bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Skin carotenoid levels in adult patients with psoriasis
Authors: Lima X.T. , Kimball A.B.
Published: November 2010

Background  Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease that not only affects the skin but can also have systemic implications such as obesity and nutritional deficiencies. Carotenoids are vitamin A provitamins with anti‐oxidant properties that are present in human tissues including skin.

Objectives  To determine whether psoriasis is associated with lower levels of skin carotenoid levels.

Methods  In this cross‐sectional study, skin carotenoid levels were measured on the palms of 44 patients with psoriasis and 72 patients without psoriasis. A linear regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between psoriasis and carotenoid levels (primary aim) and to determine if severity of disease was associated with carotenoid levels (secondary aim). Potential confounders included demographic factors, smoking status, body mass index and multivitamin intake.

Results  The mean carotenoid levels in the psoriasis and no psoriasis groups were respectively 22 099 and 29 180 and presence of psoriasis was found to be significantly related to lower levels of carotenoids in both univariable and multivariable analysis (P < 0.05). In the psoriasis group, the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score was not significantly related to carotenoid levels (P = 0.07).

Conclusions  Patients with psoriasis appear to have lower skin carotenoid counts than patients without psoriasis.
Antimigraine Efficacy of Telcagepant Based on Patient's Historical Triptan Response
Authors: Ho Tony W. , Olesen Jes , Dodick David W. , Kost James , Lines Christopher , Ferrari Michel D.
Published: November 2010

(Headache 2011;51:64‐72)

Objective.— To evaluate whether the same or different patients respond to triptans and telcagepant.

Background.— Telcagepant is an oral calcitonin gene‐related peptide receptor antagonist with acute antimigraine efficacy comparable to oral triptans. It is currently unknown whether migraine patients who cannot be adequately helped with triptans might benefit from treatment with telcagepant.

Methods.— Post‐hoc analysis of data from a randomized, controlled trial of telcagepant (150 mg, 300 mg) zolmitriptan 5 mg, or placebo for a moderate/severe migraine. Responder rates were analyzed according to patients' self‐reported historical triptan response (HTR): (1) good HTR (N = 660): response in 75‐100% of attacks; (2) intermediate HTR (N = 248): response in 25‐74% of attacks; (3) poor HTR/no use (N = 407): response in <25% of attacks, or patient did not take triptans. A limitation of the analysis is that the last subgroup comprised mainly (91%) patients who reported that they did not take triptans, but it was not known whether these patients were triptan‐naïve or had previously used triptans and stopped taking them.

Results.— For zolmitriptan, 2‐hour pain relief rates were higher in the good HTR subgroup (116/162, 72%) than in the intermediate (29/62, 47%) and poor/no use (44/111, 40%) HTR subgroups. The 2‐hour pain relief rates were similar across HTR subgroups for telcagepant 150 mg (48‐58%), 300 mg (52‐58%), and placebo (26‐31%). In the poor/no use HTR subgroup, more patients receiving telcagepant 300 mg (56/98, 57.1%) had 2‐hour pain relief than those receiving zolmitriptan (44/111, 39.6%; odds ratio = 2.11 [95% CI: 1.20,3.71], P = .009); the percentage for telcagepant 150 mg (57/119, 47.9%) was not significantly different from zolmitriptan (odds ratio = 1.41 [95% CI: 0.82, 2.40], P = .211).

Conclusions.— This suggests that different patients may respond to triptans or telcagepant 300 mg. Caution should be exercised in interpreting the results because of the post‐hoc nature of the analysis (clinical trial registry: NCT00442936).
Rotation of the Solar system planets and the origin of the Moon in the context of the tidal downsizing hypothesis
Authors: Nayakshin Sergei
Published: November 2010

It has been proposed recently that the first step in the formation of both rocky and gas giant planets is dust sedimentation into a solid core inside a gas clump (giant planet embryo). The clumps are then assumed to migrate closer to the star where their metal poor envelopes are sheared away by the tidal forces or by an irradiation-driven mass loss. We consider the implications of this hypothesis for natal rotation rates of both terrestrial and gas giant planets. It is found that both types of planets may rotate near their breakup angular frequencies at birth. The direction of the spin should coincide with that of the parent disc and the star, except in cases of embryos that had close interactions or mergers with other embryos in the past. Furthermore, the large repository of specific angular momentum at birth also allows formation of close binary rocky planets inside the same embryos. We compare these predictions with rotation rates of planets in the Solar system and also question whether the Earth—Moon pair could have been formed within the same giant planet embryo.
Treatment of Aqueous Nitrate by Zero Valent Iron Powder in the Presence of CO2 Bubbling
Authors: Hsu Chiung‐Yuan , Liao Chih‐Hsiang , Lu Ming‐Chun
Published: November 2010

