bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
De politieke verantwoordelijkheid voor koninklijke genadebesluiten in België tijdens de 20ste eeuw
Authors: Monballyu J.
Published: December 2007

During the 20th century, Ministers of the Department of Justice in Belgium have been politically accountable for the pardons granted by the King. As a result, they had to answer questions on issues of pardons asked by members of both chambers of Parliament, viz. the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate. When responding to these questions, they would choose between two possible approaches: either they refused to disclose the specific reasons for a pardon because of the principle that the Crown's position had to remain protected by ministerial responsibility, or they stated the specific reasons on purely political grounds. On two occasions, the latter approach resulted in the Minister's enforced resignation.
Spontaneous Drainage of Neonatal Cephalohematoma: A Delayed Complication of Scalp Abscess
Authors: Kersten Catalina M. , Moellering Christina M. , Mato Sayonara
Published: December 2007

Neonatal cephalohematomas are known complications of traumatic deliveries, and the majority of cases resolve without intervention. Scalp abscesses are rare and often described as benign complications of fetal scalp monitoring. Spontaneous drainage of a neonatal cephalohematoma, with or without associated scalp abscess, has not yet been described. We present a case of a neonate with recurrent Escherichia coli bacteremia and spontaneous drainage of a large cephalohematoma through an overlying scalp abscess.
X-linked Hypophosphatemic Rickets Associated With Respiratory Failure
Authors: Balazs Andrea , Jeha George , Gunn Sheila K. , Karaviti Lefkothea P.
Published: December 2007

We report a 5-year-old girl who presented to our emergency room with respiratory arrest and limb deformities and was subsequently diagnosed with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets. On normalization of the serum phosphorus concentration, her respiratory distress resolved, illustrating that untreated X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets can lead to life-threatening respiratory distress.
Infections and Apparent Life-Threatening Events
Authors: Altman Robin L. , Li Karl I. , Brand Donald A.
Published: December 2007

The need for routine sepsis evaluation in patients who have experienced an apparent life-threatening event but lack signs of infection remains controversial. To assess their risk of a serious occult bacterial infection, records were reviewed of 95 infants in whom infections were discovered during their inpatient evaluation after an apparent life-threatening event. Noted for each patient was the presence of any suggestive findings that would have prompted a physician to consider the given type of infection in the differential diagnosis. Thirty patients had bacterial infections; all but 5 had suggestive findings. The exceptions included 1 patient with pneumonia and 4 with urinary tract infections. None of the remaining 25 patients had occult bacterial infections. In patients with an apparent life-threatening event who appear well and lack signs suggestive of a serious bacterial infection, it may be possible to forego routine sepsis evaluation beyond a chest radiograph and urine culture without risking a serious missed diagnosis.
A family-specific use of the Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers (MPOC-SP)
Authors: Siebes RC , Nijhuis BJG , Boonstra AM , Ketelaar M. , Wijnroks L. , Reinders-Messelink HA , Postema K. , Vermeer A.
Published: December 2007

Objective: To examine the validity and utility of the Dutch Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers (MPOC-SP) as a family-specific measure.

Design: A validation study.

Setting: Five paediatric rehabilitation settings in the Netherlands.

Main measures: The MPOC-SP was utilized in a general (reflecting on services provided for all clients and clients' families) and family-specific way (filled out in reference to a particular child and his or her family).

Subjects: Professionals providing rehabilitation and educational services to children with cerebral palsy.

Methods: For construct validity, Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficients (r ) between the scales were calculated. The ability of service providers to discriminate between general and family-specific ratings was examined by exploration of absolute difference scores.

Results: One hundred and sixteen service professionals filled out 240 family-specific MPOC-SPs. In addition, a subgroup of 81 professionals filled out a general MPOC-SP. For each professional, family-specific and general scores were paired, resulting in 151 general—family-specific MPOC-SP pairs. The construct validity analyses confirmed the scale structure: 21 items (77.8%) loaded highest in the original MPOC-SP factors, and all items correlated best and significantly with their own scale score (r 0.565 to 0.897; P<0.001). Intercorrelations between the scales ranged from r = 0.159 to r = 0.522. In total, 94.4% of the mean absolute difference scores between general and family-specific scale scores were larger than the expected difference.

Conclusion: Service providers were able to discriminate between general and family-specific MPOC-SP item ratings. The family-specific MPOC-SP is a valid measure that can be used for individual evaluation of family-centred services and can be the impetus for family-related quality improvement.
Factors associated with a second hip fracture: a systematic review
Authors: Egan Mary , Jaglal Susan , Byrne Kerry , Wells Jennie , Stolee Paul
Published: December 2007

Objective: To provide a systematic review of factors associated with subsequent hip fracture among individuals who have fractured a hip.

Data sources: We searched Ageline, CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE, from database inceptions to the week of 5 June 2006.

