bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Composite Meteorological Forcing of Puerto Rican Springtime Flood Events
Authors: Jury Mark R. , Sanchez David M.
Published: September 2008

The central Antilles Islands experience short periods of heavy rainfall during the spring season (April and May) when trade winds weaken across the Caribbean Sea. Composite analysis of the top 10 flood events in the period 1979–2005 is carried out to understand the meteorological forcing. Cases are selected when mean rainfall over Puerto Rico exceeds 50 mm day−1 and emergency management reports indicate the day is a “declared weather disaster.” In the NCEP–NCAR composite analyses, pulses of moisture shift westward across the tropical Atlantic about 10 days before a flood event. Five days before the composite flood a westerly trough penetrates eastward from the Gulf of Mexico. Northward flow develops over the Caribbean Sea and a southwest-oriented cloud band extends from Colombia toward Puerto Rico. A key feature of the midtropospheric circulation field is the development of anomalous twin rotors east of Florida in the mid- to upper troposphere. The flood events coincide with a change in zonal wind shear from westerly to easterly that is brought about by slow tropical and fast subtropical wave systems.
Why Is Nature Beneficial?
Authors: Mayer F. Stephan , Frantz Cynthia McPherson , Bruehlman-Senecal Emma , Dolliver Kyffin
Published: September 2008

Three studies examine the effects of exposure to nature on positive affect and ability to reflect on a life problem. Participants spent 15 min walking in a natural setting (Studies 1, 2, & 3), an urban setting (Study 1), or watching videos of natural and urban settings (Studies 2 & 3). In all three studies, exposure to nature increased connectedness to nature, attentional capacity, positive emotions, and ability to reflect on a life problem; these effects are more dramatic for actual nature than for virtual nature. Mediational analyses indicate that the positive effects of exposure to nature are partially mediated by increases in connectedness to nature and are not mediated by increases in attentional capacity. The discussion focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the exposure to nature/well-being effects.
Reengineering Clinical Research Science
Authors: Ferrell Courtney B.
Published: September 2008

The burden of disease in the United States is high. Mental illness is currently the leading cause of disease burden among 15- to 44-year-olds. This phenomenon is occurring despite the many advances that have been made in clinical research. Several efficacious interventions are available to treat many of these disorders; however, they are greatly underutilized within community settings. Achievements in basic science such as the completion of the Human Genome project have provided access to the examination of the neurobiology of mental disorders. To address the overall burden of disease, a reengineering of clinical science must take place. Adopting a translational framework will capitalize on the synergy of integrating basic science and clinical knowledge to inform real-world practices. This article will define and discuss translational research and the current National Institutes of Health initiatives that have been developed to support its implementation.
Characterization of Multinuclear Hepatocytes Induced in Rats by Mitemcinal (GM-611), an Erythromycin Derivative
Authors: Hayashi Shuji , Fujii Etsuko , Kato Atsuhiko , Kimura Kazuya , Mizoguchi Keiji , Suzuki Masami , Sugimoto Tetsuro , Takanashi Hisanori , Itoh Zen , Ōmura Satoshi , Wanibuchi Hideki
Published: September 2008

Mitemcinal is an erythromycin derivative with motilin agonistic action, developed as a gastrointestinal motor-activating agent. The characteristics of mitemcinal-induced multinuclear hepatocytes (MNHs, hepatocytes with three or more nuclei per cell) from detailed morphological observations together with the results of a study on the mechanisms of MNH formation by combining cytocentrifuge preparations with 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine cumulative labeling are reported. MNHs were observed only in rats in the high-dose groups of the subchronic study, with a higher incidence in females and reversibility after twenty-eight days of drug withdrawal, but not observed in dogs. In the chronic study, the incidence increased relative to the dose. Histopathologically, MNHs were preferentially observed in the centrilobular zone, without nuclear atypia or mitotic figures. In the cell kinetic study, the labeling pattern of MNHs included all-positive, all-negative, and mixed labeling patterns of nuclei. The all-negative pattern indicated that the cells were formed by fusion of nondividing cells. The current results indicate that the cell kinetic approach effectively demonstrated the mechanism of mitemcinal-induced MNHs as fusion of hepatocytes and that drug-induced disturbance of mitosis is not involved in the multinucleation of MNHs by mitemcinal.
Histopathology of Vascular Injury in Sprague-Dawley Rats Treated with Phosphodiesterase IV Inhibitor SCH 351591 or SCH 534385
Authors: Zhang Jun , Snyder Ronald D. , Herman Eugene H. , Knapton Alan , Honchel Ronald , Miller Terry , Espandiari Parvaneh , Goodsaid Federico M. , Rosenblum Irwin Y. , Hanig Joseph P. , Sistare Frank D. , Weaver James L.
Published: September 2008

Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies were conducted to characterize vascular injuries in rats treated with phosphodiesterase (PDE) IV inhibitors SCH 351591 or SCH 534385. Sprague-Dawley rats were administered PDE IV inhibitors by gavage at a range of doses and times. The two PDE IV inhibitors induced comparable levels of vascular injury, primarily in the mesentery and to a lesser extent in the pancreas, kidney, liver, small intestine, and stomach. Mesenteric vascular changes occurred as early as one hour, progressively developed over twenty-four to forty-eight hours, peaked at seventy-two hours, and gradually subsided from seven to nine days. The typical morphology of the vascular toxicity consisted of hemorrhage and necrosis of arterioles and arteries, microvascular injury, fibrin deposition, and perivascular inflammation of a variety of blood vessels. The incidence and severity of mesenteric vascular injury increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner in SCH 351591- or SCH 534385-treated rats. Mesenteric vascular injury was frequently associated with activation of mast cells (MC), endothelial cells (EC), and macrophages (MØ). Immunohistochemical studies showed increases in CD63 immunoreactivity of mesenteric MC and in nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity of mesenteric EC and MØ. The present study also provides a morphological and cellular basis for evaluating candidate biomarkers of drug-induced vascular injury.
Biomarkers in Peripheral Blood Associated with Vascular Injury in Sprague-Dawley Rats Treated with the Phosphodiesterase IV Inhibitors SCH 351591 or SCH 534385
Authors: Weaver James L. , Snyder Ronald , Knapton Alan , Herman Eugene H. , Honchel Ronald , Miller Terry , Espandiari Parvaneh , Smith Roger , Gu Yi-Zhong , Goodsaid Federico M. , Rosenblum Irwin Y. , Sistare Frank D. , Zhang Jun , Hanig Joseph
Published: September 2008

Drug-associated vascular injury can be caused by phosphodiesterase (PDE) IV inhibitors and drugs from several other classes. The pathogenesis is poorly understood, but it appears to include vascular and innate immunological components. This research was undertaken to identify changes in peripheral blood associated with vascular injury caused by PDE IV inhibitors. We evaluated twelve proteins, serum nitrite, and leukocyte populations in peripheral blood of rats treated with experimental PDE IV inhibitors. We found that these compounds produced histological microvascular injury in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Measurement of these serum proteins showed changes in eight of the twelve examined. Changes were seen in the levels of: tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, α1-acid glycoprotein, GRO/CINC-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, thrombomodulin, and interleukin-6. No changes were seen in levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, hepatocyte growth factor, nerve growth factor, and granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor. Serum levels of nitrite were also increased. Circulating granulocyte numbers were increased, and lymphocyte numbers were decreased. The changes in these parameters showed both a dose- and time-dependent association with histopathologic changes. These biomarkers could provide an additional tool for the nonclinical and clinical evaluation of investigational compounds.
A Dual-label Technique for the Immunohistochemical Demonstration of T-Lymphocyte Subsets in Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Rat Lymphoid Tissue
Authors: Randall Kevin J. , Pearse Gail
Published: September 2008

Immunotoxicology has developed into an integral regulatory requirement of the toxicological assessment of xenobiotics. Histopathological assessment of lymphoid tissues can provide genuine insight into perturbations of lymphoid cell populations. To facilitate retrospective examination of lymphoid organs should concerns over immunotoxicity be raised, we have endeavored to develop a panel of immunohistochemical techniques to demonstrate T-cells and T-cell subsets in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded rat lymphoid tissues. We were successful in developing methods for CD3 and CD8 but failed to arrive at a satisfactory technique for the direct demonstration of CD4 in these tissues. Taking the assumption that the majority of mature T-cells are either CD4+ orCD8+, we have combined our methods for CD3 and CD8 in a novel dual-labeling IHC method to simultaneously demonstrate CD3, CD8, and, by implication, CD4 in rat spleen, thymus, lymph node, and Peyer’s patch.
Urinary Metabolic Fingerprinting for α-naphthylisothiocyanate-induced Intrahepatic Cholestasis in Rats Using Fourier Transform-ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Hasegawa Mina , Ide Mika , Fujita Takuya , Takenaka Shigeo
Published: September 2008

Urinary metabolic fingerprinting with Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) was performed to monitor metabolic changes in an α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced rat model of intrahepatic cholestasis and to investigate the relationships among metabolic changes, histopathology, and blood chemistry. ANIT was administered orally as a single dose of 100 mg/kg. Urine samples were collected predose (–31 to –24 hours) and postdose at 0–7, 7–24, 24–31, 31–48, 48–55, 55–72, and 72–96 hours, and serum samples were collected on days 1, 2, and 4 postdose. Increased levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin were seen on day 2. The negative ion profiles for urine samples collected after 7–24, 24–31, 31–48, and 48–55 hours differed from the predose profile based on principal component analysis. Onset of recovery was observed after 24–31 hours, when the urinary composition reverted toward the predose position. In conclusion, it is possible to monitor the progression of and recovery from drug-induced hepatotoxicity by urinary metabolic fingerprinting with FT-ICR MS and to search for potential biomarkers involved in intrahepatic cholestasis.
Spontaneous Rhabdomyosarcoma in a Young Sprague-Dawley Rat
Authors: Chang Shih-Chieh , Inui Kosei , Lee Wei-Cheng , Hsuan Shih-Ling , Chien Maw-Sheng , Chen Chung-Hsin , Chang Shi-Jan , Liao Jiunn-Wang
Published: September 2008

An eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat showed signs of emaciation, and masses were found in the subcutis around the cervical and thoracic regions. At necropsy, a multilobular mass, 2.2 x 1.8 x 2.0 cm in size, had grown from the left neck into the thoracic cavity. On a cutting surface, masses were firm and whitish to tan, with necrotic and hemorrhagic plaques. Microscopically, masses were composed of multiple nodules of tumor cells that were incompletely encapsulated with fibrous connective tissue. The tumor cells exhibited varied forms, from spindle to globoid shapes with minimal to abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, and appeared as large, multinucleated cells; many of the tumor cells were vacuolated. Histochemistry results revealed that tumor cells exhibited some cross-striation in the cytoplasm using PTAH staining. There were some multinuclear tumor cells with vacuoles located around the nuclei, and these vacuoles showed reddish staining by the periodic acid Schiff (PAS) method. Immunohistochemical staining also expressed intense granular cytoplasmic staining for desmin and myoglobin, with highly positive staining for PCNA, whereas α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was negative. Based on the pathology results, a spontaneous rhabdomyosarcoma with pleomorphic type was diagnosed in a young SD rat.
Histopathology of the Urinary Bladders of Cynomolgus Monkeys Treated with PPAR Agonists
Authors: Hardisty Jerry F. , Anderson Daniel C. , Brodie Scott , Cline J. Mark , Hahn Fletcher F. , Kolenda-Roberts Holly , Lele Subodh M. , Lowenstine Linda J.
Published: September 2008

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) are involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, diabetes, hyperlipidemias, and related complications. Consequently, a mechanistic understanding of PPAR subtypes and their activation provides promising therapeutic targets for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome. Available data from rodent carcinogenicity studies, however, demonstrate that PPAR agonists can be tumorigenic in one or more species of rodents at multiple sites. Sufficient data are not yet available to explain the mode(s) of action for most of these tumor types. There has been information presented by FDA that indicates there are urothelial changes in the monkey (and possibly the dog) in addition to the rat. Outstanding questions exist regarding potency, species differences, safety margins, and other issues.

In 2005, the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) PPAR Agonist Project Committee was established to advance research on the modes of action and potential human relevance of emerging rodent tumor data. Additionally, the HESI PPAR Agonist Project Committee authorized a Pathology Working Group (PWG) to examine the urinary bladder from cynomolgus monkeys. The focus of this PWG was to establish consistent diagnostic criteria for urothelial changes and to assess the potential relationship of these changes to treatment. Specific diagnostic criteria and nomenclature were recommended for the diagnosis of urothelial granules, vacuolation, hypertrophy, and hyperplasia in studies conducted with PPARγ and dual α/γ agonists in cynomolgus monkeys, which will assist investigators performing toxicity studies to provide data in a consistent manner between studies and laboratories. In this review of selected tissues, treatment with PPAR agonists was not associated with urothelial hypertrophy or hyperplasia, but there was an increased incidence in the size and frequency of vacuoles within the superficial urothelial and adjacent intermediate cell layers.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Appearance of a Repaired Capsulolabral Complex after Arthroscopic Bankart Repair
Authors: Yoo Jae Chul , Lee Yong Seuk , Tae Suk Kee , Park Jung Ho , Park Jong Woong , Ha Hae Chan
Published: September 2008

Background

Revision Bankart operations frequently show capsulolabral buttress loss and recurrent soft tissue Bankart lesion. Capsulolabral augmentation is designed to increase glenohumeral stability by 2 separate mechanisms: deepening the glenoid concavity and reducing capsular laxity. This is accomplished by shifting the capsule to buttress the glenoid labrum.

Hypothesis

A retained capsulolabral buttress may show loss of height and slope at a certain period after surgery, regardless of stability. Thus, the authors wanted to confirm the importance of an intraoperative establishment of capsulolabral buttress in terms of stability.

Study Design

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Arthroscopically repaired Bankart lesions in 21 consecutive shoulders that showed no frank dislocation were evaluated using axial and oblique coronal T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging at 3 timepoints (preoperative period, average postoperative week 6 and a nearly full range of motion recovery, and postoperative month 6 with a return to daily activity). The authors measured 2 parameters (height and slope) on axial (mainly capsulolabral containment) and oblique coronal images (mainly inferior glenohumeral ligament) at the anteroinferior portion of the glenoid (5 mm above the most inferior anchor). In addition, they compared the above-mentioned parameters at postoperative month 6 by magnetic resonance imaging in 21 controls and in 21 patients whose instability recurred after surgery (not included in the prospective study).

Results

There was a significant increase between the preoperative period and postoperative week 6 in all 4 parameters ( P < .0001). There was also a significant increase between the preoperative period and postoperative month 6 in all 4 parameters ( P < .0001). However, no statistically significant difference was observed between postoperative week 6 and postoperative month 6 in all 4 parameters ( P > .1). Furthermore, significant differences were observed between normal controls and patients with recurrent instability ( P < .001) and between the authors’ cases and patients with recurrent instability not in the study (P < .001). However, no difference was observed between their cases and normal shoulders ( P > .1).

