bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations in Women with Breast Carcinoma In Situ and Referred for Genetic Testing
Authors: Hall Michael J. , Reid Julia E. , Wenstrup Richard J.
Published: December 2010

Ductal and lobular carcinoma in situ (CIS) accounted for 62,280 (24.5%) of all new breast cancer diagnoses in 2009. BRCA1/2 mutations confer an extremely high risk of breast cancer, and management guidelines for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers advise close follow-up, intensive screening, and consideration of prophylactic surgery to lower this risk. The limited relevant previous data are not definitive in establishing the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations in breast CIS patients, creating uncertainty as to whether referral for cancer risk assessment and genetic testing is appropriate for this group. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Myriad Genetics BRCA1/2 database to determine the prevalence of these mutations in breast CIS patients. All statistical tests were 2-sided, and confidence intervals (CI) are reported at the 95% level (α = 0.05). The source population was 64,717 consecutive women who were not Ashkenazi Jewish, underwent BRCA1/2 testing, and provided a personal and family history of invasive breast and ovarian cancer; 7,295 (11.3%) reported a diagnosis of CIS (ductal or lobular) and had an overall 5.9% prevalence of mutated BRCA1/2 (mBRCA). Subgrouped by history (personal or family) of invasive breast and/or ovarian cancer, these CIS patients had the following prevalences of mBRCA: (1) no personal or family history, 2.3%; (2) personal history, 5.2%; (3) family history, 5%; and (4) personal and family history, 10.3%. mBRCA risk was significantly higher in women with early-onset (<50 years old) CIS than with late-onset (≥50 years old) CIS [odds ratio (OR) = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.1–2.1). Disease onset at less than 40 years age was associated with an even higher mBRCA risk (OR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.3–2.3). By far the largest analysis of BRCA1/2 mutation prevalence in non-Ashkenazi Jewish breast CIS patients, this study shows that early-onset CIS is associated with mBRCA1/2 in patients referred for genetic testing. When a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer are also present, testing women with early-onset CIS may increase both the likelihood of detecting BRCA1/2 mutations and opportunities for carriers to consider additional cancer prevention strategies. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1579–85. ©2010 AACR.
Chitin or Chitin-Like Glycans as Targets for Late-Term Cancer Chemoprevention
Authors: Wattenberg Lee W. , Patterson Steven , Antonides Jennifer D.
Published: December 2010

A consistent observation in studies of carcinogenesis is that some glycans are expressed differently in cancer cells than in normal cells. A well-known example is the aberrant β1–6 N-acetyl-d-glucosamine branching associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in many cancers. This commentary proposes that, although not found in normal mammalian cells, a chitin (β-1,4-linked N-acetyl-d-glucosamine) or a chitin-like polysaccharide (e.g., hyaluronan) may exist as a cancer-associated glycan, which can be targeted by the novel pyrimidine nucleotide derivative SP-1015 (designed as a chitin synthase inhibitor). Preliminary chemoprevention data of our group showed SP-1015 in the diet can inhibit benzo(a)pyrene-induced neoplasia in the forestomach of female A/J mice, and, of importance, this activity occurred at late stages in carcinogenesis. While no effect was seen in the murine lung, this may be due to the low bioavailability of the compound. A different route of administration (e.g. inhalation of an aerosol) may have potential to inhibit pulmonary carcinogenesis. We hypothesize that inhibitors of chitin or chitin-like glycan formation may be effective chemopreventive agents and suggest that further work is needed to study these novel targets for cancer prevention. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1519–22. ©2010 AACR.
Transition of a Clinical Trial into Translational Research: The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial Experience
Authors: Goodman Phyllis J. , Tangen Catherine M. , Kristal Alan R. , Thompson Ian M. , Lucia M. Scott , Platz Elizabeth A. , Figg William D. , Hoque Ashraful , Hsing Ann , Neuhouser Marian L. , Parnes Howard L. , Reichardt Juergen K.V. , Santella Regina M. , Till Cathee , Lippman Scott M.
Published: December 2010

Large clinical trials provide a tremendous opportunity to integrate correlative, comprehensive biological studies with invaluable repositories of biospecimens and clinical and other data from the trial. The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) was a phase III randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of finasteride in 18,882 men. Clinical data and blood and tissue specimens were collected at baseline and throughout the study, offering an opportunity to create a program project to investigate hypotheses related to the biology underlying the PCPT findings as well as the etiology and risk of prostate cancer. The transition of the randomized PCPT into this translational and epidemiologic scientific investigation required extensive planning and coordination. Five individual but interrelated projects were brought together with the underlying program theme of the genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors associated with the risks of overall and high-grade prostate cancer and how these factors affected the efficacy of finasteride in preventing cancer. All projects with serum-based measures use a single, shared, nested case–control sample of participants so that each subject provides a more complete biomarker and genetic profile for the evaluation of joint effects of these factors. Strengths of this program include the following: 1) the control group contains only men who are negative for biopsy-detected cancer, 2) the statistical methods to evaluate associations of risk factors with disease are shared across all projects, 3) the large number of cancer cases with fully characterized genetic, metabolic, and behavioral exposures, 4) a central pathology core histopathologically classified the prostate cancer, and 5) cancer cases identified during the PCPT reflect the characteristics of cases currently being detected in the prostate-specific antigen screening era, leading to contemporary and highly relevant results. This article describes the comprehensive methodology and multidisciplinary collaborations, both national and international, essential to a major risk-modeling research program. We provide a framework for doing collaborative research in an international setting structured around a common theme of a clinical trial. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1523–33. ©2010 AACR.
Association between Folate Levels and CpG Island Hypermethylation in Normal Colorectal Mucosa
Authors: Wallace Kristin , Grau Maria V. , Levine A. Joan , Shen Lanlan , Hamdan Randala , Chen Xinli , Gui Jiang , Haile Robert W. , Barry Elizabeth L. , Ahnen Dennis , McKeown-Eyssen Gail , Baron John A. , Issa Jean Pierre J.
Published: December 2010

