bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the RpoH-Dependent Regulon and General Stress Response in
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Gunesekere Ishara C. , Kahler Charlene M. , Powell David R. , Snyder Lori A. S. , Saunders Nigel J. , Rood Julian I. , Davies John K.
Published: June 2006

In the gammaproteobacteria the RpoH regulon is often equated with the stress response, as the regulon contains many of the genes that encode what have been termed heat shock proteins that deal with the presence of damaged proteins. However, the betaproteobacteria primarily utilize the HrcA repressor protein to control genes involved in the stress response. We used genome-wide transcriptional profiling to compare the RpoH regulon and stress response of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
, a member of the betaproteobacteria. To identify the members of the RpoH regulon, a plasmid-borne copy of the
rpoH
gene was overexpressed during exponential-phase growth at 37°C. This resulted in increased expression of 12 genes, many of which encode proteins that are involved in the stress response in other species. The putative promoter regions of many of these up-regulated genes contain a consensus RpoH binding site similar to that of
Escherichia coli
. Thus, it appears that unlike other members of the betaproteobacteria,
N. gonorrhoeae
utilizes RpoH, and not an HrcA homolog, to regulate the stress response. In
N. gonorrhoeae
exposed to 42°C for 10 min, we observed a much broader transcriptional response involving 37 differentially expressed genes. Genes that are apparently not part of the RpoH regulon showed increased transcription during heat shock. A total of 13 genes were also down-regulated. From these results we concluded that although RpoH acts as the major regulator of protein homeostasis,
N. gonorrhoeae
has additional means of responding to temperature stress.
Acyl Carrier Protein Synthases from Gram-Negative, Gram-Positive, and Atypical Bacterial Species: Biochemical and Structural Properties and Physiological Implications
Authors: McAllister Kelly A. , Peery Robert B. , Zhao Genshi
Published: June 2006

Acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthase (AcpS) catalyzes the transfer of the 4′-phosphopantetheine moiety from coenzyme A (CoA) onto a serine residue of apo-ACP, resulting in the conversion of apo-ACP to the functional holo-ACP. The holo form of bacterial ACP plays an essential role in mediating the transfer of acyl fatty acid intermediates during the biosynthesis of fatty acids and phospholipids. AcpS is therefore an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we have purified and characterized the AcpS enzymes from
Escherichia coli
,
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, and
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
, which exemplify gram-negative, gram-positive, and atypical bacteria, respectively. Our gel filtration column chromatography and cross-linking studies demonstrate that the AcpS enzyme from
M. pneumoniae
, like
E. coli
enzyme, exhibits a homodimeric structure, but the enzyme from
S. pneumoniae
exhibits a trimeric structure. Our biochemical studies show that the AcpS enzymes from
M. pneumoniae
and
S. pneumoniae
can utilize both short- and long-chain acyl CoA derivatives but prefer long-chain CoA derivatives as substrates. On the other hand, the AcpS enzyme from
E. coli
can utilize short-chain CoA derivatives but not the long-chain CoA derivatives tested. Finally, our biochemical studies show that
M. pneumoniae
AcpS is kinetically a very sluggish enzyme compared with those from
E. coli
and
S. pneumoniae
. Together, the results of these studies show that the AcpS enzymes from different bacterial species exhibit different native structures and substrate specificities with regard to the utilization of CoA and its derivatives. These findings suggest that AcpS from different microorganisms plays a different role in cellular physiology.
Young driver risk factors: successful and unsuccessful approaches for dealing with them and an agenda for the future
Authors: Williams A F
Published: June 2006

The extent to which various interventions to deal with the young driver crash problem have worked are discussed, and promising interventions that should be tried are identified. Traditional forms of driver licensing and driver education have not worked. Graduated licensing reduces the problem and existing laws need to be strengthened. Programs involving parents and police have shown some potential to increase compliance with graduated licensing restrictions. Insurer discount programs also have potential. In other public health areas, comprehensive programs have worked better than those based on single components. There are continuing efforts to develop new driver education and training programs and methods of delivery that can combine with graduated licensing and contribute to reductions in the young driver problem. The most promising intervention strategy is likely to be a coordinated community based program in states with strong graduated licensing laws as a foundation, involving modern education and training techniques, insurance discount programs, and well publicized enforcement and education programs featuring parents and police in combination, with as much input and participation as possible from the target group of young drivers.
Influences on youthful driving behavior and their potential for guiding interventions to reduce crashes
Authors: Shope J T
Published: June 2006

This paper presents an organized, comprehensive view of the factors known to influence young drivers’ behavior and how those factors might inform interventions to reduce crashes. This effort was done from the perspective of a public health professional, with a background in health behavior and health education, interested in preventing injury and death among young people from motor vehicle crashes. The author’s own studies, selected relevant literature, observation, and experience were considered and organized. A framework of six categories of influences on youthful driving behavior was developed, including the following elements: driving ability, developmental factors, personality factors, demographics, the perceived environment, and the driving environment. It is apparent that a complex set of many different factors influences young drivers’ behavior. To reduce crashes, comprehensive, multilevel interventions are needed that target those factors in the framework that are amenable to change.
Reducing crashes and injuries among young drivers: what kind of prevention should we be focusing on?
Authors: Berg H-Y
Published: June 2006

