bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Family-Based Association Study of Tim-1 and Tim-3 Gene Polymorphisms with Childhood Asthma in Chinese Trios
Authors: Wu Qi-Wen , Cai Peng-Cheng , Wang Ling , Li Yi-Rong , Kong Ling-Ling , Hu Li-Hua
Published: June 2009

Background: Asthma is a complex genetic disease, caused by the interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors. T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain (Tim) genes are located in chromosome 5q31–33, a region repeatedly linked to asthma or asthma-related phenotypes in several populations. Two members of Tim families, Tim-1 and Tim-3, which are expressed on T cell surface and potentially involved in T cell proliferation and differentiation, are good candidate genes for asthma. We investigated whether genetic variants or haplotypes in Tim-1 and Tim-3 genes confer susceptibility to asthma in a Chinese population. Methods: A total of 9 polymorphisms were selected by using the HapMap Han Chinese population data and a haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphism approach. Polymerase chain reaction fragment length polymorphism was adapted to determine the genotype in 118 complete Chinese trios of asthma. Then, transmission disequilibrium test (TDT), haplotypic relative risk (HRR), linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analysis were performed. Results: The single locus TDT and HRR analysis showed the 9 polymorphisms were not transmitted preferentially to asthma-affected children (all p > 0.05). However, in both the haplotypic TDT and HRR analysis, the haplotype G-A-ins-C-G consisting of 5 Tim-1 polymorphisms was found to be overtransmitted to affected offspring (χ2 = 4.51, p = 0.03) and the haplotype G-G-G consisting of 3 Tim-3 polymorphisms was found to be undertransmitted to asthma children (χ2 = 8.24, p = 0.004). Conclusions: We conclude that it is unlikely that the Tim-1 or Tim-3 polymorphisms influence asthma susceptibility individually, but that the haplotypes of variants may be functional or may be in linkage disequilibrium with other functional single nucleotide polymorphisms.
Upregulation of CD63 or CD203c Alone or in Combination Is Not Sensitive in the Diagnosis of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Intolerance
Authors: Bavbek Sevim , İkincioğulları Aydan , Dursun A. Berna , Güloğlu Deniz , Arıkan Meltem , Elhan Atilla Halil , Mısırlıgil Zeynep
Published: June 2009

Background: The oral aspirin (ASA) provocation test is considered to be the gold standard in the diagnosis of ASA sensitivity. However, since it may be associated with severe adverse reactions, safer alternatives would be highly desirable. The basophil activation test has been proposed as such an alternative, but there is limited information about its usefulness. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of flow cytometric basophil activation in the diagnosis of ASA sensitivity. Methods: Patients with ASA sensitivity (n = 18), patients with ASA tolerance (n = 12) and healthy volunteers (n = 12) were included in the study. A 2-day single-blind placebo-controlled oral ASA provocation test was performed on all patients. Basophil activation after lysine-ASA and diclofenac stimulation was measured by Flow-CASTTM (Bühlmann Laboratories) for CD63 and an allergenicity kit (Beckman Coulter) for CD203c. The results of CD63 and CD203c were compared within groups, and sensitivity and specificity of the assay were measured against oral ASA provocation. Results: The highest sensitivity and specificity of CD63 were 33.3 and 79.2%, respectively, and of CD203c were 16.7 and 100%, respectively, for ASA. The highest sensitivity and specificity of CD63 were 16.7 and 91.7%, respectively, and of CD203c were 22.2 and 100%, respectively, fordiclofenac. Neither the addition of CD203c to CD63 nor the addition of diclofenac improves the overall sensitivity and specificity of CD63 to ASA. Conclusion: At present, basophil activation using CD63 and CD203c does not seem to be optimally sensitive for the diagnosis of ASA sensitivity.
Elevated Concentrations of Liver-Expressed Chemokine/CC Chemokine Ligand 16 in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid from Patients with Eosinophilic Pneumonia
Authors: Nureki Shin-ichi , Miyazaki Eishi , Usagawa Yuko , Ueno Takuya , Ando Masaru , Takenaka Ryuichi , Ito Takeo , Ishii Toshihiro , Kumamoto Toshihide
Published: June 2009

Background: Eosinophilic pneumonia is characterized by the prominent accumulation of eosinophils and lymphocytes in the lung parenchyma. Liver-expressed chemokine (LEC)/CC chemokine ligand 16 (CCL16) is a novel functional ligand for H4 which is expressed on eosinophils and also an affinity ligand for CCR1, CCR2, CCR5 and CCR8 which are expressed on T lymphocytes and monocytes. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of LEC/CCL16 in eosinophilic pneumonia. Methods: The LEC/CCL16 level was measuredusing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of 33 patients with eosinophilic pneumonia, 26 patients with sarcoidosis and 10 healthy volunteers. The cell sources of LEC/CCL16 in BALF were evaluated by immunocytochemistry. Results: The LEC/CCL16 levels in BALF from patients with eosinophilic pneumonia were significantly higher than those from patients with sarcoidosis and healthy volunteers. The BALF LEC/CCL16 levels correlated with the numbers of BALF eosinophils and lymphocytes, respectively. The BALF LEC/CCL16 levels were significantly decreased after remission in eosinophilic pneumonia. In immunocytochemistry, the LEC/CCL16 expression was clearly observed in CD1a-positive dendritic cells as well as in CD68-positive macrophages harvested from patients with eosinophilic pneumonia, but not from the controls. Conclusions: These results suggest that LEC/CCL16 produced by dendritic cells as well as by alveolar macrophages contributes to the accumulation of eosinophils and lymphocytes into the inflamed lungs of patients with eosinophilic pneumonia.
Clinical and Immunological Features in IgM Deficiency
Authors: Yel Leman , Ramanuja Srinivasan , Gupta Sudhir
Published: June 2009

