bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of biliverdin reductase increases ANG II-dependent superoxide levels in cultured renal tubular epithelial cells
Authors: Young Shelby C. , Storm Megan V. , Speed Joshua S. , Kelsen Silvia , Tiller Chelsea V. , Vera Trinity , Drummond Heather A. , Stec David E.
Published: September 2009

Induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the renal medulla increases carbon monoxide and bilirubin production and decreases ANG II-mediated superoxide production. The goal of this study was to determine the importance of increases in bilirubin to the antioxidant effects of HO-1 induction in cultured mouse thick ascending loop of Henle (TALH) and inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD3) cells. Bilirubin levels were decreased by using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeted to biliverdin reductase (BVR), which is the cellular enzyme responsible for the conversion of biliverdin to bilirubin. Treatment of cultured TALH or IMCD-3 cells with BVR siRNA (50 or 100 nM) resulted in an 80% decrease in the level of BVR protein and decreased cellular bilirubin levels from 46 ± 5 to 23 ± 4 nM ( n = 4). We then determined the effects of inhibition of BVR on ANG II-mediated superoxide production. Superoxide production induced by ANG II (10−9 M) significantly increased in both TALH and IMCD-3 cells. Treatment of TALH cells with BVR siRNA resulted in a significant increase in ouabain-sensitive rubidium uptake from 95 ± 6 to 122 ± 5% control ( n = 4, P < 0.05). Lastly, inhibition of BVR with siRNA did not prevent the decrease in superoxide levels observed in cells pretreated with the HO-1 inducer, hemin. We conclude that decreased levels of cellular bilirubin increase ANG II-mediated superoxide production and sodium transport; however, increases in bilirubin are not necessary for HO-1 induction to attenuate ANG II-mediated superoxide production.
Ischemia-induced brain damage is enhanced in human renin and angiotensinogen double-transgenic mice
Authors: Chen Shuzhen , Li Guangze , Zhang Wenfeng , Wang Jinju , Sigmund Curt D. , Olson James E. , Chen Yanfang
Published: September 2009

To investigate the role of brain angiotensin II (ANG II) in the pathogenesis of injury following ischemic stroke, mice overexpressing renin and angiotensinogen (R+A+) and their wild-type control animals (R−A−) were used for experimental ischemia studies. Focal brain ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The severity of ischemic injury was determined by measuring neurological deficits and histological damage at 24 and 48 h after MCAO, respectively. To exclude the influence of blood pressure and local collateral blood flow, brain slices were used for oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) studies. The severity of OGD-induced damage was determined by measuring indicators of tissue swelling and cell death, the intensity of the intrinsic optical signal (IOS), and the number of propidium iodide (PI) staining cells, respectively. Results showed 1) R+A+ mice showed higher neurological deficit score (3.8 ± 0.5 and 2.5 ± 0.3 for R+A+ and R−A−, respectively, P < 0.01) and larger infarct volume (22.2 ± 1.6% and 14.1 ± 1.2% for R+A+ and R−A−, respectively, P < 0.01); 2) The R+A+ brain slices showed more severe tissue swelling and cell death in the cortex (IOS: 140 ± 6% and 114 ± 10%; PI: 139 ± 20 cells/field and 39 ± 9 cells/field for R+A+ and R−A−, respectively, P < 0.01); 3) treatment with losartan (20 μmol/l) abolished OGD-induced exaggeration of cell injury seen in R+A+ mice. The data indicate that activation of ANG II/AT1signaling is harmful to brain exposed to ischemia.
Bradykinin induces formation of vesicle-like structures containing vinculin and PtdIns(4,5)P2in renal papillary collecting duct cells
Authors: Márquez María Gabriela , Fernández-Tome María del Carmen , Favale Nicolás Octavio , Pescio Lucila Gisele , Sterin-Speziale Norma Beatriz
Published: September 2009

Focal adhesions (FAs) are structures of cell attachment to the extracellular matrix. We previously demonstrated that the intrarenal hormone bradykinin (BK) induces the restructuring of FAs in papillary collecting duct cells by dissipation of vinculin, but not talin, from FAs through a mechanism that involves PLCβ activation, and that it also induces actin cytoskeleton reorganization. In the present study we investigated the mechanism by which BK induces the dissipation of vinculin-stained FAs in collecting duct cells. We found that BK induces the internalization of vinculin by a noncaveolar and independent pinocytic pathway and that at least a fraction of this protein is delivered to the recycling endosomal compartment, where it colocalizes with the transferrin receptor. Regarding the reassembly of vinculin-stained FAs, we found that BK induces the formation of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]-enriched vinculin-containing vesicles, which, by following a polarized exocytic route, transport vinculin to the site of FA assembly, an action that depends on actin filaments. The present study, which was carried out with cells that were not genetically manipulated, shows for the first time that BK induces the formation of vesicle-like structures containing vinculin and PtdIns(4,5)P2, which transport vinculin to the site of FA assembly. Therefore, the modulation of the formation of these vesicle-like structures could be a physiological mechanism through which the cell can reuse the BK-induced internalized vinculin to be delivered for newly forming FAs in renal papillary collecting duct cells.
Exercise activates redox-sensitive transcription factors and restores renal D1receptor function in old rats
Authors: George Liza , Lokhandwala Mustafa F. , Asghar Mohammad
Published: September 2009

