bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frequency tuning of the contralateral medial olivocochlear reflex in humans
Authors: Zhao Wei , Dhar Sumitrajit
Published: March 2012

Activation of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents attenuates cochlear gain and reduces the amplitudes of mechanical, electrical, and neural cochlear outputs. The functional roles of the MOC efferents are not fully understood, especially in humans, despite postulations that they are involved in protection against acoustic trauma, facilitation of transient-sound perception, etc. Delineating the frequency tuning properties of the MOC efferents would provide critical evidence to support or refute these postulated functional roles. By utilizing spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs), a cochlear measure sensitive to MOC modulation, we systematically demonstrate in humans that the contralateral MOC reflex is tuned to a fixed frequency band between 500 and 1,000 Hz independent of SOAE frequency. Our results question the role of the MOC reflex in protection against acoustic trauma or facilitation of transient-sound perception.
Glucose is an adequate energy substrate for the depolarizing action of GABA and glycine in the neonatal rat spinal cord in vitro
Authors: Bos Rémi , Vinay Laurent
Published: March 2012

In vitro studies have repeatedly demonstrated that the neurotransmitters γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine depolarize immature neurons in many areas of the CNS, including the spinal cord. This widely accepted phenomenon was recently challenged by experiments showing that the depolarizing action of GABA on neonatal hippocampus and neocortex in vitro was prevented by adding energy substrates (ES), such as the ketone body metabolite dl-β-hydroxybutyric acid (DL-BHB), lactate, or pyruvate to the artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF). It was suggested that GABA-induced depolarizations in vitro might be an artifact due to inadequate energy supply when glucose is the sole energy source, consistent with the energy metabolism of neonatal rat brain being largely dependent on ESs other than glucose. Here we examined the effects of these ESs (DL-BHB, lactate, pyruvate) on inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) recorded from neonatal rat lumbar spinal cord motoneurons (MNs), in vitro. We report that supplementing the ACSF with physiologic concentrations of DL-BHB, lactate, or pyruvate does not alter the reversal potential of IPSPs ( EIPSP). Only high concentrations of pyruvate hyperpolarized EIPSP. In addition, the depolarizing action of GABA on primary afferent terminals was not affected by supplementing the ACSF with ES at physiologic concentrations. We conclude that depolarizing IPSPs in immature MNs and the primary afferent depolarizations are not caused by inadequate energy supply. Glucose at its standard concentration appears to be an adequate ES for the neonatal spinal cord in vitro.
Molecular and functional expression of cation-chloride cotransporters in dorsal root ganglion neurons during postnatal maturation
Authors: Mao Shihong , Garzon-Muvdi Tomás , Di Fulvio Mauricio , Chen Yanfang , Delpire Eric , Alvarez Francisco J. , Alvarez-Leefmans Francisco J.
Published: March 2012

GABA depolarizes and excites central neurons during early development, becoming inhibitory and hyperpolarizing with maturation. This “developmental shift” occurs abruptly, reflecting a decrease in intracellular Cl−concentration ([Cl−]i) and a hyperpolarizing shift in Cl−equilibrium potential due to upregulation of the K+-Cl−cotransporter KCC2b, a neuron-specific Cl−extruder. In contrast, primary afferent neurons (PANs) are depolarized by GABA throughout adulthood because of expression of NKCC1, a Na+-K+-2Cl−cotransporter that accumulates Cl−above equilibrium. The GABAA-mediated depolarization of PANs determines presynaptic inhibition in the spinal cord, a key mechanism gating somatosensory information. Little is known about developmental changes in Cl−transporter expression and Cl−homeostasis in PANs. Whether NKCC1 is expressed in PANs of all phenotypes or is restricted to subpopulations (e.g., nociceptors) is debatable. Likewise, whether PANs express KCC2s is controversial. We investigated NKCC1 and K+-Cl−cotransporter expression in rat and mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons with molecular methods. Using fluorescence imaging microscopy, we measured [Cl−]iin acutely dissociated rat DRG neurons (P0–P21) loaded with N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide and classified with phenotypic markers. DRG neurons of all sizes express two NKCC1 mRNAs, one full-length and a shorter splice variant lacking exon 21. Immunolabeling with validated antibodies revealed ubiquitous expression of NKCC1 in DRG neurons irrespective of postnatal age and phenotype. As maturation progresses [Cl−]idecreases gradually, persisting above equilibrium in >95% mature neurons. DRG neurons express mRNAs for KCC1, KCC3s, and KCC4, but not for KCC2s. Mechanisms underlying PANs' developmental changes in Cl−homeostasis are discussed and compared with those of central neurons.
Inferring the role of inhibition in auditory processing of complex natural stimuli
Authors: Schinkel-Bielefeld Nadja , David Stephen V. , Shamma Shihab A. , Butts Daniel A.
Published: March 2012

