bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical and functional factors in activities of daily living that predict falls in community‐dwelling older women
Authors: Aoyama Maki , Suzuki Yusuke , Onishi Joji , Kuzuya Masafumi
Published: January 2011

Aim:  In order to propose rehabilitation strategies for the reduction of falls risk, thereby preventing falls in older women, the present study was designed to explore the physical and functional factors related to actual incidence of falls.

Methods:  Fifty‐eight female patients aged 65 years and older (mean age ± standard deviation, 80.5 ± 5.7), who were attending a geriatric outpatient clinic participated. All the participants were assessed with their activities of daily living, gait and balance using various scales. Their handgrip strength and muscle strength of lower extremities were also measured using dynamometers. Falls of the participants during the 6 months follow‐up period were recorded.

Results:  Correlation analysis investigating associations between the scores of assessment scales and actual measurement of muscle strength and balance showed that there were significant correlations between handgrip strength and Falls Efficacy Scale, Functional Reach test, Timed Up and Go test, Berg Balance Scale, Motor Fitness Scale, motor Functional Independence Measure in fallers and non‐fallers. A binary logistic stepwise regression analysis incorporating all the possible variables into the model revealed that only inability to “being able to go up and down the staircase” in the Motor Fitness Scale remained a significant variable to predict falls during the period of observation.

Conclusion:  The results confirmed that the sub‐item in the Motor Fitness Scale has a possibility of being a significant predictor of falls in older women, and therefore might prove useful in considering specific rehabilitation program on falls prevention as well as screening this population at risk of falls. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 348–357.
Relationship between interleukin‐6 and cerebral deep white matter and periventricular hyperintensity in elderly women
Authors: Nagai Kumiko , Kozaki Koichi , Sonohara Kazuki , Akishita Masahiro , Toba Kenji
Published: January 2011

Aim:  We evaluated the relationships between serum levels of high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin (IL)‐6 with the severity of leukoaraiosis.

Methods:  One hundred and thirty‐seven elderly women who attended the Center for Comprehensive Care on Memory Disorders at Kyorin University Hospital were enrolled in this study. Leukoaraiosis was assessed by periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) score and deep white matter hyperintensity (DWMH) score.

Results:  Serum log IL‐6 level correlated with PVH and DWMH scores, but hsCRP did not. By multinomial logistic analysis, IL‐6 was significantly related to DWMH score, independent of age and systolic blood pressure.

Conclusion:  IL‐6 is presumably an important marker of leukoaraiosis, as is the case with silent cerebral infarction. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 328–332.
Correlation between dental and nutritional status in community‐dwelling elderly Japanese
Authors: Yoshida Mitsuyoshi , Kikutani Takeshi , Yoshikawa Mineka , Tsuga Kazuhiro , Kimura Misaka , Akagawa Yasumasa
Published: January 2011

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to clarify the correlation between dental and nutritional status among community‐dwelling elderly Japanese people.

Methods:  The subjects were 182 elderly individuals, aged 65–85 years, who voluntarily participated in a health seminar at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine. These subjects were divided into two groups according to the occlusion. The subjects in the retained contact group were those who had retained molar occlusion with natural teeth. The lost contact group were those who retained molar occlusion with removable partial dentures. Anthropometric variables such as body mass index (BMI) were collected and dietary intake was assessed using a brief self‐administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ).

Results:  No statistical difference in BMI or intake of macronutrients was found between these two occlusal groups. The lost contact group reported significantly lower consumption of vegetables and higher consumption of confectionaries (foods rich in sugar) than did the retained contact group (P < 0.05), and therefore had significantly lower intake of vitamin C and dietary fiber (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:  It can be concluded that natural tooth contact loss in the posterior region affect the intake of vitamins and dietary fiber. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2011; 11: 315–319.
Does Illegitimate Corporate Behaviour Follow the Forms of Polity? The Turkish Experience
Authors: Özen Şükrü , Akkemik K. Ali
Published: January 2011

abstract

In this study, we argue that illegitimate corporate actions can not only be strategic responses to the conflicting technical and institutional demands at the field level but also manifestations of the contradictory higher‐order institutional logics at the polity level. By focusing on the statist polity, somewhat neglected by the new institutional theory, we argue that the contradictory nationalist and capitalist institutional logics in the statist polity generate illegitimate corporate actions. We also propose that uncertainties and opportunities created by statist polity characteristics such as weak policy‐making capacity, neopatrimonialism, and clientelism lead to illegitimate corporate actions by triggering conflict between nationalism and capitalism. To demonstrate this, we examine the Turkish case, by focusing particularly on a recent example of illegitimate corporate action, namely the pursuit of non‐operating revenues. The case supports our arguments. It implies that illegitimate corporate behaviours may be ‘institutionalized’ as continuously reproduced by the actors embedded in a polity. It also implies that the impression management techniques to legitimate illegitimate behaviours may vary according to the forms of polity. Finally, it suggests that organizations may adopt hybrid missions as a survival strategy in a contradictory and uncertain business environment, paradoxically ultimately restricting their competitive capacities.
The ‘Company with Committees’: Change or Continuity in Japanese Corporate Governance?
Authors: Chizema Amon , Shinozawa Yoshikatsu
Published: January 2011

