bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein-phosphorylation assay in patients on clopidogrel: Does standardisation matter?
Authors: Bruno Veronika , Willheim Martin , Hübl Wolfgang , Wojta Johann , Huber Kurt , Freynhofer Matthias K.
Published: January 2012

The vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein-phosphorylation (VASP-P) flow-cytometric assay is mainly used in clinical trials to measure thienopyridine effects. However, there are remarkable differences in the reported optimal cut-offs, ranging from 48–61% platelet reactivity index (PRI). We therefore investigated whether a lack of standardisation might explain the differences in the cut-offs. We measured VASP-P in 62 individuals. PRI was calculated using the mean, geometric mean and median fluorescence intensities (FI). Stability of the blood-samples (time-to-assay, 0–2 days) and stability of the processed samples (0–120 minutes) within the recommended time-span were tested. Time-to-assay significantly influenced the PRI (p<0.001): the PRI from mean FI after two days was lower compared to values on day 1 (52 ± 22.9 vs. 57.7 ± 24.1, p<0.001). The PRI from the geometric mean FI after two days was lower compared to day 0 as well as day 1 (51.3 ± 23 vs. 58.2 ± 24.2 and vs. 59.1 ± 23.7, both p<0.001). The PRI from median FI was stable over time (day 0: 59.1 ± 25%, day 1: 59.7 ± 24.1% and day 2: 56.4 ± 23.9%, all p=ns). Furthermore, the lag time of the processed samples significantly altered the PRI (all p<0.001) with a maximum difference for PRI based on geometric mean FI after 90 minutes compared to baseline (Δ=3.92%PRI, p<0.001). The differences in the reported cut-offs might be explained by a lack of standardisation. More precise standardisation is inevitable, as the PRI significantly depends on the method of calculation, the time-to-assay as well as on the lag time after processing. Tolerably stable results were obtained for the PRI from the median FI.
MicroRNAs regulating lipid metabolism in atherogenesis
Authors: Rayner Katey J. , Fernández-Hernando Carlos , Moore Kathryn J.
Published: January 2012

MicroRNAs have emerged as important post-transcriptional regulators of lipid metabolism, and represent a new class of targets for therapeutic intervention. Recently, microRNA-33a and b (miR-33a/b) were discovered as key regulators of metabolic programs including cholesterol and fatty acid homeostasis. These intronic microRNAs are embedded in the sterol response element binding protein genes, SREBF2 and SREBF1, which code for transcription factors that coordinate cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis. By repressing a variety of genes involved in cholesterol export and fatty acid oxidation, including ABCA1, CROT, CPT1, HADHB and PRKAA1, miR-33a/b act in concert with their host genes to boost cellular sterol levels. Recent work in animal models has shown that inhibition of these small non-coding RNAs has potent effects on lipoprotein metabolism, including increasing plasma high-density lipo-protein (HDL) and reducing very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyce-rides. Furthermore, other microRNAs are being discovered that also target the ABCA1 pathway, including miR-758, suggesting that miRNAs may work cooperatively to regulate this pathway. These exciting findings support the development of microRNA antagonists as potential therapeutics for the treatment of dyslipidaemia, atherosclerosis and related metabolic diseases.
Nitroglycerin prevents coagulopathies and foetal death associated with abnormal maternal inflammation in rats
Authors: Cotechini Tiziana , Othman Maha , Graham Charles H.
Published: January 2012

Inflammation-associated foetal loss is often linked to maternal coagulopathies. Here, we characterised the role of maternal inflammation in the development of various systemic maternal coagulopathies and foetal death during mid-to-late gestation in rats. Since nitric oxide (NO) functions as an inhibitor of platelet aggregation and antioxidant, we also tested whether the NO mimetic nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate, GTN) prevents inflammation-associated coagulopathies and foetal death. To induce chronic inflammation, pregnant Wistar rats were injected with low-doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10–40 μg/kg) on gestational days (GD) 13.5–16.5. To determine whether the effects of inflammation are mediated by tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), the TNF-α inhibitor etanercept was injected on GD 13.5 and 15.5. Controls consisted of rats injected with saline. GTN was administered to LPS-treated rats via daily application of a transdermal patch on GD 12.5–16.5. Using thromboelastography (TEG), various coagulation parameters were assessed on GD 17.5; foetal viability was determined morphologically. Reference coagulation parameters were established based on TEG results obtained from control animals. LPS-treated rats exhibited distinct systemic coagulopathies: hypercoagulability, hypocoagulability, hyperfibrinolysis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) stages I and III. A specific foetal death coagulation phenotype was observed, implicating TEG as a potential tool to identify inflammation-induced haemostatic alterations associated with pregnancy loss. Treatment with etanercept reduced the incidence of coagulopathy by 47%, while continuous delivery of GTN prevented foetal death and the inflammation-induced coagulopathies. These findings provide a rationale for investigating the use of GTN in the prevention of maternal coagulopathies and inflammation-mediated foetal death.
Cardiomyogenesis in the Developing Heart Is Regulated by C-Kit–Positive Cardiac Stem Cells
Authors: Ferreira-Martins João , Ogórek Barbara , Cappetta Donato , Matsuda Alex , Signore Sergio , D'Amario Domenico , Kostyla James , Steadman Elisabeth , Ide-Iwata Noriko , Sanada Fumihiro , Iaffaldano Grazia , Ottolenghi Sergio , Hosoda Toru , Leri Annarosa , Kajstura Jan , Anversa Piero , Rota Marcello
Published: January 2012

