bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the Metabolic Syndrome by Apolipoproteins in the Oklahoma Cherokee
Authors: Alaupovic Petar , Blackett Piers , Wang Wenyu , Lee Elisa
Published: November 2008

Native Americans are susceptible to type 2 diabetes and associated cardiovascular risk that precedes the diabetes. Nondiabetic Cherokee adolescents and young adults were studied for association of apolipoproteins A‐I, B, and C‐III with the metabolic syndrome, homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), and body mass index. Apolipoproteins, lipids, selected ratios, and HOMA‐IR changed adversely according to the number of metabolic syndrome criteria present (P<.001 for trend). Logistic regression showed heparin‐precipitated apolipoprotein C‐III, apolipoprotein C‐III bound to apolipoprotein B–containing lipoproteins, to be a significant predictor of the metabolic syndrome in the adolescents and adults, and it appears to be more strongly associated than apolipoprotein B: apolipoprotein A‐I. Regression modeling with components of the syndrome as the dependent variables showed that they were all significantly associated with heparin‐precipitated apolipoprotein C‐III except for fasting blood glucose. The Cherokee have a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, which is associated with atherosclerotic lipoprotein particles containing apolipoprotein C‐III and B.
The Diabetes Subgroup Baseline Characteristics of the Avoiding Cardiovascular Events Through Combination Therapy in Patients Living With Systolic Hypertension (ACCOMPLISH) Trial
Authors: Bakris George , Hester Allen , Weber Michael , Dahlof Bjorn , Pitt Bert , Velasquez Eric , Staikos‐Byrne Linda , Shi Victor , Jamerson Ken ,   on behalf of the ACCOMPLISH Investigators
Published: November 2008

The Avoiding Cardiovascular Events Through Combination Therapy in Patients Living With Systolic Hypertension (ACCOMPLISH) trial is the first cardiovascular outcome trial designed to compare initial use of 2 different fixed‐dose antihypertensive regimens, benazepril plus hydrochlorothiazide vs benazepril plus amlodipine, on cardiovascular end points in hypertensive patients at high cardiovascular risk secondary to previous major events or presence of diabetes mellitus (DM). Of the 11,464 patients, 60.4% had DM. Compared with non‐DM patients, DM patients were less likely to have previous myocardial infarctions (15% vs 37%) or strokes (8% vs 21%). Those with DM were more likely to be female (43% vs 34%), black (15% vs 8%), overweight (body mass index, 32 vs 29 kg/m2). At baseline, DM patients were more likely to have the metabolic syndrome, manifested by higher levels of fasting glucose (145 vs 101 mg/dL) and triglycerides (178 vs 150 mg/dL) and slightly lower high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol values (48 vs 51 mg/dL) compared to the non‐DM cohort. Although estimated glomerular filtration rate (80 vs 76 mL/min/1.73 m2) was similar in the DM and non‐DM groups, presence of both albuminuria (8.7% vs 3.5%) and microalbuminuria (29% vs 20%) were more prevalent in the DM group. After 6 months of treatment, blood pressure control rates (<140/90 mm Hg) using blinded data (both therapeutic groups combined) for DM demonstrated that 42.8% of DM patients had blood pressure levels <130/80 mm Hg. ACCOMPLISH will provide valuable guidance on optimizing treatment strategies in hypertensive patients at high cardiovascular risk with and without DM.
A validation analysis of two self‐reported HAM‐D6 versions
Authors: Bech P. , Wilson P. , Wessel T. , Lunde M. , Fava M.
Published: November 2008

Objective:  The six items of the clinician‐administrated Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM‐D6) cover the core items of depressive states reflecting the antidepressive effect of medication. In this study, the two self‐reported versions of the HAM‐D6 have been psychometrically validated to ensure the unidimensionality of this administration form in patients with mild‐to‐moderate depression.

Method:  The item response theory analysis of Mokken was used to test the unidimensionality of both the Interactive Voice Recording System (IVRS) version of the HAM‐D6 and a paper‐and‐pencil self‐reported version (S‐HAM‐D6). Patients with typical major depression and with seasonal affective disorder were included.

Results:  The Mokken analysis showed that the two self‐reported versions of the HAM‐D6 obtained coefficients of homogeneity above 0.40, similar to the clinician‐rated HAM‐D6 and thus implying unidimensionality. By contrast, the full HAM‐D17 versions (self‐reported as well as clinician‐rated) obtained coefficients of homogeneity below 0.40, implying that the HAM‐D17 is a multidimensional scale.

Conclusion:  The analysis show that both the IVRS version and the S‐HAM‐D6 version are unidimensional self‐rating scales for the measurement of depressive states.
Does placement of a connective tissue graft improve the outcomes of coronally advanced flap for coverage of single gingival recessions in upper anterior teeth? A multi‐centre, randomized, double‐blind, clinical trial
Authors: Cortellini Pierpaolo , Tonetti Maurizio , Baldi Carlo , Francetti Luca , Rasperini Giulio , Rotundo Roberto , Nieri Michele , Franceschi Debora , Labriola Antonella , Pini Prato Giovanpaolo
Published: November 2008

Aims: This parallel‐group, multi‐centre, double‐blind, randomized‐controlled clinical trial was undertaken to compare the clinical outcomes and patient morbidity of coronally advanced flap (CAF) alone or in combination with a connective tissue graft (CAF+CTG) in single Miller Class I and II gingival recessions.

