bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Men, muscles, and body image: comparisons of competitive bodybuilders, weight trainers, and athletically active controls
Authors: Pickett T C , Lewis R J , Cash T F
Published: March 2005

Objectives:To investigate body image and psychosocial adjustment among competitive bodybuilders, non-competitive weight trainers, and athletically active men.

Methods:Participants were 40 men in each of the three groups who were assessed on body composition and multiple facets of body image evaluation, investment and anxiety, eating attitudes, and social self esteem.

Results:Relative to the other two groups, competitive bodybuilders had greater body mass due to fat-free body mass. Although groups did not differ in their situational body image discomfort, competitive bodybuilders and weight trainers had a more positive global appearance evaluation and were more psychologically invested in their physical appearance. Compared with active controls, men in both weightlifting groups were more satisfied with their upper torso and muscle tone. Competitive bodybuilders reported more mid torso satisfaction than the other two groups. Competitive bodybuilders also wished to be significantly heavier than controls did and reported higher social self esteem but greater eating disturbance.

Conclusions:The findings suggest that competitive bodybuilders as a group are not more “muscle dysmorphic” than either non-competitive weight trainers or physically active men who do not train with weights.
Effect of fluid ingestion on neuromuscular function during prolonged cycling exercise
Authors: Vallier J-M , Grego F , Basset F , Lepers R , Bernard T , Brisswalter J
Published: March 2005

Objectives:To investigate the effects of fluid ingestion on neuromuscular function during prolonged cycling exercise.

Methods:Eight well trained subjects exercised for 180 minutes in a moderate environment at a workload requiring ∼60% maximal oxygen uptake. Two conditions, fluid (F) and no fluid (NF) ingestion, were investigated.

Results:During maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC), prolonged cycling exercise reduced (p<0.05) the maximal force generating capacity of quadriceps muscles (after three hours of cycling) and root mean square (RMS) values (after two hours of cycling) with no difference between the two conditions despite greater body weight loss (p<0.05) in NF. The mean power frequency (MPF) for vastus lateralis muscle was reduced (p<0.05) and the rate of force development (RFD) was increased (p<0.05) only during NF. During cycling exercise, integrated electromyographic activity and perceived exertion were increased in both conditions (p<0.05) with no significant effect of fluid ingestion.

Conclusions:The results suggest that fluid ingestion did not prevent the previously reported decrease in maximal force with exercise duration, but seems to have a positive effect on some indicators of neuromuscular fatigue such as mean power frequency and rate of force development during maximal voluntary contraction. Further investigations are needed to assess the effect of change in hydration on neural mechanisms linked to the development of muscular fatigue during prolonged exercise.
A controlled study on batted ball speed and available pitcher reaction time in slowpitch softball
Authors: McDowell M , Ciocco M V
Published: March 2005

Objectives:To investigate safety risks in slowpitch softball by conducting laboratory and experimental studies on the performance of high tech softball bats with polyurethane softballs. To compare the results with the recommended safety standards.

Methods:ASTM standard compression testing of seven softball models was conducted. Using these seven softball models, bat/ball impact testing was performed using seven adult male softball players and six high tech softball bat models to determine mean batted ball speeds. Over 500 bat/ball impact measurements were recorded and analysed. Available pitcher reaction time was calculated from the mean batted ball speed measurements.

Results:According to the United States Specialty Sports Association and the Amateur Softball Association, the maximum initial batted ball speed should be 137.2 km/h, which corresponds to a minimum pitcher reaction time of 0.420 second. These experiments produced mean batted ball speeds of 134.0–159.7 km/h, which correspond to available pitcher reaction times of 0.409–0.361 second.

Conclusion:The use of high tech softball bats with polyurethane softballs can result in batted ball speeds that exceed the recommended safety limits, which correspond to decreased available pitcher reaction times.
An assessment of injuries in college cheerleading: distribution, frequency, and associated factors
Authors: Jacobson B H , Redus B , Palmer T
Published: March 2005

Background:Over 50% of all catastrophic injuries in women’s sport occur in cheerleading, but unlike other sports, no central tracking system exists.

Objective:To obtain, describe, and compare cheerleading injury data and associated factors.

Methods:Cheerleaders from randomly chosen division IA universities completed surveys designed to acquire basic information and data on injury frequency, type, and location, practice frequency and duration, and related factors.

Results:Participants (n  =  440) were aged 18–23 (mean (SD) 20.2 (1.8)) with 6.6 (2.2) years of experience. Most respondents (78%) reported having suffered one or more career injury. Of those injured, 39.7% reported an injury within the preceding year. Respondents sustained 1.0 (0.91) injuries during the preceding year with 1.8 (2.2) days lost. Ankles (44.9%) and wrist/hand (19.3%) were the most commonly injured. Practice frequency and duration were 205 (61.5) days a year (range 80–300) and 2.8 (0.7) hours (range 1.5–4) respectively. Training included stretching (99.7%), endurance activities (87.1%), and weight training (92.9%).

Conclusion:Guidelines and policy governing cheerleading should be developed according to mandatory injury reporting similar to that currently used in other sports.
Motivation and satisfaction among polyclinic volunteers at the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games
Authors: Reeser J C , Berg R L , Rhea D , Willick S
Published: March 2005

Background:The Olympic and Paralympic Games rely heavily on volunteers to provide many essential services, including medical care of athletes.

