bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pre‐treatment with ebselen and vitamin E modulate acetylcholinesterase activity: interaction with demyelinating agents
Authors: Mazzanti Cinthia M. , Spanevello Roselia , Ahmed Musthaq , Pereira Luciane B. , Gonçalves Jamile F. , Corrêa Maisa , Schmatz Roberta , Stefanello Naiara , Leal Daniela B.R. , Mazzanti Alexandre , Ramos Adriano T. , Martins Tessie B. , Danesi Cristiane Cademartori , Graça Dominguita L. , Morsch Vera M. , Schetinger Maria Rosa C.
Published: September 2008

The ethidium bromide (EB) demyelinating model was associated with vitamin E (Vit E) and ebselen (Ebs) treatment to evaluate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the striatum (ST), hippocampus (HP), cerebral cortex (CC) and erythrocytes. Rats were divided into seven groups: I—Control (saline), II—(canola); III—(Ebs), IV—(Vit E); V—(EB); VI—(EB + Ebs) and VII—(EB + Vit E). At 3 days after the EB injection, AChE activity in the CC and HC was significantly reduced in groups III, IV, V, VI and VII (p < 0.05) and in the ST it was reduced in groups III and V (p < 0.05) when compared to the control group. At 21 days after the EB injection, AChE activity in the CC was significantly reduced in groups III, IV and V, while in groups VI and VII a significant increase was observed when compared to the control group. In the HC and ST, AChE activity was significantly reduced in groups V, VI and VII when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In the erythrocytes, at 3 days after the EB injection, AChE activity was significantly reduced in groups III, IV, V, VI and VII and at 21 days there was a significant reduction only in groups VI and VII (p < 0.05) when compared to the control group. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that Ebs and Vit E interfere with the cholinergic neurotransmission by altering AChE activity in the different brain regions and in the erythrocytes. Furthermore, treatment with Vit E and Ebs protected against the demyelination lesion caused by EB. In this context, we can suggest that ebselen and Vit E should be considered potential therapeutics and scientific tools to be investigated in brain disorders associated with demyelinating events.
Changes in hippocampal NMDA‐R subunit composition induced by exposure of neonatal rats tol‐glutamate
Authors: Rivera‐Cervantes M.C. , Flores‐Soto M.E. , Chaparro‐Huerta V. , Reyes‐Gómez J. , Feria‐Velasco A. , Schliebs R. , Beas‐Zárate C.
Published: September 2008

Overactivation of NMDA‐Rs may mediate excitotoxic cell death associated with epileptic seizures, and hypoxic–ischemic conditions. We assessed whether repeated subcutaneous administration ofl‐glutamate to neonatal rats affects the subunit composition of NMDA‐Rs. Accordingly, cortical and hippocampal tissue from 14‐day‐old rats was analyzed by Western blotting and RT‐PCR to quantify the protein and mRNA expression of different NMDA‐R subunits. In addition, tissue sections were Nissl stained to assess the cell damage in this tissue. Early exposure of neonatal rats tol‐glutamate differentially affects the expression of mRNA transcripts for NMDA‐R subunits in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. In the cerebral cortex, a decrease in NR2B subunit mRNA expression was observed, as well as a loss of NR1 and NR2A protein. By contrast, neonatall‐glutamate administration augmented the transcripts encoding the NR1, NR2B, and NR2C subunits in the hippocampal formation. The expression of mRNA encoding the NR2A subunit was not affected by neonatall‐glutamate administration in either of the brain regions examined. This differential expression of NMDA‐R subunits following neonatal exposure tol‐glutamate may represent an adaptive response of the glutamate receptors to overactivation in order to reduce the effect of highl‐glutamate during the early period of life when the animal is more vulnerable to excitotoxicity.
Linking improved knowledge management to operational and organizational performance
Authors: Fugate Brian S. , Stank Theodore P. , Mentzer John T.
Published: September 2008

This research empirically examines the importance of knowledge management processes to operational and overall organizational performance (OPERF). Specifically, results indicate that a shared interpretation of knowledge among operational personnel mediates how knowledge is disseminated and used to design and implement a unified operational response to that knowledge. Further, results collected in a logistics operations (LO) context support a strong positive relationship between this knowledge management process and operational and organizational performance. Importantly, psychometric measures for organizational performance collected from managerial respondents were strongly correlated with secondary financial data for participating firms obtained from Compustat, thus supporting a link about operational performance and hard organizational performance data.
Vitamins and cardiovascular disease
Authors: Honarbakhsh S. , Schachter M.
Published: October 2008

