bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cilostazol, an Inhibitor of Type 3 Phosphodiesterase, Produces Endothelium-Independent Vasodilation in Pressurized Rabbit Cerebral Penetrating Arterioles
Authors: Nakamura Kazuya , Ikomi Fumitaka , Ohhashi Toshio
Published: November 2005

We investigated the effects of cilostazol, a potent inhibitor of cGMP-inhibited cAMP phosphodiesterase, on mechanical activity of isolated pressurized rabbit cerebral penetrating arterioles with special reference to the function of the endothelium. Both cilostazol and milrinone, another inhibitor of cAMP phosphodiesterase, produced vasodilation of the cerebral penetrating arterioles in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase or nitric oxide synthase, or chemical denudation of the endothelial cells caused no significant effect on the cilostazol-mediated vasodilation of the cerebral arterioles. A selective large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel inhibitor, iberiotoxin, and a selective protein kinase A inhibitor, H-89, caused no significant effect on the cilostazol-mediated vasodilation. In the cerebral arterioles, low concentration (10–6M) of cilostazol or milrinone caused a significant shift of the dose-vasodilatory response curve for adenosine to the left. These findings suggest that cilostazol produces vasodilation independent of the presence of the endothelium or activation of endogenous vasodilative prostaglandins, nitric oxide, calcium-activated potassium channel and protein kinase A. In conclusion, the vasodilator action of cilostazol may, in part, contribute to the beneficial effect of preventing lacunar cerebral infarction in patients with functional damage of the endothelium in cerebral penetrating arterioles.
Differential Effects of β-Blockers on Albuminuria in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Bakris George L. , Fonseca Vivian , Katholi Richard E. , McGill Janet B. , Messerli Franz , Phillips Robert A. , Raskin Philip , Wright Jackson T. , Waterhouse Brian , Lukas Mary Ann , Anderson Karen M. , Bell David S.H.
Published: November 2005

Increases in the cardiovascular risk marker microalbuminuria are attenuated by blood pressure reduction using blockers of the renin-angiotensin system. Such changes in microalbuminuria have not been observed when β-blockers are used. A prespecified secondary end point of the Glycemic Effects in Diabetes Mellitus Carvedilol-Metoprolol Comparison in Hypertensives (GEMINI) trial was to examine the effects of different β-blockers on changes in albuminuria in the presence of renin-angiotensin system blockade. Participants with hypertension and type 2 diabetes were randomized to either metoprolol tartrate (n=737) or carvedilol (n=498) in blinded fashion after a washout period of all antihypertensive agents except for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers. Blinded medication was titrated to achieve target blood pressure, with a-5 month follow-up period. The current analysis examined microalbuminuria, using spot urine albumin:creatinine, in participants who had values at screening and trial end. A greater reduction in microalbuminuria was observed for those randomized to carvedilol (−16.2%Δ; 95% confidence interval, −25.3, −5.9;
P
=0.003). Of those with normoalbuminuria at baseline, fewer progressed to microalbuminuria on carvedilol versus metoprolol (20 of 302 [6.6%] versus 48 of 431 [11.1%], respectively;
P
=0.03). Microalbuminuria development was not related to differences in blood pressure or achievement of blood pressure goal (68% carvedilol versus 67%, metoprolol). Presence of metabolic syndrome at baseline was the only independent predictor of worsening albuminuria throughout the study (
P
=0.004). β-Blockers have differential effects on microalbuminuria in the presence of renin-angiotensin system blockade. These differences cannot be explained by effects on blood pressure or α1-antagonism but may relate to antioxidant properties of carvedilol.
Genome-Wide Linkage Analysis for Loci Affecting Pulse Pressure
Authors: Bielinski Suzette J. , Lynch Amy I. , Miller Michael B. , Weder Alan , Cooper Richard , Oberman Albert , Chen Yii-Der Ida , Turner Stephen T. , Fornage Myriam , Province Michael , Arnett Donna K.
Published: November 2005

Pulse pressure, the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Increased pulse pressure reflects reduced compliance of arteries and is a marker of atherosclerosis. To locate genes that affect pulse pressure, a genome-wide linkage scan for quantitative trait loci influencing pulse pressure was performed using variance components methods as implemented in sequential oligogenic linkage analysis routines. The analysis sample included 10 798 participants in 3320 families who were recruited as part of the Family Blood Pressure Program and were phenotyped with an oscillometric blood pressure measurement device using a consistent protocol across centers. Pulse pressure was adjusted for the effects of sex, age, age
2
, age-by-sex interaction, age
2
-by-sex interaction, body mass index, and field center to remove sources of variation other than the genetic effects related to pulse pressure. Significant linkage was observed on chromosome 18 (logarithm of odds [LOD]=3.2) in a combined racial sample, chromosome 20 (LOD=4.4), and 17 (LOD=3.6) in Hispanics, chromosome 21 (LOD=4.3) in whites, chromosome 19 (LOD=3.1) in a combined sample of blacks and whites, and chromosome 7 (logarithm of odds [LOD]=3.1) in blacks from the GenNet Network. Our genome scan shows significant evidence for linkage for pulse pressure in multiple areas of the genome, supporting previous published linkage studies. The identification of these loci for pulse pressure and the apparent congruence with other blood pressure phenotypes provide increased support that these regions contain genes influencing blood pressure phenotypes.
A Population Association Study of Angiotensinogen Polymorphisms and Haplotypes With Left Ventricular Phenotypes
Authors: Rasmussen-Torvik Laura J. , North Kari E. , Gu C. Charles , Lewis Cora E. , Wilk Jemma B. , Chakravarti Aravinda , Chang Yen-Pei C. , Miller Michael B. , Li Na , Devereux Richard B. , Arnett Donna K.
Published: November 2005

