bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cigarettes and oral snuff use in Sweden: prevalence and transitions
Authors: Furberg Helena , Lichtenstein Paul , Pedersen Nancy L. , Bulik Cynthia , Sullivan Patrick F.
Published: August 2006

Aims  To investigate the prevalence and patterns of transitions between cigarette and snus use.

Design  Cross‐sectional study within the population‐based Swedish Twin Registry.

Setting and participants  A total of 31 213 male and female twins 42–64 years old.

Measurements  Age‐adjusted prevalence odds ratios (POR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) described the association between gender and tobacco use, while Kaplan–Meier survival methods produced cumulative incidence curves of age at onset of tobacco use. Life‐time tobacco use histories were constructed using ages at onset of tobacco use and current tobacco use status.

Findings  Although more males reported ever smoking (64.4%) than females (61.7%), more males were former smokers (POR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.27–1.39). Males were far more likely to use snus than females (POR: 18.0, 95% CI: 16.17–20.04). Age at onset of cigarette smoking occurred almost entirely before age 25, while the age at onset of snus use among males occurred over a longer time period. Most men began using cigarettes first, nearly one‐third of whom switched to using cigarettes and snus in combination. While 30.6% of these combined users quit tobacco completely, only 7.4% quit snus and currently use cigarettes, while 47.7% quit cigarettes and currently use snus.

Conclusions  Current cigarette smoking is more prevalent among Swedish women than men, while snus use is more prevalent among men. Among men who reported using both cigarettes and snus during their life‐time, it was more common to quit cigarettes and currently use snus than to quit snus and currently use cigarettes. Once snus use was initiated, more men continued using snus rather than quit tobacco completely.
Becker’s rational addiction theory: an empirical test with price elasticities for distilled spirits in Denmark 1911–31
Authors: Skog Ole‐Jørgen , Melberg Hans Olav
Published: August 2006

Aim  To test an implication of Becker’s rational addiction theory, namely that price changes will lead both to simultaneous consumption changes as well as lagged changes (and potentially also immediate changes if future changes in prices are anticipated).

Design  Time‐series analysis, first of aggregate sales of distilled spirits and prices, controlled for gross national product (GNP), and secondly of deaths from delirium tremens.

Setting  Denmark 1911–31. Price changes were very large in the period 1916–18 due to shortages during World War I, and the Danish case can be conceived as a natural experiment.

Findings  No evidence for lagged price effects in the expected direction was found. On the contrary, the evidence pointed in the opposite direction. The immediate reduction in sales following rising prices are, to some degree, counteracted by an adjustment in the opposite direction the following year. The delirium tremens data confirm this pattern.

Conclusion  Becker’s theory is not confirmed. Several possible explanations are discussed. If the pattern observed in these data is representative of a more general mechanism, current price elasticity estimates may be too high, by ignoring lagged compensatory effects.
Substance dependence and non‐dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD): can an identical conceptualization be achieved?
Authors: Saunders John B.
Published: August 2006

Background  This review summarizes the history of the development of diagnostic constructs that apply to repetitive substance use, and compares and contrasts the nature, psychometric performance and utility of the major diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnostic systems.

Methods  The available literature was reviewed with a particular focus on diagnostic concepts that are relevant for clinical and epidemiological practice, and so that research questions could be generated that might inform the development of the next generation of DSM and ICD diagnoses.

Results  The substance dependence syndrome is a psychometrically robust and clinically useful construct, which applies to a range of psychoactive substances. The differences between the DSM fourth edition (DSM‐IV) and the ICD tenth edition (ICD‐10) versions are minimal and could be resolved. DSM‐IV substance abuse performs moderately well but, being defined essentially by social criteria, may be culture‐dependent. ICD‐10 harmful substance use performs poorly as a diagnostic entity. 

Conclusions  There are good prospects for resolving many of the differences between the DSM and ICD systems. A new non‐dependence diagnosis is required. There would also be advantages in a subthreshold diagnosis of hazardous or risky substance use being incorporated into the two systems. Biomedical research can be drawn upon to define a psychophysiological ‘driving force’ which could underpin a broad spectrum of substance use disorders.
Inhibition of donor-derived T cells trafficking into target organs by FTY720 during acute graft-versus-host disease in small bowel transplantation
Authors: Song J , Ito T , Matsuda C , Miao G , Tanemura M , Nishida T , Nozawa M , Matsuda H , Sawa Y
Published: August 2006