CVD is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the Western world. In recent years its importance has expanded internationally and it is believed that by 2020 it will be the biggest cause of mortality in the world, emphasising the importance to prevent or minimise this increase. A beneficial role for vitamins in CVD has long been explored but the data are still inconsistent. While being supported by observational studies, randomised controlled trials have not yet supported a role for vitamins in primary or secondary prevention of CVD and have in some cases even indicated increased mortality in those with pre-existing late-stage atherosclerosis. The superiority of combination therapy over single supplementation has been suggested but this has not been confirmed in trials. Studies have indicated that β-carotene mediates pro-oxidant effects and it has been suggested that its negative effects may diminish the beneficial effects mediated by the other vitamins in the supplementation cocktail. The trials that used a combination of vitamins that include β-carotene have been disappointing. However, vitamin E and vitamin C have in combination shown long-term anti-atherogenic effects but their combined effect on clinical endpoints has been inconsistent. Studies also suggest that vitamins would be beneficial to individuals who are antioxidant-deficient or exposed to increased levels of oxidative stress, for example, smokers, diabetics and elderly patients, emphasising the importance of subgroup targeting. Through defining the right population group and the optimal vitamin combination we could potentially find a future role for vitamins in CVD.
Stochastic forcing of the Lamb–Oseen vortex
Authors: FONTANE J. , BRANCHER P. , FABRE D.
Published: October 2008

The aim of the present paper is to analyse the dynamics of the Lamb–Oseen vortex when continuously forced by a random excitation. Stochastic forcing is classically used to mimic external perturbations in realistic configurations, such as variations of atmospheric conditions, weak compressibility effects, wing-generated turbulence injected into aircraft wakes, or free-stream turbulence in wind tunnel experiments. The linear response of the Lamb–Oseen vortex to stochastic forcing can be decomposed in relation to the azimuthal symmetry of the perturbation given by the azimuthal wavenumber m. In the axisymmetric case m = 0, we find that the response is characterized by the generation of vortex rings at the outer periphery of the vortex core. This result is consistent with recurrent observations of such dynamics in the study of vortex–turbulence interaction. When considering helical perturbations m = 1, the response at large axial wavelengths consists of a global translation of the vortex, a feature very similar to the phenomenon of vortex meandering (or wandering) observed experimentally, corresponding to an erratic displacement of the vortex core. At smaller wavelengths, we find that stochastic forcing can excite specific oscillating modes of the Lamb–Oseen vortex. More precisely, damped critical-layer modes can emerge via a resonance mechanism. For perturbations with higher azimuthal wavenumber m ≥ 2, we find no structure that clearly dominates the response of the vortex.
On internal waves generated by large-amplitude circular and rectilinear oscillations of a circular cylinder in a uniformly stratified fluid
Authors: ERMANYUK EUGENY V. , GAVRILOV NIKOLAI V.
Published: October 2008

This paper presents an experimental study of internal waves generated by circular and rectilinear oscillations of a circular cylinder in a uniformly stratified fluid. The synthetic schlieren technique is used for quantitative analysis of the internal-wave parameters. It is shown that at small oscillation amplitudes, the wave pattern observed for circular oscillations is in good agreement with linear theory: internal waves are radiated in the wave beams passing through the first and third quadrants of a Cartesian coordinate system for the clockwise direction of the cylinder motion, and the intensity of these waves is twice the intensity measured for ‘St Andrew's cross’ waves generated by purely horizontal or vertical oscillations of the same frequency and amplitude. As the amplitude of circular oscillations increases, significant nonlinear effects are observed: (i) a strong density-gradient ‘zero-frequency’ disturbance is generated, and (ii) a region of intense fluid stirring is formed around the cylinder serving as an additional dissipative mechanism that changes the shape of wave envelopes and decreases the intensity of wave motions. In the same range of oscillation amplitudes, the wave generation by rectilinear (horizontal and vertical) oscillations is shown to be by and large a linear process, with moderate manifestations of nonlinearity such as weak ‘zero-frequency’ disturbance and weak variation of the shape of wave envelopes with the oscillation amplitude. Analysis of spatiotemporal images reveals different scenarios of transient effects in the cases of circular and rectilinear oscillations. In general, circular oscillations tend to generate disturbances evolving at longer time scales.
Steady axisymmetric vortex flows with swirl and shear
Authors: ELCRAT ALAN R. , FORNBERG BENGT , MILLER KENNETH G.
Published: October 2008

A general procedure is presented for computing axisymmetric swirling vortices which are steady with respect to an inviscid flow that is either uniform at infinity or includes shear. We consider cases both with and without a spherical obstacle. Choices of numerical parameters are given which yield vortex rings with swirl, attached vortices with swirl analogous to spherical vortices found by Moffatt, tubes of vorticity extending to infinity and Beltrami flows. When there is a spherical obstacle we have found multiple solutions for each set of parameters. Flows are found by numerically solving the Bragg–Hawthorne equation using a non-Newton-based iterative procedure which is robust in its dependence on an initial guess.
The effect of the slope of irregularly distributed roughness elements on turbulent wall-bounded flows
Authors: NAPOLI E. , ARMENIO V. , DE MARCHIS M.
Published: October 2008

