bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chinese Herbs of Shenghe Powder Reverse Multidrug Resistance of Gastric Carcinoma SGC-7901
Authors: Jianhua Wang  , Yuesheng Xia  , Huan Wang  , Zengxia Hou
Published: November 2007

The objective of this study was to investigate the reversal effect of Chinese herbs of Shenghe Powder on the multidrug resistance of the human SGC-7901 gastric carcinoma cell line and vincristine-resistant cell line (SGC-7901/vincristine) and the possible mechanism. SGC-7901 and SGC-7901/ vincristine were cultured in liquid medium RMPI 1640, with the addition of vincristine to the vincristine-resistant line. The reversal effect of Shenghe Powder (using verapamil as control) on the multidrug resistance of SGC-7901/vincristine cells was observed using the 3-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl) -2,5-diphenylterazolium bromide method. The expression rate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2), and apoptosis ratio of SGC-7901 and SGC-7901/vincristine with added Shenghe Powder, verapamil, or verapamil plus Shenghe Powder was observed by flow cytometry. Shenghe Powder and verapamil decreased the multidrug resistance of SGC-7901/vincristine. The effect of Shenghe Powder (10 mg/L) was significantly higher than verapamil ( P < .05). The intracellular concentration of vincristine was increased by Shenghe Powder and verapamil. The vincristine concentration of SGC-7901/vincristine treated with Shenghe Powder was significantly higher ( P < .05). Shenghe Powder reduced the expression level of P-gp and Bcl-2 in SGC-7901/ vincristine and increased the apoptotic percentage of tumor cells; Shenghe Powder had the more significant effect on apoptosis ( P < .05). In conclusion, Shenghe Powder increases the intracellular concentration of vincristine, consistent with the down-regulation of the expression of P-gp and Bcl-2. The reversal effect of Shenghe Powder was stronger than that of verapamil.
The BXH2 mutation in IRF8 differentially impairs dendritic cell subset development in the mouse
Authors: Tailor Prafullakumar , Tamura Tomohiko , Morse Herbert C. , Ozato Keiko
Published: November 2007

Among dendritic cell (DC) subsets, CD8α+ DCs and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) produce high levels of IL12 and type I interferons (IFNs), respectively, and confer early innate immunity. Development of CD8α+ DCs and pDCs requires the interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8). Recently, a spontaneous point mutation was identified in the Irf8/Icsbp gene in the BXH2 mouse, which exhibits an immunodeficient phenotype similar to the IRF8 knockout (KO) mouse. We show that this mutation, designated IRF8R294C, abolishes the development of CD8α+ DCs without impairing pDC development, and eliminates production of IL12p40, while retaining that of type I IFNs. Electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that IRF8R294C failed to interact with partner transcription factors and did not bind certain promoters that require partner interactions. Together, this work indicates that IRF8-partner interactions play different roles in CD8α+ DCs and pDCs, revealing a mechanistic separation that underlies development of these DC subsets.
Inflammatory cell microlocalisation and airway dysfunction: cause and effect?
Authors: Siddiqui S. , Hollins F. , Saha S. , Brightling C. E.
Published: November 2007

Airway inflammation is a critical feature of the airway diseases asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is emerging evidence that structural cells play a key role in the development and perpetuation of the inflammatory response and are pivotal in the development of the changes in the airway structures that lead to airway remodelling.

To date, little attention has been given to the localisation of inflammatory cells to airway structures or the potential interactions between these intimately located cells. However, it is likely that interactions between inflammatory and structural cells in the airway contribute enormously to the pathophysiology of asthma and COPD.

Indeed, recent evidence suggests that mast cells localised to the airway smooth muscle bundle may be important in the development of airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma.

In the present article, the authors aim to summarise: 1) the current understanding of which inflammatory cells locate to airway structures; 2) the proposed mechanisms that may be involved in mediating this microlocalisation; 3) the possible consequences of interactions between inflammatory and structural cells; and 4) the pressing need to investigate whether modulating these interactions is beneficial in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Hypothesis: social defeat is a risk factor for
schizophrenia?
Authors: Selten Jean-Paul , Cantor-Graae Elizabeth
Published: November 2007

The increased schizophrenia risks for residents of cities with high levels
of competition and for members of disadvantaged groups (for example migrants
from low- and middle-income countries, people with low IQ, hearing
impairments or a history of abuse) suggest that social factors are important
for aetiology. Dopaminergic dysfunctioning is a key mechanism in
pathogenesis. This editorial is a selective literature review to delineate a
mechanism whereby social factors can disturb dopamine function in the brain.
Experiments with rodents have shown that social defeat leads to dopaminergic
hyperactivity and to behavioural sensitisation, whereby the animal displays
an enhanced behavioural and dopamine response to dopamine agonists.
Neuroreceptor imaging studies have demonstrated the same phenomena in
patients with schizophrenia who had never received antipsychotics. In
humans, the chronic experience of social defeat may lead to sensitisation
(and/or increased baseline activity) of the mesolimbic dopamine system and
thereby increase the risk for schizophrenia
Opiate dependence and pregnancy: 20-year follow-up study
Authors: Whitty Marie , O'Connor John
Published: November 2007

AIMS AND METHOD

This study examined the 20-year outcome of 55 women who were pregnant and using opiates in 1985 and were attending the Drug Treatment Centre and Advisory Board, Dublin. We established outcome across a number of variables, including mortality, psychiatric and physical morbidity, psychosocial functioning, ongoing drug misuse and outcome of offspring.

