bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 3 Promotes Neointimal Hyperplasia in Mouse Iliac-Femoral Arteries
Authors: Shimizu Takuya , De Wispelaere Allison , Winkler Martin , D'Souza Travis , Caylor Jacob , Chen Lihua , Dastvan Frank , Deou Jessie , Cho Aesim , Larena-Avellaneda Axel , Reidy Michael , Daum Guenter
Published: February 2012

Objective—

The objective of this study was to define a role for sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1PR3) in intimal hyperplasia.

Methods and Results—

A denudation model of the iliac-femoral artery in wild-type and S1PR3-null mice was used to define a role for S1PR3 in the arterial injury response because we found in humans and mice that expression of S1PR3 was higher in these arteries compared with carotid arteries. At 28 days after surgery, wild-type arteries formed significantly larger lesions than S1PR3-null arteries. Bromodeoxyuridine labeling experiments demonstrated that on injury, wild-type arteries exhibited higher medial as well as intimal proliferation than S1PR3-null arteries. Because S1PR3 expression in vitro was low, we expressed S1PR3 in S1PR3-null smooth muscle cells (SMCs) using retroviral-mediated gene transfer to study the effects of S1PR3 on cell functions and signaling. SMCs expressing S1PR3, but not vector-transfected controls, responded to sphingosine-1-phosphate stimulation with activation of Rac, Erk, and Akt. SMCs expressing S1PR3 also migrated more.

Conclusion—

In humans and mice, S1PR3 expression was higher in iliac-femoral arteries compared with carotid arteries. S1PR3 promoted neointimal hyperplasia on denudation of iliac-femoral arteries in mice, likely by stimulating cell migration and proliferation through activation of signaling pathways involving Erk, Akt, and Rac.
Comparison of Exercise Treadmill Testing With Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography Among Patients Presenting to the Emergency Room With Chest Pain
Authors: Blankstein Ron , Ahmed Waleed , Bamberg Fabian , Rogers Ian S. , Schlett Christopher Lothar , Nasir Khurram , Fontes Joao , Tawakol Ahmed , Brady Thomas J. , Nagurney John T. , Hoffmann Udo , Truong Quynh A.
Published: February 2012

Background—

The aims of our study were to (1) examine how data from exercise treadmill testing (ETT) can identify patients who have coronary plaque or stenosis, using CT angiography (CTA) as the reference standard, and (2) identify patient characteristics that may be used in selecting ETT versus CTA.

Methods and Results—

The Rule Out Myocardial Infarction Using Computer-Assisted Tomography (ROMICAT) trial was an observational cohort study of acute chest pain patients presenting to the emergency department with normal initial troponin and a nonischemic ECG. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to assess the relationship of baseline clinical data and ETT parameters with coronary plaque and stenosis on CTA. Of the 220 patients who had ETT (mean age, 51 years; 63% men), 21 (10%) had positive results. A positive ETT had a sensitivity of 30% and specificity of 93% to detect >50% stenosis. The sensitivity increased to 83% after excluding uninterpretable segments and evaluating the ability to detect a >70% stenosis. Predictors of plaque included older age, male sex, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, lower functional capacity, and a lower Duke Treadmill Score. Both a positive ETT and a low Duke Treadmill Score were significant univariate and multivariable predictors of stenosis >50% on CTA Whereas the prevalence of stenosis by CTA was greater among patients with more risk factors, coronary stenosis was not present among men <40 years old or women <50 years old or individuals who achieved at least 13 metabolic equivalents on ETT.

Conclusions—

Among low- to intermediate-risk patients with acute chest pain, a positive ETT has a limited sensitivity but high specificity for the detection of >50% stenosis by CTA. Although patients with a high number of clinical risk factors are more likely to have obstructive coronary artery disease, those who are young or who would be expected to have a very high exercise capacity are unlikely to have coronary stenosis and therefore may benefit from initial ETT testing instead of CTA.
Ephrin-B1 Is a Novel Specific Component of the Lateral Membrane of the Cardiomyocyte and Is Essential for the Stability of Cardiac Tissue Architecture Cohesion
Authors: Genet Gaël , Guilbeau-Frugier Céline , Honton Benjamin , Dague Etienne , Schneider Michael D. , Coatrieux Christelle , Calise Denis , Cardin Christelle , Nieto Cécile , Payré Bruno , Dubroca Caroline , Marck Pauline , Heymes Christophe , Dubrac Alexandre , Arvanitis Dina , Despas Fabien , Altié Marie-Françoise , Seguelas Marie-Hélène , Delisle Marie-Bernadette , Davy Alice , Sénard Jean-Michel , Pathak Atul , Galés Céline
Published: February 2012

Rationale:

Cardiac tissue cohesion relying on highly ordered cardiomyocytes (CM) interactions is critical because most cardiomyopathies are associated with tissue remodeling and architecture alterations.

Objective:

Eph/ephrin system constitutes a ubiquitous system coordinating cellular communications which recently emerged as a major regulator in adult organs. We examined if eph/ephrin could participate in cardiac tissue cyto-organization.

