bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post-translational modification of cardiac proteasomes: functional delineation enabled by proteomics
Authors: Scruggs Sarah B. , Zong Nobel C. , Wang Ding , Stefani Enrico , Ping Peipei
Published: April 2012

Proteasomes are ubiquitously expressed multicatalytic complexes that serve as key regulators of protein homeostasis. There are several lines of evidence indicating that proteasomes exist in heterogeneous subpopulations in cardiac muscle, differentiated, in part, by post-translational modifications (PTMs). PTMs regulate numerous facets of proteasome function, including catalytic activities, complex assembly, interactions with associating partners, subcellular localization, substrate preference, and complex turnover. Classical technologies used to identify PTMs on proteasomes have lacked the ability to determine site specificity, quantify stoichiometry, and perform large-scale, multi-PTM analysis. Recent advancements in proteomic technologies have largely overcome these limitations. We present here a discussion on the importance of PTMs in modulating proteasome function in cardiac physiology and pathophysiology, followed by the presentation of a state-of-the-art proteomic workflow for identifying and quantifying PTMs of cardiac proteasomes.
Angiotensin II type 2 receptor-stimulated activation of plasma prekallikrein and bradykinin release: role of SHP-1
Authors: Zhu Liping , Carretero Oscar A. , Xu Jiang , Wang Luchen , Harding Pamela , Rhaleb Nour-Eddine , Yang James J. , Sumners Colin , Yang Xiao-Ping
Published: April 2012

ANG II type 2 receptors (AT2R) elicit cardioprotective effects in part by stimulating the release of kinins; however, the mechanism(s) responsible have not been fully explored. We demonstrated previously that overexpression of AT2R increased expression of prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP; a plasma prekallikrein activator) and release of bradykinin by mouse coronary artery endothelial cells (ECs). In the present study we hypothesized that the AT2R-stimulated increase in PRCP is mediated by the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1, which in turn activates the PRCP-dependent prekallikrein-kallikrein pathway and releases bradykinin. We found that activation of AT2R using the specific agonist CGP42112A increased SHP-1 activity in ECs, which was blocked by the AT2R antagonist PD123319. Activation of AT2R also enhanced conversion of plasma prekallikrein to kallikrein, and this effect was blunted by a small interfering RNA (siRNA) to SHP-1 and abolished by the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor sodium orthovanadate. Treating cells with a siRNA to PRCP also blunted AT2R-stimulated prekallikrein activation and bradykinin release. Furthermore, blocking plasma kallikrein with soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) abolished AT2R-stimulated bradykinin release. These findings support our hypothesis that stimulation of AT2R activates a PRCP-dependent plasma prekallikrein pathway, releasing bradykinin. Activation of SHP-1 may also play an important role in AT2R-induced PRCP activation.
Role for TAK1 in cigarette smoke-induced proinflammatory signaling and IL-8 release by human airway smooth muscle cells
Authors: Pera Tonio , Atmaj Claudia , van der Vegt Marieke , Halayko Andrew J. , Zaagsma Johan , Meurs Herman
Published: April 2012

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disease, characterized by a progressive decline in lung function. Airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass may be increased in COPD, contributing to airflow limitation and proinflammatory cytokine production. Cigarette smoke (CS), the major risk factor of COPD, causes ASM cell proliferation, as well as interleukin-8 (IL-8)-induced neutrophilia. In various cell types, transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) plays a crucial role in MAP kinase and NF-κB activation, as well as IL-8 release induced by IL-1β, TNF-α, and lipopolysaccharide. The role of TAK1 in CS-induced IL-8 release is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TAK1 in CS-induced NF-κB and MAP kinase signaling and IL-8 release by human ASM cells. Stimulation of these cells with CS extract (CSE) increased IL-8 release and ERK-1/2 phosphorylation, as well as Iκ-Bα degradation and p65 NF-κB subunit phosphorylation. CSE-induced ERK-1/2 phosphorylation and Iκ-Bα degradation were both inhibited by pretreatment with the specific TAK1 inhibitor LL-Z-1640-2 (5Z-7-oxozeaenol; 100 nM). Similarly, expression of dominant-negative TAK1 inhibited CSE-induced ERK-1/2 phosphorylation. In addition, inhibitors of TAK1 and the NF-κB (SC-514; 50 μM) and ERK-1/2 (U-0126; 3 μM) signaling inhibited the CSE-induced IL-8 release by ASM cells. These data indicate that TAK1 plays a major role in CSE-induced ERK-1/2 and NF-κB signaling and in IL-8 release by human ASM cells. Furthermore, they identify TAK1 as a novel target for the inhibition of CS-induced inflammatory responses involved in the development and progression of COPD.
Genetic Ablation of SOX18 Function Suppresses Tumor Lymphangiogenesis and Metastasis of Melanoma in Mice
Authors: Duong Tam , Proulx Steven T. , Luciani Paola , Leroux Jean-Christophe , Detmar Michael , Koopman Peter , Francois Mathias
Published: April 2012

