bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Making sure services deliver for people with advanced heart failure: a longitudinal qualitative study of patients, family carers, and health professionals
Authors: Boyd Kirsty J , Worth Allison , Kendall Marilyn , Pratt Rebekah , Hockley Jo , Denvir Martin , Murray Scott A
Published: November 2009

The objective of this study was to evaluate the key components of services for people with advanced heart failure from multiple perspectives and recommend how care might be delivered in line with UK policies on long-term conditions, palliative and end-of-life care. Serial interviews were conducted over 2 years with patients, case-linked family carers and professionals (n =162); followed by four focus groups involving patients, carers and key professionals (n =32). There were 36 patients with advanced heart failure, 30 family carers and 62 professionals included in the study from a UK health region with various heart failure care models. Participants confirmed the value of a key health professional coordinating care, holistic assessment and regular monitoring. A lack of time and resources due to competing priorities in primary care, failure to respond to the fluctuations of a heart failure illness trajectory, concerns about the balance between direct care from specialist nurses or a more advisory role and difficulty in judging when to move towards palliative care hindered consistent access to proactive care. A heart failure care framework, with key stages and service responses, was developed. We conclude that patients with long-term conditions needing palliative care should be identified and managed using pragmatic criteria that include a proactive shift in care goals.
Remittances as Social Exchange: The Critical, Changing Role of Family as the Social Network
Authors: Gentry James W. , Mittelstaedt Robert A.
Published: November 2009

Remittances from immigrants in developed countries to their families back home constitute economic flows nearly comparable to the levels of foreign direct investment and greater than those of international aid. Even those who immigrate due to political strife (refugees) are likely to leave loved ones behind and to send money home, if it is feasible. This article looks at remittances as only one type of social exchange within the relevant social network (the family). A categorization of immigrants is presented (expatriates, sojourners, and pathfinders) based on their motives for emigrating and used, subsequently, to explain their relative propensities to remit. The article ends by discussing the implications that the changing nature of the family institution globally may have for the flow of remittances in the future.
Ideological Delinquency: Gender Differences Among Israeli Youth During the Withdrawal From the Gaza Strip
Authors: Shechory Mally , Laufer Avital
Published: November 2009

This study aims to examine the factors that channel boys and girls toward committing illegal activity. The measures examined include social control factors (belief, commitment, attachment, and involvement) and ideological religious worldviews. The study examines 262 Israeli adolescents who have taken part in illegal and legal activities during the resistance to the Gaza evacuation. Findings suggest that illegal activity levels are greater among boys than girls, whereas ideological obligation and commitment are greater among girls than boys. Involvement with friends positively predicts ideological obligation among boys, which in turn is related to increased likelihood of illegal activity. Among girls, lower commitment and lower belief as well as greater ideological obligation are predictive of illegal activity.
Geographies of children and youth I: eroding maps of life
Authors: Jeffrey Craig
Published: November 2009

Global transformations are rapidly altering people’s experiences of growing up. This report offers a comparative perspective on some of the challenges facing young children and youth across the world, focusing especially on young people’s practices in the fields of education and employment. The paper discusses conceptual frameworks for analyzing young people and evaluates these theoretical ideas through attention to interdisciplinary writing on educational restructuring, the privatization of school curricula, children’s work, and youth unemployment. The common predicaments or ‘vital conjunctures’ (Johnson-Hanks, 2002) of children and youth — for example, their inability to remain in formal schooling or experience of unemployment after leaving education — offers a basis for a globally comparative human geography attuned to the relationship between structural change and sociospatial marginalization.
The logic of inquiry in social sciences, the case of economics in particular
Authors: Cojanu Valentin
Published: November 2009

The present-day epistemology of social science resembles a picture puzzle whose pieces are scattered to and fro across the vast domain of philosophical inquiry. This study attempts to assemble them in what appears to be a common thread of thinking for a necessary epistemic reconstruction, the historical specificity of social sciences. This understanding reveals itself as a method of validating truth in acknowledgement of three logical principles: (1) causality indeterminately becomes embedded in spatial—temporal distortions; (2) linear time is replaced by multiple, overlapping timescales, ‘multiple’ being a cultural rather than numerical concept; and (3) prediction remains associated with the least historical events, the particulars; that is, event-regularities normally specific for short periods of time.
Pretending they speak French: the disappearance of the sociologist as translator
Authors: Poblete Lorena
Published: November 2009

Translating interview abstracts is a conventional practice in sociological prose. According to the protocols, translated interview abstracts should be presented as quotations. This discursive strategy conceals the researcher’s intervention as a translator. Therefore, this article is aimed at discussing the significance that translating interviews acquires as an act of communication with two goals that are difficult to reconcile: the need to account for the Other’s discourse and the obligation to be accountable to the academic world.
Les préférences politiques et électorales des Argentins: mémoires des votes (1946—2001)
Authors: Ferrari Marcela
Published: November 2009

