bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards a trust aware cognitive radio architecture
Authors: Qin Tao , Yu Han , Leung Cyril , Shen Zhiqi , Miao Chunyan
Published: October 2009

Cognitive radio (CR) is a promising concept for improving the utilization of scarce radio spectrum resources. A reliable strategy for the detection of unused spectrum bands is essential to the design and practical implementation of CR systems. It is widely accepted that in a real-world environment, cooperative spectrum sensing involving many secondary users scattered in a wide geographical area can greatly improve sensing accuracy. However, some secondary users may misbehave, i.e. provide false sensing information, in an attempt to maximize their own utility gains. Such selfish behaviour, if unchecked, can severely impact the operation of the CR system. In this paper, we propose a novel trustaware hybrid spectrum sensing scheme which can detect misbehaving secondary users and filter out their reported spectrum sensing results from the decision making process. The robustness and efficiency of the proposed scheme are verified through extensive computer simulations.
On Adversarial Games in Dynamic Spectrum Access Networking based Covert Timing Channels?
Authors: Sengupta S. , Anand S. , Hong K. , Chandramouli R.
Published: October 2009

In this paper, we study tactical covert timing networks with dynamic spectrum access capability amidst adversaries. We present a two-tier game framework to model the attackdefense scenario. There are very few studies available in the literature on covert timing channels with multiple parallel transmissions. This paper presents a new paradigm combining the time diversity provided by covert timing channels and frequency diversity provided by dynamic spectrum switching, to combat jamming. The dynamic sensing of different spectrum bands and subsequent jamming by the attacker, and the camouflaging defense by the covert network are modeled as a two-tier game. We present a dynamic minimax camouflaging strategy for the covert network and sensing and jamming strategies for the attacker. We compare the performance of our proposed equilibrium strategies with that of other well known strategies and demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed solution. We use theoretical analysis, simulations and testbed experiments to illustrate our ideas.
An interview with Hans-Paul Schwefel
Authors: Schwefel Hans-Paul
Published: October 2009

The sounds of Sputnik from its orbit around the earth in 1957 were the origin of the young Hans-Paul Schwefel's desire to become a space traveller. In thoughtful preparation he soon began his studies in Aero- and Space Technology at the Technical University Berlin (TUB). But while he was junior assistant at the Hermann-Föttinger Institute for Hydrodynamics at TUB another event changed his plans: In the 1960s difficult multimodal and noisy optimization problems from engineering sciences awaited their solution at the TUB. At that time mathematical models or numerical simulations of these particular problems were not available. As a consequence, the optimization had to be done experimentally with the real object at hardware level. The three students Peter Bienert, Ingo Rechenberg and Hans-Paul Schwefel (HPS) envisioned an automated cybernetic system that alters the object parameters mechanically or electrically, runs the experiment, measures the outcome of the experiment and uses this information in the context of some optimization strategy for the decision how to alter the object parameters of the real object for the experiment in the subsequent iteration. Obvious candidates for the optimization methods in the framework of this early 'hardware-in-the-loop' approach were all kinds of gradient-like descent methods for minimization tasks. But these methods failed. Inspired by lectures on biological evolution they tried a randomized method that may be regarded as the simplest algorithm driven by mutation and selection---a method nowadays known as the
(1+1)
-Evolution Strategy. This approach was successful and this event may be seen as the trigger that turned the career of HPS towards the emerging scientific field of evolutionary computation (EC).
An unorthodox introduction to Memetic Algorithms
Authors: Krasnogor Natalio
Published: October 2009

Memetic Algorithms have become one of the key methodologies behind solvers that are capable of tackling very large, real-world, optimisation problems. They are being actively investigated in research institutions as well as broadly applied in industry. This article provides a very short introduction to Memetic Algorithms and it is a condensed version of a chapter with the same title that will appear in the Handbook of Natural Computing to be published by Springer [35] in which a pragmatic guide to the key design issues underpinning Memetic Algorithms (MA) engineering is overviewed.
Unifying Biological Image Formats with HDF5
Authors: Dougherty Matthew T. , Folk Michael J. , Zadok Erez , Bernstein Herbert J. , Bernstein Frances C. , Eliceiri Kevin W. , Benger Werner , Best Christoph
Published: October 2009

The biological sciences need a generic image format suitable for long-term storage and capable of handling very large images. Images convey profound ideas in biology, bridging across disciplines. Digital imagery began 50 years ago as an obscure technical phenomenon. Now it is an indispensable computational tool. It has produced a variety of incompatible image file formats, most of which are already obsolete.
The Benefits of Experience
Authors: Little Bob
Published: October 2009

The effectiveness of any learning depends primarily on what the learner's manager does before the learning intervention, such as stating what is expected of the learner and how the learner will be measured. The next most important factor is what the tutor or instructional designer does before the learning takes place, and the third key factor is what the manager does after the learning has taken place. Giving people new knowledge and skills is way down the list.
Guide to the internet
Authors: Farman Greg
Published: October 2009

No matter where on earth, it isn't hard to find creative individuals who see the advantages that technology can confer.
Intellectual technology for the new generation
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