Material and Methods: Three centres enrolled 85 patients with one recession each. Surgery was performed elevating a pedicle flap; 42 sites randomly received a graft under the flap. Measurements were taken by blind and calibrated examiners. Outcome measures included recession reduction, complete root coverage (CRC), intra‐operative and post‐operative morbidity, dentine sensitivity, and side effects.

Results: No differences were noted in the intra‐operative and post‐operative patient‐related variables between the two groups. Surgical time was significantly shorter in the CAF group. Recession reduction was not statistically different between the two groups, even though a model showed a tendency towards improved outcomes in sites treated with CAF+CTG (adjusted difference 0.33 mm, 95% CI=−0.06 to 0.72, p=0.1002). Significantly greater probability of CRC was observed after CAF+CTG (adjusted OR=5.09, 95% CI=1.69–17.57, p=0.0033). Dentine hypersensitivity improved in both the groups.

Conclusions: Both treatments were effective in providing a significant reduction of the baseline recession and dentine hypersensitivity, with only limited intra‐operative and post‐operative morbidity and side effects. Adjunctive application of a CTG under a CAF increased the probability of achieving CRC in maxillary Miller Class I and II defects.
A longitudinal study of dental caries risk among very young low SES children
Authors: Warren John J. , Weber‐Gasparoni Karin , Marshall Teresa A. , Drake David R. , Dehkordi‐Vakil Farideh , Dawson Deborah V. , Tharp Katie M.
Published: November 2008

Abstract –  Objectives:  Early childhood caries (ECC) is a challenging public health problem in the United States and elsewhere; however, there is limited information concerning risk factors in very young children. The purpose of this study was to assess baseline risk factors for 18‐month caries prevalence as part of a longitudinal study of high‐risk children.

Methods:  About 212 children, 6–24 months of age were recruited from a rural community in Iowa. Subjects were enrolled in the WIC program, which provides nutritional support for low‐income families with children. Dental examinations using d1, d2–3 criteria were conducted at baseline and after 18 months. Caries prevalence was determined at the frank decay level (d2–3 or filled surfaces), as well as at the noncavitated level (d1), and combined (d1, d2–3 or f surfaces). Risk factor data were collected at baseline and after 9‐ and 18‐ months. These data included beverage consumption data, presence of visible plaque, and use of fluoride toothpaste for children as well as mutans streptococci (MS) levels of mothers and children and family sociodemographic factors.

Results:  About 128 children (60%) remained in the study after 18 months. Among these children, prevalence of d1,d2–3/f level caries increased from 9% to 77%, while d2–3/f level caries increased from 2% to 20%. Logistic regression models for baseline predictors of d2–3f caries at the 18‐month follow‐up found the presence of MS in children (OR = 4.4; 95% CI: 1.4, 13.9) and sugar‐sweetened beverages (OR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.1, 8.6) to be the only significant risk factors. Sociodemographic factors and the use of fluoride toothpaste were not significant in these models.

Conclusions:  Results suggest that early colonization by MS and consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages are significant predictors of ECC in high‐risk populations.
The impact of developmental defects of enamel on young people in the UK
Authors: Marshman Zoe , Gibson Barry , Robinson Peter G
Published: November 2008

Abstract –  Objectives:  To explore the impact of developmental defects of enamel (DDE) on young people, through their experiences of the condition and it’s meaning to their everyday lives.

Methods:  The theoretical framework chosen to guide the study was symbolic interactionism. Qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of people aged 10–15 years with varying severities of DDE were conducted in the young person’s home. The interviews were audio‐taped and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed using constant comparative method. Photographs of participants’ teeth were taken and scored using the Thystrup and Fejerskov index (TFI) and the modified developmental defects of enamel index.

Results:  Twenty‐one participants were interviewed before data saturation occurred. The TFI scores ranged from 0 to 5, 11 participants had diffuse opacities and 5 had demarcated opacities. The impact of DDE was described in terms of the degree to which young people were ‘bothered’ ranging from ‘not bothered’ to ‘really quite bothered’. DDE impacted on individuals whose sense of self was defined by appearance and who depended on perceived approval from others about their appearance. No links between gender, age, severity of DDE and impact were apparent.

Conclusion:  Variations in the impact of DDE were related to defining aspects of sense of self rather than the enamel defects. This research is the first to discover that the sense of self explains variation in the impact of DDE.
Nicotine suppresses bone sialoprotein gene expression
Authors: Nakayama Y. , Mezawa M. , Araki S. , Sasaki Y. , Wang S. , Han J. , Li X. , Takai H. , Ogata Y.
Published: November 2008

Background and Objective:  Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for periodontitis and osteoporosis. Nicotine is a major component of tobacco, and has been reported to inhibit proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. Bone sialoprotein (BSP) is a mineralized tissue‐specific protein expressed by differentiated osteoblasts that appears to function in the initial mineralization of bone. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of nicotine on bone metabolism.

