bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of social influence on physical activity among adolescents – a longitudinal study
Authors: Bunke Sofia , Apitzsch Erwin , Bäckström Martin
Published: December 2011

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to examine the impact of social support and negative social influence from various contexts on adolescents' current and intended physical activity (C&IPA) two years later. In addition, social influence related to C&IPA at baseline (16–17 years old) is compared to follow‐up (18–19 years old). Methods: Questionnaire data was obtained from 404 students at the age of 16–17 and again at the age of 18–19. Relationships among variables were examined with structural equation modelling (SEM). Results: Social influence experienced by high‐school students at 16–17 years of age had a direct suppressing effect and an indirect positive effect on their C&IPA two years later. Social support for physical activity was more complex and related to positive as well as negative relations at the age of 16–17 compared to two years later. Conclusions: The results imply that social support to adolescents should be offered over a longer period of time, with increased focus on its significance as a link from an initially external regulation to a more internal regulation of physical activity as students get older. Closer examination of maintaining, pro‐activating and intervening effects of social support could enhance our understanding of direct and indirect effects of social support on physical activity.
Effects of different types of exercise on muscle mass, strength, function and well‐being in elderly
Authors: Solberg Paul André , Kvamme Nils Helge , Raastad Truls , Ommundsen Yngvar , Tomten Sissel Erland , Halvari Hallgeir , Loland Nina Waaler , Hallén Jostein
Published: December 2011

Poor muscle strength and physical function have been associated with higher risk of hospitalisation and lower well‐being among the elderly. Physical training increases muscle strength, endurance and physical function as well as psychological outcomes. Exercise among older adults is often used to improve these variables, but few have compared the effects of different types of training in parallel independent groups. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of three different types of training on body composition, muscle strength, physical function and well‐being in the elderly. A total of 118 community‐dwelling older adults (mean age 74.3, s=4.6 years, 68% women) completed a 13‐week randomised controlled exercise‐trial involving four groups: traditional strength training (STG), functional strength training (FTG), endurance training (ETG) and control (CON). Stair climb with load improved more in FTG than CON (P<0.05), and the two strength groups performed better in the functional upper body test (P<0.05). STG increased strength more than CON in all exercises (P<0.001), while FTG increased strength more than CON in the chest press, shoulder press and knee extension (P<0.05). Lean body mass (LBM) increased in all training groups, which differed significantly from CON (P<0.05). ETG decreased their fat mass compared to CON (P<0.001). The only significant effect on well‐being indices was improved life satisfaction in FTG at week 5 (P<0.05). We also observed significant correlations between change in some of the functional tests and change in positive affect.

All three types of training can enhance physical capacity. Functional strength training can be a cost effective form of training in terms of less demand for instructors and equipment and could be an effective way to improve physical function, strength and indices of well‐being in the elderly.
Endocrine Emergencies
Authors: Bell Ricky , Fox David , Grant Paul
Published: December 2011

Endocrine emergencies are rare in general practice but it is important that GPs know the key aspects of diagnosis and management which may be life saving. Diabetic emergencies are the most common and can present acutely and unexpectedly. Disorders of the hypothalamic pituitary axis are much less frequent so can be harder to diagnose. It is vital for a GP to recognize the key signs of endocrine disorders, initiate appropriate management and arrange timely referral.
Regulation of High-Affinity Nitrate Uptake in Roots of Arabidopsis Depends Predominantly on Posttranscriptional Control of the NRT2.1/NAR2.1 Transport System
Authors: Laugier Edith , Bouguyon Eléonore , Mauriès Adeline , Tillard Pascal , Gojon Alain , Lejay Laurence
Published: December 2011

In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the NRT2.1 gene codes for the main component of the root nitrate (NO3  −) high-affinity transport system (HATS). Due to the strong correlation generally found between high-affinity root NO3  − influx and NRT2.1 mRNA level, it has been postulated that transcriptional regulation of NRT2.1 is a key mechanism for modulation of the HATS activity. However, this hypothesis has never been demonstrated, and is challenged by studies suggesting the occurrence of posttranscriptional regulation at the NRT2.1 protein level. To unambiguously clarify the respective roles of transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulations of NRT2.1, we generated transgenic lines expressing a functional 35S::NRT2.1 transgene in an atnrt2.1 mutant background. Despite a high and constitutive NRT2.1 transcript accumulation in the roots, the HATS activity was still down-regulated in the 35S::NRT2.1 transformants in response to repressive nitrogen or dark treatments that strongly reduce NRT2.1 transcription and NO3  − HATS activity in the wild type. In some treatments, this was associated with a decline of NRT2.1 protein abundance, indicating posttranscriptional regulation of NRT2.1. However, in other instances, NRT2.1 protein level remained constant. Changes in abundance of NAR2.1, a partner protein of NRT2.1, closely followed those of NRT2.1, and thus could not explain the close-to-normal regulation of the HATS in the 35S::NRT2.1 transformants. Even if in certain conditions the transcriptional regulation of NRT2.1 contributes to a limited extent to the control of the HATS, we conclude from this study that posttranscriptional regulation of NRT2.1 and/or NAR2.1 plays a predominant role in the control of the NO3  − HATS in Arabidopsis.
Correlations and agreement between delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in blood plasma and timeline follow‐back (TLFB)‐assisted self‐reported use of cannabis of patients with cannabis use disorder and psychotic illness attending the CapOpus randomized clinical trial
Authors: Hjorthøj Carsten Rygaard , Fohlmann Allan , Larsen Anne‐Mette , Arendt Mikkel , Nordentoft Merete
Published: December 2011

Aims  To assess correlations and agreement between timeline follow‐back (TLFB)‐assisted self‐report and blood samples for cannabis use.

