bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender Differences in Health-Related Quality of Life on Admission to a Maintenance Treatment Program
Authors: Giacomuzzi S.M. , Riemer Y. , Ertl M. , Kemmler G. , Rössler H. , Hinterhuber H. , Kurz M.
Published: March 2005

We compared the gender differences in health-related quality of life (QOL) on admission to a maintenance program. 103 opioid users (65 men and 38 women) admitted to a maintenance treatment program during 2000–2002 were studied. During this period we assessed the QOL status using the German version (‘Berlin Quality of Life Profile’) of the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile. Physical symptoms were measured using the Opioid Withdrawal Scale. 312 urine screening tests were carried out to evaluate consumption. The female group showed significantly less additional consumption of other opiates (p = 0.043) compared with the male group. The male group showed significantly better QOL scores in self-esteem (p = 0.015), psychical health (p = 0.027), and law and security (p = 0.008). The outcome measures for withdrawal scores showed significantly less symptoms for males in twitching of muscles (p = 0.034), vomiting (p = 0.002), depressions (p = 0.004) and poor appetite (p = 0.008). In summary, both genders showed only a few significant differences on admission in terms of QOL and physical symptoms. The predominant effects of drug use appear to eclipse the gender-related role pattern. Further exploration of gender and QOL could have important theoretical and treatment implications.
The Unique Role of Diamorphine in British Medical Practice: A Survey of General Practitioners and Hospital Doctors
Authors: Gossop Michael , Keaney Francis , Sharma Pankaj , Jackson Mark
Published: March 2005

Aims: Diamorphine (heroin) is one of the longest established medications with a 130-year history. In British medicine diamorphine is sometimes used as a maintenance treatment for opiate addiction but is also routinely used in clinical practice to treat a number of general medical conditions. These uses are very different but are often confused by observers of the British system. The routine clinical use of diamorphine in medicine is unique to the UK, but this is not well known outside the UK. The present study investigates the use of diamorphine to treat medical conditions by general practitioners and by hospital doctors. Method: In a survey of 141 medical practitioners who had prescribed diamorphine for the treatment of a medical condition, data were collected on conditions prescribed for, numbers of patients, dosage, routes of administration, duration of treatment, worries about prescribing diamorphine and observed adverse effects. Findings: Many doctors had prescribed diamorphine to a large number of patients. The four main conditions for which diamorphine had been prescribed in the previous year were myocardial infarction, palliative care, pulmonary oedema, and post-operative pain. More than half of the sample (57%) reported no reservations about prescribing diamorphine. Of the doctors (n = 60, 43%) who expressed worries, this was most often about possible problems of respiratory depression or respiratory arrest. Respiratory arrest/failure was also the most frequent observed adverse effect. Relatively few doctors reported worries about addiction. Conclusions: Although diamorphine was widely used and most doctors regarded it as a useful medication, there remains insufficient research information about current clinical practice. At a time when diamorphine may be coming under increased scrutiny, more detailed information is required of its uses and applications.
Silicon Image Sensor Technology for in vivo Detection of Surfactant-Induced Corneocyte Swelling and Drying
Authors: Uhoda Emmanuelle , Lévêque Jean Luc , Piérard Gérald E.
Published: March 2005

Background: Several instrumental methods can indirectly assess some specific aspects of cutaneous irritation at the level of the stratum corneum (SC). Objective: There is a need for developing more sensitive approaches in this field. Methods: We assessed a recently introduced innovative tool (SkinChip®) based on capacitive pixel-sensing technology in its potential to detect early discrete manifestations of skin irritation. The sensor generates a detailed non-optical picture corresponding to a capacitance map of the skin surface reaching 50 µm pixel resolution. Some topographical details can be easily disclosed and the SC hydration as well. Two surfactant solutions were tested on volunteers. These solutions were applied under test patches for 2 days on the volar forearms. Clinical and SkinChip assessments were performed 3 h after removing the patch. Results: The generated images allowed a precise observation of skin irritation which appeared as a two-step process. Early changes consisted of darker pixels corresponding to overhydrated swollen corneocytes at the irritated sites. Two days later, the same area appeared as white pixels, indicating the loss of corneocyte hydration. Conclusion: The SkinChip device appears to be a very sensitive tool for detecting the early steps of surfactant-induced skin irritation affecting the SC.
Wound Teleconsultation in Patients with Chronic Leg Ulcers
Authors: Salmhofer Wolfgang , Hofmann-Wellenhof Rainer , Gabler Gerald , Rieger-Engelbogen Karin , Gunegger Dieter , Binder Barbara , Kern Thomas , Kerl Helmut , Soyer H. Peter
Published: March 2005

