bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenotypical and Functional Analysis of Intraepithelial Lymphocytes from Small Intestine of Mice in Oral Tolerance
Authors: Ruberti Maristela , Fernandes Luis Gustavo Romani , Simioni Patricia Ucelli , Gabriel Dirce Lima , Yamada Áureo Tatsumi , Tamashiro Wirla Maria da Silva Cunha
Published: February 2012

In this work, we evaluated the effects of administration of OVA on phenotype and function of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) from small intestine of transgenic (TGN) DO11.10 and wild-type BALB/c mice. While the small intestines from BALB/c presented a well preserved structure, those from TGN showed an inflamed aspect. The ingestion of OVA induced a reduction in the number of IELs in small intestines of TGN, but it did not change the frequencies of CD8+and CD4+T-cell subsets. Administration of OVA via oral + ip increased the frequency of CD103+cells in CD4+T-cell subset in IELs of both BALB/c and TGN mice and elevated its expression in CD8β+T-cell subset in IELs of TGN. The frequency of Foxp3+cells increased in all subsets in IELs of BALB/c treated with OVA; in IELs of TGN, it increased only in CD25+subset. IELs from BALB/c tolerant mice had lower expression of all cytokines studied, whereas those from TGN showed high expression of inflammatory cytokines, especially of IFN-γ, TGF-β, and TNF-α. Overall, our results suggest that the inability of TGN to become tolerant may be related to disorganization and altered proportions of inflammatory/regulatory T cells in its intestinal mucosa.
Prevalence of Mental Disorders and Profile of Disablement among Primary Health Care Service Users in Lagos Island
Authors: Lasebikan V. O. , Ejidokun A. , Coker O. A.
Published: February 2012

Background. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in selected semiurban primary care centers in Lagos Island, Nigeria using the screening tool GHQ-12 and the ICD 10 mental disorders checklist (primary care) (ICD 10 PC). Methods. In this multistage cross-sectional study, 400 participants were recruited by using proportional sampling of 17,787 attendees. Results. Of all respondents, 45.8% scored positive on GHQ-12. The most prevalent “any ICD 10 disorder” was unexplained somatic disorder (57.5%), while 2.0 to 7.8% of the respondents reported varying levels of disablement. Younger age (P<0.001) and being widowed (P=0.03) were significantly associated with high GHQ scores while younger age (P<0.001) and male gender (P=0.04) were significantly associated with “any ICD 10 disorder”. Conclusion. These findings are a useful guide to the probable prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in primary care in Nigeria and in the design of appropriate interventions.
Physician Wages in States with Expanded APRN Scope of Practice
Authors: Pittman Patricia , Williams Benjamin
Published: February 2012

In recent years, states have looked to reforms in advanced practice nursing scope of practice (SOP) barriers as a potential means to increase access to primary care while reducing costs. Currently, 16 states and the District of Columbia permit advanced practice registered nurses to practice independently of physicians, allowing them to perform functions such as diagnosing and prescribing under their own authority within the primary care setting. Given the resistance of many physician associations to these reforms, we asked whether the economic interests of primary care physicians might be affected by reforms. Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics data on earnings, we compared primary care physicians' earnings in states that have instituted SOP reforms to those that maintain these practice barriers. We also compared surgeons' earnings as a control group. Lastly, we compared the rate of growth in the earnings of primary care physicians and surgeons over the last ten years. This preliminary analysis revealed no evidence of differences in earnings across the two groups of states.
History of Diabetes and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: A Pooled Analysis from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium
Authors: Stott-Miller Marni , Chen Chu , Chuang Shu-Chun , Lee Yuan-Chin Amy , Boccia Stefania , Brenner Hermann , Cadoni Gabriela , Dal Maso Luigino , La Vecchia Carlo , Lazarus Philip , Levi Fabio , Matsuo Keitaro , Morgenstern Hal , Müller Heiko , Muscat Joshua , Olshan Andrew F. , Purdue Mark P. , Serraino Diego , Vaughan Thomas L. , Zhang Zuo-Feng , Boffetta Paolo , Hashibe Mia , Schwartz Stephen M.
Published: February 2012

Background: A history of diabetes is associated with an increased risk of several types of cancers. Whether diabetes is a risk factor for head and neck cancer (HNC) has received little attention.

Methods: We pooled data from 12 case–control studies including 6,448 cases and 13,747 controls, and estimated OR and 95% CI for the associations between diabetes and HNC, adjusted for age, education level, sex, race/ethnicity, study center, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index.

Results: We observed a weak association between diabetes and the incidence of HNC overall (OR, 1.09; 95% CI: 0.95–1.24). However, we observed a modest association among never smokers (OR, 1.59; 95% CI: 1.22–2.07), and no association among ever smokers (OR, 0.96; 95% CI: 0.83–1.11); likelihood ratio test for interaction P = 0.001.

Conclusion: A history of diabetes was weakly associated with HNC overall, but we observed evidence of effect modification by smoking status, with a positive association among those who never smoked cigarettes.

