bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnitude of Task-Sampling Variability in Performance Assessment: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Huang Chiungjung
Published: November 2009

This study examined the percentage of task-sampling variability in performance assessment via a meta-analysis. In total, 50 studies containing 130 independent data sets were analyzed. Overall results indicate that the percentage of variance for (a) differential difficulty of task was roughly 12% and (b) examinee’s differential performance of the same task was approximately 26%. Based on moderator analysis, research design and subject area were significant predictors of variance component for tasks (σ2t) and variance component for person—task interaction (σ2pt). Mathematics and listening were associated with relatively high proportion of task-sampling variability whereas foreign language was least affected by this variability. To reduce task variation, some techniques are recommended: (a) incorporating more facets when possible, (b) using a crossed rather than a nested design, and (c) incorporating occasion as a facet.
Isolating the Effects of Vection and Optokinetic Nystagmus on Optokinetic Rotation-Induced Motion Sickness
Authors: Ji Jennifer T. T. , So Richard H. Y. , Cheung Raymond T. F.
Published: November 2009

Objective: This study investigates isolated effects of vection and optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) on visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) provoked by rotating optokinetic drum patterns. Background: VIMS was the subject of recent standardization activities, but the effects of OKN have not been studied in the absence of vection. Method: Experiment 1 suppressed OKN by eye fixation and examined VIMS severity (both ordinal and ratio scale) and time spent in saturated vection at four pattern rotating velocities of 0, 2, 14, and 34 degrees per second (dps). Experiment 2 suppressed vection by adding a peripheral visual field rotating in the opposite direction to the rotating patterns. VIMS severity and OKN slow-phase velocity were studied at four rotating velocities of 0, 30, 60, and 90 dps. Results: Results from Experiment 1 indicated that VIMS severity increased as the pattern velocity increased from 0 dps to 34 dps. Results from Experiment 2 indicated that as the velocity of the rotating pattern increased, the slow-phase velocity of OKN and the severity of VIMS increased and peaked in the 60-dps condition. In both experiments, ratio-scaled nausea data significantly correlated with ordinal-scaled nausea ratings. Conclusion: VIMS can still occur in the absence of either vection or OKN. Interestingly, the profile of the summed results of the two experiments matches nicely with the profile reported by Hu et al. in which neither OKN nor vection were controlled. Application: Potential applications include modeling and reduction of VIMS in computer gaming environments.
Editorial Judgments
Authors: Hirschauer Stefan
Published: November 2009

Based on participant observation of editors’ decisions for a sociology journal, the paper investigates the peer review process. It shows a hidden interactivity in peer review, which is overlooked both by authors who impute social causes to unwelcome decisions, and by the preoccupation with ‘reliability’ prevalent in peer review research. This study shows that editorial judgments are: (1) attitudes taken by editorial readers toward various kinds of text, as a result of their membership in an intellectual milieu; (2) impressions gained through the reading process (through a ‘virtual interaction’ with the author); and (3) rationalizing statements about manuscripts made by editors and addressed to their peers on a committee. Since all these judgments are themselves subjected to judgments about their quality, the ‘review’ of peer review does not consist in an asymmetric examination of a text, but in the mutual monitoring of expert judgments, complementing and controlling, supervising and competing with each other. What has become known as scientific ‘criticism’ is an ongoing panoptic organization of communication: in peer review, judgments themselves are judged and made public.
Perfectionism, Achievement, and Affect in Children: A Comparison of Students From Gifted, Arts, and Regular Programs
Authors: Stornelli Deborah , Flett Gordon L. , Hewitt Paul L.
Published: November 2009

The current study examined the association between dimensions of perfectionism and levels of academic achievement and affect in school-aged children. A sample of 223 students (90 boys, 133 girls) from regular, gifted, and arts programs completed measures of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism, perceived academic competence, and measures of affect (i.e., happiness, sadness, and fear). Participants were in Grade 4 or Grade 7. Achievement scores were taken from the Canadian Achievement Test. There was little evidence of group differences in levels of perfectionism. Also, perfectionism was mostly unrelated to levels of reading and mathematics achievement with the exception of a positive association between mathematics achievement and perfectionism for students in the gifted program. Other analyses showed that self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism were associated with elevated levels of fear and sadness. The results suggest that students undergoing perfectionistic pressures to achieve are prone to negative affects such as sadness and anxiety.
Feminists in Social Work
Authors: Lazzari Marceline M. , Colarossi Lisa , Collins Kathryn S.
Published: November 2009

The purpose of this article is to reignite a discourse about feminist principles and their application to leadership in the social work profession that will extend beyond the theoretical to actions that are guided by these principles, leading overtime to concrete change. Mainstream theories of leadership are reviewed, as are developments in feminist approaches to leadership. Specifying principles and suggesting practices in relation to leadership result in an integrated feminist perspective of leadership. The intent is to encourage a dialogue about the challenges of social change in both processes and outcomes across multiple contexts by diverse women and men.
Body Mass Index, Disability, and 13-Year Mortality in Older French Adults
Authors: Berraho Mohamed , Nejjari Chakib , Raherison Chantal , El Achhab Youness , Tachfouti Nabil , Serhier Zineb , Dartigues Jean François , Barberger-Gateau Pascale
Published: November 2009

