bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transdermal Nitroglycerin Therapy May Not Prevent Early Postmenopausal Bone Loss
Authors: Wimalawansa Sunil J. , Grimes Julia P. , Wilson Alan C. , Hoover Donald R.
Published: June 2009

Context: Osteoporosis is common among postmenopausal women; animal studies and human pilot studies support the concept of nitric oxide (NO) donors reducing bone mineral density loss.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate whether NO donor, nitroglycerin, prevents postmenopausal bone loss.

Design: This was a 3-yr randomized, double blinded, single-center, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Setting: The single-center study was conducted at the University of Medicine and Dentistry-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (New Brunswick, NJ).

Participants: Participants included 186 postmenopausal women aged 40–65 yr, with lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) T-scores of 0 to −2.5.

Intervention: Women, stratified by lumbar T-score (<−1.50 and ≥−1.50) and years since menopause (≤5 and >5 yr), were randomized to receive nitroglycerin ointment (22.5 mg as Nitro-Bid) or placebo ointment received daily for 3 yr. Both groups took 630 mg daily calcium plus 400 IU vitamin D supplements.

Measurements: BMD was measured at 6 months and annually by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Percent change in lumbar vertebrae BMD was the primary outcome. Hip BMD, total body bone mineral content, and height were secondary outcomes.

Results: After 36 months of therapy, changes of −2.1% in the active group (n = 88) and −2.5% in the placebo group (n = 82) in lumbar spine BMD were seen (P = 0.59; 95% confidence interval −1.001, 1.975). Secondary outcomes also did not differ by intervention arm. The active group reported more headaches compared with the placebo group (57 vs. 14%, P < 0.001). Other adverse and serious adverse events were not different.

Conclusions: BMD changes did not substantially differ between postmenopausal women who received the dose of nitroglycerin tested, in comparison with a placebo. Once-daily dosing with 22.5 mg of transdermal-administered nitroglycerin was not effective (compliance adjusted dose was only ∼16 mg/d); a sub-therapeutic dose.

No substantial bone mineral density changes were observed between postmenopausal women receiving once-daily 22.5 mg of transdermal nitroglycerin, compared to calcium plus vitamin D (compliance adjusted dose = 16 mg/day).
The 26-Amino Acid ß-Motif of the Pit-1ß Transcription Factor Is a Dominant and Independent Repressor Domain
Authors: Jonsen Matthew D. , Duval Dawn L. , Gutierrez-Hartmann Arthur
Published: June 2009

The POU-homeodomain transcription factor Pit-1 governs the pituitary cell-specific expression of Pit-1, GH, prolactin (PRL), and TSHß genes. Alternative splicing generates Pit-1ß, which contains a 26-amino acid ß-domain inserted at amino acid 48, in the middle of the Pit-1 transcription activation domain (TAD). Pit-1ß represses GH, PRL, and TSHß promoters in a pituitary-specific manner, because Pit-1ß activates these same promoters in HeLa nonpituitary cells. Here we comprehensively analyze the role of ß-domain sequence, position, and context, to elucidate the mechanism of ß-dependent repression. Repositioning the ß-motif to the Pit-1 amino terminus, hinge, linker, and carboxyl terminus did not affect its ability to repress basal rat (r) PRL promoter activity in GH4 pituitary cells, but all lost the ability to repress Ras-induced rPRL promoter activity. To determine whether ß-domain repression is independent of Pit-1 protein and DNA binding sites, we generated Gal4-Pit-1TAD, Gal4-Pit-1ßTAD, and Gal4-ß-domain fusions and demonstrated that the ß-motif is sufficient to actively repress VP16-mediated transcription of a heterologous promoter. Moreover, ß-domain point mutants had the same effect whether fused to Gal4 or within the context of intact Pit-1ß. Surprisingly, Gal4-ß repression lost histone deacetylase sensitivity and pituitary specificity. Taken together, these results reveal that the ß-motif is a context-independent, modular, transferable, and dominant repressor domain, yet the ß-domain repressor activity within Pit-1ß contains cell type, promoter, and Pit-1 protein context dependence.
FGF-2 Stimulation of RANK Ligand Expression in Paget’s Disease of Bone
Authors: Sundaram Kumaran , Senn Joseph , Yuvaraj Sambandam , Rao D. Sudhaker , Reddy Sakamuri V.
Published: June 2009

Receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), a critical osteoclastogenic factor expressed in marrow stromal/preosteoblast cells is up-regulated in Paget’s disease of bone (PDB). We previously demonstrated that heat-shock factor-2 (HSF-2) is a downstream target of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) signaling to induce RANKL expression in bone marrow stromal/preosteoblast cells. In this study, we identified a 2.5-fold increase in serum FGF-2 levels in patients (n = 8) with PDB compared with normal subjects (n = 10). We showed that HSF-2 co-immunoprecipitates with heat-shock protein-27 (HSP-27) and that FGF-2 stimulation significantly increased phospho-HSP-27 levels in marrow stromal cells. Confocal microscopy revealed HSF-2 colocalization with HSP-27 in unstimulated cells and HSF-2 nuclear translocation upon FGF-2 stimulation. We further show that FGF-2 stimulation significantly increased the levels of phosphorylated signal transducers and activators of the transcription (p-STAT-1) in these cells. Western blot analysis confirmed that small interfering RNA suppression of STAT-1 significantly decreased (3.2-fold) RANKL expression and promoter activity in FGF-2-stimulated cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed STAT-1 binding to a putative motif located far upstream (−8 kb) in the hRANKL gene promoter region. These results suggest STAT-1 is a downstream effector of FGF-2 signaling and that elevated levels of FGF-2 stimulates RANKL expression in PDB.
Novel Regulators of Fgf23 Expression and Mineralization in Hyp Bone
Authors: Liu Shiguang , Tang Wen , Fang Jianwen , Ren Jinyu , Li Hua , Xiao Zhousheng , Quarles L. D.
Published: June 2009

We used gene array analysis of cortical bone to identify Phex-dependent gene transcripts associated with abnormal Fgf23 production and mineralization in Hyp mice. We found evidence that elevation of Fgf23 expression in osteocytes is associated with increments in Fgf1, Fgf7, and Egr2 and decrements in Sost, an inhibitor in the Wnt-signaling pathway, were observed in Hyp bone. β-Catenin levels were increased in Hyp cortical bone, and TOPflash luciferase reporter assay showed increased transcriptional activity in Hyp-derived osteoblasts, consistent with Wnt activation. Moreover, activation of Fgf and Wnt-signaling stimulated Fgf23 promoter activity in osteoblasts. We also observed reductions in Bmp1, a metalloproteinase that metabolizes the extracellular matrix protein Dmp1. Alterations were also found in enzymes regulating the posttranslational processing and stability of Fgf23, including decrements in the glycosyltransferase Galnt3 and the proprotein convertase Pcsk5. In addition, we found that the Pcsk5 and the glycosyltransferase Galnt3 were decreased in Hyp bone, suggesting that reduced posttranslational processing of FGF23 may also contribute to increased Fgf23 levels in Hyp mice. With regard to mineralization, we identified additional candidates to explain the intrinsic mineralization defect in Hyp osteoblasts, including increases in the mineralization inhibitors Mgp and Thbs4, as well as increases in local pH-altering factors, carbonic anhydrase 12 (Car12) and 3 (Car3) and the sodium-dependent citrate transporter (Slc13a5). These studies demonstrate the complexity of gene expression alterations in bone that accompanies inactivating Phex mutations and identify novel pathways that may coordinate Fgf23 expression and mineralization of extracellular matrix in Hyp bone.
Pectin-based microspheres for colon-specific delivery of vancomycin
Authors: Bigucci Federica , Luppi Barbara , Monaco Libera , Cerchiara Teresa , Zecchi Vittorio
Published: June 2009

Objectives

The aim of this study was to describe a colon-specific delivery system based on pectin hydrogels formed by complexation with chitosan.

Methods

Hydrogels were prepared at different weight ratios (4: 1, 7: 1, 10: 1; pectin/chitosan), loaded with vancomycin hydrochloride (2: 1, 4: 1; polymer/drug weight ratio) and collected by spray-drying. The microspheres obtained were characterized in terms of morphology, swelling behaviour, mucoadhesive properties and drug loading efficiency. The influence of different pectin/chitosan hydrogels on the release behaviour of microspheres at pH 2.0, 5.5 and 7.4 were evaluated in vitro with and without pectinolytic enzyme.

Key findings

The results showed that water uptake was increased by raising the environmental pH (from 2.0 to 7.4) and the pectin/chitosan weight ratio, while drug availability was increased by raising the environmental pH (from 2.0 to 7.4) and decreased by raising the pectin/chitosan weight ratio. In the presence of pectinase, the glycoside bonds of pectin were degraded and a considerable amount of drug was released in a short time.

Conclusions

This study suggested that pectin/chitosan microspheres were able to limit the release of vancomycin under acidic conditions and release it under simulated colonic conditions, confirming their potential for a colon-specific drug delivery system.
Coordinate pathways for nucleotide and EGF signaling in cultured adult neural progenitor cells
Authors: Grimm Ivette , Messemer Nanette , Stanke Matthias , Gachet Christian , Zimmermann Herbert
Published: June 2009

