bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcome of surgery in patients with hematological malignancies: A 12‐year retrospective analysis
Authors: AL‐ANAZI Khalid Ahmed , AL‐JASSER Asma Marzouq , EVANS David Alan Price , DAFF Nasr Abu
Published: May 2006

Background:  Surgical intervention in patients with malignant hematological disorders is a major undertaking due to the expected risks of bleeding, infection and poor wound healing.

Methods and materials:  A retrospective study of patients treated at the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia between January 1991 and December 2002 was conducted. The results of patients with acute leukemia and lymphoma who underwent surgical procedures (study group) were compared with those of a control group composed of patients with the same spectrum of disorders treated over the same period of time and given the same treatment protocols but never required any surgery.

Results:  No single death occurred intraoperatively or in the immediate postoperative period due to surgical therapy per se. However, follow up of both groups of patients revealed a shorter long‐term survival and higher rates of relapse and severe invasive infections in the surgical group compared to the control group of patients. The mean survival for the study group was 1871 ± 307 days versus 3094 ± 279 days for the control group of patients (P = 0.0027). Thirty (75%) study patients suffered relapses of their malignant hematological disorders versus 23 (37.1%) control patients. Forty‐five relapses were encountered in the study group of patients (1.5 relapses per relapsed patient) versus 26 relapses in the control group (1.13 relapses per relapsed patient). Various infections occurred in 37 (92.5%) study patients and 32 (51.6%) control patients. Recurrent infections developed in 30 (75%) study patients and 22 (35.5%) control patients (P = 0.00008). Infections causing tissue invasion were encountered in 29 (72.5%) study patients and 22 (35.5%) control patients.

Conclusion:  Even major surgical procedures can be performed in patients with leukemia or lymphoma provided enough preparatory measures are made to minimize bleeding and infectious complications. Surgery may, however, be associated with long‐term complications such as a high incidence of relapse of the primary malignant hematological disorder and an increased rate of severe and invasive infections.
Pathology slide review is mandatory before planning treatment for referral patients with gynecologic cancer
Authors: KIETPEERAKOOL Chumnan , CHANGKASIRI Bancha , KHUNAMORNPONG Surapan , SIRIAUNKGUL Sumalee , SRISOMBOON Jatupol
Published: May 2006

Objective:  To evaluate the impact of a pathology slide review on the management of gynecologic cancer patients.

Materials and methods:  The medical records of referral patients, with the original pathologic diagnosis of gynecologic cancer treated at Chiang Mai University Hospital between January 2002 and May 2003, were retrospectively reviewed.

Results:  During the study period, 402 cases were available for analysis. The slides reviewed were obtained from the following organs: cervix (305), ovary (33), endometrium (32), vulva (14), and others (17). In comparison between the diagnosis after slide review and the original referral diagnosis, the minor discrepancy rate was 41.5% (95% CI: 36.7–46.5%). The major discrepancy rate was 9.0% (95% CI: 6.3–12.2%) and the most common clinical consequence was the modification of planned surgery. There was no major diagnostic discrepancy in the vulvar specimens. Among patients with cervical neoplasia, there was a significantly lower rate of major discrepancy among patients with gross lesion than among those without (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:  Major diagnostic discrepancies were identified in 9% of referral patients with gynecologic cancer. A pathology slide review is strongly recommended before planning treatment to improve the quality of patient care.
Multiple actions of pifithrin-α on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in rat myoblastic H9c2 cells
Authors: Chua Chu Chang , Liu Xuwan , Gao Jinping , Hamdy Ronald C. , Chua Balvin H. L.
Published: May 2006

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a chemotherapeutic agent that causes significant cardiotoxicity. We showed previously that Dox activates p53 and induces apoptosis in mouse hearts. This study was designed to elucidate the molecular events that lead to p53 stabilization, to examine the pathways involved in Dox-induced apoptosis, and to evaluate the effectiveness of pifithrin-α (PFT-α), a p53 inhibitor, in blocking apoptosis of rat H9c2 myoblasts. H9c2 cells that were exposed to 5 μM Dox had elevated levels of p53 and phosphorylated p53 at Ser15. Dox also triggered a transient activation of p38, p42/p44ERK, and p46/p54JNK MAP kinases. Caspase activity assays and Western blot analysis showed that H9c2 cells treated with Dox for 16 h had marked increase in the levels of caspases-2, -3, -8, -9, -12, Fas, and cleaved poly(ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP). There was a concomitant increase in p53 binding activity, cytochrome c release, and apoptosis. These results suggest that Dox can trigger intrinsic, extrinsic, and endoplasmic reticulum-associated apoptotic pathways. Pretreatment of cells with PFT-α followed by Dox administration attenuated Dox-induced increases in p53 levels and p53 binding activity and partially blocked the activation of p46/p54JNK and p42/p44ERK. PFT-α also led to decreased levels of caspases-2, -3, -8, -9, -12, Fas, PARP, cytochrome c release, and apoptosis. Our results suggest that p53 stabilization is a focal point of Dox-induced apoptosis and that PFT-α interferes with multiple steps of Dox-induced apoptosis.
Assessment of Twentieth-Century Regional Surface Temperature Trends Using the GFDL CM2 Coupled Models
Authors: Knutson T. R. , Delworth T. L. , Dixon K. W. , Held I. M. , Lu J. , Ramaswamy V. , Schwarzkopf M. D. , Stenchikov G. , Stouffer R. J.
Published: May 2006