The lymphatic vasculature provides a major route for tumor metastasis and inhibiting neolymphangiogenesis induced by tumors can reduce metastasis in animal models. Developmental biology studies have identified the transcription factor SOX18 as a critical switch for lymphangiogenesis in the mouse embryo. Here, we show that SOX18 is also critical for tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis, and we show that suppressing SOX18 function is sufficient to impede tumor metastasis. Immunofluorescence analysis of murine tumor xenografts showed that SOX18 is reexpressed during tumor-induced neolymphangiogenesis. Tumors generated by implantation of firefly luciferase-expressing B16-F10 melanoma cells exhibited a reduced rate of metastasis to the regional draining lymph node in Sox18-deficient mice, as assessed by live bioluminescence imaging. Lower metastatic rates correlated with reduced tumoral lymphatic vessel density and diameter and with impaired drainage of peritumoral injected liposomes specific for lymph vessels from the sentinel lymph nodes. Overall, our findings suggested that SOX18 induction is a key step in mediating tumor lymphangiogenesis and metastasis, and they identify SOX18 as a potential therapeutic target for metastatic blockade. Cancer Res; 72(12); 3105–14. ©2012 AACR.
Osteoprotegerin Is Associated With Aneurysm Diameter and Proteolysis in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Disease
Authors: Koole Dave , Hurks Rob , Schoneveld Arjan , Vink Aryan , Golledge Jonathan , Moran Corey S. , de Kleijn Dominique P. , van Herwaarden Joost A. , de Vries Jean-Paul , Laman Jon D. , Huizinga Ruth , Pasterkamp Gerard , Moll Frans L.
Published: April 2012

Objective—

Serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) concentrations have previously been associated with growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). In vitro experiments showed that OPG promotes matrix metalloprotease (MMP) release from monocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells. We hypothesized that OPG expression is increased in human AAAs and is associated with proteolysis.

Methods and Results—

AAA biopsies were collected from 329 patients. We assessed the concentrations of OPG, cathepsins A, B, and S as well as the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The AAA wall infiltration by macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells was estimated by immunohistochemistry. The concentration of OPG correlated positively with aortic diameter (<55 mm: 16.1 [5.8–28.7], 55–70 mm: 21.9 [10.2–36.0], >70 mm: 24.0 [13.5–52.9] ng OPG/mg total amount of protein,
P
=0.020), cathepsin A (
r
=0.221,
P
=0.005), B (
r
=0.384,
P
<0.001), and S (
r
=0.467, P<0.001), MMP-2 (
r
=0.180,
P
<0.001), MMP-9 (
r
=0.178, P<0.001), and the number of lymphocytes (
P
<0.001) and plasma cells (
P
=0.001). OPG immunostaining was predominantly demonstrated in plasma cells.

Conclusion—

The concentration of aortic wall OPG is positively associated with established markers of AAA severity and pathogenesis. OPG appeared to be associated with lymphocytes and plasma cells. These human data support previous experimental data suggesting a role for OPG in AAA pathogenesis.
Development of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Protocol for the Characterization of Atherosclerotic Plaque by Using Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 and Apoptosis-Targeted Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Derivatives
Authors: Burtea Carmen , Ballet Sébastien , Laurent Sophie , Rousseaux Olivier , Dencausse Anne , Gonzalez Walter , Port Marc , Corot Claire , Elst Luce Vander , Muller Robert N.
Published: April 2012

Objective—

Acute ischemic events are often caused by the disruption of lipid-rich plaques, which are frequently not angiographically visible. Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and apoptotic cell-targeted peptides studied during our previous work were conjugated to ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) (USPIO-R832 for vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 targeting; USPIO-R826 for apoptosis targeting) and assessed by magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods and Results—

Apolipoprotein E knockout mice were injected with 0.1 mmol Fe/kg body weight and were imaged on a 4.7-T Bruker magnetic resonance imaging until 24 hours after contrast agent administration. Aortic samples were then harvested and examined by histochemistry, and the magnetic resonance images and histological micrographs were analyzed with ImageJ software. The plaques enhanced by USPIO-R832 contained macrophages concentrated in the cap and a large necrotic core, whereas USPIO-R826 produced a negative enhancement of plaques rich in macrophages and neutral fats concentrated inside the plaque. Both USPIO derivatives colocalized with their target on histological sections and were able to detect plaques with a vulnerable morphology, but each one is detecting a specific environment.

Conclusion—

Our vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and apoptotic cell targeted USPIO derivatives seem to be highly promising tools for atherosclerosis imaging contributing to the detection of vulnerable plaques. They are able to attain their target in low doses and as fast as 30 minutes after administration.
Thrombus Growth and Embolism on Tissue Factor-Bearing Collagen Surfaces Under Flow
Authors: Colace Thomas V. , Muthard Ryan W. , Diamond Scott L.
Published: April 2012

Objective—

At sites of vascular injury, thrombin is an important mediator in thrombus growth and stability. Using microfluidic flow devices as well as patterned surfaces of collagen and tissue factor (TF), we sought to determine the role that fibrin plays in clot stability without interfering with the production of thrombin.

