bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eutrophic Remodeling of Small Arteries in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Is Enabled by Metabolic Control
Authors: Greenstein Adam S. , Price Anna , Sonoyama Kazuhiko , Paisley Angela , Khavandi Kaivan , Withers Sarah , Shaw Linda , Paniagua Oscar , Malik Rayaz A. , Heagerty Anthony M.
Published: May 2009

Type 2 diabetes mellitus profoundly changes small artery remodeling in response to hypertension. Abnormal increases of both wall thickness and lumen diameter are associated with an increased mortality. Changes to small artery structure in response to blood pressure (BP) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus have never been examined. In 1997, 17 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 9 control subjects underwent in vitro assessment of gluteal-fat small arteries using pressure myography. Patients with BP <140/90 mm Hg (systolic BP: 119±3 mm Hg; n=12) had normal-resistance artery structure. However, patients with BP >140/90 mm Hg (systolic BP: 152±5 mm Hg; n=5) demonstrated vascular hypertrophic remodeling with a significant increase in the medial cross-sectional area and wall thickness. In 2008, 8 of the original 17 diabetic patients returned for a repeat assessment. All 8 of the patients had significantly improved cholesterol (2008: 154±9 mg/dL versus 1997: 191±9 mg/dL;
P
=0.01) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (2008: 79±8 mg/dL versus 1997: 122±9 mg/dL;
P
=0.003) but higher BPs (systolic BP: 2008: 136±3 mm Hg versus 1997: 119±6 mm Hg;
P
=0.03). Glycemia was improved (2008: 7.9±0.3% versus 1997: 8.9±0.6%;
P
=0.17), but not significantly so. In the small arteries studied, there were significant increases in medial wall thickness and wall:lumen ratio, but cross-sectional area was unchanged, indicating eutrophic remodeling. Collectively, these findings suggest that, with poor metabolic control, small arteries from patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus show hypertrophic growth in response to elevated BP, similar to that seen in type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, metabolic improvements enable eutrophic remodeling to occur in response to an increase in BP. This has only been observed previously in patients without diabetes mellitus.
Blood Pressure Control Among Persons Without and With Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Plantinga Laura C. , Miller Edgar R. , Stevens Lesley A. , Saran Rajiv , Messer Kassandra , Flowers Nicole , Geiss Linda , Powe Neil R.
Published: May 2009

Recent guidelines recommending more aggressive blood pressure control in patients with chronic kidney disease have unknown impact. We assessed trends in and predictors of blood pressure control in 8829 adult National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2006 participants with hypertension (self-report, measured blood pressure, or use of antihypertensive medications), without (n=7178) and with (n=1651) chronic kidney disease. Uncontrolled blood pressure was defined as follows: general definition, systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, and disease-specific definition, systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mm Hg (1999–2002) and systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg (2003–2006) for those with chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate: <60 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
) or diabetes mellitus (self-report). Proportions with uncontrolled blood pressure in 1999–2006 were greater in those with chronic kidney disease versus those without chronic kidney disease (51.5% versus 48.7% [general definition:
P
=0.122] and 68.8% versus 51.7% [disease-specific definition:
P
<0.001]). In those with chronic kidney disease, there were significant decreases in uncontrolled blood pressure over time (55.9% to 47.8% [general definition:
P
=0.011]). With adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical variables, older age (
P
<0.001) and lack of antihypertensive treatment (
P
<0.001) were associated with uncontrolled blood pressure, regardless of chronic kidney disease status; nonwhite race (
P
=0.002) was associated in those without chronic kidney disease, whereas female sex (
P
=0.030) was associated in those with chronic kidney disease. Multiple medications (
P
<0.001) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (
P
=0.001) were associated with less uncontrolled blood pressure. Although some improvement has occurred over time, uncontrolled blood pressure remains highly prevalent, especially in subjects with chronic kidney disease and in nonwhites, older persons, and women. Therapy appears suboptimal.
Age-Related Differences in the Sympathetic-Hemodynamic Balance in Men
Authors: Hart Emma C. , Joyner Michael J. , Wallin B. Gunnar , Johnson Christopher P. , Curry Timothy B. , Eisenach John H. , Charkoudian Nisha
Published: May 2009