Several studies have shown an association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the angiotensinogen (AGT) gene and hypertension. Because hypertension is a risk factor for left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and because evidence from animal models suggests that AGT may play a role in the growth and hypertrophy of the heart, we chose to conduct a population association study examining the relationship of 10 SNPs in the AGT gene with 7 different LV phenotypes measured by echocardiography. Participants (336 whites and 441 blacks) were drawn from the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN) study. Individuals were genotyped for 10 previously identified SNPs within the AGT gene. SNP genotype results were regressed against continuous LV phenotypes to test associations separately in each race. Using a cutoff of
P
<0.005 to account for multiple testing, we found 1 SNP (rs943580) significantly associated with transmitral early peak filling velocity (MVE) in the black population. We also used Phase 2.0.2 to reconstruct haplotypes from genotype data. Using the same cutoff of
P
<0.005, we found no haplotypes to be significantly associated with the LV phenotypes. To better understand the association between rs943580 and MVE, we examined AGT haplotype associations with MVE. The single SNP association was driven by a large group of SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium that includes the promoter SNP rs5051.
Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor Is Expressed in Murine Atherosclerotic Lesions and Modulates Lesion Evolution
Authors: Sales Virna L. , Sukhova Galina K. , Lopez-Ilasaca Marco A. , Libby Peter , Dzau Victor J. , Pratt Richard E.
Published: November 2005

Background—

In the vasculature, the angiotensin type 2 (AT
2
) receptor (AT
2
R) exerts antiproliferative, antifibrotic, and proapoptotic effects. Normal adult animals have low AT
2
R expression; however, vascular injury and exposure to proinflammatory cytokines augment AT
2
R levels. We hypothesized that AT
2
R expression increases during initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.

Methods and Results—

Atherosclerotic lesions of apolipoprotein (Apo) E
−/−
mice contained AT
2
Rs, measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction and confirmed by immunohistochemistry. To test the consequences of this expression, male ApoE
−/−
, angiotensin II type 2 receptor-deficient (Agtr2
−
), and ApoE
−/−
, wild-type (Agtr2
+
) mice consumed a high-cholesterol diet from 4 weeks of age. Ten weeks later, overall area and cellular composition of aortic arch lesions did not differ significantly among genotypes. After 16 weeks, ApoE
−/−
/Agtr2
+
, but not ApoE
−/−
/Agtr2
−
mice had dramatic decreases in percent positive area of macrophages, smooth muscles, lipids, and collagen. Diminished bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and increased TUNEL staining accompanied these decreases.

Conclusions—

Thus, loss of AT
2
R during the evolution of atherosclerotic lesions augmented the extent of cellularity of atherosclerotic lesions, establishing AT
2
R as a modulator of atherogenesis.
Prognosis of Carcinoid Heart Disease
Authors: Møller Jacob E. , Pellikka Patricia A. , Bernheim Alain M. , Schaff Hartzell V. , Rubin Joseph , Connolly Heidi M.
Published: November 2005

Background—

The long-term prognosis of patients who develop carcinoid heart disease and the effect of cardiac surgery on outcome are not well established.

Methods and Results—

In this retrospective study, we identified 200 patients with carcinoid syndrome referred for echocardiography in whom the diagnosis of carcinoid heart disease was confirmed. Patients were divided into 3 groups of similar size according to the date from first diagnosis of carcinoid heart disease. Group A comprised patients diagnosed from 1981 through June 1989; group B, diagnosed July 1989 through May 1995; and group C, June 1995 through 2000. The end point was all-cause mortality. Median survival was significantly lower in group A (1.5 years, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.9 years) compared with groups B (3.2, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.1 years) and C (4.4, 95% CI 2.4 to 7.1 years;
P
=0.009). In a multivariate model adjusted for treatment and clinical characteristics, the risk of death in groups B (hazard ratio 0.67, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.99,
P
=0.04) and C (hazard ratio 0.61, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.92,
P
=0.006) was significantly reduced relative to group A. Cardiac surgery was performed in 87 patients. When cardiac surgery was included as a time-dependent covariate in a multivariate analysis, it was associated with a risk reduction of 0.48 (95% CI 0.31 to 0.73,
P
<0.001), whereas the time period of diagnosis was no longer significant.

