bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of intramyocardial delivery of autologous bone marrow mononuclear stem cells on the regional myocardial perfusion
Authors: Charwat Silvia , Lang Irene , Dettke Markus , Graf Senta , Nyolczas Noemi , Hemetsberger Rayyan , Zamini Sholeh , Khorsand Aliasghar , Sochor Heinz , Maurer Gerald , Glogar Dietmar , Gyöngyösi Mariann
Published: January 2010

The aim of the sub-study of the MYSTAR randomised trial was to analyse the changes in myocardial perfusion in NOGA-defined regions of interest (ROI) with intramyocardial injections of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) using an elaborated transformation algorithm. Patients with recent first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) between 30–45% received BM-MNC by intramyocardial followed by intracoronary injection 68 ± 34 days post-AMI (pooled data of MYSTAR). NOGA-guided endocardial mapping and 99m-Sestamibi-SPECT (single photon emission computer tomography) were performed at baseline and at three months follow-up (FUP). ROI was delineated as a best polygon by connecting of injection points of NOGA polar maps. ROIs were projected onto baseline and FUP polar maps of SPECT calculating the perfusion severity of ROI. Infarct size was decreased (from 27.2 ± 10.7% to 24.1 ± 11.5%, p<0.001), and global EF increased (from 38 ± 6.1% to 41.5 ± 8.4%, p<0.001) three months after BM-MNC delivery. Analysis of ROI resulted in a significant increase in unipolar voltage (index of myocardial viability) (from 7.9 ± 3.0 mV to 9.9 ± 2.7 mV at FUP, p<0.001) and local linear shortening (index of local wall motion disturbances) (from 11.0 ± 3.9% to 12.7 ± 3.4%, p=0.01). NOGA-guided analysis of the intramyocardially treated area revealed a significantly increased tracer up-take both at rest (from 56.7 ± 16.1% to 62.9 ± 14.2%, p=0.003) and at stress (from 59.3 ± 14.2% to 62.3 ± 14.9%, p=0.01). Patients exhibiting ≥5% improvement in perfusion defect severity received a significantly higher number of intramyocardial BM-MNC. In conclusion, combined cardiac BM-MNC delivery induces significant improvement in myocardial viability and perfusion in the intramyocardially injected area.

Clinical Trials Gov Nr: NCT00384982.
Platelet activation and reactivity in the convalescent phase of ischaemic stroke
Authors: Rozalski Marcin , Luzak Boguslawa , Michalak Slawomir , Kozubski Wojciech , Watala Cezary , Lukasik Maria
Published: January 2010

The study was aimed at the evaluation of blood platelet activation and reactivity in patients in the convalescent phase of stroke (n=58) and controls matched in respect to risk factors of vascular pathology (n=55). Both groups were treated daily with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), 150 mg/day. Using flow cytometry, the expressions of P-selectin and the active GP IIb/IIIa receptor, as well as the fraction of platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs) and total platelet aggregates (Ag), were evaluated in non-stimulated platelets and in platelets stimulated in vitro by thrombin, thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP) or ADP. The expression of P-selectin in non-stimulated platelets was found to be significantly (p=0.04) lower in stroke patients. In parallel, these patients manifested a significantly (p=0.0008) higher proportion of PMPs and a lowered (p=0.003) proportion of Ag, as compared to the controls. In the stroke patients the increased expressions of P-selectin and active GP IIb/IIIa in TRAP- or ADP-activated cells were less pronounced (p<0.01), while the increments in PMP fraction remained higher (p<0.05). Our results may indicate that chronic platelet activation develops in patients in the convalescent phase of stroke and the process of PMP generation prevails over blood platelet degranulation and aggregation. This shift may be particularly unfavourable due to the procoagulative and proatherosclerotic properties of PMPs, accompanied by their decreased sensitivity to the action of antiplatelet drugs.

Note: The results of this study were presented in part during a poster session at the XVIII European Stroke Conference in Stockholm, 26–29 May 2009.
Thrombocytopenia after abciximab use results from different mechanisms
Authors: Clofent-Sanchez Gisèle , Coste Pierre , Nurden Paquita , Lajus Sophie , Jais Catherine , Nurden Alan
Published: January 2010

Our study concerns thrombocytopenia in patients with acute ischaemic coronary artery disease receiving antiplatelet drugs to the αIIbβ3 inte-grin (GPIIb/IIIa). We have screened for drug-dependent antibodies (DDAB) in 18 patients who suffered a fall of > 50% in platelet count (9 patients had a nadir of <50,000 platelets/μl) after receiving abciximab and related results to clinical outcome. Serum or plasma was screened for DDAB using (i) a direct ELISA against purified αIIbβ3, αIIbβ3-abciximab complexes or abciximab alone, (ii) control platelets and flow cytometry and (iii) monoclonal antibody immobilisation of platelet antigens. DDAB were found for 11 patients, with αIIbβ3 ELISA the most sensitive test. Progressive platelet consumption linked with haemoglobin loss and/or use of intra-aortic balloon pumping, another potential cause of a fall in platelet count, was also evaluated. DDAB were identified that recognised αIIbβ3 associated with abciximab and/ or abciximab alone. Screening of both progressive and delayed thrombocytopenia (appearing after 5 to 11 days) suggested that antibodies against abciximab preceded those recognising neo-epitopes on αIIbβ3, with a time-dependent broadening of antibody specificities. Higher titres were seen after second abciximab use. Five antibodies were platelet-activating. In conclusion, the mechanisms responsible for this complication of anti-αIIbβ3 therapy are multiple and often associated with a complex immune response.
A meta-analysis of potential risks of low levels of protein Z for diseases related to vascular thrombosis
Authors: Cesari Francesca , Abbate Rosanna , Gensini Franco , Broze George , Fedi Sandra , Sofi Francesco
Published: January 2010

