bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eddy formation on the coast of North Norway – evidenced by synoptic sampling
Authors: Pedersen O.P. , Zhou M. , Tande K.S. , Edvardsen A.
Published: March 2005

In order to resolve advection, migration, and in situ population dynamics of zooplankton and capelin larvae in a mesoscale physical setting on the coast of North Norway, an extensive field survey was conducted. This paper reports on the physical conditions in the area and lays the basic environmental understanding for the analysis of vital rates of the biological components studied. We used a towed wing (SCANFISH) equipped with sensors and Objective Analysis for interpolation of hydrographic data into continuous fields. We show the importance of the mixing process along the coast of Norway, and identify the weakening of the signatures of Atlantic Water (AW). We also described the presence of a distinct and isolated water mass that is neither Norwegian Coastal Water (NCW) nor AW. This water mass had intermediate salinity but was significantly colder than NCW and AW. Several distinct non-linear mesoscale eddies were observed during a 12-day period. Anticyclonic eddies had lower salinity, while cyclonic eddies were relatively saline. We also observed meanders further offshore. Elongated eddies with the principle axis parallel to the shelf break developed into relatively larger isotropic eddies. The evolution of the eddy field was examined by cross-correlation between different periods of the survey. The most significant observation is the indication of eddy transport along the shelf. The translation speed was approximately 7 km day−1. We propose that the observed features are formed by baroclinic instabilities of the Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC) and that they play a crucial role as transport agents for biota.
Evaluation of a GCM subgrid cloud‐radiation interaction parameterization using cloud‐resolving model simulations
Authors: Liang Xin‐Zhong , Wu Xiaoqing
Published: March 2005

The mosaic approach of Liang and Wang (1997) for the general circulation model (GCM) parameterization of subgrid cloud‐radiation interactions is evaluated against the validated cloud‐resolving model (CRM) simulation of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) intensive observation period (IOP, June 22–July 17, 1997) at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site. The CRM‐generated cloud statistics determines the required characteristic structure differences between three primary cloud genera (convective, anvil and stratiform). It is demonstrated that the mosaic approach with the CRM cloud statistics well simulates the CRM domain‐averaged radiative quantities. The result indicates that the mosaic approach of the cloud overlap based on the cloud genera differing in formation mechanisms and of the optical inhomogeneity by cloud water path scaling can capture, respectively, the dominant effects of the cloud geometric association and optical property variability within a GCM grid.
Estimates of ratios of anthropogenic halocarbon emissions from Japan based on aircraft monitoring over Sagami Bay, Japan
Authors: Yokouchi Yoko , Inagaki Toshiharu , Yazawa Kenji , Tamaru Takashi , Enomoto Takateru , Izumi Katsuyuki
Published: March 2005

Regional‐ and national‐scale emission rates of halocarbons have been a great concern in the field of global environmental studies and policy making. Emissions have been inventoried mainly by bottom‐up approaches, which involve adding up emissions from various industrial sources. To verify and supplement those bottom‐up inventories, top‐down approaches based on measurements of air concentrations are required. In this study, aircraft monitoring over Sagami Bay, Japan, was used to estimate the emission ratios of halocarbons (perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), CFCs, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and others) from Japan. The enhanced concentrations in the boundary layer of air masses having traveled over Japanese mainland were used for the calculation under the assumption that the air masses over Sagami Bay represented average emission ratios for anthropogenic halocarbons on a countrywide basis. Given their emission ratios, a single compound with a credible emission rate can yield the emission estimates for all the other compounds. When we employed an inventory‐based emission estimate of HCFC‐22 from the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) system 2002 of Japan (9.1 Gg/yr) as the reference, the estimated emission rates of HCFC‐141b, HCFC‐142b, CFC‐12, chloroform, and trichloroethylene for 2002 were consistent with their PRTR values within 10%. Emissions of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and 1,1,1‐trichloroethane (CH3CCl3) were much higher than their PRTR values, suggesting that their sources are not adequately accounted for in the current inventories. The present study also presents probable annual emission rates for individual HFCs and PFCs that previously had no reported estimates; for example, 4.4 Gg/yr for HFC‐134a as of 2002.
The Belgian Permanent Representation to the European Union: Mailbox, Messenger, or Representative?
Authors: Kerremans Bart , Beyers Jan
Published: March 2005

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the role of the Belgian permanent representation to the European Union from two angles. The first is sceptical, and asks, in light of the presence of all federal Belgian institutions (including the federal Foreign Ministry) in Brussels, what role the Belgian permanent representation plays beyond that of postbox, of transmitter of messages between the EU and Belgium and vice versa? The second viewpoint is quite the opposite, and is the perspective of high expectations: being in Brussels and representing Belgium’s interests in the same city could be beneficial, with a local presence providing added value to the work a permanent representation traditionally plays or is expected to play. What that added value may be can be determined by looking at the general benefits and the extent to which they are used productively by the Belgian permanent representation, and at the particular dividends it pays within the context of the Belgian federal political system. The first section of the chapter looks at the internal organization of the Belgian permanent representation (personnel and internal operation), the second looks at the position of the permanent representation in the Belgian policy co-ordination system, and the last discusses the added value and role of the Belgian permanent representation in relation to its presence inside the country it is supposed to represent.
The Appropriation of Divine Life in Cyril of Alexandria
Authors: Keating Daniel A.
Published: March 2005

