bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Severity of Acute Puumala Hantavirus Infection Does Not Predict the Long-Term Outcome of Patients
Authors: Miettinen Marja H. , Mäkelä Satu M. , Ala-Houhala Ilpo O. , Huhtala Heini S.A. , Hurme Mikko A. , Kööbi Tiit , Partanen Jukka A. , Pasternack Amos I. , Vaheri Antti , Pörsti Ilkka H. , Mustonen Jukka T.
Published: May 2010

Background/Aims: We have found greater urinary protein excretion and higher glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and blood pressure in patients 6 years after acute nephropathia epidemica (NE) compared with seronegative controls. The present aim was to establish whether the long-term outcome is determined by the severity of acute illness. Methods: Serial plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), creatinine, C-reactive protein, blood cell count as well as 24-hour urinary protein and overnight α1-microglobulin and albumin excretions were measured in 37 patients with acute NE. Human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B, HLA-DRB1, TNF-α(–308) and IL-6(–174) alleles were also analyzed. After 6 years, GFR, blood pressure and urinary protein excretion were examined. Results: There were no associations between the clinical severity of acute NE or the genetic factors determined and the increased GFR, hypertension or 24-hour urinary protein excretion observed 6 years later. The degree of inflammation during the acute phase was higher in patients who had increased urinary excretion of α1-microglobulin 6 years later compared with those with no α1-microglobulin excretion. Conclusion: Neither the severity of acute NE nor the host genetic factors determined the predicted renal function, blood pressure or 24-hour urinary protein excretion 6 years later.
Estimated Lean Body Mass Is More Appropriate than Body Surface Area for Scaling Glomerular Filtration Rate and Extracellular Fluid Volume
Authors: Peters A. Michael , Snelling Hayley L.R. , Glass Daphne M. , Love Shirley , Bird Nicholas J.
Published: May 2010

Background/Aims: To compare body surface area (BSA) with lean body mass (LBM) for scaling extracellular fluid volume (ECV) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Methods:Phase 1: Total body water (TBW), bromide space and LBM were measured with 3H-water, 77Br and dual X-ray absorptiometry, respectively, in 6 healthy adults. Phase 2: ECV and GFR were measured with 51Cr-EDTA in 95 healthy adults and 56 children (0.5–13 years). ECV was calculated as GFR divided by GFR/ECV, both corrected for the one-compartment assumption. LBM was estimated (eLBM) in adults from height and weight and in children using a height/weight formula for estimating ECV and a constant derived from a separate adult population relating ECV to eLBM. Results:Phase 1: LBM and BSA correlated closely with TBW and bromide space. With LBM, the regressions passed through the origin, but with BSA, the intercepts were significantly below zero. Phase 2: GFR/BSA and ECV/BSA were higher in men than women but no difference was recorded in GFR/eLBM, GFR/ECV or ECV/eLBM. ECV showed a linear relation with eLBM and a non-linear relation with BSA. GFR/BSA and ECV/BSA correlated significantly with BSA but neither GFR/eLBM nor ECV/eLBM correlated with eLBM. Conclusion: eLBM is preferable to BSA for scaling GFR and ECV.
Adenovirus-Mediated Decorin Gene Transfection Has Therapeutic Effects in a Streptozocin-Induced Diabetic Rat Model
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Wu Fang , Zheng FenPing , Li Hong
Published: May 2010

Background/Aims: Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a key mediator in diabeticnephropathy (DN). Decorin, a natural inhibitor of TGF-β1, may have healing properties. We investigated whether overexpression of decorin in the kidneys of streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats improved pathogenic and clinical changes of DN. Methods: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were evenly divided into 4 groups: STZ-induced diabetic rats (diabetic-control), decorin adenovirus vector (Ad)-treated STZ rats (Ad-decorin), and Ad-lacZ-treated STZ rats (Ad-lacZ), and vehicle control (PBS-control). At 10, 12, and 16 weeks after STZ treatment, we measured urinary albumin excretion (UAE), and immunolabeled type IV collagen in histological samples of rat kidney. We also measured kidney decorin and TGF-β1 levels by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Phosphorylated Smad2,3 (p-Smad2,3) was also measured by Western blot. Results: Decorin gene transfection mediated by a recombinant adenovirus has antirenal fibrosis and anti-albuminuria effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats. TGF-β1 mRNA and protein expression in diabetic kidney were reduced 2 weeks after Ad-decorin injection. Conclusion: The renal protective effect of decorin in diabetic rats is at least partly due to the downregulation of the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. Ad-decorin shows potential as a therapeutic for human DN.
Efficacy of Novel Oral Formulations of α/β Arteether against Multidrug-Resistant Malaria in Mice
Authors: Tripathi Renu , Khanna Madhu , Dwivedi Anil Kumar
Published: May 2010

