bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alveolar Pco2 oscillations and ventilation at sea level and at high altitude
Authors: Collier D. J. , Nickol A. H. , Milledge J. S. , van Ruiten H. J. A. , Collier C. J. , Swenson E. R. , Datta Avijit , Wolff C. B.
Published: October 2007

This study examines the potential for a ventilatory drive, independent of mean Pco2, but depending instead on changes in Pco2 that occur during the respiratory cycle. This responsiveness is referred to here as “dynamic ventilatory sensitivity.” The normal, spontaneous, respiratory oscillations in alveolar Pco2 have been modified with inspiratory pulses approximating alveolar Pco2 concentrations, both at sea level and at high altitude (5,000 m, 16,400 ft.). All tests were conducted with subjects exercising on a cycle ergometer at 60 W. The pulses last about half the inspiratory duration and are timed to arrive in the alveoli during early or late inspiration. Differences in ventilation, which then occur in the face of similar end-tidal Pco2 values, are taken to result from dynamic ventilatory sensitivity. Highly significant ventilatory responses (early pulse response greater than late) occurred in hypoxia and normoxia at sea level and after more than 4 days at 5,000 m. The response at high altitude was eliminated by normalizing Po2 and was reduced or eliminated with acetazolamide. No response was present soon after arrival (<4 days) at base camp, 5,000 m, on either of two high-altitude expeditions (BMEME, 1994, and Kanchenjunga, 1998). The largest responses at 5,000 m were obtained in subjects returning from very high altitude (7,100–8,848 m). The present study confirms and extends previous investigations that suggest that alveolar Pco2 oscillations provide a feedback signal for respiratory control, independent of changes in mean Pco2, suggesting that natural Pco2 oscillations drive breathing in exercise.
Cytokine release, small airway injury, and parenchymal damage during mechanical ventilation in normal open-chest rats
Authors: D'Angelo Edgardo , Koutsoukou Antonia , Valle Patrizia Della , Gentile Guendalina , Pecchiari Matteo
Published: October 2007

Lung morpho-functional alterations and inflammatory response to various types of mechanical ventilation (MV) have been assessed in normal, anesthetized, open-chest rats. Measurements were taken during protective MV [tidal volume (Vt) = 8 ml/kg; positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) = 2.6 cmH2O] before and after a 2- to 2.5-h period of ventilation on PEEP (control group), zero EEP without (ZEEP group) or with administration of dioctylsodiumsulfosuccinate (ZEEP-DOSS group), on negative EEP (NEEP group), or with large Vt (26 ml/kg) on PEEP (Hi-Vt group). No change in lung mechanics occurred in the Control group. Relative to the initial period of MV on PEEP, airway resistance increased by 33 ± 4, 49 ± 9, 573 ± 84, and 13 ± 4%, and quasi-static elastance by 19 ± 3, 35 ± 7, 248 ± 12, and 20 ± 3% in the ZEEP, NEEP, ZEEP-DOSS, and Hi-Vt groups. Relative to Control, all groups ventilated from low lung volumes exhibited histologic signs of bronchiolar injury, more marked in the NEEP and ZEEP-DOSS groups. Parenchymal and vascular injury occurred in the ZEEP-DOSS and Hi-Vt groups. Pro-inflammatory cytokine concentration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was similar in the Control and ZEEP group, but increased in all other groups, and higher in the ZEEP-DOSS and Hi-Vt groups. Interrupter resistance was correlated with indexes of bronchiolar damage, and cytokine levels with vascular-alveolar damage, as indexed by lung wet-to-dry ratio. Hence, protective MV from resting lung volume causes mechanical alterations and small airway injury, but no cytokine release, which seems mainly related to stress-related damage of endothelial-alveolar cells. Enhanced small airway epithelial damage with induced surfactant dysfunction or MV on NEEP can, however, contribute to cytokine production.
Impaired calcium release during fatigue
Authors: Allen D. G. , Lamb G. D. , Westerblad H.
Published: October 2007

Impaired calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) has been identified as a contributor to fatigue in isolated skeletal muscle fibers. The functional importance of this phenomenon can be quantified by the use of agents, such as caffeine, which can increase SR Ca2+release during fatigue. A number of possible mechanisms for impaired calcium release have been proposed. These include reduction in the amplitude of the action potential, potentially caused by extracellular K+accumulation, which may reduce voltage sensor activation but is counteracted by a number of mechanisms in intact animals. Reduced effectiveness of SR Ca2+channel opening is caused by the fall in intracellular ATP and the rise in Mg2+concentrations that occur during fatigue. Reduced Ca2+available for release within the SR can occur if inorganic phosphate enters the SR and precipitates with Ca2+. Further progress requires the development of methods that can identify impaired SR Ca2+release in intact, blood-perfused muscles and that can distinguish between the various mechanisms proposed.
Energy-Constrained Quality Optimization for Secure Image Transmission in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wang Wei , Peng Dongming , Wang Honggang , Sharif Hamid , Chen Hsiao-Hwa
Published: October 2007

