bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modification of high saturated fat diet with n‐3 polyunsaturated fat improves glucose intolerance and vascular dysfunction
Authors: Lamping K. G. , Nuno D. W. , Coppey L. J. , Holmes A. J. , Hu S. , Oltman C. L. , Norris A. W. , Yorek M. A.
Published: September 2012

Aims

The ability of dietary enrichment with monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), n‐3 or n‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to reverse glucose intolerance and vascular dysfunction resulting from excessive dietary saturated fatty acids is not resolved. We hypothesized that partial replacement of dietary saturated fats with n‐3 PUFA‐enriched menhaden oil (MO) would provide greater improvement in glucose tolerance and vascular function compared to n‐6 enriched safflower oil (SO) or MUFA‐enriched olive oil (OO).

Methods

We fed mice a high saturated fat diet (HF) (60% kcal from lard) for 12 weeks before substituting half the lard with MO, SO or OO for an additional 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks, we assessed glucose tolerance, insulin signalling and reactivity of isolated pressurized gracilis arteries.

Results

After 12 weeks of saturated fat diet, body weights were elevated and glucose tolerance was abnormal compared to mice on control diet (13% kcal lard). Diet substituted with MO restored basal glucose levels, glucose tolerance and indices of insulin signalling (phosphorylated Akt) to normal, whereas restoration was limited for SO and OO substitutions. Although dilation to acetylcholine was reduced in arteries from mice on HF, OO and SO diets compared to normal diet, dilation to acetylcholine was fully restored and constriction to phenylephrine was reduced in MO‐fed mice compared to normal.

Conclusion

We conclude that short‐term enrichment of an ongoing high fat diet with n‐3 PUFA rich MO, but not MUFA rich OO or n‐6 PUFA rich SO, reverses glucose tolerance, insulin signalling and vascular dysfunction.
Vildagliptin preserves the mass and function of pancreatic β cells via the developmental regulation and suppression of oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress in a mouse model of diabetes
Authors: Hamamoto S. , Kanda Y. , Shimoda M. , Tatsumi F. , Kohara K. , Tawaramoto K. , Hashiramoto M. , Kaku K.
Published: September 2012

Aim

We investigated the molecular mechanisms by which vildagliptin preserved pancreatic β cell mass and function.

Methods

Morphological, biochemical and gene expression profiles of the pancreatic islets were investigated in male KK‐Ay‐TaJcl(KK‐Ay) and C57BL/6JJcl (B6) mice aged 8 weeks which received either vildagliptin or a vehicle for 4 weeks.

Results

Body weight, food intake, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin and active glucagon‐like peptide‐1 were unchanged with vildagliptin treatment in both mice. In KK‐Ay mice treated with vildagliptin, increased plasma triglyceride (TG) level and islet TG content were decreased, insulin sensitivity significantly improved, and the glucose tolerance ameliorated with increases in plasma insulin levels. Furthermore, vildagliptin increased glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion, islet insulin content and pancreatic β cell mass in both strains. By vildagliptin, the expression of genes involved in cell differentiation/proliferation was upregulated in both strains, those related to apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress and lipid synthesis was decreased and those related to anti‐apoptosis and anti‐oxidative stress was upregulated, in KK‐Ay mice. The morphological results were consistent with the gene expression profiles.

Conclusion

Vildagliptin increases β cell mass by not only directly affecting cell kinetics but also by indirectly reducing cell apoptosis, oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in diabetic mice.
The global contribution of forage fish to marine fisheries and ecosystems
Authors: Pikitch Ellen K , Rountos Konstantine J , Essington Timothy E , Santora Christine , Pauly Daniel , Watson Reg , Sumaila Ussif R , Boersma P Dee , Boyd Ian L , Conover David O , Cury Philippe , Heppell Selina S , Houde Edward D , Mangel Marc , Plagányi Éva , Sainsbury Keith , Steneck Robert S , Geers Tess M , Gownaris Natasha , Munch Stephan B
Published: September 2012

Forage fish play a pivotal role in marine ecosystems and economies worldwide by sustaining many predators and fisheries directly and indirectly. We estimate global forage fish contributions to marine ecosystems through a synthesis of 72 published Ecopath models from around the world. Three distinct contributions of forage fish were examined: (i) the ecological support service of forage fish to predators in marine ecosystems, (ii) the total catch and value of forage fisheries and (iii) the support service of forage fish to the catch and value of other commercially targeted predators. Forage fish use and value varied and exhibited patterns across latitudes and ecosystem types. Forage fish supported many kinds of predators, including fish, seabirds, marine mammals and squid. Overall, forage fish contribute a total of about $16.9 billion USD to global fisheries values annually, i.e. 20% of the global ex‐vessel catch values of all marine fisheries combined. While the global catch value of forage fisheries was $5.6 billion, fisheries supported by forage fish were more than twice as valuable ($11.3 billion). These estimates provide important information for evaluating the trade‐offs of various uses of forage fish across ecosystem types, latitudes and globally. We did not estimate a monetary value for supportive contributions of forage fish to recreational fisheries or to uses unrelated to fisheries, and thus the estimates of economic value reported herein understate the global value of forage fishes.
A randomised comparison of two intranasal dexmedetomidine doses for premedication in children
Authors: Yuen V. M. , Hui T. W. , Irwin M. G. , Yao T. J. , Chan L , Wong G. L. , Shahnaz Hasan M. , Shariffuddin I. I.
Published: September 2012

