bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The lymphocyte migration inhibitor FTY720 attenuates experimental hypertensive nephropathy
Authors: Krämer Stephanie , Binder Eva , Loof Tanja , Wang-Rosenke Yingrui , Martini Sebastian , Khadzhynov Dmytro , Budde Klemens , Neumayer Hans-H. , Peters Harm
Published: May 2009

The lymphocyte migration inhibitor FTY720 attenuates experimental hypertensive nephropathy. Infiltration with lymphocytes is found in both immune and nonimmune chronic kidney diseases. In a rat model of immune-initiated progressive glomerulosclerosis, selective inhibition of lymphocyte infiltration by FTY720 showed significant beneficial effects on renal fibrosis. To test whether this translates into hypertensive nephropathy (HN), the lymphocyte migration inhibitor was administered to rats following nephrectomy. Two days after surgery, male Wistar rats were allocated to the following groups: Sham surgery, nephrectomy (HN), and HN + FTY720 (0.3 mg/kg body wt). Therapy was continued for 6 wk. Treatment with FTY720 was found to selectively reduce blood lymphocyte counts by 85% ( P < 0.001 vs. HN) and renal lymphocyte infiltration (CD-3 positive cells) by 63% ( P < 0.01 vs. HN) as was anticipated. Lymphocyte depletion went along with a significant reduction in proteinuria (−28%), whereas hypertensive systemic blood pressure remained unchanged (160 ± 5 vs. 161 ± 5 mmHg, P = not significant). The markedly increased histological tubulointerstitial and glomerular matrix protein accumulation, collagen, laminin, and fibronectin deposition were all significantly impeded in the FTY720-treated animals. The anti-fibrotic effects of FTY720 were paralleled by significant reductions in renal transforming growth factor (TGF)-β overexpression, macrophage infiltration, and cell proliferation. In conclusion, the lymphocyte migration inhibitor FTY720 significantly limits histological and molecular fibrosis in a model of hypertensive nephropathy without affecting increased systemic blood pressure. Prevention of renal lymphocytes' infiltration by FTY720 was followed by significant reductions in TGF-β overexpression, macrophage infiltration, and renal cell proliferation. These results suggest that infiltrating lymphocytes play an active, profibrotic role in the progression of hypertensive renal tissue injury.
Deep inspirations protect against airway closure in nonasthmatic subjects
Authors: Chapman David G. , Berend Norbert , King Gregory G. , McParland Brent E. , Salome Cheryl M.
Published: May 2009

The mechanism by which deep inspirations protect against increased airway responsiveness in nonasthmatic subjects is not known. The aim was to investigate the role of airway closure and airway narrowing in deep inspiration bronchoprotection. Twelve nonasthmatic and nine asthmatic subjects avoided deep inspirations (DI) for 20 min, then took five DI expired to functional residual capaciy (DI-FRC) or, on a separate day, no DI (no DI) before inhaling a single dose of methacholine. On another day, eight nonasthmatic subjects took five DI expired to residual volume (DI-RV). Peripheral airway function was measured by respiratory system reactance (Xrs), using the forced oscillation technique, and by forced vital capacity (FVC) as an index of airway closure. Respiratory system resistance (Rrs) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC were measured as indexes of airway narrowing. In nonasthmatic subjects, DI-FRC reduced the response measured by FEV1 ( P = 0.019), Xrs ( P = 0.02), and FVC ( P = 0.0005) but not by Rrs ( P = 0.15) or FEV1/FVC ( P = 0.52) compared with no DI. DI-RV had a less protective effect than DI-FRC on response measured by FEV1 ( P = 0.04) and FVC ( P = 0.016). There was no difference between all protocols when the response was measured by Xrs ( P = 0.20), Rrs ( P = 0.88), or FEV1/FVC ( P = 0.88). DI had no effect on methacholine response in asthmatic subjects. DI protect against airway responsiveness through an effect on peripheral airways involving reduced airway closure. The protective effect of DI on FEV1 and FVC was abolished by expiration to residual volume. We speculate that the reduced airway closure is due to reduced baseline ventilation heterogeneity and/or reduced airway surface tension.
Increases in corticospinal responsiveness during a sustained submaximal plantar flexion
Authors: Hoffman B. W. , Oya T. , Carroll T. J. , Cresswell A. G.
Published: May 2009

Studying the responsiveness of specific central nervous system pathways to electrical or magnetic stimulation can provide important information regarding fatigue processes in the central nervous system. We investigated the changes in corticospinal responsiveness during a sustained submaximal contraction of the triceps surae. Comparisons were made between the size of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by motor cortical stimulation and cervicomedullary motor-evoked potentials (CMEPs) elicited by magnetic stimulation of the descending tracts to determine the site of any change in corticospinal responsiveness. Participants maintained an isometric contraction of triceps surae at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for as long as possible on two occasions. Stimulation was applied to the motor cortex or the cervicomedullary junction at 1-min intervals during contraction until task failure. Peripheral nerve stimulation was also applied to evoke maximal M waves (Mmax) and a superimposed twitch. Additionally, MEPs and CMEPs were evoked during brief contractions at 80%, 90%, and 100% of MVC as a nonfatigue control. During the sustained contractions, MEP amplitude increased significantly in soleus (113%) and medial gastrocnemius (108%) muscles and, at task failure, matched MEP amplitude in the prefatigue MVC (∼20–25% Mmax). In contrast, CMEP amplitude increased significantly in medial gastrocnemius (51%), but not in soleus (63%) muscle and, at task failure, was significantly smaller than during prefatigue MVC (5–6% Mmax vs. 11–13% Mmax). The data indicate that cortical processes contribute substantially to the increase in corticospinal responsiveness during sustained submaximal contraction of triceps surae.
What Response Properties Do Individual Neurons Need to Underlie Position and Clutter “Invariant” Object Recognition?
Authors: Li Nuo , Cox David D. , Zoccolan Davide , DiCarlo James J.
Published: May 2009

