bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Involvement of NO in gastric emptying of semi‐solid meal in conscious pigs
Authors: Lefebvre R. A. , Dick J. M. C. , Guérin S. , Malbert C.‐H.
Published: March 2005

Abstract  The influence of non‐selective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition on gastric emptying of a semi‐solid meal was studied in conscious pigs. Antro‐duodenal motility and fundic compliance were also assessed to evaluate the mechanisms at the origin of potential alteration in gastric emptying pattern. NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (l‐NAME; 20 mg kg−1 i.v.) delayed gastric emptying (half‐emptying time of 128.98 ± 16.86 min vs 73.74 ± 7.73 min after saline, P < 0.05, n = 6) as a result of decreased proximal gastric emptying. No changes were observed for distal gastric emptying as a result of unchanged antral motility. Similarly, no changes were noted on duodenal motor patterns either in the fasted or in the fed state. l‐NAME decreased fundic compliance in fasted state (49 ± 11 mL mmHg−1vs 118 ± 15 mL mmHg−1 after saline, P < 0.05, n = 6). As this phenomenon is expected to increase emptying rate, the gastroparesis induced by NOS inhibition is thus likely to originate from distal resistive forces. It is concluded that NO positively modulates gastric emptying.
The role of imaging in urinary incontinence
Authors: Artibani Walter , Cerruto Maria A.
Published: March 2005

A detailed history, physical examination, symptom and quality‐of‐life assessment, and urine analysis are unanimously considered essential components of the initial evaluation of urinary incontinence. Beyond these assessments, there are no universally accepted recommendations and, to date, imaging is not recommended in the initial management of urinary incontinence. In selected patients, urodynamics and/or a radiographic evaluation may be indicated. According to International Continence Society guidelines, imaging of the upper and lower urinary tract is indicated only if renal damage or pelvic pathology are suspected; video‐urodynamics and voiding cysto‐urethrography are considered optional diagnostic tests and continue to be refined; magnetic resonance imaging is considered an important research tool in evaluating lower urinary tract disorders, but at present its clinical role remains investigational.
Factors influencing the difference between maternal and cord blood lead
Authors: Harville E W , Hertz-Picciotto I , Schramm M , Watt-Morse M , Chantala K , Osterloh J , Parsons P J , Rogan W
Published: March 2005

Aims:To determine the factors that affect why some infants receive higher exposures relative to the mother’s body burden than do others.

Methods:A total of 159 mother-infant pairs from a cohort of women receiving prenatal care at Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA from 1992 to 1995 provided blood samples at delivery for lead determination. The difference between cord and maternal blood lead concentration (PbB) and a dichotomous variable indicator of higher cord than maternal PbB, were examined as indicators of relative transfer. Women were interviewed twice during the pregnancy about lifestyle, medical history, calcium nutrition, and physical activity.

Results:Higher blood pressure was associated with relatively greater cord compared with maternal PbB, as was maternal alcohol use. Sickle cell trait and higher haemoglobin were associated with a lower cord relative to maternal blood lead PbB. No association was seen with smoking, physical exertion, or calcium consumption.

Conclusion:While reduction in maternal exposure will reduce fetal exposure, it may also be possible to mitigate infant lead exposure by reducing transfer from the pregnant woman. Interventions aimed at reducing blood pressure and alcohol consumption during pregnancy may be useful in this regard.
Procédé optimisé de décontamination des cendres volantes d'incinérateur de déchets municipaux : enlèvement et récupération des métaux (Cd, Pb, Al, Zn) avec recirculation des lixiviats traités
Authors: Levasseur Béatrice , Chartier Myriam , Blais Jean-Francois , Mercier Guy
Published: March 2005

Fly ashes produced by the incineration of municipal solid wastes are usually considered as hazardous wastes. The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a closed circuit decontamination process. The latter includes the reuse of treated process effluents and leads to the production of treated ashes that respect the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). The process should also reduce the production of metallic hazardous wastes and the operating costs. The results show that the process removes 70 ± 3% Cd and 18 ± 4% Pb from fly ashes during the chemical leaching (alkaline and acid) steps. The optimized process generates two types of metallic wastes. The first, representing 13 kg/tct (tons of treated ashes), is a nonhazardous waste produced during the nucleationprecipitation step at pH = 5. The second is classified as hazardous waste and is produced subsequently by precipitation at pH = 7. The production of this metallic hazardous waste is estimated at 29 kg/tct. The treated fly ashes respect the three leaching tests performed in this study, including the TCLP. Significant decreases in the water consumption (91%) and of chemicals used (12%) have been realized, in comparison with a reference decontamination process. These improvements result in a 36% decrease of the operating costs. Key words: fly ash, air pollution control residues (APCR), decontamination, metals, leaching, nucleation, precipitation, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP), synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP).
gp91phox-containing NAD(P)H oxidase mediates attenuation of nitric oxide-dependent control of myocardial oxygen consumption by ANG II
Authors: Kinugawa Shintaro , Zhang Juhua , Messina Eric , Walsh Erin , Huang Harer , Kaminski Pawel M. , Wolin Michael S. , Hintze Thomas H.
Published: March 2005

