bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of brain IL-1β on fatigue after exercise-induced muscle damage
Authors: Carmichael Martin D. , Davis J. Mark , Murphy E. Angela , Brown Adrienne S. , Carson James A. , Mayer Eugene P. , Ghaffar Abdul
Published: June 2006

Brain cytokines, induced by various inflammatory challenges, have been linked to sickness behaviors, including fatigue. However, the relationship between brain cytokines and fatigue after exercise is not well understood. Delayed recovery of running performance after muscle-damaging downhill running is associated with increased brain IL-1β concentration compared with uphill running. However, there has been no systematic evaluation of the direct effect of brain IL-1β on running performance after exercise-induced muscle damage. This study examined the specific role of brain IL-1β on running performance (either treadmill or wheel running) after uphill and downhill running by manipulating brain IL-1β activity via intracerebroventricular injection of either IL-1 receptor antagonist (ra; downhill runners) or IL-1β (uphill runners). Male C57BL/6 mice were assigned to the following groups: uphill-saline, uphill-IL-1β, downhill-saline, or downhill-IL-1ra. Mice initially ran on a motor-driven treadmill at 22 m/min and −14% or +14% grade for 150 min. After the run, at 8 h (wheel cage) or 22 h (treadmill), uphill mice received intracerebroventricular injections of IL-1β (900 pg in 2 μl saline) or saline (2 μl), whereas downhill runners received IL-1ra (1.8 μg in 2 μl saline) or saline (2 μl). Later (2 h), running performance was measured (wheel running activity and treadmill run to fatigue). Injection of IL-1β significantly decreased wheel running activity in uphill runners ( P < 0.01), whereas IL-1ra improved wheel running in downhill runners ( P < 0.05). Similarly, IL-1β decreased and Il-1ra increased run time to fatigue in the uphill and downhill runners, respectively ( P < 0.01). These results support the hypothesis that increased brain IL-1β plays an important role in fatigue after muscle-damaging exercise.
Neural and hydroxyl radical mechanisms underlying laryngeal airway hyperreactivity induced by laryngeal acid-pepsin insult in anesthetized rats
Authors: Tsai Tung-Lung , Chang Shyue-Yih , Ho Chin-Yin , Kou Yu Ru
Published: June 2006

Laryngopharyngeal or gastroesophageal reflux is associated with laryngeal airway hyperreactivity (LAH), but neither the cause-effect relationship nor the underlying mechanism has been elucidated. Here we established a rat model with enhanced laryngeal reflex reactivity induced by laryngeal acid-pepsin insult and investigated the neural and hydroxyl radical (·OH) mechanisms involved. The laryngeal segments of 103 anesthetized rats were functionally isolated while animals breathed spontaneously. Ammonia vapor was delivered into the laryngeal segment to measure laryngeal reflex reactivity. We found that the laryngeal pH 5-pepsin treatment doubled the reflex apneic response to ammonia, whereas laryngeal pH 7.4-pepsin, pH 2-pepsin, and pH 5-denatured pepsin treatment had no effect. Histological examination revealed limited laryngeal inflammation and epithelial damage after pH 5-pepsin treatment and more severe damage after pH 2-pepsin treatment. In rats that had received the laryngeal pH 5-pepsin treatment, the apneic response to ammonia was abolished by either denervation or perineural capsaicin treatment (PCT; a procedure that selectively blocks capsaicin-sensitive afferent fibers) of the superior laryngeal nerves, but was unaffected by perineural sham treatment. LAH was prevented by laryngeal application of either dimethylthiourea (DMTU; a ·OH scavenger) or deferoxamine (DEF; an antioxidant for ·OH), but was unaltered by the DMTU vehicle or iron-saturated DEF (ineffective DEF). LAH reappeared after recovery from PCT, DMTU, or DEF treatment. We conclude that 1) laryngeal insult by pepsin at a weakly acidic pH, but not at acidic pH, can produce LAH; and 2) LAH is probably mediated through sensitization of the capsaicin-sensitive laryngeal afferent fibers by a ·OH mechanism.
Effects of exercise training on α-motoneurons
Authors: Gardiner P. , Dai Y. , Heckman C. J.
Published: June 2006

Evidence is presented that one locus of adaptation in the “neural adaptations to training” is at the level of the α-motoneurons. With increased voluntary activity, these neurons show evidence of dendrite restructuring, increased protein synthesis, increased axon transport of proteins, enhanced neuromuscular transmission dynamics, and changes in electrophysiological properties. The latter include hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential and voltage threshold, increased rate of action potential development, and increased amplitude of the afterhyperpolarization following the action potential. Many of these changes demonstrate intensity-related adaptations and are in the opposite direction under conditions in which chronic activity is reduced. A five-compartment model of rat motoneurons that innervate fast and slow muscle fibers (termed “fast” and “slow” motoneurons in this paper), including 10 active ion conductances, was used to attempt to reproduce exercise training-induced adaptations in electrophysiological properties. The results suggest that adaptations in α-motoneurons with exercise training may involve alterations in ion conductances, which may, in turn, include changes in the gene expression of the ion channel subunits, which underlie these conductances. Interestingly, the acute neuromodulatory effects of monoamines on motoneuron properties, which would be a factor during acute exercise as these monoaminergic systems are activated, appear to be in the opposite direction to changes measured in endurance-trained motoneurons that are at rest. It may be that regular increases in motoneuronal excitability during exercise via these monoaminergic systems in fact render the motoneurons less excitable when at rest. More research is required to establish the relationships between exercise training, resting and exercise motoneuron excitability, ion channel modulation, and the effects of neuromodulators.
Operative Therapie bei Genitaldeszensus der Frau: Pro und Kontra der Verwendung von Mesh-Materialien
Authors: Naumann Gert , Kölbl Heinz
Published: June 2006

