bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patrons, Clients and Friends
Authors: Eisenstadt S. N. , Roniger Luis
Published: July 2011

The form of social relations described by the terms 'patronage' and 'patron-client relations' is of central concern to sociologists, anthropologists and political scientists today. Characterised by its voluntary and highly personal but often fully institutionalised nature, it is a type of behaviour found in almost every human society. It touches upon basic aspects of the construction and regulation of social order and is therefore closely connected to major theoretical problems and controversies in the social sciences. This book analyses some special types of these interpersonal relations - ritual kinship, patron-client relations and friendship - and the social conditions in which they develop. The authors draw upon a wide range of examples, from societies as diverse as these of the Mediterranean, Latin America, the Middle and Far East and the U.S.S.R., in their study of the core characteristics of such relationships. They look at them as mechanisms of social exchange, examine their impact on the institutional structures in which they exist, and assess the significance of the variations in their occurrence. Their analysis highlights the importance of these relationships in social life and concludes with a stimulating discussion of the ensuring tensions and ambivalences and the ways in which these are dealt with - though perhaps never fully overcome. Patrons, clients and friends is the first systematic comparative study of these interpersonal relations and makes the first attempt to relate them to central aspects of social structure. It will therefore be an important contribution to both comparative analysis and social theory and will be of interest to a wide range of social scientists.
Monetary Politics
Authors: Woolley John T.
Published: July 2011

This is the first book to describe and analyze the relationships between the Federal Reserve and the president, Congress, bankers, and economists. Far from being politically independent, the Federal Reserve is shown to be sensitive to a wide range of political influences.
Music in the Seventeenth Century
Authors: Bianconi Lorenzo
Published: July 2011

The seventeenth century was a period of profound change in the history of music. In this volume Lorenzo Bianconi considers the radical developments of the century as long-lived musical traditions died out and others were created in response to new social functions. This period saw, for example, the flowering of the polyphonic madrigal and its subsequent decline in favour of a new concertato style, the rise of the basso continuo and the growth of purely instrumental composition. Most importantly it saw the rapid rise and persistent growth of a new genre of immeasurable significance: opera. In examining the plurality of coexistent musical styles Lorenzo Bianconi also discusses the socio-historical and cultural aspects of seventeenth-century music history: the opening out towards rational modes of scientific enquiry and theoretical speculation; the social position of the musician in the age of the first theatrical and musical entrepreneurs; the decline of Italian music publishing and the spread of the market to northern Europe. In considering these problems Lorenzo Bianconi presents a fresh picture of musical life in the seventeenth century, taking, like other books from the Italian series Storia della Musica, a broadly contextual approach.
The Thought of Gregory the Great
Authors: Evans G. R.
Published: July 2011

Gregory the Great was, after Augustine of Hippo, perhaps the most influential of the Fathers in the Latin West during the Middle Ages. He put Augustine's thought into a form which proved accessible and acceptable to mediaeval readers, and he added much of his own, notably in his preaching, in which he interpreted the Bible with equal emphasis on the practical living of a good Christian life and the aspiration of the soul towards God and the life to come. This study looks at Gregory's thought as a whole and tries to show what was most important to him and the way he arrived at a balance between the active and the contemplative, the 'outward' and the 'inward' in his own mind. There is a tailpiece on the influence of his ideas in later centuries.
Discourse Structure and Anaphora
Authors: Fox Barbara A.
Published: July 2011

Barbara Fox's thoughtful study examines the use of anaphora in both written and spoken discourse. Any treatment of anaphora must consider the hierarchical of its source texts-type. Texts may be produced and heard or read linearly, but they are designed and understood hierarchically. Discourse Structure and Anaphora goes beyond the information processing concerns of cognitive science to assess the critical role played in all text-types by social, interactional and affective factors. It also considers the fact that texts are organised by socially accepted conventions. Using conversation analysis and rhetorical structure analysis, this book looks at the distribution of pronouns and full noun phrases in three different genres of English, taking data from naturally occurring face-to-face and telephone conversations, small newspaper and magazine articles and a psychoanalytic biography.
The Dynamical Theory of Gases
Authors: Jeans James
Published: July 2011

Jeans's primary aim with the first edition of his book, originally published in 1904, was to 'develop the theory of gases upon as exact a mathematical basis as possible'. Twenty years later and those theories were being revolutionised by Quantum Theory. In this fourth edition, Jeans does not attempt to avoid the discoveries of this topical science, but rather exposes the many difficulties that classical theory was experiencing, and how those problems disappeared with Quantum Theory. This edition therefore offers a fascinating insight into a field of physics in transition between two great models of physical science.
England and Her Soldiers
Authors: Martineau Harriet
Published: July 2011

