bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The formation ofWorld in Action
Authors: Goddard Peter , Corner John , Richardson Kay
Published: April 2009

This article examines the character of the British television current affairs series World in Actionfrom its first transmission in 1963 until 1965. Against the background of existing current affairs programming, it assesses the series' contribution to the development of distinctive rhetorical and visual forms appropriate for television current affairs journalism. The authors examine some of the specific intentions and practices, the guiding ideas and key ingredients, which informed this long-running and successful series and its address to the public. They also engage with the role of and constraints upon television journalists operating outside the ‘news bulletin’ format, working within the ethos of public service television, dependent upon the opportunities offered by existing technology and having to produce popular, engaging programming whilst maintaining their own professional standards as journalists. The article contributes to a growing academic interest in the historical development of media forms and represents one phase of a larger project of archival research into World in Action.
The education of journalists
Authors: Adam G. Stuart
Published: April 2009

Noting that journalism education has fallen short of the mark set for it in a visionary essay published by Joseph Pulitzer in 1904, the author analyzes Pulitzer's arguments and then makes a case for strengthening the education of journalists. It is argued that an education for a life as a journalist calls for an immersion in news judgement, the development of university-based skills in evidence gathering and fact assessment, formation in the best literary and/or visual methods of representation, and an under-standing of how to apply the forms of understanding born in the academy to the problems of the here and now. It also involves a careful grounding in the languages, purposes and practices of democratic institutions. Journalism education will be strengthened by a careful reconsideration of the concept of journalism, by a parallel reconsideration of the scholarly tasks supporting the teaching of journalism, and a careful articulation between core journalism subjects and cognate academic disciplines.
How can global journalists represent the ‘Other’?
Authors: Fürsich Elfriede
Published: April 2009

Many cultural studies scholars analyze media texts to show evidence of problematic representations of the ‘Other’. I transfer these concepts to current global media practice, especially television journalism. As an exemplar, I use travel journalism as a site where representing the Other is the constitutive part of the work. Standard television production praxis is evaluated through insights from visual anthropology and cultural studies. Moreover, actual journalistic strategies are proposed that help create more open texts and encourage multiple representations. The cultural studies concept of ‘Representing the Other’ is helpful as a model for text and media critique. Yet it lacks the potential to overcome the epistemological dilemma journalists face when covering others. Only self-reflective and critical approaches towards traditionalritualistic reporting and production strategies can help to disentangle problematic media representations.
Journalistic practice in digital television newsrooms
Authors: Avilés Jose A. García , León Bienvenido
Published: April 2009

This article examines some of the working practices of television journalists and the changes they are adopting in the process of digital news-gathering and editing. It relies on research carried out in the two main Spanish commercial networks, Tele 5 and Antena 3, which implemented integrated digital newrooms in 1998 and 1999, respectively. The study finds that journalists, managers and engineers at both networks developed a collaborative effort in selecting and implementing a digital system which all professionals involved would be comfortable using. It also shows the emergence of new functions and a growing trend towards multiskilling in these television newsrooms.
Responding to Globalization
Authors: Kapstein Ethan B. , Milanovic Branko
Published: April 2009

The article addresses some of the major themes influencing the development and reform of social policy in emerging market economies. It is argued in the first section that growing concern with social policy is largely associated with the increasing openness of these economies – globalization – and the new systemic risks that domestic economies now face. We look at the broad reform trends that seem to be shaping the social policy agenda around the world, particularly privatization of social insurance, means-testing of benefits, and decentralization of provision. This raises the question of whether or not the provision of social insurance is moving toward some type of convergence. In the final section, the role of the international community in the social policy debate is examined, with a focus on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The Economic Sociology of Capitalism
Authors: Swedberg Richard
Published: April 2009

This article points to a distinct puzzle in the analyses of capitalism that can be found in the works of Weber and Schumpeter, and gives a new introduction to their analysis of capitalism. Both Weber and Schumpeter wrote voluminously on capitalism, as testified to by such giant works as Economy and Society (Weber, 1978c [1922]) and Business Cycles (Schumpeter, 1939). One can also discern a distinct development in their thought over time: from emphasizing the role of various voluntaristic elements (such as the spirit of capitalism and the spirit of entrepreneurship) to stressing the role of institutions. The puzzle that one can find in their writings is as follows. Weber and Schumpeter both argue that a vigorous and healthy capitalism requires certain economic and non-economic institutions, in addition to something else. An absence of this ‘something else’ may lead to capitalist petrification or collapse, according to both authors. The answers of Weber and Schumpeter to the above puzzle, it is shown in the article, is somewhat different in their early and in their later works.
On the concept of axial space
Authors: Turner Bryan S.
Published: April 2009

