bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality of life and psychosocial functioning of spouse/partner caregivers before and after liver transplantation
Authors: Rodrigue James R. , Dimitri Noelle , Reed Amanda , Antonellis Timothy , Hanto Douglas W. , Curry Michael
Published: February 2010

Rodrigue JR, Dimitri N, Reed A, Antonellis T, BA, Hanto DW, Curry M. Quality of life and psychosocial functioning of spouse/partner caregivers before and after liver transplantation.  Clin Transplant 2011: 25: 239–247. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Spouse/partner caregivers of liver transplant (LTx) patients play an important role both before and after transplantation. However, very little research has examined the quality of life (QOL), caregiving strain, and psychological functioning of these caregivers. In this study, we examined these outcomes and their correlates in 86 (49 pre‐LTx, 38 post‐LTx) spouse/partner caregivers. The physical QOL of caregivers was not impaired, and numerous caregiving benefits were identified (e.g., realizing what is important in life, discovering one’s own inner strength, giving emotional support to the patient). However, a relatively high proportion of both pre‐LTx and post‐LTx caregivers had clinically low mental QOL (29% and 35%, respectively), low life satisfaction (45% and 32%, respectively), and high caregiving strain (59% and 81%, respectively). Both pre‐ and post‐LTx caregivers, particularly women, had more total mood disturbance than a normative sample. Higher caregiving strain was significantly correlated with lower mental QOL, lower life satisfaction, and more mood disturbance. Overall, findings suggest that caregiving strain is prominent through the LTx spectrum. There is a need for prospective research to identify the patterns of caregiver outcomes over time and to examine the benefits of clinical interventions for caregivers.
Introgressive hybridization between two Iberian endemic cyprinid fish: a comparison between two independent hybrid zones
Authors: ABOIM M. A. , MAVÁREZ J. , BERNATCHEZ L. , COELHO M. M.
Published: February 2010

Pseudochondrostoma duriense and Achondrostoma oligolepis are two Iberian endemic cyprinid fish species that occur in sympatry over most of their distribution range and that are suspected to hybridize in nature. Here, we employed a combination of mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to explore the extent of introgressive hybridization between these fishes. Two natural hybrid zones were identified in different river basins. Introgression was bi‐directional and both hybrid zones consisted mostly of parental genotypes/phenotypes (i.e. bimodal hybrid zones). Yet, they appeared to differ in the extent and direction of introgression, which supports the view that they constitute independent outcomes of different hybridization processes probably influenced by environmental features. Several discordances were found between mtDNA and microsatellite results, suggesting that this hybridization process has complex consequences and illustrating the importance of using independent markers to define accurately the hybrid status of individuals in the presence of high levels of backcrossing.
Mainstreaming the Sex Industry: Economic Inclusion and Social Ambivalence
Authors: Brents Barbara G. , Sanders Teela
Published: February 2010

This paper seeks to analyse the expansion of commercial sex through processes of mainstreaming in economic and social institutions. We argue that cultural changes and neo‐liberal policies and attitudes have enabled economic mainstreaming, whilst social ambivalence continues to provide the backdrop to a prolific and profitable global industry. We chart the advancement of sexual consumption and sexual service provision in late capitalism before defining the concept of ‘mainstreaming’ applied here. We use the case studies of Las Vegas and Leeds to identify various social and economic dimensions to the mainstreaming process and the ways these play out in law and regulation. While social and economic processes have integrated sexual services into night‐time commerce, remaining social ambivalence fuels transgression and marginalization of the industry which in fact assists the mainstreaming process. Finally, we project some implications for gender relations, work, and inequalities as a result of the integration of sexual services into the economy.
The Movement to Criminalize Sex Work in the United States
Authors: Weitzer Ronald
Published: February 2010

Until recently, prostitution was not a prominent public issue in the United States. Law and public policy were relatively settled. The past decade, however, has witnessed a growing debate over the sex trade and the growth of an organized campaign committed to expanding criminalization. A powerful moral crusade has been successful in reshaping American government policy toward sex work – enhancing penalties for existing offences and creating new crimes. Crusade organizations have advocated a strict abolitionist orientation toward all forms of commercialized sex, which are increasingly conflated with sex trafficking. This paper examines the impact of this movement on legal norms and government policies. I argue that the moral crusade, and its government allies, are responding to the growth of the sex industry in recent years and to fears of its normalization in American society.
Extreme Concern: Regulating ‘Dangerous Pictures’ in the United Kingdom
Authors: Attwood Feona , Smith Clarissa
Published: February 2010

