bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Safety of Carvedilol in Treatment of Heart Failure with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Wali Ravinder K. , Iyengar Malini , Beck Gerald J. , Chartyan David M. , Chonchol Michel , Lukas Mary Ann , Cooper Christopher , Himmelfarb Jonathan , Weir Matthew R. , Berl Tomas , Henrich William L. , Cheung Alfred K.
Published: October 2010

Background—

The safety and efficacy of different types of β-blocker therapy in patients with non–dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) and systolic heart failure (HF) are not well described. We assessed whether treatment of systolic HF with carvedilol is efficacious and safe in adults with CKD.

Methods and Results—

We performed a post hoc analysis of pooled individual patient data (n=4217) from 2 multinational, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trials, CAPRICORN (Carvedilol Postinfarct Survival Control in Left Ventricular Dysfunction Study) and COPERNICUS (Carvedilol Prospective Randomized, Cumulative Survival study). Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included cardiovascular mortality, HF mortality, first HF hospitalization, the composite of cardiovascular mortality or first HF hospitalization, and sudden cardiac death. Non–dialysis-dependent CKD was defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤60 mL/min/1.73 m
2
, using the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. CKD was present in 2566 of 4217 (60.8%) of the cohort, 50.4% of whom were randomly assigned to carvedilol therapy. Within the CKD group, treatment with carvedilol decreased the risks of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63 to 0.93;
P
=0.007), cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.94;
P
=0.011), HF mortality (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.88;
P
=0.003), first hospitalization for HF (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.88;
P
=0.0009), and the composite of cardiovascular mortality or HF hospitalization (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.87;
P
<0.001) but was without significant effect on sudden cardiac death (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.56 to 1.05;
P
=0.098). There was no significant interaction between treatment arm and study type. Carvedilol was generally well tolerated by both groups of patients, with an increased relative incidence in transient increase in serum creatinine without need for dialysis and other electrolyte changes in the CKD patients. However, in a sensitivity analysis among HF subjects with estimated glomerular filtration rate <45 mL/min/1.73 m
2
(CKD stage 3b), the efficacy of carvedilol was not significantly different from placebo.

Conclusions—

This analysis suggests that the benefits of carvedilol therapy in patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction with or without symptoms of HF are consistent even in the presence of mild to moderate CKD. Whether carvedilol therapy is similarly efficacious in HF patients with more advanced kidney disease requires further study.
PDE5 Inhibition With Sildenafil Improves Left Ventricular Diastolic Function, Cardiac Geometry, and Clinical Status in Patients With Stable Systolic Heart Failure
Authors: Guazzi Marco , Vicenzi Marco , Arena Ross , Guazzi Maurizio D.
Published: October 2010

Background—

In heart failure (HF), a defective nitric oxide signaling is involved in left ventricular (LV) diastolic abnormalities and remodeling. PDE5 inhibition, by blocking degradation of nitric oxide second-messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate, might be beneficial. In a cohort of systolic HF patients, we tested the effects of PDE5 inhibition (sildenafil) on LV ejection fraction, diastolic function, cardiac geometry, and clinical status.

Methods and Results—

Forty-five HF patients (New York Heart Association class II-III) were randomly assigned to placebo or sildenafil (50 mg three times per day) for 1 year, with assessment (6 months and 1 year) of LV ejection fraction, diastolic function, geometry, cardiopulmonary exercise performance, and quality of life. In the sildenafil group only, at 6 months and 1 year, LV ejection fraction, early diastolic tissue Doppler velocities (E′) at the mitral lateral (from 4.62 to 5.20 and 5.19 m/s) and septal (from 4.71 to 5.23 and 5.24 m/s) annuli significantly increased, whereas the ratio of early transmitral (E) to E′ lateral decreased (from 13.1 to 9.8 to 9.4) (
P
<0.01). Changes were accompanied by a reverse remodeling of left atrial volume index (from 32.0 to 29.0 and 29.1 mL/m
2
;
P
<0.01) and LV mass index (from 148.0 to 130.0 and 128.0 g/m
2
;
P
<0.01). Furthermore, sildenafil improved exercise performance (peak V
o
2
), ventilation efficiency (ventilation to CO
2
production slope), and quality of life (
P
<0.01). Minor adverse effects were noted: flushing in 4 and headache in 2 treated patients.

Conclusions—

Findings confirm that in HF, sildenafil improves functional capacity and clinical status and provide the first human evidence that LV diastolic function and cardiac geometry are additional targets of benefits related to chronic PDE5 inhibition.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00975494.
Delta-Sarcoglycan Gene Therapy Halts Progression of Cardiac Dysfunction, Improves Respiratory Failure, and Prolongs Life in Myopathic Hamsters
Authors: Hoshijima Masahiko , Hayashi Takeharu , Jeon Young E. , Fu Zhenxing , Gu Yusu , Dalton Nancy D. , Ellisman Mark H. , Xiao Xiao , Powell Frank L. , Ross John
Published: October 2010

Background—

The BIO14.6 hamster provides a useful model of hereditary cardiomyopathies and muscular dystrophy. Previous δ-sarcoglycan (δSG) gene therapy (GT) studies were limited to neonatal and young adult animals and prevented the development of cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction. GT of a pseudophosphorylated mutant of phospholamban (S16EPLN) moderately alleviated the progression of cardiomyopathy.

