bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The BP Oil Spill and the Bounty of Plaquemines Parish
Authors: fertel randy
Published: June 2011

The source of 25 to 30 percent of America’s seafood, the Mississippi River Delta’s cornucopian world is now uncertain. And yet, even if shrimp, oysters, and finfish are unaffected by the BP Oil Spill—a big if—one can already reflect on the passing of the culture once built upon gathering them. For almost three centuries, levees made life possible along the riverbanks and in the wetlands beyond. Those same levees also ensured the wetlands would eventually melt away into the Gulf. Cutting off the silt left behind during annual river inundations subjected the fragile land to erosion. Sulfur, natural gas, and oil production companies dug twenty thousand miles of canals to gain more direct routes to their fields and to pump out their mineral wealth. This caused salt-water intrusion that killed off plant life and caused more erosion. The world that sustained my Plaquemines ancestors was less subject to collapse following disasters not only because the ecosystem before the wetlands’ ongoing loss was then more vibrant, complex, and robust; but also because their lives, especially their culinary lives, were more vibrant, complex, and robust. Life was hard, but when it came to putting food on the table, life followed the seasons.
High-End Dining in the Nineteenth-Century United States
Authors: freedman paul , warlick james
Published: June 2011

A look at what fine restaurants served in mid-nineteenth century America, using the New York Public Library’s collection of menus from the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City for the years 1859 to 1865. With particular paid attention to the entrée category, 1,250 menus were analyzed. There are 900 different dishes mentioned, and the article discusses what were the most popular and the setting and customs governing such meals.
The Struggle for Sunday Lunch: Gastropolitics in the Life of Nelson Mandela
Authors: trapido anna
Published: June 2011

This paper explores the political, economic, and social life of Nelson Mandela through his food choices from 1918 to the present. A description of the minutiae of one particular 1950s Sunday lunch is used to examine the broader role of first colonial and later apartheid legislation in determining the dietary choices and options of South Africans past and present. How such policies shaped attitudes and access to Nelson Mandela’s ancestral Xhosa cuisine is assessed. The long-term cultural, economic, and political impact of a lack of access to core indigenous African ingredients is evaluated. Most of all this paper offers a snapshot portrayal of two families (one white, one black) trying to sustain a normal friendship within a grossly abnormal society.
Snacking with the Sons of the Soil
Authors: packel dan
Published: June 2011

In April 2010, the Maharashtrian Navnirman Sena (MNS), a right-wing political party, staged a Maharashtrian Food Festival in Mumbai to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Led by Raj Thackeray, the firebrand nephew of Bal Thackeray—the leader of the rival Shiv Sena (Maharashtra’s original Marathi-chauvinist party)—the MNS generally attracts media attention for antimigrant rhetoric and violence. The Food Festival, held over a four-night period at an athletic complex in suburban Mumbai, provided an opportunity for the party to show a softer face. Vendors provided visitors samples of Maharashtra’s often-neglected culinary traditions, while women competed for the title of “best cook in Mumbai.” While the party’s explicit Marathi-first sentiments place a natural limit on their political appeal, the festival seemed carefully engineered to raise their electoral fortunes among the Marathi middle classes. Comfortable enough to be less concerned about losing jobs and privileges, this segment of the electorate might be motivated by memories of a delicious (and identity-affirming) dish enjoyed at the festival.
Jean-Louis Vignes: California's Forgotten Winemaker
Authors: macconnell scott
Published: June 2011

This article represents a first step in the process of restoring the legacy of pioneer California winemaker Jean-Louis Vignes (1780–1862). Vignes was a native of France who established and operated a commercial winery (El Aliso) in Los Angeles for 22 years (1833–1855). The article includes the first known photograph of Vignes discovered by the author. While prominent twentieth-century American wine historians have acknowledged Vignes, the author emphasizes a key distinction made by French historian Leonce Jore. Vignes left France to go to the Sandwich Islands as part of a commercial enterprise that traveled with Catholic missionaries (Picpus Fathers). Only after five years of frustration did Vignes move to Los Angeles and establish a winery. The author uses the remembrances of well-known nineteenth-century commentator William Heath Davis [Seventy-Five Years in California (San Francisco, 1929)] to give some personal insights into Vignes as a winemaker. Davis visited him at El Aliso three times as a young man and lived long enough (1909) to validate Vignes’s vision for the potential of winemaking in California. The article also includes the first known full citation for Vignes’s gravesite at Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Harmony of the Spores: John Cage and Mycology
Authors: small sabrina
Published: June 2011

John Cage, in addition to being a prolific writer, composer and artist, was an avid mycologist. His mycological pursuits included: frequent and intensive foraging expeditions, teaching the subject at New York's New School of Social Research, heading multiple official mycology based societies, and of course, cooking mushrooms. In 1959, Cage won five million lire on an Italian TV quiz show with mushrooms as his specialty subject. Artistically, Cage composed numerous poetic and sound-based projects about mushrooms, as well as numerous sketches and watercolors of mushrooms. Cage amassed an impressive collection of books and mycological related ephemera, which he donated to the University of California at Santa Cruz with the express instruction that they be used rather than preserved. The theme and presence of mycology was never far from Cage's mind or heart. They were an artistic muse as well as a Zen teacher for Cage, paradoxically meaningful and meaningless as symbols. This article seeks to explore mushrooms as a possible unifying thread in the often-inscrutable life of one of America's most beguiling artists.
In Defense of Food Science
Authors: mcclements david julian , vega césar , mcbride anne e. , decker eric andrew
Published: June 2011