Conclusion

After suture anchor Bankart repair, initial capsulolabral buttress property was maintained at 6 months postoperatively. Furthermore, the buttress was more prominent in stable and normal shoulders than in recurrent instability shoulders. Therefore, the authors believe that the establishment of a capsulolabral buttress is meaningful during Bankart repair.
Infant-Feeding Practices of Low-Income Vietnamese American Women
Authors: Mistry Yashmi , Freedman Marjorie , Sweeney Kathleen , Hollenbeck Clarie
Published: September 2008

Healthy People 2010 breastfeeding goals include 50% exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months. In California, US, Santa Clara County Women, Infants, and Children (SCCWIC) data indicated Asian participants had low (5.6%) 6-month breastfeeding rates. To examine infant-feeding practices, Vietnamese breastfeeding peer counselors surveyed 133 Vietnamese SCCWIC participants (≥ 18 years old, nonpregnant, < 28 months postpartum) using a structured questionnaire regarding intentions, attitudes, and subjective norms toward breastfeeding. Results indicated that 75% initiated breastfeeding in the hospital (33% exclusively, 42% partially), and 25% exclusively formula fed. At survey time, 49% had terminated breastfeeding (average duration 4.4 months). Feeding intentions during pregnancy predicted feeding method used ( P < .001). Most prenatal advice was from SCCWIC employees, friends, and doctors who supported breastfeeding. Most postnatal advice was from nurses who supported breastfeeding and bottle-feeding equally. Stronger control beliefs, peer counseling, and education were correlated with breastfeeding ( P < .001). Improved postdelivery hospital advice may further increase breastfeeding initiation and duration. J Hum Lact . 24(4):406-414.
Breastfeeding in Rural China: Association Between Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices
Authors: Ling Shi  , Jingxu Zhang  , Yan Wang  , Guyer Bernard
Published: September 2008

Breastfeeding rates have decreased in the past decade in China. This study identifies psychosocial and sociodemographic factors associated with breastfeeding practices. A total of 599 mothers of infants 2 to 4 months old were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Nearly all infants (95.5%) were breastfed, but only 4.2% were exclusively breastfed, and 48.7% were fully breastfed. Mothers' intention to breastfeed (odds ratio [OR] = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.39-2.01) and social support (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.002-1.50) were associated with full breastfeeding. Full breastfeeding prevalence decreased with children's age (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.98). Girls were more likely to be fully breastfed than boys (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.02). This study found that optimal breastfeeding practices during the first 4 months of life are not universal in rural China. Health care providers should be more actively involved in educating and motivating mothers and their family members to adopt optimal breastfeeding practices. J Hum Lact. 24(4):377-385.
Factor-Analytic and Individualized Approaches to Constructing Brief Measures of ADHD Behaviors
Authors: Volpe Robert J. , Gadow Kenneth D. , Blom-Hoffman Jessica , Feinberg Adam B.
Published: September 2008

Two studies were performed to examine a factor-analytic and an individualized approach to creating short progress-monitoring measures from the longer ADHD-Symptom Checklist-4 (ADHD-SC4). In Study 1, teacher ratings on items of the ADHD:Inattentive (IA) and ADHD:Hyperactive-Impulsive (HI) scales of the ADHD-SC4 were factor analyzed in a normative data sample of 493 students aged 5 to 12 years. Items with the highest factor loadings were then selected to create abbreviated IA and HI scales for Study 2. In Study 2, the psychometric characteristics of two shortened progress-monitoring measures (factor derived and individualized) and the original IA and HI scales of the ADHD-SC4 were examined in a sample of 26 students aged 4 to 17 years in a medication titration study involving baseline and three doses of methylphenidate. The results indicated comparable psychometric properties across the original and abbreviated versions of the IA and HI scales.
Picturing Validity
Authors: Watson Cate
Published: September 2008

In considering issues of “representation” and “realism,” the visual is inevitably invoked, yet in the current Western episteme, the relationship between the visible and the readable constitutes an enduring problem in which the image is generally subordinate to the text. In this article, the author examines what would happen if the usual relationship between verbal and visual was overturned and images were used to analyze text. In doing this, the author draws on the concept of “reverse ekphrasis” in the creation of a “gallery of validity,” which constitutes an interpretive framework for her autoethnographic research. The author situates this work within an approach characterized as the baroque, arguing that this provides a useful metaphor for qualitative research in the current moment.
Of Walking Shoes, Boats, Golf Carts, Bicycles, and a Slow Technoculture
Authors: Vannini Phillip , Vannini April
Published: September 2008

Drawing on participant observation conducted on Protection Island, British Columbia, this article examines the significance of technologies of movement and, in particular, embodied media. It advances the argument that embodied media (i.e., technologies of transportation) differ significantly from disembodied media (traditional information media and new media). Utilizing media ecology and symbolic interactionist theory, this visual, sensuous, reflexive, poetic, McLuhanesque ethnography shows how the uniqueness of technoculture on Protection Island is due to the unique local patterns of interaction between techniques and technics of movement. Such patterns are conceptualized as "heavy" and "slow," and their consequences for social relationships, and in particular the structure of space, are described and interpreted. Also discussed is the role of technography or ethnography of technology.
Blowback
Authors: House Ernest R.
Published: September 2008