Design  Secondary analysis of a randomized trial.

Setting  Copenhagen, Denmark.

Participants  One hundred and three patients from the CapOpus trial with cannabis use disorder and psychosis, providing 239 self‐reports of cannabis use and 88 valid blood samples.

Measurements  Delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11‐hydroxy‐delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (11‐OH‐THC) and 11‐nor‐delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol‐9‐carboxylic acid (THC‐COOH) detected in plasma using high‐performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection. Self‐report of cannabis‐use last month by TLFB. Pearson's r, sensitivity and specificity calculated as measures of correlation or agreement.

Findings  Correlations were strong; r = 0.75 for number of days and r = 0.83 for number of standard joints in the preceding month when excluding outliers. Including outliers, coefficients were moderate to strong (r = 0.49). There were differences in subgroups, mainly inconsistent, depending on inclusion or exclusion of outliers. Sensitivity and specificity for TLFB detecting the presence or absence of cannabis use were 95.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 88.0–99.1%) and 72.2% (95% CI 46.5–90.3%), respectively. Using 19 days as cut‐off on TLFB, they were 94.3% (95% CI 86.0–98.4%) and 94.4% (95% CI 72.2–99.9%), respectively. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.96.

Conclusions  Timeline follow‐back (TLFB)‐assisted self‐report of cannabis use correlates highly with plasma‐delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol in patients with comorbid cannabis use disorder and psychosis. Sensitivity and specificity of timeline follow‐back appear to be optimized with 19 days as the cut‐off point. As such, timeline follow‐back may be superior to analysis of blood when going beyond 19 days of recall.
Harm reduction interventions for drug injectors or heroin users in Spain: expanding coverage as the storm abates
Authors: Barrio Gregorio , Bravo María J. , Brugal M. Teresa , Díez Mercedes , Regidor Enrique , Belza María José , de la Fuente Luis ,   the Itinere Working Group
Published: December 2011

Aims  To show the utility of analysing time trends of need and coverage of needle‐exchange programmes (NEPs) and opioid substitution treatment (OST) to assess harm reduction policies targeting drug injectors or heroin users.

Design  Multiple methods applied to secondary data.

Setting  Spain.

Participants  Thousands of drug injectors or heroin users included in administrative registers, surveys and published studies during 1987–2010.

Measurements  Coverage for the general population was calculated as the ratio between interventions provided (obtained directly from the sources) and interventions needed (estimated by multiple methods), and as the difference between the two. Timeliness was estimated by time elapsed between year of highest need and year in which coverage reached a reference level.

Findings  In 2010 NEPs provided 138 syringes per drug injector [95% confidence interval (CI) 100–223], covering 25.7% (95% CI 18.3–43.3) of their need. OST coverage was 60.3% (95% CI 44.3–94.2). Syringe and OST provision increased between 1991 and 2001 and then declined. Syringe and OST coverage also increased substantially during this period and then stabilized, due mainly to decreases in drug injection or heroin use. Medium‐level coverage for both syringes and OST was not achieved until 2000, 8 years after the peak in need (1992).

Conclusions  In Spain, the expansion of harm reduction interventions was greatly delayed, although the concomitant decrease in heroin and injecting drug use led to reasonable coverage after 2000. A longitudinal measurement of need and coverage provides insight into the timeliness and potential population impact of interventions, enabling better assessment of their adequacy.
Linking substance use with symptoms of subclinical psychosis in a community cohort over 30 years
Authors: Rössler Wulf , Hengartner Michael P. , Angst Jules , Ajdacic‐Gross Vladeta
Published: December 2011

Aims  The aim of the study was to examine the temporal associations between substance use and subclinical psychosis symptoms.

Design  Data from a prospective community study sampled within a single cohort over 30 years (1978–2008) were analysed with discrete‐time hazard models.

Setting  General population‐based sample.

Participants  At initial sampling in 1978 males (n = 292) were 19 and females (n = 299) were 20 years old.

Measurements  Two psychosis syndromes representing ‘schizotypal signs’ and ‘schizophrenia nuclear symptoms’ and various substance use variables including cannabis, alcohol, tobacco and multiple‐drug use (i.e. cannabis combined with other drugs).

Findings  In bivariate analyses, schizotypal signs were predominantly associated with regular cannabis use in adolescence (OR = 2.29, 95% CI 1.32–3.97). Schizophrenia nuclear symptoms were mainly related to alcohol (OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.00–3.38) and multiple‐drug use (OR = 2.35, 95% CI 1.38–4.02) during adolescence. Multivariate analyses showed that, in particular, regular cannabis use during adolescence was associated with the occurrence of subsequent schizotypal symptoms over a 30‐year period (OR = 2.60, 95% CI; 1.59–4.23), whereas multiple‐drug use in adolescence was associated predominantly with schizophrenia nuclear symptoms (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.01–3.03). Alcohol misuse was only slightly associated with the onset of such symptoms.

