bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors of paternal depression in the early postnatal period in Japan
Authors: Nishimura Akiko , Ohashi Kazutomo
Published: January 2010

This study investigated risk factors of depression in fathers at 4 weeks post‐partum using a cross‐sectional design. Mothers were recruited at the 4 week postnatal health check between March and July 2007. A total of 510 mothers agreed to participate in the study. One‐hundred‐and‐fifty‐six fathers and 181 mothers returned the questionnaires. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were filled out to assess depressive symptoms. There was no association between paternal and maternal depression. According to the logistic regression analysis, paternal depression was associated with employment status, history of psychiatric treatment, and unintended pregnancy. Of eight fathers with unstable employment, seven were temporary employees and one was unemployed, suggesting that perinatal care‐providers should independently screen for depression in fathers and mothers and focus attention on paternal employment status, especially temporary employment.
Selective flower abortion maintains moth cooperation in a newly discovered pollination mutualism
Authors: Goto Ryutaro , Okamoto Tomoko , Toby Kiers E. , Kawakita Atsushi , Kato Makoto
Published: January 2010

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 321–329

The evolutionary stability of mutualisms is enhanced when partners possess mechanisms to prevent overexploitation by one another. In obligate pollination–seed consumption mutualisms, selective abortion of flowers containing excessive eggs represents one such mechanism, but empirical tests have long been limited to the yucca–yucca moth mutualism. We present evidence for selective abortion in the recently discovered mutualism between Glochidion trees and Epicephala moths. In Glochidion acuminatum, proportion of aborted flowers progressively increased both with higher egg load and increased ovule damage. Selective abortion resulted in a 16% seed production increase compared with expectations under random abortion, and moths suffered fitness losses as high as 62% when ovipositing into pre‐infested flowers. Moth eggs were laid singly more often than expected under random oviposition, thus avoiding potential disadvantages from multiple infestations. As new pollination mutualisms are being discovered, selective abortion mechanisms may prove to be more widespread than previously thought.
Ciliate diversity and distribution across an environmental and depth gradient in Long Island Sound, USA
Authors: Doherty Mary , Tamura Maiko , Costas Barbara A. , Ritchie Mark E. , McManus George B. , Katz Laura A.
Published: January 2010

The nature and extent of microbial biodiversity remain controversial with persistent debates over patterns of distributions (i.e. cosmopolitanism versus endemism) and the processes that structure these patterns (neutrality versus selection). We used culture‐independent approaches to address these issues focusing on two groups of ciliates, the Oligotrichia (Spirotrichea) and Choreotrichia (Spirotrichea) across an environmental gradient. We assessed SSU rDNA diversity in ciliate communities at six stations in Long Island Sound spanning the frontal region that separates the fresher Connecticut River outflow plume from the open Sound. As in previous studies, we find one abundant cosmopolitan species (Strombidium biarmatum), a few moderately abundant sequences, and a long list of rare sequences. Furthermore, neither ciliate diversity nor species composition showed any clear relationship to measured environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, accessory pigment composition and chorophyll). Overall, we observed that diversity decreased moving from nearshore to offshore. We also conducted analyses to detect clustering among the sampled communities using the software Unifrac. This approach revealed three significant clusters grouping samples from nearshore, surface and deep/well mixed stations. We find no strong fit of our communities to log series, geometric or log normal distributions, though one of the 3 clusters is most consistent with a log series distribution. However, when we remove the abundant cosmopolitan species S. biarmatum, all three clusters fit to a log series distribution. These analyses suggest that, with the exception of one cosmopolitan species, the oligotrich and choreotrich communities at these stations may be distributed in a neutral manner.
Your Place or Mine? Organizational Identification and Comfort as Mediators of Relationships Between the Managerial Control of Workspace and Employees' Satisfaction and Well‐being
Authors: Knight Craig , Haslam S. Alexander
Published: January 2010

A large body of management and design literature argues that organizational outcomes can be enhanced either by strict managerial control or by managerial enrichment of office space. An alternative model, derived from the social identity approach to organizational life, argues that because they fail to empower workers both strategies are likely to compromise employees' organizational identification and should therefore be associated with sub‐optimal workplace experiences. Two studies (n=288, 1643) were conducted to compare these models. Both indicated that managerial control of space was associated with feelings of physical and psychological discomfort in the office and with lower levels of organizational identification. Discomfort and identification were also found to mediate relationships between managerial control and job satisfaction and well‐being. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
PARASITES, THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND THE DISINTEGRATION OF SCROPHULARIACEAESENSU LATO
Authors: Fay Michael F. , Bennett Jonathan R. , Dixon Kingsley W. , Christenhusz Maarten J. M.
Published: January 2010

Summary.Plants that parasitise other plants have been among the most difficult plant groups to fit into classification systems due to their modified biology and their often highly reduced morphology. They are now considered to be found in about 16 families of flowering plants. Here we summarise current ideas about their relationships and provide information about their characteristics and utilisation. A major consequence of the revised classification of Orobanchaceae and related families has been the break‐up of the traditional Scrophulariaceae, and here we summarise the new classification, focusing on genera of horticultural interest.
658. CYTINUS RUBER
Authors: Govaerts Rafaël , Nickrent Daniel L.
Published: January 2010

