bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Agonistic Support in Juvenile Japanese Macaques: Cognitive and Functional Implications
Authors: Schino Gabriele , Tiddi Barbara , Sorrentino Eugenia Polizzi di
Published: November 2007

Agonistic support is generally considered a classical example of altruistic behaviour. It plays a critical role in the process of rank acquisition. This study investigates agonistic coalitions involving juvenile Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) living in a large captive group. Kinship was a good predictor of agonistic support received by juvenile macaques. Kinship also had a significant, though weaker, influence on agonistic support given by juvenile macaques. The latter was strongly influenced by the prospective rank of the individual against which the coalition was directed, i.e. by the rank relationship between the target of the coalition and the juvenile’s mother. Juvenile macaques intervened aggressively more against prospectively subordinate individuals than against prospectively dominant individuals. These results imply agonistic support is not necessarily altruistic, and support the hypothesis that primates may understand the rank relationship that exist among their group mates, i.e. that they are aware of third‐party social relationships. They also suggest that selective pressures associated with the process of rank acquisition may have favoured the evolution of higher cognitive abilities.
Reproductive Asynchrony and the Divergence of Hawaiian Crickets
Authors: Danley Patrick D. , DeCarvalho Tagide N. , Fergus Daniel J. , Shaw Kerry L.
Published: November 2007

Asynchrony in reproductive behavior may contribute to reproductive isolation among sympatric species. While the 38 cryptic species of the genus Laupala are primarily distinguished on the basis of variation in pulse rate of male calling songs, additional phenotypes, such as asynchrony in reproductive behavior, may contribute to reproductive isolation in this genus. Here we document similarities and differences in the diel timing of two reproductive behaviors, male singing activity and insemination events. Asynchrony in the diel timing of male singing behavior was observed between two sympatric species, Laupala cerasina and Laupala paranigra, in the field. An interpopulational comparison within L. cerasina did not reveal variation in diel behavior patterns of singing between two locations. Asynchrony in the timing of copulation and sperm transfer between L. cerasina and L. paranigra was documented in the laboratory. The observed pattern of asynchrony in both the field and laboratory could have arisen in a number of ways. One possibility is that species diverged in sympatry because of interspecific interactions, producing a pattern of reproductive character displacement. Alternatively, the observed asynchrony in reproductive behavior may have played a role in the process of community assembly within this recently diverged cricket genus. The presence of interspecific variation and the absence of intraspecific variation revealed by our study do not support a pattern of reproductive character displacement for diel reproductive behavior, suggesting that the differences seen between species were not caused by recent species interactions.
Methods for inoculum production and inoculation of Cistella japonica, the causal agent of resinous stem canker in Chamaecyparis obtusa
Authors: Yamanobe T. , Oribe Y. , Nishimura K.
Published: November 2007

The ascomycete Cistella japonica was cultured on potato dextrose agar medium (PDA) for inoculation into Chamaecyparis obtusa, enabling the development of an inoculation method suitable for use in a breeding programme aimed at selecting for families of Ch. obtusa resistant to resinous stem canker. Using PDA to generate the inoculum resolved the problems encountered with the previously used mixed medium of rice bran and wheat bran, including unfavourable characteristics, uncertain growth of Ci. japonica mycelia, and a complex culturing operation. The inoculation test induced resin exudation similar to that observed in natural infections, and reproduced clonal differences with regard to damage severity.
The effect of cerium on high‐cycle fatigue properties of die‐cast magnesium alloy
Authors: YANG Y. , LIU Y. B.
Published: November 2007

The effect of cerium (Ce) on high‐cycle fatigue behaviour of die‐cast magnesium alloy AZ91D was investigated. Mechanical fatigue tests were conducted at the stress ratio, R= 0.1 on specimens of AZ91D alloys with different Ce additions. The microstructure and fatigue fracture surfaces of specimens were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to reveal the micromechanisms of fatigue crack initiation and propagation. The results show that the grain size of AZ91D is refined, and the amount of porosity decreases and evenly distributes with the addition of Ce. The fatigue strength of AZ91D evaluated by the up‐and‐down load method increases from 96.7 MPa to 116.3 MPa (1% Ce) and 105.5 MPa (2% Ce), respectively. The fatigue cracking of AZ91D alloy initiates at porosities and inclusions of the alloy's interior, and propagates along the grain boundaries. The fatigue fracture surface of test specimens shows the mixed fracture characteristics of quasi‐cleavage and dimple.
Off‐axis fatigue cracking behaviour in notched fibre metal laminates
Authors: CHANG P.‐Y. , YANG J.‐M. , SEO H. , HAHN H. T.
Published: November 2007

The off‐axis fatigue cracking behaviour of notched fibre metal laminates under constant amplitude loading conditions was investigated experimentally and numerically. It was found that the off‐axis fatigue crack initiation life decreased as the off‐axis angles increased. This indicated that the off‐axis laminates raised the applied stress level in the aluminium (Al) layer and subsequently resulted in earlier cracking in the Al layer. The off‐axis fatigue crack initiation lives of notched fibre metal laminates were predicted using lamination theory and an energy‐based critical plane fatigue damage analysis from the literature.