Background: α/β arteether (AE), an effective artemisinin derivative, was developed as intramuscular injection for multidrug-resistant (MDR) and severe falciparum malaria, but intramuscular treatment has its own limitations and cannot be given to patients in rural areas where proper hospital facilities are not available and people are reluctant to take injections. Due to widespread occurrence of MDR strains of Plasmodiumfalciparum, an oral AE formulation is urgently needed to cure the malaria patients. Methods: Several AE formulations were prepared and tested orally in Swiss mice infected with MDR P. yoelii nigeriensis at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day for 5 days. The comparative antimalarial efficacy of eight different AE formulations was assessed at different time intervals in treated and control animals. Results: Three new AE formulations, namely AE F-2, F-10B and F-14, were found to have 100% curative antimalarial activity in an experimental model, as shown by survival of treated animals beyond 28 days, with no recrudescence of parasitemia being recorded. Another two formulations, AE F-8 and F-9B, produced 96–97% cure. Conclusion: Five α/β AE formulations (F-2, F-10B, F-8, F-9B and F-14) can be considered potential candidates for further drug development. AE F-14, a solid dosage form of AE prepared by completely removing oil and incorporating 0.2% cholesterol, is a new promising lead, even in pediatric malaria, which can reduce the neurotoxic potential of AE and other artemisinin derivatives.
Vitamin D, Ultraviolet Exposure, and Skin Cancer in the Elderly
Authors: Barysch Marjam Jeanette , Hofbauer Günther F. , Dummer Reinhard
Published: May 2010

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has both beneficial and harmful effects on the human body. Its most important beneficial effect may be vitamin D production in the skin, also known as vitamin D photosynthesis. This is of particular interest for the elderly who often show vitamin D-deficiency. Intentional UV exposure has been recommended by different institutions in order to increase vitamin D levels. Nevertheless, UV radiation directly causes DNA damage and is verifiably responsible for carcinogenesis, potentially resulting in lethal skin cancers. Unfortunately, skin cancer incidence is rising worldwide, and there is still a lack of appropriate treatment for metastasized types. The only proven and avoidable risk factor is UV radiation. It has been shown that the earlier UV protection is started, the greater the benefit in terms of skin cancer prevention. Nevertheless, even if UV protection is started at older ages, individuals will benefit measurably. Because UV radiation is neither a reliable nor a safe method of achieving healthy vitamin D levels, intentional UV radiation is not recommended to increase vitamin D levels. In order to prevent skin cancer, UV protection is to be conducted as commonly recommended, by minimizing sun exposure, and especially sunburn, with appropriate sun protective behaviors, e.g. usage of sunscreen and clothing (hat, sunglasses, long sleeves, and pants). Infants must be protected with extra care. Tanning beds must be avoided.
microRNA-222 Controls Neovascularization by Regulating Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 5A Expression
Authors: Dentelli Patrizia , Rosso Arturo , Orso Francesca , Olgasi Cristina , Taverna Daniela , Brizzi Maria Felice
Published: May 2010

Objective—

Inflammatory stimuli released into atherosclerotic plaque microenvironment regulate vessel formation by modulating gene expression and translation. microRNAs are a class of short noncoding RNAs, acting as posttranscriptional regulators of protein-coding genes involved in various biological processes, including vascular cell biology. Among them, microRNA-221/222 (miR-221/222) seem to negatively modulate vascular remodeling by targeting different target genes. Here, we investigated their potential contribution to inflammation-mediated neovessel formation.

Methods and Results—

We used quantitative real-time RT-PCR amplification to analyze expression of 7 microRNAs previously linked to vascular biology, such as miR-17-5p, miR-21, miR-126, miR-210, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-296 and found high levels of expression for all of them in quiescent endothelial cells. However, miR-126, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-296 turned out to be down-modulated in endothelial cells exposed to inflammatory stimuli. Applying a gain-of-function approach, we demonstrated that, among them, only miR-222 was involved in inflammation-mediated vascular remodeling. In addition, we identified signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A (STAT5A) as a bona fide target of miR-222 and observed that miR-222 negatively correlated with STAT5A expression in human endothelial cells from advanced neovascularized atherosclerotic lesions.

Conclusion—

We identified STAT5A as a novel miR-222 target, and this finding opens up new perspectives for treatment of vascular diseases.
EH Domain Proteins Regulate Cardiac Membrane Protein Targeting
Authors: Gudmundsson Hjalti , Hund Thomas J. , Wright Patrick J. , Kline Crystal F. , Snyder Jedidiah S. , Qian Lan , Koval Olha M. , Cunha Shane R. , George Manju , Rainey Mark A. , Kashef Farshid E. , Dun Wen , Boyden Penelope A. , Anderson Mark E. , Band Hamid , Mohler Peter J.
Published: May 2010

Rationale
:

Cardiac membrane excitability is tightly regulated by an integrated network of membrane-associated ion channels, transporters, receptors, and signaling molecules. Membrane protein dynamics in health and disease are maintained by a complex ensemble of intracellular targeting, scaffolding, recycling, and degradation pathways. Surprisingly, despite decades of research linking dysfunction in membrane protein trafficking with human cardiovascular disease, essentially nothing is known regarding the molecular identity or function of these intracellular targeting pathways in excitable cardiomyocytes.

Objective
:

We sought to discover novel pathways for membrane protein targeting in primary cardiomyocytes.

