bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Relationship between Pollinosis and Date of Birth in Switzerland
Authors: Graf N. , Johansen P. , Schindler C. , Wüthrich B. , Ackermann-Liebrich U. , Gassner M. , Kündig T.M. , Senti G.
Published: March 2007

Background: The first months of life may represent a vulnerable period in the development of atopic diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between the month of birth and the development of birch and grass pollen allergy in the Swiss population. Methods: Data from the Swiss Study on Air Pollution and Lung Diseases in Adults(SAPALDIA) as well as the Swiss Study on Childhood Allergy and Respiratory Symptoms with Respect to Air Pollution and Climate (SCARPOL) were used. A logistic regression was calculated with grass and birch pollen sensitisation (positive skin prick test) or allergy (positive skin prick test and allergic symptoms) as outcome variables and the season of birth as predictor variable. The contribution of the season of birth on pollinosis was further adjusted for well-known risk factors and potential confounding variables. Results: The logistic regression revealed a significant effect of the season of birth on birch pollen sensitisation and an effect of borderline significance on birch pollen allergy, i.e. subjects born in the pollen season (March to April) showed an increased risk of being sensitised/allergic to birch pollen. The results also indicated a tendency towards an increased risk for subjects born in the grass pollen season (May to June) to develop grass pollen allergy. Conclusion: Our results support the hypothesis that the first few months of life constitute a sensitive period, during which inhalative exposure to certain allergens may predispose to the subsequent development of atopic respiratory disease.
Thymus-Derived CD4+ CD25+ T Cells Suppress the Development of Murine Allergic Conjunctivitis
Authors: Sumi Tamaki , Fukushima Atsuki , Fukuda Ken , Kumagai Naoki , Nishida Teruo , Takeuchi Masaru , Taguchi Osamu , Ueno Hisayuki
Published: March 2007

CD4+ CD25+ T cells regulate various kinds of immune-mediated diseases. Here, we sought to clarify whether CD4+ CD25+ T cells also regulate the development of experimental allergic conjunctivitis (EC). Thymectomized BALB/c mice, treated with anti-CD25 antibody (PC61), normal rat immunoglobulin G (nrIgG) or left untreated were immunized with short ragweed pollen (RW). Ten days later, the mice were challenged with RW in eye drops, and 24 h later, the conjunctivas, blood and spleens were harvested. The severity of EC, as evaluated by conjunctival eosinophil numbers, was significantly higher in the PC61-treated group as compared with the other two groups. The PC61-treated group also had significantly higher RW-specific IgE and IgG1 levels and displayed RW-specific splenocyte proliferation and RW-induced splenocyte T helper cell 2 cytokine production. However, PC61 treatment of unthymectomized mice did not affect the severity of EC. Thus, thymus-derived CD25+ T cells regulate the development of EC. Furthermore, transfer of Foxp3-expressing CD4+ CD25+ T cells from naïve mice into RW-sensitized mice suppressed the development of EC in these mice after RW challenge. Taken together, these results suggest that CD4+ CD25+ T cells regulate the development of EC.
Allergic Sensitization and Disease in Mother-Child Pairs from Germany: Role of Early Childhood Environment
Authors: Cramer C. , Ranft U. , Ring J. , Möhrenschlager M. , Behrendt H. , Oppermann H. , Wilhelm M. , Krämer U.
Published: March 2007

Background: Early childhood influences are important for the development of the allergic phenotype. In East Germany, tremendous lifestyle changes took place after 1990 and it can be hypothesized that the allergic phenotypes in mothers and their children are less similar than in West Germany. This was investigated in our study done in mothers and their 6-year-old children from East and West Germany in the year 2000. Methods: 1,393 mother-child pairs participated. A subgroup of 774 pairs gave blood for the determination of specific IgE. Regional differences in mother-child correlations and in prevalence of mother-child combinations with respect to allergic sensitization and disease were examined by logistic regression analysis. Results: The adjusted association in positive allergic sensitization between mothers and their children was not significant in East Germany (OR 1.23, 95% CI: 0.68–2.24) but highly significant in West Germany (OR 2.89, 95% CI: 1.73–4.80). The probability for the combination of ‘negative’ mother and ‘positive’ child was significantly higher in East than in West Germany. Conclusions: Mother-child transmission of atopy predisposition can even be cancelled by environmental changes.
Efficacy of a Monthly Compared to 3-Monthly Depot GnRH Analogue (Goserelin) in the Treatment of Children with Central Precocious Puberty
Authors: Isaac H. , Patel L. , Meyer S. , Hall C.M. , Cusick C. , Price D.A. , Clayton P.E.
Published: March 2007

