bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Childhood Tumors of the Brain: Demographic Pattern over a Ten-Year Period in the Kashmir Valley
Authors: Nayil Khursheed , Makhdoomi Rumana , Ramzan Altaf , Zahoor Sheikh , Rasool Mohsin , Wani Abrar , Dhar Anil , Mubeen Basharat , Singh Sarbjit , Bhat Rashid , Kirmani Altaf
Published: August 2011

Brain tumors in children represent the second most frequent tumors in this age group after hematologic malignancies. We highlight the demographic pattern after retrospective analysis of brain tumors in children from geographically and ethnically distinct Kashmir Valley managed in our center between 2000 and 2009. We had a total of 248 pediatric patients with brain tumors. The parameters analyzed were age, gender, location of tumors and histopathological subtypes as well as WHO grade of tumor. We also did a comparison between the frequencies of common varieties of tumor in the first and second 5-year periods. We found that 111 tumors (44.75%) were supratentorial, and 137 (55.25%) were infratentorial. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1. The proportions of low-grade and high-grade tumors were 60 and 40%, respectively. The most common tumor in our series was astrocytoma. The most common tumors in the supratentorial and infratentorial compartments were craniopharyngioma and medulloblastoma, respectively. Our experience reflects a different demographic profile of pediatric brain tumors as compared with other regions of the world.
Retrospective Nationwide Survey of Acute Stroke due to Large Vessel Occlusion in Japan: A Review of 1,963 Patients and the Impact of Endovascular Treatment
Authors: Yoshimura Shinichi , Egashira Yusuke , Sakai Nobuyuki , Kuwayama Naoya ,   Recovery by Endovascular Salvage for Cerebral Ultra-acute Embolism (RESCUE)-Japan retrospective survey group
Published: August 2011

Background: The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinical impact of endovascular treatment (EVT) on acute cerebral large vessel occlusion using a nationwide survey of Japan conducted in 2009. Methods: Patients admitted within 24 h after stroke onset were registered retrospectively. Treatment selection, methods, and clinical results were analyzed. Results: A total of 1,963 patients (855 women, 1,108 men) treated in 2008 were registered from 68 medical centers in Japan. Mean age on admission was 74.1 ± 12.2 years (range 7–100 years). The first treatment was conservative therapy in 68%, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) in 21%, EVT in 9%, and combined IV-tPA + EVT in 2%. EVT mainly comprised angioplasty, intra-arterial thrombolysis and/or the combination of both. Patients treated ≤3 h after onset (1,286 cases) showed better clinical outcomes with combined IV-tPA + EVT than with conservative therapy, and significant differences in outcomes were seen for patients with occlusion of the basilar artery (p < 0.01) or middle cerebral artery (p < 0.01), but not the internal carotid artery. At >3 h after onset (677 patients), no IV-tPA was performed, and EVT was performed in 11%. Among the patients treated by EVT, there were significant differences in clinical outcome between complete recanalization (TIMI grade 3) and partial/no recanalization (TIMI grade 0–2) (p < 0.001; OR 5.98; 95% CI 3.27–10.96) and between any recanalization (TIMI grade 1–3) and no recanalization (TIMI grade 0) (p < 0.001; OR 36.15; 95% CI 4.88–267.53). Conclusions: This nationwide survey showed the efficacy of EVT with IV-tPA in patients with occlusion of the basilar or middle cerebral artery, but not of the internal carotid artery. The effects of new endovascular devices should be clarified in the near future.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Hydrothorax without Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Migration in an Infant
Authors: Patel Achal P. , Dorantes-Argandar Agustin , Raja Ali I.
Published: August 2011

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hydrothorax is a rare complication of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS), and even rarer in the absence of shunt migration into the thoracic compartment. Because of the limited volume within the thoracic cavity, hydrothorax in infants can rapidly cause severe respiratory distress. The case of an infant with recurrent CSF hydrothorax despite a well-positioned VPS is presented. A ventriculoatrial shunt was successfully performed as the definitive treatment. The absence of ascites or predisposing factors for decreased peritoneal absorption and a false-negative β2-transferrin CSF marker are some of the factors that can add to the diagnostic challenge in these patients. This is a potentially life-threatening condition in infants, which should be closely considered in patients with VPS who develop hydrothorax, although diagnosis is not always straight forward. The etiology and pathophysiology of this very rare disease continue to be elusive, and treatment with ventriculoatrial shunt provides good results.
Pulmonary Haptoglobin and CD163 Are Functional Immunoregulatory Elements in the Human Lung
Authors: Abdullah M. , Kähler D. , Vock C. , Reiling N. , Kugler C. , Drömann D. , Rupp J. , Hauber H.P. , Fehrenbach H. , Zabel P. , Vollmer E. , Dalhoff K. , Goldmann T.
Published: August 2011

