bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review
Authors: Gärdenfors Peter
Published: July 2010

Book reviewed in this article:

DANIELSSON, SVEN. TWO papers on rationality and group preferences. Filosofiska studier utgivna av Filosofiska Foreningen och filosofiska institutionen vid Uppsala Universitet, nr 21. Uppsala 1974
The Repugnant Conclusion and the Welfare of Actual People
Authors: Räikkä Juha
Published: July 2010

Abstract: According to Derek Parfit's well‐known argument, a version of utilitarian moral theory implies the so‐called Repugnant Conclusion. This version of utilitarianism states that other things being equal, it is better if there is a greater total sum of whatever makes life worth living. This view appears to implicate that a world where there is an immense total sum of whatever makes life worth living but where individual people have an exceedingly low quality of life is better than a world where there are considerably less people and a smaller total sum of whatever makes life worth living but where individual people have a high quality of life. Parfit finds the conclusion hard to accept. However, a Swedish philosopher Torbjörn Tännsjö has recently replied to Parfit, arguing that, in fact, the Repugnant Conclusion is perfectly acceptable. Tännsjö's reply, in turn, has been criticized by another Swede, Gustaf Arrhenius. In my paper I evaluate both Tännsjö's reply and Arrhenius' criticism and find both of them insufficient.
Good for whom?
Authors: HOLTUG NILS
Published: July 2010

Abstract According to the Levelling Down Objection, (teleological) egalitarianism implausibly implies that it can be in one respect good to bring about equality, even if no‐one benefits from it. Larry Temkin has argued that this objection presupposes a principle he calls the ‘Slogan’. And he has raised two objections to this principle. According to the first, the Slogan gets us into trouble when applied to the so‐called Non‐Identity Problem. According to the second, the Slogan cannot be supported by a substantial theory of well‐being. Against this, I argue that if suitably (and plausibly) modified, the Slogan does not get us into trouble when applied to the Non‐Identity Problem. And I argue that Temkin's case for thinking that the Slogan cannot be supported is hardly conclusive.
The Size of Inequality and Its Badness Some reflections around Temkin's Inequality
Authors: RABINOWICZ WLODEK
Published: July 2010

Abstract This paper puts forward the following claims: (i) The size of inequality in welfare should be distinguished from its badness. (ii) The size of a pairwise inequality between two individuals can be measured by the absolute or the relative welfare distance between their welfare levels, but it does not depend on the welfare levels of other individuals. (iii) The size of inequality in a social state may be understood either as the degree of pairwise inequality or as its amount. (iv) The badness of a pairwise inequality may differ from its size in several ways; for example, the badness measure might go by the distance between priority‐transformed welfare levels and/or it might assign heavier weight to larger distances. (v) The badness of a pairwise inequality may be either personal or impersonal, with the personal interpretation being internally consistent and, pace Temkin, independently tenable even if we reject the so‐called Slogan (i.e., the Person‐Affecting Claim). (vi) The aggregation procedure by which we arrive from the badness of pairwise inequalities to the badness of the inequality in a social state takes different forms depending on whether the badness of a pairwise inequality is interpreted in a personal or in an impersonal way. (vii) Since Temkin's complaint‐based measures of the badness of inequality follow the format appropriate for the personal interpretation, they seem out of place if one, like him, treats the badness of inequality as an impersonal value.
Reviews
Authors: Johansson Lars‐Göran
Published: July 2010

MARIA CARLA GALAVOTTI, PATRIK SUPPES and DOMENICO CONSTANTI:Stochastic Causality
A Second Form of Argument from Analogy
Authors: WREEN MICHAEL J.
Published: July 2010

Abstract: One form of argument from analogy is identified and Stephen Barker's remarks about a second kind of argument from analogy, non‐inductive (and non‐deductive) argument from analogy, are used as a springboard to identify a second form. That form is then refined, explained, exemplified, and related to the first form. It is argued that there is a spectrum of different forms of argument from analogy, with the two forms identified being end points on the spectrum. Except in terms of form, however, there is no reason to speak of two different kinds of argument from analogy.
Social Strategies of Family Formation: Urban Rural, Size‐of‐City, Provincial and Major City Variations Among Canadian Female Cohorts
Authors: Matras Judah
Published: July 2010

Utilisant des données statistiques relatives à des cohortes de femmes canadiennes, l'auteur traite de la stratègic sociale de la formation de la famille sous trois chefs: au sein de chaque cohorte, il fait un éventail de l'âge lors du premier manage, il établit la proportion du contrôle de la fécondité et, le cas éehéant, du nombre total des naissances. Il s'agit de cohortes de naissance selon que le lieu de résidence est rural ou urbain, selon la province et l'importance de la ville en 1941. Des données sont aussi fournies pour chaeune de vingt‐sept villes d'une population de 30,000 et plus en 1941. Chacune des cohortes de naissance varie quant à divers aspects de la stratégie de la formation de la famille selon la ville et l'unité géographique traitées; le lieu de l'habitat introduit aussi des variations diachroniques, si l'on compare la proportion des cas où le contrôle de la fécondité s'exerce et le niveau de contrôle manifesté.
Isolated metastasis to the gallbladder from hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Murakami Masahiro , Kobayashi Shogo , Marubashi Shigeru , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Takeda Yutaka , Tanemura Masahiro , Wada Hiroshi , Umeshita Koji , Kennichi Wakasa , Doki Yuichiro , Mori Masaki , Nagano Hiroaki
Published: July 2010

Aim:  Metastasis to gallbladder (GB) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rare, and it is difficult to determine indications for surgery. We report eight cases of synchronous isolated GB metastasis, and analyze their features retrospectively.