The problem of Orientalism as a system of classification that maps out the cultural and political boundaries between East and West has been widely discussed within the humanities and social sciences, but it has been less overtly prominent as an issue in the specific field of archaeology. This absence is peculiar, given the legitimating role of classical archaeology as an account of the primitive occupation of space. We can initially explore the question of archaeological Orientalism in terms of Karl Jaspers’s notion of axial ages. This concept is useful in the analysis of what we might call the construction of a ‘privileged space’ in European philosophy. This article examines the European debate about the authority of cultural origins through a commentary on the philosophy of Martin Heidegger and, following the Lacanian notion of the imaginary, describes the issue of authentic beginnings as the problem of ‘the originary’. In postmodern social theory, Heidegger has been a dominant influence in the deconstruction of metaphysical assumptions about a universal subject, but Heidegger’s notion of the origins of western culture was itself deeply Orientalist. My argument attempts to deconstruct Heidegger’s map of philosophy that simultaneously privileged pre-Socratic philosophy and the German language as the carrier of Greek thought. This commentary on western thought concludes with the theme of the decline of the West as a decadent version of originary spaces. Throughout this article, I trade on the metaphor of an archaeology of knowledge(s) in the work of Michel Foucault.
On archaeological praxis, gender bias and indigenous peoples in South America
Authors: Politis Gustavo
Published: April 2009

This article discusses several aspects of the practice of archaeology in South America, specifically in the Southern Cone. Examining two key issues: the socio-political context of knowledge production and the positioning of South American archaeology in relation to its European and North American counterparts. Three cases that bridge these issues are examined. First, Gero’s argument for gender bias in the recording of field data, based in her ethnographic work during the excavation of the Paleondian site of Arroyo Seco 2. Second, the reburial of the human remains of Inakayal (an Indian chief who died at the end of the nineteenth century). Third, the excavation of the Inca mummies of the Llullaillaco peak in the southern Andes. The first is a critique on methodological grounds, the second demonstrates that Argentinean archaeology cannot free itself from its colonial past and the third illustrates the ethical dimension of archaeological praxis, specifically the complex interaction between local and foreign archaeologists.
The limitations of doxa
Authors: Smith Adam T.
Published: April 2009

In recent years, archaeological discussions of agency have relied quite heavily upon Pierre Bourdieu’s rendering of doxa in discriminating between those phenomena resulting from habit and those from active intention. However, doxa presents considerable problems for archaeological analyses as it rests upon a troubling theory of history and fails to assist in promulgating an archaeological account of subjectivity. This article presents an explicitly archaeological critique of Bourdieu’s doxa, utilizing a decorated silver-plated goblet from the Middle Bronze Age site of Karashamb, Armenia, to explore future directions in the theorization of subjectivity.
How to Reduce an Unwritten Language to Writing: I
Authors: Werner Oswald
Published: April 2009

This is the first of several Short Takes articles that will deal with the reduction of previously unwritten languages or dialects to writing. This series will culminate in one or more articles on how to learn a field language. Obviously, before starting to learn a field language, it becomes necessary to systematically write down and organize words, phrases, and texts in order to aid one's memory and facilitate ethnographic analysis. This article introduces the reader to vowel sounds and their transcription in human languages.
Problems in the Field: Participant Observation and the Assumption of Neutrality
Authors: Cohen Jeffrey H.
Published: April 2009

This article has two goals. First, using events that took place during fieldwork in rural Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1993, it argues that an unanticipated strength of participant observation is the way in which it forces us, as field-workers, to step into potentially alienating situations. Second, it highlights how important it is for us to share the challenges of fieldwork (and even the disasters that occur) with our students as we teach them the skills they will need to effectively conduct research.
Field Science Ethnography: Methods for Systematic Observation on an Arctic Expedition
Authors: Clancey William J.
Published: April 2009

The Haughton-Mars expedition is a multidisciplinary project exploring an impact crater in an extreme environment to determine how people might live and work on Mars. This expedition to the Canadian High Arctic seeks to understand and field test Mars facilities, crew roles, operations, and computer tools. The author combines an ethnographic approach to establish a baseline understanding of how scientists prefer to live and work when relatively unencumbered, with a participatory design approach of experimenting with procedures and tools in the context of use. This article focuses on field methods for systematically recording and analyzing the expedition's activities. Systematic photography and time-lapse video are combined with concept mapping to organize and present information. This hybrid approach is generally applicable to the study of modern field expeditions having a dozen or more multidisciplinary participants, spread over a large terrain during multiple field seasons.
Random Sampling of Regional Populations: A Field Test
Authors: Duranleau Deena L.
Published: April 2009

