bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
American Civi-Military Relations and Military Government: The Service of Colonel Alexander Doniphan in the Mexican War
Authors: Dawson Joseph G.
Published: March 2007

As an American volunteer colonel during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), Alexander W. Doniphan played a leading role in the earliest experiences of the U.S. military government. Serving as an officer in the U.S. expedition that captured Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1846, Doniphan was ordered to write a constitution and set of laws for the New Mexico Territory. Furthermore, Doniphan had to deal with the ethnically diverse population of the conquered lands. He negotiated a treaty with the Navajo tribe in hopes of establishing peaceful relations between the tribe and the United States. Other officers, both regulars and volunteers, later performed similar duties in the captured territory of California. Comprehensive works on military government point to Doniphan's actions as helping to set the example for U.S. military governments in other captured territories after the war with Spain in 1898 and into the twentieth century. Moreover, Doniphan was also involved in an incident that served as an important example of the difficulties of nineteenth century civil-military relations during wartime. Believing that he would need privately owned supplies while his expedition operated in enemy territory, Doniphan ordered goods to be commandeered for his soldiers' use. The owner of the supplies sued for compensation and his case proceeded all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court ruled that Doniphan and his subordinates had acted improperly in confiscating the supplies, thus forcing military officers to be aware that they could not take arbitrary actions even in the face of enemy armed forces in enemy territory.
Statebuilding and Political Priorities in Post-Soviet Ukraine: The Role of the Military
Authors: Chandler Andrea
Published: March 2007

This article explores the development of military institutions in independent Ukraine, from the breakup of the USSR in 1991 until late 1994. Under Ukraine's first president, Leonid Kravchuk, Ukraine's leaders placed a strong priority on developing the armed forces in order to safeguard independence. For political and social reasons, this was initially seen by the elite as a desirable and beneficial approach to statebuilding, given Ukraine's difficult circumstances. However, the prioritization of the military brought political controversy, and economic weaknesses made an independent Ukrainian armed forces more difficult to sustain in the long term. The lesson is that while leaders of new states may feel a need to choose statebuilding priorities, an emphasis on military development must nonetheless consider the influence of social and economic factors.
South Africa's Arms Industry: A New Era of Democratic Accountability?
Authors: Robinson Tyler , Boutwell Jeffrey
Published: March 2007

In April of 1994, South Africa held its first-ever democratic election-a profound step in a promising new direction. Whether that step will in fact lead to full democracy is still in question. Renowned for a legacy of internal, ethnic turmoil born of apartheid, and for years of destabilizing its neighbors in one of the more violent and unstable regions of the world, South Africa's future is a key variable for both regional stability and a more just and stable international order. At present, certain characteristics have emerged from South Africa's ongoing democratic transition that, despite the promise of apartheid's historic dismantlement, are less than reassuring. Political and economic exigencies have made it difficult for South Africa to purge itself fully of the hard-line security structure and extensive military industrial capabilities of the former apartheid regime, although the Mandela government has made promising moves in both areas. Much remains to be done, however, if the "new" South Africa is to contribute to both regional and global stability.
Numbers or Networks: Social Constructions of Technology and Organizational Dilemmas in IDF Modernization
Authors: Demchak Chris C.
Published: March 2007

Western nations including Israel are modernizing their militaries. They are turning to advanced technologies and information warfare as altematives to nuclear weapons and as solutions to manpower and budget constraints. For the same reasons, technological modernization of the Israeli Defense Force's ground organization has become a political and strategic necessity. The modernization process, however, is precipitating a wrenching and non-obvious reorganization of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) as managers' expectations of the technology are imposed on organizational realities. The Israeli ground forces are developing into a smaller, more professional, standing army that requires more coordination and precise behavior. Achieving greater precision in operations will prove difficult for the reserve oriented IDF. This article investigates the case of the IDF as an example of a general phenomenon in which complexity in machines drives the directions of organizational adaptation, making the capabilities of military organizations less clear-cut. As a result, actors throughout the military organization are less able to accurately foresee the organizational consequences of decisions involving these machines, especially during crises.
The Changing Pattern of Military Takeovers in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Gershoni Yekutiel
Published: March 2007

During the years between 1958 and 1987, the African continent saw 143 actual and attempted military takeovers. Most followed a single scenario: Rebel troops surrounded key positions in the capital, arrested or executed the head of state, and quickly established a new government without shaking the country's administrative and economic infrastructure. During the late 1980s, African rulers who had achieved their positions by taking over the capital were well aware that they could be overthrown by the same means. To protect their regimes, they concentrated most of the state's meager resources and their well-trained loyal troops in the capital, leaving the periphery uncontrolled. Coup plotters in Ethiopia, Chad, Somalia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda exploited the lack of authority in the peripheries of their respective countries, built up rebel forces in the border areas, and from there advanced toward their capitals. This new strategy resulted in prolonged civil wars that consumed human lives and devastated the economy and the society. Two coups in Liberia, a failed one in 1985 and a successful one in 1989, are paradigms that demonstrate the changing pattern of coup styles in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Democratizing Civilian Control: The Polish Case
Authors: Coughlan Elizabeth P.
Published: March 2007