We have previously reported that ANG II stimulation increased superoxide anion (O2−) through the activation of NAD(P)H oxidase and inhibited nitric oxide (NO)-dependent control of myocardial oxygen consumption (MV̇o2) by scavenging NO. Our objective was to investigate the role of NAD(P)H oxidase, especially the gp91phox subunit, in the NO-dependent control of MV̇o2. MV̇o2 in mice with defects in the expression of gp91phox [gp91phox(−/−)] was measured with a Clark-type oxygen electrode. Baseline MV̇o2 was not significantly different between wild-type (WT) and gp91phox(−/−) mice. Stimulation of NO production by bradykinin (BK) induced significant decreases in MV̇o2 in WT mice. BK-induced reduction in MV̇o2 was enhanced in gp91phox(−/−) mice. BK-induced reduction in MV̇o2 in WT mice was attenuated by 10−8 mol/l ANG II, which was restored by coincubation with Tiron or apocynin. In contrast to WT mice, BK-induced reduction in MV̇o2 in gp91phox(−/−) mice was not altered by ANG II. There was a decrease in lucigenin (5 × 10−6 mol/l)-detectable O2− in gp91phox(−/−) mice compared with WT mice. ANG II resulted in significant increases in O2− production in WT mice, which was inhibited by coincubation with Tiron or apocynin. However, ANG II had no effect on O2− production in gp91phox(−/−) mice. Histological examination showed that the development of abscesses and/or the invasion of inflammatory cells occurred in lungs and livers but not in hearts and kidneys from gp91phox(−/−) mice. These results indicate that the gp91phox subunit of NAD(P)H oxidase mediates O2− production through the activation of NAD(P)H oxidase and attenuation of NO-dependent control of MV̇o2 by ANG II.
Sympathetic activation restrains endothelium-mediated muscle vasodilatation in heart failure patients
Authors: Santos Amilton C. , Alves Maria J. N. N. , Rondon Maria U. P. B. , Barretto Antonio C. P. , Middlekauff Holly R. , Negrão Carlos E.
Published: March 2005

Although the vasodilatory response during mental stress is blunted in heart failure (HF), the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not fully understood. We tested the hypothesis that sympathetic activity limits the endothelium-dependent vasodilatation during mental stress in chronic HF patients. Twenty-one HF patients (age 45 ± 2 yr, functional classes III and IV, New York Heart Asssociation) and 22 age-matched normal controls (NC; age 42 ± 2 yr, P = 0.13) were studied at rest and during 4 min of Stroop color-word test with brachial intra-arterial saline, acetylcholine (endothelium dependent), phentolamine (α-blocker), and phentolamine plus acetylcholine infusion. Forearm blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography. Baseline forearm vascular conductance (FVC) was significantly lower in HF patients (2.18 ± 0.12 vs. 3.66 ± 0.22 units, P = 0.001). During mental stress with saline, the changes in FVC were significantly blunted in HF patients compared with NC (0.92 ± 0.20 vs. 2.13 ± 0.39 units, P = 0.001). In HF, the vasodilatation with acetylcholine was similar to saline control and significantly lower than in NC. In HF patients, phentolamine significantly increased FVC responses (1.16 ± 0.20 vs. 2.09 ± 0.29 units, P = 0.001), and the difference between HF patients and NC tended to decrease (2.09 ± 0.29 vs. 3.61 ± 0.74 units, P = 0.052). The vasodilatation with phentolamine plus acetylcholine was similar between HF and NC (4.23 ± 0.73 vs. 4.76 ± 1.03 units, P = 0.84). In conclusion, sympathetic activation mediates the blunted muscle endothelium-mediated vasodilatation during mental stress in HF patients.
Non-rigid registration of a 3D ultrasound and a MR image data set of the female pelvic floor using a biomechanical model
Authors: Verhey Janko F , Wisser Josef , Warfield Simon K , Rexilius Jan , Kikinis Ron
Published: March 2005

Background

The visual combination of different modalities is essential for many medical imaging applications in the field of Computer-Assisted medical Diagnosis (CAD) to enhance the clinical information content. Clinically, incontinence is a diagnosis with high clinical prevalence and morbidity rate. The search for a method to identify risk patients and to control the success of operations is still a challenging task. The conjunction of magnetic resonance (MR) and 3D ultrasound (US) image data sets could lead to a new clinical visual representation of the morphology as we show with corresponding data sets of the female anal canal with this paper.

Methods

We present a feasibility study for a non-rigid registration technique based on a biomechanical model for MR and US image data sets of the female anal canal as a base for a new innovative clinical visual representation.

Results

It is shown in this case study that the internal and external sphincter region could be registered elastically and the registration partially corrects the compression induced by the ultrasound transducer, so the MR data set showing the native anatomy is used as a frame for the US data set showing the same region with higher resolution but distorted by the transducer

Conclusion

The morphology is of special interest in the assessment of anal incontinence and the non-rigid registration of normal clinical MR and US image data sets is a new field of the adaptation of this method incorporating the advantages of both technologies.
Effect of Locally Delivered Doxycycline Hyclate on Human Fibroblast Attachment to Subgingival Calculus
Authors: Sayed‐Suleyman Amer , Yukna Raymond A. , Vastardis Sotirios , Layman Don , Lallier Thomas
Published: March 2005

Background: Clinical studies using locally applied doxycycline hyclate (DHV) have demonstrated significant probing depth reduction and gain in clinical attachment as a monotherapy without scaling and root planing. The mechanism for this attachment level gain to the non‐root planed tooth is not understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of locally applied doxycycline hyclate on human gingival fibroblast attachment to subgingival calculus on contaminated root surfaces.

