bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A planar-reflective symmetry transform for 3D shapes
Authors: Podolak Joshua , Shilane Philip , Golovinskiy Aleksey , Rusinkiewicz Szymon , Funkhouser Thomas
Published: July 2006

Symmetry is an important cue for many applications, including object alignment, recognition, and segmentation. In this paper, we describe a planar reflective symmetry transform (PRST) that captures a continuous measure of the reflectional symmetry of a shape with respect to all possible planes. This transform combines and extends previous work that has focused on global symmetries with respect to the center of mass in 3D meshes and local symmetries with respect to points in 2D images. We provide an efficient Monte Carlo sampling algorithm for computing the transform for surfaces and show that it is stable under common transformations. We also provide an iterative refinement algorithm to find local maxima of the transform precisely. We use the transform to define two new geometric properties, center of symmetry and principal symmetry axes, and show that they are useful for aligning objects in a canonical coordinate system. Finally, we demonstrate that the symmetry transform is useful for several applications in computer graphics, including shape matching, segmentation of meshes into parts, and automatic viewpoint selection.
Image-based plant modeling
Authors: Quan Long , Tan Ping , Zeng Gang , Yuan Lu , Wang Jingdong , Kang Sing Bing
Published: July 2006

In this paper, we propose a semi-automatic technique for modeling plants directly from images. Our image-based approach has the distinct advantage that the resulting model inherits the realistic shape and complexity of a real plant. We designed our modeling system to be interactive, automating the process of shape recovery while relying on the user to provide simple hints on segmentation. Segmentation is performed in both image and 3D spaces, allowing the user to easily visualize its effect immediately. Using the segmented image and 3D data, the geometry of each leaf is then automatically recovered from the multiple views by fitting a deformable leaf model. Our system also allows the user to easily reconstruct branches in a similar manner. We show realistic reconstructions of a variety of plants, and demonstrate examples of plant editing.
Two-scale tone management for photographic look
Authors: Bae Soonmin , Paris Sylvain , Durand Frédo
Published: July 2006

We introduce a new approach to tone management for photographs. Whereas traditional tone-mapping operators target a neutral and faithful rendition of the input image, we explore pictorial looks by controlling visual qualities such as the tonal balance and the amount of detail. Our method is based on a two-scale non-linear decomposition of an image. We modify the different layers based on their histograms and introduce a technique that controls the spatial variation of detail. We introduce a Poisson correction that prevents potential gradient reversal and preserves detail. In addition to directly controlling the parameters, the user can transfer the look of a model photograph to the picture being edited.
Geometric modeling with conical meshes and developable surfaces
Authors: Liu Yang , Pottmann Helmut , Wallner Johannes , Yang Yong-Liang , Wang Wenping
Published: July 2006

In architectural freeform design, the relation between shape and fabrication poses new challenges and requires more sophistication from the underlying geometry. The new concept of conical meshes satisfies central requirements for this application: They are quadrilateral meshes with planar faces, and therefore particularly suitable for the design of freeform glass structures. Moreover, they possess a natural offsetting operation and provide a support structure orthogonal to the mesh. Being a discrete analogue of the network of principal curvature lines, they represent fundamental shape characteristics. We show how to optimize a quad mesh such that its faces become planar, or the mesh becomes even conical. Combining this perturbation with subdivision yields a powerful new modeling tool for all types of quad meshes with planar faces, making subdivision attractive for architecture design and providing an elegant way of modeling developable surfaces.
Mesh quilting for geometric texture synthesis
Authors: Zhou Kun , Huang Xin , Wang Xi , Tong Yiying , Desbrun Mathieu , Guo Baining , Shum Heung-Yeung
Published: July 2006

We introduce
mesh quilting
, a geometric texture synthesis algorithm in which a 3D texture sample given in the form of a triangle mesh is seamlessly applied inside a thin shell around an arbitrary surface through local stitching and deformation. We show that such geometric textures allow interactive and versatile editing and animation, producing compelling visual effects that are difficult to achieve with traditional texturing methods. Unlike pixel-based image quilting, mesh quilting is based on stitching together 3D geometry elements. Our quilting algorithm finds corresponding geometry elements in adjacent texture patches, aligns elements through local deformation, and merges elements to seamlessly connect texture patches. For mesh quilting on curved surfaces, a critical issue is to reduce distortion of geometry elements inside the 3D space of the thin shell. To address this problem we introduce a low-distortion parameterization of the shell space so that geometry elements can be synthesized even on very curved objects without the visual distortion present in previous approaches. We demonstrate how mesh quilting can be used to generate convincing decorations for a wide range of geometric textures.
High dynamic range texture compression for graphics hardware
Authors: Munkberg Jacob , Clarberg Petrik , Hasselgren Jon , Akenine-Möller Tomas
Published: July 2006