This article begins with an exploration of section 5 of the recent Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, otherwise known as the ‘Dangerous Pictures Act’ which outlaws the possession of ‘extreme images’, and the Rapid Evidence Assessment belatedly used to justify the legislation. We then examine the claims of the growth, dissemination, and widespread availability of material which ‘glories in sexual violence’ and its putative ‘effects’. This current crisis over the meanings of pornography highlights the rhetorical function of the conceptual discourse of ‘pornographication’, its links to problematic figurations of the consumer or viewer of explicit materials, and how the identification of ‘extreme’ pornography has given voice to a range of anxieties about media spectacularization of the body. We end by arguing that opposition to the legislation is not just a matter of protecting personal freedoms or refusing to recognize the existence of harms; instead, we propose that academics will need to question the very parameters on which the impulses to legislate are based.
RESPONSES OF ECONOMIC SYSTEMS TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE: PAST EXPERIENCES
Authors: Bassino Jean‐Pascal , Van Der Eng Pierre
Published: February 2010

Current discussions of climate change are overly focused on the science underpinning environmental impact, with little attention to socioeconomic consequences. The economics of environmental change in particular is insufficiently informed by the lessons that past experiences can yield. Drawing on case studies from Europe and Asia, this special issue underlines the importance of historical context, as well as markets, institutions, technology, and the role of international trade in understanding how economic systems have responded to environmental changes. Past economies have responded dynamically to environmental change rather than simply constrained deterministically by the climatic and ecological events that have engulfed them.
RAINFALL, THE MÉLINE TARIFF, AND WHEAT PRODUCTION IN MEDITERRANEAN FRANCE, 1885–1914
Authors: Bassino Jean‐Pascal , Dormois Jean‐Pierre
Published: February 2010

Wheat production stagnated in France during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, while cultivated acreage and wheat output declined sharply around the Mediterranean from the 1870s. Wheat output never recovered in this region despite the introduction in 1885 of tariff measures, such as the 1892 Méline Tariff. This paper analyses the response of Mediterranean wheat growers to changes in local rainfall and to variations of the duty on imported grains. It uses regional level data for nine administrative divisions located on or near the Mediterranean and assesses the impact of rainfall on yields. It argues that an interplay of protectionist policies and environmental conditions explain the decline of wheat production.
HUMAN CLONING THROUGH THE EYES OF MUSLIM SCHOLARS: THE NEW PHENOMENON OF THE ISLAMIC INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOSCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS
Authors: Ghaly Mohammed
Published: February 2010

In the wake of the February 1997 announcement that Dolly the sheep had been cloned, Muslim religious scholars together with Muslim scientists held two conferences to discuss cloning from an Islamic perspective. They were organized by two influential Islamic international religioscientific institutions: the Islamic Organization of Medical Sciences (IOMS) and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA). Both institutions comprise a large number of prominent religious scholars and well‐known scientists who participated in the discussions at the conferences. This article gives a comprehensive analysis of these conferences, the relation between science and religion as reflected in the discussions there, and the further influence of these discussions on Muslims living in the West. Modern discussions on Islamic bioethics show that formulating an Islamic perspective on these issues is not the exclusive prerogative of religious scholars. Formulating such perspectives has become a collective process in which scientists play an essential role. Such a collective approach strengthens the religious authority of Muslim scholars and makes it more influential rather than undermining it.
“THEISTIC PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY”: A THEOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC CRITIQUE
Authors: Helminiak Daniel A.
Published: February 2010

I take the APA publicationA Spiritual Strategy for Counseling and Psychotherapy(Richards and Bergin 2005), along with a devoted issue ofJournal of Psychology and Theology(Nelson and Slife 2006), as a paradigmatic example of a trend. Other instances include the uncritical use of “Eastern” philosophy in Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology, almost normative appeal to the “Sacred” within the psychology of spirituality, talk of “God in the brain” within neurological research, the neologismentheogenreferring to psychedelic drugs, and calls for new specializations such asneurotheologyandtheobiology.In response to the legitimate ethical requirements of respect and openness regarding clients' religious worldviews, the trend is to make God an essential component in psychological theory. The argument is that God is active in the universe and especially in human affairs to such an extent that any accurate account of strictly psychological matters, not just a comprehensive, interdisciplinary purview that could include a distinct theological dimension, must include God as an explanatory factor. Less nuanced than standard theological thought about divine intervention—including a range of opinions from supernaturalism, to occasionalism, to providential and deistic naturalism—this trend would blur the epistemological differences between religion and science by appeal to claimed knowledge sources such as inspiration and revelation and thus undermine the achievements of evidence‐based science and establish particularistic religious beliefs as standard explanatory accounts. The concern to include a spiritual, in contrast to a religious or theist, dimension in psychological theory is welcome; but elaborated approaches, such as my own and those of Roberto Assagioli, Viktor Frankl, and Ken Wilber, open to varied theological applications, already exist.
GOD AS A COMMUNICATIVE SYSTEMSUI GENERIS: BEYOND THE PSYCHIC, SOCIAL, PROCESS MODELS OF THE TRINITY
Authors: Moon Young Bin
Published: February 2010

