bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasmodium falciparum 19-Kilodalton Merozoite Surface Protein 1 (MSP1)-Specific Antibodies That Interfere with Parasite GrowthIn VitroCan Inhibit MSP1 Processing, Merozoite Invasion, and Intracellular Parasite Development
Authors: Moss David K. , Remarque Edmond J. , Faber Bart W. , Cavanagh David R. , Arnot David E. , Thomas Alan W. , Holder Anthony A.
Published: December 2011

Merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) is a target for malaria vaccine development. Antibodies to the 19-kDa carboxy-terminal region referred to as MSP119inhibit erythrocyte invasion and parasite growth, with some MSP1-specific antibodies shown to inhibit the proteolytic processing of MSP1 that occurs at invasion. We investigated a series of antibodies purified from rabbits immunized with MSP119and AMA1 recombinant proteins for their ability to inhibit parasite growth, initially looking at MSP1 processing. Although significant inhibition of processing was mediated by several of the antibody samples, there was no clear relationship with overall growth inhibition by the same antibodies. However, no antibody samples inhibited processing but not invasion, suggesting that inhibition of MSP1 processing contributes to but is not the only mechanism of antibody-mediated inhibition of invasion and growth. Examining other mechanisms by which MSP1-specific antibodies inhibit parasite growth, we show that MSP119-specific antibodies are taken up into invaded erythrocytes, where they persist for significant periods and result in delayed intracellular parasite development. This delay may result from antibody interference with coalescence of MSP119-containing vesicles with the food vacuole. Antibodies raised against a modified recombinant MSP119sequence were more efficient at delaying intracellular growth than those to the wild-type protein. We propose that antibodies specific for MSP119can mediate inhibition of parasite growth by at least three mechanisms: inhibition of MSP1 processing, direct inhibition of invasion, and inhibition of parasite development following invasion. The balance between mechanisms may be modulated by modifying the immunogen used to induce the antibodies.
Complete Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Bacteriophage SPN1S
Authors: Shin Hakdong , Lee Ju-Hoon , Lim Jeong-A , Kim Hyeryen , Ryu Sangryeol
Published: December 2011

To understand the interaction between the host of pathogenic
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium and its bacteriophage, we isolated the bacteriophage SPN1S. It is a lysogenic phage in the
Podoviridae
family and uses the O-antigen of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) as a host receptor. Comparative genomic analysis of phage SPN1S and the
S. enterica
serovar Anatum-specific phage ε15 revealed different host specificities, probably due to the low homology of host specificity-related genes. Here we report the complete circular genome sequence of
S
. Typhimurium-specific bacteriophage SPN1S and show the results of our analysis.
TOPAC: ALIGNMENT OF GENE REGULATORY NETWORKS USING TOPOLOGY-AWARE COLORING
Authors: GÜLSOY GÜNHAN , GANDHI BHAVIK , KAHVECI TAMER
Published: December 2011

We consider the problem of finding a subnetwork in a given biological network (i.e. target network) that is most similar to a given small query network. We aim to find the optimal solution (i.e. the subnetwork with the largest alignment score) with a provable confidence bound. There is no known polynomial time solution to this problem in the literature. Alon et al. has developed a state-of-the-art coloring method that reduces the cost of this problem. This method randomly colors the target network prior to alignment for many iterations until a user-supplied confidence is reached. Here we develop a novel coloring method, named k-hop coloring (k is a positive integer), that achieves a provable confidence value in a small number of iterations without sacrificing the optimality. Our method considers the color assignments already made in the neighborhood of each target network node while assigning a color to a node. This way, it preemptively avoids many color assignments that are guaranteed to fail to produce the optimal alignment. We also develop a filtering method that eliminates the nodes that cannot be aligned without reducing the alignment score after each coloring instance. We demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally that our coloring method outperforms that of Alon et al., which is also used by a number network alignment methods, including QPath and QNet, by a factor of three without reducing the confidence in the optimality of the result. Our experiments also suggest that the resulting alignment method is capable of identifying functionally enriched regions in the target network successfully.
Linear and nonlinear auditory response properties of interneurons in a high-order avian vocal motor nucleus during wakefulness
Authors: Raksin Jonathan N. , Glaze Christopher M. , Smith Sarah , Schmidt Marc F.
Published: December 2011