Primates can easily identify visual objects over large changes in retinal position—a property commonly referred to as position “invariance.” This ability is widely assumed to depend on neurons in inferior temporal cortex (IT) that can respond selectively to isolated visual objects over similarly large ranges of retinal position. However, in the real world, objects rarely appear in isolation, and the interplay between position invariance and the representation of multiple objects (i.e., clutter) remains unresolved. At the heart of this issue is the intuition that the representations of nearby objects can interfere with one another and that the large receptive fields needed for position invariance can exacerbate this problem by increasing the range over which interference acts. Indeed, most IT neurons' responses are strongly affected by the presence of clutter. While external mechanisms (such as attention) are often invoked as a way out of the problem, we show (using recorded neuronal data and simulations) that the intrinsic properties of IT population responses, by themselves, can support object recognition in the face of limited clutter. Furthermore, we carried out extensive simulations of hypothetical neuronal populations to identify the essential individual-neuron ingredients of a good population representation. These simulations show that the crucial neuronal property to support recognition in clutter is not preservation of response magnitude, but preservation of each neuron's rank-order object preference under identity-preserving image transformations (e.g., clutter). Because IT neuronal responses often exhibit that response property, while neurons in earlier visual areas (e.g., V1) do not, we suggest that preserving the rank-order object preference regardless of clutter, rather than the response magnitude, more precisely describes the goal of individual neurons at the top of the ventral visual stream.
Resolving Precise Temporal Processing Properties of the Auditory System Using Continuous Stimuli
Authors: Lalor Edmund C. , Power Alan J. , Reilly Richard B. , Foxe John J.
Published: May 2009

In natural environments complex and continuous auditory stimulation is virtually ubiquitous. The human auditory system has evolved to efficiently process an infinitude of everyday sounds, which range from short, simple bursts of noise to signals with a much higher order of information such as speech. Investigation of temporal processing in this system using the event-related potential (ERP) technique has led to great advances in our knowledge. However, this method is restricted by the need to present simple, discrete, repeated stimuli to obtain a useful response. Alternatively the continuous auditory steady-state response is used, although this method reduces the evoked response to its fundamental frequency component at the expense of useful information on the timing of response transmission through the auditory system. In this report, we describe a method for eliciting a novel ERP, which circumvents these limitations, known as the AESPA (auditory-evoked spread spectrum analysis). This method uses rapid amplitude modulation of audio carrier signals to estimate the impulse response of the auditory system. We show AESPA responses with high signal-to-noise ratios obtained using two types of carrier wave: a 1-kHz tone and broadband noise. To characterize these responses, they are compared with auditory-evoked potentials elicited using standard techniques. A number of similarities and differences between the responses are noted and these are discussed in light of the differing stimulation and analysis methods used. Data are presented that demonstrate the generalizability of the AESPA method and a number of applications are proposed.
Glycine Site of NMDA Receptor Serves as a Spatiotemporal Detector of Synaptic Activity Patterns
Authors: Li Yan , Krupa Boris , Kang Jian-Sheng , Bolshakov Vadim Y. , Liu Guosong
Published: May 2009

Calcium influx associated with the opening of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channels is the major signal triggering synaptic and developmental plasticity. Controlling the NMDA receptor function is therefore critical for many functions of the brain. We explored the mechanisms of synaptic activation of the NMDAR glycine site by endogenous coagonist using whole cell voltage-clamp recordings from hippocampal neurons in mixed cultures, containing both neurons and glial cells, and, under more physiological conditions, in hippocampal slices. Here we show that the glycine site of the NMDA receptor at hippocampal synapses, both in culture and acute brain slices, is not saturated by the ambient coagonist concentration and is modulated through activity-dependent coagonist release. Augmentation of the NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic responses by local glutamate-induced coagonist release is spatially restricted and determined by spatiotemporal summation of synaptic events at neighboring synaptic inputs on a single dendritic branch. Therefore different spatiotemporal patterns of presynaptic activity could be translated into different levels of the NMDAR activation in specific afferent projections. These results suggest that the NMDA receptor glycine site may serve as a detector of the spatiotemporal characteristics of presynaptic activity patterns.
The Facts of Life in Rural Counter-Reformation Tuscany
Authors: Hanlon Gregory
Published: May 2009

