bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Road Network Connectivity Reliability of Valley City Based on Complex Network
Authors: Qian Yong-Sheng , Wang Min , Kang Hong-Xia , Zeng Jun-Wei , Liu Yu-Fei
Published: October 2012

Based on the research progress in related fields and the distribution characteristics of road networks in valley cities, the complex network model of a city road network is established to study its connectivity reliability. Taking Lanzhou as the example, several parameters of the complex network abstracted from the road network are calculated and the practical meanings of them are described, respectively. On this basis, through computing the global efficiency and the relative size of the largest connecting subgraph under intentional attacks and random attacks, respectively, the curves of the above two parameters varying with the attacking times are drawn. The detailed investigation of connectivity reliability of Lanzhou road network is done by analyzing the curves’ tendency. Finally, we find that the network of a valley city has a poor connection and has a lot of dead ends. Besides, the average length of the roads is very long and the holistic connectivity reliability is at a lower level; these are suitable to the group‐type distribution of valley city’s road network, and the connectivity reliability of the road network is stronger under random attacks than that under intentional attacks.
Focal Bronchiectasis Causing Abnormal Pulmonary Radioiodine Uptake in a Patient with Well-Differentiated Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Gargya Ash , Chua Elizabeth
Published: October 2012

Background. False-positive pulmonary radioactive iodine uptake in the followup of differentiated thyroid carcinoma has been reported in patients with certain respiratory conditions.Patient Findings. We describe a case of well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma treated by total thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation therapy. Postablation radioiodine whole body scan and subsequent diagnostic radioiodine whole body scans have shown persistent uptake in the left hemithorax despite an undetectable stimulated serum thyroglobulin in the absence of interfering thyroglobulin antibodies. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography has confirmed that the abnormal pulmonary radioiodine uptake correlates with focal bronchiectasis.Summary. Bronchiectasis can cause abnormal chest radioactive iodine uptake in the followup of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.Conclusions. Recognition of potential false-positive chest radioactive iodine uptake, simulating pulmonary metastases, is needed to avoid unnecessary exposure to further radiation from repeated therapeutic doses of radioactive iodine.
Periodic Solutions of a Class of Fourth‐Order Superlinear Differential Equations
Authors: Li Yanyan , Long Yuhua
Published: October 2012

This paper deals with the periodic solutions of a class of fourth‐order superlinear differential equations. By using the classical variational techniques and symmetric mountain pass lemma, the periodic solutions of a single equation in literature are extended to that of equations, and also, the cubic growth of nonlinear term is extended to a general form of superlinear growth.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Concentrated Ethanol Extracts of Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinumCass.) Callus Cultures towards Human Keratinocytes and Endothelial Cells
Authors: Daniela Lulli , Alla Potapovich , Maurelli Riccardo , Elena Dellambra , Giovanna Pressi , Vladimir Kostyuk , Roberto Dal Toso , Chiara De Luca , Saveria Pastore , Liudmila Korkina
Published: October 2012

Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinumCass.) is traditionally employed in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory remedy. In nature, the plant is sparsely available and protected; therefore production of callus cultures was established. A concentrated ethanolic extract of culture homogenate, with leontopodic acid representing55±2% of the total phenolic fraction (ECC55), was characterized for anti-inflammatory properties in primary human keratinocytes (PHKs) and endotheliocytes (HUVECs). Inflammatory responses were induced by UVA+UVB, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), and a mixture of proinflammatory cytokines. Trichostatin A, a sirtuin inhibitor, was used to induce keratinocyte inflammatory senescence. ECC55 (10–50 μg/mL) protected PHK from solar UV-driven damage, by enhancing early intracellular levels of nitric oxide, although not affecting UV-induced expression of inflammatory genes. Comparison of the dose-dependent inhibition of chemokine (IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1) and growth factor (GM-CSF) release from PHK activated by TNFα+ IFNγshowed that leontopodic acid was mainly responsible for the inhibitory effects of ECC55. Sirtuin-inhibited cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis markers were restored by ECC55. The extract inhibited LPS-induced IL-6 and VCAM1 genes in HUVEC, as well as oxLDL-induced selective VCAM1 overexpression.Conclusion.Edelweiss cell cultures could be a valuable source of anti-inflammatory substances potentially applicable for chronic inflammatory skin diseases and bacterial and atherogenic inflammation.
Microradiography of Microcalcifications in Breast Specimen: A New Histological Correlation Procedure and the Effect of Improved Resolution on Diagnostic Validity
Authors: Langen H.-J. , Koehler S. , Bielmeier J. , Jocher R. , Kranzfelder D. , Jagusch N. , Treutlein G. , Wetzler Th. , Müller J. , Ott G.
Published: October 2012