Objective: To investigate the relationship between mortality and BMI in older people, taking into account other established mortality risk factors. Methods: A total of 3,646 French community dwellers aged 65 years and older from PAQUID cohort study were included. Cox proportional-hazards analysis was used to assess association between BMI and mortality. Results: Death occurred in 54.1% of the cohort more than 13 years: 68.99% of the underweight (BMI <19), 52.13% of the obese (BMI >" xbd="1204" xhg="1181" ybd="1711" yhg="1685"/>30), 51.66% of the overweight (BMI 25-30), and 51.79% of the reference participants (BMI 22-25) died.The relative risk of death as a function of BMI, adjusted for gender and age, formed a U-shaped pattern, with larger risks associated with lower BMI (<22.0) and for BMI of 25.0 to 30.0 and BMI ≥30. (BMI 22.0-24.9 was the reference.) After adjustment for demographic factors, smoking history, and comorbidity, increased mortality risk persisted in underweight older people, BMI <18.5 and BMI 18.5-22 (respectively, HR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.17-1.78; HR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.12-1.43) compared with reference. Overweight (BMI 25-29.9) and obesity (≥30) were not associated with increased mortality compared with the reference category (respectively, HR = 0.98, 95% IC 0.88-1.10; HR = 1.06, 95% IC 0.89-1.27). Similar relationships persisted for disabled participant. For nondisabled participant disability did not alter the associations for BMI of 25.0 and higher but for BMI less than 22.0, the risks become insignificantly different from those for the reference group. Discussion: BMI below 22 kg/ m2 is a risk factor for 13-year mortality in older people, but our findings suggest that overweight and obesity may not be associated to mortality after adjustment for established mortality risk factors.
Palaeoclimatic indicators in soils buried under archaeological monuments in the Eurasian steppe: a review
Authors: Mitusov A.V. , Mitusova O.E. , Pustovoytov K. , Lubos C.C.-M. , Dreibrodt S. , Bork H.-R.
Published: November 2009

The Russian experience of the local reconstruction of the Eurasian steppe climate during the last 5000 years based on geoarchaeological approaches is reviewed. Examples of traditional palaeoclimatic reconstructions in Russia based on organic matter, highly soluble salts and gypsum content and location of salts and gypsum horizons in the profile of buried soils are given. Pedogenic carbonate as a palaeoclimatic indicator is considered. The possibilities of the quantitative reconstruction of the palaeoprecipitation based on magnetic properties of buried soils are observed. The innovative approach of palaeoclimatic reconstruction based on soil microbiology methods is reviewed. The problem of temporary transformation of palaeoclimatic indicators in buried soils is shown. A methodology for the interpretation of palaeoclimatic indicators of buried soils for a local palaeoclimatic reconstruction is given.
Tracing the history of highland human management in the eastern Pre-Pyrenees: an interdisciplinary palaeoenvironmental study at the Pradell fen, Spain
Authors: Ejarque Ana , Julià Ramón , Riera Santiago , Palet Josep Maria , Orengo Héctor A. , Miras Yannick , Gascón Carles
Published: November 2009

Although high mountain areas have traditionally been viewed as predominantly grazing areas, with low population and a high degree of land-use stasis, recent research suggest that land-use complexity and change over time has been underestimated. This interdisciplinary palaeoenvironmental analysis has been carried out on the Pradell calcareous fen, located in the eastern Pre-Pyrenees (Spain) at 1975 m a.s.l., and it comprises different environmental indicators: pollen, stomata, non-pollen palynomorphs, macrocharcoal particles, lithostratigraphy, sedimentology and geochemistry. The results of this high temporal resolution study are integrated with archaeological data, and together provide strong evidence for the complexity of the high-mountain land-use system over the last 1500 years. Archaeological fieldwork has shown the rise of highland mining activities during the Roman period. Later, frequent fires resulted from the farming and settlement that followed the Christian conquest. Geochemical analysis of sediment cores records late-Mediaeval metal production, while the expansion of feudal cropping and the advent of several Mediaeval crises are clearly recorded in both the pollen and the historical data. Finally, the rise of a mixed economy system based on transhumance, farming, metallurgy and woodland exploitation was established during Modern and Contemporary times. The high correlation between the palaeoenvironmental, archaeological and historical data at the Pradell fen stresses the value of calcareous fens for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of historical landscapes. Results obtained also depict high mountain landscapes as the result of the long-term interaction of many human practices, including mining and smelting, grazing, cropping and tree exploitation for the production of wood, charcoal and resin.
Highly sensitive C-reactive protein levels in Iranian patients with pulmonary complication of sulfur mustard poisoning and its correlation with severity of airway diseases
Authors: Attaran Davood , Lari Shahrzad M , Khajehdaluee Mohammad , Ayatollahi Hossein , Towhidi Mohammad , Asnaashari Amir , Marallu Hassan Ghobadi , Mazloomi Maryam , Mood Mahdi Balali
Published: November 2009

