bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RADIOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF GASTRIC EMPTYING AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRANSIT TIME IN HYBRID TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS×O. MOSSAMBICUS)
Authors: HENG HOCK GAN , ONG T. W. , HASSAN M. D.
Published: February 2007

Hybrid tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus×O. mossambicus) were studied to determine gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit time. The fish were divided into two groups. All fish were fasted for 12 h. The first experiment consisted of 11 fish fed with commercial food pellets and then administration of barium sulfate directly into the stomach using a blunt‐end needle. Fish were then radiographed at different time intervals. The second experiment consisted of eight fish, which were given only barium sulfate after 12 h of fasting. In the first experiment, the stomach emptied completely, ranging from 4 to 15 h postcontrast medium administration, whereas the gastrointestinal transit time ranged between 10 and 26 h. As for the second experiment, the contrast medium was still retained in the stomach in 50% of the fish after 24 h. The study did not proceed beyond 24 h as fish were considered stressed after this period of time. Thus, no data for the gastrointestinal transit time was obtained.
The nuclear lamina
Authors: Bridger Joanna M. , Foeger Nicole , Kill Ian R. , Herrmann Harald
Published: February 2007

The inner face of the nuclear envelope of metazoan cells is covered by a thin lamina consisting of a one‐layered network of intermediate filaments interconnecting with a complex set of transmembrane proteins and chromatin associating factors. The constituent proteins, the lamins, have recently gained tremendous recognition, because mutations in the lamin A gene, LMNA, are the cause of a complex group of at least 10 different diseases in human, including the Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome. The analysis of these disease entities has made it clear that besides cytoskeletal functions, the lamina has an important role in the ‘behaviour’ of the genome and is, probably as a consequence of this function, intimately involved in cell fate decisions. Furthermore, these functions are related to the involvement of lamins in organizing the position and functional state of interphase chromosomes as well as to the occurrence of lamins and lamina‐associated proteins within the nucleoplasm. However, the structural features of these lamins and the nature of the factors that assist them in genome organization present an exciting challenge to modern biochemistry and cell biology.
Transthyretin and familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy
Authors: Hou Xu , Aguilar Marie‐Isabel , Small David H.
Published: February 2007

Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is an inherited autosomal dominant disease that is commonly caused by accumulation of deposits of transthyretin (TTR) amyloid around peripheral nerves. The only effective treatment for FAP is liver transplantation. However, recent studies on TTR aggregation provide clues to the mechanism of the molecular pathogenesis of FAP and suggest new avenues for therapeutic intervention. It is increasingly recognized that there are common features of a number of protein‐misfolding diseases that can lead to neurodegeneration. As for other amyloidogenic proteins, the most toxic forms of aggregated TTR are likely to be the low‐molecular‐mass diffusible species, and there is increasing evidence that this toxicity is mediated by disturbances in calcium homeostasis. This article reviews what is already known about the mechanism of TTR aggregation in FAP and describes how recent discoveries in other areas of amyloid research, particularly Alzheimer's disease, provide clues to the molecular pathogenesis of FAP.
Knock‐out of the chloroplast‐encoded PSI‐J subunit of photosystem I in Nicotiana tabacum
Authors: Hansson Andreas , Amann Katrin , Zygadlo Agnieszka , Meurer Jörg , Scheller Henrik V. , Jensen Poul E.
Published: February 2007

The plastid‐encoded psaJ gene encodes a hydrophobic low‐molecular‐mass subunit of photosystem I (PSI) containing one transmembrane helix. Homoplastomic transformants with an inactivated psaJ gene were devoid of PSI‐J protein. The mutant plants were slightly smaller and paler than wild‐type because of a 13% reduction in chlorophyll content per leaf area caused by an ≈ 20% reduction in PSI. The amount of the peripheral antenna proteins, Lhca2 and Lhca3, was decreased to the same level as the core subunits, but Lhca1 and Lhca4 were present in relative excess. The functional size of the PSI antenna was not affected, suggesting that PSI‐J is not involved in binding of light‐harvesting complex I. The specific PSI activity, measured as NADP+ photoreduction in vitro, revealed a 55% reduction in electron transport through PSI in the mutant. No significant difference in the second‐order rate constant for electron transfer from reduced plastocyanin to oxidized P700 was observed in the absence of PSI‐J. Instead, a large fraction of PSI was found to be inactive. Immunoblotting analysis revealed a secondary loss of the luminal PSI‐N subunit in PSI particles devoid of PSI‐J. Presumably PSI‐J affects the conformation of PSI‐F, which in turn affects the binding of PSI‐N. This together renders a fraction of the PSI particles inactive. Thus, PSI‐J is an important subunit that, together with PSI‐F and PSI‐N, is required for formation of the plastocyanin‐binding domain of PSI. PSI‐J is furthermore important for stability or assembly of the PSI complex.
Why two arguments from probability fail and one argument from Thomson’s analogy of the violinist succeeds in justifying embryo destruction in some situations
Authors: Deckers J
Published: February 2007

