bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of pulmonary system limitations on locomotor muscle fatigue in patients with COPD
Authors: Amann Markus , Regan Mark S. , Kobitary Majd , Eldridge Marlowe W. , Boutellier Urs , Pegelow David F. , Dempsey Jerome A.
Published: May 2010

We examined the effects of respiratory muscle work [inspiratory (Wr-insp); expiratory (Wr-exp)] and arterial oxygenation (SpO2) on exercise-induced locomotor muscle fatigue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Eight patients (FEV, 48 ± 4%) performed constant-load cycling to exhaustion (Ctrl; 9.8 ± 1.2 min). In subsequent trials, the identical exercise was repeated with 1) proportional assist ventilation + heliox (PAV); 2) heliox (He:21% O2); 3) 60% O2inspirate (hyperoxia); or 4) hyperoxic heliox mixture (He:40% O2). Five age-matched healthy control subjects performed Ctrl exercise at the same relative workload but for 14.7 min (≈best COPD performance). Exercise-induced quadriceps fatigue was assessed via changes in quadriceps twitch force (Qtw,pot) from before to 10 min after exercise in response to supramaximal femoral nerve stimulation. During Ctrl, absolute workload (124 ± 6 vs. 62 ± 7 W), Wr-insp(207 ± 18 vs. 301 ± 37 cmH2O·s·min−1), Wr-exp(172 ± 15 vs. 635 ± 58 cmH2O·s·min−1), and SpO2(96 ± 1% vs. 87 ± 3%) differed between control subjects and patients. Various interventions altered Wr-insp, Wr-exp, and SpO2from Ctrl (PAV: −55 ± 5%, −21 ± 7%, +6 ± 2%; He:21% O2: −16 ± 2%, −25 ± 5%, +4 ± 1%; hyperoxia: −11 ± 2%, −17 ± 4%, +16 ± 4%; He:40% O2: −22 ± 2%, −27 ± 6%, +15 ± 4%). Ten minutes after Ctrl exercise, Qtw,potwas reduced by 25 ± 2% ( P < 0.01) in all COPD and 2 ± 1% ( P = 0.07) in healthy control subjects. In COPD, ΔQtw,potwas attenuated by one-third after each interventional trial; however, most of the exercise-induced reductions in Qtw,potremained. Our findings suggest that the high susceptibility to locomotor muscle fatigue in patients with COPD is in part attributable to insufficient O2transport as a consequence of exaggerated arterial hypoxemia and/or excessive respiratory muscle work but also support a critical role for the well-known altered intrinsic muscle characteristics in these patients.
Expression, localization, and functional model of cholesterol transporters in lactating and nonlactating mammary tissues of murine, bovine, and human origin
Authors: Mani Orlando , Körner Meike , Sorensen Martin T. , Sejrsen Kristen , Wotzkow Carlos , Ontsouka Corneille E. , Friis Robert R. , Bruckmaier Rupert M. , Albrecht Christiane
Published: May 2010

Members of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play a pivotal role in cellular lipid efflux. To identify candidate cholesterol transporters implicated in lipid homeostasis and mammary gland (MG) physiology, we compared expression and localization of ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCA7 and their regulatory genes in mammary tissues of different species during the pregnancy-lactation cycle. Murine and bovine mammary glands (MGs) were investigated during different functional stages. The abundance of mRNAs was determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Furthermore, transporter proteins were localized in murine, bovine, and human MGs by immunohistochemistry. In the murine MG, ABCA1 mRNA abundance was elevated during nonlactating compared with lactating stages, whereas ABCA7 and ABCA1 mRNA profiles were not altered. In the bovine MG, ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCA7 mRNAs abundances were increased during nonlactating stages compared with lactation. Furthermore, associations between mRNA levels of transporters and their regulatory genes LXRα, PPARγ, and SREBPs were found. ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCA7 proteins were localized in glandular MG epithelial cells (MEC) during lactation, whereas during nonlactating stages, depending on species, the proteins showed distinct localization patterns in MEC and adipocytes. Our results demonstrate that ABCA1, ABCG1, and ABCA7 are differentially expressed between lactation and nonlactating stages and in association with regulatory genes. Combined expression and localization data suggest that the selected cholesterol transporters are universal MG transporters involved in transport and storage of cholesterol and in lipid homeostasis of MEC. Because of the species-specific expression patterns of transporters in mammary tissue, mechanisms of cholesterol homeostasis seem to be differentially regulated between species.
Ex vivo biomechanical, functional, and immunohistochemical alterations of adrenergic responses in the female urethra in a rat model of birth trauma
Authors: Prantil-Baun Rachelle , de Groat William C. , Miyazato Minoru , Chancellor Michael B. , Yoshimura Naoki , Vorp David A.
Published: May 2010

