bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do as I do: 7‐month‐old infants selectively reproduce others’ goals
Authors: Hamlin J. Kiley , Hallinan Elizabeth V. , Woodward Amanda L.
Published: June 2008

In the current study, we tested whether 7‐month‐old infants would selectively imitate the goal‐relevant aspects of an observed action. Infants saw an experimenter perform an action on one of two small toys and then were given the opportunity to act on the toys. Infants viewed actions that were either goal‐directed or goal‐ambiguous, and that represented either completed or uncompleted goals. Infants reproduced the goal of the experimenter only in those cases where the action was goal‐directed, in both the complete and incomplete goal conditions. These results provide the first evidence that infants as young as 7 months of age selectively imitate actions based on their goal‐directedness, and that they are able to analyze the goals of even uncompleted actions. Even during the first year of life, infants’ sensitivity to goal‐directed action is expressed not only in their responses in visual habituation procedures, but also in their overt actions.
Generality with specificity: the dynamic field theory generalizes across tasks and time scales
Authors: Simmering Vanessa R. , Spencer John P.
Published: June 2008

A central goal in cognitive and developmental science is to develop models of behavior that can generalize across both tasks and development while maintaining a commitment to detailed behavioral prediction. This paper presents tests of one such model, the Dynamic Field Theory (DFT). The DFT was originally proposed to capture delay‐dependent biases in spatial recall and developmental changes in spatial recall performance. More recently, the theory was generalized to adults’ performance in a second spatial working memory task, position discrimination. Here we use the theory to predict a specific, complex developmental pattern in position discrimination. Data with 3‐ to 6‐year‐old children and adults confirm these predictions, demonstrating that the DFT achieves generality across tasks and time scales, as well as the specificity necessary to generate novel, falsifiable predictions.
Preschoolers’ sensitivity to referential ambiguity: evidence for a dissociation between implicit understanding and explicit behavior
Authors: Nilsen Elizabeth S. , Graham Susan A. , Smith Shannon , Chambers Craig G.
Published: June 2008

Four‐year‐olds were asked to assess an adult listener's knowledge of the location of a hidden sticker after the listener was provided an ambiguous or unambiguous description of the sticker location. When preschoolers possessed private knowledge about the sticker location, the location they chose indicated that they judged a description to be unambiguous even when the message was ambiguous from the listener's perspective. However, measures of implicit awareness (response latencies and eye movement measures) demonstrated that even when preschoolers had private knowledge about the sticker location, ambiguous messages led to more consideration of an alternative location and longer response latencies than unambiguous messages. The findings demonstrate that children show sensitivity to linguistic ambiguity earlier than previously thought and, further, that they can detect linguistic ambiguity in language directed to others even when their own knowledge clarifies the intended meaning.
Young German children's early syntactic competence: a preferential looking study
Authors: Dittmar Miriam , Abbot‐Smith Kirsten , Lieven Elena , Tomasello Michael
Published: June 2008

Using a preferential looking methodology with novel verbs,

Gertner, Fisher and Eisengart (2006

) found that 21‐month‐old English children seemed to understand the syntactic marking of transitive word order in an abstract, verb‐general way. In the current study we tested whether young German children of this same age have this same understanding. Following

Gertner et al. (2006

), one group of German children was tested only after they had received a training/practice phase containing transitive sentences with familiar verbs and the exact same nouns as those used at test. A second group was tested after a training/practice phase consisting only of familiar verbs, without the nouns used at test. Only the group of children with the training on full transitive sentences was successful in the test. These findings suggest that for children this young to succeed in this test of syntactic understanding, they must first have some kind of relevant linguistic experience immediately prior to testing – which raises the question of the nature of children's linguistic representations at this early point in development.
Encoding the goal of an object‐directed but uncompleted reaching action in 6‐ and 9‐month‐old infants
Authors: Daum Moritz M. , Prinz Wolfgang , Aschersleben Gisa
Published: June 2008

Infants start to interpret completed human actions as goal‐directed in the second half of the first year of life. In a series of three studies, the understanding of a goal‐directed but uncompleted action was investigated in 6‐ and 9‐month‐old infants using a preferential looking paradigm. Infants saw the video of an actor's reaching movement towards one of two objects. This reaching movement was only presented until the hand passed the midpoint between the starting position and the position of the target object. Subsequently, two final states of the reaching movement were presented simultaneously. In the plausible final state, the hand grasped the object to which the reaching movement was geared; in the implausible final state, the hand grasped the other object. In Studies 1 and 3, infants watched the actor from an allocentric perspective, and in Studies 2 and 3 from an egocentric perspective. Results indicate a discrimination of the two final states if the scene was presented from an allocentric perspective: both 6‐ and 9‐month‐olds looked longer at the implausible final state. This was not the case if infants saw the action from an egocentric perspective. The presented findings show that using this paradigm, 6‐month‐olds are already able to infer the goal of an uncompleted action without seeing the achievement of the goal itself. However, they encoded the goal of the reaching action only when it was presented from an allocentric perspective but not from an egocentric perspective.
Focusing on the relation: fewer exemplars facilitate children's initial verb learning and extension
Authors: Maguire Mandy J. , Hirsh‐Pasek Kathy , Golinkoff Roberta Michnick , Brandone Amanda C.
Published: June 2008