In this paper, we break new ground by presenting algorithms for fixed-rate compression of high dynamic range textures at low bit rates. First, the S3TC low dynamic range texture compression scheme is extended in order to enable compression of HDR data. Second, we introduce a novel robust algorithm that offers superior image quality. Our algorithm can be efficiently implemented in hardware, and supports textures with a dynamic range of over 10
9
:1. At a fixed rate of 8 bits per pixel, we obtain results virtually indistinguishable from uncompressed HDR textures at 48 bits per pixel. Our research can have a big impact on graphics hardware and real-time rendering, since HDR texturing suddenly becomes affordable.
Removing camera shake from a single photograph
Authors: Fergus Rob , Singh Barun , Hertzmann Aaron , Roweis Sam T. , Freeman William T.
Published: July 2006

Camera shake during exposure leads to objectionable image blur and ruins many photographs. Conventional blind deconvolution methods typically assume frequency-domain constraints on images, or overly simplified parametric forms for the motion path during camera shake. Real camera motions can follow convoluted paths, and a spatial domain prior can better maintain visually salient image characteristics. We introduce a method to remove the effects of camera shake from seriously blurred images. The method assumes a uniform camera blur over the image and negligible in-plane camera rotation. In order to estimate the blur from the camera shake, the user must specify an image region without saturation effects. We show results for a variety of digital photographs taken from personal photo collections.
Motion patches
Authors: Lee Kang Hoon , Choi Myung Geol , Lee Jehee
Published: July 2006

Real time animation of human figures in virtual environments is an important problem in the context of computer games and virtual environments. Recently, the use of large collections of captured motion data has increased realism in character animation. However, assuming that the virtual environment is large and complex, the effort of capturing motion data in a physical environment and adapting them to an extended virtual environment is the bottleneck for achieving interactive character animation and control. We present a new technique for allowing our animated characters to navigate through a large virtual environment, which is constructed using a set of building blocks. The building blocks, called
motion patches
, can be arbitrarily assembled to create novel environments. Each patch is annotated with motion data, which informs what actions are available for animated characters within the block. The versatility and flexibility of our approach are demonstrated through examples in which multiple characters are animated and controlled at interactive rates in large, complex virtual environments.
Real-time soft shadows in dynamic scenes using spherical harmonic exponentiation
Authors: Ren Zhong , Wang Rui , Snyder John , Zhou Kun , Liu Xinguo , Sun Bo , Sloan Peter-Pike , Bao Hujun , Peng Qunsheng , Guo Baining
Published: July 2006

Previous methods for soft shadows numerically integrate over many light directions at each receiver point, testing blocker visibility in each direction. We introduce a method for real-time soft shadows in dynamic scenes illuminated by large, low-frequency light sources where such integration is impractical. Our method operates on vectors representing low-frequency visibility of blockers in the spherical harmonic basis. Blocking geometry is modeled as a set of spheres; relatively few spheres capture the low-frequency blocking effect of complicated geometry. At each receiver point, we compute the product of visibility vectors for these blocker spheres as seen from the point. Instead of computing an expensive SH product per blocker as in previous work, we perform inexpensive vector sums to accumulate the
log
of blocker visibility. SH exponentiation then yields the product visibility vector over all blockers. We show how the SH exponentiation required can be approximated accurately and efficiently for low-order SH, accelerating previous CPU-based methods by a factor of 10 or more, depending on blocker complexity, and allowing real-time GPU implementation.
Analysis of human faces using a measurement-based skin reflectance model
Authors: Weyrich Tim , Matusik Wojciech , Pfister Hanspeter , Bickel Bernd , Donner Craig , Tu Chien , McAndless Janet , Lee Jinho , Ngan Addy , Jensen Henrik Wann , Gross Markus
Published: July 2006

We have measured 3D face geometry, skin reflectance, and subsurface scattering using custom-built devices for 149 subjects of varying age, gender, and race. We developed a novel skin reflectance model whose parameters can be estimated from measurements. The model decomposes the large amount of measured skin data into a spatially-varying analytic BRDF, a diffuse albedo map, and diffuse subsurface scattering. Our model is intuitive, physically plausible, and -- since we do not use the original measured data -- easy to edit as well. High-quality renderings come close to reproducing real photographs. The analysis of the model parameters for our sample population reveals variations according to subject age, gender, skin type, and external factors (e.g., sweat, cold, or makeup). Using our statistics, a user can edit the overall appearance of a face (e.g., changing skin type and age) or change small-scale features using texture synthesis (e.g., adding moles and freckles). We are making the collected statistics publicly available to the research community for applications in face synthesis and analysis.
Modified subdivision surfaces with continuous curvature
Authors: Levin Adi
Published: July 2006

We present a modification to subdivision surfaces, which guarantees second-order smoothness everywhere in the surface, including extraordinary points. The idea is to blend the limit surface with a low degree polynomial defined over the characteristic map, in the vicinity of each extraordinary point. We demonstrate our method on Catmull-Clark surfaces, but a similar modification can be applied to other schemes as well. The proposed modification to Catmull-Clark is simple to implement and can be applied to quad meshes of arbitrary topological type, even when extraordinary vertices share edges.
Edge subdivision schemes and the construction of smooth vector fields
Authors: Wang Ke , Weiwei  , Tong Yiying , Desbrun Mathieu , Schröder Peter
Published: July 2006

