bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lithium and risk for Alzheimer's disease in elderly patients with bipolar disorder
Authors: Nunes Paula V. , Forlenza Orestes V. , Gattaz Wagner F.
Published: March 2007

Bipolar disorder is associated with increased risk for dementia. We compared the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease between 66 elderly euthymic patients with bipolar disorder who were on chronic lithium therapy and 48 similar patients without recent lithium therapy. The prevalence of dementia in the whole sample was 19% v. 7% in an age-comparable population. Alzheimer's disease was diagnosed in 3 patients (5%) on lithium and in 16 patients (33%) who were not on lithium (P < 0.001). Our case-control data suggest that lithium treatment reduced the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in patients with bipolar disorder to levels in the general elderly population. This is in accordance with reports that lithium inhibits crucial processes in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
Does Ovarian Cancer Treatment and Survival Differ by the Specialty Providing Chemotherapy?
Authors: Silber Jeffrey H. , Rosenbaum Paul R. , Polsky Daniel , Ross Richard N. , Even-Shoshan Orit , Schwartz J. Sanford , Armstrong Katrina A. , Randall Thomas C.
Published: March 2007

Purpose

Chemotherapy for ovarian cancer is usually administered by medical oncologists (MOs) or gynecologic oncologists (GOs). GOs perform a broad spectrum of surgical and medical activities while managing a limited number of diseases; MOs specialize in the administration of chemotherapy but manage a broad array of diseases. We asked whether survival, treatment, and toxicity differed according to the type of specialist providing the chemotherapy after surgery.

Patients and Methods

Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) -Medicare data for patients ≥ 65 years old from 1991 through 2001 from eight SEER sites, we identified 344 patients with ovarian cancer who were treated with chemotherapy by a GO after surgery. Using optimal matching and propensity scores based on 36 characteristics, we matched these patients to 344 similar patients who were operated on and staged by the same type of surgeon but who received chemotherapy from an MO.

Results

MOs administered chemotherapy over more weeks than did the GOs (16.5 v 12.1 weeks, respectively; P < .0023), and MO patients had substantially more weeks that included chemotherapy-associated adverse events than GO patients (16.2 v 8.9 weeks, respectively; P < .0001). However, there was no difference in 5-year survival rate between the GO and MO groups (35% v 34%, respectively; P = .45).

Conclusion

GO- and MO-treated patients who were closely matched on prognostic characteristics experienced very different rates of chemotherapy-associated adverse events and very different chemotherapy treatment styles by specialty type; however, their survival was virtually identical.
Activated Intrinsic Apoptosis Pathway Is a Key Related Prognostic Parameter in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Hess Corine J. , Berkhof Johannes , Denkers Fedor , Ossenkoppele Gert J. , Schouten Jan P. , Oudejans Joost J. , Waisfisz Quinten , Schuurhuis Gerrit J.
Published: March 2007

Purpose

By parallel assessment of multiple apoptosis-related transcripts, we aimed to refine the current concept of apoptosis resistance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and identify the combination of genes best predicting overall survival (OS).

Patients and Methods

The reverse transcriptase multiplex ligation–dependent probe amplification technique was used for simultaneous quantification of 31 apoptosis-related transcripts in viable (7AAD–/AnnexinV–) blasts (CD45dim) from bone marrow aspirates of 120 newly diagnosed AML patients. By forward selection, a prognosis-predicting gene expression profile was constructed. The predictive validity of this profile was assessed by cross validation.

Results

High transcript levels were associated with poor OS for seven of 31 genes, three of which were proapoptotic. The average expression of all 12 antiapoptotic genes was associated with poor OS (P = .029). A similar association with poor OS was found for the average expression of all 19 proapoptotic genes (P = .009). Forward selection and cross validation revealed the antiapoptotic gene BIRC3 and the proapoptotic genes BAX-(l) and BMF to optimally predict OS. Three equally sized patient groups, constructed by ranking the cross-validated prognoses of the patients, were clearly distinct (median OS times were 8.2, 16.7, and 85.6 months).

Conclusion

High expression of both pro- and antiapoptotic genes predicted poor OS, which postulates a mechanism of activation of the apoptosis pathway as a whole. This mechanism, which culminates in a three-gene expression signature, allows accurate clinical outcome prediction in AML and puts efforts to target single antiapoptosis genes in a new perspective.
Regression After Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases Correlates With Survival and Improved Neurocognitive Function
Authors: Li Jing , Bentzen Soren M. , Renschler Markus , Mehta Minesh P.
Published: March 2007

Purpose

Brain metastasis (BM) is a major cause of suffering and health costs in cancer patients. Whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) offers tumor shrinking and palliation in many cases, but it has been speculated that these benefits may be outweighed by adverse effects on neurocognitive function (NCF).

Patients and Methods

Two hundred eight BM patients from the WBRT arm of phase III trial PCI-P120-9801 evaluating motexafin gadolinium were analyzed. NCF, assessed by tests of memory, executive function, and fine motor coordination, was correlated to magnetic resonance imaging–measured BM volume. NCF and survival were compared in 135 patients assessable at 2 months with tumor shrinkage below (poor responders) and above (good responders) the population median (45%). Mean NCF scores and BM volume at 4 and 15 months were compared.