We have previously reported that age-associated oxidative stress via protein kinase C (PKC) increases D1receptor (D1R) phosphorylation and causes D1R-G protein uncoupling in renal proximal tubules (RPTs) of old Fischer 344 rats. This results in reduced ability of D1R agonist SKF-38393 to inhibit Na+-K+-ATPase in RPTs of old rats. Here, we studied the effect of treadmill exercise on markers of oxidative stress, PKC, D1R phosphorylation, D1R-G protein coupling, and Na+-K+-ATPase activity in RPTs of adult and old rats. We found increased levels of malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative stress, in RPTs of old rats, which decreased during exercise. Nuclear levels of nuclear erythroid-related factor (Nrf)-2 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB in RPTs, transcription factors involved in antioxidant enzyme gene transcription, increased in exercised old rats. This was accompanied by an increase in the activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and heme oxygenase-1. Age-related decrease in the levels of D1R mRNAs and proteins was attenuated during exercise. Furthermore, exercise in old rats decreased PKC activity and D1R phosphorylation and increased SKF-38393-mediated [35S]guanosine 5′- O-(3-thiotriphosphate) binding (an index of D1R-G protein coupling). SKF-38393 also caused inhibition of Na+-K+-ATPase in these animals. Also, exercise caused a decrease in proteinuria and increase in phosphaturia in old rats. These results suggest beneficial effects of exercise in terms of increasing antioxidant defenses, decreasing oxidative stress, and improving kidney function in general and D1R function in particular in aging. Both Nrf-2 and NF-κB seem to play key role in this phenomenon.
Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapses in Neuropeptide Y–Expressing Striatal Interneurons
Authors: Partridge John G. , Janssen Megan J. , Chou David Y. T. , Abe Ken , Zukowska Zofia , Vicini Stefano
Published: September 2009

Although rare, interneurons are pivotal in governing striatal output by extensive axonal arborizations synapsing on medium spiny neurons. Using a genetically modified mouse strain in which a green fluorescent protein (GFP) is driven to be expressed under control of the neuropeptide Y (NPY) promoter, we identified NPY interneurons and compared them with striatal principal neurons. We found that the bacteria artificial chromosome (BAC)- npy mouse expresses GFP with high fidelity in the striatum to the endogenous expression of NPY. Patch-clamp analysis from NPY neurons showed a heterogeneous population of striatal interneurons. In the majority of cells, we observed spontaneous firing of action potentials in extracellular recordings. On membrane rupture, most NPY interneurons could be classified as low-threshold spiking interneurons and had high-input resistance. Voltage-clamp recordings showed that both GABA and glutamate gated ion channels mediate synaptic inputs onto these striatal interneurons. AMPA receptor–mediated spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) were small in amplitude and infrequent in NPY neurons. Evoked EPSCs did not show short-term plasticity but some rectification. Evoked N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) EPSCs had fast decay kinetics and were poorly sensitive to an NR2B subunit containing NMDA receptor blocker. Spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) were mediated by GABAA receptors and were quite similar among all striatal neurons studied. On the contrary, evoked IPSCs decayed faster in NPY neurons than in other striatal neurons. These data report for the first time specific properties of synaptic transmission to NPY striatal interneurons.
Role of Hypertension in Aggravating Aβ Neuropathology of AD Type and Tau-Mediated Motor Impairment
Authors: Díaz-Ruiz C. , Wang J. , Ksiezak-Reding H. , Ho L. , Qian X. , Humala N. , Thomas S. , Martínez-Martín P. , Pasinetti G. M.
Published: September 2009

Epidemiological evidence suggests that hypertension may accelerate the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we explored the role of hypertension in the neurodegenerative changes associated with Aβ and tau aggregation. We induced hypertension in APPswe
Tg2576 and P301L-tauTg mouse models. In Tg2576 mice, experimental hypertension was associated with
a significant increase of the accumulation of Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in brain
tissue and a significant reduction of Aβ peptides in serum (P<.05). These results
indicate that hypertension may promote AD-type Aβ neuropathology in Tg2576. In P301L-tauTg mice we found that the presence of hypertension was
significantly associated with aggravated motor function assessed by hindlimb
extension test (P=.01). These results suggest that hypertension may play a role
in accelerating the progression of motor dysfunction associated with tau-related
alterations. Our studies suggest that the management of blood pressure (BP)
may alleviate AD-type Aβ neuropathology and neurological disorders associated
with abnormal tau metabolism.
Rectal Visceral Sensitivity in Women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome without Psychiatric Comorbidity Compared with Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Spetalen Signe , Sandvik Leiv , Blomhoff Svein , Jacobsen Morten B.
Published: September 2009