A population with parameters for ratio, ordinal, and nominal measurement scales was created by conducting a telephone survey within a community. Out of this population, simple random samples were created and map coordinate samples were drawn by generating random degree lines that radiated out from the center of the community and that included the households adjacent to these degree lines in the sample. With these two methods, ten random samples were generated, five using the simple random method and five using the map coordinate samples. Ten samples of four variables should yield one to two statistics with 95% confidence intervals that do not contain the parameter. This occurred only once.
SIMSTAT with WORDSTAT: A Comprehensive Statistical Package with a Content Analysis Module
Authors: Lewis R. Barry
Published: April 2009

SIMSTAT is an inexpensive but full-featured Windows/DOS statistical package. Several features set it apart from its competitors in the same price range. First, SIMSTAT offers extensive bootstrapping capabilities (bootstrapping is a statistical technique that uses resampling to estimate population parameters). Second, WORDSTAT, one of several modules that can be purchased to extend the capabilities of SIMSTAT, provides a wide range of quantitative content analysis features that will be especially useful to researchers who work with relatively small text chunks. SIMSTAT and its modules are relatively easy to use, especially for users who have experience with SPSS, which SIMSTAT resembles.
The Search for Informed Traders in the Totals Betting Market for National Basketball Association Games
Authors: Gandar John M. , Zuber Richard A. , Dare William H.
Published: April 2009

A recent article on line changes in the point spread betting market for National Basketball Association games found evidence that trading incorporates information into price. This article examines a closely related but previously unexamined betting market—the betting market for the total points scored in a game. The authors find that closing totals lines are more accurate forecasts of total points scored than are opening totals lines. It is shown that line changes move betting lines in the correct direction and by the appropriate magnitude to eliminate biases in opening totals lines. Line changes in this betting market, like those in the point spread betting market, cause prices to more accurately reflect fundamental values.
Investigation of the Matching Hypothesis
Authors: Prisinzano Richard
Published: April 2009

This article uses panel data on Major League Baseball managers to perform a direct test of the matching hypothesis. This study uses measures of manager and team performance that are more efficient than those previously used to test the matching hypothesis in the context of Major League Baseball. The study also uses a new variable that proxies the effect manager-team matches have on output. Using these variables allows a direct test of the matching hypothesis. Estimation of both the fixed effect and random effects models reveal that the quality of a manager-team match is an important determinant of production.
The Value of Public Goods Generated by a Major League Sports Team
Authors: Johnson Bruce K. , Groothuis Peter A. , Whitehead John C.
Published: April 2009

This article reports an application of the contingent valuation method to measure the value of public goods generated by a professional sports team, the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. The data and analysis indicate that a major league sports team can produce widely consumed public goods such as civic pride and community spirit and that the value of those public goods may be substantial. However, in the case of the Penguins, the value of the public goods is far less than the cost of building a new arena. Although the analysis of public goods generated by other teams in other cities might lead to different results, the results of this article call into question the widespread practice of government funding of sports stadiums and arenas because it appears that the costs borne by taxpayers exceed the benefits received.
Equilibrium Explanation of Bargaining and Arbitration in Major League Baseball
Authors: Faurot David J.
Published: April 2009

Arbitration in Major League Baseball can be explained by baseball clubs’ lack of information regarding their players’ risk attitudes. Different player risk attitudes yield different contract zones of potential settlements. Profit-maximizing baseball clubs must sacrifice some potential settlements to minimize their expected payments to players. Mixed strategies in arbitration offers by players and settlement offers by clubs yield an equilibrium in a game with asymmetric information. The history of arbitration outcomes is explained by the predicted selection of cases for arbitration.
The Origin of the Reserve Clause
Authors: Eckard E. Woodrow
Published: April 2009

This article examines the creation of the first professional athletic labor market restriction over a century ago. In 1879, professional baseball club owners mutually agreed that each could reserve five players whom the others would not sign without permission, justifying the action by claiming that it was in the “public interest,” that is, necessary to preserve the game in the face of various alleged problems. Analysis of the relevant data reveals that these problems were either nonexistent or easily solved within the game’s existing rule structure. Given the lack of support for the public interest arguments proffered by owners, the more likely motive for the reserve rule was monopsonistic collusion.
The New NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Median Voter Model, and a Robin Hood Rent Redistribution
Authors: Hill J. Richard , Groothuis Peter A.
Published: April 2009

In this article, it is suggested that the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) redistributes rents from the superstars back to the median voters. In particular, it is suggested that portions of the new agreement, such as salary caps, are designed to improve the rather skewed distribution of salaries in the NBA. Evidence from a Lorenz curve analysis of the first 2 years under the new contract suggests that all players with salaries below the median wage gain from the new agreement, and those with salaries closest to the median wage gain the most. The analysis suggests that skewed salary distributions may lead to CBAs that redistribute the rents from the rich (superstars) to the poor (median voters).
Production and Efficiency in Association Football
Authors: Carmichael Fiona , Thomas Dennis , Ward Robert
Published: April 2009

