bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Age Stereotypes on Tour Leader Roles
Authors: Luoh Hsiang-Fei , Tsaur Sheng-Hshiung
Published: April 2013

This study explores whether various distance trips and age stereotypes affect tourists’ perceptions of tour leaders’ roles. This research also identifies the moderating effects regarding tour leader age stereotype, age in-group bias, and the respondents’ age on the perceived roles played by tour leaders. A total of 447 subjects participated in the study with a 2 (role-play scenarios: short-distance trip vs. long-distance trip) × 2 (appearances of the tour leader: middle-aged vs. young) between-subjects factorial design. The results showed that the respondents’ perceived roles of a middle-aged appearance tour leader were better than some young appearance counterparts’ components under short- and long-distance conditions. Furthermore, the tour leader age stereotype and age in-group bias could influence respondents’ perceptions of care and interactional and communicative dimensions. In addition, respondents’ age could affect the perceptions of some components of the tour leaders under short- and long-distance conditions.
Best-Practice Recommendations for Estimating Cross-Level Interaction Effects Using Multilevel Modeling
Authors: Aguinis Herman , Gottfredson Ryan K. , Culpepper Steven Andrew
Published: April 2013

Multilevel modeling allows researchers to understand whether relationships between lower-level variables (e.g., individual job satisfaction and individual performance, firm capabilities and performance) change as a function of higher-order moderator variables (e.g., leadership climate, market-based conditions). We describe how to estimate such cross-level interaction effects and distill the technical literature for a general readership of management researchers, including a description of the multilevel model building process and an illustration of analyses and results with a data set grounded in substantive theory. In addition, we provide 10 specific best-practice recommendations regarding persistent and important challenges that researchers face before and after data collection to improve the accuracy of substantive conclusions involving cross-level interaction effects. Our recommendations provide guidance on how to define the cross-level interaction effect, compute statistical power and make research design decisions, test hypotheses with various types of moderator variables (e.g., continuous, categorical), rescale (i.e., center) predictors, graph the cross-level interaction effect, interpret interactions given the symmetrical nature of such effects, test multiple cross-level interaction hypotheses, test cross-level interactions involving more than two levels of nesting, compute effect-size estimates and interpret the practical importance of a cross-level interaction effect, and report results regarding the multilevel model building process.
The Placenta in Toxicology. Part IV
Authors: Göhner Claudia , Svensson-Arvelund Judit , Pfarrer Christiane , Häger Jan-Dirk , Faas Marijke , Ernerudh Jan , Cline J. Mark , Dixon Darlene , Buse Eberhard , Markert Udo R.
Published: April 2013

This review summarizes the potential and also some limitations of using human placentas, or placental cells and structures for toxicology testing. The placenta contains a wide spectrum of cell types and tissues, such as trophoblast cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, stem cells, endothelial cells, vessels, glands, membranes, and many others. It may be expected that in many cases the relevance of results obtained from human placenta will be higher than those from animal models due to species specificity of metabolism and placental structure. For practical and economical reasons, we propose to apply a battery of sequential experiments for analysis of potential toxicants. This should start with using cell lines, followed by testing placenta tissue explants and isolated placenta cells, and finally by application of single and dual side ex vivo placenta perfusion. With each of these steps, the relative workload increases while the number of feasible repeats decreases. Simultaneously, the predictive power enhances by increasing similarity with in vivo human conditions. Toxic effects may be detected by performing proliferation, vitality and cell death assays, analysis of protein and hormone expression, immunohistochemistry or testing functionality of signaling pathways, gene expression, transport mechanisms, and so on. When toxic effects appear at any step, the subsequent assays may be cancelled. Such a system may be useful to reduce costs and increase specificity in testing questionable toxicants. Nonetheless, it requires further standardization and end point definitions for better comparability of results from different toxicants and to estimate the respective in vivo translatability and predictive value.
Comparison of Cochlear Cell Death Caused by Cisplatin, Alone and in Combination with Furosemide
Authors: Xia Li , Chen Zhengnong , Su Kaiming , Yin Shankai , Wang Jian
Published: April 2013

Establishment of appropriate animal models is an important step in exploring the mechanisms of drug-induced ototoxicity. In the present study, using guinea pigs we compared cochlear lesions induced by cisplatin administered in two regimens: consecutive application alone and in combination with furosemide. The effects of furosemide alone were also evaluated; it was found to cause temporary hearing loss and reversible damage to the stria vascularis. Consecutive application of cisplatin alone appeared to be disadvantageous because it resulted in progressive body weight loss and higher mortality compared to the combined regimen, which used a smaller cisplatin dose. The combined regimen resulted in comparable hearing loss and hair cell loss but a markedly lower mortality. However, their coadministration failed to cause similar damage to spiral ganglion neurons (SGN), as seen in animals that received cisplatin alone. This difference suggests that the combined regimen did not mimic the damage to cochlear neuronal innervation caused by the clinical application of cisplatin. The difference also suggests that the SGN lesion is not caused by cisplatin entering the cochlea via the stria vascularis.
The Micropolitics of Educational Change Experienced by Novice Public Middle School Principals
Authors: Caruso Louis F.
Published: April 2013