Die gegenwärtige Entwicklung unterschiedlicher Mesh-Materialien hat zu einer Verbesserung der individuellen operativen Sanierung des Genitalprolapses geführt. Makroporöse monofilamentäre synthetische Netze scheinen geeignet zur Verwendung beim Rezidivprolaps oder bei ausgeprägten Beckenbodeninsuffizienzen zu sein. Die Verwendung von biologischen Netzen zeigt eine deutlich bessere Verträglichkeit mit weniger Infektionen oder Erosionen, bislang ist jedoch nicht das Problem der langfristigen Haltbarkeit geklärt. Die operative Korrektur des Genitalprolapses muss alle Risiken und Nutzen zur Verbesserung der Lebensqualität abwägen, hier können Mesh- Materialien deutliche Vorteile gerade in der Rezidivsituation erbringen.
Feasibility of a Web-Based Continuing Medical Education Program in Dermatology: The DermoFAD Experience in Italy
Authors: Naldi Luigi , Manfrini Roberto , Martin Leigh , Deligant Christian , Dri Pietro
Published: June 2006

Background: Web-based systems are increasingly being considered for medical education. A draft legislation on distance-learning programs was licensed in Italy by the National Commission for Continuous Education in November 2003. A series of pilot studies were developed, among these the DermoFAD project, based on five simulated clinical cases of acne and a systematic appraisal of the evidence for their clinical management. From July 1 to August 27, 2004, a total of 500 medical doctors participated in a free of charge evaluation program of the project. Observations: Users were distributed all over Italy. Two hundred and eighty-one (56.2%) were primary care physicians, 83 (16.6%) dermatologists, and 136 (27.2%) other medical specialists. A wide range of connecting times was observed. The pass rate of each individual case, at first attempt, ranged from 44 to 77%. When asked to assess the overall distance-learning experience, 98% of the doctors considered it to be enjoyable. A total of 2,152 continuing medical education (CME) credits were awarded. Over 50% of the users stated they would still use the system if they had to pay for it. Conclusions: Our experience shows that distance learning is feasible and is well accepted by physicians. The DermoFAD program was an efficient means of delivering CME to the Italian medical community at large.
Towards an Empirically Based Validation of Intuitive Diagnostic: Rümke’s ‘Praecox Feeling’ across the Schizophrenia Spectrum: Preliminary Results
Authors: Grube Michael
Published: June 2006

Background: The early identification of schizophrenia is important in establishing an adequate therapeutic intervention, especially in emergency situations. Intuitive reasoning is often necessary because a standardized classification according to ICD-10 or DSM-IV criteria is not suitable in these complex, and often changing, settings. The process of recognizing the specific schizophrenic structure in an intuitive way by an experienced psychiatrist was named ‘praecox feeling’ by the Dutch psychiatrist Rümke in 1941. Sampling and Methods: To evaluate the diagnostic quality of this kind of intuitive clinical approach we investigated 67 previously unknown patients. All patients displayed acute psychotic symptoms like paranoid delusions and hallucinations belonging to the schizophrenic spectrum. The first interview by an experienced psychiatrist included only the present state psychopathology. Data referring to the course of the illness or medication or family history of schizophrenia were explored later by other independent staff members who were blind to the aim of the investigation. The intensity of the ‘praecox feeling’ was rated in four degrees: not present – mild – moderate – high. At the end of the inpatient period a standardized diagnostic classification according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV classification was carried out by independent raters. Results: Compared to the standardized diagnostic classification the precision of the intuitive reasoning was remarkably high with a sensitivity of about 0.85, a specificity of about 0.80, a positive predictive power of about 0.90, and a negative predictive power of about 0.65 depending on the standardized system used. Cognitive impairment, affective disturbances, disturbed self-perception, and reduced communication skills all correlated with intensity of ‘praecox feeling’. The single variable ‘affective disturbances’ had the highest impact on the intensity of ‘praecox feeling’ in an ordinal regression analysis. Furthermore a high intensity of ‘praecox feeling’ strongly correlated with a hereditary predisposition to schizophrenia. Neither the severity of the mental illness nor extrapyramidal side effects of the medication correlated with the intensity of ‘praecox feeling’. Conclusion: Our work can possibly help in contributing to reflection on our diagnostic practices and help to make the various factors involved in establishing diagnoses apparent.
Predictors of Attention Problems for the Period from Pre-Teen to Early Teen Years
Authors: Barnow Sven , Schuckit Marc , Smith Tom , Freyberger Harald J.
Published: June 2006