Methods and Results
:

We report the initial characterization of a large family of membrane trafficking proteins in human heart. We used a tissue-wide screen for novel ankyrin-associated trafficking proteins and identified 4 members of a unique Eps15 homology (EH) domain–containing protein family (EHD1, EHD2, EHD3, EHD4) that serve critical roles in endosome-based membrane protein targeting in other cell types. We show that EHD1-4 directly associate with ankyrin, provide the first information on the expression and localization of these molecules in primary cardiomyocytes, and demonstrate that EHD1-4 are coexpressed with ankyrin-B in the myocyte perinuclear region. Notably, the expression of multiple EHD proteins is increased in animal models lacking ankyrin-B, and EHD3-deficient cardiomyocytes display aberrant ankyrin-B localization and selective loss of Na/Ca exchanger expression and function. Finally, we report significant modulation of EHD expression following myocardial infarction, suggesting that these proteins may play a key role in regulating membrane excitability in normal and diseased heart.

Conclusions
:

Our findings identify and characterize a new class of cardiac trafficking proteins, define the first group of proteins associated with the ankyrin-based targeting network, and identify potential new targets to modulate membrane excitability in disease. Notably, these data provide the first link between EHD proteins and a human disease model.
Low Doses of Lipopolysaccharide and Minimally Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Cooperatively Activate Macrophages via Nuclear Factor κB and Activator Protein-1
Authors: Wiesner Philipp , Choi Soo-Ho , Almazan Felicidad , Benner Christopher , Huang Wendy , Diehl Cody J. , Gonen Ayelet , Butler Susan , Witztum Joseph L. , Glass Christopher K. , Miller Yury I.
Published: May 2010

Rationale
:

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is an important determinant of inflammation in atherosclerotic lesions. It has also been documented that certain chronic infectious diseases, such as periodontitis and chlamydial infection, exacerbate clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis. In addition, low-level but persistent metabolic endotoxemia is often found in diabetic and obese subjects and is induced in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Objective
:

In this study, we examined cooperative macrophage activation by low levels of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and by minimally oxidized LDL (mmLDL), as a model for subclinical endotoxemia-complicated atherosclerosis.

Methods and Results
:

We found that both in vitro and in vivo, mmLDL and LPS (Kdo2-LipidA) cooperatively activated macrophages to express proinflammatory cytokines Cxcl2 (MIP-2), Ccl3 (MIP-1α), and Ccl4 (MIP-1β). Importantly, the mmLDL and LPS cooperative effects were evident at a threshold LPS concentration (1 ng/mL) at which LPS alone induced only a limited macrophage response. Analyzing microarray data with a de novo motif discovery algorithm, we found that genes transcribed by promoters containing an activator protein (AP)-1 binding site were significantly upregulated by costimulation with mmLDL and LPS. In a nuclear factor–DNA binding assay, the cooperative effect of mmLDL and LPS costimulation on c-Jun and c-Fos DNA binding, but not on p65 or p50, was dependent on mmLDL-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. In addition, mmLDL induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent derepression of AP-1 by removing nuclear receptor corepressor (NCoR) from the chemokine promoters.

Conclusions
:

The cooperative engagement of AP-1 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB by mmLDL and LPS may constitute a mechanism of increased transcription of inflammatory cytokines within atherosclerotic lesions.
Activation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Parathyroid Hormone Receptor Inhibits Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling and Aortic Fibrosis in Diabetic Arteriosclerosis
Authors: Cheng Su-Li , Shao Jian-Su , Halstead Linda R. , Distelhorst Kathryn , Sierra Oscar , Towler Dwight A.
Published: May 2010

Rationale
:

Vascular fibrosis and calcification contribute to diabetic arteriosclerosis, impairing Windkessel physiology necessary for distal tissue perfusion. Wnt family members, upregulated in arteries by the low-grade inflammation of “diabesity,” stimulate type I collagen expression and osteogenic mineralization of mesenchymal progenitors via β-catenin. Conversely, parathyroid hormone (PTH) inhibits aortic calcification in low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)-deficient mice fed high fat diabetogenic diets (HFD).

Objective
:

We sought to determine the impact of vascular PTH receptor (PTH1R) activity on arteriosclerotic Wnt/β-catenin signaling in vitro and in vivo. We generated SM-caPTH1R transgenic mice, a model in which the constitutively active PTH1R variant H223R (caPTH1R) is expressed only in the vasculature.

Methods and Results
:

The caPTH1R inhibited Wnt/β-catenin signaling, collagen production, and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and calcification in vitro. Transgenic SM-caPTH1R;LDLR
+/−
mice fed HFD develop diabesity, with no improvements in fasting serum glucose, cholesterol, weight, body composition, or bone mass versus LDLR
+/−
siblings. SM-caPTH1R downregulated aortic
Col1A1
,
Runx2
, and
Nox1
expression without altering
TNF
,
Msx2
,
Wnt7a/b
, or
Nox4
. The SM-caPTH1R transgene decreased aortic β-catenin protein accumulation and signaling in diabetic LDLR
+/−
mice. Levels of aortic superoxide (a precursor of peroxide that activates pro–matrix metalloproteinase 9 and osteogenic signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells) were suppressed by the SM-caPTH1R transgene. Aortic calcification, collagen accumulation, and wall thickness were concomitantly reduced, enhancing vessel distensibility.

