bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Macrophage Imaging Within Human Cerebral Aneurysms Wall Using Ferumoxytol-Enhanced MRI: A Pilot Study
Authors: Hasan David M. , Mahaney Kelly B. , Magnotta Vincent A. , Kung David K. , Lawton Michael T. , Hashimoto Tomoki , Winn H. Richard , Saloner David , Martin Alastair , Gahramanov Seymur , Dósa Edit , Neuwelt Edward , Young William L.
Published: February 2012

Objective—

Macrophages play a critical role in cerebral aneurysm formation and rupture. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility and optimal parameters of imaging macrophages within human cerebral aneurysm wall using ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI.

Methods and Results—

Nineteen unruptured aneurysms in 11 patients were imaged using T2*-GE–MRI sequence. Two protocols were used. Protocol A was an infusion of 2.5 mg/kg of ferumoxytol and imaging at day 0 and 1. Protocol B was an infusion of 5 mg/kg of ferumoxytol and imaging at day 0 and 3. All images were reviewed independently by 2 neuroradiologists to assess for ferumoxytol-associated loss of MRI signal intensity within aneurysm wall. Aneurysm tissue was harvested for histological analysis. Fifty percent (5/10) of aneurysms in protocol A showed ferumoxytol-associated signal changes in aneurysm walls compared to 78% (7/9) of aneurysms in protocol B. Aneurysm tissue harvested from patients infused with ferumoxytol stained positive for both CD68+, demonstrating macrophage infiltration, and Prussian blue, demonstrating uptake of iron particles. Tissue harvested from controls stained positive for CD68 but not Prussian blue.

Conclusion—

Imaging with T2*-GE–MRI at 72 hours postinfusion of 5 mg/kg of ferumoxytol establishes a valid and useful approximation of optimal dose and timing parameters for macrophages imaging within aneurysm wall. Further studies are needed to correlate these imaging findings with risk of intracranial aneurysm rupture.
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 Engagement Modulates Sphingomyelinase and Ceramide, Supporting Uptake of Drug Carriers by the Vascular Endothelium
Authors: Serrano Daniel , Bhowmick Tridib , Chadha Rishi , Garnacho Carmen , Muro Silvia
Published: February 2012

Objective—

Engagement of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) on endothelial cells by ICAM-1-targeted carriers induces cell adhesion molecule–mediated endocytosis, providing intraendothelial delivery of therapeutics. This pathway differs from classical endocytic mechanisms and invokes aspects of endothelial signaling during inflammation. ICAM-1 interacts with Na
+
/H
+
exchanger NHE1 during endocytosis, but it is unclear how this regulates plasmalemma and cytoskeletal changes. We studied such aspects in this work.

Methods and Results—

We used fluorescence and electron microscopy, inhibitors and knockout tools, cell culture, and mouse models. ICAM-1 engagement by anti-ICAM carriers induced sphingomyelin-enriched engulfment structures. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), an acidic enzyme that hydrolyzes sphingomyelin into ceramide (involved in plasmalemma deformability and cytoskeletal reorganization), redistributed to ICAM-1-engagement sites at ceramide-enriched areas. This induced actin stress fibers and carrier endocytosis. Inhibiting ASM impaired ceramide enrichment, engulfment structures, cytoskeletal reorganization, and carrier uptake, which was rescued by supplying this enzyme activity exogenously. Interfering with NHE1 rendered similar outcomes, suggesting that Na
+
/H
+
exchange might provide an acidic microenvironment for ASM at the plasmalemma.

Conclusion—

These findings are consistent with the ability of endothelial cells to internalize relatively large ICAM- 1--targeted drug carriers and expand our knowledge on the regulation of the sphingomyelin/ceramide pathway by the vascular endothelium.
Protein Kinase C-Delta Mediates Adventitial Cell Migration Through Regulation of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Expression in a Rat Angioplasty Model
Authors: Si Yi , Ren Jun , Wang Pu , Rateri Debra L. , Daugherty Alan , Shi Xu-Dong , Kent K. Craig , Liu Bo
Published: February 2012

Objective—

The adventitia is increasingly recognized as an important player during the development of intimal hyperplasia. However, the mechanism of adventitial cell recruitment to the subintimal space remains largely undefined. We have shown previously that gene transfer of protein kinase C-delta (PKCδ) increases apoptosis of smooth muscle cells following balloon injury. In the current study, we investigated a potential role of PKCδ in regulating the recruitment of adventitial cells.

Methods and Results—

Conditioned media from PKCδ-overexpressing smooth muscle cells stimulated migration and CCR2 expression of adventitial fibroblasts through a MCP-1 dependent mechanism. Following balloon injury of rat carotid arteries, overexpression of PKCδ in smooth muscle cells significantly increased MCP-1 and CCR2 expression and the number of adventitia-originated cells detected in the neointima. Administration of an anti-MCP–1 antibody markedly diminished the recruitment of adventitial cells. Combined PKCδ overexpression and anti-MCP–1 inhibited intimal hyperplasia more effectively than either approach alone.