Birth trauma and pelvic injury have been implicated in the etiology of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). This study aimed to assess changes in the biomechanical properties and adrenergic-evoked contractile responses of the rat urethra after simulated birth trauma induced by vaginal distension (VD). Urethras were isolated 4 days after VD and evaluated in our established ex vivo urethral testing system that utilized a laser micrometer to measure the urethral outer diameter at proximal, middle, and distal positions. Segments were precontracted with phenylephrine (PE) and then exposed to intralumenal static pressures ranging from 0 to 20 mmHg to measure urethral compliance. After active assessment, the urethra was rendered passive with EDTA and assessed. Pressure and diameter measurements were recorded via computer. Urethral thickness was measured histologically to calculate circumferential stress-strain response and functional contraction ratio (FCR), a measure of smooth muscle activity. VD proximal urethras exhibited a significantly increased response to PE compared with that in controls. Conversely, proximal VD urethras had significantly decreased circumferential stress and FCR values in the presence of PE, suggesting that VD reduced the ability of the proximal segment to maintain smooth muscle tone at higher pressures and strains. Circumferential stress values for VD middle urethral segments were significantly higher than control values. Histological analyses using antibodies against general (protein gene product 9.5) and sympathetic (tyrosine hydroxylase) nerve markers showed a significant reduction in nerve density in VD proximal and middle urethral segments. These results strongly suggest that VD damages adrenergic nerves and alters adrenergic responses of proximal and middle urethral smooth muscle. Defects in urethral storage mechanisms, involving changes in adrenergic regulation, may contribute to stress urinary incontinence induced by simulated birth trauma.
Magnetic Quasi-Phase Matching All-Fiber Isolator
Authors: Lu Chunte A. , Moore Gerald T.
Published: May 2010

We have experimentally demonstrated an all-fiber optical isolator with 20 dB isolation. The result shows that the quasi-phase matching technique via a meter-long magnet array is highly feasible to generate more than 45 degrees of Faraday rotation in the fibers. The all-fiber isolator can also be temperature tuned to operate between 1048 nm and 1066 nm wavelength.
Cytokines and Their Roles in the Pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: From Basics to Recent Advances
Authors: Yap Desmond Yat Hin , Lai Kar Neng
Published: May 2010

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex auto-immune disorder which involves various facets of the immune system. In addition to autoantibody production and immune complex deposition, emerging evidences suggest that cytokines may act as key players in the immunopathogenesis of SLE. These cytokines assume a critical role in the differentiation, maturation and activation of cells and also participate in the local inflammatory processes that mediate tissue insults in SLE. Certain cytokines such as the IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, BLys, type I interferons (IFN) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) are closely linked to pathogenesis of SLE. The delineation of the role played by these cytokines not only fosters our understanding of this disease but also provides a sound rationale for various therapeutic approaches. In this context, this review focuses on selected cytokines which exert significant effect in the pathogenesis of SLE and their possible clinical applications.
Isoflavones from Phytoestrogens and Gastric Cancer Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study within the Korean Multicenter Cancer Cohort
Authors: Ko Kwang-Pil , Park Sue K. , Park Boyoung , Yang Jae Jeong , Cho Lisa Y. , Kang Chungwon , Kim Cheong Sik , Gwack Jin , Shin Aesun , Kim Yeonju , Kim Jeongseon , Yang Han-Kwang , Kang Daehee , Chang Soung-Hoon , Shin Hai-Rim , Yoo Keun-Young
Published: May 2010

Background: The role of soybean products in gastric cancer risk is not clear in epidemiologic studies due to measurement error from dietary intake questionnaires and due to different degrees of bias according to study design. To examine the association between soybean products and gastric cancer risk, we measured phytoestrogen biological markers in a nested case-control study.

Methods: The study population was composed of 131 cases and 393 matched controls within the Korean Multicenter Cancer Cohort. The concentrations of the four biomarkers in the plasma samples were measured using time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Conditional and unconditional logistic regression models were used to compute the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: Median plasma concentrations of genistein (229 nmol/L for controls, 181.8 nmol/L for cases; P = 0.07) and daidzein (131.2 nmol/L for controls, 80.5 nmol/L for cases; P = 0.04) in cases were lower than in controls, whereas equol concentrations were similar. Compared with the reference group, gastric cancer risk decreased in the highest groups for genistein (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.31-0.93) and daidzein (OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08-0.58). Higher equol concentrations were associated with a decreased risk for gastric cancer (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.27-0.90). The combination of the highest concentrations for each isoflavone category was associated with a 0.09-fold decreased risk for gastric cancer compared with the combination of the lowest concentrations for each category. There was no association between plasma lignan concentrations and gastric cancer.

Conclusions: High serum concentrations of isoflavones were associated with a decreased risk for gastric cancer.

Impact: These results suggest a beneficial effect of high soybean product intake for gastric cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(5); 1292–300. ©2010 AACR.
Effect of Baseline Breast Density on Breast Cancer Incidence, Stage, Mortality, and Screening Parameters: 25-Year Follow-up of a Swedish Mammographic Screening
Authors: Chiu Sherry Yueh-Hsia , Duffy Stephen , Yen Amy Ming-Fang , Tabár Laszlo , Smith Robert A. , Chen Hsiu-Hsi
Published: May 2010

Background: We aimed to quantitatively assess the effect of baseline breast density on the incidence, stage, and mortality, and also the natural course of the disease, considering the sensitivity of mammography to clarify its causal or masking effect.

Methods: In total, 15,658 women ages 45 to 59 years from the Kopparberg randomized controlled trial in Sweden were prospectively followed from 1977 until 2004 to ascertain breast cancer incidence and death. Dense breast tissue collected at the beginning of the study was defined as pattern IV or V by the Tabár classification. Conventional risk factors were also collected at baseline. The three-state Markov model was used to estimate the preclinical incidence rate and the mean sojourn time given the fixed sensitivity.

