bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of promoters for driving efficient transgene expression in neonatal porcine islets
Authors: Londrigan Sarah L. , Brady Jamie L. , Sutherland Robyn M. , Hawthorne Wayne J. , Thomas Helen E. , Jhala Guarang , Cowan Peter J. , Kay Thomas W. H. , O'Connell Philip J. , Lew Andrew M.
Published: March 2007

Abstract:  There is considerable interest in the viral modification of insulin‐producing islets, including porcine islets, in the context of islet xenotransplantation to treat type 1 diabetes. Adenovirus (Adv) gene delivery offers the potential to modify pre‐transplant islets for enhanced survival. Modifications include transfer of cytoprotective molecules to ensure islet survival immediately post‐transplant, and molecules to dampen the immune system and prevent chronic islet graft rejection. In this study, we compared different promoters (three promiscuous and two tissue‐specific promoters) for their efficiency in driving gene expression in neonatal pig islet tissue after Adv delivery. We also compared the efficiency of these promoters in adult islets from mouse and human pancreata. We observed that the promiscuous cytomegalovirus promoter was the most potent, eliciting high luciferase expression in neonatal pig islets, as well as in human and mouse islets. In contrast, the mammalian EF1‐α promoter educed comparatively intermediate gene expression. The mouse major histocompatibility complex class I promoter H‐2Kb and the pancreatic‐specific promoters insulin and human pdx‐1 (area II) performed poorly in islets from all three species. This has important implications for the generation of modified neonatal pig islets for transplantation into humans.
Achievement of metabolic targets for diabetes by English primary care practices under a new system of incentives
Authors: Gulliford M. C. , Ashworth M. , Robotham D. , Mohiddin A.
Published: March 2007

Objective  To analyse achievement of metabolic targets by English general practices following the introduction of a new system of incentives.

Methods  Clinical data were abstracted from the records of 2099 patients at 26 general practices in South London. Cross‐sectional data for 2005 were obtained for all general practices in England, including characteristics of registered populations, practice organizational characteristics and ‘Quality and Outcomes Framework’ (QOF) metabolic targets.

Results  Among 26 practices in South London, the median practice‐specific proportion of patients achieving HbA1c ≤ 7.4% each year increased: 2000, 22%; 2001, 32%; 2002, 37%; 2003, 38% and in 2005 from QOF, 57%. In 8484 general practices in England in 2005, the median proportion of diabetic patients with HbA1c ≤ 7.4% was 59.0%; the highest and lowest centiles ranged from 27.7 to 89.8% among general practices, from 46.9 to 71.0% among 303 primary care trusts and from 49.9 to 67.1.% among 28 health authorities. Comparing the highest and lowest tertiles of deprivation, the per cent achieving HbA1c ≤ 7.4% was 2.96% (95% confidence interval 2.23–3.69%) lower in the most deprived areas. In areas with the highest proportion of ethnic minorities, the per cent achieving HbA1c ≤ 7.4% was 2.73% (1.85–3.61%) lower than where there were few ethnic minorities. Practices with the highest total QOF organization scores had more patients achieving the HbA1c target (difference 5.03%, 4.43–5.64%).

Conclusions  Intermediate outcomes are improving but deprived areas with less organized services achieve worse glycaemic control. Financial incentives may contribute to improved services and better clinical outcomes.
A comparison of the influence of a high‐fat diet enriched in monounsaturated fatty acids and conventional diet on weight loss and metabolic parameters in obese non‐diabetic and Type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Brunerova L. , Smejkalova V. , Potockova J. , Andel M.
Published: March 2007

Aims  The aim of our study was to compare the influence of a hypocaloric, high‐fat diet enriched with MUFA (M) and conventional diet (C) on weight loss and metabolic parameters in obese non‐diabetic and obese Type 2 diabetic subjects over a 3‐month period. It was our hypothesis that the enriched diet would be more effective in decreasing blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) than the control diet.

Methods  Twenty‐seven Type 2 diabetic patients (54.5 ± 3.5 years; DM), treated with diet or oral glucose‐lowering agents, and 31 obese non‐diabetic subjects (53.6 ± 3.5 years; OB) were randomized to M or C. Individual calculations of energy requirements were based on the formula: [resting energy expenditure (REE) × 1.5] − 600 kcal. Subjects were assessed by a dietitian every 2 weeks and by a physician every month. Statistical analyses were carried out between the four groups—DM/M, DM/C, OB/M and OB/C—using pair Student's test and anova.

