bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitral Valve Prolapse in Marfan Syndrome: An Old Topic Revisited
Authors: Taub Cynthia C. , Stoler Joan M. , Perez‐Sanz Teresa , Chu John , Isselbacher Eric M. , Picard Michael H. , Weyman Arthur E.
Published: November 2008

Background: The echocardiographic features of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) in Marfan syndrome have been well described, and the incidence of MVP in Marfan syndrome is reported to be 40–80%. However, most of the original research was performed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the diagnostic criteria for MVP were less specific. Our goal was to investigate the characteristics of MVP associated with Marfan syndrome using currently accepted diagnostic criteria for MVP. Methods: Between January 1990 and March 2004, 90 patients with definitive diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (based on standardized criteria with or without genetic testing) were referred to Massachusetts General Hospital for transthoracic echocardiography. Patients' gender, age, weight, height, and body surface area at initial examination were recorded. Mitral valve thickness and motion, the degree of mitral regurgitation and aortic regurgitation, and aortic dimensions were quantified blinded to patients' clinical information. Results: There were 25 patients (28%) with MVP, among whom 80% had symmetrical bileaflet MVP. Patients with MVP had thicker mitral leaflets (5.0 ± 1.0 mm vs. 1.8 ± 0.5 mm, P < 0.001), more mitral regurgitation (using a scale of 1–4, 2.2 ± 1.0 vs. 0.90 ± 0.60, P < 0.0001), larger LVEDD, and larger dimensions of sinus of Valsalva, sinotubular junction, aortic arch, and descending aorta indexed to square root body surface area, when compared with those without MVP. When echocardiographic features of patients younger than 18 years of age and those of patients older than 18 were compared, adult Marfan patients had larger LA dimension (indexed to square root body surface area), larger sinotubular junction (indexed to square root body surface area), and more mitral regurgitation and aortic regurgitation. Conclusions: The prevalence of MVP in Marfan syndrome is lower than previously reported. The large majority of patients with MVP have bileaflet involvement, and those with MVP have significantly larger aortic root diameters, suggesting a diffuse disease process.
Utility of Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography in Percutaneous Closure of Paravalvular Leak
Authors: Bavikati Venkata V. , Babaliaros Vasilis C. , Lerakis Stamatios
Published: November 2008

The images and videos presented in this case report demonstrate the utility of live three‐dimensional (3D) transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in guiding the percutaneous closure of paravalvular leak (PVL). This method provides high‐quality real time assistance for transseptal puncture and deployment of the closure device through the PVL.
The Rationale for and Comparisons of Different Antiplatelet Treatments in Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: GURBEL PAUL A. , TANTRY UDAYA S.
Published: November 2008

Fundamentally, acute coronary syndromes are platelet‐centric diseases, resulting from platelet‐rich thrombi that develop at the site of vessel wall injury. In addition to aggregation, platelets modulate a plethora of other important pathophysiologic processes, including inflammation and coagulation. Therefore, a primary goal of therapy in the acute setting should be treatment with agents that provide predictable and superior platelet inhibition to prevent further ischemic events that develop from unchecked high platelet reactivity. Translational research studies of patients undergoing percutaneous revascularization have clearly demonstrated that adverse thrombotic outcomes are associated with high platelet reactivity and the latter is now emerging as a potent measurable cardiovascular risk factor. The intensity of antithrombotic therapy is influenced by patient risk. In the highest risk patients with elevated cardiac biomarkers indicative of myonecrosis, current guidelines support the use of early therapy with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibition, aspirin, and clopidogrel.
Evolution of a Conceptual Model for Adaptation to Chronic Illness
Authors: Weinert Clarann , Cudney Shirley , Spring Amber
Published: November 2008

Purpose:To describe the evolution of “The Women to Women Conceptual Model for Adaptation to Chronic Illness.”

Design:A three‐phase, computer‐based research intervention to provide support and health information to chronically ill middle‐aged women living in rural areas of the intermountain West.

Evolution of a Conceptual Model:The path of the conceptualization of the WTW project was traced from a single concept to its present explanatory, multiconcept model consisting of three major adaptation constructs (environmental stimuli, psychosocial response, illness management) with related middle‐range theoretical concepts (focal, contextual, and residual stimuli, psychosocial adaptation, chronic illness self‐management, and quality of life) including empirical indicators and measures for each.

Clinical Relevance:As the computer‐based intervention is maturing, we are demonstrating its efficacy in helping rural women to better manage chronic illness. At the completion of this study, the intervention should be adequately tested so that it could be adapted for use by advanced practice nurses especially those working with people in isolated rural areas.
Effect of Abuse by a Close Family Member on Health
Authors: Kolbrun Svavarsdottir Erla , Orlygsdottir Brynja
Published: November 2008

Purpose: To examine the effects of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse on physical and psychological health among Icelandic women visiting an emergency department (ED) or high‐risk prenatal care clinic (HRPCC). We hypothesized that the women's previous experience of abuse by a close family member and current experiences of abuse by an intimate partner, would predict their physical and psychological health.

