bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Properties of a T-Type Ca2+Channel–Activated Slow Afterhyperpolarization in Thalamic Paraventricular Nucleus and Other Thalamic Midline Neurons
Authors: Zhang Li , Renaud Leo P. , Kolaj Miloslav
Published: March 2009

Burst firing mediated by a low-threshold spike (LTS) is the hallmark of many thalamic neurons. However, postburst afterhyperpolarizations (AHPs) are relatively uncommon in thalamus. We now report data from patch-clamp recordings in rat brain slice preparations that reveal an LTS-induced slow AHP (sAHP) in thalamic paraventricular (PVT) and other midline neurons, but not in ventrobasal or reticular thalamic neurons. The LTS-induced sAHP lasts 8.9 ± 0.4 s and has a novel pharmacology, with resistance to tetrodotoxin and cadmium and reduction by Ni2+or nominally zero extracellular calcium concentration, which also attenuate both the LTS and sAHP. The sAHP is inhibited by 10 mM intracellular EGTA or by equimolar replacement of extracellular Ca2+with Sr2+, consistent with select activation of LVA T-type Ca2+channels and subsequent Ca2+influx. In control media, the sAHP reverses near EK+, shifting to −78 mV in 10.1 mM [K+]oand is reduced by Ba2+or tetraethylammonium. Although these data are consistent with opening of Ca2+-activated K+channels, this sAHP lacks sensitivity to specific Ca2+-activated K+channel blockers apamin, iberiotoxin, charybdotoxin, and UCL-2077. The LTS-induced sAHP is suppressed by a β-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol, a serotonin 5-HT7receptor agonist 5-CT, a neuropeptide orexin-A, and by stimulation of the cAMP/protein kinase A pathway with 8-Br-cAMP and forskolin. The data suggest that PVT and certain midline thalamic neurons possess an LTS-induced sAHP that is pharmacologically distinct and may be important for information transfer in thalamic–limbic circuitry during states of attentiveness and motivation.
Visual Modulation of Auditory Responses in the Owl Inferior Colliculus
Authors: Bergan Joseph F. , Knudsen Eric I.
Published: March 2009

The barn owl's central auditory system creates a map of auditory space in the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICX). Although the crucial role visual experience plays in the formation and maintenance of this auditory space map is well established, the mechanism by which vision influences ICX responses remains unclear. Surprisingly, previous experiments have found that in the absence of extensive pharmacological manipulation, visual stimuli do not drive neural responses in the ICX. Here we investigated the influence of dynamic visual stimuli on auditory responses in the ICX. We show that a salient visual stimulus, when coincident with an auditory stimulus, can modulate auditory responses in the ICX even though the same visual stimulus may elicit no neural responses when presented alone. For each ICX neuron, the most effective auditory and visual stimuli were located in the same region of space. In addition, the magnitude of the visual modulation of auditory responses was dependent on the context of the stimulus presentation with novel visual stimuli eliciting consistently larger response modulations than frequently presented visual stimuli. Thus the visual modulation of ICX responses is dependent on the characteristics of the visual stimulus as well as on the spatial and temporal correspondence of the auditory and visual stimuli. These results demonstrate moment-to-moment visual enhancements of auditory responsiveness that, in the short-term, increase auditory responses to salient bimodal stimuli and in the long-term could serve to instruct the adaptive auditory plasticity necessary to maintain accurate auditory orienting behavior.
Accelerations in the Lactonization of Trimethyl Lock Systems Are due to Proximity Orientation and not to Strain Effects
Authors: Karaman Rafik
Published: March 2009

DFT at B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) and HF at 6-31G and AM1 semiempirical calculations of thermodynamc
and kinetic parameters for the trimethyl lock system (an important enzyme model) indicate that the
remarkable enhancement in the lactonizations is largely the result of a proximity orientation as opposed
to the currently advanced strain effect.
The Effect of Nanosized Carbon Black on the Physical and Thermomechanical Properties of Al2O3–SiC–SiO2–C Composite
Authors: Amin Mohamad Hassan , Amin- Ebrahimabadi Mohsen , Reza Rahimipour Mohamad
Published: March 2009

The effects of using nanosized carbon black in the range of 0–10 weight percentages on the physical and thermomechanical properties of Al2O3–SiC–SiO2–graphite refractory composites were investigated. Nanosized carbon black addition improved the relative heat resistance and oxidation resistance of composites. The bulk density of the composites is reduced with increasing carbon black (CB) content. Increase in CB content first causes an increase in the apparent porosity, but at more than 3 wt% amount of CB, a decrease of apparent porosity was observed. The cold crushing strength (CCS) increased with increasing CB content in samples fired at 800∘C and in samples fired at 1500∘C when the content is increased to 3 wt%, but the CCS decreased with increasing CB content in samples fired at 1500∘C when the CB content was less than 3 wt%. The composite without CB exhibits the highest value of CCS at firing temperature of 1500∘C.
Some Identities of the Frobenius‐Euler Polynomials
Authors: Kim Taekyun , Lee Byungje
Published: March 2009