Novice public middle school principals currently face the challenge of navigating internal micropolitical structures while negotiating educational change during a period of decline. This year-long qualitative study detailed the lived experiences of two suburban novice middle school principals as they found themselves leading within a macropolitical environment containing slashed public school budgets, contracted student programs, teacher cutbacks, and policy mandates to improve student achievement. The study captured the ideologies and values of subsystems between teachers and administrators, negotiations of boundaries and turf between administrators and teachers, and how principals asserted bureaucratic leadership approaches for political ends.
FOCUS: Languages, Translations, and Translators in the Spotlight
Authors: Soesilo Daud H.
Published: April 2013

[In this occasional section we feature accounts of particular languages, translation programmes or translators. While the specific situations discussed may not be immediately applicable to all translators, they are offered in the hope that they will broaden our appreciation and understanding of the wider task we are engaged in around the world. In the following, Dr Daud H. Soesilo, UBS Asia-Pacific Area Translation Coordinator, provides a comparison of Malagasy, the only language of Malayo-Polynesian origin in Africa, with its closest relative in S. E. Asia.]
An argument against using standardized test scores for placement of international undergraduate students in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses
Authors: Kokhan Kateryna
Published: April 2013

Development and administration of institutional ESL placement tests require a great deal of financial and human resources. Due to a steady increase in the number of international students studying in the United States, some US universities have started to consider using standardized test scores for ESL placement. The English Placement Test (EPT) is a locally administered ESL placement test at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). This study examines the appropriateness of using pre-arrival SAT, ACT, and TOEFL iBT test scores as an alternative to the EPT for placement of international undergraduate students into one of the two levels of ESL writing courses at UIUC. Exploratory analysis shows that only the lowest SAT Reading and ACT English scores, and the highest TOEFL iBT total and Writing section scores can separate the students between the two placement courses. However, the number of undergraduate ESL students, who scored at the lowest and highest ends of each of these test scales, has been very low over the last six years (less than 5%). Thus, setting cutoff scores for such a small fraction of the ESL population may not be very practical. As far as the majority of the undergraduate ESL population is concerned, there is about a 40% chance that they may be misplaced if the placement decision is made solely on the standardized test scores.
The Arthroscopic Surgical Skill Evaluation Tool (ASSET)
Authors: Koehler Ryan J. , Amsdell Simon , Arendt Elizabeth A. , Bisson Leslie J. , Bramen Jonathan P. , Butler Aaron , Cosgarea Andrew J. , Harner Christopher D. , Garrett William E. , Olson Tyson , Warme Winston J. , Nicandri Gregg T.
Published: April 2013

Background:

Surgeries employing arthroscopic techniques are among the most commonly performed in orthopaedic clinical practice; however, valid and reliable methods of assessing the arthroscopic skill of orthopaedic surgeons are lacking.

Hypothesis:

The Arthroscopic Surgery Skill Evaluation Tool (ASSET) will demonstrate content validity, concurrent criterion-oriented validity, and reliability when used to assess the technical ability of surgeons performing diagnostic knee arthroscopic surgery on cadaveric specimens.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Content validity was determined by a group of 7 experts using the Delphi method. Intra-articular performance of a right and left diagnostic knee arthroscopic procedure was recorded for 28 residents and 2 sports medicine fellowship–trained attending surgeons. Surgeon performance was assessed by 2 blinded raters using the ASSET. Concurrent criterion-oriented validity, interrater reliability, and test-retest reliability were evaluated.

Results:

Content validity: The content development group identified 8 arthroscopic skill domains to evaluate using the ASSET. Concurrent criterion-oriented validity: Significant differences in the total ASSET score ( P < .05) between novice, intermediate, and advanced experience groups were identified. Interrater reliability: The ASSET scores assigned by each rater were strongly correlated ( r = 0.91, P < .01), and the intraclass correlation coefficient between raters for the total ASSET score was 0.90. Test-retest reliability: There was a significant correlation between ASSET scores for both procedures attempted by each surgeon ( r = 0.79, P < .01).