There is currently a heated debate about the role of food processing, and the science and technology that supports it, with many food activists strongly opposing any kind of processed foods. We acknowledge that there are problems associated with the modern diet in many developed countries, such as diet-related diseases (e.g., obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer), pollution, animal care, and sustainability. However, we argue that the application of science and technology to foods must play a role in addressing these problems and that food processing does bring many benefits to society, such as increasing the diversity, quality, and accessibility of foods, while reducing their costs. If societies overall goal is to improve the quality, sustainability, and healthfulness of the food supply, then it is important to acknowledge both the positive and negative roles that food processing can play, and then to use science and technology wisely as one of the tools available to address these issues.
Liquid Epitaphs
Authors: harskamp jaap
Published: June 2011

The tradition of composing epitaphs was popular throughout Europe. Religious content was joined by commemoration of a person’s station in life or even commemoration of nonpersons such as dogs. Playfulness and satire were standard elements of epitaphs during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Humor appeared in epitaphs, which became known as “tavern” or “pot poetry” when composed in the convivial company of others. The British Isles has been full of friendships between poets and the keepers of pubs. Many of the first have left us word of the second. Epitaphs remembering landlords, brewers, drinkers, drunkards, and teetotallers make up a genre of their own. A number of those have been collected for the purpose of this essay.
Death in Motion: Funeral Processions in the Roman Forum
Authors: Favro Diane , Johanson Christopher
Published: June 2011

Scientifically accurate, three-dimensional digital representations of historical environments allow architectural historians to explore viewsheds, movement, sequencing, and other factors. Using real-time interactive simulations of the Roman Forum during the mid-Republic and the early third century CE, Diane Favro and Christopher Johanson examine the visual and sequential interrelationships among audience, actors, and monuments during funeral rituals. Death in Motion: Funeral Processions in the Roman Forum presents a hypothetical reconstruction of the funeral of the Cornelii family in the early second century BCE and argues that the conventional understanding of the staging of the funeral oration may be incorrect. It then reviews the imperial funerals of the emperors Pertinax and Septimius Severus to compare the ways that later building in the Roman Forum altered the ritual experience, controlled participant motion, and compelled the audience to submit to an imperial program of viewing.
Paul V, the Column of the Virgin, and the New Pax Romana
Authors: Ostrow Steven F.
Published: June 2011

The sole surviving monumental column from the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine is the focus of Paul V, the Column of the Virgin, and the New Pax Romana. In 1613 Pope Paul V removed and re-erected this column at the center of Piazza S. Maria Maggiore in Rome, crowning it with a gilded bronze statue of the Virgin and Child. After reconstructing the little-known history of the monument and situating it within the history of honorific columns and Paul's urban planning, Steven F. Ostrow examines the antiquarian interest it long held, what was known about its original context, and the symbolic associations with which it was endowed. This close reading of Paul's monument demonstrates how, by appropriating the column and topping it with a statue of the Virgin, the pope eloquently expressed the Church's longstanding belief in Mary as a bringer of peace and the protector of Rome.
"Perennially New": Santa Barbara and the Origins of the California Mission Garden
Authors: Kryder-Reid Elizabeth
Published: June 2011

Elizabeth Kryder-Reid examines the origins of California's mission gardens and explores their reception and their contribution to cultural memory. The evidence presented in "Perennially New": Santa Barbara and the Origins of the California Mission Garden shows that the iconic image of the mission garden was created a century after the founding of the missions in the late eighteenth century, and two decades before the start of the Mission Revival architectural style. The locus of their origin was Mission Santa Barbara, where in 1872 a Franciscan named Father Romo, newly arrived from a posting in Jerusalem, planted a courtyard garden reminiscent of the landscapes that he had seen during his travels around the Mediterranean. This invented garden fostered a robust visual culture and rich ideological narratives, and it played a formative role in the broader cultural reception of Mission Revival garden design and of California history in general. These discoveries have significance for the preservation and interpretation of these heritage sites.
From the Library to the Printing Press: Luigi Vanvitelli's Life with Books
Authors: Thomas Robin L.
Published: June 2011

Analyzing the letters of architect Luigi Vanvitelli (1700–1773), Robin L. Thomas reconstructs his library and explores his prolific reading. From the Library to the Printing Press: Luigi Vanvitelli's Life with Books demonstrates how Vanvitelli's books influenced his architectural practice and, conversely, how his opinions and tastes conditioned the ways he read. Literary ideas of decorum explain the stylistic heterogeneity of his architectural oeuvre and influenced the way he wrote. His Dichiarazione dei disegni del Reale Palazzo di Caserta (1756), documenting the magnificent palace he designed for King Charles Bourbon, is among the most lavish books of its time. Its analysis illuminates how the architect interacted with the printed page and how books influenced architecture in the eighteenth century.
The Moralist Strikes Back
Authors: Zaibert Leo
Published: June 2011

