bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pre‐stem cell transplantation enzyme replacement therapy in Hurler syndrome does not lead to significant antibody formation or delayed recovery of the endogenous enzyme post‐transplant: A case report
Authors: Soni Sandeep , Hente Monica , Breslin Nancy , Hersh Joseph , Whitley Chester , Cheerva Alexandra , Bertolone Salvatore
Published: May 2007

Abstract:  Combined enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and stem cell transplant (SCT) were done for a two year old boy with severe Hurler syndrome(HS) with the aim to decrease transplant related complications. He tolerated both the procedures well without any major complications. Urine glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) decreased post‐transplant and child has improved clinically and neurologically. Insignificant titers of the anti‐iduronidase antibodies which developed post‐transplant did not affect the transplant outcome or the endogenous recovery of the alpha‐L‐iduronidase enzyme.
Involvement of arabinogalactan proteins in the regeneration process of cultured protoplasts of Marchantia polymorpha
Authors: Shibaya Taeko , Sugawara Yasutake
Published: May 2007

Protoplasts of Marchantia polymorpha L. (liverwort) regenerated new cell walls in initial culture. However, the survival rate of regenerated cells decreased rapidly after this stage. The decrease in survival rate was suppressed by the β‐glucosyl Yariv reagent (βglcY), which binds to arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs), only when it was added to culture medium during the period of incipient cell wall regeneration. The addition of βglcY after the period of incipient cell wall regeneration had no effect on the survival rate. These results suggested the involvement of AGPs in the cell wall regeneration process. After cell wall regeneration, the regenerated cells started to divide actively after being transferred to a medium with 1% activated charcoal (AC). Protoplasts that had been cultured with βglcY during the period of incipient cell wall regeneration and then transferred to the AC medium divided vigorously, and the cell division rate was remarkably increased (>80%). However, without transfer to the AC medium, βglcY at concentrations higher than 20 μg ml−1 inhibited cell division. No effect on cell survival nor cell division was observed with the α‐galactosyl Yariv reagent. Staining of β‐1,3‐glucan (callose) with aniline blue (AB) showed that a large amount of β‐1,3‐glucan was deposited in the regenerated cell walls of the protoplasts cultured without βglcY, while little or no β‐1,3‐glucan was stained by AB in protoplasts cultured with βglcY. These results suggest that AGPs and β‐1,3‐glucan play important roles in the survival and subsequent cell division of regenerated cells of M.polymorpha protoplast cultures.
Effectiveness of Sulphuric Acid and Gypsum for the Reclamation of a Calcareous Saline‐Sodic Soil Under Four Crop Rotations
Authors: Zia M. H. , Saifullah  , Sabir M. , Ghafoor A. , Murtaza G.
Published: May 2007

As a low‐cost strategy, the cultivation of certain salt‐tolerant crop species on calcareous saline‐sodic soils, i.e. phytoreclamation, has enjoyed great attention in recent years. A lysimeter study was carried out to evaluate whether a phytoreclamation approach alone, or in combination with some booster dose of either gypsum or sulphuric acid, is sufficient to reclaim a calcareous, moderately saline‐sodic soil. Four crop rotations, rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–sesbania (Sesbania aculeata L.); rice–berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.); Kallar grass (Leptochloa fusca L.)–alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and sesbania–berseem were tested against three treatments: (T1) control, (T2) sulphuric acid application 25 % of soil gypsum requirement (SGR), and (T3) application of gypsum 25 % SGR. To decrease the sodium adsorption ratio of the saline‐sodic soil well below the threshold level, especially from deeper depth, a booster dose of gypsum or sulphuric acid 25 % SGR was quite effective. Rice–berseem and Kallar grass–alfalfa rotations were more promising in combination with inorganic amendments than the rest of the rotations. The study also suggests that better yields of wheat and rice crops can be obtained with the application of inorganic amendments like gypsum or sulphuric acid. However, Kallar grass yield was somewhat suppressed with these amendments.
Photoperiodic influence on the body mass of bumblebee, Bombus terrestris and its copulation duration
Authors: Amin M. R. , Kwon Y. J. , Suh S. J.
Published: May 2007

Abstract:  The body mass of Bombus terrestris individuals is an important trait for their behavioural performance and colony organization. In this study, colonies were reared under four different photoperiodic regimes, viz. 0 : 24, 8 : 16, 16 : 8 and 24 : 0 h light : darkness (L : D) at 28°C and 50% relative humidity. The changes in body mass were observed at the stages of larvae, pupae and on the day of adult eclosion. Both the wet and dry mass of sexuals gradually decreased with increasing day length. The relationship between body mass and copulation duration revealed that copulation duration was negatively correlated with male body mass, but positively with queen body mass. Higher number of matings by males resulted in significantly higher duration of copulation.
Effects of sex pheromone in electrostatic powder on mating behaviour by Lobesia botrana males
Authors: Nansen C. , MacDonald K. M. , Rogers C. D. , Thomas M. , Poppy G. M. , Baxter I. H.
Published: May 2007

