bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aminotransferase Levels Are Associated With Cardiometabolic Risk Above and Beyond Visceral Fat and Insulin Resistance
Authors: Porter Stacy A. , Pedley Alison , Massaro Joseph M. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Hoffmann Udo , Fox Caroline S.
Published: November 2012

Objective—

We sought to characterize associations between aminotransferase levels and cardiometabolic risk after accounting for visceral adipose tissue and insulin resistance.

Methods and Results—

Participants (n=2621) from the Framingham Heart Study (mean age 51, 49.8% women) were included. Sex-specific linear and logistic regressions were used to evaluate associations between aminotransferase levels and cardiometabolic risk factors. In multivariable models, increased alanine aminotransferase levels were associated with elevated blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, and triglycerides and lower high-density lipoprotein levels (all
P
≤0.007). Furthermore, each 1-SD increase in alanine aminotransferase corresponded to an increased odds of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, the metabolic syndrome, impaired fasting glucose, and insulin resistance estimated by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (odds ratio, 1.29–1.85, all
P
≤0.002). Associations with alanine aminotransferase persisted after additional adjustment for visceral adipose tissue, insulin resistance, and body mass index with the exception of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in both sexes and blood pressure in women. Results were materially unchanged when moderate drinkers were excluded, when the sample was restricted to those with alanine aminotransferase <40 U/L, and when the sample was restricted to those without diabetes mellitus. Similar trends were observed for aspartate aminotransferase levels, but associations were more modest.

Conclusion—

Aminotransferase levels are correlated with multiple cardiometabolic risk factors above and beyond visceral adipose tissue and insulin resistance.
Cadherin-11 Regulates Cell–Cell Tension Necessary for Calcific Nodule Formation by Valvular Myofibroblasts
Authors: Hutcheson Joshua D. , Chen Joseph , Sewell-Loftin M.K. , Ryzhova Larisa M. , Fisher Charles I. , Su Yan Ru , Merryman W. David
Published: November 2012

Objective—

Dystrophic calcific nodule formation in vitro involves differentiation of aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) into a myofibroblast phenotype. Interestingly, inhibition of the kinase MAPK Erk kinase (MEK)1/2 prevents calcific nodule formation despite leading to myofibroblast activation of AVICs, indicating the presence of an additional mechanotransductive component required for calcific nodule morphogenesis. In this study, we assess the role of transforming growth factor β1–induced cadherin-11 expression in calcific nodule formation.

Methods and Results—

As shown previously, porcine AVICs treated with transforming growth factor β1 before cyclic strain exhibit increased myofibroblast activation and significant calcific nodule formation. In addition to an increase in contractile myofibroblast markers, transforming growth factor β1–treated AVICs exhibit significantly increased expression of cadherin-11. This expression is inhibited by the addition of U0126, a specific MEK1/2 inhibitor. The role of increased cadherin-11 is revealed through a wound assay, which demonstrates increased intercellular tension in transforming growth factor β1–treated AVICs possessing cadherin-11. Furthermore, when small interfering RNA is used to knockdown cadherin-11, calcific nodule formation is abrogated, indicating that robust cell–cell connections are necessary in generating tension for calcific nodule morphogenesis. Finally, we demonstrate enrichment of cadherin-11 in human calcified leaflets.

Conclusion—

These results indicate the necessity of cadherin-11 for dystrophic calcific nodule formation, which proceeds through an Erk1/2-dependent pathway.
Loss of
CDKN2B
Promotes p53-Dependent Smooth Muscle Cell Apoptosis and Aneurysm Formation
Authors: Leeper Nicholas J. , Raiesdana Azad , Kojima Yoko , Kundu Ramendra K. , Cheng Henry , Maegdefessel Lars , Toh Ryuji , Ahn G-One , Ali Ziad A. , Anderson D. Ryan , Miller Clint L. , Roberts Scott C. , Spin Joshua M. , de Almeida Patricia E. , Wu Joseph C. , Xu Baohui , Cheng Karen , Quertermous Maximilian , Kundu Soumajit , Kortekaas Kim E. , Berzin Erica , Downing Kelly P. , Dalman Ronald L. , Tsao Philip S. , Schadt Eric E. , Owens Gary K. , Quertermous Thomas
Published: November 2012

Objective—

Genomewide association studies have implicated allelic variation at 9p21.3 in multiple forms of vascular disease, including atherosclerotic coronary heart disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm. As for other genes at 9p21.3, human expression quantitative trait locus studies have associated expression of the tumor suppressor gene
CDKN2B
with the risk haplotype, but its potential role in vascular pathobiology remains unclear.

Methods and Results—

Here we used vascular injury models and found that
Cdkn2b
knockout mice displayed the expected increase in proliferation after injury, but developed reduced neointimal lesions and larger aortic aneurysms. In situ and in vitro studies suggested that these effects were attributable to increased smooth muscle cell apoptosis. Adoptive bone marrow transplant studies confirmed that the observed effects of
Cdkn2b
were mediated through intrinsic vascular cells and were not dependent on bone marrow–derived inflammatory cells. Mechanistic studies suggested that the observed increase in apoptosis was attributable to a reduction in MDM2 and an increase in p53 signaling, possibly due in part to compensation by other genes at the 9p21.3 locus. Dual inhibition of both
Cdkn2b
and p53 led to a reversal of the vascular phenotype in each model.