Historical climate simulations of the period 1861–2000 using two new Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) global climate models (CM2.0 and CM2.1) are compared with observed surface temperatures. All-forcing runs include the effects of changes in well-mixed greenhouse gases, ozone, sulfates, black and organic carbon, volcanic aerosols, solar flux, and land cover. Indirect effects of tropospheric aerosols on clouds and precipitation processes are not included. Ensembles of size 3 (CM2.0) and 5 (CM2.1) with all forcings are analyzed, along with smaller ensembles of natural-only and anthropogenic-only forcing, and multicentury control runs with no external forcing.

Observed warming trends on the global scale and in many regions are simulated more realistically in the all-forcing and anthropogenic-only forcing runs than in experiments using natural-only forcing or no external forcing. In the all-forcing and anthropogenic-only forcing runs, the model shows some tendency for too much twentieth-century warming in lower latitudes and too little warming in higher latitudes. Differences in Arctic Oscillation behavior between models and observations contribute substantially to an underprediction of the observed warming over northern Asia. In the all-forcing and natural-only forcing runs, a temporary global cooling in the models during the 1880s not evident in the observed temperature records is volcanically forced. El Niño interactions complicate comparisons of observed and simulated temperature records for the El Chichón and Mt. Pinatubo eruptions during the early 1980s and early 1990s.

The simulations support previous findings that twentieth-century global warming has resulted from a combination of natural and anthropogenic forcing, with anthropogenic forcing being the dominant cause of the pronounced late-twentieth-century warming. The regional results provide evidence for an emergent anthropogenic warming signal over many, if not most, regions of the globe. The warming signal has emerged rather monotonically in the Indian Ocean/western Pacific warm pool during the past half-century. The tropical and subtropical North Atlantic and the tropical eastern Pacific are examples of regions where the anthropogenic warming signal now appears to be emerging from a background of more substantial multidecadal variability.
The Historical Development of Budget Standards for Australian Working Families
Authors: Saunders Peter
Published: May 2006

Recent research on budget standards conducted by the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) is the latest in a long line of Australian budget studies. This article reviews the budget standards research undertaken by the 1920 Royal Commission on the Basic Wage and as part of a study of household income and saving undertaken at the University of Melbourne in the 1940s. The concepts developed in these studies are related to those used in the SPRC research, and can be traced back to ideas originally developed in the UK in the 1890s and by the US Department of Labour in 1919. Estimates from all three Australian budget studies have been used to help set minimum wages, most recently in the 2004 Wages Safety Net Review. However, the budget standards method has been criticized for being arbitrary, by those who favour alternative approaches to the determination of minimum wages, and by those who prefer alternative ways of measuring poverty (or reject such measurement altogether). When the Australian budgets for 1920 and 1942Œ43 are updated by movements in prices and by the growth in real incomes to 1997, there are some remarkable similarities with the recent SPRC estimates. This casts doubt on claims that budget standards are arbitrary and thus do not provide a sound guide to setting wages or the incomes required to avoid poverty.
Conceptualizing the Learning Process in SMEs
Authors: Zhang Michael , Macpherson Allan , Jones Oswald
Published: May 2006

Most attempts to model the process of organizational learning (OL) are based on large organizations. This article represents an attempt to better understand the unique learning processes in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Such firms are generally limited in both their managerial capabilities and mechanisms for accessing knowledge from external sources. Data were obtained as part of an ongoing Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) project concerned with the evolution of business knowledge in small firms operating in the North West of England. A conceptual framework was developed and used as the basis for analysing data obtained from interviews with 26 owner-managers. Our findings indicate two distinct groups, which we term innovative and stable firms. Owner-managers in ‘stable’ firms were inward facing, and learning was generally experiential and concentrated on single individuals or small groups. In contrast, owner-managers in innovative firms were outward facing and encouraged the development of ‘deeper and wider’ learning.
Interscorer, Alternate-Form, Internal Consistency, and Test-Retest Reliability of Gickling's Model of Curriculum-Based Assessment for Reading
Authors: Burns Matthew K. , Tucker James A. , Frame John , Foley Sarah , Hauser Andrea
Published: May 2006