The adult subventricular zone (SVZ) contains astrocyte-like stem cells capable of generating new neurons for the olfactory bulb. Adult neurogenesis is driven by a variety of signal systems that can induce synergistic or opposing cellular responses. It is therefore important to gain insight into the underlying downstream signaling pathways. We have previously shown that the nucleotides ADPβS and UTP induce rapid Ca2+ transients in cultured SVZ-derived adult neural progenitors and augment growth-factor-mediated progenitor cell proliferation. Here, we investigated signaling pathways elicited by ADPβS, UTP and epidermal growth factor (EGF). All three agonists elicit ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation but the temporal characteristics differ between the nucleotides and EGF. Differentiation of the progenitors alters the receptor profile. Oligodendrocytes and young neurons, but not astrocytes, lose responsiveness to the agonists. Inhibition experiments are indicative of an ADPβS-elicited EGF receptor transactivation. Whereas UTP acts via the P2Y2 receptor, ADPβS exerts its function via the P2Y1 receptor and the P2Y13 receptor. Our data demonstrate that nucleotides and EGF induce converging, but also differential, intracellular signaling pathways and suggest that they carry the potential to act synergistically in the control of cell proliferation and cell survival in adult neurogenesis.
Post-prandial metabolic alkalosis in the seawater-acclimated trout: the alkaline tide comes in
Authors: Bucking Carol , Fitzpatrick John L. , Nadella Sunita R. , Wood Chris M.
Published: June 2009

The consequences of feeding and digestion on acid–base balance and regulation in a marine teleost (seawater-acclimated steelhead trout; Oncorhynchus mykiss) were investigated by tracking changes in blood pH and [HCO3–], as well as alterations in net acid or base excretion to the water following feeding. Additionally the role of the intestine in the regulation of acid–base balance during feeding was investigated with an in vitro gut sac technique. Feeding did not affect plasma glucose or urea concentrations, however, total plasma ammonia rose during feeding, peaking between 3 and 24 h following the ingestion of a meal, three-fold above resting control values (∼300 μmol ml–1). This increase in plasma ammonia was accompanied by an increase in net ammonia flux to the water (∼twofold higher in fed fish versus unfed fish). The arterial blood also became alkaline with increases in pH and plasma [HCO3–] between 3 and 12 h following feeding, representing the first measurement of an alkaline tide in a marine teleost. There was no evidence of respiratory compensation for the measured metabolic alkalosis, as PaCO2 remained unchanged throughout the post-feeding period. However, in contrast to an earlier study on freshwater-acclimated trout, fed fish did not exhibit a compensating increase in net base excretion, but rather took in additional base from the external seawater, amounting to ∼8490 μmol kg–1 over 48 h. In vitro experiments suggest that at least a portion of the alkaline tide was eliminated through increased HCO3– secretion coupled to Cl–absorption in the intestinal tract. This did not occur in the intestine of freshwater-acclimated trout. The marked effects of the external salinity(seawater versus freshwater) on different post-feeding patterns of acid–base balance are discussed.
Surviving the drought: burrowing frogs save energy by increasing mitochondrial coupling
Authors: Kayes Sara M. , Cramp Rebecca L. , Hudson Nicholas J. , Franklin Craig E.
Published: June 2009

During dormancy energy conservation is a key priority and as such dormant animals undergo a major metabolic depression to conserve their limited endogenous fuel supplies. Mitochondrial coupling efficiency, the efficiency with which mitochondria convert oxygen into ATP, significantly affects aerobic metabolism and thus to maximise energy savings during dormancy it has been hypothesised that coupling efficiency should increase. However, previous studies have shown coupling efficiency to be maintained or even to decrease. In this study we measured state 3 and state 4 mitochondrial respiration in the muscle of the burrowing frog, Cyclorana alboguttata and calculated the respiratory control ratio as a measure of coupling efficiency. After 7 months in aestivation, C. alboguttata significantly reduced oxygen consumption of isolated mitochondria by 83% and, unlike other dormant animals,the frogs appeared to decrease rates of proton leak to a greater extent than ATP synthesis, consistent with an increase in mitochondrial coupling efficiency. The significant energy savings observed at the mitochondrial level were reflected at higher levels of biological organisation, with tissue oxygen consumption depressed by as much as 81% and whole animal metabolic rate by 82%. Cyclorana alboguttata can survive in a dormant state for several years and we propose the hypothesis that energy efficiency is increased during aestivation.
Finite element evaluation of the support-induced restraint effect on the limit loads of surface cracked tubes
Authors: Kim H-S , Jin T-E , Chang Y-S , Kim Y-J
Published: June 2009

Heat exchangers are widely used in electric power plants as well as petrochemical facilities. Typical heat exchangers consist of a number of thin-walled tubes, supports, a main body, and so on. Operating experience of the heat exchangers has shown that cracks of various morphologies frequently occur in the tubes. Therefore, an accurate integrity assessment of the cracked tube is very important from the viewpoint of safety and reliability. The heat exchanger tubes are supported at regular intervals by the supports and rotations of the tubes are restrained. In the authors' previous study, it was revealed that the limit loads for circumferential through-wall cracks are significantly affected by the supports and existing limit load solutions without considering the support-induced restraint effect differ from the actual failure load. However, the effect of the supports on the global limit load of surface cracked tubes has not been fully investigated. This paper provides detailed global limit load solutions for the tubes with circumferential surface cracks considering the restraint effect of the supports. Such solutions are developed based on three-dimensional finite element analyses. The resulting limit load solutions can be simply used in practical integrity assessment of the heat exchanger tubes.
Triaxial residual strains in a railway rail measured by neutron diffraction
Authors: Jun T-S , Hofmann F , Belnoue J , Song X , Hofmann M , Korsunsky A M
Published: June 2009

