bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studies on Alternaria Allergens
Authors: Vijay H.M. , Huang H. , Young N.M. , Bernstein I.L.
Published: July 2009

The effects of an extract of the saprophytic mold, Alternaria tenuis (AT-CE) on the humoral response to a ragweed allergen extract (DWSR), ovalbumin and sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was investigated in female Wistar rats. Animals pretreated with 100 μgor 2 mg AT-CE showed enhancement (p <0.05) in the reaginic response (IgE antibody) to DWSR at 25 and 18 days postimmunization. On the other hand, animals posttreated with AT-CE showed substantial reduction in anti-DWSR IgE antibody response. Contrasting results were obtained when ovalbumin was used as an immunizing antigen. There was a remarkable enhancement in the reaginic response to ovalbumin in rats pre- or posttreated with 10 μgof AT-CE. Pretreatment with AT-CE did not affect the hemagglutination titers to ovalbumin, while posttreatment with 100 μgor 1 mg AT-CE increased the hemagglutination titers of IgM antibody. There was a significant reduction in hemagglutinin, and hemolysin titers to SRBC in animals pretreated with all concentrations of AT-CE; at day 21, suppression was noted in animals pre- or posttreated with all concentrations of AT-CE. On the other hand, greatly increased hemagglutination titers were found in animals posttreated with 100 μgor 1 mg AT-CE. Hence, enhancement and suppression can both occur depending on the dose and time of administration of AT-CE together with the nature of the immunizing antigen.
LPS-Induced Enhancement of Plaque-Forming Cell Response to Bromelain-Treated Syngeneic Erythrocytes in Mouse Peritoneal Cell Cultures
Authors: Garzelli Carlo , Campa Mario , Forlani Antonella , Colizzi Vittorio , Falcone Giuseppe
Published: July 2009

The effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the development of plaque-forming cells (PFC) against bromelain-treated syngeneic mouse red blood cells (Br-MRBC) was studied in peritoneal cell (PC) cultures. It was found that LPS enhances the development of PFC to Br-MRBC and increases DN A synthesis in PC cultures. The LPS-induced enhancement of PFC to Br-MRBC, however, does not appear to require cell proliferation, since it also occurred in PC cultures pretreated with mitomycin C. In addition, the LPS-induced B lymphocytes blastogenesis is under the control of macrophages, while cell differentiation of precursor B lymphocytes into cells actively producing antibodies against Br-MRBC is regulated by suppressor T lymphocytes.
Dextran-Reactive Antibodies in Healthy Infants and Toddlers – Relation to Type of Feeding
Authors: BjÖrkstén Bengt , Hattevig Gunnar , Kjellman Bengt , Ahlstedt Staffan , Richter Wolfgang
Published: July 2009

The appearance of dextran-reactive antibodies (DRA) during the first 2 years of life was studied in 88 healthy newborn babies in an effort to provide information about the origin of DRA in normal persons. The results were related to type of feeding, immunizations and to blood group of infants and their mothers. No DRA were detected in cord sera by passive hemagglutination. At 3 months of age 42% had DRA, at 8 months 95 % and at 27 months 84%. The latter figure corresponds to previous reports of DRA in healthy adults. Peak titers were also seen at 8 months (mean 2 log titers at 3, 8 and 27 months; 2.1, 6.2 and 4.9, respectively). Breastfeeding influenced the time of appearance of DRA and the magnitude of the titers. Babies breast-fed at 3 months more often were DRA negative than those that had received cow’s milk-based formula at that time (p <0.005). However, in those breast-fed babies that were DRA positive the titers were higher than in the formula-fed infants (p <0.001). Other types of feeding e.g. juices did not influence the DRA levels. The appearance of DRA could not be explained by polyclonal stimulation of antibody production since changes of DRA titers in 11 tested patients could not be clearly related to similar changes of levels of antibodies to an unrelated hapten, trinitrophenyl. The study demonstrates that DRA appear during the first year of life, and that the appearance is influenced by exogenous factors. The most likely source of the antigen stimulation is the gastrointestinal flora which is altered by introduction of cow’s milk into the diet.
Clinical Symptoms, Free Histamine and IgE in Patients with Nasal Polyposis
Authors: Drake-Lee A.B. , McLaughlan P.
Published: July 2009

29 adult patients with nasal polyps were studied. The clinical symptoms and atopic profile were compared with both the level of histamine and IgE found in polyp fluid. The high concentration of free histamine found in polyp fluid was probably pathological, and local IgE was present in greater amounts than expected by simple diffusion. There was no evidence that clinical hypersensitivity is associated with higher concentrations of IgE and histamine in polyp fluid; it is possible that mechanisms other than an IgE-mediated response could cause degranulation of mast cells in nasal polyps.
Polyclonal Antibody Synthesis by Bone Marrow Cells of New Zealand Black Mice
Authors: Fujiwara M. , Katagiri T.
Published: July 2009