Vertex- and face-based subdivision schemes are now routinely used in geometric modeling and computational science, and their primal/dual relationships are well studied. In this paper, we interpret these schemes as defining bases for
discrete differential 0- resp. 2-forms
, and complete the picture by introducing
edge-based
subdivision schemes to construct the missing bases for discrete differential 1-forms. Such subdivision schemes map scalar coefficients on edges from the coarse to the refined mesh and are
intrinsic
to the surface. Our construction is based on treating vertex-, edge-, and face-based subdivision schemes as a
joint triple
and enforcing that subdivision commutes with the topological exterior derivative. We demonstrate our construction for the case of arbitrary topology triangle meshes. Using Loop's scheme for 0-forms and generalized half-box splines for 2-forms results in a
unique
generalized spline scheme for 1-forms, easily incorporated into standard subdivision surface codes. We also provide corresponding boundary stencils. Once a metric is supplied, the scalar 1-form coefficients define a smooth tangent vector field on the underlying subdivision surface. Design of tangent vector fields is made particularly easy with this machinery as we demonstrate.
Streaming computation of Delaunay triangulations
Authors: Isenburg Martin , Liu Yuanxin , Shewchuk Jonathan , Snoeyink Jack
Published: July 2006

We show how to greatly accelerate algorithms that compute Delaunay triangulations of huge, well-distributed point sets in 2D and 3D by exploiting the natural spatial coherence in a stream of points. We achieve large performance gains by introducing
spatial finalization
into point streams: we partition space into regions, and augment a stream of input points with finalization tags that indicate when a point is the last in its region. By extending an incremental algorithm for Delaunay triangulation to use finalization tags and produce streaming mesh output, we compute a billion-triangle terrain representation for the Neuse River system from 11.2 GB of LIDAR data in 48 minutes using only 70 MB of memory on a laptop with two hard drives. This is a factor of twelve faster than the previous fastest out-of-core Delaunay triangulation software.
Vector field based shape deformations
Authors: von Funck Wolfram , Theisel Holger , Seidel Hans-Peter
Published: July 2006

We present an approach to define shape deformations by constructing and interactively modifying
C
1
continuous time-dependent divergence-free vector fields. The deformation is obtained by a path line integration of the mesh vertices. This way, the deformation is volume-preserving, free of (local and global) self-intersections, feature preserving, smoothness preserving, and local. Different modeling metaphors support the approach which is able to modify the vector field on-the-fly according to the user input. The approach works at interactive frame rates for moderate mesh sizes, and the numerical integration preserves the volume with a high accuracy.
Continuum crowds
Authors: Treuille Adrien , Cooper Seth , Popović Zoran
Published: July 2006

We present a real-time crowd model based on continuum dynamics. In our model, a dynamic potential field simultaneously integrates global navigation with moving obstacles such as other people, efficiently solving for the motion of large crowds without the need for explicit collision avoidance. Simulations created with our system run at interactive rates, demonstrate smooth flow under a variety of conditions, and naturally exhibit emergent phenomena that have been observed in real crowds.
Super-helices for predicting the dynamics of natural hair
Authors: Bertails Florence , Audoly Basile , Cani Marie-Paule , Querleux Bernard , Leroy Frédéric , Lévêque Jean-Luc
Published: July 2006

Simulating human hair is recognized as one of the most difficult tasks in computer animation. In this paper, we show that the Kirchhoff equations for dynamic, inextensible elastic rods can be used for accurately predicting hair motion. These equations fully account for the nonlinear behavior of hair strands with respect to bending and twisting. We introduce a novel deformable model for solving them: each strand is represented by a
Super-Helix
, i.e., a piecewise helical rod which is animated using the principles of Lagrangian mechanics. This results in a realistic and stable simulation, allowing large time steps. Our second contribution is an in-depth validation of the Super-Helix model, carried out through a series of experiments based on the comparison of real and simulated hair motions. We show that our model efficiently handles a wide range of hair types with a high level of realism.
Real-time video content analysis
Authors: Eide Viktor S. Wold , Granmo Ole-Christoffer , Eliassen Frank , Michaelsen Jørgen Andreas
Published: July 2006

Real-Time content-based access to live video data requires content analysis applications that are able to process video streams in real-time and with an acceptable error rate. Statements such as this express quality of service (QoS) requirements. In general, control of the QoS provided can be achieved by sacrificing application quality in one QoS dimension for better quality in another, or by controlling the allocation of processing resources to the application. However, controlling QoS in video content analysis is particularly difficult, not only because main QoS dimensions like accuracy are nonadditive, but also becauseboththe communication- and the processing-resource requirements are challenging.This article presents techniques for QoS-aware composition of applications for real-time video content analysis, based on dynamic Bayesian networks. The aim of QoS-aware composition is to determine application deployment configurations which satisfy a given set of QoS requirements. Our approach consists of: (1) an algorithm for QoS-aware selection of configurations of feature extractor and classification algorithms which balances requirements for timeliness and accuracy against available processing resources, (2) a distributed content-based publish/subscribe system which provides application scalability at multiple logical levels of distribution, and (3) scalable solutions for video streaming, filtering/transformation, feature extraction, and classification.We evaluate our approach based on experiments with an implementation of a real-time motion vector based object-tracking application. The evaluation shows that the application largely behaves as expected when resource availability and selections of configurations of feature extractor and classification algorithms vary. The evaluation also shows that increasing QoS requirements can be met by allocating additional CPUs for parallel processing, with only minor overhead.
A Conversation with Werner Vogels
Authors: O'Hanlon Charlene
Published: July 2006