Methods and Results:

We reported the expression of cardiac ephrin-B1 in both endothelial cells and for the first time in CMs where ephrin-B1 localized specifically at the lateral membrane. Ephrin-B1 knock-out (KO) mice progressively developed cardiac tissue disorganization with loss of adult CM rod-shape and sarcomeric and intercalated disk structural disorganization confirmed in CM-specific ephrin-B1 KO mice. CMs lateral membrane exhibited abnormal structure by electron microscopy and notably increased stiffness by atomic force microscopy. In wild-type CMs, ephrin-B1 interacted with claudin-5/ZO-1 complex at the lateral membrane, whereas the complex disappeared in KO/CM-specific ephrin-B1 KO mice. Ephrin-B1 deficiency resulted in decreased mRNA expression of CM basement membrane components and disorganized fibrillar collagen matrix, independently of classical integrin/dystroglycan system. KO/CM-specific ephrin-B1 KO mice exhibited increased left ventricle diameter and delayed atrioventricular conduction. Under pressure overload stress, KO mice were prone to death and exhibited striking tissue disorganization. Finally, failing CMs displayed downregulated ephrin-B1/claudin-5 gene expression linearly related to the ejection fraction.

Conclusions:

Ephrin-B1 is necessary for cardiac tissue architecture cohesion by stabilizing the adult CM morphology through regulation of its lateral membrane. Because decreased ephrin-B1 is associated with molecular/functional cardiac defects, it could represent a new actor in the transition toward heart failure.
A Caveolae-Targeted L-Type Ca
2+
Channel Antagonist Inhibits Hypertrophic Signaling Without Reducing Cardiac Contractility
Authors: Makarewich Catherine A. , Correll Robert N. , Gao Hui , Zhang Hongyu , Yang Baohua , Berretta Remus M. , Rizzo Victor , Molkentin Jeffery D. , Houser Steven R.
Published: February 2012

Rationale:

The source of Ca
2+
to activate pathological cardiac hypertrophy is not clearly defined. Ca
2+
influx through the L-type Ca
2+
channels (LTCCs) determines “contractile” Ca
2+
, which is not thought to be the source of “hypertrophic” Ca
2+
. However, some LTCCs are housed in caveolin-3 (Cav-3)–enriched signaling microdomains and are not directly involved in contraction. The function of these LTCCs is unknown.

Objective:

To test the idea that LTCCs in Cav-3–containing signaling domains are a source of Ca
2+
to activate the calcineurin–nuclear factor of activated T-cell signaling cascade that promotes pathological hypertrophy.

Methods and Results:

We developed reagents that targeted Ca
2+
channel-blocking Rem proteins to Cav-3–containing membranes, which house a small fraction of cardiac LTCCs. Blocking LTCCs within this Cav-3 membrane domain eliminated a small fraction of the LTCC current and almost all of the Ca
2+
influx-induced NFAT nuclear translocation, but it did not reduce myocyte contractility.

Conclusions:

We provide proof of concept that Ca
2+
influx through LTCCs within caveolae signaling domains can activate “hypertrophic” signaling, and this Ca
2+
influx can be selectively blocked without reducing cardiac contractility.
Regulatory Role of Dendritic Cells in Postinfarction Healing and Left Ventricular Remodeling
Authors: Anzai Atsushi , Anzai Toshihisa , Nagai Shigenori , Maekawa Yuichiro , Naito Kotaro , Kaneko Hidehiro , Sugano Yasuo , Takahashi Toshiyuki , Abe Hitoshi , Mochizuki Satsuki , Sano Motoaki , Yoshikawa Tsutomu , Okada Yasunori , Koyasu Shigeo , Ogawa Satoshi , Fukuda Keiichi
Published: February 2012

Background—

Inflammation and immune responses are integral components in the healing process after myocardial infarction. We previously reported dendritic cell (DC) infiltration in the infarcted heart; however, the precise contribution of DC in postinfarction healing is unclear.

Methods and Results—

Bone marrow cells from CD11c-diphtheria toxin receptor/green fluorescent protein transgenic mice were transplanted into lethally irradiated wild-type recipient mice. After reconstitution of bone marrow–derived cells, the recipient mice were treated with either diphtheria toxin (DC ablation) or vehicle (control), and myocardial infarction was created by left coronary ligation. CD11c
+
green fluorescent protein–positive DCs expressing CD11b and major histocompatibility complex class II were recruited into the heart, peaking on day 7 after myocardial infarction in the control group. Mice with DC ablation for 7 days showed deteriorated left ventricular function and remodeling. The DC-ablated group demonstrated enhanced and sustained expression of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β, interleukin-18, and tumor necrosis factor-α, prolonged extracellular matrix degradation associated with a high level of matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity, and diminished expression level of interleukin-10 and endothelial cell proliferation after myocardial infarction compared with the control group. In vivo analyses revealed that DC-ablated infarcts had enhanced monocyte/macrophage recruitment. Among these cells, marked infiltration of proinflammatory Ly6C
high
monocytes and F4/80
+
CD206
−
M1 macrophages and, conversely, impaired recruitment of anti-inflammatory Ly6C
low
monocytes and F4/80
+
CD206
+
M2 macrophages in the infarcted myocardium were identified in the DC-ablated group compared with the control group.