Methods and Results—

We deployed an 8-channel microfluidic device to study coagulation during corn trypsin inhibitor–treated (XIIa-inhibited) whole blood perfusion over lipidated TF linked to a fibrillar collagen type 1 surface. Clot growth and embolization were measured at initial inlet venous (200 s
−1
) or arterial (1000 s
−1
) wall shear rates under constant flow rate or pressure relief mode in the presence or absence of Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro (GPRP) to block fibrin polymerization. Numerical calculations for each mode defined hemodynamic forces on the growing thrombi. In either mode at inlet venous flow, increasing amounts of TF on the surface led to a modest dose-dependent increase (up to 2-fold) in platelet deposition, but resulted in massive fibrin accumulation (>50-fold) only when exceeding a critical TF threshold. At a venous inlet flow, GPRP led to a slight 20% increase in platelet accumulation (
P
<0.01) in pressure relief mode with thrombi resisting ≈1500 s
−1
before full channel occlusion. GPRP-treated thrombi were unstable under constant flow rate, where shear forces caused embolization at a maximum shear rate of ≈2300 s
−1
(69 dynes/cm2). In constant flow rate mode, the nonocclusive platelet-fibrin deposits (no GPRP) withstood maximum shear rates of ≈29 000 s
−1
(870 dyne/cm2) at ≈95% of full channel occlusion. For arterial inlet shear rate, embolization was marked for either mode with GPRP present when shear forces reached 87 dynes/cm2 (≈2900 s
−1
). Under constant flow rate, platelet-fibrin deposits (no GPRP) withstood maximums of 2400 dynes/cm2 (80,000 s
−1
) at ≈90% of full channel occlusion prior to embolization.

Conclusion—

Fibrin increased clot strength by 12- to 28-fold. Under pressure relief mode, ≈2-fold more fibrin was produced under venous flow (
P
<0.001). These studies define embolization criteria for clots formed with surface TF-triggered thrombin production (±fibrin) under venous and arterial flows.
Nuclear miRNA Regulates the Mitochondrial Genome in the Heart
Authors: Das Samarjit , Ferlito Marcella , Kent Oliver A. , Fox-Talbot Karen , Wang Richard , Liu Delong , Raghavachari Nalini , Yang Yanqin , Wheelan Sarah J. , Murphy Elizabeth , Steenbergen Charles
Published: April 2012

Rationale:

Mitochondria are semiautonomous cellular organelles with their own genome, which not only supply energy but also participate in cell death pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are usually 19 to 25 nt long, noncoding RNAs, involved in posttranscriptional gene regulation by binding to the 3′-untranslated regions of target mRNA, which impact on diverse cellular processes.

Objective:

To determine if nuclear miRNAs translocate into the mitochondria and regulate mitochondrial function with possible pathophysiological implications in cardiac myocytes.

Methods and Results:

We find that miR-181c is encoded in the nucleus, assembled in the cytoplasm, and finally translocated into the mitochondria of cardiac myocytes. Immunoprecipitation of Argonaute 2 from the mitochondrial fraction indicates binding of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (mt-COX1) mRNA from the mitochondrial genome with miR-181c. Also, a luciferase reporter construct shows that mi-181c binds to the 3′UTR of mt-COX1. To study whether miR-181c regulates mt-COX1, we overexpressed precursor miR-181c (or a scrambled sequence) in primary cultures of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Overexpression of miR-181c did not change mt-COX1 mRNA but significantly decreased mt-COX1 protein, suggesting that miR-181c is primarily a translational regulator of mt-COX1. In addition to altering mt-COX1, overexpression of miR-181c results in increased mt-COX2 mRNA and protein content, with an increase in both mitochondrial respiration and reactive oxygen species generation in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Thus, our data show for the first time that miR-181c can enter and target the mitochondrial genome, ultimately causing electron transport chain complex IV remodeling and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Conclusions:

Nuclear miR-181c translocates into the mitochondria and regulates mitochondrial genome expression. This unique observation may open a new dimension to our understanding of mitochondrial dynamics and the role of miRNA in mitochondrial dysfunction.
Screening for Depression in Urban Latino Adolescents
Authors: Rausch John , Hametz Patricia , Zuckerbrot Rachel , Rausch William , Soren Karen
Published: April 2012

Purpose. Investigations were conducted on whether screening for adolescent depression was feasible and acceptable to patients in low-income, urban, predominantly Latino clinics. Further investigations were undertaken for provider acceptance of such screening. Methods. Adolescents aged between 13 and 20 years presenting to 3 pediatric and adolescent primary care practices affiliated with an academic medical center in New York City were screened for depressive symptoms using the Columbia Depression Scale. Providers were surveyed pre- and postimplementation of the screening regarding their attitudes and practices. Results. The vast majority (92%) of those approached accepted the screening. Twelve percent of those screened were referred for mental health treatment. Providers reported satisfaction with the screening tool and a desire to continue to use it. Screening was limited to 24% of eligible participants, and only 10% of screens were at sick visits. Conclusions. The Columbia Depression Scale seems acceptable to adolescent providers and patients in the mostly Latino study population. It may prove to be a helpful tool in evaluating adolescents presenting to primary care for depression. Further study will be required in other Spanish-speaking and minority populations. New methods will also be required to reach a greater proportion of patients, particularly those presenting for sick visits.
District Central Office Leadership as Teaching
Authors: Honig Meredith I.
Published: April 2012

