bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
D2Dopamine Receptor Activation Facilitates Endocannabinoid-Mediated Long-Term Synaptic Depression of GABAergic Synaptic Transmission in Midbrain Dopamine Neurons via cAMP-Protein Kinase A Signaling
Authors: Pan Bin , Hillard Cecilia J. , Liu Qing-song
Published: December 2008

Endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling mediates short-term and long-term synaptic depression (LTD) in many brain areas. In the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and striatum, D2dopamine receptors cooperate with group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) to induce eCB-mediated LTD of glutamatergic excitatory and GABAergic inhibitory (I-LTD) synaptic transmission. Because D2receptors and group I mGluR agonists are capable of inducing the release of eCBs, the predominant hypothesis is that the cooperation between these receptors to induce eCB-mediated synaptic depression results from the combined activation of type I cannabinoid (CB1) receptors by the eCBs. By determining the downstream effectors for D2receptor and group I mGluR activation in VTA dopamine neurons, we show that group I mGluR activation contributes to I-LTD induction by enhancing eCB release and CB1receptor activation. However, D2receptor activation does not enhance CB1receptor activation, but facilitates I-LTD induction via direct inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) signaling. We further demonstrate that cAMP/PKA signaling pathway is the downstream effector for CB1receptors and is required for eCB-mediated I-LTD induction. Our results suggest that D2receptors and CB1receptors target the same downstream effector cAMP/PKA signaling pathway to induce I-LTD and D2receptor activation facilitates eCB-mediated I-LTD in dopamine neurons not by enhancing CB1receptor activation, but by enhancing its downstream effects.
Parkinsonian Beta Oscillations in the External Globus Pallidus and Their Relationship with Subthalamic Nucleus Activity
Authors: Mallet Nicolas , Pogosyan Alek , Márton László F. , Bolam J. Paul , Brown Peter , Magill Peter J.
Published: December 2008

Inappropriately synchronized beta (β) oscillations (15–30 Hz) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) accompany movement difficulties in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). The cellular and network substrates underlying these exaggerated β oscillations are unknown but activity in the external globus pallidus (GP), which forms a candidate pacemaker network with STN, might be of particular importance. Using a clinically relevant rat model of PD, we demonstrate that oscillatory activity in GP neuronal networks becomes excessively and selectively synchronized at β frequencies in a spatially widespread and brain state-dependent manner after lesion of dopamine neurons. Although synchronization of GP unit activity increased by almost 100-fold during β oscillations, the mean firing rate of GP neurons decreased compared with controls. Importantly, in parkinsonian animals, two main types of GP neuron were identified according to their distinct and inversely related firing rates and patterns. Moreover, neurons of the same type tended to fire together, with small phase differences, whereas different types of neuron tended not to do so. This functional dichotomy in temporal coupling persisted across extreme brain states, suggesting that maladaptive interactions are dominated by hardwiring. Finally, the precisely timed discharges of GP and STN neurons indicated that rhythmic sequences of recurrent excitation and inhibition in the STN-GP network, and lateral inhibition between GP neurons, could actively support abnormal β oscillations. We propose that GP neurons, by virtue of their spatiotemporal synchronization, widespread axon collaterals and feed-back/feed-forward mechanisms, are well placed to orchestrate and propagate exaggerated β oscillations throughout the entire basal ganglia in PD.
Bidirectional Hebbian Plasticity at Hippocampal Mossy Fiber Synapses on CA3 Interneurons
Authors: Galván Emilio J. , Calixto Eduardo , Barrionuevo Germán
Published: December 2008

Hippocampal area CA3 is critically involved in the formation of nonoverlapping neuronal subpopulations (“pattern separation”) to store memory representations as distinct events. Efficient pattern separation relies on the strong and sparse excitatory input from the mossy fibers (MFs) to pyramidal cells and feedforward inhibitory interneurons. However, MF synapses on CA3 pyramidal cells undergo long-term potentiation (LTP), which, if unopposed, will degrade pattern separation because MF activation will now recruit additional CA3 pyramidal cells. Here, we demonstrate MF LTP in stratum lacunosum-moleculare (L-M) interneurons induced by the same stimulation protocol that induces MF LTP in pyramidal cells. This LTP was NMDA receptor (NMDAR) independent and occurred at MF Ca2+-impermeable AMPA receptor synapses. LTP was prevented by with voltage clamping the postsynaptic cell soma during high-frequency stimulation (HFS), intracellular injections of the Ca2+chelator BAPTA (20 mm), or bath applications of the L-type Ca2+channel blocker nimodipine (10 μm). We propose that MF LTP in L-M interneurons preserves the sparsity of pyramidal cell activation, thus allowing CA3 to maintain its role in pattern separation. In the presence of the mGluR1α antagonist LY367385 [(S)-(+)-a-amino-4-carboxy-2-methylbenzeneacetic acid] (100 μm), the same HFS that induces MF LTP in naive slices triggered NMDAR-independent MF LTD. This LTD, like LTP, required activation of the L-type Ca2+channel and also was induced after blockade of IP3receptors with heparin (4 mg/ml) or the selective depletion of receptor-gated Ca2+stores with ryanodine (10 or 100 μm). We conclude that L-M interneurons are endowed with Ca2+signaling cascades suitable for controlling the polarity of MF long-term plasticity induced by joint presynaptic and postsynaptic activities.
Retinal Ganglion Cells Survive and Maintain Normal Dendritic Morphology in a Mouse Model of Inherited Photoreceptor Degeneration
Authors: Mazzoni Francesca , Novelli Elena , Strettoi Enrica
Published: December 2008