Conclusions—

These results suggest that the DC is a potent immunoprotective regulator during the postinfarction healing process via its control of monocyte/macrophage homeostasis.
Prognostic Values of Clockwise and Counterclockwise Rotation for Cardiovascular Mortality in Japanese Subjects
Authors: Nakamura Yasuyuki , Okamura Tomonori , Higashiyama Aya , Watanabe Makoto , Kadota Aya , Ohkubo Takayoshi , Miura Katsuyuki , Kasagi Fumiyoshi , Kodama Kazunori , Okayama Akira , Ueshima Hirotsugu ,   for the NIPPON DATA80 Research Group
Published: February 2012

Background—

Although clockwise rotation and counterclockwise rotation are distinct findings of the ECG, their prognostic significance is rarely studied.

Methods and Results—

We studied prognostic values of clockwise and counterclockwise rotation on total, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and subtype mortality using the National Integrated Project for Prospective Observation of Noncommunicable Disease and Its Trends in the Aged, 1980–2004 (NIPPON DATA80) database with a 24-year follow-up. At baseline in 1980, data were collected on study participants aged ≥30 years from randomly selected areas in Japan. We followed 9067 participants (44% men; mean age, 51 years). During the 24-year follow-up, mortality was as follows: 2581 total, 887 CVD, 179 coronary heart disease, 173 heart failure, and 411 stroke. The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) with the use of the Cox model including biochemical and other ECG variables revealed that clockwise rotation was significantly positively associated with heart failure in men and women combined (HR=1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13–2.83;
P
=0.013), CVD in men and in men and women combined (HR=1.49; 95% CI, 1.12–1.98;
P
=0.007 in men; HR=1.28; 95% CI, 1.02–1.59;
P
=0.030 in combined), and total mortality in men and in men and women combined (HR=1.19; 95% CI, 1.00–1.49;
P
=0.0496 in men; HR=1.15; 95% CI, 1.00–1.32;
P
=0.045 in combined). Counterclockwise rotation was significantly inversely associated stroke in men and women combined (HR=0.77; 95% CI, 0.62–0.96;
P
=0.017), CVD in men and in men and women combined (HR=0.74; 95% CI, 0.59–0.94;
P
=0.011 in men; HR=0.81; 95% CI, 0.70–0.94;
P
=0.006 in combined), and total mortality in women (HR=0.87; 95% CI, 0.77–0.98;
P
=0.023).

Conclusions—

We found a significant positive association of clockwise rotation and a significant inverse association of counterclockwise rotation with CVD mortality in men and in men and women combined, independent of confounding factors including other ECG changes.
Naturalistic Validation of an On-Road Driving Test of Older Drivers
Authors: Ott Brian R. , Papandonatos George D. , Davis Jennifer D. , Barco Peggy P.
Published: February 2012

Objective:

The objective was to compare a standardized road test to naturalistic driving by older people who may have cognitive impairment to define improvements that could potentially enhance the validity of road testing in this population.

Background:

Road testing has been widely adapted as a tool to assess driving competence of older people who may be at risk for unsafe driving because of dementia; however, the validity of this approach has not been rigorously evaluated.

Method:

For 2 weeks, 80 older drivers (38 healthy elders and 42 with cognitive impairment) who passed a standardized road test were video recorded in their own vehicles. Using a standardized rating scale, 4 hr of video was rated by a driving instructor. The authors examine weighting of individual road test items to form global impressions and to compare road test and naturalistic driving using factor analyses of these two assessments.

Results:

The road test score was unidimensional, reflecting a major factor related to awareness of signage and traffic behavior. Naturalistic driving reflected two factors related to lane keeping as well as traffic behavior.

Conclusion:

Maintenance of proper lane is an important dimension of driving safety that appears to be relatively underemphasized during the highly supervised procedures of the standardized road test.

Application:

Road testing in this population could be improved by standardized designs that emphasize lane keeping and that include self-directed driving. Additional information should be sought from observers in the community as well as crash evidence when advising older drivers who may be cognitively impaired.
Noggin Is Required for Early Development of Murine Upper Incisors
Authors: Hu X. , Wang Y. , He F. , Li L. , Zheng Y. , Zhang Y. , Chen Y.P.
Published: February 2012

BMP signaling plays crucial roles in the development of many organs, including the tooth. Equally important is BMP signaling homeostasis, as demonstrated by multiple organ defects in mice lacking the extracellular BMP antagonist Noggin. Here, we show that Noggin is initially expressed in the maxillary mesenchyme adjunct to the upper incisor at the initiation stage, and then in the developing teeth, including incisors and molars, from the bud stage. Noggin mutants develop normal molars and mandibular incisors, but form a single, medially located upper incisor that is arrested at the late bud stage. Histological and molecular marker analyses demonstrated that two distinct upper incisor placodes initiate independently at E11.5, but begin to fuse at E12.5, coupling with elevated cell proliferation rates in the developing tooth germs. We further found that Chordin and Gremlin, two other BMP antagonists, are co-expressed with Noggin in the developing lower incisor and molar teeth. These observations indicate the importance of BMP signaling homeostasis, and suggest a functional redundancy between BMP antagonists during tooth development.
The Eigenfactor™ Score in Highly Specific Medical Fields
Authors: Sillet A. , Katsahian S. , Rangé H. , Czernichow S. , Bouchard P.
Published: February 2012