Conclusion:

The ASSET appears to be a useful, valid, and reliable method for assessing surgeon performance of diagnostic knee arthroscopic surgery in cadaveric specimens. Studies are ongoing to determine its generalizability to other procedures as well as to the live operating room and other simulated environments.
“I’m Not Going to Become No Rapper”
Authors: Way Niobe , Hernández María G. , Rogers Leoandra Onnie , Hughes Diane L.
Published: April 2013

Few studies examine how the macro context shapes ethnic or racial identity development during early adolescence. This analysis draws on interview data from 40 African American, Chinese American, Dominican American, and European American middle school students (6th through 8th grade) to explore how stereotypes inform adolescents’ ethnic and racial identities. Findings revealed that stereotypes about race and ethnicity intersected with those about gender, sexuality, social class, and/or nationality and these intersecting stereotypes shaped adolescents’ ethnic and racial identities. In addition, adolescents used stereotypes about other ethnic and racial groups as contrasts upon which their own ethnic or racial identities were constructed. Finally, adolescents’ narratives were dominated, particularly for the ethnic minority youth during their 8th-grade interviews, by the desire to avoid or resist becoming an ethnic or racial stereotype. Findings underscore the importance of examining stereotypes as a context of identity development, the ways in which stereotypes intersect in the construction of identity, and resistance in the study of identity development.
Breaking the text: An introduction to Lacanian discourse analysis
Authors: Neill Calum
Published: April 2013

This paper presents an entry-level approach to Lacanian Discourse Analysis. Along the way it considers crucial issues for textual analysis, arguing that Lacan’s insights provide an important collection of tools and concepts in dealing with textual research in a manner which is neither blind to the intrusion of interpretation nor deaf to the call of creative engagement. The paper is, however, a beginning, never more than a beginning.
Further imprecision will not a clarity bring
Authors: Maraun Michael D. , Gabriel Stephanie M. , Martin Jack
Published: April 2013

In this rejoinder, we suggest that Professor Tweney’s commentary on our article not only contains stark mischaracterizations of our analysis, but is rife with misunderstandings of basic quantitative theory, and loose, unfounded speculations. We conclude, in short, that it makes no contribution to the clarification of the phenomenon of regression towards the mean.
The role of B lymphocyte stimulator in B cell biology: implications for the treatment of lupus
Authors: Scholz JL , Oropallo MA , Sindhava V , Goenka R , Cancro MP
Published: April 2013

B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS; also known as B cell activating factor (BAFF)) plays a key role in peripheral B cell tolerance. Mounting evidence indicates that B cell tolerance can be either broken or modulated by deliberately manipulating BLyS levels, and belimumab, a BLyS-neutralizing antibody, was recently approved for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Thus, intense investigation has focused on understanding how therapeutics targeting BLyS may work, and accumulating evidence suggests multiple points of action. BLyS signaling, in conjunction with B cell receptor (BCR) signaling, determines the size and quality of the mature primary B cell compartment. Moreover, BLyS family members play roles in antigen-experienced B cell selection and differentiation. Together, these findings have implications for the continued development of novel therapeutics that target BLyS.
Breaking the ice in systemic lupus erythematosus: belimumab, a promising new therapy
Authors: Mosak J , Furie R
Published: April 2013

B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS), a protein discovered in the 1990s that induces B cell proliferation and differentiation, promotes B cell survival, and is important in immunoglobulin class switching, was the target of a drug development program launched by Human Genome Sciences in the early part of the last decade. Belimumab, a human monoclonal antibody specific for soluble BLyS, was ultimately approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2011 for active autoantibody patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) despite standard therapy. This program, whose studies spanned approximately 10 years from phase I through phase III, was founded on sound biology and advanced on logic and perseverance.

Pre-clinical experimentation in murine models of SLE as well as observational studies in human SLE provided sufficient evidence to support the use of an inhibitor of BLyS as a novel therapy to reduce SLE disease activity. Progressing from phase I through a robust phase III program was no easy task given the complexities of SLE trial design. These challenges were overcome with the implementation of strict study entry requirements, the development of a novel responder index, and rigorous rules regarding background therapies. The success of two phase III studies and the approval of belimumab by the US Food and Drug Administration represent an unprecedented milestone in the history of SLE drug development. Belimumab was the first drug approved in SLE in over 50 years and was the first drug ever approved in SLE through the conventional route of randomized controlled trials. This article reviews the biology of BLyS, clinical trial results, and some of the emerging data from the robust phase II and III datasets.
Clinical characteristics and risk factors of intracranial hemorrhage in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Gao N , Wang ZL , Li MT , Han SM , Dang YQ , Zhang FC , Shi TY , Zhang LN , Zeng XF
Published: April 2013

We enrolled and reviewed 26 medical records of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with intracranial hemorrhage (cases) and 104 randomly matched records of SLE without intracranial hemorrhage (controls) out of 6653 admitted patients at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1994 to 2012, to analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of intracranial hemorrhage in SLE. The incidence of SLE with intracranial hemorrhage was only 0.39% within the last 18 years at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. However, the in-hospital fatality rate was quite high (23.1%). Headache was the most common symptom (53.5%) in SLE patients with intracranial hemorrhage. The anatomical localization of the hemorrhages in the brain was predominantly located in the cerebrum. Intracranial hemorrhage could happen in either stable or active SLE patients. SLE patients with intracranial hemorrhage presented other neuropsychiatric syndromes defined by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1999, thrombocytopenia and antiphospholipid syndrome more frequently than controls. Thrombocytopenia was the independent risk factor for intracranial hemorrhage coexisting with SLE (OR = 3.687, 95% CI 1.510–9.001, p = 0.004).
Metabolic syndrome in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: no association with plasma cortisol level
Authors: Liu S-Y , Han L-S , Guo J-Y , Zheng Z-H , Li H , Zhang L , Zhang X , He Y-J , Gao G-M , Liu Z-S , Zeng X-F
Published: April 2013