Objective:This preliminary investigation sought to characterise the motivational influences and factors responsible for the satisfaction of Olympic and Paralympic healthcare volunteers.

Methods:The 2002 Winter Games polyclinic healthcare volunteers were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to elicit information about their motives for volunteering and the factors that contributed to their satisfaction with their volunteer experience.

Results:There was no significant difference in the motivation or satisfaction summary scores based on event worked. There was a strong positive correlation between motivation and satisfaction. Physician respondents had a lower mean motivation score than did non-physician volunteers.

Conclusions:There were no significant motivational differences between Olympic and Paralympic volunteers, but there were several differences noted between physician and non-physician volunteers. The 2002 polyclinic volunteers appear to have been motivated by a complex process best described as “enlightened self interest,” and all were generally well satisfied with their experience. These results may assist organisers of future Games in selecting appropriately motivated volunteer personnel and creating rewarding work environments for them.
If smoking increases absences, does quitting reduce them?
Authors: Sindelar J L , Duchovny N , Falba T A , Busch S H
Published: March 2005

Objective:This study examined the impact of smoking, quitting, and time since quit on absences from work.

Methods:Data from the nationally representative Tobacco Use Supplements of the 1992/93, 1995/96, and 1998/99 Current Population Surveys were used. The study included full time workers aged between 18–64 years, yielding a sample size of 383 778 workers. A binary indicator of absence due to sickness in the last week was analysed as a function of smoking status including time since quit for former smokers. Extensive demographic variables were included as controls in all models.

Results:In initial comparisons between current and former smokers, smoking increased absences, but quitting did not reduce them. However, when length of time since quit was examined, it was discovered that those who quit within the last year, and especially the last three months, had a much greater probability of absences than did current smokers. As the time since quitting increased, absences returned to a rate somewhere between that of never and current smokers. Interactions between health and smoking status significantly improved the fit of the model.

Conclusions:Smokers who quit reduced their absences over time but increase their absences immediately after quitting. Quitting ill may account for some but not all of this short run impact.
INTERPLAY BETWEEN DNA REPLICATION AND RECOMBINATION IN PROKARYOTES
Authors: Kreuzer Kenneth N.
Published: March 2005

The processes of DNA replication and recombination are intertwined at many different levels. In diverse systems, extensive DNA replication can be triggered by genetic recombination, with assembly of a replication complex onto a D-loop recombination intermediate. This and related pathways of replisome assembly allow the completion of DNA replication when forks initiated at a conventional replication origin fail before completing replication of the genome. In addition, the repair of double-strand breaks or gaps by homologous recombination requires at least limited DNA replication to replace the missing information. An intricate interplay between replication and recombination is also evident during the termination of bacterial DNA replication and during the induction of the bacterial SOS response to DNA damage.
Crosstalk between NF-κB and β-catenin pathways in bacterial-colonized intestinal epithelial cells
Authors: Sun Jun , Hobert Michael E. , Duan Yingli , Rao Anjali S. , He Tong-Chuan , Chang Eugene B. , Madara James L.
Published: March 2005

Salmonella-epithelial cell interactions are known to activate the proinflammatory NF-κB signaling pathway and have recently been found to also influence the β-catenin signaling pathway, an important regulator of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, using polarized epithelial cell models, we demonstrate that these same bacteria-mediated effects also direct the molecular crosstalk between the NF-κB and β-catenin signaling pathways. Convergence of these two pathways is a result of the direct interaction between the NF-κB p50 subunit and β-catenin. We show that PhoPc, the avirulent derivative of a wild-type Salmonella strain, attenuates NF-κB activity by stabilizing the association of β-catenin with NF-κB. In cell lines expressing constitutively active β-catenin, IκBα protein was indirectly stabilized and NF-κB activity was repressed after wild-type Salmonella colonization. Accordingly, constitutively active β-catenin was found to inhibit the secretion of IL-8. Thus our findings strongly suggest that the crosstalk between the β-catenin and NF-κB signaling pathways is an important regulator of intestinal inflammation.
Depressed Na+-K+-ATPase activity in skeletal muscle at fatigue is correlated with increased Na+-K+-ATPase mRNA expression following intense exercise
Authors: Petersen A. C. , Murphy K. T. , Snow R. J. , Leppik J. A. , Aughey R. J. , Garnham A. P. , Cameron-Smith D. , McKenna M. J.
Published: March 2005