Background: The acute-phase protein haptoglobin (Hp) and its receptor CD163 serve as immunomodulators and possess anti-inflammatory besides antioxidant functions. Objectives: To further understand the role of the recently described pulmonary Hp (pHp) and its receptor CD163 in case of inflammation and infection, pHp and CD163 were investigated on mRNA and protein level to gain insight into the cellular events taking place upon stimulation with the inflammatory mediators LPS, Pam3, cytokine IL-6 and dexamethasone, and upon infection with respiratory pathogens (Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcuspneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae) by use of a human ex vivo tissue culture model and cell cultures of A549 and alveolar epithelial cells type II. In addition, pHp and CD163 expression in COPD and sarcoidosis was assessed. Methods: We conducted experiments using 942 ex vivo cultured lung samples applying immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, real-time PCR, RT-PCR, slot and Western immunoblot analyses with tissue lysates and culture supernatants as well as ELISA and cytometric bead array analyses. Results: This study describes for the first time the expression, regulation and secretion of pHp and its receptor CD163 in the human lung. The release of soluble mediators from A549 cell line and human monocyte-derived macrophages was observed indicating that Hp differentially activates the release of soluble mediators and major chemoattractants. Conclusions: The findings indicate a native function of pHp and CD163 as functional pulmonary defense elements due to local expression, regulation and secretion during lung infection and as part of the inflammatory immune response of the respiratory system.
Effect of Low-Dose Gemcitabine on Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer in Elderly Patients
Authors: Matsumoto Kazuyuki , Miyake Yasuhiro , Kato Hironari , Kawamoto Hirofumi , Imagawa Atsushi , Toyokawa Tatsuya , Nakatsu Morihito , Ando Masaharu , Hirohata Mamoru , Yamamoto Kazuhide
Published: August 2011

Background/Aims: The efficacy of gemcitabine (GEM) on unresectable pancreatic cancer has been reported. However, in elderly patients, severe toxicities are frequently observed. In this study we aimed to assess the efficacy of low-dose GEM on unresectable pancreatic cancer in elderly patients. Methods: We reviewed 68 elderly patients (≧65 years) with unresectable pancreatic cancer. Thirty-six patients were treated with low-dose GEM (600–800 mg/m2; GEM group), and the other 32 received best supportive care (BSC group). Results: Median survival was 7.6 and 2.3 months in the GEM and BSC groups, respectively. In the GEM group, the median survival period was longer in 24 patients showing partial response or stable disease than in 12 patients showing progressive disease (11.4 vs. 5.3 months). Furthermore, the patients showing progressive disease had better 6-month survival than patients in the BSC group. Thirteen patients (36%) developed severe toxicities (grade 3 or 4). Low-dose GEM, stage of disease and performance status were associated with the prognosis. Conclusions: Low-dose GEM may improve the prognosis of elderly patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, frequencies of severe toxicity seem lower in patients treated with low-dose GEM compared with previous reports.
Application of Dermal Microdialysis for the Determination of Bioavailability of Clobetasol Propionate Applied to the Skin of Human Subjects
Authors: Au W.L. , Skinner M.F. , Benfeldt E. , Verbeeck R.K. , Kanfer I.
Published: August 2011

Dermal microdialysis was used to assess the bioavailability of a topical corticosteroid, clobetasol propionate, following application onto the skin of human subjects. The penetration of clobetasol propionate from a 4% m/v ethanolic solution applied onto 4 sites on one forearm of healthy human volunteers was studied. A lipid emulsion, Intralipid®, was used as the perfusate and linear microdialysis probes with a 2-kDa cutoff were inserted intradermally at the designated sites. The results indicated that Intralipid could be used as a suitable perfusate for in vivo microdialysis of this lipophilic drug of interest. Furthermore, the study clearly demonstrated the application of dermal microdialysis as a valuable tool to assess the bioavailability/bioequivalence of clobetasol propionate penetration into the skin following topical application.
Biomimetic Approach for Root Caries Prevention Using a Proanthocyanidin-Rich Agent
Authors: Pavan S. , Xie Q. , Hara A.T. , Bedran-Russo A.K.
Published: August 2011

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a proanthocyanidin-rich grape seed extract (GSE) on the in vitro demineralization of root dentine. Root fragments were obtained from sound human teeth. The fragments were randomly assigned to different treatments solutions: GSE, fluoride (F), GSE+F and distilled water (control). Samples were treated daily for 30 min and subjected to a pH cycling artificial caries protocol using demineralization cycles (2.2 mM CaCl2×H2O, 2.2 mM KH2PO4, 50 mM acetic acid, pH 4.3) for 6 h and remineralization cycles (20 mM HEPES, 2.25 mM CaCl2×H2O, 1.35 mM KH2PO4, 130 mM KCl, pH 7.0) for 17.5 h. Mineral loss (ΔZ) and lesion depth (LD) were determined after 18 days of treatment/pH cycling, by transverse microradiography. GSE was able to minimize ΔZ and LD compared with the control group (p < 0.0001). The GSE+F and F groups showed the lowest values of ΔZ and LD (p < 0.05), with no statistically significant differences between them (p = 0.554 and p = 0.726, respectively). A biomimetic approach to strengthen root dentine using GSE results in decreased rates of root demineralization and may be used in conjunction with F to prevent root caries.
Chronic Kidney Disease and Risk of Death from Infection
Authors: Wang Henry E. , Gamboa Christopher , Warnock David G. , Muntner Paul
Published: August 2011

