bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regularization strategy for the layered inversion of airborne transient electromagnetic data: application to in‐loop data acquired over the basin of Franceville (Gabon)
Authors: Guillemoteau Julien , Sailhac Pascal , Béhaegel Mickaël
Published: August 2011

Airborne transient electromagnetic (TEM) is a cost‐effective method to image the distribution of electrical conductivity in the ground. We consider layered earth inversion to interpret large data sets of hundreds of kilometres. Different strategies can be used to solve this inverse problem. This consists in managing the a priori information to avoid the mathematical instability and provide the most plausible model of conductivity in depth.

In order to obtain fast and realistic inversion program, we tested three kinds of regularization: two are based on standard Tikhonov procedure which consist in minimizing not only the data misfit function but a balanced optimization function with additional terms constraining the lateral and the vertical smoothness of the conductivity; another kind of regularization is based on reducing the condition number of the kernel by changing the layout of layers before minimizing the data misfit function. Finally, in order to get a more realistic distribution of conductivity, notably by removing negative conductivity values, we suggest an additional recursive filter based upon the inversion of the logarithm of the conductivity.

All these methods are tested on synthetic and real data sets. Synthetic data have been calculated by 2.5D modelling; they are used to demonstrate that these methods provide equivalent quality in terms of data misfit and accuracy of the resulting image; the limit essentially comes on special targets with sharp 2D geometries. The real data case is from Helicopter‐borne TEM data acquired in the basin of Franceville (Gabon) where borehole conductivity loggings are used to show the good accuracy of the inverted models in most areas, and some biased depths in areas where strong lateral changes may occur.
Evaluating the suicide risk‐screening scale used by general nurses on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer: a questionnaire survey
Authors: Taur Fang‐Meei , Chai Sinkuo , Chen Mei‐bei , Hou Jyu‐Li , Lin Shirling , Tsai Sing‐Ling
Published: August 2011

Aim.  The aim of this study was to evaluate the interview version of the screening of risk for suicide with redefined items for the hospitalised patients.

Background.  Patients hospitalised in general hospitals with physical illnesses performed suicidal acts more rapidly after admission.

Design.  A two‐hour screening skills training course was provided to general nurses caring for hospitalised patients. The patients were rated by trained nurses according to the screening of risk for suicide. Then, patients did self‐rating of repulsion of life scale and symptom distress. The participants were 54 trained nurses and 205 patients, 76 of whom had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 129 had lung cancer.

Methods.  The trained nurses used the screening of risk for suicide to screen patients and compared their results with their trainers within 24 hours for inter‐rater consistency, followed by patients’ self‐rating.

Results.  The inter‐rater reliability between nurses and their trainers was 0·85. The screening of risk for suicide rated by nurses correlated significantly with repulsion to life and symptom distress rated by patients. There were 26·3% (20) of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 14·0% (18) of patients with lung cancer who showed moderate‐to‐high suicide risk, most of them having poor social support. The nurse’s score on patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was higher than patient’s self‐rating.

Conclusions.  The screening of risk for suicide was useful in alerting the general nurses to high‐risk patients and the nurse’ screening collected more in‐depth data than patients’ self‐rating. It is suggested that this suicide risk‐screening training should incorporate into continuing education in general hospital and the use of Screening of Risk for Suicide incorporating into new patient nursing assessment.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The two‐hour suicide risk‐screening training could renew the general nurse skill of risk screening for the hospitalised patients.
Do video reviews of therapy sessions help people with mild intellectual disabilities describe their perceptions of cognitive behaviour therapy?
Authors: Burford B. , Jahoda A.
Published: August 2011

Background  This study examined the potential of a retrospective video reviewing process [Burford Reviewing Process (BRP)] for enabling people with intellectual disabilities to describe their experiences of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). It is the first time that the BRP, described in this paper, has been used with people with intellectual disabilities and the aim was to assess the feasibility of the procedure and gain a picture of the information it might yield.

Methods  Using the BRP, 12 clients reviewed tapes of their fourth and ninth CBT sessions and six reviewed the fourth session only. All reviews were audio recorded for later verbatim transcriptions of clients' comments. Reviews and transcriptions were conducted by non‐clinical researchers. Thematic analysis was applied to the transcripts by a researcher who was not CBT‐trained.

Results  All clients were able to follow the instructions for the BRP. Three broadly based themes encapsulated their responses – how they felt about themselves, how they felt the therapist was helping and how CBT was helping. A fourth theme referred to comments on issues that were currently troubling clients, which were prompted by watching the video but did not refer to actual events on screen.