Conclusions
:

Cell-autonomous vascular smooth muscle cell PTH1R activity inhibits arteriosclerotic Wnt/β-catenin signaling and reduces vascular oxidative stress, thus limiting aortic type I collagen and calcium accrual in diabetic LDLR-deficient mice.
Open, Randomized Pilot Study After First Stroke
Authors: Welin Lennart , Bjälkefur Kerstin , Roland Ingrid
Published: May 2010

Background and Purpose—

Although care in stroke units has improved outcome in stroke patients, it is less clear whether specialized outpatient care after stroke can further improve the prognosis. We therefore conducted a pilot study comparing specialized long-term care with usual care after a first stroke.

Methods—

During a 2-year period, 549 patients were discharged alive from our stroke unit. Eighty-one patients were randomized to follow-up care at the stroke outpatient clinic (intervention group), and 82 patients were randomized to follow-up care with their general practitioner (control group).

Results—

No differences in baseline variables were noted between the 2 groups. At the 12-month visit, there were no significant differences between the groups with respect to handicap, depression, and perceived health. During 3.5 years of follow-up, no differences in mortality, stroke recurrence rate, and unplanned hospitalizations were observed between the groups.

Conclusions—

In this small pilot study, specialized follow-up service for stroke patients was not superior to “usual care.”
Development of Stroke Performance Measures
Authors: Reeves Mathew J. , Parker Carol , Fonarow Gregg C. , Smith Eric E. , Schwamm Lee H.
Published: May 2010

Background and Purpose—

In the United States and elsewhere, stroke performance measures have been developed to monitor and improve the quality of care. The process by which these measures are developed, implemented, and evaluated is complex, evolving, and not widely understood. We review the methodological development of stroke performance measures in the United States.

Methods—

A literature search identified articles that addressed the development and endorsement of performance measures for stroke care. Emphasis was given to articles specific to acute stroke, but when these were lacking, other cardiovascular diseases were included.

Results—

Ten process-based performance measures relevant to acute hospital-based stroke care have now been developed and endorsed. These measures include intravenous thrombolysis, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, dysphagia screening, stroke education, and discharge-related medications and assessments. There are currently at least 5 major US-based stroke quality improvement programs implementing stroke measures. Data indicate that rapid improvements in the quality of stroke care can be induced by the systematic collection and evaluation of stroke performance measures. However, current stroke measures are relatively limited, addressing only inpatient care and mostly patients with ischemic stroke.

Conclusions—

Stroke quality improvement is still in its early stages, but data suggest that large-scale improvements in stroke care can result from the implementation of stroke performance measures. Performance measures that address multidisciplinary stroke unit care, outpatient-based care, and patient-oriented outcomes such as functional recovery should be considered. Ongoing challenges relevant to stroke quality improvement include the role of public reporting and the need to link better stroke care to improved patient outcomes.
Isolated Vestibular Nucleus Infarction Mimicking Acute Peripheral Vestibulopathy
Authors: Kim Hyun-Ah , Lee Hyung
Published: May 2010

Background and Purpose—

Although several articles have been published on central vestibular syndrome mimicking acute peripheral vestibulopathy (ie, pseudo–acute peripheral vestibulopathy), there are no reports of a brainstem infarct that selectively involves the vestibular nucleus and causes isolated vertigo.

Summary of Case—

We report a patient with an isolated vestibular nucleus infarction who presented with isolated prolonged vertigo, spontaneous horizontal nystagmus with a torsional component, a positive head impulse test result, and unilateral canal paresis to caloric stimulation.

Conclusions—

This is the first report of pseudo–acute peripheral vestibulopathy associated with isolated vestibular nucleus infarction. Isolated vestibular nucleus infarction should be considered in the differential diagnosis of central vascular vertigo syndrome, especially when the patient has unilateral canal paresis but without other neurologic symptoms or signs.
Combining Theta Burst Stimulation With Training After Subcortical Stroke
Authors: Ackerley Suzanne J. , Stinear Cathy M. , Barber P. Alan , Byblow Winston D.
Published: May 2010

Background and Purpose—

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the primary motor cortex (M1) may improve outcomes after stroke. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of M1 theta burst stimulation (TBS) and standardized motor training on upper-limb function of patients with chronic stroke.

Methods—

Ten patients with chronic subcortical stroke and upper-limb impairment were recruited to this double-blind, crossover, sham-controlled study. Intermittent TBS of the ipsilesional M1, continuous TBS of the contralesional M1, and sham TBS were delivered in separate sessions in conjunction with standardized training of a precision grip task using the paretic upper limb.

Results—

Training after real TBS improved paretic-hand grip-lift kinetics, whereas training after sham TBS resulted in deterioration of grip-lift. Ipsilesional M1 excitability increased after intermittent TBS of the ipsilesional M1 but decreased after continuous TBS of the contralesional M1. Action Research Arm Test scores deteriorated when training followed continuous TBS of the contralesional M1, and this was correlated with reduced ipsilesional corticomotor excitability.