Impact: This study suggests that glucose metabolism abnormalities may be a HNC risk factor in subgroups of the population. Prospective studies incorporating biomarkers are needed to improve our understanding of the relationship between diabetes and HNC risk, possibly providing new strategies in the prevention of HNC. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(2); 294–304. ©2011 AACR.
Soy Isoflavone Supplementation for Breast Cancer Risk Reduction: A Randomized Phase II Trial
Authors: Khan Seema A. , Chatterton Robert T. , Michel Nancy , Bryk Michelle , Lee Oukseub , Ivancic David , Heinz Richard , Zalles Carola M. , Helenowski Irene B. , Jovanovic Borko D. , Franke Adrian A. , Bosland Maarten C. , Wang Jun , Hansen Nora M. , Bethke Kevin P. , Dew Alexander , Coomes Margerie , Bergan Raymond C.
Published: February 2012

Soy isoflavone consumption may protect against breast cancer development. We conducted a phase IIB trial of soy isoflavone supplementation to examine its effect on breast epithelial proliferation and other biomarkers in the healthy high-risk breast. One hundred and twenty-six consented women underwent a random fine-needle aspiration (rFNA); those with 4,000 or more epithelial cells were randomized to a double-blind 6-month intervention of mixed soy isoflavones (PTIG-2535) or placebo, followed by repeat rFNA. Cells were examined for Ki-67 labeling index and atypia. Expression of 28 genes related to proliferation, apoptosis, and estrogenic effect was measured using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Hormone and protein levels were measured in nipple aspirate fluid (NAF). All statistical tests were two-sided. Ninety-eight women were evaluable for Ki-67 labeling index. In 49 treated women, the median Ki-67 labeling index was 1.18 at entry and 1.12 post intervention, whereas in 49 placebo subjects, it was 0.97 and 0.92 (P for between-group change: 0.32). Menopausal stratification yielded similar results between groups, but within premenopausal soy-treated women, Ki-67 labeling index increased from 1.71 to 2.18 (P = 0.04). We saw no treatment effect on cytologic atypia or NAF parameters. There were significant increases in the expression of 14 of 28 genes within the soy, but not the control group, without significant between-group differences. Plasma genistein values showed excellent compliance. A 6-month intervention of mixed soy isoflavones in healthy, high-risk adult Western women did not reduce breast epithelial proliferation, suggesting a lack of efficacy for breast cancer prevention and a possible adverse effect in premenopausal women. Cancer Prev Res; 5(2); 309–19. ©2012 AACR.
A Review of Cancer in U.S. Hispanic Populations
Authors: Haile Robert W. , John Esther M. , Levine A. Joan , Cortessis Victoria K. , Unger Jennifer B. , Gonzales Melissa , Ziv Elad , Thompson Patricia , Spruijt-Metz Donna , Tucker Katherine L. , Bernstein Jonine L. , Rohan Thomas E. , Ho Gloria Y.F. , Bondy Melissa L. , Martinez Maria Elena , Cook Linda , Stern Mariana C. , Correa Marcia Cruz , Wright Jonelle , Schwartz Seth J. , Baezconde-Garbanati Lourdes , Blinder Victoria , Miranda Patricia , Hayes Richard , Friedman-Jiménez George , Monroe Kristine R. , Haiman Christopher A. , Henderson Brian E. , Thomas Duncan C. , Boffetta Paolo
Published: February 2012

There are compelling reasons to conduct studies of cancer in Hispanics, the fastest growing major demographic group in the United States (from 15% to 30% of the U.S. population by 2050). The genetically admixed Hispanic population coupled with secular trends in environmental exposures and lifestyle/behavioral practices that are associated with immigration and acculturation offer opportunities for elucidating the effects of genetics, environment, and lifestyle on cancer risk and identifying novel risk factors. For example, traditional breast cancer risk factors explain less of the breast cancer risk in Hispanics than in non-Hispanic whites (NHW), and there is a substantially greater proportion of never-smokers with lung cancer in Hispanics than in NHW. Hispanics have higher incidence rates for cancers of the cervix, stomach, liver, and gall bladder than NHW. With respect to these cancers, there are intriguing patterns that warrant study (e.g., depending on country of origin, the five-fold difference in gastric cancer rates for Hispanic men but not Hispanic women). Also, despite a substantially higher incidence rate and increasing secular trend for liver cancer in Hispanics, there have been no studies of Hispanics reported to date. We review the literature and discuss study design options and features that should be considered in future studies. Cancer Prev Res; 5(2); 150–63. ©2012 AACR.
New Directions in Reducing Stress Effects on Cancer
Authors: Melhem-Bertrandt Amal , Sood Anil K.
Published: February 2012

A growing body of evidence is now connecting neuroendocrine mediators of the stress response to cancer biology. Al-Wadei and colleagues report a study in this issue of the journal (beginning on page 189) that provides a new piece of this evidence, adding the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid to this intricate pathway. Their mouse model study supports the hypothesis that stress mediators contribute to lung cancer progression and that known inhibitors of the stress pathway might block such effects, thus adding to the impetus for studying cancer prevention strategies targeting the stress pathway. Cancer Prev Res; 5(2); 147–9. ©2012 AACR.
Prediction of Pediatric Outcome after Prenatal Diagnosis and Expectant Antenatal Management of Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation
Authors: Yong Paul J. , Von Dadelszen Peter , Carpara Daniela , Lim Ken , Kent Nancy , Tessier Francine , Delisle Marie-France , Wong Titus , Blair Geoffrey , Skarsgard Erik D.
Published: February 2012

