bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preservation From Left Ventricular Remodeling by Front-Integrated Revascularization and Stem Cell Liberation in Evolving Acute Myocardial Infarction by Use of Granulocyte-Colony–Stimulating Factor (FIRSTLINE-AMI)
Authors: Ince Hüseyin , Petzsch Michael , Kleine Hans Dieter , Schmidt Heike , Rehders Tim , Körber Thomas , Schümichen Carl , Freund Mathias , Nienaber Christoph A.
Published: November 2005

Background—

Considering experimental evidence that stem cells enhance myocardial regeneration and granulocyte colony–stimulating factor (G-CSF) mediates mobilization of CD34+ mononuclear blood stem cells (MNC
CD34+
), we tested the impact of G-CSF integrated into primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) management of acute myocardial infarction in man.

Methods and Results—

Fifty consecutive patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were subjected to primary PCI stenting with abciximab and followed up for 6 months; 89±35 minutes after successful PCI, 25 patients were randomly assigned in this pilot study (PROBE design) to receive subcutaneous G-CSF at 10 μg/kg body weight for 6 days in addition to standard care, including aspirin, clopidogrel, an ACE inhibitor, β-blocking agents, and statins. By use of CellQuest software on peripheral blood samples incubated with CD45 and CD34, mobilized MNC
CD34+
were quantified on a daily basis. With homogeneous demographics and clinical and infarct-related characteristics, G-CSF stimulation led to mobilization of MNC
CD34+
to between 3.17±2.93 MNC
CD34+
/μL at baseline and 64.55±37.11 MNC
CD34+
/μL on day 6 (
P
<0.001 versus control); there was no indication of leukocytoclastic effects, significant pain, impaired rheology, inflammatory reactions, or accelerated restenosis at 6 months. Within 35 days, G-CSF and MNC
CD34+
liberation led to enhanced resting wall thickening in the infarct zone of between 0.29±0.22 and 0.99±0.32 mm versus 0.49±0.29 mm in control subjects (
P
<0.001); under inotropic challenge with dobutamine (10 μg · kg
−1
· min
−1
), wall motion score index showed improvement from 1.66±0.23 to 1.41±0.21 (
P
<0.004 versus control) and to 1.35±0.24 after 4 months (
P
<0.001 versus control), respectively, coupled with sustained recovery of wall thickening to 1.24±0.31 mm (
P
<0.001 versus control) at 4 months. Accordingly, resting wall motion score index improved with G-CSF to 1.41±0.25 (
P
<0.001 versus control), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter to 55±5 mm (
P
<0.002 versus control), and ejection fraction to 54±8% (
P
<0.001 versus control) after 4 months. Morphological and functional improvement with G-CSF was corroborated by enhanced metabolic activity and
18
F-deoxyglucose uptake in the infarct zone (
P
<0.001 versus control).

Conclusions—

G-CSF and mobilization of MNC
CD34+
after reperfusion of infarcted myocardium may offer a pragmatic strategy for preservation of myocardium and prevention of remodeling without evidence of aggravated restenosis.
Electrophysiological Findings During Ablation of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation With Electroanatomic Mapping and Double Lasso Catheter Technique
Authors: Ouyang Feifan , Ernst Sabine , Chun Julian , Bänsch Dietmar , Li Yigang , Schaumann Anselm , Mavrakis Hercules , Liu Xingpeng , Deger Florian T. , Schmidt Boris , Xue Yumei , Cao Jiang , Hennig Detlef , Huang He , Kuck Karl-Heinz , Antz Matthias
Published: November 2005

Background—

Pulmonary veins (PVs) can be completely isolated with continuous circular lesions (CCLs) around the ipsilateral PVs. However, electrophysiological findings have not been described in detail during ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods and Results—

Forty patients with symptomatic persistent AF underwent complete isolation of the right-sided and left-sided ipsilateral PVs guided by 3D mapping and double Lasso technique during AF. Irrigated ablation was initially performed in the right-sided CCLs and subsequently in the left-sided CCLs. After complete isolation of both lateral PVs, stable sinus rhythm was achieved after AF termination in 12 patients; AF persisted and required cardioversion in 18 patients. In the remaining 10 patients, AF changed to left macroreentrant atrial tachycardia in 6 and common-type atrial flutter in 4 patients. All atrial tachycardias were successfully terminated during the procedure. Atrial tachyarrhythmias recurred in 15 of 40 patients at a median of 4 days after the initial ablation. A repeat ablation was performed at a median of 35 days after the initial procedure in 14 patients. During the repeat study, recovered PV conduction was found in 13 patients and successfully abolished by focal ablation of the conduction gap of the previous CCLs. After a mean of 8±2 months of follow-up, 38 (95%) of the 40 patients were free of AF.