This article explores the theoretical and practical considerations of establishing democratic civilian control over the post-communist military in Poland. It argues that problems with civilian control lie not only within the military establishment but within the political system. It highlights the difference between simple civilian control and democratic civilian control and points out that there can be systemic obstacles to moving from one to the other. It is impossible to establish democratic control over the military until there is a consensus among the population and the politicians about where the locus of that control should lie. In the case of Poland, the military has been used by the president in his attempts to sway the public in favor of a presidential system. The article argues that perhaps the single largest factor in keeping the military out of politics is the development of a stable political system.
Does Enlistment Propensity Predict Accession? High School Seniors' Plans and Subsequent Behavior
Authors: Bachman Jerald G. , Segal David R. , Freedman-Doan Peter , O'Malley Patrick M.
Published: March 2007

This article examines how high school seniors' plans or "propensity" to serve in the armed forces relate to their actual enlistment. Longitudinal data were used from more than M 33.000 participants in the Monitoring the Future Project's nationally representative samples from the high school classes of 1976-1991; however, primary attention was focused on the more recent classes (1984-1991). Men's expectations at the end of high school predicted their entrance into military service just about as accurately as they predicted entrance into college. Among those men who "definitely" expected to enlist, fully 70 percent did so within five or six years; however, among, those who "probably" expected to enlist, only 29 percent did so; and among all other men, under 10 percent enlisted. Compared with men, far fewer women expected to enlist, and they were only half as likely actually to do so. These findings show far higher correlations between plans and enlistment than have been found in previous studies using other samples.
Value Changes in Four Cohorts at the U.S. Military Academy
Authors: Priest Robert F. , Beach Johnston
Published: March 2007

This article deals with values and value changes at three levels: (1) What values do cadets at the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) hold at entrance, and do they hold the same values as other college students? (2) How do USMA cadet values change during their four years at West Point? (3) How consistent is the pattern of change from cohort to cohort? Using the Scott Values Inventory (SVI) and the Army Year of Values Survey (AYVS), cadets entering the United States Military Academy were found to have higher scores than students entering a nonmilitary four-year public university. Using the SVI, four cohorts of cadets at the Academy provided repeated measures of their values from entrance to graduation. The pattern of changes in values for all four classes was similar; the similarities of how each class changed were remarkable in view of changes in the curriculum and student body during the seventeen years of this study. Using the AYVS, two cohorts of cadets showed that values recognized as appropriate for Army leaders were high at entrance and remained so over their four years in higher education.
Durkheim's "Heroic Suicide" in Military Combat
Authors: Riemer Jeffrey W.
Published: March 2007

Durkheim's neglected concept, heroic suicide, was explored using Congressional Medal of Honor data. All cases meeting the criteria for heroic altruistic suicide in military combat (n=125) were selected for analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative content analysis procedures were used and the usefulness of the combined approach is demonstrated. This research supports Durkheim's claims that altruistic suicide would be higher among non-commissioned officers than commissioned officers, among elite troops than those that display less cohesion, and among those in "leadership roles" than enlisted men. ("leadership role" is a reformulation; Durkheim used an official military rank designation.) Use of citation data enabled an analysis sensitive to the social context of heroic suicide, including some indications of the feelings involved when choosing to sacrifice one's life for another or others.
High-Performing High Schools: Patterns of Success
Authors: Cooper Jewell E. , Ponder Gerald , Merritt Sherri , Matthews Catherine
Published: March 2007

What makes high schools successful in a high-stakes accountability environment? This case study used documents, interviews, and site visits to create profiles of 11 diverse North Carolina high schools with records of high performance on state assessments. Profiles were analyzed by themes or patterns of success recurring in the data. The analysis indicated five patterns of success: relationships and connections; safety nets andfamily fteling; data-directed dialogue and collaborative instruction; departments as drivers; and collaborative leadership. Implications for educational practice are provided.
Functional Trajectories Associated With Hospitalization in Older Adults
Authors: Wakefield Bonnie J. , Holman John E.
Published: March 2007

For older adults, acute-care hospital stays can result in functional decline that leads to increased risk of hospitalization, nursing home admission, or mortality. This study describes functional trajectories in hospitalized older adults and identifies risk factors associated with those trajectories. Respondents ( N = 45) exhibited five of six possible functional trajectory patterns. The largest change in functional status was a decline in activities of daily living (ADL) from baseline at 2 weeks before admission to the time of admission; ADL did not return to baseline during the first 4 days in the hospital. Depression scores were significantly higher in respondents who reported experiencing ADL decline before admission. Respondents whose ADL scores declined during hospitalization (regardless of baseline status) were more likely than others to die within 3 months of discharge. Functional trajectory in hospitalized elderly patients is an important and underappreciated prognostic concept requiring further attention.
Aids Education Needs Assessment: A Comparative Study of Jail and Prison Correctional Officers
Authors: Keeton Kato B.
Published: March 2007