Background: IgM deficiency is a dysgammaglobulinemia characterized by isolated low levels of serum IgM. Patients with IgM deficiency may exhibit various clinical manifestations. However, IgM deficiency still remains to be explored with regard to diagnosis and treatment. Methods: Through a retrospective chart review, we investigated the clinical and immunological features of 15 symptomatic adult IgM-deficient patients who were referred to our immunology clinics over a 4-year period. Results: The patients were comprised of 6 males and 9 females, with a mean age of 57.2 years. On initial evaluation, 12 patients (80%) presented with susceptibility to infections, 5 (33%) had atopic manifestations such as asthma and allergic rhinitis, 3 (20%) had both infections and atopy, 4 patients (28%) had fibromyalgia-like symptoms, 3 (20%) had autoimmune manifestations, and 1 patient had lymphoma. The mean serum IgM level was 27.4 mg/dl (range 14–39). Impaired specific antibody response to pneumococcal antigens in 5 out of 11 studied patients (45%) appeared to be a notable association. Subtle abnormalities in IgG subclasses, lymphocyte subsets and in vitro proliferative lymphocyte responses were observed. Five patients who were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin responded very well. Conclusion: We propose that a thorough immunological evaluation including specific antibody responses be undertaken in patients with IgM deficiency. IgM-deficient patients who present with recurrent/severe infections may benefit from immunoglobulin treatment particularly in the presence of impaired pneumococcal antibody responses.
Association between Asthma, Rhinitis and NSAID Hypersensitivity in Chronic Urticaria Patients and Prevalence Rates
Authors: Isik S. Rana , Karakaya Gul , Celikel Serhart , Demir Ahmet U. , Kalyoncu A. Fuat
Published: June 2009

Background: The coexistence of allergic diseases and chronic urticaria (CU) is not uncommon. Our aim was to show the prevalence of allergic diseases in chronic urticaria patients and whether possible risk factors precipitate the development of these conditions. Methods: The data of 953 patients diagnosed with CU in our adult allergy clinic between January 1991 and June 2006 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: The mean ages of the CU patients with and without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug hypersensitivity (NSAIDH) were 39.0 ± 11.8 and 36.7± 12.3, respectively (p = 0.014). There was a female predominance in both groups (74.6 and 68.2%, respectively, p = 0.06). Apparently, some conditions occurred significantly more often in CU patients with NSAIDH compared to those without NSAIDH: 16.4 and 8.4% for asthma (p < 0.001), 4.2 and 0.8% for nasal polyps (p < 0.01), 20.8 and 7.3% for antibiotic hypersensitivity (p < 0.001), 21.6 and 12.3% for metal sensitization (p < 0.01), and 8 and 0.6% for familial NSAIDH (p < 0.001), respectively. Dermographism was more common in CU patients without NSAIDH compared to those with NSAIDH (29.4 and 21.2%, respectively; p < 0.05). NSAIDH increased the risk of asthma and rhinitis development [odds ratios: 52.9 (18.1–154.6) and 5.2 (2.0–13.4)]. Conclusion: Based on our data, the incidence rates of asthma, nasal polyps, antibiotic hypersensitivity, metal sensitization and familial NSAIDH are increased in patients with CU with NSAIDH compared to those with CU only. Coexistence of NSAIDH and CU increases the risk of developing asthma and rhinitis.
Characterization of Allergens in Four South American Snake Species
Authors: Madero Mauro F. , Gámez Cristina , Madero Mauro A. , Fernández-Nieto Mar , Sastre Joaquín , del Pozo Victoria
Published: June 2009

A 55-year-old herpetologist developed rhinitis, asthma, urticaria and anaphylaxis when handling 4 different viper snake venoms. Allergen characterizations were done using SDS-PAGE, IgE immunoblotting and IgE inhibition experiments. The most prominent immunoreactive proteins were analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and peptide identity was demonstrated by homology with known peptide sequences. SDS-PAGE showed several protein bands ranging from 5 to 99 kDa in each of the 4 snake venoms. Immunoblotting demonstrated 4 IgE-binding bands in the Bothrops extract of about 60, 28, 14 and 7 kDa. The bands of 28 and 14 kDa were also present in Lachesis muta. Two IgE-binding proteins of about 50 and 35 kDa were found in Bothrops atrox and L. muta, respectively. A strong inhibition of IgE binding to immobilize Bothrops asper proteins was observed after preabsorption of sera with B. asper, B. atrox,Bothrops xanthograma and L. muta extracts. MALDI-TOF analysis showed a 14-kDa phospholipase and the 60- and 28-kDa proteins showed significant similarity with metalloproteinases. In this report we have characterized the snake venom allergens that can elicit IgE-mediated symptoms.
Bone Mineral Density and Body Composition in Adolescents with Childhood-Onset Growth Hormone Deficiency
Authors: Boot Annemieke M. , van der Sluis Inge M. , Krenning Eric P. , de Muinck Keizer-Schrama Sabine M.P.F.
Published: June 2009