Aims: To compare the efficacy of goserelin 10.8 mg (Zoladex LA – ZLA) administered 9–12 weekly with 3.6 mg (Zoladex – Z) given monthly in suppressing pubertal development, and effect on body mass index (BMI). Methods: Children with central precocious puberty (CPP) treated with Z (n = 34) or ZLA (n = 28) were studied retrospectively. Pubertal scores and BMI SDS during 24 months’ treatment were compared. Results: To attain adequate pubertal suppression, more patients on ZLA than Z required increase in injection frequency (p = 0.02) and this was so for 7/8 patients with a structural aetiology for CPP on ZLA and 2/8 on Z. A greater proportion of patients on ZLA had BMI >+2 SDS before (p = 0.05), and at 18 and 24 months (p = 0.02 and 0.04). BMI SDS transiently increased during the first 6 months on ZLA (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Both Z and ZLA were effective in suppressing puberty. To achieve adequate suppression, increased injection frequency was more likely with ZLA than Z, and particularly in patients with structural defects. Children with CPP had an elevated BMI at the onset of therapy and ZLA had a transient positive influence on BMI.
Utility of the Bender Gestalt Test for Differentiation of Dementia with Lewy Bodies from Alzheimer’s Disease in Patients Showing Mild to Moderate Dementia
Authors: Murayama Norio , Iseki Eizo , Yamamoto Ryoko , Kimura Michihiro , Eto Ko , Arai Heii
Published: March 2007

Aims: We examined the utility of the Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) for the differentiation of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) from Alzheimer’s disease (AD), comparing BGT scores between DLB and AD patients showing mild to moderate dementia. Methods: Eighteen DLB patients, 36 AD patients controlled by age, years of education, Clinical Dementia Rating and Mini Mental State Examination scores, and 21 nondemented elderly participants controlled by age and years of education were subjected to the BGT. Their BGT performances were scored according to the Pascal-Suttell method. Results: The DLB group showed significantly higher (that is worse) BGT scores than the other groups. When a cutoff point of 98 was used to differentiate DLB from AD, the patients exceeding 98 were 94% in the DLB group, 17% in the AD group and 0% in the control group. The sensitivity and specificity of this cutoff point were 0.94 and 0.89, respectively. Conclusion: The BGT is a useful neuropsychological test to differentiate DLB from AD.
Screening of Cognitive Impairment in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Antonelli-Incalzi Raffaele , Corsonello Andrea , Trojano Luigi , Pedone Claudio , Acanfora Domenico , Spada Aldo , Izzo Orsola , Rengo Franco
Published: March 2007

Cognitive dysfunction is common and clinically important in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale in screening severe cognitive dysfunction in 149 patients with COPD, mean age 69.3 ± 8.5 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 s = 36.6 ± 17.8% of the predicted. Patients underwent the MMSE and an in-depth neuropsychological assessment based upon the Mental Deterioration Battery (MDB). The 5-item IADL scale was assessed. The sample was randomly divided into a training (n = 73) and a testing (n = 76) population. The diagnostic accuracy of MMSE, IADL scale or both versus cognitive dysfunction corresponding to abnormal performance in 3 or more MDB tests was assessed in the training population and the model obtained was tested in the testing population. The combination of MMSE <24 and dependence in at least 1 IADL had better diagnostic accuracy than either MMSE or IADL, with sensitivity = 52.4, specificity = 82.7, positive predictive value = 55.0% and negative predictive value = 81.1% in the testing population. MMSE and the 5-item IADL scale can be used to exclude, but not to detect cognitive dysfunction in COPD patients. A confirmatory cognitive test should be administered to patients with an MMSE score of <24 and who are dependent in at least 1 IADL.
Risk Factors for Functional Decline in Nonagenarians: A One-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Formiga Francesc , Ferrer Assumpta , Pérez-Castejon Juan Manel , Olmedo Claudia , Pujol Ramón
Published: March 2007

Background: Disability and a decline in functional capacity are common in old age. Objective: To determine predictors of functional decline in nonagenarians’ basic activities of daily living (ADL) after 1 year of follow-up. Methods: A sample of 97 nonagenarians subjects not previously severely dependent (Barthel Index >59) was evaluated. This sample included 72 women (74.2%) and the mean (SD) age was 93.4 ± 2.7 years. The following data were collected: sociodemographic data, Barthel Index (BI), Lawton-Brody Index (LI), Mental State Examination (MEC), a short version of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, comorbidity (Charlson Index), lower-extremity function, Gait Rating Scale from the Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Scale and prevalent chronic diseases. Subjects who had a 10-point or higher decline in the BI in 1 year were compared to subjects who had no decline or a maximum decline of 9 points. In addition, subjects whose total BI score fell below 60 were compared to the group of subjects who maintained scores between 60 and 100. The Student’s t test, the χ2 or the Fisher’s exact test, and a multiple logistic regression analysis (with the identified risk factors of age and gender) were performed. Results: 39 nonagenarians experienced a 10-point or higher decline in the BI in 1 year. A lower LI score (p = 0.003) and visual impairment (p = 0.01) were associated with functional decline. The multiple regression analysis showed that there was a significant association with LI (odds ratio (OR) 0.74, confidence interval 95% 0.60–0.91, p < 0.005). The 18 nonagenarians who had a BI <60 had a BI >60 at baseline. Lower scores on the LI (p = 0.004) and on the MEC (p = 0.01), a history of a previous stroke (p = 0.009) and higher Charlson Index scores (p = 0.03) were associated with recently acquired, severe dependency. A multiple regression analysis showed a significant association between LI (OR 0.65, 0.47–0.89, p < 0.008) and a history of previous strokes (OR 3.39, 1.01–11.34, p < 0.04). Conclusions: According to the definition used to describe functional basic ADL decline, poor performance in instrumental ADL at baseline and a history of a stroke appear to be independent risk factors. Prevention strategies could be intensified in this subgroup of nonagenarians.
Flow and Pressure during Liver Preservation under ex situ and in situ Perfusion with University of Wisconsin Solution and Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate Solution
Authors: Moench C. , Heimann A. , Foltys D. , Schneider B. , Minouchehr S. , Schwandt E. , Knaak M. , Kempski O. , Otto G.
Published: March 2007