As humans age, the tonic level of activity in sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerves increases and may contribute to age-related increases in blood pressure. In previous studies in normotensive young men with varying levels of resting sympathetic nerve activity, we observed a balance among factors contributing to blood pressure regulation, such that higher sympathetic activity was associated with lower cardiac output and lesser vascular responsiveness to α-adrenergic agonists, which limited the impact of high sympathetic activity on blood pressure. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that older normotensive men would exhibit a similar balance among these variables (sympathetic nerve activity, cardiac output, and α-adrenergic responsiveness) but that this balance would be shifted toward higher sympathetic nerve activity values. We measured muscle sympathetic nerve activity, cardiac output, arterial pressure, and forearm vasoconstrictor responses in 17 older men and compared these with previous data collected in 14 younger men. Muscle sympathetic activity (burst incidence) was positively related to diastolic blood pressure in the older men (
r
=0.49;
P
=0.05); this relationship was not observed in young men. In addition, there was no relationship between cardiac output and muscle sympathetic activity (
r
=0.29;
P
>0.05) or between muscle sympathetic activity and vasoconstrictor responses in the older men (eg, norepinephrine:
r
=−0.21;
P
>0.05). Although our older subjects were normotensive, the relationship between muscle sympathetic nerve activity and diastolic blood pressure and the lack of “balance” among the other variables suggest that these changes with aging may contribute to the risk of sympathetically mediated hypertension in older humans.
Hypertension Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control in Mozambique
Authors: Damasceno Albertino , Azevedo Ana , Silva-Matos Carla , Prista António , Diogo Domingos , Lunet Nuno
Published: May 2009

The prediction of cardiovascular risk profile trends in low-income countries and timely action to modulate their transitions are among the greatest global health challenges. In 2005 we evaluated a nationally representative sample of the Mozambican population (n=3323; 25 to 64 years old) following the Stepwise Approach to Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance. Prevalence of hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg and/or antihypertensive drug therapy), awareness (having been informed of the hypertensive status by a health professional in the previous year), treatment among the aware (use of antihypertensive medication in the previous fortnight), and control among those treated (blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg) were 33.1% (women: 31.2%; men: 35.7%), 14.8% (women: 18.4%; men: 10.6%), 51.9% (women: 61.1%; men: 33.3%), and 39.9% (women: 42.9%; men: 28.7%), respectively. Urban/rural comparisons are presented as age- and education-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. Among women, hypertension (OR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.2 to 3.0) and awareness (OR: 4.3; 95% CI: 1.9 to 9.5) were more frequent in urban areas. No urban/rural differences were observed in men (hypertension: OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 0.9 to 2.0; awareness: OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 0.5 to 4.7). Treatment prevalence was not significantly different across urban/rural settings (women: OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 0.5 to 4.4; men: OR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1 to 1.4). Control was less frequent in urban women (OR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.0 to 1.0) and more frequent in urban men (OR: 78.1; 95% CI: 2.2 to 2716.6). Our results illustrate the changing paradigms of “diseases of affluence” and the dynamic character of epidemiological transition. The urban/rural differences across sexes support a trend toward smaller differences, emphasizing the need for strategies to improve prevention, correct diagnosis, and access to effective treatment.
Blood Pressure Variables and Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Kengne Andre-Pascal , Czernichow Sébastien , Huxley Rachel , Grobbee Diederick , Woodward Mark , Neal Bruce , Zoungas Sophia , Cooper Mark , Glasziou Paul , Hamet Pavel , Harrap Stephen B. , Mancia Giuseppe , Poulter Neil , Williams Bryan , Chalmers John
Published: May 2009

The relative importance of various blood pressure indices on cardiovascular risk in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus has not been established. This study compares the strengths of the associations between different baseline blood pressure variables (systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], pulse pressure [PP], and mean arterial pressure) and the 4.3-year risk of major cardiovascular events in the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron-Modified Release Controlled Evaluation Study. Mean (SD) age for the 11 140 participants was 65.8 years (6.4 years). During follow-up, 1000 major cardiovascular events, 559 major coronary events, and 468 cardiovascular deaths were recorded. After adjustment for age, sex, and treatment allocation, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) associated with 1 increment in SD for the risk of major cardiovascular events were 1.17 (1.10 to 1.24) for SBP; 1.20 (1.13 to 1.28) for PP; 1.12 (1.05 to 1.19) for mean arterial pressure; and 1.04 (0.98 to 1.11) for DBP. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were slightly higher for SBP and PP compared with mean arterial pressure and DBP for major cardiovascular and coronary events. Using achieved instead of baseline blood pressure values marginally improved the effect estimates for SBP, DBP, and mean arterial pressure, with no significant differences in the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve between models with SBP and those with PP. In conclusion, SBP and PP are the 2 best and DBP is the least effective determinant of the risk of major cardiovascular outcomes in the relatively old patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus participating in the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron-Modified Release Controlled Evaluation Study. However, SBP may be the simplest and most useful predictor across a wider range of age groups and populations.
The Owl in Phoenician Mortuary Practice
Authors: Schmitz Philip
Published: May 2009

Recent excavations in the Iron Age necropolis of Tyre (al-Bass district) allow a substantial reconstruction of the Phoenician ritual of cremation burial. Among the faunal remains from Tyre al-Bass Tomb 8 are two talons from a species of owl. The talons had been charred and perhaps boiled before placement with the grave goods. This paper examines ancient Near Eastern and biblical cultural interpretations of the owl and suggests a range of possible explanations for the presence of owl remains in this Phoenician burial.
Navigating International River Disputes to Avert Conflict
Authors: Gerlak Andrea , Zawahri Neda
Published: May 2009