With an aim to develop a public theology for an age of information media (or media theology), this article proposes a new God‐concept: God is a communicative systemsui generisthat autopoietically processes meaning/information in the supratemporal realm via perfect divine mediaad intra(Word/Spirit). For this task, Niklas Luhmann's systems theory is critically appropriated in dialogue with theology. First, my working postmetaphysical/epistemological stance is articulated as realistic operational constructivism and functionalism. Second, a series of arguments are advanced to substantiate the thesis: (1) God is an observing systemsui generis; (2) self‐referential communication is divine operation; (3) unsurpassable complexity is divine mystery; (4) supratemporal autopoiesis of meaning is divine processing; (5) agape is the symbolic medium of divine communication. Third, this communicative model of God is developed into a trinitarian theology, with a claim that this model offers a viable alternative beyond the standard (psychic, social, process) models. Finally, some implications of this model are explored for constructive theology (conceiving creation as divine mediatization) and for science‐and‐religion in terms of derivative models: (1) God as a living systemsui generisand (2) God as a meaning systemsui generis.
MARTIN LUTHER'S EXPERIENTIAL THEOLOGY AS A MODEL FOR FAITH‐SCIENCE RELATIONSHIPS
Authors: Nürnberger Klaus
Published: February 2010

The approach of experiential realism could indicate where science and faith deal with the same reality, where science questions faith assumptions, and where faith goes beyond the mandate and method of science. Although prescientific, Martin Luther's theology is the classical prototype of an experiential theology. We experience God's creative power in all of reality. We discern its regularities through observation and reason. So faith opens up all the space needed by science. However, experienced reality is highly ambiguous. It obscures God's intentions. God's intentions are revealed in the proclamation of the gospel: God is unconditionally for us and with us and not against us. This proclamation is a promise, appropriated in faith, and geared to a vision of what ought to become. It is based on the interpretation of a catastrophe—the cross of Christ—as God's pivotal redemptive act in human history. It goes beyond the mandate and method of science, yet it is capable of giving the latter a sense of purpose, criteria of acceptability, and authority to act in the interests of humanity and the earth. Theology challenges science to acknowledge the necessity of a transcendent frame of reference and moral accountability. Scientific insight challenges theology to reconceptualize its assumptions on God, creation, and eschatology to integrate best science.
European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society Guideline on management of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: Report of a joint task force of the European Federation of Neurological Societies and the Peripheral Nerve Society — First Revision
Authors: Van den Bergh P. Y. K. , Hadden R. D. M. , Bouche P. , Cornblath D. R. , Hahn A. , Illa I. , Koski C. L. , Léger J.‐M. , Nobile‐Orazio E. , Pollard J. , Sommer C. , Van Doorn P. A. , Van Schaik I. N.
Published: February 2010

Background:  Consensus guidelines on the definition, investigation, and treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) have been previously published in European Journal of Neurology and Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System.

Objectives:  To revise these guidelines.

Methods:  Disease experts, including a representative of patients, considered references retrieved from MEDLINE and Cochrane Systematic Reviews published between August 2004 and July 2009 and prepared statements that were agreed in an iterative fashion.

Recommendations:  The Task Force agreed on Good Practice Points to define clinical and electrophysiological diagnostic criteria for CIDP with or without concomitant diseases and investigations to be considered. The principal treatment recommendations were: (i) intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) (Recommendation Level A) or corticosteroids (Recommendation Level C) should be considered in sensory and motor CIDP; (ii) IVIg should be considered as the initial treatment in pure motor CIDP (Good Practice Point); (iii) if IVIg and corticosteroids are ineffective, plasma exchange (PE) should be considered (Recommendation Level A); (iv) if the response is inadequate or the maintenance doses of the initial treatment are high, combination treatments or adding an immunosuppressant or immunomodulatory drug should be considered (Good Practice Point); (v) symptomatic treatment and multidisciplinary management should be considered (Good Practice Point).
Effect of chronic mild stress and imipramine on the proteome of the rat dentate gyrus
Authors: Kedracka‐Krok Sylwia , Fic Ewelina , Jankowska Urszula , Jaciuk Marcin , Gruca Piotr , Papp Mariusz , Kusmider Maciej , Solich Joanna , Debski Janusz , Dadlez Michal , Dziedzicka‐Wasylewska Marta
Published: February 2010

J. Neurochem. (2010) 113, 848–859.

The present study uses a proteomic approach to examine possible alterations of protein expression in the hippocampus of rats that are subjected to chronic mild stress (CMS). These rats serve as an animal model that was developed to mimic anhedonia, which is one of the core symptoms of depression. As antidepressant treatment is effective after a few weeks of administration, we also aimed to identify changes that were linked to chronic (once daily for 4 weeks) and ‘pulse’ (once a week) administration of imipramine. Fifteen differential proteins were identified with 2D electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry. Although both methods of imipramine administration restored normal sucrose consumption in rats that were subjected to CMS, the molecular mechanisms of these two therapies were different. CMS‐induced changes in the levels of dynactin 2, Ash 2, non‐neuronal SNAP25 and alpha‐enolase were reversed by chronic imipramine, but ‘pulse’ treatment was not that effective.
New observations and reinterpretation on the enigmatic taxonColombitherium(?Pyrotheria, Mammalia) from Colombia
Authors: BILLET GUILLAUME , ORLIAC MAËVA , ANTOINE PIERRE‐OLIVIER , JARAMILLO CARLOS
Published: February 2010