In small bowel transplantation (SBTx), graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is mediated by donor-derived T cells recognizing host major histocompatibility complex (MHC) alloantigens, and represents an important immunological event influencing life in experimental and clinical situations. We evaluated the possibility that a new sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor agonist, FTY720, could diminish GVHD in a rat SBTx model through traffic alteration of donor-derived T cells in target organs. Heterotopic SBTx was performed using a parent (WF)-into-F1 (WF × ACI) rat combination. Recipient survival, body weight, histopathology, donor-derived T cell subpopulation and cytokine production were compared with untreated controls. FTY720 inhibited lethality and histopathological changes in target organs when administered at 0·5 mg/kg, possibly due to sequestration of donor-derived T cells in the intestinal graft. FTY720 caused a significant reduction in donor T cell numbers in target organs by promoting these cells to home into donor, but not recipient, secondary lymphoid tissues. FTY720 significantly decreased production of interferon (IFN)-γ in target organs. These findings indicate that FTY720 effectively reduced recirculation of activated donor-derived T cells and recruitment to target organs in GVHD, and was also associated with down-regulated IFN-γ production. These properties may offer the potential to treat ongoing GVHD in SBTx.
Management of plant invasions mediated by frugivore interactions
Authors: BUCKLEY YVONNE M. , ANDERSON SANDRA , CATTERALL CARLA P. , CORLETT RICHARD T. , ENGEL THOMAS , GOSPER CARL R. , NATHAN RAN , RICHARDSON DAVID M. , SETTER MELISSA , SPIEGEL ORR , VIVIAN‐SMITH GABRIELLE , VOIGT FRIEDERIKE A. , WEIR JACQUELINE E. S. , WESTCOTT DAVID A.
Published: August 2006

Some of the most damaging invasive plants are dispersed by frugivores and this is an area of emerging importance in weed management. It highlights the need for practical information on how frugivores affect weed population dynamics and spread, how frugivore populations are affected by weeds and what management recommendations are available.

Fruit traits influence frugivore choice. Fruit size, the presence of an inedible peel, defensive chemistry, crop size and phenology may all be useful traits for consideration in screening and eradication programmes. By considering the effect of these traits on the probability, quality and quantity of seed dispersal, it may be possible to rank invasive species by their desirability to frugivores. Fruit traits can also be manipulated with biocontrol agents.

Functional groups of frugivores can be assembled according to broad species groupings, and further refined according to size, gape size, pre‐ and post‐ingestion processing techniques and movement patterns, to predict dispersal and establishment patterns for plant introductions.

Landscape fragmentation can increase frugivore dispersal of invasives, as many invasive plants and dispersers readily use disturbed matrix environments and fragment edges. Dispersal to particular landscape features, such as perches and edges, can be manipulated to function as seed sinks if control measures are concentrated in these areas.

Where invasive plants comprise part of the diet of native frugivores, there may be a conservation conflict between control of the invasive and maintaining populations of the native frugivore, especially where other threats such as habitat destruction have reduced populations of native fruit species.

Synthesis and applications. Development of functional groups of frugivore‐dispersed invasive plants and dispersers will enable us to develop predictions for novel dispersal interactions at both population and community scales. Increasingly sophisticated mechanistic seed dispersal models combined with spatially explicit simulations show much promise for providing weed managers with the information they need to develop strategies for surveying, eradicating and managing plant invasions. Possible conservation conflicts mean that understanding the nature of the invasive plant–frugivore interaction is essential for determining appropriate management.
The minor capsid protein gp7 of bacteriophage SPP1 is required for efficient infection of Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Vinga Inês , Dröge Anja , Stiege Asita C. , Lurz Rudi , Santos Mário A. , Daugelavičius Rimantas , Tavares Paulo
Published: August 2006

Gp7 is a minor capsid protein of the Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage SPP1. Homologous proteins are found in numerous phages but their function remained unknown. Deletion of gene 7 from the SPP1 genome yielded a mutant phage (SPP1del7) with reduced burst‐size. SPP1del7 infections led to normal assembly of virus particles whose morphology, DNA and protein composition was undistinguishable from wild‐type virions. However, only ∼25% of the viral particles that lack gp7 were infectious. SPP1del7 particles caused a reduced depolarization of the B. subtilis membrane in infection assays suggesting a defect in virus genome traffic to the host cell. A higher number of SPP1del7 DNA ejection events led to abortive release of DNA to the culture medium when compared with wild‐type infections. DNA ejection in vitro showed that no detectable gp7 is co‐ejected with the SPP1 genome and that its presence in the virion correlated with anchoring of released DNA to the phage particle. The release of DNA from wild‐type phages was slower than that from SPP1del7 suggesting that gp7 controls DNA exit from the virion. This feature is proposed to play a central role in supporting correct routing of the phage genome from the virion to the cell cytoplasm.
A phase‐variable mechanism controlling the Campylobacter jejuni FlgR response regulator influences commensalism
Authors: Hendrixson David R.
Published: August 2006

