bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Criminal Mobility and Criminal Achievement
Authors: Morselli Carlo , Royer Marie-Noële
Published: January 2008

This study examines the impact of criminal mobility on criminal earning patterns in a sample of incarcerated offenders who reported their criminal experiences over a three-year period. Criminal mobility is indicated by an individual's offending perimeter and not the traditional journey-to-crime measure. Findings reveal that the offending perimeter length is a factor of criminal achievement in that mobile offenders reported higher financial earnings from crime than immobile offenders. Greater distances traveled for crime were also generally associated with higher criminal earnings, but this was more salient for predatory offenders than market offenders.
The Gambia's “Elected Autocrat Poverty, Peripherality, and Political Instability,” 1994–2006
Authors: Saine Abdoulaye
Published: January 2008

This article assesses “democratization” under military and quasimilitary regimes in the Gambia following the 1994 coup d'état until 2006. The “transition” program back to “civilian” rule in 1996, the 2001 and 2006 presidential elections, and the aftermath of deepening authoritarianism and economic crisis are also evaluated. The formation of a five—political party coalition, the National Alliance for Democracy and Development, in 2005 raised expectations for a new political dispensation. Its breakup in 2006, however, dashed hope of this occurring. President Jammeh won a third 5-year term amid suffocating external and domestic indebtedness, declining exports, poor economic performance, and endemic corruption. Continued poor leadership and policy choices are likely to exacerbate abject poverty, countercoups, instability, and conflict. McGowan's neo-Marxist/liberal political economy approach has helped rekindle more critical scholarship on the linkage between underdevelopment and conflict in Africa and the Third World as well as provide an antidote to neo-liberal economic policies.
Stress and Coping of Midlife Women in Divorce Transition
Authors: Sakraida Teresa J.
Published: January 2008

This article describes stress and coping by decider status. Participants were 154 women aged 34 to 54 years who were recently divorced from their first marriage and were married 3 years prior to divorce. Participants self-selected into decider statuses as initiators, noninitiators, or mutual deciders. Noninitiators indicated not knowing the divorce experience was going to occur, not having enough time to get ready for it, saw it as something someone else did, and perceived it as a threat. Initiators and mutual deciders viewed the divorce as a challenge. Noninitiators were less positive about the divorce experience than were initiators and mutual deciders. Acceptance or resignation differed significantly for noninitiators and mutual deciders but not between noninitiators and initiators. Characterizing midlife divorce transition experiences provides a foundation for developing primary intervention to support personal growth, healing, and a healthy lifestyle.
Family policy, employment and gender-role attitudes: a comparative analysis of Russia and Sweden
Authors: Motiejunaite Akvile , Kravchenko Zhanna
Published: January 2008

In this article, we explore the interaction between female and male employment, parenting responsibilities and family policy in Russia and Sweden. The study is based first on indicators of public social services, assistance for families and labour force data; and second, on the ISSP modules on Family and Changing Gender Roles (years 1994, 2002). The results show that both Sweden and Russia facilitate the `dual-earner' family model, but that Sweden places a greater emphasis on dual-caring and flexible work arrangements for women. The support for traditional gender roles was much higher and more uniform in Russia than in Sweden. The proportion of `dual-earner' and female-led families was nevertheless higher in Russia than in Sweden, especially in 1994 when major restructuring in the social and economic sphere was occurring. The findings suggest that family policy is instrumental in facilitating female employment, but does not necessarily bring changes in gender-role attitudes.
“Controlling” as an academic discipline: the development of management accounting and management control research in German-speaking countries between 1970 and 2003
Authors: Schäffer Utz , Binder Christoph
Published: January 2008

This article aims to contribute to a better understanding of the structures and the development of management accounting and management control research in German-speaking countries between 1970 and 2003 as well as to the literature on “Comparative International Accounting History". It is mainly set in the “archive", using published articles and an empirical survey to describe and explain the development of controlling as an academic discipline in German-speaking countries. Eight explorative research questions on the development of the discipline are answered. The analysis covers three perspectives that complement each other: relevant chairs at German-speaking universities (input), German-language publications (output) and citations (outcome) on the subject. The results indicate that controlling has become an established discipline of business administration (Betriebswirtschaftslehre ) in German-speaking countries and can be considered a comparatively young field that has traditionally been highly practice-oriented, but also self-referential and for the most part not integrated into the international community. While publishing and citation patterns have changed over time in German-speaking countries they remain at variance with international management accounting research.
The struggle to develop accounting practices in the Australian Girl Guides, 1945—9: a microhistorical approach
Authors: Abraham Anne
Published: January 2008

