bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety of Sports Participation in Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators:  A Survey of Heart Rhythm Society Members
Authors: LAMPERT RACHEL , CANNOM DAVID , OLSHANSKY BRIAN
Published: November 2005

Introduction: The safety of sports participation for patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) is unknown, and recommendations among physicians may vary widely. The purposes of this study were to determine current practice among patients with ICDs and their physicians regarding sports participation, and to determine how many physicians have cared for patients who have sustained adverse events during sports participation.

Methods and Results: A survey was mailed to all 1,687 U.S. physician members of the Heart Rhythm Society. Among 614 respondent physicians, recommendations varied widely. Only 10% recommended avoidance of all sports more vigorous than golf. Seventy‐six percent recommended avoidance of contact, and 45% recommend avoidance of competitive sports. Most (71%) based restrictions on patients' underlying heart disease. Regardless of recommendations, most physicians (71%) reported caring for patients who participated in sports, including many citing vigorous, competitive sports, most commonly cited were basketball, running, and skiing. ICD shocks during sports were common, cited by 40% of physicians. However, few adverse consequences were reported. One percent of physicians reported known injury to patient (all but 3 minor); 5%, injury to the ICD system, and <1%, failure of shocks to terminate arrhythmia. The most common adverse event reported was lead damage attributed to repetitive‐motion activities, most commonly weightlifting and golf.

Conclusions: Physician recommendations for sports participation for patients with ICDs varies widely. Many patients with ICDs do participate in vigorous and even competitive sports. While shocks were common, significant adverse events were rare.
Reanalysis of The “Pseudo A‐A‐V” Response to Ventricular Entrainment of Supraventricular Tachycardia: Importance of His‐Bundle Timing
Authors: VIJAYARAMAN PUGAZHENDHI , LEE BENJAMIN P. , KALAHASTY GAUTHAM , WOOD MARK A. , ELLENBOGEN KENNETH A.
Published: November 2005

Background: The sequence of atrial and ventricular electrograms following termination of ventricular pacing during supraventricular tachycardia has been shown to reliably differentiate atrial tachycardia from atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT). However in patients with long HV intervals, this may be misleading due to a pseudo “A‐A‐V” response. The aim of the present study is to see if inclusion of the timing of the His‐bundle in the electrogram response (ER) following ventricular pacing would reliably identify the mechanism of tachycardia in patients with long HV intervals.

Methods: Eight patients (7 men) with AVNRT and underlying bundle branch block and long HV (>55 msec) intervals underwent ventricular pacing at 10–40 msec shorter than the tachycardia cycle length during SVT. The ER was classified as “A‐A‐H” or “A‐H” depending on the number of atrial electrograms (A) prior to His deflection following VEP.

Results: The ER following ventricular pacing was classified as A‐H in all 8 patients. However, using conventional classification the response was A‐A‐V in 5 of 8 patients due to delayed ventricular activation secondary to long HV intervals and would erroneously suggest atrial tachycardia. The ER was A‐V in only 1 of 8 patients. In the remaining 2 patients the A and V electrograms were simultaneous.

Conclusions: Incorporating the His‐bundle in the ER following ventricular pacing would eliminate the pseudo “A‐A‐V” response in patients with AVNRT and long HV intervals. Labeling the response to ventricular pacing as “A‐H” or “A‐A‐H” is simple and more accurate.
The Reliability of Echocardiographic Left Ventricular Wall Motion Index to Identify High‐Risk Patients for Multicenter Studies
Authors: Gislason Gunnar H. , Gadsbøll Niels , Quinones Miguel A. , Køber Lars , Seibæk Marie , Burchardt Hans , Torp‐Pedersen Christian
Published: November 2005

Objective: To study whether the use of echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) wall motion index (WMI) is a dependable parameter for identifying patients with LV dysfunction to be enrolled in multicenter trials. Methods: Videotaped echocardiographic examinations from 200 randomly selected patients that were screened for inclusion into the DIAMOND‐CHF and DIAMOND‐MI trials were reevaluated by an external expert echocardiographer. WMI was calculated using the 16‐segment LV model. Results: The external echocardiographer systematically found lower values of WMI than the core laboratory. The average difference in WMI was 0.18 (SD: 0.33) in the DIAMOND‐CHF trial and 0.09 (SD: 0.33) in the DIAMOND‐MI trial. The difference in WMI exceeded 0.33 in 34% of the patients in both trials. The cutoff value for inclusion into the DIAMOND trials was WMI ≤ 1.2. There was an agreement on WMI dichotomized to below or above 1.2 in 82% of the patients in both trials (
κ
coefficient 0.66 for the DIAMOND‐CHF and 0.55 for the DIAMOND‐MI). Conclusions: Despite substantial interlaboratory variation in WMI in individual patients and a systematic lower WMI score by the external echocardiographer there was an acceptable overall agreement for identifying patients with severe impairment of LV function. This not only underscores the value of LV‐WMI as a useful tool for selecting high‐risk patients to be included in multicenter studies but also serves to warn against the use of rigid cutoff values for WMI in the treatment of individual patients.
Hedonic Estimation and Policy Significance of the Impact of HOPE VI on Neighborhood Property Values
Authors: Bair Edward , Fitzgerald John M.
Published: November 2005

