bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of murine fibrocyte differentiation by cross-linked IgG is dependent on FcγRI
Authors: Pilling Darrell , Crawford Jeffrey R , Verbeek J Sjef , Gomer Richard H
Published: April 2014

Monocyte-derived, fibroblast-like cells, called fibrocytes, participate in wound-healing and the formation of fibrotic lesions. Aggregated or cross-linked IgG are key effectors in infections, autoimmune diseases, anaphylaxis, and immunotherapy. Cells, including monocytes and fibrocytes, bind IgG using FcγRs, and aggregated or cross-linked IgG inhibits fibrocyte differentiation. Mice have four different FcγRs, and which of these, if any, mediate the cross-linked IgG effect on fibrocyte differentiation is unknown. We find that in mice, deletion of FcγRI or the common signaling protein FcRγ significantly reduces the ability of cross-linked IgG or IgG2a to inhibit fibrocyte differentiation. Cells from FcγRIIb/III/IV KO mice are still sensitive to cross-linked IgG, whereas cells from FcγRI/IIb/III/IV KO mice are insensitive to cross-linked IgG. These observations suggest that IgG-mediated inhibition of fibrocyte differentiation is mediated by FcγRs, with FcγRI mediating most of the signaling.
SV-P: An ignored seismic mode that has great value for interpreters
Authors: Hardage Bob A. , Sava Diana , Wagner Don
Published: April 2014

We show that SV-P reflectivity closely matches P-SV reflectivity; thus, in concept, an SV-P image should be as informative and as valuable as a P-SV image for seismic interpretation purposes. If the dip of rock layering is not severe, the length of the SV raypath involved in SV-P imaging is approximately the same as the length of the SV raypath in P-SV imaging; thus, the important lithology-sensitive [Formula: see text] velocity ratio determined with SV-P data should be approximately the same as the [Formula: see text] velocity ratio determined with P-SV data. We compare velocities used in P-SV imaging and SV-P imaging to emphasize the equivalence of P-SV and SV-P stacking velocities, and therefore seismic-derived [Formula: see text] velocity ratios, obtained with both converted-wave modes. We compare images of P-SV and SV-P data to illustrate the high-quality images that can be made with a SV-P mode. The SV-P data used in these comparisons are recorded by vertical geophones, whereas the P-SV data are recorded by horizontal geophones. In the real-data examples we present, the energy sources that produced the downgoing SV wavefield are vertical-force sources, not horizontal-force sources. A vertical vibrator is used in the first case, and shot-hole explosives are used in the second case. The interpretation technology described here thus introduces the option of extracting valuable S-wave information and images from legacy P-wave data generated by a vertical-force source and recorded with only 1C vertical geophones. We discuss several principles involved in constructing SV-P images from VSP data because of the importance that VSP technology has in calibrating depth-based geology with surface-recorded SV-P data. We emphasize that cautious and attentive data processing procedures are required to segregate SV-P reflections and P-P reflections in VSP data.
Interpretation of fractures and joint inversion using multicomponent seismic data — Marcellus Shale example
Authors: Yuan Shukun , DeAngelo Michael V. , Hardage Bob A.
Published: April 2014

Evaluating and exploiting unconventional complex oil and gas reservoirs such as the Marcellus Shale gas reservoirs within the Appalachian Basin in Pennsylvania, USA, have gained considerable interest in recent years. Technologies such as conventional 3D seismic, horizontal drilling, and hydraulic fracturing have been at the forefront of the effort to exploit these resources. Recently, multicomponent seismic technologies have been integrated into some resource evaluation and reservoir characterization activities of low-permeability rock systems. We evaluated how multicomponent seismic technology provides value to reservoir characterization in shale gas exploration. We improved fault interpretations and natural fracture identifications by means of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] integrated interpretation. In addition, using P-P-/P-SV-joint inversion, we extracted key parameters, such as [Formula: see text] ratio and density, that improve stratigraphic interpretation and rock-property descriptions of shale gas reservoirs.
Inversion of multicomponent 3D vertical seismic profile data for porosity and CO2 saturation at the Cranfield injection site, Cranfield, MS
Authors: Carter Russell W. , Spikes Kyle T. , Hess Thomas
Published: April 2014

Studying how injected [Formula: see text] affects the seismic response of reservoir rocks is important because it can improve subsurface characterization where [Formula: see text] injection is taking place. This study uses multicomponent data from a 3D vertical seismic profile (VSP) and well logs to model and invert probabilistically for the porosity and [Formula: see text] saturation at the Cranfield reservoir. The well logs were used to calibrate a rock-physics model. Once the accuracy of the model was verified, P-impedance and [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] from inverted multicomponent VSP data were used to estimate the porosity and fluid saturation. This inversion generated probabilistic estimates of porosity and fluid saturation for the area of the reservoir sampled by PP- and PS-waves. Inversion results using the measured well log data for calibration indicated that the model was able to estimate porosity with a relatively high degree of accuracy, with the root-mean-square (rms) error being less than 3% for all calibration tests. Pore-fluid composition was estimated, however, with reduced accuracy, with rms errors ranging from 6% to 22% depending on the composition of the calibration fluid. Results from integrating the multicomponent VSP data with the rock-physics model indicated that estimated reservoir porosities are quite close to measured values at an observation well. Pore-fluid composition estimates indicated that this method can differentiate between areas containing [Formula: see text] and those that do not.
Big Brother Unionism? The Landrum-Griffin Act and the Fight for Afscme's Future, 1961 – 1964
Authors: Hower Joseph E.
Published: April 2014

