bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic Kidney Disease Is Associated With the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Alonso Alvaro , Lopez Faye L. , Matsushita Kunihiro , Loehr Laura R. , Agarwal Sunil K. , Chen Lin Y. , Soliman Elsayed Z. , Astor Brad C. , Coresh Josef
Published: June 2011

Background—

Chronic kidney disease is associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Chronic kidney disease may also increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), but existing studies have reported inconsistent results.

Methods and Results—

We estimated cystatin C–based glomerular filtration rate (eGFR
cys
) and measured urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) in 10 328 men and women free of AF from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study in 1996 to 1998. Incidence of AF was ascertained through the end of 2007. During a median follow-up of 10.1 years, we identified 788 incident AF cases. Compared with individuals with eGFR
cys
≥90 mL · min
−1
· 1.73 m
−2
, multivariable hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of AF were 1.3 (95% CI, 1.1 to 1.6), 1.6 (95% CI, 1.3 to 2.1), and 3.2 (95% CI, 2.0 to 5.0;
P
for trend <0.0001) in those with eGFR
cys
of 60 to 89, 30 to 59, and 15 to 29 mL · min
−1
· 1.73 m
−2
, respectively. Similarly, the presence of macroalbuminuria (ACR ≥300 mg/g; hazard ratio, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.3 to 4.5) and microalbuminuria (ACR, 30 to 299 mg/g; hazard ratio, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.6 to 2.4) was associated with higher AF risk compared with those with ACR <30 mg/g. Risk of AF was particularly elevated in those with both low eGFR
cys
and macroalbuminuria (hazard ratio, 13.1; 95% CI, 6.0 to 28.6, comparing individuals with ACR ≥300 mg/g and eGFR
cys
of 15 to 29 mL · min
−1
· 1.73 m
−2
and those with ACR <30 mg/g and eGFR
cys
≥90 mL · min
−1
· 1.73 m
−2
).

Conclusion—

In this large population-based study, reduced kidney function and presence of albuminuria were strongly associated with the incidence of AF independently of other risk factors.
IκBβ Attenuates Angiotensin II–Induced Cardiovascular Inflammation and Fibrosis in Mice
Authors: Xu Shanqin , Zhi Hui , Hou Xiuyun , Cohen Richard A. , Jiang Bingbing
Published: June 2011

The development of cardiovascular fibrosis is associated with chronic inflammation, where activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling may play a critical role. NF-κB activation is tightly regulated by the cellular inhibitor of κB (IκB) family of proteins, such as IκBα and IκBβ. IκBα and IκBβ display different regulation kinetics in response to inflammatory stimulation. The present study tested the hypothesis that IκBα and IκBβ may have different roles in modulating cardiovascular inflammation and fibrosis, using a model of angiotensin II infusion-induced hypertension in wild-type mice and IκBβ knock-in mice, in which the IκBα gene is replaced by IκBβ cDNA (AKBI). In WT mice, subcutaneous angiotensin II infusion for 7 days induced increased perivascular and interstitial collagen deposition and fibrotic lesions, associated with myocardial interstitial hemosiderin accumulation and extensive macrophage infiltration. These effects of angiotensin II were dramatically limited in AKBI mice. Replacement of IκBα with IκBβ significantly attenuated angiotensin II infusion–induced expression of interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, collagen I and III, fibronectin, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 in the hearts. Furthermore, using cultured vascular smooth muscle cells, we demonstrated that interleukin 1β–induced NF-κB activation and monocyte chemotactic protein 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 expressions were suppressed in the AKBI cells because of the replacement of IκBα with IκBβ. These results indicate that NF-κB has an essential role in mediating the cardiovascular inflammatory response to angiotensin II and suggest that targeting the balance of IκBα and IκBβ expression might be a novel therapeutic modality in preventing fibrosis in hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
Sex Differences in Renal Medullary Endothelin Receptor Function in Angiotensin II Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Kittikulsuth Wararat , Pollock Jennifer S. , Pollock David M.
Published: June 2011

We hypothesized that angiotensin (Ang) II hypertensive rats have impaired natriuresis after renal medullary endothelin (ET) B receptor stimulation that would be more evident in male versus female rats. Acute intramedullary infusion of the ET
B
agonist sarafotoxin 6c in normotensive male rats increased sodium excretion from 0.51±0.11 μmol/min during baseline to 1.64±0.19 μmol/min (
P
<0.05) after S6c. After 2 weeks of Ang II infusion (260 ng/kg per minute SC), male rats had an attenuated natriuretic response to S6c of 0.62±0.16 μmol/min during baseline versus 0.95±0.07 μmol/min after S6c. In contrast, ET
B
-dependent natriuresis was similar in female hypertensive rats (0.48±0.07 versus 1.5±0.18 μmol/min;
P
<0.05) compared with normotensive controls (1.05±0.07 versus 2.14±0.24 μmol/min;
P
<0.05). Because ET
A
receptors also mediate natriuresis in normotensive female rats, we examined ET
A
receptor function in female Ang II hypertensive rats. Intramedullary infusion of ET-1 increased sodium excretion in both hypertensive and normotensive female rats, which was partially blocked by the ET
A
antagonist BQ-123. Maximum ET
B
receptor binding in inner medullary membrane preparations was comparable between vehicle and Ang II hypertensive females; however, maximum ET
B
binding was significantly lower in male hypertensive rats (1952±251 versus 985±176 fmol/mg;
P
<0.05). These results indicate that renal ET
B
function is impaired in male Ang II hypertension attributed, at least in part, to a reduced number of ET
B
binding sites. Furthermore, renal ET receptor function is preserved in female rats during chronic Ang II infusion, suggesting that renal ET receptor function could serve to limit hypertension in females compared with males.
Bauman’s compass: Navigating the current interregnum
Authors: Davis Mark
Published: June 2011