HOPE VI was designed as a program to revitalize distressed public housing. This study uses hedonic methods to test whether projects that are rebuilt with HOPE VI funds have a positive effect on surrounding property values. Comparisons are made between HOPE VI and other types of public housing programs using data on property values by census block groups from the 2000 census. We find that HOPE VI had a statistically significant positive impact on surrounding property values on the order of 8–10% for every quarter‐mile closer that a housing unit was located to the development. Other public housing developments were found to have little if any effect on property values.
Voter Disenfranchisement and Policy toward Election Reforms
Authors: Friedman Anne Kiehl
Published: November 2005

How did poverty, race, population density, and other demographic characteristics affect disenfranchisement in the 2004 presidential election? I argue that there are two types of disenfranchisement: partisan disenfranchisement, which targets Democrats, and structural disenfranchisement, which targets members of low‐status groups. Drawing demographic data from the United States census in 2000, and voting data from the secretaries of state websites, I use a negative binomial regression to correlate these variables with the incidence of voter disenfranchisement as collected by the Election Incident Reporting System, for the three “swing” states of Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, with the “safe” states of California and Texas as controls. The results of this analysis indicate that disenfranchisement increases with population density, Black population, Democratic loyalty, and as the margin of victory decreases. Income and education also correlate with an increase in reported incidents of disenfranchisement, but that likely reflects the failings of self‐report data.
Gender Role Ideologies and Marriage Promotion: State Policy Choices and Suggestions for Improvement
Authors: Harris Deborah A. , Parisi Domenico
Published: November 2005

The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) lists marriage as one of the major strategies for reducing welfare dependency among clients of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program along with work requirements and time limits. President George W. Bush has allocated over $240 million to the individual states to create programs to promote and sustain marriages, with specific attention given to encouraging marriage among the low‐income, welfare‐reliant population. We suggest that this policy is based upon a specific gender ideology that seems to ignore the reality of the lives of poor women with children and may be, as some critics suggest, an attempt at “legislating patriarchy.” In this work, we trace the social changes that shaped this ideology, present the options the states have taken to encourage marriage, discuss flaws in the philosophy and implementation of these policies, and provide suggestions for improving program design.
Switching toward capital‐intensive technologies in Finnish dairy farms
Authors: Pietola Kyösti , Heikkilä Anna‐Maija
Published: November 2005

We analyze dairy farmers' decisions to switch from the traditional labor‐intensive tied‐housing system to a more capital‐intensive free‐stall housing. The choice of the housing system is modeled as a sequence of interrelated choices. Errors that are consistent with the observed choices are simulated and used to control for serial correlation and farm‐specific fixed effects. The sequence of choices is estimated by the GHK simulation technique and simulated maximum likelihood (SML). The results suggest that the switch toward more capital‐intensive free‐stall housing responds positively and elastically to investment grants and a farmer's capital resources. In addition, positive revenue shocks significantly encourage switches to free‐stall housing.
Testing and incorporating seasonal structures into demand models for fruit
Authors: Arnade Carlos , Pick Daniel , Gehlhar Mark
Published: November 2005

It is widely recognized that purchases of perishable agricultural products are affected by the seasonal cycles of production. When there are seasonal effects where seasonal buying is not explained by prices alone, the seasonal component can be captured using appropriate dummy variables in a demand model. However, over time the introduction of different varieties and foreign sources of supply in the market may affect the seasonal structure in unknown ways, and because of this, it becomes important to identify and test for characteristics of seasonal structure in demand models. In this article, we set out to measure and test the various characteristics of the seasonal component of fruit demand. We model seasonality in the context of an Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) model, where we consider several types of fruit demand in the United States.
Agricultural trade restrictiveness in the European Union and the United States
Authors: Bureau Jean‐Christophe , Salvatici Luca
Published: November 2005

The article provides a summary measure of the Uruguay Round tariff reduction commitments in the European Union and the United States, using the Mercantilistic Trade Restrictiveness Index (MTRI) as the tariff aggregator. We compute the index for agricultural commodity aggregates assuming a specific (constant elasticity of substitution) functional form for import demand. The levels of the MTRI under the actual commitments of the Uruguay Round are computed and compared with two hypothetical cases, a deeper cut in higher tariffs and a uniform reduction of each tariff, both leading to the same average reduction as in the Uruguay Round. This makes it possible to infer how reducing tariff dispersion will help improve market access in future trade agreements, and provides some guidelines for aggregating detailed tariffs in trade models.
The effects of EU corn, cotton, and sugar beet policies on Greek producers: a multimarket analysis
Authors: Katranidis Stelios D. , Nitsi Elisavet I. , Bullock David S.
Published: November 2005