Every year, drivers throughout the world are killed or injured in road traffic. Young drivers run a greater risk everywhere, and this problem is still largely unsolved. Better understanding of the underlying processes could, however, be a useful tool in preventive endeavours. To change a young driver’s goals behind driving and the context in which it is done, a variety of different methods of persuasion should be tested. Both “soft” and “hard” methods should be used. For example, communication and increased enforcement may be used simultaneously. Communication campaigns should highlight the dangers of unsafe behaviour and in particular target young males. Communication campaigns that employ persuasive, emotional messages are most effective where young drivers are concerned. Research shows that attitudes about safety are formed at an early age, long before legal driving, and therefore it would also be important to target young adolescents. Laws need enforcement to be effective and should target areas of particular risk to young drivers. Driver education or communication campaigns cannot be expected to radically change a young person’s life goals. For that purpose, active learning methods that make use of the learner’s own experiences have to be applied. Special courses for young drivers designed to make individuals conscious of their personal tendencies and the type of social context that affects their driving behaviour could be helpful, whether offered via the ordinary school system or at driving schools.
Youthfulness, inexperience, and sleep loss: the problems young drivers face and those they pose for us
Authors: Groeger J A
Published: June 2006

Young inexperienced drivers are more likely to be involved in road traffic crashes than drivers who are older and more experienced. This paper argues that neither age nor inexperience are, in and of themselves, sufficient explanations of the association between age, experience, and casualty rates. The aim here is to consider what it is about inexperienced young drivers in particular that may increase crash risk. Evidence is reviewed showing differential sleep loss among different teenage groups, which may relate to recently presented evidence that young teenagers are more crash involved than drivers in their early twenties. Potential acute and chronic effects of sleep loss among teenagers and young adults are described.
Necrotrophic mycoparasitism ofBotrytis cinereaby cellulolytic and ligninocellulolytic Basidiomycetes
Authors: White Gerard J , Traquair James A
Published: June 2006

Twenty-six isolates representing 17 species of aphyllophoraceous, wood-decaying Basidiomycetes and five species of agaricoid, turf-borne, thatch-decaying Basidiomycetes were screened for their abilities to degrade cellulose, lignin, and melanin by using colorimetric degradation assays on agar media. Selected ligninocellulolytic Basidiomycetes capable of degrading melanin were screened for antagonism of Botrytis cinerea Per.:Fr. The greatest inhibition of Botrytis colony and hyphal growth in vitro was observed in confrontations with Irpex lacteus (Fr.) Fr., Trametes versicolor (L.:Fr.) Pilat, and Chondrostereum purpureum (Pers.:Fr.) Pouzar. Hyphal interference and necrotrophic mycoparasitism by these ligninocellulolytic Basidiomycetes were recognized microscopically as coagulation and degeneration of Botrytis cytoplasm and as coiling and invasion of hyphae, conidiophores, and conidia, respectively. Sclerotia of B. cinerea were killed and parasitized in agar media, straw mulch, or moist sand infested separately with these three mycoparasites.Key words: hyperparasitism, hyphal interference, wood-decay fungi, melanin degradation, biocontrol, Botrytis cinerea, sclerotia, Trametes versicolor, Irpex lacteus, Chondrostereum purpureum.
A spontaneous albino mutant ofCeratocystis resiniferaresults from a point mutation in the polyketide synthase gene,PKS1
Authors: Tanguay P , Loppnau P , Morin C , Bernier L , Breuil C
Published: June 2006

We characterized a spontaneous albino mutant of Ceratocystis resinifera. Compared with the wild-type progenitor strain, the albino mutant had a reduced linear growth on culture medium, but its growth on lodgepole pine sapwood was unaffected. The albino mutant did not produce any coloured pigment on agar media or wood. However, upon exposure to exogenous scytalone, an intermediate metabolite of the melanin pathway, the production of a brownish melanin was restored. This suggests that the albino phenotype resulted from a mutation affecting the melanin synthesis pathway, upstream of the scytalone synthesis step. Melanin production was restored in the mutant by transforming it with a wild-type copy of the Ceratocystis resinifera polyketide synthase gene, PKS1. The complemented transformants produced melanin, indicating that the PKS1 gene was defective in the albino mutant. Sequence analysis revealed that the PKS1 allele found in the albino contained a single point mutation that resulted in an amino acid change from serine to proline at the 3′ end of the β-ketoacyl synthase motif.Key words: Ceratocystis resinifera, polyketide synthase, sap stain, albino mutant, biological control.
CultivatedBeggiatoaspp. define the phylogenetic root of morphologically diverse, noncultured, vacuolate sulfur bacteria
Authors: Ahmad Azeem , Kalanetra Karen M , Nelson Douglas C
Published: June 2006