Whereas within the context of some general debates such as that opposing liberals and communitarians it is not clear that liberalism is the best option, within the specific context of the criminal law it is hard to defend anything other than liberalism. Within the context of the criminal law, the main opponent of liberalism has been moralism. Although one would have thought that moralism had by now been sufficiently discredited, some of the most able and influential contemporary criminal law theorists have decided to defend versions or aspects of moralism. In this paper I argue that these defenses of moralism ought to be rejected.
A Fair Punishment for Humbert Humbert: Strict Liability and Affirmative Defenses
Authors: Bergelson Vera
Published: June 2011

In this article, I focused on the intersection of strict liability offenses and affirmative defenses. I sought to explore and evaluate a peculiar discrepancy: all states, as well as the Model Penal Code, deny to a defendant charged with a strict liability offense the defense of mistake, yet at the same time, allow most other affirmative defenses. Is this discrepancy warranted? Consider the following scenarios in which Humbert Humbert is charged with the statutory rape of Lolita:

If Humbert Humbert tried to argue that he had acted under a mistaken belief that Lolita was above the age of consent, he most likely would not prevail. He would not prevail even if he made all possible efforts to find out Lolita's true age (e.g., checked Lolita's birth certificate and received a signed sworn affidavit from Lolita's mother) or if he fell prey to Lolita's own deception.

The outcome, however, would be different if Humbert Humbert could prove that his misperception of Lolita's age was a result of insanity. In that case, Humbert Humbert would have a valid defense. He would also have a defense if he could show that he had had sex with Lolita under duress. Say, Clare Quilty, engrossed in the production of his pornographic movie, threatened to beat up Humbert Humbert unless he and Lolita performed a sexual act in front of his camera.

Obviously, the defenses of mistake, insanity, and duress, albeit belonging to the same family of excuses, differ in many important respects. To see whether certain formative differences may account for the different treatment of these defenses, I examine various excuses on the scales of cognitive-volitional, external-internal, and permanent-temporary. In the end, I conclude that, from the moral perspective, there is: (i) no difference between a permanent and temporary impairment; (ii) a marginal difference in favor of external limitation compared to internal; (iii) a meaningful difference in favor of cognitive impairment compared to volitional. Effectively, this conclusion means that a person who commits a strict liability offense pursuant to a reasonable mistake deserves punishment even less than a person who commits the same crime under duress.

I further explore the discrepancy between the treatment of the defense of mistake and other excuses in cases of strict liability from the perspectives of efficiency and other public policies. I conclude that this discrepancy is unwarranted, unfair, and arguably, unconstitutional. Accordingly, I advocate for a revision of the current law and adoption of an across-the-board rule that would make the defense of a reasonable mistake available in any criminal prosecution.
Are Attempts Like Treason?
Authors: Garvey Stephen P.
Published: June 2011

If the state can legitimately criminalize only wrongs that cause or risk harm, and if it respects the fact that an actor who sets out to commit a crime can always change his mind until he takes the last step, we are apt to end up with a law of attempts in which an attempt is a crime only when the actor has taken the last step, or comes very close to taking it. What are perhaps the most familiar theories of attempt —objectivism and subjectivism—do in fact gravitate toward such a restrictive law of attempts. In contrast to these theories, I suggest that an actor who intends to cause or risk harm is akin to a traitor. The wrong of treason consists in the formation of a treasonous intent in violation of one's duty of loyalty to the state or nation. The wrong of attempt consists in the formation of an intent to cause or risk harm to one's fellow citizens in violation of one's duty of loyalty to them. The traitor and the attempter are each guilty of defying the law that legitimately prohibits the formation of such intentions.
Culture and Rhetorical Patterns: Mining the Rich Relations Between Aristotle's Enthymeme and Example and India's Nyāya Method
Authors: Lloyd Keith
Published: June 2011

Rhetorical patterns used by Westerners may differ from those of other cultures. Still, little is known about Nyāya, India's rhetorical methodology. This essay relates rhetorical patterns in Aristotle's enthymeme and paradeigma to Nyāya's pratijñāa (claim/promise), hetu (reason), and dṛṣṭānta (example). Though superficially similar, the Greek/Western rhetorical patterns invoke interlocking statements based in a general statement, while the Indian approach uses a dominant analogical image to connect claim and reason. Focusing on a historical interaction where a Westerner missed key elements of Indian persuasion because of his Aristotelian presuppositions about argument, the essay illustrates the crucial need to understand differing rhetorical patterns for successful cultural dialogue.
A primary defect in glucose production alone cannot induce glucose intolerance without defects in insulin secretion
Authors: Mangiafico Salvatore P , Lim Shueh H , Neoh Sandra , Massinet Helene , Joannides Christos N , Proietto Joseph , Andrikopoulos Sofianos , Fam Barbara C
Published: June 2011