The use of Gickling's model of Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA) has been shown to increase student achievement. However, data are lacking to support the psychometric adequacy of the procedure. This study examined the interscorer, alternate-form, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of CBA for reading using 93 elementary school aged children. The data were expressed as a percentage of words known and as conversions to the independent, instructional, and frustrational level based on Gickling and Rosenfield (1995). Results suggested reliability coefficients that exceeded recommended levels for screening instruments and were consistent with the fluency model of CBA. Recommendations for practice and further investigation are included.
Family Resource Scale-Revised: Psychometrics and Validation of a Measure of Family Resources in a Sample of Low-Income Families
Authors: Van Horn M. Lee , Bellis Jeffrey M. , Snyder Scott W.
Published: May 2006

In studying child and family outcomes it is often critical to assess families' general availability of resources. Traditionally, many researchers have used income and SES to assess family resources. This study examined an alternative measure in a national sample of low-income families. Hypothesizing that Dunst and Leet's (1987) Family Resource Scale (FRS) assesses specific aspects of perceived family resources, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Analyses supported a four-factor structure: Basic Needs, Money, Time for Self, and Time for Family. External validity was assessed by examining the relationship of subscale scores to other measures of family resources. Predictive validity was examined by evaluating the relationship with child cognitive and social outcomes. Subscales were found to fit the data consistently, to be moderately related to other measures of family resources, and to predict a meaningful amount of variance in child outcomes above and beyond family income, parent education, and parent work status.
The Social Phobia Scale and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale: Factor Structure and Reliability in a Spanish-Speaking Population
Authors: Olivares Jose , García-López Luis Joaquhn , Hidalgo María Dolores
Published: May 2006

The factor structure of the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) was evaluated in a Spanish university student sample. The objective of this study was to examine whether these scales are reliable measures in other languages and/or cultures. High levels of internal consistency were found. The results from the factor analyses replicated the structure proposed by the original authors and revealed that both scales are unidimensional and appear to measure different aspects of the social anxiety construct. Further, as in previous studies, gender differences were found on the SPS but not on the SIAS. Results support the psychometric properties of both the SIAS and the SPS in the assessment of Spanish-speaking samples.
Ecological Validity of the Conners' Continuous Performance Test II in a School-Based Sample
Authors: Weis Robert , Totten Sara J.
Published: May 2006

The ecological validity of the Conners' Continuous Performance Test II (CPT-II) was examined using a sample of 206 first- and second-grade children. Children's CPT-II scores were correlated with observations of inattentive/hyperactive behavior during CPT-II administration, observations of children's behavior during analogue academic task, classroom observations, and parent/teacher reports. CPT-II scores showed moderate correlations with test session behavior but low correlations with external measures of inattention/hyperactivity. On the other hand, test session observations, analogue task observations, classroom observations, and teacher reports showed moderate and significant intercorrelations. Furthermore, test session observations predicted a significant amount of variance in children's classroom behavior above and beyond CPT-II scores alone. Results suggest that psychologists should supplement CPT-II scores with observational data to estimate children's functioning outside the test setting.
Further Evaluation of the Children's Hope Scale
Authors: Valle Michael F. , Huebner E. Scott , Suldo Shannon M.
Published: May 2006

Two studies addressed the psychometric properties of the Children's Hope Scale (CHS; Snyder et al., 1997). A sample of 460 high school students was administered the CHS along with measures of life satisfaction, extraversion, neuroticism, social support, and externalizing and internalizing behaviors. The results revealed adequate internal consistency for the CHS for research purposes. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis procedures supported the correlated, two-factor conceptual model underlying the CHS. Finally, evidence of criterion-related validity was provided. The findings were replicated with a sample of 531 middle school students. Taken together, the studies extend support for the reliability and validity of the CHS with adolescents.
Using Speeded Cognitive, Reading, and Academic Measures to Determine the Need for Extended Test Time among University Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Ofiesh Nicole , Mather Nancy , Russell Andrea
Published: May 2006

This study examined the relationship between scores on “speeded” cognitive and academic tests and the need for the accommodation of extended test time for normally achieving students (NA) and students with learning disabilities (LD). Often, in postsecondary settings the decision to provide the accommodation of extended test time is based largely on the diagnostic test scores in the student's LD documentation. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between specific diagnostic tests and the need for the accommodation of extended test time. A secondary purpose was to investigate the relationships and predictive ability of five speeded cognitive tests, three speeded cluster scores, and two measures of timed reading. Correlations and logistic regression analyses were used to assess gain in score performance and predict the need for extended test time. Participants included 41 NA university students and 43 university students with LD. The findings indicated significant group differences on all speeded cognitive, reading, and academic tests, with the exception of Digit Symbol on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III and Retrieval Fluency and Decision Speed tests on the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities. The Reading Fluency test and the Academic Fluency cluster of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement III were the best predictors of students with LD who needed extended time on the multiple-choice reading comprehension test.
Psychometric Properties of the Devereux Scales of Mental Disorders
Authors: Gimpel Gretchen A. , Nagle Richard J.
Published: May 2006