This article focuses on Bauman’s contribution to political sociology and proposes that, in spite of his apparently pessimistic critique of contemporary society, his work has much to offer the ‘new positivity’ within the social sciences. Drawing upon his writings on socialism and utopia, as well as his frequently normative ‘liquid sociology’ period, the article pursues the idea that Bauman’s work offers a vital compass — understood as a particular way of orientating ourselves towards the present — such that we are better able to navigate the complexities and uncertainties of the current interregnum. Given the various social, economic, political and environmental crises that have come to characterize the first decade of the twenty-first century, the article concludes by suggesting that Bauman’s compass provides a useful sense of direction for rising to the task of rethinking global societies in order to meet these shared challenges to human social life.
Treating Childhood Obesity in Primary Care
Authors: Wald Ellen R. , Moyer Stacey C. L. , Eickhoff Jens , Ewing Linda J.
Published: June 2011

The objective of this prospective, cohort study was to assess an intervention for obese children (9-12 years of age) and their families delivered in primary care. A family-based, behavioral weight management program consisted of 11 sessions. The treatment consisted of a calorie goal, self-monitoring of daily food intake, physical activity and sedentary behavior, and other behavior change skills. A total of 78 children and families entered treatment; 23 children served as quasi-controls. The mean weight loss at 15 weeks among 55 children (71%) who completed the program was 2.4 lbs (SD = 5.24, range of −16.7 to +8.4 lbs) compared with a mean weight gain of 3.45 lbs (SD = 4.31, range of −5.0 to +12.0 lbs) among 23 control children. The mean change in body mass index z score from baseline to month 24 was −0.17 ± 0.32 ( P < .001). Primary care is an appropriate place to identify and treat children with obesity.
Tp63 in Oral Development, Neoplasia, and Autoimmunity
Authors: Romano R.A. , Solomon L.W. , Sinha S.
Published: June 2011

The Tp63 gene encodes for multiple isoforms of the p63 transcription factor, a member of the p53 family of proteins. Much like its more famous sibling, the biological role of p63 is quite complex, with wide-ranging effects on development, differentiation, and cellular lineage choices. The crucial function of p63 is epitomized by the striking phenotype of p63 knockout mice. These animals have a profound block in the development of stratified epithelia and aplasia of multiple ectodermal appendages, as well as orofacial clefting and limb defects. Remarkably, a similar spectrum of phenotypic alterations is observed in human syndromes resulting from Tp63 gene mutations. p63 is an important hub in the transcriptional and signaling networks of epithelial cells; thus, it is not surprising that dysregulation of this transcription factor is associated with squamous cell carcinoma. Finally, as a testament to the growing repertoire of p63-associated diseases, autoantibodies to p63 are associated with chronic ulcerative stomatitis, an oral immunologically mediated disease. Over the past decade, our understanding of the broad biologic and pathophysiological roles of p63 has grown significantly. In this review, we discuss the molecular attributes of Tp63 and the clinical consequences of Tp63 dysregulation, particularly as it pertains to oral tissues.
Max Weber’s Vocation: Some Remarks Concerning the Disenchantment of the Disenchanter
Authors: Motta Roberto
Published: June 2011

Max Weber was considered by Karl Jaspers as “the clearest consciousness our time has of itself”. Yet the full understanding of his system of sociological and historical interpretation is tied to a conceptual question: how does his concept of vocation differ from similar concepts in other systems of thought? Following the lead of earlier critics like Groethuysen and Robertson, it can be demonstrated the lead of earlier critics like Groethuysen and Robertson, it can be demonstrated that the “Berufsethik” is in essence the same as the “éthique du devoir” which was current among French authors in 17th and 18th centuries. But in spite of this and of other possible conceptual shortcomings, Weber remains as an outstanding analyst of the process of rationalization that has engulfed the whole planet, the “philosopher”, or even the “prophet”, of a modernity that he and many of his interpreters have conditioned to the acceptance of the “Protestant ethic”, at least in secularized forms.
Laïcité du système scolaire français en Tunisie: autonomie cultuelle ou abstention religieuse?
Authors: Pontanier Émilie
Published: June 2011