RETRACTION

This article has been retracted:

Circ Res
. 2018;123:e00. DOI: 10.1161/RES.0000000000000252.
9-Cis Retinoic Acid Promotes Lymphangiogenesis and Enhances Lymphatic Vessel Regeneration
Authors: Choi Inho , Lee Sunju , Kyoung Chung Hee , Suk Lee Yong , Eui Kim Kyu , Choi Dongwon , Park Eun Kyung , Yang Dongyun , Ecoiffier Tatiana , Monahan John , Chen Wen , Aguilar Berenice , Lee Ha Neul , Yoo Jaehyuk , Koh Chester J. , Chen Lu , Wong Alex K. , Hong Young-Kwon
Published: January 2012

Background—

The lymphatic system plays a key role in tissue fluid homeostasis and lymphatic dysfunction caused by genetic defects, or lymphatic vessel obstruction can cause lymphedema, disfiguring tissue swelling often associated with fibrosis and recurrent infections with no available cures to date. In this study, retinoic acids (RAs) were determined to be a potent therapeutic agent that is immediately applicable to reduce secondary lymphedema.

Methods and Results—

We report that RAs promote proliferation, migration, and tube formation of cultured lymphatic endothelial cells by activating fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling. Moreover, RAs control the expression of cell-cycle checkpoint regulators such as p27
Kip1
, p57
Kip2
, and the aurora kinases through both an Akt-mediated nongenomic action and a transcription-dependent genomic action that is mediated by Prox1, a master regulator of lymphatic development. Moreover, 9-cisRA was found to activate in vivo lymphangiogenesis in animals in mouse trachea, Matrigel plug, and cornea pocket assays. Finally, we demonstrate that 9-cisRA can provide a strong therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating experimental mouse tail lymphedema by enhancing lymphatic vessel regeneration.

Conclusion—

These in vitro and animal studies demonstrate that 9-cisRA potently activates lymphangiogenesis and promotes lymphatic regeneration in an experimental lymphedema model, presenting it as a promising novel therapeutic agent to treat human lymphedema patients.
Eaux stagnantes
Authors: Kellens Jean
Published: January 2012

The fragment of the recitative for a sacrifice to the waters which was inserted in the Avestan Yasna under the title āb zōhr, if correctly understood, teaches that the offerings must be brought to stagnant waters.
Like Father, Like Son: Poetic Strategies in "The Middle Brother" (Madhyama-vyāyoga) Attributed to Bhāsa
Authors: Salomon Richard
Published: January 2012

The one-act Sanskrit drama Madhyama-vyāyoga or "The Middle Brother" attributed to Bhāsa describes an oedipal encounter between the Pāndava hero Bhīmasena and his half-demon son Ghatotkaca. The author utilizes subtle techniques of word choice and strategic repetition of key words, particularly sadrśa 'like, similar,' to hint at the underlying similarity of the superficially unlike pair. This keyword technique, which is found only sporadically in Sanskrit, is compared to similar techniques in other literatures, particularly the Leitwortstil characteristic of Biblical Hebrew.
Ksatriyas in the Kali Age? Gāgābhatta & His Opponents
Authors: Deshpande Madhav
Published: January 2012

This paper deals with the history of the disputes regarding the Ksatriya status of the local ruler Shivaji and the Cāndrasenīya Kāyastha Prabhu (CKP) community of Maharashtra. The origin of these disputes lies in the wider dispute concerning whether there are any true Ksatriyas in the Kali age. The CKPs of Maharashtra claimed to be Ksatriyas and thus entitled for the rite of Upanayana, while the dominant regional Brahmin opinion was that they were Śūdras and not entitled for the Upanayana. The dispute broke out a few years before Shivaji's coronation, and to the discomfort of the local Brahmins, Gāgābhatta of Banaras settled it in favor of the Kāyasthas in his work, the Kāyasthadharmadīpa. In decades after Shivaji's death, the dispute broke out again, and within Maharashtra, gradually the Dharmaśāstric opinion shifted against the views of Gāgābhatta, and toward the end of the rule of the last Peshwa, this dispute was raised again by Nīlakantha Śāstri Thatte in Pune against the Kāyasthas. I have traced the lineage of Nīlakantha Thatte, through his teacher Vaidyanātha Pāyagunde, to his teacher, the great Nāgeśabhatta of Banaras. Nāgeśsabhatta produced his Vrātyatāprāyaścittanirnaya at a śāastrasabhā in Jaipur, where he argued that there were no pure Ksatriyas surviving in the Kali age, and that the impure ones do not have the eligibility for Upanayana through some expiation. So the Kāyasthas could not claim to be genuine Ksatriyas either. It was this opinion of Nāgesabhatta, counter to the opinion of Gāgābhatta, that steadily gained popularity among the Pune Brahmins during the rule of the Peshwas, finally reflected in the activities of Nīlakantha Thatte.
Julius Evola and the UR Group
Authors: Hakl Hans Thmas
Published: January 2012