Summary.
Cytinus ruber (Fourr.) Fritsch is described and illustrated. Current knowledge of its phylogeny and systematics is discussed, and its successful cultivation is recorded.
664. HARVEYA PURPUREA
Authors: Duncan Graham
Published: January 2010

The endemic South African root parasite Harveya purpurea (L.f.) Harvey subsp. purpurea (Orobanchaceae) is illustrated and described, and its history, taxonomy, life cycle, host plants and distribution are given.
FISCAL FEDERALISM, STATE LOBBYING AND DISCRETIONARY FINANCE: EVIDENCE FROM INDIA
Authors: BISWAS RONGILI , MARJIT SUGATA , MARIMOUTOU VELAYOUDOM
Published: January 2010

In the quasi‐federal democratic polity that India has, lobbying for central funds by the states is often done in a subliminal fashion. Hence, it becomes difficult to get an account of how much lobbying has been done to a particular end. Our paper attempts at constructing certain political proxy variables to quantify the extent of such lobbying in India. We quantify lobbying through the ministerial representation in the council of ministers. We also use several time and state dummies to account for the constituent states' political alignment with the center as well as the coalition and the reform period breaks in the Indian system. Taking panel data that cover 29 years and 14 major states we show that our constructed variables do explain disparity in central fiscal disbursements under the non‐formulaic “discretionary” head in a robust way. Our findings remain true even after we take into account the impact of endogeneity of net state income on the transfers. Additionally, our exercise brings to the fore the fact that the coalition governments and economic reform measures impact upon state lobbying at the center in a significant manner.
Does Overcrowding in Prisons Exacerbate the Risk of Suicide among Women Prisoners?
Authors: SHARKEY LAUREN
Published: January 2010

Abstract:This article reveals the main contributory factors to suicide among female prisoners and shows that overcrowding is a factor exacerbating the risk of suicide. In‐depth interviews were conducted with ten female prisoners in one closed prison in 2007. They focused on incidents of self‐harm and attempted suicide revealing the negative impact of the prison experience and, in particular, the effect of overcrowding. There are few studies looking at the link between overcrowding and suicide. This study highlights the need to explore this link especially at a time when overcrowding and suicide in prisons are high.
Molluscan biological and chemical diversity: secondary metabolites and medicinal resources produced by marine molluscs
Authors: Benkendorff Kirsten
Published: January 2010

The phylum Mollusca represents an enormous diversity of species with eight distinct classes. This review provides a taxonomic breakdown of the published research on marine molluscan natural products and the medicinal products currently derived from molluscs, in order to identify priority targets and strategies for future research. Some marine gastropods and bivalves have been of great interest to natural products chemists, yielding a diversity of chemical classes and several drug leads currently in clinical trials. Molluscs also feature prominently in a broad range of traditional natural medicines, although the active ingredients in the taxa involved are typically unknown. Overall secondary metabolites have only been investigated from a tiny proportion (<1%) of molluscan species. At the class level, the number of species subject to chemical studies mirrors species richness and our relative knowledge of the biology of different taxa. The majority of molluscan natural products research is focused within one of the major groups of gastropods, the opisthobranchs (a subgroup of Heterobranchia), which are primarily comprised of soft‐bodied marine molluscs. Conversely, most molluscan medicines are derived from shelled gastropods and bivalves. The complete disregard for several minor classes of molluscs is unjustified based on their evolutionary history and unique life styles, which may have led to novel pathways for secondary metabolism. The Polyplacophora, in particular, have been identified as worthy of future investigation given their use in traditional South African medicines and their abundance in littoral ecosystems. As bioactive compounds are not always constitutively expressed in molluscs, future research should be targeted towards biosynthetic organs and inducible defence reactions for specific medicinal applications. Given the lack of an acquired immune system, the use of bioactive secondary metabolites is likely to be ubiquitous throughout the Mollusca and broadening the search field may uncover interesting novel chemistry.
The impact of human copy number variation on a new era of genetic testing
Authors: Choy KW , Setlur SR , Lee C , Lau TK
Published: January 2010

Please cite this paper as: Choy K, Setlur S, Lee C, Lau T. The impact of human copy number variation on a new era of genetic testing. BJOG 2010;117:391–397.

Cytogenetic studies have demonstrated that duplications or deletions of entire chromosomes or microscopically visible aberrations are associated with specific congenital disorders. The subsequent development and application of microarray‐based assays have established the importance of copy number variants (CNV) as a substantial source of genetic diversity in the human genome. Pathogenic CNVs are associated not only with birth defects and cancers, but also with neurodevelopmental disorders at birth or neurodegenerative diseases in adulthood. Unfortunately, the limited knowledge of the phenotypic effects of most CNVs has led to the classification of many CNVs as genomic imbalances of unknown clinical significance. This has caused many clinicians to resist the introduction of microarray technologies in detecting CNVs in a genome‐wide manner for prenatal applications. This review summarises our current understanding of CNVs, the common detection methods, and the implications for human health and prenatal diagnosis.
Gestational diabetes mellitus screening and diagnosis: a prospective randomised controlled trial comparing costs of one‐step and two‐step methods
Authors: Meltzer SJ , Snyder J , Penrod JR , Nudi M , Morin L
Published: January 2010

Please cite this paper as: Meltzer S, Snyder J, Penrod J, Nudi M, Morin L. Gestational diabetes mellitus screening and diagnosis: a prospective randomised controlled trial comparing costs of one‐step and two‐step methods. BJOG 2010;117:407–415.