The activity of polyclonal antibody synthesis (PAS) of bone marrow cells (BMC) was assessed by enumerating anti-trinitrophenyl (TNP) plaque-forming cells (PFC) or immunoglobulin-secreting cells (IgSC) generated in the spleen of BMC-reconstituted syngeneic or H-2-compatible hosts. BMC of NZB mice generated large numbers of anti-TNP PFC or IgSC as compared with those of C57BL/6 mice or H-2-compatible, non-autoimmune strains of mice (BALB/c, DBA/2 and B10·D2 mice). Causes for the enhanced PAS activity were explored. Susceptibility to known B cell mitogens was examined and it was shown that spleen cells of the recipients of NZB BMC were refractory to the mitogens while PAS was apparent and acquired responsiveness after 15 days as those from nonautoimmune strains of mice. Furthermore, environmental factor(s) did not seem to be responsible for the enhanced PAS, since BMC from nonautoimmune BALB/c mice showed little PAS activity when transferred into heavily irradiated NZB mice and those of NZB mice showed enhanced PAS activity when transferred into B10·D2 or BALB/c mice. It seems most likely that enhanced PAS activity of BMC of NZB mice is a genetically inherent phenomenon. PAS activity of BMC and spleen cells of NZB mice increased significantly with increasing age of the mice.
Polyclonal Antibody Synthesis by Bone Marrow Cells of New Zealand Black Mice
Authors: Katagiri T. , Fujiwara M.
Published: July 2009

In the preceding report, enhanced polyclonal antibody synthesis (PAS) activity of bone marrow cells (BMC) of NZB mice was shown. Cells involved in its activity among BMC population were explored in this report. Antibody-forming cells (AFC) already existing in the bone marrow were not responsible for this activity since depletion of AFC by passage through a Sephadex G-10 column did not affect the numbers of antiTNP AFC and immunoglobulin-secreting cells (IgSC) in the spleen of BMC-reconstituted mice when assayed 7 days after the transfer. Thy-1-positive cells among BMC population and host thymus were not relevant to PAS. Suppressor cells seemed to play little role as observed in transfer of mixed BMC population from NZB and BALB/c mice. PAS activity was prominently observed in surface immunoglobulin-positive cells. Significance of enhanced PAS activity was discussed with reference to autoantibody production.
Contact Sensitivity in Guinea Pigs to Different Penicillins
Authors: Kristofferson A. , Ahlstedt S. , Enander I.
Published: July 2009

The ability of penicillins of varying lipophilicity to induce and elicit cellular allergic responses were analysed in guinea pigs. Epicutaneous application of the penicillins benzylpenicillin (Bp), cloxacillin (Clox) and Bacampicillin® (Bamp) did not cause any unspecific skin irritation. Intracutaneously injected, however, Bamp, Clox and to a lesser extent Bp caused irritation at concentrations of 1.25%. Solutions of 0.12% of the penicillins were inactive in this respect. Cellular allergic responses were induced with Bp, Bamp and Clox after repeated epicutaneous application. The magnitude of responses was related to the lipophilic properties of the penicillins, Bamp being superior. In the guinea pig maximization (GPM) test of Magnusson and Kligman employing intradermal injections of the penicillins with Freund’s complete adjuvant, similar sensitizing abilities of the three penicillins were observed. The cellular allergic responses were elicited with Bp, Bamp, Clox and in addition ampicillin and the 1′-ethoxycarbonyloxyethyl ester of Bp. An extensive cross-reactivity between the penicillins was seen in Bp- and Bamp-sensitized animals, whereas the Clox-sensitized animals showed a specificity limited to Clox. Bamp was shown to possess a superior activity to elicit reactions, possibly due to its lipophilic properties together with an irritating effect exerted by the NH2 group.
Effect of Histamine, H1 and H2 Agonists on E-Rosette Formation in Normal and Atopic Subjects
Authors: Hall Tony J. , Lydyard Peter M. , Brostoff Jonathan
Published: July 2009

The effect of histamine on the capacity of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to form E rosettes was studied in normal and atopic subjects. Histamine had little effect on E-rosette formation (E-RF) in atopic subjects, but significantly inhibited E-RF in normal subjects in a dose-dependent fashion. To investigate this phenomenon further, specific histamine type 1 and 2 receptor agonists were used in the rosette assay. The HI receptor agonist caused significant inhibition of E-RF in both normal subjects and atopies, whereas the H2 agonist produced significant inhibition of E-RF in normal but not atopic subjects. The results indicate a histamine type 2 receptor dysfunction in a subpopulation of atopic peripheral blood T lymphocytes.
Increased Resistance to Effector Cell Blockade in Antibody-Producing Cells of NZB Mice
Authors: Katagiri Takuya , Fujiwara Michio
Published: July 2009

Susceptibility of B lymphocytes to ‘effector cell blockade’, i.e. in vitro inactivation of antibody forming cells by specific antigen, was studied in NZB and C57BL/6 mice. Mice were immunized either with dinitrophenylated dextran (DNP-Dex) or DNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (DNP-KLH). It was shown that both direct and indirect anti-DNP plaque-forming cells (PFC) from older NZB mice were less affected by the preincubation with the corresponding antigen than those from age-matched C57BL/6 mice or young NZB mice. The increased resistance of B lymphocytes in aged NZB mice to the effector cell blockade may play a significant role for generation of autoantibody-forming cells in the presence of excess amounts of corresponding antigens.
Induction of Tolerance to a Soluble Antigen Following Irradiation and Bone Marrow Reconstitution
Authors: Schleimer R.P. , Scibienski R.J. , Vollger H.F. , Benjamini E.
Published: July 2009

