bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of thromboxane A2-activated nonselective cation channels in hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction of rat
Authors: Yoo Hae Young , Park Su Jung , Seo Eun-Young , Park Kyung Sun , Han Jung-A. , Kim Kyung Soo , Shin Dong Hoon , Earm Yung E. , Zhang Yin-Hua , Kim Sung Joon
Published: October 2011

Hypoxia-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) is critical for matching of ventilation/perfusion in lungs. Although hypoxic inhibition of K+ channels has been a leading hypothesis for depolarization of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) under hypoxia, pharmacological inhibition of K+ channels does not induce significant contraction in rat pulmonary arteries. Because a partial contraction by thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is required for induction of HPV, we hypothesize that TXA2 receptor (TP) stimulation might activate depolarizing nonselective cation channels (NSCs). Consistently, we found that 5–10 nM U46619, a stable agonist for TP, was indispensible for contraction of rat pulmonary arteries by 4-aminopyridine, a blocker of voltage-gated K+ channel (Kv). Whole cell voltage clamp with rat PASMC revealed that U46619 induced a NSC current ( INSC,TXA2) with weakly outward rectifying current-voltage relation. INSC,TXA2 was blocked by ruthenium red (RR), an antagonist of the transient receptor potential vanilloid-related channel (TRPV) subfamily. 2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, an agonist for TRPV1–3, consistently activated NSC channels in PASMCs. In contrast, agonists for TRPV1 (capsaicin), TRPV3 (camphor), or TRPV4 (α-PDD) rarely induced an increase in the membrane conductance of PASMCs. RT-PCR analysis showed the expression of transcripts for TRPV2 and -4 in rat PASMCs. Finally, it was confirmed that pretreatment with RR largely inhibited HPV in the presence of U46619. The pretreatment with agonists for TRPV1 (capsaicin) and TRPV4 (α-PDD) was ineffective as pretone agents for HPV. Taken together, it is suggested that the concerted effects of INSC,TXA2 activation and Kv inhibition under hypoxia induce membrane depolarization sufficient for HPV. TRPV2 is carefully suggested as the TXA2-activated NSC in rat PASMC.
Antibody Conjugate Therapeutics: Challenges and Potential
Authors: Teicher Beverly A. , Chari Ravi V.J.
Published: October 2011

Antibody conjugates are a diverse class of therapeutics consisting of a cytotoxic agent linked covalently to an antibody or antibody fragment directed toward a specific cell surface target expressed by tumor cells. The notion that antibodies directed toward targets on the surface of malignant cells could be used for drug delivery is not new. The history of antibody conjugates is marked by hurdles that have been identified and overcome. Early conjugates used mouse antibodies; cytotoxic agents that were immunogenic (proteins), too toxic, or not sufficiently potent; and linkers that were not sufficiently stable in circulation. Investigators have explored 4 main avenues using antibodies to target cytotoxic agents to malignant cells: antibody-protein toxin (or antibody fragment–protein toxin fusion) conjugates, antibody-chelated radionuclide conjugates, antibody–small-molecule drug conjugates, and antibody-enzyme conjugates administered along with small-molecule prodrugs that require metabolism by the conjugated enzyme to release the activated species. Only antibody-radionuclide conjugates and antibody-drug conjugates have reached the regulatory approval stage, and nearly 20 antibody conjugates are currently in clinical trials. The time may have come for this technology to become a major contributor to improving treatment for cancer patients. Clin Cancer Res; 17(20); 6389–97. ©2011 AACR.
Artesunate Induces Oxidative DNA Damage, Sustained DNA Double-Strand Breaks, and the ATM/ATR Damage Response in Cancer Cells
Authors: Berdelle Nicole , Nikolova Teodora , Quiros Steve , Efferth Thomas , Kaina Bernd
Published: October 2011

