bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Root Shock Revisited: Perspectives of Early Head Start Mothers on Community and Policy Environments and Their Effects on Child Health, Development, and School Readiness
Authors: McAllister Carol L. , Thomas Tammy L. , Wilson Patrick C. , Green Beth L.
Published: December 2008

Racial differences in school readiness are a form of health disparity. By examining, from the perspective of low-income minority families participating in an Early Head Start study, community and policy environments as they shape and inform lived experiences, we identified several types of social and economic dislocation that undermine the efforts of parents to ready their children for school.

The multiple dislocations of community triggered by housing and welfare reform and “urban renewal” are sources of stress for parents and children and affect the health and development of young children. Our findings suggest that racial differences in school readiness result not from race but from poverty and structural racism in American society.
Alcohol Environments and Disparities in Exposure Associated With Adolescent Drinking in California
Authors: Truong Khoa Dang , Sturm Roland
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We investigated sociodemographic disparities in alcohol environments and their relationship with adolescent drinking.

Methods. We geocoded and mapped alcohol license data with ArcMap to construct circular buffers centered at 14 595 households with children that participated in the California Health Interview Survey. We calculated commercial sources of alcohol in each buffer. Multivariate logistic regression differentiated the effects of alcohol sales on adolescents' drinking from their individual, family, and neighborhood characteristics.

Results. Alcohol availability, measured by mean and median number of licenses, was significantly higher around residences of minority and lower-income families. Binge drinking and driving after drinking among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years were significantly associated with the presence of alcohol retailers within 0.5 miles of home. Simulation of changes in the alcohol environment showed that if alcohol sales were reduced from the mean number of alcohol outlets around the lowest-income quartile of households to that of the highest quartile, prevalence of binge drinking would fall from 6.4% to 5.6% and driving after drinking from 7.9% to 5.9%.

Conclusions. Alcohol outlets are concentrated in disadvantaged neighborhoods and can contribute to adolescent drinking. To reduce underage drinking, environmental interventions need to curb opportunities for youth to obtain alcohol from commercial sources by tightening licensure, enforcing minimum-age drinking laws, or other measures.
Race, Ethnicity, and Self-Reported Hypertension: Analysis of Data From the National Health Interview Survey, 1997–2005
Authors: Borrell Luisa N.
Published: December 2008

Objective. I estimated the association between race and self-reported hypertension among Hispanics and non-Hispanics and determined whether this association was stronger among non-Hispanics.

Methods. With data from the 1997–2005 National Health Interview Survey, I used logistic regression to estimate the strength of the association between race/ethnicity and self-reported hypertension among US adults.

Results. The overall prevalence of self-reported hypertension was 24.5%, with lower prevalence among Hispanics (16.7%) than among non-Hispanics (25.2%; P < .01). Blacks, regardless of ethnicity, had the highest prevalence. Compared with non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks had 48% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.41, 1.55) greater odds of reporting hypertension; Hispanic Whites had 23% (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.76, 0.88) lower odds. There was no difference in the strength of the association between race and self-reported hypertension observed among non-Hispanics (OR for Blacks = 1.47) and among Hispanics (OR for Blacks = 1.20; for interaction, P = 0.43).

Conclusions. The previously reported hypertension advantage of Hispanics holds for Hispanic Whites only. As Hispanics continue their rapid growth in the United States, race may have important implications on their disease burden, because most US health disparities are driven by race and its socially patterned experiences.
Influence of Life Course Socioeconomic Position on Older Women's Health Behaviors: Findings From the British Women's Heart and Health Study
Authors: Watt Hilary C. , Carson Claire , Lawlor Debbie A. , Patel Rita , Ebrahim Shah
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined the association between health behaviors and socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood and adult life.

Methods. Self-reported diet, smoking, and physical activity were determined among 3523 women aged 60 to 79 years recruited from general practices in 23 British towns from 1999 through 2001.

Results. The most affluent women reported eating more fruit, vegetables, chicken, and fish and less red or processed meat than did less affluent women. Affluent women were less likely to smoke and more likely to exercise. Life course SES did not influence the types of fat, bread, and milk consumed. Adult SES predicted consumption of all foods considered and predicted smoking and physical activity habits independently of childhood SES. Childhood SES predicted fruit and vegetable consumption independently of adult SES and, to a lesser extent, predicted physical activity. Downward social mobility over the life course was associated with poorer diets and reduced physical activity.

Conclusions. Among older women, healthful eating and physical activity were associated with both current and childhood SES. Interventions designed to improve social inequalities in health behaviors should be applied during both childhood and adult life.
Health Among Caregivers of Children With Health Problems: Findings From a Canadian Population-Based Study
Authors: Brehaut Jamie C. , Kohen Dafna E. , Garner Rochelle E. , Miller Anton R. , Lach Lucyna M. , Klassen Anne F. , Rosenbaum Peter L.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We used population-based data to evaluate whether caring for a child with health problems had implications for caregiver health after we controlled for relevant covariates.