The English-language historiography of early modern sexual mores places great emphasis on the role of ideologies in shaping “gendered” behavior. Close analysis of relations between the sexes in a typical Tuscan village, however, reveals the importance of human evolutionary universals in sexual relations. The strategic decisions made by males and females in Montefollonico about marriage and fidelity suggest that ideology and social custom were ultimately at the mercy of biological imperatives, regardless of their strength.
Extending the Frontiers of Transatlantic Slavery, Partially
Authors: Lovejoy Paul E.
Published: May 2009

Eltis and Richardson's Extending the Frontiers is the first volume to analyze the latest, monumental, installment of their slave-voyage database. However, despite the volume's laudable synthesis of primary and secondary data about intra-Caribbean enslaved migration, its considerable contribution to scholarship about the operations of slaving ships from specific countries, and its important findings from the raw data concerning the scale and direction of the enforced migration, the volume has one fundamental shortcoming. It fails to engage experts who might have helped to explain significant implications concerning the people who were actually enslaved and the merchants and political authorities in Africa who were involved in enslaving them.
“Chocolate City”
Authors: Taylor Danille K.
Published: May 2009

This article reflects on the political, institutional, and personal meanings of Katrina one year after the event and beyond. The author agues that the history of social injustice and economic inequality in New Orleans and the state of Louisiana exposed poor and working-class people to the brunt of Katrina's damage and undermined their capacity to rebuild their own lives in the hurricane's aftermath. The article also laments the failure of city officials to craft a comprehensive plan to rebuild the city and ensure that the levees would stand against future storms. Nonetheless, based upon efforts to rebuild Dillard University, the author believes that such institutional rebuilding activities will attract growing numbers of African Americans back to the Crescent City from the far-flung New Orleans Diaspora.
The Impact of Children with High-Functioning Autism on Parental Stress, Sibling Adjustment, and Family Functioning
Authors: Rao Patricia A. , Beidel Deborah C.
Published: May 2009

The article discuses a study conducted to investigate the impact of children with high-functioning autism (HFA) on parental stress, sibling adjustment, and family functioning; the study involves a sample of parents of 15 children with HFA and parents of 15 matched control children who completed questionnaires measuring the dependent variables. The results indicate parents of children with HFA experience significantly more parenting stress than parents of children with no psychological disorder, which was found to be directly related to characteristics of the children. The study further shows that the higher intellectual functioning in children with HFA does not compensate for the stress associated with parenting children with autism spectrum disorders. Because the intervention efforts directed at children with HFA will not eliminate the child's primary symptoms, treatment programs may need to address parental stress, which in turn will help optimize treatment outcome for the child and the family.
Behavioral Signs of Schizoidia and Schizotypy in the Biological Parents of Social Anhedonics
Authors: Emmerson Lindsay C. , Miller Sarah L. , Blanchard Jack J.
Published: May 2009

A community sample of 88 putative schizotypes (48 social anhedonics, 40 controls), aged 18 to 19 years, and their biological parents (42 mothers of social anhedonics, 37 mothers of controls; 24 fathers of social anhedonics, 20 fathers of controls) receive videotaped diagnostic evaluations that serve as the basis for ratings of behavioral signs of schizoidia and schizotypy. Proband social anhedonics exhibit more atypical interpersonal behaviors characteristic of schizoid and schizotypal personality disorders than controls. Mothers of social anhedonics display more atypical interpersonal behaviors characteristic of schizotypal personality disorder than mothers of controls. In contrast, clinical symptom ratings of schizotypy do not differentiate mothers of social anhedonics from mothers of controls. Meaningful, though not statistically significant, effects are observed for behavioral sign ratings in the smaller sample of fathers of social anhedonics. Results provide preliminary support for the familiality of atypical interpersonal behavior in social anhedonics.
Culture, Positive and Negative Face Threats, and Apology Intentions
Authors: Hee Sun Park  , Xiaowen Guan
Published: May 2009

This study investigated cultural differences in apology intentions moderated by the threatened face type and the relationship between interactants. With Chinese and U.S. undergraduate participants, this study revealed that (a) offending acts were more face-threatening toward a stranger than toward a friend; (b) apology intention was stronger for a stranger than for a friend; (c) for threatening negative face, Americans had stronger apology intentions than did Chinese, whereas for threatening positive face, Chinese had stronger apology intentions than did Americans; (d) situational variations in negative and positive face threats significantly related to apology intentions; and (e) Americans' apology intention, compared with Chinese, was more strongly related to amount of negative face threat in each act.
Effect of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury and Reconstruction on Proprioceptive Acuity of Knee Rotation in the Transverse Plane
Authors: Muaidi Qassim Ibrahim , Nicholson Leslie Lorenda , Refshauge Kathryn Margaret , Adams Roger David , Roe Justin Phillip
Published: May 2009

Background

Studies assessing proprioceptive acuity in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)–deficient knees have only considered proprioception for knee movements in the sagittal plane rather than in the transverse plane (ie, rotation), despite the fact that the ACL plays a critical role in knee rotational stability and that the ACL is injured almost exclusively with a rotation mechanism. Therefore a test of proprioception is needed that involves movements similar to the mechanism of injury, in this case, rotation.