In the preface to this 1859 book Harriet Martineau (1802–1876) tells the reader that this 'is not a work of invention' or a 'fancy-piece' and thereby sets the tone for a study that is partly historical and partly sociological. In the writing of the book, Martineau collaborated with another prominent nineteenth-century figure, Florence Nightingale. They wished to gain political support for improvements in military hygiene and health care. Martineau draws on Nightingale's experiences when nursing wounded soldiers during the Crimean War and builds it into a strong narrative that describes the conditions that soldiers experienced in the barracks, in hospitals and on the field, making practical recommendations as to how to improve these areas, by legislation if necessary, so as to ensure the future good health of Britain's armed forces. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=martha
A Moral Theory of Political Reconciliation
Authors: Murphy Colleen
Published: July 2011

Following extended periods of conflict or repression, political reconciliation is indispensable to the establishment or restoration of democratic relationships and critical to the pursuit of peacemaking globally. In this book, Colleen Murphy offers an innovative analysis of the moral problems plaguing political relationships under the strain of civil conflict and repression. Focusing on the unique moral damage that attends the deterioration of political relationships, Murphy identifies the precise kinds of repair and transformation that processes of political reconciliation ought to promote. Building on this analysis, she proposes a normative model of political relationships. A Moral Theory of Political Reconciliation delivers an original account of the failure and restoration of political relationships, which will be of interest to philosophers, social scientists, legal scholars, policy analysts, and all those who are interested in transitional justice, global politics, and democracy.
Symmetry in Syntax
Authors: Citko Barbara
Published: July 2011

While much has been written on asymmetric aspects of sentence structure, symmetric aspects have been largely ignored, or claimed to be non-existent. Does symmetry in syntax exist, and if it does, how do we account for it? In this book, Barbara Citko sets out to tackle these questions and offers a unified approach to a number of phenomena that have so far been studied only in isolation. Focusing on three core minimalist mechanisms: merge, move and labeling, she advances a new theory of these mechanisms, by showing that under certain well-defined circumstances merge can create symmetric structures, move can target either of two potentially moveable objects, and labels can be constructed symmetrically from the features of two objects. This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students interested in minimalist syntax, the structure of questions, relative clauses, coordination, double object constructions and copular sentences.
Algebraic and Analytic Geometry
Authors: Neeman Amnon
Published: July 2011

This textbook, for an undergraduate course in modern algebraic geometry, recognizes that the typical undergraduate curriculum contains a great deal of analysis and, by contrast, little algebra. Because of this imbalance, it seems most natural to present algebraic geometry by highlighting the way it connects algebra and analysis; the average student will probably be more familiar and more comfortable with the analytic component. The book therefore focuses on Serre's GAGA theorem, which perhaps best encapsulates the link between algebra and analysis. GAGA provides the unifying theme of the book: we develop enough of the modern machinery of algebraic geometry to be able to give an essentially complete proof, at a level accessible to undergraduates throughout. The book is based on a course which the author has taught, twice, at the Australian National University.
Authority and the Sacred
Authors: Brown Peter
Published: July 2011

The Christianisation of the Roman world lies at the root of modern Europe, yet at the time it was a tentative and piecemeal process. Peter Brown's fascinating study examines the factors which proved decisive and the compromises which made the emergence of the Christian 'thought world' possible: how the the old gods of the Roman Empire could be reinterpreted as symbols to further the message of the Church. Peter Brown also shows how Christian holy men were less representative of a triumphant faith than negotiators of a working compromise between the new faith and traditional ways of dealing with the supernatural worlds.
Becoming Literate in the City
Authors: Serpell Robert , Baker Linda , Sonnenschein Susan
Published: July 2011

Literacy is one of the most highly valued cultural resources of contemporary American society, yet far too many children in the nation's cities leave school without becoming sufficiently literate. This book reports the results of a five-year longitudinal study in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, tracing literacy development from pre-kindergarten through third-grade for a sample of children from low and middle income families of European and African heritage. The authors examined the intimate culture of each child's home, defined by a confluence of parental beliefs, recurrent activities, and interactive processes, in relation to children's literacy competencies. Also examined were teacher beliefs and practices, and connections between home and school. With its broad-based consideration of the contexts of early literacy development, the book makes an important contribution to understanding how best to facilitate attainment of literacy for children from diverse backgrounds.
Cartesian Linguistics
Authors: Chomsky Noam
Published: July 2011

In this extraordinarily original and profound work, Noam Chomsky discusses themes in the study of language and mind since the end of the sixteenth century in order to explain the motivations and methods that underlie his work in linguistics, the science of mind, and even politics. This edition includes a new and specially written introduction by James McGilvray, contextualising the work for the twenty-first century. It has been made more accessible to a larger audience; all the French and German in the original edition has been translated, and the notes and bibliography have been brought up to date. The relationship between the original edition (published in 1966) and contemporary biolinguistic work is also explained. This challenging volume is an important contribution to the study of language and mind, and to the history of these studies since the end of the sixteenth century.
Classical Optics and its Applications
Authors: Mansuripur Masud
Published: July 2011