Conclusion—

These results suggest that reduced
CDKN2B
expression and increased smooth muscle cell apoptosis may be one mechanism underlying the 9p21.3 association with aneurysmal disease.
Soluble CD14
Authors: Reiner Alex P. , Lange Ethan M. , Jenny Nancy S. , Chaves Paulo H.M. , Ellis Jaclyn , Li Jin , Walston Jeremy , Lange Leslie A. , Cushman Mary , Tracy Russell P.
Published: November 2012

Objective—

CD14 is a glycosylphosphotidylinositol-anchored membrane glycoprotein expressed on neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages that also circulates as a soluble form (sCD14). Despite the well-recognized role of CD14 in inflammation, relatively little is known about the genetic determinants of sCD14 or the relationship of sCD14 to vascular- and aging-related phenotypes.

Methods and Results—

We measured baseline levels of sCD14 in >5000 European-American and black adults aged 65 years and older from the Cardiovascular Health Study, who were well characterized at baseline for atherosclerotic risk factors and subclinical cardiovascular disease, and who have been followed for clinical cardiovascular disease and mortality outcomes up to 20 years. At baseline, sCD14 generally showed strong positive correlations with traditional cardio-metabolic risk factors and with subclinical measures of vascular disease such as carotid wall thickness and ankle-brachial index (independently of traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors), and was also inversely correlated with body mass index. In genomewide association analyses of sCD14, we (1) confirmed the importance of the
CD14
locus on chromosome 5q21 in European-American; (2) identified a novel African ancestry-specific allele of
CD14
associated with lower sCD14 in blacks; and (3) identified a putative novel association in European-American of a nonsynonymous variant of
PIGC
, which encodes an enzyme required for the first step in glycosylphosphotidylinositol anchor biosynthesis. Finally, we show that, like other acute phase inflammatory biomarkers, sCD14 predicts incident cardiovascular disease, and strongly and independently predicts all-cause mortality in older adults.

Conclusion—

CD14 independently predicts risk mortality in older adults.
Heterodimerization With the Prostacyclin Receptor Triggers Thromboxane Receptor Relocation to Lipid Rafts
Authors: Ibrahim Salam , McCartney Ann , Markosyan Nune , Smyth Emer M.
Published: November 2012

Objective—

Prostacyclin and thromboxane mediate opposing cardiovascular actions through receptors termed IP and TP, respectively. When dimerized with IP, the TP shifts to IP-like function. IP localizes to cholesterol-enriched membrane rafts, but TP and IPTP heterodimer localization is not defined. We examined these receptors’ membrane localization and the role of rafts in receptor function.

Methods and Results—

Microdomain distribution of IP, TP, and IPTP heterodimers was examined in COS-7 cells by measuring energy transfer from renilla luciferase-fused receptors to fluorescently labeled rafts. IP raft association was confirmed. TP was raft excluded, but redistributed to rafts upon dimerization with IP. Signaling of the IP and IPTP heterodimer, but not TP alone, was suppressed after raft disruption by cholesterol depletion. Cholesterol enrichment also selectively suppressed IP and IPTP function. Native IP and IPTP signaling in smooth muscle cells and macrophages were similarly sensitive to cholesterol manipulation, whereas macrophages from hypercholesterolemic mice displayed suppressed IP and IPTP function.

Conclusion—

IP and TP function within distinct microdomains. Raft incorporation of TP in the IPTP heterodimer likely facilitates its signaling shift. We speculate that changes in IP and IPTP signaling after perturbation of membrane cholesterol may contribute to cardiovascular disease associated with hypercholesterolemia.
Atrioventricular Node Reentrant Tachycardia in Patients With Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries and Results of Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation
Authors: Liao Zili , Chang Yu , Ma Jian , Fang Pihua , Zhang Kuijun , Ren Xiaoqing , Yang Pingzhen , Yu Bo , Hu Jiqiang , Yang Qian , Ouyang Feifan , Zhang Shu
Published: November 2012

Background—

We sought to investigate the feasibility of radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia and the ideal site for slow pathway (SP) ablation in congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries.

Methods and Results—

Nine patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries referred for catheter ablation of atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia were studied. A single His potential was recorded in 8 patients (89%, 6 {S,L,L} and 2 {I,D,D}). The earliest atrial activation during retrograde atrioventricular node conduction occurred at His bundle region (HBE; n=7) or shifting from HBE to coronary sinus ostium (n=1, {S,L,L}). Two anatomically separate His potentials were recorded in 1 patient (11%, {S,L,L}), one at the anteroseptum (HBE-1) and the other at the confluence of the pulmonary and mitral annulus (HBE-2). In 8 cases with a single His potential recorded, SP was abated at the posterior-midseptum, 2 ({S,L,L}) at the right posteroseptum, 1 ({S,L,L}) at the left posteroseptum, and 5 (3 {S,L,L} and 2 {I,D,D}) at the midseptum after failure of energy application at the posteroseptum. Junctional rhythm was observed during radiofrequency catheter ablation in all 8 of the cases. In the remaining patient with 2 anatomically separate His potentials recorded, SP was successfully ablated from the confluence of the pulmonary and mitral annulus, slightly below the HBE-2. Junctional rhythm was also induced during radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Conclusions—