Antigen-specific tolerance was induced in mice by lethal irradiation followed by reconstitution with syngeneic, anti-T-cell-treated bone marrow and injection of the protein antigen lysozyme. Animals tolerized with lysozyme responded normally to a second antigen, sheep red blood cells, and animals treated with the same tolerizing regimen using a different protein antigen, bovine serum albumin, responded normally to lysozyme. Challenge of the tolerant mice with lysozyme covalently coupled to LPS induced an antilysozyme response indicating that if tolerance was expressed on the B-cell level that antigen-specific B-cells were still present. These results eliminate clonal abortion and clonal selection as the mechanism of tolerance generation. The tolerance generated by this procedure is either expressed on the T-cell level or is produced by a state of B-cell clonal anergy which can be overcome by the use of antigen coupled to lipopolysaccharide.
Role of Bone Marrow–Derived Cells in the Genetic Control of Restenosis
Authors: Langwieser Nicolas , Schwarz Johannes B.K. , Reichenbächer Christoph , Stemmer Bastian , Massberg Steffen , Langwieser Nicole N. , Zohlnhöfer Dietlind
Published: July 2009

Objective—

Angiographic indexes of restenosis after coronary stent placement in patients show a bimodal pattern suggesting the existence of two populations with different risk of restenosis. This is reflected in the arterial remodeling response of inbred mouse strains arguing for a genetic control of the mechanisms leading to lumen narrowing. As bone marrow–derived cells (BMCs) contribute to vascular healing after arterial injury, we investigated the role of BMCs in the genetic control of restenosis.

Methods and Results—

129X1/SvJ mice developed significantly more neointima and late lumen loss compared to C57BL/6 mice. Gene expression analysis of intimal tissue revealed major differences in the expression of inflammatory and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell–associated genes in response to arterial injury. In 129X1/SvJ mice stronger mobilization of lin
−
sca-1
+
CXCR4
+
cells was observed after vascular injury. Bone marrow transplantation identified the extent of neointima formation as clearly dependent on the genetic background of BMCs (ie, mice with 129X1/SvJ BMCs developed more intimal hyperplasia). The inflammatory response and the recruitment of BMCs to the site of arterial injury were significantly increased in mice with 129X1/SvJ BMCs.

Conclusions—

The genetically controlled mechanisms leading to lumen narrowing in vascular remodeling are dependent on mobilization and recruitment capacities of particular BMCs.
Chronic Hypoxia Activates the Akt and β-Catenin Pathways in Human Macrophages
Authors: Deguchi Jun-o , Yamazaki Hiroyuki , Aikawa Elena , Aikawa Masanori
Published: July 2009

Objective—

Macrophage activation contributes importantly to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases including atherosclerosis. Macrophages exist chronically under moderate hypoxia (2% to 5% O
2
) in inflamed tissues such as atherosclerotic plaques. However, macrophage phenotypes in such environments remain incompletely understood. This study tested the hypothesis that chronic moderate hypoxia induces macrophage activation and explored the underlying mechanisms.

Methods and Results—

We cultured primary human macrophages derived from peripheral blood monocytes in moderate hypoxia (2% O
2
tension) or normoxia (21% O
2
) for 10 days. Moderate hypoxia did not affect macrophage differentiation assessed via expression levels of scavenger receptor A. Chronic moderate hypoxia, but not normoxia, activated Akt and inactivated GSK-3β, a negative effector of Akt, thus allowing nuclear translocation of β-catenin. 2% O
2
tension increased accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factors 1α (HIF-1α) transiently at 3 to 5 days. Hypoxia induced mRNA expression of the β-catenin-associated genes: MMP-7, CD44, and c-Myc. RNAi of TCF7L2, a cofactor of β-catenin, suppressed MMP-7 expression induced by hypoxia. Inhibition of Akt phosphorylation with LY294002 abolished hypoxia-induced GSK-3β inactivation, β-catenin activation, and MMP-7 expression. Macrophages under hypoxia were more resistant for oxLDL-induced apoptosis. Moreover, phospho-Akt colocalized with MMP-7 and CD44 expression in macrophages of human atherosclerotic plaques.

Conclusions—

Chronic moderate hypoxia induces macrophage activation via the Akt and β-catenin pathways, providing new insight into the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.
Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor Delays PWI/DWI Mismatch Evolution and Reduces Final Infarct Volume in Permanent-Suture and Embolic Focal Cerebral Ischemia Models in the Rat
Authors: Bråtane Bernt T. , Bouley James , Schneider Armin , Bastan Birgul , Henninger Nils , Fisher Marc
Published: July 2009

Background and Purpose—

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is used clinically to attenuate neutropenia after chemotherapy. G-CSF acts as a growth factor in the central nervous system, counteracts apoptosis, and is neuroprotective in rodent transient ischemia models.

Methods—

We assessed the effect of G-CSF on ischemic lesion evolution in a rat permanent-suture occlusion model with diffusion- and perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and the neuroprotective effect of G-CSF in a rat embolic stroke model.

Results—

With a constant perfusion deficit, vehicle-treated animals showed an expanding apparent diffusion coefficient lesion volume that matched the perfusion deficit volume at ≈3 hours, with the 24-hour infarct volume equivalent to the perfusion deficit. In G-CSF–treated rats, the apparent diffusion coefficient lesion volume did not increase after treatment initiation, and the infarct volume at 24 hours reflected the initial apparent diffusion coefficient lesion volume. In the embolic model, we observed a significant decrease in infarct volume in G-CSF–treated animals compared with the vehicle-treated group.

