bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Activity Rescheduling Strategies and Decision Processes in Day-to-Day Life
Authors: Clark Andrew F. , Doherty Sean T.
Published: January 2010

Results are presented from an in-depth survey of the rescheduling decision process as it occurs in day-to-day life. The multistage survey involved a preplanning interview, followed by a prompted-recall diary supported by the Global Positioning System. Subsequent comparison of preplans with executed schedules was done to identify schedule modifications, deletions, and more-impulsive additions automatically. An open-ended interview was then used to elicit the planning time horizon of rescheduling decisions, the impetus of a decision, the impact of a single decision on the rest of the schedule, and the process that subjects go through to make a decision. Responses were then compared with different sociodemographic and activity variables by using a cross-tabulation and chi-squared analysis to determine if any associations exist. Highlights of these results include the findings that adding and deleting activities requires more talking in person, that personal need is a common cause for adding shopping activities, and that the more people involved in a decision, the longer the duration of the added activity. Three conclusions can be made from these findings. First, far more rescheduling decisions and scheduling conflicts were identified compared with previous studies. Second, there were many more varied causes of rescheduling decisions beyond those typically captured in existing rescheduling conflict models. Finally, sociodemographics had little effect on aspects of rescheduling decisions compared with activity variables. Discussion of how such results relate to past conceptual frameworks is included.
Two-Stage Model for Jointly Revealing Determinants of Noncompensatory Conjunctive Choice Set Formation and Compensatory Choice
Authors: Kaplan Sigal , Bekhor Shlomo , Shiftan Yoram
Published: January 2010

Understanding the distribution and the determinants of search criteria thresholds helps in representing choice set formation and choice behavior. The development and estimation are presented of a two-stage model that jointly represents search criteria thresholds, within a noncompensatory choice set formation stage, and choice behavior, within a compensatory stage. Data were collected by using a custom-designed web-based choice experiment that seamlessly tracked the entire choice process by recording choice protocols. The model is applied to off-campus rental apartment choice by students as an example of a complex choice situation. The model combines three correlated ordered response models for the search criteria with a multinomial logit model for the choice among a realistically large realm of 200 alternatives. Estimates demonstrate that ( a) the thresholds are correlated and their selection can be explained by individual characteristics, preferences, and perceptions and ( b) the suggested methodology alleviates the computational complexity embedded in two-stage models by reducing the number of theoretically possible choice sets to the actually chosen ones.
Estimating Marginal Mental Efforts of Activity Schedule Adjustment Operators by Using Sequence Alignment
Authors: Joh Chang-Hyeon , Ettema Dick , Timmermans Harry
Published: January 2010

Results are reported of a study that attempts to estimate marginal mental efforts of various operators (delete activity, insert activity, substitute activity) from activity rescheduling data by using sequence alignment as a measure of the amount of effort. The study makes several contributions to the literature on activity-based analysis and modeling. First, it is one of the few attempts to examine the decision process supposed to lead to the decision outcome, focusing on mental effort. Second, it adopts sequence alignment methodology not as a means of calculating the (dis)similarity between activity profiles, but as a measure of mental effort. A genetic algorithm is used to derive the weights of mental effort attached to each type of operator. Results, derived from a computer-based activity diary instrument, support the suggested approach in that observations can be successfully reproduced and that the estimated marginal mental efforts are consistent with general theory.
Multiday Multiagent Model of Travel Behavior with Activity Scheduling
Authors: Kuhnimhof Tobias , Gringmuth Christoph
Published: January 2010

A 7-day multiagent model of travel demand is presented. Multiday modeling has several strong points and expands the applicability of travel demand models. It allows for incorporating the interrelationship of individual budgets and travel behavior, and the model output provides high flexibility for the further use of the data. Multiday models allow simulation of individual mode use over time and identification of mode clienteles. The challenge of multiday modeling is the realistic representation of behavioral variability and stability and dealing with a large number of possible combinations when generating activity schedules. The presented activity generation approach has two steps: ( a) deriving agendas of intended activities from observed activity schedules and assigning the agendas to the agents in the model and ( b) transforming these agendas to feasible activity schedules with specific activity start times and activity destinations by using a greedy algorithm. This activity generation module was incorporated in a 7-day travel demand model. The model was applied for predicting changes in mode use in the German city of Erlangen caused by demographic development and growth in car ownership within the next decade.
Size and Composition of Ego-Centered Social Networks and Their Effect on Geographic Distance and Contact Frequency
Authors: van den Berg Pauline , Arentze Theo A. , Timmermans Harry J. P.
Published: January 2010

