bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Man, the State, and War
Authors: Suganami Hidemi
Published: October 2009

This article expounds and assesses the key contentions of Man, the State, and War. It notes that the book contains meta-theoretical and theoretical components. Through a close re-examination of the text, the article shows how Waltz arrives at his third-image conclusion, reveals a number of errors of a conceptual or logical nature in the meta-theoretical moves that lead him to this conclusion, and explains how such errors are partly rooted in a deeper issue that the book addresses — how to integrate the three images (or three contending estimates of the major cause of war) into one overarching image of world politics based on the agent/structure dichotomy and the distinction between macro and micro enquiries. The article goes on to outline Waltz’s substantive theory of international politics, found in an embryonic form in Man, the State, and War, speculates on the sources of the book’s success, and assesses its main significance.
The Virtue of Adversity
Authors: Waltz Kenneth N.
Published: October 2009

This article is a personal account of how the author came to write his two best-known books, Man, the State, and War and Theory of International Politics. He explains the context of his early career, his army service, and some key academic influences. The article then discusses the origins of his two other major works, on foreign policy and democratic politics and on the implications of the spread of nuclear weapons. In commenting on the course of his long writing and teaching career, Professor Waltz highlights the critical importance and influence of his wife, Helen Waltz.
Testing the Validity of the K6 in Detecting Major Depression and PTSD Among Jailed Women
Authors: Pimlott Kubiak Sheryl , Beeble Marisa L. , Bybee Deborah
Published: October 2009

Despite high prevalence rates of mental illness, jails often lack validated measures for detecting it, and many of the screening instruments used do not adequately identify depression and trauma-related disorders in women. The authors assessed the validity of the K6 in identifying major depression and PTSD among 515 jailed women, comparing it to two valid and reliable screening tools, the PHQ-9 and the Short Screening Scale for DSM-IV PTSD. The K6 identified 37% of women as having serious mental illness using the customary cut score of 13, with an ROC-AUC value of .92 in detecting major depression or PTSD. However, this cut score misclassified a substantial proportion of women; therefore, a modification of this score may be warranted. Lowering this cut score would increase the number of women identified but may be justified by incarcerated women’s high rates of exposure to trauma and the consequences of unmet mental health needs.
Children in the Archives: Epistolary Evidence, Youth Agency, and the Social Meanings of “Coming of Age” in Interwar Nyasaland
Authors: Lee Christopher J.
Published: October 2009

This study looks at multiracial boys and girls, often referred to as “half castes,” in Nyasaland. It reconstructs the status and agency of these children by assessing the ways in which they maneuvered local African and European communities to explore opportunities that would improve their individual situations. At times they took initiative by writing letters to the Nyasaland administration for financial support. Furthermore, state responses to these letters provide evidence of how the state perceived these children, particularly the moral responsibility felt given that their fathers were often white settlers and at times colonial officials. This article also discusses the general challenges and opportunities that childhood experiences raise, with specific attention to the kind of subaltern social knowledge that such evidence presents—knowledge that challenges conventional visions of what constitutes history and who makes it.
The Use of Drugs and Nutritional Supplements in Top-Level Track and Field Athletes
Authors: Tscholl Philippe , Alonso Juan M. , Dollé Gabriel , Junge Astrid , Dvorak Jiri
Published: October 2009

Background

High use of medication and nutritional supplements has been reported in several sports.

Purpose

To document the use of prescribed medication and nutritional supplements in female and male junior, youth, and adult track and field athletes depending on their sports discipline.

Study Design

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods

Analysis of 3 887 doping control forms undertaken during 12 International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships and 1 out-of-competitions season in track and field.

Results

There were 6 523 nutritional supplements (1.7 per athlete) and 3 237 medications (0.8 per athlete) reported. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; 0.27 per athlete, n = 884), respiratory drugs (0.21 per athlete, n = 682), and alternative analgesics (0.13, n = 423) were used most frequently. Medication use increased with age (0.33 to 0.87 per athlete) and decreased with increasing duration of the event (from sprints to endurance events; 1.0 to 0.63 per athlete). African and Asian track and field athletes reported using significantly fewer supplements (0.85 vs 1.93 per athlete) and medications (0.41 vs 0.96 per athlete) than athletes from other continents. The final ranking in the championships was unrelated to the quantity of reported medications or supplements taken. Compared with middle-distance and long-distance runners, athletes in power and sprint disciplines reported using more NSAIDs, creatine, and amino acids, and fewer antimicrobial agents.

Conclusion

The use of NSAIDs in track and field is less than that reported for team-sport events. However, nutritional supplements are used more than twice as often as they are in soccer and other multisport events; this inadvertently increases the risk of positive results of doping tests.

