bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transmural Dispersion of Repolarization in Failing and Nonfailing Human Ventricle
Authors: Glukhov Alexey V. , Fedorov Vadim V. , Lou Qing , Ravikumar Vinod K. , Kalish Paul W. , Schuessler Richard B. , Moazami Nader , Efimov Igor R.
Published: January 2010

Rationale:

Transmural dispersion of repolarization has been shown to play a role in the genesis of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation in different animal models of heart failure (HF). Heterogeneous changes of repolarization within the midmyocardial population of ventricular cells have been considered an important contributor to the HF phenotype. However, there is limited electrophysiological data from the human heart.

Objective:

To study electrophysiological remodeling of transmural repolarization in the failing and nonfailing human hearts.

Methods and Results:

We optically mapped the action potential duration (APD) in the coronary-perfused scar-free posterior-lateral left ventricular free wall wedge preparations from failing (n=5) and nonfailing (n=5) human hearts. During slow pacing (S1S1=2000 ms), in the nonfailing hearts we observed significant transmural APD gradient: subepicardial, midmyocardial, and subendocardial APD80 were 383±21, 455±20, and 494±22 ms, respectively. In 60% of nonfailing hearts (3 of 5), we found midmyocardial islands of cells that presented a distinctly long APD (537±40 ms) and a steep local APD gradient (27±7 ms/mm) compared with the neighboring myocardium. HF resulted in prolongation of APD80: 477±22 ms, 495±29 ms, and 506±35 ms for the subepi-, mid-, and subendocardium, respectively, while reducing transmural APD80 difference from 111±13 to 29±6 ms (
P
<0.005) and presence of any prominent local APD gradient. In HF, immunostaining revealed a significant reduction of connexin43 expression on the subepicardium.

Conclusions:

We present for the first time direct experimental evidence of a transmural APD gradient in the human heart. HF results in the heterogeneous prolongation of APD, which significantly reduces the transmural and local APD gradients.
Modulation of Angiotensin II–Mediated Cardiac Remodeling by the MEF2A Target Gene Xirp2
Authors: McCalmon Sarah A. , Desjardins Danielle M. , Ahmad Saad , Davidoff Katharine S. , Snyder Christine M. , Sato Kaori , Ohashi Koji , Kielbasa Ondra M. , Mathew Matthen , Ewen Elizabeth P. , Walsh Kenneth , Gavras Haralambos , Naya Francisco J.
Published: January 2010

Rationale:The vasoactive peptide angiotensin II (Ang II) is a potent cardiotoxic hormone whose actions have been well studied, yet questions remain pertaining to the downstream factors that mediate its effects in cardiomyocytes.

Objective:The in vivo role of the myocyte enhancer factor (MEF)2A target geneXirp2in Ang II–mediated cardiac remodeling was investigated.

Methods and Results:Here we demonstrate that the MEF2A target geneXirp2(also known as cardiomyopathy associated gene 3 [CMYA3]) is an important effector of the Ang II signaling pathway in the heart.Xirp2belongs to the evolutionarily conserved, muscle-specific, actin-bindingXingene family and is significantly induced in the heart in response to systemic administration of Ang II. Initially, we characterized theXirp2promoter and demonstrate that Ang II activatesXirp2expression by stimulating MEF2A transcriptional activity. To further characterize the role of Xirp2 downstream of Ang II signaling we generated mice harboring a hypomorphic allele of theXirp2gene that resulted in a marked reduction in its expression in the heart. In the absence of Ang II, adultXirp2hypomorphic mice displayed cardiac hypertrophy and increased β myosin heavy chain expression. Strikingly,Xirp2hypomorphic mice chronically infused with Ang II exhibited altered pathological cardiac remodeling including an attenuated hypertrophic response, as well as diminished fibrosis and apoptosis.

Conclusions:These findings reveal a novel MEF2A-Xirp2 pathway that functions downstream of Ang II signaling to modulate its pathological effects in the heart.
Crucial Role of Nrf3 in Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation From Stem Cells
Authors: Pepe Anna Elena , Xiao Qingzhong , Zampetaki Anna , Zhang Zhongyi , Kobayashi Akira , Hu Yanhua , Xu Qingbo
Published: January 2010

Rationale
:

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf)3, a member of the cap ‘N’ collar family of transcription factors that bind to the DNA-antioxidant responsive elements, is involved in reactive oxygen species balancing and in muscle precursor migration during early embryo development.

Objective
:

To investigate the functional role of Nrf3 in smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation in vitro and in vivo.

Methods and Results
:

Nrf3 was upregulated significantly following 1 to 8 days of SMC differentiation. Knockdown of Nrf3 resulted in downregulation of smooth muscle specific markers expression, whereas enforced expression of Nrf3 enhanced SMC differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. SMC-specific transcription factor myocardin, but not serum response factor, was significantly upregulated by Nrf3 overexpression. Strikingly, the binding of SRF and myocardin to the promoter of smooth muscle differentiation genes was dramatically increased by Nrf3 overexpression, and Nrf3 can directly bind to the promoters of SMC differentiation genes as demonstrated by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Moreover, NADPH-derived reactive oxygen species production during SMC differentiation was further enhanced by Nrf3 overexpression through upregulation of NADPH oxidase and inhibition of antioxidant signaling pathway. In addition, Nrf3 was involved in the endoplasmic reticulum stressor induced SMC differentiation.