Abstract:  In laboratory trials, mating behaviour of males of Lobesia botrana Den. and Schiff. (Lep., Tortricidae) was investigated after treatment with an electrostatically chargeable powder, EntostatTM. Male moths were powdered with either blank Entostat or Entostat containing sex pheromone. Significantly more Entostat adhered to L. botrana males when sex pheromone was added to the powder compared with blank Entostat. Powdering male moths with Entostat, with or without sex pheromone, caused a significant reduction in antennal response when antennae were placed 2 cm away in downwind direction, while there was little effect when antennae were placed 25–100 cm from the EAG in downwind direction. In a flight study, powdering males of L. botrana caused significant increase in time before flight initiation and reduction in proportion of males making contact with calling females compared with untreated males. In a mating experiment in Petri dishes (to minimize required search time to locate female), significantly fewer females mated successfully (based on dissection of bursa copulatrix) when males had been treated with pheromone‐loaded powder. Overall, powdering males of L. botrana caused considerable suppression of mating behaviour on various levels, and these suppressing effects were increased after adding sex pheromone to Entostat.
Severe Necrotizing Encephalitis in a Yorkshire Terrier: Topographic and Immunohistochemical Study
Authors: Lezmi S. , Toussaint Y. , Prata D. , Lejeune T. , Ferreira‐Neves P. , Rakotovao F. , Fontaine J. J. , Marchal T. , Cordonnier N.
Published: May 2007

Necrotizing encephalitis of the Yorkshire terrier is a chronic non‐suppurative encephalitis that was reported in approximately 15 cases worldwide. We report the case of a 10‐year‐old female Yorkshire terrier with gross evidence of severe cortical degeneration and necrosis. Microscopically, affected areas were mainly located in the cortical white matter and in the mesencephalon without implication of the cerebellum. Cavitation necrosis, demyelination, gemistocytic astrocytosis, marked perivascular lymphocytic cuffing with a diffuse lymphocytic/histiocytic/gitter cell infiltration characterized the lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis identified the major infiltration of T lymphocytes and macrophages with implication of some cytotoxic lymphocytes and IgG‐producing plasma cells; depositions of IgG in the affected white matter were also observed. Specific stains did not reveal fungal, protozoal or bacterial organisms and reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction analysis for distemper virus was also negative. The lympho‐histiocytic inflammation suggests a T‐cell‐mediated and a delayed‐type immune reaction as a possible pathogenic mechanism for this brain disorder.
Cardiac arrhythmias following anesthesia induction in infantile‐onset Pompe disease: a case series
Authors: WANG LUKE Y.‐J. , ROSS ALLISON K. , LI JENNIFER S. , DEARMEY STEPHANIE M. , MACKEY JOANNE F. , WORDEN MARYALICE , CORZO DEYANIRA , MORGAN CLAIRE , KISHNANI PRIYA S.
Published: May 2007

Background:  Patients with infantile‐onset Pompe disease suffer from marked hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and an increased risk of arrhythmia. A noncompliant left ventricle predisposes these infants to diastolic heart failure with elevated left ventricular enddiastolic pressure (LVEDP); these patients also commonly develop systolic heart failure. Given this baseline cardiac physiology, coronary perfusion pressure becomes highly sensitive to abrupt changes in diastolic blood pressure (DBP).

Methods:  We retrospectively reviewed the experiences of 139 patients enrolled in clinical trials investigating the treatment of infantile‐onset Pompe disease with recombinant human acid α‐glucosidase (rhGAA). Adverse events were screened for those involving anesthesia.

Results:  Nine patients (6%) with infantile‐onset Pompe disease experienced an arrhythmia or cardiopulmonary arrest soon after the induction of general anesthesia. Of these events, propofol was involved in four arrhythmias; sevoflurane without propofol was associated with an additional two. Deaths resulting from arrhythmia appeared to correlate with left ventricular mass indices >350 g·m−2.

Conclusions:  With the advent of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) using rhGAA, and increased survivability, more infantile Pompe patients will likely present for surgical procedures. Additional care in maximizing coronary perfusion pressure and minimizing arrhythmia risk must be given. For these reasons, it is recommended that anesthesia for infantile Pompe patients specifically avoid propofol or high concentrations of sevoflurane and, instead, use an agent such as ketamine as the cornerstone for induction in order to better support coronary perfusion pressure and to avoid decreasing DBP with vasodilatory agents.
Morphometrics and inertial properties in the body segments of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Authors: Schoonaert Kirsten , D’Août Kristiaan , Aerts Peter
Published: May 2007

Inertial characteristics and dimensions of the body and body segments form an integral part of a biomechanical analysis of motion. In primate studies, however, segment inertial parameters of non‐human hominoids are scarce and often obtained using varying techniques. Therefore, the principal aim of this study was to expand the existing chimpanzee inertial property data set using a non‐invasive measuring technique. We also considered age‐ and sex‐related differences within our sample. By means of a geometric model based on Crompton et al. (1996; Am J Phys Anthropol 99, 547–570) we generated inertial properties using external segment length and diameter measurements of 53 anaesthetized chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). We report absolute inertial parameters for immature and mature subjects and for males and females separately. Proportional data were computed to allow the comparison between age classes and sex classes. In addition, we calculated whole limb inertial properties and we discuss their potential biomechanical consequences. We found no significant differences between the age classes in the proportional data except for hand and foot measures where juveniles exhibit relatively longer and heavier distal segments than adults. Furthermore, most sex‐related differences can be directly attributed to the higher absolute segment masses in male chimpanzees resulting in higher moments of inertia. Additionally, males tend to have longer upper limbs than females. However, regarding proportional data we discuss the general inertial properties of the chimpanzee. The described segment inertial parameters of males and females, and of the two age classes, represent a valuable data set ready for use in a range of biomechanical locomotor models. These models offer great potential for improving our understanding of early hominin locomotor patterns.
Cue‐ versus response‐locked processes in backward inhibition: Evidence from ERPs
Authors: Sinai Marco , Goffaux Philippe , Phillips Natalie A.
Published: May 2007