NetDay creator John Gage on the technological tools and foundational metaphors that will shape our future.
What is software engineering?
Authors: Curran Bill
Published: October 2009

The name implies scientific rigor, and opens software engineering to the charge that it is a pseudo-science flying under false colors.
Review of Breaking Down the Digital Walls
Authors: Doyle James F.
Published: October 2009

Two teachers chronicle their personal odyssey in finding a fitting role for technology in education.
A conversation with Herbert R.J. Grosch
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

Reflections on the early days of computing, the importance of standards, and The Old Man.
Bringing resources to innovation
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

A ten-year study follows the venture capital business from relative obscurity to boom to retrenchment
Airport security lessons
Authors: Kabay M. E.
Published: October 2009

False alarms, loose lips and trash bin data mines
Digital resources in education
Authors: Tripathi Arun Kumar
Published: October 2009

How does technology change learning and teaching in formal and informal education?
The privacy paradox
Authors: Carlisle Jennifer
Published: October 2009

A national biometric database in place of our current flawed identification systems could prevent the loss of liberty and autonomy.
Review of 'The Elephant and the Flea: Reflections of a Reluctant Capitalist,' by Charles Handy, Harvard Business School Press, 2001
Authors: Doyle James F.
Published: October 2009

When the going gets tough, the tough go portfolio.
Quantum leaps in computing
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

John P. Hayes on the next killer app, entangled states, and the end of Moore's Law.
Enterprise models, strategic transformations and possible solutions
Authors: Delic Kemal A.
Published: October 2009

A simple three-layer model may foster better understanding of enterprise architecture.
Talking with Terry Winograd
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

Convergence, ambient technology, and success in innovation
Sold!
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

Ajit Kambil on the inevitable, strategic use of electronic markets and auctions.
The answer is out there
Authors: Andersen Espen
Published: October 2009

Distributed problem solving on the cheap
The European IST ExPlanTech project
Authors: Koumpis Adamantios
Published: October 2009

Hands-on adoption of a multi-agent production planning technology in the manufacturing industry.
Corporate leadership in a volatile networked world
Authors: Tapscott Don
Published: October 2009

When transparency reigns, corporations have nowhere to hide.
What's in a name? Ask yahoo!
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

A company's brand is one of its most valuable assets, one that few high tech companies -- most recently HP and Compaq -- understand how to leverage, according to Sam Hill. Hill is co-author (with Chris Lederer) of the new book,
The Infinite Asset: Managing Brands to Build New Value.
He is the former chief marketing officer at Booz Allen & Hamilton and currently a partner at Helios Consulting Group and also co-author of
Radical Marketing,
now in its fourth printing.
Complexity in the interface age
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

Do you control technology or does it control you? Jeremy J. Shapiro talks about the power struggle in machine/human relationships and what it means today to be information-technology literate. Shapiro is a faculty member in the Human and Organization Development Program at the Fielding Graduate Institute.
The company of the future
Authors: Cairncross Frances
Published: October 2009

Creating new business models may be as important an innovation as products themselves.
Shaping web usability
Authors: Badre Albert N.
Published: October 2009

Optimizing the user experience should be the ultimate aim of the Web usability designer.
Talking with Erol Gelenbe
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

An international perspective on ubiquitous computing and university education.
Nowhere to hide
Authors: Andersen Espen
Published: October 2009

Companies will need to make themselves components of their customers' lives rather than trying to make customers a component of their organizations. To do this, they need to stop kidding themselves when it comes to electronic integration.
Children of the information age
Authors: Aphek Edna
Published: October 2009

Understanding the unique characteristics of the high-tech, digital generation.
The somatic engineer
Authors: Denning Peter J.
Published: October 2009

Engineers trained in value skills will be superior professionals and designers.
Stamp out technology virginity
Authors: Andersen Espen
Published: October 2009

Technology virginity and technology virgins are everywhere -- and more influential than you might like. Time to go on the offensive.
Collaborative commerce
Authors: Kownslar Scott
Published: October 2009

The next phase of the Internet's impact on business
Channeling innovation
Authors: Fahey James L.
Published: October 2009

Despite its importance to business, innovation can be a confusing distraction. An effective process for managing innovation allows organizations to respond to markets while remaining focused on business objectives.
Points of learning and teaching systems (POLTS)
Authors: Thirunarayanan M. O.
Published: October 2009

Educators can take a lesson from the business world's use of dedicated computer systems.
Architecting durable things
Authors: Delic Kemal A.
Published: October 2009

Enterprise design should be more like the B-52.
Random thoughts and prime numbers
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

Jin-Yi Cai on the nature of theoretical computer science research.
Learning by redoing
Authors: Rothwell Trevis J.
Published: October 2009

The availability of components that do a myriad of tasks could lead programmer complacency
Intellectual property rights of multimedia enriched websites
Authors: Shoniregun Charles Adetokunbo
Published: October 2009

Can original print and music survive the multimedia technology hoax?
Talking with John Stuckey
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

A conversation with the Director of University Computing at Washington and Lee University
Points of learning and teaching systems (POLTS), part II
Authors: Thirunarayanan M. O.
Published: October 2009

