bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retinal Degeneration Induced in Adult Mice by a Single Intraperitoneal Injection of N-Ethyl-N-Nitrosourea
Authors: Yoshizawa Katsuhiko , Kuro-Kuwata Maki , Sasaki Tomo , Lai Yen-Chang Clark , Kanematsu Sayaka , Miki Hisanori , Kimura-Kawanaka Ayako , Uehara Norihisa , Yuri Takashi , Tsubura Airo
Published: April 2011

Seven-week-old female BALB/c mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of N-ethyl- N-nitrosourea (ENU) (50, 100, 200, 400, or 600 mg/kg), and retinal damage was evaluated after 7 days. Sequential morphological features of the retina and retinal apoptosis, as determined by the TUNEL assay, were analyzed 6, 12, 24, and 72 hr and 7 days after treatment with 600 mg/kg of ENU. Moreover, older mice (25 to 34 weeks of age) received an intraperitoneal injection of 600 mg/kg ENU and were sacrificed 7 days later. All animals were necropsied, and both eyes were examined histopathologically. Two of the 5 mice that received 600 mg/kg ENU died during the experimental period. Histopathologically, all mice that received 600 mg/kg of ENU experienced retinal degeneration characterized by the loss of photoreceptor cells (disappearance of the outer nuclear layer and photoreceptor layer) in both the central and peripheral retina within 7 days. One of 5 mice treated with 400 mg/kg ENU exhibited retinal damage that was restricted to the central retina. Older mice treated with 600 mg/kg ENU exhibited retinal damage that was similar to the retinal damage in younger mice. In the 600 mg/kg ENU-treated mice, TUNEL-positive photoreceptor cells peaked 72 hr after ENU treatment. Retinal thickness and the photoreceptor cell ratio in the central and peripheral retina were significantly decreased, and the retinal damage ratio was significantly increased 7 days after treatment. In conclusion, ENU induces retinal degeneration in adult mice that is characterized by photoreceptor cell apoptosis.
Impact of Healthy Work Environments on New Graduate Nurses’ Environmental Reality Shock
Authors: Kramer Marlene , Brewer Barbara B. , Maguire Patricia
Published: April 2011

Do healthy work environments (HWEs) facilitate new graduate transition into professional practice in hospitals? Are such environments related to a decrease in Environmental Reality Shock? Experienced nurses in 17 Magnet hospitals completed the Essentials of Magnetism II© (EOMII©) instrument that measures health of unit work environments. New graduates ( N = 468) were then tracked with modified versions of the EOMII© from immediate post hire to 4, 8, and 12 months post hire to ascertain degree of Environmental Reality Shock. New graduate nurses have extremely high anticipations of unit work environments that would enable delivery of quality patient care. HWE is the most-significant variable in Environmental Reality Shock, number of related Issues and Concerns, and perceptions of quality of patient care. Suggestions of how to improve quality of unit work environments are offered.
Recurrent Pseudotumor Cerebri in Childhood: A Case of Neuro-Behçet Disease Complicated With Thrombotic Risk Factors
Authors: Yilmaz Sanem , Serdaroglu Gul , Unver Hale , Akcay Ayfer , Gokben Sarenur , Tekgul Hasan
Published: April 2011

Pseudotumor cerebri with or without venous sinus thrombosis is a rare clinical presentation of Behçet disease in childhood. We present here a case of childhood pseudotumor cerebri without a previous diagnosis of Behçet disease. The detailed history and physical examination of the case led to the diagnosis of neuro-Behçet disease. The investigation of predisposition to thrombosis revealed heterozygous factor V Leiden mutation along with the high lipoprotein(a) level. The symptoms resolved dramatically by treatment with the combination of immunosuppression and anticoagulation with regard to the detected factor V Leiden mutation and high lipoprotein(a) level. After a symptom-free period of 9 months, the cerebral vein thrombosis recurred. We present this case to draw attention to this rare cause of pseudotumor cerebri in childhood and to emphasize the importance of additional thrombotic risk factors regarding the potential recurrence of thrombotic events in Behçet disease.
Trihexyphenidyl Improves Motor Function in Children with Dystonic Cerebral Palsy: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Ben-Pazi Hilla
Published: April 2011

There are conflicting reports regarding the efficacy of trihexyphenidyl, an anticholinergic drug, for treatment of dystonia in cerebral palsy. The author hypothesized that trihexyphenidyl may be more effective in specific subgroups and performed a retrospective analysis of 31 children (8.2 ± 5.8 years) with dystonia following treatment with high-dose trihexyphenidyl (>0.5 mg/kg/day). Main outcome measure was extent of motor improvement calculated according to the body areas affected. Most (21/31) caregivers reported improvement in 1 or more areas, mainly arm, hand, and oromotor function. Improvement was greater in children without spasticity (P = .02) and in those with higher cognitive function (P = .02). While a third of caregivers (10/31) reported tone reduction, and half (15/31) noted overall functional improvement. Side effects were transient, with the exception of hyperopia (n = 1), and occurred less frequently in children with a history of prematurity (P = .02). In summary, trihexyphenidyl is effective particularly in absence of spasticity and in children with higher cognitive abilities.
Dissidence, Republicanism, and Democratic Change
Authors: Blokker Paul
Published: April 2011