Objective: To determine whether the congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) volume ratio (CVR) is associated with fetal and postnatal outcome after prenatal diagnosis and antenatal expectant management in a provincial tertiary referral center that does not offer fetal surgery. Methods: Retrospective cohort of 71 consecutive cases of prenatally diagnosed CCAM meeting study criteria (1996–2004). CVR was calculated on the initial ultrasound at the referral center, and associated with hydrops (Fisher’s exact test) and a composite adverse postnatal outcome consisting of death, intubation for respiratory distress, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, non-elective surgery for symptomatology, or respiratory infection requiring hospital admission (Mann-Whitney test). Results: A CVR >1.6 was significantly associated with hydrops (p = 0.003). In addition, the CVR was significantly associated with the composite adverse postnatal outcome (p = 0.004) at a mean age of follow-up of 41 months (range <1–117 months). For CVR and postnatal outcome, the area-under-the-curve receiver operating characteristic was 0.81 (95% CI 0.69–0.93, p = 0.006), and choosing a CVR cut-off of <0.56, the negative predictive value was 100% (95% CI 0.85–1.00). Conclusion: In a provincial referral center with antenatal expectant management of CCAM, the CVR was associated with hydrops and postnatal outcome, with a CVR <0.56 predictive of good prognosis after birth.
Contribution of 1H Spectroscopy to a Brief Cognitive-Functional Test Battery for the Diagnosis of Mild Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Silveira de Souza Andrea , de Oliveira-Souza Ricardo , Moll Jorge , Tovar-Moll Fernanda , Andreiuolo Pedro Angelo , Bottino Cássio M.C.
Published: February 2012

Background/Aims: The diagnosis of mild or questionable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) depends on clinical criteria that often leave a margin for doubt. We aim to verify the diagnostic accuracy of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and AD with proton spectroscopy (1H-MRS) combined with brief cognitive-functional scales. Methods: The relationship between 1H-MRS of the posterior cingulate cortex and the cognitive performance in Mini Mental State Examination, Blessed-Roth Dementia Rating and Functional Assessment Staging of Alzheimer Disease scales were investigated in 25 AD, 10 aMCI and 33 normal control (NC) individuals. Results: The N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine and myoinositol/NAA ratios distinguished AD patients from NC (p < 0.005), and added value in diagnostic accuracy and specificity by discriminant function analysis when combined to clinical diagnosis and simple neuropsychiatric scales; an increase of 3.7% (for aMCI patients) and of 5% (for AD individuals) was observed in diagnostic accuracy, and one of 5.5% (aMCI) and of 11.1% (AD) in specificity. Conclusion:1H-MRS combined with brief cognitive-functional scales provided maximum diagnostic accuracy of AD patients, and can be useful when subtle cognitive and memory dysfunction is present.
Prognostic Significance of Angiogenesis in Relation to Ki-67, p-53, p-27, and bcl-2 Expression in Embryonal Tumors
Authors: Moschovi Maria , Koultouki Eleutheria , Stefanaki Kalliopi , Sfakianos George , Tourkantoni Natalia , Prodromou Neofytos , Alexiou George A.
Published: February 2012

Aim: We investigated the angiogenesis and density of newly formed blood vessels in embryonal tumors in relation to Ki-67, bcl-2, p-53 and p-27 expression. Methods: Forty-five children with embryonal tumors were enrolled in the study. Forty patients had a medulloblastoma (MB) and 5 patients had atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT). Results: In MB, the 5-year PFS and OS was 62.5 and 70%, respectively. Patients with Ki-67 index >50%, bcl-2 index >30% and higher density of new vessels were associated with worse survival. In the multivariate analysis, Ki-67 index was identified as a factor with independent prognostic power. In AT/RTs, high density of new vessels (>25 HRF) was observed in 3 patients and Ki-67 index over 25% was found in 4 patients. Conclusion: Increased Ki-67, bcl-2 and density of new vessels are of prognostic value for the disease outcome in MB.
Anterolateral Mini Fronto-Orbito-Zygomatic Craniotomy via an Eyebrow Incision in Pediatrics: Technical Notes and Evaluation
Authors: El Shafei Hassan I.
Published: February 2012

Background: Various approaches to lesions in the anterior cranial fossa and sellar region have been described by different authors under various names which describe the extent of craniotomies. The aims of this study were to describe and retrospectively analyze and evaluate the anterolateral mini fronto-orbito-zygomatic (MFOZ) approach via an eyebrow incision in treating pediatric pathologies, especially those related to the sellar region. Method: Between January 2003 and December 2008, 18 patients with lesions in the sellar region or the anterior corridor leading to it were operated upon via the same approach. There were 10 males and 8 females. The age ranged between 11 months and 15 years (mean 7.9 years). The pathologies were craniopharyngiomas in 6 cases, hypothalamic and chiasmal pilocytic astrocytoma in 7 and 5 miscellaneous cases including 2 pituitary adenomas, 1 extradural hematoma, hypothalamic hamartoma and 1 arachnoid cyst in the retrosellar and prepontine area. Surgery was performed from the right side in 15 cases and from the left in 3 cases. Results: Total resection was achieved in 9 cases (50%), subtotal resection in 4 cases (22%), and partial resection in 5 cases (28%). Complications related to the approach like CSF rhinorrhea, supraorbital hypoesthesia and loss of upward elevation of the eyebrow were temporary. There was no mortality in this study and no significant added morbidities related to the approach. The approach has the advantages of the small cosmetic eyebrow incision and the skull base trajectory, thus reducing brain retraction and achieving the desired exposure with good outcome. Conclusion: The MFOZ craniotomy using an eyebrow incision in pediatric patients is safe, effective, and both suitable and convenient for treating lesions especially at the sellar region.
Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 as an Adjunct for Spine Fusion in a Pediatric Population
Authors: Abd-El-Barr Muhammad M. , Cox J. Bridger , Antonucci Michael U. , Bennett Jeffrey , Murad Gregory J.A. , Pincus David W.
Published: February 2012