Methods and Results—

We treated 4-month-old BIO14.6 hamsters with established cardiac and skeletal muscle diseases intravenously with a serotype-9 adeno–associated viral vector carrying δSG alone or in combination with S16EPLN. Before treatment at age 14 weeks, the left ventricular fractional shortening by echocardiography was 31.3% versus 45.8% in normal hamsters. In a randomized trial, GT halted progression of left ventricular dilation and left ventricular dysfunction. Also, respiratory function improved. Addition of S16EPLN had no significant additional effects. δSG-GT prevented severe degeneration of the transverse tubular system in cardiomyocytes (electron tomography) and restored distribution of dystrophin and caveolin-3. All placebo-treated hamsters, except animals removed for the hemodynamic study, died with heart failure between 34 and 67 weeks of age. In the GT group, signs of cardiac and respiratory failure did not develop, and animals lived for 92 weeks or longer, an age comparable to that reported in normal hamsters.

Conclusion—

GT was highly effective in BIO14.6 hamsters even when given in late-stage disease, a finding that may carry implications for the future treatment of hereditary cardiac and muscle diseases in humans.
Representing China: Lin Yutang vs. American “China Hands” in the 1940s
Authors: Qian Suoqiao
Published: October 2010

In the 1930s and 1940s, American representations of China were divided between pro-Nationalist groups, notably Henry Luce's media enterprise, and a host of “China Hands” accused of being pro-Communist. Though these “China Hands” came from diff erent professions – journalists (Edgar Snow, Theodore White), academics (Owen Lattimore, John Fairbank), political activists (Agnes Smedley) – they formed a distinct group of American liberal cosmopolitan intellectuals. They achieved their cultural capital through their writings on China as “China experts.” Unlike their predecessors, they were Progressive liberals who allied themselves with the cause of China's modernization. But their vision ran against that of a Chinese cosmopolitan intellectual – Lin Yutang. With the initial support of Pearl Buck, Lin became the most well-known liberal intellectual from China and the self-styled cultural and political spokesman on U.S.-China relations in the 1940s America. Lin's debate with the “China Hands” over American representation of China spelled the end of his “American success.” By revisiting this debate, I do not want to re-invoke the issue of “Who Lost China?” Instead, this article maps out a critical terrain for understanding and questioning liberal cosmopolitan diff erence over American representations of China.
American Military Misconduct in Shanghai and the Chinese Civil War: The Case of Zang Dayaozi
Authors: Wilkinson Mark
Published: October 2010

In September 1946, an American navy sailor killed a Chinese ricksha puller named Zang Dayaozi in a pointless dispute over an allegedly unpaid fare. The American military shielded the assailant from justice, with the frustrated acquiescence of the Nationalist authorities. This seemingly minor event illustrates that the century-old patterns of personal abuse and legal privilege did not completely evaporate when the “unequal treaty” system ended in 1943. In the context of the Chinese Civil War, the event takes on political significance as well. Critics of the Guomindang government used the episode to illustrate the destructive impact of American interventionism and the callous disregard of the Nanjing government for its own people. Communist propagandists linked Zang's death with the more famous rape of a Chinese college student involving two American Marines in Beiping. The episode further illustrates that American service personnel stationed abroad play multiple roles, interacting with the locals in particular “contact zones” but also serving as the personification of American foreign policy.
Participating in Nation-Building: The Role of the “Military Government Police” in South Korean Politics, 1946-1948
Authors: Kim Jinwung
Published: October 2010

This study analyzes the role of the “military government police” in South Korean politics during American military occupation, 1946-48. It stresses that the Korean National Police (KNP), many of whose members had served in the police under the Japanese, was not a mere instrument of the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) but functioned as an active participant in the creation of a rightist regime in southern Korea. More specifically, the police were the undisputed “vanguard” of the rightist Syngman Rhee-Korean Democratic Party (KDP) coalition. The police force also functioned as the “big brother” of the rightist youth organizations which shared values and ideology with them. Finally, the police served as the “midwife” in the creation of the Rhee regime in the Republic of Korea. In sum, the KNP was an important political player actively taking part in the political process during U.S. military occupation.
No Lost Chance in China: The False Realism of American Foreign Service Officers, 1943-1945
Authors: Wang Jingbin
Published: October 2010

