National character does not reflect mean personality trait levels in 49 cultures

Most people hold beliefs about personality characteristics typical of members of their own and others' cultures. These perceptions of national character may be generalizations from personal experience, stereotypes with a "kernel of truth," or inaccurate stereotypes. We obtained national character ratings of 3989 people from 49 cultures and compared them with the average personality scores of culture members assessed by observer ratings and self-reports. National character ratings were reliable but did not converge with assessed traits. Perceptions of national character thus appear to be unfounded stereotypes that may serve the function of maintaining a national identity.

The role of facial response in the experience of emotion: More methodological problems and a meta-analysis

A recent review of the facial feedback literature by Laird (1984) suggested that the effect of facial movement on self-reported mood is large and consistent. In this article, two issues are discussed that suggest that these conclusions are unwarranted. First, methodological problems concerning the facial expressions used to represent valid analogs of emotion and the arousal value of the emotion-eliciting stimuli seriously bring into question the adequacy of the studies to test facial feedback as implied by Izard (1971, 1977) or Tomkins (1962, 1963). Second, even if one accepts the studies designed to represent tests of the effect of facial behavior on self-reported mood, Laird's (1984) box-score approach cannot provide an estimate of the magnitude of the effect. Using meta-analytic techniques (Hunter, Schmidt, & Jackson, 1983; Rosenthal, 1984), I show that the effect size of facial behavior on self-reported mood is actually only of small to moderate value and is most likely an inflated estimate. I conclude, on the basis of the evidence presently available, that the effect of facial feedback on emotional experience is less than convincing.

Rapid expansion of human adipose-derived stromal cells preserving multipotency

BACKGROUND

Adipose-derived stromal (stem) cells (ASC) have been shown to be of great therapeutic use in pre-clinical studies in diverse fields, but a standard expansion method has not been established. We investigated the effects of an endothelial growth medium (EGM-2) on ASC, focusing on proliferation and differentiation potentials.

METHODS

ASC were cultured in EGM-2 and DMEM. Doubling time and total cell number were compared between the two media. The proliferative effect of each growth factor supplemented in EGM-2 was also examined. Cultured cells in each medium were examined for surface marker expression using flow cytometry. Differentiation into the adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages was analyzed after culture in each medium.

RESULTS

ASC cultured with EGM-2 proliferated much more rapidly (10(5) times in 2 weeks) and reached the stationary phase earlier than those cultured with DMEM. Among the supplements contained in EGM-2, only fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) significantly promoted proliferation of ASC, although the proliferative effect of FGF-2 was much less than that of EGM-2, suggesting a synergism among other supplement factors. Flow cytometry and differentiation assays suggested that ASC cultured in EGM-2 preserved immunophenotype and differentiation capacity for at least three mesenchymal lineages (adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic), similar to those cultured with DMEM.

DISCUSSION

The present expansion method markedly accelerates proliferation of ASC, preserving their multipotent differentiation capacities, and lays the groundwork for establishing a practical route to mega-expansion of ASC for clinical applications.

A new nerve block procedure for the suprascapular nerve based on a cadaveric study

HYPOTHESIS

Shoulder pain after rotator cuff repair surgery is sometimes very severe. Suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) is a method used to relieve this shoulder pain, but is not always completely effective. The purpose of this study is to develop the new effective suprascapular nerve block procedure.

METHODS

To obtain an effective SSNB, we investigated an anatomic lesion of the sensory branches of the SSN in 8 cadavers and developed a new procedure. We evaluated its effectiveness by recording visual analog scale (VAS) scores in 8 patients experiencing severe pain after rotator cuff repair surgery before SSNB and for up to 24 hours postoperatively.