Objective: This longitudinal study investigated the scope, persistence, and predictors of attention problems (AP) over a period of time from pre-teen (7–12 years) to early teen years (13–17 years). Method: AP evaluations used the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and a semi-structured interview (C-SSAGA-P) with the parents. In addition, data relating to birth complications, family histories of affective disorders and alcohol-use disorders, home supervision, emotional, social and behavioral problems, school performance and school activities at two different measurement points were also collected. Results: The findings indicate a high degree of comorbidity between AP and emotional and behavioral problems, difficulties in school, social problems and peer rejection. Furthermore, a cross-sectional association between childhood AP and parental affective disorders was also evident. Longitudinally, there was no increase in AP over the age span covered by the study, and symptoms often did not persist over time. Multiple regression analyses confirmed poorer school performance, problems with peers and AP at time point 15 as predictors for subsequent AP. Conclusion: The findings indicate that AP symptoms do not occur more frequently in early teen than in pre-teen years, and tend to be temporary phenomena. Difficulties in school and with peers were noted as particularly strong predictors of subsequent AP.
Effect of Inhaled Histamine on Airway Epithelial Cell Swelling in Ozone-Exposed Guinea Pigs
Authors: Muramatsu Reiko , Mochizuki Hiroyuki , Arakawa Hirokazu , Tokuyama Kenichi , Morikawa Akihiro
Published: June 2006

Background: It has been reported that histamine stimulates ion channels on airway epithelial cells and induces changes in osmolarity and the ion composition of the periciliary field of airway epithelia. Objective:To investigate the effect of inhaled histamine on epithelial cell swelling, we studied the role of airway epithelial cells under histamine inhalation challenge in an animal model of airway inflammation using ozone exposure. Method: After exposure to 3.0 ppm ozone for 2 h, guinea pigs were anesthetized and tracheostomized, and then, lung resistance (RL) was measured. Histamine inhalation challenge and histological examination were performed. Result:The values of RL before histamine inhalation in the control group and the ozone-exposed group were 0.26 ± 0.11 and 0.45 ± 0.34 cm H2O/s, respectively. RL increased significantly after histamine inhalation both in the control and the ozone-exposed groups. The threshold of histamine (PC200) in the ozone-exposed group was significantly lower than that in the control group. A significant swelling of the epithelial cells after histamine inhalation was observed both in the control and the ozone-exposed groups, with a greater increase in the ozone-exposed group compared with the control group. However, no change in wall thickness was observed in the histamine/antihistamine or the ozone/histamine/antihistamine group. Conclusion: Our results suggest the possibility that the airway epithelial cell swelling plays a role in the increase in RL after histamine inhalation, especially in the presence of airway inflammation.
Inhibition of Proliferation of Endometrial Stromal Cells by Trichostatin A, RU486, CDB-2914, N-Acetylcysteine, and ICI 182780
Authors: Wu Yan , Guo Sun-Wei
Published: June 2006

Background: All current major medications in treating endometriosis are effective in treating pain, most likely through suppression of proliferation of the implants, yet their effectiveness is relatively short term and they all have many undesirable, and sometimes severe, side effects. There is pressing need for novel, more effective medications in treating endometriosis with less and/or milder side effects. Methods: Using a recently established immortalized endometrial stromal cell line, we carried out cell proliferation assays for cells treated with trichostatin A (TSA), RU486, CDB-2914, and N-acetylcysteine, and ICI 182780. Gene expression levels for PR-A, PR-B, AR, Fas and FasL were measured. Protein expression levels for ERα, ERβ, and AR were also measured. Results: Cell proliferation assay results for NAC, H2O2, CDB, and RU486 were nearly identical or similar to what have been reported based on primary cell cultures or in vivo studies. TSA, CDB, RU486 and NAC all had various antiproliferative effects. TSA had a more potent and longer lasting antiproliferative effect than CDB and NAC, even in the presence of an oxidant, H2O2. Its antiproliferative effect was concentration-dependent. ICI did not have a significant antiproliferative effect. PR-A, PR-B, AR, and FasL expression were all increased as compared with untreated cells. Conclusions: The cell line appears to be an adequate model for stromal components of endometriotic implants. That ICI has no inhibitory effect on endometrial proliferation may explain why a phase II clinical trial on its use to treat endometriosis did not advance to later stages. The upregulation of PR-B and AR may be responsible for antiproliferative effects induced by TSA, a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI). HDACIs may be promising therapeutics in treating endometriosis due to their antiproliferative effects as well as the potential to restore gene dysregulation through chromatin remodeling.
Effect of Supplemented and Topically Applied Antioxidant Substances on Human Tissue
Authors: Darvin M. , Zastrow L. , Sterry W. , Lademann J.
Published: June 2006