Background: Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent that can cause serious pulmonary complications. This study was designed to determine serum highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and evaluate its correlation with lung function parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to SM poisoning. Methods: Fifty consecutive SM patients with stable COPD and a mean age 46.3 ± 9.18 years were enrolled in this cross sectional study. Thirty healthy men were selected as controls. Lung function parameters were evaluated. Serum hs-CRP by immunoturbidometry assay was measured in both the patients and controls. Results: In the case group, the mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was 2.14 ± 0.76 L (58.98% ± 17.51% predicted). The mean serum hs-CRP was 9.4 ± 6.78 SD and 3.9 ± 1.92 SD mg/L in the cases and controls, respectively, with significant statistical differences (p < .001). There was negative correlation between the serum hs-CRP and FEV1 levels (p = .01). The serum hs-CRP levels were also correlated with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung disease (GOLD) stages (r = .45, p < .001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the serum hs-CRP level is increased in SM patients with COPD and may have a direct correlation with disease severity. It may then be used as a marker for the severity of COPD in patients with SM poisoning.
Pharmacokinetics of LJP 993, a tetrameric conjugate of domain 1 of β2-glycoprotein I for antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Jia L. , Gu Y. , Zeng E. , Linnik MD , Jones DS
Published: November 2009

β2-glycoprotein I is the best-characterized antigenic target for antiphospholipid autoantibodies. We synthesized a tetrameric conjugate of the domain 1 of β2-glycoprotein I (LJP 993) aimed at developing the conjugate as a Toleragen to suppress antiphospholipid syndrome. The present studies focused on determining the stability, tissue distribution, plasma concentration-time profile and excretion of the LJP 993 in mice. The stability of LJP 993 in mouse plasma was quantitatively evaluated using strong cation-exchange high performance liquid chromatography. 125I-labeled LJP 993 was intravenously injected to mice, and levels of 125I-labeled LJP 993 in plasma, tissues, urine and feces were determined at known intervals. Incubation of LJP 993 with mouse serum at 37°C for 8 h resulted in a decrease by 34% of LJP 993 concentration. No degradation fragment was observed during the incubation. After a single intravenous administration of 125I-LJP 993 (0.5 and 5 mg/kg) to mice, both Cmax and area-under-curve values increased in a dose-proportional manner, and blood radioactivity disappeared in a bi-exponential manner with the distribution half-lives equal to 1.7 min, and the elimination half-lives 188 and 281 min, respectively. The 125I-LJP 993 was moderately distributed into organs and tissues with the exception that brain level of 125I-LJP 993 was negligible. The major sites of 125I-LJP 993 uptake were the kidney (at 30 min post dosing), and kidney, lung, liver, heart, spleen, skin, muscle and fat tissues (at 4 h post dosing). Cumulative urinary and fecal radioactivity for 0—48 h post dosing accounted for 44.7% and 4.2% of the administered dose, respectively, with the fast rate of urinal excretion occurring within the first 8 h. In summary, LJP 993 was fairly stable in mouse plasma. After administration to mice, 125I-LJP 993 was taken up mainly by kidney and then distributed extensively to tissues except brain. Both Cmax and area-under-curve values increased in a dose-proportional manner. It was predominantly excreted in the urine with an elimination half-life longer than 3 h. Kidney is a major route to excrete the tetrameric conjugate. Lupus (2010) 19, 130—137.
Informal Influences in Selecting Female Political Candidates
Authors: Cheng Christine , Tavits Margit
Published: November 2009

The authors argue that the gender composition of party gatekeepers—those responsible for candidate recruitment— plays a crucial role in either encouraging or discouraging women candidates to run for office. Using an original data set that includes constituency-level information for all parties and candidates in the 2004 and 2006 Canadian national elections, the authors find support for this proposition. Women candidates are more likely to be nominated when the gatekeeper—the local party president—is a woman rather than a man. The results underline the importance of informal factors for understanding women’s political underrepresentation.
Domestic Politics and European Treaty Reform
Authors: Finke Daniel
Published: November 2009

This article analyses the extent to which governmental positions on European integration originate from domestic politics. In contrast to previous studies, I apply a longitudinal research design that allows for an empirical analysis of the domestic dynamics that govern position formation. I use advanced statistical measurement techniques to compare national positions across time. Member states’ economic characteristics define a corridor for governmental positions. However, the political dynamics of the domestic arena determine the final position governments adopt at any particular Intergovernmental Conference (IGC). In particular, when formulating the national position, the short-term trend in public opinion limits governmental discretion. This effect is especially strong if the government announced ratification by referendum and in countries with a system of strong parliamentary scrutiny.
Why Don’t Veto Players Use Their Power?
Authors: König Thomas , Junge Dirk
Published: November 2009