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a family of inherited disorders characterized by progressive photoreceptor death, is a leading cause of blindness with no available cure. Despite the genetic heterogeneity underlying the disease, recent data on animal models show that the degeneration of photoreceptors triggers stereotyped remodeling among their postsynaptic partners. In particular, bipolar and horizontal cells might undergo dendritic atrophy and secondary death. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not concomitant changes also occur in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the only retinal projection neurons to the brain and the proposed substrate for various therapeutic approaches for RP. We assessed the retention of morphology, overall architecture, and survival of RGCs in a mouse model of RP at various stages of the disease. To study the morphology of single RGCs, we generated a new mouse line by crossing Thy1-GFP-M mice (Feng et al., 2000), which express GFP (green fluorescent protein) in a small number of heterogeneous RGCs types, and rd10 mutants, a model of autosomal recessive RP, which exhibit a typical rod–cone degeneration (Chang et al., 2002). We show remarkable preservation of RGC structure, survival, and projections to higher visual centers in the time span from 3 to 9 months of life, well beyond the death of photoreceptors. Thus, unlike second-order neurons, RGCs appear as a considerably stable population of cells, potentially constituting a favorable substrate for restoring vision in RP individuals by means of electronic prostheses or direct expression of photosensitive proteins.
Paul Mus (1902–1969): A Biographical Sketch
Authors: Chandler David
Published: December 2008

Using recently available archival materials, this essay presents a new,detailed biography of Paul Mus (1902–1969), a brilliant scholar of Buddhism, a brave soldier, and a public intellectual who was out of step with the French establishment in the 1940s and 1950s as an early opponent of the First Indochina War and the French war in Algeria. His profound and timely insights into Vietnamese nationalism, largely ignored at the time, have had a delayed and positive impact on Vietnamese studies in France and the United States.
Mothering and Fathering the Vietnamese: Religion, Gender, and National Identity
Authors: Phương Phạm Quỳnh , Eipper Chris
Published: December 2008

Within the family, filial respect is seen as the highest moral virtue in Vietnam, while venerating national mothers and fathers is regarded as a manifestation of "national cultural identity." In this article, the authors explore key features of the pairing of mythic mothers with mythic fathers. Their specific interest is the development of Mother Goddess Liễu Hạnh's cult and the association it has come to have with that of Trần Hưng Đạo, who is revered as a Father of the Nation.
Digging Up the Past: Prehistory and the Weight of the Present in Vietnam
Authors: Cherry Haydon
Published: December 2008

This essay argues that prehistory in Vietnam has been powerfully shaped by the contemporary social and political circumstances in which it has been produced, both during the French colonial period and in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. It argues that in both periods the degree of professionalism in the field and the prevailing political ideology shaped the kind of prehistory produced. The discussion focuses particularly on the Bronze Age culture of Đông Sỏn and its link to the Hùng kings and their kingdom of Văn Lang.
Expression and in vitro regulation of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (pacap38) and its type I receptor (pac1-r) in the gonads of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)
Authors: Huang Wei-Tung , Li Chia-Jung , Wu Po-Jui , Chang Yun-Shiang , Lee Tai-Lin , Weng Ching-Feng
Published: December 2008

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), a pleiotropic neuropeptide, has diverse functions in mammals. However, studies of the expression and function of PACAP and its receptor in fish, particularly in the reproductive system, are still limited. In this report, semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining were performed to identify expression domains of commercially important tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). PACAP (tpacap38) and its type I receptor (tpac1-r). Transcripts were detected in the brain, gallbladder, gill, heart, intestine, kidney, muscles, pancreas, spleen, stomach, testes, and ovaries, but not in the liver. Expression of tpacap38and tpac1-rmRNA in brain tissue was significantly higher in both sexes compared with other tissues. Addition of exogenous ovine PACAP38(0.25–5 nM), cAMP analog (dibutyryl-cAMP, 0.25–1.5 mM) or forskolin (adenylate cyclase activator, 1–10 μM) significantly upregulated tpacap38in the gonads via a dose- and time-dependent fashion. This effect reached a maximal level at 2 h after induction, and then decreased with prolonged culture for up to 4 or 8 h. Additionally, the expression levels of tpac1-rwere not significantly affected by ovine PACAP38or dibutyryl-cAMP in either sex. Forskolin had a slightly inductive effect and its function could be suppressed with the addition of protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H89 (10 μM), indicating involvement of the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway in the regulation of tpacap38. Expression of tpacap38and tpac1-rin the gonads of tilapia suggests that PACAP may mediate gonadotropin action via paracrine/autocrine mechanisms in this bony fish.
The Natural History of Audiologic and Tympanometric Findings in Patients with an Unrepaired Cleft Palate
Authors: Zheng Wei , Smith James D. , Shi Bing , Li Yu , Wang Yan , Li Sheng , Meng Zhaoli , Zheng Qian
Published: December 2008

Objective:

To present the tympanometric findings in 552 patients (115 over 10 years of age) with unrepaired cleft palate (256 had audiologic findings) and to show the natural history and outcome of these cases.

