bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dysregulation of lung injury and repair in moesin-deficient mice treated with intratracheal bleomycin
Authors: Hashimoto Soshi , Amaya Fumimasa , Matsuyama Hiroki , Ueno Hiroshi , Kikuchi Shojiro , Tanaka Masaki , Watanabe Yoshihisa , Ebina Masahito , Ishizaka Akitoshi , Tsukita Sachiko , Hashimoto Satoru
Published: July 2008

Moesin belongs to the ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) protein family and participates in cellular functions, such as morphogenesis and motility, by cross-linking between the actin cytoskeleton and plasma membranes. Although moesin seems necessary for tissue construction and repair, its function at the whole body level remains elusive, perhaps because of redundancy among ERM proteins. To determine the role played by moesin in the modulation of pulmonary alveolar structure associated with lung injury and repair, we examined the morphological changes in the lung and the effect of bleomycin-induced lung injury and fibrosis in moesin-deficient ( Msn−/ Y) and control wild-type mice ( Msn+/ Y). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that moesin was specifically localized in the distal lung epithelium, where ezrin and radixin were faintly detectable in Msn+/ Ymice. Compared with Msn+/ Ymice, Msn−/ Ymice displayed abnormalities of alveolar architecture and, when treated with bleomycin, developed more prominent lung injury and fibrosis and lower body weight and survival rate. Furthermore, Msn−/ Ymice had abnormal cytokine and chemokine gene expression as shown by real-time PCR. This is the first report of a functional involvement of moesin in the regulation of lung inflammation and repair. Our observations show that moesin critically regulates the preservation of alveolar structure and lung homeostasis.
T1α/podoplanin is essential for capillary morphogenesis in lymphatic endothelial cells
Authors: Navarro Angels , Perez Ricardo E. , Rezaiekhaligh Mo , Mabry Sherry M. , Ekekezie Ikechukwu I.
Published: July 2008

The lymphatic vasculature functions to maintain tissue perfusion homeostasis. Defects in its formation or disruption of the vessels result in lymphedema, the effective treatment of which is hampered by limited understanding of factors regulating lymph vessel formation. Mice lacking T1α/podoplanin, a lymphatic endothelial cell transmembrane protein, have malformed lymphatic vasculature with lymphedema at birth, but the molecular mechanism for this phenotype is unknown. Here, we show, using primary human lung microvascular lymphatic endothelial cells (HMVEC-LLy), that small interfering RNA-mediated silence of podoplanin gene expression has the dramatic effect of blocking capillary tube formation in Matrigel. In addition, localization of phosphorylated ezrin/radixin/moesin proteins to plasma membrane extensions, an early event in the capillary morphogenic program in lymphatic endothelial cells, is impaired. We find that cells with decreased podoplanin expression fail to properly activate the small GTPase RhoA early (by 30 min) after plating on Matrigel, and Rac1 shows a delay in its activation. Further indication that podoplanin action is linked to RhoA activation is that use of a cell-permeable inhibitor of Rho inhibited lymphatic endothelial capillary tube formation in the same manner as did podoplanin gene silencing, which was not mimicked by treatment with a Rac1 inhibitor. These data clearly demonstrate that early activation of RhoA in the lymphangiogenic process, which is required for the successful establishment of the capillary network, is dependent on podoplanin expression. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a mechanism has been suggested to explain the role of podoplanin in lymphangiogenesis.
Thyroid hormone effects on LKB1, MO25, phospho-AMPK, phospho-CREB, and PGC-1α in rat muscle
Authors: Branvold D. J. , Allred D. R. , Beckstead D. J. , Kim H. J. , Fillmore N. , Condon B. M. , Brown J. D. , Sudweeks S. N. , Thomson D. M. , Winder W. W.
Published: July 2008

Expression of all of the isoforms of the subunits of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and AMPK activity is increased in skeletal muscle of hyperthyroid rats. Activity of AMPK in skeletal muscle is regulated principally by the upstream kinase, LKB1. This experiment was designed to determine whether the increase in AMPK activity is accompanied by increased expression of the LKB1, along with binding partner proteins. LKB1, MO25, and downstream targets were determined in muscle extracts in control rats, in rats given 3 mg of thyroxine and 1 mg of triiodothyronine per kilogram chow for 4 wk, and in rats given 0.01% propylthiouracil (PTU; an inhibitor of thyroid hormone synthesis) in drinking water for 4 wk (hypothyroid group). LKB1 and MO25 increased in the soleus of thyroid hormone-treated rats vs. the controls. In other muscle types, LKB1 responses were variable, but MO25 increased in all. In soleus, MO25 mRNA increased with thyroid hormone treatment, and STRAD mRNA increased with PTU treatment. Phospho-AMPK and phospho-ACC were elevated in soleus and gastrocnemius of hyperthyroid rats. Thyroid hormone treatment also increased the amount of phospho-cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in the soleus, heart, and red quadriceps. Four proteins having CREB response elements (CRE) in promoter regions of their genes (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α, uncoupling protein 3, cytochrome c, and hexokinase II) were all increased in soleus in response to thyroid hormones. These data provide evidence that thyroid hormones increase soleus muscle LKB1 and MO25 content with subsequent activation of AMPK, phosphorylation of CREB, and expression of mitochondrial protein genes having CRE in their promoters.
Synaptic Ribbon Enables Temporal Precision of Hair Cell Afferent Synapse by Increasing the Number of Readily Releasable Vesicles: A Modeling Study
Authors: Wittig John H. , Parsons Thomas D.
Published: July 2008

