bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF WALL REMODELING IN ELASTIC ARTERIES WITH APPLICATION OF FLUID–SOLID INTERACTION METHODS
Authors: NIROOMAND OSCUII HANIEH , TAFAZZOLI-SHADPOUR MOHAMMAD , GHALICHI FARZAN
Published: December 2007

The effects of age-related hypertrophic remodeling of the thoracic aortic wall on mechanical stresses are quantified using the fluid–solid interaction method. Boundary conditions include physiological flow and pressure waves. Fluid and solid governing equations are solved using the loose coupling method. The results show alteration of hemodynamic and wall mechanical parameters by the remodeling process, including reduction in maximum circumferential stress and lower shear stress fluctuation with smaller portion of negative value and smaller maximum value. Such characteristics are indicators of the reduction of risk of endothelial injury. Remodeling causes elevation of the stress phase angle, an indicator of interaction between shear and circumferential stresses that causes triggering of endothelial cell proliferation, which is necessary for coverage of extra surface required by remodeling. The improvement by remodeling is limited by age-related structural changes such as elastin dysfunction and disorganization of structural components.
Grampian orogenesis and the development of blueschist-facies metamorphism in western Ireland
Authors: Chew D.M. , Daly J.S. , Page L.M. , Kennedy M.J.
Published: December 2007

Rb–Sr and
40
Ar/
39
Ar step-heating and
in situ
40
Ar/
39
Ar laserprobe dating of fabric-forming micas provide new constraints on the timing of Grampian orogenesis and the associated development of blueschist-facies metamorphism at the Laurentian margin in NW Ireland. Early (MP
1
) blueschist-facies assemblages were developed in metabasites of the Dalradian Supergroup deposited near the edge of the incipient Laurentian margin, contemporaneous with Barrovian metamorphism in the Dalradian closer to the Laurentian foreland. The regional D
2
event is associated with the formation of orogen-scale fold nappes and is constrained in the Dalradian by S
2
muscovite ages of
c
. 460 Ma, which are probably recording crystallization. Importantly, the Clew Bay Complex, previously considered as an exotic terrane (correlated with the Highland Border Complex of Scotland) and the Dalradian are in structural continuity. Muscovite from the S
2
nappe fabric in the Clew Bay Complex also yields identical
c
. 460 Ma ages. During D
3
, dextral shearing tilted the recumbent D
2
nappes into a vertical, downward-facing orientation adjacent to the Laurentian margin. D
3
is constrained by S
3
muscovite ages of
c
. 448 Ma. Synchronous deformation of the Dalradian Supergroup and the Clew Bay Complex in the mid-Ordovician Grampian orogeny casts doubt on both the validity of Silurian microfossil dates obtained from the Clew Bay Complex and the exotic status of both this ‘terrane’ and the correlative Highland Border Complex of Scotland.
The rhenium–osmium isotope system: applications to geochronological and palaeoenvironmental problems
Authors: Cohen Anthony S.
Published: December 2007

The rhenium–osmium (Re–Os) isotope system occupies a unique position amongst commonly used radiogenic parent–daughter isotope pairs on account of its siderophilic geochemical characteristics. Re and Os are also concentrated from seawater in organic-rich sediments and have been used to obtain absolute ages for the deposition of marine mudrock successions directly. Additionally, Re–Os analyses of ancient mudrocks have provided the best means so far of determining temporal changes in the Os-isotope composition of pre-Cenozoic seawater. The seawater Os-isotope record has yielded valuable information about several major episodes of past environmental change, and is particularly powerful when used in conjunction with other marine isotopic tracers such as carbon and strontium. The present contribution reviews some recent developments in the application of the Re–Os isotope system to geochronological and palaeoenvironmental problems in the Mesozoic and earlier. New results show that the Os-isotope composition of Callovian seawater (
c
. 160 Ma ago) was very unradiogenic (
187
Os/
188
Os ≈0.26) at the same time that the seawater Sr-isotope curve recorded its lowest value for the Phanerozoic, indicating that global continental weathering rates were very low at
c
. 10–15% of today's levels.
Triassic pebbles, derived fossils and the Ordovician to Devonian palaeogeography of Europe
Authors: COCKS L.R.M.
Published: December 2007

Papers published by
Salter (1864)
and
Davidson (1870)
on the faunas from pebbles in a Triassic conglomerate at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, are reviewed. After modern reassessment, these pebbles, although of apparently similar quartzites, have been found to be of four different ages, two Ordovician (mid-Arenig and late Llandeilo) and two Devonian (Lochkovian-Pragian and Frasnian). By comparing these four faunas with those contemporary in adjacent palaeocontinents, it can be shown that, apart from the earliest one, they have affinities closer to those of the Armorican peninsula of Brittany and Normandy than to the rest of Britain and that these Armorican faunas are in clasts which were transported northward by Triassic rivers. Consideration of all the various faunas in the whole of northwest Europe reflect the earliest Ordovician of southern Britain as part of the vast Gondwanan continent, from which it became detached by the mid-Ordovician, with a widening Rheic Ocean between the two palaeocontinents; and the subsequent merging of Avalonia with Baltica and Laurentia to form Laurussia by Mid-Devonian times. New palaeogeographical maps depicting phases from the Ordovician to the Devonian are presented.
Etruria Formation (Westphalian C) palaeoenvironments and volcanicity on the southern margins of the Pennine Basin, South Staffordshire, England
Authors: GLOVER B.W. , POWELL J.H. , WATERS C.N.
Published: December 2007