Building on the findings from the International Negotiation's 2000 issue on negotiations in international watercourses and the major advances in the field during the past nine years, this issue seeks to advance our knowledge about the management of international river disputes. Collectively, the articles in this issue move beyond the simple dichotomy of conflict and cooperation to suggest the possibility that both are often simultaneously present within a basin and should be studied as such. Using a diversity of methodological approaches from comparative case studies to single case studies to quantitative analysis, the articles also illustrate the growth of institutionalization within river basins and their contribution to conflict management. Moreover, the articles advance our knowledge of the role of the relative distribution of power within the basin on the resolution of water disputes and management of resources. Some scholars find power asymmetry important for treaty formation, while others suggest that issue linkages and side payments can provide weaker riparians with the means to gain from cooperation.
Asymmetric Power: Negotiating Water in the Euphrates and Tigris
Authors: Daoudy Marwa
Published: May 2009

This article addresses the conflict over the Euphrates and Tigris waters from the perspective of negotiation theories, by examining the role of power in upstream/downstream negotiations. Conceptual and empirical links are established between water, negotiation (structure, process), power (asymmetries, coalition dynamics, strategies, development of alternatives) and security (direct/indirect interests such as national security, border security, territorial claims, economic development and environmental concerns). The study concludes that asymmetries in power have favored upstream/downstream interactions towards bilateral if not basin-wide arrangements. The framework shows that traditional elements of power, such as upstream positions, military and economic resources, do not constitute the only sources of power. Bargaining power can also determine the dynamics between respective riparians. Time constitutes an important source of power, and interests vary over time when political settings and security concerns shift. Downstream or more vulnerable riparians can invert situations of power asymmetry by acting on the basin-dominant riparian's interests and thus reduce its alternatives. Syria's use of 'issue-linkage' in its interactions with Turkey over water and wider security issues serves as the primary example.
Peaceful Management of International River Claims
Authors: Hensel Paul , Brochmann Marit
Published: May 2009

As global water scarcity increases, both scholars and leaders have suggested that water will be a leading cause of future armed conflict. Yet other scholars argue that states typically cooperate rather than fight to manage their shared water resources. We address these arguments by examining the management of internationally shared rivers in the Americas, Western Europe, and the Middle East from 1900–2001. We propose hypotheses on the factors that lead states to become involved in disagreements over shared rivers as well as the factors that lead them to negotiate over these disagreements. Heckman probit analysis suggests that water scarcity – found by past work to be an important influence on armed conflict over rivers – is also an important influence on peaceful efforts to settle river problems; river claims are more likely where water supply is lower and demand is greater, but negotiations are also generally more likely in these same situations. Furthermore, while the existence of river treaties does not prevent the emergence of river claims, the presence of at least one treaty over the specific subject of the claim provides an important starting point that greatly increases the likelihood of negotiations over such claims. We conclude that the more pessimistic views of water management are missing an important part of the story. States are much more likely to negotiate in the most dangerous situations, and institutionalization of river resources can make an important contribution to negotiations over any disagreements that do emerge.
Estimating Higher-Order Moments of Nonlinear Time Series
Authors: Gluhovsky Alexander , Agee Ernest
Published: May 2009

This study extends the authors’ earlier work that addresses the importance of bootstrap methods in computing statistical characteristics of meteorological and climatological datasets. Subsampling confidence intervals for the skewness and kurtosis are developed for nonlinear datasets, for which traditional time series techniques are not applicable. It also provides an example of how to apply subsampling to real data when only a single record of limited length is available: aircraft observations of vertical velocity in the wintertime convective boundary layer over Lake Michigan. This demonstrates the value of bootstrap methods in obtaining reliable confidence intervals for turbulent flows with coherent structures (characterized by non-Gaussian skewness and kurtosis).
Eddy Formation in the Tropical Atlantic Induced by Abrupt Changes in the Meridional Overturning Circulation
Authors: Goes Marlos , Marshall David P. , Wainer Ilana
Published: May 2009

The variability of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) in the upper tropical Atlantic basin is investigated using a reduced-gravity model in a simplified domain. Four sets of idealized numerical experiments are performed: (i) switch-on of the MOC until a fixed value when a constant northward flow is applied along the western boundary; (ii) MOC with a variable flow; (iii) MOC in a quasi-steady flow; and (iv) shutdown of the MOC in the Northern Hemisphere. Results from experiments (i) show that eddies are generated at the equatorial region by shear instability and detached northward; eddies are responsible for an enhancement of the mean flow and the variability of the MOC. Results from experiments (ii) show a transitional behavior of the MOC related to the eddy generation in interannual–decadal time scales as the Reynolds number varies due to the variations in the MOC. In experiments (iii), a critical Reynolds number Rec around 30 is found, above which eddies are generated. Experiments (iv) demonstrate that even after the collapse of MOC in the Northern Hemisphere, eddies can still be generated and carry energy across the equator into the Northern Hemisphere; these eddies act to attenuate the impact of the MOC shutdown on short time scales. The results described here may be particularly pertinent to ocean general circulation models in which the Reynolds number lies close to the bifurcation point separating the laminar and turbulent regimes.
Improving Global Model Precipitation Forecasts over India Using Downscaling and the FSU Superensemble. Part I: 1–5-Day Forecasts
Authors: Krishnamurti T. N. , Mishra A. K. , Chakraborty A. , Rajeevan M.
Published: May 2009