Review methods: Studies were selected if they provided information regarding risk of subsequent hip fracture among individuals who had fractured a hip. Study quality was assessed using the Jadad criteria for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and a simple scale based on the MOOSE criteria for cohort studies.

Results: Four RCTs and seven cohort studies were identified. Older age, cognitive impairment and lower bone mass appear to increase the risk of subsequent fracture, as did impaired depth perception, impaired mobility, previous falls, dizziness and poor or fair self-perceived health. Pharmacologic treatment for osteoporosis decreased the risk of subsequent fracture. Use of hip protectors by community-dwelling seniors did not appear to protect against a second fracture.

Conclusion: A number of easily observed risk factors may help identify those individuals at higher risk for subsequent fracture.
Unawareness of Illness in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Phenomenological Certainty versus Etiopathogenic Vagueness
Authors: Orfei Maria D. , Robinson Robert G. , Bria Pietro , Caltagirone Carlo , Spalletta Gianfranco
Published: December 2007

Awareness of illness is a form of self-knowledge concerning information about the pathological state, its functional consequence, and the way it affects the patient and his interaction with the environment. Unawareness of illness has raised much interest for its consequences on compliance with treatment, prognosis, and the patient's quality of life. This review highlights the great complexity of this phenomenon both at phenomenological and etiopathogenic levels in stroke, traumatic brain injury, psychosis, dementias, and mood disorders. In particular, the clinical expression is characterized by failure to acknowledge being ill, misattribution of symptoms, and noncompliance with treatment. Unawareness of illness may also be linked with characteristics that are peculiar to each individual disturbance, such as symptom duration and cognitive impairment. Despite a long-lasting interest in the clinical characteristics of unawareness, only recently has the focus of research investigated pathogenic mechanisms, with sometimes controversial results. The vast majority of studies have pointed out a remarkable involvement of the right hemisphere. Specifically, functional and structural changes of the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex and some other frontal areas have often been found to be associated with awareness deficit, as well as parieto-temporal areas and the thalamus, although to a lesser extent. These data indicate the present difficulty of localizing a specific cerebral area involved in unawareness and suggest the existence of possible brain circuits responsible for awareness. In conclusion, phenomenological manifestations of poor awareness are well outlined in their complexity, whereas neuroanatomic and neuropsychological findings are still too vague and sparse and need further, greater efforts to be clarified. NEUROSCIENTIST 14(2): 203—222, 2008. DOI: 10.1177/1073858407309995
Reassessing Adolescent Male Sexual and Reproductive Health in the United States: Research and Recommendations
Authors: Duberstein Lindberg Laura , Sonfield Adam , Gemmill Alison
Published: December 2007

Adolescent males are practicing safer sexual behaviors and experiencing healthier outcomes than their predecessors. In recent years, adolescent males have tended to start having sex later in life, have fewer sexual partners, use condoms and other contraceptive methods more often, and father fewer children. Yet sexual activity during adolescence remains the norm, and thus adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) remains an important concern. Moreover, large disparities remain in risk and outcomes according to race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, social connectivity, and where men live. Policy and program advances have been limited. Adolescent males are less likely than they were a decade ago to be receiving broad-based SRH information in school, and their access to clinical services has increased only marginally. Most new funding has been provided for ineffective abstinence-only education programs. Prerequisites for continued progress include research to fill in gaps in our knowledge, arriving at societal consensus around key controversies, and new tactics and allies in the political arena.
Sexual Health and Stigma in Urban Newspaper Coverage of Methamphetamine
Authors: Schwartz Joseph , Andsager Julie L.
Published: December 2007

The epidemic use of methamphetamine in the United States is a growing public health problem. Recently its use has increased among gay men who live in urban areas, with accompanying increases in sexually transmitted diseases. This study examined how methamphetamine and sexual health are framed. It investigated the stigma associated with heterosexuals and gay men. Stories from 13 urban newspapers in cities with large populations of gay men published from 2000 to 2006 were analyzed. Results indicated that methamphetamine and sexual health were framed primarily as an individual, present problem. Stories framed methamphetamine as a health problem slightly more often than as a crime problem, but health was the dominant frame in stories mentioning gay men. Crime was the dominant frame in stories with heterosexuals. Articles tied gay men to sexual health issues. Findings indicate gay men and heterosexuals are stigmatized in news coverage of sexual issues and methamphetamine but in different ways.
Maurer's clefts of Plasmodium falciparum are secretory organelles that concentrate virulence protein reporters for delivery to the host erythrocyte
Authors: Bhattacharjee Souvik , van Ooij Christiaan , Balu Bharath , Adams John H. , Haldar Kasturi
Published: December 2007

