bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CREATING A LEAN SYSTEM OF INNOVATION: THE CASE OF ROCKWELL COLLINS
Authors: SRINIVASAN JAYAKANTH
Published: July 2010

Lean Transformation and Innovation have both been touted as strategies that are essential to the long-term survival of organizations. The question of whether the two approaches can be used simultaneously remains unanswered. This paper is the first step at deriving a theory of lean systems of innovation that combines the notions of lean enterprise transformation with that of innovation. The descriptive understanding of Rockwell Collins developed in this paper, draws on publicly available material to support the identifications of the key elements of a strategic system of innovation. Our analysis highlights the successful use of technology scanning, internal R&D, and open innovation within the innovation system at Rockwell Collins. Furthermore, the existence of a shared value proposition, a strong organizational culture that recognized and rewarded innovation, and the requisite organizational infrastructure serve as key enablers to architecting a strategic system of innovation that is reflective of lean enterprise thinking.
Microfluidic Technologies for Temporal Perturbations of Chemotaxis
Authors: Irimia Daniel
Published: July 2010

Most cells in the body have the ability to change their physical locations during physiologic or pathologic events such as inflammation, wound healing, or cancer. When cell migration is directed toward sources of cue chemicals, the process is known as chemotaxis, and it requires linking the sensing of chemicals through receptors on the surfaces of the cells to the directional activation of the motility apparatus inside the cells. This link is supported by complex intracellular signaling pathways, and although details regarding the nature of the molecules involved in the signal transduction are well established, far less is known about how different signaling molecules and processes are dynamically interconnected and how slower and faster signaling events take place simultaneously inside moving cells. In this context, advances in microfluidic technologies are enabling the emergence of new tools that facilitate the development of experimental protocols in which the cellular microenvironment is precisely controlled in time and space and in which signaling-associated changes inside cells can be quantitatively measured and compared. These tools could enable new insights into the intricacies of the biological systems that participate in chemotaxis processes and could have the potential to accelerate the development of novel therapeutic strategies to control cell motility and enhance our abilities for medical intervention during health and disease.
α7-nAChR-mediated suppression of hyperexcitability of colonic dorsal root ganglia neurons in experimental colitis
Authors: Abdrakhmanova Galya R. , AlSharari Shakir , Kang Minho , Damaj M. Imad , Akbarali Hamid I.
Published: July 2010

Controlled clinical trials of nicotine transdermal patch for treatment of ulcerative colitis have been shown to improve histological and global clinical scores of colitis. Here we report that nicotine (1 μM) suppresses in vitro hyperexcitability of colonic dorsal root ganglia (DRG) (L1–L2) neurons in the dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse model of acute colonic inflammation. Nicotine gradually reduced regenerative multiple-spike action potentials in colitis mice to a single action potential. Nicotine's effect on hyperexcitability of inflamed neurons was blocked in the presence of an α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) antagonist, methyllicaconitine, while choline, the α7-nAChR agonist, induced a similar effect to that of nicotine. Consistent with these findings, nicotine failed to suppress hyperexcitability in colonic DRG neurons from DSS-treated α7 knockout mice. Furthermore, colonic DRG neurons from DSS-treated α7 knockout mice were characterized by lower rheobase (10 ± 5 vs. 77 ± 13 pA, respectively) and current threshold (28 ± 4 vs. 103 ± 8 pA, respectively) levels than DSS-treated C57BL/J6 mice. An interesting observation of this study is that 8 of 12 colonic DRG (L1–L2) neurons from control α7 knockout mice exhibited multiple-spike action potential firing while no wild-type neurons did. Overall, our findings suggest that nicotine at low 1 μM concentration suppresses in vitro hyperexcitability of inflamed colonic DRG neurons in a mouse model of acute colonic inflammation via activation of α7-nAChRs.
Exposure of precision-cut rat liver slices to ethanol accelerates fibrogenesis
Authors: Schaffert Courtney S. , Duryee Michael J. , Bennett Robert G. , DeVeney Amy L. , Tuma Dean J. , Olinga Peter , Easterling Karen C. , Thiele Geoffrey M. , Klassen Lynell W.
Published: July 2010

