bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease: Putative nutritive factors
Authors: ASADA Takashi
Published: September 2007

During the last decades, researchers have found several risk factors for the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementing illnesses. Among them, lifestyle‐related factors such as exercise and nutrition have received increasing attention. Only recently, several encouraging studies, both in animal experiments and human clinical trials, have been reported. These studies inspire us to develop effective interventions including lifestyle changes that might prevent the onset of human AD. In order to provide sound interventions against the development of AD, it is indispensable to evaluate in detail the putative risk factors for AD, especially modifiable lifestyle‐related factors. Thus, in this article, we review recent findings regarding nutrition as a possible prevention against AD. The main issues dealt in this review are as follows: dietary fat including omega‐3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA); diabetes (glucose, insulin); antioxidants (vitamin C & E); Ginkgo biloba and the Mediterranean diet.
The Processing of Formulaic Sequences by Second Language Speakers
Authors: JIANG NAN , NEKRASOVA TATIANA M.
Published: September 2007

A number of researchers have suggested that formulaic sequences are stored and processed holistically (Altenberg, 1998;Raupach, 1984;Schmitt & Carter, 2004;Spöttl & McCarthy, 2004). However, the evidence for this hypothesis has not been conclusive. The present study examined the representation and processing of formulaic sequences in two online grammaticality judgment experiments. English as a second language speakers and native English speakers were tested with formulaic and nonformulaic phrases matched for word length and frequency. The results showed that both native and nonnative speakers responded to the formulaic sequences significantly faster and with fewer errors than they did to nonformulaic sequences. The findings provide prevailing evidence in support of the holistic nature of formula representation and processing in second language speakers.
Supply and Demand Shifts in the Shorting Market
Authors: COHEN LAUREN , DIETHER KARL B. , MALLOY CHRISTOPHER J.
Published: September 2007

Using proprietary data on stock loan fees and quantities from a large institutional investor, we examine the link between the shorting market and stock prices. Employing a unique identification strategy, we isolate shifts in the supply and demand for shorting. We find that shorting demand is an important predictor of future stock returns: An increase in shorting demand leads to negative abnormal returns of 2.98% in the following month. Second, we show that our results are stronger in environments with less public information flow, suggesting that the shorting market is an important mechanism for private information revelation.
Exchange Rates and Cash Flows in Differentiated Product Industries: A Simulation Approach
Authors: FRIBERG RICHARD , GANSLANDT MATTIAS
Published: September 2007

How do exchange rate changes impact firms' cash flows? We extend a simulation method developed in industrial organization to answer this question. We use prices, quantities, and product characteristics for differentiated products, coupled with a discrete choice framework and an assumption of price competition, to estimate marginal costs for all producers. Using a Monte Carlo approach we generate counterfactual prices and profits for different levels of exchange rates. We illustrate the method using the market for bottled water. Our results stress that even in a relatively simple market such as this one, different brands face very different exchange rate risks.
Momentum and Credit Rating
Authors: AVRAMOV DORON , CHORDIA TARUN , JOSTOVA GERGANA , PHILIPOV ALEXANDER
Published: September 2007

This paper establishes a robust link between momentum and credit rating. Momentum profitability is large and significant among low‐grade firms, but it is nonexistent among high‐grade firms. The momentum payoffs documented in the literature are generated by low‐grade firms that account for less than 4% of the overall market capitalization of rated firms. The momentum payoff differential across credit rating groups is unexplained by firm size, firm age, analyst forecast dispersion, leverage, return volatility, and cash flow volatility.
Are intrauterine growth restriction and preterm birth associated with dental caries?
Authors: Saraiva Maria C.D. , Bettiol Heliosa , Barbieri Marco A. , Silva Antonio A.
Published: September 2007

Abstract –  Objectives:  To assess the association between two intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) surrogates – IUGR [small for gestational age birth (SGA) and fetal growth restriction (FGR)] and preterm birth with dental caries.

Methods:  Data from the Third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (1988–1994) were used, including 2‐ to 5.9‐year‐old singletons (n = 3189). Dental caries was defined as presence of any teeth with dental caries (treated or untreated) and also as presence of at least two teeth with dental caries. Exposure variables were preterm birth (<37 gestational weeks), FGR, and SGA. Covariates included were poverty, race/ethnicity, age, sex, sucrose intake, environmental tobacco smoking, dental visits, education of head of household, breastfeeding, and use of baby bottle. Separate statistical analyses were conducted for IUGR and for preterm birth through the estimation of prevalence ratio (PR), taking complex sampling design into consideration and adjusting for confounders. Sensitivity analysis was conducted including and excluding 2‐year‐old children and also with the two definitions of dental caries.