Objective  To conduct a cost minimisation analysis of three methods of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening and diagnosis.

Design  Prospective randomised controlled trial.

Setting  University teaching hospital.

Population  Pregnant women (n = 1594) presenting for GDM screening.

Methods  Women presenting for GDM screening, who consented to participate, were randomised to GR1 [1‐hour, 50‐g glucose screen (GS) ± 3‐hour, 100‐g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)], GR2 (50‐g GS ± 2‐hour, 75‐g OGTT) or GR3 (2‐hour, 75‐g OGTT). Demographics, health and time/travel cost information were assessed for each glucose testing visit.

Main outcome measures  Costs (direct and indirect) and prevalence of GDM diagnosis.

Results  The direct sampling costs of the glucose tests per woman were as follows: GS, CAN$12.57; 75‐g OGTT, $36.10; 100‐g OGTT, CAN$48.13. Among women in the two‐step method groups diagnosed with GDM, 39% of the GR1 and 61% of the GR2 groups were diagnosed at the first step by GS ≥ 10.3 mmol/l, according to the Canadian Diabetes Association recommendations, contributing to a lower total cost in these groups. The total costs per woman screened were as follows: GR1, CAN$91.61; GR2, CAN$89.03; GR3, CAN$108.38. The GDM prevalence was similar (3.7%, 3.7% and 3.6%, respectively). The higher costs of GR3 were related to more blood draws and the time required for all women to undergo the 2‐hour OGTT.

Conclusions  Careful consideration should be given to an internationally recommended method of universal screening for GDM which minimises the burden and cost for individual women and the healthcare system, yet provides diagnostic efficacy. The two‐step method (GS ± OGTT) accomplished this better than the one‐step method (75‐g OGTT).
Activation of presynaptic α7 nicotinic receptors evokes an excitatory response in hippocampal CA3 neurones in anaesthetized rats: anin vivoiontophoretic study
Authors: Huang Lan‐Ting , Sherwood John L , Sun Ya‐Jie , Lodge David , Wang Yun
Published: January 2010

Background and purpose: α7 Nicotinic receptors have been suggested to play an important role in hippocampal learning and memory. However, the direct action of this receptor subtype on hippocampal pyramidal neuronesin vivohas not yet been fully investigated. The availability of selective agonists for α7 receptors [AR‐R17779 and (R)‐(‐)‐5′‐phenylspiro[1‐azabicyclo[2.2.2] octane‐3,2′‐(3′H)furo[2,3‐b]pyridine (PSAB‐OFP)] has now allowed this role to be investigated.

Experimental approach: Single‐cell extracellular recordings were made from hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurones in anaesthetized rats. The effects of nicotine, AR‐R17779 and PSAB‐OFP, applied either systemically or iontophoretically, were studied on the activity of these neurones.

Key results: Intravenous injection of cumulative doses of nicotine and PSAB‐OFP induced dose‐related, significant increases in neuronal firing in the majority of neurones tested. This excitation could be inhibited by intravenous administration of methyllycaconitine (MLA), a selective α7 nicotinic receptor antagonist. Furthermore, iontophoretic application of nicotine, AR‐R17779 and PSAB‐OFP each evoked current‐dependent excitation of most CA3 pyramidal neurones studied, and this excitation was antagonized by co‐iontophoretic application of MLA. In addition, the excitation induced by iontophoretic application of nicotine, AR‐R17779 or PSAB‐OFP was also blocked by co‐iontophoretic application of either 6,7‐dinitroquinoxaline‐2,3‐dione (DNQX) or D(2)‐2‐amino‐5‐phosphonopentanoate (D‐AP5), selective N‐methyl‐D‐aspartic acid (NMDA) and non‐NMDA receptor antagonists respectively.

Conclusions and implications: CA3 pyramidal neurones are modulated by activation of presynaptic α7 nicotinic receptors, which, at least in part, enhances glutamate release onto post‐synaptic (RS)‐α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole proprionic acid and NMDA receptors on these CA3 neurones. This mechanism probably contributes to the effects of nicotine on hippocampal learning and memory.
Neuromuscular development in Novocrania anomala: evidence for the presence of serotonin and a spiralian‐like apical organ in lecithotrophic brachiopod larvae
Authors: Altenburger Andreas , Wanninger Andreas
Published: January 2010

SUMMARY
The phylogenetic position of Brachiopoda remains unsettled, and only few recent data on brachiopod organogenesis are currently available. In order to contribute data to questions concerning brachiopod ontogeny and evolution we investigated nervous and muscle system development in the craniiform (inarticulate) brachiopod Novocrania anomala. Larvae of this species are lecithotrophic and have a bilobed body with three pairs of dorsal setal bundles that emerge from the posterior lobe. Fully developed larvae exhibit a network of setae pouch muscles as well as medioventral longitudinal and transversal muscles. After settlement, the anterior and posterior adductor muscles and delicate mantle retractor muscles begin to form. Comparison of the larval muscular system of Novocrania anomala with that of rhynchonelliform (articulate) brachiopod larvae shows that the former has a much simpler muscular organization. The first signal of serotonin‐like immunoreactivity appears in fully developed Novocrania anomala larvae, which have an apical organ that consists of four flask‐shaped cells and two ventral neurites. These ventral neurites do not stain positively for the axonal marker α‐tubulin in the larval stages. In the juveniles, the nervous system stained by α‐tubulin is characterized by two ventral neurite bundles with three commissures. Our data are the first direct proof for the presence of an immunoreactive neurotransmitter in lecithotrophic brachiopod larvae and demonstrate the existence of flask‐shaped serotonergic cells in the brachiopod larval apical organ, thus significantly increasing the probability that this cell type was part of the bauplan of the larvae of the last common lophotrochozoan ancestor.
Altricial development in subsocial cockroach ancestors: foundation for the evolution of phenotypic plasticity in termites
Authors: Nalepa Christine A.
Published: January 2010