This article reexamines the question of whether a chance was lost for the U.S. government to develop relations with Mao's China in the 1940s. I focus on John S. Service and John Paton Davies, seeking along the way to illuminate the ideological roots of the Truman administration's nonrecognition policy toward China. I argue that proponents of the “lost chance” thesis have misapplied the concept of realism in diplomacy, since realism is primarily concerned with power and security, not ideology such as democracy. These proponents overlook the assumptions on which American diplomats and leaders operated. The China Hands assumed that the Chinese Communists were social democrats, not revolutionaries controlled by Stalin. Dean Acheson embraced Davies's assumption that Mao would reassert nationalism upon assuming power and might still be drawn away from Moscow toward Washington. Far from being realists, they were deeply ideological. They disagreed with their domestic rivals within a liberal consensus. None of them had the intention of recognizing a Communist government in China. This study reveals how unspoken shared assumptions shaped not only the dynamics of American policymaking toward China during World War II and in its aftermath, but also the work of many historians who have written about the “lost chance.”
Dust Devil–Like Vortices in an Urban Area Detected by a 3D Scanning Doppler Lidar
Authors: Fujiwara Chusei , Yamashita Kazuya , Nakanishi Mikio , Fujiyoshi Yasushi
Published: November 2010

Atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) observations were conducted in an urban area (Sapporo, Japan) from April 2005 to July 2007 using a three-dimensional scanning coherent Doppler lidar. During this period, 50 dust devil–like vortices were detected in the area; they occurred during the daytime and were located at vertices or in the branches of convective cells (“fishnet” patterns of wind field). The diameters of the vortex cores ranged from 30 to 120 m, and maximum vorticity ranged from 0.15 to 0.26 s−1. More than 60% of the vortices were cyclonic; the rest were anticyclonic. The tangential velocity component of the strongest vortex varied from −5.4 to +1.4 m s−1, and the signal-to-noise ratio was weak in the core. Temporal changes were observed in the three-dimensional structures of two vortices from 1330 to 1354 (Japan standard time) 14 April 2005, and the temporal evolution of the stronger vortex was studied. The vortex initially formed along a low-level convergence line in a fishnet and developed vertically. Its vorticity increased with time in association with shrinkage in the core diameter.
Leader Preparation Special Issue: Implications for Policy, Practice, and Research
Authors: Pounder Diana G.
Published: October 2010

Findings: This article briefly summarizes the nature and findings of the studies presented in this EAQ Special Issue on Leadership Preparation. Conclusions: Implications for future leader preparation practice, policy, and research are discussed.
A Review of Three Decades of Doctoral Studies Using the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale: A Lens on Methodological Progress in Educational Leadership
Authors: Hallinger Philip
Published: October 2010

Background: This report continues in the lineage of reviews of research in educational leadership and management by examining methodological approaches used by doctoral researchers in studying principal instructional leadership. Research Design: The article reviews the full set of 130 doctoral dissertations completed over the past three decades that used the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS). The report analyzes trends in the research foci, conceptual models, research designs, and statistical methods employed in these studies. Findings: The study finds that interest in instructional leadership among scholars and practitioners remained strong throughout the period of the review, the PIMRS has proven a reliable and valid data collection tool, and the use of research methodology has improved in several specific areas. Nonetheless, the results also suggest that the conceptual frameworks and methodologies used by these doctoral students were, on the whole, inadequate for the task of contributing to either the theoretical or the practical knowledge base in this field. This impression of weak knowledge accumulation was further reinforced by a citation analysis that found limited citations of the dissertations by other researchers in the field at large or by the dissertation authors themselves. These conclusions applied equally to EdD and PhD dissertations, regardless of the level of research university from which they were produced. Conclusions: The review adds empirical evidence of trends in research quality gathered over a 30-year period to the renewed debate over the purpose and direction of the doctoral dissertation in this professional field.
Relational Strategies in After-School Settings
Authors: Jones Jeffrey N. , Deutsch Nancy L.
Published: October 2010

Staff–youth relationships are a key strength of after-school settings, though more research is needed to understand the actual processes whereby these interpersonal connections lead to beneficial outcomes. This qualitative study focuses on the relational strategies that staff employ within an urban youth organization, and the ways in which those strategies contribute to a positive developmental climate. Researchers observed staff–youth interactions for a year and conducted a series of interviews with 17 youth between the ages of 12 and 18. We found three specific relational strategies that staff used to develop relationships with youth. These were minimizing relational distance, active inclusion, and attention to proximal relational ties. These strategies contribute to an overall supportive culture, suggesting a relational pedagogy in this after-school setting. The staff–youth relationships serve as the foundation for both youth engagement in programs and the promotion of positive developmental outcomes.
Desire under attack: Attachment orientations and the effects of relationship threat on sexual motivations
Authors: Birnbaum Gurit E. , Weisberg Yanna J. , Simpson Jeffry A.
Published: October 2010