Proposed teaching system will reflect a learner's cognitive skills
Genesis of an anthill
Authors: Andersen Espen
Published: October 2009

The future belongs to small, connected devices that will wirelessly allow the user -- and the technology -- to self-organize, creating something smart out of many small and simple nodes and connections.
Clock driven scheme to initialize the sequence number
Authors: Kim Chong
Published: October 2009

Using TCP deal with delayed duplicates of both old and new connections
Predicting context aware computing performance
Authors: Rohn Eli
Published: October 2009

Computer systems will increasingly need to be sensitive to their context to serve their users better.In this paper we forecast the capabilities of context aware computing and relating it to a time frame.Our short-range analysis indicates such systems will become commercially available and common by 2007.Our mid-range analysis indicates that the development pace of Context Aware systems will start to slow down by 2020 and will reach maturity by 2035.
Information access on the wide open web
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

RLG's James Michalko discusses the issues surrounding the access and retrieval of scholarly information in today's environment of choice.
Putting it all together with Robert Kahn
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

The co-founder of the Internet recalls the non-commercial early days and looks at today's issues of fair use, privacy and the need for security.
A model of democracy
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

When can you have freedom, equality, moral reciprocity and a paycheck? Brook Manville on the surprising blueprint for organizational management.
Reflections on the user centered design (UCD) perspective in research on wireless applications
Authors: Visciola Michele
Published: October 2009

In order to play an influential role in research and practice, UCD communities should implement new methods and tools into current practices and advance the boundaries of the field.
Running a virtual enterprise
Authors: Prasad K. V. K. K.
Published: October 2009

The story of a software division that managed to survive in spite of the downturn in the industry.
Job applications and network security, or, how to not limit the online applicant pool
Authors: Rothwell Trevis J.
Published: October 2009

Employers discourage potential applicants by not offering secure methods for submitting personal information.
Virtual organization
Authors: Mowshowitz Abbe
Published: October 2009

Mowshowitz, Abbe.
Virtual Organization: Toward a Theory of Societal Transformation Stimulated by Information Technology.
Westport, CT: Quorum Books (Greenwood Publishing Group), 2002.
What Makes a Publisher Important?
Authors: Rushinek Avi , Rushinek Sara
Published: October 2009

Maximum of Internet Citations Methodology
What's bugging Ellen Ullman?
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

A conversation with the author of "Close to the Machine," and "The Bug: A Novel".
Commercial computational grids
Authors: MacKinnon Bryan
Published: October 2009

A consideration of the state of computational grids with respect to standards, current uses, and a road map for commercial benefit beyond their common applications
Building an inventive organization
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

A creativity expert distinguishes the concept of creativity from that of innovation and discusses how to create a corporate culture that really fosters creativity
Hasta Luego, Mi Amiga
Authors: Rothwell Trevis J.
Published: October 2009

Looking back fondly on an old friend
From postgrad to professional
Authors: Lubbe Sam
Published: October 2009

Useful tips for choosing and executing a doctoral thesis.
Fractal generation from the "Luque method" for simplification of logic functions
Authors: Sacaluga David Luque
Published: October 2009

A new way to simplify logic functions.
Fault management in mobile computing
Authors: Saha Goutam Kumar
Published: October 2009

Business people on the go need portability and mobility in their computing environments. However, such mobile environments often suffer from transient faults. This article discusses how to manage faults in order to get better availability for small wireless devices.
visuos
Authors: Lango Clemens
Published: October 2009

Modular, integrated software could help knowledge workers keep track and make sense of abundant information by narrowing the cognitive load.
Port wars
Authors: Fiefer William Paul
Published: October 2009

In the not-too-distant-future, firewalls spark a battle over port regulation and ownership
Are you a technical guru or an enlightened friend?
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

In order to get the information security budget you need, you must be able to communicate comfortably with non-technies, says security expert Thomas J. Parenty.
IT services = People + Tools + processes
Authors: Delic Kemal A.
Published: October 2009

People add the power to a simple equation for enlightened decision-making in the IT service industry
Human brain and neural network behavior
Authors: Jesan John Peter , Lauro Donald M.
Published: October 2009

On the matter of memory, there is no comparision. Neural networks are potentially faster and more accurate than humans.
An Interview with Kathy Schroeder
Authors: Schroeder Kathy
Published: October 2009

New book tells the inside story of the development and innovative marketing of Intuit's automated personal finance software. Author Kathy Schroeder explains it all.
Is child internet access a questionable risk?
Authors: Shoniregun Charles Adetokunbo , Anderson Andrew
Published: October 2009

The unlimited and pervasive use of the Internet by young people raises many concerns about child safety. What solutions are available and why aren't they being used?
Talking with Ben Chi of NYSERNet
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

How the Internet began in New York State, the current state of Internet2, and the remote possibility of Internet3
The university of DVD
Authors: Rushinek Avi , Rushinek Sara
Published: October 2009

Universities and training organizations increasingly use technology to record and distribute original material, bringing on a new class of technological and legal issues.
An Interview with David Rejeski
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