Synaptic ribbons are classically associated with mediating indefatigable neurotransmitter release by sensory neurons that encode persistent stimuli. Yet when hair cells lack anchored ribbons, the temporal precision of vesicle fusion and auditory nerve discharges are degraded. A rarified statistical model predicted increasing precision of first-exocytosis latency with the number of readily releasable vesicles. We developed an experimentally constrained biophysical model to test the hypothesis that ribbons enable temporally precise exocytosis by increasing the readily releasable pool size. Simulations of calcium influx, buffered calcium diffusion, and synaptic vesicle exocytosis were stochastic (Monte Carlo) and yielded spatiotemporal distributions of vesicle fusion consistent with experimental measurements of exocytosis magnitude and first-spike latency of nerve fibers. No single vesicle could drive the auditory nerve with requisite precision, indicating a requirement for multiple readily releasable vesicles. However, plasmalemma-docked vesicles alone did not account for the nerve's precision—the synaptic ribbon was required to retain a pool of readily releasable vesicles sufficiently large to statistically ensure first-exocytosis latency was both short and reproducible. The model predicted that at least 16 readily releasable vesicles were necessary to match the nerve's precision and provided insight into interspecies differences in synaptic anatomy and physiology. We confirmed that ribbon-associated vesicles were required in disparate calcium buffer conditions, irrespective of the number of vesicles required to trigger an action potential. We conclude that one of the simplest functions ascribable to the ribbon—the ability to hold docked vesicles at an active zone—accounts for the synapse's temporal precision.
Dynamic Responses to Leptin Secretagogues in Lean, Obese, and Massively Obese Men and Women
Authors: Dagogo-Jack Samuel , Askari Hasan , Tykodi Gunjan , Liu Jianmei , Umamaheswaran Indira
Published: July 2008

Background/Aim: Basal plasma leptin levels are higher in women than in men and also higher in obese than in lean subjects, but the dynamic leptin secretion has not been well studied. We tested whether the leptin secretory response to glucocorticoid or insulin differs by gender and adiposity status. Methods: Seventy-nine nondiabetic adults, comprising lean [body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) ≤25; n = 27], obese (BMI 30–40; n = 28), and massively obese (BMI >40; n = 24) subjects, participated in two separate studies. In study 1, the subjects received oral dexamethasone (4 mg), with blood sampling before and 8 and 16 h after ingestion. In study 2, the subjects underwent a two-step hyperinsulinemic (1.0 mU·kg–1/min for 3 h, then 2.0 mU·kg–1/min for 3 h), euglycemic (∼100 mg/dl) clamp. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and every 20 min during the clamp. Results: Basal and stimulated leptin levels were higher in women than in men, and higher in the obese groups than in lean subjects. The percentage increase above baseline leptin was similar among men and women within each group, but was ∼30% lower in massively obese compared to lean subjects. Conclusion: Leptin secretory responses to glucocorticoid or insulin stimulation are preserved across a broad adiposity range, with higher absolute responses in women than in men.
Adrenal Pheochromocytoma Producing Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide and Masking Hypertension
Authors: Øzbay Aygen , Obukhau Aliaksander , Buhl Line , Brøndt Hartlev Louise , Løgstrup Poulsen Per
Published: July 2008

Aim: To report a case of a pheochromocytoma secreting vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Methods: We studied a 77-year-old woman who had suffered from persistent diarrhea and episodes of sweating and palpitations. Results: She had neither previous or current anamnesis of hypertension nor any known familial dispositions to endocrine diseases. Initially gastrointestinal investigations were carried out based on longstanding diarrhea with hypopotassemia, but radiological imaging revealed a unilateral adrenal mass. Biochemical testing showed increased levels of catecholamine and VIP, and 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy confirmed the adrenal origin as well as the diagnosis of a VIP-producing pheochromocytoma. The patient underwent surgical removal of the tumor which led to relief of symptoms and normalized laboratory values. Conclusion: This case report focuses on the protean mode of presentation seen in pheochromocytomas as well as their capacity to produce several neuropeptides, ultimately intensifying the need for early examination for this condition despite unrelated symptoms.
Cystic Dystrophy in Heterotopic Pancreas of the Duodenal Wall
Authors: Jovanovic Ivan , Alempijevic Tamara , Lukic Snezana , Knezevic Srboljub , Popovic Dragan , Dugalic Vladimir , Micev Marjan , Krstic Miodrag
Published: July 2008