Methods: Two separate experiments were performed, both on subgingival calculus. In experiment 1, teeth with subgingival calculus were treated with either doxcycycline hyclate in bioabsorbable vehicle (DHV) or with vehicle control (VC) in vivo. In experiment 2, teeth with subgingival calculus were treated with DHV, VC, scaling and root planing (SRP), or no treatment in vitro. The amount of cell attachment to calculus‐covered root surfaces was quantitatively compared using a fluorescent dye assay and epifluorescence microscope. Values for cell attachment are presented as the mean ± standard deviation of the mean. The data were evaluated using Student t test.

Results: In both experiments, there was no statistically significant difference in fibroblast attachment in the DHV, VC, or no treatment groups (P >0.05). The SRP group showed significantly more cellular attachment to tooth surfaces formerly covered by subgingival calculus than all other groups (P <0.001). In general, more cells attached to cementum than to calculus. Root chips that showed no attachment to the subgingival calculus also had no cells attached to the adjacent cemental root surface.

Conclusion: The addition of doxycycline hyclate in a bioabsorbable vehicle used as a locally delivered drug did not enhance the initial cellular attachment of human gingival fibroblasts to subgingival calculus or contaminated root surfaces. J Periodontol 2005;76:221‐228.
Proliferation of Fibroblasts Cultured From Normal Gingiva and Hereditary Gingival Fibromatosis Is Dependent on Fatty Acid Synthase Activity
Authors: Almeida J.P. , Coletta R.D. , Silva S.D. , Agostini M. , Vargas P.A. , Bozzo L. , Graner E.
Published: March 2005

Background: Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is the enzyme that synthesizes palmitate from malonyl‐CoA and acetyl‐CoA. Recent studies have shown that FAS is overexpressed in human cancers and that its activity is necessary for cell proliferation. Hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) is a genetic disease manifested as a progressive enlargement of the gingiva. The pathogenesis of this condition is not understood; however, a proliferative advantage of HGF fibroblasts in comparison with cells from normal gingiva (NG) has been described. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of FAS in NG and HGF fibroblast proliferation.

Methods: NG and HGF fibroblasts had their proliferative potential assessed by automated cell counting and immunocytochemistry against Ki‐67 or proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The production of FAS, androgen receptor (AR), and ErbB2 was analyzed by Western blot and the pattern of FAS expression studied by immunocytochemistry. FAS activity was blocked by the specific inhibitor cerulenin.

Results: Higher proliferation rates were found in fibroblasts isolated from HGF than from NG. HGF fibroblasts with greater proliferative potential produced more FAS and AR than the cell lines with lower growth rates, and all studied cell lines produced similar amounts of the ErbB2 protein. In addition, the FAS inhibitor cerulenin was able to significantly reduce the proliferation of both NG and HGF cells.

Conclusions: These results show that FAS is expressed by gingival fibroblasts and that highly proliferative HGF cells produced more FAS and AR than the other fibroblast cell lines. Moreover, FAS inhibition significantly reduced both NG and HGF fibroblast growth, suggesting a role for the androgen‐driven fatty acid biosynthesis in their proliferation. J Periodontol 2005;76:272‐278.
Prevalence of nonsyndromic oral clefts in Texas: 1995–1999
Authors: Hashmi Syed Shahrukh , Waller D. Kim , Langlois Peter , Canfield Mark , Hecht Jacqueline T.
Published: March 2005

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with/without cleft palate (NSCLP) and nonsyndromic cleft palate only (NSCPO) are common complex birth defects affecting 4,000 newborns annually. We undertook a descriptive study of oral clefts in Texas, focusing on the effect of folic acid fortification and Hispanic ethnicity on the prevalence of oral clefts as these factors have not previously been described. Data on 896 infants with NSCLP and NSCPO born between 1995 and 1999 in Texas were compared to all births in Texas during the same period. Prevalence odds ratios (POR) were calculated for maternal ethnicity, race, age, parity, public health region of residence, highest level of education, and infant gender. The effect of folic acid fortification on oral clefts was also examined. Compared with whites, adjusted POR were 0.97 (95% CI = 0.77–1.23) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.72–1.14) for NSCLP and 0.46 (95% CI = 0.30–0.72) and 0.62 (95% CI = 0.42–0.90) for NSCPO in foreign‐born and US‐born Hispanics, respectively. After fortification was implemented, the rate of NSCLP did not decrease. However, there was a 13% decrease in the prevalence of NSCPO (adjusted POR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.68–1.15). Compared to whites, the rates in US‐born and foreign‐born Hispanic women were similar for NSCLP and much lower for NSCPO. The small reduction of 13% in NSCPO after folic acid fortification is imprecise and should be interpreted cautiously. Overall, it appears that folic acid fortification has had very little or no effect on the prevalence of oral clefts in infants born in Texas. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Health‐related quality of life during neoadjuvant treatment and surgery for localized esophageal carcinoma
Authors: Blazeby Jane M. , Sanford Emma , Falk Stephen J. , Alderson Derek , Donovan Jenny L.
Published: March 2005

BACKGROUND

Esophagectomy has a negative influence on health‐related quality of life (HRQL) during the first postoperative year, but it is not known how chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy treatment before surgery affects HRQL. The current study examined HRQL during preoperative chemotherapy/chemoradiotherapy treatment and compared postoperative recovery of HRQL in patients undergoing combined treatment with patients undergoing surgery alone.