Results:  In general, the inclusion of 2‐year‐old children and the case definition of presence of any teeth with dental caries biased the results toward the null, but with no major changes in the results. In bivariate analysis, SGA and FGR birth were both negatively but not significantly associated with dental caries while a significant positive association was found for preterm birth. Sensitivity analysis showed that the PR for preterm in bivariate analysis varied from 1.65 (95% CI 1.14–2.40) to 1.84 (95% CI 1.19–2.83). After adjusting for confounders, the PR for preterm birth varied from 1.38 (95% CI 1.00–1.89) to 1.64 (95% CI 1.22–2.20). After adjustment, the PR for SGA varied from 0.79 (95% CI 0.56–101) to 0.66 (95% CI 0.33–0.96). For children from 3 to 5.9 years old, the adjusted PR for FGR using the category ‘none’ as reference were mild (PR 1.10; 95% CI 0.76–1.58), moderate (PR 0.66; 95% CI 0.26–167), and severe (PR 0.59; 95% CI 0.36–0.99). These values for FGR were very similar for the other models using other classifications of case definition or inclusion of 2‐year‐old children.

Conclusions:  Preterm birth was found to be positively associated with dental caries while there is an indication that SGA and FGR are negatively associated with dental caries. Although the negative association is counterintuitive, it is possible that increased antibiotic use and delayed tooth eruption may explain the negative association between IUGR and dental caries.
Monotherapy with low‐dose thalidomide for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: better response rate with earlier treatment
Authors: Maisnar Vladimír , Radocha Jakub , Büchler Tomáš , Bláha Václav , Malý Jaroslav , Hájek Roman
Published: September 2007

Background:  Thalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug used in the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM). The optimal dosing regimen of thalidomide is not known.

Patients and methods:  We retrospectively analysed the overall response rate and response duration of 53 patients with relapsed MM who received thalidomide in a median dose of 100 mg daily. The aim of the study was to compare the response rates of thalidomide given as the second‐line treatment to those of thalidomide given as the third‐line therapy.

Results:  Of 33 patients receiving thalidomide as second line, 13 (39%) had overall treatment response. Of 20 patients treated with thalidomide monotherapy as the third‐line treatment, there were three treatment responses (15%) (P = 0.039). The median duration of treatment response in the second‐line thalidomide group (12 months, range 6–60 months) was twice as long as that in the third‐line thalidomide group (6 months, range 3–57 months), although the difference was not statistically significant, probably due to low number of patients. Only 6% of patients (3/53) had to stop the treatment because of toxicity.

Conclusions:  Monotherapy with low‐dose thalidomide results in treatment responses in approximately 30% of patients with advanced MM. The response rate appears to be higher if thalidomide treatment is started after the first relapse or progression in comparison with the second relapse or progression. Treatment toxicity is acceptable even with prolonged exposure to the drug.
Leptin as an indicator for carcass composition in farm animals
Authors: ALTMANN Monika , VON BORELL Eberhard
Published: September 2007

The function of leptin in livestock species has been intensively studied during recent years. Due to the associations between plasma leptin concentrations and body fat, leptin could be used as an indicator for the in vivo evaluation of carcass composition in breeding programs. This review specifically discusses leptin mRNA expression in several fat tissues, the relationship between plasma leptin and body fat and the influence of fasting on this association. It also refers to the limitations of the use of plasma leptin concentrations as a predictor for selection purposes in breeding animals. Furthermore, single nucleotide polymorphisms in the leptin gene have some effects on carcass traits and the leptin gene is considered to be a candidate gene for a marker‐assisted selection. However, these results are very inconsistent across various populations and need to be confirmed in future studies before leptin can be used efficiently in breeding programs and management.
Pinpointing the candidate region for muscular dystrophy in chickens with an abnormal muscle gene
Authors: MATSUMOTO Hirokazu , MARUSE Hideaki , YOSHIZAWA Kanako , SASAZAKI Shinji , FUJIWARA Akira , KIKUCHI Takeki , ICHIHARA Nobutsune , MUKAI Fumio , MANNEN Hideyuki
Published: September 2007

Muscular dystrophies, a group of inherited diseases with the progressive weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscle, contain genetically variable diseases. Though chicken muscular dystrophy with abnormal muscle (AM) has long been known, the gene responsible has not yet been identified. In this study, a resource family for AM was established with 487 F2 individuals and 22 gene markers, including microsatellite and insertion–deletion markers, were developed. The haplotypes were analyzed with these markers for the candidate region of GGA2q described in a previous study. The candidate region was successfully narrowed down to approximately 1Mbp. The region included seven functional genes predicted as the most likely AM candidates.
The ‘pair of sugar tongs’ site on the non‐catalytic domain C of barley α‐amylase participates in substrate binding and activity
Authors: Bozonnet Sophie , Jensen Morten T. , Nielsen Morten M. , Aghajari Nushin , Jensen Malene H. , Kramhøft Birte , Willemoës Martin , Tranier Samuel , Haser Richard , Svensson Birte
Published: September 2007