Intracellular studies have revealed the importance of cotuned excitatory and inhibitory inputs to neurons in auditory cortex, but typical spectrotemporal receptive field models of neuronal processing cannot account for this overlapping tuning. Here, we apply a new nonlinear modeling framework to extracellular data recorded from primary auditory cortex (A1) that enables us to explore how the interplay of excitation and inhibition contributes to the processing of complex natural sounds. The resulting description produces more accurate predictions of observed spike trains than the linear spectrotemporal model, and the properties of excitation and inhibition inferred by the model are furthermore consistent with previous intracellular observations. It can also describe several nonlinear properties of A1 that are not captured by linear models, including intensity tuning and selectivity to sound onsets and offsets. These results thus offer a broader picture of the computational role of excitation and inhibition in A1 and support the hypothesis that their interactions play an important role in the processing of natural auditory stimuli.
Coxsackievirus B3 Is an Oncolytic Virus with Immunostimulatory Properties That Is Active against Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Miyamoto Shohei , Inoue Hiroyuki , Nakamura Takafumi , Yamada Meiko , Sakamoto Chika , Urata Yasuo , Okazaki Toshihiko , Marumoto Tomotoshi , Takahashi Atsushi , Takayama Koichi , Nakanishi Yoichi , Shimizu Hiroyuki , Tani Kenzaburo
Published: March 2012

Although oncolytic virotherapy is a promising anticancer therapy, antitumor efficacy is hampered by low tumor selectivity. To identify a potent and selective oncolytic virotherapy, we carried out large-scale two-step screening of 28 enteroviral strains and found that coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) possessed specific oncolytic activity against nine human non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. CVB3-mediated cytotoxicity was positively correlated with the expression of the viral receptors, coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor, and decay-accelerating factor, on NSCLC cells. In vitro assays revealed that the CVB3 induced apoptosis and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt and mitogen-activated protein (MAP)/extracellular signal-regulated (ERK) kinase (MEK) survival signaling pathways, leading to cytotoxicity and regulation of CVB3 replication. Intratumoral injections of CVB3 elicited remarkable regression of preestablished NSCLC tumors in vivo. Furthermore, administrations of CVB3 into xenografts on the right flank resulted in significantly durable regression of uninjected xenografts on the left flank, where replication-competent CVB3 was detected. All treatments with CVB3 were well tolerated without treatment-related deaths. In addition, after CVB3 infection, NSCLC cells expressed abundant cell surface calreticulin and secreted ATP as well as translocated extranuclear high-mobility group box 1, which are required for immunogenic cell death. Moreover, intratumoral CVB3 administration markedly recruited natural killer cells and granulocytes, both of which contributed to the antitumor effects as shown by depletion assays, macrophages, and mature dendritic cells into tumor tissues. Together, our findings suggest that CVB3 is a potent and well-tolerated oncolytic agent with immunostimulatory properties active against both localized and metastatic NSCLC. Cancer Res; 72(10); 2609–21. ©2012 AACR.
Divergent Effects of p47
phox
Phosphorylation at S303-4 or S379 on Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Signaling via TRAF4 and MAPK in Endothelial Cells
Authors: Teng Lei , Fan Lampson M. , Meijles Daniel , Li Jian-Mei
Published: March 2012

Objectives—

To define the mechanism of p47
phox
phosphorylation in regulating endothelial cell response to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) stimulation.

Methods and Results—

We replaced 11 serines (303-4, 310, 315, 320, 328, 345, 348, 359, 370, and 379) with alanines and investigated their effects on TNFα (100 U/mL, 30 minutes)–induced acute O
2
.−
production and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation in endothelial cells. Seven constructs, S303-4A (double), S310A, S315A, S328A, S345A, S370A, and S379A, significantly reduced the O
2
.−
production, and 4 of them (S328A, S345A, S370A, and S379A) also inhibited TNFα-induced extracellular-signal–regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation. Blocking the phosphorylation of S303-4 and S379 inhibited most effectively TNFα-induced O
2
.−
production. However, phosphorylation of S303-4 was not required for TNFα-induced p47
phox
membrane translocation and binding to TNF receptor–associated factor 4, ERK1/2 activation, and subsequent vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression. Knockout of p47
phox
or knockdown of TNF receptor–associated factor 4 using siRNA abolished TNFα-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and inhibition of ERK1/2 activation significantly reduced the TNFα-induced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression.

Conclusion—

Phosphorylation of p47
phox
at different serine sites plays distinct roles in endothelial cell response to TNFα stimulation. Double serine (S303-4) phosphorylation is crucial for acute O
2
.−
production, but is not involved in TNFα signaling through TNF receptor–associated factor 4 and ERK1/2. p47
phox
requires serine phosphorylation at distinct sites to support specific signaling events in response to TNFα.
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 Contributes to Sex Differences in the Development of Obesity Hypertension in C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Gupte Manisha , Thatcher Sean E. , Boustany-Kari Carine M. , Shoemaker Robin , Yiannikouris Frederique , Zhang Xuan , Karounos Michael , Cassis Lisa A.
Published: March 2012

Objectives—

Obesity promotes hypertension, but it is unclear if sex differences exist in obesity-related hypertension. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) converts angiotensin II (AngII) to angiotensin-(1–7) (Ang-[1–7]), controlling peptide balance. We hypothesized that tissue-specific regulation of ACE2 by high-fat (HF) feeding and sex hormones contributes to sex differences in obesity-hypertension.