Presents a comprehensive account of sanctification and divinization in Cyril as set forth in his New Testament biblical commentaries. By establishing the importance of pneumatology in Cyril’s narrative of divine life and by showing the requirement for an ethical aspect of divinization grounded in the example of Christ himself, this study brings a corrective to certain readings of Cyril that tend to exaggerate the ‘somatic’ or ‘physicalistic’ character of his understanding of divinization, by arguing that Cyril correlates the somatic and pneumatic means of our union with Christ, and impressively integrates the ontological and ethical aspects of our sanctification and divinization. The final chapter offers brief sketches of Cyril in comparison with Theodore of Mopsuestia, Augustine, and Leo the Great, with the aim of gaining further clarity to the Christological debates of the fifth century, and a better grasp of the theological similarities and differences between the East and West.
Cyril in Comparison
Authors: Keating Daniel A.
Published: March 2005

Aims to bring Cyril into discussion with three of his near contemporaries, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Augustine, and Leo the Great, with the aim of gaining further clarity to the Christological debates of the fifth century, and a better grasp of the theological similarities and differences between the East and West. In each case, a comparison is made at the level of Christology, pneumatology, and sacramental mediation. Closes with a modest appraisal of two issues commonly perceived as dividing the East and West, namely, salvation as divinization and the personal role of the Holy Spirit is the economy of redemption.
The Judicial Construction of Europe
Authors: Stone Sweet Alec
Published: March 2005

The law and politics of European integration have been inseparable since the 1960s, when the European Court of Justice rendered a set of foundational decisions that gradually served to ‘constitutionalize’ the Treaty of Rome. In this book, the author, one of the world's foremost social scientists and legal scholars, blends deductive theory, quantitative analysis of aggregate data, and qualitative case studies to explain the dynamics of European integration and institutional change in the European Union (EU) since 1959. He shows that the activities of market actors, lobbyists, legislators, litigators, and judges became connected to one another in various ways, giving the EU its fundamentally expansionary character. The first chapter, ‘The European Court and Integration’, provides an introduction to the book. The second, written with Thomas Brunell, assesses the impact of Europe's unique legal system on the evolution of supranational governance. The following three chapters trace the outcomes in three policy domains: free movement of goods (written with Margaret McCown), sex equality (written with Rachel Cichowski), and environmental protection (written with Markus Gehring). There is also a concluding chapter. The book integrates diverse themes, including: the testing of hypotheses derived from regional integration theory; the ‘judicialization’ of legislative processes; the path dependence of precedent and legal argumentation; the triumph of the ‘rights revolution’ in the EU; delegation, agency, and trusteeship; balancing as a technique of judicial rulemaking and governance; and why national administration and justice have been steadily ‘Europeanized’.
Invasion of Lotus japonicus root hairless 1 by Mesorhizobium loti Involves the Nodulation Factor-Dependent Induction of Root Hairs
Authors: Karas Bogumil , Murray Jeremy , Gorzelak Monika , Smith Alexandra , Sato Shusei , Tabata Satoshi , Szczyglowski Krzysztof
Published: March 2005

In many legumes, including Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula, susceptible root hairs are the primary sites for the initial signal perception and physical contact between the host plant and the compatible nitrogen-fixing bacteria that leads to the initiation of root invasion and nodule organogenesis. However, diverse mechanisms of nodulation have been described in a variety of legume species that do not rely on root hairs. To clarify the significance of root hairs during the L. japonicus-Mesorhizobium loti symbiosis, we have isolated and performed a detailed analysis of four independent L. japonicus root hair developmental mutants. We show that although important for the efficient colonization of roots, the presence of wild-type root hairs is not required for the initiation of nodule primordia (NP) organogenesis and the colonization of the nodule structures. In the genetic background of the L. japonicus root hairless 1 mutant, the nodulation factor-dependent formation of NP provides the structural basis for alternative modes of invasion by M. loti. Surprisingly, one mode of root colonization involves nodulation factor-dependent induction of NP-associated cortical root hairs and epidermal root hairs, which, in turn, support bacterial invasion. In addition, entry of M. loti through cracks at the cortical surface of the NP is described. These novel mechanisms of nodule colonization by M. loti explain the fully functional, albeit significantly delayed, nodulation phenotype of the L. japonicus ROOT HAIRLESS mutant.
Meta‐Analysis of Food Safety Information Based on a Combination of a Relational Database and a Predictive Modeling Tool
Authors: Vialette Michèle , Pinon Anthony , Leporq Benoît , Dervin Catherine , Membré Jeanne‐Marie
Published: March 2005