Clinical Relevance

It is essential that an evidence-based approach to the prescribing of medication and nutritional supplements is adopted to protect the athletes’ health and prevent them from testing positive in doping controls.
“The Price of Being Mexican”: Sentencing Disparities Between Noncitizen Mexican and Non-Mexican Latinos in the Federal Courts
Authors: Logue Melissa A.
Published: October 2009

With the increasing discourse about a crime-immigration nexus and Latinos, it is critical to ascertain how the criminal justice system responds to noncitizen Latino defendants. Using federal sentencing data to investigate the role of national origin and immigration status on noncitizen Latinos’ sentencing outcomes, several findings emerge. First, national origin conditions the sentences received for Mexicans and non-Mexican Latinos. Second, immigration status perpetuates disparities among defendants within each Latino subgroup. Third, examining the aggravating factors within each immigration status category shows that national origin poses greater sentencing penalties for Mexican defendants.
Acrylamide-induced oxidative stress in human erythrocytes
Authors: Catalgol Betul , Özhan Gül , Alpertunga Buket
Published: October 2009

Acrylamide (AA), a widely used industrial chemical, is shown to be neurotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of different doses of AA on lipid peroxidation (LPO), haemolysis, methaemoglobin (MetHb) and antioxidant system in human erythrocytes in vitro. Erythrocyte solutions were incubated with 0.10, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 mM of AA at 37°C for 1 hour. At the end of the incubation, malondialdehyde (MDA), an end product of LPO, was determined by liquid chromatography (LC) while total glutathione, reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzymes and the rates of haemolysis and MetHb were determined by spectrophotometric methods. All of the studied concentrations of AA increased MetHb formation and SOD activity, and induced MDA formation and haemolysis due to the destruction of erythrocyte cell membrane. AA caused a decrease in the activities of GSH-Px, CAT and GSH levels. However, these effects of AA were seen only at higher concentrations than AA intake estimated for populations in many countries. We suggest that LPO process may not be involved in the toxic effects of AA in low concentrations, although the present results showed that the studied concentrations of AA exert deteriorating effects on antioxidant enzyme activities, LPO process and haemolysis.
Severe scorpion envenomation in children: Management in pediatric intensive care unit
Authors: Bosnak Mehmet , Levent Yilmaz Hayri , Ece Aydin , Yildizdas Dincer , Yolbas Ilyas , Kocamaz Halil , Kaplan Metin , Bosnak Vuslat
Published: October 2009

Background: Scorpion envenomation is a common public health problem worldwide and children are at greater risk of developing severe cardiac, respiratory and neurological complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of antivenin and/or prazosin use on prognosis of scorpion-envenomed children admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods: The standardized medical records of 45 children hospitalized with severe scorpion sting in PICU were retrospectively evaluated. General characteristics of the children, clinical and laboratory findings, treatment approaches and prognosis were evaluated. Results: The mean age of the patients were 6.1 ± 4.1 years ranging between 4 month and 15 years. Male to female ratio was 1.8. Thirty-three (71.1%) cases of scorpion stings came from rural areas. Twenty-six (57.8%) of the patients were stung by Androctonus crassicauda. The most common sting localization was the foot-leg (55.6%). The mean duration from the scorpion sting to hospital admission was 4.5 ± 2.6 hours. The most common findings at presentation were cold extremities (95.5%), excessive sweating (91.1%) and tachycardia (77.7%). The mean leukocyte count, and serum levels of glucose, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase and international normalized ratio were found above the normal ranges. Prazosin was used in all patients, dopamine in 11 (24.4%) and Na-nitroprusside in 4 (8.8%) patients. Two children died (4.4%) due to pulmonary oedema. These children, in poor clinical status at hospital admission, needed mechanical ventilation, and death occurred despite use of antivenin and prazosin in both of them. Conclusion: The current management of children with severe scorpion envenomation consists of administration of specific antivenom and close surveillance in a PICU, where vital signs and continuous monitoring enable early initiation of therapy for life-threatening complications. The aggressive medical management directed at the organ system specifically can be effective. Our data indicated that when admission to hospital is late, the beneficial effect of antivenom and/or prazosin is questionable in severe scorpion stings.
Displaced New Orleans Residents in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: Results from a Pilot Survey
Authors: Sastry Narayan
Published: October 2009

This article introduces us to the complexities of conducting social scientific research in a major urban disaster zone and reports on results from the most systematic survey at the time aimed at tracking the whereabouts of pre-Katrina residents during the first year of recovery, the Displaced New Orleans Residents Pilot Survey. This survey drew an area-probability sample of pre-Katrina dwellings and set out to interview the residents approximately 12 months after the storm, when educated guesses placed the New Orleans’s city population at roughly half its pre-Katrina total. Results confirm that early returnees tended to be disproportionately White, elderly, better educated, and far less likely to have homes rendered uninhabitable by the disaster. These patterns begin to show how demographic processes triggered by the disaster exacerbated existing inequalities in the region, allowing more advantaged residents to return while leaving less advantaged residents dispersed across numerous destinations.
Evacuation and Return of Vietnamese New Orleanians Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Authors: Vu Lung , VanLandingham Mark J. , Do Mai , Bankston Carl L.
Published: October 2009

Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans East—where the main Vietnamese enclave is located— especially hard. By chance, shortly before this disaster, sociodemographic and health data had been collected for a population-based sample of working-age Vietnamese Americans living in New Orleans. One year after the storm, the authors reinterviewed nearly all respondents from the original sample who had returned to the area, which netted about two thirds of the original sample. Results show that returnees were more likely than those yet to return to have been employed before the storm, to have worked in the skilled sector of the economy, to have been married, and to have owned a home. Many problems experienced during the immediate aftermath of the storm, such as crowded and unsanitary conditions, had been resolved by the first anniversary; however, other problems remained, such as a continuing lack of information, lack of access to medical care, and fears of violent crime.
Safety Assessment of ProBiora3, a Probiotic Mouthwash: Subchronic Toxicity Study in Rats
Authors: Hillman Jeffrey D. , McDonell Emily , Hillman Charles H. , Zahradnik Robert T. , Soni Madhu G.
Published: October 2009

Streptococcus viridans are commensal bacteria that constitute a significant portion of the resident oral microflora. The objective of the present study is to investigate adverse effects, if any, of a blend of 3 natural strains, Streptococcus uberis KJ2, Streptococcus oralis KJ3, and Streptococcus rattus JH145 (probiotic mouthwash, ProBiora3). The blend is administered to rats orally once daily (5 days per week) at doses of 0, 106, or 109 colony-forming units of each strain for 14 weeks. No treatment-related adverse effects are observed in the physiological parameters during the study or in the evaluation of blood and tissue samples taken from the animals at the end. Results of an in vitro antibiotic susceptibility study demonstrate that all 3 ProBiora3 strains are susceptible to commonly used therapeutic antibiotics. The results of these investigations reveal that the no-observed-adverse-effect level of the probiotic mouthwash is 2.16 × 109 colony-forming units per strain per kilogram of body weight per day, the highest dose used.
Excess mortality and cause of death in a cohort of Norwegian multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Smestad C. , Sandvik L. , Celius EG
Published: October 2009

There are few studies of long-term, cause-specific mortality in multiple sclerosis (MS) relating to population mortality. Our objective was to study survival, excess mortality and causes of death in a cohort of patients with a long history of MS. Patients living in Oslo with definite MS and onset during 1940—80 were included in 2006. Causes of death and mortality in the general population were obtained from the Cause of Death Registry of Statistics Norway. Of the 386 patients included in the study, 263 (68%) had died at inclusion. Median survival from onset was 35 years (Kaplan—Meier: 95% confidence interval 33—37). Primary progressive MS was associated with shorter survival, but mean age at death was similar for relapsing-remitting and primary progressive MS patients. The most frequent underlying cause of death was MS (50%), and infection was often registered as a contributory cause (56%). The all-cause standardized mortality ratio was 2.47. Excess mortality was most marked during the second decade after onset of MS. We conclude that infections are probably the main cause of death in patients with MS, but the frequency is underestimated due to misleading information on death certificates. Excess mortality in patients with MS first appeared during the second decade of the disease. Survival seems to be age-dependent rather than related to disease course.
Severe relapses after the first infusion of natalizumab in active relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis
Authors: Rinaldi Francesca , Perini Paola , Calabrese Massimiliano , Rinaldi Luciano , Gallo Paolo
Published: October 2009

We describe three patients suffering from a very active form of relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), who experienced severe disease worsening, associated with a marked increase in brain inflammation, a few days after the first administration of natalizumab. In line with preclinical studies, our observations suggest that natalizumab, when administered during active disease phases, may worsen disease evolution possibly by modifying the regulatory network in the brain. We suggest that relapsing—remitting MS patients having had a recent relapse should be treated with natalizumab only after achieving complete clinical and radiological remission.
Hypothalamic stimulation for trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis patients: efficacy on the paroxysmal ophthalmic pain
Authors: Cordella R. , Franzini A. , La Mantia L. , Marras C. , Erbetta A. , Broggi G.
Published: October 2009

Trigeminal neuralgia is a disorder characterized by paroxysmal pain arising in one or more trigeminal branches; it is commonly reported in multiple sclerosis. In multiple sclerosis patients the ophthalmic branch may be frequently involved and the risks carried by neurosurgical ablative procedures are higher including major adverse effects such as corneal reflex impairment and keratitis. The objective of this works is to assess the role of posterior hypothalamus neuromodulation in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis patients. Five multiple sclerosis patients suffering from refractory recurrent trigeminal neuralgia involving all three trigeminal branches underwent deep brain stimulation of the posterior hypothalamus. The rationale of this intervention emerges from our earlier success in treating pain patients suffering from trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. After follow-up periods that ranged from 1 to 4 years after treatment, the paroxysmal pain arising from the first trigeminal branch was controlled, whereas the recurrence of pain in the second and third trigeminal branches necessitated repeated thermorhizotomies to control in pain in two patients after 2 years of follow-up. In conclusion, deep brain stimulation may be considered as an adjunctive procedure for treating refractory paroxysmal pain within the first trigeminal division so as to avoid the complication of corneal reflex impairment that is known to follow ablative procedures.
Clinically isolated acute transverse myelitis: prognostic features and incidence
Authors: Young John , Quinn Stephen , Hurrell Mike , Taylor Bruce
Published: October 2009