Purpose

To determine whether proprioceptive acuity in rotation changes after ACL injury and reconstruction, and to examine differences in proprioceptive acuity, range, laxity, and activity level among injured knees, contralateral knees, and healthy controls.

Design

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods

Proprioceptive acuity for active knee rotation movements, passive rotation range of motion, anterior knee laxity, and knee function were measured in 20 consecutive participants with unilateral ACL rupture and 20 matched controls. Reconstruction was performed using a single-incision technique with a 4-strand hamstring tendon autograft. Thirty participants (15 control and 15 ACL reconstructed) were retested at 3 months, and 14 with ACL reconstruction were tested at 6 months.

Results

A deficit was found in preoperative knee rotation proprioception compared with healthy controls (P =. 031). Three months after reconstruction, there was a significant improvement (P =. 049) in proprioceptive acuity, single-plane anterior laxity (P =. 01), and self-reported knee function (P =. 001). At 3 months after reconstruction, proprioceptive acuity of the ACLreconstructed knee was correlated with reported activity level (r =. 63; P =. 021).

Conclusion

Knee rotation proprioception is reduced in ACL-deficient participants compared with healthy controls. Three to 6 months after reconstruction, rotation proprioceptive acuity, laxity, and function were improved. While these findings are consistent with a return to previous activity level 6 months after reconstruction, the extent of graft maturation and restoration of kinematics should also inform the decision about return to sport.
Low-Energy Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy as a Treatment for Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
Authors: Furia John P. , Rompe Jan D. , Maffulli Nicola
Published: May 2009

Background

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome is often a manifestation of underlying gluteal tendinopathy. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is effective in numerous types of tendinopathies.

Hypothesis

Shock wave therapy is an effective treatment for chronic greater trochanteric pain syndrome.

Study Design

Case control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Thirty-three patients with chronic greater trochanteric pain syndrome received low-energy shock wave therapy (2000 shocks; 4 bars of pressure, equal to 0.18 mJ/mm 2; total energy flux density, 360 mJ/mm2). Thirty-three patients with chronic greater trochanteric pain syndrome were not treated with shock wave therapy but received additional forms of nonoperative therapy (control). All shock wave therapy procedures were performed without anesthesia. Evaluation was by change in visual analog score, Harris hip score, and Roles and Maudsley score.

Results

Mean pretreatment visual analog scores for the control and shock wave therapy groups were 8.5 and 8.5, respectively. One, 3, and 12 months after treatment, the mean visual analog score for the control and shock wave therapy groups were 7.6 and 5.1 (P < .001), 7 and 3.7 (P < .001), and 6.3 and 2.7 (P < .001), respectively. One, 3, and 12 months after treatment, mean Harris hip scores for the control and shock wave therapy groups were 54.4 and 69.8 (P < .001), 56.9 and 74.8 (P < .001), and 57.6 and 79.9 (P < .001), respectively. At final follow-up, the number of excellent, good, fair, and poor results for the shock wave therapy and control groups were 10 and 0 (P < .001), 16 and 12 (P < .001), 4 and 13 (P < .001), and 3 and 8 (P < .001), respectively. Chi-square analysis showed the percentage of patients with excellent (1) or good (2) Roles and Maudsley scores (ie, successful results) 12 months after treatment was statistically greater in the shock wave therapy than in the control group (P < .001).

Conclusion

Shock wave therapy is an effective treatment for greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
The Role of Purposeful Work Goals in Promoting Meaning in Life and in Schoolwork During Adolescence
Authors: Yeager David Scott , Bundick Matthew J.
Published: May 2009

What type of work goals provide adolescents with the sense that schoolwork is important and that their lives are meaningful? This mixed-methods study of a diverse sample of 6th-, 9th-, and 12th-grade adolescents ( N = 148) investigated the relationship between work goals, purpose, and meaning using a semistructured interview and a survey. Interview analyses showed that multiple motives were normative (68%), and that 30% of adolescents aspired to an occupation that would allow them to contribute to the world beyond themselves. Regression analyses found that adolescents with purposeful work goals also reported more meaning in life and in schoolwork than those who did not.
Adolescent Girls’ Responses to Warning Signs of Abuse in Romantic Relationships
Authors: Murphy Kylie A. , Smith David I.
Published: May 2009

This study explored adolescent girls’ experiences of, and responses to, seven domains of partner behavior that are considered to be early warning signs of relationship abuse. Girls ( N = 146) aged 14 to 18 years, attending schools in a semirural area, completed a purpose-built questionnaire, providing measures of self-reported exposure, perceived seriousness, and proposed response protectiveness in relation to each domain. Substantial proportions of girls (a) reported exposure to each of the domains, (b) lacked awareness particularly of the risks associated with jealous/possessive partner behaviors, and (c) regardless of their level of risk awareness, lacked knowledge of behavioral responses that might discourage continued warning-sign behaviors by their partners in all domains except for social restriction tactics. The implications of these findings for youth-targeted relationship abuse prevention are discussed.
Life Settlements From the Perspective of Institutional, Real Options, and Stewardship Theories
Authors: Dibrell Clay
Published: May 2009