Methods:  Among 439 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy from 1998 to 2008 at our institution, 393 (89.5%) underwent concurrent cholecystectomy.

Results:  Among them, eight (1.8%) had GB metastasis without other distant metastases. None of these cases showed evidence of direct invasion. All cases had advanced portal vein thrombus (PVTT) and their main tumor located near the GB bed. Five cases had apparent tumor mass in the GB wall, and the other three cases had only tumor thrombus in the GB veins. Six cases were treated postoperatively with local infusion therapy with interferon, and three of them showed long‐term survival.

Conclusion:  Our eight cases of GB metastasis from HCC were closely related to PVTT. Surgical resection and multimodal treatment would be necessary for long‐term survival in cases with isolated GB metastasis.
Fundamental domains for genus-zero and genus-one congruence subgroups
Authors: Cummins C. J.
Published: July 2010

In this paper, we compute Ford fundamental domains for all genus-zero and genus-one congruence subgroups. This is a continuation of previous work, which found all such groups, including ones that are not subgroups of PSL(2,ℤ). To compute these fundamental domains, an algorithm is given that takes the following as its input: a positive square-free integer f, which determines a maximal discrete subgroup Γ0(f)+ of SL(2,ℝ); a decision procedure to determine whether a given element of Γ0(f)+ is in a subgroup G; and the index of G in Γ0(f)+. The output consists of: a fundamental domain for G, a finite set of bounding isometric circles; the cycles of the vertices of this fundamental domain; and a set of generators of G. The algorithm avoids the use of floating-point approximations. It applies, in principle, to any group commensurable with the modular group. Included as appendices are: MAGMA source code implementing the algorithm; data files, computed in a previous paper, which are used as input to compute the fundamental domains; the data computed by the algorithm for each of the congruence subgroups of genus zero and genus one; and an example, which computes the fundamental domain of a non-congruence subgroup.
Genotypic variation in Polygonum pensylvanicum: nutrient effects on plant growth and aphid infestation
Authors: Mabry C. M. , Jasieński M. , Coleman J. S. , Bazzaz F. A.
Published: July 2010

Variation in the performance of 20 genotypes of Polygonum pensylvanicum under two nutrient treatments was studied in a garden experiment. Nutrient fertilization enhanced vegetative biomass and fruit biomass production, but did not result in significant genotype–environment interactions, suggesting that nutrient variation of the range used in the experiment has little potential as a microevolutionary factor in this species. Leaf nitrogen concentration was not affected by a nutrient pulse. The degree of transient aphid infestation that occurred during the experiment had a weak positive correlation with final reproductive biomass of plants. Mean density of aphids per leaf was negatively correlated with percent leaf nitrogen and was not affected by genotypic identity of host plants. Key words: Polygonum pensylvanicum, genotype–environment interaction, phenotypic plasticity, aphids, nutrients.
Environmental and nutritional factors affecting the in vitro inhibition of the vegetative growth of Venturia inaequalis by five antagonistic fungi
Authors: Ouimet A. , Carisse O. , Neumann P.
Published: July 2010

The environmental (temperature, pH, and light) and nutritional (carbon sources) factors that affect the inhibition of mycelial growth of Venturia inaequalis by five fungi (Aureobasidium sp. (P26A), unidentified fungus (P28A), Phoma sp. (P59A), Phoma sp. (P66A), and Ophiostoma sp. (P164A)) were evaluated. Cold temperatures slightly reduced the inhibition of V. inaequalis by Phoma sp. (P66A). A neutral pH increased the inhibition by the unidentified isolates and by a Phoma sp. (P66A). Continuous darkness enhanced the inhibition of the pathogen by the isolate Aureobasidium sp., and continuous light favored the inhibition by the Phoma sp. (P66A). The conidial germination of V. inaequalis was significantly reduced by all the isolates, and the inhibition was stronger closer to the fungal colony. Ophiostoma sp. inhibited 100% of the pathogen's growth regardless of temperature, pH, and light regime. Only the presence of peptone in the medium diminished the inhibition by 8%. Since Ophiostoma sp. strongly inhibited V. inaequalis (92–100% inhibition) and was not influenced by environmental and nutritional conditions, this fungal isolate could be considered in the development of a biocontrol agent against the apple scab pathogen. Key words: apple scab, biological control, environment, nutrition.
Forme de la plantule et architecture de quelques hêtres, chiliens (Nothofagus) et chinois (Fagus)
Authors: Thiébaut B. , Bodin A. , Sérey I. , Druelle J.-L. , Li J. , Rechain J.
Published: July 2010