This article examines the welfare effects of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) corn, cotton, and sugar beet regimes practiced in Greece after its 1981 entry into the European Union. Since Greek farmers produce corn, cotton, and sugar beets on the same land in different years, we model these markets as horizontally linked. By incorporating the demand for corn in our model, we take into account that corn is used as feed in livestock production. We use line integral theory to properly deal with the complications of welfare measurement in a multimarket setting. We estimate producer welfare effects of Greek corn, cotton, and sugar beet policy, and use bootstrapping techniques to obtain confidence intervals for the welfare measurements. Our analysis indicates that the income transfers to Greek farmers, (corn, cotton, and sugar beet growers as well as livestock producers considered as a total), rose between 1981 and 1992. The 1992 CAP reform led to a stabilization of income transfers to crop farmers, and lessened the negative impact on livestock producers.
Potential impacts of the proposed West African monetary zone on cowpea trade
Authors: Langyintuo Augustine S. , Lowenberg‐DeBoer J. , Arndt Channing
Published: November 2005

Member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are expected to form a West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) by December 2009, whereby members would use a common currency in an attempt to promote regional integration. Evidence suggests that reduction in transaction cost as a result of a decrease (or elimination) of nontariff barriers (NTBs) and real interest rates in response to elimination of exchange rate differentials positively influence trade. The objective of this study is to quantify the effects of (a) a 7% real interest rate on capital and (b) zero NTBs within ECOWAS countries, on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) trade to provide a measure of the potential impacts of the WAMZ on grain trade. The study applies a spatial and temporal price equilibrium model formulated in a mixed complementary programming (MCP) framework and solved using GAMS/PATH. The focus is on the Nigerian cowpea grainshed (NCG) comprising Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo in ECOWAS, and Cameroon, Chad, and Gabon in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CAEMC). The results show that if WAMZ results in reduced real interest rates within ECOWAS, the larger of the two monetary unions, consumers in the relatively larger coastal economies and producers in the smaller Sahelian economies would benefit while all others lose. However, net social welfare would increase by 0.19% over the base case of 6.3 billion US$ (bUS$). Removing NTBs among countries in the larger trading bloc may alter the pattern of cowpea flows with total trade volume increasing by 3%, but inter‐bloc trade decreasing by about 8%. The net total regional social welfare would increase by 0.14%, or 15 million US$ (mUS$), benefiting only consumers in importing countries and producers in exporting countries. The results emphasize the importance of specialization based on regional comparative advantage, but also draw attention to the need to devise ways to ensure acceptable welfare distribution among producers and consumers in line with policy objectives of the individual countries within the proposed WAMZ. Finally, this article contributes to the literature on the application of spatial and temporal models incorporating both ad valorem tariffs and differential interest rates in developing economies.
Modeling spatial price transmission in the grain markets of Ethiopia with an application of ARDL approach to white teff
Authors: Getnet Kindie , Verbeke Wim , Viaene Jacques
Published: November 2005

Following the agricultural market liberalization policy, there is an emerging grain market structure in Ethiopia in which the central wholesale market exhibits concentration of power and spatial integration with the local markets. Due to this, it is hypothesized that the central wholesale market influences the long‐run price movements in the local markets. The relationship can be modeled as spatial price equilibrium with the aim to guide subsequent policy decisions with regard to public intervention in the post‐liberalization period. In this study, we modeled the spatial equilibrium relationship between the producer and the wholesale prices of white teff, a major staple in Ethiopia, using the autoregressive distributed lag modeling approach to cointegration analysis. First, the existence of a nonspurious long‐run relationship in levels between the producer prices in the local market and the wholesale prices in the central market is confirmed. Second, the long‐run relationship and the error correction model for the producer price are estimated. The results reveal that the wholesale price of white teff in the central consumer market is a major short‐ and long‐run determinant of the producer price in the local supply markets. Therefore, the institutional role of the government with the aim of improving producers' marketing margin and the overall performance of the grain markets in the post‐liberalization period can be influenced through targeted interventions at the central wholesale market.
Characterization of obesity in Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) in a pedigreed colony
Authors: Takahashi Tomoko , Higashino Atsunori , Takagi Kaori , Kamanaka Yoshiro , Abe Masamitsu , Morimoto Mayumi , Kang Kyung Hwa , Goto Shunji , Suzuki Juri , Hamada Yuzuru , Kageyama Takashi
Published: November 2005

Background 
Japanese monkey, Macaca fuscata, is recognized as the monkey species inhabiting the northernmost area in the world, and thus likely to possess unique fat‐depositing mechanisms to resist cold weather in winter. We report that obese females are present in the Wakasa group of Japanese monkey reared in an open enclosure of the Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University.

Methods and Results  Eight of 12 females were categorized as obese, showing percentage body fat of over 22%. The levels of serum leptin (mean ± SD, 4.9 ± 2.3 ng/ml) measured in these obese monkeys were significantly higher than those of non‐obese peers of the same group (n = 4; 1.2 ± 0.5 ng/ml) and another Japanese monkey group (Takahama, n = 14; 0.8 ± 0.25 ng/ml); however, serum levels of adiponectin, insulin, glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and fructosamine did not differ between obese and non‐obese monkeys. Few serum lipid parameters such as triglyceride and cholesterol showed lower levels in obese monkeys than their non‐obese peers.