Methods. We used data on 9401 children and their caregivers from a population-based Canadian study. We performed analyses to compare 3633 healthy children with 2485 children with health problems. Caregiver health outcomes included chronic conditions, activity limitations, self-reported general health, depressive symptoms, social support, family functioning, and marital satisfaction. Covariates included family (single-parent status, number of children, income adequacy), caregiver (gender, age, education, smoking status, biological relationship to child), and child (age, gender) characteristics.

Results. Logistic regression showed that caregivers of children with health problems had more than twice the odds of reporting chronic conditions, activity limitations, and elevated depressive symptoms, and had greater odds of reporting poorer general health than did caregivers of healthy children.

Conclusions. Caregivers of children with health problems had substantially greater odds of health problems than did caregivers of healthy children. The findings are consistent with the movement toward family-centered services recognizing the link between caregivers' health and health of the children for whom they care.
Effect of Individual or Neighborhood Disadvantage on the Association Between Neighborhood Walkability and Body Mass Index
Authors: Lovasi Gina S. , Neckerman Kathryn M. , Quinn James W. , Weiss Christopher C. , Rundle Andrew
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We sought to test whether the association between walkable environments and lower body mass index (BMI) was stronger within disadvantaged groups that may be particularly sensitive to environmental constraints.

Methods. We measured height and weight in a diverse sample of 13 102 adults living throughout New York City from 2000–2002. Each participant's home address was geocoded and surrounded by a circular buffer with a 1-km radius. The composition and built environment characteristics of these areas were used to predict BMI through the use of generalized estimating equations. Indicators of individual or area disadvantage included low educational attainment, low household income, Black race, and Hispanic ethnicity.

Results. Higher population density, more mixed land use, and greater transit access were most consistently associated with a lower BMI among those with more education or higher incomes and among non-Hispanic Whites. Significant interactions were observed for education, income, race, and ethnicity.

Conclusions. Contrary to expectations, built environment characteristics were less consistently associated with BMI among disadvantaged groups. This pattern may be explained by other barriers to maintaining a healthy weight encountered by disadvantaged groups.
Motor Control Exercise for Persistent, Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review
Authors: Macedo Luciana G , Maher Christopher G , Latimer Jane , McAuley James H
Published: December 2008

Background

Previous systematic reviews have concluded that the effectiveness of motor control exercise for persistent low back pain has not been clearly established.

Objective

The objective of this study was to systematically review randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of motor control exercises for persistent low back pain.

Methods

Electronic databases were searched to June 2008. Pain, disability, and quality-of-life outcomes were extracted and converted to a common 0 to 100 scale. Where possible, trials were pooled using Revman 4.2.

Results

Fourteen trials were included. Seven trials compared motor control exercise with minimal intervention or evaluated it as a supplement to another treatment. Four trials compared motor control exercise with manual therapy. Five trials compared motor control exercise with another form of exercise. One trial compared motor control exercise with lumbar fusion surgery. The pooling revealed that motor control exercise was better than minimal intervention in reducing pain at short-term follow-up (weighted mean difference=−14.3 points, 95% confidence interval [CI]=−20.4 to −8.1), at intermediate follow-up (weighted mean difference=−13.6 points, 95% CI=−22.4 to −4.1), and at long-term follow-up (weighted mean difference=−14.4 points, 95% CI=−23.1 to −5.7) and in reducing disability at long-term follow-up (weighted mean difference=−10.8 points, 95% CI=−18.7 to −2.8). Motor control exercise was better than manual therapy for pain (weighted mean difference=−5.7 points, 95% CI=−10.7 to −0.8), disability (weighted mean difference=−4.0 points, 95% CI=−7.6 to −0.4), and quality-of-life outcomes (weighted mean difference=−6.0 points, 95% CI=−11.2 to −0.8) at intermediate follow-up and better than other forms of exercise in reducing disability at short-term follow-up (weighted mean difference=−5.1 points, 95% CI=−8.7 to −1.4).

Conclusions

Motor control exercise is superior to minimal intervention and confers benefit when added to another therapy for pain at all time points and for disability at long-term follow-up. Motor control exercise is not more effective than manual therapy or other forms of exercise.
Phosphatase and tensin homolog in cerebral cavernous malformation: a potential role in pathological angiogenesis
Authors: Zhu Yuan , Peters Christian , Hallier-Neelsen Monika , Miller Dorothea , Pagenstecher Axel , Bertalanffy Helmut , Sure Ulrich
Published: December 2008

Object

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are the most common vascular malformation of the central nervous system and involve dysregulated angiogenesis. However, the underlying mechanism of this disease is poorly understood. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) plays a crucial role in regulating angiogenesis. The authors attempted to determine whether PTEN is involved in the pathological angiogenesis of CCM.

Methods

The authors used Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical methods to detect the expression of PTEN, PCNA, and P-Akt in the surgical specimens of CCMs and controls. The function of PTEN in cell proliferation was studied after PTEN silencing in endothelial cultures by using the short interfering RNA technique.