Effective preservation of liver grafts is the first essential step for successful liver transplantation. Insufficient perfusion leads to ischemic-type biliary lesions after transplantation. Perfusion of the graft can be performed either in situ or ex situ, with gravity flow or pressure-controlled. Mainly University of Wisconsin (UW) and histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solutions are used widespread in clinical liver transplantation. Due to a persistent lack of data, we performed this systematic investigation of in situ and ex situ perfusion of liver grafts with HTK (low-viscous) and UW (high-viscous) solutions at different pressure steps on the perfusion solution (gravity flow, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm Hg). End points were perfusion flow and pressure in the hepatic artery. A pig model was used with n = 8 pigs randomized to each (HTK and UW) group. In situ perfusion was ineffective for both solutions at any pressure on the perfusate bag. Ex situ perfusion showed significantly improved flow and pressure in the hepatic artery and, therefore, was highly effective. No major differences between HTK and UW solutions could be detected. Therefore, an additional ex situ perfusion of the hepatic artery should be mandatory in every liver procurement.
A Preliminary Study towards Downregulation of Murine Bone Marrow Eosinophilopoiesis Mediated by Small Molecule Inhibition of Interleukin-5 Receptor α Gene in vitro
Authors: Mao Hui , Wen Fu-Qiang , Li Su-Yun , Liang Zong-An , Liu Chun-Tao , Yin Kai-Sheng , Wang Zeng-Li
Published: March 2007

Background: Bone marrow eosinophilopoiesis induced by IL-5 makes a major contribution to eosinophilic airway inflammation in asthma. Bone marrow CD34+ cells expressing IL-5Rα may be eosinophil progenitors. However, research on the effect of blocking IL-5Rα expression on bone marrow eosinophilopoiesis has seldom been reported. Objective: To explore the effect of inhibiting IL-5Rα expression with IL-5Rα short hairpin RNA-expressing vector on murine bone marrow eosinophilopoiesisin vitro. Methods: We constructed 4 kinds of plasmid vectors that could express small molecule inhibition, short hairpin RNA, which targeted IL-5Rα (P-IL-5Rα), and selected an effective one by transfecting B lymphoma cells in vitro. We also constructed an adenovirus vector which was inserted into an effective template sequence (Ad-IL-5Rα). The bone marrow cells were obtained from healthy Balb/c mice, and cultured and transfected by Ad-IL-5Rα in vitro. The expression of IL-5Rα and the count of newly produced eosinophils were detected in the cultured bone marrow cells. Results: We found that P-IL-5Rα-3 targeted at the sequence of CAG CTG CCT GGT TCG TCT T markedly suppressed the IL-5Rα expression in the B lymphoma cellsin vitro. Ad-IL-5Rα could suppress the IL-5Rα expression of murine bone marrow cellsin vitro and it could also significantly decrease the IL-5-induced eosinophilia in the cultured bone marrow cells. Conclusion: These results indicate that the blocking of IL-5Rα expression by small molecule inhibition can help to effectively decrease murine bone marrow eosinophilopoiesis, and that bone marrow may be used as a critical target organ in the diseases involved in eosinophilia, such as asthma.
Deficits in Facial Emotion Processing in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Teng Edmond , Lu Po H. , Cummings Jeffrey L.
Published: March 2007

Background: Patients with Alzheimer disease consistently demonstrate impaired performance on tests of facial emotion processing. However, it remains unclear how early in the neurodegenerative process these deficits emerge. Methods: We approached this question by examining facial emotional processing in a ‘pre-dementia’ condition, amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Nine single-domain amnestic MCI subjects, 14 multiple-domain amnestic MCI subjects (MCI-MD), and 68 normal control subjects were assessed with the Florida Affect Battery. Results: After adjustment for age and gender, analyses of performance across the facial affect processing subtests of the Florida Affect Battery demonstrated intact performance in the single-domain MCI group but significantly impaired performance in the MCI-MD group, particularly on a test of facial affect discrimination. Within the MCI-MD group, men performed disproportionately worse than women. Performance on facial affect discriminations in the MCI-MD group correlated most robustly with performance on tests of frontal/executive function. Conclusion: These data suggest that facial emotion processing can be impaired in MCI prior to the more marked cognitive deficits seen with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer disease.
Growth Hormone Determination in Children Using an Immunofunctional Assay in Comparison to Conventional Assays
Authors: Stark Simone , Willig Rolf Peter
Published: March 2007