This paper investigates a process for the removal of nitrate from ground water by combination of Fe° and CO2 bubblin*** The bubbling of CO2 effectively creates an acidic environment favorable to Fe° corrosion, which results in nitrate reduction. I 10 min, the solution pH dropped to 3.2 with CO2 inflow rate of 500 mL/min. In the presence of Fe° (2 g/L), the CO2 bubblin (500 mL/min) induced conversion of nitrate‐N (∼7 mg/L) by 85% in 40 min. In addition, the end product in the reaction mi***xture was ammonium, which accounts for 90% to 104% of nitrate conversion with the presence of various iron dosages (0.5 t 2.0 g/L). Though the formation of ammonium is a drawback, the ammonium was eliminated from aqueous phase by a follow up treatment of settling (30 min) and air aeration (50 min).
Use of Rebound Testing for Evaluation of Soil Vapor Extraction Performance at the Savannah River Site
Authors: Switzer Christine , Slagle Timothy , Hunter Donald , Kosson David S.
Published: November 2010

In 1999, a pilot soil vapor extraction (SVE) system was installed at a waste area within the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site located near Aiken, South Carolina, to remediate trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination and to evaluate monitoring and operational strategies for SVE application in layered heterogeneous materials. The specific objectives of the results reported here were (1) to evaluate the use of rebound analysis of soil gas concentrations as the basis for operational strategies, and (2) establish the endpoint criteria for active remedial action. Three soil gas TCE concentration rebound tests were conducted over a period of 18 months to assess system performance and progress. For each rebound test, the system was shut down and allowed to equilibrate for two to four weeks. Soil gas TCE concentrations were measured several times during this equilibration period. Comparison of these rebound test results has been used for evaluating SVE system performance. A transient two‐dimensional diffusion model has been used to convert soil gas TCE rebound concentrations to estimates from distance to source, and the model predictions correspond with observed dense nonaqueous phase liquid at the site. Also, these rebound tests can provide sufficient information about contaminant distribution and SVE mass transfer limitations to select a reasonable and appropriate endpoint for active remedial operations.
Nano‐Structures of DeBranched Potato Starch Obtained by Isoamylolysis
Authors: An Hongjie , Liang Hongbo , Liu Zhongdong , Yang Hongshun , Liu Qingdai , Wang Huabin
Published: November 2010

Abstract:  Starch debranching is fundamental for understanding the structure‐function relationships of starch. In this paper, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to investigate potato starch by isoamylase [EC 3.2.1.68] debranching at nanometer scale. The hydrolysates were separated by gel‐permeation chromatography and the fractions were imaged. In addition to linear structures and branches, coiled structures were revealed in the intermediate hydrolysates. It is concluded that isoamylolysis is very useful for a better understanding of starch structure‐property relationships.
Determining the Critical Relative Humidity at which the Glassy to Rubbery Transition Occurs in Polydextrose Using an Automatic Water Vapor Sorption Instrument
Authors: Yuan Xiaoda , Carter Brady P. , Schmidt Shelly J.
Published: November 2010

Abstract:  Similar to an increase in temperature at constant moisture content, water vapor sorption by an amorphous glassy material at constant temperature causes the material to transition into the rubbery state. However, comparatively little research has investigated the measurement of the critical relative humidity (RHc) at which the glass transition occurs at constant temperature. Thus, the central objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the glass transition temperature (Tg), determined using thermal methods, and the RHc obtained using an automatic water vapor sorption instrument. Dynamic dewpoint isotherms were obtained for amorphous polydextrose from 15 to 40 °C. RHc was determined using an optimized 2nd‐derivative method; however, 2 simpler RHc determination methods were also tested as a secondary objective. No statistical difference was found between the 3 RHc methods. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) Tg values were determined using polydextrose equilibrated from 11.3% to 57.6% RH. Both standard DSC and modulated DSC (MDSC) methods were employed, since some of the polydextrose thermograms exhibited a physical aging peak. Thus, a tertiary objective was to compare Tg values obtained using 3 different methods (DSC first scan, DSC rescan, and MDSC), to determine which method(s) yielded the most accurate Tg values. In general, onset and midpoint DSC first scan and MDSC Tg values were similar, whereas onset and midpoint DSC rescan values were different. State diagrams of RHc and experimental temperature and Tg and %RH were compared. These state diagrams, though obtained via very different methods, showed relatively good agreement, confirming our hypothesis that water vapor sorption isotherms can be used to directly detect the glassy to rubbery transition.

Practical Application:  The food polymer science (FPS) approach, pioneered by Slade and Levine, is being successfully applied in the food industry for understanding, improving, and developing food processes and products. However, despite its extreme usefulness, the Tg, a key element of the FPS approach, remains a challenging parameter to routinely measure in amorphous food materials, especially complex materials. This research demonstrates that RHc values, obtained at constant temperature using an automatic water vapor sorption instrument, can be used to detect the glassy to rubbery transition and are similar to the Tg values obtained at constant %RH, especially considering the very different approaches of these 2 methods—a transition from surface adsorption to bulk absorption (water vapor sorption) versus a step change in the heat capacity (DSC thermal method).
Histomorphometry of Umbilical Cord Blood Vessels in Preeclampsia
Authors: Blanco Manuel V. , Vega Hilda R. , Giuliano Rodolfo , Grana Daniel R. , Azzato Francisco , Lerman Jorge , Milei Jose
Published: November 2010