Die Gruppe von UR, die von 1927–1929 bestand, wurde im Wesentlichen vom italienischen Mathematiker, Neu-Pythagoreer und Hochgradfreimaurer Arturo Reghini sowie von Julius Evola begründet, der damals bereits seine dadaistische und philosophische Periode beendet und sich intensiv mit fernöstlicher Spiritualität beschäftigt hatte. Auf Grund ihres umfangreichen Lehrmaterials und wegen der hoch qualifizierten Mitglieder (darunter Altphilologen, der Begründer der Freudschen Psychoanalyse in Italien, Literaten, erfahrene Mitglieder anderer magischer Gruppierungen sowie die Spitze der Anthroposophie in Italien) muss die Gruppe von UR zu den interessantesten magischen Bünden des 20. Jahrhunderts gerechnet werden. UR veröffentlichte zur Zeit ihres Bestehens regelmäßig Monatshefte, die insgesamt auf über eintausendzweihundert Seiten konzentriertes praktisches Material aus allen Epochen und Weltgegenden vorlegte. Das Ziel der Gruppe war nicht Mystik oder schöngeistige Philosophie, sondern einen tatsächlicher Zugang zu transzendenten Bereichen aufzuzeigen. Dazu wurde ein nachvollziehbarer Stufenweg vorgezeichnet und in möglichst klaren Worten erläutert. Praktische Texte aus der Alchimie, dem Tantrismus, Buddhismus, der antiken Theurgie und der Sexualmagie wurden zusätzlich beigezogen. Der Stufenweg sollte zu einer echten Gottwerdung (nicht Gottähnlichkeit) führen nach dem Satz Meister Eckharts: "Soll ich Gott unmittelbar erkennen, so muss ich schlechthin Er und Er muss ich werden." Die Möglichkeit dazu bot der Aufbau eines unzerstörbaren "Diamantkörpers", der auch den physischen Tod überstehen sollte. Die Gruppe von UR war in zwei Fraktionen aufgeteilt. Die eine, die praktisch verwertbare Texte übersetzte und kommentierte und eine zweite innere, die diesen Weg praktisch verfolgte und die dabei gemachten Einzel- und Gruppenerfahrungen in unmissverständlicher Sprache beschrieb.
On Forgiveness and the Deliberate Refusal to Punish: Reiterating the Differences
Authors: Zaibert Leo
Published: January 2012

In a recent article in this journal Brandon Warmke argues against my account of forgiveness. I here offer answers to his objections, and suggest ways in which I think he has misinterpreted my views. This exchange with Warmke also gives me the opportunity to insist on my general thesis that it is advisable to study punishment and forgiveness together. It is precisely the conceptual proximity of these two phenomena which make my account of forgiveness uncommon, and which make it more promising than other accounts.
The Astronomical Basis of Egyptian Chronology of the Second Millennium BC
Authors: Huber Peter J.
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Egyptian dates are widely used for fixing the chronologies of surrounding countries in the Ancient Near East. But the astronomical basis of Egyptian chronology is shakier than generally assumed. The moon dates of the Middle and New Kingdom are here re-examined with the help of experiences gained from Babylonian astronomical observations. The astronomical basis of the chronology of the New Kingdom is at best ambiguous. The conventional date of Thutmose III’s year 1 in 1479 BC agrees with the raw moon dates, but it has been argued by several Egyptologists that those dates should be amended by one day, and then the unique match is 1504 BC. The widely accepted identification of a moon date in year 52 of Ramesses II, which leads to an accession of Ramesses II in 1279 BC, is by no means certain. In my opinion that accession year remains nothing more than one of several possibilities. If one opts for a shortened Horemhab reign, dating Ramesses II to 1290 BC gives a better compromise chronology. But the most convincing astronomical chronology is a long one: Ramesses II in 1315 BC, Thutmose III in 1504 BC. It is favored by Amarna-Hittite synchronisms and a solar eclipse in the time of Muršili II. The main counter-argument is that this chronology is at least 10–15 years higher than what one calculates from the Assyrian King List and the Kassite synchronisms. For the Middle Kingdom on the other hand, among the disputed dates of Sesostris III and Amenemhet III one combination turns out to be reasonably secure: Sesostris III’s year 1 in 1873/72 BC and Amenemhet III’s 30 years later.
“The Loneliness of the Dying”: General and Particular Victimization in Timothy Snyder's Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin
Authors: Bergen Doris L.
Published: January 2012

Timothy Snyder's Bloodlands is part of a shift to the east in study of the Holocaust since the 1990s. Snyder depicts the mutually reinforcing, destructive impact of Hitler and Stalin in the territories from central Poland to western Russia, from 1933 to the 1950s. This review highlights Snyder's contributions but raises questions about the particularity of the “bloodlands” and the emphasis on mass killing as the work of outsiders to the region. It recognizes the value of a regional approach but notes that the global dimension of the Holocaust gets lost as do the specificities of groups of victims, whose suffering bound them together yet kept them apart.
Darker Than Dark
Authors: Kulavig Erik
Published: January 2012

This essay focuses on Bloodlands, Timothy Snyder's analysis of Stalinism, Nazism and their consequences for the transnational territory between Berlin and Moscow from 1932 to 1945. The author concludes that Bloodlands does not add anything new to historians’ knowledge of the nature of Stalinism, but it does bring valuable attention to the cruelty of life under Stalin in this area. The author also notes that Snyder leaves out of his book vital areas affected by Stalin's terror
Solar Cycle Signals in the Pacific and the Issue of Timings
Authors: Roy Indrani , Haigh Joanna D.
Published: January 2012