Au-delà de la réalité politique et juridique de la laïcité française, l’auteure examine ses représentations dans un contexte islamique. Pour cela, elle étudie le système éducatif français de Tunisie, système laïque qui permet de renforcer la distinction entre la sphère publique et privée. En passant par une analyse discursive des entretiens avec les parents qui y scolarisent leurs enfants, l’auteure montre que ce système scolaire consolide, d’une part, l’autonomie cultuelle des familles musulmanes et, d’autre part, l’abstention religieuse. La laïcité est alors analysée comme un vecteur de résistance religieuse face à une mutation sociétale de la Tunisie, puisqu’elle cautionne la promotion d’un islam moderne ou “peu exigeant” et qu’elle autorise l’athéisme.
Gender in the Discursive Practices of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Former East Germany
Authors: Rajtar Małgorzata
Published: June 2011

The author analyzes the construction of gender and gender roles among the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the former East Germany. From a religious point of view, wives and women in general are subordinate to their husbands, fathers, etc. Within a family and in congregations men are expected to “take the lead” and are responsible for their wives and children. In the former German Democratic Republic this religious discourse competed with the egalitarian and secular discourse of the socialist state, which emphasized the necessity for women to work and the importance of public childcare. Thus, the author addresses the question: how and to what extent did this official state discourse influence the Witnesses’ discursive practices on gender during socialism and until the present day? The author has based her article on extensive ethnographic fieldwork on the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Saxony, eastern Germany.
The Impact of Housing Assistance on the Employment Outcomes of Labour Market Programme Participants in Australia
Authors: Feeny Simon , Ong Rachel , Spong Heath , Wood Gavin
Published: June 2011

This paper examines whether the employment outcomes of Australian labour market programme participants vary according to whether they receive housing assistance. This issue attracted attention when a series of US studies showed that clients of welfare-to-work programmes are more likely to achieve positive employment outcomes if housing assistance is also received. This paper tracks the employment outcomes of labour market programme participants utilising six waves of data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) database. Findings from a random effects model suggest that housing assistance status has little impact (either negative or positive) on employment outcomes. Differences in the institutional arrangements governing access to housing assistance could be responsible for the absence of any effect in Australia.
Immigrant Settlement and Employment Suburbanisation in the US
Authors: Liu Cathy Yang , Painter Gary
Published: June 2011

Two significant trends have occurred in urban areas across the US during recent decades: immigration and the decentralisation of employment. While each trend has been investigated by research, the magnitude of spatial disparity between immigrant settlement patterns and employment location and its change over time has received much less attention. Using a sample of the 60 largest immigrant metropolitan areas, this study uses a spatial mismatch index and regression methods to address this question over the period 1980–2000. Results indicate that immigrants are more spatially mismatched with job opportunities than the White population, but less so than the Black population. It is found that job growth occurred close to where the native-born Whites concentrate and away from immigrants and other minority populations. However, immigrants’ residential location patterns shifted towards employment opportunities and was able to offset the otherwise enlarging spatial disparity.
Community Behavior and Sustainable Rural Tourism Development
Authors: Hwang Doohyun , Stewart William P. , Ko Dong-wan
Published: June 2011

Community-based action as a positive impact of tourism development is examined and connected to a community’s capacity to protect itself from outside threats by negotiating the quality of tourism development. Five communities in Jeju Island, South Korea, are studied through interviews with community members and analysis of a regional newspaper archive. Tourism development is depicted as an interaction between outside developers and local residents that ultimately builds a sustainable dialogue for growth of tourism. In five communities, the partnerships established between local community residents and outside tourism developers began with initial resistance from residents and led to the following sequence of behavior: town meetings, formal organization of residents, petitioning, public demonstration, and legal action. By examining collective action narratives in the five study communities, a framework for sustainable rural tourism development is built to understand relationships between tourism impacts and community identity.
Influence of Panax ginseng on Cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A and P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) Activity in Healthy Participants
Authors: Malati Christine Y. , Robertson Sarah M. , Hunt Jennifer D. , Chairez Cheryl , Alfaro Raul M. , Kovacs Joseph A. , Penzak Scott R.
Published: June 2011

A number of herbal preparations have been shown to interact with prescription medications secondary to modulation of cytochrome P450 (CYP) and/or P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp). The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of Panax ginseng on CYP3A and P‐gp function using the probe substrates midazolam and fexofenadine, respectively. Twelve healthy participants (8 men) completed this open‐label, single‐sequence pharmacokinetic study. Healthy volunteers received single oral doses of midazolam 8 mg and fexofenadine 120 mg, before and after 28 days of P ginseng 500 mg twice daily. Midazolam and fexofenadine pharmacokinetic parameter values were calculated and compared before and after P ginseng administration. Geometric mean ratios (postginseng/preginseng) for midazolam area under the concentration‐time curve from zero to infinity (AUC0‐∞), half‐life (t1/2), and maximum concentration (Cmax) were significantly reduced at 0.66 (0.55–0.78), 0.71 (0.53–0.90), and 0.74 (0.56–0.93), respectively. Conversely, fexofenadine pharmacokinetics were unaltered by P ginseng administration. Based on these results, P ginseng appeared to induce CYP3A activity in the liver and possibly the gastrointestinal tract. Patients taking P ginseng in combination with CYP3A substrates with narrow therapeutic ranges should be monitored closely for adequate therapeutic response to the substrate medication.
Marriage, Abortion, or Unwed Motherhood? How Women Evaluate Alternative Solutions to Premarital Pregnancies in Japan and the United States
Authors: Hertog Ekaterina , Iwasawa Miho
Published: June 2011