Setting:

The cleft lip and palate clinic for the Division of Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery at the West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.

Design:

Pure-tone audiometric and tympanometric evaluations were performed on 552 patients with an unrepaired cleft palate. Results were analyzed by looking at the patient's age and cleft palate type.

Results:

This study demonstrated an age-related decrease in the frequency of hearing impairment and abnormal tympanometry. The frequency of hearing impairment and abnormal tympanometry in patients with submucous cleft palate was significantly lower than in patients from the other four major cleft palate categories (p  =  .001, p  =  .006, respectively).

Conclusions:

The middle ear function and hearing levels of unrepaired cleft palate patients improved with age, but at least 30% of the patients’ ears demonstrated a hearing loss and abnormal tympanometry in each age group, including those over 19 years of age. In the crucial language-learning stage, the frequency of hearing impairment and abnormal tympanometry was as high as 60%. Considering these results, palate repair and surgical intervention, such as tube insertion, for otological problems should be considered at an early age.
The Management of Otitis Media with Early Routine Insertion of Grommets in Children with Cleft Palate—A Systematic Review
Authors: Ponduri Sirisha , Bradley Rebecca , Ellis Pamela E. , Brookes Sara T. , Sandy Jonathan R. , Ness Andy R.
Published: December 2008

Objective:

To determine whether early routine grommet insertion in children with cleft palate has a beneficial effect on hearing and speech and language development compared with conservative management.

Design:

Systematic review of randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, case series, and prospective and historical cohort studies.

Main Outcome Measures:

The main outcome measure was the effect of early routine grommet placement on the degree of conductive hearing loss. Secondary outcome measures included differences in hearing level, possible side effects, speech and language development, and quality of life.

Results:

We identified 368 citations for review. From a review of the titles, 34 potentially relevant papers were selected. Of these, 18 studies met our inclusion criteria, including eight case series, six historical cohort studies, three prospective cohort studies, and one randomized trial. Most studies were either small or of poor quality or both. The results of the studies were contradictory, with some studies suggesting early placement of grommets was beneficial and others reporting there was no benefit.

Conclusions:

There is currently insufficient evidence on which to base the clinical practice of early routine grommet placement in children with cleft palate.
Reproductive health of bass in the Potomac, USA, drainage: Part 2. Seasonal occurrence of persistent and emerging organic contaminants
Authors: Alvarez David A. , Cranor Walter L. , Perkins Stephanie D. , Schroeder Vickie L. , Iwanowicz Luke R. , Clark Randal C. , Guy Christopher P. , Pinkney Alfred E. , Blazer Vicki S. , Mullican John E.
Published: December 2008

The seasonal occurrence of organic contaminants, many of which are potential endocrine disruptors, entering the Potomac River, USA, watershed was investigated using a two-pronged approach during the fall of 2005 and spring of 2006. Passive samplers (semipermeable membrane device and polar organic chemical integrative sampler [POCIS]) were deployed in tandem at sites above and below wastewater treatment plant discharges within the watershed. Analysis of the samplers resulted in detection of 84 of 138 targeted chemicals. The agricultural pesticides atrazine and metolachlor had the greatest seasonal changes in water concentrations, with a 3.1- to 91-fold increase in the spring compared with the level in the previous fall. Coinciding with the elevated concentrations of atrazine in the spring were increasing concentrations of the atrazine degradation products desethylatrazine and desisopropylatrazine in the fall following spring and summer application of the parent compound. Other targeted chemicals (organochlorine pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and organic wastewater chemicals) did not indicate seasonal changes in occurrence or concentration; however, the overall concentrations and number of chemicals present were greater at the sites downstream of wastewater treatment plant discharges. Several fragrances and flame retardants were identified in these downstream sites, which are characteristic of wastewater effluent and human activities. The bioluminescent yeast estrogen screen in vitro assay of the POCIS extracts indicated the presence of chemicals that were capable of producing an estrogenic response at all sampling sites.
Early Childhood Poverty and Adult Body Mass Index
Authors: Ziol-Guest Kathleen M. , Duncan Greg J. , Kalil Ariel
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We estimated associations between poverty in early, middle, and later childhood and adult body mass index to further elucidate the effects of socioeconomic status on health.

Methods. We conducted secondary analyses of data from men and women (N = 885) born between 1968 and 1975 who were tracked between their prenatal and birth years and adulthood in the nationally representative Panel Study of Income Dynamics. We used multivariate regression techniques and spline models to estimate the relationship between income in different stages of childhood and adult body mass index, overweight, and obesity. We controlled for other family characteristics, including income in other periods of childhood.