Wall roughness produces a downward shift of the mean streamwise velocity profile in the log region, known as the roughness function. The dependence of the roughness function on the height and arrangement of roughness elements has been confirmed in several studies where regular rough walls were analysed; less attention has been paid to non-regular rough walls. Here, a numerical analysis of turbulent flows over irregularly shaped rough walls is performed, clearly identifying the importance of a parameter, called the effective slope (ES) of the wall corrugations, in characterizing the geometry of non-smooth irregular walls. The effective slope proves to be one of the fundamental geometric parameters for scaling the roughness function. Specifically, for a moderate range of roughness heights, both in the transitionally and in the fully rough regime, ES appears to scale the roughness function for a wide range of irregular rough geometric configurations. The effective slope determines the relative importance of friction drag and pressure drag. For ES ~ 0.15 we find that the friction contribution to the total wall stress is nearly in balance with the pressure-drag contribution. This value separates the region where the roughness function ΔU+ = f(ES) is linear from that where a smooth nonlinear behaviour is observed. In the cases investigated, value ES ~ 0.15 also separates the transitionally rough regime from the fully rough regime.
Adaptation to moving targets: Culture/gene coevolution, not either/or
Authors: Barrett H. Clark , Frankenhuis Willem E. , Wilke Andreas
Published: October 2008

We agree that much of language evolution is likely to be adaptation of languages to properties of the brain. However, the attempt to rule out the existence of language-specific adaptations a priori is misguided. In particular, the claim that adaptation to “moving targets” cannot occur is false. Instead, the details of gene-culture coevolution in language are an empirical matter.
A biological infrastructure for communication underlies the cultural evolution of languages
Authors: de Ruiter J. P. , Levinson Stephen C.
Published: October 2008

Universal Grammar (UG) is indeed evolutionarily implausible. But if languages are just “adapted” to a large primate brain, it is hard to see why other primates do not have complex languages. The answer is that humans have evolved a specialized and uniquely human cognitive architecture, whose main function is to compute mappings between arbitrary signals and communicative intentions. This underlies the development of language in the human species.
Co-evolution of phylogeny and glossogeny: There is no “logical problem of language evolution”
Authors: Fitch W. Tecumseh
Published: October 2008

Historical language change (“glossogeny”), like evolution itself, is a fact; and its implications for the biological evolution of the human capacity for language acquisition (“phylogeny”) have been ably explored by many contemporary theorists. However, Christiansen & Chater's (C&C's) revolutionary call for a replacement of phylogenetic models with glossogenetic cultural models is based on an inadequate understanding of either. The solution to their “logical problem of language evolution” lies before their eyes, but they mistakenly reject it due to a supposed “circularity trap.” Gene/;culture co-evolution poses a series of difficult theoretical and empirical problems that will be resolved by subtle thinking, adequate models, and careful cross-disciplinary research, not by oversimplified manifestos.
Intersubjectivity evolved to fit the brain, but grammar co-evolved with the brain
Authors: Greenfield Patricia M. , Gillespie-Lynch Kristen
Published: October 2008

We propose that some aspects of language – notably intersubjectivity – evolved to fit the brain, whereas other aspects – notably grammar – co-evolved with the brain. Cladistic analysis indicates that common basic structures of both action and grammar arose in phylogeny six million years ago and in ontogeny before age two, with a shared prefrontal neural substrate. In contrast, mirror neurons, found in both humans and monkeys, suggest that the neural basis for intersubjectivity evolved before language. Natural selection acts upon genes controlling the neural substrates of these phenotypic language functions.
The potential for genetic adaptations to language
Authors: Pagel Mark , Atkinson Quentin D.
Published: October 2008

We suggest there is somewhat more potential than Christiansen & Chater (C&C) allow for genetic adaptations specific to language. Our uniquely cooperative social system requires sophisticated language skills. Learning and performance of some culturally transmitted elements in animals is genetically based, and we give examples of features of human language that evolve slowly enough that genetic adaptations to them may arise.
Identifying and individuating the psychological mechanisms that underlie musical emotions
Authors: Malmgren Helge
Published: October 2008

Juslin & Västfjäll (J&V) have suggested a promising theoretical framework for understanding musical emotions. However, the way they classify the hypothetical underlying psychological mechanisms suffers from certain weaknesses, both in principle and when it comes to details. It is proposed that the authors consider incorporating ideas from a recent dissertation that has advanced another multimechanism theory of musical emotions.
A neurobiological strategy for exploring links between emotion recognition in music and speech
Authors: Patel Aniruddh D.
Published: October 2008

Are the neural systems involved in recognizing affective prosody in language also used for emotion recognition in instrumental music? One way to test this idea is to study musical affect perception in patients with receptive affective aprosodia (RAA). Music perception in RAA is totally unexplored and could provide a powerful way to test the idea that we perceive music as a kind of emotional voice.
The need to consider underlying mechanisms: A response from dissonance
Authors: Peretz Isabelle
Published: October 2008