Background.Psychiatric comorbidity and visceral hypersensitivity are common in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but little is known about visceral sensitivity in IBS patients without psychiatric disorders.Aim.We wanted to examine rectal visceral sensitivity in IBS patients without comorbid psychiatric disorders, IBS patients with phobic anxiety and healthy volunteers.Methods.A total of thirty-eight female, non-constipated IBS patients without psychiatric disorders and eleven female IBS patients with phobic anxiety were compared to nine healthy women using a barostat double random staircase method. The non-psychiatric patients were divided into those with diarrhoea predominant symptoms and those with alternating stool habits.Results.The IBS patients without psychiatric disorders had normal visceral pressure thresholds. However, in the diarrhoea predominant subgroup, the volume discomfort threshold was reduced while it was unchanged in those with alternating stool habits. The phobic IBS patients had similar thresholds to the healthy volunteers. The rectal tone was increased in the non-psychiatric IBS patients with diarrhoea predominant symptoms and in the IBS patients with phobic anxiety.Conclusions.Non-constipated IBS patients without psychiatric disorders had increased visceral sensitivity regarding volume thresholds but normal pressure thresholds. Our study suggests that the lowered volume threshold was due to increased rectal tone.
Endomorphisms and Product Bases of the Baer‐Specker Group
Authors: Cornelius E. F.
Published: September 2009

The endomorphism ring of the group of all sequences of integers, the Baer‐Specker group, is isomorphic to the ring of row finite infinite matrices over the integers. The product bases of that group are represented by the multiplicative group of invertible elements in that matrix ring. All products in the Baer‐Specker group are characterized, and a lemma of László Fuchs regarding such products is revisited.
Surface Plasmon Resonance‐Based Fiber and Planar Waveguide Sensors
Authors: Kashyap Raman , Nemova Galina
Published: September 2009

Bulk surface Plasmons resonance devices have been researched for several decades. These devices have found a special niche as high‐sensitivity refractive index sensor in biomedical applications. Recent advances in guided wave
devices are rapidly changing the capabilities of such sensors, not only increasing convenience of use but also
opening opportunities due to their versatility. This paper reviews many of these devices and presents some of their
salient features.
Schottky Junction Methane Sensors Using Electrochemically Grown Nanocrystalline‐Nanoporous ZnO Thin Films
Authors: Basu P. K. , Saha N. , Jana S. K. , Saha H. , Spetz A. Lloyd , Basu S.
Published: September 2009

Nanocrystalline‐nanoporous ZnO thin films were prepared by an electrochemical anodization method, and the films were tested as methane sensors. It was found that Pd‐Ag catalytic contacts showed better sensing performance compared to other noble metal contacts like Pt and Rh. The methane sensing temperature could be reduced to as low as 100°C by sensitizing nanocrystalline ZnO thin films with Pd, deposited by chemical method. The sensing mechanism has been discussed briefly.
An Immersed Boundary Method for the Weather Research and Forecasting Model
Authors: Lundquist Katherine A. , Chow Fotini Katopodes , Lundquist Julie K.
Published: September 2009

This paper describes an immersed boundary method that facilitates the explicit resolution of complex terrain within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Mesoscale models, such as WRF, are increasingly used for high-resolution simulations, particularly in complex terrain, but errors associated with terrain-following coordinates degrade the accuracy of the solution. The use of an alternative-gridding technique, known as an immersed boundary method, alleviates coordinate transformation errors and eliminates restrictions on terrain slope that currently limit mesoscale models to slowly varying terrain. Simulations are presented for canonical cases with shallow terrain slopes, and comparisons between simulations with the native terrain-following coordinates and those using the immersed boundary method show excellent agreement. Validation cases demonstrate the ability of the immersed boundary method to handle both Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions. Additionally, realistic surface forcing can be provided at the immersed boundary by atmospheric physics parameterizations, which are modified to include the effects of the immersed terrain. Using the immersed boundary method, the WRF model is capable of simulating highly complex terrain, as demonstrated by a simulation of flow over an urban skyline.
The Effect of Geography, Education and Labor Market Segregation on Women’s Economic Status in New York State
Authors: Gittell Marilyn
Published: September 2009

Using census data, the author looks at the relationships between gender earnings disparities and several dimensions, including geographic location, level of education, and employer type. White men's earnings are generally higher than that of all women and all minority men and that while men earn more than women within almost all population segments, the disparities between White women and White men are different from those between women of color and men of color. The greatest earnings parity between men and women exists within metropolitan areas. While earnings increase for both women and men as education increases, the earnings gap between women and men remains fairly consistent, with the category of professional degrees, where the gap is much larger being an exception. The greatest earnings disparities exist among the self-employed and within local government and the greatest gender earnings parity within the federal government, suggesting that where requirements for parity are institutional, they reduce the gender gap.
The Effect of Family Organization and Race and Ethnicity on Women’s Economic Status in New York State
Authors: McKinney Bill
Published: September 2009