Results

Good responders experienced a significantly improved survival (unidirectional P = .03). For all tests, the median time to NCF deterioration was longer in good compared with poor responders, with statistical significance seen for Trailmaking B (executive function), and two Pegboard tests (fine motor). In long-term survivors, tumor shrinkage significantly correlated with preservation of executive function and fine motor coordination (r = 0.68 to 0.88). During the early follow-up period, the population mean NCF scores were dominated by patients with progressive disease. A small subset of 15-month survivors had stable or improving scores, and greater mean BM reduction.

Conclusion

WBRT-induced tumor shrinkage correlates with better survival and NCF preservation. NCF is stable or improved in long-term survivors. Tumor progression adversely affects NCF more than WBRT does, thus making enhancement of radiation response a worthwhile aim in this patient population.
Multiple Transcription Factor Elements Collaborate with Estrogen Receptor α to Activate an Inducible Estrogen Response Element in the NKG2E Gene
Authors: Levy Nitzan , Zhao Xiaoyue , Tang Hui , Jaffe Robert B. , Speed Terence P. , Leitman Dale C.
Published: March 2007

Estrogen receptors (ERs) regulate transcription by interacting with regulatory elements in target genes. However, known ER regulatory elements cannot explain the expression profiles of genes activated by estradiol (E2) and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). We previously showed that the killer cell lectin-like receptor (NKG2E) gene is regulated by E2, tamoxifen, and raloxifene. Here we used the NKG2E gene as a model to investigate the mechanism whereby target genes are regulated by E2 and SERMs with ERα. The ER regulatory element in the NKG2E promoter was mapped to the −1825 and −1686 region. Full activation of the NKG2E promoter required the collaboration between a transcription factor cluster containing c-jun, heat-shock factor 2, and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β and a unique variant estrogen response element (ERE) that has only a two nucleotide spacer between half sites. The cluster elements and the variant ERE were inactive on their own, but the regulation by E2 and SERMs was restored when the c-jun, heat-shock factor-2, and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β cluster was placed upstream of the variant ERE. The activation of the NKG2E gene by E2 and selective ER modulators was associated with the recruitment of the p160 coactivators glucocorticoid receptor-interacting protein 1 and amplified in breast cancer 1 but not steroid receptor coactivator 1. These studies identified one of the most complex ER regulatory units thus far reported and demonstrate that a cluster of flanking transcription factors collaborate with ER to induce a functional ERE in the NKG2E promoter.
AGata2intronic enhancer confers its pan-endothelia-specific regulation
Authors: Khandekar Melin , Brandt William , Zhou Yinghui , Dagenais Susan , Glover Thomas W. , Suzuki Norio , Shimizu Ritsuko , Yamamoto Masayuki , Lim Kim-Chew , Engel James Douglas
Published: March 2007

GATA-2, a transcription factor that has been shown to play important roles in multiple organ systems during embryogenesis, has been ascribed the property of regulating the expression of numerous endothelium-specific genes. However,the transcriptional regulatory hierarchy governing Gata2 activation in endothelial cells has not been fully explored. Here, we document GATA-2 endothelial expression during embryogenesis by following GFP expression in Gata2-GFP knock-in embryos. Using founder transgenic analyses, we identified a Gata2 endothelium enhancer in the fourth intron and found that Gata2 regulation by this enhancer is restricted to the endocardial, lymphatic and vascular endothelium. Whereas disruption of three ETS-binding motifs within the enhancer diminished its activity, the ablation of its single E box extinguished endothelial enhancer-directed expression in transgenic mice. Development of the endothelium is known to require SCL(TAL1), and an SCL-E12 (SCL-Tcfe2a) heterodimer can bind the crucial E box in the enhancer in vitro. Thus, GATA-2 is expressed early in lymphatic, cardiac and blood vascular endothelial cells, and the pan-endothelium-specific expression of Gata2 is controlled by a discrete intronic enhancer.
The heart's Da Vinci code: a renaissance at Keystone
Authors: Bruneau Benoit G. , Black Brian L.
Published: March 2007

At a recent Keystone symposium on `Molecular Pathways in Cardiac Development and Disease' in Colorado, significant advances in the understanding of heart development were discussed. The identification and isolation of cardiovascular progenitors, their modulation by secreted factors,and some tantalizing insights into cardiac regeneration were some of the highlights of what was characterized by some as a renaissance in cardiovascular development.
Dual Task Performance in Children With Tourette Syndrome: Controlling for Comorbid ADHD
Authors: De Monte Veronica E. , Geffen Gina , Carroll Annemaree , Bailey Maggie , Campling Naomi
Published: March 2007