Many think of Amazon as "that hugely successful online bookstore." You would expect Amazon CTO Werner Vogels to embrace this distinction, but in fact it causes him some concern. "I think it’s important to realize that first and foremost Amazon is a technology company," says Vogels. And he’s right. Over the past years, Vogels has helped Amazon grow from an online retailer (albeit one of the largest, with more than 55 million active customer accounts) into a platform on which more than 1 million active retail partners worldwide do business. Behind Amazon’s successful evolution from retailer to technology platform is its SOA (service-oriented architecture), which broke new technological ground and proved that SOAs can deliver on their promises.
Module placement for fault-tolerant microfluidics-based biochips
Authors: Su Fei , Chakrabarty Krishnendu
Published: July 2006

Microfluidics-based biochips are soon expected to revolutionize clinical diagnosis, DNA sequencing, and other laboratory procedures involving molecular biology. Most microfluidic biochips today are based on the principle of continuous fluid flow and they rely on permanently etched microchannels, micropumps, and microvalves. We focus here on the automated design of “digital” droplet-based microfluidic biochips. In contrast to conventional continuous-flow systems, digital microfluidics offers dynamic reconfigurability; groups of cells in a microfluidics array can be reconfigured to change their functionality during the concurrent execution of a set of bioassays. We present a simulated annealing-based technique for module placement in such biochips. The placement procedure not only addresses chip area, but also considers fault tolerance, which allows a microfluidic module to be relocated elsewhere in the system when a single cell is detected to be faulty. Simulation results are presented for case studies involving the polymerase chain reaction and multiplexed
in vitro
clinical diagnostics.
E-monitoring in the workplace
Authors: Nord G. Daryl , McCubbins Tipton F. , Nord Jeretta Horn
Published: July 2006

Protecting the corporation while respecting employee privacy---an old puzzle made more complex with new software.
Disk wiping by any other name
Authors: Berghel Hal , Hoelzer David
Published: July 2006

What does a disk wiper wipe when a disk wiper does wipe disks?
Extracting information from music audio
Authors: Ellis Daniel P.W.
Published: July 2006

Information includes individual notes, tempo, beat, and other musical properties, along with listener preferences based on how the listener experiences music.
Protein-Mediated Fatty Acid Uptake: Novel Insights from In Vivo Models
Authors: Doege Holger , Stahl Andreas
Published: July 2006

Long-chain fatty acids are both important metabolites as well as signaling molecules. Fatty acid transport proteins are key mediators of cellular fatty acid uptake and recent transgenic and knockout animal models have provided new insights into their contribution to energy homeostasis and to pathological processes, including obesity and insulin desensitization.
Mutation of the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor Gene 5′-Untranslated Region Associated With Female Hypertension
Authors: Nakayama Tomohiro , Kuroi Nobuhiro , Sano Morihiko , Tabara Yasuharu , Katsuya Tomohiro , Ogihara Toshio , Makita Yoshio , Hata Akira , Yamada Michiko , Takahashi Norio , Hirawa Nobuhito , Umemura Satoshi , Miki Tetsuro , Soma Masayoshi
Published: July 2006

Inactivating mutations in the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) gene have been reported to cause hereditary hypergonadotropic ovarian failure. It has been found recently that the FSHR knockout mouse exhibits hypertension. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between polymorphisms in the human FSHR gene and essential hypertension (EH) by using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We selected 5 SNPs in the gene (rs1394205, rs2055571, rs11692782, rs1007541, and rs2268361) and performed 2 genetic case–control studies in different populations. A confirmative case–control study was performed using 1035 EH patients and 1058 age-matched controls. Transcriptional activities were measured with a luciferase assay system. The first case–control study found that the A allele of rs1394205 was significantly higher in EH females (
P
=0.010). In addition, in the confirmative case–control study, there was a significant difference for this SNP between female normotensive subjects (44.5%) and EH patients (50.7%) (
P
=0.043). Multiple logistic regression analysis in female subjects also revealed a significant association of subjects with the A allele of rs1394205 with EH (
P
=0.033), with the odds ratio calculated as 1.68 (95% CI: 1.04 to 2.73). Transcriptional activity of the A allele was 56±8% (mean±SD) of that observed for the G-type allele (
P
=0.001). Serum estradiol levels were significantly lower in patients with the A/A genotype than in patients without the A/A genotype (
P
=0.004). The SNP in the 5′-untranslated region of the FSHR gene affects levels of transcriptional activity and is a susceptibility mutation of EH in women.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Vascular Angiotensin II in Estrogen-Deficient Rats
Authors: Arenas Ivan A. , Armstrong Stephen J. , Xu Yi , Davidge Sandra T.
Published: July 2006