Family organization has a significant impact on women’s economic status; thus this article analyzes earnings and employment status data by two familial characteristics— marital status and the presence of children in the household—while disaggregating for race and ethnicity. When children are present in the household, women’s earnings are slightly lower; men’s earnings are flat or moderately higher. There is an obvious relationship between marriage, the presence of children, and the extent to which women and men engage in the paid labor force. Married women have a slightly higher share of the overall labor force than unmarried women but engage in less full-time employment and more part-time employment. Women with children in the household engage in less full-time employment than do women with no children. Compared to unmarried men, married men have a higher labor force participation rate, engage in more full-time and less part-time employment, and have the lowest unemployment rate. Men with children present in the household engage in more full-time employment than men with no children. The relationship between marital status and earnings, and between the presence of children and earnings, varies among races and ethnicities.
Gender Wage Disparity in the Pittsburgh Region
Authors: Deitrick Sabina , Briem Christopher
Published: September 2009

This article analyzes the gender wage gap in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, region and possible explanations for the disparity in earnings between women and men. Today, women’s labor force participation rates in Pittsburgh mirror national averages, but the gender wage gap in the region remains larger than the U.S. average. The article places women’s role in the workforce in Pittsburgh in the context of the regional economy and its changes. The major changes in the role of women in the Pittsburgh regional economy occurred during a period of major economic restructuring of the regional economy beginning in the 1980s, lagging women nationally. Economic restructuring in an older industrial region, such as Pittsburgh, changed both where people worked and who worked. The research then compares possible explanations for the gender wage gap in Pittsburgh to the United States using the Oaxaca decomposition. The results find that in Pittsburgh, women are not as concentrated in low-paying occupations compared to the United States, but are much more likely to be working in low-paying industries compared to the United States. The authors find that the legacy of Pittsburgh’s highly specialized industrial structure and its impacts on women’s labor force participation rates still exert a force today as the regional economy continues its restructuring process.
Constrained Choices and Persistent Gender Inequity
Authors: Gittell Ross
Published: September 2009

This paper reports on exploratory research in New Hampshire, a state which has socio-economic characteristics—including strong long-term economic performance, high levels of educational achievement among women and low poverty—that would seem to foster gender earnings equity. Yet, New Hampshire has the fourth lowest gender earnings equity in the nation. The detailed exploration of this state's experience highlights that to reach a higher plateau of gender earnings equity will require significant changes in gender relations in marriages and families, the enhancement of support systems for women and their families, and changes in industry and occupational practices in the United States. The focused inquiry highlights how difficult it will be to improve gender earnings equity in the nation. The paper was written as part of a special issue for the American Behavioral Scientist on the economic status of women in the United States and is intended to inform both future inquiry and policy discussions.
Do Men and Women Respond Differently to Percutaneous Renal Artery Interventions?
Authors: Albertal M. , Nau G. , Padilla L.T. , Cura F.A. , Thierer J. , Belardi J.A.
Published: September 2009

Background: Women have higher risk of contrast-induced nephropathy than men. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative impact of gender on long-term renal function after percutaneous renal interventions (PRI). Methods and Results: We included all patients undergoing PRI. Men (n = 72) and women (n = 28) had similar age, men had more diabetes, coronary and peripheral artery disease, higher serum creatinine and similar glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage ≥3 when compared with females. At follow-up, men had a significant improvement in GFR and systolic blood pressure, while females did not. The presence of severe CKD and male gender were the only predictors of long-term GFR improvement. Conclusion: Male patients and patients with poor baseline renal function showed an important benefit with PRI, suggesting that it is not too late for renal revascularization if properly indicated.
Factors Affecting the Validity of Ankle-Brachial Index in the Diagnosis of Peripheral Arterial Obstructive Disease
Authors: Nam Su Chung  , Seung Hwan Han  , Sang Hyun Lim  , You Sun Hong  , Je Hwan Won  , Jae Ik Bae  , Jo Joon
Published: September 2009

We evaluated 158 legs from 79 consecutive patients who had undergone both ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurements and angiography for claudication symptoms between January 2007 and December 2008. The diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the individual legs was established by angiography. Ankle-brachial index was considered abnormal if it was <0.9. The sensitivity and specificity of ABI was 61% and 87%, respectively. To assess the factors affecting the validity of ABI in the diagnosis of PAD, multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. The odds ratios (ORs) for the false negative result of ABI were 4.36 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.36-13.92) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), 3.41 (95% CI 1.10-10.48) in patients with distal lesions, 3.02 (95% CI 1.07-8.49) in elderly patients, and 1.13 (95% CI 0.34-3.42) in patients with mild stenosis. Although ABI is the method of choice for the primary diagnosis of PAD, other supplementary investigations should be considered when there is clinical suspicion of PAD but an ABI <0.9.
False Alerts in Air Traffic Control Conflict Alerting System: Is There a “Cry Wolf” Effect?
Authors: Wickens Christopher D. , Rice Stephen , Keller David , Hutchins Shaun , Hughes Jamie , Clayton Krisstal
Published: September 2009