Motor-related forebrain areas in higher vertebrates also show responses to passively presented sensory stimuli. However, sensory tuning properties in these areas, especially during wakefulness, and their relation to perception, are poorly understood. In the avian song system, HVC (proper name) is a vocal-motor structure with auditory responses well defined under anesthesia but poorly characterized during wakefulness. We used a large set of stimuli including the bird's own song (BOS) and many conspecific songs (CON) to characterize auditory tuning properties in putative interneurons (HVCIN) during wakefulness. Our findings suggest that HVC contains a diversity of responses that vary in overall excitability to auditory stimuli, as well as bias in spike rate increases to BOS over CON. We used statistical tests to classify cells in order to further probe auditory responses, yielding one-third of neurons that were either unresponsive or suppressed and two-thirds with excitatory responses to one or more stimuli. A subset of excitatory neurons were tuned exclusively to BOS and showed very low linearity as measured by spectrotemporal receptive field analysis (STRF). The remaining excitatory neurons responded well to CON stimuli, although many cells still expressed a bias toward BOS. These findings suggest the concurrent presence of a nonlinear and a linear component to responses in HVC, even within the same neuron. These characteristics are consistent with perceptual deficits in distinguishing BOS from CON stimuli following lesions of HVC and other song nuclei and suggest mirror neuronlike qualities in which “self” (here BOS) is used as a referent to judge “other” (here CON).
Postoperative Complications after Thoracic Surgery in the Morbidly Obese Patient
Authors: Cooper Lebron
Published: December 2011

Little has been recently published about specific postoperative complications following thoracic surgery in the morbidly obese patient. Greater numbers of patients who are obese, morbidly obese, or supermorbidly obese are undergoing surgical procedures. Postoperative complications after thoracic surgery in these patients that can lead to increased morbidity and mortality, prolonged hospital stay, and increased cost of care are considered. Complications include difficulties with mask ventilation and securing the airway, obstructive sleep apnea with risk of oversedation, pulmonary complications related to reduced total lung capacity, reduced functional residual capacity, and reduced vital capacity, risks of aspiration pneumonitis and ventilator-associated pneumonia, cardiomyopathies, and atrial fibrillation, inadequate diabetes management, positioning injuries, increased risk of venous thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. The type of thoracic surgical procedure may also pose other problems to consider during the postoperative period. Obese patients undergoing thoracic surgery pose a challenge to those caring for them. Those working with these patients must understand how to recognize, prevent, and manage these postoperative complications.
Melastoma malabathricum(L.) Smith Ethnomedicinal Uses, Chemical Constituents, and Pharmacological Properties: A Review
Authors: Joffry S. Mohd. , Yob N. J. , Rofiee M. S. , Affandi M. M. R. Meor Mohd. , Suhaili Z. , Othman F. , Akim A. Md. , Desa M. N. M. , Zakaria Z. A.
Published: December 2011

Melastoma malabathricumL. (Melastomataceae) is one of the 22 species found in the Southeast Asian region, including Malaysia. Considered as native to tropical and temperate Asia and the Pacific Islands, this commonly found small shrub has gained herbal status in the Malay folklore belief as well as the Indian, Chinese, and Indonesian folk medicines. Ethnopharmacologically, the leaves, shoots, barks, seeds, and roots ofM. malabathricumhave been used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, cuts and wounds, toothache, and stomachache. Scientific findings also revealed the wide pharmacological actions of various parts ofM. malabthricum, such as antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antioxidant activities. Various types of phytochemical constituents have also been isolated and identifed from different parts ofM. malabathricum. Thus, the aim of the present review is to present comprehensive information on ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological activities ofM. malabathricum.
A Modified SSOR Preconditioning Strategy for Helmholtz Equations
Authors: Wu Shi-Liang , Li Cui-Xia
Published: December 2011

The finite difference method discretization of Helmholtz equations usually leads to
the large spare linear systems. Since the coefficient matrix is frequently indefinite, it
is difficult to solve iteratively. In this paper, a modified symmetric successive overrelaxation (MSSOR) preconditioning strategy is constructed based on the coefficient
matrix and employed to speed up the convergence rate of iterative methods. The idea
is to increase the values of diagonal elements of the coefficient matrix to obtain better
preconditioners for the original linear systems. Compared with SSOR preconditioner,
MSSOR preconditioner has no additional computational cost to improve the convergence rate of iterative methods. Numerical results demonstrate that this method can
reduce both the number of iterations and the computational time significantly with
low cost for construction and implementation of preconditioners.
Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Activity of GRN1005, a Novel Conjugate of Angiopep-2, a Peptide Facilitating Brain Penetration, and Paclitaxel, in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Authors: Kurzrock Razelle , Gabrail Nash , Chandhasin Chandtip , Moulder Stacy , Smith Carrie , Brenner Andrew , Sankhala Kamalesh , Mita Alain , Elian Kelly , Bouchard Danielle , Sarantopoulos John
Published: December 2011