SUMMARYBasal termites possess two developmental features that eusocial Hymenoptera lack: the majority of colony members are juveniles whose somatic and reproductive development is temporarily or permanently suspended, and individual development is characterized by extreme phenotypic plasticity. An examination of the literature indicates that the basis for these unique ontogenetic characters is not the prolongation of a pronymphal stage into postembryonic development, as recently suggested. Like other hemimetabolous insects, termites have three embryonic cuticles, and the pronymphal (EC3) cuticle is shed during or shortly after hatch. Nonetheless, a different developmental landmark, dorsal closure, occurs later during embryogenesis in termites than it does in their cockroach relatives, clearly indicating ontogenetic repatterning from an ancestral state. An alternate hypothesis for the origin of isopteran phenotypic plasticity becomes apparent if we remain focused on the phylogenetic and social context of termite evolution. Altricial development occurs in both vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, evolves in response to the parental environment, and is displayed by two distantly related, biparental, wood‐feeding cockroaches, includingCryptocercus, the sister‐group to termites. It is therefore likely the condition was present in subsocial termite ancestors, and played a complex, multidimensional role in the transition to eusociality. Most relevant to current arguments is that a shift in responsibility for the care of altricial dependents, from parents to the first nutritionally independent nymphs in the family (alloparents), resulted in the developmental stasis of alloparents at a relatively young age. Because early instar cockroaches are not metamorphically competent, these young alloparents would have provided a novel developmental template on which selection could act.
Ethanol Modulates Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Release From the Rat Hypothalamus: Does Acetaldehyde Play a Role?
Authors: Cannizzaro Carla , La Barbera Marco , Plescia Fulvio , Cacace Silvana , Tringali Giuseppe
Published: January 2010

Background and Methods: Ethanol (EtOH) activates hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in adrenocorticotropin hormone, glucocorticoid release, and in modifications of the response of the axis to other stressors. The initial site of EtOH action within the HPA system seems to be the hypothalamus. Thus, to determine the mechanisms responsible for these effects, we investigated: (i) whether EtOH was able to release corticotrophic releasing hormone (CRH) from incubated hypothalamic explants; (ii) whether acetaldehyde (ACD), its first metabolite formed in the brain by catalase activity, might play a role in EtOH activity. To this aim, rat hypothalamic explants were incubated with: (i) medium containing EtOH at 32.6 × 103 μM; (ii) different concentration of ACD (1, 3, 10, and 30 μM); (iii) EtOH plus 3amino‐1,2,4‐triazole (3AT, 32 × 103 μM) an inhibitor of cerebral catalase; (iv) ACD plus D‐penicillamine (DP, 50.3 × 103 μM) an ACD‐trapping agent. CRH levels were evaluated by a radioimmunoassay.

Results: Incubation with EtOH induced a 7‐fold increase in CRH secretion, with respect to basal levels; ACD was able to stimulate CRH release in a dose‐dependent manner; the inhibition of cerebral catalase by 3AT blocked EtOH‐induced CRH outflow; the inactivation of ACD by DP reverted the ACD‐stimulating effect on CRH secretion.

Conclusions: These data show that both EtOH and acetaldehyde are able to increase hypothalamic CRH release from the rat hypothalamus and that acetaldehyde itself appears to be the mediator of EtOH activity.
An Event‐Related Potential Study of Response Inhibition in ADHD With and Without Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Burden Matthew J. , Jacobson Joseph L. , Westerlund Alissa , Lundahl Leslie H. , Morrison Audrey , Dodge Neil C. , Klorman Rafael , Nelson Charles A. , Avison Malcolm J. , Jacobson Sandra W.
Published: January 2010

Background:  The attention and cognitive problems seen in individuals with a history of prenatal alcohol exposure often resemble those associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but few studies have directly assessed the unique influence of each on neurobehavioral outcomes.

Methods:  We recorded event‐related potentials (ERPs) during a Go/No‐go response inhibition task in young adults with prospectively obtained histories of prenatal alcohol exposure and childhood ADHD.

Results:  Regardless of prenatal alcohol exposure, participants with childhood ADHD were less accurate at inhibiting responses. However, only the ADHD group without prenatal alcohol exposure showed a markedly diminished P3 difference between No‐go and Go, which may reflect a more effortful strategy related to inhibitory control at the neural processing level.