Demyelinating acute transverse myelitis may be the first presentation of multiple sclerosis or remain a clinically isolated syndrome. North Canterbury, New Zealand provides a well circumscribed population to study acute transverse myelitis. Objective: to identify prognostic features, clinical outcomes and incidence of ATM in North Canterbury, New Zealand. All patients with acute transverse myelitis as a first neurological presentation diagnosed from January 2001 to December 2005 at a single institution providing all neurological care for North Canterbury were assessed for clinical data, MRI findings, cerebrospinal fluid results and clinical outcomes. CHAMPS, Barkhof/Tintore and Swanton criteria were applied to brain MRI. Sixty-one patients were identified with a mean duration of follow-up of 30 ± 17 months. Fifty percent of patients with ATM with brain lesions by CHAMPS criteria converted to clinically definite multiple sclerosis. No patients with idiopathic acute transverse myelitis converted to clinically definite multiple sclerosis. There was a strong association with conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosis and abnormal brain MRI by CHAMPS criteria (hazard ratio, 5.63; 1.83—17.3), Barkhof/Tintore criteria (hazard ratio, 6.43; 2.31—17.9) and Swanton criteria (hazard ratio, 4.53; 1.67—12.3). The age standardized annual incidence of acute transverse myelitis was 24.6 (18.2—31.1) per million, of definite and possible idiopathic acute transverse myelitis was 6.2 (2.9—9.6) per million, and of acute transverse myelitis with brain lesions was 4.7 (1.9—7.6) per million. Patients with idiopathic acute transverse myelitis are at low risk for conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Abnormal brain MRI by CHAMPS criteria is a sensitive predictor of conversion to clinically definite multiple sclerosis. The annual incidence of acute transverse multiple sclerosis in North Canterbury, New Zealand is significantly higher than previously reported.
All-cause and cause-specific mortality of social assistance recipients in Norway: A register-based follow-up study
Authors: Naper Sille Ohrem
Published: October 2009

Aims: To investigate the mortality among social assistance recipients, who are among the most marginalized people in Norway. Cause-specific mortality was analysed in an attempt to explain the excess mortality. Previous research has suggested that social disadvantage leads to higher mortality from all causes, whereas others have found substantial variation when studying separate causes. The impact of the various causes will influence policy recommendations. Methods: Data were compiled through linking between Norwegian administrative records. The entire population born between 1935 and 1974 (2,297,621 people) was followed with respect to social assistance and death from 1993 to 2003. Cause-specific, age-standardized mortality rates for social assistance recipients and the rest of the population were calculated, and both the absolute (rate difference) and relative (rate ratio) rates were measured. Results: The rate ratio for total mortality was 3.1 for men and 2.5 for women for the comparison between social assistance recipients and the general population. The mortality among social assistance recipients was higher for all causes, but the magnitude differed considerably, depending on the cause. The rate ratio for men ranged from 1.2 for non-smoking-related cancer to 18.8 for alcohol- and drug-related causes. Alcohol-and drug-related and violent causes together contributed to half of the excess mortality for men and one-third for women. Conclusions: The mortality of this socially disadvantaged group was considerably higher than that of the general population, and this difference reflected mainly drug-related causes.
The Challenges of Collaborative Knowledge Creation in Open Innovation Teams
Authors: Du Chatenier Elise , Verstegen Jos A.A.M. , Biemans Harm J.A. , Mulder Martin , Omta Onno
Published: October 2009

In open innovation teams, people from different organizations work together to develop new products, services, or markets. This organizational diversity can positively influence collaborative knowledge creation but can frustrate and obstruct the process as well. To increase the success rates of open innovation, it is vital to learn how individuals create knowledge in open innovation teams and the problems they face. However, HRD research on this topic is still lacking. This article reviews the literature in HRD, organizational, and learning sciences, describing how individuals interact when creating knowledge collaboratively, and gives an overview of the challenges with collaborative knowledge creation in open innovation teams. The article ends with a discussion and conclusion, and implications for further research.
Pomegranate Fruit Extract Impairs Invasion and Motility in Human Breast Cancer
Authors: Khan Gazala N. , Gorin Michael A. , Rosenthal Devin , Pan Quintin , Bao Li Wei , Wu Zhi Fen , Newman Robert A. , Pawlus Alison D. , Yang Peiying , Lansky Ephraim P. , Merajver Sofia D.
Published: October 2009