In this article, Joseph Hower examines the regulation of union elections by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (commonly known as the Landrum-Griffin act) through a case study of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Drawing on local and national union records and oral history transcripts, he reconstructs Jerry Wurf's campaign for the union presidency (1961–64) and shows how Wurf and his dissident caucus were reluctant to invoke Landrum-Griffin's protections, even in the midst of a fiercely contested election campaign, for fear that it would legitimize the anti-union intentions of the law's architects. Instead, Wurf and the other dissidents turned the law to their own ends, holding out the threat of legal action to force incumbent president Arnold Zander to curb his worst excesses, while using his administration's misdeeds to underscore their broader case for union reform. Narrowly defeated in 1962, Wurf managed to unseat Zander at the union's 1964 convention. The successful challenge, a rarity in twentieth-century labor history, ratified a more militant vision of the union, setting the stage for AFSCME's impressive growth during the second half of the twentieth century.
Actomyosin networks and tissue morphogenesis
Authors: Munjal Akankshi , Lecuit Thomas
Published: April 2014

Tissue morphogenesis is driven by coordinated cellular deformations. Recent studies have shown that these changes in cell shape are powered by intracellular contractile networks comprising actin filaments, actin cross-linkers and myosin motors. The subcellular forces generated by such actomyosin networks are precisely regulated and are transmitted to the cell cortex of adjacent cells and to the extracellular environment by adhesive clusters comprising cadherins or integrins. Here, and in the accompanying poster, we provide an overview of the mechanics, principles and regulation of actomyosin-driven cellular tension driving tissue morphogenesis.
Genomic imprinting in development, growth, behavior and stem cells
Authors: Plasschaert Robert N. , Bartolomei Marisa S.
Published: April 2014

Genes that are subject to genomic imprinting in mammals are preferentially expressed from a single parental allele. This imprinted expression of a small number of genes is crucial for normal development, as these genes often directly regulate fetal growth. Recent work has also demonstrated intricate roles for imprinted genes in the brain, with important consequences on behavior and neuronal function. Finally, new studies have revealed the importance of proper expression of specific imprinted genes in induced pluripotent stem cells and in adult stem cells. As we review here, these findings highlight the complex nature and developmental importance of imprinted genes.
Hemogenic endothelium generates mesoangioblasts that contribute to several mesodermal lineages in vivo
Authors: Azzoni Emanuele , Conti Valentina , Campana Lara , Dellavalle Arianna , Adams Ralf H. , Cossu Giulio , Brunelli Silvia
Published: April 2014

The embryonic endothelium is a known source of hematopoietic stem cells. Moreover, vessel-associated progenitors/stem cells with multilineage mesodermal differentiation potential, such as the ‘embryonic mesoangioblasts’, originate in vitro from the endothelium. Using a genetic lineage tracing approach, we show that early extra-embryonic endothelium generates, in a narrow time-window and prior to the hemogenic endothelium in the major embryonic arteries, hematopoietic cells that migrate to the embryo proper, and are subsequently found within the mesenchyme. A subpopulation of these cells, distinct from embryonic macrophages, co-expresses mesenchymal and hematopoietic markers. In addition, hemogenic endothelium-derived cells contribute to skeletal and smooth muscle, and to other mesodermal cells in vivo, and display features of embryonic mesoangioblasts in vitro. Therefore, we provide new insights on the distinctive characteristics of the extra-embryonic and embryonic hemogenic endothelium, and we identify the putative in vivo counterpart of embryonic mesoangioblasts, suggesting their identity and developmental ontogeny.
Translation control of TAK1 mRNA by hnRNP K modulates LPS-induced macrophage activation
Authors: Liepelt Anke , Mossanen Jana C. , Denecke Bernd , Heymann Felix , De Santis Rebecca , Tacke Frank , Marx Gernot , Ostareck Dirk H. , Ostareck-Lederer Antje
Published: April 2014

Macrophage activation by bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) is induced through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The synthesis and activity of TLR4 downstream signaling molecules modulates the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. To address the impact of post-transcriptional regulation on that process, we performed RIP-Chip analysis. Differential association of mRNAs with heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K), an mRNA-specific translational regulator in differentiating hematopoietic cells, was studied in noninduced and LPS-activated macrophages. Analysis of interactions affected by LPS revealed several mRNAs encoding TLR4 downstream kinases and their modulators. We focused on transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) a central player in TLR4 signaling. HnRNP K interacts specifically with a sequence in the TAK1 mRNA 3′ UTR in vitro. Silencing of hnRNP K does not affect TAK1 mRNA synthesis or stability but enhances TAK1 mRNA translation, resulting in elevated TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10 mRNA expression. Our data suggest that the hnRNP K-3′ UTR complex inhibits TAK1 mRNA translation in noninduced macrophages. LPS-dependent TLR4 activation abrogates translational repression and newly synthesized TAK1 boosts macrophage inflammatory response.
Amino acid–dependent stability of the acyl linkage in aminoacyl-tRNA
Authors: Peacock Jacob R. , Walvoord Ryan R. , Chang Angela Y. , Kozlowski Marisa C. , Gamper Howard , Hou Ya-Ming
Published: April 2014