Phase variation of genes in bacteria enables phenotypic alteration to modulate interactions within a host as conditions change. To promote commensalism in animals and disease in humans, Campylobacter jejuni produces a flagellar organelle for motility. In addition to tight transcriptional regulation of flagellar genes, C. jejuni also controls flagellar biosynthesis by phase variation. In this study, an unusual phase‐variable mechanism controlling production of FlgR, the response regulator of the FlgSR two‐component system required for transcription of σ54‐dependent flagellar genes, is identified. Phase variation of FlgR production is due to loss or gain of a nucleotide in homopolymeric adenine or thymine tracts within flgR. This mechanism occurs during commensalism in poultry to alter the colonization capacity of C. jejuni, presumably by influencing the motility phenotype of the bacterium. These findings provide more understanding into the genetic and colonization strategies C. jejuni employs to achieve commensalism in a natural host. Second, due to the richness of the C. jejuni genome in adenine or thymine residues and the apparent lack of the normal set of mismatch repair enzymes, the results from this study may suggest that the C. jejuni genome is more unstable and variable than previously realized. Furthermore, phase variation of flagellar motility by targeting flgR may be a phenomenon specific to C. jejuni that is absent in other Campylobacter species and contribute to reasons why C. jejuni is more frequently found as a commensal organism in poultry and as the cause of disease in humans.
Platelet‐activating factor and human meningiomas
Authors: Denizot Y. , De Armas R. , Caire F. , Pommepuy I. , Truffinet V. , Labrousse F.
Published: August 2006

Meningiomas are common primary intracranial tumours. Platelet‐activating factor (PAF) is an inflammatory and angiogenic lipid mediator involved in several types of cancer. The presence of PAF receptor (PAF‐R) transcripts, the levels of PAF, the phospholipase A2 activity (PLA2, the enzymatic activity implicated in PAF formation) and the PAF acetylhydrolase activity (AHA, the PAF degrading enzyme) were investigated in 49 human meningiomas. PAF‐R transcripts, PAF, PLA2 and AHA were detected in meningiomas. However, their levels did not correlate with biological parameters such as the tumour grade, the presence of associated oedema, necrosis, mitotic index as well as intensity of the neovascularization and chronic inflammatory response. In conclusion, PAF is present in meningiomas where it might act on tumour growth by altering the local angiogenic and/or cytokine networks as previously suggested for human breast and colorectal cancer.
Amiodarone–sirolimus/tacrolimus interaction in a pediatric heart transplant patient
Authors: Nalli Nadya , Stewart‐Teixeira Lilian , Dipchand Anne I.
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  A two year‐old female who had underwent ABO‐incompatible heart transplantation at four months of age was admitted with unexplained anemia and renal dysfunction. The patient also had evidence of moderate liver dysfunction. Maintenance immunosuppression consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisolone. Tacrolimus was held on day 2 for five days because of an elevated trough blood concentration. The patient required one fourth of her maintenance dose to keep trough concentrations within the target range. Nadolol and amiodarone were prescribed on day 7 to control ventricular arrhythmias. Sirolimus was prescribed on day 11. A precautionary (non‐steady‐state) sirolimus trough concentration was grossly elevated. Sirolimus was held and tacrolimus was discontinued. Sirolimus blood concentrations remained above the target range for fourteen days despite successive dose manipulations. The patient succumbed from complications of ECMO on day 42. Amiodarone and cyclosporine interactions in the solid organ transplant population have been previously described. To our knowledge, there are no cases of amiodarone and sirolimus or tacrolimus interactions reported in English literature. Both tacrolimus and sirolimus are metabolized through the same enzyme system as cyclosporine, and the chance of a similar interaction occurring is high. Sirolimus is also a substrate of p‐glycoprotein and thus may be significantly affected by amiodarone. We have described a potential interaction with sirolimus, tacrolimus and amiodarone. If amiodarone is deemed the most appropriate choice for the patient, clinicians should consider prospectively decreasing sirolimus and tacrolimus doses. Blood concentrations should also be monitored more frequently in order to minimize prolonged periods of supratherapeutic concentrations and related toxicities.
Tonsillar abscess formation due to herpes simplex type‐1 in a severely immunocompromised stem cell transplant patient with chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Gonen C. , Uner A. , Cetinkaya Y. , Hascelik G. , Haznedaroglu I.
Published: August 2006

Abstract: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes life‐threatening infections in immunocompromised patients such as transplant recipients and patients with hematologic malignancies. We herein describe the case of a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia blastic transformation who developed severe herpetic tonsillitis complicated by tonsillar abscess formation. Abscess formation was determined by computed tomography, whereas tonsillitis due to HSV was confirmed by pathologic and immunohistochemical examinations of the tonsillar biopsy. For molecular confirmation, HSV DNA was amplified by LightCycler PCR and type (HSV‐1) determined by melting point analysis. The patient responded promptly to antiviral treatment and there were no signs of recurrent infection at the follow‐up. To our knowledge, this case is unique for being the first case of tonsillar abscess formation due to HSV‐1, also emphasizing the importance of herpetic infections in the differential diagnosis of oropharyngeal small‐sized lesions in the immunocompromised patient population.
Reinforcement of mate preference among hybridizingHeliconiusbutterflies
Authors: KRONFORST M. R. , YOUNG L. G. , GILBERT L. E.
Published: August 2006