After a crack initiated in the Al layer, it was observed that the crack path angles of the off‐axis specimens were neither perpendicular to the fibre nor to the loading direction. A finite‐element model was established for predicting the crack path angles.
Influence of sub‐micrometer notches on the fracture of single crystal silicon thin films
Authors: LI X. , KASAI T. , NAKAO S. , ANDO T. , SHIKIDA M. , SATO K.
Published: November 2007

The influence of notches on the fracture of single crystal silicon thin films was investigated. The tests were conducted on notched and smooth tensile specimens micromachined on a silicon wafer. The specimen geometry was 100 μm long, 50 μm wide and 5 μm thick. For the notched specimen, a V‐shaped sub‐micrometer notch was introduced on one edge of it by using a focused ion beam (FIB) process. The notch lengths ranged from 0.07 to 1.3 μm. Four types of specimens with different surfaces and tensile orientations were tested. The smooth specimens showed scattered fracture strengths and ‘collapsed’ fractures. For the restrictive‐shaped notches, the critical length was 0.5 μm. The short‐notched (<0.5 μm) specimens also showed ‘collapsed’ fractures, and the stress concentrations on notch tips decreased their fracture strengths. For the long‐notched (>0.5 μm) specimens, the notch was equivalent to a crack in the Griffith model and the crack mainly propagated on {111} cleaved planes.
Fatigue failure prediction of press fitted parts subjected to a cyclic loading condition by finite element methods
Authors: KANG W. J. , KIM A. K. , KIM G. H.
Published: November 2007

The lower control arm is one of the most important components and constrains the longitudinal and vertical movements of the wheel relative to the vehicle. Recently, aluminium alloy has become a constituent material of the arm instead of steel in order to reduce the weight of the vehicle. As a cyclic external load is applied to the ball joint of the arm, the contact force between the steel bush housing and the aluminium arm joined by the press fitting varies through the deformation of the rubber bush. The oscillatory contact force between these components could determine the life of the aluminium alloy arm. Indeed, the failure of the arm was observed at the bush mount where fretting is expected. In this study, nonlinear finite element simulations were carried out to investigate the cause of the failure. As a result, it turned out that the failure of the mount was associated with the fretting introduced by the press fitting and the cyclic stress due to the oscillatory contact force by external cyclic loads. In addition, the failure location and lifetime of the aluminium alloy arm were predicted based on a damage analysis.
Non‐local stress approach for fatigue assessment based on weakest‐link theory and statistics of extremes
Authors: WORMSEN A. , SJÖDIN B. , HÄRKEGÅRD G. , FJELDSTAD A.
Published: November 2007

In the present paper a non‐local stress approach for fatigue assessment based on weakest‐link theory and statistics of extremes is presented. It is a non‐local stress approach in the sense that it takes the complete stress field into account rather than just the highest local stress. The statistical distribution of fatigue strength data from smooth standard specimens serves as a starting point for the computation of the probability of fatigue failure of a mechanical component under cyclic loading. The probability of fatigue failure can be obtained by post‐processing results from a standard finite element stress analysis. It is shown that the non‐local stress approach can be linked to the probability of finding the fatigue critical defect in the most highly stressed volume of the component. A numerical procedure is presented that is fully compatible with the results from a standard finite element stress analysis. It is further shown how the fatigue strength distribution can be transformed into a fatigue life distribution by using Basquin's equation. Finally, the non‐local stress approach is used for predicting the fatigue limit of several specimens and predictions are compared with test results.
Daily Work Contexts and Resistance to Organisational Change: The Role of Leader–Member Exchange, Development Climate, and Change Process Characteristics
Authors: Van Dam Karen , Oreg Shaul , Schyns Birgit
Published: November 2007

In the last decade, researchers have started to investigate the psychological processes that are involved in employees’ experiences of organisational change. The present study examined how characteristics of the daily work context related to employees’ resistance to change through aspects of the change process. The results supported the research model, showing that the relationships of leader–member exchange and perceived development climate with employees’ resistance to a merger were fully mediated by three change process characteristics (i.e. information, participation, and trust in management). In addition, two individual‐level characteristics (i.e. openness to job changes, and organisational tenure) showed significant relationships with resistance to change. Employees’ role breadth self‐efficacy was not related to resistance. Together, the results suggest a number of ways in which organisations can increase the effectiveness of their change efforts.