Why do member states with veto power usually support policy change proposed by a Commission initiative when their own position is located closer to the status quo? Why do we frequently witness consensus in the Council and rarely observe a rejection of Commission initiatives even after additional veto players, such as new member states or the European Parliament, have increased the constraints on policy change by legislative decision-making in the European Union (EU)? To answer these questions, this study investigates the voting preferences and logrolling opportunities of the member states on 48 Commission proposals. We find that models that derive the voting preferences from each Commission initiative are scarcely able to explain the consensus in the Council. One reason is that the Commission attempts to avoid a divided Council by initiating proposals for which member states favour a policy change in the same direction. When member states still dispute the size of policy change, we show that they can find a solution by mutually benefiting from logrolling across proposals that either belong to the same policy domain or are negotiated during the same period. Hence, intertemporal and domain-specific logrolling can provide a powerful explanation for consensus even in a contested Council.
Measuring Interest Group Influence Using Quantitative Text Analysis
Authors: Klüver Heike
Published: November 2009

The analysis of interest group influence is crucial in order to explain policy outcomes and to assess the democratic legitimacy of the European Union. However, owing to methodological difficulties in operationalizing influence, only few have studied it. This article therefore proposes a new approach to the measurement of influence, drawing on quantitative text analysis. By comparing interest groups’ policy positions with the final policy output, one can draw conclusions about the winners and losers of the decision-making process. In order to examine the applicability of text analysis, a case study is presented comparing hand-coding, WORDSCORES and Wordfish. The results correlate highly and text analysis proves to be a powerful tool to measure interest groups’ policy positions, paving the way for the large-scale analysis of interest group influence.
Parking lots and police
Authors: Cleaveland Carol , Pierson Leo
Published: November 2009

■ Lacking access to legal residency and to regular employment, undocumented Latinos in the USA often find work as day laborers. Some suburban towns have tried to force Latinos out by enacting statutes to restrict their movement and their search for jobs. How do day laborers, who are conspicuous because of their racial-ethnic and language differences, find work by meeting employers in public spaces despite legal restrictions against their presence there? This comparative ethnography of day laborers in Freehold, New Jersey, and Manassas, Virginia, shows that workers engage such tactics as avoiding police and showing deference to white residents while battling for leverage when negotiating wages.
Primary groups and cosmopolitan ties
Authors: Jerolmack Colin
Published: November 2009

■ This article examines a group of working-class men who breed and fly pigeons from their rooftops in New York City. It explores how the flyers experience their neighborhoods through their animal practices and shows how ethnic whites transmitted this practice to non-whites. It also documents their gatherings at a pet shop, where the flyers campaign for status based on their birds’ performance. These men form a distinct collective that is strongly rooted in their solitary animal practices but is given meaning largely through social interactions. Most community studies find conflict among different working-class racial-ethnic groups who share urban neighborhoods, but pigeon flying fosters solidarity among Italian, Hispanic, and African American New Yorkers of varying ages. The study highlights how animal practices can organize social relationships and connections to the environment and demonstrates that shared everyday activities can be as vital as ethnicity or class in primary group formation.
The role of theory in ethnographic research
Authors: Wilson William Julius , Chaddha Anmol
Published: November 2009

■ Scholars, including urban poverty researchers, have not seriously debated the important issues that Loïc Wacquant raised in his controversial review of books by Elijah Anderson, Mitchell Duneier, and Katherine Newman concerning the disconnect between theory and ethnographic research. Despite the tone of Wacquant’s review, we feel that he made a contribution in raising important issues about the role of theory in ethnography. The responses to his review that address this issue, especially those by Anderson and Duneier, are also important because they help to broaden our understanding of how theory is used in ethnographic research. What we take from this exchange is that good ethnography is theory driven, and is likely to be much more reflective of inductive theoretical insights than those that are purely deductive. Moreover, we show that in some ethnographic studies the theoretical insights are neither strictly deductive nor inductive, but represent a combination of both.
Increasing breastfeeding and reducing smoking in pregnancy: a social marketing success improving life chances for children
Authors: Lowry R J , Billett A. , Buchanan C. , Whiston Sandra
Published: November 2009

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate an intervention using social marketing principles to increase breastfeeding and reduce smoking during pregnancy in a population to improve life chances for children born in a town in north east England.

Method: Breastfeeding and smoking cessation attendance rates were measured against targets set in a government—local health authority agreement.

Results: Targets were bettered in both breastfeeding and smoking cessation.