The availability of daily observed rainfall estimates at a resolution of 0.5° × 0.5° latitude–longitude from a collection of over 2100 rain gauge sites over India provided the possibility for carrying out 5-day precipitation forecasts using a downscaling and a multimodel superensemble methodology. This paper addresses the forecast performances and regional distribution of predicted monsoon rains from the downscaling and from the addition of a multimodel superensemble. The extent of rainfall prediction improvements that arise above those of a current suite of operational models are discussed. The design of two algorithms one for downscaling and the other for the construction of multimodel superensembles are both based on the principle of least squares minimization of errors. That combination is shown to provide a robust forecast product through day 5 of the forecast for regional rains over the Indian monsoon region. The equitable threat scores from the downscaled superensemble over India well exceed those noted from the conventional superensemble and member models at current operational large-scale resolution.
On the Deterministic Observation Impact Guidance: A Geometrical Perspective
Authors: Daescu Dacian N.
Published: May 2009

An optimal use of the atmospheric data in numerical weather prediction requires an objective assessment of the value added by observations to improve the analyses and forecasts of a specific data assimilation system (DAS). This research brings forward the issue of uncertainties in the assessment of observation values based on deterministic observation impact (OBSI) estimations using observing system experiments (OSEs) and the adjoint-DAS framework. The state-to-observation space uncertainty propagation as a result of the errors in the verification state is investigated. For a quadratic forecast error measure, a geometrical perspective is used to provide insight and to convey some of the key aspects of this research. The study is specialized to a DAS implementing a linear analysis scheme and numerical experiments are presented using the Lorenz 40-variable model.
An MJO Simulated by the NICAM at 14- and 7-km Resolutions
Authors: Liu Ping , Satoh Masaki , Wang Bin , Fudeyasu Hironori , Nasuno Tomoe , Li Tim , Miura Hiroaki , Taniguchi Hiroshi , Masunaga Hirohiko , Fu Xiouhua , Annamalai H.
Published: May 2009

This study discloses detailed Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) characteristics in the two 30-day integrations of the global cloud-system-resolving Nonhydrostatic Icosahedral Atmospheric Model (NICAM) using the all-season real-time multivariate MJO index of Wheeler and Hendon. The model anomaly is derived by excluding the observed climatology because the simulation is sufficiently realistic. Results show that the MJO has a realistic evolution in amplitude pattern, geographical locations, eastward propagation, and baroclinic- and westward-tilted structures. In the central Indian Ocean, convection develops with the low-level easterly wind anomaly then matures where the low-level easterly and westerly anomalies meet. Anomalous moisture tilts slightly with height. In contrast, over the western Pacific, the convection grows with a low-level westerly anomaly. Moisture fluctuations, leading convection in eastward propagation, tilt clearly westward with height. The frictional moisture convergence mechanism operates to maintain the MJO. Such success can be attributed to the explicit representation of the interactions between convection and large-scale circulations. The simulated event, however, grows faster in phases 2 and 3, and peaks with 30% higher amplitude than that observed, although the 7-km version shows slight improvement. The fast-growth phases are induced by the fast-growing low-level convergence in the Indian Ocean and the strongly biased ITCZ in the west Pacific when the model undergoes a spinup. The simulated OLR has a substantial bias in the tropics. Possible solutions to the deficiencies are discussed.
Identity Construction and Trust Building in Developing International Collaborations
Authors: Zhang Ying , Huxham Chris
Published: May 2009

The authors argue that international collaborations are both vehicles for wider strategic change and development and contexts within which individuals pursue a process of development and change to move their separate organizations toward a functioning relationship. The authors explore two related aspects—trust building and identity construction—of that internal process of change and development, which, if successful, in turn allow the wider, strategic developments to progress. Drawing on an analysis of a case study of Sino—Australian business collaboration, the authors introduce three concepts relating to identity construction—identity characters, deference action, and identity fit—and show how they relate to a process in which identity—individual and collective—is constantly constructed and reconstructed in formal and informal settings during the trust building process. They argue that trusting attitudes can be reinforced through recognition of deference action and adaptation of identity to fit with collaboration circumstances.
Developing Innovation Transfer Capacity in a Cross-National Firm
Authors: Spector Bert , Lane Henry W. , Shaughnessy Dennis
Published: May 2009