The authors examined the effects of relationship threat on sexual motivations. In two studies, participants imagined relationship or non-relationship threat scenes and then rated their desire to have sex (Study 1) and the reasons for doing so (Study 2). The results indicated that relationship threat prompted both enhancement and relationship-based motives, suggesting that people use sex to both feel better and repair the threatened relationship. Avoidantly attached individuals were least likely to desire their partner, implying that they use distancing strategies when confronted with relational threat. Anxiously attached individuals were least likely to be motivated by hedonistic reasons, possibly reflecting their difficulties in enjoying sex when flooded with relationship worries. Implications for understanding the functional meaning of sex in romantic relationships are discussed.
A case of SUNCT syndrome responsive to zonisamide
Authors: Ikawa Masako , Imai Noboru , Manaka Shinya
Published: October 2010

Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) is a rare headache syndrome that represents a subtype of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia thought to be highly refractory to treatment. More recently, numerous anticonvulsant agents including lamotrigine, topiramate, gabapentin, and carbamazepine have been reported to be partially or completely effective for treating SUNCT. We report the case of a patient with SUNCT in whom symptoms were completely relieved with carbamazepine at 600 mg/day. However, carbamazepine had to be discontinued due to severe rash. Zonisamide was selected for continued treatment, as a Na-channel blocker like carbamazepine but with lower risk of producing skin rashes as caused by carbamazepine. Attacks ceased completely with 300 mg/day of zonisamide achieving a blood serum level of 19μg/ml. This is the first case report to describe zonisamide alone completely eliminating SUNCT symptoms. Zonisamide should be considered a viable candidate drug for the treatment of SUNCT.
Thermocouple Response in Fires, Part 1: Considerations in Flame Temperature Measurements by a Thermocouple
Authors: Brundage Aaron L. , Burl Donaldson A. , Gill Walt , Kearney Sean P. , Nicolette Vern F. , Yilmaz Nadir
Published: November 2010

This PIRT exercise identifies a number of factors which can influence thermocouple readings made in fires. Identified factors are: (a) the fuel/oxidizer equivalence ratio and its effect on readings, (b) the influence of the state of oxidation and variation with time for the thermocouple sheath, (c) the convection coefficient models and how experimental readings are influenced by thermocouple diameter and yaw angle, (d) response time of a MIMS thermocouple, and (e) thermocouple end effects.
Local Coherence in Persuasive Writing: An Exploration of Chilean Students’ Metalinguistic Knowledge, Writing Process, and Writing Products
Authors: Concha Soledad , Paratore Jeanne R.
Published: October 2010

This study focused on 12th-grade Chilean students’ ability to produce locally coherent persuasive texts and on the cognitive basis that underlies this ability. All the participants wrote persuasive texts and answered a test of recognition of incoherent sequences. A subsample wrote another persuasive text while thinking aloud and had a semistructured interview about the text composed. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze local coherence (LC) in students’ writing and the relation between products and students’ ability to recognize, explain, and self-regulate LC. The majority of students composed texts that were mostly coherent although ideas were presented in long unstructured sequences that did not use the more sophisticated LC resources to construct their reasons and opinions in writing. Findings suggest an association between being able to recognize incoherent sequences, using more sophisticated LC resources in writing, and being able to explain and self regulate LC during writing.
Dating and Sex Among Emerging Adults in Nepal
Authors: Regmi Pramod R. , van Teijlingen Edwin R. , Simkhada Padam , Acharya Dev R.
Published: November 2010

Social and cultural changes in Nepal, including better communication facilities and transport, more urbanization and a rising age at which people marry, have created more opportunities for young people for “dating.” Our qualitative study explores whether the existence of dating cultures influences young people’s sexual behavior in Nepal. Focus group discussions with a total of 75 participants and 31 in-depth individual interviews were conducted among young people in Nepal. Most urban and rural young people liked the dating culture. Although it is a new kind of culture in Nepalese society, it is gaining popularity. The mass media were regarded as encouraging and creating an environment for dating. Most participants believed that dating culture encourages premarital and extramarital sexual behavior. The authors underpin their findings by linking it to the “emerging adulthood” framework. In terms of public health, they recommend that dating practice should be discussed in formal and informal education to promote safer sex.
Predictors of Body Satisfaction: Differences Between Older Men and Women’s Perceptions of Their Body Functioning and Appearance
Authors: de Souto Barreto Philipe , Ferrandez Anne-Marie , Guihard-Costa Anne-Marie
Published: November 2010

Objective: This article examines the predictors of body satisfaction among older men and women. Method: A self-reported questionnaire on body satisfaction (focused on body appearance and functioning), health, physical activity, and sociodemographic characteristics was completed by 384 older adults twice, at a year’s interval. Women ( n = 243) were on average 70.3 ± 7.9 years old, and men 70.9 ± 7.5 years old. Results: Body mass index was found to be the strongest predictor of satisfaction with body appearance for both genders, along with body functioning in the case of men. Regarding satisfaction with body functioning, functional limitations were women’s most important predictor of satisfaction, whereas for men body appearance was more important. Discussion: Men seemed to link satisfaction with body appearance more closely to body functioning than did women. Gender differences suggest that interventions to improve body satisfaction must be gender specific, particularly those relating to body functioning.
Navigating neoliberal networks: Transnational Internet platforms in sport for development and peace
Authors: Hayhurst Lyndsay MC , Wilson Brian , Frisby Wendy
Published: November 2010

