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Kinds of Study Support Selected AbstractsModulation of plasma lipid levels affects benzo[a]pyrene-induced DNA damage in tissues of two hyperlipidemic mouse modelsENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 4 2003Daniëlle M.J. Curfs Abstract The role of plasma lipids in the uptake, transportation, and distribution of lipophilic carcinogens like benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) remains unclear. Therefore, we studied the effects of dietary-modulated plasma lipids on B[a]P-induced DNA damage in several organs of two hyperlipidemic mouse models. Male apolipoprotein E (ApoE)*3-Leiden (n = 22) and ApoE knockout (ApoE-KO) mice (n = 20) were fed a high-fat cholesterol (HFC) diet or low-fat cholesterol (LFC; standard mouse chow) diet for 3 weeks, after which the animals were exposed to a single oral dose of 5 mg/kg bw B[a]P or vehicle and killed 4 days later. Plasma lipids were determined and DNA adducts were measured in aorta, heart, lung, liver, brain, and stomach. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were increased in all animals on a HFC diet, whereas a decrease of triglycerides was seen only in the ApoE-KO mice. In ApoE-KO mice on a normal diet, DNA-adduct levels were highest in aorta (10.8 ± 1.4 adducts/108 nucleotides), followed by brain (7.8 ± 1.3), lung (3.3 ± 0.7), heart (3.1 ± 0.6), liver (1.5 ± 0.2) and stomach (1.2 ± 0.2). In the ApoE*3-Leiden mice, adduct levels were equally high in aorta, heart, and lung (4.6 ± 0.7, 5.0 ± 0.5 and 4.6 ± 0.4, respectively), followed by stomach (2.7 ± 0.4), brain (2.3 ± 0.2), and liver (1.7 ± 0.2). In the ApoE-KO mice, the HFC diet intervention resulted in lower adduct levels in lung (2.1 ± 0.2), heart (1.9 ± 0.2), and brain (2.9 ± 0.5), as compared with the LFC group. In contrast, a nonsignificant increase of adducts was found in aorta (13.1 ± 1.5). A similar but nonsignificant trend was observed in the ApoE*3-Leiden mice. Multiple regression analysis showed that in aorta, DNA adducts were inversely related to plasma triglycerides (P = 0.004) and were also modulated by the ApoE genotype (P < 0.001). The results of the present study support further investigation into the role of dietary modulation of plasma lipids, ApoE, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure on the formation of DNA adducts in chronic degenerative diseases. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 42:243,249, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Naltrexone versus acamprosate in the treatment of alcohol dependence: a multi-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialADDICTION, Issue 10 2006Kirsten C. Morley ABSTRACT Aim To compare the efficacy of acamprosate and naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol dependence., Design A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial., Setting Three treatment centres in Australia., Participants A total of 169 alcohol dependent subjects were given naltrexone (50 mg/day), acamprosate (1998 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Intervention All subjects were offered manualized compliance therapy, a brief intervention that targets problems that may affect treatment compliance such as ambivalence and misperceptions about medication. Measurements Time to the first drink, time to first relapse, drinks per drinking day and cumulative abstinence. Findings In intention-to-treat analyses, there were no differences between groups on outcome measures of drinking, craving or biochemical markers. Similarly, analyses of the 94 subjects that completed the study in full and demonstrated 80% compliance, revealed no significant treatment effects. Differential treatment effects were identified after stratification according to scores on the Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS) and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). A significant beneficial treatment effect on time to first relapse was revealed for subjects with ,no depression' allocated to naltrexone (n = 56; P < 0.01). In addition, a significant beneficial treatment effect was revealed in subjects with ,low dependence' allocated to naltrexone (n = 34; P < 0.05). Conclusions The results of this study support the efficacy of naltrexone in the relapse prevention of alcoholism amongst those with low levels of clinical depression and alcohol dependence severity. No effect of acamprosate was found in our sample. [source] Role of preliminary etching for one-step self-etch adhesivesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 5 2010Michael Taschner Taschner M, Nato F, Mazzoni A, Frankenberger R, Krämer N, Di Lenarda R, Petschelt A, Breschi L. Role of preliminary etching for one-step self-etch adhesives. Eur J Oral Sci 2010; 118: 517,524. © 2010 Eur J Oral Sci The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of preliminary phosphoric acid etching of enamel and dentine before the application of two, one-step self-etch adhesive systems. The systems were applied onto acid-etched or smear-layer-covered enamel and dentine. The treatment groups were as follows: group 1, Adper Easy Bond (3M ESPE) on etched substrate; group 2, Adper Easy Bond (control); group 3, iBond Self-Etch (Heraeus Kulzer) on etched substrate; and group 4, iBond Self-Etch (control). Enamel and dentine bond strengths were calculated using microshear and microtensile bond-strength tests. Additional specimens were prepared to evaluate nanoleakage at the dentine,adhesive interface and were investigated using light microscopy or transmission electron microscopy. Both adhesives demonstrated higher microshear bond strengths when enamel was pre-acid-etched with phosphoric acid (Adper Easy Bond 28.7 ± 4.8 MPa; iBond Self-Etch 19.7 ± 3.6 MPa) compared with controls (Adper Easy Bond 19.2 ± 3.3 MPa; iBond Self-Etch 17.5 ± 2.7 MPa) and increased microtensile bond strength when applied on acid-etched (Adper Easy Bond 35.8 ± 5.7 MPa; iBond Self-Etch 24.3 ± 7.9 MPa) vs. smear-layer-covered dentine (Adper Easy Bond 26.9 ± 6.2 MPa; iBond Self-Etch 17.6 ± 4.3 MPa). Adper Easy Bond showed lower nanoleakage than iBond Self-Etch, irrespective of preliminary etching. The results of this study support the use of phosphoric acid etching before the application of one-step self-etch adhesive systems. [source] The test of self-conscious affect: internal structure, differential scales and relationships with long-term affectsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 