bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel Immunotherapy for Malignant Melanoma with a Monoclonal Antibody That Blocks CEACAM1 Homophilic Interactions
Authors: Ortenberg Rona , Sapir Yair , Raz Lee , Hershkovitz Liat , Ben Arav Ayelet , Sapoznik Sivan , Barshack Iris , Avivi Camila , Berkun Yackov , Besser Michal J. , Ben-Moshe Tehila , Schachter Jacob , Markel Gal
Published: March 2012

CEACAM1 (biliary glycoprotein-1, CD66a) was reported as a strong clinical predictor of poor prognosis in melanoma. We have previously identified CEACAM1 as a tumor escape mechanism from cytotoxic lymphocytes. Here, we present substantial evidence in vitro and in vivo that blocking of CEACAM1 function with a novel monoclonal antibody (MRG1) is a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. MRG1, a murine IgG1 monoclonal antibody, was raised against human CEACAM1. It recognizes the CEACAM1-specific N-domain with high affinity (KD ∼ 2 nmol/L). Furthermore, MRG1 is a potent inhibitor of CEACAM1 homophilic binding and does not induce any agonistic effect. We show using cytotoxicity assays that MRG1 renders multiple melanoma cell lines more vulnerable to T cells in a dose-dependent manner, only following antigen-restricted recognition. Accordingly, MRG1 significantly enhances the antitumor effect of adoptively transferred, melanoma-reactive human lymphocytes using human melanoma xenograft models in severe combined immunodeficient/nonobese diabetic (SCID/NOD) mice. A significant antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity response was excluded. It is shown that MRG1 reaches the tumor and is cleared within a week. Importantly, approximately 90% of melanoma specimens are CEACAM1+, implying that the majority of patients with melanoma could be amenable to MRG1-based therapy. Normal human tissue microarray displays limited binding to luminal epithelial cells on some secretory ducts, which was weaker than the broad normal cell binding of other anticancer antibodies in clinical use. Importantly, MRG1 does not directly affect CEACAM1+ cells. CEACAM1 blockade is different from other immunomodulatory approaches, as MRG1 targets inhibitory interactions between tumor cells and late effector lymphocytes, which is thus a more specific and compartmentalized immune stimulation with potentially superior safety profile. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(6); 1300–10. ©2012 AACR.
Development of Noxa-like BH3 Mimetics for Apoptosis-Based Therapeutic Strategy in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Authors: Billard Christian
Published: March 2012

Despite real advances made in chemoimmunotherapy, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is still an incurable disease. New therapeutic strategies based on the restoration of the cell death program seemed relevant. Some members of the Bcl-2 family are critical players in the defective apoptotic program in CLL cells and/or targets of apoptosis inducers in vitro. The concept of BH3 mimetics has led to the characterization of small molecules mimicking proapoptotic BH3-only members of the Bcl-2 family by their ability to bind and antagonize the prosurvival members. Some putative or actual BH3 mimetics are already being tested in clinical trials with somewhat promising results. However, none of them has a high enough interaction affinity with Mcl-1, a crucial antiapoptotic factor in CLL. It has been suggested that resistance to BH3 mimetics can be overcome by using inhibitors of Mcl-1 expression. An alternative and more direct strategy is to design mimetics of the Noxa BH3 domain, which is a specific antagonistic Mcl-1 ligand. The development of such Noxa-like BH3 mimetics, capable of directly interacting with Mcl-1 and efficiently neutralizing its antiapoptotic activity, is extremely important to evaluate their impact on the clinical outcome of patients with CLL. Mol Cancer Res; 10(6); 673–6. ©2012 AACR.
miR-23a Promotes the Transition from Indolent to Invasive Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Jahid Sohail , Sun Jian , Edwards Robert A. , Dizon Diana , Panarelli Nicole C. , Milsom Jeffrey W. , Sikandar Shaheen S. , Gümüş Zeynep H. , Lipkin Steven M.
Published: March 2012

Colorectal cancer is a classic example of a tumor that progresses through multiple distinct stages in its evolution. To understand the mechanisms regulating the transition from indolent to invasive disease, we profiled somatic copy number alterations in noninvasive adenomas and invasive adenocarcinomas from Apc and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) mutant mouse models. We identified a recurrent amplicon on mouse chromosome 8 that encodes microRNA (miRNA) 23a and -27a (miR). miR-23a and -27a levels are upregulated in mouse intestinal adenocarcinomas, primary tumors from patients with stage I/II colorectal cancers, as well as in human colorectal cancer cell lines and cancer stem cells. Functionally, miR-23a promotes the migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells and stem cells, whereas miR-27a primarily promotes proliferation. We computationally and experimentally validated that metastasis suppressor 1 (MTSS1) is a direct miR-23a target and similarly validated that the ubiquitin ligase FBXW7 is a direct miR-27a target. Analyses of computationally predicted target genes in microarray data sets of patients with colorectal cancers are consistent with a role for miR-23a, but not miR-27a, specifically in invasive colorectal cancers.