Methods and Results—

HF-fed females gained more body weight and fat mass than males. HF-fed males exhibiting reduced kidney ACE2 activity had increased plasma angiotensin II levels and decreased plasma Ang-(1–7) levels. In contrast, HF-fed females exhibiting elevated adipose ACE2 activity had increased plasma Ang-(1–7) levels. HF-fed males had elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure that were abolished by losartan. In contrast, HF-fed females did not exhibit increased systolic blood pressure until females were administered the Ang-(1–7) receptor antagonist, D-Ala-Ang-(1–7). Deficiency of ACE2 increased systolic blood pressure in HF-fed males and females, which was abolished by losartan. Ovariectomy of HF-fed female mice reduced adipose ACE2 activity and plasma Ang-(1–7) levels, and promoted obesity-hypertension. Finally, estrogen, but not other sex hormones, increased adipocyte ACE2 mRNA abundance.

Conclusions—

These results demonstrate that tissue-specific regulation of ACE2 by diet and sex hormones contributes to sex differences in obesity-hypertension.
Deletion of the Angiotensin II Type 1a Receptor Prevents Atherosclerotic Plaque Rupture in Apolipoprotein E
−/−
Mice
Authors: Aono Jun , Suzuki Jun , Iwai Masaru , Horiuchi Masatsugu , Nagai Takayuki , Nishimura Kazuhisa , Inoue Katsuji , Ogimoto Akiyoshi , Okayama Hideki , Higaki Jitsuo
Published: March 2012

Objective—

Angiotensin II is involved in the genesis of atherosclerosis. As the role of the angiotensin II type 1a (AT
1a
) receptor in plaque rupture is poorly understood, we assessed the hypothesis that the AT
1a
receptor contributes to atherosclerotic plaque rupture.

Methods and Results—

Atherosclerotic plaque rupture was induced by carotid artery ligation for 4 weeks followed by polyethylene cuff placement around the carotid in apolipoprotein E (ApoE)
−/−
and ApoE
−/−
AT
1a
−/−
mice. The incidence of plaque rupture at 4 days after cuff placement was 72% in ApoE
−/−
mice compared with 24% in ApoE
−/−
AT
1a
−/−
mice (
P
<0.01). Lipid accumulation, macrophage infiltration, expression of inflammatory cytokines, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase activity, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity in atherosclerotic plaque were markedly attenuated in ApoE
−/−
AT
1a
−/−
compared with ApoE
−/−
mice. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein inhibited macrophage migration in ApoE
−/−
macrophages. In contrast, oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced macrophage trapping was abolished in ApoE
−/−
AT
1a
−/−
macrophages, and this was associated with decreased CD36 expression and focal adhesion kinase activity.

Conclusions—

Conclusion—

These results suggest that blocking the AT
1
receptor may reduce atherosclerotic plaque rupture and that AT
1a
receptor-mediated macrophage trapping, inflammation, oxidative stress, and matrix metalloproteinase activation may play crucial roles in plaque vulnerability.
PAR-2 Inhibition Reverses Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Kwapiszewska Grazyna , Markart Philipp , Dahal Bhola Kumar , Kojonazarov Baktybek , Marsh Leigh Matthew , Schermuly Ralph Theo , Taube Christian , Meinhardt Andreas , Ghofrani Hossein Ardeschir , Steinhoff Martin , Seeger Werner , Preissner Klaus Theo , Olschewski Andrea , Weissmann Norbert , Wygrecka Malgorzata
Published: March 2012

Rationale:

A hallmark of the vascular remodeling process underlying pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the aberrant proliferation and migration of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC). Accumulating evidence suggests that mast cell mediators play a role in the pathogenesis of PH.

Objective:

In the present study we investigated the importance of protease-activated receptor (PAR)–2 and its ligand mast cell tryptase in the development of PH.

Methods and Results:

Our results revealed strong increase in PAR-2 and tryptase expression in the lungs of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) patients, hypoxia-exposed mice, and monocrotaline (MCT)–treated rats. Elevated tryptase levels were also detected in plasma samples from IPAH patients. Hypoxia and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)–BB upregulated PAR-2 expression in PASMC. This effect was reversed by HIF (hypoxia inducible factor)–1α depletion, PDGF-BB neutralizing antibody, or the PDGF-BB receptor antagonist Imatinib. Attenuation of PAR-2 expression was also observed in smooth muscle cells of pulmonary vessels of mice exposed to hypoxia and rats challenged with MCT in response to Imatinib treatment. Tryptase induced PASMC proliferation and migration as well as enhanced synthesis of fibronectin and matrix metalloproteinase-2 in a PAR-2- and ERK1/2-dependent manner, suggesting that PAR-2-dependent signaling contributes to vascular remodeling by various mechanisms. Furthermore, PAR-2
−/−
mice were protected against hypoxia-induced PH, and PAR-2 antagonist application reversed established PH in the hypoxia mouse model.