Conclusions  These results show that these obese monkeys in the Wakasa group have not developed obesity‐related diseases/disorders such as diabetes. In the Wakasa group, the frequency of obese individuals was high in some maternal lineages, suggesting that genetic factors responsible for obesity may have been inherited in these lineages.
Coat condition, housing condition and measurement of faecal cortisol metabolites – a non‐invasive study about alopecia in captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Steinmetz Hanspeter W. , Kaumanns Werner , Dix Illona , Heistermann Michael , Fox Mark , Kaup Franz‐Josef
Published: November 2005

Background Previous studies have characterized alopecia in captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) by a mixed partial to complete alopecia in a bilateral symmetric pattern.

Methods In this study, coat condition assessments were related to exogenous and endogenous factors in captive rhesus macaques under different housing conditions in order to identify disturbances in environmental factors controlling or influencing hair growth. Additionally, the degree of alopecia was investigated in relation to adrenal endocrine function as an indicator of social stress using faecal glucocorticoid measurements.

Results Hair loss was found to vary with season and sex, was most pronounced in adult females during the winter and spring months. Generally, infants were not affected, but alopecia developed during adolescence. However, the housing system, available enclosure space and variations in group size and composition also appeared to influence coat condition. Levels of immunoreactive cortisol metabolites (11‐oxoetiocholanolone) in faeces were significantly negatively correlated with alopecia, suggesting a relationship between hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis activity and hair loss in captive rhesus macaques.

Conclusions Although the present study demonstrates the influence of the HPA axis on coat condition, it is not known if hair loss is caused by abnormal behaviour or hormonal imbalances of the HPA axis itself. Our data suggest that alopecia in rhesus macaques is a highly complex multicausal disorder.
Differential effects of melatonin and its downstream effector PKCα on subcellular localization of RGS proteins
Authors: Rimler Avi , Jockers Ralf , Lupowitz Zippora , Sampson Sanford R. , Zisapel Nava
Published: November 2005

Abstract:  Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) are proteins that bind specifically to activated Gα subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins to terminate signaling by both Gα and Gβγ subunits. Signal‐induced RGS redistribution may affect their activity in G protein‐mediated signaling. We have previously shown that melatonin and the cell permeable cGMP analog 8‐bromo cGMP, which lead to protein kinase C (PKC) activation, enhanced cytoplasmic distribution of RGS10 and RGS2 in prostate carcinoma PC3‐AR cells. In the present study, we transfected PC3‐AR cells with myc‐tagged Gαi/Gαq specific RGS proteins RGS2, RGS4 and RGS10 and examined the effects of melatonin, 8‐bromo cGMP and PKC inhibitors on their nuclear‐cytoplasmic partitioning. RGS10 and RGS2 were predominantly localized in the nucleus and perinuclear regions whereas RGS4 was mostly cytoplasmic in the PC3‐AR cells. Melatonin and the cell permeable cGMP analog 8‐bromo cGMP, previously found to activate PKCα in the PC3‐AR cells, enhanced cytoplasmic localization of RGS10 and RGS2 but induced nuclear accumulation of RGS4. The isozyme specific PKC inhibitor GO6976 (PKCα and PKCβ1) but not hispidin (PKCβ) negated the effects of melatonin on RGS10, RGS2 and RGS4 localization. These findings indicate that PKCα, a downstream effector of the melatonin receptor, differentially affects nuclear/cytoplasmic localization of both Gαi and Gαq specific RGS proteins. These observations provide further insight into melatonin's ability to fine‐tune multiple membrane G‐proteins signaling in cells.
Dominant and Recessive Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis Mutations of Kidney Anion Exchanger 1 Induce Distinct Trafficking Defects in MDCK Cells
Authors: Cordat Emmanuelle , Kittanakom Saranya , Yenchitsomanus Pa‐thai , Li Jing , Du Kai , Lukacs Gergely L. , Reithmeier Reinhart A. F.
Published: November 2005

Distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA), a kidney disease resulting in defective urinary acidification, can be caused by dominant or recessive mutations in the kidney Cl–/HCO3– anion exchanger (kAE1), a glycoprotein expressed in the basolateral membrane of α‐intercalated cells. We compared the effect of two dominant (R589H and S613F) and two recessive (S773P and G701D) dRTA point mutations on kAE1 trafficking in Madin‐Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells. In contrast to wild‐type (WT) kAE1 that was localized to the basolateral membrane, the dominant mutants (kAE1 R589H and S613F) were retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in MDCK cells, with a few cells showing in addition some apical localization. The recessive mutant kAE1 S773P, while misfolded and largely retained in the ER in non‐polarized MDCK cells, was targeted to the basolateral membrane after polarization. The other recessive mutants, kAE1 G701D and designed G701E, G701R but not G701A or G701L mutants, were localized to the Golgi in both non‐polarized and polarized cells. The results suggest that introduction of a polar mutation into a transmembrane segment resulted in Golgi retention of the recessive G701D mutant. When coexpressed, the dominant mutants retained kAE1 WT intracellularly, while the recessive mutants did not. Coexpression of recessive G701D and S773P mutants in polarized cells showed that these proteins could interact, yet no G701D mutant was detected at the basolateral membrane. Therefore, compound heterozygous patients expressing both recessive mutants (G701D/S773P) likely developed dRTA due to the lack of a functional kAE1 at the basolateral surface of α‐intercalated cells.
Identification of genes responsible for hereditary diseases in Japanese beef cattle
Authors: KUNIEDA Tetsuo
Published: November 2005

