bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Symmetrical Dimethylarginine Predicts Mortality in the General Population
Authors: Gore M. Odette , Lüneburg Nicole , Schwedhelm Edzard , Ayers Colby R. , Anderssohn Maike , Khera Amit , Atzler Dorothee , de Lemos James A. , Grant Peter J. , McGuire Darren K. , Böger Rainer H. 
Published: September 2013

Objective—
Increased asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA), a NO synthase inhibitor, and its congener symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA), predict cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in at-risk populations. Their prognostic value in the general population remains uncertain. We investigated the correlations of SDMA and ADMA with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular/all-cause mortality in the Dallas Heart Study, a multiethnic probability-based cohort aged 30 to 65 years.

Approach and Results—

SDMA and ADMA were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass-spectrometry (n=3523), coronary artery calcium by electron-beam computed tomography, and abdominal aortic wall thickness by MRI. In unadjusted analyses, categories of increasing SDMA and ADMA were associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, increased risk markers, and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (median follow-up, 7.4 years). After adjustment for age, sex, and race, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and renal function, SDMA and ADMA analyzed as continuous variables were associated with coronary artery calcium >10, but only SDMA was associated with abdominal aortic wall thickness. SDMA, but not ADMA, was associated with cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio per log unit change, 3.36 [95% confidence interval, 1.49–7.59];
P
=0.004). SDMA and ADMA were both associated with all-cause mortality, but after further adjustment for N-terminal pro–brain-type natriuretic peptide, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T, only SDMA was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio per log unit change, 1.86 [95% confidence interval, 1.04–3.30];
P
=0.01).

Conclusions—
SDMA, but not ADMA, was an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a large multiethnic population-based cohort.
Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 Protects the Heart From Ischemic Damage
Authors: Völkers Mirko , Konstandin Mathias H. , Doroudgar Shirin , Toko Haruhiro , Quijada Pearl , Din Shabana , Joyo Anya , Ornelas Luis , Samse Kaitleen , Thuerauf Donna J. , Gude Natalie , Glembotski Christopher C. , Sussman Mark A. 
Published: September 2013

Background—
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) comprises 2 structurally distinct multiprotein complexes, mTOR complexes 1 and 2 (mTORC1 and mTORC2). Deregulation of mTOR signaling occurs during and contributes to the severity of myocardial damage from ischemic heart disease. However, the relative roles of mTORC1 versus mTORC2 in the pathogenesis of ischemic damage are unknown.

Methods and Results—
Combined pharmacological and molecular approaches were used to alter the balance of mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling in cultured cardiac myocytes and in mouse hearts subjected to conditions that mimic ischemic heart disease. The importance of mTOR signaling in cardiac protection was demonstrated by pharmacological inhibition of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 with Torin1, which led to increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction. Predominant mTORC1 signaling mediated by suppression of mTORC2 with Rictor similarly increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction. In comparison, preferentially shifting toward mTORC2 signaling by inhibition of mTORC1 with PRAS40 led to decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and tissue damage after myocardial infarction.

Conclusions—
These results suggest that selectively increasing mTORC2 while concurrently inhibiting mTORC1 signaling is a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of ischemic heart disease.
Nasal Administration of Recombinant Osteopontin Attenuates Early Brain Injury After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Topkoru Basak Caner , Altay Orhan , Duris Kamil , Krafft Paul R. , Yan Junhao , Zhang John H. 
Published: September 2013

Background and Purpose—
Neuronal apoptosis is a key pathological process in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)–induced early brain injury. Given that recombinant osteopontin (rOPN), a promising neuroprotectant, cannot pass through the blood–brain barrier, we aimed to examine whether nasal administration of rOPN prevents neuronal apoptosis after experimental SAH.

Methods—
Male Sprague–Dawley rats (n=144) were subjected to the endovascular perforation SAH model. rOPN was administered via the nasal route and neurological scores as well as brain water content were evaluated at 24 and 72 hours after SAH induction. The expressions of cleaved caspase-3, phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and phosphorylated Akt were examined using Western blot analysis. Neuronal cell death was demonstrated with terminal deoxynucleotid transferase-deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling. We also administered FAK inhibitor 14 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, Wortmannin, prior to rOPN to establish its neuroprotective mechanism. ELISA was used to measure rOPN delivery into the cerebrospinal fluid.

Results—
Cerebrospinal fluid level of rOPN increased after its nasal administration. This was associated with improved neurological scores and reduced brain edema at 24 hours after SAH. rOPN increased phosphorylated FAK and phosphorylated Akt expressions and decreased caspase-3 cleavage, resulting in attenuation of neuronal cell death within the cerebral cortex. These effects were abolished by FAK inhibitor 14 and Wortmannin.