Conclusions—

Generally, TBS and training led to task-specific improvements in grip-lift. Specifically, continuous TBS of the contralesional M1 led to an overall decrement in upper-limb function, indicating that the contralesional hemisphere may play a pivotal role in recovery after stroke.
Satellite and Radar Remote Sensing of Southern Plains Grass Fires: A Case Study
Authors: Jones Thomas A. , Christopher Sundar A.
Published: May 2010

Many large grass fires occurred in north Texas and southern Oklahoma on 9 April 2009, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses and burning thousands of acres of grasslands, producing large smoke and debris plumes that were visible from various remote sensing platforms. At the same time, strong westerly winds were transporting large amounts of dust into the region, mixing with the smoke and debris already being generated. This research uses surface- and satellite-based remote sensing observations of this event to assess the locations of fires and the spatial distribution of smoke and dust aerosols. The authors present a unique perspective by analyzing radar observations of fire debris in conjunction with the satellite analysis of submicrometer smoke aerosol particles. Satellite data clearly show the location of the individual fires and the downwind smoke plumes as well as the large dust storm present over the region. In particular, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical thickness at 0.55 μm within the dust plume was around 0.5, and it increased to greater than 1.0 when combined with smoke. Using the difference in 11- versus 12-μm brightness temperature data combined with surface observations, the large extent of the dust plume was evident through much of north-central Texas, where visibilities were low and the 11–12-μm brightness temperature difference was negative. Conversely, smoke plumes were characterized by higher reflectance at 0.6 μm (visible wavelength). Cross sections of radar data through the several smoke and debris plumes indicated the burnt debris reached up to 5 km into the atmosphere. Plume height output from modified severe storm algorithms produced similar values. Since smoke aerosols are smaller and lighter when compared with the debris, they were likely being transported even higher into the atmosphere. These results show that the combination of satellite and radar data offers a unique perspective on observing the characteristics and evolution of smoke and debris plume emanating from grass fire events.
The Sensitivity of a Coupled Climate Model to Its Ocean Component
Authors: Megann A. P. , New A. L. , Blaker A. T. , Sinha B.
Published: May 2010

The control climates of two coupled climate models are intercompared. The first is the third climate configuration of the Met Office Unified Model (HadCM3), while the second, the Coupled Hadley–Isopycnic Model Experiment (CHIME), is identical to the first except for the replacement of its ocean component by the Hybrid-Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). Both models possess realistic and similar ocean heat transports and overturning circulation. However, substantial differences in the vertical structure of the two ocean components are observed, some of which are directly attributed to their different vertical coordinate systems. In particular, the sea surface temperature (SST) in CHIME is biased warm almost everywhere, particularly in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre, in contrast to HadCM3, which is biased cold except in the Southern Ocean. Whereas the HadCM3 ocean warms from just below the surface down to 1000-m depth, a similar warming in CHIME is more pronounced but shallower and confined to the upper 400 m, with cooling below this. This is particularly apparent in the subtropical thermoclines, which become more diffuse in HadCM3, but sharper in CHIME. This is interpreted as resulting from a more rigorously controlled diapycnal mixing in the interior isopycnic ocean in CHIME. Lower interior mixing is also apparent in the better representation and maintenance of key water masses in CHIME, such as Subantarctic Mode Water, Antarctic Intermediate Water, and North Atlantic Deep Water. Finally, the North Pacific SST cold error in HadCM3 is absent in CHIME, and may be related to a difference in the separation position of the Kuroshio. Disadvantages of CHIME include a nonconservation of heat equivalent to 0.5 W m−2 globally, and a warming and salinification of the northwestern Atlantic.
Decision Making by Austin, Texas, Residents in Hypothetical Tornado Scenarios*
Authors: Schultz David M. , Gruntfest Eve C. , Hayden Mary H. , Benight Charles C. , Drobot Sheldon , Barnes Lindsey R.
Published: May 2010

One of the goals of the Warning Project is to understand how people receive warnings of hazardous weather and subsequently use this information to make decisions. As part of the project, 519 surveys from Austin, Texas, floodplain residents were collected and analyzed. About 90% of respondents understood that a tornado warning represented a more serious and more likely threat than a tornado watch. Most respondents (86%) were not concerned about a limited number of false alarms or close calls reducing their confidence in future warnings, suggesting no cry-wolf effect. Most respondents reported safe decisions in two hypothetical scenarios: a tornado warning issued while the respondent was home and a tornado visible by the respondent while driving. However, nearly half the respondents indicated that they would seek shelter from a tornado under a highway overpass if they were driving. Despite the limitations of this study, these results suggest that more education is needed on the dangers of highway overpasses as shelter from severe weather.
Closing the Technology Adoption–Use Divide
Authors: Lanzolla Gianvito , Suarez Fernando F.
Published: May 2010

A firm may readily subscribe to a new technology but then fail to use it. This article advances existing technology diffusion theory by bringing in a new construct that can explain the likelihood of technology use after adoption. The authors define contiguous user bandwagon and show how this information diffusion mechanism can help in explaining the time to technology use. They test their hypotheses using data on the adoption and use of e-procurement technology (N = 3,158) in the early phase of its diffusion. The authors find support for the hypothesis that contiguous user bandwagon is a strong antecedent of time to technology use.
Does Levinas justify or transcend liberalism? Levinas on human liberation
Authors: Tahmasebi Victoria
Published: May 2010

