bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Race-Related Stress, Racial Identity Attitudes, and Mental Health Among Black Women
Authors: Jones Hollie L. , Cross William E. , DeFour Darlene C.
Published: April 2007

This study examined whether racial identity attitudes moderate the relationship between racist stress events, racist stress appraisal, and mental health. One hundred eighteen African American and 144 self-identified Caribbean women completed the Cross Racial Identity Scale, the Schedule of Racist Events, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that multicultural identity attitudes moderated the relationship between racist stress appraisals and depression, as well as the relationship between racist stress events and depression. Compared with participants with multicultural identity attitude scores 1 standard deviation below the mean, those with multicultural identity attitude scores 1 standard deviation above the mean were somewhat protected from the impact of racist stress events and racist stress appraisals. The primary conclusion is that multicultural identity attitudes are somewhat protective against the impact of race-related stress on mental health. Implications for mental health practitioners and future research in the field of Black psychology are discussed.
Black Milwaukee
Authors: Trotter Joe William
Published: April 2007

In his response to commentaries on Black Milwaukee, Joe William Trotter Jr. not only provides insight into his own intellectual journey toward a class-based analysis of the black urban community but acknowledges the salient limitations of the proletarianization thesis, particularly vis-à-vis the experiences of black women as outlined by Rhonda Williams. Among the specific arguments of contributors to this volume, however, he gives substantial attention to Will Jones's notion that proletarianization entailed acceptance of a “teleological model of modernization,” Wendell Pritchett's suggestion that perhaps urban historians have perceived Black Milwaukee as primarily a labor study and overlooked its contributions to urban history, and Roger Biles's query about the generalizability of the Milwaukee experience to other industrial cities. Professor Trotter concludes with reflections on the changing state of the field of African American urban history and how he might write a history of blacks in Milwaukee today.
Plainfield Burning
Authors: Sugrue Thomas J. , Goodman Andrew P.
Published: April 2007

Through an examination of the riot in Plainfield, New Jersey, in July 1967, this article explores the history of race relations, violence, and conflict in the suburban north. Nearly half of the uprisings during the “long hot summer” of 1967 occurred in small towns and suburbs, though their history is virtually unknown. This article argues that the civil disorders of the 1960s were the consequence of a long, unresolved history of racial tension in the suburbs, the failure of local government to address the grievances of African Americans, and the growing currency of a militant rhetoric of self-determination and rebellion among black suburban youth.
Health Change in Retirement
Authors: van Solinge Hanna
Published: April 2007

This study examined health change in retirement. Using multiactor panel data on 778 Dutch older workers who experienced the transition into retirement, ordinary least squares regression models were estimated to explain changes in medical consumption, the severity of health problems, and perceived health. The results show that retirement does not categorically harm or benefit health. Instead, health consequences vary across individuals and according to the health measures adopted. The results suggest that employees' failure to control retirement according to their wishes adversely affects health. Older workers who perceived retirement as involuntary showed decreases in perceived health. The results do not provide empirical support for the hypothesis that the health consequences of retirement differ according to working conditions or job characteristics or older workers' access to resources in terms of income and social contacts. Psychological factors play a role: Fear of retirement and self-efficacy are associated with health change in retirement.
Atomoxetine increases salivary cortisol in healthy volunteers
Authors: Chamberlain Samuel R. , Müller Ulrich , Cleary Sarah , Robbins Trevor W. , Sahakian Barbara J.
Published: April 2007

It has been proposed that acute hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis challenge using noradrenergic drugs may be of utility in assessing the functional integrity of central noradrenaline pathways. Atomoxetine (formerly tomoxetine) is a highly selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, which has recently been licensed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of acute atomoxetine on salivary cortisol levels for the first time.

A total of 60 healthy male volunteers received 60 mg atomoxetine, 30 mg citalopram, or placebo per os in a double-blind parallel groups design ( n = 20 per group). Salivary cortisol, blood pressure and pulse rates were recorded at baseline and at +1.0, +1.5, +2.5 and +3.5 hours after capsule administration.

60 mg atomoxetine led to highly significant increases in salivary cortisol and a moderate increase in pulse rate, in the absence of significant effects on blood pressure. 30 mg citalopram had no significant effects on cortisol or cardiovascular parameters.

These data support the utility of atomoxetine neuroendocrine chalenge for evaluating central noradrenaline pathways, which may be of future use in neuropsychiatric patient studies. Furthermore, the effects of atomoxetine on HPA axis function may have clinical implications given the use of this agent in the treatment of ADHD.
Intimate Work
Authors: McGuire Gail M.
Published: April 2007

Although the job and career functions of workers' networks have been well documented, there is little understanding of the social support that workers provide to their network members. This article addresses this gap by developing a typology of social support that workers provide to their network members. Drawing on interview data from 40 employees, the author identifies six types of social support that vary in terms of their intimacy, emotional energy expended, nonemotional resources required, frequency of expression, and function. The author concludes by discussing the implications of this typology for our understanding of workplace intimacy and the benefits of informal networks in work organizations.
So Close, Yet So Far Away
Authors: Carroll Jason S. , Willoughby Brian , Badger Sarah , Nelson Larry J. , McNamara Barry Carolyn , Madsen Stephanie D.
Published: April 2007