The scope of embryo research in the UK has been expanded by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Research Purposes) Regulations 2001. Two advisory bodies—the Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group and the House of Lords’ Select Committee—presented various arguments in favour of embryo research. One of these is the view that, just as lottery tickets have relatively little value before the draw because of the low probability of their being the winning ticket, early embryos have relatively little value because of the presumed low probability that they will mature into more developed embryos. This (first) argument from probability is questioned in this paper, as well as the contention that allowing embryo destruction is incompatible with the view that embryos have full moral status. Although I challenge Savulescu’s view that early embryos should be entered into a lottery in which they are subjected to the probability of being destroyed (the second argument from probability), a revised version of Thomson’s analogy of the famous violinist defies the view that the position that the embryo has full moral status is incompatible with qualified support for embryo destruction.
Ethical challenges in voluntary blood donation in Kerala, India: Table 1
Authors: Choudhury L P , Tetali S
Published: February 2007

The National Blood Policy in India relies heavily on voluntary blood donors, as they are usually assumed to be associated with low levels of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). In India, it is mandatory to test every unit of blood collected for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, syphilis and malaria. Donors come to the blood bank with altruistic intentions. If donors test positive to any of the five infections, their blood is discarded. Although the blood policy advocates disclosure of TTI status, donors are not, in practice, informed about their results. The onus is on the donor to contact the blood bank. Out of approximately 16 000 donations in the past 2 years, 438 tested positive for TTI, including 107 for HIV. Only 20% of the donors contacted the blood bank; none of them were HIV positive. Disclosure by blood banks of TTI status by telephone or mail has resulted in serious consequences for some donors. Health providers face an ethical dilemma, in the absence of proper mechanisms in place for disclosure of test results, regarding notification to donors who may test positive but remain ignorant of their TTI status. Given the high cost of neglecting to notify infected donors, the authors strongly recommend the use of rapid tests before collecting blood, instead of the current practice, which takes 3 h to obtain results, and disclosure of results directly to the donor by a counsellor, to avoid dropouts and to ensure confidentiality.
Patient consultation survey in an ophthalmic outpatient department: Table 1
Authors: Aslam S A , Colapinto P , Sheth H G , Jain R
Published: February 2007

Introduction:Consultation methods differ between medical practitioners depending on the individual setting. However, the central tenet to the doctor–patient relationship is the issue of confidentiality. This prospective survey highlights patient attitudes towards consultation methods in the setting of an ophthalmic outpatient department.

Method:Questionnaires were completed by 100 consecutive patients, who had been seen by an ophthalmologist in a single room, which had a joint doctor–patient consultation occurring simultaneously.

Results:Each question of all 100 questionnaires was completed. 58% of patients were not concerned about sharing a consultation room with another patient or doctor. However, this did not equate to the 49% of patients who were indifferent to discussing issues in the joint consultation room. The most common factor was the general issue of confidentiality.

Discussion:Ensuring total patient confidentiality may be deemed more necessary for certain medical specialties than for others, as seen in the practice of separate medical records in genitourinary medicine, for instance. However, with regard to patient consultations, the same level of confidentiality should be afforded across all specialties, and such factors should be borne in mind when planning outpatient clinics.
OPTIMAL REPLENISHMENT POLICY FOR AN INTEGRATED SUPPLIER–BUYER DETERIORATING INVENTORY MODEL CONSIDERING MULTIPLE JIT DELIVERY AND OTHER COST FUNCTIONS
Authors: CHUNG CHUN-JEN , WEE HUI-MING
Published: February 2007

This study develops an integrated deteriorating inventory policy for a single-buyer–single-supplier model with multiple JIT deliveries considering the transportation cost, inspection cost and the cost of less flexibility. Distinct from the former concept of average inventory level, our paper proposes a significantly different approach to deal with the first production batch and uses a revised method to approximate the relationship between the supplier's production time and the storage time. We provide a rigorous analysis to derive the number of inspection and deliveries, the optimal cycle time of deliveries, and the delivery size for the replenishment policy of the integrated buyer–supplier inventory deteriorating model. It is shown that the unit inspection cost is one of the critical factors affecting the deteriorating inventory model. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the theory.
MARKET- AND MERIT-BASED ADJUSTMENT OF FACULTY SALARIES
Authors: DHARMAPALA P. SUNIL , GHOSH JAY B. , SABER HUSSEIN M.
Published: February 2007

We describe an exercise in trying to adjust faculty salaries at a national university in the Arabian Gulf region in order to attract and retain quality faculty. The problem is strongly constrained by policy and budget considerations and leads to two loosely related sub-problems: market adjustment and merit adjustment, which are to be achieved by means of specially sanctioned funds and available discretionary funds, respectively. We propose a methodology that addresses the former through goal programming and the latter through data envelopment analysis. We illustrate, with a small set of real data, how this approach works.
RECENT STRUCTURE BASED HIGH GRADIENT WAKEFIELD EXPERIMENTS AT ARGONNE
Authors: GAI W. , CONDE M. E. , GAO F. , JING C. , KONECNY R. , LIU W. , POWER J. G. , WANG H. , YUSOF Z.
Published: February 2007