Background: The treatment of chronic leg ulcers requires frequent assessments of local wound status and adjustment of therapy. The availability of reasonably priced photographic equipment and quick electronic transfer of high-quality digital images should make it possible that the assessment of wound status can be made by remote experts. Objective: This study examines the feasibility of using teledermatology for wound assessment and therapeutic suggestions for patients with chronic leg ulcers. Methods: One hundred ten chronic leg ulcers of different origins were examined in face-to-face consultations. The examining doctor assessed the wound, made therapeutic recommendations and took 1–4 photographs of the wound using a digital camera. The digital images and relevant clinical information were then transmitted via a web application to an expert in wound care, who provided an independent teledermatological assessment of wound status and therapeutic recommendations. Results: In our study, a high accordance between direct consultations and electronic consultations was found in the assessment of chronic leg ulcers, especially for important features like slough (concordance: 84.6%), necrosis (concordance: 98.2%) and granulation tissue formation (concordance: 76.4%). Furthermore, the teledermatologist generally felt confident in recommending further treatment strategies and in planning further wound assessments via the internet. Conclusions: Our results suggest that teledermatology offers great potential for the future in chronic wound care. By reducing the need to travel long distances to the hospital or to consult a physician with expertise in wound care, wound teleconsultation might lower health care costs and improve the quality of life for patients with chronic wounds, while still maintaining a high quality of wound care.
Hypothalamic Control of Mitogen-Induced Proliferative Responses and Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Levels in Thymus and Peripheral Blood of Rat Fetuses
Authors: Zakharova Ludmila A. , Ermilova Irina Y. , Melnikova Victoria I. , Malyukova Irina V. , Adamskaya Elena I.
Published: March 2005

The role of endogenous luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) in the development of concanavalin A (ConA)-induced proliferative responses was studied in rat fetuses. Preliminary treatment of fetuses in utero with either the LHRH receptor antagonist or anti-LHRH antibodies resulted in the suppression of ConA-induced proliferative responses of thymocytes. LHRH and LHRH-immunopositive cells, morphologically similar to thymocytes, were detected in intact fetal thymus. A significant content of LHRH was also found in the peripheral blood of fetuses. The LHRH content in thymus and plasma was similar in males and females. Surgical ablation of the hypothalamus resulted in 2-fold decreases in thymus and plasma levels of LHRH in 21-day-old fetuses compared to sham-operated fetuses. It was concluded that LHRH regulates mitogen-induced proliferative responses of thymocytes during prenatal ontogenesis in the rat. The main source of plasma LHRH at that period is the hypothalamus. Moreover, LHRH is synthesized in the fetal thymus. Thus, LHRH is suggested to have not only a central effect but also to be involved in autocrine or paracrine regulation of proliferative immune responses.
Different Mitogen-Mediated Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Modulation in Murine T Lymphocytes Depending on the Thyroid Status
Authors: Klecha Alicia Juana , Barreiro Arcos María Laura , Genaro Ana María , Gorelik Gabriela , Silberman Dafne Magalí , Caro Ricardo , Cremaschi Graciela Alicia
Published: March 2005

Objective: The aim of this work was to analyze β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) regulation of T-lymphocyte proliferation in mice according to different thyroid hormone statuses. Methods: T cells from eu-, hypo- (by propylthiouracil treatment) and hyperthyroid (by thyroxine, T4 administration) mice were purified and specific radioligand binding assays were performed. The effects of the β-agonist isoproterenol (ISO) on intracellular levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) were determined. Mitogen-induced T-cell proliferation was measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation. Finally, protein kinase C (PKC) activity in cytosol and membrane fractions were determined using radiolabelled enzymatic substrates. Results: Adecrease or a non-significant increase in βAR number was found on T lymphocytes from hypo- and hyperthyroid mice compared to euthyroid controls. ISO stimulation of cAMP levels was lower in hypothyroid and higher in hyperthyroid T lymphocytes compared to controls. T-selective mitogen-induced proliferation was increased in T4-treated animals, but decreased in hypothyroid mice. During the peak of proliferation, downregulation of βAR was observed in all animals. However, a higher or a lower decrease was observed in hyper- and hypothyroid T cells, respectively. In parallel, a higher translocation of PKC activity was observed in hyperthyroid cells, and a lower one was found in hypothyroid lymphocytes with respect to controls. Conclusions: These results indicate that intracellular signals triggered by mitogen activation, namely PKC, would be related to differential βAR downregulation in T lymphocytes depending on the thyroid hormone status, contributing to the distinct proliferative responses found in hypo- or hyperthyroidism compared to the euthyroid state.
Evidence of an Anti-Inflammatory Role for Vasogen’s Immune Modulation Therapy
Authors: Nolan Yvonne , Campbell Veronica A. , Bolton Anthony E. , Lynch Marina A.
Published: March 2005

We have reported that Vasogen’s immune modulation therapy (IMT), a procedure involving intramuscular administration of autologous/syngeneic blood, which has been exposed ex vivo to increased temperature, UVC light and oxidation, prevents several LPS-induced inflammatory changes in the hippocampus. Here, we investigated neuroprotective effects of IMT in cortical tissue, and report that the treatment acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidative agent, reducing the concentration of TNFα and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. The data couple these changes with an increase in the concentration of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and a decrease in activation of the stress-activated protein kinase, c-jun N-terminal kinase. Consistent with these putative protective effects of IMT, we report that the LPS-induced increase in TUNEL staining, which is indicative of cell death, is prevented by IMT.
Effect of Aspirin and Acetaminophen on Proinflammatory Cytokine-Induced Pain Behavior in Mice
Authors: Kwon Min-Soo , Shim Eon-Jeong , Seo Young-Jun , Choi Seong-Soo , Lee Jin-Young , Lee Han-Kyu , Suh Hong-Won
Published: March 2005