In {S,L,L} or {I,D,D}, radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia is feasible. SP input region can mainly be found in the posterior midseptum, especially in patients with single penetrating atrioventricular nodes. SP could usually be successfully ablated in these regions.
Role of Transcytolemmal Water-Exchange in Magnetic Resonance Measurements of Diffuse Myocardial Fibrosis in Hypertensive Heart Disease
Authors: Coelho-Filho Otavio R. , Mongeon François-Pierre , Mitchell Richard , Moreno Heitor , Nadruz Wilson , Kwong Raymond , Jerosch-Herold Michael
Published: November 2012

Background—

The myocardial extracellular volume fraction (MECVF) has been used to detect diffuse fibrosis. Estimation of MECVF relies on quantification of the T1 relaxation time after contrast enhancement, which can be sensitive to equilibrium transcytolemmal water-exchange. We hypothesized that MECVF, quantified with a parsimonious 2-space water-exchange model, correlates positively with the connective tissue volume fraction in a rodent model of hypertensive heart disease, whereas the widely used analysis based on assuming fast transcytolemmal water-exchange could result in a significant underestimate of MECVF.

Methods and Results—

Nω–nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester (L-NAME) or placebo was administered to 22 and 15 wild-type mice, respectively. MECVF was measured at baseline and 7-week follow-up by pre- and postcontrast T1 cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at 4.7 T, using a 2-space water-exchange model. Connective tissue volume fraction was quantified, using Masson trichrome stain. L-NAME induced hypertrophy (weight-indexed left-ventricular mass 2.2±0.3 versus 4.1±0.4 μg/g,
P
<0.001), and increased connective tissue volume fraction (8.6%±1.5 versus 2.58%±0.6,
P
<0.001), were compared with controls. MECVF was higher in L-NAME-treated animals (0.43±0.09 versus 0.26±0.03,
P
<0.001), and correlated with connective tissue volume fraction and weight-indexed left-ventricular mass (
r
=0.842 and
r
=0.737, respectively, both
P
<0.0001). Neglecting transcytolemmal water-exchange caused a significant underestimate of MECVF changes. Ten patients with history of hypertension had significantly higher MECVF (0.446±0.063) compared with healthy controls (0.307±0.030,
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

Cardiac magnetic resonance allowed detection of myocardial extracellular matrix expansion in a mouse model and in patients with a history of hypertension. Accounting for the effects of transcytolemmal water-exchange can result in a substantial difference of MECVF, compared with assuming fast transcytolemmal water-exchange.
Risk Factors and Stroke Mechanisms in Atherosclerotic Stroke
Authors: Kim Jong S. , Nah Hyun-Wook , Park Sea Mi , Kim Su-Kyung , Cho Ki Hyun , Lee Jun , Lee Yong-Seok , Kim Jei , Ha Sang-Won , Kim Eung-Gyu , Kim Dong-Eog , Kang Dong-Wha , Kwon Sun U. , Yu Kyung-Ho , Lee Byung-Chul
Published: November 2012

Background and Purpose—

The aim of this study was to investigate differences in risk factors and stroke mechanisms between intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) and extracranial atherosclerosis (ECAS) and between anterior and posterior circulation atherosclerosis.

Methods—

A multicenter, prospective, Web-based registry was performed on atherosclerotic strokes using diffusionweighted magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography. Stroke mechanisms were categorized as artery-to-artery embolism, in situ thrombo-occlusion, local branch occlusion, or hemodynamic impairment.

Results—

Onethousand patients were enrolled from 9 university hospitals. Age (odds ratio [OR], 1.033; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.018–1.049), male gender (OR, 3.399; 95% CI, 2.335–4.949), and hyperlipidemia (OR, 1.502; 95% CI, 1.117–2.018) were factors favoring ECAS (vs ICAS), whereas hypertension (OR, 1.826; 95% CI, 1.274–2.618;
P
=0.001) and diabetes mellitus (OR, 1.490; 95% CI, 1.105–2.010;
P
=0.009) were related to posterior (vs anterior) circulation diseases. Metabolic syndrome was a factor related to ICAS (vs ECAS) only in posterior circulation strokes (OR, 2.433; 95% CI, 1.005–5.890;
P
=0.007). Stroke mechanisms included arterytoartery embolism (59.7%), local branch occlusion (14.9%), in situ thrombo-occlusion (13.7%), hemodynamic impairment (0.9%), and mixed (10.8%). Anterior ICAS was more often associated with artery-to-artery embolism (51.8% vs 34.0%) and less often associated with local branch occlusion (12.3% vs 40.4%) than posterior ICAS (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