Conclusion:  This finding supports a growing body of evidence suggesting that the manifestation of idiopathic ADHD symptoms may stem from a neurophysiologic process that is different from the ADHD symptomatology associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Individuals who have been prenatally exposed to alcohol and present with ADHD symptomatology may represent a unique endophenotype of the disorder, which may require different treatment approaches from those found to be effective with idiopathic ADHD.
Event‐Related Oscillations Versus Event‐Related Potentials in a P300 Task as Biomarkers for Alcoholism
Authors: Andrew Colin , Fein George
Published: January 2010

Objective:  It has been proposed that event‐related oscillation (ERO) measures of EEG activity recorded in P300 tasks provide more powerful biomarkers of alcoholism than event‐related potential (ERP) measures. This study examines this question in a group of long‐term abstinent alcoholics (LTAAs).

Methods:  EEGs were recorded on 48 LTAAs and 48 age and gender‐matched nonalcoholic controls (NACs) during the performance of a 3‐condition visual target detection task. The event‐related data were analyzed to extract ERP amplitude measures and total and evoked ERO power measures. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance to determine the contributions of ERO versus ERP measures to discriminate between the LTAA versus NAC groups.

Results:  The LTAA group showed significantly lower evoked δ ERO power and total δ and θ ERO power compared to the control group. The evoked and total ERO power measures provide an alternative (but not more powerful) representation of the group difference than does P3b amplitude. There was a weak suggestion that nonphase‐locked θ ERO power (which contributes to total ERO power) might provide independent discriminatory information.

Conclusions:  Reduced evoked ERO power in the response to target stimuli provided an alternative and comparable representation of the reduced P3b amplitude in LTAA. This is not surprising as the evoked ERO power measures are derived from time‐frequency representations of the ERP waveform. Induced theta oscillations might provide independent discriminatory information beyond ERP amplitude measures, but separate analysis of the event‐related nonphase‐locked activity is required to investigate this further.
Ethanol‐Induced Increase of Agouti‐Related Protein (AgRP) Immunoreactivity in the Arcuate Nucleus of the Hypothalamus of C57BL/6J, but not 129/SvJ, Inbred Mice
Authors: Cubero Inmaculada , Navarro Montserrat , Carvajal Francisca , Lerma‐Cabrera Jose Manuel , Thiele Todd E.
Published: January 2010

Background: The melanocortin (MC) system is composed of peptides that are cleaved from the polypeptide precursor, pro‐opiomelanocortin (POMC). Previous research has shown that MC receptor (MCR) agonists reduce, and MCR antagonists increase, ethanol consumption in rats and mice. Consistently, genetic deletion of the endogenous MCR antagonist, agouti‐related protein (AgRP), causes reductions of ethanol‐reinforced lever pressing and binge‐like ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice. Ethanol also has direct effects on the central MC system, as chronic exposure to an ethanol‐containing diet causes significant reductions of α‐melanocyte stimulating hormone (α‐MSH) immunoreactivity in specific brain regions of Sprague‐Dawley rats. Together, these observations suggest that the central MC system modulates neurobiological responses to ethanol. To further characterize the role of the MC system in responses to ethanol, here we compared AgRP and α‐MSH immunoreactivity in response to an acute injection of saline or ethanol between high ethanol drinking C57BL/6J mice and moderate ethanol drinking 129/SvJ mice.

Methods: Mice received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of ethanol (1.5 g/kg or 3.5 g/kg; mixed in 0.9% saline) or an equivolume of 0.9% saline. Two hours after injection, animals were sacrificed and their brains were processed for AgRP and α‐MSH immunoreactivity.

Results: Results indicated that acute ethanol administration triggered a dose‐dependent increase in AgRP immunoreactivity in the arcuate (ARC) of C57BL/6J mice, an effect that was not evident in the 129/SvJ strain. Although acute administration of ethanol did not influence α‐MSH immunoreactivity, C57BL/6J mice had significantly greater overall α‐MSH immunoreactivity in the ARC, dorsomedial, and lateral regions of the hypothalamus relative to the 129/SvJ strain. In contrast, C57BL/6J mice displayed significantly lower α‐MSH immunoreactivity in the medial amygdala.

Conclusions: The results show that acute ethanol exposure has direct effects on endogenous AgRP activity in ethanol preferring C57BL/6J mice. It is suggested that ethanol‐induced increases in AgRP may be part of a positive feedback system that stimulates excessive binge‐like ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice. Inherent differences in α‐MSH immunoreactivity may contribute to differences in neurobiological responses to ethanol that are characteristically observed between the C57BL/6J and 129/SvJ inbred strains of mice.
NeoHepatocytes From Alcoholics and Controls Express Hepatocyte Markers and Display Reduced Fibrogenic TGF‐β/Smad3 Signaling: Advantage for Cell Transplantation?
Authors: Ehnert Sabrina , Knobeloch Daniel , Blankenstein Antje , Müller Alexandra , Böcker Ulrich , Gillen Sonja , Friess Helmut , Thasler Wolfgang E. , Dooley Steven , Nussler Andreas K.
Published: January 2010

Background:  Liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment for end stage liver disease. Donor organ scarcity raises a growing interest in new therapeutic options. Recently, we have shown that injection of monocyte‐derived NeoHepatocytes can increase survival in rats with extended liver resection. In order to apply this technology in humans with chronic liver diseases in an autologous setting, we generated NeoHepatocytes from patients with alcoholic liver disease and healthy controls and compared those to human hepatocytes.