Results: Dense breast tissue was significantly associated with breast cancer incidence [relative risk (RR) = 1.57 (1.18-1.67)] and with breast cancer mortality [RR = 1.91 (1.26-2.91)] after adjusting for other risk factors. Cumulative incidence rates irrespective of nonadvanced and advanced breast cancer were higher in dense breast tissue compared with nondense tissue but no difference in survival was detected between dense and nondense breast tissue. Dense breast tissue had a higher preclinical incidence rate (causal effect) and shorter mean sojourn time (masking effect) compared with nondense breast tissue by controlling the sensitivity of mammography.

Conclusion: We corroborated the effect of baseline breast density with a higher incidence and mortality and also showed its contribution to a masking effect with long-term follow-up data.

Impact: Results suggest that the screening policy with a predominantly shorter screening interval and with alternative imaging techniques might be indicated in women with dense breast tissue. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(5); 1219–28. ©2010 AACR.
Meat Mutagens and Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women—A Cohort Analysis
Authors: Wu Kana , Sinha Rashmi , Holmes Michelle D. , Giovannucci Edward , Willett Walter , Cho Eunyoung
Published: May 2010

Background: Mutagenic compounds produced when meats are cooked at high temperatures have been hypothesized to increase risk of breast cancer.

Methods: We examined the association between intakes of the heterocyclic amines (HCA) MeIQx (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline), PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine), DiMeIQx (2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]), and meat-derived mutagenic (MDM) activity and risk of breast cancer using a cooking method questionnaire administered in 1996 in the Nurses' Health Study. Between 1996 and 2006, 2,317 breast cancer cases were diagnosed during 533,618 person-years.

Results: Higher intake of HCAs or MDM was not associated with elevated risk of breast cancer [multivariate relative risk and 95% confidence interval for the highest versus lowest quintile: MeIQx: 0.90 (0.79-1.03); PhIP: 0.92 (0.80-1.05); DiMeIQx: 0.92 (0.80-1.05); and MDM: 0.98 (0.85-1.12)]. HCA or MDM was not associated with estrogen receptor–positive/progesterone receptor–positive breast cancer risk either. There was some suggestion of a decreased risk of estrogen receptor–negative/progesterone receptor–negative breast cancer with higher intakes of MeIQx, DiMeIQx, and PhIP, but none of the associations were statistically significant. There was little evidence for an interaction between intake of cruciferous vegetables and HCA or MDM intake and risk of breast cancer.

Conclusion: Higher consumption of mutagens from meats cooked at higher temperature and longer duration was not associated with increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.

Impact: Overall prospective data including results from our study do not provide support for a substantial increase in risk of breast cancer with higher intake of HCAs. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(5); 1301–10. ©2010 AACR.
Plasma Organochlorine Levels and Risk of Non–Hodgkin Lymphoma in the Nurses' Health Study
Authors: Laden Francine , Bertrand Kimberly A. , Altshul Larisa , Aster Jon C. , Korrick Susan A. , Sagiv Sharon K.
Published: May 2010

Numerous studies have reported positive associations of environmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) with the risk of non–Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In a case-control study nested within the Nurses' Health Study, a prospective cohort of U.S. women, we measured concentrations of PCBs and p,p′-DDE in blood samples from 145 women diagnosed with NHL at least 6 months after blood draw and 290 age- and race-matched controls. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each quartile of exposure relative to the lowest quartile. We also evaluated these associations for major histologic subtypes of NHL. There was no consistent evidence of an association of p,p′-DDE, total PCBs, immunotoxic, or individual PCB congeners with risk of NHL. These results do not support the hypothesis of a positive association between PCB exposure and development of NHL. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(5); 1381–4. ©2010 AACR.
Diagnosis and Management of Esthesioneuroblastoma
Authors: Zhang Ming , Zhou Liang , Wang De-hui , Huang Wei-ting , Wang Shu-yi
Published: May 2010

Aims: Our purpose was to evaluate the diagnosis and combined modality treatment of esthesioneuroblastoma treated at 1 institution. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical information regarding presentation, immunohistochemical results, treatment and outcome was performed on 21 patients with esthesioneuroblastoma. Results: Two patients had Kadish A, 12 had Kadish B and 7 had Kadish C disease. The mean follow-up was 41.9 months. Immunohistochemical stains were performed in 17 cases, and the tumors were focal positive or showed positive immunoreactivity to neuron-specific enolase (17/17, 100%), synaptophysin (13/17, 76.5%), S-100 protein (8/17, 47.1%), epithelial membrane antigen (5/17, 29.4%), chromogranin A (4/17, 23.5%), vimentin (3/17, 17.6%) and cytokeratin (2/17, 11.8%). Generally, the patients were treated with preoperative radiotherapy (Kadish A and Kadish B) and preoperative chemoradiotherapy (Kadish C) after the initial biopsy, followed by surgery. Surgical approaches (n = 21) consisted of 12 lateral rhinotomies, 5 craniofacial resections, 3 endoscopic sinus surgeries and 1 midfacial degloving approach. The 5-year crude overall survival rate was 76.2%. Conclusions: Esthesioneuroblastoma is an uncommon malignant tumor. Thorough histological evaluation is the key to correct diagnosis and differentiation. Preoperative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy can give surgeons the chance to choose different surgical approaches, especially the endoscopic surgical techniques, in the future.
Preliminary Evaluation of in vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy Features of Kaposi’s Sarcoma
Authors: Corsetti Grazziotin Thaís , Cota Carlo , Bortoli Buffon Rosana , Araújo Pinto Leonardo , Latini Alessandra , Ardigò Marco
Published: May 2010