abstract

Corporate governance practices are arguably diffusing across the world. This paper examines the adoption of the committee‐based governance system (i.e. audit, nomination, and remuneration) in Japanese firms, a practice common in Anglo‐American capitalism but potentially contestable in Japan. The study finds that firms that are internationally exposed through cross listing are more likely to adopt the committee system. Moreover, more experienced and highly cross‐held firms, with larger proportions of foreign ownership, are more likely to adopt the committee system. On the other hand our study finds partial support for the hypothesis that larger proportions of bank ownership are negatively associated with the adoption of the committee system, suggesting a gradual withdrawal by banks from the traditional monitoring of firms. This paper adds to the longstanding debate on the convergence on or persistent divergence from the Anglo‐American corporate governance system. The study thus provides insights into corporate governance changes in non‐Anglo/American countries that face a struggle between global capital market forces for change and deep‐seated institutional practices of continuity.
Virus‐induced gene silencing can persist for more than 2 years and also be transmitted to progeny seedlings in Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato
Authors: Senthil‐Kumar Muthappa , Mysore Kirankumar S.
Published: January 2011

Virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) is one of the commonly used RNA silencing methods in plant functional genomics. It is widely known that VIGS can occur for about 3 weeks. A few reports show that duration of VIGS can be prolonged for up to 3 months. Increasing the duration of endogenous gene silencing and developing a method for nonintegration‐based persistent VIGS in progeny seedlings will widen the application of VIGS. We used three marker genes that provoke visible phenotypes in plants upon silencing to study persistence and transmittance of VIGS to progeny in two plant species, Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato. We used a Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)‐based VIGS vector and showed that the duration of gene silencing by VIGS can occur for more than 2 years and that TRV is necessary for longer duration VIGS. Also, inoculation of TRV‐VIGS constructs by both Agrodrench and leaf infiltration greatly increased the effectiveness and duration of VIGS. Our results also showed transmittance of VIGS to progeny seedlings via seeds. A longer silencing period will facilitate detailed study of target genes in plant development and stress tolerance. Further, the transmittance of VIGS to progeny will be useful in studying the effect of gene silencing in young seedlings. Our results provide a new dimension for the application of VIGS in plants.
Global Inequality, Wealth Concentration and the Subprime Crisis: A Marxian Commodity Theory Analysis
Authors: Lysandrou Photis
Published: January 2011

This article argues that the driving force behind the structured credit products that triggered the financial crisis was a global excess demand for securities, and that key to the build‐up of this demand was the huge accumulation of private wealth. The argument is Marxian inasmuch as it builds on Marx's insight that crisis is endemic to capitalism because the commodity form by its very nature gives rise to the possibility of a separation between supply and demand, and because periodic realization of this separation arises out of the fact that the value of the labour capacity is generally less than the value of the output produced by it. The argument is an unorthodox Marxian one in that its specification of the mechanism through which the effects of exploitation feed into crisis is different from that specified by Marx himself. While the separation between supply and demand is central to the crisis transmission mechanism described here, the difference is that the commodities in question are financial commodities rather than material commodities. Prevented from surfacing ‘below’ in GDP space in the form of an excess supply of material goods, the effects of exploitation have instead surfaced ‘above’ in capital market space in the form of an excess demand for debt securities.
Mind the Gap: Political Analysis, Public Expectations and the Parliamentary Decline Thesis
Authors: Flinders Matthew , Kelso Alexandra
Published: January 2011

The parliamentary decline thesis formed the dominant theory and narrative of legislative behaviour and capacity during the 20th century. And yet in analytical terms the thesis provides a relatively blunt instrument for dissecting complex socio-political relationships. The bluntness of this tool has not been remedied by the lazy thinking and unconscious theorising that has too often dominated research in this field. The central argument of this article is that the dominant public, media and academic perception of an eviscerated and sidelined parliament provides a misleading caricature of a more complex institution. Moreover the constant promotion and reinforcement of this caricature by scholars arguably perpetuates and fuels public disengagement and disillusionment with politics.
Motion Blur Rendering: State of the Art
Authors: Navarro Fernando , Serón Francisco J. , Gutierrez Diego
Published: January 2011

Motion blur is a fundamental cue in the perception of objects in motion. This phenomenon manifests as a visible trail along the trajectory of the object and is the result of the combination of relative motion and light integration taking place in film and electronic cameras. In this work, we analyse the mechanisms that produce motion blur in recording devices and the methods that can simulate it in computer generated images. Light integration over time is one of the most expensive processes to simulate in high‐quality renders, as such, we make an in‐depth review of the existing algorithms and we categorize them in the context of a formal model that highlights their differences, strengths and limitations. We finalize this report proposing a number of alternative classifications that will help the reader identify the best technique for a particular scenario.
Time perception in response to ashamed faces in children and adults
Authors: GIL SANDRINE , DROIT‐VOLET SYLVIE
Published: January 2011

Gil, S. & Droit‐Volet, S. (2011). Time perception in response to ashamed faces in children and adults.Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 138–145.