The Devereux Scales of Mental Disorders (DSMD) is a relatively new rating scale intended to be used in the assessment of behavioral and emotional problems in children. In this study, several psychometric properties of the DSMD were investigated. The authors of the DSMD developed six separate subscales through factor analytic procedures. This study attempted to replicate these scales. A factor analysis was conducted, and at each age range the scale covers (5-12 and 13-18) five factors as opposed to six factors were retained. Although the factor structure in this study did not replicate the factor structure reported by the scale authors, both the factors obtained in this study and the subscales developed by the authors have adequate internal consistency reliabilities, and children classified as seriously emotionally disturbed scored higher on all factors and subscales than did children not classified as such. These results are discussed within the context of how this scale may best be used in practice.
Two Types of Tables for Use with the Seven-Subtest Short Forms of the WAIS-III
Authors: Ryan Joseph J.
Published: May 2006

Now that the WAIS-R has been superseded by the WAIS-III, clinicians will incorporate the revision into their practices and, as in the past, administer the Ward (1990) seven-subtest short from to reduce administration time. Therefore, differences between Verbal and Performance IQ estimates required at the 95% and 99% levels of significance are reported for the Ward seven-subtest short form and a new seven-subtest short form that substitutes Matrix Reasoning for Block Design. Also provided are precision ranges for the estimated Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs from the two short forms at the 85%, 90%, 95%, and 99% levels of confidence. IQ differences and precision ranges are given for each of the 13 age groups and the average across age groups in the standardization sample.
Development and Validation of the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales
Authors: DiPerna James Clyde , Elliott Stephen N.
Published: May 2006

The purpose of this study was to clarify the construct of academic competence and develop a valid teacher rating instrument to assess this construct. A 95-item pilot scale, the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES), was developed to assess the theoretical components (i.e., academic skills, study skills, academic motivation, interpersonal skills, and academic self-concept) hypothesized to contribute to the construct of academic competence. The ACES was administered to 56 teachers who rated 300 students in Grades 1 through 6. To explore convergent and discriminant validity, 13 teachers completed ratings of social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence (as measured by the Social Skills Rating System; SSRS) for 60 students. In addition, 32 students completed the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), a popular measure of academic achievement. Teacher feedback, item Importance ratings, item-ITBS correlations, and the results of an exploratory factor analysis were used to eliminate 35 items from the pilot scale. The resulting 60-item version of the ACES consists of five related scales: Academic Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Academic Motivation, Participation, and Study Skills. Internal consistency (median a = .95) and test-retest stability (median r= .83) were high for the ACES, and correlational analyses indicated that scores from the ACES are valid indicators of student academic competence. Implications for using the ACES are discussed, and suggestions are offered for research necessary to advance the development of the ACES as a reliable and valid clinical tool.
Rhetorical figures and the translation of advertising headlines
Authors: Smith Karen
Published: May 2006

In advertising texts, the most important linguistic element is the headline. The function of the headline is to persuade readers to continue reading the remaining body text and, ideally, buy the advertised product. Using a corpus of 45 English-language advertisements and their translated Russian pairs, this article investigates what happens to rhetorical figures in the translation process. Three broad translation strategies are identified (transference, source-language-orientated and target-language-orientated) and their implications discussed in detail. The use of transference (untranslated retention of original) highlights the foreignness of the product being advertised, relying on the source culture’s attractiveness to the target audience. The most popular strategies are those which are source-language-orientated, maintaining the source meaning in the target headline. These strategies, often resulting from advertisers’ insistence on following a model advertisement, have the greatest impact on the use of figures, and examples of compensation, loss and addition can be found. When target-language-orientated strategies are employed, translators have more freedom to create headlines using rhetorical figures. The article ends by suggesting that the analysis of translated Russian advertising headlines offers another concrete example of the globalizing tendencies of large corporations and the power they exercise in shaping contemporary media discourses.
Turn of the Month and Turn of the Month Surrounding Days Effects in Istanbul Stock Exchange
Authors: Oğuzsoy Cemal Berk , Güven Sibel
Published: May 2006