Artesunate, the active agent from Artemisia annua L. used in the traditional Chinese medicine, is being applied as a first-line drug for malaria treatment, and trials are ongoing that include this drug in cancer therapy. Despite increasing interest in its therapeutic application, the mode of cell killing provoked by artesunate in human cells is unknown. Here, we show that artesunate is a powerful inducer of oxidative DNA damage, giving rise to formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase–sensitive sites and the formation of 8-oxoguanine and 1,N6-ethenoadenine. Oxidative DNA damage was induced in LN-229 human glioblastoma cells dose dependently and was paralleled by cell death executed by apoptosis and necrosis, which could be attenuated by radical scavengers such as N-acetyl cysteine. Oxidative DNA damage resulted in DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) as determined by γH2AX foci that colocalized with 53BP1. Upon chronic treatment with artesunate, the level of DSB continuously increased over the treatment period up to a steady-state level, which is in contrast to ionizing radiation that induced a burst of DSB followed by a decline due to their repair. Knockdown of Rad51 by short interfering RNA and inactivation of DNA-PK strongly sensitized glioma cells to artesunate. These data indicate that both homologous recombination and nonhomologous end joining are involved in the repair of artesunate-induced DSB. Artesunate provoked a DNA damage response (DDR) with phosphorylation of ATM, ATR, Chk1, and Chk2. Overall, these data revealed that artesunate induces oxidative DNA lesions and DSB that continuously increase during the treatment period and accumulate until they trigger DDR and finally tumor cell death. Mol Cancer Ther; 10(12); 2224–33. ©2011 AACR.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery to the Resection Cavity of Brain Metastases: A Retrospective Analysis and Literature Review
Authors: Rwigema Jean-Claude M. , Wegner Rodney E. , Mintz Arlan H. , Paravati Anthony J. , Burton Steven A. , Ozhasoglu Cihat , Heron Dwight E.
Published: October 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze results of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) as adjuvant therapy for resected brain metastases. Methods: Medical records of patients treated at a single institution with SRS to the postoperative cavity of brain metastases were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who completed the prescribed SRS regimen following gross-total resection and had no previous whole brain radiotherapy were included in the study. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to estimate local (LC) and intracranial control (IC), and overall survival (OS) rates. Results: Between April 2005 and July 2010, 77 patients (median age 63 years) with 89 metastases met the inclusion criteria. The median prescription dose was 18 Gy (12–27 Gy) delivered in 1–3 fractions for a median target volume of 7.6 cm3 (0.5–59 cm3). The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year LC rates were 76.1, 76.1, and 74.3%, respectively. The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year IC rates were 75.2, 54, and 43.6%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 13.8 months, the median OS was 14.5 months (1.9–51.4 months) after SRS. The overall 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year OS rates were 91, 62.5, and 43.6%, respectively. Complications included 2 patients with radiation necrosis. Conclusion: Adjuvant radiosurgery to the tumor cavity of resected brain metastases is well-tolerated and achieves LC in the majority of patients.
Frequent Early Cardiac Complications Contribute to Worse Stroke Outcome in Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Tu Hans T.H. , Campbell Bruce C.V. , Churilov Leonid , Kalman Jonathan M. , Lees Kennedy R. , Lyden Patrick D. , Shuaib Ashfaq , Donnan Geoffrey A. , Davis Stephen M. ,   on behalf of the VISTA collaborators
Published: October 2011

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with worse outcomes following ischemic stroke and more frequent cardiac complications in the general population. We aimed to establish whether early cardiac complications contribute to the poorer ischemic stroke outcomes in patients with AF, independent of baseline differences in age, stroke severity and cardiovascular risk factors. This might have important implications for acute stroke management in patients with AF. Methods: We searched VISTA-Acute, an academic database containing standardized data for 28,131 patients from 30 randomized-controlled acute stroke trials and 1 stroke registry, for imaging-confirmed placebo-treated patients with complete documentation of baseline demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, presence or absence of AF, neurologic impairment [National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)], cardiac complications and 3-month outcome (modified Rankin Scale). A total of 2,865 patients from 6 randomized-controlled trials met the selection criteria, of whom 819 had AF. Binary logistic regression modeling was used to determine the independent effect of AF on stroke outcome and serious cardiac adverse events (SCAE), a composite end point including acute coronary syndrome, symptomatic heart failure, cardiopulmonary arrest, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation and cardiac mortality. Results: All patients were enrolled into the source trials within 24 h of stroke onset. At baseline, patients with AF were older (mean 75 vs. 67 years, p < 0.001) and had greater neurologic impairment (median NIHSS 15 vs. 13, p < 0.001). The median time to first cardiac adverse event was 3 days [median difference 0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0–1, p = 0.06] for both patients with and without AF. SCAE occurred more frequently [14.2 vs. 6%, odds ratio (OR) = 2.58, 95% CI 1.97–3.37] in patients with AF, particularly cardiac mortality (4.9 vs. 2.6%, OR = 1.89, 95% CI 1.25–2.88), symptomatic heart failure (6.5 vs. 2.2%, OR = 3.01, 95% CI 2.01–4.50), and ventricular tachycardia and/or fibrillation (2.4 vs. 0.8%, OR = 3.18, 95% CI 1.64–6.16). At 3 months, AF was independently associated with SCAE (OR = 2.14, 95% CI 1.61–2.86) and early mortality (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.14–1.81) after adjusting for all baseline imbalances. Conclusion: Early SCAE are common after stroke and are independently associated with the presence of AF. Given that many cardiac complications are potentially remediable, these results highlight the need for more rigorous surveillance for cardiac complications in acute ischemic stroke patients with AF.
Geranylgeranylacetone, Heat Shock Protein 90/AMP-Activated Protein Kinase/Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase/Nitric Oxide Pathway, and Endothelial Function in Humans
Authors: Fujimura Noritaka , Jitsuiki Daisuke , Maruhashi Tatsuya , Mikami Shinsuke , Iwamoto Yumiko , Kajikawa Masato , Chayama Kazuaki , Kihara Yasuki , Noma Kensuke , Goto Chikara , Higashi Yukihito
Published: October 2011

Objective—

Geranylgeranylacetone (GGA) induces expression of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), an adaptor molecule for assembly of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation complex. The purpose of this study was to determine whether GGA enhances Hsp90 expression and augments endothelium-dependent vasodilation via upregulation of eNOS in humans.