This article presents a marital horizon theory of emerging adulthood that posits that young people's perceptions of marriage are central factors in determining subgroup differences in the length of emerging adulthood as well as the specific behaviors that occur during this period in the family life cycle. The model was tested with a sample of 813 emerging adults who were recruited from six college sites across the country. Results demonstrated that there are significant differences between young people who have relatively close marital horizons (i.e., those who desire marriage in their early 20s) and those who have more distant marital horizons (i.e., those who desire marriage in their mid-20s or later) in the areas of substance use patterns, sexual permissiveness, and family formation values. Results suggest that changes in lifestyle patterns previously assumed to be associated with the transition to marriage may in fact be initiated when young people anticipate marriage in their near future.
Public Sector Pension Plans in California: How Big Is the Problem?
Authors: Kilgour John G.
Published: April 2007

A closer look at how the funding status and structure of public plans undercuts common assumptions and challenges proposed solutions.
A Call for Civically Engaged Educational Policy-Related Scholarship
Authors: Weis Lois , Nozaki Yoshiko , Granfield Robert , Olsen Nils
Published: April 2007

At a time when higher education is undergoing great challenges and diminished public support, the civically engaged university holds the promise of reclaiming the meaning and the purpose of higher education, where contributions toward promoting democratic public life through research and education become central institutional priorities. The civically engaged university that takes its scholarly leadership seriously is one that is committed to higher education as an institution within the public sphere and whose mission is to embrace difficult questions about our values and responsibilities, about our past, present, and future, about our differences and alternative worldviews, and about enhancing democracy and inclusion. This piece takes this charge seriously as the authors outline what educational scholarship should or could be as scholars move toward educational policy—related scholarship in the civically engaged university.
Can Nonoffending Mothers of Sexually Abused Children Be Both Ambivalent and Supportive?
Authors: Bolen Rebecca M. , Leah Lamb J.
Published: April 2007

Some nonoffending parents experience ambivalence in feelings, belief, and behavior toward their children after their children's disclosure of sexual abuse. Traditionally, it has been assumed that ambivalent nonoffending parents are not adequately supportive of their children after disclosure. In contrast, this study of 29 nonoffending mothers whose resident partners sexually abused their children tests a theoretical model of postdisclosure responses of nonoffending parents in which it is hypothesized that parental support and ambivalence can coexist. In a partial least squares analysis of this model, no relationship between postdisclosure support and ambivalence is found after controlling for variables related to ambivalence. These findings lend preliminary support to the hypothetical theoretical model, supporting a need for continuing research on the constructs of ambivalence and parental support.
The Sacramento Dependency Drug Court: Development and Outcomes
Authors: Boles Sharon M. , Young Nancy K. , Moore Toni , DiPirro-Beard Sharon
Published: April 2007

Dependency Drug Courts (DDCs) are a growing method of addressing the functional status and reunification success of families involved in child welfare and affected by substance use disorders. Despite widespread interest in DDCs, few evaluations have appeared in the literature to help inform the discussion about their effectiveness. This article provides a description of various types of DDCs and reports 24-month reunification rates from the Sacramento DDC. Results indicated that DDC participants had higher rates of treatment participation than did comparison participants. In addition, at 24 months, 42% of the DDC children had reunified versus 27.2% of the comparison children. There were no differences in treatment completion or child reunification rates by parent's primary drug problem. Rates of recidivism were extremely low for both the DDC and comparison groups and did not differ significantly. The results of the present study are encouraging and suggest that rigorous, controlled studies are merited to further evaluate the effectiveness of DDCs.
Did Overzealous Activists Destroy Housing Affordability in San Francisco?
Authors: Beitel Karl
Published: April 2007

In this article, I use time-series models of construction and price levels in the San Francisco housing market to test claims that implementation of more strict zoning controls restricts housing construction and artificially inflates housing prices. The results do not support these claims. I argue that the primary barrier to new housing construction derives from the interaction of financial market variables, household search behavior, and the unique characteristics of urban land markets that in tandem act to constrain new construction to high-end luxury segments of the local housing market. Increasing the supply of affordable housing in San Francisco will therefore require large-scale public subsidies to compensate for the failure of the market to meet the pressing housing needs of low-to-moderate-income households.
Behavior and Peer Status in Children With ADHD
Authors: Mrug Sylvie , Hoza Betsy , Pelham William E. , Gnagy Elizabeth M. , Greiner Andrew R.
Published: April 2007

Objective: Children with ADHD experience peer problems that may place them at risk for adverse outcomes. Using a short-term longitudinal design, this study links specific behaviors to peer functioning in groups of previously unfamiliar children with ADHD. Method: The participants were 268 children with ADHD who took part in an intensive summer treatment program. The program used a comprehensive behavioral point system that yielded observational data for 12 behavioral categories. These behavioral categories were used to predict peer acceptance, rejection, and liking assessed at three times during the program. Results: Following activity rules, helping, whining, and attention emerged as best predictors of initial peer status. Subsequent helping behaviors and activity rule following predicted changes in peer status, but their contributions were small. Conclusion: The results indicate that increasing helping and rule- following behaviors may improve peer functioning of children with ADHD in similar settings. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 10(4) 359-371)
The Clinical Utility of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in the Diagnosis of ADHD
Authors: McCandless Stephen , O' Laughlin Liz
Published: April 2007