The relationship between protein Z levels and thrombosis is controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available studies to assess the association between protein Z and vascular thrombotic diseases. We conducted an electronic literature search through MedLine, Embase, Google Scholar, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, bibliographies of retrieved articles and abstracts of congresses up to October, 2009. Studies were included if they analysed protein Z levels in patients with vascular thrombotic diseases. After the review process, 28 case-control studies (33 patient cohorts), including 4,218 patients with thrombotic diseases and 4,778 controls, were selected for analysis. The overall analysis using a random-effects model showed that low protein Z levels were associated with an increased risk of thrombosis (odds ratio [OR] 2.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.05–4.12; p<0.00001). On subgroup analysis, a significant association was found between low protein Z levels and arterial vascular diseases (OR 2.67, 95%CI 1.60–4.48; p=0.0002), pregnancy complications (OR 4.17, 95%CI 2.31–7.52; p<0.00001), and venous thromboembolic diseases (OR 2.18, 95%CI 1.19–4.00; p=0.01). The results of this meta-analysis are consistent with a role for protein Z deficiency in thrombotic diseases, including arterial thrombosis, pregnancy complications and venous thromboembolism.
Expression of CXCR4, VLA-1, LFA-3 and transducer of ERB in G-CSF-mobilised progenitor cells in acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Pogatsa-Murray Gisela , Wedel Jasper von , Steppich Birgit , Schömig Albert , Kastrati Adnan , Stein Andreas , Zohlnhöfer Dietlind , Ott Ilka
Published: January 2010

G-CSF induced mobilisation of progenitor cells is a multistep processes involving chemokines, growth factors, matrix-degrading enzymes, and cell adhesive interactions mediated by specific receptors on haematopoietic cells. This study’s aim was to investigate progenitor cells mobilised during myocardial infarction after treatment with granulocyte-stimulating factor (G-CSF). In the randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled REVIVAL-2 study, 114 patients with acute myocardial infarction were included. Five days after successful percutaneous coronary intervention patients received either 10 μg/kg G-CSF (n=56) or placebo (n=58) subcutaneously for five days. Venous blood samples were analysed on day(s) 1, 3, 5 and 7 after therapy, and progenitor cell mobilisation and surface expression of VLA-4, LFA-1 and CXCR-4 was measured on circulating progenitor cells using flow cytometry. G-CSF induced a significant increase in circulating progenitor cells (72 ± 20 cells/μl vs. 4.5 ± 0.8 cells/μl, p<0.05). Surface expression of LFA-1, VLA-4 and CXCR4 on progenitor cells was decreased by 44%, 49% and 60% after G-CSF as compared to placebo (p<0.05). In accordance, mRNA expression of CXCR4 was reduced. Moreover, anti-proliferative transducer of ERB (TOB) mRNA was decreased, suggesting an increased proliferative potential of the mobilised progenitor cells. Decreased expression of adhesion and chemokine receptors on G-CSF mobilised progenitor cells in acute myocardial infarction may alter the homing capacity of circulating cells to the myocardium.
Psychological Distress and Mortality in Systolic Heart Failure
Authors: Pelle Aline J. , Pedersen Susanne S. , Schiffer Angélique A. , Szabó Balázs , Widdershoven Jos W. , Denollet Johan
Published: January 2010

Background—

Depression, anxiety, and type D (“distressed”) personality (tendency to experience negative emotions paired with social inhibition) have been associated with poor prognosis in coronary heart disease, but little is known about their role in chronic heart failure. Therefore, we investigated whether these indicators of psychological distress are associated with mortality in chronic heart failure.

Method and Results—

Consecutive outpatients with chronic heart failure (n=641; 74.3% men; mean age, 66.6±10.0 years) filled out a 4-item questionnaire to assess mixed symptoms of anxiety and depression and the 14-item type D scale. End points were defined as all-cause and cardiac mortality. After a mean follow-up of 37.6±15.6 months, 123 deaths (76 due to cardiac cause) were recorded. Cumulative hazard functions for elevated anxiety/depression symptoms differed marginally for all-cause (
P
=0.06), but not cardiac, mortality (
P
=0.43); type D personality was associated with neither all-cause mortality (
P
=0.63) nor cardiac mortality (
P
=0.87). In multivariable analyses, neither elevated anxiety/depression symptoms nor type D personality was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]=1.18; 95% CI, 0.76 to 1.84;
P
=0.45 and HR=1.09; 95% CI, 0.67 to 1.77;
P
=0.73, respectively) or cardiac mortality (HR=1.13; 95% CI, 0.63 to 2.04;
P
=0.65 and HR=1.16; 95% CI, 0.62 to 2.18;
P
=0.67). In secondary analyses, a 1-point increase in anxiety/depression (range, 0 to 16) was associated with an 8% increase in risk for all-cause mortality (HR=1.08; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.15;
P
=0.02).