GRN1005 is a novel peptide–drug conjugate composed of paclitaxel covalently linked to a peptide, angiopep-2, that targets the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1. This first-in-human study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of GRN1005 in patients with advanced solid tumors. Patients in sequential cohorts (one patient per cohort until grade 2 toxicity, then 3 + 3 design) received intravenous GRN1005 at escalating doses between 30 and 700 mg/m2 once in every 21 days. In the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) expansion group, patients were required to have brain metastases. Fifty-six patients received GRN1005, including 41 with brain metastases (median number of prior therapies = 4). MTD was 650 mg/m2; the main dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression. Sixteen of 20 patients dosed at the MTD had brain metastases. Pharmacokinetics was dose linear and the mean terminal-phase elimination half-life was 3.6 hours. No evidence of accumulation was observed after repeat dosing. No anti-GRN1005 antibodies were detected. Five of the 20 patients (25%) dosed at 650 mg/m2 (MTD), three of whom had previous taxane therapy, achieved an overall partial response (breast, n = 2; non–small cell lung cancer, n = 2; and ovarian cancer, n = 1); responses in all five patients were also accompanied by shrinkage of brain lesions (−17% to −50%). In addition, six patients (11%; doses 30–700 mg/m2) experienced stable disease that lasted 4 months or more. GRN1005 was well tolerated and showed activity in heavily pretreated patients with advanced solid tumors, including those who had brain metastases and/or failed prior taxane therapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(2); 308–16. ©2011 AACR.
Inhibition of STAT3 Signaling Pathway by Nitidine Chloride Suppressed the Angiogenesis and Growth of Human Gastric Cancer
Authors: Chen Jing , Wang Jieqiong , Lin Lei , He Lijun , Wu Yuanyuan , Zhang Li , Yi Zhengfang , Chen Yihua , Pang Xiufeng , Liu Mingyao
Published: December 2011

STAT3 has been strongly implicated in human malignancies, and constitutive activation of STAT3 serves a crucial role in cell survival, angiogenesis, immune evasion, and inflammation. In this study, we showed that nitidine chloride, a natural phytochemical alkaloid derived from Zanthoxylum nitidum (Roxb) DC, exerts potent anticancer activity through STAT3 signaling cascade. Nitidine chloride dose dependently suppressed VEGF-induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tubular structure formation in vitro and dramatically reduced VEGF-triggered neovascularization in mouse cornea and Matrigel plugs in vivo. This angiogenesis inhibition mediated by nitidine chloride was well interpreted by the suppression of Janus kinase 2/STAT3 signaling and STAT3 DNA-binding activity in endothelial cells. Furthermore, nitidine chloride suppressed the constitutively activated STAT3 protein, its DNA-binding activity, and the expression of STAT3-dependent target genes, including cyclin D1, Bcl-xL, and VEGF in human gastric cancer cells. Consistent with the earlier findings, nitidine chloride inhibited gastric tumor cell growth and induced tumor cell apoptosis in vitro and effectively suppressed the volume, weight, and microvessel density of human SGC-7901 gastric solid tumors (n = 8) at a dosage of 7 mg/kg/d (intraperitoneal injection). Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis further revealed that the expression of STAT3, CD31, and VEGF protein in xenografts was remarkably decreased by the alkaloid. Taken together, we propose that nitidine chloride is a promising anticancer drug candidate as a potent STAT3 signaling inhibitor. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(2); 277–87. ©2011 AACR.
Altered HLA Class I and HLA-G Expression Is Associated with IL-10 Expression in Patients with Cervical Cancer
Authors: Rodríguez Josefa Antonia , Galeano Liliana , Palacios Diana María , Gómez Constanza , Serrano Martha Lucía , Bravo María Mercedes , Combita Alba Lucía
Published: December 2011

Although high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are an important risk factor in the etiopathogenesis of cervical cancer, increasing evidence suggests that the ability to avoid immune surveillance seems to be linked to the transforming potential of HPV and a rapid progression to cancer. In other cancer models, IL-10 contributes to impair anti-tumor immune response either by downregulating human leukocyte antigen Class I (HLA-I) expression or by increasing HLA-G expression. To comprehend how these alterations could contribute to evasion of immune surveillance in cervical cancer, we analyzed HLA-I, HLA-G and IL-10 expressions by immunohistochemistry in 63 biopsies from patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III (CIN-III) and cervical cancer. Immunohistochemistry showed absent or weak HLA-I expression in 50/59 cases. In these cases, a high percentage had loss of heterozygosis. IL-10 and HLA-G expression were observed in 46.6 and 27.6% of cases, respectively. Concurrent upregulation of IL-10 was found in 87.5% of HLA-G positive cases (p = 0.000). Similarly, a significant association between IL-10 expression and HLA-I downregulation was found (p = 0.028). Finally, we observed higher HLA-G expression in patients with HLA-I downregulation than in those with normal HLA-I expression (p = 0.004). Our results suggest that, in cervical cancer, the IL-10 expression may induce an immunosuppressive environment by upregulating HLA-G expression and downregulating HLA class I expression.
Clustering Is a Feature of the Spiral Ganglion in the Basal Turn
Authors: Gacek Richard R.
Published: December 2011