Conventional assays for determination of growth hormone (GH) in serum measure immunoreactive molecules of a blood sample. The immunofunctional assay (IFA), on the other hand, is able to determine biologically active molecules. In our study, we evaluated GH determination in children with IFA to compare these data with clinical reliable data of conventional assay systems, since there is only insufficient data concerning the clinical use of IFA in children. The comparison of GH determinations by IFA and two immunoradiometric assays showed different results for the same serum sample. Peak and trough concentration levels determined by these three different assays were always measured at the same time, but absolute GH concentration levels varied. Statistic analysis verified a linear regression of our data and allowed a conversion of data measured by IFA to predict values of the other assays used and vice versa. The traditional cut-off level for the diagnosis of GH deficiency of 10 ng/ml was based originally on results of polyclonal radioimmunoassays. This internationally applied cut-off level has been converted based on the regression analysis for prediction of this study and we found the 95% confidence interval on the mean measurements by IFA to be between 3.11 and 3.28 ng/ml.
Cognitive Changes in Parkinson’s Disease Patients with Visual Hallucinations
Authors: Ramirez-Ruiz Blanca , Junque Carme , Marti Maria-Jose , Valldeoriola Francesc , Tolosa Eduardo
Published: March 2007

Objective: To evaluate the decline in specific neuropsychological functions in nondemented Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients with a history of visual hallucinations (VH). Methods: Twenty PD patients with VH, 20 PD patients without VH and 18 normal controls were followed up over a 1-year period and assessed for cognitive decline. Results: Forty-five percent of nondemented hallucinating PD patients developed dementia during the 1-year period between baseline and follow-up evaluations. Of the nondemented hallucinating PD patients nearly 70% showed impairment in multiple cognitive domains. The progressive decline in hallucinating PD patients affected mainly visual memory for faces and visuoperceptive-visuospatial functions. Conclusion: Our results support a fast impairment of complex visual functions in hallucinating PD patients, but also a progressive decline in multiple cognitive domains, which have been identified as a risk of developing dementia in PD.
Hyponatremia in Community-Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Nair Vinay , Niederman Michael S. , Masani Naveed , Fishbane Steven
Published: March 2007

Background/Aim: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a frequent cause for hospitalization and may result in a number of different renal and electrolyte complications. The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence of hyponatremia in CAP and to analyze risk factors for its occurrence. Methods: Records were reviewed for all 342 subjects who participated in the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Standardized Order Set study, a 2-year trial of supplemental treatment tools in hospital pneumonia treatment. Results: Hyponatremia (serum sodium concentration <136 mg/dl) was present at hospital admission in 27.9% of patients. The magnitude was generally mild, only 4.1% of patients had serum sodium <130 mEq/l. Patients with hyponatremia had greater initial heart rate (100.2 vs. 93.2 beats/min, p = 0.03), white blood cell count (15,100 vs. 12,100/µl, p < 0.0001) and pneumonia severity index class 4 or 5 (35.7 vs. 25.1% of patients, p = 0.05). Hyponatremia at admission was associated with greater risk for death and increased length of hospital stay. Hyponatremia developed during the hospitalization in 10.5% of subjects, with most cases being mild, only 2.6% of all patients having serum sodium decrease to <130 mEq/l. Patients developing hyponatremia were more likely to have end-stage renal disease and to have had initial intravenous fluids other than isotonic saline, but had similar severity of illness on admission to those without acquired hyponatremia. Conclusion: Hyponatremia is a common complication present at the time of admission for CAP. It is associated with more severe illness, increased mortality risk and extended hospital stays. Hyponatremia develops less frequently during the hospitalization and is unrelated to severity of illness on admission, but is an iatrogenic complication and thus initial treatment with isotonic saline may reduce the risk of this complication.
Hydroxyl Radical Mediates the Augmented Angiotensin II Responses in Thoracic Aorta of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Deshmukh Aaishwarya B. , Patel Natvarlal J. , Patel Rashwin J.
Published: March 2007

Aim: To investigate the role of hydroxyl radical in augmented angiotensin II (Ang II) responses in the thoracic aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Methods: To elucidate the role of hydroxyl radical, we used edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one) as a tool for our study. The vascular responses to Ang II (10–10 to 10–6 mol/l), tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP; 10–6 to 10–2 mol/l) and H2O2 (10–6 to 10–2 mol/l) were constructed in aortic preparations obtained from control (WKY) and SHR in the absence and presence of edaravone. Results: The vascular responses to Ang II, tBHP and H2O2 were found to be enhanced in aortic preparations from SHR as compared to control WKY rats. Edaravone selectively attenuated the augmented responses to Ang II but not to tBHP and H2O2 suggesting that the ·OH radical is involved in the augmented responses to Ang II. The elevated blood pressure in SHR was restored to a near normal value after 2 weeks of edaravone (10 mg kg–1 i.p., b.i.d.) treatment. Conclusion: From the results we infer that hydroxyl radical stress augments Ang II responses in the thoracic aorta of SHR and, by attenuating these enhanced vascular responses, edaravone could serve as an adjuvant antioxidant therapy for the vascular complications of hypertension.
Implications of Cardiac Risk and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Distributions in the United States for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dyslipidemia
Authors: Keevil Jon G. , Cullen Michael W. , Gangnon Ronald , McBride Patrick E. , Stein James H.
Published: March 2007