In the breeding of domestic animals, selection of economically desired traits has been the most important consideration for the improvement of animals, but excluding negative factors in animal production, such as causative genes for hereditary diseases, is also required for the genetic improvement of domestic animals. The incidence of various hereditary diseases has been reported in Japanese beef cattle and these diseases have caused serious problems in the breeding and raising of healthy beef cattle. This article reviews the identification of causative genes for the following three hereditary diseases in Japanese beef cattle: (i) Chediak–Higashi syndrome; (ii) renal tubular dysplasia; and (iii) bovine chondrodysplastic dwarfism. Chediak–Higashi syndrome is a hereditary bleeding disorder reported in Japanese black cattle. To identify the cause of this disease, we cloned and sequenced the bovineLYSTgene, which has been found to be involved in Chediak–Higashi syndrome in humans, and found that an amino acid substitution of histidine to arginine at amino acid residue 2015 is the causative mutation in the cattle disease. Renal tubular dysplasia is a hereditary disease of Japanese black cattle showing renal failure and growth retardation. We mapped the locus for this disease to the 4 cM region of bovine chromosome 1 by linkage analysis and found a large deletion in this region. The deleted region contained thePCLN1gene encoding a tight‐junction protein of renal epithelial cells, and we concluded that deletion of thePCLN1gene is responsible for the disease. Bovine chondrodysplastic dwarfism is a hereditary disease of Japanese brown cattle, displayed by short limbs and joint abnormalities. We mapped the locus for the disease to a region of bovine chromosome 6 by linkage analysis. By constructing YAC and BAC contigs covering this region and sequence analysis, we identified a novel gene (LIMBIN), which plays an essential role in bone formation in this region, and found two mutations responsible for the disease. The identification of these mutations provided the basis for DNA‐based diagnostic systems for these three diseases, and after development of the diagnosis systems, the incidences of these hereditary diseases have dramatically decreased.
Controlled release of estradiol‐17β and bisphenol A from a silicone tube for long‐term administration in mice
Authors: OKADA Atsushi , NIWA Yoshitsugu , KATASE Takao , KAI Osamu
Published: November 2005

Silicone tubes filled with estradiol‐17β (E2) or the xenestrogen, bisphenol A (BPA) were covered with a polyethylene tube and implanted into mice subcutaneously. The releasing patterns from the tube in vivo were obtained from the volume of estrogen remaining in the tube by measurement with high performance lipid chromatography. E2 in glycerol was released in a few days from a silicone tube, which was not covered with a polyethylene tube (Type A). However, E2 in sesame oil was released very slowly from the silicone tube covered with a polyethylene tube (Type B) and approximately 10% of E2 remained in the tube at 56 days after implantation into the mice. The mean linear regression equation for E2 was Y = 70.967 − 1.2271X (R2 = 0.9268) and the quadratic regression equation was Y = 77.97 − 2.2773X + 0.0194 × 2 (R2 = 0.9864). The remainder rate curves of E2 and BPA were not significantly different throughout the experimental period of 56 days. The Type B tube in the present experiment might be useful for long‐term administration of estrogens.
Relationship between fat accumulation in the liver and energy intake, milk fat yield and blood metabolites in dairy cows
Authors: OHGI Tsutomu , KAMIMURA Shunichi , MINEZAKI Yasuhiro , TAKAHASHI Masanobu
Published: November 2005

In the present study, 42 multiparous Holstein cows were used to investigate the relationship between fat accumulation in the liver and dry matter intake, milk yield and blood metabolites. Based on the percentage of fat in the liver cell at 2 weeks post‐parturition, the cows were classified into three groups. These groups were: (i) less than 10% of fat (normal group, n = 29); (ii) 10–20% of fat (mild group, n = 6); and (iii) more than 20% of fat (moderate group, n = 7). The bodyweight of the moderate group was high (771 kg) before calving. The sufficiency rates of total digestible nutrients (TDN) were remarkably decreased (approximately 65%) in early lactation. The milk fat yield and milk fat composition of the moderate group were higher (P < 0.05) than the other groups at 1 and 2 weeks post‐parturition. It was suggested that non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA) mobilized from adipose tissues was directly used by the mammary gland for synthesis of milk fat. The percentage of bromsulfalein (BSP) retention of the moderate group was high (21.1%) at 30 min, and it showed that the BSP clearance function was significantly decreased. The concentrations of NEFA, β‐hydroxybutyric acid and glucose were appropriate indicators of energy status; however, aspartate aminotransferase, γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase and total bilirubin were not sensitive indicators of a moderate fatty liver. Thus, high‐yielding cows that calve in an overweight condition are more likely to develop excessive fat accumulation in the liver because of great mobilization from adipose tissues post‐parturition. In cows with a moderately fatty liver, a decrease in TDN sufficiency rates, an increase of milk fat yield and a reduction of liver function were observed in early lactation. The increase of serum NEFA and milk fat composition resulting from mobilization of adipose tissues helped to diagnose moderate fatty liver.
Gene expression of resistin and TNF‐α in adipose tissue of Japanese Black steers and Holstein steers
Authors: KOMATSU Tokushi , ITOH Fumiaki , HODATE Koichi , HAZEGAWA Shuhei , OBARA Yoshiaki , KUSHIBIKI Shiro
Published: November 2005