Abstract: The controversial taxonColombitherium tolimense(Mammalia) (probably Late Eocene in age) from Colombia, although known for nearly 40 years, still bears much mystery. Aside from the problematic ordinal attribution of the holotype and only specimen, its determination as an upper or lower jaw remains a highly debated issue. New observations include the presence of a contact facet on the distal face of the most posterior tooth, which indicates that the fragmentary jaw preserves three premolars and two molars; the M3, unpreserved but present, being most probably reduced. This new interpretation completely fits the morphology of the teeth. Furthermore, the shape of these latter and the deeper wear encompassed by their lingual part relative to the labial one is typical of upper dentition. This is in agreement with the internal curving of the roots of the anterior premolars and with several other arguments that lead interpreting the holotype ofC. tolimenseas a maxillary bearing P2‐M2. This new interpretation deepens the morphological gap betweenColombitheriumand other pyrotherians (exceptProticia) and challenges further its referral to Pyrotheria. The peculiar morphology ofColombitheriumrelative to other pyrotherians is indeed striking. In fact,Colombitheriumhas nothing in common with pyrotherians but bilophodont cheek teeth, a feature largely widespread in placental mammals. It is here referred to ?Pyrotheria until additional evidence of its relationships is known. Associated with the putative removal ofProticiafrom Pyrotheria as argued by some authors, the hypothetical removal ofColombitheriumfrom the order would adjust the widely accepted assumption that the pyrotherian bilophodont cheek teeth originated from bunodont cheek teeth. It would also make an origin from lophodont forms plausible. This in turn would have critical relevance, especially to the hypothesis that pyrotherians are notoungulates.
Quality Management and Cooperative Values: Investigation of Multilevel Influences on Workgroup Performance
Authors: Kull Thomas J. , Narasimhan Ram
Published: February 2010

Unsuccessful quality initiatives often are attributed to an organizational culture that does not recognize the importance of the cooperative values that underlie “soft” quality management practices, like customer focus and empowerment. Yet, the literature remains unclear as to how quality management and cooperative values interrelate by failing to incorporate the multilevel influences on this relationship in organizations. This research analyzes a multilevel model based on sociotechnical systems and quality management theories. Secondary data are used to test an explanation of how organizational‐level and workgroup‐level quality management practices relate to cooperative cultural values and workgroup performance. A single‐level model is also tested to demonstrate its inadequacies. Based upon the support for a multilevel model, managerial insights are provided that aid in deciding where resources should be allocated during a quality initiative.
Area‐sensitivity by forest songbirds: theoretical and practical implications of scale‐dependency
Authors: Desrochers André , Renaud Christine , Hochachka Wesley M. , Cadman Mike
Published: February 2010

Songbird presence is often associated with the area of suitable habitat in the surrounding landscape. However, the size of landscape for which this association is maximized is generally unknown, likely to vary among species, and may affect our ability to incorporate songbirds in landscape management. We measured the occurrence and the persistence of forest songbirds in relation to the amount of habitat measured at several scales: local (100, 200 m radius), neighborhood (400, 800 m), landscape (1.6, 3.2, 6.4 km) and regional (12–24 km), based on data from Ontario's Forest Bird Monitoring Program (1987–2005). Songbird occurrence was obtained from point count sites distributed across southern Ontario and each revisited in multiple years (mean=5.8 yr). Presence of each species at a site was associated with forest habitat area measures that account for differences in preferred forest cover types among species. Area of coniferous, deciduous and mixed forest was derived from Landsat TM imagery. Thirty‐two of the 35 species studied were area‐sensitive, and area‐sensitivity was apparent for 13–25 species at each spatial scale. For 24 species, the strength of area‐sensitivity varied with scale, suggesting the importance of local, neighborhood, landscape and regional habitat for 3, 5, 5, and 11 species respectively. As a result, the list of the five most area‐sensitive species varied depending on the scale at which habitat was described. We conclude that area‐sensitivity can occur at a broader set of scales than generally assumed, and is most pronounced at the regional scale. We suggest that a broad set of scales should be examined before taking conservation decisions based on avian area‐sensitivity.
Normative dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry data in Swedish children and adolescents
Authors: Alwis Gayani , Rosengren Björn , Stenevi‐Lundgren Susanna , Düppe Henrik , Sernbo Ingemar , Karlsson Magnus K
Published: February 2010

Aim:  To present normative dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry data in healthy young Swedes.

Methods:  Included were 710 girls and 759 boys aged 6–30 years from southern Sweden. Bone mineral content, bone mineral density, bone size, lean body and fat mass were measured by dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry in total body, lumbar spine, hip, arms and legs.