Some starch‐degrading enzymes accommodate carbohydrates at sites situated at a certain distance from the active site. In the crystal structure of barley α‐amylase 1, oligosaccharide is thus bound to the ‘sugar tongs’ site. This site on the non‐catalytic domain C in the C‐terminal part of the molecule contains a key residue, Tyr380, which has numerous contacts with the oligosaccharide. The mutant enzymes Y380A and Y380M failed to bind to β‐cyclodextrin‐Sepharose, a starch‐mimic resin used for α‐amylase affinity purification. The Kd for β‐cyclodextrin binding to Y380A and Y380M was 1.4 mm compared to 0.20–0.25 mm for the wild‐type, S378P and S378T enzymes. The substitution in the S378P enzyme mimics Pro376 in the barley α‐amylase 2 isozyme, which in spite of its conserved Tyr378 did not bind oligosaccharide at the ‘sugar tongs’ in the structure. Crystal structures of both wild‐type and S378P enzymes, but not the Y380A enzyme, showed binding of the pseudotetrasaccharide acarbose at the ‘sugar tongs’ site. The ‘sugar tongs’ site also contributed importantly to the adsorption to starch granules, as Kd = 0.47 mg·mL−1 for the wild‐type enzyme increased to 5.9 mg·mL−1 for Y380A, which moreover catalyzed the release of soluble oligosaccharides from starch granules with only 10% of the wild‐type activity. β‐cyclodextrin both inhibited binding to and suppressed activity on starch granules for wild‐type and S378P enzymes, but did not affect these properties of Y380A, reflecting the functional role of Tyr380. In addition, the Y380A enzyme hydrolyzed amylose with reduced multiple attack, emphasizing that the ‘sugar tongs’ participates in multivalent binding of polysaccharide substrates.
Ca2+‐Calmodulin is Involved in Betacyanin Accumulation Induced by Dark in C3 Halophyte Suaeda salsa
Authors: Wang Chang‐Quan , Wang Bao‐Shan
Published: September 2007

The C3 halophyte Suaeda salsa was used to investigate the roles of Ca2+, Ca2+ channels, and calmodulin (CaM) in betacyanin metabolism. Seeds of S. salsa were cultured in both the dark and light for 3 days. The fresh weight and betacyanin content were much higher in S. salsa seedlings formed in the dark than in seedlings formed in the light. The addition of Ca2+ to the half‐strength MS nutrient solution promoted betacyanin accumulation in the dark, whereas Ca2+ depletion by EGTA suppressed the dark‐induced betacyanin accumulation in shoots of S. salsa. The Ca2+ channel blocker LaCl3 also inhibited dark‐induced betacyanin accumulation. The highest activity of CaM and the maximum betacyanin content decreased by 51% and 45%, respectively, in shoots of S. salsa seedlings treated with the potent CaM antagonist chlorpromazine in the dark. Furthermore, the other CaM antagonist N‐(6‐aminohexyl)‐5‐chloro‐1‐naphthalenesulfonamide (W‐7) also inhibited the activity of CaM and dark‐dependent betacyanin accumulation, whereas its less active structural analog N‐(6‐aminohexyl)‐1‐naphthalenesulfonamide (W‐5) had little effect on the responses to dark of S. salsa seedlings. These results suggest that Ca2+, Ca2+‐regulated ion channels, and CaM play an important role in dark‐induced betacyanin accumulation in the shoots of the C3 halophyte S. salsa.
Evidence that Natural Selection is the Primary Cause of the Guanine‐cytosine Content Variation in Rice Genes
Authors: Shi Xiaoli , Wang Xiyin , Li Zhe , Zhu Qihui , Yang Ji , Ge Song , Luo Jingchu
Published: September 2007

Cereal genes are classified into two distinct classes according to the guanine‐cytosine (GC) content at the third codon sites (GC3). Natural selection and mutation bias have been proposed to affect the GC content. However, there has been controversy about the cause of GC variation. Here, we characterized the GC content of 1 092 paralogs and other single‐copy genes in the duplicated chromosomal regions of the rice genome (ssp. indica) and classified the paralogs into GC3‐rich and GC3‐poor groups. By referring to out‐group sequences from Arabidopsis and maize, we confirmed that the average synonymous substitution rate of the GC3‐rich genes is significantly lower than that of the GC3‐poor genes. Furthermore, we explored the other possible factors corresponding to the GC variation including the length of coding sequences, the number of exons in each gene, the number of genes in each family, the location of genes on chromosomes and the protein functions. Consequently, we propose that natural selection rather than mutation bias was the primary cause of the GC variation.
Stochastic modelling of water demand by domestic washrooms in residential tower blocks
Authors: Wong L. T. , Mui K. W.
Published: September 2007

Accurate estimates of probable simultaneous maximum demand are essential for appropriate decisions on sizing water supply plants and piping systems for high‐rise residential buildings at a balance of acceptable plant reliability and construction cost. This study proposes a stochastic model of the probable maximum simultaneous water demands of domestic washrooms at some usage patterns for which the appliances in the same washroom would not operate simultaneously. The model parameters were determined from surveys of usage patterns in 597 domestic washrooms of typical high‐rise residential buildings in Hong Kong. The results showed that the probable maximum simultaneous demands due to a number of domestic washrooms in a typical high‐rise residential building were only about 50–60% of those estimates with an assumption of all appliances in simultaneous operation. This study is a useful source of reference in determining loadings of water supply plants and piping systems for high‐rise residential buildings.
Thyroid hormone abnormalities and outcome in dogs with non‐thyroidal illness
Authors: Mooney C. T. , Shiel R. E. , Dixon R. M.
Published: September 2007

Objectives:To document thyroid hormone abnormalities in dogs with non‐thyroidal illness and identify markers of prognostic value.