We present evidence on the existence of the turn of the month and what we call turn of the month surrounding days effect in the I . stanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) for the period between 1988 and 1999, using ISE National 100 Composite Index and 30 most highly traded stocks of ISE (ISE 30 stocks). The usual definition of the turn, that is, days –1 to +4, is found to be statistically significant at the 10 per cent level for ISE National 100 Composite Index with comparably higher average returns than the rest of the month. However, the results obtained for the days surrounding the turn, that is, the period consisting of days –4 to –2 and +5 to +9, are statistically much more crucial than the results for the turn period itself. The average return in the turn of the month surrounding days is drastically smaller than the average return in the rest of the month, and the results are statistically significant at the 1 per cent level for the index. In the analysis of ISE 30 stocks individually, for the turn period, it is observed that while only seven of the ISE 30 stocks have significant F-statistics, average returns for all stocks without exception for the turn period are higher than the rest of the month. For the surrounding days, confirming the strange characteristics obtained for the index, 19 of the ISE 30 stocks have significant F-statistics (13 of them at the 1 per cent level) and there is not a single stock whose average return for the turn of the month surrounding days is higher than the average return for the rest of the month.
Regional Integration of Stock Markets in MENA Countries
Authors: Maghyereh Aktham
Published: May 2006

Using a trivariate vector autoregression model with a proper control for hetroscedasticity, this article empirically investigates the interdependence among the daily equity market returns for four major Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) emerging markets. The four equity markets studied are the Jordanian, Egyptian, Moroccan and Turkish markets. Evidence indicates that none of the MENA markets is completely isolated and independent. However, the results of the dynamic links indicate that the integration among these markets is still weak. The weakness of economic and financial ties between the MENA countries may explain this result.
Psychosocial Acute Treatment in Early-Episode Schizophrenia Disorders
Authors: Bola John R.
Published: May 2006

Objective: This article reviews evidence on the treatment of early episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders that contradicts, in some cases, the American Psychiatric Association’s generic recommendation of antipsychotic medication treatment for at least a year. Method: Evidence on lack of diagnostic validity, absence of demonstrated long-term benefit from initial antipsychotic treatment, and existence of a large subgroup of early episode clients that may be successfully treated without antipsychotic medications is reviewed. Results: A time-limited initial trial of psychosocial intervention without antipsychotics may benefit many clients, especially by reducing long-term medication dependence and side effect exposure. Evidence suggests this can be done without substantial risk to those later found to need medications. A risk-benefit comparison of current practice to two alternate treatment protocols is presented. Conclusions: Developing and evaluating a psychosocial intervention for early episode psychosis presents a unique opportunity for social work to take leadership in acute mental health treatment.
Men and Women's Experiences with Hazing in a Male-Dominated Elite Military Institution
Authors: Pershing Jana L.
Published: May 2006

Numerous studies have documented the prevalence of hazing rituals and other rites of initiation in predominantly male organizations, including the military. However, little is known about how gender is related to hazing, specifically in male-dominated institutions where women are a relatively newpopulation. This case study draws on survey and interview data to examine both differences and similarities in men and women's experiences with hazing in an elite military institution: the U.S. Naval Academy, which is the U.S. Department of Defense's service academy for training Naval and Marine Corps officers. Although women have attended the Naval Academy since 1976, they comprise only 10% of the student population. Despite attempts to eradicate hazing, findings reveal that not only is hazing pervasive but that men and women are equally likely to experience it during their first year at the Academy. This suggests that one's status as a plebe (freshman) overrides one's gendered status. Men and women's attitudes about hazing, however, vary on some issues. Men are more likely than women to agree that certain types of hazing should be allowed at the Academy and are less likely to perceive negative consequences of reporting hazing. In contrast, men and women are equally likely to agree that the rigors of plebe year should be used to eliminate students who are not committed to the military. In addition to calling for an expansion of hazing research to include an examination of gender, a primary implication of the findings presented here is that future studies take into account the impact of men and women's shared experiences as initiates or new members of formal institutions.
The Emergence of Critical Health Psychology
Authors: Hepworth Julie
Published: May 2006

The purpose of this article is twofold: first to provide an overview of the emergence of critical health psychology for those working in the related social and health sciences and as a review of its major developments for health psychology; and second to discuss critically the potential for critical health psychology to contribute to promoting public health with specific reference to the directives espoused by Prilleltensky (2003) and Murray and Campbell (2003). The identification of three philosophical phases of the emergence of critical health psychology is used to examine the directions of the field and the challenges facing critical health psychology in order to contribute to public and global health.
‘I Think That It’s a Pain in the Ass That I Have to Stand Outside in the Cold and Have a Cigarette’
Authors: Louka Pinelopi , Maguire Moira , Evans Phil , Worrell Marcia
Published: May 2006