Results. Mean annual family income in the prenatal and birth years for children whose annual family incomes averaged less than $25 000 was significantly associated with increased adult body mass index, but mean annual family income between 1 and 5 years of age and between 6 and 15 years of age was not.

Conclusions. Our results indicated that economic conditions in the earliest period of life (during the prenatal and birth years) may play an important role in eventual anthropometric measures.
Motorcycle Helmet Laws in the United States From 1990 to 2005: Politics and Public Health
Authors: Homer Jenny , French Michael
Published: December 2008

The passage of universal helmet legislation requiring motorcycle riders of all ages to wear helmets is a timely and controversial issue with far-reaching public health implications, especially as the number of motorcycle fatalities continues to rise. In 2008, only 20 states had a universal helmet policy, an effective safety measure for reducing motorcycle fatalities and serious injuries.

We used state-specific longitudinal data for the continental United States from 1990 through 2005 to determine which industry, political, economic, and demographic factors had a significant influence on the enactment of universal helmet policies. Our findings suggest that political climate and ideology are important predictors of helmet policies.
The Role of Corporate Credibility in Legitimizing Disease Promotion
Authors: McDaniel Patricia A. , Malone Ruth E.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We explored what corporate “credibility” means to tobacco companies to determine why it matters to companies and what a lack of credibility means to them.

Methods. We collected documents from an online tobacco industry document archive and analyzed them with an interpretive approach.

Results. Tobacco companies conceptualized credibility not as being worthy of belief or confidence but as inspiring it. Thus, credibility was understood primarily as altering public perception of the industry. “Truth” was largely absent from tobacco industry conceptualizations of credibility, which were linked with “responsibility” and “reasonableness.” However, industry research found that the public regarded credibility and responsibility differently, expecting these to entail truth telling, advertising reductions, less harmful products, apologies for deception, making amends, or exiting the tobacco business altogether. Overall, industry credibility-building projects failed repeatedly.

Conclusions. Public health discourse increasingly attends to the roles of corporations in promoting disease. Industries such as tobacco and alcohol have been identified as profiting from harmful products. Yet corporations' ability to continue business as usual requires sustaining an implicit societal assent to their activities that depends on corporate credibility. For public health to address corporate disease promotion effectively, undermining corporate credibility may be strategically important.
Food Insecurity and Risk of Poor Health Among US-Born Children of Immigrants
Authors: Chilton Mariana , Black Maureen M. , Berkowitz Carol , Casey Patrick H. , Cook John , Cutts Diana , Jacobs Ruth Rose , Heeren Timothy , de Cuba Stephanie Ettinger , Coleman Sharon , Meyers Alan , Frank Deborah A.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We investigated the risk of household food insecurity and reported fair or poor health among very young children who were US citizens and whose mothers were immigrants compared with those whose mothers had been born in the United States.

Methods. Data were obtained from 19 275 mothers (7216 of whom were immigrants) who were interviewed in hospital-based settings between 1998 and 2005 as part of the Children's Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program. We examined whether food insecurity mediated the association between immigrant status and child health in relation to length of stay in the United States.

Results. The risk of fair or poor health was higher among children of recent immigrants than among children of US-born mothers (odds ratio [OR] = 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02, 1.55; P < .03). Immigrant households were at higher risk of food insecurity than were households with US-born mothers. Newly arrived immigrants were at the highest risk of food insecurity (OR = 2.45; 95% CI = 2.16, 2.77; P < .001). Overall, household food insecurity increased the risk of fair or poor child health (OR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.57, 1.93; P < .001) and mediated the association between immigrant status and poor child health.

Conclusions. Children of immigrant mothers are at increased risk of fair or poor health and household food insecurity. Policy interventions addressing food insecurity in immigrant households may promote child health.
Decline in Physical Fitness From Childhood to Adulthood Associated With Increased Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Adults
Authors: Dwyer Terence , Magnussen Costan G. , Schmidt Michael D. , Ukoumunne Obioha C. , Ponsonby Anne-Louise , Raitakari Olli T. , Zimmet Paul Z. , Blair Steven N. , Thomson Russell , Cleland Verity J. , Venn Alison
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVE

To examine how fitness in both childhood and adulthood is associated with adult obesity and insulin resistance.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A prospective cohort study set in Australia in 2004–2006 followed up a cohort of 647 adults who had participated in the Australian Schools Health and Fitness Survey in 1985 and who had undergone anthropometry and cardiorespiratory fitness assessment during the survey. Outcome measures were insulin resistance and obesity, defined as a homeostasis model assessment index above the 75th sex-specific percentile and BMI ≥30 kg/m2, respectively.

RESULTS

Lower levels of child cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with increased odds of adult obesity (adjusted odds ratio [OR] per unit decrease 3.0 [95% CI 1.6–5.6]) and insulin resistance (1.7 [1.1–2.6]). A decline in fitness level between childhood and adulthood was associated with increased obesity (4.5 [2.6–7.7]) and insulin resistance (2.1 [1.5–2.9]) per unit decline.