Methods:Circulating total and free thyroxine, total triiodothyronine and thyrotropin concentrations were measured in 196 dogs with non‐thyroidal illness. Clinical signs, previous medications and outcome were recorded in each case. Data were analysed to determine endocrine prognostic factors, and to document the prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities.

Results:Total triiodothyronine, and total and free thyroxine concentrations were decreased in 75·9, 34·7 and 4·5 per cent of cases, respectively. Dogs which were euthanased had significantly decreased total triiodothyronine, and total and free thyroxine concentrations compared with those which made a full recovery. Total triiodothyronine concentrations were significantly lower in dogs that were euthanased compared with those which made a partial recovery.

ClinicalSignificance:Thyroid hormone concentrations may be used as prognostic indicators in dogs with non‐thyroidal illness. Low triiodothyronine syndrome may be more common in dogs than previously recognised.
Transitional cell carcinoma forming a perirenal cyst in a cat
Authors: Raffan E. , Kipar A. , Barber P. J. , Freeman A. I.
Published: September 2007

An eight‐year‐old, neutered male Burmese cat presented with five days vomiting and anorexia. Physical examination, clinical pathology and diagnostic imaging findings suggested a perirenal pseudocyst. After partial resection of the perirenal capsule clinical signs temporarily resolved, but the cat was euthanased 34 days postoperatively as a result of seizures and recurrence of vomiting. Postoperative histopathology showed neoplastic transitional cells within and lining the resected perirenal capsule; a diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma was confirmed post‐mortem. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of this presentation of transitional cell carcinoma. Transitional cell carcinoma should be a differential diagnosis for the aetiology of perirenal pseudocyst.
Child Support, Fatherhood, and Marriage: Findings from the First 5 Years of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
Authors: Nepomnyaschy Lenna , Garfinkel Irwin
Published: September 2007

In this article, we review what has been learned to date from the first 5 years of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study about child support, fatherhood, and marriage. The article first describes the parents’ circumstances at the time of the child’s birth, then examines the trajectories of parents’ relationships (with each other and others), fathers’ financial contributions and other indicators of fathers’ involvement with their children 5 years later; and finally reviews what has been learned about the effect of child support enforcement on these three aspects of families’ lives. We find that most unmarried parents are either cohabiting or romantically involved at the time of the child’s birth, but are a distinctly disadvantaged group as compared with married parents. Five years later, most of these parents are no longer romantically involved, however, most of the fathers are still seeing their children on a regular basis, and about half are contributing either formally or informally to their support. Strong child support enforcement appears to increase formal and decrease informal support from fathers, reduce marriage among parents, and have a weak positive effect on father involvement. More research is necessary to understand whether these findings are robust over time and across samples of unmarried parents.
A Definition of Social Work for Practice
Authors: Bolzan Natalie
Published: September 2007

Australian and international discussions of the broad mission of social work, of its underlying premise that the personal is political, that it is responsive and able to take a leadership role from a clear value base, are sophisticated debates that demonstrate the vitality, dynamism, and enthusiasm of a profession cognizant of changes and challenges occurring outside it. However such developments and considerations are possibly most meaningful for those social workers who are either very clear about what social work is or who are not daily confronted with challenges to explain or account for their profession in performance‐driven agency contexts. This article proposes a simple definition of social work which, while cognizant of the theoretical developments occurring both in and outside the profession, presents the profession in a way that clearly articulates what it is that social workers do.
Blood transfusion: challenges and limitations
Authors: KNOWLES SUE
Published: September 2007

Blood transfusions provide essential supportive therapy but are costly and not without risk. The transmission of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus through the blood supply has led to public, political and legal scrutiny of the safety of blood. Increasing numbers of precautionary measures have been introduced which both increase the costs and reduce the available donor base. Errors frequently occur in the multistep process of giving the correct blood to the correct patient, leading to ABO‐incompatible transfusions and indefensible patient morbidity and mortality. Against this background, there is a paucity of evidence upon which to base the clinical practice of blood transfusion, and established prescribing habits are not regularly reviewed as a result of published clinical trials. Consequently, there is considerable inappropriate use. The essential challenges are to educate both clinicians and patients to appreciate the limitations and risks of allogeneic transfusion and to support the use of more rational alternatives.
Evaluation of anemia in the elective surgical patient
Authors: GOODNOUGH LAWRENCE T.
Published: September 2007