Objective: Current theories hypothesize that deficits in executive functioning (EF) are responsible for the symptoms of ADHD and that specific patterns of EF deficits may be associated with different subtypes of ADHD. The present study evaluates the validity and clinical usefulness of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, a behavior rating scale designed to assess dimensions of EF. Method: Participants include 70 boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 13 referred to a university-based clinic for assessment of ADHD. Results: Results indicate low interrater reliability but acceptable convergent validity. Conclusion: Parent report on the Behavior Regulation scale differentiates the ADHD—Combined Type group from the ADHD—Inattentive Type and non-ADHD groups, and the Metacognitive Index differentiates both ADHD subtypes from the non-ADHD group, thus supporting the clinical utility of this measure in a clinic-referred sample. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 10(4) 381-389)
Regulation of Cardiac Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger by Phospholemman
Authors: CHEUNG JOSEPH Y. , ROTHBLUM LAWRENCE I. , MOORMAN J. RANDALL , TUCKER AMY L. , SONG JIANLIANG , AHLERS BELINDA A. , CARL LOIS L. , WANG JuFANG , ZHANG XUE‐QIAN
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Phospholemman (PLM) is the first sequenced member of the FXYD family of regulators of ion transport. The mature protein has 72 amino acids and consists of an extracellular N terminus containing the signature FXYD motif, a single transmembrane (TM) domain, and a cytoplasmic C‐terminal domain containing four potential sites for phosphorylation. PLM and other members of the FXYD family are known to regulate Na+‐K+‐ATPase. Using adenovirus‐mediated gene transfer into adult rat cardiac myocytes, we showed that changes in contractility and intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis associated with PLM overexpression or downregulation are not consistent with the effects expected from inhibition of Na+‐K+‐ATPase by PLM. Additional
studies with heterologous expression of PLM and cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger 1 (NCX1) in HEK293 cells and cardiac myocytes isolated from PLM‐deficient mice demonstrated by co‐localization, co‐immunoprecipitation, and electrophysiological and radioactive tracer uptake techniques that PLM associates with NCX1 in the sarcolemma and transverse tubules and that PLM inhibits NCX1, independent of its effects on Na+‐K+‐ATPase. Mutational analysis indicates that the cytoplasmic domain of PLM is required for its regulation of NCX1. In addition, experiments using phosphomimetic and phospho‐deficient PLM mutants, as well as activators of protein kinases A and C, indicate that PLM phosphorylated at serine68 is the active form that inhibits NCX1. This is in sharp contrast to the finding that the unphosphorylated PLM form inhibits Na+‐K+‐ATPase. We conclude that PLM regulates cardiac contractility by modulating the activities of NCX and Na+‐K+‐ATPase.
Ionic Selectivity of NCKX2, NCKX3, and NCKX4 for Monovalent Cations at K+‐Binding Site
Authors: LEE JU‐YOUNG , HO WON‐KYUNG , LEE SUK‐HO
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  To determine the ionic selectivity of K+‐sites in three members of Na+/Ca2++K+ exchanger (NCKX) family: NCKX2, NCKX3 and NCKX4, we compared the amplitudes of reverse mode NCKX current (INCKX) activated by K+‐substitutes (Rb+, NH4+, Cs+, or Li+) relative to that by K+ in an HEK293 cell overexpressing each of NCKX isoforms. In all three isoforms, monovalent cations activated INCKX with similar order of potency: K+ > Rb+ > NH4+ > Cs+≫ Li+. However, the relative potency of Cs+ and NH4+ for activating NCKX2 was significantly higher than those for NCKX3 and NCKX4, indicating that the selectivity of NCKX2 for K+ is weaker than the other two isoforms.
What We Know about the Structure of NCX1 and How It Relates to Its Function
Authors: NICOLL DEBORA A. , REN XIAOYAN , OTTOLIA MICHELA , PHILLIPS MARTIN , PAREDES ALFREDO R. , ABRAMSON JEFF , PHILIPSON KENNETH D.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  NCX1 is modeled to contain nine transmembrane segments (TMS) with a large intracellular loop between TMS 5–6 and two reentrant loops connecting TMS 2–3 and TMS 7–8. NCX1 also contains two regions of internal repeats. The α repeats are composed of TMS 2 and 3 and TMS 7 and 8 and are involved in ion binding and transport. The β repeats are in the large intracellular loop and are involved in binding of regulatory Ca2+. Our studies on the structure/function analysis of NCX1 have focused on the α‐ and β‐repeat regions and on how the TMS pack in the membrane. We have examined the α1 repeat by mutagenesis of residues modeled to be in the reentrant loop and TMS 3 and by determination of ion affinities of the mutants. Our results show that TMS 3 and not the reentrant loop is involved in Na+ binding. No mutants demonstrated altered affinity for transported Ca2+. We have synthesized a fusion protein composed of the β1 repeat. This fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The fusion protein binds Ca2+ and shows conformational changes on binding. The crystal structure of the β1 repeat shows that it is composed of a seven‐stranded β‐sandwich with Ca2+‐binding sites located at one end of the sandwich. Four Ca2+ ions bind to the β1 repeat in a manner reminiscent of Ca2+ binding to C2 domains. Packing of TMS in the membrane has been studied by cross‐linking induced mobility shifts on SDS‐PAGE. Interactions between TMS 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 have been identified.
Homozygous Overexpression of the Na+‐Ca2+ Exchanger in Mice
Authors: POTT CHRISTIAN , GOLDHABER JOSHUA I. , PHILIPSON KENNETH D.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Mice with homozygous overexpression of the Na+‐Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) exhibit threefold levels of NCX expression and an increased Ca2+ extrusion rate. To investigate how Ca2+ homeostasis is maintained in this model, we have characterized Ca2+ influx under these conditions. We find that L‐type Ca2+ currents (ICa) inactivate slower due to a reduction of Ca2+‐dependent inactivation. Additionally, NCX‐overexpressing animals exhibit a prolongation of the action potential (AP). We conclude that transsarcolemmal Ca2+ fluxes in NCX‐overexpressing myocytes are balanced by an increase in Ca2+ influx via (