Background: Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is an unusual, clinically polymorphic, vascular neoplasm with genetic, infectious, environmental and immunological pathogenesis. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) made in vivo noninvasive imaging of the skin possible and has been used for the evaluation of several skin diseases offering important microscopic information. Objective: The purpose of our study is to describe the RCM features of KS and correlate them with histopathology evaluating the effective prediction attitude and repeatability of RCM. Methods: Twelve KS lesions underwent RCM followed by histological examination. Data obtained were statistically correlated. Results: Analysis of the incidence of 11 selected microscopic criteria (by RCM and optical histology: inflammatory cells in the epidermis and in the dermis, single or in aggregates; spindle cells; stroma; anastomosing, newborn, increased number and dilated vessels; extravasated erythrocytes; deposits of hemosiderin) was performed disclosing a good correlation and high sensitivity of RCM. Conclusion: In our study RCM seems to provide high accuracy to predict histological findings, demonstrating its possible role in the management of patients affected by KS.
Characterization, Evolution and Chromosomal Distribution of Two Satellite DNA Sequence Families in Lathyrus species
Authors: Ceccarelli M. , Sarri V. , Polizzi E. , Andreozzi G. , Cionini P.G.
Published: May 2010

DNA clones containing highly repetitive DNA sequences were selected from partial libraries of Lathyrus sativus and L. sylvestris. Two satellite DNA sequence families were isolated from the genome of the former species. A first family was made up of repeats that varied in length from 54–56 bp, and shared 51.7–94.8% nucleotide sequence similarity. The repeats of the second sequence family were 52–62 bp in length, and shared a 58.5–78.5% nucleotide sequence similarity. All the repeat units contained in a clone from L. sylvestris were 41 bp in length and showed an almost perfect structural conservation (95.1–100% nucleotide sequence similarity). The evolution of the first sequence family from L. sativus and of that isolated from L. sylvestris was studied by dot-blot hybridization to the genomic DNA of these species and 3 other Lathyrus species, L. clymenum, L. latifolius and L. odoratus. The former repeats were found to be species-specific and their redundancy was calculated to be 2.9 × 107. The satellite DNA sequence isolated from L. sylvestris was present also in L.latifolius, with a redundancy of 1.4 × 107 and 1.1 × 107, respectively. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to investigate the chromosomal distribution of the two sequence families and of 45S and 5S ribosomal genes. The species-specific sequences of L. sativus were located around the centromere of chromosome pair IV, where they occupied a very broad region, and, in a much smaller amount, close to the centromere in the short arm of pair II. Sequences related to the repeat units isolated from L. sylvestris were found, both in this species and L. latifolius, in all of the chromosome pairs at terminal and interstitial regions, where they co-localize with the vast majority of DAPI bands. The pattern of distribution of the satellite DNA sequences investigated, together with that of DAPI bands and ribosomal DNA, allowed each chromosome pair of the 3 complements studied to be identified unambiguously.
Reconstruction of the Putative Cervidae Ancestral Karyotype by Chromosome Painting of Siberian Roe Deer (Capreolus pygargus) with Dromedary Probes
Authors: Dementyeva P.V. , Trifonov V.A. , Kulemzina A.I. , Graphodatsky A.S.
Published: May 2010

The Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) is one of a few deer species presumably preserving the ancestral cervid karyotype. The comparative genomic data of the Siberian roe deer are critical for our understanding of the karyotypic relationships within artiodactyls. We have established chromosomal homologies between the Siberian roe deer and the dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) by cross-species chromosome painting with dromedary chromosome-specific painting probes. Dromedary chromosome paints detected 53 autosomal homologies in the genome of the Siberian roe deer. The identification of chromosomal homologies between the Siberian roe deer and cattle resulted from previously detected cattle-dromedary homologies. We have found 8 chromosomal rearrangements (6 fissions in the Siberian roe deer, 1 fission in the cattle and 1 inversion on the CPY11) that have separated the karyotypes of the cattle and the Siberian roe deer. The inversion on CPY11 might be an apomorphic trait of cervids, since we detected its presence in the gray brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira). Thus our data further prove the scenario of chromosomal rearrangements that was previously proposed and add some new data.
Genomic Characterization and Chromosomal Mapping of 5 River Buffalo Skeletal Muscle Differentiation Master Genes
Authors: Strazzullo M. , Rossetti C. , Fusco G. , Campanile C. , Vecchio D. , Campanile G. , Perucatti A. , Di Meo G.P. , Filippini F. , Eggen A. , Ferrara L. , D’Esposito M.
Published: May 2010