Background: Infection, bacteremia and sepsis are major sources of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. This study sought to determine the association between predialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) and infection-related mortality. Methods: We analyzed participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). The study included adults ≧45- years-old without end-stage renal disease. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was categorized as ≧60, 45–59.9 and <45 ml/min per 1.73 m2, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) as <30, 30–299.9 and ≧300 mg/g. The study identified infection-related mortality, including septicemia, respiratory, abdominal and gastrointestinal, cardiac, kidney and genitourinary, neurologic, and other infections over a median of 13 years using the National Death Index. Results: Of 7,400 participants included in the study, 206 died from infections. Compared to individuals with eGFR ≧60 ml/min per 1.73 m2, infection-related mortality was higher for those with lower eGFR [adjusted HR = 1.36 (95% CI: 0.81, 2.30) and 2.36 (1.04, 5.38) for eGFR of 45–59.9 and <45 ml/min per 1.73 m2, respectively; p trend = 0.06]. Compared to individuals with ACR <30 mg/g, infection-related mortality was higher for ACR levels of 30–299 and ≧300 mg/g [adjusted HR = 1.68 (95% CI: 0.97, 2.92) and 2.84 (0.92, 8.74), p trend = 0.02]. Conclusions: Reduced eGFR and albuminuria are associated with increased risk for infection-related mortality. Efforts are needed to reduce its incidence and mitigate the effects of infections among individuals with CKD.
Altered Desmosomal Proteins in Granulomatous Myocarditis and Potential Pathogenic Links to Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Asimaki Angeliki , Tandri Harikrishna , Duffy Elizabeth R. , Winterfield Jeffrey R. , Mackey-Bojack Shannon , Picken Maria M. , Cooper Leslie T. , Wilber David J. , Marcus Frank I. , Basso Cristina , Thiene Gaetano , Tsatsopoulou Adalena , Protonotarios Nikos , Stevenson William G. , McKenna William J. , Gautam Shiva , Remick Daniel G. , Calkins Hugh , Saffitz Jeffrey E.
Published: August 2011

Background—

Immunoreactive signal for the desmosomal protein plakoglobin (γ-catenin) is reduced at cardiac intercalated disks in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), a highly arrhythmogenic condition caused by mutations in genes encoding desmosomal proteins. Previously, we observed a false-positive case in which plakoglobin signal was reduced in a patient initially believed to have ARVC but who actually had cardiac sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis can masquerade clinically as ARVC but has not been previously associated with altered desmosomal proteins.

Methods and Results—

We observed marked reduction in immunoreactive signal for plakoglobin at cardiac myocyte junctions in patients with sarcoidosis and giant cell myocarditis, both highly arrhythmogenic forms of myocarditis associated with granulomatous inflammation. In contrast, plakoglobin signal was not depressed in lymphocytic (nongranulomatous) myocarditis. To determine whether cytokines might promote dislocation of plakoglobin from desmosomes, we incubated cultures of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes with selected inflammatory mediators. Brief exposure to low concentrations of interleukin (IL)-17, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-6 (cytokines implicated in granulomatous myocarditis) caused translocation of plakoglobin from cell-cell junctions to intracellular sites, whereas other potent cytokines implicated in nongranulomatous myocarditis had no effect, even at much higher concentrations. We also observed myocardial expression of IL-17 and TNF-α and elevated levels of serum inflammatory mediators, including IL-6R, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1β, in patients with ARVC (all
P
<0.0001 compared with controls).

Conclusions—

The results suggest novel disease mechanisms involving desmosomal proteins in granulomatous myocarditis and implicate cytokines, perhaps derived in part from the myocardium, in disruption of desmosomal proteins and arrhythmogenesis in ARVC.
Marine n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Adipose Tissue and the Risk of Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Joensen Albert Marni , Overvad Kim , Dethlefsen Claus , Johnsen Søren Paaske , Tjønneland Anne , Rasmussen Lars Hvilsted , Schmidt Erik Berg
Published: August 2011

Background—

Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may reduce coronary mortality. Previous data in relation to nonfatal coronary disease, however, have been inconsistent, which may be explained by the use of heterogeneous methods to assess the intake of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. We investigated the hypothesis that the content of total and individual marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in adipose tissue is negatively associated with the incidence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including both fatal and nonfatal coronary disease.

Methods and Results—

In the Diet, Cancer and Health, a Danish cohort study, 57 053 subjects were enrolled and had an adipose tissue biopsy taken at inclusion. During a mean follow-up period of 7.6 years, we identified and verified all cases (n=1012) with an incident acute coronary syndrome diagnosis, and a random sample of the cohort (n=1630) had their fatty acid composition in adipose tissue determined by gas chromatography. We found negative dose-response associations between the content of total marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and individual n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in adipose tissue and the risk of acute coronary syndrome. Comparing men in the highest and lowest quintiles gave a hazard ratio of 0.65 (95% confidence interval, 0.45 to 0.95) for total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and 0.51 (95% confidence interval, 0.36 to 0.73) for docosahexaenoic acid. Nonfatal cases constituted >86% of cases, and the association was driven primarily by a reduction in the risk of nonfatal acute coronary syndrome. No consistent associations were found among women.