Background/Aims: Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is responsible for multiple different signaling processes including positive effects on bone formation and fusion. In 2002, rhBMP-2 was approved for use in anterior lumbar spinal fusion by the Food and Drug Administration. Since that time, rhBMP-2 use for spinal fusion has become widespread. The use of rh-BMP2 for pediatric spinal fusion, however, has not been widely reported. We report the experience of the use of rhBMP-2 for pediatric spinal fusion at the University of Florida. Methods: Data on patients under the age of 18 years who underwent spinal fusion with rhBMP-2 as an adjunct were retrospectively collected. Of these, 17 met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Two patients did not have adequate postoperative imaging. Fifteen patients were included in the final review. Results: All 15 patients showed osseous fusion. Complications included one CSF leak and one wound infection, one misplaced screw requiring revision, and one case of adjacent segment kyphosis requiring extension of the original construct. Conclusion: rhBMP-2 is a successful adjunct for fusion in pediatric patients. Many of these patients had congenital defects that historically decrease fusion rates. rhBMP-2 appears safe and has an associated high rate of osseous fusion.
Fas Ligand Has a Greater Impact than TNF-α on Apoptosis and Inflammation in Ischemic Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Furuichi Kengo , Kokubo Satoshi , Hara Akinori , Imamura Ryu , Wang Qiang , Kitajima Shinji , Toyama Tadashi , Okumura Toshiya , Matsushima Kouji , Suda Takashi , Mukaida Naofumi , Kaneko Shuichi , Wada Takashi
Published: February 2012

Background/Aim: Fas ligand (FasL) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α are major pro-apoptotic molecules and also induce inflammation through cytokine and chemokine production. Although precise intracellular mechanisms of action have been reported for each molecule, the differential impact of these molecules on kidney injury in vivo still requires clarification. Methods: We explored the differential impact of FasL and TNF-α upon apoptosis and inflammation in ischemic acute kidney injury using neutralizing anti-FasL antibodies and TNF-α receptor 1 (TNFR1)-deficient mice. Results: TNFR1 deficiency was associated with a lesser anti-inflammatory effect upon leukocyte infiltration and tubular necrosis than treatment with anti-FasL antibody. Furthermore, the number of TUNEL-positive cells was significantly reduced in anti-FasL antibody-treated mice, whereas it was only partially diminished in TNFR1-deficient mice. In vitro studies confirmed these findings. FasL administration induced both apoptosis and cytokine/chemokine production from cultured tubular epithelial cells. However, TNF-α had a limited effect upon tubular epithelial cells. Conclusion: In ischemic acute kidney injury, FasL has a greater impact than TNF-α on the apoptosis and inflammatory reaction through cytokine/chemokine production from tubular epithelial cells.
Progression from Amnesic Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer’s Disease: ESR1 and ESR2 Polymorphisms and APOE Gene
Authors: Elcoroaristizabal Martín X. , Fernández Martínez M. , Galdos Alcelay L. , Molano Salazar A. , Bereincua Gandarias R. , Inglés Borda S. , Gómez Busto F. , Uterga Valiente J.M. , Indakoetxea Juanbeltz B. , Gómez Beldarraín M.A. , de Pancorbo M.M.
Published: February 2012

Background: Many genes have been studied to determine how they might be involved in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Estrogens have a protective effect in the central nervous system. The mechanisms of action of estrogens are mediated by two estrogen receptors (ERs), ERα and ERβ. Thus, these genes could also play a role in the progression of amnesic mild cognitive impairment (MCIa) to AD. The aim of this study was to examine the role of ER single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as a risk factor for MCIa, as well as the interaction with apolipoprotein E (APOE) Ε4 in the progression to AD. Methods: 79 MCIa patients and 138 healthy controls were analyzed. SNPs were genotyped via restriction fragment length polymorphisms and real-time PCR, RT-PCR or RT-PCR (TaqMan) assays. Results: There is a lack of association between MCIa patients who converted to AD and ER SNPs. APOE Ε4 allele is an independent risk factor of MCIa (OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.02–3.38, p = 0.042) with a high prevalence in converted subjects. APOE Ε4 is able to predict the progression from MCIa patients to AD (OR = 2.55; 95% CI = 1.20–5.42, p = 0.015). Conclusions: The presence of the APOE Ε4 allele, and not the alleles of ER SNPs, is a risk factor for MCIa. Furthermore, APOE genotype seems to predict the conversion from MCIa to AD.
The Types of Neurological Deficits Might Not Justify Withholding Treatment in Patients With Low Total National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Scores
Authors: Leira Enrique C. , Ludwig Bryan R. , Gurol M. Edip , Torner James C. , Adams Harold P.
Published: February 2012

Background and Purpose—

There is controversy regarding the threshold for treating patients with mild strokes. Physicians often withhold acute treatment in these patients if they perceive the symptoms are not going to be disabling. We tested the appropriateness of this practice by analyzing the relationship between specific neurological deficits in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and long-term outcome among patients with a low total NIHSS score.