Aspirin (ASA) is a widely used oral analgesic which acts as an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase. Acetaminophen (ACET) is also an effective analgesic and may selectively inhibit brain prostaglandin synthetase. Various proinflammatory cytokines injected into the central nervous system show pain behavior. In the present study, the effects of orally administered ASA and ACET on pain behaviors induced by various proinflammatory cytokines were examined. At a dose of 100 mg/kg, ASA or ACET did not affect the pain behavior induced by TNF-α (100 pg), IL-1β (100 pg) or IFN-γ (100 pg) administered intrathecally. However, at doses of 200 and 300 mg/kg, ASA or ACET significantly and dose-dependently attenuated pain behavior induced by TNF-α, IL-1β or IFN-γ administered intrathecally. Our results suggest that orally administered ASA and ACET produce antinociception by inhibiting the nociceptive action of TNF-α, IL-1β or IFN-γ administered intrathecally.
Plaque Rupture After Short Periods of Fat Feeding in the Apolipoprotein E–Knockout Mouse
Authors: Johnson Jason , Carson Kevin , Williams Helen , Karanam Sharada , Newby Andrew , Angelini Gianni , George Sarah , Jackson Christopher
Published: March 2005

Background—

These studies examined the early time course of plaque development and destabilization in the brachiocephalic artery of the apolipoprotein E–knockout mouse, the effects of pravastatin thereon, and the effects of pravastatin on established unstable plaques.

Methods and Results—

Male apolipoprotein E–knockout mice were fed a high-fat, cholesterol-enriched diet from the age of 8 weeks. Animals were euthanized at 1-week intervals between 4 and 9 weeks of fat feeding. Acutely ruptured plaques were observed in the brachiocephalic arteries of 3% of animals up to and including 7 weeks of fat feeding but in 62% of animals after 8 weeks, which suggests that there is a sharp increase in the number of plaque ruptures at 8 weeks. These acute plaque ruptures then appear to heal and form buried fibrous caps; after 9 weeks of fat feeding, mice had 1.05±0.15 buried fibrous caps at a single site in the brachiocephalic artery. Pravastatin (40 mg/kg of body weight per day for 9 weeks; resultant plasma concentration 16±4 nmol/L) had no effect on plasma cholesterol concentration in fat-fed apolipoprotein E–knockout mice but reduced the number of buried fibrous caps by 43% (
P
<0.0001). In longer-term experiments, the delay of pravastatin treatment until unstable plaques had developed reduced the incidence of acute plaque rupture by 36% (
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

Plaque rupture occurs at high frequency in the brachiocephalic arteries of male apolipoprotein E–knockout mice after 8 weeks of fat feeding. Pravastatin treatment inhibits early plaque rupture and is also effective when begun after unstable plaques have developed.
Randomized, Blinded Trial Comparing Fondaparinux With Unfractionated Heparin in Patients Undergoing Contemporary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Mehta Shamir R. , Steg Philippe Gabriel , Granger Christopher B. , Bassand Jean-Pierre , Faxon David P. , Weitz Jeffrey I. , Afzal Rizwan , Rush Bonnie , Peters Ron J.G. , Natarajan Madhu K. , Velianou James L. , Goodhart David M. , Labinaz Marino , Tanguay Jean-Francois , Fox Keith A.A. , Yusuf Salim
Published: March 2005

Background—

Factor Xa plays a central role in the generation of thrombin, making it a novel target for treatment of arterial thrombosis. Fondaparinux is a synthetic factor Xa inhibitor that has been shown to be superior to standard therapies for the prevention of venous thrombosis. We performed a randomized trial to determine the safety and feasibility of fondaparinux in the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) setting.

Methods and Results—

A total of 350 patients undergoing elective or urgent PCI were randomized in a blinded manner to receive unfractionated heparin (UFH), 2.5 mg fondaparinux IV, or 5.0 mg fondaparinux IV. Randomization was stratified for planned or no planned use of glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa antagonists. The primary safety outcome was total bleeding, which was a combination of major and minor bleeding events. The incidence of total bleeding was 7.7% in the UFH group and 6.4% in the combined fondaparinux groups (hazard ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.35 to 1.84;
P
=0.61). Bleeding was less common in the 2.5-mg fondaparinux group compared with the 5-mg fondaparinux group (3.4% versus 9.6%,
P
=0.06). The composite efficacy outcome of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, urgent revascularization, or need for a bailout GPIIb/IIIa antagonist was 6.0% in the UFH group and 6.0% in the fondaparinux group, with no significant difference in efficacy among the fondaparinux doses compared with UFH. Coagulation marker analysis at 6 and 12 hours after PCI demonstrated that fondaparinux was superior to UFH in inducing a sustained reduction in markers of thrombin generation, as measured by prothrombin fragment F1.2 (
P
=0.02).