The solar cycle signal in sea level pressure during 1856–2007 is analyzed. Using composites of data from January–February in solar cycle peak years the strong positive signal in the region of the Aleutian low, found by previous authors, is confirmed. It is found, however, that signals in other regions of the globe, particularly in the South Pacific, are very sensitive to the choice of reference climatology. Also investigated is the relationship between solar activity and sea surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific. A marked overall association of higher solar activity with colder temperatures in the tropical Pacific that is not restricted to years of peak sunspot number is noted. The ENSO-like variation following peak years that has been suggested by other authors is not found as a consistent signal. Both the SLP and SST signals vary coherently with the solar cycle and neither evolves on an ENSO-like time scale. The solar signals are weaker during the period spanning approximately 1956–97, which may be due to masking by a stronger innate ENSO variability at that time.
Relationships between the Raindrop Size Distribution and Properties of the Environment and Clouds Inferred from TRMM
Authors: Munchak S. Joseph , Kummerow Christian D. , Elsaesser Gregory
Published: January 2012

Raindrop size distribution (DSD) retrievals from two years of data gathered by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite and processed with a combined radar–radiometer algorithm over the oceans equatorward of 35° are examined for relationships with variables describing properties of the vertical precipitation profile, mesoscale organization, and background environment. In general, higher freezing levels and relative humidities (tropical environments) are associated with smaller reflectivity-normalized median drop size (εDSD) than in the extratropics. Within the tropics, the smallest εDSD values are found in large, shallow convective systems where warm rain formation processes are thought to be predominant, whereas larger sizes are found in the stratiform regions of organized deep convection. In the extratropics, the largest εDSD values are found in the scattered convection that occurs when cold, dry continental air moves over the much warmer ocean after the passage of a cold front. These relationships are formally attributed to variables describing the large-scale environment, mesoscale organization, and profile characteristics via principal component (PC) analysis. The leading three PCs account for 23% of the variance in εDSD at the individual profile level and 45% of the variance in 1°-gridded mean values. The geographical distribution of εDSD is consistent with many of the observed regional reflectivity–rainfall (Z–R) relationships found in the literature as well as discrepancies between the TRMM radar-only and radiometer-only precipitation products. In particular, midlatitude and tropical regions near land tend to have larger drops for a given reflectivity, whereas the smallest drops are found in the eastern Pacific Ocean intertropical convergence zone.
Simone de Beauvoir and Hannah Arendt
Authors: Marso Lori J.
Published: January 2012

This article compares Hannah Arendt’s famous essay on Adolf Eichmann’s trial in Israel in 1961 to Simone de Beauvoir’s little studied piece, “An Eye for an Eye,” on the trial of Robert Brasillach in France in 1945. Arendt and Beauvoir each determine the complicity of individuals acting within a political order that seeks to eliminate certain forms of otherness and difference, but come to differing conclusions about the significance of the crimes. I explain Beauvoir’s account of ambiguity, on which she draws in her judgment of Brasillach and elaborates in her 1948 Ethics of Ambiguity, and measure it against Arendt’s account of Eichmann’s thoughtlessness and its effects on the destruction of conditions of worldly plurality. Linking the failure of ethical judgment on the part of individuals to prior systemic political conditions, Beauvoir helps us recognize struggles over the meaning of bodies and conditions of inequality as central to politics.
Effects of Amlodipine on the Oral Bioavailability of Cephalexin and Cefuroxime Axetil in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Ding Yi , Liu WenXing , Yan Jia Yan , Lu ChengTao , Jin Xin , Yang Jing , Zhu YanRong , Yang Lin , Song Ying , Ding LiKun , Wen AiDong
Published: January 2012

In this study, the authors compared the effects of amlodipine (AML) on the bioavailability of cephalexin (LEX) and cefuroxime axetil (CXM). Twenty‐four healthy men were randomized to 4 treatments according to a crossover design with a 14‐day washout. After an overnight fast, they were administered orally LEX 500 mg alone, LEX 500 mg 2 hours after oral administration of AML 5 mg, CXM 500 mg alone, and CXM 500 mg 2 hours after oral administration of AML 5 mg. All participants completed the whole study without side effects being observed. Pharmacokinetic data were analyzed by noncompartmental modeling with WinNonlin software. The geometric mean (GM) ratios were 1.38 (90% confidence interval [CI], 1.32‐1.45) for the area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC) for LEX and 1.27 (1.18‐1.36) for the maximum concentration of drug in serum (Cmax) for LEX followed by AML versus alone. In contrast, no significant differences were found in the pharmacokinetic parameters of CXM between treatments (P < .05). They authors conclude that AML possesses an enhancement effect in β‐lactam antibiotic bioavailability (in this case, LEX), and this interaction may be specific to the peptidomimetic β‐lactam antibiotics.
Output feedback finite-time control for a bioreactor system based on a finite-time stable observer
Authors: Wang Zhao , Li Shihua , Fei Shumin
Published: January 2012