A task set may need to be inhibited to facilitate the switch to another task. This event‐related potential (ERP) study determined (1) whether backward inhibition (BI) is exerted preferentially in high interference environments, and (2) whether ERPs locked to critical time points reflect BI during cue preparation and/or response stages. High interference (HI) and low interference (LI) were created by manipulating task difficulty. A reaction time (RT) BI effect (i.e., BI>control trials) was shown only during HI tasks. Cue‐locked ERPs on LI tasks suggest increased attentional resources were allocated during the reactivation of a recently inhibited task. For HI tasks, BI versus control trial differences were reflected in a response‐locked ERP negativity only after response selection (indexed by the response‐locked lateralized readiness potential), indicating that BI is a lateral inhibition mechanism exerted during response preparation.
Polymorphic microsatellite and cryptic simple repeat sequence markers in pineapples (Ananas comosus var. comosus)
Authors: KINSUAT M. J. , KUMAR S. V.
Published: May 2007

A rapid method for isolating microsatellite loci in pineapples, based on the 5′‐anchored polymerase chain reaction technique, revealed 137 microsatellite loci (consisting of 62 dinucleotide, 24 trinucleotide, 49 tetranucleotide and 2 hexanucleotide repeats) and 16 cryptically simple repeat sequences. We report on the characterization of 19 polymorphic microsatellite loci and one cryptic simple repeat loci in pineapples. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to four while the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.1705 to 1. These markers are useful as tools for detecting levels of genetic variation in pineapple varieties for germplasm management and crossbreeding purposes.
Isolation of polymorphic microsatellite markers in the sub‐Saharan tree, Acacia (Senegalia) mellifera (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae)
Authors: RUIZ‐GUAJARDO JUAN C. , OTERO‐ARNAIZ ADRIANA , TAYLOR TRAVIS , STONE GRAHAM , GLENN TRAVIS C. , SCHABLE NANCY A. , MILLER JOSEPH T. , PREUSS SONJA , SCHNABEL ANDREW
Published: May 2007

We isolated 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers from Acacia mellifera, a savannah woodland tree in sub‐Saharan Africa and southern Arabia. The loci were screened for polymorphism using 48 Kenyan individuals. Allelic diversity ranged from three to 19 per locus and the polymorphic information content varied from 0.287 to 0.893. These loci will be useful in studies of genetic structure, gene flow and breeding systems.
Contractile properties of knee‐extensors in one single family with nemaline myopathy: central and peripheral aspects of muscle activation
Authors: Gerrits Karin , Pauw‐Gommans Inge , Van Engelen Baziel , De Haan Arnold
Published: May 2007

Patients with nemaline myopathy, a muscle disorder primarily affecting the thin filaments, suffer from weakness which is poorly understood. As disturbed excitation‐contraction coupling has been suggested as a possible mechanism, the present study was designed to investigate whether the contractile properties of the knee‐extensor muscles in patients from a single family with nemaline myopathy were different from able‐bodied individuals. To assess central neural as well as more peripheral intrinsic aspects of muscle activation, isometric voluntary and electrically elicited quadriceps contractions were evoked at different knee angles. Interestingly, across the range of 30–70° of knee flexion, the capacity to achieve maximal voluntary activation of the muscles, assessed by a super‐imposed stimulation technique, was significantly higher in patients compared with controls. Furthermore, the torque–frequency relation differed between groups, with the muscles of patients producing higher torques at low (twitch and 10 Hz) stimulation frequencies relative to maximal (150 Hz) stimulation than controls at both 30° and 60° of knee flexion. These results suggest that no impairment was present at relatively low activation frequencies. It may, however, be indicative for a reduced cross‐bridge attachment as part of the excitation–contraction coupling specifically at high activation frequencies. In conclusion, the quadriceps weakness observed in this specific patient group cannot be explained by an impaired capacity to maximally activate these muscles. However, the data of relatively high torques produced at submaximal activation frequencies are compatible with the hypothesis that patients with nemaline myopathy may have an impaired acto‐myosin interaction specifically at high levels of activation.
Mortality and Physician Supply: Does Region Hold the Key to the Paradox?
Authors: Ricketts Thomas C. , Holmes George M.
Published: May 2007

Objective. To determine if the supply of physicians has a consistent relationship with mortality across regions.

Data Sources. County‐level data describing the supply of physicians, mortality, and socioeconomic conditions of the population as provided in the Area Resource File (BHPr, HRSA) and the Compressed Mortality File (NCHS, CDC).