METHODS

One hundred three patients completed standardized HRQL measures before and during neoadjuvant treatment and before and after surgery. Mean HRQL scores were calculated and preoperative scores were used to model postoperative ratings using linear regression.

RESULTS

Deterioration in most aspects of HRQL occurred during preoperative chemotherapy. Patients proceeding to concomitant radiotherapy further deteriorated with specific problems with reflux symptoms and role function (difference between means >15, P < 0.01). After neoadjuvant treatment, but before surgery, HRQL returned to baseline levels. Six weeks after surgery, patients reported marked reductions in physical, role, and social function (difference between means > 30, P < 0.01) and increase in fatigue, nausea and emesis, pain, dyspnea, appetite loss, and coughing (difference between means > 15, P < 0.01). Recovery of HRQL was not hampered by preoperative treatment, and fewer problems with postoperative nausea, emesis, and dysphagia were reported by patients who had undergone neoadjuvant treatment compared with patients who had undergone surgery alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy had a negative impact on HRQL that was restored in patients proceeding to surgery. Recovery of HRQL after esophagectomy was not impaired by neoadjuvant treatment. These results supported the use of neoadjuvant treatment before surgery. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Signaling through FGF receptor‐2 is required for lens cell survival and for withdrawal from the cell cycle during lens fiber cell differentiation
Authors: Garcia Claudia M. , Yu Kai , Zhao Haotian , Ashery‐Padan Ruth , Ornitz David M. , Robinson Michael L. , Beebe David C.
Published: March 2005

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) play important roles in many aspects of development, including lens development. The lens is derived from the surface ectoderm and consists of an anterior layer of epithelial cells and elongated, terminally differentiated fiber cells that form the bulk of the tissue. FGF signaling has been implicated in lens induction, proliferation, and differentiation. To address the role of FGFs in lens development, we inactivated FGF receptor‐2 (Fgfr2) using a Cre transgene that is expressed in all prospective lens cells from embryonic day 9.0. Inactivation of Fgfr2 shows that signaling through this receptor is not required for lens induction or for the proliferation of lens epithelial cells. However, Fgfr2 signaling is needed to drive lens fiber cells out of the cell cycle during their terminal differentiation. It also contributes to the normal elongation of primary lens fiber cells and to the survival of lens epithelial cells. Developmental Dynamics 233:516–527, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Subcortical lesions after transient thread occlusion in the rat: T2‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging findings without corresponding sensorimotor deficits
Authors: Wegener Susanne , Weber Ralph , Ramos‐Cabrer Pedro , Uhlenkueken Ulla , Wiedermann Dirk , Kandal Korinna , Villringer Arno , Hoehn Mathias
Published: March 2005

Purpose

To investigate infarct evolution and functional consequences of exclusive subcortical or cortico‐subcortical strokes, transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was conducted in Wistar rats.

Materials and Methods

MCAO was induced in male Wistar rats (260–300 g) for 60 minutes. Lesion volumes and absolute T2 times on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were assessed 1 and 14 days after MCAO using a 4.7‐T MRI animal scanner in conjunction with functional testing (adhesive tape removal, cylinder test, and ledged beam walking).

Results

Functional test scores were not distinguishable between sham‐operated animals (N = 5) and those with exclusive caudoputaminal infarct (N = 8; group cp), but showed significant deficits in animals with cortico‐subcortical infarction (N = 10; group cp+). The cp group had lower absolute T2 times and a more pronounced reduction in T2 lesion volume over time than the subcortical component in the cp+ group. There was no correlation of T2 lesion size or absolute T2 times and functional impairment in either group.

Conclusion

When judged from functional tests alone, subcortical ischemic lesions may not be diagnosed reliably. Furthermore, T2‐weighted (T2‐w) MRI does not well anticipate functional deficits in primarily striatal lesions. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:340–346. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Myocardial blood flow in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: Quantitative assessment with velocity‐encoded cine magnetic resonance imaging of the coronary sinus
Authors: Watzinger Norbert , Lund Gunnar K. , Saeed Maythem , Reddy Gautham P. , Araoz Philip A. , Yang Ming , Schwartz Alan B. , Bedigian Martin , Higgins Charles B.
Published: March 2005

Purpose

To quantify global myocardial perfusion using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with heart failure due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) and to compare myocardial perfusion and microvascular reactivity with healthy subjects.

Materials and Methods

A total of 19 subjects (healthy volunteers (N = 12) and IDC patients (N = 7)) were studied using cine MRI to measure left ventricular (LV) mass and a velocity‐encoded cine MRI technique to measure coronary sinus flow at rest and after dipyridamole‐induced hyperemia. Absolute values of total myocardial blood flow (MBF) were calculated from coronary sinus flow and LV mass.