Method: A cross‐sectional study design was used. Data were collected using questionnaires (e.g., Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and semistructured interviews, from a sample of 208 women (101 visiting the ED and 107 visiting the HRPCC).

Results: For the women seen in the ED, their experience of previous sexual abuse by a close family member, emotional abuse within the preceding year, and current abuse predicted the women's psychological health. For the women seen at the HRPCC, their previous experience of physical abuse, sexual abuse by a close family member, and being currently in an abusive relationship significantly predicted the women's psychological health.

Conclusions: Women in Iceland, who are survivors of abuse, seek healthcare services from EDs and high‐risk prenatal clinics. The complex effects of both former and current abuse on women's health indicates the importance of regular screening for abuse against women.

Clinical Relevance: Offering appropriate interventions within emergency departments and high‐risk prenatal clinics to women who are victims of abuse is vital.
Adult Protective Services Use for Older Adults at the Time of Hospital Discharge
Authors: Popejoy Lori L.
Published: November 2008

Purpose: In this article a description is given of the use of adult protective services (APS) as a “safety net” by healthcare team members (HCTMs) when concerns were evident about an older adult's hospital discharge decisions.

Design and Methods: The study had a descriptive qualitative design and participants' perceptions of discharge destination decisions were explored. A total of 13 semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 7 HCTMs, who were the primary discharge planners for 13 frail older adults.

Findings: Themes that emerged were safety, “reconciling the differences,”“letting them fail,” having confidence in the family caregiver, and weighing the options. If HCTMs did not view the older adults' discharge decisions as safe, they would first try to persuade the older adults to change their minds, and if that failed, they would report the older adult to APS for follow‐up.

Conclusions: The APS system does not augment, nor does it replace, adequate hospital discharge planning. The use of the APS system as a safety net at the time of hospital discharge is a symptom of a grave problem that will only worsen as the number of elderly adults increases and adds stress to an already overburdened healthcare system.

Clinical Relevance: Access to health and social services at the time of hospital discharge is essential to the health and well‐being of frail older adults; major gaps in services must be identified and corrected.
The Legacy of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Family Adversity
Authors: Martsolf Donna S. , Draucker Claire Burke
Published: November 2008

Purpose: To describe the process by which childhood adversity influences the life course of survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Design: A community‐based, qualitative, grounded‐theory design.

Methods: In this grounded theory study, data were drawn from open‐ended interviews conducted as part of a larger study of women's and men's responses to sexual violence. The current study indicates the experiences of 48 female and 40 male survivors of childhood sexual abuse and family adversity. Data were analyzed using the constant comparison method.

Findings: Participants described a sense of inheriting a life of abuse and adversity. The process by which childhood adversity influences the life course of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse is labeled Living the Family Legacy. The theory representing the process of Living the Family Legacy includes three major life patterns: (a) being stuck in the family legacy, (b) being plagued by the family legacy, and (c) rejecting the family legacy/creating a new one. Associated with these life patterns are three processes by which participants passed on a legacy to others, often their children: (a) passing on the family legacy, (b) taking a stab at passing on a new legacy, and (c) passing on a new legacy.

Conclusions: The legacy of abuse and adversity has a profound effect on the lives of survivors of childhood sexual abuse. There are several trajectories by which the influence of childhood adversity unfolds in the lives of adult survivors and by which the legacy is passed on to others.

Clinical Relevance: The model representing the theoretical process of Living the Family Legacy can be used by clinicians who work with survivors of childhood sexual abuse and childhood adversity, especially those who have parenting concerns.
Managing the Common Problem of Missing Data in Trauma Studies
Authors: Rue Tessa , Thompson Hilaire J. , Rivara Frederick P. , Mackenzie Ellen J. , Jurkovich Gregory J.
Published: November 2008

Purpose: To provide guidance for managing the problem of missing data in clinical studies of trauma in order to decrease bias and increase the validity of findings for subsequent use.

Organizing Construct: A thoughtful approach to missing data is an essential component of analysis to promote the clear interpretation of study findings.

Methods: Integrative review of relevant biostatistics, medical and nursing literature, and case exemplars of missing data analyses using multiple linear regression based upon data from the National Study on the Costs and Outcomes of Trauma (NSCOT) was used as an example.

Findings and Conclusions: In studies of traumatically injured people, multiple imputed values are often superior to complete case analyses that might have significant bias. Multiple imputation can improve accuracy of the assessment and might also improve precision of estimates. Sensitivity analyses which implements repeated analyses using various scenarios may also be useful in providing information supportive of further inquiry
. This stepwise approach of missing data could also be valid in studies with similar types or patterns of missing data.

Clinical Relevance: In interpreting and applying findings of studies with missing data, clinicians need to ensure that researchers have used appropriate methods for handling this issue. If suitable methods were not employed, nurse clinicians need to be aware that the findings may be biased.
The Lived Experience of Genocide Rape Survivors in Rwanda
Authors: Mukamana Donatilla , Brysiewicz Petra
Published: November 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of women who were raped during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Methods: A phenomenological approach was used and this study was carried out in Rwanda in three different locations. The 7 participants took part in three semi‐structured, individual interviews which were audiotaped.