Conclusions—

These results confirm the potent neuroprotective activity of G-CSF in different focal ischemia models. The magnetic resonance imaging data demonstrate that G-CSF preserved the perfusion/diffusion mismatch.
Do All Age Groups Benefit From Organized Inpatient Stroke Care?
Authors: Saposnik Gustavo , Kapral Moira K. , Coutts Shelagh B. , Fang Jiming , Demchuk Andrew M. , Hill Michael D.
Published: July 2009

Background and Purpose—

Organized inpatient stroke care consists of a multidisciplinary approach aimed at improving stroke outcomes. It is unclear whether elderly individuals benefit from these interventions to the same extent as younger patients. We sought to determine whether the reduction in mortality or institutionalization seen with organized stroke care was similar across all age groups.

Methods—

This was a case–cohort study of patients with acute ischemic stroke seen between July 2003 and March 2005 and captured in the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network. After stratifying by age category, we assessed for evidence of effect modification by age on the reduction in stroke fatality associated with stroke unit/organized care.

Results—

Among 3631 patients with ischemic stroke, stroke case-fatality at 30 days was lower for patients admitted to a stroke unit compared with those admitted to general medical wards (10.2% versus 14.8%;
P
<0.0001 with an absolute risk reduction=4.6%, number needed to treat=22). All age groups achieved a similar benefit of stroke unit care versus general medical ward care (absolute risk reduction for 30-day stroke fatality was 4.5% for <60 years; 3.4% for 60 to 69 years; 5.3% for 70 to 79 years; and 5.5% for those >80 years). Increasing levels of organized care were associated with lower stroke fatality or institutionalization. The beneficial effect of stroke units/organized care on survival was seen even after adjustment for multiple prognostic factors and after excluding patients on palliative approach. There was no evidence of effect modification by age in any analyses.

Conclusions—

Stroke units and organized inpatient care reduce death or institutionalization with the same magnitude of effect across all age groups.
Effect of Hyperthermia on Prognosis After Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Saini Monica , Saqqur Maher , Kamruzzaman Anmmd , Lees Kennedy R. , Shuaib Ashfaq
Published: July 2009

Background and Purpose—

Experimental studies have shown that hyperthermia is a determinant of poor outcome after ischemic stroke. Clinical studies evaluating the effect of temperature on poststroke outcome have, however, been limited by small sample sizes. We sought to evaluate the effect of temperature and timing of hyperthermia on outcome after ischemic stroke.

Methods—

Data of 5305 patients in acute stroke trials from the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA) data set were analyzed. Data for temperatures at baseline, eighth, 24th, 48th, and 72nd hours, and seventh day were assessed in relation to outcome (poor versus good) based on the modified Rankin Scale at 3 months. Hyperthermia was defined as temperature >37.2°C and poor outcome as 90-day modified Rankin Scale >2. Hazard ratios with 95% CIs were reported for hyperthermia in relation to the outcome. Logistic regression models, in relation to hyperthermia, were fitted for a set of preselected covariates at different time points to identify predictors/determinants of hyperthermia.

Results—

The average age of patients was 68.0±11.9 years, 2380 (44.9%) were females, and 42.3% (2233) received thrombolysis using recombinant tissue plasminogen activator. After adjustment, hyperthermia was a statistically significant predictor of poor outcome. The hazard ratios (95% CI) for poor outcome in relation to hyperthermia at different time points were: baseline 1.2 (1.0 to 1.4), eighth hour 1.7 (1.2 to 2.2), 24th hour 1.5 (1.2 to 1.9), 48th hour 2.0 (1.5 to 2.6), 72nd hour 2.2 (1.7 to 2.9), and seventh day 2.7 (2.0 to 3.8). Gender, stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >16), white blood cell count, and antibiotic use were significantly associated with hyperthermia (
P
≤0.01).

Conclusions—

Hyperthermia, in acute ischemic stroke, is associated with a poor clinical outcome. The later the hyperthermia occurs within the first week, the worse the prognosis. Severity of stroke and inflammation are important determinants of hyperthermia after ischemic stroke. In patients with acute ischemic stroke, aggressive measures to prevent and treat hyperthermia could improve the clinical outcomes.
Association of Plasma ADMA Levels With MRI Markers of Vascular Brain Injury
Authors: Pikula Aleksandra , Böger Rainer H. , Beiser Alexa S. , Maas Renke , DeCarli Charles , Schwedhelm Edzard , Himali Jayandra J. , Schulze Friedrich , Au Rhoda , Kelly-Hayes Margaret , Kase Carlos S. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Wolf Philip A. , Seshadri Sudha
Published: July 2009

Background and Purpose—

Asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA), an inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, is a marker of endothelial dysfunction. Elevated circulating ADMA concentrations have been associated with systemic and carotid atherosclerosis, an elevated risk of developing stroke, and magnetic resonance imaging white-matter hyperintensities (WMHs). The relation of plasma ADMA to subclinical vascular brain injury has not been previously studied in a middle-aged, community-based sample.

Methods—

In 2013 stroke-free Framingham offspring (mean±SD age, 58±9.5 years; 53% women), we related baseline plasma ADMA levels (1995–1998) to subsequent brain magnetic resonance imaging measures (1999–2004) of subclinical vascular injury: presence of silent brain infarcts (SBIs) and large white-matter hyperintensity volumes (LWMHs; defined as >1 SD above the age-specific mean).