Introduction. Does high-resolution visualization of microcalcifications improve diagnostic reliability?Method. X-rays were taken of mamma specimens with microcalcifications in 32 patients (10 malignant; 22 benign) using conventional radiography (12 Lp/mm) and high-resolution radiography (2000 Lp/mm). Histological sections were subsequently prepared and correlated to the microradiographic image and every calcification was assigned an exact malignant or benign histological diagnosis. Five radiologists classified single groups of calcifications in both methods according to the BIRADS classification system.Results. Using microradiography microcalcifications can be shown in high resolution at the cell level including histological correlation. In some cases, the diagnostic validity was improved by the high resolution in microradiography. In other cases, the high resolution resulted in more visible calcifications, thus giving benign calcifications a malignant appearance. In the BIRADS 2 and 3 group, the probability of malignancy was 28.6% in the conventional radiography evaluation and 37.8% in the microradiography evaluation. In the BIRADS 4 and 5 group, the probability of malignancy was 34.2% in the conventional radiography evaluation and 24.4% in the microradiography evaluation. The differences were not significant.Summary. Overall, the improved resolution in microradiography did not show an improvement in diagnostic accuracy compared to conventional radiography.
Positive Pressure for Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome
Authors: Chanda Arijit , Kwon Jeff S. , Wolff Armand John , Manthous Constantine A.
Published: October 2012

Obesity is increasing world-wide; obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), formerly Pickwickian syndrome, has increased in parallel. Despite its prevalence, OHS has not been studied well, but there is abundant evidence that it is tightly linked with sleep-disordered breathing, most commonly obstructive sleep apnea. This article reviews the pathophysiology of OHS as well as the literature regarding the benefits of treating this disorder with positive airway pressure. We also emphasize that while positive pressure treatments may temporize cardiopulmonary disease progression, simultaneous pursuit of weight reduction is central to long-term management of this condition.
Ready-to-Eat Cereal Consumption Patterns: The Relationship to Nutrient Intake, Whole Grain Intake, and Body Mass Index in an Older American Population
Authors: Albertson Ann M. , Wold A. Christine , Joshi Nandan
Published: October 2012

Objective. To investigate the relationship between ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereal consumption patterns and body mass index (BMI), nutrient intake, and whole grain intake in an older American population.Design. A cross-sectional survey of US households, collected by the NPD Group via the National Eating Trends (NET) survey. Main outcome measures include BMI, nutrient intake, and whole grain intake.Subjects/Setting. The sample included 1759 participants age 55 and older, which was divided into approximate quartiles based on intake of RTE breakfast cereal for the 2-week period (0 servings, 1–3 servings, 4–7 servings, and ≥8 servings).Results. In the multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for energy and age; intake of dietary fiber, whole grains, and the majority of micronutrients examined were found to be positively associated with frequent RTE cereal consumption. The proportion of participants consuming less than the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) was lower for the highest quartile of RTE cereal consumers compared to nonconsumers, for the majority of vitamins and minerals examined. Significant differences in BMI between RTE breakfast cereal intake groups were found for men.Conclusion. Results suggest that ready-to-eat breakfast cereals may contribute to the nutritional quality of the diets of older Americans. Prospective studies and experimental trials are needed to better evaluate the role of RTE cereal consumption in energy balance.
Computation of Isobaric Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium Data for Binary and Ternary Mixtures of Methanol, Water, and Ethanoic Acid from T, p, x, and HmE Measurements
Authors: Gao Daming , Zhang Hui , Lücking Peter , Sun Hong , Si Jingyu , Zhu Dechun , Chen Hong , Shi Jianjun
Published: October 2012

Vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for the strongly associated ternary system methanol + water + ethanoic acid and the three constituent binary systems have been determined by the total pressure-temperature-liquid-phase composition-molar excess enthalpy of mixing of the liquid phase (p,
T,
x, HmE) for the binary systems using a novel pump ebulliometer at 101.325 kPa. The vapor-phase compositions of these binary systems had been calculated from Tpx and HmE based on the Q function of molar excess Gibbs energy through an indirect method. Moreover, the experimental T, x data are used to estimate nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL), Wilson, Margules, and van Laar model parameters, and these parameters in turn are used to calculate vapor-phase compositions. The activity coefficients of the solution were correlated with NRTL, Wilson, Margules, and van Laar models through fitting by least-squares method. The VLE data of the ternary system were well predicted from these binary interaction parameters of NRTL, Wilson, Margules, and van Laar model parameters without any additional adjustment to build the thermodynamic model of VLE for the ternary system and obtain the vapor-phase compositions and the calculated bubble points.
Artesunate Exerts a Direct Effect on Endothelial Cell Activation and NF-κB Translocation in a Mechanism Independent of Plasmodium Killing
Authors: Souza Mariana C. , Paixão Flávio Henrique Marcolino , Ferraris Fausto K. , Ribeiro Isabela , Henriques Maria das Graças M. O.
Published: October 2012