A national audit demonstrated that 35% of patients scheduled for orthopedic joint replacement surgery have a hemoglobin concentration < 13 g/dL on preadmission testing. Current practice consists of preadmission testing within 72 hours before an elective operative procedure, which precludes the opportunity effectively to evaluate and manage a patient with unexpected anemia. A standardized approach for the detection, evaluation and management of anemia in the preoperative surgical setting was identified as an unmet medical need. A panel of physicians developed a clinical care pathway for anemia management in this setting. Recommendations were that patients undergoing elective surgery should receive a hemoglobin determination up to 30 days before the scheduled surgical procedure. The identification and evaluation of anemia in this setting will assist in expedited diagnosis and treatment of underlying comorbidities, and will improve patient outcomes.
Anemia management: intravenous iron can enable a reduction in blood transfusions – a benefit for patients and hematology wards
Authors: STROSS PAUL
Published: September 2007

Chronic iron deficiency is a common cause of symptomatic anemia, but despite this it is often overlooked or not optimally managed. Frequently, this is because the diagnosis is not confirmed and the response to treatment may be inadequate because of poor compliance, malabsorbtion or recurrent blood loss. Oral iron is blamed for many treatment‐limiting gastrointestinal symptoms, and if patients are admitted to hospital with symptoms they are frequently transfused. Intravenous iron can be used to deliver a predictable dose of iron over a short time with many safety, time and economic advantages compared with blood transfusion. Unlike blood transfusion, it is easy to replace physiological storage iron or even to anticipate future blood loss. Preparations of intravenous iron are available which enable even severely anemic patients to be fully treated in two hospital visits. The speed of response to intravenous iron is fast, with rises in hemoglobin levels exceeding 2 g/dL per week in severely iron‐deficient subjects. In patients with recurrent blood loss and a satisfactory response, multiple ongoing treatments with intravenous iron are feasible.
Factors defining a pacemaker region for synchrony in the hippocampus
Authors: Wittner Lucia , Miles Richard
Published: September 2007

Synchronous activities of neuronal populations are often initiated in a pacemaker region and spread to recruit other regions. Here we examine factors that define a pacemaker site. The CA3a region acts as the pacemaker for disinhibition induced synchrony in guinea pig hippocampal slices and CA3b is a follower region. We found CA3a pyramidal cells were more excitable and fired in bursts more frequently than CA3b cells. CA3a cells had more complex dendritic arbors than CA3b cells especially in zones targetted by recurrent synapses. The product of the density of pyramidal cell axon terminals and dendritic lengths in innervated zones predicted a higher recurrent synaptic connectivity in the CA3a than in the CA3b region. We show that some CA3a cells but few CA3b cells behave as pacemaker cells by firing early during population events and by recruiting follower cells to fire. With a greater excitability and enhanced synaptic connectivity these CA3a cells may also possess initiating functions for other hippocampal ensemble activities initiated in this region.
Social Components of Fitness in Primate Groups
Authors: Silk Joan B.
Published: September 2007

There is much interest in the evolutionary forces that favored the evolution of large brains in the primate order. The social brain hypothesis posits that selection has favored larger brains and more complex cognitive capacities as a means to cope with the challenges of social life. The hypothesis is supported by evidence that shows that group size is linked to various measures of brain size. But it has not been clear how cognitive complexity confers fitness advantages on individuals. Research in the field and laboratory shows that sophisticated social cognition underlies social behavior in primate groups. Moreover, a growing body of evidence suggests that the quality of social relationships has measurable fitness consequences for individuals.
Prospection: Experiencing the Future
Authors: Gilbert Daniel T. , Wilson Timothy D.
Published: September 2007

All animals can predict the hedonic consequences of events they've experienced before. But humans can predict the hedonic consequences of events they've never experienced by simulating those events in their minds. Scientists are beginning to understand how the brain simulates future events, how it uses those simulations to predict an event's hedonic consequences, and why these predictions so often go awry.
The Perception of Rational, Goal-Directed Action in Nonhuman Primates
Authors: Wood Justin N. , Glynn David D. , Phillips Brenda C. , Hauser Marc D.
Published: September 2007

Humans are capable of making inferences about other individuals' intentions and goals by evaluating their actions in relation to the constraints imposed by the environment. This capacity enables humans to go beyond the surface appearance of behavior to draw inferences about an individual's mental states. Presently unclear is whether this capacity is uniquely human or is shared with other animals. We show that cotton-top tamarins, rhesus macaques, and chimpanzees all make spontaneous inferences about a human experimenter's goal by attending to the environmental constraints that guide rational action. These findings rule out simple associative accounts of action perception and show that our capacity to infer rational, goal-directed action likely arose at least as far back as the New World monkeys, some 40 million years ago.
Evolution in the Social Brain
Authors: Dunbar R. I. M. , Shultz Susanne
Published: September 2007