Purpose. Pomegranate fruit extracts (PFEs) possess polyphenolic and other compounds with antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects in prostate, lung, and other cancers. Because nuclear transcription factor-kB (NF-kB) is known to regulate cell survival, proliferation, tumorigenesis, and inflammation, it was postulated that PFEs may exert anticancer effects at least in part by modulating NF-kB activity. Experimental design. The authors investigated the effect of a novel, defined PFE consisting of both fermented juice and seed oil on the NF-kB pathway, which is constitutively active in aggressive breast cancer cell lines. The effects of the PFE on NF-kB—regulated cellular processes such as cell survival, proliferation, and invasion were also examined. Results. Analytical characterization of the bioactive components of the PFE revealed active constituents, mainly ellagitannins and phenolic acids in the aqueous PFE and conjugated octadecatrienoic acids in the lipid PFE derived from seeds.The aqueous PFE dose-dependently inhibited NF-kB—dependent reporter gene expression associated with proliferation, invasion, and motility in aggressive breast cancer phenotypes while decreasing RhoC and RhoA protein expression. Conclusion. Inhibition of motility and invasion by PFEs, coincident with suppressed RhoC and RhoA protein expression, suggests a role for these defined extracts in lowering the metastatic potential of aggressive breast cancer species.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Transcendental Meditation on Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Nidich Sanford I. , Fields Jeremy Z. , Rainforth Maxwell V. , Pomerantz Rhoda , Cella David , Kristeller Jean , Salerno John W. , Schneider Robert H.
Published: October 2009

This single-blind, randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of the Transcendental Meditation program plus standard care as compared with standard care alone on the quality of life (QOL) of older women (≥55 years) with stage II to IV breast cancer. One hundred and thirty women (mean age = 63.8) were randomly assigned to either experimental (n = 64) or control (n = 66) groups. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Breast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy— Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-SP), and Short-Form (SF)-36 mental health and vitality scales were administered every 6 months over an average 18-month intervention period. Significant improvements were found in the Transcendental Meditation group compared with controls in overall QOL, measured by the FACT-B total score ( P = .037), emotional well-being ( P = .046), and social well-being ( P = .003) subscales, and SF-36 mental health ( P = .017). Results indicate that the Transcendental Meditation technique improves the QOL of older breast cancer patients. It is recommended that this stress reduction program, with its ease of implementation and home practice, be adopted in public health programs.
Gamma Knife—Treated Hepatoma: Case of Obstructive Jaundice and Management
Authors: Wang Ming-Quan , Zou Qing , He Qing , Guan Yong-Song
Published: October 2009

Gamma knife therapy is becoming more frequently applied in solid tumor treatment. This article reports a unique case of severe obstructive jaundice arising as a complication of treatment of hepatoma at the hepatic hilum using a gamma knife.While planning an intervention, some images seem to promise success but actually lead to failure. Radiation damage to specific organs is difficult to predict because of several variables. Radiation-induced fibrosis and necrosis are the most common long-term adverse effects of radiotherapy; they are usually considered irreversible and result in induration and firmness of the tissue.To minimize radiation fibrosis, accurate patient positioning and tumor relocalization are essential for gamma knife use in the liver and other extracranial sites. Even when practiced frequently, any intervention must be delivered with caution if the liver has been treated with radiation. Otherwise, even with much experience, the unwary doctor can be trapped by deceptive images.
Podophyllum hexandrum Fraction (REC-2006) Shows Higher Radioprotective Efficacy in the p53-Carrying Hepatoma Cell Line: A Role of Cell Cycle Regulatory Proteins
Authors: Singh Pankaj Kumar , Kumar Raj , Sharma Ashok , Arora Rajesh , Chawla Raman , Jain Swatantra Kumar , Sharma Rakesh Kumar
Published: October 2009

The present study was carried out to evaluate the radioprotective efficacy of Podophyllum hexandrum fraction (REC-2006) in hepatoma cell lines having different p53 statuses. Higher radioresistance was observed in the HepG2 (p53++) cell line in comparison to the Hep3B (p53--) cell line, indicating a plausible role of p53 in radioresistance. REC-2006 exhibited nearly twice the survival in p53-expressing HepG2 cells compared with p53-negative Hep3B cells. REC-2006 treatment alone induced p53 expression as compared with untreated controls. However, REC-2006 reduced p53 expression when treated 2 hours before irradiation as compared with the irradiated HepG2 controls, indicating that REC-2006 modulates the expression of p53 to mitigate its apoptotic effect. Induction of p21 in the REC-2006 + radiation treatment group downregulated the expression of cyclin E and CDK2, leading to a delay in the G1 phase of HepG2 cells, which provided time for DNA repair or related processes. However, no significant difference in CDC2 expression in both cell lines suggested that G2 phase arrest might not be the only responsible factor for REC-2006-mediated radioprotection. Significant induction of PCNA and GADD45 expression in HepG2 cells suggested that REC-2006 increased the percentage survival of HepG2 cells by increasing the span of time as well as efficacy for repair processes. In conclusion, REC-2006 modulated the expression of p53 and thereby promoted cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, encouraging cell proliferation and DNA repair and thus providing significantly higher protection against acute γ-radiation in the HepG2 cell line.
Establishing a College Culture in Secondary Schools Through P-20 Collaboration: A Case Study
Authors: McClafferty Jarsky Karen , McDonough Patricia M. , Núñez Anne-Marie
Published: October 2009