Methods:  We generated NeoHepatocytes from alcoholics with Child A and B cirrhosis and healthy controls. Hepatocytes marker expression and transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β signaling was investigated by RT‐PCR, Western blot, immunofluorescent staining, and adenoviral reporter assays. Glucose and urea was measured photometrically. Phase I and II enzyme activities were measured using fluorogenic substrates. Neutral lipids were visualized by Oil Red O staining.

Results:  There was no significant difference in generation and yield of NeoHepatocytes from alcoholics and controls. Hepatocyte markers, e.g., cytokeratin18 and alcohol dehydrogenase 1, increased significantly throughout differentiation. Glucose and urea production did not differ between alcoholics and controls and was comparable to human hepatocytes. During differentiation, phase I and II enzyme activities increased, however remained significantly lower than in human hepatocytes. Fat accumulation was induced by treatment with insulin, TGF‐β and ethanol only in differentiated cells and hepatocytes. TGF‐β signaling, via Smad transcription factors, critically required for progression of chronic liver disease, was comparable among the investigated cell types, merely expression of Smad1 and ‐3 was reduced (∼30 and ∼60%) in monocytes, programmable cells of monocytic origin, and NeoHepatocytes. Subsequently, expression of TGF‐β regulated pro‐fibrogenic genes, e.g., connective tissue growth factor and fibronectin was reduced.

Conclusions:  Generation of NeoHepatocytes from alcoholics, displaying several features of human hepatocytes, offers new perspectives for cell therapeutic approaches, as cells can be obtained repeatedly in a noninvasive manner. Furthermore, the autologous setting reduces the need for immunosuppressants, which may support recovery of patients which are declined for liver transplantation.
Effects of Straight Chain Alcohols on Specific Isoforms of Adenylyl Cyclase
Authors: Hasanuzzaman Mohammad , Yoshimura Masami
Published: January 2010

Background:  Our previous studies showed that the activity of adenylyl cyclase (AC) was enhanced by pharmacologically relevant concentrations of ethanol, that this enhancing effect of ethanol on AC activity was AC isoform specific, and that the alcohol cutoff effect for n‐alkanol potentiation of AC activity was also AC isoform specific. Therefore, we hypothesized that within the cyclic AMP‐generating system, AC is the target of ethanol’s action and that alcohols interact directly with the AC molecules. To characterize the interaction between alcohols and AC proteins, the effects of a series of straight chain alcohols would be very valuable in understanding alcohol action at the molecular level. To our knowledge, straight chain alcohols other than n‐alkanols and 1,Ω‐diols have not been used extensively to study alcohol effects on the activity of AC or other proteins important in the alcohol research field.

Methods:  The effects of a series of straight chain alcohols on D1A dopamine receptor‐stimulated activity of AC isoforms type 6, 7, and 9 (AC6, AC7, and AC9) were examined in transfected Hela cells by a cAMP accumulation assay.

Results:  In general, all 3 AC isoforms responded to a series of straight chain alcohols in a similar manner. The order of responsiveness is as follows: monoalcohol > diol > triol and tetraol. Within monoalcohols, 1‐alcohols had larger effects than 2‐alcohols. Two of 3 stereoisomers of 2,3‐butanediol, [D‐(‐)‐2,3‐butanediol and meso‐2,3‐butanediol] showed similar enhancing effects on all 3 AC isoforms. However, the third stereoisomer, L‐(+)‐2,3‐butanediol, inhibited AC7 activity, while it stimulated AC6 and AC9.

Conclusion:  The number and the position of hydroxyl groups in straight chain alcohols play an important role in the magnitude of the enhancement on AC activity. Regardless of AC isoforms, the most effective of the straight chain alcohols seems to be the 1‐alcohol (n‐alkanol) for a given chain length. We found that one of the stereoisomers of 2,3‐butanediol had opposite effects on AC activity depending on the AC isoform. Overall, the results are consistent with the hypotheses and demonstrate that a series of straight chain alcohols can be a valuable tool to study AC‐alcohol interactions.
Life Cycle Cost Disclosure, Consumer Behavior, and Business Implications
Authors: Deutsch Matthias
Published: January 2010

Comprehensive assessments of final consumption have identified “housing” as a major contributor to total environmental impacts. Within this category, electrical‐energy‐using products are important. Do consumers opt for more energy‐efficient household appliances if they are provided with life cycle cost (LCC)—that is, the sum of purchase price and operating cost estimated over the life span of the appliance? And what consequences does LCC disclosure have for business? Physical energy figures shown on appliance labels may be cognitively demanding for consumers, whereas monetary information promises to simplify the decision problem. Despite the rising interest in monetary cost disclosure, its effectiveness relative to physical cost disclosure has not been rigorously evaluated. This research approached the question of effectiveness with an online field experiment for washing machines. Customers of a commercially operating online shop were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group was provided with regular product price information; the treatment group received additional LCC information. A total of 2,065 clicks were recorded and analyzed with multiple regression that controlled for several product characteristics. The evidence suggests that LCC disclosure decreases the mean specific energy use of chosen washing machines by 0.8% (p < 0.01) and their mean specific water use by 0.7% (p < 0.05). As to business implications, LCC disclosure had no effect on the indicator of retail volume, which makes it unattractive for retailers to provide LCC on their own initiative.
Chronic Kidney Disease and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Findings from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Cognitive Study
Authors: Yaffe Kristine , Ackerson Lynn , Tamura Manjula Kurella , Le Blanc Patti , Kusek John W. , Sehgal Ashwini R. , Cohen Debbie , Anderson Cheryl , Appel Lawrence , DeSalvo Karen , Ojo Akinlolu , Seliger Stephen , Robinson Nancy , Makos Gail , Go Alan S. ,   for the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Investigators
Published: January 2010

OBJECTIVES: To investigate cognitive impairment in older, ethnically diverse individuals with a broad range of kidney function, to evaluate a spectrum of cognitive domains, and to determine whether the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cognitive function is independent of demographic and clinical factors.