To ascertain HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and the education needs of correctional officers in jails and state prisons in northwest Florida, a needs assessment instrument was administered in the workplace. State law requirements mandating annual HIV/AIDS training for correctional officers led to a hypothesis that state prison correctional officers would have greater knowledge levels than jail correctional officers, who do not have regularly scheduled training as there is no mandated program on the local level. On the whole, knowledge levels were good in both groups, with prison correctional officers scoring better than correctional officers in the jails on most items. However, statistical and item analyses of responses suggest that both groups generally are unable to consistently distinguish between various behavioral risk situations, at times rating similar risk situations very differently. This research is consistent with other studies whose results suggest that designs for educational programs intended for adults should employ an adult learning theory framework. Education better tailored to the environment and to the age and learning requirements of participants increases the probability that learners will be prepared to make effective decisions in the workplace.
Delayed Vomiting in Children With Cancer After Receiving Moderately High or Highly Emetogenic Chemotherapy
Authors: Robinson Deborah L. , Carr Barbara A.
Published: March 2007

Delayed vomiting is a potentially significant adverse effect of chemotherapy used to treat childhood cancer, but little is known about the experience of delayed vomiting in children and adolescents. An exploratory study was conducted to determine the pattern of delayed vomiting in children and adolescents with cancer after highly emetic chemotherapy and to identify possible risk factors. In a sample of 82 children and adolescents who completed 117 cycles of highly emetic chemotherapy, the overall prevalence of delayed vomiting was 32%. The frequency of delayed vomiting was highest on delayed day 2, with 21% of participants experiencing vomiting. By delayed day 7, only 9% of participants still reported vomiting. The severity of vomiting was moderate to severe in 11% to 12% of subjects. Age and gender had no significant effect on delayed vomiting. The emetic potential of the agent, incomplete protection from acute vomiting, and treatment regimens that lasted 6 or more days significantly affected delayed vomiting. In addition, a history of motion sickness, lack of acute control, and 6 or more days of chemotherapy were predictive of delayed vomiting.
Towards defining a meaningful anxiety phenotype for research in ADHD children
Authors: Mennin D. , Biederman J. , Mick E. , Faraone S. V.
Published: March 2007

Objective: To combine anxiety diagnoses empirically into a meaningful definition of a comorbid anxiety syndrome in ADHD children.

Methods: The prevalence of all DSM-111-R anxiety disorders was examined in our ADHD sample (N =237) and a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to combine the information optimally from these many disorders into a single anxiety phenotype.

Results: We found that two or more anxiety disorders correctly identified a large number of ADHD children as anxious (SN=0.75) while maintaining a reasonable false positive rate (Sp=0.67). In contrast, the criterion of three or more anxiety disorders correctly identified only half the sample and the criterion of one or more anxiety disorders had a much higher false positive rate. The necessary data are also presented for those that may wish to use a definition other than 2 or more anxiety disorders.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that using 2 or more anxiety disorders may offer a useful approach to defining comorbid anxiety in ADHD youth.
Effects of caffeine on cognitive, psychomotor, and affective performance of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Leon M. Roth
Published: March 2007

Studies examining caffeine's effects on cognitive, psychomotor, and affective functioning of children with ADHD were reviewed. For children with ADHD, caffeine was more effective than no treatment in decreasing impulsivity, aggression, and parents' and teachers' perceptions of children's symptom severity, and more effective than placebo in decreasing hyperactivity and teachers' perceptions of children's symptom severity, and in improving executive functioning/planning. Methylphenidate was more effective than caffeine in decreasing hyperactivity, aggression, and parents' and teachers' perceptions of children's symptom severity, and in improving executive functioning/planning and motor coordination. Amphetamines were more effective than caffeine in reducing hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggression, and teachers' perceptions of children's symptom severity. Combining caffeine and stimulants to produce moderate levels of arousal may produce better functioning than caffeine or stimulant drugs alone. Research is needed regarding caffeine's effects on the functioning of adolescents and adults with ADHD.
Sports behavior of ADHD children
Authors: Johnson R. C. , Rosen L. A.
Published: March 2007

This study examined differences in sport behavior between boys with and without AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Sport behavior was measured by parent-report on the Sports Behavior Checklist (SBC). The SBC assessed which sports the child had participated in, length of participation, aggression, emotional reactivity, frequency of injury, and frequency of disqualification across both team and individual sports settings. Results from the study showed that boys with ADHD displayed higher levels of aggression, emotional reactivity, and disqualification than did their non-ADHD peers. Additionally, both groups of boys displayed higher levels of aggression, emotional reactivity, and injury in team sports compared to individual sports. Practical implications for the parents of ADHD boys involved in sports are discussed. Results are also considered with respect to current theories of ADHD.
The relationship between ADHD theory and practice: A preliminary investigation
Authors: DeBonis D. A. , Ylvisaker M. , Kundert D. K.
Published: March 2007