In blood-stage infection by the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, export of proteins from the intracellular parasite to the erythrocyte is key to virulence. This export is mediated by a host-targeting (HT) signal present on a “secretome” of hundreds of parasite proteins engaged in remodeling the erythrocyte. However, the route of HT-mediated export is poorly understood. Here we show that minimal soluble and membrane protein reporters that contain the HT motif and mimic export of endogenous P falciparum proteins are detected in the lumen of “cleft” structures synthesized by the pathogen. Clefts are efficiently targeted by the HT signal. Furthermore, the HT signal does not directly translocate across the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) surrounding the parasite to deliver protein to the erythrocyte cytoplasm, as suggested by current models of parasite protein trafficking to the erythrocyte. Rather, it is a lumenal signal that sorts protein into clefts, which then are exported beyond the PVM. These data suggest that Maurer's clefts, which are unique to the virulent P falciparum species, are pathogen-induced secretory organelles that concentrate HT-containing soluble and membrane parasite proteins in their lumen for delivery to the host erythrocyte.
Nanoparticle-driven DNA damage mimics irradiation-related carcinogenesis pathways
Authors: Mroz R. M. , Schins R. P. F. , Li H. , Jimenez L. A. , Drost E. M. , Holownia A. , MacNee W. , Donaldson K.
Published: December 2007

The epidemiological association between cancer and exposure to ambient air pollution particles (particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm (PM10)) has been related to the ability of PM10and its constituent nanoparticles (NPs) to cause reactive oxidative species (ROS)-driven DNA damage. However, there are no data on the molecular response to these genotoxic effects.

In order to assess whether PM10, NP and ROS-driven DNA damage induce carcinogenesis pathways, A549 cells were treated with tert-butyl-hyperperoxide (Tbh), urban dust (UD), carbon black (CB), nanoparticulate CB (NPCB), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and NPCB coated with BaP for ≤24 h. Single- and double-strand breakage of DNA was determined by comet assay; cell cycle status was analysed using flow cytometry. Nuclear extracts or acid-extracted histones were used for Western blot analysis of p-ser15-p53 (p53 phosphorylated at ser15), p53 binding protein (53BP) 1, phospho-histone H2A.X (p-H2A.X) and phospho-BRCA1 (p-BRCA1).

UD caused both single- and double-strand DNA breaks, while other tested NPs caused only single-strand DNA breaks. NPs significantly altered cell cycle kinetics. Tbh enhanced p-H2A.X after 1 and 6 h (2.1- and 2.2-fold, respectively). NP increased 53BP1 expression at 1 h (2.4–8.7-fold) and p-BRCA1 at 1–6 h.N-acetylcysteine blocked NP-driven p-ser15-p53 response.

In conclusion, nanoparticles and reactive oxidative species induce DNA damage, activating p53 and proteins related to DNA repair, mimicking irradiation-related carcinogenesis pathways.
Exhaled nitric oxide and asthma control: a longitudinal study in unselected patients
Authors: Michils A. , Baldassarre S. , Van Muylem A.
Published: December 2007

Controlled studies have shown that monitoring of the exhaled nitric oxide fraction (FeNO) improves asthma management. However, the studies seldom consider the full range of patients seen in clinical practise. In the present study, the ability ofFeNOto reflect asthma control over time is investigated in a regular clinical setting, and meaningfulFeNOcut-off points and changes are identified.

Answers to the Asthma Control Questionnaire andFeNOwere recorded at least once in 341 unselected asthma patients. The whole population and subgroups were considered,i.e.both inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-naïve and low or high-to-medium (≤ or >500 μg beclomethasone dipropionate equivalents·day−1) ICS-dose groups.

AnFeNOdecrease <40% or increase <30% precludes asthma control optimisation or deterioration, respectively (negative predictive value 79 and 82%, respectively). In the present study’s low-dose group, a decrease >40% indicated asthma control optimisation (positive predictive value (PPV) 83%). In ICS-naïve patients,FeNO>35 ppb predicted asthma control improvement in response to ICS (PPV 68%). In most cases, forced expiratory volume in one second assessments were not useful.

In conclusion, in a given patient, exhaled nitric oxide fraction was found to be significantly related to asthma control over time. The overall ability of exhaled nitric oxide fraction to reflect asthma control was reduced in patients using high doses of inhaled corticosteroids. Forced expiratory volume in one second had little additional value in assessing asthma control.
Multidisciplinary interobserver agreement in the diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Thomeer M. , Demedts M. , Behr J. , Buhl R. , Costabel U. , Flower C. D. R. , Verschakelen J. , Laurent F. , Nicholson A. G. , Verbeken E. K. , Capron F. , Sardina M. , Corvasce G. , Lankhorst I.
Published: December 2007

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of the diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by respiratory physicians in six European countries, and to calculate the interobserver agreement between high-resolution computed tomography reviewers and histology reviewers in IPF diagnosis.

The diagnosis of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) was assessed by a local investigator, following the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society consensus statement, and confirmed when a minimum of two out of three expert reviewers from each expert panel agreed with the diagnosis. The level of agreement between readers within each expert panel was calculated by weighted kappa.

The diagnosis of UIP was confirmed by the expert panels in 87.2% of cases. A total of 179 thoracic high-resolution computed tomography scans were independently reviewed, and an interobserver agreement of 0.40 was found. Open or thoracoscopic lung biopsy was performed in 97 patients, 82 of whom could be reviewed by the expert committee. The weighted kappa between histology readers was 0.30.