There has been limited accounting history research in the areas of nonprofit organizations and women in a non-business environment. This article addresses these two gaps by considering accounting history in a large female-managed nonprofit organization, the Australian Girl Guides Association (GGA). In order to do this the article uses a microhistorical reconstruction of an individual to penetrate underlying motivations (Parker, 1999, p.31) and to allow the reader “to draw conclusions from a story that illustrates a fragment of peoples' lives and activities” (Williams, 1999, p.75) by revealing what would otherwise be unknown about the struggle to develop appropriate accounting practices in the context of organizational culture and history. It discloses that pertinent recommendations by GGA's fourth treasurer, Mrs O'Malley Wood, were ignored by management in a fiscally irresponsible manner. This article demonstrates that by focusing close attention on a seemingly minor individual, the researcher is able to discover the possible constraints that shaped human behaviour at a specific moment in history.
The Learning Experiences of Taiwanese Nursing Students Studying in Australia
Authors: Wang Chiu-Wen , Singh Charanjit , Bird Beverly , Ives Glenice
Published: January 2008

Increasing numbers of international students from Asia are attracted to Australian higher education institutions. For many of these students, English is their second language (ESL). This article describes the experiences of 21 Taiwanese baccalaureate and graduate nursing students studying at Australian universities. Using a qualitative framework, semistructured interviews were conducted in the students'first language. The Chinese and English translations of the transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. A picture emerges of Taiwanese nursing students who, despite obstacles, found a “joy of learning” in Australia. They developed strategies to overcome obstacles to their learning and advocated greater institutional and faculty support, including mentorship, for international students. The findings reinforce the unique difficulties ESL nursing students experience and highlight institutional and nursing faculties' responsibilities to develop a curriculum framework that addresses the language, pedagogical, academic, clinical, and sociocultural needs of this unique group of international students.
The Latent Structure of Anxiety Sensitivity—Revisited
Authors: Broman-Fulks Joshua J. , Green Bradley A. , Berman Mitchell E. , Olatunji Bunmi O. , Arnau Randolph C. , Deacon Brett J. , Sawchuk Craig N.
Published: January 2008

Anxiety sensitivity has been implicated as a risk factor for the development and maintenance of panic and other anxiety disorders. Although researchers have generally assumed that anxiety sensitivity is a dimensional, rather than categorical, variable, recent taxometric research has raised questions concerning the accuracy of this assumption. The present study examined the latent structure of anxiety sensitivity by applying four taxometric procedures (MAXEIG, MAXCOV, MAMBAC, and L-Mode) to data collected from two large nonclinical samples (n = 1,025 and n = 744) using two distinct measures of anxiety sensitivity (Anxiety Sensitivity Profile and Anxiety Sensitivity Index—Revised). In contrast to previous taxometric analyses of anxiety sensitivity, results of the present research provided convergent evidence for a latent anxiety sensitivity dimension. Several potential explanations for the discrepancy between these findings and those of previous research are discussed, as well as the implications of these findings for the conceptualization and measurement of anxiety sensitivity.
Neighborhood Characteristics and Individual Homicide Risks
Authors: Nieuwbeerta Paul , McCall Patricia L. , Elffers Henk , Wittebrood Karin
Published: January 2008

This study tests hypotheses on the relationship between characteristics of neighborhoods in the Netherlands—their socioeconomic disadvantage, social cohesion, and residents' confidence in the police—and the likelihood of homicide victimization. These hypotheses are derived from social disorganization and strain/deprivation theory, but have rarely been tested at the neighborhood level. Furthermore, examining the validity of these hypotheses in the Netherlands, a country with relatively low homicide rates and geographically equal distributed social circumstances, provides a stronger test for the theories. Data from the Dutch Homicide Monitor 1996 to 2003, a national database of all homicides and their characteristics, are merged with data on characteristics of neighborhoods. Hierarchical logistic modeling is used to analyze the nested data. The results show that neighborhood social cohesion and socioeconomic disadvantage affect homicide risks, whereas indicators for confidence in the police do not have an effect. Implications for policy making and further theory development are discussed.
Reassessing the Structural Covariates of Cross-National Infant Homicide Victimization
Authors: Hunnicutt Gwen , LaFree Gary
Published: January 2008

Existing literature shows only four cross-national, longitudinal studies of infant homicide victimization. More than a decade has passed since this issue has been taken up in the literature. Consequently, our understanding of infant homicide over time at the cross-national level is limited. In this article, we build on the findings from these four studies using an expanded sample of countries, a longer time series, more valid measures, additional variables, and tests of gender differences. Our expanded analysis confirms many of the findings in the earlier studies but with a few important departures. As in earlier studies, the results confirm that female labor force participation and income inequality are significant predictors of infant homicide victimization rates. But we also found that compared with other countries, those that scored highest on culture of violence measures actually had significantly lower rates of infant homicide victimization.
Improving question asking in high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Palmen Annemiek , Didden Robert , Arts Marieke
Published: January 2008