Cet article tente d’éclairer les motivations des préférences électorales et politiques des Argentins pendant la deuxième moitié du XXe siècle en analysant les perceptions des ‘gens du commun’, c’est-à-dire, des personnes éloignées des lieux gouvernementaux de prise de décision. Les analyses des sciences sociales sur les processus politiques de l’histoire de l’Argentine sont ici confrontées avec les perceptions des individus qui font appel à leur mémoire de vote et à la façon dont ils se souviennent avoir vécu différents événements, ainsi qu’à leur évaluation personnelle quant à l’importance de leur participation électorale. Les témoignages des protagonistes de ‘l’histoire d’en bas’ donnent à voir des opinions — ou parfois des évocations — sur la politique et les hommes politiques de la période 1946—2001. Ils expriment des sentiments ou des émotions qui permettent de compléter, nuancer, confronter ou encore mettre en tension les interprétations historiographiques avec lesquelles ils sont mis en dialogue. Ces différents protagonistes ont tous pris une position plus ou moins tranchée par rapport aux partis politiques ou aux gouvernements dont ils ont été contemporains et surtout, au clivage péronisme/anti-péronisme qui, de 1946 à nos jours, a parcouru l’histoire de l’Argentine.

Mots-clés: Histoire de l’Argentine; Histoire récente; Mémoire; Participation électorale; Participation politique
A Strategic Agenda for Public Human Resource Management Research
Authors: Perry James L.
Published: November 2009

This article develops a strategic research agenda for public human resource management. The agenda originates from the perception that research about public human resources has matured during the Review of Public Personnel Administration’s 30 years of publication and now is an appropriate juncture to initiate an intentional and strategic agenda. The author identifies criteria for developing a strategic research agenda that seeks to advance useable knowledge about public human resource management, build theory, and mark out content distinctive to public institutions. The article inventories research as reported by the Review of Public Personnel Administration and two other leading human resource management journals. These inventories help to anchor the agenda in timely issues and to triangulate on distinctively public issues. The article concludes with five priority research agenda based on the criteria the author developed and the inventory of research: direct compensation, motivation, culture and political context, efficacy and effectiveness, and training and development.
Living Smart Homes
Authors: Miller Evonne , Buys Laurie , Bell Lorraine
Published: November 2009

This article documents the rationale and experience of a pilot Australian sustainability education programme, ‘Living Smart Homes’ (LSH) based on a community-based social marketing model. Inspired by the Australian ‘Land for Wildlife’ scheme, LSH is designed to engage homeowners with sustainable practices through face-to-face workshops, an interactive website with action-learning modules and a recognition scheme, a sign displayed in front of participants’ homes—to which additions were made as they completed modules on energy, water, waste and transport. Participants were asked to change household behaviours and to discuss the changes and the barriers to participation in the programme and to making the behavioural changes.

More than 120 people participated in the programme. This article documents feedback from two surveys and four focus groups. Participants enjoyed and learnt from LSH, praising the household sign as a tangible symbol of their commitment to sustainability and a talking point with visitors. Their evaluation of the LSH programme, website and workshops, as well as their identification of barriers and recommendations for improvement and expansion of the programme, are discussed.
The Ministerial Conversation
Authors: Pigozzi Mary Joy
Published: November 2009

At the UNESCO Bonn conference, more than 50 ministers from around the world met privately to discuss education for sustainable development (ESD) and progress made in support of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Their wide-ranging discussion touched on the purposes of education, the nature of education, the importance of the principles of ESD, challenges in education systems, what is needed to overcome these challenges, how to implement education for sustainable development, and the opportunities waiting to be seized.
A Mid-DESD Review
Authors: Wals Arjen E.J.
Published: November 2009

This article lists the key outcomes and recommendations of Phase I of the monitoring and evaluation of the DESD. Phase I focused on a review of the structures, provisions and conditions countries and regions have put in place in order to facilitate the development and implementation of ESD. The author also touches upon the constraints and limitations of conducting such a review on a global scale. In a concluding personal reflection, the author calls for more engaging local forms of monitoring and evaluating, using locally determined indicators, appropriate languages and multiple literacies (not just print based) as well as for more equitable and dialogical forms of interaction as a first step towards monitoring and evaluation systems that are better aligned with the foundations of sustainability.
How Many Declarations Do We Need? Inside the Drafting of the Bonn Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development
Authors: Lotz-Sisitka Heila
Published: November 2009