Covering a broad range of fundamental topics in classical optics and electro-magnetism, this book is ideal for graduate-level courses in optics, providing supplementary reading materials for teachers and students alike. Industrial scientists and engineers developing modern optical systems will also find it an invaluable resource. Now in color, this second edition contains 13 new chapters, covering optical pulse compression, the Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiment, the Sagnac effect, Doppler shift and stellar aberration, and optics of semiconductor diode lasers. The first half of the book deals primarily with the basic concepts of optics, while the second half describes how these concepts can be used in a variety of technological applications. Each chapter is concerned with a single topic, developing an understanding through the use of diagrams, examples, numerical simulations, and logical arguments. The mathematical content is kept to a minimum to provide the reader with insightful discussions of optical phenomena.
Interest Rates and Coupon Bonds in Quantum Finance
Authors: Baaquie Belal E.
Published: July 2011

The economic crisis of 2008 has shown that the capital markets need new theoretical and mathematical concepts to describe and price financial instruments. Focusing on interest rates and coupon bonds, this book does not employ stochastic calculus – the bedrock of the present day mathematical finance – for any of the derivations. Instead, it analyzes interest rates and coupon bonds using quantum finance. The Heath-Jarrow-Morton and the Libor Market Model are generalized by realizing the forward and Libor interest rates as an imperfectly correlated quantum field. Theoretical models have been calibrated and tested using bond and interest rates market data. Building on the principles formulated in the author's previous book (Quantum Finance, Cambridge University Press, 2004) this ground-breaking book brings together a diverse collection of theoretical and mathematical interest rate models. It will interest physicists and mathematicians researching in finance, and professionals working in the finance industry.
Molecular Forces and Self Assembly
Authors: Ninham Barry W. , Lo Nostro Pierandrea
Published: July 2011

Challenging the cherished notions of colloidal theory, Barry Ninham and Pierandrea Lo Nostro confront the scientific lore of molecular forces and colloidal science in an incisive and thought-provoking manner. The authors explain the development of these classical theories, discussing amongst other topics electrostatic forces in electrolytes, specific ion effects and hydrophobic interactions. Throughout the book they question assumptions, unearth flaws and present new results and ideas. From such analysis, a qualitative and predictive framework for the field emerges; the impact of this is discussed in the latter half of the book through force behaviour in self assembly. Here, numerous diverse phenomena are explained, from surfactants to biological applications, all richly illustrated with pertinent, intellectually stimulating examples. With mathematics kept to a minimum, and historic facts and anecdotes woven through the text, this is a highly engaging and readable treatment for students and researchers in science and engineering.
Principles of Statistical Inference
Authors: Cox D. R.
Published: July 2011

In this definitive book, D. R. Cox gives a comprehensive and balanced appraisal of statistical inference. He develops the key concepts, describing and comparing the main ideas and controversies over foundational issues that have been keenly argued for more than two-hundred years. Continuing a sixty-year career of major contributions to statistical thought, no one is better placed to give this much-needed account of the field. An appendix gives a more personal assessment of the merits of different ideas. The content ranges from the traditional to the contemporary. While specific applications are not treated, the book is strongly motivated by applications across the sciences and associated technologies. The mathematics is kept as elementary as feasible, though previous knowledge of statistics is assumed. The book will be valued by every user or student of statistics who is serious about understanding the uncertainty inherent in conclusions from statistical analyses.
Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime
Authors: Parker Leonard , Toms David
Published: July 2011

Quantum field theory in curved spacetime has been remarkably fruitful. It can be used to explain how the large-scale structure of the universe and the anisotropies of the cosmic background radiation that we observe today first arose. Similarly, it provides a deep connection between general relativity, thermodynamics, and quantum field theory. This book develops quantum field theory in curved spacetime in a pedagogical style, suitable for graduate students. The authors present detailed, physically motivated, derivations of cosmological and black hole processes in which curved spacetime plays a key role. They explain how such processes in the rapidly expanding early universe leave observable consequences today, and how in the context of evaporating black holes, these processes uncover deep connections between gravitation and elementary particles. The authors also lucidly describe many other aspects of free and interacting quantized fields in curved spacetime.
Statistical Models
Authors: Davison A. C.
Published: July 2011

Models and likelihood are the backbone of modern statistics. This 2003 book gives an integrated development of these topics that blends theory and practice, intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and practitioners. Its breadth is unrivaled, with sections on survival analysis, missing data, Markov chains, Markov random fields, point processes, graphical models, simulation and Markov chain Monte Carlo, estimating functions, asymptotic approximations, local likelihood and spline regressions as well as on more standard topics such as likelihood and linear and generalized linear models. Each chapter contains a wide range of problems and exercises. Practicals in the S language designed to build computing and data analysis skills, and a library of data sets to accompany the book, are available over the Web.
The Dynamics of International Law
Authors: Diehl Paul F. , Ku Charlotte
Published: July 2011

