bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internal Vibrations of Edge Dislocation Dipoles
Authors: Kratochvíl J. J. , Kroupa F.
Published: August 2008

The resonance frequency of vibrations of dislocation dipoles in fatigued f.c.c. metals is found rather high, in the range of 100 GHz. Because of high attenuation of ultrasound in the GHz range, the contributions of these self-vibrations to degradation of the dipole structures could be expected only in thin layers.
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma–Targeted CREBBP/EP300 Inhibitory Protein 1 Promoter System for Gene Therapy and Virotherapy
Authors: Fukazawa Takuya , Matsuoka Junji , Naomoto Yoshio , Maeda Yutaka , Durbin Mary L. , Tanaka Noriaki
Published: August 2008

Gene therapy and virotherapy are one of the approaches used to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma. To improve the efficiency of targeting malignant mesothelioma cells, we designed a novel system using the promoter of the CREBBP/EP300 inhibitory protein 1 (CRI1), a gene specifically expressed in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Four tandem repeats of the CRI1 promoter (CRI1−138 4x) caused significantly high promoter activity in malignant pleural mesothelioma cells but little promoter activity in normal mesothelial cells and normal fibroblasts. The recombinant adenoviral vector expressing proapoptotic BH3-interacting death agonist or early region 1A driven by the CRI1−138 4x promoter induced cell death in malignant mesothelioma cells but not in normal cells. Moreover, these viruses showed antitumor effects in a mesothelioma xenograft mouse model. Here, we describe a novel strategy to target malignant mesothelioma using the CRI1−138 4x promoter system. [Cancer Res 2008;68(17):7120–9]
Isoaspartate-Glycine-Arginine: A New Tumor Vasculature–Targeting Motif
Authors: Curnis Flavio , Sacchi Angelina , Gasparri Anna , Longhi Renato , Bachi Angela , Doglioni Claudio , Bordignon Claudio , Traversari Catia , Rizzardi Gian-Paolo , Corti Angelo
Published: August 2008

Asparagine deamidation in peptides or in fibronectin fragments containing the asparagine-glycine-arginine sequence generates isoaspartate-glycine-arginine (isoDGR), a new αvβ3 integrin-binding motif. Because αvβ3 is expressed in angiogenic vessels, we hypothesized that isoDGR-containing peptides could be exploited as ligands for targeted delivery of drugs to tumor neovasculature. We found that a cyclic CisoDGRC peptide coupled to fluorescent nanoparticles (quantum dots) could bind αvβ3 integrin and colocalize with anti-CD31, anti-αvβ3, and anti-α5β1 antibodies in human renal cell carcinoma tissue sections, indicating that this peptide could efficiently recognize endothelial cells of angiogenic vessels. Using CisoDGRC fused to tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) we observed that ultralow doses (1–10 pg) of this product (called isoDGR-TNF), but not of TNF or CDGRC-TNF fusion protein, were sufficient to induce antitumor effects when administered alone or in combination with chemotherapy to tumor-bearing mice. The antitumor activity of isoDGR-TNF was efficiently inhibited by coadministration with an excess of free CisoDGRC, as expected for ligand-directed targeting mechanisms. These results suggest that isoDGR is a novel tumor vasculature–targeting motif. Peptides containing isoDGR could be exploited as ligands for targeted delivery of drugs, imaging agents, or other compounds to tumor vasculature. [Cancer Res 2008;68(17):7073–82]
Validation of the Mayo Clinic Risk Score for In-Hospital Mortality After Percutaneous Coronary Interventions Using the National Cardiovascular Data Registry
Authors: Singh Mandeep , Peterson Eric D. , Milford-Beland Sarah , Rumsfeld John S. , Spertus John A.
Published: August 2008

Background—

We sought to validate the recently developed Mayo Clinic Risk Score model for in-hospital mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention using an independent data set. The Mayo Clinic Risk Score has 7 simple clinical and noninvasive variables, available before coronary angiography, for prediction of in-hospital mortality. External validation using an independent data set would support broader applicability of the model.

Methods and Results—

In-hospital mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention on 309 351 patients from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry admitted from January 1, 2004, to March, 30, 2006, was studied. Using the Mayo Clinic Risk Score equation, we assigned predicted probabilities of death to each patient. The area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve was 0.884, indicating excellent discrimination overall as well as among subgroups, including gender, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, low ejection fraction, different age groups, and multivessel disease. Ninety-seven percent of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention had a Mayo Clinic Risk Score <10, indicating low to intermediate risk. The Mayo Clinic Risk Score model initially slightly underpredicted event rates when applied in National Cardiovascular Data Registry data (observed 1.23% versus predicted 1.10%), but this underprediction was corrected after recalibration. The recalibrated risk score discriminated (c index=0.885) and calibrated well in an National Cardiovascular Data Registry validation data set consisting of procedures performed between April 1, 2006, and March 30, 2007.