Our objective was to determine metabolic syndrome (MS) prevalence in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to investigate the conditions that contribute to its development. 116 patients with SLE classified according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria, and 115 controls were enrolled. MS was defined by the joint interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity (IDF/NHLBI/AHA/WHF/IAS/IASO). SLE features and treatment of SLE were assessed. Fasting insulin and cortisol levels of 30 newly diagnosed, untreated patients and 33 age and sex-matched controls were detected. MS prevalence was 34.2% in patients with SLE and 14.8% in controls ( p = 0.002). Lupus patients with MS had less frequency of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) intake (16.0% vs 45.8%; p = 0.012). Untreated patients with SLE had higher levels of fasting insulin (10.92 ± 13.53 vs 5.48 ± 5.43 uU/mL, p < 0.001) and plasma cortisol at 16:00 (257.22 ± 177.98 vs 139.84 ± 63.46 nmol/L, p = 0.001), but lower plasma cortisol at 08:00 (195.51 ± 149.84 vs 278.95 ± 136.27 nmol/L, p = 0.024). Comparisons regarding steroid therapy, levels of insulin and cortisol were not statistically significant between patients with MS and without MS. The Chinese patients with SLE presented a higher MS prevalence and fasting insulin than controls. MS was not associated with the steroid therapy and plasma cortisol. HCQ use proved to be protective against MS. The circadian rhythm of cortisol may differ in patients with SLE.
Effects of tetra-arsenic tetra-sulfide on BXSB lupus-prone mice: a pilot study
Authors: Zhao Y , Wen G , Qiao Z , Xu H , Sun Q , Huang H , Shan S , Mu Z , Zhang J
Published: April 2013

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of uncertain etiology that affects multiple tissues and organs. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been used in lupus-prone mice with a regulatory effect on immune abnormality. Tetra-arsenic tetra-sulfide (As4S4), a traditional Chinese medicine, is effective on acute promyelocytic leukemia with mild side effects than ATO. In this study, a pilot study was performed to investigate the effects and the mechanism of As4S4 on the lupus-prone BXSB mice. Improvement of monocytosis ( p < 0.05) in spleen and decreased serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) ( p = 0.0277) were observed with As4S4 treatment. As4S4-treated mice exhibited amelioration of skin, liver and renal disease with mild side effects. Histological analysis revealed that As4S4 suppressed immune complex deposition, mesangial proliferation and inflammatory cell infiltration in kidney and liver. Our study support that As4S4 selectively suppresses cutaneous lupus and nephritis in BXSB mice and might be a potential treatment for SLE.
Producing ‘Human Elements Based Medical Technologies’ in Biotech Companies: Some Ethical and Organisational Ingredients for Innovative Cooking
Authors: Tournay Virginie , Rial-Sebbag Emmanuelle , Bemme Dörte , Mahalatchimy Aurélie , Granjou Céline , Louvel Séverine , Cambon-Thomsen Anne
Published: April 2013

This article is based on the findings of an EU-funded qualitative research project, entitled ‘From GMP to GBP: Fostering good bioethics practices [GBP] among the European biotechnology industry’, which seeks to improve the understanding of bioethical issues through the observation of the daily practices in European biotechnology companies and proposes a methodology approaching ethical issues. The comparative study was carried out in biotech companies in France, Italy, Sweden, Hungary and Belgium which develop a wide range of new technologies, all of them involving human materials or where human subjects participate (in clinical trials). Based on our findings in these local settings, we suggest that the notion of bioethics and the way its production is theorised need to be re-conceptualised. We argue that material practices and moral statements are intermingled in inextricable ways that render the formation of bioethical concerns fully dependent on the organisational landscape in which it is embedded. More precisely, the here presented co-production model of moral statements and organisational practices presents a set of common factors that influence how bioethical discourses are shaped, despite the heterogeneity of their epistemic cultures. For example, the procedural design of cell-based-products, the modes of collecting and storing biological specimen, the relationship between patients and companies and technological transfers to emerging countries are defining components that contribute to the shaping process of bioethical concerns. Thus, the path dependency of bioethical concerns relies on an already existing, specific infrastructure and existing relationships within and outside a company rather than on external judgement subsequently applied to its objects, or a collection of processes of reasoning coming from external institutions.
The Reconfiguration of the Relationship to Care for a Rare Disease: Neonatal Expended Screening in a Socio-material Perspective
Authors: Langeard C. , Minguet G. , Guéganton L. , Cam P. , Faquet C. , Lombrail P. , Rault G.
Published: April 2013