Dielectric structures promise to support high field, especially for short wakefield pulses produced by a high charged electron beam traveling in a dielectric tube. To push the gradient higher, we have tested two structures using recent upgraded Argonne wakefield accelerator facility that capable of producing up to 100 nC charge and bunch length of < 13 ps (FWHM). Here we report on the experiment results that more than 80 nC beam passes through a 14 GHz dielectric loaded wakefield structure that produced an accelerating field of ~ 45 MV/m . The two structures consist of a cylindrical ceramic tube (cordierite) with a dielectric constant of 5, inner and outer radii of 5 mm and 7.49 mm, respectively, and with length of 102 mm and 23 mm long. We present measurements made with single electron bunches and also with two bunches separated by 1.5 ns. As a next step in these experiments, another structure, with an output coupler, has been designed and is presently being fabricated.
LABORATORY ASTROPHYSICS IN TAIWAN
Authors: LIN G.-L. , LIU T.-C. , HUANG M. A. , HWANG W.-Y. P. , CHEN C.-C.
Published: February 2007

We report the development of laboratory astrophysics program in Taiwan. We begin with outlining Taiwan's participation in the FLASH collaboration for measuring the fluorescence yield using SLAC 28.5 GeV electron beam. We then report the domestic effort of studying cosmic ray shower properties using NSRRC 1.5 GeV electron beam.
20 MeV QUASI-MONOENERGETIC ELECTRON BEAM PRODUCTION BY USING JLITE-X LASER SYSTEM AT JAEA-APRC
Authors: MORI M. , KANDO M. , DAITO I. , KOTAKI H. , HAYASHI Y. , OGURA K. , SAGISAKA A. , ZH. ESIRKEPOV T. , NAKAJIMA K. , DAIDO H. , BULANOV S. V. , KIMURA T.
Published: February 2007

We have developed a multi-terawatt Ti :Sapphire laser system to study on the laser driven particle accelerators. We have also developed a relevant instruments that contains a pointing stabilizer and single-shot selector to perform a lot of experimental studies. After development, we are studying on the electron acceleration. A quasi-monoenergetic electron beam is observed in the forward direction. The peak energy of a quasi-monoenergetic component of the electron beam is 20 MeV with a energy spread of 20% at the plasma density of 4.7 × 1019cm-3. The table-top laser driven fs quasi-monoenergetic electron beam which is applicable to variety of fields is described.
INJECTOR STUDY FOR COMPACT HARD X-RAY SOURCE VIA LASER COMPTON SCATTERING
Authors: KURODA RYUNOSUKE , TOYOKAWA HIROYUKI , SEI NORIHIRO , YASUMOTO MASATO , OGAWA HIROSHI , KOIKE MASAKI , YAMADA KAWAKATSU , NAKAJYO TERUNOBU , SAKAI FUMIO , YANAGIDA TATSUYA
Published: February 2007

Compact hard X-ray source via laser Compton sattering has been developed in SHI and AIST. Our system has the injector and the linac and the high power laser system. The injector has a photo-cathode rf gun with a solenoid magnet. To enhance the X-ray yeild, we are planning to increase electron beam charge up to 5 nC/bunch and to make multi-bunch beam. The beam tracking simulation in the injector have been performed by changing laser spot size, laser pulse width, rf phase and solenoid field to optimize the distance between the injector and the linac for 5 nC/bunch high charge beam. In addition, high charge multi-bunch beam simulation in rf-gun cavity have been carried out to investigate the influence by the beam loading and the wake field.
TOWARDS LIGHT SOURCES FEATURING SUPERCONDUCTING MINIUNDULATORS
Authors: MOSER H. O. , DIAO C. Z.
Published: February 2007

Besides the exploitation of the Helios 2 superconducting compact storage ring for user operations and for its own R&D work, SSLS envisions a 4th generation synchrotron light source to complement and, eventually, replace the current facility. This vision includes an accelerator system based on a superconducting linear accelerator with up to 5 recirculation loops for energy multiplication and recovery with the distinguishing feature that the light would be generated by superconducting mini- and micro-undulators. Under this programme, SSLS is pursuing the development of superconducting miniundulators including a proof-of-technology electron beam experiment in co-operation with the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics and the analytical and numerical study of the fabrication tolerances of superconducting miniundulators with respect to their finite length field errors and mechanical errors.
GENERATION OF X-RAYS WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF LONGITUDINAL COHERENCE
Authors: ROSSMANITH ROBERT
Published: February 2007

Synchrotron radiation produced either in storage rings or SASE-FELs is longitudinally incoherent. In this paper a way to produce short longitudinally coherent X-ray pulses is discussed. In addition it is investigated if these sources can be modified to use them as light sources for vacuum electron accelerators.
DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WEIBEL-TYPE INSTABILITIES IN ANISOTROPIC PLASMAS
Authors: SUGIE M. , OGAWA K. , OKADA T.
Published: February 2007

The growth rates and the saturation points of the self-generated magnetic field in our simulation are in good agreement with the results of our theoretical calculations.
SPHERICAL SELF-ORGANIZING FEATURE MAP: AN INTRODUCTORY REVIEW
Authors: SANGOLE ARCHANA P. , LEONTITSIS ALEXANDROS
Published: February 2007