The present study investigated the effect of the perception of faces expressing shame on time perception in children aged 5 and 8 years, as well as in adults, as a function of their ability to recognize this emotional expression. The participants’ ability to recognize the expression of shame among faces expressing different emotions was tested. They were then asked to perform a temporal bisection task involving both neutral and ashamed faces. The results showed that, from the age of 8 years, the participants who recognized the facial expressions of shame underestimated their presentation time compared to that of neutral faces. In contrast, no time distortion was observed in the children who did not recognize the ashamed faces or in those younger children who did recognize them. The results are discussed in terms of self‐conscious emotions which develop to involve an attentional mechanism.
Gender differences in subjective well‐being, self‐esteem and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with symptoms of anxiety and depression: Findings from the Nord‐Trøndelag health study
Authors: DERDIKMAN‐EIRON RUTH , INDREDAVIK MARIT S. , BRATBERG GRETE H. , TARALDSEN GUNNAR , BAKKEN INGER JOHANNE , COLTON MATTHEW
Published: January 2011

Derdikman‐Eiron, R., Indredavik, M. S., Bratberg, G. H., Taraldsen, G., Bakken, I. J. & Colton, M. (2011). Gender differences in subjective well‐being, self‐esteem and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with symptoms of anxiety and depression: Findings from the Nord‐Trøndelag health study. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology52, 261–267.

Gender differences in the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression during adolescence are well documented. However, little attention has been given to differences in subjective well‐being, self‐esteem and psychosocial functioning between boys and girls with symptoms of anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in the associations between such symptoms and subjective well‐being, self‐esteem, school functioning and social relations in adolescents. Data were taken from a major population‐based Norwegian study, the Nord‐Trøndelag Health study (HUNT), in which 8984 (91% of all invited) adolescents, aged 13–19 years, completed an extensive self‐report questionnaire. Although prevalence rates of symptoms of anxiety and depression were higher in girls than in boys, a significant interaction between gender and symptoms of anxiety and depression was found in respect of each of the following outcome variables: subjective well‐being, self‐esteem, academic problems, frequency of meeting friends and the feeling of not having enough friends. These interactions indicate that the associations between symptoms of anxiety and depression and lower subjective well‐being and self‐esteem, more academic problems in school and lower social functioning were stronger for boys than for girls. Our findings may contribute to an earlier assessment and more efficient treatment of male adolescent anxiety and depression.
The reward value of near‐miss situations
Authors: SVARTDAL FRODE
Published: January 2011

Svartdal, F. (2011). The reward value of near‐miss situations. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology52, 209–217.

What is a “positive” outcome? Clearly, obtaining something attractive is regarded as positive, but so is avoiding something negative. The present paper compared these two types of situations in scenario‐type evaluations. Participants rated positive (P), avoiding negative (AN), and negative (N) outcomes in terms of luck (Experiment 1) and overall positive/negative evaluations (Experiments 2 and 3). The results demonstrated that evaluations of P and AN outcomes were judged as equally positive, but the emotional basis for these evaluations was very different: The feeling of relief was the dominating emotion in AN situations, whereas joy was the dominating emotion in P situations. Overall, these results indicate that avoidance‐induced reward value may be important as a motivating factor in cognition and action.
Thirteen‐ and 18‐month‐old Infants Recognize When They Need Referential Information
Authors: Vaish Amrisha , Demir Özlem Ece , Baldwin Dare
Published: January 2011

To learn from conspecifics, infants would be greatly advantaged by knowing when to seek information from them. Although in prior work infants used a labeler's gaze direction to infer the referent of a novel label, it was unclear whether infants in these studies recognized that they needed information or were happening upon the information by simply orienting to the labeler's voice. To address this issue, we presented 13‐ and 18‐month‐olds with either one or two novel objects and provided a novel label. If infants seek referential information, they should look more to the labeler in the presence of two objects relative to one object, because the labeler's intended referent is highly ambiguous in the two‐object case. This prediction was confirmed in two studies. In contrast, infants' looking was equivalent in the presence of one vs. two objects in a baseline phase, when no labels were provided. Thus, 13‐ and 18‐month‐olds actively seek clarifying gaze information to resolve ambiguous learning situations. Word learning appears to be a rich pragmatic process as early as the end of the first year of life.
Children's Disclosure and Secrecy: Links to Maternal Parenting Characteristics and Children's Coping Skills
Authors: Almas Alisa N. , Grusec Joan E. , Tackett Jennifer L.
Published: January 2011