Significance: Understanding the mechanisms regulating the transition from indolent adenomas to invasive and metastatic colorectal cancers is critical to improving patient outcomes. Our study highlights roles of miR-23a and miR-27a in tumor progression and supports a potential mechanistic role for miR-23a in the transition from indolent to invasive colorectal cancers. Cancer Discov; 2(6); 540–53. © 2012 AACR.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 473
Diastolic Electromechanical Coupling
Authors: Sauer Andrew , Wilcox Jane E. , Andrei Adin-Cristian , Passman Rod , Goldberger Jeffrey J. , Shah Sanjiv J.
Published: March 2012

Background—

Electromechanical coupling, a well-described phenomenon in systolic dysfunction, has not been well studied in diastole. We hypothesized that the ECG T-peak to T-end (TpTe) interval, representing transmural dispersion of repolarization, is associated with echocardiographic markers of diastolic dysfunction (DD).

Methods and Results—

We performed a prospective, cross-sectional study of the association between TpTe and markers of DD in 84 consecutive, unselected patients referred for exercise echocardiography. We systematically measured TpTe on the resting ECG, and we performed comprehensive assessment of DD at rest and at peak stress. ECGs and echocardiograms were analyzed independently, blinded to each other and to all clinical data. By univariable analysis, increased TpTe was associated with older age, increased E/e’ ratio, and DD (
P
<0.05 for all associations after correcting for multiple comparisons). Increased TpTe was inversely associated with reduced tissue Doppler e’ velocity, a marker of DD (
R
= −0.66,
P
<0.0001). This association persisted after adjusting for age, QTc, exercise-induced wall motion abnormalities, and left ventricular mass index (β= −0.41 [95% confidence interval, −0.70 to −0.12] cm/s per 10-ms increase in TpTe;
P
=0.006). Baseline TpTe was also independently associated with resting DD (adjusted odds ratio, 3.9 [95% confidence interval, 1.4–10.7];
P
=0.009) and peak exercise E/e’ ratio (
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

Increased TpTe is associated with both resting and exercise-induced DD. Electromechanical coupling may represent a pathophysiologic link between electrical transmural dispersion of repolarization and abnormal myocardial relaxation, and may be a novel therapeutic target.
Prognostic Implication of Appropriateness Criteria for Pharmacologic Stress Echocardiography Performed in an Outpatient Clinic
Authors: Cortigiani Lauro , Bigi Riccardo , Bovenzi Francesco , Molinaro Sabrina , Picano Eugenio , Sicari Rosa
Published: March 2012

Background—

Although appropriateness criteria for stress echocardiography have been developed to deliver high-quality care, the prognostic impact of these criteria remains undefined. Therefore, we sought to assess the prognostic implication of the American College of Cardiology/American Society of Echocardiography appropriateness criteria for pharmacological stress echo in a cohort of ambulatory patients.

Methods and Results—

The study population consisted of 1552 ambulatory patients who underwent pharmacological (752 dobutamine, 800 dipyridamole) stress echo for the evaluation of known (n=549) or suspected (n=1003) coronary artery disease at a single cardiology center. Patients were followed up for a median of 36 months. Indications were determined for consecutive studies by 2 reviewers and categorized as follows: 984 (63%) patients had appropriate, 145 (9%) uncertain, and 423 (27%) inappropriate indication for stress echo. Ischemia was present in 15% of patients with appropriate, 8% of those with uncertain, and 5% of those with inappropriate indication (
P
<0.0001). During follow-up, 146 events (89 deaths, 57 nonfatal infarctions) occurred. Annual event rate associated with appropriate, uncertain, and inappropriate study was 3.1%, 3.8%, and 1.3%, respectively. The abnormal test result in patients with appropriate, uncertain, and inappropriate study was associated with 5.0%, 5.6%, and 1.8% annual event rate, respectively, exerting an independent value only in the appropriate and uncertain subset.

Conclusions—

Inappropriate indication for pharmacological stress echo is common, being documented in about 1 of 4 patients evaluated in an ambulatory setting, and is associated with lower rate of positive results and better survival as compared with appropriate and uncertain indication.
Morphology and mechanical properties of MWNT/PMIA nanofibers by electrospinning
Authors: He Bin , Li Jie , Pan Zhijuan
Published: March 2012

Multiwalled carbon nanotube/poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (MWNT/PMIA) nanofibers mats with different MWNT contents were successfully prepared by electrospinning. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and a thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA) were used to characterize the morphology and properties of nanofibers. The results showed that the nanofiber diameter is reduced with increasing MWNT concentrations and the surfaces of the MWNT/PMIA nanofibers becomes rough compared with those of the virgin version. The MWNTs are well dispersed in the nanofibers and well-aligned along the nanofibers. The dosing level of MWNTs seems to show only minor influences on both the crystalline structure and the initial degradation temperature of the nanofibers. While the mechanical properties of the nanofiber mats are generally improved with the addition of MWNTs. The striking improvement occurs at the loading of 0.6 wt% with the increase of tensile strength at breakage by ca. 86%.
Mechanism of surface roughness development in melt spinning of blend fibers for artificial hair
Authors: Xu Xiaoshi , Shirakashi Yutaka , Ishibashi Junya , Takarada Wataru , Kikutani Takeshi
Published: March 2012