Conclusion—

Intake of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may protect against acute coronary syndrome in men.
Association of Incident Cardiovascular Disease With Periodic Limb Movements During Sleep in Older Men
Authors: Koo Brian B. , Blackwell Terri , Ancoli-Israel Sonia , Stone Katie L. , Stefanick Marcia L. , Redline Susan ,   for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study Group
Published: August 2011

Background—

Periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) cause repetitive sympathetic activation and may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We hypothesized that PLMS frequency (periodic limb movement index [PLMI]) and PLMS arousal frequency (periodic limb movement arousal index [PLMAI]) are predictive of incident cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and cerebrovascular disease, in an elderly male cohort.

Methods and Results—

A total of 2911 men in the observational Outcomes of Sleep Disorders in Older Men (MrOS) Sleep Study cohort underwent in-home polysomnography with PLMS measurement and were followed up for 4 years for the outcomes coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, and all-cause cardiovascular disease, which included coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Cox proportional hazards regression assessed the association between PLMI, PLMAI, and these outcomes. Models were minimally adjusted for age, clinic, and body mass index and then fully adjusted for conventional cardiovascular risk factors. During follow-up, 500 men experienced all-cause cardiovascular disease: 345 coronary heart disease, 117 cerebrovascular disease, and 98 peripheral arterial disease events. In fully adjusted models, men with PLMAI ≥5 compared with the referent PLMA <1 group had a 1.26-fold increased relative hazard for all-cause cardiovascular disease. Similar findings were observed for PLMI and all-cause cardiovascular disease. For peripheral arterial disease, men with PLMI ≥30 compared with the referent PLMI <5 group had a 2-fold increased relative hazard (95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 3.49;
P
=0.025). Compared with the referent group, men with PLMI ≥30 had an increased risk of coronary heart disease (relative hazard, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.70;
P
=0.045) after minimal adjustment, but this association was attenuated after further adjustments. After stratification, risk of incident all-cause cardiovascular disease among high-PLMI and high-PLMAI groups was significantly elevated only for men without prevalent hypertension (
P
for interactions <0.10).

Conclusion—

These findings provide evidence that PLMS frequency is associated with incident cardiovascular disease in community-dwelling elderly men.
Improvements in Door-to-Balloon Time in the United States, 2005 to 2010
Authors: Krumholz Harlan M. , Herrin Jeph , Miller Lauren E. , Drye Elizabeth E. , Ling Shari M. , Han Lein F. , Rapp Michael T. , Bradley Elizabeth H. , Nallamothu Brahmajee K. , Nsa Wato , Bratzler Dale W. , Curtis Jeptha P.
Published: August 2011

Background—

Registry studies have suggested improvements in door-to-balloon times, but a national assessment of the trends in door-to-balloon times is lacking. Moreover, we do not know whether improvements in door-to-balloon times were shared equally among patient and hospital groups.

Methods and Results—

This analysis includes all patients reported by hospitals to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for inclusion in the time to percutaneous coronary intervention (acute myocardial infarction-8) inpatient measure from January 1, 2005, through September 30, 2010. For each calendar year, we summarized the characteristics of patients reported for the measure, including the number and percentage in each group, the median time to primary percutaneous coronary intervention, and the percentage with time to primary percutaneous coronary intervention within 75 minutes and within 90 minutes. Door-to-balloon time declined from a median of 96 minutes in the year ending December 31, 2005, to a median of 64 minutes in the 3 quarters ending September 30, 2010. There were corresponding increases in the percentage of patients who had times <90 minutes (44.2% to 91.4%) and <75 minutes (27.3% to 70.4%). The declines in median times were greatest among groups that had the highest median times during the first period: patients >75 years of age (median decline, 38 minutes), women (35 minutes), and blacks (42 minutes).

Conclusion—

National progress has been achieved in the timeliness of treatment of patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction who undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
Key Role of 15-Lipoxygenase/15-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid in Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling and Vascular Angiogenesis Associated With Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Ma Cui , Li Yaqian , Ma Jun , Liu Yun , Li Qian , Niu Shengpan , Shen Zhiying , Zhang Lei , Pan Zhenwei , Zhu Daling
Published: August 2011