Within the last 10 years, numerous SSU rRNA sequences have been collected from natural populations of conspicuous, vacuolate, colorless sulfur bacteria, which form a phylogenetically cohesive cluster (large-vacuolate sulfur bacteria clade) in the γ-Proteobacteria. Currently, this clade is composed of four named or de facto genera: all known Thioploca and Thiomargarita strains, all vacuolate Beggiatoa strains, and several strains of vacuolate, attached filaments, which bear a superficial similarity to Thiothrix. Some of these vacuolate bacteria accumulate nitrate for respiratory purposes. This clade encompasses the largest known prokaryotic cells (Thiomargarita namibiensis) and several strains that are important in the global marine sulfur cycle. Here, we report additional sequences from five pure culture strains of Beggiatoa spp., including the only two cultured marine strains (nonvacuolate), which firmly establish the root of this vacuolate clade. Each of several diverse metabolic motifs, including obligate and facultative chemolithoautotrophy, probable mixotrophy, and seemingly strict organoheterotrophy, is represented in at least one of the nonvacuolate strains that root the vacuolate clade. Because the genus designation Beggiatoa is interspersed throughout the vacuolate clade along with other recognized or de facto genera, the need for taxonomic revision is clear.Key words: vacuolate, sulfur bacteria, Beggiatoa, 16S rDNA, phylogeny.
Detection and quantification ofLegionella pneumophilain water samples using competitive PCR
Authors: Declerck Priscilla , Behets Jonas , Lammertyn Elke , Lebeau Ilya , Anné Jozef , Ollevier Frans
Published: June 2006

The presence of high levels of Legionella pneumophila in man-made aquatic systems correlates with the incidence of nosocomial Legionnaires' disease. This requires a rapid, reliable, and sensitive quantification of L. pneumophila concentrations in suspected water systems. In this research, a homologous competitor was developed and evaluated in a L. pneumophila competitive polymerase chain reaction (cPCR) to quantify this human pathogen in a quick, cost-effective, and reliable way. Accuracy of cPCR was evaluated by analyzing cooling tower and tap water samples spiked with known concentrations of L. pneumophila bacteria, in parallel with the standard culture method. Legionella pneumophila amounts detected and calculated from cPCR and culture correlated very well: r = 0.998, P = 0.002 for tap water and r = 0.990, P = 0.009 for cooling tower water. Nevertheless, for both kinds of water samples, mean numbers of L. pneumophila calculated from cPCR results were always higher than those obtained by culture. This study makes it clear that the rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective L. pneumophila cPCR is a promising alternative to the standard time-consuming culture method and expensive real-time PCR to enumerate L. pneumophila bacteria in environmental water samples.Key words: Legionella pneumophila, competitive PCR, cost-effective, cooling tower water, tap water, sensitive detection.
Purification and thermodynamic characterization of glucose oxidase from a newly isolated strain ofAspergillus niger
Authors: Bhatti H N , Madeeha M , Asgher M , Batool N
Published: June 2006

An intracellular glucose oxidase (GOD) was isolated from the mycelium extract of a locally isolated strain of Aspergillus niger NFCCP. The enzyme was partially purified to a yield of 28.43% and specific activity of 135 U mg–1through ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The enzyme showed high specificity for D-glucose, with a Kmvalue of 25 mmol L–1. The enzyme exhibited optimum catalytic activity at pH 5.5. Optimum temperature for GOD-catalyzed D-glucose oxidation was 40 °C. The enzyme displayed a high thermostability having a half-life (t1/2) of 30 min, enthalpy of denaturation (H*) of 99.66 kJ mol–1, and free energy of denaturation (G*) of 103.63 kJ mol–1. These characteristics suggest that GOD from A. niger NFCCP can be used as an analytical reagent and in the design of biosensors for clinical, biochemical, and diagnostic assays.Key words: glucose oxidase, Aspergillus niger, kinetics, thermodynamics, thermal stability.
Lateral gene transfer in Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis
Authors: Marri Pradeep Reddy , Bannantine John P , Paustian Michael L , Golding G Brian
Published: June 2006

Lateral gene transfer is an integral part of genome evolution in most bacteria. Bacteria can readily change the contents of their genomes to increase adaptability to ever-changing surroundings and to generate evolutionary novelty. Here, we report instances of lateral gene transfer in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, a pathogenic bacteria that causes Johne's disease in cattle. A set of 275 genes are identified that are likely to have been recently acquired by lateral gene transfer. The analysis indicated that 53 of the 275 genes were acquired after the divergence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis from M. avium subsp. avium, whereas the remaining 222 genes were possibly acquired by a common ancestor of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and M. avium subsp. avium after its divergence from the ancestor of M. tuberculosis complex. Many of the acquired genes were from proteobacteria or soil dwelling actinobacteria. Prominent among the predicted laterally transferred genes is the gene rsbR, a possible regulator of sigma factor, and the genes designated MAP3614 and MAP3757, which are similar to genes in eukaryotes. The results of this study suggest that like most other bacteria, lateral gene transfers seem to be a common feature in M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and that the proteobacteria contribute most of these genetic exchanges.Key words: mycobacteria, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis, lateral gene transfer, unique genes, phylogeny.
In vivo hydrolysis ofS-adenosyl-L-methionine inEscherichia coliincreases export of 5-methylthioribose
Authors: Hughes Jeffrey A
Published: June 2006