It is concluded that, although the level of agreement between the readers within each panel was only fair to moderate, the overall accuracy of a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in expert centres is good (87.2%).
Value of chest radiography in phenotyping chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Miniati M. , Monti S. , Stolk J. , Mirarchi G. , Falaschi F. , Rabinovich R. , Canapini C. , Roca J. , Rabe K. F.
Published: December 2007

The objectives of the present study were to reappraise chest radiography for the diagnosis of emphysema, using computed tomography (CT) as the reference standard, and to establish whether or not chest radiography is useful for phenotyping chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Patients (n = 154) who had undergone posteroanterior and lateral chest radiography and CT for diagnostic purposes were studied. CT data were scored for emphysema using the picture-grading method. Chest radiographs were examined independently by five raters using four criteria for emphysema that had been validated against lung pathology. These criteria were then used to assess the prevalence of emphysema in 458 COPD patients. Patients with and without evidence of emphysema were compared with regard to age, sex, smoking history, body mass index (BMI), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DL,CO) and health status.

Chest radiography yielded a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 98% for emphysema. Of the 458 COPD patients, 245 showed radiological evidence of emphysema. Emphysemic patients had a significantly lower BMI, FEV1andDL,CO, greater restriction of physical activity and worse quality of life than nonemphysemic patients. There was no difference across the two groups with regard to age, sex or smoking history.

Chest radiography is a simple means of diagnosing moderate-to-severe emphysema. It is useful in phenotyping chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and may aid physicians in their choice of treatment.
The plasticizer butyl benzyl phthalate induces genomic changes in rat mammary gland after neonatal/prepubertal exposure
Authors: Moral Raquel , Wang Richard , Russo Irma H , Mailo Daniel A , Lamartiniere Coral A , Russo Jose
Published: December 2007

Background

Phthalate esters like n-butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) are widely used plasticizers. BBP has shown endocrine-disrupting properties, thus having a potential effect on hormone-sensitive tissues. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of neonatal/prepubertal exposure (post-natal days 2–20) to BBP on maturation parameters and on the morphology, proliferative index and genomic signature of the rat mammary gland at different ages of development (21, 35, 50 and 100 days).

Results

Here we show that exposure to BBP increased the uterine weight/body weight ratio at 21 days and decreased the body weight at time of vaginal opening. BBP did not induce significant changes on the morphology of the mammary gland, but increased proliferative index in terminal end buds at 35 days and in lobules 1 at several ages. Moreover, BBP had an effect on the genomic profile of the mammary gland mainly at the end of the exposure (21 days), becoming less prominent thereafter. By this age a significant number of genes related to proliferation and differentiation, communication and signal transduction were up-regulated in the glands of the exposed animals.

Conclusion

These results suggest that BBP has an effect in the gene expression profile of the mammary gland.
A New Paradigm for Mentored Undergraduate Research in Molecular Microbiology
Authors: Carson Susan
Published: December 2007

Science educators agree that an undergraduate research experience is critical for students who are considering graduate school or research careers. The process of researching a topic in the primary literature, designing experiments, implementing those experiments, and analyzing the results is essential in developing the analytical skills necessary to become a true scientist. Because training undergraduates who will only be in the laboratory for a short period is time consuming for faculty mentors, many students are unable to find appropriate research opportunities. We hypothesized that we could effectively mentor several students simultaneously, using a method that is a hybrid of traditional undergraduate research and a traditional laboratory course. This article describes a paradigm for mentored undergraduate research in molecular microbiology where students have ownership of their individual projects, but the projects are done in parallel, enabling the faculty mentor to guide multiple students efficiently.
Neuroimaging and Psychophysiological Measurement in Organizational Research
Authors: LEE NICK , CHAMBERLAIN LAURA
Published: December 2007

Abstract: Although organizational research has made tremendous strides in the last century, recent advances in neuroscience and the imaging of functional brain activity remain underused. In fact, even the use of well‐established psychophysiological measurement tools is comparatively rare. Following the lead of social cognitive neuroscience, in this review, we conceptualize organizational cognitive neuroscience as a field dedicated to exploring the processes within the brain that underlie or influence human decisions, behaviors, and interactions either (a) within organizations or (b) in response to organizational manifestations or institutions. We discuss organizational cognitive neuroscience, bringing together work that may previously have been characterized rather atomistically, and provide a brief overview of individual methods that may be of use. Subsequently, we discuss the possible convergence and integration of the different neuroimaging and psychophysiological measurement modalities. A brief review of prior work in the field shows a significant need for a more coherent and theory‐driven approach to organizational cognitive neuroscience. In response, we discuss a recent example of such work, along with three hypothetical case studies that exemplify the link between organizational and psychological theory and neuroscientific methods.
Interviewing Strategies in the Face of Beauty
Authors: SENIOR CARL , THOMSON KARLY , BADGER JULIA , BUTLER MICHAEL J.R.
Published: December 2007