Conclusion—

Our data suggest that PKCδ regulates recruitment of adventitial cells to the neointima via a mechanism involving upregulation of the MCP-1/CCR2 signaling axis in injured arteries. Blockage of MCP-1 while enhancing apoptosis may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy to attenuate intimal hyperplasia.
Comparison of Various Niches for Endothelial Progenitor Cell Therapy on Ischemic Myocardial Repair
Authors: Zhang Shaoheng , Zhao Lan , Shen Li , Xu Danling , Huang Bingqing , Wang Qibing , Lin Jinyi , Zou Yunzeng , Ge Junbo
Published: February 2012

Objective—

Comparative studies are lacking that show the effects of different microenvironments on the activity of engrafted stem cells after myocardial infarction (MI). Here, we analyzed the temporal and spatial variations of angiogenesis, collateralization, and the expression of Akt-related signals after MI to test whether the effects of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were different.

Methods and Results—

After the induction of MI, pigs were selected that did not develop a collateral coronary circulation (R0) or developed a significant collateral coronary circulation (R2). Both sets were allocated randomly to 4 groups: phosphate-buffered saline (intramyocardial injection of phosphate-buffered saline), EPC transplantation, LY294002 (intramyocardial injection of an Akt inhibitor), and EPCs plus LY294002. Infarcted porcine hearts at different time points and under different collateralized conditions exhibited a variety of vascular microenvironments. At 14 days post-MI, angiogenesis and the expression of Akt-mediated angiogenic cytokines predominated in R2 porcine hearts. When grafted into this microenvironment, EPCs induced the greatest effects in impeding the development of heart failure, preserving left ventricular function and dimensions, and inhibiting infarct expansion. LY294002 significantly reduced these effects.

Conclusion—

These findings suggest that the microenvironment that coexists with collateralization and Akt-mediated angiogenesis appears to be more beneficial to cardiac repair induced by EPC therapy than other niches after MI.
Actin Cytoskeleton Rest Stops Regulate Anterograde Traffic of Connexin 43 Vesicles to the Plasma Membrane
Authors: Smyth James W. , Vogan Jacob M. , Buch Pranali J. , Zhang Shan-Shan , Fong Tina S. , Hong Ting-Ting , Shaw Robin M.
Published: February 2012

Rationale:

The intracellular trafficking of connexin 43 (Cx43) hemichannels presents opportunities to regulate cardiomyocyte gap junction coupling. Although it is known that Cx43 hemichannels are transported along microtubules to the plasma membrane, the role of actin in Cx43 forward trafficking is unknown.

Objective:

We explored whether the actin cytoskeleton is involved in Cx43 forward trafficking.

Methods and Results:

High-resolution imaging reveals that Cx43 vesicles colocalize with nonsarcomeric actin in adult cardiomyocytes. Live-cell fluorescence imaging reveals Cx43 vesicles as stationary or traveling slowly (average speed 0.09 μm/s) when associated with actin. At any time, the majority (81.7%) of vesicles travel at subkinesin rates, suggesting that actin is important for Cx43 transport. Using Cx43 containing a hemagglutinin tag in the second extracellular loop, we developed an assay to detect transport of de novo Cx43 hemichannels to the plasma membrane after release from Brefeldin A-induced endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi vesicular transport block. Latrunculin A (for specific interference of actin) was used as an intervention after reinitiation of vesicular transport. Disruption of actin inhibits delivery of Cx43 to the cell surface. Moreover, using the assay in primary cardiomyocytes, actin inhibition causes an 82% decrease (
P
<0.01) in de novo endogenous Cx43 delivery to cell–cell borders. In Langendorff-perfused mouse heart preparations, Cx43/β-actin complexing is disrupted during acute ischemia, and inhibition of actin polymerization is sufficient to reduce levels of Cx43 gap junctions at intercalated discs.

Conclusions:

Actin is a necessary component of the cytoskeleton-based forward trafficking apparatus for Cx43. In cardiomyocytes, Cx43 vesicles spend a majority of their time pausing at nonsarcomeric actin rest stops when not undergoing microtubule-based transport to the plasma membrane. Deleterious effects on this interaction between Cx43 and the actin cytoskeleton during acute ischemia contribute to losses in Cx43 localization at intercalated discs.
Preoperative Serum Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Risk of Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Patel Uptal D. , Garg Amit X. , Krumholz Harlan M. , Shlipak Michael G. , Coca Steven G. , Sint Kyaw , Thiessen-Philbrook Heather , Koyner Jay L. , Swaminathan Madhav , Passik Cary S. , Parikh Chirag R. ,   for the Translational Research Investigating Biomarker Endpoints in Acute Kidney Injury (TRIBE-AKI) Consortium
Published: February 2012

Background—

Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery is associated with poor outcomes and is difficult to predict. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate whether preoperative brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels predict postoperative AKI among patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods and Results—