The Westphalian C Etruria Formation of Tansey Green, South Staffordshire, comprises three facies associations deposited during a period of extensional faulting. Subsequent to upper delta plain deposition during Westphalian A and B times, the lower Etruria Formation was deposited upon a poorly drained alluvial plain fed by low sinuousity, east- and northeast-flowing streams, which were periodically inactive. Whilst channel geometry remained unchanged, continued sedimentation resulted in relative lowering of the water table and development of a second facies association, characterized by well-drained alluvial plain conditions upon which conifers thrived. These alluvial associations include occasional well-developed palaeosol horizons indicative of variable drainage conditions. Continued extensional faulting culminated in alkaline basaltic and phreatomagmatic volcanism and deposition of the third facies association which comprises volcaniclastic and possible epiclastic rocks. Rapid deposition of the third association resulted in the excellent preservation of a Westphalian C conifer flora. Although extensional tectonism provided the dominant control on sedimentation, this is believed to be only of localized importance during a period of Variscan compression and associated uplift which characterizes much of the southern margin of the Pennine Basin.
Fault overlap zones within developing normal fault systems
Authors: CHILDS C. , WATTERSON J. , WALSH J. J.
Published: December 2007

Overlap zones between normal faults have been studied using a variety of 2D and 3D seismic reflection datasets. The overlaps are of two types, (i) relay zones in which displacement is transferred between the overlapping faults and (ii) non-relay overlaps in which displacement is not transferred.

Overlap zones are continually formed and destroyed during the growth of a fault system. Overlap zones are formed either by interference between initially isolated faults or as a result of bifurcation of a single fault. The mode of overlap formation is reflected in the 3D geometry of the overlapping faults which may be either unconnected or linked at a branch-line or branch-point.

Seismic reflection data from regions of growth faulting, and also sandbox analogue data, allow analysis of fault development through time. Reconstructions of the displacement distribution on some faults with sharp bends and associated hanging-wall splays, show that the bends originated as overlap zones which were later breached to form through-going faults.

Depending on the displacements of relay-bounding faults, the effect of relay zones on hydrocarbon reservoirs may be to (a) provide structural closure, (b) form gaps in otherwise sealing faults or (c) increase reservoir connectivity.
SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology and metamorphic history of the Smallefjord sequence, NE Greenland Caledonides
Authors: STRACHAN R. A. , NUTMAN A. P. , FRIDERICHSEN J. D.
Published: December 2007

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages have been obtained for a sample of metasedimentary gneiss from the Smallefjord sequence in the NE Greenland Caledonides. Pre-1000 Ma zircons are interpreted as being detrital in origin; the source region contained late Archaean rocks (or younger sediments or inheritance-rich granites derived from them) and several groups of Proterozoic rocks as young as c. 1035 Ma. Zircons with
206
Pb/
238
U ages between
c.
980 Ma and 890 Ma are interpreted to have grown during a discrete high grade metamorphic event. Six analyses provided a mean
206
Pb/
238
U age of 955 ± 13 Ma, which is interpreted as recording 'Grenvillian' metamorphism of the Smallefjord sequence. This supports regional correlation of the Smallefjord sequence with the Krummedal sequence of central E Greenland which has previously yielded evidence for tectonothermal activity at
c.
1000 Ma, and provides a further indication of a northern arm of the Grenville-Sveconorwegian orogen in the North Atlantic region. Further growth of metamorphic zircon within the Smallefjord sequence occurred during the Caledonian orogeny at 445 ± 10 Ma (Upper Ordovician). This is consistent with estimates of a Middle-Upper Ordovician age for Caledonian orogenesis in central E Greenland. It contrasts with previously published SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating of Lower Devonian (404 ±6 Ma) metamorphism within the basement gneisses of the Dove Bugt area north of the Smallefjord sequence outcrop. SHRIMP dating of zircons therefore indicates polyphase Palaeozoic metamorphism within the NE Greenland Caledonides.
The Pan-African reactivation of Eburnean and Archaean provinces in Nigeria: structural and isotopic data
Authors: FERRÉ E. , DÉLÉRIS J. , BOUCHEZ J.-L. , LAR A.U. , PEUCAT J.-J.
Published: December 2007