Conclusions:

Our study identified a novel role of PAR-2 in vascular remodeling in the lung. Interference with this pathway may offer novel therapeutic options for the treatment of PH.
Uncoupling Protein-2 Protects Endothelial Function in Diet-Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Tian Xiao Yu , Wong Wing Tak , Xu Aimin , Lu Ye , Zhang Yang , Wang Li , Cheang Wai San , Wang Yu , Yao Xiaoqiang , Huang Yu
Published: March 2012

Rationale:

Previous studies indicate uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) as an antioxidant defense against endothelial dysfunction in hypertension. UCP2 also regulates insulin secretion and action. However, the role of UCP2 in endothelial dysfunction associated with diabetes and obesity is unclear.

Objective:

UCP2 protects against endothelial dysfunction induced by high-fat diet through inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and subsequent increase of nitric oxide bioavailability.

Methods and Results:

Endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) in aortae and mesenteric arteries in response to acetylcholine was measured in wire myograph. Flow-mediated vasodilatation in 2
nd
-order mesenteric arteries was measured in pressure myograph. ROS production is measured by CM-H
2
DCFDA and DHE fluorescence. High-glucose exposure reduced EDR in mouse aortae, which was exaggerated in
UCP2
knockout (KO) mice, whereas UCP2 overexpression by adenoviral infection (AdUCP2) restored the impaired EDR. Impairment of EDR and flow-mediated vasodilatation in aortae and mesenteric arteries from high-fat diet-induced obese mice (DIO) was exaggerated in
UCP2KO
DIO mice compared with wild-type DIO littermates, whereas AdUCP2 i.v. injection restored both EDR and flow-mediated vasodilatation in DIO mice. Improved EDR in mesenteric arteries was inhibited by nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. UCP2 overexpression also inhibited intracellular ROS production in the
en face
endothelium of aorta and mesenteric artery of DIO mice, whereas UCP2 deficiency enhanced ROS production.

Conclusions:

UCP2 preserves endothelial function through increasing nitric oxide bioavailability secondary to the inhibition of ROS production in the endothelium of obese diabetic mice.
Sensitivity of Tropical Cyclone Intensity to Ventilation in an Axisymmetric Model
Authors: Tang Brian , Emanuel Kerry
Published: March 2012

The sensitivity of tropical cyclone intensity to ventilation of cooler, drier air into the inner core is examined using an axisymmetric tropical cyclone model with parameterized ventilation. Sufficiently strong ventilation induces cooling of the upper-level warm core, a shift in the secondary circulation radially outward, and a decrease in the simulated intensity. Increasing the strength of the ventilation and placing the ventilation at middle to lower levels results in a greater decrease in the quasi-steady intensity, whereas upper-level ventilation has little effect on the intensity. For strong ventilation, an oscillatory intensity regime materializes and is tied to transient convective bursts and strong downdrafts into the boundary layer.

The sensitivity of tropical cyclone intensity to ventilation can be viewed in the context of the mechanical efficiency of the inner core or a modified thermal wind relation. In the former, ventilation decreases the mechanical efficiency, as the generation of available potential energy is wasted by entropy mixing above the boundary layer. In the latter, ventilation weakens the eyewall entropy front, resulting in a decrease in the intensity by thermal wind arguments.

The experiments also support the existence of a threshold ventilation beyond which a tropical cyclone cannot be maintained. Downdrafts overwhelm surface fluxes, leading to a precipitous drop in intensity and a severe degradation of structure in such a scenario. For a given amount of ventilation below the threshold, there exists a minimum initial intensity necessary for intensification to the quasi-steady intensity.
Mechanisms of Arctic Surface Air Temperature Change in Response to the Madden–Julian Oscillation
Authors: Yoo Changhyun , Lee Sukyoung , Feldstein Steven B.
Published: March 2012

Using lagged composites and projections with the thermodynamic energy equation, in this study the mechanisms that drive the boreal winter Arctic surface air temperature (SAT) change associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) are investigated. The Wheeler and Hendon MJO index, which divides the MJO into 8 phases, where phase 1 (phase 5) corresponds to reduced (enhanced) convection over the Maritime Continent and western Pacific Ocean, is used. It is shown that the more zonally localized (uniform) tropical convective heating associated with MJO phase 5 (phase 1) leads to enhanced (reduced) excitation of poleward-propagating Rossby waves, which contribute to Arctic warming (cooling). Adiabatic warming/cooling, eddy heat flux, and the subsequent change in downward infrared radiation (IR) flux are found to be important for the Arctic SAT change. The adiabatic warming/cooling initiates the Arctic SAT change, however, subsequent eddy heat flux makes a greater contribution. The resulting SAT change is further amplified by alteration in downward IR. It is shown that changes in surface sensible and latent heat fluxes oppose the contribution by the above processes.
Friction and Diapycnal Mixing at a Slope: Boundary Control of Potential Vorticity
Authors: Benthuysen Jessica , Thomas Leif N.
Published: March 2012