The Bonn Declaration, approved by the 900 participants at the UNESCO World Conference on Sustainable Development, differs from other conference declarations in that it is the first declaration to deal exclusively with education for sustainable development. It received input from official State representatives and, perhaps because of that, it is somewhat less provocative than some nongovernmental or university-sponsored declarations. Also, it actually sets out, with some authority, an agenda for UNESCO, the manager of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Though some may question the usefulness of conference declarations, history shows that such declarations do have at least some guiding power in that they provide common starting points for deliberation on possible changes at national and international levels.
Effects of Correctional-Based Programs for Female Inmates: A Systematic Review
Authors: Tripodi Stephen J. , Bledsoe Sarah E. , Kim Johnny S. , Bender Kimberly
Published: November 2009

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of interventions for incarcerated women. Method: The researchers use a two-model system: the risk-reduction model for studies analyzing interventions to reduce recidivism rates, and the enhancement model for studies that target psychological and physical well-being. Results: Incarcerated women who participate in substance abuse interventions appear less likely to reoffend than those who do not participate. Enhancement model studies report mixed results. Overall, psychological-oriented interventions and substance abuse programs improve mental health symptoms and substance use among participants as compared to control or comparison groups. Results for HIV prevention programs are ambiguous, and parenting skill programs show no significant effect. Conclusion: Results highlight interventions that appear useful with female inmates. More rigorous research is needed to address many of these evidence-based interventions.
Measuring Parenting Practices Among Parents of Elementary School-Age Youth
Authors: Randolph Karen A. , Radey Melissa
Published: November 2009

Objectives: The objective of this study is to establish the factor structure of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ), an instrument designed to measure parenting practices among parents of elementary school children. Methods: Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) procedures are used to validate the APQ with 790 parents of children, ages 6—10. Results: Three subscales emerged representing parenting practices associated with child behavior management (positive reinforcement, positive discipline, and negative discipline). CFA fit indices indicated adequate fit with the model, with all items loading significantly on their respective factors. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the APQ can be used to measure parenting practices associated with child behavior management among parents of children, ages 6—10.
Experts’ Political Preferences and Their Impact on Ideological Bias
Authors: Curini Luigi
Published: November 2009

Expert surveys have become increasingly popular among political scientists. One of the problems of using surveys (of any sort) to estimate party positions is that respondents can be influenced by their subjective political views. As a consequence, experts may give biased responses, and such (ideological) bias may affect certain parties more than others. In this paper, we use the latest expert survey of Benoit and Laver (2006) to unfold the ideal points of the respondents to the survey. By employing the estimated ideal points, we show that in almost 16 percent of the cases analyzed, there is evidence of an ideological bias in the experts’ placements of parties along the left—right dimension, especially among right-wing parties (but not necessarily extreme-right parties). We examine two methods designed to generate less biased estimates. The first one is directly based on a regression technique, while the second is based on the negligibility of ideological bias in experts’ answers to more specific policy questions. The paper concludes by examining the consequences of these findings for empirical research.
Bringing Parties Into Parliament
Authors: Green-Pedersen Christoffer
Published: November 2009

The literature on Western European parliaments has long pointed to an increase in non-legislative activities, including questions to the minister and interpellations; however, it has struggled to explain this development. This paper argues that the explanation ought to be sought in the increased importance of issue competition among political parties in Western Europe. Political parties are increasingly competing over which issues should dominate politics. In issue competition, non-legislative activities are attractive for opposition parties, because governments must respond to the issues the opposition wants to focus on. The paper thus argues that the key to understanding the development of activities in Western European parliaments is to bring parties and theories of party competition into the study of these activities. The argument is tested and supported by showing that the growth in non-legislative activities in Western Europe is universal as well as by demonstrating how the content of questions to the minister in Denmark reveals a clear issue competition pattern.
Globalizing Environmental Justice
Authors: Walker Gordon
Published: November 2009

The use of the language of environmental justice as a frame for collective action on socio-environmental concerns has now evolved and extended far beyond its original formulation in the USA. This article examines two ways in which the use of the environmental justice frame has globalized. The first involves the international emergence of ideas, meanings and framing processes in new settings around the world. The ‘horizontal’ diffusion of an environmental justice frame is traced, examining processes of transfer, reproduction and contextualization that are taking place within the political and institutional cultures of different countries. The cases of the UK and South Africa are examined in detail. The second involves the ‘vertical’ extension of the environmental justice frame to encompass concerns that do not end at national borders but that involve relations between countries and global scale issues such as trade agreements, transfers of wastes and climate change. The implications of these two shifts, the tensions that have emerged around them and their relevance to the pursuit of progressive global social policy objectives are considered.
The Struggle for Justice in Bhopal
Authors: Zavestoski Stephen
Published: November 2009

Most analyses of the Bhopal disaster have focused on the management decisions leading up to the disaster on 3 December 1984. This article examines the evolution of the global movement for justice in Bhopal that arose following the disaster. Recent developments in the study of transnational social movements are employed to identify the contributions that an analysis of the evolution of the struggle for justice in Bhopal can make towards greater understanding of global social movement organizing. Close examination of the ebb and flow of the movement’s global ties offers new explanations for both its persistence and evolution over 25 years.
Beyond the standard interview: the use of graphic elicitation and arts-based methods
Authors: Bagnoli Anna
Published: November 2009