We sought to compare the Eigenfactor Score™ journal rank with the journal Impact Factor over five years, and to identify variables that may influence the ranking differences between the two metrics. Datasets were retrieved from the Thomson Reuters® and Eigenfactor Score™ Web sites. Dentistry was identified as the most specific medical specialty. Variables were retrieved from the selected journals to be included in a regression linear model. Among the 46 dental journals included in the analysis, striking variations in ranks were observed according to the metric used. The Bland-Altman plot showed a poor agreement between the metrics. The multivariate analysis indicates that the number of original research articles, the number of reviews, the self-citations, and the citing time may explain the differences between ranks. The Eigenfactor Score™ seems to better capture the prestige of a journal than the Impact Factor. In medicine, the bibliometric indicators should focus not only on the overall medical field but also on specialized disciplinary fields. Distinct measures are needed to better describe the scientific impact of specialized medical publications.
When the World Outside Gets Inside Your Head
Authors: Hoffman Lindsay H.
Published: February 2012

Citizens are variably influenced by information flow depending on their location within a social structure. One method of understanding this influence is through an assessment of multiple levels of analysis. Although many scholars have called for such analyses, few have heeded that call. This research addresses the relevance of “context” to the study of media effects on perceptions of public opinion. Survey data from the American National Election Studies are combined with a content analysis of campaign news in 24 regional newspapers, as well as advertising data, in order to parse out contextual media effects. Results show that perceived public opinion varies significantly across media markets. Newspaper use and personal candidate preference had a significant effect on the likelihood of perceiving Kerry to be the state-winning candidate. There was also a significant cross-level interaction between media context and political discussion on perceptions of public opinion.
Influence of psychological and social factors on bystanders’ roles in school bullying among Korean-American students in the United States
Authors: Choi Sumi , Cho Young Il
Published: February 2012

This study investigated the associations of psychological and social variables with the likelihood of exhibiting three different behaviors as a bystander in a bullying situation. The sample comprised 238 Korean-American and Korean students, from the 3rd to 12th grades, studying in the USA. Students receiving classmate support showed a lower probability of exhibiting outsider behaviors in a bullying situation as compared to non-involvers, whereas those receiving teacher support showed less likelihood of exhibiting assistant, outsider, and defender behaviors as compared to non-involvers. Furthermore, students showing higher responsibility exhibited a lower probability of being a defender group as compared to the non-involvers, while those showing higher empathy demonstrated a greater probability of being in the defender group over non-involvers. The current study discusses the implications for bullying preventive interventions in school settings.
Safety Surrounding Parenteral Nutrition Systems
Authors: Sacks Gordon S.
Published: February 2012

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is one of the most complex medications administered to hospitalized and ambulatory patients. Despite the successful clinical use of PN for over 3 decades, adverse events continue to occur, resulting in serious morbidity or even mortality. There are multiple points within the PN process for errors to occur: prescribing, transcription, preparation, and administration. Because of the lack of published literature about PN errors, a formal study was conducted to document the nature and severity of harm resulting from medication errors during the PN process.
Absence of widespread psychosocial and cognitive effects of school-based music instruction in 10–13-year-old students
Authors: Rickard Nikki S. , Bambrick Caroline J. , Gill Anneliese
Published: February 2012

Previous studies demonstrate that private music training has benefits which may transfer to other domains, including verbal memory, intelligence and self-esteem. The current paper reports on the impact of an increase in school-based music training on a range of cognitive and psychosocial measures for 10–13-year-olds in two independent studies. In the first study, the benefits of increased frequency of classroom-based music classes were compared with classroom-based drama and art lessons in secondary school students ( N = 127). The second study compared the effects of introducing a new classroom-based music programme with a new drama programme for primary school students ( N = 100). Assessments were obtained at baseline and approximately six months after implementation of each programme. In contrast to previous research on the effects of private music tuition, no convincing benefits of school music classes were apparent. Trends of interest were observed in non-verbal intelligence, aggression scores and verbal memory, which require further investigation. The findings suggest that the benefits of music instruction previously reported may be limited to private or externally-based music tuition, or socio-economically disadvantaged schools. The intrinsic value of music education for enjoyment and learning should therefore remain central to the justification of music education in the national school curriculum.
Fingerprinting historical fluvial sediment fluxes
Authors: D’Haen Koen , Verstraeten Gert , Degryse Patrick
Published: February 2012