As families seek alternative forms of financial capital without putting the family business at risk, life settlements are gaining the interest of family businesses and scholars. This commentary draws upon institutional theory, real options theory, and stewardship theory to provide a foundation to better understand life settlements and to complement the work articulated by Adams (2009).
A Conceptual Model of Intentional Comfort Touch
Authors: Connor Ann , Howett Maeve
Published: May 2009

This article discusses the application and integration of intentional comfort touch as a holistic nursing practice. A review of the literature on touch and its related concepts is included. Although nurses use touch frequently in patient encounters, it is not always used intentionally or deliberately to enhance care. The article compares and contrasts intentional comfort touch with nonintentional or procedural touch. The use of intentional comfort touch in innovative clinical settings with diverse and at-risk populations is described. Based on clinical experiences and the current literature, a conceptual model of intentional comfort touch is proposed. The application of touch is discussed as is the meaning and importance of intentional touch for students, faculty, and patients.
Tissue Eosinophilia and its Association with Tumoral Invasion of Oral Cancer
Authors: Tostes Oliveira Denise , Tjioe Kellen Cristine , Assao Agnes , Sita Faustino Simone Eloiza , Lopes Carvalho André , Landman Gilles , Kowalski Luiz Paulo
Published: May 2009

This study investigated if tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE) could be associated with the process of tissue invasion in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) and its influence on patient's prognosis. Forty-three patients treated for OSCCs with or without lymph nodes involvement, at A. C. Camargo Cancer Hospital, Brazil, were selected for TATE analysis. Two degrees of tissue eosinophilia were established in OSCC: absent/mild and intense. The TATE was evaluated in relation to the clinicopathological features and prognostic value using χ 2 test and the Kaplan—Meier method. Most of the patients with OSCC in advanced clinical stage presented muscular infiltration and significantly intense TATE whereas those with tumors in early stage frequently showed absent/mild eosinophilia ( P = .009). The TATE showed no prognostic value for 5-year and 10-year survival rates of the OSCC. These findings suggest that intense TATE seems to reflect the stromal invasion of the OSCCs that occur in advanced clinical stage.
Extrapleural Solitary Fibrous Tumor: A Clinicopathologic Study of 19 Cases
Authors: Insabato L. , Siano M. , Somma A. , Gentile R. , Santangelo M. , Pettinato G.
Published: May 2009

This study reports a series of 19 extrapleural solitary fibrous tumors. The patients included 6 men and 13 women with age ranging from 27 to 86 years. Three patients showed local recurrence. In 2 tumors, a diagnosis of malignancy was made. All of the tumors were strongly positive for CD34, and 3 of them expressed high levels of progesterone receptor. Solitary fibrous tumors are fairly rare, occurring in many parts of the body, and their behavior is unpredictable.
Review Article: A Reevaluation of the Clinical Significance of Histological Subtyping of Non—Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma: Diagnostic Algorithms in the Era of Personalized Treatments
Authors: Rossi Giulio , Pelosi Giuseppe , Graziano Paolo , Barbareschi Mattia , Papotti Mauro
Published: May 2009

The classification of lung cancer has always been primarily based on the morphologic assessment of routinely stained histological sections, but this approach may be difficult or even unfeasible in cytological preparations or small biopsies. Moreover, the simplistic dichotomization between small-cell carcinoma and non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) should be overcome, as new drugs have been discovered that are effective in specific subtypes of lung cancer. A more accurate characterization of NSCLC, however, may be hard in carcinomas lacking clear-cut signs of differentiation. The incorporation into the diagnostic algorithm of poorly differentiated carcinomas of an immunohistochemical panel including markers of squamous (high-molecular-weight cytokeratins, p63) and glandular (TTF-1, cytokeratin 7) cell differentiation seems the most promising approach. The evaluation of lung cancer for gene mutations, gene amplification, tumor-related angiogenesis, expression levels of DNA repair genes and genomic or proteomic profiles represents an exciting challenge for the pathologist in the near future.
Ability of College Students to Simulate ADHD on Objective Measures of Attention
Authors: Lee Booksh Randee , Pella Russell D. , Singh Ashvind N. , Drew Gouvier William
Published: May 2009

Objective: The authors examined the ability of college students to simulate ADHD symptoms on objective and self-report measures and the relationship between knowledge of ADHD and ability to simulate ADHD. Method: Undergraduate students were assigned to a control or a simulated ADHD malingering condition and compared with a clinical AD/HD group. The authors used several clinical attentional measures and symptom validity tests to differentiate experimental groups via a series of multivariate procedures. Results: Simulators successfully feigned ADHD symptoms on a retrospective self-report measure. Moreover, knowledge of ADHD was unrelated to objective attentional measure performance. Overall, participants who simulated ADHD on some objective measures (i.e., specific Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—III [WAIS-III] subtests) showed similar performance to the clinical ADHD comparison sample. Conclusion: The implications of these findings highlight the importance of relying on multiple vectors of information, be it objective, observational, self-report, or reports by others, when diagnosing ADHD and assessing factors related to potential secondary gain. (J. of Att. Dis. 2010; 13(4) 325-338)
Evaluation of the Developmental Toxicity of Dihydromyrcenol in Rats
Authors: Politano Valerie T. , Lewis Elise M. , Hoberman Alan M. , Christian Mildred S. , Diener Robert M. , Api Anne Marie
Published: May 2009