Objective: The aim is to establish the extent to which the high false-alarm rate of air traffic control midair conflict alerts is responsible for a “cry wolf” effect—where true alerts are not responded to and all alerts are delayed in their response. Background: Some aircraft collisions have been partly attributed to the cry wolf effect, and in other domains (health care and systems monitoring), there is a causal connection between false-alarm rate and cry wolf behavior. We hypothesized that a corresponding relationship exists in air traffic control (ATC). Method: Aircraft track and alert system behavior data surrounding 495 conflict alerts were analyzed to identify true and false alerts, trajectory type, and controller behavior. Forty-five percent of the alerts were false, ranging from 0.28 to 0.58. Results: Although centers with more false alerts contributed to more nonresponses, there was no evidence that these were nonresponses to true alerts or that response times were delayed in those centers. Instead, controllers showed desirable anticipatory behavior by issuing trajectory changes prior to the alert. Those trajectory pairs whose conflicts were more difficult to visualize induced more reliance on, and less compliance with, the alerting system. Conclusion: The high false-alarm rate does not appear to induce cry wolf behavior in the context of en route ATC conflict alerts. Application: There is no need to substantially modify conflict alert algorithms, but the conflict alert system may be modified to address difficult-to-visualize conflicts.
Feedback Preferences and Impressions of Waiting
Authors: Branaghan Russell J. , Sanchez Christopher A.
Published: September 2009

Objective: Three experiments examined the effects of various feedback displays on user preference, apparent waiting durations, waiting time reasonableness, and other user experience measures. Background: User interface guidelines advocate keeping users informed about system status; however, the duration estimation literature shows that focusing on temporal information makes the wait seem longer. How can designers reconcile these issues? Methods: In three experiments, students chose movies from a simulated movie database and then were shown feedback displays (static, sequential dots, constant-rate progress bars, or variable-rate progress bars) for different durations. Users judged how reasonable the wait was and how long it lasted and then ranked their preference for the dialogs. Results: The pattern of preference results was different from duration-related judgments. Users preferred feedback that provided more information. On the other hand, when judging duration, users perceived simpler interfaces as being most reasonable. Conclusion: Different types of feedback are required for reducing perceived wait and increasing preference. Ratings of wait time reasonableness were consistent with the attentional gate theory of prospective timing; attention-demanding activity caused the wait to seem less reasonable. Preference, on the other hand, requires keeping users informed about the progress of operations. Application: Users prefer more feedback rather than less, even if it makes the wait seem less reasonable. However, the constant progress bar performed at the top of both reasonableness and preference, keeping users informed without increasing arousal or focusing attention on temporal stimuli. Other options are also discussed to make duration perceptions more reasonable.
Strategic ambiguity as a rhetorical resource for enabling multiple interests
Authors: Jarzabkowski Paula , Sillince John AA , Shaw Duncan
Published: September 2009

The literature on ambiguity reflects contradictory views on its value as a resource or a problem for organizational action. In this longitudinal empirical study of ambiguity about a strategic goal, we examined how strategic ambiguity is used as a discursive resource by different organizational constituents and how that is associated with collective action around the strategic goal. We found four rhetorical positions, each of which drew upon strategic ambiguity to construct the strategic goal differently according to whether the various constituents were asserting their own interests or accommodating wider organizational interests. However, we also found that the different constituents maintained these four rhetorical positions simultaneously over time, enabling them to shift between their own and other’s interests rather than converging upon a common interest. These findings are used to develop a conceptual framework that explains how strategic ambiguity might serve as a resource for different organizational constituents to assert their own interests whilst also enabling collective organizational action, at least of a temporary nature.
Self-confessed troublemakers: An interactionist view of deviance during organizational change
Authors: Bryant Melanie , Higgins Vaughan
Published: September 2009

This article provides an alternative lens for examining organizational deviance within the specific context of change, by drawing upon an interactionist approach. We focus specifically on labelling theory and argue that definitions of deviance can be constructed through social interaction regardless of the behaviour in which individuals engage. This study differs from current literature by shifting emphasis away from acts of norm-breaking and on to the social circumstances in which individuals might define others, or come to be defined, as deviant. The application of labelling theory can advance understanding of how individuals, within the context of organizational change, might come to be defined as deviant without changing their behaviour or engaging in specific norm violations. This approach also enables researchers to contribute to discussions surrounding the construction of organizational norms and explore whether these are developed and enforced by those in powerful positions on the basis of their own values and morals.
Regional cerebral perfusion for surgical correction of neonatal aortic arch obstruction
Authors: Zhang Hui , Cheng Pei , Hou Jia , Li Lei , Liu Hu , Liu Ruifang , Ji Bingyang , Luo Yi
Published: September 2009