Results  After 3 months, body weight, waist–hip ratio, total body fat, levels of C‐peptide, triglycerides and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) decreased in all four groups (P < 0.01). However, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c decreased (P < 0.01) and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol increased significantly only in the DM/M group (P < 0.05). In general, M was well tolerated.

Conclusions  Individualized M and C diets were successful in improving metabolic and anthropometric parameters in both the obese non‐diabetic and the Type 2 diabetic subjects. Although the superiority of the higher fat diet did not reach statistical significance, the decline in blood glucose and HbA1c in the Type 2 diabetic group on M was encouraging.
Comparison of insulin detemir and insulin glargine in subjects with Type 1 diabetes using intensive insulin therapy
Authors: Pieber T. R. , Treichel H‐C. , Hompesch B. , Philotheou A. , Mordhorst L. , Gall M‐A. , Robertson L. I.
Published: March 2007

Aims  To compare glycaemic control and risk of hypoglycaemia of twice‐daily insulin detemir with once‐daily insulin glargine in subjects with Type 1 diabetes.

Methods  In this 26‐week, multicentre, open‐label, parallel‐group trial, 320 subjects with Type 1 diabetes received either insulin detemir twice daily or insulin glargine once daily. each in combination with premeal insulin aspart.

Results  After 26 weeks, HbA1c had decreased from 8.8 to 8.2% in the insulin detemir group and from 8.7 to 8.2% in the insulin glargine group. Home‐measured fasting plasma glucose (PG) was lower with insulin glargine than with insulin detemir (7.0 vs. 7.7 mmol/l, P < 0.001). The overall shape of the home‐measured nine‐point PG profiles was comparable between treatments (P = 0.125). Overall, there was no significant difference in within‐subject variation in PG (P = 0.437). Within‐subject variation in predinner PG was lower with insulin detemir than with insulin glargine (P < 0.05). The overall risk of hypoglycaemia was similar with no differences in confirmed hypoglycaemia. However, the risk of severe and nocturnal hypoglycaemia was 72% and 32%, respectively, lower with insulin detemir than with insulin glargine (P < 0.05). Body weight gain was not significantly different comparing insulin detemir and insulin glargine (0.52 kg vs. 0.96 kg, P = 0.193).

Conclusions  Treatment with twice‐daily insulin detemir or once‐daily insulin glargine, each in combination with insulin aspart, resulted in similar glycaemic control. The overall risk of hypoglycaemia was comparable, whereas the risks of both severe and nocturnal hypoglycaemia were significantly lower with insulin detemir.
‘An Incalculable Effect’ : Subversions of Heteronormativity
Authors: Chambers Samuel A.
Published: March 2007

The writings of Judith Butler are now canonised in the fields of feminist and queer theory, yet her contribution to politics and her role in the field of political theory remain uncertain. I argue, perhaps uncontroversially, that Butler's is a politics of subversion; I also contend, perhaps more contentiously, that Butler's understanding of subversion only takes clear shape in light of her implicit theory of heteronormativity. Butler's work calls for the subversion of heteronormativity; in so doing her writings both illuminate the general problem of normativity for politics and offer a robust response to that problem. Butler resists the tendency to treat norms as merely agreed-upon standards, and she rebuts those easy dismissals of theorists who would take seriously the power of norms thought in terms of normativity and normalisation. Butler's contribution to political theory emerges in the form of her painstaking unfolding of subversion. This unfolding produces an account of the politics of norms that is needed desperately by both political theory and politics. Thus, I conclude that political theory cannot afford to ignore either the theory of heteronormativity or the politics of its subversion.
French Corporate Governance in the New Global Economy: Mechanisms of Change and Hybridisation within Models of Capitalism
Authors: Clift Ben
Published: March 2007