Eastern Nigeria experienced high-grade metamorphism during the Pan-African collision event marked by a pervasive migmatization. Structural evidence demonstrates that anatexis was contemporaneous with regional deformation and emplacement of calc-alkaline granite-diorite plutons. New Pb-evaporation data on single zircons from the migmatites confirm that partial melting and plutonism occurred synchronously around 580 ± 10 Ma. The Pan-African reactivation is almost ubiquitous and therefore the protolith age is still debated. However, Sm-Nd analysis of migmatitic gneisses from Eastern Nigeria yielded Eburnean model ages of the protolith between 1.7 and 2.0 Ga, in agreement with previous model ages of 1.3 and 2.0 Ga from granitoids and gneisses of the same area. These results suggest that the protoliths in Eastern Nigeria are distinct from those from the Western Archaean province. Furthermore, recent work has shown that, further north, in the Tuareg shield, the Pan-African belt consists of amalgamated terranes. Thus, a terrane model could explain the contrast between Eastern Nigeria, characterized by Eburnean protoliths and calc-alkaline granitic rocks and Western Nigeria, characterized by Archaean protoliths and units having tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite and greenstone affinities. The contrasted terranes also correspond to a gold province in the West and to a tin province in the East of Nigeria.
Factors controlling the Cenozoic sequence development in the eastern parts of the North Sea
Authors: CLAUSEN O. R. , GREGERSEN U. , MICHELSEN O. , SØRENSEN J. C.
Published: December 2007

The causal relationship between the Cenozoic sequence development in the southeastern North Sea Basin and sea-level changes, climatic fluctuations and tectonic events is unravelled by relating variations in the relative sea level and base level, based on interpretations of seismic surveys, to published δ
18
O variations and eustatic changes. The latter curve is based on the Earth's orbital forcing, and here informally termed as the GSI curve. The analysis shows that the Cenozoic sequence development in the southeastern North Sea was influenced by climatically and tectonically induced sea-level changes. The major Cenozoic sequence stratigraphic boundaries (lower order) are highly influenced by tectonic events, e.g. uplift of Fennoscandia and increased subsidence rates in the basin centre. Reactivation of Mesozoic fault zones controlled the deposition of minor sand bodies transported to the centre of the basin during the Late Palaeocene by mass flows. The location of an Oligocene mound structure, which constitutes part of a sequence, is controlled by the overall palaeotopography of the basin and local fault-related depressions.

Correlation between (i) the ages of our sequences and the δ
18
O variations in the Oligocene succession, and (ii) the GSI curve and the base-level fluctuations of the late Miocene and younger sequences, show that the generation of the higher order sequence boundaries were driven by glacio-eustatic sea-level changes. A climatic control of the sequence formation due to glacio-eustatic sea level changes is therefore suggested for the Oligocene and Pliocene sequences, and probably also for the Upper Miocene sequences.
Neoproterozoic extensional basic magmatism associated with the West Highland granite gneiss in the Moine Supergroup of NW Scotland
Authors: MILLAR IAN L.
Published: December 2007

Pre-tectonic metagabbroic rocks emplaced into the Glenfinnan and Loch Eil groups of the Moine Supergroup give a U–-Pb zircon age of 873 ± 6 Ma. This new age for the metagabbros confirms the absence of Grenvillian (
c.
1.0 Ga) tectonic events in the Moine assemblage. The metagabbros are spatially associated with the Glen Doe body of the West Highland granite gneiss, and were emplaced soon after the granite gneiss protolith. The metagabbros have chemical characteristics indicating contamination with local country rocks. A regionally developed suite of tholeiitic metadolerite dykes post-dates the metagabbros. These dykes are geochemically similar to modern mid-ocean ridge basalt, albeit modified by interaction with metamorphic fluids. The presence of abundant MORB-like basaltic dykes, coupled with the lack of major compressional structures associated with the intrusive events, suggests that the
c.
873 Ma event may have been dominated by extensional tectonics.
Geochronological constraints on the magmatic, metamorphic and thermal evolution of the Connemara Caledonides, western Ireland
Authors: FRIEDRICH ANKE M. , HODGES KIP V. , BOWRING SAMUEL A. , MARTIN MARK W.
Published: December 2007

The Connemara region of the western Irish Caledonides records the evolution of a short-lived mid-Ordovician (c. 475–463 Ma) continental magmatic arc that intruded into Dalradian metasedimentary rocks during regional ductile deformation. New U-Pb geochronological data for intermediate intrusive phases and anatexis in southern Connemara are consistent with the relative age succession suggested by field relationships. Calc-alkaline plutons (quartz diorites) were emplaced into the Dalradian sequence and into the Connemara Gabbros at about 467 ± 2 Ma, coeval with anatexis, which was manifested by a 467 ± 2 Ma granitic pegmatite and 468 ± 2 Ma leucosome formation in a metapelite. Metasomatic diopside rocks from west-central Connemara and a calcsilicate rock from southern Connemara yield U-Pb titanite dates of
c.
462 ± 2 Ma and 463 ± 2 Ma, respectively. These dates postdate the metamorphic peak by at least five million years and indicate titanite crystallization at a late stage during the metamorphic history. On the basis of U-Pb and
40
Ar/
39
Ar geochronological data we conclude that the cooling history of southern Connemara following anatexis was simple and brief, at a minimum rate of 35°C Ma"
1
between 468 and 460 Ma, and 14°C Ma
-1
between 460 and 450 Ma.
Emotive captioning
Authors: LEE DANIEL G. , FELS DEBORAH I. , UDO JOHN PATRICK
Published: January 2008