In this article, the authors argue that to understand the very low incidence of outside-of-marriage childbearing in contemporary Japan one needs to take into account perceptions of all possible solutions to a premarital pregnancy: marriage, abortion, and childbearing outside wedlock. To demonstrate the particular impact of these perceptions in Japan, the authors compare them with those in the United States, a country where many more children are born outside wedlock. Using mixed methods, the authors demonstrate that for a typical Japanese woman, giving birth outside marriage is the morally inferior solution. For many American women, in contrast, choosing to bear a child outside wedlock rather than rushing into a marriage or having an abortion is often seen as a sign of greater maturity. These preferences play an important role in maintaining the norm of childbearing within marriage in Japan and also contribute to our understanding of how this norm has waned in the United States.
Talking through transitions: Microgenetic changes in preschoolers’ private speech and executive functioning
Authors: Benigno Joann P , Byrd Dana L , McNamara Joseph PH , Berg W Keith , Farrar M Jeffrey
Published: June 2011

In this study we explored the relation between private speech and task mastery by using the microgenetic method to examine the language and performance of 13 children aged 4 and 5 as they gained expertise with a spatial, multi-step planning task across 6 sessions. Seven of the 13 children’s performances across these sessions were characterized by a sharp change in performance between two consecutive sessions. Detailed microgenetic examinations of individual children suggested that abrupt improvements in performance were associated with a higher use of on-task private speech. More variability was noted in the problem-solving and private speech patterns of children who did not experience abrupt shifts in performance. Implications regarding the role of individual differences in the use of private speech during problem-solving are discussed.
Combining Family Centeredness and Diversity in Early Childhood Teacher Training Programs
Authors: Fults Rachel Marie , Harry Beth
Published: June 2011

Family-centered care and responsiveness to diversity are issues of great import for early childhood special education teachers. Nevertheless, the research for these related areas is divided throughout the field. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a master’s-level course designed to integrate instruction in family-centered care and diversity responsiveness. In this study, the authors briefly outline the key issues in the intersection of family-centered practice and collaboration with culturally and linguistically diverse families, offer a review of how these issues have been addressed in teacher preparation programs, and provide a description and three-tiered evaluation of this particular course. The authors aim to provide useful information on the potential of such a course for positive attitude change. Results indicate that students saw the course as having a positive effect on their understanding of issues regarding family-centered practice and diversity responsiveness.
Improved adaptive Huber filter for relative navigation using global position system
Authors: Wang X , Shao X , Gong D , Duan D
Published: June 2011

An improved adaptive Huber filter algorithm is presented to model error and measurement noise uncertainty. The adaptive algorithm for model error is obtained using an upper bound for the state prediction covariance matrix. The measurement noise is estimated at each filter step by minimizing a criterion function which was original from adaptive Huber filter. A recursive algorithm is provided for solving the criterion function. The proposed adaptive filter algorithm was successfully implemented in relative navigation using global position system for spacecraft formation flying in high earth orbits with real orbit perturbations and non-Gaussian random measurement error. Simulation results indicated that the proposed adaptive filter performed better in robustness and accuracy compared with previous adaptive algorithms.
Protecting vulnerable research participants: A Foucault-inspired analysis of ethics committees
Authors: Juritzen Truls I , Grimen Harald , Heggen Kristin
Published: June 2011

History has demonstrated the necessity of protecting research participants. Research ethics are based on a concept of asymmetry of power, viewing the researcher as powerful and potentially dangerous and establishing ethics committees as external agencies in the field of research. We argue in favour of expanding this perspective on relationships of power to encompass the ethics committees as one among several actors that exert power and that act in a relational interplay with researchers and participants. We employ Michel Foucault’s ideas of power as an omnipresent force which is dynamic and unstable, as well as the notion that knowledge and power are inextricably intertwined. The article discusses how research ethics committees may affect academic freedom. In addition it is pointed out that research participants could be harmed — not only by unfortunate research practices, but also by being subjected to the protective efforts of ethics monitoring bodies.
The Camp Experience for Siblings of Pediatric Cancer Patients
Authors: Hancock Lauren
Published: June 2011

Siblings of pediatric cancer patients experience difficulties coping and adapting to the experience of a cancer diagnosis. A variety of emotional and behavioral changes as well as somatic complaints have been reported. Children describe many negative changes after their sibling is diagnosed with cancer. Many social supports and therapeutic interventions have been proposed for siblings, one of which is a camp experience. The literature has demonstrated that camps have a positive impact and offer siblings of children with cancer a supportive peer environment. Camp encourages discussion with peers and health care providers and facilitates participation in activities that improve knowledge, social confidence, and self-esteem. Nurses can help siblings by recommending camp experiences, volunteering at camps, and adding a camp experiences to existing sibling support programs.
Vibration control and suppression of an axially moving string
Authors: Foda Mosaad A
Published: June 2011