Paul F. Diehl and Charlotte Ku's new framework for international law divides it into operating and normative systems. The authors provide a theory of how these two systems interact, which explains how changes in one system precipitate changes and create capacity in the other. A punctuated equilibrium theory of system evolution, drawn from studies of biology and public policy studies, provides the basis for delineating the conditions for change and helps explain a pattern of international legal change that is often infrequent and sub-optimal, but still influential.
The Institutional Foundations of Public Policy in Argentina
Authors: Spiller Pablo T. , Tommasi Mariano
Published: July 2011

This book develops a general model of public policymaking, focusing on the difficulties of securing intertemporal exchanges among politicians. By using this model the authors are able to derive a series of empirical propositions about the conditions under which policies are likely to be volatile, rigid, or high quality. In addition, the authors combine the tools of game theory with Williamson's transaction cost theory, North's institutional arguments, and contract theory, to provide a general theory of public policymaking in a comparative political economy setting. They also undertake a detailed study of Argentina, using statistical analyses on newly developed data to complement their nuanced account of institutions, rules, incentives and outcomes. Drawing on this research the book explores the reasons for Argentina's seeming inability to design and implement high quality public policies over a sustained period of time.
The Value of Arts for Business
Authors: Schiuma Giovanni
Published: July 2011

The traditional view of the relationship between business and the arts is very much a one-way affair: organisations may endorse, fund or publicise the arts but the arts have nothing to offer from a business perspective. The Value of Arts for Business challenges this view by showing how the arts, in the form of Arts-based Initiatives (ABIs), can be used to enhance value-creation capacity and boost business performance. The book introduces and explains three models that show how organisations can successfully implement and manage ABIs. Firstly, the Arts Value Matrix enables managers to see how organisational value-drivers are affected by ABIs. Secondly, the Arts Benefits Constellation shows how to assess the benefits of using ABIs. Finally, the Arts Value Map shows how ABIs can be integrated and aligned with organisational strategy and operations. These models lay the foundations for a new research area exploring the links between arts and business.
EU Prospectus Law
Authors: Schammo Pierre
Published: July 2011

Pierre Schammo provides a detailed analysis of EU prospectus law (and the 2010 amendments to the Prospectus Directive) and assesses the new rules governing the European Securities and Markets Authority, including the case law on the delegation of powers to regulatory agencies. In a departure from previous work on securities regulation, the focus is on EU decision-making in the securities field. He examines the EU's approach to prospectus disclosure enforcement and its implementation at Member State level and breaks new ground on regulatory competition in the securities field by providing a 'law-in-context' analysis of the negotiations of the Prospectus Directive.
Combat and Morale in the North African Campaign
Authors: Fennell Jonathan
Published: July 2011

Military professionals and theorists have long understood the relevance of morale in war. Montgomery, the victor at El Alamein, said, following the battle, that 'the more fighting I see, the more I am convinced that the big thing in war is morale'. Jonathan Fennell, in examining the North African campaign through the lens of morale, challenges conventional explanations for Allied success in one of the most important and controversial campaigns in British and Commonwealth history. He introduces new sources, notably censorship summaries of soldiers' mail, and an innovative methodology that assesses troop morale not only on the evidence of personal observations and official reports but also on contemporaneously recorded rates of psychological breakdown, sickness, desertion and surrender. He shows for the first time that a major morale crisis and stunning recovery decisively affected Eighth Army's performance during the critical battles on the Gazala and El Alamein lines in 1942.
Immigration and the Constraints of Justice
Authors: Pevnick Ryan
Published: July 2011

This book explores the constraints which justice imposes on immigration policy. Like liberal nationalists, Ryan Pevnick argues that citizens have special claims to the institutions of their states. However, the source of these special claims is located in the citizenry's ownership of state institutions rather than in a shared national identity. Citizens contribute to the construction and maintenance of institutions (by paying taxes and obeying the law), and as a result they have special claims to these institutions and a limited right to exclude outsiders. Pevnick shows that the resulting view justifies a set of policies - including support for certain types of guest worker programs - which is distinct from those supported by either liberal nationalists or advocates of open borders. His book provides a framework for considering a number of connected topics including issues related to self-determination, the scope of distributive justice and the significance of shared national identity.
Quasilinear Control
Authors: Ching ShiNung , Eun Yongsoon , Gokcek Cevat , Kabamba Pierre T. , Meerkov Semyon M.
Published: July 2011