The accelerated rate of scientific discovery and technological innovation makes it difficult to keep up with the pace of change. What do policymakers know of nanotechnology and genetic modification? David Rejeski helps government agencies anticipate emerging technological issues.
An Interview with Thomas Kalil
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: October 2009

From the White House to Berkeley, Thomas Kalil has worked on shaping the national agenda for science and technology research initiatives. Kalil, President Clinton's former science and technology advisor, now holds a similar post at the University of California, Berkeley, where he helps develop new research initiatives and increase UC Berkeley's role in shaping the national agenda.
Emotional design
Authors: Norman Donald A.
Published: October 2009

Beauty and brains, pleasure and usability go hand-in-hand in good design.
Beyond the conventional techniques of software fault tolerance
Authors: Saha Goutam Kumar
Published: October 2009

This short article describes a low cost and unconventional technique for gaining software fault tolerance without using N-modular redundancy in both hardware and software.
It is not what you do, it is whom you do it with
Authors: Andersen Espen
Published: October 2009

Telecom strategy 101: In network markets, use network marketing
Legal issues involved in E-commerce
Authors: Nasir M. Ali
Published: October 2009

The exponential growth of the Internet and online activity raise a number of new regulatory issues and legal questions.
An Interview with Jesse Poore
Authors: staff Ubiquity
Published: October 2009

Jesse Poore suggests a revolution in programming - holding software developers to the same level of rigor of training and workmanship as other professionals, developing software that's correct by design, and constraining the release of software-intensive products until they are scientifically certified as fit for use.
Roger Brent and the alpha project
Authors: staff Ubiquity
Published: October 2009

The work of a multidisciplinary genomic research lab in Berkeley may yield big changes in drug therapy and medicine. Roger Brent is President and Research Director of the Molecular Sciences Institute, an independent nonprofit research laboratory in Berkeley, CA, that combines genomic experimentation with computer modeling. The mission of the MSI is to predict the behavior of cells and organisms in response to defined genetic and environmental changes.
Technology benefiting humanity
Authors: Fruchterman Jim
Published: October 2009

Memo to the new generation of tech philanthropists: Apply the same intellect and discipline to your philanthropy as you employ in business.
Review of "Rethinking rights and regulations - Institutional responses to new communications technologies" by Laurie Faith Cranor and Steven S. Wildman, Publisher: MIT press, Cambridge, Mass., 2003
Authors: Bedingfield Carl
Published: October 2009

Like it or not, as users of new technologies we are playing the telecommunication game by an increasingly complicated set of rules.
Quantitative Time-Lapse Fluorescence Microscopy in Single Cells
Authors: Muzzey Dale , van Oudenaarden Alexander
Published: October 2009

The cloning of green fluorescent protein (GFP) 15 years ago revolutionized cell biology by permitting visualization of a wide range of molecular mechanisms within living cells. Though initially used to make largely qualitative assessments of protein levels and localizations, fluorescence microscopy has since evolved to become highly quantitative and high-throughput. Computational image analysis has catalyzed this evolution, enabling rapid and automated processing of large datasets. Here, we review studies that combine time-lapse fluorescence microscopy and automated image analysis to investigate dynamic events at the single-cell level. We highlight examples where single-cell analysis provides unique mechanistic insights into cellular processes that cannot be otherwise resolved in bulk assays. Additionally, we discuss studies where quantitative microscopy facilitates the assembly of detailed 4D lineages in developing organisms. Finally, we describe recent advances in imaging technology, focusing especially on platforms that allow the simultaneous perturbation and quantitative monitoring of biological systems.
Assessment of Microcirculatory Remodeling With Intracoronary Flow Velocity and Pressure Measurements
Authors: Escaned Javier , Flores Alex , García-Pavía Pablo , Segovia Javier , Jimenez Jesús , Aragoncillo Paloma , Salas Clara , Alfonso Fernando , Hernández Rosana , Angiolillo Dominick J. , Jiménez-Quevedo Pilar , Bañuelos Camino , Alonso-Pulpón Luis , Macaya Carlos
Published: October 2009

Background—

Intracoronary physiology techniques have been validated extensively for the assessment of epicardial stenoses but not for the lone study of coronary microcirculation. We performed a comparison between 4 intracoronary physiological indices with the actual structural microcirculatory changes documented in transplanted hearts.

Methods and Results—

In 17 cardiac allograft patients without coronary stenoses, ECG, intracoronary Doppler flow velocity, and aortic pressure were digitally recorded before and during maximal hyperemia with a dedicated system. Postprocessing of data yielded 4 indices of microcirculatory status: coronary flow velocity reserve (2.13±0.59), instantaneous hyperemic diastolic velocity pressure slope (2.33±1.25 cm · s ·
−1
mm Hg
−1
), coronary resistance index (1.65±0.88 mm Hg · cm
−1
· s
−1
), and coronary resistance reserve (2.36±0.65). Quantitative morphometry was performed in endomyocardial biopsies during the same hospital intake; arteriolar obliteration (76.57±6.95%) and density (2.00±1.22 arterioles per 1 mm
2
) and capillary density (645±179 capillaries per 1 mm
2
) were measured. Univariate regression analysis between intracoronary measurements and histological findings revealed that instantaneous hyperemic diastolic velocity-pressure slope correlated with arteriolar obliteration (
r
=0.58,
P
=0.014) and capillary density (
r
=0.60,
P
=0.012). Statistical adjustment revealed an independent contribution of arteriolar obliteration (β=0.61,
P
=0.0009) and capillary density (β=−0.60,
P
=0.0008) to instantaneous hyperemic diastolic velocity-pressure slope values, resulting in an excellent predictive model (
r
=0.84,
P
=0.0002). Coronary resistance index correlated only with capillary density (
r
=0.70,
P
=0.019). Relative indices (coronary flow velocity reserve and coronary resistance reserve) did not correlate significantly with arteriolar obliteration, capillary density, or arteriolar density.