Abstract:  After the application form is submitted, the interview is the most important method of human resource allocation. Previous research has shown that the attractiveness of interviewees can significantly bias interview outcome. We have previously shown that female interviewers give attractive male interviewees higher status job packages compared their average looking counterparts. However, it is not known whether male interviewers exhibit such biases. In the present study, participants were asked to take part in a mock job negotiation scenario where they had to allocate either a high‐ or low‐status job package to attractive or average looking “interviewees.” Before each decision was made, the participant's anticipatory electrodermal response (EDR) was recorded. The results supported our previous finding in that female participants allocated a greater number of high‐status job packages to attractive men. Additionally, male participants uniformly allocated a greater number of low‐status job packages to both attractive men and attractive women. Overall, the average looking interviewees incurred a penalty and received a significantly greater number of low‐status job packages. In general, the EDR profile for both male and female participants was significantly greater when allocating the low‐status packages to the average looking interviewees. However, the male anticipatory EDR profile showed the greatest change when allocating attractive women with low‐status job packages. We discuss these findings in terms of the potential biases that may occur at the job interview and place them within an evolutionary psychology framework.
Neurocognitive Inefficacy of the Strategy Process
Authors: KLEIN HAROLD E. , D'ESPOSITO MARK
Published: December 2007

Abstract:  The most widely used (and taught) protocols for strategic analysis—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)
and Porter's (1980) Five Force Framework for industry analysis—have been found to be insufficient as stimuli for strategy creation or even as a basis for further strategy development. We approach this problem from a neurocognitive perspective. We see profound incompatibilities between the cognitive process—deductive reasoning—channeled into the collective mind of strategists within the formal planning process through its tools of strategic analysis (i.e., rational technologies) and the essentially inductive reasoning process actually needed to address ill‐defined, complex strategic situations.
Thus, strategic analysis protocols that may appear to be and, indeed, are entirely rational and logical are not interpretable as such at the neuronal substrate level where thinking takes place.
The analytical structure (or propositional representation) of these tools results in a mental dead end, the phenomenon known in cognitive psychology as functional fixedness. The difficulty lies with the inability of the brain to make out meaningful (i.e., strategy‐provoking) stimuli from the mental images (or depictive representations) generated by strategic analysis tools. We propose decreasing dependence on these tools and conducting further research employing brain imaging technology to explore complex data handling protocols with richer mental representation and greater potential for strategy creation.
Uteroglobin: A Steroid-Inducible Immunomodulatory Protein That Founded the Secretoglobin Superfamily
Authors: Mukherjee Anil B. , Zhang Zhongjian , Chilton Beverly S.
Published: December 2007

Blastokinin or uteroglobin (UG) is a steroid-inducible, evolutionarily conserved, secreted protein that has been extensively studied from the standpoint of its structure and molecular biology. However, the physiological function(s) of UG still remains elusive. Isolated from the uterus of rabbits during early pregnancy, UG is the founding member of a growing superfamily of proteins called Secretoglobin (Scgb). Numerous studies demonstrated that UG is a multifunctional protein with antiinflammatory/ immunomodulatory properties. It inhibits soluble phospholipase A2 activity and binds and perhaps sequesters hydrophobic ligands such as progesterone, retinols, polychlorinated biphenyls, phospholipids, and prostaglandins. In addition to its antiinflammatory activities, UG manifests antichemotactic, antiallergic, antitumorigenic, and embryonic growth-stimulatory activities. The tissue-specific expression of the UG gene is regulated by several steroid hormones, although a nonsteroid hormone, prolactin, further augments its expression in the uterus. The mucosal epithelia of virtually all organs that communicate with the external environment express UG, and it is present in the blood, urine, and other body fluids. Although the physiological functions of this protein are still under investigation, a single nucleotide polymorphism in the UG gene appears to be associated with several inflammatory/autoimmune diseases. Investigations with UG-knockout mice revealed that the absence of this protein leads to phenotypes that suggest its critical homeostatic role(s) against oxidative damage, inflammation, autoimmunity, and cancer. Recent studies on UG-binding proteins (receptors) provide further insight into the multifunctional nature of this protein. Based on its antiinflammatory and antiallergic properties, UG is a potential drug target.
Capital Punishment, Atonement, and the Christian Right
Authors: Styers Randall
Published: December 2007

randall styers is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the author of Making Magic: Religion, Magic, and Science in the Modern World (Oxford University Press, 2004).
The serine protease Corin is a novel modifier of the agouti pathway
Authors: Enshell-Seijffers David , Lindon Catherine , Morgan Bruce A.
Published: December 2007