Surface roughness is one of the most important characteristics in the production of fibers for artificial hair. It was recently found that the fibers with highly developed surface roughness can be formed in the melt spinning of polyamide 6 (PA6)/poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) blend fibers under certain spinning conditions. To elucidate the conditions necessary for the development of roughness on the fiber surface, melt spinning of various combinations of blend polymers was carried out under a wide range of spinning conditions. It was concluded that the surface roughness can be developed when (1) the minor component is a crystalline polymer, (2) the major component is either an amorphous or crystalline polymer, but is melt processable at a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the minor component, and (3) the extrusion temperature is lower than the melting temperature of the minor component. From the wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurement of amorphous co-PA/PET blend fibers, the crystallization of the PET component in the as-spun fibers was confirmed only for the fibers with surface roughness. Differential scanning calorimetry measurement of the as-spun fibers in the heating and cooling processes revealed that the PET component maintained its high crystallizability even after its melting, when the PET component was crystallized and surface roughness was developed in the spinning process.
Peroxide decoloration of azo dyes catalyzed by manganese chlorophyll derivative in micellar solutions
Authors: Nakamura Junko , Maekawa Masako , Nango Mamoru
Published: March 2012

A manganese chlorophyll derivative (MnChlorophyll a) with hydrogen peroxide efficiently catalyzed the decoloration of C. I. Acid Orange 7, in various micellar solutions under mild conditions such as pH 6–8 and 25°C. In the experiment, peroxide decoloration was dependent on the structures of the surfactants and the presence of imidazole. The maximum decoloration rate was observed for MnChlorophyll a in hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HDTAC) micellar solution, especially in the presence of imidazole.
Blinding Authority
Authors: Simpson Bob , Sariola Salla
Published: March 2012

In this article, the authors present an ethnography of biomedical knowledge production and science collaboration when they take place in developing country contexts. The authors focus on the arrival of international clinical trials to Sri Lanka and provide analysis of what was described as one of the first multisited trials in the country, a pharmaceutical company sponsored, phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial carried out between 2009 and 2010. Using interviews with those who conducted the trial and six months of participant observation at the trial hospital, the authors describe the work that goes on to perform trials according to international standards. The article describes what happens when a randomized controlled trial encounters existing epistemic virtues and documents the impacts on ideas of authority, expertise and doctor–patient relationships found in Sri Lankan medicine.
Unchanged Distribution Density of Anionic Sites on the Glomerular Wall in Rats with Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Shimoi Akihito , Hatakeyama Hirofumi , Koizumi Haruko , Satoh Hiroshi , Watanabe Mitsutoshi
Published: April 2012

As a cause of proteinuria in diabetic nephropathy, a decrease in anionic charge on the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is considered to be related to protein leakage. However, the constancy of the anionic charge has been reported in several types of nephropathy. To elucidate the relation between glomerular protein leakage and anionic charge, we examined the distribution of anionic sites on the GBM and podocytes in diabetic rats induced by a single intravenous injection of 60 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ). Five months after the treatment with STZ, urinalysis for glucose and protein levels was conducted, and the kidneys were examined using electron microscopic cytochemistry for the assessment of anionic charge with two cationic probes. The distributions of anionic sites on the GBM demonstrated by two kinds of cationic markers in the diabetic rats were similar in density to those seen in the control animals. The distributions of anionic sites on the foot processes and cell membrane of podocytes were regular and also similar in density to that of the control group. From these results, we consider that the charge barrier of the GBM and podocytes is irrelevant to the protein leakage in diabetic rats.
Preoperative Incidence of Olfactory Dysfunction in Nasal Surgery Patients
Authors: Jumaily Jeffrey Saad , Fayad Christine , Mardirossian Vartan , Singh Ashok , Stram John , Spiegel Jeffrey
Published: March 2012

Objective

Learn the incidence of olfactory dysfunction in preoperative patients prior to nasal surgery and compare with a control group of patients who are not going to have such surgery. Assess the usefulness of the coffee/tea differentiation test in assessing preoperative dysosmia.

Study Design

Prospective controlled cohort study.

Setting

Urban medical center.

Subjects and Methods

One hundred fifty‐one adult patients (aged 18‐65 years) whose olfactory function was tested using the Pocket Smell Test and a coffee/tea differentiation test. A failed test required missing at least 1 item on the card or failure to report a difference between tea and coffee. The statistical analysis using the t test and the Fisher exact test were calculated using MINITAB.

Results

The study group (n = 55) had 38% men and 62% women compared with 58% men and 42% women in the control group (n = 96). The incidence of dysosmia was 32% in the study group and 14% in the control group. In the study group, 34.5% of patients failed the Pocket Smell Test and 12.4% failed the coffee/tea differentiation test as compared with 12.4% and 0%, respectively, in the control group.

