bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emotional toil: psychosocial care in rural settings for patients with cancer
Authors: Kenny Amanda , Endacott Ruth , Botti Mari , Watts Rosemary
Published: November 2007

Title.  Emotional toil: psychosocial care in rural settings for patients with cancer

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study to identify experienced rural nurses’ perceptions of key issues related to the provision of effective psychosocial care for people with cancer in rural settings.

Background.  A cancer diagnosis has a major impact on psychological and emotional wellbeing, and psychosocial support provided by nurses is an integral part of ensuring that people with cancer have positive outcomes. Although, ideally, people with cancer should be managed in specialist settings, significant numbers are cared for in rural areas.

Methods.  Using a qualitative descriptive approach, three focus groups were conducted in 2005 with 19 nurses in three hospitals in rural Victoria, Australia.

Findings.  Participants indicated that a key issue in providing psychosocial care to patients with cancer in the rural setting was their own ‘emotional toil’. This Global Theme encapsulated three Organizing Themes– task vs. care, dual relationships and supportive networks – reflective of the unique nature of the rural environment. Nurses in rural Australia are multi‐skilled generalists and they provide care to patients with cancer without necessarily having specialist knowledge or skill. The fatigue and emotional exhaustion that the nurses described often has a major impact on their own well‐being.

Conclusion.  In the rural context, it is proposed that clinical supervision may be an important strategy to support clinicians who face emotional exhaustion as part of their cancer nursing role.
Physiological monitoring in acute stroke: a literature review
Authors: Jones Stephanie P. , Leathley Michael J. , McAdam Joanna J. , Watkins Caroline L.
Published: November 2007

Title.  Physiological monitoring in acute stroke: a literature review

Aim.  This paper is a report of a review of the literature that considers how physiological parameters may affect outcome after stroke and the implications of this evidence for monitoring.

Background.  Throughout the world, the incidence of first‐ever stroke is approximately 200 per 100,000 people per year [Sudlow et al. (1997)Stroke28, 491]. Stroke is the third most common cause of mortality [Sarti et al. (2000) Stroke31, 1588] and causes 5·54 million deaths worldwide [Murray & Lopez (1997) Lancet349, 268]. Physiological monitoring is considered a fundamental component of acute stroke care. Currently, the strength of evidence to support its use and identify its components is unclear. Nurse‐led physiological assessment and subsequent interventions in acute stroke may have the potential to improve survival and reduce disability.

Data sources.  Online bibliographic databases from 1966 to 2007, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, Cochrane and ZETOC, were searched systematically. We identified 475 published papers relating to blood pressure, oxygen saturation and positioning, blood glucose and body temperature.

Review methods.  Titles and abstracts were reviewed independently by two reviewers and 61 relevant studies were read in full. The quality of included studies was assessed and proformas were used to record detailed data. A narrative synthesis described how the evidence from the papers could inform our understanding of physiological parameters and their association with outcome.

Results.  Current evidence suggests that patient outcome is worse when physiological parameters deviate from ‘normal’ in the acute phase of stroke.

Conclusions.  The evidence supports the need for monitoring and recording of blood pressure, oxygen saturation (including consideration of positioning), blood glucose and body temperature in the acute phase of stroke. This review has reinforced the importance of monitoring physiological parameters in the acute phase of stroke and adds support to the recommendation that monitoring should play a key role within nursing care.
Pressure–temperature evolution of the late Hercynian Calabria continental crust: compatibility with post‐collisional extensional tectonics
Authors: Caggianelli Alfredo , Liotta Domenico , Prosser Giacomo , Ranalli Giorgio
Published: November 2007

The late Hercynian tectonic evolution of the Calabria crust is characterized by peak metamorphic conditions up to 800 °C and 1000 MPa, and coeval mid‐crustal granitoid emplacement at 304–300 Ma. To check if a post‐collisional extensional framework, similar to that of other Hercynian massifs, can explain petrologic data, we model the pressure–temperature evolution of the crust during extension following granitoid emplacement. Model parameters are constrained by petrologic, geochemical and structural data. Computed P–T paths are characterized by nearly isothermal decompression followed by isobaric cooling, which show a good fit to petrologic P–T paths for duration of extension between 5 and 10 Ma. The model results, therefore, support an interpretation of the magmatic and metamorphic evolution of the Calabria crust in terms of the late Hercynian extension. In this framework, slab break‐off is a reasonable explanation for the common evolution of the southern European Hercynian massifs.
PEGylation improves the hypoglycaemic efficacy of intranasally administered glucagon‐like peptide‐1 in type 2 diabetic db/db mice
Authors: Youn Y. S. , Jeon J. E. , Chae S. Y. , Lee S. , Lee K. C.
Published: November 2007

Aims:  PEGylation – covalent modification of therapeutic peptides with polyethylene glycol (PEG) – is viewed as an effective way of prolonging the short lifetime of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1). In this study, we investigated the hypoglycaemic efficacies of PEGylated GLP‐1s administered intranasally in type 2 diabetic db/db mice.

Methods:  Three types of site‐specific (Lys34) PEGylated GLP‐1 analogues (PEG molecular weight: 1, 2 or 5 kDa) were synthesized. Their metabolic stabilities were evaluated in nasal mucosa enzyme pools. Oral glucose tolerance test was conducted 30, 60 and 120 min after intranasally administering these analogues in type 2 diabetic db/db mice.