The relations between maternal parenting characteristics, child disclosure and secrecy, and child outcomes (positive and negative strategies for coping with distress), were examined in a study of 140 children (10–12‐year‐olds) and their mothers. Child disclosure and secrecy were shown to be distinct but related constructs with authoritativeness predictive of disclosure and dispositional anger predictive of secrecy. These relations held even when child compliance was included as a control variable. Mothers' authoritative parenting predicted disclosure which in turn predicted children's use of positive coping strategies. Mothers' dispositional anger predicted secrecy which mediated the relation between maternal anger and children's use of negative coping strategies. Results are discussed in terms of parent–child communication and opportunities for mothers to use knowledge gained from child disclosure to teach children successful ways of dealing with distress.
The Monty Hall problem is not a probability puzzle* (It's a challenge in mathematical modelling)
Authors: Gill Richard D.
Published: January 2011

Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, ‘Do you want to pick door No. 2?’ Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?

The answer is ‘yes’ but the literature offers many reasons why this is the correct answer. This article argues that the most common reasoning found in introductory statistics texts, depending on making a number of ‘obvious’ or ‘natural’ assumptions and then computing a conditional probability, is a classical example of solution driven science. The best reason to switch is to be found in von Neumann's minimax theorem from game theory, rather than in Bayes’ theorem.
Waiting time probabilities in the M/G/1 + M queue
Authors: Lee Chihoon , Wang Jianqiang C.
Published: January 2011

We consider an M/G/1 queueing system where the customers may leave the queue if their services do not commence before an exponentially distributed random time. The (conditional) offered waiting time distribution is approximated by a gamma distribution via matching the first and second moments of the actual waiting time. A simulation study is conducted to assess the accuracy of the approximation and it reveals that the approximation performs satisfactorily under general conditions on service time distributions.
Random‐coefficient periodic autoregressions
Authors: Franses Philip Hans , Paap Richard
Published: January 2011

We propose a new periodic autoregressive model for seasonally observed time series, where the number of seasons can potentially be very large. The main novelty is that we collect the periodic coefficients in a second‐level stochastic model. This leads to a random‐coefficient periodic autoregression with a substantial reduction in the number of parameters to be estimated. We discuss representation, parameter estimation, and inference. An illustration for monthly growth rates of US industrial production shows the merits of the new model specification.
Patterns on an ancient artifact: a coincidence?
Authors: ten Cate Arie
Published: January 2011

The Phaistos Disk is an ancient artifact from Crete. At each side of the disk, a series of unknown signs is written along a spiral. Professional archaeologists expect that we will only learn what it is until similar objects are found. A statistical analysis in this article shows what it is not: it is not a one‐dimensional text, since there are relations between the signs in adjacent windings of the spiral. Three patterns of such relations have been identified. A Monte Carlo simulation of one of them has been performed, using a model of the spiral form. It is concluded that the probability of this pattern being coincidental is small, well below the conventional threshold.
COLOUR SYMBOLISM IN THE PREHISTORIC ARCHITECTURE OF CENTRAL ANATOLIA AND RAMAN SPECTROSCOPIC INVESTIGATION OF RED OCHRE IN CHALCOLITHIC ÇATALHÖYÜK
Authors: ERDOGU BURCIN , ULUBEY AYDIN
Published: January 2011

The use of red ochre in the prehistoric architecture of Central Anatolia has long been recognized. Scholars have often argued that its use in architecture has a symbolic role, and that it has been used in sacred parts of ritual buildings. This paper examines red‐painted buildings in the prehistoric settlements of Central Anatolia. Recently, a building with red‐coloured plastered walls and floors was found in Chalcolithic Çatalhöyük West. The technique of Raman Spectroscopy has been applied to identify the red pigment and results show that it is red ochre, which contains predominantly hematite, Fe2O3.
PHOENICIAN TRADE IN THE NORTH‐EAST OF THE IBERIAN PENINSULA: A HISTORIOGRAPHICAL PROBLEM
Authors: RUBERT D. GARCIA I , ALONSO F. GRACIA
Published: January 2011

In this work the authors make a synthesis of the updated studies on Phoenician trade in the north‐eastern area of the Iberian Peninsula during the seventh and sixth centuries BC. Also presented are the lines of research, and their latest developments, pursued by the teams of researchers that work in this field.
THE FUNCTIONAL AND SYMBOLIC USES OF SPACE IN WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN PROTOHISTORY: THE PECH MAHO EXAMPLE (SIGEAN, WESTERN LANGUEDOC, FRANCE)
Authors: BELARTE MARIA CARME , GAILLEDRAT ERIC , PRINCIPAL JORDI
Published: January 2011

The aim of this paper is to put forward a reinterpretation of several complex domestic units at the Iberian oppidum of Pech Maho (Sigean, western Languedoc, France), dating from the sixth to the third centuries BC.