Background—

Updated guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III stratify patients into 5 groups of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk that determine intensity of lipid-lowering therapy. The present study assesses the distribution of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the United States across the 5 groups of CHD risk as defined in the updated guidelines.

Methods and Results—

Subjects included 7399 individuals 20 to 79 years of age in the 1999 to 2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey representing 171 million individuals in the United States. CHD risk, LDL-C levels, and goal achievement were determined per Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. CHD risk assessment incorporated a medical condition review, risk factor summation, and Framingham Risk Score calculation. Percentages were weighted to represent population estimates, and SEs were adjusted for the survey design. The distribution of individuals by CHD risk included 61.1% at lower risk, 10.6% at high risk, and 5.7% at very high risk. From Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, only 5.4% of the population was at “intermediate” risk. Two thirds (66.3%) met their Adult Treatment Panel III–defined LDL-C goal. Of those at high and very high risk, 23% and 26%, respectively, met the goal of LDL-C <100 mg/dL, whereas only 3.1% and 4.6% had an LDL-C <70 mg/dL (or non–high-density lipoprotein C <100 mg/dL).

Conclusions—

Most adult US residents are at lower 10-year CHD risk and meet risk-adjusted LDL-C goals. However, large portions of the high-risk population are undertreated. The commonly described population at intermediate risk is small. A novel method of identifying patients who might benefit from additional testing to determine their treatment strategy is provided.
The Gospel of Peter
Authors: Foster Paul
Published: March 2007

The Gospel of Peter was the first non-canonical gospel to be rediscovered during the modern period.' This nine page fragment from a larger text narrates a version of events dealing with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Some of the document's more striking features include its increased anti-Jewish tendency, the heightening of miraculous elements, Jesus' cry from the cross 'my power, the power, you have left me' and perhaps most strikingly the vision of a talking cross emerging from the tomb. This text represents a later popularizing trend in handling gospel traditions.
Outworkings: Disciple Practice Today
Authors: Vincent John J.
Published: March 2007

'Gospel Practice Interpretations', explored in John Vincent (ed.), Mark: Gospel of Action (SPCK, 2006), are 'personal and community responses' from various Markan scholars. Here, the responses of a small inner city Sheffield congregation to Mark chapter two both connect with, and give new perspectives for, the responses of first-century disciples.
Edwyn Clement Hoskyns (9th August 1884 - 28th June 1937)
Authors: Court John M.
Published: March 2007

Edwyn Hoskyns was a revered and inspirational teacher to Cambridge students between the two World Wars. His sudden death left his work unfinished, including the commentary on John's Gospel. Subsequently his reputation became undervalued, but he is now being rediscovered as a powerful exponent of historical and theological exegesis.
Six, Franz Alfred
Authors: Tighe Carl
Published: March 2007

Franz Alfred Six, though he had a low profile within the Nazi regime, was a university dean, a senior officer in the Reich Security Service, leader of an Einsatz unit, a diplomat and a leading Nazi ideologue. He was sentenced at Nuremberg for war crimes, then freed and recruited into the Gehlen organization where he is said to have taken part in the insertion of agents into eastern Europe, helped foment the Hungarian Uprising, assisted with the creation of the Green Berets and later trained Cubans for the Bay of Pigs invasion. His career trajectory raises awkward questions about how de-Nazification was undermined by sections of Western intelligence, the role that Nazis played in post-war politics and about the very nature of the Cold War.
The Soviet Union in the twenty-first century
Authors: Fitzpatrick Sheila
Published: March 2007

The subject of this article is how historians and others have understood Soviet history since the demise of the Soviet Union. It is argued that, despite the opening of archives, changes in interpretation have been driven as much by external political and disciplinary developments as by greater availability of data. Important external considerations have been the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1991. The main historical schools examined are the totalitarian (whose heyday was the 1950s); revisionist (1970s); and post-revisionist (1990s). Interpretations of the Soviet Union in the Russian media and popular opinion, ranging from condemnation of communism to nostalgia, are also discussed.
On and off the air: radio-listening experiences in the San Vittore prison
Authors: Bonini Tiziano , Perrotta Marta
Published: March 2007