RESULTS

At 20-year follow-up 29 women (53%) were deceased. HIV was the commonest cause of death, accounting for 17 deaths (59%). Those who were alive at follow-up displayed high rates of unemployment (84%), illicit substance misuse (74%) and most were dependent on state-subsidised accommodation (78%).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Mortality was higher in our group compared with other long-term follow-up samples. These findings suggest that such participants and their offspring require intensive long-term support and treatment.
Patient choice in forensic settings: managing requests for change of consultant
Authors: Jacob Caroline , Dorkins Eluned , Smith Helen
Published: November 2007

The National Health Service (NHS) is undergoing extensive modernisation. Central to this process is the move away from a professional-led health service to a patient-centred system, which offers patients the ‘power’ to make decisions about their healthcare. In 2003, the government announced their plans for ‘patient choice’ within the NHS (Department of Health, 2003).
Treatment or prison: service user and staff experiences of drug treatment and testing orders
Authors: Kouimtsidis Christos , Reynolds Martina , Asamoah Victor
Published: November 2007

AIMS AND METHOD

The drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) is a treatment option imposed by courts and the first multi-agency initiative in the treatment of substance misuse in the UK. We used separate focus groups for service users and staff involved with DTTOs in Hertfordshire to qualitatively investigate their experiences of the orders. Interviews were recorded and analysed using grounded theory methods.

RESULTS

Analysis highlighted areas of concern related to the central issue of forced treatment, which was more challenging for staff than for service users. The area of most concern was multiagency collaboration.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Multi-agency initiatives require extensive liaison across agencies.
Bisphenol A Prevents the Synaptogenic Response to Testosterone in the Brain of Adult Male Rats
Authors: Leranth Csaba , Szigeti-Buck Klara , MacLusky Neil J. , Hajszan Tibor
Published: November 2007

Exposure measurement data from several developed countries indicate that human beings are widely exposed to low levels of the synthetic xenoestrogen, bisphenol A. We reported previously that bisphenol A, even at doses below the reference safe daily limit for human exposure, recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, impairs the synaptogenic response to 17β-estradiol in the hippocampus of ovariectomized rats. Recent experiments revealed that bisphenol A also interferes with androgen receptor-mediated transcriptional activities. Thus, to investigate whether bisphenol A impairs synaptogenesis in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus of adult male rats, castrated and sham-operated animals were treated with different combinations of bisphenol A (300 μg/kg), testosterone propionate (1.5 mg/kg), and sesame oil vehicle. The brains were processed for electron microscopic stereology, and the number of asymmetric spine synapses in the mPFC and CA1 hippocampal area was estimated. In both regions analyzed, bisphenol A reduced the number of spine synapses in sham-operated, gonadally intact animals, which was accompanied by a compensatory increase in astroglia process density. In addition, bisphenol A prevented both the prefrontal and hippocampal synaptogenic response to testosterone supplementation in castrated males. These results demonstrate that bisphenol A interferes with the synaptogenic response to testosterone in the mPFC and hippocampus of adult male rats. Because the hippocampal synaptogenic action of androgens seems to be independent of androgen and estrogen receptors in males, the potential mechanisms that underlie these negative effects of bisphenol A remain the subject of further investigation.
Nesfatin-1 Neurons in Paraventricular and Supraoptic Nuclei of the Rat Hypothalamus Coexpress Oxytocin and Vasopressin and Are Activated by Refeeding
Authors: Kohno Daisuke , Nakata Masanori , Maejima Yuko , Shimizu Hiroyuki , Sedbazar Udval , Yoshida Natsu , Dezaki Katsuya , Onaka Tatsushi , Mori Masatomo , Yada Toshihiko
Published: November 2007

Nesfatin-1, a newly discovered satiety molecule, is located in the hypothalamic nuclei, including the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON). In this study, fine localization and regulation of nesfatin-1 neurons in the PVN and SON were investigated by immunohistochemistry of neuropeptides and c-Fos. In the PVN, 24% of nesfatin-1 neurons overlapped with oxytocin, 18% with vasopressin, 13% with CRH, and 12% with TRH neurons. In the SON, 35% of nesfatin-1 neurons overlapped with oxytocin and 28% with vasopressin. After a 48-h fast, refeeding for 2 h dramatically increased the number of nesfatin-1 neurons expressing c-Fos immunoreactivity by approximately 10 times in the PVN and 30 times in the SON, compared with the fasting controls. In the SON, refeeding also significantly increased the number of nesfatin-1-immunoreactive neurons and NUCB2 mRNA expression, compared with fasting. These results indicate that nesfatin-1 neurons in the PVN and SON highly overlap with oxytocin and vasopressin neurons and that they are activated markedly by refeeding. Feeding-activated nesfatin-1 neurons in the PVN and SON could play a role in the postprandial regulation of feeding behavior and energy homeostasis.
Effects of independently altering body weight and body mass on the metabolic cost of running
Authors: Teunissen Lennart P. J. , Grabowski Alena , Kram Rodger
Published: November 2007