Before studying the inter- and intra-specific plasticity of 13 species of beech from Chile and China, it is necessary to describe precisely their basic architectural model. All these species conform to Troll's architectural model, as the other beech species described so far in North America, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand. This study thus extends the previous observations to new species and allows to bring more precision to definitions of some complex morphological characters of the Troll model: shape of seedlings, transformation of orthotropic axis to plagiotropic axis, differentiated or undifferentiated annual shoots, and growth process of the upper part of the main stem. Key words: Fagus, Nothofagus, morphology, architecture, growth, Chile, China.
Colletogloeopsis, a new coelomycete genus to accommodate anamorphs of two species of Mycosphaerella on Eucalyptus
Authors: Crous P. W. , Wingfield M. J.
Published: July 2010

Species in Colletogloeopsis are characterized by having acervular conidiomata, and brown, verruculose, thick-walled, aseptate conidia that are formed on brown, verruculose conidiogenous cells that proliferate sympodially or percurrently. Colletogloeum nubilosum, the anamorph of Mycosphaerella cryptica, is transferred to Colletogloeopsis. Colletogloeopsis molleriana is described for the anamorph of Mycosphaerella molleriana, formed from single ascospore isolations obtained from collections of Eucalyptus globulus leaves from Portugal and California, United States. Mycosphaerella molleriana is redescribed and distinguished from Mycosphaerella nubilosa, which was earlier regarded to be synonymous with the former. Key words: Colletogloeum, Mycosphaerella leaf blotch, systematics.
Late Quaternary paleoenvironments and growth of intrusive ice in eastern Beringia (Eagle River valley, northern Yukon, Canada)
Authors: Lauriol Bernard , Lacelle Denis , St-Jean Mélanie , Clark Ian D. , Zazula Grant D.
Published: July 2010

In this study, the sediments exposed in a fluvial terrace and in the headwall of a thaw slump in the Eagle River valley, northern Yukon, provide new data about the timing of flooding of glacial Lake Old Crow, the formation of massive ground ice bodies, and the vegetation and the fauna in eastern Beringia during the late Quaternary. The stratigraphy and radiocarbon ages establish the following chronology of events: (1) a gravel fluvial terrace was deposited by an overflow from glacial Lake Hughes into glacial Lake Old Crow; (2) a carbonate silty clay was deposited during the maximum level of glacial Lake Old Crow at 15 12014C year BP; (3) permafrost and large intrusive ice bodies aggraded through the glaciolacustrine and underlying sediments following the drainage of glacial Lake Old Crow from the site; (4) at 11 29014C year BP, a shrub–sedge tundra colonized an uneven surface deformed by the bodies of ground ice; (5) a thaw lake drained at 673014C year BP after flooding the site; (6) during the early Holocene and from the previous major event onwards, material from the slope nearby the site buried the previous organic and inorganic sediment and the ice bodies; and (7) a bison (Bison) vertebra with conspicuous cut marks was dated to 12 210 ± 7014C year BP. The age from the bison bone is amongst the most recent of the late Pleistocene bison specimens yet found in eastern Beringia.
Ecosystem development in the Girdwood area, south-central Alaska, following late Wisconsin glaciation
Authors: Ager T. A. , Carrara P. E. , McGeehin J. P.
Published: July 2010

Pollen analysis of two cores with discontinuous records from a peat bog near Girdwood, in south-central Alaska, provides the basis for reconstructing the first radiocarbon-dated outline of postglacial history of vegetation in the upper Turnagain Arm area of Cook Inlet. Pollen data from clayey silt underlying peat at one site indicate that the earliest known vegetation in the Girdwood area was shrub–herb tundra. Tundra vegetation developed by ∼13 800 cal years BP, soon after local retreat of glacial ice from the maximum position of the Elmendorf glacial advance (∼15 000 – 11 000 cal years BP). By ∼10 900 cal years BP, the tundra vegetation became shrubbier as Betula nana , Salix , and Ericales increased, and scattered Alnus shrubs began to colonize Turnagain Arm. By ∼9600 cal years BP, Alnus thickets with Polypodiaceae ferns became the dominant vegetation. By ∼6600 cal years BP, birch trees ( Betula neoalaskana , B. kenaica ) from the Anchorage and Kenai lowlands began to spread eastward into eastern Turnagain Arm. Mountain hemlock ( Tsuga mertensiana ) began to colonize the Girdwood area by ∼3400 cal years BP, followed soon after by Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis ), both Pacific coastal forest species that spread westward from Prince William Sound after a long migration from southeastern Alaska. For at least the past 2700 cal years, Pacific coastal forest composed mostly of Tsuga mertensiana , Picea sitchensis , and Alnus has been the dominant vegetation of eastern Turnagain Arm.
Sediment sources and dispersion as revealed by single-grain 40Ar/39Ar ages of detrital muscovite from Carboniferous and Cretaceous rocks in mainland Nova ScotiaGeological Survey of Canada contribution 20090289.
Authors: Reynolds Peter H. , Pe-Piper Georgia , Piper David J.W.
Published: July 2010

