bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A family of variable step-size affine projection adaptive filter algorithms using statistics of channel impulse response
Authors: Shams Esfand Abadi Mohammad , AbbasZadeh Arani Seyed Ali Asghar
Published: November 2011

This paper extends the recently introduced variable step-size (VSS) approach to the family of adaptive filter algorithms. This method uses prior knowledge of the channel impulse response statistic. Accordingly, optimal step-size vector is obtained by minimizing the mean-square deviation (MSD). The presented algorithms are the VSS affine projection algorithm (VSS-APA), the VSS selective partial update NLMS (VSS-SPU-NLMS), the VSS-SPU-APA, and the VSS selective regressor APA (VSS-SR-APA). In VSS-SPU adaptive algorithms the filter coefficients are partially updated which reduce the computational complexity. In VSS-SR-APA, the optimal selection of input regressors is performed during the adaptation. The presented algorithms have good convergence speed, low steady state mean square error (MSE), and low computational complexity features. We demonstrate the good performance of the proposed algorithms through several simulations in system identification scenario.
Inhibition of p38-MAPK Signaling Pathway Attenuates Breast Cancer Induced Bone Pain and Disease Progression in a Murine Model of Cancer-Induced Bone Pain
Authors: Sukhtankar Devki , Okun Alec , Chandramouli Anupama , Nelson Mark A , Vanderah Todd W , Cress Anne E , Porreca Frank , King Tamara
Published: November 2011

Background:

Mechanisms driving cancer-induced bone pain are poorly understood. A central factor implicated to be a key player in the process of tumorigenesis, osteoclastogenesis and nociception is p38 MAPK. We determined the role of p38 MAPK in a mouse model of breast cancer induced bone pain in which mixed osteolytic and osteoblastic remodeling occurs.

Results:

In cancer-treated mice, acute as well as chronic inhibition of p38 MAPK with SB203580 blocked flinching and guarding behaviors in a dose-dependent manner whereas no effect on thresholds to tactile stimuli was observed. Radiographic analyses of bones demonstrated that chronic inhibition of p38 MAPK reduced bone loss and incidence of spontaneous fracture in cancer-treated mice. Histological analysis of bones collected from mice treated with the p38 MAPK inhibitor showed complete absence of osteoblastic growth in the intramedullary space as well as significantly reduced tumor burden.

Conclusions:

Blockade of non-evoked pain behaviors but not hypersensitivity suggests differences in the underlying mechanisms of specific components of the pain syndrome and a possibility to individualize aspects of pain management. While it is not known whether the role of p38 MAPK signaling can be expanded to other cancers, the data suggest a need for understanding molecular mechanisms and cellular events that initiate and maintain cancer-induced bone pain for effective management for both ongoing pain as well as breakthrough pain.
Ethnobotanical investigation of 'wild' food plants used by rice farmers in Kalasin, Northeast Thailand
Authors: Cruz-Garcia Gisella S , Price Lisa L
Published: November 2011

Background

Wild food plants are a critical component in the subsistence system of rice farmers in Northeast Thailand. One of the important characteristics of wild plant foods among farming households is that the main collection locations are increasingly from anthropogenic ecosystems such as agricultural areas rather than pristine ecosystems. This paper provides selected results from a study of wild food conducted in several villages in Northeast Thailand. A complete botanical inventory of wild food plants from these communities and surrounding areas is provided including their diversity of growth forms, the different anthropogenic locations were these species grow and the multiplicity of uses they have.

Methods

Data was collected using focus groups and key informant interviews with women locally recognized as knowledgeable about contemporarily gathered plants. Plant species were identified by local taxonomists.

Results

A total of 87 wild food plants, belonging to 47 families were reported, mainly trees, herbs (terrestrial and aquatic) and climbers. Rice fields constitute the most important growth location where 70% of the plants are found, followed by secondary woody areas and home gardens. The majority of species (80%) can be found in multiple growth locations, which is partly explained by villagers moving selected species from one place to another and engaging in different degrees of management. Wild food plants have multiple edible parts varying from reproductive structures to vegetative organs. More than two thirds of species are reported as having diverse additional uses and more than half of them are also regarded as medicine.

Conclusions

This study shows the remarkable importance of anthropogenic areas in providing wild food plants. This is reflected in the great diversity of species found, contributing to the food and nutritional security of rice farmers in Northeast Thailand.
Coordinated increase of γ-secretase reaction products in the plasma of some female Japanese sporadic Alzheimer's disease patients: quantitative analysis of p3-Alcα with a new ELISA system
Authors: Konno Tomoko , Hata Saori , Hamada Yukiko , Horikoshi-Sakuraba Yuko , Nakaya Tadashi , Saito Yuhki , Yamamoto Tohru , Yamamoto Takayuki , Maeda Masahiro , Ikeuchi Takeshi , Gandy Sam , Akatsu Hiroyasu , Suzuki Toshiharu ,   the Japanese Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: November 2011

Background

Aggregatable amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and non-aggregatable p3-Alcα are metabolic products of the γ-secretase cleavage of amyloid β-protein precursor (APP) and Alcadeinα (Alcα), respectively. Familial AD (FAD) -linked mutations in the presenilin 1 or 2 (PS1 or PS2) component of γ-secretase can cause alternative intramembranous processing of APP and Alcα, leading to a coordinated generation of variants of both Aβ and p3-Alcα. Variant Alcα peptides have been observed in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with mild cognitive impairment and sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since, like APP, Alcα is largely expressed in brain, one might predict that alternative processing of Alcα would be reflected in body fluids of some AD patients. These patients with misprocessing of multiple γ-secretase substrates might define an endophenotype of p3-Alcα, in whom AD is due either to dysfunction of γ-secretase or to a disorder of the clearance of hydrophobic peptides such as those derived from transmembrane domains.