By using the ordinary fermionic p‐adic invariant integral on ℤp, we derive
some interesting identities related to the Frobenius‐Euler polynomials.
A Statistical Variance Components Framework for Mapping Imprinted Quantitative Trait Locus in Experimental Crosses
Authors: Li Gengxin , Cui Yuehua
Published: March 2009

Current methods for mapping imprinted quantitative trait locus (iQTL) with inbred line
crosses assume fixed QTL effects. When an iQTL segregates in experimental line crosses,
combining different line crosses with similar genetic background can improve the accuracy
of iQTLs inference. In this article, we develop a general interval‐based statistical variance
components framework to map iQTLs underlying complex traits by combining different
backcross line crosses. We propose a new iQTL variance partition method based on the
nature of marker alleles shared identical‐by‐decent (IBD) in inbred lines. Maternal effect is
adjusted when testing imprinting. Efficient estimation methods with the maximum likelihood
and the restricted maximum likelihood are derived and compared. Statistical properties of
the proposed mapping strategy are evaluated through extensive simulations under different
sampling designs. An extension to multiple QTL analysis is given. The proposed method
will greatly facilitate genetic dissection of imprinted complex traits in inbred line crosses.
Very Late Stent Thrombosis 42 Months after Implantation of Sirolimus-Eluting Stent and Discontinuation of Antiplatelet Therapy
Authors: Sibbing Dirk , Laugwitz Karl-Ludwig , Bott-Flügel Lorenz , Pache Jürgen
Published: March 2009

Although safety profiles of sirolimus-eluting stents do not seem to differ in short-to-medium term from those of bare-metal stents, late stent thrombosis after deployment of drug-eluting stents has emerged as a potential safety concern in the era of high-pressure stent implantation. Here, we describe the case of a patient with acute myocardial infarction due to stent thrombosis of a sirolimus-eluting stent 42 months after stent deployment and 5 weeks after discontinuation of aspirin treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the most delayed cases of sirolimus-eluting stent thrombosis described so far. The case emphasizes the potential risk that late stent thrombosis can unpredictably occur at any time point after drug-eluting stent deployment.
Reimplantation of an Anomalous Coronary Artery Arising from the Pulmonary Artery
Authors: Quarti Andrea , D'Alfonso Alessandro , Colaneri Massimo , Baldinelli Alessandra , Bettuzzi Maria Grazia , Pozzi Marco
Published: March 2009

A case of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in a patient with the origin of the coronary opposite to the aorta is reported. Between many surgical options we conclude to reestablish a double coronary system reconnecting the coronary through a conduit created with a pulmonary wall baffle and an autologous pericardial patch.
Prevention of Myofilament Dysfunction by β-Blocker Therapy in Postinfarct Remodeling
Authors: Duncker Dirk J. , Boontje Nicky M. , Merkus Daphne , Versteilen Amanda , Krysiak Judith , Mearini Giulia , El-Armouche Ali , de Beer Vincent J. , Lamers Jos M.J. , Carrier Lucie , Walker Lori A. , Linke Wolfgang A. , Stienen Ger J.M. , van der Velden Jolanda
Published: March 2009

Background—

Myofilament contractility of individual cardiomyocytes is depressed in remote noninfarcted myocardium and contributes to global left ventricular pump dysfunction after myocardial infarction (MI). Here, we investigated whether β-blocker therapy could restore myofilament contractility.

Methods and Results—

In pigs with a MI induced by ligation of the left circumflex coronary artery, β-blocker therapy (bisoprolol, MI+β) was initiated on the first day after MI. Remote left ventricular subendocardial biopsies were taken 3 weeks after sham or MI surgery. Isometric force was measured in single permeabilized cardiomyocytes. Maximal force (F
max
) was lower, whereas Ca
2+
sensitivity was higher in untreated MI compared with sham (both
P
<0.05). The difference in Ca
2+
sensitivity was abolished by treatment of cells with the β-adrenergic kinase, protein kinase A. β-blocker therapy partially reversed F
max
and Ca
2+
sensitivity to sham values and significantly reduced passive force. Despite the lower myofilament Ca
2+
sensitivity in MI+β compared with untreated myocardium, the protein kinase A induced reduction in Ca
2+
sensitivity was largest in cardiomyocytes from myocardium treated with β-blockers. Phosphorylation of β-adrenergic target proteins (myosin binding protein C and troponin I) did not differ among groups, whereas myosin light chain 2 phosphorylation was reduced in MI, which coincided with increased expression of protein phosphatase 1. β-blockade fully restored the latter alterations and significantly reduced expression of protein phosphatase 2a.