Study Design. Ordinary least squares and geographically weighted regression models with age‐adjusted all‐cause and disease‐specific mortality as the dependent variables were specified using pooled data from 1996 to 2000 to test for the relationship with primary care and specialist physician–population ratios. The residuals from the OLS models were mapped and examined for potential clustering. A series of geographically weighted regression models were run for all 3,070 counties and the z‐scores and significance of the models mapped.

Principal Findings. The association between primary care physician supply and mortality was not observed in contrast to other studies; mapping the residuals of those models suggested regional clustering. When weighted geographically, the relationship between primary care and specialist physician supply and mortality presents a mixed pattern. The results show strong regional patterns that may explain the lack of a consistent national association. Primary care physicians are associated with decreased mortality on the east coast and upper midwest, but that correlation disappears or is reversed in the west (with the exception of Washington State) and south central states.

Conclusions. We find evidence that there are regionally focused association between physician supply and mortality, holding constant population characteristics that reflect the influence of social and economic characteristics. However, these relationships are not consistent across the United States; there are regions where there are stronger and weaker associations between type of practitioner and mortality and other regions where no association is apparent. This suggests that the direction for further analysis lies in the understanding of the regional differences and whether there are policy alternatives to address these different patterns.
Hard and soft emotion during conflict: Investigating married couples and other relationships
Authors: SANFORD KEITH
Published: May 2007

Three studies investigated the function of 2 types of negative emotion during interpersonal conflict. Hard emotion includes feeling angry or aggravated. Soft emotion includes feeling sad or hurt. In both Study 1 (including 236 married people) and Study 2 (including 140 college students), participants recalled 3 different previous conflict episodes. In the third study, 77 married couples were observed in 4 different conflict conversations, completed during 2 assessment sessions. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to investigate the extent to which change in emotion predicted corresponding change in behavior and appraisal. Hard emotion predicted increases in negative communication, whereas soft emotion predicted more benign forms of communication. Soft emotion also predicted increases in appraisals that interpersonal conflicts are important to resolve.
Using the relational turbulence model to understand negative emotion within courtship
Authors: KNOBLOCH LEANNE K. , MILLER LAURA E. , CARPENTER KATY E.
Published: May 2007

We employ the relational turbulence model to deduce hypotheses about how intimacy, relational uncertainty, and interference and facilitation from partners predict people’s experience of negative emotion. We test our hypotheses using data from a self‐report, cross‐sectional study of 525 individuals involved in dating relationships. Results indicated that intimacy shared very small convex curvilinear associations with anger, sadness, fear, and jealousy (H1). Relational uncertainty and interference from partners were positively correlated with negative emotion (H2, H3), and facilitation from partners was negatively correlated with negative emotion (H4). Also as expected, relational uncertainty and interference from partners mediated the association between intimacy and negative emotion (H5). We interpret how our findings shed light on people’s experience of negative emotion within courtship.
Nurses’ perceptions and experiences of initiating thrombolysis: a qualitative study
Authors: Smallwood Andrew , Humphreys Melanie
Published: May 2007

Nurse‐initiated thrombolysis has become established in some trusts for patients presenting to the accident and emergency department or coronary care unit with an acute myocardial infarction. A limited approach to the exploration of this multidimensional expansion in nursing practice is noted in the literature. The aims of this study were to explore the experiential dimensions of nurses who have initiated thrombolysis, if nurses perceive themselves prepared for the role, and whether they consider role expansion a positive or negative experience. A qualitative approach was used. The sample included 12 nurses organizationally sanctioned to autonomously administer a thrombolytic agent, who completed a self‐administered, predominantly open‐ended questionnaire. Data were analysed using the method described by Giorgi (1997). Two major themes emerged: ‘perceived pressure to deliver best practice’ and ‘developing patient care within a holistic framework’, these themes are discussed and underpinned with supporting narratives. Nurses initiating thrombolysis have a desire to engage with delivery of a treatment proven to have a positive impact on individual patient outcomes; they express an overwhelming desire ‘to do good’ for their patient. Despite struggling with the possibility of adverse patient outcomes, all the nurses felt that their experiences overall were positive and all supported this with examples of practice.
Commentary: Saline versus Albumin Fluid Evaluation (SAFE) Investigators (2006). Effect of baseline serum albumin concentration on outcome of resuscitation with albumin or saline in patients in intensive care units: analysis of data from the saline versus albumin fluid evaluation (SAFE) study
Authors: Younker Jackie
Published: May 2007

The objectives of this study were to determine whether outcomes of resuscitation with albumin or saline in the intensive care unit (ICU) depend on patients’ baseline serum albumin concentration. In this study we analyse data from a double‐blind, randomized controlled trial. ICUs of 16 hospitals in Australia and New Zealand were included. There was a total of 6045 participants in the saline versus albumin fluid evaluation study. Fluid resuscitation with 4% albumin or saline was observed in patients with a baseline serum albumin concentration of 25 g/L or less or more than 25 g/L. Primary outcome was all‐cause mortality at 28 days. Secondary outcomes were length of stay in the ICU, length of stay in hospital, duration of renal replacement therapy and duration of mechanical ventilation. The odds ratios for death for albumin compared with saline for patients with a baseline serum albumin concentration of 25 g/L or less and more than 25 g/L were 0.87 and 1.09, respectively (ratio of odds ratios 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.63 to 1.02); P= 0.08 for heterogeneity. No significant interaction was found between baseline serum albumin concentration as a continuous variable and the effect of albumin and saline on mortality. No consistent interaction was found between baseline serum albumin concentration and treatment effects on length of stay in the ICU, length of hospital stay, duration of renal replacement therapy or duration of mechanical ventilation. The outcomes of resuscitation with albumin and saline are similar irrespective of patients’ baseline serum albumin concentration.