Television and film have become important equalization mechanisms for the dissemination and distribution of cultural materials. Closed captioning has allowed people who are deaf and hard of hearing to be included as audience members. However, some of the audio information such as music, sound effects, and speech prosody are not generally provided for in captioning. To include some of this information in closed captions, we generated graphical representations of the emotive information that is normally represented with nondialog sound. Eleven deaf and hard of hearing viewers watched two different video clips containing static and dynamic enhanced captions and compared them with conventional closed captions of the same clips. These viewers then provided verbal and written feedback regarding positive and negative aspects of the various captions. We found that hard of hearing viewers were significantly more positive about this style of captioning than deaf viewers and that some viewers believed that these augmentations were useful and enhanced their viewing experience.
Verifying nondeterministic probabilistic channel systems against ω-regular linear-time properties
Authors: Baier Christel , Bertrand Nathalie , Schnoebelen Philippe
Published: December 2007

Lossy channel systems (LCS's) are systems of finite state processes that communicate via unreliable unbounded fifo channels. We introduce NPLCS's, a variant of LCS's where message losses have a probabilistic behavior while the component processes behave nondeterministically, and study the decidability of qualitative verification problems for ω-regular linear-time properties.

We show that—in contrast to finite-state Markov decision processes—the satisfaction relation for linear-time formulas depends on the type of schedulers that resolve the nondeterminism. While the qualitative model checking problem for the full class of history-dependent schedulers is undecidable, the same question for finite-memory schedulers can be solved algorithmically. Additionally, some special kinds of reachability, or recurrent reachability, qualitative properties yield decidable verification problems for the full class of schedulers, which—for this restricted class of problems—are as powerful as finite-memory schedulers, or even a subclass of them.
Labels and event processes in the Asbestos operating system
Authors: Vandebogart Steve , Efstathopoulos Petros , Kohler Eddie , Krohn Maxwell , Frey Cliff , Ziegler David , Kaashoek Frans , Morris Robert , Mazières David
Published: December 2007

Asbestos, a new operating system, provides novel labeling and isolation mechanisms that help contain the effects of exploitable software flaws. Applications can express a wide range of policies with Asbestos's kernel-enforced labels, including controls on interprocess communication and system-wide information flow. A new event process abstraction defines lightweight, isolated contexts within a single process, allowing one process to act on behalf of multiple users while preventing it from leaking any single user's data to others. A Web server demonstration application uses these primitives to isolate private user data. Since the untrusted workers that respond to client requests are constrained by labels, exploited workers cannot directly expose user data except as allowed by application policy. The server application requires 1.4 memory pages per user for up to 145,000 users and achieves connection rates similar to Apache, demonstrating that additional security can come at an acceptable cost.
Interview with Uffe K. Wiil
Authors: Atzenbeck Claus
Published: December 2007

Uffe Kock Wiil is a professor at the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark. He holds a M.Sc. in Computer Engineering (1990) and a Ph.D. in Computer Science (1993) from Aalborg University, Denmark. He has previously held positions at Aalborg University and University of Aarhus (both in Denmark). He also spent time visiting Texas A&M University (1991--92) and University of California, Irvine (1996). He has held various academic management positions from 1998--2006 including Department Head and Dean. He has served the hypertext community in many ways including Chair of the Open Hypermedia Systems Working Group (OHSWG) (1997--2001), Program Chair (ACM Hypertext 1999), General Chair (ACM Hypertext 2006), and ACM SIGWEB Treasurer (1997--1999, 2003--2005).
An XML interchange format for Wiki Creole 1.0
Authors: Junghans Martin , Riehle Dirk , Yalcinalp Umit
Published: December 2007

Wikis have become an important application on the web and in the enterprise, yet there are no interoperability standards between different wiki engines. We present the first complete XML representation format of Wiki Creole 1.0. Wiki Creole is a community standard for wiki markup, the language used to write wiki pages. This report presents the complete XML representation format using a validating XML schema. In addition we present XSLT definitions for transforming the XML representations to XHTML on the one hand and for transforming the XML representations to Wiki Creole markup on the other hand. Our work shows how using XML technologies we can make wiki interchange, wiki upgrading, and wiki conversion independent from a specific wiki engine implementation.
Investigating cache energy and latency break-even points in high performance processors
Authors: Deris Kaveh Jokar , Baniasadi Amirali
Published: December 2007

In this work we study how cache complexity impacts energy and performance in high performance processors. Moreover, we estimate cache energy budget for two high performance processors. We calculate energy and latency break-even points for realistic and ideal cache organizations for different applications. We show that design efforts made to reduce cache miss rate are only justifiable from the energy and performance point of view only if the associated latency and energy overhead remain below the calculated break-even points.

Furthermore, we show that, for the processors and applications studied here, the instruction cache has a lower latency break-even point compared to the data cache. However, investing energy in the data cache is likely to result in better energy efficiency compared to the instruction cache.

We also study alternative cache configurations for different processors and investigate if such alternatives would improve energy efficiency.
Evaluating instruction cache vulnerability to transient errors
Authors: Yan Jun , Zhang Wei
Published: December 2007

Recent research shows that microprocessors are increasingly susceptible to transient errors. In order to protect microprocessors cost-effectively, the first step is to accurately understand the impact of transient errors on the system reliability. While many research efforts have been focused on studying the vulnerability of data caches and other on-chip hardware components, instruction caches have received less attention. However, instructions are read every cycle, any undetected or uncorrected soft errors in instructions can lead to erroneous computation, wrong control flow or system crash.