Conclusions—

In patients with persistent AF, CCLs can result in either AF termination or conversion to macroreentrant atrial tachycardia in 55% of the patients. In addition, recovered PV conduction after the initial procedure is a dominant finding in recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias and can be successfully abolished.
Cardioprotection by Intermittent Fasting in Rats
Authors: Ahmet Ismayil , Wan Ruiqian , Mattson Mark P. , Lakatta Edward G. , Talan Mark
Published: November 2005

Background—

Intermittent fasting (IF), a dietary regimen in which food is available only every other day, increases the life span and reduces the incidence of age-associated diseases in rodents. We have reported neuroprotective effects of IF against ischemic injury of the brain. In this study, we examined the effects of IF on ischemic injury of the heart in rats.

Methods and Results—

After 3 months of IF or regular every-day feeding (control) diets started in 2-month-old rats, myocardial infarction (MI) was induced by coronary artery ligation. Twenty-four hours after MI, its size in the IF group was 2-fold smaller, the number of apoptotic myocytes in the area at risk was 4-fold less, and the inflammatory response was significantly reduced compared with the control diet group. Serial echocardiography revealed that during 10 weeks after MI (with continuation of the IF regimen), the left ventricular (LV) remodeling and MI expansion that were observed in the control diet group were absent in the IF group. In a subgroup of animals with similar MI size at 1 week after MI, further observation revealed less remodeling, better LV function, and no MI expansion in the IF group compared with the control group.

Conclusions—

IF protects the heart from ischemic injury and attenuates post-MI cardiac remodeling, likely via antiapoptotic and antiinflammatory mechanisms.
Low Thyroid Function Leads to Cardiac Atrophy With Chamber Dilatation, Impaired Myocardial Blood Flow, Loss of Arterioles, and Severe Systolic Dysfunction
Authors: Tang Yi-Da , Kuzman James A. , Said Suleman , Anderson Brent E. , Wang Xuejun , Gerdes A. Martin
Published: November 2005

Background—

Although thyroid dysfunction has been linked to heart failure, it is not clear whether hypothyroidism alone can cause heart failure.

Methods and Results—

Hypothyroidism was induced in adult rats by treatment with 0.025% propylthiouracil (PTU) for 6 weeks (PTU-S) and 1 year (PTU-L). Echocardiographic measurements, left ventricular (LV) hemodynamics, isolated myocyte length (KOH method), myocardial blood flow (fluorescent microspheres), arteriolar morphometry, and gene expression (Western blot) were determined. Heart weight, heart rate, LV systolic blood pressure, LV ejection fraction, LV fractional shortening, and systolic wall thickness were reduced in PTU-S and PTU-L rats. LV internal diameter in systole increased by 40% in PTU-S and 86% in PTU-L. LV internal dimension in diastole was increased in PTU-S and PTU-L rats, but only PTU-L rats showed a significant increase in myocyte length due to series sarcomere addition. Resting and maximum (adenosine) myocardial blood flow were reduced in both PTU-S and PTU-L rats. Impaired blood flow was due to a large reduction in arteriolar length density and small arterioles in PTU-S and PTU-L (
P
<0.05 or greater for all of the above comparisons). Expression of sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca
2+
-ATPase (SERCA)-2a and α-myosin heavy chain were reduced in hypothyroidism, whereas phospholamban and β-myosin heavy chain were increased.

Conclusions—

Hypothyroidism led to severe, progressive systolic dysfunction and increased chamber diameter/wall thickness ratio despite a reduction in cardiac mass. Chamber dilatation in PTU-L rats was due to series sarcomere addition, typical of heart failure. Hypothyroidism resulted in impaired myocardial blood flow due to a dramatic loss of arterioles. Thus, we have identified 2 important new mechanisms by which low thyroid function may lead to heart failure.
Religious Conviction Shaped and Maintained by Narration
Authors: Hovi Tuija
Published: November 2005

Creating one's identity is an on-going process, which is greatly dependent on language. Having this idea as a starting point in the study of religiosity, sharing self-reported experiences can be seen as an integral part in constructing one's religious identity and personal conviction. In this article, I would like to present the idea of bringing together narrative research and the psychological approach to the study of religious experience with the help of personal experience stories about God's guidance told by Christian believers who are members of a charismatic revival movement.
The Variety of Deconversion Experiences: Contours of a Concept in Respect to Empirical Research
Authors: Streib Heinz , Keller Barbara
Published: November 2005

This article presents an outline of historical and situational arguments which suggest a focus on deconversion, an outline of conversion research and its consequences for deconversion, and a discussion of extant empirical research on deconversion. The discussion then focuses on the conceptualization of deconversion and compiles the features from which a comprehensive concept of deconversion may emerge. The core features of the deconversion concept which is suggested in this article are complemented by dimensions of diversity which also include a developmental perspective (from the religious styles perspective). This has implications for future research.
The Narrative Construction of Muslim Identity: A Single Case Study
Authors: Lindgren Tomas
Published: November 2005