Results:  PEGylated GLP‐1 analogues were found to have significantly longer half‐lives than native GLP‐1 in nasal mucosa enzymes (2.4‐fold to 11.0‐fold, p < 0.005). Non‐PEGylated GLP‐1 at 100 nmol/kg was not found to have marked efficacy irrespective of nasal administration time [total hypoglycaemic degree (HDtotal) values 2.8–17.3%]. On the contrary, PEGylated GLP‐1s (100 nmol/kg) showed obvious efficacies with maximum HDtotal values of >51.8 ± 5.8% (p < 0.005 vs. GLP‐1).

Conclusion:  This study highlights the pharmacological potential of intranasally administered PEGylated GLP‐1s in terms of stabilizing postprandial hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetic patients.
RULE‐FOLLOWING WITHOUT REASONS: WITTGENSTEIN'S QUIETISM AND THE CONSTITUTIVE QUESTION
Authors: Wright Crispin
Published: November 2007

This is a short, and therefore necessarily very incomplete discussion of one of the great questions of modern philosophy. I return to a station at which an interpretative train of thought of mine came to a halt in a paper written almost 20 years ago, about Wittgenstein and Chomsky,1 hoping to advance a little bit further down the track. The rule‐following passages in the Investigations and Remarks on the Foundations of Mathematics in fact raise a number of distinct (though connected) issues about rules, meaning, objectivity, and reasons, whose conflation is encouraged by the standard caption, ‘the Rule‐following Considerations’.2 Let me begin by explaining my focus here.
A Cultural‐Psychological Theory of Contemporary Islamic Martyrdom
Authors: GÜSS C. DOMINIK , TUASON MA. TERESA , TEIXEIRA VANESSA B.
Published: November 2007

What political, economic, religious, and emotional factors are involved in a person's decision to kill civilians and military personnel through the sacrifice of his or her own life? Data for this research were secondary analyses of interviews with Islamic martyrs, as well as their leaders’ speeches. This investigation into the cultural‐psychological explanations for Islamic martyrdom leads to a model explaining a person's decision to carry out the mission as resulting from a combination of four factors: the historical‐cultural context, group processes, immediate and anticipated rewards, and mechanisms to eradicate possible doubts and guilt regarding this decision. Compared to existing models, this model is more integrative and focused on the psychological processes involved.
Modeling Role Enactment: Linking Role Theory and Social Cognition
Authors: LYNCH KAREN DANNA
Published: November 2007

In our dynamic social world, a premium is placed on the individual's ability to innovate and to change (Giddens 1984; Sewell 1992; Simmel 1955). Yet traditional role theory has difficulty accounting for innovation, leaving unanswered the question of how individual level negotiations affect social‐structural processes (see Callero 1994). This study addresses this tension by linking role theory with social cognition. By positioning behavior and cognition as two interrelated continuums, I stretch the meaning of role enactment to include 4 role typologies. I utilize these typologies as a heuristic to chart the processes through which individuals adapt to and affect a role performance over time. I conclude by outlining how sociocognitive role typologies aid social researchers in accounting for individual efficacy in response to social‐structural situations.
Agricultural farming alters predator–prey interactions in nearby natural habitats
Authors: Shapira I. , Sultan H. , Shanas U.
Published: November 2007

Agricultural farming is a major consumer of global arable lands and has a direct effect on species decline through habitat destruction. However, agricultural endeavours can also evoke indirect threats that will result in behavioural modifications of indigenous species. In a desert ecosystem, where a political border led to a farming dichotomy between intensive cultivates in Israel and intact lands in Jordan, we compared the foraging behaviours and abundances of the red fox and two species of gerbils, close to and distant from farms, and during two moon phases. We estimated fox and gerbil foraging levels by track counts, and measured gerbil time allocation, vigilance and apprehension by the giving‐up density method. While foxes were significantly more abundant and active at locations close to farms, gerbils were significantly more abundant and active at locations distant from farms. Moreover, the typical reduction in food consumption during full‐moon nights was exhibited only at locations close to farms. These results could suggest that indicators of predation risk, such as illumination intensity or distance to cover, are not universal, and their effectiveness may depend indirectly on anthropogenic activities, such as agricultural farming. The results could also suggest that although intensive agricultural endeavours benefit foxes, they might increase the predatory pressure on gerbils in addition to the already known effects of habitat loss. Therefore, agriculture acts as a double‐edged sword by reducing natural habitats, while at the same time changing the predator–prey natural balance.
Metabolically engineered bacteria for producing hydrogen via fermentation
Authors: Vardar‐Schara Gönül , Maeda Toshinari , Wood Thomas K.
Published: November 2007

Hydrogen, the most abundant and lightest element in the universe, has much potential as a future energy source. Hydrogenases catalyse one of the simplest chemical reactions, 2H+ + 2e‐ ↔ H2, yet their structure is very complex. Biologically, hydrogen can be produced via photosynthetic or fermentative routes. This review provides an overview of microbial production of hydrogen by fermentation (currently the more favourable route) and focuses on biochemical pathways, theoretical hydrogen yields and hydrogenase structure. In addition, several examples of metabolic engineering to enhance fermentative hydrogen production are presented along with some examples of expression of heterologous hydrogenases for enhanced hydrogen production.
Can a seed bank maintain the genetic variation in the above ground plant population?
Authors: Honnay Olivier , Bossuyt Beatrijs , Jacquemyn Hans , Shimono Ayako , Uchiyama Kentaro
Published: November 2007