Conclusions—
Nasal administration of rOPN decreased neuronal cell death and brain edema and improved the neurological status in SAH rats, possibly through FAK–phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase–Akt–induced inhibition of capase-3 cleavage.
Ischemic Stroke Brain Sends Indirect Cell Death Signals to the Heart
Authors: Ishikawa Hiroto , Tajiri Naoki , Vasconcellos Julie , Kaneko Yuji , Mimura Osamu , Dezawa Mari , Borlongan Cesar V. 
Published: September 2013

Background and Purpose—
Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the world and may be associated with cardiac myocyte vulnerability. However, it remains uncertain how an ischemic brain contributes to cardiac alternations. Here, we used experimental stroke models to reveal the pathological effects of the ischemic brain on the heart.

Methods—
For the in vitro study, primary rat neuronal cells were subjected to 90-minute oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD). Two hours after OGD, the supernatant was collected and cryopreserved until further biological assays. Primary rat cardiac myocytes were exposed to ischemic–reperfusion injury and subsequently to the supernatant derived from either the OGD or non–OGD-exposed primary rat neuronal cells for 2, 6, 24, or 48 hours. Thereafter, we measured cell viability and mitochondrial activity in rat cardiac myocytes. For the in vivo study, we subjected adult rats to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion, and their brains and hearts were harvested for immunohistochemical analyses at 3 months later.

Results—
The supernatant from the OGD, but not the non–OGD-exposed primary rat neuronal cells, caused significant reduction in cell viability and mitochondrial activity in rat cardiac myocytes. Ischemic stroke animals displayed phenotypic expression of necrosis, apoptosis, and autophagy in their hearts, which paralleled the detection of these same cell death markers in their brains.

Conclusions—
Ischemic stroke was accompanied by cardiac myocyte death, indicating a close pathological link between brain and heart. These results suggest a vigilant assessment of the heart condition in stroke patients, likely requiring the need to treat systemic cardiac symptoms after an ischemic brain episode.
Variation in Risk Factors for Recent Small Subcortical Infarcts With Infarct Size, Shape, and Location
Authors: Del Bene Alessandra , Makin Stephen D.J. , Doubal Fergus N. , Inzitari Domenico , Wardlaw Joanna M. 
Published: September 2013

Background and Purpose—
Lacunar infarction is attributable to a perforating arteriolar abnormality. Possible causes include embolism, atheromatosis, or intrinsic disease. We examined whether the size, shape, or location of the lacunar infarct varied with embolic sources, systemic atheroma, or vascular risk factors.

Methods—
We examined data from 3 prospective studies of patients with clinical and diffusion-weighted imaging–positive symptomatic lacunar infarction who underwent full clinical assessment and investigation for stroke risk factors. Lacunar infarct sizes (maximum diameter; shape, oval/tubular; location, basal ganglia/centrum semiovale/brain stem) were coded blind to clinical details.

Results—
Among 195 patients, 48 infarcts were tubular, 50 were 15 to 20 mm in diameter, and 97 and 74 were located in the basal ganglia and the centrum semiovale, respectively. There was no association between infarct size or shape and any of the risk factors. Centrum semiovale infarcts were less likely to have a potential relevant embolic source (4% versus 11%; odds ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.03–0.83) and caused a lower National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score (2 versus 3; odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.62–0.98) than basal ganglia infarcts. There were no other differences by infarct location.

Conclusions—
Lacunar infarcts in the basal ganglia caused marginally severer strokes and were 3 times more likely to have a potential embolic source than those in the centrum semiovale, but the overall rate of carotid or known cardiac embolic sources (11%) was low. We found no evidence that other risk factors differed with location, size, or shape, suggesting that most lacunar infarcts share a common intrinsic arteriolar pathology.
Reconciling Ground-Based and Space-Based Estimates of the Frequency of Occurrence and Radiative Effect of Clouds around Darwin, Australia
Authors: Protat A. , Young S. A. , McFarlane S. A. , L’Ecuyer T. , Mace G. G. , Comstock J. M. , Long C. N. , Berry E. , Delanoë J. 
Published: September 2013