Results

Western blot analysis showed significant reduction of PTEN protein expression in CCMs compared with control brain tissue (p < 0.01). Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed PTEN insufficiency in 33% of vascular endothelia of CCMs, which was significantly higher than that of controls (2%, p < 0.01). Furthermore, PTEN insufficiency occurred more frequently in multiple CCMs (44%) and in small lesions (39%) than in single CCMs (28%, p < 0.05) and large lesions (30%, p < 0.05), respectively, suggesting a potential role of PTEN in the progression of the lesions. Of note, a negative correlation was observed between the expression of PTEN and PCNA in CCM endothelial cells. However, Akt was not constitutively activated in CCMs. Using cultured endothelial cells, the authors demonstrated that PTEN silencing by short interfering RNA increased Akt activation, PCNA expression, and cell proliferation (p < 0.001). Surprisingly, the PTEN silencing–mediated increase in endothelial proliferation was not reversed by the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin.

Conclusions

In this study, the authors report for the first time a significant PTEN insufficiency in CCM vessels associated with endothelial proliferation. The in vitro study provides direct evidence for a pivotal role of PTEN in regulating endothelial proliferation, most likely through a PI3K-independent pathway. The authors suggest that PTEN insufficiency is potentially involved in CCM by stimulating angiogenesis.
Serial volumetric assessment of the natural history and growth pattern of incidentally discovered meningiomas
Authors: Hashiba Tetsuo , Hashimoto Naoya , Izumoto Shuichi , Suzuki Tsuyoshi , Kagawa Naoki , Maruno Motohiko , Kato Amami , Yoshimine Toshiki
Published: December 2008

Object

Due to advances in neuroimaging and the increasing use of imaging to screen for brain disease (“brain checkups”), meningiomas are now often detected as an incidental finding. The natural history of these asymptomatic meningiomas remains unclear, however. In this study, the authors investigated the natural history and growth pattern of incidentally detected meningiomas using serial volumetric assessment and regression analysis.

Methods

In 70 patients with incidentally discovered meningiomas who underwent follow-up for longer than 1 year, tumor volumes were calculated volumetrically at each follow-up visit, and tumor growth was determined. In patients with tumor growth, regression analysis was performed to determine the pattern of growth.

Results

Forty-four tumors exhibited growth and 26 did not. In a regression analysis, 16 of the tumors that grew followed an exponential growth pattern and 15 exhibited linear growth patterns. The presence of calcification was the only imaging characteristic that significantly distinguished the group with tumor growth from that without, although no radiological characteristics significantly distinguished the exponential growth group from the linear growth group. Two patients with obvious tumor growth underwent surgical removal and the pathological specimens extracted showed a high proliferative potential.

Conclusions

The authors found that incidentally discovered meningiomas did not always follow an exponential growth pattern but often exhibited more complex patterns of growth. Serial monitoring of tumor volumes and regression analysis may reveal the growth pattern of incidental meningiomas and provide information useful for determining treatment strategy.
Acute vasoconstriction: decrease and recovery of cerebral blood flow after various intensities of experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats
Authors: Westermaier Thomas , Jauss Alina , Eriskat Jörg , Kunze Ekkehard , Roosen Klaus
Published: December 2008

Object

Immediate vasoconstriction after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been observed in a number of experimental studies. However, it has not yet been examined which pattern this acute-type vascular reaction follows and whether it correlates with the intensity of SAH. It was the purpose of the present study to vary the extent of SAH using the endovascular filament model of SAH with increasing filament sizes and to compare the course of intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF).

Methods

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to SAH using the endovascular filament model. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was induced using a 3-0, 4-0, or 5-0 Prolene monofilament (8 rats in each group). Eight animals served as controls. Bilateral rCBF (laser Doppler flowmetry), mean arterial blood pressure, and ICP were continuously monitored. Thereafter, the rats were allowed to wake up. Twenty-four hours later, the animals were killed, their brains were removed, and the extent of SAH was determined.

Results

After induction of SAH, ICP steeply increased while CPP and rCBF rapidly declined in all groups. With increasing size of the filament, the increase of ICP and the decrease of CPP were more pronounced. However, the decline of rCBF exceeded the decline of CPP in all SAH groups. In a number of animals with minor SAH, an oscillating pattern of rCBF was observed during induction of SAH and during early recovery.