Objective: To demonstrate the organization of the spiral ganglion in the mammalian species. Methods: Temporal bone (TB) specimens from man (n = 2), monkey (n = 2), lion (n = 2) and cat (n = 20) were stained, decalcified and dissected according to the Sudan black B method of Rasmussen. These TB specimens were examined under a Zeiss operating microscope and photographed with a Canon 100 camera interfaced with the microscope. Results: Spiral ganglion cells occurred in clusters within Rosenthal’s canal in all four species. The location of the clusters was marked by the interface between axon and dendritic bundles as well as groups of ganglion cells. In monkey and man the clusters were more separated than in lion and cat. Conclusions: These observations indicate that the spiral ganglion forms clusters of neurons within Rosenthal’s canal at the basal cochlear turn in the mammals investigated here. The formation of clusters may be related to the principles of neurogenesis.
Retinal Micropseudocysts in Diabetic Retinopathy: Prospective Functional and Anatomic Evaluation
Authors: Forte Raimondo , Cennamo Gilda , Finelli Maria Luisa , Bonavolontà Paola , Greco Giovanni Maria , de Crecchio Giuseppe
Published: December 2011

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence, progression and functional predictive value of retinal micropseudocysts (MPCs) in diabetic patients. Methods: Prospective controlled observational study. From among all the type 2 diabetic patients evaluated during a period of 5 months between September 2009 and January 2010, we enrolled all patients with retinal MPCs at spectral-domain scanning laser ophthalmoscope/optical coherence tomography (SD-SLO/OCT) not previously treated for diabetic retinopathy. Forty diabetic patients without MPCs served as the control group. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), macular sensitivity and stability of fixation at SD-SLO/OCT microperimetry were measured monthly for 12 months. Results: 22/156 patients with type 2 diabetes (14.1%, 32 eyes) met the inclusion criteria. The 95% confidence interval for the prevalence estimate of MPCs was 12.3–16.6%. Mean BCVA, CRT and central retinal sensitivity at baseline were 77.53 ± 2.2 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters, 242.31 ± 31.0 µm and 15.95 ± 0.61 dB, respectively. Fixation was stable in all cases. Compared to the control group, eyes with MPCs had similar BCVA but greater CRT (p = 0.01) and reduced macular sensitivity (p = 0.001) at baseline and at each follow-up visit. Over time, CRT remained stable in eyes with MPCs, whereas macular sensitivity progressively decreased. Conclusion: MPCs in diabetic retinopathy are associated, temporally or causally, with a progressive reduction of macular sensitivity despite a stable BCVA, CRT and fixation.
China's Century? Why America's Edge Will Endure
Authors: Beckley Michael
Published: December 2011

Two assumptions dominate current foreign policy debates in the United States and China. First, the United States is in decline relative to China. Second, much of this decline is the result of globalization and the hegemonic burdens the United States bears to sustain globalization. Both of these assumptions are wrong. The United States is not in decline; in fact, it is now wealthier, more innovative, and more militarily powerful compared to China than it was in 1991. Moreover, globalization and hegemony do not erode U.S. power; they reinforce it. The United States derives competitive advantages from its hegemonic position, and globalization allows it to exploit these advantages, attracting economic activity and manipulating the international system to its benefit. The United States should therefore continue to prop up the global economy and maintain a robust diplomatic and military presence abroad.
Does Global Warming Cause Intensified Interannual Hydroclimate Variability?
Authors: Seager Richard , Naik Naomi , Vogel Laura
Published: December 2011

The idea that global warming leads to more droughts and floods has become commonplace without clear indication of what is meant by this statement. Here, the authors examine one aspect of this problem and assess whether interannual variability of precipitation P minus evaporation E becomes stronger in the twenty-first century compared to the twentieth century, as deduced from an ensemble of models participating in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 3. It is shown that indeed interannual variability of P − E does increase almost everywhere across the planet, with a few notable exceptions such as southwestern North America and some subtropical regions. The variability increases most at the equator and the high latitudes and least in the subtropics. Although most interannual P − E variability arises from internal atmosphere variability, the primary potentially predictable component is related to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). ENSO-driven interannual P − E variability clearly increases in amplitude in the tropical Pacific, but elsewhere the changes are more complex. This is not surprising in that ENSO-driven P − E anomalies are primarily caused by circulation anomalies combining with the climatological humidity field. As climate warms and the specific humidity increases, this term leads to an intensification of ENSO-driven P − E variability. However, ENSO-driven circulation anomalies also change, in some regions amplifying but in others opposing and even overwhelming the impact of rising specific humidity. Consequently, there is sound scientific basis for anticipating a general increase in interannual P − E variability, but the predictable component will depend in a more complex way on both thermodynamic responses to global warming and on how tropically forced circulation anomalies alter.
Problems Closing the Energy Balance over a Homogeneous Snow Cover during Midwinter
Authors: Helgason Warren , Pomeroy John
Published: December 2011