One-stage repair of aortic arch obstruction and associated cardiac anomalies is a surgical challenge in infants.The purpose of the present study is to review the current outcome using regional cerebral perfusion (RCP) during a procedure correcting interrupted aortic arch (IAA) and also isolated aortic coarctation (CoA) and CoA combined with hypoplastic aortic arch (CoA-HyAA) in our center. Between January 2007 and July 2008, 24 infant patients with interrupted aortic arch (IAA) (n=3), isolated aortic coarctation (iCoA) (n=9) and aortic coarctation with hypoplastic aortic arch (CoA-HyAA) (n=12) underwent one-stage surgical correction in our hospital. End-to-end anastomosis was employed in 12 infants (IAA n=3 and iCoA n=9); for the other 12 patients with CoA-HyAA, an end-to-end extended anastomosis was used in 8 cases, end-to-side anastomosis in 2 cases, and composite heterologous pericardial patch in 2 cases. RCP with 40 mL/kg/min through the innominate artery during aortic arch reconstruction was employed for all pediatric patients. One single-dose histidine-ketoglutarate-tryptophan (HTK) solution was used for myocardial protection during CPB. Cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp time were 165.6±32.4min and 81.7±30.0min, respectively. The mean regional cerebral perfusion time was 31.0±10.6min; lowest nasopharyngeal temperature was 19.1±1.1°C. Operative mortality rate in both groups was 8.3%. Mean follow-up was 10.5±4.8 months. There was no late mortality or postoperative neurologic, renal or hepatic complications. All patients are asymptomatic and are developing normally. One-stage total arch repair using the RCP technique is an excellent method that may minimize neurologic and renal complications. Our surgical strategy for arch anomaly has a low rate of residual and recurrent coarctation when performed in these infants.
Voting and ID Requirements: A Survey of Registered Voters in Three States
Authors: Pastor Robert A. , Santos Robert , Prevost Alison , Stoilov Vassia
Published: September 2009

Since the 2000 election, one of the most contentious issues in election administration has been voter identification requirements. This article provides the results of a survey of registered voters in Indiana, Maryland, and Mississippi, which aimed to explore the extent to which ID requirements pose a problem (if any) to registered voters. The survey found that only 1.2% of registered voters in all three states lack a photo ID and in Indiana, which has the most stringent requirements, only 0.3% lacked an ID. The survey also found that more than two-thirds of respondents believe the U.S. electoral system would be trusted more if voters were required to show a photo ID. The article concludes with a proposal on how to construct an ID system that will assure ballot integrity while attracting new and more voters.
Staging and Weighting Evidence in Biomedicine
Authors: Rabeharisoa Vololona , Bourret Pascale
Published: September 2009

This paper seeks to make a contribution to the discussion on what clinical work consists of in biomedicine. It draws on the comparison between two clinical practices: (1) cancer genetics of breast/ovarian and colon cancers; and (2) psychiatric genetics of autism and its related syndromes. We argue that the clinic does not reflect genetic reductionism, nor does it entail a straightforward return to the previous clinical tradition. We show that the clinic is affected by three changes in the practices that we studied. The first change concerns clinical settings: clinical work is now performed by ‘bioclinical collectives’, gathering researchers and clinicians from various disciplines and activities, and conjointly searching biology and pathology. The second change concerns the content of clinical work that we propose to call ‘clinic of mutations’. This clinic involves the intense work of collecting and comparing multiple and heterogeneous data to document the biological nature and the clinical relevance of mutations, whose status is ambiguous and whose effects are uncertain. The third change concerns the dynamics of clinical work, which is now overlapping with research. As a consequence, the elaboration of a judgment and a medical decision is no longer a matter of simply making a diagnosis or prognosis. Rather it consists in accounting for nosographic domains and descriptive and interpretive models of diseases, into which mutations may plausibly play a role. We conclude with a discussion of the form of objectivity underlying clinical work in biomedicine. Our contention is that in the current post-genomic era, thinking of genetic markers as objective proofs of a disease or a risk of disease is definitely inappropriate. Rather, the clinic has to constantly produce the meaning and relevance of mutations and biomedical entities that tend to proliferate and regularly invade the clinical settings.
Biomedical Conventions and Regulatory Objectivity
Authors: Cambrosio Alberto , Keating Peter , Schlich Thomas , Weisz George
Published: September 2009

This special issue of Social Studies of Science centers on the topic of regulation in medicine and, in particular, on the notion of regulatory objectivity, defined as a new form of objectivity in biomedicine that generates conventions and norms through concerted programs of action based on the use of a variety of systems for the collective production of evidence. The papers in the special issue suggest ways in which the notion of regulatory objectivity can be tested, extended, revised, or superseded by more appropriate notions. They insist on the need to examine more closely clinical-therapeutic (and not just clinical-research) activities, and to pay more attention to the activities of regulatory agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration and to standard-setting organizations. They call attention to the professional and organizational activities surrounding the mobilization of conventions for regulating clinical practices. Finally, they provide material that can help us to think about how analytical notions such as regulatory objectivity may or may not inform interventionist research projects.
Postscript to the Special Issue: Governing Life by Standards
Authors: Thévenot Laurent
Published: September 2009