Conclusions—

Neither elevated anxiety/depression symptoms nor type D personality was associated with an increased risk for all-cause or cardiac mortality. Future studies with adequate power and a longer follow-up duration are needed to further elucidate the role of psychological distress in chronic heart failure.
Heart Failure
Authors: Teng Tiew-Hwa Katherine , Finn Judith , Hobbs Michael , Hung Joseph
Published: January 2010

Background—

We examined trends in incidence of first-ever (index) hospitalization for heart failure (HF), hospitalization rates, and 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality subsequent to index hospitalization for HF.

Methods and Results—

The Western Australia Hospital Morbidity Database was used to identify a retrospective population-based cohort with an index hospitalization for HF in Western Australia between 1990 and 2005. Risk-adjusted temporal trends in mortality were examined with the use of multivariable logistic regression models. Baseline period for comparison was 1990–1993. The cohort (n=19 342; mean age, 74.2±13.2 years; 51.3% men) was followed until death or end of 2006. During the period of 1990–2005, age-standardized rates (per 100 000) of index hospitalization for HF as a principal diagnosis decreased from 191.0 to 103.2 in men, with an annual decrease of 3.5%, and from 130.5 to 75.1 in women, with an annual decrease of 3.1%. Risk-adjusted odds ratio of death at 30 days decreased to 0.73 (95% CI, 0.65 to 0.81) based on nonelective admissions. Risk-adjusted odds ratio of 1-year mortality also decreased during the study period in both genders and across all age groups. The total number of HF hospitalizations increased, with nonelective admissions increasing by 14.9% (
P
for trend, <0.0001) during this period. However, age-standardized rates of nonelective HF hospitalizations decreased during the same period.

Conclusions—

During the 16-year period studied, the incidence of index hospitalization for HF in Western Australia decreased steadily in both genders. However, hospitalizations for HF as a measure of health service use increased, despite decreasing rates, partly because of an aging population and improved HF survival.
Arterial Stiffness and Cardiovascular Events
Authors: Mitchell Gary F. , Hwang Shih-Jen , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Larson Martin G. , Pencina Michael J. , Hamburg Naomi M. , Vita Joseph A. , Levy Daniel , Benjamin Emelia J.
Published: January 2010

Background—

Various measures of arterial stiffness and wave reflection have been proposed as cardiovascular risk markers. Prior studies have not assessed relations of a comprehensive panel of stiffness measures to prognosis in the community.

Methods and Results—

We used proportional hazards models to analyze first-onset major cardiovascular disease events (myocardial infarction, unstable angina, heart failure, or stroke) in relation to arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity [PWV]), wave reflection (augmentation index, carotid-brachial pressure amplification), and central pulse pressure in 2232 participants (mean age, 63 years; 58% women) in the Framingham Heart Study. During median follow-up of 7.8 (range, 0.2 to 8.9) years, 151 of 2232 participants (6.8%) experienced an event. In multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, use of antihypertensive therapy, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, smoking, and presence of diabetes mellitus, higher aortic PWV was associated with a 48% increase in cardiovascular disease risk (95% confidence interval, 1.16 to 1.91 per SD;
P
=0.002). After PWV was added to a standard risk factor model, integrated discrimination improvement was 0.7% (95% confidence interval, 0.05% to 1.3%;
P
<0.05). In contrast, augmentation index, central pulse pressure, and pulse pressure amplification were not related to cardiovascular disease outcomes in multivariable models.

Conclusions—

Higher aortic stiffness assessed by PWV is associated with increased risk for a first cardiovascular event. Aortic PWV improves risk prediction when added to standard risk factors and may represent a valuable biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk in the community.
The Detection of Weekly Preferential Occurrences with an Application to Rainfall
Authors: Marani Marco
Published: January 2010

The detection of weekly preferential occurrences in atmospheric and hydrologic processes has recently attracted much attention as a way to identify the signature of anthropogenic climatic changes. The interpretation of previous analyses, however, is not unequivocal, in part as a result of a lack of widely accepted statistical criteria. Here, a general and exact method to detect the presence of weekly preferential occurrences is developed and applied to long rainfall observations in Marghera, Italy; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Portland, Maine. The method makes use of the fact that, under the null hypothesis of stationarity, the process of event occurrence in the different days of the week is equivalent to the random distribution of a number of balls (the wet days) in a set of boxes (the days of the week). The departure from a homogeneous distribution is then characterized through the probability of the maximum number of balls in a box, which can be computed exactly with no ad hoc assumptions. The new method shows that (i) preferential rainfall weekly occurrences emerge in all cases in the most recent period analyzed (1990–2006), while they are absent—or are too weak to be detected—in previous years (before 1989); and (ii) the balls-in-boxes approach appears to be more sensitive than Pearson’s test when deviations from homogeneity are associated with just one day of the week, a common occurrence in connection with day-of-the-week effects. The results presented help to reconcile previous contrasting studies and to contribute compelling evidence that anthropogenic changes in the local climate have occurred over the past century in urban and industrial areas.
On the Economic Foundation of the Urban Network Paradigm: Spatial Integration, Functional Integration and Economic Complementarities within the Dutch Randstad
Authors: van Oort Frank , Burger Martijn , Raspe Otto
Published: January 2010