In a study of the degree to which theoretical understanding of ADHD as a disorder of executive function influences school-based intervention, the most commonly used curricular materials produced and distributed for use with ADHD students were reviewed. In addition, school psychologists were surveyed regarding typical intervention practices. School psychologists reported infrequent use of general practices designed to systematically improve executive functions in contextually relevant ways. Similarly, commonly used curricular materials for students with ADHD include rare references to general executive function interventions through everyday routines. Although school psychologists reported use of both contingency and antecedent management approaches, the curricular materials reviewed reveal considerably greater emphasis on contingency management procedures, which are generally not consistent with an executive function orientation and are contrary to the growing body of literature suggesting that individuals with frontal lobe impairment have difficulty learning from consequences. It appears that despite growing understanding of ADHD as a disorder of executive function, intervention approaches are not largely influenced by this theoretical framework.
Assessing the services for children with ADHD: Gaps and opportunities
Authors: Sloan M. T. , Jensen P. , Kettle L.
Published: March 2007

Dramatic increases in the number of new cases of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the subsequent increases in the use of stimulant medications, especially methylphenidate, have fueled public and professional concern about the adequacy and appropriateness of the services that hyperactive/inattentive children receive. This literature review examines the current research on the nature of services that children and adolescents with ADHD receive, particularly in school and medical settings. Research on the factors leading to identification and the assessment and treatment practices is reviewed. In general, although progress has been made in professional understanding of ADHD, and a variety of effective school-based, medical, and psychosocial interventions exist, serious concerns persist regarding the adequacy of the assessment process and the minimal integration of disciplines to provide comprehensive, multi-modal treatments. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed. Finally, a description of the service system as a "filter" is presented.
Exploring different information sources for DSM-1V ADHD diagnoses in Brazilian adolescents
Authors: Rohde L. A. , Biederman J. , Knijnik M. P. , Ketzer C. , Chachamovich E. , Vieira G. M. , Pinzon V.
Published: March 2007

The objective of the study was to explore the agreement between parents' and adolescents' reports for the diagnoses of DSM-IVAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in a school sample of young Brazilian adolescents. The method was to evaluate 191 students, aged 12 to 14 years, using the DSM-1V ADHD criteria, the Attention Problems scales of the Children Behavior Checklist-Parent Report Form (CBCL) and Teacher Report Form (TRF). The results showed that agreement between parents and adolescents for DSM-IVADHD diagnosis was low (k = 0.45; C195% = 0.31-0.59). Based on parents' or adolescents' reports, 100% of the ADHD adolescents (30 youths) were identified. Using parents exclusively as the information source, 87% of the cases (26 youths) were detected. Independently of the information source used, the youths with ADHD scored significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the control group of adolescents in the Attention Problems scales of both CBCL and TRE These results support the appropriateness of the combined use of information gathered from adolescents or parents for the diagnosis of ADHD in epidemiological studies with young adolescents, and extend to other cultures the previous findings from North-American samples.
Self-ratings of ADHD symptoms in adults I: Factor structure and normative data
Authors: Conners C. K. , Erhardt D. , Epstein J. N. , Parker J. D.A. , Sitarenios G. , Sparrow E.
Published: March 2007

Background: Although well-standardized behavior rating scales are routinely utilized in children for evaluations of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), comparable measures for adults with ADHD symptomatology have been sparse. Based on current literature and clinical experience, nine aspects of adult ADHD functioning provided initial hypotheses regarding factor structure and scale items for a new scale for self-rating of symptoms by adults suspected of having ADHD.

Method: A normative sample of 839 subjects and a clinical sample of 167 subjects completed ratings of an initial pool of 93 items.

Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a four-factor structure involving 42 items. These factors include Inattention/Cognitive Problems, Hyperactivity/Restlessness, Impulsivity/Emotional Lability, and Problems with Self-Concept.

Conclusion: The scale appears to cover the core features of ADHD as seen in children and adolescents, while adding content unique to adult expression of the ADHD syndrome. The new scale (Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale, or CAARS) may provide a useful dimensional measurement system for research and clinical applications.
Self-ratings of ADHD symptomas in auts II: Reliability, validity, and diagnostic sensitivity
Authors: Erhardt D. , Epstein J. N. , Conners C. K. , Parker J. D.A. , Sitarenios G.
Published: March 2007

Background: The Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) was designed to assess the manifestations of ADHD in adults. Prior factor analyses suggested a 4-factor structure for the CAARS, includingdimensions related to Inattention/Cognitive Problems, Hyperactivity/Restlessness, Impulsivity/Emotional Liability, and Problems with Self-Concept.

Method: The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, criterion validity, and diagnostic utility for the CAARS were examined.