The prevalence of risk factors and stroke mechanisms differ between ICAS and ECAS, and between anterior and posterior circulation atherosclerosis. Posterior ICAS seems to be closely associated with metabolic derangement and local branch occlusion. Prevention and management strategies may have to consider these differences.
Impact of ACE2 Deficiency and Oxidative Stress on Cerebrovascular Function With Aging
Authors: Silva Ricardo A. Peña , Chu Yi , Miller Jordan D. , Mitchell Ian J. , Penninger Josef M. , Faraci Frank M. , Heistad Donald D.
Published: November 2012

Background and Purpose—

Angiotensin II produces oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in cerebral arteries, and angiotensin II type I receptors may play a role in longevity and vascular aging. Angiotensin-converting enzyme type 2 (ACE2) converts angiotensin II to angiotensin (1–7) and thus, may protect against effects of angiotensin II. We hypothesized that ACE2 deficiency increases oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in cerebral arteries and examined the role of ACE2 in age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction.

Methods—

Endothelial function, expression of angiotensin system components, NADPH oxidase subunits, and proinflammatory cytokines were examined in cerebral arteries from adult (12 months old) and old (24 months old) ACE2 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. The superoxide scavenger tempol was used to examine the role of oxidative stress on endothelial function.

Results—

Vasodilatation to acetylcholine was impaired in adult ACE2 KO (24±6% [mean±SE]) compared with WT mice (52±7%;
P
<0.05). In old mice, vasodilatation to acetylcholine was impaired in WT mice (29±6%) and severely impaired in ACE2 KO mice (7±5%). Tempol improved endothelial function in adult and old ACE2 KO and WT mice. Aging increased mRNA for tumor necrosis factor-α in WT mice, and significantly increased mRNA levels of NAPDH oxidase 2, p47
phox
, and Regulator of calcineurin 1 in both ACE2 KO and WT mice. mRNA levels of angiotensin system components did not change during aging.

Conclusions—

ACE2 deficiency impaired endothelial function in cerebral arteries from adult mice and augmented endothelial dysfunction during aging. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in cerebrovascular dysfunction induced by ACE2 deficiency and aging.
Effectiveness 2 Years Postexit of a Recently Established Mental Health Court
Authors: Burns Padraic J. , Hiday Virginia Aldigé , Ray Bradley
Published: November 2012

There are now more than 300 mental health courts in the United States; yet studies on their effectiveness in reducing criminal recidivism are relatively few, and most follow defendants after entry into the court, during their participation, and sometimes, for a short period following exit. Using a preenrollment-postexit design that follows participants of one mental health court for 2 years after exit, this article examines criminal recidivism of participants after they no longer receive the court’s services, supervision, and support. It investigates participant demographic, clinical, and criminal history and key arrest characteristics as well as process measures and graduation as predictors of two measures of recidivism, arrests, and postexit jail days. Its findings support the hypothesis that mental health courts can reduce criminal recidivism postexit and point to criminal history, time in mental health court, and graduation as the main influences on recidivism.
The Impact of Treatment on the Public Safety Outcomes of Mental Health Court Participants
Authors: Keator Karli J. , Callahan Lisa , Steadman Henry J. , Vesselinov Roumen
Published: November 2012

Three mental health courts (MHCs) are included in this study of whether enrollment in MHC affects community treatment access, utilization, time to service, program outcome, arrests, and jail days. Researchers approached newly enrolled MHC participants ( n = 296) and similar “treatment as usual” (TAU) jail detainees ( n = 386) screened as eligible for study participation. Baseline and 6-month interviews were conducted, and respondents allowed researchers access to their mental health and criminal justice records. We found that on discharge from jail on target charges, MHC participants accessed community treatment more quickly than did the TAU respondents. Furthermore, prior to enrollment in MHC, this sample had twice as many crisis treatment episodes as the TAUs, and they received more therapeutic treatment episodes. One year after enrollment, the MHC sample had more intensive and therapeutic treatment episodes than the TAUs. We found no relationship between the type of treatment intervention received (or not) and whether the MHC enrollees were arrested or in jail following MHC enrollment.
Precarious Work and the Challenge for Asia
Authors: Kalleberg Arne L. , Hewison Kevin
Published: November 2012

This article discusses the social, economic, and political factors that led to the rise and consolidation of precarious work in various countries in Asia. We first define what we mean by “precarious work” and its utility for describing the growth of work that is uncertain and insecure and in which risks are shifted from employers to workers. We then provide an overview of the factors that generated precarious work in industrial nations, notably the spread of neoliberalism as a political and economic perspective, the expansion of global competition, and technological development. These macro structural influences created an impetus for greater flexibility among both states and employers, which in turn led to more precarious work in both formal and informal sectors of the economies of many Asian countries. This, in turn, has provoked various types of resistance on the part of workers against the negative consequences of precarious work.
An Analysis of the Relationship Between Ankle–Brachial Index and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Jin Xing , Ma Jian-hua , Shen Yun , Luo Yong , Su Xiao-fei , Chen Ying-yue , Qi Shao-kang , Wu Jin-dan
Published: November 2012