The dramatic changes of 1989 have been widely understood as the confirmation of Western, liberal democracy as the ultimate model of the modern polity. The fact that 1989 was about a dual language that not only emphasized the rule of law and the implementation of rights, but also articulated ideas of democracy alternative to the mainstream liberal-constitutional idea, has not been at the forefront of interpretations of post-1989 trajectories. This does not mean, though, that 1989 has not had implications for the democratic imaginary and structures emerging in the new democracies. Dissidence has had important even if less visible implications for democratic imaginary and structure in ways that are still being played out. It should be recognized that the events of 1989 and dissident thought also indicated alternative, republican democratic models that have had implications for the democratic structures emerging in the wake of 1989. In the contribution, the author will first briefly discuss the one-sidedness of interpretations of democracy in post-1989 Central and Eastern Europe and, subsequently, highlight one alternative understanding of democracy that has emerged in some of the dissidents’ ideas prior to and in 1989, in particular in terms of notions of republican democracy. Second, the author will discuss some instances—predominantly referring to the experiences in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland—in which the influence of dissident ideas on constitutional and legal-institutional transformations, in particular regarding local self-government and direct democracy, becomes visible.
Hijacked Ideas
Authors: Szulecki Kacper
Published: April 2011

Central European dissidents, although in many ways constrained by their post-totalitarian regimes, were nevertheless taking part in a transnational circulation of ideas. This article is inspired by contemporary studies of cultural (g)localization and links them to the research on dissent to show that the dissident intellectuals in Central Europe (the particular contexts of Czechoslovakia and Poland are investigated) were not only the receivers, but also retransmitters and “generators,” of “universal” ideas. To grasp their role and to understand the nature of “universal” ideas, it is necessary to look into domestic contexts to see how internationally functioning ideas are localized—that is, recontextualized and translated. What is more, locally altered meanings can influence the international “originals” so that a new meaning can be renegotiated. Central European opposition found a firm foundation and a source of empowerment in the internationally recognized discourse of human rights. However, with time, dissident groups in the Eastern Bloc struggled to reinterpret these ideas and extend their mobilizing effect onto other issues. Certain themes present in Western debates were taken up in Central Europe and merged with human rights issues. The two analyzed here are pacifism and environmentalism, ideas that were metaphorically “hijacked” and used by the dissidents. The article shows how the translation and renegotiation of these ideas proceeded and to what extent they were successful both locally and transnationally.
Adam Michnik’s Understanding of Totalitarianism and the West European Left
Authors: Brier Robert
Published: April 2011

There is a supreme irony concerning the history of the concept of “totalitarianism”: during the 1970s, many Western social scientists and intellectuals abandoned this concept, arguing that it was too rigid to account for the changes that were occurring in Eastern Europe at the time; one of the developments they cited was the rise of Central European and Soviet dissidents. At precisely this time, however, the dissidents themselves started to apply the adjective totalitarian to the Communist regimes they rebelled against. Focusing on Adam Michnik’s writings, the article assesses this seeming paradox by adopting a transnational perspective. The article’s main thesis is that, for Michnik, the value of “totalitarianism” did not lie in its analytical precision but in the discursive force the term acquired in transnational exchanges in which Michnik tried to mobilize the support of the Western left for the cause of the Polish opposition. The article substantiates this thesis with two case studies. Addressing West German Social Democrats, the concept of totalitarianism seems to have served as a means of convincing them that support for the Polish opposition was not detrimental to reforms in Eastern Europe and to international détente but a necessary precondition for any authentic peace. In addressing French audiences, Michnik seems to have used the adjective totalitarian to convince his interlocutors that human rights advocacy was not any kind of issue but that French and Polish democratic socialists faced a common threat.
The Role of Dissident Values in Institutional Choice
Authors: Renwick Alan
Published: April 2011

Choices of political institutions have been subject to increasing examination in recent years. The literature on these choices generally argues that they are driven primarily by politicians’ power interests, with impartial values playing at most a subservient role. Yet there are circumstances in which that may not be the case, in which values do come more to the fore. This article examines two propositions: that a principal legacy of significant democratic dissident activity is that it enhances the direct role of impartial values in initial choices of political institutions; and that the values involved have a specifically dissident hue. It begins by exploring theoretically the reasons for expecting these patterns. It then examines the propositions empirically through analysis of institutional choice in East-Central Europe in 1989 and 1990. The third section expands the analysis, first by using Linz and Stepan’s typology of nondemocratic regimes to consider the circumstances under which the posited mechanisms may operate, and then by tentatively exploring evidence from a broad range of cases. The article concludes that the circumstances in which dissident values matter significantly in institutional choices are rare but nevertheless generalizable. The analysis therefore provides a valuable addition to our understanding of institutional choice processes as well as of dissident legacies.
The Rise and Fall of Czech Post-Dissident Liberalism after 1989
Authors: Kopeček Michal
Published: April 2011