Ethanol metabolism in the liver induces oxidative stress and altered cytokine production preceding myofibroblast activation and fibrogenic responses. The purpose of this study was to determine how ethanol affects the fibrogenic response in precision-cut liver slices (PCLS). PCLS were obtained from chow-fed male Wistar rats (200–300 g) and were cultured up to 96 h in medium, 25 mM ethanol, or 25 mM ethanol and 0.5 mM 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP), an inhibitor of ethanol metabolism. Slices from every time point (24, 48, 72, and 96 h) were examined for glutathione (GSH) levels, lipid peroxidation [thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) assay], cytokine production (ELISA and RT-PCR), and myofibroblast activation [immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry for smooth muscle actin (SMA) and collagen]. Treatment of PCLS with 25 mM ethanol induced significant oxidative stress within 24 h, including depletion of cellular GSH and increased lipid peroxidation compared with controls ( P < 0.05). Ethanol treatment also elicited a significant and sustained increase in interleukin-6 (IL-6) production ( P < 0.05). Importantly, ethanol treatment accelerates a fibrogenic response after 48 h, represented by significant increases in SMA and collagen 1α(I) production ( P < 0.05). These ethanol-induced effects were prevented by the addition of 4-MP. Ethanol metabolism induces oxidative stress (GSH depletion and increased lipid peroxidation) and sustained IL-6 expression in rat PCLS. These phenomena precede and coincide with myofibroblast activation, which occurs within 48 h of treatment. These results indicate the PCLS can be used as in vitro model for studying multicellular interactions during the early stages of ethanol-induced liver injury and fibrogenesis.
A full 3-D reconstruction of the entire porcine coronary vasculature
Authors: Kaimovitz Benjamin , Lanir Yoram , Kassab Ghassan S.
Published: July 2010

We have previously reconstructed the entire coronary arterial tree of the porcine heart down to the first segment of capillaries. Here, we extend the vascular model through the capillary bed and the entire coronary venous system. The reconstruction was based on comprehensive morphometric data previously measured in the porcine heart. The reconstruction was formulated as a large-scale optimization process, subject to both global constraints relating to the location of the larger veins and to local constraints of measured morphological features. The venous network was partitioned into epicardial, transmural, and perfusion functional subnetworks. The epicardial portion was generated by a simulated annealing search for the optimal coverage of the area perfused by the arterial epicardial vessels. The epicardial subnetwork and coronary arterial capillary network served as boundary conditions for the reconstruction of the in-between transmural and perfusion networks, which were generated to optimize vascular homogeneity. Five sets of full coronary trees, which spanned the entire network down to the capillary level, were reconstructed. The total number of reconstructed venous segments was 17,148,946 ± 1,049,498 ( n = 5), which spanned the coronary sinus ( order −12) to the first segment of the venous capillary ( order 0v). Combined with the reconstructed arterial network, the number of vessel segments for the entire coronary network added up to 27,307,376 ± 1,155,359 ( n = 5). The reconstructed full coronary vascular network agreed with the gross anatomy of coronary networks in terms of structure, location of major vessels, and measured morphometric statistics of native coronary networks. This is the first full model of the entire coronary vasculature, which can serve as a foundation for realistic large-scale coronary flow analysis.
In vivo assessment of artery smooth muscle [Ca2+]i and MLCK activation in FRET-based biosensor mice
Authors: Zhang Jin , Chen Ling , Raina Hema , Blaustein Mordecai P. , Wier W. Gil
Published: July 2010

The cellular mechanisms that control arterial diameter in vivo, particularly in hypertension, are uncertain. Here, we report a method that permits arterial intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) activation, and artery external diameter to be recorded simultaneously with arterial blood pressure (BP) in living mice under 1.5% isofluorane anesthesia. The method also enables an assessment of local receptor activity on [Ca2+]i, MLCK activity, and diameter in arteries, uncomplicated by systemic effects. Transgenic mice that express, in smooth muscle, a Ca2+/calmodulin-activated, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based “ratiometric”, exogenous MLCK biosensor were used. Vasoactive substances were administered either intravenously or locally to segments of exposed femoral or cremaster arteries. In the basal state, mean BP was ∼90 mmHg, femoral arteries were constricted to 65% of their passive diameter, MLCK fractional activation was 0.14, and [Ca2+]i was 131 nM. Phenylephrine (300 ng/g wt iv) elevated mean BP transiently to ∼110 mmHg, decreased heart rate, increased femoral artery [Ca2+]i to 244 nM and fractional MLCK activation to 0.24, and decreased artery diameter by 23%. In comparison, local application of 1.0 μM phenylephrine raised [Ca2+]i to 279 nM and fractional MLCK activation to 0.26, and reduced diameter by 25%, but did not affect BP or heart rate. Intravital FRET imaging of exogenous MLCK biosensor mice permits quantification of changes in [Ca2+]i and MLCK activation that accompany small changes in BP. Based on the observed variance of the FRET data, this method should enable the detection of a difference in basal [Ca2+]i of 29 nM between two groups of 12 mice with a significance of P < 0.05.
The mitochondrial component of intracrine action
Authors: Re Richard N. , Cook Julia L.
Published: July 2010

In recent years the actions of intracellular-acting, extracellular signaling proteins/peptides (intracrines) have become increasingly defined. General principles of intracrine action have been proposed. Mitochondria represent one locus of intracrine action, and thus far, angiotensin II, transforming growth factor-β, growth hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide, Wnt 13, stanniocalcin, other renin-angiotensin system components, and vascular endothelial-derived growth factor, among others, have been shown to be mitochondria-localizing intracrines. The implications of this mitochondrial intracrine biology are discussed.
Comparison between alternating and pulsed current electrical muscle stimulation for muscle and systemic acute responses
Authors: Aldayel Abdulaziz , Jubeau Marc , McGuigan Michael , Nosaka Kazunori
Published: July 2010