Methods—

We performed a secondary analysis on those patients enrolled in the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment that presented within 4.5 hours of symptom onset and had a baseline NIHSS score ≤6 (n=194). We performed multivariate logistic regression analyses using very favorable outcome at 3 months as the outcome variable and each of the individual items of the baseline NIHSS examination and syndromic combinations of NIHSS scores as predictors. The analyses were adjusted for potential confounders with and without adjusting for total NIHSS score.

Results—

Baseline total NIHSS scores were inversely associated with very favorable outcome at 3 months. No individual NIHSS item, or syndromic combination of NIHSS scores, was independently associated with very favorable outcome in a consistent manner after accounting for confounders and collinearity.

Conclusions—

The types of neurological deficits in the baseline NIHSS are not independent predictors of long-term prognosis for patients with mild stroke. These exploratory findings argue against the practice of withholding reperfusion treatment in patients with mild stroke when the types of baseline NIHSS deficits are perceived to be nondisabling.
A Structured Reading Algorithm Improves Telemetric Detection of Atrial Fibrillation After Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Kallmünzer Bernd , Breuer Lorenz , Hering Christiane , Raaz-Schrauder Dorette , Kollmar Rainer , Huttner Hagen B. , Schwab Stefan , Köhrmann Martin
Published: February 2012

Background and Purpose—

Anticoagulation is a highly effective secondary prevention in patients with cardioembolic stroke and atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF). However, the condition remains underdiagnosed, because paroxysmal AF may be missed by diagnostic tests in the acute phase. In this study, the sensitivity of AF detection was assessed for serial electrocardiographic recordings and continuous stroke unit telemetric monitoring with or without a structured algorithm to analyze telemetric data (SEA-AF).

Methods—

Three hundred forty-six consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke were prospectively included and subjected to standard telemetric monitoring. In addition, telemetric data were separately analyzed following SEA-AF, consisting of a structured evaluation of episodes with high risk for AF and a chronological beat-to-beat screening of the full registration. Serial electrocardiograms were conducted in 24-hour intervals.

Results—

Median effective telemetry monitoring time was 75.5 hours (interquartile range 64–86 hours). Overall, AF was diagnosed in 119 of 346 patients (34.4%). The structured reading algorithm was the most sensitive method to detected AF. Conventional telemetry and serial electrocardiographic assessments were less effective. However, only 35% of patients with previously documented paroxysmal AF and negative baseline electrocardiogram demonstrated AF episodes during monitoring.

Conclusions—

Continuous stroke unit telemetry using SEA-AF shows a significantly higher detection rate for AF compared with daily electrocardiographic assessments and standard telemetry without structured reading. The low overall probability to detect paroxysmal AF with either method during the first days after stroke demonstrates the urgent need for complementary diagnostic strategies such as long-term monitoring and frequent follow-up assessments.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01177748.
Reading ἔγραψα in 2 Corinthians 2:9 as an Epistolary Aorist
Authors: Stegman Thomas D.
Published: February 2012

Abstract

This article offers a re-reading of ἔγραψα in 2 Cor 2:9. It argues that this verb should be interpreted as an epistolary aorist—thereby indicating a reason for why Paul is presently writing—rather than as a preterit aorist, referring to the “tearful letter.” Reading ἔγραψα as an epistolary aorist in 2:9 resolves tensions with the preceding context produced by the typical interpretation. It also results in a fully coherent reading of 2:5-11, where Paul exhorts the Corinthians to receive back the offender. This study supplements K.L. McKay’s treatment of the epistolary aorist in Novum Testamentum.
Jubilees 34:1-9: Joseph, the “House of Joseph,” and the Josephites’ Portion
Authors: Livneh Atar
Published: February 2012

Abstract

This paper analyses Jub. 34:1-9, an extra-biblical account of Jacob and his sons warring against the Amorites. Herein, the Jubilean author portrays Joseph as an exemplary family man who assists his brothers in fighting for and occupying the allotment of Ephraim and Manasseh. While Joseph’s portrayal corresponds to the favorable presentation of the patriarchs in Jubilees, it also highlights Israelite solidarity in the face of an enemy attack. Enhancing Jacob-Israel’s military prowess, this unity leads the Israelites to victory and thus to inheritance of the land. While these themes appear apposite to the Maccabean period in general, the pericope does not reflect a historical military campaign.
The North Pole Seabed Nature Reserve as a Provisional Arrangement
Authors: Gayazova Olya
Published: February 2012

Abstract

That the geographic North Pole is the Arctic Schelling point, is implicit in the Russian submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. I assess this premise vis-à-vis three other approaches to the outer continental shelf delimitation in the Arctic Ocean—the median-line method; a joint submission; and an international zone around the North Pole—and show that both the premise and the alternatives have limitations. Then I explain how an agreement between the Arctic Ocean states (the A5) to establish a seabed nature reserve north of 88°20´N and within 100 nm from the 2,500-meter isobath overcomes those limitations and what positive direct and indirect effects may come from it.
The Roles of Non-State Actors in Lawmaking within the Global Intellectual Property Regimes of WIPO and TRIPs
Authors: Woodward Barbara K.
Published: February 2012