We investigated whether depressed muscle Na+-K+-ATPase activity with exercise reflected a loss of Na+-K+-ATPase units, the time course of its recovery postexercise, and whether this depressed activity was related to increased Na+-K+-ATPase isoform gene expression. Fifteen subjects performed fatiguing, knee extensor exercise at ∼40% maximal work output per contraction. A vastus lateralis muscle biopsy was taken at rest, fatigue, 3 h, and 24 h postexercise and analyzed for maximal Na+-K+-ATPase activity via 3- O-methylfluorescein phosphatase (3- O-MFPase) activity, Na+-K+-ATPase content via [3H]ouabain binding sites, and Na+-K+-ATPase α1-, α2-, α3-, β1-, β2- and β3-isoform mRNA expression by real-time RT-PCR. Exercise [352 (SD 267) s] did not affect [3H]ouabain binding sites but decreased 3- O-MFPase activity by 10.7 (SD 8)% ( P < 0.05), which had recovered by 3 h postexercise, without further change at 24 h. Exercise elevated α1-isoform mRNA by 1.5-fold at fatigue ( P < 0.05). This increase was inversely correlated with the percent change in 3- O-MFPase activity from rest to fatigue (%Δ3- O-MFPaserest-fatigue) ( r = −0.60, P < 0.05). The average postexercise (fatigue, 3 h, 24 h) α1-isoform mRNA was increased 1.4-fold ( P < 0.05) and approached a significant inverse correlation with %Δ3- O-MFPaserest-fatigue( r = −0.56, P = 0.08). Exercise elevated α2-isoform mRNA at fatigue 2.5-fold ( P < 0.05), which was inversely correlated with %Δ3- O-MFPaserest-fatigue( r = −0.60, P = 0.05). The average postexercise α2-isoform mRNA was increased 2.2-fold ( P < 0.05) and was inversely correlated with the %Δ3- O-MFPaserest-fatigue( r = −0.68, P < 0.05). Nonsignificant correlations were found between %Δ3- O-MFPaserest-fatigueand other isoforms. Thus acute exercise transiently decreased Na+-K+-ATPase activity, which was correlated with increased Na+-K+-ATPase gene expression. This suggests a possible signal-transduction role for depressed muscle Na+-K+-ATPase activity with exercise.
Salt handling in the distal nephron: lessons learned from inherited human disorders
Authors: Jeck Nikola , Schlingmann Karl P. , Reinalter Stephan C. , Kömhoff Martin , Peters Melanie , Waldegger Siegfried , Seyberth Hannsjörg W.
Published: March 2005

The molecular basis of inherited salt-losing tubular disorders with secondary hypokalemia has become much clearer in the past two decades. Two distinct segments along the nephron turned out to be affected, the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and the distal convoluted tubule, accounting for two major clinical phenotypes, hyperprostaglandin E syndrome and Bartter-Gitelman syndrome. To date, inactivating mutations have been detected in six different genes encoding for proteins involved in renal transepithelial salt transport. Careful examination of genetically defined patients (“human knockouts”) allowed us to determine the individual role of a specific protein and its contribution to the overall process of renal salt reabsorption. The recent generation of several genetically engineered mouse models that are deficient in orthologous genes further enabled us to compare the human phenotype with the animal models, revealing some unexpected interspecies differences. As the first line treatment in hyperprostaglandin E syndrome includes cyclooxygenase inhibitors, we propose some hypotheses about the mysterious role of PGE2in the etiology of renal salt-losing disorders.
Late-night presentation of an auditory stimulus phase delays human circadian rhythms
Authors: Goel Namni
Published: March 2005

Although light is considered the primary entrainer of circadian rhythms in humans, nonphotic stimuli, including exercise and melatonin also phase shift the biological clock. Furthermore, in birds and nonhuman mammals, auditory stimuli are effective zeitgebers. This study investigated whether a nonphotic auditory stimulus phase shifts human circadian rhythms. Ten subjects (5 men and 5 women, ages 18–72, mean age ± SD, 44.7 ± 21.4 yr) completed two 4-day laboratory sessions in constant dim light (<20 lux). They received two consecutive presentations of either a 2-h auditory or control stimulus from 0100 to 0300 on the second and third nights (presentation order of the stimulus and control was counterbalanced). Core body temperature (CBT) was collected and stored in 2-min bins throughout the study and salivary melatonin was obtained every 30 min from 1900 to 2330 on the baseline and poststimulus/postcontrol nights. Circadian phase of dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) and of CBT minimum, before and after auditory or control presentation was assessed. The auditory stimulus produced significantly larger phase delays of the circadian melatonin (mean ± SD, −0.89 ± 0.40 h vs. −0.27 ± 0.16 h) and CBT (−1.16 ± 0.69 h vs. −0.44 ± 0.27 h) rhythms than the control. Phase changes for the two circadian rhythms also positively correlated, indicating direct effects on the biological clock. In addition, the auditory stimulus significantly decreased fatigue compared with the control. This study is the first demonstration of an auditory stimulus phase-shifting circadian rhythms in humans, with shifts similar in size and direction to those of other nonphotic stimuli presented during the early subjective night. This novel stimulus may be a useful countermeasure to facilitate circadian adaptation after transmeridian travel or shift work.
Baroreceptors, baroreceptor unloading, and the long-term control of blood pressure
Authors: Thrasher Terry N.
Published: March 2005

Whether arterial baroreceptors play a role in setting the long-term level of mean arterial pressure (MAP) has been debated for more than 75 years. Because baroreceptor input is reciprocally related to efferent sympathetic nerve activity (SNA), it is obvious that baroreceptor unloading would cause an increase in MAP. Experimental proof of concept is evident acutely after baroreceptor denervation. Chronically, however, baroreceptor denervation is associated with highly variable changes in MAP but not sustained hypertension. The ability of baroreceptors to buffer imposed increases in MAP appears limited by a process termed “resetting,” in which the threshold to fire shifts in the direction of the pressure change and if the pressure elevation is maintained, it leads to a rightward shift in the relationship between baroreceptor firing and MAP. The most common hypothesis linking baroreceptors to changes in MAP proposes that reduced vascular distensibility in baroreceptive areas would cause reduced firing at the same pulsatile pressure and, thus, reflexively increase SNA. This review focuses on effects of baroreceptor denervation in the regulation of MAP in human subjects compared with animal studies; the relationship between vascular compliance, MAP, and baroreceptor resetting; and, finally, the effect of chronic baroreceptor unloading on the regulation of MAP.
Effect of testosterone on the female anterior cruciate ligament
Authors: Lovering Richard M. , Romani William A.
Published: March 2005

Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) result in immediate and long-term morbidity and expense. Young women are more likely to sustain ACL injuries than men who participate in similar athletic and military activities. Although significant attention has focused on the role that female sex hormones may play in this disparity, it is still unclear whether the female ACL also responds to androgens. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the female ACL was an androgen-responsive tissue. To identify and localize androgen receptors in the female ACL, we used Western blotting and immunofluorescent labeling, respectively, of ACL tissue harvested during surgery from young women ( n = 3). We then measured ACL stiffness and assessed total testosterone (T) and free [free androgen index (FAI)] testosterone concentrations, as well as relative estradiol to testosterone ratios (E2/T and E2/FAI) at three consecutive menstrual stages ( n = 20). There were significant rank-order correlations between T (0.48, P = 0.031), FAI (0.44, P = 0.053), E2/T (−0.71, P < 0.001), E2/FAI (−0.63, P = 0.003), and ACL stiffness near ovulation. With the influences of the other variables controlled, there were significant negative partial rank-order correlations between ACL stiffness and E2/T (−0.72, P < 0.001) and E2/FAI (−0.59, P = 0.012). The partial order residuals for T and FAI were not significant. These findings suggest that the female ACL is an androgen-responsive tissue but that T and FAI are not independent predictors of ACL stiffness near ovulation. Instead, the relationship between T, FAI, and ACL stiffness was likely influenced by another hormone or sex hormone binding globulin.
Bubble splitting in bifurcating tubes: a model study of cardiovascular gas emboli transport
Authors: Calderón Andrés J. , Fowlkes J. Brian , Bull Joseph L.
Published: March 2005

The transport of long gas bubbles, suspended in liquid, through symmetric bifurcations, is investigated experimentally and theoretically as a model of cardiovascular gas bubble transport in air embolism and gas embolotherapy. The relevant dimensionless parameters in the models match the corresponding values for arteries and arterioles. The effects of roll angle (the angle the plane of the bifurcation makes with the horizontal), capillary number (a dimensionless indicator of flow), and bubble volume (or length) on the splitting of bubbles as they pass through the bifurcation are examined. Splitting is observed to be more homogenous at higher capillary numbers and lower roll angles. It is shown that, at nonzero roll angles, there is a critical value of the capillary number below which the bubbles do not split and are transported entirely into the upper branch. The value of the critical capillary number increases with roll angle and parent tube diameter. A unique bubble motion is observed at the critical capillary number and for slightly slower flows: the bubble begins to split, the meniscus in the lower branch then moves backward, and finally the entire bubble enters the upper branch. These findings suggest that, in large vessels, emboli tend to be transported upward unless flow is unusually strong but that a more homogeneous distribution of emboli occurs in smaller vessels. This corresponds to previous observations that air emboli tend to lodge in the upper regions of the lungs and suggests that relatively uniform infarction of tumors by gas embolotherapy may be possible.
Effects of topical anesthesia on upper airway resistance during wake-sleep transitions
Authors: Doherty Liam S. , Nolan Philip , McNicholas Walter T.
Published: March 2005

Deformation of the upper airway (UA) by negative transmural pressure alters the activity of UA mechanoreceptors, causing a reflex increase in UA muscle activity. Topical anesthesia of the UA mucosa, which greatly reduces this reflex response, causes an increase in UA resistance during stage 2 sleep. We hypothesized that topical anesthesia of the UA mucosa would predispose to UA instability at sleep onset and, therefore, examined the effect of UA anesthesia on pharyngeal resistance (Rph) in stage 1 sleep. Eleven normal, healthy volunteers were instrumented to record standard polysomnographic variables, respiratory airflow, and UA pressure at the nasal choanae and the epiglottis. Subjects were permitted to sleep until stable stage 2 sleep was reached and were then awoken. This procedure was repeated three times to obtain reproducible wake-sleep transitions. The UA mucosa was then anesthetized with 10% lidocaine to the oropharynx and laryngopharynx, and the pharyngeal mechanics were studied during the subsequent wake-sleep transition. Three subjects were excluded because of failure to resume sleep postanesthesia. Rph was significantly higher after anesthesia during stage 1 sleep [2.88 ± 0.77 cmH2O·l−1·s (mean ± SE)] compared with control (0.95 ± 0.35 cmH2O·l−1·s; P < 0.05), but there was no difference during wakefulness. Furthermore, there was a significant rise in Rph at wake-to-sleep transitions and a significant fall in Rph at sleep-to-wake transitions after anesthesia ( P < 0.05) but not in the control condition. We conclude that sensory receptors in the UA mucosa contribute to the maintenance of UA patency at wake-sleep transition in normal humans.
Profile of changes in gene expression in cultured hippocampal neurones evoked by the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen
Authors: Ghorbel Mohamed T. , Becker Kevin G. , Henley Jeremy M.
Published: March 2005