Smokers in Greece and the UK are habitually exposed to different levels of social disapproval. This qualitative study explored the accounts of smoking and disapproval offered by 32 UK and Greek smokers. Accounts were framed with reference to a highly moralized construction of smoking. Participants were sensitive to social disapproval of their smoking. While disapproval from those close to them was accepted, disapproval from the general public was not. Two discursive repertories ‘smoking works for me now’ and ‘the struggle to quit’ were identified as resources that participants drew upon to enable continued smoking while acknowledging the health issues. While there were many similarities in the accounts provided, there were important differences that seem to reflect the different ‘smoking worlds’ inhabited.
Abnormal disulfide-linked oligomerization results in ER retention and altered signaling by TNFR1 mutants in TNFR1-associated periodic fever syndrome (TRAPS)
Authors: Lobito Adrian A. , Kimberley Fiona C. , Muppidi Jagan R. , Komarow Hirsh , Jackson Adrianna J. , Hull Keith M. , Kastner Daniel L. , Screaton Gavin R. , Siegel Richard M.
Published: May 2006

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor–associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) is an autosomal dominant systemic autoinflammatory disease associated with heterozygous mutations in TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1). Here we examined the structural and functional alterations caused by 9 distinct TRAPS-associated TNFR1 mutations in transfected cells and a mouse “knock-in” model of TRAPS. We found that these TNFR1 mutants did not generate soluble versions of the receptor, either through membrane cleavage or in exosomes. Mutant receptors did not bind TNF and failed to function as dominant-negative inhibitors of TNFR1-induced apoptosis. Instead, TRAPS mutant TNFR1 formed abnormal disulfide-linked oligomers that failed to interact with wild-type TNFR1 molecules through the preligand assembly domain (PLAD) that normally governs receptor self-association. TRAPS mutant TNFR1 molecules were retained intracellularly and colocalized with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) markers. The capacity of mutant receptors to spontaneously induce both apoptosis and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activity was reduced. In contrast, the R92Q variant of TNFR1 behaved like the wild-type receptor in all of these assays. The inflammatory phenotype of TRAPS may be due to consequences of mutant TNFR1 protein misfolding and ER retention.
Nucleotide sequence analyses of the MRP 1 gene in four populations suggest negative selection on its coding region
Authors: Wang Zihua , Sew Pui-Hoon , Ambrose Helen , Ryan Stephen , Chong Samuel S , Lee Edmund JD , Lee Caroline GL
Published: May 2006

Background

The MRP 1 gene encodes the 190 kDa multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) and effluxes diverse drugs and xenobiotics. Sequence variations within this gene might account for differences in drug response in different individuals. To facilitate association studies of this gene with diseases and/or drug response, exons and flanking introns of MRP 1 were screened for polymorphisms in 142 DNA samples from four different populations.

Results

Seventy-one polymorphisms, including 60 biallelic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), ten insertions/deletions (indel) and one short tandem repeat (STR) were identified. Thirty-four of these polymorphisms have not been previously reported. Interestingly, the STR polymorphism at the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) occurs at high but different frequencies in the different populations. Frequencies of common polymorphisms in our populations were comparable to those of similar populations in HAPMAP or Perlegen. Nucleotide diversity indices indicated that the coding region of MRP 1 may have undergone negative selection or recent population expansion. SNPs E10/1299 G>T (R433S) and E16/2012 G>T (G671V) which occur at low frequency in only one or two of four populations examined were predicted to be functionally deleterious and hence are likely to be under negative selection.

Conclusion

Through in silico approaches, we identified two rare SNPs that are potentially negatively selected. These SNPs may be useful for studies associating this gene with rare events including adverse drug reactions.
Sexual activity and perceived health among Finnish middle-aged women
Authors: Ojanlatva Ansa , Mäkinen Juha , Helenius Hans , Korkeila Katariina , Sundell Jari , Rautava Päivi
Published: May 2006

Background

An increasing awareness of the need to address sexual and orgasm experiences as part of life quality and an understanding of the great individual differences between women play roles in women's health and medical care across the specialities. Information is lacking as to how negative attitude toward self (NATS) and performance impairment (PI) are associated with sexual activity of middle-aged women. We examined the associations of sexual experience, orgasm experience, and lack of sexual desire with perceived health and potential explanatory variables of NATS and PI.

Methods

Questionnaire was mailed to 2 population-based random samples of menopausal or soon-to-be menopausal women (n = 5510, 70% response) stratified according to age (42–46 and 52–56 years). In multivariate analyses of the associations with the outcome variables, perceived health, NATS, and PI were used as covariates in 6 models in which exercise, menstrual symptoms, and illness indicators were taken into account as well.

Results

Sexual activity variables were associated with perceived health. When present, NATS formed associations with sexual and orgasm experiences, whereas strenuous exercise formed associations with orgasm among 42–46-year-old women alone. Strenuous exercise was not associated with orgasm experience among older women.