Internet platforms are increasingly becoming strategic tools for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in international development to collaborate, share information, and gain legitimacy. Drawing on the literature on neoliberalism, sport for development, globalization and networking through communication technologies, this article examines the interpretations of staff working in Canadian and Swiss sport for development and peace (SDP) NGOs on the role of the Platform, while also exploring the challenges and benefits of the Platform for each NGO. Qualitative research methods were utilized, including a content analysis of documents on the Platform and the two NGO websites, along with interviews with staff from both NGOs. The findings revealed, on one hand, that staff for both NGOs were concerned about the Platform’s potential to support collaboration amongst organizations that: a) are frequently in competition with one another – a feature of NGO culture in a neoliberal political environment; and b) commonly adopt divergent approaches to SDP work. On the other hand, both NGOs acknowledged that the Platform and the UN-endorsed International Year of Sport and Physical Education were at times useful for disseminating and legitimizing SDP globally, although the potential of new media technologies has not been realized because of inequalities within and around the NGO community. Implications of the findings along with ideas for future research are discussed.
Dynamics of Piezoelectric Smart Beams Using a Three-Parameter Elastic Foundation Model
Authors: Wang Jialai , Zeng Shixin
Published: November 2010

Piezoelectric patches are usually externally bonded to host structures as sensors and/or actuators. The performance and integrity of this type of smart structures are determined by the interface stresses within the adhesive layer. In this study, the dynamic behavior of a piezoelectric smart beam is analyzed using a novel three-parameter elastic foundation model. Closed-form solutions of the deformations, interfacial stresses, strain transfer, and sensing charge output are obtained. The new interfacial stress solutions overcome the inherent shortcomings in the existing two-parameter elastic foundation model by not only satisfying the zero shear stress boundary condition at the free edge, but also correctly predicting two different peeling stress distributions along the piezoelectric patch/adhesive interface and the host beam/adhesive interface. When the thick adhesive layer is used, the present three-parameter elastic foundation model exhibits high accuracy; while the existing two-parameter elastic foundation model significantly overestimates the response of the smart beam.
Captive Audience? Strategies for Acquiring Food in Two Detroit Neighborhoods
Authors: Rose Daniel J.
Published: November 2010

Research has shown elevated rates of diet-related health problems in Detroit, Michigan compared to state and national averages. Using 47 in-depth interviews of African American residents in two Detroit neighborhoods, I examine the interplay between agency and social structure in food acquisition. Participants discussed numerous difficulties obtaining food, including availability, cost, quality, and accessibility. Residents employed many strategies to address these issues, including carefully examining food before purchase, sharing transportation to leave the neighborhood, and using multiple sources. However, the potential to pursue food acquisition strategies varied, in part, according to community contextual factors, including resident concerns about safety, the availability of food banks, and resources in surrounding areas. Nutritional knowledge among participants was sophisticated, suggesting that health education efforts, as opposed to addressing lack of access to high-quality food, might be misguided. I found that accounting for both agency and structural context aids in understanding diet-related behaviors.
Modeling of Ductile Damage and Fracture Behavior Based on Different Micromechanisms
Authors: Brünig Michael , Albrecht Daniel , Gerke Steffen
Published: November 2010

The article deals with the effect of stress triaxiality on the inelastic deformation behavior of aluminum alloys. The proposed continuum model takes into account stress triaxiality dependence of the yield condition as well as of the damage criterion and the fracture condition with different branches corresponding to various damage and failure modes depending on the stress triaxiality and the Lode parameter. Results of numerical cell simulations on the microscale are presented and corresponding identification of micromechanically motivated material parameters is discussed. Furthermore, numerical results of three-dimensional macromechanical finite element analyses are compared with experimental data obtained from smooth and pre-notched tension specimens. The analyses allow verification of the continuum model and identification of further material parameters.
An Attributional Analysis of Reactions to Poverty: The Political Ideology of the Giver and the Perceived Morality of the Receiver
Authors: Weiner Bernard , Osborne Danny , Rudolph Udo
Published: November 2010

An attributional analysis of reactions to poverty is presented. The article begins by discussing the perceived causes of poverty and their taxonomic properties (locus, stability, and controllability). One antecedent of causal beliefs, political ideology, is then examined in detail, followed by a review of the effects of causal beliefs on emotions and behavior. It is contended that helping the poor is a moral issue, but the moral evaluation concerns the targeted recipient of aid rather than the potential help giver. Persons perceived as responsible for their plight, a dominant construal for conservatives, elicit anger and neglect. In contrast, those seen as not responsible for their financial hardship, an outlook predominantly endorsed by liberals, arouse sympathy and help giving. Sympathy is the most important proximal determinant of aid. This analysis is extended to reactions to achievement failure, abortion, and rape. Policy implications are also examined.
A regulatory fit perspective in majority versus minority support to attitudes toward homosexuals
Authors: Falomir-Pichastor Juan M. , Mugny Gabriel , Gabarrot Fabrice , Quiamzade Alain
Published: October 2010