Recent models of mate preference evolution suggest that direct selection on alleles at preference loci and correlated evolution of preference with locally adapted mating cues are more likely to drive the evolution of assortative mate preference than reinforcement. Mate preference evolution in mimeticHeliconiusbutterflies has been attributed to all three forms of selection, but here we show that reinforcement has been critical. By examining geographical variation in assortative mating and male mate preference among seven populations of three hybridizingHeliconiusspecies from Costa Rica, we found pronounced character displacement of preference such that sexual isolation was enhanced in areas of interspecific contact. Of the different explanations for the evolution of assortative mate preference, only reinforcement is dependent on interspecific contact in this system. Thus, the observed pattern of reproductive character displacement of mate preference is best explained as a product of indirect selection generated by natural selection against nonmimetic hybrids.
In vitro Growth and Maturation of Caprine Oocytes
Authors: Zhou HM , Zhang Y
Published: August 2006

Contents

This study was conducted to culture in vitro caprine pre‐antral follicles for determining the competence of growth and maturation of oocytes and establishing a suitable culture system for oocyte maturation from pre‐antral follicles. Two different culture methods (microdrop and agar gel clot) were employed to culture caprine pre‐antral follicles. The pre‐antral follicles were isolated from prepubertal goat ovaries by treatment with collagenase and DNase. The isolated pre‐antral follicles were cultured in basic culture medium for 9 days (for growth). And oocytes were cultured in maturation culture medium for another 2 days for maturation. The result demonstrated that the growth rate of oocytes cultured in microdrops was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that in agar gel clots, whereas the viability of oocytes in microdrops was considerably (p < 0.05) lower than that in agar gel clots. The oocytes grew over 150 μm in diameter, and two of 151 oocytes cultured in microdrops yielded morphologically abnormal first polar bodies. However, the size of oocytes cultured in agar gel approached to 120 μm in diameter and no polar body was produced.
Fasting and postprandial small intestinal slow waves non‐invasively measured in subjects with total gastrectomy
Authors: Chang Full‐Young , Lu Ching‐Liang , Chen Chih‐Yen , Luo Jiing‐Chyuan , Lee Shou‐Dong , Wu Han‐Chang , Chen Jiande Z
Published: August 2006

Background and Aim:  Slow wave is essential to initiate gastrointestinal tract motility. Subjects with total gastrectomy (TG) provide an opportunity to study small intestinal slow wave in the absence of stomach interference. The aims of this study were to determine the origin of 3 cycles per min (cpm) slow wave recorded via electrogastrogram (EGG) and the characteristics of putative small intestinal slow waves in TG subjects.

Methods:  Thirty‐three subjects with TG (25 male, age: 44–83 years) were consecutively enrolled. In each subject, the myoelectricity‐like signals of the gastrointestinal tract were recorded using 3‐channel EGG. Fourier transform‐based spectral analysis was performed to derive the EGG parameters including dominant frequency/power, % normal rhythm (2–4 cpm), and power ratio.

Results:  Neither visual nor spectral analysis of the EGG revealed any waves at a frequency of about 3 cpm. The most frequently observed peaks in the power spectra of all subjects were those at ∼1, ∼6 and ∼11 cpm with occurrences of 97%, 6.1% and 90.9%, respectively. Based on visual analysis of all recorded signals, the ∼11 cpm signal was exactly rhythmically recorded rather than the ∼1 cpm. The recorded ∼11 cpm wave had a frequency of 10.9 ± 1.0 cpm in the fasting state and 10.9 ± 1.3 cpm in the fed state (NS), and a power of 31.5 ± 3.2 dB in the fasting state and 35.2 ± 3.8 dB in the fed state (P < 0.0001). None of other factors, including sex, age, and body mass index, had any impact on this ∼11 cpm wave.

Conclusions:  Small intestinal slow wave can be recorded non‐invasively using EGG via cutaneous electrodes in TG subjects. Sex, age and body mass index have no effect on the intestinal slow waves. The power rather than frequency of intestinal slow wave is increased after a solid meal.
Humans Prefer Curved Visual Objects
Authors: Bar Moshe , Neta Maital
Published: August 2006

People constantly make snap judgments about objects encountered in the environment. Such rapid judgments must be based on the physical properties of the targets, but the nature of these properties is yet unknown. We hypothesized that sharp transitions in contour might convey a sense of threat, and therefore trigger a negative bias. Our results were consistent with this hypothesis. The type of contour a visual object possesses—whether the contour is sharp angled or curved—has a critical influence on people's attitude toward that object.
Loss Aversion Is an Affective Forecasting Error
Authors: Kermer Deborah A. , Driver-Linn Erin , Wilson Timothy D. , Gilbert Daniel T.
Published: August 2006

