bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethnicity and Health
Authors: Ahmad Waqar , Bradby Hannah
Published: December 2007

Ethnicity is a social division that is increasingly difficult to ignore. Ethnicity has to be considered alongside other social divisions including socioeconomic status which is crucial to explaining minority disadvantages in health. Identity is a key dimension of ethnicity, which encompasses self-ascribed and externally-imposed elements. The stigma associated with particular conditions, combined with the effects of racism and economic marginalization, can be central to some minority groups' ability to discuss disease and seek treatment. In a world where human rights are taken seriously, minority ethnic groups' presence in research has to become a routine consideration, rather than an optional extra. In research, as in service provision, planning for linguistic and cultural diversity represents additional work and will require extra resources.
The effectiveness of a motivation programme for lifestyle change in the course of aortocoronary bypass graft surgery
Authors: Krannich Jens-Holger , Weyers Peter , Lueger Stefan , Schimmer Christoph , Faller Hermann , Elert Olaf
Published: December 2007

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a motivation programme the motivation for lifestyle change in patients was measured before and after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery by comparing a usual care group with a group attending a motivation programme.

Design: Prospective controlled study.

Setting: University hospital cardiothoracic surgery department.

Subjects: One hundred and forty patients (mean age 64.9; SD 8.5 years) who had an elective CABG surgery.

Interventions: Each patient was evaluated regarding his or her motivation for lifestyle change two days before and 10 days after CABG surgery. Between January and May 2002 patients in usual care were investigated as a control group (n=70). From January to May 2003 patients had the opportunity to take part in a motivation programme that was provided by a trained clinical psychologist (n = 70). The programme consists of both personalized single sessions and group lectures.

Measures: A 30-item questionnaire measuring the six factors Vulnerability, Intention, Social expectation, Outcome expectation, Self-efficacy expectation, and Perceived severity was developed.

Results: ANOVA procedures with repeated measurements indicate significant effects in terms of higher motivation for lifestyle change in the treatment group in Vulnerability (F(1, 138) = 4.04; P=0.04), Intention (F(1, 138) = 19.81; P<0.001), Social expectation (F(1, 138)=21.97; P<0.001), Outcome expectation (F(1, 138) =17.95; P<0.001), and Self-efficacy expectation (F(1, 138) =14.31; P<0.001).

Conclusions: This motivation programme performed in a cardiac surgery hospital after CABG may increase the motivation for a positive lifestyle change.
Ultrasound Image-Based Visual Servoing of a Surgical Instrument Through Nonlinear Model Predictive Control
Authors: Sauvée Mickaël , Poignet Philippe , Dombre Etienne
Published: December 2007

Ultrasound image-guided interventions are widespread in surgery because of the non-invasive character of the procedures. However, hand/eye synchronization is relatively difficult for a surgeon. Ultrasound image-based visual servoing is one way to perform this kind of surgery. In this work, the control of instrument motion based on ultrasound images through nonlinear model predictive control is investigated. This new scheme ensures the convergence of the instrument to the desired position and also offers the possibility of satisfying constraints such as joint limits, actuator saturation and visibility preserving. This paper describes the proposed controller. The efficiency and the robustness of the proposed solution to control a six degree-of-freedom mechanical system is first illustrated by simulation. Experiments on a Mitsubishi PA10 robot highlight the efficiency of the vision control scheme to handle constraints of ultrasound image-based visual servoing.
A Novel Measure of Uncertainty for Mobile Robot SLAM with Rao—Blackwellized Particle Filters
Authors: Blanco J.L. , Fernández-Madrigal J.A. , Gonzalez J.
Published: December 2007

Rao—Blackwellized particle filters (RBPFs) are an implementation of sequential Bayesian filtering that has been successfully applied to mobile robot simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) and exploration. Measuring the uncertainty of the distribution estimated by a RBPF is required for tasks such as information gain-guided exploration or detecting loop closures in nested loop environments. In this paper we propose a new measure that takes the uncertainty in both the robot path and the map into account. Our approach relies on the entropy of the expected map (EM) of the RBPF, a new variable built by integrating the map hypotheses from all of the particles. Unlike previous works that use the joint entropy of the RBPF for active exploration, our proposal is better suited to detect opportunities to close loops, a key aspect to reduce the robot path uncertainty and consequently to improve the quality of the maps being built. We provide a theoretical discussion and experimental results with real data that support our claims.
The living dead of capitalism
Authors: Seabrook Jeremy
Published: December 2007

In the usual accounts of industrialism's resistless march, what is ignored is the coercive dissolution of whole ways of life that were once promoted as embodiments of virtue, and the associated psychic and spiritual pain resulting from the loss of coherence and purpose in one's life. Even those appointed by capitalism to privileged positions are vulnerable to industrial society's lurches from one mode of being to the next. And, when the young rebel against yesterday's privilege in the name of a new moral order that is itself sanctioned by `progress', they, more often than not, fail to anticipate that their values, too, will one day be deemed obsolete. Here, a tale of this hidden injury is told through memories of a generation which came of age in the 1950s with a determined zeal to do away with antique prejudices and which committed itself to values of public service that have now been discarded. Will today's children of the market, who embrace the privileging of conspicuous consumption and conscienceless hedonism, also come to be mocked as yesterday's men and women?
Racial conflict in Malaysia: against the official history
Authors: Kua Kia Soong
Published: December 2007