Conclusions—

In this pilot study of patients undergoing contemporary PCI, factor Xa inhibition with the synthetic anticoagulant fondaparinux in doses of 2.5 and 5.0 mg was comparable to UFH for clinical safety and efficacy outcomes. These data form the basis for further evaluation of fondaparinux in arterial thrombosis.
Short- and Long-Term Clinical Outcome After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation for the Percutaneous Treatment of Left Main Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Valgimigli Marco , van Mieghem Carlos A.G. , Ong Andrew T.L. , Aoki Jiro , Granillo Gaston A. Rodriguez , McFadden Eugene P. , Kappetein Arie Pieter , de Feyter Pim J. , Smits Pieter C. , Regar Evelyn , Van der Giessen Willem J. , Sianos George , de Jaegere Peter , Van Domburg Ron T. , Serruys Patrick W.
Published: March 2005

Background—

The impact of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation on the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing percutaneous intervention for left main (LM) coronary disease is largely unknown.

Methods and Results—

From April 2001 to December 2003, 181 patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for LM stenosis at our institution. The first cohort consisted of 86 patients (19 protected LM) treated with bare metal stents (pre-DES group); the second cohort comprised 95 patients (15 protected LM) treated exclusively with DES. The 2 cohorts were well balanced for all baseline characteristics. At a median follow-up of 503 days (range, 331 to 873 days), the cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events was lower in the DES cohort than in patients in the pre-DES group (24% versus 45%, respectively; hazard ratio [HR], 0.52 [95% CI, 0.31 to 0.88];
P
=0.01). Total mortality did not differ between cohorts; however, there were significantly lower rates of both myocardial infarction (4% versus 12%, respectively; HR, 0.22 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.65];
P
=0.006) and target vessel revascularization (6% versus 23%, respectively; HR, 0.26 [95% CI, 0.10 to 0.65];
P
=0.004) in the DES group. On multivariate analysis, use of DES, Parsonnet classification, troponin elevation at entry, distal LM location, and reference vessel diameter were independent predictors of major adverse cardiovascular events.

Conclusions—

When percutaneous coronary intervention is undertaken at LM lesions, routine DES implantation, which reduces the cumulative incidence of myocardial infarction and the need for target vessel revascularization compared with bare metal stents, should currently be the preferred strategy.
Increased Mortality and Aggravation of Heart Failure in Estrogen Receptor-β Knockout Mice After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Pelzer Theo , Loza Paula-Anahi Arias , Hu Kai , Bayer Barbara , Dienesch Charlotte , Calvillo Laura , Couse John F. , Korach Kenneth S. , Neyses Ludwig , Ertl Georg
Published: March 2005

Background—

Lower mortality rates among women with chronic heart failure than among men may depend in part on the action of female sex hormones, especially estrogens. The biological effects of estrogens are mediated by 2 distinct estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes (ERα and ERβ). The present study was undertaken to determine the role of ERβ in the development of chronic heart failure after experimental myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods and Results—

Female ERβ null mice (BERKO
Chapel Hill
) and wild-type littermates (WT) were ovariectomized, given 17β-estradiol, and subjected to chronic anterior MI (MI; BERKO n=31, WT n=30) or sham operation (sham; BERKO n=14, WT n=14). At 8 weeks after MI, both genotypes revealed left ventricular remodeling and impaired contractile function at similar average infarct size (BERKO-MI 32.9±5% versus WT-MI 33.0±4%); however, BERKO mice showed increased mortality (BERKO-MI 42% versus WT-MI 23%), increased body weight and fluid retention (
P
<0.01), higher ventricular pro-ANP expression (BERKO-MI 27.9-fold versus sham, WT-MI 5.2-fold versus sham; BERKO-MI versus WT-MI
P
<0.001), higher atrial natriuretic peptide serum levels, and increased phospholamban expression (
P
<0.05) compared with WT mice.

Conclusions—

Systemic deletion of ERβ in female mice increases mortality, aggravates clinical and biochemical markers of heart failure, and contributes to impaired expression of Ca
2+
-handling proteins in chronic heart failure after MI. Further studies are required to delineate the relative importance of cardiac and vascular effects of ERβ and the role of ERα in the development of heart failure.
Sirolimus-Eluting Stents to Abolish Intimal Hyperplasia and Improve Flow in Porcine Arteriovenous Grafts
Authors: Rotmans Joris I. , Pattynama Peter M.T. , Verhagen Hence J.M. , Hino Ichiro , Velema Evelyn , Pasterkamp Gerard , Stroes Erik S.G.
Published: March 2005

Background—

The patency of arteriovenous (AV) expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) hemodialysis grafts is severely compromised by intimal hyperplasia (IH) at the venous anastomosis and in the venous outflow tract. We addressed the potential of primary placement of a sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) in a validated porcine model.

Methods and Results—

In 25 pigs, ePTFE AV grafts were created bilaterally between the carotid artery and the jugular vein, whereupon a self-expandable nitinol stent (14 SESs and 11 bare-metal stents) was implanted over the venous anastomosis in 1 of the 2 grafts. After exclusion of technical failures and 1 unilateral occlusion, 16 pigs (9 SESs and 7 bare-metal stents) were included for further analysis. After 28 days, we measured graft flow and performed quantitative angiography. The pigs were then euthanized, and grafts with adjacent vessels were excised for histological analysis. Minimal luminal diameter was substantially larger in the SES group compared with unstented controls (5.9±0.2 versus 3.8±0.4 mm, respectively,
P
=0.01), which was accompanied by more prominent graft flow (SES, 1360±89 mL/min versus unstented, 861±83 mL/min,
P
=0.05). IH at the venous anastomosis was 77% less in the SES group compared with unstented controls (0.44±0.05 versus 1.92±0.5 mm
2
, respectively,
P
=0.01), whereas IH increased markedly when bare-metal stents were used (5.7±1.4 mm
2
,
P
=0.05).