Accumulation of residual stresses in rails during service can contribute to crack initiation and fracture and may result in serious accidents. It is therefore necessary and important to quantify the residual stresses that evolve under repeated rolling contact between wheel and rail. In the present study, triaxial residual strain measurements were performed in a worn British railway rail using neutron diffraction. Localized stress is observed close to the region of contact, showing the asymmetry and complexity of distributions that arise from the non-uniform plastic deformation. Contact-induced plasticity is revealed by the broadening (increase in the full width at half-maximum (FWHM)) of the diffraction peaks.
Transient magneto-micropolar free convection heat and mass transfer through a non-Darcy porous medium channel with variable thermal conductivity and heat source effects
Authors: Rawat S , Bhargava R , Bhargava Renu , Bég O A
Published: June 2009

The laminar, fully developed, transient magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) free convection heat and mass transfer of an electrically conducting micropolar fluid between two vertical plates containing a non-Darcy porous medium with heat generation/absorption and asymmetric wall temperature and concentration has been discussed in this article. A similarity transformation is used to render the problem into a system of coupled, partial, differential equations, which are solved using the finite-element method (FEM). The solutions are validated with a robust finite difference method (FDM) solver. The present work examines the effect of Darcian parameter, Forchheimer parameter, heat absorption/generation parameter, vortex viscosity parameter, buoyancy ratio parameter, magnetic parameter, and variable thermal conductivity parameter on velocity, angular velocity, temperature and concentration profiles. Space—time graphs of velocity and microrotation are also plotted to provide a better perspective of the flowfield evolution with respect to time. Applications of the study may arise in, for example, packed-bed chemical reactors, materials processing, magnetic field control of chemical engineering transport processes in filter media, purification of hydrocarbons with electromagnetic fields, etc.
Combustion and the design of future engine fuels
Authors: Bradley D
Published: June 2009

The fast diminution of readily extractable sources of fossil fuels, particularly oil, and concerns about global warming are leading to the creation of many new potential fuels. Their practicability must be assessed in terms of a wide range of physico-chemical properties, in relation to the operational aerodynamics in different engines. This article concentrates on those properties related to combustion and these are discussed in detail for some fuels with contrasting properties.

Intrinsic fuel properties include volumetric energy, vapour pressure, heat of reaction, latent enthalpy of vaporization, and the relative volumes of energy that engines can breathe. Important combustion properties include the minimum ignition energy, laminar burning velocity, Markstein numbers for strain and curvature, flame extinction stretch rates for positive and negative stretch, stretch factor for flame instability, turbulent flame burning and quenching, autoignition delay time, excitation time for autoignition heat release, research and motor octane numbers and cetane number (CN). Such properties are manifest in a variety of aerodynamic contexts: for example, the nature of autoignition depends on spatial reactivity gradients and the acoustic speed. Particular problems can arise in characterizing engine knock when operational regimes are outside those in which the octane and CNs are determined. The approach adopted in this article does not assume any unique alignment between fuels, mode of combustion, and power unit, and different possibilities are discussed.
In situ DNA immobilization on stainless steel microelectrodes in a microchannel
Authors: Jiang J H , Bo M L , Jiang D C , Wang J , Xu H M , Sung K-L P
Published: June 2009

DNA immobilization at specific locations on the inner wall of microchannels could lead to many interesting applications. In this paper, three procedures (electrostatic adsorption, thiol—Au covalent bonding, and electrochemical entrapment) were carried out for the immobilization of DNA probes onto stainless steel microdot electrodes inside a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel. The microdot electrodes were fabricated via crossed microwire moulding, a modified soft lithographic technique, to be naked on the inner wall of the PDMS microchannel. The immobilization of DNA probes onto the surface of the microdot electrodes was performed by microfluidics. It was found that, for DNA electrostatic adsorption, different electrode behaviours were exhibited inside and outside the microchannel; in the microchannel, the negatively charged DNA probes would undergo abnormal electrostatic adsorption onto the cathode. Furthermore, DNA immobilization through thiol—Au covalent bonding and DNA entrapment in enhanced polypyrrole (PPy)-modified dots inside microchannels was demonstrated. Further work is needed, but present results are promising and suggest a route by which microfluidics may be married with label-free electrochemical detection and with very low-cost DNA diagnostics, which could prove invaluable.
Gender Differences in Preferences
Authors: Croson Rachel , Gneezy Uri
Published: June 2009

This paper reviews the literature on gender differences in economic experiments. In the three main sections, we identify robust differences in risk preferences, social (other-regarding) preferences, and competitive preferences. We also speculate on the source of these differences, as well as on their implications. Our hope is that this article will serve as a resource for those seeking to understand gender differences and to use as a starting point to illuminate the debate on gender-specific outcomes in the labor and goods markets.
Staffing Many-Server Queues with Impatient Customers: Constraint Satisfaction in Call Centers
Authors: Mandelbaum Avishai , Zeltyn Sergey
Published: June 2009

Motivated by call center practice, we study asymptotically optimal staffing of many-server queues with abandonment. A call center is modelled as an M/M/n + G queue, which is characterized by Poisson arrivals, exponential service times, n servers, and generally distributed patience times of customers. Our asymptotic analysis is performed as the arrival rate, and hence the number of servers n, increases indefinitely.