A complementary study of the features and artefacts included in each house leads to the characterization of spaces, the contextualization of activities and the construction of identities within the domestic areas, as well as their diachronic evolution.

The long life of the site meant that several of the houses were rebuilt and their concept and use rethought. In many cases, the apparent incoherency between the features and the artefacts can be interpreted as a reflection of these changes. In the final period of the settlement, a drastic change in the use of certain buildings hints at the complete dissolution of several domestic units, before their final destruction by a fire in the context of the Roman conquest.
RAVENS AND CROWS IN IRON AGE AND ROMAN BRITAIN
Authors: SERJEANTSON D. , MORRIS J.
Published: January 2011

The raven and crow skeletons from Danebury are re‐examined, taking into account their taphonomy, their context and the associated finds. Raven and crow burials from other Iron Age and Roman sites are surveyed, again with a discussion of their context and associated finds where these could be ascertained. Taken together, the evidence makes it clear that most if not all were deliberate burials, often at the base of pits. We demonstrate how interpretations of such burials have changed, with zooarchaeologists initially proposing functional explanations and archaeologists readier to accept that the burials were deliberate. We go on to argue that the unique character of ravens and crows, including their tolerance of humans, their scavenging habits, and their voice, led to their playing an important role in Iron Age and Roman rites and beliefs.
Surprising Answers to Rising Sea Levels, Storms, Floods, Desertification, Earthquakes and Ever More Environmental Crises in California's Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta
Authors: Roe Emery
Published: January 2011

Consensus is that California's strategically important Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta is headed for all manner of disasters, not least of which are earthquakes and the storms, floods and dry periods associated with global and regional climate change. Added to this list are other environmental problems associated with urbanization, chemical agriculture and declining fish species in the Delta. In this view, there are so many crises that if one does not happen, others will. Therefore, the probability and consequences of something failing are high, whatever way you look at it. But there is no ‘therefore’ there. The chief feature of complexity is surprise, not inevitability. Ecosystems are very complex as are the infrastructure systems mandated to reliably manage ecosystem services, including water, hydropower and renewable energy. Surprises are happening all the time, raising the questions this article answers: Who manages these surprises system‐wide in real time? What are the answers this management provides and how do they differ from current approaches environmental crisis scenarios for the Delta?
Beyond Charted Research: A Personal Tribute to Todd R. LaPorte
Authors: Lagadec Patrick
Published: January 2011

‘When ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise’. After three decades in crisis territory, working with academics and decision‐makers alike, I hold Thomas Gray's aphorism to be the most commonly held bottom line: When dealing with risks and crises, never take any risk, stay far away from any unknown. Meeting with someone who infringes on this ‘sacred’ predilection is extremely inspiring. Todd LaPorte is one such character, open to questioning, never stunned by the idea that there could be more things in complex systems and crisis territories than our basic philosophy can accept. Pressure is high to conform, but courage is vital to meet the uncharted challenges of modern crises. Todd LaPorte's intellectual courage is a lesson for all.
Genetic polymorphisms of drug‐metabolizing phase I enzymes CYP2E1, CYP2A6 and CYP3A5 in South Indian population
Authors: Krishnakumar D. , Gurusamy Umamaheswaran , Dhandapani Kayathri , Surendiran A. , Baghel Ruchi , Kukreti Ritushree , Gangadhar Reneega , Prayaga Ushakiran , Manjunath S. , Adithan C.
Published: January 2011

CYP2E1, CYP2A6 and CYP3A5 enzymes belong to phase I group of drug‐metabolizing enzymes, which are involved in the metabolism of various compounds and xenobiotics. Presence of polymorphisms in the genes coding for these enzymes results in interindividual variations in drug metabolism, therapeutic response and susceptibility towards various diseases. The frequencies of these variants in genes differ considerably between ethnic groups. This study was carried out to estimate the allele and genotype frequencies of common variants in CYP2E1, CYP2A6 and CYP3A5 in South Indian population. Six hundred and fifty‐two unrelated healthy volunteers of South Indian origin (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu) were included in this study. Polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism, allele‐specific PCR, real‐time PCR, SNaPshot and gene sequencing methods were used for the identification of gene polymorphisms. The frequencies of CYP2E1*1B, CYP2E1*5B and CYP2E1*6 alleles in South Indian population were 14.3, 1.3 and 22.4%, respectively. The frequencies of CYP2A6*2, CYP2A6*4A and CYP2A6*5 alleles were found to be 1, 8.9 and 0.7%, respectively. The distribution of CYP3A5*3 allele was 63.5%. There were no variant alleles of CYP3A5*2, CYP3A5*4 and CYP3A5*6 in South Indian population. The frequencies of CYP2E1, CYP2A6 and CYP3A5 in the South Indian population are distinct from Caucasians, Chinese, Japanese, African Americans and other compared populations. This is the first study conducted in the South Indian population with a larger sample size. The findings of our study provide the basic genetic information for further pharmacogenomic investigations in the population.
Relations between open‐field, elevated plus‐maze, and emergence tests in  C57BL/6JIco and BALB/cAnN@Ico mice injected with ethanol
Authors: Lalonde R. , Strazielle C.
Published: January 2011