Dual task performance in children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) was studied. The participants were children with TS (N = 48, 40 male, 8 female), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; mixed types N = 44, 34 male, 10 female) and unaffected controls (N = 48, 34 male, 14 female). Eleven of the TS participants had no comorbidities (TS only) and they were compared to matched groups of participants with TS plus comorbidities (TS+), ADHD, and controls. Each participant was administered screening measures of behaviour, intelligence and verbal ability, as well as specific tests of dual task performance. Children with TS-only correctly recalled fewer digit span forward trials, and identified fewer spaceship pairs than controls under single task conditions in the SkySearch subtest of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children. However, the TS-only and control groups showed better counting performance while simultaneously searching for targets, than the TS+ and ADHD groups. Taken together, these results suggest that some previously reported cognitive deficits in children with TS are due to comorbidities, rather than to the syndrome itself.
Suicide Terrorists: Are They Suicidal?
Authors: Townsend Ellen
Published: March 2007

Are suicide terrorists suicidal? A review of the worldwide literature on suicide terrorism uncovered five published empirical studies describing data collected from potential suicide terrorists or the surviving friends and families of deceased terrorists. The many discrepancies uncovered between suicide terrorists and other suicides on key factors known to underpin suicidality, suggest that such terrorists are not truly suicidal and should not be viewed as a subgroup of the general suicide population. Nonetheless, methods developed by suicidologists, such as the psychological autopsy, will help increase our understanding of the individual and group factors that underpin suicide terrorism.
Combining Micron‐Size Glass Spheres with Silver Nanoparticles to Produce Extraordinary Field Enhancements for Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering Applications
Authors: Zou Shengli , Schatz George C.
Published: March 2007

Using Mie theory and a T‐matrix method, we have studied the interaction of light with a micron‐size glass sphere and a dimer of silver nanoparticles in order to assess the feasibility of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) that combined dielectric hot spots with plasmon excitation. We show that when light interacts with glass spheres, there is a robust hot spot on the surface in the forward direction with dimensions of a few hundred nanometers both parallel and perpendicular to the surface. For a glass sphere in vacuum with a refractive index of 1.9 and a radius of 4 μm, we find that the electric field enhancement at this hot spot is |E|2 = 500. If a dimer of silver particles (spheres of radius 30 nm placed 2 nm apart) is placed at this hot spot, the peak near‐field between the nanoparticles is found to be |E|2 = 7×106. This enhancement factor, which is approximately the product of the dimer‐only enhancement factor (˜104) and the hot spot enhancement, is comparable to the largest field enhancements that we have obtained with other nanoparticle structures. It is large enough that the observation of single molecule SERS might be possible with this structure.
A Theoretical Study on SERS Intensity of Pyridine Adsorbed on Transition Metal Electrodes
Authors: Wu De‐Yin , Ren Bin , Tian Zhong‐Qun
Published: March 2007

Since the mid‐1990s good quality surface‐enhanced Raman spectra have been obtained from many transition metal (TM) electrodes. It has been observed quite often that SERS band intensities, i.e., the relative intensities of different vibrational modes, of the adsorbate are very sensitive to the nature of the metal. Since transition metals interact with adsorbed molecules much more strongly than the typical SERS substrates, i.e., Au, Ag, and Cu, it is desirable to give a detailed and quantitative explanation of the spectroscopic behavior on TM electrodes. In the present study, a hybrid density functional approach with 6–311+G**/LanL2DZ basis sets and the B3LYP nonlocal exchange‐correlation functionals has been used for the Raman intensity analysis on totally symmetric modes of pyridine adsorbed at transition metal electrodes, e.g., iron, cobalt, nickel, palladium, and platinum. Among all studied metal electrodes, iron and cobalt are predicted to be the most effective SERS substrates involving chemical enhancement, a result in good agreement with the experiments. The chemical bonding enhancement plays a role in pyridine interaction with the transition metal electrodes. The charge transfer enhancement as the most common chemical mechanism is also discussed for comparison.
Overexpression of Wnt-1 in thyrocytes enhances cellular growth but suppresses transcription of the thyroperoxidase gene via different signaling mechanisms
Authors: Kim Won Bae , Lewis Christopher J , McCall Kelly D , Malgor Ramiro , Kohn Aimee D , Moon Randall T , Kohn Leonard D
Published: March 2007