Current research on emotional responses to dissonance has yielded consistent data in both developmental psychology and neuroscience. What seems to be lacking is a definition of what might constitute dissonance in non-musical domains. Thus, contrary to Juslin & Västfjäll's (J&V) proposal for the need to distinguish between six broad mechanisms, I argue that future research should rather focus on perceptual determinants of each basic emotion.
Do all musical emotions have the music itself as their intentional object?
Authors: Robinson Jenefer
Published: October 2008

Juslin & Västfjäll (J&V) think that all emotions aroused by music have the music itself as their “intentional object.” Some of the mechanisms they discuss almost certainly involve both cognitive appraisals and intentional objects. But some of the mechanisms are non-cognitive: they involve neither cognitive appraisals nor intentional objects. Partly for this reason they may produce moods rather than emotions proper.
Anticipation is the key to understanding music and the effects of music on emotion
Authors: Vuust Peter , Frith Chris D.
Published: October 2008

There is certainly a need for a framework to guide the study of the physiological mechanisms underlying the experience of music and the emotions that music evokes. However, this framework should be organised hierarchically, with musical anticipation as its fundamental mechanism.
All emotions are not created equal: Reaching beyond the traditional disputes
Authors: Juslin Patrik N. , Västfjäll Daniel
Published: October 2008

Most commentators have agreed with our thesis, that musical emotions cannot be studied without regard to underlying mechanisms. However, some commentators have expressed concerns that are addressed in this response. Others have suggested directions for future research. Topics discussed in our response include terminology, elaborations on particular mechanisms, possible additional mechanisms, ways of distinguishing among emotions and mechanisms, the prevalence of musical emotions, the relationship between perceived and felt emotions, developmental issues, and evolutionary perspectives. We end our response with a plea for researchers to reach beyond the traditional disputes in the field to pave the way for more theory-driven studies that can facilitate a deeper understanding of musical emotions.
Cross-linguistic transfer in second language reading
Authors: Koda Keiko , Reddy Pooja
Published: October 2008

Research on reading skills transfer has taken shape in two major disciplines: second language (L2) acquisition and reading. Inevitably, its evolution reflects major conceptual shifts in their respective research sub-fields. In L2 research, as a case in point, transfer was initially viewed as interference stemming from first language (L1) structural properties. This view, however, was significantly altered by the subsequent postulation that the language proficiency underlying cognitively demanding tasks, such as literacy and academic learning, is largely shared across languages, and therefore, once acquired in one language, it promotes literacy development in another (Cummins 1979). Reflecting the latter view, the current conceptualizations of transfer uniformly underscore the facilitative nature of previously learned competencies as resources available to L2 learners (e.g. Genesee et al. 2007; Koda 2008).
Review of research on language teaching, learning and policy published in 2006
Authors: Johnstone Richard
Published: October 2008

My previous review (of 2004 and 2005 together) was delayed for reasons beyond my control and therefore could not appear as planned in the journal, but the publisher generously agreed to make it available on-line through their website, where it can be accessed (see Johnstone 2006). In the interim the journal has changed. The abstracts are no longer there, replaced by a range of different types of contribution. The absence of the abstracts might tempt the reader of the present review to read it in a somewhat different way from before by regarding what I have to say about each article as a kind of abstract. This would be a mistake, because I have never attempted to provide a balanced summary of any article. For a balanced summary, the reader should go to the abstract of the particular article itself, most of which are quite easy to find on-line. In discussing an article, my purpose is simply to select something which I find interesting and maybe reflects a trend.
Accessing and interpreting corpus information in the teacher education context
Authors: McCarthy Michael
Published: October 2008

As more and more teachers become aware of corpus resources and their applications, questions arise as to how best to prepare teachers in training appropriately to access and interpret corpus information. This is important as an element of materials evaluation as more and more types of materials and resources become corpus-informed. To date, relatively little attention has been given in teacher education programmes to the growing influence of corpora and the skills of evaluating and using corpora, but such skills will become increasingly important as the influence of corpora becomes more dominant in our profession. In this talk I argue that a shift is needed in the relationship between teachers, academics and publishers, from the teacher seen as consumer to the teacher as participant in the corpus revolution. I then consider the questions which need to be asked in evaluating corpora and the pedagogical resources which are based upon them. I look at the strengths and weaknesses of available corpus resources, and how corpus statistical output can be interpreted. Finally, I touch on the issue of reflective practice corpora within teacher education.
Guidance for considering ethical, legal, and social issues in health technology assessment: Application to genetic screening
Authors: Potter Beth K. , Avard Denise , Graham Ian D. , Entwistle Vikki A. , Caulfield Timothy A. , Chakraborty Pranesh , Kennedy Christine , McGuire Marissa , Griener Glenn G. , Montgomery Mark , Wells George A. , Wilson Brenda J.
Published: October 2008

Objectives and Methods:Many authors have argued that ethical, legal, and social issues (“ELSIs”) should be explicitly integrated into health technology assessment (HTA), yet doing so poses challenges. This discussion may be particularly salient for technologies viewed as ethically complex, such as genetic screening. Here we provide a brief overview of contemporary discussions of the issues from the HTA literature. We then describe key existing policy evaluation frameworks in the fields of disease screening and public health genomics. Finally, we map the insights from the HTA literature to the policy evaluation frameworks, with discussion of the implications for HTA in genetic screening.