The focus of this work is to develop a direct and exact approach using the Green’s function to suppress the transverse vibration of an axially moving string supported by two eyelets. This is achieved by introducing suitable control forces (using actuators) or passive elements to be located at some chosen locations along the span between the eyelets. A scheme is proposed for evaluating the control forces and their locations to suppress the vibration and correspondingly decrease the generated noise. The variation of the running speed, different end supports and damping are taken into consideration.
First impressions count: Perceptions of surface-level and deep-level similarity within postnatal exercise classes and implications for program adherence
Authors: Beauchamp Mark , Dunlop William L , Downey Samantha M , Estabrooks Paul A
Published: June 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which perceptions of surface-level (i.e. age, ethnicity, physical condition) and deep-level (i.e. attitudes, beliefs, values) similarity, as assessed shortly after group formation, predict participants’ subsequent attendance behaviors within postnatal physical activity classes. Women ( N = 136) enrolled in 21 postnatal exercise classes participated in this prospective observational study. Perceptions of surface-level similarity, in particular with regard to other group members’ ages, predicted women’s subsequent adherence to their respective exercise classes. The results of this study suggest that perceptual similarity may have noteworthy implications for mothers’ involvement within postnatal physical activity classes.
The powers that be: Processes of control in ‘crew scene hardcore’
Authors: Purchla Jeff
Published: June 2011

This article adds to the literature about youth orientated music scenes by analyzing norms of control in ‘crew scene hardcore’. Data were collected in three northeastern US cities. This study contributes by proposing a framework in which enclave groups known as ‘crews’ can be studied; by exploring the experiences of women who are involved with crew scene hardcore; and by illustrating how norms of control are formed and managed through processes of interaction. Distinctive gender roles illustrate that the norms of this music scene are derived from ‘hypermasculine’ controls. This results in the marginalization of women in the scene, no matter what their contribution to it is.
West African witchcraft, wealth and moral decay in New York City
Authors: Parish Jane
Published: June 2011

This article is based on fieldwork from 2005 onwards among West African antiwitchcraft shrines in New York City amid the growing African diaspora. For many of the priests who have worked at shrines established since the 1980s, the recent economic recession was yet another blow to their love affair with New York high society and a distinct uptown neighbourhood of the city — the Upper East Side. The article dissects the social and economic relations of this very rich Manhattan elite and West African shrine priests and their clients, analysing the different values and ideals prevalent at the shrines regarding the accumulation of wealth and to conspicuous consumption. Increasingly, the type of wealth epitomized by the Upper East Side is no longer seen by shrine clients as a desired symbol of success but as a sign of moral decay.
The day before Election Day
Authors: Mahler Matthew
Published: June 2011

This article presents an analytical reconstruction of the day before Election Day on the Johnson for Congress Campaign. It uses an extended first-person narrative format to reconstruct the look, sound, and feel of politics-in-action. The article identifies three main dimensions along which the character and quality of political life are structured — politicos’ orientation towards being-known-in and connecting-with-the-world-out-there, the oppositional character of political life, and the practical challenge of inserting the politician’s self into the flow of daily events while maintaining control over that self — while bringing into relief the forms of know-how and skillful coping that those dimensions solicit from politicos.
Black families and fostering of leadership
Authors: Strmic-Pawl Hephzibah V. , Leffler Phyllis K.
Published: June 2011

Dominant depictions of Black families in US scholarship and political discourse have been negative; tropes of defunct, hyper-masculinized men and welfare queens along with a general ‘tangle of pathology’ indictment are common. This article supports other scholarship, which challenges these depictions and acknowledges common positive traits associated with Black families. Through an examination of interviews with 39 famous Black leaders from the US Civil Rights Era coupled with an extant review of sociological Black family literature, this article highlights three positive, supportive traits common to Black families: (1) extended and fictive kin; (2) racial socialization; and (3) education. These findings challenge the assertion of the Black family as dysfunctional by highlighting multiple Black family voices. The analysis relies upon Black families’ articulations of their cultural strengths and successes, which contrasts with the prevailing review of Black families that uses structural approaches and a rigid, White family model.
The institutionalization of panethnicity from the grassroots standpoint in a European context: The case of Gitanos and Roma immigrants in Barcelona
Authors: Prieto-Flores Òscar , Sordé-Martí Teresa
Published: June 2011