Conclusion: This social marketing-based approach is successful.
Nanocoatings on micro- or nanoparticles
Authors: Libor Z. , Zhang Q. , Israel C. , Mathur N. D.
Published: November 2009

In recent years, coating processes with nanoparticles have been investigated for the development of nanostructured materials. In this work, the authors report the core shell structures of microcomposites of SiO2/Ni and SiO2/Fe3O4 and nanocomposites of BaTiO3/Fe3O4 and PZT/Fe3O4. These composites were prepared by an aqueous chemical synthesis method and characterised by SEM, XRD, EDX analysis and vibrating sample magnetometry before and after incorporation into the core shell structure. The composite core shell structures were formed by the control of the surface charges of particles in aqueous solutions. A specific composite (SiO2/Ni, SiO2/Fe3O4 and BaTiO3/Fe3O4 and PZT/Fe3O4 nanocomposites) can be produced by controlling the pH and the molar ratio of components. These magnetic composites can be potentially applied in wide range of fields such as microreactors, delivery vehicle systems, drug delivery systems and multiferroics.
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo SCT) for chronic myeloid leukemia in the imatinib era: evaluation of its impact within a subgroup of the randomized German CML Study IV
Authors: Saussele Susanne , Lauseker Michael , Gratwohl Alois , Beelen Dietrich W. , Bunjes Donald , Schwerdtfeger Rainer , Kolb Hans-Jochem , Ho Anthony D. , Falge Christiane , Holler Ernst , Schlimok Günter , Zander Axel R. , Arnold Renate , Kanz Lothar , Dengler Robert , Haferlach Claudia , Schlegelberger Brigitte , Pfirrmann Markus , Müller Martin C. , Schnittger Susanne , Leitner Armin , Pletsch Nadine , Hochhaus Andreas , Hasford Joerg , Hehlmann Rüdiger ,   for the German CML Study Group
Published: November 2009

The role of allogeneic stem cell transplantation in chronic myeloid leukemia is being reevaluated. Whereas drug treatment has been shown to be superior in first-line treatment, data on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo SCT) as second-line therapy after imatinib failure are scarce. Using an interim safety analysis of the randomized German CML Study IV designed to optimize imatinib therapy by combination, dose escalation, and transplantation, we here report on 84 patients who underwent consecutive transplantation according to predefined criteria (low European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation [EBMT] score, imatinib failure, and advanced disease). Three-year survival after transplantation of 56 patients in chronic phase was 91% (median follow-up: 30 months). Transplantation-related mortality was 8%. In a matched pair comparison of patients who received a transplant and those who did not, survival was not different. Three-year survival after transplantation of 28 patients in advanced phase was 59%. Eighty-eight percent of patients who received a transplant achieved complete molecular remissions. We conclude that allo SCT could become the preferred second-line option after imatinib failure for suitable patients with a donor. The study is registered at the National Institutes of Health, http://clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00055874.
Dishevelled-2 docks and activates Src in a Wnt-dependent manner
Authors: Yokoyama Noriko , Malbon Craig C.
Published: November 2009

Wnt3a activates the `canonical' signaling pathway, stimulating the nuclear accumulation of β-catenin and activation of Lef/Tcf-sensitive transcription of developmentally important genes. Using totipotent mouse F9 teratocarcinoma cells expressing frizzled-1 (Fz1), we investigated roles of tyrosine kinase activity in Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Treatment with either genistein or Src family kinase inhibitor PP2 attenuates Wnt3a-stimulated Lef/Tcf transcription activation and primitive endoderm formation. siRNA-induced knockdown of Src likewise attenuates Lef/Tcf transcription and primitive endoderm formation in response to Wnt3a, implicating Src as a positive regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We discovered that Src binds dishevelled-2 (Dvl2), a key phosphoprotein in Wnt signaling, at two positions: an SH3-binding domain and a C-terminal domain. The Y18F mutant of Dvl2 attenuates the Wnt3a-stimulated Lef/Tcf-sensitive transcriptional response. Wnt3a stimulates Src docking to Dvl2 and activation of this tyrosine kinase. Activated Src, in turn, enhances Wnt activation of the canonical pathway. We show that Dvl2 and β-catenin are crucially important substrates for tyrosine phosphorylation in the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
The Utility of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring for Ribavirin in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C—A Critical Review
Authors: Chan Alice HW , Partovi Nilufar , Ensom Mary HH
Published: November 2009

Objective:

To evaluate the utility of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C.

Data Sources:

Literature searches were conducted through PubMed (1949–June 2009), EMBASE (1980–June 2009), BIOSIS Previews (1969–June 2009), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–June 2009), Google, and www.clinicaltrials.gov using the terms ribavirin, therapeutic monitoring, hepatitis C, and drug levels. In addition, pertinent reference citations from identified publications were reviewed. Studies were limited to English language, adult age, and human subjects.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

All articles identified from the data sources were evaluated. Studies that measured ribavirin concentrations or dose and treatment response were included in the review.