a

) slowed inactivation of ICa and (

b

) a prolongation of the AP to compensate for increased Ca2+ efflux.
NCX and NCKX Operation in Ischemic Neurons
Authors: KIEDROWSKI LECH
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Within the first 2 min of global brain ischemia, extracellular [K+] ([K+]o) increases above 60 mM and [Na+]o drops to about 50 mM, indicating a massive K+ efflux and Na+ influx, a phenomenon known as anoxic depolarization (AD). Similar ionic shifts take place during repetitive peri‐infarct depolarizations (PID) in the area penumbra in focal brain ischemia. The size of ischemic infarct is determined by the duration of AD and PID. However, the mechanism of cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]c) elevation during AD or PID is poorly understood. Our data show that the exposure of cultured rat hippocampal CA1 neurons to AD‐like conditions promptly elevates [Ca2+]c to about 30 μM. These high [Ca2+]c elevations depend on external Ca2+ and can be prevented by removing Na+ or by simultaneously inhibiting NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptors. These data indicate that [Ca2+]c elevations during AD result from Na+ influx via either NMDA or AMPA/kainate channels. The mechanism of the Na‐dependent [Ca2+]c elevations may involve a reversal of plasmalemmal Na+/Ca2+ (NCX) and/or Na+/Ca2++ K+ (NCKX) exchangers. KB‐R7943, an NCX inhibitor, suppresses a fraction of the Na‐dependent Ca2+ influx during AD. Therefore, Ca2+ influx via NCX and a KB‐R7943‐resistant pathway (possibly NCKX) is involved. Inhibition of the Na‐dependent Ca2+ influx is likely to decrease ischemic brain damage. No drugs are known that are able to inhibit the KB‐R7943‐resistant component of Na‐dependent Ca2+ influx during AD. The present data encourage development of such agents as potential therapeutic means to limit ischemic brain damage after stroke or heart attack.
Phosphorylation and Other Conundrums of Na/Ca Exchanger, NCX1
Authors: RUKNUDIN ABDUL M. , WEI SHAO‐KUI , HAIGNEY MARK C. , LEDERER W.J. , SCHULZE DAN H.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) is an important Ca2+ transport mechanism in virtually all cells in the body. There are three genes that control the expression of NCX in mammals. There are at least 16 alternatively spliced isoforms of NCX1 that target muscle and nerve and other tissues. Here we briefly discuss three remarkable regulatory issues or “conundrums” that involve the most prevalently expressed gene, NCX1. (1) How is NCX1 regulated by phosphorylation? We suggest that the macromolecular complex of NCX1 plays a critical role in the regulation of NCX. The role of the macromolecular complex and evidence supporting its existence and functional importance is presented. (2) Can there be transport block of a single “mode” of NCX1 transport by drugs or therapeutic agents? The simple answer is “no.” A brief explanation is provided. (3) How can NCX1 knockout mice live? The answer is “by other compensatory regulatory mechanisms.” These conundrums highlight important features in NCX1 and lay the foundation for new experiments to elucidate function and regulation of NCX1 and provide a context for investigations that seek to understand novel therapeutic agents.
Effect of Ca2+ on Protein Kinase A‐Mediated Phosphorylation of a Specific Serine Residue in an Expressed Peptide Containing the Ca2+‐Regulatory Domain of Scallop Muscle Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger
Authors: RYAN C. , SHAW G. , HARDWICKE P. M. D.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Sequencing of the scallop muscle Na+/Ca2+ exchanger revealed three consensus sequences for phosphorylation by PK‐A in the large cytoplasmic loop (R363KLTG, R379RASV, and R618RGSV). Site‐directed mutagenesis of the expressed Glu384‐Ser713 segment of the f loop identified Ser621as a residue phosphorylated by PK‐A. The R618RGSV sequence is located at the junction of the mutually exclusive exon and exon 9, a site where many alternatively spliced variants of vertebrate NCX1 and NCX3 are generated. Phosphorylation of Ser621 by PK‐A in the isolated Glu384‐Ser713 peptide was blocked under conditions where Ca2+ was bound.
Functional Specificity of PMCA Isoforms?
Authors: DOMI TEUTA , LEVA FRANCESCA DI , FEDRIZZI LAURA , RIMESSI ALESSANDRO , BRINI MARISA
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  In mammals, four different genes encode four PMCA isoforms. PMCA1 and PMCA4 are expressed ubiquitously. PMCA2 and PMCA3 are expressed prevalently in the central nervous systems. More than 30 variants are generated by mechanisms of alternative splicing. The physiological meaning of the existence of such elevated number of isoforms is not clear, but it would be plausible to relate it to the cell‐specific demands of Ca2+ homeostasis. To characterize functional specificity of PMCA variants we have investigated two aspects: the effects of the overexpression of the different PMCA variants on cellular Ca2+ handling and the existence of possible isoform‐specific interactions with partner proteins using a yeast two‐hybrid technique. The four basic PMCA isoforms were coexpressed in CHO cells together with the Ca2+‐sensitive recombinant photoprotein aequorin. The effects of their overexpression on Ca2+ homeostasis were monitored in the living cells. They had revealed that the ubiquitous isoforms 1 and 4 are less effective in reducing the Ca2+ peaks generated by cell stimulation as compared to the neuron‐specific isoforms 2 and 3. To establish whether these differences were related to different and new physiological regulators of the pump, the 90 N‐terminal residues of PMCA2 and PMCA4 have been used as baits for the search of molecular partners. Screening of a human brain cDNA library with the PMCA4 bait specified the ɛ‐isoform of protein 14‐3‐3, whereas no 14‐3‐3 ɛ clone was obtained with the PMCA2 bait. Overexpression of PMCA4/14‐3‐3 ɛ (but not of PMCA2/14‐3‐3 ɛ) in HeLa cells together with targeted aequorins showed that the ability of the cells to export Ca2+ was impaired. Thus, the interaction with 14‐3‐3 ɛ inhibited PMCA4 but not PMCA2. The role of PMCA2 has been further characterized by Ca2+ measurements in cells overexpressing different splicing variants. The results indicated that the combination of alternative splicing at two different sites in the pump structure was responsible for different functional characteristics of the pumps.
Na:Ca Stoichiometry and Cytosolic Ca‐Dependent Activation of NCX in Intact Cardiomyocytes
Authors: BERS DONALD M. , GINSBURG KENNETH S.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  We are studying both Na:Ca exchange stoichiometry and cytosolic [Ca] ([Ca]i)‐dependent regulation of Na–Ca exchange (NCX) in intact rabbit ventricular myocytes. Analysis of NCX fluxes in subcellular systems strongly supports a dominant 3Na:1Ca exchange, and our measurements in intact cells confirm this. However, in intact native cells, local ion gradients and other factors complicate the process of inferring stoichiometry. From a functional viewpoint, NCX stoichiometry is near 3:1 but is affected by ion accumulation/depletion as well as non‐NCX fluxes. We and others have viewed [Ca]i‐dependent NCX regulation as a static process (dependent on instantaneous local [Ca]i). However, evidence from subcellular and expression systems shows the process to be dynamic, and our observations confirm this to be the case in intact cardiac cells as well.
Chronic Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Inhibits Activin Induction of the Ovine Follicle-Stimulating Hormone β-Subunit: Involvement of 3′,5′-Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Response Element Binding Protein and Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I
Authors: Shafiee-Kermani Farideh , Han Sang-oh , Miller William L.
Published: April 2007