We compared sedation levels in children following administration of intranasal dexmedetomidine. One hundred and sixteen children aged between 1 and 8 years were enrolled in this prospective, randomised trial. Children were assigned to receive either intranasal dexmedetomidine 1 μg.kg−1 (Group 1) or 2 μg.kg−1 (Group 2). Thirty‐one (53%) patients from Group 1 and 38 (66%) patients from Group 2 were satisfactorily sedated at the time of anaesthetic induction. Logistic regression showed a significant interaction effect (p = 0.049), with the odds ratio between Group 2 over Group 1 estimated as 1.1 (95% CI 0.5–2.7) for the 1–4 year age group, and 10.5 (95% CI 1.4–80.2) for the 5–8 year age group. Both doses produced a similar level of satisfactory sedation in children aged 1–4 years, whereas 2 μg.kg−1 resulted in a higher proportion of satisfactory sedation in children aged 5–8 years. There were no adverse haemodynamic effects. We conclude that intranasal dexmedetomidine in a premedication dose of 2 μg.kg−1 resulted in excellent sedation in children.
Molecular epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis and heterogeneity of Leishmania major strains in Iran
Authors: Mahmoudzadeh‐Niknam Hamid , Ajdary Soheila , Riazi‐Rad Farhad , Mirzadegan Ebrahim , Rezaeian Abdolhossein , Khaze Vahid , Djadid Navid D. , Alimohammadian Mohammad H.
Published: September 2012

Objective  To determine the geographical distribution of Leishmania species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and to study the genetic heterogeneity of Leishmania major isolates from different endemic areas of Iran.

Methods  A total of 341 isolates from lesions of patients living in 11 provinces of Iran were grown in culture medium and inoculated to BALB/c mice to detect possible visceralisation. The species were identified by isoenzyme analysis using a battery of six enzymes and kinetoplast (k) DNA‐PCR technique. Genetic variation among L. major isolates was analysed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique.

Results  Of the total 341 isolates, 283 isolates were L. major and 58 isolates were Leishmania tropica. In rural areas, the causative agent of CL was mainly L. major (95%L. major vs. 5%L. tropica), in urban areas it was L. tropica (65%L. tropica vs. 35%L. major). All isolates of L. major and 8.6% of L. tropica isolates showed visceralisation in BALB/c mice. There is considerable genetic diversity between L. major strains from different endemic areas and even between some isolates of the same endemic area.

Conclusion  Leishmania major is the most frequent species in the endemic areas of CL in eleven provinces of Iran, and genetic diversity is a common feature of L. major in the country.
Renal pelvic villous adenoma presented with mucusuria: Report of a case and literature review
Authors: Karnjanawanichkul Watid , Tanthanuch Monthira , Mitarnun Winyou , Pripatnanont Choosak
Published: August 2012

Villous adenomas of the urinary tract are an uncommon condition, and appear mostly in patients where the disease occurred in the lower urinary tract. In contrast, upper urinary tract villous adenomas are a rare condition. Currently, just three cases of villous adenoma in the renal pelvis have been published. Herein, we present the fourth case of a renal pelvic villous adenoma, along with muconephrosis and mucusuria. A 73‐year‐old man presented with abdominal discomfort and a palpable abdominal mass. He had a history of bilateral anatrophic nephrolithotomy, 8 years and 6 years earlier. The preoperative radiographic investigation showed severe right hydronephrosis. A right nephrectomy was carried out and the intraoperative finding showed severe perinephric adhesion and a great deal of mucus in the renal pelvis. The pathological examination showed a villous adenoma and urothelial metaplasia in the kidney.
Global brain atrophy is associated with physical performance and the risk of falls in older adults with cognitive impairment
Authors: Yamada Minoru , Takechi Hajime , Mori Shuhei , Aoyama Tomoki , Arai Hidenori
Published: August 2012

Aim:  Falls are common in patients with cognitive disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine whether global brain atrophy is associated with cognitive function, physical performance and fall incidents in older adults with mild cognitive disorder.

Methods:  A total of 31 older adults with mild cognitive disorders (mean age 78.9 ± 7.3 years) were studied, and 10 of them had experienced falls and the others had not in the past 1 year. Cognitive function and physical performance were measured in these patients. Global brain atrophy was determined by the Voxel‐Based Specific Regional Analysis System for Alzheimer's Disease software.

Results:  Fallers showed significantly worse scores than the non‐fallers in the Global Brain Atrophy Index, Clock Drawing Test (CDT), Verbal Fluency Test (animal), maximum walking time and Timed Up & Go (TUG) Test. The Global Brain Atrophy Index was correlated with the Verbal Fluency Test (animal; r = −0.522), the Verbal Fluency Test with letter (ka; r = −0.337), CDT (r = −0.547), TUG (r = 0.276) and Five Chair Stands Test (r = 0.303) by age‐adjusted correlation analyses. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the Global Brain Atrophy Index (β = 1.265, 95% CI 1.022–1.567) was a significant and independent determinant of falls (R2 = 0.356, P = 0.003).