Results—

Prevalences of SBIs and LWMHs were 10.7% and 12.6%, respectively. In multivariable analyses adjusting for age, sex and traditional stroke risk factors, higher ADMA levels were associated with an increased risk of prevalent SBIs (odds ratio [OR] per 1-SD increase in ADMA=1.16; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.33;
P
=0.04). We observed that participants in the upper 3 age-specific quartiles (Qs) of plasma ADMA values had an increased prevalence of SBIs (OR for Q2–Q4 vs Q1=1.43; 95% CI, 1.00 to 2.04;
P
<0.05). The prevalence of SBIs in Q1and Q2–Q4 was 8.3% and 11.6%, respectively. The prevalence of LWMHs did not differ according to ADMA concentrations.

Conclusions—

Higher plasma ADMA values were associated with an increased prevalence of SBIs, after adjustment for traditional stroke risk factors. Thus, ADMA may be a potentially useful new biomarker of subclinical vascular brain injury, which is an important correlate of vascular cognitive impairment and risk of stroke.
Carotid Intimal Medial Thickness Predicts Cognitive Decline Among Adults Without Clinical Vascular Disease
Authors: Wendell Carrington Rice , Zonderman Alan B. , Metter E. Jeffrey , Najjar Samer S. , Waldstein Shari R.
Published: July 2009

Background and Purpose—

Though clinical cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are established risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia, less is known about the relations between vascular health and cognition among individuals without these diseases. Carotid intimal medial thickness (IMT), a measure of subclinical vascular disease, is associated with concurrent decrements in cognitive function, but relatively little research has examined longitudinal relations between carotid IMT and prospective cognitive decline.

Methods—

We examined relations of carotid IMT to prospective trajectories of cognitive function among 538 (aged 20 to 93, 39% male, 66% white) participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) free of known cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and neurological disease. Participants underwent initial carotid ultrasonography and repeat neuropsychological testing on up to 8 occasions over up to 11 years of follow-up. Mixed-effects regression analyses were adjusted for age, gender, race, education, mean arterial pressure, body mass index, total cholesterol, smoking, depressive symptoms, and cardiovascular medication use.

Results—

Individuals with greater carotid IMT displayed accelerated decline in performance over time on multiple tests of verbal and nonverbal memory, as well as a test of semantic association fluency and executive function.

Conclusions—

Carotid IMT predicts accelerated cognitive decline, particularly in the domain of memory, among community-dwelling individuals free of vascular and neurological disease.
Gene Variation of the Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel, Subfamily M, Member 7 (
TRPM7
), and Risk of Incident Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Romero José R. , Ridker Paul M. , Zee Robert Y.L.
Published: July 2009

Background and Purpose—

Transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily M, member 7 (TRPM7), has been implicated in ischemic brain damage, a major source of morbidity and mortality in westernized society. We hypothesized that
TRPM7
gene variation might play a role in the risk of ischemic stroke.

Methods—

From a group of DNA samples collected at baseline in a prospective cohort of 14 916 initially healthy American men, we assessed 16
TRPM7
tag–single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (dbSNP: rs11854949, rs4775899, rs11635825, rs12905120, rs16973487, rs7173321, rs7163283, rs17520378, rs17520350, rs4775892, rs7174839, rs17645523, rs3109894, rs616256, rs11070795, and rs313158) from 245 white men who subsequently had an incident ischemic stroke and from 245 age- and smoking habit–matched white men who remained free of reported vascular disease during follow-up (controls).

Results—

All SNPs examined were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Overall allele, genotype, and haplotype distributions were similar between cases and controls. Marker-by-marker conditional logistic-regression analysis, adjusted for potential risk factors, showed no evidence for an association between any of the SNPs tested and ischemic stroke. Further investigation with an Entropy Blocker–defined, haplotype-based approach showed similar null findings. Prespecified analysis limited to participants without baseline diabetes and hypertension (ie, low-risk group) again showed similar null findings.

Conclusions—

The present prospective investigation provides no evidence of a role for the
TRPM7
gene in the risk of incident ischemic stroke.
Raqs Gothique: Decolonizing Belly Dance
Authors: Frühauf Tina
Published: July 2009

Goth belly dance—or “raqs gothique”—fuses the already Westernized interpretative dance style of the Middle East with Goth subculture. Goth belly dancers want to reject or transcend the obvious roots of belly dancing in Orientalism, but how successful are they?
Rehearsing the War Away: Perpetual Warrior Training in Contemporary US Army Policy
Authors: Gill Zack Whitman
Published: July 2009

The goal of military training is to match practice to combat. US Army documents on “Warrior Training” point out the increasingly simulacra-like quality of their staged drills. The intention is to make the training so real, so much a total “theatre immersion,” that when soldiers are in real battle they act as if they are still rehearsing, still playing.
Que le watcha los cabrones: Marking the 30th Anniversary of Luis Valdez's Zoot Suit
Authors: Nayfack Shakina
Published: July 2009

Pomona College's production of Luis Valdez's Zoot Suit, arguably the most important piece of Chicano Theatre, makes it starkly clear that, 30 years after its premiere, the play's confrontation of institutionalized racism and xenophobia remains viscerally relevant in a contemporary war-strewn context.
“Gypsy Music” and Deejays: Orientalism, Balkanism, and Romani Musicians
Authors: Szeman Ioana
Published: July 2009

In the current wave of successful “Gypsy music” in the West, Romani bands Taraf de Haïdouks and Fanfare Ciocărlia present themselves as “authentic” Gypsy musicians. In Germany, Shantel's latest album proclaims a Gypsy theme, but without Romani musicians. With or without Romanis, “Gypsy” means “exotic” in these musical exports.
The Impact of Satellite-Derived Polar Winds on Lower-Latitude Forecasts
Authors: Santek David
Published: July 2009

The use of atmospheric motion vectors (AMVs) in NWP models continues to be an important source of information in data-sparse regions. These AMVs are derived from a time sequence of images from geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites. NWP centers have documented positive impact on model forecasts not only in regions where the AMVs are measured, but elsewhere as well. One example is the effect of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) polar winds on forecasts in the middle and lower latitudes.