We investigated the relationship between peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We enrolled 2057 hospitalized patients with T2DM and measured kidney function and ankle–brachial index (ABI). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was derived using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation and ABI was grouped as low (<0.9), low-normal (0.9-1.09), normal (1.1-1.3), and high (>1.3). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations of eGFR with ABI. Generally speaking, the ABI was negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure, fasting C-peptide, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol while positively correlated with body mass index ( P < .05 to <.01). Only a low ABI was positively correlated with eGFR ( P < .01). In addition to the association of the ABI with cardiovascular events, stroke, and PAD, ABI may also predict the change in renal function in patients with T2DM.
Photoplethysmography and Continuous-Wave Doppler Ultrasound as a Complementary Test to Ankle–Brachial Index in Detection of Stenotic Peripheral Arterial Disease
Authors: Ro Du Hyun , Moon Hyuk Ju , Kim Ji Hyeung , Lee Kyoung Min , Kim Sung Ju , Lee Dong Yeon
Published: November 2012

Purpose: We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of ankle–brachial index (ABI), photoplethysmography (PPG), and continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound (CWD) in the detection of anatomically stenotic peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Methods: Ninety-seven patients (194 legs) patients who had coincidentally undergone computed tomography angiography (CTA), ABI, PPG, and CWD for the evaluation of PAD were retrospectively reviewed. Sensitivity and specificity were measured. Results: Among 194 legs, 163 (84%) legs had stenotic PAD on CTA. Overall sensitivity of ABI, PPG, and CWD was 69.3%, 81.6%, and 90.8% and specificity was 96.8%, 77.4%, and 64.5%, respectively. Ankle–brachial index showed a statistically significantly decreased sensitivity (14.8%) for below trifurcation level stenosis compared with CWD (92%) and PPG (67%). The sensitivity of ABI was also significantly decreased in single level and moderate stenosis (45.1% and 42.1%, respectively). In contrast, the sensitivity of CWD and PPG was not significantly decreased. Conclusion: The ABI showed significantly decreased sensitivity especially in stenosis below the trifurcation level. Both PPG and CWD were complementary to ABI in these groups of patients.
First Case Report of Familial Hypercholesterolemia in an Omani Family Due to Novel Mutation in the Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Gene
Authors: Al-Hinai Ali T. , Al-Abri Abdulrahim , Al-Dhuhli Humoud , Al-Waili Khalid , Al-Sabti Hilal , Al-Yaarubi Saif , Al-Hashmi Khamis , Banerjee Yajnavalka , Al-Zakwani Ibrahim , Al-Rasadi Khalid
Published: November 2012

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder. Mutations have been found in at least 3 genes: the low-density lipoprotein receptor ( LDLR), apolipoprotein B ( APOB), and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 ( PCSK9). We report the first case of FH in an Omani family due to a novel mutation in the LDLR gene. A 9-year-old female was referred to our lipid clinic with eye xanthelasmata and thickening of both Achilles tendons. Evaluation of the lipid profile showed the off treatment total cholesterol of 896 mg/dL (23.2 mmol/L), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of 853 mg/dL (22.1 mmol/L), APOB of 4.5 g/L, triglyceride of 71 mg/dL (0.8 mmol/L), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 0.74 mmol/L. Genetic analysis of the LDLR gene showed a homozygous frameshift deletion mutation (272delG) at exon 3. The female patient was treated with a combination of rosuvastatin/ezetimibe and LDL apheresis.
Evaluating Interventions for Young Gifted Children Using Single-Subject Methodology
Authors: Walsh Rosalind L. , Kemp Coral
Published: November 2012

Single-subject experimental designs have long been used in special education to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for exceptional children. However, the design has not been used widely in gifted education. In this article, an overview of the main features of single-subject design is presented, and its potential for application in gifted education is discussed. The article concludes with a report of a preliminary single-subject study, conducted with a young gifted child, in which the effects of higher order questioning are investigated.
Putting the “We” Into Teamwork
Authors: Ford Jane , O’Hare David , Henderson Robert
Published: November 2012

Objective:

The study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of a manipulation derived from social categorization and social identity theory to promote greater cabin crew willingness to engage in intergroup communication and teamwork in airline operations.

Background:

Failures of communication and teamwork between airline crew have been implicated in a number of airline crashes.

Method:

Flight attendants based domestically ( n = 254) or overseas ( n = 230) received a manipulation designed to prime either their social identity or personal identity and then read a brief outline of an in-flight event before completing a teamwork questionnaire.

Results:

Flight attendants who received a social identity prime indicated increased willingness to engage in coordinated team action compared with those who received a personal identity prime.

Conclusion:

Priming social identity can enhance attitudes toward teamwork and communication, potentially leading to increased willingness to engage in intergroup cooperation.