Conclusions

The disparity between the decline and recovery of CPP and rCBF suggests that acute vasoconstriction occurs even in SAH of a minor extent. Acute vasoconstriction may contribute significantly to a perfusion deficit in the acute stage after SAH. The oscillating pattern of rCBF in the period of early recovery after SAH resembles the pattern of synchronized vasomotion, which has been thoroughly examined for other vascular territories and may yield therapeutic potential.
Minimal craniotomy and matrix hemostatic sealant for the treatment of spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Gazzeri Roberto , Galarza Marcelo , Neroni Massimiliano , Alfieri Alex , Esposito Stefano
Published: December 2008

The authors describe a minimally invasive technical note for the surgical treatment of primary intracerebral hematoma. Thirty-one patients with supratentorial intracerebral hematomas and no underlying vascular anomalies or bleeding disorders underwent treatment with a single linear skin incision followed by a 3-cm craniotomy. After evacuation of the hematoma, a matrix hemostatic sealant (FloSeal) was injected into the surgical cavity, and immediate hemostasis was achieved in all cases. A second operation was necessary in only 1 case. In this preliminary experience, a small craniotomy combined with FloSeal helped to control operative bleeding, reducing brain exposure and damage to the surrounding tissue while reducing the length of the surgery.
Exophytic giant cell glioblastoma of the medulla oblongata
Authors: Luetjens Goetz , Mirzayan M. Javad , Brandis Almuth , Krauss Joachim K.
Published: December 2008

Giant cell glioblastoma is a rare variant within the spectrum of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors. A giant cell glioblastoma may be associated with a better prognosis than the common type of GBM after combined treatment involving tumor resection and radiochemotherapy. A giant cell glioblastoma may occur at various sites in the brain and spinal cord. To the authors' knowledge, this type of tumor has not been previously reported as arising as an exophytic tumor from the medulla oblongata. The authors report on a 40-year-old man who presented with a large tumor located in the caudal fourth ventricle. The tumor was removed completely and the patient underwent percutaneous radiotherapy with 60 Gy and concomitant chemotherapy with temozolomide. Histopathological examination of the tumor revealed the typical features of a giant cell glioblastoma. At the 2-year follow-up the patient was doing well and showed no signs of tumor recurrence. It is important to identify variants of GBM because they may predict favorable long-term outcome, even when they arise from the caudal brainstem.
Incidence patterns for ependymoma: a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results study
Authors: McGuire Courtney S. , Sainani Kristin L. , Fisher Paul G.
Published: December 2008

Object

Previous small studies disagree about which clinical risk factors influence ependymoma incidence. The authors analyzed a large, population-based cancer registry to examine the relationship of incidence to patient age, sex, race, and tumor location, and to determine incidence trends over the past 3 decades.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER-9) study, which was conducted from 1973 to 2003. Histological codes were used to define ependymomas. Age-adjusted incidence rates were compared by confidence intervals in the SEER*Stat 6.2 program. Multiplicative Poisson regression and Joinpoint analysis were used to determine annual percentage change and to look for sharp changes in incidence, respectively.

Results

From the SEER database, 1402 patients were identified. The incidence rate per 100,000 person-years was significantly higher in male than in female patients (males 0.227 ± 0.029, females 0.166 ± 0.03). For children, the age at diagnosis differed significantly by tumor location, with the mean age for patients with infratentorial tumors calculated as 5 ± 0.4 years; for supratentorial tumors it was 7.77 ± 0.6 years, and for spinal lesions it was 12.16 ± 0.8 years. (Values are expressed as the mean ± standard error [SE].) Adults showed no difference in the mean age of incidence by location, although most tumors in this age group were spinal. Between 1973 and 2003, the incidence increased significantly among adults but not among children, and there were no sharp changes at any single year, both before and after age adjustment.

Conclusions

Males have a higher incidence of ependymoma than do females. A biological explanation remains elusive. Ependymoma occurs within the CNS at distinct locations at different ages, consistent with hypotheses postulating distinct populations of radial glial stem cells within the CNS. Ependymoma incidence appears to have increased over the past 3 decades, but only in adults.
An Assessment of Hermite Function Based Approximations of Mutual Information Applied to Independent Component Analysis
Authors: Sorensen Julian
Published: December 2008

At the heart of many ICA techniques is a nonparametric estimate of an information measure, usually via nonparametric density estimation, for example, kernel density estimation. While not as popular as kernel density estimators, orthogonal functions can be used for nonparametric density estimation (via a truncated series expansion whose coefficients are calculated from the observed data). While such estimators do not necessarily yield a valid density, which kernel density estimators do, they are faster to calculate than kernel density estimators, in particular for a modified version of Renyi's entropy of order 2. In this paper, we compare the performance of ICA using Hermite series based estimates of Shannon's and Renyi's mutual information, to that of Gaussian kernel based estimates. The comparisons also include ICA using the RADICAL estimate of Shannon's entropy and a FastICA estimate of neg-entropy.
Development of a Generic PCR Detection of 3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol-, 15-Acetyldeoxynivalenol- and Nivalenol-Chemotypes of Fusarium graminearum Clade
Authors: Wang Jian-Hua , Li He-Ping , Qu Bo , Zhang Jing-Bo , Huang Tao , Chen Fang-Fang , Liao Yu-Cai
Published: December 2008