Metabotropic γ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABABRs) play a critical role in inhibitory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus. However, little is known about a possible long-term effect requiring transcriptional changes. Here, using microarray technology and RT-PCR of RNA from cultured rat embryonic hippocampal neurones, we report the profile of genes that are up- or downregulated by activation of GABABRs by baclofen but are not changed by baclofen in the presence of the GABABR antagonist CGP-55845A. Our data show, for the first time, regulation of transcription of defined mRNAs after specific GABAB receptor activation. The identified genes can be grouped into those encoding signal transduction, endocytosis/trafficking, and structural classes of proteins. For example, butyrylcholinesterase, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and COPS5 (Jab1) genes were upregulated, whereas Rab8 interacting protein and Rho GTPase-activating protein 4 were downregulated. These results provide important baseline genomic data for future studies aimed at investigating the long-term effects of GABABR activation in neurones such as their roles in neuronal growth, pathway formation and stabilization, and synaptic plasticity.
Myeloperoxidase and Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Nicholls Stephen J. , Hazen Stanley L.
Published: March 2005

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a leukocyte-derived enzyme that catalyzes the formation of a number of reactive oxidant species. In addition to being an integral component of the innate immune response, evidence has emerged that MPO-derived oxidants contribute to tissue damage during inflammation. MPO-catalyzed reactions have been attributed to potentially proatherogenic biological activities throughout the evolution of cardiovascular disease, including during initiation, propagation, and acute complication phases of the atherosclerotic process. As a result, MPO and its downstream inflammatory pathways represent attractive targets for both prognostication and therapeutic intervention in the prophylaxis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Transcriptional Regulation of Apolipoprotein A5 Gene Expression by the Nuclear Receptor RORα
Authors: Genoux Annelise , Dehondt Hélène , Helleboid-Chapman Audrey , Duhem Christian , Hum Dean W. , Martin Geneviève , Pennacchio Len A. , Staels Bart , Fruchart-Najib Jamila , Fruchart Jean-Charles
Published: March 2005

Objective—

The newly identified apolipoprotein A5 (
APOA5
), selectively expressed in the liver, is a crucial determinant of plasma triglyceride levels. Because elevated plasma triglyceride concentrations constitute an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, it is important to understand how the expression of this gene is regulated. In the present study, we identified the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-α (RORα) as a regulator of human
APOA5
gene expression.

Methods and Results—

Using electromobility shift assays, we first demonstrated that RORα1 and RORα4 proteins can bind specifically to a direct repeat 1 site present at the position −272/−260 in the
APOA5
gene promoter. In addition, using transient cotransfection experiments in HepG2 and HuH7 cells, we demonstrated that both RORα1 and RORα4 strongly increase
APOA5
promoter transcriptional activity in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, adenoviral overexpression of hRORα in HepG2 cells led to enhanced
hAPOA5
mRNA accumulation. We show that the homologous region in mouse
apoa5
promoter is not functional. Moreover, we show that in
staggerer
mice,
apoa5
gene is not affected by RORα.

Conclusions—

These findings identify RORα1 and RORα4 as transcriptional activators of human
APOA5
gene expression. These data suggest an additional important physiological role for RORα in the regulation of genes involved in lipid homeostasis and probably in the development of atherosclerosis.
Fenofibric Acid, an Active Form of Fenofibrate, Increases Apolipoprotein A-I–Mediated High-Density Lipoprotein Biogenesis by Enhancing Transcription of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1 Gene in a Liver X Receptor–Dependent Manner
Authors: Arakawa Reijiro , Tamehiro Norimasa , Nishimaki-Mogami Tomoko , Ueda Kazumitsu , Yokoyama Shinji
Published: March 2005

Objective—

Fibrates are widely used drugs to reduce plasma triglyceride and increase high-density lipoprotein. Their active forms, fibric acids, are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α activators, but no direct evidence has been demonstrated for their activation of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in relation to clinically used fibrates. We investigated the reaction of fenofibric acid in this regard.

Methods and Results—

Fenofibric acid was examined for the effect of increase of ABCA1 activity. It enhanced ABCA1 gene transcription and its protein level in macrophage cell line cells and fibroblasts and increased apolipoprotein A-I–mediated cellular lipid release, all in a dose-dependent manner. Enhancement of the gene transcription was examined by using a reporter assay system for liver X receptor responsive element (LXRE) and its inactive mutant. The results demonstrated that the effect of fenofibric acid is dependent on active LXRE.