The study presented in this article analyzes an attempt to transfer a discontinuous product innovation across national boundaries within a biopharmaceutical company. The commercialization process, which had been effective within the company's home market, was less effective in Europe and Japan. The study concludes that when the company engaged in a transformational change intervention, it was able to improve the effectiveness of its international transfer process. The changes required were emergent rather than planned; they were driven by a renewed strategy and did not use the tools of OD nor embed itself in the humanistic values typically associated with OD. The study provides insight into the requirements of product transfer and commercialization to international subsidiaries, which needs to be approached as an international organizational change process, which the authors define as strategically aligned alterations in patterns of employee behavior across international borders.
Exploring the Role of “Global Mindset” in Leading Change in International Contexts
Authors: Bowen David E. , Inkpen Andrew C.
Published: May 2009

In this article we introduce “global mindset” as an individual-level variable to help explain the effectiveness of managers leading change in international contexts. We describe and analyze an organization change effort at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Brazil with a focus on the degree to which the change leader possessed the intellectual, psychological, and social capitals that compose a global mindset. This is an exploratory analysis intended to help map out the key characteristics of managers associated with effectively leading change in cross-culturally complex situations.
What Works in 2009: Progress or stagnation?
Authors: Stanley Steve
Published: May 2009

This article reviews the evidence that has been produced on the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions (What Works), and in particular cognitive-behavioural programmes, with adult offenders in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) in England and Wales. It summarizes evidence available in the period 2000—2004 and reviews developments since 2004. These include newly published evidence, critiques of and alternatives to an emphasis on programmes. It concludes that the evidence base has developed more slowly than was hoped and expected but that we have still some promising leads. A redirection of the research effort is needed.
Gait adjustments in obstacle crossing, gait initiation and gait termination after a recent lower limb amputation
Authors: Vrieling Aline H , van Keeken Helco G , Schoppen Tanneke , Hof At L , Otten Bert , Halbertsma Jan PK , Postema Klaas
Published: May 2009

Objective: To describe the adjustments in gait characteristics of obstacle crossing, gait initiation and gait termination that occur in subjects with a recent lower limb amputation during the rehabilitation process.

Design: Prospective and descriptive study.

Subjects: Fourteen subjects with a recent transfemoral, knee disarticulation or transtibial amputation.

Methods: Subjects stepped over an obstacle and initiated and terminated gait at four different times during the rehabilitation process.

Outcome measures: Success rate, gait velocity and lower limb joint angles in obstacle crossing, centre of pressure shift and peak anteroposterior ground reaction force in gait initiation and termination.

Results: In obstacle crossing amputees increased success rate, gait velocity and swing knee flexion of the prosthetic limb. Knee flexion in transfemoral and knee disarticulation amputees was not sufficient for safe obstacle crossing, which resulted in a circumduction strategy. In gait initiation and termination amputees increased the anteroposterior ground reaction force and the centre of pressure shift in the mediolateral direction in both tasks. Throughout the rehabilitation process the centre of pressure was shifted anteriorly before single-limb stance on the trailing prosthetic limb in gait initiation, whereas in gait termination the centre of pressure in single-limb stance remained posterior when leading with the prosthetic limb.

Conclusion: Subjects with a recent amputation develop adjustment strategies to improve obstacle crossing, gait initiation and gait termination. Innovations in prosthetic design or training methods may ease the learning process of these tasks.
Of Words and Things
Authors: Fletcher Robert
Published: May 2009

■ This article responds to Williams' recent critique within this journal of a Foucault-inspired perspective on resistance, espoused by myself and others, that seeks to collapse the distinction between power and resistance. Drawing on ethnographic research with alternative globalization activists in France, Williams observes that his informants tend to describe their activities as a self-conscious attempt to gain `autonomy' from something they explicitly label `power' and thus contests my view of resistance as itself a function of power. I suggest, however, that Williams' critique argues past my analysis, for it fails to recognize the conceptual and epistemological differences involved in competing definitions of the term `power' and ignores the fact that my position was primarily intended to draw attention to the important issue of the origin of resistance, efforts largely neglected by research to date, Williams' included.
Whither Anthropology without Nation-state?
Authors: Pobłocki Kacper
Published: May 2009

Debates on `native anthropology', `anthropologies of the South', `peripheral anthropologies' and so forth have usually focused on colonialism as the main culprit of asymmetric relations between anthropological knowledges. By bringing the recent dispute between Western and `native' anthropologists of post-socialism into the `world anthropologies' debate, I seek to highlight those aspects of current epistemic inequalities that are not postcolonial in nature, but result from global commoditization of knowledge. I ponder why Western anthropologists who started visiting Eastern Europe from the 1970s, concluded that `native' academic knowledge is inferior to their own output. This was not due to a prejudice brought from afar, I argue, but rather was a result of their field experiences. I discuss how three types of native `captive minds' (communist, nationalist and neoliberal) emerged, and how encountering (or learning about) them made Western anthropologists uninterested in (and distrustful of) local epistemic production. I focus on the putative nationalist `captive mind', and argue that the straw man of East European `positivist' science (as opposed to the superior `theory-oriented' Western anthropology) emerged due to recent changes in the political economy of the academia. I show how the `theoretical turn' was experienced differently in Western and Polish academia, and how these changes, explained by the different regimes of value, show that there has been an increase only in `ritual' exchange between parochial and metropolitan anthropology rather than meaningful communication.
Report: Atmospheric pollutants discharged from municipal solid waste incineration and gasification-melting facilities in Japan
Authors: Inoue Kenichiro , Yasuda Kenji , Kawamoto Katsuya
Published: May 2009

