bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distortion product otoacoustic emissions and basilar membrane vibration in the 6–9kHz region of sensitive chinchilla cochleae
Authors: Rhode William S.
Published: January 2008

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and basilar membrane (BM) vibration were measured simultaneously in the 6–9kHz region of chinchilla cochleae. BM-Input-Output functions in a two-tone paradigm behaved similarly to DPOAEs for the 2f1–f2 component, nonmonotonic growth with the intensity of the lower frequency primary and a notch in the functions around 60dB SPL. Ripples in frequency functions occur in both BM and OAE curves as a function of the distortion frequency. Optimum f2/f1 ratios for DPOAE generation are near 1.2. The slope of phase curves indicates that for low f2∕f1(<1.1) the emission source is the place location while for f2∕f1>1.1 the relative constancy of the phase function suggests that the place is the nonlinear region of f2, i.e., the wave location. Magnitudes of the DPOAEs increase rapidly above 60dB SPL suggesting a different source or mechanism at high levels. This is supported by the observation that the high level DPOAE and BM-DP responses remain for a considerable period postmortem.
Porous metal absorbers for underwater sound
Authors: Wang Xiaolin
Published: January 2008

Rubber has traditionally been used for underwater sound absorption. Porous metal is a relatively lightweight material and also has higher strength than rubber. However, exactly how porous metals can be used as effective underwater sound absorbers remains unclear. This paper shows how to use porous metal absorbers so that they work well under water, even under fairly constrained conditions. A method of nondimensional analysis is proposed that allows identification of vital characteristics. This means that such characteristics can be varied and the absorbers themselves filled with different types of viscous fluids. Such analysis suggests that the sound absorption coefficient of porous metals does not always increase when there are either increases in porosity or decreases in average pore size. The same method of analysis can show how, by choice of the right characteristics to choose a suitable viscous fluid, a porous metal absorber can be built that takes up little space but still effectively absorbs underwater sounds at low frequencies.
UL74 of Human Cytomegalovirus Contributes to Virus Release by Promoting Secondary Envelopment of Virions
Authors: Jiang Xiao Jing , Adler Barbara , Sampaio Kerstin Laib , Digel Margarete , Jahn Gerhard , Ettischer Nicole , Stierhof York-Dieter , Scrivano Laura , Koszinowski Ulrich , Mach Michael , Sinzger Christian
Published: January 2008

The glycoprotein (g) complex gH/gL represents an essential part of the herpesvirus fusion machinery mediating entry of cell-free virions and cell-associated viral spread. In some herpesviruses additional proteins are associated with gH/gL contributing to the cell tropism of the respective virus. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) gH/gL forms complexes with either gO (UL74) or proteins of the UL128-131A gene locus. While a contribution of UL128-131A to endothelial cell tropism is known, the role of gO is less clear. We studied the role of gH/gL-associated proteins in HCMV replication in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Deletions of UL74 alone or in combination with mutations of the UL128-131A gene region were introduced into bacterial artificial chromosome vectors derived from the endotheliotropic strain TB40/E. Deletion of UL74 caused a profound defect regarding virus release from infected HFF and HUVEC. Large numbers of capsids accumulated in the cytoplasm of infected HFF but failed to acquire an envelope. Clear cell type differences were observed in the cell-associated spread of the UL74-defective virus. In HFF, focal growth was severely impaired, whereas it was normal in HUVEC. Deletion of UL131A abolished focal growth in endothelial cells. UL74/UL128-131A dual mutants showed severely impaired reconstitution efficiency. Our data suggest that gO plays a critical role in secondary envelopment and release of cell-free virions independent of the cell type but affects cell-associated growth specifically in HFF, whereas UL128-131A contributes to cell-associated spread in HFF and HUVEC.
Optic nerve sheath diameter, intracranial pressure and acute mountain sickness on Mount Everest: a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Sutherland A I , Morris D S , Owen C G , Bron A J , Roach R C
Published: January 2008

Objective:

To investigate the association of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), as a correlate of intracranial pressure (ICP), with acute mountain sickness (AMS).

Design:

Longitudinal cohort study of mountaineers from sea level to 6400 m.

Setting:

Mount Everest (North side).

Participants:

13 mountaineers (10 men, 3 women; aged 23–52 years) on a British expedition to climb Mount Everest.

Interventions:

ONSD was measured ultrasonically, 3 mm behind the globe using B scans recorded with an OTI-Scan 3D scanner (Ophthalmic Technologies, Canada). Serial binocular scans were recorded at sea level, and 2000, 3700, 5200 and 6400 m. All ONSDs were measured by a blinded observer.

Main outcome measures:

ONSD, AMS score (using the Lake Louise scoring system), heart rate, and oxygen saturation levels.

Results:

All results were analysed by regression analysis with adjustment. ONSD was positively associated with increasing altitude above sea level (0.10 mm increase in ONSD per 1000 m, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.14 mm) and AMS score (0.12 mm per score, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.18 mm); further associations were found with resting heart rate (0.29 mm per 20 beats/min, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.41 mm) and oxygen saturations (0.20 mm per 10% decrease, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.29 mm).