The Translational Research Investigating Biomarker Endpoints in Acute Kidney Injury (TRIBE-AKI) study enrolled 1139 adults undergoing cardiac surgery at 6 hospitals from 2007 to 2009 who were selected for high AKI risk. Preoperative BNP was categorized into quintiles. AKI was common with the use of Acute Kidney Injury Network definitions; at least mild AKI was a ≥0.3-mg/dL or 50% rise in creatinine (n=407, 36%), and severe AKI was either a doubling of creatinine or the requirement of acute renal replacement therapy (n=58, 5.1%). In analyses adjusted for preoperative characteristics, preoperative BNP was a strong and independent predictor of mild and severe AKI. Compared with the lowest BNP quintile, the highest quintile had significantly higher risk of at least mild AKI (risk ratio, 1.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.40–2.49) and severe AKI (risk ratio, 3.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–9.48). After adjustment for clinical predictors, the addition of BNP improved the area under the curve to predict at least mild AKI (0.67–0.69;
P
=0.02) and severe AKI (0.73–0.75;
P
=0.11). Compared with clinical parameters alone, BNP modestly improved risk prediction of AKI cases into lower and higher risk (continuous net reclassification index; at least mild AKI: risk ratio, 0.183; 95% confidence interval, 0.061–0.314; severe AKI: risk ratio, 0.231; 95% confidence interval, 0.067–0.506).

Conclusions—

Preoperative BNP level is associated with postoperative AKI in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery. If confirmed in other types of patients and surgeries, preoperative BNP may be a valuable component of future efforts to improve preoperative risk stratification and discrimination among surgical candidates.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00774137.
Renal Sympathetic Denervation Suppresses De Novo Podocyte Injury and Albuminuria in Rats With Aortic Regurgitation
Authors: Rafiq Kazi , Noma Takahisa , Fujisawa Yoshihide , Ishihara Yasuhiro , Arai Yoshie , Nabi A.H.M. Nurun , Suzuki Fumiaki , Nagai Yukiko , Nakano Daisuke , Hitomi Hirofumi , Kitada Kento , Urushihara Maki , Kobori Hiroyuki , Kohno Masakazu , Nishiyama Akira
Published: February 2012

Background—

The presence of chronic kidney disease is a significant independent risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure. However, the mechanisms and mediators underlying this interaction are poorly understood. In this study, we tested our hypothesis that chronic cardiac volume overload leads to de novo renal dysfunction by coactivating the sympathetic nervous system and renin-angiotensin system in the kidney. We also examined the therapeutic potential of renal denervation and renin-angiotensin system inhibition to suppress renal injury in chronic heart failure.

Methods and Results—

Sprague-Dawley rats underwent aortic regurgitation and were treated for 6 months with vehicle, olmesartan (an angiotensin II receptor blocker), or hydralazine. At 6 months, albuminuria and glomerular podocyte injury were significantly increased in aortic regurgitation rats. These changes were associated with increased urinary angiotensinogen excretion, kidney angiotensin II and norepinephrine (NE) levels, and enhanced angiotensinogen and angiotensin type 1a receptor gene expression and oxidative stress in renal cortical tissues. Aortic regurgitation rats with renal denervation had decreased albuminuria and glomerular podocyte injury, which were associated with reduced kidney NE, angiotensinogen, angiotensin II, and oxidative stress. Renal denervation combined with olmesartan prevented podocyte injury and albuminuria induced by aortic regurgitation.

Conclusions—

In this chronic cardiac volume-overload animal model, activation of the sympathetic nervous system augments kidney renin-angiotensin system and oxidative stress, which act as crucial cardiorenal mediators. Renal denervation and olmesartan prevent the onset and progression of renal injury, providing new insight into the treatment of cardiorenal syndrome.
Quality of Life and Healthcare Resource Use Associated With Angiographic Vasospasm After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Macdonald R. Loch , Hunsche Elke , Schüler René , Wlodarczyk John , Mayer Stephan A.
Published: February 2012

Background and Purpose—

In this analysis of data from a large clinical trial in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, the impact of angiographic vasospasm (aVSP) on specific patient outcomes and inpatient healthcare resource use was assessed.

Methods—

This was a post hoc analysis of exploratory end points collected for 409 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the Clazosentan to Overcome Neurological Ischemia and Infarction Occurring After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (CONSCIOUS-1) trial. Central reviewers graded severity of aVSP as none, mild, moderate, or severe based on comparison of catheter angiograms obtained at baseline and 7 to 11 days after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Assessments of cognitive status (Mini-Mental State Examination) and patient-relevant outcomes (EuroQol total score and visual analog scale and Functional Status Examination) were administered at Week 12. The relationship between severity of aVSP and these end points as well as inpatient healthcare resource use (intensive care, general ward, and total hospital lengths of stay) was assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results—

Cognitive status and all patient-relevant outcome measures varied significantly (
P
<0.0001) with severity of aVSP (mean for severe aVSP versus no aVSP, respectively: Mini-Mental State Examination, 18.0 versus 27.6; EuroQol total, 0.38 versus 0.74; EuroQol visual analog scale, 50.9 versus 75.5; Functional Status Examination, 20.5 versus 11.7). A significant inverse relationship with severity of aVSP was observed for total hospital days (
P
=0.008) and days in the intensive care unit (
P
<0.0001). On average, patients with severe aVSP stayed in the hospital 5 days longer than those with no aVSP.