Neonatal Screening (NBS) is a mass screening, secondary prevention policy aimed at detecting one or several often congenital disorders in all neonates in a given country. The French CF NBS programme is completely functional since the middle of 2003. Drawing its inspiration from the socio-material approach, this article advances a description and analysis of the interactions between the biomedical technologies used in neonatal cystic fibrosis screening and the resulting changes in clinical practice, the bioethical debate and finally in the interstice between voluntary individual consent to screening and the management of a population’s health. The analysis grid focuses on four dimensions: institutional, techno-scientific, regulatory and socio-professional. Backed up by a field survey conducted in the specialised healthcare centres, this study explores two major aspects of the repercussions of NBS: first, the genesis and institutionalisation of this public policy and the impact of a more flexible form of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) and the sustained controversy on the neonatal screening programme uniting the community of cystic fibrosis paediatrics. This study suggests that institutional stability remains fragile and in this respect constitutes a paradoxical form of production with incompleteness and uncertainty as constituting factors.
The Role of Depression in Medication Adherence Among Heart Failure Patients
Authors: Tang Hsin-Yi (Jean) , Sayers Steven L. , Weissinger Guy , Riegel Barbara
Published: April 2013

The purpose of the study was to explore the association between depression and medication adherence in heart failure (HF) patients. Studies have shown that people with depression are likely to be nonadherent to their prescribed medication treatment. But other studies suggest that nonadherence may be overestimated by people with depression. A total of 244 adults with Stage C HF completed the study. Self-reported medication adherence was obtained using the Basel Assessment of Adherence Scale (BAAS); objective data on medication adherence were collected using the electronic Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS). Depression was measured via self-report with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). There was a significant difference between depressed and nondepressed participants in self-reported medication nonadherence ( p = .008), but not in objectively measured medication nonadherence ( p = .72). The depressed sample was 2.3 times more likely to self-report poor medication adherence than those who were nondepressed ( p = .006).
A NOTCH4 missense mutation confers resistance to multiple sclerosis in Japanese
Authors: Huang Jian , Yoshimura Satoshi , Isobe Noriko , Matsushita Takuya , Yonekawa Tomomi , Sato Shinya , Yamasaki Ryo , Kira Jun-ichi ,   the South Japan Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium, Miyamoto Katsuichi , Kusunoki Susumu , Nakatsuji Yuji , Mochizuki Hideki , Ochi Kazuhide , Matsumoto Masayasu , Kanda Takeshi , Ochi Hirofumi , Miki Tetsuro , Okada Kazumasa , Tsuji Sadatoshi
Published: April 2013

Background:

The G allele of NOTCH4 rs422951 is protective against demyelinating disease in Japanese.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to assess the relation of the G allele to neuromyelitis optica (NMO)/NMO spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) and the interaction between the G allele and HLA-DRB1 alleles, and to clarify any association of the G allele with clinical features.

Methods:

DNA sequencing was used to genotype 106 NMO/NMOSD patients, 118 MS patients and 152 healthy controls (HCs) for rs422951.

Results:

G allele frequency in MS patients, but not that in NMO/NMOSD patients, was lower than that in HCs (8.9% vs 21.7%, p<0.0001, odds ratio (OR)=0.35). HLA-DRB1*0405 was positively associated with MS (OR=2.22, pcorr=0.0380) while DRB1*0901 was negatively associated (OR=0.32, pcorr =0.0114). Logistic regression analyses revealed that, after adjusting for gender and either HLA-DRB1*0405 or DRB1*0901, rs422951 was associated with MS in the dominant model (OR=0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI)= 0.20–0.66, p=0.0012). Haplotype analyses identified two susceptible and three resistant haplotypes formed from rs422951 and either HLA-DRB1*0405 or DRB1*0901. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical features between G allele carriers and non-G allele carriers.

Conclusion:

This NOTCH4 missense mutation decreased the risk for developing MS in Japanese, but did not affect clinical features of those who had already developed the disease.
Epstein-Barr virus antibodies and vitamin D in prospective multiple sclerosis biobank samples
Authors: Salzer Jonatan , Nyström Maria , Hallmans Göran , Stenlund Hans , Wadell Göran , Sundström Peter
Published: April 2013

Background:

The antibody reactivity against Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status have been associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) risk. Interaction between these two factors has been proposed.

Objectives:

The objective of this paper is to examine the association between antibody reactivity against EBNA-1 and five EBNA-1 domains, and the risk of MS, and to examine if these antibodies and 25(OH)D status interact regarding MS risk in prospectively collected blood samples.

Methods:

Antibody reactivity and 25(OH)D levels were measured using ELISAs in n = 192 MS cases and n = 384 matched controls. The risk of MS was analysed using matched logistic regression. Interaction on the additive scale was assessed.

Results:

The risk of MS increased across tertiles of antibody reactivity against EBNA-1, domain EBNA-1402–502, and domain EBNA-1385–420; p trends < 0.001. In young individuals (below median age at sampling, < 26.4 years), these associations were stronger, and 25(OH)D levels correlated inversely to antibody reactivity against EBNA-1 and the EBNA-1 domains. No statistical interaction was found.