Loss aversion occurs because people expect losses to have greater hedonic impact than gains of equal magnitude. In two studies, people predicted that losses in a gambling task would have greater hedonic impact than would gains of equal magnitude, but when people actually gambled, losses did not have as much of an emotional impact as they predicted. People overestimated the hedonic impact of losses because they underestimated their tendency to rationalize losses and overestimated their tendency to dwell on losses. The asymmetrical impact of losses and gains was thus more a property of affective forecasts than a property of affective experience.
Reducing Sedentary Behavior
Authors: Epstein Leonard H. , Raja Samina , Gold Samuel S. , Paluch Rocco A. , Pak Youngju , Roemmich James N.
Published: August 2006

This study was designed to determine whether the characteristics of the neighborhood environment are related to the substitution of physical activity for sedentary behavior among youth. Fifty-eight 8- to 15-year-old youth were studied in a within-subjects crossover design with three phases: baseline, increased sedentary behavior, and decreased sedentary behavior. The relations between changes in physical activity and design, diversity, and density attributes of the neighborhood environment were determined using random coefficient models. Compared with girls, boys showed greater increases in physical activity when sedentary behaviors were reduced and greater decreases in physical activity when sedentary behaviors were increased. Greater access to parks was associated with greater physical activity when sedentary behaviors were reduced.
How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Words
Authors: Slatcher Richard B. , Pennebaker James W.
Published: August 2006

Writing about emotional experiences is associated with a host of positive outcomes. This study extended the expressive-writing paradigm to the realm of romantic relationships to examine the social effects of writing. For 3 consecutive days, one person from each of 86 dating couples either wrote about his or her deepest thoughts and feelings about the relationship or wrote about his or her daily activities. In the days before and after writing, instant messages were collected from the couples. Participants who wrote about their relationship were significantly more likely to still be dating their romantic partners 3 months later. Linguistic analyses of the instant messages revealed that participants and their partners used significantly more positive and negative emotion words in the days following the expressive-writing manipulation if the participants had written about their relationship than if they had written about their daily activities. Increases in positive emotion words partially mediated the relation between expressive writing and relationship stability.
When Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Authors: Brace Jennifer J. , Morton J. Bruce , Munakata Yuko
Published: August 2006

People often perseverate, or repeat habitual behaviors when they are no longer appropriate. For example, after sorting cards by one rule, children will reliably perseverate with this rule even when they are clearly and repeatedly instructed to switch to a new rule. Such perseveration may result from limitations in working memory abilities for holding instructions actively in mind. If so, children may switch more readily to a new rule following experiences that are less demanding on working memory, such as guided practice with the new rule. In a study testing this prediction, 3-year-old children received direct instructions to switch to a new rule, guided practice with the new rule, or both. Providing children with guided practice was much more effective than telling them what to do. These findings support theories of perseveration based on competing memory systems, challenge alternative theories, and suggest effective methods for countering prepotent behaviors.
Naps Promote Abstraction in Language-Learning Infants
Authors: Gómez Rebecca L. , Bootzin Richard R. , Nadel Lynn
Published: August 2006

Infants engage in an extraordinary amount of learning during their waking hours even though much of their day is consumed by sleep. What role does sleep play in infant learning? Fifteen-month-olds were familiarized with an artificial language 4 hr prior to a lab visit. Learning the language involved relating initial and final words in auditory strings by remembering the exact word dependencies or by remembering an abstract relation between initial and final words. One group napped during the interval between familiarization and test. Another group did not nap. Infants who napped appeared to remember a more abstract relation, one they could apply to stimuli that were similar but not identical to those from familiarization. Infants who did not nap showed a memory effect. Naps appear to promote a qualitative change in memory, one involving greater flexibility in learning.
Individual Differences in Second-Language Proficiency
Authors: Slevc L. Robert , Miyake Akira
Published: August 2006

This study examined the relation between musical ability and second-language (L2) proficiency in adult learners. L2 ability was assessed in four domains: receptive phonology, productive phonology, syntax, and lexical knowledge. Also assessed were various other factors that might explain individual differences in L2 ability, including age of L2 immersion, patterns of language use and exposure, and phonological short-term memory. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to determine if musical ability explained any unique variance in each domain of L2 ability after controlling for other relevant factors. Musical ability predicted L2 phonological ability (both receptive and productive) even when controlling for other factors, but did not explain unique variance in L2 syntax or lexical knowledge. These results suggest that musical skills may facilitate the acquisition of L2 sound structure and add to a growing body of evidence linking language and music.
Learning Words and Rules
Authors: Gertner Yael , Fisher Cynthia , Eisengart Julie
Published: August 2006