Results

We developed a simple procedure for extraction of p3-Alcα from plasma and for analyzing this extract in a sensitive, p3-Alcα-specific sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system. Plasma p3-Alcα levels and Aβ40 levels were examined in sporadic AD subjects from two independent Japanese cohorts. In some of these patients, levels of plasma p3-Alcα were significantly higher, and were accompanied by parallel changes in Aβ40 levels. This AD-related difference was more marked in female subjects, but this phenomenon was not observed in subjects with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).

Conclusion

Reagents and procedures have been established that enable extraction of p3-Alcα from plasma and for quantification of plasma p3-Alcα levels by ELISA. Some populations of AD subjects apparently show increased levels of both p3-Alcα and Aβ40. Quantification of p3-Alcα level may be useful as a readily accessible biomarker for a population of sporadic AD patients in which disease pathogenesis is associated with either dysfunction of γ-secretase or with a disorder of the clearance of transmembrane domain-derived peptides.
More expressions of BDNF and TrkB in multiple hepatocellular carcinoma and anti-BDNF or K252a induced apoptosis, supressed invasion of HepG2 and HCCLM3 cells
Authors: Guo Dawei , Hou Xuezhong , Zhang Hongbin , Sun Wenyu , Zhu Lei , Liang Jian , Jiang Xiaofeng
Published: November 2011

Background

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor Tropomysin-related kinase B (TrkB) are commonly up-regulated in a variety of human tumors. However, the roles of BDNF/TrkB in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been poorly investigated.

Methods

We evaluated the expressions of BDNF and TrkB in 65 cases of HCC by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, in human HCC cell lines of HepG2 and high metastatic HCCLM3, the secretory BDNF in supernatant was measured by ELISA, the effects of BDNF neutralizing antibody or Trk tyrosine kinase inhibitor K252a on apoptosis and invasion were examined by flow cytometry and transwell assay respectively.

Results

Higher expression of BDNF (63.1%) or positive expression of TrkB (55.4%) was found in HCC specimens, which was significantly correlated with multiple and advanced stage of HCC. BDNF secretory level in HCCLM3 was higher than that in HepG2 cells. Both anti-BDNF and K252a effectively induced apoptosis and suppressed invasion of HepG2 and HCCLM3 cells.

Conclusions

These findings suggested that BDNF/TrkB are essential for HCC cells survival and invasion. BDNF/TrkB signaling should probably be an effective target to prevent HCC advancement.
CYP1A1 MspI and exon7 gene polymorphisms and lung cancer risk: An updated meta-analysis and review
Authors: Zhan Ping , Wang Qin , Qian Qian , Wei Shu-Zhen , Yu Li-Ke
Published: November 2011

Background

Many studies have examined the association between the CYP1A1 MspI and exon 7 gene polymorphisms and lung cancer risk in various populations, but their results have been inconsistent.

Methods

To assess this relationship more precisely, a meta-analysis and review were performed. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CNKI database was searched for case-control studies published up to June 2010. Data were extracted and pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

Results

Ultimately, 64 studies, comprising 18,397 subjects from 49 case-control studies of the MspI genotype and 18,518 patients from 40 case-control studies of the exon 7 genotype, were included. A significantly elevated lung cancer risk was associated with 2 MspI genotype variants (for type C vs Type A: OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.12-1.42; for types B and C combined vs Type A: OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.13-1.28) in overall population. In the stratified analysis, a significant association was found in Asians, Caucasians, lung SCC, lung AC and Male population, not in mixed population, lung SCLC and Female population. However, inconsistent results were observed for CYP1A1 exon7 in our meta-analysis, two variants of the exon 7 polymorphism were associated with a significantly higher risk for lung cancer (for Val/Val vs Ile/Ile: OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.09-1.42; for (Ile/Val +Val/Val) vs Ile/Ile: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.07-1.24) in overall population. In the stratified analysis, a significant assocation was found in Asians, Caucasians, lung SCC and Female population, not in mixed population, lung AD, lung SCLC and Male population. Additionally, a significant association was found in smoker population and not found in non-smoker populations for CYP1A1 MspI and exon7 gene.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggests that the MspI and exon 7 polymorphisms of CYP1A1 correlate with increased lung cancer susceptibility and there is an interaction between two genotypes of CYP1A1 polymorphism and smoking, but these associations vary in different ethnic populations, histological types of lung caner and gender of case and control population.
Reporting of sex as a variable in cardiovascular studies using cultured cells
Authors: Taylor K Efua , Vallejo-Giraldo Catalina , Schaible Niccole S , Zakeri Rosita , Miller Virginia M
Published: November 2011

Background

Chromosomal complement, including that provided by the sex chromosomes, influences expression of proteins and molecular signaling in every cell. However, less than 50% of the scientific studies published in 2009 using experimental animals reported sex as a biological variable. Because every cell has a sex, we conducted a literature review to determine the extent to which sex is reported as a variable in cardiovascular studies on cultured cells.