Conclusions—

β-blockade reversed myofilament dysfunction and enhanced myofilament responsiveness to protein kinase A in remote myocardium after MI. These effects likely contribute to the beneficial effects of β-blockade on global left ventricular function after MI.
Basic Diagnosis and Prediction of Persistent Contrail Occurrence Using High-Resolution Numerical Weather Analyses/Forecasts and Logistic Regression. Part I: Effects of Random Error
Authors: Duda David P. , Minnis Patrick
Published: March 2009

Straightforward application of the Schmidt–Appleman contrail formation criteria to diagnose persistent contrail occurrence from numerical weather prediction data is hindered by significant bias errors in the upper-tropospheric humidity. Logistic models of contrail occurrence have been proposed to overcome this problem, but basic questions remain about how random measurement error may affect their accuracy. A set of 5000 synthetic contrail observations is created to study the effects of random error in these probabilistic models. The simulated observations are based on distributions of temperature, humidity, and vertical velocity derived from Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) weather analyses. The logistic models created from the simulated observations were evaluated using two common statistical measures of model accuracy: the percent correct (PC) and the Hanssen–Kuipers discriminant (HKD). To convert the probabilistic results of the logistic models into a dichotomous yes/no choice suitable for the statistical measures, two critical probability thresholds are considered. The HKD scores are higher (i.e., the forecasts are more skillful) when the climatological frequency of contrail occurrence is used as the critical threshold, whereas the PC scores are higher (i.e., the forecasts are more accurate) when the critical probability threshold is 0.5. For both thresholds, typical random errors in temperature, relative humidity, and vertical velocity are found to be small enough to allow for accurate logistic models of contrail occurrence. The accuracy of the models developed from synthetic data is over 85% for the prediction of both contrail occurrence and nonoccurrence, although, in practice, larger errors would be anticipated.
Basic Diagnosis and Prediction of Persistent Contrail Occurrence Using High-Resolution Numerical Weather Analyses/Forecasts and Logistic Regression. Part II: Evaluation of Sample Models
Authors: Duda David P. , Minnis Patrick
Published: March 2009

A probabilistic forecast to accurately predict contrail formation over the conterminous United States (CONUS) is created by using meteorological data based on hourly meteorological analyses from the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) and the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) combined with surface and satellite observations of contrails. Two groups of logistic models were created. The first group of models (SURFACE models) is based on surface-based contrail observations supplemented with satellite observations of contrail occurrence. The most common predictors selected for the SURFACE models tend to be related to temperature, relative humidity, and wind direction when the models are generated using RUC or ARPS analyses. The second group of models (OUTBREAK models) is derived from a selected subgroup of satellite-based observations of widespread persistent contrails. The most common predictors for the OUTBREAK models tend to be wind direction, atmospheric lapse rate, temperature, relative humidity, and the product of temperature and humidity.
Toward a Standard Procedure for Validation of Satellite-Derived Cloud Liquid Water Path: A Study with SEVIRI Data
Authors: Greuell W. , Roebeling R. A.
Published: March 2009

Differences between satellite-derived and ground-based values of cloud liquid water path (LWPsat and LWPgr, respectively) in validation studies are partly associated with the validation itself, in particular with scale differences and parallax. This paper aims at establishing standards for validation procedures to minimize these contributions to the differences. To investigate this, LWP values were collected as computed from ground-based microwave radiometer (MWR) summer measurements made at two Cloudnet sites and from the spaceborne Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) instrument. The large number of all-sky sample pairs (∼2500 after selection) formed an essential condition for the present study. The best validation method was determined by optimum statistical agreement between LWPsat and LWPgr. The method consists of (i) computation of LWPsat by averaging LWP over the pixels surrounding the ground station by means of a Gaussian weight function with a length scale defining the validation area, (ii) computation of LWPgr by averaging the MWR measurements with a Gaussian weight function, by using a time scale that is considerably longer than the time in which the clouds move across the validation area (by a factor of 3–15), and (iii) correcting for parallax. The authors argue that the best length scale for averaging the satellite data is equal to the image resolution. The improvement resulting from the parallax correction was significant at the 99.5% level, but its effect was not significant for a subset of the data for relatively homogeneous cloud fields. Also, there was no significant improvement when, instead of taking a constant, the time scale for averaging the ground data was adjusted to the instantaneous wind field.
Heterogeneous Correlation Modeling Based on the Wavelet Diagonal Assumption and on the Diffusion Operator
Authors: Pannekoucke Olivier
Published: March 2009

This article discusses several models for background error correlation matrices using the wavelet diagonal assumption and the diffusion operator. The most general properties of filtering local correlation functions, with wavelet formulations, are recalled. Two spherical wavelet transforms based on Legendre spectrum and a gridpoint spherical wavelet transform are compared. The latter belongs to the class of second-generation wavelets. In addition, a nonseparable formulation that merges the wavelets and the diffusion operator model is formally proposed. This hybrid formulation is illustrated in a simple two-dimensional framework. These three formulations are tested in a toy experiment on the sphere: a large ensemble of perturbed forecasts is used to simulate a true background error ensemble, which gives a reference. This ensemble is then applied to compute the required parameters for each model. A randomization method is utilized in order to diagnose these different models. In particular, their ability to represent the geographical variations of the local correlation functions is studied by diagnosis of the local length scale. The results from these experiments show that the spectrally based wavelet formulation filters the geographical variations of the local correlation length scale but it is less able to represent the anisotropy. The gridpoint-based wavelet formulation is also able to represent some parts of the geographical variations but it appears that the correlation functions are dependent on the grid. Finally, the formulation based on the diffusion represents quite well the local length scale.
Reply
Authors: Knippertz Peter , Fink Andreas H. , Pohle Susan
Published: March 2009