Conclusions—

Seven variables can be combined into a convenient risk scoring system before coronary angiography is performed to predict in-hospital mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention. This model may be useful for providing patients with individualized, evidence-based estimates of procedural risk as part of the informed consent process before percutaneous coronary intervention.
Drug-Eluting Stents Versus Bare-Metal Stents for Off-Label Indications
Authors: Austin David , Oldroyd Keith G. , McConnachie Alex , Slack Rachel , Eteiba Hany , Flapan Andrew D. , Jennings Kevin P. , Northcote Robin J. , Pell Alastair C.H. , Starkey Ian R. , Pell Jill P.
Published: August 2008

Background—

The US Food and Drug Administration recently concluded that data on off-label drug-eluting stent (DES) safety are limited. However, in actual clinical practice, DES are often used for off-label indications, and observational studies demonstrate that complications are higher when compared with on-label use. We aimed to determine whether clinical outcomes differ after DES and bare-metal stent implantation in a patient cohort defined by DES off-label indications.

Methods and Results—

We used the national revascularization registry in Scotland to identify patients who underwent coronary stenting for an off-label indication between January 2003 and September 2005. Individual-level linkage to comprehensive national admission and death databases was used to ascertain the end points of death, myocardial infarction, and target-vessel revascularization. We calculated propensity scores on the basis of clinical, demographic, and angiographic variables and matched DES to bare-metal stents on a 1:1 basis. The final study population consisted of 1642 patients, well matched for important covariables at baseline. Event-free survival was calculated over 24 months with the Kaplan-Meier method. All-cause death was more common after bare-metal stent implantation during follow-up (7.7% versus 6.6%; hazard ratio 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.40 to 0.99;
P
=0.04). No difference in the rates of myocardial infarction were noted (7.3% versus 7.5%; hazard ratio 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.69 to 1.54;
P
=0.92). Target-vessel revascularization was reduced in patients treated with DES (13.9% versus 10.7%; hazard ratio 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.49 to 0.93;
P
=0.02).

Conclusions—

At 24 months, patients treated with DES for off-label indications had lower rates of death and target-vessel revascularization and similar rates of myocardial infarction, as compared with patients treated with bare-metal stents.
High Incidence of Intramural Thrombus After Overlapping Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent Implantation
Authors: Shinke Toshiro , Li Jinsheng , Chen Jack P. , Pendyala Lakshmana , Goodchild Traci , Jabara Refat , Geva Sarah , Ueno Takafumi , Chronos Nicolas , Robinson Keith , Hou Dongming
Published: August 2008

Background—

Systematic analysis of in vivo angioscopy and postmortem histopathology for paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) has not been previously reported. We assessed 1-month angioscopic and histopathologic sequelae of overlapping PES in pig coronary arteries.

Methods and Results—

Overlapping PES and bare-metal stents (BMS; n=9, one pair per pig) were implanted, and animals were euthanized at 1 month. Late lumen loss was reduced in PES compared with BMS (0.46�0.63 mm versus 1.30�0.50 mm;
P
=0.01). Angioscopically, PES stent struts were clearly visible and accompanied by substantial red material indicating mural thrombi. In contrast, stent struts and mural thrombi were barely visible in BMS (
P
<0.001 versus PES). Macroscopically, mural thrombi were abundant but distributed irregularly throughout the PES, with greater concentration in overlapping segments. Only occasional mural thrombi were noted for BMS. Microscopically, neointima of BMS was fibrocellular and mature, whereas only a thin layer of immature neointima was seen in PES. Neointimal thickness was less in PES than BMS (0.11�0.07 mm versus 0.33�0.12 mm;
P
=0.018). Additionally, extensive para-strut and intramural thrombi, red blood cell debris, and minute luminal thrombi were observed in PES. Despite normal angioscopic appearance of both proximal and distal nonstented reference segments, endothelium-dependent relaxation to substance P was notably diminished (PES, 0�7% versus BMS, 10�6%;
P
=0.007), whereas nitroglycerin response was preserved (PES, 9�5% versus BMS, 12�7%;
P
=0.34).

Conclusions—

In the porcine coronary model, overlapping PES is associated with marked intramural thrombi, which was accurately detected on angioscopy at 1 month. Moreover, despite normal luminal angioscopic appearance, adjacent nonstented reference segments demonstrated impaired endothelium-dependent vasoreactivity.
Catheter-Based Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Holmes David R. , Williams David O.
Published: August 2008

September 2007 marked the 30-year anniversary of the first human percutaneous coronary intervention, an index event that changed the course of modern-day cardiovascular care. Before that first procedure, adult invasive cardiology focused on diagnostic angiography as well as hemodynamic assessment of structural heart disease. Since that initial procedure, percutaneous coronary intervention has become the most frequently performed coronary revascularization procedure worldwide. Several factors have been responsible for this dramatic paradigm shift, the most prominent being identification of opportunities for technical improvement and the application of innovation and investigation in concert with colleagues, professional societies, and industry. These approaches will continue to be of paramount importance as new technologies are brought to bear on an increasingly broader group of patients with cardiovascular disease.
Longitudinal Strain Delay Index by Speckle Tracking Imaging
Authors: Lim Pascal , Buakhamsri Adisai , Popovic Zoran B. , Greenberg Neil L. , Patel Dimpi , Thomas James D. , Grimm Richard A.
Published: August 2008

Background—

In heart failure patients with left ventricular dyssynchrony, contractility in delayed segments does not fully contribute to end-systolic function. We quantified this reserve of contraction related to mechanical dyssynchrony to predict response to cardiac resynchronization therapy by the strain delay index, which was defined as the sum of the difference between peak and end-systolic strain across 16 segments.