Methods

Articles from 10 cardiovascular journals with high impact factors (Circulation, J Am Coll Cardiol, Eur Heart J, Circ Res, Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, Cardiovasc Res, J Mol Cell Cardiol, Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, J Heart Lung Transplant and J Cardiovasc Pharmacol) and published in 2010 were searched using terms 'cultured' and 'cells' in any order to determine if the sex of those cells was reported. Studies using established cell lines were excluded.

Results

Using two separate search strategies, we found that only 25 of 90 articles (28%) and 20 of 101 articles (19.8%) reported the sex of cells. Of those reporting the sex of cells, most (68.9%; n = 31) used only male cells and none used exclusively female cells. In studies reporting the sex of cells of cardiovascular origin, 40% used vascular smooth-muscle cells, and 30% used stem/progenitor cells. In studies using cells of human origin, 35% did not report the sex of those cells. None of the studies using neonatal cardiac myocytes reported the sex of those cells.

Conclusions

The complement of sex chromosomes in cells studied in culture has the potential to affect expression of proteins and 'mechanistic' signaling pathways. Therefore, consistent with scientific excellence, editorial policies should require reporting sex of cells used in in vitro experiments.
Facial emotion processing in major depression: a systematic review of neuroimaging findings
Authors: Stuhrmann Anja , Suslow Thomas , Dannlowski Udo
Published: November 2011

Background

Cognitive models of depression suggest that major depression is characterized by biased facial emotion processing, making facial stimuli particularly valuable for neuroimaging research on the neurobiological correlates of depression. The present review provides an overview of functional neuroimaging studies on abnormal facial emotion processing in major depression. Our main objective was to describe neurobiological differences between depressed patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls (HCs) regarding brain responsiveness to facial expressions and, furthermore, to delineate altered neural activation patterns associated with mood-congruent processing bias and to integrate these data with recent functional connectivity results. We further discuss methodological aspects potentially explaining the heterogeneity of results.

Methods

A Medline search was performed up to August 2011 in order to identify studies on emotional face processing in acutely depressed patients compared with HCs. A total of 25 studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging were reviewed.

Results

The analysis of neural activation data showed abnormalities in MDD patients in a common face processing network, pointing to mood-congruent processing bias (hyperactivation to negative and hypoactivation to positive stimuli) particularly in the amygdala, insula, parahippocampal gyrus, fusiform face area, and putamen. Furthermore, abnormal activation patterns were repeatedly found in parts of the cingulate gyrus and the orbitofrontal cortex, which are extended by investigations implementing functional connectivity analysis. However, despite several converging findings, some inconsistencies are observed, particularly in prefrontal areas, probably caused by heterogeneities in paradigms and patient samples.

Conclusions

Further studies in remitted patients and high-risk samples are required to discern whether the described abnormalities represent state or trait characteristics of depression.
Targeting CEA in Pancreas Cancer Xenografts with a Mutated scFv-Fc Antibody Fragment
Authors: Girgis Mark D , Olafsen Tove , Kenanova Vania , McCabe Katelyn E , Wu Anna M , Tomlinson James S
Published: November 2011

Background

Sensitive antibody-based tumor targeting has the potential not only to image metastatic and micrometastatic disease, but also to be the basis of targeted therapy. The vast majority of pancreas cancers express carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Thus, we sought to evaluate the potential of CEA as a pancreatic cancer target utilizing a rapidly clearing engineered anti-CEA scFv-Fc antibody fragment with a mutation in the Fc region [anti-CEA scFv-Fc H310A].

Methods

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) with the antibody fragment was used to confirm expression of CEA on human pancreas cancer specimens.In vivotumor targeting was evaluated by tail vein injection of I124-labeled anti-CEA scFv-Fc(H310A) into mice harboring CEA-positive and -negative xenografts. MicroPET/CT imaging was performed at successive time intervals. Radioactivity in blood and tumor was measured after the last time point. Additionally, unlabeled anti-CEA scFv-Fc(H310A) was injected into CEA-positive tumor bearing mice andex vivoIHC was performed to identify the presence of the antibody to define the microscopic intratumoral pattern of targeting.

Results

Moderate to strong staining by IHC was noted on 84% of our human pancreatic cancer specimens and was comparable to staining of our xenografts. Pancreas xenograft imaging with the radiolabeled anti-CEA scFv-Fc(H310A) antibody demonstrated average tumor/blood ratios of 4.0. Immunolocalization demonstrated peripheral antibody fragment penetration of one to five cell diameters (0.75 to 1.5 μm).