Conclusions—

SESs in the venous outflow of AV grafts significantly reduce IH and increase vessel diameter and graft flow compared with unstented grafts. These findings suggest that SESs have the potential to improve primary patency of AV grafts in hemodialysis patients.
Risk of Cardiovascular Disease by Hysterectomy Status, With and Without Oophorectomy
Authors: Howard Barbara V. , Kuller Lewis , Langer Robert , Manson JoAnn E. , Allen Catherine , Assaf Annlouise , Cochrane Barbara B. , Larson Joseph C. , Lasser Norman , Rainford Monique , Van Horn Linda , Stefanick Marcia L. , Trevisan Maurizio
Published: March 2005

Background—

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women and may vary by hysterectomy (or oophorectomy) status. This study compared CVD risk factors and rates between postmenopausal women who had and had not undergone hysterectomy, with or without oophorectomy.

Methods and Results—

This analysis was conducted on 89 914 women in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study. Participants reported demographic characteristics, medical history, dietary habits, physical activity, medications, and previous hysterectomy (with or without oophorectomy). Baseline weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. CVD events were ascertained during 5.1 years of mean follow-up and adjudicated with standard criteria. Black, Hispanic, and American Indian women had higher rates of hysterectomy than white women (52.9%, 44.6%, and 49.2% versus 40.0%, respectively), and Asian/Pacific Islander women had lower rates (33.8%). Women with a hysterectomy (regardless of oophorectomy status) had an adverse risk profile at baseline compared with women with no hysterectomy, including a higher proportion of hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and lower education, income, and physical activity (all
P
<0.01). Total mortality and fatal and nonfatal CVD were higher among women with a hysterectomy. Hysterectomy (regardless of oophorectomy status) was a significant predictor of CVD (HR: 1.26,
P
<0.001). After adjustment for demographic variables and CVD risk factors, the effect was reduced and nonsignificant.

Conclusions—

Women with a hysterectomy had a worse risk profile and higher prevalence and incidence of CVD in this cohort. Multivariate models suggest that hysterectomy is not the major determinant of this outcome; rather, CVD risk may be due to the more adverse initial risk profile of women who had undergone hysterectomy.
Reconstituted High-Density Lipoproteins Inhibit the Acute Pro-Oxidant and Proinflammatory Vascular Changes Induced by a Periarterial Collar in Normocholesterolemic Rabbits
Authors: Nicholls Stephen J. , Dusting Gregory J. , Cutri Belinda , Bao Shisan , Drummond Grant R. , Rye Kerry-Anne , Barter Philip J.
Published: March 2005

Background—

HDLs have antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties in vitro. This study investigates these properties in vivo.

Methods and Results—

Chow-fed, normocholesterolemic New Zealand White rabbits received a daily infusion of (1) saline, (2) reconstituted HDL (rHDL) containing 25 mg apolipoprotein (apo) A-I and 50 mg of either 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl phosphatidylcholine (PLPC) or 1,2-dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), (3) 25 mg lipid-free apoA-I, or (4) 50 mg of either PLPC-small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) or DPPC-SUVs on each of 3 consecutive days. Nonocclusive carotid periarterial collars were implanted after the second dose of treatment. Forty-eight hours after insertion of the collars, the arteries were removed and analyzed for the presence of reactive oxygen species, the infiltration of neutrophils, and the expression of adhesion proteins and chemokines. Insertion of the periarterial collar induced a 4.1-fold increase in presence of vascular wall reactive oxygen species. This effect was completely abolished in the animals infused with rHDL. The periarterial collar was associated with a dense infiltration of the arterial wall by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. This infiltration was inhibited by 73% to 94% in the animals infused with rHDL, by 75% in the animals infused with lipid-free apoA-I, and by 51% to 65% in animals infused with SUVs. There were no significant differences between the effects of PLPC and DPPC in either the rHDL or SUVs. Endothelial expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 was also increased by the collar insertion and inhibited by rHDL, lipid-free apoA-I, and, to a lesser extent, also by the SUVs.

Conclusions—

Infusion of rHDL, apoA-I, and phospholipid-SUVs inhibits the early pro-oxidant and proinflammatory changes induced by a periarterial collar in normocholesterolemic rabbits.
Abnormalities of Doppler Measures of Diastolic Function in the Healthy Elderly Are Not Related to Alterations of Left Atrial Pressure
Authors: Prasad Anand , Okazaki Kazunobu , Zadeh Armin A. , Dijk Erika , Fu Qi , Thomas James D. , Levine Benjamin D.
Published: March 2005

Background—

Normal healthy aging results in changes in Doppler indexes of diastolic function. One widely accepted explanation for these alterations that is based on animal data is an age-associated impairment of myocardial relaxation resulting from abnormal myocyte calcium handling. However, an alternative theory based on altered left atrial compliance with aging has been proposed in which early left atrial pressure could be low in the aged heart but rise rapidly during atrial diastole, resulting in a higher late atrial pressure and thus a normal mean pressure. We sought to explore this issue directly by performing a detailed analysis of the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure waveform obtained by right-heart catheterization during 5 different loading conditions.