Methods and Results—

In 100 heart failure patients (ejection fraction=26±9%, QRS=154±29 ms, 94% in New York Heart Association class III), we studied left ventricular dyssynchrony before cardiac resynchronization therapy by the strain delay index using longitudinal strain by 2D speckle tracking and by the SD of time to peak myocardial velocity in 12 segments. The optimal cutoff value of the strain delay index to predict response to cardiac resynchronization therapy was determined in a retrospective group (n=65) and then confirmed in a validation group (n=35). Left ventricular end-systolic volume reduction at 3 months >15% (responder) occurred in 64 of 100 patients. In the retrospective group, the strain delay index but not the SD of time to peak myocardial velocity was greater in responders (n=42/65) than nonresponders (35±8% versus 19±7%,
P
<0.0001), and the optimal cutoff value to identify response to cardiac resynchronization therapy was 25%. In the validation group, strain delay index ≥25% identified 82% (18/22) of responders and 92% (12/13) of nonresponders. Among the entire population (n=100), strain delay index correlated with reverse remodeling in both the ischemic (
r
=−0.68,
P
<0.0001) and nonischemic (
r
=−0.68,
P
<0.0001) population.

Conclusions—

Use of the strain delay index with longitudinal strain by speckle tracking has a strong predictive value for predicting response to cardiac resynchronization therapy in both ischemic and nonischemic patients.
Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Stenting and Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Daemen Joost , Boersma Eric , Flather Marcus , Booth Jean , Stables Rod , Rodriguez Alfredo , Rodriguez-Granillo Gaston , Hueb Whady A. , Lemos Pedro A. , Serruys Patrick W.
Published: August 2008

Background—

Randomized trials that studied clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare metal stenting versus coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are underpowered to properly assess safety end points like death, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Pooling data from randomized controlled trials increases the statistical power and allows better assessment of the treatment effect in high-risk subgroups.

Methods and Results—

We performed a pooled analysis of 3051 patients in 4 randomized trials evaluating the relative safety and efficacy of PCI with stenting and CABG at 5 years for the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease. The primary end point was the composite end point of death, stroke, or myocardial infarction. The secondary end point was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular accidents, death, stroke, myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization. We tested for heterogeneities in treatment effect in patient subgroups. At 5 years, the cumulative incidence of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke was similar in patients randomized to PCI with stenting versus CABG (16.7% versus 16.9%, respectively; hazard ratio, 1.04, 95% confidence interval, 0.86 to 1.27;
P
=0.69). Repeat revascularization, however, occurred significantly more frequently after PCI than CABG (29.0% versus 7.9%, respectively; hazard ratio, 0.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.18 to 0.29;
P
<0.001). Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were significantly higher in the PCI than the CABG group (39.2% versus 23.0%, respectively; hazard ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.45 to 0.61;
P
<0.001). No heterogeneity of treatment effect was found in the subgroups, including diabetic patients and those presenting with 3-vessel disease.

Conclusions—

In this pooled analysis of 4 randomized trials, PCI with stenting was associated with a long-term safety profile similar to that of CABG. However, as a result of persistently lower repeat revascularization rates in the CABG patients, overall major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event rates were significantly lower in the CABG group at 5 years.
Fhl-1, a New Key Protein in Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Kwapiszewska Grazyna , Wygrecka Malgorzata , Marsh Leigh M. , Schmitt Sigrid , Trösser Roger , Wilhelm Jochen , Helmus Katja , Eul Bastian , Zakrzewicz Anna , Ghofrani Hossein A. , Schermuly Ralph T. , Bohle Rainer M. , Grimminger Friedrich , Seeger Werner , Eickelberg Oliver , Fink Ludger , Weissmann Norbert
Published: August 2008

Background—

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe disease with a poor prognosis. Different forms of PH are characterized by pronounced vascular remodeling, resulting in increased vascular resistance and subsequent right heart failure. The molecular pathways triggering the remodeling process are poorly understood. We hypothesized that underlying key factors can be identified at the onset of the disease. Thus, we screened for alterations to protein expression in lung tissue at the onset of PH in a mouse model of hypoxia-induced PH.