The hair follicle is a model system for studying epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during organogenesis. Although analysis of the epithelial contribution to these interactions has progressed rapidly, the lack of tools to manipulate gene expression in the mesenchymal component, the dermal papilla, has hampered progress towards understanding the contribution of these cells. In this work, Corin was identified in a screen to detect genes specifically expressed in the dermal papilla. It is expressed in the dermal papilla of all pelage hair follicle types from the earliest stages of their formation, but is not expressed elsewhere in the skin. Mutation of the Corin gene reveals that it is not required for morphogenesis of the hair follicle. However, analysis of the `dirty blonde' phenotype of these mice reveals that the transmembrane protease encoded by Corin plays a critical role in specifying coat color and acts downstream of agoutigene expression as a suppressor of the agouti pathway.
New forging tool manufacturing method for spur gear part
Authors: Kang J H , Lee K O , Kang S S
Published: December 2007

This study introduces an advanced tool manufacturing method regarding manufacturing procedures. With conventional methods, wire-cutting and lapping operations of the corner and render regions are performed after shrink fitting to ensure the accuracy of the gear profile. However, lapping is very difficult when the corner and render are located deep inside the die. The new tool manufacturing method suggests that wire cutting and lapping are performed after the first shrink fitting to facilitate the lapping operation and increase the accuracy of the corner radius. After lapping is completed, the second die ring is shrink fitted. The amount of elastic deformation by the second shrink fitting and cold forging can be calculated through finite element analysis. Wire-cutting specifications can be offset as predicted in terms of the amount of elastic deformation. Gear dimension comparison of the analysis and forged parts ensures the validity of the new tool manufacturing method.
Minimizing the difference between intermittent and continuous production with back orders
Authors: Sharma S
Published: December 2007

In the case of batch manufacturing or intermittent production, production activity usually takes place for a portion of cycle time. With a reduction in manufacturing rate, this activity continues for a longer time at a stretch. This is referred to as continuous production in the present paper. To provide more generalization, back orders are included in the analysis, and an attempt is made to minimize the difference between intermittent and continuous production from the relevant cost point of view. The analysis is expected to result in greater flexibility in decision-making. Industrial or business management can make a decision in favour of either intermittent or continuous production depending on quantitative analysis as well as various qualitative factors.
Beyond theory: An examination of lean new product introduction practices in the UK
Authors: Baines T S , Williams G M , Lightfoot H , Evans S
Published: December 2007

Interest is growing around the application of lean techniques to new product introduction (NPI). Although a relatively emergent topic compared with the application of ‘lean’ within the factory, since 2000 there has been an exponential rise in the literature on this subject. However, much of this work focuses on describing and extolling the virtues of the ‘Toyota approach’ to design. Therefore, by way of a stock take for the UK, the present authors' research has set out to understand how well lean product design practices have been adopted by leading manufacturers. This has been achieved by carrying out in-depth case studies with three carefully selected manufacturers of complex engineered products. This paper describes these studies, the detailed results and subsequent findings, and concludes that both the awareness and adoption of practices is generally embryonic and far removed from the theory advocated in the literature.
Theoretical and experimental simulation of roof-top bus multiple-circuit air-conditioning system performance
Authors: Mansour M Khamis , Musa M N , Hassan M N W , Abdullah H
Published: December 2007

Many air-conditioning (AC) systems are designed to operate at maximum cooling capacity regardless of the variation in the daily cooling load. At low loads, the conditions can be uncomfortably cold and the overcooling is an unnecessary waste of energy. To address these two issues, a multiple refrigeration circuit concept is proposed and applied to a roof-top bus AC system. A two-circuit model is proposed for a standard bus size in which each circuit has two evaporators of equal sizes arranged in parallel and installed on each passenger row, respectively. This means that each passenger row is served by two different evaporators sharing a common heat exchanger box. Depending on the cooling load, this concept allows one or both circuits (compressor motors) to be switched on and during either modes, it also allows one or more sets of evaporator blowers to be switched on. A steady-state computer model has been developed to simulate the performance of the proposed two-circuit AC system. A two-circuit air conditioner is also designed to form a roof-top bus AC system, fabricated, and installed on to an experimental rig. The experimental data are used to validate the computer model. The validation is on the system thermal performance and on the evaporator air outlet conditions (dry bulb temperature and relative humidity) at different modes of system operation, either at full or partial cooling loads. The simulated results gave satisfactory agreement with those obtained from the experimental work. Maximum absolute deviations are within the range of 19.3 per cent, although most of the simulated results are less than a 10 per cent range from the experimental ones, which validates the computer program. The paper describes the modelling work carried out and the results obtained are presented in comparison with the experimental data.
Three-dimensional elasticity analysis of a laminated cylindrical shell with piezoelectric layer under dynamic loads
Authors: Saviz M R , Shakeri M , Yas M H
Published: December 2007