Results: Participants reported many themes unique to Rwandan women survivors of genocide. These themes included violation by perceived inferiors, loss of dignity and respect, loss of identity, social isolation, loss of hope for the future (i.e., HIV/AIDS), the ongoing torture of rape babies, and developing a sense of community.

Conclusions: Rwandan women survivors of the 1994 genocide have lived through unimaginable suffering. Limited information is available regarding the experiences of these rape survivors and this information could create awareness and some understanding of what these women endured.

Clinical Relevance: This study can help nurses to understand the sequelae of war and rape and thus have needed information which can be used to offer assistance to women in these circumstances.
Association Between Nursing Workload and Mortality of Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Kiekkas Panagiotis , Sakellaropoulos George C. , Brokalaki Hero , Manolis Evangelos , Samios Adamantios , Skartsani Chrisula , Baltopoulos George I.
Published: November 2008

Purpose: To investigate differences in mortality of intensive care unit (ICU) patients according to the ratio between total patient care demands and nurse staffing.

Design: Observational, prospective study. Patients consecutively admitted in the medical‐surgical ICU of a Greek hospital over a 1‐year period were enrolled.

Methods: The Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS)‐28 was used for measuring patient care demands. Daily sum of TISS‐28 of patients and daily number of nurses were considered for estimating median and peak patient exposure to nursing workload. According to the values of median and peak patient exposure to nursing workload, patients were divided into three groups (low, medium, and high). Logistic regression was used for evaluating the associations between mortality during ICU length of stay and median or peak patient exposure to nursing workload, after adjusting for patient clinical severity.

Findings: 396 patients were included and 102 died. Differences in ICU mortality between high and low groups of median and peak patient exposure to nursing workload, although not statistically significant, were clinically remarkable, both when all patients were studied and when medical and surgical patients were separately studied.

Conclusions: Consideration of individual differences in patient acuity might add sensitivity to the detection of associations between nurse understaffing and ICU mortality.

Clinical Relevance: The findings indicate that not only differences among nurse characteristics, but also differences in patient care demands, are important when investigating the effect of nurse understaffing on mortality of ICU patients. Proper nurse staffing levels should be based on the estimation of total patient acuity, rather than on the absolute number of patients.
Experience, Time Investment, and Motivators of Nursing Journal Peer Reviewers
Authors: Kearney Margaret H. , Baggs Judith G. , Broome Marion E. , Dougherty Molly C. , Freda Margaret C.
Published: November 2008

Purpose: To describe nursing journal reviewers' professional backgrounds, reviewing experience, time investment, and perceptions of their role.

Design: Exploratory descriptive cross‐sectional study.

Methods: A 69‐question survey containing both fixed‐option and open‐ended questions and accessed via the World Wide Web was completed by 1,675 nursing journal reviewers who had been invited to participate by editors of 52 nursing journals.

Findings: Participants were from 44 countries, with 74% from the US, and 90% were nurses. The majority were doctorally prepared academics who were involved in research. They reported spending an average of 5 hours on each critique and completed an average of 7–8 reviews per year. The most common reason reported for becoming involved was personal contact with an editor. Lack of time because of competing work commitments was the most commonly cited barrier to reviewing and negative aspect of the role. The most common positive aspect was keeping up to date with the field.

Conclusions: Nursing journal peer reviewers express rewards and challenges similar to those reported elsewhere for biomedical journal reviewers. Based on these findings, editors might consider new approaches to recruiting and supporting reviewers, and potential reviewers might gain insight into the role. Support of these distinguished scholars in this important role is critical to sustain the quality of scholarship that informs nursing practice, education, and research.

Clinical Relevance: Clinicians, researchers, and educators who rely on the quality of the articles published in nursing journals can learn from this survey about the background and experiences of those who protect that quality by providing expert feedback to authors and editors.
Intravascular large B‐cell lymphoma with cutaneous manifestations: a clinicopathologic, immunophenotypic and molecular study of three cases
Authors: Kong Yun‐Yi , Dai Bo , Sheng Wei‐Qi , Yang Wen‐Tao , Wang Chao‐Fu , Kong Jin‐Cheng , Shi Da‐Ren
Published: November 2008

Background:  Intravascular large B‐cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is an extremely rare type of malignant lymphoma characterized by exclusive or predominant growth of neoplastic cells within the lumen of blood vessels. Cases in the literature predominantly involve the skin and central nervous system, with special emphasis on the ‘cutaneous variant’.

Methods:  Three cases of IVLBCL with cutaneous manifestations, including two systemic IVLBCL and one cutaneous variant, were described in this study. In all cases, clinical presentation and follow‐up data were meticulously evaluated and immunophenotypic and molecular studies were performed.

Results:  All three cases displayed the B‐cell phenotype and showed monoclonality with immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement. Bcl2 was expressed in the two systemic IVLBCL cases with fatal outcomes. The third patient with the ‘cutaneous variant’ achieved complete remission and a longer survival time of 15 months after chemotherapy.