This article analyses the implications of the internationalisation of capital markets, and the influx of Anglo-Saxon institutional investors, for the French model of capitalism. Its central contention is that the global convergence thesis misrepresents contemporary evolutions because it pays insufficient attention to mechanisms of change within models of capitalism. Secondly, framing analysis in terms of hybridisation and fragmentation of national models, rather than convergence, offers greater explanatory purchase over the French model, constitutes a more accurate characterisation, and helps avoid the ‘convergence or persistence’ impasse within models of capitalism analysis. In exploring French corporate governance, it emphasises the importance of specifying the role of institutional mechanisms as transmission belts of change as a precursor to an assessment of how far shifts in international political economic context bring about changes within French capitalism. Focusing on financial market regulation regime, new legislation in corporate governance and company law, and the market for corporate control as three key potential mechanisms of change, it finds that pre-existing norms and structures endure, mediating the nature of a national political economy's articulation with the international context. Hybridisation and recombination of capitalist institutions drawn from different models provide a far more persuasive account than convergence.
The effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on local and distal cutaneous blood flow following a prolonged heat stimulus in healthy subjects
Authors: Chen Chih‐Chung , Johnson Mark I. , McDonough Suzanne , Cramp Fiona
Published: March 2007

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on blood flow and skin temperature following an elevation of baseline blood flow using infrared preheating. A randomized controlled approach was used whereby 66 healthy human subjects (33 male, 33 female) were allocated to one of three intervention groups (n = 22 per group, equal male and female): Control, Low frequency TENS (4 Hz/200 μs), or High frequency TENS (110 Hz/200 μs). TENS was applied just below motor threshold over the median nerve of the right forearm for 15 min immediately following an infrared preheating. Cutaneous blood flow and skin temperature were recorded at 3‐min intervals from the forearm and fingertips during TENS and for 15 min following TENS. Analysis of data revealed no significant differences between High and Low frequency TENS for cutaneous blood flow or skin temperature at the forearm. A small and short lived increase in cutaneous blood flow at the index finger was observed on TENS groups compared with control when TENS was switched off. TENS reduced skin temperature when compared to control during the first 9 min of the 15‐min stimulation period at the middle finger but not at the index finger. It was concluded that the effects of high and low frequency TENS when applied below motor threshold produced changes in blood flow and skin temperature that were transient and small.
Paradoxes of the Competition State: The Dynamics of Political Globalization
Authors: Cerny Philip G.
Published: March 2007

THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE NATION-STATE INTO A ‘COMPETITION state’ lies at the heart of political globalization. In seeking to adapt to a range of complex changes in cultural, institutional and market structures, both state and market actors are attempting to reinvent the state as a quasi-‘enterprise association’ in a wider world context, a process which involves three central paradoxes. The first paradox is that this process does not lead to a simple decline of the state but may be seen to necessitate the actual expansion ofde factostate intervention and regulation in the name of competitiveness and marketization.
The Sleeping Night‐Watchman and Some Alternatives: Citizenship, Participation and Bases of Democratic Legitimacy in Britain
Authors: Pinkney Robert
Published: March 2007

WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT THE SURVIVAL OF THE STATE DEPENDS on democratic consent. With the demise of Marxism and fascism, Diamond suggests that, apart from Islamic fundamentalism, democracy is the only model with ideological legitimacy. And Fukuyama asserts that ‘the democratic transitions of the past generation could not have occurred had not populations around the world finally become conscious of the fact thatliberal democracy aloneprovides the possibility of fully rational recognition of human dignity’.
Teaching Morality in a Plural Society
Authors: Mendus Susan
Published: March 2007

THE QUESTION OF WHETHER MORAL VALUES CAN OR SHOULD BE taught has caused controversy and divided opinion almost since the beginning of time, and certainly since the very earliest days of philosophy. As is well-known, Socrates was condemned to death on charges of impiety and of corrupting the minds of the Athenian youth. Although the latter accusation was never fully spelled out, it was certainly connected with the perceived moral subversiveness of his philosophy and, in particular, with his denial that those who purported to teach moral values were qualified to do any such thing. This denial was construed by many as dangerous and as an attack on the moral foundations of Athenian society for which, famously, Socrates paid a high price.
Making Progress in Northern Ireland? Evidence from Recent Elections
Authors: Knox Colin , Carmichael Paul
Published: March 2007