6 2001Johnny R. J. Fontaine Item analyses and confirmatory factor analyses on the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA), in a student (N,=,723) and an adult (N,=,891) sample, supported the theorized four factor structure of proneness to reparation, negative self-evaluation, externalizing blame and unconcern. However, two-fifth of the items did not empirically differentiate between two or more factors. Differential TOSCA scales, including only differentiating TOSCA items, were constructed and related to measures of long-term affect, depression, anxiety, and anger. Both the pattern and size of correlations of the original and the differential TOSCA scales were almost identical. Results of this study support the interpretation of TOSCA guilt as a measure of a tendency to reparation associated with guilt and TOSCA shame as a measure of a tendency to global negative self-evaluation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Chaperone activity of recombinant maize chloroplast protein synthesis elongation factor, EF-TuFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 18 2004Damodara Rao The protein synthesis elongation factor, EF-Tu, is a protein that carries aminoacyl-tRNA to the A-site of the ribosome during the elongation phase of protein synthesis. In maize (Zea mays L) this protein has been implicated in heat tolerance, and it has been hypothesized that EF-Tu confers heat tolerance by acting as a molecular chaperone and protecting heat-labile proteins from thermal aggregation and inactivation. In this study we investigated the effect of the recombinant precursor of maize EF-Tu (pre-EF-Tu) on thermal aggregation and inactivation of the heat-labile proteins, citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase. The recombinant pre-EF-Tu was purified from Escherichia coli expressing this protein, and mass spectrometry confirmed that the isolated protein was indeed maize EF-Tu. The purified protein was capable of binding GDP (indicative of protein activity) and was stable at 45 °C, the highest temperature used in this study to test this protein for possible chaperone activity. Importantly, the recombinant maize pre-EF-Tu displayed chaperone activity. It protected citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase from thermal aggregation and inactivation. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of chaperone activity by a plant/eukaryotic pre-EF-Tu protein. The results of this study support the hypothesis that maize EF-Tu plays a role in heat tolerance by acting as a molecular chaperone and protecting chloroplast proteins from thermal aggregation and inactivation. [source] The effect of business strategies and HRM policies on organizational performance: The Greek experienceGLOBAL BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, Issue 6 2008Anastasia A. Katou This article investigates the relationship between simultaneity in decisions regarding business strategies and human resource management (HRM) policies and their impact on organizational performance. The research is based on a sample of 178 organizations operating in the Greek manufacturing sector. The results of this study support the hypothesis that when business strategies and HRM policies are developed simultaneously, they positively affect organizational performance. This is more valid for decisions taken simultaneously with respect to quality and employee development, innovation and employee rewards and relations, and cost and employee resourcing. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] ADHD rating scale IV: psychometric properties from a multinational study as clinician-administered instrumentINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 4 2005S. Zhang Abstract The development of rating scales for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has traditionally focused on parent- or teacher-rated scales. However, clinician-based instruments are valuable tools for assessing ADHD symptom severity The ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD RS), clinician administered and scored, has been validated as a useful instrument to assess ADHD symptoms among American children and adolescents. In this study, we assessed the psychometric properties of the scale in a recent clinical trial conducted mainly in Europe with over 600 children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. The trial was conducted in 11 European countries plus Australia, Israel, and South Africa. Results based on data in the study indicate that this version of the scale has acceptable psychometric properties including inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, factor structure, convergent and divergent validity, discriminant validity, and responsiveness. There were low-to-moderate ceiling and floor effects. The psychometric properties were comparable with other validated scales for assessing ADHD symptom severity. These results were consistent across the 14 countries participating in this trial. Overall, the data from this study support the use of the ADHD RS as a clinician-rated instrument for assessing the severity of ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents in Europe. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Individual quality of life in schizophrenic patients , description and applicability of GRIDQoL in a computer-based versionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 3 2001Vibeke Noerholm Abstract The measurement of individual quality of life in patients with schizophrenia has been limited to clinician-rated instruments. The repertory grid is a clinician-assisted method to measure individual quality of life that has been found to be more sensitive than questionnaires in a clinical trial with patients with anxiety. In this pilot study the applicability of the GRIDQoL repertory grid method was evaluated in patients with schizophrenia. Free personal constructs were elicited at the first visit using the GRIDQoL technique, a semi-structured interview technique whereby the clinician helps the patient to develop his or her personal quality of life scale. The fixed psychological constructs were based on the PCASEE index. The results showed that the PCASEE index was adequate with respect to the fixed GRIDQoL constructs. The free constructs were illustrated for a selected patient, including the factor scores as outcome measures. In total 73% of the patients, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, were willing and able to test their quality of life. The results of this pilot study support further development of the GRIDQoL module for schizophrenic patients. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Social workers' attitudes to the law: an Israeli perspectiveINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WELFARE, Issue 1 2010Israel Doron Doron I, Karpel M, Or-Chen K. Social workers' attitudes to the law: an Israeli perspective Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 95,103 © 2009 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. In recent years, there has been a general shift towards integration and cooperation between lawyers and social workers, both professionally and ideologically. The goal of this study was to explore the general attitudes of social workers toward the law. The hypothesis was that, due to the recent legal and professional changes in Israel, social workers would express positive attitudes towards the law. For the purpose of this study, a closed questionnaire containing 25 statements regarding the law and its relationship to social work was used. The research population consisted of 202 social workers from Haifa and the Northern region of Israel. The findings of this study support the hypothesis that there is indeed a tendency to closer ideological and professional proximity between social work and the law in Israel. However, especially regarding courts and the litigation process, their attitudes in response to the statements were relatively less favourable. [source] Synergistic effect of enterocin AS-48 in combination with outer membrane permeabilizing treatments against Escherichia coli O157:H7JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2005S. Ananou Abstract Aims:, To determine the effects of outer membrane (OM) permeabilizing agents on the antimicrobial activity of enterocin AS-48 against Escherichia coli O157:H7 CECT 4783 strain in buffer and apple juice. Methods and Results:, We determined the influence of pH, EDTA, sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and heat on E. coli O157:H7 CECT 4783 sensitivity to enterocin AS-48 in buffer and in apple juice. Enterocin AS-48 was not active against intact cells of E. coli O157:H7 CECT 4783 at neutral pH. However, cells sublethally injured by OM permeabilizing agents (EDTA, STPP, pH 5, pH 8·6 and heat) became sensitive to AS-48, decreasing the amount of bacteriocin required for inhibition of E. coli O157:H7 CECT 4783. Conclusions:, The results presented indicate that enterocin AS-48 could potentially be applied with a considerably wider range of protective agents, such as OM permeabilizing agents, with increased efficacy in inhibiting E. coli O157:H7. Significance and Impact of the Study:, Results from this study support the potential use of enterocin AS-48 to control E. coli O157:H7 in combination with other hurdles. [source] The Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities in TaiwanJOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 3 2007Yueh-Ching Chou Background, Taiwanese family carers of people with intellectual disabilities not only suffer from long-term stress but also need to cope with social difficulties. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) among family carers of people with intellectual disabilities. Materials and methods, A census interview survey was conducted in Hsin-Chu City in Taiwan and included the primary family caregivers of 792 adults with intellectual disability who were living with their families. The survey packet contained the WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan-version scale with four core domains and the activities of daily life/instrumental activities of daily life (ADL/IADL) scales. Results, The mean score for ,physical' was highest and that for ,environment' was lowest. The strongest predictors of caregivers QOL were the caregiver's health status, their family income and the level of severity of the intellectual disability of the adult. Conclusions, The results of the study support the need to expand services and individualize support to families of adults with intellectual disability living in family homes. [source] The Mechanism of Pause-Induced Torsade de Pointes in Long QT SyndromeJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2005JINQIU LIU M.D. Introduction: Torsade de pointes (TdP), is often preceded by a short-long cycle length sequence. However, the causal relationship between the pause associated with a short-long cycle length sequence and TdP is not completely understood. This study tests the hypothesis that a pause enhances both dispersion of repolarization and EAD formation; however, EADs that form where APD is longest will be less likely to initiate TdP. Methods and Results: We used optical mapping to measure transmural action potentials from the canine left ventricular wedge preparation. D-sotalol and ATX-II were used to mimic LQT2 and LQT3, respectively. The pause significantly enhanced mean APD (from 356 ± 20 to 381 ± 25 msec in LQT2, P < 0.05; from 609 ± 92 to 675 ± 98 msec in LQT3, P < 0.05) and transmural dispersion (from 35 ± 9 to 46 ± 11 msec in LQT2, P < 0.05; from 121 ± 85 to 171 ± 98 msec in LQT3, P < 0.05) compared to steady state pacing. Under LQT3 condition EADs, EAD-induced triggered activity, and TdP were more likely to occur following a pause. Interestingly, the triggered beat following a pause always broke through at the region of maximum local repolarization gradient. Conclusion: These data suggest that a pause accentuates transmural repolarization gradients and facilitates the formation of EADs and EAD-induced triggered activity. In contrast to our hypothesis, the findings of this study support the concept that M-cells (where APD is longest) can play an important role in both the origination of EAD-induced triggered activity and unidirectional block associated with TdP. [source] Oxidative status in iron-deficiency anemiaJOURNAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY ANALYSIS, Issue 5 2009Jong-Ha Yoo Abstract Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidant molecules that can play an important role in the pathogenesis of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). The aim of this study was to investigate oxidative status in patients with IDA and alteration of oxidative status after iron treatment. Thirty-three female patients with IDA and 25 healthy controls were included in this study. Oxidant