This article reports on the discharge of particulate matter, acid gases, nitrogen oxides, and dioxins from 107 municipal solid waste incineration and gasification-melting facilities in Japan between the years 2001 and 2003; the pollution control methods and the operational data are summarized. The knowledge on amounts of slaked lime used and the emission of acid gases is reported, the emission concentrations did not exceed the limit values in all facilities. In Japan, the regulation of dioxin emissions by the revised Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law (Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan 2007) has been enforced since December 1997. Bag filters have been installed in all facilities constructed after this time, and catalytic reactors have been installed in 66% of these facilities. The regulated values for combustion temperature, the cooling temperature of gases discharged from furnaces and the concentration of carbon monoxide in the gases discharged from stacks were satisfactory in almost all facilities. In facilities constructed since December 1997, the dioxin concentrations in the discharged gases were considerably lower than in those constructed before this time. All facilities met the emission limit values for particulate matter, acid gases, nitrogen oxides and dioxins.
Chemical methods in the development of eco-efficient wood-based pellet production and technology
Authors: Kuokkanen Matti , Kuokkanen Toivo , Stoor Tuomas , Niinimäki Jouko , Pohjonen Veli
Published: May 2009

Up to 20 million tons of waste wood biomass per year is left unused in Finland, mainly in the forests during forestry operations, because supply and demand does not meet. As a consequence of high heat energy prices, the looming threat of climate change, the greenhouse effect, and due to global as well as national demands to considerably increase the proportion of renewable energy, there is currently tremendous enthusiasm in Finland to substantially increase pellet production. As part of this European objective to increase the eco- and cost-efficient utilization of bio-energy from the European forest belt, the aim of our research group is — by means of multidisciplinary research, especially through chemical methods — to promote the development of Nordic wood-based pellet production in both the qualitative and the quantitative sense. Wood-based pellets are classified as an emission-neutral fuel, which means that they are free from emission trading in the European Union. The main fields of pellet research and the chemical toolbox that has been developed for these studies, which includes a new specific staining and optical microscope method designed to determine the cross-linking of pellets in the presence of various binding compounds, are described in this paper. As model examples illustrating the benefits of this toolbox, experimental data is presented concerning Finnish wood pellets and corresponding wood-based pellets that include the use of starch-containing waste potato peel residue and commercial lignosulfonate as binding materials. The initial results concerning the use of the developed and optimized specific staining and microscopic method using starch-containing potato peel residue as binding material are presented.
Behaviour of heavy metals immobilized by co-melting treatment of sewage sludge ash and municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash
Authors: Lin Kae-Long , Huang Wu-Jang , Chen Kuan-Chung , Chow Jing-Dong , Chen His-Jien
Published: May 2009

This study elucidates the behaviour of heavy metals in slag produced from four different sewage sludge ashes mixed with municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash and then co-melted. Experimental results indicate that sewage sludge ashes consisted of SiO 2, CaO, and Al2O3. Fly ash consisted of CaO, Na2O and SO3. The speciation of sewage sludge ashes indicates that the ashes contained quartz and AlPO4. The speciation in fly ash consisted of anhydrite, microcline, calcium chloride, sylvite and halite. The leaching behaviours of sewage sludge ashes met the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration’s regulatory standards. The fly ash had high concentrations of Zn and Pb; however, the leaching of these metals was low. The major components of synthetic slags were SiO2 (33.5—54.0%), CaO (21.4—36.7%), and Al2O3 (8.1—15.7%). The X-ray diffraction patterns of co-melted slags demonstrate that the slags contained significant amounts of glass. Most heavy metals can be fixed in a net-like structure; thus, they can not be extracted easily. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) leaching concentrations for target metals in all slags met the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration’s regulatory standards.
Waste management in primary healthcare centres of Iran
Authors: Mesdaghinia Alireza , Naddafi Kazem , Amir Hossein Mahvi  , Saeedi Reza
Published: May 2009