Material and Methods:  We used rat osteobast‐like UMR106 and ROS 17/2.8 cells and rat stromal bone marrow RBMC‐D8 cells. To determine the molecular basis of the transcriptional regulation of the BSP gene by nicotine, we conducted Northern hybridization, transient transfection analyses with chimeric constructs of the BSP gene promoter linked to a luciferase reporter gene and gel mobility shift assays.

Results:  Nicotine (250 μg/mL) decreased the BSP mRNA levels at 12 and 24 h in UMR106 and ROS 17/2.8 cells. From transient transfection assays using various sized BSP promoter–luciferase constructs, nicotine decreased the luciferase activities of the construct, including the promoter sequence nucleotides −116 to +60, in UMR106 and RBMC‐D8 cells. Nicotine decreased the nuclear protein binding to the cAMP response element (CRE), fibroblast growth factor 2 response element (FRE) and homeodomain protein‐binding site (HOX) at 12 and 24 h.

Conclusion:  This study indicates that nicotine suppresses BSP transcription mediated through CRE, FRE and HOX elements in the proximal promoter of the rat BSP gene.
Long‐Distance Movement of Aspergillus nidulans Early Endosomes on Microtubule Tracks
Authors: Abenza Juan F. , Pantazopoulou Areti , Rodríguez José M. , Galindo Antonio , Peñalva Miguel A.
Published: November 2008

In fungal hyphal cells, intracellular membrane trafficking is constrained by the relatively long intracellular distances and the mode of growth, exclusively by apical extension. Endocytosis plays a key role in hyphal tip growth, which involves the coupling of secretory membrane delivery to the apical region with subapical compensatory endocytosis. However, the identity, dynamics and function of filamentous fungal endosomal compartments remain largely unexplored. Aspergillus nidulans RabARab5 localizes to a population of endosomes that show long range bidirectional movement on microtubule (MT) tracks and are labelled with FM4‐64 shortly after dye internalization. RabARab5 membranes do not overlap with largely static mature endosomes/vacuoles. Impaired delivery of dynein to the MT plus ends or downregulation of cytoplasmic dynein using the dynein heavy chain nudA1tsmutation results in accumulation of RabARab5 endosomal membranes in an abnormal NudA1 compartment at the tip, strongly supporting the existence in A. nidulans hyphal tips of a dynein loading region. We show that the SynA synaptobrevin endocytic recycling cargo traffics through this region, which strongly supports the contention that polarized hyphal growth involves the association of endocytic recycling with the plus ends of MTs located at the tip, near the endocytic internalization collar.
Radiotherapy for the management of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
Authors: Ko C , Citrin D
Published: November 2008

Background:  Squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) affect approximately 35 000 people in the United States yearly. Although survival has improved with advances in therapy, patients with advanced stages of SCCHN continue to have a poor prognosis. An understanding of rationale for treatment selection, newer developments in therapy, and treatment toxicity is critical.

Methods:  Standard methods of treating locally advanced SCCHN are reviewed. Advances in medical and radiotherapeutic management are discussed and the toxicities of therapy are described.

Results:  Postoperative chemoradiation is used in patients with high‐risk characteristics. Induction chemotherapy and altered fractionation radiation treatment have been evaluated as alternatives to definitive chemo‐radiotherapy. Targeted agents such as cetuximab may prove to increase survival with minimal increase in toxicity profile. Technological improvements such as the use of intensity‐modulated radiation treatment have proven to decrease some debilitating side effects from radiation treatment.

Conclusions:  Locally advanced SCCHN continues to present a therapeutic challenge. Survival, local control, and quality of life are all goals of treatment. The optimal method of treating locally advanced SCCHN is the subject of ongoing research. Long‐term side effects can be minimized with the use of newer technologies and with careful treatment planning.
Telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans, a form of cutaneous mastocytosis, associated with malignant melanoma
Authors: Kowalzic Lutz , Eickenscheidt Lena , Seidel Christoph , Kribus Sabine , Ziegler Heidrun , Komar Michael
Published: November 2008

A 62‐year‐old obese woman presented with a malignant melanoma (Stage la). In addition, she had disseminated telangiectatic macules on both thighs. Intensive rubbing of lesions resulted in wheals. Biopsy revealed increased numbers of mast cells. We diagnosed telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans, a rare clinical form of adult maculopapular cutaneous mastocytosis, a group which also includes urticaria pigmentosa. No evidence was found for systemic involvement. Possible associations with malignant tumors and the possible role of c‐kit mutations both in development of melanoma and mastocytosis are discussed.
How Young is “Too Young”? Comparative Perspectives on Adolescent Sexual, Marital, and Reproductive Transitions
Authors: Dixon‐Mueller Ruth
Published: November 2008