Despite their proliferation, sporting production function studies remain almost entirely U.S.-based, concentrating largely (although not exclusively) on baseball. Mainly due to a dearth of match-play statistics, there have been few studies of other, more interactive sports. This study attempts to partly fill the gap by using a new data source containing information on specific match-play variables to estimate a season-based production function for English Premiership association football teams. On the basis of computed residuals, the authors also identify those teams shown to be relatively efficient and inefficient in various aspects of match plays.
Alternative Measures of Competitive Balance in Sports Leagues
Authors: Humphreys Brad R.
Published: April 2009

The most commonly used measures of competitive balance in sports leagues do not capture season-to-season changes in relative standings. This article describes an alternative measure of competitive balance, the Competitive Balance Ratio (CBR), that reflects team specific variation in winning percentage over time and league-specific variation. Based on estimation of a model of the determination of annual attendance in professional baseball during the past 100 years, variation in the CBR explains more of the observed variation in attendance than other alternatives measures of competitive balance, suggesting that CBR is a useful metric.
Common Denominators for the Low-Cost Management of Leg Conditions
Authors: Ryan Terence J.
Published: April 2009

Diseases of blood supply and drainage of the leg are common, and they frequently contribute to poverty. Management must include self-help low-cost therapy. The phlebologist, lymphologist, angiologist, or dermatologist must seek to distill their knowledge for the health worker in the general health services. Such knowledge should focus on the venous system, which is amenable to simple maneuvers such as breathing, elevation, and movement. However, the mechanisms underlying the functions of the blood vessels and lymphatics and the organ they supply or drain are inextricably interwoven. Care of the veins, the lymphatics, and the epidermis depends on attention to each together and at the same time. New knowledge of cytokines produced by the epidermis and their effects on angiogenesis and permeability suggest that care of the epidermis by washing and emollients has equal value as elevation and movement. Such maneuvers cost little and are usually available.
Can the Consumption of Tomatoes or Lycopene Reduce Cancer Risk?
Authors: Hwang Eun-Sun , Bowen Phyllis E.
Published: April 2009

Lycopene, a natural antioxidant found predominantly in to mato products, is attracting attention as a cancer prevention agent. Serum and dietary lycopene levels have been found to be inversely related to the incidence of several types of cancer, including prostate cancer. Although the antioxidant properties of lycopene are thought to be primarily responsible for its apparent beneficial effects, other mechanisms may also be involved. We outline the possible mechanisms of action of lycopene and review the current findings of in vitroand in vivostudies in cancer prevention and to some extent treatment. We examine the epidemiologic evidence regarding consumption of tomato and tomato products with the risk of cancer at various sites. Data suggest lycopene may account for or contribute to chemoprevention, but this hypothesis requires further study. Numerous other potentially beneficial compounds are present in tomatoes and complex interactions among multiple components may contribute to the anticancer properties of tomatoes.
PC-SPES: A Brief Overview
Authors: Cordell Geoffrey A.
Published: April 2009

PC-SPES is a botanically based dietary supplement that has been used by men following prostate cancer treatment to reduce prostate-specific antigen levels. It is a complex matrix comprising 8 herbs whose known chemistry and biology do not account for the observed clinical activity. Recent disclosures have forced the product to be withdrawn from the market. Aspects of previous scientific research on the product, including clinical information, are reviewed, and some suggestions are offered for the future scientific needs of this product. Some thoughts are also offered on what the recall of PC-SPES means for the future scientific directions of the dietary supplement industry.
One Country, Two Systems
Authors: Chan Kara , Cheng Hong
Published: April 2009

A content analysis of 1387 commercials broadcast in China and Hong Kong in 1993 and 1998 was conducted using Cheng and Schweitzer's framework of cultural values. The five cultural values that dominated Chinese television advertising were ‘modernity’, ‘family’, ‘tradition’, ‘technology’ and ‘collectivism’. The five dominant cultural values in Hong Kong television advertising were ‘quality’, ‘effectiveness’, ‘economy’, ‘enjoyment’ and ‘modernity’. Hong Kong commercials used more western values, whereas Chinese commercials used more eastern ones. Chinese commercials used more symbolic values, while Hong Kong commercials used more utilitarian ones. The pattern of cultural values reflected in Chinese commercials was more volatile than that of Hong Kong commercials. The use of a two-way ANOVA model indicated that product category had a greater impact on cultural values than the time dimension.
Digital Divide and the Changing Political/Media Environment of Post-Socialist Europe
Authors: Vartanova Elena
Published: April 2009