Conclusions  The BRP seems a feasible approach with this client group and gave insights into their feelings and opinions on CBT. Clinical implications of the results and the potential for further developments are discussed.
‘Too withdrawn’ or ‘too friendly’: considering social vulnerability in two neuro‐developmental disorders
Authors: Jawaid A. , Riby D. M. , Owens J. , White S. W. , Tarar T. , Schulz P. E.
Published: August 2011

In some neuro‐developmental disorders, the combined effect of intellectual disability and atypicalities of social cognition may put individuals at increased vulnerability in their social environment. The neuro‐developmental disorders Williams syndrome, characterised by ‘hypersociability’, and autism spectrum disorders, characterised by ‘social withdrawal’, are at two extremes of atypical social functioning in humans. In this article, we use Williams syndrome and autism spectrum disorders as exemplars to demonstrate how atypicalities of social cognition may contribute to social vulnerability in these populations. The lives of individuals with both these disorders are marred by an increased risk of social isolation, bullying, unsteady relationships, employment difficulties and abuse. While different behavioural interventions have been tried to improve social functioning in these populations, there has been great variability in their success. Finally, we discuss different issues regarding social independence of these individuals; including employment, safety and decision making.
Regulation of chaperone/effector complex synthesis in a bacterial type III secretion system
Authors: Button Julie E. , Galán Jorge E.
Published: August 2011

Type III protein secretion systems (T3SSs), which have evolved to deliver bacterial proteins into nucleated cells, are found in many species of Gram‐negative bacteria that live in close association with eukaryotic hosts. Proteins destined to travel this secretion pathway are targeted to the secretion machine by customized chaperones, with which they form highly structured complexes. Here, we have identified a mechanism that co‐ordinates the expression of the Salmonella Typhimurium T3SS chaperone SicP and its cognate effector SptP. Translation of the effector is coupled to that of its chaperone, and in the absence of translational coupling, an inhibitory RNA structure prevents translation of sptP. The data presented here show how the genomic organization of functionally related proteins can have a significant impact on the co‐ordination of their expression.
HtrA is a major virulence determinant of Bacillus anthracis
Authors: Chitlaru Theodor , Zaide Galia , Ehrlich Sharon , Inbar Itzhak , Cohen Ofer , Shafferman Avigdor
Published: August 2011

We demonstrate that disruption of the htrA (high temperature requirement A) gene in either the virulent Bacillus anthracis Vollum (pXO1+, pXO2+), or in the ΔVollum (pXO1‐, pXO2‐, nontoxinogenic and noncapsular) strains, affect significantly the ability of the resulting mutants to withstand heat, oxidative, ethanol and osmotic stress. The ΔhtrA mutants manifest altered secretion of several proteins, as well as complete silencing of the abundant extracellular starvation‐associated neutral protease A (NprA). VollumΔhtrA bacteria exhibit delayed proliferation in a macrophage infection assay, and despite their ability to synthesize the major B. anthracis toxins LT (lethal toxin) and ET (oedema toxin) as well as the capsule, show a decrease of over six orders of magnitude in virulence (lethal dose 50% = 3 × 108 spores, in the guinea pig model of anthrax), as compared with the parental wild‐type strain. This unprecedented extent of loss of virulence in B. anthracis, as a consequence of deletion of a single gene, as well as all other phenotypic defects associated with htrA mutation, are restored in their corresponding trans‐complemented strains. It is suggested that the loss of virulence is due to increased susceptibility of the ΔhtrA bacteria to stress insults encountered in the host. On a practical note, it is demonstrated that the attenuated Vollum ΔhtrA is highly efficacious in protecting guinea pigs against a lethal anthrax challenge.
A novel HLA‐B44 allele, B*44:127, was identified by sequencing‐based typing
Authors: Jiao S.‐X. , Chi X.‐Y. , Hu B. , Feng Z.‐H. , Zhao L.
Published: August 2011

In this report we describe a novel allele B*44:127, which was identified in a Chinese voluntary bone marrow donor by sequence‐based typing. HLA‐B*44:127 showed one nucleotide difference from G to A with HLA‐B*44:02:01 at nucleotide 320.
A simple approximate expression for finite life fatigue behaviour in the presence of ‘crack‐like’ or ‘blunt’ notches
Authors: CIAVARELLA M.
Published: August 2011

In this note, we explore the possibility of simple extensions of the heuristic El Haddad formula for finite life, as an approximate expression valid for crack‐like notches, and of the ‘Lukáš and Klesnil’ equation for blunt notches. The key starting point is to assume, in analogy to the Basquin power‐law SN curve for the fatigue life of the uncracked (plain) specimen, a power law for the ‘finite life’intrinsic El Haddad crack size. The approach has similarities with what recently proposed by Susmel and Taylor as a Critical Distance Method for Medium‐Cycle Fatigue regime. Reasonable agreement is found with the fatigue data of Susmel and Taylor for notches, and in particular the error seems smaller in finite life than for infinite life, where these equations are already used. In these respects, the present proposal can be considered as a simple empirical unified approach for rapid assessment of the notch effect under finite life.
Efficacy of management algorithm for reducing need for sphincterotomy in chronic anal fissures
Authors: Sinha R. , Kaiser A. M.
Published: August 2011

Background  Lateral internal sphincterotomy is the most effective treatment for chronic anal fissure (CAF), but carries a risk of faecal incontinence. We aimed to analyse efficacy and acceptance of a treatment algorithm in reducing the rate of necessary sphincterotomies.

Method  Patients with CAF seen from 2001 to 2010 were retrospectively analysed. All patients were offered all steps of the algorithm nitroglycerine (NTG) → Botox (BTX) → surgery, unless symptoms or patient preference demanded a more aggressive treatment. Patients were followed up in clinic, and treatment was advanced if a step either failed or caused intolerable side effects.