Conclusions

We characterized a preclinical xenograft model with respect to CEA expression that was comparable to human cases. We demonstrated that the anti-CEA scFv-Fc(H310A) antibody exhibited antigen-specific tumor targeting and shows promise as an imaging and potentially therapeutic agent.
Relevance of computational rock physics
Authors: Dvorkin Jack , Derzhi Naum , Diaz Elizabeth , Fang Qian
Published: November 2011

To validate the transport (fluid and electrical) and elastic properties computed on CT scan pore-scale volumes of natural rock, we first contrast these values to physical laboratory measurements. We find that computational and physical data obtained on the same rock material source often differ from each other. This mismatch, however, does not preclude the validity of either of the data type — it only implies that expecting a direct match between the effective properties of two volumes of very different sizes taken from the same heterogeneous material is generally incorrect. To address this situation, instead of directly comparing data points generated by different methods of measurement, we compare trends formed by such data points. These trends include permeability versus porosity; electrical formation factor versus porosity; and elastic moduli (elastic-wave velocity) versus porosity. In the physical laboratory, these trends are generated by measuring a significant number of samples. In contrast, in the computational laboratory, these trends are often hidden inside a very small digital sample and can be derived by subsampling it. Hence, we base our validation paradigm on the assumption that if these computational trends match relevant physical trends and/or theoretical rock physics transforms, the computational results are correct. We present examples of such validation for clastic and carbonate samples, including drill cuttings.
Phase II Study of the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Inhibitor Ridaforolimus in Patients With Advanced Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Authors: Chawla Sant P. , Staddon Arthur P. , Baker Laurence H. , Schuetze Scott M. , Tolcher Anthony W. , D'Amato Gina Z. , Blay Jean-Yves , Mita Monica M. , Sankhala Kamalesh K. , Berk Lori , Rivera Victor M. , Clackson Tim , Loewy John W. , Haluska Frank G. , Demetri George D.
Published: November 2011

Purpose

Ridaforolimus is an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin, an integral component of the phosphatidyl 3-kinase/AKT signaling pathway, with early evidence of activity in sarcomas. This multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II trial was conducted to assess the antitumor activity of ridaforolimus in patients with distinct subtypes of advanced sarcomas.

Patients and Methods

Patients with metastatic or unresectable soft tissue or bone sarcomas received ridaforolimus 12.5 mg administered as a 30-minute intravenous infusion once daily for 5 days every 2 weeks. The primary end point was clinical benefit response (CBR) rate (complete response or partial response [PR] or stable disease ≥ 16 weeks). Safety, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), time to progression, and duration of response were also evaluated.

Results

A total of 212 patients were treated in four separate histologic cohorts. In this heavily pretreated population, 61 patients (28.8%) achieved CBR. Median PFS was 15.3 weeks; median OS was 40 weeks. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) confirmed response rate was 1.9%, with four patients achieving confirmed PR (two with osteosarcoma, one with spindle cell sarcoma, and one with malignant fibrous histiocytoma). Archival tumor protein markers analyzed were not correlated with CBR. Related adverse events were generally mild or moderate and consisted primarily of stomatitis, mucosal inflammation, mouth ulceration, rash, and fatigue.

Conclusion

Single-agent ridaforolimus in patients with advanced and pretreated sarcomas led to PFS results that compare favorably with historical metrics. A phase III trial based on these data will further define ridaforolimus activity in sarcomas.
A Cosmos beyond Space and Area Studies: Toward Comparative Political Thought as Political Thought
Authors: Goto-Jones Chris
Published: November 2011

While there appears to be a gathering consensus about the need to be less ethnocentric and exclusive in the composition of academic fields in the contemporary university, there remains significant anxiety about how previously excluded voices might be included (and even whether their inclusion might really be of substantive interest rather than only of ethical merit). Hence, as a response to accusations that mainstream political theory remains staunchly Eurocentric, the emerging field of comparative political thought (CPT) is anxious about its appropriate range of activity: it aims to broaden the theoretical base of political inquiry by being as culturally inclusive as possible; it seeks to transcend national boundaries and build a body of theory that is somehow “global.” However, CPT must also be sensitive to the ways that “comparison” can function to separate (rather than include), and thus should be anxious that it may actually reinforce the problem that it seeks to overcome. This article aims to propose a way of understanding and practicing CPT that resolves the field's anxieties about its ostensible obsession with origination, spatial differentiations, and area studies, which are invariably emblematized by the field's apparent (and false) “non-Western” focus. It concludes that for CPT to be a meaningful field in its own right it must be concerned with metaphysical and cosmological discontinuities rather than spatial, geographic, or cultural differences per se; this will require a radical rethinking of the dimensions of political thought as a whole and the recovery of metaphysics as central to the endeavor.
The Lyricism of Violence: Translating Faith in Revolution
Authors: Merrill Christi Ann
Published: November 2011