Systemic and topical application of antioxidant substances for the medical treatment and prophylaxis of many diseases as well as additional protection of the skin against the destructive action of free radicals and other reactive species has become very popular during the past years. Stimulated by the positive results of a fruit and vegetable diet in supporting medical treatment and in cosmetics, artificial and extracted antioxidant substances have been broadly applied. Surprisingly, not only positive but also strong negative results have been obtained by different authors. According to study reports artificial and extracted antioxidant substances support different kinds of medical therapies, if they are applied in mixtures of different compounds at low concentration levels. In the case of the application of high concentration of some single compounds, side effects were often observed. Regarding skin treatment by systemically applied antioxidant substances for cosmetic purposes, positive cosmetic effects as well as no effects, but almost no side effects, apart from a number of allergic reactions, were reported. One reason for this seems to be the lower concentration of systemically applied antioxidant substances in comparison with a medical application. Topical application of antioxidant substances is closely related to cosmetic treatment for skin protection and anti-aging. Positive results were also obtained in this case. The present review is an attempt to classify and summarize the published literature concerning the efficiency of action of systemic and topical applications of antioxidant substances, such as carotenoids and vitamins, on human organism and especially on the skin. The available literature on this topic is very extensive and the results are often contradictory. Nevertheless, there are some clear tendencies concerning systemic and topical application of antioxidant substances in medicine and cosmetics, and we summarize them in the present paper.
Accelerated Healing of Excisional Skin Wounds by PL 14736 in Alloxan-Hyperglycemic Rats1
Authors: Ševeljević-Jaran D. , Čužić S. , Dominis-Kramarić M. , Glojnarić I. , Ivetić V. , Radošević S. , Parnham M.J.
Published: June 2006

PL 14736 is a synthetic peptide, originally isolated from human gastric juice, that has anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective actions in experimental models of gastrointestinal inflammation. To investigate its possible benefit in poorly healing skin wounds, the effects of the topical application of PL 14736 in a gel formulation have been studied on full-thickness excisional wounds in rats, either healthy or made hyperglycemic by alloxan (175 mg/kg s.c.) 5 days previously. The effects of becaplermin gel (platelet-derived growth factor, PDGF-BB, Regranex®), a standard therapy for diabetic foot ulcers, were investigated for comparison. Healing was evaluated for up to 7 days after wounding, using digital planimetry analysis, macroscopic scoring and histology. While healing was too rapid in healthy rats to observe enhancement by either treatment, in the hyperglycemic rats which exhibited delayed healing, PL 14736 (10–1,000 µg/wound) produced a dose-dependent acceleration of wound healing (determined by macroscopic scoring) equivalent at the highest doses to that observed with becaplermin. The beneficial effect on healing was associated with increased deposition of organized granulation tissue by day 7 for both PL 14736 and becaplermin, as determined histologically. PL 14736 tended to have a greater effect than becaplermin on the formation of granulation tissue containing mature collagen. Wound contraction, as measured by planimetry, was not significantly affected. In conclusion, topical PL 14736 produces a dose-dependent acceleration of deficient skin wound healing in hyperglycemic rats by facilitating granulation tissue formation, similar to the response seen with topical becaplermin, the standard therapy for diabetic skin wounds. PL 14736 may represent an alternative therapy for delayed wound healing, such as that seen with diabetic foot ulcers, without the proliferative concerns or immunogenicity associated with growth factors.
Conformation-Specific Blockade of the Integrin GPIIb/IIIa
Authors: Schwarz Meike , Meade Gerardene , Stoll Patrick , Ylanne Jari , Bassler Nicole , Chen Yung Chih , Hagemeyer Christoph E. , Ahrens Ingo , Moran Niamh , Kenny Dermot , Fitzgerald Desmond , Bode Christoph , Peter Karlheinz
Published: June 2006

Platelet activation causes conformational changes of integrin GPIIb/IIIa (αIIbβ3), resulting in the exposure of its ligand-binding pocket. This provides the unique possibility to design agents that specifically block activated platelets only. We used phage display of single-chain antibody (scFv) libraries in combination with several rounds of depletion/selection to obtain human scFvs that bind specifically to the activated conformation of GPIIb/IIIa. Functional evaluation of these scFv clones revealed that fibrinogen binding to human platelets and platelet aggregation can be effectively inhibited by activation-specific scFvs. In contrast to clinically used GPIIb/IIIa blockers, which are all conformation unspecific, activation-specific GPIIb/IIIa blockers do not induce conformational changes in GPIIb/IIIa or outside-in signaling, as evaluated by ligand-induced binding-site (LIBS) exposure in flow cytometry or P-selectin expression in immunofluorescence microscopy, respectively. In contrast to the conformation-unspecific blocker abciximab, activation-specific scFvs permit cell adhesion and spreading on immobilized fibrinogen, which is mediated by nonactivated GPIIb/IIIa. Mutagenesis studies and computer modeling indicate that exclusive binding of activation-specific scFv is mediated by RXD motifs in the heavy-chain complementary-determining region (CDR) 3 of the antibodies, which in comparison with other antibodies forms an exceptionally extended loop. In vivo experiments in a ferric-chloride thrombosis model of the mouse carotid artery demonstrate similar antithrombotic potency of activation-specific scFv, when compared with the conformation-unspecific blockers tirofiban and eptifibatide. However, in contrast to tirofiban and eptifibatide, bleeding times are not prolonged with the activation-specific scFvs, suggesting lower bleeding risks. In conclusion, activation-specific GPIIb/IIIa blockade via human single-chain antibodies represents a promising novel strategy for antiplatelet therapy.
Novel Snake Venom Ligand Dendroaspis Natriuretic Peptide Is Selective for Natriuretic Peptide Receptor-A in Human Heart
Authors: Singh Gurminder , Kuc Rhoda E. , Maguire Janet J. , Fidock Mark , Davenport Anthony P.
Published: June 2006