The elasticity solution for simply-supported, laminated cylindrical shell with piezoelectric layer is presented. The shell is subjected to various dynamic loads. The direct piezoelectric effect is considered. The governing differential equations are reduced to ordinary differential equations by means of trigonometric function expansion for displacement and electric potential. The loading function is expanded as a double Fourier series in axial and circumferential coordinates. The resulting equations are solved by Galerkin's finite element in radial direction. The static results and natural frequencies are compared with similar ones in the literature. The effect of radius to thickness ratio and band load width on dynamic behaviour is studied. Time responses are presented for [0/90/Piezo] lamination.
Evaluation of thin, flexible sensors for time-resolved grip force measurement
Authors: Komi E R , Roberts J R , Rothberg S J
Published: December 2007

Three types of thin, flexible force sensor were studied under a variety of loading conditions to determine their suitability for measuring grip force. Static accuracy, hysteresis, repeatability, and drift errors were established, the effects of shear force and surface curvature were considered, and dynamic accuracy and drift were measured. Novel tests were developed to consider dynamic accuracy and sensitivity to shear loadings. Additionally, three sensors were evaluated in a real-life gripping scenario, measuring grip force during a golf shot. Comments are made on sensor performance, ease of use, and durability.
The performance of a new positive displacement pump targeted to improve rural water supplies
Authors: Wade N. S. , Short T. D.
Published: December 2007

A new positive displacement pump operating with a simple linear actuator as the prime mover has been designed, built, and evaluated. The aim is to develop a pump that uses a photovoltaic (pv) power source and is suited to supplying water in rural areas of low-income countries. Previous schemes to raise water from boreholes with a pv power source have used sophisticated technology, which can be a significant step beyond the previous experience of the communities being served. A configuration of linear actuator and pump has been chosen by seeking the simplest mechanism from the point of view of both operation and manufacture. Finite-element analysis of the electromagnetic properties of the actuator is shown to be the best way to proceed in the design process. A very simple design with an actuator operating in a normal force configuration is shown to function effectively.
Influence of oil supply on the scuffing load-carrying capacity of hypoid gears
Authors: Conrado E , Höhn B-R , Michaelis K , Klein M
Published: December 2007

In industrial or automotive dip lubricated gear drives, low oil levels may be used due to different design requirements or constraints. A variation of the sump oil level affects different working conditions of gears, such as the power loss, the heat generation, and the load-carrying capacity with respect to different types of damage. In particular, reduced oil levels decrease the scuffing load capacity of gears because of high bulk temperatures and reduced oil quantity in the gear mesh. Investigations were made in a back-to-back hypoid gear test rig to evaluate the influence of the bath oil level on the scuffing load-carrying capacity of dip lubricated hypoid gears.
3-Iodo-3-trimethylsilylpropenal as a Useful Unit for Pinacol Coupling and Subsequent Functional Group Transformations
Authors: Shimizu Makoto , Okimura Hisashi , Manabe Nobuyuki , Hachiya Iwao
Published: December 2007

Titanium tetraiodidesilyl-mediated pinacol coupling reaction of (Z)-3-iodo-3-trimethylsilylpropenal is used for the preparation of trans-4,5-bis[(Z)-2-iodo-2-(trimethylsilyl)vinyl]-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane, which is utilized for the subsequent C–C bond-forming reactions.
Regio- and Stereoselective Hydrothiolation Reactions of Ynamides with Diphenyldithiophosphinic Acid: Straightforward Synthesis of Ketene N,S-Acetal Derivatives
Authors: Yasui Hiroto , Yorimitsu Hideki , Oshima Koichiro
Published: December 2007

Treatment of N-1-alkynyl-N-methylarenesulfonamides with diphenyldithiophosphinic acid resulted in hydrothiolation reactions to provide ketene N,S-acetal derivatives regio- and stereoselectively.
A novel use of photo messaging in the assessment of nasal fractures
Authors: Moumoulidis Ioannis , Mani Navin , Patel Hemi , Leong Paul
Published: December 2007

We evaluated a new method of assessing patients referred to the otolaryngology department with nasal injury. Patients possessing a mobile phone with built-in camera took an image of their face and sent it to the department for assessment. A decision was then made as to whether the patient needed further consultation or treatment. This method of nasal fracture assessment might avoid unnecessary referrals to the department. A prospective single blinded study was carried out. Twenty-five patients with a nasal injury took photographs of their face using a mobile phone camera. These images were reviewed and assessment made about whether a nasal fracture was present. The patient was then clinically assessed, the clinical examination being the 'gold standard' method of assessment. There was little agreement between photographic and clinical assessment. Sixty-two percent of patients who were clinically assessed to have a nasal fracture requiring manipulation were not picked up on assessment of their image. The greatest agreement with clinical assessment was the patient's own opinion as to whether there was new deviation of their nasal bone.
Examining Quality Issues in Alcohol Misuse Screening
Authors: Hawkins Eric J. , Kivlahan Daniel R. , Williams Emily C. , Wright Steven M. , Craig Thomas , Bradley Katharine A.
Published: December 2007