Results  Two hundred and nine patients were included in the analysis. Mean duration of symptoms was 25.6 months and mean follow up 16 months. One hundred and 41 patients started on NTG, 36 on BTX, and 31 went straight to surgery. One patient opted for no treatment. Symptoms persisted in 58 (41.1%) of 141 NTG patients. Forty‐five (31.9% of NTG subset) were advanced to BTX and 13 (9.2% of subset) to surgery. Of the 81 (36 primary + 45 secondary) BTX patients (38.8% of the total), only 11 (13.6% of subset) required surgery. A total of 55 (31 primary + 24 secondary; 26.3%) patients needed surgery: two (3.6%) fissures did not heal, one patient developed an abscess, 14 (25.5%) had prolonged wound healing and two (3.6%) developed a recurrent fissure after the sphincterotomy had healed.

Conclusion  Our algorithm is effective in CAF and the majority of patients respond to conservative management. Only 26.3% of all patients require surgery, which is effective but also carries some temporary morbidity.
Leaving for work, leaving in fear (Respond to this article at http://www.therai.org.uk/at/debate)
Authors: McBrien Julie
Published: August 2011

In June 2010 outbreaks of violence between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks began in the Kyrgyzstani cities of Osh and Jalal‐Abad and quickly spread to neighbouring towns. The mass aggression ended relatively quickly, but individual acts of brutality primarily aimed at Uzbeks have continued; the number of Uzbeks leaving the region for work appears to be rising quickly. McBrien reflects on the link between the increase in labour migration and the ethnic violence of June 2010 in a small town that has been her primary fieldsite for the past eight years.
SZPILRAJN, ARROW AND SUZUMURA: CONCISE PROOFS OF EXTENSION THEOREMS AND AN EXTENSION
Authors: Cato Susumu
Published: August 2011

This paper extends the classical extension theorem established by Edward Szpilrajn (Fundamenta Mathematicae, 16, pp. 386–389, 1930). Szpilrajn's theorem states that every quasi‐ordering has an ordering extension. Because of its usefulness in various themes of economics, it has been applied by many researchers. Important generalizations have been presented by two authors, Kenneth Arrow and Kotaro Suzumura, among others. First, we provide concise proofs of four extension theorems by Szpilrajn, Arrow and Suzumura. We then show an extension of their extension theorems.
The effect of major depression on postexercise cardiovascular recovery
Authors: Gordon Jennifer L. , Ditto Blaine , Lavoie Kim L. , Pelletier Roxanne , Campbell Tavis S. , Arsenault André , Bacon Simon L.
Published: August 2011

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) mortality. Dysfunctional autonomic control of the CV system may represent a mechanism explaining this relationship. Poor CV recovery after exercise, indicative of dysfunctional autonomic control of the CV system, predicts CV events and death. This is the first study to examine the association between MDD and postexercise CV recovery. Some 886 patients underwent exercise stress tests. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were measured at rest, peak exercise, 1 min, and 5 min after exercise. Patients with MDD had slower HR recovery (p=.026) 1 min after exercise than non‐MDD patients. No other effects of MDD were found. MDD is accompanied by a dysregulation in autonomic control of exercise‐related CV recovery, suggesting that depressed individuals have a slow parasympathetic recovery from exercise.
Effects of repetition priming on electrophysiological and behavioral indices of conflict adaptation and cognitive control
Authors: Clayson Peter E. , Larson Michael J.
Published: August 2011

We investigated the effects of repetition priming on indices of conflict adaptation. Event‐related potentials (ERPs) were obtained while 210 healthy individuals (111 female, 99 male) completed an Eriksen flanker task. Error rates, response times (RTs), and N2 and P3 amplitudes showed significant conflict adaptation (i.e., previous‐trial congruencies influenced current‐trial measures). After omitting trials with stimulus‐response repetitions, RTs did not index conflict adaptation, but did show switching effects; error rates and N2 and P3 amplitudes remained sensitive to conflict adaptation. P3 amplitudes positively correlated with RTs. N2 amplitudes correlated with RTs only on incongruent trials following congruent trials after excluding repetitions. Results indicate that neural indices of conflict monitoring remain reliably associated with conflict adaptation effects in the absence of RT adjustments upon omission of repetition priming effects.
The Future of Urban Water Services in Latin America
Authors: WADE JEFFRY S.
Published: August 2011

In recent decades, problems with the provision of drinking water and sanitation services around the world have increasingly been addressed by attempts at privatisation, recasting clean water as an essentially economic, rather than public, good. This approach gained particular acceptance in Latin America, but with limited success. In order to address the full range of social, economic and environmental values necessary to sustain water resources over time, public and governmental involvement in establishing integrated water management, pursuing ‘soft path’ approaches, assuring stakeholder input and setting policy will be essential to the process.
Geographic range determinants of two commercially important marine molluscs
Authors: Mellin Camille , Russell Bayden D. , Connell Sean D. , Brook Barry W. , Fordham Damien A.
Published: August 2011

Aim  We modelled the spatial abundance patterns of two abalone species (Haliotis rubra Donovan 1808 and H. laevigata Leach 1814) inhabiting inshore rocky reefs to better understand the importance of current sea surface temperature (SST) (among other predictors) and, ultimately, the effect of future climate change, on marine molluscs.

Location  Southern Australia.

Methods  We used an ensemble species distribution modelling approach that combined likelihood‐based generalized linear models and boosted regression trees. For each modelling technique, a two‐step procedure was used to predict: (1) the current probability of presence, followed by (2) current abundance conditional on presence. The resulting models were validated using an independent, spatially explicit dataset of abalone abundance patterns in Victoria.