Although atmospheric forcing by wind stress or buoyancy flux is known to change the ocean’s potential vorticity (PV) at the surface, less is understood about PV modification in the bottom boundary layer. The adjustment of a geostrophic current over a sloped bottom in a stratified ocean generates PV sources and sinks through friction and diapycnal mixing. The time-dependent problem is solved analytically for a no-slip boundary condition, and scalings are identified for the change in PV that arises during the adjustment to steady state. Numerical experiments are run to test the scalings with different turbulent closure schemes. The key parameters that control whether PV is injected into or extracted from the fluid are the direction of the geostrophic current and the ratio of its initial speed to its steady-state speed. When the current is in the direction of Kelvin wave propagation, downslope Ekman flow advects lighter water under denser water, driving diabatic mixing and extracting PV. For a current in the opposite direction, Ekman advection tends to restratify the bottom boundary layer and increase the PV. Mixing near the bottom counteracts this restratification, however, and an increase in PV will only occur for current speeds exceeding a critical value. Consequently, the change in PV is asymmetric for currents of the opposite sign but the same speed, with a bias toward PV removal. In the limit of a large speed ratio, the change in PV is independent of diapycnal mixing.
Statistical Quality of Spectral Polarimetric Variables for Weather Radar
Authors: Yu Tian-You , Xiao Xiao , Wang Yadong
Published: March 2012

Spectral polarimetry for weather radar capitalizes on both Doppler and polarimetric measurements to reveal polarimetric variables as a function of radial velocity through spectral analysis. For example, spectral differential reflectivity at a velocity represents the differential reflectivity from all the scatterers that have the same radial velocity of interest within the radar resolution volume. Spectral polarimetry has been applied to suppress both ground and biological clutter, retrieve individual drop size distributions from a mixture of different types of hydrometeors, and estimate turbulence intensity, for example. Although spectral polarimetry has gained increasing attention, statistical quality of the estimation of spectral polarimetric variables has not been investigated. In this work, the bias and standard deviation (SD) of spectral differential reflectivity and spectral copolar correlation coefficient estimated from averaged spectra were derived using perturbation method. The results show that the bias and SD of the two estimators depend on the spectral signal-to-noise ratio, spectral copolar correlation coefficient, the number of spectrum average, and spectral differential reflectivity. A simulation to generate time series signals for spectral polarimetry was developed and used to verify the theoretical bias and SD of the two estimators.
The Limits of Spatial Assimilation for Immigrants’ Full Integration
Authors: Vang Zoua M.
Published: March 2012

Residential integration with the dominant native-born population is believed to be a crucial stage in immigrants’ overall assimilation process. It is argued that without residential integration it would be difficult, if not impossible, for immigrants to achieve full incorporation into the host society. This article compares the sociospatial experiences of African immigrants in the United States and Ireland. Results show that African immigrants in Ireland have achieved spatial integration with Irish nationals, while their counterparts in the United States remain spatially separated from white Americans. The extent to which African immigrants’ integration in Ireland can produce other forms of assimilation is questionable, however. Likewise, despite being segregated from whites, African immigrants in the United States have made some modest spatial gains that may facilitate their integration. The cross-national comparison draws into question the generally accepted notion that residential integration is an important intermediary substage in the assimilation process.
Immigrants and Social Distance
Authors: Hipp John R. , Boessen Adam
Published: March 2012

This project studied the effect of immigrant in-mobility on the trajectory of socioeconomic change in neighborhoods. The authors suggest that immigrant inflows may impact neighborhoods due to the consequences of residential mobility and the extent to which these new residents differ from the current residents. The authors use Southern California over a nearly 50-year period (1960 to 2007) as a case study to explore the short- and long- term impact of these changes. The authors find no evidence that immigrant inflow has negative consequences for home values, unemployment, or vacancies over this long period of time. Instead, the authors find that a novel measure they develop—a general measure of social distance—is much better at explaining the change in the economic conditions of these neighborhoods. Tracts with higher levels of social distance experienced a larger increase in the vacancy rate over the decade. The effect of social distance on home values changed over the study period: whereas social distance decreased home values during the 1960s, this completely reversed into a positive effect by the 2000s.
A “Both-And” Perspective Between the Society of Counseling Psychology and Ethnic Minority Psychological Associations
Authors: Chung Y. Barry , Wu Kathy P.
Published: March 2012

This article is a response to the major contribution published in this volume regarding the history and relationship between the Society of Counseling Psychology and five ethnic minority psychological associations. Using a both-and approach, this response discusses the topics of (a) written and oral history, (b) interconnectedness and independence, and (c) micro and macro issues. It concludes with a story of five brothers to illustrate the strength of individuality and togetherness.
Meta‐analysis of Treatment Outcomes for Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma
Authors: Reiersen David A. , Pahilan M. Elaine , Devaiah Anand K.
Published: March 2012

Objectives

This study reviews the published outcomes regarding sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) since the initial description in 1986. This article attempts to (1) understand and better describe the benefit and survival advantages associated with using radiation, chemotherapy, and surgical treatment and (2) support the recommendations of a treatment regimen with current available data in the literature.

Data Sources

Published English‐language literature.