One of the most prominent theories for why children struggle to learn verbs is that verb learning requires the abstraction of relations between an object and its action (

Gentner, 2003

). Two hypotheses suggest how children extract relations to extend a novel verb: (1) seeing many different exemplars allows children to detect the invariant relation between actions in different contexts (Gentner, 2003), and (2) repetition of fewer exemplars allows children to move beyond the entities involved to extract the relation (Kersten & Smith, 2002). We tested ‐ and 3‐year‐olds’ ability to extend a novel verb after viewing the repetition of one novel actor compared to four different actors performing a novel action. Both ages were better at learning and extending a novel verb to a novel actor when shown only one actor rather than four different actors. These results indicate that during initial verb learning less information is more effective.
Prevalence and time trends in obesity among adult West African populations: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Abubakari A. R. , Lauder W. , Agyemang C. , Jones M. , Kirk A. , Bhopal R. S.
Published: June 2008

The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of and trends in obesity in adult West African populations.

Between February and March 2007, a comprehensive literature search was conducted using four electronic databases. Journal hand searches, citations and bibliographic snowballing of relevant articles were also undertaken. To be included, studies had to be population‐based, use well‐defined criteria for measuring obesity, present data that allowed calculation of the prevalence of obesity and sample adult participants. Studies retrieved were critically appraised. Meta‐analysis was performed using the DerSimonian‐Laird random effect model.

Twenty‐eight studies were included. Thirteen studies were conducted in urban settings, 13 in mixed urban/rural and one in rural setting. Mean body mass index ranged from 20.1 to 27.0 kg2. Prevalence of obesity in West Africa was estimated at 10.0% (95% CI, 6.0–15.0). Women were more likely to be obese than men, odds ratios 3.16 (95% CI, 2.51–3.98) and 4.79 (95% CI, 3.30–6.95) in urban and rural areas respectively. Urban residents were more likely to be obese than rural residents, odds ratio 2.70 (95% CI, 1.76–4.15). Time trend analyses indicated that prevalence of obesity in urban West Africa more than doubled (114%) over 15 years, accounted for almost entirely in women.

Urban residents and women have particularly high risk of overweight/obesity and obesity is rising fast in women. Policymakers, politicians and health promotion experts must urgently help communities control the spread of obesity in West Africa.
Neurocognitive Aging and the Compensation Hypothesis
Authors: Reuter-Lorenz Patricia A. , Cappell Katherine A.
Published: June 2008

The most unexpected and intriguing result from functional brain imaging studies of cognitive aging is evidence for age-related overactivation: greater activation in older adults than in younger adults, even when performance is age-equivalent. Here we examine the hypothesis that age-related overactivation is compensatory and discuss the compensation-related utilization of neural circuits hypothesis (CRUNCH). We review evidence that favors a compensatory account, discuss questions about strategy differences, and consider the functions that may be served by overactive brain areas. Future research directed at neurocognitively informed training interventions may augment the potential for plasticity that persists into the later years of the human lifespan.
Biological Sensitivity to Context
Authors: Ellis Bruce J. , Boyce W. Thomas
Published: June 2008

Conventional views suggest that exaggerated biological reactivity to stress is a harmful vestige of an evolutionary past in which threats to survival were more prevalent and severe. Recent evidence, however, indicates that effects of high reactivity on behavior and health are bivalent rather than univalent in character, exerting both risk-augmenting and risk-protective effects depending on the context. These observations suggest that heightened stress reactivity may reflect increased biological sensitivity to context, with potential for negative health effects under conditions of adversity and for positive effects under conditions of support. From an evolutionary perspective, the developmental plasticity of the stress-response systems, along with their structured, context-dependent effects, suggests that variation in these systems has been adaptively patterned to increase the capacity of children to match their stress-response profiles to anticipated developmental environments. Taken together, these theoretical perspectives generate a novel hypothesis: that there is a curvilinear, U-shaped relation between early exposures to adversity and the development of stress-reactive profiles, with high-reactivity phenotypes disproportionately emerging within both highly stressful and highly protected early social environments.
Reactivation and Consolidation of Memory During Sleep
Authors: Rasch Björn , Born Jan
Published: June 2008

Recent research has shown compellingly that sleep supports the consolidation of declarative memories for events and facts. During consolidation, memories are stabilized against future interference and undergo qualitative changes with regard to their “explicitness” and underlying neural representation. In this article, we argue that declarative memory consolidation during sleep is based on covert reactivations of newly encoded memory traces in the hippocampus. During slow-wave sleep (SWS), the prominent slow oscillations act to synchronize the repeated reactivation of the newly encoded representations in hippocampal networks with the generation of spindle activity in the thalamus, supporting changes in neocortical networks that contribute to long-term memory storage. In this view, sleep plays an active role in the consolidation of memories, in which the neuronal reactivation of newly acquired memories is critical for the redistribution and integration of these memories into the network of pre-existing long-term memories.
Cognitive Deficits in the Early Stages of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Storandt Martha
Published: June 2008