The management of microbial risk in food products requires the ability to predict growth kinetics of pathogenic microorganisms in the event of contamination and growth initiation. Useful data for assessing these issues may be found in the literature or from experimental results. However, the large number and variety of data make further development difficult. Statistical techniques, such as meta‐analysis, are then useful to realize synthesis of a set of distinct but similar experiences. Moreover, predictive modeling tools can be employed to complete the analysis and help the food safety manager to interpret the data. In this article, a protocol to perform a meta‐analysis of the outcome of a relational database, associated with quantitative microbiology models, is presented. The methodology is illustrated with the effect of temperature on pathogenic Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes, growing in culture medium, beef meat, and milk products. Using a database and predictive models, simulations of growth in a given product subjected to various temperature scenarios can be produced. It is then possible to compare food products for a given microorganism, according to its growth ability in these products, and to compare the behavior of bacteria in a given foodstuff. These results can assist decisions for a variety of questions on food safety.
Alvimopan, a selective peripherally acting μ‐opioid antagonist*
Authors: Camilleri M.
Published: March 2005

Abstract  Alvimopan is a novel, peripherally acting μ‐opioid antagonist that is being developed for the management of acute postoperative ileus and for the reversal of the delayed gastrointestinal and colonic transit that result in symptoms such as constipation, nausea and motility disorders in patients treated with opiate analgesics. There is a clinical need for effective medications for the treatment of postoperative ileus and opiate‐induced constipation and other motility disorders. This review addresses the basic and applied pharmacology and current evidence for the use of the medication, alvimopan, in clinical gastroenterology.
Changing trends in US mesothelioma incidence
Authors: Weill H , Hughes J , Churg A
Published: March 2005

The correspondence by Weillet al(below) refers to a letter by Greenberg, which was published in February’s edition of the journal. We regret the late appearance of this printed response, which arises from an administrative error. An electronic version of this text was posted on the website on 1 February 2005.
Reduction of a field generated waste microemulsion by electrolytic addition
Authors: Clark II Clayton J
Published: March 2005

The present research examined the treatment process of adding NaCl to a single phase microemulsion (SPME) effluent from an in situ flushing test conducted at a contaminated field site. The waste effluent contained surfactant, cosurfactant, and contaminant, which had been removed from soil. Addition of NaCl separated the SPME into two immiscible phases, a lower aqueous phase and an upper organic phase. Consequently, a smaller volume of waste saturated with a non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) requiring further treatment or disposal was produced. Overall, addition of ~16% by weight of NaCl reduced the NAPL saturated volume by ~95% for both the composite volume and first pore volume samples. Nearly the entire NAPL mass (~99%) partitioned into the organic phase after addition of NaCl and the NAPL saturated volume decreased with increased NaCl addition. Increased NaCl also decreased the chemical oxygen demand (COD) load of the aqueous-rich phase by one-tenth. The reduction in NAPL saturated volume by salt addition would decrease cost of further treatment by ~95%.Key words: microemulsion, waste management, salt, treatment, site remediation, NAPL.
The influence of the position and spectral sensitivity of sensors on the surveillance of water-disinfection plants with polychromatic ultraviolet radiation
Authors: Cabaj Alexander , Sommer Regina , Bolton James , Wright Harold , Schmalwieser Alois
Published: March 2005

The standardization of water disinfection with polychromatic ultraviolet (UV) radiation has developed very rapidly during the past several years. The surveillance of irradiance and UV absorption in water by UV sensors is essential for safe water disinfection with medium pressure mercury UV lamps. In this study, calculations were carried out concerning the influence of the position of the sensor, the absorption spectrum of the water during the type testing and during the disinfection process in the water works, and the spectral sensitivity of the sensor on the measured values. This value represents a microbicidally weighted irradiance; this makes it possible to control the reduction equivalent fluence (REF), which is effective in the UV plant. It could be shown that an optimum path length of the water layer that is between the sensor and the UV source exists. This optimum is defined by equal dependence of the sensor signal on UV transmittance of the water compared to the dependence of the REF applied to the water on UV transmittance of the water. Key words: biodosimetry, Bacillus subtilis, UV sensors, spectral sensitivity, shouldered survival curves, polychromatic UV radiation, sensor position.
A PERSONAL SIXTY-YEAR TOUR OF GENETICS AND MEDICINE
Authors: Knudson Alfred G.
Published: March 2005

▪ Abstract  The past 60 years surely constitute a Golden Age for biomedical science, and for medical genetics in particular. A personal experience began with an encounter with inborn errors of metabolism, selection, and the incidences of hereditary diseases, and peaked with molecular biology, virology, and cytogenetics, finally focusing all three on the problem of cancer.
THE CIRCUITRY OF V1 AND V2: Integration of Color, Form, and Motion
Authors: Sincich Lawrence C. , Horton Jonathan C.
Published: March 2005