Conclusion

NATS and PI are closely tied to orgasm experiences and the meaning of the roles needs to be exposed. Sexual activity deserves to be addressed more actively in patient contact at least with perimenopausal women.
Intracranial administration of deglycosylated C-terminal-specific anti-Aβ antibody efficiently clears amyloid plaques without activating microglia in amyloid-depositing transgenic mice
Authors: Carty Niki C , Wilcock Donna M , Rosenthal Arnon , Grimm Jan , Pons Jaume , Ronan Victoria , Gottschall Paul E , Gordon Marcia N , Morgan Dave
Published: May 2006

Background

Antibodies against the Aß peptide clear Aß deposits when injected intracranially. Deglycosylated antibodies have reduced effector functions compared to their intact counterparts, potentially avoiding immune activation.

Methods

Deglycosylated or intact C-terminal specific high affinity anti-Aβ antibody (2H6) were intracranially injected into the right frontal cortex and hippocampus of amyloid precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice. The untreated left hemisphere was used to normalize for the extent of amyloid deposition present in each mouse. Control transgenic mice were injected with an antibody against a drosophila-specific protein (amnesiac). Tissues were examined for brain amyloid deposition and microglial responses 3 days after the injection.

Results

The deglycosylated 2H6 antibody had lower affinity for several murine Fcγ receptors and human complement than intact 2H6 without a change in affinity for Aß. Immunohistochemistry for Aβ and thioflavine-S staining revealed that both diffuse and compact deposits were reduced by both antibodies. In animals treated with the intact 2H6 antibody, a significant increase in Fcγ-receptor II/III immunostaining was observed compared to animals treated with the control IgG antibody. No increase in Fcγ-receptor II/III was found with the deglycosylated 2H6 antibody. Immunostaining for the microglial activation marker CD45 demonstrated a similar trend.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that the deglycosylated 2H6 is capable of removing both compact and diffuse plaques without activating microglia. Thus, antibodies with reduced effector functions may clear amyloid without concomitant immune activation when tested as immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease.
Rab3A and Rab27A cooperatively regulate the docking step of dense-core vesicle exocytosis in PC12 cells
Authors: Tsuboi Takashi , Fukuda Mitsunori
Published: May 2006

Recent studies have suggested that two small GTPases, Rab3A and Rab27A, play a key role in the late steps of dense-core vesicle exocytosis in endocrine cells; however, neither the precise mechanisms by which these two GTPases regulate dense-core vesicle exocytosis nor the functional relationship between them is clear. In this study, we expressed a number of different Rab proteins, from Rab1 to Rab41 in PC12 cells and systematically screened them for those that are specifically localized on dense-core vesicles. We found that four Rabs (Rab3A, Rab27A, Rab33A, Rab37) are predominantly targeted to dense-core vesicles in PC12 cells, and that three of them (Rab3A, Rab27A, Rab33A) are endogenously expressed on dense-core vesicles. We further investigated the effect of silencing each Rab with specific small interfering RNA on vesicle dynamics by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in a single PC12 cell. Silencing either Rab3A or Rab27A in PC12 cells significantly decreased the number of dense-core vesicles docked to the plasma membrane without altering the kinetics of individual exocytotic events, whereas silencing of Rab33A had no effect at all. Simultaneous silencing of Rab3A and Rab27A caused a significantly greater decrease in number of vesicles docked to the plasma membrane. Our findings indicate that Rab3A and Rab27A cooperatively regulate docking step(s) of dense-core vesicles to the plasma membrane.
Photoalkylation of Pyrylium Salt with Group 14 Metal-Carbon σ Donors via Electron Transfer
Authors: Kyushin Soichiro , Nakadaira Yasuhiro , Ohashi Mamoru
Published: May 2006

Tetraalkylsilanes, -germanes, and -stannanes reacted with a pyrylium salt to yield alkylated pyrans via photoinduced electron transfer.
Observation of Ionic Liquid by Scanning Electron Microscope
Authors: Kuwabata Susumu , Kongkanand Anusorn , Oyamatsu Daisuke , Torimoto Tsukasa
Published: May 2006

It has been discovered that ionic liquid can be observed by a scanning electron microscope without accumulation of electron charges, allowing SEM observation of insulating specimens wetted with ionic liquid.
One-step Synthesis of Partially Oxidized Cobalt(III) Phthalocyanine Salts with Axial Ligands
Authors: Yu Derrick Etherbert C , Imai Hiroyuki , Ushio Mamoru , Takeda Sayaka , Naito Toshio , Inabe Tamotsu
Published: May 2006

The one-pot syntheses of partially oxidized cobalt(III) phthalocyanine salts with axial halides, as well as a shorter route (single-step) for the axial dicyano counterpart are reported. The method utilizes an electrolytic reaction, and appears to be solvent dependent. Overlap integral calculations and electrical transport measurements indicate axial ligand effects on the molecular stacking of the cobalt phthalocyanine.
Submission to House of Lords: Inquiry ‘Aspects of the Economics of Climate Change’
Authors: Morris Julian
Published: May 2006

Some claim that climate change will result in an increase in vector-borne disease, flooding, catastrophic weather events, loss of biodiversity, changes in agricultural production and other problems. Yet these are problems today and are either caused or are exacerbated by poverty. Tackling poverty is likely to be better way to address these problems than attempting to control the climate.