Methods and Results—

We evaluated the effects of GGA on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and on forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside in 40 healthy young men. Hsp90, eNOS, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and Akt expression in HUVECs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells was detected by Western blot analysis. GGA increased Hsp90 expression and phosphorylation of eNOS and AMPK but not Akt in HUVECs and increased Hsp90 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Oral administration of GGA (600 mg) augmented the FBF response to acetylcholine. Infusion of
N
G
-monomethyl-l-arginine, an NO synthase inhibitor, completely abolished GGA-induced augmentation of the FBF response to acetylcholine. GGA also augmented the acetylcholine-stimulated NO release in smokers.

Conclusion—

These findings suggest that GGA-induced activation of Hsp90/AMPK significantly increased NO-mediated vasodilation in healthy subjects, as well as in smokers. The use of GGA may be a new therapeutic approach for improving endothelial dysfunction.
Location Matters
Authors: Mishra Shikha , Gray Charles B.B. , Miyamoto Shigeki , Bers Donald M. , Brown Joan Heller
Published: October 2011

Rationale:

Differential effects of δ
B
and δ
C
subtypes of Ca
2+
/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII) on cardiomyocyte Ca
2+
handling and survival have been suggested to result from their respective nuclear versus cytosolic localizations. CaMKIIδ subtype localization and its relationship to enzyme activation and target phosphorylation have not, however, been systematically evaluated.

Objective:

To determine whether CaMKIIδ subtypes are restricted to a particular subcellular location and assess the relationship of localization to enzyme activation and function.

Methods and Results:

CaMKIIδ is highly expressed in mouse heart and cardiomyocytes and concentrated in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)/membrane and nuclear fractions. CaMKIIδ
B
and δ
C
subtypes differ by a nuclear localization sequence, but both are present in nuclear and SR/membrane fractions. Nonselective subtype distribution is also seen in mice overexpressing CaMKIIδ
B
or δ
C
, even in a CaMKIIδ null background. Fluorescently tagged CaMKIIδ
B
expressed in cardiomyocytes concentrates in nuclei whereas δ
C
concentrates in cytosol, but neither localization is exclusive. Mouse hearts exposed to phenylephrine show selective CaMKIIδ activation in the nuclear (versus SR) compartment, whereas caffeine selectively activates CaMKIIδ in SR (versus nuclei), independent of subtype. Compartmentalized activation extends to functional differences in target phosphorylation at CaMKII sites: phenylephrine increases histone deacetylase 5 phosphorylation (Ser498) but not phospholamban (Thr17), whereas the converse holds for caffeine.

Conclusions:

These studies demonstrate that CaMKIIδ
B
and δ
C
are not exclusively restricted to the nucleus and cytosol and that spatial and functional specificity in CaMKIIδ activation is elicited by mobilization of different Ca
2+
stores rather than by compartmentalized subtype localization.
Effects of Carotid Endarterectomy or Stenting on Blood Pressure in the International Carotid Stenting Study (ICSS)
Authors: Altinbas Aysun , Algra Ale , Brown Martin M. , Featherstone Roland L. , Kappelle L. Jaap , de Borst Gert Jan , Mali Willem P.Th.M. , van der Worp H. Bart
Published: October 2011

Background and Purpose—

Arterial hypotension is more frequently observed early after carotid artery stenting (CAS) than after carotid endarterectomy (CEA), but their long-term effects on blood pressure (BP) are unclear. We compared the effects of CAS and CEA on BP up to 1 year after treatment in the International Carotid Stenting Study.

Methods—

Patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis were randomly allocated to CAS or CEA. Systolic and diastolic BP were recorded at baseline, at discharge, and at 1, 6, and 12 months. Antihypertensive medication use was recorded. A per-protocol analysis was performed. Patients with missing BP records were excluded. Between-group BP changes were compared and adjusted for baseline covariates with linear regression. Within-group BP changes were compared with the paired
t
test.

Results—

CAS (N=587) and CEA (N=637) were both associated with a decrease in BP at discharge, which was greater after CAS (mean difference in systolic BP between groups, 10.3 mm Hg; 95% CI, 7.3–13.3;
P
<0.0001; in diastolic BP, 4.1 mm Hg; 95% CI, 2.4–5.7;
P
<0.0001). During follow-up, BP changes were not different between groups. Adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics did not change the results. Fewer patients undergoing CAS used antihypertensive medication during follow-up than patients undergoing CEA (relative risk at 12 months, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85–0.97;
P
=0.0073).