FSH is induced by activin, and this expression is modulated by GnRH through FSHB expression. This report focuses on the inhibitory effect of GnRH on activin-induced FSHB expression. Activin-treated primary murine pituitary cultures robustly express mutant ovine FSHBLuc-ΔAP1, a luciferase transgene driven by 4.7 kb of ovine FSHB promoter. This promoter lacks two GnRH-inducible activator protein-1 sites, making it easier to observe GnRH-mediated inhibition. Luciferase expression from this transgene was decreased 94% by 100 nm GnRH with a half-time of approximately 4 h in pituitary cultures, and this inhibition was independent of follistatin. Activators of cAMP and protein kinase C like forskolin and phorbol 12-myristate 3-acetate (PMA), respectively, mimicked GnRH action. Kinetic studies of wild-type ovine FSHBLuc in LβT2 cells showed continuous induction by activin (4-fold) over 20 h. Most of this induction (78%) was blocked, beginning at 6 h. cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) was implicated in this inhibition because overexpression of its constitutively active mutant mimicked GnRH, and its inhibitor (inducible cAMP early repressor isoform II) reversed the inhibition caused by GnRH, forskolin, or PMA. In addition, GnRH, forskolin, or PMA increased the expression of a CREB-responsive reporter gene, 6xCRE-37PRL-Luc. Inhibition of nitric oxide type I (NOSI) by 7-nitroindazole also reversed GnRH-mediated inhibition by 60%. It is known that GnRH and CREB induce production of NOSI in gonadotropes and neuronal cells, respectively. These data support the concept that chronic GnRH inhibits activin-induced ovine FSHB expression by sequential activation of CREB and NOSI through the cAMP and/or protein kinase C pathways.
Extracting biology from high-dimensional biological data
Authors: Quackenbush John
Published: April 2007