Conclusions  A significant portion of the occurrence of subclinical psychosis symptoms in adulthood can be attributed to excessive cannabis and multiple‐drug use during adolescence. This is in line with the hypothesis that long‐term sensitization of dopaminergic brain receptors plays a role in developing psychotic symptoms.
Ofatumumab demonstrates activity against rituximab‐sensitive and ‐resistant cell lines, lymphoma xenografts and primary tumour cells from patients with B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Barth Matthew J. , Hernandez‐Ilizaliturri Francisco J. , Mavis Cory , Tsai Ping‐Chiao , Gibbs John F. , Deeb George , Czuczman Myron S.
Published: December 2011

Ofatumumab is a new monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting a novel membrane‐proximal epitope on CD20. To better define ofatumumab’s activity, we conducted pre‐clinical studies in rituximab‐sensitive cell lines (RSCL), rituximab‐resistant cell lines (RRCL), ofatumumab‐exposed cell lines (OECLs), primary lymphoma cells, and a lymphoma xenograft model. RRCL and OECL were generated by repeated exposure of sensitive cells to escalating doses of rituximab or ofatumumab ± human serum. Antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement‐mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) assays were performed to assess cellular sensitivity to rituximab or ofatumumab. Ofatumumab elicited a higher rate of CMC in RSCL, RRCL and primary tumour cells. The chronic exposure of lymphoma cells to ofatumumab resulted in rituximab resistance but less ofatumumab resistance. In an in vivo severe combined immunodeficiency mouse model of human lymphoma, ofatumumab prolonged median survival compared to rituximab. While rituximab CMC diminished with CD20 down‐regulation in RRCL passages, ofatumumab activity in vitro diminished to a lesser degree. Our data suggest that ofatumumab is more potent than rituximab in rituximab‐sensitive or rituximab‐resistant models and has the potential to decrease the development of biological resistance in patients with repeated exposure to anti‐CD20 mAbs.
Assessment of central adrenal insufficiency in children and adolescents with Prader–Willi syndrome
Authors: Corrias Andrea , Grugni Graziano , Crinò Antonino , Di Candia Stefania , Chiabotto Patrizia , Cogliardi Anna , Chiumello Giuseppe , De Medici Clotilde , Spera Sabrina , Gargantini Luigi , Iughetti Lorenzo , Luce Antonella , Mariani Benedetta , Ragusa Letizia , Salvatoni Alessandro , Andrulli Simeone , Mussa Alessandro , Beccaria Luciano ,   on behalf of the Study Group for Genetic Obesity of the Italian Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology (SIEDP/ISPED)
Published: December 2011

Objective  A recent study evidenced by metyrapone test a central adrenal insufficiency (CAI) in 60% of Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) children. These results were not confirmed in investigations with low [Low‐Dose Tetracosactrin Stimulation Test (LDTST), 1 μg] or standard‐dose tetracosactrin stimulation tests. We extended the research by LDTST in paediatric patients with PWS.

Design  Cross‐sectional evaluation of adrenal stress response to LDTST in a PWS cohort of a tertiary care referral centre.

Patients  Eighty‐four children with PWS.

Measurements  Assessment of adrenal response by morning cortisol and ACTH dosage, and 1‐μg tetracosactrin test. Response was considered appropriate when cortisol reached 500 nm; below this threshold, patients were submitted to a second test. Responses were correlated with the patients’ clinical and molecular characteristics to assess genotype–phenotype correlation.

Results  Pathological cortisol peak responses to the LDTST were registered in 12 patients (14·3%) who had reduced basal (169·4 ± 83·3 nm) and stimulated (428·1 ± 69·6 nm) cortisol levels compared to patients with normal responses (367·1 ± 170·6 and 775·9 ± 191·3 nm, P < 0·001). Body mass index standard deviation score was negatively correlated with basal and peak cortisol levels (both P < 0·001), and the patients’ ages (P < 0·001). In patients with deletion on chromosome 15, the cortisol peak was significantly lower than that in uniparental disomy (UPD) cases (P = 0·030). At multiple regression analysis, the predictors of peak response were basal cortisol, age, and UPD subclass (r2 = 0·353, P < 0·001). Standard‐dose (250 μg) tetracosactrin test confirmed CAI in 4/12 patients (4·8% of the cohort).

Conclusions  Our results support the hypothesis that, albeit rare, CAI may be part of the PWS in childhood.
Optimizing forage yield of durum wheat/field bean intercropping through N fertilization and row ratio
Authors: Mariotti M. , Masoni A. , Ercoli L. , Arduini I.
Published: December 2011