The self-organizing feature map (SOFM) has received great attention from researchers in a variety of areas such as engineering sciences, medicine, biology and economics. The topology of these maps is usually based on 1, 2, or 3 dimensions, forming a lattice. This article discusses various aspects of the spherical SOFMs along with examples illustrating its implementation on high-dimensional data. The main advantage of the spherical SOFM is the ability to visualize complex high-dimensional data by encapsulating physical measures of the data within the 3D attributes of its spherical lattice. The article presents the potential of the spherical SOFM to visualize nonlinear data using examples of two chaotic maps, Hénon and Ikeda, with a fractal dimension of 1.2 and 1.7 respectively embedded in 2–5 dimensions.
LOCALIZATION OF COMPACT INVARIANT SETS OF NONLINEAR SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS TO THE LANFORD SYSTEM
Authors: KRISHCHENKO ALEXANDER P. , STARKOV KONSTANTIN E.
Published: February 2007

In this paper, we examine the localization problem of compact invariant sets of systems with the differentiable right-side. The localization procedure consists in applying the iterative algorithm based on the first order extremum condition originally proposed by one of authors for periodic orbits. Analysis of a location of compact invariant sets of the Lanford system is realized for all values of its bifurcational parameter.
DYNAMICS OF A TWO-DIMENSIONAL DELAYED SMALL-WORLD NETWORK UNDER DELAYED FEEDBACK CONTROL
Authors: XU XU , HU HAIYAN , WANG HUAILEI
Published: February 2007

This paper presents a detailed analysis on the dynamics of a two-dimensional delayed small-world network under delayed state feedback control. On the basis of stability switch criteria, the equilibrium is studied, and the stability conditions are determined. This study shows that with properly chosen delay and gain in the delayed feedback path, the controlled small-world delayed network may have stable equilibrium, or periodic solutions resulting from the Hopf bifurcation, or the multistability solutions via three types of codimension two bifurcations. Moreover, the direction of Hopf bifurcation and stability of the bifurcation periodic solutions are determined by using the normal form theory and center manifold theorem. In addition, the study shows that the controlled model exhibits period-doubling bifurcations which lead eventually to chaos; and the chaos can also directly occur via the bifurcations from the quasi-periodic solutions. The results show that the delayed feedback is an effective approach in order to generate or annihilate complex behaviors in practical applications.
BIFURCATIONS IN A HOST-PARASITE MODEL WITH NONLINEAR INCIDENCE
Authors: WANG WENDI , LI YI , HETHCOTE H. W.
Published: February 2007

A host-parasite model is proposed that incorporates a nonlinear incidence rate. Under the influence of multiple infectious attacks, the model admits bistable regions such that the infection dies out if initial states lie in one region, and the population and parasites coexist if initial states lie in the other region. It is also found that parasites can drive the population to extinction for suitable parameters. It is verified that the model has a saddle-node bifurcation, Hopf bifurcations and a cusp of codimension 2 or higher codimension. Stable limit cycles and unstable limit cycles are examined as the infection-reduced reproduction rate varies. It is shown that the model goes through the change of stages of infection extinction, infection persistence, infection extinction, and the extinction of both parasites and the population as the contact coefficient increases.
BLOWOUT BIFURCATION AND ON–OFF INTERMITTENCY IN PULSE NEURAL NETWORKS WITH MULTIPLEC MODULES
Authors: KANAMARU TAKASHI
Published: February 2007

To study the mechanism by which high-dimensional chaos emerges in neural systems, the synchronization of chaotic firings in class 1 pulse neural networks composed of excitatory and inhibitory ensembles was analyzed. In the system with two modules (i.e. two pulse neural networks), blowout bifurcation and on–off intermittency were observed when the inter-module connection strengths were reduced from large values. In the system with three modules, rearrangement of synchronized clusters and chaotic itinerancy were observed. Such dynamics may be one of the mechanisms through which high-dimensional chaos is generated in neural systems.
NONINVERTIBLE TRANSFORMATIONS AND SPATIOTEMPORAL RANDOMNESS
Authors: GONZÁLEZ J. A. , MORENO A. J. , GUERRERO L. E.
Published: February 2007

We generalize the exact solution to the Bernoulli shift map. Under certain conditions, the generalized functions can produce unpredictable dynamics. We use the properties of the generalized functions to show that certain dynamical systems can generate random dynamics. For instance, the chaotic Chua's circuit coupled to a circuit with a noninvertible I–V characteristic can generate unpredictable dynamics. In general, a nonperiodic time-series with truncated exponential behavior can be converted into unpredictable dynamics using noninvertible transformations. Using a new theoretical framework for chaos and randomness, we investigate some classes of coupled map lattices. We show that, in some cases, these systems can produce completely unpredictable dynamics. In a similar fashion, we explain why some well-known spatiotemporal systems have been found to produce very complex dynamics in numerical simulations. We discuss real physical systems that can generate random dynamics.
STUDY OF BIFURCATION BEHAVIOR OF LDPC DECODERS
Authors: ZHENG XIA , LAU FRANCIS C. M. , TSE CHI K. , WONG S. C.
Published: February 2007