There are indications that a persistent seed bank can protect small and isolated plant populations from local extinction. Genetic mechanisms contributing to this phenomenon are the increase of local effective population size – and hence the decrease of genetic drift – through a reservoir of persistent seeds, and the accumulation of intergenerational genetic diversity in the seed bank. To find evidence for these mechanisms, we conducted two formal meta‐analyses. First, we analyzed 42 published habitat fragmentation studies and investigated whether the degree of genetic differentiation between fragmented plant populations was mediated by seed longevity. Second, we reviewed 13 published studies reporting the genetic diversity of both the seed bank and the above ground plants, aiming at comparing genetic diversity contained in the seed bank with the above ground vegetation. We conclude that a persistent seed bank may indeed mitigate the consequences of habitat fragmentation and protect a species from genetic drift and population genetic differentiation. We found no evidence, however, of high levels of genetic diversity accumulating in the soil seed bank. If genetic differences are present between the standing crop and the seed bank, they are very likely the result of local selection acting either directly or indirectly as a filter on the alleles present in the seed bank. We finally suggest that 1) the role of the seed bank should not be neglected in habitat fragmentation studies and 2) it is not very fruitful to continue comparing seed bank genetic diversity with above ground plant genetic diversity, unless this is performed under different selection regimes.
In Vitro Antifungal Susceptibilities of Five Species ofSporothrix
Authors: Marimon Rita , Serena Carolina , Gené Josepa , Cano Josep , Guarro Josep
Published: November 2007

Ninety-two isolates belonging to five species of theSporothrix schenckiicomplex were tested in vitro against 12 antifungal agents, using a reference microdilution method. There were significant differences among the species;Sporothrix brasiliensiswas the species that showed the best response to antifungals, andS. mexicanahad the worst response. In general, terbinafine was the most active drug, followed by ketoconazole and posaconazole.
Differential Roles of Poly-
N
-Acetylglucosamine Surface Polysaccharide and Extracellular DNA in
Staphylococcus aureus
and
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Biofilms
Authors: Izano Era A. , Amarante Matthew A. , Kher William B. , Kaplan Jeffrey B.
Published: November 2007

Staphylococcus aureus
and
Staphylococcus epidermidis
are major human pathogens of increasing importance due to the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant strains. Evidence suggests that the ability to form matrix-encased biofilms contributes to the pathogenesis of
S. aureus
and
S. epidermidis
. In this study, we investigated the functions of two staphylococcal biofilm matrix polymers: poly-
N
-acetylglucosamine surface polysaccharide (PNAG) and extracellular DNA (ecDNA). We measured the ability of a PNAG-degrading enzyme (dispersin B) and DNase I to inhibit biofilm formation, detach preformed biofilms, and sensitize biofilms to killing by the cationic detergent cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in a 96-well microtiter plate assay. When added to growth medium, both dispersin B and DNase I inhibited biofilm formation by both
S. aureus
and
S. epidermidis
. Dispersin B detached preformed
S. epidermidis
biofilms but not
S. aureus
biofilms, whereas DNase I detached
S. aureus
biofilms but not
S. epidermidis
biofilms. Similarly, dispersin B sensitized
S. epidermidis
biofilms to CPC killing, whereas DNase I sensitized
S. aureus
biofilms to CPC killing. We concluded that PNAG and ecDNA play fundamentally different structural roles in
S. aureus
and
S. epidermidis
biofilms.
The Weak-Acid Preservative Sorbic Acid Is Decarboxylated and Detoxified by a Phenylacrylic Acid Decarboxylase, PadA1, in the Spoilage Mold
Aspergillus niger
Authors: Plumridge Andrew , Stratford Malcolm , Lowe Kenneth C. , Archer David B.
Published: November 2007

Resistance to sorbic and cinnamic acids is mediated by a phenylacrylic acid decarboxylase (PadA1) in
Aspergillus niger. A. niger ΔpadA1
mutants are unable to decarboxylate sorbic and cinnamic acids, and the MIC of sorbic acid required to inhibit spore germination was reduced by ∼50% in Δ
padA1
mutants.
Efficient Antibody Production upon Suppression of O Mannosylation in the Yeast
Ogataea minuta
Authors: Kuroda Kousuke , Kobayashi Kazuo , Kitagawa Yoshinori , Nakagawa Taishiro , Tsumura Haruhiko , Komeda Toshihiro , Shinmi Daisuke , Mori Eiji , Motoki Kazuhiro , Fuju Kazumi , Sakai Teruyuki , Nonaka Koichi , Suzuki Takeshi , Ichikawa Kimihisa , Chiba Yasunori , Jigami Yoshifumi
Published: November 2007