Aminoacyl-tRNAs are the biologically active substrates for peptide bond formation in protein synthesis. The stability of the acyl linkage in each aminoacyl-tRNA, formed through an ester bond that connects the amino acid carboxyl group with the tRNA terminal 3′-OH group, is thus important. While the ester linkage is the same for all aminoacyl-tRNAs, the stability of each is not well characterized, thus limiting insight into the fundamental process of peptide bond formation. Here, we show, by analysis of the half-lives of 12 of the 22 natural aminoacyl-tRNAs used in peptide bond formation, that the stability of the acyl linkage is effectively determined only by the chemical nature of the amino acid side chain. Even the chirality of the side chain exhibits little influence. Proline confers the lowest stability to the linkage, while isoleucine and valine confer the highest, whereas the nucleotide sequence in the tRNA provides negligible contribution to the stability. We find that, among the variables tested, the protein translation factor EF-Tu is the only one that can protect a weak acyl linkage from hydrolysis. These results suggest that each amino acid plays an active role in determining its own stability in the acyl linkage to tRNA, but that EF-Tu overrides this individuality and protects the acyl linkage stability for protein synthesis on the ribosome.
Accurate Estimation of Average Waiting Time in Public Transportation Systems
Authors: Amin-Naseri Mohammad Reza , Baradaran Vahid
Published: April 2014

Public transportation is one of the most essential services in urban areas. The average passenger waiting time at a stop is an important criterion in evaluating the quality of public transportation systems. Accurate measurement of the average waiting time (AWT) at stops leads to more appropriate and timely schedules. Researchers in the past developed formulations for measuring the AWT at stops based on the assumptions that passengers arrive at stops in a uniform manner and buses arrive at stops independently. Studies on transportation systems in different cities indicate that using these formulations does not result in an accurate measure of the AWT and that there is a significant difference between the observed AWT and the one estimated by these formulations. Researchers related the cause of this discrepancy to the violation of the assumptions of uniform passenger arrival times and independent headways. We show that when the number of buses is not large (even when these assumptions hold true) the existing formulations still lack adequate accuracy. In this paper, we examine the process of formula development that resulted in a formulation that overestimates the AWT; we then propose accurate formulas for estimating the AWT with dependent and independent headways. A discrete simulation model has also been developed to further verify the inaccuracy of the existing formulations and to evaluate the performance of the proposed formulations. Furthermore, as a case study, the AWT at a bus stop in the Tehran bus transportation system has been studied and the accuracy of the proposed formulations has been examined and compared with that of the existing one.
The Value of Information in Container Transport
Authors: Zuidwijk Rob A. , Veenstra Albert W.
Published: April 2014

Planning the transport of maritime containers from the seaport to final inland destinations is challenged by uncertainties regarding the time the container is released for further transport and the transit time from the port to its final destination. This paper assesses the value of information in container transport in terms of efficiency and reliability. The analysis uses a stylized single period model where a decision maker allocates released containers to two transport modes (slow, low price, no flexible departure times versus fast, high price, flexible departure times) and plans the departure time of the inflexible mode. We construct Pareto frontiers and the corresponding Pareto optimal decisions under various information scenarios and show that the Pareto frontiers move in a favorable direction when the level of information increases. The mathematical results are explained and illustrated by means of a numerical example involving barge transport. We also perform a sensitivity analysis and study the impact of erroneous information on efficiency and reliability based on a numerical analysis.
Aspartic protease inhibitory and nematocidal activity of phenyl-4-(2-phenylhydrazono)hexahydrofuro[3,2-c]pyridazin-7-ol (Percival dianhydroosazone)
Authors: El Ashry El Sayed H. , Rizvi Nighat Shamim , Boraei Ahmed T. A. , Azim M. Kamran , Ahmed Waseem , Sajid M. , Nizami Shaikh S.
Published: April 2014

We synthesized Phenyl-4-(2-phenylhydrazono) hexahydrofuro[3,2-c]pyridazin-7-ol (compound 3). The structure compound 3 was elucidated with IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and EIMS spectra. Compound 3 showed potent inhibitory activity against aspartic proteases, human cathepsin D and Plasmodium falciparum plasmepsin-II with IC50 = 20 Î¼M. Enzyme-inhibitor complexes were predicted to stabilize by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between the side chains of amino acid residues at the active center and compound 3. Moreover, compound 3 displayed good nematocidal activity against all developmental stages of C. elegans.
Public media and climate change: Ethical standards and codes in the BBC treatment of environmental information
Authors: Parratt Sonia
Published: April 2014