This is a textbook and reference for readers interested in quasilinear control (QLC). QLC is a set of methods for performance analysis and design of linear plant or nonlinear instrumentation (LPNI) systems. The approach of QLC is based on the method of stochastic linearization, which reduces the nonlinearities of actuators and sensors to quasilinear gains. Unlike the usual - Jacobian linearization - stochastic linearization is global. Using this approximation, QLC extends most of the linear control theory techniques to LPNI systems. A bisection algorithm for solving these equations is provided. In addition, QLC includes new problems, specific for the LPNI scenario. Examples include Instrumented LQR/LQG, in which the controller is designed simultaneously with the actuator and sensor, and partial and complete performance recovery, in which the degradation of linear performance is either contained by selecting the right instrumentation or completely eliminated by the controller boosting.
States, Citizens and the Privatisation of Security
Authors: Krahmann Elke
Published: July 2011

Recent years have seen a growing role for private military contractors in national and international security. To understand the reasons for this, Elke Krahmann examines changing models of the state, the citizen and the soldier in the UK, the US and Germany. She focuses on both the national differences with regard to the outsourcing of military services to private companies and their specific consequences for the democratic control over the legitimate use of armed force. Tracing developments and debates from the late eighteenth century to the present, she explains the transition from the centralized warfare state of the Cold War era to the privatized and fragmented security governance, and the different national attitudes to the privatization of force.
Surgery and critical care for anomalous coronary artery from the pulmonary artery
Authors: Fehrenbacher Timothy A. , Mitchell Michael E. , Ghanayem Nancy S. , Tweddell James S.
Published: July 2011

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is a rare congenital cardiac malformation that accounts for 0.25–0.50% of children with congenital cardiac disease and can cause myocardial dysfunction in young infants. In any infant presenting with ventricular dysfunction, the diagnosis of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery must be suspected and the origin of the coronary arteries must be confirmed. The diagnosis of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is an indication for surgical repair. A two-coronary arterial system is the goal and is almost always achievable. The goal of surgical therapy is the creation of a two-coronary arterial system, which appears to provide better long-term survival and protection from left ventricular dysfunction and mitral valvar regurgitation than does simple ligation of the anomalous coronary artery. Direct reimplantation of the anomalous coronary artery is the procedure of choice. It is straightforward and borrows from well-practised techniques commonly used in other procedures such as the arterial switch operation. For the rare patient in whom direct reimplantation is not possible, strategies to lengthen the anomalous coronary artery, or baffle it within the pulmonary root, are available. Mitral valvar regurgitation is common at presentation, but following the establishment of a two-coronary arterial system and satisfactory myocardial perfusion, regurgitation of the mitral valve resolves in the vast majority. Therefore, mitral valvuloplasty at the time of initial surgery for anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is not indicated. Post-operative care requires careful manipulation of inotropic support and reduction of afterload. Mechanical support, with either extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or left ventricular assist device, should be available for use if necessary.
β1-Integrin/Matrix Interactions Support Blood–Brain Barrier Integrity
Authors: Engelhardt Britta
Published: July 2011

Brain microvascular endothelium forms an active permeability barrier, the blood–brain barrier (BBB). In neurologic disorders, barrier properties of the BBB are often lost indicating their dependance on molecular cues of the brain microenvironment. In this issue, Osada et al demonstrate that the endothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) provides one of these cues. Their study shows that β1-integrin-mediated adhesion of brain endothelial cells to the surrounding ECM is critical for stabilizing claudin-5 in BBB tight junctions (TJs) and BBB integrity. These observations point to a novel intracellular signaling pathway from β1-integrin/ECM endothelial adhesions to BBB TJs contributing to BBB integrity.
Rescue of Melanocortin 4 Receptor (MC4R) Nonsense Mutations by Aminoglycoside‐Mediated Read‐Through
Authors: Brumm Harald , Mühlhaus Jessica , Bolze Florian , Scherag Susann , Hinney Anke , Hebebrand Johannes , Wiegand Susanna , Klingenspor Martin , Grüters Annette , Krude Heiko , Biebermann Heike
Published: July 2011