Application:

Social categorization and social identity theories can be used to inform joint training program development for flight attendants and pilots to create increased willingness for group members to participate in effective communication and teamwork behaviors.
Dental Abnormalities in a Mouse Model for Craniometaphyseal Dysplasia
Authors: Dutra E.H. , Chen I.-P. , Reichenberger E.J.
Published: November 2012

Mice carrying a knock-in mutation (Phe377del) in the Ank gene replicate many skeletal characteristics of human craniometaphyseal dysplasia, including hyperostotic mandibles. AnkKI/KI mice have normal morphology of erupted molars and incisors but excessive cementum deposition with increased numbers of Ibsp- and Dmp1-positive cells on root surfaces. The cervical loops of adult AnkKI/KI lower incisors are at the level of the third molars, while they are close to the mandibular foramen in Ank+/+ mice. Furthermore, AnkKI/KI incisors show decreased eruption rates, decreased proliferation of odontoblast precursors, and increased cell apoptosis in the stellate reticulum. However, their capability for continuous elongation is not compromised. Quantification of TRAP-positive cells in the apical ends of AnkKI/KI incisors revealed decreased osteoclast numbers and osteoclast surfaces. Bisphosphonate injections in Ank+/+ mice replicate the AnkKI/KI incisor phenotype. These results and a comparison with the dental phenotype of Ank loss-of-function mouse models suggest that increased cementum thickness may be caused by decreased extracellular PPi levels and that the incisor phenotype is likely due to hyperostosis of mandibles, which distinguishes AnkKI/KI mice from the other Ank mouse models.
Speaking With Ethnographers
Authors: Sandberg Sveinung , Copes Heith
Published: November 2012

In ethnographic research, expectations and guidelines presented in textbooks often differ from the practice of researchers in the field. This is especially true when studying criminals in general and drug dealers in particular. Based on qualitative interviews with 15 ethnographers studying drug dealers, we discuss seven important methodological issues that emerge when doing this type of research. These issues include approach/recruitment, enticing consent/payment, drug use of both participants and researchers, the use of audio recorders, physical and legal security, ethical dilemmas, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) problems. We argue that ethnographers need to make “standing decisions” about how to address issues about recruiting participants, enticing them to consent, recording interviews, consuming drugs or alcohol, addressing ethical dilemmas, and dealing with IRBs. Having these standing decisions will facilitate more methodologically rigorous and ethically sound decisions, and produce higher quality research.
The dynamics of terror during the Peruvian civil war
Authors: Fielding David , Shortland Anja
Published: November 2012

The international community has a declared intention to protect civilians from deliberate violence in civil conflicts. The optimal type of foreign intervention and its optimal timing are likely to depend on the combat strategies of the belligerents. Weak belligerents unable to provide economic incentives and security guarantees to civilians often follow a strategy of intimidation and terror. In this case, foreign financial support for one side could affect the strategies of both sides in several different ways, and the interaction between the two sides’ strategies could magnify the resulting impact on civilian casualties. Using a new monthly time-series dataset, we explore the factors associated with variations in the intensity of civilian abuse by participants in the guerrilla war in Peru during the 1980s and 1990s. We show that an increase in civilian abuse by one side was strongly associated with subsequent increases in abuse by the other. In this type of war, foreign intervention could substantially reduce the impact on civilians of a sudden rise in conflict intensity, by moderating the resulting ‘cycle of violence’. In practice, foreign interventions had a mixed record in Peru: financial support for the Peruvian military raised the level of violence against civilians, but counter-narcotics aid and development aid reduced it. These effects are consistent with a model in which different types of intervention have different effects on belligerents’ resource capacity and on the opportunity cost of fighting.
A History of the North American Band Directors’ Coordinating Committee, 1960–1970
Authors: Seybert John M.
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the institutional history and documentary evidence of the North American Band Directors’ Coordinating Committee (NABDCC) during the first decade of its existence, from 1960 through 1970. The NABDCC constituted a forum of national band, music industry, and related associations, including the American Bandmasters Association, College Band Directors National Association, and the National Association of Music Merchants, for examining mutual concerns critically and for fostering discussion with experts outside of the wind profession. The research questions addressed the development of the NABDCC, important events in its history, and the specific issues in music education examined by the committee. Important issues in instrumental music that were discussed by the NABDCC included the role of the band in the school curriculum, music advocacy, federal and state legislation, standards-based education, and the inclusion of new musical styles and ensembles. Various themes across these issues emerged from the study, including the difficulties of collaboration within a multifaceted representation of specific interests and the oscillating relationship between music educators and the music industry. The results of this study contribute to enhanced understanding of 1960s instrumental music education, with implications for the present.
Monkey See, Monkey Do? The Effect of Nonverbal Conductor Lip Rounding on Visual and Acoustic Measures of Singers’ Lip Postures
Authors: Daugherty James F. , Brunkan Melissa C.
Published: November 2012

If singers, without prior prompting, mimicked a conductor’s nonverbal behavior and if this mimicry changed their vocal sound in less than a second, then such a phenomenon could interest vocal music teachers as a time-efficient pedagogical strategy. We tested this claim (“What they see, you will get”), which appears in choral methods literature, by measuring visual and acoustic responses to one nonverbal conductor behavior in a particular singing context. Specifically, we sought to determine whether singers ( N = 114) performing the first phrase of Mozart’s motet, “Ave Verum Corpus,” would mimic a conductor’s rounded lip posture on two /u/ vowels. We also wondered whether conductor lip rounding affected these singers’ tone quality. Visual measures (within-subjects photo comparisons and photo grid analyses) indicated that more than 90% of participants displayed more lip rounding on both /u/ vowels in the experimental condition as compared with baseline. Formant frequency profiles indicated that more than 90% of singers lowered all four examined formant frequencies each time the conductor rounded his lips. We discussed these converging visual and acoustic data in terms of the study’s limitations, potential pedagogical implications of mimicry by vocal performers, and directions for future research.
“It’s Like a Whole Bunch of Me!”
Authors: Bartolome Sarah J.
Published: November 2012