In this paper, an output feedback finite-time controller based on a finite-time stable observer is developed for a bioreactor system. The observer is proposed to estimate the biomass concentration in finite time. Based on the estimation of the biomass concentration, an output feedback controller is designed to track the reference signal in finite time. A Lyapunov function is constructed to prove that the observer is a finite-time stable observer. The finite-time stability results for cascaded systems are employed to prove that the closed-loop system satisfies the finite-time stability. Thus, the observer and the controller can be designed separately, both with finite-time convergence. Numerical simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.
A Negative Binomial Regression Model for Accuracy Tests
Authors: Hung Lai-Fa
Published: January 2012

Rasch used a Poisson model to analyze errors and speed in reading tests. An important property of the Poisson distribution is that the mean and variance are equal. However, in social science research, it is very common for the variance to be greater than the mean (i.e., the data are overdispersed). This study embeds the Rasch model within an overdispersion framework and proposes new estimation methods. The parameters in the proposed model can be estimated using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method implemented in WinBUGS and the marginal maximum likelihood method implemented in SAS. An empirical example based on models generated by the results of empirical data, which are fitted and discussed, is examined.
Compounding USP <797>
Authors: Kastango Eric S.
Published: January 2012

Using USP Chapter <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding–Sterile Preparations (CSP) is now considered the standard for sterile compounding practice and safety in the United States. This is particularly important in compounding the complex formulation of parenteral nutrition.
Psychometric Properties of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale With Older American Indians
Authors: Goins R. Turner , Gregg Jeffrey J. , Fiske Amy
Published: January 2012

Resilience is a term that refers to a person’s ability to successfully adapt to adversity. Resilience research has been relatively limited with older adults, particularly with older American Indians. Also, none of the resilience measures have been validated in older American Indians. This study’s objective was to assess the psychometric properties of the full 25-item and abbreviated 10-item versions of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) with a sample of older American Indians. Both CD-RISC versions performed similarly in the study sample compared with what has been reported in other populations. The full version demonstrated adequate internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity, but a meaningful factor structure was not confirmed. The abbreviated version showed good internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity and appeared to have a stable one-factor solution. These findings lend greater support to the use of the abbreviated version than the full version of the CD-RISC with older American Indians.
Human Papillomavirus–Positive Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients Do Not Have Better Quality‐of‐Life Trajectories
Authors: Sharma Arun , Méndez Eduardo , Yueh Bevan , Lohavanichbutr Pawadee , Houck John , Doody David R. , Futran Neal D. , Upton Melissa P. , Schwartz Stephen M. , Chen Chu
Published: January 2012

Objective

To determine the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) status on quality of life (QOL) in patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Since OSCC that are associated with high‐risk HPV have an improved response to treatment and survival, we hypothesized that patients with these tumors would have better QOL trajectories.

Study Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary care academic medical center and 2 affiliated hospitals.

Subjects and Methods

Head and neck–specific QOL was determined using the University of Washington Quality of Life scale version 4 in patients with newly diagnosed invasive OSSC (N = 228).

Results

Pretreatment QOL was higher in patients with high‐risk HPV‐associated tumors compared with patients with HPV‐negative or low‐risk HPV‐associated tumors (P =. 015). Patients with high‐risk HPV‐associated tumors had larger decreases in QOL from pretreatment to immediate posttreatment compared with patients with HPV‐negative or low‐risk HPV‐associated tumors (P =. 041). There was no association between HPV status and 1‐year posttreatment QOL.

Conclusion

Among OSCC patients, high‐risk HPV‐associated tumors were associated with higher pretreatment QOL and a larger decrease in QOL from pretreatment to immediate posttreatment, suggesting that treatment intensity in this unique population may adversely affect QOL.
A virtual learning application of the schoolwide enrichment model and high-end learning theory
Authors: Renzulli Joseph S. , Reis Sally M.
Published: January 2012

Remarkable advances in instructional communication technology (ICT) have now made it possible to provide high levels of enrichment services to students online. This paper describes an Internet-based enrichment program based on a high-end learning theory that focuses on the development of creative productivity through the application of knowledge rather than the mere acquisition and storage of knowledge. The program, called Renzulli Learning System (RLS), extends the pedagogy of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) to various forms of enrichment as well as first-hand investigative and creative endeavors. In this paper, a brief overview is provided about the SEM, the organizational framework upon which the RLS is based. This section will be followed by summaries of the Three-Ring Conception of Giftedness and the Enrichment Triad Model, the two theories underlying SEM, and the final section presents a detailed description of the RLS.
TASC: Thinking Actively in a Social Context. A universal problem-solving process
Authors: Wallace Belle , Bernardelli Alessio , Molyneux Clare , Farrell Clare
Published: January 2012

All children are born with the gifts of curiosity and creativity – and an insatiable appetite for asking questions to find out about the world in which they live. Fostering these questions and developing inquisitive and investigating minds is one of the essential roles of parent and teacher, and the processes of enquiry are the necessary routes for nurturing and developing all children’s potential for thoughtful discovery. The ethos of this paper is that ‘every child matters’, and the underlying message is one of ‘inclusion with differentiation’. The theme flowing throughout is that teachers and learners need to work interactively to construct knowledge; and, together, through this interaction, deep and sustained learning is promoted. When learners are truly involved in constructing knowledge for themselves, their motivation is high and both individual and group effort is sustained. Importantly, children in many communities are born into a rapidly changing technological world: they grow up using technological tools naturally, with ease and without fear, and they are often more proficient than their teachers! Learners are communicating globally, but all too often their technical skills and powers of communicating are not utilized in schools. In this paper Belle Wallace explains the Thinking Actively in a Social Context (TASC) Framework for thinking and problem-solving; Alessio Bernadelli recommends a wide range of software tools that he uses to develop TASC at secondary level; and Clare Molyneux and Clare Farrell describe a very successful primary project using TASC and Studywiz.
An interactive cultural transect
Authors: Peters Phil , Katsaros Alex , Howard Rosalyn , Lindgren Robb
Published: January 2012