Conclusions—

Fenofibric acid increased transcription of ABCA1 gene in a liver X receptor–dependent manner.
Homeobox Protein
Hop
Functions in the Adult Cardiac Conduction System
Authors: Ismat Fraz A. , Zhang Maozhen , Kook Hyun , Huang Bin , Zhou Rong , Ferrari Victor A. , Epstein Jonathan A. , Patel Vickas V.
Published: March 2005

Hop
is an unusual homeobox gene expressed in the embryonic and adult heart.
Hop
acts downstream of
Nkx2–5
during development, and
Nkx2–5
mutations are associated with cardiac conduction system (CCS) defects. Inactivation of
Hop
in the mouse is lethal in half of the expected null embryos. Here, we show that
Hop
is expressed strongly in the adult CCS.
Hop
−/−
adult mice display conduction defects below the atrioventricular node (AVN) as determined by invasive electrophysiological testing. These defects are associated with decreased expression of connexin40. Our results suggest that
Hop
functions in the adult CCS and demonstrate conservation of molecular hierarchies between embryonic myocardium and the specialized conduction tissue of the mature heart.
Neuroprotective Effect of Darbepoetin Alfa, a Novel Recombinant Erythropoietic Protein, in Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rats
Authors: Belayev Ludmila , Khoutorova Larissa , Zhao Weizhao , Vigdorchik Alexey , Belayev Andrey , Busto Raul , Magal Ella , Ginsberg Myron D.
Published: March 2005

Background and Purpose—

Darbepoetin alfa is a novel erythropoiesis-stimulating protein developed for treating anemia. In animal models, exogenous recombinant human erythropoietin has been reported to be beneficial in treating experimental cerebral ischemia. In this study, we determined whether darbepoetin alfa would protect in a rat model of transient focal cerebral ischemia.

Methods—

Rats received 2-hour middle cerebral artery suture-occlusion. The drug (darbepoetin alfa, 10 μg/kg) or vehicle was administered intraperitoneally 2 hours after onset of middle cerebral artery occlusion. Animals were allowed to survive for 3 or 14 days. Behavioral tests were performed sequentially. Infarct volumes and brain swelling were determined.

Results—

Darbepoetin alfa-treated rats showed improved neuroscores relative to vehicle-treated animals beginning within 1 hour of treatment and persisting throughout the 14-day survival period. Darbepoetin alfa significantly reduced corrected total (cortical + subcortical) infarct volume (56.3±20.6 and 110.8±6.8 mm
3
, respectively) and total infarct areas at multiple levels compared with vehicle in the 14-day survival group. Brain swelling was not affected by treatment.

Conclusion—

Darbepoetin alfa confers behavioral and histological neuroprotection after focal ischemia in rats.
Measuring Accuracy of Discharge Diagnoses for a Region-Wide Surveillance of Hospitalized Strokes
Authors: Spolaore Paolo , Brocco Stefano , Fedeli Ugo , Visentin Cristiana , Schievano Elena , Avossa Francesco , Milan Giovanni , Toso Vito , Vanuzzo Diego , Pilotto Lorenza , Pessina Achille Cesare , Bonita Ruth
Published: March 2005

Background and Purpose—

Measuring the impact of stroke through population-based stroke registers is complex and costly. The aim of the present study is to assess the validity of hospital discharge diagnoses (all ages) and to estimate the total number of hospitalized stroke events in the Veneto region (Northeastern Italy, 4 500 000 inhabitants).

Methods—

All discharges covering a 1-year period (1999) from Veneto hospitals with
International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision
codes 342, 430 to 434, and 436 to 438 were identified. A stratified sample was extracted and submitted to retrospective clinical record review according to the World Health Organization MONItoring trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease stroke project. Using the positive predictive value (PPV) for validated acute stroke of each code to adjust for inaccuracy of discharge diagnoses, an estimate of hospital strokes was obtained.

Results—

4015 admissions were reviewed. Codes 430, 431, 434, and 436 as primary diagnoses had the highest PPV, which sharply decreased in the other diagnostic levels. Code 342 also showed a high PPV. The probability of suspected events meeting the stroke definition increased with age and was highest for patients admitted to neurological wards and for fatal events. Overall 9400 strokes (first-ever and recurrent) were estimated to be hospitalized in 1999, with an attack rate of 208 per 100 000.

Conclusions—

Our data indicate that once validation studies are undertaken on a sample of all hospitalized events, hospital discharge records can provide a valuable source of information on the actual burden of strokes on hospital services.
Racial Variations in Location and Risk of Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Flaherty Matthew L. , Woo Daniel , Haverbusch Mary , Sekar Padmini , Khoury Jane , Sauerbeck Laura , Moomaw Charles J. , Schneider Alexander , Kissela Brett , Kleindorfer Dawn , Broderick Joseph P.
Published: March 2005

Background and Purpose—

Risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) vary by location. Incidence rates of ICH are known to be higher in American blacks than whites, but how rates may differ by hemorrhage location is unknown. We sought to define incidence rates for different ICH locations in a biracial population.

Methods—

All hospitalized patients age ≥20 years with spontaneous ICH were identified in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky metropolitan area from May 1998 to July 2001 and August 2002 to April 2003. Incidence rates per 100 000 persons were age, sex, and race adjusted as appropriate to the 2000 US population. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs were calculated from unadjusted incidence rates.

Results—

There were 1038 qualifying ICHs. Annual incidence rates per 100 000 persons ≥20 years of age were 48.9 for blacks and 26.6 for whites. Annual incidence rates per 100 000 blacks in lobar, deep cerebral, brain stem, and cerebellar locations were 15.2, 25.7, 5.1, and 2.9, respectively. Annual incidence rates per 100 000 whites in the same locations were 9.4, 13.0, 1.3, and 2.9. The greatest excess risk of ICH in blacks compared with whites was found among young to middle-aged (35 to 54 years) persons with brain stem (RR, 9.8; 95% CI, 4.2 to 23.0) and deep cerebral (RR, 4.5; 3.0 to 6.8) hemorrhage.