Results  For both species, the presence of reef was the main driver of abalone occurrence, while SST was the main driver of spatial abundance patterns. Predictive maps at c. 1‐km resolution showed maximal abundance on shallow coastal reefs characterized by mild winter SSTs for both species.

Main conclusions  Sea surface temperature was a major driver of abundance patterns for both abalone species, and the resulting ensemble models were used to build fine‐resolution predictive range maps (c. 1 km) that incorporate measures of habitat suitability and quality in support of resource management. By integrating this output with structured spatial population models, a more robust understanding of the potential impacts of threatening human processes such as climate change can be established.
Angiotensin‐(1‐7) inhibits epidermal growth factor receptor transactivation via a Mas receptor‐dependent pathway
Authors: Akhtar Saghir , Yousif Mariam HM , Dhaunsi Gursev S , Chandrasekhar Bindu , Al‐Farsi Omama , Benter Ibrahim F
Published: August 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The transactivation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor appears to be an important central transduction mechanism in mediating diabetes‐induced vascular dysfunction. Angiotensin‐(1‐7) [Ang‐(1‐7)] via its Mas receptor can prevent the development of hyperglycaemia‐induced cardiovascular complications. Here, we investigated whether Ang‐(1‐7) can inhibit hyperglycaemia‐induced EGF receptor transactivation and its classical signalling via ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK in vivo and in vitro.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats were chronically treated with Ang‐(1‐7) or AG1478, a selective EGF receptor inhibitor, for 4 weeks and mechanistic studies performed in the isolated mesenteric vasculature bed as well as in primary cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

KEY RESULTS Diabetes significantly enhanced phosphorylation of EGF receptor at tyrosine residues Y992, Y1068, Y1086, Y1148, as well as ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK in the mesenteric vasculature bed whereas these changes were significantly attenuated upon Ang‐(1–7) or AG1478 treatment. In VSMCs grown in conditions of high glucose (25 mM), an Src‐dependent elevation in EGF receptor phosphorylation was observed. Ang‐(1‐7) inhibited both Ang II‐ and glucose‐induced transactivation of EGF receptor. The inhibition of high glucose‐mediated Src‐dependant transactivation of EGF receptor by Ang‐(1‐7) could be prevented by a selective Mas receptor antagonist, D‐Pro7‐Ang‐(1‐7).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These results show for the first time that Ang‐(1‐7) inhibits EGF receptor transactivation via a Mas receptor/Src‐dependent pathway and might represent a novel general mechanism by which Ang‐(1‐7) exerts its beneficial effects in many disease states including diabetes‐induced vascular dysfunction.
Flavan‐3‐ol esters: new agents for exploring modulatory sites on GABAA receptors
Authors: Fernandez Sebastian P , Karim Nasiara , Mewett Kenneth N , Chebib Mary , Johnston Graham AR , Hanrahan Jane R
Published: August 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Enhancement of GABAergic function is the primary mechanism of important therapeutic agents such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates, neurosteroids, general anaesthetics and some anticonvulsants. Despite their chemical diversity, many studies have postulated that these agents may bind at a common or overlapping binding site, or share an activation domain. Similarly, we found that flavan‐3‐ol esters act as positive modulators of GABAA receptors, and noted that this action resembled the in vitro profile of general anaesthetics. In this study we further investigated the interactions between these agents.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Using two‐electrode voltage clamp electrophysiological recordings on receptors of known subunit composition expressed in Xenopus oocytes, we evaluated positive modulation by etomidate, loreclezole, diazepam, thiopentone, 5α‐pregnan‐3α‐ol‐20‐one (THP) and the flavan‐3‐ol ester 2S,3R‐trans 3‐acetoxy‐4′‐methoxyflavan (Fa131) on wild‐type and mutated GABAA receptors.

KEY RESULTS The newly identified flavan, 2S,3S‐cis 3‐acetoxy‐3′,4′‐dimethoxyflavan (Fa173), antagonized the potentiating actions of Fa131, etomidate and loreclezole at α1β2 and α1β2γ2L GABAA receptors. Furthermore, Fa173 blocked the potentiation of GABA responses by high, but not low, concentrations of diazepam, but did not block the potentiation induced by propofol, the neurosteroid THP or the barbiturate thiopental. Mutational studies on ‘anaesthetic‐influencing’ residues showed that, compared with wild‐type GABAA receptors, α1M236Wβ2γ2L and α1β2N265Sγ2L receptors are resistant to potentiation by etomidate, loreclezole and Fa131.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Fa173 is a selective antagonist that can be used for allosteric modulation of GABAA receptors. Flavan‐3‐ol derivatives are potential ligands for etomidate/loreclezole‐related binding sites at GABAA receptors and the low‐affinity effects of diazepam are mediated via the same site.
Subglacial bed deformation and dynamics of the Apriķi glacial tongue, W Latvia
Authors: SAKS TOMAS , KALVANS ANDIS , ZELČS VITĀLIJS
Published: August 2011

Saks, T., Kalvans, A. & Zelčs, V. 2012 (January): Subglacial bed deformation and dynamics of the Apriķi glacial tongue, W Latvia. Boreas, Vol. 41, pp. 124–140. 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2011.00222.x. ISSN 0300‐9483.