Primary and secondary visual cortex (V1 and V2) form the foundation of the cortical visual system. V1 transforms information received from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and distributes it to separate domains in V2 for transmission to higher visual areas. During the past 20 years, schemes for the functional organization of V1 and V2 have been based on a tripartite framework developed by Livingstone & Hubel (1988) . Since then, new anatomical data have accumulated concerning V1's input, its internal circuitry, and its output to V2. These new data, along with physiological and imaging studies, now make it likely that the visual attributes of color, form, and motion are not neatly segregated by V1 into different stripe compartments in V2. Instead, there are just two main streams, originating from cytochrome oxidase patches and interpatches, that project to V2. Each stream is composed of a mixture of magno, parvo, and konio geniculate signals. Further studies are required to elucidate how the patches and interpatches differ in the output they convey to extrastriate cortex.
The Impact of Land–Atmosphere Interactions on the Temporal Variability of Soil Moisture at the Regional Scale
Authors: Kochendorfer John P. , Ramírez Jorge A.
Published: March 2005

This study examines the impact of the nonlinear dynamics of soil-moisture feedbacks to precipitation on the temporal variability of soil moisture at the regional scale. It is a modeling study in which the large-scale soil-water balance is first formulated as an ordinary differential equation and then recast as a stochastic differential equation by incorporating colored noise representing the high-frequency temporal variability and correlation of precipitation. The underlying model couples the atmospheric and surface-water balances and accounts for both precipitation recycling and precipitation-efficiency feedbacks, which arise from the surface energy balance. Based on the governing Fokker–Planck equation, three different analytical solutions (corresponding to differing forms and combinations of feedbacks) are derived for the steady-state probability density function of soil moisture. Using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data, estimates of potential evapotranspiration, and long-term observations of precipitation, streamflow, and soil moisture, the model is parameterized for a 5° × 5° region encompassing the state of Illinois. It is shown that precipitation-efficiency feedbacks can be significant contributors to the variability of soil moisture at the regional scale. Precipitation recycling, on the other hand, increases the variability by a negligible amount. For all feedback cases, the probability density function is unimodal and nearly symmetric. The analysis concludes with an examination of the dependence of the shape of the probability density functions on spatial scale. It is shown that the associated increases in either the correlation time scale or the variance of the noise will produce a bimodal distribution when precipitation-efficiency feedbacks are included. However, the magnitudes of the necessary increases are of an unrealistic magnitude.
Role of health-related quality of life measures in the routine care of people with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Solari Alessandra
Published: March 2005

Health-related quality of life instruments are expected to be of particular value in routine care of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), where they may facilitate the detection of disease aspects that would otherwise go unrecognised, help clinicians appreciate patient priorities particularly in terms of treatment goals, facilitate physician-patient communication, and promote shared decision-making. However, it appears that these instruments are little used routine clinical approaches to people with MS. To address this issue, I performed a bibliographic search of studies that evaluated the efficacy of generic or disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instruments in MS clinical practice from clinicians' or patients' perspectives. I found only one cross-sectional study, which compared preferences for three instruments, and assessed acceptability in people with MS.

Reasons for lack of transfer of HRQOL measurements to clinical practice may be cultural, methodological, or practical. With regard to MS, the proliferation of instruments seems to constitute a barrier, with no particular instrument having gained wide popularity or consensus. Other barriers are lack of resources for the administration, collection and storage of the data, and inability of clinicians to score, interpret, and use HRQOL instrument to guide clinical care. It is therefore important to refine existing tools, extending clinical validation to wider contexts and cultures. More studies assessing acceptability and clinicians' and patients' preferences for different instruments are also required.
The Estradiol-Dihydrotestosterone model of prostate cancer
Authors: Friedman A Edward
Published: March 2005

Background

The exact relationship between hormonal activity and prostate cancer(PCa) has not yet been clearly defined. One of the key hormones associated with PCa is testosterone(T). However, both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that under some conditions T is capable of either promoting PCa growth or death. This article proposes a theory which resolves this apparent paradox.

Model

The Estradiol-Dihydrotestosterone(E-D) model introduced in this paper proposes that 17β-estradiol(E2) is essential for initiating the growth of PCa cells through the formation of telomeres. It also proposes that T is responsible for increasing the expression of proteins which cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, and that 5α-dihydrotestosterone(DHT) is essential for preventing this. In addition, it is known that some T is converted to both E2 and DHT, which means that depending on the conditions, T is capable of either promoting the growth of or the killing of PCa.
Effect of Low‐Level Er:YAG Laser Irradiation on Cultured Human Gingival Fibroblasts
Authors: Pourzarandian Amir , Watanabe Hisashi , Ruwanpura Senarath M.P.M. , Aoki Akira , Ishikawa Isao
Published: March 2005

Background: Low‐level laser irradiation has been reported to enhance wound healing. Activation of gingival fibroblasts (GF) has a potential for early wound healing in periodontal treatment. The present study aimed to investigate the direct effect of low‐level Er:YAG laser irradiation on gingival fibroblasts proliferation in order to clarify the laser effect on healing.

Methods: Cultured human gingival fibroblasts (hGF) were exposed to low‐power, pulsed Er:YAG laser irradiation with different energy densities ranging from 1.68 to 5.0 J/cm2. The cultures were analyzed by means of trypan blue staining and counted under a light microscope. The effect of Er:YAG laser on hGF was also evaluated using a transmission electron microscope (TEM).