Gene-specific promoter methylation of several genes occurs in aging normal tissues and may predispose to tumorigenesis. In the present study, we investigate the association of blood folate levels and dietary and lifestyle factors with CpG island (CGI) methylation in normal colorectal mucosa. Subjects were enrolled in a multicenter chemoprevention trial of aspirin or folic acid for the prevention of large bowel adenomas. We collected 1,000 biopsy specimens from 389 patients, 501 samples from the right colon and 499 from the rectum at the follow-up colonoscopy. We measured DNA methylation of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and secreted frizzled related protein-1 (SFRP1), using bisulfite pyrosequencing. We used generalized estimating equations regression analysis to examine the association between methylation and selected variables. For both ERα and SFRP1, percentage methylation was significantly higher in the rectum than in the right colon (P = 0.001). For each 10 years of age, we observed a 1.7% increase in methylation level for ERα and a 2.9% increase for SFRP1 (P < 0.0001). African Americans had a significantly lower level of ERα and SFRP1 methylation than Caucasians and Hispanics. Higher RBC folate levels were associated with higher levels of both ERα (P = 0.03) and SFRP1 methylation (P = 0.01). Our results suggest that CGI methylation in normal colorectal mucosa is related to advancing age, race, rectal location, and RBC folate levels. These data have important implications regarding the safety of supplementary folate administration in healthy adults, given the hypothesis that methylation in normal mucosa may predispose to colorectal neoplasia. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1552–64. ©2010 AACR.
Update on Cancer Prevention Research in the United States and China: The 2009 China—U.S. Forum on Frontiers of Cancer Research
Authors: Bode Ann M. , Cao Ya , Dong Zigang
Published: December 2010

Cancer is one of the major physical, social, and economic burdens and public health threats worldwide. Citizens everywhere face the challenge of dealing with the costs and devastation of this dreadful disease regardless of country of residence. In October 2009, a joint China—U.S. forum focusing on cancer prevention was held in Changsha, China. The goal of this timely joint conference was to provide a forum for the exchange of the most recent and relevant information on cancer control, translational cancer prevention research, and clinical trials in China and the United States. The scientifically driven symposium comprised didactic sessions that included discussions focused on identifying and validating effective chemopreventive agents and their molecular and cellular targets. A major highlight of the meeting was the participation of Chinese and American experts from Xiangya Medical School, Central South University and the Center for Health Policy and Management (China), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH, United States), who provided a unique insight into each country's public efforts and progress in cancer prevention. Participants clearly agreed that our current understanding of the many factors influencing cancer causation indicates that as much as two thirds or more of human cancers can be prevented. This perspective presents an overview of the progress being made in cancer prevention in China and the United States. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1630–7. ©2010 AACR.
A Pilot, First-in-Human, Pharmacokinetic Study of 9cUAB30 in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Kolesar Jill M. , Hoel Ryan , Pomplun Marcia , Havighurst Tom , Stublaski Jeanne , Wollmer Barbara , Krontiras Helen , Brouillette Wayne , Muccio Donald , Kim KyungMann , Grubbs Clinton J. , Bailey Howard E.
Published: December 2010

9cUAB30 is a synthetic analog of 9-cis-retinoic acid with chemopreventive activity in cell lines and in animal models. The purpose of this first-in-human evaluation of 9cUAB30 was to evaluate the single-dose pharmacokinetic profile and toxicity of the compound in healthy volunteers at 3 dose levels. This study enrolled 14 patients to receive a single dose of 5, 10, or 20 mg of 9cUAB30. Plasma and urine samples were collected to assess 9cUAB30 concentrations by a validated LC/MS MS method. 9cUAB30 was well tolerated, with 1 patient experiencing grade 2 toxicity and no grade 3 or 4 toxicities reported. Tmax occurred approximately 3 hours after dose administration with the plasma half-life ranging from 2.79 to 7.21 hours. AUC increased linearly across the examined dose range of 5 to 20 mg; Cmax was proportional to the log of the dose. The plasma clearance ranged from 25 to 39 L/h compared to the renal clearance which ranged from 0.018 to 0.103 L/h. 9cUAB30 has a favorable toxicity and pharmacokinetic profile, with oral availability and primarily hepatic metabolism. Further dose ranging studies with once a day dosing are underway.Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1565–70. ©2010 AACR.
Rapamycin Inhibits Anal Carcinogenesis in Two Preclinical Animal Models
Authors: Stelzer Marie K. , Pitot Henry C. , Liem Amy , Lee Denis , Kennedy Gregory D. , Lambert Paul F.
Published: December 2010