Background/Aims: The aim of the present study was to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition of patients with childhood-onset growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD) treated with GH during the transition period. Methods: BMD and body composition, measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, were evaluated at final height and yearly thereafter during 2 years. Twenty-nine of the 40 patients had also been measured before start and during GH therapy. Results: Mean lumbar spine BMD and bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) as well as total body BMD and lean body mass (LBM) SD score (SDS) were significantly lower than normal at final height and during the 2 years thereafter for all patients. Final-height SDS was related to the change in height SDS as well as in LBM SDS during the first year of GH treatment. LBM SDS decreased significantly in the group of patients with GHD without GH treatment (p < 0.01, n = 19). Fat mass SDS increased in all patients. Conclusion: Mean BMD, BMAD and LBM SDS were significantly lower than normal in adolescents with childhood-onset GHD at and 2 years after the attainment of final height.
Polyclonal Immunoglobulin G Ameliorates the Course of Progressive Mesangioproliferative Glomerulonephritis in Rats
Authors: Boor Peter , Kunter Uta
Published: June 2009

Background/Aims: Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) consist of polyvalent immunoglobulins (Ig), mainly IgG with varying amounts of other Ig depending on preparation. IVIG have renoprotective properties in diseases like lupus nephritis mostly due to their anti-inflammatory effects. The role of polyvalent IgG treatment during the course of experimental progressive mesangioproliferative nephritis is not yet known. Methods: Progressive mesangioproliferative nephritis was induced in male Wistar rats by uninephrectomy and anti-Thy1.1 antibody injection. Rats were treated with either vehicle (phosphate-buffered saline; n = 10) or nonspecific human polyclonal IgG (IgG; n = 10) on days 3, 10 and 17 after disease induction and sacrificed on day 56. Results: During the experiment, IgG treatment prevented weight loss and had a beneficial effect on the rise in serum creatinine and the decline of creatinine clearance. At sacrifice, a significantly lower number of IgG-treated rats had tripled their creatinine or halved their creatinine clearance. Moreover, during the 56 days of follow-up, the IgG-treated group exhibited reduced mortality due to renal failure. At sacrifice, IgG-treated rats had reduced indices of renal fibrosis. Conclusions: IgG treatment is an effective treatment approach in rats with progressive glomerulonephritis. Our data also indicate that studies using specific antibodies need to be controlled for nonspecific IgG effects.
Spontaneous in-the-Bag Intraocular Lens Luxation into the Vitreous Cavity: Last-Stage Complication of Pseudoexfoliative Syndrome after Phacoemulsification
Authors: Balestrazzi A. , Tosi G.M. , Alegente M. , Mazzotta C. , Esposti P.L. , Berni E. , Michieletto P. , Caporossi T.
Published: June 2009

Purpose: We describe 8 cases of late spontaneous in-the-bag intraocular lens (IOL) luxation into the vitreous cavity, which occurred at the Department of Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery of the University of Siena between January and December 2006. Methods: In this interventional case series, the medical records of all patients with posterior luxation of in-the-bag IOLs – who had undergone a pars plana vitrectomy with IOL removal and scleral fixation IOL implantation between January and December 2007 at the Department of Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery of Siena, Italy – were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The final post- operative visual acuity was 20/30 or better in 6 patients, while myopic macular degeneration and total retinal detachment limited visual acuity in the remaining 2 patients. Conclusion: The high prevalence of pseudoexfoliation (PEX) in the patients who had been operated for cataract phacoemulsification in our department could explain the occurrence of 8 posterior luxations of in-the-bag IOLs in only 1 year. Our study suggests that for the next years we will expect an increase in occurrence of spontaneous in-the- bag IOL luxations in the vitreous cavity. This condition could represent the last stage of PEX syndrome.
Treatment of Psoriasis with Efalizumab in Patients with Hepatitis C Viral Infection: Report of Five Cases
Authors: Gisondi Paolo , Prignano Francesca , Grossi Paolo , Lotti Torello , Girolomoni Giampiero
Published: June 2009

Background: Concomitant hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) needs caution when selecting systemic treatments in psoriasis patients as some agents confer a risk of liver toxicity and/or are immunosuppressant. Phototherapy may provide a therapeutic choice but it is not always a practical option. Limited evidence supports the use of cyclosporine or TNF-α blockers. No data are available concerning the safety of efalizumab in patients with HCV infection. Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and evolution of 5 adult patients with severe chronic plaque psoriasis and concomitant HCV infection who were treated with efalizumab. Method: A retrospective clinical case report. Results: Five adult patients with severe chronic plaque psoriasis and concomitant HCV infection were treated successfully using efalizumab with no increased viral replication and progression of liver disease for a follow-up of 8–20 months. Conclusion: Although further confirmation is needed, this report provides preliminary evidence to support also a cautious use of efalizumab in patients with HCV infection.
Zinc Deficiency Reduces Bone Mineral Density in the Spine of Young Adult Rats: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ryz Natasha R. , Weiler Hope A. , Taylor Carla G.
Published: June 2009