Application of the energy balance approach to estimate snowmelt inherently presumes that the external energy fluxes can be measured or modeled with sufficient accuracy to reliably estimate the internal energy changes and melt rate. However, owing to difficulties in directly measuring the internal energy content of the snow during melt periods, the ability to close the energy balance is rarely quantified. To address this, all of the external energy balance terms (sensible and latent heat fluxes, shortwave and longwave radiation fluxes, and the ground heat flux) were directly measured and compared to changes of the energy content within an extensive, homogeneous, snowpack of a level field near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The snow was observed to lose significant amounts of energy because of a persistent longwave radiation imbalance caused by low incoming fluxes during cold, clear-sky periods, while solar heating of the snow surface caused an increase in the outgoing fluxes. The sum of the measured turbulent heat fluxes, ground heat flux, and solar radiation fluxes were insufficient to offset these losses, however the snowpack temperatures were not observed to cool. It was concluded that an unmeasured exchange of sensible heat was occurring from the atmosphere to the snowpack. The exchange mechanism for this is not known but would appear to be consistent with the concept of a windless exchange as employed to close the energy balance in various snow models. The results suggest that caution should be exercised when using the energy balance method to determine changes in internal energy in cold snowpacks.
Paying More to Get Less
Authors: Bidwell Matthew
Published: December 2011

Individuals often enter similar jobs via two different routes: internal mobility and external hiring. I examine how the differences between these routes affect subsequent outcomes in those jobs. Drawing on theories of specific skills and incomplete information, I propose that external hires will initially perform worse than workers entering the job from inside the firm and have higher exit rates, yet they will be paid more and have stronger observable indicators of ability as measured by experience and education. I use the same theories to argue that the exact nature of internal mobility (promotions, lateral transfers, or combined promotions and transfers) will also affect workers’ outcomes. Analyses of personnel data from the U.S. investment banking arm of a financial services company from 2003 to 2009 confirm strong effects on pay, performance, and mobility of how workers enter jobs. I find that workers promoted into jobs have significantly better performance for the first two years than workers hired into similar jobs and lower rates of voluntary and involuntary exit. Nonetheless, the external hires are initially paid around 18 percent more than the promoted workers and have higher levels of experience and education. The hires are also promoted faster. I further find that workers who are promoted and transferred at the same time have worse performance than other internal movers.
Representing the Nation
Authors: Stock Ann Marie
Published: December 2011

As the institutions charged with preserving and purveying our collective history and identity came under close scrutiny in the 1990s, the Smithsonian Institution was accused of having ignored Latino culture for decades, and it responded with a number of initiatives to right more than a century of wrongs. “Arte Latino,” one of a series of traveling exhibits launched in 1999, presented a sampling of the Latino artworks in the institution’s collection. Visits to two installations of the exhibit, one with a predominantly Latino audience and one with a predominantly non-Latino one, showed how context and reception ascribe meaning and how an emphasis on authenticity can reinforce dualities. Ethnically organized exhibits run the risk of merely placating underrepresented artists and showcasing the exotic. While cultural specificity can heighten awareness, instill pride, and redress neglect, it can also impede communication, emphasize difference and divisiveness, and undermine its own goals.

Las instituciones estadounidenses a cargo de preservar la historia e identidad colectiva nacional se vieron sujetas a un profundo escrutinio durante la década de 1990, y la Smithsonian Institution fue criticada por haber ignorado la cultura latina por décadas. Respondió con una serie de inicitativas que buscaban enmendar más de un siglo de negligencia. “Arte Latino,” una de varias series de exhibiciones itinerantes inaugurada en 1999, consistió de una muestra de las obras de arte latino en la colección. Visitas a dos de las instalaciones de la exhibición, una con espectadores primordialmente latinos y otra con no latinos, dio muestra de cómo el contexto y la recepción adjudican significados y de como el énfasis en la autenticidad puede reforzar dualidades. Las exhibiciones de índole étnica corren el riesgo de no hacer más que placar artistas que cuentan con poca representación y exponer lo exótico. Mientras que la especificidad cultural puede incrementar la concientización, generar orgullo y rectificar actos de negligencia, también puede impedir la comunicación, enfatizar diferencias y divisiones, y socavar sus propias metas.
Assessment of Readiness for Mobility Transition (ARMT)
Authors: Meuser Thomas M. , Berg-Weger Marla , Chibnall John T. , Harmon Annie C. , Stowe James D.
Published: December 2011

Individualized assessment is important when counseling older adults concerning the transition from driving to nondriving mobility. This study validated a measure of emotional and attitudinal readiness in support of mobility transition counseling (MTC). Items derived from a mixed-methods approach were administered by mailed questionnaire to community-dwelling adults ( n = 297; ages 57-95). Factor analysis was employed to form the 24-item Assessment of Readiness for Mobility Transition (ARMT). The ARMT–Total Score (ARMT-TS) demonstrated sound internal consistency and split-half reliability (.88 each). The ARMT-TS correlated as hypothesized with validity measures, including self-reported physical functioning, mental health, and openness to experience. High scorers, who evidenced strong self-reliance and an unwillingness to be a burden on others, are considered to be at risk when faced with a significant mobility transition. An appreciation for such differences can allow for personalized, tailored discussion and planning for when it is time to “hang up the keys.”
Increasing Social Activity Attendance in Assisted Living Residents Using Personalized Prompts and Positive Social Attention
Authors: Polenick Courtney Allyn , Flora Stephen Ray
Published: December 2011