Conclusions:

ONSD increases at high altitude, and this increase is associated with more severe symptoms of AMS. Given the linkage between ONSD and ICP, these results strongly suggest that intracranial pressure plays an important role in the pathophysiology of AMS.
Ontogenetic development of the endangered Atlantic whitefish (Coregonus huntsmaniScott, 1987) eggs, embryos, larvae, and juveniles
Authors: Hasselman D.J. , Whitelaw J. , Bradford R.G.
Published: January 2008

Atlantic whitefish ( Coregonus huntsmani Scott, 1987 ) are an endangered species endemic to Canada and are known only from Nova Scotia. Information concerning their early life-history stages — not previously described — is required to support several recovery actions under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). We describe the ontogenetic development of Atlantic whitefish eggs, larvae, and juveniles acquired through captive-mating of wild-caught adults, following criteria established for fishes in general and for other North American coregonine species where possible. We then conduct interspecific comparisons between Atlantic whitefish and the two most closely phylogenetically related species (i.e., lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill, 1818)) and cisco ( Coregonus artedii Lesueur, 1818)) to (i) identify ontogenetic differences that may facilitate field identification, (ii) determine whether differences at common ontogenetic milestones reinforce the recognition of Atlantic whitefish at the species level, and (iii) comment on whether these differences are consistent with the putative ancestral status of Atlantic whitefish. Interspecific differences were observed at all ontogenetic stages, several of which may serve as field identification criteria. Evidence for heterochrony during embryogenesis, as well as interspecific differences in egg size, myomere counts, and pigmentation patterns, substantiate the recognition of Atlantic whitefish as a valid species and support its putative ancestral status.
Population structure and mantle display polymorphisms in the wavy-rayed lampmussel, Lampsilis fasciola (Bivalvia: Unionidae)
Authors: Zanatta David T. , Fraley Stephen J. , Murphy Robert W.
Published: January 2008

Genotypes from 10 polymorphic DNA microsatellite loci were used to make assessments of population structure, measurements of gene flow, and attempts to genetically segregate polymorphic host fish-attracting mantle displays for the wavy-rayed lampmussel, Lampsilis fasciola Rafinesque, 1820 — an endangered species in Canada. Specimens were collected from seven localities — six in the Great Lakes drainages of Ontario, Canada, and one from the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina, USA. Four distinct and sympatric mantle display morphologies were observed on female L. fasciola. Displays could not be distinguished genetically using analysis of molecular variance and genotypic assignment tests. The diversity of mantle displays was correlated with the overall genetic diversity observed among populations of L. fasciola. In managing populations of L. fasciola for propagation, augmentation, and translocation, polymorphic lures should be represented in proportion to what is observed in wild populations. Through moderately high FSTvalues and high assignment to population in genotype assignment tests, genetic structure was evident among the river drainages. Within-drainage gene flow was very high, and sampling localities within the Ontario drainages displayed panmixia. Efforts in artificial propagation and possible translocations to reintroduce or augment populations should be made to maintain the substantial levels of genetic variation while maintaining distinctiveness.
Water requirements as a bottleneck in the reintroduction of European roe deer to the southern edge of its range
Authors: Wallach Arian D. , Inbar Moshe , Scantlebury Michael , Speakman John R. , Shanas Uri
Published: January 2008

Success rates of reintroduction programs are low, often owing to a lack of knowledge of site-specific ecological requirements. A reintroduction program of European roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus (L., 1758)) in a dry Mediterranean region in Israel provides an opportunity to study the bottleneck effect of water requirements on a mesic-adapted species. Four does were hand-reared and released in a 10 ha site consisting of an early succession scrubland and a mature oak forest. We measured daily energy expenditure (DEE) and water turnover (WTO) using the doubly labeled water technique during summer and winter. DEE was similar in the summer and winter, but there was a significant difference in WTO and in the source of gained water. In winter, WTO was 3.3 L/day, of which 67% was obtained from vegetation. In summer, WTO dropped to 2.1 L/day, of which only 20% was obtained from the diet and 76% was gained from drinking. When the water source was moved to a nonpreferred habitat, drinking frequency dropped significantly, but water consumption remained constant. In a dry Mediterranean environment, availability of free water is both a physiological contraint and a behavioral constraint for roe deer. This study demonstrates the importance of physiological and behavioral feasibility studies for reintroduction programs.
ENTANGLEMENT GENERATION AND CONCENTRATION VIA ADIABATIC EVOLUTION WITH TRAPPED IONS
Authors: DONG PING , ZHANG GANG , YANG MING , CAO ZHUO-LIANG
Published: January 2008

We propose two schemes via adiabatic evolution of dark eigenstates in an ion trap system. One is an entanglement generation of multi-ion cluster states, the other is entanglement concentration via entanglement swapping. Our schemes are robust against moderate fluctuations of experimental parameters since we utilize the adiabatic passage in the main procedure. The current idea can be generalized to other systems.
CHOOSING REAL-TIME PREDICTORS FOR VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIA DETECTION
Authors: RIBEIRO BERNARDETE , MARQUES AMÂNDIO , HENRIQUES JORGE , ANTUNES MANUEL
Published: January 2008