AbstractThe objective of this paper is to investigate whether estimates of the cloud frequency of occurrence and associated cloud radiative forcing as derived from ground-based and satellite active remote sensing and radiative transfer calculations can be reconciled over a well-instrumented active remote sensing site located in Darwin, Australia, despite the very different viewing geometry and instrument characteristics. It is found that the ground-based radar–lidar combination at Darwin does not detect most of the cirrus clouds above 10 km (because of limited lidar detection capability and signal obscuration by low-level clouds) and that the CloudSat radar–Cloud–Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) combination underreports the hydrometeor frequency of occurrence below 2-km height because of instrument limitations at these heights. The radiative impact associated with these differences in cloud frequency of occurrence is large on the surface downwelling shortwave fluxes (ground and satellite) and the top-of-atmosphere upwelling shortwave and longwave fluxes (ground). Good agreement is found for other radiative fluxes. Large differences in radiative heating rate as derived from ground and satellite radar–lidar instruments and radiative transfer calculations are also found above 10 km (up to 0.35 K day−1 for the shortwave and 0.8 K day−1 for the longwave). Given that the ground-based and satellite estimates of cloud frequency of occurrence and radiative impact cannot be fully reconciled over Darwin, caution should be exercised when evaluating the representation of clouds and cloud–radiation interactions in large-scale models, and limitations of each set of instrumentation should be considered when interpreting model–observation differences.
Intrinsic Nonlinearity and Spectral Structure of Internal Tides at an Idealized Mid-Atlantic Bight Shelf Break
Authors: Zhang Weifeng G. , Duda Timothy F. 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
To quantify dynamical aspects of internal-tide generation at the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelf break, this study employs an idealized ocean model initialized by climatological summertime stratification and forced by monochromatic barotropic tidal currents at the offshore boundary. The Froude number of the scenario is subunity, and the bathymetric slope offshore of the shelf break is supercritical. A barotropic-to-baroclinic energy conversion rate of 335 W m−1 is found, with 14% of the energy locally dissipated through turbulence and bottom friction and 18% radiated onto the shelf. Consistent with prior studies, nonlinear effects result in additional super- and subharmonic internal waves at the shelf break. The subharmonic waves are subinertial, evanescent, and mostly trapped within a narrow beam of internal waves at the forcing frequency. They likely result from nonresonant triad interaction associated with strong nonlinearity. Strong vertical shear associated with the subharmonic waves tends to enhance local energy dissipation and turbulent momentum exchange (TME). A simulation with reduced tidal forcing shows an expected diminished level of harmonic energy. A quasi-linear simulation verifies the role of momentum advection in controlling the relative phases of internal tides and the efficiency of barotropic-to-baroclinic energy conversion. The local TME is tightly coupled with the internal-wave dynamics: for the chosen configuration, neglecting TME causes the internal-wave energy to be overestimated by 12%, and increasing it to high levels damps the waves on the continental shelf. This work implies a necessity to carefully consider nonlinearity and turbulent processes in the calculation of internal tidal waves generated at the shelf break.
Public sector leadership: new perspectives for research and practice
Authors: Orazi Davide Christian , Turrini Alex , Valotti Giovanni 
Published: September 2013

In this article, we aim to portray the state of the art in public sector leadership in order to recommend directions for research and training practice. To this end, we review the scattered strands of literature on public sector leadership (PSL) and classify them in a single framework. The results of the study suggest that public sector leadership is emerging as a distinctive and autonomous domain in public administration/public management studies, although the debate is still underdeveloped compared to business administration studies. Leadership skills truly do matter in improving the performance of public sector organizations, and it is highly likely that the optimum leadership style is an integrated one: Public sector leaders should behave mainly as transformational leaders, moderately leveraging transactional relationships with their followers and heavily leveraging the importance of preserving integrity and ethics in the fulfillment of tasks. Points for practitioners This study on public leadership suggests that administrative leaders in the public sector behave differently from their counterparts in the business world, and as a result there is a great need for leadership development programs which focus on these differences instead of merely mimicking programs designed for leaders in the private sector.
Personal perceptions and organizational factors influencing police discretion: evidence from the Turkish National Police
Authors: Tasdoven Hidayet , Kapucu Naim 
Published: September 2013

Unsupervised police decisions taken under stress inherently involve the exercise of discretion and remain questionable when considering the legitimacy of police behavior. Law enforcement agencies seek ways to control discretion to avoid the undesirable consequences of police discretion and maintain organizational legitimacy. Drawing on expectancy and value-based approaches, this study examines the role of extrinsic motivation, intrinsic value orientation and selective enforcement attitudes on the responsiveness of Turkish patrol officers. The findings of the study suggest that reward expectancy which represents the extrinsic motivational perspective, did not have a statistically significant relationship to responsiveness. Public service motivation representing the intrinsic motives of respondents, on the other hand, indicated a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship with responsiveness. Officer attitudes toward selective enforcement negatively influenced officer responsiveness. Points for practitioners Unlike research that emphasizes the role of contingent incentives on controlling discretion, this study empirically reported that intrinsic rewards have an even stronger effect on officer behavior. The leader’s role is essential in making followers work towards the interests of the public and the well-being of society. Ill-designed extrinsic reward systems may crowd out intrinsic motives of employees and cause a decrease in work-related outcomes. This is especially true in hierarchical organizations where reward policies are more likely to be perceived as unfair.
Neptune or Poseidon: implementing EU and global maritime safety law in a national agency
Authors: Gulbrandsen Christer 
Published: September 2013