When antibodies were expressed in the methylotrophic yeast
Ogataea minuta
, we found that abnormal O mannosylation occurred in the secreted antibody. Yeast-specific O mannosylation is initiated by the addition of mannose at serine (Ser) or threonine (Thr) residues in the endoplasmic reticulum via protein O mannosyltransferase (Pmt) activity. To suppress the addition of O-linked sugar chains on antibodies, we examined the possibility of inhibiting Pmt activity by the addition of a Pmt inhibitor during cultivation. The Pmt inhibitor was found to partially suppress the O mannosylation on the antibodies. Surprisingly, the suppression of O mannosylation was associated with an increased amount of assembled antibody (H2L2) and enhanced the antigen-binding activity of the secreted antibody. In this study, we demonstrated the expression of human antibody in
O. minuta
and elucidated the relationship between O mannosylation and antibody production in yeast.
MyD88 Signaling Contributes to Early Pulmonary Responses toAspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Bretz Camille , Gersuk Geoff , Knoblaugh Sue , Chaudhary Neelkamal , Randolph-Habecker Julie , Hackman Robert C. , Staab Janet , Marr Kieren A.
Published: November 2007

Toll-like receptors and the β-glucan receptor, dectin-1, mediate macrophage inflammatory responses toAspergillus fumigatusthrough MyD88-dependent and -independent signaling mechanisms; however, pulmonary inflammatory responses in MyD88-deficient mice challenged withA. fumigatusare poorly defined. The role of MyD88 signaling in early pulmonary inflammation and fungal clearance was evaluated in C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) and MyD88-deficient (MyD88−/−) mice. Early (<48 h) after infection, MyD88−/−mice had higher fungal burdens than those of WT mice, although fungal burdens rapidly declined (>72 h) in both. MyD88−/−mice had less consolidated inflammation, with fewer NK cells, in lung tissue early (24 h) after infection than did WT mice. At the latter time point, MyD88−/−mouse lungs were characterized by a large amount of necrotic cellular debris and fibrin, while WT lungs had organized inflammation. Although there were equivalent numbers of macrophages in WT and MyD88−/−mouse lung tissues, MyD88−/−cells demonstrated delayed uptake of green fluorescent protein-expressingA. fumigatus(GFP-Af293); histologically, MyD88−/−mouse lungs had more hyphal invasion of terminal airways and vessels, the appearance of bronchiolar epithelial cell necrosis, and necrotizing vasculitis. MyD88−/−lung homogenates contained comparatively decreased amounts of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, KC, and gamma interferon and paradoxically increased amounts of tumor necrosis factor alpha and macrophage inflammatory protein 1α. These data indicate that the MyD88-dependent pathway mediates acute pulmonary fungal clearance, inflammation, and tissue injury very early after infection. Resolution of abnormalities within a 3-day window demonstrates the importance of redundant signaling pathways in mediating pulmonary inflammatory responses to fungi.
Modulation of Horizontally Acquired Genes by the Hha-YdgT Proteins in
Salmonella enterica
Serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Vivero Aitziber , Baños Rosa C. , Mariscotti Javier F. , Oliveros Juan Carlos , García-del Portillo Francisco , Juárez Antonio , Madrid Cristina
Published: November 2007

We describe a transcriptomic study of the effect of
hha
and
ydgT
mutations in
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium. A large number of genes showing altered expression are located in AT-rich horizontally acquired DNA sequences. Many of these genes have also been reported to be targets for H-NS. As Hha and YdgT interact with H-NS, our findings strongly suggest that Hha and/or YdgT must form complexes with H-NS when they silence these DNA regions.
The histological diagnosis of metastases to the breast from extramammary malignancies
Authors: Lee Andrew H S
Published: November 2007

This study aims to review histological and immunohistochemical features that are useful in the diagnosis of metastases to the breast. Histological features were compared between non-haematological metastases to the breast and 100 consecutive core biopsy specimens of primary invasive carcinomas of the breast. 18 non-haematological metastases to the breast were diagnosed over a 10-year period (0.3% of malignant mammary tumours). Elastosis and carcinoma in situ were seen only in primary mammary cancers. Two-thirds of tumours had features raising the possibility of metastasis, such as clear cell carcinoma suggestive of renal origin and small cell carcinoma suggestive of pulmonary origin. The features observed in haematological metastases are also described. Immunohistochemical panels to distinguish mammary carcinoma (oestrogen receptor, gross cystic fluid protein-15) from common metastases to the breast, including carcinoma of the lung (thyroid transcription factor-1), malignant melanoma (S100, HMB45, melan-A) and ovarian serous papillary carcinoma (Wilms’ tumour 1), are discussed. The pathologist has a key role in considering the diagnosis of metastasis to the breast if the histological features are unusual for a primary mammary tumour. The clinical history is vital in some cases. Immunohistochemistry plays a useful supplementary role.
COLOR SUPERCONDUCTING PHASE IN HYBRID NEUTRON STAR WITH DELTA-MATTER
Authors: SOUSA A. G. , ORSARIA M. , DUARTE S. B. , RODRIGUES H. , CHIAPPARINI M.
Published: November 2007

In this work we determine the critical density values of the phase transition between the hadronic to the CFL superconducting quark matter. The Delta resonances and the complete spin-1/2 baryonic octet are considered in the hadronic phase and it is observed that the delta matter inclusion in baryonic phase modifies significantly the critical conditions for the phase transition. Also, we discuss the role of the color superconducting gap on the structure properties of a formed hybrid neutron stars.
STEP-FLOW GROWTH ON SEMICONDUCTOR-LIKE STEPPED SURFACE: A KINETIC MONTE CARLO STUDY
Authors: LIN YIH-JIUN , CHANG JIAN-CHUANG , TAI CHEN-KUEN , WANG BO-CHENG , LI FENG-YIN
Published: November 2007