The article describes the rise and fall of the Civic Movement during the early 1990s, the most distinct post-dissident political group in Czech politics after 1989. Basically it follows two lines of enquiry. The first describes the post—Charter 77 community of people during the first years after the 1989 Czechoslovak democratic revolution, when strong personalities of the Czech culture and civic activism from its midst strove to cultivate a vision of “November 1989” in the nascent Czech democratic political culture and to promote the Velvet Revolution’s ethos as its base, first in the Civic Forum and later through one of the successor organisations, Civic Movement. Analysing the main reasons why these efforts were rather unsuccessful, the article turns to the “the politics of history” of the early Czechoslovak and Czech democracy. The “politics towards the past,” namely, turned out to be a soft spot of the post-dissident political elite and actually one of the main conflict points among the various cultural-political streams stemming from the former anticommunist opposition. The second line of enquiry focuses on this community’s half-hearted, if not even forced attempt at a political-ideological delineation heading towards socially conceived liberalism. The article describes how this attempt at recasting the “legacy” of former dissidence into a civic or social liberal political form also failed relatively soon due to the structural development of the Czech political system as well as internal ideological and political diversity of the Civic Movement.
The European Union, Russia, and the Future of the Transnistrian Frozen Conflict
Authors: Tudoroiu Theodor
Published: April 2011

In recent years, increased European Union interest in its eastern “neighborhood” has been hailed as a possible solution of the Transnistrian frozen conflict. The fall of the communist authoritarian regime of Chişinău and the internal crisis of the Smirnov regime in Tiraspol also modified the conditions of the nineteen-year conflict. However, the European involvement in Moldova is perceived by the Kremlin as an intrusion in its own domaine réservé. Moreover, the 2008 war in South Ossetia illustrates Russia’s return to the early 1990s policy of overt instrumentalization of the post-Soviet frozen conflicts. This volatile situation is analyzed in order to predict the future evolution of the Transnistrian conflict in the larger context of the developing regional rivalry between Brussels and Moscow.
The Accumulation of Nonprofit Profits
Authors: Calabrese Thad D.
Published: April 2011

Notwithstanding its importance as an internal source of financing, no analysis has examined why nonprofits choose to retain unrestricted net assets. As restricted net assets might not be used as desired by the nonprofit manager, unrestricted net assets are a more accurate definition of available internal resources than total net assets. This article tests several theories that might motivate nonprofit accumulation of unrestricted net assets. Furthermore, the empirical strategy employed allows an analysis of unrestricted net asset accumulation over time and overcomes several significant statistical estimation issues. The results suggest that nonprofits target profits and seek their accumulation over time, although targets may be set at very low levels. Furthermore, the results suggest that the low levels of profits accumulated annually are for the purpose of reducing organizational financial vulnerability. The results also suggest that many nonprofits behave as if leverage and unrestricted net assets are substitutes.
Felt and Enacted Stigma Among HIV/HCV-Coinfected Adults
Authors: Lekas Helen-Maria , Siegel Karolynn , Leider Jason
Published: April 2011

The realization that many persons with HIV/AIDS are subjected to multiple layers of stigmatization because they belong to socially deviant and disenfranchised groups (e.g., injection drug users, racial/ethnic and sexual minorities) accounts for an increasing interest in the phenomenon of stigma layering. The stigma associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) has also been conceptualized as layered. However, researchers have overlooked the fact that HCV adds a layer to the HIV stigma and vice versa. Qualitative interviews with 132 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients were analyzed to explore how they experience the two layers of stigma. Most participants hierarchically ordered the stigmas associated with each disease and regarded HIV as the more stigmatizing of the two. A small number perceived HIV and HCV as equally stigmatizing. The impact of the hierarchical and nonhierarchical ordering of the two stigmas on coinfected patients’ felt and enacted stigmatization is explored and implications for interventions are discussed.
Mandates of Trust in the Doctor–Patient Relationship
Authors: Skirbekk Helge , Middelthon Anne-Lise , Hjortdahl Per , Finset Arnstein
Published: April 2011

We examine the conditions for trust relationships between patients and physicians. A trust relationship is not normally negotiated explicitly, but we wanted to discuss it with both patients and physicians. We therefore relied on a combination of interviews and observations. Sixteen patients and 8 family physicians in Norway participated in the study. We found that trust relationships were negotiated implicitly. Physicians were authorized by patients to exercise their judgment as medical doctors to varying degrees. We called this phenomenon the patient’s mandate of trust to the physician. A mandate of trust limited to specific complaints was adequate for many medical procedures, but more open mandates of trust seemed necessary to ensure effective and humane treatment for patients with more complex and diffuse illnesses. More open mandates of trust were given if the physician showed an early interest in the patient, was sensitive, gave time, built alliances, or bracketed normal behavior.
Schizophrenia and the Progression of Emotional Expression in Relation to Others
Authors: Le Lievre James A. , Schweitzer Robert D. , Barnard Alan
Published: April 2011