Results and Conclusions:A critical discussion in the HTA literature considers the definition of ELSIs in HTA, highlighting the importance of thinking beyond ELSIs as impacts of technology. Existing HTA guidance on integrating ELSIs relates to three broad approaches: literature synthesis, involvement of experts, and consideration of stakeholder values. The thirteen key policy evaluation frameworks relating to disease screening and public health genomics identified a range of ELSIs relevant to genetic screening. Beyond straightforward impacts of screening, these ELSIs require consideration of factors such as the social and political context surrounding policy decisions. The three broad approaches to addressing ELSIs described above are apparent in the screening/genomics literatures. In integrating these findings we suggest that the method chosen for addressing ELSIs in HTA for genetic screening may determine which ELSIs are prioritized; and that an important challenge is the lack of guidance for evaluating such methods.
Integrating health economics modeling in the product development cycle of medical devices: A Bayesian approach
Authors: Vallejo-Torres Laura , Steuten Lotte M. G. , Buxton Martin J. , Girling Alan J. , Lilford Richard J. , Young Terry
Published: October 2008

Objectives:Medical device companies are under growing pressure to provide health-economic evaluations of their products. Cost-effectiveness analyses are commonly undertaken as a one-off exercise at the late stage of development of new technologies; however, the benefits of an iterative use of economic evaluation during the development process of new products have been acknowledged in the literature. Furthermore, the use of Bayesian methods within health technology assessment has been shown to be of particular value in the dynamic framework of technology appraisal when new information becomes available in the life cycle of technologies.

Methods:In this study, we set out a methodology to adapt these methods for their application to directly support investment decisions in a commercial setting from early stages of the development of new medical devices.

Results and Conclusions:Starting with relatively simple analysis from the very early development phase and proceeding to greater depth of analysis at later stages, a Bayesian approach facilitates the incorporation of all available evidence and would help companies to make better informed choices at each decision point.
Contribution of economic evaluation to decision making in early phases of product development: A methodological and empirical review
Authors: Hartz Susanne , John Jürgen
Published: October 2008

Background:Economic evaluation as an integral part of health technology assessment is today mostly applied to established technologies. Evaluating healthcare innovations in their early states of development has recently attracted attention. Although it offers several benefits, it also holds methodological challenges.

Objectives:The aim of our study was to investigate the possible contributions of economic evaluation to industry's decision making early in product development and to confront the results with the actual use of early data in economic assessments.

Methods:We conducted a literature research to detect methodological contributions as well as economic evaluations that used data from early phases of product development.

Results:Economic analysis can be beneficially used in early phases of product development for various purposes including early market assessment, R&D portfolio management, and first estimations of pricing and reimbursement scenarios. Analytical tools available for these purposes have been identified. Numerous empirical works were detected, but most do not disclose any concrete decision context and could not be directly matched with the suggested applications.

Conclusions:Industry can benefit from starting economic evaluation early in product development in several ways. Empirical evidence suggests that there is still potential left unused.
Health technology assessment use and dissemination by patient and consumer groups: Why and how?
Authors: Fattal Julie , Lehoux Pascale
Published: October 2008

Objectives:Although increasing effort is being devoted to developing strategies to increase knowledge transfer and the uptake of health technology assessment (HTA) by various stakeholders, very little is known about the utilization and dissemination of HTA findings by patient and consumer organizations. The goal of this study is to understand how and why patient and consumer organizations use HTA findings within their organizations, and what factors influence how and when they communicate their findings to members or other organizations.

Methods:We examined the use and dissemination of four controversial HTA reports by sixteen patient and consumer organizations in Ontario and Quebec. We gathered data from semistructured interviews conducted between December 2006 and April 2007.

Results:Although HTA findings are often used by the patient and consumer organizations, key differences were observed in exactly how the four HTA reports were used. Three types of use (instrumental, conceptual, and symbolic) are reported and illustrated. We highlight the importance of the organization's mission and knowledge base in explaining the types of use observed.