This article reviews three visual methods based on drawing that I applied in my research on young people: the arts-based projective technique, the self-portrait, and the graphic elicitation methods of the relational map and the timeline. Examples of these methods are drawn from their application in two studies, the Narratives of Identity and Migration project, exploring young people and identities in England and Italy, and the Young Lives and Times. The article argues that applying these drawing methods in the context of an interview can open up participants’ interpretations of questions, and allow a creative way of interviewing that is responsive to participants’ own meanings and associations. The article discusses the analytical potential of graphic elicitation and arts-based methods, by making reference to the insights that they offered in the contextual analysis with more traditional text-based data. The efficacy of these methods is critically discussed, together with their limitations, and their potential within the context of qualitative longitudinal research.
Writing on the Margins from the Center: Homeless Youth + Politics at the Borders
Authors: Tierney William G. , Hallett Ronald E.
Published: November 2009

Research with homeless youth requires negotiating with Institutional Review Boards (IRB), school districts, and social service agencies. Youth that are homeless live a life different from the researcher, thus issues of trust and caring need to be considered before asking a vulnerable young person to share his or her story. The authors share insight learned from a qualitative study of the educational barriers of homeless youth that highlight these issues. The overarching finding is that homeless youth are invisible and silenced in a social service system overwhelmed with red tape and bureaucratic procedures. The authors suggest that program developers, researchers, and policymakers give voice to homeless youth by listening to the stories they tell and then enacting policies that build on their recommendations.
Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Mycotic Aneurysms
Authors: Leon Luis R. , Mills Joseph L.
Published: November 2009

We reviewed all papers most recently reported in the literature (January-December 2008) with regard to infected arterial aneurysms (IAAs) affecting the aorta. Most of the recently reported knowledge is limited to case reports and small series of aortic mycotic aneurysms. Most patients are elderly men and have comorbidities at presentation. Aneurysms were most commonly associated to Salmonella and Staphylococcus. However, several cases of aortic IAAs caused by atypical pathogens were also reported, likely due to an increase in immunosuppressive illnesses, increased life expectancy, improved diagnostic methods, and increasing medical awareness. Open surgical therapy of IAAs remains the gold standard. Some have reported successful outcomes with endovascular methodologies for patients medically compromised or for particular challenging clinical or anatomical scenarios. However, at this time, conclusive evidence is lacking and it should be in general considered a bridge to open repair. The latter should be planned at the earliest possible, when medically permissible.
Agenesis of Bilateral Internal Carotid Artery Associated With Basilar Artery Fenestration Mimicking Intra-arterial Thrombus: A Case Report
Authors: Yim Nam-Yeol , Ha Hong-Il , Park Joo-Hwan , Moon Yong-Ju , Yoon Woong , Kim Jae-Kyu
Published: November 2009

Bilateral internal caroid artery agenesis is a very rare congenital anomaly, which may be accompanied by various types of associated vascular abnormalities, included intracranial aneurysms or dolichoectatic change of posterior circulation. In this article, we present unique, and to the best of our knowledge, the first case of bilateral internal carotid agenesis associated with basilar artery fenestration, which resembles intra-arterial floating thrombus.
Stent Graft Repair of Iatrogenic Femoral Arteriovenous Fistula: A Useful Therapeutic Approach in a Hostile Groin
Authors: De Martino Randall R. , Nolan Brian W. , Powell Richard J. , Walsh Daniel B. , Stone David H.
Published: November 2009

The incidence of iatrogenic femoral arteriovenous fistulas (IFAVF) has increased in contemporary practice. We herein report the case of a 55-year-old obese woman with significant surgical comorbidities who sustained an IFAVF between the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and the femoral vein. Given her substantial risk factors, she was treated with a SFA stent-graft (iCast 6 × 22 mm) using a contralateral endovascular approach. She remains asymptomatic at 15 months with ongoing resolution of the AVF. This report highlights the utility of stent-graft repair of an IFAVF in high surgical risk patients or in those with ‘‘hostile’’ anatomy.
Development and evaluation of the short version of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care instrument
Authors: Gugiu P. Cristian , Coryn Chris , Clark Ruth , Kuehn April
Published: November 2009

Objectives: The Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) was developed for measuring the extent to which patients receive care congruent with the chronic care model (CCM). The purpose of this study was to develop a short version of the PACIC with better psychometric properties than the original instrument.

Methods: Two samples of 529 and 361 type 2 diabetic patients completed a modified PACIC. A short-version PACIC instrument was developed and validated using parallel analysis to determine the number of factors, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) within an exploratory factor analysis framework (E/CFA) was conducted to explore the measurement structure of the full instrument, and a CFA was performed to confirm the hypothesized structure.