Conclusions:  Skin manifestations and neurological findings, although to different degrees, are important clues to the diagnosis of IVLBCL. As most IVLBCL are grouped into the post‐germinal center B‐cell subtype of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, Bcl2 expression may be correlated with a worse prognosis in IVLBCL. The cutaneous variant of IVLBCL has a significantly better outcome than that of systemic IVLBCL.
Plant extinction dynamics in an insular metacommunity
Authors: Burns Kevin C. , Neufeld Christopher J.
Published: November 2008

Changes in the composition of local communities through time (i.e. species turnover) is a common phenomenon in insular biology. However, the mechanisms promoting variation in species turnover, both among islands and among species, are poorly understood. In an effort to better understand the causes of variation in species turnover, we evaluated the colonization and extinction dynamics of plant populations on 18 small islands off the west coast of Canada. In 1997, we quantified total population sizes of 10 woody angiosperm species. A decade later, we resampled islands to test whether: 1) species turnover occurred, 2) colonization events were offset by extinction events, 2) variation in extinction rates among islands was associated with population sizes, average plant heights, island area, island isolation or each island's exposure to ocean‐born disturbances, and 3) variation in extinction rates among species was associated with plant life history traits. Results showed that extinction events outnumbered colonization events, suggesting that the metacommunity is in ‘disequilibrium’. Variation in extinction rates among islands was unrelated to island area and isolation. However, extinction rates increased with exposure to ocean‐born disturbances and decreased with both initial population sizes and average plant heights. Species with thicker, tougher leaves (i.e. high leaf mass per area) were less prone to extinction than species with thinner, more papery leaves. Overall results indicate that species turnover is common and that it is generated primarily by extinction. Variation in extinction rates appears to result from an interaction between among‐island effects (exposure, population size and plant stature) and among‐species effects (leaf toughness), suggesting that ocean‐born disturbances play a key role in determining metacommunity structure.
Linking field epidemiological and individual plant resistance patterns in the Betula pubescens–Melampsoridium betulinum host–pathogen interaction
Authors: Ericson L. , Burdon Jeremy J.
Published: November 2008

Over a period of seven seasons (1995–2001 inclusively) four distinct epidemics of the rust pathogen Melampsoridium betulinum were recorded in stands of Betula pubescens. During those epidemics, host plants incurred varying levels of disease severity. Some individuals suffered high levels on all occasions; some low; while yet others were either intermediately affected or showed variable disease severity from season to season. Tests of pathotypic differences among 33 isolates of M. betulinum collected from six sites found a broad range of pathotypes ranging from highly virulent to highly avirulent. Similarly a random sample of 40 B. pubescens lines from one site showed a wide range of resistance phenotypes, although individuals that were either susceptible to all but one pathotype or resistant to all pathotypes were commonest. A strong relationship existed between the cumulative level of disease incurred by B. pubescens individuals in the field and the mean susceptibility of each host line as determined by their reaction to infection by each of the 33 different isolates of M. betulinum individually. Resistance in this B. pubescens population to M. betulinum is postulated to be based on a mixture of quantitative and qualitative traits, selection for which has resulted from an interplay of life history attributes of both host and pathogen.
Habitat selection for parasite‐free space by hosts of parasitic cowbirds
Authors: Forsman Jukka T. , Martin Thomas E.
Published: November 2008

Choice of breeding habitat can have a major impact on fitness. Sensitivity of habitat choice to environmental cues predicting reproductive success, such as density of harmful enemy species, should be favored by natural selection. Yet, experimental tests of this idea are in short supply. Brown‐headed cowbirdsMolothrus atercommonly reduce reproductive success of a wide diversity of birds by parasitizing their nests. We used song playbacks to simulate high cowbird density and tested whether cowbird hosts avoid such areas in habitat selection. Host species that made settlement decisions during manipulations were significantly less abundant in the cowbird treatment as a group. In contrast, hosts that settled before manipulations started and non‐host species did not respond to treatments. These results suggest that hosts of cowbirds can use vocal cues to assess parasitism risk among potential habitat patches and avoid high risk habitats. This can affect community structure by affecting habitat choices of species with differential vulnerability.
Interannual variation in bird–landscape relations: understanding sources of a pervasive conservation dilemma
Authors: Riffell Samuel K. , Gutzwiller Kevin J.
Published: November 2008

Interannual variation in bird–landscape relations is pervasive, and it generates decision dilemmas for conservationists who use such relations to support landscape‐level planning, acquisition and management. Interannual variation occurs in two ways. Model consistency refers to agreement among years in the variables and directions of relations in a model for a species. R2consistency measures variation in the strengths of association between bird and landscape variables for a species among years. We examined how distributional and biological traits of species, model‐selection certainty (likelihood the best model was selected in a given year), and model complexity (number of landscape variables) were associated with interannual variation in bird–landscape relations for 72 species in the Appalachian Mountains, USA. Abundant, narrowly distributed species, and cavity nesters exhibited higher model consistency, but model‐selection certainty, not species’ traits or model complexity, had the most influence on model and R2consistency. Increasing model‐selection certainty by improving sampling methods and model‐selection strategies may be the most effective way to cope with interannual variation in bird–landscape relations.
When individuals senesce: the ‘Florida effect’ on stable populations of territorial, long‐lived birds
Authors: Penteriani Vincenzo , Ferrer Miguel , Otalora Fermín , Del Mar Delgado María
Published: November 2008