Social activities are responsible for a substantial proportion of trips by individuals and households. Therefore, travel demand is determined primarily by the size and the spatial distribution of people's social networks. In the field of transportation, little is known about social networks in relation to trip generation. However, research interest in social networks is rapidly emerging. This paper describes the instrument used to collect data on ego-centered social networks in a survey in the Netherlands and the analysis of these data in relation to travel demand. Five successive regression models were used to analyze and predict the size of the ego's social network, distribution of network members across seven social categories, geographic distance, and contact frequency (by means of information and communication technology and face-to-face) with each social network member based on socio-demographic characteristics of the ego. The results indicate that, even though significant relationships exist, the relationships between socio-demographic variables and social network size, the choice of social category, geographic distance, and (mediated) contact frequency are not strong. A better model fit is found for predicting face-to-face contact frequency.
Investigation of Whether Value of Travel Time Increases as Travel Time Increases
Authors: Kato Hironori , Onoda Keiichi
Published: January 2010

This paper analyzes the variation in the value of travel time savings (VTTS) over travel time by applying the method of empirical discrete choice analysis with nonlinear utility functions. First, it formulates the time allocation model and derives VTTS from the model. The theoretical consideration shows that it is impossible to identify the conditions determining the monotonic change in VTTS over travel time. The paper then examines the variation in VTTS over travel time by using empirical data on choices of interurban travel modes in Japan. The empirical analysis assumes constant marginal utility with respect to income for the first case using the model with a nonlinear utility function and assumes nonconstant marginal utility for the second case using the model with a nonlinear utility function. The first case analysis shows that VTTS decreases as travel time increases. The second case shows that variations in the estimated VTTS over travel time appear to be neutral in the case of rail and airplane users, whereas the estimated VTTS appears to decrease as travel time increases in the case of automobile users. If it is acknowledged that VTTS decreases as travel time increases, the marginal benefit arising from the marginal travel time savings would increase as travel time declines, which implies that society will require additional travel time savings as travel time decreases.
Continuous Choice Model of Timing and Duration of Joint Activities
Authors: Anggraini Renni , Arentze Theo A. , Timmermans Harry J. P.
Published: January 2010

This paper contributes to the recent interest in household decisions in activity-based analysis. It focuses on the joint participation of male–female heads of household in nonwork activities and attempts to model the timing and duration decisions of these activities by using decision tree induction. The data used originate from the 2004 National Travel Survey in the Netherlands. The results show that activity type has the most significant influence in both models. In addition, time availability for nonwork activities during morning off-peak periods has a strong influence on start-time decisions. The results also suggest a strong influence of duration decisions on start-time decisions. Overall, modeling household decisions for the timing and duration of joint activity participation is shown to have some clear advantages.
Dual-Response Choices in Pivoted Stated Choice Experiments
Authors: Rose John M. , Hess Stephane
Published: January 2010

This paper discusses the estimation of choice models on pivot-style stated choice data sets that include a reference alternative that corresponds to a recent trip by a respondent. With the potentially high levels of inertia observed in many such data sets, the questionnaire for the current survey gave respondents a secondary choice between the purely hypothetical alternatives when they gave preference to the reference alternative. The aim of this paper was to investigate appropriate ways to deal with such a dual-response data set at the modeling stage. The analysis shows only small differences in scale and willingness-to-pay estimates between the primary and secondary choices, suggesting that especially in the presence of large amounts of inertia in primary choices, secondary responses may provide analysts with useful information on sensitivities.
Week-to-Week Leisure Trip Frequency and Its Variability
Authors: Tarigan Ari K. M. , Kitamura Ryuichi
Published: January 2010

Using a 6-week travel diary survey from Germany, this study examined the effect of the frequency of leisure trips per week on the variability in the number of such trips over weeks. The frequency of trips and the variability were measured for six activity types: social contact, sports, recreation, culture and learning, nature, and shopping. A two-stage model, consisting of tobit and ordinary least-squares approaches, was used with dependent variables of trip frequency per week and variability of trips over weeks, respectively. The results showed that the frequency of leisure trips influenced their variability in certain activity types. The effects vary substantially across activity types.
Perception of Waiting Time at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Wu Xinkai , Levinson David M. , Liu Henry X.
Published: January 2010

Perceived waiting time at signalized intersections differs from the actual waiting time and varies with signal design. The onerousness of delay depends on the conditions under which it is experienced. Using weighted travel time may contribute to optimal signal control if it can improve on the assumption that all time is weighted equally by users. This research explores the perception of waiting time at signalized intersections on the basis of the results of an online virtual experience stated preference survey. This survey directly collected the perceived waiting times and the user ratings of the signal designs of each intersection on an arterial that included three intersections. Statistically analyzing the survey data suggests that the perception of waiting time is a function of the actual time, and a quadratic model describes the relationship. The survey also indicates that there exists a trade-off between total waiting time and individual waiting time at each intersection. Drivers prefer to split the total waiting time across multiple intersections at the price of a longer total wait if the difference in the total waiting time of two signal designs is within 30 s. Survey data show that the perceived waiting time, instead of the actual waiting time, better explains how users rate the individual signal designs for intersections and arterials, including multiple intersections.
Formulation of an Activity-Based Utility Measure of Time Use
Authors: Ye Xin , Konduri Karthik , Pendyala Ram M. , Sana Bhargava
Published: January 2010