The aim of the present study was to compare the expression of adipose tissue mRNA related to glucose metabolism between Japanese Black steers (n = 5) and Holstein steers (n = 5). We examined the expression of the resistin, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and growth hormone receptor (GHR) genes using real‐time polymerase chain reaction of cDNA in adipose tissue. The cDNA sequence identified by 5′/3′‐rapid amplification of cDNA and the deduced amino acid sequence were highly conserved in human, porcine and murine resistin. Expression of resistin mRNA was significantly greater in Holstein steers than in Japanese Black steers. In contrast, expression of TNF‐α mRNA was slightly greater in Japanese Black steers. Expression of GHR mRNA was significantly greater in Japanese Black steers compared with the Holstein steers, although there was no significant difference in the expression of GLUT1 mRNA. However, the plasma non‐esterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucose, insulin and growth hormone concentrations did not differ between Japanese Black and Holstein steers. The present results show that there is a difference in the expression level of mRNA related to glucose metabolism between Japanese Black steers and Holstein steers.
Differences between carcass grades in some morphological, behavioral and physiological measurements at early and middle stages of fattening in crossbred steers
Authors: UETAKE Katsuji , ISHIWATA Toshie , ABE Naoshige , EGUCHI Yusuke , TANAKA Toshio
Published: November 2005

The differential variables for carcass grades were identified from morphological, behavioral and physiological measurements of young steers at a commercial farm. Thirty‐five Japanese Black × Holstein steers aged 6–10 months were randomly assigned to three pens. The steers had free access to ryegrass hay and a restricted amount of concentrate diet for the first 6 months of trial. They were then given oat straw ad libitum and an additional concentrate diet until slaughter. Behavioral observations (15 categories) were carried out once every 2 weeks for 2 h after feeding. Bodyweight was measured, blood sampled (for seven metabolic hormones and five metabolites), ultrasonic scanning conducted and physical measurements taken (10 parts for each animal) in months 1, 3 and 5 (early fattening stage, EFS) and in months 7, 9 and 11 (middle fattening stage, MFS) of the trial. Temperament scores during these procedures, entry order into restraint stalls, social rank and average daily gain were also assessed. A factor analysis and one‐way anova were used to identify clusters of variables which had different factor scores between carcass grades. As for the carcass yields, a cluster of chest girth and depth, bodyweight, withers and hip height, and rump length (P < 0.01), and a cluster of the frequency of scratching the body with facilities (P < 0.05) were identified as differential variables in the EFS. In the MFS, a cluster of concentrations of cortisol and epinephrine, and the frequency of eating straw were identified (P < 0.10). As for the carcass quality grade, a cluster of social rank, triglyceride concentration and the frequencies of stand‐chewing cud and eating hay, and a cluster of the frequency of investigating facilities (both P < 0.10) were identified in the EFS. In the MFS, a cluster of hip height, bodyweight, cannon circumference, chest depth, withers height and chest girth, and a cluster of the frequencies of eating a concentrate diet and stand‐chewing the cud, and social rank (both P < 0.10) were identified. In conclusion, bodyweight, chest girth and depth, withers and hip height were identified as good differential variables for future carcass grades of young steers. Facility enrichment that encourages steers to eat hay in the EFS, and to eat a concentrate diet in and after the MFS would be effective in upgrading carcass grades. High incidence of investigating and scratching the body with facilities and stand‐chewing the cud might lead to lower carcass grades.
‘Looking up’ behavior in the holding area of the milking parlor: its relationship with step‐kick, flight responses and productivity of commercial dairy cows
Authors: ISHIWATA Toshie , UETAKE Katsuji , KILGOUR Robert J. , TANAKA Toshio
Published: November 2005

Commercial dairy cows milked in a parlor system are packed close together in the holding area before milking. The present study examined the relationships of ‘looking up’ behavior with some other behaviors and the productivity of 1116–1153 cows from five farms. The individual identities of the cows looking up in the holding area were recorded at 5 min intervals during six intermittent afternoon milking sessions. Entrance into the milking parlor and the numbers of steps and kicks by cows while the milking person was attaching the milking cups, were recorded in six milking sessions. Flight responses in the pasture after milking were recorded over four days intermittently. The frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior weakly, but significantly correlated with flight starting distance (r = 0.10, P < 0.05), while the correlation with the number of step‐kicks during milking was not significant. As for productivity, lactation number (r = −0.18, P < 0.001), milk yield (r = −0.15, P < 0.001) and fat content (r = −0.15, P < 0.001) were negatively correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior. Age of cows was correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior as well as lactation number (r = −0.21, P < 0.001). Entrance order was positively correlated with the frequency of ‘looking up’ behavior (r = 0.15, P < 0.001). The ‘looking up’ behavior was observed more frequently in cows in their third or less lactation compared with cows which were in their fourth or greater lactation (P < 0.05). The lactation number of cows was correlated with their milk yield (r = 0.36, P < 0.001) and flight starting distance (r = −0.21, P < 0.001). In conclusion, ‘looking up’ behavior shown by cows in the holding area before milking might be an indicator of low motivation for milking, mainly because of fear of humans, and an aversion to milking caused by insufficient experience in being milked.
Characterization of the turnpike property of optimal paths in the aggregative model of intertemporal allocation
Authors: Mitra Tapan
Published: November 2005