Data Synthesis:

While monitoring of ribavirin plasma concentrations to improve treatment response in patients with chronic hepatitis C has been described in the literature, the utility of TDM for ribavirin in this group of patients has not been systematically studied. Thus, a previously published 9-step decision-making algorithm was employed to help determine whether TDM is warranted, based on currently available evidence. Thirty articles involving patients with chronic hepatitis C mono-infection, 12 for hepatitis C–HIV coinfection, 5 for renal dysfunction, and 5 for post–liver transplant patients were reviewed. In all subpopulations, studies exist that either support or refute the usefulness of ribavirin TDM. Additionally, the majority of the included studies had methodologic limitations, such as small sample size, retrospective analyses, and lack of p value adjustment for multiple analyses. Large randomized controlled trials would help to definitively answer this question.

Conclusions:

There is conflicting evidence about the existence of a correlation between ribavirin concentrations and virologic response or development of toxicity. This inconsistent evidence, coupled with the currently employed effective strategies that maximize sustained virologic response and minimize development of anemia, precludes the utility of TDM for ribavirin.
The Impact of Ezetimibe on Endothelial Function and Other Markers of Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Bass Almasa , Hinderliter Alan L , Lee Craig R
Published: November 2009

Objective:

To review the published literature characterizing the impact of ezetimibe-containing lipid-lowering regimens on endothelial function and other markers of cardiovascular risk and discuss the potential relevance of these effects to the clinical benefit of ezetimibe.

Data Sources:

A MEDLINE search (2000–August 2009) was completed using the key words ezetimibe, statins, endothelial function, flow-mediated dilation, pleiotropic, and inflammation to identify relevant literature. Bibliographies of identified literature were reviewed for additional references.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

All clinical studies published in English that evaluated the effect of ezetimibe on ancillary endpoints of cardiovascular disease risk, including endothelial function, inflammation, thrombosis, and oxidative stress, were evaluated.

Data Synthesis:

Recent studies in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and hypercholesterolemia have demonstrated that treatment with ezetimibe for 4–12 weeks elicits no improvement of endothelial function or other measures of cardiovascular disease risk. In contrast, other studies have reported that ezetimibe improves endothelial function in certain patient populations, including those with rheumatoid arthritis, CAD with type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. However, the statin monotherapy comparator groups in these studies that yielded equivalent reductions in cholesterol were superior, or at least equivalent to, ezetimibe-containing regimens in the improvement of these ancillary endpoints.

Conclusions:

Overall, the evidence to date suggests that administration of ezetimibe, either as monotherapy or in combination with a statin, exerts minimal beneficial effects on endothelial function and other ancillary measures of cardiovascular disease risk beyond those conferred by its cholesterol-lowering effects. Studies with larger sample sizes and follow-up beyond 12 weeks remain necessary to further define the impact of ezetimibe on the processes integral to the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular disease.
Achieving continuous improvement in laboratory organization through performance measurements: a seven-year experience
Authors: Salinas Maria , López-Garrigós Maite , Gutiérrez Mercedes , Lugo Javier , Sirvent Jose Vicente , Uris Joaquin
Published: November 2009

Background: Laboratory performance can be measured using a set of model key performance indicators (KPIs). The design and implementation of KPIs are important issues. KPI results from 7 years are reported and their implementation, monitoring, objectives, interventions, result reporting and delivery are analyzed.

Methods: The KPIs of the entire laboratory process were obtained using Laboratory Information System (LIS) registers. These were collected automatically using a data warehouse application, spreadsheets and external quality program reports. Customer satisfaction was assessed using surveys. Nine model laboratory KPIs were proposed and measured.

Results: The results of some examples of KPIs used in our laboratory are reported. Their corrective measurements or the implementation of objectives led to improvement in the associated KPIs results.

Conclusions: Measurement of laboratory performance using KPIs and a data warehouse application that continuously collects registers and calculates KPIs confirmed the reliability of indicators, indicator acceptability and usability for users, and continuous process improvement.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:57–61.
Resistin is associated with biomarkers of inflammation while total and high-molecular weight adiponectin are associated with biomarkers of inflammation, insulin resistance, and endothelial function
Authors: Fargnoli Jessica L , Sun Qi , Olenczuk Deanna , Qi Lu , Zhu Ying , Hu Frank B , Mantzoros Christos S
Published: November 2009

Objective

Adiponectin and resistin have been linked to inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and/or insulin secretion or resistance. It remains to be elucidated which of these adipokines is associated primarily with biomarkers of all or only some of these categories, i.e. biomarkers of inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and/or insulin secretion or insulinemia.

Design and methods

We studied 1065 healthy women, Nurses' Health Study participants, who provided blood samples in 1989–1990. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between total and high-molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and resistin with inflammatory markers and biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction, insulin secretion, and insulinemia.