This paper presents and demonstrates a methodology to compute a composite time use utility measure that accounts for in-home and out-of-home activity engagement and time allocation patterns of individuals. The measure could be used for welfare analysis in the context of a policy intervention and to model the search and adaptation routine that individuals may follow in choosing an alternative activity travel pattern in response to a policy intervention. The proposed measure can be implemented as a postprocessor for activity-based model systems to evaluate the satisfaction that travelers derive from their overall daily activity travel pattern. With data from the 2005 American Time Use Survey, the analysis was performed for a sample of women stratified by employment status, income, and presence of children. Comparisons of time use utility measures across these cross-classified groups offer insights into the influence of temporal (employment), monetary (income), and household obligation (children) constraints on the utility individuals derive from their activity travel pattern. In general, it was found that time use utility values were affected most adversely by temporal constraints, followed by monetary constraints, and then by the presence of children.
Location Choice Modeling for Shopping and Leisure Activities with MATSim
Authors: Horni Andreas , Scott Darren M. , Balmer Michael , Axhausen Kay W.
Published: January 2010

The activity-based multiagent simulation toolkit MATSim adopts a coevolutionary approach to capturing the patterns of people's activity scheduling and participation behavior at a high level of detail. Until now, the search space of the MATSim system was formed by every agent's route and time choice. This paper focuses on the crucial computational issues that have to be addressed when the system is being extended to include location choice. This results in an enormous search space that would be impossible to explore exhaustively within a reasonable time. With the use of a large-scale scenario, it is shown that the system rapidly converges toward a system's fixed point if the agents’ choices are per iteration confined to local steps. This approach was inspired by local search methods in numerical optimization. The study shows that the approach can be incorporated easily and consistently into MATSim by using Hägerstrand's time–geographic approach. This paper additionally presents a first approach to improving the behavioral realism of the MATSim location choice module. A singly constrained model is created; it introduces competition for slots on the activity infrastructure, where the actual load is coupled with time-dependent capacity restraints for every activity location and is incorporated explicitly into the agent's location choice process. As expected, this constrained model reduces the number of implausibly overcrowded activity locations. To the authors’ knowledge, incorporating competition in the activity infrastructure has received only marginal attention in multiagent simulations to date, and thus, this contribution is also meant to raise the issue by presenting this new model.
Structural Equations Model of Land Use Patterns, Location Choice, and Travel Behavior
Authors: Silva João de Abreu e , Goulias Konstadinos G.
Published: January 2010

This paper addresses the relationship between travel behavior and land use patterns through the use of a structural equations modeling framework and a more comprehensive modeling than in the past. The proposed model structure is by design heavily influenced by a model developed for Lisbon, Portugal, to allow comparisons. In a related paper about that model, the existence of significant effects of land use patterns in travel behavior was found. The travel behavior variables included in the proposed model are multidimensional and comprehend both the short term (number of trips and trip scheduling) and the long term (home location, car and pass ownership, and mobility decisions). The modeled land use variables measure the levels of urban intensity, density, and diversity, both in relation to types of uses and the mix between jobs and inhabitants and the public transport supply levels. The land use patterns are described at both the residence and the employment zones. To account for self-selection bias, the land use variables are explicitly modeled as functions of socioeconomic attributes of individuals and their households. The Seattle, Washington, findings are presented and then compared with the Lisbon findings. Many commonalities between the two environments were found as well as many important differences pointing to the need for policy initiatives that are local and tailored to the specific context.
Using Deliberative Methods to Understand Travel Choices in Context of Climate Change
Authors: Marsden Greg , King Suzanne
Published: January 2010

This paper reports on a 2-year study in England with the overall aim of determining what the public understands by climate change and how it sees transport contributing to it. The research involved a longitudinal study with 140 participants split into five socioeconomic life stage groups in different parts of England. Each group took part in five deliberative events in which the participants were given the opportunity to express their views in an open forum, to challenge each other, and to direct the information they received and activities in which they took part. While these events formed the core of the project, it is well understood that there is a gap between stated intentions and actual behavior, and the project therefore also required the participants to complete four 1-week travel diaries and two psychographic questionnaires through the course of the study. The information from the travel diaries was analyzed to represent the associated amount of carbon consumption and fed back to the participants as part of the study. This paper describes the research process and presents some of the materials that were developed and used in the study. It then reflects on what each element of the research methodology brought to the study and the combined impact of using the different methods both during the study and in interpreting the findings. The paper concludes by addressing the strengths and limitations of the deliberative approach, in studying not only climate change and transport but also broader policy issues.
Built Environment or Household Life-Cycle Stages–-Which Explains Sustainable Travel More?
Authors: Sun Yilin , Waygood E. Owen D. , Fukui Kenichiro , Kitamura Ryuichi
Published: January 2010