Single-grain ages of detrital muscovite from 15 sand(stone) samples from the Lower Carboniferous Horton Group and the Lower Cretaceous Chaswood Formation of central Nova Scotia were used to infer the nature of the Early Carboniferous unroofing of the Meguma terrane and the reworking of Carboniferous rocks in the Early Cretaceous. In the western Windsor Basin, a sample from the oldest Horton Group rocks yielded ages principally between ca. 400 and 380 Ma, suggesting that most of the muscovite present came from the metamorphic rocks of the Meguma terrane but was variably reset by the intrusion of the South Mountain Batholith at ca. 380 Ma. Other samples in this part of the basin show partial post-depositional resetting. Younger Horton Group metamorphic rocks in the eastern Windsor Basin contain many grains with ages of ca. 370–360 Ma, suggesting derivation from the central core of the South Mountain Batholith or the Musquodoboit Pluton. Horton Group sandstones from the western part of the St. Marys Basin contain muscovite derived from the Liscomb Complex along with metamorphic muscovite variably reset by the intrusion of this complex. In general, our data suggest predominant northward dispersion of muscovite from the Meguma terrane to the Horton Group and a lack of axial transport along the Horton grabens through central Nova Scotia, a pattern compatible with tectonic models in which the Meguma terrane is ramped over the Avalon terrane. Muscovite ages obtained for the Chaswood Formation compare well with those from the Horton Group rocks in the western St. Marys Basin. These rocks may have been exposed to rapid erosion by reactivation of the Cobequid–Chedabucto fault zone in the Early Cretaceous and the resulting sediments were perhaps transported to depositional sites along northeast-trending faults. Unlike the detrital monazites in these rocks, there is no evidence that any of the detrital muscovites came from distal sources outside the Meguma terrane.
An extensive late Cenozoic terrestrial record of multiple glaciations preserved in the Tintina Trench of west-central Yukon: stratigraphy, paleomagnetism, paleosols, and pollenThis is a companion paper to Barendregt et al., also in this issue.Geological Survey of Canada Contribution 20100035.
Authors: Duk-Rodkin Alejandra , Barendregt René W. , White James M.
Published: July 2010

The Tintina Trench in west-central Yukon is a late Miocene graben formed along the antecedent early Tertiary Tintina fault. Since its formation the trench has served as a sediment trap for alluvial and glacial deposits. An extensive record of preglacial, glacial, and interglacial sediments spanning the late Pliocene to late Pleistocene has been preserved and is exposed today in modern landslide scars. This sedimentary record comprises multiple sequences of tills, outwash, mudflows, loess, and paleosols. The glacial sediments are the product of both local (montane) and regional (Cordilleran) ice advances that channeled into the trench, while loess and well-developed paleosols (brunisols and luvisols) reflect nonglacial and interglacial conditions, respectively. The Tintina Trench exposures provide the most complete record of glaciations for the region. Paleomagnetism, paleosols, and palynology provide age constraints for the geological events. A formal stratigraphic nomenclature is proposed for this region. The name West Tintina Trench Allogroup is assigned to the glacial–interglacial and nonglacial strata that occurs above a major regional Miocene–Pliocene unconformity. The allogroup spans the late Pliocene (3.6 Ma) to middle Pleistocene (0.126 Ma), based on magnetostratigraphy and pollen data. The sequence includes an alluvial deposit at the base, overlain by an extensive sequence of tills and outwash, and capped by loess. Paleosols and weathering horizons occur throughout the sequence. Tintina Trench; Beringia; glacial chronology; magnetostratigraphy; early and middle Pleistocene; Yukon paleoenvironments; Yukon paleosols; Yukon pollen; North American glaciations; West Tintina Trench Allogroup.
Alkali production associated with malolactic fermentation by oral streptococci and protection against acid, oxidative, or starvation damage
Authors: Sheng Jiangyun , Baldeck Jeremiah D. , Nguyen Phuong T.M. , Quivey Robert G. , Marquis Robert E.
Published: July 2010

Alkali production by oral streptococci is considered important for dental plaque ecology and caries moderation. Recently, malolactic fermentation (MLF) was identified as a major system for alkali production by oral streptococci, including Streptococcus mutans . Our major objectives in the work described in this paper were to further define the physiology and genetics of MLF of oral streptococci and its roles in protection against metabolic stress damage. l-Malic acid was rapidly fermented to l-lactic acid and CO2by induced cells of wild-type S. mutans, but not by deletion mutants for mleS (malolactic enzyme) or mleP (malate permease). Mutants for mleR (the contiguous regulator gene) had intermediate capacities for MLF. Loss of capacity to catalyze MLF resulted in loss of capacity for protection against lethal acidification. MLF was also found to be protective against oxidative and starvation damage. The capacity of S. mutans to produce alkali from malate was greater than its capacity to produce acid from glycolysis at low pH values of 4 or 5. MLF acted additively with the arginine deiminase system for alkali production by Streptococcus sanguinis , but not with urease of Streptococcus salivarius . Malolactic fermentation is clearly a major process for alkali generation by oral streptococci and for protection against environmental stresses.
A method for rapid isolation of total RNA of high purity and yield from Arthrospira platensis
Authors: Pathak Ravi Ramesh , Lochab Sunila
Published: July 2010