The natriuretic peptides are considered to be cardioprotective; however, their receptors have not been identified in human myocardium using radiolabeled analogs. Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide (DNP) has been recently identified as a new member of this peptide family and is thought to be less susceptible to enzymatic degradation. Therefore, we have developed the novel radiolabeled analog [
125
I]-DNP and used this to localize high-affinity (
K
D
=0.2 nmol/L), saturable, specific binding sites in adult human heart (n=6) and coronary artery (n=8). In competition binding experiments, atrial natriuretic peptide and brain type natriuretic peptide had greater affinity for [
125
I]-DNP binding sites than C-type natriuretic peptide and the natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR)-C ligand, cANF. This rank order of potency suggested binding of [
125
I]-DNP was specific to NPR-A. Messenger RNA encoding NPR-A was identified in left ventricle and coronary artery smooth muscle, and expression was confirmed by immunocytochemical studies at the protein level. In addition, fluorescence dual labeling immunocytochemistry localized NPR-A protein to cardiomyocytes, endocardial endothelial cells, and smooth muscle of intramyocardial vessels. Importantly, we demonstrated a significant downregulation in the density of NPR-A in heart and coronary artery of patients with ischemic heart disease that may explain, in part, the attenuated natriuretic peptide response reported in this patient group.
Genetic Variants of Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase–Activating Protein, and Risk of Incident Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Zee Robert Y.L. , Cheng Suzanne , Hegener Hillary H , Erlich Henry A. , Ridker Paul M
Published: June 2006

Background and Purpose—

Recent findings have implicated specific gene polymorphisms of arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase–activating protein (ALOX5AP), and 2 at-risk haplotypes (HapA, HapB) in myocardial infarction and stroke. To date, no prospective data are available.

Methods—

We evaluated 10 specific Icelandic ALOX5AP gene variants among 600 male participants with incident atherothrombotic events (myocardial infarction [MI] or ischemic stroke) and among 600 age- and smoking-matched male participants, all white, who remained free of reported cardiovascular disease during follow-up within the Physicians’ Health Study cohort.

Results—

Overall allele, genotype, and haplotype distributions were similar between cases and controls. Single-marker conditional logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential risk factors found no association with risk of atherothrombotic events. Further investigation using a haplotype-based approach showed similar null findings with MI (HapA: odds ratio [OR]=1.18, 95% CI, 0.76 to 1.85;
P
=0.46; HapB: odds ratio=0.62, 95% CI, 0.36 to 1.07;
P
=0.08), and with ischemic stroke (HapA: odds ratio=1.11, 95% CI, 0.65 to 1.89;
P
=0.71; HapB: odds ratio=0.82, 95% CI, 0.47 to 1.42;
P
=0.47).

Conclusions—

We found no evidence for an association of the specific Icelandic ALOX5P gene variants/at-risk haplotypes tested with risk of incident MI nor ischemic stroke in this prospective, non-Icelandic study.
A Synoptic Climatology of Summertime Heat and Humidity in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina
Authors: Chen Fan , Konrad Charles E.
Published: June 2006

The synoptic patterns and boundary layer conditions over a range of antecedent periods associated with the summertime hot events for the years 1951–93 are examined. A hot event is defined as a single day with the highest average daily temperature within a surrounding 5-day window. Among these events, four event subtypes were determined on the basis of extreme values of temperature and/or dewpoint. Composite synoptic maps and vertical profiles of atmospheric variables are produced to distinguish the hottest and moistest events. The hot events, including the extreme categories, are influenced by similar large-scale circulation features. The region is under the control of the Bermuda high, which is centered off the coast of Florida and in the Atlantic Ocean. An upstream 500-hPa ridge produces subsidence and adiabatic warming in the midlevels of the troposphere. Composite patterns of the hottest and moistest events indicate stronger upstream 500-hPa ridging and upper-level subsidence, which suggest greater suppression of local convection and reduction in the upward turbulence transfer of surface sensible heat and water vapor. The moistest events are tied to considerably greater antecedent precipitation, which suggests increased evapotranspiration and accumulation of water vapor near the ground. The extreme hot and humid events are also associated with greater accumulated precipitation hours in the antecedent periods, especially on a 30-day scale. The hottest events also have less sky cover in the 30-day antecedent period, allowing more insolation and surface heating. The extreme events also have greater atmospheric thickness, lighter winds, and greater westerly component in the winds. Synoptic analysis shows that low-level thermal and moisture advection are not significant contributors to the heat and moisture in the extreme events of the Piedmont region.
The Role of Climate Forecasts in Western U.S. Power Planning
Authors: Voisin Nathalie , Hamlet Alan F. , Graham L. Phil , Pierce David W. , Barnett Tim P. , Lettenmaier Dennis P.
Published: June 2006