Drug studies are often cited as the best exemplars of evaluation design. However, many of these studies are seriously biased in favor of positive findings for the drugs evaluated, even to the point where dangerous effects are hidden. In spite of using randomized designs and double blinding, drug companies have found ways of producing the results they want, including manipulation of treatment, selection of sample, control of data, and calculated publication. Regulatory agencies have been neutralized. We have entered an era when evaluations are controlled by sponsors to produce the findings they want. Evaluations have become too important to be left to the evaluators. Such deceptive practices threaten the integrity of the evaluation field, perhaps its existence. There is no doubt these practices will spread into educational and social evaluation.
Job Stress of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists
Authors: Ferney Harris Stephanie , Prater Mary Anne , Dyches Tina Taylor , Allen Heath Melissa
Published: September 2008

Stress and burnout contribute significantly to the shortages of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs). At the request of the Utah State Office of Education, the researchers measured the stress levels of 97 school-based SLPs using the Speech-Language Pathologist Stress Inventory. Results indicated that participants' emotional-fatigue manifestations, instructional limitations, biobehavioral manifestations, lack of professional supports, and total stress were significantly below that of the original national sample. However, of the 48 survey items, participants' responses indicated more stress in three specific areas, namely, caseload size, salary, and the use of prescription drugs. Caseload and salary have been identified in other studies as major sources of stress for SLPs. No significant differences in stress were identified with the type of school district (rural and urban), number of years' experience, or number of students served. Efforts to reduce stress levels of SLPs should be aimed at increasing supports, reducing caseloads, and increasing salaries.
Reliability and Sensitivity of a Wrist Rig to Measure Motor Control and Spasticity in Poststroke Hemiplegia
Authors: Turk Ruth , Notley Scott V. , Pickering Ruth M. , Simpson David M. , Wright Philip A. , Burridge Jane H.
Published: September 2008

Background. Objective assessment of impairments after stroke is vital for evidence-based therapy and progress monitoring. Objective. This study determines the utility of outcome measures obtained from an instrumented wrist rig for future rehabilitation trials. The tests undertaken were evaluated in terms of sensitivity to detect differences between normal and impaired participants, test-retest repeatability (repeatability coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]), and interrater agreement (Bland and Altman limits of agreement). Methods . Twelve participants with chronic poststroke hemiparesis (mean 5.6 years); and 12 unimpaired volunteers performed a series of tasks in the rig. The hemiparetic arm (impaired group) and dominant arm (unimpaired group) were tested in 3 sessions on the same day by 2 assessors. Signals were analyzed to derive a tracking index (motor control), stretch index (spasticity), flexor modulation index (FMI) (muscle activation), force angle index (FAI) (stiffness), range of movement, and isometric force. Results and Conclusions. The means of all tests differed between impaired and unimpaired participants except for range of movement into flexion, the FAI, and the FMI. Repeatability coefficients for each test are presented as benchmark values for use in future trials in which the wrist rig tests may be used to detect change. Test-retest reliability was excellent in the impaired group (ICC = 0.88-0.98) and poor to excellent in the unimpaired group (ICC = 0.06-0.89). The Bland-Altman ranges showed no bias between assessors, and that the interassessor variability was similar to that between repeats by the same assessor for most tests.
Estimating the Minimal Clinically Important Difference of the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement Measure
Authors: Hsieh Yu-Wei , Wang Chun-Hou , Sheu Ching-Fan , Hsueh I-Ping , Hsieh Ching-Lin
Published: September 2008

Background. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM) measure is unknown, which limits the application and interpretation of change scores. Objective. To estimate the MCID of the 3 subscales (ie, lower extremity, upper extremity, and mobility subscales) of the STREAM using the method of patients' global ratings of change. Methods. Eighty-one stroke patients participated in this study. The patients' global ratings of change were used to rate their changes of limb movements and basic mobility skills on the 15-point Likert scale. The mean change scores on the 3 subscales of STREAM of the MCID group (ie, scored on +2 to +3 or —2 to —3) served as the estimates of the MCID. Results. There were 42, 38, and 43 patients in the MCID group, and the estimates of the MCID were 2.2, 1.9, and 4.8 points for the upper-extremity subscale, lower-extremity subscale, and mobility subscale, respectively. Conclusions. These findings suggest that if the mean change scores on the 3 subscales of the STREAM within a stroke group have reached 2.2, 1.9, and 4.8 points, the change scores on the 3 subscales of the STREAM can be perceived by patients as clinically important.
A New Principal for Tchikobou High School
Authors: Boncana Mohomodou , Crow Gary M.
Published: September 2008