Artemisinin and its derivates are an important class of antimalarial drug and are described to possess immunomodulatory activities. Few studies have addressed the effect of artesunate in the murine malaria model or its effect on host immune response during malaria infection. Herein, we study the effect of artesunate treatment and describe an auxiliary mechanism of artesunate in modulating the inflammatory response during experimental malaria infection in mice. Treatment with artesunate did not reduce significantly the parasitemia within 12 h, however, reduced BBB breakdown and TNF-α mRNA expression in the brain tissue of artesunate-treated mice. Conversely, mefloquine treatment was not able to alter clinical features. Notably, artesunate pretreatment failed to modulate the expression of LFA-1 in splenocytes stimulated with parasitized red blood cells (pRBCs) in vitro; however, it abrogated the expression of ICAM-1 in pRBC-stimulated endothelial cells. Accordingly, a cytoadherence in vitro assay demonstrated that pRBCs did not adhere to artesunate-treated vascular endothelial cells. In addition, NF-κB nuclear translocation in endothelial cells stimulated with pRBCs was impaired by artesunate treatment. Our results suggest that artesunate is able to exert a protective effect against the P. berghei-induced inflammatory response by inhibiting NF-κB nuclear translocation and the subsequent expression of ICAM-1.
Aspects of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Pediatric Obesity and Type 1 Diabetes: An Overview of Ten Years of Studies
Authors: Tran Brian , Oliver Stacy , Rosa Jaime , Galassetti Pietro
Published: October 2012

Obesity and type 1 diabetes (T1DM) are the two most common conditions of altered metabolism in children and adolescents. In both, similar long-term cardiovascular complications are known to occur, mediated in large part by underlying inflammatory and oxidative processes whose biochemical details remain relatively unclear. Through a series of experiments in these patient populations, over the last decade our laboratory has clarified a number of key issues in this field. Interestingly, while obese and type 1 diabetic children often differed in the specific type and magnitude of molecular alterations, in both groups a clear exaggeration of inflammatory and oxidative activation was detected when compared to healthy, age-matched controls. Our main findings include definition of resting and exercise-induced cytokine patterns and leukocyte profiles, patterns of activation of immune cellsin vitro, and correlation of the magnitude of observed alterations with severity of obesity and quality of glycemic control. Further, we have identified a series of alterations in growth factor profiles during exercise that parallel inflammatory changes in obese children. This paper offers a concise overview of the salient results from this decade-long research effort.
Pulmonary Hypertension in Parenchymal Lung Disease
Authors: Tsangaris Iraklis , Tsaknis Georgios , Anthi Anastasia , Orfanos Stylianos E.
Published: October 2012

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) has been extensively investigated, although it represents a less common form of the pulmonary hypertension (PH) family, as shown by international registries. Interestingly, in types of PH that are encountered in parenchymal lung diseases such as interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and many other diffuse parenchymal lung diseases, some of which are very common, the available data is limited. In this paper, we try to browse in the latest available data regarding the occurrence, pathogenesis, and treatment of PH in chronic parenchymal lung diseases.
Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Gallbladder: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Haskaraca Mehmet Fatih , Ozsoy Mustafa , Özsan İsmail , Kurt Kamile
Published: October 2012

Malignant melanoma is characterized by the ability of diffuse metastases. Since the first report of an isolated malignant melanoma case of the gallbladder, it is already controversial whether isolated cases are metastatic or primary tumors. A 49-year-old woman appealed to the emergency unit because of abdominal pain. Ultrasonography revealed increased thickness of the gallbladder wall and a lesion with surrounding fluid sized 12 mm without acoustic shadow, which arose from the gallbladder wall and was consistent with a polyp. Histopathologic evaluation of the surgical specimen after laparoscopic cholecystectomy revealed malign epithelial tumor consisting of atypical cells with large eosinophilic cytoplasm and dense melanin pigment within the cytoplasm of the tumor cells. As no other focus was identified as a result of the evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with primary malignant melanoma of the gallbladder. In this paper, we aimed to define our treatment modality for a case with isolated malignant melanoma of the gallbladder.
Technical Considerations for Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing with Multiplexed Libraries
Authors: Chatterjee Aniruddha , Rodger Euan J. , Stockwell Peter A. , Weeks Robert J. , Morison Ian M.
Published: October 2012

Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), which couples bisulfite conversion and next generation sequencing, is an innovative method that specifically enriches genomic regions with a high density of potential methylation sites and enables investigation of DNA methylation at single-nucleotide resolution. Recent advances in the Illumina DNA sample preparation protocol and sequencing technology have vastly improved sequencing throughput capacity. Although the new Illumina technology is now widely used, the unique challenges associated with multiplexed RRBS libraries on this platform have not been previously described. We have made modifications to the RRBS library preparation protocol to sequence multiplexed libraries on a single flow cell lane of the Illumina HiSeq 2000. Furthermore, our analysis incorporates a bioinformatics pipeline specifically designed to process bisulfite-converted sequencing reads and evaluate the output and quality of the sequencing data generated from the multiplexed libraries. We obtained an average of 42 million paired-end reads per sample for each flow-cell lane, with a high unique mapping efficiency to the reference human genome. Here we provide a roadmap of modifications, strategies, and trouble shooting approaches we implemented to optimize sequencing of multiplexed libraries on an a RRBS background.
Immunotherapy of Cancer: Reprogramming Tumor-Immune Crosstalk
Authors: Payne Kyle K. , Toor Amir A. , Wang Xiang-Yang , Manjili Masoud H.
Published: October 2012