This study compared alternating current and pulsed current electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) for torque output, skin temperature ( Tsk), blood lactate and hormonal responses, and skeletal muscle damage markers. Twelve healthy men (23–48 yr) received alternating current EMS (2.5 kHz delivered at 75 Hz, 400 μs) for the knee extensors of one leg and pulsed current (75 Hz, 400 μs) for the other leg to induce 40 isometric contractions (on-off ratio 5–15 s) at the knee joint angle of 100° (0°: full extension). The use of the legs for each condition was counterbalanced among subjects, and the two EMS bouts were separated by 2 wk. The current amplitude was consistently increased to maximally tolerable level, and the torque and perceived intensity were recorded over 40 isometric contractions. Tskof the stimulated and contralateral knee extensors were measured before, during, and for 30 min after EMS. Blood lactate, growth hormone, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1, testosterone, and cortisol were measured before, during, and for 45 min following EMS. Muscle damage markers included maximal voluntary isometric contraction torque, muscle soreness with a 100-mm visual analog scale, and plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, which were measured before and 1, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after EMS. No significant differences in the torque induced during stimulation (∼30% maximal voluntary isometric contraction) and perceived intensity were found, and changes in Tsk, blood lactate, and hormones were not significantly different between conditions. However, all of the measures showed significant ( P < 0.05) changes from baseline values. Skeletal muscle damage was evidenced by prolonged strength loss, development of muscle soreness, and increases in plasma CK activity; however, the changes in the variables were not significantly different between conditions. It is concluded that acute effects of alternating and pulsed current EMS on the stimulated muscles are similar.
Different blood flow responses to dynamic exercise between internal carotid and vertebral arteries in women
Authors: Sato Kohei , Sadamoto Tomoko
Published: July 2010

The blood flow regulation in vertebral system during dynamic exercise in humans remains unclear. We examined the blood flow responses in both the internal carotid artery (Q̇ICA) and vertebral artery (Q̇VA) simultaneously during graded dynamic exercise by Doppler ultrasound to evaluate whether cerebrovascular responses to exercise were similar. In the semisupine position, 10 young women performed a graded cycling exercise at three loads of 30, 50, and 70% of peak oxygen uptake (V̇o2peak) for 5 min for each workload. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output increased progressively with three workloads ( P < 0.01). The end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (PetCO2) in the expired gas increased from the resting level ( P < 0.01) at 30 and 50% V̇o2peak. The PetCO2 at 70% V̇o2peak (43.2 ± 1.6 Torr) was significantly lower than that at 50% V̇o2peak (45.3 ± 1.4 Torr). In parallel with the changes in PetCO2, Q̇ICA increased from resting level by 11.6 ± 1.5 and 18.4 ± 2.7% at 30 and 50% V̇o2peak ( P < 0.01), respectively, and leveled off at 70% V̇o2peak. In contrast, Q̇VA did not show a leveling off and increased proportionally with workload: 16.8 ± 3.1, 32.8 ± 3.6, and 39.5 ± 3.4% elevations at the three exercise loads, respectively ( P < 0.01). With increasing exercise load, the cerebrovascular resistance in internal carotid artery increased ( P < 0.01), while cerebrovascular resistance in vertebral artery remained stable during exercise. The different responses between Q̇ICA and Q̇VA in the present study indicate a heterogenous blood flow and cerebrovascular control in the internal carotid and vertebral systems during dynamic exercise in humans.
Somatosensory Contribution to Motor Learning Due to Facial Skin Deformation
Authors: Ito Takayuki , Ostry David J.
Published: July 2010

Motor learning is dependent on kinesthetic information that is obtained both from cutaneous afferents and from muscle receptors. In human arm movement, information from these two kinds of afferents is largely correlated. The facial skin offers a unique situation in which there are plentiful cutaneous afferents and essentially no muscle receptors and, accordingly, experimental manipulations involving the facial skin may be used to assess the possible role of cutaneous afferents in motor learning. We focus here on the information for motor learning provided by the deformation of the facial skin and the motion of the lips in the context of speech. We used a robotic device to slightly stretch the facial skin lateral to the side of the mouth in the period immediately preceding movement. We found that facial skin stretch increased lip protrusion in a progressive manner over the course of a series of training trials. The learning was manifest in a changed pattern of lip movement, when measured after learning in the absence of load. The newly acquired motor plan generalized partially to another speech task that involved a lip movement of different amplitude. Control tests indicated that the primary source of the observed adaptation was sensory input from cutaneous afferents. The progressive increase in lip protrusion over the course of training fits with the basic idea that change in sensory input is attributed to motor performance error. Sensory input, which in the present study precedes the target movement, is credited to the target-related motion, even though the skin stretch is released prior to movement initiation. This supports the idea that the nervous system generates motor commands on the assumption that sensory input and kinematic error are in register.
Characteristics and Organization of Discharge Properties in Rat Hindlimb Motoneurons
Authors: Turkin Vladimir V. , O'Neill Derek , Jung Ranu , Iarkov Alexandre , Hamm Thomas M.
Published: July 2010