Conceptually, the degrees of spatial and functional integration and urban complementarities in economic network relations are hypothesised to be important. In this paper, data on interfirm relations in the Dutch Randstad are used to test conditions for integration and the existence of economic complementarities. A clear hierarchy is observed in the different types of spatial interdependencies in the Randstad, in which the central place model prevails. Furthermore, no evidence is found for the functional integration of municipalities in the Randstad. It is concluded that, at this moment, the Randstad does not function as a spatially and functionally integrated region and that spatial economic policy can better focus on smaller regions within the Randstad. This also calls into question the applicability of the urban network concept in general, as the Dutch Randstad is usually seen as a prime example of an economically successful polycentric urban system.
Towards a Definition of Poverty
Authors: Akindola Rufus B.
Published: January 2010

This article argues that poverty transcends its traditional definition as a shortfall in income levels. It demonstrates that poverty is multidimensional and that successful poverty reduction rests squarely on understanding these dimensions through the active participation of poor people in all stages of developing that understanding. Drawing on results from a nationally representative sample of rural households and views obtained from focus group discussions in Oyo State, Nigeria, it was found that poverty is more than a lack of adequate income but a combination of many forms of deprivation that together allow human capabilities to go unrealzsed. Although, it was found that income is important, raising income alone is not a sufficient condition for poverty reduction.
An Analysis of Child Poverty and Social Policies in Turkey
Authors: Gürses Didem
Published: January 2010

Recent economic and social developments together with the impacts of globalization have caused an increase in the incidence of poverty in Turkey. This article, after providing a general overview of the poverty profile aims to analyze child poverty. The situation of the children is examined in relation to health, education and child labour. The existing social protection mechanisms are presented and evaluated in relation to their impacts on child well-being. The article concludes with a summary of the findings and policy implications on the issue.
NGOs, Civil Society and Social Reconstruction in Contemporary India
Authors: Ghosh Biswajit
Published: January 2010

The decline or retreat of the state as well as the triumph of the market today is accompanied by increasing attention to Civil Society Organizations. There is a newfound expectation that NGOs or the ‘third’ sector is better placed as compared to the other stakeholders to provide leadership for social reconstruction in the developing world in particular. This article seeks to critically review the role of the NGO sector in India using empirical evidences collected from secondary sources. It argues that NGOs are not an alternative to the state and the public sector. NGO-ization is also neither a means to correct market failures. In spite of the relevance of this sector, we need to look for other viable alternatives.
Measuring African Governance
Authors: McFerson Hazel M.
Published: January 2010

A profusion of governance measures has emerged over the past decade. The major issue is whether governance should be understood only by its attributes (thus measured by process indicators) or also by its impact (thus measured also by outcome indicators). The article classifies the existing measures in three categories—indicators of governance and corruption, measures of civil liberties and human rights, specialized surveys—and discusses in greater depth the two comprehensive surveys: the World Governance Indicators, which are focused on the governance attributes of accountability, participation, transparency and rule of law; and the recent Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which includes in its 57 indicators useful outcome dimensions but also indicators weakly related to governance. Streamlining the Ibrahim Index to weed out these indicators will improve its clarity and utility and turn it into the standard measure of governance in Africa—perhaps also replicable for other regions.
Re-Turn to Practice: An Introductory Essay
Authors: Miettinen Reijo , Samra-Fredericks Dalvir , Yanow Dvora
Published: January 2010

The study of practices has a long theoretical history and draws on a wide range of methods. This introductory essay sets the stage for the five articles presented in this Special Issue by explaining its background and providing one narrative of the theoretical background on which both its editors and the authors of its articles, in one way or another, draw and to which the latter make explicit or implicit reference.
Reshaping Practice Across Media: Material Mediation, Medium Specificity and Practical Knowledge in Judicial Work
Authors: Lanzara Giovan Francesco
Published: January 2010

Material mediation and medium specificity are constitutive dimensions of a practice, having critical implications for the constitution of practical knowledge and the forms of institutionalization. This article explores their critical importance in a bureaucratized professional setting. Based on research findings from an in-depth study of the introduction of video-recording technology in criminal courts, the article investigates what happens in a practice when practitioners migrate to a different medium to perform their work. The findings indicate that when the practice is characterized by high medium specificity, the new medium may cause disruption in the domain of expertise, affecting the familiar objects, tools, routines and representations of the practice. In their efforts to make sense of the new medium and integrate the new work tool, practitioners reshape their practice by directly engaging with the medium and questioning the grounds of their domain of expertise. The article discusses the phenomenology of disruption and redesign, draws implications for judicial work and, more broadly, contributes to an understanding of how practices and practical knowledge are entangled with material mediation.
Zooming In and Out: Studying Practices by Switching Theoretical Lenses and Trailing Connections
Authors: Nicolini Davide
Published: January 2010