Conclusion
:

Our findings demonstrate for the first time that Nrf3 has a crucial role in SMC differentiation from stem cells indicating that Nrf3 could be a potential target for manipulation of stem cell differentiation toward vascular lineage.
Myozap, a Novel Intercalated Disc Protein, Activates Serum Response Factor–Dependent Signaling and Is Required to Maintain Cardiac Function In Vivo
Authors: Seeger Thalia S. , Frank Derk , Rohr Claudia , Will Rainer , Just Steffen , Grund Christine , Lyon Robert , Luedde Mark , Koegl Manfred , Sheikh Farah , Rottbauer Wolfgang , Franke Werner W. , Katus Hugo A. , Olson Eric N. , Frey Norbert
Published: January 2010

Rationale
:

The intercalated disc (ID) is a highly specialized cell-cell contact structure that ensures mechanical and electric coupling of contracting cardiomyocytes. Recently, the ID has been recognized to be a hot spot of cardiac disease, in particular inherited cardiomyopathy.

Objective
:

Given its complex structure and function we hypothesized that important molecular constituents of the ID still remain unknown.

Methods and Results
:

Using a bioinformatics screen, we discovered and cloned a previously uncharacterized 54 kDa cardiac protein which we termed Myozap (Myocardium-enriched zonula occludens-1–associated protein). Myozap is strongly expressed in the heart and lung. In cardiac tissue it localized to the ID and directly binds to desmoplakin and zonula occludens-1. In a yeast 2-hybrid screen for additional binding partners of Myozap we identified myosin phosphatase–RhoA interacting protein (MRIP), a negative regulator of Rho activity. Myozap, in turn, strongly activates SRF-dependent transcription through its ERM (Ezrin/radixin/moesin)-like domain in a Rho-dependent fashion. Finally, in vivo knockdown of the Myozap ortholog in zebrafish led to severe contractile dysfunction and cardiomyopathy.

Conclusions
:

Taken together, these findings reveal Myozap as a previously unrecognized component of a Rho-dependent signaling pathway that links the intercalated disc to cardiac gene regulation. Moreover, its subcellular localization and the observation of a severe cardiac phenotype in zebrafish, implicate Myozap in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy.
Race- and Sex-Specific Associations of Obesity Measures With Ischemic Stroke Incidence in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study
Authors: Yatsuya Hiroshi , Folsom Aaron R. , Yamagishi Kazumasa , North Kari E. , Brancati Frederick L. , Stevens June
Published: January 2010

Background and Purpose—

Studies have suggested differences in the association between obesity and ischemic stroke in black versus white populations. In this study, we explored ischemic stroke risk in relation to a variety of obesity measures by sex and race.

Methods—

Using data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, we obtained information on body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio from 13 549 black and white participants who were aged 45 to 65 years between 1987 and 1989. All were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at baseline. Incident strokes over a median follow-up of 16.9 years were ascertained from hospital records.

Results—

Although crude incidence rates of ischemic stroke varied more than 3-fold by race and sex, the relationship between higher measures of obesity and ischemic stroke risk was positive and linear across all groups. The crude incidence of ischemic stroke was 1.2 per 1000 person-years for white women with the lowest body mass index, ranging up to 8.0 per 1000 person-years for black men with the highest body mass index. Hazard ratios for the highest versus lowest quintile of body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio ranged from 1.43 to 3.19, indicating increased stroke risk associated with obesity, however it was measured, even after adjustment for potential confounders. Additional adjustment for factors that may mediate the relationship, such as diabetes and hypertension, significantly attenuated the associations, suggesting that these factors may explain much of the stroke risk associated with obesity.

Conclusions—

Degree of obesity, defined by body mass index, waist circumference, or waist-to-hip ratio, was a significant risk factor for ischemic stroke regardless of sex or race.
Atlas-Based Topographical Scoring for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Acute Stroke
Authors: Kosior Robert K. , Lauzon M. Louis , Steffenhagen Nikolai , Kosior Jayme C. , Demchuk Andrew , Frayne Richard
Published: January 2010

Background and Purpose—

The Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS), a 10-point scale, is a clinical tool for assessment of early ischemic changes after stroke based on the location and extent of a visible stroke lesion. It has been extended for use with MR diffusion-weighted imaging. The purpose of this work was to automate a MR topographical score (MR-TS) using a digital atlas to develop an objective tool for large-scale analyses and possibly reduce interrater variability and slice orientation differences.