Results: The results demonstrated that the PACIC is unidimensional and that it can be reduced to 11 items with no loss in psychometric properties. No demographic variables or clinical assays were found to be related to the PACIC.

Discussion: A short-version PACIC is now available and ready for use in research with diabetic patients. Its use is encouraged in future research, particularly in the exploration of its validity against actual CCM services delivered and long-term clinical outcomes.
‘The Great Movement to Resist America and Assist Korea’: how Beijing sold the Korean War
Authors: Rawnsley Gary D.
Published: November 2009

The Chinese entered the Korean War one year after the creation of the People’s Republic of China. Given the considerable economic, social and political problems facing the new state after decades of foreign occupation and civil war, how did the new Communist Government of China persuade both the people and the military to intervene in a foreign war? Described as the ‘Great Movement to Resist America and Assist Korea’ and an opportunity to ‘Beat American Arrogance’, the propaganda promoted the Korean War as a chance to challenge the US presence in Asia, and project China’s rise as a regional, if not a world power. More important, the propaganda indicates the war was used to strengthen the Communist Party’s domestic support and legitimacy, mobilize the population around the party’s agenda (especially its vision of a ‘new’ China), and help consolidate the party’s authority in the immediate aftermath of the civil war. Focusing primarily on posters, this article chronicles the development of propaganda themes and methods against the background of first Chinese hesitation to enter the Korean War and then acceptance of a prolonged war by the end of the first year.
A Holistic Evaluation of Risk Factors for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Distress Among Asymptomatic Sonographers Performing Neurosonology
Authors: Evans Kevin D. , Roll Shawn C. , Li Xiaobai , Sammet Steffen
Published: November 2009

A pilot study was conducted to gather holistic data points on female sonographers who executed neonatal neurosonography over four portable scanning sessions. The hypothesis was that specific risk factors contributed to work-related musculoskeletal distress in the hand and wrist as a result of neonatal neurosonography. A preexperimental pre-post research design was used to gather data on work demands, self-rated physical and mental health, posture/position during scanning, physiologic change, and pain scores. No statistically significant changes were detected between pre-post measures for work demands, physical and mental health, or pain scores as a result of portable scanning sessions. The physiologic changes, between scanning sessions, were recorded with the use of a hand-carried sonographic unit. Sonographic measures were less than the published criteria for carpal tunnel syndrome with a proximal cross-sectional area ≥10 mm 2 and an anterior bulge of the retinaculum of >4 mm. Sonography documented a statistically significant cross-sectional area change, within the median nerve, at the distal radius only after the first scanning session. Power and spectral Doppler was used to document perineural vascular flow within the median nerve, but it was not consistently obtained to allow for a rigorous comparison between pre- and postscanning sessions. This is the first pilot study to explore using a hand-carried sonographic unit to document change in the median nerve for an isolated sonographic examination. The results are only reflective of these particular participants, but much larger N and shorter scanning sessions are needed to confirm the hypothesis proposed.
Iron aluminide coating on Al by mechanical alloying
Authors: Wismogroho A S , Widayatno W B , Suryadi  , Zaini Thosin K A , Rochman N T , Sueyoshi H
Published: November 2009

The formation of iron aluminide coating on an Al surface by mechanical alloying with Al–Fe powder of various compositions was investigated. When the amount of Fe powder in the starting powder is >50 at.‐%, an FeAl containing coating layer is formed. As the mass ratio of the balls and substrate to the powder in the pot is small, the formation of FeAl phase is achieved in a short time. The obtained FeAl containing coating layer has high hardness and fracture toughness. When the amount of Fe powder in starting powder is <50 at.‐%, a coating layer consisting of FeAl and Fe2Al5 is formed. The coexistence of Fe2Al5 in the coating layer causes the coating layer to be more brittle.
Wear maps for low temperature carburised 316L austenitic stainless steel sliding against alumina
Authors: O'Donnell L. J. , Michal G. M. , Ernst F. , Kahn H. , Heuer A. H.
Published: November 2009

Wear maps illustrating the tribological benefits imparted to interstitially hardened austenitic stainless steels carburised at low temperatures and sliding against alumina were developed using pin-on-disk wear tests. Low temperature carburisation enables the use of austenitic stainless steel grade 316L under applied loads and sliding speeds that would usually be considered far too severe for this alloy. Comparisons of wear volume, wear debris and wear scars produced by sliding under various speeds and applied loads showed that low temperature carburisation of 316L stainless steel extends the mild wear regime and prevents the severe wear under harsh test conditions observed in non-treated grades of this steel.
X-ray diffraction characterisation of expanded austenite and ferrite in plasma nitrided stainless steels
Authors: Gontijo L. C. , Machado R. , Casteletti L. C. , Kuri S. E. , Nascente P. A. P.
Published: November 2009