Using a preoperational version of NCEP’s Global Forecast System (GFS), an experiment was run during August and September 2004, with and without the MODIS polar winds. Several cases within this period were analyzed to determine how winds poleward of 70° latitude affect the height and wind fields into lower latitudes.

From the five cases examined, it was determined that the addition of the polar winds modifies the mass balance in synoptic-scale waves near the polar jet streams. This change in mass balance is evident in differences in the ageostrophic wind, which has an effect on the speed and amplitude of baroclinic waves that extends from the jet stream into lower latitudes in later forecast times. These results reveal the substantial impact that polar-only observations may have on the predictability of global weather systems.
Calibrated Precipitation Forecasts for a Limited-Area Ensemble Forecast System Using Reforecasts
Authors: Fundel Felix , Walser Andre , Liniger Mark A. , Frei Christoph , Appenzeller Christof
Published: July 2009

The calibration of numerical weather forecasts using reforecasts has been shown to increase the skill of weather predictions. Here, the precipitation forecasts from the Consortium for Small Scale Modeling Limited Area Ensemble Prediction System (COSMO-LEPS) are improved using a 30-yr-long set of reforecasts. The probabilistic forecasts are calibrated on the exceedance of return periods, independently from available observations. Besides correcting for systematic model errors, the spatial and temporal variability in the amplitude of rare precipitation events is implicitly captured when issuing forecasts of return periods. These forecast products are especially useful for issuing warnings of upcoming events. A way to visualize those calibrated ensemble forecasts conveniently for end users and to present verification results of the return period–based forecasts for Switzerland is proposed.

It is presented that, depending on the lead time and return period, calibrating COSMO-LEPS with reforecasts increases the precipitation forecast skill substantially (about 1 day in forecast lead time). The largest improvements are achieved during winter months. The reasonable choice of the length of the reforecast climatology is estimated for an efficient use of this computational expensive calibration method.
Calibrating Multimodel Forecast Ensembles with Exchangeable and Missing Members Using Bayesian Model Averaging
Authors: Fraley Chris , Raftery Adrian E. , Gneiting Tilmann
Published: July 2009

Bayesian model averaging (BMA) is a statistical postprocessing technique that generates calibrated and sharp predictive probability density functions (PDFs) from forecast ensembles. It represents the predictive PDF as a weighted average of PDFs centered on the bias-corrected ensemble members, where the weights reflect the relative skill of the individual members over a training period.

This work adapts the BMA approach to situations that arise frequently in practice; namely, when one or more of the member forecasts are exchangeable, and when there are missing ensemble members. Exchangeable members differ in random perturbations only, such as the members of bred ensembles, singular vector ensembles, or ensemble Kalman filter systems. Accounting for exchangeability simplifies the BMA approach, in that the BMA weights and the parameters of the component PDFs can be assumed to be equal within each exchangeable group. With these adaptations, BMA can be applied to postprocess multimodel ensembles of any composition.

In experiments with surface temperature and quantitative precipitation forecasts from the University of Washington mesoscale ensemble and ensemble Kalman filter systems over the Pacific Northwest, the proposed extensions yield good results. The BMA method is robust to exchangeability assumptions, and the BMA postprocessed combined ensemble shows better verification results than any of the individual, raw, or BMA postprocessed ensemble systems. These results suggest that statistically postprocessed multimodel ensembles can outperform individual ensemble systems, even in cases in which one of the constituent systems is superior to the others.
Variations in Costs for the Care of Low-Birth-Weight Infants Among Academic Hospitals
Authors: Herrod Henry G. , Chang Cyril F. , Steinberg Stephanie S.
Published: July 2009

Objectives: To determine the relative role that academic hospitals (AHs) play in providing neonatal care for low-birth-weight infants within a single state and to determine if there are variations in inpatient costs for neonatal services among AHs. Design: Retrospective analysis of hospital costs for low-birth-weight infants. Setting: Cases were identified using 2003-2005 data from the Tennessee Hospital Discharge Data System. A specific focus was discharge data from the 5 AHs that support obstetrical residencies and have a neonatal intensive care unit. Participants: Cases included all discharged infants with a birth weight of <2500 grams. Results: The 5 AHs discharged 18% of the total normal-birth-weight infants and 30% of the low-birth-weight infants for the entire state. AHs had higher costs associated with these infants than did other hospitals, with a single exception The difference in costs at this hospital was consistent with the finding of lower utilization rates of hospital services, a shorter average length of stay, and lower costs for infants insured by the state Medicaid program. Conclusion: Academic obstetrical hospitals discharged a disproportionately high percentage of low-birth-weight infants compared with other Tennessee hospitals. The lower costs observed in the Shelby County hospital indicates that other hospitals could potentially lower their costs for the care of low-birth-weight infants.
Prescribing Errors in a Pediatric Clinic
Authors: Condren Michelle , Studebaker I. John , John Barnabas M.
Published: July 2009