RESULTS

All cadaver shoulders had 2 or 3 sensory branches that just passed the scapular notch. The branches originated from the SSN, pursued the base of the coracoid process, perforated the supraspinatus muscle, and extended toward the subacromial bursa. The average VAS score of the 8 patients postoperatively was 5.4 +/- 2.7 before SSNB and improved to 2.8 +/- 1.6 immediately after SSNB, to 1.2 +/- 0.6 at 1 hour, and to 0.8 +/- 0.8 at 4 hours. Effective pain control was achieved, and SSNB presented no complications.

CONCLUSION

Our SSNB method is safe and effective for pain control in patients after open cuff repair. We expect it will be a useful management tool for pain relief after rotator cuff repair in the future.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Basic science study.

Evaluation of the safety and pharmacokinetics of the multi-targeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib during embryo-fetal development in rats and rabbits

BACKGROUND

Angiogenesis plays a key role in embryo-fetal development and, based on nonclinical safety data, the majority of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted antiangiogenic agents used in cancer therapy are not recommended during pregnancy. We investigated the effects of sunitinib (an oral inhibitor of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases [RTKs] including VEGF-receptors) on embryo-fetal development.

METHODS

Presumed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and New Zealand White rabbits received repeated daily oral doses of sunitinib (0-30 mg/kg/day), during the major period of organogenesis. Clinical/physical examinations were performed throughout the gestation phase, and blood samples were collected to determine systemic exposure. Necropsy (including uterine examination) was performed on all animals and fetal morphology was examined.

RESULTS

The no-observed-adverse-effect level was 1-5 mg/kg/day for maternal toxicity and 3 mg/kg/day for developmental toxicity in rats; 1 and 0.5 mg/kg/day, respectively, in rabbits. Embryo-fetal toxicity included decreases in the number of live fetuses and increases in the numbers of resorptions and post-implantation/complete litter losses; these were observed at doses of > or =5 mg/kg/day in rats and 5 mg/kg/day in rabbits. Malformations included fetal skeletal malformations (generally thoracic/lumbar vertebral alterations) in rats and cleft lip/palate in rabbits. These developmental effects were observed at approximately 5.5- (rats) and approximately 0.3-times (rabbits) the human systemic exposure at the approved sunitinib dose (50 mg/day).

CONCLUSIONS

Similar effects have been reported with the prototype monoclonal antibody bevacizumab. As is typically observed for potent inhibitors of RTKs involved in angiogenesis, sunitinib was associated with embryo-fetal developmental toxicity in rats and rabbits at clinically relevant dose levels.

Geographic independence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II foci in the Andes highland, the Atlantic coast, and the Orinoco of Colombia

To clarify the ethnic specificity of human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and type II (HTLV-II) carriers among Colombian native Indians, we investigated the geographic distribution of HTLV-I and HTLV-II seroprevalence among the isolated ethnic groups of Mongoloid origin in the Andes highlands and the Atlantic coast of Colombia. HTLV-I carriers were found in 1.6% (1/62 samples) of Inga, 8.5% (5/59) of Kamsa, and 0% (0/55) of Cumbal Indians who live in the Andes highlands at 3000 m above sea level. On the other hand, HTLV-II carriers were found in 4.1% (5/123) of Wayuu Indians, who live in the Guajira region of the Atlantic coast of Colombia at a distance of 1000 km from the Andes highlands. This ethnic specificity of HTLV-II was similarly observed among Guahibo Indians in the Orinoco. The seroprevalence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II was mutually exclusive among Inga, Kamsa, and Wayuu Indians. These results suggest that HTLV-I and HTLV-II may have evolved among Mongoloid populations and been independently transmitted among two different lineages of Colombian native Indians, Andes highlanders and Atlantic coast lowlanders.