According to the official history, the `race riots' of May-July 1969 were a spontaneous outbreak of conflict between Malays and Chinese - Malaysia's two largest ethnic groups - and the violence was prompted, if anything, by opposition parties rejecting the status quo. In this article, the official account is challenged using recently declassified documents held at the Public Records Office, London, which suggest that the riots represented a coup d'etat. With its ideology of Malay dominance, the faction that came to power in May 1969 represented the interests of the then emergent Malay state-capitalist class. Since then, this faction has continued to hold power and has regularly invoked the spectre of racial conflict to counteract demands from non-Malay communities for civil rights.
Synchrony, Binding, and Consciousness
Authors: van Leeuwen Cees
Published: December 2007

LaRock provides a rather perplexing critique of the binding problem. He argues that neural synchrony, the proposed solution to the binding problem, is not sufficient to explain the unity of objects in visual consciousness. Did anyone claim it was? Neural synchrony can at best be necessary for consciousness, not sufficient. The binding problem originally has nothing to do with the conscious content of our perception. Misidentification of binding and consciousness may lead to tunnel vision with respect to other roles that neural synchrony could play in conscious experience. A different perspective is offered on how neural synchrony relates to visual consciousness.
Intrinsic Perspectives, Object Feature Binding, and Visual Consciousness
Authors: LaRock Eric
Published: December 2007

Van der Velde and I agree on two fundamental issues surrounding the vision-related binding problem and recent solutions that have been offered: (1) that tagging theories, such as neuronal synchrony, fail to account for object feature binding in visual consciousness; and (2) that feedforward— feedback processes in the visual cortical hierarchy play a role in generating a feature-unified object of visual consciousness. Van der Velde develops and discusses an important objection to tagging theories that could help to strengthen my critique of neuronal synchrony (and other tagging theories), and then argues that the cognitive subject makes no explanatory contribution to the unity of an object's features in visual consciousness. These issues are discussed in turn. By contrast, van Leeuwen takes a more critical approach to my article. A two-fold response to van Leeuwen is offered: first, the root of his perplexity is uncovered and then some specific objections that he poses to my critique of neuronal synchrony, as a purported solution of the object feature binding problem, are addressed.
Striking alteration of some populations of T/B cells in systemic lupus erythematosus: relationship to expression of CD62L or some chemokine receptors
Authors: Watanabe T. , Suzuki J. , Mitsuo A. , Nakano S. , Tamayama Y. , Katagiri A. , Amano H. , Morimoto S. , Tokano Y. , Takasaki Y.
Published: December 2007

Recent studies have revealed new populations of T/B cells, including central/effector memory, follicular T cells and CXCR3+ or CXCR4+ B cells. In the present study, changes in these populations of CD4+ T cells were examined on the basis of the expression of CD62L, CCR7 and CXCR5 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in relation to CCL21 and CXCL10. Changes in CXCR3+, CXCR4+ and CXCR5+ B cells were also examined. CD62L and various chemokine receptors were examined by flow cytometry analysis using monoclonal antibodies, and CCL21 and CXCL10 were examined by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In patients with SLE, a decrease of naive T cells and an increase in the ratio of activated effector memory T cells were associated with an increase of CCL21 and CXCL10 in serum, although the correlation was not significant. An increase in the ratio of CXCR3+ B cells was also recognized. These results suggest that naive T cells are transferred to lymphoid tissue by CCL21, and that effector memory T cells are activated by CXCL10. It is also suggested that B cells responsive to follicular helper T cells tend to migrate to inflammatory tissue.
Flow cytometric assessment of anti-neuronal antibodies in central nervous system involvement of systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases
Authors: Kang E.H. , Shen G.Q. , Morris R. , Metzger A. , Lee E.Y. , Lee Y.J. , Lee E.B. , Song Y.W.
Published: December 2007

The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between anti-neuronal antibody (anti-NA) and central nervous system (CNS) manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other rheumatic diseases using a flow cytometric method. Anti-NA was measured by flow cytometry in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with SLE ( n = 44 for serum, n = 17 for CSF), other rheumatic diseases ( n = 64 for serum, n = 21 for CSF) and from healthy controls ( n = 65 for serum, n = 18 for CSF). Serum anti-NA was more frequently observed in SLE (31.8%, 14/44) than in other rheumatic diseases (4.7%, 3/64, P < 0.001) or in healthy controls (0%, 0/65, P < 0.00001). In SLE patients, the frequency of serum anti-NA was significantly higher in CNS-SLE (76.5%, 13/17) than in non CNS-SLE (3.7%, 1/27, P < 0.000001). CSF anti-NA was detected in 88.2% (15/17) of CNS-SLE and was more frequently detected in CNS-SLE (15/17, 88.2%) than in other rheumatic diseases with CNS involvement (1/21, 4.8%, P < 0.000001) or in healthy controls (0/18, P < 0.000001). In conclusion, serum anti-NA was more frequently found in CNS-SLE than in non CNS-SLE, other rheumatic diseases or in healthy controls. The frequency of CSF anti-NA in CNS-SLE was significantly higher than in other rheumatic diseases with CNS involvement or in healthy controls. Lupus (2008) 17, 21—25.
Review: Vitamin D, immunity and lupus
Authors: Cutolo M. , Otsa K.
Published: December 2007