Gaining an improved understanding of people diagnosed with schizophrenia has the potential to influence priorities for therapy. Psychosis is commonly understood through the perspective of the medical model. However, the experience of social context surrounding psychosis is not well understood. In this research project we used a phenomenological methodology with a longitudinal design to interview 7 participants across a 12-month period to understand the social experiences surrounding psychosis. Eleven themes were explicated and divided into two phases of the illness experience: (a) transition into emotional shutdown included the experiences of not being acknowledged, relational confusion, not being expressive, detachment, reliving the past, and having no sense of direction; and (b) recovery from emotional shutdown included the experiences of being acknowledged, expression, resolution, independence, and a sense of direction. The experiential themes provide clinicians with new insights to better assess vulnerability, and have the potential to inform goals for therapy.
Understanding the Social Interaction Difficulties of Women With Unipolar Depression
Authors: Rice Niamh M. , Grealy Madeleine A. , Javaid Aisha , Millan Serrano Rosa
Published: April 2011

Poor social functioning is a prevalent complaint of unipolar depression, but subjective experiences of social interactions have not been systematically studied. A limited number of qualitative researchers have specifically addressed the social difficulties in depression. We conducted in-depth semistructured interviews with 11 depressed women. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Five themes emerged. The first two, diminished desire to socially interact and fear of social interactions, encompass perceptions that have not been previously reported. The third theme, the pressure to adhere to social norms, provided support for previous findings. The final two themes, the perceptions of others and isolation, elaborated on existing knowledge. We found that difficulties with social engagements are much broader than previously reported, with a lack of interest in others, being too emotionally overloaded to interact, perceptions that other people will not understand how women with depression are feeling, and fears of being a burden all contributing to the difficulties experienced in depression.
Nursing Interventions for Family Members Waiting During Cardiac Procedures
Authors: Trecartin Kelly , Carroll Diane L.
Published: April 2011

Anxiety is shared by patients and family members (FMs) and can increase throughout the FMs waiting during invasive cardiac procedures (ICP). The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of an informational report (IR) and a postprocedure visit (PPV), on the anxiety of waiting FMs. There were 151 FMs assigned to 3 groups; Group 1 (50 FMs: standard of care [SOC]), Group 2 (50 FMs: SOC + IR), and Group 3 (51 FMs: SOC + IR + PPV). Pre/ postvariables measured were: blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), skin temperature (ST), and anxiety. When comparing the BP, HR, ST, and anxiety there were no differences between groups with either SOC or IR. There was a significant reduction in anxiety, from baseline to the PPV in Group 3 ( F = 10.1; p < .000). A PPV had an impact on FMs and a PPV should be incorporated as a nursing intervention during ICP.
Managing Voluntary Turnover Through Challenging Assignments
Authors: Preenen Paul T. Y. , De Pater Irene E. , Van Vianen Annelies E. M. , Keijzer Laura
Published: April 2011

This study examines employees’ challenging assignments as manageable means to reduce turnover intentions, job search behaviors, and voluntary turnover. Results indicate that challenging assignments are negatively related to turnover intentions and job search behaviors and that these relationships are mediated by on-the-job learning. Moreover, results show that an increase in challenging assignments over time is negatively related to voluntary employee turnover, when controlling for employees’ initial turnover intentions and job search behaviors. A decrease in challenging assignments is positively related to voluntary turnover, when controlling for employees’ initial turnover intentions and job search behaviors. These results suggest that challenging assignments may be a valuable tool for managers and their organizations to lower voluntary employee turnover.
AKAP Signaling Complexes in Regulation of Excitatory Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Sanderson Jennifer L. , Dell'Acqua Mark L.
Published: April 2011

Plasticity at excitatory glutamatergic synapses in the central nervous system is believed to be critical for neuronal circuits to process and encode information, allowing animals to perform complex behaviors such as learning and memory. In addition, alterations in synaptic plasticity are associated with human diseases, including Alzheimer disease, epilepsy, chronic pain, drug addiction, and schizophrenia. Long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD) in the hippocampal region of the brain are two forms of synaptic plasticity that increase or decrease, respectively, the strength of synaptic transmission by postsynaptic AMPA-type glutamate receptors. Both LTP and LTD are induced by activation of NMDA-type glutamate receptors but differ in the level and duration of Ca2+ influx through the NMDA receptor and the subsequent engagement of downstream signaling by protein kinases, including PKA, PKC, and CaMKII, and phosphatases, including PP1 and calcineurin-PP2B (CaN). This review addresses the important emerging roles of the A-kinase anchoring protein family of scaffold proteins in regulating localization of PKA and other kinases and phosphatases to postsynaptic multiprotein complexes that control NMDA and AMPA receptor function during LTP and LTD.
MAGUKs, Synaptic Development, and Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Zheng Chan-Ying , Seabold Gail K. , Horak Martin , Petralia Ronald S.
Published: April 2011