The advancement of cancer immunotherapy faces barriers which limit its efficacy. These include weak immunogenicity of the tumor, as well as immunosuppressive mechanisms which prevent effective antitumor immune responses. Recent studies suggest that aberrant expression of cancer testis antigens (CTAs) can generate robust antitumor immune responses, which implicates CTAs as potential targets for immunotherapy. However, the heterogeneity of tumor cells in the presence and quantity of CTA expression results in tumor escape from CTA-specific immune responses. Thus, the ability to modulate the tumor cell epigenome to homogenously induce expression of such antigens will likely render the tumor more immunogenic. Additionally, emerging studies suggest that suppression of antitumor immune responses may be overcome by reprogramming innate and adaptive immune cells. Therefore, this paper discusses recent studies which address barriers to successful cancer immunotherapy and proposes a strategy of modulation of tumor-immune cell crosstalk to improve responses in carcinoma patients.
Followup of a Dog with an Intraocular Silicone Prosthesis Combined with an Extraocular Glass Prosthesis
Authors: Romkes Gwendolyna , Eule Johanna Corinna
Published: October 2012

Because of unpredictable corneal changes, evisceration and implantation of a silicone prosthesis does not always lead to a satisfying cosmetic result. This paper describes the use of an intraocular silicone prosthesis in combination with an extraocular glass prosthesis and shows a followup of two and a half years in a nonexperimental study. An intraocular silicone prosthesis was implanted after evisceration of the left eye in a five-month-old Bernese mountain dog. A glass prosthesis was fitted four weeks after evisceration. Two and a half years after the operation, the dog is in good health and free of medication. No short-term or long-term complications were seen. The owners do not have trouble with handling the glass prosthesis. The combination of both prostheses shows a perfect solution to retrieve a normal looking and moving eye after evisceration.
Fluoroscopy-Guided Resolution of Ingested Thrombus Leading to Functional Disturbance of a Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device
Authors: Garbade Jens , Bittner Hartmuth B. , Mohr Friedrich-Wilhelm , Barten Markus J.
Published: October 2012

The third generation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) has been shown to improve outcome and quality of life in patients suffering from acute and chronic heart failure. However, VAD-associated complications are still a challenge in the clinical practice. Here we report the resolution of a mobile thrombus formation in the proximity of the inflow cannula of a third generation of LVADs (HVAD Pump, HeartWare, Inc.) in a patient with chronic heart failure 4 months after implantation.
Impact of Insulin Resistance on Silent and Ongoing Myocardial Damage in Normal Subjects: The Takahata Study
Authors: Narumi Taro , Shishido Tetsuro , Kiribayashi Nobuyuki , Kadowaki Shinpei , Nishiyama Satoshi , Takahashi Hiroki , Arimoto Takanori , Miyashita Takehiko , Miyamoto Takuya , Watanabe Tetsu , Shibata Yoko , Konta Tsuneo , Ueno Yoshiyuki , Kato Takeo , Kayama Takamasa , Kubota Isao
Published: October 2012

Background. Insulin resistance (IR) is part of the metabolic syndrome (Mets) that develops after lifestyle changes and obesity. Although the association between Mets and myocardial injury is well known, the effect of IR on myocardial damage remains unclear.Methods and Results. We studied 2200 normal subjects who participated in a community-based health check in the town of Takahata in northern Japan. The presence of IR was assessed by homeostasis model assessment ratio, and the serum level of heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) was measured as a maker of silent and ongoing myocardial damage. H-FABP levels were significantly higher in subjects with IR and Mets than in those without metabolic disorder regardless of gender. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the presence of IR was independently associated with latent myocardial damage (odds ratio: 1.574, 95% confidence interval 1.1–2.3) similar to the presence of Mets.Conclusions. In a screening of healthy subjects, IR and Mets were similarly related to higher H-FABP levels, suggesting that there may be an asymptomatic population in the early stages of metabolic disorder that is exposed to myocardial damage and might be susceptible to silent heart failure.
GPR-Based Landmine Detection and Identification Using Multiple Features
Authors: Ko Kwang Hee , Jang Gyubin , Park Kyungmi , Kim Kangwook
Published: October 2012

This paper presents a method to identify landmines in various burial conditions. A ground penetration radar is used to generate data set, which is then processed to reduce the ground effect and noise to obtain landmine signals. Principal components and Fourier coefficients of the landmine signals are computed, which are used as features of each landmine for detection and identification. A database is constructed based on the features of various types of landmines and the ground conditions, including the different levels of moisture and types of ground and the burial depths of the landmines. Detection and identification is performed by searching for features in the database. For a robust decision, the counting method and the Mahalanobis distance-based likelihood ratio test method are employed. Four landmines, different in size and material, are considered as examples that demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method for detecting and identifying landmines.
An Optimized Runge‐Kutta Method for the Numerical Solution of the Radial Schrödinger Equation
Authors: Ming Qinghe , Yang Yanping , Fang Yonglei
Published: October 2012