The authors hypothesized that preeclampsia may change the phenotype of umbilical cord vessels. Segments of umbilical cords were obtained from 29 pregnant women (20 healthy and 9 with preeclampsia), which were histomorphometrically assessed. Birth weight was 2928±613 g for the control group vs 1749±656 g for the preeclampsia group (P<.0001). A significantly shorter gestational period was noted in the preeclampsia group: 35 weeks vs 39 weeks in the healthy group. Measurements of the outer layer area (116.4±55 μm2 vs 56.5±25 μm2; P=.0038), the inner layer area (63.1±16 μm2 vs 28.6±8 μm2; P<.0001), the lumen area (8.4±1 μm2 vs 3.4±2 μm2; P=.0003), and the wall/lumen ratio (20.3±9 vs 3.1±0.6; P<.0001) of arteries were significantly larger in the preeclampsia umbilical cords. Concerning veins, the wall/lumen ratio was higher in the preeclampsia group. In this study, the umbilical cord in preeclampsia showed significant changes in the structure of umbilical arteries, with increases in wall areas and wall/lumen ratios. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2011;13:30–34. ©2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Graduated Resistance to Gas Flow Through a GDL in an Unconventional PEM Stack
Authors: Caston Terry B. , Bhamidipati Kanthi L. , Carney Haley , Harris Tequila A. L.
Published: November 2010

The goal of this study is to design a gas diffusion layer (GDL) for a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell with a graduated permeability and thereby graduating the resistance to flow throughout the GDL. It has been shown that in using conventional materials, the GDL exhibits a higher resistance in the through-plane direction due to the orientation of the small carbon fibers that make up the carbon paper or carbon cloth. In this study, a GDL is designed for an unconventional PEM fuel cell stack where the reactant gases are supplied through the side of the GDL rather than through flow field channels machined into a bipolar plate. The effects of changing in-plane permeability, through-plane permeability, GDL thickness, and oxygen utilization on the expected current density distribution at the catalyst layer are studied. Three different thicknesses and three different utilizations are investigated. It has been found that a thinner GDL with a lower utilization yields a higher current density on the electrode. A quantitative metric to measure uniformity of reactant distribution and the ratio of the standard deviation of the current density to the average current density was introduced, and it was found that while the uniformity of the reactant distribution is independent of thickness of the GDL, it is inversely proportional to utilization.
Phonon Boundary Effects and Thermal Conductivity of Rough Concentric Nanowires
Authors: Alvarez F. X. , Jou D. , Sellitto A.
Published: November 2010

By using a phonon hydrodynamics model for heat flow complemented with boundary conditions for smooth or rough boundaries, we study the influence of boundary conditions on the longitudinal thermal conductivity for several kinds of nanowires (single, tubular, and core-shell). The effects of the boundaries are seen to be extremely important.
Heat and Mass Transfer on the MHD Fluid Flow Due to a Porous Rotating
Disk With Hall Current and Variable Properties
Authors: Turkyilmazoglu Mustafa
Published: November 2010

The steady magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) laminar compressible flow of an electrically conducting fluid on a porous rotating disk is considered in the present paper. The governing equations of motion are reduced to a set of nonlinear differential equations by means of similarity transformations. The fluid properties are taken to be strong functions of temperature and Hall current that also readily accounts for the viscous dissipation and Joule heating terms. Employing a highly accurate spectral numerical integration scheme, the effects of viscosity, thermal conductivity, Hall current, magnetic field, suction/injection, viscous dissipation, and Joule heating on the considered flow are examined. The quantities of particular physical interest, such as the torque, the wall shear stresses, the vertical suction velocity, and the rate of heat transfer are calculated and discussed.
Use of Microcalorimetry To Determine the Costs and Benefits to
Pseudomonas putida
Strain KT2440 of Harboring Cadmium Efflux Genes
Authors: Gibbons Sean M. , Feris Kevin , McGuirl Michele A. , Morales Sergio E. , Hynninen Anu , Ramsey Philip W. , Gannon James E.
Published: November 2010

A novel microcalorimetric approach was used to analyze the responses of a metal-tolerant soil bacterium (
Pseudomonas putida
strain KT2440) to metal resistance gene deletions in cadmium-amended media. As hypothesized, under cadmium stress, the wild-type strain benefited from the resistance genes by entering the exponential growth phase earlier than two knockout strains. In the absence of cadmium, strain KT1, carrying a deletion in the main component (
czcA1
) of a Cd/Zn chemiosmotic efflux transporter (CzcCBA1), grew more efficiently than the wild type and released ∼700 kJ (per mole of biomass carbon) less heat than the wild-type strain, showing the energetic cost of maintaining CzcCBA1 in the absence of cadmium. A second mutant strain (KT4) carrying a different gene deletion, Δ
cadA2
, which encodes the main Cd/Pb efflux transporter (a P-type ATPase), did not survive beyond moderate cadmium concentrations and exhibited a decreased growth yield in the absence of cadmium. Therefore, CadA2 plays an essential role in cadmium resistance and perhaps serves an additional function. The results of this study provide direct evidence that heavy metal cation efflux mechanisms facilitate shorter lag phases in the presence of metals and that the maintenance and expression of tolerance genes carry quantifiable energetic costs and benefits.
Inactivation of
Ascaris suum
by Short-Chain Fatty Acids
Authors: Butkus Michael A. , Hughes Kelly T. , Bowman Dwight D. , Liotta Janice L. , Jenkins Michael B. , Labare Michael P.
Published: November 2010