Au cours de la dernière décennie, les chercheurs ont commencéàétudier les processus psychologiques à l’œvre dans les expériences des employés lors d’un changement organisationnel. La présente étude examine la façon dont les caractéristiques d’un contexte de travail quotidien sont en lien avec la résistance au changement des salariés à travers certains aspects du processus de changement. Les résultats confirment le modèle de recherche en montrant que les relations de LMX (Leader–Member Exchange) et du climat de développement perçu avec la résistance des salariés à une fusion étaient totalement médiées par trois caractéristiques processuelles de changement (l’information, la participation et la confiance dans la direction). De plus, les caractéristiques individuelles (ouverture aux changements de travail et titularisation au sein de l’organisation) sont significativement liées à la résistance au changement. L’efficacité de l’ampleur du rôle des salariés n’est pas liée à la résistance. Ensemble, ces résultats ouvrent quelques voies que les organisations peuvent utiliser pour augmenter l’efficacité de leurs efforts de changement.
Increasing incidence of abnormal glucose tolerance in women with prior abnormal glucose tolerance during pregnancy: DIAGEST 2 study
Authors: Vambergue A. , Dognin C. , Boulogne A. , Réjou M. C. , Biausque S. , Fontaine P.
Published: November 2007

Aims  Mild blood glucose abnormalities during pregnancy may be linked to later glucose tolerance abnormalities or diabetes mellitus. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) 6.75 years after delivery in women with differential blood glucose status during pregnancy.

Methods  We compared long‐term outcomes among control women (n = 221), women with abnormal glucose tolerance during pregnancy (AGT; n = 322) and women with gestational diabetes (GDM; n = 466) who participated in DIAGEST 1. Women were recruited from 15 public maternity units in France. Clinical parameters could be determined in 155 control, 220 AGT and 338 GDM subjects. Rates of DM, IGT, IFG and ‘Any Abnormality’ were compared between the groups (American Diabetes Association criteria).

Results  Adherence to follow‐up was 70.7%. Rates of DM, IGT and IFG were respectively 0.9% DM, 2.1% IGT and 3.6% IFG in the control group; rates in the AGT group were 6.3%, 11.3% and 6.3%. In GDM women, the rates of DM, IGT and IFG were, respectively, 18.0%, 13.4% and 8.5%. Predictors for DM were previous GDM, medical history of hypertension, age at delivery ≥ 33 years, family history of diabetes, fasting glucose during pregnancy ≥ 5.5 mmol/l and the severity of hyperglycaemia during pregnancy defined by the number of abnormal blood glucose values fasting, 1, 2 and 3 h during the glucose tolerance test at diagnosis of GDM.

Conclusion  This study has identified a high prevalence of glucose tolerance abnormalities after AGT during pregnancy. Compared with GDM women, women with AGT have an intermediate risk of later diabetes.
The islet autoantibody titres: their clinical relevance in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and the classification of diabetes mellitus
Authors: Van Deutekom A. W. , Heine R. J. , Simsek S.
Published: November 2007

Latent autoimmune diabetes in the adult (LADA) is a slowly progressive form of autoimmune diabetes, characterized by diabetes‐associated autoantibody positivity. A recent hypothesis proposes that LADA consists of a heterogeneous population, wherein several subgroups can be identified based on their autoimmune status. A systematic review of the literature was carried out to appraise whether the clinical characteristics of LADA patients correlate with the titre and numbers of diabetes‐associated autoantibodies. We found that the simultaneous presence of multiple autoantibodies and/or a high‐titre anti‐glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)—compared with single and low‐titre autoantibody—is associated with an early age of onset, low fasting C‐peptide values as a marker of reduced pancreatic B‐cell function, a high predictive value for future insulin requirement, the presence of other autoimmune disorders, a low prevalence of markers of the metabolic syndrome including high body mass index, hypertension and dyslipidaemia, and a high prevalence of the genotype known to increase the risk of Type 1 diabetes. We propose a more continuous classification of diabetes mellitus, based on the finding that the clinical characteristics gradually change from classic Type 1 diabetes to LADA and finally to Type 2 diabetes. Future studies should focus on determining optimal cut‐off points of anti‐GAD for differentiating clinically relevant diabetes mellitus subgroups.
The Regulation of Xenotransplantation in the United Kingdom After UKXIRA: Legal and Ethical Issues
Authors: Williamson Laura , Fox Marie , McLean Sheila
Published: November 2007

Xenotransplantation ‐ the transfer of living tissue between species ‐ has long been heralded as a potential solution to the severe organ shortage crisis experienced by the United Kingdom and other ‘developed’ nations. However, the significant risks which accompany this biotechnology led the United Kingdom to adopt a cautious approach to its regulation, with the establishment of a non‐departmental public body ‐ UKXIRA ‐ to oversee the development of this technology on a national basis. In December 2006 UKXIRA was quietly disbanded and replaced with revised guidance, which entrusts the regulation of xenotransplantation largely to research ethics committees. In this article we seek to problematize this new regulatory framework, arguing that specialist expertise and national oversight are necessary components of an adequate regulatory framework for a biotechnology which poses new orders of risk, challenges the adequacy of traditional understandings of autonomy and consent, and raises significant animal welfare concerns. We argue for a more considered and holistic approach, based on adequate consultation, to regulating biotechnological developments in the United Kingdom.
Inheritance in Socio‐Political Context: The Case for Reviving the Sociological Discourse of Inheritance Tax Law
Authors: Mumford Ann
Published: November 2007