Applying Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) technique, we investigated the influence of temperature and step-width on the step-flow growth of a (2D + 1) semiconductor-like uniform-spacing stepped model with inverse Ehrlich–Schwoebel (iES) barrier. The relation between diffusion length (R) and half of step width (L/2) was established to characterize the transition temperature T c for switching between the random deposition growth and step-flow growth on surface. When temperature is lower than T c , the surface growth mode is dominated by random deposition growth. As temperature approaches to T c , the surface growth mode gradually switches to step-flow growth. However, only when the temperature is much higher than T c , the random deposition growth is completely replaced by the step-flow growth. It is found that the step-width effect has a profound influence on surface growth mode in the transition region. The surface morphology undergoes a kinetic step-flow growth to form step-edge aggregation by either increasing temperature or decreasing the step width.
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL THEORY STUDY OF BINDING ENERGIES,7LiNUCLEAR MAGNETIC SHIELDING, AND ELECTRIC FIELD GRADIENT TENSORS ON THE SMALL CLUSTERS OFLinHm(m ≤ n ≤ 4)
Authors: ESRAFILI MEHDI D. , ELMI FATEMEH , HADIPOUR NASSER L.
Published: November 2007

The binding energies, geometries,7Li magnetic shielding, and electric field gradient tensors of hydrogenated lithium clusters, LinHm(m ≤ n ≤ 4), were studied via density functional theory approach. We optimized the structures using B3LYP functional and 6-311++G (2d,2p) basis set. The calculated binding energies of lithium hydride clusters indicate that hydrogenation energy of LinHmclusters decreases as the number of hydrogen atoms within the cluster increases. Our calculations also showed that for n = 4 clusters, the three-dimensional structure is more stable than the planar one. The study of the trends in the7Li magnetic shielding isotropy, σiso, and anisotropies, Δσ, values are explained in terms of the interplay between the electronic and geometrical effects. The variations in the7Li nuclear quadrupole coupling constants, χ, and their associated asymmetry parameters, ηQ, for different isomers of the lithium hydride clusters and the influence of hydrogenation on the EFG tensors are also discussed. For n = 4, we obtained a noticeable difference in the χ value from the planar to the three-dimensional structures. The atoms in molecules (AIM) analysis at the Li–H bond critical point reveals remarkably different topographical properties of the charge density and associated Laplacian fields for the planar and three-dimensional lithium hydride clusters.
STUDY ON COMPLEXES OF TRYPSIN AND ITS INHIBITORS BY MEANS OF ATOM-BOND ELECTRONEGATIVITY EQUALIZATION METHOD FUSED INTO MOLECULAR MECHANICS (ABEEM/MM)
Authors: GUAN QING-MEI , YANG ZHONG-ZHI
Published: November 2007

Trypsin is one of the most important enzymes and plays important roles in the regulation of biological processes. The newly developed trypsin–inhibitor interaction potential model based on atom-bond electronegativity equalization method fused into molecular mechanics (ABEEM/MM) was employed to study complexes of trypsin and its inhibitors. Some structural properties, including root-mean-square deviations (RMSD) of bond length, bond angle and key dihedral, and coordinated RMS Shifts of atoms and hydrogen bond, were studied using ABEEM/MM method and compared with OPLS-AA force-field. At the same time, comparative study on the charges of the hydrogen atoms at the tail of the ligand was also discussed in order to investigate the effect of hydrogen bond between trypsin and its ligand. This work demonstrates that ABEEM/MM model can well reproduce good structures for these trypsin–inhibitor complexes with rather small RMSD of bond length, bond angles, key dihedrals, and RMS Shifts of atomic coordinates with respect to the experimental crystal structures, compared with the results from the OPLS-AA method. The charges obtained by ABEEM/MM model are in good accordance with those from an ab initio calculation. Moreover, both the polarization and the salt-bridge effects have been taken into account. It is shown that ABEEM charges can properly describe the electrostatic interactions between the protein trypsin and its inhibitors.
STRUCTURE OF WATER SURFACES
Authors: GARFIAS FRANCISCO JAVIER
Published: November 2007

Two of the three previously (the polyshell and polychair) proposed model structures for surface water are thermodynamically analyzed finding the excess surface enthalpy for air adsorption of the polyshell network close to the experimental one. The surface roughness of the model polyshell network is also close to experiment. The previously postulated Hydrogen Bond Formation Theory of Surface Activity, rests on the shell and chair structures, acquires predictive value for the calculation of the surface tensions of aqueous solutions of n-alkanols. The proposed models based on the contribution of hydrogen bonds and clusters to the thermodynamic properties are shown to allow useful quantitative estimations of some properties of the water–gas interphase.
Gait Speed Predicts Decline in Attention and Psychomotor Speed in Older Adults: The Health Aging and Body Composition Study
Authors: Inzitari Marco , Newman Anne B. , Yaffe Kristine , Boudreau Robert , de Rekeneire Nathalie , Shorr Ronald , Harris Tamara B. , Rosano Caterina
Published: November 2007