Hydrostatic tendency equations of pressure and geopotential have been used in various forms since the beginning of the twentieth century. In contrast to classical mass flux divergence formulations, all forms that involve vertical integrals of temperature tendencies contain an additional term related to geopotential tendency at the upper limit of the integral. In many previous studies, including a recent work by two of the authors on a case of unusual wintertime precipitation in tropical West Africa, it has been assumed that there exists a pressure level in the stratosphere (usually 100 or 50 hPa) where these tendencies become negligible. This assumption implies a direct relation between net column heating and surface pressure fall. Prompted by a critique of Spengler and Egger, the validity of the concept of a stratospheric level of insignificant dynamics is tested here for the previously studied case on the basis of operational analyses from the ECMWF. At least for low latitudes, significant tendencies with some spatial and temporal variations are found up to 10 hPa, which renders a general neglect of this term on a fixed pressure level problematic. These results call for a more detailed investigation of the dynamical causes of the analyzed tendencies, a reevaluation of some previous work, and a more careful design of future studies on this subject.
Financial Barriers to Implementing Combination Vaccines: Perspectives From Pediatricians and Policy Makers
Authors: Gidengil Courtney A. , Rusinak Donna , Allred Norma J. , Luff Donna , Lee Grace M. , Lieu Tracy A.
Published: March 2009

To describe the factors that affect the use of new combination vaccines, the authors conducted qualitative interviews with pediatricians (n = 7), state immunization program managers (n = 7), and health insurance plan representatives (n = 6 plans). Respondents from each group identified reduction in pain and potentially increased immunization coverage as key benefits of new combination vaccines. For several pediatricians, low reimbursement for cost of vaccine doses and potential loss of fees for vaccine administration were barriers to using combination vaccines. For most state immunization programs, the higher cost of combination vaccines relative to separate vaccines was an important consideration but not a barrier to adoption. Most insurers were not aware of the financial issues for providers, but some had changed or were willing to change reimbursement to support the use of new combination vaccines. Financial issues for pediatric practices that purchase and provide vaccines for children may be an important barrier to offering combination vaccines.
`Listen to My Voice': Challenging Dinah's Silence in Genesis 34
Authors: Blyth Caroline
Published: March 2009

In this article, readers of Genesis 34 are invited to contemplate the narrative from the perspective of Dinah, a literary victim of sexual violence. Throughout this story, much ink is spilled recounting the effects of Dinah's rape upon the men who surround her. In stark contrast, Dinah remains a silent and passive observer to the dramatic events as they unfold. To redress this imbalance, I have appealed to the witness of contemporary rape survivors, in an attempt to give Dinah a voice with which she can recount her experience of sexual violence to the reader. Finally, I give consideration to the importance of such a reading within a contemporary pastoral context.
Marcan Love, Sotto Voce
Authors: Kiley Mark
Published: March 2009

Mark's community was heir to preaching about Jewish Scriptures concerning love. Homilists, catechists and the final Evangelist used these as well as Paul's hymn to love as interpretative lenses through which to present the Jesus tradition. They suggested in a subtle manner that the Jesus-event is, at root, about love. This article is an appeal to listen to the still whisper that informs Mark's good news.
Tabitha: The Gazelle of Joppa (Acts 9:36—41)
Authors: Strelan Rick
Published: March 2009

The article argues that the name Tabitha (Acts 9:36), which means “gazelle,” when read as a metaphor for a proselyte in the Acts narrative, highlights the issue of boundaries in some early Christian communities. It also suggests that Joppa, the town in which Tabitha lived, might be read as a symbol of “mixing,” one of the crucial issues in Jewish and Christian self-definition.
A Rhetorical Gem in a Rhetorical Treasure: The Origin and Significance of 1 Corinthians 13:4—7
Authors: Patterson Stephen J.
Published: March 2009

This essay argues that 1 Cor 13:4-7 is a rhetorical set piece developed in the wisdom school Paul assembled in Ephesus in the years immediately following his departure from Corinth. Paul might have composed it himself, but its vocabulary and structure suggest that a colleague created it, and Paul borrowed it as the center piece of his encomium on agape in 1 Corinthians 13. The fact that Paul and other members of the school devoted themselves to disciplined reflection on agape signals an importance and prominence to this concept that is often overlooked in Pauline scholarship.
Doing What's Best
Authors: Palan Lopez Ruth
Published: March 2009

When nursing home residents experience acute illness, the preference of family members is a major consideration in the choice between aggressive treatment and palliative care. Grounded theory method was used to explore decision making by family members of acutely ill nursing home residents. Analysis of 12 in-depth interviews with family members resulted in a theory, “doing what's best,” that describes the basic psychosocial problem and response of family members. The problem was to make treatment decisions in the face of uncertain circumstances, and the response consisted of five subprocesses: protecting life, creating comfort, relying on religion, honoring wishes, and seeking guidance. Application of this theory to nursing practice can help nurses identify sources of uncertainty and support family members to clarify priorities for life prolongation or comfort, rely on religious or spiritual solace, translate resident wishes into individualized care plans, and provide knowledgeable guidance and support throughout the decision-making process.
The development and validation of a Korean C-Test using Rasch Analysis
Authors: Lee-Ellis Sunyoung
Published: March 2009