Climate change has entered the public sphere thanks to the media, which are essential in providing information and raising awareness about the seriousness of the problem. Despite the fact that the media, and particularly public media, have the duty of providing adequate information, the coverage of a controversial issue such as global warming is not always properly accomplished by just complying strictly with the fundamental principles of good journalism. The British public broadcasting network, the BBC, is renowned as an international leader in terms of journalistic fairness, independence and clarity, but its news monitoring of everything concerning climate change is not devoid of problems and challenges, which are analysed in this article.
Reviews
Authors: Hoyos Gloria , Rodríguez Laura Teruel
Published: April 2014

CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE MEDIA: REPORTING RISK AND UNCERTAINTY, JAMES PAINTER (2013) London: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and I.B. Tauris & Co., 150 pp., ISBN-10: 1780765886, ISBN-13: 9781780765884 (pbk), £11.00

CLIMATE CHANGE DENIAL: HEADS IN THE SAND, HAYDN WASHINGTON AND JOHN COOK (2011) London and New York: Routledge, 192 pp., ISBN-13: 9781849713368 (pbk), £11.00
Communication of the scientific consensus on climate change to the citizenship: Knowledge and perception of young university students from five countries regarding the media treatment of global warming
Authors: Estévez Marta Díaz , de Frutos García Ruth A. , Moya Jesús Peña
Published: April 2014

This study focuses on how young university students perceive media communication of the scientific consensus. It has been carried out based on a non-probabilistic sample of 484 students from universities in Brazil, Spain, Italy, China and the United States. The study sets off from two assumptions. Firstly, that the survey participants belong to a global culture that shapes their identity through electronic interaction regardless of their geographical location. Secondly, as part of their ranking of priorities, which sets them apart from their predecessors, environmental issues are one of their main concerns. In response to environmental problems, they consider that interdisciplinarity is essential in tackling the causes that generate climate change and minimizing its consequences and they consider that it is the media’s duty to construct a specialized message in accordance with the discourse that the scientific community agrees on and which is free of business, economic or ideological interests.
Political polarization and climate change: The editorial strategies of The New York Times and El País newspapers
Authors: Castilla Elena Blanco , Rodríguez Laura Teruel , Quesada Montse
Published: April 2014

The editorial section is the perfect space to investigate the identity of newspapers, as it reflects their ideological position. For this reason, this work analyses the editorial position on climate change of two highly prestigious newspapers: The New York Times (United States), which is a reference for the Anglo-Saxon world, and El País (Spain), which is a reference for the Spanish-speaking world. Both newspapers seem to share a similar editorial stance, in the sense that they both accept the consensus on climate change and support the objectives set in the Kyoto Protocol in relation to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). However, the analysis of the editorials published over the fourteen years between the two climate summits, held in Kyoto and Durban, shows that political polarization has taken precedence over the need to spread public awareness about the seriousness of climate change. This implies that the editorial agendas of these newspapers are not giving importance to the dissemination of the causes of climate change, and are generally not providing opinions based on reliable and fully identified scientific sources.
When Motivation is against Debtors' Best Interest: The Illusion of Goal Progress in Credit Card Debt Repayment
Authors: Besharat Ali , Carrillat François A. , Ladik Daniel M.
Published: April 2014

The authors explore the illusion of goal progress by consumers who own multiple credit cards and pay off their debt balances to facilitate the achievement of their subgoal rather than the superordinate goal of being debt-free. The first experiment shows that debtors use their savings toward the credit card debt they can pay off entirely or substantially, even if it is associated with the smallest balance and the lowest annual percentage rate rather than toward the debt with the highest annual percentage rate. The second experiment reveals that when the income available to pay down the debt is in the form of effortless money (i.e., windfall or reward money) as opposed to hard-earned savings, the tendency to allocate money toward the smallest credit card debt is exacerbated. However, people tend to pay their debt more rationally when the number of debt accounts increases. Finally, the third experiment shows that credit card debt repayment decisions depend on the nature of the debt (hedonic vs. utilitarian) and the timing of consumption benefits (past vs. future). The article concludes with a discussion of managerial and public policy implications.
The Etiology of Ring Lesions on Diffusion-Weighted Imaging
Authors: Finelli Pasquale F. , Foxman Ethan B.
Published: April 2014

This study describes a series of cases and reviews the literature on cases of ring lesion on diffusion-weighted imaging to better appreciate the spectrum of disease associated with this neuroimaging finding.

We retrospectively reviewed the MR studies of 15 patients with ring pattern lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging from an inpatient Neurology service of a tertiary care center seen over a ten-year period, and reviewed cases in the literature.

Thirty-one cases, including 15 new patients, comprise the study group. Immunocompromised patients accounted for 38% of patients with ring lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging with cerebral aspergillosis in five patients, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in three, primary CNS lymphoma in two, cerebral toxoplasmosis in one, and resolving cerebral hematoma in one. In the immunocompetent group demyelinating lesions including multiple sclerosis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Balo's concentric sclerosis and acute necrotizing encephalitis, were seen in 11 patients, vascular etiology in four and neoplastic in three patients, two primary and one metastatic and pyogenic brain abscess in one.