Background/Aims: Gait speed is cross-sectionally associated with attention and psychomotor speed in older community dwellers. It is unclear if gait speed predicts decline in these cognitive domains over time. Methods: Usual gait speed (m/s) over 6 m was measured at baseline in 2,776 Health, Aging and Body Composition Study participants (mean age ± SD 73.5 ± 2.8 years, 53% women, 37% blacks). The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) was administered at baseline and after 5 years to assess attention and psychomotor speed. We used multivariate logistic regression models to calculate the risk of DSST 5-year decline [>1 SD from mean change (9 points)] across quartiles of gait speed, adjusting for demographics, weight, physical activity, comorbidities, depression and Modified Mini-Mental State Examination. Results: After 5 years, 389 (17.1%) participants declined in DSST. Compared to those in the highest quartile of gait speed (>1.35 m/s), participants in the lowest quartile (<1.05 m/s) were more likely to decline in DSST independently of the considered covariates (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.21–2.51, adjusted p for trend across quartiles = 0.006). Conclusions: In this cohort of older community dwellers, gait speed independently predicted a decline in DSST after 5 years.
Risks of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Siblings: A Nationwide Epidemiological Study from Sweden
Authors: Sundquist Jan , Li Xinjun , Sundquist Kristina , Hemminki Kari
Published: November 2007

This nationwide study aimed to enhance available data by determining sibling risks of subarachnoid hemorrhage in a total population. The MigMed database at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, was used to identify all cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage diagnosed in Sweden between 1987 and 2001. Incidence ratios standardized for age, region, and socioeconomic status (SIRs) were calculated for persons with at least 1 sibling with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The reference group consisted of persons whose siblings had no subarachnoid hemorrhage. A total of 90 affected siblings were identified; their SIR of subarachnoid hemorrhage was 2.75. The risk decreased with increasing age in both men and women. Within the limits of the sample size, no sex differences could be observed. The relatively high sibling risks are likely to be due to heritable causes and shared environmental factors. Genetic causes possibly weigh more in early- than late-onset cases. This study shows the feasibility of carrying out nationwide family studies on subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Does Age of Onset in Essential Tremor Have a Bimodal Distribution? Data from a Tertiary Referral Setting and a Population-Based Study
Authors: Louis Elan D. , Dogu Okan
Published: November 2007

Background/Aims: The distribution of age of onset of essential tremor (ET) is unclear, with discrepancies in the literature. Some data suggest a bimodal distribution and other data 1 late-life peak. We studied age of ET onset in 2 distinct settings: a population-based study and a tertiary referral center. Methods: Age of onset data were collected. Results: In the population, there was only a small peak at the age of ≤30 years (14.1% of cases) but a clear peak in later life (85.9% of cases). In the tertiary referral center, a bimodal distribution was apparent with 1 large peak (42.2% of cases) at the age of ≤40 years and the second large peak (57.8% of cases) in later life. Familial cases accounted for only 52.6% of young-onset cases from the population, yet 82.7% from the tertiary center. Discussion: In the population-based study, a peak in later life was clearly present but a young-onset peak was barely discernable, comprising few cases. By contrast, in a tertiary referral center, age of onset was clearly bimodal. While age of ET onset is often said to be bimodal, this may be due to the preferential referral to tertiary centers of patients with young-onset, familial ET.
Fetal Goiter and Bilateral Ovarian Cysts
Authors: Lassen Pernille D. , Sundberg Karin , Juul Anders , Skibsted Lillian
Published: November 2007

A unique case of fetal goiter accompanied by bilateral ovarian cysts in a mother treated with methimazole for Graves’ disease is reported. The abnormal findings were detected by ultrasound at 31 weeks of gestation. Umbilical fetal blood sampling revealed elevated serum TSH, normal concentrations of free T4, normal FSH and LH and high concentrations of E2. A series of weekly amniocenteses and intra-amniotic injections of levothyroxine was initiated, along with a reduction of the mother’s methimazole dosage. The level of TSH in amniotic fluid was initially high, but was considerably reduced by each injection and followed by a gradual reduction of fetal goiter as well as the left ovarian cyst. The right cyst ruptured spontaneously. At 36 weeks + 4 days, the patient underwent elective caesarean section and gave birth to a female, weighing 2,880 g with 1- and 5-min Apgar scores of 10. The thyroid gland appeared normal in size, and cord blood TSH and free T4 were both within normal limits. At ultrasound control 6 days later, the right ovarian cyst was not visible, while the left cyst was still present. Thus, our report supports previous findings that fetal goiter can be treated successfully with intra-amniotic injection of levothyroxine. More importantly, it shows that fetal hypothyroidism with elevated levels of TSH can be accompanied by ovarian cysts, suggesting interference between thyreotropic and gonadotropic hormones.
Relationship between Measures of Dementia Severity and Observation of Daily Life Functioning as Measured with the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS)
Authors: Bouwens Sharon F.M. , van Heugten Caroline M. , Aalten Pauline , Wolfs Claire A.G. , Baarends Erica M. , van Menxel Debby A.J. , Verhey Frans R.J.
Published: November 2007