This case study explains the functional or practical difficulties that many organizations face when they change their leaders. By describing the experiences of the two principals, two distinct styles of leadership are displayed, each of which provides the reader with the opportunity to understand some aspects of frames in organizations: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic. The case also illustrates conceptual frameworks about the tacit difficulties change agents may encounter as they attempt to implement their visions in environments where the organizational culture is not prepared for the change or is simply resistant to it.
New Institutional Economics and Information History — Is There a Point of Contact?
Authors: Mäkinen Ilkka
Published: September 2008

Argues that library and information history needs to become more theoretical. Examines the work of the economic historian Douglas C. North and suggests that the perspectives he presents might be exploited by library and information historians. It is the cultural heritage, including the accumulation and forms of knowledge, that determines levels of success in economies, something which has important implications for those conceptualizing and researching knowledge, or information, history.
Regulation of the divalent metal ion transporter DMT1 and iron homeostasis by a ubiquitin-dependent mechanism involving Ndfips and WWP2
Authors: Foot Natalie J. , Dalton Hazel E. , Shearwin-Whyatt Linda M. , Dorstyn Loretta , Tan Seong-Seng , Yang Baoli , Kumar Sharad
Published: September 2008

Many ion channels and transporters are regulated by ubiquitination mediated by the Nedd4 family of HECT-type ubiquitin ligases (E3s). These E3s commonly interact with substrates via their WW domains that bind to specific motifs in target proteins. However, not all potential targets of these E3s contain WW-binding motifs. Therefore, accessory proteins may mediate the interaction between Nedd4 family members and their targets. Here we report that the divalent metal ion transporter DMT1, the primary nonheme iron transporter in mammals, is regulated by ubiquitination mediated by the Nedd4 family member WWP2. DMT1 interacts with 2 WW domain-interacting proteins, Ndfip1 and Ndfip2, previously proposed to have roles in protein trafficking. This promotes DMT1 ubiquitination and degradation by WWP2. Consistent with these observations, Ndfip1−/− mice show increased DMT1 activity and a concomitant increase in hepatic iron deposition, indicating an essential function of Ndfip1 in iron homeostasis. This novel mechanism of regulating iron homeostasis suggests that Ndfips and WWP2 may contribute to diseases involving aberrant iron transport.
Influence of thrombophilia on risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism while on warfarin: results from a randomized trial
Authors: Kearon Clive , Julian Jim A. , Kovacs Michael J. , Anderson David R. , Wells Philip , MacKinnon Betsy , Weitz Jeffrey I. , Crowther Mark A. , Dolan Sean , Turpie Alexander G. , Geerts William , Solymoss Susan , van Nguyen Paul , Demers Christine , Kahn Susan R. , Kassis Jeannine , Rodger Marc , Hambleton Julie , Gent Michael , Ginsberg Jeffrey S.
Published: September 2008

We sought to determine whether thrombophilic defects increase recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) during warfarin therapy. Six hundred sixty-one patients with unprovoked VTE who were randomized to extended low-intensity (international normalized ratio [INR], 1.5-1.9) or conventional-intensity (INR, 2.0-3.0) anticoagulant therapy were tested for thrombophilia and followed for a mean of 2.3 years. One or more thrombophilic defects were present in 42% of patients. The overall rate of recurrent VTE was 0.9% per patient-year. Recurrent VTE was not increased in the presence of factor V Leiden (hazard ratio [HR], 0.7; 95% CI, 0.2-2.6); the 20210G>A prothrombin gene mutation (HR, 0); antithrombin deficiency (HR, 0); elevated factor VIII (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.1-5.4); elevated factor XI (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.1-5.0), or elevated homocysteine (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.1-5.3), but showed a trend to an increase with an antiphospholipid antibody (HR, 2.9; 95% CI, 0.8-10.5). Compared with patients with no thrombophilic defects, the rate of recurrence was not increased in the presence of one (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.2-2.3) or more than one (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.2-3.4) defect. We conclude that single or multiple thrombophilic defects are not associated with a higher risk of recurrent VTE during warfarin therapy.
Multidimensional protein fractionation using ProteomeLab PF 2D™ for profiling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis immunity: A preliminary report
Authors: Schlautman Joshua D , Rozek Wojciech , Stetler Robert , Mosley R Lee , Gendelman Howard E , Ciborowski Pawel
Published: September 2008

Background

The ProteomeLab™ PF 2D platform is a relatively new approach to global protein profiling. Herein, it was used for investigation of plasma proteome changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients before and during immunization with glatiramer acetate (GA) in a clinical trial.

Results

The experimental design included immunoaffinity depletion of 12 most abundant proteins from plasma samples with the ProteomeLab™ IgY-12 LC10 column kit as first dimension separation, also referred to as immuno-partitioning. Second and third dimension separations of the enriched proteome were performed on the PF 2D platform utilizing 2D isoelectric focusing and RP-HPLC with the resulting fractions collected for analysis. 1D gel electrophoresis was added as a fourth dimension when sufficient protein was available. Protein identification from collected fractions was performed using nano-LC-MS/MS approach. Analysis of differences in the resulting two-dimensional maps of fractions obtained from the PF 2D and the ability to identify proteins from these fractions allowed sensitivity threshold measurements. Masked proteins in the PF 2D fractions are discussed.