Small-group training consisting of feedback and self-management was effective in improving question-asking skills during tutorial conversations in nine high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Training was implemented in a therapy room and lasted 6 weeks. Sessions were conducted once a week and lasted about an hour. Experimenters collected data during tutorial conversations in a natural setting. Training of question-asking skills consisted of verbal feedback and role-play during short simulated conversations and a table game. A self-management strategy and common stimuli (e.g., flowchart) were included to promote generalization. Mean percentage of correct questions during tutorial conversations improved significantly after training. Response efficiency also increased. Participants and personal coaches evaluated the training as effective and acceptable.
`Make me normal'
Authors: Humphrey Neil , Lewis Sarah
Published: January 2008

Facilitating the learning and participation of pupils with Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism (herein referred to as AS) in mainstream schools is complex and poorly understood. We report on a small-scale qualitative study of the views and experiences of 20 such pupils drawn from four secondary schools in north-west England. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and pupil diaries. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to explore how pupils with AS make sense of their educational experiences. The central theme was how participants constructed their understanding of what their AS meant to them. This was often characterized by negative perceptions of their differences, such as being `retarded' or having a `bad brain'. The links between this understanding and reported difficulties with peers and teachers, the desire to `fit in', and other themes are discussed. The implications of these findings for policy and practice in this area are also presented.
Factor analysis of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire
Authors: Posserud Maj-Britt , Lundervold Astri J. , Steijnen Maaike C. , Verhoeven Sophie , Stormark Kjell Morten , Gillberg Christopher
Published: January 2008

The present study investigated the factor structure of parent and teacher Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) in a population of 7—9 years old children. For validation purposes, factors derived were correlated with results on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). A three-factor solution was identified on both parent and teacher ASSQ. Most of the variance was explained by one factor including measures of social function, validated by a high correlation with the SDQ peer problems scale. The second factor included measures of autism-associated problems. The items allocated to the third factor were more specific for a cognitive style typically found in high-functioning individuals with autism/Asperger syndrome. This factor did not correlate highly with any of the SDQ subscales. The results indicated that the screening efficiency of ASSQ could be increased by closer examination of the individual profile of factor scores.
The Community Readiness Model: Evaluating Local Smoke-Free Policy Development
Authors: York Nancy L. , Hahn Ellen J.
Published: January 2008

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on community readiness and assess the utility of the community readiness model (CRM) for understanding and affecting smoke-free policy development and implementation. The CRM evaluates a community's capacity for successfully developing and implementing prevention or treatment interventions. The purposes of evaluating a community's readiness are to: (a) identify the stage of readiness for policy change, and (b) determine stage-specific strategies to advance a community toward policy change.
Examining the Impending Gap in Clinical Nursing Expertise
Authors: Orsolini-Hain Liana , Malone Ruth E.
Published: January 2008

Much has been written about current and future nursing shortages and the numerical gap between nurses available and projected nursing needs. Very little analysis has focused on the implications of the pending expertise gap within the nursing workforce. A graying and retiring registered nurse workforce will greatly increase the proportion of novice nurses with minimal experience in bedside practice. The expertise gap will also affect nursing education. This article explores the implications of these phenomena. Without careful planning, efforts to address the numerical shortage may inadvertently worsen the expertise gap, contributing to unsafe care and affecting nursing retention.
Serum Albumin Levels Predict Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Hip Fracture Patients
Authors: Mizrahi Eliyahu Hayim , Blumstein Tzvia , Arad Marina , Adunsky Abraham
Published: January 2008

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible interrelation of serum albumin levels and cognitive function of elderly hip fracture patients. The study involved 331 elderly patients with hip fractures, admitted for rehabilitation. Cognition was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). MMSE scores less than 24 points were considered suggestive of cognitive impairment. Age, serum albumin levels, and previous stroke emerged as the only statistically significant parameters differing between those with MMSE score less than 24 or higher. After adjusting for confounding variables, the middle and lowest tertiles of serum albumin levels were associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment (odds ratio 1.97, 95% confidence interval 1.15-3.38, P < .01 vs 3.06 and 1.79-5.23, P < .001, respectively). This study shows that lower serum albumin levels are independently associated with lower MMSE scores in hip fractured elderly patients, supporting the possible role of chronic low-grade inflammation in age-related cognitive decline.
A Lifestyle Physical Activity Intervention for Caregivers of Persons With Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Farran Carol J. , Staffileno Beth A. , Gilley David W. , McCann Judith J. , Yan Li  , Castro Cynthia M. , King Abby C.
Published: January 2008