Increased glucose production is associated with fasting hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes but whether or not it causes glucose intolerance is unclear. This study sought to determine whether a primary defect in gluconeogenesis (GNG) resulting in elevated glucose production is sufficient to induce glucose intolerance in the absence of insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. Progression of glucose intolerance was assessed in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) transgenic rats, a genetic model with a primary increase in GNG. Young (4–5 weeks of age) and adult (12–14 weeks of age) PEPCK transgenic and Piebald Virol Glaxo (PVG/c) control rats were studied. GNG, insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion and glucose tolerance were assessed by intraperitoneal and intravascular substrate tolerance tests and hyperinsulinaemic/euglycaemic clamps. Despite elevated GNG and increased glucose appearance, PEPCK transgenic rats displayed normal glucose tolerance due to adequate glucose disposal and robust glucose-mediated insulin secretion. Glucose intolerance only became apparent in the PEPCK transgenic rats following the development of insulin resistance (both hepatic and peripheral) and defective glucose-mediated insulin secretion. Taken together, a single genetic defect in GNG leading to increased glucose production does not adversely affect glucose tolerance. Insulin resistance and impaired glucose-mediated insulin secretion are required to precipitate glucose intolerance in a setting of chronic glucose oversupply.
Cardiac Arrest Caused by Torsades de Pointes Tachycardia after Successful Atrial Flutter Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation
Authors: Mantziari Aglaia-Angeliki , Vassilikos Vassilios P , Chatzizisis Yiannis S , Dakos Georgios , Stavropoulos Georgios , Paraskevaidis Stelios , Styliadis Ioannis H
Published: June 2011

A 66-year-old woman underwent successful radiofrequency catheter ablation for long-lasting, drug refractory fast atrial flutter. Two days later she had a cardiac arrest due to torsades de pointes (TdP) tachycardia attributed to relative sinus bradycardia and QT interval prolongation. After successful resuscitation further episodes of TdP occurred, which were treated with temporary pacing. Because of concomitant systolic dysfunction due to ischemic and valvular heart disease she was finally treated with an implantable defibrillator. In conclusion we strongly advise prolonged monitoring for 2 or more days for patients with structural heart disease following successful catheter ablation for long lasting tachyarrhythmias.
The Zambian HIV Nurse Practitioner Diploma Program: Preliminary Outcomes from First Cohort of Zambian Nurses
Authors: Msidi Eleanor D , Sinkala Moses , Bositis Amy , Guberski Thomasine , Katayamoyo Patrick , Menke Jack , Montesanti Angela , Morris Mary , Mwale Alexandrina , Mwanahamunutu Flora , Mweemba Prudencia , Ngoma Ruth W , Phiri Dorcas , Wilson C M , Wilson Lynda
Published: June 2011

This article describes the implementation and evaluation of a program to prepare HIV Nurse Practitioners in Zambia. Thirty nurses from all nine Zambian provinces participated in this program. Data on a variety of indicators were collected at baseline and throughout the one-year program including student and supervisor assessments, student performance on pre- and post-tests, clinical and case study assessments, documentation of care in patients’ health records, and their performance on final oral and written examinations. Findings indicated that the students were able to achieve the identified competencies and that their supervisors perceived that they would be able to implement their expanded skills to improve care for patients with HIV and AIDS in Zambia. Lessons learned from this initial pilot project will be used to expand the program in order to ensure successful task-shifting to address the critical shortage of health workers in Zambia in the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
CD14 Modulates Inflammation-Driven Insulin Resistance
Authors: Fernández-Real José Manuel , Pérez del Pulgar Sofia , Luche Elodie , Moreno-Navarrete José Maria , Waget Aurelie , Serino Matteo , Sorianello Eleonora , Sánchez-Pla Alex , Pontaque Francesc Carmona , Vendrell Joan , Chacón Matilde R. , Ricart Wifredo , Burcelin Remy , Zorzano Antonio
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE

The study objective was to evaluate the possible role of the macrophage molecule CD14 in insulin resistance.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The effects of recombinant human soluble CD14 (rh-sCD14) on insulin sensitivity (clamp procedure) and adipose tissue gene expression were evaluated in wild-type (WT) mice, high fat–fed mice, ob/ob mice, and CD14 knockout (KO) mice. We also studied WT mice grafted with bone marrow stem cells from WT donor mice and CD14 KO mice. Finally, CD14 was evaluated in human adipose tissue and during differentiation of human preadipocytes.

RESULTS

rh-sCD14 led to increased insulin action in WT mice, high-fat–fed mice, and ob/ob mice, but not in CD14 KO mice, in parallel to a marked change in the expression of 3,479 genes in adipose tissue. The changes in gene families related to lipid metabolism were most remarkable. WT mice grafted with bone marrow stem cells from WT donor mice became insulin resistant after a high-fat diet. Conversely, WT mice grafted with cells from CD14 KO mice resisted the occurrence of insulin resistance in parallel to decreased mesenteric adipose tissue inflammatory gene expression. Glucose intolerance did not worsen in CD14 KO mice grafted with bone marrow stem cells from high fat–fed WT mice when compared with recipient KO mice grafted with cells from CD14 KO donor mice. CD14 gene expression was increased in whole adipose tissue and adipocytes from obese humans and further increased after tumor necrosis factor-α.