The identification of vitamin D receptor in cells involved in the immune response and the discovery that activated dendritic cells produce vitamin D hormone suggested that vitamin D could exert immunoregulatory effects. Patients with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) show low 25-OH vitamin D serum levels. In particular, SLE patients have multiple risk factors for vitamin D deficiency and disease severity seems correlated with lower 25-OH vitamin D serum levels. Treatment of vitamin D deficiency could be particularly important in SLE patients due to concomitant insults on their tissues such as bone, and in view of the possible immunomodulatory effects exerted by vitamin D. Lupus (2008) 17, 6—10.
The effects of the presence and contexts of video game violence on children: A longitudinal study in Japan
Authors: Shibuya Akiko , Sakamoto Akira , Ihori Nobuko , Yukawa Shintaro
Published: December 2007

A 1-year panel study of 591 children in fifth grade explored the accumulative effects of the presence and contexts of video game violence on aggression and the antiviolence norm in Japan, on the basis of a comprehensive content analysis of video game violence. The results suggest that contextual effects of violent video games are quite complex, differing with gender, and that contexts are more important than the quantity of violence. Although attractive perpetrators and justification of violence increase aggression for boys, they decrease aggression and strengthen the antiviolence norm for girls, indicating that the direction of effects depend on the players' interpretation of violence.
The life of a simulation: Programmatic promises and pitfalls
Authors: Damron Rebecca L.
Published: December 2007

This article is a reflection on the promises and pitfalls of using a simulation-centered curriculum for English as a Second Language (ESL) writing over time. A one-time graduate student and instructor of the program, the author returned after 10 years to the program as the director to discover that as with any curriculum, changes had occurred—changes in leadership, teaching staff, and course objectives—which had consequences for simulation use in the classroom. In an effort to determine the current state of the program and possible directions for the future, the author surveyed 12 current and former instructors and interviewed a former director of the program and found implications for instructor training, program direction, and sustaining simulation use over time.
Exploring interactive stories in an HIV/AIDS learning game: HEALTHSIMNET
Authors: Dobson Michael W. , Ha Daniel
Published: December 2007

This article is based on work to develop an interactive documentary learning game called HEALTHSIMNET, which is intended for improving practice in a health care network. The authors look briefly at past work done to develop interactive narratives using structural artificial knowledge representation techniques. They illustrate a method for collection and analysis of documentary data acquired during semi-structured interviews with participants of a network of health practitioners in the HIV field. The article reviews the expansive theory of learning and explains how the technique can yield interactive narrative. They discuss the design implications of this work for their interprofessional learning game. They end with a description of the game and a discussion of the extent to which games developed using this method can be said to sustain the kind of learning described by activity theory.
Orthostatic Panic Attacks Among Vietnamese Refugees
Authors: Hinton Devon E. , Hinton Ladson , Tran Minh , Nguyen Men , Nguyen Lim , Hsia Curtis , Pollack Mark H.
Published: December 2007

Viewed historically and cross-culturally, orthostatic-induced dizziness, i.e., dizziness caused by standing up from a sitting or a lying position, forms a key aspect of many syndromes: irritable heart (American Civil War), effort syndrome (World War I and World War II), chronic fatigue syndrome (contemporary USA), Gulf War syndrome (contemporary USA), and orthostatic dysregulation (contemporary Japan). Among Vietnamese refugees attending a psychiatric clinic, this study documents a high rate of orthostatic panic (OP), as well as certain processes seemingly generating these panic attacks, viz., flashbacks and culturally specific catastrophic cognitions. Case examples are used to demonstrate OP's phenomenology and relevance to clinical care. To illustrate the mechanisms producing OP, we adduce the multiplex model of panic generation. Culturally appropriate care of Vietnamese refugees should include assessment and treatment of OP.
Coping with Loss and Bereavement in Post-war Tigray, Ethiopia
Authors: Nordanger Dag Ø.
Published: December 2007

Drawing upon data collected through in-depth interviews with 20 victims of the Ethio-Eritrean war, this article addresses how psychosocial impacts of political violence are coped with in a Tigrayan context in northern Ethiopia. Qualitative procedures of condensation and categorization of interview texts revealed that informants presented three kinds of coping strategies, all aimed at avoiding indulging in sorrow: (1) diverted thinking, (2) distraction, and (3) future investment. As their main rationale for employing such coping strategies, informants reported the belief that grieving and crying would have negative impacts on their health, their household, and on their relationship with God. This belief is discussed in terms of how it is informed by sociocultural discourses of the Tigrayan community in general, and discourses of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in particular. Some implications concerning the mismatch between the western trauma discourse and local discourses for psychosocial coping are discussed.
When the Poetry No Longer Rhymes: Mental Health Issues Among Somali Immigrants in the USA
Authors: Scuglik Deborah L. , Alarcón Renato D. , Lapeyre Andre C. , Williams Mark D. , Logan Kathleen M.
Published: December 2007