Background: Cognitive impairment is mostly regarded as the core symptom of dementia, but several other domains (such as daily functioning) are equally relevant to assess the severity of dementia. The relationship between these domains is unclear. The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) is a relatively unexplored instrument in people with dementia, measuring severity by direct observation. Objective: To study the relationship between the AMPS and scores on several commonly used outcome measures for the assessment of dementia severity, and to examine the possible influence of neuropsychiatric symptoms on these relationships in patients with cognitive disorders. Methods: Cross-sectional data of 118 patients with cognitive disorders were used; data on cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination, MMSE; CAMCOG), global severity (Global Deterioration Scale, GDS), daily life functioning (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, IADL), and neuropsychiatric symptoms (Neuropsychiatric Inventory, NPI) were collected and analyzed using correlation and regression analyses. Different combinations of the severity measures were tested for their ability to predict the AMPS process ability scores. Results: Scores on the MMSE, CAMCOG and GDS were moderately associated with the AMPS process ability score. These measures explained between 27 and 44% of the variance in the AMPS score. The presence of apathy influenced the association between the cognitive measures and the AMPS score. Conclusion: Commonly used measures of dementia severity are only moderately associated with observation of performance on daily activities. This underlines the need for direct observation of daily activities in dementia patients. This relationship between several approaches of assessing dementia severity needs further study.
Cardioprotective Effects of Short-Term Caloric Restriction Are Mediated by Adiponectin via Activation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase
Authors: Shinmura Ken , Tamaki Kayoko , Saito Kiyomi , Nakano Yasuko , Tobe Takashi , Bolli Roberto
Published: November 2007

Background—

Overeating and obesity are major health problems in developed countries. Caloric restriction (CR) can counteract the deleterious aspects of obesity-related diseases and prolong lifespan. We have demonstrated that short-term CR improves myocardial ischemic tolerance and increases adiponectin levels. Here, we investigated the specific role of adiponectin in CR-induced cardioprotection.

Methods and Results—

Adiponectin antisense transgenic (Ad-AS) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were randomly assigned to a group fed ad libitum and a CR group (90% of caloric intake of ad libitum for 3 weeks, then 65% for 2 weeks). Isolated perfused mouse hearts were subjected to 25 minutes of ischemia, followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion. CR increased serum adiponectin levels by 84% in WT mice. Gel filtration analysis of the oligomeric complex distribution showed that CR produced a marked increase in the high–molecular-weight complex of adiponectin in WT mice; in contrast, CR did not change serum adiponectin levels or their oligomeric pattern in Ad-AS mice. CR improved the recovery of left ventricular function after ischemia/reperfusion and limited infarct size in WT mice; these effects were completely abrogated in Ad-AS mice. CR also increased the phosphorylated form of AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase in WT but not in Ad-AS mice. Recombinant adiponectin restored CR-induced cardioprotection in Ad-AS mice, and inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylation completely abrogated CR-induced cardioprotection in WT mice.

Conclusion—

The cardioprotective effects of short-term CR are mediated by increased production of adiponectin and the associated activation of AMP-activated protein kinase.
Salt-Sensitive Blood Pressure in Mice With Increased Expression of Aldosterone Synthase
Authors: Makhanova Natalia , Hagaman John , Kim Hyung-Suk , Smithies Oliver
Published: November 2007

To study the effects of modestly increased expression of aldosterone synthase (AS), we generated mice (
AS

hi/hi

) by replacing the 3′ untranslated region of AS mRNA with that from a stable mRNA.
AS

hi/hi

mice on a normal-salt diet had 1.5 times the wild-type AS mRNA in adrenals, although their blood pressure and plasma aldosterone did not differ from wild-type mice. Changes in dietary salt did not affect the blood pressure of wild-type mice, but
AS

hi/hi

mice had ≈10-mm Hg higher blood pressure on a high-salt diet than on a low-salt diet and than wild-type mice on either diet. The
AS

hi/hi

mice on a high-salt diet also had higher plasma aldosterone, lower plasma potassium, and greater renal expression of the α subunit of epithelial sodium channel compared with wild-type mice. The
AS

hi/hi

mice on a high-salt diet also had more water intake and urine volume and less urine osmolality than wild-type mice. On a low-salt diet,
AS

hi/hi

mice maintained normal blood pressure with less activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system than wild-type mice. The
AS

hi/hi

mice also had less water intake and urine volume and higher urine osmolality than wild-type mice. On a medium high-salt diet,
AS

hi/hi

mice were more susceptible than wild-type mice to infusion of angiotensin II, having a higher blood pressure, greater cardiac hypertrophy, and increased oxidative stress. Thus, a modest increase in AS expression makes blood pressure more sensitive to salt, suggesting that genetically increased AS expression in humans may contribute to hypertension and cardiovascular complications in societies with high-salt diets.
Daytime and Nighttime Blood Pressure as Predictors of Death and Cause-Specific Cardiovascular Events in Hypertension
Authors: Fagard Robert H. , Celis Hilde , Thijs Lutgarde , Staessen Jan A. , Clement Denis L. , De Buyzere Marc L. , De Bacquer Dirk A.
Published: November 2007