The discharge properties of hindlimb motoneurons in ketamine–xylazine anesthetized rats were measured to assess contributions of persistent intrinsic currents to these characteristics and to determine their distribution in motoneuron pools. Most motoneurons (30/37) responded to ramp current injections with adapting patterns of discharge and the frequency–current ( f– I) relations of nearly all motoneurons included a steep subprimary range of discharge. Despite the prevalence of adapting f– I relations, responses included indications that persistent inward currents (PICs) were activated, including increased membrane noise and prepotentials before discharge, as well as counterclockwise hysteresis and secondary ranges in f– I relations. Examination of spike thresholds and afterhyperpolarization (AHP) trajectories during repetitive discharge revealed systematic changes in threshold and trajectory within the subprimary, primary, and secondary f– I ranges. These changes in the primary and secondary ranges were qualitatively similar to those described previously for cat motoneurons. Within the subprimary range, AHP trajectories often included shallow approaches to threshold following recruitment and slope of the AHP ramp consistently increased until the subprimary range was reached. We suggest that PICs activated near recruitment contributed to these slope changes and formation of the subprimary range. Discharge characteristics were strongly correlated with motoneuron size, using input conductance as an indicator of size. Discharge adaptation, recruitment current, and frequency increased with input conductance, whereas both subprimary and primary f– I gains decreased. These results are discussed with respect to potential mechanisms and their functional implications.
Repetition Suppression Dissociates Spatial Frames of Reference in Human Saccade Generation
Authors: Van Pelt Stan , Toni Ivan , Diedrichsen Jörn , Medendorp W. Pieter
Published: July 2010

The path from perception to action involves the transfer of information across various reference frames. Here we applied a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) repetition suppression paradigm to determine the reference frame(s) in which the cortical activity is coded at several phases of the sensorimotor transformation for a saccade, including sensory processing, saccade planning, and saccade execution. We distinguished between retinal (eye-centered) and nonretinal (e.g., head-centered) coding frames in three key regions: the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), frontal eye field (FEF), and supplementary eye field (SEF). Subjects ( n = 18) made delayed saccades to one of five possible peripheral targets, separated at intervals of 9° visual angle. Target locations were chosen pseudorandomly, based on a 2 × 2 factorial design, with factors retinal and nonretinal coordinates and levels novel and repeated. In all three regions, analysis of the blood oxygenation level dependent dynamics revealed an attenuation of the fMRI signal in trials repeating the location of the target in retinal coordinates. The amount of retinal suppression varied across the three phases of the trial, with the strongest suppression during saccade planning. The paradigm revealed only weak traces of nonretinal coding in these regions. Further analyses showed an orderly representation of the retinal target location, as expressed by a contralateral bias of activation, in the IPS and FEF, but not in the SEF. These results provide evidence that the sensorimotor processing in these centers reflects saccade generation in eye-centered coordinates, irrespective of their topographic organization.
Interspike Interval Analyses Reveal Irregular Firing Patterns at Short, But Not Long, Intervals in Rat Head Direction Cells
Authors: Taube Jeffrey S.
Published: July 2010

Previous studies have shown that a subset of neurons in the rat anterodorsal thalamus discharge as a function of the animal's head direction (HD) in the horizontal plane, independent of the animal's location and behavior. These cells have consistent firing properties across a wide range of conditions and cell discharge appears highly regular when listened to through a loudspeaker. In contrast, interspike interval (ISI) analyses on cortical cells have found that cell firing is irregular, even under constant stimulus conditions. Here, we analyzed HD cells from the anterodorsal thalamus, while rats foraged for food pellets, to determine whether their firing was regular or irregular. ISIs were measured when the animal's HD was maintained within ±6° of the cell's preferred firing direction. ISIs were highly variable with a mean coefficient of variation (CV) of 0.681. For each cell, the CV values at HDs ±24° away from the cell's preferred direction were similar to the coefficient measured at the cell's preferred direction. A second recording session showed that cells had similar coefficients of variation as the first session, suggesting that the degree of variability in cell spiking was a characteristic property for each cell. There was little correlation between ISIs and angular head velocity or translational speed. ISIs measured in HD cells from the postsubiculum and lateral mammillary nuclei showed higher CV values. These results indicate that despite the appearance of regularity in their firing, HD cells, like cortical cells, have irregular ISIs. In contrast to the irregular firing observed for ISIs, analyses over longer time intervals indicated that HD cell firing was much more regular, more nearly resembling a rate code. These findings have implications for attractor networks that model the HD signal and for models proposed to explain the generation of grid cell signals in entorhinal cortex.
Assessment of DNA Damage by RAPD inParacentrotus lividusEmbryos Exposed to Amniotic Fluid from Residents Living Close to Waste Landfill Sites
Authors: Guida Maurizio , Guida Marco , De Felice Bruna , Santafede Daniela , D'Alessandro Raffaella , Di Spiezio Sardo Attilio , Scognamiglio Marianna , Ferrara Cinzia , Bifulco Giuseppe , Nappi Carmine
Published: July 2010