Results

At baseline, MBF was not significantly different in patients with IDC (0.48 ± 0.07 mL/minute/g) and healthy subjects (0.55 ± 0.19 mL/minute/g, P= 0.41). After dipyridamole administration, MBF in IDC patients increased to a level significantly less than that in normal volunteers (1.05 ± 0.35 mL/minute/g vs. 1.99 ± 1.05 mL/minute/g, P < 0.05). Consequently, MBF reserve was impaired in patients with IDC (2.19 ± 0.77) compared to that in healthy subjects (3.51 ± 1.29, P < 0.05). A moderate correlation was found between MBF reserve and LV ejection fraction (r = 0.48, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

MBF reserve is reduced in patients with IDC, indicating that coronary microcirculatory flow is impaired. This integrated MRI approach allows quantitative measurement of global MBF in humans and may have the potential to study the effects of pharmacological interventions on myocardial perfusion. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:347–353. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dobutamine‐induced stress affects intracellular uptake of manganese: A quantitative magnetic resonance imaging study in pigs
Authors: Eriksson Rolf , Johansson Lars , Bjerner Tomas , Ahlström Håkan
Published: March 2005

Purpose

To determine whether there are differences in increase in longitudinal relaxation rate (ΔR1) in the myocardium between bolus administration of Mn2+ ions during rest and during dobutamine‐induced stress and, additionally, to determine whether there are differences in ΔR1 between bolus injection and infusion of Mn2+ ions during dobutamine‐induced stress.

Materials and Methods

Pigs were divided into three groups with six pigs in each group. All animals received 15 μmol MnCl2/kg of body weight (b.w.) intravenously either as a bolus injection (groups 1 and 2) or as an infusion over one minute (group 3). The animals in groups 2 and 3 were subjected to dobutamine stress before injection of MnCl2, while those in group 1 were not given dobutamine. T1 was quantified in the myocardium and left ventricular blood pool before contrast injection and repeatedly during a one‐hour postinjection period.

Results

A significant difference in ΔR1 between the groups with and the group without dobutamine stress was noted in the myocardium up to 45 minutes after contrast agent injection. No such significant difference was found between pigs that received the contrast agent as a bolus injection compared to infusion.

Conclusion

Dobutamine stress increases uptake of manganese ions in the myocardium. This increase was independent of whether the contrast agent was administered as a bolus injection or as an infusion. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:360–364. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Standardized assessment of whole body adipose tissue topography by MRI
Authors: Machann Jürgen , Thamer Claus , Schnoedt Birgit , Haap Michael , Haring Hans‐Ulrich , Claussen Claus D. , Stumvoll Michael , Fritsche Andreas , Schick Fritz
Published: March 2005

Purpose

To assess standardized whole body adipose tissue topography in a cohort of subjects at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and to compare fat distribution in subgroups regarding anthropometric (age, body mass index [BMI]) and metabolic parameters (insulin sensitivity).

Materials and Methods

A total of 80 volunteers (40 females, 40 males) underwent T1‐weighted MR imaging of the entire body. Standardized adipose tissue (AT) profiles were calculated considering the different body structure of the participants. The measured data were interpolated to a defined number of sampling points enabling a direct comparison of the profiles independent on body structure. Resulting mean profiles and region‐dependent standard deviations of four age groups and three BMI‐groups were compared for females and males. Correlations between insulin sensitivity and body fat distribution were analyzed.

Results

Reliable adipose tissue profiles could be obtained from all volunteers. In BMI‐matched subgroups, females show significant higher AT and subcutaneous abdominal AT (P < 0.05 both), but lower visceral AT (P < 0.01) compared to the males. Furthermore, visceral AT increases with age, as shown in the matched age groups. In both gender groups, insulin‐resistant subjects are characterized by higher visceral adipose tissue (VAT) compared to insulin‐sensitive subjects. In addition, profiles of insulin‐resistant subjects show more AT in the shoulder/neck region but less AT in the upper extremities.

Conclusion

Standardized assessment of whole body AT profiles based on T1‐weighted MRI provides a reliable basis for interindividual comparison of the body fat distribution and allows a fast and reliable quantification of total body adipose tissue and the distribution of different AT components as subcutaneous and visceral fat in different body regions. Differences in standardized profiles might enable an early identification of people at risk of metabolic disorders, as not only the amount but also the distribution of AT is expected to play an essential role in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:455–462. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Optimization of the arterial input function for myocardial perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance
Authors: Elkington Andrew G. , He Taigang , Gatehouse Peter D. , Prasad Sanjay K. , Firmin David N. , Pennell Dudley J.
Published: March 2005

Purpose

To determine how injection rate, cardiac function, and breathhold influence the arterial input function (AIF), in order to optimize the AIF in the clinical setting for quantitative myocardial perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).

Materials and Methods

Gd (0.1 mmol/kg) bolus was injected at 3, 5, or 7 mL/second in 35 patients. In each cardiac cycle during the first‐pass, a series of saturation recovery (SR) fast low‐angle shot (FLASH) low resolution images with exponentially increasing SR delay times were acquired. Signal intensity (SI) time measurements were made from a region of interest (ROI) drawn in the ascending aorta (AA). The calculation of short T1s and thus peak Gd concentration [Gd] was performed by fitting the mean ROI SI against SR delay times.