The incidence of anal cancer is increasing especially among HIV-infected persons in the HAART era. Treatment of this cancer is based upon traditional chemoradiotherapeutic approaches, which are associated with high morbidity and of limited effectiveness for patients with high-grade disease. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has been implicated in several human cancers, and is being investigated as a potential therapeutic target. In archival human anal cancers, we observed mTOR pathway activation. To assess response of anal cancer to mTOR inhibition, we utilized two newly developed mouse models, one in which anal cancers are induced to arise in HPV16 transgenic mice and the second a human anal cancer xenograft model. Using the transgenic mouse model, we assessed the preventative effect of rapamycin on neoplastic disease. We saw significant changes in the overall incidence of tumors, and tumor growth rate was also reduced. Using both the transgenic mouse and human anal xenograft mouse models, we studied the therapeutic effect of rapamycin on preexisting anal cancer. Rapamycin was found to significantly slow, if not stop, the growth of both mouse and human anal cancers. As has been seen in other cancers, rapamycin treatment led to an activation of the MAPK pathway. These results provide us cause to pursue further the evaluation of rapamycin as a therapeutic agent in the control of anal cancer. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1542–51. ©2010 AACR.
Cyclin E Transgenic Mice: Discovery Tools for Lung Cancer Biology, Therapy, and Prevention
Authors: Freemantle Sarah J. , Dmitrovsky Ethan
Published: December 2010

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States and many other countries. This fact underscores the need for clinically relevant models to increase our understanding of lung cancer biology and to help design and implement preventive and more effective therapeutic interventions for lung cancer. New murine transgenic models of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been engineered for this purpose. In one such model, overexpression of the cell-cycle regulator cyclin E is targeted to type II alveolar lung cells; dysplasia, hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma forming in this model have features recapitulating key features of carcinogenesis found in NSCLC patients. These features include the presence of chromosomal instability, pulmonary dysplasia, and hyperplasia, hedgehog-pathway activation, single and multiple adenocarcinomas, and even metastases. Cell lines that expressed either a human wild-type or mutant (proteasome-degradation–resistant) form of cyclin E were derived from the transgenic mouse lung cancers. These cell lines are transplantable into syngeneic host mice, which rapidly develop lung tumors and thus facilitate the rapid testing of agents targeting lung carcinogenesis. These transgenic and transplantable models have already aided in the discovery of oncogenic and growth-suppressive microRNAs and in the identification of a novel antineoplastic mechanism of action for inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase 2. This review discusses the general utility of murine carcinogen-induced and transgenic models of lung carcinogenesis and describes the optimization of cyclin E–overexpressing lung carcinogenesis models and their use in testing candidate agents for the prevention and therapy of lung cancer. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1513–8. ©2010 AACR.
Linking Epidemiology to Epigenomics—Where Are We Today?
Authors: Ulrich Cornelia M. , Grady William M.
Published: December 2010

Cancer is the consequence of genetic and epigenetic alterations. Genetic mutations likely result in part from exposure to environmental carcinogens, giving rise to a large field of cancer-prevention study of these carcinogens and ways to develop strategies to avoid them. Our understanding of regulatory epigenetic mechanisms associated with DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA production is increasing rapidly. The involvement of these processes in carcinogenesis raises the possibility that environmental exposures may promote or prevent cancer through affecting the epigenome. Modifying the epigenome to prevent cancer is particularly intriguing because epigenetic alterations are potentially reversible, unlike gene mutations, and because certain dietary factors, such as the B-vitamin folate, may affect genes' DNA methylation status (as reported by Wallace et al., beginning on page 1552 in this issue of the journal). Rapidly improving techniques for assessing epigenetic alterations promise to yield important insights for cancer prevention. Cancer Prev Res; 3(12); 1505–8. ©2010 AACR.
Use of Skin Substitute Dressings in the Treatment of Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome in Neonates and Young Infants
Authors: Baartmans M.G.A. , Dokter J. , den Hollander J.C. , Kroon A.A. , Oranje A.P.
Published: December 2010

Background: Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) is a rare toxin-mediated skin disease caused by Staphylococcus aureus and seen in infants and children younger than 5 years. Objectives: The supportive role of skin substitutes in SSSS is stressed as a new and relatively unknown method. Methods: Retrospective observational case-series study, in neonates and young infants diagnosed with SSSS. Results: Seven infants with SSSS, treatment with antibiotics, skin substitutes, strict pain relief strategy and prognosis were described. One of them was severely affected and deceased. Conclusion: This study describes 7 infants with SSSS and stresses the important role of skin substitutes as Omiderm® and Suprathel® as valuable adjuvant treatment modality.
Detection Rate and Clinical Pattern of Prostate Cancer in Kuwait: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Narayanaswamy Arun , Abul Fawzi , Mathew T.C.
Published: December 2010