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore the perceived values and benefits associated with participation in a highly successful community-based girls’ choral ensemble. The benefits of membership in the Seattle Girls’ Choir organization were explored, with particular attention to the expressed values and observed behaviors of choristers. Regular choir rehearsals, musicianship classes, festival and summer camp experiences, concert performances, faculty, staff and board meetings, and other community events were documented carefully and examined during a yearlong period of fieldwork. Semistructured interviews with choristers, faculty members, parents, and staff members were used to elicit participant perspectives on the girls’ choir experience and the perceived values and benefits of participation. Emergent themes included music, personal, social, and external benefits, which were examined in an effort to augment an ever-growing understanding of modern music-making and the value of music engagement in the lives of participants.
Social Production of Space in Johor Bahru
Authors: Nasongkhla Sirima , Sintusingha Sidh
Published: November 2012

Debates on the social production of urban spaces have been embedded in human geography and urban sociology since the 1970s. This paper analyses and interprets how different social perceptions, constructions and ‘lived’ experiences of space contribute to urban studies in the fast-growing city of Johor Bahru, under Iskandar Malaysia, that is regarded as the dual city of Singapore. This is addressed through the investigation of urban transformation in the city centre, field observations and interviews with developers in Iskandar Malaysia and inhabitants in an urban kampong (village) located in the expanded metropolitan area. The paper also discusses the Malaysian capitalist modernisation manifested in urban redevelopment that drives socio-spatial transformation and results in the decline of the old centre and massive suburban sprawl, while reinforcing the cultural hegemony of spaces by the dominant socioeconomic class and ethnic groups.
Audience Clicks and News Placement
Authors: Lee Angela M. , Lewis Seth C. , Powers Matthew
Published: November 2012

The rise of sophisticated tools for tracking audiences online has begun to change the way media producers think about media audiences. This study examines this phenomenon in journalism, building on a revised theoretical model that accounts for greater audience engagement in the gatekeeping process. Research suggests that news editors, after long resisting or ignoring audience preferences, are becoming increasingly aware of and adaptive to consumer tastes as manifest via metrics. However, research also finds a gap in the news preferences of editors and audiences. This study asks: Who influences whom more in this disparity? Through longitudinal secondary data analysis of three U.S. online newspapers, and using structural equation modeling, this study finds that (a) audience clicks affect subsequent news placement, based on time-lagged analysis; (b) such influence intensifies during the course of the day; (c) there is no overall lagged effect of news placement on audience clicks; and (d) the lagged effect of audience clicks on news placement is stronger than the inverse. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Reconciling Passive and Motivated Learning
Authors: Elenbaas Matthijs , de Vreese Claes , Schuck Andreas , Boomgaarden Hajo
Published: November 2012

Representative democracy requires that citizens express informed political opinions, and in order to inform their opinions, they must have the opportunity to acquire relevant facts from the media. In view of increasing audience segmentation, such opportunity may vary according to how widely political information diffuses across the various sources available in a media environment. However, it remains uncertain how differences in information saturation correspond with differences in information acquisition. Drawing on data from a rolling cross-sectional survey with nearly 60 waves and media content analyses spanning four European countries, this article examines whether a wider availability of information in collective media environments facilitates acquisition of such information. It also specifies the conditions under which this effect differs for people with different levels of learning motivation. Using a multilevel model, we find the media environment to be a remarkably powerful force in equipping people with political information. We also find that better-motivated citizens initially benefit disproportionately from the availability of information, yet motivation-based discrepancies in learning disappear entirely when media coverage becomes more prevalent.
The Securitization of Urban Space and the “Rescue” of Downtown Mexico City
Authors: Becker Anne , Müller Markus-Michael
Published: November 2012

One important feature of the neoliberalization of urban governance around the world has been the rise of an urban entrepreneurialism promoting projects of urban renewal and the upgrading of historic city centers. These developments contribute to an increasing securitization of urban space and the eviction of “undesirables” from the renewed and upgraded areas. An examination of these processes in the implementation of the “rescue” of Mexico City’s historic center and the related securitization of urban space in the neighborhood of La Merced reveals that the implementation and sustainability of this local urban renewal project is constantly challenged and modified by the presence of powerful illegal actors and informal practices of negotiation.