This article contributes to re-specifying a number of the phenomena of interest to organizational studies in terms of patterns of socio-material practices and their effects. It does so by outlining a vocabulary and strategy that make up a framework for theorizing work and organizational practices. The vocabulary is based on number of sensitizing concepts that connote practice as an open-ended, heterogeneous accomplishment which takes place within a specific horizon of sense and a set of concerns which the practice itself brings to bear. The strategy is based on the metaphorical movement of ‘zooming in’ and ‘zooming out of’ practice. The zooming in and out are obtained through switching theoretical lenses and re-positioning in the field, so that certain aspects of the practice are fore-grounded while others are bracketed. Building on the results of an extended study of telemedicine, the article discusses in detail the different elements of the framework and how it enhances our capacity to re-present practice. The article concludes with some considerations on how the proposed approach can assist us in advancing the research agenda of organizational and work studies.
Concurrent Validity of the TONI-3
Authors: Banks Sandra H. , Franzen Michael D.
Published: January 2010

The literature pertaining to intelligence assessment reveals an ongoing discussion about the areas of intelligence captured by nonverbal tests. To date, few studies have investigated the criterion validity of the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, Third Edition (TONI-3). The present study investigates the concurrent validity of the TONI-3 in a sample of children at an outpatient medical facility. Scores from the TONI-3 are moderately positively correlated with the Full Scale IQ of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). The TONI-3 demonstrates a strong positive correlation with the Matrix Reasoning subtest of the WISC-IV. The results indicate positive relationships between the TONI-3 and measures that tap into other areas of intelligence, such as verbal abilities and processing speed. Relationships among the variables are not distinct enough to suggest specificity in terms of testing a particular ability area. Limitations and implications for intelligence assessment are discussed.
Arrhythmic Rats after SCN Lesions and Constant Light Differ in Short Time Scale Regulation of Locomotor Activity
Authors: Chiesa Juan José , Cambras Trinitat , Carpentieri Ágata Rita , Díez-Noguera Antoni
Published: January 2010

Circadian rhythm disruption (i.e., arrhythmicity) in motor activity is an abnormal behavioral pattern. In rats, it can be caused by the lesion of the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and by prolonged exposure to constant light (LL). We carried out a comparative study of these arrhythmic phenotypes to assess the role of the SCN in the regulation of the motor output beyond circadian rhythmicity. Motor activity series were studied in rats that had become arrhythmic as a result of 1) LL exposure at 2 light intensities: 300 lux (LL300) and 1.3 lux (LL1.3), and 2) SCN lesion (SCNx). The Fourier spectra, the fractal Hurst coefficient ( H) from the autocorrelation function, and the β slope from the power spectral density were calculated in data sections at baseline, when the rats were still rhythmic, and later at stages with undetectable circadian rhythms. In the LL300 group, high power content was detected at frequencies of 8 to 4 h (i.e., ultradian). Lower power content for these harmonics was found in the LL1.3 group, whereas no dominant harmonics appeared in the SCNx group. Independently of the manifestation of circadian rhythm, H values were higher and more sustained in time in rats exposed to LL 300 but gradually decreased in rats exposed to LL1.3. Fractal correlation was found in control DD group but was absent in the SCNx group. We conclude that scale-invariant regulation of the motor pattern by SCN activity is dependent on light intensity but independent of the circadian rhythm output. Adjusting the light intensity by modifying the coupling degree between the population of oscillations could affect the dynamics of each individual oscillator in the SCN, making it less predictable.
Circadian Locomotor Rhythms Are Normal in Ts65Dn “Down Syndrome” Mice and Unaffected by Pentylenetetrazole
Authors: Ruby Norman F. , Fernandez Fabian , Zhang Pei , Klima Jessy , Heller H. Craig , Garner Craig C.
Published: January 2010

Ts65Dn mice are used extensively as a model for Down syndrome. Recent studies have reported conflicting evidence as to whether these mice express circadian rhythms. The authors therefore recorded locomotor activity patterns from these animals while they were housed under a standard light-dark cycle, constant darkness (DD), and constant light (LL). Contrary to expectations, Ts65Dn mice had more robust circadian rhythms with slightly shorter periods compared with their wild-type littermates. They also exhibited increased rhythm period and marked activity suppression when moved from DD to LL (i.e., Aschoff’s rule). Administration of the GABAA antagonist pentylenetetrazole did not influence any of these circadian parameters. Thus, locomotor activity is under strict circadian control in Ts65Dn mice, suggesting that their cognitive deficits and sleep disturbances are not due to dysfunctional circadian timing as proposed previously.
Light-Dependent Behavioral Phenotypes in PER3-Deficient Mice
Authors: van der Veen Daan R. , Archer Simon N.
Published: January 2010