The metabolic cost of running is substantial, despite the savings from elastic energy storage and return. Previous studies suggest that generating vertical force to support body weight and horizontal forces to brake and propel body mass are the major determinants of the metabolic cost of running. In the present study, we investigated how independently altering body weight and body mass affects the metabolic cost of running. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that reducing body weight would decrease metabolic rate proportionally, and adding mass and weight would increase metabolic rate proportionally. Further, because previous studies show that adding mass alone does not affect the forces generated on the ground, we hypothesized that adding mass alone would have no substantial effect on metabolic rate. We manipulated the body weight and body mass of 10 recreational human runners and measured their metabolic rates while they ran at 3 m s–1. We reduced weight using a harness system, increased mass and weight using lead worn about the waist, and increased mass alone using a combination of weight support and added load. We found that net metabolic rate decreased in less than direct proportion to reduced body weight, increased in slightly more than direct proportion to added load (added mass and weight), and was not substantially different from normal running with added mass alone. Adding mass alone was not an effective method for determining the metabolic cost attributable to braking/propelling body mass. Runners loaded with mass alone did not generate greater vertical or horizontal impulses and their metabolic costs did not substantially differ from those of normal running. Our results show that generating force to support body weight is the primary determinant of the metabolic cost of running. Extrapolating our reduced weight data to zero weight suggests that supporting body weight comprises at most 74% of the net cost of running. However, 74% is probably an overestimate of the metabolic demand of body weight to support itself because in reduced gravity conditions decrements in horizontal impulse accompanied decrements in vertical impulse.
Energy availability influences microclimate selection of hibernating bats
Authors: Boyles Justin G. , Dunbar Miranda B. , Storm Jonathan J. , Brack Virgil
Published: November 2007

Many species hibernate to conserve energy during periods of low food and water availability. It has long been assumed that the optimal hibernation strategy involves long, deep bouts of torpor that minimize energy expenditure. However, hibernation has ecological (e.g. decreased predator avoidance) and physiological (e.g. sleep deprivation) costs that must be balanced with energy savings; therefore, individuals possessing sufficient energy reserves may reduce their use of deep torpor. We tested the hypothesis that energy (fat)availability influences temperature selection of two fat-storing bat species during hibernation. We predicted that individuals with small energy reserves would select colder temperatures for hibernation in order to minimize energy expenditure, while individuals with larger energy reserves would choose warmer temperatures to minimize the costs of hibernation. Results from our field experiment indicate that little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus)hibernating in warm microclimates were significantly heavier than individuals hibernating in cooler microclimates. To determine if energy availability was mediating this relationship, we limited fatty acid availability with mercaptoacetate (MA) and quantified its effect on torpid metabolic rate(TMR) and thermal preference of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). Administration of MA caused a 43% drop in TMR at 10°C and caused bats to choose significantly colder temperatures for hibernation. Our results suggest that fat-storing bats minimize torpor expression using both physiological and behavioral mechanisms.
Aerial hawking and landing: approach behaviour in Natterer's bats, Myotis nattereri (Kuhl 1818)
Authors: Melcón Mariana L. , Denzinger Annette , Schnitzler Hans-Ulrich
Published: November 2007

We compared the flight and echolocation behaviour of a vespertilionid bat(Myotis nattereri) approaching a large stationary or a small moving target. Bats were trained to either land on a landing grid or to catch a moving tethered mealworm. When closing in on these two targets, the bats emitted groups of sounds with increasing number of signals and decreasing pulse interval and duration. When pursuing the mealworm, the approach phase always ended with a terminal group consisting of buzz I and buzz II. When landing, the bats emitted either a terminal group consisting of buzz I alone,with one or two extra pulses, or a group consisting of buzz I and buzz II. In all situations, buzz I ended on average between 47–63 ms prior to contact with the target of interest, which is approximately the reaction time of bats. Therefore, the information collected in buzz II does not guide the bats to the target. The relevant part of the approach phase to reach the target ends with buzz I. The basic sound pattern of this part is rather similar and independent of whether the bats approach the large stationary or the small moving target.
Unphosphorylated twitchin forms a complex with actin and myosin that may contribute to tension maintenance in catch
Authors: Funabara Daisuke , Hamamoto Chieko , Yamamoto Koji , Inoue Akinori , Ueda Miki , Osawa Rika , Kanoh Satoshi , Hartshorne David J. , Suzuki Suechika , Watabe Shugo
Published: November 2007