Sustainable travel is a goal deserving of research and implementation, but how such a goal can be reached is debated. Fueling this debate are the many different factors involved in individual travel, ranging from values and beliefs to the impact of the built environment. The amount of impact that the built environment may have can be clouded by a person's personal preference for a certain lifestyle, and different life-cycle stages have different levels of travel. Although low levels of automobile use have been observed in city centers, the question remains whether the demographics of the distinct developed areas can explain the differences. This paper investigated the fraction of automobile trips across different developed areas for households of distinct life-cycle stages to determine which explained the differences best. The results suggest that it is the built environment that has a greater ability to explain the differences in the fraction of automobile trips and that households of the same life-cycle stage retain the same basic number of trips.
Simultaneous Model for Household Interactions in Daily Activity, Information and Communication, and Social Behavior
Authors: Mosa Ahmed Ibrahem , Harata Noboru , Ohmori Nobuaki
Published: January 2010

This paper describes the development, estimation, and interpretation of a simultaneous structural equations model relating sociodemographics, household interactions in daily in-home and out-of-home physical and virtual activity participation, social interactions (measured by with whom the activities are performed), use of telecommunication, and travel behavior. The model is unique in its simultaneous representation of each decision maker's choices about participation patterns for solo and joint with-whom in-home and out-of-home physical and virtual activities, and the complex set of structural relationships among such patterns, and household and individual sociodemographics. The empirical model was estimated by using data from a recent 2-day activity and travel diary survey conducted in the Cairo, Egypt, region. The results highlight the influence of sociodemographics, household traditions, beliefs, social roles, and lifestyle on individuals’ solo- and joint-activity patterns. Furthermore, the results showed a significant trade-off between joint and solo participation for both in-home and out-of-home activity participation. In contrast, significant complementary relationships were found between joint in-home virtual activities and joint out-of-home activities. Furthermore, this study provides another justification for the holistic and comprehensive approach to studying the interrelationships between information and communication technologies and household interactions in daily activity and travel behavior. The results revealed complementary relationships between joint activity participation and telecommunication use. These results have important implications for estimation and forecasting of activity travel demand, given the significant household interaction patterns, especially for people of Cairo.
E-Shopping, Spatial Attributes, and Personal Travel
Authors: Cao Xinyu (Jason)
Published: January 2010

In an era of unprecedented proliferation of e-shopping, retailers and planners are interested in the changes that it will bring. Recently, several empirical studies have explored the influence of spatial attributes on e-shopping and its impacts on individuals’ activity travel patterns. This study evaluates the progress that has been made, provides a critique of previous research, and discusses the improvements in research methodology needed to enhance understanding of the connections among e-shopping, spatial attitudes, and travel behavior. In particular, this review highlights the importance of ( a) controlling for shopping preferences and household shopping responsibility, ( b) exploring multiple dimensions of travel behavior, ( c) testing the connections that depend on time scale, ( d) deconstructing the shopping process, ( e) differentiating product types, ( f) demonstrating the oomph of coefficient estimates, ( g) integrating shopping surveys and activity diaries, and ( h) identifying shopping accessibility on the basis of the search area for products when its impacts on e-shopping are being tested.
Clonal structure and genetic diversity of three desert phreatophytes
Authors: Vonlanthen Beatrix , Zhang Ximing , Bruelheide Helge
Published: January 2010

The objective of this paper was to assess clone sizes of three perennial desert plant species with AFLP markers and to relate them to clonal and genetic diversity and to hydroecology. The study was carried out at the southern rim of the Taklamakan Desert, where sexual regeneration is only possible shortly after rare flooding events, resulting in rarely established cohorts with subsequent extensive vertical growth and horizontal clonal spread. In this environment, repeated seedling establishment is excluded. We expected decreasing clonal and genetic diversity with increasing clone size and increasing distance to the groundwater table and a common response pattern among all study species. Maximum sizes of Populus euphratica and Alhagi sparsifolia clones were 121 ha and 6.1 ha, respectively, while Tamarix ramosissima clones reached a maximum size of only 38 m2. In P. euphratica and A. sparsifolia, clonal diversity declined with increasing clone size and increasing distance to the groundwater table, while genetic diversity remained unaffected. Tamarix ramosissima differed from the other species because of a much smaller clonality. Clone size and clonal diversity were found to be good proxy variables for clone age. Despite the considerable age of the clones, genetic diversity is maintained in the populations.
A role for leaf epidermis in the control of leaf size and the rate and extent of mesophyll cell division
Authors: Marcotrigiano Michael
Published: January 2010

Little is known about the control of leaf size in plants, yet there must be mechanisms by which organ size is measured. Because the control of leaf size extends beyond the action of individual genes or cells, an understanding of the role of leaf cell layers in the determination of leaf size is warranted. Following the construction of graft chimeras composed of small‐ and large‐leaf genotypes of Nicotiana, bilateral leaf blade asymmetry was observed on leaves possessing either a genetically larger or smaller epidermis on one side of the midrib. Although cell size was unaffected by the genotype of the epidermis, the rate and extent of cell division in leaf epidermis altered the rate and extent of cell division in mesophyll and affected leaf size. The data presented neither prove nor disprove whether the mesophyll impacts epidermal cell division but provide the first unequivocal evidence that the extent of cell division in the leaf epidermis alters the extent of cell division in the mesophyll and is a factor regulating blade expansion and ultimate leaf size.
Does selfing or outcrossing promote local adaptation?
Authors: Hereford Joe
Published: January 2010