Conclusions—

The prognosis of patients with recognized carcinoid heart disease has improved over the past 2 decades at our institution. This change in survival may be related to valve replacement surgery.
Natural history of Phelsuma madagascariensis kochi from a dry forest in Madagascar
Authors: Ikeuchi Isami , Mori Akira , Hasegawa Masami
Published: November 2005

Natural history of the diurnal gecko, Phelsuma madagascariensis kochi, was investigated with mark-and-recapture and census methods from the end of the dry season to the middle of the rainy season in a dry forest of Madagascar. Males were larger than females in snout-vent length, tail length, and body mass, and also had relatively larger head widths. Hatchlings were observed only in the rainy season. The geckos passively followed ambient temperatures, rarely basked, but had lower cloacal temperature than air temperature at high air temperatures. They preferred high and thick trees. The frequency of sighting decreased in the rainy season. Foraging mode was sit-and-wait. Home ranges of male P. madagascariensis kochi did not overlap with each other, but partially overlapped with those of females and unsexed individuals. Several ecological traits of P. madagascariensis kochi such as male-biased sexual size dimorphism and possible home range defense, seemed more similar to those of diurnal, arboreal lizards (some iguanids and agamids) relying on the visual modality, rather than to those of nocturnal geckos.
Reproduction of the water snake Helicops infrataeniatus (Colubridae) in southern Brazil
Authors: de Aguiar Luís Felipe Schmidt , Di-Bernardo Marcos
Published: November 2005

The reproductive cycle, sexual maturity, fecundity, and sexual dimorphism of Helicops infrataeniatus Jan, 1865, were inferred from the analysis of 374 preserved specimens (110 males, 140 females) from the eastern Central Depression of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. There was no statistical difference between the SVL of newborn males and females, but mature females attained greater length than mature males. The tail of mature individuals was proportionally longer in males than in females. Males matured at a smaller size than females. The reproductive cycle of this species was longer than what is known for oviparous colubrids from subtropical and temperate zones of Brazil. In the studied population, vitellogenesis occurred from September to February. Oviductal embryos were found from September to May. Births took place in September, January, February and March, and occurred in two peaks. Litter size ranged from 5 to 22 offspring. The differences between the number of vitellogenic follicles and embryos, and between embryos and newborns were not significant, thus practically all follicles were generally converted into embryos and embryos into newborns.
Morphological integration of cranium and postcranial skeleton during ontogeny of facultative paedomorphic European newts (Triturus vulgaris and T. alpestris)
Authors: Ivanović Ana , Kalezić Miloš , Aleksić Ivan
Published: November 2005

The patterns of ontogenetic and interspecific variation of morphological integration (the relationships and correlation patterns of functionally and developmentally related morphological traits) in facultative paedomorphic species of two European newts (Triturus vulgaris and T. alpestris) were examined. The degree of morphological integration differed among ontogenetic stages. Variation in the level of morphological integration of cranium and postcranial skeleton during ontogeny of paedomorphic newts had the same pattern in both analysed species. The lowest level of cranium morphological integration characterises the larvae and the juveniles. Individuals that follow alternative life-history path (paedomorphs) remain at a relatively low level of morphological integration, while integration highly increased in metamorphosed adult individuals. Limb skeleton also showed a lower level of integration in paedomorphs in comparison with metamorphosed individuals. The hypothesis of morphological integration was confirmed for all stages of T. vulgaris, while the same hypothesis was confirmed only for larval and paedomorphic stages of T. alpestris. In T. vulgaris, metamorphosis changes the pattern of correlation among the cranial traits, while in T. alpestris, the patterns of phenotypic correlation among the cranial traits remain substantially similar for all analysed ontogenetic stages.
Chorus tenure and estimates of population size of male European tree frogs Hyla arborea: implications for conservation
Authors: Grafe T. Ulmar , Meuche Ivonne
Published: November 2005

Chorusing male anurans typically spend only a part of the breeding season calling although chorus tenure is often the best predictor of mating success. We determined the number of nights males attended a chorus (chorus tenure) and its influence on mating success in the European tree frog, Hyla arborea. The median chorus tenure was 7.5 nights out of a study season of 38 nights. Males that spent more than two nights in the chorus were present for an average of 47% of the nights between their first and last night in the chorus. Minimum daily temperature, ambient temperature at initiation of calling, and daily rainfall explained 37.8% of the variance in male attendance. Twenty-five males were calling on the night of peak activity, a fraction of the 44 males marked. This suggests that estimates of male population size based on peak activity, widely used by conservation biologists, are inaccurate. We suggest that, when mark-recapture methods cannot be used, male population size be calculated by using a regression model based on the peak number of calling males that can be further developed as more data accumulates.
Classifying Correlation Matrices Into Relatively Homogeneous Subgroups: A Cluster Analytic Approach
Authors: Cheung Mike W.-L. , Chan Wai
Published: November 2005

Researchers are becoming interested in combining meta-analytic techniques and structural equation modeling to test theoretical models from a pool of studies. Most existing procedures are based on the assumption that all correlation matrices are homogeneous. Few studies have addressed what the next step should be when studies being analyzed are heterogeneous and the search for moderator variables for homogeneous subgroup analysis fails. Cluster analysis is proposed and evaluated in this article as an exploratory tool to classify studies into relatively homogeneous groups. Simulation studies indicate that using Euclidean distance on raw correlation coefficients or U-transformed scores with the complete linkage or Ward’s minimum-variance methods will provide satisfactory results.
Syncretism and Fundamentalism: A Comparison
Authors: Droogers André
Published: November 2005