Low levels of social activity involvement may have negative implications on overall quality of life for older adults living in residential care settings. Despite the recent growth of assisted living (AL) facilities, few studies have examined social activity participation in this environment. The present study assessed the effects of two prompt procedures that included different amounts of positive social attention (personalized prompts alone and combined with brief conversation) on the social activity attendance of 8 AL residents. Personalized prompts were designed to appeal to each participant on the basis of preference assessments regarding activity interests and preferred types of activity participation. During treatment conditions, increases in attendance occurred not only following treatment prompts but also during activities that were not preceded by treatment prompts. Similar effects were observed for both treatment prompts. Results suggest that personalized prompts and positive social attention can increase weekly social activity attendance in AL residents.
State Employment Protection Statutes for Victims of Domestic Violence
Authors: Swanberg Jennifer E. , Ojha Mamta U. , Macke Caroline
Published: December 2011

Evidence indicates that domestic violence has negative consequences on victims’ employment; yet employers lag in recognizing this as a workplace issue. To address the problem, some states have established several policy solutions. To understand the scope of the public sector’s response to domestic violence as a workplace issue, a content analysis of state-level employment protection policies for domestic violence victims ( N = 369) was conducted. Results indicate three broad policy categories: (a) policies that offer work leave for victims; (b) policies that aim to reduce employment discrimination of domestic violence victims; and (c) policies that aim to increase awareness and safety in the workplace. Subcategories emerged within each of these three categories. Implementation of employment protection policies varies significantly across states. Implications for workplaces, practitioners, and policy leaders are discussed.
Leadership in Multiple Perpetrator Stranger Rape
Authors: Woodhams Jessica , Cooke Claire , Harkins Leigh , Silva Teresa da
Published: December 2011

Sexual offences by multiple perpetrators are more violent and involve more severe forms of sexual violation than those perpetrated by a lone offender. Often a clear leader exists within these groups. Questions have been raised as to the relative risk of reoffending and the potentially differing criminogenic needs of leaders and followers. However, a recent study comparing leaders and followers in juvenile multiple perpetrator rapes (t’Hart-Kerkhoffs et al., 2011) failed to find some of the expected differences. It was proposed that this might be due, in part, to the way leaders and followers were cclassified in the study. Before work can progress in this area, it is important to devise reliable and valid means of identifying leaders and followers in multiple perpetrator rape. This article reports on a study which investigated the utility of two different methods of identifying leadership. The Scale of Influence (Porter & Alison, 2001) was applied to a sample of 256 offenders responsible for 95 multiple perpetrator rapes from the United Kingdom. Following this, the relative number of directives uttered by offenders was used to designate leadership. In 66% of the offences sampled, a leader was designated using the number of directives uttered compared with 80% when using the Scale of Influence. When combining both measures to form a composite measure of leadership, this percentage increased to 89%. Classifications of offenders as leaders, followers, and neither, according to the Scale of Influence, the count of directives, and the composite measure, were compared with classifications made by a practitioner to assess their concordance. The composite measure showed the greatest agreement with practitioner opinion. These findings suggest that the Scale of Influence could be developed to take account of other ways that leadership is displayed during multiple perpetrator rapes.
Bodegas or Bagel Shops? Neighborhood Differences in Retail and Household Services
Authors: Meltzer Rachel , Schuetz Jenny
Published: December 2011

Social scientists studying the disadvantages of poor urban neighborhoods have focused on the quality of publicly provided amenities. However, the quantity and quality of local private amenities, such as grocery stores and restaurants, can also have important quality-of-life implications for neighborhood residents. In the current article, the authors develop neighborhood-level metrics of “retail access” and analyze how retail services vary across New York City neighborhoods by income and by racial composition. The authors then examine how retail services change over time, particularly in neighborhoods undergoing rapid economic growth. Results indicate that lower income and minority neighborhoods have fewer retail establishments, smaller average establishments, a higher proportion of “unhealthy” restaurants, and in certain cases, less diversity across retail subsectors. In addition, the rate of retail growth between 1998 and 2007 has been particularly fast in neighborhoods that were initially lower valued and experienced relatively high housing price appreciation compared with the city overall.
Tobacco Branding, Plain Packaging, Pictorial Warnings, and Symbolic Consumption
Authors: Hoek Janet , Gendall Philip , Gifford Heather , Pirikahu Gill , McCool Judith , Pene Gina , Edwards Richard , Thomson George
Published: December 2011