Resource allocation for multimedia selective encryption and energy efficient transmission has not been fully investigated in literature for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this article, we propose a new cross-layer approach to optimize selectively encrypted image transmission quality in WSNs with strict energy constraint. A new selective image encryption approach favorable for unequal error protection (UEP) is proposed, which reduces encryption overhead considerably by controlling the structure of image bitstreams. Also, a novel cross-layer UEP scheme based on cipher-plain-text diversity is studied. In this UEP scheme, resources are unequally and optimally allocated in the encrypted bitstream structure, including data position information and magnitude value information. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed approach can simultaneously achieve improved image quality and assured energy efficiency with secure transmissions over WSNs.
Compact Weighted Composition Operators and Fixed Points in Convex Domains
Authors: Clahane Dana D
Published: October 2007

Let "Equation missing" be a bounded, convex domain in "Equation missing", and suppose that "Equation missing" is holomorphic. Assume that "Equation missing" is analytic, bounded away from zero toward the boundary of "Equation missing", and not identically zero on the fixed point set of "Equation missing". Suppose also that the weighted composition operator "Equation missing" given by "Equation missing" is compact on a holomorphic, functional Hilbert space (containing the polynomial functions densely) on "Equation missing" with reproducing kernel "Equation missing" satisfying "Equation missing" as "Equation missing". We extend the results of J. Caughran/H. Schwartz for unweighted composition operators on the Hardy space of the unit disk and B. MacCluer on the ball by showing that "Equation missing" has a unique fixed point in "Equation missing". We apply this result by making a reasonable conjecture about the spectrum of "Equation missing" based on previous results.
Third-Body Perturbation Using a Single Averaged Model: Application in Nonsingular Variables
Authors: Solórzano Carlos Renato Huaura , Almeida Prado Antonio Fernando Bertachini de
Published: October 2007

The Lagrange's planetary equations written in terms of the classical orbital elements have the disadvantage of singularities in eccentricity and inclination. These singularities are due to the mathematical model used and do not have physical reasons. In this paper, we studied the third-body perturbation using a single averaged model in nonsingular variables. The goal is to develop a semianalytical study of the perturbation caused in a spacecraft by a third body using a single averaged model to eliminate short-period terms caused by the motion of the spacecraft. This is valid if no resonance occurs with the moon or the sun. Several plots show the time histories of the Keplerian elements of equatorial and circular orbits, which are the situations with singularities. In this paper, the expansions are limited only to second order in eccentricity and for the ratio of the semimajor axis of the perturbing and perturbed bodies and to the fourth order for the inclination.
A Monte‐Carlo‐Based Network Method for Source Positioning in Bioluminescence Tomography
Authors: Xu Zhun , Song Xiaolei , Zhang Xiaomeng , Bai Jing
Published: October 2007

We present an approach based on the improved Levenberg
Marquardt (LM) algorithm of backpropagation (BP) neural network to estimate the
light source position in bioluminescent imaging. For solving the forward problem, the
table‐based random sampling algorithm (TBRS), a fast Monte Carlo simulation method
we developed before, is employed here. Result shows that BP is an effective method to
position the light source.
Distortion Optimized Packet Scheduling and Prioritization of Multiple Video Streams over 802.11e Networks
Authors: Politis Ilias , Tsagkaropoulos Michail , Pliakas Thomas , Dagiuklas Tasos
Published: October 2007

This paper presents a generic framework solution for minimizing video distortion of all multiple video streams transmitted over 802.11e wireless networks, including intelligent packet scheduling and channel access differentiation mechanisms. A distortion prediction model designed to capture the multireferenced frame coding characteristic of H.264/AVC encoded videos is used to predetermine the distortion importance of each video packet in all streams. Two intelligent scheduling algorithms are proposed: the “even-loss distribution,” where each video sender is experiencing the same loss and the “greedy-loss distribution” packet scheduling, where selected packets are dropped over all streams, ensuring that the most significant video stream in terms of picture context and quality characteristics will experience minimum losses. The proposed model has been verified with actual distortion measurements and has been found more accurate than the “additive distortion” model that omits the correlation among lost frames. The paper includes analytical and simulation results from the comparison of both schemes and from their comparison to the simplified additive model, for different video sequences and channel conditions.
Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase γ Gene Knockout Impairs Postischemic Neovascularization and Endothelial Progenitor Cell Functions
Authors: Madeddu Paolo , Kraenkel Nicolle , Barcelos Luciola S. , Siragusa Mauro , Campagnolo Paola , Oikawa Atsuhiko , Caporali Andrea , Herman Andrew , Azzolino Ornella , Barberis Laura , Perino Alessia , Damilano Federico , Emanueli Costanza , Hirsch Emilio
Published: October 2007

Objective—

We evaluated whether phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) plays a role in reparative neovascularization and endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) function.