Abstract

Non-State actors (NSAs), including business and industry non-governmental organizations (NGOs), lawyers’ NGOs and executives of multinational corporations, have played important roles in shaping international law regulating legal monopolies of intangible interests as intellectual property (IP) rights (IPR). The two global IPR regimes (GIPRRs), the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), have emphasized protection of such interests. Civil society NGOs (CS-NGOs) have increasingly engaged with these institutions, adding new dimensions to IP discourse. This paper investigates NSA involvement in developing the concept of IP and the GIPRRs themselves and contemporary NSA participatory rights and practices in both regimes. It offers a normative analysis of the future outlook of NSA influence, including potential impacts of increasing CS-NGO participation, assimilation of UN values, and influence of the history of IPR on the development and applicability of the concept of ‘public participation’ to the GIPRRs.
Ainu Landowners’ Struggle for Justice and the Illegitimacy of the Nibutani Dam Project in Hokkaido Japan
Authors: Maruyama Hiroshi
Published: February 2012

Abstract

In 2008 the Ainu were officially recognized as an indigenous people by the Japanese Government. The recognition arose from the 1997 court’s decision on the Nibutani Dam case which concluded, for the first time in Japanese history, that the Ainu people have the right to enjoy their own culture and that they fit the definition of indigenous people. The plaintiffs were Ainu landowners from the Nibutani Community who claimed the revocation of the expropriation decision. However, the Nibutani Dam was completed before the court’s decision, with the court acknowledging the completion as fait accompli on the grounds that the revocation of the expropriation decision would not be in the public’s interest. This article reveals the flawed legal system in the decision making process for public works as well as a brief history and some cultural background of the Ainu through those plaintiffs’ struggle for justice. Further, the illegitimacy of the Nibutani Dam project is discussed in light of publicness based on the complaint of those plaintiffs, and lastly, publicness of public works is explored in the context of studies on publicness in Japan.
The Emergence of the Master around 1900: Religious Borrowings and Social Theory
Authors: Renger Almut-Barbara
Published: February 2012

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, within a variety of spheres, individual personalities referred to as ‘masters’ were venerated in quasi-religious terms. As a result, treatises relevant to the theme of the ‘master’ were written which had a major impact on subsequent scholarship, particularly in the sociology of knowledge and religion. Inspired by the poet Stefan George and taking his circle as a model, Max Weber, Max Scheler, and Joachim Wach published important works that enlisted religious and cultural historical approaches as well as social theory on topics like community building, the transference of knowledge, religious specialism, and charisma. These studies attest to a pronounced fascination with the phenomenon of the ‘master,’ which the present article investigates with reference to selected publications by the aforementioned scholars.
Leaf-rolling Sawflies of the Pamphilius vafer complex (Hymenoptera, Pamphiliidae) in Europe
Authors: SHINOHARA AKIHIKO
Published: February 2012

Shinohara, A.: Leaf-rolling Sawflies of the Pamphilius
vafer complex (Hymenoptera, Pamphiliidae) in Europe. Insect
Syst.
Evol. 34: 453-480. Copenhagen, December 2003. ISSN 1399-560X.

Pamphilius
vafer complex of species includes four species in Europe; P.
vafer (Linnaeus, 1767) [=Tenthredo
depressa Schrank, 1781] from Europe (including Britain) and Siberia?, P. pallipes (Zetterstedt, 1838) [=Lyda flavipes Zetterstedt, 1838, =Lyda variegata Zaddach, 1866] from Europe and Siberia?, P. nigrifemoratus Shinohara & Taeger, 1990, from the eastern Carpathians, and P. kontuniemii sp. n. [=P.
depressus of Kontuniemi, 1949, and Viitasaari, 1982, not Schrank, 1781] from Europe (not including Britain). The last mentioned new species, closely resembling P.
vafer, is described and illustrated. A neotype is designated for Tenthredo
depressa Schrank, 1781, and lectotypes are designated for Lyda pallipes Zetterstedt, 1838, and Lyda flavipes Zetterstedt, 1838. Each species is diagnosed and a key is given to separate the four species. Previous distribution and host plant records are critically reviewed for each species.
Multiscale Convective Organization and the YOTC Virtual Global Field Campaign
Authors: Moncrieff Mitchell W. , Waliser Duane E. , Miller Martin J. , Shapiro Melvyn A. , Asrar Ghassem R. , Caughey James
Published: February 2012

The Year of Tropical Convection (YOTC) project recognizes that major improvements are needed in how the tropics are represented in climate models. Tropical convection is organized into multiscale precipitation systems with an underlying chaotic order. These organized systems act as building blocks for meteorological events at the intersection of weather and climate (time scales up to seasonal). These events affect a large percentage of the world's population. Much of the uncertainty associated with weather and climate derives from incomplete understanding of how meteorological systems on the mesoscale (~1–100 km), synoptic scale (~1,000 km), and planetary scale (~10,000 km) interact with each other. This uncertainty complicates attempts to predict high-impact phenomena associated with the tropical atmosphere, such as tropical cyclones, the Madden–Julian oscillation, convectively coupled tropical waves, and the monsoons. These and other phenomena influence the extratropics by migrating out of the tropics and by the remote effects of planetary waves, including those generated by the MJO. The diurnal and seasonal cycles modulate all of the above. It will be impossible to accurately predict climate on regional scales or to comprehend the variability of the global water cycle in a warmer world without comprehensively addressing tropical convection and its interactions across space and time scales.
Baseline Probabilities for the Seasonal Prediction of Meteorological Drought
Authors: Lyon Bradfield , Bell Michael A. , Tippett Michael K. , Kumar Arun , Hoerling Martin P. , Quan Xiao-Wei , Wang Hui
Published: February 2012