The S phase, known as expanded austenite, is formed on the surfaces of austenitic stainless steels that are nitrided under low temperature plasma. A similar phase was observed for nitrided ferritic stainless steels and was designed as expanded ferrite or ferritic S phase. The authors treated samples of austenitic AISI 304L and AISI 316L and ferritic AISI 409 stainless steels by plasma nitriding at different temperatures and then studied the structural, morphological, chemical and corrosion characteristics of the modified layers by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy and electrochemical tests. For both austenitic AISI 304L and AISI 316L stainless steels, the results showed that a hard S phase layer was formed on the surfaces, promoting an anodic polarisation curve displacement to higher current density values that depend on the plasma nitriding temperature. A layer having a high amount of nitrogen was formed on the ferritic AISI 409 stainless steel. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated high strain states for the modified layers formed on the three stainless steels, being more pronounced for the ferritic S phase.
SETBP1 overexpression is a novel leukemogenic mechanism that predicts adverse outcome in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Cristóbal Ion , Blanco Francisco J. , Garcia-Orti Laura , Marcotegui Nerea , Vicente Carmen , Rifon José , Novo Francisco J. , Bandres Eva , Calasanz María J. , Bernabeu Carmelo , Odero María D.
Published: November 2009

Acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) result from multiple genetic alterations in hematopoietic stem cells. We describe a novel t(12;18)(p13;q12) involving ETV6 in a patient with AML. The translocation resulted in overexpression of SETBP1 (18q12), located close to the breakpoint. Overexpression of SETBP1 through retroviral insertion has been reported to confer growth advantage in hematopoietic progenitor cells. We show that SETBP1 overexpression protects SET from protease cleavage, increasing the amount of full-length SET protein and leading to the formation of a SETBP1–SET-PP2A complex that results in PP2A inhibition, promoting proliferation of the leukemic cells. The prevalence of SETBP1 overexpression in AML at diagnosis (n = 192) was 27.6% and was associated with unfavorable cytogenetic prognostic group, monosomy 7, and EVI1 overexpression (P < .01). Patients with SETBP1 overexpression had a significantly shorter overall survival, and the prognosis impact was remarkably poor in patients older than 60 years in both overall survival (P = .015) and event-free survival (P = .015). In summary, our data show a novel leukemogenic mechanism through SETBP1 overexpression; moreover, multivariate analysis confirms the negative prognostic impact of SETBP1 overexpression in AML, especially in elderly patients, where it could be used as a predictive factor in any future clinical trials with PP2A activators.
Differential expression of CD21 identifies developmentally and functionally distinct subsets of human transitional B cells
Authors: Suryani Santi , Fulcher David A. , Santner-Nanan Brigitte , Nanan Ralph , Wong Melanie , Shaw Peter J. , Gibson John , Williams Andrew , Tangye Stuart G.
Published: November 2009

The transitional stage of B-cell development represents an important step where autoreactive cells are deleted, allowing the generation of a mature functional B-cell repertoire. In mice, 3 subsets of transitional B cells have been identified. In contrast, most studies of human transitional B cells have focused on a single subset defined as CD24hiCD38hi B cells. Here, we have identified 2 subsets of human transitional B cells based on the differential expression of CD21. CD21hi transitional cells displayed higher expression of CD23, CD44, and IgD, and exhibited greater proliferation and Ig secretion in vitro than CD21lo transitional B cells. In contrast, the CD21lo subset expressed elevated levels of LEF1, a transcription factor highly expressed by immature lymphocytes, and produced higher amounts of autoreactive Ab. These phenotypic, functional, and molecular features suggest that CD21lo transitional B cells are less mature than the CD21hi subset. This was confirmed by analyzing X-linked agammaglobulinemia patients and the kinetics of B-cell reconstitution after stem cell transplantation, which revealed that the development of CD21lo transitional B cells preceded that of CD21hi transitional cells. These findings provide important insights into the process of human B-cell development and have implications for understanding the processes underlying perturbed B-cell maturation in autoimmune and immunodeficient conditions.
Genome wide evolutionary analyses reveal serotype specific patterns of positive selection in selected Salmonella serotypes
Authors: Soyer Yeşim , Orsi Renato H , Rodriguez-Rivera Lorraine D , Sun Qi , Wiedmann Martin
Published: November 2009

Background

The bacteriumSalmonella entericaincludes a diversity of serotypes that cause disease in humans and different animal species. SomeSalmonellaserotypes show a broad host range, some are host restricted and exclusively associated with one particular host, and some are associated with one particular host species, but able to cause disease in other host species and are thus considered "host adapted". FiveSalmonellagenome sequences, representing a broad host range serotype (Typhimurium), two host restricted serotypes (Typhi [two genomes] and Paratyphi) and one host adapted serotype (Choleraesuis) were used to identify core genome genes that show evidence for recombination and positive selection.