Ascaris suum
eggs were inactivated in distilled water and digested sludge by butanoic, pentanoic, and hexanoic acids. The fatty acids (short-chain fatty acids [SCFA]) were effective only when protonated and at sufficient concentrations. The conjugate bases were not effective at the concentrations evaluated. Predictions from an inhibition model (50% inhibitory concentration [IC
50
]) based on quantitative structure-activity relationships were congruent with inactivation data.
Mercury and Other Heavy Metals Influence Bacterial Community Structure in Contaminated Tennessee Streams
Authors: Vishnivetskaya Tatiana A. , Mosher Jennifer J. , Palumbo Anthony V. , Yang Zamin K. , Podar Mircea , Brown Steven D. , Brooks Scott C. , Gu Baohua , Southworth George R. , Drake Meghan M. , Brandt Craig C. , Elias Dwayne A.
Published: November 2010

High concentrations of uranium, inorganic mercury [Hg(II)], and methylmercury (MeHg) have been detected in streams located in the Department of Energy reservation in Oak Ridge, TN. To determine the potential effects of the surface water contamination on the microbial community composition, surface stream sediments were collected 7 times during the year, from 5 contaminated locations and 1 control stream. Fifty-nine samples were analyzed for bacterial community composition and geochemistry. Community characterization was based on GS 454 FLX pyrosequencing with 235 Mb of 16S rRNA gene sequence targeting the V4 region. Sorting and filtering of the raw reads resulted in 588,699 high-quality sequences with lengths of >200 bp. The bacterial community consisted of 23 phyla, includingProteobacteria(ranging from 22.9 to 58.5% per sample),Cyanobacteria(0.2 to 32.0%),Acidobacteria(1.6 to 30.6%),Verrucomicrobia(3.4 to 31.0%), and unclassified bacteria. Redundancy analysis indicated no significant differences in the bacterial community structure between midchannel and near-bank samples. Significant correlations were found between the bacterial community and seasonal as well as geochemical factors. Furthermore, several community members within theProteobacteriagroup that includes sulfate-reducing bacteria and within theVerrucomicrobiagroup appeared to be associated positively with Hg and MeHg. This study is the first to indicate an influence of MeHg on thein situmicrobial community and suggests possible roles of these bacteria in the Hg/MeHg cycle.
Complex Regulation of Symbiotic Functions Is Coordinated by MucR and Quorum Sensing in
Sinorhizobium meliloti
Authors: Mueller Konrad , González Juan E.
Published: November 2010

In
Sinorhizobium meliloti
, the production of exopolysaccharides such as succinoglycan and exopolysaccharide II (EPS II) enables the bacterium to invade root nodules on
Medicago sativa
and establish a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. While extensive research has focused on succinoglycan, less is known concerning the regulation of EPS II or the mechanism by which it mediates entrance into the host plant. Previously, we reported that the ExpR/Sin quorum-sensing system is required to produce the symbiotically active low-molecular-weight fraction of this exopolysaccharide. Here, we show that this system induces EPS II production by increasing expression of the
expG-expC
operon, encoding both a transcriptional regulator (ExpG) and a glycosyl transferase (ExpC). ExpG derepresses EPS II production at the transcriptional level from MucR, a RosR homolog, while concurrently elevating expression of
expC
, resulting in the synthesis of the low-molecular-weight form. While the ExpR/Sin system abolishes the role of MucR on EPS II production, it preserves a multitude of other quorum-sensing-independent regulatory functions which promote the establishment of symbiosis. In planktonic
S. meliloti
, MucR properly coordinates a diverse set of bacterial behaviors by repressing a variety of genes intended for expression during symbiosis and enhancing the bacterial ability to induce root nodule formation. Quorum sensing precisely modulates the functions of MucR to take advantage of both the production of symbiotically active EPS II as well as the proper coordination of bacterial behavior required to promote symbiosis.
Chronic cigarette smoking causes hypertension, increased oxidative stress, impaired NO bioavailability, endothelial dysfunction, and cardiac remodeling in mice
Authors: Talukder M. A. Hassan , Johnson Wesley M. , Varadharaj Saradhadevi , Lian Jiarui , Kearns Patrick N. , El-Mahdy Mohamed A. , Liu Xiaoping , Zweier Jay L.
Published: November 2010