Background: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of lifestyle physical activity in caregivers (CGs) of persons with Alzheimer's disease. Methods: Fifteen CGs engaged in lifestyle physical activity during a 6-month, home-based health promotion program. Mean changes in self-reported physical activity were compared using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: Fifty percent of CGs increased total self-reported minutes and 42% increased total moderate minutes of physical activity from preintervention to postintervention; however, no CG engaged in vigorous physical activity and there were no significant improvements in self-reported physical activity for the total group. Hot summer weather, heavy noncaregiving responsibilities, heavy caregiving responsibilities, and feelings of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and fatigue were the most frequently identified physical activity barriers. Conclusion: Incorporating an individualized, home-based program of lifestyle physical activity appears feasible; however, attention needs to be given in the future to physical activity barriers identified by this select group of CGs.
The Instructional Dynamics of a Bilingual Teacher
Authors: Delgado Rocio
Published: January 2008

This article discusses the qualitative study of a bilingual teacher's practice in working with a student with a learning disability. The author first examines student demographics as they specifically relate to the achievement of Latino school children and then segues to an examination of the nature of instruction provided to English language learners and the beliefs associated with one teacher's instructional practices.
Service Learning With Latino Communities
Authors: Hale Aileen
Published: January 2008

Results from a qualitative study on the effects of service learning on preservice teacher development in working with culturally diverse learners, specifically within the context of bilingual education and teachers of English as a second language, are discussed. Data were gathered from course reflection papers and participant interviews of college students who participated in service-learning projects with Latino communities. A discourse ensues on five themes that were discovered from the analysis.
Renal Radiosurgery: Initial Clinical Experience With Histological Evaluation
Authors: Ponsky Lee E. , Mahadevan Arul , Gill Indebir S. , Djemil Toufik , Novick Andrew C.
Published: January 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine whether radiosurgical technology can be safely applied to renal tumors. Patients received radiosurgical treatment of renal lesions. At 8 weeks after radiosurgical treatment, patients underwent a partial or radical nephrectomy and histologic evaluation. The patients received a radiation dose of 4 Gy per fraction for 4 fractions. Patients were followed, and radiation-induced toxicities were noted. Three patients were treated for a minimum of 1 year of follow-up. All patients completed the treatments, tolerating each of the 4 fractions with no adverse events. No acute toxicities or changes in renal function were noted. None of the patients had any evidence of acute radiation injury or toxicity noted at the time of surgery or within the subsequent 12 months after the radiosurgical treatment. The last patient treated was found to have a cavity with no microscopic evidence of viable tumor after radiosurgical treatment; pathology was consistent with necrotic renal cell carcinoma, papillary type. The other 2 tumors demonstrated pathologic evidence of viable renal cell carcinoma (grade I and grade II). Tumor size remained relatively unchanged for 8 weeks after the radiosurgical treatment in all patients. The authors are extremely encouraged and cautiously optimistic with the initial results. Radiosurgery for renal tumors appears to be safe at this initial dose level.
Laparoscopic Diverticular Resection With Situs Inversus Totalis (SIT): Report of a Case
Authors: Jobanputra Sanjay , Safar Bashar , Wexner Steven D.
Published: January 2008

Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is a rare condition where the abdominal and thoracic cavity structures are opposite of their usual position. Laparoscopic colonic surgery for this patient population is not well described, with only 2 reported cases. Our patient was a 62-year-old female with a history of SIT who underwent a laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy for recurrent diverticulitis. The procedure included the use of 4 ports. The sigmoid colon was noted on the right side. Laparoscopic resection with stapled anastomosis was performed. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged home on postoperative day 5 without complications. We present a third case of laparoscopic colectomy for diverticulitis in a patient with SIT and a description of the operative procedure.
Clinical quantitation of immune signature in follicular lymphoma by RT-PCR–based gene expression profiling
Authors: Byers Richard J. , Sakhinia Ebrahim , Joseph Preethi , Glennie Caroline , Hoyland Judith A. , Menasce Lia P. , Radford John A. , Illidge Timothy
Published: January 2008

Microarray gene expression profiling studies have demonstrated immune response gene signatures that appear predictive of outcome in follicular lymphoma (FL). However, measurement of these marker genes in routine practice remains difficult. We have therefore investigated the immune response in FL using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to measure expression levels of 35 candidate Indicator genes, selected from microarray studies, to polyA cDNAs prepared from 60 archived human frozen lymph nodes, in parallel with immunohistochemical analysis for CD3, CD4, CD7, CD8, CD10, CD20, CD21, and CD68. High levels of CCR1, a marker of monocyte activation, were associated with a shorter survival interval, and high levels of CD3 with better survival, while immunohistochemistry demonstrated association of high numbers of CD68+ macrophages with a shorter survival interval and of high numbers of CD7+ T cells with a longer survival interval. The results confirm the role of the host immune response in outcome in FL and identify CCR1 as a prognostic indicator and marker of an immune switch between macrophages and a T cell–dominant response. They demonstrate the utility of polyA DNA and real-time PCR for measurement of gene signatures and the applicability of using this type of “molecular block” in clinical practice.
Maximum likelihood estimates of two-locus recombination fractions under some natural inequality restrictions
Authors: Zhou Ying , Shi Ning-Zhong , Fung Wing-Kam , Guo Jianhua
Published: January 2008

Background

The goal of linkage analysis is to determine the chromosomal location of the gene(s) for a trait of interest such as a common disease. Three-locus linkage analysis is an important case of multi-locus problems. Solutions can be found analytically for the case of triple backcross mating. However, in the present study of linkage analysis and gene mapping some natural inequality restrictions on parameters have not been considered sufficiently, when the maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) of the two-locus recombination fractions are calculated.