Results

Overall, 3323 orthologous genes were identified in all 5Salmonellagenomes analyzed. Use of four different methods to assess homologous recombination identified 270 genes that showed evidence for recombination with at least one of these methods (false discovery rate [FDR] <10%). After exclusion of genes with evidence for recombination, site and branch specific models identified 41 genes as showing evidence for positive selection (FDR <20%), including a number of genes with confirmed or likely roles in virulence andompC, a gene encoding an outer membrane protein, which has also been found to be under positive selection in other bacteria. A total of 8, 16, 7, and 5 genes showed evidence for positive selection in Choleraesuis, Typhi, Typhimurium, and Paratyphi branch analyses, respectively. Sequencing and evolutionary analyses of four genes in an additional 42 isolates representing 23 serotypes confirmed branch specific positive selection and recombination patterns.

Conclusion

Our data show that, among the four serotypes analyzed, (i) less than 10% ofSalmonellagenes in the core genome show evidence for homologous recombination, (ii) a number ofSalmonellagenes are under positive selection, including genes that appear to contribute to virulence, and (iii) branch specific positive selection contributes to the evolution of host restrictedSalmonellaserotypes.
3' tag digital gene expression profiling of human brain and universal reference RNA using Illumina Genome Analyzer
Authors: Asmann Yan W , Klee Eric W , Thompson E Aubrey , Perez Edith A , Middha Sumit , Oberg Ann L , Therneau Terry M , Smith David I , Poland Gregory A , Wieben Eric D , Kocher Jean-Pierre A
Published: November 2009

Background

Massive parallel sequencing has the potential to replace microarrays as the method for transcriptome profiling. Currently there are two protocols: full-length RNA sequencing (RNA-SEQ) and 3'-tag digital gene expression (DGE). In this preliminary effort, we evaluated the 3' DGE approach using two reference RNA samples from the MicroArray Quality Control Consortium (MAQC).

Results

Using Brain RNA sample from multiple runs, we demonstrated that the transcript profiles from 3' DGE were highly reproducible between technical and biological replicates from libraries constructed by the same lab and even by different labs, and between two generations of Illumina's Genome Analyzers. Approximately 65% of all sequence reads mapped to mitochondrial genes, ribosomal RNAs, and canonical transcripts. The expression profiles of brain RNA and universal human reference RNA were compared which demonstrated that DGE was also highly quantitative with excellent correlation of differential expression with quantitative real-time PCR. Furthermore, one lane of 3' DGE sequencing, using the current sequencing chemistry and image processing software, had wider dynamic range for transcriptome profiling and was able to detect lower expressed genes which are normally below the detection threshold of microarrays.

Conclusion

3' tag DGE profiling with massive parallel sequencing achieved high sensitivity and reproducibility for transcriptome profiling. Although it lacks the ability of detecting alternative splicing events compared to RNA-SEQ, it is much more affordable and clearly out-performed microarrays (Affymetrix) in detecting lower abundant transcripts.
Tunicate mitogenomics and phylogenetics: peculiarities of the Herdmania momus mitochondrial genome and support for the new chordate phylogeny
Authors: Singh Tiratha Raj , Tsagkogeorga Georgia , Delsuc Frédéric , Blanquart Samuel , Shenkar Noa , Loya Yossi , Douzery Emmanuel JP , Huchon Dorothée
Published: November 2009

Background

Tunicates represent a key metazoan group as the sister-group of vertebrates within chordates. The six complete mitochondrial genomes available so far for tunicates have revealed distinctive features. Extensive gene rearrangements and particularly high evolutionary rates have been evidenced with regard to other chordates. This peculiar evolutionary dynamics has hampered the reconstruction of tunicate phylogenetic relationships within chordates based on mitogenomic data.

Results

In order to further understand the atypical evolutionary dynamics of the mitochondrial genome of tunicates, we determined the complete sequence of the solitary ascidian Herdmania momus. This genome from a stolidobranch ascidian presents the typical tunicate gene content with 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNAs and 24 tRNAs which are all encoded on the same strand. However, it also presents a novel gene arrangement, highlighting the extreme plasticity of gene order observed in tunicate mitochondrial genomes. Probabilistic phylogenetic inferences were conducted on the concatenation of the 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes from representatives of major metazoan phyla. We show that whereas standard homogeneous amino acid models support an artefactual sister position of tunicates relative to all other bilaterians, the CAT and CAT+BP site- and time-heterogeneous mixture models place tunicates as the sister-group of vertebrates within monophyletic chordates. Moreover, the reference phylogeny indicates that tunicate mitochondrial genomes have experienced a drastic acceleration in their evolutionary rate that equally affects protein-coding and ribosomal-RNA genes.