Objective: To determine the detection rate and clinical pattern of prostate cancer in Kuwait. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and fifty-three males suspected of having prostate cancer based on elevation of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of more than 4 ng/ml underwent transrectal-ultrasound (TRUS)-guided needle biopsy of the prostate between January 2003 and January 2008; these formed the study group. Analysis of prostate cancer was based on age, prostate volume, PSA level and on finding any abnormality based on a combination of the diagnostic tools. Results: A diagnosis of prostate cancer was histologically confirmed in 42 (27.4%) patients. In those aged <55, 56–65, 66–75 and >76 years, the detection rates were 16.7, 17.6, 33.3 and 40.7%, respectively. In those with prostate volumes of >71, 51–70, 31–50 and <30 g, the detection rates were 18.2, 23.8, 30.8 and 42.9%, respectively. When the PSA levels were divided into groups of 4–10, 10–20, 20–100 and >100 ng/ml, the cancer detection rate was 11.8, 20.5, 47.1 and 83.3%, respectively. When 1, 2 and 3 of the 3 diagnostic tools (digital rectal examination, PSA, TRUS) were abnormal, the detection rate was 15.6, 27.9 and 80%, respectively. Conclusions: Our data showed that the prostate cancer rate differs according to the region and that the rate was low in our center. Higher PSA and higher number of diagnostic tools with abnormal findings were associated with a higher incidence of prostate cancer.
Detection of Macular Function Changes in Early (AREDS 2) and Intermediate (AREDS 3) Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Vujosevic Stela , Smolek Michael K. , Lebow Kenneth A. , Notaroberto Neil , Pallikaris Aristophanis , Casciano Margherita
Published: December 2010

Background/Aim: To evaluate if retinal sensitivity values obtained with a dedicated (screening) device can be used to functionally identify early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Methods: A fully automatic fundus perimeter combined with an image-stabilized scanning laser ophthalmoscope was used in 200 ARMD patients (319 eyes) in 5 study sites. The age-matched control group consisted of 200 normals. Sensitivity point values (S values), mean retinal sensitivity, number of points below 24 dB (K value, cutoff for normal values) and fixation stability were recorded. Results: Of 319 eyes, 164 were classified as early (AREDS 2) and 155 as intermediate (AREDS 3) ARMD. Mean retinal sensitivity was significantly reduced in ARMD patients versus normals (p < 0.001). K values were different between normals and ARMD patients (p < 0.001). Fixation stability did not differ between early and intermediate ARMD patients. Conclusions: Macular sensitivity is reduced in patients with early and intermediate ARMD when compared to age-matched normals. These changes may be detected with a screening device.
Uric Acid Contributes to Glomerular Filtration Rate Deterioration in Renal Transplantation
Authors: Kim Kyung Min , Kim Sung-Soo , Yun Seongchul , Lee Moo-Song , Han Duck Jong , Yang Won Seok , Park Jung Sik , Park Su-Kil
Published: December 2010

Background: Many studies have been performed in kidney transplant recipients to test whether hyperuricemia plays a role in decreased kidney function, but the results have been controversial. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the predictors of hyperuricemia and how uric acid (UA) influences glomerular filtration rate (GFR) changes. Methods: 556 patients who underwent kidney transplantation between January 1, 1990 and February 24, 2009, were included. Serum UA levels were routinely recorded every 3 months after transplantation. Hyperuricemia was defined as serum UA ≧6.0 mg/dl for women, and ≧7.0 mg/dl for men. A time-dependent covariate Cox model was used to assess the association of serial changes of estimated GFR (eGFR) and UA. Results: Multivariate analysis indicated that male gender, eGFR, and transplant duration were associated with higher mean UA levels. A time-dependent covariate Cox model indicated that initial eGFR level (hazard ratio: 1.001; p = 0.035) and previous UA level (hazard ratio: 1.454; p < 0.001) affected the subsequent eGFR level. Conclusions: Our results indicated a predictive relationship between UA and eGFR based on the results of a time-dependent covariate Cox model that elevated serum UA precedes a graft dysfunction in kidney transplant recipients.
Hemoptysis under Diclofenac and Antiplatelet Doses of Aspirin
Authors: Yiannakopoulou Eugenia C.
Published: December 2010

A previously healthy 60-year-old man receiving aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease presented with hemoptysis after 1 week of treatment for his back pain with diclofenac. He had not suffered from any bleeding episode in the past and his family history was negative for hemorrhagic disorders. He had been a heavy smoker until his thirties, but had stopped smoking since then. After extensive workup, other pulmonary and nonpulmonary causes of hemoptysis were ruled out. Thus, in this case, because of the temporal relationship between exposure to the drug and the onset of symptoms, diclofenac was considered as the most probable cause of hemoptysis either alone or as a result of its pharmacodynamic interaction with aspirin. The adverse reaction was considered probable according to the Naranjo scale. Diclofenac treatment was discontinued and occasional use of acetaminophen for the back pain was recommended. Regular use of antiplatelet doses of aspirin was also discontinued.
Cervical and Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials Are Sensitive to Stimulus Phase
Authors: Cai Ken Y. , Rosengren Sally M. , Colebatch James G.
Published: December 2010