Evidence from longitudinal, experimental, and neuroimaging studies converge to indicate that psychological functions other than episodic memory are affected very early in the course of Alzheimer's disease and, indeed, may predate or influence the apparent memory deficits. Changes in personality and difficulty in executive function, especially in terms of attentional and inhibitory control, are especially prominent. Deficits in other types of memory (i.e., semantic memory, conditioning) can also be detected in the early stages of the disease. It is time to update existing diagnostic criteria for this form of dementia in terms of current knowledge of multiple and interacting brain systems.
Learning to Move
Authors: Adolph Karen E.
Published: June 2008

Locomotion—moving the body from place to place—is one of infants' greatest achievements. In addition to conquering gravity, infants must cope with variable and novel constraints on balance and propulsion. At the same time that they are learning to move, changes in infants' bodies, skills, and environments change the biomechanical constraints on movement. Recent work highlights both flexibility and specificity in infants' responses to novel and variable situations, demonstrating that infants are learning to learn as they master locomotion. Within sitting, crawling, cruising, and walking postures, experienced infants adapt their locomotor responses to the current biomechanical constraints on movement. However, what infants have learned about coping with variability and novelty in earlier-developing postures does not transfer to later-developing postures.
Managers' Implicit Assumptions About Personnel
Authors: Heslin Peter A. , VandeWalle Don
Published: June 2008

Effective managers recognize both positive and negative changes in employee performance and take appropriate remedial action when required. Managers' assumptions about the rigidity or malleability of personal attributes (e.g., ability and personality) affect their performance of these critical personnel management tasks. To the extent that managers assume that personal attributes are fixed traits that are largely stable over time, they tend to inadequately recognize actual changes in employee performance and are disinclined to coach employees regarding how to improve their performance. However, a growth-mindset intervention can lead managers to relinquish their fixed mindset and subsequently provide more accurate performance appraisals and helpful employee coaching. Implications for performance evaluation procedures and avenues for future research are outlined.
The Level of Detail in Infants' Word Learning
Authors: Newman Rochelle S.
Published: June 2008

This article summarizes recent findings on infant word learning and recognition. Infants initially store very detailed representations of words, including details that are not truly necessary for word recognition. As they are exposed to more varied productions of words, they develop more sophisticated knowledge about which details are important, and streamline their representations, allowing them to better recognize words across different contexts, speakers, and environments.
The Democratic Peace is Not Democratic: On Behalf of Rawls' Decent Societies
Authors: Riker Walter
Published: June 2008

In The Law of Peoples, John Rawls defends the claim that ‘decent’ societies (non-liberal, non-democratic constitutional republics) deserve full and good standing in the international community. His defense of decent societies consists of two main arguments. First, he argues that the basic human right to political participation does not imply a right to democratic political institutions. This argument has been thoroughly discussed by commentators. Second, he argues that decent societies, if admitted to the international community, would pose no special threat to the stability of that community. This argument has largely been ignored. My aim in this article is to analyze this second argument, which I call the ‘peace argument’.
Japanese Children's Reasoning about Conflicts with Parents
Authors: Yamada Hiroyuki
Published: June 2008

Ninety‐five Japanese children (aged 6–12) were interviewed using hypothetical stories to examine their reasoning about parent–child conflicts. Participants were most likely to reject parental authority and to support child's discretion in conflict situations where the parent interfered in the child's personal choice and gave the child commands that violated moral and conventional principles. However, participants were most likely to accept parental authority when the child's wish conflicted with the parent's moral concern. Participants’ reasoning was more varied when the child's wish went against the parent's conventional demand. Consistent with their cultural values, participants considered harmonious relationships in evaluating conventional and personal conflicts, but not moral conflicts. Age differences were observed in the endorsement of personal choice. Results suggest that children do not simply act upon their cultural values but also show resistance to parental authority for reasons beyond meeting selfish needs and form differentiated judgments about parent–child conflicts.
Retracted: BEING LUCKY AND BEING DESERVING, AND DISTRIBUTION
Authors: AMATRUDO ANTHONY
Published: June 2008

This paper examines the concepts of desert and luck, familiar in political theory but neglected by sociologists. I argue that the idea of desert is composed of both personal performance and the degree of responsibility a person has over that performance. Distribution ought to be in accordance with the indebtedness created by the person's performance. This can be compromised by luck; that is, personal desert is undermined where lack of performance scuttles the applicability of the contributory model. This paper examines recent work, focusing on establishing desert criteria for each person's ends and life‐plans, and a formula for distribution according to personal welfare.
Geographically touring the eastern bloc: British geography, travel cultures and the Cold War
Authors: Matless David , Oldfield Jonathan , Swain Adam
Published: June 2008