The inherent persistence characteristics of various drought indicators are quantified to extract predictive information that can improve drought early warning. Predictive skill is evaluated as a function of the seasonal cycle for regions within North America. The study serves to establish a set of baseline probabilities for drought across multiple indicators amenable to direct comparison with drought indicator forecast probabilities obtained when incorporating dynamical climate model forecasts. The emphasis is on the standardized precipitation index (SPI), but the method can easily be applied to any other meteorological drought indicator, and some additional examples are provided. Monte Carlo resampling of observational data generates two sets of synthetic time series of monthly precipitation that include, and exclude, the annual cycle while removing serial correlation. For the case of no seasonality, the autocorrelation (AC) of the SPI (and seasonal precipitation percentiles, moving monthly averages of precipitation) decays linearly with increasing lag. It is shown that seasonality in the variance of accumulated precipitation serves to enhance or diminish the persistence characteristics (AC) of the SPI and related drought indicators, and the seasonal cycle can thereby provide an appreciable source of drought predictability at regional scales. The AC is used to obtain a parametric probability density function of the future state of the SPI that is based solely on its inherent persistence characteristics. In addition, a method is presented for determining the optimal persistence of the SPI for the case of no serial correlation in precipitation (again, the baseline case). The optimized, baseline probabilities are being incorporated into Internet-based tools for the display of current and forecast drought conditions in near–real time.
Objective Tropical Cyclone Center Tracking Using Single-Doppler Radar
Authors: Bell Michael M. , Lee Wen-Chau
Published: February 2012

This study presents an extension of the ground-based velocity track display (GBVTD)-simplex tropical cyclone (TC) circulation center–finding algorithm to further improve the accuracy and consistency of TC center estimates from single-Doppler radar data. The improved center-finding method determines a TC track that ensures spatial and temporal continuities of four primary characteristics: the radius of maximum wind, the maximum axisymmetric tangential wind, and the latitude and longitude of the TC circulation center. A statistical analysis improves the consistency of the TC centers over time and makes it possible to automate the GBVTD-simplex algorithm for tracking of landfalling TCs. The characteristics and performance of this objective statistical center-finding method are evaluated using datasets from Hurricane Danny (1997) and Bret (1999) over 5-h periods during which both storms were simultaneously observed by two coastal Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) units. Independent single-Doppler and dual-Doppler centers are determined and used to assess the absolute accuracy of the algorithm. Reductions of 50% and 10% in the average distance between independent center estimates are found for Danny and Bret, respectively, over the original GBVTD-simplex method. The average center uncertainties are estimated to be less than 2 km, yielding estimated errors of less than 5% in the retrieved radius of maximum wind and wavenumber-0 axisymmetric tangential wind, and ~30% error in the wavenumber-1 asymmetric tangential wind. The objective statistical center-finding method can be run on a time scale comparable to that of a WSR-88D volume scan, thus making it a viable tool for both research and operational use.
A Trajectory-Based Investigation of Physical and Dynamical Processes That Govern the Temporal Evolution of the Subtropical Jet Streams over Africa
Authors: Martius Olivia , Wernli Heini
Published: February 2012

Tropical, subtropical, and extratropical dynamical processes govern the synoptic-scale evolution of the subtropical jet stream(s) over Africa. However, the relative importance of the respective effects is still under debate and is the focus of this study. Interim ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) data are used to calculate backward trajectories from the subtropical jet over Africa during winter 2005/06. The trajectories allow for studying the jet dynamics from both a potential vorticity (PV) and an angular momentum point of view and for linking the two theoretical frameworks.

Three cases of synoptic-scale Rossby wave breaking in the extratropics and subtropics are presented in detail. They illustrate basic flow configurations where (i) the subtropical jet is mainly forced by tropical dynamics, (ii) extratropical forcing contributes substantially to the jet acceleration, and (iii) strong diabatic processes in the subtropics impact the jet.

The case study results are then generalized for the entire winter season. The main findings are as follows: (i) Approximately 41% of the trajectories reach the subtropical jet from the deep tropics and for these trajectories the nonconservation of angular momentum M due to eddy forcing leads to a decrease of M by about 5%. (ii) A nonnegligible fraction of roughly 18% of the trajectories reaches the subtropical jet from the extratropics. (iii) Wave breaking is instrumental for bringing extratropical, high-PV air southward. (iv) Diabatic processes in the subtropics have a negligible direct effect on the upper-level PV. This is in contrast to observations from the extratropics and might be the consequence of the small planetary vorticity in the tropics and subtropics.
Wind-Driven Subinertial Circulation inside a Semienclosed Bay in the Gulf of California
Authors: Ponte A. L. , Gutiérrez de Velasco G. , Valle-Levinson A. , Winters K. B. , Winant C. D.
Published: February 2012