Conclusions—

CAS leads to a larger early decrease in BP than CEA, but this effect does not persist over time. CAS may lessen the requirement for antihypertensive medication more than CEA.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
www.controlled-trials.com
. Unique identifier: ISRCTN25337470.
Outcome After Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Measured With the EQ-5D
Authors: Ronne-Engström Elisabeth , Enblad Per , Lundström Erik
Published: October 2011

Background and Purpose—

The EQ-5D measures quality of life based on self-reported health status in 5 dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. In this study, the EQ-5D was evaluated as an outcome measure for patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Methods—

The EQ-5D was completed in 710 patients 9 months after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Relevant demographic and clinical factors were evaluated as predictors of the 5 outcome dimensions in a series of linear regression models.

Results—

Worse health status in mobility, self-care, and usual activities was predicted by increasing age and by a more severe disease as indicated by the presence of an aneurysm, worse clinical condition at admission, or more blood on the CT scan. Younger age and female gender predicted worse health status regarding anxiety/depression.

Conclusions—

The evaluation of the EQ-5D reveals age-related differences in the nature of the challenges faced by these patients.
Children’s selection of fruit and vegetables in a ‘dream versus healthy’ lunch-box survey
Authors: Dresler-Hawke Emma , Whitehead Dean , Parker Leigh
Published: October 2011

Background:

Internationally, it is well established that the behaviour, performance, and achievement of schoolchildren is directly linked to the nutritional status of overall diet – including the contents of their school lunch-boxes. In a previous survey study by the lead authors, primary school children’s food consumption behaviour was investigated. Results indicated that most children’s lunch-boxes contained an over-representation of ‘undesirable’ food groups and an under-representation of fruit and vegetables. This follow-up study examined children’s awareness of healthy food choices and investigated what food groups children would choose if given free choice when constructing a lunch-box.

Methods:

The data was obtained by surveying 1,184 primary school children from eight different urban primary schools in the Manawatu Region of New Zealand. Food items included in this survey represented the 40 most common foods from the previous study. A series of accompanying food charts were used in combination with the checklists. From these lists the children were asked to construct a hypothetical ideal ‘dream’ lunch-box and a ‘healthy’ lunch-box.

Results:

Results indicated a significant difference between the fruit and vegetable content between lunch-boxes, demonstrating that children understood fruit and vegetables are healthy – but that they did not necessarily translate this knowledge into action.

Conclusion:

The influences on children’s choices in fruit and vegetables are as complex as the barriers to them eating. This study offers unique insight into the knowledge and behaviours of schoolchildren when selecting and consuming fruit and vegetables – especially given a degree of autonomy and choice.
Science Fiction or Reality
Authors: Petrovec Dragan , Muršič Mitja
Published: October 2011

The article presents probably the most relevant research to date on the Slovene prison system. The study was conducted through a 2-year research project sponsored by Ministry of Justice and carried out by the Institute of Criminology in Ljubljana. Along with a “longitudinal” study of the social climate in Slovene prison institutions, it evaluates the concepts, practices, and results of so-called sociotherapy as a specific approach to treatment of offenders. “Specific” in this case means that treatment simultaneously encompasses life in prison, the offenders’ social environment, and the inclusion of prison staff. Sociotherapy began as an experiment during the mid-70s and led to astonishing results, namely, the “opening” of prison institutions for almost all inmates, regardless of the length of sentence or the crime committed. Applying the findings of sociotherapy every 5 years since 1980, the social climate in every Slovene prison institution has been measured to assess the quality of support and control prisoners receive and the discipline and treatment philosophies at work in the system. Finally, the article deals with the situation after Slovene independence in 1991 and the passage of new legislation. Against expectations, we find that with the advent of democracy, standards of prisoner treatment have dropped. However, the success of the experiment should encourage all countries seeking to reduce the significant costs of incarceration and attempting to make prison institutions more humane.
Conditional Release (Parole) in Slovenia
Authors: Ambrož Matjaž , Stubbs Katja Šugman
Published: October 2011

In Slovenia (as well as throughout Europe), conditional release (parole) is becoming an increasingly important means of obtaining early release from prison. The authors consider the Slovenian legal regime for conditional release from the perspective of European prison law and policy. They argue that the Slovenian parole system, which has remained practically unchanged since the 1950s, needs certain improvements, especially regarding procedural safeguards in the decision-making process. Deciding whether to grant parole remains, for the time being, an administrative procedure without real possibilities for the prisoner to appeal when parole is refused. As there is hardly any decision of greater importance to imprisoned persons than that which determines the date of their release, the authors argue that the safeguards to the procedure by which prisoners “get out” should in principle be taken as seriously as those which govern the manner in which they “get in.” Good practices derived from comparative law are also discussed and taken into consideration in the authors’ proposals for possible improvements to the Slovenian parole system de lege ferenda.
Remaking the Connections
Authors: Neilson David
Published: October 2011

The current Robert Boyer-led French Regulation School (FRS) characterizes the contemporary era as a diversity of national capitalisms. Boyer’s new approach displaces the original FRS focus on “models of development.” This article rallies against the current direction and re-engages the FRS’s earlier mid-range Marxist-influenced account of capitalist development. In particular, key concepts of “regulation” and “model of development” are reworked in the context of a revised account of the Fordist model of development. These concepts are then adapted to work up an outline of the “neoliberal model of development.”