Methods and Results—

Twelve healthy elderly sedentary subjects (mean age, 69.8±3 years) were recruited for the seniors group. An additional 12 young sedentary subjects (mean age, 35±8 years) made up the young group. All subjects were rigorously screened for comorbidities. All subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiography to determine Doppler variables of early and late transmitral filling (E and A velocities) and isovolumetric relaxation time. Each subject also underwent pulmonary artery catheterization with measurement of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure waveform during 5 different loading conditions: baseline, lower-body negative pressures of −15 and −30 mm Hg, and rapid saline infusions of 10 to 15 and 20 to 30 mL/kg. Pressure was measured at 6 points of the waveform: point 1, peak of the atrial contraction (a wave); point 2, the left atrial pressure during the start of ventricular systole; point 3, peak of atrial filling (v wave); point 4, earliest left atrial pressure during ventricular filling; and the line between points 5 and 6, pressure during diastasis. Aging resulted in a decrease in the E/A ratio (
P
<0.001) and a prolongation of the isovolumetric relaxation time (
P
<0.001) as assessed by echocardiography, but there was no effect of age on pulmonary capillary wedge pressure at any point throughout the cardiac cycle (
P
=0.290). Specifically, at no measured point at any level of cardiac filling volume was the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of the seniors lower than that of the young subjects.

Conclusions—

We conclude that the age-related echocardiographic change of decreasing E/A ratio is not the result of a lowering of early diastolic left atrial pressure.
In Vivo Characterization of Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque by Use of Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Jang Ik-Kyung , Tearney Guillermo J. , MacNeill Briain , Takano Masamichi , Moselewski Fabian , Iftima Nicusor , Shishkov Milen , Houser Stuart , Aretz H. Thomas , Halpern Elkan F. , Bouma Brett E.
Published: March 2005

Background—

The current understanding of the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease is based largely on postmortem studies. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution (≈10 μm), catheter-based imaging modality capable of investigating detailed coronary plaque morphology in vivo.

Methods and Results—

Patients undergoing cardiac catheterization were enrolled and categorized according to their clinical presentation: recent acute myocardial infarction (AMI), acute coronary syndromes (ACS) constituting non-ST-segment elevation AMI and unstable angina, or stable angina pectoris (SAP). OCT imaging was performed with a 3.2F catheter. Two observers independently analyzed the images using the previously validated criteria for plaque characterization. Of 69 patients enrolled, 57 patients (20 with AMI, 20 with ACS, and 17 with SAP) had analyzable images. In the AMI, ACS, and SAP groups, lipid-rich plaque (defined by lipid occupying ≥2 quadrants of the cross-sectional area) was observed in 90%, 75%, and 59%, respectively (
P
=0.09). The median value of the minimum thickness of the fibrous cap was 47.0, 53.8, and 102.6 μm, respectively (
P
=0.034). The frequency of thin-cap fibroatheroma (defined by lipid-rich plaque with cap thickness ≤65 μm) was 72% in the AMI group, 50% in the ACS group, and 20% in the SAP group (
P
=0.012). No procedure-related complications occurred.

Conclusions—

OCT is a safe and effective modality for characterizing coronary atherosclerotic plaques in vivo. Thin-cap fibroatheroma was more frequently observed in patients with AMI or ACS than SAP. This is the first study to compare detailed in vivo plaque morphology in patients with different clinical presentations.
Neurons Tune to the Earliest Spikes Through STDP
Authors: Guyonneau Rudy , VanRullen Rufin , Thorpe Simon J.
Published: March 2005

Spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) is a learning rule that modifies the strength of a neuron's synapses as a function of the precise temporal relations between input and output spikes. In many brains areas, temporal aspects of spike trains have been found to be highly reproducible. How will STDP affect a neuron's behavior when it is repeatedly presented with the same input spike pattern? We show in this theoretical study that repeated inputs systematically lead to a shaping of the neuron's selectivity, emphasizing its very first input spikes, while steadily decreasing the postsynaptic response latency. This was obtained under various conditions of background noise, and even under conditions where spiking latencies and firing rates, or synchrony, provided conflicting informations. The key role of first spikes demonstrated here provides further support for models using a single wave of spikes to implement rapid neural processing.
Independent Variable Time-Step Integration of Individual Neurons for Network Simulations
Authors: Lytton William W. , Hines Michael L.
Published: March 2005

Realistic neural networks involve the coexistence of stiff, coupled, continuous differential equations arising from the integrations of individual neurons, with the discrete events with delays used for modeling synaptic connections. We present here an integration method, the local variable time-step method (lvardt), that uses separate variable-step integrators for individual neurons in the network. Cells that are undergoing excitation tend to have small time steps, and cells that are at rest with little synaptic input tend to have large time steps. A synaptic input to a cell causes reinitialization of only that cell's integrator without affecting the integration of other cells. We illustrated the use of lvardt on three models: a worst-case synchronizing mutual-inhibition model, a best-case synfire chain model, and a more realistic thalamocortical network model.
Restaurants, Inns and Taverns That Never Were: Some Reflections on Public Consumption in Medieval Cairo
Authors: Lewicka Paulina
Published: March 2005