Conclusions:We contend that the use and dissemination of HTA reports by specific groups could help in widening the debate around controversial health technologies. The implications and opportunities for HTA agencies relate to the following: (i) identification of “lay” organizations that could help in disseminating results; (ii) acknowledgement of a “lay” audience for HTA findings; (iii) strategic inclusion of advocacy groups during the assessment process for highly controversial technologies; and (iv) contribution of these organizations to the push efforts of knowledge transfer.
Reconstruction in the inverse crack problem by variational methods
Authors: RONDI LUCA
Published: October 2008

We deal with a variational approach to the inverse crack problem, that is the detection and reconstruction of cracks, and other defects, inside a conducting body by performing boundary measurements of current and voltage type. We formulate such an inverse problem in a free-discontinuity problems framework and propose a novel method for the numerical reconstruction of the cracks by the available boundary data. The proposed method is amenable to numerical computations and it is justified by a convergence analysis, as the error on the measurements goes to zero. We further notice that we use the Γ-convergence approximation of the Mumford–Shah functional due to Ambrosio and Tortorelli as the required regularization term.
Commercial uses: Going functional on exotic trades
Authors: FRANKAU SIMON , SPINELLIS DIOMIDIS , NASSUPHIS NICK , BURGARD CHRISTOPH
Published: October 2008

The Functional Payout Framework (fpf) is a Haskell application that uses an embedded domain-specific functional language to represent and process exotic financial derivatives. Whereas scripting languages for pricing exotic derivatives are common in banking, fpf uses multiple interpretations to not only price such trades, but also to analyse the scripts to provide lifecycle support and more. This paper discusses fpf in relation to the wider trading workflow and our experiences in using a functional language in such a system as both an implementation language and a domain-specific language.
Gender in the 2008 Presidential Election: Two Types of Time Collide
Authors: Sykes Patricia Lee
Published: October 2008

Placing the 2008 election in the context of political development reveals the gendered nature of the presidency and presidential elections. The institution of the presidency is predominantly masculinist. It privileges conventional masculine attributes of strength, determination, and decisiveness. Yet the degree to which the institution requires masculinist leadership attributes varies throughout political development and according to different types of time. Viewed through a chronological linear lens, developments in “historical time” magnify the most masculinist aspect of the presidency—the role of commander in chief. On the other hand, in 2008 “political time” signals the end of the neoliberal era and a shift away from confrontational, partisan politics toward the building of a new consensus that emphasizes domestic welfare. As a result, the nature and stage of the regime cycle or moment in political time favor feminalist features of leadership such as collective engagement, cooperation, and conciliation. In the 2008 election, these two types of time collide, and the collision helps explain the gender-specific character of the campaigns, the candidates, and the next president.
The 2006 New Orleans Mayoral Election: The Political Ramifications of a Large-Scale Natural Disaster
Authors: Vanderleeuw James , Liu Baodong , Williams Erica
Published: October 2008

On Monday, August 29, 2005, the Gulf Coast of the United States was hit by the sixth most destructive Atlantic hurricane on record, Hurricane Katrina. Katrina formed in the Bahamas on August 23 and entered the Gulf of Mexico two days later, on the twenty-fifth (Knabb 2005). Twelve hours after entering the gulf, Katrina grew from a Category 3 to a Category 5 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with winds up to 160 miles per hour. Katrina made landfall on the twenty-ninth as a powerful Category 3 storm with winds up to 145 miles per hour. However, once Katrina made landfall she maintained a storm surge equivalent to a Category 5 storm. For the city of New Orleans, the greatest threat without question was to be from the storm surge. Lake Pontchartrain—which normally sits at one foot above sea level—was elevated to eight and a half feet above sea level. On Tuesday, August 30, the city's levees broke in three places—along the Industrial Canal, the 17th Street Canal, and the London Street Canal (Mihelich 2005). As a result, 80% of the city was flooded, in some places with water as high as 20 feet above sea level (Knabb 2005).
Indoctrination U.? Faculty Ideology and Changes in Student Political Orientation
Authors: Mariani Mack D. , Hewitt Gordon J.
Published: October 2008

In the provocatively titled Indoctrination U., David Horowitz argues that radical members of college faculties have “intruded a political agenda into the academic curriculum,” engaging in propaganda rather than scholarship and indoctrinating students rather than teaching them (Horowitz 2007, xi). Although allegations of liberal bias in academia are nothing new, the issue has gained increased attention as the result of efforts by Horowitz and the Center for the Study of the Popular Culture (CSPC) to promote the Academic Bill of Rights for American colleges and universities.
Struggling to be Noticed: The Civil Rights Movement as an Academic Agenda Setter
Authors: McClerking Harwood K. , Philpot Tasha S.
Published: October 2008

While the study of Black politics in the American context has not been a top priority in political science, it is indisputable that this topic in general is more likely to be discussed in the discipline's journals in recent decades than in the more distant past. What accounts for this noticeable increase in prominence? How did the study of Black politics move from total obscurity to occupying a more significant (although still relatively marginalized) position within mainstream political science? To answer these questions, we draw a parallel between politics and political science. Specifically, we posit that the increased focus on African American politics is due to Black agency in the form of social movement activity, which reached its zenith during the civil rights movement. Before the civil rights movement, we note as numerous others have, that the racially conservative views of American society in the nineteenth century resulted in Black politics being an understudied area. We argue, however, that as social movement activity increased the salience of racial issues in America, so too did it raise the importance of race for political scientists.
All-Knowing or All-Nurturing? Student Expectations, Gender Roles, and Practical Suggestions for Women in the Classroom*
Authors: Dion Michelle
Published: October 2008