Conclusion

This is the first mitogenomic study supporting the new chordate phylogeny revealed by recent phylogenomic analyses. It illustrates the beneficial effects of an increased taxon sampling coupled with the use of more realistic amino acid substitution models for the reconstruction of animal phylogeny.
Examination of polymorphic glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes, tobacco smoking and prostate cancer risk among Men of African Descent: A case-control study
Authors: Lavender Nicole A , Benford Marnita L , VanCleave Tiva T , Brock Guy N , Kittles Rick A , Moore Jason H , Hein David W , Kidd La Creis R
Published: November 2009

Background

Polymorphisms inglutathione S-transferase(GST) genes may influence response to oxidative stress and modify prostate cancer (PCA) susceptibility. These enzymes generally detoxify endogenous and exogenous agents, but also participate in the activation and inactivation of oxidative metabolites that may contribute to PCA development. Genetic variations within selectedGSTgenes may influence PCA risk following exposure to carcinogen compounds found in cigarette smoke and decreased the ability to detoxify them. Thus, we evaluated the effects of polymorphicGSTs(M1,T1, andP1) alone and combined with cigarette smoking on PCA susceptibility.

Methods

In order to evaluate the effects ofGSTpolymorphisms in relation to PCA risk, we used TaqMan allelic discrimination assays along with a multi-faceted statistical strategy involving conventional and advanced statistical methodologies (e.g., Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction and Interaction Graphs). Genetic profiles collected from 873 men of African-descent (208 cases and 665 controls) were utilized to systematically evaluate the single and joint modifying effects ofGSTM1andGSTT1gene deletions,GSTP1105 Val and cigarette smoking on PCA risk.

Results

We observed a moderately significant association between risk among men possessing at least one variantGSTP1105 Val allele (OR = 1.56; 95%CI = 0.95-2.58; p = 0.049), which was confirmed by MDR permutation testing (p = 0.001). We did not observe any significant single gene effects amongGSTM1(OR = 1.08; 95%CI = 0.65-1.82; p = 0.718) andGSTT1(OR = 1.15; 95%CI = 0.66-2.02; p = 0.622) on PCA risk among all subjects. Although theGSTM1-GSTP1pairwise combination was selected as the best two factor LR and MDR models (p = 0.01), assessment of the hierarchical entropy graph suggested that the observed synergistic effect was primarily driven by theGSTP1Val marker. Notably, theGSTM1-GSTP1axis did not provide additional information gain when compared to either loci alone based on a hierarchical entropy algorithm and graph. Smoking status did not significantly modify the relationship between theGSTSNPs and PCA.

Conclusion

A moderately significant association was observed between PCA risk and men possessing at least one variantGSTP1105 Val allele (p = 0.049) among men of African descent. We also observed a 2.1-fold increase in PCA risk associated with men possessing theGSTP1(Val/Val) andGSTM1(*1/*1 + *1/*0) alleles. MDR analysis validated these findings; detectingGSTP1105 Val (p = 0.001) as the best single factor for predicting PCA risk. Our findings emphasize the importance of utilizing a combination of traditional and advanced statistical tools to identify and validate single gene and multi-locus interactions in relation to cancer susceptibility.
Glutamatergic deficits and parvalbumin-containing inhibitory neurons in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia
Authors: Bitanihirwe BKY , Lim MP , Kelley JF , Kaneko T , Woo TUW
Published: November 2009

Background

We have previously reported that the expression of the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for the NR2A subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) class of glutamate receptor was decreased in a subset of inhibitory interneurons in the cerebral cortex in schizophrenia. In this study, we sought to determine whether a deficit in the expression of NR2A mRNA was present in the subset of interneurons that contain the calcium buffer parvalbumin (PV) and whether this deficit was associated with a reduction in glutamatergic inputs in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in schizophrenia.

Methods

We examined the expression of NR2A mRNA, labeled with a35S-tagged riboprobe, in neurons that expressed PV mRNA, visualized with a digoxigenin-labeled riboprobe via an immunoperoxidase reaction, in twenty schizophrenia and twenty matched normal control subjects. We also immunohistochemically labeled the glutamatergic axon terminals with an antibody against vGluT1.

Results

The density of the PV neurons that expressed NR2A mRNA was significantly decreased by 48-50% in layers 3 and 4 in the subjects with schizophrenia, but the cellular expression of NR2A mRNA in the PV neurons that exhibited a detectable level of this transcript was unchanged. In addition, the density of vGluT1-immunoreactive boutons was significantly decreased by 79% in layer 3, but was unchanged in layer 5 of the PFC in schizophrenia.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that glutamatergic neurotransmission via NR2A-containing NMDA receptors on PV neurons in the PFC may be deficient in schizophrenia. This may disinhibit the postsynaptic excitatory circuits, contributing to neuronal injury, aberrant information flow and PFC functional deficits in schizophrenia.