Cross-cultural examination of the semantic dimensions of body postures

In two studies, we examined the cross-cultural validity of the dimensional structures with which postures are judged. In Study 1, 686 Japanese subjects rated 40 posture expressions on sixteen 5-point semantic differential scale items. Subjects inferred an encoder's attitude towards oneself (i.e., the decoding subject) in hypothetical dyadic situations. A principal-component factor analysis yielded evidence for three independent dimensions resembling those proposed by Schlosberg (1954), Osgood (1966), and Williams and Sundene (1965). These three factors were named self-fulfillment, interpersonal positiveness, and interpersonal consciousness. In Study 2, 336 Japanese students again rated the 40 posture expressions on the sixteen 5-point differential items, but an attempt was made to control for the status of the hypothetical encoder. The results of this study essentially replicated those of Study 1. One interesting finding was that although we found the same factors as those found in studies conducted in the West, the order of the factors in our studies was the reverse of the order found in these previous studies. The findings are discussed in terms of proposed cultural differences in the maintenance of human relations.

Dose-dependent effects of barley cooked with white rice on postprandial glucose and desacyl ghrelin levels

White rice is an indispensable staple food in Japan, although it is a high glycemic index food. The objective of this study was to estimate how barley cooked with white rice might affect postprandial glucose, insulin and desacyl ghrelin concentrations as well as fullness. The study was conducted in randomized crossover design with nine healthy subjects. Blood glucose, insulin, free fatty acid and desacyl ghrelin concentrations and subjective levels of fullness and hunger were measured for 240 min after intake of glucose, white rice, 30% rolled barley (30BAR), 50% rolled barley (50BAR) and 100% rolled barley (100BAR) containing 75 g of available carbohydrate. Postprandial glucose and insulin levels were suppressed by intake of 30BAR, 50BAR and 100BAR comparing with those of white rice. Area under the curves of plasma glucose and insulin concentrations was reduced by barley intake in a dose-dependent manner. Although plasma desacyl ghrelin levels decreased postprandially, the degree of reduction was suppressed by barley intake in a dose-dependent manner. Postprandial desacyl ghrelin levels can be a sensitive biomarker of carbohydrate metabolism. The combination of white rice with barley plays a beneficial role in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes, obesity and other metabolic diseases.

Evaluations of Outcome Sequences

We extend the literature on intertemporal choice by investigating how possession of knowledge related to the present value of future outcomes (PV knowledge) affects the extent to which individuals weight certain attributes when evaluating outcome sequences. While PV-knowledgeable individuals can ascribe value to attributes according to their PV relevance (or irrelevance), unknowledgeable individuals cannot do so. Such knowledge, therefore, likely interacts with outcome-sequence attributes to affect the extent to which individuals exhibit impatience when evaluating outcome sequences. The main experimental findings indicate that higher PV knowledge increases the extent to which individuals value impatience (as opposed to improvement). However, these findings also reinforce a need to distinguish among impatience, improvement, and PV because some higher PV knowledge participants willingly sacrifice PV while exhibiting impatience (while others do so in order to gain improvement). Overall, PV considerations appear central, but not determinative, in higher PV-knowledgeable individuals' evaluations of outcome sequences. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Cultural differences in attitudes, values, and beliefs about osteoporosis in first and second generation Japanese-American women

This study examines attitudinal differences related to osteoporosis between first and second generation Japanese-American women. In an interview, the women completed a battery of tests assessing their attitudes, values, and beliefs about the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care of osteoporosis. The groups differed in their general knowledge of osteoporosis, perceptions of the disease, attributions of its causes, anticipated and preferred support mechanisms for care, and anticipated areas of concern for self-or other-care. There were also considerable differences in treatment compliance and feelings toward physicians. The findings were discussed in relation to the effects of culture on health-care attitudes and behaviors.