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of zinc deficiency initiated during adolescence on skeletal densitometry, serum markers of bone metabolism, femur minerals and morphometry in young adult rats. Ten-week-old male rats were fed a <1-mg Zn/kg diet (9ZD), a 5-mg Zn/kg diet (9MZD) or a 30-mg Zn/kg diet (9CTL) for up to 9 weeks. Analyses included bone mineral density, serum osteocalcin and C-terminal peptides of type I collagen, serum zinc, femur zinc, calcium and phosphorus, and femur morphometry. Bone mineral density was 14% lower in the spine of 9ZD, but was not altered in the whole body, tibia or femur, or in any of the aforementioned sites in 9MZD, compared to 9CTL. When adjusted for size, spine bone mineral apparent density was still 8% lower in 9ZD than 9CTL. Serum osteocalcin, a marker for bone formation, was approximately 33% lower in 9ZD compared to both 9MZD and 9CTL. The 9ZD and 9MZD had 57% lower femur zinc and 56–88% lower serum zinc concentrations compared to 9CTL. These findings indicate that severe zinc deficiency initiated during adolescence may have important implications for future bone health, especially with regards to bone consolidation in the spine.
Implementation of a Multiregion Hybridization Assay to Characterize HIV-1 Strains Detected among Injecting Drug Users in Manipur, India
Authors: Sarkar Roni , Sengupta Satarupa , Mullick Ranajoy , Singh N. Brajachand , Sarkar Kamalesh , Chakrabarti Sekhar
Published: June 2009

We have implemented the latest technology of a multiregion hybridization assay (MHAbce, version 2) for the molecular characterization of HIV-1 among injecting drug users (IDUs) of Manipur, India. This study provides a more detailed analysis on the basis of probes designed from eight different genomic regions of HIV-1, to achieve a clear picture of HIV-1 genomic diversity in Manipur. Out of 30 samples, 15 were found to be of subtype C, 1 of subtype B, 5 with dual-probe reactivity, 8 with multigenomic recombination pattern and 1 sample showed both dual-probe reactivity and multigenomic variations. In contrast, the heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) with respect to gag and env genes revealed 21 samples to be of subtype C (gag C/env C), 3 samples of subtype B (gag B/env B) and 6 samples of B/C recombinants (gag C/env B). MHAbce illustrates the occurrence of inter- and intragenomic variants and dual infection in an IDU population from India. It also indicates the possibility of the presence of new circulating recombinant forms of HIV-1 strains, which might have been difficult to trace by HMA alone.
Free Trade Agreements versus Customs Unions: An Examination of East Asia
Authors: Park Innwon , Park Soonchan
Published: June 2009

The spaghetti bowl phenomenon expected from the proliferating East Asian regional trade agreements (RTAs) is worrisome. In particular, the complicated web of hub-and-spoke type of overlapping free trade agreements (FTAs) can result in high costs for verifying rules of origin. As an alternative policy option to avoid the negative effect of trade deflection, customs unions (CUs) should be examined. Most of the theoretical analyses on the formation of CUs highlight stronger positive welfare effects compared to FTAs. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support the second-best theory of customs unions. This paper is an attempt to fill this gap by applying two methodologies: an ex ante simulation approach and an ex-post econometric approach. We quantitatively estimate the trade effect of CUs and FTAs by adopting a Gravity regression analysis. In general, we find that a CU is a superior type of RTA to an FTA in terms of creating more intra-bloc trade. In addition to analyzing the trade effects of RTAs according to type, we quantitatively evaluate the welfare and output effects of CUs for East Asia (an ASEAN+3 CU and a China-Japan-Korea CU) compared to FTAs by applying a computable general equilibrium model analysis. The East Asian CUs adopt a system of common external tariffs (CET) based on simple-averaged, import-weighted, consumption-weighted, and minimum rates. Overall, we find that the ASEAN+3 CU with the minimum CET are the most desirable type of RTA for both East Asian member countries and the world economy as a whole.
Monetary Integration With or Without Capital Market Integration
Authors: Oh Yonghyup
Published: June 2009

Should East Asia include capital market integration as one of its convergence criteria for monetary integration? Monetary integration in the form of currency baskets or a monetary union would be facilitated if the capital markets were well integrated. East Asian markets are segmented and monetary cooperation in East Asia is not moving forward. This paper shows that even before the launch of the European Monetary Union, European markets were not showing visible progress in capital market integration, and that the degree of integration was below the degree of U.S.–Canadian market integration. The results suggest that monetary integration is not necessarily motivated by capital market integration.
The Economic Consequence of Labor Mobility in China's Regional Development
Authors: Lu Ding
Published: June 2009