Purpose: Research on educational leadership underscores the importance of principals operating as instructional leaders and intensive job-embedded supports for such work; this research also identifies central office staff as key support providers. However, it teaches little about what central office staff do when they provide such support and how to distinguish what they do as more or less supportive of principals’ development as instructional leaders. This article addresses that gap with findings from an in-depth comparative case study of the work practices of executive-level central office staff in three districts dedicated to providing instructional leadership support to principals. Research Design: The conceptual framework drawn from sociocultural and cognitive learning theories identifies practices that deepen professional practice in authentic work settings. Data came from 283 interviews and approximately 265 observation hours and 200 documents. Findings: Departing from other studies that do not empirically elaborate central office work practices or that call generally for central office leadership, this analysis identified specific practices of central office administrators consistent with helping principals learn to strengthen their instructional leadership. These practices anchor a conception of central office staff in these roles as teachers of principals’ instructional leadership. Key mediators of their work included their own conceptions of their roles and their opportunities to consult with colleagues, among other conditions. Conclusions: Advancing such work in practice and building knowledge about it in research will require significant shifts throughout school district systems and new approaches to the study of educational leadership.
U.S. Truck Driver Anthropometric Study and Multivariate Anthropometric Models for Cab Designs
Authors: Guan Jinhua , Hsiao Hongwei , Bradtmiller Bruce , Kau Tsui-Ying , Reed Matthew R. , Jahns Steven K. , Loczi Josef , Hardee H. Lenora , Piamonte Dominic Paul T.
Published: April 2012

Objective:

This study presents data from a large-scale anthropometric study of U.S. truck drivers and the multivariate anthropometric models developed for the design of next-generation truck cabs.

Background:

Up-to-date anthropometric information of the U.S. truck driver population is needed for the design of safe and ergonomically efficient truck cabs.

Method:

We collected 35 anthropometric dimensions for 1,950 truck drivers (1,779 males and 171 females) across the continental United States using a sampling plan designed to capture the appropriate ethnic, gender, and age distributions of the truck driver population.

Results:

Truck drivers are heavier than the U.S. general population, with a difference in mean body weight of 13.5 kg for males and 15.4 kg for females. They are also different in physique from the U.S. general population. In addition, the current truck drivers are heavier and different in physique compared to their counterparts of 25 to 30 years ago.

Conclusion:

The data obtained in this study provide more accurate anthropometric information for cab designs than do the current U.S. general population data or truck driver data collected 25 to 30 years ago. Multivariate anthropometric models, spanning 95% of the current truck driver population on the basis of a set of 12 anthropometric measurements, have been developed to facilitate future cab designs.

Application:

The up-to-date truck driver anthropometric data and multivariate anthropometric models will benefit the design of future truck cabs which, in turn, will help promote the safety and health of the U.S. truck drivers.
Relationship of Vitamin D Deficiency to Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Higgins David M. , Wischmeyer Paul E. , Queensland Kelly M. , Sillau Stefan H. , Sufit Alexandra J. , Heyland Daren K.
Published: April 2012

Background: Despite the numerous disease conditions associated with vitamin D deficiency in the general population, the relationship of this deficiency to outcome in critically ill patients remains unclear. The objective of this study is to determine the burden of vitamin D deficiency in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and determine if it is associated with poor patient outcomes. Methods: The authors conducted an analysis of samples collected from a prospective study of 196 patients admitted to a medical/surgical ICU in a tertiary care hospital. They measured serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D at admission and up to 10 days following admission and followed patients prospectively for 28‐day outcomes. Results: Of analyzable patients, 50 (26%) were deficient (≤30 nmol/L) and 109 (56%) were insufficient (>30 and ≤60 nmol/L). Baseline 25(OH)D levels decreased significantly in all patients after 3 days in the ICU and remained significantly lower through 10 days (P < .001). 25(OH)D status was not significantly associated with 28‐day all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.89; 95% confidence interval, [CI] 0.37–2.24). Higher levels of 25(OH)D were associated with a shorter time‐to‐alive ICU discharge (HR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.27–3.51). 25(OH)D‐deficient patients showed a nonstatistically significant trend toward a higher infection rate (odds ratio [OR], 3.20; 95% CI, 0.784–13.07; P = .11) compared with patients with sufficient levels of 25(OH)D. Conclusions: This study demonstrates significant decreases in vitamin D status over the duration of the patient's ICU stay. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with longer time to ICU discharge alive and a trend toward increased risk of ICU‐acquired infection.
So much more than just the music: Australian pre-service music teacher education students’ attitudes to artists-in-schools
Authors: Joseph Dawn , Southcott Jane
Published: April 2012