Despite the importance of having a reliable and valid measure of Second Language (L2) proficiency, L2 researchers of less commonly taught languages rarely have such a tool. Existing proficiency measures (e.g., DLPT, OPI) are often costly, labor-intensive, time-consuming, or unavailable to the public. With the intent to provide a practical and reliable measure of Korean L2 proficiency, this study attempted to develop and validate a 30-minute C-Test (Klein-Braley, 1981). This Korean C-Test was developed with the specifics of Korean language structure in mind, and Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) skill-level descriptions were utilized in passage selection in order to test a wide range of participant proficiency levels. The resulting test and a self-assessment questionnaire (Kondo-Brown, 2005) were administered to 37 learners of Korean. Rasch analysis (Bond & Fox, 2007) was used to examine the reliability and concurrent validity of the measure, and Rasch measurement statistics such as separation reliability, difficulty measures, and model fit statistics were used to suggest further improvement to the C-Test. The developed test demonstrated excellent reliability and validity indices, and the results reveal the potential of this C-Test as a quick proficiency indicator.
An investigation into native and non-native teachers' judgments of oral English performance: A mixed methods approach
Authors: Kim Youn-Hee
Published: March 2009

This study used a mixed methods research approach to examine how native English-speaking (NS) and non-native English-speaking (NNS) teachers assess students' oral English performance. The evaluation behaviors of two groups of teachers (12 Canadian NS teachers and 12 Korean NNS teachers) were compared with regard to internal consistency, severity, and evaluation criteria. Results of a Many-faceted Rasch Measurement analysis showed that most of the NS and NNS teachers maintained acceptable levels of internal consistency, with only one or two inconsistent raters in each group. The two groups of teachers also exhibited similar severity patterns across different tasks. However, substantial dissimilarities emerged in the evaluation criteria teachers used to assess students' performance. A qualitative analysis demonstrated that the judgments of the NS teachers were more detailed and elaborate than those of the NNS teachers in the areas of pronunciation, specific grammar use, and the accuracy of transferred information. These findings are used as the basis for a discussion of NS versus NNS teachers as language assessors on the one hand and the usefulness of mixed methods inquiries on the other.
Is forced use of the paretic upper limb beneficial? A randomized pilot study during subacute post-stroke recovery
Authors: Hammer Ann , Lindmark Birgitta
Published: March 2009

Objective: To evaluate the effect of two weeks of forced use of the paretic upper limb, as a supplement to the rehabilitation programme in the subacute phase after stroke, on self-rated use of that limb.

Design: A randomized, non-blind, parallel group, clinical, before-and-after trial. A forced use group and a conventional group were followed up one and three months after intervention.

Setting: In- and outpatient units of rehabilitation at a University Hospital.

Subjects: Thirty patients were allocated to two groups, 15 in each, 1—6 months (mean 2.4) after stroke onset. Twenty-six patients completed the study.

Interventions: The patients of both groups participated in two weeks of daily training on weekdays. In addition, the forced use group wore a restraining sling on the non-paretic arm for up to 6 hours per weekday.

Main measure: The Motor Activity Log; patients scored 0—5 for 30 daily tasks concerning both amount of use and quality of movement.

Results: The forced use group tended to achieve larger improvements immediately post-intervention, but this was not clearly demonstrated. The small differences also levelled out up to the three-month follow-up, with both groups earning an approximately 1.0 score point on both scales of the Motor Activity Log.

Conclusions: This pilot study did not reveal any additional benefit of forced use on self-rated performance in daily use of the paretic upper limb. Both groups performed fairly extensive, active training with a similar duration, amount and content.
The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center Model for Long-Term Systems Change
Authors: Kahn Lynne , Hurth Joicey , Kasprzak Christina M. , Diefendorf Martha J. , Goode Susan E. , Ringwalt Sharon S.
Published: March 2009

The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center was charged by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs from October 2001 through September 2006 to develop, implement, and evaluate an approach to technical assistance (TA) that would result in sustainable systems change in state early intervention and preschool special education programs served under the early childhood provisions of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Both process and summative evaluations were conducted over the 5-year contract period. The TA Model for Long-Term Systems Change was found to result in improvements in state and local infrastructures, personnel development systems, practices, and outcomes for children and families. The resulting model is a legacy that Pat Trohanis leaves to the field of technical assistance.
Circadian Clock Functioning Is Linked to Acute Stress Reactivity in Rats
Authors: Weibel L. , Maccari S. , Van Reeth O.
Published: March 2009