Aminoglycoside‐mediated read‐through of stop codons was recently demonstrated for a variety of diseases in vitro and in vivo. About 30 percent of human genetic diseases are the consequence of nonsense mutations. Nonsense mutations in obesity‐associated genes like the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R), expressed in the hypothalamus, show the impact of premature stop codons on energy homeostasis. Therefore, the MC4R could be a potential pharmaceutical target for obesity treatment and targeting MC4R stop mutations could serve as proof of principle for nonsense mutations in genes expressed in the brain. We investigated four naturally occurring nonsense mutations in the MC4R (W16X, Y35X, E61X, Q307X) located at different positions in the receptor for aminoglycoside‐mediated functional rescue in vitro. We determined localization and amount of full‐length protein before and after aminoglycoside treatment by fluorescence microscopy, cell surface and total enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Signal transduction properties were analyzed by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) assays after transient transfection of MC4R wild type and mutant receptors into COS‐7 cells. Functional rescue of stop mutations in the MC4R is dependent on: (i) triplet sequence of the stop codon, (ii) surrounding sequence, (iii) location within the receptor, (iv) applied aminoglycoside and ligand. Functional rescue was possible for W16X, Y35X (N‐terminus), less successful for Q307X (C‐terminus) and barely feasible for E61X (first transmembrane domain). Restoration of full‐length proteins by PTC124 could not be confirmed. Future pharmaceutical applications must consider the potency of aminoglycosides to restore receptor function as well as the ability to pass the blood‐brain barrier.
Visceral Obesity Is a Negative Predictor of Remission of Diabetes 1 Year After Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Kim Mee Kyoung , Lee Hong Chan , Kwon Hyuk‐Sang , Baek Ki‐Hyun , Kim Eung Kook , Lee Kwang Woo , Song Ki‐Ho
Published: July 2011

Our aim was to identify preoperative anthropometric and clinical parameters that predict the remission of diabetes after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Fifty severely obese Korean patients with type 2 diabetes underwent RYGB. Visceral and abdominal subcutaneous fat area (SFA) was assessed using computed tomography before and 6 and 12 months after RYGB. Remission was defined as a glycated hemoglobin (A1C) level <6.5% and a fasting glucose concentration <126 mg/dl for 1 year or more without the use of medication. The visceral‐to‐SFA ratio decreased from 0.60 ± 0.30 to 0.53 ± 0.29 (P = 0.001) after 6 months and decreased further to 0.42 ± 0.24 (P < 0.001) after 12 months. Thirty‐four of the 50 patients (68%) had remission of diabetes (remission group). Compared with patients in the nonremission group, patients in the remission group had a shorter duration of diabetes and lower preoperative A1C level, and were less likely to use insulin preoperatively. Preoperative BMI did not differ in two groups. However, the preoperative visceral‐to‐SFA ratio was greater in the nonremission group compared with the remission group (0.79 ± 0.29 vs. 0.53 ± 0.26, P = 0.003). Finally, the preoperative visceral‐to‐SFA ratio was an independent predictor of the remission of diabetes after RYGB in multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis. In conclusion, our data suggest that visceral adiposity negatively influence the likelihood of the patient experiencing the remission of diabetes after RYGB.
Structure and thermodynamics of hard-core Yukawa fluids: Thermodynamic perturbation approaches
Authors: Kim Eun-Young , Kim Soon-Chul , Seong Baek-Seok
Published: July 2011

The thermodynamic perturbation theories, which are based on the power series of a coupling constant (λ-expansion), have been proposed for studying the structural and thermodynamic properties of a hard-core Yukawa (HCY) fluid: one (A1-approximation) is the perturbation theory based on the hard-sphere repulsion as a reference system. The other (A2-approximation) is the perturbation theory based on the reference system which incorporates both the repulsive and short-range attractive interactions. The first-order mean-spherical approximation (FMSA) provided by Tang and Lu [J. Chem. Phys. 99, 9828 (1993)]10.1063/1.465465 has been employed for investigating the thermodynamic properties of a HCY fluid using the alternative method via the direct correlation function. The calculated results show that (i) the A1 and A2 approximations are in excellent agreements with previous computer simulation results in the literature and compare with the semi-empirical works of Shukla including the higher-order free energy terms, (ii) the A1 and A2 approximations are better than the FMSA and the mean-spherical approximation, (iii) the A2-approximation compares with the A1-approximation, even though the perturbation effect of an A2-approximation is much smaller than that of an A1-approximation, and that (iv) the FMSA study is particularly of advantage in providing the structure and thermodynamics in a simple and analytic manner.
Atomic decomposition of the protein solvation free energy and its application to amyloid-beta protein in water
Authors: Chong Song-Ho , Ham Sihyun
Published: July 2011

We report the development of an atomic decomposition method of the protein solvation free energy in water, which ascribes global change in the solvation free energy to local changes in protein conformation as well as in hydration structure. So far, empirical decomposition analyses based on simple continuum solvation models have prevailed in the study of protein-protein interactions, protein-ligand interactions, as well as in developing scoring functions for computer-aided drug design. However, the use of continuum solvation model suffers serious drawbacks since it yields the protein free energy landscape which is quite different from that of the explicit solvent model and since it does not properly account for the non-polar hydrophobic effects which play a crucial role in biological processes in water. Herein, we develop an exact and general decomposition method of the solvation free energy that overcomes these hindrances. We then apply this method to elucidate the molecular origin for the solvation free energy change upon the conformational transitions of 42-residue amyloid-beta protein (Aβ42) in water, whose aggregation has been implicated as a primary cause of Alzheimer's disease. We address why Aβ42 protein exhibits a great propensity to aggregate when transferred from organic phase to aqueous phase.
Artificial Faraday rotation using a ring metamaterial structure without static magnetic field
Authors: Kodera Toshiro , Sounas Dimitrios L. , Caloz Christophe
Published: July 2011