The waste management practices in primary healthcare centres of Iran were investigated in the present study. A total of 120 primary healthcare centres located across the country were selected using the cluster sampling method and the current situation of healthcare waste management was determined through field investigation. The quantities of solid waste and wastewater generation per outpatient were found to be 60 g outpatient—1 day—1 and 26 L outpatient—1 day— 1, respectively. In all of the facilities, sharp objects were separated almost completely, but separation of other types of hazardous healthcare solid waste was only done in 25% of the centres. The separated hazardous solid waste materials were treated by incineration, temporary incineration and open burning methods in 32.5, 8.3 and 42.5% of the healthcare centres, respectively. In 16.7% of the centres the hazardous solid wastes were disposed of without any treatment. These results indicate that the management of waste materials in primary healthcare centres in Iran faced some problems. Staff training and awareness, separation of healthcare solid waste, establishment of the autoclave method for healthcare solid waste treatment and construction of septic tanks and disinfection units in the centres that were without access to a sewer system are the major measures that are suggested for improvement of the waste management practices.
Constitutive Modeling of Photostrictive Materials and Design Optimization of Microcantilevers
Authors: Quantian Luo  , Liyong Tong
Published: May 2009

This article presents constitutive models for photo-induced strains in photostrictive materials and an optimal design of microcantilevers driven by light illumination. Behaviors of photo-induced strains in semiconductors and polymeric materials are reviewed first, and then new phenomenological constitutive models are developed that depict two distinctive features of photo-induced strain profile: (a) dependence on variation of light intensity which decreases with the depth measured from the illuminated surface due to light attenuation and energy absorption; and (b) anisotropy or dependence on direction of light polarization. On the basis of the constitutive modeling of photo-induced strain in wafers, design optimization of microcantilevers is then investigated for both geometrically linear and non-linear deformations.
Self-sensing Nanocomposite CnP—GFRP Rods as Reinforcement and Sensors of Concrete Beams
Authors: Nanni F. , Ruscito G. , Nad L. , Gusmano G.
Published: May 2009

At present much attention is paid to the use of composite rods as alternative reinforcing element of concrete beams, due to their good corrosion resistance. Nevertheless, their elastic behavior, presenting scarce ductility, is a big concern. To overcome this drawback, among various solutions, one involves the use of innovative monitoring systems, to allow continuous structure monitoring. This article is aimed to present a hybrid self-monitoring nanocomposite material able to act as a reinforcing element and sensor in concrete. The sensitive part of such element consists of carbon nanoparticles in epoxy matrix. The monitoring is realized by performing electrical resistance variation measurements under stress. Hence, realized composite material rods were tested both inside and outside concrete and both the cases showed good self-monitoring performance, i.e., possibility to correlate electrical resistance variation to the applied stress.
Complexity, Transdisciplinarity and Museum Collections Documentation
Authors: Cameron Fiona , Mengler Sarah
Published: May 2009

Our world is becoming increasingly complex, characterized by mobile, global networks, flows and fluids of culture producing new levels of inter-connectivity and interaction. Museum collections are inducted into this hyper-complex world and wider debates in public culture through Googleenabled initiatives and links to YouTube, Flickr and MySpace. As museum culture and public culture reconnect through these various modalities, this poses new sets of challenges for museums, demonstrated by the different and increasingly complex exchanges and interactions observed around objects. Collection documentation systems, however, still tend to produce a certain and stable material world with clearly defined cultural categorizations. This article explores theories of hyper-complexity and transdisciplinarity developed as part of the Australian Research Council Project's Reconceptualising Heritage Collections. It reframes ways of understanding the relations and organization surrounding museum objects in today's hyper-complex, nonlinear world. Moreover, it offers a conceptual framework for re-imagining collections' interpretative and management practices as they might operate as complex systems in these new political spaces.
The cultural politics of gesture
Authors: Herzfeld Michael
Published: May 2009

■ Ethnographers enter the field as legible signs of otherness to their interlocutors. In this article, I explore the ramifications of my personal experience of being variously `read' in the course of encounters in Bangkok, Thailand, to show how a gradual process of bodily inculcation can reduce the sense of difference and partially overcome the expectations induced by phenotype in particular, leading to greater access to the protected zones of cultural intimacy (including recognition of the newcomer's linguistic capacities). Such transitions also entail a learned increase of ease with informal modes of embodiment, as opposed to postures signaling varieties of power that are intrusive and palpably foreign to local experience. The processes of mutual recognition thus described are embedded in political relations of international as well as inter-personal significance. They thus have multi-faceted consequences for the outcomes and implications of our research.
A model for the explanation of discomfort and pain in the eye caused by light
Authors: Stone PT
Published: May 2009

A theoretical model is proposed for the explanation of discomfort and pain in the eye induced by light, based on known facts about the functioning of the nervous system and on experimental work reported in the literature. It is suggested that the iris, lens, facial muscles and extraocular muscles act as a linked servo-system in responding to lighting conditions. When the latter are excessive relative to retinal processing ability, strain is imposed on the system and this initiates activity in the trigeminal nucleus. Use is made of the gate control theory of pain in suggesting a modulation process at the trigeminal nucleus on the incoming discomfort or pain message which ultimately receives interpretation and control at a higher level of the brain. The model embraces discomfort glare and photophobia within the same framework and provides potential explanations for the wide ranging conditions in which photophobia and sensitivity to light are observed.
Randomized Clinical Trial of Balance-Based Torso Weighting for Improving Upright Mobility in People with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Widener Gail L. , Allen Diane D. , Gibson-Horn Cynthia
Published: May 2009