Results:  Swedish children had similar bone mass to children in the Netherlands but higher than children in Canada and Korea. Height, weight, bone mass, bone size and lean mass increased at a constant rate from age 6 until the rapid increase in all traits at puberty. The pubertal growth spurt started earlier in girls than in boys, while the spurt in boys was larger in magnitude and occurred for a longer period. Around one‐quarter of the adult total body and lumbar spine peak bone mineral content was gained during the 2 years with the fastest gain in both genders.

Conclusion:  This study presents normative bone mass data in Swedish children, data that are similar to that in Dutch children but higher than in Canadian and Korean children. The gain in Swedish children seems to mimic the gain seen in children in other settings.
Inhibition of ROCK improves survival of human embryonic stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes after dissociation
Authors: Braam Stefan R. , Nauw Roy , Ward‐van Oostwaard Dorien , Mummery Christine , Passier Robert
Published: February 2010

In recent years the differentiation efficiency of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to cardiomyocytes has improved considerably. In general, hESC‐derived cardiomyocytes are formed in aggregates, which require dissociation for follow‐up experimental analyses and (clinical) applications. Here, we show that inhibition of the Rho‐associated kinase (ROCK) by Y‐27632 improved survival of dissociated hESC‐derived differentiated cells. A maximum effect on cell survival was already observed within the first 24 hours. Hereafter, no further differences in the percentage of apoptotic and proliferating cells were observed with or without ROCK‐inhibitor treatment. Improved survival was observed in both cardiomyocyte as well as non‐cardiomyocyte cell populations. Viable cardiomyocytes were indicated by the appearance of beating, sarcomeric organization of cardiac‐specific proteins, and fluorescence of a mitochondrion‐selective dye. These results facilitate development of applications of hESC‐derived cardiomyocytes in multiple research areas. Furthermore, these findings may be applied to other cell types differentiated from hESCs or other stem cells.
Atrial‐selective sodium channel block as a novel strategy for the management of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Antzelevitch Charles , Burashnikov Alexander
Published: February 2010

Safe and effective pharmacologic management of atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the greatest challenges facing an aging society. Currently available pharmacologic strategies for rhythm control of AF are associated with ventricular arrhythmias and in some cases multi‐organ toxicity. Consequently, drug development has focused on atrial‐selective agents such as IKur blockers. Recent studies suggest that IKur block alone may be ineffective for suppression of AF and may promote AF in healthy hearts. Recent experimental studies have demonstrated other important electrophysiologic differences between atrial and ventricular cells, particularly with respect to sodium channel function, and have identified sodium channel blockers that exploit these electrophysiologic distinctions. Atrial‐selective sodium channel blockers, such as ranolazine and amiodarone, effectively suppress and/or prevent the induction of AF in experimental models, while producing little to no effect on ventricular myocardium. These findings suggest that atrial‐selective sodium channel block may be a fruitful new strategy for the management of AF.
Extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling in cardiac hypertrophy
Authors: Kehat Izhak , Molkentin Jeffery D.
Published: February 2010

Cardiac hypertrophy results from increased mechanical load on the heart and through the action of neurohumoral mediators. ERK1/2 are known to be activated in response to almost every stress‐ and agonist‐induced hypertrophic stimulus examined to date, suggesting the straightforward hypothesis that these kinases are required for promoting the cardiac growth response. However, recent data from genetically modified mouse models suggest a more complicated picture. For example, inducible expression of dual‐specificity phosphatase 6, an ERK1/2‐inactivating phosphatase, eliminated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in transgenic mice, but it did not diminish the hypertrophic response to pressure overload. Similarly, Erk1−/− and Erk2+/− mice showed no reduction in stimulus‐induced cardiac growth in vivo. However, blockade or deletion of cardiac ERK1/2 did predispose the heart to decompensation and failure after long‐term pressure overload. Thus, ERK1/2 signaling is not to be absolutely necessary for mediating cardiac hypertrophy, although it does appear to provide critical protective effects/signals during stress‐stimulation.
Nonuniform activation and the mechanics of myocardial trabeculae with fast or slow myosin
Authors: ter Keurs Henk E.D.J. , Diao Ni , Deis Nathan P.
Published: February 2010

Left ventricular (LV) wall motion abnormalities reflect regional nonuniform contraction which may be arrhythmogenic. We studied sarcomere mechanics and force development (F) in uniform and nonuniform trabeculae using a model in which half of the muscle can be rendered weak by exposure to low [Ca2+]o. Stretch allowed the weak muscle segment to generate a force that was four‐fold higher than force when the whole muscle was exposed to low [Ca2+]o. The sarcomere force–velocity relationships (FSVR) and the force–sarcomere‐length relationships (FSLR) explained the force increase in the weak segment and the decrease of force in the strong segment such that both carried the same force. Correction for muscle stiffness converted the FSVR into a [Ca2+]o‐independent linear FVRXB for “the single cross‐bridge (XB).” Stretch increased XB force < 10% above FXB‐max, but recruited more XBs by feedback of V to the rate of XB, weakening (g=g0+g1V). The g1 here was indistinguishable from g1 of XBs in slow myosin of aged animals. The mechanics of nonuniform muscle can be explained by a linear FVRXB combined with the effect of V on the XB weakening rate.
Return to the fetal gene program
Authors: Taegtmeyer Heinrich , Sen Shiraj , Vela Deborah
Published: February 2010