Arthrospira ( Spirulina ) platensis is widely used as a food supplement and has been an economically important species for centuries. However, the genetic aspect of studies of this particular organism has always been neglected, mainly because of the nonavailability of suitable methods for isolation of nucleic acids and the difficulties faced during further manipulations. Although total RNA has been isolated using commercially available kits, we present a method optimized to obtain DNA-free total RNA of higher yields and higher purity in less time than is required by other methods (<2 h). It involves hot phenol – chloroform – IAA extraction using an aqueous to organic phase ratio of 1:2 followed by lithium chloride precipitation and 70% ethanol wash. This method, optimized for the cyanobacterium Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis, eliminates the need for DNase treatment and produces high-quality RNA, as validated by bioanalyzer, RT–PCR, and cloning. With the recent release of the Arthrospira genome, the current method will be of great value for carrying out high-throughput studies like microarray and real-time PCR.
Chronic ethanol consumption enhances sensitivity to Ca2+-mediated opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore and increases cyclophilin D in liver
Authors: King Adrienne L. , Swain Telisha M. , Dickinson Dale A. , Lesort Mathieu J. , Bailey Shannon M.
Published: July 2010

Chronic ethanol consumption increases mitochondrial oxidative stress and sensitivity to form the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP). The mechanism responsible for increased MPTP sensitivity in ethanol-exposed mitochondria and its relation to mitochondrial Ca2+handling is unknown. Herein, we investigated whether increased sensitivity to MPTP induction in liver mitochondria from ethanol-fed rats compared with controls is related to an ethanol-dependent change in mitochondrial Ca2+accumulation. Liver mitochondria were isolated from control and ethanol-fed rats, and Ca2+-mediated induction of the MPTP and mitochondrial Ca2+retention capacity were measured. Levels of proposed MPTP proteins as well as select pro- and antiapoptotic proteins were measured along with gene expression. We observed increased steatosis and TUNEL-stained nuclei in liver of ethanol-fed rats compared with controls. Liver mitochondria from ethanol-fed rats had increased levels of proapoptotic Bax protein and reduced Ca2+retention capacity compared with control mitochondria. We observed increased cyclophilin D (Cyp D) gene expression in liver and protein in mitochondria from ethanol-fed animals compared with controls, whereas there was no change in the adenine nucleotide translocase and voltage-dependent anion channel. Together, these results suggest that enhanced sensitivity to Ca2+-mediated MPTP induction may be due, in part, to higher Cyp D levels in liver mitochondria from ethanol-fed rats. Therefore, therapeutic strategies aimed at normalizing Cyp D levels may be beneficial in preventing ethanol-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction and liver injury.
The Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-C/EBP Homologous Protein Pathway-Mediated Apoptosis in Macrophages Contributes to the Instability of Atherosclerotic Plaques
Authors: Tsukano Hiroto , Gotoh Tomomi , Endo Motoyoshi , Miyata Keishi , Tazume Hirokazu , Kadomatsu Tsuyoshi , Yano Masato , Iwawaki Takao , Kohno Kenji , Araki Kimi , Mizuta Hiroshi , Oike Yuichi
Published: July 2010

Objective—

To elucidate whether and how the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) pathway in macrophages is involved in the rupture of atherosclerotic plaques.

Methods and Results—

Increases in macrophage-derived foam cell death in coronary atherosclerotic plaques cause the plaque to become vulnerable, thus resulting in acute coronary syndrome. The ER stress–CHOP/growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible gene-153 (GADD153) pathway is induced in the macrophage-derived cells in atherosclerotic lesions and is involved in plaque formation. However, the role of CHOP in the final stage of atherosclerosis has not been fully elucidated. Many CHOP-expressing macrophages showed apoptosis in advanced ruptured atherosclerotic lesions in wild-type mice, whereas few apoptotic cells were observed in
Chop
−/−
mice. The rupture of atherosclerotic plaques was significantly reduced in high cholesterol–fed
Chop
−/−
/
Apoe
−/−
mice compared with

Chop
+/+

/
Apoe
−/−
mice. Furthermore, using mice that underwent bone marrow transplantation, we showed that expression of CHOP in macrophages significantly contributes to the formation of ruptures. By using primary cultured macrophages, we further showed that unesterified free cholesterol derived from incorporated denatured low-density lipoprotein was accumulated in the ER and induced ER stress-mediated apoptosis in a CHOP-Bcl2-associated X protein (Bax) pathway-dependent manner.

Conclusion—

The ER stress-CHOP-Bax–mediated apoptosis in macrophages contributes to the instability of atherosclerotic plaques.
Identification of a Novel Macrophage Phenotype That Develops in Response to Atherogenic Phospholipids via Nrf2
Authors: Kadl Alexandra , Meher Akshaya K. , Sharma Poonam R. , Lee Monica Y. , Doran Amanda C. , Johnstone Scott R. , Elliott Michael R. , Gruber Florian , Han Jenny , Chen Wenshu , Kensler Thomas , Ravichandran Kodi S. , Isakson Brant E. , Wamhoff Brian R. , Leitinger Norbert
Published: July 2010

Rationale:

Macrophages change their phenotype and biological functions depending on the microenvironment. In atherosclerosis, oxidative tissue damage accompanies chronic inflammation; however, macrophage phenotypic changes in response to oxidatively modified molecules are not known.

Objective:

To examine macrophage phenotypic changes in response to oxidized phospholipids that are present in atherosclerotic lesions.