To identify and explore cultural dynamics influencing the psychiatric care of immigrant Somalis in the USA, we reviewed demographic data from Minnesota Departments of Human Services, and interviewed health professionals, exploring community perceptions of medical/psychiatric needs, cultural characteristics, barriers to care, and potential solutions. An informal survey of 37 members of the Mayo Clinic Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, to determine caregiver perceptions of care of Somali patients, cited language barriers (74%), and cultural misperceptions (68%) as the most frequent obstacles. Difficulties working within the patriarchal family structure, limited community resources, poor compliance, and financial issues ranged between 18 and 8%. Additional barriers mentioned were problems working with interpreters from `warring clan factions,' patients' fears of being labeled `crazy,' difficulties viewing illness within an emotional framework, and the need to address mental health from a physical framework through a focus on somatic symptoms. Somalis rarely acknowledge psychiatric problems and common traditional treatments have become ineffective in the new context. Recommendations include alternative health care approaches utilizing family values, `bargaining,' and educational approaches to acculturation.
The Mental Health of Asylum-seeking and Refugee Children and Adolescents Attending a Clinic in the Netherlands
Authors: Pinto Wiese Elizabeth Batista , Burhorst Ingrid
Published: December 2007

We investigated the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of asylum-seeking and refugee children and adolescents referred to a child and adolescent psychiatry service in the Netherlands. Children with families and unaccompanied minors were compared. Unaccompanied minors had significantly higher frequencies of symptoms and psychiatric disorders than the children with families, both considered a high-risk population for mental health problems.
Globalization, Electronic Empire and the Virtual Geography of Korea's information and Telecommunication Infrastructure
Authors: Lee Kwang-Suk
Published: December 2007

The present study focuses on the electronic infrastructural condition for current global capitalism. This study briefly surveys the genealogy of globalization theories, focusing especially on Marxist interpretations of capital accumulation on a global scale. The study situates the historical-geographical condition of South Korea's informatization in relation to the new world system which Hardt and Negri have described as `empire', the replacement for classical imperialism. Based on this concept of `empire', the article explores how Korea has been rapidly and successfully incorporated into the imperial network by mobilizing its citizens toward high-speed telecom mobility and connectivity across the country. It concludes, however, that behind Korea's public image as a global IT leader, the other, darker side of Korea's informatization is composed of the complex and intricate traits of the local, exhibited under extreme state interventionism and uneven geographies of centrality and marginality.
Where in the World Is Africa?
Authors: Golan Guy J.
Published: December 2007

The current study investigates coverage of African nations by four US television news-casts. It focuses on the news period between 2002 and 2004 and reveals that despite presence of wide-scale famine, civil conflict, disputed elections and an AIDS epidemic, the African continent received limited coverage. Based on research on the determinants of international news coverage, the study investigates how deviance, relevance, cultural affinity and location in the world system may be used to predict coverage. Results identify trade with the US and gross domestic product as the two key predictors of coverage of African nations. In the discussion, the study's results are incorporated into the larger theoretical application of world system theory into research on the determinants of international news coverage.
The Roman Bridge: a "double pulley – suture bridges" technique for rotator cuff repair
Authors: Franceschi Francesco , Longo Umile Giuseppe , Ruzzini Laura , Rizzello Giacomo , Maffulli Nicola , Denaro Vincenzo
Published: December 2007

Background

With advances in arthroscopic surgery, many techniques have been developed to increase the tendon-bone contact area, reconstituting a more anatomic configuration of the rotator cuff footprint and providing a better environment for tendon healing.

Methods

We present an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair technique which uses suture bridges to optimize rotator cuff tendon-footprint contact area and mean pressure.

Results

Two medial row 5.5-mm Bio-Corkscrew suture anchors (Arthrex, Naples, FL), which are double-loaded with No. 2 FiberWire sutures (Arthrex, Naples, FL), are placed in the medial aspect of the footprint. Two suture limbs from a single suture are both passed through a single point in the rotator cuff. This is performed for both anchors. The medial row sutures are tied using the double pulley technique. A suture limb is retrieved from each of the medial anchors through the lateral portal, and manually tied as a six-throw surgeon's knot over a metal rod. The two free suture limbs are pulled to transport the knot over the top of the tendon bridge. Then the two free suture limbs that were used to pull the knot down are tied. The end of the sutures are cut. The same double pulley technique is repeated for the other two suture limbs from the two medial anchors, but the two free suture limbs are used to produce suture bridges over the tendon, by means of a Pushlock (Arthrex, Naples, FL), placed 1 cm distal to the lateral edge of the footprint.