The promise of the genome project was that a complete sequence would provide us with information that would transform biology and medicine. But the`parts list' that has emerged from the genome project is far from the `wiring diagram' and `circuit logic' we need to understand the link between genotype,environment and phenotype. While genomic technologies such as DNA microarrays,proteomics and metabolomics have given us new tools and new sources of data to address these problems, a number of crucial elements remain to be addressed before we can begin to close the loop and develop a predictive quantitative biology that is the stated goal of so much of current biological research,including systems biology. Our approach to this problem has largely been one of integration, bringing together a vast wealth of information to better interpret the experimental data we are generating in genomic assays and creating publicly available databases and software tools to facilitate the work of others. Recently, we have used a similar approach to trying to understand the biological networks that underlie the phenotypic responses we observe and starting us on the road to developing a predictive biology.
Common aging pathways in worms, flies, mice and humans
Authors: Kim Stuart K.
Published: April 2007

Development of functional genomics tools has made it possible to define the aging process by performing genome-wide scans for transcriptional differences between the young and the old. Global screens for age regulation have been performed for worms and flies, as well as many tissues in mice and humans. Recent work has begun to analyze the similarities and differences in transcriptional changes in aging among different species. Most age-related expression changes are specific for a given species, but genes in one pathway(the electron transport chain pathway) show common age regulation in species from worms to humans. Evolutionary theories of aging provide a basis to understand how age regulation of a genetic pathway might be preserved between distantly related species.
A new paradigm for developmental biology
Authors: Mattick John S.
Published: April 2007

It is usually thought that the development of complex organisms is controlled by protein regulatory factors and morphogenetic signals exchanged between cells and differentiating tissues during ontogeny. However, it is now evident that the majority of all animal genomes is transcribed, apparently in a developmentally regulated manner, suggesting that these genomes largely encode RNA machines and that there may be a vast hidden layer of RNA regulatory transactions in the background. I propose that the epigenetic trajectories of differentiation and development are primarily programmed by feed-forward RNA regulatory networks and that most of the information required for multicellular development is embedded in these networks, with cell–cell signalling required to provide important positional information and to correct stochastic errors in the endogenous RNA-directed program.
Provision of laboratory services for lipid analysis in the United Kingdom
Authors: Hutchesson A C J , O'Kane M J , Neely R D , Oleesky D A
Published: April 2007

Background: National guidelines have been developed in the UK to reduce coronary heart disease mortality. This audit assesses provision of lipid analyses by UK Clinical Biochemistry services to support their implementation.

Methods: Audit standards were derived from published guidelines. A questionnaire based on these was circulated to all UK Clinical Biochemistry laboratories.

Results: Of 108 replies, routine lipid profiles included triglycerides, HDL-, LDL-cholesterol and total:HDL cholesterol ratio in 98, 85, 72 and 44%, respectively. Only 33% and 27% analysed triglycerides and HDL, respectively, when asked simply to measure cholesterol. Seventy-six percent of the reports stated whether specimens were collected after fasting.

For primary prevention, 46% of laboratories stated results should be interpreted in association with other risk factors; 20% referred explicitly to national/local guidelines. Only 19 laboratories quoted secondary prevention treatment thresholds for total cholesterol or LDL-cholesterol.

Sixty laboratories occasionally added extra tests and/or interpretive comments. Eight laboratories appeared to provide no input from senior medical/scientific staff into report validation.

Conclusions: These results indicate scope for improvement in the provision of lipid analyses and of information to support their interpretation. We recommend laboratories should routinely provide LDL- and non-HDL-cholesterol results, and that reports should quote treatment thresholds/targets in keeping with current guidelines.
The effect of potassium EDTA on the stability of parathyroid hormone in whole blood
Authors: English Emma , McFarlane Ian , Taylor Kevin P , Halsall David J
Published: April 2007

Background: The stability of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in whole blood has not been well characterized. Previous studies show EDTA plasma samples to be more stable than serum samples.

Methods: Blood from 17 haemodialysis patients and five healthy volunteers was collected into serum separator tubes (SSTs) and potassium EDTA tubes (EDTA-Ts) and incubated at room temperature before separation and storage for PTH analysis using the Bayer Advia Centaur.

Results: Initial PTH concentrations were 7% higher (95% confidence interval [CI] 2-16%, P=0.016) in EDTA-Ts compared to the SSTs in the renal cohort. PTH concentrations in SSTs were significantly lower after 8 (10%, 95% CI 3-17%) and 20 h (22%, 95% CI 11-31%) but did not change significantly in EDTA-Ts ( P=0.1543). PTH concentration in EDTA-Ts from healthy volunteers was also independent of incubation time ( P=0.1165).

Conclusion: The greater stability of PTH in whole blood anticoagulated with potassium EDTA allows PTH analysis to be offered to sites such as satellite clinics and primary care sites which do not have centrifugation and refrigeration facilities.
Thyroid guidelines - are thyroid-stimulating hormone assays fit for purpose?
Authors: Beckett Geoff , MacKenzie Finlay
Published: April 2007