Results

In this paper, we present a study of estimating the two-locus recombination fractions for the phase-unknown triple backcross with two offspring in each family in the framework of some natural and necessary parameter restrictions. A restricted expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm, called REM is developed. We also consider some extensions in which the proposed REM can be taken as a unified method.

Conclusion

Our simulation work suggests that the REM performs well in the estimation of recombination fractions and outperforms current method. We apply the proposed method to a published data set of mouse backcross families.
Open access for the non-English-speaking world: overcoming the language barrier
Authors: Fung Isaac CH
Published: January 2008

This editorial highlights the problem of language barrier in scientific communication in spite of the recent success of Open Access Movement. Four options for English-language journals to overcome the language barrier are suggested: 1) abstracts in alternative languages provided by authors, 2) Wiki open translation, 3) international board of translator-editors, and 4) alternative language version of the journal. The Emerging Themes in Epidemiology announces that with immediate effect, it will accept translations of abstracts or full texts by authors as Additional files.

Editorial note:

In an effort towards overcoming the language barrier in scientific publication, ETE will accept translations of abstracts or the full text of published articles. Each translation should be submitted separately as an Additional File in PDF format. ETE will only peer review English-language versions. Therefore, translations will not be scrutinized in the review-process and the responsibility for accurate translation rests with the authors.
Resveratrol amelioratesSerratia marcescens-induced acute pneumonia in rats
Authors: Lu Chia-Chen , Lai Hsin-Chih , Hsieh Shang-Chen , Chen Jan-Kan
Published: January 2008

Serratia marcescens is an important nosocomial pathogen, which has been especially problematic as a cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia in the past two decades. Treatment of S. marcescens-related infections has been limited by emergence of multiple drug-resistant strains. Thus, the development of alternative agents for the prevention and treatment of Serratia infection is urgently needed. Resveratrol (RSV) is a compound with diverse biological effects including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-diabetes, and cancer chemoprevention. Whether RSV has in vivo prophylactic or therapeutic potential against infection remains uncharacterized. In the present study, we used a murine acute pneumonia model initiated by intratracheal application of S. marcescens to evaluate whether RSV possesses anti-infection properties. We showed that pretreatment with RSV for 3 days markedly increased alveolar macrophage infiltration, elevated NK cell activity, and decreased bacterial burden in the infected lung with a subsequent decrease in mortality. These effects were associated with significantly less-severe inflammatory phenotypes in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, including reduced neutrophil infiltration of the lungs, reduced phagocytosis activity, and reduced secretion of cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. To further characterize the underlying mechanism responsible for these effects of RSV, LPS derived from S. marcescens was used to induce acute pneumonia in rats, with or without RSV pretreatment. RSV was shown to ameliorate acute pneumonia via inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway, including inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation and subsequent NF-κB activation. These findings suggest that RSV might be beneficial as a prophylactic treatment in patients at risk of an episode of S. marcescens-induced acute pneumonia.
Seismic imaging of reservoir flow properties: Resolving water influx and reservoir permeability
Authors: Vasco D. W. , Keers Henk , Khazanehdari Jalal , Cooke Anthony
Published: January 2008

Methods for geophysical-model assessment — in particular, the computation of model-parameter resolution — indicate the value and the limitations of time-lapse data in estimating reservoir flow properties. A trajectory-based method for computing sensitivities provides an effective means to compute model-parameter resolution. We examine the common situation in which water encroaches into a reservoir from below, as caused by the upward movement of an oil-water contact. Though the techniques described are not limited to this case, we treat the situation in which the time-lapse response is primarily caused by changes in saturation. Using straightforward techniques, we find that, by including reflections off the top and bottom of a reservoir tens of meters thick, we can infer reservoir permeability based upon time-lapse data. We find that, for the case of water influx from below, using multiple time-lapse snapshots does not necessarily improve the resolution of reservoir permeability. An application to time-lapse data from the Norne field in the North Sea illustrates that we can resolve the permeability near a producing well using reflections from three interfaces associated with the reservoir.
Assessment of mental capacity: who can do it?
Authors: Singhal Ankush , Kumar Alok , Belgamwar Ravindra B. , Hodgson Richard E.
Published: December 2007

Aims and Methods

To determine the point prevalence of mental incapacity and the ‘Bournewood gap’ in general adult and old age mental health in-patients. The correlation of mental capacity assessment between doctors and nurses was investigated. Data were gathered on one census day for all general adult and old age psychiatric in-patients at three hospital sites.