and total antioxidant capacity were determined using free oxygen radicals test and free oxygen radicals defence (Form CR 3000, Callegari, Parma, Italy). Catalase activity was measured by spectrophotometer using a commercially available kit (Bioxytech Catalase-520, OxisResearch, Portland, OR). Oxidant activity in patients with IDA was significantly higher than controls (P<0.05), while total antioxidant and catalase activity were significantly lower (P<0.05). After treatment, oxidant, antioxidant, and catalase activity reached the levels of the control group, and no significant differences were observed among groups (P>0.05). In conclusion, our data indicate that blood reactive oxygen species was lower and total antioxidant and catalase activity were higher after rather than before treatment in patients with IDA. The results of our study support the higher oxidative stress hypothesis in IDA; however, due to the limited number of cases included, more studies may be required to confirm the results. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 23:319,323, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Cardiovascular Limitations and Symptoms Profile in patients with coronary heart diseaseJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 17 2008Violeta Lopez Aims and objectives., The aim of this study was to translate from English and evaluate the validity, reliability and cultural relevance of the Cardiovascular Limitations and Symptoms Profile (CLASP) as a health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) measure in Chinese patients with coronary heart disease. Background., Improvement in HRQL is increasingly used as a primary outcome in determining the treatment benefit using a generic instrument. However, disease-specific instruments are being cited as more responsive and sensitive in detecting even the smallest changes in health status. Therefore, valid and reliable disease-specific measures for patients with coronary heart disease are now being developed and evaluated. Design., Questionnaire design. Methods., The translation equivalence and content validity of the Chinese version of CLASP were evaluated by an expert panel. Measurement performance was tested on a convenience sample of 369 Chinese coronary heart disease patients. Results., The instrument demonstrated good content validity (content validity index 0·94), acceptable internal consistency (>0·70), except for two subscales of angina and tiredness and significant positive correlations among the subscales of CLASP, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and the Short Form 36 Health Survey. Principal components analysis revealed nine factors that together explained 69% of the variance. Conclusions., The results of this study support that CLASP is a valid and reliable disease-specific health status measure for Chinese patients with coronary heart disease. However, further item modifications and testings are needed when considering the cross-cultural context. Relevance to clinical practice., The use of disease-specific HRQL measures could effectively evaluate nursing interventions in clinical practice. Further validations of CLASP among different diagnostic groups, such as patients with heart failure and those who have survived an acute myocardial infarction, would provide further empirical support for its use with all patients with heart disorders. [source] Perspectives on consumer decision making: an integrated approachJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 6 2005Torben Hansen Abstract In the consumer behaviour literature several perspectives on consumer decision making have been considered, including the ,value perspective', the ,information processing perspective', the ,emotional perspective' and ,cue utilisation theory'. In this paper, a framework which integrates several perspectives on consumer decision making and hypothesises possible links between several basic constructs is developed. The framework is tested by the use of two experimental designs. The results of this study support the complexity of consumer decision making with the following findings. First, consumers do not use their cognitive and affective skills independently, rather they affect each other. Secondly, the cognitive, evaluative constructs of quality and attitude had significant direct effects on buying intention in both experiments, whereas the affective construct of emotion had no significant effects on buying intention in both experiments. Thirdly, in both experiments price affected perceived quality, which in turn affected attitude, which in turn affected buying intention. At the same time, price had no direct effect on buying intention. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Waiting list management: priority criteria or first-in first-out?JOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2009A case for total joint replacement Abstract Background, Total joint replacements are interventions with large waiting times from indication to the surgery management. These patients can be managed in two ways; first-in first-out or through a priority tool. The aim of this study was to compare real time on waiting list (TWL) with a priority criteria score, developed by our team, in patients awaiting joint replacement due to osteoarthritis. Methods, Consecutive patients placed on waiting list were eligible. Patients fulfilled a questionnaire which included items of our priority tool and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) specific questionnaire. Other priority items were extracted from the clinical history. The priority tool gives a score from 0 to 100 points, and three categories (urgent, preferent and ordinary). We studied the differences among categories and TWL by means of one-way analysis of variance. Correlational analysis was used to evaluate association among priority score and TWL and WOMAC baseline and gains at 6 months with priority score and TWL. Results, We have studied 684 patients. Women represented 62% of sample. The mean age was 70 years. There were not association between the categories of priority score and TWL (P = 0.12). The rho correlation coefficient between TWL and priority score was ,0.11. Among baseline WOMAC scores and priority score, the rho coefficients were 0.79, 0.7 and 0.52 with function, pain and stiffness dimensions, respectively. There were differences in the mean scores of WOMAC dimensions according to the three priority categories (P < 0.001) but no