The anti‐‘death tax’ movement is the starting point for contemporary discussions of inheritance taxation. The political rhetoric surrounding calls for its repeal typically is met with analyses of the extent to which inheritance tax avoidance benefits the wealthy, and arguments that inheritance taxation is fair and ‘targeted’. This article suggests that engagement by tax lawyers with sociological theories of economic inheritance has the potential to revive this discourse. A renewed approach to inheritance taxation is of immediate concern to supporters of inheritance taxation in the United Kingdom, who face considerable obstacles posed by the increasing use of United States anti‐inheritance tax movement political rhetoric by politicians. Durkheim's consideration of the conjugal family and, more recently, Beckert's sociology of inheritance are submitted as analyses that, amongst others, have particular potential. Such engagement also has the potential to revive the interest of sociologists in inheritance taxation, memorably described by MacNamee and Miller as a ‘sociological lacuna.’
INCIDENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF HOUSING UPGRADING IN CAIRO
Authors: Struyk Raymond J. , Roman Ireny
Published: November 2007

Cairo is a very high density metropolis, where informal multi‐unit housing accounts for a large share of the housing stock. Combined with a low residential mobility rate, this argues for dwelling improvements as a key element by which lower income homeowners can improve their housing circumstances. The article reports the extent of dwelling upgrading for this group and analyzes the determinants separately of both maintenance and major improvements. The analytic model is based on prior work, adjusted to the Egyptian context and available data. The incidence of improvements appears to be lower in Cairo than in more tropical megacities. However, the findings broadly confirm a general similarity in the determinants of housing investments by lower‐income Cairene owners with those of lower income owners in more tropical locations. Three factors stand out: tenure security, household income, and the stimulation effects on investment of better infrastructure and poor dwelling conditions.
Human Capital and Overinvestment in R&D*
Authors: Reis Ana Balcão , Sequeira Tiago Neves
Published: November 2007

We introduce a negative effect of technological development on human capital accumulation in a growth model with endogenous innovation and accumulation of human capital. This implies a negative externality of R&D in human capital accumulation. Some calibration exercises suggest that this distortion may be sufficiently strong not only to offset the usual effects of spillovers and of returns to specialization but also to induce overinvestment in R&D.
Resource Curse or Not: A Question of Appropriability*
Authors: Boschini Anne D. , Pettersson Jan , Roine Jesper
Published: November 2007

Whether natural resources are good or bad for a country's development are shown to depend on the interaction between institutional setting and, crucially, the types of resources possessed by the country. Some natural resources are, for economical and technical reasons, more likely to cause problems such as rent‐seeking and conflicts than others. This potential problem can, however, be countered by good institutional quality. In contrast to the traditional resource curse hypothesis, we show the impact of natural resources on economic growth to be non‐monotonic in institutional quality, and increasingly so for certain types of resources. In particular, countries rich in minerals are cursed only if they have low‐quality institutions, while the curse is reversed if institutions are sufficiently good. Furthermore, if countries are rich in diamonds and precious metals, these effects—both positive and negative—are larger.
Crossover between work and home in dyadic partner relationships
Authors: DIKKERS JOSJE S. E. , GEURTS SABINE A. E. , KINNUNEN ULLA , KOMPIER MICHIEL A. J. , TARIS TOON W.
Published: November 2007

This study aimed at providing insight into the processes underlying crossover between “work” and “home” in dyadic partner relationships. Specifically, we examined to what extent husbands’ work demands (work load and overtime hours) and psychological health (fatigue and depressive symptoms) “cross over” to their wives’ home demands (home load) and psychological health. These associations were investigated among three couple groups, based on wives’ working hours (i.e., more than 20 hours per week, from 1 to 20 hours per week, and not engaged in paid work) (253 couples in total). All husbands worked for at least 35 hours a week. Three possible crossover mechanisms were hypothesized: (i) time‐based, (ii) strain‐based, and (iii) empathy‐based crossover. The results partially supported mechanisms (i) and (ii): when husbands reported higher work load (mechanism i) and more psychological health complaints (mechanism ii), their wives experienced higher home load. The results further supported mechanism (iii) that wives’ and husbands’ psychological health were associated. It is concluded that crossover from husbands to wives may occur through various mechanisms.
Possible participation of D3and D4dopaminergic receptors on genital reflexes induced by cocaine in paradoxical sleep deprived male rats
Authors: ANDERSEN MONICA L. , PERRY JULIANA C. , TUFIK SERGIO
Published: November 2007

Previous studies have demonstrated that paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) potentiates cocaine‐induced genital reflexes in male rats and both D1and D2receptors may play a role in those effects, and to examine the possibility that such might involve other dopaminergic receptors, we investigated the effects of D3and D4receptor subtype antagonists on cocaine‐induced reflexes in sleep‐deprived rats. Separate groups of PSD rats received saline, D3(U9919A; 0.75, 1.5 and 3 mg/kg) or D4(L745870; 0.75, 1.5 and 3 mg/kg) antagonists prior to acute cocaine challenge. Results demonstrated that U9919A induced significant reduction in the number of animals that displayed erection and the frequency of erection at two smaller doses, while no significant difference was reported for the D4receptor antagonist. Although our studies indicate that there is a relevant participation of D3receptors in male sexual function, D4receptors seem not to exert an essential role in this model.
Processing valence and intensity of infant expressions: The roles of expertise and gender
Authors: PROVERBIO ALICE MADO , MATARAZZO SILVIA , BRIGNONE VALENTINA , ZOTTO MARZIA DEL , ZANI ALBERTO
Published: November 2007