Abstract reprinted from the British Medical Journal volume 333, Saline versus Albumin Fluid Evaluation (SAFE) Investigators, ‘Effect of baseline serum albumin concentration on outcome of resuscitation …’, pages 1044–6. © 2006, reproduced with permission from the BMJ Publishing Group.
Review of ICU nutrition support practices: implementing the nurse‐led enteral feeding algorithm
Authors: Dobson Kirsty , Scott Alexa
Published: May 2007

Many intensive care units (ICUs) have standard feeding protocols which promote safe early initiation of enteral feeding. The use of these protocols has been shown to increase the incidence of enteral feeding and achieve greater adequacy of nutrition support. A multidisciplinary working party developed and implemented a nurse‐led enteral feeding algorithm which enabled senior nursing staff to set safe and nutritionally adequate target feed volumes based upon patient body weight. The algorithm incorporated best practice‐based referral criteria so that patients at nutritional risk were referred for tailored dietetic assessment. The aims were to determine compliance with the ICU nurse‐led enteral feeding algorithm and to ascertain its safety and efficacy. A 3‐month prospective audit was conducted by specialist ICU dietitians. Data were obtained from electronic patient records and through observing feeding practices. Data collected included prescribed feed type and infusion rate versus volume received, frequency of gastric aspiration and prokinetic usage. In all, 90% (n = 43) of referrals received by the dietitian met the referral criteria. Absolute compliance with patients receiving correct type and volumes of feed, with a correct feed prescription and an accurate documented weight was just 2% (n = 1). Despite this finding, 60% of patients were actually receiving the correct feed regimen. If the nurse‐led enteral feeding algorithm is wholly adhered to, the ICU dietitian need not formally assess every ICU patient. Nursing staff require further support in assessing patient body weight alongside an ongoing intensive educational programme for the multidisciplinary team and regular reaudit.
Effect of Reading Additional Safety Information on Planned Use of Over‐the‐Counter Analgesics
Authors: McDonald Deborah Dillon , Amendola Mary Grace , Interlandi Elsa , Wall Karen , Lewchik Brent , Polouse Lissy , Pace Noreen , Inthavong Susada , Li Ling
Published: May 2007

ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study was used to test the effect on planned safe use of over‐the‐counter (OTC) analgesics of adding information about the potential for nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) interaction with antihypertensive medications, the potential for interaction of alcohol and acetaminophen, and NSAID ceiling effects to the Federal Drug Administration's (FDA's) OTC analgesics pamphlet.

Design: A randomized posttest‐only double‐blind experimental design was used to test an intervention with a comparison group reading the FDA pamphlet, and treatment group reading the pamphlet with added information.

Sample: Participants included 137 adults.

Intervention: Participants read the treatment or the comparison pamphlet.

Results: Both groups responded with similar planned use of OTC analgesics. The majority were likely to read the label before taking an OTC analgesic, but were unlikely to give acetaminophen to a family member using antihypertensive medication.

Conclusions: Reading additional information about OTC analgesics resulted in no greater intention to safely use analgesics. Responses indicated reluctance to use OTC analgesics, and the potential need for increased health teaching regarding use of OTC analgesics with antihypertensive medication. Public health teaching should include the importance of treating pain and selecting the safest OTC analgesics for the clinical situation.
For the Good of a Common Discipline
Authors: Abrams Sarah E.
Published: May 2007

ABSTRACT
This historical commentary reprints excerpts from Mary Sewall Gardner's January 1, 1931, editorial in the original Public Health Nursing journal. Gardner (1871–1961) directed the Providence District Nursing Association until her retirement in 1931. She had also served as president of the National Organization for Public Health Nursing. In her editorial, Gardner sought to relieve the sense of hopelessness caused by the deepening Depression and ameliorate the fear that public health nursing advances had been reversed. An introduction to the impact of the Great Depression on working classes and its impact on organizations responsible for visiting nurses provides the background to help evaluate Gardner's intent. Her words find parallels in the inaugural address of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933. This suggests that the pervasive crisis produced a distinctive tone and perspective of interdependence and mutual resolve that leaders used to help their followers through troubling times.
Relief From Migraine Headache With Aripiprazole Treatment
Authors: LaPorta Lauren D.
Published: May 2007