Background: Cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreas (CDHP) is a rare condition. It has been recently reported as one of the etiologic obstructive factors of chronic pancreatitis. The aim of our study was to evaluate diagnosis and management of CDHP in the duodenal wall in a surgical series. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 13 patients with available clinical data. Results: There were 11 male and 2 female patients, median age 42 years. The average duration of symptoms was 7.5 months. 6 of them (46%) were alcoholics, and 10 (75%) had signs of chronic pancreatitis. Almost all of them (12/13; 92%) revealed disabling pain, while 4 (31%) had associated jaundice. In 4 of 7 patients (57%), weight loss was observed. Most often the patients were suspected of having pancreatic head mass with or without signs of chronic pancreatitis. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Pathological examination showed the presence of cysts surrounded by inflammation and fibrosis in the duodenal wall, as well as the presence of chronic pancreatitis in the pancreas proper. Conclusions: Cystic dystrophy of the duodenal wall represents a significant proportion of patients undergoing surgery for chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatoduodenectomy is the best therapeutic option.
Controlled Toothbrush Abrasion of Softened Human Enamel
Authors: Voronets J. , Jaeggi T. , Buergin W. , Lussi A.
Published: July 2008

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare toothbrush abrasion of softened enamel after brushing with two (soft and hard) toothbrushes. One hundred and fifty-six human enamel specimens were indented with a Knoop diamond. Salivary pellicle was formed in vitro over a period of 3 h. Erosive lesions were produced by means of 1% citric acid. A force-measuring device allowed a controlled toothbrushing force of 1.5 N. The specimens were brushed either in toothpaste slurry or with toothpaste in artificial saliva for 15 s. Enamel loss was calculated from the change in indentation depth of the same indent before and after abrasion. Mean surface losses (95% CI) were recorded in ten treatment groups: (1) soft toothbrush only [28 (17–39) nm]; (2) hard toothbrush only [25 (16–34) nm]; (3) soft toothbrush in Sensodyne MultiCare slurry [46 (27–65) nm]; (4) hard toothbrush in Sensodyne MultiCare slurry [45 (24–66) nm]; (5) soft toothbrush in Colgate sensation white slurry [71 (55–87) nm]; (6) hard toothbrush in Colgate sensation white slurry [85 (60–110) nm]; (7) soft toothbrush with Sensodyne MultiCare [48 (39–57) nm]; (8) hard toothbrush with Sensodyne MultiCare [40 (29–51) nm]; (9) soft toothbrush with Colgate sensation white [51 (37–65) nm]; (10) hard toothbrush with Colgate sensation white [52 (36–68) nm]. Neither soft nor hard toothbrushes produced significantly different toothbrush abrasion of softened human enamel in this model (p > 0.05).
Using Early Language Outcomes to Predict Later Language Ability in Children with Cochlear Implants
Authors: Hay-McCutcheon Marcia J. , Kirk Karen Iler , Henning Shirley C. , Gao Sujuan , Qi Rong
Published: July 2008

The increased access to sound that cochlear implants have provided to profoundly deaf children has allowed them to develop English speech and language skills more successfully than using hearing aids alone. The purpose of this study was to determine how well early postimplant language skills were able to predict later language ability. Thirty children who received a cochlear implant between the years 1991 and 2000 were study participants. The Reynell Developmental Language Scales (RDLS) and the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF) were used as language measures. Results revealed that early receptive language skills as measured using the RDLS were good predictors of later core language ability assessed by the CELF. Alternatively, early expressive language skills were not found to be good predictors of later language performance. The age at which a child received an implant was found to have a significant impact on the early language measures, but not the later language measure, or on the ability of the RDLS to predict performance on the CELF measure.
Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Response to Bone-Conducted Vibration of the Midline Forehead at Fz
Authors: Iwasaki S. , Smulders Y.E. , Burgess A.M. , McGarvie L.A. , MacDougall H.G. , Halmagyi G.M. , Curthoys I.S.
Published: July 2008

If a patient, who is lying supine and looking upward, is given bone-conducted vibration (BCV) of the forehead at the hairline in the midline (Fz) with a clinical reflex hammer or a powerful bone conduction vibrator, short-latency surface potentials called ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) can be recorded from just beneath the eyes. The early negative (excitatory) component (n10) is approximately equal in amplitude for both eyes in healthy subjects, but in patients with unilateral vestibular loss, the n10 component is significantly asymmetrical under the 2 eyes – the n10 component is small or absent under the eye on the side contralateral to the prior unilateral vestibular nerve removal, but of normal amplitude under the eye on the side contralateral to the healthy ear. The n10 component of the oVEMP response to BCV at Fz stimuli reflects vestibular and probably mainly otolithic function via crossed otolithic-ocular pathways, and so n10 asymmetry is a new way of identifying the affected side in patients with unilateral otolithic loss.
Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Preterm Infants
Authors: Erbek Seyra , Gokmen Zeynel , Ozkiraz Servet , Erbek Selim S. , Tarcan Aylin , Ozluoglu Levent N.
Published: July 2008