Dihydromyrcenol, a widely used fragrance ingredient, was evaluated for developmental toxicity in pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (25/group). Oral dosages of 0, 250, 500, or 1000 mg/kg/d in corn oil were administered on gestational days 7 to 17. Rats were observed for viability, clinical signs, body weights, and feed consumption. Caesarean sectioning and necropsy occurred on gestational day 21. Fetuses were weighed and examined for sex, gross external changes, and soft tissue or skeletal alterations. All rats survived until scheduled termination. No clinical signs were attributed to dihydromyrcenol. There were no gross tissue changes at necropsy. The 1000-mg/kg/d dosage group had reduced mean maternal body weight gains of 5% compared with controls, whereas absolute and relative feed consumption were significantly reduced during the dosage period. This threshold systemic maternal toxicity was associated with threshold developmental toxicity in the 1000-mg/kg/d dosage group. Fetal effects included a minimal ∼3% reduction in fetal body weight; reversible variations in ossification, including retarded ossification of the metatarsal bones in the hindpaws; and an increase in supernumerary thoracic ribs with associated increases or decreases in thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, respectively. Based on these data, maternal and developmental no observable effect levels of 500 mg/kg/d and maternal and developmental no observable adverse effect levels of 1000 mg/kg/d were established for dihydromyrcenol. It was concluded that dihydromyrcenol is not a selective developmental toxicant in rats under the conditions of this study and that a margin of safety of 25 000 exists between reversible developmental delays in rats and the estimated daily human exposure level of 0.02 mg/kg/d.
Safety of Oral Sulfates in Rats and Dogs Contrasted With Phosphate-Induced Nephropathy in Rats
Authors: Pelham Russell W. , Russell Robert G. , Padgett Eric L. , Reno Frederick E. , Cleveland Mark vB.
Published: May 2009

An oral sulfate salt solution (OSS), under development as a bowel cleansing agent for colonoscopy in humans, is studied in rats and dogs. In rats, amaximumpractical oral OSS dose (5 g/kg/d) is compared with an oral sodium phosphate (OSP) solution, both at about 7 times the clinical dose. OSS induces the intended effects of loose stools and diarrhea. In rats, higher urine sodium and potassium accompany higher clearance rates, considered adaptive to the osmotic load of OSS. OSS for 28 days is well tolerated in rats and dogs. In contrast, OSP causes increased mortality, reduced body weight and food consumption, severe kidney tubular degeneration, and calcium phosphate deposition in rats. These are accompanied by mineralization in the stomach and aorta, along with cardiac and hepatic degeneration and necrosis. The greater safety margin of OSS over OSP at similarmultiples of the clinical dose indicates its suitability for human use.
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Agonist Rosiglitazone– Induced Apoptosis in Leukemia K562 Cells and Its Mechanisms of Action
Authors: Liu Jia-Jun , Hu Ting , Wu Xiang-Yuan , Wang Chun-Zhi , Xu Yan , Zhang Yong , Xiao Ruo-Zhi , Lin Dong-Jun , Huang Ren-Wei , Liu Qiang
Published: May 2009

This study investigates the ability of a synthetic PPAR-γ agonist, rosiglitazone (RGZ), to induce apoptosis in leukemia K562 cells. The results revealed that RGZ (>40 mmol/L) inhibits the growth of K562 cells and causes apoptosis in a time and dose-dependent manner. Apoptosis is observed clearly by Hoechst 33258 staining. Western blotting analysis demonstrates the cleavage of caspase-3 zymogen protein with the appearance of its 17-kD subunit and a dose-dependent cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Furthermore, RGZ treatment down-regulates anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and up-regulates pro-apoptotic protein Bax in a dosedependent manner after the cells are treated for 48 hours. Telomerase activity is decreased concurrently in a dosedependent manner. We therefore conclude that RGZ induces apoptosis in K562 cells in vitro, and that RGZ-induced apoptosis in K562 cells is highly correlated with activation of caspase-3, decreasing telomerase activity, down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax.
Bourdieu's Reflexive Politics
Authors: Frangie Samer
Published: May 2009

Starting from the controversies surrounding Bourdieu's political involvement, this article investigates the form of ethico-political involvement consistent with Bourdieu's notion of reflexivity. The argument begins by drawing the ethico-political dimensions of Bourdieu's methodology, especially his notions of socio-analysis and reflexivity. These latter emerge as the counterparts of Bourdieu's politics of the field, grounding the `conversion of the gaze' required for political action and presenting possibilities for social agents to comprehend, accept and even re-create their selves. Applying a `dispositional reading' to some of Bourdieu's texts, the article proposes a new interpretation of the tense relation between Bourdieu's biography and writings, consistent with the ethico-political reading of socio-analysis and reflexivity. Bourdieu's texts can be read as an example of a socio-analysis, a rhetorical strategy devised to enlist individuals into the painful exercise of rewriting their social biographies.
The Medical Education Priorities of Parents Who Use Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Authors: O’Keefe Maree , Coat Suzette , Jones Alison
Published: May 2009