Results: Coefficient alphas ranged from .86 to .92. Median test-retest reliability for the four factors was .89. Al/ four CAARS factors correlated significantly with scores from an established measure used in the evaluation of ADHD in adults. Criterion validity was assessed on the basis of comparisons of matched samples with and without ADHD. Sensitivity and specificity were high, with an overall diagnostic efficiency rate of 85%.

Conclusion: The CAARS provides researchers and clinicians with a carefully constructed and psychometrically sound scale for the evaluation of current ADHD symptomatology in adults.
Prescribing Physical Activity for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health
Authors: Zoeller Robert F.
Published: March 2007

More than half of all Americans do not engage in regular physical activity of even moderate intensity, with nearly 1 in 4 reporting no leisure-time physical activity. Despite the well-known benefits of regular exercise, fewer than half of physicians counsel their patients on increasing physical activity. Aerobic exercise of a minimum intensity of only 30% to 40% of heart rate reserve is sufficient to improve cardiovascular fitness in most individuals, with a goal of gradually progressing to 60% to 80% heart rate reserve. Exercise duration and frequency are also gradually increased to maximize cardiovascular stimulus. The goal is a minimum weekly energy expenditure of 1000 kcal per week, and 2000 kcal per week or more may be needed for weight loss and/or management. Strength training 2 to 3 days per week is recommended as an adjunct to regular aerobic exercise, especially for those with impaired glucose/insulin metabolism. It is safe for most elderly individuals to follow these guidelines, including strength training, as long as appropriate precautions are taken.
The Evidence Is In: Lifestyle Interventions Can Prevent Diabetes
Authors: Franz Marion J.
Published: March 2007

Early epidemiological and clinical trials suggested that type 2 diabetes could be prevented or delayed by lifestyle modifications. The Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study and the Diabetes Prevention Programs provided conclusive evidence that type 2 diabetes could be prevented or delayed with modest lifestyle changes—5% to 7% loss of body weight and 150 min/week of physical activity. Both used intensive intervention strategies and continued support and follow-up to achieve study goals. Other smaller studies made similar observations. Various medications—metformin, acarbose, troglitazone and pioglitazone, orlistat, and rosiglitazone—and bariatric surgery have also been effective for the prevention or delay of diabetes. Nutrient factors studied include the contribution of a high dietary fat intake, especially saturated fat, to the development of diabetes and increased intake of fiber, whole grains, and alcohol to decreased risk. A review of the evidence led the American Diabetes Association to conclude that lifestyle interventions should be the first choice for prevention or delay of diabetes and that drug therapy should not be a substitute for lifestyle interventions—healthy and appropriate food choices and physical activity.
Regulation of macrophage procoagulant responses by the tissue factor cytoplasmic domain in endotoxemia
Authors: Ahamed Jasimuddin , Niessen Frank , Kurokawa Toru , Lee Young Kyung , Bhattacharjee Gourab , Morrissey James H. , Ruf Wolfram
Published: March 2007

Tissue factor (TF) is the primary initiator of coagulation, and the TF pathway mediates signaling through protease-activated receptors (PARs). In sepsis, TF is up-regulated as part of the proinflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)–stimulated monocytes leading to systemic coagulation activation. Here we demonstrate that TF cytoplasmic domain–deleted (TFΔCT) mice show enhanced and prolonged systemic coagulation activation relative to wild-type upon LPS challenge. However, TFΔCT mice resolve inflammation earlier and are protected from lethality independent of changes in coagulation. Macrophages from LPS-challenged TFΔCT mice or LPS-stimulated, in vitro–differentiated bone marrow–derived macrophages show increased TF mRNA and functional activity relative to wild-type, identifying up-regulation of macrophage TF expression as a possible cause for the increase in coagulation of TFΔCT mice. Increased TF expression of TFΔCT macrophages does not require PAR2 and is specific for toll-like receptor, but not interferon γ receptor, signaling. The presence of the TF cytoplasmic domain suppresses ERK1/2 phosphorylation that is reversed by p38 inhibition leading to enhanced TF expression specifically in wild-type but not TFΔCT mice. The present study demonstrates a new role of the TF cytoplasmic domain in an autoregulatory pathway that controls LPS-induced TF expression in macrophages and procoagulant responses in endotoxemia.
Inactivation of RB1 in mantle-cell lymphoma detected by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway inhibition and microarray analysis
Authors: Pinyol Magda , Bea Silvia , Plà Laura , Ribrag Vincent , Bosq Jacques , Rosenwald Andreas , Campo Elias , Jares Pedro
Published: March 2007

Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is genetically characterized by the translocation t(11;14)(q13;q32) and a high number of secondary chromosomal abnormalities. To identify genes inactivated in this lymphoma, we examined 5 MCL cell lines following a strategy previously described in tumors with microsatellite instability that is based on the combined inhibition of the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway and gene-expression profiling. This approach, together with the design of a conservative algorithm for analysis of the results, allowed the identification of 3 genes carrying premature stop codons. These genes were p53 with a mutation previously described in JEKO-1, the leukocyte-derived arginine aminopeptidase (LRAP) gene in REC-1 that showed a new splicing isoform generating a premature stop codon, and RB1 in UPN-1 that contained an intragenic homozygous deletion resulting in a truncated transcript and total loss of protein expression. The new LRAP isoform was detected also in 2 primary MCLs, whereas inactivating intragenic deletions of RB1 were found in the primary tumor from which UPN-1 was derived and 1 additional blastoid MCL. These tumors carried a concomitant inactivation of p53, whereas p16INK4a was wild type. These results indicate for the first time that RB1 may be inactivated in aggressive MCL by intragenic deletions.
Polymorphisms of interleukin-10 and its receptor and lung function in COPD
Authors: He J-Q. , Shumansky K. , Zhang X. , Connett J. E. , Anthonisen N. R. , Sandford A. J.
Published: March 2007

Interleukin (IL)-10 is a type-2 T-helper cell cytokine with a broad spectrum of anti-inflammatory actions. Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It was hypothesised that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the genes encoding IL-10 (IL10) and the α subunit of its receptor (IL10RA) are associated with changes in, or value of, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in smoking-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In total, eleven SNPs ofIL10andIL10RAwere studied in 586 White subjects, selected from continuous smokers followed for 5 yrs in the Lung Health Study, who showed the fastest (n = 280) and slowest (n = 306) decline in FEV1. These 11 SNPs were also studied in 1,072 participants exhibiting the lowest (n = 538) and highest (n = 534) baseline FEV1at the beginning of the Lung Health Study.

No association was found in the primary analyses. Although a subgroup analysis showed that the IL-10 3368A allele was associated with a fast decline in FEV1, the association did not pass correction for multiple comparisons. No gene–gene interaction ofIL10withIL10RAwas found.

There was no association of polymorphisms of the genes encoding interleukin-10 and the α subunit of its receptor with the rate of decline in, or value of, forced expiratory volume in one second in smoking-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Endobronchial ultrasound: new insight for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis
Authors: Wong M. , Yasufuku K. , Nakajima T. , Herth F. J. F. , Sekine Y. , Shibuya K. , Iizasa T. , Hiroshima K. , Lam W. K. , Fujisawa T.
Published: March 2007

A diagnosis of sarcoidosis should be substantiated by pathological means in order to thoroughly exclude other diseases. The role of real-time endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis has not been reported. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA in demonstrating the pathological features of sarcoidosis.

In total, 65 patients with suspected sarcoidosis, with enlarged hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes on computed tomography, were included in the study. Patients with a suspected or known malignancy or previously established diagnosis of sarcoidosis were excluded. Convex probe endobronchial ultrasonography integrated with a separate working channel was used for EBUS-TBNA. Surgical methods were performed in those in whom no granulomas were detected by EBUS-TBNA. Patients were followed up clinically.

EBUS-TBNA was performed on a total of 77 lymph node stations in 65 patients. A final diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made for 61 (93.8%) of the patients. The remaining four patients were diagnosed as having Wegener's granulomatosis (n = 1) or indefinite (n = 3). In patients with a final diagnosis of sarcoidosis, EBUS-TBNA demonstrated noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas in 56 (91.8%) of the patients. No complications were reported.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration proved to be a safe procedure with a high yield for the diagnoses of sarcoidosis.
Airway resistance variability and response to bronchodilator in children with asthma
Authors: Lall C. A. , Cheng N. , Hernandez P. , Pianosi P. T. , Dali Z. , Abouzied A. , Maksym G. N.
Published: March 2007

Variability of airway function is a feature of asthma, spanning timescales from months to seconds. Short-term variation in airway resistance (Rrs) is elevated in asthma and is thought to be due to increased variation in the contractile activation of airway smooth muscle. If true, then variation inRrsshould decrease in response to bronchodilators, but this has not been investigated.

Using the forced oscillation technique,Rrsand the variation inRrsfrom 4–34 Hz were measured in 39 children with well-controlled mild-to-moderate asthma and 31 healthy controls (7–13 yrs) before and after an inhaled bronchodilator (200 µg salbutamol) or placebo.

In agreement with other findings, baselineRrsat all frequencies and thesdofRrs(Rrssd) below 14 Hz were found to be elevated in asthma while neither forced expiratory volume in one second nor the mean forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of forced vital capacity were different compared with controls. The present authors found thatRrssdchanged the most of any measurement in asthma, and this was the only measurement that changed significantly more in children with asthma following bronchodilator administration.

The present results show that like airway narrowing, short-term airway variability of resistance may be a characteristic feature of asthma that may be useful for monitoring response to therapy.
Detection of extrapulmonary lesions with integrated PET/CT in the staging of lung cancer
Authors: De Wever W. , Vankan Y. , Stroobants S. , Verschakelen J.
Published: March 2007

The aim of the present study was to assess retrospectively the additional value of positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in the detection of unexpected extrapulmonary lesions in the staging of patients with a malignant pulmonary lesion in comparison with CT and PET used alone.