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has successfully implemented evidence-based alcohol misuse screening with the AUDIT-C. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical alcohol screening during the first year after implementation. Using medical record review and mailed patient surveys collected during 2004 by VHA Office of Quality and Performance, this study analyzed concordance of screening results among patients with AUDIT-Cs in both data sources. Among 1,637 patients with AUDIT-C from both sources within 90 days, the medical record screening prevalence rate of alcohol misuse, 24.6% (95% CI: 22.5% to 26.7%), was significantly lower than the survey rate, 33.4% (31.1% to 35.7%). Of 8,312 patients identified as nondrinkers in medical records, 24% reported past year alcohol use and 5% screened positive for alcohol misuse on surveys. Lower rates of alcohol use and misuse documented in medical records compared to mailed surveys suggest further investigation and standardization of clinical screening are necessary.
“No-Contact” Interventions for Unhealthy College Drinking
Authors: Zisserson Rebecca N. , Palfai Tibor P. , Saitz Richard
Published: December 2007

Despite the development of brief efficacious interventions, they are not reaching a large proportion of college students who continue to drink in a manner that puts them at risk for harm. Recent efforts have attempted to address this issue through the development of brief alcohol interventions that may be more broadly disseminated to college students. Researchers have adapted a variety of approaches to print and computer-based modalities that do not require direct real-time contact with an interventionist. The goal of this paper is to review the empirical evidence for the utility of these brief alcohol interventions that are delivered without direct real-time contact. A systematic review of this research suggests that “no-contact” interventions are feasible and may have efficacy. Further research is needed to understand the duration of these effects, mechanisms of change, moderators of outcome, and how to enhance the effectiveness of these approaches.
Municipal Expenditures in Norway: Autonomy and Constraints in Local Government Activity
Authors: Hansen Tore , Kjellberg Francesco
Published: December 2007

The purpose of this article is to test some propositions about the effect of local ‘needs’, resources and political variables on municipal expenditures in 460 Norwegian communes. We have made use of a ‘means-end’-model of local autonomy to differentiate between municipal policies. We assume that the range of local discretion will vary along at least two dimensions: (1) the degree of local independence in framing the goals of the municipal activities, and (2) the latitude left to the municipal authorities concerning the means for fulfilling the defined goals. Four policy areas are chosen, each illustrating different categories of the model.

The results of regression analyses between per capita expenditures in the four policy areas and the independent variables indicate that while resources account for a substantial part of the variation in expenditures in all policy areas, ‘needs’ seem to be important determinants in those areas where goals are prescribed by central government. Political variables exert an independent impact on the level of expenditures in those areas of policy where the municipalities enjoy some degree of autonomy on one of the two dimensions in the model. In the most autonomous area, however, only resources seem to be of importance in determining the expenditure levels.
An Evaluation of Neighbourhood Decentralisation Part 2: Staff and councillor perspectives
Authors: Lowndes Vivien , Stoker Gerry
Published: December 2007

This article continues an evaluation of a radical decentralisation initiative in the london Borough of Tower Hamlets by looking at the scheme from the perspective of staff and councillors. Decentralisation clearly presents different advantages and disadvantages to the various stakeholders involved in its introduction. In a concluding section we move beyond these particular perspectives to consider how the experience of Tower Hamlets can be fed into debates about the future organisation and role of local government.
Some approaches to new antibacterial agents
Authors: Bremner John B.
Published: December 2007

Bacteria use a number of resistance mechanisms to counter the antibacterial challenge, and one of these is the expression of transmembrane protein-based efflux pumps which can pump out antibacterials from within the cells, thus lowering the antibacterial concentration to nonlethal levels. For example, in S. aureus, the NorA pump can pump out the antibacterial alkaloid berberine and ciprofloxacin. One general strategy to reduce the health threat of resistant bacteria is to block a major bacterial resistance mechanism at the same time as interfering with another bacterial pathway or target site. New developments of this approach in the context of dual-action prodrugs and dual-action (or hybrid) drugs in which one action is targeted at blocking the NorA efflux pump and the second action at an alternative bacterial target site (or sites) for the antibacterial action are discussed. The compounds are based on a combination of 2-aryl-5-nitro-1H-indole derivatives (as the NorA efflux pump blocking component) and derivatives of berberine. General design principles, syntheses, antibacterial testing, and preliminary work on modes of action studies are discussed.
Promising agents at the interface of biology and oncology derived through chemical synthesis
Authors: Wilson Rebecca M. , Danishefsky Samuel J.
Published: December 2007

This account traces the development of our synthetic glycopeptide- and glycoprotein-based research program over the past decade. We recount the syntheses of a number of biologically relevant, natural product-inspired glycopeptide constructs, including those associated with prostate specific antigen (PSA) and with the gp120 surface envelope protein of HIV. We also describe our progress toward the synthesis of the multiply glycosylated protein, erythropoietin (EPO). Particular emphasis is placed on the development of enabling methodologies which allow for the ligation of complex glycopeptide fragments, thus rendering it possible to access, through purely synthetic means, homogeneous, multidomainal glycopeptide and glycoprotein constructs.