This paper studies the instruction cache vulnerability by considering both the raw SRAM rate and the cache vulnerability factor. Based on the concept of cache vulnerability factor, we also investigate the impact of different cache configuration parameters on the reliability of instruction caches. We find that on average 67.5% of instruction cache soft errors can be masked by the I-cache itself without impacting other system components. While quantifying the instruction cache vulnerability itself does not solve the reliability problem of instruction cache against transient errors, we believe this work can provide useful insights for designers to develop cost-effective solutions to protect I-caches and to optimally balance the reliability of instruction caches with other system goals, such as cost, performance and energy.
Enhancing ethical decision support methods
Authors: Gotterbarn D.
Published: December 2007

Ethical decision support procedures have an underlying difficulty in that they do not clearly distinguish the varying impacts of the constituent features of the examined ethical situation. The failure to recognize these features and their varying impacts leads to two critical problems; the risk of removing positive ethical elements as well as negative ones when mitigating the ethical problem, and missing some viable alternative actions. A modified version of line drawing is presented as a way to address these two problems when it is used as an adjunct to already established decision techniques.
Solving finite-buffer queues with Markovian arrivals
Authors: Chydzinski Andrzej
Published: January 2008

In this report we study queueing systems satisfying the following conditions:

• finite buffer (waiting room)

• the left-skip-free queue size process at departure epochs

• arrival process with Markovian structure
eMIVA
Authors: Engels Kai , Heidger Ralf , Kroeger Reinhold , Milekovic Morris , Schaefer Jan , Schmid Markus , Thoss Marcus
Published: January 2008

In recent years, enterprise applications faced an ever growing complexity of business processes as well as an increase in the number of interacting hardware and software components. The ability to efficiently manage their IT infrastructure up to the application level is therefore critical to a company's success and results in rising importance of Service Level Management (SLM) technologies [6, 10]. As a prerequisite for application management, monitoring and instrumentation techniques face growing interest. Depending on the criticality of an application, monitoring can either be based on statistical samples, or can require monitoring of each request handled by the system, e.g. for validation or verification purposes. While most enterprise applications belong to the first category, air traffic control scenarios are an example for the second category. Here, even a statistically small number of slow requests may result in dangerous situations or fatal accidents.
High-Resolution Spectroscopic Studies and Theory of Parity Violation in Chiral Molecules
Authors: Quack Martin , Stohner Jürgen , Willeke Martin
Published: January 2008

We review the high-resolution spectroscopic approach toward the study of intramolecular dynamics, emphasizing molecular parity violation. Theoretical work in the past decade has shown that parity-violating potentials in chiral molecules are much larger (typically one to two orders of magnitude) than anticipated on the basis of older theories. This makes experimental approaches toward small molecular parity-violating effects promising. The concepts and results of intramolecular dynamics derived from spectroscopy are analyzed as a sequence of symmetry breakings. We summarize the concepts of symmetry breakings (de facto and de lege) in view of parity violation in chiral molecules. The experimental schemes and the current status of spectroscopic experiments on molecular parity violation are established. We discuss the promises of detecting and accurately measuring parity-violating energy differences ΔpvE on the order of 10−11J mol−1(approximately 100 aeV) in enantiomers of chiral molecules with regard to their contribution to fundamental physics in the framework of the standard model of particle physics and more speculative future fundamental symmetry tests such as for the combined charge conjugation, parity, and time-reversal (CPT) symmetry violation.
Equation-of-Motion Coupled-Cluster Methods for Open-Shell and Electronically Excited Species: The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fock Space
Authors: Krylov Anna I.
Published: January 2008

The equation-of-motion coupled-cluster (EOM-CC) approach is a versatile electronic-structure tool that allows one to describe a variety of multiconfigurational wave functions within single-reference formalism. This review provides a guide to established EOM methods illustrated by examples that demonstrate the types of target states currently accessible by EOM. It focuses on applications of EOM-CC to electronically excited and open-shell species. The examples emphasize EOM's advantages for selected situations often perceived as multireference cases [e.g., interacting states of different nature, Jahn-Teller (JT) and pseudo-JT states, dense manifolds of ionized states, diradicals, and triradicals]. I also discuss limitations and caveats and offer practical solutions to some problematic situations. The review also touches on some formal aspects of the theory and important current developments.
Children's Social Competence in Cultural Context
Authors: Chen Xinyin , French Doran C.
Published: December 2007

Social initiative and behavioral control represent two major dimensions of children's social competence. Cultural norms and values with respect to these dimensions may affect the exhibition, meaning, and development of specific social behaviors such as sociability, shyness-inhibition, cooperation-compliance, and aggression-defiance, as well as the quality and function of social relationships. The culturally guided social interaction processes including evaluations and responses likely serve as an important mediator of cultural influence on children's social behaviors, relationships, and developmental patterns. In this article, we review research on children's social functioning and peer relationships in different cultures from an integrative contextual-developmental perspective. We also review research on the implications of the macro-level social and cultural changes that are happening in many societies for socialization and development of social competence.
Health Impact Assessment of Global Climate Change: Expanding on Comparative Risk Assessment Approaches for Policy Making
Authors: Patz Jonathan , Campbell-Lendrum Diarmid , Gibbs Holly , Woodruff Rosalie
Published: January 2008