The use of low-density-parity-check (LDPC) codes in coding digital messages has aroused much research interest because of their excellent bit-error performance. The behavior of the iterative LDPC decoders of finite length, however, has not been fully evaluated under different signal-to-noise conditions. By considering the finite-length LDPC decoders as high-dimensional nonlinear dynamical systems, we attempt to investigate their dynamical behavior and bifurcation phenomena for a range of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Extensive simulations have been performed on both regular and irregular LDPC codes. Moreover, we derive the Jacobian of the system and calculate the corresponding eigenvalues. Results show that bifurcations, including fold, flip and Neimark–Sacker bifurcations, are exhibited by the LDPC decoder. Results are useful for optimizing the choice of parameters that may enhance the effectiveness of the decoding algorithm and improve the convergence rates.
Congenic removal of a QTL for blood pressure attenuates infarct size produced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in hypertensive rats
Authors: Yao Hiroshi , Cui Zong-Hu , Masuda Junichi , Nabika Toru
Published: February 2007

A genome-wide screen found a blood pressure quantitative trait locus (QTL) on rat chromosome 1 in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats of a Japanese colony (SHRSP/Izm). In the present study, we investigated the effects of congenic removal of this QTL from SHRSP/Izm on infarct size produced by middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. To establish the congenic strain (SHRSPwch1.0), the blood pressure QTL was introgressed from Wistar-Kyoto (WKY)/Izm to SHRSP/Izm by repeated backcrossing. Male SHRSP/Izm [10–12 wk old (young adult) n = 8, 5 mo old (adult) n = 17] and SHRSPwch1.0 (young adult n = 7, adult n = 15) were randomly assigned to distal MCA occlusion. Resting mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) was 212 ± 23 mmHg in adult SHRSPwch1.0, which was significantly lower than 241 ± 22 mmHg in SHRSP/Izm. Infarct volume in the congenic rats was significantly decreased compared with that in SHRSP/Izm (66.4 ± 21.5 mm3 vs. 103.4 ± 24.8 mm3). Cerebral blood flow (CBF), determined at collaterally-perfused cortex with laser-Doppler flowmetry after MCA occlusion, was significantly greater in adult SHRSPwch1.0 compared with CBF in adult SHRSP/Izm. In young adult rats, there were no significant differences in MABP or in infarct volume between SHRSPwch1.0 and SHRSP/Izm. The congenic removal of a blood pressure QTL lowered blood pressure and caused a substantial reduction in infarct volume (−36%) with increased collateral CBF after MCA occlusion in the congenic rat. We demonstrated for the first time that the congenic strategy is useful to investigate the effects of genetic hypertension on focal ischemia or stroke.
Adrenal transcription regulatory genes modulated by angiotensin II and their role in steroidogenesis
Authors: Romero Damian G. , Rilli Silvia , Plonczynski Maria W. , Yanes Licy L. , Zhou Ming Yi , Gomez-Sanchez Elise P. , Gomez-Sanchez Celso E.
Published: February 2007

Transcription regulatory genes are crucial modulators of cell physiology and metabolism whose intracellular levels are tightly controlled to respond to extracellular stimuli. We studied transcription regulatory genes modulated by angiotensin II, one of the most important regulators of adrenal cortical cell function, and their role in adrenal steroidogenesis in H295R human adrenocortical cells. Angiotensin II-modulated transcription regulatory genes were identified with high-density oligonucleotide microarrays and the results validated by real-time RT-PCR. Cotransfection reporter assays were performed in H295R cells to analyze the role of these transcription regulatory genes in the control of the expression of 11β-hydroxylase and aldosterone synthase, the last and unique enzymes of the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid biosynthetic pathways, respectively. We selected a subset of the most regulated genes for reporter plasmid studies to determine the effect on these enzymes. BHLHB2, BTG2, and SALL1 decreased expression of both enzymes, whereas CITED2, EGR2, ELL2, FOS, FOSB, HDAC5, MAFF, MITF, NFIL3, NR4A1, NR4A2, NR4A3, PER1, and VDR increased expression for both enzymes. By the ratio of aldosterone synthase to 11β-hydroxylase expression, NFIL3, NR4A1, NR4A2, and NR4A3 show the greatest selectivity toward upregulating expression of the mineralocorticoid biosynthetic pathway preferentially. In summary, this study reports for the first time a set of transcription regulatory genes that are modulated by angiotensin II and their role in adrenal gland steroidogenesis. Abnormal regulation of the mineralocorticoid or glucocorticoid biosynthesis pathways is involved in several pathophysiological conditions; hence the modulated transcription regulatory genes described may correlate with adrenal steroidogenesis pathologies.
Intraseasonal Variability of the Equatorial Indian Ocean Observed from Sea Surface Height, Wind, and Temperature Data
Authors: Fu Lee-Lueng
Published: February 2007