Results

The mean peak [Gd] in the AA increased as injection rate increased from 3 mL/second (5.0 mM), to 5 mL/second (7.1 mM), to 7 mL/second (4 mM) (P < 0.0001). The peak [Gd] increased as the left ventricular stroke volume (LV SV) increased (P = 0.01). Breath holding was not found to influence peak [Gd].

Conclusion

In this study, we found that a high injection rate has advantages over lower injection speeds, although the duration of the AIF was apparently not significantly shortened by faster injection. The choice of expiration or inspiration as breathhold did not have a significant influence upon the AIF. Poor cardiac function was associated with a lower peak [Gd], indicating that first pass perfusion measurements in these patients will be suboptimal. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:354–359. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Test of the health promotion model as a causal model of commitment to a plan for exercise among Korean adults with chronic disease
Authors: Shin YunHee , Yun SangKyun , Pender Nola J. , Jang HeeJung
Published: March 2005

The purpose of this study was to test seven constructs (prior experience of exercise, perceived health status, exercise benefits, exercise barriers, exercise self‐efficacy, social support for exercise, and options for exercise) from the health promotion model (HPM) as a causal model of commitment to a plan for exercise in a sample of 400 Korean adults with chronic disease. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that all fit indices indicated a good fit. The final model accounted for 54% of the variance in commitment to a plan for exercise. Prior experience with exercise and exercise benefits were the factors most highly related. Health professionals can assess prior experience and emphasize personally relevant benefits of exercise in designing intervention programs to help Korean adults with chronic disease become more physically active. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 28:117–125, 2005
Coping with appraised breast cancer risk among women with family histories of breast cancer
Authors: Lancaster Diane R.
Published: March 2005

This descriptive correlational study was based on Neuman's Systems Model and was designed to examine how women with family histories of breast cancer appraise and cope with breast cancer risk. Ninety percent of 209 women in the sample appraised their degree of breast cancer threat as moderate or high. Women with high degrees of appraised risk had low breast cancer risk scores, while women with moderate degrees of appraised risk had higher risk scores. The most common and effective coping modes used were confrontive, optimistic, and early detection behaviors. Over 75% of women either did not use evasive, emotive, palliative, and fatalistic modes of coping, or rated them as ineffective. Canonical correlation analyses revealed five different patterns of appraisal and coping behaviors and lent support to the premise that the type of coping behaviors used varies with how breast cancer risk is appraised. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 28:144–158, 2005
PICK‐1: A scaffold protein that interacts with Nectins and JAMs at cell junctions
Authors: Reymond Nicolas , Garrido-Urbani Sarah , Borg Jean-Paul , Dubreuil Patrice , Lopez Marc
Published: March 2005

Nectin adhesion molecules are involved in the early steps of cell junction formation. Later during the polarisation process, Nectins are components of epithelial adherens junctions where they are indirectly associated with the E‐cadherin/Catenins complex via the adaptator AF‐6. To have a better understanding of Nectin‐based cell junctions, we looked for some new Nectins’ partners. We demonstrate that the scaffold molecule PICK‐1, involved in the clustering of junctional receptors in synaptic junctions, interacts directly with Nectins in a PSD‐95/Dlg/ZO‐1 domain‐dependent manner and is localised at adherens junctions in epithelial cells. Finally, we observed that protein interacting with C‐kinase‐1 (PICK‐1) also interacts directly with the junctional adhesion molecules, and we suggest that PICK‐1 could be involved in the regulation of both adherens and tight junctions in epithelial cells.
Complementation of two mutant p53: Implications for loss of heterozygosity in cancer
Authors: Demidenko Zoya N. , Fojo Tito , Blagosklonny Mikhail V.
Published: March 2005

Remarkably, a cancer cell rarely possesses two mutant p53 proteins. Instead, mutation of one allele is usually associated with loss of the second p53 allele. Why do not two mutant p53 co‐exist? We hypothesize that two different p53 may complement each other, when expressed at equal levels. By titrating trans‐deficient and DNA‐binding‐deficient p53 in cells with mutant p53 and by co‐transfecting distinct mutant p53 in p53‐null cells, we demonstrated activation of p53‐dependent transcription. We suggest that, due to complementation of two mutant p53, cancer cells need to delete the second p53 allele rather than mutate it.
14C chronology for ice retreat and inception of Champlain Sea in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, Canada
Authors: Richard Pierre J.H. , Occhietti Serge
Published: March 2005

AMS radiocarbon cross-dating of plant debris and marine shells trapped in a lake basin on Mount St. Hilaire (Québec, Canada) provides a direct assessment of a reservoir effect totaling ca. 1800 14C years during the early stage of Champlain Sea. Pollen-based extrapolation of bottommost ages on terrestrial plant macrofossils in sediments of this lake, and of another lake nearby support an estimate of 11,100 ± 100 14C yr B.P. for marine invasion in the Central St. Lawrence River Lowlands. Results indicate a 400–1000 years younger regional chronology of ice retreat, now congruent with the one inferred from the New England varve chronology. This is a summary of a longer paper to be published in French.
Heterogeneity in southern Central Indian Ridge MORB: Implications for ridge–hot spot interaction
Authors: Murton Bramley J. , Tindle Andrew G. , Milton J. Andrew , Sauter Daniel
Published: March 2005