Methods—

We assessed 30 patients with acute ischemic stroke with a diffusion lesion who provided informed consent. Patients were imaged by CT and MRI within 24 hours of symptom onset. An MR-TS digital atlas was generated using the ASPECTS scoring sheet and anatomic MR data sets. Automated MR topographical scores (auto-MR-TS) were obtained based on the overlap of lesions on apparent diffusion coefficient maps with MR-TS atlas regions. Auto-MR-TS scores were then compared with scores derived manually (man-MR-TS) and with conventional CT ASPECTS scores.

Results—

Of the 30 patients, 29 were assessed with auto-MR-TS. Auto-MR-TS was significantly lower than CT ASPECTS (
P
<0.001), but with a median difference of only 1 point. There was no significant difference between the auto-MR-TS and the man-MR-TS with a median difference of 0 points; 86% of patient scores differed by ≤1 point.

Conclusion—

Auto-MR-TS provides a measure of stroke severity in an automated fashion and facilitates more objective, sensitive, and potentially more complex ASPECTS-based scoring.
Stroke Survivors Who Score Below Threshold on Standard Depression Measures May Still Have Negative Cognitions of Concern
Authors: Hackett Maree L. , Hill Kate M. , Hewison Jenny , Anderson Craig S. , House Allan O.
Published: January 2010

Background and Purpose—

There has been an increase in screening for depression in the physically ill. We explored whether important negative cognitions may be missed by conventional approaches to screening for depression in 2 independently conducted stroke studies with similar methods.

Methods—

The Auckland Regional Community Stroke (ARCOS) study was a prospective, population-based stroke incidence study conducted in Auckland, New Zealand, for 12 months in 2002 to 2003. The Stroke Outcomes Study was a prospective, hospital cohort study conducted in Leeds and Bradford, United Kingdom, for 33 months in 2002 to 2005. Symptoms of abnormal mood were assessed at 6 months in ARCOS with a single simple question, “Do you often feel sad and depressed?” and the 28-item General Health Questionnaire administered as part of a structured interview and in the Stroke Outcomes Study with the 28-item General Health Questionnaire and a single question about depressed mood taken from the Present State Examination.

Results—

Mood data were available at 6 months from 770 ARCOS and 492 Stroke Outcomes Study participants. A significant proportion (up to 28%) of people who did not meet study criteria for depression reported important negative cognitions such as hopelessness, worthlessness, or suicidality. People who were older, dependent in activities of daily living, or not partnered were more likely to report negative cognitions.

Conclusions—

Important negative cognitions, including suicidal thoughts, may be missed when people are screened for depression after stroke. Screening alone is not an adequate substitute for a sensitive exploration of the psychological impact of stroke on the survivor.
Some Correlates of Cognitive Ability and Achievement in Indonesia
Authors: Mani A.
Published: January 2010

In both industrial and developing societies, the school has become an important link between an individual's family of origin and occupational attainment. More often, cognitive achievement as determined by examination results is used to allocate starting points in the occupational hierarchy. Perhaps the most significant attempt to explain how schooling functions as an intervening mechanism is the research tradition of William H. Sewell, A.O. Haller and G. Olendorf at the University of Wisconsin.' The purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which the socio-economic background and other intervening factors continue to influence cognitive ability and achievement in Indonesia. The first part of the paper provides some brief comments on comparative research in non-western countries. The second part elaborates on the data and measures used in the case of Indonesia. The final section reports the finding for cognitive ability and achievement among 9,751 ninth grade students in Indonesia.
Thai Monks in Rural Development
Authors: Gosling David L.
Published: January 2010

During the period April to September 1980, an investigation was carried out into the role of Thai Buddhist monks in rural development in the north of Thailand. The investigation, which was supported by the Nuffield Foundation, was conducted by means of interviews and questionnaires, and by a process of participant observation similar to that used in previous studies of Thai scientists at secular universities and scholar monks at the two Buddhist universities in Bangkok (Gosling 1980 and 1976). Among the development activities centred on Chiang Mai it was hoped to study the government-sponsored Dhammajarik and Dhammatuta Programmes and the work of wats such as the Wat Phra Singh, which is well known for its progressive outlook and high standards of education. It was hoped to survey the range of development activities being undertaken by monks and novices at these centres, and to interview them in order to ascertain their role as they understood it in the light of the Buddhist tradition. In particular the appropriateness or otherwise attributed to certain actions in the light of the Pdtimokkha was expected to be a significant indicator of the extent to which the role of the Thai Sangha is changing. In the course of preliminary informal discussion with abbots at several Chiang Mai wats and academics at Chiengmai University, it quickly became apparent that a great deal of development work is being undertaken by individual abbots and wats independently of the government-sponsored programmes. In particular the Wat Chedi Luang and the Wat Bupparam were felt to be important centres for development, and it was therefore decided to spend some time at each. These two wats are fairly similar in that both are roughly in the centre of Chiang Mai city and approximately the same size. The Wat Chedi Luang is Dhammayut, and the Wat Bupparam is Maha Nikai. Interviews were conducted and questionnaires distributed at both these wats.
Dependence in Sociology: An Empirical Study of Asian Countries
Authors: Kumar Krishna , Raju Sripada
Published: January 2010