Fusarium graminearum clade pathogens cause Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab of wheat and other small cereal grains, producing different kinds of trichothecene mycotoxins that are detrimental to human and domestic animals. Type B trichothecene mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-AcDON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-AcDON) and nivalenol (NIV) are the principal Fusarium mycotoxins reported in China, as well as in other countries. A genomic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to predict chemotypes was developed based on the structural gene sequences of Tri13 genes involved in trichothecene mycotoxin biosynthesis pathways. A single pair of primers derived from the Tri13 genes detected a 583 bp fragment from 15-AcDON-chemotypes, a 644 bp fragment from 3-AcDON-chemotypes and an 859 bp fragment from NIV-producing strains. Fusarium strains from China, Nepal, USA and Europe were identified by this method, revealing their mycotoxin chemotypes identical to that obtained by chemical analyses of HPLC or GC/MS and other PCR assays. The mycotoxin chemotype-specific fragments were amplified from a highly variable region located in Tri13 genes with three deletions for 15-AcDON-chemotypes, two deletions for 3-AcDON-chemotypes and no deletion for NIV-producers. This PCR assay generated a single amplicon and thus should be more reliable than other PCR-based assays that showed the absence or presence of a PCR fragment since these assays may generate false-negative results. The results with strains from several different countries as well as from different hosts further indicated that this method should be globally applicable. This is a rapid, reliable and cost-effective method for the identification of type B trichothecene mycotoxin chemotypes in Fusarium species and food safety controls.
A Love Wave Reflective Delay Line with Polymer Guiding Layer for Wireless Sensor Application
Authors: Wang Wen , He Shitang
Published: December 2008

This paper presents an optimal design for a Love wave reflective delay line on 41o YX LiNbO3 with a polymer guiding layer for wireless sensor applications. A theoretical model was established to describe the Love wave propagation along the larger piezoelectric substrate with polymer waveguide, and the lossy mechanism from the viscoelastic waveguide was discussed, which results in the optimal guiding layer thickness. Coupling of modes (COM) was used to determine the optimal design parameters of the reflective delay line structured by single phase unidirectional transducers (SPUDTs) and shorted grating reflectors. Using the network analyzer, the fabricated Love wave reflective delay line was characterized, high signal noise ratio (S/N), sharp reflection peaks, and few spurious noise between the peaks were found, and the measured result agrees well with the simulated one. Also, the optimal guiding layer thickness of 1.5~1.8μm was extracted experimentally, and it is consistent with the theoretical analysis.
TinyONet: A Cache-Based Sensor Network Bridge Enabling Sensing Data Reusability and Customized Wireless Sensor Network Services
Authors: Jung Eui-Hyun , Park Yong-Jin
Published: December 2008

In recent years, a few protocol bridge research projects have been announced to enable a seamless integration of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) with the TCP/IP network. These studies have ensured the transparent end-to-end communication between two network sides in the node-centric manner. Researchers expect this integration will trigger the development of various application domains. However, prior research projects have not fully explored some essential features for WSNs, especially the reusability of sensing data and the data-centric communication. To resolve these issues, we suggested a new protocol bridge system named TinyONet. In TinyONet, virtual sensors play roles as virtual counterparts of physical sensors and they dynamically group to make a functional entity, Slice. Instead of direct interaction with individual physical sensors, each sensor application uses its own WSN service provided by Slices. If a new kind of service is required in TinyONet, the corresponding function can be dynamically added at runtime. Beside the data-centric communication, it also supports the node-centric communication and the synchronous access. In order to show the effectiveness of the system, we implemented TinyONet on an embedded Linux machine and evaluated it with several experimental scenarios.
IDENTIFYING HOUSE PRICE DIFFUSION PATTERNS AMONG AUSTRALIAN STATE CAPITAL CITIES
Authors: Liu Chunlu , Luo Zhen Qiang , Ma Le , Picken David
Published: December 2008

Prior research supports the proposition that house price diffusion shows a ripple effect along the spatial dimension. That is, house price changes in one region would reflect in subsequent house price changes in other regions, showing certain linkages among regions. Using the vector autoregression model and the impulse response function, this study investigates house price diffusion among Australia's state capital cities, examining the response of one market to the innovation of other markets and determining the lagged terms for the maximum absolute value of the other markets’ responses. The results show that the most important sub‐national markets in Australia do not point to Sydney, rather towards Canberra and Hobart, while the Darwin market plays a role of buffer. The safest markets are Sydney and Melbourne. This study helps to predict house price movement trends in eight capital cities. Santrauka Ankstesnių tyrimų duomenimis, nekilnojamojo turto kainų kitimas sukelia bangų efektą atsižvelgiant į erdvinį matmenį. Tai yra nekilnojamojo turto kainų kitimus viename regione rodytų paskesnis nekilnojamojo turto kainų kitimas kituose regionuose. Taip ryškėja tam tikri glaudūs ryšiai tarp regionų. Taikant vektorinį autoregresinį modelį ir impulso perdavimo funkciją, šioje studijoje tiriama nekilnojamojo turto kainų kitimas tarp pagrindinių Australijos miestų, nagrinėjant vienos rinkos reakciją į kitų rinkų naujoves bei nustatant uždelstus terminus kitų rinkų reakcijų maksimaliai absoliutinei vertei. Rezultatai rodo, kad svarbiausios Australijos vidaus rinkos nėra orientuotos į Sidnėjų, bet labiau į Kanberą ir Hobartą. Darvino rinka atlieka buferio vaidmenį. Saugiausios rinkos yra Sidnėjus ir Melburnas. Ši studija padeda numatyti nekilnojamojo turto kainų judėjimo tendencijas aštuoniuose pagrindiniuose Australijos miestuose.
Persistent Elevation of Fibrin D-Dimer Predicts Longterm Outcome in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: BLOOM BRADLEY J. , ALARIO ANTHONY J. , MILLER LAURIE C.
Published: December 2008

Objective.