A metamaterial structure composed of a periodic array of conductive rings including each a semiconductor-based isolator is experimentally shown to produce Faraday rotation. Due to the presence of the isolators, a unidirectional traveling-wave regime is established along the rings, generating rotating magnetic moments and hence emulating the phenomenon of electron spin precession. The metamaterial exhibits the same response as a magnetically biased ferrite or plasma, but without the need of any static magnetic field bias, and therefore, it is easily integrated in printed circuit technology.
Accurate and comprehensive sequencing of personal genomes
Authors: Ajay Subramanian S. , Parker Stephen C.J. , Ozel Abaan Hatice , Fuentes Fajardo Karin V. , Margulies Elliott H.
Published: July 2011

As whole-genome sequencing becomes commoditized and we begin to sequence and analyze personal genomes for clinical and diagnostic purposes, it is necessary to understand what constitutes a complete sequencing experiment for determining genotypes and detecting single-nucleotide variants. Here, we show that the current recommendation of ∼30× coverage is not adequate to produce genotype calls across a large fraction of the genome with acceptably low error rates. Our results are based on analyses of a clinical sample sequenced on two related Illumina platforms, GAIIxand HiSeq 2000, to a very high depth (126×). We used these data to establish genotype-calling filters that dramatically increase accuracy. We also empirically determined how the callable portion of the genome varies as a function of the amount of sequence data used. These results help provide a “sequencing guide” for future whole-genome sequencing decisions and metrics by which coverage statistics should be reported.
The effect of systemic psoriasis therapies on the incidence of myocardial infarction: a cohort study
Authors: Abuabara K. , Lee H. , Kimball A.B.
Published: July 2011

Background Psoriasis confers an independent risk of cardiovascular disease that is likely to be related to systemic inflammation. Anti-inflammatory treatment could theoretically reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and initial data suggest that treatment may reduce the incidence of cardiovascular risk factors.

Objectives To determine the impact of anti-inflammatory therapy on the risk of acute myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

Methods Cohort study using administrative and pharmacy claims data from a large U.S. insurer comparing patients with psoriasis aged ≥ 18 years receiving systemic immunomodulatory therapies (methotrexate, ciclosporin, alefacept, efalizumab, adalimumab, etancercept and infliximab) with a control group treated with ultraviolet B phototherapy that has limited systemic anti-inflammatory effects. The risk of acute MI was calculated using a proportional hazards model while controlling for sex, age, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes and depression. Significant interaction terms were included in the final model.

Results The study group included 25 554 patients with psoriasis receiving systemic treatment or phototherapy. There was a trend towards an increased risk of MI in the systemic treatment group but not a significant difference in overall MI risk [hazard ratio (HR) 1·33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·90–1·96]. Additionally, there was a significant interaction with age: in patients under 50 years the HR for MI if receiving systemic therapy was 0·65 (95% CI 0·32–1·34), and in patients aged 50–70 years it was 1·37 (95% CI 0·79–2·38).

Conclusions Overall, there does not appear to be a reduced risk of MI in patients with psoriasis receiving systemic therapy compared with a group undergoing phototherapy. The risk of MI may vary by age.
Supporting cystic fibrosis disease management during adolescence: the role of family and friends
Authors: Barker D. H. , Driscoll K. A. , Modi A. C. , Light M. J. , Quittner A. L.
Published: July 2011

Background  Successful management of a complex disease, such as cystic fibrosis (CF), requires support from family and friends; however, few studies have examined social support in adolescents with CF.

Methods  Twenty‐four adolescents were interviewed about the support they receive from family and friends. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed to determine the types, frequency and perceived supportiveness of specific behaviours.

Results  Both family and friends provided treatment‐related support to adolescents with CF. Family provided more tangible support and friends provided more relational support. Adolescents also reported that the manner, timing and context of support behaviours influenced their perceptions of the behaviours' supportiveness. A subset of adolescents (17%) chose not to disclose their diagnosis to their friends.

Conclusions  The provision of support appears to be distinct from adolescent's perception of support and there may be some behaviours, such as treatment reminders, that are important to disease management but viewed as less supportive by adolescents. Facilitating increased social support holds the promise of improving disease management during adolescents, but more work is need to understand which aspects of support are related to management outcomes.
Complement activation products in liquid stored plasma and C3a kinetics after transfusion of autologous plasma
Authors: Norda R. , Schött U. , Berséus O. , Åkerblom O. , Nilsson B. , Ekdahl K. N. , Stegmayr B. G. , Knutson et F.
Published: July 2011

Background and Objectives  Keeping a small stock of liquid plasma readily available for transfusion is common practise in Sweden. We report data on complement activation markers in plasma components during storage in the liquid state and the kinetics of C3a‐desArg after transfusion of autologous plasma with high content of C3a‐desArg.