Contemporary Australia is a country of ongoing migration and increasing cultural diversity which is reflected in its arts practices. This article considers the views held by Australian pre-service music education student teachers and their tertiary music educators about their perceptions concerning artists-in-schools programs in school music. This discussion reports on data collected for a study undertaken in Melbourne, Victoria, Intercultural Understandings of Pre-Service Music Education Students (2005–2009). Fifty-three interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings provide insight into teachers’ recognition of the need for artists-in-schools programs. In particular the ways in which teachers can link theory to practice, fill in omissions in their own knowledge, skills and understandings, and heighten student understandings of multicultural musics. The promotion and provision of multicultural music education is essential at all levels of education. This can be achieved by the inclusion of diverse culture bearers, artists-in-schools, and community engagement to work with both teachers and their students.
Debating conditionality for disability benefits recipients and welfare reform: Research evidence from Pathways to Work
Authors: Weston Katharine
Published: April 2012

The Coalition Government’s reform of welfare has revived debate about the imposition of conditions on receipt of disability benefits. In particular a debate published in the journal Policy and Politics in 2011 discussed the extension of increased conditionality to this group and the associated policy levers, often referred to as ‘carrots’ (incentives) and ‘sticks’ (sanctions). This article adds to the debate by presenting findings from research with service users of Pathways to Work (until recently the main employment programme for people on disability benefits). These findings help to argue for greater recognition of the heterogeneity and diverse levels of need among disability benefits claimants, demonstrate advantages and disadvantages of conditional benefit receipt, and highlight the limited effectiveness of incentives and sanctions. Furthermore findings suggest a need to reconsider the emphasis in government policy on conditionality, where this obscures messages about the availability of personalised support.
Suppressive effect of chronic peroral topiramate on potassium-induced cortical spreading depression in rats
Authors: Unekawa Miyuki , Tomita Yutaka , Toriumi Haruki , Suzuki Norihiro
Published: April 2012

Objective: To evaluate the chronic effect of topiramate (TPM) on cortical spreading depression (CSD), which is thought to be related to migraine aura.

Methods: Male rats (n = 30) were randomized to once-daily peroral treatment with TPM (50, 100, 200 or 600 mg/kg) or vehicle for 6 weeks. We evaluated the characteristics of CSD induced by topical application of KCl under isoflurane anesthesia and the changes in plasma level of TPM in each group. The effect of single administration of TPM on CSD was also evaluated.

Results: After the final administration of TPM, when the plasma level of TPM was high, KCl-induced CSD frequency and CSD propagation velocity were dose-dependently reduced and the interval between CSD episodes was elongated, compared with the vehicle control. However, before the final administration of TPM, when the plasma level was very low, the KCl-induced CSD profile was the same as that in the vehicle control. Single administration of TPM did not alter the CSD profile. Local cerebral blood flow was not significantly altered by chronic administration of TPM.

Conclusion: TPM suppressed the frequency and propagation of CSD along the cerebral cortex, and might be a candidate for relief of migraine.
Recruitment and Activity of the Pectineus and Piriformis Muscles During Hip Rehabilitation Exercises
Authors: Giphart J. Erik , Stull Justin D. , LaPrade Robert F. , Wahoff Michael S. , Philippon Marc J.
Published: April 2012

Background:

The pectineus muscle has been reported to function primarily as a hip flexor and secondarily as a hip internal rotator; the piriformis muscle has been reported to function as an abductor and external rotator of the hip. The recruitment and activations of these muscles during hip rehabilitation exercises have not been detailed.

Hypothesis:

The authors hypothesized that they would measure the highest pectineus activation during exercises involving hip flexion, with moderate pectineus activation during exercises with hip internal rotation. They also hypothesized that they would measure the highest piriformis activation during exercises involving hip abduction and/or external rotation.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Ten healthy volunteers completed 13 hip rehabilitation exercises with electromyography (EMG) electrodes inserted under ultrasound guidance into the pectineus and piriformis muscle bellies. The EMG signals were recorded and exercise activation levels were reported as a percentage of a maximum voluntary contraction (MVC).

Results:

Both the highest peak pectineus activation (62.8% ± 26.6% MVC) and the highest mean pectineus activation (33.1% ± 17.4% MVC) were measured during the supine hip flexion exercise. Moderate activation was found during the single- and double-legged bridge and both phases of the stool hip rotation exercise. The highest peak piriformis activation was observed in the single-legged bridge (MVC, 35.7% ± 25.7%), and the highest mean piriformis activation was observed in the prone heel squeeze (MVC, 24.3% ± 8.2%). Similar moderate activation levels were found for single-legged hip abduction and resisted hip extension.

Conclusion:

The pectineus was highly activated during hip flexion exercises and moderately activated during exercises requiring rotational hip stabilization in either direction, rather than with internal hip rotation only. The piriformis was most activated during static external rotation and abduction while the participants’ hips were in slight extension. These observations indicate that the pectineus and piriformis are both muscles that contribute to hip stabilization.

