bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Folic Acid and Birth Defects: A Case Study (Iran)
Authors: Hosseini Mohammad Bager , Khamnian Zhila , Dastgiri Saeed , Samadi Raad Bahram , Ravanshad Yalda
Published: December 2011

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of folic acid use in pregnancy for the reduction of neural tube defects (NTDs) in the northwest region of Iran. We studied 243 women with pregnancies complicated by some forms of birth defect(s). These patients were identified by medical diagnostic tests as having a fetus with some types of congenital anomalies. The prevalence of NTDs among pregnant women who were referred for therapeutic termination of pregnancy was 24.7 percent. Consumption of folic acid prevented NTDs by 79 percent (Odds Ratio = 0.21, CI 95%: 0.12–0.40) and 94 percent (Odds Ratio = 0.06, CI 95%: 0.03–0.15) compared to pregnancies complicated by other anomalies and normal pregnancies, respectively. Hydrops fetalis, hydrocephaly, Down syndrome, and limb anomalies did not have any significant association with the folic acid use. Along with the advice for the consumption of folic acid for pregnant women, they should be offered prenatal screening or diagnostic tests to identify fetal abnormalities for possible termination of pregnancy.
Certain Subordination Properties for Subclasses of Analytic Functions Involving Complex Order
Authors: Sivasubramanian S. , Mohammed Aabed , Darus Maslina
Published: December 2011

We derive several subordination results for a certain class of analytic functions defined by the Sălăgean operator In the present investigation.
Optimal Selling of an Asset under Incomplete Information
Authors: Ekström Erik , Lu Bing
Published: December 2011

We consider an agent who wants to liquidate an asset with unknown drift. The agent believes that the drift takes one of two given values and has initially an estimate for the probability of either of them. As time goes by, the agent observes the asset price and can therefore
update his beliefs about the probabilities for the drift distribution. We formulate an optimal stopping problem that describes the liquidation problem, and we demonstrate that the optimal strategy is to liquidate the first time the asset price falls below a certain time-dependent boundary. Moreover, this boundary is shown to be monotonically increasing, continuous and to satisfy a nonlinear integral equation.
Fatigue in Medical Residents Leads to Reactivation of Herpes Virus Latency
Authors: Uchakin Peter N. , Parish David C. , Dane Francis C. , Uchakina Olga N. , Scheetz Allison P. , Agarwal Neal K. , Smith Betsy E.
Published: December 2011

The main objective of this study was to detect fatigue-induced clinical symptoms of immune suppression in medical residents. Samples were collected from the subjects atrest, following the first night (low-stress), and the last night (high-stress) of night float. Computerized reaction tests, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Wellness Profile questionnaires were used to quantify fatigue level. DNA of human herpes viruses HSV-1, VZV, EBV, as well as cortisol and melatonin concentrations, were measured in saliva. Residents at thehigh-stressinterval reported being sleepier compared to therestinterval. EBV DNA level increased significantly at bothstressintervals, while VZV DNA level increased only atlow-stress. DNA levels of HSV-1 decreased atlow-stressbut increased athigh-stress. Combined assessment of the viral DNA showed significant effect of stress on herpes virus reactivation at bothstressintervals. Cortisol concentrations at bothstressintervals were significantly higher than those atrest.
Renal Transplantation in Hepatitis C Positive Patients: A Single Centre Experience
Authors: Shah P. R. , Vanikar A. V. , Gumber M. R. , Patel H. V. , Kute V. B. , Godara S. M. , Trivedi H. L.
Published: December 2011

Introduction. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an independent risk factor for renal transplantation (RTx). Immunosuppression minimization can render better quality of life to these patients.Methods. We analyzed 132 HCV-positive RTx patients (group A) transplanted under tolerance induction protocol (TIP) and compared them with 79 controls (group B) transplanted using standard triple drugs. TIP consisted of 1 donor-specific transfusion, peripheral blood stem cell infusion, portal infusion of bone marrow, and target-specific irradiation. Their immunosuppression was cyclosporin, 2 ± 1 mg/kg BW/day + prednisone, 10 mg/day.Results. TIP had no side effects. Although unequal in size, the groups were well balanced. Group A patient survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 92.4%, 70.4%, and 63.7%, respectively, versus 75.6%, 71.7%, and 55.7% in later, and graft survival was 92.9%, 81.5%, and 79.1% versus 91.7%, 75.7%, and 67.7%, respectively. Mean serum creatinine (mg/dL) at these time periods in former was 1.38, 1.72, and 1.87, versus 1.3, 1.75, and 2.1 in later. Altered liver functions were noted in 22% patients in former versus 31% in later. Group A had lesser rejection episodes.Conclusion. RTx using TIP in HCV-positive patients is a viable option with acceptable outcome.
Asymptotic Behavior of Stochastic Partly Dissipative Lattice Systems in Weighted Spaces
Authors: Han Xiaoying
Published: December 2011

We study stochastic partly dissipative lattice systems with random coupled
coefficients and multiplicative/additive white noise in a weighted space of infinite sequences. We first
show that these stochastic partly dissipative lattice differential equations generate a random dynamical
system. We then establish the existence of a tempered random bounded absorbing set and a global
compact random attractor for the associated random dynamical system.
The Involvement of Ser1898 of the Human L-Type Calcium Channel in Evoked Secretion
Authors: Bachnoff Niv , Cohen-Kutner Moshe , Atlas Daphne
Published: December 2011