Climate change is projected to have adverse impacts on public health. Cobenefits may be possible from more upstream mitigation of greenhouse gases causing climate change. To help measure such cobenefits alongside averted disease-specific risks, a health impact assessment ( HIA ) framework can more comprehensively serve as a decision support tool. HIA also considers health equity, clearly part of the climate change problem. New choices for energy must be made carefully considering such effects as additional pressure on the world's forests through large-scale expansion of soybean and oil palm plantations, leading to forest clearing, biodiversity loss and disease emergence, expulsion of subsistence farmers, and potential increases in food prices and emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Investigators must consider the full range of policy options, supported by more comprehensive, flexible, and transparent assessment methods.
Role of iPLA2 and store-operated channels in agonist-induced Ca2+ influx and constriction in cerebral, mesenteric, and carotid arteries
Authors: Park Kristen M. , Trucillo Mario , Serban Nicolas , Cohen Richard A. , Bolotina Victoria M.
Published: December 2007

Store-operated channels (SOC) and store-operated Ca2+ entry are known to play a major role in agonist-induced constriction of smooth muscle cells (SMC) in conduit vessels. In microvessels the role of SOC remains uncertain, in as much as voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ (CaL2+) channels are thought to be fully responsible for agonist-induced Ca2+ influx and vasoconstriction. We present evidence that SOC and their activation via a Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2)-mediated pathway play a crucial role in agonist-induced constriction of cerebral, mesenteric, and carotid arteries. Intracellular Ca2+ in SMC and intraluminal diameter were measured simultaneously in intact pressurized vessels in vitro. We demonstrated that 1) Ca2+ and contractile responses to phenylephrine (PE) in cerebral and carotid arteries were equally abolished by nimodipine (a CaL2+ inhibitor) and 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate (an inhibitor of SOC), suggesting that SOC and CaL2+ channels may be involved in agonist-induced constriction of cerebral arteries, and 2) functional inhibition of iPLA2β totally inhibited PE-induced Ca2+ influx and constriction in cerebral, mesenteric, and carotid arteries, whereas K+-induced Ca2+ influx and vasoconstriction mediated by CaL2+ channels were not affected. Thus iPLA2-dependent activation of SOC is crucial for agonist-induced Ca2+ influx and vasoconstriction in cerebral, mesenteric, and carotid arteries. We propose that, on PE-induced depletion of Ca2+ stores, nonselective SOC are activated via an iPLA2-dependent pathway and may produce a depolarization of SMC, which could trigger a secondary activation of CaL2+ channels and lead to Ca2+ entry and vasoconstriction.
Estrogen influences satellite cell activation and proliferation following downhill running in rats
Authors: Enns Deborah L. , Tiidus Peter M.
Published: December 2007

To investigate the influence of estrogen on postexercise muscle repair processes, we examined the effects of estrogen supplementation (0.25-mg pellet) on numbers of myofibers positive for markers of total, activated, and proliferating satellite cells in rat skeletal muscles 72 h following downhill running. Ovariectomized female rats ( n = 44) were divided into four groups ( n = 11 per group): sham (no estrogen) controls (SC); sham, exercised (SE); estrogen-supplemented controls (EC); and estrogen-supplemented, exercised (EE). After 8 days of estrogen exposure, animals were exposed to 90 min of treadmill running at 17 m/min (−13.5°). Seventy-two hours later, soleus and white vastus muscles were removed and immunostained for total [paired box homeotic gene 7 (Pax7)], [activated myogenic differentiation factor D (MyoD)], and proliferating [5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU)] satellite cells. β-Glucuronidase activity was increased ( P < 0.05) in both muscles following exercise; however, the postexercise elevations in enzyme activity were attenuated in the EE group compared with the SE group in the soleus ( P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that exercised groups displayed increased numbers of myofibers containing total, activated, and proliferating satellite cells compared with control groups ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, greater numbers of fibers positive for markers of total, activated, and proliferating satellite cells were observed postexercise in EE animals compared with SE animals for both muscles ( P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that estrogen may potentially influence postdamage repair of skeletal muscle through activation of satellite cells.
Characterization of TMPRSS2:ETV5 and SLC45A3:ETV5 Gene Fusions in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Helgeson Beth E. , Tomlins Scott A. , Shah Nameeta , Laxman Bharathi , Cao Qi , Prensner John R. , Cao Xuhong , Singla Nirmish , Montie James E. , Varambally Sooryanarayana , Mehra Rohit , Chinnaiyan Arul M.
Published: January 2008