CONCLUSIONS

A decline in fitness from childhood to adulthood, and by inference a decline in physical activity, is associated with obesity and insulin resistance in adulthood. Programs aimed at maintaining high childhood physical activity levels into adulthood may have potential for reducing the burden of obesity and type 2 diabetes in adults.
Population Intermediate Outcomes of Diabetes Under Pay-for-Performance Incentives in England From 2004 to 2008
Authors: Vaghela Pooja , Ashworth Mark , Schofield Peter , Gulliford Martin C.
Published: December 2008

OBJECTIVE—To evaluate diabetes outcomes under a national “pay-for-performance” program.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Data were analyzed for 98% of all English family practices. For each practice, the proportion of diabetic subjects with A1C ≤7.5%, blood pressure ≤145/85 mmHg, and cholesterol ≤5 mmol/l was determined. Practices achieving less than the 25th centile for the A1C target for 2006–2007 were classified as low performing.

RESULTS—The proportion achieving the A1C target at the median practice increased from 59.1% (interquartile range [IQR] 51.7–65.9) in 2004–2005 to 66.7% (IQR 60.6–72.7) in 2007–2008, blood pressure from 70.9% in 2004–2005 to 80.2% in 2007–2008, and cholesterol from 72.6% in 2004–2005 to 83.6% in 2007–2008. In 2004–2005, 57% of practices were low performing (range by region 42.4–69.9). In 2007–2008, 26% of practices were low performing (range 11.6–37.5).

CONCLUSIONS—Introduction of pay-for-performance may be one factor contributing to increasing achievement of targets and reducing problems of low performance.
DEVELOPMENT AND USEFULNESS OF PLANNING TECHNIQUES AND DECISION‐MAKING FOUNDATIONS ON THE EXAMPLE OF CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES IN POLAND / PLANAVIMO METODAI IR SPRENDIMŲ PRIĖMIMO PAGRINDAI LENKIJOS STATYBOS ĮMONĖSE: NAUDINGUMAS IR TOBULINIMAS
Authors: Kapliński Oleg
Published: December 2008

Three groups of planning techniques and foundations for decision‐making techniques have been identified. Their development tendencies have been indicated, as well as degree of practical usage by Polish construction companies. Two periods: the years 1990 and 2005 have been compared. Data and numbers have been obtained mainly by questionnaires and personal contacts. A relationship between the degree of utilisation of the discussed techniques and the type, size, and legal ownership of a construction company has not been found, in spite of current prosperity trends in the construction sector. A discrepancy between the evaluation of the degree of attractiveness of techniques and methods from the viewpoint of academics and building company managers has been pointed out. Santrauka Identifikuotos trys planavimo metodų ir sprendimų priėmimo pagrindų grupės. Nustatytos jų tobulinimo kryptys ir praktinis pritaikymas Lenkijos statybos įmonėse. Palyginti du periodai – 1990 ir 2005 metai. Duomenys surinkti organizuojant apklausas ir naudojantis asmeniniais kontaktais. Nenustatytas ryšys tarp minėtų priemonių naudojimo intensyvumo ir įmonių tipo, dydžio bei teisinio statuso nepaisant dabartinio statybų verslo klestėjimo. Pastebėtas akademinės visuomenės ir statybos kompanijų vadovų nuomonių nesutapimas planavimo priemonių naudojimo ir patrauklumo klausimais.
SYSTEM OF PROJECT MULTICRITERIA DECISION SYNTHESIS IN CONSTRUCTION / PROJEKTO DAUGIATIKSLIŲ SPRENDIMŲ SINTEZĖS SISTEMA STATYBOJE
Authors: Šarka Vaidotas , Zavadskas Edmundas K. , Ustinovičius Leonas , Šarkienė Edita , Ignatavičius Česlovas
Published: December 2008

The construction industry, compared to other industries, is distinguished by a small productivity of work and large fragmentation. Solution of construction‐related problems requires a great deal of time and financial resources. Method of project multicriteria decision synthesis with decision success criterion is used for realization of construction projects which require analysis of constituent parts in close relationship of components. On every level of the whole project, the decision of closeness to ideal solution method is made and, on the basis of the obtained results, several alternatives are chosen. At the last decision stage, there is performed a synthesis by the chosen alternatives and relying on their interrelations. During decision process on the intermediate stages, having eliminated irrational alternatives, effective and precise results are achieved. The developed multicriteria decision synthesis method is one of the elements of the newly created group of multicriteria decision methods. Using this method algorithm, software is prepared that entirely manages the whole decision process from database filling to calculation and result processing. Santrauka Straipsnyje nagrinėjamas daugiatikslių sprendimų sintezės metodas ir jo taikymo galimybės. Svarbus investicijų efektyvumo garantas yra projektų analizė ir vertinimas. Tai leidžia pagal tam tikrą rodiklių sistemą nustatyti projekto varianto efektyvumą. Vertinimo rodikliai turi būti grindžiami tiek projektą įgyvendinančio subjekto, tiek investuotojo interesais. Analizuojant projektavimo procesus susiduriama su įvairaus pobūdžio informacija – kokybine ir kiekybine. Čia siūlomas ir aprašomas DSS1 metodas, sprendimų priėmimo etapai, duomenų bazės sudarymo principai. Pateikti metodo taikymo rezultatai.
NEW TRAINING TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR USE IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES: SURVEY EVIDENCE FROM LITHUANIA
Authors: Kumpikaitė Vilmantė , Čiarnienė Ramunė
Published: December 2008