Methods and Results—

Unilateral limb ischemia was induced in mice lacking the
PI3K
γ gene (
PI3K
γ
−/−
) or expressing a catalytically inactive mutant (
PI3K
γ
KD/KD
) and wild-type controls (WT). Capillarization and arteriogenesis were reduced in
PI3K
γ
−/−
ischemic muscles resulting in delayed reperfusion compared with WT, whereas reparative neovascularization was preserved in
PI3K
γ
KD/KD
. In
PI3K
γ
−/−
muscles, endothelial cell proliferation was reduced, apoptosis was increased, and interstitial space was infiltrated with leukocytes but lacked cKit
+
progenitor cells that in WT muscles typically surrounded arterioles. PI3Kγ is constitutively expressed by WT EPCs, with expression levels being upregulated by hypoxia.
PI3K
γ
−/−
EPCs showed a defect in proliferation, survival, integration into endothelial networks, and migration toward SDF-1. The dysfunctional phenotype was associated with nuclear constraining of FOXO1, reduced Akt and eNOS phosphorylation, and decreased nitric oxide (NO) production. Pretreatment with an NO donor corrected the migratory defect of
PI3K
γ
−/−
EPCs.
PI3K
γ
KD/KD
EPCs showed reduced Akt phosphorylation, but constitutive activation of eNOS and preserved proliferation, survival, and migration.

Conclusions—

We newly demonstrated that PI3Kγ modulates angiogenesis, arteriogenesis, and vasculogenesis by mechanisms independent from its kinase activity.
Critical Role of Bone Marrow Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor in the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E–Deficient Mice
Authors: Fukuda Daiju , Sata Masataka , Ishizaka Nobukazu , Nagai Ryozo
Published: October 2007

Objective—

It is suggested that the angiotensin II (Ang II)–Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) pathway plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Recently, bone marrow (BM) cells were reported to express AT1R. Here, we investigated the role of AT1R in BM in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Methods and Results—

Genetic ablation or pharmacological blockade of AT1R led to a significant reduction and stabilization of atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE
−/−
mice. To elucidate the role of AT1R in BM, we generated several BM chimeric mice. Ang II promoted atherosclerosis progression in the BM chimeric mice that had AT1aR in BM, regardless of the absence of AT1aR in the recipient vasculature (
P
<0.05). BM chimeric mice whose BM AT1aR was disrupted showed significantly less atherosclerotic lesions in aorta (
P
<0.05) and more stable plaque with reduced accumulation of BM-derived cells compared with BM chimeric mice that had AT1aR-positive BM. Most of the BM-derived cells in atheroma were positive for a macrophage marker and expressed matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.

Conclusions—

Our findings suggest that AT1R in BM plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
VAP-1 and CD73, Endothelial Cell Surface Enzymes in Leukocyte Extravasation
Authors: Jalkanen Sirpa , Salmi Marko
Published: October 2007

Leukocyte extravasation from the blood into tissues is crucial for normal immune surveillance and in inflammation. Traditionally molecules belonging to selectin, chemokine, integrin, and immunoglobulin super families are thought to mediate the multiple adhesive and activation events needed for a successful emigration cascade. Recently, emerging evidence suggests that enzymes expressed on the surface of endothelial cells and leukocytes also contribute to the leukocyte extravasation cascade. Here we briefly review the role of vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) and CD73, 2 cell surface enzymes, in leukocyte migration form the blood into the tissues. Importantly, specific enzyme inhibitors, gene-deficient mice, and recombinant enzymes have recently unambiguously shown that the catalytic activity of these enzymes regulates the leukocyte traffic. The concept of enzymatic regulation of leukocyte extravasation provides new insight into the multi-step adhesion cascade and opens new possibilities for inhibiting inappropriate inflammatory reaction through the use of small molecule enzyme inhibitors.
Thrombin Mutant W215A/E217A Acts as a Platelet GPIb Antagonist
Authors: Berny Michelle A. , White Tara C. , Tucker Erik I. , Bush-Pelc Leslie A. , Di Cera Enrico , Gruber András , McCarty Owen J.T.
Published: October 2007

Objective—

Thrombin containing the mutations Trp215Ala and Glu217Ala (WE) selectively activates protein C and has potent antithrombotic effects in primates. The aim of this study was to delineate the molecular mechanism of direct WE–platelet interactions under static and shear conditions.

Methods and Results—

Purified platelets under static conditions bound and spread on immobilized wild-type but not WE thrombin. In PPACK-anticoagulated blood under shear flow conditions, platelets tethered and rolled on both wild-type and WE thrombin, and these interactions were abrogated by the presence of a glycoprotein Ib (GPIb)-blocking antibody. Platelet deposition on collagen was blocked in the presence of WE, but not wild-type thrombin or prothrombin. WE also abrogated platelet tethering and rolling on immobilized von Willebrand factor in whole blood under shear flow.