The benefits of potential electric power transfers between the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and California (CA) are evaluated using a linked set of hydrologic, reservoir, and power demand simulation models for the Columbia River and the Sacramento–San Joaquin reservoir systems. The models provide a framework for evaluating climate-related variations and long-range predictability of regional electric power demand, hydropower production, and the benefits of potential electric power transfers between the PNW and CA. The period of analysis is 1917–2002. The study results show that hydropower production and regional electric power demands in the PNW and CA are out of phase seasonally but that hydropower productions in the PNW and CA have strongly covaried on an annual basis in recent decades. Winter electric power demand and spring and annual hydropower production in the PNW are related to both El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) through variations in winter climate. Summer power demand in CA is related primarily to variations in the PDO in spring. Hydropower production in CA, despite recent covariation with the PNW, is not strongly related to ENSO variability overall. Primarily because of strong variations in supply in the PNW, potential hydropower transfers between the PNW and CA in spring and summer are shown to be correlated to ENSO and PDO, and the conditional probability distributions of these transfers are therefore predictable with long lead times. Such electric power transfers are estimated to have potential average annual benefits of $136 and $79 million for CA and the PNW, respectively, at the year-2000 regional demand level. These benefits are on average 11%–27% larger during cold ENSO/PDO events and are 16%–30% lower during warm ENSO/PDO events. Power transfers from the PNW to CA and hydropower production in CA are comparable in magnitude, on average.
Inconsistencies in the “New” Windchill Chart at Low Wind Speeds
Authors: Shitzer Avraham , de Dear Richard
Published: June 2006

An apparent error was detected in the calculation of windchill equivalent temperatures (WCETs) in the “new” chart and corresponding equation that were adopted in 2001 by the weather services in the United States and Canada. The problem is caused by significant discontinuities in WCETs at the assumed “calm” wind speed condition of 1.34 m s−1. As a result, published WCETs are not equal to, as they should be by definition, but are lower than air temperatures at the assumed calm wind speed condition. This inconsistency further propagates to higher wind speeds beyond the assumed calm condition. In this paper, a straightforward correction is proposed to circumvent these inconsistencies of the new windchill. The proposed correction makes this transition gradual rather than abrupt by applying it to the expression used for estimating the effects of wind on the convective heat exchange coefficient between humans and their cold and windy environment.
Neoliberalism and Patterns of Economic Performance, 1980-2000
Authors: Cohen Joseph Nathan , Centeno Miguel Angel
Published: June 2006

Neoliberal discourse often produces the impression that the world has undergone a wholesale shift toward laissez-faire and that this shift has produced economic prosperity. This article examines national economic data to discern the degree to which (1) governments have in fact retreated from the market and (2) countries have enjoyed increasing economic prosperity over a period in which they have supposedly been liberalizing. The evidence is mixed on both counts. Although international capital mobility and trade liberalism appears to have grown over the past two decades, there is little evidence of a broad scaling back of governments. Over the same period, countries have not experienced any appreciable improvement in growth, cross-national equality, employment, or national debt loads, although there is some evidence of improved price stability near the end of the 1990s.
The Metamorphosis of Marginality: Four Generations in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Perlman Janice E.
Published: June 2006

This article is based on a four-generational study of residents in three squatter communities (favelas) in Rio de Janeiro from 1968 to 2003. It shows how the marginalization of the urban poor has deepened over the past thirty-five years through drug-related violence, the failure of democracy to deliver on its promise of voice for the disenfranchised, the stigma of place and race, the increase in unemployment, and the inability to translate educational gains into concomitant income or occupational gains. Despite significant improvements in consumption of collective urban services, household goods, and schooling, few have been successful enough to move into “good neighborhoods” or into professional jobs. Gang violence creates a pervasive sense of fear and diminishes the social capital of the communities. Despite the promise of the end of the dictatorship in 1984, favela residents feel they are more excluded. Yet they still have hope that their lives will improve in the future.
Reform of the State: An Alternative for Change in Latin America
Authors: Blanco Carlos
Published: June 2006