Objective: This project was completed to determine the frequency and type of prescribing errors occuring in a pediatric clinic. Study design: Records for all patient encounters in the pediatric acute care clinic from February through April 2007 were reviewed. Prescriptions entered into the electronic medical records (EMR) were reviewed the day after they were written. Results: A total of 3523 records containing 1802 new prescriptions were reviewed. Prescribing errors were found in 175 prescriptions (9.7%). The most common type of error was an incomplete prescription (42%), followed by dosing errors (34%). Anti-infectives were most commonly written in error followed by anti-inflammatories. Conclusions: Prescribing errors were commonly identified in a pediatric clinic utilizing electronic medical records. Incomplete prescriptions and dosing errors were the most commonly occurring errors. Recognizing the types of errors has been beneficial for developing educational programs intended to decrease prescribing errors and recommending improvements to the EMR system and its utilization.
Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes: Clinical Outcomes of Late-Preterm Infants
Authors: Mateus Julio , Fox Karin , Jain Sangeeta , Jain Sunil , Latta Richard , Cohen Jerry
Published: July 2009

Objective: To determine gestational age-specific neonatal outcomes of late preterm infants delivered as a consequence of premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Methods: Retrospective cohort study of infants born to women delivered electively due to preterm PROM between 340/7 and 366/7 weeks of gestation. Neonatal outcomes were compared between those delivered at 340/7 to 34 6/7 weeks, at 350/7 to 356/7 weeks, and at 36 0/7 to 366/7 weeks. Results: 192 infants were identified. The 340/7 to 346/7 week infants had significantly higher neonatal intensive care admission rate (72.5%) compared to those at 35 0/7 to 356/7 weeks (22.8%) and at 36 to 366/7 weeks (17.8%) ( P < .05). Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome was significantly higher at 340/7 to 346/7 weeks (35.4%) compared with 350/7 to 356/7 week and 360/7 to 36 6/7 week infants (10.5% and 4.1%; P < .05). The longest hospitalization occurred in the 340/7 to 346/7 week infants (248.5 ± 20.0 hours). Conclusion: Substantial short-term morbidity occurred in late preterm infants. The greatest number of complications affected infants born at 340/7 to 346/7 weeks.
Bargaining Delays in the Government Formation Process
Authors: Golder Sona N.
Published: July 2009

In parliamentary democracies, the transfer of power from one government to the next is sometimes characterized by long periods of negotiations in which party leaders bargain over the composition and policy objectives of a new cabinet. Although these delays can have substantial political and economic consequences, surprisingly little is known about their determinants. Moreover, the few studies that exist reach contradictory conclusions. In this article, the author examines how factors relating to uncertainty and bargaining complexity influence the duration of the government formation process in 16 West European countries from 1944 to 1998. In line with the article’s theoretical expectations, the author finds that factors increasing uncertainty over the type of cabinet that is acceptable always lead to delays in forming governments but that factors increasing bargaining complexity, such as the number of parties and ideological polarization in the legislature, only do so when there is sufficient uncertainty among political actors. The present analysis helps to resolve the contradictory findings in the literature.
How White Faculty Perceive and React to Difficult Dialogues on Race
Authors: Wing Sue Derald , Torino Gina C. , Capodilupo Christina M. , Rivera David P. , Lin Annie I.
Published: July 2009

Using consensual qualitative research, the perceptions and reactions of White faculty to classroom dialogues on race were explored. Difficult racial dialogues were characterized by intense emotions in both professors and their students, most notable anxiety, that interfered with the ability to successfully facilitate a learning experience for participants. Among the major obstacles that interfered with teaching competence were fears of revealing personal biases and prejudices, losing classroom control, inability to understand or recognize the causes or dynamics of difficult dialogues, and lack of knowledge and skills to properly intervene. A number of potentially effective teaching strategies were identified: (a) acknowledging emotions and feelings, (b) self-disclosing personal challenges and fears, (c) actively engaging the classroom exchanges, and (d) creating a safe space for racial dialogues.
Mechanical Response of Polyethylene Foams with High Densities and Cell Sizes in the Microcellular Range
Authors: Rodriguez-Perez M.A. , Lobos J. , Perez-Muñoz C.A. , de Saja J.A.
Published: July 2009

This article presents the compressive mechanical response at low strains for a collection of polyethylene foams with high densities and cell sizes in the microcellular range. The materials under study had a relative density between 0.27 and 0.92, a homogeneous and multi-structured cellular structure with a dense skin and a foamed core. The Young’s modulus and collapse stress were reduced when density did, the modulus following a linear trend and the collapse stress a quadratic tendency. For relative densities higher than 0.7, the materials showed Young’s modulus slightly above the limit given by a potential law with exponent equal to one. In addition, it has been proved that variations in the cell size did not influence the elastic properties. The advantages of using these materials for flat structural panels have been analyzed. A reduction of the weight of flat panels loaded in bending of up to 35% can be reached by using these foams in spite of the solid sheet from which the foam was produced.
Effect of Process and Machine Parameters on Changes in Tensile Properties of Threads during High-speed Industrial Sewing
Authors: Vinay Kumar Midha  , Mukhopadhyay A. , Chattopadhyay R. , Kothari V.K.
Published: July 2009