Review Methods

A PubMed search for articles related to SNUC, along with the bibliographies of those articles to avoid missing articles. All articles were examined for an independent patient data meta‐analysis. Thirty studies with 167 cases from 1986 to October 2009 were identified. Demographics, disease extent, treatment, follow‐up, and survival were analyzed. Patient cohorts mirroring Kadish staging were created. Kaplan‐Meier curves were constructed.

Results

Follow‐up range was 1 to 195 months (mean 23.4 months, median 15 months). At last follow‐up, 26.3% of patients were alive with no evidence of disease, 21.0% were alive with disease, and 52.7% were dead of disease. The use of surgery was found to be the best single modality, but chemotherapy and radiation were important as adjuncts in extensive and aggressive disease. The presence of neck metastases was a poor prognostic sign.

Conclusion

This study, containing the largest pool of SNUC patients, confirms a poor overall prognosis. The data suggest that the optimal treatment should include surgery, with radiation and/or chemotherapy as adjunct treatments. Neck disease in advanced local disease is a poor prognostic sign and merits aggressive treatment with multimodality therapy.
I-Pistemology: Changing truth claims in popular and political culture
Authors: van Zoonen Liesbet
Published: March 2012

This article introduces the notion of I-pistemology to capture a contemporary cultural process in which people from all walks of life have come to suspect the knowledge coming from official institutions and experts, and have replaced it with the truth coming from their own individual experience and opinions. While, at present, such personal experiences are successfully mobilized by the new right in Europe, the author argues that I-pistemology is also the result of critical theory and movements that have identified ‘knowledge’ as an instrument of power that needs to be contested. In addition online and offline popular culture have raised personal experience to the level of the only relevant truth. In conclusion, the article discusses the repercussions of I-pistemology for policy and progressive politics.
Lacosamide in Refractory Mixed Pediatric Epilepsy: A Prospective Add-on Study
Authors: Rastogi Reena Gogia , Ng Yu-Tze
Published: March 2012

Lacosamide is a new antiepileptic drug that is currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults 17 years or older for partial-onset seizures. The authors reviewed 21 pediatric patients (<17 years) with various seizure types who were started on oral lacosamide as part of a prospective add-on study as adjunctive therapy for refractory epilepsy. Five patients were excluded due to less than 3 months of meaningful follow-up. Maintenance dosages used ranged from 2.4 to 19.4 mg/kg/d. Eight of 16 (50%) patients had greater than 50% reduction in seizure frequency with adjunctive lacosamide therapy. Eight (50%) patients had generalized epilepsy including 4 with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Lacosamide was effective therapy for most seizure types but was particularly effective for partial-onset seizures. Lacosamide was effective in treating 5 of 8 (62.5%) localization-related epilepsies but only 2 of 8 (25%) generalized epilepsies, both Lennox-Gastaut syndrome patients with greater than 90% seizure reduction. None of these very refractory patients remained seizure free.
A Double‐Blind Randomized Study Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of a Composite vs a Conventional Intravenous Fat Emulsion in Postsurgical Gastrointestinal Tumor Patients
Authors: Ma Cheng‐Jen , Sun Li‐Chu , Chen Fang‐Ming , Lu Chien‐Yu , Shih Ying‐Ling , Tsai Hsiang‐Lin , Chuang Jui‐Fen , Wang Jaw‐Yuan
Published: March 2012

Background: Composite intravenous fat emulsion, a fat emulsion composed of soybean oil, medium‐chain triglycerides (MCT), olive oil, and fish oil, was evaluated for metabolic efficacy, immune modulation, clinical efficacy, safety, and tolerance in surgical gastrointestinal (GI) tumor patients. Methods: In a prospective, randomized, double‐blind study, 40 patients were randomized after elective digestive surgery to receive isonitrogenous, isoenergetic parenteral nutrition for 5 days postoperatively with either composite 20% IVFE (composed of soybean, MCT, olive, and fish oils) or a conventional long‐chain triglyceride (LCT)/MCT 20% IVFE (LCT/MCT IVFE); IVFE was dosed at 1‐2 g/kg body weight. Safety and efficacy parameters were assessed on operation day (day 0) and at the end of study (day 6). Adverse events were documented daily and clinical outcomes were recorded and compared between the groups. Results: Metabolic parameters, laboratory parameters, proinflammatory cytokine levels, adverse events, and clinical outcomes did not differ between the 2 groups, with the exception that postoperative low‐density lipoprotein levels decreased significantly in the composite IVFE group (93.2 ± 24.3 vs 110.5 ± 26.4 mg/dL, P = .038). Conclusions: composite IVFE was comparable with conventional LCT/MCT IVFE in efficacy, safety, tolerance, and clinical outcomes in surgical GI tumor patients.
Designing Challenging Science Experiences for High-Ability Learners Through Partnerships With University Professors
Authors: Newman Jane L. , Hubner James Paul
Published: March 2012