CONCLUSIONS

CD14 modulates adipose tissue inflammatory activity and insulin resistance.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Organochlorine Pesticides in Plasma Predict Development of Type 2 Diabetes in the Elderly
Authors: Lee Duk-Hee , Lind P. Monica , Jacobs David R. , Salihovic Samira , van Bavel Bert , Lind Lars
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), lipophilic chemicals that accumulate mainly in adipose tissue, have recently been linked to type 2 diabetes. However, evidence from prospective studies is sparse. This study was performed to evaluate prospective associations of type 2 diabetes with selected POPs among the elderly.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Nineteen POPs (14 polychlorinated biphenyl [PCB] congeners, 3 organochlorine pesticides, 1 brominated diphenyl ether, and 1 dioxin) were measured in plasma collected at baseline in 725 participants, aged 70 years, of the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS).

RESULTS

After adjusting for known type 2 diabetes risk factors, including obesity, odds ratios (ORs) (95% CIs) for type 2 diabetes at age 75 years (n = 36) according to the quintiles of a summary measure of concentrations of PCBs (vs. the lowest quintile) were 4.5, 5.1, 8.8 (1.8–42.7), and 7.5 (1.4–38.8) (Ptrend <0.01). Among organochlorine pesticides, adjusted ORs across concentrations of trans-nonachlor showed that Ptrend = 0.03. Adjusted ORs (95% CIs) across quintiles of the sum of three organochlorine pesticides were 1.1, 1.6, 1.5, and 3.4 (1.0–11.7) (Ptrend = 0.03). Neither brominated diphenyl ether 47 nor dioxin was significantly associated with incident diabetes. The sum of PCBs improved reclassification significantly when added to traditional risk factors for diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the small number of incident cases, this study found that environmental exposure to some POPs substantially increased risk of future type 2 diabetes in an elderly population.
Comparison of Two-Step Versus Four-Step Composite Finishing/Polishing Disc Systems: Evaluation of a New Two-Step Composite Polishing Disc System
Authors: da Costa JB , Goncalves F , Ferracane JL
Published: June 2011

Clinical Relevance

The two-step composite disc finishing/polishing system, Enhance Flex NST, can provide a nearly equivalent surface finish as two four-step systems on a variety of composites, in approximately half the time. All systems produce clinically acceptable gloss and surface roughness.
The Influence of a Short Training Program on the Clinical Examination of Dental Restorations
Authors: McAndrew R , Chadwick B , Treasure ET
Published: June 2011

Clinic Relevance

Training in restoration assessment and the evaluation of such in the clinical environment is shown to produce positive benefits that include improved reliability and agreement with the set standard.
TAKING BRITAIN'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACT SERIOUSLY
Authors: Sypnowich Christine
Published: June 2011

The Human Rights Act of 1998 was one of the first pieces of legislation passed by Tony Blair's Labour government, and as such it symbolized heady hopes for a new, progressive era in British politics and law. These high expectations were disappointed, perhaps inevitably. Civil libertarians have been critical of the Labour government's policies of regulating welfare recipients, street people, and truants and of the illiberal treatment of terrorist suspects and religious extremists. Many wonder how effective the Human Rights Act can be, if government can so easily restrict individual freedom under its auspices. In two recent works Conor Gearty celebrates the Human Rights Act, not for bold interventions or radical change but, rather, for what he deems to be the act's appropriately modest aims and limited impact. I argue that this account diminishes the philosophical and political value of human rights. I highlight four problems with Gearty's argument: his democratic conception of rights, which threatens to dilute the capacity of rights to defend individual interests against the majority; his impatience with moral realist accounts of human rights; his inattention to questions of sovereignty; and, finally, his conservative approach to the content of human rights.
RETHINKING THE DICEYAN DIALECTIC
Authors: Lewans Matthew
Published: June 2011

This essay identifies a blind spot in administrative law theory concerning the legitimate legal authority of administrative institutions. More specifically, the essay examines the root cause of this blind spot, arguing that it is attributable to A.V. Dicey's constitutional theory, which asserts that the English constitution rests upon the legal principles of parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law. Dicey argued that the existence of administrative law was precluded by the nature of the English constitution, because it assigned exclusive legal authority to either Parliament or the common law courts. The essay criticizes Dicey's argument on two separate grounds. First, it argues that Dicey's theory was empirically mistaken, because it does not adequately account for common constitutional practices whereby legal authority is delegated to administrative institutions. Second, it argues that one can gain a better understanding of Dicey's theory if it is recast as a contestable political statement regarding the legitimacy of the administrative state. By engaging with Dicey's controversial ideological assumptions, we can set the stage for a more elaborate and robust constitutional theory that can better explain and justify the legitimacy of administrative authority.
Prediction models in cancer care
Authors: Vickers Andrew J.
Published: June 2011