The degree to which plants self‐fertilize may impact their potential for genetic adaptation. Given that the mating system influences genetic processes within and among populations, the mating system could limit or promote local adaptation. I conducted a literature survey of published reciprocal transplant experiments in plant populations to quantify the effect of mating system on the magnitude of local adaptation. Mating system had no effect on local adaptation. I detected no effect when species were categorized as either self‐compatible or self‐incompatible or when accounting for environmental differences between source populations. The results suggest that, despite limited genetic variation in selfing species and greater potential for gene flow in outcrossing species, mating system has little influence on adaptation of populations.
Isolation and characterization of novel microsatellite markers for Arctium minus (Compositae)
Authors: López‐Vinyallonga Sara , Arakaki Mónica , Garcia‐Jacas Núria , Susanna Alfonso , Gitzendanner Matthew A. , Soltis Douglas E. , Soltis Pamela S.
Published: January 2010

• Premise of the study: Microsatellite primers were developed for the invasive plant Arctium minus to investigate the effects of facultative self‐pollination and the biannual habit on population genetic structure, as well as the colonization of the Americas by this Eurasian species.

• Methods and Results: Sixteen di‐ and trinucleotide microsatellite loci were identified in six populations. The number of alleles per locus ranged from one to 10, observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.000 to 0.897, and the mean value of FIS was 0.316.

• Conclusions: These results indicate the utility of these loci in future studies of population genetics in A. minus.
Influence of Rheumatoid Arthritis on Employment, Function, and Productivity in a Nationally Representative Sample in the United States
Authors: SULLIVAN PATRICK W. , GHUSHCHYAN VAHRAM , HUANG XING-YUE , GLOBE DENISE R.
Published: January 2010

Objective.

The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) was used to estimate the national influence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on employment, limitations in work or housework, inability to work or do housework, missed work days, days spent sick in bed, and annual wages.

Methods.

MEPS is a nationally representative survey of the US population. Multiple logistic, negative binomial, and Heckman selection regression methods were used, controlling for age, sex, race, ethnicity, smoking status, income, education, and chronic comorbidity. RA was identified using International Classification of Diseases-9 code 714.

Results.

In unadjusted descriptive statistics, individuals with RA were older, had more chronic conditions, missed more work days, spent more days sick in bed, had lower employment rates, had higher rates of limitations and inability to work, and received disability benefits at higher rates. After adjustment, multiple regression analyses showed individuals with RA were 53% less likely to be employed [OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.34–0.65], 3.3 times more likely to have limitations in work or housework (95% CI 2.35–4.64), 2.3 times more likely to be unable to work or do housework (95% CI 1.55–3.53), and spent 3.6 times as many days sick in bed as those without RA (95% CI 2.32–5.53). RA was associated with an expected loss of $8957 in annual earnings (95% CI $1881–$15,937). There was no statistically significant difference in missed work days or the level of wages.

Conclusion.

In the most recent available national data for adults, RA was associated with reductions in employment, productivity, and function.
Tacrolimus, a Calcineurin Inhibitor, Overcomes Treatment Unresponsiveness Mediated by P-glycoprotein on Lymphocytes in Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: SUZUKI KATSUNORI , SAITO KAZUYOSHI , TSUJIMURA SHIZUYO , NAKAYAMADA SHINGO , YAMAOKA KUNIHIRO , SAWAMUKAI NORIFUMI , IWATA SHIGERU , NAWATA MASAO , NAKANO KAZUHISA , TANAKA YOSHIYA
Published: January 2010

Objective.

Tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, is used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It also inhibits functions of P-glycoprotein, which is involved in drug resistance. We examined the mechanisms of early response to 2-week tacrolimus treatment in patients with RA.

Methods.

One hundred thirteen patients with refractory RA despite at least 3 antirheumatic agents, including methotrexate, were treated with tacrolimus (1.5–3 mg/day) and the response was assessed at 2 weeks. Expression of the multidrug resistance (MDR-1) gene and P-glycoprotein was assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) collected from 113 patients and 40 healthy subjects. The drug exclusion function by the P-glycoprotein was measured by the residual amount of intracellular tritium-labeled dexamethasone cell/medium ratio (C/M ratio).

Results.

The disease activity of enrolled patients was 5.8 ± 1.2 (mean ± SD) by DAS28 erythrocyte sedimentation rate. A good response to tacrolimus was noted at 2 weeks in 22 of 113 patients. At baseline, PBMC of patients with RA showed upregulated expression ofMDR-1gene and P-glycoprotein and low C/M ratio. The response to tacrolimus correlated with P-glycoprotein expression and C/M ratio. A significant improvement in C/M ratio was noted after 2 weeks of treatment. The C/M ratio correlated significantly with P-glycoprotein expression on CD4+ lymphocytes.

Conclusion.