This study puts forth three criteria for assessing the extent to which the timing of sexual, marital, and reproductive transitions among male and female adolescents could be considered “too young”: (1) the physiological maturation of the body; (2) the cognitive capacity for making safe, informed, and voluntary decisions; and (3) institutionalized concepts of “old enough” for consent to sexual intercourse and marriage as reflected in legal frameworks and international standards. Expansion of the age grouping of adolescence is proposed, from the customary 15–19 into three age categories—early adolescence (ages 10–14, or 10–11 and 12–14), middle adolescence (15–17), and late adolescence (18–19)—to better capture the age‐specific variations in the trajectories of male and female sexual, marital, and reproductive events. An application of the three adolescent development criteria to the timing of transitions observed in Demographic and Health Surveys in 64 developing countries leads to the conclusion that boys and girls aged 14 and younger are universally “too young” to make safe and consensual transitions; that 15–17‐year‐olds may or may not be too young, depending on their circumstances; and that 18‐year‐olds are generally “old enough.” Policies and programs should focus on capacity building and the creation of an enabling environment for making safe and voluntary transitions among all age groups, but particularly among 10–14‐year‐olds, whose sexual and reproductive health and rights are so clearly at stake.
The Start of the Sexual Transition in Mali: Risks and Opportunities
Authors: Sauvain‐Dugerdil Claudine , Gakou Bassoutoura , Berthé Fatou , Dieng Abdoul Wahab , Ritschard Gilbert , Lerch Mathias
Published: November 2008

Analysis of data from a questionnaire survey of 2,000 young Malians undertaken by the authors in 2002 demonstrates that, even in underprivileged urban and rural populations, changes in sexual behavior are emerging. Among women, first sex and motherhood are taking place slightly later, and a minority is now dissociating sexuality and procreation. Our data confirm the considerable impact of female education on this transition. Girls’ sexual activity before procreation is also influenced by lower religiosity. Among men, in contrast, in a traditional context of late sexual debut and fatherhood, the trend is toward earlier sexual activity and procreation. Fatherhood is delayed, however, among better‐educated, wealthier, and less religious urban men, who therefore experience a longer period of sexual activity before they begin to build their own families. The study concludes with an analysis of the possible association of the sexual transition with young people's increased vulnerability resulting from their adoption of risky sexual behaviors and from unfavorable conditions surrounding the arrival of their first child.
Young People's Sexual Partnerships in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa: Patterns, Contextual Influences, and HIV Risk
Authors: Harrison Abigail , Cleland John , Frohlich Janet
Published: November 2008

Certain sexual partnering practices, such as multiple, concurrent, or age‐discrepant partnerships, are known to increase HIV risk. Yet the underlying dynamics of young people's relationships are less clearly understood. Using household survey and qualitative data, this study examines partnership dynamics and characteristics in the context of HIV risk, including number of partners, age differences, partnership duration and concurrency, and frequency of contact among young people aged 15–24 in rural KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. One‐third of the men surveyed reported multiple and/or concurrent partnering, and one‐fourth of the women had partners who were five years older than they were. Nonparticipation in civic organizations or school was correlated with higher‐risk partnerships for women but not for men. On average, relationships lasted more than a year for the women and men surveyed, and were frequently characterized as “serious.” Qualitative findings pointed to the sequential and overlapping nature of relationships, however, with distance and mobility being important influences. These fluid partnership patterns are an important feature of young people's sexual risk in the context of South Africa's severe HIV epidemic.
Sexual Behavior and STI/HIV Status Among Adolescents in Rural Malawi: An Evaluation of the Effect of Interview Mode on Reporting
Authors: Mensch Barbara S. , Hewett Paul C. , Gregory Richard , Helleringer Stephane
Published: November 2008

This study investigates the reporting of premarital sex in rural southern Malawi. It summarizes the results of an interview‐mode experiment conducted with unmarried young women aged 15–21 in which respondents were randomly assigned to either an audio computer‐assisted self‐interview (ACASI) or a conventional face‐to‐face (FTF) interview. In addition, biomarkers were collected for HIV and three STIs: gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis. Prior to collecting the biomarkers, nurses conducted a short face‐to‐face interview in which they repeated questions about sexual behavior. The study builds on earlier research among adolescents in Kenya where we first investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of ACASI. In both Malawi and Kenya, the mode of interviewing and questions about types of sexual partners affect the reporting of sexual activity. Yet the results are not always in accordance with expectations. Reporting for “ever had sex” and “sex with a boyfriend” is higher in the FTF mode. When we ask about other partners as well as multiple lifetime partners, however, the reporting is consistently higher with ACASI, in many cases significantly so. The FTF mode produced more consistent reporting of sexual activity between the main interview and a subsequent interview. The association between infection status and reporting of sexual behavior is stronger in the FTF mode, although in both modes a number of young women who denied ever having sex test positive for STIs/HIV.
The prosthetic need WHO index: a comparison between self‐perception and professional assessment in an elderly population
Authors: Colussi Claudia Flemming , De Freitas Sérgio Fernando Torres , Calvo Maria Cristina Marino
Published: November 2008