At least two major physiological systems are involved in the adaptation of the organism to environmental challenges: the circadian system and the stress reaction. This study addressed thepossibility that interindividual differences in stress sensitivity and in the functioning of the circadian system are related. At 2 months of age, corticosterone secretion in response to a 20-min restraint stress was assessed in 9 Sprague-Dawley rats for which running wheel activity was recorded as a rhythmic behavioral marker of the circadian clock. Two weeks later, the adaptive response of the circadian system to an abrupt shift in the light:dark (LD) cycle was assessed in those rats using a jet-lag paradigm. Finally, after resynchronization to the new LD cycle,rats were transferred to constant darkness to assess the free-running period of their circadianrhythm of running-wheel activity. Results indicate that stress-induced corticosterone secretionwas (1) positively correlated with the number of days to resynchronize the circadian activity rhythm to the new LD cycle, and with the value of its free-running period, and (2) negatively correlated with the intensity of daily locomotor activity. Those data, emphasizing the interactions between the stress response of an organism and the functioning of its circadian system, could explain interindividual differences in humans' susceptibility to shift work or other circadian-related disorders.
Masking Effects of Posture and Sleep Onset on Core Body Temperature Have Distinct Circadian Rhythms: Results from a 90-Min/Day Protocol
Authors: Moul Douglas E. , Ombao Hernando , Monk Timothy H. , Chen Qingxia , Buysse Daniel J.
Published: March 2009

Both recumbency and sleep affect core body temperature (CBT). To characterize their circadian effects and interactions, the authors examined the bedtime temperature drops (TDs) of nine men and eight women (aged 20 to 30) who repeated 90-min sleep-wake cycles over 2.5 days. While awake, subjects were exposed to 50 to 250 lux; while asleep, lights were off. Electroencephalogram-monitored time in bed lasted 30 min during each cycle. Cosinor nonlinear mixedeffects regressions modeled the circadian rhythm of TDs. The circadian maximum of TDs occurred approximately 4 h before the time of circadian CBTminimum, in a model that included the effects of baseline expected CBT, deviations from baseline CBT, time in study, and gender-dependent 24- and 12-h adjustments. Rates of temperature drops were faster during initial periods of lying awake than during periods of initially sleeping. Both rates followed separate circadian rhythms. The circadian maximum of TDs was located near customary nocturnal bedtimes, suggesting its role in fostering sleep during a normal bedtime routine. The apparent deceleration of temperature dropping at sleep onset supports the notion that the sleep onset period has complicated circadian neuroregulatory dynamics. These findings confirm the need for nonlinear models of temperature responses to postural changes and sleep that incorporate circadian variability in these masking effects.
A Forced Desynchrony Study of Circadian Pacemaker Characteristics in Seasonal Affective Disorder
Authors: Koorengevel Kathelijne M. , Beersma Domien G. M. , den Boer Johan A. , van den Hoofdakker Rutger H.
Published: March 2009

The circadian pacemaker is an endogenous clock that regulates oscillations in most physiological and psychological processes with a near 24-h period. In many species, this pacemaker triggers seasonal changes in behavior. The seasonality of symptoms and the efficacy of light therapy suggest involvement of the circadian pacemaker in seasonal affective disorder (SAD), winter type. In this study, circadian pacemaker characteristics of SAD patients were compared with those of controls. Seven SAD patients and matched controls were subjected to a 120-h forced desynchrony protocol, in which core body temperature and melatonin secretion profiles were measured for the characterization of circadian pacemaker parameters. During this protocol, which enables the study of unmasked circadian pacemaker characteristics, subjects were exposed to six 20-h days in time isolation. Patients participated twice in winter (while depressed and while remitted after light therapy) and once in summer. Controls participated once in winter and once in summer. Between the SAD patients and controls, no significant differences were observed in the melatonin-derived period or in the phase of the endogenous circadian temperature rhythm. The amplitude of this rhythm was significantly smaller in depressed and remitted SAD patients than in controls. No abnormalities of the circadian pacemaker were observed in SAD patients. Adisturbance in thermoregulatory processes might explain the smaller circadian temperature amplitude in SAD patients during winter.
A Phase Dynamics Model of Human Circadian Rhythms
Authors: Nakao Mitsuyuki , Yamamoto Keisuke , Honma Ken-Ichi , Hashimoto Satoko , Honma Sato , Katayama Norihiro , Yamamoto Mitsuaki
Published: March 2009

Nonphotic entrainment of an overt sleep-wake rhythm and a circadian pacemaker–driving temperature/melatonin rhythm suggests existence of feedback mechanisms in the human circadian system. In this study, the authors constructed a phase dynamics model that consisted of two oscillators driving temperature/melatonin and sleep-wake rhythms, and an additional oscillator generating an overt sleep-wake rhythm. The feedback mechanism was implemented by modifying couplings between the constituent oscillators according to the history of correlations between them. The model successfully simulated the behavior of human circadian rhythms in response to forced rest-activity schedules under free-run situations: the sleep-wake rhythm is reentrained with the circadian pacemaker after release from the schedule, there is a critical period for the schedule to fully entrain the sleep-wake rhythm, and the forced rest-activity schedule can entrain the circadian pacemaker with the aid of exercise. The behavior of human circadian rhythms was reproduced with variations in only a few model parameters. Because conventional models are unable to reproduce the experimental results concerned here, it was suggested that the feedback mechanisms included in this model underlie nonphotic entrainment of human circadian rhythms.
Evidence-Based Review of Bone Strength in Children and Youth with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Cohen Michal , Lahat Eli , Bistritzer Tzvy , Livne Amir , Heyman Eli , Rachmiel Marianna
Published: March 2009