Escherichia coli can not synthesize methionine from 5-methylthioribose (MTR) but instead exports this sulfur-containing, energy-rich molecule into the surrounding medium. Transforming E. coli with plasmids that direct expression of the cloned coliphage T3 S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) hydrolase (SAMase) induces the met regulon by cleaving the SAM co-repressor to form 5′-methylthioadenosine, which is then cleaved to produce MTR. To test the effect of in vivo SAMase activity on MTR production and its fate, cultures were incubated in the presence of [35S]methionine and [methyl-3H]methionine. Cells with SAMase activity produced significantly enhanced levels (up to 40-fold in some trials) of extracellular MTR — the only radiolabeled compound released in significant amounts — when compared with controls. SAM synthetase (metK) mutants transformed with SAMase expression vectors did not show this increase, verifying the path through SAM as the sole route to MTR production. SAMase expression had little or no effect on intracellular MTR pools, levels of radiolabeled macromolecules, or the transfer of methyl groups to compounds that could be precipitated by trichloroacetic acid. Thus, MTR appears to be a dead-end metabolite in E. coli, begging questions about how this has evolved, the mechanism of MTR export for the cell, and whether the release of MTR is important for some other activity.Key words: 5-methylthioribose, S-adenosyl-L-methionine, SAMase, Escherichia coli, export.
OPTIMIZATION OF SCALE-FREE NETWORK FOR RANDOM FAILURES
Authors: LIU JIAN-GUO , WANG ZHONG-TUO , DANG YAN-ZHONG
Published: June 2006

It has been found that the networks with scale-free degree distribution are very resilient for random failures. The purpose of this work is to determine the network design guidelines which maximize the network robustness for random failures when the average number of links per node of the network is constant. The optimal value of the degree distribution exponent and the minimum connectivity to different network sizes are given in this paper. Finally, the optimization strategy on how to improve the evolving network robustness is given.
THE EFFECT OF DECELERATION STRIPS UPON TRAFFIC FLOW
Authors: MENG JIAN-PING , ZHANG JIE-FANG
Published: June 2006

We propose a new single-lane cellular automaton model to study the effect of deceleration strips upon traffic flow. By performing numerical simulations under the periodic boundary condition, we find that the deceleration strips could be considered as the headstream of traffic jams and they are apt to cause the small scale traffic jam. The maximum flow is decreased evidently when there are some deceleration strips on the road. But the increase of the number of deceleration strips only influences the maximum flow slightly. Furthermore, if the vehicle density is high enough, the influence of deceleration strips could be ignored. Therefore, the disadvantage of the deceleration strips may be ignored in city traffic because of the high density.
The center of topologically primitive exponentially galbed algebras
Authors: Abel Mart , Abel Mati
Published: June 2006

Let A be a unital sequentially complete topologically primitive
exponentially galbed Hausdorff algebra over ℂ, in which
all elements are bounded. It is shown that the center of A is
topologically isomorphic to ℂ.
Calderón′s reproducing formula for Hankel convolution
Authors: Pathak R. S. , Pandey Gireesh
Published: June 2006

Calderón‐type reproducing formula for Hankel convolution is established using the theory of Hankel transform.
Convergence results for MHD system
Authors: Selmi Ridha
Published: June 2006

A magnetohydrodynamic system is investigated in both cases of the periodic domain and the whole space . Existence and uniqueness of strong solution are proved. Asymptotic behavior of the solution when the Rossby numberεgoes to zero is studied. The proofs use the spectral properties of the penalization operator and involve Friedrich′s method, Schochet′s methods, and product laws in Sobolev spaces of sufficiently large exponents.
On p.p.‐rings which are reduced
Authors: Guo Xiaojiang , Shum K. P.
Published: June 2006

Denote the 2 × 2 upper triangular matrix rings over
ℤ
and ℤp by UTM2(ℤ)
and
UTM2(ℤp), respectively. We prove that if a ring
R is a p.p.‐ring, then R is reduced if and only if R does
not contain any subrings isomorphic to UTM2(ℤ) or
UTM2(ℤp). Other conditions for a p.p.‐ring to be
reduced are also given. Our results strengthen and extend the
results of Fraser and Nicholson on r.p.p.‐rings.
Vertex‐strength of fuzzy graphs
Authors: Eslahchi Changiz , Onagh B. N.
Published: June 2006

The fuzzy coloring of a fuzzy graph was defined by the authors in Eslahchi and Onagh (2004). In this paper we define the chromatic fuzzy sum and strength of fuzzy graph. Some properties of these concepts are studied. It is shown that there exists an upper (a lower) bound for the chromatic fuzzy sum of a fuzzy graph.
Linear and structural stability of a cell divisionprocess model
Authors: Balan Vladimir , Nicola Ileana Rodica
Published: June 2006

The paper investigates the linear stability of mammalian
physiology time‐delayed flow for three distinct cases (normal cell
cycle, a neoplasmic cell cycle, and multiple cell arrest states),
for the Dirac, uniform, and exponential distributions. For the
Dirac distribution case, it is shown that the model exhibits a
Hopf bifurcation for certain values of the parameters involved in
the system. As well, for these values, the structural stability of
the SODE is studied, using the five KCC‐invariants of the
second‐order canonical extension of the SODE, and all the cases
prove to be Jacobi unstable.
On a class of second‐order impulsive boundary valueproblem at resonance
Authors: Cai Guolan , Du Zengji , Ge Weigao
Published: June 2006