Ring lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging are associated with a spectrum of disease not previously considered. Immunocompromised patients accounted for almost one-half while demyelinating conditions in the immunocompetent patients were most common overall.
Cognition and Hippocampal Plasticity in the Mouse Is Altered by Monosomy of a Genomic Region Implicated in Down Syndrome
Authors: Sahún Ignasi , Marechal Damien , Pereira Patricia Lopes , Nalesso Valérie , Gruart Agnes , Garcia José Maria Delgado , Antonarakis Stylianos E , Dierssen Mara , Herault Yann
Published: April 2014

Down syndrome (DS) is due to increased copy number of human chromosome 21. The contribution of different genetic regions has been tested using mouse models. As shown previously, the Abcg1-U2af1 genetic region contributes to cognitive defects in working and short-term recognition memory in Down syndrome mouse models. Here we analyzed the impact of monosomy of the same genetic interval, using a new mouse model, named Ms2Yah. We used several cognitive paradigms and did not detect defects in the object recognition or the Morris water maze tests. However, surprisingly, Ms2Yah mice displayed increased associative memory in a pure contextual fear-conditioning test and decreased social novelty interaction along with a larger long-term potentiation recorded in the CA1 area following stimulation of Schaffer collaterals. Whole-genome expression studies carried out on hippocampus showed that the transcription of only a small number of genes is affected, mainly from the genetic interval (Cbs, Rsph1, Wdr4), with a few additional ones, including the postsynaptic Gabrr2, Gabbr1, Grid2p, Park2, and Dlg1 and the components of the Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis (Anapc1, Rnf7, Huwe1, Park2). The Abcg1–U2af1 region is undeniably encompassing dosage-sensitive genes or elements whose change in copy number directly affects learning and memory, synaptic function, and autistic related behavior.
Deficits in Bioenergetics and Impaired Immune Response in Granulocytes From Children With Autism
Authors: Napoli Eleonora , Wong Sarah , Hertz-Picciotto Irva , Giulivi Cecilia
Published: April 2014

Despite the emerging role of mitochondria in immunity, a link between bioenergetics and the immune response in autism has not been explored. Mitochondrial outcomes and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)–induced oxidative burst were evaluated in granulocytes from age-, race-, and gender-matched children with autism with severity scores of ≥7 (n = 10) and in typically developing (TD) children (n = 10). The oxidative phosphorylation capacity of granulocytes was 3-fold lower in children with autism than in TD children, with multiple deficits encompassing ≥1 Complexes. Higher oxidative stress in cells of children with autism was evidenced by higher rates of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production (1.6-fold), higher mitochondrial DNA copy number per cell (1.5-fold), and increased deletions. Mitochondrial dysfunction in children with autism was accompanied by a lower (26% of TD children) oxidative burst by PMA-stimulated reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and by a lower gene expression (45% of TD children's mean values) of the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 transcription factor involved in the antioxidant response. Given that the majority of granulocytes of children with autism exhibited defects in oxidative phosphorylation, immune response, and antioxidant defense, our results support the concept that immunity and response to oxidative stress may be regulated by basic mitochondrial functions as part of an integrated metabolic network.
Prenatal Vitamin D and Dental Caries in Infants
Authors: Schroth Robert J. , Lavelle Christopher , Tate Robert , Bruce Sharon , Billings Ronald J. , Moffatt Michael E.K.
Published: April 2014

OBJECTIVES:

Inadequate maternal vitamin D (assessed by using 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25OHD]) levels during pregnancy may affect tooth calcification, predisposing enamel hypoplasia and early childhood caries (ECC). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between prenatal 25OHD concentrations and dental caries among offspring during the first year of life.

METHODS:

This prospective cohort study recruited expectant mothers from an economically disadvantaged urban area. A prenatal questionnaire was completed and serum sample drawn for 25OHD. Dental examinations were completed at 1 year of age while the parent/caregiver completed a questionnaire. The examiner was blinded to mothers’ 25OHD levels. A P value ≤ .05 was considered significant.

RESULTS:

Overall, 207 women were enrolled (mean age: 19 ± 5 years). The mean 25OHD level was 48 ± 24 nmol/L, and 33% had deficient levels. Enamel hypoplasia was identified in 22% of infants; 23% had cavitated ECC, and 36% had ECC when white spot lesions were included in the assessment. Mothers of children with ECC had significantly lower 25OHD levels than those whose children were caries-free (41 ± 20 vs 52 ± 27 nmol/L; P = .05). Univariate Poisson regression analysis for the amount of untreated decay revealed an inverse relationship with maternal 25OHD. Logistic regression revealed that enamel hypoplasia (P < .001), infant age (P = .002), and lower prenatal 25OHD levels (P = .02) were significantly associated with ECC.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study found that maternal prenatal 25OHD levels may have an influence on the primary dentition and the development of ECC.
Influence of Caregivers and Children’s Entry Into the Dental Care System
Authors: Divaris Kimon , Lee Jessica Y. , Baker A. Diane , Gizlice Ziya , Rozier R. Gary , DeWalt Darren A. , Vann William F.
Published: April 2014

OBJECTIVES:

Early preventive dental visits are essential in improving children’s oral health, especially young children at high risk for dental caries. However, there is scant information on how these children enter the dental care system. Our objectives were as follows: (1) to describe how a population-based cohort of young Medicaid-enrolled children entered dental care; and (2) to investigate the influence of caregiver characteristics on their children’s dental care–seeking patterns.