Conclusions—

These observations demonstrate that the thrombin mutant WE, while not activating platelets, retains the ability to interact with platelets through GPIb, and inhibits GPIb-dependent binding to von Willebrand factor–collagen under shear.
Diabetes-induced Coronary Vascular Dysfunction Involves Increased Arginase Activity
Authors: Romero Maritza J. , Platt Daniel H. , Tawfik Huda E. , Labazi Mohamed , El-Remessy Azza B. , Bartoli Manuela , Caldwell Ruth B. , Caldwell Robert W.
Published: October 2007

Increases in arginase activity have been reported in a variety of disease conditions characterized by vascular dysfunction. Arginase competes with NO synthase for their common substrate arginine, suggesting a cause and effect relationship. We tested this concept by experiments with streptozotocin diabetic rats and high glucose (HG)-treated bovine coronary endothelial cells (BCECs). Our studies showed that diabetes-induced impairment of vasorelaxation to acetylcholine was correlated with increases in reactive oxygen species and arginase activity and arginase I expression in aorta and liver. Treatment of diabetic rats with simvastatin (5 mg/kg per day, subcutaneously) orl-citrulline (50 mg/kg per day, orally) blunted these effects. Acute treatment of diabetic coronary arteries with arginase inhibitors also reversed the impaired vasodilation to acetylcholine. Treatment of BCECs with HG (25 mmol/L, 24 hours) also increased arginase activity. This effect was blocked by treatment with simvastatin (0.1 μmol/L), the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632 (10 μmol/L), orl-citrulline (1 mmol/L). Superoxide and active RhoA levels also were elevated in HG-treated BCECs. Furthermore, HG significantly diminished NO production in BCECs. Transfection of BCECs with arginase I small interfering RNA prevented the rise in arginase activity in HG-treated cells and normalized NO production, suggesting a role for arginase I in reduced NO production with HG. These results indicate that increased arginase activity in diabetes contributes to vascular endothelial dysfunction by decreasingl-arginine availability to NO synthase.
NINDS Clinical Trials in Stroke
Authors: Marler John R.
Published: October 2007

Since 1977 the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has sponsored 28 phase 3 trials to evaluate treatments of stroke, which when all completed will have randomized a total of 44 862 patients in the United States and other countries. NINDS stroke clinical trials have been successful in finding beneficial and cost-effective treatments for cerebrovascular disease. Future trials are likely to be larger and have simpler designs which allow for the inclusion of more patients and which collect less data for each patient. In addition, measures of cognitive outcomes, particularly timed tests of executive function, disability scales, and quality-of-life outcomes will become more common. The stroke research community can take pride in the solid base of evidence that has been built over the past 2 decades. If we continue to follow the discoveries of science, continue to create new trial methodology, and increase participation in clinical trials, significant advances in the treatment of cerebrovascular disease will continue.
Prevention of the Hypercontractile Response to Thrombin by Proteinase-Activated Receptor-1 Antagonist in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Kai Yasutoshi , Hirano Katsuya , Maeda Yoshihisa , Nishimura Junji , Sasaki Tomio , Kanaide Hideo
Published: October 2007

Background and Purpose—Cerebral vasospasm is one of the major complications of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Its pathogenesis still remains elusive, and effective therapeutic strategies are yet to be established. We investigated the role of proteinase-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) in the hypercontractile state in SAH.

Methods—Rabbit double hemorrhage model was used as a model of SAH. The contractile response to thrombin and the PAR1 expression were evaluated in the isolated rings of basilar artery.

Results—Thrombin exhibited only a minor contractile effect in the control, whereas it induced augmented contractions in SAH. The expression of PAR1 was upregulated in SAH. Intracisternal injection of PAR1 antagonist E5555 prevented the enhancement of the contractile responses to thrombin in SAH. The maximal prevention was obtained with 2 μg/kg weight/injection. The contractile responses to K+depolarization or endothelin-1 remained unaffected. The upregulation of PAR1 was also prevented by E5555 (2 μg/kg weight/injection) to a level similar to that seen in the control. Ex vivo treatment with E5555 (1 μmol/L) inhibited the contraction induced by thrombin, whereas it had little effect on the contraction induced by K+depolarization or endothelin-1, in the basilar artery of SAH. E5555 also inhibited the [Ca2+]ielevation induced by thrombin, but not trypsin, in cultured smooth muscle cells.

Conclusions—PAR1 plays a critical role in upregulating PAR1 itself, thereby enhancing the contractile response to thrombin in SAH. PAR1 could thus be a therapeutic target. However, the usefulness of PAR1 antagonist remains to be investigated in vivo.
The Contribution of Medial Temporal Lobe Atrophy and Vascular Pathology to Cognitive Impairment in Vascular Dementia
Authors: Bastos-Leite António J. , van der Flier Wiesje M. , van Straaten Elisabeth C.W. , Staekenborg Salka S. , Scheltens Philip , Barkhof Frederik
Published: October 2007

Background and Purpose—

Besides cerebrovascular disease, medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA), a neuroimaging finding suggestive of degenerative pathology, has been shown in vascular dementia (VaD). However, it is unknown to what extent MTA contributes to the pattern of cognitive impairment observed in VaD. Therefore, our purpose was to investigate the relative contribution of cerebrovascular disease and MTA to cognitive impairment in patients fulfilling diagnostic criteria for VaD.