A total of 217 patients with a pathologically proven lung tumour underwent PET/CT. CT, PET and PET/CT were evaluated in the detection of extrapulmonary lesions. These abnormalities were compared with the final diagnosis obtained from the medical records and statistical analysis was carried out.

In total, 108 lesions were clinically detected. PET/CT showed a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of 100, 81, 71, 100 and 87%, respectively, for the detection of extrapulmonary lesions and 92, 98, 89, 98 and 97%, respectively, for the detection of malignant extrapulmonary lesions. PET/CT was significantly better than CT and PET used alone.

Conventional staging work-up has a poor sensitivity in detecting second primary cancers or unexpected metastases. The detection of malignant extrapulmonary lesions is necessary for correct tumour staging. By combining both metabolic and anatomical information, positron emission tomography/computed tomography is able to depict more unexpected extrapulmonary lesions than computed tomography and positron emission tomography used alone, and positron emission tomography/computed tomography provides more additional information of malignancy or benignancy of lesions detected with one of the two imaging modalities alone.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis fibroblasts migrate and proliferate to CC chemokine ligand 21
Authors: Pierce E. M. , Carpenter K. , Jakubzick C. , Kunkel S. L. , Evanoff H. , Flaherty K. R. , Martinez F. J. , Toews G. B. , Hogaboam C. M.
Published: March 2007

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)/usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) is the severest form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia for which therapeutic targets are needed. Surgical lung biopsy specimens from IPF/UIP patients exhibit focal expression of CC chemokine receptor (CCR) 7, but the identity of these CCR7-positive cells is unknown. The purpose of the present study was to examine the functional and signalling significance of CCR7 expression of primary fibroblasts grown from IPF/UIP and normal surgical lung biopsy specimens.

Primary fibroblasts were cultured from surgical lung biopsy specimens from IPF/UIP and normal patients. Fibroblasts treated with or without CC chemokine ligand (CCL) 21 were analysed for functional, transcriptional and proteomic differences using immunocytochemical analysis, gene arrays, Taqman real-time PCR, and migration, proliferation and Western blot assays.

CCR7 was expressed by IPF/UIP fibroblasts, but not normal fibroblasts. IPF/UIP fibroblasts, but not normal fibroblasts, showed significant migratory and proliferative responses when exposed to CCL21, which were inhibited by pertussis toxin or neutralising antibodies to CCR7. Exposure of IPF/UIP fibroblasts to CCL21 altered the phosphorylation status of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and ribosomal S6 kinase (90 kDa) in these cells; this was abrogated by pertussis toxin or CCR7-specific small interfering RNA.

Together, these data demonstrate that CC chemokine ligand 21 modulates the functional properties of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis/usual interstitial pneumonia fibroblasts, but not normal fibroblasts.
Possible protection by inhaled budesonide against ischaemic cardiac events in mild COPD
Authors: Löfdahl C-G. , Postma D. S. , Pride N. B. , Boe J. , Thorén A.
Published: March 2007

Epidemiological studies have indicated that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be associated with an increased incidence of ischaemic cardiac events.

The current authors performed apost hocanalysis of the European Respiratory Society’s study on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (EUROSCOP); a 3-yr, placebo-controlled study of an inhaled corticosteroid budesonide 800 μg·day−1in smokers (mean age 52 yrs) with mild COPD. The current study evaluates whether long-term budesonide treatment attenuates the incidence of ischaemic cardiac events, including angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disorder and myocardial ischaemia.

Among the 1,175 patients evaluated for safety, 49 (4.2%) patients experienced 60 ischaemic cardiac events. Patients treated with budesonide had a significantly lower incidence of ischaemic cardiac events (18 out of 593; 3.0%) than those receiving placebo (31 out of 582; 5.3%).

The results of the present study support the hypothesis that treatment with inhaled budesonide reduces ischaemic cardiac events in patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Activation of E-prostanoid4and E-prostanoid2receptors inhibits TNF-α release from human alveolar macrophages
Authors: Ratcliffe M. J. , Walding A. , Shelton P. A. , Flaherty A. , Dougall I. G.
Published: March 2007

Prostaglandin (PG)E2has been shown to inhibit mediator release from human alveolar macrophages (AMs), but the prostanoid receptor(s) mediating this response have not yet been documented. To investigate this, the present authors conducted a range of pharmacological and expression-based studies in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) and AMs.

MDMs were obtained byin vitrodifferentiation of monocytes from the peripheral blood of healthy human volunteers. Human AMs were obtained by perfusion of lung tissue from carcinoma resection patients.

In MDMs, PGE2potently inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α release (p[A]508.51±0.11, maximum inhibition 95.9±4.8%). In human AMs, PGE2also inhibited TNF-α release but the observed concentration–effect curve was very flat and inhibition was incomplete. The shape of the PGE2curve in AMs suggested that its effects were mediated by activation of a heterogeneous receptor population. Expression studies combined with the use of various E-prostanoid (EP) receptor agonists and a selective EP4-receptor antagonist (Ono-AE2-227) confirmed that the inhibitory effects of PGE2in both AMs and MDMs were mediated by activation of EP4and EP2receptors.