The goal of this study was to determine whether there was an association between perinatal risk factors of prematurity and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). A prospective case-control trial was designed. Fifty preterm newborns (100 ears) with a gestational age <37 weeks were included. The control group consisted of 20 healthy term infants (40 ears). VEMP recordings were performed, and mean latencies of p13 were calculated in all study subjects. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the influence of perinatal variables on abnormal VEMP responses. VEMPs were elicited in all term infants (40 ears). In preterm infants, the responses were normal in 71 ears, delayed in 24 and absent in 5. There was a significant difference between abnormal VEMP rates for preterm and term infants (p < 0.001). Asphyxia (OR = 13.985, p = 0.048) and time of VEMP test (OR = 0.865, p = 0.038) were related to abnormal VEMP responses. There was no association between delayed VEMPs and gestational age, birth weight, hemoglobin and bilirubin levels, phototherapy, intracranial hemorrhage, convulsions, sepsis, ototoxic drugs, transfusion, mechanical ventilation, retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and respiratory distress syndrome. These results suggest a delay in the maturation of VEMPs in premature infants. Asphyxia was the most important risk factor for abnormal VEMP responses in preterm infants.
Optimizing Otoacoustic Emission Protocols for a UNHS Program
Authors: Hatzopoulos S. , Petruccelli J. , Ciorba A. , Martini A.
Published: July 2008

Objective: To identify the optimal test protocol to screen for hearing problems in newborns, an evaluation of three distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) protocols was conducted in neonates, from a well-baby nursery (WBN) and from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and compared to the performance in newborns of a more standard protocol based on transient-evoked OAEs (TEOAEs). Methods: The DPOAE protocols used asymmetrical stimulus intensities (L1 > L2) with a frequency ratio of 1.22, in the following format: (P1), L1 = 60, L2 = 50 dB SPL; (P2), L1 = 65, L2 = 55 dB SPL, and (P3), L1 = 75, L2 = 65 dB SPL. Linear TEOAE responses, evoked by click stimuli of 75 dB peSPL, were used as controls of normal cochlear function. Five frequencies at 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 kHz were tested with a common commercially available macro-based software subroutine (Otodynamics Corp, ILO-92). The project evaluated the responses from 1200 WBN infants (average age 48 h) and 350 low-birth-weight NICU infants, all randomly selected. Results: Statistical analyses comparing the signal-to-noise ratios (S/N), at the predefined f2 frequencies, indicated that the P1 and P2 DPOAE protocols generated similar responses. Significant S/N differences were observed in the P3 to P2 dataset comparisons. DPOAE scoring criteria were estimated from the P3 dataset using a one-sided, distribution-free confidence intervals. The scoring criteria for a ‘pass’ were estimated as a minimum S/N of 6.0, 7.0 and 6.0 dB at 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 kHz, respectively. In terms of feasibility, the P3 protocol generated responses in 98% of the WBN and 94.8% of the NICU infants. Conclusions: All three DPOAE protocols demonstrated shorter time-recording requirements than the standard TEOAE test. The false-positive and false-negative rates for the NICU infants were estimated as 0.0028 and 0.003%, respectively.
Plasma Protein Thiols and Total Antioxidant Power in Pediatric Nephrotic Syndrome
Authors: Karthikeyan Kadirvel , Sinha Indrajit , Prabhu Krishnananda , Bhaskaranand Nalini , Rao Anjali
Published: July 2008

Background: Oxidative damage by free radicals has been implicated in kidney injury, especially in nephrotic syndrome (NS). Such a stress would influence the response of nephrotic children to therapy. Methods: The present study enrolled children with NS in active disease state and in remission and 50 healthy volunteers. Plasma protein thiol levels and ferric-reducing/antioxidant power were estimated spectrophotometrically in controls and in patients. Serum protein and albumin as well as urine protein were also estimated. Results: There was a significant decrease in plasma protein thiol levels in children with active disease when compared to controls as well as to subjects in remission. Ferric-reducing/antioxidant power values were significantly increased in NS and remained high in remission when compared to controls. Serum total protein and albumin were significantly decreased in nephrotics compared to controls. Further, a prospective study between the relapse and remission groups indicated a significant increase in plasma protein thiols in remission when compared to relapse exhibiting a positive response to treatment. Conclusion: A considerable alteration in the antioxidant status in NS indicates the pro-oxidant milieu existing in this condition which may have implications in the response to treatment of these patients.
Chronic Kidney Disease Is Often Unrecognized among Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: The REGARDS Cohort Study
Authors: McClellan William M. , Newsome Britt B. , McClure Leslie A. , Cushman Mary , Howard George , Audhya Paul , Abramson Jerome L. , Warnock David G.
Published: July 2008