In several ways, syncretism and fundamentalism can be viewed as opposite reactions to the processes of modernization and globalization. Within religious contexts, syncretists and fundamentalists make different choices when confronted with alternatives and with challenges to the accepted practices of daily life. The power dimension is an important aspect for this comparison. But the study of these two modern religious phenomena also points to a similarity with a paradigmatic debate, the contrast between positivist and constructivist approaches. Though the comparison is not the most obvious, there are striking similarities between fundamentalists and positivists, on the one hand, and between constructivists and syncretists, on the other.
Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Coadministered Voriconazole and Anidulafungin
Authors: Dowell James A. , Schranz Jennifer , Baruch Alice , Foster Grover
Published: November 2005

There is considerable interest in combining echinocandin and triazole antifungal agents for treatment of invasive fungal infections; however, information is needed regarding the tolerability and potential for pharmacokinetic interactions. Anidulafungin is a semisynthetic echinocandin, and voriconazole is an extended‐spectrum triazole. In a random sequence, 17 subjects received anidulafungin with placebo, voriconazole with placebo, and anidulafungin with voriconazole. Anidulafungin was administered intravenously: 200 mg on day 1, then 100 mg/d on days 2 through 4. Voriconazole was administered orally: 400 mg every 12 hours on day 1, then 200 mg every 12 hours on days 2 to 4. No dose‐limiting toxicities or serious adverse events occurred, and all adverse events were mild and consistent with the known safety profiles of both drugs. Pharmacokinetic parameters were not affected by coadministration. The geometric mean ratio (90% confidence interval) of the combination/drug alone for AUCss was 97.4% (94.9–99.9), 97.4% (92.1–103.0), and 94.4% (87.0–102.5) for anidulafungin, voriconazole, and the voriconazole metabolite, respectively.
Drug‐Drug and Drug‐Food Interactions Between Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and Didanosine
Authors: Kearney Brian P. , Sayre John R. , Flaherty John F. , Chen Shan‐Shan , Kaul Sanjeev , Cheng Andrew K.
Published: November 2005

The drug‐drug and drug‐food interactions between tenofovir DF and didanosine EC were evaluated in 2 pharmacokinetic studies in healthy adult subjects. When 400 mg was dosed with tenofovir DF, mean didanosine AUC was increased by 44% to 60% following fasted or fed administration. Staggered coadministration (2 hour, fasted) of a reduced didanosine dose of 250 mg resulted in equivalent didanosine exposure, while simultaneous administration with tenofovir DF in the fasted and fed state resulted in didanosine AUCs similar to that of the reference treatment of 400 mg alone in the fasted state. These data indicate that a dose reduction of didanosine is warranted when it is used with tenofovir DF. The drug‐drug‐food interaction of didanosine may offer more flexible dosing of didanosine EC when it is used with tenofovir DF. Patients receiving tenofovir DF and didanosine together should be carefully monitored for safety and efficacy.
Effect of Lasofoxifene on the Pharmacokinetics of Digoxin in Healthy Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Roman Doina , Bramson Candace , Ouellet Daniele , Randinitis Edward , Gardner Mark
Published: November 2005

Lasofoxifene is in late‐stage development for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Digoxin is commonly prescribed for arrhythmias and congestive heart failure, has a narrow therapeutic index, and may be coadministered with lasofoxifene. This study was conducted to determine the effect of lasofoxifene (4‐mg loading dose on day 11 followed by 0.5 mg/d on days 12–20) on the steady‐state pharmacokinetics of digoxin (0.25 mg/d on days 1–20) in 12 healthy postmenopausal women. On days 10 and 20, blood and urine samples were collected for 24 hours to determine digoxin concentrations. The 90% confidence interval (CI) of least squares mean ratio for maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration‐time curve (AUC) was calculated. Lasofoxifene had no effect on digoxin plasma pharmacokinetics with a ratio (90% CI) of 95.4% (84.6%–107%) and 103% (97.7%–108%) for Cmax and AUC0–24, respectively. The ratio of the percentage of dose eliminated unchanged in urine in 24 hours was 127% (116% to 142%). Coadministration of lasofoxifene had no effect on the steady‐state pharmacokinetics of digoxin.
Implementation of a New Intravenous Insulin Method on Intermediate-Care Units in Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Davis Ellen D. , Harwood Kerry , Midgett Lea , Mabrey Melanie , Lien Lillian F.
Published: November 2005

Good blood glucose control in hospitalized adults leads to reduced mortality. Intravenous (IV) insulin has been shown to be an effective way to achieve tight control of blood glucose. Managing IV insulin is a labor-intensive task for nurses and is generally done in intensive care units with high nurse-to-patient ratios. In this 3-month study, intermediate-care general medicine units with a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1 to 5 or 6 were evaluated for effectiveness of monitoring IV insulin. The project, which relied on intensive in-service education, an audit tool, and continuous positive feedback for nurses, yielded positive results.
How to get the best from a headhunter
Authors: Nazmi Beverly
Published: November 2005