METHODS:

We relied on Medicaid claims and interview data of caregiver–child dyads who were enrolled in the Carolina Oral Health Literacy study during 2007–2008. The analytical cohort comprised 1000 children who had no dental visits before enrollment. Additional information was collected on sociodemographic characteristics, oral health status, health literacy, dental neglect, and access to care barriers. Our analyses relied on descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate methods.

RESULTS:

During the 25-month median follow-up period, 39% of the children (mean baseline age: 16 months) entered the dental care system, and 13% of their first encounters were for emergency care. Caregivers’ dental neglect emerged as a significant predictor of nonentrance. Children with reported oral health problems at baseline were more likely to enter the dental care system compared with children with better oral health, but they were also more likely to require emergency care.

CONCLUSIONS:

Caregivers have a pivotal role in children’s oral health and care. Interventions aimed at improving children’s oral health should involve community outreach to engage caregivers in a culturally appropriate manner when their children are infants or toddlers.
Academic Achievement of Children and Adolescents With Oral Clefts
Authors: Wehby George L. , Collet Brent , Barron Sheila , Romitti Paul A. , Ansley Timothy N. , Speltz Matthew
Published: April 2014

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Previous studies of academic achievement of children with oral clefts have mostly relied on small, clinic-based samples prone to ascertainment bias. In the first study in the United States to use a population-based sample with direct assessment, we evaluated the academic achievement of children with oral clefts relative to their classmates.

METHODS:

Children born with isolated oral clefts in Iowa from 1983 to 2003 were identified from the Iowa Registry for Congenital and Inherited Disorders and matched to unaffected classmates by gender, school/school district, and month and year of birth. Academic achievement was assessed by using standardized tests of academic progress developed by the Iowa Testing Programs. Iowa Testing Programs data were linked to birth certificates for all children. Regression models controlled for household demographic and socioeconomic factors. The analytical sample included 588 children with clefts contributing 3735 child-grade observations and 1874 classmates contributing 13 159 child-grade observations.

RESULTS:

Children with oral clefts had lower scores than their classmates across all domains and school levels, with a 5-percentile difference in the overall composite score. Children with clefts were approximately one-half grade level behind their classmates and had higher rates of academic underachievement and use of special education services by 8 percentage points. Group differences were slightly lower but remained large and significant after adjusting for many background characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS:

Children with oral clefts underperformed across all academic areas and grade levels compared with their classmates. The results support a model of early testing and intervention among affected children to identify and reduce academic deficits.
National Patterns of Codeine Prescriptions for Children in the Emergency Department
Authors: Kaiser Sunitha V. , Asteria-Penaloza Renee , Vittinghoff Eric , Rosenbluth Glenn , Cabana Michael D. , Bardach Naomi S.
Published: April 2014

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

National guidelines have recommended against codeine use in children, but little is known about prescribing patterns in the United States. Our objectives were to assess changes over time in pediatric codeine prescription rates in emergency departments nationally and to determine factors associated with codeine prescription.

METHODS:

We performed a serial cross-sectional analysis (2001–2010) of emergency department visits for patients ages 3 to 17 years in the nationally representative National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. We determined survey-weighted annual rates of codeine prescriptions and tested for linear trends over time. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify characteristics associated with codeine prescription and interrupted time-series analysis to assess changes in prescriptions for upper respiratory infection (URI) or cough associated with two 2006 national guidelines recommending against its use for these indications.

RESULTS:

The proportion of visits (N = 189 million) with codeine prescription decreased from 3.7% to 2.9% during the study period (P = .008). Odds of codeine prescription were higher for children ages 8 to 12 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [1.21–1.67]) and among providers outside the northeast. Odds were lower for children who were non-Hispanic black (OR, 0.67 [0.56–0.8]) or with Medicaid (OR, 0.84 [0.71–0.98]). The 2006 guidelines were not associated with a decline in codeine prescriptions for cough or URI visits.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although there was a small decline in codeine prescription over 10 years, use for cough or URI did not decline after national guidelines recommending against its use. More effective interventions are needed to prevent codeine prescription to children.
First Record of the Biunguis Species Group (Acari: Podapolipidae: Eutarsopolipus) from Asia, with the Description of a New Species Parasitizing Drypta Lineola (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
Authors: Mortazavi Abdolazim , Hajiqanbar Hamidreza , Kamali Karim
Published: April 2014