We evaluate the glacial dynamics and subglacial processes of the Apriķi glacial tongue in western Latvia during the Northern Lithuanian (Linkuva) oscillation of the last Scandinavian glaciation. The spatial arrangement of glacial bedforms and deformation structures are used to reconstruct the ice dynamics in the study area. The relationship between geological structures at the glacier bed and the spatial distribution of drumlins and glacigenic diapirs, on the one hand, and the permeability of sediment and bedrock, on the other, is ascertained. Drumlins are found in the upper part of the Apriķi glacial tongue area and are composed of soft deformable sediments overlying highly permeable Devonian dolomite. The soft deformable clayey silty bed with low hydraulic conductivity is conducive to the development of diapirs. The occurrence of diapirs and drumlins is controlled by the fluctuation of pore‐water pressure at the glacier bed and is considered to be an indicator of fast ice flow of the Apriķi glacial tongue during its reactivation at the end of the Oldest Dryas (18–15 ka BP).
Extreme cold winter events in southern China during AD 1650–2000
Authors: ZHENG JINGYUN , DING LINGLING , HAO ZHIXIN , GE QUANSHENG
Published: August 2011

Zheng, J., Ding, L., Hao, Z. & Ge, Q. 2012 (January): Extreme cold winter events in southern China during AD 1650–2000. Boreas, Vol. 41, pp. 1–12. 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2011.00225.x. ISSN 0300‐9483.

We defined extreme cold winter events as those with occurrence probabilities lower than the 10th percentile of the probability density function, based on observed winter temperatures in southern China since 1951. Subsequently, we constructed impact severity levels using documentary evidence for those events during 1951–2000, considering three indexes for the freezing of rivers/lakes, widespread snow/ice storms, and cold damage to subtropical/tropical crops. Using these criteria we identified 50 extreme cold winters for the period AD 1650–1949 based on ∼4000 pieces of comparable information extracted from local gazettes in southern China, after verification using data from three weather stations with long records. It was found that the frequencies of the extreme cold winter events since 1650 varied over time. The most frequent occurrences were found during AD 1650–1699 and in the first and second halves of the 19th century, with frequencies twice as high as in the second half of the 20th century. In contrast, the frequencies of extreme winters during the 18th century were close to that in the second half of the 20th century. High frequencies of extreme cold winters in AD 1650–1720 and AD 1795–1835 occurred during the sunspot Maunder and Dalton Minima. The intensities of some historical cold events, such as those during 1653–1654, 1670, 1690, 1861, 1892 and 1929, exceeded those of the coldest winter events since 1951.
Designing a Health Behavior Change Program for Dissemination to Underserved Pregnant Women
Authors: Prochaska Janice M. , Mauriello Leanne , Dyment Sharon , Gökbayrak Simay
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT Objectives: The paper describes the formative research conducted toward developing a health behavior change program for underserved pregnant women. It is provided as an example to guide researchers, academics, and practitioners on how to incorporate dissemination in all aspects of project planning and implementation.

Design and Sample: A series of formative research was conducted, including an advisory council, expert interviews, 6 focus groups and 5 usability interviews with the target population (n=53), key informant interviews, expert reviews of the pilot program, and a pilot test (n=87). A total of 140 underserved pregnant women were recruited from Community Health Center Inc. in Connecticut.

Results: The extensive formative research served to lay the foundation for the development of a healthy pregnancy behavior change program. The pilot test exemplified the feasibility and acceptability of the program.

Conclusion: Successful adoption of interventions depends upon strong formative research, participatory research methods, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to dissemination from project inception. The development of the intervention discussed serves as a useful and practical example for others working in health care and behavioral medicine to improve the overall health and well‐being of the underserved.
Does Similarity in Educational Level Between Health Promotion Volunteers and Local Residents Affect Activity Involvement of the Volunteers?
Authors: Murayama Hiroshi , Taguchi Atsuko , Murashima Sachiyo
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study examined whether similarity in educational level, as a socioeconomic background factor, between health promotion volunteers (HPVs) and residents in the district where HPVs work encourages the volunteers' involvement in providing activities.

Design and Sample: Cross‐sectional questionnaire survey. A total of 512 HPVs in a Japanese city with 5 districts.

Measures: We focused on the number of activities related to working as an HPV as an aspect of involvement in the HPV role. HPV individual educational level was collected from a questionnaire. District educational level was obtained from the Japanese census database.

Results: Of 512 questionnaires, 363 were returned and used for the analysis. Multiple regression analysis stratified by district educational level indicated that a higher educational level in HPVs was significantly associated with a greater number of self‐motivated activities in the districts with a higher educational level, although the association between a lower HPV educational level and more activity involvement was not found in districts with a lower educational level.