Conclusion

Patients who are scheduled for nasal surgery for medical or cosmetic indications are more likely to suffer from olfactory dysfunction before surgical intervention. This should be taken into consideration when counseling patients regarding possible postoperative complications.
Reevaluating the Prognostic Significance of Age in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Oyer Samuel L. , Smith Valerie A. , Lentsch Eric J.
Published: March 2012

Objective

To determine the impact of age on disease‐specific survival in differentiated thyroid cancer.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis of a large population database.

Setting

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database/multiple settings.

Subjects and Methods

The SEER database was examined to identify patients diagnosed with either papillary or follicular carcinoma of the thyroid between the years 1988 and 2003. Information obtained included patient age, sex, tumor type, size, extension, and nodal or distant metastases. Kaplan‐Meier survival analyses were used to estimate disease‐specific survival based on patient age range, and the log‐rank test was used to assess for statistical differences between survival curves. A multivariate analysis was performed including the variables listed above to determine disease‐specific hazard ratios of death for various age cutoffs.

Results

A total of 42,209 patients were identified. Patients 45 years and older had significantly worse survival than younger patients (P <. 0001). A significant decrease in disease‐specific survival was first seen in patients aged 35 years and older, and survival continued to steadily decrease with each additional decade of age (P <. 001). Patients aged 35 years and older were 14 times more likely to die from differentiated thyroid cancer than patients younger than 35 years.

Conclusion

Increasing age is associated with poorer survival in differentiated thyroid cancer. This relationship represents a continuum with an initial decrease in survival starting at age 35 years that continues to decline with further advancing age.
The Role of Vestibular Caloric Tests in Cochlear Implantation
Authors: Parmar Amit , Savage Julian , Wilkinson Andrew , Hajioff Daniel , Nunez Desmond A. , Robinson Philip
Published: March 2012

Objective

Vestibular function tests are often undertaken before cochlear implantation, in part to help select the side of surgery. The authors aim to determine whether implantation on the side of better vestibular function leads to greater perception of dizziness by patients than implantation on the side of worse or similar function.

Study Design

Historical cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary cochlear implantation center.

Subjects and Methods

The records of 177 adult recipients of a unilateral cochlear implant were reviewed retrospectively in 2 groups. Group A included patients with an implant in the ear with worse or similar caloric responses. Group B included patients with an implant in the ear with the stronger caloric response. All patients underwent preoperative bithermal caloric testing: a clinically significant difference was defined by a 20% lateral canal paresis. They were assessed postoperatively by the Dizziness Handicap Inventory and supplementary questions.

Results

Fifty‐seven percent of both groups reported dizziness in the first 7 days postoperatively. At 2 months, 20% of group A and 34% of group B experienced some dizziness. Fourteen percent of group A and 10% of group B felt that cochlear implantation had resulted in impaired balance. The Dizziness Handicap Inventory scores of 86% of group A (median score 0) and 76% of group B (median score 10) corresponded with low handicap. None of these results differed significantly between groups A and B.

Conclusion

Although cochlear implantation may result in dizziness, it is almost always short‐lived and mild, even when the ear with the stronger caloric response is implanted.
A quantitative review of the profile and time course of symptom change in schizophrenia treated with clozapine
Authors: Sherwood Megan , Thornton Allen E , Honer William G
Published: March 2012

Contemporary analyses demonstrate an early response to antipsychotic treatment in non-refractory schizophrenia. The profile of response to clozapine is unknown. We used meta-analytic and statistical procedures to examine the response profile to clozapine. We identified 19 unique, randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trials with suitable time course data, representing 1745 subjects. Individual subject data were available for 419 subjects, obtained from two industry-sponsored trials. Symptom severity scores from the BPRS or the PANSS were entered into regression analyses to estimate linear and quadratic coefficients of the rate of change of symptom severity over 4 weeks. Both linear and quadratic regression coefficients for clozapine, and for comparator antipsychotics differed significantly from zero ( p ≤ 0.001), indicating early response profiles. Compared with other antipsychotic arms, for clozapine the treatment response was greater (d = −0.578, p = 0.021), and the linear coefficient was steeper (d = −0.502, p = 0.042); the quadratic coefficients indicating attenuation did not differ. Analyses of 6-week data and individual subject data from non-refractory and refractory trials were consistent with the primary findings. Somewhat surprisingly, clozapine shows an early response profile, similar in pattern but somewhat larger in magnitude than other antipsychotic drugs.
The human capacity to reflect and decide: Bioethics and the reconfiguration of the research subject in the British biomedical sciences
Authors: Reubi David
Published: March 2012

This article examines how a fundamental element of the British bioethical assemblage – the literature on informed consent published between 1980 and 2000, a period when bioethics became a powerful force in the UK – has influenced contemporary understandings of the research subject. Drawing on Foucault, the article argues that this corpus of texts has created a sphere of possibilities in which research subjects can imagine themselves as human beings who reflect and decide whether they want to participate in medical experimentation. In particular, it shows how the narratives found in these texts portray relationships between researchers and their human subjects as ‘paternalistic’, and calls for their replacement by new, more ethical relationships characterized by both ‘dialogue’ and ‘respect’ and articulated around subjects who can ‘think and take decisions’. It also discusses the different strategies – using patient information sheets, a list of possible questions and invitations to take time to reflect – which the bioethical literature has developed in order to realise these new, ethical relationships. As the article suggests, these narratives and strategies provide researchers and research subjects with models and examples of how to interact with each other that are very different from the ones that prevailed before the emergence of bioethics.
Pariah Peoples
Authors: Pogány István
Published: March 2012