There is emerging evidence that new technologies are related to improvements in productivity. Nevertheless, in considering the relationship between new technology and productivity, it is vital to consider human resource management and development issues due to their mediating effects on the relationship between new technology and productivity. This paper focuses on training technologies, especially e‐learning. The increasing use of new technologies to deliver training and to store and communicate knowledge means that trainers must be technologically literate. That is, they must understand the strengths and weaknesses of new technologies and implementation issues such as overcoming users’ resistance to change. The paper reports the findings of a study of 724 Lithuanian employees, which revealed relatively weak usage of new technologies and e‐learning in human resource development processes.
SEARCHING FOR NEW PARADIGMS IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD: BUSINESS ETHICS AS A MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
Authors: Ogrean Claudia , Herciu Mihaela , Belaşcu Lucian
Published: December 2008

The process of globalization is an undeniable reality of today's world. Yet, paradoxically, the cornerstone of this phenomenon, economic performance, varies widely across the world whatever indicator (for example, GDP/habitant, competitiveness) we choose to use to compare countries. Increasingly, studies tend to explain this apparently paradoxical situation with reference to the issue of corruption and ethics. In essence, corruption is perceived to be an important impediment to the economic development of a country (or area).

Many studies of corruption are focused at the national level. The aim of this conceptual paper is to explore the role of the firm (as opposed to national states or international institutions) as an influence on national corruption. We call for firms to reconsider their behavior regarding corruption, particularly in relation to their relationships with their stakeholders. We argue that by focusing on issues such as cooperation and stakeholder theory, a firm will change the way it does businesses by reducing private‐to‐public as well as private‐to‐private corruption and incorporating business ethics into its management strategies.
CONTRACTOR SELECTION OF CONSTRUCTION IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Zavadskas Edmundas Kazimieras , Turskis Zenonas , Tamošaitienė Jolanta
Published: December 2008

Contractor selection is a vital part of the project management cycle and deals with risk and risk management. This paper presents contractors’ assessment and selection based on the multi‐attribute methods in a competitive and risky environment. The model is based on a multi‐attribute evaluation of contractors, the determination of their optimality criterion values according to Hodges‐Lehmann rule. The proposed model could be applied to assessment of construction operations. The attributes of contractor evaluation are selected taking into consideration the interests and goals of the stakeholders as well as factors that influence the process of construction efficiency. The model is based on metric scores. A background and a description of the proposed model are provided and a few key findings from the data analyses are presented.
STRATEGIES FOR AVOIDING ASYMMETRIC INFORMATION IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Authors: Schieg Martin
Published: December 2008

A construction project is characterized by a high number of project participants and a multitude of contract relations. The Principal Agent Theory deals with the design of contracts, especially with respect to asymmetric information. Asymmetric distribution of information in co‐operations can have effects before as well as after closing a contract. In construction project management therefore attention has to be paid to where information imbalances occur. Several methods are known with which one can cope with the resulting problems but which in turn cause costs.
NORMALIZATION OF QUANTITIES OF VARIOUS DIMENSIONS
Authors: Ginevičius Romualdas
Published: December 2008

Currently used methods of multiple criteria evaluation (MEM) based on the values obtained allow us to establish the priority order of the considered object's alternatives. However, they do not allow us to determine the values of multicriteria evaluation of a particular alternative taken out of their context. This restricts the range of MEM applications. To expand the application area of the methods, we should know how the criteria of a particular alternative describing the object considered which are expressed in different dimensions, can be normalized. This can be achieved by dividing any different value by the respective quantity of the same dimension. The task is complicated by the fact that these quantities should be comparable for all the criteria.
INVESTIGATION OF TRACTOR ENGINE POWER AND ECONOMICAL WORKING CONDITIONS UTILIZATION DURING TRANSPORT OPERATION
Authors: Juostas Antanas , Janulevičius Algirdas
Published: December 2008

Article analyzes tractor working and its engine conditions from economical point of view. Overview of tractor wheel slippage reliance on the traction force and weight utilization coefficient is given. Tractor maximum driving force according to road and field conditions, and driving speed are submitted. Literature and theoretical investigation analysis is done, where interaction between tractor wheels made‐up driving force and grip is analysed. Driving speed and driving force dependence on rolling resistance and total aggregate weight using nominal power is described. In the present experimental research reduction in fuel consumption of tractor transport aggregate by reducing engine speed and by keeping the same work speed, was determined.
TRAFFIC CONTROL ELEMENTS INFLUENCE ON ACCIDENTS, MOBILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Kinderytė-Poškienė Jurgita , Sokolovskij Edgar
Published: December 2008