Conclusion

This technique maximizes the advantages of two techniques. On the one hand, the double pulley technique provides an extremely secure fixation in the medial aspect of the footprint. On the other hand, the suture bridges allow to improve pressurized contact area and mean footprint pressure. In this way, the bony footprint in not compromised by the distal-lateral fixation, and it is thus possible to share the load between fixation points. This maximizes the strength of the repair and provides a barrier preventing penetration of synovial fluid into the healing area of tendon and bone.
Human periostin gene expression in normal tissues, tumors and melanoma: evidences for periostin production by both stromal and melanoma cells
Authors: Tilman Gaëlle , Mattiussi Marina , Brasseur Francis , van Baren Nicolas , Decottignies Anabelle
Published: December 2007

Background

Recently, periostin (POSTN), a gene encoding a protein with similarity to the fasciclin family and involved in cell survival and angiogenesis, has emerged as a promising marker for tumor progression in various types of human cancers. There is some controversy regarding both POSTN expression levels and the nature of periostin-producing cells within tumors. In this study, we used quantitative RT-PCR to assess periostin gene expression in normal tissues, primary cell cultures, tumor tissues and tumor cell lines.

Results

Periostin expression levels are highly variable in both normal tissues and tumors and strong POSTN overexpression is mostly detected in tumors from pancreas and liver. POSTN is not expressed in blood cancers. In melanoma samples, average periostin expression is not increased in primary tumors whereas POSTN overexpression was detected in about 60% of melanoma metastatic tumors in the liver or lymph nodes. Identification of the cellular source of periostin production in melanoma metastases -cancer cells or stroma- was assessed by comparing periostin expression in 23 newly-established melanoma cell lines and matched tumors. In contrast to the reduction by more than 99% of COL6A3 stromal marker mRNA in all cell lines, significant POSTN transcription was maintained in some melanoma cell lines, suggesting that both stromal cells and melanoma cells express periostin. The high level of periostin expression in primary cultures of skin fibroblasts suggests that fibroblasts may contribute for a large part to periostin production in melanoma-associated stroma. On the other hand, periostin expression in melanoma cells is probably acquired during the tumorigenic process as 1) normal melanocytes do not express POSTN and 2) melanoma cells from distinct metastases of the same patient were associated with very different levels of periostin expression.

Conclusion

Our comparative analysis suggests that, although periostin overexpression is clearly detected in some cancers, it is not a general feature of tumors. In melanoma, our study identifies both stromal and melanoma cells as sources of periostin production and correlates POSTN expression levels with increased primary tumor thickness and metastatic process development.
A Role of TRPA1 in Mechanical Hyperalgesia is Revealed by Pharmacological Inhibition
Authors: Petrus Matt , Peier Andrea M , Bandell Michael , Hwang Sun Wook , Huynh Truc , Olney Nicholas , Jegla Tim , Patapoutian Ardem
Published: December 2007

Mechanical hyperalgesia is a clinically-relevant form of pain sensitization that develops through largely unknown mechanisms. TRPA1, a Transient Receptor Potential ion channel, is a sensor of pungent chemicals that may play a role in acute noxious mechanosensation and cold thermosensation. We have developed a specific small molecule TRPA1 inhibitor (AP18) that can reduce cinnameldehyde-induced nociception in vivo. Interestingly, AP18 is capable of reversing CFA-induced mechanical hyperalgesia in mice. Although TRPA1-deficient mice develop normal CFA-induced hyperalgeisa, AP18 is ineffective in the knockout mice, consistent with an on-target mechanism. Therefore, TRPA1 plays a role in sensitization of nociception, and that compensation in TRPA1-deficient mice masks this requirement.
Histogenesis of retinal dysplasia in trisomy 13
Authors: Chan Ada , Lakshminrusimha Satyan , Heffner Reid , Gonzalez-Fernandez Federico
Published: December 2007

Background

Although often associated with holoprosencephaly, little detail of the histopathology of cyclopia is available. Here, we describe the ocular findings in a case of trisomy 13 to better understand the histogenesis of the rosettes, or tubules, characteristic of the retinal dysplasia associated with this condition.

Methods

A full pediatric autopsy was performed of a near term infant who died shortly after birth from multiple congenital anomalies including fused facial-midline structures. A detailed histopathological study of the ocular structures was performed. The expression of interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), cellular retinal-binding protein (CRALBP), rod opsin, and Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) were studied by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Holoprosencephaly, and a spectrum of anatomical findings characteristic of Patau's syndrome, were found. Cytogenetic studies demonstrated trisomy 13 [47, XY, +13]. The eyes were fused but contained two developed separate lenses. In contrast, the cornea, and angle structures were hypoplastic, and the anterior chamber had failed to form. The retina showed areas of normally laminated neural retina, whereas in other areas it was replaced by numerous neuronal rosettes. Histological and immunohistochemical studies revealed that the rosettes were composed of differentiated retinal neurons and Müller cell glia. In normally laminated retina, Shh expression was restricted to retinal-ganglion cells, and to a population of neurons in the inner zone of the outer nuclear layer. In contrast, Shh could not be detected in the dysplastic rosettes.