This paper considers the role of travel in the generation of geographical knowledge of the eastern bloc by British geographers. Based on oral history and surveys of published work, the paper examines the roles of three kinds of travel experience: individual private travels, tours via state tourist agencies, and tours by academic delegations. Examples are drawn from across the eastern bloc, including the USSR, Poland, Romania, East Germany and Albania. The relationship between travel and publication is addressed, notably within textbooks, and in theGeographical Magazine. The study argues for the extension of accounts of cultures of geographical travel, and seeks to supplement the existing historiography of Cold War geography.
Tenure‐based residential segregation in post‐reform Chinese cities: a case study of Shanghai
Authors: Li Zhigang , Wu Fulong
Published: June 2008

The Chinese cities, once characterised by egalitarianism, are becoming the most unequal cities in the world. However, little is known about the spatial implications of such a tremendous transition. This paper examines residential segregation in post‐reform Shanghai. For the first time in studying Chinese cities, fine resolution data on the level of the residential committee, from the fifth population census conducted in 2000, are used. The spatial variation of housing tenure is found to be prominent. Most variables in the Index of Dissimilarity (ID) for housing tenure are above 0.5, while the spatial variation of ‘commodity housing purchased’ and ‘public housing rental’ is as high as 0.7, indicating a remarkable concentration of various housing groups. No evidence, however, suggests a high extent of segregation of social groups comparable to the West such as in the UK and US. ID between rural migrants and local residents is just 0.2–0.4. ID between residents with low‐level and high‐level educational attainment is around 0.3. In terms ofhukou(household registration) status, educational attainment and housing tenure, a division between the central city and its surrounding areas is identified. Most communities are characterised by homogeneous tenure and heterogeneous population. In all, post‐reform urban China is characterised by tenure‐based residential segregation. Through market‐oriented housing consumption, a new stratified sociospatial structure is in the making; its outcome, however, will continue to be shaped by the sustained impact of institutions such ashukouand work units.
The transition of pupils from primary to secondary school in England
Authors: Burgess Simon , Johnston Ron , Key Tomas , Propper Carol , Wilson Deborah
Published: June 2008

This paper examines the transitions from primary to secondary school for a contemporary cohort of children moving between state schools in England. It uses data on over 12 000 primary schools, over 2000 secondary schools and around 400 000 pupils. The results suggest that the experiences of poor pupils at age 11 may be quite different, on average, to their non‐poor peers’. Poor pupils’ primary peer groups are more fractured at the age of 11 and these pupils tend to find themselves more concentrated within lower performing secondary schools. High ability pupils are more likely to go to the modal secondary school of their cohort if it is better than average; the reverse is true for low ability pupils. Poor pupils are less likely to go to the modal school when it is better than average but more likely to go when it is worse. Finally, we find that primary schools which have high academic test scores have more bifurcated flows: poor and non‐poor pupils are dispersed across different secondary schools. This analysis of within‐primary school differences in destination is one of the novel contributions of the paper.
Language use on the move: sites of encounter, identities and belonging
Authors: Valentine Gill , Sporton Deborah , Bang Nielsen Katrine
Published: June 2008

The role of language in relation to identity formation has received relatively little attention from geographers. Here, drawing on empirical research with Somali young people (aged 11–18) now living in the UK, we explore the role that choice and use of language play in how young people make sense of their identities and affiliations within the specific situated context of everyday encounters at home, and school. In doing so, we explore the role of language as a situated practice in (re)making identities in local contexts, and the possibility that language can change the way that spaces are ordered.
“Does This Mean You’re Not Going to Come Visit Me Anymore?”: An Inquiry into an Ethics of Reciprocity and Positionality in Feminist Ethnographic Research*
Authors: Huisman Kimberly
Published: June 2008

In 1988, Judith Stacey posed the provocative question: “Can there be a feminist ethnography?” In doing so, she challenged widely held assumptions about feminist ethnography by pointing out that qualitative research methods do not necessarily mitigate the dangers of exploitation in research. Almost two decades later, the issues Stacey raised continue to receive considerable attention from feminist scholars. This article adds to this body of literature by examining the dynamics of reciprocity and positionality in research. Drawing from research conducted with Bosnian Muslim refugees, the author outlines three tensions she experienced and addresses how these tensions were related to her shifting and sometimes contradictory positionalities as a woman, a researcher, a friend, a graduate student, and as a person who was straddled between two classes. This is followed by a discussion about the lessons learned and the way the experiences shaped her current collaborative, community‐based research project with Somali refugees.
Non‐Parametric Modelling of CO2Emission Quota
Authors: Oude Lansink Alfons , Van Der Vlist Arno
Published: June 2008