Weber described Roma and Jews as ‘pariah peoples’, that is, as communities characterized by ‘political and social disprivilege’, ‘far-reaching distinctiveness in economic functioning’, and ritual separation from mainstream society. Weber’s concept remains surprisingly relevant today as a tool for understanding the problems experienced by Roma in the CEE area, particularly since the end of communist rule. As at the turn of the 20th century, Roma in the region form a marginalized and acutely disadvantaged minority. In economic terms, the Roma exhibit a high degree of distinctiveness, while the minority remains in a state of de facto as well as ritual separation from mainstream society. Weber’s concept can also help us to make sense of the multiple failures of law to redress the problems experienced by Roma in the transition from communism. In fact, as Weber would have immediately recognized, many post-communist constitutions have substituted legal for ritual forms of separation between Roma and non-Roma.
Mental health planning for children and youth: is it developmentally appropriate?
Authors: Newman Louise , Birleson Peter
Published: March 2012

Objectives: We aim to provide an overview of current issues facing child and adolescent mental health services and the provision of developmentally informed and appropriate care.

Method: We review developmental models of mental disorder and the impact on service design.

Results: Developmental issues can shape service design.

Conclusions: Mental health services need to be informed and responsive to changing developmental needs and of the context of child development in terms of family and attachment relationships. Children and adolescents have specific needs in terms of service design.
A Longitudinal Analysis of the Impact of Hospital Service Line Profitability on the Likelihood of Readmission
Authors: Navathe Amol S. , Volpp Kevin G. , Konetzka R. Tamara , Press Matthew J. , Zhu Jingsan , Chen Wei , Lindrooth Richard C.
Published: March 2012

Quality of care may be linked to the profitability of admissions in addition to level of reimbursement. Prior policy reforms reduced payments that differentially affected the average profitability of various admission types. The authors estimated a Cox competing risks model, controlling for the simultaneous risk of mortality post discharge, to determine whether the average profitability of hospital service lines to which a patient was admitted was associated with the likelihood of readmission within 30 days. The sample included 12,705,933 Medicare Fee for Service discharges from 2,438 general acute care hospitals during 1997, 2001, and 2005. There was no evidence of an association between changes in average service line profitability and changes in readmission risk, even when controlling for risk of mortality. These findings are reassuring in that the profitability of patients’ admissions did not affect readmission rates, and together with other evidence may suggest that readmissions are not an unambiguous quality indicator for in-hospital care.
Dietary Behaviors of a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Sample of Overweight and Obese Californians
Authors: Sorkin Dara H. , Billimek John
Published: March 2012

Objectives. To examine racial/ethnic differences in the dietary behaviors of overweight or obese adults using the 2007 California Health Interview Survey. Method. Data were obtained from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey, a population-based sample of noninstitutionalized adults in California. The sample included 26,721 adults aged 18 years and older whose body mass index status indicated that they were overweight or obese (body mass index ≥ 25), with 19,264 non-Hispanic White; 1,749 African American/Black; 1,616 Asian/Pacific Islander; and 4,092 Latino respondents. Respondents were compared with regard to consumption of five categories of food: fruits, vegetables, French fries, soft drinks, and fast-food. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to examine racial/ethnic differences in dietary behaviors, with and without adjustment for age, gender, nativity, marital status, education, income, and food insecurity. Results. The findings suggested there were significant racial/ethnic differences in food preferences and that English proficiency, in part, explained some of these differences. Overweight/obese African American/Black respondents reported eating fruit (aBeta = −0.73, [95% confidence interval = −1.29, −0.17]) and vegetables (aBeta = −0.71 [−1.18, −0.24]) fewer times per day and fast-food (aBeta = 0.21, [0.04, 0.38]) more times per day compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Irrespective of language proficiency, Asian/Pacific Islanders reported eating significantly less fruit compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Limited English proficient (LEP) Asian/Pacific Islanders were found to eat vegetables (aBeta = 1.41, [0.47, 2.63]) more times per day than non-Hispanic Whites, in contrast to English proficient Asian/Pacific Islanders who were found to eat vegetables (aBeta = −0.64, [−1.11, −0.18]) fewer times per day compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Both LEP and English proficient Latinos ate vegetables less often and drank soft drinks and ate fast-food more often than non-Hispanic Whites. Conclusions. Efforts to intervene with individuals who are overweight or obese must include culturally and linguistically tailored interventions that consider how individuals’ dietary behaviors are influenced by their racial/ethnic backgrounds.
Use of a Daily Report Card in an Intervention Package Involving Home-School Communication to Reduce Disruptive Behavior in Preschoolers
Authors: LeBel Teresa J. , Chafouleas Sandra M. , Britner Preston A. , Simonsen Brandi
Published: April 2012