Conclusions: It is important to consider similarity in educational level, as a socioeconomic status factor, between HPVs and the districts in which they will work when recruiting new members and when allocating HPVs to work areas.
Testing Theories of Radicalization in Polls of U.S. Muslims
Authors: McCauley Clark
Published: August 2011

Four national polls of Muslim Americans conducted between 2001 and 2007 were reviewed to find items tapping possible sources of sympathy and justification for jihadist violence: anti‐Muslim discrimination, radical Islam, and economic and political grievance. These items were correlated with items representing three elements of the global‐jihad frame: seeing the war on terrorism as a war on Islam or “insincere,” justifying suicide attacks in defense of Islam, and favorable views of Al Qaeda. The three elements of the global‐jihad frame were no more than weakly related to one another and had different predictors. Discussion suggests that the U.S. “war of ideas” may need to target separately the different elements of the global‐jihad frame.
Paul B. Beeson Career Development Awards in Aging Research and U.S. Medical Schools Aging and Geriatric Medicine Programs
Authors: Bragg Elizabeth J. , Warshaw Gregg A. , van der Willik Odette , Meganathan Karthikeyan , Weber Debra , Cornwall Danielle , Leonard Anthony C.
Published: August 2011

Established in 1995, the Paul B. Beeson Career Development program provides faculty development awards to outstanding junior and midcareer faculty committed to academic careers in aging‐related research, training, and practice. This study evaluated the effect of 134 Beeson Scholars on their medical schools' aging and geriatric medicine programs and on the field of aging research from 1995 to 2007. Quantitative and qualitative survey data from multiple sources, including the American Geriatrics Society/Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs' Geriatrics Workforce Policy Studies Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH) rankings of research funding, and other governmental databases were used to compare 36 medical schools with Beeson Scholars with 34 similar medical schools without Beeson scholars and to examine the influence of Beeson Scholars on the field of geriatrics and aging. Most Beeson Scholars remained at the institution where they trained during their Beeson award, and 89% are still practicing or conducting research in the field of geriatrics and aging. Twenty‐six (19.4%) of the scholars have led institutional research mentoring awards, 51 (39%) report leadership roles in institutional program project grants, and 13 (10%) report leadership roles in the Clinical and Translational Science Award programs at their institutions. Beeson Scholars are more likely than a matched sample of non‐Beeson NIH K awardees to study important geriatric syndromes such as falls, cognitive impairment, adverse drug events, osteoporosis, and functional recovery from illness. Total Beeson Impact Years (the total number of years all Beeson Scholars have worked at each school) is positively correlated with more geriatrics research faculty, after controlling for NIH funding rank (P=.02). Beeson Scholars have made positive contributions to the development of academic geriatrics research programs at U.S. medical schools.
Microparasite species richness in rodents is higher at lower latitudes and is associated with reduced litter size
Authors: Bordes Frédéric , Guégan Jean François , Morand Serge
Published: August 2011

Parasite species loads are expected to be higher in the tropics and higher parasite species richness to have cumulative effects on host physiology or demography. Despite being regularly assumed or predicted, empirical evidence on species–latitude patterns is scarce or contradictory and studies on the impacts of concomitant infections have mainly been done at host intra‐specific level. Broad generalizations are then very hard, if not spurious.

By focusing on rodent species and their non‐eukaryotic microparasites (i.e. viruses and bacteria), we investigated, using a comparative approach, microparasite species richness across rodent species according to the latitude where they occur. We also explored the links between rodents’ reproductive traits, latitude and microparasite species richness.

We find for the first time in rodents that virus species richness increases towards tropical latitudes, and that rodent litter size seems to decrease when microparasite species richness increases independently from the latitude. These results support the hypotheses that rodent species in the tropics effectively harbour higher parasite species loads, at least in terms of species richness for viruses, and that parasite species richness influences rodent life‐history traits. Although some other factors, such as seasonality, were not taken into account due the lack of data, our study stresses the idea that chronic microparasite infections may have detrimental effects on their rodent host reservoirs, notably by affecting litter size.
Axonal Targeting of the 5‐HT1B Serotonin Receptor Relies on Structure‐Specific Constitutive Activation
Authors: Carrel Damien , Simon Anne , Emerit Michel B. , Rivals Isabelle , Leterrier Christophe , Biard Marc , Hamon Michel , Darmon Michèle , Lenkei Zsolt
Published: August 2011

By analogy to other axonal proteins, transcytotic delivery following spontaneous endocytosis from the somatodendritic membrane is expected to be essential for polarized distribution of axonal G‐protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). However, possible contribution from constitutive activation, which may also result in constitutive GPCR endocytosis, is poorly known. Using two closely related but differentially distributed serotonin receptors, here we demonstrate higher constitutive activation and spontaneous endocytosis for the axonal 5‐HT1BR, as compared to the somatodendritic 5‐HT1AR, both in non‐neuronal cells and neurons. Activation‐dependent constitutive endocytosis is crucial for axonal targeting, because inverse‐agonist treatment, which prevents constitutive activation, leads to atypical accumulation of newly synthesized 5‐HT1BRs on the somatodendritic plasma membrane. Using receptor chimeras composed of different domains from 5‐HT1AR and 5‐HT1BR, we show that the complete third intracellular loop of 5‐HT1BR is necessary and sufficient for constitutive activation and efficient axonal targeting, both sensitive to inverse‐agonist treatment. These results suggest that activation and targeting of 5‐HT1BRs are intimately interconnected in neurons.
GLI2 and M‐MITF transcription factors control exclusive gene expression programs and inversely regulate invasion in human melanoma cells
Authors: Javelaud Delphine , Alexaki Vasileia‐Ismini , Pierrat Marie‐Jeanne , Hoek Keith S. , Dennler Sylviane , Van Kempen Leon , Bertolotto Corine , Ballotti Robert , Saule Simon , Delmas Véronique , Mauviel Alain
Published: August 2011