We consider the following impulsive boundary value problem,
x″(t) = f(t, x, x′), t ∈ J\{t1, t2, …, tk},
Δx(ti) = Ii(x(ti), x′(ti)), Δx′(ti) = Ji(x(ti), x′(ti)),
i = 1, 2, …, k, x(0) = (0),
. By using the
coincidence degree theory, a general theorem concerning the
problem is given. Moreover, we get a concrete existence result
which can be applied more conveniently than recent results. Our
results extend some work concerning the usual m‐point boundary
value problem at resonance without impulses.
On the commutator lengths of certain classes of finitelypresented groups
Authors: Doostie H. , Campbell P. P.
Published: June 2006

For a finite group G = 〈X〉 (X ≠ G), the least
positive integer MLX(G) is called the maximum length of G
with respect to the generating set X if every element of G may
be represented as a product of at most MLX(G) elements of X.
The maximum length of G, denoted by ML(G), is defined to be
the minimum of {MLX(G)|G = 〈X〉, X ≠ G, X ≠ G − {1G}}. The well‐known commutator length of a group
G, denoted by c(G), satisfies the inequality c(G) ≤ ML(G′), where G′ is the derived subgroup of G. In this paper
we study the properties of ML(G) and by using this inequality
we give upper bounds for the commutator lengths of certain classes
of finite groups. In some cases these upper bounds involve the
interesting sequences of Fibonacci and Lucas numbers.
Local homogeneity in fuzzy topological spaces
Authors: Al Ghour Samer
Published: June 2006

Three types of local homogeneity in L‐topological spaces are
introduced and studied, and each is characterized and
proved to be a good extension of local homogeneity in ordinary
topological spaces. Many implications concerning them are
introduced. The study deals with the L‐topologically generated
topological spaces.
Mappings and decompositions of continuity on almost Lindelöf spaces
Authors: Fawakhreh A. J. , Kiliçman A.
Published: June 2006

A topological space X is said to be almost Lindelöf if for every open cover {Uα : α ∈ Δ} of X there exists a countable subset {αn : n ∈ ℕ}⊆Δ such that . In this paper we study the effect of mappings and some decompositions of continuity on almost Lindelöf spaces. The main result is that a image of an almost Lindelöf space is almost Lindelöf.
Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Added to Previous Antihypertensive Agents on Arteries of Diabetic Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Savoia Carmine , Touyz Rhian M. , Endemann Dierk H. , Pu Qian , Ko Eun A. , De Ciuceis Carolina , Schiffrin Ernesto L.
Published: June 2006

Lowering elevated blood pressure (BP) in diabetic hypertensive individuals decreases cardiovascular events. We questioned whether remodeling of resistance arteries from hypertensive diabetic patients would improve after 1 year of tight BP control with addition of either the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) valsartan or the β-blocker (BB) atenolol to previous therapy, which included angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and/or calcium channel blockers. Twenty-eight hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients treated with oral hypoglycemic and antihypertensive agents (not receiving ARBs or BBs) were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment for 1 year with valsartan (80 to 160 mg) or atenolol (50 to 100 mg) daily, added to previous therapy. Resistance arteries dissected from gluteal subcutaneous tissues were assessed on a pressurized myograph. After 1 year of treatment, systolic and diastolic BP and glycemia were equally well controlled in the valsartan and atenolol groups. Endothelium-dependent and independent relaxation did not change in the treated groups. After 1 year of treatment, resistance artery media:lumen ratio decreased in the valsartan group (7.9±0.5% after versus 9.8±0.6% before;
P
<0.05) but not in the atenolol-treated group (9.9±0.9% versus 10.6±1%;
P
value not significant). Artery walls from atenolol-treated patients became stiffer, with no change in the valsartan-treated patients. In conclusion, similar intensive BP control for 1 year with valsartan was associated with improved structure of resistance arteries in diabetic hypertensive patients, whereas vessels from atenolol-treated patients exhibited unchanged remodeling and a stiffer wall. The addition of ARBs but not BBs to antihypertensive medications that may include angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and/or calcium channel blockers results in an improvement in resistance artery remodeling in diabetic hypertensive patients.
Plasma Aldosterone Is Independently Associated With the Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Bochud Murielle , Nussberger Jürg , Bovet Pascal , Maillard Marc R. , Elston Robert C. , Paccaud Fred , Shamlaye Conrad , Burnier Michel
Published: June 2006

The aim of this study was to analyze the associations of plasma aldosterone and plasma renin activity with the metabolic syndrome and each of its components. We analyzed data from a family based study in the Seychelles made up of 356 participants (160 men and 196 women) from 69 families of African descent. In multivariable models, plasma aldosterone was associated positively (
P
<0.05) with blood pressure in older individuals (interaction with age,
P
<0.05) and with waist circumference in men (interaction with sex,
P
<0.05) and negatively with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, in particular in individuals with elevated urinary potassium excretion (interaction with urinary potassium,
P
<0.05); plasma renin activity was significantly associated with triglycerides and fasting blood glucose. Plasma aldosterone, but not plasma renin activity, was associated with the metabolic syndrome per se, independently of the association with its separate components. The observation that plasma renin activity was associated with some components of the metabolic syndrome, whereas plasma aldosterone was associated with other components of the metabolic syndrome, suggests different underlying mechanisms. These findings reinforce previous observations suggesting that aldosterone is associated with several cardiovascular risk factors and also suggest that aldosterone might contribute to the increased cardiovascular disease risk in individuals of African descent with the metabolic syndrome.
Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations Revision 2006
Authors: Lichtenstein Alice H. , Appel Lawrence J. , Brands Michael , Carnethon Mercedes , Daniels Stephen , Franch Harold A. , Franklin Barry , Kris-Etherton Penny , Harris William S. , Howard Barbara , Karanja Njeri , Lefevre Michael , Rudel Lawrence , Sacks Frank , Van Horn Linda , Winston Mary , Wylie-Rosett Judith
Published: June 2006