A PKA consensus phosphorylation site S1928 at theα11.2 subunit of the rabbit cardiac L-type channel, CaV1.2, is involved in the regulation of CaV1.2 kinetics and affects catecholamine secretion. This mutation does not alter basal CaV1.2 current properties or regulation of CaV1.2 current by PKA and the beta-adrenergic receptor, but abolishes CaV1.2 phosphorylation by PKA. Here, we test the contribution of the corresponding PKA phosphorylation site of the humanα11.2 subunit S1898, to the regulation of catecholamine secretion in bovine chromaffin cells. Chromaffin cells were infected with a Semliki-Forest viral vector containing either the human wt or a mutated S1898Aα11.2 subunit. Both subunits harbor a T1036Y mutation conferring nifedipine insensitivity. Secretion evoked by depolarization in the presence of nifedipine was monitored by amperometry. Depolarization-triggered secretion in cells infected with either the wtα11.2 orα11.2/S1898A mutated subunit was elevated to a similar extent by forskolin. Forskolin, known to directly activate adenylyl-cyclase, increased the rate of secretion in a manner that is largely independent of the presence of S1898. Our results are consistent with the involvement of additional PKA regulatory site(s) at the C-tail ofα11.2, the pore forming subunit of CaV1.2.
Continuous Dependence in Front Propagation for Convective Reaction‐Diffusion Models with Aggregative Movements
Authors: Malaguti Luisa , Marcelli Cristina , Matucci Serena
Published: December 2011

The paper deals with a degenerate reaction‐diffusion equation, including aggregative movements and convective terms. The model also incorporates a real parameter causing the change from a purely diffusive to a diffusive‐aggregative and to a purely aggregative regime. Existence and qualitative properties of traveling wave solutions are investigated, and estimates of their threshold speeds are furnished. Further, the continuous dependence of the threshold wave speed and of the wave profiles on a real parameter is studied, both when the process maintains its diffusion‐aggregation nature and when it switches from it to another regime.
Hypertension and Dementia in the Elderly: The Leisure World Cohort Study
Authors: Paganini-Hill Annlia
Published: December 2011

Recent studies have highlighted the deleterious role of cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, on the incidence of dementia. Although midlife hypertension is associated with later development of dementia, the role of late-life hypertension remains unclear. We explored the association of hypertension and its treatment with incident dementia in 13978 older (median = 74years) adults followed from 1981 to 2010 (median = 13years) and calculated risk estimates using Cox regression analysis in two age groups (<75 and 75+ years) in men and women separately. Dementia status was determined from in-person evaluations, followup questionnaires, hospital data, and death certificates. In the older women, current users of blood pressure medication at baseline had a 26% increased risk of dementia (95% CI 1.06–1.51). In the younger men, those with untreated hypertension and those with past use of blood pressure medication use had about a 30% nonsignificant increased risk of dementia. High blood pressure and its treatment appear to have different effects in men and women and in the old and older.
Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling of Cytoskeletal Proteins: Molecular Mechanism and Biological Significance
Authors: Kumeta Masahiro , Yoshimura Shige H. , Hejna James , Takeyasu Kunio
Published: December 2011

Various nuclear functional complexes contain cytoskeletal proteins as regulatory subunits; for example, nuclear actin participates in transcriptional complexes, and actin-related proteins are integral to chromatin remodeling complexes. Nuclear complexes such as these are involved in both basal and adaptive nuclear functions. In addition to nuclear import via classical nuclear transport pathways or passive diffusion, some large cytoskeletal proteins spontaneously migrate into the nucleus in a karyopherin-independent manner. The balance of nucleocytoplasmic distribution of such proteins can be altered by several factors, such as import versus export, or capture and release by complexes. The resulting accumulation or depletion of the nuclear populations thereby enhances or attenuates their nuclear functions. We propose that such molecular dynamics constitute a form of cytoskeleton-modulated regulation of nuclear functions which is mediated by the translocation of cytoskeletal components in and out of the nucleus.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in the Elderly
Authors: Mediavilla García Juan Diego , Jaén Águila Fernando , Fernández Torres Celia , Gil Extremera Blas , Jiménez Alonso Juan
Published: December 2011

The incidence of hypertension is high in the elderly and is present in 2/3 of the patients older than 65 years. Prevalence can reach 90% in patients older than 80 years. The presence of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is characteristic of this population. However, the prevalence of hypertension by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is not well known. In this study, we analyzed the special characteristics of hypertension in this population, giving special emphasis on ABPM readings.
Selective Tumor Hypoxia Targeting by Hypoxia-Activated Prodrug TH-302 Inhibits Tumor Growth in Preclinical Models of Cancer
Authors: Sun Jessica D. , Liu Qian , Wang Jingli , Ahluwalia Dharmendra , Ferraro Damien , Wang Yan , Duan Jian-Xin , Ammons W. Steve , Curd John G. , Matteucci Mark D. , Hart Charles P.
Published: December 2011

Purpose: Tumor hypoxia underlies treatment failure and yields a more aggressive, invasive, and metastatic cancer phenotype. TH-302 is a 2-nitroimidazole triggered hypoxia-activated prodrug of the cytotoxin bromo-isophosphoramide mustard (Br-IPM). The purpose of this study is to characterize the antitumor activity of TH-302 and investigate its selective targeting of the hypoxic cells in human tumor xenograft models.