Prediction is ubiquitous across the spectrum of cancer care from screening to hospice. Indeed, oncology is often primarily a prediction problem; many of the early stage cancers cause no symptoms, and treatment is recommended because of a prediction that tumor progression would ultimately threaten a patient's quality of life or survival. Recent years have seen attempts to formalize risk prediction in cancer care. In place of qualitative and implicit prediction algorithms, such as cancer stage, researchers have developed statistical prediction tools that provide a quantitative estimate of the probability of a specific event for an individual patient. Prediction models generally have greater accuracy than reliance on stage or risk groupings, can incorporate novel predictors such as genomic data, and can be used more rationally to make treatment decisions. Several prediction models are now widely used in clinical practice, including the Gail model for breast cancer incidence or the Adjuvant! Online prediction model for breast cancer recurrence. Given the burgeoning complexity of diagnostic and prognostic information, there is simply no realistic alternative to incorporating multiple variables into a single prediction model. As such, the question should not be whether but how prediction models should be used to aid decision‐making. Key issues will be integration of models into the electronic health record and more careful evaluation of models, particularly with respect to their effects on clinical outcomes. CA Cancer J Clin 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society, Inc.
Selected Morphological Characteristics, Lead Uptake and Phytochelatin Synthesis by Coffeeweed (Sesbania exaltata Raf.) Grown in Elevated Levels of Lead-Contaminated Soil
Authors: Miller Gloria , Begonia Gregorio , Begonia Maria F. T.
Published: June 2011

Remediation of lead-contaminated soil is significant due to the inherent toxicity of lead (Pb), and the quantity of Pb discharged into the soil. One of the most cost-effective and environmentally sound technologies for the cleanup of metal-contaminated soils is through the use of plants. While much is known about the ecological evolution of metal tolerance in plants, the physiological, biochemical, and genetic mechanisms of tolerance is not well understood in the majority of resistant ecotypes such as the legume, Sesbania exaltata Raf. This study was therefore conducted to determine the morphological and physiological characteristics of Sesbania that had been grown in Pb-contaminated soil, and to assess phytochelatin synthesis as a way of elucidating its relative Pb tolerance. Sesbania plants were grown in the greenhouse and exposed to various levels of Pb: 0, 1000, and 2000 mg Pb/kg soil. Plants were harvested after 6, 8, and 10 weeks of growth and morphological characteristics (e.g., root and shoot biomass, root length, number of root nodules, shoot height, number of leaves, number of flowers, number and length of pods) were recorded. Generally, there were no statistical differences in morphological characteristics among the treatments. Further, no discernible phytotoxic symptoms, such as chlorosis, wilting, or necrotic lesions, in neither roots nor shoots were observed. We concluded that while Sesbania did not fit the model of a hyperaccumulator, the plant was, nonetheless, tolerant to elevated Pb levels. Our assessment for phytochelatin synthesis as a tolerance mechanism was inconclusive and further investigations of tolerance mechanisms are warranted.
A Comparison of HWRF, ARW and NMM Models in Hurricane Katrina (2005) Simulation
Authors: Dodla Venkata B. , Desamsetti Srinivas , Yerramilli Anjaneyulu
Published: June 2011

The life cycle of Hurricane Katrina (2005) was simulated using three different modeling systems of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model. These are, HWRF (Hurricane WRF) designed specifically for hurricane studies and WRF model with two different dynamic cores as the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) model and the Non-hydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NMM). The WRF model was developed and sourced from National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), incorporating the advances in atmospheric simulation system suitable for a broad range of applications. The HWRF modeling system was developed at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) based on the NMM dynamic core and the physical parameterization schemes specially designed for tropics. A case study of Hurricane Katrina was chosen as it is one of the intense hurricanes that caused severe destruction along the Gulf Coast from central Florida to Texas. ARW, NMM and HWRF models were designed to have two-way interactive nested domains with 27 and 9 km resolutions. The three different models used in this study were integrated for three days starting from 0000 UTC of 27 August 2005 to capture the landfall of hurricane Katrina on 29 August. The initial and time varying lateral boundary conditions were taken from NCEP global FNL (final analysis) data available at 1 degree resolution for ARW and NMM models and from NCEP GFS data at 0.5 degree resolution for HWRF model. The results show that the models simulated the intensification of Hurricane Katrina and the landfall on 29 August 2005 agreeing with the observations. Results from these experiments highlight the superior performance of HWRF model over ARW and NMM models in predicting the track and intensification of Hurricane Katrina.
Air Quality Modeling for the Urban Jackson, Mississippi Region Using a High Resolution WRF/Chem Model
Authors: Yerramilli Anjaneyulu , Dodla Venkata B. , Desamsetti Srinivas , Challa Srinivas V. , Young John H. , Patrick Chuck , Baham Julius M. , Hughes Robert L. , Yerramilli Sudha , Tuluri Francis , Hardy Mark G. , Swanier Shelton J.
Published: June 2011