Conclusions—

Intracoronary indices derived from pressure and flow, particularly instantaneous hyperemic diastolic velocity-pressure slope, appear to be superior to coronary flow velocity reserve in detecting structural microcirculatory changes. Both arteriolar obliteration and capillary rarefaction seem to influence microcirculatory hemodynamics independently.
Activin A and Follistatin-Like 3 Determine the Susceptibility of Heart to Ischemic Injury
Authors: Oshima Yuichi , Ouchi Noriyuki , Shimano Masayuki , Pimentel David R. , Papanicolaou Kyriakos N. , Panse Kalyani D. , Tsuchida Kunihiro , Lara-Pezzi Enrique , Lee Se-Jin , Walsh Kenneth
Published: October 2009

Background—

Transforming growth factor-β family cytokines have diverse actions in the maintenance of cardiac homeostasis. Activin A is a member of this family whose regulation and function in heart are not well understood at a molecular level. Follistatin-like 3 (Fstl3) is an extracellular regulator of activin A protein, and its function in the heart is also unknown.

Methods and Results—

We analyzed the expression of various transforming growth factor-β superfamily cytokines and their binding partners in mouse heart.
Activin βA
and
Fstl3
were upregulated in models of myocardial injury. Overexpression of activin A with an adenoviral vector (Ad-actβA) or treatment with recombinant activin A protein protected cultured myocytes from hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced apoptosis. Systemic overexpression of activin A in mice by intravenous injection of Ad-actβA protected hearts from ischemia/reperfusion injury. Activin A induced the expression of Bcl-2, and ablation of Bcl-2 by small interfering RNA abrogated its protective action in myocytes. The protective effect of activin A on cultured myocytes was abolished by treatment with Fstl3 or by a pharmacological activin receptor-like kinase inhibitor. Cardiac-specific
Fstl3
knockout mice showed significantly smaller infarcts after ischemia/reperfusion injury that was accompanied by reduced apoptosis.

Conclusions—

Activin A and Fstl3 are induced in heart by myocardial stress. Activin A protects myocytes from death, and this activity is antagonized by Fstl3. Thus, the relative expression levels of these factors after injury is a determinant of cell survival in the heart.
Hereditary Deficiency of gp91phoxIs Associated With Enhanced Arterial Dilatation
Authors: Violi Francesco , Sanguigni Valerio , Carnevale Roberto , Plebani Alessandro , Rossi Paolo , Finocchi Andrea , Pignata Claudio , De Mattia Domenico , Martire Baldassarre , Pietrogrande Maria Cristina , Martino Silvana , Gambineri Eleonora , Soresina Anna Rosa , Pignatelli Pasquale , Martino Francesco , Basili Stefania , Loffredo Lorenzo
Published: October 2009

Background—NADPH oxidase is believed to modulate arterial tone, but its role in humans is still unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether NADPH oxidase is involved in flow-mediated arterial dilation (FMD).

Methods and Results—Twenty-five patients with hereditary deficiency of gp91phox, the catalytic core of NADPH oxidase, (X-CGD), 25 healthy subjects, and 25 obese patients matched for sex and age were recruited. FMD, platelet gp91phox, serum levels of nitrite and nitrate as markers of nitric oxide generation, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and urinary excretion of isoprostanes as markers of oxidative stress were determined. Platelet gp91phoxexpression was downregulated in X-CGD patients (1.0±0.8 mean fluorescence;P<0.001) and upregulated in obese patients (4.1±2.2 mean fluorescence;P=0.01) compared with healthy subjects (2.9±1.7 mean fluorescence). Urinary excretion of isoprostanes was reduced in X-CGD patients (41.7±33.3 pg/mg creatinine;P=0.04) and increased in obese patients (154.4±91 pg/mg creatinine;P<0.001) compared with healthy subjects (69.5±52.4 pg/mg creatinine). Obese patients had higher serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein than healthy subjects (35.3±6.7 versus 24.8±9.8 U/L;P<0.001) and X-CGD patients (28.5±7.2 U/L;P<0.001). X-CGD patients had significantly higher FMD (14.7±5.9%) compared with healthy subjects (7.9±2.5%;P<0.001); obese patients had lower FMD (5.3±3.0%;P=0.028) compared with healthy subjects. Serum nitrite and nitrate levels were significantly higher in patients with X-CGD (36.0±10.8 μmol/L;P=0.016) and lower in obese patients (9.3±11.0 μmol/L;P=0.001) compared with healthy subjects (27.1±19.1 μmol/L). Serum nitrite and nitrate levels significantly correlated with FMD (Rs=0.403,P<0.001) and platelet gp91phox(Rs=−0.515,P<0.001). FMD inversely correlated with platelet gp91phox(Rs=−0.502,P<0.001) and isoprostanes (Rs=−0.513,P<0.001).