Standardization has been extended far beyond the industrial world. It participates in governing our lives and the lives of all living entities by producing public guarantees in the form of standards. Social studies of medicine have provided a precious contribution to advancing standardization as a topic of inquiry, most notably through investigations of the relationship between ‘regulation’ and ‘objectivity’, drawn together in the concept of the standard. This postscript discusses this contribution from the point of view of ‘regimes of engagement’, that is, a variety of ways in which humans are committed to their environment — from public stances to the closest forms of proximity — and in pursuit of a kind of ‘good’. These regimes are distinguished according to the good they promise, as well as the degree to which the guarantee being offered can be held in common. The discussion in this postscript extends the critique raised by scholarship on standards by taking into account the oppression and subjugation that standardization can engender.
Structural Efficiency and Post-buckling Strength of J- and Hat-stiffened Composite Panels
Authors: Elaldi Faruk
Published: September 2009

The aim of this study was to explore post-buckling strength potential of two different stiffener types and evaluate structural efficiencies of those by making a comparison. This has been done by first determining the buckling and post-buckling behavior of J- and hat-stiffened composite panels under compression loading. By making a structural efficiency definition, the experimental results of J- and hat-stiffened panels for initial buckling and post-buckled responses of the panels were compared with predicted and analytical results.
Intimate Partner Violence Attitudes and Experience Among Women and Men in Uganda
Authors: Speizer Ilene S.
Published: September 2009

This study examines intimate partner violence (IPV) attitudes and experience among women and men in Uganda to inform IPV-prevention programs in the region. Nationally representative population-based data from women aged 15 to 49 and men aged 15 to 54 were collected between May and October 2006 as part of the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. The survey included questions on women’s and men’s attitudes toward wife beating and information on IPV victimization (women) and perpetration (men). More than half of men and nearly three quarters of women have attitudes supportive of wife beating in Uganda. More than half of married women report IPV victimization, and 40% of married men report perpetration. Women and men who reported witnessing their fathers beating their mothers were more likely to report IPV victimization (perpetration for men). Witnessing violence was also associated with positive attitudes toward wife beating among men. IPV-prevention programs need to address the important role of having witnessed wife beating between the mother and the father on men’s subsequent attitudes and behaviors. Women who witnessed wife beating are also the most likely to have supportive attitudes and IPV experience, possibly indicating that their relationship expectations are different than women who did not witness violence. Community-based prevention programs targeting men and women are needed in Uganda and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa where gender norms that justify IPV prevail.
Frozen Breast Milk at -20°C and -80°C: A Longitudinal Study of Glutathione Peroxidase Activity and Malondialdehyde Concentration
Authors: Silvestre Dolores , Miranda María , Muriach María , Almansa Inmaculada , Jareño Enrique , Romero Francisco J.
Published: September 2009

When breast milk extraction and storage is required before ingestion, it is important to establish the conditions that ensure the least losses in milk quality, like the antioxidant capacity. The present study evaluates glutathione peroxidase activity and malondialdehyde concentration of breast milk when stored frozen, comparing the effects of 2 temperatures (—20°C and —80°C) and different storage times (15, 30, and 60 days). The results indicate that freezing induces losses in the antioxidant properties of breast milk and that such losses increase with the duration of storage and differ in intensity according to the temperature. It is concluded that to maximally preserve the antioxidant properties of breast milk, it is advisable to store the latter at —80°C for a period of less than 30 days, rather than for shorter time periods at the usual temperature of —20°C. J Hum Lact. 26(1):35-41.
Evaluation of a Breastfeeding Assessment Score in a Diverse Population
Authors: Mercer Anne M. , Teasley Susan L. , Hopkinson Judy , McPherson Deanna M. , Simon Stephen D. , Hall Robert T.
Published: September 2009

A previous study performed in a predominately suburban population developed a breastfeeding assessment score (BAS) that was designed to predict, prior to hospital discharge, those mothers who would discontinue breastfeeding within the first 10 days of age. The purpose of the present study was to assess the BAS in a more diverse population. Patients were solicited from 3 urban hospitals serving patients primarily supported by public funding. Results of the present study with 1182 mother-infant pairs confirmed that 5 variables scored on a 0-2 scale (maternal age, previous breastfeeding experience, latching difficulty, breastfeeding interval, number bottles) remained highly significant for predicting discontinuation of breastfeeding. The data also demonstrate that the BAS is inversely related to the risk of cessation of breastfeeding at 7 to 10 days of age. Those at an early risk of cessation of breastfeeding, identified by the BAS, may benefit from early identification and a lactation consultation. J Hum Lact. 26(1):42-48.
Formula Feeding Is Associated With Increased Hospital Admissions Due to Infections Among Infants Younger Than 6 Months in Manila, Philippines
Authors: Hengstermann Susanne , Mantaring Jacinto Blas V. , Sobel Howard L. , Borja Vicenta E. , Basilio Juanita , Iellamo Alessandro D. , Nyunt-U Soe
Published: September 2009