Cigarette smoking is a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. While the association between chronic smoking and cardiovascular disease is well established, the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood, partly due to the lack of adequate in vivo animal models. Here, we report a mouse model of chronic smoking-induced cardiovascular pathology. Male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to whole body mainstream cigarette smoke (CS) using a SCIREQ “InExpose” smoking system (48 min/day, 5 days/wk) for 16 or 32 wk. Age-matched, air-exposed mice served as nonsmoking controls. Blood pressure was measured, and cardiac MRI was performed. In vitro vascular ring and isolated heart experiments were performed to measure vascular reactivity and cardiac function. Blood from control and smoking mice was studied for the nitric oxide (NO) decay rate and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. With 32 wk of CS exposure, mice had significantly less body weight gain and markedly higher blood pressure. At 32 wk of CS exposure, ACh-induced vasorelaxation was significantly shifted to the right and downward, left ventricular mass was significantly larger along with an increased heart-to-body weight ratio, in vitro cardiac function tended to be impaired with high afterload, white blood cells had significantly higher ROS generation, and the blood NO decay rate was significantly faster. Thus, smoking led to blunted weight gain, hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, leukocyte activation with ROS generation, decreased NO bioavailability, and mild cardiac hypertrophy in mice that were not otherwise predisposed to disease. This mouse model is a useful tool to enable further elucidation of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of smoking-induced cardiovascular diseases.
Mathematical and Experimental Approaches to Identify and Predict the Effects of Chemotherapy on Neuroglial Precursors
Authors: Hyrien Ollivier , Dietrich Jörg , Noble Mark
Published: November 2010

The adverse effects of chemotherapy on normal cells of the body create substantial clinical problems for many cancer patients. However, relatively little is known about the effects, other than promotion of cell death, of such agents on the function of normal precursor cells critical in tissue homeostasis and repair. We have combined mathematical and experimental analyses to identify the effects of sublethal doses of chemotherapy on glial precursor cells of the central nervous system. We modeled the temporal development of a population of precursor and terminally differentiated cells exposed to sublethal doses of carmustine (BCNU), a classic alkylating chemotherapeutic agent used in treatment of gliomas and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, as a multitype age-dependent branching process. We fitted our model to data from in vitro clonal experiments using the method of pseudo-likelihood. This approach identifies several novel drug effects, including modification of the cell cycle length, the time between division and differentiation, and alteration in the probability of undergoing self-renewal division in precursor cells. These changes of precursor cell function in the chemotherapy-exposed brain may have profound clinic implications.

Major Findings: We applied our computational approach to analyze the effects of BCNU on clonal cultures of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells—one of the best-characterized neural progenitor cells in the mammalian brain. Our analysis reveals that transient exposures to BCNU increased the cell cycle length of progenitor cells and decreased their time to differentiation, while also decreasing the likelihood that they will undergo self-renewing divisions. By investigating the behavior of our mathematical model, we demonstrate that precursor cell populations should recover spontaneously from transient modifications of the timing of division and of differentiation, but such recovery will not happen after alteration of cell fate. These studies identify means by which precursor cell function can be critically compromised by transient exposure to chemotherapy with long-term consequences on the progenitor cell pool even in the absence of drug-induced apoptosis. These analyses also provide novel tools that apply broadly to identify effects of chemotherapeutic agents and other physiological stressors. Cancer Res; 70(24); 10051–9. ©2010 AACR.
p53 Dysfunction by Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group C Defects Enhance Lung Adenocarcinoma Metastasis via Increased Mmp1 Expression
Authors: Wu Yi-Hui , Wu Tzu-Chin , Liao Jiunn-Wang , Yeh Kun-Tu , Chen Chih-Yi , Lee Huei
Published: November 2010

Xeroderma pigmentosum group C (XPC) interacts with hHR23B to recognize DNA damage in global genomic repair. We previously showed that XPC is predominantly affected by its hypermethylation and is associated with an increased occurrence of p53 mutation in lung cancer. Tumors with low XPC mRNA levels had a poorer prognosis than those with high XPC mRNA levels, suggesting that XPC defects may enhance tumor metastasis. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we show that p53 transcriptional activity is modulated by XPC, whereby XPC stabilizes hHR23B to form an hHR23B–p53 complex that prevents p53 degradation. In addition, in lung cancer cells and xenograft tumors in nude mice, overexpression of XPC suppresses cell/tumor metastatic ability via repression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) transcription by p53. Among tumors from lung cancer patients, those with low XPC mRNA also tended to have low expression of MMP1 mRNA compared with those with high XPC mRNA. Patients with low XPC mRNA levels also more commonly had tumors with late-stage, distant metastasis (M1), nodal metastasis, and T value (P < 0.001 for tumor stage, distant metastasis, and nodal metastasis; P = 0.006 for t value). In conclusion, p53 dysfunction caused by XPC defects in lung cancers may enhance tumor metastasis via increased MMP1 expression. Cancer Res; 70(24); 10422–32. ©2010 AACR.
Policing Domestic Violence in the Post-SARP Era
Authors: Exum M. Lyn , Hartman Jennifer L. , Friday Paul C. , Lord Vivian B.
Published: November 2010