River buffalo (Bubalus bubalis, 2n = 50, BBU) is a species of economic relevance in a number of countries. This species shows a very peculiar biology and a great capacity for environmental adaptation. There has been an increasing economic interest as well as a growing demand for a more detailed knowledge of molecular features in this species. From this perspective we report a genomic, transcriptional and cytogenetic analysis of 5 master genes involved in skeletal muscle development. Of these 5 genes, MYOD1, MYF5, MYF6 and MYOG belong to the basic helix-loop helix protein family while MSTN belongs to the TNF-B protein family. In mammals, these genes are involved in the early stages of skeletal muscle differentiation, development and regeneration. These pivotal biological functions are finely regulated in a tissue- and temporal-specific manner. We used a comparative genomic approach to obtain the buffalo specific sequences of MYOD1 and MYF6. The nucleotide sequence similarity and the protein domain conservation of the newly obtained sequences are analysed with respect to bovine and other mammalian species showing sequence similarity. The presence of a polymorphism in MYOD1 coding sequence is described and its possible effect discussed. Using a quantitative PCR approach, we compared the level of the 5 transcripts in adult and fetal muscle. These genes were physically localised on river buffalo R-banded chromosomes by FISH using bovine genomic BAC-clones. Here, we present a genomic and cytogenetic analysis which could offer a background to better characterise the buffalo genes involved in muscle function and which may be responsible for buffalo-specific meat features.
Dental Tissue Regeneration – A Mini-Review
Authors: Yen A.-H. , Yelick P.C.
Published: May 2010

Background: With today’s 21st century technological advancements, it is expected that individuals will either retain their natural teeth or obtain functional tooth replacements throughout their entire life. Modern dental therapies for the replacement of missing teeth largely utilize partial or complete dentures and titanium implants capped with prosthetic crowns. Although these prostheses serve a purpose, they are not equivalent, neither in function nor aesthetics, to natural teeth. Recent progress in dental tissue engineering has lent significant credibility to the concept that biological replacement teeth therapies may soon be available to replace missing teeth. Objective: In this review, we summarize the emerging concepts of whole-tooth replacement strategies, using postnatal dental stem cells (DSCs) and dental tissue engineering approaches. Methods: We provide a thorough and extensive review of the literature. Results: Current approaches to achieve clinically relevant biological replacement tooth therapies rely on the cultivation of DSCs capable of relaying odontogenic induction signals, through dental epithelial-mesenchymal cell interactions. DSC expansion and differentiation can be achieved by programming progenitor stem cells to adopt dental lineages, using instructive, bioengineered scaffold materials. Periodontal ligament regeneration in particular has demonstrated significant progress recently, despite the somewhat unpredictable clinical outcomes, with regard to its capacity to augment conventional metallic dental implants and as an important component for whole-tooth tissue engineering. Following recent advances made in DSC and tissue engineering research, various research groups are in the midst of performing ‘proof of principle’ experiments for whole-tooth regeneration, with associated functional periodontal tissues. This mini-review focuses on recent and promising developments in the fields of pulp and periodontal tissue DSCs that are of particular relevance for dental tissue and whole-tooth regeneration. Conclusion: Continued advances in the derivation of useable DSC populations and optimally designed scaffold materials unequivocally support the feasibility of dental tissue and whole-tooth tissue engineering.
Matrix Metalloproteinase Levels in the Differentiation of Parapneumonic Pleural Effusions
Authors: Oikonomidi Smaragda , Kostikas Konstantinos , Kalomenidis Ioannis , Tsilioni Irene , Daenas Christos , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I. , Kiropoulos Theodoros S.
Published: May 2010

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the escalation of fibrosis and remodeling which are central to the subsequent progression of a parapneumonic pleural effusion to empyema. Objectives: The aim of this study was the assessment of MMP-2, MMP-8 and MMP-9 in parapneumonic pleural effusions in order to examine their value in the differentiation between uncomplicated and complicated parapneumonic effusions. Methods: The study included 208 consecutive patients with pleural effusions [60 parapneumonic (27 uncomplicated parapneumonic, 17 complicated parapneumonic, 16 empyemas), 24 tuberculous, 89 malignant and 35 transudates]. Concentrations of pleural fluid and serum MMP-2, MMP-8 and MMP-9 were determined by immunoassay. Results: Pleural fluid MMP-8 and MMP-9 levels were higher in complicated parapneumonic effusions or empyema than in uncomplicated effusions, while their serum levels were higher in complicated parapneumonic effusions. MMP-2 levels were higher in uncomplicated than in complicated parapneumonic effusions or empyema. Pleural fluid MMP-2/MMP-9 ratio was the best marker to differentiate complicated from uncomplicated parapneumonic effusions, with a sensitivity of 94.1% and a specificity of 77.8% at a cut-off point of 1.32 (AUC = 0.887). Conclusions: Pleural fluid MMP-2, MMP-8 and MMP-9 may provide useful information for differentiating between uncomplicated and complicated parapneumonic effusions.
Pulmonary Capillary Hemangiomatosis Associated with CREST Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: McGuire Franklin , Kennelly Tina , Tillack Thomas , Robbins Mark
Published: May 2010

This is a report of fatality immediately after administration of epoprostenol. The patient was previously diagnosed with CREST syndrome and associated interstitial lung disease. She developed worsening pulmonary hypertension and was clinically diagnosed with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease. The patient developed flash pulmonary edema and arrested after administration of low-dose epoprostenol in the intensive care unit. An autopsy revealed the patient suffered from pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis. We review our case and what is known about this rare disease.
Differences in Albuminuria Between Hispanics and Whites: An Evaluation by Genetic Ancestry and Country of Origin
Authors: Peralta Carmen A. , Li Yongmei , Wassel Christina , Choudhry Shweta , Palmas Walter , Seldin Michael F. , Risch Neil , Siscovick David , Arnett Donna , Psaty Bruce , Shlipak Michael G.
Published: May 2010

Background—

Reports show higher prevalence of albuminuria among Hispanics compared with whites. Differences by country of origin or genetic background are unknown.