This essay offers a response—part plea, part protest—to recent events in Pakistan, looking to Agha Shahid Ali's lyrical translation of an Urdu poem by Faiz Ahmed Faiz that asks compellingly, “Friends, what will happen now?” Faiz in his day ignored Eisenhower's empty talk of “mutual understanding” and wrote instead of revolution, adapting the ghazal tradition to include horrifying details of state-sponsored violence. How do we assess such efforts today in translation as the violence cycles on? Historically translations have been judged solely by their faithfulness to a prior original, an approach that makes it difficult for us to take part in what Adorno once called “the dream of a world in which things would be different.” Shahid instead widens the circle of “friends” addressed in Faiz's Urdu and in the process renders creative interpretations of fidelity revolutionary in a way that has relevance for more than this single poem.
Retinoic acid-dependent and -independent gene-regulatory pathways of Pitx3 in meso-diencephalic dopaminergic neurons
Authors: Jacobs Frank M. J. , Veenvliet Jesse V. , Almirza Wadia H. , Hoekstra Elisa J. , von Oerthel Lars , van der Linden Annemarie J. A. , Neijts Roel , Koerkamp Marian Groot , van Leenen Dik , Holstege Frank C. P. , Burbach J. Peter H. , Smidt Marten P.
Published: November 2011

Development of meso-diencephalic dopamine (mdDA) neurons requires the combined actions of the orphan nuclear receptor Nurr1 and the paired-like homeobox transcription factor Pitx3. Whereas all mdDA neurons require Nurr1 for expression of Th and survival, dependence on Pitx3 is displayed only by the mdDA subpopulation that will form the substantia nigra (SNc). Previously, we have demonstrated that Pitx3–/– embryos lack the expression of the retinoic acid (RA)-generating enzyme Ahd2, which is normally selectively expressed in the Pitx3-dependent DA neurons of the SNc. Restoring RA signaling in Pitx3–/– embryos revealed a selective dependence of SNc neurons on the presence of RA for differentiation into Th-positive neurons and maintenance throughout embryonic development. Whereas these data are suggestive of an important developmental role for RA in neurons of the SNc, it remained unclear whether other Nurr1 and Pitx3 target genes depend on RA signaling in a manner similar to Th. In the search for genes that were affected in Pitx3-deficient mdDA neurons and restored upon embryonic RA treatment, we provide evidence that Delta-like 1, D2R (Drd2) and Th are regulated by Pitx3 and RA signaling, which influences the mdDA terminal differentiated phenotype. Furthermore, we show that regulation of Ahd2-mediated RA signaling represents only one aspect of the Pitx3 downstream cascade, as Vmat2, Dat, Ahd2 (Aldh1a1), En1, En2 and Cck were unaffected by RA treatment and are (subset) specifically modulated by Pitx3. In conclusion, our data reveal several RA-dependent and -independent aspects of the Pitx3-regulated gene cascade, suggesting that Pitx3 acts on multiple levels in the molecular subset-specification of mdDA neurons.
Midregional Proadrenomedullin for Prediction of Cardiovascular Events in Coronary Artery Disease: Results from the AtheroGene Study
Authors: Wild Philipp S , Schnabel Renate B , Lubos Edith , Zeller Tanja , Sinning Christoph R , Keller Till , Tzikas Stergios , Lackner Karl J , Peetz Dirk , Rupprecht Hans J , Bickel Christoph , Morgenthaler Nils G , Papassotiriou Jana , Tiret Laurence , Münzel Thomas , Blankenberg Stefan
Published: November 2011

BACKGROUND

Midregional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) is a newly identified prognostic marker in heart failure. We evaluated the prognostic impact of MR-proADM in a cohort of patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease according to their clinical presentation.

METHODS

We measured baseline MR-proADM concentrations in 2240 individuals from the prospective AtheroGene study and evaluated the prognostic impact on future fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events during a follow-up period of 3.6 (1.6) years.

RESULTS

The sample comprised 1355 individuals with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and 885 with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A cardiovascular event occurred in 192 people. Individuals presenting with SAP had only slightly lower plasma MR-proADM concentrations than those with ACS (0.53 vs 0.55 nmol/L, P = 0.006). MR-proADM showed a moderate association with age, serum N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), glomerular filtration rate, serum C-reactive protein, hypertension, diabetes, and prevalent multivessel disease (all P < 0.0005). Individuals suffering from a cardiovascular event had higher MR-proADM concentrations at baseline in both groups (SAP 0.63 vs 0.53 nmol/L and ACS 0.65 nmol/L vs 0.55 nmol/L, both P < 0.0005). Cox regression analysis incorporating various variables of cardiovascular risk and NT-proBNP revealed a hazard ratio of 1.4 (95% CI 1.2–1.6; P < 0.0005) per increment of MR-proADM by 1SD. In risk models for secondary prevention, MR-proADM provided information comparable to that of NT-proBNP.

CONCLUSIONS

MR-proADM is an independent predictor for future cardiovascular events in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease, providing information comparable to NT-proBNP for secondary risk stratification.
Rosuvastatin, Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Concentrations, and LDL Cholesterol Response: the JUPITER Trial
Authors: Awan Zuhier , Seidah Nabil G , MacFadyen Jean G , Benjannet Suzanne , Chasman Daniel I , Ridker Paul M , Genest Jacques
Published: November 2011

BACKGROUND

Although statin therapy is known to increase concentrations of PCSK9, whether this effect is related to the magnitude of LDL reduction is uncertain. This study was undertaken to understand the extent of this effect and examine the relationship between PCSK9 and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction.