Children quickly acquire basic grammatical facts about their native language. Does this early syntactic knowledge involve knowledge of words or rules? According to lexical accounts of acquisition, abstract syntactic and semantic categories are not primitive to the language-acquisition system; thus, early language comprehension and production are based on verb-specific knowledge. The present experiments challenge this account: We probed the abstractness of young children's knowledge of syntax by testing whether 25- and 21-month-olds extend their knowledge of English word order to new verbs. In four experiments, children used word order appropriately to interpret transitive sentences containing novel verbs. These findings demonstrate that although toddlers have much to learn about their native languages, they represent language experience in terms of an abstract mental vocabulary. These abstract representations allow children to rapidly detect general patterns in their native language, and thus to learn rules as well as words from the start.
It's the Thought That Counts
Authors: Saxe Rebecca , Powell Lindsey J.
Published: August 2006

Evidence from developmental psychology suggests that representing the contents of other people's thoughts and beliefs depends on a component of reasoning about other minds (theory of mind) that is distinct from the earlier-developing mental-state concepts for goals, perceptions, and feelings. To provide converging evidence, the current study investigated the substrate of the late-developing process in adult brains. Three regions—the right and left temporo-parietal junction and the posterior cingulate—responded selectively when subjects read about a protagonist's thoughts, but not when they read about other subjective, internal states or other socially relevant information about a person. By contrast, the medial prefrontal cortex responded equivalently in all of these story conditions, a result consistent with a broader role for medial prefrontal cortex in general social cognition. These data support the hypothesis that the early- and late-developing components of theory of mind rely on separate psychological and neural mechanisms, and that these mechanisms remain distinct into adulthood.
When Memory Fails, Intuition Reigns
Authors: Frank Michael J. , O'Reilly Randall C. , Curran Tim
Published: August 2006

People often make logically sound decisions using explicit reasoning strategies, but sometimes it pays to rely on more implicit “gut-level” intuition. The transitive inference paradigm has been widely used as a test of explicit logical reasoning in animals and humans, but it can also be solved in a more implicit manner. Some researchers have argued that the hippocampus supports relational memories required for making logical inferences. Here we show that the benzodiazepene midazolam, which inactivates the hippocampus, causes profound explicit memory deficits in healthy participants, but enhances their ability in making implicit transitive inferences. These results are consistent with neurocomputational models of the basal ganglia—dopamine system that learn to make decisions through positive and negative reinforcement. We suggest that disengaging the hippocampal explicit memory system can be advantageous for this more implicit form of learning.
Earliest Recollections of Self and Others in European American and Taiwanese Young Adults
Authors: Wang Qi
Published: August 2006

This study examined the age and content of earliest childhood memories of self and others. European American and Taiwanese participants (N = 111) retrieved their earliest memories in response to the cue words self, mother, family, friend, and surroundings. Memory for mother was from an earlier age than memory for self, and memories for mother, family, and friend were more socially oriented in content than memories for self or surroundings. In addition, in response to all cue words, Euro-Americans recalled memories from an earlier age than did Taiwanese. Euro-Americans also had a greater tendency to report memories of specific events and focused more on their own roles and autonomy than did Taiwanese, who more often described routine events and emphasized the roles of others. These findings have important implications for infantile amnesia and the memory-self interplay.
Nonproportional Sampling and the Amplification of Correlations
Authors: Kareev Yaakov , Fiedler Klaus
Published: August 2006

A theoretical analysis shows that sample correlations between two binary variables will be inflated when the frequency distributions of the two variables are flatter (i.e., closer to equal frequencies for the two values) in the sample than in the population. A correlation-assessment study in which participants were free to choose their own sample revealed an overwhelming preference for samples that included roughly the same number of observations for the two values of dichotomous variables, irrespective of their actual distribution in the population. Subjective estimates of observed correlations followed the sample correlations—which were inflated, as predicted—more closely than the true correlations. People's sampling behavior thus resembles that of a research designer who maximizes the chance of detecting a relationship, at the cost of diminished accuracy in estimating its strength.
Hypnotic Suggestion Modulates Cognitive Conflict
Authors: Iani Cristina , Ricci Federico , Gherri Elena , Rubichi Sandro
Published: August 2006

The present work was aimed at investigating whether the flanker compatibility effect can be eliminated by means of a posthypnotic suggestion influencing attentional focusing. In Experiment 1, participants who scored high and low on hypnotic susceptibility performed the flanker compatibility task when naturally awake and when under a posthypnotic suggestion aimed at increasing the target's discriminability from the flankers. Results showed that the posthypnotic suggestion effectively eliminated the flanker compatibility effect in highly susceptible participants, whereas low-susceptibility participants did not show any reduction in the effect. In Experiment 2, highly susceptible participants performed the task after receiving a suggestion but without the induction of hypnosis. Results showed that the suggestion alone was not sufficient to reduce the flanker compatibility effect. These results support the view that in highly susceptible participants, hypnotic suggestion can influence the ability to focus on relevant information.
Object-Based Anisotropies in the Flash-Lag Effect
Authors: Watanabe Katsumi , Yokoi Kenji
Published: August 2006