Dutch glasshouse firms are facing the introduction of a system of tradable CO2emission quotas. This paper employs a non‐parametric method for modelling tradable CO2emissions of Dutch glasshouse firms. The method is capable of generating shifts in CO2emissions across the sample of firms. Moreover, changes in volumes of outputs produced and inputs used are computed. Results show that firms using a conventional heating technology will be net purchasers of CO2emissions, whereas firms using more advanced heating technologies will sell part of their emission quota.
Risk of autism spectrum disorders after infantile spasms: A population‐based study nested in a cohort with seizures in the first year of life
Authors: Saemundsen Evald , Ludvigsson Petur , Rafnsson Vilhjalmur
Published: June 2008

Purpose:  No population‐based study has investigated the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children after unprovoked seizures with onset in the first year of life. Our objective was to determine whether infantile spasms were related to risk of ASD as compared to unprovoked seizures with onset in the first year of life after adjusting for symptomatic origin of seizures.

Methods:  This is a population‐based case‐control study nested in a cohort of children with unprovoked seizures in the first year of life. The cohort comprised 95 children, 34 boys and 61 girls. Cases were defined as children with ASD, controls were without ASD, and exposure was a history of infantile spasms. The Mantel‐Haenszel test and logistic regression were used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results:  The crude OR for ASD associated with infantile spasms was 5.53 (95% CI 1.25–23.06). Stratification on age and gender did not change the OR. The OR for ASD associated with infantile spasms adjusted for symptomatic seizures was 1.55 (95% CI 0.33–7.37), while the OR for ASD associated with symptomatic seizures adjusted for infantile spasms was 8.73 (95% CI 1.88–40.54). Restriction to mental age 24 months or higher yielded higher ORs.

Discussion:  Infantile spasms predicted high risk for ASD, but this was to a large extent explained by the association of ASD with symptomatic origin of seizures.
The epilepsy treatment gap in developing countries: A systematic review of the magnitude, causes, and intervention strategies
Authors: Mbuba Caroline K. , Ngugi Anthony K. , Newton Charles R. , Carter Julie A.
Published: June 2008

Summary

In many developing countries, people with epilepsy do not receive appropriate treatment for their condition, a phenomenon called the treatment gap (TG). We carried out a systematic review to investigate the magnitude, causes, and intervention strategies to improve outcomes in developing countries. We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases, supplemented by a hand search of references in the key papers. The degree of heterogeneity and a pooled TG estimate were determined using metaanalysis techniques. The estimates were further stratified by continent and location of study (urban, rural). Twenty‐seven studies met the inclusion criteria: twelve from Africa, nine from Asia and six from Latin America. We observed a high degree of heterogeneity and inconsistency between studies. The overall estimate of the TG was 56/100 [95% confidence interval (CI) 31.1–100.0]. The variation in estimates could possibly be explained by nonuniform TG estimation methods and the diverse study populations, among other factors. The TG was mainly attributed to inadequate skilled manpower, cost of treatment, cultural beliefs, and unavailability of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). These factors have been addressed using different intervention strategies, such as education and supply of AEDs. Future research should estimate the TG coherently and develop sustainable interventions that will address the causes.
Prognosis after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery: The value of combining predictors
Authors: Uijl Sabine G. , Leijten Frans S.S. , Arends Johan B.A.M. , Parra Jaime , Van Huffelen Alexander C. , Moons Karel G.M.
Published: June 2008

Summary

Purpose: Although several independent predictors of seizure freedom after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery have been identified, their combined predictive value is largely unknown. Using a large database of operated patients, we assessed the combined predictive value of previously reported predictors included in a single multivariable model.

Methods: The database comprised a cohort of 484 patients
who underwent temporal lobe surgery for drug‐resistant epilepsy. Good outcome was defined as Engel class 1, one year after surgery. Previously reported independent predictors were tested in this cohort. To be included in our final prediction model, predictors had to show a multivariable p‐value of <0.20.

Results: The final multivariable model included predictors obtained from the patient's history (absence of tonic–clonic seizures, absence of status epilepticus), magnetic resonance imaging [MRI; ipsilateral mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS), space occupying lesion], video electroencephalography (EEG; absence of ictal dystonic posturing, concordance between MRI and ictal EEG), and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET; unilateral temporal abnormalities), that were related to seizure freedom in our data. The model showed an expected receiver‐operating characteristic curve (ROC) area of 0.63 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57–0.68] for new patient populations. Intracranial monitoring and surgery‐related parameters (including histology) were not important predictors of seizure freedom. Among patients with a high probability of seizure freedom, 85% were seizure‐free one year after surgery; however, among patients with a high risk of not becoming seizure‐free, still 40% were seizure‐free one year after surgery.