The effects of ethanol were examined on three tests of exploratory activity in two mouse strains. Although ethanol reduced open‐field rearing in both strains, it increased ambulation only in the less active BALB/cAnN@Ico strain, not in the C57BL/6JIco strain. Likewise, ethanol increased open and enclosed arm entries in the elevated plus‐maze only in the more anxious BALB/cAnN@Ico strain. However, both strains injected with ethanol emerged faster than placebo from a small chamber at doses not affecting behaviors in the other two tests. Significant correlations were found between emergence latencies on one hand and either slow stereotyped movements or open and enclosed arm entries on the other. The strain‐specific effects may be attributable to differences in GABAA‐related receptor binding or catalase activity.
Medication prescribing errors pertaining to cardiovascular/antidiabetic medications: a prescription audit in primary care
Authors: Al Khaja Khalid A.J. , Sequeira Reginald P. , Damanhori Awatif H.H.
Published: January 2011

This study was carried out to identify the medication prescribing errors (MPEs) pertaining to cardiovascular/antidiabetic medications in prescriptions issued to hypertensive and diabetic hypertensive patients. A retrospective, nationwide audit of prescriptions (n = 2773) issued by primary care physicians (n = 194) of 20 health centres in Bahrain was carried out. Approximately one‐quarter of prescriptions ordered by two‐thirds of primary care physicians had errors. No significant differences with respect to overall errors were evident in prescriptions ordered by the family physicians and general practitioners. The most common error (in 8.0% of prescriptions) was prescribing β‐blockers or diuretics (thiazide) or their combinations to patients on lipid‐lowering drugs. Prescribing multiple antihypertensives, often with a similar mechanism, accounted for 2.2% errors: approximately half of these (1.45%) were two angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) co‐prescribed and/or ACEIs plus angiotensin‐II receptor blockers. In 0.7% of prescriptions, β‐blockers were ordered to patients on salbutamol treatment. High‐dose metformin (3 g/day) was prescribed to approximately 4% diabetic hypertensives; of these, many were elderly patients. Prescribing high‐dose glibenclamide (median dose 15 mg) to the elderly accounted for 3.6% of the overall errors. Polypharmacy, such as aspirin along with an immediate‐release dipyridamole, was prescribed occasionally (0.25%), particularly by the general practitioners (P = 0.0139). MPEs are common in primary care, in Bahrain. Some of these prescribing errors have the potential to harm patients. Effective measures to detect and prevent such errors are needed to improve the quality of health care. Standard treatment guidelines and educational interventions are important strategies to achieve these goals.
Contribution of Rho‐kinase to membrane excitability of murine colonic smooth muscle
Authors: Bayguinov O , Dwyer L , Kim H , Marklew A , Sanders KM , Koh SD
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Rho‐kinase pathway regulates agonist‐induced contractions in several smooth muscles, including the intestine, urinary bladder and uterus, via dynamic changes in the Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile apparatus. However, there is evidence that Rho‐kinase also modulates other cellular effectors such as ion channels.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We examined the regulation of colonic smooth muscle excitability by Rho‐kinase using conventional microelectrode recording, isometric force measurements and patch‐clamp techniques.

KEY RESULTS The Rho‐kinase inhibitors, Y‐27632 and H‐1152, decreased nerve‐evoked on‐ and off‐contractions elicited at a range of frequencies and durations. The Rho‐kinase inhibitors decreased the spontaneous contractions and the responses to carbachol and substance P independently of neuronal inputs, suggesting Y‐27632 acts directly on smooth muscle. The Rho‐kinase inhibitors significantly reduced the depolarization in response to carbachol, an effect that cannot be due to regulation of Ca2+ sensitization. Patch‐clamp experiments showed that Rho‐kinase inhibitors reduce GTPγS‐activated non‐selective cation currents.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The Rho‐kinase inhibitors decreased contractions evoked by nerve stimulation, carbachol and substance P. These effects were not solely due to inhibition of the Ca2+ sensitization pathway, as the Rho‐kinase inhibitors also inhibited the non‐selective cation conductances activated by excitatory transmitters. Thus, Rho‐kinase may regulate smooth muscle excitability mechanisms by regulating non‐selective cation channels as well as changing the Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile apparatus.
Honokiol ameliorates renal fibrosis by inhibiting extracellular matrix and pro‐inflammatory factors in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Chiang Chih‐Kang , Sheu Meei‐Ling , Lin Yi‐Wei , Wu Cheng‐Tien , Yang Chin‐Ching , Chen Min‐Wei , Hung Kuan‐Yu , Wu Kuan‐Dun , Liu Shing‐Hwa
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Renal fibrosis acts as the common pathway leading to the development of end‐stage renal disease. The present study investigated, in vivo and in vitro, the anti‐fibrotic and anti‐inflammatory effects, particularly on the epithelial to mesenchymal transition of renal tubular cells, exerted by honokiol, a phytochemical used in traditional medicine, and mechanisms underlying these effects.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Anti‐fibrotic effects in vivo were assayed in a rat model of renal fibrosis [the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model]. A rat tubular epithelial cell line (NRK‐52E) was stimulated by transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) and treated with honokiol to explore possible mechanisms of these anti‐fibrotic effects. Gene or protein expression was analysed by Northern or Western blotting. Transcriptional regulation was investigated using luciferase activity driven by a connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) promoter.