The purpose of this study was to consider the criteria for establishing the need for prosthesis, by comparing the need perceived subjectively by a patient (self‐perception) with that assessed by an examiner according to the WHO diagnosis criteria. The proposed domiciliary sample comprised 270 elderly (aged 60 years or older) residents in a municipality in southern Brazil. The interviews and oral examinations were conducted by two dentists following a period of training and calibration. The criteria used conformed to the WHO and FDI standards. Statistical treatment of data included bivariate and multivariate analysis using SPSS 10.0. Only five patients identified the need for a prosthesis when not identified by the examiner. In the case of 172 elderly subjects, there was agreement in the self‐perceived and observed treatment needs. The need for prosthesis was found in 93 elderly subjects who did not perceive any need for prosthetic treatment. The multivariate analysis showed that the variables age, gender, residential area and form of service most sought after during their lives were significantly associated with a better self‐perception of oral health. The professional criteria based on WHO guidelines differed from the self‐perceived need. Elderly male subjects who lived in a rural area and were 70 years of age or more, who did not participate in third age groups, and who had not sought dental services for most of their lives were the least likely to perceive the need for prosthetic treatment, thereby underestimating their oral health needs.
Nurses' Uncertainty in Decision‐Making: A Literature Review
Authors: Cranley Lisa , Doran Diane M. , Tourangeau Ann E. , Kushniruk André , Nagle Lynn
Published: November 2008

Aim: This paper is a report of the results of a review of the literature conducted with the goal of determining how nurses' clinical uncertainty has been conceptualized in the nursing literature.

Background: Although existing research has advanced the body of knowledge regarding the concept of uncertainty in decision‐making, this has been largely from physicians' viewpoints and from patients' perspectives (patients' uncertainty). Understanding how nurses' experience and act on uncertainty remains relatively unreported.

Method: A search of Medline, CINAHL, and PubMed databases was conducted to retrieve literature published from 1990 to 2007. The question guiding the literature review was: How has nurses' clinical uncertainty been conceptualized in nursing literature?

Findings: Little exploration has been done of nurses' experience of uncertainty in practice. Many investigators have not theorized about the uncertainty in their studies, but have described nurses' uncertainty in the context of clinical decision‐making. The findings from these studies indicated that unfamiliarity with the aspects of patient care is a source of uncertainty, and nurses tended to rely on heuristics or on the expertise of colleagues as sources of information for practice decisions. Expressing uncertainties as information needs might help guide information seeking and reduce uncertainty. However, studies indicated that nurses have difficulty recognizing or expressing uncertainties, and as a result, information needs are not recognized and information seeking is not initiated.

Conclusions: A more comprehensive understanding of nurses' uncertainty could lead to the development and implementation of strategies to support nurses in their clinical decision‐making and practice. Descriptions are needed about how nurses experience and respond to uncertainty in their practice, and the influence of uncertainty on their information needs and information seeking.
Comparisons of Acute Physiological Parameters Influencing Outcome in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury and Hemorrhagic Stroke
Authors: Seo WhaSook , Oh HyunSoo
Published: November 2008

Background: Although several factors are known to influence prognosis after acute brain injury, physiologic derangements were found to be associated with, or contributing to, increased mortality and disability in these patients.

Aims: This study was conducted to identify acute physiological parameters that significantly predict outcome and compare the identified parameters in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and hemorrhagic stroke.

Methods: Participants were 190 adult patients with TBI or hemorrhagic stroke who were admitted within 24 hours of injury. Details concerning potential physiological predictors were collected, that is, blood pressure (BP), heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, hematocrit, partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide in arterial blood, serum osmolality, pH, total cholesterol, and glucose levels on admission. Mortality and functional and cognitive ability 6 months after injury were measured as outcome variables.

Results: Most physiological parameters, with the exceptions of blood glucose, total cholesterol, and osmolality, were significant prognostic predictors in TBI and hemorrhagic stroke. However, the physiological parameters and their predictabilities differed in patients with TBI and hemorrhagic stroke, which indicated that physiological predictors depend on chosen outcome and brain injury type.

Conclusions and Implications: In critical care units, the most important aims of nursing care are decreasing mortality and disability rates. In order to achieve such goals, acute physiological parameters such as BP, respiratory rate, heart rate, PaO2, PaCO2, and temperature should be monitored and managed, with the aim of reducing the risk of secondary brain injury.
Marine toxins and the cytoskeleton: okadaic acid and dinophysistoxins
Authors: Vale Carmen , Botana Luis M.
Published: November 2008

Okadaic acid (OA) and its analogs, the dinophysistoxins, are potent inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A. This action is well known to cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal symptons when the toxins reach the digestive tract by ingestion of mollusks. A less well‐known effect of these group of toxins is their effect in the cytoskeleton. OA has been shown to stimulate cell motility, loss of stabilization of focal adhesions and a consequent loss of cytoskeletal organization due to an alteration in the tyrosine‐phosphorylated state of the focal adhesion kinases and paxillin. OA causes cell rounding and loss of barrier properties through mechanisms that probably involve disruption of filamentous actin (F‐actin) and/or hyperphosphorylation and activation of kinases that stimulate tight junction disassembly. Neither methyl okadaate (a weak phosphatase inhibitor) nor OA modify the total amount of F‐actin, but both toxins cause similar changes in the F‐actin cytoskeleton, with strong retraction and rounding, and in many cases cell detachment. OA and dinophysistoxin‐1 (35S‐methylokadaic acid) cause rapid changes in the structural organization of intermediate filaments, followed by a loss of microtubules, solubilization of intermediate filament proteins, and disruption of desmosomes. The detailed pathways that coordinate all these effects are not yet known.
Marine toxins and the cytoskeleton: a new view of palytoxin toxicity
Authors: Louzao M. Carmen , Ares Isabel R. , Cagide Eva
Published: November 2008