A functional knockout of Period3 in mice ( mPer3— / —) results in a mildly altered circadian phenotype, and mPer3 shows a redundant role within the circadian clock. In this study, the authors reevaluated the Per3—/ — behavioral phenotype on a C57Bl/6J background and report altered responses to light. In constant light, free-running activity period was shorter than that of wild-type, whereas in constant darkness, no difference was observed between genotypes. The effect of light was parametric, and the difference in free-running period between genotypes increased under constant light with increasing light intensity. An attenuated response to light in Per3—/ — mice was also demonstrated through reduced negative masking in activity in an ultradian protocol and a slower reentrainment to a shifted light-dark cycle when activity falls in the light period of the new light-dark cycle. Behavioral phase-shifts in response to a single delaying or advancing light pulse in the Per3—/— mouse were not compromised. This demonstrates that the mPer3— /— phenotype is characterized predominantly by altered sensitivity to light and not by the ability of the circadian system to respond to light. In addition to its redundant role within the molecular clock, these data suggest a new role for Per3 outside of the circadian clock and contributing to light input pathways.
Glutamate and GABA Neurotransmission from the Paraventricular Thalamus to the Suprachiasmatic Nuclei in the Rat
Authors: Alamilla Javier , Aguilar-Roblero Raúl
Published: January 2010

The anterior paraventricular thalamus (aPVT) projects to the SCN, and a lesion of the aPVT leads to phase delays of circadian rhythms, instead of advances, produced by light pulses at CT23. As a first step to understanding the underlying mechanism, the authors characterized the monosynaptic responses of SCN neurons to aPVT in whole-cell recordings from brain slices in rats. Stimulation of aPVT evoked excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in SCN neurons. Pharmacological isolation of such components indicated that the excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) involves AMPA and NMDA glutamate receptors while the inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) involves GABA A receptors. Since the SCN comprises mostly GABA neurons, the persistence of IPSP after the blockade of glutamate receptors ruled out the possibility that GABA was released from SCN interneurons responsive to glutamate released from the paraventricular thalamus. Altogether, the present evidence demonstrates that glutamate and GABA are released in synapses between aPVT and the SCN.
Endothelial Cell Responses Towards Surface-modified Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Fibers
Authors: Hadjizadeh Afra
Published: January 2010

The effect of various surface modifications, in conjunction with the intrinsic surface features of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) fibers on endothelialization, were investigated. A multi-step surface modification strategy was applied to commercial ePTFE sutures and then the effect of surface topography and surface chemistry involving cell adhesive and cell-resistant molecules was evaluated towards endothelial cell adhesion and its spreading. N-hepthylamine plasma polymer (HApp) was deposited onto the ePTFE fiber surface and then carboxy-methyl-dextran (CMD) was covalently attached. Subsequently, GRGDS and GRGES peptides were covalently grafted onto the CMD graft layer. The micrometric and nanometric features of ePTFE were qualitatively examined by atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to evaluate the in vitro cell adhesion on nonmodified fibers and the multi-step surface coatings. Cell adhesive molecules (HApp and RGD) enhanced the cell adhesion while cell-resistant molecules (CMD and RGE) and nonmodified fibers resisted cell adhesion. Therefore, only surface features have no effect on the HUVEC adhesion and that the surface chemistry is dominant in modulating HUVEC adhesion on ePTFE fibers.
Antimicrobial Activity and Biocompatibility of Polyurethane—Iodine Complexes
Authors: Jie Luo  , Ying Deng  , Yuyu Sun
Published: January 2010

Polyurethane (PU), one of the most versatile biomedical materials, strongly binds iodine, one of the most effective antiseptics, through the formation of a charge-transfer complex. The PU—Iodine complexes were characterized with UV/Vis study and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The new materials evoked potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, and bacterial spores), fungi, and viruses, as well as inhibited surface bacterial colonization and biofilm-formation. Based on the Kirby-Bauer test, the antimicrobial effects occurred through the slow release of iodine. The iodine release rate can be controlled by the preparation conditions of the PU—Iodine complex. Trypan blue exclusion analysis indicated that PU—Iodine has excellent mammalian cell viability. The PU—Iodine complexes have the potential for a wide range of medical, dental, and other related applications.
Analytic Review: Management of Life-Threatening Asthma in Adults
Authors: Mannam Praveen , Siegel Mark D.
Published: January 2010

Asthma remains a troubling health problem despite the availability of effective treatment. A small but significant number of asthmatics experience life-threatening attacks culminating in intensive care unit admission. Standard treatment includes high dose systemic corticosteroids and inhaled bronchodilators. Patients with especially severe attacks may develop respiratory failure and need endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. Severe airway obstruction may lead to dynamic hyperinflation and the possibility of hemodynamic collapse and barotrauma. Fortunately, most intubated asthmatics survive if physicians adhere to key management principles intended to avoid or minimize hyperinflation. The purpose of this review is to discuss the pathogenesis of life-threatening asthma and to provide practical guidance to promote rationale, safe, and effective management.
Sexual Harassment Experiences and Their Psychological Correlates Among a Diverse Sample of College Women
Authors: Yoon Eunkyung , Stiller Funk Roni , Kropf Nancy P.
Published: January 2010