Professionals in all fields should be aware that they may be approached at some time by headhunters. Headhunting is used not only for finding and placing executive-level staff but in other situations, including the finding of a replacement for an incumbent not aware they are about to be replaced, or seeking people in conditions where there is a very limited supply of highly specialized and qualified individuals. People targeted by headhunters should be aware of the approaches used by them, including: networking with contacts; tracking developments in industries; and maintaining an up-to-date database of exceptional people. Useful advice is provided for people who wish to prepare themselves for an approach by headhunters. The discussion focuses on: how the candidate should respond to the first call by the headhunter; how to deal with the headhunter during the initial contact and early discussions, with a list of some useful discussion points for this stage; how candidates can determine how marketable they are; the intangible qualities that the headhunter is seeking; what the candidate should look for in a good headhunter; and the importance for the candidate of finding out about the job offered by searching a wide range of information sources. The article concludes with a warning against using the approach by a headhunter as a means of negotiating with an existing employer.
The Socio-Cultural Context of Adolescents’ Notions of Sex and Sexuality in Rural South-Eastern Nigeria
Authors: Izugbara Chimaraoke Otutubikey
Published: November 2005

Interest in the socio-cultural context of adolescents’ sexual knowledge and behaviour has proliferated recently. But the irony is that very little of this debate is informed by what adolescents themselves say about sex, sexuality, and their experiences of them. This study uses data emerging from a survey of adolescent boys in rural south-eastern Nigeria to track the influence of socio-cultural forces on adolescents’ views of sex, sexuality, and sexual relationships. Findings suggest that social gatekeepers (parents, mass media, peers, teachers and others), local gender norms, and cultural narratives about sex, sexuality, and sexual expectations exert considerable influence on adolescents’ ideas of sex, sexuality, and relationships. We argue that the mediation of adolescents’ notions of sex and sexuality by prevailing and deeply embedded patriarchal norms of gender relations and sexuality may facilitate unsafe sexual practices among male adolescents and sustain the cultural devaluation of women. We conclude that sexuality education programmes urging courses of action, which involve only individual adolescents, must find ways to identify and reach out to those groups and individuals that are critical to shaping the behaviours and views of adolescents on sex and sexuality.
Talking themes: the thematic structure of talk
Authors: Ping Alvin Leong
Published: November 2005

This article examines the thematic structure and progression of an extract of a spontaneous conversation using the inference-boundary model (an amended version of the Hallidayan theme–rheme framework) and the thematic progression framework of Daneš. This article argues that equal attention should be paid to both thematic and rhematic progression. Insofar as rheme carries the body of the message, it would be tremendously helpful for us to gain an understanding of the patterned behaviour of the rhematic element and how theme and rheme together shape the message in the unfolding discourse. The article also examines the different patterns of theme–rheme development in the extract. The boxed, gapped, holistic, and multiple developments, including their variant forms, are presented and discussed.
Hispanic physicians' tobacco intervention practices: a cross-sectional survey study
Authors: Soto Mas Francisco G , Papenfuss Richard L , Jacobson Holly E , Ed Hsu Chiehwen , Urrutia-Rojas Ximena , Kane William M
Published: November 2005

Background

U.S. Hispanic physicians constitute a considerable professional collective, and they may be most suited to attend to the health education needs of the growing U.S. Hispanic population. These educational needs include tobacco use prevention and smoking cessation. However, there is a lack of information on Hispanic physicians' tobacco intervention practices, their level of awareness and use of cessation protocols, and the type of programs that would best address their tobacco training needs. The purpose of this study was to assess the tobacco intervention practices and training needs of Hispanic physicians.

Methods

Data was collected through a validated survey instrument among a cross-sectional sample of self-reported Hispanic physicians. Data analyses included frequencies, descriptive statistics, and factorial analyses of variance.

Results

The response rate was 55.5%. The majority of respondents (73.3%) were middle-age males. Less than half of respondents routinely performed the most basic intervention: asking patients about smoking status (44.4%) and advising smoking patients to quit (42.2%). Twenty-five percent assisted smoking patients by talking to them about the health risks of smoking, providing education materials or referring them to cessation programs. Only 4.4% routinely arranged follow-up visits or phone calls for smoking patients. The majority of respondents (64.4%) indicated that they prescribe cessation treatments to less than 20% of smoking patients. A few (4.4%) routinely used behavioral change techniques or programs. A minority (15.6%) indicated that they routinely ask their patients about exposure to tobacco smoke, and 6.7% assisted patients exposed to secondhand smoke in understanding the health risks associated with environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The most frequently encountered barriers preventing respondents from intervening with patients who smoke included: time, lack of training, lack of receptivity by patients, and lack of reimbursement by third party payers. There was no significant main effect of type of physician, nor was there an interaction effect (gender by type of physician), on tobacco-related practices.