The present paper provides a complete characterization of the turnpike property of optimal paths in the (reduced form) aggregative model of intertemporal allocation. The characterization allows one to identify precisely the bifurcation point between globally stable and cyclical long‐run optimal behavior. The complete characterization result is used to evaluate several sufficient conditions for global asymptotic stability of optimal paths that have been proposed in the published literature. It is also used to examine sufficient conditions for the emergence of competitive equilibrium cycles in two‐sector models.
Production externalities and local dynamics in discrete‐time multi‐sector growth models with general production technologies
Authors: Nishimura Kazuo , Shimomura Koji , Wang Ping
Published: November 2005

The present paper examines the dynamic properties of discrete‐time, multi‐sector growth models in the presence of sector‐specific externalities. It extends the literature by allowing for multiple capital good sectors with general social constant returns production technologies. We establish conditions for the steady‐state equilibrium to be locally determinate or locally indeterminate, depending crucially on the ratios of the social to private marginal products and the number of capital good sectors. We show that when the ratios of the social to private marginal products are uniform across all sectors, the steady state is always locally determinate in a two‐sector model, although local indeterminacy might still arise when the economy features more than two sectors.
Changes in alcohol consumption and related factors in diabetic Japanese men
Authors: KOBAYASHI Koji , KAZUMA Keiko
Published: November 2005

Aim:  The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in alcohol consumption and related factors in diabetic men.

Methods:  A cross‐sectional survey using a self‐administered questionnaire and a complementary interview about alcohol consumption was carried out among male diabetic outpatients at a university hospital in Japan (n = 126, 97.0% response rate).

Results:  Half of the eligible participants had reduced their alcohol consumption by more than 50% between the time of diagnosis of diabetes and the time of the investigation. Of the 65 subjects who consumed more than 200 g/week of alcohol at the time of diagnosis, 70.8% had reduced their alcohol consumption by more than 50% at the time of the investigation and 46.2% had reduced it by more than 80%. Factors related to the reduction in alcohol consumption at the time of the investigation by the 65 subjects whose alcohol consumption at the time of diagnosis was more than 200 g/week were: awareness of diabetic retinopathy (P < 0.01), the presence of acute symptoms at the time of diagnosis of diabetes (P = 0.03), and age <45 years at the time of diagnosis of diabetes (P = 0.07). Reasons for reducing alcohol consumption included ‘explanation by the medical team’, and ‘progression of diabetic retinopathy’. Reasons for maintaining high alcohol consumption included ‘absence of symptoms’.

Conclusions:  The results of this study suggest that approaches that support awareness of the patient's condition or vulnerability to disease are important for appropriate management of alcohol consumption.
Healing process of pressure ulcers after a change in the nutrition regimen of bedridden elderly: A case series
Authors: OMOTE Shizuko , SUGAMA Junko , SANADA Hiromi , KONYA Chizuko , OKUWA Mayumi , KITAGAWA Atsuko
Published: November 2005

Aim:  The aim of the present study was to describe the healing process of pressure ulcers after a change in the nutrition regimen of seven bedridden elderly patients.

Methods:  The healing process of pressure ulcers was described and monitored for 4 weeks prior to and 4 weeks following a change in the nutrition regimen in the seven subjects, who were in long‐term care facilities, while controlling for other factors related to pressure ulcer healing. Changes in the nutrition regimen included increased caloric intake, supplements, or tube feeding. The healing process was measured qualitatively using wound sketches and quantitatively using wound surface area and DESIGN score.

Results:  Pressure ulcers were predominantly stage III (n = 4) and located in the truncal area (n = 6). There were qualitative differences in the healing process before and after the nutrition regimen change. Most notably, in six cases there was early granulation tissue at the wound edge at week 2 after the change, the color of the granulation tissue improved at week 3, and there was a decrease in wound depth at week 4.

Conclusions:  Based on this description of the process of healing of full‐thickness pressure ulcers in seven elderly subjects, it is suggested that a qualitative assessment of improvement in the wound can be made from the appearance of the granulation tissue following a change in nutrition.
Training needs of managers in occupational mental health nursing field
Authors: KAWAHARADA Mariko
Published: November 2005

Aim:  In recent years, the mental health of workers has become a vital issue and the role of managers in occupational mental health promotion is now viewed as extremely important. In this study the training needs of managers with respect to occupational mental health were identified from the perspective of occupational health nurses, who are required to support managers in dealing with this complex problem.

Methods:  The subjects of the present study were 748 managers in a large public service enterprise who had taken part in training seminars on occupational mental health conducted from 2000 to 2001. In 2004 data were collected from written reports presented by occupational health nurses, which contained questions asked by the participants in the seminar. The content of 163 questions registered in the reports was coded and repeatedly classified based on the similarities between them, and five categories were eventually extracted.