Methods—

We examined 590 patients (374 men; mean age, 73 years; standard deviation, 8) with probable VaD according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke–Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l’Enseignement en Neurosciences criteria at inclusion into a multicenter clinical trial. Cerebrovascular disease and the degree of MTA were evaluated by using MRI. Cognitive testing included the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the vascular dementia assessment scale.

Results—

On the basis of the operational definitions for the neuroimaging part of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke–Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l’Enseignement en Neurosciences criteria, 485 (82.2%) patients had small vessel VaD and 153 (25.9%) had large vessel VaD. More than half (59.8%) of the patients had considerable MTA. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that after correction for sex, age, education, and duration of dementia, neuropsychological tests showed that patients with higher grades of MTA or large vessel VaD had significantly worse general cognitive and executive functioning, whereas associations with small vessel disease were restricted to worse executive functioning.

Conclusions—

Both MTA and large vessel disease contribute to global cognitive impairment in VaD. Small vessel disease contributes to executive dysfunction.
Migraine Mediates the Influence of
C677T MTHFR
Genotypes on Ischemic Stroke Risk With a Stroke-Subtype Effect
Authors: Pezzini Alessandro , Grassi Mario , Del Zotto Elisabetta , Giossi Alessia , Monastero Roberto , Dalla Volta Giorgio , Archetti Silvana , Zavarise Paola , Camarda Cecilia , Gasparotti Roberto , Magoni Mauro , Camarda Rosolino , Padovani Alessandro
Published: October 2007

Background and Purpose—

The objective was to investigate the role of
C677T MTHFR
polymorphism in migraine pathogenesis and in the migraine–ischemic stroke pathway.

Methods—

A first genotype–migraine association study was conducted on 100 patients with migraine with aura (MA), 106 with migraine without aura (MO), and 105 subjects without migraine, which provided evidence in favor of association of the
TT677 MTHFR
genotype with increased risk of MA compared with both control subjects (OR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.11 to 5.58) and patients with MO (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.01 to 4.82). Based on these findings, mediational models of the genotype–migraine–stroke pathway were fitted on a group of 106 patients with spontaneous cervical artery dissection, 227 young patients whose ischemic stroke was unrelated to a spontaneous cervical artery dissection (noncervical artery dissection), and 187 control subjects, and a genotype–migraine partial mediation model was selected.

Results—

Both migraine and the
TT
genotype were more strongly associated to the subgroup of patients with spontaneous cervical artery dissection (OR, 4.06; 95% CI, 1.63 to 10.02 for MA; OR, 5.45; 95% CI, 3.03 to 9.79 for MO; OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.45 to 5.68 for
TT
genotype) than to the subgroup of patients with noncervical artery dissection ischemic stroke (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.00 to 4.96 for MA; OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.22 for
TT
genotype) as compared with controls.

Conclusions—

Migraine may act as mediator in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase–ischemic stroke pathway with a more prominent effect in the subgroup of patients with spontaneous artery dissection.
Effects of Intense Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Reduction in Patients With Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
Authors: Amarenco Pierre , Goldstein Larry B. , Szarek Michael , Sillesen Henrik , Rudolph Amy E. , Callahan Alfred , Hennerici Michael , Simunovic Lisa , Zivin Justin A. , Welch K. Michael A.
Published: October 2007

Background and Purpose—

The intention-to-treat analysis of data from the placebo-controlled Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL) trial found 80 mg atorvastatin per day reduced the risk of stroke and major coronary events in patients with recent stroke or transient ischemic attack. This benefit was present despite only a 78% net difference in adherence to randomized treatment over the course of the trial. In this exploratory analysis, our aim was to evaluate the benefit and risks associated with achieving a ≥50% low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction from baseline.

Methods—

This post hoc analysis was based on 55 045 LDL-C measurements among the 4731 patients enrolled in SPARCL (average, 11.6 measurements per patient) during a mean follow-up of 4.9 years. At each postrandomization LDL-C assessment, percent change in LDL-C from baseline for each patient was classified as no change or increase from baseline (32.7% of measurements), <50% LDL-C reduction (39.4%), or ≥50% reduction (27.9%).

Results—

Compared with no change or an increase in LDL-C, analysis of time-varying LDL-C change showed that patients with ≥50% LDL-C reduction had a 31% reduction in stroke risk (hazard ratio, 0.69, 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.87,
P
=0.0016), a 33% reduction in ischemic stroke (
P
=0.0018), no statistically significant increase in hemorrhagic stroke (
P
=0.8864), and a 37% reduction in major coronary events (
P
=0.0323). There was no increase in the incidence of myalgia or rhabdomyolysis. Persistent liver enzyme elevations were more frequent in the group with ≥50% LDL-C reduction.