Conclusion

The histopathology of cyclopia appears to be more complex than what may have been previously appreciated. In fact, the terms "cyclopia" and "synophthalmia" are misnomers as the underlying mechanism is a failure of the eyes to form separately during development. The rosettes found in the dysplastic retina are fundamentally different than those of retinoblastoma, being composed of a variety of differentiated cell types. The dysplastic rosettes are essentially laminated retina failing to establish a polarized orientation, resulting in the formation of tubules. Finally, our findings suggest that defective ganglion cell Shh expression may contribute to the ocular pathology of cyclopia.
Semaphorin6A acts as a gate keeper between the central and the peripheral nervous system
Authors: Mauti Olivier , Domanitskaya Elena , Andermatt Irwin , Sadhu Rejina , Stoeckli Esther T
Published: December 2007

Background

During spinal cord development, expression of chicken SEMAPHORIN6A (SEMA6A) is almost exclusively found in the boundary caps at the ventral motor axon exit point and at the dorsal root entry site. The boundary cap cells are derived from a population of late migrating neural crest cells. They form a transient structure at the transition zone between the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the central nervous system (CNS). Ablation of the boundary cap resulted in emigration of motoneurons from the ventral spinal cord along the ventral roots. Based on its very restricted expression in boundary cap cells, we tested for a role of Sema6A as a gate keeper between the CNS and the PNS.

Results

Downregulation of Sema6A in boundary cap cells by in ovo RNA interference resulted in motoneurons streaming out of the spinal cord along the ventral roots, and in the failure of dorsal roots to form and segregate properly. PlexinAs interact with class 6 semaphorins and are expressed by both motoneurons and sensory neurons. Knockdown of PlexinA1 reproduced the phenotype seen after loss of Sema6A function both at the ventral motor exit point and at the dorsal root entry site of the lumbosacral spinal cord. Loss of either PlexinA4 or Sema6D function had an effect only at the dorsal root entry site but not at the ventral motor axon exit point.

Conclusion

Sema6A acts as a gate keeper between the PNS and the CNS both ventrally and dorsally. It is required for the clustering of boundary cap cells at the PNS/CNS interface and, thus, prevents motoneurons from streaming out of the ventral spinal cord. At the dorsal root entry site it organizes the segregation of dorsal roots.
CD40 signaling predicts response to preoperative trastuzumab and concomitant paclitaxel followed by 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide in HER-2-overexpressing breast cancer
Authors: Esteva Francisco J , Wang Jing , Lin Feng , Mejia Jaime A , Yan Kai , Altundag Kadri , Valero Vicente , Buzdar Aman U , Hortobagyi Gabriel N , Symmans W Fraser , Pusztai Lajos
Published: December 2007

Introduction

We performed gene expression analysis to identify molecular predictors of resistance to preoperative concomitant trastuzumab and paclitaxel followed by 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (T/FEC).

Methods

Pretreatment fine-needle aspiration specimens from 45 patients with HER-2-overexpressing stage II to IIIA breast cancer were subjected to transcriptional profiling and examined for differential expression of various genes and gene sets. The primary endpoint for tumor response was pathologic complete response (pCR). Correlations between pCR and gene expression were sought.

Results

The overall pCR rate was 64%. Age, nuclear grade, tumor size, nodal status, quantitative expression of estrogen and HER-2 receptor mRNA, and HER-2 gene copy number showed no correlation with pCR. Results of gene set enrichment analysis suggested that the lower expression of genes involved with CD40 signaling is associated with a greater risk of residual cancer after the preoperative chemotherapy that includes trastuzumab.

Conclusion

CD40 signaling may play a role in determining response to trastuzumab-plus-T/FEC therapy in patients with HER-2-overexpressing breast cancer.
Blocking of monocyte-associated B7-H1 (CD274) enhances HCV-specific T cell immunity in chronic hepatitis C infection
Authors: Jeong Hye-Young , Lee Youn-Jae , Seo Su-Kil , Lee Soo-Woong , Park Sung-Jae , Lee Jeong-Nyeo , Sohn Hae-Sook , Yao Sheng , Chen Lieping , Choi Inhak
Published: December 2007

The establishment of a chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection is associated with defective HCV-specific T cell responses. Recent studies suggest that negative T cell regulators such as programmed death 1 (PD-1) contribute to the impairment of virus-specific T cell functions in chronic viral infections. However, the implication of peripheral monocytes from CHC patients in the inhibition of HCV-specific T cell responses is only partially defined. In this study, we found that B7-H1, a ligand of PD-1, was significantly up-regulated on monocytes of CHC patients. Proliferation of T cells in response to anti-CD3 antibody was directly suppressed by B7-H1+CD14+ monocytes, and this suppression was reversed by addition of antagonistic B7-H1 mAb. Furthermore, blocking of monocyte-associated B7-H1 (moB7-H1) significantly enhanced the frequency of IFN-γ-producing, HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ effector T cells and the production of Th1 cytokines, such as IL-2 but not Th2 cytokines, including IL-4 and IL-10. Upon B7-H1 blockade, production of perforin was also increased in CD8+ T cells stimulated with HCV peptides. Our findings suggest that moB7-H1 inhibits HCV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte proliferation and suppresses Th1 cytokine production and perforin secretion. Blockade of the B7-H1 pathway thus represents an attractive approach in the treatment of chronic HCV infection.
Lymphocyte-Predominant and Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma: A Comprehensive Analysis From the German Hodgkin Study Group
Authors: Nogová Lucia , Reineke Thorsten , Brillant Corinne , Sieniawski Michal , Rüdiger Thomas , Josting Andreas , Bredenfeld Henning , Skripnitchenko Roman , Müller Rolf-Peter , Müller-Hermelink Hans-Konrad , Diehl Volker , Engert Andreas
Published: December 2007

Purpose

Lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma (LPHL) is rare and differs in histologic and clinical presentation from classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL). To shed more light on the prognosis and outcome of LPHL, we reviewed all LPHL patients registered in the German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG) database, comparing patient characteristics and treatment outcome with cHL patients.