Molluscan smooth muscle can maintain tension over extended periods with little energy expenditure, a process termed catch. Catch is thought to be regulated by phosphorylation of a thick filament protein, twitchin, and involves two phosphorylation sites, D1 and D2, close to the N and C termini,respectively. This study was initiated to investigate the role of the D2 site and its phosphorylation in the catch mechanism. A peptide was constructed containing the D2 site and flanking immunoglobulin (Ig) motifs. It was shown that the dephosphorylated peptide, but not the phosphorylated form, bound to both actin and myosin. The binding site on actin was within the sequence L10 to P29. This region also binds to loop 2 of the myosin head. The dephosphorylated peptide linked myosin and F-actin and formed a trimeric complex. Electron microscopy revealed that twitchin is distributed on the surface of the thick filament with an axial periodicity of 36.25 nm and it is suggested that the D2 site aligns with the myosin heads. It is proposed that the complex formed with the dephosphorylated D2 site of twitchin, F-actin and myosin represents a component of the mechanical linkage in catch.
Duration of socialization influences responses to a mirror: responses of dominant and subordinate crayfish diverge with time of pairing
Authors: May Holly Y. , Mercier A. Joffre
Published: November 2007

Reflective surfaces have been shown previously to modify behaviour in socialized crayfish. Socializing crayfish by pairing them for two weeks established a hierarchy with one dominant and one subordinate crayfish per pair. Dominant crayfish exhibited specific behaviours, such as cornering,turning and crossing, more frequently in a reflective environment than in a non-reflective environment. After 2 weeks of pairing, subordinate crayfish did not respond in this manner but, instead, performed more reverse walking in a reflective environment. The present study investigated how the length of social pairing affects the response to mirrors. Crayfish from a communal tank were paired for 30 min or for 3 days, and their activity was videotaped for 20 min in a test aquarium lined with mirrors on one half and a non-reflective matte lining on the other half. Crayfish housed in the communal tank were used as a comparison group. After 30 min of pairing, dominant and subordinate crayfish responded similarly to the reflection, showing essentially the same pattern for seven of nine behaviours examined. After 3 days of pairing,dominant crayfish continued to respond to the reflection in essentially the same way, but subordinate crayfish behaved differently, showing differences in seven out of nine behaviours. Thus, the pattern of responses of dominant and subordinate crayfish to reflection diverged with time of pairing.
Use of active steering in railway bogies to reduce rail corrugation on curves
Authors: González F , Pérez J , Vinolas J , Alonso A
Published: November 2007

The aim of the current paper is to assess the ability of active steering systems to prevent the development of rail corrugation in curves.

For that, the corrugation growth rates obtained for a passive vehicle are compared with those obtained for active vehicles (in the current work two strategies for active steering are described and implemented: relative angle control and yaw moment control).

The procedure for the calculation of the corrugation growth is described: first the quasi-static creepages produced during curve negotiation are calculated by means of a railway simulator program (SIMPACK) in different cases. Second, these obtained creepages are introduced in a non-linear corrugation model that evaluates dynamic variations in normal and tangential wheel rail contact forces. Finally, on the basis of these forces, the evolution of the rail profile is determined.

The paper includes results of the selected control strategies that show the potentiality of active steering systems in reducing corrugation growth rates.
Use of a genetic algorithm to optimize wheel profile geometry
Authors: Novales M , Orro A , Bugarín M R
Published: November 2007

Wear is a very important subject for railway administrations. Therefore, it would be of interest to develop a methodology for designing wheel profile geometry in order to improve its behaviour in relation to this subject.

Until now, existing approaches of this kind are based on the statistical study of wear wheel profiles, but this do not consider the characteristics of vehicles and railway tracks, and in addition, it is not an option when a vehicle is going to run, for example, over two different types of track over which mixed running has not previously happened.

In the current paper, a new general methodology is presented for improving wheel profiles in relation to certain physical phenomena that arise during the running of the vehicle over the tracks. This methodology is based on the genetic algorithm (GA) technique. To show the power of this procedure, it is applied to an application case (of a tram-train in Spain), in which great improvements in the behaviour of wheel profile are achieved. In the light of this application, the importance of definition of indexes which control the evolution of the GA is shown.
Temperatures at railway tread braking. Part 2: calibration and numerical examples
Authors: Vernersson T
Published: November 2007

Temperatures in wheels and brake blocks at railway tread braking are studied under brake rig conditions. Results from rig experiments are reported for drag braking at constant brake power for brake blocks made of cast iron and of sinter and composite materials. The influence of block configuration, brake power, and brake speed is studied. A thermal model of railway tread braking, developed in a companion paper, is calibrated using the experimental data. This model analyses wheel and block temperatures and also the partitioning of heat between wheel and block in the brake tests. Numerical examples indicate the influence of brake block type on temperatures and on wheel-block heat partitioning. The influence of rail chill is studied in a complementary paper.
Temperatures at railway tread braking. Part 3: wheel and block temperatures and the influence of rail chill
Authors: Vernersson T , Lundén R
Published: November 2007