Conclusions—

As compared with having no change or an increase in LDL-C, achieving a ≥50% lowering was associated with a greater reduction in the risk of stroke and major coronary events with no increase in brain hemorrhages.
Fractionating the Cognitive Control Required to Bring About a Change in Task: A Dense-sensor Event-related Potential Study
Authors: Astle Duncan E. , Jackson G. M. , Swainson R.
Published: October 2007

The ability to change our behavior is one that we frequently exert, although determining the mechanisms by which we do so is far from trivial. Task switching is a useful experimental paradigm for studying cognitive control functions. Switching between tasks is associated with a decrement in performance, or “switch-cost,” relative to repeating the same task. We have previously demonstrated that this cost is dependent on switching from performing one task to performing another; changing only our intended performance does not elicit the same performance deficit. Using event-related potentials (ERPs), we dissociated two electrophysiological indices mirroring this behavioral distinction [Astle, D. E., Jackson, G. M., & Swainson, R. Dissociating neural indices of dynamic cognitive control in advance task-set preparation: An ERP study of task switching. Brain Res, 1125, 94–103, 2006]. However, what was unclear were the specific aspects of performance that were critical for triggering the neural mechanisms associated specifically with switching from a previously performed task. Two candidate aspects were: (i) that performance required a physical response and (ii) that the two tasks shared their responses (they had bivalent response mappings). The present study therefore compared three separate groups to explore the effects of these different aspects of performance. Each group completed the same basic task-switching paradigm, but with either an overt response or covert response, and either switching between tasks that shared their responses (bivalent response mappings) or had separate responses (univalent response mappings). When comparing precue-locked ERPs, we observed three separable components: one common to all three groups, one which primarily dissociated overt from covert responding, and one which primarily dissociated bivalent from univalent responding. We therefore concluded that changing our behavior engages at least three dissociable mechanisms. Interestingly, in the overt conditions, residual switch-costs were absent; in addition, therefore, we concluded that it is possible to engage cognitive control in advance, such that the new behavior is as efficient as were the subject to have repeated the old behavior.
Moving on Time: Brain Network for Auditory-Motor Synchronization is Modulated by Rhythm Complexity and Musical Training
Authors: Chen Joyce L. , Penhune Virginia B. , Zatorre Robert J.
Published: October 2007

Much is known about the motor system and its role in simple movement execution. However, little is understood about the neural systems underlying auditory-motor integration in the context of musical rhythm, or the enhanced ability of musicians to execute precisely timed sequences. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated how performance and neural activity were modulated as musicians and nonmusicians tapped in synchrony with progressively more complex and less metrically structured auditory rhythms. A functionally connected network was implicated in extracting higher-order features of a rhythm's temporal structure, with the dorsal premotor cortex mediating these auditory-motor interactions. In contrast to past studies, musicians recruited the prefrontal cortex to a greater degree than nonmusicians, whereas secondary motor regions were recruited to the same extent. We argue that the superior ability of musicians to deconstruct and organize a rhythm's temporal structure relates to the greater involvement of the prefrontal cortex mediating working memory.
Reduction in White Matter Connectivity, Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging, May Account for Age-related Changes in Face Perception
Authors: Thomas Cibu , Moya Linda , Avidan Galia , Humphreys Kate , Jung Kwan Jin , Peterson Mary A. , Behrmann Marlene
Published: October 2007

An age-related decline in face processing, even under conditions in which learning and memory are not implicated, has been well documented, but the mechanism underlying this perceptual alteration remains unknown. Here, we examine whether this behavioral change may be accounted for by a reduction in white matter connectivity with age. To this end, we acquired diffusion tensor imaging data from 28 individuals aged 18 to 86 years and quantified the number of fibers, voxels, and fractional anisotropy of the two major tracts that pass through the fusiform gyrus, the pre-eminent face processing region in the ventral temporal cortex. We also measured the ability of a subset of these individuals to make fine-grained discriminations between pairs of faces and between pairs of cars. There was a significant reduction in the structural integrity of the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) in the right hemisphere as a function of age on all dependent measures and there were also some changes in the left hemisphere, albeit to a lesser extent. There was also a clear age-related decrement in accuracy of perceptual discrimination, especially for more challenging perceptual discriminations, and this held to a greater degree for faces than for cars. Of greatest relevance, there was a robust association between the reduction of IFOF integrity in the right hemisphere and the decline in face perception, suggesting that the alteration in structural connectivity between the right ventral temporal and frontal cortices may account for the age-related difficulties in face processing.
Plato's Rejection of Thoughtless and Pleasureless Lives
Authors: Evans Matthew
Published: October 2007