Conclusion: We could only moderately predict seizure freedom after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. It is particularly difficult to predict who will not become seizure‐free after surgery.
Valproate teratogenicity and epilepsy syndrome
Authors: Bromfield Edward B. , Dworetzky Barbara A. , Wyszynski Diego F. , Smith Caitlin R. , Baldwin Elizabeth J. , Holmes Lewis B.
Published: June 2008

Maternal valproate (VPA) use is associated with a significant risk for congenital malformations in the exposed fetus. Since VPA is commonly used in epilepsy syndromes with a presumed genetic cause (idiopathic epilepsies), it is possible that maternal genetic background contributes to this outcome. We reviewed responses to telephone questionnaires and medical records, when available, of enrollees in the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry, classifying reason for treatment as idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), partial epilepsy (PE), nonclassifiable epilepsy (NCE), or not epilepsy (NE). Of 284 VPA‐exposed pregnancies, 30 (11.0%) were associated with malformations: IGE = 15/126 (12%), PE = 4/28 (14%), NCE = 9/105 (9%), NE = 2/25 (8%) (p > 0.7 for all comparisons). There was a trend toward increased malformation risk with higher VPA doses (p = 0.07). VPA, and not the underlying genetic syndrome, seems to be associated with the elevated risk for malformations in the drug‐exposed fetus.
Identification of Risks in the Life Cycle of Nanotechnology‐Based Products
Authors: Wardak Ahson , Gorman Michael E. , Swami Nathan , Deshpande Shilpa
Published: June 2008

In order to realize the projected market potential of nanotechnology, the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) uncertainties posed by a nano‐product (i.e., a nanotechnology‐enabled product) need to be characterized through the identification of risks and opportunities in early stages of product development. We present a methodology to identify risks from nano‐products using a scenario analysis approach that allows for expert elicitation on a set of preidentified use and disposal scenarios and what we have labeled “risk triggers” to obtain scores on their likelihood of occurrence and severity. Use and disposal scenarios describe product life‐cycle stages that could result in risk attributed to the nano‐product, whereas risk triggers are particular to nanoparticle properties. These are potential risks, as the risk assessment community is currently debating the specific risks attributed to nanotechnology. Through such a framework, our goal is to identify which products pose greater risks, where these risks occur in the product life cycle, and the impacts of these environmental risks on society. The comparison of risk triggers across nano‐products allows relative risk ranking on axes of exposure‐ and hazard‐related risk triggers. For the specific case of air fresheners, areas of acute risks resulted from bioavailability of nanoparticles in air release and water entrainment exposure scenarios; catalytic activity of nanoparticles in inhalation and air release exposure scenarios; the harmful effects due to the antibacterial property on useful bacteria particularly in susceptible populations; and, finally, risks from the lack of nanoparticle coating stability in air release scenarios.
Americans' Nanotechnology Risk Perception:
Authors: Smith Sara E. Smiley , Hosgood H. Dean , Michelson Evan S. , Stowe Meredith H.
Published: June 2008

Although proposed nanotechnology applications hold great promise, little is known about the potential associated risks. This lack of clarity on the level of risk associated with nanotechnology has forced people to make decisions about consumption with incomplete information. A national random digit dialing telephone survey (N= 1014) was conducted in the United States to assess knowledge of nanotechnology and perception of risk in August 2006. This investigation looks critically at individuals' responses to questions about the balance of risks and benefits of nanotechnology, both at the outset of the survey and after respondents were given a brief introduction to the potential benefits and risks of the technology. Models were created to characterzise respondents who said they did not know how nanotechnology's risks and benefits balanced in the “preinformation” condition but who, in the postinformation condition, had a different opinion. Respondents who were highly educated, members of the Republican Party, or male were more likely to switch from “don't know” in the preinformation condition to “benefits outweigh risks” in the postinformation condition, whereas respondents who were less educated, members of the Democratic Party, or female were more likely to switch from “don't know” in the preinformation condition to “risks outweigh benefits” in the postinformation condition. This is the first study to our knowledge to develop a significant model of nanotechnology risk perception change, specifically with regard to gender differences. The power of information provision to sway opinions is also supported, highlighting the importance of developing educational efforts targeting vulnerable populations.
Midterm Follow‐Up of Percutaneous Closure of Secundum Atrial Septal Defect with Helex Septal Occluder
Authors: SMITH BENJAMIN G. , WILSON NEIL , RICHENS TREVOR , KNIGHT W. BRODIE
Published: June 2008

Introduction:

The Helex Septal Occluder (HSO) is a relatively new device used in the percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs). The immediate and short‐term results of its deployment have been reported, but the medium‐term results have not been described. The objective was to describe the midterm efficacy and safety of percutaneous closure of ASD with the HSO.

Methods:

The HSO was used in 33 children to close secundum ASDs between July 1999 and November 2000. Detailed data were collected at implantation and 31 children have been followed clinically and investigated with electrocardiogram (ECG) (n = 30), echocardiogram, and fluoroscopy (n = 30) at a mean of 63 (range 55–74) months after implantation.