In order to better understand the human impact on fluvial sediment dynamics at various timescales, information on the changing connectivity between the various geomorphic units in a landscape is crucial. Quantitative sediment budgets for various time periods provide a first assessment of changes in coupling between slopes and river systems. However, the application of sediment fingerprinting can yield additional spatial information on the sediment pathways. Furthermore, the fingerprint approach can also be used in cases where detailed sediment budgets are difficult to obtain. Provenance studies have been executed in various sedimentary environments, covering a wide variety of spatial and temporal scales. Here, an overview is provided of the tracer properties that can be used to distinguish between the various sediment sources in a river catchment. From this general compilation, those tracers useful to fingerprint fine-grained floodplain deposits on a historical timescale (decadal to millennial) are identified. Geochemical and mineralogical compositions, mineral magnetic signals and isotope ratios can be considered the most suitable fingerprinting properties. The impact of source area weathering, grain size selectivity of erosion and sedimentary processes and post-depositional alteration on tracer properties from source to sink are considered. Finally, a synopsis is given of the qualitative to fully quantitative approaches that can be used to discriminate the sources of fine-grained alluvial sediments.
Late Weichselian varve archives re-explored to assess proglacial sedimentary chronologies using the principles of tree-ring analysis
Authors: Helama Samuli , Hyttinen Outi , Salonen Veli-Pekka
Published: February 2012

Glaciogenic varves are formed annually in proglacial basins and provide detailed geochronological archives about the dynamics of deglaciation. Varve chronologies are constructed from multiple varve series measured at individual localities. Temporal connection between the series is traditionally achieved by visual comparison of varve-thickness variations. This connection method resembles that of dendrochronological cross-dating. By contrast, dendrochronological correlation proceeds through the routine of statistical (along with visual) comparisons between the tree-ring series, providing quantification of the dating results, their veracity and robustness. Here we demonstrate the advantages and convenience of applying tree-ring statistical methods to varve records, using an extensive varve archive originating from southern Finland. The data series of individual varve-thickness diagrams were metamorphosed by detrending, prewhitening and averaging, that is, by the methods adopted from tree-ring science. Subsequently, it was seen that the series having 80 or more varves have a higher potential to be unambiguously cross-dated than shorter series. The varve-thickness diagrams could be categorized into two types, those having regional chronological importance and those showing only subregional (distance < 20 km) correlativity. The varves of former type ought to be regarded as primary constituents of the geochronology. The varves of latter type have low geochronological validity although they may bear local sedimentological importance. The findings have the potential to modernize the science of varve-based geochronologies.
Valueless Knowledge-Commodities and Financialization
Authors: Teixeira Rodrigo Alves , Rotta Tomas Nielsen
Published: February 2012

We present a Marxian theory of the capitalist production of knowledge and of financialization as two processes subsumed under the principle of autonomization of capital. Our approach consists of three tasks. The first is to develop the principle of autonomization. The second is to show how financialization can be a misleading term. The third is to develop a new theory of the production and distribution of valueless knowledge-commodities and knowledge-rent. Our Marxian framework demonstrates how the autonomization of capital manifests itself in its two active dimensions: the financial through financialization, and the productive through knowledge-commodities.

JEL codes: B51, O33, O34 1
Statistical Evidence of Falling Profits as Cause of Recession
Authors: Tapia Granados José A.
Published: February 2012

Data on 251 quarters of the U.S. economy show that recessions are preceded by declines in profits. Profits stop growing and start falling four or five quarters before a recession. They strongly recover immediately after the recession. Since investment is to a large extent determined by profitability and investment is a major component of demand, the fall in profits leading to a fall in investment, in turn leading to a fall in demand, seems to be a basic mechanism in the causation of recessions.

JEL codes: E01, E11, E32
Overview of Supportive Care in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy
Authors: Scialdone Liana
Published: February 2012

With advancements in the field of oncology, more and more people are living with cancer. The prevalence of invasive cancer in the United States is estimated to be almost 12 million. The treatment of cancer as well as the malignancy itself can cause an immense number of side effects and other complications. This article explores the fundamentals of supportive care in patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment including prevention of nausea and vomiting, pain management, treatment of anemia and neutropenia. Proper supportive care can help improve clinical outcomes, reduce medical costs, and help patients with cancer live longer, happier, and healthier lives. For these reasons, it is important for pharmacists to possess a solid understanding of how to prevent and treat the adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Voluntary Attention Modulates Processing of Eye-Specific Visual Information
Authors: Zhang Peng , Jiang Yi , He Sheng
Published: February 2012

Visual attention functions to select relevant information from a vast amount of visual input that is available for further processing. Information from the two eyes is processed separately in early stages before converging and giving rise to a coherent percept. Observers normally cannot access eye-of-origin information. In the research reported here, we demonstrated that voluntary attention can be eye-specific, modulating visual processing within a specific monocular channel. Using a modified binocular-rivalry paradigm, we found that attending to a monocular cue while remaining oblivious to its eye of origin significantly enhanced the competition strength of a stimulus presented to the cued eye, even when the stimulus was suppressed from consciousness. Furthermore, this eye-specific attentional effect was insensitive to low-level properties of the cue (e.g., size and contrast) but sensitive to the attentional load. Together, these findings suggest that top-down attention can have a significant modulation effect at the eye-specific stage of visual information processing.
Physical, Psychological, and Social Aspects of Quality of Life in Filarial Lymphedema Patients in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Authors: Wijesinghe Rushika S. , Wickremasinghe Ananda. R.
Published: February 2012