Improving diet and lifestyle is a critical component of the American Heart Association’s strategy for cardiovascular disease risk reduction in the general population. This document presents recommendations designed to meet this objective. Specific goals are to consume an overall healthy diet; aim for a healthy body weight; aim for recommended levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides; aim for normal blood pressure; aim for a normal blood glucose level; be physically active; and avoid use of and exposure to tobacco products. The recommendations are to balance caloric intake and physical activity to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight; consume a diet rich in vegetables and fruits; choose whole-grain, high-fiber foods; consume fish, especially oily fish, at least twice a week; limit intake of saturated fat to <7% of energy,
trans
fat to <1% of energy, and cholesterol to <300 mg/day by choosing lean meats and vegetable alternatives, fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1% fat) dairy products and minimize intake of partially hydrogenated fats; minimize intake of beverages and foods with added sugars; choose and prepare foods with little or no salt; if you consume alcohol, do so in moderation; and when you eat food prepared outside of the home, follow these Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations. By adhering to these diet and lifestyle recommendations, Americans can substantially reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States.
The Cold War origin of action research as managerialist cooptation
Authors: Cooke Bill
Published: June 2006

Managerial applications of action research (AR) (e.g. in Organization Development) have been critiqued as cooptational. Their participatory focus on means over ends of change, on micro-, intra-organizational issues, and the tacit but questionable claim to rigour, are said to conceal and reinforce existing power relationships, rather than deliver the meaningful empowerment promised. This article shows an empirical connection between the Cold War US and these problematic features of today’s managerialist AR. Drawing on a correspondence between Ronald Lippitt and John Collier, two AR founders, it shows a more profoundly socially engaged version of AR was proposed, but shut down by US Cold War inquisition. It was in response to this alternative version of action research that the problematic, now managerialist, version of AR was first consciously and deliberately articulated. This shows that managerialist AR’s self-detachment from social circumstances is evident not just in its application, but its historiography
Between West and East: A social history of business journalism in Cold War Finland
Authors: Ainamo Antti , Tienari Janne , Vaara Eero
Published: June 2006

The Cold War era was characterized by ideological struggles that had a major impact on economic decision-making, and also on management practice. To date, however, these ideological struggles have received little attention from management and organizational scholars. To partially fill this research gap, we focus on the role of the media in these ideological struggles. Our starting point is that the media both reflect more general societal debates but also act as an agency promoting specific kinds of ideas and ideologies. In this sense, the media exercise significant power in society; this influence, however, is often subtle and easily dismissed in historical analyses focusing on political and corporate decision-making. In this article, we focus on the role of business journalism in the ideological struggles of the Cold War era. Our case in point is Finland, which is arguably a particularly interesting example due to its geo-political position between East and West. Our approach is socio-historical: we focus on the emergence and development of business journalism in the context of the specific struggles in the Finnish political and economic fields. Our analysis shows how the business journalists struggled between nationalist, pro-Soviet and pro-West political forces, but gradually developed into an increasingly influential force promoting neo-liberal ideology
Modeling Adaptive Dynamical Systems to Analyze Eating Regulation Disorders
Authors: Bosse Tibor , Delfos Martine F. , Jonker Catholijn M. , Treur Jan
Published: June 2006

To analyze the disorders of their patients, psychotherapists often have to get insight in adaptive dynamical systems. Analysis of dynamical systems usually is performed using mathematical techniques. Such an analysis is not precisely the type of reasoning performed in psychotherapy practice. In this article, it is shown how practical reasoning about dynamic properties of adaptive dynamical systems within psychotherapy can be described using a high-level logical language to describe dynamics. Using this language, an executable model has been developed of the dynamics of eating regulation disorders. Based on this model, a number of simulation traces have been generated, both for well-functioning situations and for different types of malfunctioning situations that correspond to the first phase of well-known disorders such as anorexia (nervosa), obesitas, and bulimia. Next, it is shown how such traces can be automatically analyzed against a number of dynamic properties.
Seeking health information on the internet: lifestyle choice or bad attack of cyberchondria?
Authors: Lewis Tania
Published: June 2006