Results:

The ages and body weights at implantation ranged from 13 to 220 months and 7.6 to 57.6 kg. The ASD diameter ranged from 7 to 17 mm. All sizes of HSO were deployed. The range of device to defect ratio was 1.4 to 3.3. Of the 21 residual shunts noted early after implantation, only four persisted, all small, at latest follow‐up. There were no new shunts. There were no new ECG abnormalities. There was a pronounced change in the configuration of one HSO without sequelae. In two patients in whom the locking loop missed the right atrial eyelet at deployment, there were no sequelae or residual shunts. There were no cases of frame fracture or explantation. There has been no death or long‐term morbidity.

Conclusions:

At midterm follow‐up the HSO is durable and effective, with a low incidence of adverse sequelae even in the small subgroup with imperfect configuration.
Cluster Detection Based on Spatial Associations and Iterated Residuals in Generalized Linear Mixed Models
Authors: Zhang Tonglin , Lin Ge
Published: June 2008

SummarySpatial clustering is commonly modeled by a Bayesian method under the framework of generalized linear mixed effect models (GLMMs). Spatial clusters are commonly detected by a frequentist method through hypothesis testing. In this article, we provide a frequentist method for assessing spatial properties of GLMMs. We propose a strategy that detects spatial clusters through parameter estimates of spatial associations, and assesses spatial aspects of model improvement through iterated residuals. Simulations and a case study show that the proposed method is able to consistently and efficiently detect the locations and magnitudes of spatial clusters.
Impact of fruit feeding on overwintering survival of the multicolored Asian lady beetle, and the ability of this insect and paper wasps to injure wine grape berries
Authors: Galvan Tederson L. , Koch Robert L. , Hutchison William D.
Published: June 2008

The establishment of the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in North America has resulted in negative impacts on fruit production. We investigated the overwintering survival of H. axyridis after feeding on four diets: injured wine grape berries, 25% sucrose solution, water, and a control containing no food or water. After being exposed to these diets for 6 days, live individuals were transferred to clean plastic Petri dishes, and held at 5 ± 1 °C in growth chambers throughout the winter. Survival was recorded every month. Adult lady beetles collected during the overwintering flight in mid‐October had higher survival rates than beetles collected from soybean fields in mid‐August. These results suggest that an adaptation period prior to diapause increases the chances of lady beetle survival over the winter. In addition, injured wine grape berries, sugar, and water decreased beetle mortality during the overwintering months. Our results also showed that under similar conditions, females have higher survival during the winter than males. The importance of sugar and water on winter survival may drive H. axyridis adults to vineyards for feeding on wine grapes. Finally, we tested if adults of H. axyridis and the European paper wasp, Polistes dominulus Christ (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), were able to break the grape skin. Harmonia axyridis adults and paper wasps were not able to cause the primary injury to berries of Frontenac grapes under laboratory conditions. These results suggest that control of paper wasps in vineyards may not affect H. axyridis aggregations, and that H. axyridis feeding on wine grapes depends on previous injury to grape berries.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Interleukin‐10 May Participate in Regulating Trophoblast Invasion in Human Placentae Throughout Gestation
Authors: Pang Zhan‐Jun , Zhou Jun‐Gui , Huang Li‐Ping
Published: June 2008

Problem  A successful human pregnancy requires cytotrophoblasts from the fetal portion of the placenta to adopt tumor‐like properties. But unlike tumor metastasis, cytotrophoblast invasion is highly regulated both spatially and temporally. The mechanisms that regulate human trophoblast invasion are understood poorly.

Method of study  With a view to obtain some findings on the mechanisms that regulate human trophoblast invasion, we applied the semi‐quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) method to compare the expression of invasion‐associated genes in cytotrophoblasts isolated from first‐ and third‐trimester placental tissues.

Results  In trophoblast cells of first‐trimester pregnancy, the mRNA contents of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐9 and urokinase‐type plasminogen activator (uPA) were higher than that in the third‐trimester cytotrophoblasts, while no difference of MMP‐2 mRNA expression level was found between trophoblastic cells of different gestational ages. The expression level of plasminogen activator inhibitors‐1 mRNA in first‐trimester cytotrophoblasts was shown to be much lower than that in trophoblast cells prepared from third‐trimester placental tissues. Furthermore, expression of both tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)‐1 and TIMP‐2 in cytotrophoblasts were significantly up‐regulated in third‐trimester when compared with the first‐trimester of pregnancy. To further investigate the factors that caused the change of invasion‐associated genes expression in trophoblast cells, we found that interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) could decrease the content of MMP‐9 mRNA in cytotrophoblasts of first‐trimester gestation, and the magnitude of suppression increased with increasing IL‐10 concentration.

Conclusion  The gradually reduced trophoblast invasion with gestational weeks might be on account of the change of proteolytic enzymes/activator/inhibitor genes expression. IL‐10 could be one of the factors participating in the regulation of trophoblast invasion during gestational process.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Regulatory T Cells in a Spectrum of HPV‐Induced Cervical Lesions: Cervicitis, Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Adurthi Sreenivas , Krishna Sudhir , Mukherjee Geetashree , Bafna Uttamchand Deepak , Devi Uma , Jayshree Rudrapatna Subramanyam
Published: June 2008

Problem  Thriving of tumors amidst rich immune infiltrates is an unexplained paradox.