This article presents an analysis of how a male convert to Islam incorporates events from his life history into a narrative structure in order to construct and maintain a Muslim identity. The study focuses on how the individual and in particular a person's life history becomes social and universal, and how the social and universal becomes particularized and individualized, in the narration of life. The results of the analysis showed that the valued endpoint determines the selection and ordering of different episodes, and the causal connections that are made between them. Many episodes in this convert's life story is similar to other converts’ narratives, for example, descriptions of absent significant others during childhood, an inclusion of a Christian phase in life, and the importance attributed to the Qur'an in the process of conversion. The incorporation of these episodes in one's life story and the way the narratives are structured are interpreted as influences from collective narratives. Moreover, the analysis revealed that the selected episodes have important social, individualizing and sedative functions in the flux of discourses in postmodern society. Thus, the individual's Muslim identity is an amalgamation of the particular and the universal and the importance of the narratives lies in the fact that they can integrate particular experiences into a universal structure that gives them a meaning.
Ignatius and Screwtape on Discernment: A Psychoanalytic Reading
Authors: Meissner W.W.
Published: November 2005

This article brings together the Rules for Discernment of Spirits from the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola and the avuncular, if diabolical, advice given by C.S Lewis’ shrewd and experienced devil, Screwtape, to his fledgling nephew, Wormwood, who is still learning his satanic craft. The juxtaposition of Ignatius’ cautions regarding the wiles of the evil spirit with the counterpoise of the recommendations of the crafty old Screwtape for the temptation, beguilement and conquest of souls and the triumph of his evil satanic empire, may serve to deepen if not enrich our appreciation of the factors that draw good souls away from the paths of virtue. To mediate the discussion I have chosen to recast some of these reposts in terms of more contemporary psychoanalytic concepts in an effort to extend the borders of reflection between psychoanalysis and religious perspectives.
Disregarding (and Disrespecting?) Religion in Social Psychology: The Case of the the Handbook of Social Psychology (4Th Edition)
Authors: Donahue Michael J.
Published: November 2005

In spite of a burgeoning literature demonstrating the importance of religiousness as a determinant of a wide range of behaviors, social psychology continues to ignore this important construct. This article begins with the current spate of interest in religion in virtually the entire field of psychology, and then goes on to present a cursory history of the recent psychology of religion. Attention then turns to the most recent (4th) edition of The Handbook of Social Psychology (Gilbert, Fiske, & Lindzey 1998a), noting that the concept of religion is largely absent. It is concluded that there are disadvantages resulting in social psychology from this omission, including loss of explanatory power, and lack of engagement in important social issues.
Recognition or Erasing of Religious Identities. Psychology of a Key Conflict in Religion
Authors: Vergote Antoine
Published: November 2005

According to the author, psychology of religion should be the study of the personal experiences, tensions, conflicts and resolutions to conflict within a specific, clearly identified religion. The author opposes philosophical-psychological preconceptions which tend to eliminate the proper psychological reality of dynamic conflicts (as e.g. with James and Otto). With Freud, Evan-Pritchard and Needham, he affirms the historical dimension of civilizations and religions, and elaborates its consequences. He examines in this context work by Maslow on extrinsic and intrinsic religion and by Rokeach on mental-psychological dogmatism. He stresses the largely preconscious motivations and processes that are at play in the personal interests and defense mechanisms operating in the various forms of belief and unbelief and in their changes. This preconscious reality is the psychological one par excellence and is the appropriate object for subtle psychological investigations.
Process of Religious Conversion in the Catholic Charismatic Movement: A Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Halama Peter , Halamová Júlia
Published: November 2005

The study deals with a religious conversion of members of the Catholic Charismatic movement. This movement is characterised by the integration of those aspects of spirituality, which draw on traditional religious life as well as on the spirituality of new religious movements. The consensual qualitative research was used for analyses of thirty stories of personal conversions from the members of this movement. The stories were described in a public bulletin, published by the movement. They were analysed in regard to the precedents of conversion, course of conversion and the consequences of conversion in personal life. The results of analysis showed that the typical process of religious conversion in this movement is preceded by some contact with religious issues in childhood and experiencing some problem in the period before conversion. The conversion is stimulated by meeting a religious person and attendance at prayer meetings, which lead to the experience of God's presence, and a cognitive insight into religious matters. Consequences of conversion include radical changes in spiritual life, increasing subjective well-being, improving social life and solving the antecedent problem. The results are discussed with regard to the previous theories and research on religious conversion as well as their limitations originating from the nature of the data.
Religion and Mental Health: Aspects of the Relation between Religious Measures and Positive and Negative Mental Health
Authors: Janssen Femke , Bänziger Sarah , Dezutter Jessie , Hutsebaut Dirk
Published: November 2005