Since the late sixties and seventies, there has been a well articulated concern in Asian countries about the "all pervasive" intellectual influence of Europe and the United States on social sciences in general and sociology in particular (Ashraf 1975; Alatas 1972, 1974; Kothari 1968; Kumar 1978; Goonatilake 1975; Singh 1973). A section of the social science community has suggested that while the diffusion of sociological knowledge-frameworks, paradigms, concepts, theories, methodologies, and substantive findings-from Europe and the United States has undoubtedly laid the foundations of sociology in Asia, it has also contributed to her intellectual dependence in the discipline. As a result of this diffusion process, the parameters of sociological reflection and research in Asia are being largely set by sociologists based in the North American and West European nations. Such a state of affairs, according to this view, stifles the creativity of Asian sociologists and comes in the way of the growth of sociological knowledge relevant to their needs and aspirations. The main purpose of the present paper is to examine with empirical data two questions related to the above concern: first, whether there is any intellectual dependence of sociology in Asia on Western nations, particularly the United States; second, whether this intellectual dependence, if it does exist, is increasing or decreasing over time. Bibliometric reference data from professional journals of six nations have been used to investigate these two questions.
Ethnicity and the Language Used as a Medium of Instruction in Schools
Authors: Kalab Milada
Published: January 2010

This paper is based mainly on personal experiences in two very different areas. Between 1954 and 1956 I was employed as a teacher in Manipur State in India. I taught for one academic year at the Somdal Ningkhalen High School near Ukhrul in the Tangkhul Naga area and for three months at the Zeliangroung High School at Tamenglong. I was expelled from there in March 1956. Ten years later I spent ten months in field-work in Cambodia, mainly at Prek Por in Kompong Cham Province. And in 1972 I spent six months in two villages in Surin Province in Thailand. As I was not studying language policy or ethnicity this account will necessarily be sketchy and tentative. What interests me is the difference between the policies in India and in Southeast Asia; while all these states are trying hard to encourage the use of a national language, their emphasis and their policies towards ethnic minorities vary.
Notes on Ethnic Factors Related to Development in Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Babcock Tim G.
Published: January 2010

The island (more accurately, islands) of Sulawesi is a large and important part of Indonesia1 which certainly deserves more studies of its peoples and resources than is currently the case. These short notes provide some recent information on ethnicity and development in Sulawesi, and are presented mainly as problems that should concern future researchers and planners working in the area. Since the beginning of 1974 I have spent four and half years in Sulawesi, first studying the descendants of Javanese and other exiles in North Sulawesi. Later, I served as consultant anthropologist to the Sulawesi Regional Development Study, a project supported by the Canadian International Development Agency and the Indonesian Department of Public Works.2 During the latter project I visited almost all the kabupaten or administrative subdivisions of the four provinces of Sulawesi. Although the nature of the project did not allow for in-depth research, many problems related to ethnicity and development soon became apparent. Many of the government and secondary reports on the region collected during the study revealed a lack of concern for such issues. It is therefore all the more important that a brief outline of ethnic groups in Sulawesi be presented. The second major reason for these notes is the fact that Sulawesi, along with the other "Outer Islands", is receiving increasing amounts of national and international aid to carry out a wide variety of development projects for its people. It is therefore important that scholars and government officials should be aware of the effects of these projects and to establish how to go about studying them so as not to destroy the socio-cultural life of the Sulawesi people.
Inter-ethnic Restructuring in Malaysia, 1970-80: The Employment Perspective
Authors:   Tai Yoke Lin
Published: January 2010

The New Economic Policy (NEP) was launched in 1970 in the aftermath of the racial riots of May 1969 which were widely held as an expression of the discontent felt among Malays vis-à-vis Chinese domination of the Malaysian economy. Under this new strategy, more rapid "Malaysianization" of society was planned and a commitment was made to "restructure" the economy so as to give Malays an economic status equivalent, or equal, to that of non-Malays. Efforts extended from increasing Malay equity participation in industry and upgrading the employment structure of Malays to poverty eradication, notably in low-income rural areas where most Malays live. The target date for completion of the process of restructuring was 1990 but before that a series of detailed plans mapped out evolving strategies to achieve a steady progression in the restructuring process. It is in this context that this paper sets out to examine the main trends in the employment structure over the past quarter of a century, within limits of data availability, to see to what extent ethnic restructuring has occurred and the nature of the changes that have taken place.
Symbolic Communication in Malaysian Politics - The Case of the Sultanate
Authors: Lowe Vincent
Published: January 2010

This paper deals with the Sultanate in Malaysia. It provides an overview of the present position of the institution in the country, some description of the constitutional monarchy system and how it functions, a brief account of the history and origins of the Sultanate, and a discussion of the roles, functions, and importance of the institution.
Changes in the South Indian Hindu Family Structure in West Malaysia
Authors: Susan Oorjitham K.S.
Published: January 2010