Method of study  Immune markers on lymphocytic infiltrates in HPV‐positive cervicitis, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III (CIN III), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and normal cervices were characterized immunohistochemically. Regulatory T cells were enumerated and phenotypically characterized using antibodies to FOXP3.

Results  SCCs had higher numbers of CD4 and CD8 cells; infiltrates expressed more CD25, TGFβ, and IL10 but had significantly lower IL2 compared with cervicitis and CIN III. Expression of CD25 and IL2 correlated well in cervicitis and CIN III but not in SCC. FOXP3 expression was also higher and ratios of CD4/FOXP3 and CD8/FOXP3 were lower in SCC. A fraction of cervicitis, CIN I, CIN II and CIN III had natural (n) regulatory T cells (Tregs); their lesional distribution was predominantly intraepithelial in cervicitis, while in CIN they were also present in the stroma. The proportion of FOXP3+ CD25+; FOXP3+ CD25− and TGFβ+ CD25+ in invasive tumors was 17; 19 and 22 respectively.

Conclusion  Cervical tumors are marked by the presence of an immunoregulatory environment, and harbor equal proportions of ‘inactive’ n Tregs; activated n Tregs; and Tregs operating via TGFβ. nTregs in cervicitis and CIN may be a potential marker of persistence.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Studies on the Compatibility of HLA‐Class II Alleles in Patient Couples with Severe Pre‐Eclampsia Using PCR–RFLP Methods
Authors: Ooki Izumi , Takakuwa Koichi , Akashi Mami , Nonaka Taro , Yokoo Tomokazu , Tanaka Kenichi
Published: June 2008

Problem  In this study, we investigated whether or not significant compatibility of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐class II alleles exists between spouses with severe pre‐eclampsia (PE) (including gestational hypertension, GH).

Method of study  The HLA‐class II genotypes were determined using a polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The number of incompatible alleles in 57 patient couples with severe PE (including GH) were determined, and compared with that in 74 control couples.

Results  The number of patient couples and control couples with each number of mismatched alleles of the HLA‐DR, ‐DQ, and ‐DP genotypes was as follows. The number of patient couples with zero, one, two, three, and four‐allele mismatches was 41 (72.9%), and with five and six‐allele mismatches was 16 (27.1%). On the other hand, the number of control couples with zero, one, two, three, and four‐allele mismatches was 38 (51.4%), and with five and six‐allele mismatches was 36 (48.6%). Thus, the number of patient couples with five and six‐allele mismatches was significantly lower compared with that in control couples. The same result was obtained as regards the mismatched alleles of the HLA‐DR, ‐DQ, and ‐DP phenotypes.

Conclusion  These findings suggest that significant compatibility of HLA‐class II alleles between spouses is implicated in the genesis of PE (including GH).
ABSTRACTS: 1 Implication of soluble receptors of VEGF, sVEGFR‐1 and sVEGFR‐2, in angiogenesis
Authors: Lorquet S , Berndt S , Blacher S , Noël A , Munaut C , Foidart JM , Pequeux C
Published: June 2008

Introduction:  sVEGFR‐1 and sVEGFR‐2 are soluble forms of the membrane‐bound receptors of VEGF. sVEGFR‐1 is detected in plasma of pre‐eclamptic women, during ischemia and in some cancer cases. sVEGFR‐2, was recently detected in plasma of healthy people, in leukaemia and in systemic erythematosus lupus cases. sVEGFR‐1 has anti‐angiogenic properties in vitro and in vivo but sVEGFR‐2 remains uncharacterized and its physiological or pathological role is still unknown.

Material and Methods:  The aim of this study was to understand and to characterize the role of sVEGFR2 in angiogenesis and in endothelial function.

Results:  In aortic ring assay, an ex vivo model of angiogenesis, sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 were able to abolish VEGF‐induced angiogenesis. However, when used alone, they induced the formation of a “network”, supposed to be vascular in visible microscopy. As they were able to abolish the effect of VEGF on endothelial function but showed no direct effect alone, we performed an immuno‐staining of the “vascular network” induced by the soluble receptors. It showed that there were a few endothelial cells but mostly pericytes/smooth muscle cells (PC/SMC). Our first in vitro experiments on PC/SMC showed that sVEGFR‐1 and sVEGFR‐2 were able to promote the migration of PC/SMC, only in presence of endothelial cells.

Conclusions:  Our results evidence that sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 inhibit VEGF‐induced angiogenesis in a similar way. However, they have also a direct effect on PC/SMC, promoting their migration. Our results suggest that these soluble receptors could act, not only on endothelial cells themselves, but by a direct effect on PC/SMC too. These results contribute to identify factors by which it could be possible to regulate the balance between pro‐angiogenic and anti‐angiogenic factors, especially in the case of the anti‐VEGF drugs used now as anti‐cancer therapies in clinics, where a transient “normalization” of the vessels is observed.