METHODS

We measured plasma PCSK9 concentrations by ELISA at baseline and at 1 year in 500 men and 500 women participating in the Justification for Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER) trial that randomly allocated participants to rosuvastatin 20 mg daily or placebo. We also evaluated rs11591147, a single nucleotide polymorphism known to have an impact on plasma PCSK9 concentrations.

RESULTS

At baseline, median (interquartile range) PCSK9 concentrations were higher in women [73 (62–90)] ng/mL than in men [69 (57–81) ng/mL] (P < 0.005). During 1 year, there was no change in PCSK9 concentrations in the placebo arm, suggesting stability in time. In contrast, the rosuvastatin increased PCSK9 by 35% in women [101 (82–117) ng/mL] and 28% in men [89 (71–109) ng/mL] (P < 0.0001). Among those allocated to rosuvastatin, greater reductions in LDL-C were associated with greater increases in PCSK9 on both absolute and relative scales (r = −0.15, P < 0.0005). Furthermore PCSK9 (rs11591147) did not alter the magnitude of LDL-C reduction associated with rosuvastatin use.

CONCLUSIONS

In this randomized trial, rosuvastatin increased plasma concentration of PCSK9 in proportion to the magnitude of LDL-C reduction; the LDL-C response to statin could not be inferred by PCSK9 concentrations.
The Effects of E-Commerce Drivers on Export Marketing Strategy
Authors: Gregory Gary , Karavdic Munib , Zou Shaoming
Published: November 2011

The emergence of e-commerce technology has had a significant effect on firms’ export marketing. However, limited knowledge exists as to how e-commerce drivers affect a firm's export marketing strategy. This study develops and tests a theoretical model to delineate how e-commerce drivers affect export marketing strategy. The empirical findings suggest that internal e-commerce drivers (product online transferability and e-commerce assets) directly increase a firm's degree of promotion adaptation, enhance communication and distribution efficiencies, facilitate greater distribution support, and improve price competitiveness for export ventures. Furthermore, both internal and external e-commerce drivers (export market e-commerce infrastructure and demand for e-commerce) moderate the relationships between environmental factors and elements of export marketing strategy. Overall, the findings support incorporating e-commerce constructs into existing theory on export marketing strategy. The authors discuss theoretical and managerial contributions and offer directions for further research.
What Drives Performance in Globally Focused Marketing Organizations? A Three-Country Study
Authors: Hult G. Tomas M. , Cavusgil S. Tamer , Deligonul Seyda , Kiyak Tunga , Lagerström Katarina
Published: November 2011

In marketing, compared with other organizational dimensions such as leadership, culture, structure, and processes, relatively scant attention has been devoted to the effect of strategy on firm performance, especially in the global context. Rapid globalization of markets, along with ever-increasing dynamic demands on the marketing organization, necessitates a new examination. This article reports on a study that examines the role of strategy and other organizational forces on the performance of globally focused marketing organizations headquartered in Norway, Sweden, and the United States. The general findings indicate that (1) the constructs of leadership, strategy, and culture precede the globally focused marketing organization's structure; (2) strategy precedes structure; and (3) organizational structure and processes influence marketing and financial performance. Many relationships appear to be consistent across countries, and some are uniquely tied to the home-country markets.
The Role of Moral Intensity and Personal Moral Philosophies in the Ethical Decision Making of Marketers: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of China and the United States
Authors: Singh Jatinder J. , Vitell Scott J. , Al-Khatib Jamal , Clark Irvine
Published: November 2011

This study uses cross-cultural samples from the United States and China to replicate previous empirical findings regarding the relationship among moral philosophies, moral intensity, and ethical decision making. The authors use a two-step structural equations modeling approach to analyze the measurement and structural models. The findings partially replicate those from previous studies and provide evidence that the measurement model is somewhat invariant across the two groups studied but the structural model is not. In addition, there is evidence that the relationship between personal moral philosophies (mainly relativism) and moral intensity varies across the two cultures. That is, whereas relativism is a significant predictor of moral intensity for the Chinese sample, it is not for the U.S. sample. However, idealism is a significant predictor of perceived moral intensity for both samples of marketing practitioners. Finally, perceived moral intensity is a significant, direct predictor of ethical judgments, and ethical judgments are a significant, direct predictor of behavioral intentions in both instances.
Entwicklung eines Bewertungssystems für Virtual Reality-Simulatoren in der Chirurgie
Authors: Boll Marie-Theres , Maaß Heiko , Cakmak Hüseyin Kemal , Kühnapfel Uwe , Bretthauer Georg
Published: November 2011