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) often have important effects on promotion, tenure, and merit raises, even if only through the negative effects that poor evaluations can have on these decisions (Langbein 1994). SETs can be affected by student characteristics (class, GPA, major, expected grade, gender), class characteristics (size, required, discipline, quantitative), and professor characteristics (age, gender, race, ethnicity, personality traits). Both experiments and analysis of end-of-semester SETs in a range of disciplines and institutional settings have been used to examine the effects of each of these characteristics and the interactions among them to understand the factors that produce higher SETs.
The Trial-Heat Forecast of the 2008 Presidential Vote: Performance and Value Considerations in an Open-Seat Election
Authors: Campbell James E.
Published: October 2008

The trial-heat forecasting equation grew out of an examination of Gallup's trial-heat polls (“if the election were held today, who would you vote for?”) at various points in election years as predictors of the November vote (Campbell and Wink 1990). My co-author Ken Wink and I found, not surprisingly, that polls as literal forecasts were not very accurate until just before the election, that taking the historical relationship between the polls and votes into account through a bivariate regression significantly increased their accuracy, and that taking the contemporary context of the election as measured by economic growth in the election year into account increased their accuracy even further. Corroborating Lewis-Beck and Rice's earlier finding (Lewis-Beck 1985, 58), we found that an equation combining the Labor Day trial-heat poll standing of the in-party candidate and the second-quarter growth rate in the economy produced the most accurate forecast of the national two-party popular vote.
On the Razor's Edge: The Forecast of the Primary Model
Authors: Norpoth Helmut
Published: October 2008

With another Bush looking weak, many Democrats are feeling good about their prospects in November, even without the dream of a job in the White House for themselves. Yet this time, a Bush won't be on the presidential ballot in November, nor will someone closely affiliated with his administration, such as the vice president. Whatever the Bush legacy may be, the 2008 presidential election shapes up as an open-seat contest. A key predictor of the model used here to forecast the outcome of that contest is the showing of the presidential nominees in primaries (hence the sobriquet Primary Model). Since American elections in November are typically preceded by primary elections earlier in the year, it is natural to inquire whether the voting in presidential primaries is a leading indicator of the vote in the general election? Remarkably so, as it turns out. How the presidential candidates do in primary elections foretells their prospects in the November election with great accuracy.
Great Mentors: Featuring Joseph Cropsey, David Easton, and Lloyd and Susanne Rudolph
Authors: Monroe Kristen Renwick
Published: October 2008

The Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession wants to encourage more members of the APSA to participate in the mentoring program. Mentoring is not just for junior scholars; mentoring goes on one's entire professional career. Senior scholars can help in immeasurable ways as a mentee moves through different stages in the profession, becoming a senior scholar, moving through the administrative ranks—department chair, dean, even president of the university of college—or pursues a career outside academia. Mentoring can be part of a formal program and narrowly focused on how to get published, do research, and improve teaching, but it also can be ad hoc, informal, and can include how one assumes a greater role in professional societies or politics in general. It also addresses integration of life choices, touching on the issues that are important to us as people as well as scholars, and how our roles as human beings relate to our identities as scholars and teachers. So the concept of mentoring is broad.
Claire L. Felbinger
Authors: Langbein Laura , O'Connor Karen
Published: October 2008

Claire L. Felbinger passed away suddenly at her home on Wednesday, May 28, due to a complication from multiple sclerosis (MS). At the time of her death, she had been employed at the Japan International Transport Institute.
Harlan Hahn
Authors: Johnson Pamela J.
Published: October 2008

Harlan D. Hahn, activist and leading authority on disability rights, and a faculty member in USC College for 35 years, has died. He was 68.
Africa Project Workshop Leader Reports
Authors: Boone Catherine , Wantchekon Leonard
Published: October 2008

The APSA Africa Initiative brought diverse group of about 25 scholars to Dakar to discuss research on political participation. Our working language was French. All participants were interested in some aspect of party politics or political participation. The conference-length research papers or research proposals that participants worked on over the course of our three-week workshop centered on questions about the weakness of opposition parties in some countries, the improbable strength of the opposition in others, regional patterns of party mobilization and voting, the role of traditional authorities in voter mobilization, the role of teacher and student unions in politics, political mobilization outside the party system (as in motions de soutien for ruling parties), the role of the press in shaping political preferences, women's movements and party politics, civil society and election monitoring, historical legacies that shape political culture, and the possible impact of ethnic identity on regional patterns of political behavior. There was plenty to talk about. The participants appreciated the four-tome reading packet of articles and book chapters that we prepared for the workshop and used as the launching point of our seminar and break-out group discussions.
Morris S. Ogul
Authors: Rockman Bert A.
Published: October 2008