Results: Cultures irradiated with Er:YAG laser presented faster cell growth when compared with untreated controls. This difference was statistically significant. Transmission electron microscopy revealed rough endoplasmic reticulum, prominent Golgi complexes, and mitochondria after laser irradiation.

Conclusions: Our results showed that the low‐level Er:YAG laser irradiation stimulates the proliferation of cultured gingival fibroblasts. The optimal stimulative energy density was found to be 3.37 J/cm2. This result suggests that Er:YAG laser irradiation may be of therapeutic benefit for wound healing. J Periodontol 2005;76:187‐193.
Capnocytophaga spp. in Periodontitis Patients Manifesting Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Ciantar Marilou , Gilthorpe Mark S. , Hurel Steven J. , Newman Hubert N. , Wilson Michael , Spratt David A.
Published: March 2005

Background: The subgingival microflora in patients presenting concurrently with periodontitis and diabetes mellitus (DM) are poorly understood. While traditional putative periodontal pathogens are implicated, research involving other oral organisms; e.g., Capnocytophaga spp., is lacking. These organisms produce a range of bacterial enzymes relevant to periodontal breakdown. It is inferred that periodontal bacteria acquire systemic access through the ulcerated periodontal pocket surface; conclusive evidence supporting this notion is limited. The aims of this investigation were to: 1) quantify and identify Capnocytophaga spp. present in healthy and diseased sites in periodontitis patients with and without DM, and 2) isolate periodontal pathogens from these patients' blood.

Methods: Twenty‐one DM‐periodontitis and 25 periodontitis patients were recruited. Subgingival plaque was collected from three healthy and three diseased sites per subject. Capnocytophaga spp. and total (facultative and obligate) anaerobic counts from each site were estimated. Capnocytophaga spp. were identified using 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Statistical analyses were performed using multilevel modeling. Blood samples were subjected to HbA1c estimation and bacterial culture.

Results: A total of 848 Capnocytophaga spp. were isolated and identified. Significantly higher numbers of Capnocytophaga spp. (P <0.001) and anaerobes (P <0.001) were present in diseased sites in DM‐periodontitis subjects compared to healthy sites in non‐DM‐periodontitis and DM‐periodontitis subjects. C. ochracea (and variant) and C. granulosa were the most prevalent species. Blood samples were negative for Capnocytophaga spp.

Conclusions: Total mean counts for Capnocytophaga spp. were significantly higher in DM‐periodontitis subjects versus non‐DM‐periodontitis (P = 0.025) and at diseased sites versus healthy sites (P <0.001). Analysis of individual species revealed that the outcome varied with site status and DM status. J Periodontol 2005;76:194‐203.
Osseointegrated Dental Implants in Private Practice: A Long‐Term Case Series Study
Authors: Lemmerman Keith J. , Lemmerman Neal E.
Published: March 2005

Background: Osseointegrated dental implants have become a routinely recommended procedure in the clinical practice of dentistry and periodontics. Due to their predictability, they have changed the way many cases are treatment planned. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a prospective study of factors affecting the successes and failures of a large group of dental implants and compare them to published literature.

Methods: A total of 1,003 consecutively placed pure titanium dental implants placed from August 1987 to January 2002 and followed to October 2003 are reported. All implants were placed in one private practice by the same surgeon.

Results: Success rates statistically were influenced only by the age of the implant, although when the raw data are examined, some trends are seen. Success was unaffected by patient age, gender, surface roughness of implant, site of placement, smoking, bone type, arch, screw versus press‐fit, diameter, length, manufacturer, reason for tooth loss, site bony augmentation and timing, placement timing, one‐versus two‐stage placement, or torque testing of implants; 75% of failures occurred before restoration.

Conclusions: Osseointegrated dental implants are a highly predictable procedure with proper case selection. Failure rates vary for a number of factors reviewed, although only the age of the implant was statistically important in predicting failure. Male smokers, maxillary first molars, and type 4 bone had increased failure rates. Threaded, surface‐roughened implants had the highest success rates. J Periodontol 2005;76:310‐319.
Measuring similarity of concentration between different informetric distributions: Two new approaches
Authors: Burrell Quentin L.
Published: March 2005

From its earliest days, much investigative work in informetrics has been concerned with inequality aspects. Beginning with the well‐known Gini coefficient as a measure of the concentration/inequality of productivity within a single data set, in this study we look at the problem of measuring relative inequality of productivity between two data sets. A measure originally proposed by Dagum (1987), analogous to the Gini coefficient, is discussed and developed with both theoretical and empirical illustrations. From this we derive a standardized measure—the relative concentration coefficient—based on the notion of “relative economic affluence” also introduced by Dagum (1987). Finally, a new standardized measure—the co‐concentration coefficient, in some ways analogous to the correlation coefficient—is defined. The merits and drawbacks of these two measures are discussed and illustrated. Their value will be most readily appreciated in comparative empirical studies.
Role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the early management of acute gallbladder disease
Authors: Peng W K , Sheikh Z , Nixon S J , Paterson-Brown S
Published: March 2005

Background

This study evaluated the role of laparoscopic surgery in the early management of acute gallbladder disease in a single large UK teaching hospital.

