using keywords “medial patellofemoral ligament,” “MPFL,” “reconstruction,” “complication(s),” and “failure(s).” Articles meeting the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Graft choice, surgical technique, outcome measures, and complications were recorded and organized in a database. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on the data collected.

Results:

Twenty-five articles were identified and reviewed. A total of 164 complications occurred in 629 knees (26.1%). These adverse events ranged from minor to major including patellar fracture, failures, clinical instability on postoperative examination, loss of knee flexion, wound complications, and pain. Twenty-six patients returned to the operating room for additional procedures.

Conclusion:

Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction has a high rate of success for patients with patellofemoral instability; however, the complication rate of 26.1% associated with this procedure is not trivial. This study quantified complications and documented the variety of complications reported in outcomes-based literature.
In situ–forming quercetin-conjugated heparin hydrogels for blood compatible and antiproliferative metal coating
Authors: Tran Ngoc Q , Joung Yoon K , Choi Jong H , Park Kyung M , Park Ki D
Published: June 2012

In this study, in situ–forming quercetin-conjugated heparin hydrogels to be used to coat metal surfaces for blood compatibility were developed and characterized. Four units of quercetin and poly(ethylene glycol)–tyramine were conjugated per heparin for blood compatibility and hydrogel formation, respectively. The product, quercetin-conjugated heparin–poly(ethylene glycol)–tyramine, was cross-linked in situ via an enzymatic reaction using horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide to form a hydrogel. The physicochemical properties, such as the gelation time and swelling/degradation time as well as the release kinetics of quercetin, were controlled by changing the catalytic concentrations. The quercetin-conjugated heparin hydrogel, when adhered to a metal surface, enhanced blood compatibility and reduced platelet adhesion by 77%. The release of quercetin inhibited the proliferation of smooth muscle cells. The quercetin-conjugated heparin–poly(ethylene glycol)–tyramine hydrogel is a promising biomaterial with a stable-coated metal surface, with enhanced blood compatibility and antiproliferation effects.
Is securitization a ‘negative’ concept? Revisiting the normative debate over normal versus extraordinary politics
Authors: Roe Paul
Published: June 2012

The purpose of this article is to revisit the normatively defined debate over securitization as a negative conception. Claudia Aradau’s work has largely served to define this debate, with Aradau arguing that securitization/security is an inherently negative conception inasmuch as its mode of extraordinary politics necessarily both institutionalizes fast-track decisionmaking (‘process’) and produces categories of enemy others (‘outcome’). In making evident the main assumptions therein, my argument is that this debate has taken place not only in terms of a specific – and indeed contestable – rendering of the securitization concept, but also in terms of a more general acceptance of an essentialized (Schmittian) logic of security. The article thus seeks ultimately to demonstrate the value of de-essentializing the practices evoked by speaking security and to show how this enables meaningful engagement with other emerging conceptions of ‘positive’ security.
Resilience and human security: The post-interventionist paradigm
Authors: Chandler David
Published: June 2012

In current discussions, many commentators express a fear that ‘broad’ human security approaches are being sidelined by the rise of the ‘responsibility to protect’ (R2P) and the ‘narrow’ focus on military intervention. An alternative reading is sketched out here, which suggests that debates over ‘narrow’ or ‘broad’ human security frameworks have undertheorized the discursive paradigm at the heart of human security. This paradigm is drawn out in terms of the juxtaposition of preventive human security practices of resilience, working upon the empowerment of the vulnerable, and the interventionist security practices of liberal internationalism, working upon the protection of victims. It is suggested that human security can be conceptually analysed in terms of post-intervention, as a shift away from liberal internationalist claims of Western securing or sovereign agency and towards a concern with facilitating or developing the self-securing agency – resilience – of those held to be the most vulnerable. This approach takes us beyond the focus on the technical means of intervention – whether coercive force is deployed or not – and allows us to see how international intervention, including under the R2P, increasingly operates under the paradigm of resilience and human security, thereby evading many of the problems confronted by liberal framings of intervention.
Chinese Olympic sport policy: Managing the impact of globalisation
Authors: Tan Tien-Chin , Houlihan Barrie
Published: June 2012

The article examines the extent to which, and the manner in which, the Chinese government managed its relationship with the Olympic movement following its re-engagement with international elite sport competition in the mid 1970s. Locating the analysis in the literature on globalisation, the article notes the limited research exploring the role of the state in managing the relationship between domestic and global sport. Based on extensive document analysis and interviews, the article provides an analysis of the governmental strategy to increase Chinese influence in the Olympic movement, produce a strong national Olympic squad of athletes and ensure success at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It is argued that the Chinese state was not only effective in organising and concentrating resources to support its policy objectives, but was also able to incorporate aspects of market capitalism into its elite development system and, so far at least, generally manage effectively the tensions that arose from an increasingly wealthy, mobile and individualistic cohort of elite athletes and coaches.
Can mental health commissions really drive reform? Towards better resourcing, services, accountability and stakeholder engagement
Authors: Rosenberg Sebastian , Rosen Alan
Published: June 2012

Objective:

In this second and final part of this series about mental health commissions, we consider the extent to which it is possible to find hard evidence that these new structures really can drive mental health reform. Four key domains of improvement are established for the purposes of this review: do commissions lead to better resources, better services, better accountability and better stakeholder engagement? A review of the evidence from both Australia and overseas is presented. The article also considers how the commissions, federal and state, will organise their relationships productively to avoid duplication and promote synergy. What of those jurisdictions without commissions? Is this genuine national reform or merely more piecemeal activity in mental health? The authors have been informed by the varying structures and functions of mental health commissions internationally and were part of the New South Wales taskforce to establish a mental health commission. They had the opportunity to visit the Western Australian and New Zealand Commissions as part of this process.

Conclusion:

Addressing mental illness requires a joined up approach to government and services. Commissions offer a new organisational structure designed to deliver this contiguity. There is also evidence that nascent and established commissions are delivering real reforms, including in terms of additional resources and influence. Without concerted efforts to coordinate activity, the intersection between federal and state commissions will be confused and duplications might arise. The paper calls for a new network of commissions to be established across Australia and New Zealand, to share resources and common tasks, clarify roles and build common approaches.