Recurrent gene fusions involving oncogenic ETS transcription factors (including ERG, ETV1, and ETV4) have been identified in a large fraction of prostate cancers. The most common fusions contain the 5′ untranslated region of TMPRSS2 fused to ERG. Recently, we identified additional 5′ partners in ETV1 fusions, including TMPRSS2, SLC45A3, HERV-K_22q11.23, C15ORF21, and HNRPA2B1. Here, we identify ETV5 as the fourth ETS family member involved in recurrent gene rearrangements in prostate cancer. Characterization of two cases with ETV5 outlier expression by RNA ligase–mediated rapid amplification of cDNA ends identified one case with a TMPRSS2:ETV5 fusion and one case with a SLC45A3:ETV5 fusion. We confirmed the presence of these fusions by quantitative PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization. In vitro recapitulation of ETV5 overexpression induced invasion in RWPE cells, a benign immortalized prostatic epithelial cell line. Expression profiling and an integrative molecular concepts analysis of RWPE-ETV5 cells also revealed the induction of an invasive transcriptional program, consistent with ERG and ETV1 overexpression in RWPE cells, emphasizing the functional redundancy of ETS rearrangements. Together, our results suggest that the family of 5′ partners previously identified in ETV1 gene fusions can fuse with other ETS family members, suggesting numerous rare gene fusion permutations in prostate cancer. [Cancer Res 2008;68(1):73–80]
Clinical and Molecular Responses in Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Romidepsin
Authors: Schrump David S. , Fischette Maria R. , Nguyen Dao M. , Zhao Ming , Li Xinmin , Kunst Tricia F. , Hancox Ana , Hong Julie A. , Chen G. Aaron , Kruchin Evgeny , Wright John J. , Rosing Douglas R. , Sparreboom Alex , Figg William D. , Steinberg Seth M.
Published: January 2008

Purpose: Our preclinical experiments indicated that Romidepsin (Depsipeptide FK228; DP) mediates growth arrest and apoptosis in cultured lung cancer cells. A phase II trial was done to examine clinical and molecular responses mediated by this histone deacetylase inhibitor in lung cancer patients.

Experimental Design: Nineteen patients with neoplasms refractory to standard therapy received 4-h DP infusions (17.8 mg/m2) on days 1 and 7 of a 21-day cycle. Each full course of therapy consisted of two identical 21-day cycles. Plasma DP levels were evaluated by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry techniques. A variety of molecular end points were assessed in tumor biopsies via immunohistochemistry techniques. Long oligo arrays were used to examine gene expression profiles in laser-captured tumor cells before and after DP exposure, relative to lung cancer cells and adjacent normal bronchial epithelia from patients undergoing pulmonary resections.

Results: Nineteen patients were evaluable for toxicity assessment; 18 were evaluable for treatment response. Myelosuppression was dose limiting in one individual. No significant cardiac toxicities were observed. Maximum steady-state plasma DP concentrations ranged from 384 to 1,114 ng/mL. No objective responses were observed. Transient stabilization of disease was noted in nine patients. DP enhanced acetylation of histone H4, increased p21 expression in lung cancer cells, and seemed to shift global gene expression profiles in these cells toward those detected in normal bronchial epithelia.

Conclusion: Although exhibiting minimal clinical efficacy at this dose and schedule, DP mediates biological effects that may warrant further evaluation of this histone deacetylase inhibitor in combination with novel-targeted agents in lung cancer patients.
Can Inhibiting Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase Limit Hand-Foot Syndrome Caused by Fluoropyrimidines?
Authors: Yen-Revollo Jane L. , Goldberg Richard M. , McLeod Howard L.
Published: January 2008

Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a cutaneous adverse event that occurs in some patients treated with fluoropyrimidines. Although it is not life threatening, HFS can severely disrupt the daily lives of patients. HFS appears more frequently with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) delivered by continuous infusion or with the 5-FU oral derivative capecitabine than with bolus 5-FU therapy. HFS is a leading cause of treatment interruption, dosage reduction, or, even, therapy discontinuation for patients on a capecitabine regimen. Interestingly, addition of a dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) inhibitor, such as uracil, 5-chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine, or eniluracil, to the fluoropyrimidine treatment regimen significantly diminishes the incidence of HFS. DPD inhibitors were initially combined with fluoropyrimidines to increase the efficacy of the drugs by impairing the DPD-mediated catabolism of 5-FU. However, with the accumulating findings from clinical trials that show the benefits of DPD inhibition on decreasing the risk of HFS, consideration should be given to changing the recommendations for the treatment of cancer patients with fluoropyrimidines to include DPD inhibitor components as standard therapy.
Interleukin-13 Receptor α2, EphA2, and Fos-Related Antigen 1 as Molecular Denominators of High-Grade Astrocytomas and Specific Targets for Combinatorial Therapy
Authors: Wykosky Jill , Gibo Denise M. , Stanton Constance , Debinski Waldemar
Published: January 2008

Purpose: We investigated the expression of interleukin-13 receptor α2 (IL-13Rα2), EphA2, and Fos-related antigen 1 (Fra-1) in astrocytomas and normal brain. We sought to document whether the expression of the three factors changed with progression to higher grade malignancy and whether two or three targets in combination might be sufficient to target all patients with high-grade astrocytomas.

Experimental Design: Immunohistochemistry was done for IL-13Rα2, EphA2, and Fra-1 using human brain tumor tissue microarrays containing 30 specimens of WHO grades II and III astrocytomas, 46 glioblastoma multiformes (GBM), and 9 normal brain samples. Sections were scored based on frequency and intensity of expression. Western blotting was done for all three markers using GBM tumor specimens and xenograft cell lines. Two cytotoxins, IL-13.E13K.PE38QQR and ephrinA1-PE38QQR, which target IL-13Rα2 or EphA2, respectively, were tested for cytotoxicity against human GBM primary explant cells and established cells.