Intercropping (IC) cereals and legumes could be an option for obtaining forage suitable for ensiling and enabling reduced N fertilization. Two experiments were performed in central Italy with durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) and field bean (Vicia faba L. var. minor) grown for forage production in IC and as sole crops (SC) with different N rates (20 and 50 kg ha−1) and row ratios (1:1 and 2:1 cereal/legume). The aims were to assess (i) whether IC is a feasible option to reduce N fertilization; (ii) the best combination of practices to obtain forage suitable for ensiling; and (iii) competition/facilitation effects exerted by field bean on durum wheat. Results showed IC allowed fertilizer‐N reduction and led to improved forage yield with better quality, compared with SC. Land equivalent ratio indicated a high efficiency of the IC, by up to 26% with respect to SC. Field bean was the dominant species of IC, but N fertilization reduced its competitive ability and enhanced that of wheat. In the intercrop fertilized with 50 kg N ha−1, the proportion of the wheat in the herbage (0·34–0·41 of the total dry matter) was sufficient for ensiling of the forage mass. Field bean exerted both competition and facilitation effects on the cereal. N uptake of durum wheat was greater under IC with beans than as wheat SC.
Fatigue in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia in Japan
Authors: Nagai Ayako , Zou Ning , Kubota Masaru , Kojima Chiaki , Adachi Souichi , Usami Ikuya , Okada Masayuki , Tanizawa Akihiko , Hamahata Keigo , Matsubara Kousaku , Higuchi Manryoku , Imaizumi Masue
Published: December 2011

Background:  Fatigue in cancer survivors is a serious problem in pediatric oncology, but reports on this issue are limited, especially in Asian countries.

Methods:  Sixty‐three patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 18 patients with acute myeloid leukemia who attended a follow‐up outpatient clinic were enrolled. Participants were required to be >8 years of age, in remission, and without any cancer treatment for at least the previous 1 year. A control group consisted of 243 subjects whose age and gender were matched with the patient group. A questionnaire consisting of 12 items was devised for fatigue measurement.

Results:  Principal factor analysis identified three dimensions, defined as physical fatigue, decreased function, and altered mood. The mean total and the three fatigue dimension scores tended to be higher in the control group, but significant differences between the scores were seen only in the total and physical fatigue scores. Multiple regression analysis indicated an association of present older age or shorter duration after completion of treatment with total and physical fatigue, and an association of presence of total body irradiation with decreased function.

Conclusion:  Pediatric leukemia survivors in Japan experience equal or less fatigue compared with that of controls in different fatigue dimensions. Elucidation of underlying mechanisms of cancer‐related fatigue including the differences of cultural background among different countries is necessary for future study of this issue.
Single‐stage segmental urethral replacement using combined ventral onlay fasciocutaneous flap with dorsal onlay buccal grafting for long segment strictures
Authors: Erickson Bradley A. , Breyer Benjamin N. , McAninch Jack W.
Published: December 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Single‐stage urethral segment replacement has historically poor outcomes and two‐stage repairs are now more common. We present a novel approach to the single‐stage repair with initial outcomes similar to two‐stage repairs.

OBJECTIVE

To present our experience with repairing long‐segment urethralstrictures in a single‐stage using a combined tissue‐transfer technique.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 14 men underwent urethroplasty where a segment of urethra was completely replaced using a dorsal onlay buccal mucosa graft and a ventral onlay fasciocutaneous flap in a singlestage.

Primary success was defined as an open urethra at >6 months follow‐up with no need for additional surgical intervention.

Secondary success was defined as the need for a single postoperative endoscopic procedure before stricture stabilization.

Failure was the need for multiple endoscopic procedures, repeat urethroplasty, urinary diversion or intermittent dilatation.

RESULTS

The mean (sd) stricture length was 9.75 (4.6) cm. The mean (sd) neourethral length was 5.4 (2.7) cm. Stricture location was penile/bulbar in 12men, and bulbar alone in two. Primary success was achieved in nine of the 14 men at a median (range) follow‐up of 2.5 (0.5–9.43) years.

The mean (sd) time to recurrence in the five initial failures was 340 (376) days.

Secondary success was achieved in two men after a single endoscopic procedure for an overall success in 11 of 14 men.

Patients that recurred had longer strictures (12.8 vs 8.7 cm, P= 0.04) than initial successes, but neourethral lengths were similar (6.2 vs 5.1 cm, P= 0.5).

In all, three of the 14 men failed, two of whom required a repeat urethroplasty.

CONCLUSIONS

Our initial outcomes were favourable using the combined tissue‐transfer technique for segmental urethral replacement with initial and secondary success rates similar to those reported for two‐stage repairs.

This technique is not suitable for all patients as it requires healthy penile skin, but appears to be effective when a single‐stage repair is desirable.
Satisfaction with the treatment, confidence and ‘naturalness’ in engaging in sexual activity in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: preliminary results of a randomized controlled trial of three therapeutic approaches
Authors: Melnik Tamara , Abdo Carmita H.N. , de Moraes José F. , Riera Rachel
Published: December 2011

Study Type – Therapy (RCT)

Level of Evidence 1b

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Studies of erectile dysfunction (ED) are often criticized for providing only clinical data on remission of ED symptomatology. This study is the first controlled trial comparing satisfaction, confidence and naturalness in engaging in sexual activity with three therapeutic approaches for psychogenic ED.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of group psychotherapy (GTP) and/or sildenafil for psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A randomized controlled single‐blind trial was performed at the Institute of Psychiatry of the Medical School of at Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

In all, 30 men with mild and moderate psychogenic ED were randomized to receive for 6 months: GPT plus 50 mg sildenafil on‐demand, or 50 mg sildenafil on‐demand exclusively, or GPT exclusively.

Changes in score from baseline for three questions of the Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS) were evaluated at endpoint and after 3‐months follow‐up.

RESULTS

Satisfaction with the treatment, confidence and ‘naturalness’ increased in the GPT plus sildenafil and GPT exclusively groups (P= 0.001) from baseline to endpoint.