Several studies have provided evidence of a women's better accuracy in interpreting emotional states. Despite this difference is generally ascribed to the primary role of female gender in the affective relation with the offspring, to date, little information is available regarding gender differences in the ability to interpret infant facial expressions. In the present study, we examined the roles of gender and expertise in interpreting infant expression in 34 men and women who differed in their experience with infants. Women showed a significantly higher level of decoding accuracy compared to men. Expertise positively affected facial expressions decoding among women only. Our results suggest that in judging emotional facial expressions of infants, there is an interaction of biological (i.e., gender) and cultural factors that is independent of a woman's socioeconomic status.
Ticking Boxes and Changing the Social World: Data Collection and the New UK General Practice Contract
Authors: Checkland Kath , McDonald Ruth , Harrison Steve
Published: November 2007

The new General Medical Services contract was introduced into general practice in the UK in 2004, and it links pay to performance far more than in the past. As a result, accurate data collection about patients and the care that they receive is now not only important for good patient care but also to prove that targets are being met. The use of electronic records and information technology has thus become much more sophisticated. This article reports the results from an ethnographic study of the early stages of the new contract in two general practices. As expected, electronic data collection had increased in importance in both practices, with consequences both for clinician–patient interactions and for the structures and processes in the practices, as uniform data collection instruments are put in place that privilege ‘hard’ biomedical data that can be easily coded above ‘softer’, more patient‐centred information. Roles and responsibilities had been changed to reflect the needs of the new systems, and new software applications allowed increased surveillance of both doctors’ and nurses’ performance; both of these had an impact on patterns of authority in our study practices. Furthermore, the structural changes that were found acted to embed the new ways of working, ensuring their reproduction in the future. In spite of these effects, we found little opposition to or critical reflection on the changes, and the doctors in our study continued to view their improved computer systems as neutral recording devices. The implication of these findings is discussed.
Informing UK Policy Development on the Regulation of CAM Practitioners: Lessons from Hong Kong?
Authors: Dixon Anna , Peckham Stephen , Ho Amy Po Ying
Published: November 2007

Public policy discussions on how to regulate acupuncture and herbal medical practitioners have reached a stalemate in the United Kingdom. After considerable activity in the first half of the current decade a wider review of professional regulation has re‐opened the discussion as to the most appropriate way to regulate the practice of all health‐care practitioners. In the meantime, the public continues to consult complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners in large numbers and self‐medicate with herbal products and other natural remedies, posing challenges for policy‐makers as to how to ensure public safety. In the NHS, providers and purchasers struggle to reconcile demands for access to CAM services with their clinical governance requirements. Hong Kong implemented new arrangements for the statutory regulation of traditional Chinese medical practitioners in the 1990s and has experienced the challenges of regulating a large established private market as well as integrating Chinese medicine further into the public health system. This experience is analysed in order to see whether the approach adopted there could address the public policy challenges faced in the UK. The article finds that, despite key cultural and historical differences related to the provision and use of CAM services, the similarities between the health‐care systems and the reasons for moves to professional regulation in Hong Kong and the UK provide useful insights into what is happening in the UK in relation to service provision and the relationship with the NHS and the medical profession. These are discussed in the light of current health policy developments in the UK.
Market Forces for the Unemployed? Training Vouchers in Germany and the USA
Authors: Hipp Lena , Warner Mildred E.
Published: November 2007

Vouchers are meant to increase competition and consumer choice in public service markets. Using the example of training vouchers for the unemployed in the USA and Germany, we show, however, that deficits, both on the demand and the supply side of the market, create problems with preference alignment and market formation. Information asymmetries undermine choice by the unemployed and reduce government control over the training system. Ironically, restrictions meant to compensate for these information deficits further inhibit competitive market formation. Evaluation data on training vouchers from both countries show that voucher systems do not increase choice, but weaken the partnerships public employment agencies previously had with training providers, and may lead to a shortage of high‐quality and specialized training, as well as creaming in the selection of training participants. Theoretical justification for vouchers is based on the notion of choice and consumer sovereignty. Using this framework to analyse the changed relationship between government, private training providers, and jobseekers, we challenge the efficacy of vouchers as a delivery mechanism in complex public service markets such as job training.
Continuous time modeling of panel data: SEM versus filter techniques
Authors: Oud Johan H. L. , Singer Hermann
Published: November 2007