Wnt binding to cell surface receptors can activate a ‘canonical’ pathway that increases cellular β-catenin or a ‘noncanonical’ Ca++ pathway which can increase protein kinase C (PKC) activity. Although components of both Wnt/β-catenin-signaling pathways exist in thyrocytes, their biological role is largely unknown. In evaluating the biological role of Wnt signaling in differentiated FRTL-5 thyroid cells, we showed that TSH increased canonical Wnt-1 but, surprisingly, decreased the active form of β-catenin. Transient overexpression of Wnt-1 or β-catenin in FRTL-5 cells increased active β-catenin (ABC), decreased thyroperoxidase (TPO) mRNA, and suppressed TPO-promoter activity. The target of β-catenin suppressive action was a consensus T cell factor/lymphoid enhancing factor (TCF/LEF)-binding site 5′-A/T A/T CAAAG-3′, −137 to −129 bp on the rat TPO promoter. β-Catenin overexpression significantly increased complex formation between β-catenin/TCF-1 and an oligonucleotide containing the TCF/LEF sequence, suggesting that the β-catenin/TCF-1 complex acts as a transcriptional repressor of the TPO gene. Stable over-expression of Wnt-1 in FRTL-5 cells significantly increased the growth rate without increasing β-catenin levels. Increased growth was blunted by a PKC inhibitor, staurosporin. Wnt-1 overexpression increased serine phosphorylation, without affecting tyrosine phosphorylation, of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein. In addition, these final results suggest that TSH-induced increase in Wnt-1 levels in thyrocytes contributes to enhanced cellular growth via a PKC pathway that increases STAT3 serine phosphorylation and activation, whereas TSH-induced decrease in activation of β-catenin simultaneously relieves transcriptional suppression of TPO. We hypothesize that Wnt signaling contributes to the ability of TSH to simultaneously increase cell growth and functional, thyroid-specific, gene expression.
The leptin-dependent and -independent melanocortin signaling system: regulation of feeding and energy expenditure
Authors: Shimizu Hiroyuki , Inoue Kinji , Mori Masatomo
Published: March 2007

The brain hypothalamus coordinates extra-hypothalamic regions to maintain energy homeostasis through the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. A number of anorexigenic and orexigenic molecules in the hypothalamic nuclei participate in the control of energy homeostasis. Leptin and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone are key anorectic molecules, and the leptin receptor and POMC gene are both expressed in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. Although it has been considered that melanocortin signaling is localized downstream to leptin signaling, data have accumulated to support the concept of a leptin-independent melanocortin signaling system. We focus on and review the melanocortin signaling system that functions dependently or independently of leptin signaling in the regulation of energy homeostasis.
Local adiponectin treatment reduces atherosclerotic plaque size in rabbits
Authors: Li Chang-Jiang , Sun Hui-Wen , Zhu Fa-Liang , Chen Liang , Rong Yuan-Yuan , Zhang Yun , Zhang Mei
Published: March 2007

In this study, we investigated the in vivo role of adiponectin, an adipocytokine, on the development of atherosclerosis in rabbits mainly using adenovirus expressing adiponectin gene (Ad-APN) and intravascular ultrasonography. Serum adiponectin concentrations in rabbits after Ad-APN local transfer to abdominal aortas increased about nine times as much as those before transfer (P < 0.01), about ten times as much as the levels of endogenous adiponectin in adenovirus expressing β-galactosidase gene (Ad-β gal) treated rabbits (P < 0.01), and about four times as much as those in the aorta of non-injured rabbits on a normal cholesterol diet (P < 0.01). Ultrasonography revealed a significantly reduced atherosclerotic plaque area in abdominal aortas of rabbits infected through intima with Ad-APN, by 35.2% compared with the area before treatment (P < 0.01), and by 35.8% compared with that in Ad-β gal-treated rabbits (P < 0.01). In rabbits infected through adventitia, Ad-APN treatment reduced plaque area by 28.9% as compared with the area before treatment (P < 0.01) and 25.6% compared with that in Ad-β gal-treated rabbits (P < 0.01). Adiponectin significantly suppressed the mRNA expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) by 18.5% through intima transfer (P < 0.05) and 26.9% through adventitia transfer (P < 0.01), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) by 40.7% through intima transfer (P < 0.01), and 30.7% through adventitia transfer (P < 0.01). However, adiponectin had no effect on the expression of types I and III collagen. These results suggest that local adiponectin treatment suppresses the development of atherosclerosis in vivo in part by attenuating the expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 in vascular walls.
The integrated action of oestrogen receptor isoforms and sites with progesterone receptor in the gonadotrope modulates LH secretion: evidence from tamoxifen-treated ovariectomized rats
Authors: Garrido-Gracia José C , Gordon Ana , Bellido Carmina , Aguilar Rafaela , Barranco Inmaculada , Millán Yolanda , de las Mulas Juana Martín , Sánchez-Criado José E
Published: March 2007

The specific role of each oestrogen receptor (ER) isoform (α and β ) and site (nucleus and plasma membrane) in LH release was determined in ovariectomized (OVX) rats injected over 6 days (days 15–20 after OVX) with a saturating dose (3 mg/day) of tamoxifen (TX), a selective ER modulator with nuclear ERα agonist actions in the absence of oestrogen. This pharmacological effect of TX was demonstrated by the fact that it was blocked by the selective ERα antagonist methyl-piperidinopyrazole. Over the past 3 days of the 6-day TX treatment, rats received either 25 μg/day oestradiol benzoate (EB), 1.5 mg/day selective ERα agonist propylpyrazole triol (PPT) and the selective ERβ agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN), or a single 3 mg injection of the antiprogestin onapristone (ZK299) administered on day 20. Blood samples were taken to determine basal and progesterone receptor (PR)-dependent LH-releasing hormone (LHRH)-stimulated LH secretion and to evaluate LHRH self-priming, the property of LHRH that increases gonadotrope responsiveness to itself. Blood LH concentration was determined by RIA and gonadotrope PR expression by immunohistochemistry. Results showed that i) EB and DPN potentiated the negative feedback of TX on basal LH release; ii) DPN reduced TX-induced PR expression; iii) EB and PPT blocked TX-elicited LHRH self-priming and iv) ZK299 reduced LHRH-stimulated LH secretion and blocked LHRH self-priming. These observations suggest that oestrogen action on LH secretion in the rat is exerted at the classic ERα pool and that this action might be modulated by both ERβ and membrane ERα through their effects on PR expression and action respectively.
Prenatal influences on susceptibility to diet-induced obesity are mediated by altered neuroendocrine gene expression
Authors: Ikenasio-Thorpe Bettina A , Breier Bernhard H , Vickers Mark H , Fraser Mhoyra
Published: March 2007