In the Philebus Plato argues that every rational human being, given the choice, will prefer a life that is moderately thoughtful and moderately pleasant to a life that is utterly thoughtless or utterly pleasureless. This is true, he thinks, even if the thoughtless life at issue is intensely pleasant and the pleasureless life at issue is intensely thoughtful. Evidently Plato wants this argument to show that neither pleasure nor thought, taken by itself, is sufficient to make a life choiceworthy for us. But there is some disagreement among commentators about whether or not he also wants the argument to show why. Is the argument designed to establish that we should reject thoughtless and pleasureless lives because some pleasures and some thoughts are goods? Or is it silent on this issue? Many interpreters take the first option, claiming that Plato uses the argument to attack both the hedonist view that only pleasures are goods and the intellectualist view that only thoughts are goods. My aim in this paper is to show that the second option is at least as attractive as the first, both exegetically and philosophically.
'Papua, the Land of Peace': The Interfaith Vision and Commitment for West Papua
Authors: Tebay Neles
Published: October 2007

It is possible for all religions to work together for lasting peace. This possibility of interfaith collaboration for peace in the midst of violent has been demonstrated in West Papua, the Western half of the Island of New Guinea. The territory has been a land of violent conflict both under the Dutch and Indonesian rules. The collaboration among the religions, including Islam, Christianity (Catholic and Protestant Churches), Hinduism, and Buddhism, for peace in West Papua was formally begun in 2000. Led by the religious leaders, the interfaith commitment for peace is manifested through the joint statements and activities. All the peace-related activities are now conducted under the motto 'Papua, the Land of Peace', which is also the shared vision of West Papua. This article explores the concept of peace, describes the threats to peace under Indonesian rule, introduces the concept of 'Papua, the Land of Peace' and its underlying values, and looks into interfaith commitment and activities for peace.
Highly Educated Mission: The University of Leuven, the Missionary Congregations and Congo, 1885-1960
Authors: Tollebeek Jo , Mantels Ruben
Published: October 2007

This article discusses the relationship between the Catholic University of Leuven and the missionary congregations during the period when they were involved in the Belgian colony of the Congo. Their relationship was successful and longstanding, thanks to local networks and interaction between the two institutions, as well as to their shared values and complementary strengths. The forms of cooperation in which they engaged ranged widely, from setting up student missionary movements and teaching programmes for missionaries to providing agricultural and medical university support at the mission stations; and from studying the colonial language experience of the missionary to large-scale cooperation as was the case with Lovanium. These examples indicate that the partnership was active both in Leuven and in the Congo. The missionary archives, however, reveal that the colonial reality could differ from the image that was created in official language and propaganda. From 1955 onwards, as the movement for independence was gaining strength, the process of decolonization set in and the cooperation collapsed.
Drug Interaction Studies of Therapeutic Proteins or Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: Mahmood Iftekhar , Green Marti Davi.
Published: October 2007

Drug interactions can alter the pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics of a drug. In pharmacokinetic drug interactions, the concentrations of 1 or more drugs are altered by another. This change in concentration in a given drug may be due to changes in absorption, distribution, metabolism, or elimination. The pharmacodynamic interaction can lead to additive, synergistic, or antagonistic effects of a drug. Drug interaction studies are regularly conducted with conventional drugs (small molecules), but very few drug interaction studies have been performed with macromolecules (therapeutic proteins or monoclonal antibodies). This is mainly because most macromolecules are not metabolized by the cytochrome P450 system, and their mechanism of elimination is complex. However, it has been shown in several studies that interferons can have an impact on the cytochrome P450 system that may alter the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a conventional drug when given with interferons. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the effect of other classes of macromolecules (cytokines, interleukins, monoclonal antibodies) on drug‐metabolizing enzymes. It is also imperative that the effects of conventional drugs on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of macromolecules be conducted. The present review encompasses several drug interaction studies that were conducted with macromolecules and highlights the impact of these studies on the pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics of the involved drugs.
The Crisis of the Maquiladora Model in Mexico
Authors: de la Garza Toledo Enrique
Published: October 2007

This article analyzes production models of the export-oriented maquila in Mexico, understood as the combinations between technological level and work organization system, labor relations flexibility, manpower characteristics, and business strategies, using for the first time the special module of the ENESTYC representative survey and information resulting from field work in 200 establishments. This work proposes that the maquila crisis in Mexico at the beginning of this century was not only because of the economic recession in the United States and Chinese competition but also because of the structural limitations of the sector's main production models, which have contributed to a crisis in labor productivity growth.
Work Orientation and Wives' Employment Careers
Authors: Man Yee Kan
Published: October 2007

This article uses work-life history data from the British Household Panel Survey (1991-2001) to examine married/cohabiting women's work histories and their gender-role attitudes. Findings suggest that women's employment careers are affected by both preferences and constraints. The presence of dependent children poses less of a barrier to full-time work for women with work-centered attitudes than other women. Nevertheless, women having a continuous employment career tend to be childless. Finally, there is a reciprocal relationship between gender-role attitudes and women's labor market participation, suggesting that preferences are changeable according to labor market experience.
Anger-Control Group Counseling for Women Recovering From Alcohol or Drug Addiction
Authors: González-Prendes A. Antonio
Published: October 2007