The treatment‐by‐time comparison was not significant at endpoint vs the 3‐month follow‐up, in the three groups.

There was no difference in the sildenafil group in the three study periods (P > 0.05)

CONCLUSION

Men with mild and moderate psychogenic ED had higher treatment satisfaction, confidence and naturalness in engaging in sexual activity when receiving GPT plus sildenafil or GP exclusively, when compared with sildenafil exclusively, as assessed by these three EDITS questions after 6‐months treatment.
A population‐based assessment of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network practice guideline indications for pelvic lymph node dissection at radical prostatectomy
Authors: Abdollah Firas , Schmitges Jan , Sun Maxine , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Briganti Alberto , Abdo Al'a , Tian Zhe , Perrotte Paul , Montorsi Francesco , Karakiewicz Pierre I.
Published: December 2011

Study Type – Therapy (cohort)

Level of Evidence  2b

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend pelvic lymph node dissection in patients with a nomogram‐predicted lymph node invasion risk of 2% or more. We set out to examine the validity of this recommendation.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the ability of the threshold recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) in correctly predicting histologically‐confirmed lymph node invasion (LNI).

The 2010 NCCN practice guidelines for prostate cancer recommend a pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) at radical prostatectomy in all individuals with a nomogram predicted LNI risk of ≥2%.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We assessed 20 877 patients who were treated with radical prostatectomy and PLND between 2004 and 2006, within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database.

The 2% nomogram threshold, as well as other threshold values (range 1–10%) were tested.

Finally, we externally validated the NCCN guideline nomogram.

RESULTS

Overall, 2.5% of patients had LNI.

The use of the 2% threshold would allow the avoidance of 23% of PLNDs, at the cost of missing 1.7% of patients with LNI. Conversely, the use of a 3% threshold would allow the avoidance of 58% of PLNDs, at the cost of missing 15% of patients with LNI vs 72% and 26%, respectively, for the 4% threshold.

Overall, the accuracy of the NCCN guideline nomogram quantified according to the receiver‐operator characteristics‐derived area under the curve was 82%.

CONCLUSIONS

In a population‐based sample, the NCCN guideline nomogram is highly accurate.

However, the 2% threshold will permit the avoidance of only 23% of PLNDs, instead of the 48% intended by the NCCN guidelines.

The use of a 3% threshold may allow a lower rate of PLND overtreatment, although it will miss more patients with LNI.
Sport and the Basques: Constructed and Contested Identities, 1876–1936
Authors: WALTON JOHN K.
Published: December 2011

This article explores relationships between sport and the construction and expression of collective identities in the Basque Country of northern Spain. It focuses on the period between the restoration to the Bourbon monarchy in 1876 and the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War sixty years later, which was transitional in economic, social and political terms, with pockets of rapid industrialization and the rise of Basque nationalism. It identifies three kinds of relevant sporting cultures: the traditional, local and popular; the adaptive traditional which embraced the new worlds of commercialised leisure; and the imported codified sports, whether elite or commercial, from lawn tennis to football. A key conclusion is that, here as perhaps elsewhere, the new sporting cultures did more to divide the Basques than to unite them.
“The Necessity for Better Bodies to Perpetuate Our Institutions, Insure a Higher Development of the Individual, and Advance the Conditions of the Race.” Physical Culture and the Formation of the Self in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century USA
Authors: MARTSCHUKAT JÜRGEN
Published: December 2011

This article explores the significance of sports and physical exercise in the turn‐of‐the‐century culture and society of the U.S. It depicts how physical fitness became a decisive feature of collective and individual self‐perception and was understood as being at the core of a successful shaping of both the self and of the American body politic. I concentrate in particular on paradigms and strategies of human resources management to exemplify the overarching significance of physical fitness as it established itself at the heart of the USA's enterprise culture that began to emerge in the later nineteenth century. American peculiarities will be considered, alongside ties and allusions to European, and particularly British, developments.
A Vertical World: The Eastern Alps and Modern Mountaineering
Authors: KLEIN KERWIN LEE
Published: December 2011

New sporting practices of modernity were products of complex dynamics of cultural remaking. Most accounts of the emergence of alpinism describe the new activity as part of modernization. As ways of seeing mountains changed, so did ways of moving in them. This involved a sharp break with the British gentlemanly preference for climbing without technical assistance. Modernists and alpinists found a new common ground in the Ostalpen of Tirol, a place commonly represented as one of the most traditional and Catholic locations in central Europe. In mountaineering, we may imagine a similar turn to that of artistic modernists. This article explores how the region pulled together two apparently oppositional cultural forces. In this process, there is no simple grand narrative of modernization that creates an international sporting culture of the mountains: on the one hand, in popular culture, the Ostalpen and the Dolomites in particular represented premodern forms of religiosity, from Orientalist aesthetics to the most conservative styles of Catholicism; on the other hand, the region served as a proving ground for the most technologically advanced and self‐consciously modern forms of alpinism.
Primary Frameworks, Keying and the Dynamics of Contentious Politics: The Islamization of the Chechen and Palestinian National Movements
Authors: Johnston Hank , Alimi Eitan Y.
Published: December 2011