The article shows that, contrary to a commonly accepted assumption, no public consumption facilities such as restaurants, taverns or inns existed in medieval Cairo. This was caused on the one hand by the Egyptians' faithfulness to their own ancient practices and their indifference to pre-Islamic influences of foreign origin, and on the other by the Cairenes' compliance with the ordinances of the legal sources of Islam. These two factors led to the results described in the article because they complemented each other, as Islam was rooted in the same ancient social and cultural tradition as Egypt. Dans cet article on a avancé une thèse que – malgré une opinion bien etendue – les établissements alimentaires, tels que les restaurants, les tavernes et les auberges, n'existaient pas au Caire médiéval. Les causes de cette situation on peut expliquer, d'une part, par l'attachement des Égyptiens à leur cultures indigènes et leur indifférence aux traditions culturelles étrangères, alimentaires inclues, provenant d'une époque preislamique; d'autre part, par le fait que le comportement des Cairots était très strictement lié aux ordonnances de la religion islamique, enracinées dans la même tradition sociale et religieuse que les traditions égyptiennes. Or, on peut conclure que les évènements décrits dans cet article pouvaient avoir lieu puisque la tradition musulmane concernante les questions presentées ici était très strictement liée à la culture indigène.
Discovering the Impact of Community Policing: The Broken Windows Thesis, Collective Efficacy, and Citizens’ Judgment
Authors: Xu Yili , Fiedler Mora L. , Flaming Karl H.
Published: March 2005

The main purpose of the present study is to demonstrate the structure, mechanisms, and efficacy of community policing and its impact on perceived disorder, crime, quality of life in the community, citizens’ fear, and satisfaction with the police. It compares traditional and community policing paradigms on three dimensions: goal, measurement of outcome, and approach to crime. It concludes that community policing has a comprehensive, community-oriented goal, targets both disorder and crime, and emphasizes both organizational and community measures in police evaluation. It also addresses the criticisms of community policing and tests the heatedly debated relationships concerning community policing, disorder, crime, citizen’s fear, and collective efficacy. The major findings of the study include (1) Harcourt’s falsification of Skogan’s findings is invalid because of the methodological flaws, and therefore does not negate the disorder-crime nexus; (2) Sampson and Raudenbush unintentionally demonstrate, through their reciprocal feedback models, that crime and disorder are indirectly related; (3) disorder has strong direct, indirect, and total effects on crime even with collective efficacy being controlled for; (4) contrary to intuition, disorder elicits more fear than crime; (5) community policing reduces crime indirectly; (6) collective efficacy plays a far less significant role in controlling disorder, crime, and fear than community policing; and (7) citizens’ fear and perceived life quality are significant predictors of citizen satisfaction with the police.
Systematic Measurement Error with State-Level Crime Data: Evidence from the “More Guns, Less Crime” Debate
Authors: Martin Robert A. , Legault Richard L.
Published: March 2005

Researchers have recently been cautioned regarding error in the Uniform Crime Reports’ (UCR) “Crime by County” cross-sectional time-series data. These data were the basis for analyses of the effects of laws regarding shall-issue concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits on UCR crime rates in the controversial book More Guns, Less Crime (MGLC). The authors conduct a critical analysis of the state-level data used in that study, compare it to readily available state-level UCR data, and discuss issues that may unduly influence the MGLC parameter estimates. Using alternative data, they reestimate the MGLC models, finding that the majority of the MGLC state-level findings are mere artifacts of reporting error and data anomalies resulting from the use of aggregated UCR “Crime by County” data. The authors conclude that any inferences regarding the effects of concealed carry weapons laws on crime rates drawn from analyses of the MGLC state-level data are seriously flawed.
Differential Pathways to Violence and Self-Injurious Behavior: African American and White Girls in the Juvenile Justice System
Authors: Holsinger Kristi , Holsinger Alexander M.
Published: March 2005

Since the early 1990s, research, largely from a feminist perspective, has been devoted to identifying the “gender-specific needs” of delinquent girls. This article explores racial differences between girls and how these differences may affect the commission of violent behavior and self-injurious behavior. Self-report data were collected from 163 girls incarcerated in Ohio in 1998. Data were collected on a wide range of variables, including potentially criminogenic areas such as abuse, antisocial attitudes, drug use, type of parenting received, self-esteem, family experiences, and mental health. The findings indicate that some of these variables differ significantly by race. Furthermore, these criminogenic areas are investigated in order to test their relationship to self-reports of violence, self-injurious behavior, suicide attempts, and overall delinquency. These models are then examined by race with findings that demonstrate the fallacy of representing girls as a homogeneous group. Of particular interest is how differently girls respond to abuse, based on race.
Verb Agreement and Disagreement
Authors: Crawford William J.
Published: March 2005