Studies concerning the relationship between religion and mental health have provided substantial evidence for the existence of a positive relationship. Nevertheless, it remains largely unclear which aspects of both religion and mental health take part in this relationship. The present study uses multiple measures of religion and of mental health to obtain a more refined view of this relationship. The results show the importance of distinguishing between if a person believes (inclusion vs. exclusion of transcendence) and how a person believes (literal vs. symbolic). Religious persons who have a symbolic attitude towards religion scored higher on positive aspects of mental health (well-being). No significant results were found for negative mental health (psychological distress).
Religious Orientation, Incentive, Self-Esteem, and Gender as Predictors of Academic Dishonesty: An Experimental Approach
Authors: Williamson W. Paul , Assadi Aresh
Published: November 2005

It is widely assumed that religion is responsible for dictating and guiding moral behavior. This study investigated that claim and its relationship to monetary incentive, self-esteem, and gender within the context of academic dishonesty. A sample of 65 undergraduate students (32 men; 33 women) were assessed using a revision of Allport's Religious Orientation Scale (Gorsuch & McPherson, 1989) and then monitored for cheating on a computerized version of the Graduate Records Exam under different experimental conditions. Self-esteem (high, average, low) and monetary incentive ($5, nothing) were manipulated, and gender was selected to measure their effect on cheating behavior. Results of this study found that: (1) participants’ religious orientation was not related to their tendency to cheat in any way; (2) participants cheated significantly more when receiving monetary incentive for their performance than when they did not; (3) participants with induced low self-esteem cheated significantly more than those with induced high self-esteem; and (4) men cheated more than women at a level that bordered on significance (p < .06). Academic performance (GPA) was not found related to academic cheating. Findings are discussed in the context of existing literature.
Some Challenges for (Teaching) the Law of International Organizations
Authors: Naert Frederik , Wouters Jan
Published: November 2005

As the title suggests, in this contribution we will devote some reflections to a number of challenges we see for the law of international organizations, and more specifically for the teaching of this discipline. This exercise is part of the introduction of a masters' course on the law of international organizations in the framework of the Bachelor-Master (more popularly: "Bama") reforms at Leuven University. As such, it reflects our personal point of view, but we hope it may be useful for our colleagues – likewise, we would be very grateful for any constructive comments as this is an ongoing process.First, we will address the teaching method, second, the link between research and teaching and third, the study material. We will conclude by briefly outlining our approach to teaching in this field of law, as one possible way this teaching can be done.
Governance beyond the State: Issues of Legitimacy in International Territorial Administration
Authors: Stahn Carsten
Published: November 2005

International actors have been involved in the administration of territories since the 19th century. The early experiments of the League of Nations in territorial administration have broken new boundaries in this regard. The UN practice in the field of peacemaking, and the more recent engagements of the international community in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq, show that international administration is likely to be with us for some more time. Yet, until now, international practice has not yet developed satisfactory methods to adjust the exercise of public authority within the context of international administration to modern standards of international governance and public legitimacy. This article revisits the prevailing conceptions of authority in international territorial administration. It argues that contemporary models of international authority should be re-conceptualized in light of cosmopolitan principles, such as functional limitations to public authority, diversified accountability models and an origin-neutral application of governance standards.
Multidisciplinary Optimal Design Concept for Vehicle Body Structural Design
Authors: Hur Deog‐jae , Lee Dong‐chan
Published: November 2005

This paper describes an integrated structural optimization procedure in the vehicle structural concept design using multilevel decomposition technique. The structural responses in the lower level are represented in terms of local quantities that are the intermediate parameters or the detailed dimensions based on the parametric distributed screen from design and manufacturing constraints. And this technique is applied to develop the aluminum vehicle structure at concept design. We have the very efficiency results that decide the characteristics of master section and joint stiffness of vehicle structure. In the comparison with the base model the bending stiffness and torsional stiffness of the developed aluminum vehicle structure increase around 45% and 35% respectively, and the weight reduction is around 30%.
Optimization Design for Thrust Reverser Cascade with a View to Reduce Noise
Authors: Yao H. , Butterfield J. , Raghunathan S. , Wang Jian , Cooper R. , Benard E.
Published: November 2005

reverser considered in this paper uses the natural blockage concept, with only the fan duct flow being reversed. This paper focuses on the study of the aerodynamic performance of the cascade within a cold stream thrust reverser. Aerodynamic simulations are carried out using realistic operating conditions, for idealized cascade models representing three design options. The aim of this work is to investigate whether the aerodynamic performance of the thrust reverser cascade has been improved while minimizing weight of the cascade. In addition, t1his is the first attempt of us to considering noise reduction during design of the thrust reverse. The numerical simulations show that despite a reduction in total reverse thrust for the weight reduced designs, the supersonic flow regime, which existed in the original design, was eliminated after changing vane configurations made with the 5% and 10% weight reductions. The aerodynamic performance around the cascade and in the fan duct within the thrust reverser has been improved. Moreover, the acoustic characteristics of the thrust reverser are improved too. The total reverse thrust is not significantly affected with the modified cascade.
A Numerical Free Vibration Analysis of Annular Elliptic Plates
Authors: Singh Anand V.
Published: November 2005