Background. Torso weighting has sometimes been effective for improving upright mobility in people with multiple sclerosis, but parameters for weighting have been inconsistent. Objective. To determine whether balance-based torso weighting (BBTW) has immediate effects on upright mobility in people with multiple sclerosis. Methods. This was a 2-phase randomized clinical trial. In phase 1, 36 participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. In phase 2, the control group was subsequently randomized into 2 groups with alternate weight-placement. Tests of upright mobility included: timed up and go (TUG), sharpened Romberg, 360-degree turns, 25-foot walk, and computerized platform posturography. Participants were tested at baseline and again with weights placed according to group membership. In both phases, a physical therapist assessed balance for the BBTW group and then placed weights to decrease balance loss. In phase 1, the control group had no weights placed. In phase 2, the alternate treatment group received standard weight placement of 1.5% body weight. Results. People with BBTW showed a significant improvement in the 25-foot walk ( P = .01) over those with no weight, and the TUG ( P = .01) over those with standard weight placement. BBTW participants received an average of 0.5 kg, less than 1.5% of any participant’s body weight. Conclusion. BBTW can have immediate advantages over a nonweighted condition for gait velocity and over a standardized weighted condition for a functional activity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are ambulatory but have balance and mobility abnormalities.
Differential modulation of NF-κB-mediated pro-inflammatory response in human intestinal epithelial cells by cheY homologues of Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Bandyopadhaya Arunava , Chaudhuri Keya
Published: May 2009

Vibrio cholerae, the etiological agent of cholera, colonizes the small intestine, produces an enterotoxin and causes acute inflammatory response at intestinal epithelial surface. Chemotaxis and motility greatly influence the infectivity of V. cholerae although the role of chemotaxis genes in V. cholerae pathogenesis is less well understood. Four cheY genes are present in three clusters in the complete genome sequence of V. cholerae. A less motile and less adherent mutant was generated by inactivation of cheY-3 (O395Y3N) or cheY-4 (O395Y4N) whereas alterations in motility or adherence were not observed for cheY-1 (O395Y1N) or cheY-2 (O395Y2N) insertional mutants. In contrast to O395Y1N and O395Y2N, O395Y3N and O395Y4N showed reduced cholera toxin production compared to wild-type in vitro. Infection of the human intestinal epithelial cell line Int407 with O395Y3N and O395Y4N caused reduced secretion of interleukin (IL)-1a, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) compared to wild-type and was associated with delayed activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 and its co-activator cAMP response element binding protein (CREB). Further, the absence of nuclear translocation of NF-κB p50 subunit upon infection with O395Y3N or O395Y4N and its reversal upon complementation indicates the involvement of cheY-3 and cheY-4 in V. cholerae-induced pro-inflammatory response in the INT407 cell line.
Follicular lymphomas with and without translocation t(14;18) differ in gene expression profiles and genetic alterations
Authors: Leich Ellen , Salaverria Itziar , Bea Silvia , Zettl Andreas , Wright George , Moreno Victor , Gascoyne Randy D. , Chan Wing-Chung , Braziel Rita M. , Rimsza Lisa M. , Weisenburger Dennis D. , Delabie Jan , Jaffe Elaine S. , Lister Andrew , Fitzgibbon Jude , Staudt Louis M. , Hartmann Elena M. , Mueller-Hermelink Hans-Konrad , Campo Elias , Ott German , Rosenwald Andreas
Published: May 2009

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is genetically characterized by the presence of the t(14;18)(q32;q21) chromosomal translocation in approximately 90% of cases. In contrast to FL carrying the t(14;18), their t(14;18)-negative counterparts are less well studied about their immunohistochemical, genetic, molecular, and clinical features. Within a previously published series of 184 FLs grades 1 to 3A with available gene expression data, we identified 17 FLs lacking the t(14;18). Comparative genomic hybridization and high-resolution single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array profiling showed that gains/amplifications of the BCL2 gene locus in 18q were restricted to the t(14;18)-positive FL subgroup. A comparison of gene expression profiles showed an enrichment of germinal center B cell–associated signatures in t(14;18)-positive FL, whereas activated B cell–like, NFκB, proliferation, and bystander cell signatures were enriched in t(14;18)-negative FL. These findings were confirmed by immunohistochemistry in an independent validation series of 84 FLs, in which 32% of t(14;18)-negative FLs showed weak or absent CD10 expression and 91% an increased Ki67 proliferation rate. Although overall survival did not differ between FL with and without t(14;18), our findings suggest distinct molecular features of t(14;18)-negative FL.