We previously demonstrated that levels of fibrin d-dimer correlate with disease activity and response to therapies in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA). We hypothesized that persistence of D-dimer elevation in the patterns previously described, but over a longer followup period, would signal poor outcome.

Methods.

We studied 31 children identified from 2 centers. Subjects were assigned a risk category based on their first obtained D-dimer concentration. Risk categories were based on results of our initial study, where normalization of D-dimer in patients no longer taking immunosuppressive therapy predicted good short-term outcome, and persistent D-dimer elevation while taking immunosuppressives predicted bad outcome (radiographic abnormalities, joint replacement surgery, or poor functional class) or a severe systemic manifestation. Outcome was determined at the last followup visit, a minimum of 2 years after measurement of the initial d-dimer level.

Results.

The 31 children were a mean 16.4 years old at an average of 8.8 years after their initial diagnosis. Ten children had a severe outcome during this period; all 10 had a study baseline risk category of “high.” Of the 14 subjects who had a high risk category at study baseline, none had a mild outcome.

Conclusion

Our study indicated that a paradigm of risk of severe disease based upon persistent elevation of fibrin d-dimer on first measurements (greater than a mean of 29 months in our initial study and at least 24 months in the additional subjects) is promising to predict poor longer-term outcome in sJIA. A larger prospective study is warranted to substantiate the preliminary data and assess the relative comparative value to other biomarkers and clinical endpoints.
Evaluation of Heart Rhythm Variability and Arrhythmia in Children with Systemic and Localized Scleroderma
Authors: WOZNIAK JACEK , DABROWSKI RAFAL , LUCZAK DARIUSZ , KWIATKOWSKA MALGORZATA , MUSIEJ-NOWAKOWSKA ELZBIETA , KOWALIK ILONA , SZWED HANNA
Published: December 2008

Objective.

To evaluate possible disturbances in autonomic regulation and cardiac arrhythmias in children with localized and systemic scleroderma.

Methods.

There were 40 children included in the study: 20 with systemic and 20 with localized scleroderma. The control group comprised 20 healthy children.

Results.

In 24-hour Holter recording, the average rate of sinus rhythm was significantly higher in the groups with systemic and localized scleroderma than in the control group, but there was no significant difference between them. The variability of heart rhythm in both groups was significantly decreased. In the group with systemic scleroderma, single supraventricular ectopic beats were observed in 20% and runs were seen in 40% of patients. In the group with localized scleroderma, supraventricular single ectopic beats occurred in 35% of patients and runs in 45% of those studied. Ventricular arrhythmia occurred in 2 children with systemic scleroderma, but in 1 child, it was complex.

Conclusion.

The most frequent cardiac arrhythmias in both types of scleroderma in children were of supraventricular origin, whereas ventricular arrhythmias did not occur very often. There were no significant differences in autonomic disturbances manifesting as a higher heart rate and decreased heart rate variability between localized and systemic scleroderma.
Self-report Functioning According to the ICF Model in Elderly Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and in Population Controls Using the Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire
Authors: HÄKKINEN ARJA , ARKELA-KAUTIAINEN MARJA , SOKKA TUULIKKI , HANNONEN PEKKA , KAUTIAINEN HANNU
Published: December 2008

Objective.

To assess disability and functioning of elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and population controls by linking the items included in the self-report Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ) with components of the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) instrument.

Methods.

In total, 1439 patients with RA (mean age 66 yrs, men 29%) and 957 population controls (65 yrs, men 27%) completed a mailed questionnaire. Functioning was recorded by the Finnish version of MDHAQ. Data included comorbidity, subjective health, education level, employment, exercise habits, self-report joint pain/tenderness, and, for patients, the disease duration.

Results.

Patients had lower levels of functioning compared to controls in all ICF domains, with the exception that male patients functioned comparably to male controls in the “general tasks and demands” domain. In patients, disease activity, education, exercise frequency, and comorbidities were expectedly associated with lower functioning in the body structure and function component, while male sex and subjectively perceived health were associated with more favorable functioning. In the activity and participation components, disease activity, exercise frequency, and comorbidities were associated with impaired functioning, while better health on self-report was associated with better functioning.

Conclusion.