Early efficacy of tacrolimus treatment depended on its inhibitory effect on the drug exclusion function of P-glycoprotein, leading to restoration of intracellular therapeutic levels of corticosteroids and clinical improvement. Evaluation of P-glycoprotein expression on lymphocytes is potentially useful for predicting the response to RA treatment.
Clinical Improvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Associated with Healthier Microvascular Function in Patients Who Respond to Antirheumatic Therapy
Authors: GALARRAGA BERNAT , BELCH JILL J.F. , PULLAR TOM , OGSTON SIMON , KHAN FAISEL
Published: January 2010

Objective.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) mortality. Microvascular endothelial dysfunction occurs early in the development of CV disease and is worsened by inflammation. The effect of drug treatment for RA on microvascular function has been poorly studied. We assessed the effect of antirheumatic treatment on microvascular endothelial function in patients with RA, particularly to examine responders versus nonresponders to therapy.

Methods.

Fifty-one patients with active RA and no previous history of CV disease were assessed at baseline and after 2 and 4 months’ therapy with either anti-tumor necrosis factor-α drugs (etanercept, n = 27, adalimumab, n = 3) or methotrexate, n = 21. RA disease activity, inflammatory measures, and skin microvascular responses, measured using laser Doppler imaging after iontophoretic delivery of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), were assessed at each study visit.

Results.

Disease Activity Score (DAS28) decreased significantly from baseline to visit 2 and 3 (6.04 ± 1.2, 4.34 ± 1.3, 4 ± 1.3, respectively; p < 0.0001). Endothelium-dependent (ACh) and independent (SNP) responses for the whole cohort did not improve significantly after drug treatment (p = 0.250, p = 0.062, respectively). When patients who responded to antirheumatic therapy (n = 31) were analyzed, there were significant improvements in both ACh (p = 0.028) and SNP responses (p = 0.019).

Conclusion.

Microvascular endothelial function improves in patients who respond to antirheumatic therapy. These results support the importance of effective therapy for RA patients in terms of CV effects, which might extrapolate to reduced CV events in the future. Clinical trial registration no. ISRCTN57761809.
Delayed Clinical Response in Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Treated with Etanercept
Authors: OTTEN MARIEKE H. , PRINCE FEMKE H.M. , TWILT MARINKA , van ROSSUM MARION A.J. , ARMBRUST WINEKE , HOPPENREIJS ESTHER P.A.H. , KAMPHUIS SYLVIA , KOOPMAN-KEEMINK YVONNE , WULFFRAAT NICO M. , GORTER SIMONE L. , ten CATE REBECCA , van SUIJLEKOM-SMIT LISETTE W.A.
Published: January 2010

Objective.

To evaluate response in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who failed to meet response criteria after 3 months of etanercept treatment.

Methods.

This was a prospective ongoing multicenter observational study of all Dutch patients with JIA using etanercept. Response according to American College of Rheumatology Pediatric 30 criteria was assessed at study start and at 3 and 15 months.

Results.

In total we studied 179 patients of median age 5.8 years at disease onset; 70% were female. Thirty-four patients did not respond after 3 months, of which 20 continued etanercept and 11 achieved response thereafter.

Conclusion.

The delayed clinically relevant response in a substantial proportion of patients who initially did not respond justifies the consideration of continuing therapy to at least 6 months.
Inflammatory Characteristics on Ultrasound Predict Poorer Longterm Response to Intraarticular Corticosteroid Injections in Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: CHAO JEANNIE , WU CHRISTOPHER , SUN BOB , HOSE MICHAL KALLI , QUAN ANNA , HUGHES TUDOR H. , BOYLE DAVID , KALUNIAN KENNETH C.
Published: January 2010

Objective.

To assess whether inflammation on ultrasound is predictive of clinical response to intraarticular (IA) corticosteroid injections in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods.

Patients with symptomatic knee OA were randomized to receive either an IA injection of 40 mg triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment group or 1 cc 0.9% saline in the placebo group. Clinical response was assessed by changes in baseline Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) index scores and physician global assessment at 4 and 12 weeks. Ultrasounds were performed at each visit. Patients and assessors were blinded to treatment status.

Results.

Seventy-nine patients were enrolled into the study. Four-week data were available for 67 patients in the primary analysis comparing change in WOMAC pain score from baseline to 4 weeks. There was almost no change in the WOMAC pain subscale score from baseline to 4 weeks in the control group, but there was a significant improvement in WOMAC pain subscale score from 10.8 (SD ± 3.2) at baseline to 8.75 (SD ± 4.0) at 4 weeks in the treatment group (adjusted p = 0.001). Of the 34 patients in the treatment group; 16 (47%) had inflammatory disease and 18 (53%) had noninflammatory disease as determined by ultrasound. There was no difference in the change in WOMAC pain score between the inflammatory and noninflammatory patients in the treatment group at 4 weeks. There was a statistically significant greater improvement in pain subscale scores among noninflammatory patients than among inflammatory patients at 12 weeks.

Conclusion.