A hallmark of cardiac metabolism before birth is the predominance of carbohydrate use for energy provision. After birth, energy substrate metabolism rapidly switches to the oxidation of fatty acids. This switch accompanies the expression of “adult” isoforms of metabolic enzymes and other proteins. However, in a variety of pathophysiologic conditions, including hypoxia, ischemia, hypertrophy, atrophy, diabetes, and hypothyroidism, the postnatal heart returns to the “fetal” gene program. These adaptive mechanisms are also a feature of the failing heart muscle, where at a certain point this fetal‐like reprogramming no longer suffices to support cardiac structure and function. We advance the hypothesis that in the postnatal heart, metabolic remodeling triggers the process through glycosylation of transcription factors, potentially protecting the stressed heart from irreversible functional impairment and programmed cell death. In other words, we propose a metabolic link to gene expression in the heart.
Theory of cardiac sarcomere contraction and the adaptive control of cardiac function to changes in demands
Authors: Sela Gali , Yadid Moran , Landesberg Amir
Published: February 2010

This chapter explores the adaptive control of cardiac function by the loading conditions and relates the observed phenomena to our theory of the sarcomeric control of contraction. Our theory includes two feedback mechanisms: cooperativity‐regulated cross‐bridge recruitment and energy consumption, and mechanical feedback that determines the interplay between the external work and the force–time integral. The latter also suggests that cardiac efficiency is load independent. This paper explores the regulation of cardiac function by loading conditions, and the role of afterload in adult sheep in situ (n= 8). Different afterloads were imposed by partial aortic occlusions. Transient inferior vena cava occlusions (IVCOs) were pre‐formed at each steady afterload. A novel, highly linear relationship was found between the external work and pressure–time integral during each transient IVCO at constant afterload. Of interest, the slope of this relationship was afterload‐dependant also during fast transient changes in the afterload. These observations are congruent with the suggested adaptive sarcomeric control of contraction, and may provide a powerful tool for quantifying cardiac function.
Feedback Concept in the Ore‐forming Systems
Authors: Shahabpour Jamshid
Published: February 2010

Feedback, one of the most fundamental processes existing in nature, is present in almost all dynamic systems. Feedback concepts have been utilized almost exclusively by engineers. Nevertheless, this theory is applicable to formulating and solving problems in geology, particularly in the ore‐forming systems. Feedback is distinctly operative in the generation of two groups of mineral deposits: (i) Mineral deposits showing rhythmic structures/textures, such as layered chromite deposits, re‐opened veins with banded structure/texture, Mississippi Valley‐type deposits with alternate bands/crusts of barite and galena, proximal volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits with mineralized layers of breccia clasts, and banded iron formations with alternate silica and magnetite and/or hematite bands, and (ii) mineral deposits lacking visible rhythmic structures/textures, but showing evidence of rhythmic process(es), such as in porphyry base metal deposits. There is an alternation of positive and negative feedback mechanisms in the ore‐forming systems discussed here, which implies the involvement of feedback loops of negative sign.
Enhancing the Foster Care Review Process: The Case of Kentucky's Interested Party Review Program
Authors: Bryan Valerie , Collins‐Camargo Crystal , Rhee Stephanie
Published: February 2010

In order to promote timely permanency for children in out‐of‐home care, citizen foster care review programs employ volunteers to monitor progress for children in the child welfare system. In addition to case file reviews, Kentucky implemented an Interested Party Review system in which foster care review board members meet with family members and child welfare staff in order to glean more detailed and multi‐faceted information to submit to the court. This article describes a mixed‐methods program evaluation demonstrating the contribution of such a review process to judicial decision making and child outcome, as well as recommendations for program improvement.
Distinct activities of GABA agonists at synaptic‐ and extrasynaptic‐type GABAAreceptors
Authors: Mortensen Martin , Ebert Bjarke , Wafford Keith , Smart Trevor G.
Published: February 2010

The activation characteristics of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAAreceptors are important for shaping the profile of phasic and tonic inhibition in the central nervous system, which will critically impact on the activity of neuronal networks. Here, we study in isolation the activity of three agonists, GABA, muscimol and 4,5,6,7‐tetrahydoisoxazolo[5,4‐c]pyridin‐3(2H)‐one (THIP), to further understand the activation profiles of α1β3γ2, α4β3γ2 and α4β3δ receptors that typify synaptic‐ and extrasynaptic‐type receptors expressed in the hippocampus and thalamus. The agonists display an order of potency that is invariant between the three receptors, which is reliant mostly on the agonist dissociation constant. At δ subunit‐containing extrasynaptic‐type GABAAreceptors, both THIP and muscimol additionally exhibited, to different degrees, superagonist behaviour. By comparing whole‐cell and single channel currents induced by the agonists, we provide a molecular explanation for their different activation profiles. For THIP at high concentrations, the unusual superagonist behaviour on α4β3δ receptors is a consequence of its ability to increase the duration of longer channel openings and their frequency, resulting in longer burst durations. By contrast, for muscimol, moderate superagonist behaviour was caused by reduced desensitisation of the extrasynaptic‐type receptors. The ability to specifically increase the efficacy of receptor activation, by selected exogenous agonists over that obtained with the natural transmitter, may prove to be of therapeutic benefit under circumstances when synaptic inhibition is compromised or dysfunctional.
Numerical Investigation of Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Microchannel With Grooved Surfaces
Authors: Abouali O. , Baghernezhad N.
Published: February 2010