DESIGN: Cross‐sectional.

SETTING: Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study.

PARTICIPANTS: Eight hundred twenty‐five adults aged 55 and older with CKD.

MEASUREMENTS: Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, mL/min per 1.73 m2) was estimated using the four‐variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. Cognitive scores on six cognitive tests were compared across eGFR strata using linear regression; multivariable logistic regression was used to examine level of CKD and clinically significant cognitive impairment (score ≤1 standard deviations from the mean).

RESULTS: Mean age of the participants was 64.9, 50.4% were male, and 44.5% were black. After multivariable adjustment, participants with lower eGFR had lower cognitive scores on most cognitive domains (P<.05). In addition, participants with advanced CKD (eGFR<30) were more likely to have clinically significant cognitive impairment on global cognition (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.0, 95% CI=1.1–3.9), naming (AOR=1.9, 95% CI=1.0–3.3), attention (AOR=2.4, 95% CI=1.3–4.5), executive function (AOR=2.5, 95% CI=1.9–4.4), and delayed memory (AOR=1.5, 95% CI=0.9–2.6) but not on category fluency (AOR=1.1, 95% CI=0.6–2.0) than those with mild to moderate CKD (eGFR 45–59).

CONCLUSION: In older adults with CKD, lower level of kidney function was associated with lower cognitive function on most domains. These results suggest that older patients with advanced CKD should be screened for cognitive impairment.
Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders—Alzheimer's Disease: A Pilot Study of a Practice Redesign Intervention to Improve the Quality of Dementia Care
Authors: Reuben David B. , Roth Carol P. , Frank Janet C. , Hirsch Susan H. , Katz Diane , McCreath Heather , Younger Jon , Murawski Marta , Edgerly Elizabeth , Maher Joanne , Maslow Katie , Wenger Neil S.
Published: January 2010

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a practice redesign intervention coupled with referral to local Alzheimer's Association chapters can improve the quality of dementia care.

DESIGN: Pre–post intervention.

SETTING: Two community‐based physician practices.

PARTICIPANTS: Five physicians in each practice and their patients aged 75 and older with dementia.

INTERVENTION: Adaptation of the Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE)‐2 intervention (screening, efficient collection of clinical data, medical record prompts, patient education and empowerment materials, and physician decision support and education). In addition, physicians faxed referral forms to local Alzheimer's Association chapters, which assessed patients, provided counseling and education, and faxed information back to the physicians.

MEASUREMENTS: Audits of pre‐ (5 per physician) and postintervention (10 per physician) medical records using ACOVE‐3 quality indicators for dementia to measure the quality of care provided.

RESULTS: Based on 47 pre‐ and 90 postintervention audits, the percentage of quality indicators satisfied rose from 38% to 46%, with significant differences on quality indicators measuring the assessment of functional status (20% vs 51%), discussion of risks and benefits of antipsychotics (32% vs 100%), and counseling caregivers (2% vs 30%). Referral of patients to Alzheimer's Association chapters increased from 0% to 17%. Referred patients had higher quality scores (65% vs 41%) and better counseling about driving (50% vs 14%), caregiver counseling (100% vs 15%), and surrogate decision‐maker specification (75% vs 44%). Some quality indicators related to cognitive assessment and examination did not improve.

CONCLUSION: This pilot study suggests that a practice‐based intervention can increase referral to Alzheimer's Association chapters and improve quality of dementia care.
White Matter Hyperintensities Predict Functional Decline in Voiding, Mobility, and Cognition in Older Adults
Authors: Wakefield Dorothy B. , Moscufo Nicola , Guttmann Charles R. , Kuchel George A. , Kaplan Richard F. , Pearlson Godfrey , Wolfson Leslie
Published: January 2010

OBJECTIVES:To compare magnetic resonance imaging data with functional assessments of mobility, urinary control, and cognition to determine common or distinctive features in the distribution of brain white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) associated with functional decline and impairment.

DESIGN:Baseline data from subjects aged 75 to 89 enrolled in a longitudinal study. Assessors and subjects were blinded to group assignment.

SETTING:Healthy community‐dwelling volunteers.

PARTICIPANTS:Ninety‐nine subjects were enrolled using a balanced 3 × 3 matrix stratified according to age and mobility performance. Exclusion criteria were medication, systemic conditions, and neurological diseases that can compromise mobility.

MEASUREMENTS:WMHs were identified using a semi‐automated segmentation method, and regional burdens were assessed using a white matter parcellation atlas. Quantitative measures of mobility, urinary incontinence (UI) severity, and executive function and processing speed were obtained.