Methods and Results:

We show that oxidized phospholipid-treated murine macrophages develop into a novel phenotype (Mox) that is strikingly different from the conventional M1 and M2 macrophage phenotypes. Compared to M1 and M2, Mox macrophages show a different gene expression pattern, as well as decreased phagocytotic and chemotactic capacity. Treatment with oxidized phospholipids induces both M1 and M2 macrophages to switch to the Mox phenotype. Whole-genome expression array analysis and subsequent gene ontology clustering revealed that the Mox phenotype was characterized by abundant overrepresentation of Nrf2-mediated expression of redox-regulatory genes. In macrophages isolated from Nrf2
−/−
mice, oxidized phospholipid-induced gene expression and regulation of redox status were compromised. Moreover, we found that Mox macrophages comprise 30% of all macrophages in advanced atherosclerotic lesions of low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLR
−/−
) mice.

Conclusions:

Together, we identify Nrf2 as a key regulator in the formation of a novel macrophage phenotype (Mox) that develops in response to oxidative tissue damage. The unique biological properties of Mox macrophages suggest this phenotype may play an important role in atherosclerotic lesion development as well as in other settings of chronic inflammation.
Endovascular Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke May Be Safely Performed With No Time Window Limit in Appropriately Selected Patients
Authors: Abou-Chebl Alex
Published: July 2010

Background and Purpose—

The traditional time window for acute ischemic stroke intra-arterial therapy (IAT) is <6 hours, which is based on pharmacological thrombolysis without penumbral imaging. This study was conducted to determine the safety of patient selection for IAT based on perfusion mismatch rather than time.

Methods—

A cohort of consecutive patients treated with IAT was identified by database review. Patients were selected for IAT based on the presence of perfusion mismatch using CT perfusion or MRI regardless of stroke duration. Thrombolytics were minimized after 6 hours in favor of mechanical embolectomy or angioplasty±stenting. Outcomes (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, modified Rankin Scale) were assessed by independent examiners. A multivariate analysis was performed to compare those treated <6 hours (early) with those treated >6 hours (late).

Results—

Fifty-five patients (mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale=19.7±5.7) were treated, 34 early and 21 late, with mean time-to-intervention of 3.4±1.6 hours and 18.6±16.0 hours, respectively. Thrombolysis In Myocardial Ischemia 2 or 3 recanalization was achieved in 82.8% early and 85.7% late patients (
P
=1.0). Intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in 25.5% overall, but symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in 8.8% of the early and 9.5% of the late patients (
P
=1.0). Thirty-day mortality was similar (29.4% versus 23.8%,
P
=0.650). At 3 months, 41.2% and 42.9%, respectively, achieved a modified Rankin Scale ≤2 (
P
=0.902). Only presenting National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was a predictor of modified Rankin Scale ≤2 (OR 0.794[95% CI 0.68 to 0.92],
P
=0.009) and death (adjusted OR 1.29[95% CI 1.04 to 1.59],
P
=0.019).

Conclusions—

In appropriately selected patients, IAT for acute ischemic stroke can be performed safely regardless of stroke duration. The concept of an acute ischemic stroke treatment window for IAT should be re-evaluated with a clinical trial selecting patients with perfusion mismatch.
Reflux Esophagitis and the Risk of Stroke in Young Adults
Authors: Sheu Jau-Jiuan , Kang Jiunn-Horng , Lou Horng-Yuan , Lin Herng-Ching
Published: July 2010

Background and Purpose—

Reflux esophagitis (RE) is the most common manifestation of gastro-esophageal reflux disease with esophageal injury. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no specific study to evaluate the risk of stroke after diagnosis of RE in young adults. This study aims to evaluate the risk of stroke among RE patients aged 18 to 50 years during a 1-year period after diagnosis of RE compared to a cohort of non-RE patients during the same period.

Methods—

This study used the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005. A total of 2340 RE patients were included as the study cohort and 11 700 non-RE patients were included as the comparison cohort. Each patient was individually tracked for 1 year from the index ambulatory visit to identify those in whom stroke developed.

Results—

Out of the sample of 14 040 patients, 78 patients (0.56%) had strokes develop during the 1-year follow-up period: 22 from the study cohort (0.94% of the RE patients) and 56 from the comparison cohort (0.48% of patients without RE). Patients with RE were 1.68-times more likely to have strokes develop (95% confidence interval, 1.03–2.76) than patients in the comparison cohort during the follow-up period after adjusting for patients’ medical comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, renal disease, heart failure, and hyperlipidemia, as well as their demographic differences, such as the level of urbanization of their communities, monthly income, and geographical location.

Conclusions—

We conclude that RE is associated with an increased risk of subsequent stroke in young adults.
African Home Associations in Britain: Between Political Belonging and Moral Conviviality
Authors: Mercer Claire , Page Ben
Published: July 2010

This paper argues that significant analytical and political possibilities for thinking about the African diaspora in Britain are opened up by shifting the analytical lens from ethnicity to place. Drawing on recent research with Cameroonian and Tanzanian home associations in Britain we suggest that the concept of a ‘progressive politics of place’, which distinguishes between ‘political belonging’ and ‘moral conviviality’, can help us to explore the morality of convivial relations in the African diaspora. We highlight the ways in which home associations provide space for debate about what is an intrinsically good way to live together in the diaspora. However, if moral conviviality is about debating the right and wrong ways of living together in a place, then we need to think explicitly about the places inhabited by the diaspora. The paper addresses the ways in which home associations provide a space not only for debate among members, but also a forum for debating how to live in Britain.
Age Differences in Orofacial Sensory Thresholds
Authors: Heft M.W. , Robinson M.E.
Published: July 2010