Climatic change may turn out to be benign or harmful: We do not know. But in the context of this uncertainty, policies that are narrowly focused on adaptation to possible negative effects are short-sighted and may even be counterproductive. Policies aimed at mitigation through control of atmospheric carbon are almost certainly counterproductive.

Adaptive, sustainable development can only come through the adoption of institutions that enable people to engage in economic activities that create wealth and lead to technological progress. Policies that rely on these institutions provide the best way to deal with an uncertain climate future.
Are Commonly Ordered Lab Tests Useful Screens for Alcohol Disorders in Older Male Veterans Receiving Primary Care?
Authors: Reid M. C. , Guo Zhenchao , Van Ness Peter H. , O'Connor Patrick G. , Concato John
Published: May 2006

Although mean corpuscular volume (MCV), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferases (ALT), and the AST/ALT ratio are sometimes used as markers of alcohol disorders, their utility has not been established in older persons. We determined the tests’ performance characteristics for (1) at-risk drinking, (2) CAGE positivity, (3) at-risk drinking and CAGE positivity, and (4) a clinician-recorded diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence in a study of older male veterans receiving primary care. Participants (n = 587) included patients who had MCV, AST, and/or ALT data collected as part of routine care no more than 12 weeks before or after enrollment. MCV, AST, and ALT test results were obtained from the VA's database. At enrollment, the Timeline Followback and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were used to identify at-risk drinkers (≥15 drinks per week or AUDIT score ≥ 8), and the CAGE questionnaire was administered to identify participants with a history abuse/dependent drinking (CAGE score ≥ 2). Participants’ medical records were reviewed to identify subjects with a clinician-recorded diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence. The prevalence of abnormal test results for MCV (threshold value = > 98), AST (> 41), ALT (> 41), and the AST/ALT ratio (> 2) was 11%, 4%, 4%, and 5%, respectively. The occurrence of at-risk drinking, CAGE positivity, at-risk drinking and CAGE positivity, and a clinician-recorded diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence was 11%, 25%, 5%, and 9%, respectively. Test sensitivity ranged from 3.9% to 25.4% and specificity from 88.5% to 97.1%, whereas positive likelihood ratios varied from 0.72 to 4.01 and negative likelihood ratios from 0.82 to 1.04. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were similar (range = 0.50–0.58) across tests. In conclusion, MCV, AST, ALT, and the AST/ALT ratio are not useful markers of alcohol disorders in older male veterans.
The Meanings of Graffiti and Municipal Administration
Authors: Halsey Mark , Young Alison
Published: May 2006

This article explores various sociocultural aspects of graffiti, and examines municipal administrative responses to its occurrence. It is argued that the diversity of graffiti — in terms of its authors, styles and significance — poses a number of problems for agencies attempting in the first instance to classify graffiti (as “crime” or “art”) and in the second to control its occurrence (whether to “eradicate” or “permit”). Drawing on discussions with local council representatives and on interviews with graffiti artists themselves, the article challenges the stereotypical view of graffiti artists as immersed in cycles of vandalism and/or gang violence. Instead, the article brings to light the complex and creative aspects of graffiti culture and suggests that it is possible (indeed necessary) for regulatory bodies to engage with and promote graffiti culture and that, further, such engagement and promotion need not be seen as authorising a profusion of graffiti related activity across communities.
Property Crime and Income Generation by Heroin Users
Authors: Maher Lisa , Dixon David , Hall Wayne , Lynskey Michael
Published: May 2006

This paper provides a detailed analysis of patterns of income generation among 202 active heroin users in South West Sydney. We explore both sources of income and the relative contribution of different types of income generating activities, including drug sales and related activities, property crime, prostitution, legitimate income and avoided expenditures. Despite claims that heroin use leads inevitably to property crime, drug market activities accounted for a greater proportion of drug user income in this sample. Results indicate that law enforcement crackdowns that reduce opportunities for generating income from the drug market may increase property crime by heroin users.
Royal Commissions of Inquiry
Authors: Gilligan George
Published: May 2006

This article first examines the historical conditions surrounding the evolution of royal commissions of inquiry, and the political and ideological functions that they may serve. The royal commissions of inquiry established in Australia during the 1970s and 1980s to inquire into organised crime are discussed in order to explore possibilities for a general explanation of royal commissions.The conclusion reached is that royal commissions of inquiry are an important component of official discourse and may perform a legitimation function for apparatuses of the state. However, royal commissions of inquiry are too diverse in their effects to be tied down to a uniform explanatory model, whether based upon notions of crisis motivation or legitimation deficit.