Methods and Results—

Using 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in combination with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight analysis, we identified 36 proteins that exhibited significantly altered expression after short-term hypoxic exposure. Among these, Fhl-1, which is known to be involved in muscle development, was one of the most prominently upregulated proteins. Further analysis by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and laser-assisted microdissection followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction confirmed the upregulation of Fhl-1, particularly in the pulmonary vasculature. Comparable upregulation was confirmed (1) after full establishment of hypoxia-induced PH, (2) in 2 rat models of PH (monocrotaline-treated and hypoxic rats treated with the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor antagonist SU5416), and (3) in lungs from patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Furthermore, we demonstrated that regulation of Fhl-1 was hypoxia-inducible transcription factor dependent. Abrogation of Fhl-1 expression in primary human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells by small-interfering RNA suppressed, whereas Fhl-1 overexpression increased, migration and proliferation. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments identified Talin1 as a new interacting partner of Fhl-1.

Conclusions—

Protein screening identified Fhl-1 as a novel protein regulated in various forms of PH, including idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Impact of In-Hospital Revascularization on Survival in Patients With Non–ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome and Congestive Heart Failure
Authors: Steg Philippe Gabriel , Kerner Arthur , Van de Werf Frans , López-Sendón José , Gore Joel M. , FitzGerald Gordon , Feldman Laurent J. , Anderson Frederick A. , Avezum Álvaro
Published: August 2008

Background—

Patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome complicated by congestive heart failure (CHF) have a poor prognosis. The aims of this study were to describe the use of revascularization in non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome and CHF and to analyze its impact on survival.

Methods and Results—

In the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events, 29 844 patients with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome were enrolled at 120 hospitals in 14 countries between April 1999 and June 2007; 4953 had CHF at presentation. One fifth of the patients with CHF underwent revascularization versus 35% of those without CHF (
P
<0.001). Among CHF patients, revascularized patients had lower-risk baseline clinical characteristics than nonrevascularized patients and were more likely to receive evidence-based cardiac medications. Hospital rates were not affected by revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.72 to 1.33,
P
=0.87). Death from discharge to 6-month follow-up was lower in patients who underwent revascularization than in those who did not (odds ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.35 to 0.74,
P
<0.001). This difference persisted after adjustment for GRACE risk score variables, country, and propensity for revascularization (odds ratio 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.40 to 0.85,
P
=0.005). When revascularization as a time-varying covariate was taken into account in an adjusted Cox regression, the rate of death was again lower in patients undergoing revascularization (hazard ratio 0.64, 95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.93,
P
=0.02).

Conclusions—

This observational study suggests a low use of in-hospital revascularization in non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome patients with CHF. The consistent reduction in postdischarge death in revascularized patients suggests that broader application of revascularization in this high-risk group may be beneficial.
Blood Pressure in Children With Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Flynn Joseph T. , Mitsnefes Mark , Pierce Christopher , Cole Steven R. , Parekh Rulan S. , Furth Susan L. , Warady Bradley A.
Published: August 2008

To characterize the distribution of blood pressure (BP), prevalence, and risk factors for hypertension in pediatric chronic kidney disease, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline BPs in 432 children (mean age 11 years; 60% male; mean glomerular filtration rate 44 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
) enrolled in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children cohort study. BPs were obtained using an aneroid sphygmomanometer. Glomerular filtration rate was measured by iohexol disappearance. Elevated BP was defined as BP ≥90th percentile for age, gender, and height. Hypertension was defined as BP ≥95th percentile or as self-reported hypertension plus current treatment with antihypertensive medications. For systolic BP, 14% were hypertensive and 11% were prehypertensive (BP 90th to 95th percentile); 68% of subjects with elevated systolic BP were taking antihypertensive medications. For diastolic BP, 14% were hypertensive and 9% were prehypertensive; 53% of subjects with elevated diastolic BP were taking antihypertensive medications. Fifty-four percent of subjects had either systolic or diastolic BP ≥95th percentile or a history of hypertension plus current antihypertensive use. Characteristics associated with elevated BP included black race, shorter duration of chronic kidney disease, absence of antihypertensive medication use, and elevated serum potassium. Among subjects receiving antihypertensive treatment, uncontrolled BP was associated with male sex, shorter chronic kidney disease duration, and absence of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker use. Thirty-seven percent of children with chronic kidney disease had either elevated systolic or diastolic BP, and 39% of these were not receiving antihypertensives, indicating that hypertension in pediatric chronic kidney disease may be frequently under- or even untreated. Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers may improve BP control in these patients.
No Midpregnancy Fall in Diastolic Blood Pressure in Women With a Low Educational Level
Authors: Silva Lindsay M. , Steegers Eric A.P. , Burdorf Alex , Jaddoe Vincent W.V. , Arends Lidia R. , Hofman Albert , Mackenbach Johan P. , Raat Hein
Published: August 2008