An optimized explicit modified Runge‐Kutta (RK) method for the numerical integration of the radial Schrödinger equation is presented in this paper. This method has frequency‐depending coefficients with vanishing dispersion, dissipation, and the first derivative of dispersion. Stability and phase analysis of the new method are examined. The numerical results in the integration of the radial Schrödinger equation with the Woods‐Saxon potential are reported to show the high efficiency of the new method.
Biogeographic Patterns of Finnish Crane Flies (Diptera, Tipuloidea)
Authors: Salmela Jukka
Published: October 2012

Species richness of terrestrial and freshwater biota generally decreases with increasing latitude. Some taxa, however, show an anomalous species richness pattern in a regional or global scale. The aim of this study was to examine (i) regional variation in species richness, (ii) faunistic composition, (iii) occupancy, and (iv) proportions of different distribution types of Finnish crane flies. Analyses were based on incidence data pooled into 20 biogeographical provinces. Finnish crane fly fauna consists of 335 species; the provincial richness varies from 91 to 237. The species richness of all species and saproxylic/fungivorous species decreased with increasing latitude; mire-dwelling crane flies displayed a reversed pattern (Spearman's correlations). Thirty-one species occupied a single province and 11 species were present in all provinces. Provincial assemblages showed a strong latitudinal gradient (NMS ordination) and faunistic distance increased with increasing geographical distance (Mantel test). Nearly half (48%) of the Finnish crane flies are Trans-Palaearctic, roughly one-third (34%) are West Palaearctic, and only 16 and 2% are Holarctic and Fennoscandian, respectively. Endemic Fennoscandian species are discussed in detail; most likely there are no true endemic crane flies in this region.
Recurrent Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Potentially Related to AIDS and End-Stage Renal Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Chang Olivia Hui-Chiun , Stanculescu Alexandra , Dola Chi , Rothwell William Benjamin
Published: October 2012

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinicoradiological syndrome that is characterized by clinical features including headache, altered mental status, cortical blindness, seizures, and other focal neurological signs as well as subcortical edema without infarction on neuroimaging. Under the umbrella of hypertensive encephalopathy, PRES is defined by reversible cerebral edema due to dysfunction of the cerebrovascular blood-brain barrier unit. The pathophysiology of PRES is thought to result from abnormalities in the transmembrane flow of intravascular fluid and proteins caused by two phenomena: one, cerebral autoregulatory failure and two, loss of integrity of the blood-brain barrier. PRES is not a common disease in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS with only three previously reported cases. Both the HIV and end-stage renal disease appear to further compromise the blood brain barrier. Although uncommon, PRES recurrence has been described. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating recurrent PRES in a HIV patient on hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease.
The Role of Portal Vein Thrombosis in the Clinical Course of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Report on Three Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Sinagra Emanuele , Aragona Emma , Romano Claudia , Maisano Simonetta , Orlando Ambrogio , Virdone Roberto , Tesè Lorenzo , Modesto Irene , Criscuoli Valeria , Cottone Mario
Published: October 2012

Inflammatory bowel diseases are associated with an increased risk of vascular complications. The most important are arterial and venous thromboembolisms, which are considered as specific extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases. Among venous thromboembolism events, portal vein thrombosis has been described in inflammatory bowel diseases. We report three cases of portal vein thrombosis occurring in patients with active inflammatory bowel disease. In two of them, hepatic abscess was present. Furthermore, we performed a systematic review based on the clinical literature published on this topic.
Math Self-Assessment, but Not Negative Feelings, Predicts Mathematics Performance of Elementary School Children
Authors: Haase Vitor Geraldi , Júlio-Costa Annelise , Pinheiro-Chagas Pedro , Oliveira Lívia de Fátima Silva , Micheli Letícia Rettore , Wood Guilherme
Published: October 2012

Mathematics anxiety has been associated to performance in school mathematics. The association between math anxiety and psychosocial competencies as well as their specific contribution to explain school mathematics performance are still unclear. In the present study, the impact of sociodemographic factors, psychosocial competencies, and math anxiety on mathematics and spelling performance was examined in school children with and without mathematics difficulties. The specific contributions of psychosocial competencies (i.e., general anxiety and attentional deficits with hyperactivity) and math anxiety (i.e., self-assessment in mathematics) to school mathematics performance were found to be statistically independent from each other. Moreover, psychosocial competencies—but not math anxiety—were related also to spelling performance. These results suggest that psychosocial competencies are more related to general mechanisms of emotional regulation and emotional response towards academic performance, while mathematics anxiety is related to the specific cognitive aspect of self-assessment in mathematics.
The role of tetrahydrobiopterin in inflammation and cardiovascular disease
Authors: McNeill Eileen , Channon Keith
Published: October 2012

The cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is required for nitric oxide (NO) production by all nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes and is a key regulator of cellular redox signalling. When BH4 levels become limiting NOS enzymes become ‘uncoupled’ and produce superoxide rather than NO. Endothelial cell BH4 is required for the maintenance of vascular function through NO production, and reduced BH4 levels are associated with vascular dysfunction. Evidence increasingly points to important roles for BH4 and NOS enzymes in other vascular cell types. Leukocytes have a fundamental role in atherosclerosis, and new evidence points to a role in the control of hypertension. Leukocytes are a major site of iNOS expression, and the regulation of this isoform is another mechanism by which BH4 availability may modulate disease. This review provides an overview of BH4 control of NOS function in both endothelial cells and leukocytes in the context of vascular disease and current therapeutic evaluations.
Long-Term Frequency Gradients During Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in Sheep Are Associated With Stable Sources in the Left Atrium
Authors: Filgueiras-Rama David , Price Nicholas F. , Martins Raphael P. , Yamazaki Masatoshi , Avula Uma Mahesh R. , Kaur Kuljeet , Kalifa Jérôme , Ennis Steven R. , Hwang Elliot , Devabhaktuni Vijay , Jalife Jose , Berenfeld Omer
Published: October 2012

Background—

Dominant frequencies (DFs) of activation are higher in the atria of patients with persistent than paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), and left atrial (LA)-to-right atrial (RA) DF gradients have been identified in both. However, whether such gradients are maintained as long-term persistent AF is established remains unexplored. We aimed at determining in vivo the time course in atrial DF values from paroxysmal to persistent AF in sheep and testing the hypothesis that an LA-to-RA DF difference is associated with LA drivers in persistent AF.

Methods and Results—

AF was induced using RA tachypacing (n=8). Electrograms were obtained weekly from an RA lead and an implantable loop recorder implanted near the LA. DFs were determined for 5-second-long electrograms (QRST subtracted) during AF in vivo and in ex vivo optical mapping. Underlying structural changes were compared with weight-matched controls (n=4). After the first AF episode, DF increased gradually during a 2-week period (7±0.21 to 9.92±0.31 Hz; n=6;
P
<0.05). During 9 to 24 weeks of AF, the DF values on the implantable loop recorder were higher than the RA (10.6±0.08 versus 9.3±0.1 Hz, respectively; n=7;
P
<0.0001). Subsequent optical mapping confirmed a DF gradient from posterior LA-to-RA (9.1±1.0 to 6.9±0.9 Hz;
P
<0.05) and demonstrated patterns of activation compatible with drifting rotors in the posterior LA. Persistent AF sheep showed significant enlargement of the posterior LA compared with controls.

Conclusions—

In the sheep, transition from paroxysmal to persistent AF shows continuous LA-to-RA DF gradients in vivo together with enlargement of the posterior LA, which harbors the highest frequency domains and patterns of activation compatible with drifting rotors.
Automated Vulnerability Testing Identifies Patients With Inadequate Defibrillation Safety Margin
Authors: Birgersdotter-Green Ulrika , Ruetz Linda L. , Anand Kishlay , Monir George , Abeyratne Athula I. , Bailey J. Russell , Shorofsky Stephen R. , Hsia Henry H. , Friedman Paul A.
Published: October 2012

Background—

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator system efficacy is tested at implant by induction of ventricular fibrillation (VF). Defibrillation safety margin can be assessed without VF induction using upper limit of vulnerability methods, but these methods have required manual determination of T-wave timing.

Methods and Results—

To test the feasibility of an inductionless system of implant testing, a multicenter prospective study of an automated vulnerability safety margin system was conducted, which measured T-wave timing using an intracardiac electrogram during a ventricular pacing train. The system delivered up to 4 T-wave shocks of 18 J. Lack of VF induction by all 4 shocks was considered evidence of defibrillation adequacy. Patients subsequently underwent conventional defibrillation testing to meet a standard implant criterion. The 95% lower CI for defibrillation success at 25 J for noninduced patients was found using Bayesian statistics. Sixty patients were enrolled at 6 centers. Vulnerability testing and defibrillation success results were obtained from 54 patients. Vulnerability testing induced VF in 10 (19%) patients, of whom 2 required system revision. All patients not induced by vulnerability testing were successfully defibrillated twice at ≤25 J. The Bayesian credible interval was 97% to 100% for the population success rate of defibrillation at 25 J for automated vulnerability safety margin noninduced patients.