We use brand association and symbolic consumption theory to explore how plain cigarette packaging would influence the identities young adults cocreate with tobacco products. Group discussions and in-depth interviews with 86 young adult smokers and nonsmokers investigated how participants perceive tobacco branding and plain cigarette packaging with larger health warnings. We examined the transcript data using thematic analysis and explored how removing tobacco branding and replacing this with larger warnings would affect the symbolic status of tobacco brands and their social connotations. Smokers used tobacco brand imagery to define their social attributes and standing, and their connection with specific groups. Plain cigarette packaging usurped this process by undermining aspirational connotations and exposing tobacco products as toxic. Replacing tobacco branding with larger health warnings diminishes the cachet brand insignia creates, weakens the social benefits brands confer on users, and represents a potentially powerful policy measure.
Analysis of the Cutoff Values in Fibrin-Related Markers for the Diagnosis of Overt DIC
Authors: Hatada Tsuyoshi , Wada Hideo , Kawasugi Kazuo , Okamoto Kohji , Uchiyama Toshimasa , Kushimoto Shigeki , Seki Yoshinobu , Okamura Takashi , Imai Hiroshi , Kaneko Toshihiro , Nobori Tsutomu ,   Japanese Society of Thrombosis Hemostasis/DIC subcommittee
Published: December 2011

Fibrin-related markers (FRMs) such as fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products (FDPs), d-dimer, and soluble fibrin monomer complex (SFMC) were prospectively evaluated in 522 patients using the overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) diagnostic criteria. The differences in all FRMs between the DIC group and the non-DIC group, and those between the survivors and nonsurvivors were significant in the patients with infections. In an analysis of all patients, DIC score cutoff values of 2 and 3 points for FDP, d-dimer, and SFMC were recommended to be 8.3 and 42.0 μg/mL, 2.4 and 22.0 μg/mL, and 3.4 and 138.0 μg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, the adequate cutoff value is thus considered to be useful for both making a diagnosis of DIC and for predicting the outcome. Fibrin-related markers are therefore thought to be more useful for making a diagnosis of DIC based on infections than based on any other underlying disorders.
Treatment Regimen With Bevacizumab Decreases Mean Platelet Volume in Patients With Metastatic Colon Cancer
Authors: Mutlu Hasan , Berk Veli , Karaca Halit , Erden Abdülsamet , Aslan Tuncay , Akca Zeki
Published: December 2011

The risk of thromboemboli is increased in patients with cancer, and this is precipitated by the chemotherapeutic agents. Bevacizumab is an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monoclonal antibody and has an importance in the treatment of metastatic colon cancer. The association between bevacizumab, which is demonstrated to increase the risk of thromboemboli, and mean platelet volume (MPV), which is a marker of thrombocyte function, has been investigated within study. A total of 74 patients with metastatic colon cancer were included in the study and the levels of platelets (PLTs), MPV, and platecrit (PCT) values were recorded in SPSS 16.0 program both at baseline and at the >third month. There were significant decreases in 3 parameters (PLT, MPV, and PCT) during the treatment period with bevacizumab ( P = .009, P = .001, and P = .000, respectively). Unlike cases with thrombosis, there is a significant decrease in MPV in combination treatments with bevacizumab.
A Compilation of Strategies for Implementing Clinical Innovations in Health and Mental Health
Authors: Powell Byron J. , McMillen J. Curtis , Proctor Enola K. , Carpenter Christopher R. , Griffey Richard T. , Bunger Alicia C. , Glass Joseph E. , York Jennifer L.
Published: December 2011

Efforts to identify, develop, refine, and test strategies to disseminate and implement evidence-based treatments have been prioritized in order to improve the quality of health and mental health care delivery. However, this task is complicated by an implementation science literature characterized by inconsistent language use and inadequate descriptions of implementation strategies. This article brings more depth and clarity to implementation research and practice by presenting a consolidated compilation of discrete implementation strategies, based on a review of 205 sources published between 1995 and 2011. The resulting compilation includes 68 implementation strategies and definitions, which are grouped according to six key implementation processes: planning, educating, financing, restructuring, managing quality, and attending to the policy context. This consolidated compilation can serve as a reference to stakeholders who wish to implement clinical innovations in health and mental health care and can facilitate the development of multifaceted, multilevel implementation plans that are tailored to local contexts.
Factors Associated With Parental Activation in Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
Authors: Pennarola Brian W. , Rodday Angie Mae , Mayer Deborah K. , Ratichek Sara J. , Davies Stella M. , Syrjala Karen L. , Patel Sunita , Bingen Kristin , Kupst Mary Jo , Schwartz Lisa , Guinan Eva C. , Hibbard Judith H. , Parsons Susan K. ,   for the HSCT-CHESS Study*
Published: December 2011