Alterations in the vascular angiotensin II system may play a role in the pathophysiology of vascular disease after menopause. In previous studies we have shown that an increase in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels in aging rats because of estrogen deficiency may result in vascular dysfunction. In this study we investigated the effect of TNF-α inhibition in angiotensin II modulation of vascular function in aging female animals. Female rats approaching reproductive senescence (12 to 15 months old) were ovariectomized and treated with placebo, estrogen, or a selective TNF-α inhibitor (etanercept) for 4 weeks. Expression of angiotensin II in mesenteric arteries was evaluated by immunofluorescence, and the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme and angiotensin type I receptor (AT1R) was investigated by Western immunoblot. Vascular function was assessed in mesenteric arteries using the myograph system, and the role of endogenous angiotensin II on adrenergic vasoconstriction was evaluated in vitro by selective AT1R blockade (Candesartan; 10 μmol/L). Our data demonstrate that estrogen-depleted rats have higher serum levels of TNF-α and greater sensitivity to phenylephrine vasoconstriction compared with estrogen-replaced animals, which was attenuated by AT1R blockade. In vivo TNF-α inhibition or estrogen replacement reduced phenylephrine constriction of mesenteric arteries and decreased the modulation of this vasoconstriction by candesartan. These functional changes were accompanied by a reduction in the vascular expression of angiotensin II, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and AT1R. These observations indicate that upregulation of TNF-α during estrogen deficiency may contribute to enhance vascular constriction by altering the vascular angiotensin II system.
The Valsartan Antihypertensive Long-Term Use Evaluation (VALUE) Trial
Authors: Julius Stevo , Weber Michael A. , Kjeldsen Sverre E. , McInnes Gordon T. , Zanchetti Alberto , Brunner Hans R. , Laragh John , Schork M. Anthony , Hua Tsushung A. , Amerena John , Balazovjech Ivan , Cassel Graham , Herczeg Bela , Koylan Nevres , Magometschnigg Dieter , Majahalme Silja , Martinez Felipe , Oigman Willie , Seabra Gomes Ricardo , Zhu Jun-ren
Published: July 2006

In the main Valsartan Antihypertensive Long-Term Use Evaluation (VALUE) report, we investigated outcomes in 15 245 high-risk hypertensive subjects treated with valsartan- or amlodipine-based regimens. In this report, we analyzed outcomes in 7080 patients (46.4%) who, at the end of the initial drug adjustment period (6 months), remained on monotherapy. Baseline characteristics were similar in the valsartan (N=3263) and amlodipine (N=3817) groups. Time on monotherapy was 3.2 years (78% of treatment exposure time). The average in-trial blood pressure was similar in both groups. Event rates in the monotherapy group were 16% to 39% lower than in the main VALUE trial. In the first analysis, we censored patients when they discontinued monotherapy (“censored”); in the second, we counted events regardless of subsequent therapy (intention-to-treat principle). We also assessed the impact of duration of monotherapy on outcomes. No difference was found in primary composite cardiac end points, strokes, myocardial infarctions, and all-cause deaths with both analyses. Heart failure in the valsartan group was lower both in the censored and intention-to-treat analyses (hazard ratios: 0.63,
P
=0.004 and 0.78,
P
=0.045, respectively). Longer duration of monotherapy amplified between-group differences in heart failure. New-onset diabetes was lower in the valsartan group with both analyses (odds ratios: 0.78,
P
=0.012 and 0.82,
P
=0.034). Thus, despite lower absolute event rates in monotherapy patients, the relative risks of heart failure and new-onset diabetes favored valsartan. Moreover, these findings support the feasibility of comparative prospective trials in lower-risk hypertensive patients.
Causes of Pure Aortic Regurgitation in Patients Having Isolated Aortic Valve Replacement at a Single US Tertiary Hospital (1993 to 2005)
Authors: Roberts William Clifford , Ko Jong Mi , Moore Timothy Richard , Jones William Hampton
Published: July 2006

Background—

The causes of aortic regurgitation (AR) severe enough to warrant aortic valve replacement (AVR) have received little attention in the last 20 years.

Methods and Results—

We analyzed the causes of pure AR in 268 patients >20 years of age having isolated AVR at Baylor University Medical Center from 1993 to 2005 that was unassociated with mitral stenosis, mitral valve replacement, or a previous operation involving a cardiac valve or ascending aorta. In 122 patients (46%), the AR resulted from a problem with the aortic valve: congenital malformation unassociated with infective endocarditis, 66 patients (54%); infective endocarditis, 46 patients (38%; 15 with bicuspid valves); probable rheumatic heart disease, 8 patients (6%); and miscellaneous, 2 patients (2%). In the other 146 patients (54%), the AR was the consequence of a condition affecting the ascending aorta: dissection, 28 patients (19%); the Marfan syndrome or its forme fruste variety, 15 patients (10%); aortitis, 12 patients (8%), and in the remaining 91 patients (62%), the cause of the AR was not determined. This latter group was the oldest (mean age 66 years), 83 (91%) had hypertension, 26 (29%) had small calcific deposits in the valve cusps, and 46 (51%) had simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting.