Declines in sensory functioning with aging are evident for many of the senses. In the present study, thresholds were determined for somatosensory (warming and cooling temperature, pain, touch, and two-point discrimination) and taste stimuli in 178 healthy individuals aged 20-89 yrs. Somatosensory stimuli were applied to the upper lip (glabrous skin) and the chin (hairy skin). The sample was divided into two groups, based on a bimodal split “< 45 yrs” and “≥ 65 yrs”. In all instances, there were elevations in thresholds for the older individuals. Further, males were less sensitive than females for cool at the chin site, for touch, and for sour taste. We conclude that there are elevations in sensory thresholds with age for multimodal somatosensory and gustatory senses.
Graded Zirconia Glass for Resistance to Veneer Fracture
Authors: Zhang Y. , Kim J.-W.
Published: July 2010

Failures of zirconia-based all-ceramic restorations appear to be predominantly chips and fractures in the porcelain veneer, from occlusally induced sliding contact damage. We hypothesized that such failure may be substantially mitigated by controlled grading of the elastic modulus at the ceramic surface. In this study, we fabricated graded structures by infiltrating glass into zirconia plates, resulting in improved aesthetics and diminished modulus at the surfaces. Individual plates were then embedded in epoxy or cemented to dental composites and subjected to single- or multi-cycle sliding contact. Plates of porcelain-veneered zirconia and monolithic zirconia served as controls. Graded zirconia-glass structures exhibited over 3 times better resistance to single-cycle sliding damage than monolithic zirconia and 25 times better than veneered zirconia, and had a fatigue sliding damage resistance comparable with that of monolithic zirconia. These zirconia-glass materials can be engineered in shades from white to yellow, and have potentially better cementation properties than homogeneous zirconia.
The Embodied Soldier: Towards a New Epistemological Foundation of Soldiering Skills in the (Post) Modernized Norwegian Armed Forces
Authors: Sookermany Anders McD
Published: July 2010

The transformation of the Armed Forces is changing our understanding of what good soldiering skills are. The ongoing (post) modernization process aims to develop military communities of practice that are ready, willing, and able to serve and fight anyone, anywhere, and anytime on a regular basis. As a consequence, many Western countries such as Norway are witnessing a radical shift from an invasion defense-based concept grounded on conscription toward a more flexible expeditionary force-based defense concept that emphasizes professionalism. As such, it follows the typology of a change from a modern to a postmodern military. The understanding of the soldier as a human body is of great interest in this context since it is the individual (the soldier) who is to bring this transformation to life through his or her military (bodily) actions/skills within the military community of practice of which he or she is a member. This study describes and interprets the consequences of the ongoing military transformation with regard to the view of the human body so as to better understand the epistemological foundation for good soldiering skills.
Gender role and the use of university library website resources: A social cognitive theory perspective
Authors: Kim Yong-Mi
Published: July 2010

Existing studies have reported that significant gender differences exist in the use of technology. For example, males have higher levels of computer self-efficacy, which enable them to utilize technology more so than their counterparts. This difference could create a potential disparity in the benefits of the utilization of university library website resources (ULWR). The findings of this study show that male and female users’ computer self-efficacy is very different. Female users have lower levels of computer self-efficacy and subsequently, their intention to use ULWR is derived from a website’s ease-of-use. In contrast, male users’ intentions to use ULWR are derived from the subjective norm, a finding that challenges expectations based on social cognitive theory which posits that females are more likely than males to be influenced by others’ opinions. It is interpreted that males are much more goal- and performance-oriented than females. Detailed theoretical and managerial implications are offered.
Biochemical and Immunohistochemical Characterization of the Amyloid in Canine Amyloid-Producing Odontogenic Tumor
Authors: Hirayama K. , Miyasho T. , Ohmachi T. , Watanabe T. , Yokota H. , Taniyama H.
Published: July 2010

The amyloid of canine amyloid-producing odontogenic tumor (APOT) was evaluated biochemically and immunohistochemically. The N-terminal amino-acid sequence of purified amyloid protein from a canine APOT was strikingly similar to the sequence in both rat ameloblastin and porcine sheathlin. Immunohistochemically, the amyloid in APOT from 9 dogs was strongly reactive with anti-rat ameloblastin, anti-porcine sheathlin, and anti-canine APOT amyloid and weakly reactive with anti-porcine amelogenin but negative for antibodies to cytokeratins, vimentin, desmin, α-smooth muscle actin, amyloid A, glial fibrillary acidic protein, or S100 protein. The neoplastic epithelial cells of APOT were focally reactive with antibodies to ameloblastin, sheathlin, amelogenin, and canine APOT amyloid. The similarity in amino-acid sequence of the amyloid protein of canine APOT to that of enamel proteins, such as ameloblastin, sheathlin, and amelogenin, and the expression of these antigens in both APOT amyloid and in the neoplastic cells suggest that the amyloid of canine APOT is derived from enamel proteins secreted by ameloblasts.
We Must Not Forget What We Once Knew
Authors: Kearney Gina
Published: July 2010