The effectiveness of a daily report card in an intervention package involving home-school communication to decrease disruptive behavior in preschoolers was investigated. A sample of four preschool-aged children in two classrooms served as participants. Teachers rated behavior three times daily for each participant using a daily report card. Ratings were shared with the student and then parent, and contingent reinforcement involving positive praise and stickers was provided. A concurrent multiple baseline across-participants design was employed, with results demonstrating decreases in disruptive behavior for all students. Overall, results indicated the daily report card intervention with a home-school component to be an effective method for decreasing problem behavior in a preschool setting.
Political parties and rallies in Latin America
Authors: Szwarcberg Mariela
Published: March 2012

This article provides a novel answer to explain the persistence of party rallies in the mass and social media era. I argue that rallies contribute to the organizational structure of clientelistic parties by providing information to different members within and outside the machine. Rallies provide party leaders with information that enables them to monitor brokers’ capacity to mobilize voters, party brokers with an opportunity to display their ability to turn out voters while monitoring voters’ responses, and voters with an opportunity to display their gratitude or fear towards brokers. In addition, rallies provide the opposition with an opportunity to gather information about the electoral strength or weakness of the clientelistic party. Drawing on participant observations, over a 100 interviews, archival research in Argentina and Peru, and secondary literature for the cases of Mexico and Brazil, I explain why political parties conduct rallies and why rallies will continue in the future.
Why electoral systems don’t always matter
Authors: Martin Shane
Published: March 2012

A significant and influential body of research suggests that electoral systems influence legislators’ behaviour. Yet, individual legislators are potentially motivated by other concerns, such as policy and office. What happens when competing goals predict contradictory behaviour, for example, when electoral incentives clash with enticements to win prized post-election positions (mega-seats)? When party leaders cartelize the allocation of mega-seats, the anticipated effects of the electoral system on legislators’ behaviour may dissolve – creating strong parties in the legislature despite a candidate-centred electoral system. New data on mega-seats and voting behaviour in the Irish parliament between 1980 and 2010 supports the notion that mega-seat considerations trump the impact of the electoral system on roll-call behaviour. The implication is that what goes on within the legislature may be more important for influencing legislators’ behaviour than what goes on at the ballot box.
The Role of Parent–Child Bonding, Attachment, and Interpersonal Problems in the Development of Deviant Sexual Fantasies in Sexual Offenders
Authors: Maniglio Roberto
Published: March 2012

To understand the origin, development, and functions of deviant sexual fantasy in sexual offenders, the present article investigates three areas of the literature on sexual offenders (i.e., parent–child relationships, attachment, and interpersonal problems), hypothesizing a possible path through which dysfunctional parent–child relationships might lead to deviant sexual fantasies. The review of the literature provides indirect evidence that an insecure attachment style developed in response to dysfunctional parenting practices may generate feelings of inadequacy and inferiority to others and a lack of the self-confidence and social skills to initiate or maintain consensual intimate relationships with appropriate others. It is hypothesized that such problems, in turn, might promote low levels of intimacy and satisfaction in romantic relationships and serious and chronic emotional loneliness, withdrawal, and negative attitudes (such as anger and hostility) toward potential partners, leading to a progressive retirement from the real world and refuge in an internal world of deviant sexual fantasies in order to satisfy attachment-related needs for intimacy, emotional closeness, or power. Such a combination of insecure attachment, interpersonal problems, and use of deviant sexual fantasies as a means to achieve the intimacy, power, or control absent from reality might predispose to sexual offending.
Prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury in Intimate Partner Violence Offenders Compared to the General Population
Authors: Farrer Thomas J. , Frost R. Brock , Hedges Dawson W.
Published: March 2012

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread. Several risk factors are associated with IPV perpetuation, including alcohol use and educational level. The aggression and violence associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) suggest that brain trauma may also be a risk factor for IPV. To examine the association between TBI and IPV, the authors conducted a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed published studies reporting the prevalence of TBI in IPV perpetrators. The authors compared the frequency of TBI among IPV perpetuators to estimates of TBI in the general population using a single-sample test of proportions. Six studies containing a total of 222 subjects met inclusion criteria. Fifty-three percent (119) of the IPV perpetuators had a history of TBI, a prevalence significantly higher ( p < .0001) than estimates of TBI in the general population. The prevalence of TBI among perpetuators of IPV appears significantly higher than the prevalence of TBI in the general population. To the extent that this association is causal, TBI may be a risk factor for interpersonal violence, although comparatively few source studies, lack of standardized information about TBI severity, and the inability to investigate potential confounding variables necessarily limit this conclusion.
Can Projective Drawings Detect if a Child Experienced Sexual or Physical Abuse?
Authors: Allen Brian , Tussey Chriscelyn
Published: March 2012

Clinical observations have suggested that children who experience physical or sexual abuse may provide indicators in their drawings that can distinguish them from nonabused children. Some have even suggested that a child’s drawings and the interpretive testimony of a trained mental health clinician should be admissible in court as evidence of a child’s abuse status. Many of these comments, however, may reflect a limited consideration of the available research. The current article provides a comprehensive literature review of the controlled research to determine whether any graphic indicators (e.g., genitalia, omission of body parts) or predefined scoring system can reliability and validly discriminate abused from nonabused children. Results indicate that, although individual studies have found support for various indicators or scoring systems, these results are rarely replicated, many times studies finding significant results suffer from serious methodological flaws and alternative explanations for findings (e.g., mental illness) are often present. No graphic indicator or scoring system possessed sufficient empirical evidence to support its use for identifying sexual or physical abuse. A discussion of the legal ramifications of these results is provided.
Integrating Evidence-Based Tobacco Cessation Interventions in Free Medical Clinics
Authors: Foley Kristie L. , Pockey Jessica R. , Helme Donald W. , Song Eun-Young , Stewart Kate , Jones Cindy , Spangler John G. , Sutfin Erin L.
Published: March 2012

Background.