Most thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) assays now have the sensitivity required by thyroid guidelines and allow the reliable identification of patients with both overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism. Clinical guidelines usually quote decision limits for TSH, but often ignore the issue of whether variability in bias between assays should be considered when such decision limits are implemented. Clinicians and laboratories should appreciate that these decision limits arise largely from historical data that used TSH assays with poorly defined bias. It is thus unlikely that laboratories will be able to apply an appropriate method-related bias adjustment to these TSH cut-offs. Clinicians should appreciate that TSH decision limits should thus be regarded as typical target figures rather than an absolute cut-off and thus can be applied with some degree of flexibility. There is currently insufficient evidence to justify a significant lowering of the upper reference limit for TSH, but fine-tuning of current reference ranges is required since there appears to be no association between the ranking of the assay bias in the UK National External Quality Assessment Service scheme and the manufacturers' quoted reference ranges. There is room for further improvement in TSH assays and this can best be achieved if manufacturers, laboratories and clinicians work together to produce TSH assays and reference ranges that show closer agreement between methods. Until this is achieved, future studies that examine the relationship of TSH with symptoms and treatment should ensure that sufficient information is included in the publication to allow the method related bias of the TSH assay to be clearly described.
Salivary cortisol reflects serum cortisol: analysis of circadian profiles
Authors: Dorn Lorah D , Lucke Joseph F , Loucks Tammy L , Berga Sarah L
Published: April 2007

Background: Technical hurdles limit the characterization of key hormonal rhythms. Frequent sampling increases detection of changes in magnitude or circadian and ultradian patterns, but limits feasibility for clinical or research settings. These caveats are particularly pertinent for cortisol, a hormone that displays a prominent circadian rhythm and whose magnitude is tightly regulated in the absence of biobehavioural challenge. Ideally, one would like to obtain samples non-invasively from a matrix of interest at frequent intervals. While many investigations have reported a high correlation between serum and salivary cortisol assays, the degree to which salivary cortisol reflects the circadian patterns of circulating cortisol concentrations has not been established across a 24 h period.

Methods: We obtained hourly serum and salivary samples over a 24 h period in nine adults in an inpatient setting. The circadian patterns for serum and salivary cortisol were analysed by harmonic regression.

Results: For all but two subjects (both on oral contraceptives), the salivary cortisol concentration was synchronous with the serum concentration, indicating that the salivary assay could be substituted for the serum assay to assess circulating rhythmicity across the 24 h time frame.

Conclusions: This statistical model has distinct improvement over the correlational approach of examining serum and saliva cortisol relationships. Saliva cortisol appears to represent serum cortisol across the 24 h period, except for those on oral contraceptives.
Why do heterosexual young adults who use reliable contraception also use condoms? Results from a diary‐based prospective longitudinal study
Authors: de Visser Richard
Published: April 2007

Objectives.To identify characteristics of individuals and characteristics of sexual encounters that predict whether people using contraception will also use condoms (dual use), and to determine whether dual use is prompted by concerns about unplanned pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Design.A longitudinal prospective design was used to identify characteristics of individuals and characteristics of specific sexual encounters that predict condom use.

Methods.A sample of 349 sexually active heterosexual young adults was recruited at universities and trade colleges in Melbourne, Australia. Participants completed a self‐administered questionnaire, and a representative subsample (N= 103) completed a structured condom use diary in which they reported on up to 10 instances of vaginal intercourse. Respondents reported use of condoms and other forms of contraception during 919 instances of vaginal intercourse.

Results.In multivariate analyses, dual use of condoms in addition to other contraception was predicted by attitudes toward condoms, intentions to use condoms, partner type and discussion of condom use with sexual partners. Dual use was not related to greater concern about HIV/STIs or unplanned pregnancy.

Conclusion.Encouraging heterosexual young adults to discuss condom use, and developing their skills for negotiation of condom use will increase rates of condom use, thereby reducing current high rates of unplanned pregnancy and STIs.
Consultative Opinion on Liability of Public and Private Actors for Genetic Contamination of Non-GM Crops
Authors: Sebastian San
Published: April 2007

An abridged version of the Consultative Opinion is presented here. For details of the full text readers are advised to contact the ICEAC.
Measurement of the Absorption and Scattering Properties of Turbid Liquid Foods Using Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Qin Jianwei , Lu Renfu
Published: April 2007

A hyperspectral imaging system in line scanning mode was used for measuring the absorption and scattering properties of turbid food materials over the visible and near-infrared region of 530–900 nm. An instrumental calibration procedure was developed to compensate for the nonuniform instrument response of the imaging system. A nonlinear curve-fitting algorithm for a steady-state diffusion theory model was proposed to determine absorption (μa) and reduced scattering coefficients (μ′s) from the spatially resolved hyperspectral reflectance profiles. The hyperspectral imaging system provided good measurement of μa and μ′s for the simulation samples made of Intralipid scattering material and three absorbers (blue dye, green dye, and black ink) with average fitting errors of 16% and 11%, respectively. The optical properties of the fruit and vegetable juices and milks were determined. Values of the absorption and reduced scattering coefficient at 600 nm were highly correlated to the fat content of the milk samples with the correlation coefficient of 0.995 and 0.998, respectively. Compared to time-resolved and frequency-domain techniques, the hyperspectral imaging technique provides a faster and simpler means for measuring the optical properties of turbid food and agricultural products.
On-Line Characterization of YBCO Coated Conductors Using Raman Spectroscopy Methods
Authors: Maroni V. A. , Reeves J. L. , Schwab G.
Published: April 2007