Our aim was to assess the prognostic significance of nighttime and daytime ambulatory blood pressure and their ratio for mortality and cause-specific cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients without major cardiovascular disease at baseline. We performed a meta-analysis on individual data of 3468 patients from 4 prospective studies performed in Europe. Age of the subjects averaged 61±13 years, 45% were men, 13.7% smoked, 8.4% had diabetes, and 61% were under antihypertensive treatment at the time of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Office, daytime, and nighttime blood pressure averaged 159±20/91±12, 143±17/87±12, and 130±18/75±12 mm Hg. Total follow-up amounted to 23 164 patient-years. We used multivariable Cox regression analysis to assess the hazard ratios associated with 1 standard deviation higher blood pressure. Daytime and nighttime systolic blood pressure predicted all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, coronary heart disease, and stroke, independently from office blood pressure and confounding variables. When these blood pressures were entered simultaneously into the models, nighttime blood pressure predicted all outcomes, whereas daytime blood pressure did not add prognostic precision to nighttime pressure. Appropriate interaction terms indicated that the results were similar in men and women, in younger and older patients, and in treated and untreated patients The systolic night–day blood pressure ratio predicted all outcomes, which only persisted for all-cause mortality after adjustment for 24-hour blood pressure. In conclusion, nighttime blood pressure is in general a better predictor of outcome than daytime pressure in hypertensive patients, and the night–day blood pressure ratio predicts mortality, even after adjustment for 24-hour blood pressure.
Periodontal Infection Is Associated With Endothelial Dysfunction in Healthy Subjects and Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Higashi Yukihito , Goto Chikara , Jitsuiki Daisuke , Umemura Takashi , Nishioka Kenji , Hidaka Takayuki , Takemoto Hiroaki , Nakamura Shuji , Soga Junko , Chayama Kazuaki , Yoshizumi Masao , Taguchi Akira
Published: November 2007

The purpose of this study was to evaluate endothelial function in patients with periodontitis. We evaluated forearm blood flow responses to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside in patients with periodontitis who had no other cardiovascular risk factors (32 men; 25±3 years of age), in a normal control group (20 men; 26±3 years of age), and in hypertensive patients with periodontitis (28 men and 10 women; 56±12 years of age) and without periodontitis (control group; 18 men and 6 women; 54±13 years of age). Forearm blood flow was measured using strain-gauge plethysmography. Circulating levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 were significantly higher in the periodontitis group than in the control group. Both in healthy and hypertensive subjects, forearm blood flow responses to acetylcholine were significantly smaller in the periodontitis group than in the control group. Sodium nitroprusside–stimulated vasodilation was similar in the 2 groups. Periodontal therapy reduced serum concentrations of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 and augmented acetylcholine-induced vasodilation in periodontitis patients with and without hypertension. After administration of
N
G
-monomethyl-
l
-arginine, an NO synthase inhibitor, forearm blood flow response to acetylcholine was similar before and after treatment. These findings suggest that periodontitis is associated with endothelial dysfunction in subjects without cardiovascular risk factors, as well as hypertensive patients, through a decrease in NO bioavailability and that systemic inflammation may be, at least in part, a cause of endothelial dysfunction, leading to cardiovascular diseases.
Environmental Factors Affecting Tropical Cyclone Power Dissipation
Authors: Emanuel Kerry
Published: November 2007

Revised estimates of kinetic energy production by tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and western North Pacific are presented. These show considerable variability on interannual-to-multidecadal time scales. In the Atlantic, variability on time scales of a few years and more is strongly correlated with tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature, while in the western North Pacific, this correlation, while still present, is considerably weaker. Using a combination of basic theory and empirical statistical analysis, it is shown that much of the variability in both ocean basins can be explained by variations in potential intensity, low-level vorticity, and vertical wind shear. Potential intensity variations are in turn factored into components related to variations in net surface radiation, thermodynamic efficiency, and average surface wind speed.

In the Atlantic, potential intensity, low-level vorticity, and vertical wind shear strongly covary and are also highly correlated with sea surface temperature, at least during the period in which reanalysis products are considered reliable. In the Pacific, the three factors are not strongly correlated. The relative contributions of the three factors are quantified, and implications for future trends and variability of tropical cyclone activity are discussed.
The Beijing China-Africa Summit of 2006
Authors: King Kenneth
Published: November 2007

The China-Africa Summit of 4–5 November 2006 was the largest ever high-level conference on Africa held outside of the continent. In its relations with African countries, China has traditionally avoided presenting itself as a donor, preferring to see itself as a large developing country working alongside other developing countries. It pursued a gradualist and integrated approach towards cooperation that emphasised the mutuality and two-sidedness of the cooperation. However, the various pledges, promises and targets included in ‘The Beijing Action Plan—2007–2009’ that was unveiled at the Beijing Summit gave it more of an aid flavour. While this need not make China into a Western or Japanese style donor, it will certainly have a series of consequences for China's relations with Africa.
Whose World, Whose Order?
Authors: Chaturvedi Sanjay , Painter Joe
Published: November 2007

This article offers a critical re-examination of the concept of world order. Taking our cue from Georg Sørensen's recent article in this journal entitled `What Kind of World Order?' we begin by unpacking the concept of order itself. We distinguish two principal meanings of the term: one analytical and descriptive (order as non-randomness) and one value-laden and normative (order as stability and the absence of violent conflict). In debates about world order, these two meanings are often blurred. Drawing on William Connolly's critique of the descriptive-normative distinction, we suggest that this blurring occurs in part because world order is an `essentially contested concept'. Practices of ordering typically involve the production of specific spatializations, yet questions of space and spatiality are largely absent from discussions of world order. In the second part of the article, therefore, we address this absence through a discussion of geo-politics, focusing on US hegemony and neo-liberalism, military geographies and the spaces of marginalization and resistance. The article concludes with some reflections on the political implications of a spatialized account of world order.