This paper presents the main traffic control elements, which were classified into groups. One group presents traffic control elements, which have different effects on accidents: reduce the number of accidents, do not have statistically significant effect on the number of accidents and those which appear to lead to an increased number of accidents. Next group presents traffic control elements, which have effect on mobility and the environment. Some of them can improve mobility on road, others reduce mobility on road. Presented elements, which are useful for the environment, are considered.
INTERDEPENDENCE OF NOISE AND TRAFFIC FLOW
Authors: Bazaras Jonas , Jablonskytė Janina , Jotautienė Eglė
Published: December 2008

Traffic flows in cities, especially in city centres, are intensive and uneven, moreover, registered noise levels exceed allowable limits. Noise levels have been measured at K. Mindaugo ave. and Birštono street crossing in Kaunas and data of automated traffic flow registration equipment have been used. A constant reduction of noise level from the beginning till the end of the green light has been identified ‐ “hot starts” generated noise dominates. To make estimates of noise and traffic flow interdependency, mathematical statistical models have been applied. Parameter distribution patterns have been analysed, prediction models have been composed.
Man in His Sixth Decade of Life With Totally Occluded Abdominal Aorta (Leriche Syndrome)
Authors: Fischer Karley , Nazir Zuha , Valencia Damian
Published: April 2024

This case report discusses a diagnosis of Leriche syndrome in a male patient with peripheral arterial disease, erectile dysfunction, and nonischemic cardiomyopathy.
Chronic Progressive Pink-Yellow Papules and Nodules in a Middle-Aged Man
Authors: Kern Jessica A. , Hinds Brian R. , Shi Veronica
Published: April 2024

A 38-year-old man presented with numerous pink-yellow firm papules and nodules on the bilateral elbows for 10 years spreading to the hands and knees in the past year. What is your diagnosis?
Weekly Pulsed Dye Laser Treatments for Port-Wine Birthmarks in Infants
Authors: Bajaj Shirin , Tao Joy , Hashemi David A. , Geronemus Roy G.
Published: April 2024

Importance

Early treatment of port-wine birthmark (PWB) can be life-altering and is often associated with improved outcomes and quality of life. There is growing evidence that shorter treatment intervals may play a role in more rapid PWB clearance; however, the optimal treatment interval has not been established.

Objective

To describe the outcomes of once-weekly pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatments for PWB in infants.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This case series analyzed the medical records of patients with PWB who received once-weekly PDL treatments between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York. These patients were younger than 6 months. Before-and-after treatment photographs were independently assessed and graded 2 months after initiation of treatment.

Intervention

Once-weekly PDL treatments.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the percentage improvement of PWB, which was graded using the following scale: 0% (no improvement), 1% to 25% (mild improvement), 26% to 50% (moderate improvement), 51% to 75% (marked improvement), 76% to 95% (near-total clearance), and 96% to 100% (total clearance).

Results

Of the 10 patients (6 males [60%]; median [range] age at first treatment, 4 [<1 to 20] weeks) included, 7 (70%) had experienced either near-total clearance (76%-95%) or total clearance (96%-100%) of their PWB with once-weekly PDL treatments after 2 months. The other 3 patients all saw marked improvement (51%-75%) and subsequently went on to achieve near-total clearance with additional treatments. The median (range) duration of treatment and number of treatments to achieve near-total or total clearance in all patients were 2 (0.2-5.1) months and 8 (2-20) treatments, respectively. No adverse events were noted.

Conclusion and Relevance

This case series found that once-weekly PDL treatments for PWB in the first few months of life was associated with near-total or total clearance of PWB with no reported adverse events, suggesting improved outcomes can be achieved with shorter overall treatment duration. Further investigation into this novel decreased treatment interval of 1 week is warranted.
Laser and Light-Based Therapies for Hirsutism Management in Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Authors: Tan Katrina , Coster Thisara , Mousa Aya , Mar Adrian , Piltonen Terhi , Boyle Jacqueline A. , Teede Helena , Joham Anju , Romualdi Daniela , Tay Chau Thien
Published: April 2024

Importance

Hirsutism represents a significant concern for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with deleterious psychological effects warranting acknowledgment and a clear imperative to provide effective management. To our knowledge, this is the first review to exclusively examine the effectiveness of laser and light-based therapies in addressing hirsutism in women with PCOS.

Objective

To synthesize the existing literature regarding the effectiveness of laser and light hair reduction therapies, either as stand-alone treatments or in combination with systemic agents, in treating hirsutism for women with PCOS.

Evidence Review

A systematic literature review was performed using MEDLINE, Embase, EMCARE, and CINAHL according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines. Articles written in English, reporting on patients who met pre-established inclusion criteria were selected. Objective and subjectively measured outcomes relating to the effect of laser or light-based hair reduction therapies on hirsutism were abstracted. Heterogeneity among included studies precluded a meta-analysis, necessitating a narrative synthesis.