The largest group of Indians in West Malaysia are the Tamil-speaking Hindus who originate from South India, particularly from Tamilnad. According to S. Arasaratnam, not only are 80% of Indians in Malaysia Tamil speakers but a vast majority of them are also Hindus.1 It is further established that the majority of this group are members of the working class, either in the plantation or in the urban sectors. The family structures of these Tamil working-class families originate basically from the traditional Indian family structure of India. This traditional Indian family structure was maintained in the "conducive" environment of ethnic isolation, found in the plantations. Since my purpose is to study changes in the family structure, Tamil working-class families in an urban environment were selected. It is expected that some changes in family values and structures have occurred among this group of Indians in West Malaysia.
Towards effective genomic information retrieval: The impact of query complexity and expansion strategies
Authors: Xiangming Mu  , Kun Lu
Published: January 2010

The goal of this study is to examine the influence of query complexity and different query expansion strategies on the effectiveness of genomic information retrieval. Query complexity is defined as the average number of terms in a query. The query expansion strategies are based on the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) Metathesaurus. The combination of string/word indexing on concept/term level provides four different automatic UMLS expansion strategies. The test collection for the study is the TREC Genomic Track 2006 data set (24 topics). We use the Mean Average Precision (MAP), 11-point precision/recall, and average precision/recall at maximum recall point for the retrieval performance evaluation. In general, we found that applying query expansion did not improve the retrieval effectiveness as compared to the baseline. Our results also indicated that string index expansions are more effective than word index expansions. Queries with a smaller number of terms outperform queries with a larger number of terms and the difference is statistically significant. String index on term level is the best automatic UMLS expansion strategy for queries with a smaller number of terms. The worst case scenario is applying word index expansions on queries with a larger number of terms. Based on these findings, we recommend that genomic information retrieval systems should support flexible query expansion strategies to best accommodate queries with different levels of complexity.
‘Structuring spontaneity’: investigating the impact of management practices on the success of virtual communities of practice
Authors: Bourhis Anne , Dubé Line
Published: January 2010

Despite the increasing number of virtual communities of practice (VCoPs), little is known about how organizations can help lead them to success. This paper aims to identify those management practices that are likely to increase their chance of success. Using an action research approach that brought together a multidisciplinary team of researchers, coaches and organizational participants, we closely followed the experiences of eight VCoPs over a six- to nine-month period and collected a large quantity of quantitative and qualitative data from many sources. Our results indicate that three types of management practices seem to have the most impact on a VCoP’s success: taking ongoing actions to develop a knowledge-sharing culture, providing adequate resources to the VCoPs, and monitoring the leadership of the community in order to address any occurring problems. This study represents a first step towards building an empirically based understanding of how organizations can sustain their VCoPs.
Withdrawal from repeated administration of morphine alters histamine-induced anxiogenic effects produced by intra-ventral hippocampal microinjection
Authors: Zarrindast Mohammad-Reza , Khodarahmi Parvin , Rezayof Ameneh , Oryan Shahrbano
Published: January 2010

In the present study, the influence of withdrawal from repeated administration of morphine on intra-ventral hippocampal microinjection of histamine-induced anxiety-like behavior was investigated in male Wistar rats. Three days subcutaneous administration of morphine (5—10 mg/kg) followed by five days free of the drug decreased the percentage open arm time and the percentage open arm entries. Intra-ventral hippocampal administration of histamine (2.5—7.5 µg/rat) decreased percentage open arm time and percentage open arm entries. Intra-ventral hippocampal histamine-induced anxiogenic effect was reversed in animals that had previously received the three days morphine (7.5 mg/kg) followed by five days free of the drug. Intra-ventral hippocampal administration of pyrilamine (5—20 µg/rat) or ranitidine (10—40 µg/rat) decreased percentage open arm time and percentage open arm entries. Pyrilamine- or ranitidine-induced anxiogenic effect was not changed in animals that had previously received the three days morphine (7.5 mg/kg) followed by five days free of the drug. Intra-ventral hippocampal injections of clobenpropit increased percentage open arm time. The percentage open arm time and percentage open arm entries were decreased in the morphine-treated animals compared with non-morphine-treated controls. Percentage open arm entries and locomotor activity was reduced with some doses of clobenpropit. It can be concluded that the histamine system is involved in anxiety-like behavior, and repeated injections of morphine followed by five days free of the drugs interact with histamine receptor mechanism.
Differential effect of glucocorticoid receptor antagonists on glucocorticoid receptor nuclear translocation and DNA binding
Authors: Spiga Francesca , Knight David M , Droste Susanne K , Conway-Campbell Becky , Kershaw Yvonne , MacSweeney Cliona P , Thomson Fiona J , Craighead Mark , Peeters Bernard WMM , Lightman Stafford L
Published: January 2010