Summer Enrichment Workshop (SEW) is a 3-week enrichment program held at The University of Alabama (UA) Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for students identified as gifted and talented. The faculty of the College of Education, Program of Gifted and Talented (GT), formed a partnership with a College of Engineering faculty member who mentored the graduate student GT interns to develop and teach middle school science minicourses in the SEW program. Data indicate that the challenge level of the science middle school minicourses improved, and interns experienced more competence and confidence in teaching upper-level science courses. Contributing factors included having a science expert to collaborate in planning content and coteaching lessons; consistent reflection on practice; making learning more real-world; providing support, assistance, guidance, and counseling; long-term planning; problem solving and inquiry; and experimentation and risk taking, followed by immediate corrective feedback.
Selection of Universities by Students in Journalism and Mass Communication Courses
Authors: Biswas Masudul , Perkins Lyle , Izard Ralph
Published: March 2012

This study measures the significance of factors used by minority students in their selection of universities/colleges. This web survey was conducted mainly on 778 students enrolled in journalism/mass communication courses representing five historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and twelve other universities. Differences were found among and between criteria favored by students of various ethnicities, minority, and majority students at public and private universities, and students at HBCUs and their counterparts at white majority institutions. Two factors, a university’s academic reputation and the availability of financial assistance, emerged as most important among all respondents. Beyond that, however, the survey found differences between majority and minority students, for example, in their rankings of the presence of minority faculty and intercollegiate athletic programs, among others.
The sub-creative economy of the suburbs in question
Authors: Phelps Nicholas A
Published: March 2012

This article questions the sub-creative label all too frequently attached to suburbs. Simple distinctions between the economy of cities and suburbs are increasingly untenable in the enlarged and functionally complex urban regions that now exist in many, not just developed nations. By way of illustrative examples the article highlights evidence of the inventive or creative character of suburban economies both historically and today. These illustrations are suggestive of a variety of creative suburban economies that might each be a research agenda in itself. Future academic and policy interest will have to address the topic of suburban creativity if our economic well-being is to be better understood and supported.
The role of early multislice computed tomography in major trauma
Authors: Wurmb TE , Kenn W
Published: March 2012

Whole-body multislice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) has become a very important dignostic tool in the management of patients with multiple injuries. Many reports exist which demonstrate the feasibility and the benefit when using whole-body MSCT in the early phase of in-hospital management of trauma patients. Even in hemodynamically instable patients (except cardiac arrest), whole-body MSCT can be used and is a safe diagnostic procedure. While the diagnostic superiority of multislice computed tomography is proven for different organ regions (e.g. head/brain, chest, abdomen, pelvis and spine), its use as a single whole-body scan is still part of an ongoing discussion. Especially concerns about radiation exposure are the reason for uncertainty about when using whole-body trauma scan. Predefined scan protocols and individual positioning of patients may help to keep radiation dose as minimal as possible. To justify higher radiation dose, the indication must be chosen appropriately. Therefore, the use of a sensitive and specific triage scheme seems to be reasonable. Overscanning patients with minor trauma needs to be avoided, while the benefit for patients with severe multiple injuries is obvious.
Explaining access to citizenship in Europe: How citizenship policies affect naturalization rates
Authors: Dronkers Jaap , Vink Maarten Peter
Published: March 2012

In Europe, a variety of national policies regulate access to citizenship. This article analyses how citizenship policies affect naturalization rates among immigrants. Our analysis confirms that favourable citizenship policies positively affect naturalization rates, especially among first-generation immigrants with more than 5 but fewer than 20 years of residence. However, most variation is explained by other factors. Immigrants from poor, politically unstable, and non-EU countries are more likely to be a citizen of their European country of residence. Other important predictors of the citizenship status of immigrants are language, years of residence (first generation), and age (second generation). Explanations of naturalization rates in Europe should not only take into account institutional conditions but also include other destination and origin country factors and individual characteristics of immigrants.
Decolonizing hybridity: indigenous video, knowledge, and diffraction
Authors: Smith Laurel C
Published: March 2012

This article examines the hybrid cultural geographies of indigenous video with Donna Haraway’s visual strategy of diffraction. Drawing on ethnographic inquiry, one particular video is explored from three different perspectives. First, a festival audience celebrates how the video represents place-based belonging, the joys of collective labor, and indigeneity. Second, a geographical analysis articulates the transnational circuits of advocacy and collaborative practices of knowledge production that shaped this video and its subsequent travels. Third, an extended conversation with the video maker about his target audience reveals a political intervention not visible from the first two angles of analysis. When diffracted, this thrice-told story about one video provides lessons about the potential for indigenous video to decolonize scholarly authority.
The Use of Hypnosis for Airplane Phobia With an Obsessive Character
Authors: Volpe Erin G. , Nash Michael R.
Published: March 2012

This is a single-case study of a middle-aged woman with specific phobia and panic symptoms associated with airplanes. Treatment was brief and supportive in nature, using hypnosis for both exposure purposes and as a self-regulatory tool for anxiety management. The patient’s identified target symptom (readiness to fly) was tracked using daily subjective, self-report measures over the 12-session treatment. Simulation modeling analysis for time-series was used to evaluate the level change across baseline, treatment, and follow-up phases. The patient’s self-assessed readiness to fly increased significantly over the course of treatment, and she successfully engaged in a “practice flight” toward the end of her treatment. However, this patient required a drastic shift in treatment modality, after which progress was made. Theoretical rationale for this shift and ultimate success is discussed.
From lords of war to leaders in society: How former Liberian warlords have used ‘old’ and ‘new’ media to self-reframe
Authors: O’Mahony Geraldine , Fair Jo Ellen
Published: March 2012