Senescence can be defined as the entire set of age‐related changes that affect both vitality and function, one of which is within‐individual age‐related decline in reproduction. This factor is crucial for population persistence, because the senescence of individuals of a population can increase the likelihood of local extinction. Using simulations based on long‐term information on a small metapopulation of a long‐lived bird species, we highlight two mechanisms able to engender senescence in both breeders and floaters (i.e. non‐breeding individuals) of the same population. We define ‘floater shortage senescence’ as breeder senescence due to low juvenile replacement rates because of high floater mortality during dispersal. Less obviously, senescence can also occur with very low floater mortality rates, and when breeding populations are remarkably free from factors that could cause catastrophic population decimation. In this scenario, low mortality in reproductive areas results in territory owners in breeding populations being characterised by progressively older breeding individuals, and old individuals waiting for a breeding opportunity: a phenomenon we refer to as the ‘Florida effect’. Consistent with current views that adaptive death plays a crucial role in population dynamics, it seems reasonable to suppose that, under stable environmental conditions, the evolution of some mating mechanisms could limit the senescence of breeding individuals in a population, allowing the pool of breeding individuals to be refreshed by selection of younger breeders.
Does mixing litter of different qualities alter stream microbial diversity and functioning on individual litter species?
Authors: Kominoski John S. , Hoellein Timothy J. , Kelly John J. , Pringle Catherine M.
Published: November 2008

We examined effects of leaf litter quality and species mixing on microbial community diversity and litter processing in a forested headwater stream. Single‐ and mixed‐species litter from dominant tree species (Liriodendron tulipifera,Acer rubrum,Quercus prinus,Rhododendron maximum) were incubated in a southern Appalachian headwater stream. Litter carbon‐to‐nitrogen ratios (C:N), mass loss, microbial respiration, and microbial community diversity were analyzed on individual litter species after incubation. Initial C:N varied widely among individual litter species, and these differences persisted throughout the 50‐day incubation period. Litter C:N of the recalcitrant speciesR. maximumremained higher than that of all other litter species, and C:N ofR. maximumandL. tulipiferaincreased when both species were present together in a mixture. Although mass loss of individual species was generally unaffected by mixing, microbial respiration was greater onA. rubrumandQ. prinuslitter incubated withR. maximumcompared to either species alone. Enhanced resource heterogeneity, which was experimentally achieved by litter mixing low‐ and higher‐quality litter species, resulted in apparent shifts in microbial community diversity on individual litter species. Responses of bacterial and fungal community diversity to litter mixing varied among individual litter species. Our results suggest that changes in tree species composition in riparian forests and subsequent changes in litter resource heterogeneity could alter stream microbial community diversity and function. As bacteria and fungi are important decomposers of plant litter in aquatic ecosystems, resource‐dependent changes in microbial communities could alter detrital processing dynamics in streams.
Melatonin enhances cartilage matrix synthesis by porcine articular chondrocytes
Authors: Pei Ming , He Fan , Wei Lei , Rawson Ashley
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  To develop a minimally invasive preventive measure for early osteoarthritis, the effect of melatonin on cartilage matrix synthesis of articular chondrocytes was evaluated in vitro in a pellet culture system. The chondrogenic markers were assessed using histology, TaqMan® polymerase chain reaction, and western blot. Our results show that melatonin treatment yielded chondrocyte‐pellets with a higher expression of chondrogenic markers consisting of collagen II, Sox 9, and aggrecan at both the mRNA and protein levels. A hypertrophic marker, collagen X, remained low. Moreover, up‐regulation of internal transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF‐β1) expression was observed in the melatonin‐treated cells. Our data indicate, for the first time, that the administration of melatonin enhances cartilage matrix synthesis of articular chondrocytes in a serum‐containing pellet culture system, likely through the TGF‐β signal pathway. Melatonin may prove to be a highly valuable addition to current therapeutic models for degenerative cartilage repair.
Melatonin protects the mitochondria from oxidative damage reducing oxygen consumption, membrane potential, and superoxide anion production
Authors: López Ana , García José A. , Escames Germaine , Venegas Carmen , Ortiz Francisco , López Luis C. , Acuña‐Castroviejo D.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  The role of melatonin in improving mitochondrial respiratory chain activity and increasing ATP production in different experimental conditions has been widely reported. To date, however, the mechanism(s) involved are largely unknown. Using high‐resolution respirometry, fluorometry and spectrophotometry we studied the effects of melatonin on normal mitochondrial functions. Mitochondria were recovered from mouse liver cells and incubated in vitro with melatonin at concentrations ranging from 1 nm to 1 mm. Melatonin decreased oxygen consumption concomitantly with its concentration, inhibited any increase in oxygen flux in the presence of an excess of ADP, reduced the membrane potential, and consequently inhibited the production of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. At the same time it maintained the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis while increasing the activity of the respiratory complexes (mainly complexes I, III, and IV). The effects of melatonin appeared to be due to its presence within the mitochondria, since kinetic experiments clearly showed its incorporation into these organelles. Our results support the hypothesis that melatonin, together with hormones such as triiodothyronine, participates in the physiological regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis.
Melatonin attenuates methamphetamine‐induced deactivation of the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling to induce autophagy in SK‐N‐SH cells
Authors: Kongsuphol Patthara , Mukda Sujira , Nopparat Chutikorn , Villarroel Alfredo , Govitrapong Piyarat
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  Methamphetamine (METH) is a commonly abused drug that damages nerve terminals by causing reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, apoptosis, and neuronal damage. Autophagy, a type of programmed cell death independent of apoptosis, is negatively regulated by the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. It is not known, however, whether autophagy is involved in METH‐induced neurotoxicity. Therefore, we investigated the effect of METH on autophagy and its upstream regulator, the mTOR signaling pathway. Using the SK‐N‐SH dopaminergic cell line, we found that METH induces the expression of LC3‐II, a protein associated with the autophagosome membrane, in a dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, METH inhibits the phosphorylation of mTOR and the action of its downstream target, the eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4E‐binding protein, 4EBP1. Melatonin, a major secretory product of pineal, is a potent naturally produced antioxidant that acts through various mechanisms to ameliorate the toxic effects of ROS. We found that a pretreatment with melatonin enhances mTOR activity and 4EBP1 phosphorylation and protects against the formation of LC3‐II in SK‐N‐SH cells exposed to METH. This work demonstrates a novel role for melatonin as a neuroprotective agent against METH.
In‐situ‐topoproteome analysis of cutaneous lymphomas: Perspectives of assistance for dermatohistologic diagnostics by Multi Epitope Ligand Cartography (MELC)
Authors: Bonnekoh Bernd , Pommer Ansgar J. , Böckelmann Raik , Philipsen Lars , Hofmeister Henning , Gollnick Harald
Published: November 2008