MAGUKs are proteins that act as key scaffolds in surface complexes containing receptors, adhesion proteins, and various signaling molecules. These complexes evolved prior to the appearance of multicellular animals and play key roles in cell-cell intercommunication. A major example of this is the neuronal synapse, which contains several presynaptic and postsynaptic MAGUKs including PSD-95, SAP102, SAP97, PSD-93, CASK, and MAGIs. Here, they play roles in both synaptic development and in later synaptic plasticity events. During development, MAGUKs help to organize the postsynaptic density via associations with other scaffolding proteins, such as Shank, and the actin cytoskeleton. They affect the clustering of glutamate receptors and other receptors, and these associations change with development. MAGUKs are involved in long-term potentiation and depression (e.g., via their phosphorylation by kinases and phosphorylation of other proteins associated with MAGUKs). Importantly, synapse development and function are dependent on the kind of MAGUK present. For example, SAP102 shows high mobility and is present in early synaptic development. Later, much of SAP102 is replaced by PSD-95, a more stable synaptic MAGUK; this is associated with changes in glutamate receptor types that are characteristic of synaptic maturation.
Individual Temperament and Problem Behavior in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Adamek Lauren , Nichols Shana , Tetenbaum Samara P. , Bregman Joel , Ponzio Christine A. , Carr Edward G.
Published: April 2011

Temperament is important for considering differences among diagnostic groups and for understanding individual differences that predict problematic behavior. Temperament characteristics, such as negative affectivity, effortful control, and surgency (highly active and impulsive), are predictive of externalizing behavior in typically developing children, but these links have not been investigated among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the present study, the authors analyzed differences in temperament between children with ASD and neurotypical children, investigated the range of individual differences within our sample, and examined the relationship between temperament and problem behavior. A few differences in temperament between the ASD sample and reference sample were noted and considerable variability in temperament was observed across children with ASD. High negative affectivity, high surgency, and low effortful control were related to problem behavior as measured by parent questionnaire. The potential utility of temperament assessment in developing new intervention options for addressing problem behavior is discussed.
I Will If You Will
Authors: Franks Melissa M. , Shields Cleveland G. , Lim Eunjung , Sands Laura P. , Mobley Stacey , Boushey Carol J.
Published: April 2011

Married men and women ( N = 1,899 couples) reported readiness to eat a healthier diet, lose weight, and get more exercise (stage of change) and indicated whether they were confident to make these changes (self-efficacy). Husbands’ and wives’ reports of readiness to change each health behavior were positively associated. Furthermore, women who indicated readiness to eat a healthier diet and get more exercise (contemplation or preparation stages) were less likely to endorse confidence to change when their husbands were in a lower stage than they were relative to those whose husbands shared the same stage of change. Similarly, men who indicated readiness to lose weight were less likely to endorse being confident in their ability to lose weight when their wives were in a lower stage than they were relative to those who shared the same stage. Consideration of interpersonal factors in the behavior change process may enhance behavioral interventions that include married partners together rather than either individual alone.
Incorporating a Healthy Reimbursable Snack in an Afterschool Homework Program for Middle School Students
Authors: Nanney Marilyn S. , Olaleye Temitope M. , Wang Qi
Published: April 2011

Background. This study tested the feasibility and acceptability of adding a reimbursable snack that meets the Institute of Medicine nutrition recommendations to an afterschool homework program for middle school students. Methods. Snack menu was developed and administered to students attending an afterschool homework program over 12 weeks. In spring 2009, two cross-sections of middle school students completed study measures, including snack preferences. Key school personnel completed follow-up interviews assessing program feasibility. Results. Survey evaluations from 110 students at baseline and 113 at posttest suggested improved preferences for healthy snacks. Teacher supervisors ( n = 3) and the assistant principal rated the pilot project as feasible and beneficial, whereas school food service ( n = 3) rated the program unsustainable because of administration logistics and costs. Conclusions. The addition of healthy snacks to afterschool programs was liked by students and teachers. However, policies that support simpler accountability procedures may be needed for school-based afterschool snack programs to be sustainable.
Electrode Challenges in Amplitude-Integrated Electroencephalography (aEEG): Research Application of a Novel Noninvasive Measure of Brain Function in Preterm Infants
Authors: Foreman Shuyuann Wang , Thorngate Lauren , Burr Robert L. , Thomas Karen A.
Published: April 2011

Continuous real-time brain function monitoring of preterm infants offers a novel way to evaluate neurological development in neonatal intensive care. Direct measurement of brain function is difficult and complicated by vulnerabilities of the preterm infant population. This study illustrates the feasibility of using noninvasive hydrogel electrodes with amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) as a simplified brain monitor in preterm infants. This article presents a systematic exploration of factors influencing the accuracy of aEEG measurement, especially skin preparation procedures and skin condition after electrode placement. The authors conducted aEEG recordings on 16 medically stable preterm infants at 31—36 weeks postmenstrual age in the neonatal intensive care unit between feedings and caregiving for approximately 3 hr. The authors systematically performed several strategies to improve electrode placement procedures and reduce skin impedance, including (a) examination of possible influences of environmental electrical equipment, (b) comparison of different hydrogel electrode types, (c) modification of skin preparation procedures, and (d) assessment of impacts of different skin conditions. The authors achieved improvements in the impedance value, length of uninterrupted recording, and percentage of the recording duration with measured impedance <20 kΩ (recommended acceptable limit). There was no report of skin irritation during or after the recording. The aEEG measurement at the bedside using hydrogel electrodes is noninvasive and feasible for reliable brain monitoring in preterm infants. This study demonstrated the importance of establishing systematic methods to ensure the accuracy and feasibility of physiologic measurements for nurse researchers.
Estimating Intra- and Inter-Assay Variability in Salivary Cortisol
Authors: Hanneman Sandra K. , Cox Caroline D. , Green Kortney E. , Kang Duck-Hee
Published: April 2011