Sinusoidal forces with frequencies of 100 and 500 Hz and initial positive or negative polarities were delivered to the mastoids and Fz in normal subjects. We investigated whether the cVEMPs and oVEMPs evoked were sensitive to the polarity (phase) of vibration. With mastoid stimulation at 100 Hz, medial head acceleration produced cVEMPs with earlier latency (15.5 ms) than lateral acceleration (19.7 ms) and oVEMPs with later latency (13.8 ms) than lateral acceleration (10.6 ms). As the stimulus frequency increased, the difference in latency decreased, but was still present at 500 Hz. A similar pattern occurred following stimulation at Fz. Our results show that the initial direction of bone-conducted vibration affects both cVEMP and oVEMP properties even at relatively high frequencies.
In Search of the Optimal Oxygen Saturation for Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Saugstad Ola Didrik , Aune Dagfinn
Published: December 2010

Background: The optimal arterial oxygen saturation in the first weeks of life is unknown for immature newborn infants. Objectives: To determine the effect of targeting high versus low oxygen saturation in the first weeks of life on the outcome of very low and extremely low birth weight infants. Methods: Randomized and observational studies were sought that compared the outcomes in babies with high or low oxygen saturation targeting assessed by pulse oximetry. Results: Ten studies were identified, of which 8 had severe retinopathy of prematurity (n = 3,811) and 8 had bronchopulmonary dysplasia/lung problems (n = 4,612) as outcomes. Two studies also provided survival data. The relative risk (RR) in favor of low SpO2 was 0.42 (95% CI 0.34–0.51) for severe retinopathy of prematurity, 0.73 (95% CI 0.63–0.86) for bronchopulmonary dysplasia/lung problems, and 1.12 (95% CI 0.86–1.45) for mortality. There was 1 randomized trial with retinopathy of prematurity, 3 with bronchopulmonary dysplasia/lung problems, and 1 with mortality as the outcome. When analyzing the randomized trial separately, the RR (95% CI) for severe retinopathy of prematurity was 0.48 (0.34–0.68), for bronchopulmonary dyslasia/lung problems it was 0.79 (0.64–0.97), and for mortality it was 1.27(1.01–1.60). Conclusions: A low oxygen saturation approach reduces severe retinopathy of prematurity by 50%, i.e. from 20.9 to 9.5%, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia/lung problems by 25%, i.e. from 40.8 to 29.7%. Further randomized trials are needed to provide definite conclusions and to assess whether reducing oxygen saturation has an impact on mortality among very and extremely low birth weight infants.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy/Jejunostomy Combined with Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage in Treating Malignant Biliary Obstruction
Authors: Shu Jian-Chang , Yang Qi-Hong , Lv Xia , Zhang Wen-Ru , Li Ming-En , Zhang Xiao-Yan , Song Hui-Dong , Ye Guo-Rong , Wang Le-Xin
Published: December 2010

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy/jejunostomy (PEG/PEJ) combined with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTCD) in treating malignant biliary obstruction. Subjects and Methods: Nine patients (6 males and 3 females, average age 71.3 ± 5.5 years) with complete obstruction of the biliary tract were treated with PEG/PEJ after PTCD. The PEG/PEJ and PTCD tubes were linked outside of the abdominal wall to direct the externally drained bile back to the jejunum through the PEG/PEJ intestinal tube. Clinical symptoms and liver function were assessed following the treatment. Results: The operations were successfully completed in the 9 patients within 40 min (average 35 ± 2.9 min). Clinical symptoms such as jaundice, abdominal distension, stomachache and diarrhea appeared but improved within 7 days of the operation. Serum levels of bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were reduced (p < 0.01) 4 weeks following the treatment. There were no procedural complications. Conclusions: Combined PEG/PEJ and PTCD appeared to be safe and effective in the management of malignant biliary obstruction. Further, larger-scale studies will be needed to verify findings of this report.
CYP2C19 Gene Polymorphism May Be a Risk Factor for Bronchial Asthma
Authors: Yildirim Yaroğlu Hatice , Çalıkoğlu Mukadder , Tamer Gümüş Lülüfer
Published: December 2010

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the genetic polymorphism of CYP2C19 plays a role in susceptibility to bronchial asthma. Subjectsand Methods: 104 healthy individuals who visited our hospital, including hospital staff, and 97 patients with bronchial asthma (62 atopic and 35 nonatopic) participated in this study. CYPC19*2 and CYP21C9*3 alleles were detected by using LightCycler and CYP2C19 mutation detection kits by real-time PCR with LightCycler. Results: The CYP2C19*3 genotype was found to be the wild type in all cases, and in the control group, the CYP2C19*2 heterozygous genotype had a 2.46-fold increased risk of bronchial asthmacompared with the CYPC19*2 homozygous wild genotype in the control group(p = 0.01, OR = 2.46, 95% CI 1.24–4.88). Conclusion: Our data suggest that the CYP2C19*2 heterozygous genotype may be involved in the development of bronchial asthma.
Interactions of the PPARγ2 Polymorphism with Fat Intake Affecting Energy Metabolism and Nutritional Outcomes in Obese Women
Authors: Rosado Eliane L. , Bressan Josefina , Martínez J. Alfredo , Marques-Lopes Iva
Published: December 2010