Morris S. Ogul died on April 6, 2008, after a lengthy illness finally succumbing to pneumonia. He was 76. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, Morry spent his entire career on the faculty of the political science department at the University of Pittsburgh, beginning in 1957 and became professor emeritus in 1998. He also served as chair of the department.
James S. Pacy
Authors: Burke John P. , Nelson Garrison , Wertheimer Alan
Published: October 2008

It is with great sadness that we report the death of James S. Pacy, professor emeritus of political science. Jim died at his home in Burlington, Vermont, on April 21, 2008, of complications from Alzheimer's disease at the age of 77. Jim, of proud Hungarian descent, was born in Caledonia, Ontario, on August 17, 1930. His family emigrated to Manville, New Jersey, when he was two years old. Manville, at the time the company town of asbestos manufacturer Johns-Manville, was an ethnically diverse community just a short drive up from Princeton but in an entirely different world. His hometown was the topic of many a reminiscence and story told by Jim over the years. Manville, for Jim, was always a reminder of the importance of home, ethnic ties, and community. For him, that humble background would lead to greater things.
APSA Executive Director's Report 2008
Authors: Brintnall Michael
Published: October 2008

This executive director's report provides a status report on the Association, an update on programs and activities, and reflections on some issues facing APSA for the future. The basic indicators for the APSA remain strong.
Welfare analysis of conditional indexation schemes from a two-reference-point perspective
Authors: DAI RENXIANG , SCHUMACHER J.M.
Published: October 2008

Conditional indexation has recently attracted interest with pension funds that are looking for a middle way between defined benefit and defined contribution. In this paper, we analyze conditional indexation schemes from a life-cycle investment perspective. Welfare analysis is applied to investigate the performance of such schemes relative to alternative investment strategies such as fixed-mix policies. We carry out this analysis in the context of a broad family of utility functions, which takes into account the possible presence of two benchmark levels corresponding to a minimum guaranty and to full indexation, respectively. For the purpose of comparability, we construct a self-financing continuous-time implementation of the conditional indexation scheme. The implementation involves continual adjustment of the parameters of the contingent claim representing final payoff. Our findings indicate that, in situations where large weight is placed on the benchmark levels, conditional indexation is fairly close to being optimal.
In vitro fertilization and cleavage of mouse oocytes recombined with the first polar body
Authors: Gong-Jin Wang , Xiao-Dong Tan , Xiao-Long Zhou , Xiao-Bo Xu , Bi-Qin Fan
Published: October 2008

The developmental functions of oocytes of three strains of mice (Kunming, ICR and C57BL/6-Tg(CAG-EGFP)C14-Y01-FM131Osb) recombined with the nuclei of first polar bodies (Pbs I) were explored. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) from the mice were collected after superovulation, then Pbs I were obtained from the COCs by 2% pronase treatment. The survival of Pbs I under different temperatures was identified by morphology and trypan blue staining. Later, the polar body I (Pb 1) nucleus and a little cytoplasm was injected into each oocyte, the nuclei of which had been enucleated by micromanipulation. Oocytes recombined with Pbs I were fertilized, then cultured in vitro in order to observe their further development. The results showed that the vigour of Pbs I was maintained for 12–14 h after superovulation, and was still maintained after 48 h at 4 °C. A total of 13 out of 117 recombined oocytes from Kunming and ICR mice, as well as 3 out of 38 recombined oocytes from C57BL/6-Tg(CAG-EGFP)C14-Y01-FM131Osb mice, developed into two-cell embryos. The experiments confirmed that mouse oocytes recombined with the nuclei of Pbs I could maintain fertilization and development. These results present valuable references for further utilization of genetic resources for farm animals
Advances in the development of animal gene transfer
Authors: Zhen-Dan Shi , Wan-Li Li , Yong-Liang Zhang , Xue-Jin Chen
Published: October 2008

Efficiency and specificity are key limiting factors for the production of transgenic animals. This review describes the recently developed animal gene transfer techniques, including non-site-specific methods of gene transfer into the testis and ovary for easy production of transgenic animals; gene targeting in embryonic stem cells, somatic cells and primordial germ cells for site-specific methods; methods to improve cloning efficiency in gene targeting; and site- and timing-specific gene targeting and controlled expression of transferred genes. In addition, methods of utilizing newly developed RNA interference, combined with the above techniques for controlling gene expression, to produce transgenic animals to spatio-temporally and reversibly knock down specific genes, are also discussed. The merits and disadvantages of each method are covered, as well as the potential use of these methods to develop transgenic animals for breeding new animal lines, to study disease models and to produce therapeutic medicines.