Introduction: Individuals with kidney disease are at increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and CHD is associated with an increased prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Awareness of CKD may potentially influence diagnostic decisions, life-style changes and pharmacologic interventions targeted at modifiable CHD risk factors. We describe here the degree to which persons with CHD are aware of their CKD. Methods: The Reasons for Geographical and Racial Difference in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort study, a population-based sample of US residents aged 45 and older. We included in our analyses 28,112 REGARDS participants recruited as of June 2007. We estimated GFR (eGFR) using the MDRD equation, defined CKD as a GFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2, and ascertained awareness of chronic kidney disease and coronary heart disease through self-report. We used the odds ratio to compare the association between awareness of kidney disease, as measured by GFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2, among individuals with and without self-reported CHD by both the presence of CKD and the severity of impaired kidney function. Results: Coronary heart disease was reported by 3,803 (14.1%) of subjects, and 11.3% of subjects had CKD by eGFR. Among all individuals with a GFR <60 ml/min/ 1.73 m2, 9.6% reported having been told by a physician that they had kidney disease. Among those with CHD and CKD, 5.0% were aware of their CKD compared to 2.0% in those without CHD [OR (95% CI) = 2.57 (2.08, 3.28)]. This difference persisted after controlling for the level of kidney function [aOR (95% CI) = 1.87 (1.43, 2.41)]. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of CKD and a low prevalence of awareness of kidney disease among older adults in the US population with or without coronary heart disease. These findings support recent recommendations that patients with cardiovascular disease be systematically screened for and educated about CKD.
Increased FOG-2 in Failing Myocardium Disrupts Thyroid Hormone–Dependent SERCA2 Gene Transcription
Authors: Rouf Rosanne , Greytak Sarah , Wooten Eric C. , Wu Jing , Boltax Jay , Picard Michael , Svensson Eric C. , Dillmann Wolfgang H. , Patten Richard D. , Huggins Gordon S.
Published: July 2008

Reduced expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA)2 and other genes in the adult cardiac gene program has raised consideration of an impaired responsiveness to thyroid hormone (T3) that develops in the advanced failing heart. Here, we show that human and murine cardiomyopathy hearts have increased expression of friend of GATA (FOG)-2, a cardiac nuclear hormone receptor corepressor protein. Cardiac-specific overexpression of FOG-2 in transgenic mice led to depressed cardiac function, activation of the fetal gene program, congestive heart failure, and early death. SERCA2 transcript and protein levels were reduced in FOG-2 transgenic hearts, and FOG-2 overexpression impaired T3-mediated SERCA2 expression in cultured cardiomyocytes. FOG-2 physically interacts with thyroid hormone receptor-α1 and abrogated even high levels of T3-mediated SERCA2 promoter activity. These results demonstrate that SERCA2 is an important target of FOG-2 and that increased FOG-2 expression may contribute to a decline in cardiac function in end-stage heart failure by impaired T3 signaling.
Routine Use of Bilateral Skeletonized Internal Thoracic Artery Grafting
Authors: Pevni D. , Uretzky G. , Mohr A. , Braunstein R. , Kramer A. , Paz Y. , Shapira I. , Mohr R.
Published: July 2008

Background—

Skeletonized harvesting of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) decreases the severity of sternal devascularization, thus reducing the risk of postoperative sternal complications in patients undergoing bilateral ITA grafting.

Methods and Results—

Between 1996 and 2001, 1515 consecutive patients underwent skeletonized bilateral ITA grafting. Of the 1179 male and 336 female patients, 641 (42.3%) were >70 years of age, and 519 (34.2%) had diabetes mellitus. Operative mortality was 2.8%. Early postoperative morbidity included sternal infection (1.6%), cerebrovascular accident (3%), and perioperative myocardial infarction (1%). Multiple regression analysis showed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (odds ratio, 11.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.45 to 28.55), repeat operation (odds ratio, 12.7; 95% CI, 3.25 to 49.56), and diabetes mellitus (non–insulin dependent: odds ratio, 4.64; 95% CI, 1.85 to 11.59; insulin dependent: odds ratio, 6.9; 95% CI, 1.35 to 35.27) to be associated with increased risk of sternal infection. Follow-up (between 5 and 12 years) revealed 305 late deaths. Kaplan-Meier 10-year survival rates for patients <65, 65 to 74, and >75 years of age were 87%, 75%, and 52%, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed increased overall mortality (early and late) in patients with peripheral vascular disease (hazard ratio [HR], 1.8; 95% CI, 1.39 to 2.33), patients >75 years of age (HR, 7.23; 95% CI, 4.16 to 12.55), those undergoing repeat operations (HR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.27 to 3.89), patients with preoperative congestive heart failure (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.29 to 3.75), and those with chronic renal failure (HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.11 to 2.01). Operations performed without cardiopulmonary bypass were associated with better postoperative survival (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.87).

Conclusions—

Bilateral ITA grafting is associated with low morbidity and good long-term results. Use of skeletonized bilateral ITA is appropriate for the elderly and most patients with diabetes; however, it is not recommended for repeat operations or for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Apolipoprotein CIII Links Hyperlipidemia With Vascular Endothelial Cell Dysfunction
Authors: Kawakami Akio , Osaka Mizuko , Tani Mariko , Azuma Hiroshi , Sacks Frank M. , Shimokado Kentaro , Yoshida Masayuki
Published: July 2008

Background—

Apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII) is a component of some triglyceride-rich very-low-density and low-density lipoprotein and is elevated in dyslipidemia with insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. We previously reported that apoCIII directly activates proinflammatory and atherogenic signaling in vascular endothelial cells through protein kinase C-β (PKCβ). Because PKCβ impairs the response of vascular endothelial cells to insulin, we tested the hypothesis that apoCIII affects insulin signaling in vascular endothelial cells and its function in vitro and in vivo.