This study aims to identify, from an ethnographic perspective, how panethnic boundaries are being created between Gitano people and Roma newcomers who have emigrated from eastern to western Europe. This migration has been driven mainly by discrimination and lack of opportunities in eastern Europe after the transition to a new economy. Although Roma immigrants try to keep connected to their regions of origin, changes in their ethnic identities can also be observed when they settle in their new environment. The fieldwork was conducted in a Spanish neighbourhood with a high percentage of Gitanos and Roma immigrants from eastern Europe. Evidence from this research shows how interactions between people from both groups can promote or diminish panethnic identities and the emergence of panethnic institutions. There is mutual identification between the subgroups even though some elements of dissent and rejection may appear. One of the key components to be taken into account in the shaping and institutionalization of a panethnic identity is the presence of dialogic interactions among the Roma people of different subgroups. These interactions give rise, in a hostile context, to a common identity and solidarity among subjects. Indeed, this has been the social and symbolic base that has promoted the incorporation of newcomers in Roma religious institutions.
Jumping out of enclosures: Ethnicity, gender, education and language among Latin Americans in Japan
Authors: Castro-Vázquez Genaro
Published: June 2011

This article presents one aspect of an investigation concerning a Japanese language-tutoring programme for foreign children. Here, I draw on a wider, three-year ethnographic study that was conducted with three Latin American families whose children attended three public Japanese primary schools. This article attempts to disentangle issues of ethnicity, gender and language in the children’s schooling from the families’ perspective. A total of 46 group/individual interviews with the informants and extensive participant observation were conducted from 2003 to 2006. In two of the households the mothers were Colombian prostitutes married to Japanese citizens; the third was a Colombian family who had overstayed their visas. Bourdieu’s notion of different forms of capital is used in the analysis of the interviews, which suggested that education was key to understanding the circumstances of these families. Although the informants encountered difficulties at Japanese schools, schooling was reported as a means to break the pervasive influence of their ethnic, gender and language ‘enclosures’.
Motor Practice Promotes Increased Activity in Brain Regions Structurally Disconnected After Subcortical Stroke
Authors: Bosnell Rosemary A. , Kincses Tamas , Stagg Charlotte J. , Tomassini Valentina , Kischka Udo , Jbabdi Saad , Woolrich Mark W. , Andersson Jesper , Matthews Paul M. , Johansen-Berg Heidi
Published: June 2011

Background. Motor practice is an important component of neurorehabilitation. Imaging studies in healthy individuals show that dynamic brain activation changes with practice. Defining patterns of functional brain plasticity associated with motor practice following stroke could guide rehabilitation. Objective. The authors aimed to test whether practice-related changes in brain activity differ after stroke and to explore spatial relationships between activity changes and patterns of structural degeneration. Methods. They studied 10 patients at least 6 months after left-hemisphere subcortical strokes and 18 healthy controls. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was acquired at baseline, and functional MRI (fMRI) was acquired during performance of a visuomotor tracking task before and after a 15-day period of practice of the same task. Results. Smaller short-term practice effects at baseline correlated with lower fractional anisotropy in the posterior limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC) bilaterally in patients ( t > 3; cluster P < .05). After 15 days of motor practice a Group × Time interaction ( z > 2.3; cluster P < .05) was found in the basal ganglia, thalamus, inferior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and insula. In these regions, healthy controls showed decreases and patients showed increases in activity with practice. Some regions of interest had a loss of white matter connectivity at baseline. Conclusions. Performance gains with motor practice can be associated with increased activity in regions that have been either directly or indirectly impaired by loss of connectivity. These results suggest that neurorehabilitation interventions may be associated with compensatory adaptation of intact brain regions as well as enhanced activity in regions with impaired structural connectivity.
How close are we to customizing chemotherapy in early non-small cell lung cancer?
Authors: Ioannidis Georgios , Georgoulias Vassilis , Souglakos John
Published: June 2011

Although surgery is the only potentially curative treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 5-year survival rates range from 77% for stage IA tumors to 23% in stage IIIA disease. Adjuvant chemotherapy has recently been established as a standard of care for resected stage II-III NSCLC, on the basis of large-scale clinical trials employing third-generation platinum-based regimens. As the overall absolute 5-year survival benefit from this approach does not exceed 5% and potential long-term complications are an issue of concern, the aim of customized adjuvant systemic treatment is to optimize the toxicity/benefit ratio, so that low-risk individuals are spared from unnecessary intervention, while avoiding undertreatment of high-risk patients, including those with stage I disease. Therefore, the application of reliable prognostic and predictive biomarkers would enable to identify appropriate patients for the most effective treatment.

This is an overview of the data available on the most promising clinicopathological and molecular biomarkers that could affect adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy decisions for operable NSCLC in routine practice. Among the numerous candidate molecular biomarkers, only few gene-expression profiling signatures provide clinically relevant information warranting further validation. On the other hand, real-time quantitative polymerase-chain reaction strategy involving relatively small number of genes offers a practical alternative, with high cross-platform performance. Although data extrapolation from the metastatic setting should be cautious, the concept of personalized, pharmacogenomics-guided chemotherapy for early NSCLC seems feasible, and is currently being evaluated in randomized phase 2 and 3 trials. The mRNA and/or protein expression levels of excision repair cross-complementation group 1, ribonucleotide reductase M1 and breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 are among the most potential biomarkers for early disease, with stage-independent prognostic and predictive values, the clinical utility of which is being validated prospectively. Inter-assay discordance in determining the biomarker status and association with clinical outcomes is noteworthing.
Evolving therapy of peripheral T-cell lymphoma: 2010 and beyond
Authors: Foss Francine
Published: June 2011