Arguably, the EU represents a qualitatively different international order from traditional intergovernmental international organizations (IOs), as it has accumulated functions and capacities beyond these. This article compares how the EU and the International Maritime Organization impact three aspects of a national agency’s implementation of international rules: application, conflicts over policy agendas and how it deals with non-compliance. Interviews reveal the EU and the IMO as more similar than expected, but still different. Whereas application seems impacted by various supporting functions of both IOs, the EU’s heavy enforcement mechanisms may possibly hamper the detection of non-compliance and its independent agenda-setting powers may create animosity among national officials over the content of EU rules. Points for practitioners This article not only outlines similarities and differences between the EU and the IMO within the maritime safety sector, it also helps identify various channels whereby different types of IOs may impact national administrative processes. It should be of interest to those who work with construction and management of international regimes, as it explores practical effects they may have.
Demystifying the Hermit Kingdom: the constitution and public administration in North Korea
Authors: Jordan Sara R , Ip Eric CY 
Published: September 2013

Background Situations of extreme information deficit regarding administrative behavior are rare, but such conditions persist for the most enigmatic and troubling nations, such as North Korea. How might the behavior of public administrators be explained when systematic observation of individual administrators or institutions’ parties is not feasible? Aim Finding a way to estimate administrative behavior based upon the information available is an important task in understanding the complexities of closed states’ behavior in the international arena. Method We use constitutional analysis to explain public administration in North Korea, arguing that this is the best available method to explain administrative norms and behavior in this and other closed nations. Results We find that while administrative theorists predict that administrative norms can be predicted using constitutional analysis, administrative behavior in closed nations cannot be efficiently predicted using only a reconstructed set of norms as we do not have evidence to confirm that the suppositions of normative theorists hold in these conditions. Conclusions While we can better understand the values of administrators in North Korea through constitutional analysis, without harder evidence we can only speculate on the true values of administrators in North Korea. Points for practitioners Administrators working on cross-national issues with closed states like North Korea should familiarize themselves with the values of the states’ constitution, as this may be a stable source of preliminary norms for predicting administrators’ behavior.
Towards better results from the World Bank
Authors: Polidano Charles 
Published: September 2013

This article briefly reviews the World Bank document The World Bank Approach to Public Sector Management 2011–2020: Better Results from Public Sector Institutions. The document proposes an eclectic, experimental, contingent approach to reform – ‘what works’ – as opposed to doctrinaire, ‘best practice’ orthodoxies. However, the document is frank in discussing the obstacles to realizing this vision, including among other things the incentives to which Bank staff themselves are subject. In overall terms, the document is noteworthy for its frank appraisal of the Bank’s efforts to support public sector reform in developing countries. Points for practitioners This article is of interest to practitioners involved in public sector reform in developing countries, particularly those who deal with the World Bank and other aid donors, because it reviews a document which represents an important statement of the World Bank’s thinking on the subject of public sector management and reform.
Performance-based public management reforms: experience and emerging lessons from service delivery improvement in Indonesia
Authors: Brinkerhoff Derick W , Wetterberg Anna 
Published: September 2013

From both a practical and a theoretical perspective, improved public sector performance has preoccupied policymakers, managers, and analysts around the world. There is broad enthusiasm for performance-based initiatives to remedy service delivery failures, but conceptual boundaries are often vague, and empirical evidence for their effectiveness is mixed. This article reviews current thinking regarding service delivery improvement, and assesses several pathways to improved performance. We examine the pathways pursued in Indonesia’s rich experience with service delivery improvement, which shed particular light on the political economic factors shaping performance-based initiatives, and draw implications for reforms in other settings. Points for practitioners Our review of pathways for performance-enhancing reforms in Indonesia suggests that decentralization strongly influences the prospects of other pathways, but service improvements often depend on the center utilizing its leverage to monitor performance and strengthen incentives for implementing reforms. In the long term, unless accountabilities between districts and both providers and communities are strengthened, it is unlikely that existing performance incentives will operate as intended. Indonesia’s experience suggests that addressing political economic factors implies recognizing the multi-actor nature of governance and service delivery systems, and in pursuing both central and local levers for changed incentives.