A numerical method is presented in this paper for the free vibration analysis of circular and elliptical first order shear deformable plates. In this method, the ellipse is mapped into a circle and then the circular geometry of the plate is mapped using parabolic interpolation function of natural coordinates and eight nodal points of prescribed coordinates. The displacement fields are defined by a set of relatively very high order interpolation functions and for the displacement degrees of freedom a set of nodal points are defined separate from those of the geometric interpolation. Numerical results for the fully clamped elliptical plate are obtained and compared with the available data from the literature. Additional results for the simply 1‐supported complete elliptical plate and the annular elliptical plates subjected to various boundary conditions are presented and discussed.
Feature Based Modeling of Heterogeneous Objects
Authors: Wu Xiaojun , Liu Weijun , Yu Wang Michael
Published: November 2005

The representation of Heterogeneous Object (HO) is divided into two categories: Data model (DM) and material evaluation paradigm (MEP). A hybrid methodology with geometry model and volumetric dataset to represent heterogeneous properties is proposed in this paper. Geometry model of an object can guarantee the accuracy of the final HO slices; and volumetric dataset lends the flexible manipulability and other advantages to HO representation. Two MEPs, namely distance field (DF) based and Fixed Reference Features & Active Grading Source(s) (FRF&AGS) are presented to facilitate the process of HO representation according to the designer)s input parameters. The DM can be modified interactively with users until the final satisfactory result is obtained. In this paper, a scheme of HO slicing is described. In this method, we utilize the slices contour of geometrical model as constraint to reconstruct the HO slices, which can theoretically achieve the same accuracy with the geometrical shape. Some examples of Heterogeneous object represented with our scheme are provided.
Rheological‐dynamical Analogy: Frequency Dependence of the System Parameters of Internally Damped Bars
Authors: Milasinovic Dragan D.
Published: November 2005

An analytical rheological‐dynamical visco‐elastic solution of one‐dimensional longitudinal continuous vibration of bars has been developed and used to evaluate the validity of the classical analytical elastic solutions. As it is well known, the resonance occurs only in the continuous or singledegree‐of‐freedom ideal elastic system when the excitation frequency ωP is equal to the one of the natural frequency of the bar. However, owing to the visco‐elastic nature of materials and frequency dependence of the damping factor it is useful to consider separately the situations arising when the is positive (system is stable) and when it is negative. Negative damping factor means that the complementary solution of the response would not die away (system is unstable because of the factor e). Rheologic behavior of the bar can be characterized by one parameter, i.e. dynamic time of retardation TK D=1/ω, like in a single‐degree‐of‐freedom spring mass system. RDA model has the same phase angle as a simple single‐degree‐of‐freedom spring mass system with damping in the steady state vibration and from that the damping factor is obtained. This paper provides description of the dynamic magnification factor and the transmissibility of several metallic materials using RDA similitude and could be concluded that an ideally effective antivibration mount material should satisfy at least two requirements: first, it should posses a relatively large damping factor; and second, it should possess a damping factor that either remains constant or decreases only slowly with frequency.
Generalized Electromagneto‐Thermoelastic Plane Waves by Thermal Shock Problem in a Finite Conductivity Half‐Space with One Relaxation Time
Authors: Othman Mohamed I. A.
Published: November 2005

A two‐dimensional coupled problem in electromagneto‐thermoelasticity for a thermally and electrically conducting half‐space solid whose surface is subjected to a thermal shock is considered. The problem is in the context of the Lord and Shulman’s generalized thermoelasticity with one relaxation time. There acts an initial magnetic field parallel to the plane boundary of the half‐space. The medium deformed because of thermal shock and due to the application of the magnetic field, there result an induced magnetic and an induced electric field in the medium. The Maxwell’s equations are formulated and the electromagneto‐thermoelastic coupled governing equations are established. The normal mode analysis is used to obtain the exact expressions for the considered variables. The distributions of the considered variables are represented graphically. From the distributions, it can be found the wave type heat propagation in the medium. This indicates that the generalized heat conduction mechanism is completely different from the classic Fourier’s in essence. In generalized thermoelasticity theory heat propagates as a wave with finite velocity instead of infinite velocity in medium. Comparisons are made with the results predicted by the coupled theory for two values of time.
A General Procedure for Modeling Physicochemical Coupling Behaviour of Advanced Materials ‐ Part I: Theory
Authors: Yang Qing‐Sheng , Cui Cai‐Qin , Lu Xu‐Zhi
Published: November 2005