The peripheral T-cell lymphomas are a rare, heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas which have an aggressive clinical course. Treatment approaches have traditionally been similar to those of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, but outcomes have been inferior. Novel approaches involving agents and pathways developed from a better understanding of the biology of the diseases have led to therapeutic advances. The introduction of new agents, including antifolates, immunoconjugates, histone deacetylase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, nucleoside analogs, proteasome inhibitors, and signaling inhibitors have improved outcomes for patients with relapsed and refractory disease and are being incorporated into strategies for first-line therapy. Stem cell transplantation remains a potentially curative option for a subset of patients.
Excellent Survivorship With the Use of Proximally Coated Tapered Cementless Stems for Total Hip Arthroplasty in Octogenarians
Authors: Stroh D. Alex , Zywiel Michael G. , Johnson Aaron J. , Mont Michael A.
Published: June 2011

The use of total hip arthroplasty (THA) continues to grow partially because of the increasing life expectancy of the American population. Whether to use cemented or cementless femoral fixation options in older patients is often debated. The purpose of the present study was to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes after cementless THA in patients ≥80 years to younger patients. Clinical and radiographic data were gathered on 33 patients (35 hips) all 80 years or older who had undergone proximally coated cementless total hip arthroplasties. Outcomes were compared with a matching group for age, body mass index, and diagnosis, who had undergone the same procedure by the same surgeon at a similar time. Harris hip scores were evaluated pre- and postoperatively, and radiographs were reviewed for evaluation of fixation and stability. At a mean follow-up of 4 years, 97% of the hips (34 of 35) remained unrevised and the mean Harris hip score had improved by 39 points to 83 points (range, 26-100 points). On radiographic evaluation, 91% were found to have full bony ingrowth, with 1 hip having osteolysis of the proximal femur. Mortality was 23% at 86 months. Except for mortality, the outcomes and complication rates were similar to the younger group except that the matching group had higher final postoperative Harris hip scores. Proximally coated tapered cementless THA is a safe and efficacious method for providing good clinical outcomes with low revision rates in patients 80 years of age or older.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate promotes the differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells into cardiomyocytes under the designated culturing conditions
Authors: Zhao Zhenqiang , Chen Zhibin , Zhao Xiubo , Pan Fang , Cai Meihua , Wang Tan , Zhang Henggui , Lu Jian R , Lei Ming
Published: June 2011

Background

It is of growing interest to develop novel approaches to initiate differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into cardiomyocytes. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a native circulating bioactive lipid metabolite, plays a role in differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs) into cardiomyocytes. We also developed an engineered cell sheet from these HUMSCs derived cardiomyocytes by using a temperature-responsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm) cell sheet technology.

Methods

Cardiomyogenic differentiation of HUMSCs was performed by culturing these cells with either designated cardiomyocytes conditioned medium (CMCM) alone, or with 1 μM S1P; or DMEM with 10% FBS + 1 μM S1P. Cardiomyogenic differentiation was determined by immunocytochemical analysis of expression of cardiomyocyte markers and patch clamping recording of the action potential.

Results

A cardiomyocyte-like morphology and the expression of α-actinin and myosin heavy chain (MHC) proteins can be observed in both CMCM culturing or CMCM+S1P culturing groups after 5 days' culturing, however, only the cells in CMCM+S1P culture condition present cardiomyocyte-like action potential and voltage gated currents. A new approach was used to form PIPAAm based temperature-responsive culture surfaces and this successfully produced cell sheets from HUMSCs derived cardiomyocytes.

Conclusions

This study for the first time demonstrates that S1P potentiates differentiation of HUMSCs towards functional cardiomyocytes under the designated culture conditions. Our engineered cell sheets may provide a potential for clinically applicable myocardial tissues should promote cardiac tissue engineering research.
Expression of miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b and miR-206 increases during development of human skeletal muscle
Authors: Koutsoulidou Andrie , Mastroyiannopoulos Nikolaos P , Furling Denis , Uney James B , Phylactou Leonidas A
Published: June 2011

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression and have been shown to play an important role during development. miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b and miR-206 are expressed in muscle tissue and induced during muscle cell differentiation, a process that directs myoblasts to differentiate into mature myotubes, which are organized into myofibers. Although miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b and miR-206 are well-studied in muscle, there is no information about their expression and function during human development. The purpose of this study was to determine the profile of these miRNAs in muscle cells isolated from different stages of human development.

Results

We examined the levels of miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b and miR-206 during the development of human foetus. All four miRNA levels were found increased during late stages of human foetal muscle development. Increases in the expression levels of these miRNAs were proportional to the capacity of myoblasts to form myotubes. Changes in miRNA levels during human foetal development were accompanied by endogenous alterations in their known targets and also in their inducer, MyoD. Ectopic MyoD expression caused an induction of muscle cell differentiation in vitro, accompanied by an increase in the levels of miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b and miR-206.