THE ELECTION OF 582 COUNCILLORS TO NORTHERN IRELAND'S 26 local authorities on 21 May 1997 was eclipsed, to a large extent, by the media focus on the General Election earlier that month (1 May). That little attention is paid to the only elected forum with executive powers in Northern Ireland is neither new nor surprising. Councils in the province have relatively few functional responsibilities, confined principally to the delivery of regulatory services (street cleaning, refuse collection, leisure and tourism and a limited role in economic development); representation on area boards which deliver major services such as education; and a consultative role in relation to planning, roads, water and housing which are delivered through ‘Next Steps’ agencies or similar arm's-length organizations. This minor role is reflected in the level of council budgets. In 1997/98, the estimated net expenditure for local government in Northern Ireland amounts to £230 million, approximately three per cent of identifiable public expenditure.
Towards a Developmental Theory of Constitutionalism: The Chinese Case
Authors: Benewick Robert
Published: March 2007

CONSTITUTIONS, CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AND CONSTITUTIONAL conflict are once again commanding attention. The celebrations of the bicentennial of the American constitution, the implementation of constitutional reform in Canada, the Labour government's programme for constitutional change in the United Kingdom, the seemingly intractable conflict in Northern Ireland, and transfers of sovereignty to the European Union from its constituent states, testify to this. Equally, if not more challenging, have been the upheavals in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union and its reconstituted states, the ‘third’ wave of democratization across the developing world, the experiment in participatory constitutionalism in South Africa and the return of Hong Kong to China. Of the 179 countries that elect their governments out of a total of 192 countries in the world, 176 have codified constitutions. Constitutions, however, that are not fully mature or operative and are not based on the principles or drafted with the advice of those nations that have developed and entrenched their constitutions tend to be disregarded, or even dismissed. Moreover, writing a constitution is one exercise, implementing, and interpreting it is a far more complex and delicate undertaking. So how are social scientists to evaluate the process?
The Perils of Community as a Construct for the Political Ideology of Welsh Nationalism
Authors: McAllister Laura
Published: March 2007

THIS ARTICLE EXPLORES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONCEPT of community and the incremental construction of a political ideology for Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party. In explaining the two general applications of community, empirical and evaluative, the article claims that there is an essential vagueness attached to community which limits its value in developing a clear ideological focus for a political party. This incoherence within the concept, coupled with a specific reluctance to analyse and apply community more precisely within the framework of Welsh nationalism, has made it more a hindrance than an asset to Plaid Cymru's political and electoral progress.
Interest Groups in Parliamentary Decisions in the German Bundestag
Authors: Von Beyme Klaus
Published: March 2007

‘POLICY DETERMINES POLITICS’ IS A FAMILIAR APHORISM AND ITS durability has been tested time and again. Lowi's initial typology showed the normal trinitarian design (distinguishing regulative, distributive and redistributive policy). Later a fourth type was added constituent policy. Lowi's original three elements are, however, not on the same logical level. If we distinguish between the regulative and distributive levels of decision-making we end up with a six-fold typology (Matrix 1).
The New Populism, Presidentialism and Market‐Orientated Reform in Spanish South America
Authors: Philip George
Published: March 2007

A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT IN RECENT SOUTH AMERICAN POLITICS has been the re-emergence of populism. More interesting still has been the unexpected combination – in some countries – of traditional populist appeals (successfully made), the determined application of free market policies, and the successful re-election of the market-reforming populists. This does not mean that populist politicians can succeed to order. Many populist candidates have sought election and only a few have secured it. Of those elected as (essentially) independent candidates, only some have succeeded. Presidents Bucaram in Ecuador and Collor in Brazil were removed from office by Congress and subjected to legal proceedings for corruption. However, where populists have succeeded, they have done so on a far more impressive scale than most people originally predicted.
A Theory of True Interests in the Work of Amartya Sen
Authors: Hamilton Lawrence
Published: March 2007

A distinction can be drawn within political philosophy between those theories which emphasize the procedural element of discussion in politics (exemplified in the work of J. Rawls and J. Habermas) and those that are concerned with the grounds people will bring up in support of their position. Within the latter type there are theories that work from wants/preferences (e.g. J. Bentham and some modern utilitarians), those that emphasize certain ideals (e.g. the Utopian Socialists), those that look to needs and their positive development (e.g. K. Marx), and those that use people's true interests (e.g. the Frankfurt School theorists and broad utilitarians like J. S. Mill and H. Sidgwick). This article has a twofold aim: to show how Sen's ‘capability approach’ incorporates a theory of true interests that goes beyond even more sophisticated existing theories of true interests; and to explain why Sen refrains from using the language of interests and needs. If his approach is reformulated in terms of needs and interests, certain political ramifications – structural and institutional changes – become unavoidable requirements for the realization of his goals. One possibility is that Sen does not discuss his innovative work in these terms because he is unwilling to condone some of these practical political ramifications.
The British–Irish Council and Devolution
Authors: Bogdanor Vernon
Published: March 2007

THE BRITISH-IRISH COUNCIL SPRINGS FROM AND IS PROVIDED FOR IN the Belfast Agreement signed on Good Friday 1998. Its coming into force depends upon the implementation of the Agreement. The Council is established, however, not by the 1998 Northern Ireland Act, which gives legislative expression to the bulk of this Agreement, but by an international treaty, the British–Irish Agreement, attached to the Belfast Agreement.