This article examines the results of a research project we conducted on social uses of radio in the San Vittore prison, Milan, Italy. Our aim is to survey and understand the everyday practices of radio consumption by such a special audience as that of prison inmates. Although the use that’s being made of radio in prison is mature and aware, it is mostly neglected by the medium itself, for being considered a scarcely interesting share of the market. Not only has this research traced a map of listening habits, but it has also explored the medium’s role in the emergence of tensions among cultural flows in and out of the listening context, the prison, thus making it possible to understand the dynamics of the ‘inside’ and the ‘outside’ as related to radio use.
Globalizing Chinese martial arts cinema: the global-local alliance and the production of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Authors: Wu Huaiting , Chan Joseph Man
Published: March 2007

Using the Mandarin-language global blockbuster Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as a case, this project aims to study how an oriental culture is globalized against the odds as predicted by theories of cultural imperialism. First, the globalization of local talents is found to be a precondition for this reversed cultural flow. Second, the formation of a global-local alliance, consisting of networks of both local and global firms and professionals, plays a critical role. The alliance serves to translate local cultural capital into economic capital and to enhance the transculturability of the cultural product. To be accountable to the Western agencies and to be faithful to local culture, the production team is under constant pressure to strike a balance between particularization and universalization. The implications of this unprecedented case are discussed.
The hybrid grid: globalization, cultural power and Hungarian television schedules
Authors: Havens Timothy
Published: March 2007

While television scheduling practices overdetermine a host of institutional and cultural practices, including program import decisions and the popularity of specific programs, scheduling has received scant attention from critical media scholars. Drawing on the insight that contemporary scheduling practices - like most media practices today - are hybrid phenomena, this article demonstrates in some detail the variety of factors, both foreign and domestic, that come into play in specific scheduling decisions, paying particular attention to the conditions under which power relations among domestic, regional and global ideas about scheduling differ. I concentrate on three case studies of scheduling innovation in Hungary, each of which demonstrates different routes through which foreign scheduling practices enter the market. The resulting analysis has implications for understanding international television flows, as well as the ways in which power operates among global media institutions.
When you care enough to defend the very best: how the greeting card industry manages cultural criticism
Authors: West Emily
Published: March 2007

The American greeting card industry, in particular industry leader Hallmark Cards, makes substantial efforts to deflect cultural critiques in its communications with the public, demonstrating how culture industries actively manage their negative associations with mass culture as well as the public’s fears of an advancing ‘commodity frontier’. Hallmark frames its cultural production as creative while de-emphasizing its industrial nature, and, whenever possible, aligns itself with the legitimating cultural categories of art and the folk to counter the idea that greeting cards are false, manufactured sentiment. Hallmark also argues that the consumer is sovereign in order to contradict critics’ claims that it imposes its mass-produced cards on the public. The way the greeting card industry seeks to manage cultural anxiety about industrialized culture is discussed, as well as the limits of their response.
‘Bound in by history’: The Winter of Discontent in British politics, 1979-2004
Authors: Thomas James
Published: March 2007

This article looks at the ideological role of popular history in British politics and the media. It argues that British politics since 1945 has operated under two key successive meta-narratives about the past that have shaped and reflected the political settlement of the present. It charts briefly how negative images of a free-enterprise, inter-war period played a key role in legitimizing the emergence of a new centre-left political settlement from 1945 onwards. It then explores how this progressive myth gave way from 1979 onwards to a right-wing myth of the 1970s. It details how right-wing politicians and the media between 1979 and 1992 promoted a negative popular history of the 1970s that legitimized the rightward shift in British politics and discredited social democratic alternatives. And it ends by examining the consequences of New Labour’s collusion with this right-wing memory as a means to define its own identity.
Credibility of media offerings in centrally controlled media systems: a qualitative study based on the example of East Germany
Authors: Meyen Michael , Schwer Katja
Published: March 2007

Research on media use in authoritarian political systems supports the thesis that media offerings in such systems suffer from a low factor of credibility, leading to declining political interest within society, continuous retreat into the private sphere and heavy use of foreign media offerings in the search of trustworthy information. The literature indicates that both the political and centrally controlled media system have an impact on the communication needs of citizens. These findings are at odds with audience research into democratic societies, which has emphasized entertainment as the most important variable for media use, whereas only a few segments of the audience are interested in genuinely political items. This article argues that the above assumptions concerning media use in countries governed by authoritarian regimes have failed to recognize the role of daily life in media selection and reception. It points out that communication science has ignored citizens’ predominant desire for entertainment and over-estimated their need for information. The typology of East German media consumers presented in this article shows that, rather than being formed by the political system and a specific media landscape, people’s communication needs are primarily shaped by the routines and patterns of everyday life.
Approaches to the newspaper archive: content analysis and press coverage of Glasgow’s Year of Culture
Authors: Reason Matthew , García Beatríz
Published: March 2007