During the Spousal Assault Replication Program, the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, was identified as a site where arrest did not deter misdemeanor domestic violence. Shortly after these findings were published, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department developed a Domestic Violence (DV) unit to combat the problem of intimate partner violence. The mission of the Charlotte DV unit is to reduce future offending through intensive investigation and victim assistance. The current study evaluates the impact of the Charlotte DV unit versus standard patrol on official accounts of offender recidivism in a random sample of 891 domestic violence cases. Controlling for offender demographics, prior criminal history, case severity, and additional criminal justice responses, suspects processed through the DV unit had significantly lower rates of re-offending across an 18- to 30-month follow-up period. Theoretical explanations for the DV unit effect are proposed.
A Sociological Theory of Drug Sales, Gifts, and Frauds
Authors: Jacques Scott , Wright Richard
Published: November 2010

The transfer of drugs from one person to another does not always involve a fair sale. Gifts and frauds are also common. Although the rationality perspective has dominated and made important contributions to the study of drug transfer, this article proposes a new theory of drug sales, gifts, and frauds. The theoretical lens of pure sociology is used to find social structural patterns in qualitative data obtained from a study of middle- and lower class drug dealers. Based on that data, the authors suggest that the social status of drug procurers and their social distance from drug dealers affect (a) whether the transfer is a gift, sale, or fraud and (b) the size of the gift, the price of the sale, and the seriousness of the fraud. Implications for future research are discussed.
Problem-Oriented Policing in Colorado Springs
Authors: Maguire Edward R. , Uchida Craig D. , Hassell Kimberly D.
Published: November 2010

Problem-oriented policing (POP) has generated substantial attention from practitioners, scholars, and policy makers. A growing body of research is beginning to cast doubt on the extent to which this reform has been implemented in police agencies as prescribed by reformers. This study presents findings from an analysis of POP in the Colorado Springs Police Department, one of the national leaders of POP in the United States. The principal form of evidence is a systematic content analysis of case summaries and reports completed by police officers in 753 POP cases in Colorado Springs. The results point to a set of common roadblocks in the implementation of POP, as well as more general patterns that seem to influence the implementation of police reform.
Sedentary Activities, Peer Behavior, and Delinquency Among American Youth
Authors: Morris Robert G. , Johnson Matthew C.
Published: November 2010

Delinquent behavior of one’s peers is one of the most robust predictors of adolescent delinquency. However, no study to date has explored the role of this relationship among those who engage in high rates of nonproductive sedentary activities (e.g., video gaming, TV viewing, and watching movies); a growing public health concern. Here, this issue is explored using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Findings support a direct relationship between certain sedentary behaviors and most types of delinquency. Furthermore, results indicate that the impact of peer delinquency on adolescent delinquency is partially confounded by above-average participation in computer gaming. Implications for research on sedentary behavior and delinquency (regarding both policy and theory development) are discussed in the context of cultural evolution into the digital age.
Student Voice Use and Vocal Health During an All-State Chorus Event
Authors: Daugherty James F. , Manternach Jeremy N. , Price Kathy K.
Published: November 2010

This field-based case study documented students’ ( N = 256) voice use and voice health perceptions during a 3-day all-state high school chorus event through daily surveys, phonation duration data, analysis of rehearsal voice use behaviors, and field notes. Among the primary results are the following: (a) First and final day survey comparisons indicated significant declining changes in 5 of 7 voice health indicator statements and in self-perceptions of singing voice quality, yet (b) most students (78.8%) believed they had taken good care of their voices; (c) self-reported sleep hours decreased significantly; (d) vocal fold contact time measured with two students ranged from 15% to 38% during rehearsal periods, 1% to 27% during on-site non-rehearsal times, and 3% to 17% during measured pre- and post-event activities, but (e) overall percentages of vocal fold contact varied little between regular rehearsal and on-site non-rehearsal events (female: 19.37% rehearsal, 20.11% non-rehearsal; male: 22.89% rehearsal, 20.54% non-rehearsal); (f) rehearsal voice rest time (63%) exceeded voice use time (37%); (g) students sat in close proximity to other choristers for approximately 73% of rehearsal time; and (h) the two compositions ranked highest relative to demands on adolescent voices consumed 61% of rehearsal time.
Cognitive Activation Theory of Stress: An Integrative Theoretical Approach to Work Stress
Authors: Meurs James A. , Perrewé Pamela L.
Published: November 2010

Workplace stress consistently has received a substantial amount of attention from practitioners and researchers alike. Many occupational health scholars have developed or contributed to our understanding of models detailing theoretical approaches to an individual’s experience of stress. Although these theories have improved our understanding of occupational stress, these conceptualizations of stress and much of the subsequent stress research based on these models have been limited in their ability to fully explain individual experience. Organizational stress research could benefit from an integrative approach that seeks to incorporate both the positive aspects and the more traditional negative aspects of the stress experience. Organizational stress researchers should look to a recently elaborated stress theory developed outside of the organizational sciences (i.e., cognitive activation theory of stress) to provide the theoretical framing necessary for such research. The implications of integrating this theory into the organizational sciences are discussed and several avenues for future occupational stress research are provided based on this new conceptualization.
An efficient strategy for storing and searching binary trees in WORM external memory
Authors: Duarte Elias P. , Pires Karine , Tavares Rui A.E.
Published: November 2010