Factor mobility plays an important role in the convergence of regional income levels. This paper examines the role of labor mobility in China's regional economic development in the context of phases of demographic transition and the existence of institutional barriers. Our findings show that the two most important sources of interregional income disparity are per worker capital stock and technology level. The fact that the richest provincial economies are at the later phase of demographic transition provides a major reason for why those economies have accumulated higher per worker capital stock and achieved higher productivity levels. We also discover that regional per capita income levels have not displayed convergence since the mid 1990s. Two observations explain this phenomenon. One observation is that capital and labor movements have played only a limited role in equalizing their marginal returns across regions despite the fact that labor mobility has substantially strengthened this role since 2000. The other observation is that the impact of demographic changes on income growth has been distinctly uneven between the rich and poor regions. This phenomenon can be attributed to some particular features of China's interregional labor migration.
Dad and Baby in the First Year: Gendered Responsibilities and Embodiment
Authors: Doucet Andrea
Published: June 2009

This article addresses the question of why there are persistent gender differences in the responsibility for children. It argues that understanding continuing gender divisions of domestic responsibility, particularly in the first year of parenting, requires attending to issues of identity; commitment; embodiment; deeply rooted socialization or habitus; and normative community assumptions around gender, breadwinning, and caring. Rooted in three qualitative research studies conducted over the past eight years with more than two hundred Canadian fathers and forty mothers, the author argues for renewed thinking around issues of gender equality and gender differences and how these play out in domestic and community spaces in that first year of parenting. Bridging together time, space, and embodiment, the author also maintains that short-term potential differences in domestic responsibilities in parenting should not necessarily lead to long-term chronic inequities between women and men.
Family Man in the Other America: New Opportunities, Motivations, and Supports for Paternal Caregiving
Authors: Waller Maureen R.
Published: June 2009

This analysis draws on longitudinal, qualitative interviews with disadvantaged mothers and fathers who participated in the Fragile Families Study (a U.S. birth cohort study) to examine how issues related to men's employment, social support, skills, and motivation facilitated their care of young children in different relationship contexts. Interviews with parents indicate that while some motivated and skilled men actively chose to become caregivers with the support of mothers, others developed new motivations, skills, and parenting supports in response to situations in which they were out of work or the mother was experiencing challenges. These findings suggest that disadvantaged men who assume caregiving responsibilities take different paths to involvement in the early years after their child's birth. Policies that overlook paternal caregivers may not only miss the opportunity to support relationships that benefit at-risk children but also unintentionally undermine this involvement.
Exploring the Absent/Present Dilemma: Black Fathers, Family Relationships, and Social Capital in Britain
Authors: Reynolds Tracey
Published: June 2009

Stereotypes show nonresident black fathers as absentee parents. In this article, the author presents a critique of the various ways the literature constructs nonresident black fathers as absent from parenting and family relationships. Drawing on the empirical data collected from two qualitative studies conducted in Britain, this article illustrates that contrary to popular belief, nonresident black fathers are active participants in their children's lives. Social capital is an important conceptual tool in highlighting the networks and resources available to these fathers in their parenting practices. These men's fathering experiences are also informed by cultural and historical factors and intersecting identities of race, ethnicity, class, and gender. The article concludes by making explicit the different ways in which family policy can develop more inclusive strategies to support nonresident black fathers in their paternal role.
Time and Timelessness: Inscription and Representation
Authors: Levine Howard B.
Published: June 2009

Time is a real dimension of the physical universe and a subjective matter of mind. Depending on their relationship to Eros and the Death Instinct, our feelings about time and timelessness may serve disparate ends— positive or negative, constructive or destructive. The conflicts that emerge between time and timelessness will be affected by and drawn into our conflicts between the reality principle and the pleasure principle and by our capacity to acknowledge and bear the losses, hurts, and disappointments with which life presents us and the hopes and possibilities that life may hold. The “making” and inscribing of time—i.e., articulating and ordering mental elements in the act of representation, symbolization, and verbal linkage of previously unrepresented and inchoate proto-mental elements and states—are central to psychic functioning and the psychoanalytic process. Clinical material will illustrate these processes and their relation to the binding and mastery of trauma: internal and external, massive and cumulative.
Percutaneous Coronary Interventions Affect Concentrations of Interleukin 6 and Its Soluble Receptors in Coronary Sinus Blood in Patients with Stable Angina
Authors: Kamiński Karol A. , Kozieradzka Anna , Bonda Tomasz , Banach Maciej , Kozuch Marcin , Wojtkowska Izabela , Dobrzycki Slawomir , Kralisz Paweł , Nowak Konrad , Prokopczuk Przemysław , Mikhailidis Dimitri P. , Musial Wlodzimierz J.
Published: June 2009

Coronary stenting may create local inflammatory reaction. Interleukin 6 effects depend on the presence of soluble receptors (sIL-6R and sgp130) that facilitate or impede interleukin 6 signal transduction. Concentrations of interleukin 6 and its soluble receptors were assessed in aorta and coronary sinus after stenting in optimally treated stable angina patients scheduled for elective stenting. Baseline levels of interleukin 6 and its soluble receptors in patients did not differ from healthy controls. Initial levels of sIL-6R in aorta were significantly higher than in coronary sinus but this difference disappeared after intervention. Stenting caused interleukin 6 concentration increase to a similar extent both in coronary sinus and in aorta. Moreover, there was significantly higher sgp130 concentration in coronary sinus than in aorta. Coronary intervention increases concentration of interleukin 6 in patients with stable angina. It affects the cardiac level of interleukin 6 soluble receptors what may influence the local inflammatory reaction.
Weldability of AL99—SiC Composites by CO2 Laser Welding
Authors: Durmuş Hülya , Meriç Cevdet
Published: June 2009