Results

Half the sample lacked capacity and one third fell into the ‘Bournewood gap’. The capacity assessment by nurses and doctors correlated highly (κ=0.719, P=0.0001).

Clinical Implications

‘Bournewood gap’ patients should have their needs assessed in order to identify and protect their rights. Appropriately trained mental health nursing staff can undertake this assessment.
Travellers on a dark journey: caring for a patient with chronic psychiatric illness
Authors: Khan Murad M.
Published: December 2007

He was only 18 years old but over 6 feet tall. Strong, muscular, well built and handsome. He had already played club cricket and had been selected to play for the province. He could bowl fast and move the ball both ways. He certainly had the physique of a fast bowler and the potential to reach the highest echelons of the game.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Regulates Krüppel-Like Factor-6 Gene Expression in a p53-Dependent Manner
Authors: Bentov Itay , Narla Goutham , Schayek Hagit , Akita Kuhihara , Plymate Stephen R. , LeRoith Derek , Friedman Scott L. , Werner Haim
Published: January 2008

High-circulating IGF-I concentrations are associated with an increased risk for breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. Krüppel-like factor-6 (KLF6) is a zinc finger tumor suppressor inactivated in prostate and other types of cancer. We have previously demonstrated that KLF6 is a potent transactivator of the IGF-I receptor promoter. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential regulation of KLF6 gene expression by IGF-I. The human colon cancer cell lines HCT116 +/+ and −/− (with normal and disrupted p53, respectively) were treated with IGF-I. Western blots, quantitative RT-PCR, and transfection assays were used to evaluate the effect of IGF-I on KLF-6 production. Signaling pathway inhibitors were used to identify the mechanisms responsible for regulation of KLF6 expression. Small interfering RNA against p53 and KLF6 was used to assess the role of p53 in regulation of KLF6 expression by IGF-I and to evaluate KLF6 involvement in cell cycle control. Results obtained showed that IGF-I stimulated KLF-6 transcription in cells with normal, but not disrupted, p53, suggesting that KLF6 is a downstream target for IGF-I action. Stimulation of KLF6 expression by IGF-I in a p53-dependent manner may constitute a novel mechanism of action of IGF-I, with implications in normal cell cycle progression and cancer biology.
Mechanisms of Adrenocorticotropin-Induced Activation of Extracellularly Regulated Kinase 1/2 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in the Human H295R Adrenal Cell Line
Authors: Janes Mandy E. , Chu K. M. Emily , Clark Adrian J. L. , King Peter J.
Published: January 2008

The role of ACTH in stimulating or inhibiting growth of adrenal cells has been a subject of some controversy. Reports that ACTH may stimulate ERK/MAPK in Y1 cells have suggested a role for cAMP in this process. In attempting to extend this work, the ACTH responses in the human H295R cell line have been studied. This cell line makes only a very modest cAMP response to ACTH, yet the ERK1/2 response is highly reproducible and immediate but not prolonged. It is minimally reduced by the protein kinase A inhibitor, H89, but unaffected by protein kinase C and calcium inhibitors. Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor or other tyrosine kinase receptor transactivation was without effect, as was inhibition of c-Src activity or c-Src phosphorylation. The most effective inhibitor of this pathway was dansylcadaverine, an inhibitor of receptor internalization. These findings imply that ACTH-induced ERK1/2 activation in H295R cells is dependent on a mechanism distinct from that by which most G protein-coupled receptors activate ERK1/2 but that nevertheless seems to depend on receptor internalization.
Preadipocyte 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 Is a Keto-Reductase and Contributes to Diet-Induced Visceral Obesity in Vivo
Authors: De Sousa Peixoto R. A. , Turban S. , Battle J. H. , Chapman K. E. , Seckl J. R. , Morton N. M.
Published: January 2008