Conclusions—

The excess risk of ICH in American blacks is largely attributable to higher hemorrhage rates in young and middle-aged persons, particularly for deep cerebral and brain stem locations. Hypertension is the predominant risk factor for hemorrhages in these locations.
Image Segmentation by Networks of Spiking Neurons
Authors: Buhmann Joachim M. , Lange Tilman , Ramacher Ulrich
Published: March 2005

A network of leaky integrate-and-fire (IAF) neurons is proposed to segment gray-scale images. The network architecture with local competition between neurons that encode segment assignments of image blocks is motivated by a histogram clustering approach to image segmentation. Lateral excitatory connections between neighboring image sites yield a local smoothing of segments. The mean firing rate of class membership neurons encodes the image segmentation. A weight modification scheme is proposed that estimates segment-specific prototypical histograms. The robustness properties of the network implementation make it amenable to an analog VLSI realization. Results on synthetic and real-world images demonstrate the effectiveness of the architecture.
The Competitive Advantage of Moneylenders Over Banks in Rural Palestine
Authors: Nadan Amos
Published: March 2005

According to the British Government in Mandate Palestine, the tendency of the fallahin (Arab peasants) to "strategic default" and the monopolistic power of local moneylenders led to high interest lending in rural areas. The government sought to remedy this by assisting banks in collecting bad debts, by guaranteeing some bank loans and by imposing the maximum legal interest rate. However, the colonial perception was incorrect. Defaults were usually "involuntary" as a result of natural and occasionally man-made hazards (thus creating a high interest rate environment), and the moneylending market was "contestable." In such an environment, despite government assistance, moneylenders had a comparative advantage over banks. They were usually merchants who could easily utilise collateral on loans (crops and lands); they ignored the law of maximum interest rate and they had good information about borrowers. For these reasons moneylenders remained the main source of credit for the fallahin. D'après le gouvernment britannique dans la Palestine sous mandat, la propension des fallahin (les paysans arabes) à se trouver en « défaut de paiement stratégique » et le monopole des prêteurs locaux expliquent les prêts à intérêts élevés dans les régions rurales. Le gouvernent essaya de pallier cette situation en aidant les banques à reprendre les créances irrécouvrables, en garantissant quelques prêts bancaires et en imposant un taux d'intérêt maximum légal. Cette interprétation coloniale était cependant erronée. Les défauts de paiement étaient en général « involontaires » , le résultat d'aléas d'ordre naturel ou parfois humain (créant un taux d'intérêt élevé) et le marché du prêt était « contestable ». Dans ces circonstances, et malgré l'aide gouvernementale, les prêteurs avaient un avantage par rapport aux banques. Il s'agissait en général de marchands qui pouvaient facilement faire usage des nantissements garantissant les prêts (récoltes ou terrains); ils ne tenaient pas compte de la loi de taux d'intérêt maximum et ils étaient bien informés sur les emprunteurs. Tous ces faits expliquent pourquoi les prêteurs demeuraient, pour les fallahin, la principale source de crédit.
Studying Negotiations in Context: An Ethnographic Approach
Authors: Friedman Ray
Published: March 2005

Ethnographic research offers an alternative approach which can provide insights into the types of complex situations that negotiators really face. This approach is not easy – it can be more time consuming, costly, and difficult than other research methods – but the payoff comes from the way these in-depth studies challenge scholars to develop new ideas and theories, based on what really happens in negotiations rather than on the logical next step in a series of experiments.
The Civil Code of the Russian Federation: Issues of Representation and Power of Attorney
Authors:   Budneva
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Final Remarks: The Role of the Venice Commission
Authors:   Bartole
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Bulgarian Democracy in Transition
Authors:   Tchipev
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
The New Russian Criminal Code: A Window Onto Democratic Russia
Authors:   Burnham
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
The State Environmental Inspection of Ukraine: A Note on Legal Instruments
Authors:   Aalders
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
On Some Tendencies in World Legal Development and the Russian Legal System
Authors:   Alekseev
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
The Russian Civil Code: Will it Boost or Bust Franchising in Russia?
Authors: Wissels
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
The Elections in Chechnia in the Framework of Russian Constitutional Law
Authors: Feldbrugge
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Judicial Review and the Russian Constitutional Court: the Chechen Case
Authors: Pomeranz
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Health Care Legislation in Central and Eastern Europe. A Problem-Oriented Method of Legal Analysis of Health Care Systems in Central and Eastern Europe. The Albanian Example
Authors: den Exter  , Hulst  , Hermans
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Russia and International Cooperation in Penal Matters: Continuity and Innovation
Authors: Ginsburgs
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Note: Securities Regulation in Kazakstan
Authors: Damitov
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Legal Aspects of Foreign Investment in Macedonia
Authors: Georgievski  , Pendovska
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Political Representation in Latin America
Authors: Luna Juan P. , Zechmeister Elizabeth J.
Published: March 2005