Quality of life (QOL) was assessed in 141 filarial lymphedema patients and 128 healthy people in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka, by administering modified, translated, and validated (in Sri Lanka) versions of the Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36) and the 30-item General Health questionnaire (GHQ-30). The GHQ-30 assesses the current mental health status. The SF-36 measures health on 8 multi-item dimensions covering functional state, well-being, and overall evaluation of health (physical functioning, role limitations resulting from physical health problems, role limitations resulting from emotional problems, energy/fatigue, emotional well-being, social functioning, pain and general health). By SF-36, patients experienced poorer physical functioning, more role limitations resulting from physical health conditions, less emotional well-being, poorer social functioning, and more pain than healthy individuals. By GHQ-30, mental well-being of healthy controls was significantly better than that of patients. The significant difference in the QOL as perceived by filarial lymphedema patients and healthy individuals reiterates the importance of morbidity control in patients affected by this disease.
Addressing the Sluggish Progress in Reducing Maternal Mortality in India
Authors: Rai Rajesh Kumar , Tulchinsky Theodore Herzl
Published: February 2012

Although some progress has been made in India, achievement of the Fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG5; ie, 75% reduction in maternal mortality ratio [MMR] from 1990 by 2015) target seems to be unattainable by 2015. Failure of the National Population Policy, 2000, and the National Health Policy, 2002, to reduce the MMR demanded a new direction, leading to the establishment of a National Rural Health Mission in 2005. This commentary addresses both the real achievements and the hurdles faced in India’s stagnating progress in maternal health. Promotion of maternal nutrition and health education, with greater attention to emergency obstetrical care at the district subcenter and primary health care center levels, must be prioritized. These changes of focus are vital to make prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care safer with increased resources allotted to adolescents, the poor, and women living in rural areas in order to enhance maternal health and achieve the MDG target.
International Careers
Authors: Punteney Katherine N.
Published: February 2012

Amidst a policy context that is ardently promoting participation in world politics, trade, and cultural exchange, institutions of higher education are increasingly committing their campuses to preparing students for professional and civic lives in a globalized world. Yet among the many approaches taken by institutions to internationalize their campuses, career development and career counseling are underutilized methods of preparing students for international careers. This study examines the effects of an international career exploration module in general education classes on students’ interest in and knowledge of international career options, arguing that the use of such a module is an effective component of preparing students for international careers.
Visitor or Inhabitant? Addressing the Needs of Undergraduate Transnational Medical Students
Authors: Lindley Jennifer , McCall Louise , Abu-Arab Adela
Published: February 2012

This study was conducted to identify key issues for students in an undergraduate medical course with cross border delivery and the impact of these issues on the students’ ability to learn. Data relating to the student experience and perceived student needs were collected from transnational students and teaching staff from Australia and Malaysia. The results highlight the complexities of migration from one learning environment to another and suggest the need for a cohesive institutional approach to support medical student movement between culturally diverse settings as well as the translation of medical curriculum from one cultural context to another. We describe how the particular needs of transnational students moving across borders align with Maslow’s hierarchy of unmet needs and can be met through low cost, long reach institutional initiatives. These must be supplemented by interpersonal approaches in which institutions can also foster. The outcomes will benefit local as well as transnational students and staff.
“More Aware of Everything”
Authors: Haines David
Published: February 2012

At the intersection of the topics of migration and diversity in higher education lies the experience of people who grow up overseas, or who go overseas for education or military service, and then return as college students. This article addresses their experience, drawing from a series of exploratory interviews conducted—as part of a broader distributed research process on diversity—at one particularly diverse American university. The overseas experience, as would be expected, generally broadens student perspectives but also individuates them by first removing people from existing personal networks and established cognitive routines, then inserting them into new networks and cognitive patterns overseas, and finally reinserting them back into a “home” situation in the United States that is both familiar and now newly alien. The legacies of return thus include a resorting and reconfiguration of notions of self and identity as well as those of family, community, and nation. Overall, the process suggests a useful parallel between the student as traveler and the traveler as student. There is also a warning in this material that much human diversity involves very individualized experiences that may be overlooked in the more generalized literatures on education (especially higher education) and human mobility.
Validation of a Brief PTSD Scale for Clients With Severe Mental Illnesses
Authors: O’Hare Thomas , Shen Ce , Sherrer Margaret
Published: February 2012

Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are more common in severe mental illnesses (SMI) clients than in the general population, yet brief screens for detecting probable PTSD in SMI clients are nonexistent. In a two-part study, the authors used correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis to develop and validate a 3-item PTSD scale derived from the PTSD Symptom scale (PSS) with SMI clients. Results from Study #1 ( N = 220) revealed that a 3-item Brief PSS showed excellent accuracy for detecting PTSD, good internal consistency, and good concurrent validity with other relevant measures. In Study #2 ( N = 327) comparable reliability and concurrent validity were found with measures similar to those used in Study #1. Practitioners are encouraged to use the Brief PSS with SMI clients, and if positive, conduct a full assessment and diagnosis. Limitations of the study include the lack of a structured interview for primary Axis I diagnosis.
Impacts of concurrency, iteration, design review, and problem complexity on design project lead time and error generation
Authors: Le H Nam , Wynn David C , Clarkson P John
Published: February 2012

A case study of an aircraft engine manufacturer is used to analyze the effects of management levers on the lead time and design errors generated in an iteration-intensive concurrent engineering process. The levers considered are amount of design-space exploration iteration, degree of process concurrency, and timing of design reviews. Simulation is used to show how the ideal combination of these levers can vary with changes in design problem complexity, which can increase, for instance, when novel technology is incorporated in a design. Results confirm that it is important to consider multiple iteration-influencing factors and their interdependencies to understand concurrent processes, because the factors can interact with confounding effects. The article also demonstrates a new approach to derive a system dynamics model from a process task network. The new approach could be applied to analyze other concurrent engineering scenarios.
Reverse D4F, an Apolipoprotein-AI Mimetic Peptide, Inhibits Atherosclerosis in ApoE-null Mice
Authors: Qin Shucun , Kamanna Vaijinath S. , Lai Jack H. , Liu Tianjiao , Ganji Shobha H. , Zhang Linhua , Bachovchin William W. , Kashyap Moti L.
Published: February 2012

Objective:

Synthetic class A amphipathic helical peptide analogs of apolipoprotein-AI (apoAI; with varied phenylalanine residues) are emerging therapeutic approaches under investigation for atherosclerosis. Utilizing retroinverso sequencing, we designed reverse-D4F (Rev-D4F) peptide with 18 d-amino acids containing 4 phenylalanine residues and reverse order that allows the side chain residues to be of exact alignment and superimposable to those of the parent l-amino acid peptide. This study examined the effect of Rev-D4F on atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (apoE)-null mice and the underlying mechanisms.

Materials/Methods:

ApoE-null mice were fed a chow diet and administered water (control), Rev-D4F, or L4F mimetic peptides (0.4 mg/mL, equivalent to 1.6 mg/d) orally in drinking water for 6 weeks. Aortic root atherosclerotic lesion area, lesion macrophage content, and the ability of plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to influence monocyte chemotaxis were measured.

Results:

Rev-D4F significantly decreased aortic sinus atherosclerotic lesion area and lesion macrophage content without affecting plasma total and HDL-cholesterol levels in apoE-null mice. The HDL from Rev-D4F-treated mice showed enhanced anti-inflammatory monocyte chemotactic activity, while low-density lipoprotein (LDL) exhibited reduced proinflammatory activity. In in vitro studies, Rev-D4F inhibited LDL oxidation, endothelial cell vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), and monocyte chemotactic factor 1 (MCP-1) expression, and monocyte adhesion to aortic endothelial cells.

Conclusions:

The Rev-D4F inhibits atherosclerosis by inhibiting endothelial inflammatory/oxidative events and improving HDL function. The data suggest that Rev-D4F may be an effective apoAI mimetic peptide for further development in preventing atherosclerosis.
Free vibrations of Timoshenko beam-columns on Pasternak foundations
Authors: Caliò Ivo , Greco Annalisa
Published: February 2012

In this paper the free vibration and the stability of axially loaded Timoshenko beams on elastic foundation are analyzed through the dynamic stiffness matrix method. The study is carried out considering a two–parameter elastic soil which contains the characteristics of both the Winkler and the Pasternak foundations. The equation of motion and the exact dynamic stiffness matrix of a beam–column including the effect of shear deformation and rotatory inertia is derived. The eigenproblem of the beam–column is therefore solved through the application of the general Wittrick and Williams algorithm. The effects of soil characteristics as well as shear deformations and rotatory inertia on the natural frequencies of the beam-column are investigated. An extensive parametric study highlights the main parameters that characterize the dynamical behavior of the considered beam–column.
Spectator Rage as the Dark Side of Engaging Sport Fans
Authors: Grove Stephen J. , Pickett Gregory M. , Jones Scott A. , Dorsch Michael J.
Published: February 2012

Customer rage is a complex phenomenon that is beginning to receive attention from researchers and practitioners. To date, research into the phenomenon has focused exclusively on its occurrence within a failed service context; however, rage may also occur in nonfailure situations as a negative by-product of an organization’s efforts to engage the customer at an emotional level. As a service entity, the live sporting event is characterized by a number of features which make it particularly susceptible to acts of rage. This article examines rage within the context of spectator sport by utilizing a framework that is capable of organizing and focusing attention upon those factors that shape a fan’s consumption experience and render spectator sport, and services in general, susceptible to rage. Services marketers may be unable to eliminate all incidents of spectator rage, especially those that arise when a customer becomes excessively and emotionally absorbed with the service encounter. Nevertheless, fans’ propensity to rage may be reduced by understanding the factors that contribute to it and by carefully designing servicescapes and vigilantly managing customer interactions to generate exhilarating, yet nonaggressive, customer experiences.
Assessing brain connectivity at rest is clinically relevant in early multiple sclerosis
Authors: Faivre Anthony , Rico Audrey , Zaaraoui Wafaa , Crespy Lydie , Reuter Françoise , Wybrecht Delphine , Soulier Elisabeth , Malikova Irina , Confort-Gouny Sylviane , Cozzone Patrick J , Pelletier Jean , Ranjeva Jean-Philippe , Audoin Bertrand
Published: February 2012