Methods and Results—

ApoCIII inhibited insulin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), decreasing phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt activation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. These effects of apoCIII led to reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation and NO release into the media. ApoCIII activated PKCβ in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, resulting in IRS-1 dysfunction via serine phosphorylation. ApoCIII also activated mitogen-activated protein kinase through PKCβ. The impaired insulin signaling was restored by PKCβ inhibitor or MEK1 inhibitor. ApoCIII-rich very-low-density lipoprotein and apoCIII impaired insulin signaling in the aorta of C57BL/6J mice and in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, which was recovered by PKCβ inhibitor. They also inhibited endothelium-dependent relaxation of the aortas of C57BL/6J mice. In summary, apoCIII in very-low-density lipoprotein impaired insulin stimulation of NO production by vascular endothelium and induced endothelial dysfunction in vivo. This adverse effect of apoCIII was mediated by its activation of PKCβ, which inhibits the IRS-1/PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway.

Conclusion—

Our results suggest that apoCIII is a crucial link between dyslipidemia and insulin resistance in vascular endothelial cells with consequential deleterious effects on their atheroprotective functions.
Midlatitude Excitation of Tropical Variability in the Pacific: The Role of Thermodynamic Coupling and Seasonality*
Authors: Vimont Daniel J. , Alexander Michael , Fontaine Abigail
Published: July 2008

A set of ensemble model experiments using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Atmospheric Model version 3.0 (CAM3) is run to investigate the tropical Pacific response to midlatitude atmospheric variability associated with the atmospheric North Pacific Oscillation (NPO). Heat flux anomalies associated with the NPO are used to force a set of model simulations during boreal winter (when the NPO is most energetic), after which the forcing is switched off and the coupled model evolves on its own. Sea surface temperature (SST) and wind anomalies continue to amplify in the tropical Pacific after the imposed forcing has been shut off, indicating that coupled ocean–atmosphere interactions in the tropical Pacific alter the spatial and temporal structure of variability associated with midlatitude forcing. The tropical circulation evolves through feedbacks between the surface wind, evaporation, and SST (the WES feedback), as well as through changes in the shortwave radiative heat flux (caused by changes in convection).

Sensitivity experiments are run to investigate how thermodynamic coupling and seasonality affect the tropical response to NPO-related forcing. Seasonality is found to affect the WES feedback through (i) altering the sensitivity of surface evaporation to changes in the low-level wind field and (ii) altering the structure and strength of the lower-level wind response to SST anomalies. Thermodynamic coupling causes an equatorward and westward development of SST anomalies and an associated equatorward shift in the lower-level zonal wind anomalies.
Impact of Barrier Layer Thickness on SST in the Central Tropical North Atlantic*
Authors: Foltz Gregory R. , McPhaden Michael J.
Published: July 2008

Measurements from three long-term moored buoys are used to investigate the impact of barrier layer thickness (BLT) on the seasonal cycle of sea surface temperature (SST) in the central tropical North Atlantic Ocean. It is found that seasonal variations of the BLT exert a considerable influence on SST through their modulation of the vertical heat flux at the base of the mixed layer, estimated as the residual in the mixed layer heat balance. Cooling associated with this term is strongest when the barrier layer is thin and the vertical temperature gradient at the base of the mixed layer is strong. Conversely, thick barrier layers are associated with a significant reduction in the vertical temperature gradient at the base of the mixed layer, which suppresses the upward transfer of cooler water into the mixed layer. Forced ocean and coupled ocean–atmosphere models that do not properly simulate the barrier layer may have difficulty reproducing the observed seasonal cycle of SST in the tropical North Atlantic.
Important Factors for the Development of the Asian–Northwest Pacific Summer Monsoon*
Authors: Ueda Hiroaki , Ohba Masamichi , Xie Shang-Ping
Published: July 2008

The Asian and northwest (NW) Pacific summer monsoons exhibit stepwise transitions with rapid changes in precipitation at intervals of roughly 1 month from mid-May through mid-July. A new method is developed to evaluate the effects of sea surface temperature (SST) and other changes on these rapid monsoon transitions. The latter changes include solar radiation, land memory, and atmospheric transient (SLAT) effects. The method compares two sets of atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) simulations, forced with observed seasonally varying and piecewise constant SST, respectively. The results indicate that the SLAT effects dominate all of the major transitions, except during mid-June when the SST cooling induced by the strong monsoon westerlies is a significant negative feedback resisting the intensification and northward advance of monsoon convection.