Background/Aims: To determine the influence of the Pro12Ala polymorphism of the PPARγ2 gene and the dietary lipid intake on energy metabolism and nutritional outcomes in obese women after an acute fat load or following a low-calorie diet for 10 weeks. Methods: Sixty obese women (aged 30–46 years) participated in the study and were assigned to 2 groups depending on the genotype: Pro12Pro and Pro12Ala/Ala12Ala carriers. At baseline and after 2 nutritional (short- or long-term) interventions, measurement of anthropometrical and body composition (bioelectrical impedance) variables, dietary assessments, energy metabolism (indirect calorimetry) measurements as well as biochemical and molecular (PPARγ2 genotype) analyses were performed. All women received a high-fat test meal to determine the postprandial metabolism (short term) and an energy-restricted diet for 10 weeks (long term). Results: The frequencies of the Pro12Pro and Pro12Ala/Ala12Ala genotypes were 83.33 and 16.67%, respectively, and reached Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Interestingly, the postprandial energy expenditure after the fat load was higher in subjects carrying the Ala allele. At baseline, the habitual monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake inversely correlated with fat oxidation and body mass index in the obese Pro12Ala/Ala12Ala carriers, while a lower PUFA intake (%) in the long-term trial was associated with an increase in the respiratory quotient only in Ala carriers but not in the Pro12Pro genotyped group. Conclusions: The Pro12Ala polymorphism in the PPARγ2 gene influenced energy metabolism in the assayed short- and long-term situations since the response to both nutritional interventions differed according to the genotype. The results suggest that fat oxidation and energy expenditure may be lower in Pro12Pro carriers compared to Pro12Ala/Ala12Ala genotypes, while in obese women with Pro12Ala/Ala12Ala polymorphisms in the PPARγ2 gene fat oxidation was negatively correlated with the MUFA and PUFA (%) intake.
The Image of Christ in the Poetry of the Decembrists - Example of Poetic Creation by K.F. Ryleeva, A.I. Odoevskogo, V.K. Kuechelbeker and P.A. Katenin
Authors: Schmidt Waldemar
Published: December 2010

The topic of the following essay is Christ in the poetry of the "Dekabristen". By the example of the most popular representatives of this epoque, the essay shows religious imaginations in the Russian literature in the beginning of the 19th century.
Religion, Social Networks, and Life Satisfaction
Authors: Lim Chaeyoon , Putnam Robert D.
Published: December 2010

Although the positive association between religiosity and life satisfaction is well documented, much theoretical and empirical controversy surrounds the question of how religion actually shapes life satisfaction. Using a new panel dataset, this study offers strong evidence for social and participatory mechanisms shaping religion’s impact on life satisfaction. Our findings suggest that religious people are more satisfied with their lives because they regularly attend religious services and build social networks in their congregations. The effect of within-congregation friendship is contingent, however, on the presence of a strong religious identity. We find little evidence that other private or subjective aspects of religiosity affect life satisfaction independent of attendance and congregational friendship.
Making the News
Authors: Andrews Kenneth T. , Caren Neal
Published: December 2010

Increasingly, scholars have come to see the news media as playing a pivotal role in shaping whether social movements are able to bring about broader social change. By drawing attention to movements’ issues, claims, and supporters, the news media can shape the public agenda by influencing public opinion, authorities, and elites. Why are some social movement organizations more successful than others at gaining media coverage? Specifically, what organizational, tactical, and issue characteristics enhance media attention? We combine detailed organizational survey data from a representative sample of 187 local environmental organizations in North Carolina with complete news coverage of those organizations in 11 major daily newspapers in the two years following the survey (2,095 articles). Our analyses reveal that local news media favor professional and formalized groups that employ routine advocacy tactics, mobilize large numbers of people, and work on issues that overlap with newspapers’ focus on local economic growth and well-being. Groups that are confrontational, volunteer-led, or advocate on behalf of novel issues do not garner as much attention in local media outlets. These findings have important implications and challenge widely held claims about the pathways by which movement actors shape the public agenda through the news media.
Cultural Foundations of Tokenism
Authors: Turco Catherine J.
Published: December 2010

Existing explanations of tokenism predict similar experiences for all numerically small, low-status groups. These explanations, however, cannot account for variation in the experiences of different low-status minority groups within the same setting. This article develops a theory of tokenism that explains such variation. Drawing on 117 interviews in the leveraged buyout industry (LBO) and a comparison of the differing experiences of female and African American male tokens in that setting, I argue that tokenism is contingent on the local cultural context in which it is embedded. Specifically, I identify two elements of an occupation’s culture—its hierarchy of cultural resources and its image of the ideal worker—that can specify some status characteristics as more relevant to and incompatible with the occupation’s work than others. In LBO, the industry values cultural resources that, on average, women lack but men possess, and the ideal worker is defined such that it directly conflicts with cultural beliefs about motherhood. Consequently, in this context, gender is a more relevant status characteristic for exclusion than is race, and female tokens are differentially disadvantaged. In addition to revising received wisdom about tokenism, this study integrates and advances social psychological and cultural theories of exclusion by deepening our understanding of the role of cultural resources and schemas in occupational inequality.
Worldwide Trends in the Criminal Regulation of Sex, 1945 to 2005
Authors: Frank David John , Camp Bayliss J. , Boutcher Steven A.
Published: December 2010