This study explored the relationship between sexual victimization and psychological outcomes in two samples of a total of 410 college women in two southern states, as well as racial differences in the prevalence of and responses to sexual harassment experiences. It found an alarmingly high rate of sexual victimization among both the Black and the White students. Internalized shame was a useful construct for understanding the relationship between sexual harassment and potential psychological correlates. The findings shed light on the ways in which college women’s academic success and psychological well-being can be undermined by sexual harassment.
Treating Women Right
Authors: Kammer Rachelle E. , Turner Sandra G. , Bowden Kate
Published: January 2010

It has been estimated that 20—30% of all women will be sexually and/or physically abused at some time in their lives, and women who come for treatment of substance abuse report an even higher incidence of sexual and/or physical abuse. Using case vignettes, this article presents an integrated model of group treatment for substance-abusing women who have also experienced some form of interpersonal trauma.
Work Experiences of Women Survivors: Insights From the Capabilities Approach
Authors: Pyles Loretta , Banerjee Mahasweta M.
Published: January 2010

The study presented in this article applied the capabilities approach to the experiences of low-income women survivors of gender-based violence, who worked in the formal and informal economies. Nine women were interviewed about their work histories, alternative resource-generating strategies, the advantages and disadvantages of different types of work, and the impact of gender-based violence on their work lives. The authors vetted these experiences through the lens of Nussbaum's 10 human-functioning capabilities and found that 9 of the 10 capabilities were salient in the lives of these women. Implications for social welfare policy and practice with low-income women survivors are offered.
The Relationship Between Drug Use and Sexual Aggression in Men Across Time
Authors: Swartout Kevin M. , White Jacquelyn W.
Published: January 2010

The relationship between drug use and sexual aggression in a sample of men was examined at five time points from adolescence through the 4th year of college. Hierarchical linear modeling explored the relationship between proximal drug use and severity of sexual aggression after controlling for proximal alcohol use at each time period. Results revealed that proximal drug use was associated with sexual aggression severity: Increased drug use predicted increased severity of sexual aggression across time. A second set of analyses explored the relationship between distal marijuana use and severity of sexual aggression after controlling for distal alcohol use. Results indicated that increased marijuana use predicted increased severity of sexual aggression across time. A third set of analyses explored the relationship between distal use of other illicit drugs and severity of sexual aggression after controlling for distal alcohol use. Results mirrored those of the second set of analyses and are discussed in terms of drug use as a component of deviant lifestyles that may include sexually aggressive behavior, including implications for applied settings.
Out for a Smoke
Authors: Sayette Michael A. , Schooler Jonathan W. , Reichle Erik D.
Published: January 2010

Cigarette craving has powerful effects on cognitive functioning, which may promote smoking behavior and relapse. One area of cognition that has had little impact on craving research is human consciousness. Developments in consciousness research using a mindless-reading paradigm permit examination of the effects of craving on both the occurrence and the awareness of mental lapses. Forty-four smokers, who were either nicotine deprived (crave condition) or nondeprived (low-crave condition), performed a mindless-reading task. This task assesses both self-caught and probe-caught mind-wandering episodes to distinguish between lapses that are within and outside of awareness. Compared with the low cravers, those in the cigarette-crave condition were significantly more likely to acknowledge that their mind was wandering when they were probed. When we adjusted for this more-than-threefold increase in zoning out, craving also lowered the probability of catching oneself. Results suggest that craving simultaneously increases mental lapses while reducing the metacognitive capacity to notice them.
How Spatial Frequencies and Visual Awareness Interact During Face Processing
Authors: de Gardelle Vincent , Kouider Sid
Published: January 2010

In vision, high and low spatial frequencies have been dissociated at the cognitive and neural levels. Usually, high spatial frequency (HSF) is associated with slow analysis along the ventral cortical stream, and low spatial frequency (LSF) is associated with fast and automatic processing. These findings suggest a specific relation between spatial-frequency processing and visual awareness. We investigated this issue using masked-face priming with hybrid prime images of variable visibility. We found subliminal priming for both LSF and HSF information, along with a strong interaction between spatial frequency and visibility: HSF-related priming increased with stimulus visibility, whereas LSF influences remained unchanged. We argue that the results limit the validity of the coarse-to-fine model of vision and of models equating ventral-stream activity with perceptual awareness. Interpreting our results in light of the diagnostic approach suggests a close relation between awareness and diagnosticity.
The Functional Origin of the Foreign Accent
Authors: Alario F.-Xavier , Goslin Jeremy , Michel Violaine , Laganaro Marina
Published: January 2010