Children with cerebral palsy have various risk factors for compromised bone health. Evidence concerning their bone fragility is gathering; however, there is no consensus regarding risk factors, indications for evaluation, follow-up, or treatment. We performed an evidence-based review targeted to address the following questions concerning children with cerebral palsy: Is bone strength impaired and what are the risk factors? Are these children at increased risk for bone fractures? What are the relations between bone mineral density and fracture risk? What methods can be used for bone health assessment? How can bone strength be improved? Currently, the most acceptable method for evaluating bone status in children is dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Evidence demonstrates reduced bone mass in children with cerebral palsy; yet, no clear association with fractures. Preventive methods are suggested.
The Principle of Double Effect, Genetic Testing, and Global Developmental Delay
Authors: Tervo Raymond C. , Wojda Paul
Published: March 2009

Well-intended efforts to diagnose a child's developmental delay may have unintended negative consequences for a child and his family. Consequently, clinicians may feel caught in a moral dilemma: between doing the good they seek and avoiding the harm they foresee. The dilemma is that when investigating global developmental delay it is not possible to avoid all the anticipated negative outcomes of genetic testing and concurrently fulfill our obligations to do the good from which these harmful effects result. It is imperative to recognize dilemmas especially where the moral questions or relevant facts are not as clear cut as in ethics textbooks and to bring their moral questions into a structured dialogue with the patient and his or her family. A modified principle of double effect is a useful method for deliberating about these moral cases. Three case examples illustrate the utility of the principle of double effect when investigating global developmental delay.
The “Cut and Push” Method of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Removal in Adult Patients: The Ipswich Experience
Authors: Kejariwal Deepak , Bromley Dawn , Miao Y.
Published: March 2009

Background: The standard method of removing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes in the United Kingdom is by repeat gastroscopy and retrieval of the internal PEG bumper by the oral route. However, the endoscopic removal method may not always be necessary by use of the “cut and push” method. This involves cutting the tube at skin level and allowing the internal bumper to pass naturally. Methods: A local database of all patients undergoing a PEG insertion was created in February 2002. All PEG tube removals by the “cut and push” method over a 5‐year period at Ipswich Hospital were reviewed. Results: Between February 2002 and December 2007, 89 Fresenius Freka 15 Fr tubes were removed by the “cut and push” method. The original indications for the PEG tubes that were removed were head and neck malignancy (55), cerebrovascular accident (24), and other miscellaneous causes (10). The mean age of the patients was 62.7 years (range 19–98 years). The average duration of the tube in‐situ before removal was 6.7 months (range 1–28). No complications were recorded during the mean follow‐up period of 26.8 months (range 1–66 months). Conclusion: Follow‐up data provide further evidence that the “cut and push” method is a safe and cost‐effective method for removing 15 Fr PEG tubes in adult patients and that an abdominal radiograph is not routinely required.
Probiotics for Preventive Health
Authors: Minocha Anil
Published: March 2009

Gut flora and probiotics have potential to affect health and disease far beyond the gut. There is increasing evidence that probiotics have beneficial effects in preventing a wide range of conditions and improving health. Randomized, double‐blind studies have provided evidence of the effectiveness of probiotics for preventing various diarrheal illnesses as well as allergic disorders. Evidence for their efficacy for use in the prevention and treatment of bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections is also mounting. In addition, probiotics may be useful for preventing respiratory infections, dental caries, necrotizing enterocolitis, and certain aspects of inflammatory bowel disease. Data also suggest that probiotics may promote good health in day care and work settings, and may enhance growth in healthy as well as ill and malnourished children. Results from meta‐analyses and systematic reviews that combine results of studies from different types of probiotics to examine the effects in any disease state should be interpreted with caution. Specific strains are effective in specific disease states. No 2 probiotics are exactly alike; we should not expect reproducible results from studies that employ different species or strains, variable formulations, and diverse dosing schedules.
Home Care for the Elderly
Authors: Fuhrman M. Patricia
Published: March 2009

The increasing numbers of older (>65 years) Americans will increase the demand for home health services including support services (nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, durable medical equipment, and respiratory therapy), infusion therapies, palliative care, and hospice. The unique characteristics and specific needs of this population must be addressed to optimize patient outcomes. The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition has established standards for clinicians providing nutrition support in the home and provides practice guidelines for nutrition support and geriatrics. Certification in gerontological care is available for dietitians, pharmacists, physicians, and nurses. The key to optimal care for older adults is to find the confluence of expertise in nutrition support and geriatrics.
Micronutrients and Older Adults
Authors: Marian Mary , Sacks Gordon
Published: March 2009