Conclusions—

The causes of pure AR severe enough to warrant isolated AVR are diverse. The most common category in this study was “cause unclear.”
Additive Value of Immunoassay-Measured Fibrinogen and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels for Predicting Incident Cardiovascular Events
Authors: Mora Samia , Rifai Nader , Buring Julie E. , Ridker Paul M
Published: July 2006

Background—

Current guidelines suggest measuring high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as an aid to coronary risk assessment in adults without cardiovascular disease (CVD). Whether other inflammatory biomarkers, such as fibrinogen, add further prognostic information is uncertain.

Methods and Results—

In a prospective study of 27 742 initially healthy middle-aged women, the associations of baseline immunoassay fibrinogen and hs-CRP measurements with incident CVD were examined over a 10-year follow-up period. Compared with women in the bottom biomarker quintile, age-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for incident CVD for quintiles 2 to 5 of fibrinogen were 1.10 (0.86 to 1.41), 1.30 (1.03 to 1.65), 1.46 (1.16 to 1.85), and 2.43 (1.95 to 3.02); for hs-CRP they were 1.48 (1.06 to 2.05), 1.70 (1.24 to 2.33), 2.20 (1.63 to 2.96), and 3.24 (2.43 to 4.31). After further adjustment for established risk factors, both biomarkers remained associated (
P
for trend ≤0.001) with incident CVD (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.71 for top fibrinogen quintile; and hazard ratio, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.29 for top hs-CRP quintile compared with the bottom quintiles). Further adjustment for the other biomarker resulted in hazard ratios of 1.23 and 1.56 (
P
for trend=0.02 and 0.002), respectively. Although fibrinogen correlated positively with hs-CRP (
r
s
=0.41,
P
<0.001), the highest CVD risk was associated with elevated levels of both fibrinogen and hs-CRP: age-adjusted hazard ratio of 3.45 (95% CI, 2.60 to 4.57) for women with fibrinogen >393 mg/dL and hs-CRP >3 mg/L compared with <329 mg/dL and <1 mg/L, respectively.

Conclusions—

In this cohort of initially healthy women, baseline levels of fibrinogen measured with a high-quality immunoassay provided additive value to hs-CRP and traditional risk factors in predicting incident CVD.
Designs and (Co)Incidents
Authors: Essed Philomena , Nimako Kwame
Published: July 2006

This article sketches the dominant themes that have shaped Dutch discourse, policy and research on issues related to race, ethnicity, and immigration during the past 40 years. It will be shown that the paradigmatic foundations of Dutch minority research were laid in the 1980s and that mainstream research and discourse is largely about ethnic minorities; about their migration and their degree (or lack) of economic, social and political integration in the Netherlands. By (co)incident or design, ethnic minorities – invariably called allochtonen, a Dutch word for non-natives or aliens, irrespective of citizenship – are problematized, while mainstream research generally downplays the ramifications of the colonial history, and concomitant presuppositions of European (Dutch) cultural superiority. We present an extended discussion of the denial of racism and the de-legitimization of racism research. Common sense (notions of) racism profoundly shaped research interpretations and research agendas. Mainstream researchers and scholars are largely critical of antiimmigrant discourse, but with the silencing of race critical paradigms there are few concepts and frameworks left to analyze and contextualize which anti-immigrant sentiments and policies are historically rooted in the invention of race and the Other and which sentiments are fears, discomforts and insecurities resulting from the uncontrollable paradigms of globalization in a world that has become smaller.
The Long-term Historical Development of Racist Tendencies within the Political and Social Context of Belgium
Authors: Mielants Eric
Published: July 2006

In this article the author provides a brief overview of the immigrant population in Belgium as well as an in-depth analysis of political developments in that country. This background forms the context for interpreting the electoral successes of the xenophobic far-right, as well as the public policies and mainstream social science research relating to the ‘integration’ of minorities. Based on an analysis of both Dutch and French sources, examples of everyday racism are provided and critical questions are raised regarding the different policies in the northern and southern parts of the country.
Selecting an Acculturation Measure for Use With Latino Older Adults
Authors: Yamada Ann Marie , Valle Ramón , Barrio Concepción , Jeste Dilip
Published: July 2006

The purpose of this article is to ascertain the degree to which acculturation measures have been validated for use with older Latino adults and to offer recommendations to assist practitioners and researchers in selecting an empirically sound acculturation measure. The authors analyzed the psycho-metric properties of 15 subjective acculturation instruments that sampled Latino older adult respondents in their development or validation. In general, the limited data suggest a tendency for lower acculturation scores among older Latinos. A number of scales suffer from methodological flaws or lack sufficient psychometric data. The effect of age on acculturation was infrequently analyzed, and no measure was designed specifically for use with older adults, although several measures appear to have promise for use with Latino older adults. Because Latinos are one of the fastest growing sectors of the older adult population, further attention to the development and validation of acculturation measures for this population is urged.
Devolution, multicultural citizenship and race equality: From laissez-faire to nationally responsible policies
Authors: Williams Charlotte , De Lima Philomena
Published: July 2006