JEL classification: B50, F59, O57
Evaluation of the in vitro antimutagenic effect of Doash tea aqueous extracts
Authors: Khan Jehan A , Jalal Jalaluddin A , Ioanndes C , Moselhy Said S
Published: October 2011

Human carcinogens are formed mainly due to the lifestyle and diet that is followed. It is well known that dietary factors play a crucial role in the aetiology of human cancer. The new attractions of drug discovery using natural products remain an important issue in the current herbal medicine research. The present study aimed to evaluate the antimutagenic activity of the water extracts of Doash leaves against several known mutagens, both direct- and indirect-acting, belonging to different chemical classes. These classes are heterocyclic amines (HAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines. The antimutagenic activity will be determined in Salmonella/microsomal system (Ames) using strains of Salmonella Typhimurium. Four Salmonella bacterial strains (TA98, TA97, TA100 and TA1530) were used in the present study. Results obtained showed that Doash extract possesses powerful antimutagenic properties, which impair the deleterious effects of various chemicals used in this study. One possible mechanism involved in this protection is the inhibition of the metabolic activation of chemical carcinogens to their reactive metabolites. We also suggest that the health benefits of Doash could be derived from the additive and synergistic combinations of the various phytochemicals present in Doash leaves. Other studies should also be conducted to determine the active components of Doash leaves, including macronutrients, micronutrients and other phytochemicals. Clinical studies should be performed before any claims that Doash consumption offers chemoprotection against cancer can be made.
Geometrical approach-based defense-missile intercept guidance for aircraft protection against missile attack
Authors: Yamasaki T , Balakrishnan S N , Takano H
Published: October 2011

This article develops a missile guidance technique for a ‘defense missile’ trying to protect a cooperative aircraft from guided munitions which have the same thrust and maneuvering capabilities as that of the defense missile. A novel guidance law for the missile-to-missile intercept is developed via a geometrical approach. Performance of the guidance law is analysed in detail and its potential is demonstrated with results from a six degrees-of-freedom simulation and comparison with a conventional guidance law.
Pain Management in Hypertrophic Pulmonary Osteoarthropathy
Authors: Kilaru Malathy , Vitale Caroline , Montagnini Marcos
Published: October 2011

Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HOA) is a condition associated with lung cancer and many other diseases. Pain associated with HOA can be disabling, unremitting, and refractory to conventional analgesic medications. We present a challenging case of HOA in a patient with nonsmall cell lung cancer and review specific therapies for management of HOA-related pain.
Russell Body Gastritis
Authors: Coyne John D. , Azadeh Bahram
Published: October 2011

Russell body gastritis refers to the accumulation of plasma cells containing Russell bodies within the lamina propria. This report describes the first case of monoclonal Russell body gastritis without the previously reported associations.
Bone Status in Activity-Restricted Pregnant Women Assessed Using Calcaneal Quantitative Ultrasound
Authors: Brandao Kristen L. , Mottola Michelle F. , Gratton Robert , Maloni Judith
Published: October 2011

Objective:

Pregnancy-induced bone loss may be further exacerbated by activity restriction (AR). The authors compared the bone status of AR hospitalized (≥7 days) pregnant women in the third trimester to ambulatory (AM) women at the same gestational age, using a prospective cross-sectional design.

Method:

AR was quantified in AR women by daily step counts using a pedometer for 7 consecutive days. Bone status was evaluated in the left and right calcaneus bones of both AR ( n = 13) and AM ( n = 20) women using quantitative ultrasound (QUS).

Results:

AR women took an average of 1,504 ± 1,377 steps/day. Speed of sound scores (1,543.05 ± 41.97 m/s vs. 1,569.60 ± 46.12 m/s) and broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) scores (107.93 ± 9.59 dB/MHz vs. 114.69 ± 17.06 dB/MHz) were not different between the AR and AM groups, respectively ( p > .05). However, bone stiffness index (SI) scores (84.0 ± 16.2 vs. 95.8 ± 22.1, respectively, p < .05) were different between groups, indicating a greater relative risk of future fracture in the AR women.

Conclusion:

Increased fracture risk appears to be a negative side effect incurred through an average of 16 days of hospitalized AR in late pregnancy. Further investigations using a larger sample size are necessary to evaluate the effect of antepartum AR on bone status in the postpartum period to determine if bone status is further attenuated by breastfeeding or if recovery occurs with resumption of ambulation and return of menses and to assess future risk in these women as they age. Prenatal care providers should be made aware of these risks.
Young People’s Perspectives on Changing Families’ Dynamics of Power in the Context of Parental Migration
Authors: Pantea Maria-Carmen
Published: October 2011

The article examines whether parental migration is changing the dynamics of power within families. It is based on in-depth interviews with young people between 14 and 20 years who experience parental migration from Romania. It is argued that despite factors that may facilitate less authoritarian relations in transnational families, migration does not neutralize pre-existing power relations. In different stages of the migration cycle, different levels of authority and freedom occur. The article advises that parents’ migration is simultaneously empowering and burdensome for young people. It increases their ability to negotiate, but may also create discriminatory dynamics of roles among siblings.
Taking a Chance
Authors: Demant Jakob , Heinskou Marie Bruvik
Published: October 2011