The aging population worldwide is increasing. Although many older adults are living longer, healthier lives, aging is also associated with a variety of physiologic and psychological changes that influence nutrition status and the need for medical care. Many factors increase the risk for poor nutrient intake among older adults. Suboptimal micronutrient intake for particular vitamins and minerals is reported to be common.
Impaired Social Cognition in Mild Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Bediou Benoit , Ryff Ilham , Mercier Bernadette , Milliery Maud , Hénaff Marie-Anne , D'Amato Thierry , Bonnefoy Marc , Vighetto Alain , Krolak-Salmon Pierre
Published: March 2009

Abnormal decoding of social information has been associated with the conversion from prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) to dementia. Since the distributed neural networks involved in face processing are differentially affected in prodromal and dementia states of AD and in Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD), we hypothezed a differential impairment in face processing in these populations. Facial expression, gender and gaze direction decoding abilities were examined in patients with probable amnesic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI, N = 10) fulfilling criteria for prodromal AD, in patients with mild and moderate AD (N = 10) as well as in FTD patients (N = 10) and in a group of age- and sex-matched healthy comparison subjects (N = 10). Gender recognition was preserved in all groups. Compared to controls, patients with mild or moderate AD were impaired in expression recognition and FTD patients were impaired in expression and gaze direction determination, whereas MCI patients were not impaired at all.
Globalization, Downsizing and Insecurity: Do We Need to Upgrade Marx's Theory of Alienation?
Authors: Archibald W. Peter
Published: March 2009

Earlier, this author investigated and found wanting popular claims that technical and social organizational changes associated with globalization have now greatly lessened alienation for factory workers in fully industrialized countries. Here he follows up his suggestion that any credible account of globalization must consider increased competition and employment insecurity and their effects upon alienation. Theoretically, decreased security could have made workers more concerned with having any employment at all and less with intrinsically interesting work over which they have control. Nevertheless, research on the 1930s and the current period of downsizing provides much more support for decreased security having further disempowered workers. Demands at work may well have increased more for managers and professionals, but they have also had greater resources for coping with such increased demands. While these new developments suggest that Marx's theory of alienation needs to be updated, they are consistent with its original thrusts.
Bring the Salmon Home! Karuk Challenges to Capitalist Incorporation
Authors: Hormel Leontina M. , Norgaard Kari M.
Published: March 2009

With capitalism's introduction, Karuk people have experienced radical declines in the productivity of Klamath River salmon fisheries, dire impoverishment, and a new order of threats in the form of hunger and diet related diseases. We use interview, survey, medical and archival data to describe how capitalism has been an unsustainable system in the case of the Karuk because it is organized around market extraction and destroys cultural knowledge and behaviors that served to keep fish harvests sustainable. Using world-systems theory, we propose a fifth frontier exists, that of health. Despite the impacts of 150 years of direct genocide, Karuk people continue to survive and are revitalizing culture and community, which supports the idea that capitalist incorporation is not fully complete but partial. Karuk resistance and revitalization is epitomized in the campaign to remove four dams on the Klamath River and thereby 'Bring the Salmon Home' to the upper basin.
`IR Experts' and the New Deal State: The Diary of a Defeated Subsumed Class
Authors: Hillard Michael , McIntyre Richard
Published: March 2009

This essay develops and applies Resnick and Wolff's conception of `subsumed classes', groups that receive a portion of surplus value for helping capitalists reproduce their class position. We profile the rise and fall of one such subsumed class, the industrial relations (IR) experts whose theories and practices sought to depoliticize and curb the militancy of the US labor movement. We argue that these IR experts established themselves as a subsumed class in the 1930s and then lost that position in the 1970s and 1980s.
Preaching the Beatitudes in the Late Middle Ages: Some Mendicant Examples
Authors: Muessig Carolyn
Published: March 2009

This article assesses the use of the Sermon on the Mount, especially the beatitudes, by mendicant preachers in the later Middle Ages. Focusing on Francis of Assisi, Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas and Bernardino of Siena it examines how the beatitudes were employed by preachers in their sermons and teachings. Through an analysis of mendicant usage of the beatitudes, aspects of the practical and moral applications of the Sermon on Mount in the Middle Ages are examined and put into historical and theological context.
Specifyand Distinguish! Interpreting the New Testament on `Non-Violence'
Authors: Biggar Nigel
Published: March 2009

Widely showered with superlatives when it was first published in 1996, and now commonly regarded as a masterpiece, Richard Hays's The Moral Vision of the New Testament (1996) constructs a pacifist reading of the New Testament. To date, Hays's reading has provoked no systematic refutation from proponents of the doctrine of just war. This essay hopes to offer such a refutation. Its argument has three main planks. First, that Hays's reading of the New Testament stories about god-fearing soldiers, who persist in their profession, is not compelling; second, that he fails to specify sufficiently the meaning of Jesus' teaching and conduct in terms of Jesus' own context (particularly the option of armed violence in the service of religiously inspired nationalism); and third, that Hays's normative moral concepts are often too crude, suffering from a failure to employ valid moral distinctions. The essay concludes by arguing that the doctrine of just war is better able than pacifism to make adequate sense of all the relevant New Testament data.