This case study examines a P-20 action research partnership involving a university, a nonprofit organization, and several middle and high schools with sizeable enrollments of underserved students. The partnership’s goals were rooted in a cultural change model designed to encourage college awareness and attendance among largely Latino and African American students. The research reveals the barriers and opportunities inherent in a collaborative model from the perspective of school counselors and administrators.
Injury Prevention in Sports
Authors: Schiff Melissa A. , Caine Dennis J. , O'Halloran Rebekah
Published: October 2009

Sports injuries can occur and may cause significant discomfort and disability. They may also be associated with considerable medical expenses. The objective of this article was to evaluate the current evidence-based effectiveness of sports injury prevention strategies. The authors assessed both intrinsic and extrinsic injury prevention strategies. However, determination of the relative contribution of each component was not determined in the multifaceted intervention studies. Among the interventions that used multiple components, including various combinations of warm-up, strengthening, stretching, and plyometric and balance exercises, the authors could not identify which of the components was effective. Among the extrinsic strategies, including mouthguards, face shields, helmets, bracing, insoles and orthotics, breakaway bases, and sport-specific rules, the authors found that ankle bracing, helmets, face shields, and mouthguards were effective. Studies of breakaway bases and sport-specific rules had methodological flaws that made interpretation difficult. Much future research is needed to identify modifiable risk factors that will lead to the development of new interventions. In addition, studies of new interventions should adhere to rigorous methodology to assess their effectiveness.
Preventing Traffic Injuries: Strategies That Work
Authors: Dellinger Ann M. , Sleet David A.
Published: October 2009

Motor vehicle crashes result in more than 40 000 deaths and 4.3 million nonfatal injuries annually. Many known effective strategies to address these preventable deaths and injuries are closely related to lifestyle factors. Clinicians can play a large part in supporting effective interventions in their practice, for example, by counseling patients about seat belt use. Clinicians can also have an impact in their community by supporting positive public policy change.
Histone deacetylase-2 and airway disease
Authors: Barnes Peter J.
Published: October 2009

The increased expression of inflammatory genes in inflammatory lung diseases is regulated by acetylation of core histones, whereas histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2) suppresses inflammatory gene expression. Corticosteroids suppress inflammatory genes in asthma by inhibiting histone acetyltransferase and in particular by recruiting HDAC2 to the nuclear factor-κB-activated inflammatory gene complex. This involves deacetylation of the acetylated glucocorticoid receptor. In COPD, severe asthma and asthmatics who smoke, HDAC2 is reduced, thus preventing corticosteroids from suppressing inflammation. The reduction in HDAC2 appears to be secondary to increased oxidative and nitrative stress in the lungs. Antioxidants and inhibitors of nitric oxide synthesis may therefore restore corticosteroid sensitivity in COPD, but this can also be achieved by low concentrations of theophylline and curcumin, which act as HDAC activators. Theophylline is a direct inhibitor of oxidant-activated phosphoinositide-3-kinase-δ, which is involved in inactivation of HDAC2. In the future selective PI3Kδ inhibitors and more direct activators of HDAC2 may be used to treat corticosteroid-resistant inflammatory diseases of the lung, including COPD, severe asthma and asthma in smokers.
Review: Beyond KRAS: perspectives on new potential markers of intrinsic and acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: Loupakis Fotios , Cremolini Chiara , Fontanini Gabriella , Stasi Irene , Salvatore Lisa , Falcone Alfredo
Published: October 2009

The monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and panitumumab, directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), are licensed for the treatment of KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Such ‘molecular restriction’ derived from post-hoc analyses of randomized trials and from other retrospective series all indicate how tumors bearing KRAS (v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog) mutations are resistant to EGFR inhibition. Even if highly sensitive for nonresponse, KRAS testing is not very specific. In fact, a limited but still considerable proportion of KRAS wild-type patients rapidly progress on treatment with an EGFR inhibitor. New potential molecular determinants of benefit from such treatment are under investigation and may further refine the selection of patients. Pharmacogenomic analyses and translational studies are also ongoing for exploring the field of acquired resistance to anti-EGFRs, since all patients eventually progress. New biological data are awaited for optimizing the use of molecular agents in colorectal cancer and for identifying promising targets that could allow to better understand and, potentially, overcome mechanisms of primary or secondary resistance to EGFR inhibitors.
Mesenchymal gaucho homing on the range
Authors: Weinreb Neal J.
Published: October 2009