The evolution of unusually large brains in some groups of animals, notably primates, has long been a puzzle. Although early explanations tended to emphasize the brain's role in sensory or technical competence (foraging skills, innovations, and way-finding), the balance of evidence now clearly favors the suggestion that it was the computational demands of living in large, complex societies that selected for large brains. However, recent analyses suggest that it may have been the particular demands of the more intense forms of pairbonding that was the critical factor that triggered this evolutionary development. This may explain why primate sociality seems to be so different from that found in most other birds and mammals: Primate sociality is based on bonded relationships of a kind that are found only in pairbonds in other taxa.
Animal-unit equivalence of bison, wapiti, and mule deer in the aspen parkland of Alberta
Authors: Kuzyk G.W. , Hudson R.J.
Published: September 2007

Animal-unit equivalences needed for joint-stocking calculations of ungulates are rarely studied because of difficulties deriving accurate estimates of forage intake. We used indigestible internal and external markers (double n-alkane ratio) to determine animal-unit equivalence of bison ( Bison bison (L., 1758)), wapiti ( Cervus elaphus canadensis L., 1758), and mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque, 1817)) in the aspen parkland of east-central Alberta. We hypothesized that dry matter intake would differ among species in absolute terms (kg·day–1) but not when expressed as percent body mass (%BM) or when related to metabolic mass (g·kg–1·day–1 BM0.75). We administered slow-release n-alkane capsules to 12 bison, 3 wapiti, and 11 mule deer and released them into separate 3–7 ha paddocks during summer and fall. Intake of dry matter by bison, wapiti, and mule deer differed significantly among species when expressed as total intake (p = 0.009) and %BM (p = 0.014) but not when related to metabolic mass (p = 0.237). Dry matter intake related to metabolic mass did not differ between bison and mule deer in any comparison despite a 6.8-fold difference in body size, suggesting that intake scales to metabolic mass, and is the preferred expression of animal-unit equivalents.
An innovative use of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) foraging behaviour in impact studies
Authors: Rieucau G. , Vickery W.L. , Doucet G.J. , Laquerre B.
Published: September 2007

We developed an innovative method for estimating human impacts on animal species by measuring changes in feeding behaviour. We illustrate our approach with a study of the effect of vegetation control in a power-line right-of-way (ROW) passing through essential winter habitat of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)) at the northern limit of their range. We used giving-up densitiy (GUD; i.e., the amount of food left behind when an animal stops foraging in a patch) to evaluate, in one deer yard, if the loss of forest shelter caused by the power-line installation had a greater effect on deer than the gain of food regenerated in the cleared area. We used GUDs to compare deer estimate of habitat quality in the ROW and in the forest. Our results suggest that the ROW had a negative impact on deer. GUDs were lower in the forest compared with the ROW. Either increased metabolic costs or increased predation risk in the ROW, apparently the latter, lead deer to abandon more food in the ROW than elsewhere. Higher GUDs were strongly correlated with greater snow depth in the ROW. Deer preferred habitats at the edge of the ROW where food and cover were both available.
Impacts of leg loss and regeneration on body condition, growth, and development time in the wolf spider Schizocosa ocreata
Authors: Wrinn K.M. , Uetz G.W.
Published: September 2007

Autotomy (self-amputation) of appendages and subsequent regeneration is common to many taxa. These processes are known to affect foraging abilities, growth, and development time in many taxa. However, little is known about their effects in arachnids. We addressed the effects of autotomy and regeneration on body condition, growth (size and mass), and development time (molt interval) for the wolf spider Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz, 1844) in the field and laboratory. Frequency of autotomy in the field was high (11%–19%). Field-caught individuals with missing or regenerating legs had significantly lower body size, mass, and condition. To test the effects of regeneration on size, mass, and molt interval in the laboratory, we induced autotomy of one or both forelegs. Spiders regenerating two legs had reduced molt intervals, were smaller, and weighed less than spiders that were intact or regenerating one leg. Field-caught spiders that had undergone autotomy and regeneration in the laboratory exhibited reduced size, mass, and molt interval. In contrast, laboratory-reared spiders exhibited increased molt intervals but no difference in mass after regeneration. These results reveal that limb loss via autotomy is common (but potentially costly) in S. ocreata, and that environmentally mediated trade-offs between growth and development time may occur during regeneration.
Effects of a stand-replacing fire on small-mammal communities in montane forest
Authors: Zwolak Rafał , Foresman Kerry R.
Published: September 2007