Low socioeconomic status has been associated with preeclampsia. The underlying mechanism, however, is unknown. Preeclampsia is associated with relatively high blood pressure levels in early pregnancy and with an absent midpregnancy fall in blood pressure. At present, little is known about the associations among socioeconomic status, blood pressure level in early pregnancy, blood pressure change during pregnancy, and preeclampsia. We studied these associations in 3142 pregnant women participating in a population-based cohort study. Maternal educational level (high, midhigh, midlow, and low) was used as an indicator of socioeconomic status. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured in early, mid-, and late pregnancy. Relative to women with high education, those with low and midlow education had higher mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels in early pregnancy; this was explained largely by a higher prepregnancy body mass index. Although women with high, midhigh, and midlow education had a significant midpregnancy fall in diastolic blood pressure, those with low education did not (change from early to midpregnancy: −0.38 mm Hg; 95% CI: −1.33 to 0.58). The latter could not be explained by prepregnancy body mass index, smoking, or alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The absence of a midpregnancy fall also tended to be related to the development of preeclampsia, especially among women with a low educational level (OR: 3.8; 95% CI: 0.80 to 18.19). The absence of a midpregnancy fall in diastolic blood pressure in women with a low education level may be a sign of endothelial dysfunction that is manifested during pregnancy. This might partly explain these women’s susceptibility to preeclampsia.
Impact of High-Normal Blood Pressure on the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in a Japanese Urban Cohort
Authors: Kokubo Yoshihiro , Kamide Kei , Okamura Tomonori , Watanabe Makoto , Higashiyama Aya , Kawanishi Katsuyuki , Okayama Akira , Kawano Yuhei
Published: August 2008

Few prospective studies have examined the association between high-normal blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Asia. We examined the impact of high-normal blood pressure on the incidence of CVD in a general urban population cohort in Japan. We studied 5494 Japanese individuals (ages 30 to 79 years without CVD at baseline) after completing a baseline survey who received follow-up through December 2005. Blood pressure categories were defined on the basis of the ESH-ESC 2007 criteria. In 64 391 person-years of follow-up, we documented the incidence of 346 CVD events. The frequencies of high-normal blood pressure and hypertension Stage 1 and Stage ≥2 were 18.0%, 20.1%, and 10.1% for men and 15.9%, 15.6%, and 8.8% for women, respectively. Antihypertensive drug users were also classified into the baseline blood pressure categories. Compared with the optimal blood pressure group, the multivariable hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of CVD for normal and high-normal blood pressure and hypertension Stage 1 and Stage ≥2 were 2.04 (1.19 to 3.48), 2.46 (1.46 to 4.14), 2.62 (1.59 to 4.32), and 3.95 (2.37 to 6.58) in men and 1.12 (0.59 to 2.13), 1.54 (0.85 to 2.78), 1.35 (0.75 to 2.43), and 2.86 (1.60 to 5.12) in women, respectively. The risks of myocardial infarction and stroke for each blood pressure category were similar to those of CVD. Population-attributable fractions of high-normal blood pressure and hypertension for CVD were 12.2% and 35.3% in men and 7.1% and 23.4% in women, respectively. In conclusion, high-normal blood pressure is a risk factor for the incidence of stroke and myocardial infarction in a general urban population of Japanese men.
The Jailing of America’s Homeless: Evaluating the Rabble Management Thesis
Authors: Fitzpatrick Kevin M. , Myrstol Brad
Published: August 2008

The authors of this article test hypotheses derived from Irwin’s rabble management thesis. The analysis uses data from 47,592 interviews conducted with jailed adults in 30 U.S. cities as part of the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program. Clearly, homeless persons are overrepresented among those arrested and booked into local jails. Bivariate analysis support a fundamental assertion of the rabble management thesis: Homeless are jailed not because of their dangerousness but rather their offensiveness. Homeless arrestees are distinct from their domiciled counterparts in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, previous experiences with alcohol and drug treatment, mental health, criminal justice systems, and alcohol and drug use histories. In addition, homeless are less likely than domiciled arrestees to be jailed for felonies and violent crimes but more likely to be charged with maintenance and property crimes. Logistic regression models confirm these differences, even after other factors are controlled. A discussion of the policy implications of these findings follows.
“What's Love” in an Interconnected World? Ghanaian Market Literature for Youth Responds1
Authors: de Bruijn Esther
Published: August 2008

This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as “social `shifters'” and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the “interconnectedness” of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing “domesticated” forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of “straddling”, this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.
Mining the Archive: Historical Fiction, Counter-modernities, and Suchen Christine Lim's A Bit of Earth
Authors: Poon Angelia
Published: August 2008

Historical fiction often serves to provide us with an opportunity to question the past as well as the identities that have crystallized around the archive. As an example of historical fiction, Suchen Christine Lim's A Bit of Earth depicts the emergence of anti-imperialist feeling, self-realization, and national consciousness in nineteenth-century Malaya, celebrating nationalist feeling as a commendable gesture beyond the self towards a larger sociality. The text invokes these sentiments to look for alternatives within a cultural and political space that continues to be strongly influenced by postcolonial state-sanctioned histories and masculinist versions of the past. Its attempt to loosen our received ways of knowing about history, modernity, Chineseness, and inter-racial relations is not an unqualified success, however. For in foregrounding gender and race as crucial components of modern subjectivity, A Bit of Earth ultimately shows itself to be more certain of its stand on women and its vision of modern Chinese identity than of its position vis-à-vis multiracial possibilities.
Alternatives to the Novel Form: Oral Storytelling and Internet Patterns in Vikram Chandra's Red Earth and Pouring Rain
Authors: Draga Alexandru Maria-Sabina
Published: August 2008