The effects of RU486 and S-P, a more selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist from Schering-Plough, were investigated on glucocorticoid receptor nuclear translocation and DNA binding. In the in vitro study, AtT20 cells were treated with vehicle or with RU486, S-P or corticosterone (3–300 nM) or co-treated with vehicle or glucocorticoid receptor antagonists (3–300 nM) and 30 nM corticosterone. Both glucocorticoid receptor antagonists induced glucocorticoid receptor nuclear translocation but only RU486 induced DNA binding. RU486 potentiated the effect of corticosterone on glucocorticoid receptor nuclear translocation and DNA binding, S-P inhibited corticosterone-induced glucocorticoid receptor nuclear translocation, but not glucocorticoid receptor-DNA binding. In the in vivo study, adrenalectomized rats were treated with vehicle, RU486 (20 mg/kg) and S-P (50 mg/kg) alone or in combination with corticosterone (3 mg/kg). RU486 induced glucocorticoid receptor nuclear translocation in the pituitary, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex and glucocorticoid receptor-DNA binding in the hippocampus, whereas no effect of S-P on glucocorticoid receptor nuclear translocation or DNA binding was observed in any of the areas analysed. These findings reveal differential effects of RU486 and S-P on areas involved in regulation of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity in vivo and they are important in light of the potential use of this class of compounds in the treatment of disorders associated with hyperactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
Noradrenergic function in generalized anxiety disorder: impact of treatment with venlafaxine on the physiological and psychological responses to clonidine challenge
Authors: Hood SD , Melichar JK , Taylor LG , Kalk N , Edwards TR , Hince DA , Lenox-Smith A , Lingford-Hughes AR , Nutt DJ
Published: January 2010

Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressants have evidence of efficacy in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); however, it is not clear whether there is an advantage over selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medicines and there is limited evidence for noradrenergic dysfunction in GAD. We tested whether a dysfunctional alpha-2 adrenoceptor system is present in patients with GAD and the effects of SNRI treatment on this system. The method used was an infusion of clonidine (a selective alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist) on psychological and physiological outcomes in three subject groups: 10 untreated GAD patients, five SNRI-treated GAD patients and seven normal controls. The clonidine challenge elicited sedation, a rise in growth hormone, decrease in blood pressure, decline in saccadic eye movement (SEM) variables, and improvement in verbal fluency as anticipated in the 22 subjects examined. Lower cortisol levels were found in controls and higher blood pressure readings in GAD-treated subjects, as well as evidence that GAD-treated subjects had SEMs that were intermediate between control and GAD subjects’ scores and have less clonidine-induced sedation. The implications of these findings with reference to the study hypothesis in this small study are discussed.
Prospects for the open treatment of uncertainty in environmental research
Authors: Brown James D.
Published: January 2010

Current treatments of uncertainty in environmental research embody several myths about the causes and consequences of imperfect knowledge, namely: (1) the dominant role of environmental factors in controlling uncertainty, such as system complexity, non-linearity and space-time variability, rather than social and psychological factors; (2) the primacy of observations in locating, quantifying, and reducing uncertainty; and (3) the value of technical assessments of uncertainty in ‘risk-based decision-making’. While the identification and treatment of specific sources of uncertainty remain impractical in some areas of environmental research, a source-based approach is increasingly used in environmental modeling. Here, selected sources of uncertainty are quantified with probability distributions and propagated to model outputs (a forward problem), while data are used to calibrate these estimates and reduce uncertainty (an inverse problem). More generally, current treatments of uncertainty and risk are dominated by attempts to quantify, minimize, and control uncertainty. Uncertainty is viewed as an ‘information deficit’ to be resolved, rather than an inherent product of conducting research. This paper argues for more open treatments of uncertainty in environmental research. Such openness requires an appreciation of the social and psychological causes of uncertainty, the role of observations as imperfect and contingent expressions of visible events, and the myriad ways in which scientific information can be misinterpreted, misused, or sidelined in environmental decision-making. The paper begins with a discussion of the nature and causes of uncertainty in environmental research. A review of current treatments of uncertainty is followed by an analysis of the source-based approach to assessing uncertainty. Prospects for the open treatment of uncertainty are then discussed in terms of circumventing the three ‘myths of uncertainty’ that characterize recent work in environmental research.
The Impacts of Birth Order and Social Status on the Genealogy Register in Thirteenth- to Fifteenth-Century Korea
Authors: Sangkuk Lee
Published: January 2010

Despite previous scholarship on family history and demograghy by analyzing clan genealogies in East Asian countries, determining the criteria of likely inclusion in the genealogy remains critical. To establish the determinants of a genealogy register, this article addresses the substantial characteristics of the oldest extant genealogy in Korea, that is, that of the Andong Kwon clan, published in 1476. To determine the most important criterion for inclusion in the genealogy register, the author mainly compares the impacts of lineage lines, sibling birth order, and occupational title on this genealogy. The author finds that lineage lines and sibling birth order did not have a significant influence on the genealogy register, whereas the occupational title as an indicator of social status affected the genealogy register much more than did the other variables.
Association of Maximum Pitch Velocity and Elbow Injury in Professional Baseball Pitchers
Authors: Bushnell Brandon D. , Anz Adam W. , Noonan Thomas J. , Torry Michael R. , Hawkins Richard J.
Published: January 2010

Background

Recent literature has explored the association of upper extremity injury in baseball players with various aspects of the pitching motion. To our knowledge, no study has directly evaluated the connection between maximum pitch velocity and elbow injury in professional baseball pitchers.