Expanding on McAdam, Tarrow and Tilly's approach to the study of contentious episodes, we develop a conceptual framework to analyze front-stage politics in the light of back-stage cultural and interpretative processes, drawing upon the Chechen and the Palestinian national movements. We elaborate on Goffman's original notion of ‘primary frameworks’ to capture the influence of fundamental cultural templates, and his concept of ‘keying processes’ to capture the way primary frameworks are reworked in the dynamics of political contention. We then identify three central components of primary frameworks, namely, collective identity (the subject), what the subject does (the verb) and who or what is the object of those actions (the object). This article identifies the primary frameworks and keying processes of Chechens and Palestinians with relation to Russia and Israel, respectively. It then traces how they are played out in the heat of political contention as changes in the structure of political opportunities and threats unfold, and how they combine to drive a process of Islamization. We conclude by discussing how the subject—verb—object triplet of primary frameworks helps specify the dynamic interpretative work in political contention.
CRIME AND LOCAL LABOR MARKET OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW‐SKILLED WORKERS: EVIDENCE USING JAPANESE PREFECTURAL PANEL DATA
Authors: MIYOSHI KOYO
Published: December 2011

This paper examines the link between crime and labor market opportunities in Japan. To consider this link, we estimate the crime supply function first introduced by Becker using panel data for Japanese prefectures. The main empirical results are as follows. First, we expect that increasing the number of police will reduce crime, regardless of its type (i.e. whether referring to total crime, violent crime or larceny). Second, crime rates are generally lower in prefectures where a low‐skilled individual can find a job more easily. Third, the effects of wages for low‐skilled workers on crime, especially larceny, are significantly negative, whereas average wages in a prefecture do not appear to affect crime. Fourth, the prefectures with lower educational standards are expected to suffer more crime than other prefectures. Finally, prefectures with higher Gini coefficients on schooling years are also expected to suffer more crime than other prefectures.
THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THE FALLING LABOUR SHARE AND PERSISTENT UNEMPLOYMENT IN JAPAN
Authors: AGNESE PABLO , SALA HECTOR
Published: December 2011

Like in most advanced countries, the labour income share in Japan has been falling since the mid‐1970s. However, in contrast to other advanced economies, Japan experienced an exceptional recessive period in the 1990s and 2000s, with the rate of unemployment rising to a historical maximum of 5.5% in 2002, to persist above 4% in subsequent years. In the present paper, we examine the main causes behind the paths followed by the labour income share and the unemployment rate during the post‐1997 crisis period (1997–2002) and the transition years that followed (2002–2009). We do so by estimating a multi‐equation macro model that allows us to look separately at the various components of this particular labour market: wages, output, and employment. Our main finding is that the fall in the labour share can be attributed to the changes that took place within the labour relations system (the weakening of unions mainly) and that the surge in unemployment can be altogether ascribed to the distorting effects of the sizeable and increasing public debt.
GLOBAL IMBALANCES AND THE PRETENCE OF KNOWING FUNDAMENTAL EQUILIBRIUM EXCHANGE RATES
Authors: SCHNATZ BERND
Published: December 2011

Global imbalances remain a key challenge for the world economy. In this regard, it has often been argued that insufficient exchange rate adjustment prevents their dissolution. Obviously, such a line of reasoning crucially depends on the methodologies used for assessing the ‘fair value’ of a currency. This paper looks specifically at estimates of fundamental equilibrium exchange rates (FEER) and shows that these are highly sensitive to the chosen assumptions. The present study cautions against using such models too mechanistically and giving too much confidence to the precision of obtained magnitudes of misalignment.
Maintenance of biodiversity in vineyard‐dominated landscapes: a case study on larval salamanders
Authors: Tanadini Matteo , Schmidt Benedikt R. , Meier Pierre , Pellet Jérôme , Perrin Nicolas
Published: December 2011

Alteration of natural habitats as a result of agricultural intensification is detrimental for wildlife. There is, however, growing evidence that land use and management can be wildlife friendly. InEurope, agricultural areas cover two‐thirds of the land and therefore play a major role in maintaining biodiversity. Agricultural land use is very intense in vineyard‐dominated landscapes but there are no refuges for wildlife in the form of ecological compensation areas. In our study, we assessed spatial variation in abundance of salamander (Salamandra salamandra) larvae in relation to land use and stream characteristics in vineyard‐dominated landscapes. Abundance of larval salamanders depended positively on weirs, amount of riparian vegetation along the streams and environment‐friendly agricultural practice in the vineyards. Surprisingly, road density also had positive effects, presumably through indirect effects (stone walls along roads may serve as refugia). Thus, abundance is determined by characteristics of both the aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Our results suggest that fire salamanders can persist in landscapes dominated by intensive agriculture like viticulture, indicate wildlife‐friendly management options and highlight that man‐made habitat can be valuable for wildlife.
Phylogenetic reference data for systematics and phylotaxonomy of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from phylum to species level
Authors: Krüger Manuela , Krüger Claudia , Walker Christopher , Stockinger Herbert , Schüßler Arthur
Published: December 2011

See also the Commentary by Young
Comparison of low‐intensity blood flow‐restricted training‐induced muscular hypertrophy in eumenorrheic women in the follicular phase and luteal phase and age‐matched men
Authors: Sakamaki Mikako , Yasuda Tomohiro , Abe Takashi
Published: December 2011