Tread braking generates high temperatures in railway wheels and brake blocks as the kinetic energy of the running train is transformed into heat. The temperatures induced in the components are here analysed with particular focus on the cooling influence from the rolling contact between the hot wheel and a cold rail. Controlled brake rig tests are reported, where the rolling contact is studied using a so-called rail-wheel in contact with the braked wheel, along with results from field tests. The data from these experimental studies are used for calibration of a simulation tool for calculation of wheel and block temperatures. The calibrated model analyses heat partitioning between block, wheel and rail and finds the resulting temperatures at braking. The rail chill is found to have a considerable influence on the wheel temperatures for long drag braking cycles. A successful calibration of the model using data from field tests is also reported.
Preschooler Obesity and Parenting Styles of Mothers and Fathers: Australian National Population Study
Authors: Wake Melissa , Nicholson Jan M. , Hardy Pollyanna , Smith Katherine
Published: November 2007

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this work was to determine relationships between BMI status at ages 4 to 5 years and mothers' and fathers' parenting dimensions and parenting styles.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS. Participants were composed of all 4983 of the 4- to 5-year-old children in wave 1 of the nationally representative Longitudinal Study of Australian Children with complete BMI and maternal parenting data. Mothers and fathers self-reported their parenting behaviors on 3 multi-item continuous scales (warmth, control, and irritability) and were each categorized as having 1 of 4 parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and disengaged) using internal warmth and control tertile cut points. Using a proportional odds model, odds ratios for children being in a higher BMI category were computed for mothers and fathers separately and together, after adjustment for factors associated with child BMI, including mothers' and fathers' BMI status.

RESULTS. The sample was composed of 2537 boys and 2446 girls with a mean age 56.9 months; 15% were overweight and 5% were obese (International Obesity Task Force criteria). Mothers' parenting behaviors and styles were not associated in any model with higher odds of children being in a heavier BMI category, with or without multiple imputation to account for missing maternal BMI data. Higher father control scores were associated with lower odds of the child being in a higher BMI category. Compared with the reference authoritative style, children of fathers with permissive and disengaged parenting styles had higher odds of being in a higher BMI category.

CONCLUSIONS. This article is the first, to our knowledge, to examine the parenting of both parents in relation to preschoolers' BMI status while also adjusting for parental BMI status. Fathers' but not mothers' parenting behaviors and styles were associated with increased risks of preschooler overweight and obesity. Longitudinal impacts of parenting on BMI gain remain to be determined.
Recommendations for Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity
Authors: Spear Bonnie A. , Barlow Sarah E. , Ervin Chris , Ludwig David S. , Saelens Brian E. , Schetzina Karen E. , Taveras Elsie M.
Published: November 2007

In this article, we review evidence about the treatment of obesity that may have applications in primary care, community, and tertiary care settings. We examine current information about eating behaviors, physical activity behaviors, and sedentary behaviors that may affect weight in children and adolescents. We also review studies of multidisciplinary behavior-based obesity treatment programs and information about more aggressive forms of treatment. The writing group has drawn from the available evidence to propose a comprehensive 4-step or staged-care approach for weight management that includes the following stages: (1) Prevention Plus; (2) structured weight management; (3) comprehensive multidisciplinary intervention; and (4) tertiary care intervention. We suggest that providers encourage healthy behaviors while using techniques to motivate patients and families, and interventions should be tailored to the individual child and family. Although more intense treatment stages will generally occur outside the typical office setting, offices can implement less intense intervention strategies. We not ony address specific patient behavior goals but also encourage practices to modify office systems to streamline office-based care and to prepare to coordinate with professionals and programs outside the office for more intensive interventions.
Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: What Is the Evidence for Induction Chemoradiation?
Authors: Glynne-Jones Rob , Harrison Mark
Published: November 2007

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Interpret the results of the relevant randomized trials of neoadjuvant induction chemoradiation from Europe and the U.S.Explain why induction chemoradiation is preferred over postoperative adjuvant chemoradiation.Discuss the rationale for using neoadjuvant induction chemoradiation in rectal cancer.

Access and take the CME test online and receive 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ at CME.TheOncologist.com
Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Asia
Authors: Villa Vanessa , Lo Chung Mau
Published: November 2007

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Discuss the selection criteria of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for liver transplantation.Describe the problems associated with the application of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma and the possible solutions.Discuss the current status of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in Asia.

Access and take the CME test online and receive 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ at CME.TheOncologist.com
The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines on Venous Thromboembolic Disease: Strategies for Improving VTE Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Cancer Patients
Authors: Khorana Alok A.
Published: November 2007

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Discuss the importance of thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized cancer patients.Identify risk factors for cancer-associated thrombosis.Identify strategies to improve compliance with prophylaxis recommended by NCCN guidelines.