Results:  The following categories were extracted: (i) basic knowledge of mental disorders; (ii) care for workers with mental disorders; (iii) workplace environment; (iv) mental health promotion; and (v) development of the workplace mental health management system.

Conclusions:  The managers targeted in this research showed great interest in promoting mental health in the workplace. It is necessary for occupational health nurses as health‐care professionals to cooperate with managers, comprehend their problems and concerns, and support them.
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NONLINEAR VISCOELASTIC CONSTITUTIVE PROPERTIES OF MILD CHEDDAR CHEESE FROM INDENTATION TESTS
Authors: GOH S.M. , CHARALAMBIDES M.N. , WILLIAMS J.G.
Published: November 2005

A methodology to convert the indentation force–displacement response into the stress–strain properties of nonlinear viscoelastic materials was evaluated. Mild cheddar cheese was used as the test material, and indentation tests were performed using two spherical indenters of different sizes. The indentation tests were performed at different speeds, and the corresponding force–displacement responses were fitted with an analytical solution to obtain the time‐dependent constants and the instantaneous force–displacement response. An inverse analysis based on the finite element method was performed to obtain the strain‐dependent constants from the instantaneous force–displacement response. The predictions of the viscoelastic stress–strain properties from the indentation tests were compared to independent measurements through uniaxial compression tests, and a reasonable agreement was obtained.
LARGE DEFORMATION BEHAVIOR OF FAT CRYSTAL NETWORKS
Authors: KLOEK WILIAM , VAN VLIET TON , WALSTRA PIETER
Published: November 2005

Compression and wire‐cutting experiments on dispersions of fully hydrogenated palm oil in sunflower oil with varying fraction solid fat were carried out to establish which parameters are important for the large deformation behavior of fat crystal networks. Compression experiments showed that the apparent Young's modulus, yield stress, yield deformation and Bingham extensional viscosity scaled with the volume fraction solid fat according a power law. For the Young's modulus and yield stress, the exponent was about 3.8–3.9. The scaling exponent is close to the one relating the storage modulus and the fraction solid fat at deformations within the linear region. The specific fracture energy obtained from wire cutting also increased with volume fraction solid fat. That of a 10% solid fat dispersion was about 4 J/m

2

. Combination of the energy input from compression experiments and the specific fracture energies from wire‐cutting experiments yielded defect lengths of the order of 20 μm. This length scale corresponds to the size of a fat crystal aggregate at the gel point.
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FAT DISPERSIONS PREPARED IN A MECHANICAL CRYSTALLIZER
Authors: KLOEK WILIAM , VAN VLIET TON , WALSTRA PIETER
Published: November 2005

Dispersions of hydrogenated palm oil (HP) in sunflower oil were crystallized in a scraped‐surface heat exchanger (SSHE), where local strain rates are high. The HP crystallized completely or partially under shear, possibly followed by crystallization at rest. The Young's moduli scaled with the fraction solid fat to powers 2.5 and 1.5 for dispersions partially and completely crystallized under shear, respectively. Dispersions completely crystallized under shear leave the SSHE as a dispersion of compact aggregates in which the crystals are strongly sintered. The aggregates attract each other by relatively weak Van der Waals forces. Possibly, recrystallization causes a slow increase in consistency over about 16 days as a result of sintering between the aggregates. Dispersions partly crystallized under shear and partly at rest obtained their final consistency within 1 day. This is explained by ongoing crystallization at rest, which causes rapid sintering between aggregates and thereby formation of strong bonds. Any additional recrystallization then did not result in an increased consistency. The final consistency of the dispersions was comparable for both crystallization conditions.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEXTURE OF RAW AND COOKED POTATOES
Authors: SOLOMON W.K. , JINDAL V.K.
Published: November 2005

The relationship between texture of raw and cooked potatoes was studied. Tangent modulus of elasticity (E) using axial compression test and elasticity and viscosity parameters (E

1

, E

2

,η1 andη2) from creep tests were used as measures of texture on cylindrical test specimens. Raw potatoes were stored at 5, 15, 25C and variable temperature for 16 or 26 weeks and subjected to textural evaluation periodically in the raw state or after cooking at 90C for 25 min. The values of E decreased by about 50.0–74.0% and 42.0–68.0% for raw and cooked potatoes, respectively. The elasticity and viscosity parameters decreased by about 30.0–55.0% and 25.0–70.0% for raw and cooked potatoes, respectively. The changes in the texture of raw potatoes followed a systematic trend with storage temperature. However, such a trend in relation to storage temperature was not observed for textural changes in cooked potatoes. There was an apparent correlation between the textural parameters of raw and cooked potatoes irrespective of storage conditions (P < 0.05). Such relationships led to the estimation of textural parameters of cooked potatoes directly from textural measurements of raw potatoes regardless of the storage history with R2ranging from 0.70 to 0.87.
What does the voltmeter read?
Authors: Nicholson Howard W.
Published: November 2005

A relatively simple experimental apparatus that uses an ac voltmeter to demonstrate the undefined nature of voltage when ∲E∙dl≠0 is described. This apparatus is suitable for a lecture demonstration in introductory physics courses. Voltmeter readings obtained in different experimental circumstances are also briefly discussed.