This article discusses the growing trend towards ‘lay’ people accessing information about health from the internet. Surveying the major studies of online health consumption, I argue that this phenomenon can be seen as a marker of a broader shift in focus within public health discourse and the popular media on health as an individual ‘lifestyle’ issue. Despite this cultural shift, the medical debate over online health consumption has been largely negative, viewing the internet as an unruly and unregulated space of mis-information and lay web users as potential victims of ‘cyberquackery’. In contrast to this reductive account, I discuss a qualitative study I conducted into young people's use of the internet for health material that showed they are often highly sceptical consumers of online health material. Furthermore, the study found that the kinds of health material young people access is informed by issues of social positionality or ‘health habitus’ complicating individualistic notions of lifestyle ‘choice’.
Capitulation to capital? OhmyNews as alternative media
Authors: Kim Eun-Gyoo , Hamilton James W.
Published: June 2006

This article confronts a foundational problematic in Western-inflected scholarship on media and democracy by investigating the emergence, structure, and operation of OhmyNews, a Korean primarily online publication that hybridizes features of both commercial and ostensibly ‘alternative’ media. After an analysis informed by the social and historical context of Korean politics, economics, and society of the past 40 years, the article concludes that OhmyNews is a unique response to unique enabling conditions, and that its commercial features are inextricably a part of its progressive nature. While the assumed mutual exclusivity of commercialization and progressive politics should be subjected to critical analysis, the dynamics of neoliberal globalization may still increase the relevance of this Western problematic.
‘Chinese Party Publicity Inc.’ conglomerated: the case of the Shenzhen Press Group
Authors: Lee Chin-Chuan , He Zhou , Huang Yu
Published: June 2006

The Chinese press, instead of acting purely as a state propaganda instrument, now functions as ‘Party Publicity Inc.’ – that is, a quasi-business that seeks to make huge profits on the one hand and to legitimate the Party mandate by promoting its image on the other. The accelerated pace of media conglomeration following China's accession to the World Trade Organization has sharpened this trend. This study examines the impact of press ecology in Shenzhen, a national trend-setter for ‘Party Publicity Inc.’, before and after conglomeration. We observe that press conglomeration has (a) engendered a more centralized management structure and operation; (b) replaced duopolistic competition with market monopoly and greater price-fixing abilities; (c) continued to rely on state office subscription; (d) dampened journalists’ enthusiasm for political reform in favor of economic interest; (e) developed a two-tier Publicity Inc. to serve both the Party and the market; and (f) provided an opportunity for overseas expansion. Marketization does not trigger political reform, but pre-empts pressure for political change. The Party Publicity Inc. in its conglomerate form represents a complicitous accommodation between power and money engineered by a post-Communist bureaucratic-authoritarian regime.
A Novel Locomotion Interface with Two 6-DOF Parallel Manipulators That Allows Human Walking on Various Virtual Terrains
Authors: Yoon Jungwon , Ryu Jeha
Published: June 2006

This paper proposes a novel locomotion interface that can generate an infinite floor with various surfaces and can provide a user with proprioceptive feedback about walking. The interface allows users to experience life-like walking in virtual environments with various terrains. The interface consists of two platforms, each consisting of a three-degrees-of-freedom (3-DOF; x, y and yaw) planar device on which a 3-DOF (pitch, roll and z) footpad is mounted. Alternating current servomotors drive the planar devices to generate rapid motions, while pneumatic actuators drive the footpad devices to generate the impedances required for various virtual terrains, in addition to supporting the user’s weight. To simulate natural human walking, the locomotion interface design specifications are based on gait analysis, and each mechanism is optimally designed and manufactured to satisfy these requirements. The locomotion interface allows natural walking (step, 0.8 m; height, 20 cm; load capability, 100 kg; slope, 55°) on various terrains.

In addition, a new walking control algorithm is proposed for generating continuous walking on an infinite floor involving various terrains. In this algorithm, each independent platform follows a human foot during the swing phase, while the other platform returns to the home position during the single-limb stance phase. During the double-limb stance phase, the two platforms assume neutral positions to compensate for the offset errors generated by velocity changes. Therefore, this algorithm can satisfy natural walking conditions in any direction. The transition phase between the swing and stance phases is detected using a simple switch sensor system, while human foot motions are sensed using a calibrated magnetic motion tracker attached to the shoe.

Actual walking simulations on level ground, slopes, and stairs show that the proposed locomotion interface allows an average person to walk naturally on various virtual terrains in safety, without marked disturbances. This interface has various applications, such as in virtual reality (VR) navigation, rehabilitation, and gait analysis.
New Crosslinked Bead-like Copolymers Based on N-p-carboxyphenyl-Maleimide
Authors: Hulubei Camelia , Vlad Cristina Doina , Dinu Maria Valentina
Published: June 2006

Porous copolymers in bead form (0.1-1.0 mm in diameter) based on trimethylolpropane triacry-xlate and N- p-carboxyphenyl-maleimide were prepared by a suspension polymerization technique. The copolymers were characterized by IR spectroscopy and swelling behavior. Thermogravimetric analysis shows a good thermal stability, in dependence on the synthesis conditions. The ion exchange properties have also been discussed
Synthesis and Properties of some Phosphorus-containing Polyesters
Authors: Vlad-Bubulac Tachita , Hamciuc Corneliu , Petreus Oana
Published: June 2006