Conclusion

The results indicate that Hispanic physicians, similarly to U.S. physicians in general, do not meet the level of intervention recommended by health care agencies. The results presented will assist in the development of tobacco training initiatives for Hispanic physicians.
Homeward Bound
Authors: KRYSKO MICHAEL A.
Published: November 2005

This article explores KGEI, an American shortwave station established in 1939 to broadcast American programming to American listeners in East Asia. At its founding,KGEI (initially called W6XBE) captured widespread enthusiasm about radio's believed ability to promote beneficial cross-cultural and economic exchanges across international borders. In practice, however, KGEI did little to further that idealistic vision. Listener reaction to this station's entertainment and news programming indicates that it became a vehicle for Americans abroad to strengthen their connections to their distant homeland and solidify their expatriate identities as American citizens. As war approached, KGEI discouraged the very international exchange it was thought to promote. KGEI's story remains pertinent today as Americans continue to debate the promises and perils of growing global entertainment and news networks.
Western Homicide
Authors: MONKKONEN ERIC
Published: November 2005

Los Angeles has records that enable the study of the city's and county's homicide rates from the Mexican period onward. This article analyzes the four decades between 1830 and 1870. Although a sparsely populated region and city, the number and rate of homicides demonstrate levels of personal violence usually associated only with mining towns such as those studied by Roger McGrath. No single factor accounts for this violence,but transiency, weak law enforcement, and an elite tolerance for violence are all implicated.
Activation of c‐Jun NH2‐terminal kinase is required for gemcitabine's cytotoxic effect in human lung cancer H1299 cells
Authors: Teraishi Fuminori , Zhang Lidong , Guo Wei , Dong Fengqin , Davis John J. , Lin Anning , Fang Bingliang
Published: November 2005

Although gemcitabine is a potent therapeutic agent in the treatment of human non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), resistance to gemcitabine is common. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in acquired gemcitabine resistance against NSCLC cells. Gemcitabine‐resistant NSCLC H1299 cells (H1299/GR) were selected by long‐term exposure of parental H1299 cells to gemcitabine. The median inhibitory concentrations of gemcitabine in H1299 and H1299/GR cells were 19.4 and 233.1 nM, respectively. Gemcitabine induced activation of c‐Jun NH2‐terminal kinase (JNK) in parental H1299 cells but not in H1299/GR cells after 48 h. Blocking JNK activation by pretreatment with SP600125, a specific JNK inhibitor, or by transfection with dominant‐negative JNK vectors abrogated gemcitabine‐induced apoptosis in parental H1299 cells as evidenced by interruption of caspase activation. Transient transfection with a JNKK2–JNK1 plasmid expressing constitutive JNK1 partially restored the effect of gemcitabine in H1299/GR cells. Our results indicate that gemcitabine‐induced apoptosis in human NSCLC H1299 cells requires activation of the JNK signaling pathway. Attenuated JNK activation may contribute to development of acquired gemcitabine resistance in cancer cells.
Abductor Pollicis Longus Tendon Rupture in De Quervain’s Disease
Authors: YUEN A. , COOMBS C. J.
Published: November 2005

De Quervain’s disease is a stenosing tenovaginitis involving the first extensor compartment of the wrist. The similarity of its symptomatology to a number of other conditions and its controversial aetiology are only a few of the barriers which often delay its diagnosis and treatment. We report the first two cases in the literature of abductor pollicus longus tendon rupture in patients with De Quervain’s disease who had been treated with conservative methods. The relevant literature is reviewed.
The Subset Principle in syntax: costs of compliance
Authors: FODOR JANET DEAN , SAKAS WILLIAM GREGORY
Published: November 2005

Following Hale & Reiss' paper on the Subset Principle (SP) in phonology, we draw attention here to some unsolved problems in the application of SP to syntax acquisition. While noting connections to formal results in computational linguistics, our focus is on how SP could be implemented in a way that is both linguistically well-grounded and psychologically feasible. We concentrate on incremental learning (with no memory for past inputs), which is now widely assumed in psycholinguistics. However, in investigating its interactions with SP, we uncover the rather startling fact that incremental learning and SP are incompatible, given other standard assumptions. We set out some ideas for ways in which they might be reconciled. Some seem more promising than others, but all appear to carry severe costs in terms of computational load, learning speed or memory resources. The penalty for disobeying SP has long been understood. In future language acquisition research it will be important to address the costs of obeying SP.
Defining Transnationalism
Authors: CLAVIN PATRICIA
Published: November 2005

This article offers an introduction to the essays in the theme issue, an overview of the reasons behind the recent resurgence of interest in transnationalist phenomena and a consideration of what the term means. Its places the topic in the different fields of international, world, regional, local and national history. The essay argues that transnationalism is best understood not as fostering bounded networks, but as creating honeycombs, a structure that sustains and gives shapes to the identities of nation-states, international and local institutions, and particular social and geographic spaces. A honeycomb binds, but it also contains hollowed-out spaces where organisations, individuals and ideas can wither away to be replaced by new groups, people and innovations.
Transnationalism and the League of Nations: Understanding the Work of Its Economic and Financial Organisation
Authors: CLAVIN PATRICIA , WESSEL JENS-WILHELM
Published: November 2005