Objective:

The present study aims to determine the clinical counterpart of brain resting-state networks reorganization recently evidenced in early multiple sclerosis.

Methods:

Thirteen patients with early relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis and 14 matched healthy controls were included in a resting state functional MRI study performed at 3 T. Data were analyzed using group spatial Independent Component Analysis using concatenation approach (FSL 4.1.3) and double regression analyses (SPM5) to extract local and global levels of connectivity inside various resting state networks (RSNs). Differences in global levels of connectivity of each network between patients and controls were assessed using Mann–Whitney U-test. In patients, relationship between clinical data (Expanded Disability Status Scale and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite Score – MSFC) and global RSN connectivity were assessed using Spearman rank correlation.

Results:

Independent component analysis provided eight consistent neuronal networks involved in motor, sensory and cognitive processes. For seven RSNs, the global level of connectivity was significantly increased in patients compared with controls. No significant decrease in RSN connectivity was found in early multiple sclerosis patients. MSFC values were negatively correlated with increased RSN connectivity within the dorsal frontoparietal network ( r = −0.811, p = 0.001), the right ventral frontoparietal network ( r = − 0.587, p = 0.045) and the prefronto-insular network ( r = −0.615, p = 0.033).

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates that resting state networks reorganization is strongly associated with disability in early multiple sclerosis. These findings suggest that resting state functional MRI may represent a promising surrogate marker of disease burden.
Sibling involvement in childhood chronic heart disease through a bead program
Authors: Redshaw Sarah , Wilson Valerie
Published: February 2012

In interviews with parents for the evaluation of a cardiac ward programme in a children’s hospital, a number of parents mentioned the role of the Heart Beads Program in including siblings in the hospitalisation of the child with congenital heart condition (CHD). Inclusion of siblings in the events surrounding the child with the cardiac condition was of two kinds: (a) touching and explaining about the beads and the child’s condition and (b) involvement in collecting and threading the beads. Discussion of the needs of siblings suggests that inclusion of siblings in activities related to the care and understanding of the CHD child as well as the creation and shaping of the family narrative is important. These cases illustrate the different ways in which siblings are involved and acknowledged and how involvement can be facilitated by a programme like Heart Beads.
Supervision to prevent childhood unintentional injury
Authors: Guilfoyle Shanna M , Karazsia Bryan T , Langkamp Diane L , Wildman Beth G
Published: February 2012

Caregiver developmental knowledge was tested as a moderator of the association between caregiver-perceived self-efficacy and perceived supervision to prevent childhood unintentional injury. Caregivers ( N = 123; 95 mothers and 28 fathers) of children ( M = 3.5 ± 1.2 years, 49.6% female, 80.8% Caucasian) were recruited from pediatric primary care offices and local message boards. All caregivers completed self-report questionnaires on perceived self-efficacy, developmental knowledge, and perceived supervision to prevent injury. Separate hierarchical linear regression models were conducted to test moderation for mothers and fathers. The interaction effect of perceived self-efficacy and developmental knowledge significantly predicted maternal-perceived supervision, R2 change = .06, F(1, 86) = 6.76, p < .01. No significant findings were detected for fathers. Models of studying injury prevention that consider complex cognitive-behavioral interactions and their potential modifiable role in the development of injury-prevention practices may elucidate upon the attitude–practice gap currently identified in the literature.
An office or a bedroom? Challenges for family-centered care in the pediatric intensive care unit
Authors: Macdonald Mary Ellen , Liben Stephen , Carnevale Franco A. , Cohen S. Robin
Published: February 2012

Although the modern pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) has followed general pediatrics and adopted the family-centered care model, little is known about how families prospectively experience PICU care. The authors' goal was to better understand the experiences of families whose child was hospitalized in a PICU. They conducted a 12-month prospective ethnographic study in a PICU in a tertiary care hospital in a large North American urban center. Data were obtained via participant-observation and formal and informal interviews with 18 families and staff key informants. Findings revealed a disconnect between the espoused model of family-centered care and quotidian professional practices. This divergence emerged in the authors' analysis as a heuristic that contrasts a professional “office” to a sick child’s “bedroom.” PICU practices and protocols transformed the child into a patient and parents into visitors; issues such as noise, visitation, turf, and privacy could favor staff comfort and convenience over that of the child and family. The authors' discussion highlights suggestions to overcome this divergence in order to truly make the PICU family centered.