Intraarticular corticosteroid injections are an effective short-term treatment for symptomatic knee OA compared to placebo. Patients with noninflammatory characteristics on ultrasound had a more prolonged benefit from IA corticosteroids compared to inflammatory patients.
Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia in Systemic Sclerosis: Demographics and Disease Predictors
Authors: INGRAHAM KRISTIN M. , O’BRIEN MARIE S. , SHENIN MAX , DERK CHRIS T. , STEEN VIRGINIA D.
Published: January 2010

Objectives.

To evaluate patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who have gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE), to further characterize this disease association, and to identify factors that may predict which patients with SSc are at greatest risk for the development of GAVE.

Methods.

Patients with a diagnosis of both SSc and GAVE were identified from the Division of Rheumatology at Georgetown University and Thomas Jefferson University. A chart review was conducted to obtain the demographic data.

Results.

Twenty-eight patients were included in this analysis, including 17 with diffuse cutaneous (dcSSc) and 11 with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc). The mean disease duration at diagnosis with GAVE was 21.5 months for dcSSc and 84.3 months for lcSSc (p = 0.025). Seventy-six percent of patients with dcSSc developed GAVE within 18 months of first scleroderma symptom onset. Over half of patients with early GAVE also had rapidly progressive cutaneous disease. Only 4% had antitopoisomerase I antibody. Although only 1 patient was tested and had positive RNA polymerase (RNAP) III, RNAP III may be overrepresented in this GAVE population. Mean hematocrit levels were 23.8% in dcSSc and 29% in lcSSc.

Conclusion.

dcSSc is associated with earlier development of GAVE, as well as more severe anemia requiring more therapeutic interventions. Rapid progression of cutaneous disease may suggest earlier development of GAVE. Absence of antitopoisomerase I antibodies and presence of antibodies to RNAP III/speckled antinuclear antibody pattern may be useful to identify the subset of patients with SSc with increased risk for GAVE.
Erosions Are the Most Relevant Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features in Quantification of Sacroiliac Joints in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: WICK MARIUS C. , WEISS RÜDIGER J. , JASCHKE WERNER , KLAUSER ANDREA S.
Published: January 2010

Objective.

To determine the most relevant radiological features in quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of sacroiliac (SI) joints in patients with recent-onset ankylosing spondylitis (AS) versus patients with SI involvement due to other rheumatic diseases, or to degenerative SI pain.

Methods.

We retrospectively analyzed laboratory values, clinical data, and MRI of the SI joints of 179 patients admitted for evaluation of AS-suspicious SI pain. Standardized MRI sequences were performed at time of first presentation, then archived, and retrospectively quantitatively assessed using a modified SPARCC method for formal statistical comparisons.

Results.

Of all patients, 27 (15%) were diagnosed with definite AS. The remainder had SI involvement in other rheumatic diseases, HLA-B27– spondyloarthropathy, or nonspecific degenerative changes. While joint space irregularities, bone marrow edema, subcortical cysts, and contrast medium enhancement were found in MRI of all patients, these features were inconsistent, and only erosions were statistically significantly (p < 0.02) in patients diagnosed with AS. Only in AS, the presence of erosions and the quantitative SPARCC erosion subscore correlated to a statistically significant degree (p < 0.02) with laboratory levels of inflammation.

Conclusion.

Erosions alone, not bone marrow edema or contrast medium enhancement, are the most disease-specific measurable imaging findings in SI MRI of patients with AS.
Sensitivity to Change in Systemic Sclerosis of the McMaster-Toronto Arthritis Patient Preference Disability Questionnaire (MACTAR): Shift in Patient Priorities Over Time
Authors: NGUYEN CHRISTELLE , MOUTHON LUC , MESTRE-STANISLAS CAROLINE , RANNOU FRANCOIS , BÉREZNÉ ALICE , SANCHEZ KATHERINE , PAPELARD AGATHE , REVEL MICHEL , GUILLEVIN LOÏC , POIRAUDEAU SERGE
Published: January 2010

Objective.

To assess the sensitivity to change of the McMaster-Toronto Arthritis Patient Preference Disability Questionnaire (MACTAR) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and a shift in patient priorities over time.

Methods.

We assessed 49 patients with SSc (8 men) using the MACTAR in a prospective longitudinal study twice or more during annual meetings of the French patient association from 2004 to 2007. Patient-perceived improvement or worsening regarding health status was recorded. Sensitivity to change was assessed by the effect size (ES) and the standardized response mean (SRM) of the MACTAR.

Results.

The MACTAR global score was significantly increased at followup in the whole group of patients, and the ES and SRM values were −0.37 and −0.34, respectively. These values were similar to those observed for widely used outcome measures for SSc such as the Health Assessment Questionnaire. As defined by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, the 3 disability domains most often cited at baseline were mobility (7 activities, cited 17 times; 33.3% of patients), domestic life (4 activities, cited 17 times; 33.3% of patients), and community, social and civic life (3 activities, cited 10 times; 19.6% of patients). At followup, 40 patients had changed their first priority and 34 changed 3 priorities.

Conclusion.