The aim of this study was to assess the genotoxic effects of environmental chemicals on residents living near landfills. The study was based on samples of amniotic fluid from women living in the intensely polluted areas around the Campania region of Italy compared to a nonexposed control group. We evaluated the genetic effects that this amniotic fluids collected in contaminated sites had onParacentrotus lividusembryos. DNA damage was detected through changes in RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphism DNA) profiles. The absence of the amplified DNA fragments indicated deletions inParacentrotus lividusDNA exposed to the contaminated amniotic fluids when compared to equal exposure to uncontaminated fluids. These results show the ability of RAPD-PCR to detect and isolate DNA sequences representing genetic alterations induced inP. lividusembryos. Using this method, we identified two candidate target regions for DNA alterations in the genome ofP. lividus. Our research indicates that RAPD-PCR inP. lividusembryo DNA can provide a molecular approach for studying DNA damage from pollutants that can impact human health. To our knowledge, this is the first time that assessment of DNA damage inP. lividusembryos has been tested using the RAPD strategy after exposure to amniotic fluid from residents near waste landfill sites.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Cervical Neoplasia in Women from a Rural Area of Southern Mozambique
Authors: Menéndez Clara , Castellsagué Xavier , Renom Montse , Sacarlal Jahit , Quintó Llorenç , Lloveras Belen , Klaustermeier Joellen , Kornegay Janet R. , Sigauque Betuel , Bosch F. Xavier , Alonso Pedro L.
Published: July 2010

There is limited information on the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and the prevalence of cervical neoplasia in rural sub-Saharan Africa. This study describes the prevalence and the etiology of STIs and the prevalence of cervical neoplasia among women in southern Mozambique. An age-stratified cross-sectional study was performed where 262 women aged 14 to 61 years were recruited at the antenatal clinic (59%), the family-planning clinic (7%), and from the community (34%). At least one active STI was diagnosed in 79% of women. Trichomonas vaginalis was present in 31% of all study participants. The prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis were 14% and 8%, respectively, and Syphilis was diagnosed in 12% of women. HPV DNA was detected in 40% of women and cervical neoplasia was diagnosed in 12% of all women. Risk factors associated with the presence of some of the STIs were being divorced or widowed, having more than one sexual partner and having the partner living in another area. A higher prevalence was observed in the reproductive age group and some of the STIs were more frequently diagnosed in pregnant women. STI control programs are a priority to reduce the STIs burden, including HIV and cervical neoplasia.
Fractal Geometry‐Based Hypergeometric Time Series Solution to the Hereditary Thermal Creep Model for the Contact of Rough Surfaces Using the Kelvin‐Voigt Medium
Authors: Abuzeid Osama M. , Al-Rabadi Anas N. , Alkhaldi Hashem S.
Published: July 2010

This paper aims at constructing a continuous hereditary creep model for the thermoviscoelastic contact of a rough punch and a smooth surface of a rigid half‐space. The used model considers the rough surface as a function of the applied load and temperatures. The material of the rough punch surface is assumed to behave as Kelvin‐Voigt viscoelastic material. Such a model uses elastic springs and viscous dashpots in parallel. The fractal‐based punch surface is modelled using a deterministic Cantor structure. An asymptotic power law, deduced using approximate iterative relations, is used to express the punch surface creep which is a time‐dependent inelastic deformation. The suggested law utilized the hypergeometric time series to relate the variables of creep as a function of remote forces, body temperatures, and time. The model is valid when the approach of punch surface and half space is in the order of the size of the surface roughness. The closed‐form results are obtained for selected values of the system parameters; the fractal surface roughness and various material properties. The obtained results show good agreement with published experimental results, and the methodology can be further extended to other structures such as the Kelvin‐Voigt medium within electronic circuits and systems.
On the Local Discontinuous Galerkin Method for Linear Elasticity
Authors: Chen Yuncheng , Huang Jianguo , Huang Xuehai , Xu Yifeng
Published: July 2010

Following Castillo et al. (2000) and Cockburn (2003), a general framework of constructing discontinuous Galerkin (DG)
methods is developed for solving the linear elasticity problem. The numerical traces are determined in view of a discrete stability identity, leading to a class of stable DG methods. A particular method, called the LDG method for linear elasticity, is studied
in depth, which can be viewed as an extension of the LDG method discussed by Castillo et al. (2000) and Cockburn (2003). The error bounds in L2‐norm, H1‐norm, and a certain broken energy norm are obtained. Some numerical results are provided to confirm the convergence theory established.
Kinetics and Mechanisms of the Chromium(III) Reactions with 2,4‐ and 2,5‐Dihydroxybenzoic Acids in Weak Acidic Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Zavitsanos Kimon , Petrou Athinoula L.
Published: July 2010