Consider the problem of searching and storing a massive binary tree in WORM (Write Once Read Many) secondary memory. Tree nodes are organized in pages, each of which contains a fixed number of nodes. Pages are transferred to primary memory as the tree is traversed. This work presents a new strategy for paging that aims to decrease the amount of unused space in each page as well as to reduce the total number of pages required to store the tree while also reduce the number of pages accessed for searching. The algorithm employs an efficient strategy based on bin packing for allocating unbalanced trees. Experimental results are reported comparing the performance of two bin-packing heuristics, as well as other paging strategies and B-trees. Results confirm the superior performance of the proposed approach both in terms of the number of page transfers required for searching and the page filling percentage.
Improvement in long-term ECMO by detailed monitoring of anticoagulation: a case report
Authors: Sievert Alicia , Uber Walter , Laws Stacey , Cochran Joel
Published: November 2010

Introduction: The use of unfractionated heparin (UFH) as an anticoagulant during long-term extracorporeal support presents a unique challenge for the clinician in balancing the amount of anticoagulant to maintain adequate anticoagulation without causing excessive bleeding. Activated clotting times (ACT) and activated partial thromboplastin times (aPTT) are the most common modality to monitor UFH on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Limitations to these tests include consumptive coagulopathies, clotting factor deficiencies, platelet dysfunction, and fibrinolysis. The following case report describes the use of alternative monitoring strategies to assess more accurately anticoagulation during ECMO. Case Report: A 20-month-old female presented to the emergency department with a 5-6 day history of cough, fever, tachypnea, and respiratory distress. She was diagnosed with influenza A and B with pneumonia. The patient was placed on veno-venous ECMO (V-V ECMO) after mechanical ventilation failed. On ECMO day eight, the patient developed a thrombus in her inferior vena cava and pleural effusions, obstructing cannula flow. Laboratory tests revealed the ACT was within range, yet the aPTT was dropping, despite increased heparin. Heparin levels were low and antithrombin-III (AT) concentrations were 40%. Recombinant AT was given and subsequent aPTTs were within the therapeutic range. Later, the aPTT decreased to <50 sec, heparin levels were within the therapeutic range, while fibrinogen was >475 mg/ dL, and Factor VIII >150 IU/dL, suggesting an acute phase reaction or ongoing systemic inflammation, increasing the risk for thrombosis. We maintained heparin assays between 0.5-0.7 IU/mL and AT >60% to assure heparin’s effect. The patient showed no signs of excess bleeding, blood product administration, or clots in the circuit, suggesting proper anticoagulation. The patient was successfully weaned on day 33 and is currently alive and at home. Conclusion: Monitoring of anti-Xa UFH and AT proved effective for measuring anticoagulation and detecting inconsistencies in other anticoagulation parameters, leading to steady levels of heparin without further complications.
Ethnic Identity and Substance Use Among Mexican-Heritage Preadolescents
Authors: Kulis Stephen S. , Marsiglia Flavio F. , Kopak Albert M. , Olmsted Maureen E. , Crossman Ashley
Published: November 2010

This study examined interactive relationships among ethnic identity, gender, time in the US, and changes in substance use outcomes among a school-based sample of 1,731 Mexican-heritage preadolescents (ages 9-13). Residual change multilevel models adjusting for school clustering and using multiply imputed data assessed changes from beginning to end of fifth grade in use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana and inhalants, and four substance use antecedents. Effects of ethnic identity were conditional on time in the US, and in opposite directions by gender. Among males living longer in the US, stronger ethnic identity predicted desirable changes in all but one outcome (substance offers). Among females living longer in the US, stronger ethnic identity predicted undesirable changes in alcohol use, pro-drug norms, and peer substance use. Interpretations focus on differential exposure to substance use opportunities and the erosion of traditional gender role socialization among Mexican-heritage youth having lived longer in the US.
Peer Influences on Academic Motivation: Exploring Multiple Methods of Assessing Youths’ Most “Influential” Peer Relationships
Authors: Molloy Lauren E. , Gest Scott D. , Rulison Kelly L.
Published: November 2010

The present study examines the relative role of three distinct types of peer relationships (reciprocated friendships, frequent interactions, and shared group membership) in within-year changes in academic self-concept and engagement before and after the transition to middle school (fifth and seventh grade). In a series of linear regression analyses, main effects of each peer type’s academic self-concept and engagement on changes in youths’ academic characteristics were used to test socialization processes. Interactions of youths’ academic skills with those of each peer type were used to test social comparison processes influencing changes in academic self-concept. Results suggest unique roles of each peer relationship differentially influencing changes in youths’ academic adjustment as well as stronger influence effects during seventh than fifth grade. Implications are discussed in terms of distinct influence processes associated with each peer relationship type as well as potential developmental differences in the role that certain peer relationships play.
Visual-Inertial Sensor Fusion: Localization, Mapping and Sensor-to-Sensor Self-calibration
Authors: Kelly Jonathan , Sukhatme Gaurav S
Published: November 2010