The use of Raman spectroscopy for on-line monitoring of the production of superconducting YBa2Cu3O6+x (YBCO) thin films on long-length metal tapes coated with textured buffer layers is reported for the first time. A methodology is described for obtaining Raman spectra of YBCO on moving tape exiting a metal-organic-chemical-vapor-deposition (MOCVD) enclosure. After baseline correction, the spectra recorded in this way show the expected phonons of the specific YBCO crystal orientation required for high supercurrent transport, as well as phonons of non-superconducting second-phase impurities when present. It is also possible to distinguish YBCO films that are properly textured from films having domains of misoriented YBCO grains. An investigation of the need for focus control on moving tape indicated that focusing of the laser on the surface of the highly reflective YBCO films exiting the MOCVD enclosure tends to produce aberrant photon bursts that swamp the Raman spectrum. These photon bursts are very likely a consequence of optical speckle effects induced by a combination of surface roughness, crystallographic texture, and/or local strain within the small grain microstructure of the YBCO film. Maintaining a slightly out-of-focus condition provides the best signal-to-noise ratio in terms of the obtained Raman spectra. In addition to examining moving tape at the post-MOCVD stage, Raman spectra of the film surface can also be recorded after the oxygen anneal performed to bring the YBCO to the optimum superconducting state. Consideration is given to data processing methods that could be adapted to the on-line Raman spectra to allow the tagging of out-of-specification tape segments and, at a more advanced level, feedback control to the MOCVD process.
Remote Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds by Passive Multispectral Infrared Imaging Measurements
Authors: Wabomba Mukire J. , Sulub Yusuf , Small Gary W.
Published: April 2007

Automated pattern recognition methodology is described for the detection of signatures of volatile organic compounds from passive multispectral infrared imaging data collected from an aircraft platform. Data are acquired in an across-track scanning mode with a downward-looking line scanner based on 8 to 16 spectral channels in the 8–14 and 3–5 μm spectral ranges. Two controlled release experiments are performed in which plumes of ethanol are generated and detected from aircraft overflights at altitudes of 2200 to 2800 ft (671 to 853 m). In addition, a methanol release from a chemical manufacturing facility is monitored. Automated classifiers are developed by application of piecewise linear discriminant analysis to the calibrated, registered, and preprocessed radiance data acquired by the line scanner. Preprocessing steps evaluated include contrast enhancement, temperature-emissivity separation, feature selection, and feature extraction/noise reduction by the minimum noise fraction (MNF) transform. Successful classifiers are developed for both compounds and are tested with data not used in the classifier development. Separation of temperature and emissivity by use of the alpha residual calculation is found to reduce false positive detections to a negligible level, and the MNF transform is shown to enhance detection sensitivity.
Utilization and Diagnostic Yield of Neurogenetic Testing at a Tertiary Care Facility
Authors: Edlefsen Kerstin L , Tait Jonathan F , Wener Mark H , Astion Michael
Published: April 2007

Background: Institutions face increasing charges related to molecular genetic testing for neurological diseases. The literature contains little information on the utilization and performance of these tests.

Methods: A retrospective utilization review was performed to determine the diagnostic yield of neurogenetic tests ordered during calendar year 2005 at a large academic medical center in the western United States.

Results: Overall, a relevant mutation was identified in 30.2% of the 162 patients tested and in 21.5% of the 121 probands, defined as patients for whom no mutation has been previously identified in a family member. Patients with muscle weakness (n = 65) had a mutation detected in 26.2% of all patients and 23.5% of probands (n = 51), with an estimated testing cost per positive result of $3190. Patients tested for neuropathy (n = 36) had a mutation detected in 27.8% of patients and 22.6% of probands (n = 31), with an estimated cost per positive result of $5955. Patients with chorea (n = 25) had a positive result obtained in 68% of patients and 71.4% of probands (n = 7); the estimated cost per positive test was $440. Other diagnostic categories evaluated include ataxias (n = 18; yield, 11.1%; $7620 per positive), familial stroke or dementia syndromes (n = 8; yield, 12.5%; $6760 per positive), and multisystem mitochondrial disorders (n = 10; yield, 20%; $6485 per positive).

Conclusions: Expert clinicians at a tertiary care center who ordered neurogenetic tests obtained a positive result in 21.5% of patients without previously identified familial mutations. These results can be used for comparison and to help establish utilization guidelines for neurogenetic testing.
Förderparameterbestimmung in pneumatischen Dünnstrom-Transportanwendungen (Flow Parameter Determination in Pneumatic Dilute Phase Flow Applications)
Authors: Fuchs Anton , Zangl Hubert , Brasseur Georg
Published: April 2007

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit werden mögliche Ansätze für die Entwicklung eines Durchflusssensors zur Bestimmung der Materialgeschwindigkeit und der Materialkonzentration pneumatisch beförderter Schüttgüter untersucht. Aus diesen beiden Förderparametern kann der Massenstrom des Fördergutes zuverlässig ermittelt werden. Messmethoden und Sensorprinzipien, die den notwendigen Anforderungen des Durchflussmessgerätes genügen, wurden in Form von Prototyp-Sensoren realisiert und in Dünnstrom-Förderanwendungen auf ihre Praxistauglichkeit getestet. Im Besonderen wird auf die Entwicklung und die Anwendung eines kameraoptischen Sensors, eines Sensors basierend auf räumlicher Filterung, sowie eines kapazitiven Kreuzkorrelations-Sensors eingegangen.