Conclusions

This study provides data about the profile of four miRNAs in human muscle cells isolated during different stages of foetal development. These results may shed light on the differentiation of muscle cells and regulation of muscle formation through miRNAs, during the development of human foetus.
Synergistic effects of oncolytic reovirus and docetaxel chemotherapy in prostate cancer
Authors: Heinemann Lucy , Simpson Guy R , Boxall Angela , Kottke Timothy , Relph Kate L , Vile Richard , Melcher Alan , Prestwich Robin , Harrington Kevin J , Morgan Richard , Pandha Hardev S
Published: June 2011

Background

Reovirus type 3 Dearing (T3D) has demonstrated oncolytic activity in vitro, in in vivo murine models and in early clinical trials. However the true potential of oncolytic viruses may only be realized fully in combination with other modalities such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy and radiotherapy. In this study, we examine the oncolytic activity of reovirus T3D and chemotherapeutic agents against human prostate cancer cell lines, with particular focus on the highly metastatic cell line PC3 and the chemotherapeutic agent docetaxel. Docetaxel is the standard of care for metastatic prostate cancer and acts by disrupting the normal process of microtubule assembly and disassembly. Reoviruses have been shown to associate with microtubules and may require this association for efficient viral replication.

Methods

The effects of reovirus and chemotherapy on in vitro cytotoxicity were investigated in PC3 and Du 145 cells and the interactions between agents were assessed by combination index analysis. An Annexin V/propidium iodide fluorescence-activated cell sorting-based assay was used to determine mode of cell death. The effects of reovirus and docetaxel administered as single agent or combination therapy were tested in vivo in a murine model. The effects of docetaxel and reovirus, alone and together, on microtubule stabilisation were investigated by Western blot analysis.

Results

Variable degrees of synergistic cytotoxicity were observed in PC3 and Du 145 cells exposed to live reovirus and several chemotherapy agents. Combination of reovirus infection with docetaxel exposure led to increased late apoptotic/necrotic cell populations. Reovirus/docetaxel combined therapy led to reduced tumour growth and increased survival in a PC3 tumour bearing mouse model. Microtubule stabilization was enhanced in PC3 cells treated with reovirus/docetaxel combined therapy compared to other reovirus/chemotherapy combinations.

Conclusions

The co-administration of a variety of chemotherapeutic agents with live reovirus was able to enhance cytotoxicity synergistically in vitro. The combination of docetaxel with reovirus also delayed tumour growth and improved survival in vivo. Enhanced microtubule stabilisation following this combination treatment may, in part, explain the mechanism of synergy. These results provide evidence to support the ongoing clinical trials using these agents.
The role of dietary fatty acids in predicting myocardial structure in fat-fed rats
Authors: Jeckel Kimberly M , Miller Kelsey E , Chicco Adam J , Chapman Phillip L , Mulligan Christopher M , Falcone Paul H , Miller Melissa L , Pagliassotti Michael J , Frye Melinda A
Published: June 2011

Background

Obesity increases the risk for development of cardiomyopathy in the absence of hypertension, diabetes or myocardial ischemia. Not all obese individuals, however, progress to heart failure. Indeed, obesity may provide protection from cardiovascular mortality in some populations. The fatty acid milieu, modulated by diet, may modify obesity-induced myocardial structure and function, lending partial explanation for the array of cardiomyopathic phenotypy in obese individuals.

Methods

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 1 of the following 4 diets for 32 weeks: control (CON); 50% saturated fat (SAT); 40% saturated fat + 10% linoleic acid (SAT+LA); 40% saturated fat + 10% α-linolenic acid (SAT+ALA). Serum leptin, insulin, glucose, free fatty acids and triglycerides were quantitated. In vivo cardiovascular outcomes included blood pressure, heart rate and echocardiographic measurements of structure and function. The rats were sacrificed and myocardium was processed for fatty acid analysis (TLC-GC), and evaluation of potential modifiers of myocardial structure including collagen (Masson's trichrome, hydroxyproline quantitation), lipid (Oil Red O, triglyceride quantitation) and myocyte cross sectional area.

Results

Rats fed SAT+LA and SAT+ALA diets had greater cranial LV wall thickness compared to rats fed CON and SAT diets, in the absence of hypertension or apparent insulin resistance. Treatment was not associated with changes in myocardial function. Myocardial collagen and triglycerides were similar among treatment groups; however, rats fed the high-fat diets, regardless of composition, demonstrated increased myocyte cross sectional area.

Conclusions

Under conditions of high-fat feeding, replacement of 10% saturated fat with either LA or ALA is associated with thickening of the cranial LV wall, but without concomitant functional changes. Increased myocyte size appears to be a more likely contributor to early LV thickening in response to high-fat feeding. These findings suggest that myocyte hypertrophy may be an early change leading to gross LV hypertrophy in the hearts of "healthy" obese rats, in the absence of hypertension, diabetes and myocardial ischemia.