Conclusion:  Global brain atrophy might be indicated as one of the risk factors for falls in older adults with mild cognitive disorders. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013; 13: 437–442.
Quality of life in elderly diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease
Authors: Amer Moatassem S , Alsadany Mohamad A , Tolba Mohammad F , Omar Omar H
Published: August 2012

Aim:  To study the impact of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on quality of life and functional status in Egyptian elderly diabetic patients.

Methods:  This case–control study included 90 non‐demented patients aged 60 years and older. Quality of life assessment was carried out using the Short Form 36 health survey (SF‐36), Arterial duplex for diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease; Mini‐Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale, Activity of Daily Living and Instrumental Activity of Daily Living were used.

Results:  SF‐36 domains (except emotional well‐being) were significantly affected in diabetic patients with PAD compared with the diabetic patients without PAD. Most of functional assessment items were significantly affected in diabetic patients with PAD compared with diabetic patients without PAD. Increasing PAD severity and presence of PAD symptoms had a significant negative impact on SF‐36 scores. Among diabetic complications in PAD patients, cardiovascular disease or stroke significantly affected quality of life.

Conclusion:  PAD significantly affects quality of life and functional status in elderly diabetic patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013; 13: 443–450.
Abductive reasoning and qualitative research
Authors: Lipscomb Martin
Published: September 2012

Abduction, deduction and induction describe forms of reasoning. Deduction and induction are discussed in the nursing literature. However, abduction has been largely neglected by nurse scholars. In this paper it is proposed that abduction may play a part in qualitative data analysis – specifically, in the identification of themes, codes, and categories. Abduction is not, in research, restricted to or associated with any particular methodology. Nevertheless, situating abduction in qualitative research facilitates the identification of three interlinked issues. First, it is suggested that abductively derived claims require support from deductive and inductively sourced evidence if they are to ‘hold’ and, yet, in qualitative research this is clearly problematic. Second, difficulties in choosing between alternative plausible hypotheses (i.e. concerning theme, code, and category description) are explored through an examination of the ‘generality problem’. Third, the role of background and auxiliary theories in adjudicating between hypothesis options is discussed. It is argued that if qualitative researchers utilize abductive inference in the manner suggested, then the peculiarly fallible nature of abduction must be acknowledged and, in consequence, the action guiding potential of qualitative research findings is compromised.
“Real Owners” and “Common Investors”: Institutional Logics and the Media as a Governance Mechanism
Authors: Jansson Andreas
Published: August 2012

Manuscript Type

Empirical

Research Question/Issue

Based on an analysis of Swedish press material covering two corporate scandals, this paper reveals the institutional logic propagated by the Swedish press pertaining to large shareholders and the relationship between this institutional logic and the attribution of blame for the scandals to shareholders by the press.

Research Findings/Insights

The results reveal an institutional logic with a clear notion of what constitutes a “real owner,” which is reminiscent of an understanding of ownership and control prevalent in the literature before the emergence of agency theory. Real owners are associated with moderation of management, responsibility, long‐termism, and legitimate influence in the firm. In response to scandals, this institutional logic leads the Swedish press to question the “realness” of an existing controlling shareholder or, if no controlling shareholder exists, to blame the problem on the absence of a real owner.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

It is important to understand the institutional logic propagated by the press to see how the media functions as a governance mechanism, since a given institutional logic leads the media to “name and shame” in specific ways. The institutional logic propagated by the Swedish press differs from what previous research has indicated is prevalent in the US, suggesting that the media as a governance mechanism has different effects in different countries.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

This paper illustrates the importance of understanding prevalent informal norms when predicting effects of corporate governance reform and suggests that these informal aspects are highly path dependent.
Quasi‐Classical Approximation in Vortex Filament Dynamics. Integrable Systems, Gradient Catastrophe, and Flutter
Authors: Konopelchenko B. G. , Ortenzi G.
Published: September 2012

Quasi‐classical approximation in the intrinsic description of the vortex filament dynamics is discussed. Within this approximation, the governing equations are given by elliptic system of quasi‐linear partial differential equations of the first order. Dispersionless Da Rios system and dispersionless Hirota equation are among them. They describe motion of vortex filament with slow‐varying curvature and torsion without or with axial flow. Gradient catastrophe for governing equations is studied. It is shown that geometrically this catastrophe manifests as a fast oscillation of a filament curve around the rectifying plane which resembles the flutter of airfoils. Analytically, it is the elliptic umbilic singularity in the terminology of the catastrophe theory. It is demonstrated that its double scaling regularization is governed by the Painlevé I equation.
Cancer, immunodeficiency and antiretroviral treatment: results from the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD)
Authors: Petoumenos K , van Leuwen MT , Vajdic CM , Woolley I , Chuah J , Templeton DJ , Grulich AE , Law MG ,   the Australian HIV Observational Database
Published: August 2012

Objectives

The objective of the study was to conduct a within‐cohort assessment of risk factors for incident AIDS‐defining cancers (ADCs) and non‐ADCs (NADCs) within the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD).

Methods

A total of 2181 AHOD registrants were linked to the National AIDS Registry/National HIV Database (NAR/NHD) and the Australian Cancer Registry to identify those with a notified cancer diagnosis. Included in the current analyses were cancers diagnosed after HIV infection. Risk factors for cancers were also assessed using logistic regression methods.