Contemporary Indian fiction in English revives the novel genre through alternative writing techniques inspired from the Indian oral storytelling tradition. In Vikram Chandra's Red Earth and Pouring Rain digressive storytelling that reflects oral patterns merges with structural strategies derived from the logic of the Internet, hypertext and computer games. The author's creation of an online storytelling community that gives him email feedback on his writing mimics the tradition of oral storytelling in a way that responds to both Bakhtinian expectations of the novel form and the demands of hypertextual interactivity. The implied audience is drawn into the process of storytelling, so that the novel's polyphony emerges from the work of a whole community rather than of an individual author/narrator. Red Earth and Pouring Rain is a modern version of the Arabian Nights, with a frame-narrative filled in by well-told tales meant to earn the protagonist's survival. Throughout the novel the classical concerns of the novel genre, which focuses on individual development and makes statements about society at specific historical moments, based on objective factual observation, are challenged by the presence of elements of myth-based traditional storytelling, digressions and ponderings on the meanings of events, in a discourse in which what matters is the endless storytelling process that must keep growing “like a lotus vine”.
The Multicultural Bildungsroman: Stereotypes in Monica Ali's Brick Lane
Authors: Perfect Michael
Published: August 2008

Monica Ali's phenomenally popular debut novel Brick Lane has often been accused of reinforcing rather than challenging stereotypes of cultural otherness. Interestingly, literary critics who have championed the novel have not sought to deny that it employs stereotypes, but rather to emphasize its sense of knowing irony in doing so. Critically analysing debates which have attempted to assert that Brick Lane either propagates or ironically subverts cultural stereotypes, this article scrutinizes the valency of the kinds of “postmodern” readings of the novel which have thus far prevailed. I argue that the major concern of the novel is not the destabilization of stereotypes but the celebration of the potential for adaptation in both individuals and societies. I argue that Ali employs stereotypes as counterpoints in order to further emphasize her protagonist's final integration into contemporary British society, and that the novel might usefully be understood as a “multicultural Bildungsroman”.
Latino and White High School Students' Perceptions of Caring Behaviors
Authors: Garza Rubén
Published: August 2008

This study examines Latino and White high school students' perceptions of teacher behaviors that convey caring. Major findings of students' perceptions generated five dominant themes: (a) provide scaffolding during a teaching episode, (b) reflect a kind disposition through actions, (c) are always available to the student, (d) show a personal interest in the student's well-being inside and outside the classroom, (e) and provide affective academic support in the classroom setting. I highlight similarities and uniqueness between the two ethnic groups, generating new information that teachers can use to examine their own practice to determine the extent of culturally responsive caring.
Evaluation of a [13C]‐Dextromethorphan Breath Test to Assess CYP2D6 Phenotype
Authors: Leeder J. Steven , Pearce Robin E. , Gaedigk Andrea , Modak Anil , Rosen David I.
Published: August 2008

A [13C]‐dextromethorphan ([13C]‐DM) breath test was evaluated to assess its feasibility as a rapid, phenotyping assay for CYP2D6 activity. [13C]‐DM (0.5 mg/kg) was administered orally with water or potassium bicarbonate‐sodium bicarbonate to 30 adult Caucasian volunteers (n = 1 each): CYP2D6 poor metabolizers (2 null alleles; PM‐0) and extensive metabolizers with 1 (EM‐1) or 2 functional alleles (EM‐2). CYP2D6 phenotype was determined by 13CO2 enrichment measured by infrared spectrometry (delta‐over‐baseline [DOB] value) in expired breath samples collected before and up to 240 minutes after [13C]‐DM ingestion and by 4‐hour urinary metabolite ratio. The PM‐0 group was readily distinguishable from either EM group by both the breath test and urinary metabolite ratio. Using a single point determination of phenotype at 40 minutes and defining PMs as subjects with a DOB ≤0.5, the sensitivity of the method was 100%; specificity was 95% with 95% accuracy and resulted in the misclassification of 1 EM‐1 individual as a PM. Modification of the initial protocol (timing of potassium bicarbonate‐sodium bicarbonate administration relative to dose) yielded comparable results, but there was a tendency toward increased DOB values. Although further development is required, these studies suggest that the [13C]‐DM breath test offers promise as a rapid, minimally invasive phenotyping assay for CYP2D6 activity.
Evaluation of the Administration Time Effect on the Cumulative Cortisol Suppression and Cumulative Lymphocytes Suppression for Once‐Daily Inhaled Corticosteroids: A Population Modeling/Simulation Approach
Authors: Wu Kai , Goyal Navin , Stark Jeffrey G. , Hochhaus Günther
Published: August 2008