Methods

Details of all emergency admissions for acute gallbladder disease from January 2000 to December 2001 were identified and additional information from the hospital records was reviewed retrospectively.

Results

Three hundred and eighty-five patients with gallstone disease (243 acute biliary pain, 142 acute cholecystitis) and 15 with acalculous disease were identified. The conversion rate was higher during early laparoscopic surgery for acute calculous cholecystitis than in operations for acute biliary pain (19 versus 4 per cent; P = 0·002). In patients with acute calculous cholecystitis the conversion rate was significantly lower in operations within 48 h of admission (one of 26) than when surgery was delayed beyond 48 h (14 of 52) or subsequently carried out electively (seven of 21) (P = 0·014). Elective surgery for previous acute cholecystitis was associated with a higher conversion rate (seven of 21 patients) than elective surgery for biliary pain (three of 65) (P = 0·002).

Conclusion

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute calculous cholecystitis should be performed, where possible, within the first 48 h of admission.
Studying the biological and technical sources of variation in telomere length of individual chromosomes
Authors: de Pauw E. S. D. , Roelofs H. , Zwinderman A. , van Houwelingen J. C. , Fibbe W. E. , de Knijff P. , Pearson P. L. , Tanke H. J.
Published: March 2005

Background

Consistent average length differences between species and chromosome arm differences within species indicate that telomere length is genetically determined. This seems to contradict an observed large variation in lengths of the same human telomere between metaphases of the same individual. We examined the extent to which the variation in the telomeres of the human X and Y chromosomes is heritable, induced, or technical in origin.

Methods

Metaphase chromosomes were stained by fluorescence in situ hybridization with a telomere repeat‐specific probe, and fluorescence intensities of the X and Y chromosomes were measured. If telomere length variation is predominantly genetically determined and a 50% probability of meiotic recombination between the pseudo‐autosomal regions of Yp and Xp in the father is taken into account, one expects an equal chance that the Yp telomere of a son is derived from his father's Xp or Yp telomere. This implies that the Yp/Yq telomere ratios in fathers and sons will be identical in the absence of paternal meiotic recombination and different when recombination occurs.

Results

Among five father‐son pairs, four showed similar Yp/Yq ratios (P > 0.05), whereas one pair exhibited a large difference in the Yp/Yq ratio that was attributable to a significantly longer Xp than Yp telomere in the father and a presumptive meiotic exchange between X and Y during paternal meiosis. Further, the Xq telomere exhibited a generally shorter telomere length than the others.

Conclusions

The high variation in telomere length appeared to be intracellular (between sister chromatids) and, hence, technical in nature. We found no measurable induced variation in the cells studied, implying that, if induced variation exists, it is small compared with the technical variation. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Flow cytometric analysis of CD41‐labeled platelets isolated by the rapid, one‐step OptiPrep method from human blood
Authors: Bagamery Krisztina , Kvell Krisztian , Landau Ruth , Graham John
Published: March 2005

Background

Although platelet‐rich plasma is relatively easy to produce by centrifugation of whole blood, yields of platelets may be variable because many of them are trapped within the erythrocyte layer. Although they can be recovered by washing these cells, it is a general rule that the number of centrifugations should be kept to a minimum to avoid activation of platelets. This work describes the rapid, one‐step OptiPrep method for the isolation of highly purified platelets from human blood (buffy coat).

Methods

To provide a functionally intact and uncontaminated platelet fraction, a density gradient centrifugation was performed by using a density barrier prepared from OptiPrep. CD41 antibody staining was performed to assess the purity of the obtained platelet population by means of a FACScan flow cytometer. Platelets were identified by a morphologic gate in which events were further studied for CD41 expression. Data were analyzed by CellQuest (Becton Dickinson).

Results

Platelet‐specific CD41 antibody staining showed that the purity of the platelet population recovered from this density barrier method was greater than 90%. The platelets showed an excellent morphologic state.

Conclusion

The rapid, one‐step OptiPrep density gradient centrifugation is a reliable method for obtaining highly purified platelets from human blood that are ready for further pharmacologic investigations. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Planar cell polarity: Heading in the right direction
Authors: Kiefer Julie C.
Published: March 2005

Epithelial cells are patterned not only along their apical–basolateral axis, but also along the plane of the epithelial sheet; the latter event is regulated by the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway. PCP regulates diverse outputs, such as the distal placement of a hair in all cells of the Drosophila wing, and convergent extension movements during gastrulation in the vertebrate embryo. This primer describes the molecular mechanisms that initiate and establish PCP, as well as biochemical pathways that translate PCP signaling to cell type‐specific patterning events. The primer concludes with a discussion of current topics in the field with two PCP researchers, Matt Kelley, Ph.D., and Helen McNeill, Ph.D. Developmental Dynamics 233:695–700, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An inactive X specific replication origin associated with a matrix attachment region in the human X linked HPRT gene
Authors: Koina Edda , Piper Anita
Published: March 2005