The progress of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in post-Socialist countries is characterized by uneven economic and technological development, thus leading to contradictory results. Both industry and the social/cultural policies of these countries generally assume that the consequences of ICTs are negative. Various barriers to digital equality have been identified, determined mostly by particular national circumstances. The media markets in post-Socialist countries have experienced negative trends. New social discrepancies have been reproduced in access to ICTs and Internet. The role of market and corporate business in reshaping media systems appears to be anarchic, thus making states more responsible for providing equal access to Internet. Policies to overcome this `digital divide' seem to be numerous, but in various post-Socialist countries the focus is generally on developing universal access in public places. The article attempts to analyse the factors which shape the patterns of new media uses, and the principal solutions to close the digital divide in the post-Socialist countries of `Big Europe'.
E-Government and E-Democracy
Authors: Netchaeva Irina
Published: April 2009

E-government can make government institutions more transparent, help citizens to obtain access to public information and broaden their participation in the democratic processes. But it is doubtful that all these possibilities can be fully realized today or in the very near future, because only a small proportion of the world population has access to the Internet. This article analyses the possibilities and obstacles to using the Internet to promote democracy in different regions. It compares the situation of e-government and democracy in the North and South. The article focuses in particular on South Africa's experience, as a country which lives in both the developed and developing world at the same time.
Diffusion of an Educational Innovation in Trinidad and Tobago
Authors: Sooknanan Prahalad , Melkote Srinivas R. , Skinner Ewart C.
Published: April 2009

New communication technologies, such as computers, are particularly beneficial to several development initiatives including education. In an attempt to ascertain the feasibility of successfully diffusing computers in classrooms in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), this article examines the relationship between the independent variables of teachers' attitudes toward computers and perceived innovation characteristics, and the dependent variables of teacher satisfaction and utilization. The results underscored the importance of attitudinal and perceptual factors to the successful implementation of computers in the classroom. Specifically, the findings have policy-making implications regarding the government's campaign to implement educational computing throughout the educational system in T&T.
The Feasibility of Using an HCU System for Investigating Ergonomic Injury Among Autoworkers
Authors: Evans Kevin D. , Sommerich Carolyn
Published: April 2009

A preexperimental case study was conducted to determine the feasibility of imaging musculoskeletal changes in the anatomy of the elbow, which might be attributed to the use of a tool, commonly blamed for ergonomic injury among autoworkers. The aim of the feasibility study was to determine if a hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) system could be used to document any physiologic changes. An HCU system with a 12-MHz linear probe was taken portably to image a patient's elbow before and after use of the tool. Increased vascular flow within the muscle tissue was noted, but no changes to the musculature were noted with sonography 1, 12, and 24 hours after prolonged use. The preexperimentally designed case study provided evidence that it was possible to document the elbow and forearm anatomy before and after tool use. Higher level evidence is needed on the ability to use an HCU system to detect musculoskeletal injury at the job site. The portability and high-resolution imaging provided by the specific HCU system used have potential for this innovative clinical application.
An Incidentally Discovered Quadricuspid Aortic Valve
Authors: Chen Michael Anthony , Mcree Denise
Published: April 2009

In this case study, 2D and 3D transesophageal echocardiogram images revealed a quadricuspid aortic valve in a patient undergoing an evaluation for an infection. Quadricuspid aortic valves are rare and frequently associated with other anomalies (most frequently coronary anomalies). They are often discovered incidentally but may become clinically apparent because of valvular dysfunction (most commonly valvular regurgitation). The incidence and clinical aspects of congential quadricuspid aortic valves are reviewed briefly.
Quality of life after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Pidala Joseph , Anasetti Claudio , Jim Heather
Published: April 2009

High-dose therapy with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) offers effective control and potential cure of hematopoietic malignancies, but with the cost of associated morbidity that includes adverse effects on quality of life (QOL). A growing body of literature has characterized this impact. Longitudinal studies suggest early moderate impairments that largely return to pretransplantation levels by day 100; the majority of studies suggest that greater than 60% of patients report good to excellent QOL in years 1 to 4 after HCT. Comparisons of allogeneic HCT with autologous HCT and standard-dose chemotherapy suggest impairments in QOL and a different trajectory of recovery in allogeneic HCT, but these conclusions are limited by confounding variables. Cross-sectional studies suggest larger and more persistent decrements in QOL in comparison with matched noncancer controls and population normative data. Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are significant threats to QOL. Behavioral interventions show promise to maintain or improve quality of life after allogeneic HCT. The review concludes with recommendations to investigators and clinicians as the state of this research advances.
Conventional dendritic cells are the critical donor APC presenting alloantigen after experimental bone marrow transplantation
Authors: Markey Kate A. , Banovic Tatjana , Kuns Rachel D. , Olver Stuart D. , Don Alistair L. J. , Raffelt Neil C. , Wilson Yana A. , Raggatt Liza J. , Pettit Allison R. , Bromberg Jonathan S. , Hill Geoffrey R. , MacDonald Kelli P. A.
Published: April 2009