These data indicate that both E-prostanoid4and E-prostanoid2selective agonists may have anti-inflammatory properties in lung diseases where macrophages play a role.
Origin and diversification of the basic helix-loop-helix gene family in metazoans: insights from comparative genomics
Authors: Simionato Elena , Ledent Valérie , Richards Gemma , Thomas-Chollier Morgane , Kerner Pierre , Coornaert David , Degnan Bernard M , Vervoort Michel
Published: March 2007

Background

Molecular and genetic analyses conducted in model organisms such asDrosophilaand vertebrates, have provided a wealth of information about how networks of transcription factors control the proper development of these species. Much less is known, however, about the evolutionary origin of these elaborated networks and their large-scale evolution. Here we report the first evolutionary analysis of a whole superfamily of transcription factors, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins, at the scale of the whole metazoan kingdom.

Results

We identifiedin silicothe putative full complement of bHLH genes in the sequenced genomes of 12 different species representative of the main metazoan lineages, including three non-bilaterian metazoans, the cnidariansNematostella vectensisandHydra magnipapillataand the demospongeAmphimedon queenslandica. We have performed extensive phylogenetic analyses of the 695 identified bHLHs, which has allowed us to allocate most of these bHLHs to defined evolutionary conserved groups of orthology.

Conclusion

Three main features in the history of the bHLH gene superfamily can be inferred from these analyses: (i) an initial diversification of the bHLHs has occurred in the pre-Cambrian, prior to metazoan cladogenesis; (ii) a second expansion of the bHLH superfamily occurred early in metazoan evolution before bilaterians and cnidarians diverged; and (iii) the bHLH complement during the evolution of the bilaterians has been remarkably stable. We suggest that these features may be extended to other developmental gene families and reflect a general trend in the evolution of the developmental gene repertoires of metazoans.
Serotypes, virulence genes and intimin types of Shiga toxin (verocytotoxin)-producing Escherichia coli isolates from minced beef in Lugo (Spain) from 1995 through 2003
Authors: Mora Azucena , Blanco Miguel , Blanco Jesús E , Dahbi Ghizlane , López Cecilia , Justel Paula , Alonso María Pilar , Echeita Aurora , Bernárdez María Isabel , González Enrique A , Blanco Jorge
Published: March 2007

Background

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) have emerged as pathogens that can cause food-borne infections and severe and potentially fatal illnesses in humans, such as haemorrhagic colitis (HC) and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). In Spain, like in many other countries, STEC strains have been frequently isolated from ruminants, and represent a significant cause of sporadic cases of human infection. In view of the lack of data on STEC isolated from food in Spain, the objectives of this study were to determine the level of microbiological contamination and the prevalence of STEC O157:H7 and non-O157 in a large sampling of minced beef collected from 30 local stores in Lugo city between 1995 and 2003. Also to establish if those STEC isolated from food possessed the same virulence profiles as STEC strains causing human infections.

Results

STEC were detected in 95 (12%) of the 785 minced beef samples tested. STEC O157:H7 was isolated from eight (1.0%) samples and non-O157 STEC from 90 (11%) samples. Ninety-six STEC isolates were further characterized by PCR and serotyping. PCR showed that 28 (29%) isolates carried stx1 genes, 49 (51%) possessed stx2 genes, and 19 (20%) both stx1 and stx2. Enterohemolysin (ehxA) and intimin (eae) virulence genes were detected in 43 (45%) and in 25 (26%) of the isolates, respectively. Typing of the eae variants detected four types: γ1 (nine isolates), β1 (eight isolates), ε1 (three isolates), and θ (two isolates). The majority (68%) of STEC isolates belonged to serotypes previously detected in human STEC and 38% to serotypes associated with STEC isolated from patients with HUS. Ten new serotypes not previously described in raw beef products were also detected. The highly virulent seropathotypes O26:H11 stx1eae-β1, O157:H7 stx1stx2eae-γ1 and O157:H7 stx2eae-γ1, which are the most frequently observed among STEC causing human infections in Spain, were detected in 10 of the 96 STEC isolates. Furthermore, phage typing of STEC O157:H7 isolates showed that the majority (seven of eight isolates) belonged to the main phage types previously detected in STEC O157:H7 strains associated with severe human illnesses.

Conclusion

The results of this study do not differ greatly from those reported in other countries with regard to prevalence of O157 and non-O157 STEC in minced beef. As we suspected, serotypes different from O157:H7 also play an important role in food contamination in Spain, including the highly virulent seropathotype O26:H11 stx1eae-β1. Thus, our data confirm minced beef in the city of Lugo as vehicles of highly pathogenic STEC. This requires that control measures to be introduced and implemented to increase the safety of minced beef.