with TWL categories. Data of gains in both health-related quality of life dimensions at 6 months were similar, with differences according to priority categories but no regarding TWL. Conclusions, The results of the study support the necessity of implementing a prioritization system instead of the actual system if we want to manage the waiting list for joint replacement with clinical equity. [source] Cerebral dominance and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in adults with intellectual disabilityJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 6 2000D. Rowe Abstract Studies of the general population without intellectual disability have suggested an association between atypical handedness and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSDs). Mixed handedness is taken as an index of diminished cerebral dominance or laterality. The present study addressed the question of whether such findings extend to the neurodevelopmentally ,at risk' population of adults with intellectual disability and SSDs compared with appropriate controls. Fourteen patients with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability and SSD were compared with 14 controls with intellectual disability alone. Assessments of self-reported hand preference and relative hand skill were completed. Self-report of hand preference revealed highly significantly greater mixed-handedness in the SSD group. Furthermore, relative hand skill performance was significantly diminished for the dominant hand. The discrepancy between dominant and non-dominant hand functioning was lower in the SSD group and this association was highly significant. The results of the present study support the usefulness of such detailed laterality assessment in this population. Mixed laterality, over and above that of the population with general intellectual disability and developmental disorder, was associated with SSD. These results are consistent with the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia and its cognitive neuropsychiatric/neuropsychological sequelae. [source] Immediate and 3-Month Follow-Up Outcome After Cutting Balloon Angioplasty for Bifurcation LesionsJOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004HIDEO TAKEBAYASHI M.D. Balloon angioplasty of a bifurcation lesion is associated with lower rates of success and higher rates of complications than such treatment of lesions of most other morphologies. To date, the best device or procedure for bifurcation lesions has not been determined. The aim of this study was to compare the immediate and 3-month follow-up outcome of cutting balloon angioplasty (CBA) versus conventional balloon angioplasty (PTCA) for the treatment of bifurcation lesions. We treated 87 consecutive bifurcation lesions with CBA (n = 50) or PTCA (n = 37). Paired angiograms were analyzed by quantitative angiography, and angiographic follow-up was achieved for 93% of the lesions. The procedural success was 92% in the CBA group and 76% in the PTCA group (P < 0.05). Major in-hospital complications occurred in two lesions in the CBA group and six in the PTCA group (P = 0.05). The incidence of bail-out stenting in the CBA group was lower than in the conventional PTCA (8% vs 24%, P < 0.05). At the 3-month follow-up, the restenosis rate was 40% in the CBA group versus 67% in the PTCA group (P < 0.05). Clinical events during follow-up did not differ between the two groups. In conclusion, in comparison with PTCA, procedural success was greater and the restenosis rate lower with CBA. The results of this study support the use of the cutting balloon as optimal treatment for bifurcation lesions. (J Interven Cardiol 2004;17:1,7) [source] Functional morphology and patterns of blood flow in the heart of Python regius,JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 6 2009J. Matthias Starck Abstract Brightness-modulated ultrasonography, continuous-wave Doppler, and pulsed-wave Doppler-echocardiography were used to analyze the functional morphology of the undisturbed heart of ball pythons. In particular, the action of the muscular ridge and the atrio-ventricular valves are key features to understand how patterns of blood flow emerge from structures directing blood into the various chambers of the heart. A step-by-step image analysis of echocardiographs shows that during ventricular diastole, the atrio-ventricular valves block the interventricular canals so that blood from the right atrium first fills the cavum venosum, and blood from the left atrium fills the cavum arteriosum. During diastole, blood from the cavum venosum crosses the muscular ridge into the cavum pulmonale. During middle to late systole the muscular ridge closes, thus prohibiting further blood flow into the cavum pulmonale. At the same time, the atrio-ventricular valves open the interventricular canal and allow blood from the cavum arteriosum to flow into the cavum venosum. In the late phase of ventricular systole, all blood from the cavum pulmonale is pressed into the pulmonary trunk; all blood from the cavum venosum is pressed into both aortas. Quantitative measures of blood flow volume showed that resting snakes bypass the pulmonary circulation and shunt about twice the blood volume into the systemic circulation as into the pulmonary circulation. When digesting, the oxygen demand of snakes increased tremendously. This is associated with shunting more blood into the pulmonary circulation. The results of this study allow the presentation of a detailed functional model of the python heart. They are also the basis for a functional hypothesis of how shunting is achieved. Further, it was shown that shunting is an active regulation process in response to changing demands of the organism (here, oxygen demand). Finally, the results of this study support earlier reports about a dual pressure circulation in Python regius. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Activity of the lactate,alanine shuttle is independent of glutamate,glutamine cycle activity in cerebellar neuronal,astrocytic culturesJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 1-2 2005Lasse K. Bak Abstract The glutamate,glutamine cycle describes the neuronal release of glutamate into the synaptic cleft, astrocytic uptake, and conversion into glutamine, followed by release for use as a neuronal glutamate precursor. This only explains the fate of the carbon atoms, however, and not that of the ammonia. Recently, a role for alanine has been proposed in transfer of ammonia between glutamatergic neurons and astrocytes, denoted the lactate,alanine shuttle (Waagepetersen et al. [ 2000] J. Neurochem. 