Palytoxin is a marine toxin first isolated from zoanthids (genusPalythoa), even though dinoflagellates of the genusOstreopsisare the most probable origin of the toxin.Ostreopsishas a wide distribution in tropical and subtropical areas, but recently these dinoflagellates have also started to appear in the Mediterranean Sea. Two of the most remarkable properties of palytoxin are the large and complex structure (with different analogs, such as ostreocin‐D or ovatoxin‐a) and the extreme acute animal toxicity. The Na+/K+‐ATPase has been proposed as receptor for palytoxin. The marine toxin is known to act on the Na+pump and elicit an increase in Na+permeability, which leads to depolarization and a secondary Ca2+influx, interfering with some functions of cells. Studies on the cellular cytoskeleton have revealed that the signaling cascade triggered by palytoxin leads to actin filament system distortion. The activity of palytoxin on the actin cytoskeleton is only partially associated with the cytosolic Ca2+changes; therefore, this ion represents an important factor in altering this structure, but it is not the only cause. The goal of the present minireview is to compile the findings reported to date about: (a) how palytoxin and analogs are able to modify the actin cytoskeleton within different cellular models; and (b) what signaling mechanisms could be involved in the modulation of cytoskeletal dynamics by palytoxin.
Functional analysis of the aglycone‐binding site of the maize β‐glucosidase Zm‐p60.1
Authors: Dopitová Radka , Mazura Pavel , Janda Lubomír , Chaloupková Radka , Jeřábek Petr , Damborský Jiří , Filipi Tomáš , Kiran Nagavalli S. , Brzobohatý Břetislav
Published: November 2008

β‐Glucosidases such as Zm‐p60.1 (Zea mays) and Bgl4:1 (Brassica napus) have implicated roles in regulating plant development by releasing biologically active cytokinins from O‐glucosides. A key determinant of substrate specificity in Zm‐p60.1 is the F193–F200–W373–F461 cluster. However, despite sharing the same substrates, amino acids in the active sites of Zm‐p60.1 and Bgl4:1 differ dramatically. In members of the Brassicaceae we found a group of β‐glucosidases sharing both high similarity to Bgl4:1 and a consensus motif A‐K‐K‐L corresponding to the F193–F200–W373–F461 cluster. To study the mechanism of substrate specificity further, we generated and analyzed four single (F193A, F200K, W373K and F461L) and one quadruple (F193A–F200K–W373K–F461L) mutants of Zm‐p60.1. The F193A mutant showed a specific increase in affinity for a small polar aglycone, and a deep decrease in kcat compared with the wild‐type. Formation of a cavity with decreased hydrophobicity, and significant consequent alterations in ratios of reactive and non‐reactive complexes, revealed by computer modeling, may explain the observed changes in kinetic parameters of the F193 mutant. The large decrease in kcat for the W373K mutant was unexpected, but the findings are consistent with the F193–aglycone–W373 interaction playing a dual role in the enzyme’s catalytic action; influencing both substrate specificity, and the catalytic rate by fixing the glucosidic bond in a favorable orientation for attack by the catalytic pair. Investigation of the combined effects of all of the mutations in the quadruple mutant of Zm‐p60.1 was precluded by extensive alterations in its structure and almost complete abolition of its enzymatic activity.
DOMESTIC WORKERS ORGANIZE!
Authors: Boris Eileen , Nadasen Premilla
Published: November 2008

This article traces the history of domestic worker organizing in the U.S. It challenges the long‐standing assumption that these—primarily women of color—cleaners, nannies, and elder care providers are unorganizable and assesses the possibilities and limitations of recent organizing efforts. The nature of the occupation—its location in the home, the isolated character of the work, informal arrangements with employers, and exclusions from labor law protection—has fostered community‐based, social movement organizing to build coalitions, reform legislation and draw public attention to the plight of domestic workers. Their successes, as well as the obstacles they encounter, hold lessons for other low‐wage service sector workers in a new global economy. Domestic workers have integrated an analysis of race, class, culture, and gender—a form of social justice feminism—into their praxis, thus formulating innovative class‐based strategies. Yet long‐term reform has remained elusive because of their limited power to shape state policy.
A new method for estimating dark matter halo masses using globular cluster systems
Authors: Spitler L. R. , Forbes D. A.
Published: November 2008