Hypothesis

Professional pitchers throwing at higher maximum ball velocity will have a higher risk of elbow injury.

Study Design

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Twenty-three professional pitchers were analyzed during spring training games and the ball velocity of the fastest pitch thrown for a strike (maximum pitch velocity) was recorded. This group was then followed prospectively over the following 3 seasons for elbow injury significant enough to warrant inclusion on the disabled list and/or require surgery. The association between maximum pitch velocity and elbow injury was then analyzed using an unpaired Student t test.

Results

There were 9 players with elbow injuries in the group of pitchers studied, including 4 pitchers with an elbow muscle strain and/or joint inflammation and 5 pitchers with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain or tear. Three of the ulnar collateral ligament injuries required surgery. For the 14 pitchers in the noninjured group, the mean pitch velocity was 38.09 m/s (±1.45) or 85.22 mph (±3.24). For the 9 players in the injured group, the mean pitch velocity was 39.88 m/s (±2.39) or 89.22 mph (±5.36). There was a statistically significant association between maximum ball velocity and elbow injury (P = .0354). The injured group had a longer average career length (9.7 years) than the noninjured group (6.5 years; P = .0248). The 3 pitchers with the highest maximum ball velocity had the injuries requiring surgery.

Conclusion

A statistically significant association between maximum pitch velocity and elbow injury was noted in this study, providing further support of existing theories about injury in baseball.
Tibial Cartilage Damage and Deformation at Peak Displacement Compression during Simulated Landing Impact
Authors: Yeow Chen Hua , Ng Yi Hao , Lee Peter Vee Sin , Goh James Cho Hong
Published: January 2010

Background

Structural changes of articular cartilage at the point of peak displacement compression during a landing impact are unknown.

Hypothesis

Extent of damage and deformation is significantly different for superficial, middle, and deep cartilage zones at peak displacement compression during simulated landing impact compared with after impact.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

Explants were extracted from porcine tibial cartilages and divided into 3 test conditions: nonimpact control, impact and release, and impact and hold. Impact compression, with peak deformation of 2 mm, was applied based on a single 10-Hz haversine to simulate landing impact. For impact and release, explants were subjected to formalin fixation on removal of load after impact. For impact and hold, explants were immediately immersed in formalin with peak deformation maintained at 2 mm. After fixation, the explants underwent histology, whereby Mankin scores and cartilage thicknesses were obtained.

Results

Peak stresses of 9.8 to 28.1 MPa were noted during impact compression. For impact and release, substantial cartilage defects such as surface fraying and fissures were observed. For impact and hold, explants exhibited less severe matrix damage, such as superficial irregularities and tidemark disruption. Mankin scores were lower (indicating less damage; P < .05) in impact and hold than in impact and release condition. Superficial cartilage zone thickness was reduced (P < .05) in both impact and hold and impact and release conditions, relative to nonimpact control.

Conclusion

Not only does the loading phase of impact compression play a role in introducing substantial damage and deformation to cartilage, the unloading phase contributes to overall cartilage damage by exacerbating fissure propagation from surface lesions.

Clinical Relevance

Imaging of clinical injuries may underestimate the magnitude of cartilage compression that occurred during injury. Cartilage tissue engineering scaffolds must be designed to cope with the effects of loading and unloading phases, especially at the superficial zone, so that the repair site can function as well as does the neighboring native cartilage.
Soviet Policy, Political Parties, and the Preparation for Communist Takeovers in Hungary, Germany, and Austria, 1944-1946
Authors: Mueller Wolfgang
Published: January 2010

A large number of similarities can be seen between Soviet and communist activities following World War II in Germany and Austria and in East Central European countries such as Hungary, which were later entirely incorporated into the Soviet bloc. In both cases, Moscow-trained communists aimed at establishing “people’s democracy” and took a leading role in rebuilding the respective country’s adminis-trative apparatus. However, while they managed, with Soviet support, to take over power in Hungary, they failed to do so in Austria. In Germany, communist and Soviet action contributed to the partition of the country. This article, on the basis of Soviet and German documents, draws the conclusion that the main reason for the success or failure of communist takeover was the Soviet factor: the power Soviet authorities had in the respective countries and the priority they assigned to communist takeover.
EBV-Associated Polymorphic Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Presenting as Gingival Ulcers
Authors: Esquiche León Jorge , Takahama Júnior Ademar , Vassallo José , Soares Fernando Augusto , Paes de Almeida Oslei , Ajudarte Lopes Márcio
Published: January 2010