Glucocorticoid excess promotes visceral obesity and cardiovascular disease. Similar features are found in the highly prevalent metabolic syndrome in the absence of high levels of systemic cortisol. Although elevated activity of the glucocorticoid-amplifying enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) within adipocytes might explain this paradox, the potential role of 11β-HSD1 in preadipocytes is less clear; human omental adipose stromal vascular (ASV) cells exhibit 11β-dehydrogenase activity (inactivation of glucocorticoids) probably due to the absence of cofactor provision by hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. To clarify the depot-specific impact of 11β-HSD1, we assessed whether preadipocytes in ASV from mesenteric (as a representative of visceral adipose tissue) and sc tissue displayed 11β-HSD1 activity in mice. 11β-HSD1 was highly expressed in freshly isolated ASV cells, predominantly in preadipocytes. 11β-HSD1 mRNA and protein levels were comparable between ASV and adipocyte fractions in both depots. 11β-HSD1 was an 11β-reductase, thus reactivating glucocorticoids in ASV cells, consistent with hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA expression. Unexpectedly, glucocorticoid reactivation was higher in intact mesenteric ASV cells despite a lower expression of 11β-HSD1 mRNA and protein (homogenate activity) levels than sc ASV cells. This suggests a novel depot-specific control over 11β-HSD1 enzyme activity. In vivo, high-fat diet-induced obesity was accompanied by increased visceral fat preadipocyte differentiation in wild-type but not 11β-HSD1−/− mice. The results suggest that 11β-HSD1 reductase activity is augmented in mouse mesenteric preadipocytes where it promotes preadipocyte differentiation and contributes to visceral fat accumulation in obesity.
Advanced Oxidation Protein Products Promote Inflammation in Diabetic Kidney through Activation of Renal Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidase
Authors: Shi Xiao Yun , Hou Fan Fan , Niu Hong Xin , Wang Guo Bao , Xie Di , Guo Zhi Jian , Zhou Zhan Mei , Yang Fang , Tian Jian Wei , Zhang Xun
Published: January 2008

The involvement of inflammatory processes has been recognized in development and/or progression of diabetic nephropathy. However, the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of renal inflammation have not been completely understood. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that accumulation of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), which occurs in diabetes, may promote inflammatory responses in diabetic kidney. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were randomized to iv injection of vehicle, native rat serum albumin (RSA), and AOPPs-modified RSA (AOPPs-RSA) in the presence or absence of oral administration of apocynin. A control group was followed concurrently. Compared with RSA- or vehicle-treated diabetic rats, AOPPs-RSA-treated animals displayed significant increase in renal macrophage infiltration and overexpression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and TGF-β1. This was associated with deteriorated structural and functional abnormalities of diabetic kidney, such as glomerular hypertrophy, fibronectin accumulation, and albuminuria. AOPP challenge significantly increased nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase-dependent superoxide generation in renal homogenates and up-regulated membrane expression of renal NADPH oxidase subunits p47phox and gp91phox. All these AOPPs-induced perturbations in diabetic kidney could be prevented by the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin. These data suggest that chronic accumulation of AOPPs may promote renal inflammation in diabetes probably through activation of renal NADPH oxidase.
Role of the GATA Family of Transcription Factors in Endocrine Development, Function, and Disease
Authors: Viger Robert S , Guittot Séverine Mazaud , Anttonen Mikko , Wilson David B , Heikinheimo Markku
Published: January 2008

The WGATAR motif is a common nucleotide sequence found in the transcriptional regulatory regions of numerous genes. In vertebrates, these motifs are bound by one of six factors (GATA1 to GATA6) that constitute the GATA family of transcriptional regulatory proteins. Although originally considered for their roles in hematopoietic cells and the heart, GATA factors are now known to be expressed in a wide variety of tissues where they act as critical regulators of cell-specific gene expression. This includes multiple endocrine organs such as the pituitary, pancreas, adrenals, and especially the gonads. Insights into the functional roles played by GATA factors in adult organ systems have been hampered by the early embryonic lethality associated with the different Gata-null mice. This is now being overcome with the generation of tissue-specific knockout models and other knockdown strategies. These approaches, together with the increasing number of human GATA-related pathologies have greatly broadened the scope of GATA-dependent genes and, importantly, have shown that GATA action is not necessarily limited to early development. This has been particularly evident in endocrine organs where GATA factors appear to contribute to the transcription of multiple hormone-encoding genes. This review provides an overview of the GATA family of transcription factors as they relate to endocrine function and disease.
Out of the Ivory Tower Endlessly Rocking: Collaborating across Disciplines and Professions to Promote Student Learning in the Digital Archive
Authors: Norcia Megan A.
Published: December 2007

This article shows how digital archives can enrich the humanities classroom; I trace the collaborative creation of “I Remain”: A Digital Archive of Letters, Manuscripts, and Ephemera at Lehigh University, demonstrating how the archive engaged students' different learning styles, causing them to interrogate the way history is represented and processed.
A Route of Evanescence: Emily Dickinson and Japan
Authors: Benfey Christopher E. G.
Published: December 2007

Emily Dickinson never traveled to Japan, but her work has had a passionate Japanese readership, and many of her early admirers in the West were connoisseurs of Japanese culture. Among these were Mabel Loomis Todd, Ernest and Mary Fenollosa, and Amy Lowell, along with the Boston-based expert in Asian art Kakuzo Okakura. My essay ventures three explanations for why Dickinson seems at home in Japan: biographical, cultural, and interpretive. Dickinson's temperament recalls the Asian tradition of the scholarly recluse, and so do her haiku-like nature poems and inscrutable letters. Her cultural situation in Calvinist New England has parallels with an older Japan, before Commodore Perry's "opening" of 1854. There was much East-West cultural exchange in the rise of Emersonian Transcendentalism, on which Dickinson also drew. The reception of Dickinson's poetry in the West has Asian resonances. The successive spikes in her reputation—during the 1890s, the 1920s, and the 1950s—correspond to periods of heightened American awareness of Asian culture. For a hundred years and more, American readers have read and interpreted Dickinson's work through a Japanese lens.
Ghosts of Meter: Dickinson, After Long Silence
Authors: Pugh Christina
Published: December 2007