Experimental Design: Antitumor efficacy was assessed by tumor growth kinetics or by clonogenic survival of isolated cells after tumor excision. Hypoxic fractions (HF) were determined by immunohistochemistry and morphometrics of pimonidazole staining. Tumor hypoxia levels were manipulated by exposing animals to different oxygen concentration breathing conditions. The localization and kinetics of TH-302 induced DNA damage was determined by γH2AX immunohistochemistry.

Results: TH-302 antitumor activity was dose-dependent and correlated with total drug exposure. Correlation was found between antitumor activity and tumor HF across 11 xenograft models. Tumor-bearing animals breathing 95% O2 exhibited attenuated TH-302 efficacy, with whereas those breathing 10% O2 exhibited enhanced TH-302 efficacy, both compared with air (21% O2) breathing. TH-302 treatment resulted in a reduction in the volume of the HF 48 hours after dosing and a corresponding increase in the necrotic fraction. TH-302 induced DNA damage as measured by γH2AX was initially only present in the hypoxic regions and then radiated to the entire tumor in a time-dependent manner, consistent with TH-302 having a “bystander effect.”

Conclusions: The results show that TH-302 has broad antitumor activity and selectively targets hypoxic tumor tissues. Clin Cancer Res; 18(3); 758–70. ©2011 AACR.
Predictors of Repeated Emergency Department Visits among Persons Treated for Addiction
Authors: Hansagi Helen , Engdahl Barbro , Romelsjö Anders
Published: December 2011

Background/Aims: To determine whether frequent emergency department (ED) users who enter specialized treatment programs for alcohol and/or drug problems have any characteristics that predict their future ED use. Methods: Adult patients (783 alcohol users, 405 illicit drug users) were interviewed. Data from the medical database on utilization of ED and the emergency departments’ specific units for addictive diseases (EDAD) 12 months before and 12 months after the interview were linked with patient characteristics in logistic regression models. Results: Among alcohol users, prior ED/EDAD visits predicted repeat future visits to these sites (OR 11.6; 95% CI 6.5–20.5). Prior inpatient hospital care with addiction diagnosis was a predictor of future multiple visits to the EDAD only (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.5–6.5). Among drug users, predictors of future ED/EDAD visits were use of heroin (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.4–5.4) and prior ED/EDAD visits (OR 27.3; 95% CI 12.7–58.4). Drug users’ EDAD utilization was also predicted by inpatient hospital care with addiction diagnosis. Conclusion: The strongest predictive factors of visiting ED repeatedly were previous repeat emergency care use and hospitalization with addiction diagnosis. Entering regular addiction treatment does not appear to alter the pattern of ED utilization.
Neuromuscular Blockade with Rocuronium Bromide Increases the Tolerance of Acute Normovolemic Anemia in Anesthetized Pigs
Authors: Pape A. , Kertscho H. , Stein P. , Lossen M. , Horn O. , Kutschker S. , Zwissler B. , Habler O.
Published: December 2011

Background: The patient’s individual anemia tolerance is pivotal when blood transfusions become necessary, but are not feasible for some reason. To date, the effects of neuromuscular blockade (NMB) on anemia tolerance have not been investigated. Methods: 14 anesthetized and mechanically ventilated pigs were randomly assigned to the Roc group (3.78 mg/kg rocuronium bromide followed by continuous infusion of 1 mg/kg/min, n = 7) or to the Sal group (administration of the corresponding volume of normal saline, n = 7). Subsequently, acute normovolemic anemia was induced by simultaneous exchange of whole blood for a 6% hydroxyethyl starch solution (130/0.4) until a sudden decrease of total body O2 consumption (VO2) indicated a critical limitation of O2 transport capacity. The Hb concentration quantified at this time point (Hbcrit) was the primary endpoint of the protocol. Secondary endpoints were parameters of hemodynamics, O2 transport and tissue oxygenation. Results: Hbcrit was significantly lower in the Roc group (2.4 ± 0.5 vs. 3.2 ± 0.7 g/dl) reflecting increased anemia tolerance. NMB with rocuronium bromide reduced skeletal muscular VO2 and total body O2 extraction rate. As the cardiac index increased simultaneously, total body VO2 only decreased marginally in the Roc group (change of VO2 relative to baseline –1.7 ± 0.8 vs. 3.2 ± 1.9% in the Sal group, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Deep NMB with rocuronium bromide increases the tolerance of acute normovolemic anemia. The underlying mechanism most likely involves a reduction of skeletal muscular VO2. During acellular treatment of an acute blood loss, NMB might play an adjuvant role in situations where profound stages of normovolemic anemia have to be tolerated (e.g. bridging an unexpected blood loss until blood products become available for transfusion).
Using Core Public Health Functions to Promote BRCA Best Practices among Health Plans
Authors: Duquette D. , Lewis K. , McLosky J. , Bach J.
Published: December 2011