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) present a wide clinicopathological spectrum, varying from the usual Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-driven infectious mononucleosis-type polyclonal proliferations to EBV-positive or EBV-negative proliferations indistinguishable from overt lymphomas that occur in immunocompetent individuals. PTLDs characteristically have a predilection for extranodal sites and association with EBV.These disorders are usually B-cell type, although T-cell and rare cases involving both T- and B-cell types have also been described. The initial treatment consists in decreasing the immnosupressive therapy, usually with favorable results. The authors report on a rare case of a 19-year-old girl, with post—renal transplantation EBV-associated polymorphic lymphoproliferative gingival ulcerated lesions. To the best of their knowledge, this is the first case described in the English-language literature of polymorphic PTLD involving both B-cell and T-cell lineages, with an unusual immunoprofile affecting the mouth. The authors warn that this condition could be easily misdiagnosed as malignant lymphoma if not properly recognized.
Primary Yolk Sac Tumor of the Urachus
Authors: Romero-Rojas Alfredo Ernesto , Messa-Botero Oscar Alberto , Melo-Uribe Mario Alexander , Díaz-Pérez Julio Alexander , Chinchilla-Olaya Sandra Isabel
Published: January 2010

Introduction. Neoplasms originating from the urachus are rare. The most common urachal malignancy is adenocarcinoma, whereas extragonadal germ cell tumors, primarily of the urachus, are an extremely rare finding. Objective. To describe a primary yolk sac tumor (YST) of the urachus in an adult. Case report. A 44-year-old woman presented with 6 months of pelvic pain associated with a sensation of progressive mass growth. At the time of tumor resection, the tumor was found to be attached by a pedicle to the dome of the bladder, with no injury to the adjacent organs. Pathological study showed a neoplasm with epithelioid cells, pseudocysts, a myxomatous background, and Schiller-Duval body formations. Immunohistochemistry stains showed positivity to AE1/AE3, α-1-fetoprotein, and α-1-antitrypsin and negativity to other markers. Conclusion. An unusual case of a YST in the urachus is presented. This is the first reported adult case based on the authors’ bibliographic search.
What Is Quality Anyway? Performance Reports That Clearly Communicate to Consumers the Meaning of Quality of Care
Authors: Hibbard Judith H. , Greene Jessica , Daniel Debbie
Published: January 2010

While there has been considerable work to identify ways to make the quality measures contained in comparative reports more understandable and digestible for consumers, there has been almost no research looking at ways to make the overall concept of health care quality more understandable and accessible to consumers. In this study, the authors determine the impact of providing a framework for understanding quality on the comprehension and salience of quality information. The study uses an experimental design and tests the effect of providing a framework for describing quality of care, as well as plain language descriptions of quality indicators. The findings indicate that when providing a framework and using plain language to describe quality indicators, consumers were better able to understand and to see greater value in the information, as compared to participants who saw a report that had neither of these attributes. The policy and practice implications are discussed.
Review: The Net Benefits of Depression Management in Primary Care
Authors: Glied Sherry , Herzog Karin , Frank Richard
Published: January 2010

Depression is often diagnosed and treated in primary care settings. Organizational and systems interventions that restructure primary care practices and train staff have been shown to be cost-effective strategies for treating depression. Funders are increasingly calling for a cost—benefit assessment of such programs. In this study, the authors review existing cost-effectiveness studies of primary care depression treatments, classify them into categories, translate the results into net benefit terms, and assess whether more costly programs generate greater net benefit. The authors find that interventions that provide training to primary care teams in how to manage depression most consistently produce net benefits, with more costly interventions of this type generating larger net benefits than less costly interventions. Collaborative care interventions, which add specialized staff to primary care practices, and therapy interventions, in which clinicians are trained to provide therapy, also generate net social benefits at conventional valuations of quality-adjusted life years.
Learning From Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence: Decentering DV and the Primacy of Gender Stereotypes
Authors: Phillips Beth , Phillips Debby A.
Published: January 2010

Up to 8 million American children witness domestic violence (DV) every year. Since this discovery in the mid-1980s, psychologists and social service professionals have conducted research with children exposed to DV. This ethnographic study expands on existing research by examining how youth exposed to DV perceive their experiences and staff interventions. Findings show they draw on gender stereotypes for behaviors, and these frequently resist DV education and the advocates’ suggestions for coping. Findings also showed the staff’s formal interventions with the youth contradict gender norms and their casual interactions with the youth often inadvertently reinforce stereotypical gender identities and behaviors.
Examining the Sexual Harassment Experiences of Mexican Immigrant Farmworking Women
Authors: Waugh Irma Morales
Published: January 2010

This study examined sexual harassment experiences of Mexican immigrant farmworking women ( n = 150) employed on California farms. Of the estimated one million California farmworkers, 78% are Latino, mostly from Mexico, and 28% are women. Unlike gender-segregated worksites of Mexico, women farmworkers in the United States labor alongside men, facilitating harassment from coworkers and supervisors. Simultaneous sexist, racist, and economic discrimination are comparable to converging lanes of automobile traffic (Crenshaw, 2000) that women, standing at the intersections, manage to avoid harm. Findings highlight how discrimination shapes women’s experiences and demonstrate the need for institutional policies to protect them.