The risk of developing life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in patients with structural heart disease is higher with increased occurrence of premature ventricular complex (PVC). Therefore, reliable detection of these arrhythmias is a challenge for a cardiovascular diagnosis system. While early diagnosis is critical, the task of its automatic detection and classification becomes crucial. Therefore, the underlying models should be efficient, albeit ensuring robustness. Although neural networks (NN) have proven successful in this setting, we show that kernel-based learning algorithms achieve superior performance. In particular, recently developed sparse Bayesian methods, such as, Relevance Vector Machines (RVM), present a parsimonious solution when compared with Support Vector Machines (SVM), yet revealing competitive accuracy. This can lead to significant reduction in the computational complexity of the decision function, thereby making RVM more suitable for real-time applications.
ON COMPONENT FAILURES' DEPENDENCY INFLUENCE ON SYSTEM'S LIFETIME
Authors: BLOKUS-ROSZKOWSKA AGNIESZKA
Published: January 2008

In the paper the results of the reliability investigation of multi-state homogeneous parallel-series systems with independent and dependent components are presented. The multi-state reliability functions of such systems and other reliability characteristics in both cases are determined under the assumption that their components have exponential reliability function. Moreover the asymptotic approach to the reliability evaluation of these systems is also presented and the classes of limit reliability functions for the considered systems in both cases are fixed. Finally, the presented theoretical results are applied to the reliability evaluation of the shipyard rope transportation system. The comparison of the multi-state exact and limit reliability functions of the considered transportation system under the assumption that its components are independent and under the assumption that its components have failure dependency is performed and illustrated graphically.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF SECURITY ATTRIBUTES OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Authors: JÓŹWIAK IRENEUSZ J. , LASKOWSKI WOJCIECH
Published: January 2008

In this paper the chosen attributes of security are analyzed from statistical point of view. We hope that thanks to such approach we will be able to reach some characteristics of security incidents occurrence. Moreover, we hope to use our results to build security attributes metrics. In addition, we present thesis that because a prediction of occurrence of incidents is rather impossible it is need to focus on registration of incidents type. The frequency of occurences of incidents is one of the basic characteristic. In connection with case study of these incidents it is possible to formulate conclusions about drawbacks in configurations of computer systems. In our research we have observed that in case of some class of computer systems, the availability incidents are the most dangerous. And we conclude that only using technologies with good reliability characteristics can lead to solving this problem.
AN ANALYTICAL SOLUTION TO THE PERSPECTIVE-N-POINT PROBLEM FOR COMMON PLANAR CAMERA AND FOR CATADIOPTRIC SENSOR
Authors: FABRIZIO JONATHAN , DEVARS JEAN
Published: January 2008

The Perspective-N-Point problem (PNP) is a notable problem in computer vision. It consists of given N points known in an object coordinate space and their projection onto the image, estimating the distance between the video camera and the set of points. By the use of an unusual formulation, we propose a method to get a strictly analytical solution based on the resolution of linear systems. This solution can be computed instantly and is well adapted to real time computer vision applications. Our approach is general enough to work with a nonlinear sensor like a catadioptric panoramic sensor. To improve the localization accuracy, we also provide a technique to correct geometrical distortion. This algorithm also corrects little errors on intrinsic and extrinsic parameters. Well implemented, this correction can be performed in real time.
LINEAR FEATURES EXTRACTION WITH AN ORIENTATION CONSTRAINED PROBABILISTIC HOUGH TRANSFORM
Authors: CHANG KUAN-TSUNG , SHIH TIAN-YUAN
Published: January 2008

This study proposed a Hough Transform algorithm based on the probabilistic scheme termed as the Orientation Constrained Probabilistic Hough Transform. The orientation constraints for segmentation are applied to form compact and reliable sampling subsets. This process is subsequently followed by constrained searching. Numerical experiments are performed with both synthetic and real datasets indicate that the proposed method performs better than other algorithms in terms of correctness and omission rate. Moreover, computational time deemed necessary is much less than that for other algorithms.
HYBRID CAMERA POSE ESTIMATION COMBINING SQUARE FIDUCIALS LOCALIZATION TECHNIQUE AND ORTHOGONAL ITERATION ALGORITHM
Authors: DIDIER JEAN-YVES , ABABSA FAKHR-EDDINE , MALLEM MALIK
Published: January 2008

Camera pose estimation from video images is a fundamental problem in machine vision and Augmented Reality (AR) systems. Most developed solutions are either linear for both n points and n lines, or iterative depending on nonlinear optimization of some geometric constraints. In this paper, we first survey several existing methods and compare their performances in an AR context. Then, we present a new linear algorithm which is based on square fiducials localization technique to give a closed-form solution to the pose estimation problem, free of any initialization. We also propose an hybrid technique which combines an iterative method, in fact the orthogonal iteration (OI) algorithm, with our own closed form solution. An evaluation of the methods has shown that this hybrid pose estimation technique is accurate and robust. Numerical experiments from real data are given comparing the performances of our hybrid method with several iterative techniques, and demonstrating the efficiency of our approach.
SUBDIFFERENTIAL OF THE LARGEST EIGENVALUE OF A SYMMETRICAL MATRIX APPLICATION OF DIRECT PROJECTION METHODS
Authors: VALLEE CLAUDE , FORTUNE DANIELLE , LERINTIU CAMELIA
Published: January 2008