Many parents use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for their children. A number of medical schools are introducing CAM teaching, and this study was undertaken to explore the medical education priorities of parents who use CAM for their children. A total of 27 parents (25 females, 2 males) participated in 1 of 6 focus group discussions. Transcripts were analyzed using an iterative process of concept identification, hypothesis testing, and detailed comparisons. Participant preferences for health care for their children were complex and informed by previous health care experiences and current family health care needs. Using CAM allowed parents choice and control in managing their family’s health care. Many participant priorities for medical education in CAM echoed key principles of patient-centered care in addition to specific suggestions for curriculum development. Participating parents believed that it was important to increase medical students’ knowledge and understanding of both CAM modalities and the perspectives of parents.
An Investigation of the Technical Adequacy of a Daily Behavior Report Card (DBRC) for Monitoring Progress of Students With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Special Education Placements
Authors: Fabiano Gregory A. , Vujnovic Rebecca , Naylor Justin , Pariseau Meaghan , Robins Melissa
Published: May 2009

Many children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are eligible for special education services because of problems with academic and/or social functioning. Thus, a considerable proportion of children with ADHD have individualized education plans (IEPs) that list operationalized goals and objectives for each student. Conceptually, the majority of these children fall within Tiers 2 and 3 of a tiered intervention system because of a need for more intensive behavioral supports. Given the potentially variable behavior of these students in classroom settings and a concurrent need to demonstrate the effectiveness of intervention outcomes, frequent and sustained monitoring of goals and objectives is necessary. For this purpose, direct behavior rating scales such as a Daily Behavior Report Card (DBRC) may serve as an efficient and effective mechanism for progress monitoring. In a sample of 63 students with ADHD receiving special education services, initial psychometric information for the temporal stability, interrater reliability, and content validity of an idiographic, multi-item DBRC is presented. Procedures for integrating a DBRC into standard progress monitoring procedures likely to be useful in intervention monitoring at Tiers 2 and 3 are discussed.
Kaposi's Sarcoma Misdiagnosed as a Diabetic Plantar Foot Ulcer
Authors: Caminiti M. , Clerici G. , Quarantiello A. , Curci V. , Faglia E.
Published: May 2009

In this report, the authors describe the case of a patient with Kaposi's sarcoma that was initially misdiagnosed as a plantar ulcer. The ulcer typically appeared as a neuropathic foot ulceration located on the plantar aspect of the first metatarsal head. There was hyperkeratosis on the plantar surfaces of the other metatarsal heads. However, the lesion had mushrooming granulation tissue, without undermined perilesional edges. A wound biopsy revealed the presence of Kaposi's sarcoma. The presence of cancerous lesions on the plantar aspect of the foot is an infrequent event in diabetic patients. However, given the malignant nature of some skin cancers careful clinical examination and biopsy of the wound are advisable.
A Case Report of the Eradication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Leg Ulcer in a Patient with Essential Thrombocythemia
Authors: Savini Vincenzo , Catavitello Chiara , Bianco Azaira , Balbinot Andrea , D'Antonio Domenico
Published: May 2009

A patient treated with hydroxyurea had a lower extremity ulcer that was found infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Drug discontinuation and ceftazidime treatment did not initially lead to resolution due to misidentification of inducible betalactamases expressed by the organism and subsequent clinical failure of the cephalosporin in eradicating infection. These class C enzymes may be strongly induced after betalactam exposure and confer resistance to penicillins, cephalosporins, betalactamase inhibitors but not to carbapenems. Though hydroxyurea represents a major cause of essential thrombocythemia-related ulcers, lesion infections by difficult-to-treat organisms should be eradicated to promote wound healing.
Evidence-Based Recommendations for the Use of Topical Oxygen Therapy in the Treatment of Lower Extremity Wounds
Authors: Gordillo Gayle M. , Sen Chandan K.
Published: May 2009

Topical oxygen therapy provides another tool in the armamentarium of clinicians treating refractory lower extremity wounds. Devices suitable for providing topical oxygen therapy in a clinical setting have recently become available. This article reviews the evidence to justify the use of this treatment modality, including in vitro, preclinical data, and clinical data. It also provides a protocol for how to administer topical oxygen therapy as well as guidance on patient selection and management to optimize outcomes. Randomized controlled trials are not yet reported and clearly necessary. The current body of evidence suggests that topical oxygen therapy may be considered as a second line of therapy for refractory wounds.
Emerging Evidence for Neuroischemic Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Model of Care and How to Adapt Practice
Authors: Ndip Agbor , Jude Edward B.
Published: May 2009