Patient activation, the extension of self-efficacy into self-management, is an essential component of effective chronic care. In pediatric populations, caregiver activation is also needed for proper disease management. This study investigates the relationships between parental activation and other characteristics of parent–child dyads ( N = 198) presenting for pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Parental activation concerning their child’s health was assessed using the Parent Patient Activation Measure (Parent-PAM), a modified version of the well-validated Patient Activation Measure (PAM). Using hierarchical linear regression and following the Belsky process model for determining parenting behaviors, a multivariate model was created for parental activation on behalf of their child that showed that the parent’s age, rating of their own general health, self-activation, and duration of the child’s illness were significantly related to Parent-PAM score. Our findings characterize a potentially distinct form of activation in a parent–child cohort preparing for a demanding clinical course.
An Unintended Side Effect of Pepper Spray
Authors: Persson Alma
Published: December 2011

This article tells the story of how pepper spray disrupted the everyday ways of being military men in a Swedish Armed Forces unit. It aims to show how military men are done and undone in the context of a highly strenuous military exercise. It is based on an ethnographic study carried out in a Swedish international service unit. The analysis shows how the exercise taught the soldiers how to behave as military men. Furthermore, it discusses the intimate forms of camaraderie that the soldiers practice and problematizes the scene of constraint that compulsory heterosexuality constitutes for their homosocial bonds. Theoretically, the article draws upon studies of men and masculinities and employs the concepts of homosociality and compulsory heterosexuality. By developing “repair work” as an analytical tool, it contributes to an understanding of how masculinities are done within, as well as beyond, the military context.
Situated learning theory and agentic orientation: A relational sociology approach
Authors: Kakavelakis Konstantinos , Edwards Tim
Published: December 2011

The orthodox literature on situated learning has favoured a conception of agency which is linked to habitual action and as a consequence it emphasizes learning as routinized enactment based on social cohesion. To highlight the contested nature of situated learning we draw on the case study of situated learning during organizational change and we employ a relational sociology perspective. The latter views agency as a process encompassing iterative, projective and practical evaluative dimensions which unfold in relation to the temporal and structural contexts within which situated learning is embedded. The evidence illustrates situated learning as an emergent process shaped by the diverse modes in which actors—operating in a context imbued with ambiguity—connected with a seemingly shared set of principles informing their practice.
The Use of Vignettes in Cross-Cultural Cognitive Testing of Survey Instruments
Authors: Goerman Patricia L. , Clifton Matthew
Published: December 2011

Cognitive interviewing (CI) is a pretesting technique that elicits respondents’ interpretations of survey questions as a means to evaluate and revise them. Vignettes are sometimes used as a part of the cognitive testing method. There has been little research on using vignettes in the testing of survey translations. This article examines the use of vignettes in two Spanish and English pretesting projects at the U.S. Census Bureau. The authors examine findings across English and Spanish cases in the two studies and discuss areas for future research.
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
Authors: Clayton Jennifer K. , Johnson Bryce
Published: December 2011

This case uncovers the balance between school culture and academic success that school leaders must consider while leading their schools. New school leaders as well as experienced leaders transitioning into new buildings find that each school has its own distinctive culture. The existing culture and ethos of a school must be considered as leaders gauge the need for short-term and long-term improvements. This must be balanced with the experiences and expectations brought by the leader that have the ability to create positive change. This transition process should not be taken lightly, and administrators should carefully observe what traditions their new school communities value when considering what change needs to be incorporated. This case uncovers the need for new building principals to reflect and analyze background data, both qualitative and quantitative, prior to mandating change in their building. In that sense, it gives aspiring leaders an opportunity to reflect on leadership style and whether there is an opportunity to contextualize that style.
In vivo and ex vivo effects of propofol on myocardial performance in rats with obstructive jaundice
Authors: Ren Hong-Mei , Yang Li-Qun , Liu Zhi-Qiang , Chen Cai-Yang , Cheung Chi-Wai , Tao Kun-Ming , Song Jian-Gang , Chen Wu-Rong , Yu Wei-Feng
Published: December 2011

Background

Responsiveness of the "jaundiced heart" to propofol is not completely understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of propofol on myocardial performance in rats with obstructive jaundice.

Methods

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 40) were randomly allocated into two groups, twenty underwent bile duct ligation (BDL), and 20 underwent a sham operation. Seven days after the surgery, propofol was administered in vivo and ex vivo (Langendorff preparations). Heart rate, left ventricular end-systolic pressure (LVESP) left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), and maximal rate for left ventricular pressure rise and decline (± dP/dtmax) were measured to determine the influence of propofol on the cardiac function of rats.

Results

Impaired basal cardiac function was observed in the isolated BDL hearts, whereas in vivo indices of basal cardiac function (LVESP and ± dP/dt) in vivo were significantly higher in rats that underwent BDL compared with controls. With low or intermediate concentrations of propofol, these indices of cardiac function were within the normal physiologic range in both groups, and responsiveness to propofol was unaffected by BDL. When the highest concentration of propofol was administrated, a significant decline in cardiac function was observed in the BDL group.

Conclusions

In rats that underwent BDL, basal cardiac performance was better in vivo and worse ex vivo compared with controls. Low and intermediate concentrations of propofol did not appear to impair cardiac function in rats with obstructive jaundice.