The advanced synthetic and natural materials, such as piezoelectric ceramics, electroactive polymers and biological soft tissues, exhibit the multi‐physical or physicochemical coupling behaviors. The coupling behavior involves the thermal‐mechanical, electric‐mechanical and electrochemicalmechanical interactions. The coupling phenomena can be modeled in the microscopic and macroscopic levels. In the microscale, the material consists of the solid, fluid and ions. The domain FE technique can be used to model the deformation of the solid and the flow of the fluid. In the macroscale, the mixture theory can be applied to description of the coupled response of the continuum under coupled thermal, electrical, chemical and mechanical loadings. A weak form of the governing equations is established by means of variational principle and a multi‐field finite element (MFE) method is developed for numerical modeling of the coupling behavior of advanced materials.
CBSP: A Predictor of Sequences of Correlated Branches
Authors: Haquin T. , Rochange C. , Sainrat P.
Published: November 2005

All current processors are using branch prediction in order to better exploit the pipeline. Branch prediction is based on limited size tables and thus several branches are sharing the same entry which is made of a simple 2-bit counter. This is called aliasing. Aliased branch predictors are subject to destructive interferences and removing them by the addition of a tag identifying precisely a branch to a 2-bit counter is prohibitive. An entry of our prediction table is made of several counters which predict a sequence of consecutive correlated branches and not only one. Thus, a tag can be added to an entry at a lower cost since the tag is shared by several branches. Each time a sequence is retrieved in the prediction table, it provides several predictions. An annex tagless predictor is solicited when a sequence is not found in the sequence table. Collisions are avoided in the sequence table but, to achieve a misprediction rate as low as the one of the current uptodate predictors, several tables should be used, each table being indexed through a different branch history length. Among the predictions provided by the sequences, a priority mechanism selects the most accurate i.e. the one provided by the table with the longest history. Finally, having tagged entries allows us to implement an intelligent system that dynamically adapts the branch history lengths according to the applications.
P-stable Four-Step Exponentially-Fitted Method for the Numerical Integration of the Schr¨odinger Equation
Authors: Simos T.E.
Published: November 2005

In this paper we present a P-stable exponentially-fitted four-step method for the numerical solution of the radial Schr¨odinger equation. More specifically we present a method than satisfies the property of P-stability and in the same time integrates exactly any linear combination of the functions {1, x, x2, x3, exp ± w x , x exp ± w x}. We tested the efficiency of our newly obtained scheme against well known methods, with excellent results. The numerical experimentation showed that our method is considerably more efficient compared to well known methods used for the numerical solution of resonance problem of the radial Schr¨odinger equation.
On the Euclidean Minimum Spanning Tree Problem
Authors: Rajasekaran Sanguthevar
Published: November 2005

Given a weighted graph G(V;E), a minimum spanning tree for G can be obtained in linear time using a randomized algorithm or nearly linear time using a deterministic algorithm. Given n points in the plane, we can construct a graph with these points as nodes and an edge between every pair of nodes. The weight on any edge is the Euclidean distance between the two points. Finding a minimum spanning tree for this graph is known as the Euclidean minimum spanning tree problem (EMSTP). The minimum spanning tree algorithms alluded to before will run in time O(n2) (or nearly O(n2)) on this graph. In this note we point out that it is possible to devise simple algorithms for EMSTP in k- dimensions (for any constant k) whose expected run time is O(n), under the assumption that the points are uniformly distributed in the space of interest.

CR Categories: F2.2 Nonnumerical Algorithms and Problems; G.3 Probabilistic Algorithms
On the systematic optimization of new basis sets of Gaussian-type functions for calculations on ozone
Authors: Makris Constantine , Maroulis George
Published: November 2005

We report the design of new Gaussian-type basis sets for ozone. Our computational approach to the optimization of new basis sets takes into account the non-equivalence of the atomic centers of the molecule. We have employed substrates of various sizes. We show that the choice of d-GTF exponents is a non-trivial matter. The designed basis sets should be useful in electric property and intermolecular interaction studies involving the ozone molecule.
A Simplified View of Nerode Equivalence
Authors: Fleck Arthur C.
Published: November 2005

develops an alternative view of the classic Nerode equivalence idea and illustrates how it simplifies the application of the concept in a variety of circumstances
Skill of Medium-Range Hydrological Ensemble Predictions
Authors: Roulin Emmanuel , Vannitsem Stéphane
Published: November 2005

A hydrological ensemble prediction system, integrating a water balance model with ensemble precipitation forecasts from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Ensemble Prediction System (EPS), is evaluated for two Belgian catchments. The skill of streamflow forecast for high flows is analyzed using a 6-yr period of archived EPS forecasts. The probabilistic skill of this hydrological prediction system is much better than the one based on historical precipitation inputs and extends beyond 9 days for both catchments. The skill is larger in winter than in summer. The use of this approach for operational forecasts is briefly discussed.
Aznar’s Political Failure or Punishment for Supporting the Iraq War? Hypotheses About the Causes of the 2004 Spanish Election Results
Authors: i Rigo Enric Ordeix
Published: November 2005