In this study, Al99—SiC composites were produced using PM method. In the composites produced, the reinforcement rates of SiC were 0, 5, 10, and 20 (%wt). The matrix Al 99 powders were mechanically mixed with SiC particulates. These powders were compacted at room temperature at 500 MPa for 5 × 10 × 60 mm specimens and followed by sintering at 600 and 620°C for 1 h. Composite specimens were joined by CO2 laser welding method. Rofin—Sinar SM2000 machine was used for the welding process. The microstructure of melted region was investigated by optical, scanning, and X-ray microchemical analysis techniques. The hardness test, tensile test, and three-point bend test results were presented. The effect to CO2 laser welding method at different reinforcement rates and different sintering temperatures in Al 99 powder was investigated. Because of the lower thermal conductivity of Al99—SiC composites, melting zone is wide. It was observed that 0.5 m/min laser welding velocity was suitable for composites with low SiC rate (0% and 5% SiC), and with increasing SiC (10 and 20%), laser welding velocity of 0.3 m/min was suitable.
Gender and Attachment Representations in the Preschool Years
Authors: Pierrehumbert Blaise , Santelices Maria Pia , Ibáñez Margarita , Alberdi Maika , Ongari Barbara , Roskam Isabelle , Stievenart Marie , Spencer Rosario , Fresno Rodríguez Andrés , Borghini Ayala
Published: June 2009

Bowlby proposed that the individual's social experiences, as early as in infancy, contribute to the construction of Internal Working Models (IWMs) of attachment, which will later guide the individual's expectations and behaviors in close relationships all along his or her life. The qualitative, individual characteristics of these models reflect the specificity of the individual's early experiences with attachment figures. The attachment literature globally shows that the qualities of IWMs are neither gender specific nor cultural specific. Procedures to evaluate IWMs in adulthood have been well established, based on narrative accounts of childhood experiences. Narrative procedures at earlier ages (e.g., in the preschool years) have been proposed, such as Bretherton's Attachment Story Completion Task (ASCT), to evaluate attachment representations. More than 500 ASCT narratives of preschoolers, coming from five different countries, have been collected, in the perspective of examining possible interactions between gender and culture regarding attachment representations. A specific Q-Sort coding procedure (CCH) has been used to evaluate several dimensions of the narratives. Girls' narratives appeared as systematically more secure than those of same-age boys, whatever their culture. The magnitude of gender differences, however, varied between countries. Taylor's model of gender-specific responses to stress and Harwood's and Posada's hypothesis on inter-cultural differences regarding caregiving are evoked to understand the differences across gender and countries.
Buddy Reading in a Singaporean Primary School
Authors: Shegar Chitra
Published: June 2009

■ Buddy Reading, a peer tutoring programme, is popularly adopted in Singapore schools to increase the reading proficiency of lower primary children who are not reading at age appropriate levels. However, this programme is rarely subjected to systematic evaluation. In view of this, the present study undertakes an evaluation of the programme as it is implemented in a Singaporean primary school. The evaluation brings to the fore some of the shortcomings inherent in the programme and proposes how the training could be enhanced. The final part of the paper evaluates the effects of the newly proposed training programme and concludes with implications for training and research in the area.
A Tale of Two Texts
Authors: Cullip Peter F.
Published: June 2009

■ This case study analyses two written texts produced by an ESL learner either side of a five-week genre-based teaching intervention. The second text was judged to be of a much higher quality by two independent markers in a previous study. The question arising is: what exactly has improved? The analytical tools of systemic functional linguistics are used to identify the major areas of generic, discourse and lexico-grammatical development in the learner's writing of an argument. These developments are discussed in relation to the theoretical foundations of the genre-based approach and the classroom practices associated with it.
Peer-Assessing Peers' Contribution to EFL Group Presentations
Authors: Saito Hidetoshi , Fujita Tomoko
Published: June 2009

■ The aim of this study is three-fold: (1) to examine the similarities and differences between instructor and peer assessments of EFL group presentations; (2) to understand the utility of peer assessment for discriminating each group member's contribution to group presentations in college EFL classrooms; and (3) to investigate the relationship between the quality of a group product and group cooperation, each of which were measured by peer assessments. Eighty-three Japanese freshmen worked in groups to create TV commercials. They then completed two types of peer assessment. Results indicated an overall similarity between peer and instructor assessments, along with some notable differences in item difficulties. Most group members succeeded in differentiating the degree of each member's contribution to the group project. Strong support, however, was not found for the assumption that groups with high cooperators produced quality group presentations. Although these results are encouraging for using peer assessment for EFL group presentations, some caution is advised.
Crime in a City in Transition: The Case of Tallinn, Estonia
Authors: Ceccato Vânia
Published: June 2009