Background: Immunophenotyping is essential for diagnostics of cutaneous lymphomas. In this regard we present a skin tissue‐adapted application platform of MELC technology.

Patients and Methods: This topoproteome analysis allows the subcellular colo‐calization of at least n = 100 epitopes in situ. For this purpose the specimen is processed by a Toponome Imaging Cycler® for a n‐fold repetition of the following cycle: 1) staining with a fluorophore‐labeld antibody, 2) fluorescence‐imaging, and 3) photobleaching. Overlay and binarization of fluorescence images lead to combinatorial molecular phenotypes (CMP), which relate to a pixel or microtopographic unit (450 × 450 nm2, 20× objective). Skin biopsies were derived from patients with mycosis fungoides (patch/plaque lesions), psoriasis, atopic eczema and from healthy skin donors.

Results: In orientation to the WHO‐EORTC‐classification of cutaneous lym‐phomas a MELC‐library of 23 markers was established. According to an inaugurative detailed procedure the CMP frequency was determined in a normalization to 100 μm horizontal skin width. By a TopoMiner strategy mycosis fungoides could be separated from the other states with a maximum of significance (p ≤ 0.03) by at least 10‐fold overexpression of the following tumor cell‐representative CMP‐motif: CD3+/CD4+/CD1a‐/CD7‐/CD8‐/CD45R0+/CD45RA‐/CD11a+.

Conclusions: The skin tissue‐adapted MELC‐application‐platform extends substantially conventional lymphoma diagnostics by an unprecedented dimension of in‐situ‐analysis of marker combinatorics including its exact quantification and visualization.
Neonatal and infantile erythrodermas
Authors: Ott Hagen , Hütten Matthias , Baron Jens Malte , Merk Hans‐Friedrich , Fölster‐Holst Regina
Published: November 2008

The term neonatal or infantile erythroderma designates a generalized erythe‐ma covering more than 90% of the body surface area of neonates and young infants. Erythrodermas are not rare in this age group and have been associated with more than 40 diseases of different degrees of severity.

Regardless of the underlying illness, impending acute symptoms of an impaired epidermal barrier function (hypothermia, dehydration, sepsis) must be recognized and treated adequately. Most often patients have to be hospitalized for incubator care and, if necessary, intravenous rehydration and antibiotic therapy.