Results

One hundred and thirty‐nine cancer cases were diagnosed after HIV infection among 129 patients. More than half the diagnoses (n = 68; 60%) were ADCs, of which 69% were Kaposi's sarcoma and 31% non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. Among the NADCs, the most common cancers were melanoma (n = 10), lung cancer (n = 6), Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 5) and anal cancer (n = 5). Over a total of 21021 person‐years (PY) of follow‐up since HIV diagnosis, the overall crude cancer incidence rate for any cancer was 5.09/1000 PY. The overall rate of cancers decreased from 15.9/1000 PY [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.25–25.40/1000 PY] for CD4 counts < 100 cells/μL to 2.4/1000 PY (95% CI 1.62–3.39/1000 PY) for CD4 counts > 350 cells/μL. Lower CD4 cell count and prior AIDS diagnoses were significant predictors for both ADCs and NADCs.

Conclusions

ADCs remain the predominant cancers in this population, although NADC rates have increased in the more recent time period. Immune deficiency is a risk factor for both ADCs and NADCs.
Follow‐up study of 25 Chinese children with PLA2G6‐associated neurodegeneration
Authors: Zhang P. , Gao Z. , Jiang Y. , Wang J. , Zhang F. , Wang S. , Yang Y. , Xiong H. , Zhang Y. , Bao X. , Xiao J. , Wu X. , Wu Y.
Published: August 2012

Background

To perform a follow‐up of 25 Chinese children with gene‐confirmed PLA2G6‐associated neurodegeneration (PLAN).

Methods

We recruited patients with infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD) according to the criteria proposed by Nardocci et al. Follow‐up was conducted from 7 months to 8 years after the first visit. The PLA2G6 gene was sequenced, and copy number variation (CNV) was detected in patients with only one mutant allele and in mutation‐negative patients. Patients with late‐onset PLAN until 2012 were reviewed.

Results

All patients with INAD exhibited rapid decline in motor and mental function, consistent with previous reports from other populations. Epileptic seizures occurred in 16.7%. One teenager with late‐onset PLAN was diagnosed and followed up. The age of disease onset in published late‐onset PLAN ranged between 18 months and 37 years. Initial presentations included gait instability (79.0%), mood/behavior changes (10.5%), dysarthria (5.26%) and cognitive deterioration (5.3%). Compared with INAD, cerebellar atrophy (42.1%) was less frequent in the late‐onset cases, with cerebral atrophy more common (71.4%). Brain iron accumulation was seen in 52.6%. PLA2G6 mutations were identified by DNA sequencing in 92.3% of clinically diagnosed INAD cases and in the late‐onset case. Twenty‐seven different mutations were found, of which 13 were novel. No CNVs were detected. Maternal uniparental disomy was confirmed in one INAD case.

Conclusions

This is the largest report on PLAN in the Chinese population. We suggest that PLA2G6 should be screened in any patient exhibiting progressive gait disturbance, bradykinesia, dysarthria, tremors, mood/behavior changes or cognitive decline, especially when associated with cerebellar atrophy and/or iron accumulation and/or cerebral atrophy.
Kapitalertragsbesteuerung und Kapitalkosten
Authors: Rumpf Dominik , Wiegard Wolfgang
Published: August 2012

In Germany income from financial capital received by private persons is taxed at a reduced final withholding tax of about 25 percent whereas income from real estate property or business income is usually taxed at significantly higher rates up to 47 percent. Furthermore, there are special tax rules concerning returns from assurances and private pension plans. This article provides an overview of the current taxation of capital income in Germany by calculating costs of capital for the most common investment opportunities. While private pension plans and other assurances are considerably favoured by the tax system, equity-financed business investment is heavily discriminated against. The conclusions for real-estate taxation are ambiguous. This chaotic situation can be traced back to the coexistence of principally incompatible blueprints for capital income taxation.
Die Politische Ökonomik der Besteuerung
Authors: Feld Lars P. , Schaltegger Christoph A.
Published: August 2012

Based on a survey of the literature on the political economics of taxation we analyze in this paper with data for Switzerland which tax instruments are less intensively used when tax policy is restricted by tax competition and direct democracy. Both institutions restrict government revenue according to our results. In particular, Swiss cantons finance their government activities less by broad-based taxes, like personal income taxes, than by user charges. Both institutions thus enforce a stronger government financing according to the benefit principle instead of the ability to pay principle.
Self‐interest and the theory of action
Authors: Barbalet Jack
Published: September 2012

The concept of self‐interest remains underdeveloped in sociology although central to economics. Recent methodological and social trends render sociological indifference to the concept untenable. The term has enjoyed historical predominance in the West since the sixteenth century. While it is seen in modern economics as a singular motivating force, Adam Smith regarded self‐interest in economic action as necessarily moderated by sympathy. In addition to its problematic economic conceptualization self‐interest has an experiential basis in unequal power relations. An alternative to the concept of self‐interest is presented by Amartya Sen in his account of commitment; its inconsistencies, however, render Sen's statement unsatisfactory. Differences between present and future interests indicate that the distinction between self‐interested and other‐interested action is not sustainable.
The logic of strategic ignorance
Authors: McGoey Linsey
Published: September 2012