Chirurgische Fertigkeiten im Bereich der minimal invasiven Chirurgie können an Virtual Reality-Simulatoren geübt werden. Für ein zielgerichtetes Training ist die Bewertung der Übungsausführung wichtig. Deshalb werden neue Methoden zur Entwicklung eines Bewertungssystems für die automatisierte Beurteilung von Trainierenden eingeführt. Zwei Studien haben die Eignung des neuen Konzeptes gezeigt.
Myocardial Infarction Associated With Use of the Synthetic Cannabinoid K2
Authors: Mir Arshid , Obafemi Adebisi , Young Amy , Kane Colin
Published: November 2011

Designer drugs have been problematic over the years. Products such as K2 and Spice, which contain synthetic cannabinoids, are marketed as incense and are widely available on the Internet and at various specialty shops. The effects are reported as cannabis-like after smoking them. In addition, use of these synthetic cannabinoids will not appear on a routine urine toxicology screen. Recently, K2 became a popular alternative to marijuana among youths. Health implications of these designer drugs are not completely understood. Little has been reported about the harmful effects of K2. We report here the first (to our knowledge) cases of myocardial infarction (MI) after smoking K2. Three patients presented separately to the emergency department complaining of chest pain within days after the use of K2. Acute MI was diagnosed in each case on the basis of electrocardiogram changes and elevated troponin levels. Coronary angiography was performed, and the results were normal for the first 2 patients. The incidence of ST-elevation MI is low among teenagers, and association with drug use should be suspected. Public education and awareness need to be heightened about the possible health implications of K2.
Undernutrition, Poor Feeding Practices, and Low Coverage of Key Nutrition Interventions
Authors: Lutter Chessa K. , Daelmans Bernadette M. E. G. , de Onis Mercedes , Kothari Monica T. , Ruel Marie T. , Arimond Mary , Deitchler Megan , Dewey Kathryn G. , Blössner Monika , Borghi Elaine
Published: November 2011

OBJECTIVE:

To estimate the global burden of malnutrition and highlight data on child feeding practices and coverage of key nutrition interventions.

METHODS:

Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to estimate prevalence rates and numbers of underweight and stunted children according to United Nations region from 1990 to 2010 by using surveys from 147 countries. Indicators of infant and young child feeding practices and intervention coverage were calculated from Demographic and Health Survey data from 46 developing countries between 2002 and 2008.

RESULTS:

In 2010, globally, an estimated 27% (171 million) of children younger than 5 years were stunted and 16% (104 million) were underweight. Africa and Asia have more severe burdens of undernutrition, but the problem persists in some Latin American countries. Few children in the developing world benefit from optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. Fewer than half of infants were put to the breast within 1 hour of birth, and 36% of infants younger than 6 months were exclusively breastfed. Fewer than one-third of 6- to 23-month-old children met the minimum criteria for dietary diversity, and only ∼50% received the minimum number of meals. Although effective health-sector–based interventions for tackling childhood undernutrition are known, intervention-coverage data are available for only a small proportion of them and reveal mostly low coverage.

CONCLUSIONS:

Undernutrition continues to be high and progress toward reaching Millennium Development Goal 1 has been slow. Previously unrecognized extremely poor breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices and lack of comprehensive data on intervention coverage require urgent action to improve child nutrition.
Interdisciplinary Research on Patient-Provider Communication: A Cross-Method Comparison
Authors: Chou Wen-ying Sylvia , Han Paul , Pilsner Alison , Coa Kisha , Greenberg Larrie , Blatt Benjamin
Published: November 2011

Patient-provider communication, a key aspect of healthcare delivery, has been assessed through multiple methods for purposes of research, education, and quality control. Common techniques include satisfaction ratings and quantitatively- and qualitatively-oriented direct observations. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches is critically important in determining the appropriate assessment method for a specific research or practical goal. Analyzing 10 videotaped simulated encounters between medical students and Standardized Patients (SPs), this study compared three existing assessment methods through the same data set. Methods included: (1) dichotomized SP ratings on students’ communication skills; (2) Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) analysis; and (3) inductive discourse analysis informed by sociolinguistic theories. The large dichotomous contrast between good and poor ratings in (1) was not evidenced in any of the other methods. Following a discussion of strengths and weaknesses of each approach, we pilot-tested a combined assessment done by coders blinded to results of (1)-(3). This type of integrative approach has the potential of adding a quantifiable dimension to qualitative, discourse-based observations. Subjecting the same data set to separate analytic methods provides an excellent opportunity for methodological comparisons with the goal of informing future assessment of clinical encounters.
Opening Up the “Black Box” of the Electronic Patient Record: A Linguistic Ethnographic Study in General Practice
Authors: Swinglehurst Deborah , Roberts Celia , Greenhalgh Tricia
Published: November 2011