Investigators commonly assess intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) to estimate the precision of salivary cortisol enzyme immunoassay (EIA). However, little guidance is available as to which samples to use for CV assessment. The purposes of this methodological study were to compare differences in intra- and inter-assay CVs (a) among controls, standards, and/or unknown samples; and (b) between fresh and previously frozen saliva. A total of 174 duplicates (controls = 58, standards = 48, and unknowns = 68) were tested. The unknowns were from 34 students; all student saliva was assayed as both fresh and frozen samples. All samples were assayed in duplicate, using a commercial salivary cortisol EIA kit, by the same technician with the same equipment. A priori criteria for intra- and inter-assay CV, respectively, were ≤ 4% and ≤ 7%, and a was .05 for CV differences. Mean intra-assay CVs for controls, standards, unknowns, and combined samples were ≤ 2.5%, and mean inter-assay CVs were ≤ 2.8%. Mean intra-assay CVs were 2.2% for fresh saliva and 1.5% for frozen samples. Comparisons showed no significant differences in intra- or inter-assay CV among controls, standards, and/or unknown samples. Inter-assay CV was significantly different between fresh and previously frozen saliva (p = .043), with fresh saliva CV higher than frozen; the difference was not meaningful because all evaluations showed minimal measurement error. In conclusion, results indicate that estimation of precision can be achieved by testing of controls, standards, or unknowns and with either fresh or frozen saliva in this population.
Co-Inhibition of HSP70/HSP90 Synergistically Sensitizes Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells to Thermotherapy
Authors: Cui Xiao-bo , Yu Zhao-yan , Wang Wei , Zheng Yan-qiu , Liu Wei , Li Ling-xiang
Published: April 2011

The upregulation of both HSP70 and HSP90 frequently compromises the effects of thermotherapy. The co-inhibition of HSP70/HSP90 may be preferable to enhance the effects of thermotherapy on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. The changes of HSP70 and HSP90 were detected after thermotherapy in human nasopharyngeal cancer cell HNE1. 17-Dimethylaminoethylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-DMAG) and quercetin were used to inhibit the activity of HSP90 and HSP70. The enhanced effects were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Both HSP70 and HSP90 were upregulated promptly in HNE1 after thermotherapy. Single inhibition of HSP70 resulted in overexpression and delayed descent of HSP90. The co-inhibition of HSP70/HSP90 with quercetin plus 17-DMAG significantly increased apoptosis in hyperthermia-treated HNE1 cells both in vitro and in vivo. The co-inhibition of HSP70/HSP90 synergistically sensitizes nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells to hyperthermia.
Use of Chinese Medicine Among Survivors of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Taiwan
Authors: Chien Chun-Ru , Su Shan-Yu , Cohen Lorenzo , Lin Hsiang-Wen , Lee Richard Tsong , Shih Ya-Chen Tina
Published: April 2011

Hypotheses. The authors hypothesized that the use of alternative medicine, in the form of Chinese medicine (CM), among patients in the continuing care phase of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Taiwan is higher than the use in a matched control group of noncancer individuals. Study design. This was a case-control study. Methods. Using a population-based claim database, the authors identified 181 long-term survivors of NPC and 905 matched controls. They obtained information on CM use and associated cost as outcome measures. Descriptive analysis and regression models were applied to examine the association between NPC and the outcome measures. Results. The unadjusted CM initiation (34% vs 32%; P = .54), intensity of use (2.15 vs 1.73 visits; P = .37), and cost (US$79 vs US$58; P = .16) were higher for patients in the NPC group than for those in the control group. Regression analyses suggested that the NPC group had significantly more CM visits (1.01; 95% confidence interval = 0.07-1.96), and more than 50% of these visits were related to cancer. Conclusion. The authors confirmed their hypotheses that the use of CM in the continuing care phase by patients with NPC in Taiwan was higher than the use in their matched, noncancer counterparts. These findings suggest that current clinical surveillance strategies for NPC might not meet patients’ physical and emotional needs.
Beliefs of New Zealand Doctors About Integrative Medicine for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Bocock Christina , Reeder Anthony I. , Perez David , Trevena Judy
Published: April 2011