The reactions of 2,4‐ and 2,5‐dihydroxybenzoic acids (dihydroxybenzoic acid, DHBA) with chromium(III) in weak acidic aqueous solutions have been shown to take place in at least two stages. The first stage of the reactions has an observed rate constant k1(obs) = k1[DHBA] + C and the corresponding activation parameters are  kJ/mol−1, J mol−1 K−1,  kJ/mol−1, and  J mol−1 K−1. These are composite activation parameters and the breaking of the strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the two ligands is suggested to be the first step of the (composite) first stage of the reactions. The second stage is ligand concentration independent and is thus attributed to a chelation process. The corresponding activation parameters are  kJ/mol−1,  J mol−1 K−1,  kJ/mol−1, and  J mol−1 K−1. The activation parameters support an associative mechanism for the second stage of the reactions. The various substitution processes are accompanied by proton release, resulting in pH decrease.
Feminist Reflections on the Responsibility to Protect
Authors: Charlesworth Hilary
Published: July 2010

This paper offers a feminist analysis of the responsibility to protect principle. It outlines some themes in feminist scholarship in international law and then uses these to explore the idea of a responsibility to protect. The paper argues that, despite some resonance with feminist concerns, the doctrine has been developed in a limited context, effectively privileging male elites and masculine modes of reasoning.
The Role of Serum Lactate in the Acute Care Setting
Authors: Kjelland Colleen B. , Djogovic Dennis
Published: July 2010

Acute care services are increasingly faced with the double burden of high patient acuity and limited resources. Early identification of patients who are sick or who have the potential to deteriorate rapidly is crucial so that these resources may be allocated to those in greatest need. Traditional measures of illness and end points of resuscitation, such as vital signs, often fail to identify occult hypoperfusion with certain disease processes associated with high morbidity and mortality. Thus, biochemical markers that may predict illness earlier are becoming more relevant. We present a review of the evidence behind use of the serum lactate level in this setting.
A Physicochemical Model of Crystalloid Infusion on Acid-Base Status
Authors: Omron Edward M. , Omron Rodney M.
Published: July 2010

The objective of this study is to develop a physicochemical model of the projected change in standard base excess (SBE) consequent to the infused volume of crystalloid solutions in common use. A clinical simulation of modeled acid-base and fluid compartment parameters was conducted in a 70-kg test participant at standard physiologic state: pH = 7.40, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) = 40 mm Hg, Henderson—Hasselbalch actual bicarbonate ([HCO3] HH) = 24.5 mEq/L, strong ion difference (SID) = 38.9 mEq/L, albumin = 4.40 g/dL, inorganic phosphate = 1.16 mmol/L, citrate total = 0.135 mmol/L, and SBE = 0.1 mEq/L. Simulations of multiple, sequential crystalloid infusions up to 10 L were conducted of normal saline (SID = 0), lactated Ringer’s (SID = 28), plasmalyte 148 (SID = 50), one-half normal saline + 75 mEq/L sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3; SID = 75), 0.15 mol/L NaHCO3 (SID = 150), and a hypothetical crystalloid solution whose SID = 24.5 mEq/L, respectively. Simulations were based on theoretical completion of steady-state equilibrium and PCO2 was fixed at 40 mm Hg to assess nonrespiratory acid-base effects. A crystalloid SID equivalent to standard state actual bicarbonate (24.5 mEq/L) results in a neutral metabolic acid-base status for infusions up to 10 L. The 5 study solutions exhibited curvilinear relationships between SBE and crystalloid infusion volume in liters. Solutions whose SID was greater than 24.5 mEq/L demonstrated a progressive metabolic alkalosis and less, a progressive metabolic acidosis. In a human model system, the effects of crystalloid infusion on SBE are a function of the crystalloid and plasma SID, volume infused, and nonvolatile plasma weak acid changes. A projection of the impact of a unit volume of various isotonic crystalloid solutions on SBE is presented. The model’s validation, applications, and limitations are examined.
Gender Differences in Drug Offers of Rural Hawaiian Youths: A Mixed-Methods Analysis
Authors: Okamoto Scott K. , Kulis Stephen , Helm Susana , Edwards Christopher , Giroux Danielle
Published: July 2010

This study examined the gender differences in drug-offer situations of Native Hawaiian youths in rural communities. Youths from seven middle or intermediate schools (N = 194) on the Big Island of Hawai‘i completed a survey that focused on the drug offers they had received. Multivariate and bivariate analyses indicated that the girls received significantly more drug offers than did the boys in the sample and found it more difficult to refuse drugs in such situations. Qualitative data gathered from communities in the survey’s sampling frame elucidated the quantitative findings. Limitations of the study and implications for prevention practice are discussed.
The Urban Studio Project Recipe: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Feminist Practice Through Community Engagement
Authors: Busch Nsonwu Maura , Gruber Kenneth J. , Charest Robert M.
Published: July 2010