The devolved nations of the UK have been constituted on the basis of the ambition to increase inclusiveness and democratic involvement, underpinned by specific equality duties. As such they represent a critical point of reference for ethnic minorities in securing recognition, rights and representation in core social policy fields that shape their lived experiences of welfare. These newly established policy territories offer a testbed for tracking the development of multicultural citizenship and race equality and for assessing the extent to which the social policy of the constituent nations is responsive to the needs of ethnic minorities. This paper explores these concerns within the context of Welsh and Scottish devolution. Drawing on a range of research data it argues that devolution represents a significant shift from a laissez-faire politics of race to an agenda of nationally responsible policies but this trajectory raises not only a number of questions about the nature, extent and impact of minority inclusion within the nations but encroaches on issues of racialized welfare identities and rights within the wider hegemony of British multicultural citizenship.
Forging new ‘ways of life’? Social policy and nation building in devolved Scotland and Wales
Authors: Mooney Gerry , Williams Charlotte
Published: July 2006

This paper explores the ways in which social policy is being used to recreate and reproduce a sense of nation and national identity in devolved Scotland and Wales. It argues that devolution has important consequences for our sense of Britishness and of Scottishness and Welshness, not least in relation to the ways in which social policies are presented and legitimated. It is further argued that across the UK there is a marked attempt by New Labour to forge a new sense of nation organized around neo-liberal and market-oriented themes. This is critically mediated within the welfare regimes of these nations in accord with reconstructed ‘ways of life’ that are centred on the themes of work and enterprise.
Devolution, direct rule and neo-liberal reconstruction in Northern Ireland
Authors: Horgan Goretti
Published: July 2006

Northern Ireland is a deeply unequal society emerging from war. The anticipated ‘peace dividend’ has not materialized for people living in poverty who were also most affected by the conflict. The devolved administration in Northern Ireland 2000–2 was constrained in its response to social exclusion by Treasury rules. This paper argues that attempts under devolution to develop new public services and more publicly oriented Public–Private Partnerships have been reversed by Direct Rule Ministers.
Integrating the Past and Paving the Future
Authors: Pitts Margaret J. , Nussbaum Jon F.
Published: July 2006

This special issue introduction contextualizes the importance of recent international and interdisciplinary trends and developments in language and social psychology research. The articles included in this special issue are written by keynote speakers and invited panelists at the Ninth International Conference on Language and Social Psychology held at Pennsylvania State University during the summer of 2004. They are forward-thinking and cross multiple research and content boundaries including ethnicity, aging, adolescents, and stereotypes.
Coding Personhood Through Cultural Terms and Practices
Authors: Carbaugh Donal , Berry Michael , Nurmikari-Berry Marjatta
Published: July 2006

All known languages include within them terms and phrases that describe communicative action specifically and pragmatic action generally. A special subclass of those terms identifies ways of speaking and ways of being silent. This study explores Finnish terms for, and social practices of, quietude (in Finnish, hiljaisuus). Descriptive and interpretive analyses demonstrate a Finnish “natural way of being” (luonteva tapa olla), as when people are undisturbed in their thoughts and actions (omissa oloissaan). Results reveal a Finnish communication code that structures some cultural scenes as occasions for positive silence, exhibiting a social model of personhood for which this is a valued, respected, and natural practice. The study discusses the larger, cross-cultural program of research into communication and personhood of which it is a part.
Luso–British Cooperation in India: A Portuguese Frigate in the Service of a British Expedition
Authors: Hariharan Shantha
Published: July 2006

The friendly ties of the Anglo–Portuguese alliance in Europe were hardly in evidence in the Indian context even in the second half of the 18th century. The Marquez Alorna's note to his successor Viceroy of Goa, in 1751, listed the French as a friend and the English as an enemy in India. Towards the end of the century, though, relations took a dramatic turn towards close ties of amity and cooperation between England and Portugal.

This article examines crucial changes during the Viceroyalty of Sr Francisco Antonio da Veiga Cabral (1794–1807) when Anglo–Portuguese relations entered a new phase of assistance and adjustment through the introduction of a British auxiliary force into Goa, by a process of super-imposition rather than supercession. In this atmosphere of friendship and amity, cooperation covered the fields of defence, administration, trade protection and political affairs.

The article specifically studies documentary evidence related to how the Portuguese frigate Real Fidelissimo was spared by the Portuguese Viceroy for service in a British expedition to the Red Sea in 1801. Even a temporary integration of the Portuguese European troops into British pay and a joint command of all the Portuguese and British troops in Goa, under a British Commanding Officer, were possible in that ambience.
The Bolshevik Menace: Colonial Surveillance and the Origins of Socialist Politics in Calcutta
Authors: Chattopadhyay Suchetana
Published: July 2006

This article examines the impact of the anti-Bolshevik surveillance network created by the colonial state on the urban political milieu of Calcutta during the late 1910s and the early 1920s. The first socialists in Calcutta (1921–24), predominantly Muslims, emerged from the ranks of urban intellectuals and political activists. The article argues that the state's insistence on labelling various social and political segments, including early socialists, as political tools of Moscow demonstrated its inability to grasp the local responses to an international current. It is shown that despite enforcement of various strategies, which tried to anticipate and prevent the spread of socialism, the colonial state failed to counter the emergence of the left in the city.
‘I Am the Ultimate Challenge’
Authors: Buitelaar Marjo
Published: July 2006