This article explores the work of the little-studied Economic and Financial Organisation of the League of Nations. It offers a sustained investigation into how this international organisation operated that assesses the transnational aspects of its work in relation to its inter-governmental responsibilities, and demonstrates the wide-ranging contribution of the organisation's secretariat. The second part of the article establishes the way in which transnationalism enabled the United States, the League's most influential non-member, to play a crucial role in shaping the policy agenda of the League. It also shows how a growing sense of frustration in its work prompted EFO to attempt to free itself from inter-governmental oversight and become an independent organisation to promote economic and financial co-operation in 1940 – a full four years before the creation of the Bretton Woods agreements.
Flow effects on the morphology and dynamics of aeolian and subaqueous barchan dunes
Authors: Hersen Pascal
Published: November 2005

Barchans are aeolian sand dunes that form where unidirectional winds blow on firm ground with limited sand supply. Although they have been analyzed for decades, the difficulty of conducting experiments in the field, due to the large lengthscale and timescale involved, is a considerable obstacle to understand their dynamics. However, crescentic patterns also appear underwater on a much smaller scale, allowing easier study. It is shown here that down‐scaled solitary barchans can be created in the laboratory using the periodic and asymmetric motion of a plate underwater to simulate the effect of a unidirectional flow. Those subaqueous barchans compare very well to their aeolian relatives. Their speeds scale as the cube of the speed of the flow times the inverse of their typical dimension. Finally, the exploration of new topics, such as the influence of the directionality of the wind or that of binary collisions, illustrate that barchans can eventually adapt to any external perturbations by emitting one or several small barchans.
Spatial‐temporal rainfall simulation using generalized linear models
Authors: Yang C. , Chandler R. E. , Isham V. S. , Wheater H. S.
Published: November 2005

We consider the problem of simulating sequences of daily rainfall at a network of sites in such a way as to reproduce a variety of properties realistically over a range of spatial scales. The properties of interest will vary between applications but typically will include some measures of “extreme” rainfall in addition to means, variances, proportions of wet days, and autocorrelation structure. Our approach is to fit a generalized linear model (GLM) to rain gauge data and, with appropriate incorporation of intersite dependence structure, to use the GLM to generate simulated sequences. We illustrate the methodology using a data set from southern England and show that the GLM is able to reproduce many properties at spatial scales ranging from a single site to 2000 km2 (the limit of the available data).
Retrieval of ice crystal effective diameters from ground‐based near‐infrared spectra of optically thin cirrus
Authors: Langford A. O. , Portmann R. W. , Daniel J. S. , Miller H. L. , Eubank C. S. , Solomon S. , Dutton E. G.
Published: November 2005

The microphysical properties of an optically thin (τ ≤ 0.12) cirrus layer formed by dispersing contrails above Boulder, Colorado, have been examined in a ground‐based study. Backscatter and depolarization lidar measurements at 0.532 μm were used to characterize the cloud morphology, while near‐infrared (0.9 to 1.7 μm) spectroscopy was used to measure zenith scattered sunlight from the ice particles. The spectra are used to infer the particle effective diameter from published size and shape dependent scattering calculations. The measurements indicate growth in particle size from average effective diameters less than 20 μm in isolated contrails, to more than 40 μm as the contrails coalesced to form a 1–2 km thick cirrus layer. The retrieved size distributions are consistent with published measurements of contrail‐cirrus size distributions from in situ observations, and suggest that the lidar/near‐infrared spectroscopy combination can provide a useful method for deriving radiatively important information regarding optically thin (τ ≤ 0.1) cirrus under conditions where the single‐scattering approximation is valid.
Radiosonde Atmospheric Temperature Products for Assessing Climate (RATPAC): A new data set of large‐area anomaly time series
Authors: Free Melissa , Seidel Dian J. , Angell James K. , Lanzante John , Durre Imke , Peterson Thomas C.
Published: November 2005

A new data set containing large‐scale regional mean upper air temperatures based on adjusted global radiosonde data is now available up to the present. Starting with data from 85 of the 87 stations adjusted for homogeneity by Lanzante, Klein and Seidel, we extend the data beyond 1997 where available, using a first differencing method combined with guidance from station metadata. The data set consists of temperature anomaly time series for the globe, the hemispheres, tropics (30°N–30°S) and extratropics. Data provided include annual time series for 13 pressure levels from the surface to 30 mbar and seasonal time series for three broader layers (850–300, 300–100 and 100–50 mbar). The additional years of data increase trends to more than 0.1 K/decade for the global and tropical midtroposphere for 1979–2004. Trends in the stratosphere are approximately −0.5 to −0.9 K/decade and are more negative in the tropics than for the globe. Differences between trends at the surface and in the troposphere are generally reduced in the new time series as compared to raw data and are near zero in the global mean for 1979–2004. We estimate the uncertainty in global mean trends from 1979 to 2004 introduced by the use of first difference processing after 1995 at less than 0.02–0.04 K/decade in the troposphere and up to 0.15 K/decade in the stratosphere at individual pressure levels. Our reliance on metadata, which is often incomplete or unclear, adds further, unquantified uncertainty that could be comparable to the uncertainty from the FD processing. Because the first differencing method cannot be used for individual stations, we also provide updated station time series that are unadjusted after 1997. The Radiosonde Atmospheric Temperature Products for Assessing Climate (RATPAC) data set will be archived and updated at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center as part of its climate monitoring program.
Ultraviolet radiation and clouds: Couplings to tropospheric air quality
Authors: Winiecki Shelby , Frederick John E.
Published: November 2005