We recently identified GLI2, the most active of GLI transcription factors, as a direct TGF‐β/SMAD target, whose expression in melanoma cells is associated with increased invasiveness and metastatic capacity. In this work, we provide evidence that high GLI2 expression is inversely correlated with that of the melanocyte‐specific transcription factor M‐microphthalmia transcription factor (M‐MITF) and associated transcriptional program. GLI2‐expressing cell lines were characterized by the loss of M‐MITF‐dependent melanocytic differentiation markers and reduced pigmentation. The balance between M‐MITF and GLI2 expression did not correlate with the presence or absence of BRAF‐activating mutations, but rather was controlled by two distinct pathways: the TGF‐β pathway, which favors GLI2 expression, and the protein kinase A (PKA)/cAMP pathway, which pushes the balance toward high M‐MITF expression. Furthermore, overexpression and knockdown experiments demonstrated that GLI2 and M‐MITF reciprocally repress each other’s expression and control melanoma cell invasion in an opposite manner. These findings thus identify GLI2 as a critical transcription factor antagonizing M‐MITF function to promote melanoma cell phenotypic plasticity and invasive behavior.
Novel Platelet ADP P2Y12 Inhibitors in the Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Tan Guang‐Ming , Lam Yat‐Yin , Yan Bryan P.
Published: August 2011

Inhibition of the platelet P2Y12 receptor plays an important role in the prevention of thrombotic complications of acute coronary syndrome and percutaneous coronary interventions. Despite clinical benefits with clopidogrel therapy in these high risk patients, efficacy of clopidogrel is limited by slow onset of action, variability in platelet inhibitory response and potential drug–drug interactions. Importantly, suboptimal platelet inhibition by clopidogrel is associated with worse prognosis. This underscores the need for alternate antiplatelet treatment strategies. A number of novel P2Y12 antagonists are approved or in advanced development and some have demonstrated superior platelet inhibition effect, clinical outcomes, and safety profile than clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndrome. The aim of this manuscript is to provide an overview on the current status in P2Y12 receptor inhibition and to review the pharmacology and clinical development of four of these agents: prasugrel, cangrelor, ticagrelor, and elinogrel.
Ezetimibe improves glucose metabolism by ameliorating hepatic function in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Ichimori Shinji , Shimoda Seiya , Goto Rieko , Matsuo Yasuto , Maeda Takako , Furukawa Noboru , Kawashima Junji , Kodama Shoko , Sekigami Taiji , Isami Satoshi , Nishida Kenro , Araki Eiichi
Published: August 2011

Aims/Introduction:  Several experimental studies have shown that ezetimibe improves steatosis and insulin resistance in the liver. This suggests that ezetimibe may improve glucose metabolism, as well as lipid metabolism, by inhibiting hepatic lipid accumulation. Therefore, we compared HbA1c levels after 3 months ezetimibe treatment with baseline levels in patients with type 2 diabetes and examined the factors associated with reductions in HbA1c following ezetimibe administration.

Materials and Methods:  Lipid profiles, hepatic function, and HbA1c were assessed before and after 3 months treatment with 10 mg/day ezetimibe in 96 patients with type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Regression analysis was used to investigate associations between metabolite levels and the percentage change in HbA1c.

Results:  Low‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol was significantly lower after 3 months treatment compared with baseline, and HbA1c decreased in approximately 50% of patients. Univariate linear regression analyses showed that changes in HbA1c were significantly associated with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/ALT ratio, and age. Two‐tailed chi‐square tests revealed that serum ALT ≥35 IU/L and an AST/ALT ratio <1.0 were significantly associated with decreases in HbA1c following ezetimibe administration.

Conclusions:  The results of the present study indicate that ezetimibe may improve glucose metabolism. Serum ALT levels and the AST/ALT ratio were useful predictors of a glucose metabolism response to ezetimibe. This trial was registered with UMIN (no. UMIN000005307). (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040‐1124.2011.00147.x, 2011)
Exploring taste hyposensitivity in Japanese senior high school students
Authors: Ohnuki Mari , Shinada Kayoko , Ueno Masayuki , Zaitsu Takashi , Wright Fredrick Allan Clive , Kawaguchi Yoko
Published: August 2011

Aim:  The main objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of taste hyposensitivity and the relationships between sex, oral health status, and eating habits with taste hyposensitivity in Japanese senior high school students.

Methods:  Oral examinations, sweet and salt whole‐mouth taste tests, and a questionnaire about eating habits were conducted on 234 senior high school students. Factors affecting taste hyposensitivity were investigated using a multivariate analysis.

Results:  Sweet‐taste hyposensitivity was observed in 7.3% of the students, and salt‐taste hyposensitivity in 22.2%. Approximately 3% of the students had both sweet‐ and salt‐taste hyposensitivity, and 22.6% had either sweet‐ or salt‐taste hyposensitivity. In total, 26% had a taste hyposensitivity. There were significant relationships between the intake of instant noodles with sweet‐taste hyposensitivity, and the intake of vegetables or isotonic drinks with salt‐taste hyposensitivity.