Conclusion—This study provides the first evidence that, in humans, gp91phoxis implicated in the modulation of arterial tone.
Time-Dependent Effects of Low-Dose Aspirin on Plasma Renin Activity, Aldosterone, Cortisol, and Catecholamines
Authors: Snoep Jaapjan D. , Hovens Marcel M.C. , Pasha Sharif M. , Frölich Marijke , Pijl Hanno , Tamsma Jouke T. , Huisman Menno V.
Published: October 2009

Studies have shown that aspirin may decrease blood pressure when given at bedtime but not when administered on awakening. However, until now, a biologically plausible mechanism of this striking phenomenon was not revealed. We investigated the effect of 100 mg of aspirin administered at bedtime compared with administration on awakening on plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels over 24 hours and excretion of cortisol and catecholamines in 24-hour urine samples. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial was performed in 16 grade 1 hypertensive subjects. During 2 periods of 2 weeks separated by a 4-week washout period, participants used aspirin both at morning and at night, which was blinded with placebo. After both periods, subjects were admitted for 24 hours to measure the aforementioned parameters. Aspirin intake at bedtime compared with on awakening reduced average (24-hour) plasma renin activity by 0.08 μg/L per hour (95% CI: 0.03 to 0.13 μg/L per hour;
P
=0.003) without affecting aldosterone levels (95% CI: −0.01 to 0.01 nmol/L;
P
=0.93). Cortisol excretion in 24-hour urine was 52 nmol/24 hours (95% CI: 5 to 99 nmol/24 hours;
P
=0.05) lower, and dopamine and norepinephrine excretions were 0.25 μmol/24 hours (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.48 μmol/24 hours;
P
=0.04) and 0.22 μmol/24 hours (95% CI: −0.03 to 0.46 μmol/24 hours;
P
=0.02) lower in patients treated with bedtime aspirin. In conclusion, aspirin taken at bedtime compared with on awakening significantly diminished 24-hour plasma renin activity and excretion of cortisol, dopamine, and norepinephrine in 24-hour urine. Decreased activity of these pressor systems forms a biologically plausible explanation for the finding that aspirin at night may reduce blood pressure, whereas aspirin at morning does not.
Hepatocyte gp130 Deficiency Reduces Vascular Remodeling After Carotid Artery Ligation
Authors: Salguero Gustavo , Schuett Harald , Jagielska Joanna , Schley René , Tallone Ezequiel , Luchtefeld Maren , Drexler Helmut , Müller Werner , Grote Karsten , Schieffer Bernhard
Published: October 2009

Inflammation and vascular remodeling are hallmarks of atherosclerosis, hypertension, and restenosis after angioplasty. Here we investigated the role of the hepatocyte gp130-dependent systemic acute phase response on vascular remodeling after carotid artery ligation. Mice with a hepatocyte-specific gp130 knockout on an apolipoprotein E
−/−
background (gp130
−
) were compared with control mice (gp130
flox
). Vascular remodeling was induced by permanent ligation of the left common carotid artery. This, in turn, activated the systemic acute phase reaction in gp130
flox
mice, as measured by serum amyloid A plasma levels, which was completely abrogated in gp130
−
mice (
P
<0.05). Morphometric analysis of the carotid artery revealed severe neointima formation and media thickening 28 days after ligation in gp130
flox
mice, which was suppressed in gp130
−
mice (
P
<0.01). Serial sections from gp130
−
carotid segments showed significantly less smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and monocyte recruitment (
P
<0.01). To evaluate the impact of the gp130-dependent systemic acute phase response on SMCs, hepatocytes from gp130
flox
and gp130
−
mice were stimulated with interleukin 6. Interleukin 6–induced secretion of serum amyloid A was completely abolished in gp130
−
hepatocytes (
P
<0.01). Moreover, when stimulated with supernatants from gp130
−
hepatocytes, SMCs showed significantly less migration and proliferation compared with supernatants from gp130
flox
hepatocytes (
P
<0.01). Recombinant serum amyloid A induced SMC migration and proliferation (
P
<0.05) and serum amyloid A injection after carotid artery ligation restored vascular remodeling in gp130
−
mice (
P
<0.01). These results imply a critical role for the gp130-dependent systemic acute phase response for vascular inflammation and SMC migration, as well as proliferation, and, subsequently, for vascular remodeling.
Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Prevented β-Amyloid-Induced Cognitive Impairment Associated With Recovery of Neurovascular Coupling
Authors: Takeda Shuko , Sato Naoyuki , Takeuchi Daisuke , Kurinami Hitomi , Shinohara Mitsuru , Niisato Kazue , Kano Masanobu , Ogihara Toshio , Rakugi Hiromi , Morishita Ryuichi
Published: October 2009