This article analyzes the meaning of alcohol in relation to young people’s sexuality, with focus on acquaintance rape. Drinking is a way to stage oneself as mature; it is intentionally used by both male and female youth to make sexual pleasure possible. It is argued that in the context of sexuality among young people, there is a fine line between freedom and gender-specific restrictions. The research on acquaintance rape and alcohol drinking among the youth is traditionally dominated by the concept of risk. This article introduces the concept of chance, along with risk, to grasp the complexities of the grey zone situations of acquaintance rape among the youth. The risk of social stigma within the gender game increases with drinking alcohol simultaneously as the chances of expanding the limitations of gender roles also increase with drinking. These social stigmas, embedded in the gender roles, are central to understanding when a pleasurable situation turns into an acquaintance rape. The article is based on 95 police reports of rape and 37 focus groups on alcohol and sexuality of the Danish youth. The analysis takes it onset in a single case.
A Person with Abilities
Authors: Wedgwood Nikki
Published: October 2011

Whilst it is one thing to say disablism negatively impacts the lives and well-being of people with impairments, it is another altogether to tease out how this happens in everyday life. This article explores the potential of combining sociological theories and method with a psychosocial framework as an interdisciplinary approach to studying the transitional experiences of people with impairments. Using a single life history case study of Ella, a young woman with a severe physical impairment, it clearly illustrates that the impact of disablism on transition is contextual and mediated by a combination of socio-historical factors. It highlights, in particular, the constant tension between agency and structure—revealing that Ella’s levels of personal agency to challenge or undermine disablism varied from one social con-text to another and from one life phase to the next.
Occupational image, organizational image and identity in dirty work: Intersections of organizational efforts and media accounts
Authors: Grandy Gina , Mavin Sharon
Published: October 2011

This article proposes that media representations of an occupational category may intersect with organizations’ efforts to construct a positive organizational identity and image. We fuse three streams of literature namely, organizational identity and image, media and the social construction of reality, and dirty work to extend extant literature on organizational identity and image. Attention is drawn to occupational image as the position of an occupational category in society. We contend that occupational image is likely to influence the decisions and actions taken by organizations and its members, in particular when the occupation is central to the organization’s mission. Occupational image is partly informed by the media. We analyse one year of media coverage of a dirty work occupation, specifically exotic dancing, and identify various ways in which the media portrays the exotic dancing occupation and the organizations providing these services. We focus upon two of these categories, namely Public (dis) Order and Art and Entertainment. We also draw upon a variety of data from one organization, For Your Eyes Only, to explore how organizational efforts to construct a positive organizational identity (based upon professionalism and legitimacy) and image (based upon fantasy, exclusivity and high quality service) intersect these media representations.
A comparison between domestic and international students’ trip characteristics: Evidence from an Australian university
Authors: Glover Petra
Published: October 2011

Changes in the demographic structure of a population present opportunities and challenges for the provision of tourism products and services. One such change is the increased participation of domestic and international students in tertiary education that has occurred in many countries over the past 10 years. Despite the research interest in international students’ tourism behaviour, to date, few studies have compared domestic with international students. Drawing on the concepts of mobility and diaspora tourism a survey was conducted among both groups at an Australian university in 2009 to examine aspects of travel in the country in which they were studying. It was found that international students’ trip characteristics differed from those of domestic students and that longer periods of residence in the host country did not result in international students adapting to domestic students. Recommendations regarding market implications are made and further areas of research are suggested.
Hotel restaurant co-branding: The relationship of perceived brand fit with intention to purchase
Authors: Ashton Ann Suwaree , Scott Noel
Published: October 2011

This study investigates the relationship between perceived brand fit and intention to purchase in the context of a co-branded hotel-restaurant. In particular it examines if co-branding of a hotel in a Thai hotel chain with an independently owned theme restaurant stimulates intention to purchase among hotel guests. This study was conducted using a survey of hotel guests in public areas on the hotel premises. Data regarding guest perceptions of brand fit was analysed using multiple regression and the chi-square test. The findings indicate that two components of perceived brand fit, namely perceived fit (overall) and complementary fit (in terms of product usage and product goals), are statistically significant and positively related to intention to purchase. Theoretical conclusions regarding a co-branding model are discussed and managerial implications for development of an appropriate hotel-restaurant co-branding marketing strategy are provided.
Mechanotransduction of shear in the endothelium: Basic studies and clinical implications
Authors: Johnson Blair D , Mather Kieren J , Wallace Janet P
Published: October 2011