Wildfire, ubiquitous and recurring over thousands of years, is the most important natural disturbance in northern coniferous forest. Accordingly, forest fires may exert a strong influence on the structure and functioning of small-mammal communities. We compared the composition of rodent and shrew communities in burned and unburned patches of a Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco) – western larch ( Larix occidentalis Nutt.) forest in western Montana, USA. Trapping was conducted during two consecutive summers after a wildfire. Four trapping sites were sampled in areas that burned at high severity and two in unburned forest. Small-mammal communities in burned sites were characterized by strong numerical dominance of deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus (Wagner, 1845)) and greatly reduced proportion of southern red-backed voles ( Clethrionomys gapperi (Vigors, 1830)) and red-toothed shrews (genus Sorex L., 1758). Relatively rare species such as northern flying squirrels ( Glaucomys sabrinus (Shaw, 1801)) and bushy-tailed woodrats ( Neotoma cinerea (Ord, 1815)) were largely restricted to unburned areas. The numbers of chipmunks (genus Tamias Illiger, 1811) were similar in burned and unburned areas. Rodent diversity was higher in unburned forest, but only during the 1st year after fire. Overall, the fire shifted small-mammal communities away from more specialized red-backed voles and shrews and towards greater abundance of generalist deer mice.
Inflammatory Activation During Coronary Artery Surgery and Its Dose-Dependent Modulation by Statin/ACE-Inhibitor Combination
Authors: Radaelli Alberto , Loardi Claudia , Cazzaniga Maria , Balestri Giulia , DeCarlini Caterina , Cerrito M. Grazia , Cusa Elena Negro , Guerra Luca , Garducci Stefano , Santo Danilo , Menicanti Lorenzo , Paolini Giovanni , Azzellino Arianna , Lavitrano Maria Luisa , Mancia Giuseppe , Ferrari Alberto U.
Published: September 2007

Background—

On-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery triggers an inflammatory response (IR) which may impair revascularization. The study aimed at (1) characterizing the temporal profile of the IR by assaying appropriate markers in both systemic and coronary blood, and (2) determining whether (and which doses of) cardiovascular drugs known to have antiinflammatory properties, namely statins and ACE-inhibitors (ACEI), inhibit the response.

Methods and Results—

Patients scheduled for CABG (n=22) were randomized to statin/ACEI combination treatment at standard doses (STD, ramipril 2.5/simvastatin 20 mg, or atorvastatin 10 mg), or at high doses (HiDo, ramipril 10 mg, or enalapril 20 mg/simvastatin 80 mg, or atorvastatin 40 mg). Plasma levels of interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, E-selectin, von Willebrand factor (vWF), and sVCAM-1 were serially assayed (ELISA) before, during, and after CABG. Blood was drawn from an artery, a systemic vein, and the coronary sinus. Myocardial perfusion scans were obtained before and 2 months after surgery in 19 out of 22 subjects. In the STD group both IL-6 and TNF displayed striking increases which were similar at all sites and peaked 10 to 60 minutes after aortic declamping. Such increases were drastically attenuated in the HiDo group. Instead, only modest increases in venous E-selectin, vWF, and sVCAM-1 were observed. Scintigraphic ischemia scores were entirely normalized after versus before CABG in the HiDo but not in the STD treatment group.

Conclusions—

On-pump CABG surgery is associated with an intense systemic inflammatory response, which can be almost completely prevented by early treatment with high (but not standard) doses of ACE-inhibitors and statins.
Leptin:Adiponectin Ratio Is an Independent Predictor of Intima Media Thickness of the Common Carotid Artery
Authors: Norata Giuseppe Danilo , Raselli Sara , Grigore Liliana , Garlaschelli Katia , Dozio Elena , Magni Paolo , Catapano Alberico L.
Published: September 2007

Background and Purpose—

The evaluation of the leptin:adiponectin ratio (L:A) has been suggested as an atherosclerotic index in patients with type 2 diabetes and a useful parameter to assess insulin resistance in patients with and without diabetes.

Methods—

We investigated, therefore, the relationship between L:A ratio and intima media thickness (IMT), an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease, in 110 healthy males.

Results—

L:A ratio was significantly correlated to body mass index, waist, hip, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, IMT, high-density lipoprotein, apolipoprotein A-I, glucose, and the homeostasis model of insulin resistance–revised. No significant correlation was observed with age, diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, ApoB/ApoA-I ratio, insulin, alanine transaminase, γ-glutamyl-transferase, and resistin. In addition, when the relationship between IMT and adiponectin or leptin alone was analyzed, only leptin plasma levels significantly associated with IMT (
r
=0.301,
P
<0.01). In a multiple regression analysis including in the statistical model the risk factors known to affect IMT (age, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, total cholesterol, body mass index, glucose, and L:A ratio), we observed that only age, L:A, and glucose were independent predictors of IMT. As expected, obese subjects (body mass index >30 kg/m
2
) showed a significantly higher L:A ratio compared with nonobese subjects (1.20 versus 0.42, respectively,
P
<0.001); in addition, subjects with the metabolic syndrome showed a significantly higher L:A ratio level (0.79) compared with subjects without (0.52) (
P
<0.01).