Democracy is a current struggle in several Latin American and Caribbean countries. Although a majority of citizens prefer democratic to authoritarian rule, indicators suggest support for democratic institutions is progressively deteriorating. From the mid-1980s onward, the problem of governability rose to prominence, and proposals to reform the state emerged. In this context, reform refers to profound political transformations that produce new institutions, new styles of leadership, and new social relations while eradicating existing ones. Conflict and confrontation result as structures associated with vested interests were dismantled and replaced by new structures that created new vested interests. Weakening states in Latin America are less and less able to deal with internal discontent. The gap between the demands placed on the state and its ability to address them explains the need for reform. In some countries, citizens have concluded that they neither want the democracy they have nor have the democracy they want.
Posterior Predictive Assessment of Item Response Theory Models
Authors: Sinharay Sandip , Johnson Matthew S. , Stern Hal S.
Published: June 2006

Model checking in item response theory (IRT) is an underdeveloped area. There is no universally accepted tool for checking IRT models. The posterior predictive model-checking method is a popular Bayesian model-checking tool because it has intuitive appeal, is simple to apply, has a strong theoretical basis, and can provide graphical or numerical evidence about model misfit. An important issue with the application of the posterior predictive model-checking method is the choice of a discrepancy measure (which plays a role like that of a test statistic in traditional hypothesis tests). This article examines the performance of a number of discrepancy measures for assessing different aspects of fit of the common IRT models and makes specific recommendations about what measures are most useful in assessing model fit. Graphical summaries of model-checking results are demonstrated to provide useful insights about model fit.
Andrea Yates and the Criminalization of the Filicidal Maternal Body
Authors: West Desirée A. , Lichtenstein Bronwen
Published: June 2006

On March 12, 2002, Andrea Yates was found guilty of murder for drowning her five children. Media reports of the Yates trial indicate that she was judged according to the idealization of mothers as self-sacrificial and nurturing. This article uses the theory of the sociology of the body to analyze Yates’s crime in relation to mental illness, gender roles, and embodied motherhood. The authors present a brief history of the crime of filicide and discuss the social factors that contribute to maternal filicide and the mental insanity defense in relation to the Yates trial. The authors conclude that there are no easy answers to the maternal filicide conundrum but that it is certain the Yates trial will bring renewed attention to the embodiment of such women in defining the criminality of their actions
Alone at Night
Authors: Meyer Emily , Post Lori A.
Published: June 2006

Fear of violence appears to be widespread among women, and many feminist scholars attribute such fear to gender inequality at a societal level. The present article uses qualitative interviews with 32 women older than the age of 50 to determine the context in which women perceive violence in their neighborhoods and communities and how their present experience with fear and violence differs from childhood experience. The authors also assess the various mechanisms women employ to keep themselves safe from harm and how daily routines are altered to avoid violence. Using feminist theory as a foundation for analysis, an ecological system of violence is constructed, which incorporates the individual, neighborhood, and societal environments
MBD2 is a critical component of a methyl cytosine-binding protein complex isolated from primary erythroid cells
Authors: Kransdorf Evan P. , Wang Shou Zhen , Zhu Sheng Zu , Langston Timothy B. , Rupon Jeremy W. , Ginder Gordon D.
Published: June 2006

The chicken embryonic β-type globin gene, ρ, is a member of a small group of vertebrate genes whose developmentally regulated expression is mediated by DNA methylation. Previously, we have shown that a methyl cytosine-binding complex binds to the methylated ρ-globin gene in vitro. We have now chromatographically purified and characterized this complex from adult chicken primary erythroid cells. Four components of the MeCP1 transcriptional repression complex were identified: MBD2, RBAP48, HDAC2, and MTA1. These 4 proteins, as well as the zinc-finger protein p66 and the chromatin remodeling factor Mi2, were found to coelute by gel-filtration analysis and pull-down assays. We conclude that these 6 proteins are components of the MeCPC. In adult erythrocytes, significant enrichment for MBD2 is seen at the inactive ρ-globin gene by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, whereas no enrichment is observed at the active βA-globin gene, demonstrating MBD2 binds to the methylated and transcriptionally silent ρ-globin gene in vivo. Knock-down of MBD2 resulted in up-regulation of a methylated ρ-gene construct in mouse erythroleukemic (MEL)-ρ cells. These results represent the first purification of a MeCP1-like complex from a primary cell source and provide support for a role for MBD2 in developmental gene regulation.
A prospective cohort study on the absolute incidence of venous thromboembolism and arterial cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic carriers of the prothrombin 20210A mutation
Authors: Coppens Michiel , van de Poel Marlene H. , Bank Ivan , Hamulyak Karly , van der Meer Jan , Veeger Nic J. , Prins Martin H. , Buller Harry R. , Middeldorp Saskia
Published: June 2006