Glasgow’s year as European City of Culture in 1990 is perceived as an event marking a renaissance in perceptions of the city. This article examines how the contemporary press coverage can be used as a resource to trace the narratives and mythologies surrounding the event. To facilitate this research, a pre-existing archive of press cuttings, totalling over 5000 clippings, was employed. This article describes how the interests of the project, and the nature of the large press archive being examined, led to the utilization of a distinct methodology of media analysis. The article describes the attempt to unite both quantitative, statistical analysis with qualitative, pre-informed examination. By tracing aspects of the practical examination of the Glasgow 1990 press coverage, the article explores the successes and failures of the approach taken and assesses its potential for development and employment in other contexts.
Improving the Integration of Public Reading in Cultural Policies of Francophone Developing Countries
Authors: Weber Eric
Published: March 2007

The question of public reading - of access to published works, newspapers, and to information in general - is a major challenge in developing countries. Public reading does not replace education or literacy policies. It is far more important because it fi rmly establishes access to knowledge into day-to-day reality, and gives everyone the possibility of an opening to the world. It meets the expectations of local populations, namely those in remote areas, as is shown by nearly 3 million admissions and more than 1 million books lent each year in the 213 Reading and Cultural Activity Centres set up by the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) in 18 countries in Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean and the Middle East. In addition to giving access to books and newspapers, the centres allow access to the media (radio, television, video), to computers, sometimes to the Internet. In addition to being public libraries, these centres host cultural activities such as conferences, theatrical and musical events, training sessions (on health, agriculture, etc.). In view of this success, many governments of developing countries want to develop a genuine public reading policy at national level.
Transforming the Document Delivery and Resource Sharing Engine
Authors: Oberlander Cyril
Published: March 2007

The paper explores the periphery of emerging technologies and roles for document delivery and resource sharing with a focus on sharing best practices for adaptative strategies using practical examples such as new training programs and methods to collaboratively explore and adopt emergent technologies and web services, and new partnerships. Examples of emergent technologies and web services include: Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), mobile technologies, social networking software and services. Examples of new partnerships include: collaborative strategies for resource sharing within libraries; acquisitions, digital libraries, reference, and with vendors. Examples of new training programs include: ALA RUSA STARS Education Committee, training programs at the University of Virginia Libraries and other resources.
New Customers through New Partnerships - experience in Scotland and elsewhere
Authors: Wade Martyn
Published: March 2007

The National Library of Scotland (NLS) has developed a new mission and vision to support a new strategy entitled ‘Breaking Through the Walls’. Collections and access were highlighted as areas of strategic importance. As part of this strategy, NLS has worked to defi ne its customers and their requirements particularly through a programme of market research. With projects such as the Digital NLS, the Library is creating different access routes for people who might not use its resources otherwise. To further widen access NLS has nurtured partnerships with various organizations which are providing new ways for new customers to use the Library. This helps the Library engage with underrepresented groups and minorities and help them to learn from, and gain access to and enjoy the wealth of information in the collection. Gives examples of other national libraries who have successfully broadened access to their collections and engaged in partnerships.
Battle for eBook Mindshare: it’s all about the rights
Authors: Silberer Zsolt , Bass David
Published: March 2007

This paper discusses a variety of options available to academic libraries considering the acquisition of eBooks. A detailed examination is undertaken with regard to the impact of eBooks on the ordering process, purchasing models, distribution options and overall utility. The paper also outlines some key issues and potential future directions for eBooks.
What Is the Question?
Authors: Farmer Lesley S. J.
Published: March 2007

Asking questions is a vital part of information seeking: it begs an answer, it allows for modifi cation in response to fi ndings, it aids in comprehension, it fosters self-regulation, and it invites conversation. The skill of posing questions throughout the information-seeing process is often under-valued and under-taught. To ask quality, higher-level questions requires explicit instruction. Moreover, such instruction needs to take into account age-appropriate developmental processes. This paper examines the questioning behavior of youth, confronts the issue of question locus of control, and offers guidance in helping youth develop effective question strategies for comprehending information and questioning authority.
Changing Society, Role of Information Professionals and Strategy for Libraries
Authors: Yamazaki Hisamichi
Published: March 2007

This paper is intended to review the key aspects of the environmental changes now occurring around libraries, information centers and library professionals, followed by a tentative proposal with the aim of making a breakthrough for them in the digital era. We will focus our attention on information professionals in special libraries, information centers and so on. They have been exposing themselves to the risk that the resources assigned to their libraries would be easily reduced, infl uenced by the diffi culties in fi nance and the renewal of management plans of parent organizations, mainly due to economic depression. This makes them even more sensitive to effi cient and effective management of their libraries. By analyzing them, we are able to acquire some ‘leading indicators’ in library services management and human resource management for library people.
Tracking a Ceiling Jet Front for Hot Smoke Tests in Tunnels
Authors: Hu L. H. , Huo R. , Li Y. Z. , Yi L. , Deng Z. H. , Wang H. B. , Chow W. K. , Yuan H. Y. , Chen T.
Published: March 2007