Early in female mammalian embryogenesis, one of the two X chromosomes is inactivated to compensate the gene dosage between males and females. One of the features of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is the late replication of the inactivated X chromosome. This study reports the identification, by competitive PCR of nascent DNA, of a replication origin in intron 2 of the human X‐linked HPRT gene, that is functional only on the inactive X. Features frequently associated with replication origins, including a peak of enhanced DNA flexibility, a perfect match to the yeast ACS sequence, a 14/15 match to the Drosophila topoisomerase II consensus, and a 20/21 match to an initiation region consensus sequence, were identified close to the replication origin. The origin is located approximately 2 kb upstream of a matrix attachment region (MAR) and also contains two A:T‐rich elements, thought to facilitate DNA unwinding. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance angiography of the lower extremities: Standard‐dose vs. high‐dose gadodiamide injection
Authors: Krause Ulrich , Kroencke Thomas , Spielhaupter Erika , Taupitz Matthias , Kenn Werner , Hamm Bernd , Hahn Dietbert
Published: March 2005

Purpose

To compare the efficacy and safety of two different doses (0.1 and 0.3 mmol/kg of body weight [BW]) of gadodiamide for contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (ce‐MRA) of the lower extremities with intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (IA‐DSA).

Materials and Methods

A total of 30 patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease underwent IA‐DSA and ce‐MRA from the aortic bifurcation down to the ankle. Patients were randomized to receive a total dose of 0.1 or 0.3 mmol/kg of BW gadodiamide (Omniscan, Amersham Buchler), administered intravenously as a series of three automatic bolus injections. Ce‐MRA was performed with a 1.5‐T system using a body phased‐array coil, centered stepwise over the calf, thigh, and pelvic region. A fast T1‐weighted, three‐dimensional gradient‐echo sequence was obtained before and after injection of the allocated dose. IA‐DSA was performed using the Seldinger technique and a femoral approach. The vessels under investigation were divided into 31 segments, and ce‐MRA and IA‐DSA image sets were evaluated in a double‐blind fashion for the presence of stenosis, presence of collateral vessels, vessel delineation, and overall image quality. Both dose groups were compared with regard to contrast index (CI) and signal‐ and contrast‐to‐noise ratios (SNR, CNR). The occurrence of adverse events or side effects was also documented. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated in relation to the results of stenosis grading.

Results

A total of 26 patients were entered in the efficacy evaluation, while all 30 patients were included in the safety assessment. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the 0.1 and 0.3 mmol/kg dose groups were 78.8%/93.0%/88.9% vs. 60.2.%/91.5%/83.2%, respectively. The detection of collaterals was similar to IA‐DSA for the 0.3 mmol/kg dose group (30.2% vs. 27.4%), but was lower in the 0.1 mmol/kg dose group (27.3% vs. 12.3%). The high‐dose gadodiamide injection proved to be superior to the 0.1 mmol/kg dose group with regard to vessel delineation and overall image quality (P = 0.007 and P = 0.002, respectively). The difference between the two dose groups regarding CI, SNR, and CNR was significant (P = 0.0001), in favor of the 0.3 mmol/kg dose group. No adverse events were observed in any of the patients.

Conclusion

Ce‐MRA with gadodiamide is safe and efficacious. Comparison of two different doses with IA‐DSA as the standard of reference showed that the 0.3 mmol/kg dose is superior to the standard 0.1 mmol/kg dose with respect to contrast enhancement, vessel delineation, image quality, and detection of collaterals. However, the 0.1 mmol/kg dose was superior to the high dose in the grading of stenosis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:449–454. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Magnetic resonance image‐guided trans‐septal puncture in a swine heart
Authors: Arepally Aravind , Karmarkar Parag V. , Weiss Clifford , Rodriguez E. Rene , Lederman Robert J. , Atalar Ergin
Published: March 2005

Purpose

To test the feasibility of performing magnetic resonance (MR)‐guided trans‐septal punctures in the swine heart.

Materials and Methods

All procedures were performed in a 1.5‐T MR scanner. A novel, active MR intravascular needle system was utilized for needle tracking and septal punctures. Trans‐septal punctures were performed in five swine using electrocardiogram (ECG)‐gated high resolution and non‐ECG‐gated, real‐time MR imaging techniques. The intravascular needle was advanced over a guidewire from the femoral vein. Once the needle was in proper position, trans‐septal punctures were made.

Results

Active tracking of the needle traversing the septum was possible. The location of the catheter tip was confirmed using real time gradient recalled echo (GRE). After a confirmatory ventriculogram with gadolinium‐DTPA, a 0.014‐inch guidewire was advanced into the left atrium and left ventricle. All punctures were made with no change in cardiac rhythm or rate; postmortem analysis was performed on all animals and demonstrated that 18/19 (95%) punctures were directly through the fossa ovalis.