In many physical circumstances, for example, in studying the linear vibrations of a mechanical or acoustical system, a key tool is to determine numerically the components of the eigenvectors associated with the largest eigenvalue of a symmetrical matrix with real coefficients. To find out the largest eigenvalue λ1(S) of such a symmetrical n × n matrix S, the well-known Rayleigh's method consists in maximizing the quotient (VTSV)/(VTV) among all the nonvanishing vectors V of ℝn. When the eigenvalue λ1(S) is simple, the maximum is attained for vectors V colinear to a unit eigenvector N, and the function λ1 is differentiable with the projector NNT over the direction N as a gradient. When the largest eigenvalue is not simple, the function λ1 is no longer differentiable; it remains convex, but the subdifferential ∂λ1(S) is not reduced to a single gradient. This paper is devoted to determine the subgradients therein ∂λ1(S) by direct methods that do not require the preliminary determination of λ1(S).
The role of macrophage leptin receptor in aortic root lesion formation
Authors: Surmi Bonnie K. , Atkinson Robin D. , Gruen Marnie L. , Coenen Kimberly R. , Hasty Alyssa H.
Published: January 2008

Plasma leptin is often elevated in obese individuals, and previous studies have suggested leptin as a factor that links obesity and atherosclerosis. Because macrophages play a key role in atherogenesis and are responsive to leptin, we hypothesized that leptin increases aortic root lesion formation, in part, through macrophage leptin receptor (LepR). Three different bone marrow transplantation studies were conducted in which bone marrow, with or without LepR, was transplanted into lethally irradiated 1) LDL receptor-deficient (LDLR−/−) mice with moderate hyperleptinemia due to Western diet (WD) feeding, 2) LDLR−/− mice with WD feeding plus pharmacologically induced hyperleptinemia (daily injection of 125 μg leptin), or 3) obese, hyperleptinemic, LepR-deficient LDLR−/− (LepR db/db;LDLR−/−) mice. Minor differences in plasma parameters such as cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin were observed in some groups; however, a consistent trend for the role of LepR on these parameters was not detected. In each of the studies, macrophage LepR expression did not have an effect on aortic root atherosclerotic lesion formation. These results suggest that nonhematopoietic cells may have a more significant role than macrophages in leptin-mediated effects on aortic root lesion formation.
Estradiol increases urethral tone through the local inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression
Authors: Gamé Xavier , Allard Julien , Escourrou Ghislaine , Gourdy Pierre , Tack Ivan , Rischmann Pascal , Arnal Jean-François , Malavaud Bernard
Published: January 2008

Estrogens are known to modulate lower urinary tract (LUT) trophicity and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in several organs. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of endogenous and supraestrus levels of 17β-estradiol (E2) on LUT and urethral nNOS expression and function. LUT function and histology and urethral nNOS expression were studied in adult female mice subjected either to sham surgery, surgical castration, or castration plus chronic E2 supplementation (80 μg·kg−1·day−1, i.e., pregnancy level). The micturition pattern was profoundly altered by long-term supraestrus levels of E2 with decreased frequency paralleled by increased residual volumes higher than those of ovariectomized mice. Urethral resistance was increased twofold in E2-treated mice, with no structural changes in urethra, supporting a pure tonic mechanism. Acute nNOS inhibition by 7-nitroindazole decreased frequency and increased residual volumes in ovariectomized mice but had no additive effect on the micturition pattern of long-term supraestrus mice, showing that long-term supraestrus E2 levels and acute inhibition of nNOS activity had similar functional effects. Finally, E2 decreased urethral nNOS expression in ovariectomized mice. Long-term supraestrus levels of E2 increased urethral tone through inhibition of nNOS expression, whereas physiological levels of E2 had no effect.
Chemotherapy-induced pica and anorexia are reduced by common hepatic branch vagotomy in the rat
Authors: De Jonghe Bart C. , Horn Charles C.
Published: January 2008

Anticancer agents, such as cisplatin, induce vomiting, nausea, and anorexia. Cisplatin primarily acts on vagal afferents to produce emesis, but little is known about how this drug generates nausea and anorexia. Electrophysiology indicates that cisplatin activates vagal afferents of the common hepatic branch (CHB). Rats lack an emetic response but do ingest kaolin clay (a pica response) when made sick by toxins, and this behavior can be inhibited by antiemetic drugs. It has been postulated that pica may serve as a proxy for emesis in the rat. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of CHB or ventral gastric (Gas) or celiac (Cel) branch vagotomies on pica and anorexia produced by cisplatin in the rat. The effects of apomorphine, a dopamine receptor agonist, which induces emesis via a central mechanism, were also assessed. Cisplatin-induced pica was suppressed by CHB vagotomy (a 61% reduction) but not by Gas and Cel vagotomy. Suppression of daily food intake and body weight following cisplatin treatment was also blunted by CHB ablation but not by Gas or Cel vagotomy. No vagotomy condition exhibited altered apomorphine-induced pica. The results indicate that the CHB, which innervates primarily the duodenum, plays an important role in cisplatin-induced malaise. These data suggest that pica has sensory pathways similar to emetic systems, since a vagotomy condition inhibited cisplatin-induced pica but had no effect on apomorphine-induced pica. This investigation contributes to the delineation of the physiology of pica and neural systems involved in malaise in the nonvomiting rat.
Typology of Injection Profiles of Clients of a Supervised Drug Consumption Facility in Geneva, Switzerland
Authors: Dubois-Arber Françoise , Benninghoff Fabienne , Jeannin André
Published: January 2008