Objective: The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Cancer Genomics Program sought to increase the number of health plans with a written policy aligned with the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Grade B Recommendation stating that women whose family history is associated with an increased risk for deleterious mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 be referred for genetic counseling and evaluation for BRCA testing. Methods: Through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MDCH with health plan partners utilized multiple methods (i.e. surveillance, education, federal and state policies, partnerships, and dissemination) to increase the number of health plans with a written policy aligned with the USPSTF Grade B BRCA Recommendation between 2008 and 2011. Results: Since 2008, the number of health plans that have policies consistent with USPSTF Grade B BRCA Recommendation in Michigan increased from 4 to 11. These 11 health plans provide coverage to over 7 million Michigan residents. Honors were bestowed by MDCH to these 11 health plans for their exemplary written policies. Conclusions: MDCH has implemented a novel and effective approach to promote cancer genomics best practices through health plan policies that serves as a model for federal and state agencies.
AMH Gene Mutations in Two Egyptian Families with Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome
Authors: Mazen I. , Abdel Hamid M.S. , El-Gammal M. , Aref A. , Amr K.
Published: December 2011

The anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) is responsible for regression of müllerian ducts during male sexual differentiation. Mutations in the AMH gene or its type II receptor gene AMHR2 lead to persistence of the uterus and fallopian tubes in male children, i.e. persistent müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS). Both conditions are transmitted according to an autosomal recessive pattern and are symptomatic only in males. We report on 2 unrelated Egyptian consanguineous families with PMDS. The first family comprised 3 affected prepubertal sibs complaining of undescended testes. Pelvic exploration and laparotomy revealed müllerian duct derivatives. The other family was presenting with an adolescent male with impalpable left testis, and pelvic exploration showed remnants of fallopian tubes and rudimentary uterus. AMH levels were very low and almost undetectable in all affected patients in both families. Direct sequencing of the coding region of the AMH gene identified 2 homozygous mutations in exon 1, R95X in the first family and V12G in the second family. These data confirmed the autosomal recessive type of PMDS. Molecular investigation of this rare disorder in a larger number of cases with undescended testes in Egypt is warranted for proper diagnosis and genetic counseling.
Transanal Single-Port Surgery for the Resection of Large Polyps
Authors: van den Boezem P.B. , Kruyt P.M. , Stommel M.W.J. , Tobon Morales R. , Cuesta M.A. , Sietses C.
Published: December 2011

Introduction: Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is widely used for the excision of both benign and malignant rectal tumours. It is relatively expensive and can be a challenging technique. A recent development in laparoscopic surgery is the single-port technique (single-incision laparoscopic surgery, SILS). The SILS port is a flexible multichannel port for transumbilical laparoscopic surgery. Even though not developed for transanal use the port could be ideal because of its shape and texture. Methods: 12 patients underwent transanal resection using an SILS port and normal laparoscopic instruments. Results: 10 out of 12 patients were treated successfully with the SILS port. Two polyps were resected using an open transanal technique because the distance between the SILS port and the polyp was too small. The average operative time was 55 min (range 40–80 min). All patients could be discharged on the first postoperative day. There were no major complications. Conclusion: Our current data show that transanal surgery using a single port is a relatively easy procedure with operative times comparable to TEM. More surgeons will therefore be able to perform transanal endoscopic surgery.
Most Read in Cardiovascular Genetics on Biomarkers, Inherited Cardiomyopathies and Arrhythmias, Metabolomics, and Genomics
Authors:   The Editors
Published: December 2011

The following articles are being highlighted as part of
Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics'
Topic Review series. This series summarizes the most important manuscripts, as selected by the editors, that have been published in
Circulation
and the
Circulation
subspecialty journals. The studies included here represent the most-read articles published on the topic of biomarkers, inherited cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias, metabolomics, and genomics in 2009 and 2010.
Cytochrome P450 1B1 Contributes to Renal Dysfunction and Damage Caused by Angiotensin II in Mice
Authors: Jennings Brett L. , Anderson Larry J. , Estes Anne M. , Yaghini Fariborz A. , Fang Xiao R. , Porter Jason , Gonzalez Frank J. , Campbell William B. , Malik Kafait U.
Published: December 2011

Cytochrome P450 1B1 contributes to the development of angiotensin II–induced hypertension and associated cardiovascular pathophysiology. In view of the critical role of angiotensin II in the kidney, as well as in salt and water homeostasis, and blood pressure regulation, we determined the contribution of cytochrome P450 1B1 to renal dysfunction and injury associated with angiotensin II–induced hypertension in male

Cyp1b1
+/+

and

Cyp1b1
−
/

−

mice. Angiotensin II infusion (700 ng/kg per minute) given by miniosmotic pumps for 13 and 28 days increased systolic blood pressure in

Cyp1b1
+/+

mice; this increase was significantly reduced in

Cyp1b1
−
/

−

mice. Angiotensin II increased renal
Cyp1b1
activity, vascular resistance, and reactivity to vasoconstrictor agents and caused endothelial dysfunction in