The prothrombin 20210A mutation has been associated with an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and arterial cardiovascular disease. The risks for asymptomatic carriers of this mutation have thus far been studied only in case-control and retrospective cohort studies. Here we present the results of the first prospective observational study in asymptomatic first-degree family members of patients with either VTE or premature atherosclerosis and the prothrombin 20210A mutation. We included 464 individuals (236 carriers) with a total follow-up duration of 1816 years (943 years for the carriers). The annual incidence of a first VTE was 0.37% (95% CI, 0.08-1.08) for carriers and 0.12% (95% CI, 0.00-0.69) for noncarriers (HR, 3.1; 95% CI, 0.3-29.6). The annual incidence of a first arterial cardiovascular event was 0.56% (95% CI, 0.18-1.31) for carriers and 0.73% (95% CI, 0.27-1.58) for noncarriers (adjusted HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.2-2.5). We conclude that the absolute incidence of a first VTE or arterial cardiovascular event is low; therefore, the clinical implications of carriership of the prothrombin 20210A mutation are limited, and routinely testing all first-degree relatives of probands with this mutation does not appear to be justified.
Assigning sex to pre-adult stalk-eyed flies using genital disc morphology and X chromosome zygosity
Authors: Carr Martin , Cotton Samuel , Rogers David W , Pomiankowski Andrew , Smith Hazel , Fowler Kevin
Published: June 2006

Background

In stalk-eyed flies (Diopsidae) the eyes and antennae are laterally displaced at the ends of elongated eyestalks. Eyespan and the degree of sexual dimorphism in eyespan vary considerably between species and several sexually dimorphic species show sexual selection through female mate preference for males with exaggerated eyespan. The genes on which selection acts to regulate eyespan remain to be identified. This could be achieved by comparing gene expression during eyestalk development in males and females if the sex of pre-adult flies could be reliably assigned. Here we describe two techniques, one morphological and one microsatellite-based, that identify the sex of stalk-eyed fly larvae and pupae.

Results

We showed that genital discs of the stalk-eyed fly Teleopsis dalmanni have two highly distinct morphologies, compact ("C") and lobed ("L"). Segment composition (revealed by Engrailed expression) was consistent with C morphology being typical of males and L morphology of females. We confirmed the proposed association between disc morphology and sex by evaluating the combined heterozygosity of four X-linked microsatellite markers. We demonstrated that individuals with C genital discs had hemizygous (male) genotypes while those with L discs were heterozygous (female) genotypes. Similar dimorphism in genital disc morphology was observed in eight other species spanning three representative Diopsid genera. In every case the segment composition supported C morphology being male and L morphology female. We assigned larval sex by C or L morphology and compared cell division frequencies in male and female eye-antennal discs in two species (T. dalmanni and Diasemopsis meigenii) sexually dimorphic for eyespan. The number of mitotic (anti-H3-labelled) cells did not differ between the sexes in either species.

Conclusion

We have made novel use of two complementary techniques for identifying the sex of pre-adult stalk-eyed flies. These procedures will facilitate studies of the evolution of sexually dimorphic development in a variety of other species. Morphology and En expression in male and female genital discs are highly conserved within each genus of Diopsidae. Finally, sexual dimorphism for eyespan in two Diopsid species is unlikely to be due to an increased rate of cell division at the third larval instar in males.
Gender differences in the utilization of health-care services among the older adult population of Spain
Authors: Redondo-Sendino Áurea , Guallar-Castillón Pilar , Banegas José Ramón , Rodríguez-Artalejo Fernando
Published: June 2006

Background

Compared to men, women report greater morbidity and make greater use of health-care services. This study examines potential determinants of gender differences in the utilization of health-care services among the elderly.

Methods

Cross-sectional study covering 3030 subjects, representative of the non-institutionalized Spanish population aged 60 years and over. Potential determinants of gender differences in the utilization of health services were classified into predisposing factors (age and head-of-family status), need factors (lifestyles, chronic diseases, functional status, cognitive deficit and health-related quality of life (HRQL)) and enabling factors (educational level, marital status, head-of-family employment status and social network). Relative differences in the use of each service between women and men were summarized using odds ratios (OR), obtained from logistic regression. The contribution of the variables of interest to the gender differences in the use of such services was evaluated by comparing the OR before and after adjustment for such variables.

Results

As compared to men, a higher percentage of women visited a medical practitioner (OR: 1.24; 95% confidence limits (CL): 1.07–1.44), received home medical visits (OR: 1.67; 95% CL: 1.34–2.10) and took ≥3 medications (OR: 1.54; 95% CL: 1.34–1.79), but there were no gender differences in hospital admission or influenza vaccination. Adjustment for need or enabling factors led to a reduction in the OR of women compared to men for utilization of a number of services studied. On adjusting for the number of chronic diseases, the OR (95% CL) of women versus men for ingestion of ≥3 medications was 1.24 (1.06–1.45). After adjustment for HRQL, the OR was 1.03 (0.89–1.21) for visits to medical practitioners, 1.24 (0.98–1.58) for home medical visits, 0.71 (0.58–0.87) for hospitalization, and 1.14 (0.97–1.33) for intake of ≥3 medications. After adjustment for the number of chronic diseases and HRQL, the OR of hospitalization among women versus men was 0.68 (0.56–0.84).

Conclusion

The factors that best explain the greater utilization of health-care services by elderly women versus men are the number of chronic diseases and HRQL. For equal need, certain inequality was observed in hospital admission, in that it proved less frequent among women.