This paper presents a numerical investigation for two types of grooves (rectangular and arc shapes) fabricated in the microchannel surfaces, which leads to enhancement in single-phase cooling. The pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of the single-phase microchannel heat sink were investigated numerically for laminar flow. For this purpose, the conjugate heat transfer problem involving simultaneous determination of temperature fields in both solid and liquid regions was solved numerically. The numerical model was validated with comparison to experimental data, in which good agreement was seen. A simple microchannel with available experimental data was selected, and it was shown that using grooved surfaces on this microchannel has a noticeable effect and heat removal rate can be increased using this technique. The results depict that the arc grooves have a higher heat removal flux compared with rectangular grooves but the latter have a higher coefficient of performance for the case in which grooves are made in the floor and both side walls. Also, it was shown that a grooved microchannel with higher wall thickness and lower mass flow rate of cooling water has a higher heat removal flux and coefficient of performance compared with a simple microchannel with minimum wall thickness. Effect of various sizes and distances of the floor grooves was determined, and the cases for maximum heat removal rate and coefficient of performance for both rectangular and arc grooves were obtained.
Activities of Daily Living and Implant Design: Evaluation of a Femoral Fracture Fixed Plate Implant During Bicycle Pedaling
Authors: Wagner David W. , Vallejo Alejandro
Published: February 2010

The process of using activities of daily living to evaluate the performance of implantable devices under physiological loading conditions has been researched [1,2,3,4]. In particular, long-term stability of hip-implants, as related to fatigue, have been evaluated using normal walking [1,2,4], sit to stand [1], stair climbing [2,4], and combinations of everyday activities [3]. Current methods that utilize estimated physiological loading conditions are traditionally used as pass/fail tests to identify whether a particular design performs to a set of minimum specifications for long-term use. Such tests are also traditionally limited to a small number of physiologically representative loading conditions (i.e. walking, stair climbing, sit-to-stand).
A Knotless Dual Row Loop Rotator Cuff Repair: Does It Hold Up to a Transosseous Equivalent Repair?
Authors: Schlegel Theodore F. , Otarodifard Karimdad Amir , Hawkins Richard J. , Vangsness Thomas , Bui Christopher , McGarry Michelle H. , Lee Thay Q.
Published: February 2010

A transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair has shown improved biomechanical characteristics compared to other more cumbersome arthroscopic double row repairs. However, the transosseous equivalent repair, which requires knot tying, still can be challenging when tensioning the repair construct. We hypothesized that a knotless dual row loop repair has similar biomechanical characteristics to the transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify and compare the biomechanical characteristics of a knotless double row repair and transosseous equivalent rotator cuff repair using matched pair shoulders.
Soft Tissue Fixation and Implant Development: Intellectual Property
Authors: Lee Sabing H.
Published: February 2010

Everyday, people are inventing new products with hopes of someday bringing the products to the marketplace. Often times, people believe their new products are so innovative that they can potentially revolutionize an entire industry. Many entrepreneurs dream of starting new companies founded on their inventive products, and some may even succeed.
Experimental Investigation of Aging for Multi-Segments PEM Fuel Cell With Dynamic Loading Cycles
Authors: Weng Fang-Bor , Su Ay , Hsu Chun-Ying , Jung Guo-bin , Lee Chi-Yuan , Li Chun-Wei , Yan Wei-Mon
Published: February 2010

The effect of humidification on aging of local membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was investigated using dynamic cycling-change output current measurements. During the investigation, the active area of MEA was divided into 8 segments from upstream to downstream. The experiment was carried out before activation and those results served as bench mark for the results obtained after activation. The results of humidification of MEA were collected from the high frequency resistance (HFR). It was found that HFR of the first region was largest due to less water humidification. With the gas flow to the downstream, the concentration of vapor and liquid water was high, the MEA was humidified and consequently the value of HFR also decreased. The flooding in the last segment was might be due to the accumulation of water. This phenomenon resulted in the undershoot of HFR curve. The HFR curve would become steady when the flooding was removed at the last segment. The experiment of dynamic output current was carried out for 450 cycles and the total time was about 150 hours. It was found that the polarization curve became steady had less differentiation between each segment after 450 cycles of dynamic output current measurements tests. The slop of cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves charts increased from region 6 to region 8. It was supposed that the water content in the MEA was less at low loading condition and the MEA become dried. But the water content was more in high loading condition. The MEA would be in the cycle of expansion and contraction during the drying and humidification exchange process. The result suggested that the membrane might be affected easily in the downstream. Besides, the surface area of catalyst would also decay the peak of CV curve due to the water flooding which might block the mass transfer resulting in fuel starvation, carbon corrosion and catalyst degradation in downstream.
Dynamic Modeling of Water Sorption in PEM Fuel Cells
Authors: Cheddie Denver
Published: February 2010