Results

Resistin was positively associated with the inflammatory markers soluble tumour necrosis factor-α receptor II and interleukin-6 but not with any biomarkers of endothelial function, glycemia, insulinemia, or markers of insulin secretion after multivariate adjustment for age and body mass index (BMI). In both crude and multivariate analyses, total adiponectin was inversely associated with insulin, proinsulin, C-peptide, HbA1c, sE-selectin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. HMW adiponectin was inversely associated with circulating insulin, proinsulin, C-peptide, HbA1c, sE-selectin, and CRP concentrations, even after adjustment for age, BMI, lifestyle factors, exercise, the use of medications as well as the other biomarkers of interest. Total and HMW adiponectin demonstrated negative associations with soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, which became nonsignificant after adjustment for confounders, whereas positive associations between soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and total adiponectin became significant only after multivariate adjustment.

Conclusions

Total and HMW adiponectin are inversely associated with markers of insulin secretion/insulinemia, endothelial function, and inflammation. Resistin is positively associated only with markers of inflammation.
Transforming growth factor beta (TGFB) signaling is activated during porcine implantation: proposed role for latency-associated peptide interactions with integrins at the conceptus–maternal interface
Authors: Massuto Dana A , Kneese Eric C , Johnson Gregory A , Burghardt Robert C , Hooper R Neil , Ing Nancy H , Jaeger Laurie A
Published: November 2009

The process of implantation is mediated by a complex network of signaling and adhesive factors. In the pig, latent and active transforming growth factor beta (TGFB), TGFB receptors (TGFBR), and integrins (ITGs) are present during the peri-implantation period. TGFB signals via TGFBR and activates downstream effector SMAD proteins 2 and 3 (p-SMAD2/3). Latency-associated peptide (LAP), part of the latent TGFB complex, is known to bind to ITG heterodimers and activate TGFB. We hypothesize that active TGFBs and TGFBRs along with LAP and ITGs functionally interact at the conceptus–maternal interface to mediate events essential for conceptus development and attachment in pigs. Uteri and conceptuses from days 10, 12, 16, 20, and 24 pregnant gilts were immunostained for TGFB, LAP, and ITG subunits (ITGAV, ITGB1, ITGB3, ITGB5, ITGB6, and ITGB8). Activation of TGFBRs was evaluated by the presence of phosphorylated downstream effector SMAD2/3. Binding of LAP to ITGs was also evaluated using porcine trophectoderm cells. Abundant active TGFB was detected at the apical surfaces of epithelia at the conceptus–maternal interface, and p-SMAD2/3 was detected at both conceptus attachment and nonattachment sites during implantation. Separate aggregates of LAP, ITGB1, ITGB5, and later ITGB3 were detected at the porcine conceptus–maternal interface, and binding of LAP to ITGs on apical surfaces was demonstrated. Results suggest that functional LAP–ITG adhesion complexes support conceptus attachment and promote TGFB activation leading to TGFB interaction with TGFBR supporting events of porcine implantation.
Plant species composition and biofuel yields of conservation grasslands
Authors: Adler Paul R. , Sanderson Matt A. , Weimer Paul J. , Vogel Kenneth P.
Published: November 2009

Marginal croplands, such as those in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), have been suggested as a source of biomass for biofuel production. However, little is known about the composition of plant species on these conservation grasslands or their potential for ethanol production. Our objective was to assess the potential of CRP and other conservation grasslands for biofuel production, describing the relationships of plant species richness and tall native C4 prairie grass abundance with plant chemical composition and the resulting potential ethanol yield. We determined plant species composition and diversity at multiple scales with the modified Whittaker plot technique, aboveground biomass, plant chemical composition, and potential ethanol yield at 34 sites across the major ecological regions of the northeastern USA. Conservation grasslands with higher numbers of plant species had lower biomass yields and a lower ethanol yield per unit biomass compared with sites with fewer species. Thus, biofuel yield per unit land area decreased by 77% as plant species richness increased from 3 to 12.8 species per m2. We found that, as tall native C4 prairie grass abundance increased from 1.7% to 81.6%, the number of plant species decreased and aboveground biomass per unit land area and ethanol yield per unit biomass increased resulting in a 500% increased biofuel yield per unit land area. Plant species richness and composition are key determinants of biomass and ethanol yields from conservation grasslands and have implications for low‐input high‐diversity systems. Designing systems to include a large proportion of species with undesirable fermentation characteristics could reduce ethanol yields.
Prairie restoration and carbon sequestration: difficulties quantifying C sources and sinks using a biometric approach
Authors: Cahill Kimberly Nicholas , Kucharik Christopher J. , Foley Jonathan A.
Published: November 2009

We investigated carbon cycling and ecosystem characteristics among two prairie restoration treatments established in 1987 and adjacent cropland, all part of the Conservation Reserve Program in southwestern Wisconsin, USA. We hypothesized that different plant functional groups (cool‐season C3vs. warm‐season C4grasses) between the two prairie restoration treatments would lead to differences in soil and vegetation characteristics and amount of sequestered carbon, compared to the crop system.