Whether it is adhering to the latest regulatory requirements, measuring performance, evaluating the patient’s experience of care, or preventing pressure ulcers, nothing is more vital to the success of any initiative than the requisite skill and observations of a professional nurse. Yet, for many nurses, getting through the day can be a struggle. Feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, and scattered, reshaping the identity and passion once recognized as an individual’s “calling” to professional nursing leads to poor outcomes for nurses and patients alike. Nursing was not intended to be such a struggle, and many “new” performance indicators contain elements that have been recognized as proper nursing practice throughout the history of the profession. Nurses must be reminded of their rich history and the teachings of Florence Nightingale. This article summarizes one hospital’s experience with a newly developed tool used during nursing orientation. While connecting past and present, both standards and expectations for nursing practice are communicated, leaving nurses feeling supported, validated, and energized.
Effect of pravastatin on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats
Authors: Fujieda Mikiya , Morita Taku , Naruse Keishi , Hayashi Yoshihiro , Ishihara Masayuki , Yokoyama Tadafumi , Toma Tomoko , Ohta Kazuhize , Wakiguchi Hiroshi
Published: July 2010

We investigated whether pravastatin ameliorates renal damage induced by cisplatin (CP). Forty-three male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: rats treated with a control diet for 19 days and saline injection on day 14 (group1), group 1 with pravastatin treatment with 19 days (group 2), group 1 with CP injection on day 14 (group 3), and group 2 with CP injection (group 4). Renal function and serum lipids, renal malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) mRNA expression and activity, and kidney triglyceride (TG) concentrations were measured. Histology was evaluated by light microscopy with immunohistochemistry for p53, p53-upregulated modulation of apoptosis (PUMA), and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. CP induced renal tubular damage with a higher MDA level, increased PUMA expression, p53- and TUNEL-positive cells counts, elevation of serum lipids, and decreased GSH level, GPx mRNA expression, and activity. Pravastatin partially ameliorated CP-induced renal injury, based on suppression of the renal MDA and TG levels, decreased p53 expression, and apoptosis in CP-treated rats. These findings suggest that pravastatin has a partial protective effect against CP nephrotoxicity via antioxidant activity as well as attenuation of the p53 response, and lipid-lowering effects.
Speaking for the Institution: A Fourth Production Site for Group Members’ Influence Attempts
Authors: Sanders Robert E. , Bonito Joseph A.
Published: July 2010

Analysis of the transcript of a jury’s deliberations reveals a fourth production site for influence attempts beyond the three identified by Meyers and Brashers. The fourth site involves influence attempts by jurors to uphold the interests of a particular Court and a particular proceeding, and perhaps the interests of the larger judicial system. This gives the Institution a place at the table as an agent of influence, something that arguably generalizes beyond juries to all task groups embedded within organizations. The main part of the analysis identifies three main functions that were served by making the Institution’s presence at the table felt—directives, correctives of others’ positions and arguments, and justifications of positions and arguments. In addition, the analysis identifies two main ways that participants marked shifts in footing from speaking in their own voice to speaking in the Institution’s voice. The first is the use of direct quotations of the Court’s instructions. The second is the use of modal auxiliaries such as “should” and “need to,” that presuppose an external source of rules and obligations.
Dog-Walking: Motivation for Adherence to a Walking Program
Authors: Johnson Rebecca A. , Meadows Richard L.
Published: July 2010

Healthy People 2010 cited walking as a major health indicator; however, adherence is challenging, especially among those with multiple chronic illnesses. Studies suggest that walking one’s own dog may motivate adherence. However, no research has studied whether walking a “loaner” dog may facilitate adherence. Using a pretest—posttest design, the authors studied adherence to and outcomes of a graduated walking program when 26 public housing residents walked certified therapy dogs with a handler. Participants walked 20 minutes, 5 days/week, for 26 or 50 weeks. In all, 13 participants in the 50-week group had a mean adherence rate of 72% and weight loss of 14.4 pounds ( p = .013). Thirteen participants in the 26-week group had a mean adherence rate of 52% and weight loss of 5 pounds (nonsignificant). Participants’ most commonly stated reason for adherence was that the dogs “need us to walk them.” Commitment to a dog that is not one’s own may effectively facilitate physical activity.
The Psychometric Latent Agreement Model (PLAM) for Discrete Latent Variables Measured by Multiple Items
Authors: Dumenci Levent
Published: July 2010

The Psychometric Latent Agreement Model (PLAM) is proposed for estimating the subpopulation membership of individuals (e.g., satisfactory performers vs. unsatisfactory performers) at discrete levels of multiple latent trait variables. A binary latent Type variable is introduced to take account of the possibility that, for a given set of observed variables, the latent group memberships of some individuals are indeterminate. The latent Type variable allows for separating individuals who can reliably be assigned to satisfactory versus unsatisfactory performers classes from those individuals whose ratings do not contain the necessary information to make the class assignment possible for a particular set of rating items. Agreements among discrete latent trait variables are also estimated. The PLAM was illustrated with two examples using real data on behavioral rating measures. One example involved ratings of two behavioral constructs by a single rater type, whereas the other involved ratings of one construct by three rater types. Implications were presented for using behavioral ratings to determine the subpopulation membership, such as qualified versus unqualified groupings in hiring decisions and pass versus fail groupings in performance evaluations.