Between the Rodrigues Triple Junction and the Marie Celeste fracture zone, basalts from the Central Indian Ridge (CIR) exhibit an enrichment in incompatible elements that increases in intensity northward. In addition, H2O/TiO2, Al[8], and Dy/Yb ratios increase, while Na[8] remains unchanged and Fe[8] decreases. Evolution of the enriched magma appears to be affected by elevated water contents, which lower the mantle solidus, thereby increasing the initial depth of melting, as well as delaying plagioclase crystallization. However, the enrichment affecting the northern samples is not a just function of hydrous mantle melting and crystallization. Instead of trending toward a small melt fraction from the mantle, as predicted by hydrous melting models, the CIR samples lie on a mixing line between N‐MORB and a source component that closely resembles present‐day Réunion hot spot lavas. Thus it appears that while hydrous melting and crystallization affect the CIR, the enriched and wet mantle originates from the Réunion hot spot, where it migrates eastward toward the CIR, against the direction of motion of the lithosphere.
Impact of freshwater from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago on Labrador Sea Water formation
Authors: Myers Paul G.
Published: March 2005

The transport of freshwater is analyzed in an eddy‐permitting regional model of the sub‐polar North Atlantic, focusing on the export of freshwater (in liquid form) through Davis Strait. The results show that in the model simulations there is a limited exchange of freshwater between the Labrador shelf and the interior of the Labrador Sea. Very little of the freshwater exported from the Canadian Arctic gets taken up into the model Labrador Sea water (6–8%). Enhancing the freshwater export through Davis Strait by 2/3s has little effect on the freshwater content in the Labrador Sea interior, as well as on Labrador Sea Water formation.
Shifting Sands
Authors: Davis Thomas W.
Published: March 2005

This book traces the interaction of biblical studies and archaeology in Palestine. It highlights the field aspects of biblical archaeology, and clarifies the theoretical and methodological framework of the original excavators. Although biblical archaeology has been dismissed in favor of the new paradigm of Syro-Palestinian archaeology, the recognition of its positive contributions would restore a much needed balance to the current understanding of the growth and development of the field.
Power and the Spirit of God
Authors: Cooke Bernard
Published: March 2005

Both the Hebrew Bible and Christian scriptures equate the Spirit of God with power. Power is a diverse phenomenon in human experience; several instances of power are examined here with the help of social scientific and psychological analysis. The book then relates the divine Spirit power to each of these instances of power: force and violence, fear, official and religious authority, law, wealth, images and symbols, language, teaching, sexuality, friendship and love. Finally, as a synthesizing metaphor to help gain insight into the divine outreach, i.e. the Spirit of God, the author uses the experience of a human embrace, examining this with a phenomenological hermeneutic and correlating it to the various forms of power studied.
Investor Protection and Capital Market Regulation in Germany
Authors: Nowak Eric
Published: March 2005

La Porta et al . have shown that differences among countries in legal codes and enforcement of investor protection account for much of the disparity in the size and development of their financial markets. According to their empirical measure of shareholder protection, Germany scores only one out of five possible points on an aggregated index scale.

This chapter argues that this assessment is no longer correct, because Germany has reformed its capital market regulation in ways that now afford much greater shareholder protection. In four sections, the chapter examines these developments and their effect on changes in corporate governance and investor protection to date.
New Risks—Are They Still New for the Nordic Welfare States?
Authors: Timonen Virpi
Published: March 2005

Nordic welfare states led the way in consolidating new social risk provision through welfare state social care and active labour market policies some two decades ago. Current provision has successfully resisted threats from the instabilities associated with the end of the Soviet system and globalisation. Key questions now are (1) will it be possible to integrate new poor groups such as migrants and refugees into the system?, and (2) will better‐off groups continue to support the levels of taxation necessary to provide high standards in collective benefits and services?
Saving and the Effectiveness of Financial Education
Authors: Lusardi Annamaria
Published: March 2005

This chapter examines the impact of retirement seminars on the savings and investment behaviour of households. Retirement seminars have the greatest effect on families at the lowest income levels and those with low education. Seminar attendance can increase both financial and net worth by 20%, and even more across subgroups of low education. Seminars also increase total wealth inclusive of pension and Social Security for both high and low education families.
Environmental Taxation and Revenue for Development
Authors: Sandmo Agnar
Published: March 2005

The taxation of externalities is the subject of this first of seven chapters that examine potential sources of development funding. It considers the possible role of environmental taxes for economic development. The chapter starts with a review of the welfare economics theory of environmental taxation in a single closed economy (analytical details are provided in an appendix A). The different sections then discuss alternatives to taxes as instruments of environmental policy, considering both fixed and transferable quotas; review the double dividend issue; consider the extent to which distributional concerns should be reflected in the design of environmental policy; take up some special problems in the application of environmental externalities to developing economies; extend the analysis from the single country case to the case of global externalities, where each individual country is affected by the environmental pollution of all other countries (the discussion is with specific reference to the carbon tax, and a formal analysis in the context of a two‐country model is given in a second appendix); consider the political economy of global environmental taxes, by comparing alternative tax designs with regard to the equity‐efficiency trade‐off; discuss some practical problems of tax collection; and evaluate the revenue potential of environmental taxes with special reference to the carbon tax.
Revenue Potential of the Tobin Tax for Development Finance: A Critical Appraisal
Authors: Nissanke Machiko
Published: March 2005