Conclusions:

We confirm that increased antibody reactivity against EBNA-1 is a risk factor of MS. 25(OH)D status might influence the immune response towards Epstein-Barr virus in young subjects, and thereby modulate MS risk.
A Space for Stories: Revisiting relational poetry as inquiry on everyday practice
Authors: Gold Karen
Published: April 2013

In this article I build on Stanley Witkin’s ideas about ‘relational poetry’ to explore the meaning(s) of a clinical encounter. Drawing on social constructionist approaches to inquiry, and notions of the ‘relational-poetic’ which invite us to pay specific attention to resonance, I present a poetic dialogue between Ronna Bloom and myself. Reflecting on this process, I discuss the role of poetic writing in creating possibilities for new conversations on the everyday meanings of practice.
Detection of spatially distributed damage in fiber-reinforced polymer composites
Authors: Loyola Bryan R , Briggs Timothy M , Arronche Luciana , Loh Kenneth J , La Saponara Valeria , O’Bryan Greg , Skinner Jack L
Published: April 2013

This work describes a novel method of embedded damage detection within glass fiber–reinforced polymer composites. Damage detection is achieved by monitoring the spatially distributed electrical conductivity of a strain-sensitive multiwalled carbon nanotube thin film. First, thin films were spray-deposited directly upon glass fiber mats. Second, using electrical impedance tomography, the spatial conductivity distribution of the thin film was determined before and after damage-inducing events. The resolution of the sensor was determined by drilling progressively larger holes in the center of the composite specimens, and the corresponding electrical impedance tomography response was measured by recording the current–voltage data at the periphery of the monitored composite sample. In addition, the sensitivity to damage occurring at different locations in the composite was also investigated by comparing electrical impedance tomography spatial conductivity maps obtained for specimens with sets of holes drilled at different locations in the sensing area. Finally, the location and severity of damage from low-velocity impact events were detected using the electrical impedance tomography method. The work presented in this study indicates a paradigm shift in the available possibilities for structural health monitoring of fiber-reinforced polymer composites.
Transfer of Training Between Distinct Motor Tasks After Stroke
Authors: Schaefer Sydney Y. , Patterson Chavelle B. , Lang Catherine E.
Published: April 2013

Background. Although task-specific training is emerging as a viable approach for recovering motor function after stroke, there is little evidence for whether the effects of such training transfer to other functional motor tasks not directly practiced in therapy. Objective. The purpose of the current study was to test whether training on one motor task in individuals with chronic hemiparesis poststroke would transfer to untrained tasks that were either spatiotemporally similar or different. Methods. In all, 11 participants with chronic mild to moderate hemiparesis following stroke completed 5 days of supervised massed practice of a feeding task with their affected side. Performance on the feeding task, along with 2 other untrained functional upper-extremity motor tasks (sorting, dressing) was assessed before and after training. Results. Performance of all 3 tasks improved significantly after training exclusively on 1 motor task. The amount of improvement in the untrained tasks was comparable and was not dependent on the degree of similarity to the trained task. Conclusions. Because the number and type of tasks that can be practiced are often limited within standard stroke rehabilitation, results from this study will be useful for designing task-specific training plans to maximize therapy benefits.
Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Polymorphism Influences Outcome After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Liepert Joachim , Heller Andreas , Behnisch Gusalija , Schoenfeld Ariel
Published: April 2013

Background. To explore whether a polymorphism in dopamine metabolism influences the effectiveness of neurological rehabilitation and the outcome after ischemic stroke. Methods. The Barthel Index (BI) and the Rivermead Motor Assessment (RMA) were assessed in 78 moderately affected stroke patients (1) after they had entered a neurological inpatient rehabilitation, (2) after 4 weeks of rehabilitation therapy, and (3) 6 months later. Polymorphisms of the gene encoding catechol- O-methyltransferase (COMT) were determined. BI and RMA results were analyzed with respect to the genetic profiles of COMT. Results. Carriers of COMT Val/Val alleles showed better results in BI and RMA than COMT Met/Met carriers at all 3 time points. Val/Met carriers exhibited results in between the homozygotes, suggesting a gene–dose relationship. Altogether, BI and RMA results were highly correlated. Conclusion. Stroke patients with COMT Val/Val alleles had higher motor functions and abilities of activities of daily living even at the beginning of the rehabilitation period. All patient groups improved during the rehabilitation period to a similar degree, suggesting that physical therapy is comparably effective in all polymorphism subtypes.
The Needs of Participants in Leadership Development Programs
Authors: Gentry William A. , Eckert Regina H. , Munusamy Vijayan P. , Stawiski Sarah A. , Martin Jacob L.
Published: April 2013