This case control study evaluates the association between hospitalization due to infection and feeding practices among infants aged ≥ 3 days to < 6 months. Mothers of 191 cases hospitalized for infections and 208 healthy controls were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire documenting infant-feeding history. Results given in odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals (OR, 95% CI) were adjusted for age, education, and place of delivery. Exclusively formula-fed infants were more likely to be hospitalized for any infection (3.7, 1.8-7.5), pneumonia (3.0, 1.2-7.4), and diarrhea (10.5, 2.5-41.9) compared to exclusively breastfed infants. Infants who did not receive any breast milk were more likely to be hospitalized for any infection (3.5, 2.1-5.9), neonatal sepsis (4.9, 1.3-18.3), pneumonia (2.8, 1.5-5.4), and diarrhea (19.6, 6.5-58.6) than infants who received any breast milk. This study showed a strong positive association between the intake of formula and/or nonbreast milk supplements and the risk of hospitalization for infectious causes. J Hum Lact. 26(1):19-25.
Study of the Behavior of Some Polyheteroarylenes Treated with Supercritical Carbon Dioxide
Authors: Ronova Inga A. , Nikitin Lev N. , Sokolova Ekaterina A. , Sava Ion , Bruma Maria
Published: September 2009

Various polyheteroarylenes have been studied with regard to their physical properties before and after treatment with supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO 2). Thus, the study of dependence of glass transition temperature and free volume of polymer matrix on the conformational rigidity showed that the process of swelling in sc-CO2 is influenced by the residual solvent and by the formation of possible hydrogen bonds between CO2 and amide groups in the polymer chain.
Pulmonary hypertension in polymyositis-dermatomyositis: clinical and hemodynamic characteristics and response to vasoactive therapy
Authors: Minai OA
Published: September 2009

The increased incidence of pulmonary hypertension and its association with decreased survival is well-recognised in patients with systemic sclerosis. This association is not widely appreciated in patients with polymyositis-dermatomyositis. We report clinical and hemodynamic characteristics and response to vasoactive therapy in three patients with polymyositis-dermatomyositis and pulmonary hypertension and discuss them in light of the available literature.
Isolated elevation of IgA anti-β2glycoprotein I antibodies with manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome: a case series of five patients
Authors: Kumar S , Papalardo E , Sunkureddi P , Najam S , González EB , Pierangeli SS
Published: September 2009

Current diagnostic classification criteria recommend elevated titres of anti-cardiolipin (aCL) and/or anti-β2GPI antibody by ELISA IgG or IgM and/or lupus anticoagulant (LA) to confirm antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Although IgA aPL antibodies have been shown to be pathogenic in animal models of APS, their clinical significance has remained elusive. We report four cases of exclusive IgA anti-β2GPI antibody sero-positivity with concomitant clinical manifestations associated with APS. Four of the five patients were LA negative. 1) Thirty-eight-year-old African-American female with SLE presented with resolving digital ulcers. Serum IgA anti-β2GPI antibody titres were 118.5 SAU (normal range: 0–20 SAU). 2) Twenty-seven-year-old African-American woman with SLE was evaluated for recent onset of severe headaches, unresponsive to analgesics and anti-migraine medications. MRI of the brain revealed hyper-intensities in the white matter in the frontal lobes. Serum IgA anti-β2GPI antibody titres were 29.1 Standard A Units (SAU). 3) Thirty-two-year-old Hispanic female with history of two unexplained miscarriages and negative serologies for SLE. Serum IgA anti-β2GPI antibody titres were 102.0 SAU. 4) Twenty-five-year-old white female with history of recent unexplained miscarriage in the 11th week of gestation and associated complaints of numbness and tingling in her hands. Her IgA anti-β2GPI antibody titre was 62.0 SAU. 5) Twenty-five-year-old African-American woman with SLE, positive for anti-Ro antibodies with a history of ischemic fingers, a pregnancy loss and recent pregnancy complicated due to pre-eclampsia. Her LA was positive and her IgA anti-β2GPI antibody titer was 186.0 SAU. This case series supports that elevated IgA anti-β2GPI antibody titres may identify additional patients who have clinical features of APS but who do not meet current diagnostic criteria.
Effects of chronic exposure to DDT and TCDD on disease activity in murine systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Li J , McMurray RW
Published: September 2009

Oestrogens contribute to the female preponderance of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Environmental xenoestrogens superimposed upon endogenous pituitary-gonadal axis may affect the development of autoimmunity. This study examined the effects of chronic exposure to xenoestrogens – o,p’-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on disease activity in the New Zealand Black/New Zealand White F1 hybrid (B/W) mouse model of SLE. Intact female mice had repeatedly received injections of DDT, TCDD or control vehicle since 6 weeks of age. Weight change, albuminuria, mortality, relevant immunological and histological parameters were assessed. DDT exposure markedly increased the incidence of albuminuria and reduced uterine weight but had no measured effects on immunity or mortality in this study. TCDD-exposed mice had significantly lower incidence of albuminuria, serum anti-DNA antibody and total IgG levels, and mortality compared to controls. Also, TCDD group had significantly lower thymic and splenic weights, decreased percentages of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes and splenic CD4+ T cells, increased percentage of splenic B220+sIgM+ B cells and higher serum interferon gamma concentration. Taken together, DDT exposure appeared to accelerate the development of albuminuria in lupus-prone mice. TCDD was immunosuppressive to murine SLE. Xenoestrogens may have compound- and tissue-specific effects that require further elucidation in future work.