We consider a constraint satisfaction problem, where one chooses the minimal staffing level n that adheres to a given cost constraint. The cost can incorporate the fraction abandoning, average wait, and tail probabilities of wait. Depending on the cost, several operational regimes arise as asymptotically optimal: Efficiency-Driven (ED), Quality and Efficiency-Driven (QED), and also a new ED + QED operational regime that enables QED tuning of the ED regime. Numerical experiments demonstrate that, over a wide range of system parameters, our approximations provide useful insight as well as excellent fit to exact optimal solutions. It turns out that the QED regime is preferable either for small-to-moderate call centers or for large call centers with relatively tight performance constraints. The other two regimes are more appropriate for large call centers with loose constraints.

We consider two versions of the constraint satisfaction problem. The first one is constraint satisfaction on a single time interval, say one hour, which is common in practice. Of special interest is a constraint on the tail probability, in which case our new ED + QED staffing turns out asymptotically optimal. We also address a global constraint problem, say over a full day. Here several time intervals, say 24 hours, are considered, with interval-dependent staffing levels allowed; one seeks to minimize staffing levels, or more generally costs, given the overall performance constraint. In this case, there is the added flexibility of trading service levels among time intervals, but we demonstrate that only little gain is associated with this flexibility if one is concerned with the fraction abandoning.
A Stochastic Multiple-Leader Stackelberg Model: Analysis, Computation, and Application
Authors: DeMiguel Victor , Xu Huifu
Published: June 2009

We study an oligopoly consisting of M leaders and N followers that supply a homogeneous product (or service) noncooperatively. Leaders choose their supply levels first, knowing the demand function only in distribution. Followers make their decisions after observing the leader supply levels and the realized demand function. We term the resulting equilibrium a stochastic multiple-leader Stackelberg-Nash-Cournot (SMS) equilibrium. We show the existence and uniqueness of SMS equilibrium under mild assumptions. We also propose a computational approach to find the equilibrium based on the sample average approximation method and analyze its rate of convergence. Finally, we apply this framework to model competition in the telecommunication industry.
Effects of sad mood on autobiographical memory in older adults with and without lifetime depression
Authors: Haringsma Rimke , Spinhoven Philip , Engels Gemma I. , van der Leeden Rien
Published: June 2009

Objectives. The main objective of this study was to determine whether reduced autobiographical memory specificity is also a marker for depression in older adults. To answer this question two experiments and a prospective longitudinal clinical study were executed with the autobiographical memory task (AMT) as measure for memory specificity. The objective of the 1st experimental study was to assess the influence of a negative mood induction versus the effect of multiple testing in a neutral condition in 58 never depressed (ND) elderly. In the 2nd experimental study a negative mood was induced in 63 participants remitted from depression (RD) compared to 60 matched ND controls. All participants were 55 and older. Lastly, the predictive value of the AMT for the course of depressive symptoms was assessed in the RD individuals over a 14–17 months follow‐up (FU) period.

Results. Performance did not improve with repeated testing, but a trend was found suggesting fatigue. There was no difference between the RD and ND group on baseline AMT. The mood induction had no effect on the AMT regardless of clinical history. Changes in the level of depressive symptoms at the 14‐month FU were predicted by residual symptoms at baseline and the number of previous depressive episode, but not by baseline AMT, changes in AMT or mood after mood induction.

Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that memory specificity on the AMT may not be a useful marker for vulnerability for clinical depression in older adults.
The role of national identity representation in the relation between in‐group identification and out‐group derogation: Ethnic versus civic representation
Authors: Meeus Joke , Duriez Bart , Vanbeselaere Norbert , Boen Filip
Published: June 2009

Two studies investigated whether the content of in‐group identity affects the relation between in‐group identification and ethnic prejudice. The first study among university students, tested whether national identity representations (i.e., ethnic vs. civic) moderate or mediate the relation between Flemish in‐group identification and ethnic prejudice. A moderation hypothesis is supported when those higher in identification who subscribe to a more ethnic representation display higher ethnic prejudice levels than those higher in identification who subscribe to a more civic representation. A mediation hypothesis is supported when those higher in identification tend towards one specific representation, which in turn, should predict ethnic prejudice. Results supported a mediation hypothesis and showed that the more respondents identified with the Flemish in‐group, the more ethnic their identity representation, and the more they were inclined to display ethnic prejudice. The second study tested this mediation from a longitudinal perspective in a two‐wave study among high school students. In‐group identification at Time 1 predicted over‐time changes in identity representation, which in turn, predicted changes in ethnic prejudice. In addition to this, changes in identity representation were predicted by initial ethnic prejudice levels. The implications of these findings are discussed.
National symbols and distinctiveness: Rhetorical strategies in creating distinct national identities
Authors: Finell Eerika , Liebkind Karmela
Published: June 2009