Access and take the CME test online and receive 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ at CME.TheOncologist.com
Social Inequalities in Intimate Partner Violence: A Study of Women in Kenya
Authors: Lawoko Stephen , Dalal Koustuv , Jiayou Luo , Jansson Bjarne
Published: November 2007

This study examines social inequalities in intimate partner violence (IPV) among women of reproductive age in Kenya. A sample comprising 3,696 women was retrieved from the Kenyan Demographic and Health Survey of 2003. The study design was cross-sectional. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that while high education among women reduced the risk of IPV exposure, both being employed and having a higher education/occupational status than her partner increased a woman’s vulnerability to IPV. Age differences between the partners, illiteracy, and lack of autonomy and access to information increased the likelihood of IPV. Finally, being in polygamous relationships was associated with IPV exposure. The findings indicate demographic, social, and structural differences in exposure to IPV with important implications for interventions.
CCL28 Effects on Periodontal Pathogens
Authors: Watkins Heather R. , Lapp Carol A. , Hanes Philip J. , Dickinson Douglas P. , Volkmann Keith R. , Newman Cheryl L. , Konzelman Joseph L.
Published: November 2007

Background: Chemokines are small proteins that signal to and attract cells of the immune system; they are vital components in the modulation of immunity and wound healing. A newly described chemokine was reported to have antibacterial and antifungal activity. This chemokine, chemokine (C‐C motif) ligand 28 (CCL28; also called mucosae‐associated epithelial chemokine), is secreted by mucosal epithelial cells and is found in saliva and in breast milk. The objective of this study was to test whether CCL28 has antibacterial activity against two anaerobic periodontal pathogens: Porphyromonas gingivalis and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

Methods: We used a bacterial viability test, in which two fluorescent dyes are bound differentially to living and killed bacteria. We tested the bacteria at concentrations of 2 × 107/ml, exposing them to CCL28 at concentrations from 0.04 to 10 μM.

Results: CCL28 was effective at killing both organisms. After 1 hour of exposure to the chemokine under appropriate oxygen conditions, the percentage of living organisms was reduced significantly for each species. We estimated the 50% effective concentration to be ∼0.7 μM for P. gingivalis and ∼2.0 μM for A. actinomycetemcomitans (N = five experiments each). We confirmed these observations using standard bacterial plating methods.

Conclusion: Because this chemokine is secreted into the saliva, a reduction in salivary flow (as in xerostomia) may diminish the oral self‐defense mechanisms by also reducing the exposure of bacteria to the antibacterial action of CCL28.
Treatment of a Large Periradicular Lesion of Endodontic Origin Around a Dental Implant With Enamel Matrix Protein Derivative
Authors: Lin Shaul , Mayer Yaniv
Published: November 2007

Background: This case report describes the healing of a large periradicular lesion involving an adjacent implant. Endodontic surgery was performed in combination with placement of an enamel matrix protein derivative.

Methods: Endodontic surgery was performed, including root end resection at a 90° angle. Ultrasonic tips were used for retrograde preparation, and the retrograde cavity was sealed with zinc oxide–eugenol. The area was filled carefully with enamel matrix proteins. Sutures were removed after a 2‐week healing period.

Results: There were no symptoms of pain, inflammation, or discomfort at 18 months post‐surgery. Radiographs showed complete healing of the periradicular lesion.

Conclusions: Combining an enamel matrix protein derivative with conventional surgery may improve the clinical outcome of large endodontic lesions. Additional research is warranted.
Subgingival Human Cytomegalovirus Correlates With Increased Clinical Periodontal Parameters and Bacterial Coinfection in Periodontitis
Authors: Botero Javier Enrique , Parra Beatriz , Jaramillo Adriana , Contreras Adolfo
Published: November 2007

Background: Viruses from the Herpesviridae family may be implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. The aim of this investigation was to compare the subgingival frequency of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in subjects affected by periodontitis to periodontally healthy subjects and to assess the correlation of HCMV with periodontal clinical parameters and periodontopathic bacteria.

Methods: Thirty subjects with periodontitis (20 with chronic periodontitis and 10 with aggressive periodontitis) were included in the study. A group of 22 periodontally healthy individuals served as controls. Clinical periodontal parameters of probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were recorded using a computerized periodontal probe. Subgingival plaque samples were processed for viral identification by nested polymerase chain reaction and bacterial identification by culture. Clinical periodontal parameters, frequency of detection of HCMV, and microbial composition were compared between the groups using the two‐tailed Student t, χ2, and Mann‐Whitney tests. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to measure the association between virus‐bacterial coinfection and clinical parameters (P ≤0.05).

Results: HCMV detection was more prevalent (P ≤0.05) in periodontally diseased subjects compared to healthy ones. Furthermore, in all groups, PD and CAL were increased in HCMV‐positive sites. In the periodontitis groups, higher frequencies and levels of specific periodontopathic bacteria were detected in HCMV‐positive sites.