Later a thorough diagnostic workup should be performed in cooperation with specialized centers in order to guarantee a precise diagnosis and the most effective treatment. In particular, potentially severe extracutaneous symptoms require rapid intervention and represent the main focus of this review.
Epinephrine inhalers in emergency sets of patients with anaphylaxis
Authors: Schlegel Christiane , Fux Richard , Biedermann Tilo
Published: November 2008

Emergency sets are prescribed to allow patients with anaphylaxis to treat themselves before professional aid arrives. The need for epinephrine in this setting is well‐accepted, but how it should be administered is still controversial. Epinephrine preparations can be administered orally, subcutaneously, intramuscularly or as aerosols. Primatene Mist™ is one epinephrine inhaler, which is approved for asthma treatment in the USA, and InfectoKrupp®Inhal is another one approved to support the treatment of acute laryngo‐tracheitis and of allergic reactions with a nebulizer. Both are possible components of the emergency set for patients with anaphylaxis. The following review article summarizes data currently available on the use of epinephrine preparations in first‐aid treatment of anaphylaxis. Studies have shown that the plasma concentrations needed for hemodynamic stabilization cannot be reached with epinephrine inhalers. Since most cases of hypotension in anaphylaxis cannot be effectively treated with epinephrine inhalers, the prescriber should be aware of this before including them in an emergency pack.
A characteristic Glu17 residue of pig carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 is responsible for the low Km for carnitine and the low sensitivity to malonyl‐CoA inhibition of the enzyme
Authors: Relat Joana , Pujol‐Vidal Magdalena , Haro Diego , Marrero Pedro F.
Published: November 2008

Human carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1B (CPT1B) is a highly malonyl‐CoA‐sensitive enzyme (IC50 = 0.097 μm) and has a positive determinant (residues 18–28) of malonyl‐CoA inhibition. By contrast, rat carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A is less sensitive to malonyl‐CoA inhibition (IC50 = 1.9 μm), and has both a positive (residues 1–18) and a negative (residues 18–28) determinant of its inhibition. Interestingly, pig CPT1B shows a low degree of malonyl‐CoA sensitivity (IC50 = 0.804 μm). Here, we examined whether any additional molecular determinants affect malonyl‐CoA inhibition of CPT1B. We show that the malonyl‐CoA sensitivity of CPT1B is determined by the length (either 50 or 128 residues) of the N‐terminal region constructed by recombining pig and human enzymes. We also show that the N‐terminal region of pig CPT1B carries a single positive determinant of malonyl‐CoA sensitivity, but that this is located between residues 1 and 18 of the N‐terminal segment. Importantly, we found a single amino acid variation (D17E) relevant to malonyl‐CoA sensitivity. Thus, Asp17 is specifically involved, under certain assay conditions, in the high malonyl‐CoA sensitivity of the human enzyme, whereas the naturally occurring variation, Glu17, is responsible for both the low malonyl‐CoA sensitivity and high carnitine affinity characteristics of the pig enzyme. This is the first demonstration that a single naturally occurring amino acid variation can alter CPT1B enzymatic properties.
A Comparison of the Kernel Equating Method with Traditional Equating Methods Using SAT® Data
Authors: Liu Jinghua , Low Albert C.
Published: November 2008

This study applied kernel equating (KE) in two scenarios: equating to a very similar population and equating to a very different population, referred to as a distant population, using SAT® data. The KE results were compared to the results obtained from analogous traditional equating methods in both scenarios. The results indicate that KE results are comparable to the results of other methods. Further, the results show that when the two populations taking the two tests are similar on the anchor score distributions, different equating methods yield the same or very similar results, even though they have different assumptions.
Performance of the Generalized S‐X2 Item Fit Index for Polytomous IRT Models
Authors: Kang Taehoon , Chen Troy T.
Published: November 2008

Orlando and Thissen's S‐X
2
item fit index has performed better than traditional item fit statistics such as Yen's Q1 and McKinley and Mill's G2 for dichotomous item response theory (IRT) models. This study extends the utility of S‐X
2
to polytomous IRT models, including the generalized partial credit model, partial credit model, and rating scale model. The performance of the generalized S‐X
2
in assessing item model fit was studied in terms of empirical Type I error rates and power and compared to G2. The results suggest that the generalized S‐X
2
is promising for polytomous items in educational and psychological testing programs.
Domestic Well Capture Zone and Influence of the Gravel Pack Length
Authors: Horn Judith E. , Harter Thomas
Published: November 2008

Domestic wells in North America and elsewhere are typically constructed at relatively shallow depths and with the sand or gravel pack extending far above the intake screen of the well (shallow well seal). The source areas of these domestic wells and the effect of an extended gravel pack on the source area are typically unknown, and few resources exist for estimating these. In this article, we use detailed, high‐resolution ground water modeling to estimate the capture zone (source area) of a typical domestic well located in an alluvial aquifer. Results for a wide range of aquifer and gravel pack hydraulic conductivities are compared to a simple analytical model. Correction factors for the analytical model are computed based on statistical regression of the numerical results against the analytical model. This tool can be applied to estimate the source area of a domestic well for a wide range of conditions. We show that an extended gravel pack above the well screen may contribute significantly to the overall inflow to a domestic well, especially in less permeable aquifers, where that contribution may range from 20% to 50% and that an extended gravel pack may lead to a significantly elongated capture zone, in some instances, nearly doubling the length of the capture zone. Extending the gravel pack much above the intake screen therefore significantly increases the vulnerability of the water source.
The [Re]construction of Diasporic Policies in Mexico in the Era of Globalization and Democracy: The Case of the Clubes de Oriundos
Authors: García‐Acevedo María R.
Published: November 2008