Conclusion

We offer some insight into the strengths and limitations of this emerging proteomic platform.
Radiographic outcome of surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in males versus females
Authors: Ameri Ebrahim , Behtash Hamid , Mobini Bahram , Omidi-Kashani Farzad , Momeni Behnam
Published: September 2008

Background

Studies on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis have well documented the differences between natural history of male and female patients. There are also differences in responses to nonoperative treatment, but the results of operative treatment in male patients compared with females have not been widely reported. Only few studies had compared the outcomes of operative treatment between male and female patients with different results.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the outcome of 150 (112 girls and 38 boys) consecutive patients with diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who were managed surgically between May 1996 and September 2005. Next, male radiographic parameters were compared with female ones pre- and postoperatively. Then, a subgroup of 38 matched girls was compared regarding the age, curve type, curve magnitude, and the instrumentation we used.

Results

In comparing male patients with unmatched girls, the boys had greater mean age (17.3 ± 2.3 vs. 16.3 ± 2.9; p = 0.049), greater primary curve (71.4 ± 21.3° vs. 62.7 ± 17.5°; p = 0.013), less flexibility (30.1 ± 13.5% vs. 40.3 ± 17.8%; p = 0.01), and less correction percentage (51.3 ± 12.9% vs. 58.8 ± 16.5%; p = 0/013). The loss of correction was comparable between the two groups. In the matched comparison, the flexibility in boys was less than girls (30.1 ± 13.5% vs. 38.1 ± 17.5%; p = 0.027). Also, the boys had a smaller correction percentage compared to the girls, but this finding was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

There was similar distribution curve pattern between male and female patients with AIS. Males had more rigid primary curves compared to females but a similar degree of postoperative scoliosis correction. Male AIS patients were older at the time of surgery. These preoperative gender differences, however; did not compromise the radiological outcomes of surgical treatment and the results were comparable between the genders.
Evaluation of Patient Navigation in a Community Radiation Oncology Center Involved in Disparities Studies: A Time-to- Completion-of-Treatment Study
Authors: Schwaderer Karen A. , Proctor Julian W. , Martz Elaine F. , Slack Robert J. , Ricci Edmund
Published: September 2008

Purpose:

To evaluate whether data on length of time from patient referral to treatment completion, collected routinely as part of a quality improvement program, can be used to measure the effectiveness of a patient navigator program.

Patients and Methods:

During a calendar year, 72 disparities patients, 38 of whom received navigator services, and a group of 157 nondisparate, un-navigated patients received external beam radiation therapy at a community center. Data from referral time through completion of treatment, which had been collected routinely under an existing continuous quality improvement program, were compared retrospectively, as well as missed treatments and the percentage of planned treatments completed, for three patient groups.

Results:

The average number of days from referral to consult and from consult to start of treatment were lower for the navigated disparate group (6.66 and 14.56 days, respectively) than un-navigated groups (disparate: 7.37 and 15.97 days; non-disparate: 8.97 and 16.24 days, respectively). The percentage of patients completing treatment was lower for the navigated group (85%) than the un-navigated groups (95% and 97%), despite equivalent treatment percentage completion rates for all groups (97.0% to 98.8%). The navigated group missed more treatment days (1.86 days/patient) than the un-navigated disparate group (0.47 days/patient) or the non-disparate group (0.83 days/patient.)

Conclusion:

Some statistically insignificant differences were noted in favor of patient navigation (PN) but the significance is unclear because of the large data spread and the small numbers of patients. Given that the study was retrospective, it is also unclear whether these differences were influenced by the patient navigator. Repeat studies using the same data elements will provide a better platform for assessing whether such data can provide a measure of the effectiveness of PN in the radiation oncology setting. Given that the patients were not observed routinely by the navigator after the start of treatment unless a particular barrier was identified, there is an opportunity to assess whether interventions by the navigator could improve treatment completion rates and reduce the number of missed treatments.
Bezafibrate, a Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors Agonist, Decreases Body Temperature and Enhances Electroencephalogram Delta-Oscillation during Sleep in Mice
Authors: Chikahisa Sachiko , Tominaga Kumiko , Kawai Tomoko , Kitaoka Kazuyoshi , Oishi Katsutaka , Ishida Norio , Rokutan Kazuhito , Séi Hiroyoshi
Published: September 2008