Cyp1b1
+/+

but not

Cyp1b1
−
/

−

mice. Angiotensin II increased water consumption and urine output, decreased urine osmolality, increased urinary Na
+
and K
+
excretion, and caused proteinuria and albuminuria in

Cyp1b1
+/+

mice that was diminished in

Cyp1b1
−
/

−

mice. Infusion of angiotensin II for 28 but not 13 days caused renal fibrosis, tubular damage, and inflammation in

Cyp1b1
+/+

mice, which was minimized in

Cyp1b1
−
/

−

mice. Angiotensin II increased levels of 12- and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids; reactive oxygen species; and activity of NADPH oxidase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and c-Src in the kidneys of

Cyp1b1
+/+

but not

Cyp1b1
−
/

−

mice. These data suggest that increased thirst, renal dysfunction, and injury and inflammation associated with angiotensin II–induced hypertension in mice depend on cytochrome P450 1B1 activity, thus indicating that cytochrome P450 1B1 could serve as a novel target for treating renal disease and hypertension.
p47
phox
Is Required for Afferent Arteriolar Contractile Responses to Angiotensin II and Perfusion Pressure in Mice
Authors: Lai En Yin , Solis Glenn , Luo Zaiming , Carlstrom Mattias , Sandberg Kathryn , Holland Steven , Wellstein Anton , Welch William J. , Wilcox Christopher S.
Published: December 2011

Myogenic and angiotensin contractions of afferent arterioles generate reactive oxygen species. Resistance vessels express neutrophil oxidase-2 and -4. Angiotensin II activates p47
phox
/neutrophil oxidase-2, whereas it downregulates NOX-4. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that p47
phox
enhances afferent arteriolar angiotensin contractions. Angiotensin II infusion in p47
phox
+/+ but not −/− mice increased renal cortical NADPH oxidase activity (7±1–12±1 [
P
<0.01] versus 5±1–7±1 10
3
· RLU · min
−1
· μg protein
−1
[
P
value not significant]), mean arterial pressure (77±2–91±2 [
P
<0.005] versus 74±2–77±1 mm Hg [
P
value not significant]), and renal vascular resistance (7.5±0.4–10.1±0.7 [
P
<0.01] versus 7.9±0.4–8.3±0.4 mm Hg/mL · min
−1
· gram kidney weight
−1
[
P
value not significant]). Afferent arterioles from p47
phox
−/− mice had a lesser myogenic response (3.1±0.4 versus 1.4±0.2 dynes · cm
−1
· mm Hg
−1
;
P
<0.02) and a lesser (
P
<0.05) contraction to 10
−6
M angiotensin II (diameter change +/+: 9.3±0.2–3.4±0.6 μm versus −/−: 9.9±0.6–7.5±0.4 μm). Angiotensin and increased perfusion pressure generated significantly (
P
<0.05) more reactive oxygen species in p47
phox
+/+ than −/− arterioles. Angiotensin II infusion increased the maximum responsiveness of afferent arterioles from p47
phox
+/+ mice to 10
−6
M angiotensin II yet decreased the response in p47
phox
−/− mice. The angiotensin infusion increased the sensitivity to angiotensin II only in p47
phox
+/+ mice. We conclude that p47
phox
is required to enhance renal NADPH oxidase activity and basal afferent arteriolar myogenic and angiotensin II contractions and to switch afferent arteriolar tachyphylaxis to sensitization to angiotensin during a prolonged angiotensin infusion. These effects likely contribute to hypertension and renal vasoconstriction during infusion of angiotensin II.
Cardiovascular Biomarker Midregional Proatrial Natriuretic Peptide During and After Preeclamptic Pregnancies
Authors: Sugulle Meryam , Herse Florian , Hering Lydia , Mockel Martin , Dechend Ralf , Staff Anne Cathrine
Published: December 2011

Preeclampsia is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Midregional proatrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), a precursor of the atrial natriuretic peptide, is a biomarker for cardiovascular disease. We obtained plasma from 184 pregnant women in gestational weeks 24 to 42 (normotensive pregnancies: n=77, preeclampsia: n=107), from 25 of these women at 5 to 8 years after index pregnancy (normotensive pregnancies: n=11, preeclampsia: n=14), and from 49 normotensive, nonpregnant women and analyzed them by immunoassay for MR-proANP. To investigate potential sources, placental and decidual atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA expression levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR in 21 normotensive and 23 preeclamptic pregnancies, as well as in human heart and kidney samples. For further confirmation, we measured circulating MR-proANP and performed expression studies in a transgenic rat model for preeclampsia. MR-proANP was significantly elevated in maternal plasma in preeclampsia compared with normotensive pregnancies (135 versus 56 pmol/L;
P
<0.001). However, 5 to 8 years after pregnancy, there was no difference (formerly preeclamptic women versus formerly normotensive in pregnancy: 53 versus 49 pmol/L;
P
=0.5). Our preeclamptic rat model confirmed the acute MR-proANP differences between preeclamptic and normotensive pregnancies (10.9±1.9 versus 4.3±0.3 pmol/L;
P
=0.05). Atrial natriuretic peptide expression was high in the heart but negligible in the uteroplacental unit in both normotensive humans and rats, whereas expression in maternal and fetal hearts in the preeclamptic rats was significantly increased, compared with controls. MR-proANP is a serviceable biomarker in preeclampsia, both in humans and a rat model, probably reflecting cardiovascular hemodynamic stress.
Visuo-haptic Neuronal Convergence Demonstrated with an Inversely Effective Pattern of BOLD Activation
Authors: Kim Sunah , Stevenson Ryan A. , James Thomas W.
Published: December 2011