The use of a supervised drug consumption room (DCR) in a newly established low threshold facility in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2002 is analyzed. Two sources of routine data were used: data collected at the first visit by any new client (entry questionnaire) which included some personal details, and data collected on the substances injected at each visit to the DCR. A typology of injection profiles was constructed. Overall, the mean number of injections and days of visits per client over the year was low and cocaine was the main substance injected. However, an important heterogeneity in the use of the DCR was found and five types of clients identified: 1-day clients; standard clients; heroin-oriented clients; high cocaine consumption clients, and newcomers. Typology was associated with some characteristics at the first visit and the drug consumption pattern in the month preceding the first visit was in accordance with the subsequent use of the DCR. This heterogeneity in the use of the DCR highlights the diverse roles of the DCRs in harm reduction.
College Students’ Drinking Patterns: Trajectories of AUDIT Scores during the First Four Years at University
Authors: Johnsson Kent O. , Leifman Anders , Berglund Mats
Published: January 2008

Aims: Changes in AUDIT score trajectories were examined in a student population during their first 4 years at a university, including high-risk consumers and a subsample of low-risk consumers. Method: 359 students were selected for the present study, comprising all high-risk consumers (the 27% with highest scores, i.e. 11 for males and 7 for females) and a randomized sample of low-risk consumers (n = 177 and 182, respectively). The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) was used as screening instrument. Trajectory analyses were made using a semiparametric group-based model. Results: In the low-AUDIT group, five distinct trajectories were identified: three stable non-risky consumption groups (83%) and two increasing groups (17%; from non-risky to risky). In the high-AUDIT group, three groups were identified: two stable high groups (58%) and one decreasing group (from risky to non-risky consumption; 41%). In the integrated model, stable risky consumption comprised 16% of the total sample, decreasing consumption 11%, increasing consumption comprised 13% and stable non-risky consumption 60% of the sample. Gender influenced the trajectories. Conclusion: The pattern of changes in risk consumption is similar to that found in corresponding US studies.
Association between Heroin Dependence and 5-HT2A Receptor Gene Polymorphisms
Authors: Sáiz P.A. , García-Portilla M.P. , Arango C. , Morales B. , Martínez-Barrondo S. , Alvarez C. , San Narciso G. , Carreño E. , Alvarez V. , Coto E. , Bobes J.
Published: January 2008

Objective: To investigate the association between four polymorphisms of the 5-HT2A receptor and 5-HT transporter genes and heroin dependence. Methods: 113 heroin- dependent patients (DSM-IV criteria) and 420 unrelated healthy controls from Asturias (Northern Spain) were genotyped using standard methods. Results: There was an apparent difference in the distribution of genotypes for A-1438G polymorphisms (p = 0.024, not significant after Bonferroni correction). The 5-HT2A -1438A allele was significantly more common in patients than controls [0.55 and 0.45, respectively; corrected p = 0.042, OR = 1.51 (95% CI = 1.13–2.03)]. An interaction was observed between A-1438G of 5-HT2A and 5-HTT polymorphisms. The association between the -1438AA vs. AG/GG genotypes and heroin dependence was enhanced in the presence of 12-repeat 5-HTT VNTR and short 5-HTTLPR alleles [24.8% in heroin-dependent patients vs. 12.6% in controls; corrected p = 0.045, OR = 2.28 (95% CI = 1.36–3.82)]. Conclusions: Our findings support a contribution of the 5-HT2A gene to susceptibility to heroin dependence, as well as a possible synergistic effect of 5-HT2A and 5-HTT genes on susceptibility to heroin dependence.
School Context Variables and Students’ Smoking
Authors: Piontek Daniela , Buehler Anneke , Donath Carolin , Floeter Stephanie , Rudolph Udo , Metz Karin , Gradl Sabine , Kroeger Christoph
Published: January 2008

Background/Aims: This study applied a multilevel approach to examine the associations between school smoking policy and student smoking. It was tested whether individual characteristics are mediators of school policy effects. Methods: On the basis of cross-sectional data from 3,364 students and school principals from 40 schools in Germany, two multilevel nonlinear regression models were computed for current smoking. Results: In the first model, controlling for individual factors not influenced by school, smoking bans for students and evidence-based prevention activities were negatively associated with smoking prevalence. The second model included student characteristics potentially influenced by school (e.g. school engagement, peer smoking). As school variables remained significant, these characteristics obviously do not mediate school context effects. Conclusion: School context variables influence students’ smoking independent of individual factors. The data suggest that individual variables rather mediate family influences.
Impact of Water Quality and Dialysis Fluid Composition on Dialysis Practice
Authors: Hoenich Nicholas , Thijssen Stephan , Kitzler Thomas , Levin Robert , Ronco Claudio
Published: January 2008

An essential but frequently neglected aspect of dialysis treatment is the dialysis fluid produced by blending treated tap water with concentrated solutions containing electrolytes and buffer. Chemical and microbiological contaminants as well as the electrolyte and buffer composition of the dialysis fluid play major roles in the induction or modulation of morbidity associated with regular dialysis therapy.
Case Report of Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis: The Interpretation of Functional and Structural Peritoneal Changes
Authors: Diaz-Buxo Jose A.
Published: January 2008