Conclusions—

Severe aVSP is associated with poor cognition, worse patient-relevant outcomes, and greater inpatient healthcare resource use. Future studies assessing new aVSP treatments should include outcome measures that evaluate quality of recovery among survivors.
The Feasibility of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing for Prescribing Exercise to People After Stroke
Authors: Marzolini Susan , Oh Paul , McIlroy William , Brooks Dina
Published: February 2012

Background and Purpose—

Despite the importance of exercise training in mitigating cardiovascular risk, the development of exercise programs for people poststroke has been limited by lack of feasibility data concerning cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to inform the exercise prescription. Therefore, we examined the feasibility of CPETs for developing an exercise prescription in people ≥3 months poststroke.

Methods—

CPET results from 98 consecutively enrolled patients poststroke with motor impairments and 98 age- and sex-matched patients with coronary artery disease were examined at baseline and after 6 months of exercise training.

Results—

The proportion of patients with stroke and coronary artery disease attaining an intensity sufficient for prescribing exercise at baseline was 68.4% versus 82.7%, respectively (
P
=0.02) and 84.7% versus 83.8% (
P
=0.9) at 6 months. Women were less likely than men poststroke to achieve a sufficient intensity at baseline (40% versus 80.9%,
P
<0.001) but not at 6 months (78.3% versus 87.1,
P
=0.3). A clinically relevant abnormality occurred in 11.2% of stroke and 12.2% of patients with coronary artery disease on baseline CPETs (
P
=0.8) and 10.6% of stroke and 5.9% of patients with coronary artery disease on the 6-month CPET (
P
=0.4). No serious cardiovascular events occurred during 349 CPETs.

Conclusions—

Most patients after stroke achieved a level of exertion during the CPET sufficient to inform an exercise prescription. At least 1 of 10 patients poststroke developed a clinically relevant abnormality on baseline and postprogram CPETs with no serious cardiovascular events. These data support the feasibility and safety of CPETs for prescribing exercise poststroke. Strategies to improve use of baseline CPETs for women poststroke require further investigation.
Age-Dependent Lethality in Novel Transgenic Mouse Models of Central Nervous System Arteriovenous Malformations
Authors: Milton Ian , Ouyang Dan , Allen Caitlin J. , Yanasak Nathan E. , Gossage James R. , Alleyne Cargill H. , Seki Tsugio
Published: February 2012

Background and Purpose—

The lack of an appropriate animal model has been a limitation in studying hemorrhage from arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in the central nervous system.

Methods—

Novel mouse central nervous system AVM models were generated by conditionally deleting the activin receptor-like kinase (
Alk1
;
Acvrl1
) gene with the SM22-Cre transgene. All mice developed AVMs in their brain and/or spinal cord, and >80% of them showed a paralysis or lethality phenotype due to internal hemorrhages during the first 10 to 15 weeks of life. The mice that survived this early lethal period, however, showed significantly reduced lethality rates even though they carried multiple AVMs.

Results—

The age-dependent change in hemorrhage rates allowed us to identify molecular factors uniquely upregulated in the rupture-prone AVM lesions.

Conclusions—

Upregulation of angiopoietin 2 and a few inflammatory genes were identified in the hemorrhage-prone lesions, which may be comparable with human pathology. These models will be an exceptional tool to study pathophysiology of AVM hemorrhage.
Race and Pathways to Power in the National Football League
Authors: Braddock Jomills Henry , Smith Eryka , Dawkins Marvin P.
Published: February 2012

Recent studies have found that African American managers and executives tend to have relatively few opportunities to exercise higher order and reward-relevant job functions such as job authority, job autonomy, and substantive complexity of work. Most of this research has focused on minority access to job authority in mainstream corporate America. The authors focus on a very specific industry—the National Football League (NFL)—to examine minority access to job authority. Using data collected on all active coaches in the NFL between the 2000 and 2006 seasons, this study examines the influence of race on the attainment of job authority in the NFL. Logistic regression analyses reveal significant direct effects of race on being (a) assigned to coach central positions, (b) appointed as offensive or defensive coordinators, and (c) hired as head coaches, net of measured objective qualifications, including experience, leadership, and performance. Thus, race appears to have both direct and indirect effects on access to managerial authority in the NFL.
A review of the use of clozapine levels to guide treatment and determine cause of death
Authors: Stark Anne , Scott James
Published: February 2012

Objective:

To review the literature to examine the use of clozapine levels to (i) guide therapy and prevent toxicity in clinical care and (ii) determine cause of death in post-mortem examination of patients who were treated with clozapine.

Methods:

MEDLINE was searched in December 2010 using the following keywords: ‘clozapine levels’, ‘clozapine and toxicity’, ‘clozapine and death’, ‘clozapine and mortality’ and ‘post-mortem redistribution’. Data was also collected from the 2010 MIMS Annual.

Results:

The literature reported significant variation in clozapine levels attained with any given dose, and considerable variability in the clinical response achieved at any given clozapine level. The lowest effective clozapine levels ranged from 250 to 550 µg/L, while the recommended upper limit to prevent toxicity varied from 600 to 2000 µg/L. There was minimal correlation between clozapine levels and side effects, with the exception of sedation, hypotension and seizure activity. The risk of seizures increased with plasma clozapine levels greater than 600 µg/L or rapid upward titration. In addition to prescribed dose, there are many factors that influence plasma clozapine levels. After death, the process of post-mortem drug redistribution resulted in 3.00 to 4.89 times increases in clozapine levels in central blood vessels and 1.5 fold increases in peripheral vessels compared to ante-mortem levels.