Results: Expression of all three proteins was significantly higher in GBM compared with normal brain, low-grade, and anaplastic astrocytomas. Greater than 95% of GBM overexpressed at least two of the three markers. Importantly, every GBM overexpressed at least one marker. Human GBM primary explant cells and cell lines were potently killed by IL-13.E13K.PE38QQR and ephrinA1-PE38QQR, in accordance with their level of expression of IL-13Rα2 and EphA2, respectively.

Conclusions: IL-13Rα2, EphA2, and Fra-1 are attractive therapeutic targets representing molecular denominators of high-grade astrocytomas. One hundred percent of GBM tumors overexpress at least one of these proteins, providing the basis for rational combinatorial targeted therapies/diagnostics suitable for all patients with this disease.
Reappraisal of Plasmapheresis as a Supportive Measure in a Patient with Hepatic Failure after Major Hepatectomy
Authors: Hwang Shin , Ha Tae-Yong , Ahn Chul-Soo , Kim Ki-Hun , Lee Sung-Gyu
Published: December 2007

Major resection of cirrhotic livers can result in hepatic failure, but no supportive treatment has been found to be generally effective. We successfully treated a 63-year-old woman with post-hepatectomy liver failure with plasmapheresis. Following right hepatectomy, the initial postoperative recovery of liver function was favorable, except for ascites. One month later, however, the amount of drained ascites increased up to 2 l/day. In addition, serum cholesterol concentration gradually decreased to around 30 mg/dl, and serum total bilirubin rose to 11.1 mg/dl. Plasmapheresis was performed, and after just 2 sessions, serum cholesterol level was rapidly corrected and prothrombin time was restored. After 3 sessions of plasmapheresis, the usual rebound rise of serum bilirubin disappeared, and the amount of ascites drained also decreased slowly. The patient underwent a total of 5 sessions of plasmapheresis over 2 weeks, after which liver function improved slowly, and she was finally discharged 72 days after liver resection. Mild ascites requiring diuretic therapy persisted over 3 months. She is doing well to date 10 months after liver resection without tumor recurrence or hepatic decompensation. This limited experience suggests that plasmapheresis can be a useful liver support for post-hepatectomy liver failure.
The Use of Orbital Radiotherapy for Graves’ Ophthalmopathy: Quantitative Review of the Evidence
Authors: Wei Rui-Li , Cheng Jin-Wei , Cai Ji-Ping
Published: December 2007

Objective: To systematically evaluate the efficacy of orbital radiotherapy in the treatment of Graves’ ophthalmology. Methods: Pertinent studies were selected through an electronic search of Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase and Chinese Biomedical Database. Studies meeting selected criteria were reviewed systematically by meta-analysis. The treatment effect was measured as risk difference (RD) of treatment failure, and pooled estimates were computed according to a random effect model. Results: A total of 18 studies were included in this meta-analysis, 8 cohort and 10 randomized. Orbital radiotherapy alone was significantly more effective than a vehicle control [pooled RD = –0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) = –0.41 to –0.10] and as effective as oral corticosteroids (pooled RD = –0.10, 95% CI = –0.20 to –0.00). The combination of orbital radiotherapy and oral corticosteroids was markedly more effective than other treatment modalities (pooled RD = –0.27, 95% CI = –0.36 to –0.17). Orbital radiotherapy combined with intravenous methylprednisolone was more efficacious than other treatment modalities (pooled RD = –0.18, 95% CI = –0.30 to –0.07). Conclusions: Orbital radiotherapy appears to be an effective treatment for Graves’ ophthalmology and seems to have an increased effect when given with systemic corticosteroids. Orbital radiotherapy combined with intravenous methylprednisolone seems to have the best documented efficacy.
The Status of Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Macular Edema in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Survey from Beixinjing District of Shanghai City in China
Authors: Wang Ning , Xu Xun , Zou Haidong , Zhu Jianfeng , Wang Weiwei , Ho Patrick C.P.
Published: December 2007

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the major cause of vision loss in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of DR and DME in a community in China and to analyze the characteristics of their optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. This study was an incidence survey based on data from 108,132 residents living in the Beixinjing District, Shanghai, China. Patients with DME came from the local health network. OCT was performed in 151 eyes of 100 type 2 diabetes patients with DR and 102 eyes of normal control subjects. Totally 795 cases were examined, and 215 of them were diagnosed to have DR. The average thickness of the macular fovea was 195.56 µm in 151 eyes from 100 random samples. Forty-six eyes had macular thickening. The statistical analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between the thickness of the macular fovea and –log of best-corrected visual acuity (r = 0.2869, p = 0.0004) as well as the severity of DR (p = 0.0003). However, there was no statistical significance between DME and posterior vitreous detachment. The images of OCT in DME included 3 types. Best-corrected visual acuity moderately correlated with retinal thickness. The macular thickness correlated with the severity of DR but not with posterior vitreous detachment.