75:471,479). The role of alanine in this context has been studied further using cerebellar neuronal cultures and corresponding neuronal,astrocytic cocultures. A superfusion paradigm was used to induce repetitively vesicular glutamate release by N -methyl- D -aspartate (NMDA) in the neurons, allowing the relative activity dependency of the lactate,alanine shuttle to be assessed. [15N]Alanine (0.2 mM), [2- 15N]/[5- 15N]glutamine (0.25 mM), and [15N]ammonia (0.3 mM) were used as precursors and cell extracts were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Labeling from [15N]alanine in glutamine, aspartate, and glutamate in cerebellar cocultures was independent of depolarization of the neurons. Employing glutamine with the amino group labeled ([2- 15N]glutamine) as the precursor, an activity-dependent increase in the labeling of both glutamate and aspartate (but not alanine) was observed in the cerebellar neurons. When the amide group of glutamine was labeled ([5- 15N]glutamine), no labeling could be detected in the analyzed metabolites. Altogether, the results of this study support the existence of the lactate,alanine shuttle and the associated glutamate,glutamine cycle. No direct coupling of the two shuttles was observed, however, and only the glutamate,glutamine cycle seemed activity dependent. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Job stress, recognition, job performance and intention to stay at work among Jordanian hospital nursesJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2008RAEDA FAWZI ABUALRUB PhD Purpose, To investigate: (1) relationships between job stress, recognition of nurses' performance, job performance and intention to stay among hospital nurses; and (2) the buffering effect of recognition of staff performance on the ,stress,intention to stay at work' relationship. Background, Workplace stress tremendously affects today's workforce. Recognition of nurses' performance needs further investigation to determine if it enhances the level of intention to stay at work and if it can buffer the negative effects of stress on nurses' intention to stay at work. Design and methods, The sample of the present study was a convenience one. It consisted of 206 Jordanian staff nurses who completed a structured questionnaire. Results, The findings of the study indicated a direct and a buffering effect of recognition of nurses' performance on job stress and the level of intention to stay at work. Conclusion, The results of the study indicated the importance of recognition for outstanding performance as well as achievements. Implications for nursing management, The results of this study support the need to focus on the implementation of recognition strategies in the workplace to reduce job stress and enhance retention. [source] HEALTH POLICY AND SYSTEMS: Critical Thinking of Nurse Managers Related to Staff RNs' Perceptions of the Practice EnvironmentJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 3 2010NEA-BC, Susan Zori RN Abstract Background Information and Significance: Critical thinking (CT) skills and the inclination to engage in critical thinking are essential for nurse managers to function as transformational leaders capable of influencing staff to align with organizational goals. In an extensive literature review, numerous studies were found examining the concept of CT in students and no studies were found exploring CT in nurse managers. Identifying the attributes, such as CT, that lead to success in the nurse manager role is useful when preparing nurse managers to lead effectively in the current healthcare climate. Research Question: Is there a difference between nurse managers' CT dispositions and their respective staff nurses' perceptions of the practice environment? Design: A convenience sample of 12 nurse managers and a random sample of 132 of their respective staff registered nurses (RNs) participated in this descriptive study. CT in nurse managers was measured by the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). Staff RNs' perceptions of the practice environment were measured by the Practice Environment Scale (PES). The research question was answered using a t test. Findings: Significant (p < .001) differences were found between specific nurse managers' CCTDI scores for open-mindedness, analyticity, and critical thinking confidence, and significant differences (p < .01) were found for systematicity when compared with their respective staff RNs' mean subscale and overall PES scores. Conclusions: Results of the study support the positive relationship between strength in critical thinking dispositions of nurse managers and their respective staff RNs' perceptions of the practice environment. Nurse managers with stronger CT dispositions may be better able to create positive practice environments that are conducive to job satisfaction and thus the retention of staff RNs. Inclusion of strategies to support the development and use of CT in nurse managers is recommended. CT and other leadership attributes and skills including emotional and social intelligence and management of change through an appreciative inquiry process may provide opportunities to improve leadership effectiveness in nurse managers. Clinical Relevance: Enhancing critical thinking skills and dispositions of nurse managers may help to create positive work environments for staff RNs. Staff RNs who work in an environment perceived to be positive may be in a better position to deliver high quality, safe patient care. [source] Effect of GDF-7 deficiency on tail tendon phenotype in miceJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 6 2008Borjana Mikic Abstract The subfamily of growth/differentiation factors (GDFs) known as GDFs 5, 6, and 7 appears to be involved in tendon maintenance and repair, although the precise nature of this role has yet to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of GDF-7 in tendon maintenance by studying tail tendon fascicle gene expression, composition, and material property strain rate dependency in 16-week-old male and female GDF-7 deficient mice. GDF-7 deficiency did not affect the biochemical composition of tail tendon fascicles, nor did it significantly affect the tensile material properties obtained at either slow (5%/s) or fast (50%/s) strain rates. Further, no difference was found between genotypes in the strain