The escalating rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes have reached pandemic proportions. It has been proposed that the risk of developing metabolic disorders in adult life is influenced by environmental factors, which operate during the early periods of development. We have previously shown that an interaction between the prenatal and the postnatal dietary environment amplifies the propensity towards diet-induced obesity, although the mechanisms are unclear. In the present study, we investigated the interaction between prenatal undernutrition and postnatal high-fat nutrition on key genes of the hypothalamic appetite regulatory network. Pregnant Wistar rats were fed a standard chow diet either ad libitum (AD) or at 30% of AD intake throughout gestation (UN). From weaning, female AD and UN offspring were fed either a standard chow (ADC n = 8, UNC n = 8) or a high-fat diet (45% kcal as fat; ADHF n = 8, UNHF n = 8) ad libitum for the remainder of the study. At 24 weeks of age, body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry analysis and total RNA was extracted from whole rat hypothalami. Real-time PCR was performed to characterise pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti-related protein (AgRP) and OBRb gene expression at the mRNA level. Our results demonstrate that the amplification of postnatal obesity develops as a consequence of an interaction between prenatal under-nutrition and postnatal high-fat nutrition. This phenotype also shows significant alterations in POMC, NPY, AgRP and OBRb gene expression together with elevations in circulating levels of both plasma leptin and insulin. These findings are consistent with the predictive adaptive response hypothesis that neuroendocrine development during fetal life may be based on predictions about postnatal environmental conditions. Increased susceptibility to diet-induced obesity develops if a mismatch between the anticipated and the actual conditions are encountered.
Thyroid hormone receptor β-specific agonist GC-1 increases energy expenditure and prevents fat-mass accumulation in rats
Authors: Villicev Cássio M , Freitas Fatima R S , Aoki Marcelo S , Taffarel Cássio , Scanlan Thomas S , Moriscot Anselmo S , Ribeiro Miriam O , Bianco Antonio C , Gouveia Cecília H A
Published: March 2007

It is well known that thyroid hormone affects body composition; however, the effect of the thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ)-selective thyromimetic GC-1 on this biological feature had not been demonstrated. In the current study, we compared the effects of a 6-week treatment with triiodothyronine (T3; daily injections of 3 or 6 μg/100 g body weight) or GC-1 (equimolar doses) on different metabolic parameters in adult female rats. Whereas all animals gained weight (17–25 g) in a way not basically affected by T3 or GC-1 treatment, only T3 treatment selectively increased food intake (50–70%). Oxygen consumption was significantly and equally increased (50–70%) by T3 and GC-1. Analysis of body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) revealed that, whereas control animals gained about 80% of fat mass, T3- or GC-1-treated animals lost 70–90 and ~20% respectively. Direct analysis of the carcass showed that T3 treatment promoted a 14–74% decrease in fat content but GC-1 treatment promoted only a 15–23% reduction. The gain in lean mass by DEXA and the carcass protein content were not affected by T3 or GC-1 treatment. However, the mass of individual skeletal muscles was negatively affected by T3 but only barely by GC-1. These findings highlight the potential use of GC-1 for the treatment of obesity and the metabolic syndrome.
Investigation of vehicle time headways in Turkey
Authors: Murat Y. S. , Gedizlioglu E.
Published: March 2007

The vehicle time headways of arriving traffic flows at signalised intersections are examined in this study. Low traffic conditions are considered, and traffic lanes that carry less than 500 vehicles/h are studied. Data are obtained from 10 signalised intersections in Turkey. The lanes are classified with respect to movements of traffic flows. Seven distribution models are taken into account. The goodness of fits of the observations with the theoretical distribution models are evaluated using chi square (χ2) and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests. The results are considered with respect to both lane type and traffic volumes. The presented results show that log normal, Weibull, gamma or Pearson V distribution models can be used instead of the exponential distribution in modelling vehicle time headways.
A Comparative Health Survey of the Inhabitants of Roma Settlements in Hungary
Authors: Kósa Zsigmond , Széles György , Kardos László , Kósa Karolina , Németh Renáta , Országh Sándor , Fésüs Gabriella , McKee Martin , Ádány Róza , Vokó Zoltán
Published: March 2007

Objectives. We compared the health of people living in Roma settlements with that of the general population in Hungary.