The relative visual position of a briefly flashed stimulus is systematically modified in the presence of motion signals. We investigated the two-dimensional distortion of the positional representation of a flash relative to a moving stimulus. Analysis of the spatial pattern of mislocalization revealed that the perceived position of a flash was not uniformly displaced, but instead shifted toward a single point of convergence that followed the moving object from behind at a fixed distance. Although the absolute magnitude of mislocalization increased with motion speed, the convergence point remained unaffected. The motion modified the perceived position of a flash, but had little influence on the perceived shape of a spatially extended flash stimulus. These results demonstrate that motion anisotropically distorts positional representation after the shapes of objects are represented. Furthermore, the results imply that the flash-lag effect may be considered a special case of two-dimensional anisotropic distortion.
Industrial Targeting and Non‐shiftable Capital in the Harris–Todaro Model*
Authors: Choi Jai‐Young , Yu Eden S. H.
Published: August 2006

This paper shows that, in the 2 × 3 sector‐specific capital Harris–Todaro model, capital growth owing to either domestic or foreign investment always enhances the welfare of the country (i.e. non‐immiserizing), and this result of non‐immiserizing foreign investment holds regardless of initial holdings of foreign capital; the policy of industrial targeting via capital investment is more effective vis‐à‐vis the (neoclassical) 2 × 2 mobile‐capital Harris–Todaro model or the Heckscher–Ohlin model; in contrast to the recent generalization by Marjit and Beladi (2003), capital growth cannot be immiserizing in the present model, even if it destroys the “envelope theorem.”
HYSTERESIS AND THE NAIRU IN THE EURO AREA
Authors: Logeay Camille , Tober Silke
Published: August 2006

This paper analyses the Nairu in the Euro Area and the influence that hysteresis had on its development. Using the Kalman‐filter technique we find that the Nairu has varied considerably since the early 1970s. The Kalman‐filter technique is applied here using explicit exogenous variables. In order to test for hysteresis, the dependence of the Nairu on actual unemployment and long‐term unemployment is estimated and found to be significant for the Euro Area and Germany, respectively. The existence of hysteresis effects implies the possibility of a long‐run non‐superneutrality of monetary policy.
ON PREJUDICE
Authors: Kim Jeong‐Yoo , Park Jinho
Published: August 2006

This paper examines how prejudice biases an evaluation outcome. We also show that referring to past data, which leads to prejudice, can provide a better estimator for the quality of the object under evaluation, even if biased, in the sense that it reduces the mean squared error. However, in cases in which the quality of the evaluation depends on the referee's effort, as well as on his ability, prejudice aggravates the evaluation outcome by dampening his refereeing efforts, thus possibly yielding a worse estimator than no prejudice even in terms of the mean squared error. If evaluators possess prejudice, an individual's performance in the earlier stage of his career becomes more important, at least in the short run, thus creating an incentive to work harder in the earlier stage than in the later stage. This may provide an alternative explanation for cut‐throat competition in the earlier stage to the traditional signaling argument.
Comparison of monoamine and corticosterone levels 24 h following (+)methamphetamine, (+/–)3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine, cocaine, (+)fenfluramine or (+/–)methylphenidate administration in the neonatal rat
Authors: Schaefer Tori L. , Ehrman Lisa A. , Gudelsky Gary A. , Vorhees Charles V. , Williams Michael T.
Published: August 2006

We have previously shown that neonatal administration of (+/–)3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine and (+)fenfluramine produce deficits in spatial and path integration learning, whereas (+)methamphetamine causes deficits in spatial learning. Conversely, cocaine and (+/–)methylphenidate have no effect on either form of learning following neonatal administration. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether corticosterone and/or monoamine levels were changed following subcutaneous administration of 10 mg/kg (+)methamphetamine, (+/–)3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine, (+)fenfluramine, (+/–)methylphenidate or cocaine every 2 h (total of four injections) on postnatal day 11. Twenty‐four hours after the first dose, plasma, striatum and hippocampus were collected. Corticosterone levels were increased in methamphetamine‐, fenfluramine‐, methylenedioxymethamphetamine‐ and methylphenidate‐treated rats relative to levels in saline‐treated rats, whereas cocaine‐treated rats were unaffected. In the striatum and hippocampus, serotonin and 5‐hydroxyindolacetic acid were reduced in animals treated with methylenedioxymethamphetamine or fenfluramine, compared with levels in saline controls. Dopamine levels were not changed by any of the drugs, although 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid was decreased following methylenedioxymethamphetamine or methamphetamine. Minimal effects were seen in neurotransmitter levels following injection of cocaine or methylphenidate. These data suggest that drugs that affect corticosterone and hippocampal serotonin are associated with both spatial learning and path integration deficits, and those that affect corticosterone and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid are associated with spatial learning deficits only.
Reducing complexity in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA): Remote and proximate factors and the consolidation of democracy
Authors: SCHNEIDER CARSTEN Q. , WAGEMANN CLAUDIUS
Published: August 2006