A case report describing the evolution of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is presented to illustrate some of the functional and structural peritoneal membrane changes characteristic of this complication of peritoneal dialysis. The appropriate monitoring of peritoneal transport rates and ultrafiltration, together with attention to clinical signs and symptoms, are essential to the early diagnosis of peritoneal membrane deterioration. Recent reports suggest that timely interventions such as a peritoneal membrane rest period may effectively halt the progression of these functional and structural changes. While the optimal surgical and pharmacological treatment of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis remains uncertain, the latest literature provides a certain degree of optimism.
Obesity in Chronic Kidney Disease: Good or Bad?
Authors: Axelsson Jonas
Published: January 2008

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. As traditional risk factors cannot alone explain the high prevalence and incidence of CVD in this high-risk population, the complex of insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction has increasingly been studied as important non-traditional risk factors. Recent studies show that the adipose tissue is a complex organ with functions far beyond the mere storage of energy. Indeed, it has recently been shown that fat tissue secretes a number of adipokines – including leptin, adiponectin and retinol-binding protein, as well as cytokines such as resistin, visfatin, tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6. Adipokine serum levels are furthermore markedly elevated in CKD, likely due to a decreased renal excretion. Evidence suggests that these pluripotent signaling molecules may have multiple effects modulating insulin signaling, endothelial health and putatively CVD. As fat tissue is also a storage depot for energy, much needed in the catabolic milieu of uremia, further research is still needed to elucidate the likely complex interactions between these signaling networks, vascular health and outcome in this high-risk population.
How to Manage Elderly Patients with Chronic Renal Failure: Conservative Management versus Dialysis
Authors: Brunori Giuliano , Viola Battista Fabio , Maiorca Paolo , Cancarini Giovanni
Published: January 2008

Over the past decade the number of elderly patients reaching end-stage renal disease has more than doubled. A fundamental medical decision that nephrologists commonly have to make is when to start dialytic treatment in elderly patients. Evidence is needed to inform about decision-making for or against dialysis, in particular in those patients frequently affected by multiple comorbidities for which dialysis may not increase survival. In fact, this decision affects quality of life, incurs significant financial costs, and finally mandates use of precious dialysis resources. The negative consequence of initiating dialysis in this group of patients can be deleterious as elderly people are sensitive to lifestyle changes. Furthermore, among dialysis patients, the elderly suffer the highest overall hospitalization and complication rates and most truncated life expectancy on dialysis of any age group. Studies of the factors that affect outcomes in elderly patients on dialysis, or the possibility in postponing in a safe way the start of a dialytic treatment, were lacking until recent years. Recently in the literature, papers have been published that address these questions: the effects of dialysis on morbidity and mortality in elderly patients and the use of a supplemented very low protein diet (sVLPD) in postponing the start of dialysis in elderly. The first study demonstrated that, although dialysis is generally associated with longer survival in patients aged >75 years, those with multiple comorbidities, ischemic heart disease in particular, do not survive longer than those treated conservatively. The second one is a randomized controlled study that compared a sVLPD with dialysis in 112 non-diabetic patients aged >70 years. Survival was not different between the two groups and the number of hospitalizations and days spent in hospital were significantly lower in those on a sVLPD. These studies add to the limited evidence that is currently available to inform elderly patients, their carers and their physicians about the risk and the benefit of dialysis.
Bath PUVA and Psoriasis: Is a Milder Treatment a Worse Treatment?
Authors: Delrosso G. , Bornacina C. , Farinelli P. , Bellinzona F. , Leigheb G. , Colombo E.
Published: January 2008

Background/Aim: The guidelines of the British Photodermatology Group for topical treatment with psoralen and ultraviolet light (PUVA) recommend starting UVA doses between 0.2 and 0.5 J/cm2, according to the phototype. Our purpose was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of bath PUVA, with 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), by using lower UVA doses, regardless of phototype. Methods: We compared 2 groups of patients (group 1: n = 10, group 2: n = 20) with chronic plaque-type psoriasis. Group 1 was treated with the usual starting dose and dose progression; group 2 was treated by using a lower first dose, a slower dose progression and reaching a lower maximum dose. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score was assessed at the initial stages, and every month until the end of the treatment. Results: In group 1, the median baseline PASI score decreased from 15.2 to 4.5 (p < 0.005, Student’s paired t test), while in group 2, it fell from 13.7 to 4.1 (p < 0.005). No statistical difference between the groups is detectable. Severe phototoxic reactions were observed only in 2 patients of group 1. Side effects were not observed in group 2. Conclusions: Our data indicate that an aggressive bath PUVA treatment is not substantially more effective in clearing chronic plaque-type psoriasis than a milder therapeutic approach.
Minocycline-Induced DRESS: Evidence for Accumulation of the Culprit Drug
Authors: Maubec Eve , Wolkenstein Pierre , Loriot Marie-Anne , Wechsler Janine , Mulot Claire , Beaune Philippe , Revuz Jean , Roujeau Jean-Claude
Published: January 2008