The principal objective here is to assess the potential of currency transactions taxes (CTTs) – the celebrated Tobin tax – to raise revenues that can be used for developmental purposes. Thus, though Tobin proposed and others assessed CTTs in terms of reducing exchange rate volatility and improving macroeconomic policy environments, this chapter considers the CTT first and foremost from the standpoint of revenue and treats its potential to achieve valuable double dividends (such as the promotion of financial stability and policy autonomy) as a subsidiary objective. With a view of establishing the ‘permissible’ range of tax rates to obtain realistic estimates of revenue potential from CTTs, the debate on the effects of CTTs on market liquidity and the efficiency of foreign exchange markets is reviewed, and the P. B. Spahn proposal for a two‐tier currency tax briefly assessed. Next, a number of issues raised in the debate on the technical and political feasibility of CTTs are discussed, followed by an evaluation of several new proposals, such as those advanced by R. Schmidt and R. P. Mendez. The last two sections of the chapter present estimates of the potential revenue from CTTs in light of recent changes in the composition and structure of foreign exchange markets and give a concluding assessment of the potential of CTTs as a revenue‐raising tax instrument and their ability to achieve double dividends.
Ambiguous Pronoun Resolution
Authors: Järvikivi Juhani , van Gompel Roger P.G. , Hyönä Jukka , Bertram Raymond
Published: March 2005

A visual-world eye-tracking experiment investigated the influence of order of mention and grammatical role on resolution of ambiguous pronouns in Finnish. According to the first-mention account, general cognitive structure-building processes make the first-mentioned noun phrase the preferred antecedent of an ambiguous pronoun. According to the subject-preference account, the preferred antecedent is the grammatical subject of the preceding clause or sentence. Participants listened to sentences in either subject-verb-object or object-verb-subject order; each was followed by a sentence containing an ambiguous pronoun that referred to either the subject or the object. Participants' eye movements were monitored while they looked at pictures representing the two possible antecedents of each pronoun. Analyses of the fixations on the pictures showed that listeners used both order-of-mention and grammatical-role information to resolve ambiguous pronouns.
Not Quite as Grown-Up as We Like to Think
Authors: Diamond Adele , Kirkham Natasha
Published: March 2005

Greater continuity in cognition between children and adults may exist than is usually appreciated. It was thought that after 3 to 4 years of age, the problem in switching on the dimensional-change card-sort task disappears. We show here, however, that if speed is used as the dependent measure, the effect of the first dimension is evident even in adults. Adults, like preschoolers, show difficulty in switching from a block of sorting by color or shape to a block of sorting by the other dimension. Notably, performance throughout the session was affected by the first dimension by which stimuli were sorted. We hypothesize that perhaps adults never fully outgrow any of the cognitive and perceptual biases of infancy and early childhood. Other examples of such biases that appear to still be present in adults are discussed. Conversely, the assumption that the optimal dependent measure for adults is the most sensitive measure for children is questioned.
The historical universal: the role of cultural value in the historical sociology of Pierre Bourdieu
Authors: Bennett Tony
Published: March 2005

Best known for his pioneering study Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste, in which the aesthetic attitude of disinterestedness is accounted for as the expression of a class ethos, Bourdieu has become something of an icon of relativism. In thus effecting a Bakhtinian ‘discrowning’ of official hierarchies of the arts, he is often celebrated for his concern to place all tastes, popular and high, on a similar footing, equally rooted in specific class practices. Only a careless inattention could support such a conclusion. From his early interventions in French cultural policy debates up to and including The Rules of Art and Pascalian Meditations (1996), Bourdieu has consistently repudiated the view that a sociological approach to questions of aesthetic judgment must result in a levelling form of relativism. In exploring why this should be so, this paper considers the issues at stake in the forms of ‘historical universalism’ that are associated with Bourdieu's account of the autonomy of the aesthetic sphere. It does so with a view to identifying some of the difficulties underlying his understanding of sociology as a historical practice.
Do changes in effort-reward imbalance at work contribute to an explanation of the social gradient in angina?
Authors: Chandola T , Siegrist J , Marmot M
Published: March 2005

Aims:To determine whether an increase in effort-reward imbalance over time increases the risk of angina, and whether such increases are associated with lower occupational position.

Methods:Effort-reward imbalance (ERI) at work was measured in the Whitehall II occupational cohort of London based civil servants at baseline (1985–88) and in 1997. Coronary heart disease was measured in a self-reported health questionnaire by combining the Rose Angina Questionnaire with doctor diagnosed angina in 2001.

Results:Among men, increase in ERI over time was associated with an increased risk of incident angina. Moreover, as increases in ERI were more common among lower grade civil servants, change in imbalance, to some extent, contributed to explaining the social gradient in angina. Among women, increases in imbalance were not associated with risk of angina, and therefore did not contribute to the explanation of the social gradient.

Conclusions:Reductions in effort-reward imbalance at work may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease among men.