This article focuses on former Spanish President José María Aznar and his party, the Partido Popular, and analyzes the evolution of their core values and public images from the beginning to the end of the two political periods they were in power. Particular attention is paid to the government’s management of the Prestige oil tanker ecological catastrophe, Spanish involvement in the Iraq War, and the March 11 terrorist attack in Spain with respect to the impact these events had on the 2004 Spanish election results.
Leadership Attributes Salient to Chinese Local Voters
Authors: Sun Tao , Yuan Victor , Payne J. Gregory , Zhong Bu
Published: November 2005

Chinese voters are already allowed to elect their leaders directly at the village level, although such free elections at higher levels (township, county, city, province, and nationwide) are still technically illegal. Based on a national survey conducted by a leading research firm in China, this study examines how people’s demographic characteristics (age, income, and education) and their attitudes (beliefs and evaluations) toward their local administrators (city mayors or county governors) could help predict their voting intentions in the event a free and direct election would take place in the future. An understanding of Chinese voters’ decision-making processes is critical for predicting the effects of the current electoral system on China’s sociopolitical development. The lessons learned during this predemocratic stage may be crucial for a transition of China’s political system in the future.
Identity, Electronic Ethos, and Blogs
Authors: MacDougall Robert
Published: November 2005

News blogs (Web logs dedicated to the dissemination of news) are becoming the default political news source for a growing number of well-educated and apparently well-informed segments of the population. Bloggers and blog advocates suggest that blogs, online lists, and their various analogs offer something different and potentially unique to the 21st-century citizen. At their best, blogs represent a new form of open-sourced/open-access partisan press that promises to bring McLuhan’s tribal context one step closer to fulfillment. At their worst, blogs represent the latest form of mass-mediated triviality and celebrity spectacle, with the potential to create and sustain insulated enclaves of intolerance predicated on little more than personal illusion, rumor, and politically motivated innuendo. Employing first a medium theoretic and then a symbolic interactionist lens, the present study considers some of the key structural features of news blogs and discusses some of the personal, social, and political significances of blogs and blogging.
Are All Correctional Officers Created Equal?
Authors: Shichor David
Published: November 2005

In June 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court in a five to four majority decision of Richardson v. McKnight determined that employees of private correctional institutions are not entitled to the same qualified immunity defense as employees working in public institutions. This article presents the theoretical, penological, and legal issues concerning the majority and minority arguments and some of the opinions expressed in law reviews concerning this decision. Finally, it reviews the possible effects of this case and shows the inconsistencies in both the majority and the minority opinions.
Perceptions About Minority and Female Opportunities for Job Advancement: Are Beliefs About Equal Opportunities Fixed?
Authors: Camp Scott D. , Langan Neal P.
Published: November 2005

Perceptions of job advancement opportunities were examined for a large correctional agency that is an equal opportunity employer. The attitudinal data were taken from the 2001 administration of the Prison Social Climate Survey by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Multilevel models were employed that permitted the simultaneous examination of individual- and institutional-level covariates. A sample of 4,037 staff members working at 98 different prisons provided the data. Consistent with prior research, Whites and men believed that minorities and women had greater opportunities for job advancement. The results demonstrated that the gap in equality of opportunities varied significantly from prison to prison, suggesting that the work environment or context does matter. Nonetheless, the gap in how job opportunities were evaluated between men and women and between Blacks and Whites did not vary significantly across prisons, suggesting that the work context had no effect on these differences.!
Social Exchange Theory: An Interdisciplinary Review
Authors: Cropanzano Russell , Mitchell Marie S.
Published: November 2005

Social exchange theory (SET) is one the most influential conceptual paradigms in organizational behavior. Despite its usefulness, theoretical ambiguities within SET remain. As a consequence, tests of the model, as well as its applications, tend to rely on an incompletely specified set of ideas. The authors address conceptual difficulties and highlight areas in need of additional research. In so doing, they pay special attention to four issues: (a) the roots of the conceptual ambiguities, (b) norms and rules of exchange, (c) nature of the resources being exchanged, and (d) social exchange relationships.
“Bad Behavior” in Organizations: A Review and Typology for Future Research
Authors: Griffin Ricky W. , Lopez Yvette P.
Published: November 2005

In recent years, organizational scholars have increasingly focused on various forms of bad behavior in the workplace. Notable examples of these behaviors include deviance, aggression, antisocial behavior, and violence. Unfortunately, as this body of work has grown, so too has a proliferation of concepts, constructs, and definitions. This article reviews the literature regarding the general set of concepts and constructs relating to bad behavior in organizations. The authors identify both areas of uniqueness as well as areas of overlap among these various concepts and constructs. They also propose a typology to guide future theory development and empirical research.
Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Citrome Leslie
Published: November 2005