The Urban Studio was initially planned to enhance the pedagogy and curriculum of students in the Department of Interior Architecture through the design and construction of a home for a needy family. This project grew to include faculty and students from the Department of Social Work when the need for a psychosocial perspective was identified. The project resulted in a discovery of the potential benefits of an interdisciplinary endeavor framed by a feminist perspective. It became both a service learning opportunity and a way to make a significant impact by ameliorating a substandard housing structure in a transitional neighborhood.
Novel therapeutic strategies for acute lung injury induced by lung damaging agents: The potential role of growth factors as treatment options
Authors: Lindsay Christopher D
Published: July 2010

The increasing threat from terrorism has brought attention to the possible use of toxic industrial compounds (TICs) and other lung-damaging agents as weapons against civilian populations. The way in which these agents could be used favours the development of generic countermeasures. Improved medical countermeasures would increase survivability and improve the quality of recovery of lung damaged casualties. It is evident that there is a dearth of therapeutic regimes available to treat those forms of lung damage that currently require intensive care management. It is quite possible that mass casualties from a terrorist incident or major industrial accident involving the release of large quantities of inhaled TICs would place a severe burden on already scarce intensive care facilities. The development of effective pharmacological approaches to assist the recovery of casualties suffering from acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may improve the prognosis of such patients (which is currently poor) and would ideally be used as a means of preventing subjects from developing the pulmonary oedema characteristic of ALI/ARDS. Many promising candidate pharmacological treatments have been evaluated for the treatment of ALI/ARDS, but their clinical value is often debatable. Thus, despite improvements in ventilation strategies, pharmacological intervention for ALI/ARDS remains problematical. A new approach is clearly required for the treatment of patients with severely compromised lungs. Whilst the pathology of ALI/ARDS associated with exposure to a variety of agents is complex, numerous experimental studies suggest that generic therapeutic intervention directed at approaches that aim to upregulate repair of the damaged alveolar blood/air barrier of the lung may be of value, particularly with respect to chemical-induced injury. To this end, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), epithelial growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) are emerging as the most important candidates. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) does not have epithelial specificity for lung tissue. However, the enhanced effects of combinations of growth factors, such as the synergistic effect of HGF upon vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated endothelial cell activity, and the combined effect of HGF and KGF in tissue repair should be investigated, particularly as the latter pair of growth factors are frequently implicated in processes associated with the repair of lung damage. Synergistic interactions also occur between trefoil factor family (TFF) peptides and growth factors such as EGF. TFF peptides are most likely to be of value as a short term therapeutic intervention strategy in stimulating epithelial spreading activities which allow damaged mucosal surfaces to be rapidly covered by epithelial cells.
Constructing masculinized sportscapes: Skiing, gender and nature in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Stoddart Mark CJ
Published: July 2010

Sport sociology has provided a significant body of critical research on gender and social inequality within outdoor sport. Less attention is given to how the social construction of sport landscapes shapes gendered power relations. This article examines how skiing landscapes are constructed as masculinized spaces. The mountainous sublime is a site for performing athletic, risk-seeking masculinity.The backcountry and advanced terrain at ski resorts also appear as masculinized places. By contrast, less risky areas of the skiing landscape may be interpreted as ‘gender-neutral’ or feminized space. Through skiing, participants construct the meaning of gender and place, privileging masculinized versions of the sport.
Validity of Suicidality Items From the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in a High School Sample
Authors: May Alexis , Klonsky E. David
Published: July 2010

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is used by the United States Centers for Disease Control to estimate rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents. This study investigated the validity of the YRBS suicidality items by examining their relationship to criterion variables including loneliness, anxiety, depression, substance use, and other suicidality items. Participants were 386 high-school students. YRBS items assessing suicidal thoughts and behaviors demonstrated good convergent and discriminant validity.
The Audio Recorded Cognitive Screen (ARCS) in patients with multiple sclerosis: a practical tool for multiple sclerosis clinics
Authors: Lechner-Scott J. , Kerr T. , Spencer B. , Agland S. , Lydon A. , Schofield PW
Published: July 2010

Background: Cognitive impairment is a common complication of multiple sclerosis, even in early stage disease, with significant impacts on life quality and social interaction. However, its detection is highly test-dependent.

Objective: To validate a recently described screening tool, the ARCS, for detecting cognitive impairment in a multiple sclerosis population.

Methods: The ARCS administers tests of executive function, memory, visual spatial construction and language via an audio device to unsupervised patients who write their responses for later scoring. Some 127 patients with a wide variety of disease course and severity were assessed by ARCS, of whom 87 also completed the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) and 45 underwent formal (‘gold standard’) neuropsychological testing.

Results: Compared with PASAT, we found that the ARCS showed better sensitivity (86% versus 68%) at equivalent specificity (71%) for detection of impairment in any cognitive domain, and superiority in the detection of memory and executive impairments. Acceptance and completion rates for the ARCS were as good or better than for the PASAT.