Recent studies suggest that vascular risk factors play a considerable role in the development of Alzheimer disease. Furthermore, the use of antihypertensive drugs has been suggested to reduce the incidence of dementia, including Alzheimer disease. In this study, we examined the effects of an angiotensin receptor blocker, olmesartan, on β-amyloid-induced cerebrovascular dysfunction and cognitive impairment. Oral administration of a low dose of olmesartan attenuated cerebrovascular dysfunction in young Alzheimer disease-model transgenic mice (APP23 mouse), without a reduction in the brain β-amyloid level. Moreover, treatment of APP23 mice with olmesartan decreased oxidative stress in brain microvessels. Using an acute mouse model induced by ICV administration of β-amyloid 1-40, we assessed the effect of oral administration of olmesartan on spatial learning evaluated with the Morris water maze. Olmesartan significantly improved cognitive function independent of its blood pressure-lowering effect, whereas there was no improvement by other types of antihypertensive drugs (hydralazine and nifedipine). We found that pretreatment with a low dose of olmesartan completely prevented β-amyloid-induced vascular dysregulation and partially attenuated the impairment of hippocampal synaptic plasticity. These findings suggest the possibility that amelioration of cerebrovascular dysfunction with an angiotensin receptor blocker could be a novel therapeutic strategy for the early stage of Alzheimer disease.
Hypertension Correlates With Lenticulostriate Arteries Visualized by 7T Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Authors: Kang Chang-Ki , Park Chan-A , Lee Hyon , Kim Sang-Hoon , Park Cheol-Wan , Kim Young-Bo , Cho Zang-Hee
Published: October 2009

Hypertension, a major risk factor for stroke, is associated with altered arterial anatomy and function; however, the limited resolution of current imaging techniques has restricted the in vivo study of microvascular changes in the brain. In this report, we quantitatively examined the lenticulostriate arteries in hypertensive patients using ultrahigh-field 7T MRI. We compared the number of stems and branches, curvature, and tortuosity of the lenticulostriate arteries by 3D time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography among 20 hypertensive patients (mean age: 46.6±9.1 years) and 20 age-matched healthy subjects (mean age: 47.7±8.1 years). The average numbers of stems and branches in hypertensive patients were significantly less than those of healthy subjects (
P
<0.002). However, this difference was abolished in older volunteers (>45 years old), whereas the difference between young hypertensive patients (≤45 years old) and age-matched healthy controls was augmented by 55% for stems and 91% for branches (
P
=0.001). In comparison, there were no differences in the average curvature and tortuosity of the lenticulostriate arteries and no significant difference when corrected for smoking (
P
=0.064). In conclusion, our results showed that there was a substantial difference in the lenticulostriate arteries of hypertensive patients compared with healthy individuals when observed in vivo by ultrahigh-resolution 7T magnetic resonance angiography, and the difference was considerable in young subjects.
Legal Predicament of Combining 'Regional' and 'National' Autonomy: A Group Rights Perspective
Authors: Zhou Yong
Published: October 2009

The Chinese regional national autonomy (RNA) is stated as an institutional arrangement for safeguarding the specific rights of certain minority nationalities living concentrated in their inhabited areas. The combination of 'regional autonomy' and 'national autonomy', which is claimed to be the significant feature of this institution, has not yet been discussed in terms of the institutional design and legal techniques used. Taking a group rights perspective on the institutional arrangement of RNA, the paper explores the legal difficulties inherent in the combination of the two kinds of autonomy as suggested by the terms 'regional' 'national' 'autonomy'. This research exposes the conditions and limits of the existing legal mechanism under RNA and shows that the alleged right combination of two kinds of autonomy is difficult to logically expound from a group rights perspective. It discloses the problems of institutional design in addition to the faulty implementation of the Law on the Regional National Autonomy as the reason for the malfunction of RNA to achieve its stated purpose.
Hunting-Prohibition in the Hunters' Autonomous Area: Legal Rights of Oroqen People and the Implementation of Regional National Autonomy Law
Authors: Zhou Yong , Lundberg Maria
Published: October 2009

The hunting-prohibition announced by the Oroqen autonomous government in the Oroqen hunters' homeland, raise controversial issues of the actual function of regional national autonomy and the effectiveness of the implementation of law in relation to this autonomy arrangement in China. In this article, three key issues of this case are discussed in relation to the institutional design and practice of regional national autonomy: i.e., the exercise of Oroqen autonomy in the process of local forest exploitation; the representation of the Oroqen in the organs of self-government and the procedures of decision-making in the reform of the Oroqen's traditional way of life. These issues are both independent and interrelated to the legal rights of the Oroqen people based on Chinese domestic law and international treaties. Through the description and analysis of the Oroqen case, this research presents the institutional obstacles for the Oroqen people to realise their rights and the failure of the regional national autonomy to fulfill its stated purpose.
Regional National Autonomy and Minority Language Rights in the PRC
Authors: Lundberg Maria
Published: October 2009