Conclusions:

The exact range of clozapine levels that corresponds to toxicity remains unclear. However, levels between 350 µg/L and 1000 µg/L achieved with gradual upward titration are more likely to be effective and less likely to cause toxicity. Ongoing clozapine level monitoring is indicated, especially when (i) prescribing higher doses (> 600 mg/day) of clozapine, (ii) there has been a change in a patient’s concomitant pharmacotherapy or cigarette use and (iii) there has been a suboptimal response to treatment. The use of post-mortem clozapine levels to determine clozapine toxicity as a cause of death is unreliable.
Toward a Comprehensive Model on Stalking Acknowledgment
Authors: Ngo Fawn T.
Published: February 2012

Using a sample of national stalking victims, this study draws from four general models applied in previous works on sexual harassment acknowledgment to propose a comprehensive model of stalking acknowledgment. The results indicate that the type of stalking behaviors, personal characteristics of victims, negative emotions experienced by victims, and changes in perceptions due to the intrusive behaviors are significant correlates of stalking acknowledgment. Implications of findings relating to the qualification of legal definitions of stalking and stalking reportage are also discussed.
Democratic Decentralization in Ghana: The Need for a Policy Review
Authors: Nyendu Morgan
Published: February 2012

This article examines the effectiveness of Ghana’s democratic decentralization policy since its inception in the 1980s. It argues that, in spite of the lofty goals of the policy, its effectiveness has been undermined by the lack of political commitment on the part of central government and its frequent interferences in the functioning of the district assemblies, which provide the framework for the policy. The article concludes that, so far, the policy is more of a process than of substance and recommends some measures that must be taken in any serious review process. This research was carried out largely through interviews, participant observation, newspaper and article reviews and library research in and outside Ghana.
The Reference Group Effect
Authors: Van de gaer Eva , Grisay Aletta , Schulz Wolfram , Gebhardt Eveline
Published: February 2012

Academic self-concept and achievement are positively related among students from the same school and country. Yet negative associations between these variables may be found at the level of schools and countries. In the present article, we propose how this apparent paradox can be explained in terms of reference group effects, in which high standards, norms, or benchmarks act to decrease academic self-concept, whereas low ones have the contrary effect. Multilevel regression analyses of the PISA 2006 data consisting of 353,403 students, 13,886 schools from 53 countries revealed an interesting pattern of relationships. Within schools, students’ science achievement and science self-concept were positively related although the size of this relationship varied considerably between countries, whereas between schools and between countries, this association was negative. Consistent with our hypothesis, the size of the between-school relationship was larger in countries with a higher percentage of selective schools. At the country level, the negative relationship between country mean achievement and self-concept was explained by country differences in educational benchmarks, standards, and norms next to country differences in response styles. In this article, we also discuss the implications for the validity of cross-cultural comparisons of self-concept.
Cultural Differences and Switching of In-Group Sharing Behavior Between an American (Facebook) and a Chinese (Renren) Social Networking Site
Authors: Qiu Lin , Lin Han , Leung Angela K.-y.
Published: February 2012

Prior research has documented cultural dimensions that broadly characterize between-culture variations in Western and East Asian societies and that bicultural individuals can flexibly change their behaviors in response to different cultural contexts. In this article, we studied cultural differences and behavioral switching in the context of the fast emerging, naturally occurring online social networking, using both self-report measures and content analyses of online activities on two highly popular platforms, Facebook and Renren (the “Facebook of China”). Results showed that while Renren and Facebook are two technically similar platforms, the Renren culture is perceived as more collectivistic than the Facebook culture. Furthermore, we presented evidence for the first time that users who are members of both online cultures flexibly switch and adapt their in-group sharing behaviors in response to the online community in which they are: They perform more benevolent in-group sharing when they participate in the Renren community and less so when they participate in the Facebook community. We discussed both the theoretical and methodological implications of the current research.
Biculturalism and Adjustment
Authors: Nguyen Angela-MinhTu D. , Benet-Martínez Verónica
Published: February 2012

Biculturalism (having two cultures) is a growing social phenomenon that has received considerable attention in psychology in the last decade; however, the issue of what impact (if any) biculturalism has on individuals’ adjustment remains empirically unclear. To answer this question, we conducted a meta-analysis that included 83 studies, 322 rs, and 23,197 participants. Results based on the random-effects approach show a significant, strong, and positive association between biculturalism and adjustment (both psychological and sociocultural). This biculturalism- adjustment link is stronger than the association between having one culture (dominant or heritage) and adjustment. Thus, our results clearly invalidate early sociological accounts of this phenomenon, which portrayed bicultural individuals as “marginal” and stumped between two worlds. Analyses also indicate that the association between biculturalism and adjustment is moderated by how acculturation is measured, the adjustment domain, and sample characteristics.
How Culture, Age, and Manual Dominance Affect Directionality in Drawing Side View Objects
Authors: Kebbe Hana , Vinter Annie
Published: February 2012