Conclusions: ARCS is sensitive, well-tolerated, easy to administer and facilitates comprehensive cognitive assessment in less than 5 min of clinician time. It has several advantages over the PASAT for detecting cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Proposing conditions for assessment efficacy in physical education
Authors: Hay Peter , Penney Dawn
Published: July 2010

In arguing for more comprehensive practice, policy and research considerations of assessment in physical education (PE), this paper outlines and discusses four integrated conditions of assessment efficacy for the development and promotion of productive assessment in PE. These conditions are prefaced by the proposition that quality PE requires the concerted and considered alignment of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment and the inclusion of a primary focus on assessment for learning; authentic, integrated assessment; assurance of construct validity; and socially just approaches to assessment. The conditions themselves are not new, however their integration has been a notable omission from PE literature in the past. Implicit in these conditions is a call for a broadening of the curriculum content of PE and an employment of physical activity as site for learning in multiple domains in addition to its recognition as a learning focus.
Perspectives on HRD and Diversity Education
Authors: Hite Linda M. , McDonald Kimberly S.
Published: July 2010

The quotation by Cohn and Mullennix that begins this article is also an apt beginning for this issue. Globalization and workforce demographics have made diversity an organizational concern. In response, organizations typically have made diversity work a human resource development (HRD) responsibility, because diversity initiatives fit traditional HRD functions of training and development, career development, and organization development. So the question arises, What are we doing to prepare our students not only to live and work in a diverse world but also to contribute to building more inclusive systems as HRD scholars and practitioners? An answer we propose is to include diversity in graduate and undergraduate programs that teach HRD.
Diversity Education: Competencies and Strategies for Educators
Authors: Bierema Laura L.
Published: July 2010

The purpose of this article is to advocate for a more strategic and integrated approach to diversity education in HRD academic programs. The article provides a baseline by briefly describing diversity education and reviewing research and practices in higher education. Next, it synthesizes the literature and proposes key competencies needed to teach diversity topics in higher education. It also recommends important topics for an HRD graduate diversity curriculum. The article closes with a discussion of effective pedagogies for teaching diversity so that graduates of HRD programs are better equipped to lead a diverse workforce.
Diversity in the HRD Curriculum: Concluding Thoughts and Next Steps
Authors: McDonald Kimberly S. , Hite Linda M.
Published: July 2010

Summarizing this issue reinforces the need to continue the discourse on diversity in the HRD curriculum. For example, one area not covered in this collection, but important to the dialogue is evaluation of diversity education. These articles represent a thoughtful beginning, providing ideas to prompt additional conversations, action plans, and next steps in the process.
Methods to examine the impact of compliance to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy on fracture risk: systematic review and recommendations
Authors: Nikitovic Milica , Solomon Daniel H. , Cadarette Suzanne M.
Published: July 2010

The objective of this study was to review the methods of prior studies that estimate the association between compliance to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy on fracture risk, and make recommendations to guide future research. We completed a systematic search of MEDLINE to identify all English language nonexperimental studies that examined the impact of adherence to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy on fracture risk. Studies that measured compliance were eligible and those that only examined persistence were excluded. We summarized the methodology of each study and make recommendations for future research. We identified 14 eligible articles: nine cohort and five nested case—control. Length of baseline (lookback) periods ranged between 3 months and 2 years, with nearly all studies (86%) restricting inclusion to treatment-naïve users. A threshold of 80% was most commonly used to define compliance (n = 10), with few studies providing a more thorough analysis through categorical (n = 3) or continuous (n = 1) measures. All nine cohort studies adjusted for age, sex, prior fracture, and at least one other comorbidity or drug; two cohort studies adjusted for a comorbidity score. Two of the five case—control studies clearly controlled for age, sex, drug exposure, event date and length of follow up. One study considered a theoretical sensitivity analysis to account for potential healthy adherer bias, yet all mentioned limitations related to possible residual confounding. We identify great variability in methods of prior studies that evaluate the impact of compliance to osteoporosis pharmacotherapy on fracture risk, and make recommendations to guide future research.
The impact of delays to admission from the emergency department on inpatient outcomes
Authors: Huang Qing , Thind Amardeep , Dreyer Jonathan F , Zaric Gregory S
Published: July 2010

Background

We sought to determine the impact of delays to admission from the Emergency Department (ED) on inpatient length of stay (LOS), and IP cost.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 13,460 adult (≥ 18 yrs) ED visits between April 1 2006 and March 30 2007 at a tertiary care teaching hospital with two ED sites in which the mode of disposition was admission to ICU, surgery or inpatient wards. We defined ED Admission Delay as ED time to decision to admit > 12 hours. The primary outcomes were IP LOS, and total IP cost.

Results

Approximately 11.6% (n = 1558) of admitted patients experienced admission delay. In multivariate analysis we found that admission delay was associated with 12.4% longer IP LOS (95% CI 6.6% - 18.5%) and 11.0% greater total IP cost (6.0% - 16.4%). We estimated the cumulative impact of delay on all delayed patients as an additional 2,183 inpatient days and an increase in IP cost of $2,109,173 at the study institution.

Conclusions

Delays to admission from the ED are associated with increased IP LOS and IP cost. Improving patient flow through the ED may reduce hospital costs and improve quality of care. There may be a business case for investments to reduce emergency department admission delays.