Conclusions—

An automated system identified all patients who failed conventional safety margin testing, while inducing only 19% of patients. Although limited by sample size, this study suggests the feasibility of automated implant testing that substantially reduces the need for VF induction in patients receiving implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.
Mitochondrial Control of Cellular Life, Stress, and Death
Authors: Galluzzi Lorenzo , Kepp Oliver , Trojel-Hansen Christina , Kroemer Guido
Published: October 2012

Since the discovery that mitochondrial membrane permeabilization represents a critical step in the regulation of intrinsic apoptosis, mitochondria have been viewed as pluripotent organelles, controlling cell death as well as several aspects of cell survival. Mitochondria constitute the most prominent source of ATP and are implicated in multiple anabolic and catabolic circuitries. In addition, mitochondria coordinate cell-wide stress responses, such as autophagy, and control nonapoptotic cell death routines, such as regulated necrosis. Thus, mitochondria seem to regulate a continuum of cellular functions, spanning from physiological metabolism to stress responses and death. The involvement of mitochondria in both vital and lethal processes is crucial for both embryonic and postembryonic development, as well as for the maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis. In line with this notion, primary mitochondrial defects or alterations in the signaling pathways that converge on or emanate from mitochondria underpin a large number of human diseases, including premature aging, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disorders, and cancer. Here, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms that enable mitochondria to sustain cell survival, coordinate stress responses, and mediate cell death, linking these pathways—whenever relevant—to cardiovascular health and disease.
Get Up, Get Out, and Git Sumthin’
Authors: Shelton Jason E. , Greene Anthony D.
Published: October 2012

Does class position influence Blacks’ beliefs about the causes of poverty and racial inequality? Prior research has established that Blacks are more structural in orientation than Whites. However, existing studies have not adequately assessed the role that class position plays in shaping intraracial attitudinal differences among Blacks. Both multivariate and trend analyses of nearly four decades of data from the Houston Area Survey indicate that privileged Blacks often sharply differ from disadvantaged Blacks and privileged Whites across a range of racially specific and racially neutral individualistic and structural attributions. The results of this study directly concern ideological tensions within the Black community over whether racism and/or personal merit most strongly influences a Black person’s prospects for success.
Job Authority and Perceptions of Job Security
Authors: Wilson George , Mossakowski Krysia
Published: October 2012

A benefit of attaining job authority is heightened perceptions of job security, though no research has examined whether (a) this benefit operates equally across racial groups; and (b) if it does not operate equally across racial groups, why not? Analyzing a combined 2004 and 2006 General Social Survey sample of men, we find—among those who have attained an “upper command” level of job authority—that workplace-based marginality (discriminatory allocation and evaluation practices) rather than dispositions (e.g., fatalism, mistrust) learned outside of the workplace account for lower levels of perceived security among African Americans and Latinos, relative to Whites. Additional sectoral analyses indicate that this pattern is especially pronounced in the private, but not public sector. Discussed are the implications of the findings for understanding racial inequality at privileged levels of the American workplace.
All’s Fair? The Foreclosure Crisis and Middle-Class Black (In)Stability
Authors: Lacy Karyn
Published: October 2012

Is the protracted foreclosure crisis eroding the Black middle class? Foreclosure rates in the United States have reached an all-time high. Blacks have been hit especially hard by this crisis. I focus here on intraclass distinctions within the Black middle class precisely because scholars and journalists so often fail to distinguish between the experiences of the Black lower middle class and those of middle and upper-class Blacks, leaving the unintended impression that middle-class Blacks all have the same odds of losing their home. I argue that conventional explanations of the foreclosure crisis as a racialized event should be amended to account for the differential impact of the crisis on three distinct groups of middle-class Blacks: the lower middle class, the core middle class, and the upper or elite middle class.
Mean Platelet Volume and Platelet Distribution Width in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Steiropoulos P. , Papanas N. , Nena E. , Xanthoudaki M. , Goula T. , Froudarakis M. , Pita E. , Maltezos E. , Bouros D.
Published: October 2012

We evaluated mean platelet volume (MPV; an indicator of vascular risk) and platelet distribution width in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; n = 85). We also included a control group of 34 smokers without airflow limitation. Mean platelet volume was significantly higher in patients with COPD (10.69 ± 1.0 vs 9.96 ± 1.10 fL, P < .001) than in the smoker controls. White blood cell (WBC) count was also significantly higher in patients with COPD than in the smoker controls (10 642 ± 1247 vs 7136 ± 1887/μL, P < .001). There was a correlation between MPV and WBC in patients with COPD, especially in those at stage III ( r = .530, P = .004) and IV ( r = .389, P = .023). Mean platelet volume did not correlate with any indices of COPD severity. In patients with COPD, MPV and WBC levels are higher than those of smokers with normal pulmonary function and are significantly correlated. Whether these effects relate to vascular risk in patients with COPD remain to be established.
History of Labour Rights
Authors: Mishra Lakshmidhar
Published: October 2012