There have been many reports of the association between migraine headaches and psychiatric disorders as well as of the utility of dopamine antagonists in the treatment of migraine headache. There is increasing evidence to support the activation of dopaminergic systems as a primary component of migraine pathogenesis. This report documents 3 cases of female migraineurs who received the dopamine modulator aripiprazole for treatment of co‐occurring psychiatric disorders and experienced a decrease in migraine frequency and severity. A hypothesis as to the mechanism of action of dopamine regulation in migraine treatment is discussed.
Identification of Candidate Genes for Alcohol Preference by Expression Profiling of Congenic Rat Strains
Authors: Carr Lucinda G. , Kimpel Mark W. , Liang Tiebing , McClintick Jeanette N. , McCall Kevin , Morse Melissa , Edenberg Howard J.
Published: May 2007

Background: A highly significant quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 4 that influenced alcohol preference was identified by analyzing crosses between the iP and iNP rats. Congenic strains in which the iP chromosome 4 QTL interval was transferred to the iNP (NP.P) exhibited the expected increase in alcohol consumption compared with the iNP background strain. This study was undertaken to identify genes in the chromosome 4 QTL interval that might contribute to the differences in alcohol consumption between the alcohol‐naïve congenic and background strains.

Methods: RNA from 5 brain regions from each of 6 NP.P and 6 iNP rats was labeled and analyzed separately on an Affymetrix Rat Genome 230 2.0 microarray to look for both cis‐regulated and trans‐regulated genes. Expression levels were normalized using robust multi‐chip average (RMA). Differential gene expression was validated using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Five individual brain regions (nucleus accumbens, frontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and striatum) were analyzed to detect differential expression of genes within the introgressed QTL interval, as well as genes outside that region. To increase the power to detect differentially expressed genes, combined analyses (averaging data from the 5 discrete brain regions of each animal) were also carried out.

Results: Analyses within individual brain regions that focused on genes within the QTL interval detected differential expression in all 5 brain regions; a total of 35 genes were detected in at least 1 region, ranging from 6 genes in the nucleus accumbens to 22 in the frontal cortex. Analysis of the whole genome detected very few differentially expressed genes outside the QTL. Combined analysis across brain regions was more powerful. Analysis focused on the genes within the QTL interval confirmed 19 of the genes detected in individual regions and detected 15 additional genes. Whole genome analysis detected 1 differentially expressed gene outside the interval.

Conclusions: Cis‐regulated candidate genes for alcohol consumption were identified using microarray profiling of gene expression differences in congenic animals carrying a QTL for alcohol preference.
Chronic Smoking Is Associated With Differential Neurocognitive Recovery in Abstinent Alcoholic Patients: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Durazzo Timothy C. , Rothlind Johannes C. , Gazdzinski Stefan , Banys Peter , Meyerhoff Dieter J.
Published: May 2007

Background:Approximately 50 to 90% of individuals in North America seeking treatment for alcoholism are chronic smokers. A growing body of evidence suggests that chronic cigarette smokers show a pattern of neurocognitive dysfunction similar to that observed in alcoholic patients. However, previous studies investigating neurocognitive recovery in abstinent alcoholic patients did not specifically consider the potential effects of chronic cigarette smoking.

Methods:This study comprehensively compared longitudinal neurocognitive changes over 6 to 9 months of abstinence among 13 nonsmoking recovering alcoholic patients (ALC) and 12 actively smoking ALC. The neurocognitive performance of the alcoholic groups was compared with nonsmoking light‐drinking controls (nonsmoking LD).

Results:Nonsmoking ALC exhibited a significantly greater magnitude of longitudinal improvement than smoking ALC on measures of cognitive efficiency, executive skills, visuospatial skills, and working memory. Both nonsmoking ALC and smoking ALC demonstrated equivalent improvement on auditory‐verbal learning, auditory‐verbal memory, and processing speed. Nonsmoking LD showed no significant changes in neurocognition over time. In cross‐sectional comparisons at 6 to 9 months of abstinence, nonsmoking ALC were superior to smoking ALC on measures of auditory‐verbal learning, auditory‐verbal memory, cognitive efficiency, executive skills, processing speed, and working memory. The longitudinal and cross‐sectional neurocognitive differences observed between nonsmoking and smoking ALC remained significant after covarying for group differences in education, estimated premorbid intelligence alcohol consumption, and other potentially confounding variables. In smoking ALC, greater smoking severity was inversely related to longitudinal improvement on multiple neurocognitive measures.

Conclusions:These preliminary results suggest that chronic smoking may modulate neurocognitive recovery in abstinent alcoholic patients. More generally, chronic smoking may impact neurocognition in other conditions where is it a prevalent behavior.
Ethanol Acceptance Is High During Early Infancy and Becomes Still Higher After Previous Ethanol Ingestion
Authors: Sanders Sarah , Spear Norman E.
Published: May 2007

Background: Infant (preweanling) rats readily accept ethanol without initiation procedures. During their second and third postnatal weeks, rats ingest large quantities of even high concentrations of ethanol. The present study tested the consequences of still earlier exposure to ethanol differing in concentration, mode of administration, and contextual circumstances.

Methods: Every 48 hours from postnatal day 2 (P2) to P10, pups were given access to 0, 5, 15, or 25% ethanol through an independent feeding procedure (consumption off the floor; COF) or by intragastric (i.g.) administration. The amount of ethanol consumed was matched for the 2 modes of ethanol delivery. On P12 pups were tested for intake of 15% ethanol through an intraoral infusion test or COF.