The objective of this article is to characterise the criminogenic conditions of an eastern European city experiencing the transition from a planned to a market-oriented economy. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, has been chosen as the case study. The article first describes the various levels of a set of expressive and acquisitive offences in Tallinn and then assesses whether patterns of crime in Tallinn are caused by underlying processes similar to the ones indicated in the Western literature of urban criminology. The study identifies variables that most significantly contribute to the variation of crime ratios using regression models, GIS and spatial statistical techniques. Findings suggest that, although there is no dramatic difference between the geography of crimes in Tallinn and those found in western European and North American cities, some of the explanatory variables function in ways which would not be predicted by Western literature.
The Clustering of Creative Networks: Between Myth and Reality
Authors: van Heur Bas
Published: June 2009

This paper discusses the myths and realities surrounding the clustering of creative networks through a critical analysis of music production and its clustering tendencies in London and Berlin. Instead of assuming that networks `naturally' cluster for a variety of reasons, the focus is on the tensions between networks of aesthetic production and the `creative clusters' that emerge from these networks. It is argued that the clustering of networks is structured by the contemporary accumulation regime and mode of regulation and that these direct aesthetic production in system-confirmative ways. At the same time, in order to understand the specificity of aesthetic practices, it is necessary to grasp the constitutive role played by networks in deflecting and transforming the structuring effects of creative clusters.
On the Importance of the `Location Package' for Urban Growth
Authors: Portnov Boris A. , Schwartz Moshe
Published: June 2009

Urban location is a multidimensional phenomenon: its dimensions are attributes, natural and man-made, which together affect urban performance. To capture their combined effect, the paper introduces the concept of `location package'—i.e. the set of location-related advantages enjoyed by an urban place, such as proximity to other population centres, climate and topography. The hypothesis is that looking at urban location as a package of attributes, whose components may enhance or detract from each other, improves the empirical estimates of the effect of location on urban performance. This hypothesis is tested using population growth data on urban settlements in 40 European countries.
Classification of Residential Areas in the Three Largest Dutch Cities Using Multidimensional Data
Authors: Kauko Tom
Published: June 2009

This article explores the variety of residential area types in the three largest Dutch cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. The data are characterised as multidimensional, as they pertain to socio-demographic and other `objective' indicators produced by official statistics, as well as to more `subjective' location preferences expressed by the residents themselves. The method used is a clustering and classification approach based on two-dimensional models generated by the self-organising map (SOM) and learning vector quantisation (LVQ). Using sub-district-level data, the study shows that, while some characteristic residential milieus can be found in all three cities, they have a broader variety in Amsterdam than in Rotterdam or The Hague. This supports the commonly held presumption that Amsterdam is less segregated than Rotterdam or The Hague in terms of intraurban housing patterns.
Exhibiting the National Socialist past
Authors: Paver Chloe E.M.
Published: June 2009

The article attempts to move beyond the scholarly debates surrounding the so-called Wehrmacht Exhibitions by broadening the focus to include a wide spectrum of public exhibitions about the National Socialist era in Germany, mounted mostly between 1995 and the present. Three straightforward questions — `What is exhibited?', `Who exhibits it?' and `Where is it exhibited?' — throw up some complex answers: a shift from history to memory becomes evident; the line between protest exhibitions and establishment exhibitions becomes blurred as public memory work becomes increasingly institutionalized; and exhibitions use a combination of symbolic and indexical place (as defined by Aleida Assmann) to make statements about the relationship of contemporary communities to the National Socialist past.
Design and Analysis of the Community Youth Development Study Longitudinal Cohort Sample
Authors: Brown Eric C. , Graham John W. , Hawkins J. David , Arthur Michael W. , Baldwin Megan M. , Oesterle Sabrina , Briney John S. , Catalano Richard F. , Abbott Robert D.
Published: June 2009

Communities That Care (CTC) is a prevention system designed to reduce adolescent substance use and delinquency through the selection of effective preventive interventions tailored to a community's specific profile of risk and protection. A community-randomized trial of CTC, the Community Youth Development Study, is currently being conducted in 24 communities across the United States. This article describes the rationale, multilevel analyses, and baseline comparability for the study's longitudinal cohort design. The cohort sample consists of 4,407 fifth- and sixth-grade students recruited in 2004 and 2005 and surveyed annually through ninth grade. Results of mixed-model ANOVAs indicated that students in CTC and control communities exhibited no significant differences (ps > .05) in baseline levels of student outcomes.
Japan's Bifurcated Modernity
Authors: Adal Raja
Published: June 2009

Interwar Japan saw the rise of a generation of intellectuals, bureaucrats, and educators who were uneasy about modern life. One expression of this malaise was the introduction of calligraphy in the 1941 and 1943 school curricula. Calligraphy injected aesthetics into writing education. Yet it also compromised the speed and efficiency of writing, which lay at the core of Japan's system of modern education. The solution was to teach writing twice, once as an art in the `art section' and once as a functional skill in the `language section'. As an art, writing was a means to cultivate the spirit, discipline the body, escape from the calculated logic of linear time and produce an aesthetic epiphany. As a functional tool, it was a skill for keeping pace with the demands of the modern world by communicating meaning quickly and efficiently. Bureaucrats and educators from 1941 were thus simultaneously engaged in the task of overcoming modernity on the one hand and of instilling proficiency in modern life on the other. This duality of the word as a functional code for transmitting meaning and the word as an aesthetic form both echoed and shaped the double nature of Japan's modernity.
Making law, making place: lawyers and the production of space
Authors: Martin Deborah G. , Scherr Alexander W. , City Christopher
Published: June 2009