Conclusions:  There was a significant association between eating habits and taste hyposensitivity in Japanese senior high school students. Taste tests would be a helpful adjunct for students to recognize variations in taste sensitivity, and a questionnaire about their eating habits might provide an effective self‐review of their eating habits, and therefore, provide motivation to change.
Effects of Various Physical and Numerical Parameters on Heat Transfer in Vertical Passages at Relatively Low Heat Loading
Authors: Keshmiri Amir
Published: August 2011

The present work is concerned with the modeling of buoyancy-modified mixed convection flows, such flows being representative of low-flow-rate flows in the cores of Gas-cooled Reactors. Three different eddy viscosity models (EVMs) are examined using the in-house code, “CONVERT.” All fluid properties are assumed to be constant, and buoyancy is accounted for within the Boussinesq approximation. Comparison is made against experimental measurements and the direct numerical simulations (DNS). The effects of three physical parameters including the heat loading, Reynolds number, and pipe length on heat transfer have been examined. It is found that by increasing the heat loading, three thermal-hydraulic regimes of “early onset of mixed convection,” “laminarization,” and “recovery” were present. At different Reynolds numbers, the three thermal-hydraulic regimes are also evident. The k-ε model of Launder and Sharma was found to be in the closest agreement with consistently normalized DNS results for the ratio of mixed-to-forced convection Nusselt number (Nu/Nu0). It was also shown that for the “laminarization” case, the pipe length should be at least “500× diameter” in order to reach a fully developed solution. In addition, the effects of two numerical parameters namely buoyancy production and Yap length-scale correction terms have also been investigated and their effects were found to be negligible on heat transfer and friction coefficient in ascending flows.
Commissioning and benchmarking a 3D dosimetry system for clinical use
Authors: Thomas Andrew , Newton Joseph , Adamovics John , Oldham Mark
Published: August 2011

Purpose:

A 3D dosimetry system is described which consists of two parts: a radiochromic plastic dosimeter PRESAGE® (which responds to absorbed dose with a linear change in optical‐density) and the Duke large‐field‐of‐view optical‐CT scanner (DLOS). The DLOS/PRESAGE system has recently been commissioned and benchmarked for clinical use and, in particular, for verification and commissioning of complex radiation treatments.

Methods:

DLOS commissioning involved determining the dynamic range, spatial resolution, noise, temporal, and other characteristics of the light source and imaging components. Benchmarking tests were performed on the combined DLOS/PRESAGE system to establish baseline dosimetric performance. The tests consisted of delivering simple radiation treatments to PRESAGE dosimeters, and comparing the measured 3D relative dose distributions with the known gold standard. The gold standard distribution was obtained from machine beam‐data or the treatment planning system (TPS). All studies used standardized procedures to ensure consistency.

Results:

For commissioning, isotropic spatial resolution was submillimeter (MTF > 0.5 for frequencies of 1.5 lp/mm) and the dynamic range was ∼60 dB. Flood field uniformity was within 10% and stable after 45 min of warm‐up. Stray‐light is small, due to telecentricity, but even the residual can be removed through deconvolution by a point‐spread‐function. For benchmarking, the mean 3D passing NDD (normalized dose distribution) rate (3%, 3mm, 5% dose threshold) over the benchmark data sets was 97.3% ± 0.6% (range 96%–98%), which is on par with other planar dosimeters used in external beam radiation therapy indicating excellent agreement. Noise was low at <2% of maximum dose (4–12 Gy) for 2 mm reconstructions. The telecentric design was critical to enabling fast imaging with minimal stray‐light artifacts.

Conclusions:

This work presents the first comprehensive benchmarking of a 3D dosimetry system for clinical use. The DLOS/PRESAGE benchmark tests show consistently good agreement to simple known distributions. The system produces accurate isotropic 2 mm dose data over clinical volumes (e.g., 16 cm diameter phantoms, 12 cm height), in under 15 min. It represents a uniquely useful and versatile new tool for commissioning and verification of complex therapy treatments.
AMPHICHEIRAL LINKS WITH SPECIAL PROPERTIES, II
Authors: KADOKAMI TERUHISA
Published: August 2011

We determine prime amphicheiral links with at least two components and up to 11 crossings. There are 27 such links. We check also special amphicheiralities. Most of prime links with up to 11 crossings are detected not to be amphicheiral by a condition on the Jones polynomial. For the rest links, we applied conditions from the Alexander polynomial. We added new necessary conditions for a special case.
SYMMETRIC QUANDLE COLORINGS FOR SPATIAL GRAPHS AND HANDLEBODY-LINKS
Authors: JANG YEONHEE , OSHIRO KANAKO
Published: August 2011

In this paper, colorings by symmetric quandles for spatial graphs and handlebody-links are introduced. We also introduce colorings by LH-quandles for LH-links. LH-links are handlebody-links, some of whose circle components are specified, which are related to Heegaard splittings of link exteriors. We also discuss quandle (co)homology groups and cocycle invariants.
3-ADJACENCY RELATION OF TWO-BRIDGE KNOTS AND LINKS
Authors: TORISU ICHIRO
Published: August 2011

We show that there is no non-trivial 3-adjacency relation between two-bridge knots or links. As an application of our proof argument, we also show that if a knot K is 3-adjacent to a two-bridge knot or fibered knot K′, then K and K′ have the same determinant.