We have found that 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) induced by hypoxia was an important mediator in the regulation of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, including the pulmonary vasoconstriction and remodeling. However, the underlying mechanisms of the remodeling induced by 15-HETE are poorly understood. In this study, we performed immunohistochemistry, pulmonary artery endothelial cells migration and tube formation, pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, and cell cycle analysis to determine the role of 15-HETE in hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling. We found that hypoxia induced pulmonary vascular medial hypertrophy and intimal endothelial cells migration and angiogenesis, which were mediated by 15-HETE. Moreover, 15-HETE regulated the cell cycle progression and made more smooth muscle cells from the G
0
/G
1
phase to the G
2
/M+S phase and enhanced the microtubule formation in cell nucleus. In addition, we found that the Rho-kinase pathway was involved in 15-HETE–induced endothelial cells tube formation and migration and smooth muscle cell proliferation. Together, these results show that 15-HETE mediates hypoxia-induced pulmonary vascular remodeling and stimulates angiogenesis via the Rho-kinase pathway.
Attenuation of Brain Damage and Cognitive Impairment by Direct Renin Inhibition in Mice With Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion
Authors: Dong Yi-Fei , Kataoka Keiichiro , Toyama Kensuke , Sueta Daisuke , Koibuchi Nobutaka , Yamamoto Eiichiro , Yata Kenichiro , Tomimoto Hidekazu , Ogawa Hisao , Kim-Mitsuyama Shokei
Published: August 2011

The role of the renin-angiotensin system in cognitive impairment is unclear. This work was undertaken to test our hypothesis that renin-angiotensin system may contribute to cognitive decline and brain damage caused by chronic cerebral ischemia. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to bilateral common carotid artery stenosis with microcoil to prepare mice with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, a model of subcortical vascular dementia. The effects of aliskiren, a direct renin inhibitor, or Tempol, a superoxide scavenger, on brain damage and working memory in these mice were examined. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion significantly increased brain renin activity and angiotensinogen expression in C57BL/6J mice, which was attributed to the increased renin in activated astrocytes and microvessels and the increased angiotensinogen in activated astrocytes in white matter. Aliskiren pretreatment significantly inhibited brain renin activity and ameliorated brain p67
phox
-related NADPH oxidase activity, oxidative stress, glial activation, white matter lesion, and spatial working memory deficits in C57BL/6J mice with bilateral common carotid artery stenosis. To elucidate the role of oxidative stress in brain protective effects of aliskiren, we also examined the effect of Tempol in the same mice with bilateral common carotid artery stenosis. Tempol pretreatment mimicked the brain protective effects of aliskiren in this mouse model. Posttreatment of mice with aliskiren or Tempol after bilateral common carotid artery stenosis also prevented cognitive decline. In conclusion, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion induced the activation of the brain renin-angiotensin system. Aliskiren ameliorated brain damage and working memory deficits in the model of chronic cerebral ischemia through the attenuation of oxidative stress. Thus, direct renin inhibition seems to be a promising therapeutic strategy for subcortical vascular dementia.
Lifting All Boats? Finance Litigation, Education Resources, and Student Needs in the Post-RoseEra
Authors: Sims David P.
Published: August 2011

Rose v. Council for Better Education (1989) is often considered a transition point in education finance litigation, heralding an era of increasing concern for measurable adequacy of education across a broad spectrum of student needs. Prior research suggests that post-Rose lawsuits had less effect on the distribution of school spending than older litigation. This article suggests that this focus on the raw resource distribution masks the important effect of contemporary lawsuits in redistributing money to districts with greater student needs. My findings suggest that a successful lawsuit does raise revenues to a variety of districts but provides more money to those districts with higher plausible indications of student needs.
Executive Semantic Processing Is Underpinned by a Large-scale Neural Network: Revealing the Contribution of Left Prefrontal, Posterior Temporal, and Parietal Cortex to Controlled Retrieval and Selection Using TMS
Authors: Whitney Carin , Kirk Marie , O'Sullivan Jamie , Lambon Ralph Matthew A. , Jefferies Elizabeth
Published: August 2011

To understand the meanings of words and objects, we need to have knowledge about these items themselves plus executive mechanisms that compute and manipulate semantic information in a task-appropriate way. The neural basis for semantic control remains controversial. Neuroimaging studies have focused on the role of the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG), whereas neuropsychological research suggests that damage to a widely distributed network elicits impairments of semantic control. There is also debate about the relationship between semantic and executive control more widely. We used TMS in healthy human volunteers to create “virtual lesions” in structures typically damaged in patients with semantic control deficits: LIFG, left posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), and intraparietal sulcus (IPS). The influence of TMS on tasks varying in semantic and nonsemantic control demands was examined for each region within this hypothesized network to gain insights into (i) their functional specialization (i.e., involvement in semantic representation, controlled retrieval, or selection) and (ii) their domain dependence (i.e., semantic or cognitive control). The results revealed that LIFG and pMTG jointly support both the controlled retrieval and selection of semantic knowledge. IPS specifically participates in semantic selection and responds to manipulations of nonsemantic control demands. These observations are consistent with a large-scale semantic control network, as predicted by lesion data, that draws on semantic-specific (LIFG and pMTG) and domain-independent executive components (IPS).
Deconstructing Events: The Neural Bases for Space, Time, and Causality
Authors: Kranjec Alexander , Cardillo Eileen R. , Schmidt Gwenda L. , Lehet Matthew , Chatterjee Anjan
Published: August 2011