Methods. We performed comparative health interview surveys in 2003 to 2004 in representative samples of the Hungarian population and inhabitants of Roma settlements.

Results. In persons older than 44 years, 10% more of those living in Roma settlements reported their health as bad or very bad than did those in the lowest income quartile of the general population. Of those who used any health services, 35% of the Roma inhabitants and 4.4% of the general population experienced some discrimination. In Roma settlements, the proportion of persons who thought that they could do much for their own health was 13% to 15% lower, and heavy smoking and unhealthy diet were 1.5 to 3 times more prevalent, than in the lowest income quartile of the general population.

Conclusions. People living in Roma settlements experience severe social exclusion, which profoundly affects their health. Besides tackling the socioeconomic roots of the poor health of Roma people, specific public health interventions, including health education and health promotion programs, are needed.
Family History of Diabetes, Awareness of Risk Factors, and Health Behaviors Among African Americans
Authors: Baptiste-Roberts Kesha , Gary Tiffany L. , Beckles Gloria L.A. , Gregg Edward W. , Owens Michelle , Porterfield Deborah , Engelgau Michael M.
Published: March 2007

Objectives. We examined the role of family history of diabetes in awareness of diabetes risk factors and engaging in health behaviors.

Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1122 African American adults without diabetes who were participants in Project DIRECT (Diabetes Interventions Reaching and Educating Communities Together).

Results. After adjustment for age, gender, income, education, body mass index, and perceived health status, African Americans with a family history of diabetes were more aware than those without such a history of several diabetes risk factors: having a family member with the disease (relative risk [RR]=1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.03, 1.15), being overweight (RR=1.12; 95% CI=1.05, 1.18), not exercising (RR=1.17; 95% CI=1.07, 1.27), and consuming energy-dense foods (RR=1.10; 95% CI=1.00, 1.17). Also, they were more likely to consume 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day (RR=1.31; 95% CI=1.02, 1.66) and to have been screened for diabetes (RR=1.21; 95% CI=1.12, 1.29).

Conclusions. African Americans with a family history of diabetes were more aware of diabetes risk factors and more likely to engage in certain health behaviors than were African Americans without a family history of the disease.
Socioeconomic Status and Risk for Arsenic-Related Skin Lesions in Bangladesh
Authors: Argos Maria , Parvez Faruque , Chen Yu , Hussain A.Z.M. Iftikhar , Momotaj Hassina , Howe Geoffrey R. , Graziano Joseph H. , Ahsan Habibul
Published: March 2007

Objectives. Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a severe public health crisis in Bangladesh, where the population is exposed to arsenic in drinking water through tube wells used for groundwater collection. In this study, we explored the association between socioeconomic status and arsenic toxicity.

Methods. We used baseline data from 11438 men and women who were recruited into the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS), a prospective cohort study on the health effects of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh. We conducted analyses with logistic regression and generalized estimating equations.

Results. We found a strong dose–response association with all measures of arsenic exposure and skin lesions. We also found that the effect of arsenic was modified by land ownership on a multiplicative scale, with an increased risk among non–land owners associated with well water arsenic (P=.04) and urinary total arsenic concentrations (P=.03).

Conclusions. Our study provides insight into potentially modifiable host characteristics and identifies factors that may effectively target susceptible population subgroups for appropriate interventions.
Out-of-Pocket Healthcare Spending by the Poor and Chronically Ill in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Ruger Jennifer Prah , Kim Hak-Ju
Published: March 2007

Objectives. We estimated out-of-pocket health care spending and out-of-pocket spending burden ratio employing household equivalent income in the Republic of Korea. We examined variations in out-of-pocket spending, estimated out-of-pocket spending burden ratio employing household equivalent income, and identified factors associated with out-of-pocket spending.

Methods. We used the 1998 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey, a nationally representative survey of 39 060 individuals. Our analyses examined out-of-pocket spending, out-of-pocket spending burden ratio, and health care use by socioeconomic status, insurance type, health care facility type, and chronic condition after we controlled for sociodemographic variables.

Results. The lowest income quintile spent 12.5% of their total income out-of-pocket on medical expenditures, which was 6 times that of the highest income quintile (2%). Among those with 3 or more chronic conditions, low-income Koreans had the highest out-of-pocket spending burden ratio (20%), which was 5 times the spending burden among high-income Koreans (4%). In multivariate analyses, the number of chronic conditions, insurance type, health care use, and health care facility type were associated with out-of-pocket spending.

Conclusions. Out-of-pocket spending in Korea is regressive, because lower-income groups pay disproportionately more of their income compared with higher-income groups. Low-income individuals with multiple chronic conditions are particularly vulnerable.
Associations Between Body Composition, Anthropometry, and Mortality in Women Aged 65 Years and Older
Authors: Dolan Chantal Matkin , Kraemer Helena , Browner Warren , Ensrud Kristine , Kelsey Jennifer L.
Published: March 2007

Objectives. We examined the relation between measures of body size and mortality in a predominantly White cohort of 8029 women aged 65 years and older who were participating in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures.