rate sensitivity of any tensile material property. Consistent with the compositional analyses, QRT-PCR data did not reveal any differences of twofold or greater in the gene expression levels of collagens I, III, V, nor in the proteoglycans decorin, fibromodulin, lumican, biglycan, versican, or aggrecan. Gdf5 expression was upregulated twofold in GDF-7 deficient tail tendons, and Bmp7 expression was downregulated twofold. No notable differences in expression levels for Bmp1-6 or Gdf6 were detected. GDF-5 protein levels were 50% higher in GDF-7 deficient tail tendon compared to wild type tail tendon. The results of this study support the intriguing possibility that compensation by Gdf-5 may be at least in part responsible for the absence of a strong phenotype in GDF-7 deficient mice. © 2008 Orthopaedic Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 26:834,839, 2008 [source] Effect of a Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification Program on the Bone Density of Male Heavy DrinkersALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2010Toshifumi Matsui Background:, Heavy alcohol drinking is implicated in osteoporosis. Although abstinence is rapidly followed by a restoration of osteoblastic activity, little is known about the contributions of alcohol-related factors or the effectiveness of a lifestyle modification program (LMP) on bone density. Methods:, We conducted a study of 138 male alcoholic patients to investigate whether drinking history and concurrent factors were associated with the bone density of the calcaneus. A 2.5-months LMP in an institutionalized setting was completed by 20 of them, and its effect on bone density, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), and 1.25-(OH)2 vitamin D levels were assessed. Results:, The patients had a high prevalence of daytime drinking (93.5%), continuous drinking (84.1%), and current smoking (82.0%) with mean duration of alcohol abuse of 30.0 ± 12.8 years. The patients had lower bone density than a reference control group (Z-scores: ,0.45 ± 1.02). Multiple stepwise regression analysis identified age, poor activities of daily living (ADL), continuous drinking, absence of liver cirrhosis, depression, and dementia as determinants of low bone density. The bone density of the 20 participants in the LMP improved 2.3% (p = 0.0003) with a more ameliorating effect on bone density than a conventional abstinence therapy (p = 0.014 for interventional effect). The upper normal range of PTH levels at baseline were significantly decreased, and 1.25-(OH)2 vitamin D levels also had a trend toward decrease during the abstinence. Conclusions:, Alcoholic patients may have many complications such as poor ADL and dementia, which are independently associated with decreased bone density. The results of this study support the idea that comprehensive approach to lifestyle factors to minimize risk of osteoporosis is the best way to improve bone density. [source] Making formative assessment discernable to pre-service teachers of scienceJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 4 2010Gayle A. Buck Abstract The purpose of this pragmatic action research study was to explore our re-conceptualization efforts in preparing pre-service teachers to guide the inquiry process with formative assessment and subsequently use the understandings to improve our teacher preparation program. The process was guided by two questions: to what extent did course re-conceptualization efforts lead to a more informed understanding of formative assessment by pre-service teachers and did strategies enacted in the re-conceptualized methods course foster or hinder pre-service teachers' understanding of formative assessment? Data from this study support the following findings: (1) a substantial pre- to post-methods course difference was realized in the pre-service teachers' understanding of formative assessment; (2) explicit and contextualized approaches to formative assessment in the methods course led to increased understandings by pre-service teachers; (3) an implicit approach led to improvements in course structure but did not foster pre-service teachers' understanding of the reflexive nature of formative assessment; and (4) a field-based case study on elementary science teaching both hindered and fostered our efforts with formative assessment. This study yields implications for pre-service teacher education on formative assessment. To foster pre-service teachers' knowledge and skills, we suggest explicit instruction on formative assessment combined with case studies, field experiences, and ongoing reflection. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 47: 402,421, 2010 [source] Personality dimensions of sexually transmitted disease repeaters assessed with the Millon Clinical Multiaxial InventoryJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 1 2002M Bjekíc Abstract Objective To assess the personality characteristics of patients with repeated sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Method A case,control study comparing 101 STD repeaters (subjects with a lifetime history of three or more STDs) with 182 controls who had no history of STD. All subjects attended the City Department for Skin and Venereal Diseases in Belgrade (Yugoslavia) from June 1997 to April 1998. Personality characteristics was assessed by the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI). Results The analysis of MCMI test showed that STD repeaters had higher scores on narcissistic, antisocial and paranoid scales. The difference between STD repeaters and the controls was significant on antisocial, psychotic thinking and psychotic delusion scales, although scores on clinical syndromes were low for both cases and controls. Discriminant analysis showed that antisocial personality was predictive for STD repeaters. Conclusions This study support the hypothesis that STD repeaters are different from controls in terms of their psychological characteristics. The behaviour of STD repeaters is ego,syntonic, which makes the treatment of their personality difficult and emphasizes the importance of work on primary and secondary prevention of STD. [source] Growth and nutrient uptake of tea under different aluminium concentrationsJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 9 2008Ka Fai Fung Abstract BACKGROUND: The uptake of essential nutrients such as P, Fe, K, Ca and Mg is depressed by Al in most plants. This study aimed to investigate the concentrations at