KEY RESULTS Honokiol slowed development of renal fibrosis both in vivo and in vitro. Honokiol treatment attenuated tubulointerstitial fibrosis and expression of pro‐fibrotic factors in the UUO model. Honokiol also decreased expression of the mRNA for the chemokine CCL2 and for the intracellular adhesion molecule‐1, as well as accumulation of type I (α1) collagen and fibronectin in UUO kidneys. Phosphorylation of Smad‐2/3 induced by TGF‐β1 and CTGF luciferase activity in renal tubular cells were also inhibited by honokiol.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Honokiol suppressed expression of pro‐fibrotic and pro‐inflammatory factors and of extracellular matrix proteins. Honokiol may become a therapeutic agent to prevent renal fibrosis.
Hesperedin promotes MyoD‐induced myogenic differentiation in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Jeong Hana , Lee Joo Yeon , Jang Eun Jung , Lee Eun Hye , Bae Myung Ae , Hong Jeong‐Ho , Hwang Eun Sook
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bioflavonoid, hesperedin, promotes osteoblast differentiation in human mesenchymal stem cells, indicating an anabolic effect of hesperedin on bone metabolism. Murine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells undergo myogenic differentiation as well as osteogenic differentiation. We therefore explored whether hesperedin modulates muscle cell differentiation.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Myoblast C2C12 cells were differentiated into muscle cells in the presence or absence of hesperedin. The effects of hesperedin on myogenic differentiation were determined by analysing specific muscle markers in vitro using reporter gene assays, immunoblotting, RT‐PCR and DNA pull‐down assays. In vivo, the effects of hesperedin were assessed using the freeze injury‐induced muscle regeneration model in mice and daily injections of hesperedin for 6 days.

KEY RESULTS Hesperedin promoted myogenic differentiation, in a dose‐dependent manner, by increasing myogenin gene expression. MyoD‐induced myogenin gene transcription was enhanced by hesperedin, as this bioflavonoid augmented the nuclear localization and myogenin promoter‐binding of MyoD. In addition, hesperedin increased myogenin and muscle creatine kinase gene expression during myogenic differentiation from C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells in a MyoD‐dependent manner and accelerated in vivo muscle regeneration induced by muscle injury.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our results demonstrate that hesperedin promoted myogenic differentiation in vitro and in vivo through activation of MyoD‐mediated myogenin expression, suggesting a beneficial role in promoting muscle regeneration, following injury.
Pharmacological modulation of connexin‐formed channels in cardiac pathophysiology
Authors: De Vuyst Elke , Boengler Kerstin , Antoons Gudrun , Sipido Karin R. , Schulz Rainer , Leybaert Luc
Published: January 2011

Coordinated electrical activity in the heart is supported by gap junction channels located at the intercalated discs of cardiomyocytes. Impaired gap junctional communication between neighbouring cardiomyocytes contributes to the development of re‐entry arrhythmias after myocardial ischaemia. Current antiarrhythmic therapy is hampered by a lack of efficiency and side effects, creating the need for a new generation of drugs. In this review, we focus on compounds that increase gap junctional communication, thereby increasing the conduction velocity and decreasing the risk of arrhythmias. Some of these compounds also inhibit connexin 43 (Cx43) hemichannels, thereby limiting adenosine triphosphate loss and volume overload following ischaemia/reperfusion, thus potentially increasing the survival of cardiomyocytes. The compounds discussed in this review are: (i) antiarrythmic peptide (AAP), AAP10, ZP123; (ii) GAP‐134; (iii) RXP‐E; and (vi) the Cx mimetic peptides Gap 26 and Gap 27. None of these compounds have effects on Na+, Ca2+ and K+ channels, and therefore have no proarrhythmic activity associated with currently available antiarrhythmic drugs. GAP‐134, RXP‐E, Gap 26 and Gap 27 are pharmalogical agents with a favorable clinical safety profile, as already confirmed in phase I clinical trials for GAP‐134. These agents show an excellent promise for treatment of arrhythmias in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy.
Is a regenerative approach viable for the treatment of COPD?
Authors: Hind Matthew , Maden Malcolm
Published: January 2011