GD1 is a disorder whose pathophysiology is manifested primarily in tissue macrophages.1 In this issue of Blood, Campeau and colleagues demonstrate that lysosomal glucocerebrosidase deficiency in GD1 bone marrow MSCs is associated with increased cellular glucosylceramide and up-regulation of inflammatory mediators that may promote bone mineral loss and hematologic malignancy.2
Can RAP save your brain?
Authors: Horrevoets Anton J. G.
Published: October 2009

In this issue of Blood, Suzuki and colleagues report that the bleeding complications associated with thrombolytic therapy after ischemic stroke might be counteracted by RAP, the receptor-associated protein that inhibits ischemia-induced LRP, a signaling receptor for t-PA.
Genetic variation in CXCR4 and risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Crowther-Swanepoel Dalemari , Qureshi Mobshra , Dyer Martin J. S. , Matutes Estella , Dearden Claire , Catovsky Daniel , Houlston Richard S.
Published: October 2009

A genome-wide linkage scan has provided evidence for a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) susceptibility locus at 2q21 to which the chemokine receptor CXCR4 gene maps. Recent data provide some evidence for common variation in CXCR4 according to the polymorphic variant rs2228014 defining CLL risk. To examine the role of genetic variation in CXCR4 on CLL risk, we screened 188 familial CLL cases and 213 controls for germline mutations in the coding regions of CXCR4 and genotyped rs2228014 in 1058 CLL cases and 1807 controls. No association between rs2228014 and risk of CLL was seen (P = .83). One truncating (W195X) and 2 missense mutations with possible functional consequences (V139I and G335S) were identified among 186 familial cases and 0 in 213 controls sequenced. Our analysis provides no evidence that common variation in CXCR4 defined by rs228014 influences the risk of CLL, but that functional coding mutations in CXCR4 may contribute to familial CLL.
KEGGconverter: a tool for the in-silico modelling of metabolic networks of the KEGG Pathways database
Authors: Moutselos Konstantinos , Kanaris Ioannis , Chatziioannou Aristotelis , Maglogiannis Ilias , Kolisis Fragiskos N
Published: October 2009

Background

The KEGG Pathway database is a valuable collection of metabolic pathway maps. Nevertheless, the production of simulation capable metabolic networks from KEGG Pathway data is a challenging complicated work, regardless the already developed tools for this scope. Originally used for illustration purposes, KEGG Pathways through KGML (KEGG Markup Language) files, can provide complete reaction sets and introduce species versioning, which offers advantages for the scope of cellular metabolism simulation modelling. In this project, KEGGconverter is described, implemented also as a web-based application, which uses as source KGML files, in order to construct integrated pathway SBML models fully functional for simulation purposes.

Results

A case study of the integration of six human metabolic pathways from KEGG depicts the ability of KEGGconverter to automatically produce merged and converted to SBML fully functional pathway models, enhanced with default kinetics. The suitability of the developed tool is demonstrated through a comparison with other state-of-the art relevant software tools for the same data fusion and conversion tasks, thus illustrating the problems and the relevant workflows. Moreover, KEGGconverter permits the inclusion of additional reactions in the resulting model which represent flux cross-talk with neighbouring pathways, providing in this way improved simulative accuracy. These additional reactions are introduced by exploiting relevant semantic information for the elements of the KEGG Pathways database. The architecture and functionalities of the web-based application are presented.

Conclusion

KEGGconverter is capable of producing integrated analogues of metabolic pathways appropriate for simulation tasks, by inputting only KGML files. The web application acts as a user friendly shell which transparently enables the automated biochemically correct pathway merging, conversion to SBML format, proper renaming of the species, and insertion of default kinetic properties for the pertaining reactions. The tool is available at: http://www.grissom.gr/keggconverter
Analysis and modeling of time-course gene-expression profiles from nanomaterial-exposed primary human epidermal keratinocytes
Authors: Zollanvari Amin , Cunningham Mary Jane , Braga-Neto Ulisses , Dougherty Edward R
Published: October 2009

Background

Nanomaterials are being manufactured on a commercial scale for use in medical, diagnostic, energy, component and communications industries. However, concerns over the safety of engineered nanomaterials have surfaced. Humans can be exposed to nanomaterials in different ways such as inhalation or exposure through the integumentary system.