Measurements of solar ultraviolet irradiance obtained by a Brewer spectrophotometer located in Chicago, Illinois, reveal a wavelength‐dependent excess attenuation associated with cloudy skies beyond that expected from the column ozone amount. When each observation is expressed as a fraction of the irradiance that would have existed under clear skies, a quantity called the transmission ratio, values for a wavelength band near 305 nm are generally smaller than those for a band near 345 nm under dense cloud cover. Transmission ratios computed for wavelength bands near 310 nm and 315 nm lie in between those for the above wavelengths. The observations are consistent with absorption of radiation in the interstitial air of a cloud, while the magnitude and wavelength dependence are like those expected from ozone. A radiative transfer calculation shows that ozone amounts typical of the troposphere are accompanied by enhanced absorption when placed in a medium that is optically thick in scattering. This mechanism constitutes a coupling between tropospheric air quality and the attenuation of sunlight provided by cloudy skies in the chemically active ultraviolet portion of the spectrum.
A comprehensive study of ozone sensitivity with respect to emissions over Europe with a chemistry‐transport model
Authors: Mallet Vivien , Sportisse Bruno
Published: November 2005

A detailed sensitivity analysis of ozone concentrations with respect to anthropogenic and biogenic emissions is performed at European scale in summer 2001 through the use of the chemistry‐transport model Polair3D. We estimate the time evolution of the sensitivities and the extent of the sensitive regions. We discriminate the chemical species to which photochemistry is the most sensitive. This work is intended as a preliminary study for inverse modeling of emissions. Local sensitivities are computed using a tangent linear model and an adjoint model of the underlying chemistry‐transport model. Global sensitivities are approximated by means of Monte Carlo simulations. It is shown that NO emissions have a prominent impact and that VOC emissions also play an important role. Major emission sources are associated with the highest sensitivities, although a non‐negligible sensitivity of the concentrations at observation stations can cover the whole domain. A typical relative sensitivity of ozone concentrations to NO emissions is about 6 μg · m−3, which is low as to compared to the error and the uncertainty in output concentrations.
Simple closed form formulas for predicting groundwater flow model uncertainty in complex, heterogeneous trending media
Authors: Ni Chuen‐Fa , Li Shu‐Guang
Published: November 2005

This note presents approximate, closed form formulas for predicting groundwater velocity variances caused by unmodeled small‐scale heterogeneity in hydraulic conductivity. These formulas rely on a linearization of the groundwater flow equation but do not require the common statistical stationarity assumptions. The formulas are illustrated with a two‐dimensional analysis of steady state flows in complex, multidimensional trending media and compared with a first‐order numerical analysis and Monte Carlo simulation. This comparison indicates that despite the simplifications, the closed form formulas capture the strongly nonstationary distributions of the velocity variances and match well with the first‐order numerical model and the Monte Carlo simulation except in the immediate proximity of prescribed head boundaries and mean conductivity discontinuities. The complex trending examples illustrate that the closed form formulas have many of the capabilities of a full stochastic numerical model while retaining the convenience of analytical results.
Solvent effects on the vibronic one-photon absorption profiles of dioxaborine heterocycles
Authors: Wang Yan-Hua , Halik Marcus , Wang Chuan-Kui , Marder Seth R. , Luo Yi
Published: November 2005

The vibronic profiles of one-photon absorption spectra of dioxaborine heterocycles in gas phase and solution have been calculated at the Hartree-Fock and density-functional-theory levels. The polarizable continuum model has been applied to simulate the solvent effect, while the linear coupling model is used to compute the Franck-Condon and Herzberg-Teller contributions. It is found that a good agreement between theory and experiment can be achieved when the solvent effect and electron correlation are taken into account simultaneously. For the first excited charge-transfer state, the maximum of its Herzberg-Teller profile is blueshifted from that of the Franck-Condon profile. The shifted energy is found to be around 0.2eV, which agrees well with the measured energy difference between two- and one-photon absorptions of the first excited state.
Shape-dependent effects of dielectrically nonlinear inclusions in heterogeneous media
Authors: Giordano Stefano , Rocchia Walter
Published: November 2005

In this work the electrical response of a mixture composed of dielectrically nonlinear ellipsoids dispersed in a linear matrix is modeled. The inclusions may be randomly oriented. The aim is both to set up a methodology apt to deal with this kind of system and to use it to study the effect of marked nonsphericity of inclusions on the global behavior of a mixture. The results are quite interesting from both these points of view. The method here developed extends the Maxwell-Garnett theory [A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism (Clarendon, Oxford, 1881)], which deals with dielectrically linear inclusions, and it allows, inter alia, to obtain a closed-form expression for the hypersusceptibility ratio of the mixture to the dispersed inclusions. These latter can range from cylinders to spheres, already present in the literature, to “penny-shaped” particles. The theoretical framework is based on the assumption that the dispersion is very dilute. We were able to show that in a specific case, when oblate particles such as elliptic lamellae are dispersed in a matrix having dielectric constant lower than the linear term of inclusion permittivity, a remarkable nonlinear effect occurs. This theory finds application in fields such as nonlinear optics and, more broadly, in many branches of material science.