Clinical Relevance:

The findings indicate that the pectineus and piriformis function as hip-stabilizing muscles and can be used to specifically address pectineus and piriformis muscle rehabilitation. The authors believe that strengthening and conditioning of these muscles should aid in the restoration of hip function and stability after injury or arthroscopic surgery.
The Challenge of Civil Servant Training in China
Authors: Yang Kaifeng , Wu Fan , Xu Xiaolin , Chen Tao
Published: April 2012

Despite disappointment at China’s slow progress in democratization, most observers acknowledge that China has developed a competent public service workforce to the degree that it ensured fast economic growth and social stability. How does China train the workforce? What challenges does it face? What can we learn from it? This article describes China’s civil servant training system and identifies its benefits and challenges with a case study of the Nanning municipal government. The article argues that although China’s centralized training system has great benefits, it encounters similar problems as in Western countries, such as inadequate training needs assessment, low motivation on the part of employees, and difficulty in measuring training outcomes. Although some interviewees propose training decentralization and marketization as a solution, the government is unlikely to rush to it.
Flame spread behavior of electric cables: Round-robin characterization of the IEC/EN 60332-1 tests
Authors: Gyppaz Franck
Published: April 2012

In the field of “reaction to fire,” the flame test is one of the easiest experiments available to assess the flammability of insulated wires or cables. The equipment and the method are completely described in the IEC/EN 60332-1 Parts 1 and 2 Standards. However, a round-robin study involving seven labs has highlighted a wide dispersion of the results. This may lead to a possible false performance conclusion on the product tested. To avoid this stumbling block, this article points out the necessity to know the test reliability in the product development frame, the quality survey, or homologation.
Nutrition Assessment, Care, and Considerations of Ventricular Assist Device Patients
Authors: Montgomery Tricia D. , Cohen Ashley E. , Garnick James , Spadafore Jenifer , Boldea Eva
Published: April 2012

A ventricular assist device (VAD) is an implantable mechanical device that is used to partially or completely replace the circulatory function of a failing heart. VADs may serve as a bridge to heart transplantation or as permanent circulatory assistance, also referred to as destination therapy. There is a paucity of information regarding the nutrition complications in VAD patients, and as such, little is presently known of the optimal means of nutrition assessment and management of these complex and often critically ill patients. In this review, a general overview of the VAD, comparisons of nutrition assessment measures, and strategies to meet the nutrition needs of these patients are provided using evidence‐based information wherever possible. Because there is a lack of nutrition studies and assessment guidelines specifically for VAD patients, many of the guidelines for care of these patients are currently based on the information available for the care of patients with heart failure. Although the optimal measure to assess nutrition status remains poorly studied, a systematic, thorough nutrition assessment of patients with heart failure and heart transplant candidates prior to VAD placement appears to be important to identify those at nutrition risk and, with appropriate nutrition therapy, decrease their risk for morbidity and mortality. VAD patients with inadequate oral intake may require nutrition support to meet their nutrition needs; however, feeding the hemodynamically compromised patient provides additional challenges.
Producing facts: Empirical asexuality and the scientific study of sex
Authors: Przybylo Ela
Published: April 2012

Asexuality, quickly becoming a burgeoning sexual identity category and subject of academic inquiry, relies at this budding moment of identity demarcation on a series of scientific studies that seek to ‘discover’ the truth of asexuality in and on the body. This article considers the existing scientific research on asexuality, including both older and more obscure mentions of asexuality as well as contemporary studies, through two twin claims: (1) that asexuality, as a sexual identity, is entirely specific to our current cultural moment – that it is in this sense culturally contingent, and (2) that scientific research on asexuality, while providing asexuality with a sense of credibility, is also shaping the possibilities and impossibilities of what counts as asexuality and how it operates. In the first section, I consider how older scientific research on asexuality, spanning from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, is characterized by a disinterest in asexuality. Next, turning to recent work on asexuality, the beginning of which is marked by Anthony Bogaert’s 2004 study, I demonstrate how asexuality becomes ‘discovered’, mapped, and pursued by science, making it culturally intelligible even while often naturalizing, in the process, what I argue are harmful sexual differences.
Selfhood, morality, and the Five-Factor Model of personality
Authors: Kristjánsson Kristján
Published: April 2012

We often say that persons need to change themselves. But what is this “self” that needs to change, and why do “selves” seem to be so resistant to change? I have argued elsewhere that who I really am, in an everyday practical sense, is who I really am with respect to the moral evaluation of me. In other words, the everyday self that (often) needs changing is a moral self. In this article, I am offering further indirect evidence for this thesis by exploring an alternative possibility—that who I really am is my personality in the fashionable “Big Five” or “Five-Factor Model” sense—and showing that this suggestion does not bear scrutiny. I argue that although Big-Five theory has identified relatively stable within-person patterns, it has not shown these patterns to be psychologically meaningful, except to the extent that they are morally salient. I argue further that the nature of our diachronic moral selves suggests that moral philosophy needs to take a developmental and educational turn: a turn for which it may, however, not be well equipped.
Mechanisms or metaphors? The emptiness of evolutionary psychological explanations
Authors: Gantt Edwin E. , Melling Brent S. , Reber Jeffrey S.
Published: April 2012