Inhaled glucocorticoids continue to be first‐line therapy in asthma. To improve improving patient compliance, newer inhaled glucocorticoids have been developed for once‐a‐day treatment. This study was interested in identifying the optimal time of dosing using 2 surrogate markers of glucocorticoid action. A previously published study on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (cortisol and blood lymphocyte suppression) of the inhaled glucocorticoids budesonide and fluticasone propionate was reanalyzed using a population pharmacokinetic approach. A stochastic numerical simulation using NONMEM assessed the effects of time of dosing on cortisol (side effect parameter) and blood lymphocytes (side effect and effect parameter). The effects on cortisol were more pronounced when the glucocorticoids were given in the morning, whereas the effects on lymphocytes (an effect controlled by endogenous and exogenous glucocorticoids) were maximized when dosing occurred in the late afternoon or evening. Twice‐daily dosing of the same dose resulted in smaller differences between maximum and minimal effects. These were of no clinical relevance. Simulations for once‐daily dosing support clinical studies that reported a higher antiasthmatic effect and lower cortisol suppression when once‐daily dosing occurs in the evening.
Validity and responsiveness of the Rehabilitation Activities Profile (RAP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Verhoef J. , Toussaint PJ , Putter H. , Zwetsloot-Schonk JHM , Vliet Vlieland TPM
Published: August 2008

Objective: To investigate the internal consistency, validity and responsiveness of the Rehabilitation Activities Profile (RAP; a rehabilitation tool structuring the multidisciplinary team care process) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: In 85 rheumatoid arthritis patients admitted to a rheumatology clinic the RAP was applied at admission, at discharge, and six weeks thereafter. Additional assessments included measures of physical and psychological functioning, disease activity and quality of life. The internal consistency of the RAP was determined with Cronbach's alpha. Associations between the RAP and other outcome measures were determined by Spearman rank correlation coefficients. Responsiveness measures included the standardized response mean (SRM), effect size (ES) and responsiveness ratio (RR).

Results: Cronbach's alpha of the RAP total score was 0.78. The RAP total score correlated significantly with all other outcome measures. The mean RAP total score improved from 15.2 to 13.2 at discharge (change -2.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) -3.4 to -0.7) and to 11.5 (change -3.7; 95% CI -3.9 to -1.5) six weeks thereafter. The responsiveness of the RAP total score was low (standardized response mean -0.34, effect size -0.30) to high (responsiveness ratio -0.87) at discharge and moderate (standardized response mean -0.54, effect size -0.55) to high (responsiveness ratio -1.56) six weeks thereafter.

Conclusions: The RAP appeared to be an internally consistent, valid and responsive measure to reflect limitations on the level of activities and participation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis admitted for multidisciplinary team care.
Neuropsychological predictors of powered wheelchair use: a prospective follow-up study
Authors: Cullen Breda , O'Neill Brian , Evans Jonathan J
Published: August 2008

Objectives: To investigate (1) rates of powered wheelchair use and level of user-rated functional performance at one-month follow-up, and (2) whether psychological variables were prospectively predictive of outcome.

Design: Prospective follow-up study.

Setting: UK hospital-based regional rehabilitation and mobility centre.

Participants: Volunteer adults with impaired mobility. Of 155 approached, 103 had baseline assessments. Of these, 81 (79%) provided outcome data. Mean age was 65.6 years (SD = 13.5); 55% were male.

Main outcome measures: Rate of day-to-day powerchair use, and users' perceptions of how well the powerchair allowed them to perform functional tasks.

Results: Among those with indoor-only chairs, 48% were 'less frequent' users; this rose to 72% among those with indoor/outdoor chairs. Excluding environmental reasons, rate of indoor use was predicted by baseline measures of verbal recall (P<0.001), figure copying (P=0.003) and global cognition (P=0.021). Among those with indoor/outdoor chairs, total rate of use was predicted by verbal recall (P= 0.001). Participants reported that the powerchair was effective in meeting their functional needs.

Conclusions: Powered wheelchair use was predicted by cognitive measures. Rates of use were relatively low, despite users' reports that the powerchair facilitated their everyday functioning well.
Beyond Utilitarianism: A Method for Analyzing Competing Ethical Principles in a Decision Analysis of Liver Transplantation
Authors: Volk Michael L. , Lok Anna S. F. , Ubel Peter A. , Vijan Sandeep
Published: August 2008

Background: The utilitarian foundation of decision analysis limits its usefulness for many social policy decisions. In this study, the authors examine a method to incorporate competing ethical principles in a decision analysis of liver transplantation for a patient with acute liver failure (ALF). Methods. A Markov model was constructed to compare the benefit of transplantation for a patient with ALF versus the harm caused to other patients on the waiting list and to determine the lowest acceptable 5-y posttransplant survival for the ALF patient. The weighting of the ALF patient and other patients was then adjusted using a multiattribute variable incorporating utilitarianism, urgency, and other principles such as fair chances. Results. In the base-case analysis, the strategy of transplanting the ALF patient resulted in a 0.8% increase in the risk of death and a utility loss of 7.8 quality-adjusted days of life for each of the other patients on the waiting list. These harms cumulatively outweighed the benefit of transplantation for an ALF patient having a posttransplant survival of less than 48% at 5 y. However, the threshold for an acceptable posttransplant survival for the ALF patient ranged from 25% to 56% at 5 y, depending on the ethical principles involved. Discussion. The results of the decision analysis vary depending on the ethical perspective. This study demonstrates how competing ethical principles can be numerically incorporated in a decision analysis.
'Strike his bone and his flesh': Reading Job from the Beginning*
Authors: Shepherd David
Published: August 2008