As leadership development becomes prevalent around the world, it is critical to understand the expectations and needs of participants attending leadership development programs and whether cross-country differences exist in those needs. This study examines the leadership challenges faced by 763 participants of leadership development programs from seven different countries (China/Hong Kong, Egypt, India, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and evaluates how important they perceive certain leadership competencies are to success in their respective organization. Qualitative data reveal that the challenges leaders face are relatively similar across countries, although small variations exist. Developing Managerial Effectiveness, Inspiring Others, Developing Employees, Leading a Team, Guiding Change, and Managing Internal Stakeholders and Politics were challenges that ranked consistently among the top challenges in each country. Quantitative data from the same sample showed that the leadership competencies of Leading Employees, Resourcefulness, and Change Management were consistently seen as being important to success in managers’ organizations in all countries. Teaching managers to overcome the aforementioned challenges, and enhancing the previously mentioned competencies, is likely to contribute to the effectiveness of leadership development programs and initiatives independently of the country in which the manager resides. Both qualitative and quantitative data suggest cultural convergence when it comes to the needs of participants in leadership development programs around the world. Implications of findings for participant-focused leadership development and practical executive education are discussed.
“The Skill Is Using Your Big Head Over Your Little Head”
Authors: Bowleg Lisa , Mingo Meaghan , Massie Jenné S.
Published: April 2013

Although the disproportionate toll of HIV/AIDS among Black heterosexuals, particularly in low-income U.S. urban areas is well documented, Black heterosexual men are rarely the explicit focus of HIV prevention messages, research, and interventions. We conducted 4 focus groups with 28 Black men, aged 19 to 51 years, who were enrolled in the workforce and fatherhood development program of a local community-based organization to examine (a) the priority and role of HIV/AIDS in their lives and (b) their HIV prevention needs. Although none articulated HIV as a top life priority, respondents nonetheless prioritized educating their children about HIV prevention and protecting their main partners from HIV if they had other sexual partners. Analyses demonstrated that participants said they wanted and needed: to learn how to talk to partners about HIV testing and use condoms when tempted not to do so, and more discussion-oriented educational opportunities to learn and exchange prevention strategies.
The Contribution of Mixed Methods Research to the Field of Childhood Trauma
Authors: Boeije Hennie , Slagt Meike , van Wesel Floryt
Published: April 2013

In mixed methods research (MMR), integrating the quantitative and the qualitative components of a study is assumed to result in additional knowledge (or “yield”). This narrative review examines the extent to which MMR is used in the field of childhood trauma and provides directions for improving mixed methods studies in this field. A systematic literature search resulted in 13 studies that were achieving four different research objectives: (a) measures and meaning, (b) intervention evaluation, (c) theory building, and (d) measurement instrument development and validation. Although some studies produced yield by integrating the components, there is room for improvement and better use of MMR’s potential. We conclude by presenting recommendations for improving the application and dissemination of MMR in childhood trauma.
Induction of genes encoding NADPH oxidase components and activation of IFN regulatory factor-1 by prolactin in fish macrophages
Authors: Olavarría Víctor H , Figueroa Jaime E , Mulero Victoriano
Published: April 2013

The role played by prolactin (PRL) in fish immunity is scant. We report here that stimulation of the Atlantic salmon monocytic cell line SHK-1 with native salmon PRL resulted in activation of the respiratory burst and induction of the expression of the genes encoding the phagocyte NADPH oxidase components p47phox, p67phox and gp91phox, and the transcription factor IFN regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1). Interestingly, the pharmacologic inhibition of the Jak/Stat signaling pathway with AG490 blocked reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and the induction of genes encoding the NADPH oxidase components and IRF-1 in PRL-activated SHK-1 cells. In addition, PRL promoted the phosphorylation of Stat and induced the DNA binding activity of IRF-1. These results, together with the presence of several consensus target motifs for Stat and IRF-1 in the promoter of the tilapia p47phox gene, suggest that PRL regulates p47phox gene expression in fish through the activation of these two key transcription factors. Taken together, our results demonstrate that PRL induces the expression of the genes encoding the major phagocyte NADPH oxidase components and ROS production in fish macrophages via the JAK2/Stat/IRF-1 signaling pathway.
A Portfolio Approach in Lodging Firms’ Investment Behavior
Authors: Lee Seul Ki , Jang SooCheong (Shawn)
Published: April 2013

The investment behavior of lodging firms is not adequately explained by conventional investment models due to the lodging firms’ practice of acquiring some properties while disposing of others. This practice makes it difficult to apply decision models based on marginal productivity and the costs of fixed assets to lodging firms. Using data on U.S. lodging firms between 2000 and 2008, this study provides an alternative explanation of hotel firms’ simultaneous investment and disinvestment behavior. Taking the view that hotel properties are analogs to financial assets (given that a hotel investment has bond-like characteristics), the study applied the financial portfolio theory to develop a theoretical framework that would explain how lodging firms can understand their investment options as components of a portfolio of assets. Through empirical testing, the study also found significant investment–disinvestment interdependency for lodging firms, which supports the alternative theory to asset management. An important consideration in lodging companies’ investment decisions is residual fees from franchise or management agreements that are attached to assets even after they are sold.
Practice-Based Interventions Addressing Concomitant Depression and Chronic Medical Conditions in the Primary Care Setting
Authors: Watson Lea C. , Amick Halle R. , Gaynes Bradley N. , Brownley Kimberly A. , Thaker Samruddhi , Viswanathan Meera , Jonas Daniel E.
Published: April 2013