The purpose of this study is to examine qualitatively how respondents create national distinctiveness using rhetorical identity strategies in the context of four Finnish national symbols. The data consist of 127 essays written by Finnish secondary school students. Analysis revealed five different strategies used to distinguish between the in‐group and the out‐group. These strategies differ on two dimensions: the level of polarization, and the extent to which the in‐group–out‐group relationship is depicted as being active versus passive. Furthermore, the analysis showed that the two dimensions of nationalism, particularism and universalism, have an important role in the differentiation processes and therefore highlighted the importance of taking into consideration ideological issues while studying social identities. The meaning of the contents of national identity in the differentiation processes is also discussed.
Archival Bodies
Authors: Hoffman Anne Golomb
Published: June 2009

This essay considers specific moments in a history of representation of the body, in which the body figures as an archive of data, functioning either as the visible register of character and pathology or as a storehouse of unconscious meanings and the grounding of subjectivity. It begins with Lavater's Physiognomy at the end of the eighteenth century and goes on to examine the impact of the rise of photography in the nineteenth century, with particular attention to the photography of hysteria in the Salpêtrière. The study concludes with an assessment of Freud's contribution to Studies in Hysteria that highlights the significance of a shift from visual to narrative representation, in which the symptomatic body of the hysteric figures as an archive of unconscious meanings. Freud's analysis of his own symptomatic forgetting in the Signorelli parapraxis serves to indicate, however indirectly, the register of bodily experience in the realm of fantasy.
The Meaning in the Music
Authors: Kelly Michele R.
Published: June 2009

As the author struggles to make an impact on the world today, she finds herself looking back on her past. In this essay, she analyzes experiences that hover around her musical upbringing and comes to the conclusion that they have all led her to the place she needs to be now. Early in life, music became a foundation from which she emerged. In playing the piano, she discovered a gift of self-expression as well as a dawning acceptance of herself as a person. Ironically, some things she used adamantly to reject have turned in retrospect into priceless treasures. By sharing these reflections that aspire to be insightful, comical at times, and inspirational, the author hopes that the reader will be led to think about his or her own past and to see the personal value of the meaning in the music .
Music in the Head: Living at the Brain-Mind Border
Authors: Rangell Leo
Published: June 2009

Upon awakening from a second bypass operation in 1995, the author became aware of involuntary tunes and songs running through his head. Thinking at first that these came from external sources, he soon realized that they were coming from within. These intruding musical sounds have continued to the present. After exploring many suggestions for somatic treatments, this neurologist-psychoanalyst began a permanent ongoing study of these phenomena through a neurootologic psychoanalytic prism. The data and conclusions of this scientific self-attention form the contents of this paper. The songs and music came to be understood as having unconscious meanings that fit within the same theoretical frame as dreams and symptoms. They can be related to a wide continuum of behavior, including people who tap, sway, hum and whistle without being fully conscious of doing so. The manner in which the brain receives inchoate sounds that it converts into a series of secondary-process musical manifestations, from rhythms to tunes to songs, and yes, even to symphonies, sheds light on the creative process. The brain-mind functioning involved can be applied generally, from songs to poems, stories, and all creative acts.
Childhood and the Fear of Death in Ambrose Bierce's The Parenticide Club and "Visions of the Night"
Authors: Talley Sharon
Published: June 2009

Ambrose Bierce, whose writings are replete with themes and images of violent death, is most remembered today for his Civil War short stories, and especially for the much anthologized "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." A number of Bierce's tales and essays, however, feature family violence and parricide, suggesting that the author's obsessive concern with death may have earlier antecedents than his own experiences as a Union soldier in the Civil War. Broadening previous psychoanalytic approaches, this essay uses post-Freudian perspectives on the psychology of death and the unconscious, as well as relevant historical, cultural, and literary contexts, to consider Bierce's childhood and his subsequent life experiences as they relate to writings such as The Parenticide Club , a collection of four bizarre tales of parricide, and "Visions of the Night," a recollection of three persistent nightmares from the author's youth and adulthood. These writings, as well as the writer's gothic tales, suggest that in many ways Bierce recognized the importance of dreams in the work of the unconscious and the primal nature of the fear of death in humanity.
What Good Is Music?: A Response to Leo Rangell
Authors: Steinhardt Arnold
Published: June 2009

The author has spent almost every day of his life intimately involved with music since he began studying the violin at age seven. Yet even though the powerful impact of music on most people is clear, a basic question remained unanswered for the author into his seventh decade on a concert stage: Why is music so meaningful? Then came September 11, 2001, and with it a strong sense of what the answer might be. This two-part paper begins with a response to the paper by Leo Rangell that reflects on the power of music over our everyday lives, the effect of its absence, and its connection to other essentials of the human experience, among them speech and dancing. It then proceeds to tell the story of how music helped the author through the great American tragedy of a terrorist attack.
A Family History Demonstration Project Among Women in an Urban Appalachian Community
Authors: Wallace Jody P. , Baugh Carol , Cornett Sandra , Hood Bonnie , Prows Cynthia A. , Ryan Norma , Warren Nancy Steinberg , Au Margaret G. , Brown M. Kathryn , Glandorf Kathy , Jarrell Judy L. , Nolan Timothy L , Sorrell Jeff , Walters Jennifer , Myers Melanie F.
Published: June 2009