Although convincing arguments have been put forward for continuous‐time modeling, its use in panel research is rare. In one approach, classical N = 1 state‐space modeling procedures are adapted for panel analysis to estimate the exact discrete model (EDM) by means of filter techniques. Based on earlier less satisfactory indirect methods, a more recent approach uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to get the maximum likelihood estimate of the EDM by the direct method. After an introduction into continuous‐time state‐space modeling for panel data and the EDM, a thorough comparison is made between the two distinct approaches with quite different histories by means of Monte Carlo simulation studies. The model used in the simulation studies is the damped linear oscillator with and without random subject effects.
Assessing the relationships between Nationalism, Ethnocentrism, and Individualism in Flanders using Bergstrom's approximate discrete model
Authors: Toharudin Toni , Oud Johan H. L. , Billiet Jaak B.
Published: November 2007

Although Nationalism, Ethnocentrism, and Individualism in Flanders have been the subject of several studies before, a longitudinal analysis has not been performed on all three concepts simultaneously nor have their relationships and the direction of their relationships been studied in continuous time. In this study we performed a continuous‐time state‐space analysis on panel data collected from 1274 subjects, in the years 1991, 1995 and 1999. The LISREL program is used for estimating the approximate discrete model (ADM), and for comparison, also the exact discrete model (EDM) is estimated by means of the Mx program. Details of continuous time modeling, especially the EDM and ADM, are dealt with. Individualism and Ethnocentrism turn out to be connected in a moderately strong feedback relationship with the effect from Individualism towards Ethnocentrism somewhat stronger than that in the opposite direction. Both Individualism and Ethnocentrism have small effects on Nationalism. The autoregression functions, cross‐lagged effect functions, and mean predictions are shown.
Origin, fate and significance of CO2 in tree stems
Authors: Teskey Robert O. , Saveyn An , Steppe Kathy , McGuire Mary Anne
Published: November 2007

Contents

Summary
1

I.
Introduction
2

II.
Quantity of CO2 in tree stems
2

III.
Sources of CO2 found in stems
4

IV.
Fate of the CO2 released by respiring cells in stems: loss, transport and fixation
6

V.
What do we know about woody tissue respiration?
10

VI.
Why do trees have the capacity for internal capture of CO2?
12

VII.
Conclusions
13

Acknowledgements
13

References
13
Molecular correlates of sleep and wakefulness in the brain of the white‐crowned sparrow
Authors: Jones Stephany , Pfister‐Genskow Martha , Benca Ruth M. , Cirelli Chiara
Published: November 2007

In the mammalian brain, sleep and wakefulness are associated with widespread changes in gene expression. The extent to which the molecular correlates of vigilance state are conserved across phylogeny, however, is only beginning to be explored. The goal of this study was to determine whether sleep and wakefulness affect gene expression in the avian brain. To achieve this end we performed an extensive microarray analysis of gene expression during sleep, wakefulness, and short‐term sleep deprivation in the telencephalon of the white‐crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii). We found that, as in the rodent cerebral cortex, behavioral state, independent of time of day, has widespread effects on avian brain gene expression, affecting the transcript levels of 255 genes (1.4% of all tested transcripts). Wakefulness‐related transcripts (n = 114) code for proteins involved in energy metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation, immediate early genes and transcription factors associated with activity‐dependent neural plasticity, as well as heat‐shock proteins and molecular chaperones associated with the unfolded protein response. Sleep‐related transcripts (n = 141) code for proteins involved in membrane trafficking, lipid/cholesterol synthesis, translational regulation, cellular adhesion, and cytoskeletal organization. Remarkably, despite the considerable differences in morphology and cytology between the mammalian neocortex and the avian telencephalon, the functional categories of transcripts identified in this study exhibit a significant degree of overlap with those identified in the rodent cortex.
X‐Ray crystal structure analysis and determination of azo‐enamine and hydrazone‐imine tautomers of two hetarylazo indole dyes
Authors: Özbey Süheyla , Karayel Arzu , Kavak Gülten , Seferoğlu Zeynel , Ertan Nermin
Published: November 2007

Two hetarylazo indole dyes were analyzed by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Dye 1, C18H14N4O, crystallises in the monoclinic system, space group P21/c, with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. Dye 2, C20H16N4, also crystallises in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n, Z = 4. In both compounds, there are two intramolecular C–H...N hydrogen bonds which influenced the molecular conformation between the azo group and the indole ring system and its phenyl substituent. Each of the independent molecules of dye 1 interact through the N–H...N hydrogen bond, whereas no classical intermolecular hydrogen bond was observed in dye 2. The molecules of dye 1 and dye 2 are packed differently in both structures.
Duration of complex partial seizures: An intracranial EEG study
Authors: Afra Pegah , Jouny Christophe C. , Bergey Gregory K.
Published: November 2007

Summary

Purpose: The dynamics of partial seizures originating from neocortical and mesial temporal regions are thought to differ, yet there are no quantitative comparative studies. The studies reported here investigate the duration of complex partial seizures in these populations using analyses of seizures recorded from intracranial arrays.