Ignorance and knowledge are often thought of as opposite phenomena. Knowledge is seen as a source of power, and ignorance as a barrier to consolidating authority in political and corporate arenas. This article disputes this, exploring the ways that ignorance serves as a productive asset, helping individuals and institutions to command resources, deny liability in the aftermath of crises, and to assert expertise in the face of unpredictable outcomes. Through a focus on the Food and Drug Administration's licensing of Ketek, an antibiotic drug manufactured by Sanofi‐Aventis and linked to liver failure, I suggest that in drug regulation, different actors, from physicians to regulators to manufacturers, often battle over who can attest to the least knowledge of the efficacy and safety of different drugs – a finding that raises new insights about the value of ignorance as an organizational resource.
An affective dimension within oppositional defiant disorder symptoms among boys: personality and psychopathology outcomes into early adulthood
Authors: Burke Jeffrey D.
Published: August 2012

Background:  A dimension of negatively oriented affect within oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms, which has been described as irritability, has been shown to predict depression and anxiety. Related constructs have been linked to temperament and personality constructs. However, only a few studies have examined the prediction from irritability within ODD to psychopathology or personality outcomes. Further, no studies have investigated whether irritability distinguishes among classes of youth.

Methods:  Data from a clinic‐referred sample of 7–12‐year‐old boys followed up to age 18 were used. Measures included structured clinical interviews with parents through adolescence, and youth self‐report of depression and personality domains at age 18.

Results:  Variable‐oriented analyses found predictive links between irritability and outcomes of depression, anxiety, and Neuroticism. Latent classes of youth were distinguished by the presence or absence of irritability symptoms. Youth classified by irritability symptoms at baseline were significantly more likely to show anxiety and depression through adolescence and depression and Neuroticism at 18. No relationship was observed for the other of the Big Five personality factors.

Conclusion:  Irritability symptoms within ODD distinguish youth at risk for persisting problems with internalizing disorders and Neuroticism into adulthood. The findings are suggestive of a model in which the early emergence of irritability marks life‐course risks for specific types of psychopathology and personality problems.
Behaviour in children with neurofibromatosis type 1: cognition, executive function, attention, emotion, and social competence
Authors: LEHTONEN ANNUKKA , HOWIE EMMA , TRUMP DOROTHY , HUSON SUSAN M
Published: August 2012

Aim  This systematic review aimed to pull together the findings from research into behavioural systems and attention in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and to identify areas that need further study.

Method  Relevant papers were identified through searches of electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE) and manual searches through reference lists. In total, 5746 articles were identified and 57 met the inclusion criteria. The data were synthesized using the narrative approach, as the studies varied considerably in terms of participants and measures.

Results  The results of the review showed that intelligence, academic skills, visuospatial skills, social competence, and attention are impaired in children with NF1. Evidence of deficits in memory, motor functioning, language, and executive functions was less clear.

Interpretation  Research has made marked progress in outlining the behavioural phenotype of NF1. However, although the general areas of impairment are becoming better known, the exact nature of the impairment is still not understood in many areas of behaviour. Care needs to be taken with the way in which behavioural constructs are defined and measured, and the variability of problems in NF1 is a particular challenge. Nevertheless, research is steadily moving towards comprehensive understanding of behaviour in children with NF1.
Heterochronic activation of VEGF signaling and the evolution of the skeleton in echinoderm pluteus larvae
Authors: Morino Yoshiaki , Koga Hiroyuki , Tachibana Kazunori , Shoguchi Eiichi , Kiyomoto Masato , Wada Hiroshi
Published: September 2012

The evolution of the echinoderm larval skeleton was examined from the aspect of interactions between skeletogenic mesenchyme cells and surrounding epithelium. We focused on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling, which was reported to be essential for skeletogenesis in sea urchin larvae. Here, we examined the expression patterns of vegf and vegfr in starfish and brittle stars. During starfish embryogenesis, no expression of either vegfr or vegf was detected, which contrast with previous reports on the expression of starfish homologs of sea urchin skeletogenic genes, including Ets, Tbr, and Dri. In later stages, when adult skeletogenesis commenced, vegfr and vegf expression were upregulated in skeletogenic cells and in the adjacent epidermis, respectively. These expression patterns suggest that heterochronic activation of VEGF signaling is one of the key molecular evolutionary steps in the evolution of the larval skeleton. The absence of vegf or vegfr expression during early embryogenesis in starfish suggests that the evolution of the larval skeleton requires distinct evolutionary changes, both in mesoderm cells (activation of vegfr expression) and in epidermal cells (activation of vegf expression). In brittle stars, which have well‐organized skeletons like the sea urchin, vegfr and vegf were expressed in the skeletogenic mesenchyme and the overlying epidermis, respectively, in the same manner as in sea urchins. Therefore, the distinct activation of vegfr and vegf may have occurred in two lineages, sea urchins and brittle stars.
The effect of salvaged blood on coagulation function as measured by thromboelastography
Authors: Konig Gerhardt , Yazer Mark H. , Waters Jonathan H.
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: There is concern that salvaged blood has the potential to activate the coagulation system, which might place patients at risk of thrombotic complications. The aim of this study was to determine whether transfusion of salvaged blood after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) would lead to procoagulopathic changes as measured by thromboelastography (TEG) and furthermore if washing would reduce this risk.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty‐two patients undergoing TKA were enrolled. Control samples were venous blood samples taken before surgery. Test samples were created by mixing the control samples with postoperatively salvaged blood, either washed or unwashed. TEG profiles were measured, noting the time to initiate clotting (R), the time of clot formation (K), the angle of clot formation (α‐angle), and the maximum amplitude (clot strength [MA]).