The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle hypertrophic response in women during both the follicular (FP) and the luteal phase (LP) of their menstrual cycles following short‐term, low‐intensity resistance training combined with blood flow restriction (BFR). Eight eumenorrheic women and five men, all previously untrained, performed unilateral low‐intensity (30% of 1 repetition maximum) dumbbell curl training with BFR once a day for 6 days. The opposite arm served as an untrained control. This 6‐day training programme was conducted during both menstrual cycle phases: the early FP and the mid LP. MRI‐measured biceps muscle volume (MV) and isometric elbow flexion strength were measured in both arms before and 2 days after the final training bout. Significantly (P<0.05) greater muscle hypertrophy was observed in the LP (5·7%) than in the FP (3·7%). The absolute and relative changes in serum hormone concentrations between the two phases did not correlate (P>0.05) with the percentage change in MV between the LP and FP. There was no change in MV in the control arm for both cycle phases. Following training, isometric strength increased (P<0.01) in the LP, but not in the FP (P = 0.17). Relative strength (strength per unit MV) was similar pre‐ and post‐training in both phases. The percentage changes in MV and strength were similar between the women (average of LP and FP) and men. Our results indicate that muscle hypertrophy and strength gain are higher in the LP than in the FP following 6 days of BFR training, although the sex difference in the training response is non‐existent.
“Cauliflower Ear” in a Teenager: A Possible Sign of Child Abuse
Authors: CUESTA LAURA , BETLLOCH ISABEL , BAÑULS JOSÉ , TOLEDO FERNANDO
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  “Cauliflower ear” is a perichondritis of the auricular pavilion, usually caused by infection or repeated trauma. In children, this entity is considered infrequent. We present the case of a 10‐year‐old girl living in a child care institution with “cauliflower ear” that was interpreted as a possible sign of child abuse.
Buschke‐Ollendorff Syndrome and Bilateral Cutaneous Syndactyly
Authors: Fernández‐Faith Esteban , Kress Douglas , Piliang Melissa , Sachdeva Mandi , Vidimos Allison
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  A 3‐year‐old boy presented with asymptomatic elastomas on the posterior trunk. Radiographic studies revealed osteopoikilosis, confirming the diagnosis of Buschke‐Ollendorff syndrome. The patient had a history of bilateral simple cutaneous syndactyly, which has not been previously reported with this condition. Buschke‐Ollendorff syndrome is a rare autosomal‐dominant disorder characterized by connective tissue nevi and osteopoikilosis. Several associated systemic abnormalities have been reported, but morbidity and mortality are generally not affected.
Wells’ Syndrome Associated with Parvovirus in a 5‐Year Old Boy
Authors: Cherng Eric , McClung Amy A. , Rosenthal Harry M. , Hicks John , Levy Moise L.
Published: December 2011

Abstract:  Wells’ syndrome, otherwise known as eosinophilic cellulitis, is a rare dermatosis seen more commonly in adults than in children. In this article, we present a 5‐year‐old Caucasian boy who initially presented with pruritic, erythematous macules and papules evolving to bullae formation. Subsequent histology confirmed diagnosis of Wells’ syndrome, and additional blood work also demonstrated positive immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG for parvovirus. In many instances, the direct etiology of Wells’ syndrome is unclear, but the link between parvoviral infection and development of Wells’ syndrome could further support an additional cause.
Emotional stress–induced seizures: Another reflex epilepsy?
Authors: Gilboa Tal
Published: December 2011

Multiple triggers have been shown to provoke seizures in reflex epilepsy. Among these are external stimuli (flickering light, hot water), actions (chewing, reading), and even mental tasks. We present a 9‐year‐old girl whose seizures were provoked mainly by emotional stress. In most cases of emotional stress–related seizures, especially when a specific confrontational incidence preceded the seizure, the suspicion for a nonepileptic event is high. In our patient we were able to show that the seizures were epileptic. Further investigation to clarify the pathophysiology of stress‐related seizures is needed.
Pure haploinsufficiency for Dravet syndrome NaV1.1 (SCN1A) sodium channel truncating mutations
Authors: Bechi Giulia , Scalmani Paolo , Schiavon Emanuele , Rusconi Raffaella , Franceschetti Silvana , Mantegazza Massimo
Published: December 2011

Purpose:  Dravet syndrome (DS), a devastating epileptic encephalopathy, is mostly caused by mutations of the SCN1A gene, coding for the voltage‐gated Na+ channel NaV1.1 α subunit. About 50% of SCN1A DS mutations truncate NaV1.1, possibly causing complete loss of its function. However, it has not been investigated yet if NaV1.1 truncated mutants are dominant negative, if they impair expression or function of wild‐type channels, as it has been shown for truncated mutants of other proteins (e.g., CaV channels). We studied the effect of two DS truncated NaV1.1 mutants, R222* and R1234*, on coexpressed wild‐type Na+ channels.

Methods:  We engineered R222* or R1234* in the human cDNA of NaV1.1 (hNaV1.1) and studied their effect on coexpressed wild‐type hNaV1.1, hNaV1.2 or hNaV1.3 cotransfecting tsA‐201 cells, and on hNaV1.6 transfecting an human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell line stably expressing this channel. We also studied hippocampal neurons dissociated from NaV1.1 knockout (KO) mice, an animal model of DS expressing a truncated NaV1.1 channel.