We investigated the neural substrates involved in visuo-haptic neuronal convergence using an additive-factors design in combination with fMRI. Stimuli were explored under three sensory modality conditions: viewing the object through a mirror without touching (V), touching the object with eyes closed (H), or simultaneously viewing and touching the object (VH). This modality factor was crossed with a task difficulty factor, which had two levels. On the basis of an idea similar to the principle of inverse effectiveness, we predicted that increasing difficulty would increase the relative level of multisensory gain in brain regions where visual and haptic sensory inputs converged. An ROI analysis focused on the lateral occipital tactile–visual area found evidence of inverse effectiveness in the left lateral occipital tactile–visual area, but not in the right. A whole-brain analysis also found evidence for the same pattern in the anterior aspect of the intraparietal sulcus, the premotor cortex, and the posterior insula, all in the left hemisphere. In conclusion, this study is the first to demonstrate visuo-haptic neuronal convergence based on an inversely effective pattern of brain activation.
Closing the Gates to Consciousness: Distractors Activate a Central Inhibition Process
Authors: Niedeggen Michael , Michael Lars , Hesselmann Guido
Published: December 2011

The paradigm of distractor-induced blindness has previously been used to track the transition from unconscious to conscious visual processing. In a variation of this paradigm used in this study, participants (n = 13) had to detect an orientation change of tilted bars (target) embedded in a dynamic random pattern; the onset of the target was signaled by the presentation of a color cue. Occasional orientation changes preceding the cue served as distractors and severely impaired the target's detection. ERPs showed that a frontal negativity was cumulatively activated by the distractors, and early sensory components were not affected. In a control condition, the target was defined by a coherent motion of the bars. Orientation changes preceding the motion target did not affect its detection, and the frontal suppression process was not observed. However, we obtained a significant reduction of the sensory components. The data support the notion that distractors that share the target's features trigger a cumulative inhibition process preventing the conscious representation of the inhibited features. Explorative source modeling suggests that this process originates in the pFC. A top–down modulation of sensory processing could not be observed.
Using a Business Process Model as a Central Organizing Construct for an Undergraduate Weather Forecasting Course
Authors: Lanicci John M.
Published: December 2011

For the last five years, the author has employed a business process model as a central organizing construct for the senior-level Forecasting Techniques course at Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach, Florida, campus. The process model allows weather analysis and forecasting to be examined as both a scientific process and a business operation, with emphasis on employing a user-focused approach. The use of the model arose from the need for an organizing context for the students, mostly seniors applying their knowledge from previous coursework, most of whom are learning to make their first weather forecasts. The process model used in the present version of the course evolved from one originally developed by the U.S. Air Force to describe weather information's value-added contributions to daily operations. The model consists of two major interrelated components: the weather information processing cycle (WIPC) and the provider–user relationship (PUR). The WIPC describes the analysis/forecast process from the scientific point of view, whereas the PUR examines the relationship between the provider and user of meteorological information. The WIPC uses familiar concepts such as data collection, analysis, and prediction, whereas the PUR introduces the students to complex (and seldom taught) topics such as user requirements and mission analyses. The process model also provides a framework for the final project, a case-study analysis that emphasizes not only the weather associated with the event but also its resulting impact on the affected population.
Isotopic Signal of Earlier Summer Monsoon Onset in the Bay of Bengal
Authors: Yang Xiaoxin , Yao Tandong , Yang Wulin , Xu Baiqing , He You , Qu Dongmei
Published: December 2011

The onset of the Asian summer monsoon is noticeably controversial, spatially and temporally. The stable oxygen isotope δ18O in precipitation has long been used to trace water vapor source, particularly to capture the summer monsoon precipitation signal. The abrupt decrease of precipitation δ18O in the Asian summer monsoon region closely corresponds to the summer monsoon onset. Two stations have therefore been set up at Guangzhou and Lulang in the East Asian summer monsoon domain to clarify the summer monsoon onset dates. Event-based precipitation δ18O during 2007/08 is much lower at Lulang than at Guangzhou and is attributable mainly to the altitude effect offset by different isotopic compositions in marine moisture sources. The earlier appearance of low δ18Owt at Lulang than at Guangzhou confirms the earlier summer monsoon onset in the Bay of Bengal. Isotopically identified summer monsoon evolutions from precipitation δ18O at both stations are verifiable with NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data, indicating that precipitation δ18O offers an alternative approach to studying the summer monsoon circulation from precipitation δ18O.
Intraseasonal Predictability of Siberian High and East Asian Winter Monsoon and Its Interdecadal Variability
Authors: Chang Chih-Pei , Lu Mong-Ming
Published: December 2011