Between 1945 and 2005, nation-states around the world revised their criminal laws on sexual activities. This global reform wave—across countries and domains of sexual activity—followed from the reconstitution of world models of society around individuals rather than corporate bodies. During the post-World War II period, this process rearranged the global cultural and organizational underpinnings of sex, eroding world-level support for criminal laws aimed at protecting collective entities—especially the family and the nation—and strengthening world support for laws aimed at protecting individualized persons. To make our case, we use unique cross-national and longitudinal data on the criminal regulation of rape, adultery, sodomy, and child sexual abuse. The data reveal striking counter-directional trends in sex-law reforms, which simultaneously elaborated regulations protecting individuals and dissolved laws protecting collective entities. World-level negative-binomial regression analyses and country-level event-history analyses confirm our main propositions. The findings demonstrate a sweeping revolution in criminal-sex laws, rooted in the intensified global celebration of free-standing personhood.
Have Asian American Men Achieved Labor Market Parity with White Men?
Authors: Kim ChangHwan , Sakamoto Arthur
Published: December 2010

We use the 2003 National Survey of College Graduates to investigate earnings differentials between white and Asian American men. We extend prior literature by disaggregating Asian Americans by their immigration status in relation to the U.S. educational system, and by accounting for the effects of field of study and college type. Net of the latter variables and other demographic controls, native-born Asian American men have 8 percent lower earnings than do measurably comparable white men. Our findings show that Asian American men who were schooled entirely overseas have substantial earnings disadvantages, while Asian American men who obtained their highest degree in the United States but completed high school overseas have an intermediate earnings disadvantage. Net of the control variables, including region of residence, only 1.5-generation Asian American men appear to have reached full parity with whites. Most Asian American men lag at least slightly behind white men in terms of full equality in the labor market net of the measured covariates in our statistical models. No one theoretical approach seems able to explain our findings; instead, we suggest the relevance of several perspectives, including the racialized hierarchy view, the demographic heterogeneity approach, and assimilation theory.
Pocket Epithelium in the Pathological Setting for HMGB1 Release
Authors: Ebe N. , Hara-Yokoyama M. , Iwasaki K. , Iseki S. , Okuhara S. , Podyma-Inoue K.A. , Terasawa K. , Watanabe A. , Akizuki T. , Watanabe H. , Yanagishita M. , Izumi Y.
Published: December 2010

High-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) protein acts as a transcription factor in the nucleus and also as a pro-inflammatory cytokine when released into extracellular fluids. The presence of higher levels of HMGB1 is reported in the gingival crevicular fluid from periodontal patients. Since the proliferation of bacteria within the periodontal pocket is closely involved in the exacerbation of periodontal disease, it is hypothesized that the periodontal pocket causes the release of HMGB1. Immunohistochemical staining of inflamed gingiva revealed that HMGB1 is exclusively dislocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in the pocket epithelium, whereas it is mainly present in the nucleus in the gingival epithelium. Butyric acid, an extracellular metabolite from periodontopathic bacteria populating the periodontal pocket, induced the passive release of HMGB1 as a result of eliciting necrosis in the human gingival epithelial cell line. Thus, the periodontal epithelium may provide a unique pathological setting for HMGB1 release by bacterial insult. Abbreviations: HMGB1, high-mobility group box-1; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α; CHX, cycloheximide; PI, propidium iodide; ROS, reactive oxygen species; HDAC, histone deacetylase.
Memory of Pain and Anxiety Associated with Tooth Extraction
Authors: McNeil D.W. , Helfer A.J. , Weaver B.D. , Graves R.W. , Kyle B.N. , Davis A.M.
Published: December 2010

Concerns regarding pain constitute a large component of dental anxiety, and patients with high dental anxiety are likely to have exaggerated memory and prediction of dental pain. It remains to be investigated, however, if memory of anxiety is exaggerated in a manner similar to that of pain, and if anxiety and pain assimilate in memory over time. A sample of 79 patients presenting for emergency extraction rated their anxiety and pain before, during, and two weeks after the procedure. Measures of trait dental anxiety and fear of pain also were collected. All patients exaggerated their recall of procedure pain, but only those high in trait dental anxiety exaggerated their recall of anxiety. Highly anxious patients reported more pain prior to the procedure and expected more pain; ratings of anxiety and pain for all participants assimilated over time.
Ethnic and Class Clustering through the Ages: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Urban Neighbourhood Social Patterns
Authors: York Abigail M. , Smith Michael E. , Stanley Benjamin W. , Stark Barbara L. , Novic Juliana , Harlan Sharon L. , Cowgill George L. , Boone Christopher G.
Published: December 2010

This paper presents initial findings from longer-term transdisciplinary research concerning the social dynamics of urban neighbourhoods. It examines the spatial clustering of ethnicity and class in neighbourhoods over urban history, from Bronze Age Mesopotamia to contemporary cities. Fourteen distinct drivers of social clustering are identified, grouped under the headers of macro-structural forces, the state, local regimes and institutions, and bottom–up processes. The operation of these processes is examined through three historical and three archaeological case studies of clustering. It is concluded that: clustering is a common, but not universal, attribute of cities; there is much variation in clustering patterns, both within and between cities and urban traditions; and, consideration of a wide variety of drivers is required to understand historical and modern residential dynamics.
The Importance of Political Leadership in Achieving a World Free of Nuclear Weapons
Authors: Browne Des , Shetty Shatabhisha , Somerville Andrew
Published: December 2010