We have quantified the relative contribution of donor antigen-presenting cell populations to alloantigen presentation after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) by using transgenic T cells that can respond to host-derived alloantigen presented within the donor major histocompatibility complex. We also used additional transgenic/knockout donor mice and/or monoclonal antibodies that allowed conditional depletion of conventional dendritic cells (cDCs), plasmacytoid DC (pDCs), macrophages, or B cells. Using these systems, we demonstrate that donor cDCs are the critical population presenting alloantigen after BMT, whereas pDCs and macrophages do not make a significant contribution in isolation. In addition, alloantigen presentation was significantly enhanced in the absence of donor B cells, confirming a regulatory role for these cells early after transplantation. These data have major implications for the design of therapeutic strategies post-BMT, and suggest that cDC depletion and the promotion of B-cell reconstitution may be beneficial tools for the control of alloreactivity.
GSTMI and GSTTI polymorphisms and nasopharyngeal cancer risk: an evidence-based meta-analysis
Authors: Zhuo Xianlu , Cai Lei , Xiang Zhaolan , Li Qi , Zhang Xueyuan
Published: April 2009

Background

Previous evidence implicates polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1, candidates of phase II enzymes, as risk factors for various cancers. A number of studies have conducted on the association of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphism with susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, inconsistent and inconclusive results have been obtained. In the present study, we aimed to assess the possible associations of NPC risk with GSTM1 and GSTM1 null genotype, respectively.

Methods

The associated literature was acquired through deliberate searching and selected based on the established inclusion criteria for publications, then the extracted data were further analyzed using systematic meta-analyses.

Results

A total of 85 articles were identified, of which eight case-control studies concerning NPC were selected. The results showed that the overall OR was 1.42 (95%CI = 1.21–1.66) for GSTM1 polymorphism. While for GSTT1 polymorphism, the overall OR was 1.12 (95% CI = 0.93–1.34).

Conclusion

The data were proven stable via sensitivity analyses. The results suggest GSTM1 deletion as a risk factor for NPC and failed to suggest a marked correlation of GSTT1 polymorphisms with NPC risk.
High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels and Type 2 Diabetes in Urban North Indians
Authors: Mahajan Anubha , Tabassum Rubina , Chavali Sreenivas , Dwivedi Om Prakash , Bharadwaj Mausumi , Tandon Nikhil , Bharadwaj Dwaipayan
Published: April 2009

Context: Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels have frequently been shown to be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, very little is known about this in Asian Indians, a high-risk group.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the association of hsCRP with T2D and to determine its correlates in North Indians of Indo-European origin.

Design and Patients: A cross-sectional population-based study of 2520 urban subjects, comprising 1410 T2D patients and 1110 nondiabetic subjects, was carried out and 18 metabolic traits were assessed.

Results: Median hsCRP levels were significantly higher in both diabetic men and women as compared to their nondiabetic counterparts (P < 0.0001). Elevated hsCRP was positively associated with T2D (odds ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.21–2.28; P = 0.002) even after adjusting for markers of obesity. After adjustments for age, sex, and BMI, HbA1c was the major correlate of hsCRP in nondiabetic subjects (β = 0.28; P = 0.03). We observed that T2D patients were at higher risk for cardiovascular disease compared to nondiabetic subjects when classified into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups based on hsCRP levels (ptrend = 3.8 ×10−15).

Conclusions: We demonstrate the association of low-grade systemic inflammation, as indicated by elevated hsCRP levels, with T2D in North Indian population. This association was independent of obesity. Obesity and glycemic control were the major correlates of hsCRP levels. Future studies are required to evaluate the influence of modulators including genetic variations on the elevation of hsCRP levels in this population.
Dependent Risk Models with Bivariate Phase-Type Distributions
Authors: Badescu Andrei L. , Cheung Eric C. K. , Landriault David
Published: April 2009

In this paper we consider an extension of the Sparre Andersen insurance risk model by relaxing one of its independence assumptions. The newly proposed dependence structure is introduced through the premise that the joint distribution of the interclaim time and the subsequent claim size is bivariate phase-type (see, e.g. Assaf et al. (1984) and Kulkarni (1989)). Relying on the existing connection between risk processes and fluid flows (see, e.g. Badescu et al. (2005), Badescu, Drekic and Landriault (2007), Ramaswami (2006), and Ahn, Badescu and Ramaswami (2007)), we construct an analytically tractable fluid flow that leads to the analysis of various ruin-related quantities in the aforementioned risk model. Using matrix-analytic methods, we obtain an explicit expression for the Gerber–Shiu discounted penalty function (see Gerber and Shiu (1998)) when the penalty function depends on the deficit at ruin only. Finally, we investigate how some ruin-related quantities involving the surplus immediately prior to ruin can also be analyzed via our fluid flow methodology.
Optimal Stopping of a Brownian Bridge
Authors: Ekström Erik , Wanntorp Henrik
Published: April 2009