RESULTS: The changes in the coagulation profile from control samples to test samples were consistent for both the washed and the unwashed groups: R time decreased, MA decreased, and K and α‐angle remained the same. However, the changes were more pronounced in the unwashed group than the washed group, with a 61% decrease in R time compared with 14%, and a 26% decrease in MA compared with 6%.

CONCLUSION: The addition of salvaged blood to the patient's preoperative blood resulted in decreased MA as well as decreased R time. This suggests that the reinfusion of postoperatively salvaged washed or unwashed blood after TKA favors a change toward a more hypocoagulable state, and washing appears to reduce this effect.
Electronic health record surveillance algorithms facilitate the detection of transfusion‐related pulmonary complications
Authors: Clifford Leanne , Singh Amandeep , Wilson Gregory A. , Toy Pearl , Gajic Ognjen , Malinchoc Michael , Herasevich Vitaly , Pathak Jyotishman , Kor Daryl J.
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI) and transfusion‐associated circulatory overload (TACO) are leading causes of transfusion‐related mortality. Notably, poor syndrome recognition and underreporting likely result in an underestimate of their true attributable burden. We aimed to develop accurate electronic health record–based screening algorithms for improved detection of TRALI/transfused acute lung injury (ALI) and TACO.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study. The study cohort, identified from a previous National Institutes of Health–sponsored prospective investigation, included 223 transfused patients with TRALI, transfused ALI, TACO, or complication‐free controls. Optimal case detection algorithms were identified using classification and regression tree (CART) analyses. Algorithm performance was evaluated with sensitivities, specificities, likelihood ratios, and overall misclassification rates.

RESULTS: For TRALI/transfused ALI detection, CART analysis achieved a sensitivity and specificity of 83.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 74.4%‐90.4%) and 89.7% (95% CI, 80.3%‐95.2%), respectively. For TACO, the sensitivity and specificity were 86.5% (95% CI, 73.6%‐94.0%) and 92.3% (95% CI, 83.4%‐96.8%), respectively. Reduced PaO2/FiO2 ratios and the acquisition of posttransfusion chest radiographs were the primary determinants of case versus control status for both syndromes. Of true‐positive cases identified using the screening algorithms (TRALI/transfused ALI, n = 78; TACO, n = 45), only 11 (14.1%) and five (11.1%) were reported to the blood bank by physicians, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Electronic screening algorithms have shown good sensitivity and specificity for identifying patients with TRALI/transfused ALI and TACO at our institution. This supports the notion that active electronic surveillance may improve case identification, thereby providing a more accurate understanding of TRALI/transfused ALI and TACO epidemiology.
Chronotopic Landscapes of Environmental Racism
Authors: Blanton Ryan
Published: September 2012

This article examines the ways in which members of a black community in Oklahoma, United States, solicit local government support for their efforts to access environmental justice resources. An important way in which they do so is by formulating chronotopic discourses that contextualize their community's current environmental problems within local historical understandings of racialized space. Their claims that racist municipal practices, both historical and contemporary, have caused the pollution and deterioration of the areas in which they reside, thereby marking those spaces as “black,” are countered by city officials' and environmental agencies' use of atemporal “color‐blind” discourses. These discourses both dehistoricize and deracialize the community, and even make it possible for the residents themselves to be accused of racism. Through the construction and assertion of spatiotemporally neutral chronotopes, such “color‐blind” discourses erase both history and race from the landscape while, at the same time, they effectively (re)racialize persons and communities, thus allowing institutional and environmental racism to persist. [chronotope; environmental racism; politics of space; discourse]
Association of CD14‐260 polymorphisms, red‐complex periodontopathogens and gingival crevicular fluid cytokine levels with cyclosporine A‐induced gingival overgrowth in renal transplant patients
Authors: Gong Y. , Bi W. , Cao L. , Yang Y. , Chen J. , Yu Y.
Published: August 2012

Backgroud and Objective

Genetic factors may influence the colonization of pathogenic bacteria, therefore increasing the risk for the initiation and development of periodontal disease. The present study was carried out to investigate the association of CD14‐260 polymorphisms, subgingival microbiota, and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) cytokine levels with cyclosporine A (CsA)‐induced gingival overgrowth (GO) in renal transplant patients.

Material and Methods

A total of 204 patients were dichotomized into two groups: 124 with GO and 80 without GO. The CD14‐260 polymorphisms were measured using an allele‐specific PCR method. The levels of periodontal pathogens were determined by real‐time PCR of subgingival samples. GCF levels of IL‐1β and sCD14 were detected by ELISA.