Conclusion

Using only MR guidance and a novel active intravascular needle system, we were able to repeatedly puncture the fossa ovalis in a swine heart from a transfemoral approach, with direct visualization of all components, including the needle, the atria, the fossa ovalis, and the surrounding vasculature. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:463–467. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Asymmetry in elastic properties and the evolution of large continental strike‐slip faults
Authors: Le Pichon Xavier , Kreemer Corné , Chamot‐Rooke Nicolas
Published: March 2005

We use geodetic studies to quantify several cases of significant asymmetry in interseismic and coseismic effects along large continental strike‐slip faults using simple two‐dimensional edge dislocation models. We first show that asymmetric elastic loading characterizes the present Main Marmara Fault, a portion of the North Anatolian Fault along the northern margin of the Sea of Marmara. The ratio of asymmetry there is about 10. This ratio is even larger, about 30, along the northern Sumatra fault near lake Toba caldera. We then examine two profiles near Point Reyes and Point Arena across the northern San Andreas Fault that have been previously proposed as affected by asymmetry both in interseismic and coseismic effects. We show that an asymmetry ratio of 1.6 in interseismic loading exists near Point Arena, with the southwest side of the fault being more rigid than the northeast one. On the other hand, we do not find significant asymmetry for the Point Reyes profile that was previously described as highly asymmetric. We examine coseismic motion during the 1906 earthquake along the same two profiles. Ratios of 1.2 and 1.7 are found for the Point Arena and Point Reyes profiles, respectively. We discuss the possible causes of asymmetry. Contrasts in seismic velocity in the brittle portion suggest ratios generally not exceeding 2.5 for the dynamic rigidity in the upper brittle section. Larger ratios may involve other complex causes such as differences between static and dynamic rigidities, contrasts in rheology in the deeper creeping sections, and postseismic transients. We conclude that asymmetry should be systematically included within the parameters to be inverted when dealing with the mechanics of large‐scale strike‐slip faults.
“For They Do not Agree in Nature With Us”
Authors: Wilson Margaret D.
Published: March 2005

The claim that Spinoza has a conception of animal mentality and consciousness that is superior to Descartes's is criticized. It is also argued that Spinoza fails to provide a coherent way of establishing what he considers to be our morally unconstrained “rights” with regard to brutes. Despite Spinoza's claim that brutes “feel,” i.e., are capable of sentience, his view that we are nonetheless entitled to treat animals in any way convenient to us is criticized. Questions are also raised as to whether Spinoza is entitled to distinguish human from bestial nature on the basis of the possession of reason.
The Cognitive Basis of Systems Integration
Authors: Paoli Massimo
Published: March 2005

Argues that the strategic control over the technological and commercial evolution of complicated multi‐technological platforms (families of products) calls for a deep control of the processes of systems integration. Aims to define the key elements of the cognitive nature of process of systems integration and provides an epistemological reflection on personal and social knowledge. It is argued that the meta‐process of systems integration is first of all integration of knowledge: a process of processes that require a powerful control of knowledge development.
Paul
Authors: Murphy-O'Connor Jerome
Published: March 2005

The purpose of this book is to reveal the personality of Paul of Tarsus. Too long considered merely as a fountain of theological ideas, the Apostle of the Gentiles is brought to life by a strong narrative line, which reconstructs the events of his life in chronological order and in sufficient detail to give it consistency and colour. Historical imagination is tightly controlled by skilful exploitation of the evidence provided by ancient texts and monuments. His letters are seen to grow from the concrete circumstances of changing situations. His theology is born out of history.
One Third Way or Several?
Authors: Bonoli Giuliano , Powell Martin
Published: March 2005

The chapter discusses the role of the Third Way discourse in legitimizing labour market policy reform in Britain, France, and Germany. It argues that only in Britain can a convincing causal link be drawn between the Third Way discourse and the successful implementation of supply-side reforms. In France, societal interests institutionalized in the governance of social protection continue to act as a ‘pre-political’ bulwark against state intervention in existing arrangements. In Germany, somewhat similarly, institutional factors severely limit the potential for the centre-left to either develop a single structuring discourse or to fuse historically separate policy domains, as much of the current activation agenda supposes. To the extent that efforts have advanced in this latter respect, ad hoc exploitation of contingencies and crises has proved more effective than a Third Way discourse.
Proportional Hazards in Information Security
Authors: Ryan Julie J. C. H. , Ryan Daniel J.
Published: March 2005

Nonparametric methods can be used to analyze failure times and estimate probability distributions for failures of systems due to successful attacks on confidentiality, integrity, and availability in information security. However, such methods do not take full advantage of supplemental information regarding the configurations of systems in an information infrastructure that is usually also available. One approach, which does take advantage of such information, views the risks of systems failing from various causes as competing risks and determines the correlation coefficients of different treatments to system longevity. Since the times and causes of failure in such studies are usually uncorrelated, the hazards associated with each risk are proportional. By correlating system survival times to the use of specific design enhancements and security countermeasures, as well as to system exposure based on choice of operational functionality, guidance can be obtained for making investments in information security.