Congenital leiomyomatous epulis: a case report with immunohistochemical study

The histologic and immunohistochemical findings of an extremely rare case of congenital soft tissue mass on the alveolar ridge in an infant are reported. The lesion clinically mimicked an ordinary congenital epulis (congenital granular cell epulis, granular cell tumor of the newborn); however, histologically it consisted of a conglomerate of spindle-shaped cells, akin to smooth muscle cells, which formed interlacing and whorled fasciculi. Nerve fibers with myxoid degeneration, capillaries and muscle walled small vessels intermingled with fasciculi of spindle-shaped cells. The border between the conglomerate of spindle-shaped cells and the surrounding connective tissue was not evident. Immunohistochemically, most of the spindle-shaped cells were intensely positive for antibodies to alpha-smooth muscle actin, HHF-35 and desmin. These findings suggest that the lesion was composed of mature smooth muscle cells that were of hamartomatous or choristomatous nature. The term 'congenital leiomyomatous epulis' is proposed.

Identification of relaxins in porcine follicular fluid and in the ovary of the immature sow

Relaxin was measured by radioimmunoassay in follicular fluid from sows which were of different reproductive states. In non-pregnant animals, follicular fluid relaxin values ranged from 0.23 to 666 ng/ml. For pregnant animals the range was 172.6-32 707 ng/ml and for sows with polycystic ovaries this range was 5.0-2800 ng/ml. For polycystic ovaries only there was a correlation (r = 0.74) between the diameter of the follicle and relaxin concentration in the respective fluid. Gel filtration species of relaxin, of molecular weights 27500, 19000 and 6000. Relaxin was extracted from 1 kg of ovaries collected from prepubertal pigs and gel filtration studies indicated the presence of large molecular weight species in addition to a molecule of approximately 6000. These experiments suggest that the corpus luteum is not the sole source of relaxin in the pig.

Natural contamination of dietary rice straw with zearalenone and urinary zearalenone concentrations in a cattle herd

The present study was conducted to 1) identify the natural source of feed contamination by zearalenone (ZEN), which was suspected to have caused persistently increased urinary ZEN concentrations in one of our experimental cattle herds, and 2) evaluate the effects of intervention against this source of contamination. As an experimental model, a fattening Japanese Black cattle herd showing persistently increased urinary ZEN concentrations was identified. Urinary ZEN concentrations of cows fed with new rice straw (experimental group, n = 6) vs. cows that continued to feed on the old rice straw (control group, n = 4) were measured at the start (d 1) and at 2 wk (d 14) after the onset of feeding with straw. In addition, the ZEN concentration in feed and water samples was measured by using both the ELISA and HPLC methods. Furthermore, isolation and identification of fungi from rice straw and concentrate feed samples were performed. The urinary ZEN concentration [ZEN (pg/mL)/creatinine (mg/mL) = pg/mg of creatinine] of cows fed with new rice straw was significantly (P < 0.05) less (843 pg/mg of creatinine) than that of cows fed with old rice straw (15,951 pg/mg of creatinine). On both d 1 and 14, the ZEN concentrations of old rice straw were greater than those of new rice straw. In addition, fungal colonies were observed in the culture media that was obtained from the old rice straw suspected of ZEN contamination, but not in the culture media from new rice straw or other feed samples. In conclusion, our field trials clearly indicate that the rice straw fed to the cows was naturally contaminated with ZEN, and that the monitoring of urinary ZEN concentrations could prove to be a useful tool for detecting the exposure of cattle to ZEN contamination at the farm level.

The role of facial response in the experience of emotion: more methodological problems and a meta-analysis

A recent review of the facial feedback literature by Laird (1984) suggested that the effect of facial movement on self-reported mood is large and consistent. In this article, two issues are discussed that suggest that these conclusions are unwarranted. First, methodological problems concerning the facial expressions used to represent valid analogs of emotion and the arousal value of the emotion-eliciting stimuli seriously bring into question the adequacy of the studies to test facial feedback as implied by Izard (1971, 1977) or Tomkins (1962, 1963). Second, even if one accepts the studies designed to represent tests of the effect of facial behavior on self-reported mood, Laird's (1984) box-score approach cannot provide an estimate of the magnitude of the effect. Using meta-analytic techniques (Hunter, Schmidt, & Jackson, 1983; Rosenthal, 1984), I show that the effect size of facial behavior on self-reported mood is actually only of small to moderate value and is most likely an inflated estimate. I conclude, on the basis of the evidence presently available, that the effect of facial feedback on emotional experience is less than convincing.