Although neuropathic ulceration remains the commonest type of foot ulcers among patients with diabetes, recent data suggest that ischemic (and therefore, neuroischemic) ulcers are on the rise. The high prevalence and incidence of diabetes and its attendant foot complications, coupled with the current trend where increasingly diabetes care is being provided by general practitioners (primary care physicians) would mean that primary care practices are expected to see greater numbers of diabetic foot ulcer patients. Unfortunately, these settings are frequently ill-equipped to appropriately manage diabetic foot ulcers either due to lack of adequately trained personnel and access to multidisciplinary foot care teams. Whereas neuropathic foot ulceration may appear to be less challenging, neuroischemic or ischemic ulcers portend a higher risk of adverse outcomes, including non-healing, infection, amputation, and death. The last 2 decades have witnessed a paradigm shift from neuropathy as the main etiological factor in diabetic foot disease to an ever-increasing preponderance of ischemic and/or neuroischemic ulceration. Available literature does not always consider the limited access primary care practices have to specialized multidisciplinary foot care teams. Additionally, in the case of neuroischemic and/or ischemic ulcers, existing guidelines on their diagnosis and management are varied and unclear. This review aimed at providing a simple understanding to the complex evidence base for diagnosing and treating neuroischemic and/or ischemic ulcers in a primary care setting. It emphasizes the need for urgent vascular review in all patients with ischemic/ neuroischemic ulcers and advocates effective participation of vascular specialists in diabetic foot clinics and combined ward rounds.
Altered Molecular Mechanisms of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Authors: Blakytny Robert , Jude Edward B.
Published: May 2009

The continuously increasing worldwide prevalence of diabetes will be accompanied by a greater incidence of diabetic foot ulcer, a complication in which many of the morphological processes involved in normal wound healing are disrupted. The highly complex and integrated process of wound healing is regulated by a large array of molecular factors. These often have overlapping functions, ensuring a certain degree of tolerance through redundancy. In diabetes, changes to the expression of a large number of molecular factors have been observed, overwhelming this inbuilt redundancy. This results in delayed healing or incomplete healing as in ulceration. Understanding the relationship between altered levels of molecular factors and the inhibited healing process in such ulcers will permit the development of targeted treatments aimed to greatly improve the quality of life of patients, at the same time helping to reduce the huge costs associated with treating this diabetic condition and its long-term consequences. This short review examines how changes in the expression of molecular factors are related to altered morphology in diabetic foot ulceration and very briefly considers treatment strategies at molecular level.
Organizational Change and Characteristics of Leadership Effectiveness
Authors: Gilley Ann , McMillan Heather S. , Gilley Jerry W.
Published: May 2009

The existing literature suggests that numerous variables affect a leader's effectiveness. In this study, the authors examine behaviors associated with leadership effectiveness in driving change. Results indicate that specific leader behaviors—the ability to motivate, communicate, and build teams—are predictors of successful implementation of organizational change.
Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation
Authors: Moore Lisa , Handy Rachel
Published: May 2009

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) is a rare lung lesion that may be diagnosed antenatally by ultrasonography. It is believed to result from an arrest in lung development. The differential diagnosis of a mass in the fetal thorax includes CCAM, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and pulmonary sequestration. This brief review discusses classifications of CCAM with images of each type, sonographic findings, factors that affect the prognosis, and important aspects of management once the diagnosis is made.
Stainless steel weld metal designed to mitigate residual stresses
Authors: Shirzadi A. A. , Bhadeshia H. K. D. H. , Karlsson L. , Withers P. J.
Published: May 2009

There have been considerable efforts to create welding consumables which on solid state phase transformation partly compensate for the stresses which develop when a constrained weld cools to ambient temperatures. All of these efforts have focused on structural steels which are ferritic. In the present work, alloy design methods have been used to create a stainless steel welding consumable which solidifies as δ ferrite, transforms almost entirely into austenite which then undergoes martensitic transformation at a low temperature of about 220°C. At the same time, the carbon concentration has been kept to a minimum to avoid phenomena such as sensitisation. The measured mechanical properties, especially toughness, seem to be significantly better than commercially available martensitic stainless steel welding consumables, and it has been demonstrated that the use of the new alloy reduces distortion in the final joint.
Immunosuppression and other risk factors for early and late non-Hodgkin lymphoma after kidney transplantation
Authors: van Leeuwen Marina T. , Grulich Andrew E. , Webster Angela C. , McCredie Margaret R.E. , Stewart John H. , McDonald Stephen P. , Amin Janaki , Kaldor John M. , Chapman Jeremy R. , Vajdic Claire M.
Published: May 2009

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) incidence is greatly increased after kidney transplantation. NHL risk was investigated in a nationwide cohort of 8164 kidney transplant recipients registered on the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry. NHL diagnoses were ascertained using linkage with national cancer registry records. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to compute incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing risk by transplant function, and risk factors for early (< 2 years) and late (≥ 2 years) NHL during the first transplantation. NHL occurred in 133 patients. Incidence was strikingly lower after transplant failure and cessation of immunosuppression than during transplant function (IRR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.08-0.80; P = .019). Early NHL (n = 27) was associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) seronegativity at transplantation (IRR, 4.66; 95% CI, 2.10-10.36, P < .001) and receipt of T cell–depleting antibodies (IRR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.08-5.30; P = .031). Late NHL (n = 79) was associated with increasing year of age (IRR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04; P = .006), increasing time since transplantation (P < .001), and current use of calcineurin inhibitors (IRR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.53-6.39; P = .002). These findings support 2 mechanisms of lymphomagenesis, one predominantly of primary EBV infection in the context of intense immunosuppression, and another of dysregulated lymphoid proliferation in a prolonged immunosuppressed state.