Conclusions: HCMV detection in periodontal pockets was associated with higher levels of periodontopathic bacteria and increased PD and CAL at sampled sites. HCMV/bacteria coinfection may be an important factor in periodontal destruction.
Injuries Among US Children With Different Types of Disabilities
Authors: Sinclair Sara A. , Xiang Huiyun
Published: November 2007

Objectives. We sought to determine whether risk of injury differs among children on the basis of the type of disability, and whether the characteristics of injury episodes differ by disability status.

Methods. We used nationally representative data from the 1997–2005 National Health Interview Survey to compare medically attended injuries among children aged 0 to 17 years who had and did not have a disability. Characteristics of injury episodes were compared by disability status. We calculated prevalence and risk of injury by type of disability.

Results. Children who had a single disability had a significantly higher prevalence of injury than children without a disability (3.8% vs 2.5%; P<.01). Characteristics of injury episodes did not differ significantly by disability status (P>.05). After we controlled for sociodemographic variables, we found that only children with emotional or behavioral problems had a significantly higher risk of injury compared with children without a disability (prevalence ratio=1.50; 95% confidence interval=1.15, 1.97; P<.01).

Conclusions. Children with certain types of disabilities are at a significantly higher risk of injuries than are children without disabilities, but the characteristics of injuries are similar.
Maternal Depressive Symptoms, Parenting Self-Efficacy, and Child Growth
Authors: Surkan Pamela J. , Kawachi Ichiro , Ryan Louise M. , Berkman Lisa F. , Carvalho Vieira Lina M. , Peterson Karen E.
Published: November 2007

Objectives. We assessed whether maternal depressive symptoms and parenting self-efficacy were associated with child growth delay.

Methods. We collected data from a random sample of 595 low-income mothers and their children aged 6 to 24 months in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, including information on sociodemographic characteristics, mothers’ depressive symptoms and parenting self-efficacy, and children’s anthropometric characteristics. We used adjusted logistic regression models in our analyses.

Results. Depressive symptoms among mothers were associated with 1.8 times higher odds (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1, 2.9) of short stature among children. Parenting self-efficacy was not associated with short stature, nor did it mediate or modify the relationship between depressive symptoms and short stature. Maternal depressive symptoms and self-efficacy were not related to child underweight.

Conclusions. Our results showed that among low-income Brazilian families maternal depressive symptoms, but not self-efficacy, were associated with short stature in children aged 6 to 24 months after adjustment for known predictors of growth.
The Health of Trafficked Women: A Survey of Women Entering Posttrafficking Services in Europe
Authors: Zimmerman Cathy , Hossain Mazeda , Yun Katherine , Gajdadziev Vasil , Guzun Natalia , Tchomarova Maria , Ciarrocchi Rosa Angela , Johansson Anna , Kefurtova Anna , Scodanibbio Stefania , Motus Maria Nenette , Roche Brenda , Morison Linda , Watts Charlotte
Published: November 2007

Trained counselors interviewed 192 women who had been trafficked and sexually exploited about abuse and evaluated their physical and mental health status within 14 days of entry into posttrafficking services. Most reported physical or sexual violence while trafficked (95%), pre-trafficking abuse (59%), and multiple posttrafficking physical and psychological problems.

Newly identified trafficked women require immediate attention to address posttrauma symptoms and adequate recovery time before making decisions about participating in prosecutorial or immigration proceedings or returning home.
An evaluation of applying existing bioretention sizing methods to cold climates with snow storage conditions
Authors: Muthanna T.M. , Viklander M. , Thorolfsson S.T.
Published: November 2007

Eight of the current sizing and design methods proposed for bioretention facilities were evaluated for rainfall runoff and snow storage volumes for a costal cold climate in Trondheim, Norway. The RECARGA bioretention infiltration model was used to compare the performance of the methods using 30 months of observed data from a pilot scale bioretention box. The surface areas, total ponding time, number and duration of overflow events, and snow storage volumes were compared. It was found that even in a costal cold climate with several intermittent melt cycles die snow storage requirements were an important design parameter, and if more than 25% of the total snow volume should stored this became the deciding design parameter.
Effects of floc and bubble size on the efficiency of the dissolved air flotation (DAF) process
Authors: Han Mooyoung , Kim Tschung-il , Kim Jinho
Published: November 2007