Conclusions—

We show here that the L:A ratio is a powerful independent predictor of IMT in healthy subjects and correlates with several anthropometric, metabolic, and clinical parameters better than each single adipokine.
Secrets of Gazelles: The Differences between High-Growth and Low-Growth Business Owned by African American Entrepreneurs
Authors: Boston Thomas D. , Boston Linje R.
Published: September 2007

The research findings are based on a national survey of 350 African American business owners whose companies had ten to one hundred employees. Each quarter of 2002 and 2003, owners were randomly selected and interviewed. Companies were classified into three groups according to their annual employment growth over five years: gazelles (20 percent or greater rate of growth), growth-oriented firms (1 to 19 percent), and no-growth firms (less than 1 percent or negative). In comparison to no-growth firms, gazelles were more likely to market to the government sector, less likely to compete on the basis of price, more likely to serve regional and national markets, and more likely to have fewer African Americans workers. CEOs of no-growth companies were more likely to have entered business because they lost a previous job. Surprisingly, no statistically significant differences appeared in thirty-nine other variables that defined owner attributes, firm characteristics, and business strategies of gazelles and no-growth firms.
The Validity of Graduate Management Admission Test Scores
Authors: Talento-Miller Eileen , Rudner Lawrence M.
Published: September 2007

The validity of Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores is examined by summarizing 273 studies conducted between 1997 and 2004. Each of the studies was conducted through the Validity Study Service of the test sponsor and contained identical variables and statistical methods. Validity coefficients from each of the studies were corrected for restriction of range on the predictors. The interquartile range of the validity coefficients for the combination of GMAT scores and undergraduate grades in predicting early graduate school performance was .45 to .63. Further examination of study findings showed that higher validity coefficients were observed for executive MBA programs compared to either full-time or part-time programs. There appeared to be no measurable differences in results for public versus private institutions. For programs not located at U.S. institutions, quantitative scores showed lower average validity coefficients compared to programs located in the United States.
Marketing Systems—A Core Macromarketing Concept
Authors: Layton Roger A.
Published: September 2007

This article highlights the central role that the study of marketing systems could and should play in the discipline of macromarketing. Drawing from a wide-ranging literature, a new definition of marketing systems is shared. The study of a marketing system furthermore can be approached in one or more of at least four ways. Each approach discussed raises issues of modeling and measurement, of attributes, and of inputs and outputs, which increasingly often will provide insights into system design alternatives. Placing the concept of a marketing system at the center of macromarketing puts in context much if not all of the concepts, ideas, and research that have been part of macromarketing for the past thirty or more years and provides a bridge to the wealth of relevant studies now being undertaken in many related fields.
Substance Use Risk Behaviors and Decision-Making Skills Among Cancer-Surviving Adolescents
Authors: Hollen Patricia J. , Hobbie Wendy L. , Donnangelo Sarah Finley , Shannon Susan , Erickson Jeanne
Published: September 2007

The aims of this study were to compare decision making and substance use risk behaviors of a cohort of cancer-surviving adolescents to those of 2 earlier cohorts as well as adolescents in the US general population and to determine the relationship of decision making to substance use risk behaviors. This correlational study used a semistructured interview at the time of the annual clinic visit to obtain data. Teen cancer survivors (N = 76), ages 14-19 years, were recruited from 5 clinics within the United States. Adherence to quality decision-making skills reported by different cancer-surviving adolescent cohorts appears to remain the same over time. However, reported substance use risk behaviors by these teen survivor cohorts have decreased over time. The prevalence rates for lifetime use for the 2004 cohort of teen cancer survivors were 25%, 49%, and 16%, for cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana use, respectively. These rates are somewhat lower than those in the US general population; yet, they are high given the health vulnerability of cancer-surviving adolescents. Poor-quality decision making was significantly associated with higher levels of substance use risk behaviors for these teen cancer survivors. In conjunction with the statistics related to higher health risks in this vulnerable group of teens, these findings support continued efforts in developing interventions for risk behavior counseling.
“Keeping the Bully Out”: Understanding Older African Americans' Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Depression
Authors: Shellman Juliette , Mokel Melissa , Wright Betty
Published: September 2007

BACKGROUND: Few studies examine older African Americans' beliefs and attitudes toward depression, yet this population is more likely than other ethnic groups to be underdiagnosed and undertreated for depression. OBJECTIVE: To examine the beliefs and attitudes about depression in a sample of community-dwelling older African Americans. STUDY DESIGN: A qualitative approach embedded within a survey design was used. The sample included 51 community-dwelling African Americans older than age 60 who were recruited from a northeast state. Participants' descriptions of the meaning of depression were analyzed using editing analysis style. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged from the data: (a) Keeping the Bully Out, (b) God Will Provide, (c) Losing Control, and (d) That's Not Me. CONCLUSIONS: These data can assist mental health nurses in understanding older African Americans' beliefs and attitudes toward depression. Culturally sensitive educational programs, reminiscence interventions, and suggestions to assist with screening for depression in this population are discussed. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2007; 13(4), 230-236.
Continued Controversies: Issues in Mental Health Research and Implications for Nursing
Authors: Spath Mary L.
Published: September 2007

The purpose of this article is to heighten awareness and provide information on issues that have affected and continue to affect the mentally ill who participate in research studies. Three of the major controversies surrounding medical research (placebo and washout studies, challenge studies, and informed consent), ethical concerns related to these issues, and proposed strategies to protect and safeguard mentally ill participants are examined. The role of the nurse as patient advocate and educator, in accordance with the American Nurses Association's ethical code for nurses, is discussed. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc, 2007; 13(4), 221-229.