The forcing of the equatorial Indian Ocean by the highly periodic monsoon wind cycle creates many interesting intraseasonal variabilities. The frequency spectrum of the wind stress observations from the European Remote Sensing Satellite scatterometers reveals peaks at the seasonal cycle and its higher harmonics at 180, 120, 90, and 75 days. The observations of sea surface height (SSH) from the Jason and Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon radar altimeters are analyzed to study the ocean’s response. The focus of the study is on the intraseasonal periods shorter than the annual period. The semiannual SSH variability is characterized by a basin mode involving Rossby waves and Kelvin waves traveling back and forth in the equatorial Indian Ocean between 10°S and 10°N. However, the interference of these waves with each other masks the appearance of individual Kelvin and Rossby waves, leading to a nodal point (amphidrome) of phase propagation on the equator at the center of the basin. The characteristics of the mode correspond to a resonance of the basin according to theoretical models. For the semiannual period and the size of the basin, the resonance involves the second baroclinic vertical mode of the ocean. The theory also calls for similar modes at 90 and 60 days. These modes are found only in the eastern part of the basin, where the wind forcing at these periods is primarily located. The western parts of the theoretical modal patterns are not observed, probably because of the lack of wind forcing. There is also similar SSH variability at 120 and 75 days. The 120-day variability, with spatial patterns resembling the semiannual mode, is close to a resonance involving the first baroclinic vertical mode. The 75-day variability, although not a resonant basin mode in theory, exhibits properties similar to the 60- and 90-day variabilities with energy confined to the eastern basin, where the SSH variability seems in resonance with the local wind forcing. The time it takes an oceanic signal to travel eastward as Kelvin waves from the forcing location along the equator and back as Rossby waves off the equator roughly corresponds to the period of the wind forcing. The SSH variability at 60–90 days is coherent with sea surface temperature (SST) with a near-zero phase difference, showing the effects of the time-varying thermocline depth on SST, which may affect the wind in an ocean–atmosphere coupled process governing the intraseasonal variability.
On the Total, Mean, and Eddy Heat and Freshwater Transports in the Southern Hemisphere of a ⅛° × ⅛° Global Ocean Model
Authors: Meijers A. J. , Bindoff N. L. , Roberts J. L.
Published: February 2007

The large-scale volume, heat, and freshwater ocean transports in the Southern Hemisphere are investigated using time-averaged output from a seasonless, high-resolution general circulation model. The ocean circulation is realistic, and property transports are comparable to observations. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) carries 144 Sv (Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) of water eastward across Drake Passage, increasing to 155 Sv south of Australia because of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF). There is a clear Indo-Pacific gyre around Australia exchanging −10 Sv, 0.9 PW of heat, and 0.2 Sv of freshwater through the ITF, and there is a 9-Sv leakage from the Tasman Sea to the Indian Ocean. The transport of heat and freshwater by eddies is localized to the upper 1000 m of the water column and specific regions, such as western boundary currents, confluences, and the subantarctic front (SAF). Eddy transport of heat and freshwater is negligible in gyre interiors and south of the SAF but is vital across the northern edge of the ACC, in particular at the Agulhas Retroflection where eddies accomplish almost 100% of the net ocean heat and 60% of the southward freshwater transport. The eddy transport is almost zero across the latitude of Drake Passage while in a quasi-Lagrangian frame eddy transports are significant across the ACC but surprisingly are still smaller than the mean transport of heat. Mean and eddy property transport divergences are found to be strongly compensating in areas of high eddy activity. This is caused by increased baroclinic instability in strong mean flows, which induces an opposing eddy transport. This relationship is observed to be stronger in the case of horizontal heat transport than in corresponding horizontal freshwater transports.
Adjoint Sensitivity of an Ocean General Circulation Model to Bottom Topography
Authors: Losch Martin , Heimbach Patrick
Published: February 2007

Bottom topography, or more generally the geometry of the ocean basins, is an important ingredient in numerical ocean modeling. With the help of an adjoint model, it is shown that scalar diagnostics or objective functions in a coarse-resolution model, such as the transport through Drake Passage, the strength of the Atlantic Ocean meridional overturning circulation, the Deacon cell, and the meridional heat transport across 32°S, are sensitive to bottom topography as much as they are to surface boundary conditions. For example, adjoint topography sensitivities of the transport through Drake Passage are large in choke-point areas such as the Crozet–Kerguélen Plateau and south of New Zealand; the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is sensitive to topography in the western boundary region of the North Atlantic Ocean and along the Scotland–Iceland Ridge. Many sensitivities are connected to steep topography and can be interpreted in terms of bottom form stress, that is, the product of bottom pressure and topography gradient. The adjoint sensitivities are found to agree with direct perturbation methods with deviations smaller than 30% for significant perturbations on time scales of 100 yr, so that the assumption of quasi linearity that is implicit in the adjoint method holds. The horizontal resolution of the numerical model affects the sensitivities to bottom topography, but large-scale patterns and the overall impact of changes in topography appear to be robust. The relative impact of changes in topography and surface boundary conditions on the model circulation is estimated by multiplying the adjoint sensitivities with assumed uncertainties. If the uncertainties are correlated in space, changing the surface boundary conditions has a larger impact on the scalar diagnostics than topography does, but the effects can locally be on the same order of magnitude if uncorrelated uncertainties are assumed. In either case, bottom topography variations within their prior uncertainties affect the solution of an ocean circulation model. To this extent, including topography in the control vector can be expected to compensate for identifiable model errors and, thus, to improve the solutions of estimation problems.
Return to Sender: The Small Town in Wole Soyinka’s The Interpreters, Season of Anomy, Aké and Isara
Authors: Hodges Hugh
Published: February 2007