The aim of the present experiment was to investigate the extent to which the orientation of objects drawn in side view is a function of culture, age, and manual dominance. Right-handed French and Syrian children aged between 6 and 10 years and right-handed adults from the same cultural groups were asked to produce side views of faces, vehicles (car and airplane), self-centered tools with a handle (mug and toothbrush), object-centered tools with a handle (jug and hammer), and animals (dog and fish) using their dominant and nondominant hands. The French participants exhibited a leftward directional bias, whereas their Syrian counterparts displayed a rightward bias. However, no differences between the two cultural groups were observed in the 6-year-olds, who did not present any systematic directional bias in their drawings. Furthermore, regardless of culture, the children did not modify the orientation of the objects in their drawings as a function of the hand used, whereas the hand effect was strong in adults. Finally, despite their directional bias toward the right, the Syrian participants tended to draw the self- and object-centered tools facing leftward. These results are discussed with reference to the current literature on this topic.
Beyond Individual Creativity
Authors: Tadmor Carmit T. , Satterstrom Patricia , Jang Sujin , Polzer Jeffrey T.
Published: February 2012

Although recent research has consistently demonstrated the benefits of multicultural experience for individual-level creativity, its potential advantages for collective creativity in culturally diverse teams have yet to be explored. We predicted that multicultural experience among members of a collective would enhance joint creativity in a superadditive fashion. Using a two-step methodology that included both individual and dyadic brainstorming sessions, we found that even after controlling for individual creativity, multicultural experience had a superadditive effect on dyadic creativity. Specifically, dyads performed best on a creative task in terms of fluency, flexibility, and novelty—three classic dimensions of creativity—when both dyad partners had high levels of multicultural experience. These results show that when it comes to multicultural experience, the creative whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Implications for diversity research are discussed.
Spry1 and Spry2 Are Essential for Development of the Temporomandibular Joint
Authors: Purcell P. , Jheon A. , Vivero M.P. , Rahimi H. , Joo A. , Klein O.D.
Published: February 2012

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a specialized synovial joint essential for the function of the mammalian jaw. The main components of the TMJ are the mandibular condyle, the glenoid fossa of the temporal bone, and a fibrocartilagenous disc interposed between them. The genetic program for the development of the TMJ remains poorly understood. Here we show the crucial role of sprouty ( Spry) genes in TMJ development. Sprouty genes encode intracellular inhibitors of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling pathways, including those triggered by fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs). Using in situ hybridization, we show that Spry1 and Spry2 are highly expressed in muscles attached to the TMJ, including the lateral pterygoid and temporalis muscles. The combined inactivation of Spry1 and Spry2 results in overgrowth of these muscles, which disrupts normal development of the glenoid fossa. Remarkably, condyle and disc formation are not affected in these mutants, demonstrating that the glenoid fossa is not required for development of these structures. Our findings demonstrate the importance of regulated RTK signaling during TMJ development and suggest multiple skeletal origins for the fossa. Notably, our work provides the evidence that the TMJ condyle and disc develop independently of the mandibular fossa.
The Construction and Validation of the OASys Violence Predictor
Authors: Howard Philip D. , Dixon Louise
Published: February 2012

The Offender Assessment System (OASys) is the risk assessment and management system routinely used in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), the prison and probation service for England and Wales. This study describes the construction and validation of a new actuarial violence risk measure, the OASys Violence Predictor (OVP), using OASys and Police National Computer data. Ordinal logistic regression identifies static and dynamic risk factors predictive of violent recidivism among convicted offenders ( N = 15,918). These form the basis of a user-friendly 100-point scale (OVP). OVP achieves significantly greater predictive validity than existing actuarial scores available within NOMS (the original OASys risk prediction score; the Offender Group Reconviction Scale, Version 3; and the V scale of the Risk Matrix 2000) on a later validation sample ( N = 49,346). The discussion considers explanations for this improvement, examines the utility of dynamic risk factors in violence prediction, and describes the application of OVP in the NOMS treatment allocation and risk management practice.
The Relative Predictive Validity of the Static and Dynamic Domain Scores in Risk-Need Assessment of Juvenile Offenders
Authors: McGrath Andrew , Thompson Anthony P.
Published: February 2012

This study examined the predictive validity of the Australian Adaptation of the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI-AA). The focus was on the subcomponents of the inventory, which represent one static and seven dynamic risk-need domains. Reoffending outcomes within 1 year of the inventory were obtained for a large sample ( N = 3,568) of young people under juvenile justice supervision in the community. Logistic regression analyses investigated the relative contribution of YLS domain scores. The results showed that the static and four dynamic domain scores independently predicted recidivism and that the combination of those domain scores yielded a small improvement in prediction. A similar pattern of results was obtained from analyses of the simple additive scores for the YLS domains. The findings support the YLS/CMI-AA total score as a sufficiently useful predictor of risk, and they clarify the contribution of static and dynamic risk components.
Exploring Potential Antecedents of Job Involvement
Authors: Lambert Eric G. , Paoline Eugene A.
Published: February 2012