Can Levinas be of any use for a radical political project beyond the liberal horizon? By illustrating the irreconcilability of Levinas’ ethico-politics to liberal conception of the individual, its rational peace and economic arrangement, this article argues that there is a radical distance between Levinas’ thought and the western liberal tradition. Yet demonstrating this irreducibility by itself does not expose the underlying radical possibilities of Levinas’ ethics. This task is accomplished by providing a new reading of the ‘third’ in which this concept, instead of merely expressing the betrayal of ethics, points to two simultaneous orders of justice: formal and ethical. The ethical order of justice indicates that the formal justice exists so that the state fulfills its promise of furnishing the human condition with a face-to-face relation. The ethical order of justice simultaneously contains and transcends formal justice, exposing the structural inability of liberalism to offer a fundamental conception of human liberation.
The ‘birth of truth’: Alain Badiou and Plato’s banishment of the poets
Authors: Maggio J.
Published: May 2010

Plato famously banishes the poets from his ideal city in book X of his Republic. Yet in this banishment Plato establishes the boundaries of reason, art and poetry — boundaries that have haunted western thinkers since antiquity. In this article I will explore those Platonic boundaries, specifically the intellectual limits of poetic writing as reflected upon by self-identified Platonist Alain Badiou. That being said, I am not attempting, strictly speaking, to look at Badiou’s interpretation of Plato’s banishment of poetry. Instead, I am using the banishment as a springboard for discussion of Badiou’s notion of poetry as the ‘birth of truth’ in his Handbook of Inaesthetics. I will examine the way this text interacts with Plato’s conceptual banishment. I assert that this interaction should illuminate the status of writing — especially artistic writing — in the state.
More Than Just a Punctuation Mark: How Boys and Young Men Learn About Menstruation
Authors: Allen Katherine R. , Kaestle Christine E. , Goldberg Abbie E.
Published: May 2010

Parents, peers, schools, and the media are the primary contexts for educating young people about sexuality. Yet girls receive more sex education than boys, particularly in terms of menstruation. Lack of attention to how and what boys learn about menstruation has consequences for their private understanding about the biology of reproduction and also for social and cultural ideologies of gendered relationships. In this qualitative study, 23 written narratives from male undergraduates (aged 18-24 years) were analyzed using grounded theory methodology to explore how young men perceive their past and present learning about this uniquely female experience. Findings suggest that most boys first learned about menstruation in their families, primarily through their sisters’ menarche; menstruation is experienced—in boyhood at least—as a gender wedge; and most men described a developmental process of moving from a childish attitude of menstruation as “gross” to seeing themselves as maturing through the experience of an intimate relationship.
Review: The involvement of gamma-hydroxybutyrate in reported sexual assaults: a systematic review
Authors: Németh Zsófia , Kun Bernadette , Demetrovics Zsolt
Published: May 2010

Over the past few years gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has generated widespread media interest as a possible ‘date rape drug'. Our goal was to examine the extent to which GHB is associated with drug-facilitated sexual assaults. Literature was searched systematically and 11 studies, published between 1961 and June 30, 2009, were identified dealing specifically with the role of GHB in sexual assaults. GHB was detected in 0.2—4.4% of reported sexual assaults. The results demonstrate that a wide range of drugs may be present in cases of sexual assault, and many of them are much more frequent than GHB. Our results do not support the widespread labelling of GHB as a date rape drug as the prevalence of GHB is much lower than of other substances used in sexual assaults. On the other hand, however, the possible risk of GHB in this regard should not be neglected. Nevertheless, over-sensitive and sensation seeking media reports focusing on the association of sex crime and GHB might be counterproductive and misleading as they turn the attention away from other substances that are often used in sexual assaults.
Dose–response investigation into glucose facilitation of memory performance and mood in healthy young adults
Authors: Sünram-Lea Sandra I , Owen Lauren , Finnegan Yvonne , Hu Henglong
Published: May 2010

It has been suggested that the memory enhancing effect of glucose follows an inverted U-shaped curve, with 25 g resulting in optimal facilitation in healthy young adults. The aim of this study was to further investigate the dose dependency of the glucose facilitation effect in this population across different memory domains and to assess moderation by interindividual differences in glucose regulation and weight. Following a double-blind, repeated measures design, 30 participants were administered drinks containing five different doses of glucose (0 g, 15 g, 25 g, 50 g, and 60 g) and were tested across a range of memory tasks. Glycaemic response and changes in mood state were assessed following drink administration. Analysis of the data showed that glucose administration did not affect mood, but significant glucose facilitation of several memory tasks was observed. However, dose–response curves differed depending on the memory task with only performance on the long-term memory tasks adhering largely to the previously observed inverted U-shaped dose–response curve. Moderation of the response profiles by interindividual differences in glucose regulation and weight was observed. The current data suggest that dose–response function and optimal dose might depend on cognitive domain and are moderated by interindividual differences in glucose regulation and weight.
Immunohistochemical Study of Rabies Virus Within the Central Nervous System of Domestic and Wildlife Species
Authors: Stein L. T. , Rech R. R. , Harrison L. , Brown C. C.
Published: May 2010