Dissolved air flotation (DAF) is a method for removing particles from water using micro bubbles instead of settlement. The process has proved to be successful and, since the 1960s, accepted as an alternative to the conventional sedimentation process for water and wastewater treatment. However, limited research into the process, especially the fundamental characteristics of bubbles and particles, has been carried out. The single collector collision model is not capable of determining the effects of particular characteristics, such as the size and surface charge of bubbles and particles. Han has published a set of modeling results after calculating the collision efficiency between bubbles and particles by trajectory analysis. His major conclusion was that collision efficiency is maximum when the bubbles and particles are nearly the same size but have opposite charge. However, experimental verification of this conclusion has not been carried out yet. This paper describes a new method for measuring the size of particles and bubbles developed using computational image analysis. DAF efficiency is influenced by the effect of the recycle ratio on various average floc sizes. The larger the recycle ratio, the higher the DAF efficiency at the same pressure and particle size. The treatment efficiency is also affected by the saturation pressure, because the bubble size and bubble volume concentration are controlled by the pressure. The highest efficiency is obtained when the floc size is larger than the bubble size. These results, namely that the highest collision efficiency occurs when the particles and bubbles are about the same size, are more in accordance with the trajectory model than with the white water collector model, which implies that the larger the particles, the higher is the collision efficiency.
New Forms of European Union Governance in the Education Sector? A Preliminary Analysis of the Open Method of Coordination
Authors: Lange Bettina , Alexiadou Nafsika
Published: November 2007

This article critically explores how a new form of European Union (EU) governance — the open method of coordination (OMC) — impinges on education policies. The first part discusses three key characteristics of the OMC, in particular its flexibility, reflexivity and reliance on the techniques of new public management. It also outlines briefly why the OMC is being applied to EU education policy. The second and main part of the article develops a critical analysis of the OMC in education by questioning to what extent it can be considered as a new form of EU governance and with what vision of Social Europe it is associated. Most importantly, the second part argues that there may be significant potential for the politicization of mutual policy learning in the context of OMC education measures.
Inequality in the Transition from Primary to Secondary School: School Choices and Educational Disparities in Germany
Authors: Pietsch Marcus , Stubbe Tobias C.
Published: November 2007

This article explores the mechanisms of educational pathway decision making at the transition from primary to secondary school in the German education system by analysing data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). The highly reliable data of the German sample of the 2001 PIRLS make it possible to take into consideration simultaneously students' cognitive abilities at the end of primary schooling, criteria for parental decision making in education, as well as institutional adjustment options of family education strategies, in order to describe the complex mechanisms of educational pathway decision making. First, a general overview of the German education system and a review of the current state of research concerning the issue of social inequality of education in Germany are given. Subsequently, a theoretical background seeking to answer the question of how educational disparities arise and how they are structured, as well as a model for analysing parental choices in education are presented. After hypothesizing, multifarious statistical analyses are conducted with the aim of proving these assumptions and demonstrating how complex the mechanisms of educational segregation in Germany are. The results demonstrate that all participants in the process of decision making take a more or less socially biased achievement criterion as a basis and, thus, the logic of meritocracy does not seem to be an appropriate idea for segregating students into different branches of education at the end of primary schooling.
Raga India: Architecture in the Time of Euphoria
Authors: Ashraf Kazi K
Published: November 2007

As India celebrates the 60th anniversary of its independence, guest‐editor Kazi K Ashraf introduces this special title of AD by holding up a barometer to the nation's cultural identity. Can architecture be best understood through a local sense of place or globalisation? What are the driving impulses behind India's chaotic urban landscape that is simultaneously ‘messy’ and utopian? Can Indian culture be best understood as a national entity or through a more elusive subcontinental substance? Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The India Project
Authors: Khilnani Sunil
Published: November 2007

While pockets of India are now approaching the living standards of Switzerland, other regions are debilitated by a level of poverty that is akin to that of Zimbabwe. Sunil Khilnani asks what remains of the universalist project of India's political founders. Has architecture, in the rush for market and economic success, lost its self‐understanding? Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The ‘Background’ in Bangalore; Architecture and Critical Resistance in a New Modernity
Authors: Chandavarkar Prem
Published: November 2007

As the centre of India's new information and biotechnology industries, Bangalore has been at the forefront of the country's globalisation. As Prem Chandavarkar explains, the city's architectural culture continues at the leading edge to be one of ‘intellectualism’, valuing ‘the background’, a sense of place and contextualism over the more brash facadism of other cities. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Trip to India
Authors: Sorkin Michael
Published: November 2007

A collaborative project with Jimmy Lim offered Michael Sorkin the unique opportunity to taste not only the ‘delirious quality of global practice’, enriched by trips to southern India, but also the unique chance to design one‐off residences for a lush, Garden of Eden‐like setting. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This is Not a Building! Handmaking a School in a Bangladeshi Village
Authors: Ashraf Kazi K
Published: November 2007

The opportunity to design a village school for an educational institute in northern Bangladesh, whose guiding tenet is ‘learning with joy’, provided European architects Anna Heringer and Eike Roswag with a unique commission. Kazi K Ashraf describes how this collaborative community effort has resulted in a wholly inventive and intriguing design, realised solely with traditional materials and local skills. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Casa Kike, Costa Rica
Authors: Melvin Jeremy
Published: November 2007

Jeremy Melvin describes Gianni Botsford's house for a writer on a beachside plot in Cahuita, Costa Rica. Infusing 'traditional practices with a technological sophistication that enhances rather than sets itself against local conditions', Botsford employed vernacular wherewithal and materials, while adopting computer‐aided techniques to create unfamiliar forms. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.