Methods and Results—

In Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we studied the associations of both genetic ancestry and country of origin with albumin to creatinine ratio among 1417 Hispanic versus white participants using multivariable linear regression and back transforming beta coefficients into relative difference (%RD, 95% CI). Percentage European, Native American, and African ancestry components for Hispanics were estimated using genetic admixture analysis. The proportions of European, Native American, and African genetic ancestry differed significantly by country of origin (
P
<0.0001); Mexican/Central Americans had the highest Native American (41±13%), Puerto Ricans had the highest European (61±15%), and Dominicans had the highest African (39±21%) ancestry. Hispanic ethnicity was associated with higher albumin/creatinine ratio compared with whites, but the association varied with the country of origin (adjusted
P
interaction=0.04). Mexican/Central Americans and Dominicans had higher albumin/creatinine ratio compared with whites after adjustment (RD 19%, 2% to 40% and RD 27%, 1% to 61%), but not Puerto Ricans (RD 8%, −12% to 34%). Higher Native American ancestry was associated with higher albuminuria after age and sex adjustment among all Hispanics (RD 11%, 1% to 21%) but was attenuated after further adjustment. Higher European ancestry was independently associated with lower albumin/creatinine ratio among Puerto Ricans (−21%, −34% to −6%) but not among Mexican/Central Americans and Dominicans.

Conclusions—

Hispanics are a heterogeneous group with varying genetic ancestry. Risks of albuminuria differ across the country of origin groups. These differences may be due, in part, to differences in genetic ancestral components.
“An Unpardonable Bit of Folly and Impertinence”: Charles Francis Adams Jr., American Anti-Imperialists, and the Philippines
Authors: Cooke Adam
Published: May 2010

A Boston Brahmin and “otherwise-minded” contrarian, Charles Francis Adams Jr., great-grandson of President John Adams, was one of many so-called “mugwumps” who protested the Spanish-American War. Clashing with the likes of Henry Cabot Lodge, Adams was alternately principled and practical, sensitive and racist, until his influence and the anti-imperialist movement waned at the turn of the twentieth century.
Beyond Abstraction: Marx and the Critique of the Critique of Religion
Authors: Toscano Alberto
Published: May 2010

This article reconsiders Marx’s thinking on religion in light of current preoccupations with the encroachment of religious practices and beliefs into political life. It argues that Marx formulates a critique of the anticlerical and Enlightenment-critique of religion, in which he subsumes the secular repudiation of spiritual authority and religious transcendence into a broader analysis of the ‘real abstractions’ that dominate our social existence. The tools forged by Marx in his engagement with critiques of religious authority allow him to discern the ‘religious’ and ‘transcendent’ dimension of state and capital, and may contribute to a contemporary investigation into the links between capitalism as a religion of everyday life and what Mike Davis has called the current ‘reenchantment of catastrophic modernity’.
Rethinking Venezuelan Politics: Class, Conflict and the Chávez Phenomenon, Steve Ellner, Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2008. Bush vs. Chávez: Washington’s War on Venezuela, Eva Golinger, New York: Monthly Review Press, 2007. Changing Venezuela by Taking Power: The History and Policies of the Chávez Government, Gregory Wilpert, London: Verso, 2007.
Authors: Donald V. Kingsbury
Published: May 2010

After a decade in power, Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution faces a newly multilateral Washington DC and global capitalism’s most significant crisis in a generation. In order to properly understand the hopes and impediments for the future of the Revolution, I argue, it is first necessary to consider the current trajectory and series of accomplishments it has made. In this review-essay, I consider the three most recent and comprehensive works on the foreign and domestic situations in Venezuela in English ‐ Eva Golinger’s Bush vs Chávez, Gregory Wilpert’s Changing Venezuela by Taking Power, and Steve Ellner’s Rethinking Venezuelan Politics.
Editorial Introduction to the Symposium on Giovanni Arrighi’s Adam Smith in Beijing
Authors: Campling Liam
Published: May 2010

Giovanni Arrighi (1937‐2009) was a leading figure in the development of world-systems theory and also contributed to a range of debates in Marxist thought. This symposium engages with Arrighi’s last book, Adam Smith in Beijing, which was the final instalment in his ‘trilogy’, following The Long Twentieth Century (1994) and Chaos and Governance in the Modern World System (with Beverly Silver, 1999). This Editorial Introduction traces the broad trajectory of Arrighi’s ‘trilogy’ and its concern with systemic cycles of accumulation, highlights additional major contributions by Arrighi, and sketches some of the central arguments of the five symposium articles.*
Beijing between Smith and Marx
Authors: Pradella Lucia
Published: May 2010