There is an extra burden of disability in elderly patients with RA compared to the reference population. With a large patient and control population sample, our study shows that use of the self-report MDHAQ identifies all 3 main components of the ICF framework, thus covering a wide spectrum of functioning. Elderly patients with RA, in comparison to population controls, encounter more difficulties in daily activities and their social life.
Current Therapies for Lupus Nephritis in an Ethnically Heterogeneous Cohort
Authors: RIVERA TANIA L. , BELMONT H. MICHAEL , MALANI SEEMA , LATORRE MELISSA , BENTON LAURI , WEISSTUCH JOSEPH , BARISONI LAURA , TSENG CHUNG-E , IZMIRLY PETER M. , BUYON JILL P. , ASKANASE ANCA D.
Published: December 2008

Objective.

To evaluate responses to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and intravenous cyclophosphamide (CYC) in lupus nephritis in a multiethnic population.

Methods.

This was a retrospective study of all patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that underwent kidney biopsy at New York University Medical Center. Patients with followup of at least 6 months were included. Clinical response was defined as complete (return to ± 10% of normal) or partial (improvement of 50% in abnormal renal measurements).

Results.

Ninty-nine patients were included in the study: 86% females, 86% non-Caucasian, age 34.2 ± 1.1 years, 62% with proliferative nephritis (PN; ISN/RPS-III and IV), and 32% with membranous nephritis (MN; ISN/RPS-V). Of the 70 patients with PN, 37 were treated with CYC and 33 with MMF. The baseline characteristics of the 2 treatment groups were different in the incidence of ISN/RPS-IV, values of serum creatinine and serum albumin, and type of insurance (p < 0.05). The response rate was greater in the MMF than in the CYC group (70% vs 41%). Responses to MMF were different in Asians (11/11), Caucasians (4/5), African Americans (3/5), and Hispanics (5/11). Responses to CYC had a similar distribution (Asians 6/10, Caucasians 4/5, African Americans 4/9, Hispanics 1/11). In the MN group (N = 23) responses were similar to the PN group (73% MMF and 38% CYC). After adjusting for race, serum creatinine, serum albumin, type of insurance, and class of nephritis, in a logistic regression model, response to MMF was superior to CYC: OR 6.2 (95% CI 1.9–20.2). Hispanics had worse outcome than Caucasians (OR 0.17). Longterm followup suggested no difference in maintenance with MMF or CYC.

Conclusion.

After controlling for the fact that less severe nephritis is preferentially treated with MMF, we found overall that response to MMF was superior to CYC. In this US population, ethnicity was observed to have an influence on response.
Telomerase Transduced Osteoarthritis Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes Display a Distinct Gene Expression Profile
Authors: SUN YUBO , MAUERHAN DAVID R. , FIRESTEIN GARY S. , LOEFFLER BRYAN J. , HANLEY EDWARD N. , GRUBER HELEN E.
Published: December 2008

Objective.

To examine the differential gene expression in telomerase transduced osteoarthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (hTERT-OA 13A FLS) and telomerase transduced rheumatoid arthritis FLS (hTERT-RA 516 FLS) and test the hypothesis that longterm culture of hTERT-OA 13A FLS display a disease-specific gene expression profile.

Methods.

Gene expression in passage 8 hTERT-OA 13A FLS and passage 8 hTERT-RA 516 FLS were compared using microarray assays. Differential expression of selected genes was further examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After continuous expansion in culture for an additional 4 months, gene expression in the longterm cultures of hTERT-OA 13A FLS and hTERT-RA 516 FLS was again examined with microarray and real-time RT-PCR.

Results.

hTERT-OA 13A FLS displayed a distinct gene expression profile. While hTERT-RA 516 FLS expressedADAMTS1, ADAMTS3, ADAMTS5, and several carboxypeptidases, hTERT-OA 13A FLS expressed matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)1, MMP3, and several cathepsins at higher levels. Numerous genes classified in the immune response, lipid transport/catabolism, and phosphate transport biological processes were also expressed at higher levels in hTERT-OA 13A FLS. In contrast, numerous genes classified in the positive regulation of cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and angiogenesis biological processes were expressed at higher levels in hTERT-RA 516 FLS. Further, of the recently proposed 21 candidate synovial biomarkers of OA, 12 (57%) were detected in our study.

Conclusion.

The findings indicate that OA FLS may not be a passive bystander in OA and that telomerase transduced OA FLS offer an alternative tool for the study of synovial disease markers and for the identification of new therapeutic targets for OA therapy.
Fertility and Reproduction in Male Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis Treated with Infliximab: Table 1.
Authors: PASCHOU SOPHIA , VOULGARI PARASKEVI V. , VRABIE ILEANA G. , SAOUGOU IOANNA G. , DROSOS ALEXANDROS A.
Published: December 2008

Objective.

To identify male patients who were treated with infliximab and had fathered healthy newborns during their management.

Methods.

We reviewed medical records of men with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who were followed up at the Rheumatology Outpatients clinic and were treated with infliximab during the period 2001–2007.

Results.

We identified 4 patients with AS who had fathered 6 healthy children during infliximab treatment. One patient was also treated with small doses of methotrexate.

Conclusion.