One of the most pervasive changes in general practice is the introduction of the electronic patient record (EPR). The EPR supports both immediate clinical and anticipatory care (e.g. management of risk factors). Incorporating the EPR into social interaction is a complex task which is achieved discursively, clinician and patient responding to interactional contingencies as the consultation unfolds. Clinicians are presented with a “dilemma of attention” as they seek to deal with the immediacy (“here and now”) of the interpersonal interaction and the institutional demands (“there and then”) of the EPR. We present data analysis which illuminates the EPR as an important presence in the clinic consultation context, one which places material and textual demands. Developing previous work on the triadic (three party) consultation, our novel multi-modal analysis of the EPR-in-use suggests there is value in considering the EPR as a collection of silent but consequential voices. Micro-analytic attention to the way in which these different voices are managed, combined with understandings drawn from ethnographic observation of the primary care context, reveals the EPR as exhibiting a previously under-explored kind of “agency” within the consultation.
Promissory Strategies of Personalisation in the Commercialisation of Genomic Knowledge
Authors: Arribas-Ayllon Michael , Sarangi Srikant , Clarke Angus
Published: November 2011

As part of personalised medicine emerging from the human genomics revolution, many websites now offer direct-to-consumer genetic testing. Here, we examine three personal genomics companies – Navigenics, deCODEme and 23andMe – each of which represents contrasting registers of ‘personalisation’. We identify three distinctive registers in these websites: a paternalistic (medical) register; a translational (scientific) register and a democratic (consumerist) register. We explore in detail the rhetorical and discourse devices employed in these websites to assess how personalised healthcare is promised to the public. Promising information that will empower prevention of common complex diseases and ensure better quality of life is conflated with promising greater access to personal information. The presence and absence of scientific legitimacy is related to concerns about accuracy and validity on the one side, and fears of paternalism and elitism on the other. Nevertheless, a common strategy uniting these different styles of personalisation is consumer empowerment. Finally, we consider the tension between the drive of translational medicine to make human genomic research practically relevant, and the intrinsic uncertainties of scientific research and show how, in the commercial domain, future risks are transformed into discourses of promise by concealing these uncertainties
“Sometimes You've Just Got to Have fun, Haven't You?”: The Discursive Construction of Social Drinking Practices in Young Adults’ Accounts of Chronic Illness
Authors: Saunders Benjamin Mark
Published: November 2011

Participation in social drinking practices has been found to be a salient issue for young adults suffering from type 1 diabetes (T1DM), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with many reporting participating in such practices in spite of the potential additional health-risks (Eaton, Williams and Bodansky 2001; Balfe 2007, 2009). Drawing on interviews with sufferers aged 18-29 (n = 30), this paper aims to investigate how sufferers’ reasoning behind this behaviour is discursively constructed. Through using an ‘Accounts’ (Scott and Lyman 1968) framework, sufferers of both conditions were shown to attempt to construct an identity of ‘good’ diabetic, or IBD sufferer. A key difference found across the two conditions was that T1DM sufferers more regularly constructed ‘excuses’ for engaging in potentially ‘risky’ behaviour, whereas IBD sufferers predominantly produced ‘justifications’, which framed their behaviour as not necessarily being irresponsible. It is argued that this finding reflects the degree of risk at which sufferers of the respective conditions view their social drinking behaviour as placing them, with stronger biomedical evidence regarding the negative effects of alcohol on T1DM leading sufferers to view their ‘healthy body’ (Balfe 2009) in terms of more serious health implications, whereas IBD sufferers view their ‘healthy body’ in terms of short-term exacerbation of symptoms, which they do not see as significantly affecting their general IBD-health.
What to Eat in the Land of Cheese and Chocolate: A Content Analysis of Swiss Print Media Messages on a Healthy Diet
Authors: Schulz Peter J. , Hartung Uwe
Published: November 2011

This paper describes a specific coding scheme for measuring health-related media content on the level of single assertions and in relative complexity. The basic idea is to code messages into an if-part (nutrition, physical activity, body weight) and a then-part (weight and health). Detailed codeplans can then be used to determine the specific nature of the if- and then-parts of an assertion. An exemplary analysis of Swiss-German newspaper and magazine messages between March 1, 2003 and June 30, 2005 provides evidence of recommendations that are more or less in line with official suggestions for a healthy diet: Newspapers and magazines tell their readers to eat vegetables, fruit, grain and cereal products, dairy products, and to care about vitamin and minerals intake. They also advise to stay away from tobacco, alcohol, fast food, sugar, and animal fat. Results are interpreted as evidence for the existence of a rather good source for diet information in print media, which is, however, very likely to be counteracted by other media content.
A Primer on the Economics of Prescription Pharmaceutical Pricing in Health Insurance Markets
Authors: Berndt Ernst R. , McGuire Thomas , Newhouse Joseph P.
Published: November 2011

The pricing of medical products and services in the U.S. is notoriously complex. In health care, supply prices (those received by the manufacturer) are distinct from demand prices (those paid by the patient) due to health insurance. The insurer, in designing the benefit, decides what prices patients pay out-of-pocket for drugs and other products. In this primer we characterize cost and supply conditions in markets for generic and branded drugs, and apply basic tools of microeconomics to describe how an insurer, acting on behalf of its enrollees, would set demand prices for drugs. Importantly, we show how the market structure on the supply side, characterized alternatively by monopoly (unique brands), Bertrand differentiated product markets (therapeutic competition) and competition (generics), influences the insurer’s choices about demand prices. This perspective sheds light on the choice of coinsurance versus copayments, the structure of tiered formularies, and developments in the retail market.