The endothelium plays an integral role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Hemodynamic forces, particularly shear stress, have a powerful influence on endothelial phenotype and function; however, there is no clear consensus on how endothelial cells sense shear. Nevertheless, multiple endothelial cell signal transduction pathways are activated when exposed to shear stress in vitro. The type of shear, laminar or oscillatory, impacts which signal transduction pathways are initiated as well as which subsequent genes are up- or down-regulated, thereby influencing endothelial phenotype and function. Recently, human studies have examined the impact of shear stress and different shear patterns at rest and during exercise on endothelial function. Current evidence supports the theory that augmented exercise-induced shear stress contributes to improved endothelial function following acute exercise and exercise training, whereas retrograde shear initiates vascular dysfunction. The purpose of this review is to examine the current theories on how endothelial cells sense shear stress, to provide an overview on shear stress-induced signal transduction pathways and subsequent gene expression, and to review the current literature pertaining to shear stress and shear patterns at rest as well as during exercise in humans and the related effects on endothelial function.
Personalized vascular medicine: Individualizing drug therapy
Authors: deGoma Emil M , Rivera Giovanni , Lilly Scott M , Usman M Haris U , Mohler Emile R
Published: October 2011

Personalized medicine refers to the application of an individual’s biological fingerprint – the comprehensive dataset of unique biological information – to optimize medical care. While the principle itself is straightforward, its implementation remains challenging. Advances in pharmacogenomics as well as functional assays of vascular biology now permit improved characterization of an individual’s response to medical therapy for vascular disease. This review describes novel strategies designed to permit tailoring of four major pharmacotherapeutic drug classes within vascular medicine: antiplatelet therapy, antihypertensive therapy, lipid-lowering therapy, and antithrombotic therapy. Translation to routine clinical practice awaits the results of ongoing randomized clinical trials comparing personalized approaches with standard of care management.
Acute scrotal pain in boys at a single paediatric centre with a questionnaire to assess patient awareness of the acute scrotum
Authors: Burnand Katherine , Featherstone Neil , Tsang Thomas
Published: October 2011

Paediatric surgeons commonly evaluate acute scrotal pain. Previous peer review articles have suggested that boys should be educated to ensure early medical assessment thereby avoiding potential testicular loss. In this study we sought to ascertain a contemporary view of educational awareness of testicular pain in boys presenting to our service. A prospective 11 month study of boys attending our unit with acute scrotal pain was undertaken. Additionally, 30 consecutive patients completed a standardised questionnaire to ascertain their educational awareness of testicular pain. A total of 84 boys were referred to our service for evaluation of acute scrotal pain; 36 required operative interventions. Nine patients (25%) had testicular torsion; 19 patients (52.8%) had torted appendages; 6 patients (16.7%) had epididymitis and 2 patients (5.5%) had alternative diagnoses. There was one case of testicular loss in the older age group. Most boys were unaware of testicular problems but felt an education regarding scrotal problems would be useful. Our study shows that an unawareness of testicular pain exists in both children and their carers. We envisage that including basic educational aspects into the school curriculum may help avoid possible testicular loss in the future.
When food is neither good nor bad
Authors: Thompson Kirrilly , Blunden Sarah , Brindal Emily , Hendrie Gilly
Published: October 2011

This study examined children’s subjective perceptions of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods. Four interactive focus groups were conducted with 27 children aged 5–9 in South Australia. Each focus group was engaged in a food picture sorting activity. Whilst most children were able to discriminate good and bad whole foods or ingredients, they were less able to agree at a group level on the categorization of combined and transformed food products with which they are most likely to be presented in their ‘everyday’ lives. We discuss this confusion using Mary Douglas’s (1966) theory of ‘matter out of place’. Accordingly, health promotion messages should cultivate the skills required to reconcile the co-presence of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ ingredients in one product or meal.
The Masal Bugduv hoax: Football blogging and journalistic authority
Authors: Burroughs Benjamin , Burroughs W. Jeffrey
Published: October 2011

In the latter half of 2008 a still-unidentified hoaxer created a fictional soccer player named Masal Bugduv. Initially the subject of blog forum posts made by the hoaxer, Bugduv climbed the feeding chain of European football media by going from an insertion in a Wikipedia page, to comments in forums, to blog posts, and then – after making the leap to more mainstream media – to a football magazine and finally to the ‘Football’s Top 50 Rising Stars’ list of 2009 in The Times (London). This article analyzes the Bugduv hoax as a case study of sources of journalistic authority in blogs. A brief history of the hoax is presented followed by a rhetorical analysis of reasons why the hoax was successful. Although Bugduv eventually jumped journalistic platforms from internet to print, the communications that the hoaxer initiated with the audience were entirely on blogs. By considering the textual dynamics successfully used by the hoaxer in claiming sufficient journalistic authority to sustain the hoax, the sources of journalistic authority in blogs are examined and contrasted with those of traditional media.
The semiotics of texture: from tactile to visual
Authors: Djonov Emilia , Van Leeuwen Theo
Published: October 2011