The authors combine elite and mass survey data to create indicators of representation for nine nations: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, and Uruguay. For the first time, a quantified measure of the extent to which political parties represent voters’ policy preferences in these countries is offered. The authors then examine the political, social, and economic correlates of representation. Consistent with extant literature and theory, they find that party system institutionalization and socioeconomic development are positively related to representation. On the other hand, drastic liberalization efforts seem to be associated with lower levels of representation. Furthermore, the authors find that leftist parties contribute to the representative structures of political systems. They also find that perceptions of fraud in an electoral system are correlated at a fairly high level with the indicator of representation: Citizens’ subjective perceptions of a system are consistent with its reality.
Perceptions of Support Among Older Adults With HIV
Authors: Shippy R. Andrew , Karpiak Stephen E.
Published: March 2005

Social support becomes an increasingly significant resource for people as they age, particularly those living with chronic illnesses. Previous research has shown that older adults with HIV do not receive adequate emotional and instrumental assistance from their informal support networks. This study examined what factors contribute to older HIV-positive adults'perceptions of inadequate emotional and instrumental support. Regression analyses showed that physical strain and the number of comorbid illnesses were significant predictors of instrumental and emotional support adequacy. Specifically, participants who reported greater numbers of comorbid illnesses and higher levels of physical strain were more likely to report that they received adequate support. Curiously, those with fewer health complaints reported greater need for emotional and instrumental support. The aging HIV-positive population, largely disconnected from traditional informal support networks, relies on formal care providers. This dependence on an increasingly overburdened health care system may be a result of isolation and stigma.
Ehnicity and Health Disparities Among the Elderly in Taiwan
Authors: Tung Ho-Jui , Mutran Elizabeth J.
Published: March 2005

Two measures of health, an index of functional and disability status and global selfrated health, and their transitions over a seven-year period were compared across two ethnic groups of elders in Taiwan: Mainlanders and Taiwanese. This ethnic division is considered a salient dimension of social stratification, shaping the two groups of elders'pathways through life. The results showed that Taiwanese elders experience a disproportionate burden on the two measures of health in part because of their lower socioeconomic status (SES). Also, Taiwanese elders are more likely to develop adverse health transitions than their Mainlander counterparts, and variations in perceptions of chronic illnesses may exist across ethnicity. The results suggest that both ethnicity and SES play important roles in linking social status to health status among this cohort of elders. Ethnicity and SES affect health collectively, and different components of SES may not confer the same health benefits across ethnic groups.
The Church of Jesus Christ: An Anglican Response
Authors: Davie Martin
Published: March 2005

Following an initial exploration of the teaching of The Church of Jesus Christ, this paper argues that a comparison of The Church of Jesus Christ with the Thirty Nine Articles and recent Anglican ecumenical statements and agreements shows a significant degree of agreement between The Church of Jesus Christ and Anglican theology and ecclesiology. This agreement reflects the fact that both the Anglican tradition and the traditions of the churches in the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe have been shaped by the Reformation. It also shows the influence of a growing ecumenical consensus on ecclesiological issues. However, alongside this agreement there also remain significant points of difference about the relation between divine and human activity in the Church, the importance of tradition, the holiness of the Church and the nature of the Church’s unity. These points of difference need to be explored and debated by Anglicans and members of the Churches of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE).
Differential regulation of the p70 S6 kinase pathway by interferon α (IFNα) and imatinib mesylate (STI571) in chronic myelogenous leukemia cells
Authors: Parmar Simrit , Smith Jessica , Sassano Antonella , Uddin Shahab , Katsoulidis Efstratios , Majchrzak Beata , Kambhampati Suman , Eklund Elizabeth A. , Tallman Martin S. , Fish Eleanor N. , Platanias Leonidas C.
Published: March 2005

The precise mechanisms by which imatinib mesylate (STI571) and interferon α (IFNα) exhibit antileukemic effects are not known. We examined the effects of IFNs or imatinib mesylate on signaling pathways regulating initiation of mRNA translation in BCR-ABL-expressing cells. Treatment of IFN-sensitive KT-1 cells with IFNα resulted in phosphorylation/activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and downstream activation of p70 S6 kinase. The IFN-activated p70 S6 kinase was found to regulate phosphorylation of S6 ribosomal protein, which regulates translation of mRNAs with oligopyrimidine tracts in the 5′-untranslated region. In addition, IFNα treatment resulted in an mTOR- and/or phosphatidyl-inositol 3′(PI 3′) kinase-dependent phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 repressor of mRNA translation on sites that are required for its deactivation and dissociation from the eukaryotic initiation factor-4E (eIF4E) complex. In contrast to the effects of IFNs, imatinib mesylate suppressed p70 S6 kinase activity, consistent with inhibition of BCR-ABL-mediated activation of the mTOR/p70 S6 kinase pathway. Moreover, the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin enhanced the suppressive effects of imatinib mesylate on primary leukemic granulocyte macrophage-colony-forming unit (CFU-GM) progenitors from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Taken altogether, our data demonstrate that IFNs and imatinib mesylate differentially regulate PI 3′ kinase/mTOR-dependent signaling cascades in BCR-ABL-transformed cells, consistent with distinct effects of these agents on pathways regulating mRNA translation. They also support the concept that combined use of imatinib mesylate with mTOR inhibitors may be an appropriate future therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CML. (Blood. 2005;106:2436-2443)