This pilot project conducted by researchers from the University of Central Florida (UCF) seeks to answer the question: Does a real-time, two-way, mobile, remote webcasting system have special properties for learning compared with traditional distance learning platforms? Students enrolled in two online, undergraduate UCF courses explored South Africa via a ‘Cultural Transect’, which we define as a method for recording and observing occurrences of cultural phenomena through regions and across borders of contemporary cultural systems around the world. The researchers hypothesize that this interactive Cultural Transect model augmented the traditional classroom by providing experiential access and interaction with authentic data, content, people, and real-world contexts.
Thinking inside the box constrained creativity and new technology
Authors: Gill Bradley
Published: January 2012

Thinking outside of the box is a standard cliché for creativity. Yet an awareness of the boxed nature of new media can empower young students to think creatively about design. This article is a reflection of one teacher who led a group of young students in a series of lessons based on basic design principles related to technology. It is based on classroom experience and research at the University of Central Florida.
A multidisciplinary and multidimensional intervention for patients with hand osteoarthritis
Authors: Stukstette MJPM , Hoogeboom TJ , de Ruiter R , Koelmans P , Veerman E , den Broeder AA , Cats H , Bijlsma JW , Dekker J , van den Ende CHM
Published: January 2012

Background: Although several guidelines recommend that treatment programmes in patients with hand osteoarthritis should be both multidisciplinary and multidimensional, currently no such treatment programme for hand osteoarthritis has been described. Therefore the aim of this study was to systematically develop a multidisciplinary and multidimensional non-pharmacological treatment programme and to give a detailed description on the content of this treatment programme.

Development of the treatment programme: The programme was developed in phases. In a preclinical theoretical phase, disease-specific problems, current evidence and the influence of patient characteristics on the benefit of interventions were explored. In a modelling phase, the treatment programme was designed.

Treatment programme: The programme contains an individual intake, four weekly nurse and occupational therapist-led group sessions and a booster session after six months. Treatment components of the programme are self-management, daily home exercises to enhance joint mobility and grip strength and education about ergonomic principles. The treatment programme is tailored to the needs of individual patients with hand osteoarthritis.

Conclusions: A non-pharmacological multidisciplinary and multidimensional treatment programme for patients with hand osteoarthritis was developed. Further research is necessary to investigate the effectiveness of this treatment programme. Currently, the programme is being evaluated in an ongoing randomized clinical trial.
Immunohistochemical Characterization of Nonhuman Primate Ovarian Sex Cord–Stromal Tumors
Authors: Durkes A. , Garner M. , Juan-Sallés C. , Ramos-Vara J.
Published: January 2012

This study evaluates the immunoreactivity of 12 sex cord–stromal tumors of nonhuman primates (11 granulosa cell tumors and 1 luteoma). The markers selected are used in the characterization of gonadal tumors in dogs and other species, including cytokeratins AE1/AE3, GATA-4, inhibin-α, neuron-specific enolase, protein gene product 9.5, and vimentin. A normal nonhuman primate ovary was used as a control and to optimize immunolabeling. Staining was graded as follows: 0 (nonstaining), 1+ (< 10% positive cells), 2+ (10%–50% positive cells), and 3+ (> 50% positive cells). Calretinin, GATA-4, neuron-specific enolase, and vimentin were the most consistently expressed markers (12 of 12). Cytokeratins AE1/AE3 were also consistently expressed (11 of 12). Inhibin-α and protein gene product 9.5 were expressed in 8 and 10 sex cord–stromal tumors, respectively. Results indicate that immunoreactivity of nonhuman primate sex cord–stromal tumors is similar to that observed in other species and that calretinin, GATA-4, and neuron-specific enolase are the most consistently expressed markers in nonhuman primate sex cord–stromal tumors.
Natural Heterobilharzia americana Infection in Horses in Texas
Authors: Corapi W. V. , Snowden K. F. , Rodrigues A. , Porter B. F. , Buote M. A. , Birch S. M. , Jackson N. D. , Eden K. B. , Whitley D. B. , Mansell J. , Edwards J. F. , Hardy J. , Chaffin M. K.
Published: January 2012

The schistosome Heterobilharzia americana infects dogs, raccoons, and other mammals in the southeastern United States. Migration of eggs into the liver results in parasitic granulomas with varying degrees of fibrosis and inflammation. Recently, hepatic parasitic granulomas in horses were shown to be caused by H. americana infection. In the present study, samples of liver from 11 of 12 horses with hepatic granulomas identified at necropsy ( n = 11) or surgical biopsy ( n = 1) were used for DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing using primers specific for a portion of the H. americana small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. A polymerase chain reaction amplicon of the correct size was produced from the extracted DNA in 8 of the 11 horses. Amplicons from 5 of the 8 positive horses were sequenced and had 100% identity with H. americana. In all but 2 of the 12 horses, Heterobilharzia was not responsible for the primary clinical disease, and the hepatic granulomas were considered an incidental finding.
Attachment Styles, Coping Strategies, and Romantic Feelings Among Battered Women in Shelters
Authors: Shechory Mally
Published: January 2012