All galaxies are thought to reside within large haloes of dark matter, whose properties can only be determined from indirect observations. The formation and assembly of galaxies is determined from the interplay between these dark matter haloes and the baryonic matter they host. Although statistical relations can be used to approximate how massive a galaxy's halo is, very few individual galaxies have direct measurements of their halo masses. We present a method to directly estimate the total mass of a galaxy's dark halo using its system of globular clusters. The link between globular cluster systems and halo masses is independent of a galaxy's type and environment, in contrast to the relationship between galaxy halo and stellar masses. This trend is expected in models where globular clusters form in early, rare density peaks in the cold dark matter density field and the epoch of reionization was roughly coeval throughout the Universe. We illustrate the general utility of this relation by demonstrating that a galaxy's supermassive black hole mass and global X-ray luminosity are directly proportional to their host dark halo masses, as inferred from our new method.
Four‐rooted mandibular second premolar
Authors: Farmakis Eleftherios‐Terry
Published: November 2008

The diverse morphology of the root canal system of the mandibular premolar is a challenge for the clinician to clean, shape and obturate. A case report of a mandibular second premolar with four fused roots which separated at different levels along the apical third of its root and underwent endodontic treatment is presented, along with a review of the literature.
Rapid Economic Growth: Contributing Factors and Challenges Ahead*
Authors: AHLUWALIA Isher Judge
Published: November 2008

The sustained improvement in the underlying conditions for growth for more than two decades has resulted in lifting the Indian economy from the bottom of the growth heap to one of the fastest growing economies in the world. This paper presents the factors that have contributed to the growth acceleration in India over the past 25 years and the challenges faced by the growth process in the years ahead. The inadequate and poor quality of infrastructure, particularly electricity, the emerging scarcity of skilled labor, and a lagging agricultural sector pose serious medium‐term challenges to the sustainability of high growth, while management of the macroeconomic environment poses more immediate challenges in view of the proliferation of unsustainable and sometimes invisible subsidies, sharp increases in the world prices of food and fuel, and pressure on the exchange rate executed by strong capital inflows.
The Role of Fiscal and Monetary Policies in Sustaining Growth With Stability in India*
Authors: MOHAN Rakesh
Published: November 2008

The performance of the Indian economy in recent years has attracted increasing international interest. This paper focuses on the role of fiscal and monetary policies in the evolution of the Indian economy over the years, with particular attention being given to the reforms undertaken in these policies since the early 1990s. The coordination of fiscal and monetary policies has been crucial in the sequencing of the economic reform process carried out since the early 1990s. Monetary policy aims to maintain a judicious balance between price stability and economic growth. With the opening up of the Indian economy and the spread of financial sector reforms aimed at functional autonomy, prudential strengthening, operational efficiency, and competitiveness of banks, considerations of financial stability have assumed greater importance in recent years alongside the increasing openness of the Indian economy. The biggest challenge facing the conduct of fiscal and monetary policy in India is to continue the accelerated growth process while maintaining price and financial stability. Therefore, the self‐imposed rule‐based fiscal correction at both the national and subnational levels has to be consolidated and carried forward. The existence of a high level of fiscal deficit also contributes to the persistence of an interest rate differential with the rest of the world, which then also constrains progress toward full capital account convertibility. The success achieved in revenue buoyancy through tax rationalization and compliance has to be strengthened further.
Internationalization of Indian Enterprises: Patterns, Strategies, Ownership Advantages, and Implications*
Authors: KUMAR Nagesh
Published: November 2008

The recent spate of large cross‐border acquisitions – for example, Tata Steel–Corus, Hindalco–Novelis, and Tata Motors–Jaguar/Land Rover – and greenfield investments by Indian companies have helped in focusing attention on the emergence of new corporate players on the global scene. India's emergence as a source of foreign direct investment outflows is impressive for its level of development. It is argued that the destinations, sectoral composition, motivations, and entry strategies of Indian investments have been changing with magnitudes. This paper examines the sources of Indian companies’ ownership advantages and trends, patterns, and implications. It has been argued that the source of their ownership or competitive advantage lies in their accumulation of skills for managing large multilocation operations across diverse cultures in India and in their ability to deliver value for money with their “frugal engineering skills” honed up while catering to the larger part of income pyramid in India.
The Role of Trade and International Economic Policy in Indian Economic Performance*
Authors: KRUEGER Anne O.
Published: November 2008

India's economic policies have undergone major reforms since the early 1990s. Before that, government regulation and control of economic activity was pervasive, and the trade sector did very poorly. One consequence was that imports were highly restricted and their scarcity was itself a major constraint on growth. After the crisis of the early1990s, trade policy was substantially liberalized. In this paper, the pre‐1990s regime is first briefly described. Thereafter, the economic policy reforms that impinged most directly on the trade sector are set forth, and the response of exports and imports to those changes is outlined. Exports have grown rapidly, from about 5% of the gross domestic product to around 15%, and they continue to grow at an average annual rate of 20%. Improved performance of the trade sector has been a major contributing factor to India's dramatically accelerated growth performance. A final section of this paper assesses the current situation, and sets forth the major policy challenges that will need to be met if that performance is to be sustained, if not improved upon.
Economic Reforms and Human Development Indicators in India*
Authors: JHA Raghbendra
Published: November 2008