Patients and Methods

We analyzed retrospectively 8,298 HL patients treated within the GHSG trials HD4 to HD12, of whom 394 had LPHL and 7,904 had cHL.

Results

Complete remission and unconfirmed complete remission after first-line treatment was achieved in 91.6% v 85.9% of patients in early favorable stages, 85.7% v 83.3% of patients in early unfavorable stages, and 76.8% v 77.8% of patients in advanced stages of LPHL compared with cHL, respectively. Tumor control (freedom from treatment failure [FFTF]) for LPHL and cHL patients at a median observation of 50 months was 88% and 82% (P = .0093) and overall survival (OS) was 96% and 92%, respectively (P = .0166). In LPHL patients, negative prognostic factors were advanced stage (P = .0092), Hb less than 10.5 g/dL (P = .0171), and lymphopenia (P = .010) for FFTF. Age ≥ 45 years (P = .0125), advanced stage (P = .0153), and Hb less than 10.5 g/dL (P = .0014) were negative prognostic factors for OS.

Conclusion

The better prognosis of LPHL as compared with cHL might allow different treatment strategies, particularly for early-stage LPHL patients.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Treated for Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma With Adjuvant Chemotherapy: Results of a European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Taphoorn Martin J.B. , van den Bent Martin J. , Mauer Murielle E.L. , Coens Corneel , Delattre Jean-Yves , Brandes Alba A. , Sillevis Smitt Peter A.E. , Bernsen Hans J.J.A. , Frénay Marc , Tijssen Cees C. , Lacombe Denis , Allgeier Anouk , Bottomley Andrew
Published: December 2007

Purpose

Little is known about the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients treated for anaplastic oligodendrogliomas. The impact of combined procarbazine, CCNU (lomustine), and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy after radiotherapy (RT) compared with RT alone on HRQOL in the randomized European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 26951 trial was studied.

Patients and Methods

Adult patients with anaplastic oligodendrogliomas received RT alone or RT plus PCV chemotherapy. HRQOL was assessed with the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 and Brain Cancer Module. Seven prespecified HRQOL end points were selected. We hypothesized that chemotherapy would impair HRQOL during treatment but that there would be a similar HRQOL between treatment arms once off treatment. Assessments were performed at randomization, at the end of RT, and then every 3 to 6 months until progression.

Results

A total of 368 patients were randomly assigned to one of the two arms; overall, 58% were male, and the median age was 49 years. Compliance with HRQOL was 78% at baseline and dropped to 55% to 72% up to 2.5 years post-RT. Baseline scores demonstrated considerable impairments in HRQOL for both treatment groups. The longitudinal analysis showed a significant increase in nausea/vomiting in the RT plus PCV chemotherapy arm during and shortly after chemotherapy. Because of a difference in baseline scores for fatigue and physical functioning, the differences between treatment arms during PCV did not reach significance. The nonselected scales of appetite loss and drowsiness demonstrated significant differences between treatment arms during chemotherapy in favor of the RT arm. The long-term results showed no difference between arms.

Conclusion

The major impact of PCV on HRQOL is on nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, and drowsiness during and shortly after treatment. There are no long-term effects of PCV chemotherapy.
LMO2 Protein Expression Predicts Survival in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated With Anthracycline-Based Chemotherapy With and Without Rituximab
Authors: Natkunam Yasodha , Farinha Pedro , Hsi Eric D. , Hans Christine P. , Tibshirani Robert , Sehn Laurie H. , Connors Joseph M. , Gratzinger Dita , Rosado Manuel , Zhao Shuchun , Pohlman Brad , Wongchaowart Nicholas , Bast Martin , Avigdor Abraham , Schiby Ginette , Nagler Arnon , Byrne Gerald E. , Levy Ronald , Gascoyne Randy D. , Lossos Izidore S.
Published: December 2007

Purpose

The heterogeneity of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has prompted the search for new markers that can accurately separate prognostic risk groups. We previously showed in a multivariate model that LMO2 mRNA was a strong predictor of superior outcome in DLBCL patients. Here, we tested the prognostic impact of LMO2 protein expression in DLBCL patients treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy with or without rituximab.

Patients and Methods

DLBCL patients treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy alone (263 patients) or with the addition of rituximab (80 patients) were studied using immunohistochemistry for LMO2 on tissue microarrays of original biopsies. Staining results were correlated with outcome.