Una característica de la neoliberalización de gobernabilidad urbana en el mundo ha sido el acenso de un empresarialismo urbano el cual promueve la renovación urbana y mejoramiento de los centros históricos. Estos procesos contribuyen al incremento de la segurización del espacio urbano y a la expulsión de “indeseables” de la áreas de renovación y mejoramiento. Un examen de estos procesos en la implementación del “rescate” del centro histórico de la Ciudad de México y la relacionada segurización del espacio urbano en el barrio de la Merced pone en relieve que la implementación y sostenibilidad de este proyecto de renovación urbana se encuentra retado constantemente por la presencia de actores ilegales y poderosos y prácticas informales de negociación.
The buffering effect of coping strategies in the relationship between job insecurity and employee well-being
Authors: Cheng Ting , Mauno Saija , Lee Cynthia
Published: November 2012

The modern labour market features job insecurity (JI) as an unavoidable stressor. This study considers the influence of personal coping strategies by combining the conservation of resources with spillover theory. Do coping strategies buffer the negative effects of JI on well-being (work engagement, marital satisfaction and emotional energy at work and home)? A cybernetic coping scale distinguishes five coping strategies and a survey of 2764 Finnish employees reveals that changing the situation and symptom reduction buffer the negative effect of JI on emotional energy at work and home, respectively. Devaluation and accommodation have buffering tendencies in relation to work engagement and marital satisfaction. Thus, more engaged coping strategies reduce the negative effects of JI on employee well-being. Employees who use disengaged coping (i.e. avoidance) instead are less likely to remain engaged at work, such that frequent use of avoidance coping strengthens the negative relationship between JI and employee well-being.
Using Logistic Approximations of Marginal Trace Lines to Develop Short Assessments
Authors: Stucky Brian D. , Thissen David , Orlando Edelen Maria
Published: November 2012

Test developers often need to create unidimensional scales from multidimensional data. For item analysis, marginal trace lines capture the relation with the general dimension while accounting for nuisance dimensions and may prove to be a useful technique for creating short-form tests. This article describes the computations needed to obtain logistic approximations of marginal trace lines for graded response items derived from multidimensional bifactor item response theory (IRT) models. Next, the properties of marginal-trace-line-based likelihoods are evaluated and compared with other bifactor IRT methods. It is noted that for the dimension of interest, the likelihoods computed from marginal item response functions are not equivalent to the conditional likelihoods from the multidimensional IRT model. The authors then propose a method that evaluates the degree of item-level dimensionality and allows for the selection of subsets of items (i.e., short form) that result in scaled scores and standard errors that are equivalent to other multidimensional IRT-based scoring procedures. Finally, a real-data application is provided, which illustrates the utility of logistic approximations of marginal trace lines in the creation of a content-diverse short form.
Deriving Stopping Rules for Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Testing
Authors: Wang Chun , Chang Hua-Hua , Boughton Keith A.
Published: November 2012

Multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (MCAT) is able to provide a vector of ability estimates for each examinee, which could be used to provide a more informative profile of an examinee’s performance. The current literature on MCAT focuses on the fixed-length tests, which can generate less accurate results for those examinees whose abilities are quite different from the average difficulty level of the item bank when there are only a limited number of items in the item bank. Therefore, instead of stopping the test with a predetermined fixed test length, the authors use a more informative stopping criterion that is directly related to measurement accuracy. Specifically, this research derives four stopping rules that either quantify the measurement precision of the ability vector (i.e., minimum determinant rule [D-rule], minimum eigenvalue rule [E-rule], and maximum trace rule [T-rule]) or quantify the amount of available information carried by each item (i.e., maximum Kullback–Leibler divergence rule [K-rule]). The simulation results showed that all four stopping rules successfully terminated the test when the mean squared error of ability estimation is within a desired range, regardless of examinees’ true abilities. It was found that when using the D-, E-, or T-rule, examinees with extreme abilities tended to have tests that were twice as long as the tests received by examinees with moderate abilities. However, the test length difference with K-rule is not very dramatic, indicating that K-rule may not be very sensitive to measurement precision. In all cases, the cutoff value for each stopping rule needs to be adjusted on a case-by-case basis to find an optimal solution.
Gender Disparities in Scholarly Productivity within Academic Otolaryngology Departments
Authors: Eloy Jean Anderson , Svider Peter , Chandrasekhar Sujana S. , Husain Qasim , Mauro Kevin M. , Setzen Michael , Baredes Soly
Published: November 2012

Objective

To examine whether there are gender disparities in scholarly productivity within academic otolaryngology departments, as measured by academic rank and the h‐index, a published, objective measure of research contributions that quantifies the number and significance of papers published by a given author.

Study Design and Setting

Analysis of bibliometric data of academic otolaryngologists.

Methods

Faculty listings from academic otolaryngology departments were used to determine academic rank and gender. The Scopus database was used to determine h‐index and publication range (in years) of these faculty members. In addition, 20 randomly chosen institutions were used to compare academic otolaryngologists to faculty members in other surgical specialties.

Results

Mean h‐indices increased through the rank of professor. Among academic otolaryngologists, men had significantly higher h‐indices than women, a finding also noted on examination of faculty members from other specialties. Men had higher research productivity rates at earlier points in their career than women did. The productivity rates of women increased and equaled or surpassed those of men later in their careers. Men had higher absolute h‐index values at junior academic ranks. Women academic otolaryngologists of senior rank had higher absolute h‐indices than their male counterparts.

Conclusions

The h‐index measures research significance in an objective manner and indicates that although men have higher overall research productivity in academic otolaryngology, women demonstrate a different productivity curve. Women produce less research output earlier in their careers than men do, but at senior levels, they equal or exceed the research productivity of men.