Immunohistochemistry using a commercial polyclonal antibody for lyssavirus was applied to 39 archival cases of rabies. Paraffin blocks from 13 different species were available, including 3 dogs, 4 cats, 1 pig, 6 cattle, 4 horses, 1 llama, 7 skunks ( Mephitis mephitis), 7 raccoons ( Procyon lotor), 1 bat ( Myotis species), 1 white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus), 1 bobcat ( Lynx rufus), 2 gray foxes ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and 1 red fox ( Vulpes vulpes). All cases had previously been diagnosed as rabies using histopathology and/or fluorescent antibody testing. The immunohistochemistry technique successfully detected lyssavirus antigen in all cases. In species for which 3 or more samples were available, distributional trends were seen in 4 main brain regions: brainstem, cerebellum, hippocampus, and cerebrum. The best site for rabies virus detection in dogs and cats was the hippocampus. For cattle, viral antigen was most prominent in the brainstem, followed by the cerebellum. In horses, the cervical spinal cord and adjacent brainstem were the optimal sites for detecting rabies virus antigen. In raccoons and skunks, positive labeling was widely dispersed, so selection might be less important for these wildlife reservoir species. Immunohistochemistry should prove useful in enhancing the accuracy of rabies diagnosis through informed selection of brain sampling sites when composite sampling is not feasible. This immunohistochemical technique could provide reliable virus detection in formalin-fixed tissues in any potentially infected species.
Preseason Shoulder Strength Measurements in Professional Baseball Pitchers
Authors: Byram Ian R. , Bushnell Brandon D. , Dugger Keith , Charron Kevin , Harrell Frank E. , Noonan Thomas J.
Published: May 2010

Background: The ability to identify pitchers at risk for injury could be valuable to a professional baseball organization. To our knowledge, there have been no prior studies examining the predictive value of preseason strength measurements.

Hypothesis: Preseason weakness of shoulder external rotators is associated with increased risk of in-season throwing-related injury in professional baseball pitchers.

Study Design: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods: Preseason shoulder strength was measured for all pitchers in a professional baseball organization over a 5-year period (2001-2005). Prone internal rotation (IR), prone external rotation (PER), seated external rotation (SER), and supraspinatus (SS) strength were tested during spring training before each season. The players were then prospectively followed throughout the season for incidence of throwing-related injury. Injuries were categorized on an ordinal scale, with no injury, injury treated conservatively, and injury resulting in surgery delineated 0, 1, and 2, respectively. Subset analyses of shoulder injuries and of players with prior surgery were also performed. The association between strength measurements and injury was analyzed using Spearman rank correlation.

Results: A statistically significant association was observed for PER strength ( P = .003), SER strength ( P = .048), and SS strength ( P = .006) with throwing-related injury requiring surgical intervention. Supraspinatus strength was also significantly associated with incidence of any shoulder injury ( P = .031). There was an association between the ratio of PER/IR strength and incidence of shoulder injury ( P = .037) and some evidence for an association with overall incidence of throwing-related injury ( P = .051). No associations were noted in the subgroup of players with prior surgery.

Conclusion: Preseason weakness of external rotation and SS strength is associated with in-season throwing-related injury resulting in surgical intervention in professional baseball pitchers. Thus, preseason strength data may help identify players at risk for injury and formulate strengthening plans for prevention.
Spinal Column and Spinal Cord Injuries in Mountain Bikers
Authors: Dodwell Emily R. , Kwon Brian K. , Hughes Barbara , Koo David , Townson Andrea , Aludino Allan , Simons Richard K. , Fisher Charles G. , Dvorak Marcel F. , Noonan Vanessa K.
Published: May 2010

Background: Multiple studies have described in general the injuries associated with mountain biking, and detailed accounts of spine injuries sustained in hockey, gymnastics, skiing, snowboarding, rugby, and paragliding have previously been published. However, no large-scale detailed assessment of mountain biking associated spinal fractures and spinal cord injuries has previously been published.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to describe the patient demographics, injuries, mechanisms, treatments, outcomes, and resource requirements associated with spine injuries sustained while mountain biking.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: Patients who were injured while mountain biking, and who were seen at a provincial spine referral center between 1995 and 2007 inclusive, with spinal cord injuries and/or spine fracture were included. A chart review was performed to obtain demographic data, and details of the injury, treatment, outcome, and resource requirements.

Results: A total of 102 men and 5 women were identified for inclusion. The mean age at injury was 32.7 years (95% confidence interval 30.6, 35.0). Seventy-nine patients (73.8%) sustained cervical injuries, while the remainder sustained thoracic or lumbar injuries. Forty-three patients (40.2%) sustained a spinal cord injury. Of those with cord injuries, 18 (41.9%) were American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) A, 5 (11.6%) were ASIA B, 10 (23.3%) ASIA C, and 10 (23.3%) ASIA D. Sixty-seven patients (62.6%) required surgical treatment. The mean length of stay in an acute hospital bed was 16.9 days (95% confidence interval 13.1, 30.0). Thirty-three patients (30.8%) required intensive care unit attention, and 31 patients (29.0%) required inpatient rehabilitation. Of the 43 patients (40.2%) seen with spinal cord injuries, 14 (32.5%) improved by 1 ASIA category, and 1 (2.3%) improved by 2 ASIA categories. Two patients remained ventilator-dependent at discharge.