The final regional onset of the monsoon system takes place in mid-July over the subtropical NW Pacific characterized by the abrupt enhancement of deep convection there. Despite a weak SST effect from the GCM assessment herein, major changes in convection and circulation are confined to the ocean east of the Philippines during the mid-July transition, suggesting the importance of transient atmospheric adjustments. Intense convection over other regions induces subsidence over the subtropical northwest Pacific during June, contributing to the delayed onset there. Satellite observations reveal a slow buildup of free-tropospheric moisture over the NW Pacific, leading to an abrupt intensification of convective precipitation in mid-July, suggesting a possibility that the gradual tropospheric moistening eventually triggers a threshold transition.
Introduction
Authors: Doyle Kenneth O.
Published: July 2008

Professors are “people who think differently.” In “Psychology and the New Media, Volume 1,” instead of focusing on the technology of the new media as most people were in those days, the authors explored some of the psychology: What facilitates and what impedes people's access to the new communications technology? How do people make sense out of what they encounter? How do the new communication technologies affect principal arenas of life? In this second volume, we explore the psychological side of a wide variety of new media applications: human isolation and connection, addiction, terrorism, self-revelation, e-satisfaction, education, innovation, and the effects of encounters with the anthropocene, or the “built environment.” Finally, we ask if different kinds of people—by personality type and developmental stage—experience the new media differently and what the implications of that differential impact might be.
New Communication Technologies, Old Questions
Authors: Yzer Marco C. , Southwell Brian G.
Published: July 2008

The recent emergence of new media, or better, new communication technologies, has afforded substantial commentary regarding societal effects, the latest chapter in a decades-old trend that rises and falls with each new communication technology. Whereas this article does not deny that the current generation of communication technologies differs from predecessors, it argues against the need for wholesale changes in theory to understand the effects of these technologies. New communication technologies do not fundamentally alter the theoretical bounds of human interaction; such interaction continues to be governed by basic human tendencies. What is perhaps most interesting about these new technologies is their ability to provide new or previously rare contexts for information expression and engagement. This article reviews two sets of rival hypotheses investigated in light of new communication technologies: proposals regarding social isolation effects versus connection effects, and ideas about whether new technologies lead to group integration or group polarization.
Internet Sex Addiction
Authors: Young Kimberly S.
Published: July 2008

Internet sex addiction typically involves viewing, downloading, and trading online pornography or engagement in adult fantasy role-play rooms. Adult Web sites comprise the largest segment of electronic commerce catering to a wide variety of sexual interests. Given the widespread availability of sexually explicit material online, Internet sex addiction is the most common form of problem online behavior among users. Using research and illustrative case studies, this chapter explores how sexually explicit material enters our homes, schools, and business, and examines the risk factors that lead to addiction. As new users are more at risk to become hooked on online porn or adult sex chat rooms, this chapter presents a model that shows the progressive stages of development underlying Internet sex addiction and how the Internet enables sexually explicit behavior to develop. Finally, this chapter reviews current treatment practices associated with the disorder and the implications of new mobile technologies.
A Critical Review of the E-Satisfaction Literature
Authors: Qimei Chen  , Rodgers Shelly , Yi He
Published: July 2008

User satisfaction is essential to the success of any Web site. Satisfaction with electronic environments, or e-satisfaction, drives traffic to Web sites and encourages repeated use of a site. However, the e-satisfaction literature has not been critically examined to assess e-satisfaction scales that currently exist in an effort to determine potential gaps or opportunities for future research. The present study is intended to critically review the existing e-satisfaction literature. We identify problems in defining and measuring e-satisfaction and offer directions for future research.
The Psychology of Blogging
Authors: Gurak Laura J. , Antonijevic Smiljana
Published: July 2008

The phenomenon and practice of blogging offers a rich environment from which to look at the psychology of the Internet. By using blogging as a lens, researchers can see that many predictions and findings of early Internet research on social and psychological features of computer-mediated communication have held true, whereas others are not as true, and that the psychology of the Internet is very much a sense of the one and the many, the individual and the collective, the personal and the political. Blogs illustrate the fusion of key elements of human desire—to express one's identity, create community, structure one's past and present experiences—with the main technological features of 21st century digital communication. Blogs can serve as a lens to observe the way in which people currently use digital technologies and, in return, transform some of the traditional cultural norms—such as those between the public and the private.
The Psychology of Mass-Mediated Terrorism
Authors: Weimann Gabriel
Published: July 2008

The growing use and manipulation of modern communications by terrorist organizations have led communication and terrorism scholars to reconceptualize modern terrorism within the framework of symbolic communication theory. Some applied the theater-of-terror metaphor to examine modern terrorism as an attempt to communicate messages through the use of orchestrated violence. This article examines the psychological importance of the mass media for modern terrorism, the media tactics of terrorists, and the challenges they present to media organizations and governments. Special attention is given to the use of the Internet by modern terrorists and the rhetoric of terrorist Web sites based on 8-year-long monitoring of terrorist presence on the Internet and the analysis of more than 5,000 terrorist Web sites. Finally, the article concludes with various responses of modern democratic societies to the challenge poised by media-oriented and media-savvy terrorists.
Distance Education via SMS Technology in Rural Bangladesh
Authors: Mahbubul Islam Yusuf , Doyle Kenneth O.
Published: July 2008

Cell-phone SMS—Short Message Service—is helping bridge the Digital Divide in developing countries around the world. Beginning in Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries on Earth, and now extending into many other Third World countries, SMS offers synchronous and asynchronous interactive communication in situations where previously there was no communication at all, as between people in jungle villages and government or nongovernmental organization offices in major cities. SMS offers a wide variety of applications from public health to e-commerce. This article describes recent developments mainly in data collection and distance education.
From Here to There in Information Technology
Authors: Keller Kenneth H.
Published: July 2008