Three studies examined the attitude toward homosexuals as a function of regulatory focus and social support for non-discrimination. Regulatory orientation toward non-discrimination was measured by differentiating promotion and prevention emotions when anticipating a non-discriminatory (studies 1 and 2) and a discriminatory interaction with homosexuals (study 2). Study 3 assessed attitude toward non-discrimination through a social dominance orientation (SDO) scale and manipulated experimentally regulatory focus. Across the three studies, social support was manipulated by informing participants that either a majority or a minority of the Swiss population supported non-discrimination in general (study 1), or specifically toward homosexuals (studies 2 and 3). Results showed more positive attitudes toward homosexuals when non-discriminatory participants were regulated in terms of prevention focus and non-discrimination was supported by a majority, and when non-discriminatory participants were regulated in terms of promotion focus and non-discrimination was supported by a minority. These findings are consistent with a regulatory fit perspective on the interplay between regulatory focus and social support.
Investigating Allegations of Pointshaving in NCAA Basketball Using Actual Sportsbook Betting Percentages
Authors: Paul Rodney J. , Weinbach Andrew P.
Published: October 2010

Detailed gambling market data are used to investigate allegations of pointshaving in college basketball by Wolfers. Data on actual sportsbook betting percentages on favorites and underdogs and changes in pointspreads are used to test for evidence of corruption by players and/or coaches of NCAA basketball teams. After establishing a rejection of the balanced book hypothesis, the authors test for corruption in a variety of ways by investigating the games that Wolfers describes as likely situations for pointshaving, specifically games involving big underdogs. In a variety of tests, which include differences in betting percentages on big underdogs who cover and do not cover the pointspread, betting simulations based on thresholds of percentage bet on underdogs, analysis of pointspread movements toward big underdogs, and an analysis of coaches and programs that meet the conditions of Wolfers, little evidence is found to suggest rampant pointshaving in this market.
Time on Camera
Authors: Groothuis Peter A. , Groothuis Jana D. , Rotthoff Kurt W.
Published: October 2010

National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing’s (NASCAR) monetary reward structure uses a linear payout for races, with a nonlinear payout for the season long tournament. The authors suggest that the season long nonlinear payout is magnified by taking into consideration the value of sponsorship time on camera and sponsor mentions during a race on TV. Given the importance of corporate sponsorship in NASCAR, the authors suggest that performance in a race provides additional benefits that are not captured in the monetary payout.
Effect of Balance Training on Postural Instability in Patients With Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Smania Nicola , Corato Elisabetta , Tinazzi Michele , Stanzani Clementina , Fiaschi Antonio , Girardi Paolo , Gandolfi Marialuisa
Published: November 2010

Background. Postural instability (PI) is a disabling sign of Parkinson’s disease (PD) not easily amenable to treatment with medication. Objective. To evaluate the effects of balance training on PI in patients with PD. Methods. A total of 64 patients with PI were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 33) for balance training or to the control group (n = 31) for general physical exercises. Each patient received 21 treatment sessions of 50 minutes each. Patients were evaluated by a blinded rater before and after treatment as well as 1 month posttreatment using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), postural transfer test, self-destabilization of the center of foot pressure test, number of falls, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), modified Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) Staging Scale, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results .At the end of treatment, the experimental group showed significant improvements in all outcome measures, except for the UPDRS and the H&Y scale. Improvement was maintained at the 1-month follow-up in all outcome measures except for the GDS. No significant changes in performance were observed in the control group. Conclusions. A program of balance training can improve PI in patients with PD.
‘ ‘Passing through the Mirror’’: Dead Man, Legal Pluralism and the De-territorialization of the West
Authors: Buchanan Ruth M.
Published: November 2010

The failures of Western law in its encounter with indigenous legal orders have been well documented, but alternative modes of negotiating the encounter remain under-explored in legal scholarship.The present article addresses this lacuna. It proceeds from the premise that the journey towards a different conceptualization of law might be fruitfully re-routed through the affect-laden realm of embodied experience — the experience of watching the subversive anti-western film Dead Man. Section II explains and develops a Deleuzian approach to law and film which involves thinking about film as ‘‘event.’’ Section III considers Dead Man’s relation to the western genre and its implications for how we think about law’s founding on the frontier. Finally, the article explores the concept of ‘‘becoming’’ through a consideration of the relationship between the onscreen journey of the character Bill Blake and the radical worldview of his poetic namesake.
Influence of a Clinic-Based Group Intervention on Asthma Perception and Management in India
Authors: Singh Virendra , Gupta Rajeev
Published: October 2010