RESULTS:WMHs occur predictably in predominantly periventricular areas. There were powerful correlations between total (tWMH) and regional (rWMH) WMH, with correlation coefficients of 0.5 to 0.9 for eight of 10 structures analyzed. tWMH predicted functional measures of UI, mobility, executive function, and processing speed nearly as well as the best regional measures. The total volume of WMHs independently explains 5% to 11% of the variability for mobility, UI severity, executive function, and processing speed and is a sensitive (0.7–0.8) predictor of functional decline. The odds of decline in each of the three functional domains was 1.5 to 2.4 times greater with each 1% increase in tWMH.

CONCLUSION:This work establishes the importance of brain WMH burden in three major geriatric syndromes. The findings support the inclusion of total WMH burden as a risk factor in the predictive and diagnostic criteria.
Geography, Spatial Data Analysis, and Geostatistics: An Overview. 地理学、空间数据分析及地统计学：综述
Authors: Haining Robert P. , Kerry Ruth , Oliver Margaret A.
Published: January 2010

Geostatistics is a distinctive methodology within the field of spatial statistics. In the past, it has been linked to particular problems (e.g., spatial interpolation by kriging) and types of spatial data (attributes defined on continuous space). It has been used more by physical than human geographers because of the nature of their types of data. The approach taken by geostatisticians has several features that distinguish it from the methods typically used by human geographers for analyzing spatial variation associated with regional data, and we discuss these. Geostatisticians attach much importance to estimating and modeling the variogram to explore and analyze spatial variation because of the insight it provides. This article identifies the benefits of geostatistics, reviews its uses, and examines some of the recent developments that make it valuable for the analysis of data on areal supports across a wide range of problems.
Reconstructing Population Density Surfaces from Areal Data: A Comparison of Tobler's Pycnophylactic Interpolation Method and Area‐to‐Point Kriging. 面状数据的人口密度面重构：Tobler’s Pycnophylactic 插值法和面到点克里金插值法的对比
Authors: Yoo Eun‐Hye , Kyriakidis Phaedon C. , Tobler Waldo
Published: January 2010

We compare Tobler's pycnophylactic interpolation method with the geostatistical approach of area‐to‐point kriging for distributing population data collected by areal unit in 18 census tracts in Ann Arbor for 1970 to reconstruct a population density surface. In both methods, (1) the areal data are reproduced when the predicted population density is upscaled; (2) physical boundary conditions are accounted for, if they exist; and (3) inequality constraints, such as the requirement of non‐negative point predictions, are satisfied. The results show that when a certain variogram model, that is, the de Wijsian model corresponding to the free‐space Green's function of Laplace's equation, is used in the geostatistical approach under the same boundary condition and constraints with Tobler's approach, the predicted population density surfaces are almost identical (up to numerical errors and discretization discrepancies). The implications of these findings are twofold: (1) multiple attribute surfaces can be constructed from areal data using the geostatistical approach, depending on the particular point variogram model adopted—that variogram model need not be the one associated with Tobler's solution and (2) it is the analyst's responsibility to justify whether the smoothness criterion employed in Tobler's approach is relevant to the particular application at hand. A notable advantage of the geostatistical approach over Tobler's is that it allows reporting the uncertainty or reliability of the interpolated values, with critical implications for uncertainty propagation in spatial analysis operations.
Geostatistical Smoothing of Areal Data: Mapping Employment Density with Factorial Kriging. 面状数据的地统计滤波：采用因子克里格方法制作就业密度图
Authors: Nagle Nicholas N.
Published: January 2010

This article summarizes area‐to‐point (ATP) factorial kriging that allows the smoothing of aggregate, areal data into a continuous spatial surface. Unlike some other smoothing methods, ATP factorial kriging does not suppose that all of the data within an area are located at a centroid or other arbitrary point. Also, unlike some other smoothing methods, factorial kriging allows the user to utilize an autocovariance function to control the smoothness of the output. This is beneficial because the covariance function is a physically meaningful statement of spatial relationship, which is not the case when other spatial kernel functions are used for smoothing. Given a known covariance function, factorial kriging gives the smooth surface that is best in terms of minimizing the expected mean squared prediction error. I present an application of the factorial kriging methodology for visualizing the structure of employment density in the Denver metropolitan area.
Applying Geostatistical Analysis to Crime Data: Car‐Related Thefts in the Baltic States. 应用地统计学分析犯罪数据：波罗的海诸国的汽车失窃事件
Authors: Kerry Ruth , Goovaerts Pierre , Haining Robert P. , Ceccato Vania
Published: January 2010

Geostatistical methods have rarely been applied to area‐level offense data. This article demonstrates their potential for improving the interpretation and understanding of crime patterns using previously analyzed data about car‐related thefts for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in 2000. The variogram is used to inform about the scales of variation in offense, social, and economic data. Area‐to‐area and area‐to‐point Poisson kriging are used to filter the noise caused by the small number problem. The latter is also used to produce continuous maps of the estimated crime risk (expected number of crimes per 10,000 habitants), thereby reducing the visual bias of large spatial units. In seeking to detect the most likely crime clusters, the uncertainty attached to crime risk estimates is handled through a local cluster analysis using stochastic simulation. Factorial kriging analysis is used to estimate the local‐ and regional‐scale spatial components of the crime risk and explanatory variables. Then regression modeling is used to determine which factors are associated with the risk of car‐related theft at different scales.