The Belfast Agreement together with the legislation providing for devolution to Scotland and Wales establishes a new constitutional settlement, both among the nations which form the United Kingdom, and also between those nations and the other nation in these islands, the Irish nation. The United Kingdom itself is, as a result of the Scotland Act and the Government of Wales Act, in the process of becoming a new union of nations, each with its own identity and institutions – a multi-national state, rather than, as many of the English have traditionally seen it, a homogeneous British nation containing a variety of different people.
Unresolved Ambiguity: Quebec After the Election of 1998
Authors: Meisel John
Published: March 2007

PSEPHOLOGY – THE ART OF STUDYING ELECTIONS – HAS COME TEN thousand leagues since R.B.McCallum applied the term in the 1940s to his pioneering analyses of British elections and political opinion in the first of the now classic Nuffield studies. Putting the electors under a magnifying glass has ranged from examining them by means of formal logic and sophisticated mathematical procedures, to anecdotal accounts of the process through which democracies choose their governments. In this article, I seek to situate a particular contest – the 1998 Quebec provincial election – into the general political landscape.

The result of the balloting was that the reigning sovereigntist Parti Québécois (PQ) was returned to power under a first-past-thepost system with a resounding majority of seats but with fewer votes than the opposition federalist Parti Liberal du Québec (PLQ). As if that paradox were not enough, polls demonstrated without a smidgen of doubt that although the voters returned a government committed to holding a referendum on the sovereignty of Quebec, a significant majority did not wish a referendum to be held within the foreseeable future. Majorities of both francophone and anglophone electors opposed a direct consultation on Quebec's status in the federation.
The Rise and Decline of Political Support for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government
Authors: Siu-kai Lau
Published: March 2007

ON 1 JULY 1997, THE END OF COLONIAL RULE USHERED IN A NEW government for the 6½ million people of Hong Kong. Ironically, in stark contrast to other new regimes which took over from colonial rulers, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government was greeted with only a moderate amount of enthusiasm by the governed. Nevertheless, public support for the new regime mounted in the first four months of its existence. Since October 1997, however, it has declined continuously and has now reached a low level. Evidently, the governing strategy crafted by the HKSAR government had achieved a certain degree of success in the early months of its existence. Since then, though the HKSAR government obstinately follows this governing strategy, changes in the conditions in Hong Kong have in any case rendered this strategy obsolete. Low public support is bound to undermine effective governance in postcolonial Hong Kong.
Deep Brain Stimulation in Patients with Refractory Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Boon Paul , Vonck Kristl , De Herdt Veerle , Van Dycke Annelies , Goethals Maarten , Goossens Lut , Van Zandijcke Michel , De Smedt Tim , Dewaele Isabelle , Achten Rik , Wadman Wytse , Dewaele Frank , Caemaert Jacques , Van Roost Dirk
Published: March 2007

Summary:  Purpose: This pilot study prospectively evaluated the efficacy of long‐term deep brain stimulation (DBS) in medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures in patients with MTL epilepsy.

Methods: Twelve consecutive patients with refractory MTL epilepsy were included in this study. The protocol included invasive video‐EEG monitoring for ictal‐onset localization and evaluation for subsequent stimulation of the ictal‐onset zone. Side effects and changes in seizure frequency were carefully monitored.

Results: Ten of 12 patients underwent long‐term MTL DBS. Two of 12 patients underwent selective amygdalohippocampectomy. After mean follow‐up of 31 months (range, 12–52 months), one of 10 stimulated patients are seizure free (>1 year), one of 10 patients had a >90% reduction in seizure frequency; five of 10 patients had a seizure‐frequency reduction of ≥50%; two of 10 patients had a seizure‐frequency reduction of 30–49%; and one of 10 patients was a nonresponder. None of the patients reported side effects. In one patient, MRI showed asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhages along the trajectory of the DBS electrodes. None of the patients showed changes in clinical neurological testing. Patients who underwent selective amygdalohippocampectomy are seizure‐free (>1 year), AEDs are unchanged, and no side effects have occurred.