Two experimental conditions, a manualized cognitive-behavioral anger-control treatment incorporating empowerment strategies and a relapse-prevention treatment without the anger-control component, were compared to assess their impact on levels of trait anger and attributional styles of women recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. Participants were predominantly African American, low-socioeconomic-level women living in a residential facility in a major Midwestern city. Although significant changes were found for the anger-control group participants, sample size (anger control n = 8, relapse prevention n = 5) and participant characteristics call for caution when interpreting the results and limit the generalizability of the intervention. As a preliminary study, the findings are encouraging. Recommendations for future research and implications for social work practice are discussed.
Does Social Work Abstracts Work?
Authors: Holden Gary , Barker Kathleen , Covert-Vail Lucinda , Rosenberg Gary , Cohen Stephanie A.
Published: October 2007

Objective: The current study seeks to provide estimates of the adequacy of journal coverage in the Social Work Abstracts (SWA) database. Method: A total of 23 journals listed in the Journal Citation Reports social work category during the 1997 to 2005 period were selected for study. Issue-level coverage estimates were obtained for SWA and PsycINFO, the comparison database. Results: Both databases provided less than optimal coverage of social work journals, and SWA performed significantly worse than did PsycINFO. Both databases provided better coverage of National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Press journals than non—NASW Press journals. Conclusion: The results provide evidence of substantial deficits in SWA that merit serious concern.
Considering the Impact on Overall Patient Health When Choosing Antipsychotic Therapy
Authors: Jarboe Kathleen S.
Published: October 2007

Schizophrenia is a chronic and debilitating illness characterized by behaviors that markedly impair social and occupational functioning. Atypical antipsychotic medications have greatly improved outcomes for patients with these psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, many patients do not respond adequately to therapy because of treatment-limiting adverse events, (AEs) which also limit therapeutic adherence. It is now widely accepted that the “real-world” clinical effectiveness of an atypical antipsychotic depends on its safety and tolerability as much as its efficacy. A number of clinical studies have shown that certain atypical antipsychotics are associated with unwanted sedation and a significant risk of weight gain, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The risk of hyperprolactinemia is also significantly elevated with some atypical antipsychotics. To minimize the risk of adversely impacting overall patient health, each patient's metabolic and cardiovascular risk profile, as well as the potential impact of sedation on his or her quality of life, should be evaluated before beginning therapy and regularly thereafter.J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2007; 13(S5), S23-S28. DOI: 10.1177/1078390307299810
2007 SOPHE Presidential Address: Discovering a Philosophy of Health Education
Authors: Gambescia Stephen F.
Published: October 2007

While we have several hallmarks of a mature profession, does this include a well-articulated Philosophy of Health Education? High-order questions should be important to both practitioners and researchers in health education. This address outlines why it is important for us to have a philosophy of health education, an approach that we could take in such a project, and brief illustrations of how one's philosophy of health education impacts our work. Studying philosophy is a discipline unto itself. The suggestion is made for us to take a systematic look at fundamental questions about who we are, what areas of the human condition we choose to affect, why (and in what way) we do the things we do, and what difference we are making. If using a traditional philosophical framework of inquiry, three major and important areas of questioning would be examined, falling in the areas of epistemology, ethical and moral discourse, and governance and justice. Discovering a philosophy of health education understandably could be far a field from one's research agenda. However, if the profound statement that, of all the functions that a public health department provides, health education quite possibly could be the most essential service in a democratic society is true, then it is important for us, on balance, to get it right, thus giving a strong rationale for us to discover our own brand, as opposed to a borrowed, philosophy of health education.
Extravasations and emigration of neutrophils to the inflammatory site depend on the interaction of immune-complex with Fcγ receptors and can be effectively blocked by decoy Fcγ receptors
Authors: Shashidharamurthy Rangaiah , Hennigar Randolph A. , Fuchs Sebastien , Palaniswami Purani , Sherman Melanie , Selvaraj Periasamy
Published: October 2007

Extravasation and emigration of neutrophils to the site of inflammation are essential early steps in the initiation of many antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases. The Fc domains of cell bound autoantibodies or immune-complexes (IC) are capable of triggering the neutrophil emigration via complement and FcγRs-mediated mechanisms. To define the clinical relevance and the relative contribution of these 2 pathways in IC-mediated neutrophil emigration, we have neutralized the FcγR-binding activity of IC with a recombinant dimeric Fc receptor, CD16A-Ig, and investigated the early events of IC-induced inflammation in mice. Systemic administration of purified CD16A-Ig blocked IC-induced inflammation, mast- cell degranulation, and extravasation of neutrophils in a reversed Arthus reaction. Although the binding of CD16A-Ig to IC did not alter the complement-activating properties of IC, no evidence for complement-dependent neutrophil emigration was observed. These results suggest that interaction of IC with cells expressing FcγRs at the inflammatory site results in the secretion of chemoattractants, which mediate complement-independent emigration of neutrophils in this cutaneous acute inflammation model. Furthermore, blocking the interaction of IC to FcγRs expressed on inflammatory cells by administering high-avidity Fc fusion dimers of low-affinity FcγRs is an effective way of preventing IC-induced acute inflammation in autoimmune diseases.