Methods: Data were collected from patients undergoing presurgical evaluation with intracranial electrodes. Seizure duration was defined as the time of earliest sustained ictal activity until the termination either in all electrodes (global duration, GD), or at the onset area (focal duration, FD). Patients were divided into three groups: mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), neocortical temporal lobe epilepsy (NCTLE), and neocortical extratemporal lobe epilepsy (NCXTLE).

Results: Complex partial seizure durations were significantly longer in the MTLE group compared to the NCXTLE group. Median GD for MTLE was 106 s, and for NCXTLE was 78 s. There were no significant differences between seizure durations when comparing MTLE group to NCTLE group, or comparing NCTLE group to NCXTLE group. In the MTLE group, patients with bilateral recording arrays had significantly longer median seizure durations (GD and FD) than those sampled with unilateral arrays.

Conclusions: In this select group of patients there is a significant difference between the duration of complex partial seizures of mesial temporal and neocortical extratemporal origin with mesial temporal complex partial seizures being longer. This may result from a number of possibilities including the bilateral propagation of some mesial temporal seizures and differences in ictal generators of the underlying networks.
Successful surgical treatment of insular epilepsy with nocturnal hypermotor seizures
Authors: Dobesberger Judith , Ortler Martin , Unterberger Iris , Walser Gerald , Falkenstetter Tina , Bodner Thomas , Benke Thomas , Bale Reto , Fiegele Thomas , Donnemiller Eveline , Gotwald Thaddaeus , Trinka Eugen
Published: November 2007

Summary

Nocturnal hypermotor seizures (NHSs) suggest seizure onset in the frontal lobe. We present a patient with NHSs and insular seizure onset who underwent successful surgical treatment.

A 29‐year‐old right‐handed man suffered from intractable NHSs since the age of 12 years. High‐resolution MRI, [18F]FDG‐PET, and neuropsychological examination gave normal results, ictal EEG was obscured by artifacts. Ictal [99mTc]HMPAO‐SPECT revealed hyperperfusion in the right anterior part of the insula and right frontal operculum. The seizure onset zone was localized in the right anterior insula based on invasive recordings. Electrical stimulation in that area elicited habitual seizures. A limited resection of the anterior part of the right insula and the right frontal operculum was performed rendering the patient seizure‐free (follow‐up 1 year).

To our knowledge, this is the first reported nonlesional patient with an insular seizure onset and NHSs who underwent successful epilepsy surgery.
Caries Prevalence in Older Persons with and without Dementia
Authors: Ellefsen Birita , Holm‐Pedersen Poul , Morse Douglas E. , Schroll Marianne , Andersen Birgitte Bo , Waldemar Gunhild
Published: November 2007

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of coronal and root caries in a memory clinic–based population of elderly patients with and without a diagnosis of dementia and to examine the influence of age, sex, social relations, social position, and functional ability.

DESIGN: Cross‐sectional.

SETTING: Patients referred with possible cognitive dysfunction were recruited from two university hospital dementia clinics.

PARTICIPANTS: In total, 106 dentate persons participated in the study. Mean age was 82, 69 were women, and 87 had a diagnosis of dementia.

MEASUREMENTS: Data from interviews and a clinical examination were collected. The diagnosis of dementia was made at the dementia clinics according to the criteria of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. Active coronal and root caries was assessed using previously defined diagnostic criteria from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

RESULTS: The mean number of coronal and root surfaces with caries was statistically significantly higher in subjects with a diagnosis of dementia (7.0 vs 2.7, P<.05). Subjects with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease had a significantly higher mean number of root surfaces with caries (4.9, P<.05) than subjects with other dementia diagnoses (2.3) and those without dementia (1.7). People with Alzheimer's disease also had significantly more mean total caries than subjects without dementia (7.8 vs 2.7, P<.05). Participants with a Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) score less than 24 had significantly more caries than participants with a MMSE‐score of 24 or higher (7.6 vs 4.3, P<.05).

CONCLUSION: Patients with newly diagnosed dementia already had a high level of active dental caries when they were referred to the memory clinic. The high caries prevalence was related to dementia type and severity.
Incidence and Treatment of Arterial Access Dissections Occurring during Cardiac Catheterization
Authors: PRASAD AMIT , COMPTON P. ALEXANDER , PRASAD ANAND , ROESLE MICHELE , MAKKE LORENZA , ROGERS SHARON , BANERJEE SUBHASH , BRILAKIS EMMANOUIL S.
Published: November 2007

Background: Arterial access dissections may complicate cardiac catheterization and can often be treated percutaneously. The goal of this study was to examine the incidence, consequences, and the treatment of arterial access dissections at a tertiary referral hospital with an active training program.

Methods: Patients experiencing arterial access dissection during coronary angiography or intervention at our institution between October 1, 2004, and January 31, 2007, were identified and their records were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Thirteen of the 3,062 consecutive patients (0.42%) had arterial access dissection during the study period. The location of the dissection was in the common femoral artery (CFA) (n = 6), the external iliac artery (EIA) (n = 6), or in an aortobifemoral graft (n = 1). Three of the six patients with CFA dissection were diagnosed during coronary angiography, and because of significant comorbidities were treated with self‐expanding stents. After a mean follow‐up of 7 months, they experienced no stent fracture or other complication. Six patients had EIA dissections. In one such patient, the dissection was not flow limiting and was treated conservatively. The remaining five patients underwent successful implantation of self‐expanding stents, and during a mean follow‐up of 9.6 months, no patient had any symptoms or events related to lower extremity ischemia. Finally, one patient had an aortobifemoral graft dissection. Due to the patient's critical condition, secondary to sepsis, his family elected to withdraw care, and he subsequently expired.