The aim of the study was to examine coping strategies, attachment styles, and romantic feelings among a sample of battered women (BWS) in shelters in Israel compared with a sample of women recruited from the community (CS; defined as nonbattered women). Results indicate that BWS were significantly more anxious and avoidant than CS and their romantic feelings for their partners were lower. However, contrary to prediction, BWS used more problem-focused than emotion-focused coping. Also contrary to prediction, attachment style and romantic feelings predicted problem-focused coping among BWS while predicting emotion-focused coping among CS. Aside from challenging common assumptions, the findings of the current study enhance our understanding of the associations between coping style, attachment style, and emotions experienced by BWS and highlight the importance of considering the larger context within which an individual instance of leaving occurs. Even so, future studies should employ a longitudinal design so as to shed additional light on interrelationships between these variables.
Changes in Sexual Values and Their Sources Over the 1st Year of College
Authors: Morgan Elizabeth M. , Zurbriggen Eileen L.
Published: January 2012

The present study identified emerging adults’ self-generated sexual values and sources of sexual values upon entering college and a year later to assess how these values and sources may have changed. Participants included 148 college students (86 women and 62 men) who were 17 to 19 years old at Time 1 ( M = 18.1). Generative coding revealed seven thematic sexual values: casual versus relational criteria for sexual intercourse, respect, giving or obtaining consent, pleasure for self and partner, intimacy, trust, and physical safety. Regarding sources of values, participants reported interpersonal, intrapersonal, and societal sources. Analyses revealed few gender differences in sexual values. Valuing casual criteria for sexual intercourse increased in frequency from Time 1 to Time 2 and valuing relational criteria decreased. Peers and dating partners increased in frequency and parents decreased in frequency as sources of sexual values.
Biocompatibility properties of surface-modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) for urinary applications
Authors: Lippens Evi , De Smet Nele , Schauvliege Stijn , Martens Ann , Gasthuys Frank , Schacht Etienne , Cornelissen Ria
Published: January 2012

An electronic sensor system for urinary bladder pressure monitoring requires an imbedding into a biocompatible, flexible, and liquid-impermeable material. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was selected in the present set-up as packaging material because it fulfills the abovementioned requirements. However, the surface of PDMS is hydrophobic and causes undesired interactions with salts, proteins, and cells present in urine. To reduce possible interactions of urine salts in the urinary bladder, monomers, [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]-dimethyl-3-sulfopropyl-ammonium hydroxide (sulfobetaine) and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropyl sulfonic acid, were grafted onto the surface through oxygen plasma treatment. A reduction in salt deposition between the pure PDMS and the modified PDMS was observed both in vitro (artificial urine flow over the surface) and in vivo (implants into the urinary bladder of experimental pigs). Additionally, a 10-fold reduction in salt deposition was observed in vitro due to grafting of the monomers onto the surface. These modified PDMS materials proved also to be biocompatible in cell cultures, which was further confirmed by histological screening of the bladder tissue after implantation in an in vivo pig model.
Sealing effects of cross-linked gelatin
Authors: Suzuki S , Ikada Y
Published: January 2012

Surgical sealants form gel when applied to tissues. Currently, fibrin sealant has been successfully used in many surgical fields, but it has several disadvantages, including possible virus transmission, low adhesive strength, and high cost. In this study, gelatin and glutaraldehyde (GA) solutions were chosen to demonstrate the effectiveness of cross-linked gelatin gel as sealant and barrier, both of which have long been used in medical applications. It was found that the gelatin gel prepared from 26 wt% gelatin and 1 wt% GA solutions exhibited bonding strength almost three times higher than that of fibrin glue. The bonding strength increased with the increasing gelatin and GA concentrations. When a needle hole on PTFE vascular grafts was sealed with the gelatin gel, the water-resistant pressure significantly increased upon rubbing and was twice higher than that of fibrin glue. The cytotoxicity of gelatin gel was found to be much lower than that of albumin glue prepared at the same composition as commercially available BioGlue®. The gelatin gel was found to be also effective as barrier to prevent adhesion in a rat cecum abrasion model.
In vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of curcumin-loaded Pluronic/Polycaprolactone micelles in colorectal adenocarcinoma cells
Authors: Raveendran Radhika , Bhuvaneshwar GS , Sharma Chandra P
Published: January 2012

Clinical application of curcumin has been limited due to poor aqueous solubility and consequently minimal systemic bioavailability. We investigated the preparation of curcumin-loaded micelles based on amphiphilic Pluronic/Polycaprolactone (Pluronic/PCL) block copolymer, which proved to be efficient in enhancing curcumin’s aqueous solubility. Curcumin-loaded micelles of size below 200 nm was characterized by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the amphiphilic polymer was determined using pyrene as a fluorescent probe. Hemolysis and aggregation studies were investigated to evaluate the blood compatibility of the micelles. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was performed to study the stability of the micelles toward plasma proteins. In vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the curcumin-loaded micelles were demonstrated in colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco2) cells. The results indicated that Pluronic/PCL micelles could be a promising candidate for curcumin delivery to cancer cells.
Military Training and Personality Trait Development
Authors: Jackson Joshua J. , Thoemmes Felix , Jonkmann Kathrin , Lüdtke Oliver , Trautwein Ulrich
Published: January 2012