Limited data are available concerning the effects of infliximab on semen quality. Our cases provide some evidence or reassurance for male patients treated with the anti-tumor necrosis factor-α agent. Further prospective studies are necessary, however, to guide clinicians in decisionmaking.
Proposed Metrics for the Determination of Rheumatoid Arthritis Outcome and Treatment Success and Failure
Authors: WOLFE FREDERICK , MICHAUD KALEB
Published: December 2008

Objective

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their physicians often disagree as to the success of RA treatment or RA outcomes. However, guidelines (such as EULAR criteria for DAS scores) are heavily weighted toward joint counts and laboratory tests, and no guidelines exist for patient reported outcomes. Our aims were (1) to provide a patient-based definition of successful RA outcome or of treatment success and failure; (2) to describe the characteristics of patients meeting this definition; (3) to describe how external states such as disability and comorbidity influence definitions of health outcome; and (4) to derive surrogate-measure cutpoints for the definition.

Methods

A total of 20,268 patients with RA (5132 without comorbidity) were studied by recursive partitioning and regression methods to determine best dividing points between RA treatment and outcome success and non-success using 0–10 visual analog scales (VAS) for patient global assessment, pain, fatigue, and RA activity, and a Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scale.

Results

14.5% of all patients and 22.9% of those without comorbidity were very satisfied with their health (success). Patient global at a level ≤ 1.25 best separated success from failure. Mean and median scores for those who were very satisfied were HAQ (0–3 scale) 0.36, 0.12; pain (0–10) 1.1, 0.5; global (0–10) 0.9, 0.5; and fatigue (0–10) 1.5, 1.0. VAS scores increased by approximately 0.5 units for each comorbid condition.

Conclusion

Patient global at a level ≤ 1.25 best separates patients who are very satisfied with their health from those not very satisfied, regardless of the presence of comorbidity. All scores increase with increasing comorbidity, which must be accounted for when assessing individual patients. Values identified here suggest patients require better outcomes than are found in patients who are in Disease Activity Score-28 remission or OMERACT low disease activity states.
C-Reactive Protein Gene Polymorphisms in Biopsy-proven Giant Cell Arteritis from Northwestern Spain
Authors: PALOMINO-MORALES ROGELIO , VAZQUEZ-RODRIGUEZ TOMAS R. , MIRANDA-FILLOY JOSE A. , MARTIN JAVIER , GONZALEZ-GAY MIGUEL A.
Published: December 2008

Objective.

To investigate the potential implication of several polymorphisms of the C-reactive protein (CRP) gene in the predisposition to or clinical expression of giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Methods.

A total of 125 patients diagnosed with biopsy-proven GCA and 234 ethnically matched controls from the Lugo region of Northwestern Spain were included in our study. Four functional gene polymorphisms for CRP rs1417938, rs1800947, rs1205, and rs3093059 variants were assessed using a polymerase chain reaction system with predeveloped TaqMan allelic discrimination assay.

Results.

Although we observed a significant increase in the frequency of heterozygotes for rs1417938 A/T [odds ratio (OR) = 1.70; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–2.80; p = 0.03] and rs1205 C/T (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.07–2.78; p = 0.02) in patients with GCA, no statistically significant differences in the allelic frequencies of these 2 polymorphisms were found between patients with GCA and controls. A marginal significant increase in the frequency of rs3093059 allele T in patients with GCA compared to controls was observed (OR 1.81; 95% CI 0.97–3.39; p = 0.04). However, the increased frequency of patients with GCA homozygous for rs3093059 T/T in patients with GCA compared to controls was out of the range of significance (OR 1.77; 95% CI 0.92–3.40; p = 0.07). No significant differences were found when we stratified patients with GCA according to the presence of polymyalgia rheumatica or severe ischemic complications of the disease.

Conclusion.

The functional CRP gene polymorphisms assessed in our study do not seem to play a major role in the pathogenesis of GCA in individuals from Northwestern Spain.
Births in wild black and gold howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) in Northern Argentina
Authors: Peker Silvana , Kowalewski Martin M. , Pavé Romina E. , Zunino Gabriel E.
Published: December 2008

Previous studies on births in nonhuman primates suggest that births are expected to occur at night to avoid predators. Here, we describe birth‐related behaviors in wild black and gold howler monkeys, Alouatta caraya and address the various ideas proposed in the literature about the timing of births in group‐living nonhuman primates. We collected data on females' birth‐related behaviors through continuous focal observations and scan samples. Focal observations on females giving birth were taken for the remainder of the day after noticing a female was in labor. We recorded behaviors and the spatial distribution of the whole group using scan samples taken every 10 min from sunrise to sunset the same day of birth. We recorded five births at the continuous forest (CF) over a 25 months period (January 2004–December 2004 and September 2005–September 2006) and two births in the fragmented forest (FF) over a 13 months period (September 2005–September 2006). From these, four births were during daylight (two at CF and two at FF) and three during the night at CF. Our descriptions of A. caraya births contribute to a growing data set on the timing of parturition in wild nonhuman primates and suggest that a clear pattern of nocturnal births is not universal across nonhuman primate species. Am. J. Primatol. 71:261–265, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.