which Al could be toxic to C. sinensis. The suppression of nutrient uptake was investigated by comparing growth and nutrient uptake at different Al doses. The quantification of Al in apoplasm, symplasm and cell wall of C. sinensis was also studied. RESULTS: In the absence of Al, the growth of C. sinensis was retarded. Test doses over 1 mM Al were toxic to C. sinensis. At concentrations of 0.25 or 0.5 mM, distinct rhizostimulation was noted, and within a short period (2 weeks), the biomass of these seedlings increased by 44 and 35%, respectively, compared to 0 and 14% in control and 1 mM Al, respectively. In general, at beneficial doses (0.25, 0.5), Al stimulated the uptake of Ca, Mg, K and Mn, whereas the uptake of Fe, Cu and Zn was retarded. Fine roots of the seedlings had the highest levels of Al, compared to leaves, branches and main roots. In the root tips, most of the Al was present in the soluble fractions of the apoplasm and symplasm, and very low levels of Al was bound to the cell walls, which was in good agreement with the observed mobility of Al in C. sinensis. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study support the view that Al plays a nutritive role for C. sinensis. The rhizostimulatory effects of Al on C. sinensis have been explained as a consequence of enhanced nutrient uptake. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source] In vivo inhibition of antiphospholipid antibody-induced pathogenicity utilizing the antigenic target peptide domain I of ,2 -glycoprotein I: proof of conceptJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 5 2009Y. IOANNOU Summary.,Objectives:,In the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), the immunodominant epitope for the majority of circulating pathogenic antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) is the N-terminal domain I (DI) of ,2 -glycoprotein I. We have previously shown that recombinant DI inhibits the binding of aPLs in fluid phase to immobilized native antigen, and that this inhibition is greater with the DI(D8S/D9G) mutant and absent with the DI(R39S) mutant. Hence, we hypothesized that DI and DI(D8S/D9G) would inhibit aPL-induced pathogenicity in vivo. Methods:,C57BL/6 mice (n = 5, each group) were injected with purified IgG derived from APS patients (IgG-APS, 500 ,g) or IgG from normal healthy serum (IgG-NHS) and either recombinant DI, DI(R39S), DI(D8S/D9G), or an irrelevant control peptide (at 10,40 ,g). Outcome variables measured were femoral vein thrombus dynamics in treated and control groups following standardized vessel injury, expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) on the aortic endothelial surface, and tissue factor (TF) activity in murine macrophages. Results:,IgG-APS significantly increased thrombus size as compared with IgG-NHS. The IgG-APS thrombus enhancement effect was abolished in mice pretreated with recombinant DI (P , 0.0001) and DI(D8S/D9G) (P , 0.0001), but not in those treated with DI(R39S) or control peptide. This inhibitory effect by DI was dose-dependent, and at lower doses DI(D8S/D9G) was a more potent inhibitor of thrombosis than wild-type DI (P , 0.01). DI also inhibited IgG-APS induction of VCAM-1 on the aortic endothelial surface and TF production by murine macrophages. Conclusion:,Our findings in this proof-of-concept study support the development of recombinant DI or the novel variant DI(D8S/D9G) as a potential future therapeutic agent for APS. [source] Minority Business Access to Mainstream MarketsJOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2001Timothy Bates As minority-owned firms have penetrated the broader national marketplace,selling goods and services to corporate as well as government clients,the issue of capacity has surfaced. Particularly in government markets, one claim is that minority business enterprises (MBEs) are smaller, younger firms than nonminorities, and hence they often lack the capacity to compete effectively for government contracts. Affirmative action procurement programs, in this view, provide preferential treatment for less qualified businesses, generating reverse discrimination against the dominant, typically white-male group of business owners. A counterclaim, put forth by proponents of preferential procurement programs, is that discriminatory barriers such as entrenched old-boy networks impede MBE expansion into mainstream markets. Do the entrenched networks really thwart MBEs, or do they simply lack the capacity to compete? Empirical findings of this study support the discriminatory barrier explanation. [source] Use of Electrohydraulic Lithotripsy in 28 Dogs with Bladder and Urethral CalculiJOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2008A. Defarges Background: Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) has been used as an alternative to cystotomy in human medicine to remove urinary calculi. This prospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of EHL to remove urinary calculi in dogs. Hypothesis: EHL is an efficient and safe method of treatment of bladder and urethral calculi in dogs. Methods: Dogs presented between January 1, 2005 and June 1, 2007 with lower urinary tract calculi diagnosed by radiographs or ultrasound examination were included in the study. Physical examination, CBC, biochemistry, urinalysis, and urine culture were performed at presentation. EHL and voiding urohydropulsion were performed under general anesthesia. Patients received IV fluids for 12 hours after which they were rechecked by ultrasound examination and discharged with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs for 5 days. All patients were reevaluated 1, 3, and 6 months after presentation by physical examination, urinalysis, and ultrasonography. Results: Twenty-eight dogs (19 males, 9 females) presented with bladder or urethral calculi or both underwent lithotripsy. Their median weight was 8.3 kg. Calcium oxalate calculi were present in 22 dogs, struvite in 4, and mixed calculi in 2. Fragmentation was done in the bladder (23 dogs) and in the urethra (12 dogs). Calculus-free rate was higher for urethral than for bladder calculi in males and higher for bladder calculi in females than in males. No major complications were reported. Twelve dogs relapsed within 6 months. Conclusions: Results of this study support the use of EHL as a minimally invasive treatment for bladder calculi in females and for urethral calculi in male dogs. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||