Background: Minocycline-induced drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) may have a prolonged course, especially in African and African-American patients. Objectives: To determine if a prolonged course of minocycline-induced DRESS was associated with an accumulation of the culprit drug. Patients and Methods: We determined plasma and skin levels of minocycline in patients with minocycline-induced DRESS. We investigated the genetic polymorphisms of enzymes potentially involved in the detoxification of the drug, glutathione S-transferases and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases. Results and Conclusions: We demonstrated the persistence of minocycline in the plasma and/or in the skin of 7 out of 9 patients with skin phototypes V–VI. As pigmented skin contains more melanin, this could promote the formation of a melanin-minocycline complex, which could explain the severe and prolonged DRESS which may occur in this subgroup of patients.
Etoricoxib-Induced Erythema-Multiforme-Like Eruption
Authors: Thirion Laurence , Nikkels Arjen F. , Piérard Gérald E.
Published: January 2008

Etoricoxib is a new, highly selective cyclooxygenase (COX) 2 inhibitor, reported to have an increased cutaneous and systemic safety profile compared to the previous COX-2 inhibitors, including celecoxib, rofecoxib and valdecoxib. To the best of our knowledge, the present case of etoricoxib-induced erythema-multiforme-like eruption is the first reported in the literature.
Vitiligo Improvement in a Patient with Ankylosing Spondylitis Treated with Infliximab
Authors: Simón J.-Abraham , Burgos-Vargas Rubén
Published: January 2008

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a disabling disease affecting the enthesis and joints of the spine and peripheral sites. Tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory mediator which plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of AS. Infliximab (a chimeric monoclonal antibody which blocks the activity of TNF-α) is one of the most effective therapies of AS thus far. Vitiligo is a depigmenting disorder of the skin of unknown aetiology affecting 0.5–1% of the population. Here we describe the effect of infliximab on vitiligo in a patient with AS.
Nevus Marginatus: A Distinct Type of Epidermal Nevus or Merely a Variant of Nevus Sebaceus?
Authors: Hafner Christian , Landthaler Michael , Happle Rudolf , Vogt Thomas
Published: January 2008

Epidermal nevi(EN)represent a heterogeneous group of mosaic skin lesions frequently following the lines of Blaschko. They are divided into organoid and nonorganoid types. Herein we report on a 35-year-old man with a rather unusual type of EN. A linear lesion involving the trunk and following Blaschko’s lines was conspicuously bordered by dark brown papules. The flat reddish central area histopathologically showed sebaceous hyperplasia consistent with nevus sebaceus, an organoid EN type, whereas the elevated margin showed features of a common nonorganoid keratinocytic EN.For this peculiar disorder, we propose the term ‘nevus marginatus’. So far it is not clear whether nevus marginatus represents a distinct entity or merely an unusual clinical variant of nevus sebaceus.
Balance between Angiopoietin-1 and Angiopoietin-2 Is in Favor of Angiopoietin-2 in Atherosclerotic Plaques with High Microvessel Density
Authors: Post Simone , Peeters Wouter , Busser Els , Lamers Dennis , Sluijter Joost P.G. , Goumans Marie-José , de Weger Roel A. , Moll Frans L. , Doevendans Pieter A. , Pasterkamp Gerard , Vink Aryan
Published: January 2008

Introduction: Atherosclerotic plaque microvessels are associated with plaque hemorrhage and rupture. The mechanisms underlying plaque angiogenesis are largely unknown. Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and -2 are ligands of the endothelial receptor Tie-2. Ang-1 induces formation of stable vessels, whereas Ang-2 destabilizes the interaction between endothelial cells and their support cells. We studied the expression patterns of Ang-1 and -2 in relation to plaque microvessels. Methods and Results: Carotid endarterectomy specimens were studied (n = 100). Microvessel density (MVD) was correlated with the presence of macrophages and with a (fibro)atheromatous plaque phenotype. A negative correlation was observed between Ang-1 expression and MVD. A positive correlation was observed between the ratio of Ang-2/Ang-1 and MVD. Ang-2 expression was correlated with matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity. Immunohistochemical staining of Ang-1 was observed in smooth muscle cells, whereas Ang-2 was detected in endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and macrophages. Conclusions: In plaques with high MVD, the local balance between Ang-1 and Ang-2 is in favor of Ang-2. Plaque Ang-2 levels are associated with MMP-2 activity. Ang-2-induced MMP-2 activity might play a role in the development of (unstable) plaque microvessels.
Serum Total LDH Activity and LDH-2 Isozyme in Nephrotic Syndrome
Authors: Mohás Márton , Szigeti Nóra , Markó Lajos , Molnár Gergő A. , Cseh Judit , Laczy Boglárka , Tamaskó Mónika , Balla József , Kappelmayer János , Wagner László , Wagner Zoltán , Csiky Botond , Nagy Judit , Wittmann István
Published: January 2008