Aims. This study aimed to give an up-to-date description of the views and knowledge that health professionals in New Zealand (NZ) have about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and its use in the context of integrative medicine. Study design. A self-administered questionnaire. Methods. Doctors in the Otago region of New Zealand (n = 235 out of 395, 59% response rate) answered questions addressing attitudes toward the principle of integrative medicine, attitudes indigenous Ma-ori holistic views of health, and attitudes about CAM. Information on physician demographics was also gathered. Results. Almost all doctors (95%) agreed that they should address all aspects of a patient’s health, whereas around 60% agreed that CAM can be integrated into a treatment regime to provide the best care for a patient. Most (93%) agreed that in a NZ context, it is important to be aware of Ma-ori holistic views of health. Doctors had many concerns about CAM, and only 26% personally used any CAM therapies themselves. However, many doctors wanted to learn more about CAM (58%) and Ma-ori holistic views of health (62%). Doctors who believed that they “knew enough” about CAM were more likely to ask about it and to recommend it to patients. Conclusion. Integrative medicine is increasingly being accepted in medical practice, although many doctors still do not agree with the use of CAM. There is a need for increased patient–doctor discussions of CAM use. Doctors’ lack of knowledge about CAM may be a barrier to communication and should be addressed with specific medical training.
Tumor Growth Inhibitory Effect of Juglone and Its Radiation Sensitizing Potential
Authors: Aithal Kiran B. , Kumar Sunil , Rao B. Nageshwar , Udupa Nayanabhirama , Rao Satish Bola Sadashiva
Published: April 2011

The present study aimed at evaluating the anticancer and radiosensitizing potential of juglone against a chemoresistant and radioresistant tumor (B16F1 melanoma) growing on C57BL/6J mice. Volume doubling time, growth delay, and median survival were used to assess the in vivo anticancer and radiosensitizing potential of juglone. In vitro radiosensitizing potential of juglone was studied using clonogenic, comet, and reactive oxygen species induction assays. Treatment of tumor-bearing mice with sublethal doses of juglone caused a dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth as evident from the growth delay and median survival values. Comet assay using tumor tissue and blood showed differential toxicity of juglone, where higher levels of DNA damage was seen in tumor tissue compared with blood cells. Pretreatment of tumor-bearing mice with optimum dose of juglone before radiation resulted in significant tumor growth inhibition compared with radiation alone. From the clonogenic assay, the authors observed a sensitization enhancement ratio of 1.37 for the combination treatment compared with radiation alone. Furthermore, comet assay studies revealed the potential of juglone to enhance the radiation-induced DNA damage and cause a delay in its repair. Juglone pretreatment before radiation also resulted in a significant elevation in the intracellular reactive oxygen species levels compared with radiation alone. In conclusion, the results of this study show the potential of juglone to inhibit the growth of melanoma in vivo. The study also revealed the potential of juglone to augment the radiation-induced cell death of melanoma cells, which may be attributed to oxidative stress–mediated DNA damage and its delayed repair.
Valence Asymmetry in Attitude Formation
Authors: Shook Natalie J. , Clay Russ
Published: April 2011

A considerable amount of research indicates that political conservatives and liberals perceive their social worlds very differently, with conservatives perceiving the world more negatively than liberals. Two studies examined how these varying perceptions may develop by exploring the relation between political ideology and attitude formation. In both studies, participants completed an evaluative conditioning paradigm in which novel stimuli were paired with either positive or negative images. Political conservatives were more susceptible to conditioning with negative stimuli than conditioning with positive stimuli as compared to political liberals. Specifically, conservatives were less susceptible to conditioning with positive stimuli than liberals. Conditioning with negative stimuli did not differ by political ideology. These findings suggest fundamental differences in the formation of positive versus negative attitudes between conservatives and liberals.
Identification and characterization of a novel transcriptional target of RUNX1/AML1 at the onset of hematopoietic development
Authors: Ferreras Cristina , Lancrin Christophe , Lie-A-Ling Michael , Kouskoff Valerie , Lacaud Georges
Published: April 2011

Although the critical requirement for the transcription factor RUNX1/AML1 at the onset of hematopoietic development is well established, little is known about its transcriptional targets at this pivotal stage of blood development. Using microarrays, we identified the uncharacterized gene AI467606 as a gene whose expression level is dramatically reduced in the absence of RUNX1. We further demonstrated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and promoter assay a direct regulation of its transcription by RUNX1. Using a bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic approach, we established that AI467606 is expressed during the development of the hematopoietic system in vivo and in vitro and that its expression is detected within the CD41+ population and marks definitive hematopoietic potential. Similarly, in the adult mouse, all hematopoietic cell lineages, except mature erythrocytes, express AI467606. Taken together, these findings indicate that AI467606 is a novel transcriptional target of RUNX1/AML1 at the onset of hematopoietic development that is extensively expressed within the hematopoietic system.
The Dll4/Notch pathway controls postangiogenic blood vessel remodeling and regression by modulating vasoconstriction and blood flow
Authors: Lobov Ivan B. , Cheung Eunice , Wudali Rajeev , Cao Jingtai , Halasz Gabor , Wei Yi , Economides Aris , Lin Hsin C. , Papadopoulos Nicholas , Yancopoulos George D. , Wiegand Stanley J.
Published: April 2011