The “return to sender”, the return of the educated Nigerian to his town of origin, is a recurring theme in Soyinka’s prose works. This article traces the way both the return and the sender are imagined evolves over the course of The Interpreters, Season of Anomy, Aké and Isara. In The Interpreters, the return is seen as the solitary journey of an Ogun figure into the fossilized essence of the past; Season of Anomy and Aké re-imagine the small town as the site of vital cultural practices and, in Isara, the return to sender becomes the collective return of a generation of intellectuals to a town that is itself part of the modern world. The returnees in Isara, unlike Egbo in The Interpreters, have developed the intellectual elasticity to accommodate two worlds: a world of global forecasts and global politics and a world of local deities and local responsibilities.
Death, Power and Cultural Translation in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman
Authors: Losambe Lokangaka
Published: February 2007

Following Soyinka’s warning in his Author’s Note that Death and the King’s Horseman should not be read as portraying “the clash between old values and the new ways, between western methods and African traditions”, many critics have confined themselves to considering the metaphysical dimension of the play within the Yoruba cultural context. That way they have located its tragic effect in what they see as Elesin’s lack of a strong moral will to carry out his expected public duty - to commit ritual suicide. However, this article argues that in the play, Soyinka has turned death into a space of power contestation, not only between the colonizer and the colonized, but also between the essentialist and syncretist elements within the Yoruba cultural order. From this perspective, both Elesin and his son Olunde are seen as enabling agents in Oyo society’s movement towards an African modernity.
A review of salient elements defining team collaboration in paediatric rehabilitation
Authors: Nijhuis B JG , Reinders-Messelink H A , de Blécourt A CE , Olijve W G , Groothoff J W , Nakken H , Postema K
Published: February 2007

Objective: To explicate the complex process of team collaboration and identify salient elements of team collaboration in paediatric rehabilitation.

Data sources: After an initial search to define key features of team collaboration a systematic search on team collaboration and the key features was executed to identify salient elements. The systematic search was carried out in Index Medicus (MEDLINE), Educational Resource Information Clearinghouse (ERIC) and American Psychological Association (Psyc INFO) covering the period from January 1993 to December 2004.

Review methods: Based on title and abstract relevant publications were identified and qualitatively assessed by two reviewers. To facilitate the interpretation of the salient elements, the articles were also classified according to the criteria ‘participants and setting’ and ‘research method’.

Results: Of the total of 930 identified publications 28 studies proved eligible and were subsequently assessed. The evaluation yielded 29 salient elements defining five key features of team collaboration (i.e. communication, decision making, goal setting, organization and team process). Parent involvement proved to play a dominant role and was mentioned in relation to all five features.

Conclusions: Based on the results, rather than an underlying element, it is proposed to consider parent involvement as the sixth feature of team collaboration. The 29 distinctive elements of teamwork could be useful as a guideline and checklist for empirical studies and may help enhance multidisciplinary collaboration in paediatric care. However, additional exploratory research focusing on the way these elements interact with each other and the key features and whether they facilitate or restrict team collaboration is warranted.
Predictors of drop-out from an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme
Authors: Yohannes A M , Yalfani A , Doherty P , Bundy C
Published: February 2007

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and predictors of early drop-out from a cardiac rehabilitation programme and also whether completers and drop-out patients differed in relation to their illness cognitions, gender and psychological distress and quality of life.

Design: A six-week outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Setting: A university teaching hospital.

Subjects: One hundred and eighty-nine patients were recruited from a consecutive series of outpatient referrals prior to a six-week comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Outcome measures: The revised Illness Perception Questionnaire, Quality of Life after Myocardial Infarction Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Results: One hundred and forty-seven cardiac patients completed the cardiac rehabilitation programme. Forty-two (22%) patients dropped out in the first two weeks. Factors predicting early drop-out were female gender, younger age, higher Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale score, lower illness perception consequences and higher illness perception personal control and lower illness perception treatment control (all P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Over a fifth of the patients did not complete this typical cardiac rehabilitation programme. Female patients are more likely to drop out from cardiac rehabilitation than men. Psychological distress, younger age and lower perceptions of consequences, higher perception personal control and lower illness perception of treatment control were predictors of early drop-out from a cardiac rehabilitation programme.
Participation and drop-out in pulmonary rehabilitation: a qualitative analysis of the patient's perspective
Authors: Fischer M J , Scharloo M , Abbink J J , Thijs-Van A , Rudolphus A , Snoei L , Weinman J A , Kaptein A A
Published: February 2007

Objective: To examine patients' pretreatment beliefs and goals regarding pulmonary rehabilitation.

Design: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

Setting: Interviews conducted at participants' homes.

Subjects: Twelve patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who had been referred to a rehabilitation clinic.

Main measures: Patients' beliefs about pulmonary rehabilitation, self-set treatment goals and anticipated reasons for drop-out.