Material and Methods  Plasma components were prepared by apheresis or from whole blood. C3 fragments (C3a‐desArg, C3d,g, iC3), and soluble terminal complement complex (sC5b‐9) were investigated. C3a‐desArg kinetics was investigated in regular apheresis donors.

Results  Apheresis plasma prepared by membrane centrifugation had significantly higher level of C3a‐desArg, C3d,g and sC5b‐9 from day 0 and low iC3, than plasma prepared by other methods. By storage day 7, C3a‐desArg ‐levels were above the reference value in 88% of all components. After re‐infusion of autologous plasma with high C3a‐desArg content, there were rapid a1 and a2‐distribution followed by a slower b‐elimination phase.

Conclusion  Plasma components prepared by different methods and stored in the liquid phase differ significantly in the amount and timing of complement activation. C3a‐desArg present in plasma is rapidly eliminated after transfusion. Autologous plasma could be used to study complement kinetics in different clinical situations.
Are primary woody hosts ‘island refuges’ for host‐alternating aphids and important for colonization of local cereals?
Authors: Klueken A. M. , Simon J.‐C. , Hondelmann P. , Mieuzet L. , Gilabert A. , Poehling H.‐M. , Hau B.
Published: July 2011

Only few studies are available dealing with the relation between winter host density and spatial distribution and spring colonization of winter cereals by the host‐alternating cereal aphid species Rhopalosiphum padi and Metopolophium dirhodum. Large‐scale studies in climatically different agroecosystems in Germany from 2004 to 2006 revealed for R. padi and M. dirhodum larger spring/summer populations in landscapes with higher densities of winter hosts. A small‐scale study was performed in winter wheat fields adjacent to a large hedge with several typical winter hosts plants, bird cherry (Prunus padus) and wild rose species (Rosa spp.) to indentify distance effects (0–8, 8–24 and 24–60 m). Weekly measurements of aphid density between May to July showed significantly higher densities of R. padi compared with those of other aphids. Statistical analysis (Tukey–Kramer test and regression analyses) revealed significant gradients from the hedge to the field centre for R. padi and M. dirhodum. In comparative studies, winged R. padi from winter and adjacent summer hosts were genotyped using four microsatellite markers. The results showed that individuals from a certain winter host were not genetically similar with individuals from neighbouring summer hosts; it, therefore, seems that winter host clones did not significantly contribute to population built‐up in cereal fields over short distances. It could be concluded that on a regional scale, the density of sources for early migrants of R. padi is important for colonization intensity of surrounding summer hosts, but that the high local movement intensity and the relative small proportion of aphids that could be analysed in such tracking studies are blurring close spatial relations within short time periods.
Reduced N‐cadherin expression is associated with metastatic potential and poor surgical outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhan Da‐qian , Wei Shuang , Liu Cong , Liang Bin‐yong , Ji Gui‐bao , Chen Xiao‐ping , Xiong Min , Huang Zhi‐yong
Published: July 2011

Background and Aim:  N‐cadherin (N‐cad), one of the classic cadherins, has been reported to be involved in tumor metastasis in some types of tumors. This study aims to investigate the expression status of N‐cad in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the correlation between N‐cad expression and metastatic potential, as well as the surgical outcomes of HCC.

Methods:  N‐cad expression in HCC and adjacent liver tissues, as well as normal liver tissues, was studied by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, and the relationship between N‐cad expression and the clinicopathological features of HCC was evaluated. By using RNA interference technique, the correlation of N‐cad expression and metastatic potential was investigated by downregulating N‐cad expression in HCCLM3 cells, and the effects of N‐cad downregulation on cell aggregation, migration, and invasion were then analyzed. Furthermore, the correlation between N‐cad expression and the surgical outcomes of a cohort of HCC patients was analyzed.

Results:  In liver tissues, N‐cad was strongly expressed on cell–cell boundaries, whereas various reduced‐expression patterns were observed in tumors. Of 64 HCC, 34 (53%) tumors showed reduced N‐cad expression, compared with their adjacent liver tissues. The decreased expression of N‐cad was significantly correlated with poorer tumor differentiation (P = 0.001) and vascular invasion (P = 0.003). N‐cad knockdown in HCCLM3 cells resulted in decreased cell aggregation and increased cell migration and invasion. The decreased expression of N‐cad in HCC was significantly associated with shorter postoperative disease‐free survival (P = 0.039).

Conclusions:  N‐cad expression is decreased in HCC, and the downregulation of N‐cad is associated with the metastatic potential of HCC and poorer surgical prognosis.