Methods. Body composition measures (fat and lean mass and percentage body fat) were calculated by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Anthropometric measures were body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) and waist circumference.

Results. During 8 years of follow-up, there were 945 deaths. Mortality was lowest among women in the middle of the distribution of each body size measure. For BMI, the lowest mortality rates were in the range 24.6 to 29.8 kg/m2. The U-shaped relations were seen throughout the age ranges included in this study and were not attributable to smoking or measures of preexisting illness. Body composition measures were not better predictors of mortality than BMI or waist girth.

Conclusions. Our results do not support applying the National Institutes of Health categorization of BMI from 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 as overweight in older women, because women with BMIs in this range had the lowest mortality.
Generating Political Priority for Maternal Mortality Reduction in 5 Developing Countries
Authors: Shiffman Jeremy
Published: March 2007

I conducted case studies on the level of political priority given to maternal mortality reduction in 5 countries: Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, and Nigeria.

Among the factors that shaped political priority were international agency efforts to establish a global norm about the unacceptability of maternal death; those agencies’ provision of financial and technical resources; the degree of cohesion among national safe motherhood policy communities; the presence of national political champions to promote the cause; the deployment of credible evidence to show policymakers a problem existed; the generation of clear policy alternatives to demonstrate the problem was surmountable; and the organization of attention-generating events to create national visibility for the issue.

The experiences of these 5 countries offer guidance on how political priority can be generated for other health causes in developing countries.
A brief history of urban water supply in antiquity
Authors: Mays L.W. , Koutsoyiannis D. , Angelakis A.N.
Published: March 2007

A brief history of ancient water supply techniques for urban areas from the earliest civilizations through the Roman times is presented. Throughout the history of urban centers, a sufficient water supply has been the backbone of each city. All sources of water, rivers, lakes, springs, underground sources, and rainwater collection, were exploited for urban supply starting from the earliest civilizations. The specific choice was dependent upon the civilization, the geomorphology, the topography, and the local climatic and hydrological conditions. No large-scale lifting techniques were available; thus, water was transferred from the source by aqueducts from a higher altitude. Cisterns used for collection of rain water and wells for drawing groundwater were very well developed since the Bronze Age. During historical times, Greeks and later Romans reached a high level of water supply technologies that greatly influenced modern achievements in water engineering and management.
Logical and illogical exegeses of hydrometeorological phenomena in ancient Greece
Authors: Koutsoyiannis D. , Mamassi N. , Tegos A.
Published: March 2007

Technological applications aiming at the exploitation of the natural sources appear in all ancient civilizations. The unique phenomenon in the ancient Greek civilization is that technological needs triggered physical explanations of natural phenomena, thus enabling the foundation of philosophy and science. Among these, the study of hydrometeorological phenomena had a major role. This study begins with the Ionian philosophers in the seventh century BC, continues in classical Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries BC, and advances and expands through the entire Greek world up to the end of Hellenistic period. Many of the theories developed by ancient Greeks are erroneous according to modern views. However, many elements in Greek exegeses of hydrometeorological processes, such as evaporation and condensation of vapour, creation of clouds, hail, snow and rainfall, and evolution of hydrological cycle, are impressive even today.
The hydrologic cycle: a complex history with continuing pedagogical implications
Authors: Karterakis S.M. , Karney B.W. , Singh B. , Guergachi A.
Published: March 2007

Historical papers relating to water often focus on a physical structure or archaeological artefact that is being investigated in order to achieve insight into the life, times or understanding of a historical culture or people. In this sense, the current paper is an anomaly in that the “artefact” motivating this historical review of the hydrological cycle was observed first in the classroom. More specifically, many years of teaching hydrology has highlighted the difficulty students often have in achieving a broad and deep understanding of hydrological processes. Several reasons could be proposed for the observed pedagogical difficulties, but what is of interest here is that a student's struggles are reminiscent of the historical ones relating to first deducing the hydrological cycle. Thus, a novel hypothesis is tentatively advanced: concepts that were tortuous or taxing to deduce historically often, and for quite similar reasons, are challenging to teach, and vice versa. While a comprehensive psychological exploration of this observation is beyond the scope of this article, a few broader connections are briefly explored.
Aqueducts during the Minoan Era
Authors: Angelakis A.N. , Savvakis Y.M. , Charalampakis G.
Published: March 2007

In this paper several archaeological, historical and other aspects of aqueducts in Minoan era are reviewed. During the Middle Bronze Age a “cultural explosion”, unparalleled in the history of other ancient civilizations, occurred on the island of Crete. One of the salient characteristics of that cultural development was the architectural and hydraulic function of aqueducts used for water supply in “palaces” and cities. Usually aqueducts were collecting water from springs located apart from the settlements. The Minoan hydrologists and engineers were aware of some of the basic principles of what we call today principles and practices of water sciences with emphasis on the construction and operation of aqueducts. The description of selected Minoan aqueducts could justify that Minoans could be considered as pioneers in those technologies.
Historical development of the Augustan Aqueduct in Southern Italy: twenty centuries of works from Serino to Naples
Authors: De Feo G. , Napoli R.M.A
Published: March 2007