The evolution in MACTAR global score over time for patients with SSc reflects longterm general feelings of deterioration. However, shifts in patient priorities are common and may influence the sensitivity to change of the instrument.
Role of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis with Coronary Calcification
Authors: YIU KAI-HANG , WANG SILUN , MOK MO-YIN , OOI GAIK CHENG , KHONG PEK-LAN , LAU CHU-PAK , LAI WING-HON , WONG LAI-YUNG , LAM KWOK-FAI , LAU CHAK-SING , TSE HUNG-FAT
Published: January 2010

Objective.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are prone to premature atherosclerosis. We hypothesize that depletion of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) related to RA can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.

Methods.

We studied coronary calcifications by multidetector computed tomography and their relationship with different subtypes of circulating EPC in 70 patients with RA and 35 age- and sex-matched controls (mean age 54.1 ± 10.2 yrs, 87% were women). The presence of coronary atherosclerosis was defined as an Agatston score ≥ 10. Four subpopulations of EPC were determined by flow cytometry on the basis of surface expression of CD34, CD133, and KDR antigen: CD34+, CD34/KDR+, CD133+, and CD133/KDR+ EPC, respectively.

Results.

Among those with RA, 15 patients (21%) had coronary atherosclerosis. The mean Agatston score was higher (61.8 ± 201.7 vs 0.14 ± 0.69; p = 0.01) and coronary atherosclerosis was more prevalent (21.4% vs 0%; p < 0.01) in patients with RA compared to controls. RA patients with coronary atherosclerosis were older (66.2 ± 6.9 vs 51.5 ± 16.2 yrs; p < 0.01), had higher prevalence of hypertension (46.7% vs 14.5%; p = 0.01), and had lower CD133/KDR+ (0.45% ± 0.28% vs 0.89% ± 0.81%; p < 0.01) and CD133+ EPC levels (0.74% ± 0.39% vs 1.22% ± 0.83%; p < 0.01), but similar CD34/KDR+ and CD34+ EPC levels (all p > 0.05) compared to those without. Multiple logistic regression revealed that older age (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.10–1.41, p < 0.01) and lower CD133/KDR+ EPC (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.00–0.97, p < 0.01) were independent predictors for coronary atherosclerosis in patients with RA.

Conclusion.

Our results demonstrated that RA patients with coronary atherosclerosis have significantly lower levels of CD133/KDR+ and CD133+ EPC than those without. In addition to older age, lower levels of circulating CD133/KDR+ EPC also predicted occurrence of coronary atherosclerosis in RA patients.
THE CANADIAN SPECIES OF EXEMA AND ARTHROCHLAMYS (COLEOPTERA, CHRYSOMELIDAE)
Authors: Brown W. J.
Published: January 2010

The present paper is the result of a study of the food plant relationships of Exema Lac. and Arthrochlamys Ihering (Chlamys Knoch) in Canada. The study has shown that the species have strong monophagous tendencies, and that a knowledge of food plants is the key to an understanding of those which have been confused under the names Chlamys gibbosa and C. plicata.
NEW NEARCTIC CRANE-FLIES (TIPULIDAE, DIPTERA), PART XIX
Authors: Alexander Charles P.
Published: January 2010

The crane-flies considered herewith are all from Western North America, from British Columbia to California. The names of the collectors and the location of the type material are indicated at the end of the individual specific accounts; where not stated to the contrary, such types are preserved in my own collection of these flies.
NOTES ON THE DOGWOOD FRUIT FLY, A RACE OF RHAGOLETIS POMONELLA (WALSH)
Authors: Hall J. A.
Published: January 2010

In the 69th Annual Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario (1938), pages 56 and 57, the writer compares the Rhagoletis reared from dogwood (Cornus Amomum Mill.) with the morphologically similar apple maggot from apple and hawthorn.
PHALAENID NOTES AND DESCRIPTIONS (LEPIDOPTERA)
Authors: McDunnough J.
Published: January 2010

In a revision of the Acontias contained in the Canadian National Collection two species which have been unnamed in the Collection for some time appear to be undescribed. I offer the following descriptions.
ADDITIONAL CANADIAN HOST RECORDS FOR HETERODERA SCHACHTII SCHM. AND FOR H. MARIONI (CORNU) GOODEY
Authors: Baker A. D.
Published: January 2010

During July, 1943, a number of wild and cultivated plants in the Blackwell district, near Sarnia, Ontario, were examined for parasitic nematodes. Wild host-plants of the sugar-beet nematode, Heterodera schachtii Schm., recorded in a note in the Canadian Entomologist of October, 1941, were again noted, and one new host record was obtained for this nematode in Canada.
A NEW SPECIES OF GLUTOPS (DIPTERA, COENOMYIIDAE)
Authors: Pechuman L. L.
Published: January 2010

The genus Glutops has been known to contain but one species, the very rare fly Glutops singularis Burgess. Probably most of the collection records of G. singularis have been published and these number less than a dozen, the records being restricted to the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania. To the published records the writer might add that of a female specimen collected at the Cornell Wild Flower Preserve, Slaterville, New York, on June 1, 1935.