The term ‘texture’ is often applied beyond the tactile, to describe visual and aural qualities. While tactile, visual and aural texture have been studied separately in various fields, the relationships between them remain largely unexplored. To address this gap, this article proposes parameters for describing tactile surface texture and visual texture, and compares their meaning-making potential. The authors argue that, as new technologies increasingly limit the role of tactile experience and expand the importance of the visual, there is a growing need to study the influence of ubiquitous technologies on our use and understanding of the semiotic potential of resources such as texture. They hypothesize about this influence by reviewing the presentation of texture as a fill option for shapes and backgrounds in Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows from 1992 to 2007.
Ethnography of Youth Politics
Authors: Kumar Satendra
Published: October 2011

This article explores the world of youth politics and elections in a provincial university in India. Drawing on three years of personal experience in student politics during 1994–97 and six months of ethnographic field research conducted among young men in Meerut town, North India, in 2004–06 and 2010, this article describes how educated unemployed young men are responding to recent political and economic changes in an era of liberalisation through political involvement on their university campuses. Youth politics, which is often perceived as mundane and concerned only with everyday student-campus life, is deeply entangled with local, state and even national politics in a complex web of demands, expectations and competition. This article describes the ways youth are recruited into the larger political system, and also the ways in which student politics shapes larger politics and vice versa, and contributes to the emerging literature on the youth in the Global South.
Personal and family history of immune-related conditions increase the risk of plasma cell disorders: a population-based study
Authors: Lindqvist Ebba K. , Goldin Lynn R. , Landgren Ola , Blimark Cecilie , Mellqvist Ulf-Henrik , Turesson Ingemar , Wahlin Anders , Björkholm Magnus , Kristinsson Sigurdur Y.
Published: October 2011

The associations between immune-related conditions and multiple myeloma (MM) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) have previously been investigated with inconsistent results. In a large population-based study, we identified 19 112 patients with MM, 5403 patients with MGUS, 96 617 matched control subjects, and 262 931 first-degree relatives. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association of MM and MGUS with immune-related conditions by use of logistic regression. A personal history of all infections combined was associated with a significantly increased risk of MM (OR = 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3), and a personal history of all conditions in the categories infections (OR = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.5-1.7), inflammatory conditions (OR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2-1.5), and autoimmune diseases (OR = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.9-2.4) was associated with a significantly increased risk of MGUS. Several specific immune-related conditions elevated the risk of MM and/or MGUS. A family history of autoimmune disease was associated with a significantly increased risk of MGUS (OR = 1.1; 95% CI, 1.00-1.2), but not MM. Our findings suggest that immune-related conditions and/or their treatment are of importance in the etiology of MGUS and possibly MM. The association of both personal and family history of autoimmune disease with MGUS indicates the potential for shared susceptibility for these conditions.
Distance-based features in pattern classification
Authors: Tsai Chih-Fong , Lin Wei-Yang , Hong Zhen-Fu , Hsieh Chung-Yang
Published: October 2011

In data mining and pattern classification, feature extraction and representation methods are a very important step since the extracted features have a direct and significant impact on the classification accuracy. In literature, numbers of novel feature extraction and representation methods have been proposed. However, many of them only focus on specific domain problems. In this article, we introduce a novel distance-based feature extraction method for various pattern classification problems. Specifically, two distances are extracted, which are based on (1) the distance between the data and its intra-cluster center and (2) the distance between the data and its extra-cluster centers. Experiments based on ten datasets containing different numbers of classes, samples, and dimensions are examined. The experimental results using naïve Bayes, k-NN, and SVM classifiers show that concatenating the original features provided by the datasets to the distance-based features can improve classification accuracy except image-related datasets. In particular, the distance-based features are suitable for the datasets which have smaller numbers of classes, numbers of samples, and the lower dimensionality of features. Moreover, two datasets, which have similar characteristics, are further used to validate this finding. The result is consistent with the first experiment result that adding the distance-based features can improve the classification performance.
International Prices, Costs, and Markup Differences
Authors: Gopinath Gita , Gourinchas Pierre-Olivier , Hsieh Chang-Tai , Li Nicholas
Published: October 2011

Relative cross-border retail prices, in a common currency, comove closely with the nominal exchange rate. Using product-level prices and wholesale costs from a grocery chain operating in the United States and Canada, we decompose this variation into relative costs and markup components. The high correlation of nominal and real exchange rates is driven mainly by changes in relative costs. National borders segment markets. Retail prices respond to changes in costs in neighboring stores within the same country but not across the border. Prices have a median discontinuous change of 24 percent at the border and 0 percent at state boundaries. (JEL F31, L11, L81)
The Nature of Credit Constraints and Human Capital
Authors: Lochner Lance J , Monge-Naranjo Alexander
Published: October 2011

We develop a human capital model with borrowing constraints explicitly derived from government student loan (GSL) programs and private lending under limited commitment. The model helps explain the persistent strong positive correlation between ability and schooling in the United States, as well as the rising importance of family income for college attendance. It also explains the increasing share of undergraduates borrowing the GSL maximum and the rise in student borrowing from private lenders. Our framework offers new insights regarding the interaction of government and private lending, as well as the responsiveness of private credit to economic and policy changes. (JEL D14, H52, I22, I23, J24)