Electrically induced ambipolar spin vanishments in carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) exhibit various excellent properties, such as ballistic transport. However, their electrically induced charge carriers and the relation between their spin states and the ballistic transport have not yet been microscopically investigated because of experimental difficulties. Here we show an electron spin resonance (ESR) study of semiconducting single-walled CNT thin films to investigate their spin states and electrically induced charge carriers using transistor structures under device operation. The field-induced ESR technique is suitable for microscopic investigation because it can directly observe spins in the CNTs. We observed a clear correlation between the ESR decrease and the current increase under high charge density conditions, which directly demonstrated electrically induced ambipolar spin vanishments in the CNTs. The result provides a first clear evidence of antimagnetic interactions between spins of electrically induced charge carriers and vacancies in the CNTs. The ambipolar spin vanishments would contribute the improvement of transport properties of CNTs because of greatly reduced carrier scatterings.

Re-evaluation of anti-HTLV-I Western blot assay using HTLV-I and HTLV-II serum panels

BACKGROUND

Western blot assay is accepted to be a confirmatory test of anti-HTLV-I antibodies, and several WB criteria have been proposed for confirming HTLV-I seropositivity. There is a necessity for comprehensive study on the criteria.

OBJECTIVES

This study was performed to evaluate anti-HTLV-I WB kits and feasibility of the WB criteria.

STUDY DESIGN

We tested 3 commercially available WB kits: PROBLOT HTLV-I, Eitest ATL-WB and HTLV BLOT 2.2, by a standard HTLV-I serum panel which had been established in our previous study. Sensitivity and specificity to detect each component of HTLV-I antigens were evaluated by the correlation coefficient, R-value. Specificity of the anti-HTLV-I WB kits and HTLV BLOT 2.3 was further evaluated by a standard HTLV-II serum panel established from the HTLV-I/II epidemiological surveillance of Colombian natives.

RESULTS

PROBLOT HTLV-I showed high R-values (>/=0.980) for p28, p53 and gp46, but low R-values (<0.900) for p19 and p24. Eitest ATL-WB showed a high R-value for p19, but low R-values for p53, gp46 and rgp21. HTLV BLOT 2.2 showed high R-values for p28 and recombinant gp46-I, but low R-values for p53 and gp46. The HTLV-II serum panel showed positive reactions with p24 and p19 of HTLV-I but a little if any reactions with p28 and gp46 of HTLV-I. Although these reactions could not define HTLV-II-specific WB patterns in anti-HTLV-I WB, HTLV-I- and HTLV-II-specific recombinant gp46 in HTLV BLOT 2.3 were useful to distinguish anti-HTLV-II antibodies.

CONCLUSIONS

The currently available anti-HTLV-I WB kits are sufficient for confirmatory testing of anti-HTLV-I antibodies with WHO criteria using one gag and one env positivity, but they are inadequate for anti-HTLV-II confirmatory testing.

Nutritional treatment of a patient with hepatic cirrhosis with the novel low glycemic index liquid food (Inslow)

A sixty-six year-old patient with liver cirrhosis and diabetes was nutritionally treated by administration of the low glycemic index liquid food (Inslow) as a late evening sack (LES) for 6 weeks. The mean energy intake increased from 825+/-48 kcal/d to 1567+/-66 kcal/d after the 6-week treatment period. The fasting glucose level did not change, remaining at about 100 mg/dl throughout this period. Interestingly, the amount of insulin administered was reduced from 38 units before treatment to 28 units in the fifth week of treatment without a change in the fasting glucose level. This indicates a marked improvement in insulin sensitivity due to Inslow administration in this patient. In conclusion, the long-term administration of Inslow as an LES may be an effective treatment for cirrhotic patients.