Results: Beginning on P6, pups ingested more ethanol solution than water, and by P8 and P10 they ingested large quantities of ethanol—1.5 to 2.0 g/kg ethanol from 15 or 25% ethanol solution within a 10‐minute period. This early experience with ingestion of ethanol increased subsequent ethanol intake on P12, particularly when concentration and mode of ingestion were the same as before.

Conclusions: Intake on P12 was increased by prior exposure to ethanol intragastrically as well as by the conventional oral route, suggesting pharmacological effects of prior ethanol exposure. Yet, the apparently greater influence of prior exposure by the oral route and the influence of prior ethanol concentration also implicate the importance of ethanol's chemosensory attributes for effects of prior ethanol exposure. The equivalent g/kg intake of ethanol in 15 or 25% solutions during the early part of the second postnatal week suggests that regulation of ethanol intake at P8 and P10 is similar to that observed previously in adults. Change in aspects of ethanol ingestion at about P6 may reflect the shift in function of the GABA system at about this age.
Association Between Body Mass Index and Mortality in an 80‐Year‐Old Population
Authors: Takata Yutaka , Ansai Toshihiro , Soh Inho , Akifusa Sumio , Sonoki Kazuo , Fujisawa Kiyoshi , Awano Shuji , Kagiyama Shuntaro , Hamasaki Tomoko , Nakamichi Ikuo , Yoshida Akihiro , Takehara Tadamichi
Published: May 2007

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in an 80‐year‐old population.

DESIGN: Cohort study.

SETTING: Community‐based.

PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred ninety‐seven of 1,282 (54.4%) 80‐year‐old candidate individuals.

MEASUREMENTS: The dates and causes of all deaths were followed up for 4 years.

RESULTS: The relative hazard ratios (HRs) for all‐cause mortality were lower in overweight subjects (BMI≥25.0) than in underweight (BMI<18.5) or normal‐weight (BMI 18.5–24.9) subjects. Similarly, the HRs for mortality due to CVD in overweight subjects were 78% less (HR=0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.06–0.77) than those in underweight subjects, and those in normal weight subjects were 78% less (HR=0.22, 95% CI=0.08–0.60) than those in underweight subjects. Mortality due to CVD was 4.6 times (HR 4.64, 95% CI=1.68–12.80) as high in underweight subjects as in normal‐weight subjects, and mortality due to cancers was 88% lower (HR=0.12, 95% CI=0.02–0.78) in the overweight group than in the underweight group. There were no differences in mortality due to pneumonia.

CONCLUSION: Overweight status was associated with longevity and underweight with short life, due to lower and higher mortality, respectively, from CVD and cancer.
HOPE VI Housing Program: Was it Effective?
Authors: Brazley Michael , Gilderbloom John I.
Published: May 2007

Abstract.  This article is a case study of the Park DuValle Revitalization Project in Louisville, Kentucky, to evaluate whether the Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOPE VI program enhances quality of life. Park DuValle has gotten national attention and has received awards from HUD, the American Institute of Architects, and the Congress on New Urbanism. The research finds that HOPE VI, which tends to serve the needs of non–public housing tenants (80 percent of whom are now residents of the Park DuValle development), does not help the vast majority of residents who are displaced. Furthermore, HOPE VI builds housing that is two to three times more costly per unit than housing provided by competing nonprofit community development groups.
Testing a Hazard Model for the Housing Market in New Orleans
Authors: Das Amaresh
Published: May 2007

Abstract.  The article presents a search‐theoretic approach to investigate the relationship between probability of a sale and market duration in the housing market. Using a hazard model to study duration dependence, the article, on the basis of data from New Orleans, provides empirical evidence that houses do exhibit duration dependence.
Sociotropic Concerns and Support for Counterterrorism Policies*
Authors: Joslyn Mark R. , Haider‐Markel Donald P.
Published: May 2007

Objective. An individual's personal experiences and perception of the collective experience are often linked to political attitudes, especially those concerning the national economy. In this article, we examine whether personal concern about terrorism and perceptions of public concern about terrorism affect attitudes about counterterrorism policies. In addition, we evaluate which factor is the strongest predictor across several counterterrorism policies.

Method. We analyze individual‐level survey data collected during the fall of 2001.

Results. Our results indicate that perceptions of public concerns are the strongest and most consistent predictor of policy attitudes about terrorism.

Conclusion. The implications for theory about perceptions of public opinion and the competing role of personal interest and sociotropic concern are discussed.
Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs Associated with Recurrent Episodes of Atrial Fibrillation: The FRACTAL Registry
Authors: REYNOLDS MATTHEW R. , ESSEBAG VIDAL , ZIMETBAUM PETER , COHEN DAVID J.
Published: May 2007

Introduction: Drivers of cost in the atrial fibrillation (AF) population are not fully understood. We sought to characterize the resource utilization and costs of treating new‐onset AF, with emphasis on the incremental costs associated with recurrent episodes of AF over time.