In this study, an attempt was made to simulate the air quality with reference to ozone over the Jackson (Mississippi) region using an online WRF/Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting–Chemistry) model. The WRF/Chem model has the advantages of the integration of the meteorological and chemistry modules with the same computational grid and same physical parameterizations and includes the feedback between the atmospheric chemistry and physical processes. The model was designed to have three nested domains with the inner-most domain covering the study region with a resolution of 1 km. The model was integrated for 48 hours continuously starting from 0000 UTC of 6 June 2006 and the evolution of surface ozone and other precursor pollutants were analyzed. The model simulated atmospheric flow fields and distributions of NO2 and O3 were evaluated for each of the three different time periods. The GIS based spatial distribution maps for ozone, its precursors NO, NO2, CO and HONO and the back trajectories indicate that all the mobile sources in Jackson, Ridgeland and Madison contributing significantly for their formation. The present study demonstrates the applicability of WRF/Chem model to generate quantitative information at high spatial and temporal resolution for the development of decision support systems for air quality regulatory agencies and health administrators.
Association of the Joint Effect of Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy and Cancer in African American Women: The Jackson Heart Study
Authors: Jenkins Brenda W. Campbell , Addison Clifton , Wilson Gregory , Liu Jiankang , Fortune Melody , Robinson Kiana , White Monique , Sarpong Daniel
Published: June 2011

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US and in Mississippi. Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women, and the underlying pathophysiology remains unknown, especially among African American (AA) women. The study purpose was to examine the joint effect of menopause status (MS) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the association with cancers, particularly BC using data from the Jackson Heart Study. The analytic sample consisted of 3202 women between 35 and 84 years of which 73.7% and 22.6% were postmenopausal and on HRT, respectively. There were a total of 190 prevalent cancer cases (5.9%) in the sample with 22.6% breast cancer cases. Menopause (p < 0.0001), but not HRT (p = 0.6402), was independently associated with cancer. Similar results were obtained for BC. BC, cancer, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, prevalent cardiovascular disease, physical activity and certain dietary practices were all significantly associated with the joint effect of menopause and HRT in the unadjusted analyses. The family history of cancer was the only covariate that was significantly associated with cancer in the age-adjusted models. In examining the association of cancer and the joint effect of menopause and HRT, AA women who were menopausal and were not on HRT had a 1.97 (95% CI: 1.15, 3.38) times odds of having cancer compared to pre-menopausal women after adjusting for age; which was attenuated after further adjusting for family history of cancer. Given that the cancer and BC cases were small and key significant associations were attenuated after adjusting for the above mentioned covariates, these findings warrant further investigation in studies with larger sample sizes of cancer (and BC) cases.
Mercury Levels in Locally Manufactured Mexican Skin-Lightening Creams
Authors: Peregrino Claudia P. , Moreno Myriam V. , Miranda Silvia V. , Rubio Alma D. , Leal Luz O.
Published: June 2011

Mercury is considered one of the most toxic elements for plants and animals. Nevertheless, in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, whitening creams containing mercury are being manufactured and purchased, despite their obvious health risks. Due to the mass distribution of these products, this can be considered a global public health issue. In Mexico, these products are widely available in pharmacies, beauty aid and health stores. They are used for their skin lightening effects. The aim of this work was to analyze the mercury content in some cosmetic whitening creams using the cold vapor technique coupled with atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS). A total of 16 skin-lightening creams from the local market were investigated. No warning information was noted on the packaging. In 10 of the samples, no mercury was detected. The mercury content in six of the samples varied between 878 and 36,000 ppm, despite the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that the limit for mercury in creams should be less than 1 ppm. Skin creams containing mercury are still available and commonly used in Mexico and many developing countries, and their contents are poorly controlled.
Zorrimidazolone, a Bioactive Alkaloid from the Non-Indigenous Mediterranean Stolidobranch Polyandrocarpa zorritensis
Authors: Aiello Anna , Fattorusso Ernesto , Imperatore Concetta , Irace Carlo , Luciano Paolo , Menna Marialuisa , Santamaria Rita , Vitalone Rocco
Published: June 2011

Chemical analysis of the Mediterranean ascidian Polyandrocarpa zorritensis (Van Name 1931) resulted in the isolation of a series of molecules including two monoindole alkaloids, 3-indolylglyoxylic acid (3) and its methyl ester (4), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglyoxylic acid methyl ester (1) and a new alkaloid we named zorrimidazolone (2). The structure of the novel compound 2 has been elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and bioactivity of all compounds has been investigated. Zorrimidazolone (2) showed a modest cytotoxic activity against C6 rat glioma cell line.
Recent Advances in the Synthesis of N-Containing Heteroaromatics via Heterogeneously Transition Metal Catalysed Cross-Coupling Reactions
Authors: Djakovitch Laurent , Batail Nelly , Genelot Marie
Published: June 2011