Current skill in the seasonal prediction of the Asian monsoon falls rapidly north of 40°N, where the Siberian high (SH) is a prominent manifestation of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM). Variations in the SH are closely related to winter weather over a large latitudinal span from northern Asia to the equator. Here it is shown that during the three recent decades the SH had an intraseasonal variation that tended to be seasonally synchronized, which produced an out-of-phase relationship between November and December/January. This implies a special intraseasonal predictability that did not exist in the two previous decades. If this relationship continues, the EAWM will be the only known major circulation system whose intensity can be predicted to reverse from the previous month. It is hypothesized that this predictability is related to the reduced frequency of blocking events during the positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation (AO). While this suggests the predictability may diminish if the AO phase is reversed, it may become more prevalent in the future if the prediction of more frequent positive AO-like patterns in a warming world forced by greenhouse gases is borne out.
Curriculum Leadership in a Conservative Era
Authors: Ylimaki Rose M.
Published: December 2011

Purpose: The purpose is to examine how recent conservative cultural political shifts have affected the meanings of curriculum leadership in schools. The author examines four principals in the wake of the No Child Left Behind Act and other related policies and trends. Design: This is a critical ethnographic study of principals’ curriculum leadership in four northeastern U.S. elementary schools. All four principals were highly aware of the politics surrounding curriculum decision making, pedagogy, and assessments. The researcher conducted monthly observations and interviews with the four principals, teachers, parents, and students from the fall of 2003 to the spring of 2006. Furthermore, interviews were conducted with the superintendent and community members who were involved in curriculum issues. Findings: Drawing on a theoretical framework at the intersection of educational leadership, curriculum theory, and cultural politics, the data revealed two categories of curriculum leadership in a conservative era—namely, new professional curriculum leadership and critical curriculum leadership. These curriculum leadership categories emerged over time and were constructed in relation to “other” curriculum leaders and broader cultural political shifts. Implications and Significance: There is growing interest in curriculum leadership among educational administration and curriculum scholars as well as practitioners. Although instructional or curriculum leadership has been studied extensively in educational administration, these studies do not explicitly consider curriculum theory or the role of politics. In curriculum studies, leadership has received little attention. Findings from this study suggest the need for a new field of curriculum leadership at the intersection of educational administration and curriculum studies.
School Principal Stressors and a Stress Alleviation Strategy Based on Controlled Breathing
Authors: van der Merwe Hettie , Parsotam Anila
Published: December 2011

School principals experience high levels of stress that hamper their self-efficacy and inhibit their executive control capacities. The main stressors that school principals encounter, their reactions to stress and the influence of controlled breathing on their stress relief were investigated by means of a mixed-methods research approach. With a structured questionnaire, participants’ levels of stress were compared before and after attendance of a workshop based on controlled breathing. Participants’ main stressors, their reaction to stress and the influence of controlled breathing on their stress relief were investigated through individual interviewing. It was found that school principals’ main stressors related to extensive workloads carried out in an environment of resource constraints. The regular practising of controlled breathing resulted in a decrease of the levels of stress experienced with main improvements related to revitalized energy levels, restored clarity of thinking and improved interpersonal relationships. The findings contribute to research on school principals’ main stressors and constructive ways of stress relief within the school environment.
Becoming Teachers of Inner-City Students
Authors: Jupp James C. , Slattery G. Patrick
Published: December 2011

Broadly speaking, this reflection approaches the on-going concern of capacitating an overwhelmingly White teaching profession for effectively teaching inner-city students attending de facto segregated schools. Using professional identifications, this reflection presents narrativized understanding of respondents’ becoming committed teachers of inner-city students through identification creativity driven by alternative masculinity. Respondents’ professional identifications, articulating identification creativity, provide an understanding of curriculum wisdom for teaching in inner-city schools that includes race visibility, difference within difference, and relational-experiential pedagogy. Last, this reflection urges researchers toward a second wave of White teacher identity studies based on directions emerging in this research.
If You Build It, They Will Come
Authors: Marvul John N.
Published: December 2011

To assess whether a 5-month program involving attendance monitoring, sports participation, and a moral character class would reduce absenteeism, 40 students in a small transitional high school were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups and assessed pre- and postintervention on educational expectations, attitude toward education, and emotional, cognitive, behavioral engagement, and attendance. Findings indicated significant differences between intervention and control groups on all predictor variables. Absenteeism was significantly and negatively related to all predictor variables. The program successfully reduced absenteeism, increased educational expectations, attitude toward education and engagement.
Transnational Computer Use in Urban Latino Immigrant Communities
Authors: Sánchez Patricia , Salazar Malena
Published: December 2011

This article examines the ways in which transnational Latino immigrants in urban communities use computer technology. Drawing from a 3-year ethnographic study, it focuses on three second-generation transnational female youth, their families, and members of their respective immigrant networks. Data were collected in both the United States and Mexico. Findings point to the ways in which urban Latino immigrants acquire technology and use this practice in binational, bilingual contexts. In addition, this research informs what we know about the digital divide, especially regarding bilingual Latino immigrants—a group sorely underrepresented in the literature on technology, communities, and schools. Implications for teaching are also addressed.
Accountability, Fiscal Management, and Student Achievement in East St. Louis, Illinois 1994-2006
Authors: O’Malley Michael P. , Roseboro Donyell L. , Hunt John
Published: December 2011