Blood vessel remodeling is crucial to the formation of the definitive vasculature, but little is known about the mechanisms controlling this process. We show that Delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4)/Notch pathway regulates vessel regression in normal pathologic conditions. Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of Dll4/Notch prevented retinal capillary regression in the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model and during normal development. Deletion of the Notch-regulated ankyrin repeat protein, a negative regulator of the Notch pathway, produced an opposite phenotype. Inhibition of Dll4/Notch reduced vessel occlusion, maintaining blood flow that is essential for survival of microvessels. Dll4/Notch inhibition up-regulated the expression of vasodilators adrenomedullin and suppressed the expression of vasoconstrictor angiotensinogen. Angiotensin II induced rapid nonperfusion and regression of developing retinal capillaries, whereas Ace1 and AT1 inhibitors and adrenomedullin attenuated vasoobliteration in OIR, indicating that both pathways are involved in modulating vessel remodeling. In contrast, inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) did not result in a pervasive loss of retinal capillaries, demonstrating that reduced expression of VEGF-A is not the proximate cause of capillary regression in OIR. Modulation of VEGF-A and DII4/Notch signaling produced distinct changes in blood vessel morphology and gene expression, indicating that these pathways can have largely independent functions in vascular remodeling.
Mouse Ly49G2+ NK cells dominate early responses during both immune reconstitution and activation independently of MHC
Authors: Barao Isabel , Alvarez Maite , Ames Erik , Orr Mark T. , Stefanski Heather E. , Blazar Bruce R. , Lanier Lewis L. , Anderson Stephen K. , Redelman Doug , Murphy William J.
Published: April 2011

Natural killer (NK) cell subsets can be defined by the differential expression of inhibitory receptors for MHC class I molecules. Early after congenic HSCT, we found that Ly49G2high single-positive NK cells repopulated, displayed an activated phenotype, and were highly cytolytic. Over time, this subset was replaced with NK cells with a normal pattern of Ly49 expression. Treatment of mice with IL-2 also resulted in the rapid expansion of these Ly49G2high single-positive NK cells. Only the Ly49g (Klra7) Pro1 transcript was highly induced in both HSCT- and IL-2–treated recipients. MHC-independent expansion of the Ly49G2+ subset was also observed after Listeria monocytogenes or mouse cytomegalovirus infection. Our data indicate that during reconstitution after HSCT and various activation stimuli, Ly49G2+ NK cells represent the “first-responder” NK cells, which occur independently of NK-cell licensing via Ly49-MHC interactions. These data suggest that the inhibitory Ly49G2 receptor represents an activation marker on mouse NK cells under various conditions.
Advanced glycation end products of human β2 glycoprotein I modulate the maturation and function of DCs
Authors: Buttari Brigitta , Profumo Elisabetta , Capozzi Antonella , Facchiano Francesco , Saso Luciano , Sorice Maurizio , Riganò Rachele
Published: April 2011

In chronic disorders related to endothelial cell dysfunction, plasma β2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) plays a role as a target antigen of pathogenetic autoimmune responses. However, information is still lacking to clarify why β2GPI triggers autoimmunity. It is possible that posttranslational modification of the protein, such as nonenzymatic glycosylation, leads to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The aim of our study was to explore whether glucose-modified β2GPI is able to interact and activate monocyte-derived immature dendritic cells (iDCs) from healthy human donors. SDS-PAGE and spectrofluorometric analyses indicated that β2GPI incubated with glucose was sugar modified, and that this modification likely consisted of AGE formation, resulting in AGE-β2GPI. AGE-β2GPI caused phenotypical and functional maturation of iDCs involving the activation of p38 MAPK, ERK, and NF-κB. It also induced on DCs a significant up-regulation of RAGE, the receptor for AGEs. Evidence for RAGE involvement comes from blocking experiments with an anti-RAGE mAb, confocal analysis, and coimmunoprecipitation experiments. AGE-β2GPI–stimulated DCs had increased allostimulatory ability and primed naive T lymphocytes toward a Th2 polarization. These findings might explain in part the interactive role of β2GPI, AGEs, and DCs in chronic disorders related to endothelial cell dysfunction.
Long-term risk for subsequent leukemia after treatment for childhood cancer: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study
Authors: Nottage Kerri , Lanctot Jennifer , Li Zhenghong , Neglia Joseph P. , Bhatia Smita , Hammond Sue , Leisenring Wendy , Meadows Anna , Srivastava Deokumar , Robison Leslie L. , Armstrong Gregory T.
Published: April 2011

Previous investigations of cancer survivors report that the cumulative incidence of subsequent leukemia plateaus between 10 and 15 years after primary therapy. Risk beyond 15 years has not been comprehensively assessed, primarily because of lack of long-term follow-up. Among 5-year survivors from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study cohort, 13 pathologically confirmed cases of subsequent leukemia occurred ≥ 15 years after primary malignancy, with a mean latency of 21.6 years (range, 15-32 years). Seven were acute myeloid leukemia (2 acute promyelocytic leukemia with t(15;17), 2 with confirmed preceding myelodysplastic syndrome), 4 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (2 pre-B lineage, 1 T cell, 1 unknown), and 2 other. Two acute myeloid leukemia cases had the 7q− deletion. The standardized incidence ratio was 3.5 (95% confidence interval, 1.9-6.0). Median survival from diagnosis of subsequent leukemia was 2 years. This is the first description of a statistically significant increased risk of subsequent leukemia ≥ 15 years from primary diagnosis of childhood cancer.