There are difficulties in tracking the ceiling jet front while carrying out hot smoke tests in long tunnels with a small fire. In this study, an experimental method using infrared beams is suggested. The arrival time of the hot ceiling jet front to a designated position is measured by the abrupt attenuation of the infrared beam intensity. Field measurements are carried out in an underground tunnel of length 88 m. Diesel pool fires up to 1.5 MW are studied. The results on tracking the ceiling jet front are compared with the measurements by using the thermocouples, thermal resistors, and visual observations. This method is demonstrated to be useful for tracking the ceiling jet front at positions further away from the fire. Therefore, the method is suitable for studying the ceiling jet in hot smoke tests for evaluating smoke management systems in long tunnels.
Fire Safety Assessment of Halogen-free Flame Retardant Polypropylene Based on Cone Calorimeter
Authors: He Shuqin , Hu Yuan , Song Lei , Tang Yong
Published: March 2007

This study addresses the fire performance of polypropylene compounded with different flame retardants in the cone calorimeter tests and UL-94 burning tests. The parameters measured include heat release rate, time to ignition, smoke, and CO/CO2 yields, on the basis of which fire hazard analysis is carried out. By injection-molding different burn-rated polypropylene composites into television back-enclosures and testing them in a full-scale cone calorimeter, we find that the one formulation of V-0 rating in the vertical burning test shows excellent flame retardance.
Numerical Simulations on Aerodynamics of Thermally Induced Plumes
Authors: Li J. , Chow W. K.
Published: March 2007

Since the physics of air entrainment is not yet clearly understood, most of the fire plume expressions reported in the literature were derived empirically. Experiments with different fire geometry, fuels, and ambient conditions would be difficult when trying to derive comprehensive plume temperature and velocity fields from existing theories. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a practical engineering tool in fire engineering, might give a better understanding of the plume behavior. This technique can eliminate factors which are difficult to control in experiments, but would affect the plume movement.

Aerodynamics for thermally induced plumes is studied by CFD in this article. Three types of thermal plumes such as axisymmetric plume, balcony spill plume, and door plume are considered.

Four axisymmetric plume equations and three balcony spill plume models are assessed by comparing with the CFD results. For door plumes, qualitative results of the mass entrainment rate are obtained.

Investigations in this article are useful for fire engineers in designing smoke management systems in an affordable fashion. This is a critical point in implementing an engineering performance-based fire code.
Tunnel Fires: Experiments on Critical Velocity and Burning Rate in Pool Fire During Longitudinal Ventilation
Authors: Roh Jae Seong , Yang Seung Shin , Ryou Hong Sun
Published: March 2007

In this study, the 1/20 reduced-scale experiments using Froude scaling are conducted to investigate the effect of longitudinal ventilation velocity on the burning rate in tunnel fires. The methanol pool fires, acetone pool fires, and n-heptane pool fires with a heat release rate ranging from 2.02 to ~6.15 kW, 2.76 to ~11.04 kW, and 2.23 to ~15.6 kW, respectively, are used. A load cell is used to measure the mass loss rate of the burning fuel and the temperature distributions are measured by K-type thermocouples in order to investigate smoke movement. The ventilation velocity in the reduced-scale tunnel is controlled by the wind tunnel through an inverter. In the case of a methanol pool fire, the increase in ventilation velocity reduces the burning rate. On the contrary, for acetone and n-heptane pool fires, the increase in ventilation velocity leads to the enhanced burning rate of fuels. The reason is that, for acetone and n-heptane pool fires, the oxygen supply effect prevails rather than the cooling effects as the ventilation velocity increases. However, for a methanol pool fire the cooling effect outweighs the effects of oxygen supply. The relationship between the critical velocity (Vc, m/s) and the heat release rate (Q, MW), for a full tunnel, has been found to be:[ILLEGIBLE].
Experimental Study of the Fire-extinguishing Effectiveness of 1-Bromo- 3,3,3-Trifluoropropene/Nitrogen Mixtures
Authors: Yongfeng Zhang , Xiang Jin , Guangxuan Liao , Ni Xiaomin
Published: March 2007

The search for a new fire-extinguishing agent with all the desirable properties of Halon 1301 has not been successful. In this study, the authors have pursued the development of 1-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (BTP), which has a very low extinguishing concentration, but with its high boiling point, it is not a suitable replacement for Halon 1301. However, mixtures of BTP in an inert gas could produce fire-extinguishing agents with many of the desirable properties of Halon 1301. The fire suppression effectiveness of BTP/nitrogen mixtures is studied. The results show that addition of a small amount of BTP in nitrogen reduces the extinguishing concentration of nitrogen considerably, with BTP/nitrogen mixtures showing strong synergistic interactions at low concentrations of BTP.
Incommensurability and Issue Voting
Authors: Patty John W.
Published: March 2007

In this article, I examine several models of voter behavior that are consistent with recent work in political psychology (Fiske and Tetlock, 1997) concerning incommensurability and individuals’ reluctance to make decisions involving explicit trade-offs between competing ideals or principles. In so doing, I show that one ramification of such cognitive dissonance is policy convergence in multidimensional (i.e. multi-issue) electoral competition between two parties or candidates. Furthermore, the predicted policy outcome is a weighted median, which represents, on each issue, each voter’s preferences to the degree that he or she is likely to use that issue to choose between the candidates.