A new species of mites of the genus Eutarsopolipus Berlese, 1911 (Acari: Prostigmata: Podapolipidae) belonging to the biunguis species group, has been described from southern Iran. Eutarsopolipus dryptus Mortazavi and Hajiqanbar n. sp. is a subelytral ectoparasite of the carabid beetle, Drypta lineola MacLeay (Coleoptera: Carabidae). This is the first record of the biunguis species group from Asia. Furthermore, this finding revealed the first record of the association between tribe Dryptini (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Dryptinae) and mites of the family Podapolipidae. A key to the adult females of this species group is provided, and the distribution and host range of all representatives of the group are discussed.
Lung Cancer Deaths Among American Indians and Alaska Natives, 1990–2009
Authors: Plescia Marcus , Henley Sarah Jane , Pate Anne , Underwood J. Michael , Rhodes Kris
Published: April 2014

Objectives. We examined regional differences in lung cancer among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) using linked data sets to minimize racial misclassification.

Methods. On the basis of federal lung cancer incidence data for 1999 to 2009 and deaths for 1990 to 2009 linked with Indian Health Service (IHS) registration records, we calculated age-adjusted incidence and death rates for non-Hispanic AI/AN and White persons by IHS region, focusing on Contract Health Service Delivery Area (CHSDA) counties. We correlated death rates with cigarette smoking prevalence and calculated mortality-to-incidence ratios.

Results. Lung cancer death rates among AI/AN persons in CHSDA counties varied across IHS regions, from 94.0 per 100 000 in the Northern Plains to 15.2 in the Southwest, reflecting the strong correlation between smoking and lung cancer. For every 100 lung cancers diagnosed, there were 6 more deaths among AI/AN persons than among White persons. Lung cancer death rates began to decline in 1997 among AI/AN men and are still increasing among AI/AN women.

Conclusions. Comparison of regional lung cancer death rates between AI/AN and White populations indicates disparities in tobacco control and prevention interventions. Efforts should be made to ensure that AI/AN persons receive equal benefit from current and emerging lung cancer prevention and control interventions.
Mortality Caused by Chronic Liver Disease Among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States, 1999–2009
Authors: Suryaprasad Anil , Byrd Kathy K. , Redd John T. , Perdue David G. , Manos M. Michele , McMahon Brian J.
Published: April 2014

Objectives. We compared chronic liver disease (CLD) mortality from 1999 to 2009 between American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and Whites in the United States after improving CLD case ascertainment and AI/AN race classification.

Methods. We defined CLD deaths and causes by comprehensive death certificate-based diagnostic codes. To improve race classification, we linked US mortality data to Indian Health Service enrollment records, and we restricted analyses to Contract Health Service Delivery Areas and to non-Hispanic populations. We calculated CLD death rates (per 100 000) in 6 geographic regions. We then described trends using linear modeling.

Results. CLD mortality increased from 1999 to 2009 in AI/AN persons and Whites. Overall, the CLD death rate ratio (RR) of AI/AN individuals to Whites was 3.7 and varied by region. The RR was higher in women (4.7), those aged 25 to 44 years (7.4), persons residing in the Northern Plains (6.4), and persons dying of cirrhosis (4.0) versus hepatocellular carcinoma (2.5), particularly those aged 25 to 44 years (7.7).

Conclusions. AI/AN persons had greater CLD mortality, particularly from premature cirrhosis, than Whites, with variable mortality by region. Comprehensive prevention and care strategies are urgently needed to stem the CLD epidemic among AI/AN individuals.
Prostate Cancer Deaths and Incident Cases Among American Indian/Alaska Native Men, 1999–2009
Authors: Hoffman Richard M. , Li Jun , Henderson Jeffrey A. , Ajani Umed A. , Wiggins Charles
Published: April 2014

Objectives. We linked databases to improve identification of American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) in determining prostate cancer death and incidence rates.

Methods. We linked prostate cancer mortality and incidence data with Indian Health Service (IHS) patient records; analyses focused on residents of IHS Contract Health Service Delivery Area (CHSDA) counties. We calculated age-adjusted incidence and death rates for AI/AN and White men for 1999 to 2009; men of Hispanic origin were excluded.

Results. Prostate cancer death rates were higher for AI/AN men than for White men. Death rates declined for White men (−3.0% per year) but not for AI/AN men. AI/AN men had lower prostate cancer incidence rates than White men. Incidence rates declined among Whites (−2.2% per year) and AI/ANs (−1.9% per year).

Conclusions. AI/AN men had higher prostate cancer death rates and lower prostate cancer incidence rates than White men. Disparities in accessing health care could contribute to mortality differences, and incidence differences could be related to lower prostate-specific antigen testing rates among AI/AN men.
Trends and Disparities in Stroke Mortality by Region for American Indians and Alaska Natives
Authors: Schieb Linda J. , Ayala Carma , Valderrama Amy L. , Veazie Mark A.
Published: April 2014

Objectives. We evaluated trends and disparities in stroke death rates for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and White people by Indian Health Service region.