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of clinical findings that identify individuals at higher than normal risk of developing diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular disease. There are two principal definitions, one emerging from the American National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults, and the other from the World Health Organization. Both definitions share the common elements of abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridaemia, low HDL-cholesterol, hypertension and abnormal glucose regulation. The syndrome is relatively common across continents, and also among those without marked obesity. It is even more common among patients with major mental health disorders such as schizophrenia. Metabolic syndrome can be used to assess risk for cardiovascular disorder and death, and is an alternative to Framingham Risk Calculations. C-reactive protein may play an additional role in risk prediction. Ongoing monitoring for all components of the metabolic syndrome is necessary. Individuals at high risk require multimodal interventions, including lifestyle interventions and targeted medications as appropriate.
Willingness to Pay per Quality-Adjusted Life Year in a Study of Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Byrne Margaret M. , O’Malley Kimberly , Suarez-Almazor Maria E.
Published: November 2005

Background. Determining whether a particular medical intervention is cost-effective requires that a threshold of cost per benefit gained be established. As debate continues over the appropriate threshold, we present measures of willingness to pay (WTP) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) for own health and 2 hypothetical osteoarthritis scenarios. Methods. One hundred ninety-three persons, located through random digit dialing in Harris County, Texas, completed face-to-face interviews collecting demographic information and health preferences using visual analog scale, time tradeoff, standard gamble, and WTP methodologies. Results. The mean WTP/QALY for all methods was lower (range, $1221-$5690/QALY) than many estimates from revealed preference studies and lower than the oft-cited arbitrary cutoff of $50 000. WTP/QALY was highest when participants were judging their personal health improvements as opposed to hypothetical scenarios. There were some significant differences in WTP/QALY across elicitation methodologies for the same scenario. Demographic characteristics were not associated with WTP/QALY measures. Conclusions. The health states and improvements in health evaluated here do not contain a risk of mortality, unlike many situations in which WTP/QALY has been previously evaluated. The lower WTP/QALY values found here may indicate that the presence of a mortality risk reduction substantially increases stated WTP/QALY. Appropriate thresholds for cost-effectiveness may be dependent on the context of a situation, including risk of mortality.
Stress Analysis of Symmetric Aluminum Composite-laminated Beams under a Bending Moment: Materially Nonlinear Only
Authors: Sayman Onur , Belevi Melih , Altinhan Mehmet , Sayman Sumeyra
Published: November 2005

In this study, an elastic-plastic stress analysis is carried out on symmetric laminated composite beams subjected to a bending moment. The composite beam is to be strain hardening. The Bernoulli and Euler hypotheses are assumed to be valid. The Tsai-Hill theory is used as a yield criterion in the solution. The solution is carried out for (90/0)2, (30/30)2, (45 /45)2, and (60 /60)2 orientations. The bending moment is to be found the highest for the (30 /30)2 orientation. The residual stress component of x is the highest at the upper and lower surfaces. But it becomes the highest at the elastic and plastic boundary for further expansion of the plastic region. The transverse displacement is obtained at the free end, numerically.
Doing It for Themselves
Authors: Lane Marcus B. , Hibbard Michael
Published: November 2005

Colonial processes of territorial acquisition and state formation have constituted a continuous assault on the political and cultural autonomy of the indigenous peoples of the New World. In recent decades, indigenous claims for land justice and resource sovereignty have posed considerable legal and political challenges for postsettler states. Planning offers an indispensable conceptual and operational lens through which to examine state responses to indigenous claims. The authors use case studies to explore the utility, contribution, and key features of planning undertaken as a means of resolving resource conflicts, enhancing indigenous capacity to regain and manage custodial lands, and developing community autonomy.
Local Commitment to State-Mandated Planning in Coastal North Carolina
Authors: Norton Richard K.
Published: November 2005

A consistent finding from recent work on the evaluation of planning outcomes has been that local commitment to planning plays a vital role in explaining those outcomes, especially when planning is promoted as a way to address regional development management concerns. While the importance of local commitment is not surprising, many questions remain, such as what “local commitment” means, what motivates it, and how it operates to affect local planning efforts and outcomes. This article presents results from a study of state-mandated local planning in coastal North Carolina during the mid-1990s, focusing on the factors that appear to motivate local elected officials’ commitment to planning and the influence of their commitment on planning outcomes. Taken altogether, coastal localities generally failed to address coastal resource protection through their local planning beyond complying with minimum state resource protection rules. This was largely because of resistance to the imposition of state-level policies through local planning requirements. State mandates appeared to foster local commitment to planning but not the state’s development management goals. Within that context, local elected officials’ commitment to planning played an important role in enhancing both plan quality and plan implementation.
Planning Theory and the City
Authors: Fainstein Susan S.
Published: November 2005

The distinction between urban theory and planning theory is not intellectually viable. Reasons include (1) the historical roots and justification for planning, which depends on a vision of the city rather than simply a method of arriving at prescription; (2) the dependence of effective planning on its context, which means that planning activity needs to be rooted in an understanding of the field in which it is operating; and (3) the objective of planning as conscious creation of the just city, which requires a substantive normative framework.