The existing Chinese legal framework for the protection of minority language rights is challenged by the development of law for the promotion of the majority language. The Regional National Autonomy Law (RNAL) is a centre-piece in the protection of minority language rights having the aim of guaranteeing the rights of the minority nationalities to administer their internal affairs. However, despite that, the RNAL stipulates that the autonomous organs shall guarantee the freedom of the minority nationalities to use and develop their language, culture and traditions. The law- and decision-making powers of the autonomous organs are subject to the approval of higher level authorities under the rules of governance based on the principles of 'democratic centralism'. This research argues that, particularly in view of the legal developments to promote the majority language, the institutional framework of the RNAL cannot provide an effective procedural guarantee for the implementation of minority language rights in accordance with international human rights law. Nevertheless, this article propounds that since China has proclaimed that it is moving towards governance based on the principles of the rule of law and international human rights standards for the protection of minority language rights could have an influence in this transition by increasing the clarity of the aims of the protection of minority language rights. In accordance with these principles, the role of the autonomous organs could be strengthened and clarified by the adoption of regulations and specific measures for the implementation of the RNAL by central and provincial authorities.
Written Language Reform and Regional Autonomy of Dai Nationality in Xishuangbanna
Authors: Xisheng Zhang
Published: October 2009

One important aspect of the regional autonomy of Dai nationality is the autonomy in using the written language. For over half a century, this autonomy has seen some success but also some setbacks. It went through two main periods: the first was from 1953 when a local representative meeting in Xishuangbanna Autonomous Region decided to create the new Dai written language from the traditional written language, promoting the new script in education and newspapers. The second period spans from 1986 until today. In 1986, the people's congress of the prefecture adopted the Decision of Using the Traditional Dai Written Language. Since then, all circles, including education, media, etc, were devoted to popularising the traditional Dai written language, but the effort seems unsuccessful. On the basis of fieldwork and documentary review, this article makes a preliminary investigation into the legal system with regard to the autonomy of using the written language in Xishuangbanna.
Negotiable Rights? China's Ethnic Minorities and the Right to Freedom of Religion
Authors: Wellens Koen
Published: October 2009

In order to get a fuller picture of the conditions for religious freedom for ethnic minorities in China, we must both look beyond laws and central policies as well as beyond the more publicised cases of religious suppression in Tibet and Xinjiang, both hot-spots of party-state concerns of ethnic separatism. The province of Yunnan – where one-third of the population are members of one of 26 different recognised ethnic minorities – presents a more nuanced picture of the conditions for practicing religion in the People's Republic of China. This article argues that in the case of China we need to expand the concept of implementation by taking into account the public discourse that accompanies the laws and policies on both religion and ethnic minorities. Local officials and intellectuals belonging to ethnic minorities in Yunnan have been successful in exploiting public discourse on 'religious freedom' and 'cultural rights of ethnic minorities' in order to revive or reinvent traditional religious practice.
Nationality Townships – An Endangered Species?
Authors: Leijonhufvud Göran
Published: October 2009

The nationality township is a particular form developed by China for extending preferential treatment to minority nationalities that live in complex geographical patterns. These townships, also known as ethnic townships, are a complement to the regional autonomous system. However, our research indicates that the Communist Party and other units in charge have failed to explain even the most basic characteristics of a nationality township to its citizens. Nationality townships have not improved the status or the self-consciousness of the relevant minority nationalities in Yunnan Province, or their effective participation in the economy. If there is a future at all for nationality townships, they need to be protected by stronger regulations.
The Law and Politics of International Cultural Rights: E. Stamatopoulou, Cultural Rights in International Law; F. Francioni and M. Scheinin (eds.), Cultural Human Rights
Authors: Macklem Patrick
Published: October 2009

Two recent books place international law at the centre of inquiries into the nature of cultural rights. The first, Cultural Rights in International Law: Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Beyond, by Elsa Stamatopoulou, explores "the concept of cultural rights by reviewing international and national legal instruments, international practice, and especially the role of UN bodies and entities in the implementation of these rights". The second, Cultural Human Rights, is a collection of essays edited by Francesco Francioni and Martin Scheinin. Wide-ranging in scope, Cultural Human Rights includes contributions that explore the relationship between cultural rights and the state, the relationship between cultural rights and other human rights, the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples, normative justifications of human rights in general and minority rights in particular, the law and politics of cultural identity and collective memory, and various forms of cultural protection in a variety of regional and international institutional contexts. Both demonstrate that understanding cultural rights in international law requires a multi-faceted approach, one that pays close attention to the historical, textual and institutional dimensions of cultural rights. They reveal, too, that international legal commitments to sovereignty and human rights are more relevant to moral and political accounts of the significance of cultural rights than they might otherwise appear.
Approaches to (Quasi)Theology Via Appresentation
Authors: Llewelyn John
Published: October 2009

What demands must be met for phenomenology to be the rigorous science Husserl projected? Janicaud complains that some French phenomenologists, while pretending to observe these demands, play fast and loose with them when they apply phenomenology to matters of theology: Derrida, Marion, and Levinas; methodological phenomenology and Henry's phenomenology of the Christian Way. Derrida's deconstructions of the oppositions of immanence and transcendence and of the factual and the transcendental suggest that the rift between him and Henry is not as deep as it must at first seem. Analogical appresentation is a motive of the theological turn.