Methods. We identified stroke deaths among AI/AN persons and Whites (adults aged 35 years or older) using National Vital Statistics System data for 1990 to 2009. We used linkages with Indian Health Service patient registration data to adjust for misclassification of race for AI/AN persons. Analyses excluded Hispanics and focused on Contract Health Service Delivery Area (CHSDA) counties.

Results. Stroke death rates among AI/AN individuals were higher than among Whites for both men and women in CHSDA counties and were highest in the youngest age groups. Rates and AI/AN:White rate ratios varied by region, with the highest in Alaska and the lowest in the Southwest. Stroke death rates among AI/AN persons decreased in all regions beginning in 2001.

Conclusions. Although stroke death rates among AI/AN populations have decreased over time, rates are still higher for AI/AN persons than for Whites. Interventions that address reducing stroke risk factors, increasing awareness of stroke symptoms, and increasing access to specialty care for stroke may be more successful at reducing disparities in stroke death rates.
Trends and Disparities in Heart Disease Mortality Among American Indians/Alaska Natives, 1990–2009
Authors: Veazie Mark , Ayala Carma , Schieb Linda , Dai Shifan , Henderson Jeffrey A. , Cho Pyone
Published: April 2014

Objectives. We evaluated heart disease death rates among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) and Whites after improving identification of AI/AN populations.

Methods. Indian Health Service (IHS) registration data were linked to the National Death Index for 1990 to 2009 to identify deaths among AI/AN persons aged 35 years and older with heart disease listed as the underlying cause of death (UCOD) or 1 of multiple causes of death (MCOD). We restricted analyses to IHS Contract Health Service Delivery Areas and to non-Hispanic populations.

Results. Heart disease death rates were higher among AI/AN persons than Whites from 1999 to 2009 (1.21 times for UCOD, 1.30 times for MCOD). Disparities were highest in younger age groups and in the Northern Plains, but lowest in the East and Southwest. In AI/AN persons, MCOD rates were 84% higher than UCOD rates. From 1990 to 2009, UCOD rates declined among Whites, but only declined significantly among AI/AN persons after 2003.

Conclusions. Analysis with improved race identification indicated that AI/AN populations experienced higher heart disease death rates than Whites. Better prevention and more effective care of heart disease is needed for AI/AN populations.
Unintentional Injury Mortality Among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States, 1990–2009
Authors: Murphy Tierney , Pokhrel Pallavi , Worthington Anne , Billie Holly , Sewell Mack , Bill Nancy
Published: April 2014

Objectives. We describe the burden of unintentional injury (UI) deaths among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations in the United States.

Methods. National Death Index records for 1990 to 2009 were linked with Indian Health Service registration records to identify AI/AN deaths misclassified as non-AI/AN deaths. Most analyses were restricted to Contract Health Service Delivery Area counties in 6 geographic regions of the United States. We compared age-adjusted death rates for AI/AN persons with those for Whites; Hispanics were excluded.

Results. From 2005 to 2009, the UI death rate for AI/AN people was 2.4 times higher than for Whites. Death rates for the 3 leading causes of UI death—motor vehicle traffic crashes, poisoning, and falls—were 1.4 to 3 times higher among AI/AN persons than among Whites. UI death rates were higher among AI/AN males than among females and highest among AI/AN persons in Alaska, the Northern Plains, and the Southwest.

Conclusions. AI/AN persons had consistently higher UI death rates than did Whites. This disparity in overall rates coupled with recent increases in unintentional poisoning deaths requires that injury prevention be a major priority for improving health and preventing death among AI/AN populations.
Racial Misclassification of American Indians and Alaska Natives by Indian Health Service Contract Health Service Delivery Area
Authors: Jim Melissa A. , Arias Elizabeth , Seneca Dean S. , Hoopes Megan J. , Jim Cheyenne C. , Johnson Norman J. , Wiggins Charles L.
Published: April 2014

Objectives. We evaluated the racial misclassification of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) in cancer incidence and all-cause mortality data by Indian Health Service (IHS) Contract Health Service Delivery Area (CHSDA).

Methods. We evaluated data from 3 sources: IHS-National Vital Statistics System (NVSS), IHS-National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR)/Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program, and National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS). We calculated, within each data source, the sensitivity and classification ratios by sex, IHS region, and urban–rural classification by CHSDA county.

Results. Sensitivity was significantly greater in CHSDA counties (IHS-NVSS: 83.6%; IHS-NPCR/SEER: 77.6%; NLMS: 68.8%) than non-CHSDA counties (IHS-NVSS: 54.8%; IHS-NPCR/SEER: 39.0%; NLMS: 28.3%). Classification ratios indicated less misclassification in CHSDA counties (IHS-NVSS: 1.20%; IHS-NPCR/SEER: 1.29%; NLMS: 1.18%) than non-CHSDA counties (IHS-NVSS: 1.82%; IHS-NPCR/SEER: 2.56%; NLMS: 1.81%). Race misclassification was less in rural counties and in regions with the greatest concentrations of AI/AN persons (Alaska, Southwest, and Northern Plains).

Conclusions. Limiting presentation and analysis to CHSDA counties helped mitigate the effects of race misclassification of AI/AN persons, although a portion of the population was excluded.