In Adam Smith in Beijing, Giovanni Arrighi attempts to outline the possible consequences of the growth of China through a rereading of the work of Adam Smith and a critique of Marx. This article analyses and sheds light on the limits of this reading, upon which Arrighi bases his prediction of a possible peaceful growth in collaboration amongst the various nations within the world-market. It also seeks to identify what makes Marx’s work so timely for the understanding of the contemporary phase of capitalist globalisation, with its escalation of the exploitation of ever more globalised labour-power, and of international competition.1
Do Low-Effort Learning Strategies Mediate Impaired Memory in ADHD?
Authors: Egeland Jens , Nordby Johansen Susanne , Ueland Torill
Published: May 2010

As a group, participants with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are impaired in academic performance and learning. This may be due to a mild intellectual impairment, impaired attention, or inability to allocate sufficient effort. If the latter is the case, this should be evident in the learning strategies applied. Four indices of learning strategy, considered to measure degree of effort, were analyzed from 67 participants with ADHD and 67 age-matched normal controls between 9 and 16 years of age. The participants with ADHD were impaired with regard to semantic clustering, retroactive interference, and percentage items reported from the middle section of the list even when controlling for IQ and comorbid conduct or oppositional defiant disorders symptoms. In addition, participants with combined ADHD (ADHD-C) did not display the normal proactive interference effect. The four effort indices explained 39% and 35% of the variance in free recall among participants with inattentive ADHD (ADHD-I) and ADHD-C, respectively. IQ was still significant when the effect of strategy measures were accounted for, whereas diagnosis was no longer significant when entered into the regression analysis after the effort indices. The study shows that participants with ADHD employ less effortful learning strategies than healthy controls and that low effort to a large degree can account for diagnosis related variance in memory performance.
Teacher Attitudes Toward Dyslexia: Effects on Teacher Expectations and the Academic Achievement of Students With Dyslexia
Authors: Hornstra Lisette , Denessen Eddie , Bakker Joep , van den Bergh Linda , Voeten Marinus
Published: May 2010

The present study examined teacher attitudes toward dyslexia and the effects of these attitudes on teacher expectations and the academic achievement of students with dyslexia compared to students without learning disabilities. The attitudes of 30 regular education teachers toward dyslexia were determined using both an implicit measure and an explicit, self-report measure. Achievement scores for 307 students were also obtained. Implicit teacher attitudes toward dyslexia related to teacher ratings of student achievement on a writing task and also to student achievement on standardized tests of spelling but not math for those students with dyslexia. Self-reported attitudes of the teachers toward dyslexia did not relate to any of the outcome measures. Neither the implicit nor the explicit measures of teacher attitudes related to teacher expectations. The results show implicit attitude measures to be a more valuable predictor of the achievement of students with dyslexia than explicit, self-report attitude measures.
Clinical Pharmacology Tyramine Challenge Study to Determine the Selectivity of the Monoamine Oxidase Type B (MAO‐B) Inhibitor Rasagiline
Authors: Goren Tamar , Adar Liat , Sasson Nissim , Weiss Yoni M.
Published: May 2010

Rasagiline is a selective, monoamine oxidase (MAO)‐B inhibitor indicated for treatment of Parkinson's disease. This double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study determined the tyramine sensitivity factor (TSF) and degree of MAO‐A inhibition (ie, reduction in plasma dihydroxyphenylglycol) in healthy volunteers who received phenelzine (15 mg, 3 times daily; positive control), selegiline (5 mg, twice daily), or rasagiline (1–6 mg, once daily) for 14 days or rasagiline 2 mg/d for 30 days. The selegiline/rasagiline groups were randomized to placebo or active drug. TSF was highest with phenelzine (17.3) and lowest with placebo (1.5). TSF with selegiline was 2.5. TSFs for rasagiline were as follows: 2.0 for 1 mg/d; 3.3 and 2.4 for 2 mg/d administered for 14 and 30 days, respectively; 4.5 for 4 mg/d; and 5.1 for 6 mg/d. Plasma dihydroxyphenylglycol concentrations suggested that rasagiline 1 mg/d had no effect, whereas rasagiline 2 mg/d had only minimal effect. In contrast, rasagiline 4 and 6 mg/d reduced dihydroxyphenylglycol to a degree approaching that achieved by the positive control phenelzine. Results demonstrate that rasagiline selectively inhibits MAO‐B and is not associated with increased tyramine sensitivity at the indicated dose (1 mg/d). These data allowed removal of dietary tyramine restriction from rasagiline US labeling.
Copying, Counterfeiting, and Capitalism in Contemporary China: Jingdezhen’s Porcelain Industry
Authors: Gillette Maris
Published: May 2010

Eight months of ethnographic fieldwork in Jingdezhen between 2003 and 2006 revealed that copying and counterfeiting dominated porcelain production. Ideas about markets and the organization of production encouraged ceramists to copy and counterfeit in search of profit. At the same time, producers responded to others’ fraudulent acts by personalizing their market participation. Their network building was motivated by the belief that individuals with whom you shared a personal connection would not cheat you. Ideas about atomized individuals and dishonest markets, on the one hand, and strategies to personalize market activity, on the other, characterized contemporary capitalism in Jingdezhen (and perhaps China more broadly). This contradiction exemplifies a dual process by which capitalism affects how people think and what they do, while at the same time preexisting ideas and practices inform how capitalism operates in a particular setting.
When in Rome ... Learn Why the Romans Do What They Do: How Multicultural Learning Experiences Facilitate Creativity
Authors: Maddux William W. , Adam Hajo , Galinsky Adam D.
Published: May 2010