The pathways of development and innovation in information technology involve interactions among a number of sciences and technologies and the social, political, and economic milieu in which they find themselves. No single factor will decisively determine the direction, the success or failure, or the competitiveness of one country relative to others, which makes grand strategies for specific technological development and innovation notoriously unreliable. Therefore, although growing technical capacity in developing countries helps their economic growth, the world is not quite flat. In fact, information technology may exacerbate national differences, rather than lead to international homogenization, and technological developments in general may be differentially affected by a nation's traditional regulatory and legal institutions. All of these issues reinforce the need to approach modern technological development and innovation as a systems problem with technical and social dimensions, not reducible to a separate consideration of its technical, government, and sociological parts.
The Anthropocene as Media
Authors: Allenby Brad
Published: July 2008

A principal result of the Industrial Revolution and subsequent technological development is the evolution of a planet where the dynamics of major natural systems are increasingly affected by human activity. This anthropogenic Earth is increasingly shaped not just by energy and material flows, the traditional concerns of environmentalists, but by information structures and cultural systems that begin to play out in complex ways across global systems. The combination of these information systems with accelerating technological evolution creates relationships and patterns that are not only difficult to perceive, but that are challenging in their complexity, and leads to profound questions about how best to construct an ethical, rational, and responsible world.
Whatcha Doin' After School?
Authors: Woodland Malcolm H.
Published: July 2008

Basic quality-of-life indicators including employment, access to health care, and involvement with the criminal justice system paint a grim picture for the lives of urban Black males; thus, it is increasingly important to identify prevention and intervention strategies that can improve outcomes for this group. After-school programs have been suggested as a promising strategy that can increase the social and academic wellness of young urban Black males. In this review of the literature, the author highlights the importance of after-school programs for this group. Effective types of after-school programs are also examined, and the core elements that drive the effectiveness of these programs are delineated.
Testimonials Versus Informational Persuasive Messages
Authors: Braverman Julia
Published: July 2008

This study aims to test the relative effectiveness of testimonials compared to simple informational health messages, presented both through different modalities and to recipients with different levels of involvement. Results of the three independent experiments demonstrate that testimonials are more persuasive when presented through the audio mode rather than when presented through the written mode. Also, the informational messages are more persuasive when perceived by individuals characterized by high rather than low involvement and high rather than low need for cognition. The results are explained in terms of the Elaboration Likelihood Model. The interactive effect of transportation and involvement on persuasion is further examined. The findings help in the development of more efficient message targeting. The highest level of efficiency can be achieved if the appropriate media modality and message format are used for recipients with certain initial involvement or need for cognition.
How Vulnerability and Trust Interact During Extreme Events
Authors: Montgomery Kathleen , Jordens Christopher F. C. , Little Miles
Published: July 2008

The article discusses a theoretical model developed to predict the motivational dynamics of individuals facing extreme events. The model demonstrates how the imposed vulnerability of unexpected harmful events (e.g., natural disasters, accidents, serious illness) creates a second form of vulnerability for needy individuals when they rely on and cooperate with little-known others offering rescue and care. Trust in the relationship between a care provider and a care receiver is used as the link between two types of vulnerability to articulate the process through which individuals assess their care provider's trustworthiness. This article outlines an approach for future tests of the model's hypotheses and discusses practical implications of the model for improving public services that depend on cooperation from individuals in extreme need as well as its theoretical contributions.
Kicking the (Barking) Dog Effect: The Moderating Role of Target Attributes on Triggered Displaced Aggression
Authors: Pedersen William C. , Bushman Brad J. , Vasquez Eduardo A. , Miller Norman
Published: July 2008

Sometimes aggression is displaced onto a target who is not totally innocent but emits a mildly irritating behavior called a triggering event. In three experiments, the authors examine stable personal attributes of targets that can impact such triggered displaced aggression (TDA). Lower levels of TDA were directed to targets whose attitudes were similar as compared to dissimilar to those of the actor (Experiment 1) and to targets who were ingroup as compared to out-group members (Experiment 2). Conceptually replicating the findings of Experiments 1 and 2, the manipulated valence of the target (viz., liked, neutral, and disliked) functioned in a similar manner, with positive valence serving a buffering function against a triggering action that followed an initial provocation (Experiment 3). The results from all three experiments are consistent with cognitive neoassociationist theory.
Bringing Automatic Stereotyping Under Control: Implementation Intentions as Efficient Means of Thought Control
Authors: Stewart Brandon D. , Payne B. Keith
Published: July 2008

The evidence for whether intentional control strategies can reduce automatic stereotyping is mixed. Therefore, the authors tested the utility of implementation intentions— specific plans linking a behavioral opportunity to a specific response—in reducing automatic bias. In three experiments, automatic stereotyping was reduced when participants made an intention to think specific counterstereotypical thoughts whenever they encountered a Black individual. The authors used two implicit tasks and process dissociation analysis, which allowed them to separate contributions of automatic and controlled thinking to task performance. Of importance, the reduction in stereotyping was driven by a change in automatic stereotyping and not controlled thinking. This benefit was acquired with little practice and generalized to novel faces. Thus, implementation intentions may be an effective and efficient means for controlling automatic aspects of thought.