Methods and Results: An inception cohort of 973 AF patients was followed at 3–6 month intervals in an observational registry over a mean of 24 ± 9 months. AF therapies, clinical outcomes, and both inpatient and outpatient medical resource utilization were tracked at each follow‐up interval. Registry patients were managed primarily with cardioversion and pharmacological therapy. Direct healthcare costs were calculated from a U.S. perspective by multiplying measures of resource utilization by representative price weights. Costs were compared among patients in whom the initial episode of AF became permanent and patients who initially achieved sinus rhythm and had either 0, 1–2, or ≥3 documented recurrences during follow‐up. Mean annual costs for these four groups were $2,372, $3,385, $6,331, and $10,312 per patient per year, respectively (P < 0.001 for trend), with the largest variation related to hospital costs. In multivariable analysis controlling for demographic characteristics and baseline cardiac and comorbid conditions, each documented recurrence of AF was found to increase annual healthcare costs by ∼$1,600.

Conclusion: Following initial diagnosis, patients with AF treated with traditional therapies incur $4,000–$5,000 in annual direct healthcare costs. Costs are markedly higher in patients with multiple AF recurrences. These data may be helpful in evaluating the economic impact of new technologies for treating AF.
Brushite Cements from Polyphosphoric Acid, Calcium Phosphate Systems
Authors: Lilley K. J. , Gbureck U. , Wright A. J. , Knowles J. C. , Farrar D. F. , Barralet J. E.
Published: May 2007

Brushite cement is more soluble than apatitic cement under physiological conditions. Thus, brushite cement may be resorbable in vivo when used as a bone substitute material. Our group has previously reported the formation of brushite cement from orthophosphoric acid and several calcium phosphates such as β‐tricalcium phosphate or nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite. In this study, polyphosphoric acid was investigated as a calcium phosphate cement component. We found that brushite cement was not formed when polyphosphoric acid was mixed with β‐tricalcium phosphate but instead monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM) was formed. Although stronger in compression when tested dry, MCPM is readily soluble under physiological conditions and cement loses structural integrity within hours of aging in water. However, by varying the solid component phases, we have discovered a new route to the formation of brushite cement. The mixture of polyphosphoric acid, water, and tetracalcium phosphate yielded cement composed predominantly of brushite. The mechanical performance, microstructure, and setting time of this cement appeared to be dependent on the composition of the set cement, which in turn was determined by the composition of cement reactants in the cement slurry.
Identification and Comparison of Electrical Tapes Using Instrumental and Statistical Techniques: I. Microscopic Surface Texture and Elemental Composition*
Authors: Goodpaster John V. , Sturdevant Amanda B. , Andrews Kristen L. , Brun‐Conti Leanora
Published: May 2007

ABSTRACT: Comparisons of polyvinyl chloride electrical tape typically rely upon evaluating class characteristics such as physical dimensions, surface texture, and chemical composition. Given the various techniques that are available for this purpose, a comprehensive study has been undertaken to establish an optimal analytical scheme for electrical tape comparisons. Of equal importance is the development of a quantitative means for sample discrimination. In this study, 67 rolls of black electrical tape representing 34 different nominal brands were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Differences in surface roughness, calendering marks, and filler particle size were readily apparent, including between some rolls of the same nominal brand. The relative amounts of magnesium, aluminum, silicon, sulfur, lead, chlorine, antimony, calcium, titanium, and zinc varied greatly between brands and, in some cases, could be linked to the year of manufacture. For the first time, quantitative differentiation of electrical tapes was achieved through multivariate statistical techniques, with 36 classes identified within the sample population. A single‐blind study was also completed where questioned tape samples were correctly associated with known exemplars. Finally, two case studies are presented where tape recovered from an improvised explosive device is compared with tape recovered from a suspect.
Mitochondrial DNA Analysis of the Domestic Dog: Control Region Variation Within and Among Breeds
Authors: Gundry Rebekah L. , Allard Marc W. , Moretti Tamyra R. , Honeycutt Rodney L. , Wilson Mark R. , Monson Keith L. , Foran David R.
Published: May 2007

ABSTRACT: The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control regions of 125 domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) encompassing 43 breeds, as well as one coyote and two wolves were sequenced and subsequently examined for sequence variation in an effort to construct a reference dog mtDNA data set for forensic analysis. Forty informative variable sites were identified that described 45 haplotypes, 29 of which were observed only once. Substantial variation was found both within and among breeds in the mtDNA derived from tissue, indicating that analysis of the mtDNA derived from dog hairs could be a valuable, discriminating piece of evidence in forensic investigations. The dog data set single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) ranged from having one to six changes on a phylogenetic tree. On average, there were 1.9 character changes for each variable position on the tree. The most variable sites (with four or more changes each, listed from the most changes to the fewest) observed were 15,639 (L=6), 16,672 (L=5), 15,955 (L=4), 15,627 (L=3), 16,431 (L=3), and 16,439 (L=3). These sites were consistent with other reports on variable positions in the dog mtDNA genome. A total of 26 SNPs were chosen to best identify all major clusters in the domestic dog data set. The descriptive analyses revealed that this data set is similar to other published canine data sets and further demonstrates that this domestic dog data set is a useful resource for forensic applications. This reference data set has been compiled and validated against the published dog genetic literature with an aim to aid forensic investigations that seek to incorporate mtDNA sequences and SNPs from trace evidence such as dog hair.