Background: Family health history (FHH) is promoted to consumers by the Surgeon General as a tool to improve health and prevent disease. However, few FHH resources exist for medically underserved populations such as the urban Appalachian community in Southwest Ohio. Objectives: To engage and educate urban Appalachian women about the importance and collection of their own FHH. Methods: Researchers partnered with six community organizations to develop a model Family History Demonstration Project. Focus groups were held with urban Appalachian women to determine how they would like to learn about their FHH. Resources and an educational intervention were developed based on focus group findings with input from the academic and community partners. Participants in the project recorded their family history and evaluated the education sessions and materials. Results: Eleven fact sheets and four educational presentations were developed based on feedback from the target community. One hundred women participated in two family history education sessions. Learning objectives for both education sessions were met. All participants recorded their family history electronically or on paper and 91% of participants found the first education session (ES1) very helpful at teaching the importance of FHH. Conclusions: Community organizations and university researchers partnered to develop a model Family History Demonstration Project with input from community members. Evaluations of the project were positive. Future efforts should focus on sustainable dissemination of the educational programs and resulting health outcomes.
Creating a New Class of Pharmaceutical Services Provider for Underserved Areas: The Tanzania Accredited Drug Dispensing Outlet Experience
Authors: Rutta Edmund , Senauer Katie , Johnson Keith , Adeya Grace , Mbwasi Romuald , Liana Jafary , Kimatta Suleiman , Sigonda Margareth , Alphonce Emmanuel
Published: June 2009

The Problem: In developing countries, the most accessible source of treatment for common conditions is often an informal drug shop, where drug sellers are untrained and operations are unmonitored. Purpose: We sought to describe a public–private initiative in Tanzania that created a new class of provider in government-accredited drug outlets, which improved the quality of medicines and pharmaceutical services in previously underserved areas. Key Points: The accredited drug-dispensing outlet program combines changing behavior and expectations of community members who use, own, regulate, and work in drug shops. Success resulted from including community stakeholders from the beginning of the process. Conclusions: Addressing shortages in qualified health care providers by training and accrediting private sector drug dispensers to recognize common conditions and provide quality pharmaceutical products and services is feasible in a developing country, when supported by an appropriate policy and regulatory environment. Scaling up and sustaining the program will be a challenge.
Data Completeness and Quality in a Community-Based and Participatory Epidemiologic Study
Authors: Schinasi Leah , Horton Rachel Avery , Wing Steve
Published: June 2009

Background: The principles of community-based participatory (CBPR) research challenge traditional scientific standards of objectivity and neutrality. Little work has been done to evaluate the quality of data obtained from CBPR studies. Objectives: We examined factors associated with the completeness and quality of data that participants collected for the Community Health Effects of Industrial Hog Operations (CHEIHO) study, a community-based, participatory, longitudinal, epidemiologic investigation. Methods: Twice daily for 2 weeks, 101 eastern North Carolina residents collected data on odor from industrialized hog operations, physical health, and mood. Data collected at a single point in time constitute a record. For each record, participant responses were classified as error free or not and missing or not. We used mixed models to quantify associations between errors or missing values and time of day, odor rating, week-in-participation, and presence of a person to assist with data collection. Results: Participants collected data out of order in 2% of 2,949 total records. On average, individual variables were incomplete in 2% of records. Errors and missing data were most common for lung function measurements. Missing data for lung function and blood pressure were less common after the first week of participation (odds ratio [OR], 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.20–0.84). Saliva samples were more frequently missing when participants reported odor than when they did not (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.97–2.59). For women, the odds that yes/no variables were missing in week 2 records were higher relative to week 1 (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.01–2.12). Conclusions: Community members collected relatively complete and consistent data. Better training in use of mechanical devices and more frequent input from researchers could help to improve data quality in CBPR studies.
The Association of Incarceration with Community Health and Racial Health Disparities
Authors: Kruger Daniel J. , De Loney E. Hill
Published: June 2009