This instrumental case study reviews the 1994-2004 period of state financial oversight in East St. Louis, Illinois School District 189, with a secondary review of the initial years of NCLB implementation. Although the oversight panel’s fiscal management did generate financial stability, case findings indicate that its accountability processes did not result in sustained improvements in student achievement indicators despite anticipated links between the two in the panel’s reporting. Furthermore, the oversight process operated as a hierarchical structure without identification of cultural implications. Attention to culture and subsidiarity are indicated for future state–district partnerships oriented toward urban educational reform.
Opening the Black Box
Authors: Taymans Juliana , Tindle Kathleen , Freund Maxine , Ortiz Deanna , Harris Lindsay
Published: December 2011

The George Washington University’s Urban Initiative Professional Development School (UI-PDS) partnership used interviews, surveys, focus groups, and observations to research its effectiveness in preparing urban educators. The research conducted with UI-PDS preservice teachers and first year graduates, indicates they were well equipped to meet the challenges of urban teaching. They plan and implement lessons relative to students’ diverse backgrounds, interests, and skills while engage in student advocacy and collaboration. This research also attempted to unravel the components of the UI-PDS program that contributed to these outcomes. Identified components included daily teaching responsibilities, on-site support, collaborative practice, and participant’s personal attributes.
Missing Voices
Authors: Krueger James S. , Pedraza Francisco I.
Published: December 2011

Public opinion studies on war attitudes say little about civilians who are related to military service members. The authors argue that military “service-connected” individuals are missing voices in the research that examines public support for war. Using over 50,000 observations from the 2010 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, the authors estimate attitudes toward the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, and the use of US military troops in general. The authors find that service-connected civilians express greater support for war and the use of troops than civilians without such a connection. This study discusses the implications of these findings for theoretical advancements in the literature addressing war attitudes and the conceptualization of the “civil–military gap.”
The state of iSchools: an analysis of academic research and graduate education
Authors: Wu Dan , He Daqing , Jiang Jiepu , Dong Wuyi , Vo Kim Thien
Published: December 2011

The emergence of the iSchool movement and the establishment of iSchools have helped to reshape the landscape of the library and information science (LIS) discipline. In this article, based on a set of research questions focusing around the research and education efforts of about 25 iSchools, we performed a study using both quantitative and qualitative methods on publically available data obtained from the web. Our results show that iSchools share the same vision and mission of working on relationships between information, people and technology, and have established themselves as the appropriate institutions for researchers from diverse subject areas to study this interdisciplinary integration. Overall, we are seeing an emerging iSchool identity and a defining iField, but there are still many important developments to make.
Global Capitalism Theory and the Emergence of Transnational Elites
Authors: Robinson William I.
Published: December 2011

The class and social structure of developing nations has undergone profound transformation in recent decades as each nation has incorporated into an increasingly integrated global production and financial system. National elites have experienced a new fractionation. Emergent transnationally-oriented elites grounded in globalized circuits of accumulation compete with older nationally-oriented elites grounded in more protected and often state-guided national and regional circuits. Nationally-oriented elites are often dependent on the social reproduction of at least a portion of the popular and working classes for the reproduction of their own status, and therefore on local development processes however so defined, whereas transnationally-oriented elites are less dependent on such local social reproduction. The shift in dominant power relations from nationally- to transnationally-oriented elites is reflected in a concomitant shift to a discourse from one that defines development as national industrialization and expanded consumption to one that defines it in terms of global market integration.
The logic of security markets: Security governance in failed states
Authors: Branović Željko , Chojnacki Sven
Published: December 2011

This article presents a theoretical framework with which to discuss how non-state modes of security governance evolve in the context of state failure and/or collapse. To address this issue, we present the logic of security markets, which assumes that the evolution of security governance by non-state groups in failed states is a function of both resource availability and the strategies that armed groups apply to extract resources from the civilian population. Axiomatically, we expect that in the short term the central purpose for the use of force is survival and achieving the ability to finance one’s capabilities to use force, although ultimately this also includes the seizure and control of territory. The main argument is that the changing competitive conditions in security markets – which we measure in terms of the total number of violent groups and their organizational design, size and strength – explain the rationales behind the decisions of armed groups either to use violence against the civilian population or to invest in the provision of security.
Ethical interventions: Non-lethal weapons and the governance of insecurity
Authors: Anaïs Seantel
Published: December 2011

This article employs some of the theoretical and methodological tools devised by Michel Foucault to explore the political rationale suggested by the proliferation and use of a class of weapons collectively referred to as ‘non-lethal’. The invention and continued use of non-lethal weapons has been treated in existing literature as an ethical crisis. This article connects the emergence of non-lethal weaponry to the mobilization of a sense of ethical crisis concerning the humane treatment of civilians and combatants in conflicts in the United States and beyond. Policies related to non-lethal weaponry, along with the practices that they engender, are also explored in relation to the notion of ‘partial citizenship’. Offering a contribution to the genealogy of non-lethal weapons, this article traces their involvement in the policing by US military agents of a variety of sites, actors, and contexts outside of the theater of war.