Multiple patient-level notions of asthma etiology and management exist. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a group-level educational intervention to change knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) in asthma patients. In a baseline study to assess KAP in asthma patients, 797 adults participated. All were invited to participate in this follow-up study about a group-level learning program. A total of 701 (88%) patients attended one of the monthly meetings composed of 60 to 80 patients, where they were educated regarding the nature of the disease, trigger factors, prevention, and inhaler use through a locally customized education tool using audiovisual aids. A short questionnaire to assess changes in KAP was completed by 580 participants (83%). A comparison of responses to baseline was performed using the c2 test. The baseline study revealed lacunae in 4 areas of KAP: awareness of nature of asthma, early signs of exacerbation, compliance with therapy, and preferential inhaler use. In postintervention versus baseline group comparisons, a significant increase in knowledge of disease nature (12% vs 44%, P < .001), early exacerbation recognition (14% vs 76%, P < .001), compliance with therapy (10% vs 33%, P < .001), and preferred use of inhalers (men: 41% vs 74%, P < .001; women: 9% vs 69%, P < .001) was observed. Group-level education with a customized audiovisual teaching tool is effective in changing the attitude of asthma patients.
Preparation of Dual-Curable Polysiloxane and the Properties of its Cured Films with Epoxy Resin
Authors: Chunyi Tang  , Weiqu Liu
Published: November 2010

UV/ambient or UV/thermal dual-curable materials have received great attention due to their increasing applications in protective metal, plastic, glass and optical fiber coatings, and electronic packing materials. In this study, a UV/ambient dual-curable polysiloxane, epoxy/methacryloxy side-groups polysiloxane was synthesized and characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR. The synthesized polysiloxane was mixed with an epoxy methacrylate resin and an amine-curing agent, and then cured to obtain complete insoluble films directly under irradiation at room temperature. The obtained composite cured films with high gloss show a high visible light transmittance, close to 110% and 80%. They also possess excellent thermal, flexibility, hardness, and surface properties.
Key role of glycoprotein Ib/V/IX and von Willebrand factor in platelet activation-dependent fibrin formation at low shear flow
Authors: Cosemans Judith M. E. M. , Schols Saskia E. M. , Stefanini Lucia , de Witt Susanne , Feijge Marion A. H. , Hamulyák Karly , Deckmyn Hans , Bergmeier Wolfgang , Heemskerk Johan W. M.
Published: October 2010

A microscopic method was developed to study the role of platelets in fibrin formation. Perfusion of adhered platelets with plasma under coagulating conditions at a low shear rate (250−1) resulted in the assembly of a star-like fibrin network at the platelet surface. The focal fibrin formation on platelets was preceded by rises in cytosolic Ca2+, morphologic changes, and phosphatidylserine exposure. Fibrin formation was slightly affected by αIIbβ3 blockage, but it was greatly delayed and reduced by the following: inhibition of thrombin or platelet activation; interference in the binding of von Willebrand factor (VWF) to glycoprotein Ib/V/IX (GpIb-V-IX); plasma or blood from patients with type 1 von Willebrand disease; and plasma from mice deficient in VWF or the extracellular domain of GpIbα. In this process, the GpIb-binding A1 domain of VWF was similarly effective as full-length VWF. Prestimulation of platelets enhanced the formation of fibrin, which was abrogated by blockage of phosphatidylserine. Together, these results show that, in the presence of thrombin and low shear flow, VWF-induced activation of GpIb-V-IX triggers platelet procoagulant activity and anchorage of a star-like fibrin network. This process can be relevant in hemostasis and the manifestation of von Willebrand disease.
Morbidity and mortality in long-term survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study
Authors: Castellino Sharon M. , Geiger Ann M. , Mertens Ann C. , Leisenring Wendy M. , Tooze Janet A. , Goodman Pam , Stovall Marilyn , Robison Leslie L. , Hudson Melissa M.
Published: October 2010

The contribution of specific cancer therapies, comorbid medical conditions, and host factors to mortality risk after pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is unclear. We assessed leading morbidities, overall and cause-specific mortality, and mortality risks among 2742 survivors of HL in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of survivors diagnosed from 1970 to 1986. Excess absolute risk for leading causes of death and cumulative incidence and standardized incidence ratios of key medical morbidities were calculated. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of risks for overall and cause-specific mortality. Substantial excess absolute risk of mortality per 10 000 person-years was identified: overall 95.5; death due to HL 38.3, second malignant neoplasms 23.9, and cardiovascular disease 13.1. Risks for overall mortality included radiation dose ≥ 3000 rad ( ≥ 30 Gy; supra-diaphragm: HR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.1-12.6; infradiaphragm + supradiaphragm: HR, 7.8; 95% CI, 2.4-25.1), exposure to anthracycline (HR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6-4.3) or alkylating agents (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-2.5), non–breast second malignant neoplasm (HR, 2.6; 95% CI 1.4-5.1), or a serious cardiovascular condition (HR, 4.4; 95% CI 2.7-7.3). Excess mortality from second neoplasms and cardiovascular disease vary by sex and persist > 20 years of follow-up in childhood HL survivors.
Codon optimization of human factor VIII cDNAs leads to high-level expression
Authors: Ward Natalie J. , Buckley Suzanne M. K. , Waddington Simon N. , VandenDriessche Thierry , Chuah Marinee K. L. , Nathwani Amit C. , McIntosh Jenny , Tuddenham Edward G. D. , Kinnon Christine , Thrasher Adrian J. , McVey John H.
Published: November 2010