Results: Patients' beliefs about pulmonary rehabilitation comprised positive aspects (participation as an opportunity for improvement, a safe and multidisciplinary setting, presence of motivating and supporting patients) and negative aspects of exercising in a rehabilitation centre (e.g. disruption of normal routine, being tired after training, transportation difficulties, limited privacy and confrontation with severely ill patients). Four types of treatment goals were formulated: increase in functional performance, weight regulation, reduction of dyspnoea, and improvement of psychosocial well being. Four clusters of anticipated reasons for drop-out were identified: the intensity of the programme, barriers to attending (e.g. transportation problems, sudden illness and other duties/responsibilities), lack of improvement and social factors. Four different attitudes towards pulmonary rehabilitation could be distinguished: optimistic, ‘wait and see’, sceptic and pessimistic. Follow-up data revealed that whereas a pessimistic attitude (high disability, low self-confidence, many concerns) was related to decline, the ‘sceptic’ patients had dropped out during the course.

Conclusions: Uptake and drop-out may be related to patients' perceived disabilities, expected benefits and concerns with regard to rehabilitation, practical barriers and confidence in their own capabilities.
Muscle strength testing with one repetition maximum in the arm/shoulder for people aged 75 + - test-retest reliability
Authors: Rydwik E , Karlsson C , Frändin K , Akner G
Published: February 2007

Objective: To investigate the reliability of a muscle strength test of the arm/shoulder in elderly people, aged 75 and older, and to compare subjects with and without previous muscle strength training experience.

Design: Reliability study - test-retest.

Setting: Research centre for the elderly.

Main measures: One repetition maximum (1 RM) was measured using an arm/shoulder strength-training device (Pull Down, Norway). Two measurements were conducted, approximately one week apart.

Results: Forty people were included in the study and 34 completed both sessions. Eleven participants had previous muscle strength training experience on the indicated device. There was a high correlation between the test sessions, r = 0.97 for both groups. The analysis of 95% limits of agreement for the mean difference was -4.3/+6.9 kg for the group without and -3.0/+6.4 kg for the group with previous experience, respectively.

Conclusion: One repetition maximum evaluated by the Pull Down device seems to be a reliable and safe method for dosing and evaluating a muscle strength training programme for elderly people. The observed variation of approximately -4/+7 kg cannot be interpreted as an effect of muscle training, but is more likely an effect of learning, fluctuations in daily condition and/or motivation.
A naturalistic, 9-month follow-up, comparing olanzapine and conventional antipsychotics on sexual function and hormonal profile for males with schizophrenia
Authors: Costa Anna Maria Nicolai , de Lima Mauricio Silva , Faria Marité , Filho Salomão Rodrigues , De Oliveira Irismar Reis , de Jesus Mari Jair
Published: February 2007

Second generation antipsychotics have less influence on prolactin levels than conventional antipsychotics (CA), which are commonly associated with sexual dysfunction and hyperprolactinaemia. However, only a few studies have been conducted assessing these newer antipsychotics and sexual function/dysfunction. The aim of this study is to evaluate the sexual function and hormonal profile of male schizophrenic patients taking olanzapine or CA. Sixty-three inpatients with acute episodes of schizophrenia were randomly assigned to take either olanzapine, or go on conventional antipsychotic treatment. The Dickson-Glazer sexual functioning questionnaire was used to assess sexual functioning where serum prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, total testosterone, free testosterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin concentrations were measured. All measurements were taken on discharge from the inpatient unit (baseline), and again at 3 and 9 months after discharge. Prolactin levels in the olanzapine group decreased more rapidly and were significantly lower than in the CA group after 3 months (12.1±6.3µg/l, p=0.01; 18.1±11.2µg/l, p=0.564, respectively). After nine months, there was a tendency toward normal levels in both groups, and the frequency of sexual complaints did not differ between the groups. This study showed no difference between olanzapine and conventional antipsychotics regarding sexual complaints in the treatment of schizophrenia, but did show a difference in the hormone level normalization rate.
Effect of ispronicline, a neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, in subjects with age associated memory impairment (AAMI)
Authors: Dunbar Geoffrey C. , Inglis Fraser , Kuchibhatla Ramana , Sharma Tonmoy , Tomlinson Mark , Wamsley James
Published: February 2007

Cognitive decline seen in the normal elderly is associated with selective loss of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Nicotine given either by inhalation or transdermally helps cognition, but unacceptable side effects limit its utility. The present study assessed the safety, tolerability and effect on cognition of ispronicline, a highly selective partial agonist at the 4β2 nAChR, in elderly subjects ( n =76) with age associated memory impairment (AAMI). This double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study explored ascending oral doses of ispronicline in the range 50–150mg given as a single morning dose for a period of 3 weeks. Pharmacokinetics (PK) were assessed, as well as cognitive function measured by means of the Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) computerized test battery. Ispronicline had a favourable safety profile and was well tolerated at doses below 150mg. No effect of clinical importance was seen on biochemistry, haematology, urine analysis, vital signs, electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitoring. The most frequent drug induced adverse event was light-headedness (dizziness). A beneficial effect was seen on cognition across the dose range. This was most marked at 50mg on factors measuring attention and episodic memory. PK analysis indicated a plasma Cmax range of 5–25/35ng/ml ispronicline was associated with the most beneficial effect. These early results demonstrate ispronicline was well tolerated and did not display the side effects typical of nicotine. Ispronicline also had a beneficial effect on cognition in subjects with AAMI. This was seen most strongly in a Cmax range that had been predicted from pre-clinical animal studies.