Moored current and pressure observations were obtained at Bahía Concepción, a semienclosed bay located on the eastern side of the Baja California peninsula in Mexico, to describe the wind-driven subinertial circulation. In winter and early spring, the bay is well mixed and forced by persistent winds toward the southeast, aligned with the central axis. The authors’ observations show that the sea surface rises downwind in response to wind stress and that there exists a crosswind drift at the surface that is consistent with Ekman dynamics. This feature is typical of a bay that is deeper than one Ekman depth and hence affected by the rotation of the earth. There is a persistent along-bay circulation toward the end of the bay along its western side with return flow on the opposite side. Drifters released near the surface across a transect move westward and downwind toward the closed end, where they recirculate cyclonically. Wind-driven linear theoretical models successfully predict the observed cross-bay circulation but fail to predict the along-bay flow pattern. The role of spatial inhomogeneities of wind stress (suggested by synoptic observations of the wind) and nonlinearities related to advection of momentum is investigated with theoretical and numerical modeling. Both mechanisms can contribute to the observed pattern of along-bay circulation. Even though the observations discussed were taken during the relatively well-mixed season, density fluctuations are shown to play, at times, an active role dynamically.
The Power of Evidence: Improving the Effectiveness of Government by Investing in More Rigorous Evaluation
Authors: Glennerster Rachel
Published: February 2012

The current fiscal climate is focusing attention on the need for more efficient government. However, we have remarkably little rigorous information on which are the most cost-effective strategies for achieving common goals like delivering high quality education in deprived neighbourhoods or reducing carbon emissions. This paper argues that randomised impact evaluations can provide an effective way to generate the information needed to make government more effective. Advances in the theory and practice of running randomised evaluations mean that a wider range of questions can be answered than ever before. Elsewhere in the world, fundamental questions are being answered about how humans behave, which in turn are being used to design new policies which themselves are rigorously tested. By learning from these results, and by conducting more randomised evaluations on issues important to UK policy (both at home and abroad) it will be possible to design more effective policies and do more with less.
Correlation Between Carbapenem Consumption and Antimicrobial Resistance Rates of Acinetobacter baumannii in a University‐Affiliated Hospital in China
Authors: Cao Jia , Song Wei , Gu Bing , Mei Ya‐ ning , Tang Jian‐ping , Meng Ling , Yang Chang‐ qing , Wang Huijuan , Zhou Hong
Published: February 2012

To investigate the correlation between carbapenem consumption and rates of antimicrobial resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii, carbapenem consumption was expressed as defined daily dose based on the World Health Organization (WHO) anatomical therapeutic chemical classification index. Clinical isolates from 2001‐2009 were collected and analyzed using WHONET 5.4 software. Results show that the consumption of imipenem/cilastatin, meropenem, and total carbapenem is significantly correlated with imipenem resistance in A baumannii (r = 0.818, P = .007; r = 0.817, P = .007; r = 0.827, P = .006). Furthermore, total carbapenem consumption is significantly correlated with meropenem resistance in A baumannii (r = 0.900, P = .037). In addition, consumption of imipenem/cilastatin, meropenem, and total carbapenem is associated with A baumannii resistance to piperacillin‐tazobactam, ceftazidime, cefepime, amikacin, and levofloxacin. These drugs are mainly β‐lactams, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones. The imipenem and meropenem resistance rates are significantly correlated with resistance rates to numerous antimicrobial drugs (eg, β‐lactams, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones) in A baumannii. Therefore, increased consumption of carbapenem may contribute to the development of resistance in A baumannii to imipenem, meropenem, and other antimicrobial drugs. Cross‐resistance possibly occurs among imipenem/cilastatin and meropenem, as well as with β‐lactams, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones.
Defunct brain stem cardiovascular regulation underlies cardiovascular collapse associated with methamphetamine intoxication
Authors: Li Faith CH , Yen JC , Chan Samuel HH , Chang Alice YW
Published: February 2012

Background

Intoxication from the psychostimulant methamphetamine (METH) because of cardiovascular collapse is a common cause of death within the abuse population. For obvious reasons, the heart has been taken as the primary target for this METH-induced toxicity. The demonstration that failure of brain stem cardiovascular regulation, rather than the heart, holds the key to cardiovascular collapse induced by the pesticide mevinphos implicates another potential underlying mechanism. The present study evaluated the hypothesis that METH effects acute cardiovascular depression by dampening the functional integrity of baroreflex via an action on brain stem nuclei that are associated with this homeostatic mechanism.

Methods

The distribution of METH in brain and heart on intravenous administration in male Sprague-Dawley rats, and the resultant changes in arterial pressure (AP), heart rate (HR) and indices for baroreflex-mediated sympathetic vasomotor tone and cardiac responses were evaluated, alongside survival rate and time.

Results

Intravenous administration of METH (12 or 24 mg/kg) resulted in a time-dependent and dose-dependent distribution of the psychostimulant in brain and heart. The distribution of METH to neural substrates associated with brain stem cardiovascular regulation was significantly larger than brain targets for its neurological and psychological effects; the concentration of METH in cardiac tissues was the lowest among all tissues studied. In animals that succumbed to METH, the baroreflex-mediated sympathetic vasomotor tone and cardiac response were defunct, concomitant with cessation of AP and HR. On the other hand, although depressed, those two indices in animals that survived were maintained, alongside sustainable AP and HR. Linear regression analysis further revealed that the degree of dampening of brain stem cardiovascular regulation was positively and significantly correlated with the concentration of METH in key neural substrate involved in this homeostatic mechanism.

Conclusions

We conclude that on intravenous administration, METH exhibits a preferential distribution to brain stem nuclei that are associated with cardiovascular regulation. We further found that the concentration of METH in those brain stem sites dictates the extent that baroreflex-mediated sympathetic vasomotor tone and cardiac responses are compromised, which in turn determines survival or fatality because of cardiovascular collapse.