Background/Aims: Proteinuria, hypoproteinaemia, hypoalbuminaemia and oedema are major characteristics of nephrotic syndrome. Aims of this study were to detect serum total LDH activity and its isozymes in nephrotic syndrome. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, clinical parameters were compared in three cohorts, namely kidney patients with or without nephrotic syndrome and hypoalbuminaemic controls (NEPHR, NON-NEPHR, CONTR, respectively). Results: Serum total LDH activity in the NEPHR group was increased compared with the NON-NEPHR and CONTR groups (p < 0.001) and correlated with serum total protein (r = –0.549, p < 0.001), serum albumin (r = –0.596, p < 0.001), proteinuria (r = 0.456, p < 0.001) and serum total cholesterol (r = 0.523, p < 0.001). LDH isozyme pattern was analysed in three subgroups of the patients. Serum LDH-2 activity was higher in the NEPHR subgroup compared with the NON-NEPHR and CONTR subgroups (p < 0.001). Serum LDH-2 activity correlated with serum total protein (r = –0.665, p < 0.001), serum albumin (r = –0.615, p < 0.001), proteinuria (r = 0.694, p < 0.001), and serum total cholesterol (r = 0.723, p < 0.001). Linear regression analysis revealed that serum total protein proved to be an independent predictor of serum total LDH activity, while serum total protein and proteinuria were predictors of LDH-2. Conclusions: These findings suggest that serum total LDH activity might be a marker of the activity of the nephrotic syndrome.
Constructing Relations with Hong Kong under 'One Country, Two Systems'. Prospects for the European Union
Authors: Ka-Lok Chan Kenneth
Published: January 2008

In Hong Kong as elsewhere, the European Union (EU) is known more for its collective economic and trade powers than its political clout. Since autumn 2005, the Office of the European Commission in Hong Kong and Macao has steadily stepped up its efforts to disseminate information about the EU. It has also begun to reach out to the local community, while retaining its traditional ties with the elite circles. This study examines the image of the EU according to public opinion in order to identify areas where improvements can be made. By and large, we have found that the image of the EU is rather positive, and the significance of the EU widely recognised. Still, the EU has yet to acquire adequate means of advancing its own values, while systematic collaborations with strategic partners in the non-governmental sectors could be further strengthened to promote the EU's visibility as a global actor that is also relevant to Hong Kong. Moreover, the normative-cum-civilian approach continues to matter in three ways: in the formulation of the EU's policy towards Hong Kong, in promoting the EU as a responsible global actor while EU–China relations develop, and in promoting lesson-learning and sharing of values.
Eriugenas Innovation
Authors: Weiner Sebastian
Published: January 2008

John Scot Eriugena's work Periphyseon is commonly regarded as having introduced Neoplatonism into early medieval thinking. Eriugena's theory of the reunification of the Creator and his creation is then viewed as being based on the Neoplatonic scheme of procession and reversion. However, this interpretation falls short of Eriugena's intentions. Above all, he denies any ontological difference between Creator and creation without taking recourse to the Neoplatonic considerations of procession and reversion. Surprisingly, according to Eriugena's explanation, God is not only the Creator but he is also created. He is created insofar as he alone, possessing all being, is the essence of all created things. Moreover, the fourfold division of nature, presented at the beginning of the work, is not Eriugena's own innovation, but a common Carolingian concept. It is rather his aim to show that from an ontological point of view this division has to be resolved.
Human Will, Human Dignity, and Freedom: A Study of Giorgio Benigno Salviati's Early Discussion of the Will, Urbino 1474-1482
Authors: Edelheit Amos
Published: January 2008

This article presents the first detailed account of Giorgio Benigno Salviati's discussion of the will written in Urbino during the mid-1470s and the early 1480s. A Franciscan friar and a prominent professor of theology and philosophy, Salviati was a prolific author and central figure in the circles of Cardinal Bessarion in Rome and of Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence. This article focuses on his defense of the Scotist theory of the will. It considers its fifteenth-century context, in which both humanist and scholastic thinkers dealt with the question of the intellect and the will. While basing himself partly on authorities such as Aristotle, Augustine, and Thomas Aquinas, Salviati is clearly aware of the novelty of his theory, and its important implications for ethics and theology.
Francisco Suárez on Consent and Political Obligation
Authors: Schwartz Daniel
Published: January 2008

Interpreters disagree on the origin that Francisco Suárez assigns to political obligation and correlative political subjection. According to some, Suárez, as other social contract theorists, believes that it is the consent of the individuals that causes political obligation. Others, however, claim that for Suárez, political obligation is underived from the individuals' consent which creates the city. In support of this claim they invoke Suárez's view that political power emanates from the city by way of "natural resultancy". I argue that analysis of Suárez's less studied De voto and De iuramento reveals that, for Suárez, consent causes both the city and the citizen's political obligation. Moreover, close inspection of the notion of causation by natural resultancy within Suárez's metaphysics shows that what emanates from the body politic in this fashion is not, as claimed, political subjection and political obligation, but rather the city's right to self-mastership. Because for him political obligation does originate in consent it is not incorrect to regard Suárez as a social contract theorist.
The Unity of Semantics and Ontology. Wyclif 's Treatment of the fallacia accidentis
Authors: Spruyt Joke
Published: January 2008

This paper deals with John Wyclif 's account of the fallacia accidentis. To a certain extent Wyclif 's explanations fit in with Aristotle's understanding of language. Aristotle recognises that we can talk about substances in many different ways; we can introduce them by using 'substantial' names, but also by using names derived from the substances' accidental features. The substances are the ultimate foundation of all these expressions. This idea in itself is not opposed to a conceptualist account of language. John Buridan uses Aristotle's principle of categorisation to show how language works, but for him the activity of categorising things is to be explained in terms of our mental activities only. Wyclif, on the other hand, reads much into the requirement that all our linguistic distinctions should have their basis in extramental reality: our conceptualisations not only pertain to individual substances, but also parallel their distinct ontic layers.