Individuals who speak more than one language often do so with a foreign accent in their second language. Previous investigations have focused on the acoustic phonetic properties of speech, showing how language-learning history shapes the occurrence of accent. By contrast, little is known about the phonological and phonetic representations that allow the production of each language within one speaker. We investigated this issue via the syllable-frequency effect, thought to index the retrieval of syllable-size representations during speech production. We tested French-Spanish early and late bilinguals in a task in which the materials’ syllabic frequency in both languages was manipulated. The frequency of syllables in the nonspoken language affected performance only with late bilinguals. This is interpreted as evidence that syllabic representations are shared across languages in late bilinguals but are separate in early bilinguals. One of the functional origins of foreign accent in late bilinguals may be the retrieval of syllabic representations shared across languages.
Preverbal Infants’ Sensitivity to Synaesthetic Cross-Modality Correspondences
Authors: Walker Peter , Bremner J. Gavin , Mason Uschi , Spring Jo , Mattock Karen , Slater Alan , Johnson Scott P.
Published: January 2010

Stimulation of one sensory modality can induce perceptual experiences in another modality that reflect synaesthetic correspondences among different dimensions of sensory experience. In visual-hearing synaesthesia, for example, higher pitched sounds induce visual images that are brighter, smaller, higher in space, and sharper than those induced by lower pitched sounds. Claims that neonatal perception is synaesthetic imply that such correspondences are an unlearned aspect of perception. To date, the youngest children in whom such correspondences have been confirmed with any certainty were 2- to 3-year-olds. We examined preferential looking to assess 3- to 4-month-old preverbal infants’ sensitivity to the correspondences linking auditory pitch to visuospatial height and visual sharpness. The infants looked longer at a changing visual display when this was accompanied by a sound whose changing pitch was congruent, rather than incongruent, with these correspondences. This is the strongest indication to date that synaesthetic cross-modality correspondences are an unlearned aspect of perception.
How Low Socioeconomic Status Affects 2-Year Hormonal Trajectories in Children
Authors: Chen Edith , Cohen Sheldon , Miller Gregory E.
Published: January 2010

Disparities by socioeconomic status (SES) are seen for numerous mental and physical illnesses, and yet understanding of the pathways to health disparities is limited. We tested whether SES alters longitudinal trajectories of cortisol output and what types of psychosocial factors could account for these links. Fifty healthy children collected saliva samples (four times per day for 2 days) at 6-month intervals for 2 years. At baseline, families were interviewed about SES and psychosocial factors. Lower-SES children displayed greater 2-year increases in daily cortisol output compared with higher-SES children. These effects were partially mediated by children’s perceptions of threat and by family chaos. These findings may help explain, and provide some first steps toward ameliorating, low-SES children’s vulnerability to health problems later in life by identifying the tendency to perceive threat in ambiguous situations and experiences of chaos as factors that link low SES to 2-year hormonal trajectories.
A Dirty Word or a Dirty World?
Authors: Hardisty David J. , Johnson Eric J. , Weber Elke U.
Published: January 2010

We explored the effect of attribute framing on choice, labeling charges for environmental costs as either an earmarked tax or an offset. Eight hundred ninety-eight Americans chose between otherwise identical products or services, where one option included a surcharge for emitted carbon dioxide. The cost framing changed preferences for self-identified Republicans and Independents, but did not affect Democrats’ preferences. We explain this interaction by means of query theory and show that attribute framing can change the order in which internal queries supporting one or another option are posed. The effect of attribute labeling on query order is shown to depend on the representations of either taxes or offsets held by people with different political affiliations.
Japan’s Official Development Assistance to India
Authors: Varma Lalima
Published: January 2010

India was the first country to receive Japanese Official Development Assistance in 1958. However, it was only in 2003–2004 that India became the topmost recipient of Japanese ODA. Providing ODA is an important tool used by Japan to secure its interests. Consequently India becoming a topmost recipient of Japanese ODA is an indication of its growing importance for Japan. This article attempts to understand the political, strategic and economic interests which Japan seeks to achieve while formulating its ODA policy during and after the end of the Cold War period. Till the turn of the twenty first century countries like China, Indonesia were among the main recipients of Japanese ODA. In this period, the strategic, political and economic environment in Asia has also undergone drastic changes. In the changed scenario maintaining close relations with India seems to have become an important consideration in Japan’s foreign policy making. This article also seeks to understand the importance of Japanese ODA for India and the projects for which aid has been provided. An attempt will also be made to analyse the nature of the obstacles and problems which Japan has been confronted with so far while implementing the projects in India
Adjudication and Legal Reforms in Contemporary China
Authors: Li LiYing , Ma Yue
Published: January 2010

China has undergone unprecedented legal reforms in the past three decades in an attempt to restore and reconstruct its legal system. This article provides an overview of the historical and recent developments of the legal system in China. It also discusses important issues such as judicial independence, criminal processes, legal representation, and professionalism among judicial officers.
Corrections and Punishment in China: Information and Analysis
Authors: Shaw Victor N.
Published: January 2010

This article attempts to describe and analyze the Chinese system of corrections and punishment as it appears in front of the world. First is a review of historical development. The focus is then placed on the analysis of the Chinese correctional system with respect to its structure, legal framework, practice, management, and operational effectiveness. The article ends up with an examination of what reforms China is undertaking in response to domestic and international criticisms against its practices in corrections and punishment.