Key Findings:  We found no modifications of current amplitude coexpressing the truncated mutants with hNaV1.1, hNaV1.2, or hNaV1.3, but a 30% reduction coexpressing them with hNaV1.6. However, we showed that also coexpression of functional full‐length hNaV1.1 caused a similar reduction. Therefore, this effect should not be involved in the pathomechanism of DS. Some gating properties of hNaV1.1, hNaV1.3, and hNaV1.6 were modified, but recordings of hippocampal neurons dissociated from NaV1.1 KO mice did not show any significant modifications of these properties. Therefore, NaV1.1 truncated mutants are not dominant negative, consistent with haploinsufficiency as the cause of DS.

Significance:  We have better clarified the pathomechanism of DS, pointed out an important difference between pathogenic truncated CaV2.1 mutants and hNaV1.1 ones, and shown that hNaV1.6 expression can be reduced in physiologic conditions by coexpression of hNaV1.1. Moreover, our data may provide useful information for the development of therapeutic approaches.
Neuroanatomic correlates of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: A cortical thickness and VBM study
Authors: Labate Angelo , Cerasa Antonio , Mula Marco , Mumoli Laura , Gioia Maria Cecilia , Aguglia Umberto , Quattrone Aldo , Gambardella Antonio
Published: December 2011

Purpose:  Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are among the most common clinical manifestations of conversion disorder and consist of paroxysmal behavior that resembles epileptic seizures. Preliminary data from functional neuroimaging studies gave plausible evidence that limbic circuits and sensorimotor cortex might be engaged in conversion disorder. Nonetheless, no advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have focused on patients with PNES.

Methods:  We enrolled 20 consecutive patients in whom the diagnosis of PNES was based on ictal video–electroencephalography (EEG) of the habitual episodes and 40 healthy subjects matched for age and sex All patients underwent a formal neuropsychological investigation and a neuropsychiatric assessment. All of the patients also underwent two distinct morphologic whole‐brain MR measurements, voxel‐based morphometry (VBM), and cortical thickness analysis, in a multimethod approach.

Key Findings:  None of the patients had serious medical or neurologic illness, substance abuse, or psychotic disorder, or were taking antipsychotic drugs. VBM and cortical thickness analyses in the patients with PNES revealed abnormal cortical atrophy of the motor and premotor regions in the right hemisphere and the cerebellum bilaterally. We also observed a significant association between increasing depression scores and atrophy involving the premotor regions.

Significance:  The results of this study illustrate that motor and premotor regions in the right hemisphere and the cerebellum bilaterally play an important role in the pathogenesis of PNES and that these structures are correlated with depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest a multistep model in the pathogenesis of PNES, in which the phenomenology is driven by psychological factors interacting with specific biologic abnormalities.
Clinical anticipation in Japanese families of benign adult familial myoclonus epilepsy
Authors: Hitomi Takefumi , Kondo Takayuki , Kobayashi Katsuya , Matsumoto Riki , Takahashi Ryosuke , Ikeda Akio
Published: December 2011

The clinical anticipation in Japanese benign adult familial myoclonus epilepsy (BAFME), defined as earlier onset age of either cortical tremor or generalized seizures or new appearance of those symptoms in the next generation, remains unknown. The onset age and the degree of both cortical tremor and generalized seizures were investigated in nine patients of four BAFME families (mean age: 46.6 ± 18.7 years). Clinical anticipation in the onset age of cortical tremor or generalized seizures was observed in three families, and generalized seizures newly appeared in the next generation in those two families and in another family. Clinical anticipation was observed in four families, which suggests the clinical progression over generation in Japanese BAFME families.
Myocardial Fibrosis Is Associated with Biventricular Dysfunction in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Prinz Christian , van Buuren Frank , Faber Lothar , Bitter Thomas , Bogunovic Nikola , Burchert Wolfgang , Horstkotte Dieter
Published: December 2011

Aims: To assess left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function by two‐dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography and its relation to myocardial fibrosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods: We enrolled 50 HCM patients (30 male; 47.3 ± 9.9 years) in our study. Each patient received echocardiography with modern high‐end scanners. For speckle tracking analysis of LV and RV function the dedicated software was used. The presence of myocardial fibrosis was detected by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: For intraobserver variability of RV global longitudinal strain, we found a correlation of r = 0.89 (p < 0.001) with a minor bias of 4.9 ± 2.9%. On cardiac MRI 30 patients (60%) demonstrated late gadolinium‐enhancement (LGE) of the LV. Of these patients only 7% showed LGE of the RV. HCM patients with myocardial fibrosis had less global longitudinal LV strain in comparison to patients without myocardial fibrosis (−12.8 ± 2.2 vs −21.1 ± 2.6, P < 0.001), thicker interventricular septums (23.7 ± 4.0 vs 19.2 ± 5.1, P < 0.001), larger left atria (34.9 ± 7.1 vs 23.9 ± 5.1, P < 0.001), and impaired diastolic function (E/A‐ratio: 1.02 ± 0.22 vs 1.15 ± 0.18, P < 0.01). Comparable results were found for RV function. LV and RV strain correlated with r = 0.85 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: HCM is not only a disease of the LV. LGE in HCM is associated with both LV and RV dysfunction. Although RV LGE occurs only in a minority of patients with HCM and LV fibrosis, speckle tracking echocardiography is feasible for evaluating LV and RV dysfunction in these patients. (Echocardiography 2012;29:438‐444)