Results

The frequency of CD14‐260 genotype CT + TT was found to be similar in both groups. Patients with GO presented increased prevalence of Pg, Td, and Tf (red complex) and significantly higher levels of interleukin ‐1β than those without GO. Patients with GO carrying CT + TT genotypes were found to have higher frequencies of Pg, Td, and Tf than those carrying the CC genotype. Furthermore, in the presence of red complex, CT + TT genotypes were associated with higher interleukin ‐1β levels and severe GO. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the severity of GO is not dependent on age, gender and pharmacological variables, being only associated with CD14‐260 genotype and red complex periodontopathogens.

Conclusion

No association between CD14‐260 polymorphisms and the prevalence of GO was revealed in renal transplant patients administered CsA. However, CD14‐260 CT + TT genotypes are associated with the prevalence of red complex periodontopathogens in patients with GO, and may thus play some role in the development of severe CsA‐induced GO.
Adaptation and validation of the Japanese version of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ‐J) for the evaluation of self‐management education interventions
Authors: Morita Rie , Arakida Mikako , Osborne Richard H. , Nolte Sandra , Elsworth Gerald R. , Mikami Hiroshi
Published: August 2012

Aim:  In many countries, health education interventions are popular; however, few valid measures exist for evaluation of multifactorial interventions. The aim of the present study was to translate and culturally adapt the widely‐used 8 scale Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) for the evaluation of the Japanese Specific Health Consultation (SHC) in people with metabolic syndrome.

Methods:  A draft was generated using a standardized forward and back translation protocol with independent translators and consensus meetings. Pilot testing included cognitive interviews (n = 12) resulting in question refinements. To explore psychometric properties, 250 participants aged between 40 and 64 years (retest = 116) completed the Japanese version of the heiQ (heiQ‐J) and comparator scales, mental health and vitality scales of the Medical Outcomes Study 36 item Short‐Form Health Survey, Sense Of Coherence scale, and Social Support Measurement scale.

Results:  Cognitive interviews revealed that the translation was understood as intended by participants. Internal consistency (α) was good to very good for all scales (0.70–0.88) and test–retest intraclass correlation coefficients were high (≥0.83). Concurrent validity was supported by high correlation with like scales and weak correlation with dissimilar scales.

Conclusion:  The translated and adapted heiQ‐J has good face and concurrent validity and is reliable. The heiQ‐J is likely to be a useful measure of the quality and impact of the SHC and return valuable data to clinicians and commissioners of health education in Japan.
Effect of psychosocial factors on metabolic syndrome in male and female blue‐collar workers
Authors: HWANG Won Ju , LEE Chung Yul
Published: August 2012

Aim:  The purposes of this study were to examine the relationship between psychosocial factors and metabolic syndrome among male and female blue‐collar workers, and which factors influence their metabolic syndrome by sex.

Methods:  A cross‐sectional study was completed of 154 men and 80 women working at small companies in Korea. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire, blood test, and anthropometric and blood pressure measure. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed from the results of blood test and the measurements of waist circumference and blood pressure.

Results:  The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among male and female blue‐collar workers was 24.0% and 7.5%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine factors of metabolic syndrome associated with sex. After controlling for age, marital status, smoking, alcohol drinking, shift work, overtime work, and physical exercise, job stress (odds ratio [OR] = 3.10, P = 0.005) and risk perception (OR = 1.12, P = 0.016) were influencing factors for men, and low job stress (OR = 0.05, P = 0.04), low social support (OR = 1.51, P = 0.009), and risk perception (OR = 1.27, P = 0.023) for women.

Conclusion:  Metabolic syndrome among blue‐collar workers is closely related to psychosocial factors, such as job stress, social support, and risk perception, with the effect of job stress a point of difference between men and women. Occupational health nurses should be cognizant of the importance of assessing the effect of psychosocial factors on cardiovascular risk for blue‐collar workers.
Creative Genius as a Personality Phenomenon: Definitions, Methods, Findings, and Issues
Authors: Simonton Dean Keith
Published: September 2012

Genius first became the subject of scientific inquiry in the early 19th century, and it has continued to attract research interest to the present day. Although genius can be defined as either superlative intelligence or achieved eminence, this review is restricted to the latter definition, and is further confined to creative achievement. The article then describes the main methods for studying creative genius as a personality phenomenon. These methods entail three central dichotomous methodological decisions: single‐case versus multiple‐case samples, qualitative versus quantitative analyses, and direct versus indirect assessments. Next, the main empirical findings are presented with respect to both generic traits and domain‐contingent traits. There follows a brief discussion of three major issues: genetic and environmental influences, additive and multiplicative effects, and individual and situational factors. Given the intrinsic importance of the phenomenon and the many questions still unanswered, creative genius certainly deserves future treatment in personality psychology.
Pension Contributions and Firm Performance: Evidence from Frozen Defined Benefit Plans
Authors: Phan Hieu V. , Hegde Shantaram P.
Published: September 2012

We study the impact of freezing defined benefit (DB) pension plans and replacing them with defined contribution (DC) plans on liquidity, financial leverage, investment, and market value of a sample of firms over 2001‐2008. We find evidence that the pension freeze tends to attenuate the drain on corporate liquidity and relieve the pressure to borrow to pay for mandatory contributions (MCs) associated with underfunded DB plans. Although investors seem to favor the pension freeze as evidenced by positive announcement abnormal stock returns, there is little reliable evidence that the freeze increases investment efficiency and long‐term stock performance.
Neuroprotection by Manganese Superoxide Dismutase (MnSOD) Mimics: Antioxidant Effect and Oxidative Stress Regulation in Acute Experimental Stroke
Authors: Huang Hai‐Feng , Guo Fei , Cao Yuan‐Zhao , Shi Wen , Xia Qing
Published: August 2012

Aims

Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), one of the most crucial antioxidant enzymes in the central nervous system, is thought to be one of the major mechanisms by which cells counteract the injuries of reactive oxygen species after cerebral ischemia. In this study, we used a novel synthesized compound (MnTm4PyP) with highly effective superoxide dismutase activity to study the therapeutic potential of MnSOD and the possible underlying mechanisms in cerebral ischemia.