Free medical clinics serve a critical role in health care delivery of America’s uninsured population, who are less likely to receive tobacco cessation counseling and 1½ times more likely than the general population to use tobacco. The authors evaluate the opportunities for and challenges to implementing the U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for tobacco cessation in free clinics.

Methods.

Six free clinics participated in this pilot study. Five objectives were targeted: implementation of a tobacco user identification system, education of all clinic staff and volunteers, dedication of a program champion, use of evidence-based treatment, and creation of a supportive environment that reinforces provider behavior. Key informant interviews and focus group data were used to describe the opportunities and barriers of implementing the Public Health Service Guidelines.

Results.

All clinics adopted a user identification system, dedicated a program champion, adopted evidence-based counseling, and created an environment conducive for cessation. Common challenges included getting volunteers to attend on-site training programs, accessing nicotine replacement therapy, and promoting Quit Line usage, all of which are part of evidence-based treatment.

Conclusion.

With more than 1,200 free clinics nationwide, it is very important to understand the opportunities and barriers of implementing tobacco cessation services and systems in free clinics.
Triangulation and Mixed Methods Designs
Authors: Fielding Nigel G.
Published: March 2012

Data integration is a crucial element in mixed methods analysis and conceptualization. It has three principal purposes: illustration, convergent validation (triangulation), and the development of analytic density or “richness.” This article discusses such applications in relation to new technologies for social research, looking at three innovative forms of data integration that rely on computational support: (a) the integration of geo-referencing technologies with qualitative software, (b) the integration of multistream visual data in mixed methods research, and (c) the integration of data from qualitative and quantitative methods.
A mutation at IVS1 + 5 of the von Hippel-Lindau gene resulting in intron retention in transcripts is not pathogenic in a patient with a tongue cancer?: case report
Authors: Asakawa Takeshi , Esumi Mariko , Endo Sohei , Kida Akinori , Ikeda Minoru
Published: March 2012

Background

Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) is a dominantly inherited familial cancer syndrome predisposing the patient to a variety of malignant and benign neoplasms, most frequently hemangioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, and pancreatic tumors. VHL is caused by mutations of the VHL tumor suppressor gene on the short arm of chromosome 3, and clinical manifestations develop if both alleles are inactivated according to the two-hit hypothesis. VHL mutations are more frequent in the coding region and occur occasionally in the splicing region of the gene. Previously, we reported that the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the VHL gene is common in squamous cell carcinoma tissues of the tongue.

Case Presentation

We describe a case of squamous cell carcinoma in the tongue caused by a point mutation in the splicing region of the VHL gene and discuss its association with VHL disease. Sequence analysis of DNA extracted from the tumor and peripheral blood of the patient with squamous cell carcinoma revealed a heterozygous germline mutation (c. 340 + 5 G > C) in the splice donor sequence in intron 1 of the VHL gene. RT-PCR analysis of the exon1/intron1 junction in RNA from tumor tissue detected an unspliced transcript. Analysis of LOH using a marker with a heterozygous mutation of nucleotides (G or C) revealed a deletion of the mutant C allele in the carcinoma tissues.

Conclusions

The fifth nucleotide G of the splice donor site of the VHL gene is important for the efficiency of splicing at that site. The development of tongue cancer in this patient was not associated with VHL disease because the mutation occurred in only a single allele of the VHL gene and that allele was deleted in tumor cells.
Proteomics analysis of differentially expressed proteins in chicken trachea and kidney after infection with the highly virulent and attenuated coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus in vivo
Authors: Cao Zhongzan , Han Zongxi , Shao Yuhao , Liu Xiaoli , Sun Junfeng , Yu Demin , Kong Xiangang , Liu Shengwang
Published: March 2012

Background

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is first to be discovered coronavirus which is probably endemic in all regions with intensive impact on poultry production. In this study, we used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2-DIGE), coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS), to explore the global proteome profiles of trachea and kidney tissues from chicken at different stages infected in vivo with the highly virulent ck/CH/LDL/97I P5 strain of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and the embryo-passaged, attenuated ck/CH/LDL/97I P115 strain.

Results

Fifty-eight differentially expressed proteins were identified. Results demonstrated that some proteins which had functions in cytoskeleton organization, anti-oxidative stress, and stress response, showed different change patterns in abundance from chicken infected with the highly virulent ck/CH/LDL/97I P5 strain and those given the embryo-passaged, attenuated P115 stain. In addition, the dynamic transcriptional alterations of 12 selected proteins were analyzed by the real-time RT-PCR, and western blot analysis confirmed the change in abundance of heat shock proteins (HSP) beta-1, annexin A2, and annexin A5.