N-containing heteroaromatics are important substructures found in numerous natural or synthetic alkaloids. The diversity of the structures encountered, as well as their biological and pharmaceutical relevance, have motivated research aimed at the development of new economical, efficient and selective synthetic strategies to access these compounds. Over more than 100 years of research, this hot topic has resulted in numerous so-called “classical synthetic methods” that have really contributed to this important area. However, when the selective synthesis of highly functional heteroaromatics like indoles, quinolones, indoxyls, etc. is considered these methods remain limited. Recently transition metal-catalysed (TM-catalysed) procedures for the synthesis of such compounds and further transformations, have been developed providing increased tolerance toward functional groups and leading generally to higher reaction yields. Many of these methods have proven to be the most powerful and are currently applied in target- or diversity-oriented syntheses. This review article aims at reporting the recent developments devoted to this important area, focusing on the use of heterogeneous catalysed procedures that include either the formation of the heterocyclic ring towards the nuclei or their transformations to highly substituted compounds.
Acute Oral Toxicity of Methanolic Seed Extract of Cassia fistula in Mice
Authors: Jothy Subramanion  L. , Zakaria Zuraini , Chen Yeng , Lau Yee Ling , Latha Lachimanan Yoga , Sasidharan Sreenivasan
Published: June 2011

Background and objective: Cassia fistula is widely used in traditional medicine to treat various types of ailments. The evaluation of toxic properties of C. fistula is crucial when considering public health protection because exposure to plant extracts can result in undesirable effects on consumers. Hence, in this study the acute oral toxicity of C. fistula seeds extract was investigated in mice. Results: Oral administration of crude extract at the highest dose of 5000 mg/kg resulted in no mortalities or evidence of adverse effects, implying that C. fistula in nontoxic. Throughout 14 days of the treatment no changes in behavioural pattern, clinical sign and body weight of mice in both control and treatment groups. Also there were no any significant elevations observed in the biochemical analysis of the blood serum. Further, histopathological examination revealed normal architecture and no significant adverse effects observed on the kidney, heart, liver, lung and spleen. Conclusions: Overall, the results suggest that, the oral administration of C. fistula methanolic seeds extract did not produce any significant toxic effect in mice. Hence, the extract can be utilized for pharmaceutical formulations.
The Dynamics of Brownfield Redevelopment
Authors: BenDor Todd  K. , Metcalf Sara  S. , Paich Mark
Published: June 2011

Negligence of former industrial sites (“brownfields”) has adversely impacted urban landscapes throughout the industrialized world. Brownfield redevelopment has recently emerged as a sustainable land use strategy and impetus for urban revitalization. This study presents a system dynamics model of the redevelopment process that illustrates how delays compound before realizing financial benefits from investment in these core urban areas. We construct a dynamic hypothesis, in which brownfield redevelopment activities are dependent upon funding and in turn bolster tax base through job creation. Drawing on previous studies, barriers to brownfield redevelopment are explored, including fear of liability, regulatory concerns, and uncertain cleanup standards and funding mechanisms. We model a case study of redevelopment in the State of Michigan (USA), which is informed by data from the Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and U.S. Conference of Mayors brownfield surveys. Stock-flow structures represent phases of redevelopment, with diverted streams for sites in which no contamination was found (false alarms) and those with excess contamination level. The model is used to examine the point at which cumulative tax revenues from redeveloped areas exceed cumulative expenditures on brownfield redevelopment under different levels of funding availability.
RIG-I Like Receptors in Antiviral Immunity and Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Ireton Reneé C. , Gale Jr. Michael
Published: June 2011

The RNA helicase family of RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) is a key component of host defense mechanisms responsible for detecting viruses and triggering innate immune signaling cascades to control viral replication and dissemination. As cytoplasm-based sensors, RLRs recognize foreign RNA in the cell and activate a cascade of antiviral responses including the induction of type I interferons, inflammasome activation, and expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. This review provides a brief overview of RLR function, ligand interactions, and downstream signaling events with an expanded discussion on the therapeutic potential of targeting RLRs for immune stimulation and treatment of virus infection.
Pattern Recognition Receptors and the Innate Immune Response to Viral Infection
Authors: Thompson Mikayla R. , Kaminski John J. , Kurt-Jones Evelyn A. , Fitzgerald Katherine A.
Published: June 2011

The innate immune response to viral pathogens is critical in order to mobilize protective immunity. Cells of the innate immune system detect viral infection largely through germline-encoded pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) present either on the cell surface or within distinct intracellular compartments. These include the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the retinoic acid-inducble gene I-like receptors (RLRs), the nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs, also called NACHT, LRR and PYD domain proteins) and cytosolic DNA sensors. While in certain cases viral proteins are the trigger of these receptors, the predominant viral activators are nucleic acids. The presence of viral sensing PRRs in multiple cellular compartments allows innate cells to recognize and quickly respond to a broad range of viruses, which replicate in different cellular compartments. Here, we review the role of PRRs and associated signaling pathways in detecting viral pathogens in order to evoke production of interferons and cytokines. By highlighting recent progress in these areas, we hope to convey a greater understanding of how viruses activate PRR signaling and how this interaction shapes the anti-viral immune response.