The aim of the present study was to investigate the historical development of the Augustan Aqueduct Serino-Naples-Miseno in the Campania Region, in Southern Italy. The Serino aqueduct is not well known because there are no remains of spectacular bridges, but it was a masterpiece of engineering and one of the largest aqueduct systems in the whole Roman Empire. The Serino aqueduct was constructed during the Augustus period of the Roman Empire, probably between 33 and 12 BC when Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was curator aquarum in Rome, principally in order to refurnish the Roman fleet of Misenum and secondarily to supply water for the increasing demand of the important commercial harbour of Puteoli as well as drinking water for big cities such as Cumae and Neapolis. The main channel of the Serino aqueduct was approximately 96 km long, and had 7 main branches to towns along its trace such as Nola, Pompeii, Acerra, Herculaneum, Atella, Pausillipon, Nisida, Puteoli, Cumae and Baiae. Since the total length of all the branches was approximately 49 km, the Serino aqueduct complex had a length of around 145 km and therefore it should be considered the largest aqueduct system in the Roman world.
Water supply of the cities in ancient China
Authors: Du P. , Chen H.
Published: March 2007

Water-supply facilities have a long history in China. Historical records show that the level of development of a city depended highly on sufficiency of water. Past research has shown that highly developed water-supply facilities existed in ancient China, and the prosperous periods in Chinese history all had comprehensive water-supply planning and reasonable choice of water source. This paper introduces and analyzes the highly comprehensive water system planning, water-supply facilities and the evolution of water-supply technology of cities in ancient China. The discussion includes water-supply system consisted of pipeline system and cleaning measures in City of Yangcheng (of Eastern Zhou Dynasty), and the choice of water source and history of water-supply development of ancient Cities of Chang'an (modern Xi'an) and Beijing. The paper also sums up the main methods and achievements in water-supply of cities in ancient China, and the experience that are applicable in modern city planning and water-supply technology.
Water sustainability of ancient civilizations in mesoamerica and the American Southwest
Authors: Mays L.W.
Published: March 2007

Many civilizations, which were great centers of power and culture, were built in locations that could not support the populations that developed. Throughout history, arid and semi-arid lands seem to have produced more people than they can sustain. I will attempt to make comparisons between civilizations of the past in Mesoamerica and the American southwest and the present world in the context of water resources sustainability. Water has always been a very important factor in the development and survival of societies. A central theme of this paper is very simply, the ancients have warned us.
Pymatuning earthquake in Pennsylvania and Late Minoan Crisis on Crete
Authors: Gorokhovich Y. , Fleeger G.
Published: March 2007

One of the previously published hypotheses on Late Minoan Crisis on Crete considers water loss in aquifers as a reason that forced late Minoan people to abandon their palaces and settlements. According to this hypothesis the water loss in aquifers is attributed to the activity of repeated earthquakes at that time. This hypothesis was supported by numerous case studies of the effects of earthquakes on aquifers in various geological regions around the world.

Presented study concentrates on detailed description of the one of the most interesting cases, the aquifer in Pennsylvania (USA) damaged by the relatively moderate Pymatuning earthquake in 1998, and compares its geological settings with similar conditions on Crete, specifically near Phaistos and Knossos palaces. Pymatuning earthquake resulted in devastating effect on approximately 120 households that lost drinking water from wells. The lessons from Pymatuning earthquake provide a unique insight into similar situation that could occur 3,600 years BP on Crete.
The ancient Lake Albano tunnel: origins and considerations regarding the hydraulic regulation achieved
Authors: Drusiani R. , Bersani P. , Penta P.
Published: March 2007

A brief description of the geomorphological, historical, and archaeological aspects of the Colli Albani area, where the volcanic lakes of Albano and Nemi are situated, is followed by an examination on the problem of the policies of lake Albano regulation, by means of an ancient tunnel dating at least to the 5th century BC. In particular, it is investigated how, in the presence of even severe atmospheric phenomena, it was possible to control fluctuations in the level of the lake on the banks of which there were large settlements. Mathematical model simulations indicate the effectiveness of the ancient tunnel in achieving these objectives.
Understanding the environment for online teaching
Authors: Conceição Simone C. O.
Published: March 2007

This chapter provides guidelines for understanding the online environment and the use of online teaching strategies.
Using consensus groups in online learning
Authors: Smith Regina O. , Dirkx John M.
Published: March 2007

This chapter describes online consensus group work, a form of collaborative learning. It discusses collaborative learning, small group work, and consensus learning, with recommendations for their use in online contexts.
Setting directions for the future of online and adult education
Authors: Conceição Simone C. O.
Published: March 2007

This chapter summarizes and synthesizes the major emphases from the previous chapters, examining their practical implications in online education and suggesting future directions for the practice of adult and continuing education.