Recent criticism of Dickinson's work, written by both manuscript scholars and poets, largely ignores her poems' use of meter in order to characterize them as experimental avant la lettre and predominantly visual in emphasis. Formalist poets, surprisingly, show equally little interest in Dickinson's metrical poems. This essay argues that Dickinson was an innovator of poetic meter. I suggest that by playing rhetorical dashes against the well-known templates of her favored shorter meters, Dickinson multiplies "ghosts of meter," thus revealing uncanny and even transgressive elements at work within the metrical project itself.
"A Woe Of Ecstasy": On the Electronic Editing of Emily Dickinson's Late Fragments
Authors: Werner Marta L.
Published: December 2007

This essay examines an important subset of Dickinson's writings, the fragments composed by her in the final decade of her life and found among her papers after her death. Never prepared for publication, perhaps never even meant to be read by anyone other than the writer herself, they appear to belong more to the space of creation than communication. As such, they offer scholars and students a rare opportunity to study the genesis (and, in many cases, the deconstruction or "de-creation") of her texts. This analysis of Dickinson's fragments focuses on the editing of these "limit" texts a century after their discovery as well as at a crucial juncture when experiments in the electronic medium are catalyzing new models of textual representation. Through an exploration of the play of autonomy and intertextuality in Dickinson's fragments, this essay raises fundamental questions about the nature and boundaries of poems, letters, and fragments and posits that the complex relations between and among these late writings are best expressed in electronic format. At the same time, the essay bears witness to the constant collaboration between literary scholarship, history, and technology.
Cryopreservation and Methanol Effects on Burbot Sperm Motility and Egg Fertilization
Authors: Jensen N R , Zuccarelli M D , Patton S J , Williams S R , Ireland S C , Cain K D
Published: January 2008

Cryopreservation of semen from North American burbot Lota lota maculosa was investigated and optimal methanol concentrations were determined for a conservation breeding program. Methods were modified from those reported for Eurasian burbot L. lota lota. The permeable cryoprotectant (methanol) concentration in the semen extender was varied to provide final methanol concentrations of 5, 10, and 20%. Semen motility was evaluated at 80 and 363 d postfreeze (dpf). Fertilization was determined at 340 and 367 dpf. Methanol concentration in the extender significantly (P < 0.05) affected sperm motility and egg fertilization percentages. Motility and fertilization were lowest when 5% methanol was used. Motility of semen at 80 dpf was not significantly different between 10% and 20% methanol, but semen at 363 dpf had significantly higher motility when stored in 20% methanol than in 10% methanol. Egg fertilization was highest when semen was stored in extenders containing 10% or 20% methanol. Results suggest that good motility and fertilization can be achieved by cryopreserving burbot semen with 10% or 20% methanol in the extender instead of 5% methanol. This study demonstrates the potential to utilize cryopreserved burbot semen in the development of germplasm repositories for imperiled fish stocks.
A Simple Apparatus for Maintaining Gas-Supersaturated Seawater in the Laboratory for Experimental Purposes
Authors: Smiley Jeffrey E , Drawbridge Mark A
Published: January 2008

Gas bubble disease caused by supersaturated conditions is generally well understood for commercially important freshwater species, such as salmon and trout, but very little is known about impacts to marine finfish culture. We developed a relatively simple, low-cost apparatus to expose juvenile white seabass Atractoscion nobilis and striped bass Morone saxatilis to multiple gas saturation levels simultaneously. We found that the system was capable of operating under different temperatures and accommodating a range of juvenile fish sizes. Gas saturation treatments were maintained by mixing a supersaturated seawater source with a saturated one. The supersaturated seawater source was created by reducing pressure of an air- or oxygen-equilibrated water source maintained at a pressure of 623.2 mm Hg. The saturated seawater source was achieved by degassing seawater using a packed column. By mixing these two water sources manually by use of needle valves, differential gas pressures (ΔP) ranging from 0.0 to 167.2 mm Hg were maintained. The control treatment level ranged from −35.7 to 0 mm Hg and was maintained using a vacuum degasser. Oxygen-nitrogen (O2:N2) ratios ranged from 0.83 to 1.41. Temperature within the experiment was computer controlled. The supersaturation apparatus operated very effectively and delivered treatment levels that were stable and significantly different from one another throughout all trials.