This paper sketches the contours of progress in India across a broad range of human development indicators, especially those related to the Millennium Development Goals. This paper also considers the slackening of the drop in poverty reduction since the 1990s (as compared to the 1980s) and the theme of increasing personal and regional inequality in India in the post‐reforms period. It also considers the even more persistent incidence of hunger in India and concludes by assessing the potential role of public policy in addressing the twin problems of slowdown in poverty alleviation and reduction of hunger.
The Political Economy of India's Economic Reforms*
Authors: MUKHERJI Rahul
Published: November 2008

This paper analyzes the history of the relationship between the state and the private sector in India. It concludes that India's economic reforms, which made development policy more dependent on international trade and private initiative, depended on the evolution of technocratic and political conviction. Reformers needed the support of financial crises for overcoming the powerful vested interests opposed to reforms. Successful reforms involved largely homegrown strategies of policy and institutional change. They have produced impressive growth rates and have benefited the rich and the middle class. The challenge for development and sustainable reforms is to make it more inclusive for poor farmers and unorganized workers.
Controlling the Body: Muslim Feminists Debating Women's Rights in Indonesia
Authors: Van Doorn‐Harder Pieternella
Published: November 2008

This essay discusses several scholarly and activist projects undertaken by Muslim feminists in Indonesia who aim at strengthening the basic human rights of women based on Islamic teachings. Highlighted in this article are the activities that focus on a woman's agency of choice; especially in matters pertaining to her body. According to these feminists, male interpretations of the Qur’an and its related texts of Hadith and Jurisprudence (Fiqh) combined with local and cultural influences led to misogynist teachings. By re‐interpreting these religious sources according to contemporary needs and contexts, they strive to retrieve the underlying Qur’anic message of justice with the goal of influencing patterns of expectations concerning a woman's role and position as constructed by her religious, social, and economic environment.
What Every Beginning Student Needs to Know about Nineteenth‐Century Protestant Theology
Authors: Capetz Paul E.
Published: November 2008

The nineteenth century was a major turning point in the history of Protestant theology as theologians and philosophers sought to respond to the challenges raised by the Enlightenment to the medieval worldview. In addition to the innovations within the discipline of Christian theology in particular, this century also witnessed the emergence of non‐theological approaches to the study of religion in general. This essay introduces students to the most influential of these developments and their ongoing significance for theological and religious thought today.
Towards a New Understanding of Jewish Language in the Twenty‐First Century
Authors: Benor Sarah Bunin
Published: November 2008

This article outlines some debates and issues in the field of Jewish linguistics and offers a research agenda for comparative analysis of Jewish languages. This agenda builds on previous research, especially on Yiddish and Judezmo (Judeo‐Spanish), but also incorporates data on the language of contemporary Jews (especially Jewish English), as well as theories and methods from variationist sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology. Based on a new understanding of Jewish language as a distinctively Jewish repertoire rather than a separate system, this research agenda aims to provide a more nuanced and unified understanding of the phenomenon of Jewish language.
Process Theology and the Problem of Evil
Authors: Woell John W. , Howe J. Thomas
Published: November 2008

This essay offers a brief history of process theology and a sense of its current concerns by discussing the varying responses to the problem of evil within that history. From within the wellspring of process theism, it is possible to argue cogently for both a God whose moral perfection is maintained and a God whose moral ambiguity is emphasized. It is possible as well to argue for both a God whose divine justice eventually transforms all evil and a God whose divine complexity maintains the messiness of the actual world.
Making Sense of ‘Sufism’ in the Indian Subcontinent: A Survey of Trends
Authors: Green Nile
Published: November 2008

This article provides a summary of developments in recent decades in the study of Sufism in South Asia (referred to here as the Indian subcontinent). Beginning with the highly influential formulation of Sufism as Islamic ‘mysticism’, it analyses the serious shortcomings of this category, before moving on to assess the impact of anthropological, socio‐historical and post‐structuralist approaches to Sufism in the subcontinent. A final section considers issues surrounding the roles of the Sufis in the relationship between Islam and Hinduism. In pointing to areas that have not been investigated as well as those that have been, the article aims to be of use to graduate students seeking research projects as well as undergraduates and scholars from other disciplines seeking an overview of the field.
Risks, Writing, Memory, and Intentions: Reflections on the Process of Creating Introductory Texts on Buddhism and Hinduism
Authors: Olson Carl
Published: November 2008

This essay is intended to assist other scholars who might be writing or thinking about beginning to write an introductory textbook for use in college‐level courses. After recently completing contracts to produce four texts, this essay is an attempt to share my experience with others in order to make potential authors more aware of the publishing process and the kinds of things that one might have to consider or encounter.
On Spirituality: Natural and Non‐natural
Authors: Ellis Thomas B.
Published: November 2008

Discussions pertaining to method and theory in the study of religion often address the problems and concerns regarding definitions. Precise definitions reflect the maturity of a discipline. The ubiquity of ‘spirituality’ in scholarly literature is matched only by its persistent imprecision. What is spirituality? This article presents a precise definition. Employing terror management theory, sociometer theory, attachment theory, and death anxiety studies, I argue that spirituality is existential self‐esteem misrecognized. There are two types of spirituality. Natural spirituality reflects a symbolic immortality project; non‐natural spirituality reflects a literal immortality project. Where the former is possible, the latter is impossible.