Conclusions

The proteomic alterations described here may suggest that these changes to protein expression correlate with IBV virus' virulence in chicken, hence provides valuable insights into the interactions of IBV with its host and may also assist with investigations of the pathogenesis of IBV and other coronavirus infections.
Highly sensitive magnetite nano clusters for MR cell imaging
Authors: Li Mingli , Gu Hongchen , Zhang Chunfu
Published: March 2012

High sensitivity and suitable sizes are essential for magnetic iron oxide contrast agents for cell imaging. In this study, we have fabricated highly MR sensitive magnetite nanoclusters (MNCs) with tunable sizes. These clusters demonstrate high MR sensitivity. Especially, water suspensions of the MNCs with average size of 63 nm have transverse relaxivity as high as 630 s-1mM-1, which is among the most sensitive iron oxide contrast agents ever reported. Importantly, such MNCs have no adverse effects on cells (RAW 264.7). When used for cell imaging, they demonstrate much higher efficiency and sensitivity than those of SHU555A (Resovist), a commercially available contrast agent, both in vitro and in vivo, with detection limits of 3,000 and 10,000 labeled cells, respectively. The studied MNCs are sensitive for cell imaging and promising for MR cell tracking in clinics.
The 'Harmonizing Optimal Strategy for Treatment of coronary artery stenosis - sAfety & effectiveneSS of drug-elUting stents & antiplatelet REgimen' (HOST-ASSURE) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Park Kyung Woo , Park Byoung-Eun , Kang Si-Hyuck , Park Jin-Joo , Lee Seung-Pyo , Cha Kwang Soo , Rhew Jay Young , Jeon Hui-Kyoung , Shin Eun Seok , Oh Ju Hyeon , Jeong Myung-Ho , Kim Sanghyun , Hwang Kyung-Kuk , Yoon Jung-Han , Lee Sung Yun , Park Tae-Ho , Moon Keon Woong , Kwon Hyuck-Moon , Chae In-Ho , Kim Hyo-Soo
Published: March 2012

Background

Second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) have raised the bar of clinical performance. These stents are mostly made from cobalt chromium alloy. A newer generation DES has been developed from platinum chromium alloy, but clinical data regarding the efficacy and safety of the platinum chromium-based everolimus-eluting stent (PtCr-EES) is limited, with no comparison data against the cobalt chromium-based zotarolimus-eluting stent (CoCr-ZES). In addition, an antiplatelet regimen is an integral component of medical therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A 1-week duration of doubling the dose of clopidogrel (double-dose antiplatelet therapy (DDAT)) was shown to improve outcome at 1 month compared with conventional dose in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing PCI. However in Asia, including Korea, the addition of cilostazol (triplet antiplatelet therapy (TAT)) is used more commonly than doubling the dose of clopidogrel in high-risk patients.

Methods

In the 'Harmonizing Optimal Strategy for Treatment of coronary artery stenosis - sAfety & effectiveneSS of drug-elUting stents & antiplatelet REgimen' (HOST-ASSURE) trial, approximately 3,750 patients are being prospectively and randomly assigned in a 2 × 2 factorial design according to the type of stent (PtCr-EES vs CoCr-ZES) and antiplatelet regimen (TAT vs DDAT). The first primary endpoint is target lesion failure at 1 year for the stent comparison, and the second primary endpoint is net clinical outcome at 1 month for comparison of antiplatelet therapy regimen.

Discussion

The HOST-ASSURE trial is the largest study yet performed to directly compare the efficacy and safety of the PtCr-EES versus CoCr-ZES in an 'all-comers' population. In addition, this study will also compare the clinical outcome of TAT versus DDAT for 1-month post PCI.

Trial registration

ClincalTrials.gov number NCT01267734.
Reform and the Politics of Hybridization in Mature Health Care States
Authors: Tuohy Carolyn Hughes
Published: March 2012

This article examines the cases of three health care states — two of which (Britain and the Netherlands) have undergone major policy reform and one of which (Canada) has experienced only marginal adjustments. The British and Dutch reforms have variously altered the balance of power, the mix of instruments of control, and the organizing principles. As a result, mature systems representing the ideal-typical health care state categories of national health systems and social insurance (Britain and the Netherlands, respectively) were transformed into distinctive national hybrids. These processes have involved a politics of redesign that differs from the politics of earlier phases of establishment and retrenchment. In particular, the redesign phase is marked by the activity of institutional entrepreneurs who exploit specific opportunities afforded by public programs to combine public and private resources in innovative organizational arrangements. Canada stands as a counterpoint: no window of opportunity for major change occurred, and the bilateral monopoly created by its prototypical single-payer model provided few footholds for entrepreneurial activity. The increased significance of institutional entrepreneurs gives greater urgency to one of the central projects of health policy: the design of accountability frameworks to allow for an assessment of performance against objectives.