In recent decades, numerous psychological and sociological theories have been offered in the attempt to explain human cognition, motivation, and behavior in fundamentally evolutionary terms. Drawing inspiration from the Darwinian theory of natural selection, evolutionary approaches to social science argue that behavior arises primarily from underlying evolved psychological mechanisms and that the central task of social science is to identify and articulate the specific nature of such mechanisms. Much effort has been expended by evolutionary social scientists to definitively identify the various evolved psychological mechanisms that account for the diversity of human cognitive, emotional, and social behavior. We argue, however, that the search for evolved psychological mechanisms that adequately account for either the transmission of psychological entities (i.e., emotions, intentions, ideas, behaviors, etc.) across generations or the current existence of such entities cannot in principle succeed because evolutionary social science theorists have fundamentally mistaken their metaphors for mechanisms.
The analysis of multivariate longitudinal data: A review
Authors: Verbeke Geert , Fieuws Steffen , Molenberghs Geert , Davidian Marie
Published: April 2012

Longitudinal experiments often involve multiple outcomes measured repeatedly within a set of study participants. While many questions can be answered by modeling the various outcomes separately, some questions can only be answered in a joint analysis of all of them. In this article, we will present a review of the many approaches proposed in the statistical literature. Four main model families will be presented, discussed and compared. Focus will be on presenting advantages and disadvantages of the different models rather than on the mathematical or computational details.
Dropout in crossover and longitudinal studies: Is complete case so bad?
Authors: Matthews John NS , Henderson Robin , Farewell Daniel M , Ho Weang-Kee , Rodgers Lauren R
Published: April 2012

We discuss inference for longitudinal clinical trials subject to possibly informative dropout. A selection of available methods is reviewed for the simple case of trials with two timepoints. Using data from two such clinical trials, each with two treatments, we demonstrate that different analysis methods can at times lead to quite different conclusions from the same data. We investigate properties of complete-case estimators for the type of trials considered, with emphasis on interpretation and meaning of parameters. We contrast longitudinal and crossover designs and argue that for crossover studies there are often good reasons to prefer a complete case analysis. More generally, we suggest that there is merit in an approach in which no untestable assumptions are made. Such an approach would combine a dropout analysis, an analysis of complete-case data only, and a careful statement of justified conclusions.
The roots of music: Emotional expression, dialogue and affect attunement in the psychogenesis of music
Authors: Volgsten Ulrik
Published: April 2012

In this paper I sketch the outlines for a comprehensive theory of the psychogenesis of music. That is, a theory of how human beings may come to hear certain sounds and combinations of sounds as music. It is a theory that takes its empirical starting point in previous and well-known research findings on fundamental human interaction and communication. As such it incorporates at its core a developmental-psychological theory about the human being’s development of a sense of self in relation to others, from infancy on, and is further supported by findings from research on infants’ behavior and reactions to music. It is argued that human interaction and communication is at the outset musical – or protomusical – and that which makes interaction and communication work is the emotive, or affective power of sound (“communicative musicality” is another term that has been used for mainly the same phenomenon). Although the empirical foundations are familiar, the comprehensive picture offered by the theory is new. The theory is structured according to a main thesis that states that music is a way of “making special” human self-development, our “sense of self”. However, for this affective-communicative theory to explain not only our reactions to protomusical sound, but also music at large (music understood in a broad universal sense), it must be extended to answer certain questions about human cognition. Therefore I start by referring to research in cognitive-psychology that explains cognition in part as a capacity to categorize phenomena according their level of detail or generality.
Coefficient Alpha and Interculture Test Selection
Authors: Thurber Steven , Kishi Yasuhiro
Published: April 2012

The internal consistency reliability of a measure can be a focal point in an evaluation of the potential adequacy of an instrument for adaptation to another cultural setting. Cronbach’s alpha (α) coefficient is often used as the statistical index for such a determination. However, alpha presumes a tau-equivalent test and may constitute an inaccurate population estimate for multidimensional tests. These notions are expanded and examined with a Japanese version of a questionnaire on nursing attitudes toward suicidal patients, originally constructed in Sweden using the English language. The English measure was reported to have acceptable internal consistency (α) albeit the dimensionality of the questionnaire was not addressed. The Japanese scale was found to lack tau-equivalence. An alternative to alpha, “composite reliability,” was computed and found to be below acceptable standards in magnitude and precision. Implications for research application of the Japanese instrument are discussed.
Recognising and responding to adolescent depression in general practice: Developing and implementing the Therapeutic Identification of Depression in Young people (TIDY) programme
Authors: Kramer Tami , Iliffe Steven , Gledhill Julia , Garralda M Elena
Published: April 2012