Phosphorus-containing polyesters were prepared by polycondensation of 2-(6-oxido-6H-dibenz >c,e< >1,2< oxaphosphorin-6-yl)-1,4-benzenediol with different aromatic dicarboxylic acids using a SOCl2/pyridine condensing agent. The polymers were soluble in polar organic solvents such as N-methylpyrrolidone, N, N-dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran and chloroform. They showed high thermal stability having a decomposition temperature above 360°C and char yield at 700°C in the range of 19-32%. The glass transition temperature was in the range of 180-194°C. Solutions of the polymers in N, N-dimethylformamide showed fluorescence having maximum emission wavelength around 362 nm. One of the polymers exhibited thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior
Short Carbon Fiber-Reinforced PMR Polyimide Composites with Improved Thermo-oxidative and Hygrothermal Stabilities
Authors: Chen Jiansheng , Yang Shiyong , Tao Zhiqiang , Hu Aijun , Gao Shengqiang , Fan Lin
Published: June 2006

A series of short carbon fiber-reinforced polyimide composites (SCF/PI) with different SCF loadings was prepared by thermal curing of B-staged molding powders, which were obtained by impregnating short carbon fibers with PMR monomer solution in ethyl alcohol, followed by thermally baking up to 220°C. The B-staged molding powders possess good melt-flowing characteristics and processing properties. Experimental results demonstrated that the fully-cured SCF/PI composites exhibited high thermal stability with the glass transition temperatures determined by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of 412-432°C and the decomposition temperatures at 5% of weight loss in the range 497-512°C. The SCF/PI composites also had good mechanical properties, which were affected by the SCF loading. The tensile strength and the flexural strength of SCF/PI composites increased as the SCF loadings increased and then decreased gradually. SCF-20/PI has the highest tensile strength of 101 MPa and SCF-10/PI gave the highest flexural strength of 154 MPa. The SCF/PI composites exhibited a great improvement in impact toughness in comparison with PMR-15. Despite the impact strength of SCF/PI being slightly decreased as the SCF loading was increased, it was still within the range of 15-23 J cm~2.Furthermore, SCF/PI composites exhibited excellent thermal-oxidative and hygrothermal stabilities. The SCF/PI composites showed a weight loss of less than 6% after isothermal aging for 500 h at 320°Cinair. There was no significant difference in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and DMA curves for SCF-20/PI after hygrothermal treatment at 120°C under 2 atm for 50 h
Preparation and Characteristics of a Novel Silicone Rubber Nanocomposite Based on Organophilic Montmorillonite
Authors: Wang Jincheng , Chen Yuehui , Jin Qiqi
Published: June 2006

Novel room-temperature-vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV-SR)/organic montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites were prepared by a solution intercalation process. Di(2-oxyethyl)-12 alkane- 3 methyl-amine chloride was used as the intercalation agent to treat Na°-montmorillonite and form a new kind of OMMT. Four types of RTV-SR/OMMT composites were synthesized with different amounts of OMMT. Properties such as tensile strength, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were measured and compared. A combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) studies showed that RTV-SR/OMMT composites were on the nanometer scale and the presence of OMMT interfered with the segmented structure of RTV-SR, due to the reaction between the monomer and the intercalation agent. Results showed that the RTV-SR system with 10 phr OMMT has the best physical and mechanical properties due to the exfoliation of OMMT and the resultant nano-effect on the system
Collective Bargaining Structure and its Determinants: An Empirical Analysis with British and German Establishment Data
Authors: Schnabel Claus , Zagelmeyer Stefan , Kohaut Susanne
Published: June 2006

Both Britain and Germany have experienced a substantial decline in collective bargaining coverage in recent decades, though coverage is lower in Britain. Whereas multi-employer bargaining predominates in Germany, single-employer bargaining is more important in Britain. Econometric analyses show that similar variables play a statistically significant role in explaining the structure of collective bargaining in both countries; these include establishment size and age, foreign ownership, public sector affiliation and subsidiary status.
Does Density Matter? The Significance of Comparative Historical Variation in Unionization
Authors: Vernon Guy
Published: June 2006

This article reviews the variations in aggregate union density in fifteen industrialized societies over the period 1960-2000. Drawing critically on a range of literatures, it argues that density is a valuable if imperfect expression of the weight of the infrastructure of joint regulation. Whilst density levels cannot express the character or anatomy of this regulation, they broadly depict the constraints imposed on managerial prerogative by routinized joint regulation.
The Politics of Abortion
Authors: Fried Marlene
Published: June 2006

Worldwide, the abortion issue dominates reproductive and sexual politics primarily because opposition to abortion has been at the centre of the right-wing's broad conservative agenda. Under the George W. Bush presidencies, attacks on abortion and other aspects of reproductive freedom have escalated eroding rights and access. The most vulnerable women in society—women who are poor, young, and women of colour—are the most harmed. Their right to have children is undermined as well by policies which curtail health care and welfare benefits. Abortion politics are also part of the battle over the separation of church and state. Religious conservatives try to blur the line by basing policy decisions on everything from emergency contraception to stem cell research on ideology and religion rather than science. The article also looks critically at the ‘choice’ framework for reproductive rights, and the intersection of abortion and population control politics. These two major fault lines have divided US feminists, weakening their ability to resist the right. Finally, the article shows how women of colour activists are promoting an expansive reproductive justice agenda which brings reproductive rights together with social justice and human rights.