Conclusions: Arterial access dissections occur infrequently during cardiac catheterization. Routine femoral artery angiography may help identify vascular access complications, often allowing simultaneous endovascular treatment, with excellent short‐term outcomes.
Making sense of neuroimaging in psychiatry
Authors: Malhi G. S. , Lagopoulos J.
Published: November 2007

Objective:  Neuroimaging of psychiatric disorders has increased exponentially in the last decade; however, much of the uptake thus far has been in the realm of research. We anticipate that clinical use of neuroimaging modalities in psychiatry will increase dramatically in the near future and suggest that clinicians need to be aware of the potential applications.

Method:  The authors conducted an extensive MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMED and PsychInfo search of the published literature (1965–2007) using a variety of search terms to find relevant articles. Bibliographies of retrieved papers were further scrutinised for publications of interest, as were indices of books. Articles that reported clinically significant findings and research reports conducted using pertinent neuroimaging modalities were reviewed in detail.

Results:  The review suggests that exciting neuroimaging advances are being made that have relevance to psychiatry. Novel neuroimaging applications with potential clinical utility are rapidly emerging and the accessibility and use of these technologies will increase in coming years. Clinically meaningful findings have begun to emerge in mood disorders, post‐traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and dementia. Coupling multimodal imaging with genetics and pharmacotherapeutic studies will further assist in understanding the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Conclusion:  It is important that clinicians understand the benefits and limitations of modern neuroimaging techniques and are also suitably equipped to appraise future developments. The use of neuroimaging in evaluating psychopathology is likely to impact upon the future nosology of psychiatric disorders, and assist in diagnosis and clinical management. The integrated use of neuroimaging in conjunction with clinical assessments promises to improve clinical care and markedly alter psychiatric practice.
Perception of rejecting and neglectful parenting in childhood relates to lifetime suicide attempts for females – but not for males
Authors: Ehnvall A. , Parker G. , Hadzi‐Pavlovic D. , Malhi G.
Published: November 2007

Objective:  To examine the hypothesis that lifetime suicide attempts in a sample of depressed individuals is greater among those who remember their parents as rejecting or neglecting in childhood.

Method:  Database analyses of patients referred to a public hospital Mood Disorders Unit in Sydney, over a consecutive 10‐year period. Patients met DSM‐IV criteria for depression, had completed a self‐report questionnaire regarding perception of parental rearing, and had responded to a probe question assessing lifetime suicide attempts (n = 343).

Results:  Female patients who perceived themselves as rejected/neglected by either parent in childhood had a greater chance of making at least one lifetime suicide attempt. No such associations were found for males.

Conclusion:  Perception of rejecting/neglectful parents was associated with lifetime suicide attempts in females only, inviting research explicating any such gender specificity.
Detection and quantification of functionally defined hematopoietic progenitor cells and tissue specific mRNA within the peripheral blood of myeloma patients after administration of granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor and erythropoietin
Authors: Grassinger Jochen , Mueller Gunnar , Hart Christina , Nilsson Susie K. , Haylock David N. , Andreesen Reinhard , Hennemann Burkhard
Published: November 2007

Objective:  Hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) as well as tissue committed stem cells expressing mRNA specific to various somatic tissues are thought to be part of the CD34+ bone marrow compartment. In this study, we explore and quantify their mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing chemotherapy upon administration of granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) plus/minus erythropoietin (EPO).

Patients and methods:  HPC were quantified by flow cytometry and functional assays within the blood of healthy donors and myeloma patients before and after chemotherapy followed by G‐CSF or G‐CSF + EPO given subcutaneously. The mRNA expression was studied by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cytokines and peripheral blood protease levels were measured by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results:  EPO did not significantly alter the number of HPC mobilized by G‐CSF alone, and mRNA specific for liver, brain, muscle and kidney was detected in both treatment groups. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed a 2.7‐fold increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein after G‐CSF + EPO administration compared to G‐CSF alone (P = 0.003). The concentration of G‐CSF rose from 62 ± 22 pg/mL and 48 ± 10 pg/mL to 28 ± 9 ng/mL and 85 ± 10 ng/mL after 10 d of treatment with G‐CSF and G‐CSF + EPO, respectively. The concentration of neutrophil elastase (NE) rose only in the G‐CSF group by a factor 1.5.

Conclusion:  The alteration of G‐CSF and NE levels as well as the expression of tissue committed RNA after the administration of EPO in addition to G‐CSF indicate that different growth factors mobilize different stem cells that might potentially be used for the support of tissue repair in future treatment protocols.