Rates of depressive disorder in adolescents attending primary care are increasing. Most presentations are for physical complaints and concurrent depressive symptoms go unrecognised and untreated. Primary care practitioners describe reluctance to intervene due to lack of confidence and skills. This paper describes the development and implementation of TIDY (Therapeutic Identification of Depression in Young people), a programme designed by child psychiatrists and general practitioners to improve detection and intervention for depression within ordinary consultations. The paper describes the integration of educational principles and current evidence into the development of the training programme and the intervention package. The content of the intervention is described. For cases of mild to moderate depressive disorder, where patients do not require referral for specialist treatment, practitioners are trained to deliver self-help and coping strategies within a single consultation.
The acquisition of copula verbs in Basque by bilinguals
Authors: Larrañaga Pilar , Guijarro-Fuentes Pedro
Published: April 2012

This article focuses on the acquisition of copula verbs in Basque by Basque–Spanish bilinguals. Basque and Spanish have two copula verbs: izan and egon and ser and estar, respectively. Basque copulas are similar to their Spanish counterparts in terms of the grammatical contexts in which they are used. However, Basque and Spanish differ in one specific property, the progressive, which is built with izan in Basque. This article assumes the theoretical framework of Zagona for Basque because copula selection can be accounted for by this approach. The present study is the first one to address the issue of the acquisition of copula verbs by Basque–Spanish bilingual children in Basque; we analyze the language used in a storytelling task by 19 Basque-dominant bilinguals compared to that used by 19 child L2 Basque learners, in order to elucidate whether both groups of bilingual children use the copula in a target-like way in Basque. The study shows that no copula choice errors are produced by any of the participants with any predicates. The distribution of the predicates very much resembles the distribution of the predicates in previous studies for Spanish. Adhering to Zagona’s framework, the progressive was included in our study. In this respect, the progressive is used in a target-deviant manner, a finding that can be attributed to crosslinguistic influence. These results are ultimately attributed to children’s parallel knowledge of both interpretable and uninterpretable features, although uninterpretable features seem to be acquired a little earlier.
Biomass Energy Utilisation, Air Quality and the Health of Rural Women and Children in Ido LGA, South-Western Nigeria
Authors: Oguntoke Olusegun , Adebulehin Adewumi T. , Annegarn Harold J.
Published: April 2012

Lack of affordable alternative energy source in most rural areas of Nigeria has resulted in overdependence on fuel-wood for domestic energy supply. The resultant environmental pollution and negative health impact on women and children that are often exposed are sufficient reasons for research and policy concerns. We investigated the pattern of energy utilisation in some rural communities and the impact on the health condition of women and children, and the environment by engaging questionnaire interview, retrospective clinic data and air quality monitoring. Fuel-wood used by 75% of the women was sourced from the forest around rural settlements. Although 72% of the women had difficulties using fuel-wood, because no money was paid for exploiting it, it remained the most utilised energy source. The concentration of CO, NO2 and H2S (82.3 ± 2.26, 0.21 ± 0.01 and 0.18 ± 0.01 ppm, respectively) in the indoor environment of the selected houses were higher than the permissible limit for human exposure. Common health problems suffered by the sampled rural women and their children included upper respiratory infection, dizziness, eye irritation, catarrh, sneezing, persistent headache and anaemia in pregnancy. Intervention for alternative cleaner energy provision is required in rural areas of the country as a matter of priority.
Embodying the Map: Tourism Practices in Berlin
Authors: Rossetto Tania
Published: April 2012

Maps are often considered by tourism scholars as superimposed representations that reduce visitors to passive executors of pre-designed routes. Combining new post-representational perspectives in map studies with a concept of tourism as a corporeal, vividly lived and active experience, this article highlights the tensions between representation/power and practice/resistance within tourism cartography. The case study of the German capital is used to illustrate the concept that tourists can experience a ‘flirtatious’, intentional and enriching encounter with their destinations ‘dwelling in’, rather than passively enacting or subverting cartographic representations. Through an autoethnographical account and a cinematic-cartographical reading, the author explores the role of actual and virtual embodiment in the experiencing of map spaces, suggesting that Berlin’s ‘cartographic anxiety’ need not be understood as a form of tourism’s power of seduction.
Impact of personality factors on interface interaction and the development of user profiles: Next steps in the personal equation of interaction
Authors: Green Tera M. , Fisher Brian
Published: April 2012

These current comparative studies explore the impact of individual differences in personality factors on interface interaction and learning performance behaviors in both an interactive visualization and a menu-driven web table in two studies. Participants were administered three psychometric measures designed to assess Locus of Control, Big Five Extraversion, and Big Five Neuroticism. Participants were then asked to complete procedural learning tasks in each interface. Results demonstrated that all three measures predicted completion times. Additionally, analyses demonstrated that personality factors also predicted the number of insights participants reported while completing the tasks in each interface. Furthermore, we used the psychometric findings in conjunction with a follow-up psychometric survey with a further 50 participants to build initial user profiles based on the cognitive task being undertaken. We discuss how these findings advance our ongoing research in the Personal Equation of Interaction.