This article aims to demonstrate that the concept of the ‘dialogical self’ is an identity theory that provides useful tools for studying intersectionality. In terms of the dialogical self, the formation of identity is a process of orchestrating voices within the self that speak from different I-positions. Such voices are embedded in field-specific repertoires of practices, characters, discourses and power relations specific to the various groups to which individuals simultaneously belong. By telling one's life-story, the individual intones these voices and combines them in new ways, thus reshaping them as they use them. The article applies the theoretical concept of the dialogical self to the analysis of the life-story of a relatively well-known female Dutch politician of Moroccan background whose explanation of why she wears a headscarf allows her to combine the religious and political voices in her story with her more hesitant female voice. The words, images and self-evaluations used in her self-narratives demonstrate the ways in which her religious, ethnic and gender identifications are formed and are in dialogue.
Narrative Accounts of Origins
Authors: Prins Baukje
Published: July 2006

This article uses a study of the life-story narratives of former classmates of Dutch and Moluccan descent to argue that the constructionist approach to intersectionality, with its account of identity as a narrative construction rather than a practice of naming, offers better tools for answering questions concerning intersectional identity formation than a more systemic intersectional approach. The case study also highlights the importance of the quest for origins in narratives. It demonstrates that theories of intersectionality are not justified in subsuming the issue of belonging under the identity marker of ethnicity, when all identities are performatively produced in and through narrative enactments that include the precarious achievement of belonging. The case study demonstrates that if narrative accounts of a (singular or collective) life fail to achieve narrative closure regarding roots, attempts to trace routes are seriously hampered.
Beauty and Woolf
Authors: Humm Maggie
Published: July 2006

This essay argues that feminist theory has focused, in the main and for too long, on theories of the body, in a legitimate reaction to a Western masculine coupling of beauty with a female or idealized maternal body and the sublime with male creativity. In consequence, there are few productive feminist accounts of female or maternal beauty. However, Virginia Woolf’s writings about beauty, mothers and the body, if read through the lens of post-Lacanian theory - particularly the work of Luce Irigaray and Bracha Lichtenberg Ettinger - do offer a moving and positive feminist account of women and beauty. The essay analyses Woolf’s ideas about beauty in general, before focusing on To the Lighthouse and The Voyage Out in relation to the writings of Woolf’s mother Julia Stephen.
Effects of transient immunosuppression on adenoassociated, virus-mediated, liver-directed gene transfer in rhesus macaques and implications for human gene therapy
Authors: Jiang Haiyan , Couto Linda B. , Patarroyo-White Susannah , Liu Tongyao , Nagy Dea , Vargas Joseph A. , Zhou Shangzhen , Scallan Ciaran D. , Sommer Jurg , Vijay Sharmila , Mingozzi Federico , High Katherine A. , Pierce Glenn F.
Published: July 2006

In a clinical study of recombinant adeno-associated virus-2 expressing human factor IX (AAV2-FIX), we detected 2 impediments to long-term gene transfer. First, preexisting anti-AAV neutralizing antibodies (NABs) prevent vector from reaching the target tissue, and second, CD8+ T-cell responses to hepatocyte-cell surface displayed AAV-capsid–terminated FIX expression after several weeks. Because the vector is incapable of synthesizing viral proteins, a short course of immunosuppression, until AAV capsid is cleared from the transduced cells, may mitigate the host T-cell response, allowing long-term expression of FIX. To evaluate coad-ministration of immunosuppression, we studied AAV8 vector infusion in rhesus macaques, natural hosts for AAV8. We administered AAV8-FIX in 16 macaques via the hepatic artery and assessed the effects of (1) preexisting anti-AAV8 NABs, (2) a standard T-cell immunosuppressive regimen, and (3) efficacy and safety of AAV8-FIX. We found that low titers (1:5) of preexisting NABs abrogate transduction, whereas animals with undetectable NABs are safely and effectively transduced by AAV8-FIX. Coadministration of mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus with vector does not induce toxicity and does not impair AAV transduction or FIX synthesis. These findings enable a clinical study to assess the effects of immunomodulation on long-term FIX expression in patients with hemophilia B.
Social Capacity in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu after the December 2004 Great Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami
Authors: Prater Carla , Peacock Walter G. , Arlikatti Sudha , Grover Himanshu
Published: July 2006

A field study team interviewed local government officials, community-based organizations, and nongovernmental organizations to assess community capacity and emergency response to the tsunami. In addition, 1,000 households on the Nagapattinam coast were randomly surveyed to assess household capacity and disaster response. The results presented here show that the district government did have an emergency plan in place, but it was modeled on a neighboring district's plan and focused almost exclusively on floods and drought relief. The local governmental response, therefore, was dominated by skilled improvisation, assisted by state, union, and private sector resources. The nongovernmental and community-based organizations' response was massive, and an attempt was made by the local government to organize and structure the voluntary response.