This article is a condensed version of the text of the inaugural address which was delivered at the Central University, Hyderabad, on 28.02.12. The article traces the history of labour rights starting with birth of First International (1864–71), birth of International labour day (1.05.1886) and proceeding to birth of Third International, birth of ILO and Philadelphia Declaration of 1944. The article gives a telling account of the sweeping changes which are taking place in the wake of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation characterised by unprecedented increase in global and individual prosperity combined with intolerable inequalities in wages and income, bringing in their trail unimaginable misery and suffering for the common men. The article also presents the concept of development in terms of freedom of human spirit and proceeds to analyse how globalisation has impacted and adversely affected the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining culminating in increased incidence of bonded labour and child labour. It brings out the relationship between migration and bondage, employment and discrimination in terms of caste, class, gender, faith and belief, social origin, political ideology and national extraction. It deals with the strength and weaknesses of trade union movement and concludes how globalisation and labour rights can and should coexist.
Indian Anthropology Today
Authors: Srivastava Vinay Kumar
Published: October 2012

A survey of the changing aspects of different disciplines—belonging to different faculties—informs us of the impact that anthropological methods, perspectives, theories, and the conclusions of their cross-cultural studies have exercised on them, which indirectly confirms the analytical strength, explanatory power, and methodological sophistication of anthropology. Notwithstanding this, the growth of anthropology in India has been both uneven and slow, a consequence of which has been the ‘interiorisation’ of anthropologists, or which T.H. Ericksen has termed ‘inward-gazing’. Contemporary anthropologists have become aware of what they have been passing through, and are striving their best to recover the past glory of their discipline when they were active participants in public debates. One of the points that this article puts forth is that anthropologists are ‘dispassionate observers’ as well as ‘citizens’. In the first role, they are committed to understanding the social and cultural processes; in the second, like any other conscientious citizen, they expect all societies and states to be just, civil, and inclusive. In the dialectics of these roles, the state of contemporary anthropology can be properly located.
Creating a Culture of Possibility
Authors: Curtis Kimberley F.
Published: October 2012

How to teach young people about the grave ecological and social crises of our times without crushing their sense of possibility? The author has come to believe that the nature of these crises, together with a widespread weakening of civic and democratic culture, makes it irresponsible to teach young people about “the world as it is” without simultaneously giving them opportunities to develop capacities for collective agency. As increasing numbers of school districts cut civics courses out of the high school curriculum altogether, students bring to their college studies little formal schooling about social change, and almost no practical experience of what it might mean to participate in the cocreation of the world. In short, they come to the overwhelming crises we would teach them about with a very shaky faith that social change is possible. There is an acute need for colleges and universities to innovate engaged pedagogies, creating a culture that cultivates, as one student put it, “the knowledge of where to begin to make a difference.” Here, the author discusses Community Reengagement for Arizona Families, Transitions, and Sustainability, a powerful 3-year-old initiative at Northern Arizona University. Participating students show increased self-confidence, capacity for shared learning, and a strong sense that meaningful change is possible through collective action.
Bilaterally Symmetrical Alopecia With Reticulated Hyperpigmentation
Authors: Olivry T. , Linder K. E.
Published: October 2012

An adult castrated male Doberman Pinscher was presented with a 6-month history of well-demarcated alopecic patches with reticulated hyperpigmentation and fine peripheral scaling on the axillae, thorax, abdomen, inguinal region, and thighs. The dog later developed hyperthermia, lethargy, apparent joint pain, peripheral lymphadenomegaly, vomiting, and diarrhea. Relevant laboratory tests results included anemia, thrombocytopenia, proteinuria, and an elevated antinuclear antibodies serum titer. Histologically, skin biopsy specimens had a lymphocyte-rich interface dermatitis and interface mural folliculitis ending in follicular destruction. Altogether, these signs were consistent with a unique alopecic variant of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, eventually associated with the development of systemic lupus erythematosus. This rare form of chronic cutaneous lupus needs to be added to the expanding list of lymphocyte-mediated autoimmune alopecias in dogs.
Faith-Based Umbrella Organizations
Authors: Wittberg Patricia A.
Published: October 2012

Little research has been done on the role of umbrella organizations in affecting how faith-based organizations (FBOs) relate to their sponsoring faith community. Using interviews, archival historical data, and ethnographic observations compiled between 2004 and 2008 by the Faith and Organizations Project, this article applies previous typologies for secular nonprofit umbrella organizations to faith-based umbrellas and outlines some of the benefits and liabilities that these umbrella organizations pose for both faith communities and their local FBOs.
Experience and socio-cultural psychodynamics: Comment on Larrain and Haye’s “The discursive nature of inner speech”
Authors: Cresswell James
Published: October 2012

Larrain and Haye propose that inner speech is a socially constituted phenomenon. I suggest they provide new directions for understanding inner speech but do not take the reader much beyond discursive psychology. In particular, the authors partially fall into the neglect of embodied experience (i.e., phenomenologically immediate experience) that is already a pitfall of discursive approaches. This commentary attempts to extend some of the ideas already embedded in Larrain and Haye’s article. It attempts to add an account of experience that includes lived tensions. Such an extension potentially takes readers beyond the boundaries of discursive psychology by enabling an approach to inner speech that addresses dynamic lived experiences of tension.