The process of post-conflict reconstruction in Liberia involves an array of actors vying for power. Many of the key political and civic figures involved are former warlords, whose reigns of terror affected many they now work with and serve. By reframing themselves through social media these warlords have created new centers of power, embracing their new roles as public servants and renouncing past acts of terrorism. This article focuses on two of Liberia’s most notorious former warlords, Prince Johnson and Joshua Blahyi. Johnson, now Senator Johnson, was best known for swilling beer while he conducted the video-taped torture of President Doe. Joshua Blahyi, formerly General Butt Naked, who infamously drank children’s blood before running naked into battle, is now a born-again preacher with his own faith-based NGO. We argue that their use of social media has enabled them to reconstruct and reframe their ‘past lives’, ensuring these cannot become political liabilities.
Influenza immunisation status among nursing students
Authors: Koharchik Linda S. , Salman Khlood , Hardy Elaine , Mayle-Towns Kathy
Published: March 2012

This four-phase evidence-based practice initiative was designed to determine preliminary contextual characteristics of collegian nursing students in receiving, or their lack of receiving, the flu vaccine. Subsequently, strategies were developed to improve and maintain the students’ participation in flu vaccines.

This study relates to the welfare of student nurses and patients in their care. Students perform patient care in hospitals, clinics, and other settings where patients in compromised health are especially vulnerable to influenza. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the 2009 H1N1 pandemic resulted in more than 12,000 influenza-related deaths in the US. The Joint Commission requires hospitals and long-term care facilities to provide on-site access to influenza immunisation to staff and licensed independent practitioners; however, no provisions for student nurses are specified. Employer-mandated influenza immunisation as a term for employment was associated with a significant increase in healthcare employees receiving the flu vaccine, but, in the main, students are currently not mandated to receive the flu vaccine. A one-day reduction of influenza-like illness for every two college and university students vaccinated has been reported. Therefore, improving influenza immunisation rates may have academic and performance benefits for nursing students.
Targeted In Situ Biosynthetic Transcriptional Activation in Native Surface-Level Human Articular Chondrocytes during Lesion Stabilization
Authors: Ganguly Kumkum , McRury Ian D. , Goodwin Peter M. , Morgan Roy E. , Augé Wayne K.
Published: March 2012

Objective:

Safe articular cartilage lesion stabilization is an important early surgical intervention advance toward mitigating articular cartilage disease burden. While short-term chondrocyte viability and chondrosupportive matrix modification have been demonstrated within tissue contiguous to targeted removal of damaged articular cartilage, longer term tissue responses require evaluation to further clarify treatment efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine surface chondrocyte responses within contiguous tissue after lesion stabilization.

Methods:

Nonablation radiofrequency lesion stabilization of human cartilage explants obtained during knee replacement was performed for surface fibrillation. Time-dependent chondrocyte viability, nuclear morphology and cell distribution, and temporal response kinetics of matrix and chaperone gene transcription indicative of differentiated chondrocyte function were evaluated in samples at intervals to 96 hours after treatment.

Results:

Subadjacent surface articular cartilage chondrocytes demonstrated continued viability for 96 hours after treatment, a lack of increased nuclear fragmentation or condensation, persistent nucleic acid production during incubation reflecting cellular assembly behavior, and transcriptional up-regulation of matrix and chaperone genes indicative of retained biosynthetic differentiated cell function.

Conclusions:

The results of this study provide further evidence of treatment efficacy and suggest the possibility to manipulate or induce cellular function, thereby recruiting local chondrocytes to aid lesion recovery. Early surgical intervention may be viewed as a tissue rescue, allowing articular cartilage to continue displaying biological responses appropriate to its function rather than converting to a tissue ultimately governed by the degenerative material property responses of matrix failure. Early intervention may positively impact the late changes and reduce disease burden of damaged articular cartilage.
The effect of organo-modified montmorillonite on mechanical and barrier properties of linear low-density polyethylene/low-density polyethylene blend films
Authors: Khalili Shahla , Masoomi Mahmood , Bagheri Rohollah
Published: March 2012

In this study, the effect of organo-modified montmorillonite on mechanical and gas barrier properties of nanocomposite films of linear low-density polyethylene/low-density polyethylene blends was investigated. Two different compatibilizers, polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride and polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride, were used to obtain a better dispersion of the nanoclay in the blends. The blend samples containing various amounts of the clay were melt compounded and then blown to films. Mechanical properties of the films were studied in machine and transverse directions. A constant volume-variable pressure method was used to determine the gas permeability of the films. Addition of the 4 parts per hundred nanoclay improved the tensile modulus in machine direction by about 59% and that in transverse direction by about 100%. It further reduced the oxygen permeability by about 38%.