Visual and inertial sensors, in combination, are able to provide accurate motion estimates and are well suited for use in many robot navigation tasks. However, correct data fusion, and hence overall performance, depends on careful calibration of the rigid body transform between the sensors. Obtaining this calibration information is typically difficult and time-consuming, and normally requires additional equipment. In this paper we describe an algorithm, based on the unscented Kalman filter, for self-calibration of the transform between a camera and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Our formulation rests on a differential geometric analysis of the observability of the camera—IMU system; this analysis shows that the sensor-to-sensor transform, the IMU gyroscope and accelerometer biases, the local gravity vector, and the metric scene structure can be recovered from camera and IMU measurements alone. While calibrating the transform we simultaneously localize the IMU and build a map of the surroundings, all without additional hardware or prior knowledge about the environment in which a robot is operating. We present results from simulation studies and from experiments with a monocular camera and a low-cost IMU, which demonstrate accurate estimation of both the calibration parameters and the local scene structure.
Perceived Fatherhood Roles and Parenting Behaviors Among African American Teen Fathers
Authors: Paschal Angelia M. , Lewis-Moss Rhonda K. , Hsiao Tracy
Published: November 2010

Despite the growing body of research on the topic of adolescent parenthood, few studies have examined the perceptions and lived experiences of African American teen fathers. The primary aim of this study was to examine how this group defines and performs the father role. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 African American fathers aged 14 to19 years old. Three themes emerged from the data: provider role, nurturer role, and autonomous fathers. The study results generate important questions that require further research. Information from African American teens in particular could be used to develop and evaluate interventions.
Ethanol and acetaldehyde disturb TNF-alpha and IL-6 production in cultured astrocytes
Authors: Sarc Lucija , Wraber Branka , Lipnik-Stangelj Metoda
Published: November 2010

Ethanol disturbs astroglial growth and differentiation and causes functional alterations. Furthermore, many signalling molecules produced by astrocytes contribute to these processes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of ethanol and its primary metabolite, acetaldehyde, on TNF-alpha and IL-6 production in a rat cortical astrocyte primary culture. We are the first to report that both ethanol and acetaldehyde can modulate TNF-alpha and IL-6 secretion from cultured astrocytes. Long-term exposure (7 days) to ethanol and acetaldehyde was more toxic than an acute (24 hours) exposure. However, both compounds showed a biphasic, hormestic effect on the IL-6 secretion after the acute as well as the long-term exposure, and the maximum stimulation was reached for 50-mM ethanol and 1-mM acetaldehyde after 7-day exposure. In contrast, both compounds reduced the TNF-alpha secretion, where the effect was concentration-dependent. The catalase inhibitor 2-amino-1,2,4 triazole significantly reduced the ethanol toxicity in the cultured astrocytes after the acute as well as the long-term exposure. In conclusion, both ethanol and acetaldehyde affect the production of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in cultured astrocytes. The effect depends on the concentration of the compounds and the duration of the exposure. Acetaldehyde is a more potent toxin than ethanol, and ethanol’s toxicity in the brain is at least partially due to its primary metabolite, acetaldehyde.
The Cardiovascular Continuum extended: Aging effects on the aorta and microvasculature
Authors: O'Rourke Michael F , Safar Michel E , Dzau Victor
Published: November 2010

The ‘Cardiovascular Continuum’ was described by Dzau and colleagues in 2006 to explain the development over many years of coronary disease with its complications, then end-stage heart failure. The Continuum identified different points along the way where the process could be interrupted by drug therapies or interventions, then described the trials that have been undertaken over the last three decades to establish their value. The approach summarized the major steps in cardiology through modern times, but it had an emphasis on coronary atherosclerosis in prosperous nations, and did not account fully for the problems of aging, which occur in all societies. Aging of the aorta and elastic arteries causes arterial stiffening and leads to development of cardiac failure and microvascular disease in highly perfused organs such as the brain and kidneys. The ‘Vascular Aging Continuum’ which we introduce, dovetails with the late phases of the Cardiovascular Continuum and provides a more comprehensive explanation, especially for vascular diseases in nations with little atherosclerosis. It will become more common in the Western World where attention to risk factors and widespread use of statins are responsible for a decrease in atherosclerotic disease, prolongation of life, and dominance of macrovascular and microvascular arterial disease, as well as of cardiac failure.
Building Capacity for Community-Based Participatory Research for Health Disparities in Canada: The Case of “Partnerships in Community Health Research”
Authors: Masuda Jeffrey R. , Creighton Genevieve , Nixon Sean , Frankish James
Published: November 2010

Enthusiasm for community-based participatory research (CBPR) is increasing among health researchers and practitioners in addressing health disparities. Although there are many benefits of CBPR, such as its ability to democratize knowledge and link research to community action and social change, there are also perils that researchers can encounter that can threaten the integrity of the research and undermine relationships. Despite the increasing demand for CBPR-qualified individuals, few programs exist that are capable of facilitating in-depth and experiential training for both students and those working in communities. This article reviews the Partnerships in Community Health Research (PCHR), a training program at the University of British Columbia that between 2001 and 2009 has equipped graduate student and community-based learners with knowledge, skills, and experience to engage together more effectively using CBPR. With case studies of PCHR learner projects, this article illustrates some of the important successes and lessons learned in preparing CBPR-qualified researchers and community-based professionals in Canada.