Abstract. Comparative methods based on set theoretic relationships such as ‘fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis’ (fs/QCA) represent a useful tool for dealing with complex causal hypotheses in terms of necessary and sufficient conditions under the constraint of a medium‐sized number of cases. However, real‐world research situations might make the application of fs/QCA difficult in two respects – namely, the complexity of the results and the phenomenon of limited diversity. We suggest a two‐step approach as one possibility to mitigate these problems. After introducing the difference between remote and proximate factors, the application of a two‐step fs/QCA approach is demonstrated analyzing the causes of the consolidation of democracy. We find that different paths lead to consolidation, but all are characterized by a fit of the institutional mix chosen to the societal context in terms of power dispersion. Hence, we demonstrate that the application of fs/QCA in a two‐step manner helps to formulate and test equifinal and conjunctural hypotheses in medium‐size N comparative analyses, and thus to contribute to an enhanced understanding of social phenomena.
Congenital Infantile Fibrosarcoma: A Masquerader of Ulcerated Hemangioma
Authors: Yan Albert C. , Chamlin Sarah L. , Liang Marilyn G. , Hoffman Benjamin , Attiyeh Edward F. , Chang Benjamin , Honig Paul J.
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Congenital infantile fibrosarcoma, a rare malignant tumor of childhood, may present as a highly vascularized mass that is clinically difficult to distinguish from a hemangioma. When ulcerated, significant hemorrhage, anemia, and thrombocytopenia may occur in children with these lesions. This report describes three infants with ulcerated congenital infantile fibrosarcomas of the hand. As appropriate medical and surgical management hinges on timely and appropriate diagnosis, we review the clinical manifestations of these lesions.
Cutaneous Manifestations of Child Abuse
Authors: Kos Liborka , Shwayder Tor
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Dermatologists and child abuse are not frequently associated in the minds of most physicians. Yet the most common manifestations of child abuse are cutaneous. This article reviews cutaneous manifestations of physical abuse, including bruises, lacerations, abrasions, human bites, and burns. It also discusses ways that dermatologists can differentiate abusive injuries from accidental ones as well as from the many dermatologic conditions that can mimic child abuse. Finally, we review what actions the dermatologist should take when suspecting abuse in a patient.
Ability of Early Response to Predict Discharge Outcomes With Physical Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain
Authors: Tong Henry C. , Geisser Michael E. , Ignaczak Aartee P.
Published: August 2006

Objective:  To determine how well early responses to physical therapy for chronic low back pain predict outcomes at discharge.

Methods:  A prospective single cohort study of chronic low back pain patients seen at a university spine physical therapy clinic. Self‐reported pain severity on a 100‐mm visual analog scale was measured before each physical therapy visit. The predictive variables were the change in pain score at the second, third, and fourth visits. The first outcome variable was discharge change in pain severity for a correlation analysis. The second outcome variable was a dichotomous variable of whether the subjects had achieved at least a 30% reduction in pain severity at discharge for a discriminant analysis.

Results:  Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient showed that early responses at the second (r = 0.324, P = 0.02) third (r = 0.342, P = 0.01), and fourth visits (r = 0.615, P < 0.001) were all significantly correlated with discharge change in pain. The discriminant analysis showed that early responses from the second to fourth visits were able to correctly predict 80.4% of the discharge outcomes (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:  Early responses with physical therapy help predict discharge outcomes for chronic low back pain.
The Role of Mood States Underlying Sex Differences in the Perception and Tolerance of Pain
Authors: Garofalo John P. , Lawler Casey , Robinson Richard , Morgan Michael , Kenworthy‐Heinige Tawni
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  While sex differences in pain reporting are frequently observed, the reasons underlying these differences remain unclear. The present study examined sex differences in self‐report and physiological measures of pain threshold and tolerance following the administration of two laboratory pain‐induction tasks. The primary study aim centered on determining whether repeated exposure to such tasks would yield sex differences in terms of pain threshold and tolerance. In addition, it was hypothesized that if such differences did exist, negative mood states might account for changes in pain ratings, threshold, and/or tolerance in subsequent exposure to noxious stimuli. Recruited from a convenience sample, 66 participants (44 female and 22 male) were exposed to both thermal and cold noxious stimuli at three separate times, while psychophysiological and self‐report data were collected. Because women outnumbered men 2:1, Fisher z transformations were performed to determine whether the observed associations between mood states and pain ratings differed. We found stronger associations between fatigue and thermal‐heat pain ratings for men at their first and third exposure to the pain task compared to women (z = 2.11, P < 0.05; z = 3.14, P < 0.001, respectively). Results indicated that women evidenced greater pain tolerance than men on both a behavioral and physiological level; however, they reported greater pain severity than men. Fatigue was also found to be particularly important to reports of pain severity in men and pain tolerance in response to noxious stimuli for women. Possible pathways in which mood states influenced these endpoints are discussed.