This multiregister corpus study investigates the social factors affecting concord variation found in existential there + be (ETB) constructions in present-day American English. The study questions previous work in this area, which suggests that a lack of concord is reflective of informal, conversational situations of use. The five registers analyzed (conversation, academic lectures, academic writing, fiction, and chat language) showed that the two spoken registers resulted in the greatest number of variation in agreement. A comparison of the linguistic contexts of ETBs in the two spoken registers finds both similarities and differences of function across two spoken registers. The article concludes by adopting the position that the contracted ETB construction is an unanalyzed chunk or formulaic sequence of language.
Clinical Peer Review
Authors: Luiselli James K. , Russo Dennis C.
Published: March 2005

This article describes a comprehensive model of clinical peer review that was established at a large behavioral healthcare organization serving children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities. The purpose of peer review is to provide routine evaluation of practice standards that will produce the highest quality of habilitative care. The major components of peer review address (a) clinical support and administration, (b) intervention policies and procedures, (c) case consultation, (d) utilization of extraordinary procedures, (e) performance improvement projects, and (f) communication at all levels of the organization. This article discusses implementation of the model, including examples and illustrations, and factors that contribute to positive outcome. This approach to peer review represents a systems methodology that can be adopted by behavioral healthcare and human service organizations to build an in-house program of clinical quality improvement. It is a necessary first step in the large-scale implementation of behavioral services.
The Development of Behaviorally Based Public School Consultation Services
Authors: Putnam Robert F. , Handler Marcie W. , Rey Jannette , McCarty Joseph
Published: March 2005

This article describes the development of behavioral school care consultation services to public schools within a not-for-profit community behavioral health organization. An overview of the process of behavior consultation is presented. A description of the growth of behavioral school consultation services is outlined in regard to (a) the types of consultation, including individual, school-wide, and district-wide services; (b) trainings in empirically validated assessment and interventions; and (c) the development of an internship and postdoctoral fellowship program. A review of the growth of applied research, particularly in the area of school-wide interventions and its dissemination, also is presented.
Perceived External Prestige, Affective Commitment, and Citizenship Behaviors
Authors: Carmeli Abraham
Published: March 2005

In a study that involved social workers in the Israeli health care system, two forms of perceived external prestige (social and economic) were identified. The results indicate that both forms of perceived external prestige augment employees’ affective commitment to their organization. Compared to perceived external economic prestige, however, perceived external social prestige seems to have a larger effect on affective commitment. In addition, employees’ affective commitment to their organization appeared to mediate the relationship between perceived external social prestige and citizenship behavior. It appears, however, that affective commitment augments altruistic behavior to a larger degree than that of compliance behavior.
The limits of the war convention
Authors: McPherson Lionel K.
Published: March 2005

What is the relation between the rules of war covered by ‘the war convention’ and the source of their normative authority? According to Michael Walzer, these rules have normative authority by virtue of being widely established in theory and practice and conforming to our moral sensibilities. It is striking that his influential account of just war has a conventionalist grounding similar to his more scrutinized general theory of justice. Indeed, we should question whether a shared moral understanding is an adequate basis for morally obligating parties who might challenge the rules under the war convention. I argue that rules of war need the support of moral judgments whose normative authority is ultimately not conventional in nature. Reasonable objections to the war convention exert pressure to revise its standard principles or to admit that these principles lack general moral force. Such objections, inchoate though they may be in international political discourse, seem a source of commonly voiced skepticism of morality in international relations. Debate about the merits of alternative principles of just war has the advantage of engaging with this skepticism. This opens up the possibility that less powerful or more conscientious parties could play a constructive role in a public and more democratic discourse of just war.
Queer Theory
Authors: Watson Katherine
Published: March 2005

Queer theory has been a key player on the academic scene for over ten years and looks set to continue for many years to come. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the key elements that shape this body of work and to point to its potential usefulness for group analysis. Some of the influences in the emergence of queer theory will be discussed followed by some prominent critiques centering around queer theory’s link with practice, the commodification of ‘queerness’ and its implications for diversity. Queer theory poses some important questions about the status of gender/sexuality categories and, in particular, throws into focus the relational constitution of identities, that could, potentially, be used in tandem with other critical theories, in the arena of group analysis.
Affects and Cognition in a Social Theory of Unconscious Processes
Authors: Stacey Ralph
Published: March 2005

This paper argues that affects and cognition cannot be separated in human consciousness and human consciousness is a social phenomenon. Research into brain functioning indicates that those centres of the brain that deal with emotion also deal with the capacity to select rational and moral actions and that attachment and separation behaviours – social acts – are essential for the human body’s capacity to regulate itself. It is argued that ‘the’ unconscious is a fundamentally individualistic notion of what is unconscious in human action and as such is incompatible with the contention that human consciousness is a social process.
Gendered Violence and Restorative Justice
Authors: Curtis-Fawley Sarah , Daly Kathleen
Published: March 2005

The use of restorative justice for gendered violence has been debated in the feminist literature for some time. Critics warn that it is inappropriate because the process and outcomes are not sufficiently formal or stringent, and victims may be revictimized. Proponents assert that a restorative justice process may be better for victims than court because it holds offenders accountable and gives victims greater voice. This article presents what victim advocates in two Australian states think about using restorative justice for gendered violence. We find that although victim advocates have concerns and reservations about restorative justice, most saw positive elements.