The dramatic injection of energy into the debate over the importance of nuclear disarmament in recent years presents a historic opportunity to make the world safer from the unacceptable risks posed by its most powerful weapons. We cannot allow this moment to pass. The positive steps taken by President Obama have added crucial momentum to the disarmament and non-proliferation agenda, but we cannot rely on him alone. No one leader, regardless of their vision, can carry such a burden. After the years of nuclear atrophy since the end of the Cold War, a sustained effort is needed at the highest levels to reverse the damage done by successive failures of political leadership. This article outlines the key features of political leadership, explains its importance, examines historical instances of leadership and highlights instances of successful political leadership. In this multi-polar world, it is only through multilateral action that we can achieve a world free of nuclear weapons, and this requires proactive multilateral political leadership.
When the Threatened Become the Threat: The Construction of Asylum Seekers in British Media Narratives
Authors: Innes Alexandria J.
Published: December 2010

Asylum seekers can be considered some of the most vulnerable people in the world, yet this article demonstrates that in advanced industrialized states, exemplified by the UK, they are constructed as a homogeneous collective that threatens state interests. This article examines the construction of asylum seekers as a threat that is evident in British narratives. Building on works by critical security scholars, this article examines the process that led to asylum seekers being portrayed as a threat in the UK. The empirical research focuses on narratives that give insight into sentiments towards asylum seekers in the UK. Government policy, political statements and the mass media are considered. The nature of the threat examined is threefold and takes into account traditional security studies, economic or subsistence security and societal identity security.
Hans Morgenthau and Republicanism
Authors: Klusmeyer Douglas B.
Published: December 2010

Recent scholarship has called attention to the republican dimension of Hans Morgenthau’s approach to politics in the postwar era, but the role republicanism played in his thought remains ambiguous. This essay examines that role, and explores its tensions with other aspects of his understanding of politics. It argues that he expanded and deepened his approach to politics as he developed a republican critique of American domestic politics. However, his conception of international politics remained rooted in the reason-of-state tradition, and evinces little evidence of his increasing engagement with republicanism. In this selective use of republicanism, he left its tensions with other aspects of his thinking unresolved, but this usage also suggests his recognition of the inadequacy of the original formulation of his realist approach. In considering what IR theorists today may learn from republicanism, his example is highly instructive in any effort to reconstruct the foundations of realism.
Towards a Second ‘Second Debate’? Rethinking the Relationship between Science and History in International Theory
Authors: Curtis Simon , Koivisto Marjo
Published: December 2010

This article examines the contemporary disciplinary claims that the ‘Second Debate’ in international theory was partial and incomplete. Developing the view that the debate exclusively concerned positivist methods, not the status and merits of social scientific inquiry in international relations theory (IR) more broadly, the article advances an understanding of how contemporary ‘social scientific’ IR has begun to integrate historicist and generalising claims in a single theoretical framework. Moreover, the article seeks to transcend the assumption of incommensurability between scientific and historical frames of inquiry that characterised the idea of scientific inquiry in the Second Debate, and does this through an intellectual history of arguments for a ‘science of society’. The article shows how the emergence of non-positivist alternatives entails the development of abstractions and limited generalisations based on ‘mechanismic explanation’, particularly suitable for the development of middle-range theorising in IR. Overall, we argue that one important implication of the named methodological discussion is the reinforcing of the place of historical sociological analysis at the centre stage of international theory.
Is Waltz a Realist?
Authors: Joseph Jonathan
Published: December 2010

In the opening chapter of Theory of International Politics Waltz makes an interesting distinction between scientific laws and theory construction. Recent special issues of this journal have suggested that this distinction allows Waltz to be read in different ways — for example, as a scientific realist who conceives of unobservable entities, or as a constructivist interested in how we create models. This contribution argues against both these interpretations by analysing the first chapter of Waltz’s book and suggesting that his distinction between theories and law-like statements is fully consistent with mainstream discussions in the philosophy of social science. It argues that Waltz’s position still depends on the identification of empirical regularities, something that makes him an empirical realist, but which undermines the claim that he is a scientific realist.
Designing Festival Experiences to Influence Visitor Perceptions: The Case of a Wine and Food Festival
Authors: Axelsen Megan , Swan Taryn
Published: December 2010

An activity that has been found to enhance wine tourism opportunities is wine and food festivals.This article examines how, through the manipulation of such festival attributes, festival managers can foster positive consumer perceptions of products central to the festival. The article first describes the attributes that define a festival and then, using the Moonlight Wine Tour festival as a case for study, explores how much of an influence certain festival attributes have on shaping visitors’ perceptions of the wine on show. An ANOVA determines that five festival attributes are effective predictors of creating positive changes in people’s perceptions, while one attribute has a negative effect. A binomial generalized linear model is then created for use in managerial situations by specifying which combined set of attributes are the most significant in creating positive and negative changes in consumer perceptions.