This paper compares two models of dynamic water sorption in Nafion® membranes of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The first sorption model, commonly used in fuel cell modeling, is based on an assumption of perpetual equilibrium between the membrane water and water vapor at all membrane/vapor interfaces. The second approach, based on non-equilibrium dynamics, assumes that the rate of water sorption in the membrane is proportional to the difference between its actual water content and the equilibrium value. Results show that the steady state membrane water concentration gradient is lower in the equilibrium model, which means that it underestimates the cathode side flooding and anode side dehydration phenomena, compared with the nonequilibrium model. The transient response to changes in cathode humidification is also shown to be significantly different under both models.
Analysis and Optimization Design of Proton-Exchange-Membrane Electrolysis Cell
Authors: Farber Aaron M. , Li Pei-Wen
Published: February 2010

Although much work has been done to optimize individual components of electrolyzers and fuel cells, very little has been done to simulate and optimize the entire system. A thorough paper review has been conducted to increase the accuracy of the PEM electrolyzer model and simulation discussed in this study. Data on optimal thicknesses and electrical properties of various electrolyzer elements was collected from various sources and collated. The simulation was then implemented to optimize the current collector rib dimensions for maximum performance and efficiency over a variety of temperatures. This paper shows higher temperatures significantly improve the efficiency of the cell while also increasing the optimal rib width dimensions. The increased efficiency is most likely due to the excess heat contributing towards the threshold energy required for the electrolysis while the varying resistances of the proton exchange membrane, with respect to temperature, can explain the increased rib width.
Evaluation of Two-Phase Condition and Mass Transfer in GDL With Pore Network Model
Authors: Inoue Gen , Matsukuma Yosuke , Minemoto Masaki
Published: February 2010

In order to improve the output performance of PEFC, it is important to investigate the two-phase condition in gas diffusion layer (GDL). In this study, the simulated GDL structure was developed by numerical analysis including the random orientation of carbon fibers and binders. And detailed structural estimation was carried out. As structural properties, pore size distribution, electrical resistivity and tortuosity were calculated, and these values almost agreed with actual measurement values. Furthermore, our past two-phase network model was improved, and the model based on an actual structure was developed by a direct 3D networking porous structure. And the influence of GDL structure on the two-phase condition with accumulated water was evaluated, and effective diffusion coefficient of oxygen in GDL with liquid water was calculated.
Water Management in PEM Fuel Cell: A Lattice-Boltzmann Modeling Approach
Authors: Mukherjee Shiladitya , Cole J. Vernon , Jain Kunal , Gidwani Ashok
Published: February 2010

In Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs), water management and the effective transport of water through the gas-diffusion-layer (GDL) are key issues for improved performance at high power density and for durability during freeze-thaw cycles. The diffusion layer is a thin (∼150–350μm), porous material typically composed of a web of carbon fibers and particles, and is usually coated with hydrophobic Teflon to remove the excess water through capillary action. In-situ diagnostics of water movement and gas-reactant transport through this thin opaque substrate is challenging. Numerical analyses are typically based on simplified assumptions, such as Darcy’s Law and Leverett functions for the capillary pressure. The objective of this work is to develop a high fidelity CFD modeling and analysis tool to capture the details of multiphase transport through the porous GDL. The tool can be utilized to evaluate GDL material design concepts and optimize systems based on the interactions between cell design, materials, and operating conditions. The flow modeling is based on the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). LBM is a powerful modeling tool to simulate multiphase flows. Its strength is in its kinetic theory based foundation, which provides a fundamental basis for incorporating intermolecular forces that lead to liquid-gas phase separation and capillary effects without resorting to expensive or ad-hoc interface reconstruction schemes. At the heart of the solution algorithm is a discrete form of the well-known Boltzmann Transport Equation (BTE) for molecular distribution, tailored to recover the continuum Navier-Stokes flow. The solution advances by a streaming and collision type algorithm, mimicking actual molecular physics, which makes it suitable for porous media involving complex boundaries. We developed a numerical scheme to reconstruct various porous GDL microstructures including Teflon loading. Single and multiphase LBM models are implemented to compute permeability. Predicted values are in good agreement with measured data. The present modeling approach resolves the GDL microstructures and captures the influence of fiber orientation on permeability and the influence of Teflon loading on the development of preferential flow paths through the GDL. These observations can potentially guide the development of novel GDL materials designed for efficient removal of water.