Results

The interactions of engineered nanomaterials with primary human cells was investigated, using a systems biology approach combining gene expression microarray profiling with dynamic experimental parameters. In this experiment, primary human epidermal keratinocytes cells were exposed to several low-micron to nano-scale materials, and gene expression was profiled over both time and dose to compile a comprehensive picture of nanomaterial-cellular interactions. Very few gene-expression studies so far have dealt with both time and dose response simultaneously. Here, we propose different approaches to this kind of analysis. First, we used heat maps and multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) plots to visualize the dose response of nanomaterials over time. Then, in order to find out the most common patterns in gene-expression profiles, we used self-organizing maps (SOM) combined with two different criteria to determine the number of clusters. The consistency of SOM results is discussed in context of the information derived from the MDS plots. Finally, in order to identify the genes that have significantly different responses among different levels of dose of each treatment while accounting for the effect of time at the same time, we used a two-way ANOVA model, in connection with Tukey's additivity test and the Box-Cox transformation. The results are discussed in the context of the cellular responses of engineered nanomaterials.

Conclusion

The analysis presented here lead to interesting and complementary conclusions about the response across time of human epidermal keratinocytes after exposure to nanomaterials. For example, we observed that gene expression for most treatments become closer to the expression of the baseline cultures as time proceeds. The genes found to be differentially-expressed are involved in a number of cellular processes, including regulation of transcription and translation, protein localization, transport, cell cycle progression, cell migration, cytoskeletal reorganization, signal transduction, and development.
Site-specific impacts on gene expression and behavior in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed in situ to streams adjacent to sewage treatment plants
Authors: Garcia-Reyero Natàlia , Adelman Ira R , Martinović Dalma , Liu Li , Denslow Nancy D
Published: October 2009

Background

Environmental monitoring for pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors in the aquatic environment traditionally employs a variety of methods including analytical chemistry, as well as a variety of histological and biochemical endpoints that correlate with the fish fitness. It is now clear that analytical chemistry alone is insufficient to identify aquatic environments that are compromised because these measurements do not identify the biologically available dose. The biological endpoints that are measured are important because they relate to known impairments; however, they are not specific to the contaminants and often focus on only a few known endpoints. These studies can be enhanced by looking more broadly at changes in gene expression, especially if the analysis focuses on biochemical pathways. The present study was designed to obtain additional information for well-characterized sites adjacent to sewage treatment plants in MN that are thought to be impacted by endocrine disruptors.

Results

Here we examine five sites that have been previously characterized and examine changes in gene expression in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) that have been caged for 48 h in each of the aquatic environments. We find that the gene expression changes are characteristic and unique at each of the five sites. Also, fish exposed to two of the sites, 7 and 12, present a more aggressive behavior compared to control fish.

Conclusion

Our results show that a short-term exposure to sewage treatment plant effluents was able to induce a site-specific gene expression pattern in the fathead minnow gonad and liver. The short-term exposure was also enough to affect fish sexual behavior. Our results also show that microarray analysis can be very useful at determining potential exposure to chemicals, and could be used routinely as a tool for environmental monitoring.
NATbox: a network analysis toolbox in R
Authors: Chavan Shweta S , Bauer Michael A , Scutari Marco , Nagarajan Radhakrishnan
Published: October 2009

Background

There has been recent interest in capturing the functional relationships (FRs) from high-throughput assays using suitable computational techniques. FRs elucidate the working of genes in concert as a system as opposed to independent entities hence may provide preliminary insights into biological pathways and signalling mechanisms. Bayesian structure learning (BSL) techniques and its extensions have been used successfully for modelling FRs from expression profiles. Such techniques are especially useful in discovering undocumented FRs, investigating non-canonical signalling mechanisms and cross-talk between pathways. The objective of the present study is to develop a graphical user interface (GUI), NATbox: Network Analysis Toolbox in the language R that houses a battery of BSL algorithms in conjunction with suitable statistical tools for modelling FRs in the form of acyclic networks from gene expression profiles and their subsequent analysis.

Results

NATbox is a menu-driven open-source GUI implemented in the R statistical language for modelling and analysis of FRs from gene expression profiles. It provides options to (i) impute missing observations in the given data (ii) model FRs and network structure from gene expression profiles using a battery of BSL algorithms and identify robust dependencies using a bootstrap procedure, (iii) present the FRs in the form of acyclic graphs for visualization and investigate its topological properties using network analysis metrics, (iv) retrieve FRs of interest from published literature. Subsequently, use these FRs as structural priors in BSL (v) enhance scalability of BSL across high-dimensional data by parallelizing the bootstrap routines.

Conclusion

NATbox provides a menu-driven GUI for modelling and analysis of FRs from gene expression profiles. By incorporating readily available functions from existing R-packages, it minimizes redundancy and improves reproducibility, transparency and sustainability, characteristic of open-source environments. NATbox is especially suited for interdisciplinary researchers and biologists with minimal programming experience and would like to use systems biology approaches without delving into the algorithmic aspects. The GUI provides appropriate parameter recommendations for the various menu options including default parameter choices for the user. NATbox can also prove to be a useful demonstration and teaching tool in graduate and undergraduate course in systems biology. It has been tested successfully under Windows and Linux operating systems. The source code along with installation instructions and accompanying tutorial can be found at http://bioinformatics.ualr.edu/natboxWiki/index.php/Main_Page.