Following the destruction of Job's children and possessions in Job 1, traditional readings of ch. 2 understand the Satan to be demanding that Job himself be struck down as a test of his disinterested piety. Instead, this study argues that the Satan's language in Job 2 invites us to read it from `the beginning' (Gen. 1—3) and that when we do, the Satan is seen to be demanding not Job's life, but rather his wife. Such a reading complicates traditional characterizations of Job's wife as merely the Satan's tool by introducing the idea that she is also Satan's target.
Working with Shame in Therapeutic Groups
Authors: Smith Margaret
Published: August 2008

First I present an outline of an understanding of shame, drawing on the work of Kohut and the concept of self-psychology and the writing of Kegan and his model of the developing structure of the self. This is illustrated with clinical examples. I then discuss the use of mirroring in group analysis as a way of working with shame in order to facilitate the developmental process in patients with little coherent sense of self.
Thinking about Synergy between the Group and the Mediating Object
Authors: Vacheret Claudine , Joubert Christiane
Published: August 2008

This article presents a special setting with a mediating object in the group. It shows the synergy between the group and the mediating object, which is used particularly with difficult patients. The main aspects of the setting explored are the container function and the containing function with the method called Photolanguage.
The Cognitive Abilities Scale—Second Edition Preschool Form
Authors: Swanson Jennifer R. , Bradley-Johnson Sharon , Johnson C. Merle , Rubenaker O'Dell Anna
Published: August 2008

Three studies examine the validity of the Preschool Form of the Cognitive Abilities Scale—Second Edition (CAS-2). Significant high concurrent criterion-related validity correlations, corrected for restricted range, are found between the CAS-2 and the Detroit Test of Learning Ability—Primary: Third Edition for 26 three-year-olds ( rc = .86) and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development—Second Edition for 20 two-year-olds ( rc = .63). Significant correlations also are evident for the CAS-2 and the Test of Early Language Development—Third Edition for 26 three-year-olds ( rc = .77) and the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System—Second Edition for 20 two-year-olds ( rc = .65). Predictive power is critical when making interpretations regarding future performance. A high, significant correlation ( r c = .72) is observed for the CAS-2 for 37 children at ages 2 and 3 and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third Edition administered 6 years later. Results expand validity evidence for the CAS-2, increasing confidence in interpretations regarding young children's performance.
Innovations in Urban Design and Urban Form
Authors: Garde Ajay M.
Published: August 2008

How might innovations in urban design influence urban form? This paper focuses on two types of innovations—identified here as degenerative variations and integrative paradigms—to examine their impact on urban form and to discuss the implications for public policy. The paper begins with a presentation of how degenerative variations collectively generate an undesirable urban form. The paper then illustrates how integrative paradigms are conceived as a response to the problems of development of a particular period and the transformation of urban form. These paradigms are expected to nurture a collective vision and have a positive impact on urban form; however, they are undermined by the realities of development. The paper concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of innovations in urban design.
Deliberating on Statewide Energy Targets
Authors: Andrews Clinton , Jonas Henry C. , Mantell Nancy , Solomon Randall
Published: August 2008

This article reflects on a process of analytic deliberation about the future energy economy of New Jersey. Scenario analysis looking forward thirty years identifies tradeoffs and synergies among environmental, economic, and security objectives identified by stakeholders. Modest, unilateral greenhouse gas reductions seem affordable and may improve energy security. More dramatic, long-term greenhouse gas reductions seem less feasible given current technologies and policies, indicating the need for research now to invent “Solution X.” The two-year effort has helped align expectations among divergent policy actors and also helped embolden political leaders, who have acted in parallel with this project rather than waiting for its conclusion.
Do Individuals Comply on Income Not Reported by Their Employer?
Authors: Alm James , Deskins John , McKee Michael
Published: August 2008

Individuals with income not reported to the tax authority by a third party (e.g., the self-employed, those earning tips) may be less likely to be detected evading taxes relative to the case in which their income is subject to third-party reporting. However, their compliance responses—to changes in the proportion of income that is reported to the tax authority, to changes in audit and tax rates, etc.—are largely unknown, in part because of the difficulty in obtaining information on individual choices in these situations. The authors use experimental methods to examine individual income tax compliance in settings where individuals differ in the portion of their income that is ``matched'' (reported to the tax authority via third-party information) versus ``nonmatched'' (not fully reported to the tax authority). The results indicate that individuals who have relatively more nonmatched income exhibit significantly lower tax compliance rates than individuals who earn relatively less nonmatched income.