The dynamic, thermal, bending and abrasive loading of thread during sewing process has a negative influence on the properties of sewing threads. In this study, the individual and interactive effect of the number of fabric layers, stitch density and needle size on the loss in tenacity, breaking elongation and initial modulus of four types of thread has been studied using Box-Behnken design. Response surface regression equations of loss in tensile properties on the above parameters were developed. The predicted equations agreed well with the experimental data. Contrary to the general expectation, the loss in tenacity and breaking elongation was found to decrease initially or remain unchanged as the number of fabric layers increased. Initial modulus loss decreased with the increase in number of fabric layers for all threads. Except for cotton thread, stitch density did not show any significant influence on tenacity and breaking elongation loss. As the needle size increased, the loss in tenacity and breaking elongation increased for all polyester threads, whereas these properties remained unchanged for cotton thread. Analysis of variance was carried out to find out the contribution of parameters in loss in tensile properties. The number of fabric layers was found to have the highest contribution on tenacity and breaking elongation loss of cotton threads, whereas needle size contributed substantially to the loss in these properties of polyester threads.
Detection of Fabric Defects by Auto-Regressive Spectral Analysis and Support Vector Data Description
Authors: Bu H.-G. , Huang X.-B. , Wang J. , Chen X.
Published: July 2009

For the purpose of realizing fast and effective detection of defects in woven fabric, and in consideration of the inherent characteristics of fabric texture, i.e., periodicity and orientation, a new approach for fabric texture analysis, based on the modern spectral analysis of a time series rather than the classical spectral analysis of an image, is proposed in this paper. Traditionally, a power spectral estimated by a two-dimensional Fast Fourier transformation (FFT) is usually employed in the detection of fabric defects, which involves a large computational complexity and a relatively low accuracy of spectral estimation. To this effect, this paper makes a one-dimensional power spectral density (PSD) analysis of the fabric image via a Burg-algorithm-based Auto-Regressive (AR) spectral estimation model, and accordingly extracts features capable of effectively differentiating normal textures from defective ones. A support vector data description is adopted as a detector in order to deal with defect detection, a typical task of one-class classification. Experimental results for the detection of defects from several fabric collections with different texture backgrounds indicate that a low false alarm rate and a low missing rate can be simultaneously obtained with less computational complexity. Comparison of the detection results between the AR model and the FFT method confirms the superiority of the proposed method.
The Principles of Effective Correctional Treatment Also Apply To Sexual Offenders
Authors: Hanson R. Karl , Bourgon Guy , Helmus Leslie , Hodgson Shannon
Published: July 2009

The effectiveness of treatment for sexual offenders remains controversial, even though it is widely agreed that certain forms of human service interventions reduce the recidivism rates of general offenders. The current review examined whether the principles associated with effective treatments for general offenders (risk-need-responsivity; RNR) also apply to sexual offender treatment. Based on a meta-analysis of 23 recidivism outcome studies meeting basic criteria for study quality, the unweighted sexual and general recidivism rates for the treated sexual offenders were lower than the rates observed for the comparison groups (10.9%, n = 3,121 vs. 19.2%, n = 3,625 for sexual recidivism; 31.8%, n = 1,979 vs. 48.3%, n = 2,822 for any recidivism). Programs that adhered to the RNR principles showed the largest reductions in sexual and general recidivism. Given the consistency of the current findings with the general offender rehabilitation literature, the authors believe that the RNR principles should be a major consideration in the design and implementation of treatment programs for sexual offenders.
Reinforcing Abstinence and Treatment Participation Among Offenders in a Drug Diversion Program
Authors: Hall Elizabeth A. , Prendergast Michael L. , Roll John M. , Warda Umme
Published: July 2009

This study assessed a 26-week voucher-based intervention to reinforce abstinence and participation in treatment-related activities among substance-abusing offenders court referred to outpatient treatment under drug diversion legislation (California’s Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act). Standard treatment consisted of criminal justice supervision and an evidence-based model for treating stimulant abuse. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups, standard treatment (ST) only, ST plus vouchers for testing negative, ST plus vouchers for performing treatment plan activities, and ST plus vouchers for testing negative and/or performing treatment plan activities. Results indicate that voucher-based reinforcement of negative urines and of treatment plan tasks (using a flat reinforcement schedule) showed no statistically significant effects on measures of retention or drug use relative to the standard treatment protocol. It is likely that punishment and reinforcement operating within the criminal justice context had a stronger impact on participants’ treatment retention and drug use than the relatively low-value vouchers awarded as part of the treatment protocol.
Lead Exposure and Its Implications for Criminological Theory
Authors: Narag Raymund E. , Pizarro Jesenia , Gibbs Carole
Published: July 2009

This article summarizes what is known about the association between lead exposure and human behavior and discusses the implications for criminology. It provides background information about lead sources and measurement and traces the various impacts of lead exposure on humans, including cognition and behavior. It posits that the link between lead exposure, aggression, delinquency, and crime is consistent with the traditional individual-level psychological based and aggregate-level sociological based theories that explain delinquent and criminal behavior and that differential lead exposure and treatment by neighborhood is congruent with theories of social disadvantage. It concludes by enumerating the unsettled debates about the impact of lead exposure and by outlining the profitable avenues for future criminological research.