Space, time, and causality provide a natural structure for organizing our experience. These abstract categories allow us to think relationally in the most basic sense; understanding simple events requires one to represent the spatial relations among objects, the relative durations of actions or movements, and the links between causes and effects. The present fMRI study investigates the extent to which the brain distinguishes between these fundamental conceptual domains. Participants performed a 1-back task with three conditions of interest (space, time, and causality). Each condition required comparing relations between events in a simple verbal narrative. Depending on the condition, participants were instructed to either attend to the spatial, temporal, or causal characteristics of events, but between participants each particular event relation appeared in all three conditions. Contrasts compared neural activity during each condition against the remaining two and revealed how thinking about events is deconstructed neurally. Space trials recruited neural areas traditionally associated with visuospatial processing, primarily bilateral frontal and occipitoparietal networks. Causality trials activated areas previously found to underlie causal thinking and thematic role assignment, such as left medial frontal and left middle temporal gyri, respectively. Causality trials also produced activations in SMA, caudate, and cerebellum; cortical and subcortical regions associated with the perception of time at different timescales. The time contrast, however, produced no significant effects. This pattern, indicating negative results for time trials but positive effects for causality trials in areas important for time perception, motivated additional overlap analyses to further probe relations between domains. The results of these analyses suggest a closer correspondence between time and causality than between time and space.
Amygdalar Function Reflects Common Individual Differences in Emotion and Pain Regulation Success
Authors: Lapate Regina C. , Lee Hyejeen , Salomons Tim V. , van Reekum Carien M. , Greischar Lawrence L. , Davidson Richard J.
Published: August 2011

Although the co-occurrence of negative affect and pain is well recognized, the mechanism underlying their association is unclear. To examine whether a common self-regulatory ability impacts the experience of both emotion and pain, we integrated neuroimaging, behavioral, and physiological measures obtained from three assessments separated by substantial temporal intervals. Our results demonstrated that individual differences in emotion regulation ability, as indexed by an objective measure of emotional state, corrugator electromyography, predicted self-reported success while regulating pain. In both emotion and pain paradigms, the amygdala reflected regulatory success. Notably, we found that greater emotion regulation success was associated with greater change of amygdalar activity following pain regulation. Furthermore, individual differences in degree of amygdalar change following emotion regulation were a strong predictor of pain regulation success, as well as of the degree of amygdalar engagement following pain regulation. These findings suggest that common individual differences in emotion and pain regulatory success are reflected in a neural structure known to contribute to appraisal processes.
Population Dynamics of the Western Australian Soldier Crab Mictyris Occidentalis Unno, 2008 (brachyura, Mictyridae) in the Dampier Archipelago — 30 Years of Observations
Authors: Unno J. , Semeniuk V.
Published: August 2011

The previously undescribed population dynamics of the Western Australian soldier crab, Mictyris occidentalis Unno, 2008, in King Bay, north-western Australia are elucidated, with annual observations and sampling over a 30-year period from 1980 to 2010. This is the longest recorded study of a single inter-tidal brachyuran population and shows long-term persistence of soldier crab populations in stable, sheltered habitats. The life cycle of M. occidentalis follows a cryptic subsurface juvenile and immature adult (= adolescent) phase and an emergent adult phase. Population densities were generally 500 crabs/m2 for the early 1980s, late 1980s, and during the early 2000s. Maximum population densities were high in the mid 1980s (800 crabs/m2). The spatial and temporal variability in the distribution of the population was consistent over the study period. Juvenile recruitment extends for up to 7 months of a given year between May and November with the main influx of juveniles usually in June and occasional minor influxes in August or October. Juvenile recruitment is followed by incremental growth of individuals at a rate of 1 mm/month reaching sexual maturity in the first year at 6.0-6.9 mm carapace length (CL). Adult males are larger than females with a maximum size of 15.0 mm CL compared to 12.0 mm CL, respectively. Ovigerous females are low in numbers throughout most of the year but reach a peak in February. During swarming, M. occidentalis populations partition not only by size class, with surface crabs being adults only and subsurface crabs mainly adult females and juveniles, but also by sex in that swarms are male-dominated in varying ratios.
The Prosecution of Gender-based Crimes at the ICC: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Mouthaan Solange
Published: August 2011

The ICC statute incorporates a mandate to implement gender-sensitive measures in its structures and procedures, but trials in progress at present demonstrate that the ICC faces considerable challenges in tackling gender-based crimes consistently. The current Article discusses the fact that gender-based crimes are still under-investigated, under-prosecuted and remain the least condemned crime. In the face of considerable difficulties, not least the absence of guidance on the implementation of its statute in this regard and its limited resources, the ICC must make a firm commitment to the prosecution of gender-based crimes. The Article concludes with an analysis of three specific areas: (i) the necessity for the establishment of institutional arrangements for decision-making about prosecutions and investigations; (ii) the necessity for Member States to demonstrate commitment that such crimes will not be tolerated and (iii) the necessity for gender-based crimes to be expressly identified as international crimes.
Evaluating Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model Predictions of Turbulent Flow Parameters in a Dry Convective Boundary Layer
Authors: Gibbs Jeremy A. , Fedorovich Evgeni , van Eijk Alexander M. J.
Published: August 2011

Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model predictions using different boundary layer schemes and horizontal grid spacings were compared with observational and numerical large-eddy simulation data for conditions corresponding to a dry atmospheric convective boundary layer (CBL) over the southern Great Plains (SGP). The first studied case exhibited a dryline passage during the simulation window, and the second studied case was used to examine the CBL in a post-cold-frontal environment. The model runs were conducted with three boundary layer parameterization schemes (Yonsei University, Mellor–Yamada–Janjić, and asymmetrical convective) commonly employed within the WRF model environment to represent effects of small-scale turbulent transport. A study domain was centered over the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program SGP site in Lamont, Oklahoma. Results show that near-surface flow and turbulence parameters are predicted reasonably well with all tested horizontal grid spacings (1, 2, and 4 km) and that value added through refining grid spacing was minimal at best for conditions considered in this study. In accord with this result, it was suggested that the 16-fold increase in computing overhead associated with changing from 4- to 1-km grid spacing was not justified. Therefore, only differences among schemes at 4-km spacing were presented in detail. WRF model predictions generally overestimated the contribution to turbulence generation by mechanical forcing over buoyancy forcing in both studied CBL cases. Nonlocal parameterization schemes were found to match observational data more closely than did the local scheme, although differences among the predictions with all three schemes were relatively small.
Global Monsoon, El Niño, and Their Interannual Linkage Simulated by MIROC5 and the CMIP3 CGCMs
Authors: Kim Hyung-Jin , Takata Kumiko , Wang Bin , Watanabe Masahiro , Kimoto Masahide , Yokohata Tokuta , Yasunari Tetsuzo
Published: August 2011

This study evaluates the capability of coupled global climate models (CGCMs) in simulating the prime examples of the forced response (global monsoon) and internal feedback process (El Niño). Emphases are also placed on the fidelity of the year-to-year variability of global monsoon precipitation that is coordinated by the interannual sea surface temperature (SST) fluctuation over the tropics. The latest version of the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate 5 (MIROC5) with advanced physical schemes is compared with the two previous versions (MIROC3.2, high- and medium-resolution versions) and with the 20 CGCMs participating in the third phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3). The climatological annual mean and cycles of precipitation and 850-hPa winds, the key components to demarcate the global monsoon domain, are reproduced better in MIROC5 than in MIROC3 versions. As a consequence, the former considerably outperforms the latter and is generally superior to the CMIP3 CGCMs in replicating the intensity and domain of global monsoon precipitation and circulations. These results highlight the importance of the improved physical parameterization in a model. Analyses of the monthly Niño-3 index suggest that the amplitude and periodicity of El Niño are simulated better in MIROC5 than in the MIROC3 versions. Yet the reality of nonlinear ENSO dynamics measured indirectly by the SST asymmetricity over the equatorial Pacific is unsatisfactory in the MIROC family as well as in the majority of the CMIP3 models. The maximum covariance analysis shows that a significant fraction of the interannual global monsoon rainfall variability is in concert with El Niño. The multimodel results reveal that such coupling is robust across the current CGCMs. More importantly, the fidelity of the global monsoon precipitation significantly relies on the realism of tropical SST. Comparison among the MIROC models suggests that improved El Niño is likely attributable to the more realistic Bjerknes feedback loop, which results from the intensified convective activity over the equatorial central Pacific Ocean.
The Role of Bottom Pressure Torques on the Interior Pathways of North Atlantic Deep Water
Authors: Spence Paul , Saenko Oleg A. , Sijp Willem , England Matthew
Published: August 2011

Four versions of the same global climate model, one with horizontal resolution of 1.8° × 3.6° and three with 0.2° × 0.4°, are employed to evaluate the role of ocean bottom topography and viscosity on the spatial structure of the deep circulation. This study is motivated by several recent observational studies that find that subsurface floats injected near the western boundary of the Labrador Sea most often do not continuously follow the deep western boundary current (DWBC), in contrast to the traditional view that the deep water formed in the North Atlantic predominantly follows the DWBC. It is found that, with imposed large viscosity values, the model reproduces the traditional view. However, as viscosity is reduced and the model bathymetry resolution increased, much of the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) separates from the western boundary and enters the low-latitude Atlantic via interior pathways distinct from the DWBC. It is shown that bottom pressure torques play an important role in maintaining these interior NADW outflows.
The Social Transmission of Delinquency
Authors: Megens Kim C. I. M. , Weerman Frank M.
Published: August 2011