Military experience is an important turning point in a person’s life and, consequently, is associated with important life outcomes. Using a large longitudinal sample of German males, we examined whether personality traits played a role during this period. Results indicated that personality traits prospectively predicted the decision to enter the military. People lower in agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness to experience during high school were more likely to enter the military after graduation. In addition, military training was associated with changes in personality. Compared with a control group, military recruits had lower levels of agreeableness after training. These levels persisted 5 years after training, even after participants entered college or the labor market. This study is one of the first to identify life experiences associated with changes in personality traits. Moreover, our results suggest that military experiences may have a long-lasting influence on individual-level characteristics.
Taking Exception: The Cases of Financial and Urban Governance
Authors: Lippert Randy K. , Williams James W.
Published: January 2012

The concept of the exception has garnered increasing notice from scholars, where it has been used to denote the outer limits, and yet most absolute embodiment, of sovereign rule. However, the concept and its relevance to law and governance in specific contexts remain underdeveloped. Drawing on detailed studies of two domains – financial and urban governance – where the importance of the exception is evident yet unrecognized, we argue that this concept provides a valuable analytic for thinking through, not the vicissitudes of sovereign rule, but rather the internal logics, possibilities, and limits of governmental programmes and the place of law therein. We use these empirical forays to develop the concept of the exception as a technicality of governance that bears critical implications for the nature, shape, and effects of governmental programmes.
Gender-Based Domestic Violence in Nigeria
Authors: Chika Ifemeje Sylvia
Published: January 2012

Gender-based domestic violence, often targeted against women and girl children, is a global problem that has, in recent times, assumed an alarming proportion and dimension. The consequences of domestic violence are legion—it takes a devastating toll on women, families and nations, and furthermore, recent researches have shown increasing links between domestic violence and the high vulnerability of women to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This article, as the title indicates, focusses on domestic violence in Nigeria; it identifies and examines the various factors that have, over the years, militated against the eradication of this type of violence. The article proffers solutions on the best way forward in order to stem this growing tide of violence often targeted against women and girl children in Nigerian homes.
Latin American Company Strategies in the Financial Crisis
Authors: Grosse Robert
Published: January 2012

This article presents a conceptual basis for developing a corporate strategy to respond to a financial crisis, and an empirical examination of strategic moves undertaken by a number of large Latin American (Mexican) firms during the crisis and subsequent recession. A framework for thinking about this problem is the Cost–Revenue–Risk (CRR) view,1 which focuses on the firm’s costs, revenues, and risks. This framework is elaborated in the article, and then applied empirically to six companies in Mexico, looking at their responses to the crisis initially and after one year. In addition, the firms listed on the Mexican stock exchange are examined to see if the strategies used by the interview sample also contribute to performance of the larger group of firms—which they do. In the sample of listed Mexican firms, both sectoral diversification and cross-country diversification turned out to be significant contributors to explaining relative firm performance during the crisis.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) at an Early Phase of Trauma Continuously Proceeds to DIC at a Late Phase of Trauma
Authors: Murakami Hiromoto , Gando Satoshi , Hayakawa Mineji , Sawamura Atsushi , Sugano Masahiro , Kubota Nobuhiko , Uegaki Shinji , Jesmin Subrina
Published: January 2012

The data from 254 patients with severe trauma were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were subdivided into disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and non-DIC. There was a difference in the incidence of the continuous progression from the early to late phase of DIC between the patients with and without DIC on day 0. While 2 of 9 patients who newly developed late-phase DIC were complicated with sepsis, none of the 32 patients who showed a continuous progression of DIC from the early to late phase of trauma developed sepsis. The DIC and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores on day 0 were independent factors that predicted the continuous progression of the DIC from the early to late phase of trauma. Trauma itself, but not sepsis, contributes to the continuous progression of DIC from the early to late phase of trauma. The severity of DIC and organ dysfunction are involved in the pathogenesis of this continuous progression.
Polymorphisms of Platelet ADP Receptor P2RY12 in the Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in the Korean Population
Authors: Jang Moon Ju , Jeon Young Joo , Min Kyung Tae , Oh Jisu , Chong So Young , Park Seonyang , Yun-Choi Hye Sook , Oh Doyeun , Kim Nam Keun
Published: January 2012

Although it was thought that platelets did not play a significant role in the pathogenesis of venous thromboembolism (VTE), several studies demonstrated that a marked activation of platelets occurs in patients with VTE. We carried out a case–control study to investigate the effect of the T744C P2RY12 polymorphism on the risk of VTE in the Korean population. We enrolled 154 consecutive patients with VTE and 415 healthy controls. Genotype frequencies for patients with TT, TC, and CC were 71.4%, 24.7%, and 3.9% and in the controls, 68.2%, 30.1%, and 1.7%, respectively. T744C P2RY12 polymorphism did not significantly affect the risk of VTE. Our study shows that T744C P2RY12 polymorphism did not significantly affect the risk of VTE in the Korean population.