We found significant (P< 0.05) differences between the two prairie restoration treatments in soil CO2respiration and above‐ and belowground productivity, but no significant differences in long‐term (~16‐year) carbon sequestration. We used a biometric approach aggregating short‐term observations of above‐ and belowground productivity and CO2respiration to estimate total net primary production (NPP) and net ecosystem production (NEP) using varied methods suggested in the literature. Net ecosystem production is important because it represents the ecosystem carbon sequestration, which is of interest to land managers and policymakers seeking or regulating credits for ecosystem carbon storage. Such a biometric approach would be attractive because it might offer the ability to rapidly assess the carbon source/sink status of an ecosystem.

We concluded that large uncertainties in (1) estimating aboveground NPP, (2) determining belowground NPP, and (3) partitioning soil respiration into microbial and plant components strongly affect the magnitude, and even the sign, of NEP estimates made from aggregating its components. A comparison of these estimates across treatments could not distinguish differences in NEP, nor the absolute sign of the overall carbon balance. Longer‐term quantification of carbon stocks in the soil, periodically linked to measurements of individual processes, may offer a more reliable measure of the carbon balance in grassland systems, suitable for assigning credits.
Declines in predatory fish promote bloom‐forming macroalgae
Authors: Eriksson Britas Klemens , Ljunggren Lars , Sandström Alfred , Johansson Gustav , Mattila Johanna , Rubach Anja , Råberg Sonja , Snickars Martin
Published: November 2009

In the Baltic Sea, increased dominance of ephemeral and bloom‐forming algae is presently attributed to increased nutrient loads. Simultaneously, coastal predatory fish are in strong decline. Using field data from nine areas covering a 700‐km coastline, we examined whether formation of macroalgal blooms could be linked to the composition of the fish community. We then tested whether predator or nutrient availability could explain the field patterns in two small‐scale field experiments, by comparing joint effects on algal net production from nutrient enrichment with agricultural fertilizer and exclusion of larger predatory fish with cages. We also manipulated the presence of invertebrate grazers.

The abundance of piscivorous fish had a strong negative correlation with the large‐scale distribution of bloom‐forming macroalgae. Areas with depleted top‐predator communities displayed massive increases in their prey, small‐bodied fish, and high covers of ephemeral algae. Combining the results from the two experiments showed that excluding larger piscivorous fish: (1) increased the abundance of small‐bodied predatory fish; (2) changed the size distribution of the dominating grazers, decreasing the smaller gastropod scrapers; and (3) increased the net production of ephemeral macroalgae. Effects of removing top predators and nutrient enrichment were similar and additive, together increasing the abundance of ephemeral algae many times. Predator effects depended on invertebrate grazers; in the absence of invertebrates there were no significant effects of predator exclusion on algal production. Our results provide strong support for regional declines of larger predatory fish in the Baltic Sea promoting algal production by decreasing invertebrate grazer control. This highlights the importance of trophic interactions for ecosystem responses to eutrophication. The view emerges that to achieve management goals for water quality we need to consider the interplay between top‐down and bottom‐up processes in future ecosystem management of marine resources.
The fate of nitrogen in grain cropping systems: a meta‐analysis of 15N field experiments
Authors: Gardner Jennifer B. , Drinkwater Laurie E.
Published: November 2009

Intensively managed grain farms are saturated with large inputs of nitrogen (N) fertilizer, leading to N losses and environmental degradation. Despite decades of research directed toward reducing N losses from agroecosystems, progress has been minimal, and the currently promoted best management practices are not necessarily the most effective. We investigated the fate of N additions to temperate grain agroecosystems using a meta‐analysis of 217 field‐scale studies that followed the stable isotope 15N in crops and soil. We compared management practices that alter inorganic fertilizer additions, such as application timing or reduced N fertilizer rates, to practices that re‐couple the biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C) and N, such as organic N sources and diversified crop rotations, and analyzed the following response variables: 15N recovery in crops, total recovery of 15N in crops and soil, and crop yield. More of the literature (94%) emphasized crop recovery of 15N than total 15N recovery in crops and soil (58%), though total recovery is a more ecologically appropriate indicator for assessing N losses. Findings show wide differences in the ability of management practices to improve N use efficiency. Practices that aimed to increase crop uptake of commercial fertilizer had a lower impact on total 15N recovery (3–21% increase) than practices that re‐coupled C and N cycling (30–42% increase). A majority of studies (66%) were only one growing season long, which poses a particular problem when organic N sources are used because crops recover N from these sources over several years. These short‐term studies neglect significant ecological processes that occur over longer time scales. Field‐scale mass balance calculations using the 15N data set show that, on average, 43 kg N·ha−1·yr−1 was unaccounted for at the end of one growing season out of 114 kg N·ha−1·yr−1, representing ∼38% of the total 15N applied. This comprehensive assessment of stable‐isotope research on agroecosystem N management can inform the development of policies to mitigate nonpoint source pollution. Nitrogen management practices that most effectively increase N retention are not currently being promoted and are rare on the landscape in the United States.