Degenerative lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common with huge worldwide morbidity. Anti‐inflammatory drug development strategies have proved disappointing and current treatment is aimed at symptomatic relief. Only lung transplantation with all its attendant difficulties offers hope of cure and the outlook for affected patients is bleak. Lung regeneration therapies aim to reverse the structural and functional deficits in COPD either by delivery of exogenous lung cells to replace lost tissue, delivery of exogenous stem cells to induce a local paracrine effect probably through an anti‐inflammatory action or by the administration of small molecules to stimulate the endogenous regenerative ability of lung cells. In animal models of emphysema and disrupted alveolar development each of these strategies has shown some success but there are potential tumour‐inducing dangers with a cellular approach. Small molecules such as all‐trans retinoic acid have been successful in animal models although the mechanism is not completely understood. There are currently two Pharma‐sponsored trials in progress concerning patients with COPD, one of a specific retinoic acid receptor gamma agonist and another using mesenchymal stem cells.

LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed issue on Respiratory Pharmacology. To view the other articles in this issue visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2011.163.issue‐1
Digital close range photogrammetry for 3D body scanning for custom‐made garments
Authors: Percoco Gianluca
Published: January 2011

Among several biometric applications, one of those currently attracting great interest is the possibility of carrying out 3D digitisation of human individuals to analyse their physical characteristics. These characteristics can be used for several purposes, such as security, medicine and tailoring for custom‐made clothing. In recent years, although the development of online 3D scanning systems has been accelerating fast, little work has been devoted to offline systems, which would be particularly suitable for the textile and clothing industries. In the present research the author presents a specially designed low‐cost offline 3D body digitiser, based on digital close range photogrammetry. A specially designed photogrammetric 3D scanner of the human body is presented, featuring automatic image processing procedures. The scanning system consists of eight cameras with a resolution of 5 megapixels, equipped with 16 mm wide‐angle lenses; there are four white‐light illuminators, of 100 W each. Tests on a tailor’s dummy and on whole human bodies are reported, demonstrating the usefulness of the technique for textile applications. The digitisations performed on human bodies generally yield worse results than the corresponding ones on the dummy, and full body digitisations are worse than corset digitisations owing to the lower point density and to target distortion. Nevertheless, the results are satisfactory for tailoring applications that do not require high accuracies.
Use of the Program Explication Method to Explore the Benefits of a Service for Homeless and Marginalized Young People
Authors: Bamberg John H. , Chiswell Melika , Toumbourou John W.
Published: January 2011

ABSTRACT
Maintaining the alignment between the dynamic development of health and social services and the rapidly advancing scientific evaluation literature is a central challenge facing service administrators. We describe “program explication,” a consulting method designed to assist services to identify and review implicit program logic assumptions against the evaluation literature. Program explication initially facilitates agency staff to identify and document service components and activities considered critical for improving client outcomes. Program assumptions regarding the relationship between service activities and client outcomes are then examined against available scientific evidence. We demonstrate the application of this method using an example of its use in reviewing a service for homeless young people operating in Melbourne, Australia, known as the Young People's Health Service (YPHS). The YPHS involved 21 activities organized within 4 components. The intended benefits of each of the activities were coherently articulated and logically consistent. Our literature search revealed moderate to strong evidence for around 1 quarter of the activities. The program explication method proved feasible for describing and appraising the YPHS service assumptions, thereby enhancing service evaluability.
Migrainous Complex Hallucinations in a 17‐Year‐Old Adolescent
Authors: Daniel Clement , Donnet Anne
Published: January 2011

(Headache 2011;51:999‐1001)

Olfactory hallucinations have been reported in association with numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders, in particular as a component of partial complex seizure and psychiatric disorders, but are rarely described in migraine disease. We report the case of an adolescent who reported complex hallucinations during a migraine attack.
Pathological Contrast Enhancement of the Oculomotor and Trigeminal Nerves Caused by Intracranial Hypotension Syndrome
Authors: Albayram Sait , Asik Murat , Hasiloglu Zehra Isik , Dikici Atilla Suleyman , Erdemli Halil Eren , Altintas Ayse
Published: January 2011

(Headache 2011;51:804‐818)

The typical symptom of intracranial hypotension syndrome is orthostatic headache. The headache may also be accompanied by neck pain and stiffness, low backache, radicular symptoms, quadriplegia, interscapular pain, nausea/vomiting, and cranial nerve involvement symptoms (hearing and visual problems, face pain and numbness, hypogeusia). Radiologically, on cranial magnetic resonance imaging, intracranial hypotension syndrome is characterized by dural thickening and contrast enhancement, subdural effusion, engorgement of the venous structures, sagging or downward displacement of the brain, and pituitary hyperemia. Although clinical findings related to cranial nerves 3 and 5 have been described in intracranial hypotension, pathological contrast enhancement of these nerves has not. We present a 32‐year‐old patient whose cranial magnetic resonance imaging shows bilateral pathological contrast enhancement of cranial nerves 3 and 5 and describe a new imaging finding in intracranial hypotension syndrome.