Background: Depression concomitant with chronic medical conditions is common and burdensome in primary care. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of practice-based interventions for improving depression and chronic medical outcomes. Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PsycINFO from inception to June 11, 2012. Study Selection, Appraisal, and Synthesis: Two reviewers independently selected, extracted data from, and rated the quality of trials and systematic reviews. Strength of evidence (SOE) was graded using established criteria. Results: Twenty-four published articles reported data from 12 studies, all at least 6 months long. All studies compared a form of collaborative care with usual or enhanced usual care. Studies evaluated adults with arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV, or multiple medical conditions. Meta-analyses found that intervention recipients achieved greater improvement than controls in depression symptoms, response, remission, and depression-free days (moderate SOE); satisfaction with care (moderate SOE); and quality of life (moderate SOE). Few data were available on outcomes for chronic medical conditions. Meta-analyses revealed that patients with diabetes receiving collaborative care exhibited no difference in diabetes control compared with control groups (change in HbA1c: weighted mean difference 0.13, 95% confidence interval = −0.22 to 0.48 at 6 months; 0.24, 95% confidence interval = −0.14 to 0.62 at 12 months; low SOE). The only study to use HbA1c as a predefined outcome measure and a “treat-to-target” intervention for diabetes as well as depression, TEAMcare, reported significant reductions in HbA1c (7.42 vs 7.87 at 6 months; 7.33 vs 7.81 at 12 months; overall P < .001). Limitations: Few relevant trials reported on medical outcomes. Conclusions: Collaborative care interventions improved outcomes for depression and quality of life in primary care patients with varying medical conditions. Few data were available on medical outcomes. Future studies of concomitant depression and chronic medical conditions should consider measures of medical outcomes as primary outcomes.
Geriatric assessment predicts survival for older adults receiving induction chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia
Authors: Klepin Heidi D. , Geiger Ann M. , Tooze Janet A. , Kritchevsky Stephen B. , Williamson Jeff D. , Pardee Timothy S. , Ellis Leslie R. , Powell Bayard L.
Published: April 2013

Key Points

Geriatric assessment, with a focus on cognitive and physical function, improves prediction of survival among older adults treated for AML. Use of geriatric assessment may inform trial design and interventions to improve outcomes for older adults with AML.
Extensive circadian and light regulation of the transcriptome in the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae
Authors: Rund Samuel SC , Gentile James E , Duffield Giles E
Published: April 2013

Background

Mosquitoes exhibit 24 hr rhythms in flight activity, feeding, reproduction and development. To better understand the molecular basis for these rhythms in the nocturnal malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, we have utilized microarray analysis on time-of-day specific collections of mosquitoes over 48 hr to explore the coregulation of gene expression rhythms by the circadian clock and light, and compare these with the 24 hr rhythmic gene expression in the diurnal Aedes aegypti dengue vector mosquito.

Results

In time courses from An. gambiae head and body collected under light:dark cycle (LD) and constant dark (DD) conditions, we applied three algorithms that detect sinusoidal patterns and an algorithm that detects spikes in expression. This revealed across four experimental conditions 393 probes newly scored as rhythmic. These genes correspond to functions such as metabolic detoxification, immunity and nutrient sensing. This includes glutathione S-transferase GSTE5, whose expression pattern and chromosomal location are shared with other genes, suggesting shared chromosomal regulation; and pulsatile expression of the gene encoding CYP6M2, a cytochrome P450 that metabolizes pyrethroid insecticides. We explored the interaction of light and the circadian clock and highlight the regulation of odorant binding proteins (OBPs), important components of the olfactory system. We reveal that OBPs have unique expression patterns as mosquitoes make the transition from LD to DD conditions. We compared rhythmic expression between An. gambiae and Ae. aegypti heads collected under LD conditions using a single cosine fitting algorithm, and report distinct similarities and differences in the temporal regulation of genes involved in tRNA priming, the vesicular-type ATPase, olfaction and vision between the two species.

Conclusions

These data build on our previous analyses of time-of-day specific regulation of the An. gambiae transcriptome to reveal additional rhythmic genes, an improved understanding of the co-regulation of rhythms in gene expression by the circadian clock and by light, and an understanding of the time-of-day specific regulation of some of these rhythmic processes in comparison with a different species of mosquito. Improved understanding of biological timing at the molecular level that underlies key physiological aspects of mosquito vectors may prove to be important to successful implementation of established and novel insect control methods.