Background: Bureau of Justice Statistics data indicate that the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and substantial disparities exist between incarceration rates for Whites and minorities. Research on the impact of incarceration usually focuses on the sentenced individual and occasionally on the children of incarcerated parents. The health consequences of incarceration may also extend to other family members and friends left behind in the community, exacerbating racial disparities in physical and mental health. Objectives: We used a community-based public health survey to assess how incarceration of a friend or family member was associated with physical and mental health status. Methods: Participants provided information on physical and mental health status in a county- wide telephone health interview. Results: Controlling for demographics and health-related behaviors, individuals knowing someone who was recently incarcerated reported worse mental and physical health. Blacks were more likely to report knowing someone who was incarcerated and also felt closer to the incarcerated individuals. The degree of felt closeness with someone incarcerated was positively correlated with worse physical health (Pearson r = 0.14; P < .01) and mental health (Pearson r = 0.09; P < .05). Conclusions: Our results indicate that the incarceration of close others influences mental and physical health and the health disparities between Blacks and Whites. More attention should be given to the potential effects of incarceration on the people closest to those incarcerated.
Perceptions and Health Care Needs of HIV-Positive Mothers in India
Authors: Nyamathi Adeline , Thomas Beena , Greengold Barbara , Swaminathan Soumya
Published: June 2009

Background: An estimated 2.5 million Indians live with HIV/AIDS. Spread primarily through heterosexual contact, the epidemic is shifting toward women, 29% of whom are currently infected, with still more cases going unreported. As the primary caregivers for their families, women face many challenges when it comes to accessing care; these include dealing with discrimination from family, community, and health care providers, and a general lack of education, social support, and nutrition guidance and sustenance. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of a group of HIV-positive mothers living in India to learn about the challenges they face in terms of assessing health care services, dealing with mental health stressors, and giving them a voice in designing the structure of a culturally sensitive and tailored intervention for women like themselves. Methods: This study used a qualitative approach using focus groups consisting of a convenience sample of 60 HIV-infected mothers recruited from a large maternity hospital and sexually transmitted disease clinic in Chennai, India. Using a semi-structured interview guide, information was solicited from participants and qualitative content analysis conducted to determine common themes discussed among the groups. Results: Participants described challenges they face on a day-to-day basis, living with HIV and factors that prevent or help them to seek, obtain, and maintain care. The women also provided recommendations for future intervention plans, to include counseling, nutritional support, psychological support, and educational services for women living with HIV. Conclusions: Findings of this study provided a rich backdrop upon which a community-based AIDS program for HIV-positive mothers in India can now be designed.
Participatory Development and Implementation of a Community Research Workshop: Experiences From a Community-Based Participatory Research Partnership
Authors: Stewart M. Kathryn , Colley Dianne , Huff Anna , Felix Holly , Shelby Beatrice , Strickland Earline , Redmond Patricia , Evans Margaret , Baker Bessie , Stephens Glenda , Nuss Henry , McCabe-Sellers Beverly
Published: June 2009

Background: Although community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles stress the importance of "equitable partnerships" and an "empowering and power-sharing process that attends to social inequalities," descriptions of actual projects often focus on the challenges confronted in academic—community partnerships. These challenges occur in the context of economic and power inequities and the frequently limited diversity of researchers. Less often does this discourse attend to the link between the principles of CBPR and their empowering potential for community members who internalize and use these principles to hold outside partners accountable to these ideals. Objectives: This article documents the participatory development and implementation of a community research workshop, the community and organizational contexts, the content of the workshop, and lessons learned. Workshop objectives included increasing community knowledge of the research process, positively impacting community members' perceptions and attitudes about research, and improving researchers' understanding of community knowledge, perceptions, and experiences with research. Methods: This project was conducted as a part of the larger United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (USDA ARS) Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative (Delta NIRI). The workshop was developed by a joint academic–community team in partnership with a community-based workshop advisory committee (WAC) and implemented in three rural communities of the lower Mississippi Delta. Development included a dry run with the WAC, a pilot workshop, and a focus group to refine the final content and format. Conclusions: Applying participatory principles to the development of the community research workshop resulted in the creation of a mutually acceptable workshop and co-learning experience that empowered community members in their involvement in other community research projects.
Photographing Ugandan Physical Activity: Perspectives From Mbararan Youth
Authors: Tharenos Christy L. , Santorino Data
Published: June 2009

Background: The medical literature supports the benefits of physical activity for youth. In a developing country such as Uganda, there is little information about physical activity in the lives of youth. Objectives: This pilot study attempts to characterize physical activity, work, sport, recreation, and play in the lives of Ugandan youth through community-based participatory photography, interviews, and surveys. Methods: Youth were given cameras and instruction in photographic principles. Then they were asked to capture what physical activity means to them and its affect in their lives. Analysis of the photos, survey data, and youth interviews completed the assessment. Results: Results were shared within the community via discussion and exhibits. The 23 participants mean age was 18 years old (range, 15–20) and 67% had no prior experience with photography. Ninety-four percent of our participants had participated in sports as children and spend longer than 1 to 2 hours a week in physical activity. Photographic Themes include (1) physical activity related to activities of daily living (ADL), (2) cultural physical activities unique to Southwest Uganda, (3) organized sports, and (4) children's school games and play. Conclusions: Photography has been a successful research tool with youth to evaluate concepts of physical activity in a developing country. The majority of physical activity in Ugandan youth lives involves ADLs as well as organized sports. Barriers to participation in physical activity still need to be addressed. This study has implications for health prevention, injury prevention, and qualitative researchers working with youth populations in developing countries.