Jail staff are the heart and soul of any jail. Jails rely on staff to complete a myriad of tasks and duties in order to maintain a safe, secure, and humane jail facility. One area of importance is job involvement (i.e., the psychosocial bond between the staff member with his or her job). The current study examined the job characteristics model to explain job involvement among staff at a large county correctional system in Orlando, Florida. The job characteristic variables were formalization, instrumental communication, relations with coworkers, input into decision making, job variety, perceived dangerousness of the job, role strain, and administrative support. It was found that formalization, input into decision making, and administrative support all had positive associations with job involvement. The implications of these findings for correctional researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Functional Communication Training and Chained Schedules of Reinforcement to Treat Challenging Behavior Maintained by Terminations of Activity Interruptions
Authors: Falcomata Terry S. , Roane Henry S. , Muething Colin S. , Stephenson Kasey M. , Ing Anna D.
Published: February 2012

In this article, the authors evaluated functional communication training (FCT) and a chained schedule of reinforcement for the treatment of challenging behavior exhibited by two individuals diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and autism, respectively. Following a functional analysis with undifferentiated results, the authors demonstrated that challenging behavior was occasioned by interruptions of ongoing activities and maintained by terminations of interruptions. Next, they demonstrated the effectiveness of a treatment consisting of FCT with a chained schedule of reinforcement. Last, they modified the chained schedule procedure to increase ease of implementation and promote toleration of activity interruptions, and academic tasks were incorporated into the treatment.
Experts’ Judgments of Management Journal Quality
Authors: Peters Kim , Daniels Kevin , Hodgkinson Gerard P. , Haslam S. Alexander
Published: February 2012

Many lists that purport to gauge the quality of journals in management and organization studies (MOS) are based on the judgments of experts in the field. This article develops an identity concerns model (ICM) that suggests that such judgments are likely to be shaped by the personal and social identities of evaluators. The model was tested in a study in which 168 editorial board members rated 44 MOS journals. In line with the ICM, respondents rated journal quality more highly to the extent that a given journal reflected their personal concerns (associated with having published more articles in that journal) and the concerns of a relevant ingroup (associated with membership of the journal’s editorial board or a particular disciplinary or geographical background). However, judges’ ratings of journals in which they had published were more favorable when those journals had a low-quality reputation, and their ratings of journals that reflected their geographical and disciplinary affiliations were more favorable when those journals had a high-quality reputation. The findings are thus consistent with the view that identity concerns come to the fore in journal ratings when there is either a need to protect against personal identity threat or a meaningful opportunity to promote social identity.
Voice Climate, Supervisor Undermining, and Work Outcomes
Authors: Frazier M. Lance , Bowler Wm. Matthew
Published: February 2012

This study draws from social information processing theory and the climate literature to examine an antecedent to and the consequences of voice climate, defined as shared group member perceptions of the extent to which they are encouraged to engage in voice behaviors. The authors test their hypotheses using data collected from a sample of 374 full-time employees nested in 54 work groups. Their results indicate that group perceptions of supervisor undermining have a negative effect on group perceptions of voice climate. In addition, voice climate predicts group voice behavior and also has a significant influence on group performance beyond the influence through group voice behavior. These findings provide additional evidence for the predictive validity of the voice climate construct and provide future research opportunities for researchers.
Afterlife Beliefs and Ego Integrity as Two Mediators of the Relationship Between Intrinsic Religiosity and Personal Death Anxiety Among Older Adult British Christians
Authors: Hui Victoria Ka-Ying , Coleman Peter G.
Published: February 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of afterlife beliefs and ego integrity as two mediators of the negative relationship between intrinsic religiosity and personal death anxiety in later life. One hundred forty-three older adult British Christians responded to both initial and follow-up postal surveys containing questions on their religious and death attitudes. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that intrinsic religiosity predicted lower personal death anxiety via fostering more benign afterlife beliefs and ego integrity. This study demonstrated that intrinsic religiosity had a negative indirect effect on personal death anxiety through the joint agency of more benign afterlife beliefs and greater ego integrity. It also provided empirical evidence in support of the role of intrinsic religiosity in promoting psychosocial well-being in later life.
Elderly Patients’ Experiences of Meeting With the Doctor
Authors: Pennbrant Sandra , Pilhammar Andersson Ewa , Nilsson Kerstin
Published: February 2012

Previous research has provided contradictory findings on how important it is for elderly patients to actively participate in the meeting with their doctors. Using descriptive and exploratory interview study with 20 elderly patients discharged from medicine and geriatric hospital care in Sweden, the authors describe how elderly patients experience their meetings with their doctor in the hospital setting. The results indicate that the meetings between elderly patients and doctors are influenced by the nature and shape of the conversation, which are influenced by power and interaction. A good relationship between an elderly patient and his or her doctor leads to reduced apprehension and increased faith in the health care system. This study was inspired by the sociocultural perspective and highlights the importance of the health care sector becoming a learning organization in which doctors are trained to prevent misunderstandings in their meetings with elderly patients.
Immunophenotypic Alterations in Resident Immune Cells and Myocardial Fibrosis in the Aging Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) Heart
Authors: Macri Sheila C. , Bailey Charles C. , de Oca Nicole Monts , Silva Nilsa A. , Rosene Douglas L. , Mansfield Keith G. , Miller Andrew D.
Published: February 2012

The rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta) is used extensively in translational biomedical research and drug development studies and is an important model of aging. Macaques often develop myocardial fibrosis with age, which can result in the loss of normal cardiac architecture with the expansion of the extracellular matrix and deposition of collagen. The etiology and pathogenesis of this pernicious process is poorly understood. Cardiac fibrosis was assessed using histologic and immunohistochemical techniques in cardiac tissue sections from 34 rhesus macaques. Overall left ventricular and left ventricular mid-myocardial interstitial/perivascular fibrosis were positively correlated with age ( r = .6522, p < .0001 and r = .4704, p = .005, respectively). When divided into young (mean = 2.8 years), middle-aged (mean = 17.5 years), and advanced age (mean = 29.2 years) groups, immunophenotypic characterization of antigen presenting cells revealed differential expression of CD163 and DC-SIGN between the young and middle-aged groups compared to the advanced age group ( p < .0001). HAM-56 expression decreased significantly in the advanced age cohort ( p = .0021). The expression of CD8, CD163, and DC-SIGN correlated positively with age ( r = .3999, p = .0191; r = .5676, p = .0005; r = .5245, p = .0014, respectively). These results show the importance of myocardial fibrosis as a common age-related pathology and additionally, alterations in T cell, macrophage, and dendritic cell phenotype in rhesus macaque myocardium are associated with age but unassociated with the fibrosis.
Giant Cell Tumor of Bonelike Lesion in a Trp53 Mutant Mouse
Authors: Radaelli Enrico , Rustighi Alessandra , Scanziani Eugenio
Published: February 2012

Giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) is a common primary neoplasm of bone characterized by distinctive clinicopathological features. GCTB is exceedingly rare in nonhuman species, and it has been sporadically reported in cats, dogs, rats, and birds. This report describes a primary murine bone tumor that shares striking clinicopathological similarities with human GCTB. The neoplasm occurred in a 71-week-old C57BL/6 mouse heterozygous for the specific Trp53 R172H point mutation. Grossly, the tumor presented as a mono-ostotic nodular mass arising from the distal metaphysis of the right femur. Microscopically, the affected bone was effaced by an osteolytic neoplasm with focal infiltrations into the surrounding tissues. Similarly to what was reported for human GCTB, the murine neoplasm consisted of 3 main cell populations: (1) bundles of pleomorphic spindle-shaped mononuclear cells displaying an indefinite mesenchymal histogenesis with immunohistochemical expression of vimentin and smooth muscle actin, (2) scattered multinucleated giant cells exhibiting osteoclast differentiation with prominent tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity and immunoreactivity for monocyte/macrophage markers including CD45 and lysozyme, and (3) scattered round mononuclear cells consistent with activated macrophages and expressing CD45, lysozyme, and F4/80. Based on these morphological and immunohistological results, the murine bone tumor described in this study has been putatively classified as GCTB.
Measurable Progress in Female Authorship in Otolaryngology
Authors: Bergeron Jennifer L. , Wilken Reason , Miller Mia E. , Shapiro Nina L. , Bhattacharyya Neil
Published: February 2012

Objective

To identify contemporary trends in female authorship in the otolaryngology literature.

Study Design

Analysis of 4 otolaryngology journals.

Setting

All articles published in Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, Archives of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Laryngoscope, and Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery in 2008 were reviewed and compared with prior data from 1978, 1988, and 1998.

Subjects and Methods

Each published article’s authorship panel was examined for the number of authors and each author’s sex, degree, and the subspecialty area of publication. Year‐to‐year comparisons were conducted for the rates and characteristics of female authorship.

Results

A total of 544, 629, 713, and 785 articles from 1978, 1988, 1998, and 2008, respectively, were analyzed. From 1998 to 2008, the overall percentage of female authors increased from 14.5% to 22.5% (P <. 001). Similarly, the percentage of articles with a female first author increased from 12.9% to 21.3% (P <. 001). Whereas previously pediatric otolaryngology had the highest female first author percentage (range, 6.9%‐19.4%), in 2008 all other subspecialties demonstrated significant increases in female first author percentages: otology (18.6%), general (22.3%), head and neck (22.2%), plastics (18.9%), and pediatrics (19.4%) (P =. 885). A significant number of female first authors continue to be nonphysicians (19.2% in 2008, P <. 001).

Conclusions

Female authorship has shown significant and steady increases in the otolaryngology literature, particularly in the past decade. Increased rates of publication from female otolaryngologists within most subspecialties have resulted in similar rates of publication across the subspecialties.
Antidotes to injustice? Victim statements’ impact on victims’ sense of security
Authors: De Mesmaecker Vicky
Published: February 2012

Since the mid- to late 1980s a number of Western countries have granted victims a participatory role in the sentencing process by means of written and oral victim statements. These statements have been introduced with a view to increasing victim satisfaction with the criminal justice system. Evaluation research on the use of these statements, however, points towards victims’ numerous concerns when deciding whether to submit a statement. These concerns indicate that some victims may feel insecure and uncomfortable about submitting a statement. Focusing on the specific case of victim statements, this article will serve to explore how victim reforms that are designed to protect victims from exclusion by the criminal justice system and to enhance perceptions of justice risk causing some victims to feel endangered by participation.