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors belonging to the nuclear receptor family. PPARs play a critical role in lipid and glucose metabolism. We examined whether chronic treatment with bezafibrate, a PPAR agonist, would alter sleep and body temperature (BT). Mice fed with a control diet were monitored for BT, electroencephalogram (EEG), and electromyogram for 48 h under light-dark conditions. After obtaining the baseline recording, the mice were provided with bezafibrate-supplemented food for 2 wk, after which the same recordings were performed. Two-week feeding of bezafibrate decreased BT, especially during the latter half of the dark period. BT rhythm and sleep/wake rhythm were phase advanced about 2–3 h by bezafibrate treatment. Bezafibrate treatment also increased the EEG delta-power in nonrapid eye movement sleep compared with the control diet attenuating its daily amplitude. Furthermore, bezafibrate-treated mice showed no rebound of EEG delta-power in nonrapid eye movement sleep after 6 h sleep deprivation, whereas values in control mice largely increased relative to baseline. DNA microarray, and real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that bezafibrate treatment increased levels of Neuropeptide Y mRNA in the hypothalamus at both Zeitgeber time (ZT) 10 and ZT22, and decreased proopiomelanocortin-α mRNA in the hypothalamus at ZT10. These findings demonstrate that PPARs participate in the control of both BT and sleep regulation, which accompanied changes in gene expression in the hypothalamus. Activation of PPARs may enhance deep sleep and improve resistance to sleep loss.
Up-Regulation of Placental Leptin by Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
Authors: Maymó Julieta L. , Pérez Pérez Antonio , Sánchez-Margalet Víctor , Dueñas José L. , Calvo Juan Carlos , Varone Cecilia L.
Published: September 2008

Leptin, the 16,000 molecular weight protein product of the obese gene, was originally considered as an adipocyte-derived signaling molecule for the central control of metabolism. However, leptin has been suggested to be involved in other functions during pregnancy, particularly in placenta, in which it was found to be expressed. In the present work, we have found that recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) added to BeWo choriocarcinoma cell line showed a stimulatory effect on endogenous leptin expression, when analyzed by Western blot. This effect was time and dose dependent. Maximal effect was achieved at hCG 100 IU/ml. Moreover, hCG treatment enhanced leptin promoter activity up to 12.9 times, evaluated by transient transfection with a plasmid construction containing different promoter regions and the reporter gene luciferase. This effect was dose dependent and evidenced with all the promoter regions analyzed, regardless of length. Similar results were obtained with placental explants, thus indicating physiological relevance. Because hCG signal transduction usually involves cAMP signaling, this pathway was analyzed. Contrarily, we found that dibutyryl cAMP counteracted hCG effect on leptin expression. Furthermore, cotransfection with the catalytic subunit of PKA and/or the transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein repressed leptin expression. Thereafter we determined that hCG effect could be partially blocked by pharmacologic inhibition of MAPK pathway with 50 μM PD98059 but not by the inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway with 0.1 μm wortmannin. Moreover, hCG treatment promoted MAPK kinase and ERK1/ERK2 phosphorylation in placental cells. Finally, cotransfection with a dominant-negative mutant of MAPK blocked the hCG-mediated activation of leptin expression. In conclusion, we provide some evidence suggesting that hCG induces leptin expression in trophoblastic cells probably involving the MAPK signal transduction pathway.

Human chorionic gonadotropin induces leptin expression in trophoblastic BeWo cells and placental explants analyzed by western-blot and reporter gene strategy. This effect involves the MAPK signal transduction pathway.
Role of Aging Versus the Loss of Estrogens in the Reduction in Vascular Function in Female Rats
Authors: Stice James P. , Eiserich Jason P. , Knowlton A. A.
Published: September 2008

Although aging is known to lead to increased vascular stiffness, the role of estrogens in the prevention of age-related changes in the vasculature remains to be elucidated. To address this, we measured vascular function in the thoracic aorta in adult and old ovariectomized (ovx) rats with and without immediate 17β-estradiol (E2) replacement. In addition, aortic mRNA and protein were analyzed for proteins known to be involved in vasorelaxation. Aging in combination with the loss of estrogens led to decreased vasorelaxation in response to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside, indicating either smooth muscle dysfunction and/or increased fibrosis. Loss of estrogens led to increased vascular tension in response to phenylephrine, which could be partially restored by E2 replacement. Levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and inducible nitric oxide synthase did not differ among the groups, nor did total nitrite plus nitrate levels. Old ovx exhibited decreased expression of both the α and β-subunits of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) and had impaired nitric oxide signaling in the vascular smooth muscle. Immediate E2 replacement in the aged ovx prevented both the impairment in vasorelaxation, and the decreased sGC receptor expression and abnormal sGC signaling within the vascular smooth muscle.

The combination of loss of estradiol and aging leads to increased constriction (phenylephrine) and decreased relaxation with nitric oxide. Reduced soluble guanylyl cyclase mediates these changes.
Queer Relay
Authors: Henderson Lisa
Published: September 2008

This essay seeks a new language, rooted in the concept of relay, for the politics of queer cultural production and representation. Relay refers to a cultural process of catching and passing on across the divides of sexual difference and capital. To make its operation concrete, the essay draws from ethnographic research on the production and festival release of Desert Motel, Liza Johnson's short film (USA; 2005) about butch embodiment. The analysis sidesteps the familiar anxiety that queer encounters with market culture spell sexual, political, and artistic downfall for queer worlds, and explores more openly the relations among tale, style, funding, personnel, production practice, and release in a film scene that seeks visual transparency for queer feeling, career possibility for queer filmmakers, and new recognition effects for queer and nonqueer audiences. It imagines queer producers (some, anyway) as relay artists working across cultural and market subsectors, doing something more sexually, aesthetically, and politically distinct than crossover dreaming.