Methods

Primary cultured cortical neurons were used to examine the protective effect of the compounds. Mice with middle cerebral artery occlusion were used as ischemic stroke animal model. Animals were pretreated with MnTm4PyP intravenously 30 min before surgery. At 24 h after surgery, neurological behavior and histological function were observed. Infarcted cortex tissues and cultured neurons were collected for investigation of the oxidative stress signaling pathways.

Results

In vitro studies revealed that MnSOD mimic MnTm4PyP pretreatment significantly increased viability of neurons after injury by H2O2. Intracellular superoxide radical levels were eliminated. In vivo experiments demonstrated MnTm4PyP pretreatment reduced infarct volume and improved neurological function. The MnSOD mimic alleviated oxidative stress and apoptosis.

Conclusion

MnSOD is an effective therapeutic target in ischemic stroke prevention because of its antioxidant effects and oxidative stress regulation.
Transplantation of Adipose‐Derived Stem Cells is Associated with Neural Differentiation and Functional Improvement in a Rat Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Chen Juan , Tang Ying‐Xin , Liu Yong‐Ming , Chen Ji , Hu Xiao‐Qing , Liu Na , Wang Shu‐Xin , Zhang Yu , Zeng Wen‐Gao , Ni Hou‐Jie , Zhao Bin , Chen Yan‐Fang , Tang Zhou‐Ping
Published: August 2012

Aims

To examine whether transplantation of adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs) induces neural differentiation and improves neural function in a rat intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) model.

Methods

Adipose‐derived stem cells cells were isolated from inguinal fat pad of rat. ICH was induced by injection of collagenase type IV into the right basal ganglia of rat. Forty‐eight hours after ICH, ADSCs cells (10 μL of 2–4 × 107 cells/mL) were injected into the right lateral cerebral ventricle. The differentiation of ADSCs was detected in vitro and in vivo. The neural function was evaluated with Zea Longa 5‐grade scale at day 1, 3, 7, 14, or 28.

Results

Our data demonstrated that ADSCs differentiated into cells that shared the similarities of neurons or astrocytes in vitro. Transplantation of ADSCs decreased cell apoptosis and the transplanted ADSCs were able to differentiate into neuron‐like and astrocyte‐like cells around the hematoma, accompanied with upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor expression and improvement of neural function.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that transplantation of ADSCs could be a therapeutic approach for ICH stroke.
The frequency of sicca symptoms and Sjögren's syndrome in patients with systemic sclerosis
Authors: Kobak Senol , Oksel Fahrettin , Aksu Kenan , Kabasakal Yasemin
Published: August 2012

Objective

The objectives are to detect the frequency of sicca symptoms and Sjögren's syndrome (SS) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) based on the diagnostic criteria of the American–European Consensus Group (AECG) and to evaluate demographic, clinical and serologic characteristics.

Patients and method

One hundred and eighteen SSc patients referred to our hospital were included in this study. All SSc patients were questioned with respect to sicca symptoms. Levels of rheumatoid factor (RF), anti‐nuclear antibodies (ANA), anti‐Ro and anti‐La antibodies were measured; non‐stimulated saliva amounts were recorded and Schirmer test and break‐up time were applied to all patients. Minor salivary gland biopsy samples were obtained from those patients giving ≥ 3 positive answers to sicca symptom questions, patients with positive xerostomia/xerophthalmia test results, and patients with at least one antibody being positive. Patients presenting with grade 3 and/or grade 4 sialoadenitis based on Chisholm criteria were considered pathological.

Results

Sicca symptoms were present in 84 of 118 patients with SSc (71.2%). Minor salivary gland biopsy samples were obtained from 74 patients. Grade 3 and/or grade 4 sialoadenitis was detected in 40 (33.9%) patients and they were diagnosed with SS. Compared to patients diagnosed with SSc alone, systemic sclerosis patients diagnosed with SS had lower pulmonary hypertension and less diffuse lung involvement. Statistically significant difference was detected in terms of sclerodactylia and telangiectasia between SSc–SS and SSc patient groups (P = 0.045 and P = 0.011, respectively). Serological assessments revealed that in the SSc–SS group, 13 patients were anti‐Ro antibody positive, six were anti‐La antibody positive and 37 were anti‐topoisomerase 1 antibody positive. RF, ANA and anti‐centromere antibody levels were higher in the SSc–SS group.

Conclusion

In the present study, highly frequent sicca symptoms and Sjögren's syndrome based on AECG criteria were noted in patients with systemic sclerosis. The SSc–SS patient group had less severe clinical course and lung involvement.