Conclusion: Spine fractures and spinal cord injuries caused by mountain biking accidents typically affect young, male, recreational riders. The medical, personal, and societal costs of these injuries are high. Injury prevention should remain a primary goal, and further research is necessary to explore the utility of educational programs, and the effect of helmets and other protective gear on spine injuries sustained while mountain biking.
Association of Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury With Presence and Thickness of a Bony Ridge on the Anteromedial Aspect of the Femoral Intercondylar Notch
Authors: Everhart Joshua S. , Flanigan David C. , Simon Robert A. , Chaudhari Ajit M.W.
Published: May 2010

Background: Noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injuries are among the most common injuries in sports medicine, and identification of risk factors for noncontact injury is an area of active research.

Hypothesis: Evaluation of the femoral notch along the path of the anterior cruciate ligament may elucidate anatomical risk factors previously unseen on conventional images.

Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients with noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injuries were matched to healthy individuals for height, weight, age, and sex in this case-control study. Sagittal magnetic resonance images of the contralateral knee of the injured patients and randomized knees of the healthy controls were digitally transformed for viewing along the plane of the anterior cruciate ligament and evaluated for abnormalities of femoral notch outlet shape. Femoral notch shape was also evaluated by computer-generated surface models of the knee.

Results: A bone ridge was observed on the medial side of the anterior notch outlet, and increasing ridge thickness was strongly associated with noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury (3.87 ± 2.17 mm in injured and 2.16 ±1.80 mm in controls; P = .0014). Anterior and posterior femoral notch outlet stenosis were both significantly associated with noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury ( P = .0008 and .02, respectively), although anterior outlet stenosis became nonsignificant when stratified by the presence of an anteromedial bone ridge. Finally, images directed through the femoral notch with the knee at 45° of flexion provided an unobstructed view for ridge detection that may be utilized in plain radiography.

Conclusion: The presence and thickness of an anteromedial bone ridge in the femoral notch has been identified as a potential risk factor for noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury. A biomechanical injury model involving the femoral notch ridge in anterior cruciate ligament tears is proposed in which the anterior cruciate ligament may be tented and stretched over the anteromedial notch ridge during knee valgus and internal tibial rotation; alternatively, the anterior cruciate ligament may be impinged at the lateral anterior outlet wall during knee valgus and external tibial rotation. Further investigation to determine the origin of the bone ridges and the validity of the proposed injury model is recommended.
Trisomy 8 Mosaicism and Favorable Outcome After Treatment of Infantile Spasms: Case Report
Authors: Datta Anita , Picker Jonathan , Rotenberg Alexander
Published: May 2010

Constitutional mosaic trisomy 8 syndrome occurs in approximately 1 of 35 000 live births. Clinically, it has a variable presentation. Some patients are asymptomatic, while others have multisystemic involvement. The overall incidence of neurological abnormalities has not been reported, but seizures are among the neurological symptoms associated with this condition. Previous reports describe astatic seizures, complex partial seizures, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and absence seizures with the age of onset varying from 3 months to early childhood. However, instances of infantile spasms and the patients’ response to treatment have not been reported to our knowledge. Accordingly, we report a case of a patient with constitutional mosaic trisomy 8 syndrome and infantile spasms, who became seizure free after treatment with adrencorticotropic hormone and clonazepam.
Grinding On the Dance Floor
Authors: Ronen Shelly
Published: May 2010

In this article, the author explores the gendered dynamics of “grinding,” sexualized dancing common at college parties. Drawing on the observations of student participant observers, the author describes the common script for initiating this behavior. At these parties, men initiated more often and more directly than women, whose behaviors were shaped by a sexual double standard and (hetero-) relational imperative. The heterosexual grinding script enacts a gendered dynamic that reproduces systematic gender inequality by limiting women’s access to sexual agency and pleasure, privileging men’s pleasure and confirming their higher status.
Economic Dependence in Marriage and Husbands’ Midlife Health
Authors: Springer Kristen W.
Published: May 2010

Prior research suggests that midlife husbands have worse health when they earn less than their wives; however, the mechanism(s) for this relationship have not been evaluated. In this study, the author analyzes 1,319 heterosexual married couples from the Health and Retirement Study to explore three theoretically grounded mechanisms. The author begins by assessing two well-established family relations theories (economic resource and marital dissatisfaction) to explore the mediating effect of marital power and relationship quality. The author then draws from gender relations theory, multiple masculinities literature, and cognitive dissonance research to test the possibility of a male breadwinner mechanism. The results demonstrate that family relations theories are insufficient explanations but provide strong support for the male breadwinner mechanism. Specifically, being the secondary earner is harmful for the health of highest-income men—who historically have the strongest expectation of male breadwinning. These findings suggest that stereotypes about male breadwinning can be dangerous for men’s health.