We study several optimal stopping problems in which the gains process is a Brownian bridge or a functional of a Brownian bridge. Our examples constitute natural finite-horizon optimal stopping problems with explicit solutions.
Stochastic Ordering of Exponential Family Distributions and Their Mixturesxk
Authors: Yu Yaming
Published: April 2009

We investigate stochastic comparisons between exponential family distributions and their mixtures with respect to the usual stochastic order, the hazard rate order, the reversed hazard rate order, and the likelihood ratio order. A general theorem based on the notion ofrelative log-concavityis shown to unify various specific results for the Poisson, binomial, negative binomial, and gamma distributions in recent literature. By expressing a convolution of gamma distributions with arbitrary scale and shape parameters as a scale mixture of gamma distributions, we obtain comparison theorems concerning such convolutions that generalize some known results. Analogous results on convolutions of negative binomial distributions are also discussed.
Functional diversity of R3 single-repeat genes in trichome development
Authors: Wester Katja , Digiuni Simona , Geier Florian , Timmer Jens , Fleck Christian , Hülskamp Martin
Published: April 2009

Trichome and root hair patterning are governed by a conserved cassette of bHLH and MYB factors, the WD40 protein TTG1, and six single-repeat MYB R3 factors that are thought to counteract them. In this work we focus on the single-repeat R3 factor ETC3 and show that its major role is in the regulation of trichome density in a redundant manner. Diversification of the ETC3 gene has occurred at the promoter level, as etc3mutants can be rescued by expressing ETC3 under the control of the TRY or CPC promoter. ETC3 movement was detected between epidermal cells as well as between the epidermis and underlying tissues. Finally, we found marked differences in the ability of the single-repeat R3 factors to interfere with the dimerisation of GL1 and GL3 in a yeast three-hybrid system, with CPC being the most potent inhibitor followed by ETC1, TRY, ETC3 and ETC2. Mathematical analysis predicts that this behaviour has a major impact on protein mobility, suggesting a tight reverse correlation between inhibitory function and the diffusion/transport range of the inhibitors. This prediction is supported by a comparison of CPC and ETC3 mobility in egl3 gl3 double mutants and 35S:GL3 lines.
An essential role for ClC-4 in transferrin receptor function revealed in studies of fibroblasts derived from Clcn4-null mice
Authors: Mohammad-Panah Raha , Wellhauser Leigh , Steinberg Benjamin E. , Wang Yanchun , Huan Ling Jun , Liu Xiang-Dong , Bear Christine E.
Published: April 2009

ClC-4 is closely related to ClC-5, a member of the ClC family of transporters and channels. Unlike ClC-5, for which a role in the regulation of endosomal function was well established, the cellular function of ClC-4 was uncertain. In the present study, we tested for a specific role for ClC-4 in recycling endosomes by comparing transferrin (Tfn) receptor function in primary cell lines generated from ClC-4-null mice and their wild-type siblings. We found that endosomal pH is relatively alkaline and receptor-mediated uptake of Tfn is reduced in ClC-4-null fibroblasts. Surprisingly, this reduction in Tfn uptake occurs, despite a minor increase in the total surface expression of the Tfn receptor in ClC-4-null fibroblasts. As impaired Tfn uptake by ClC-4-null fibroblasts could be rescued to wild-type levels by addition of the iron chelator: desoxiferramine, the primary defect in these cells is related to the failure of iron to dissociate from Tfn, a pH-dependent event in endosomes that precedes the dissociation of Tfn from its receptor at the cell surface. Interestingly, ClC-4 depletion had no effect on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) trafficking to lysosomes for degradation pointing to its specific role in recycling endosomes. These observations provide direct evidence supporting an essential role for ClC-4 in the modulation of Tfn receptor accessibility at the cell surface through its role in endosomal acidification.
Insulin Glulisine: An Evaluation of Its Pharmacodynamic Properties and Clinical Application
Authors: Helms Kristen L , Kelley Kristi W
Published: April 2009

Objective:

To evaluate the pharmacodynamic properties, efficacy, safety, and clinical application of insulin glulisine, a rapid-acting insulin analog, in the treatment of diabetes mellitus in ambulatory and hospitalized patients.

Data Sources:

Searches were performed with the headings glulisine, insulin analog, [LysB3, GluB29] insulin, insulin glulisine, rDNA insulin, rapid-acting insulin, SoloStar, safety, efficacy, pharmacodynamics, and cost analysts within MEDLINE and PubMed, American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Sanofi-aventis Pharmaceuticals (1990–August 2008).

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and postmarketing trials examining the efficacy and safety of glulisine in type 1 or type 2 diabetes were reviewed. Studies published as abstracts and the manufacturer's product information supplemented data absent from clinical trials.