Gene therapy for hemophilia A would be facilitated by development of smaller expression cassettes encoding factor VIII (FVIII), which demonstrate improved biosynthesis and/or enhanced biologic properties. B domain deleted (BDD) FVIII retains full procoagulant function and is expressed at higher levels than wild-type FVIII. However, a partial BDD FVIII, leaving an N-terminal 226 amino acid stretch (N6), increases in vitro secretion of FVIII tenfold compared with BDD-FVIII. In this study, we tested various BDD constructs in the context of either wild-type or codon-optimized cDNA sequences expressed under control of the strong, ubiquitous Spleen Focus Forming Virus promoter within a self-inactivating HIV-based lentiviral vector. Transduced 293T cells in vitro demonstrated detectable FVIII activity. Hemophilic mice treated with lentiviral vectors showed expression of FVIII activity and phenotypic correction sustained over 250 days. Importantly, codon-optimized constructs achieved an unprecedented 29- to 44-fold increase in expression, yielding more than 200% normal human FVIII levels. Addition of B domain sequences to BDD-FVIII did not significantly increase in vivo expression. These significant findings demonstrate that shorter FVIII constructs that can be more easily accommodated in viral vectors can result in increased therapeutic efficacy and may deliver effective gene therapy for hemophilia A.
Hematopoietic differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type I (Hurler syndrome)
Authors: Tolar Jakub , Park In-Hyun , Xia Lily , Lees Chris J. , Peacock Brandon , Webber Beau , McElmurry Ron T. , Eide Cindy R. , Orchard Paul J. , Kyba Michael , Osborn Mark J. , Lund Troy C. , Wagner John E. , Daley George Q. , Blazar Bruce R.
Published: October 2010

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS IH; Hurler syndrome) is a congenital deficiency of α-L-iduronidase, leading to lysosomal storage of glycosaminoglycans that is ultimately fatal following an insidious onset after birth. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a life-saving measure in MPS IH. However, because a suitable hematopoietic donor is not found for everyone, because HCT is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and because there is no known benefit of immune reaction between the host and the donor cells in MPS IH, gene-corrected autologous stem cells may be the ideal graft for HCT. Thus, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells from 2 patients with MPS IH (MPS-iPS cells). We found that α-L-iduronidase was not required for stem cell renewal, and that MPS-iPS cells showed lysosomal storage characteristic of MPS IH and could be differentiated to both hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells. The specific epigenetic profile associated with de-differentiation of MPS IH fibroblasts into MPS-iPS cells was maintained when MPS-iPS cells are gene-corrected with virally delivered α-L-iduronidase. These data underscore the potential of MPS-iPS cells to generate autologous hematopoietic grafts devoid of immunologic complications of allogeneic transplantation, as well as generating nonhematopoietic cells with the potential to treat anatomical sites not fully corrected with HCT.
Tumor suppressor death-associated protein kinase is required for full IL-1β production
Authors: Chuang Ya-Ting , Lin Yu-Chuan , Lin Kuan-Hung , Chou Ting-Fang , Kuo Wen-Chih , Yang Kai-Ting , Wu Pei-Rung , Chen Ruey-Hwa , Kimchi Adi , Lai Ming-Zong
Published: November 2010

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is critical for inflammation and control of infection. The production of IL-1β depends on expression of pro-IL-1β and inflammasome component induced by inflammatory stimuli, followed by assembly of inflammasome to generate caspase-1 for cleavage of pro-IL-1β. Here we show that tumor suppressor death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) deficiency impaired IL-1β production in macrophages. Generation of tumor necrosis factor-α in macrophages, in contrast, was not affected by DAPK knockout. Two tiers of defects in IL-1β generation were found in DAPK-deficient macrophages: decreased pro-IL-1β induction by some stimuli and reduced caspase-1 activation by all inflammatory stimuli examined. With a normal NLRP3 induction in DAPK-deficient macrophages, the diminished caspase-1 generation is attributed to impaired inflammasome assembly. There is a direct binding of DAPK to NLRP3, suggesting an involvement of DAPK in inflammasome formation. We further illustrated that the formation of NLRP3 inflammasome in situ induced by inflammatory signals was impaired by DAPK deficiency. Taken together, our results identify DAPK as a molecule required for full production of IL-1β and functional assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, DAPK knockout reduced uric acid crystal-triggered peritonitis, suggesting that DAPK may serve as a target in the treatment of IL-1β-associated autoinflammatory diseases.