Findings

Six studies reporting data on 423 individual patients with PCOS who underwent laser or light-based hair reduction therapies were included: 4 randomized clinical trials and 2 cohort studies. Alexandrite laser demonstrated significant improvements in hirsutism severity and psychological outcomes, particularly at high-fluence application. Alexandrite laser was also found to be more effective than intense pulsed light (IPL). The combination of diode laser with either metformin or combined oral contraceptive pill was superior to the application of diode laser alone, just as the addition of metformin to IPL demonstrated superior results to IPL treatment alone. Overall, most interventions were well tolerated. The overall certainty of evidence across all outcomes and comparisons was limited in part due to the observational nature of some studies.

Conclusions and Relevance

This systematic review highlights the potential of laser and light hair reduction therapies, both as stand-alone treatments and in combination with other pharmacological agents in PCOS. However, this review was limited by low certainty of the evidence, few studies evaluating effectiveness and safety in those with skin of color, and heterogeneity in outcome assessment. Future studies are needed to provide more robust evidence among diverse individuals with PCOS and hirsutism.
Examining Sex Differences in Autism Heritability
Authors: Sandin Sven , Yip Benjamin H. K. , Yin Weiyao , Weiss Lauren A. , Dougherty Joseph D. , Fass Stuart , Constantino John N. , Hailin Zhu , Turner Tychele N. , Marrus Natasha , Gutmann David H. , Sanders Stephan J. , Christoffersson Benjamin
Published: April 2024

Importance

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder more prevalent in males than in females. The cause of ASD is largely genetic, but the association of genetics with the skewed sex ratio is not yet understood. To our knowledge, no large population-based study has provided estimates of heritability by sex.

Objective

To estimate the sex-specific heritability of ASD.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a population-based, retrospective analysis using national health registers of nontwin siblings and cousins from Sweden born between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 1998, with follow-up to 19 years of age. Data analysis occurred from August 2022 to November 2023.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Models were fitted to estimate the relative variance in risk for ASD occurrence owing to sex-specific additive genetics, shared environmental effects, and a common residual term. The residual term conceptually captured other factors that promote individual behavioral variation (eg, maternal effects, de novo variants, rare genetic variants not additively inherited, or gene-environment interactions). Estimates were adjusted for differences in prevalence due to birth year and maternal and paternal age by sex.

Results

The sample included 1 047 649 individuals in 456 832 families (538 283 males [51.38%]; 509 366 females [48.62%]). Within the entire sample, 12 226 (1.17%) received a diagnosis of ASD, comprising 8128 (1.51%) males and 4098 (0.80%) females. ASD heritability was estimated at 87.0% (95% CI, 81.4%-92.6%) for males and 75.7% (95% CI, 68.4%-83.1%) for females with a difference in heritability estimated at 11.3% (95% CI, 1.0%-21.6%). There was no support for shared environmental contributions.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that the degree of phenotypic variation attributable to genetic differences (heritability) differs between males and females, indicating that some of the underlying causes of the condition may differ between the 2 sexes. The skewed sex ratio in ASD may be partly explained by differences in genetic variance between the sexes.
Digital Mental Health’s Unstable Dichotomy—Wellness and Health
Authors: Torous John , Firth Joseph , Goldberg Simon B.
Published: April 2024

This Viewpoint discusses the unacknowledged risks and harms and unrealized clinical benefits of digital mental wellness and health technologies and offers suggestions for ways to catalyze the next phase of these technologies by focusing on safety, evidence, and engagement.
Emergency Department Trauma Activation Fees by Payer Type
Authors: Wang Yuchen , Liu Victoria , Wang Yang , Bai Ge , Hsia Renee Y.
Published: April 2024

This cross-sectional study examines the wide variations in prices of emergency medical services at US hospitals.
Programmed Internal Reconfigurations in a 3D‐Printed Mechanical Metamaterial Enable Fluidic Control for a Vertically Stacked Valve Array
Authors: Supakar Tinku , Space David , Mejia Sophy , Tan Rou Yu , Alston Jeffrey R. , Josephs Eric A.
Published: April 2024

Microfluidic valves play a key role within microfluidic systems by regulating fluid flow through distinct microchannels, enabling many advanced applications in medical diagnostics, lab‐on‐chips, and laboratory automation. While microfluidic systems are often limited to planar structures, 3D printing enables new capabilities to generate complex designs for fluidic circuits with higher densities and integrated components. However, the control of fluids within 3D structures presents several difficulties, making it challenging to scale effectively and many fluidic devices are still often restricted to quasi‐planar structures. Incorporating mechanical metamaterials that exhibit spatially adjustable mechanical properties into microfluidic systems provides an opportunity to address these challenges. Here, systematic computational and experimental characterization of a modified re‐entrant honeycomb structure are performed to generate a modular metamaterial for an active device that allows us to directly regulate flow through integrated, multiplexed fluidic channels “one‐at‐a‐time,” in a manner that is highly scalable. A design algorithm is presented, so that this architecture can be extended to arbitrary geometries, and it is expected that by incorporation of mechanical metamaterial designs into 3D printed fluidic systems, which themselves are readily expandable to any complex geometries, will enable new biotechnological and biomedical applications of 3D printed devices.