Data Synthesis:

Insulin glulisine is a rapid-acting insulin with relative equivalence in efficacy and safety to other short- and rapid-acting insulins. Glulisine's onset of action of 20 minutes and 4-hour duration of action allow for bolus administration 15–20 minutes prior to or up to 20 minutes after meals. Clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy in adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Several studies indicated a statistically significant decrease of hemoglobin A1C (A1C) with glulisine compared with regular insulin (0.10 decrease); however, no difference in A1C control was found compared with insulin aspart or lispro, Significant adverse effects appear to be limited to localized and systemic allergic reactions and hypoglycemia.

Conclusions:

Insulin glulisine is a safe and effective rapid-acting insulin analog for the treatment of adults with diabetes. Clinical benefit over other short- and rapid-acting insulin products is not established. Addition of insulin glulisine to a formulary should be based on institution-specific availability and cost differences between glulisine, lispro, and aspart in the absence of superiority of clinical efficacy or safety and data beyond 26 weeks.
Topiramate in Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Alderman Christopher P , McCarthy Linda C , Condon John T , Marwood Anita C , Fuller Judith R
Published: April 2009

Background:

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling psychiatric disorder that is common among combat veterans and may lead to very poor sleep and disturbing nightmares.

Objective:

To examine the safety and effectiveness of topiramate as add-on therapy for the management of combat-related PTSD and to examine the effects of topiramate on sleep and alcohol consumption.

Methods:

We conducted an 8-week open-label pilot study of topiramate (or male combat veterans (N = 43) with PTSD, with analysis of veterans who completed the protocol. Psychometric, sleep, and alcohol consumption assessments were conducted at baseline and at week 8.

Results:

Twenty-nine subjects completed the 8-week study. Significant reductions in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale scores were observed at the 8-week endpoint (from 86,3 ± 21.1 to 67.1 ± 25.1; p < 0.01). Decreases were seen in both Stanford Sleepiness Scale scores (from 10.5 ± 0.72 to 9.0 ± 0.58; p = 0.08) and Mississippi PTSD scores (from 120.4 ± 6.5 to 111.5 ± 20.9; p = 0.08), but the extent of the changes did not attain statistical significance for either scale. There was a significant reduction in the proportion of patients with nightmares (from 100% to 62%; p < 0.001) and patients who experienced anxiety that interfered with falling asleep (from 90% to 62%; p < 0.05). The proportion of patients with high-risk drinking patterns also decreased (from 31% to 14%). Two serious adverse events were reported during the study: an increase in tow back pain and an episode of acute confusion.

Conclusions:

When used in addition to other empiric therapy, topiramate may be effective at reducing general symptoms of combat-related PTSD and reducing high-risk alcohol intake and nightmares. Further randomized controlled trials of topiramate for the treatment of combat-related PTSD are warranted.
Mitigation of Medication Mishaps via Medication Therapy Management
Authors: Pindolia Vanita K , Stebelsky Lesia , Romain Tanya M , Luoma Lori , Nowak Sandra N , Gillanders Fadwa
Published: April 2009

Background:

In 2006. the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services incorporated the requirement for a Medication Therapy Management Program (MTMP) for individuals with Part D coverage to ensure that drug regimens provide optimal therapeutic outcomes through improved medication use, thereby reducing adverse drug events.

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of an MTMP implemented for Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug members enrolled with Health Alliance Plan (HAP) during 2006 and 2007.

Methods:

Patient eligibility for MTMP was searched electronically. Clinical pharmacists researched medication histories and adherence and, through telephone contact, ascertained the patients' healthcare goals and needs. A patient-centered pharmacotherapy plan was created and implemented collaboratively with the patient's physician(s). To ensure that therapy goals were met, pharmacists performed follow-up interventions. Clinical outcomes and cost savings were compared for MTMP enrollees versus those declining enrollment.

Results:

Average enrollment rate for the MTMP was 20% for 2006 and 2007. Nearly 60% of interventions involved changing therapy to improve efficacy and greater than 40% involved changing therapy to improve safety. Analysis of 2006 data revealed an overall improvement in electronically measurable clinical outcomes for MTMP enrollees versus individuals who declined enrollment, including a trend toward improved adherence to drug therapy for heart failure, insulin use, and a significant reduction in gastrointestinal bleeds (p = 0.001). Cost-savings analysis indicated a greater reduction in total prescription per member per month costs ($PMPM) of 17.2% for MTMP enrollees versus a 7% reduction for those who declined MTMP (p = 0.001). Patients who enrolled into the 2006 MTMP also saw a sustained positive effect in lowered $PMPM for prescription drugs in 2007.

Conclusions:

The HAP MTMP, conducted through telephone contacts, produced positive trends in improving clinical outcomes, reductions in pharmacy costs, and sustained pharmacy cost savings for patients who enrolled in the MTMP compared with patients who declined enrollment.