While a growing number of longitudinal studies contribute to our knowledge on the relationship between delinquent peers and one’s own delinquent behavior, researchers have generally approached the issue in a restricted way: failing to identify mediating processes or to distinguish between what peers approve of and what they do. Moreover, most studies have used indirect, perceptual measurements, which may have led to biased results. The present study examines the relative effects of peer attitudes toward delinquency and peer delinquent behavior on adolescents' delinquent behavior, using social network data from the School Study of the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR). The results suggest that peer attitudes and attitude transference play a more important role in the social transmission of delinquency than previous research has indicated. Nevertheless, the results also provide evidence for a remaining direct effect of peer delinquent behavior on adolescents' self-reported delinquency.
The influence of vat dyeing on the adsorption of synthesized colloidal silver onto cotton fabrics
Authors: Gorjanc Marija , Kovač Franci , Gorenšek Marija
Published: August 2011

Bleached, mercerized cotton fabrics were used in this research. In the first phase, the dyeing of cotton fabrics with a blue vat dye Bezathren Blau BCE was performed, and in the second phase, the dyed fabrics were immersed into a colloidal silver solution. The colloidal silver solution was prepared via synthesis from AgNO3 and reduced with NaBH4. Parent cotton fabrics were also immersed into the colloidal silver solution. A comparison of the quantity of silver on the parent and vat-dyed cotton fabrics was performed. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry revealed a silver content that was almost two times higher on the dyed and silver-treated cotton fabrics. All samples (parent and dyed) treated in the colloidal silver solution showed excellent antimicrobial activity. The fiber surfaces were imaged using a scanning electron microscope. The mechanical properties of vat-dyed and vat-dyed silver-treated fabrics and the wash fastness of silver-treated samples were determined.
Examining Dilemmas of Practice Associated With the Integration of Technology Into Mathematics Classrooms Serving Urban Students
Authors: Anthony Anika B. , Clark Lawrence M.
Published: August 2011

This article contributes to research on contextual influences on technology integration in urban mathematics classrooms through an investigation of five middle-grade teachers’ participation in a laptop program. Drawing on activity theory, findings illuminate teachers’ dilemmas and coping strategies in their efforts to integrate technology. Dilemmas of practice included (a) determining the role of technology, (b) meeting misaligned expectations, and (c) gaining knowledge and skills despite limited professional development. Coping strategies included (a) integrating multiple institutional goals, (b) breaking rules, and (c) redistributing instructional responsibilities across colleagues and students. Implications for administrative practice, teacher education, and future research are discussed.
The Impact of the London Olympics Announcement on Property Prices
Authors: Kavetsos Georgios
Published: August 2011

This study estimates the impact of the London 2012 Olympics announcement on property prices. Using a self-constructed dataset of a sample of property transactions, it is estimated that properties in host boroughs are sold between 2.1 and 3.3 per cent higher, depending on the definition of the impact area. A similar investigation based on radius rings suggests that properties up to three miles away from the main Olympic stadium sell for 5 per cent higher. It is estimated that the overall impact on the price of properties in host boroughs amounts to £1.4 billion, having substantial social and financial implications for existing residents.
Internal combustion engine valve clearance fault classification using multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant analysis
Authors: Ftoutou Ezzeddine , Chouchane Mnaouar , Besbès Noureddine
Published: August 2011

This paper investigates the classification of a valve clearance fault in an internal combustion diesel engine using vibration time domain features extracted from signal segments measured at several points on the engine bloc. Signals containing a large number of engine cycles are used to obtain a number of observations of each feature. The set of features is thus considered a set of variables. A stepwise variable selection algorithm based on univariate and multivariate analysis of variance is then used to sort the variables according to their diagnostic ability. The algorithm is also used to construct sets of variables of increasing size used to improve fault classification. Four commonly used supervised classifiers are trained and then tested, giving roughly the same percentage of correct classification. The tested classifiers confirmed that the use of more variables selected by the stepwise variable selection algorithm increases the percentage of correct classification.
African Americans’ Perception of Risk for Diabetes Complications
Authors: Calvin Donna , Quinn Lauretta , Dancy Barbara , Park Chang , Fleming Shirley G. , Smith Eva , Fogelfeld Leon
Published: August 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive, correlational study was to describe the perceived risk for diabetes complications among urban African American adults (18-75 years old) with type 2 diabetes and to explore the interrelationships among illness perception, well-being, perceptions of risk for diabetes complications, and selected physiologic measures of diabetes risk: hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure, and microalbuminuria.

Methods

Urban African American adults with type 2 diabetes (N = 143) were recruited from 3 Chicago city public health clinics. They completed a demographic survey and 3 instruments: the Risk Perception Survey–Diabetes Mellitus, the 12-item Well-being Questionnaire, and the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire. Physiologic measures included blood pressure, urine for microalbuminuria, and capillary blood for A1C.

Results

There was low perception of risk for diabetes complications, which was incongruent with the physiologic measures of risk. Less than 33% of participants saw themselves as being at high risk for developing any complications of diabetes, with the exception of vision problems (39%), despite the fact that physiologic measures of risk for diabetes complications were high in this sample.

Conclusions

Risk perception was associated with well-being, perception of negative consequences, number of symptoms, and negative emotions related to diabetes. Risk perception was not in line with risk, as indicated by physiologic measures; thus, it is necessary to heighten this population’s perception of risk for diabetes complications.