The homeland/global nation policy literature provides a framework to study how the governments of the ancestral countries have developed ways to encapsulate the identities and loyalties of immigrants and have created institutionalized interchanges through designing and implementing a wide array of policies. The case of Mexico is critical, since this country has been developing outreach policies toward its diaspora in the United States from the nineteenth century onward. This article studies the current challenges of Mexico's diasporic policy, emphasizing the dominant meaning of diaspora, as an “economic asset,” held by governmental agents in the current era of globalization and democratization in regard to a particular case study: the ties between the Mexican government and the philanthropic hometown associations of Mexicans in the United States, the clubes de oriundos.
Ascorbic acid oral treatment modifies lipolytic response and behavioural activity but not glucocorticoid metabolism in cafeteria diet‐fed rats
Authors: Garcia‐Diaz D. F. , Campion J. , Milagro F. I. , Paternain L. , Solomon A. , Martinez J. A.
Published: November 2008

Aim:  To analyse the effects of vitamin C (VC), a potent dietary antioxidant, oral supplementation on body weight gain, behavioural activity, lipolytic response and glucocorticoid metabolism in the early stages of diet‐induced overweight in rats.

Methods:  Food intake, locomotive activity and faecal corticosterone were assessed during the 14 day trial period. After 2 weeks, the animals were sacrificed and the body composition, biochemical markers and lipolytic response from isolated adipocytes from retroperitoneal white adipose tissue were examined.

Results:  The intake of a high‐fat diet by rats induced a significant increase in body weight, adiposity and insulin resistance markers as well as a decrease in faecal corticosterone levels compared with standard diet‐fed rats. Interestingly, the animals fed on the cafeteria diet showed a significant increase in the isoproterenol‐induced lipolytic response in isolated adipocytes. Furthermore, this cafeteria‐fed group showed a reduced locomotive behaviour than the control rats. On the other hand, oral VC supplementation in animals receiving the high‐fat diet restored the cafeteria diet effect in some of the analysed variables such as final body weight and plasma insulin to control group levels. Remarkably, increases in locomotive behaviour and a significant decrease in the lipolytic response induced by isoproterenol on isolated adipocytes from animals treated with VC were observed.

Conclusion:  This work demonstrates that an oral ascorbic acid supplementation has direct effects on behavioural activity and on adipocyte lipolysis in early obesity stages in rats, which could indicate a protective short‐term role of this vitamin against adiposity induced by chronic high‐fat diet consumption.
Determination of Rare Earth Elements, Sc, Y, Zr, Ba, Hf and Th in Geological Samples by ICP‐MS after Tm Addition and Alkaline Fusion
Authors: Bayon Germain , Barrat Jean Alix , Etoubleau Joël , Benoit Mathieu , Bollinger Claire , Révillon Sidonie
Published: November 2008

We present a revised method for the determination of concentrations of rare earth (REE) and other trace elements (Y, Sc, Zr, Ba, Hf, Th) in geological samples. Our analytical procedure involves sample digestion using alkaline fusion (NaOH‐Na2O2) after addition of a Tm spike, co‐precipitation on iron hydroxides, and measurement by sector field‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (SF‐ICP‐MS). The procedure was tested successfully for various rock types (i.e., basalt, ultramafic rock, sediment, soil, granite), including rocks with low trace element abundances (sub ng g−1). Results obtained for a series of nine geological reference materials (BIR‐1, BCR‐2, UB‐N, JP‐1, AC‐E, MA‐N, MAG‐1, GSMS‐2, GSS‐4) are in reasonable agreement with published working values.
Sulfur Determination in Geological Samples Based on Coupled Analytical Techniques: Electric Furnace‐IC and TGA‐EGA
Authors: Gazulla Maria F. , Gómez Maria P. , Orduña Mónica , Zumaquero Eulalia , Vicente Sonia
Published: November 2008

A study has been undertaken to determine sulfur in geological samples by coupled analytical techniques. Two measurement methods have been developed: one using an electric furnace coupled to an ion chromatograph (electric furnace‐IC) and another using infrared (IR) and quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS) for evolved gas analysis (EGA) coupled with a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA). In the electric furnace‐IC method, measurement was performed without any sample pre‐treatment. The measurement conditions were optimised by varying sample quantity, type of catalyst (WO3, Cu, W and V2O5) and sample/catalyst ratio, and the detection limit was 10 μg g−1. Sulfur ores decompose at different temperatures. However, TGA‐EGA allowed identification of the different forms of sulfur in the sample, even when they were found in very low concentrations, because the sulfur was continuously analysed. The developed chromatographic method allowed simultaneous analysis of several sample components, such as S, Cl and F, with a low detection limit. The method was much faster and more specific than the methods described in the literature. The results of the sulfur determination had low scatter, possibly because the samples underwent little handling during analysis: the operator only weighed and placed the sample in the furnace, the rest of the measurement process was fully automated. The results obtained by both the developed methods have been validated by using reference materials and comparison with combustion‐IR spectroscopy, a standard method for determining total sulfur in a sample.