Research suggests that living in and adapting to foreign cultures facilitates creativity. The current research investigated whether one aspect of the adaptation process—multicultural learning—is a critical component of increased creativity. Experiments 1-3 found that recalling a multicultural learning experience: (a) facilitates idea flexibility (e.g., the ability to solve problems in multiple ways), (b) increases awareness of underlying connections and associations, and (c) helps overcome functional fixedness. Importantly, Experiments 2 and 3 specifically demonstrated that functional learning in a multicultural context (i.e., learning about the underlying meaning or function of behaviors in that context) is particularly important for facilitating creativity. Results showed that creativity was enhanced only when participants recalled a functional multicultural learning experience and only when participants had previously lived abroad. Overall, multicultural learning appears to be an important mechanism by which foreign living experiences lead to creative enhancement.
When Is the Unfamiliar the Uncanny? Meaning Affirmation After Exposure to Absurdist Literature, Humor, and Art
Authors: Proulx Travis , Heine Steven J. , Vohs Kathleen D.
Published: May 2010

The meaning maintenance model asserts that following a meaning threat, people will affirm any meaning frameworks that are available. Three experiments tested (a) whether people affirm alternative meaning frameworks after reading absurdist literature, (b) what role expectations play in determining whether absurdities are threatening, and (c) whether people have a heightened need for meaning following exposure to absurdist art. In Study 1, participants who read an absurd Kafka parable affirmed an alternative meaning framework more than did those who read a meaningful parable. In Study 2, participants who read an absurd Monty Python parody engaged in compensatory affirmation efforts only if they were led to expect a conventional story. In Study 3, participants who were exposed to absurdist art or reminders of their mortality, compared to participants exposed to representational or abstract art, reported higher scores on the Personal Need for Structure scale, suggesting that they experienced a heightened need for meaning.
Reconciling informed consent and ‘do no harm’: ethical challenges in palliative-care research and practice in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Gardiner Clare , Barnes Sarah , Small Neil , Gott Merryn , Payne Sheila , Seamark David , Halpin David
Published: May 2010

The challenges associated with patient-based research in palliative care are well documented. This paper focuses on the ethical challenges and discusses them in the context of a pilot study to explore the palliative-care needs of patients with moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The main ethical challenge encountered related to problems surrounding the use of terminology, specifically the terms ‘palliative care’ and ‘chronic obstructive pulmonary disease’. The approving ethics committee specified that these terms be removed from all patient materials in order to protect patients from undue distress. The impact of this ethical advice on patients’ ability to give fully informed consent is discussed. This paper highlights a requirement for appropriately resourced and well-managed studies in palliative care, and identifies a need for the development of appropriate strategies in order to ensure the informed participation of patients with non-cancer diagnoses in palliative-care research.
The ClassMaps Survey: A Measure of Middle School Science Students’ Perceptions of Classroom Characteristics
Authors: Doll Beth , Spies Robert A. , Champion Allison , Guerrero Chelsie , Dooley Kadie , Turner April
Published: May 2010

This study examined the structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the ClassMaps Survey, a measure of classroom characteristics that are related to students’ resilience and classroom success. Participants were 1,019 fifth- through eighth-grade science students who completed the ClassMaps Survey, a survey describing their classroom engagement, and three surveys describing their attitudes about science learning after being in their science class for 6 months. Results confirmed that the survey’s items factored into the predicted subscales and that the subscales’ internal consistency was adequate. Although significant grade and gender effects were noted, the effect sizes were uniformly small. Subscales of the ClassMaps Survey correlated as predicted with the four additional scales. Results suggest that the ClassMaps Survey is a promising measure of the characteristics of classrooms that promote resilience.
Early Globus Pallidus Internus Stimulation in Pediatric Patients With Generalized Primary Dystonia: Long-Term Efficacy and Safety
Authors: Mehrkens Jan Hinnerk , Borggraefe Ingo , Feddersen Berend , Heinen Florian , Bötzel Kai
Published: May 2010

Primary generalized dystonia presents mainly at a young age and commonly is severely disabling. The authors report the long-term follow-up (mean, 73 months; range, 50-101 months) of 5 pediatric patients (mean age at surgery 13 years; range, 8-16 years) undergoing globus pallidus internus deep brain stimulation. Mean improvement in the Burke-Fahn-Marsden movement score was 67.4% (range, 47.0%-87.5%), 75.4% (range, 61.5%-91.7%), and 83.5% (range, 72.0%-93.3%) at 3 months, 12 months, and long-term follow-up (>36 months), respectively. Hardware problems (electrode dislocation/breakage of extension cable, and imminent perforation of extension cable) were observed in 2 patients (operative revision without sequelae). Except for mild dysarthria in 2 patients, no other therapy-related morbidity was observed. The authors found globus pallidus internus stimulation to offer a very effective and safe therapy in pediatric patients with primary dystonia. Early neurosurgical intervention seems to be crucial to prevent irreversible impairment of motor function.