In this paper, we develop a conceptual framework for theorizing the role of lawyers in legal geography research to foster better understandings of the processes and the people co-constituting space and law. We argue that the practice of law is missing from existing legal geography scholarship. Adding insights from legal studies and geography, we propose an agenda for research that places lawyers at the center of analyses of legal (and political) claims-making, particularly place-claims in land-use disputes. We illustrate our call with an example from a study of conflict over a manufactured housing park in Georgia.
The Effect of Tunnel Placement on Bone-Tendon Healing in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in a Goat Model
Authors: Ekdahl Max , Nozaki Masahiro , Ferretti Mario , Tsai Andrew , Smolinski Patrick , Fu Freddie H.
Published: June 2009

Background

Misplacement of the bone tunnels is one of the main causes of graft failure of anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Hypothesis

Anatomic tunnel placement in anterior cruciate ligament surgery reconstruction will lead to improved outcomes, including biological ingrowth and biomechanical properties, when compared with nonanatomic tunnel placement.

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods

Anterior cruciate ligament surgery reconstructions were performed on 3 different groups of goats (1 anatomic tunnel placement group and 2 different nonanatomic tunnel placement groups, with 10 goats in each group). For each group of 10 knees, 3 knees were used for histologic evaluation (bone tunnel enlargement, number of osteoclasts at the bone tendon interface, and revascularization of the graft) and 7 knees were used for biomechanical testing (anterior tibial translation, in situ force, cross-sectional area, and ultimate failure load). Animals were sacrificed at 12 weeks after surgery.

Results

The anatomic tunnel placement group showed less tunnel enlargement on the tibial side, fewer osteoclasts on both the tibial and femoral sides, and more vascularity in the femoral side when compared with the 2 nonanatomic reconstruction groups. Biomechanically, the anatomic tunnel placement group demonstrated less anterior tibial translation and greater in situ force than both nonanatomic tunnel placement groups.

Conclusion

Anatomic tunnel placement leads to superior biological healing and biomechanical properties compared with nonanatomic placement at 12 weeks after anterior cruciate ligament surgery reconstruction in a goat model.

Clinical Relevance

The findings of this study demonstrate the importance of anatomic tunnel placement in anterior cruciate ligament surgery reconstruction.
Clinical Utility of Traditional and New Tests in the Diagnosis of Biceps Tendon Injuries and Superior Labrum Anterior and Posterior Lesions in the Shoulder
Authors: Ben Kibler W. , Sciascia Aaron D. , Hester Peter , Dome David , Jacobs Cale
Published: June 2009

Background

Clinical tests are a key element in diagnosing shoulder lesions.

Purpose

This study examined the clinical utility of traditional and new examination tests, the upper cut for biceps injuries, and the modified dynamic labral shear for superior glenoid labral lesions.

Study Design

Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods

A total of 325 consecutive patients who were seen for shoulder pain underwent a standardized clinical testing battery. Six clinical tests that have been previously reported in the literature (Yergason's, Speed's, bear hug, belly press, O'Brien's, and anterior slide) and 2 new examination tests (upper cut and modified dynamic labral shear) were performed. Clinical examination findings were correlated with findings in those who came to surgery (101 patients). Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive/ negative predictive value, and positive/negative likelihood ratio were calculated for each test. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine which tests produced the most significant findings.

Results

For biceps disease, the bear hug and upper cut were most sensitive (0.79 and 0.73, respectively), whereas the belly press and Speed's test were most specific (0.85 and 0.81, respectively). The upper cut was most accurate (0.77) and produced the highest positive likelihood ratio (3.38). For labral injury, the modified dynamic labral shear demonstrated sensitivity of 0.72, specificity of 0.98, accuracy of 0.84, and a positive likelihood ratio of 31.57. A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the combination of the upper cut and Speed's tests were significantly better at detecting biceps lesions (P = .021, R2 = .400) than other tests, whereas labral lesions were best identified by combination of the modified dynamic labral shear and O'Brien's maneuvers (P = .045, R2 = .641).

Conclusion

The new tests are helpful additions to the clinical examination for shoulder injury. The modified dynamic labral shear test demonstrates high scores for clinical utility and exhibits a high likelihood ratio, indicating a significant probability of affecting the clinical decision, which should moderately or significantly improve the diagnostic conclusion and allow the clinician to be more efficient in making an accurate diagnosis.
From Many, One
Authors: Penn Elizabeth Maggie
Published: June 2009

I present a formal model of the effect of political representation on the formation of group identities using the drafting of the United States Constitution as a case study. I first show the presence of `factions', or groups with competing interests, to be beneficial in forging a national identity. Next, I use this model to argue that the Great Compromise succeeded as more than a political maneuver to ensure ratification of the Constitution; it created a political environment in which an American national identity could emerge. I find that representation schemes that ignore group distinctions and use the individual as the basic unit of political representation may induce individuals to embrace a group-based notion of identity. Conversely, acknowledging group distinctions by using the group as a unit of political representation may induce individuals to embrace a more universalistic conception of identity, and thus may make group distinctions less salient.