Results

In anthracycline-treated patients, LMO2 protein expression was significantly correlated with improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in univariate analyses (OS, P = .018; PFS, P = .010) and was a significant predictor independent of the clinical International Prognostic Index (IPI) in multivariate analysis. Similarly, in patients treated with the combination of anthracycline-containing regimens and rituximab, LMO2 protein expression was also significantly correlated with improved OS and PFS (OS, P = .005; PFS, P = .009) and was a significant predictor independent of the IPI in multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

We conclude that LMO2 protein expression is a prognostic marker in DLBCL patients treated with anthracycline-based regimens alone or in combination with rituximab. After further validation, immunohistologic analysis of LMO2 protein expression may become a practical assay for newly diagnosed DLBCL patients to optimize their clinical management.
The Copper(II) Complex with Two Didentate Schiff Base Ligands. The Unique Rearrangment that Proceeds under Alcohol Vapor in the Solid State to Construct Noninclusion Structure
Authors: Shibuya Yuhki , Nabari Keiko , Kondo Mitsuru , Yasue Sachie , Maeda Kenji , Uchida Fumio , Kawaguchi Hiroyuki
Published: December 2007

The complexation reaction of copper(II) ion and N-(m-hydroxyphenylene)salicylideneaminate (mhsa) in EtOH yields EtOH-inclusion and noninclusion crystalline samples, [Cu(mhsa)2]·2EtOH (1) and [Cu(mhsa)2] (2), respectively. The amorphous sample obtained by drying 1 rearranges to the noninclusion complex 2 under alcohol vapor in the solid state.
The Efficacy of Written Emotional Expression in the Reduction of Psychological Distress in Police Officers
Authors: Ireland Matt , Malouff John M. , Byrne Brian
Published: December 2007

This study examined the impact that writing about personal emotions had on distress levels in police officers. A total of 67 police officers randomly assigned to either a writing intervention or a non-writing control group completed the study. Over a period of 4 work days the intervention group members wrote for 15 minutes a day about their strong emotions related to work or not, and what they planned to do about the emotions. All participants completed measures of stress, anxiety, and depression before and after the intervention. The results showed that the writing group experienced significantly lower levels of stress and anxiety post-intervention than the control group. The results suggest that writing about emotions can help reduce distress in police officers.
Predicting Crime Scene Attendance
Authors: Adderley Richard , Bond John W. , Townsley Michael
Published: December 2007

This paper ascertains the feasibility of using a data mining supervised learning algorithm to predict which crime scenes potentially offer the best opportunity of recovering forensic samples such as finger prints or DNA. UK police forces have a finite number of Crime Scene Investigators and an ever-increasing demand to attend crime scenes. Most forces have a documented attendance criterion but crimes are not evenly distributed throughout the working day. This, at times, results in more scenes to examine than there are investigators, thereby posing the question, ‘Which scenes should be attended first in order to retrieve forensics?’. The Insightful Miner data mining workbench tool has been used to retrieve, combine, clean, manipulate and model the data. The results from Northamptonshire Police have demonstrated that the modelling process is able to predict crime scene attendance to an accuracy of 68 per cent which is significantly better than human experts. The methodology was used in a second police force (Gwent) which records data into different computer systems and the results were comparable to those achieved in Northamptonshire Police. This demonstrates that the methodology is portable between forces.
United States' Policy Analysis on Undercover Operations
Authors: Wagner Georg A.
Published: December 2007

The use of undercover law enforcement techniques brings with it serious risks. They have the capability of threatening civil liberties and US constitutional rights of innocent individuals. Limits of governmental intrusion reflected in the Fourth Amendment, protection of privileged communications reflected in the First Amendment, and the requirement that criminal investigations be conducted in a fair manner commanded by the Fifth Amendment are endangered by undercover methods. After briefly exploring the history of covert practices, this paper will visit current internal and external policies guiding the use of undercover law enforcement methods and court cases that had major impacts on shaping behaviours of undercover officers. Since policies are not well developed at the local level and state courts have reaffirmed rulings by the US Supreme Court, references are made to federal agencies and federal case law. Results of the research indicate that some agencies have internal guidelines, however, they cannot be judicially enforced. US Supreme Court case law is the best resource in guiding law enforcement officers and minimising the risks of violating individuals' rights during an undercover investigation.
How the FBI Has Advanced the Effectiveness of Policing and Law Enforcement in America, While Serving as the Nation's Homeland Security Agency
Authors: Johnson Terrance A.
Published: December 2007

In America the FBI has advanced the effectiveness of policing and law enforcement, while at the same time serving as the nation's homeland security agency. The concept of culture, which is the unique configuration of norms, values and beliefs that characterise the way that people agree to do things, has played a major part in this advancement. Management has had a great influence on how the FBI has become more effective. Early theories of organisations say that the proper way to manage is through control mechanisms. In the early 1800s, policing was the task that provided basic public safety services. The idea of dedicating human and financial resources to catching criminals can be traced back to Roman times. From these roots, the FBI has evolved and had tremendous success in crime fighting. Many of the FBI's efforts have been concentrated on fighting domestic terrorism; however, the FBI has had successes in a wide range of law enforcement tasks, from handling bank robberies to dealing with plots to overthrow the government.