Conclusions: This open pilot study demonstrates the potential efficacy of long‐term DBS in MTL structures that should now be further confirmed by multicenter randomized controlled trials.
Brain MRI Findings in Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy in Infancy and Genotype–Phenotype Correlations
Authors: Striano Pasquale , Mancardi Maria Margherita , Biancheri Roberta , Madia Francesca , Gennaro Elena , Paravidino Roberta , Beccaria Francesca , Capovilla Giuseppe , Bernardina Bernardo Dalla , Darra Francesca , Elia Maurizio , Giordano Lucio , Gobbi Giuseppe , Granata Tiziana , Ragona Francesca , Guerrini Renzo , Marini Carla , Mei Davide , Longaretti Francesca , Romeo Antonino , Siri Laura , Specchio Nicola , Vigevano Federico , Striano Salvatore , Tortora Fabio , Rossi Andrea , Minetti Carlo , Dravet Charlotte , Gaggero Roberto , Zara Federico
Published: March 2007

Summary:  Introduction: To determine the occurrence of neuroradiological abnormalities and to perform genotype–phenotype correlations in severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI, Dravet syndrome).

Patients and Methods: Alpha‐subunit type A of voltage‐gated sodium channel (SCN1A) mutational screening was performed by denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and multiplex ligation probe amplification (MLPA). MRI inclusion criteria were: last examination obtained after the age of 4 years on 1.5‐T systems; hippocampal cuts acquired perpendicular to the long axis of the hippocampus; qualitative assessment was performed on T1‐weighted, T2‐weighted, proton density, and 1–3 mm thick coronal FLAIR images.

Results: We collected 58 SMEI patients in whom last MRI was performed at or later than 4 years of age. SCN1A mutations occurred in 35 (60%) cases. Thirteen (22.4%) out of 58 patients showed abnormal MRIs. Eight patients showed cortical brain atrophy of which 3 associated to ventricles abnormalities, 1 to cerebellar atrophy, 1 to white matter hyperintensity; 3 patients had ventricles enlargement only; 1 patient showed hippocampal sclerosis (HS); 1 had focal cortical dysplasia. Genotype–phenotype analysis indicated that abnormal MRIs occurred more frequently in patients without SCN1A mutations (9/23; 39.1%) compared to those carrying SCN1A mutations (4/35; 11.4%) (p = 0.02).

Conclusion: Different brain abnormalities may occur in SMEI. Only one case with HS was observed; thus, our study does not support the association between prolonged febrile seizures and HS in SMEI. Abnormal MRIs were significantly more frequent in patients without SCN1A mutations. Prospective MRI studies will assess the etiological role of the changes observed in these patients.
Late Onset Bradyarrhythmia during Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Authors: Åmark Per , Stödberg Tommy , Wallstedt Lars
Published: March 2007

Summary:  Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is widely used to treat refractory epilepsy. It is usually safe and has few side effects. Cardiac arrhythmia has been reported during lead tests performed during implantation of the device, but never during regular treatment. We report here a case where vagally induced bradyarrhythmia, perfectly correlated with the stimulation periods, suddenly occurred two years and four months after the VNS implantation. The diagnosis was based on the appearance of syncope‐like episodes. No specific cause could be found to explain the appearance of the episodes. To our knowledge, this is the first report on this severe and life‐threatening side effect of VNS and should alert clinicians to its possibility. However, considering the large number of VNS implantations performed worldwide, it must be regarded as an extremely rare complication.
An Interaction Study Between the New Antiepileptic and CNS Drug Carisbamate (RWJ‐333369) and Lamotrigine and Valproic Acid
Authors: Chien Shuchean , Yao Caiping , Mertens Annemie , Verhaeghe Tom , Solanki Bhavna , Doose Dennis R. , Novak Gerald , Bialer Meir
Published: March 2007

Summary:  Purpose: To characterize possible pharmacokinetic interactions between the new antiepileptic drug carisbamate (RWJ‐333369) and valproic acid (VPA) or lamotrigine (LTG) following multiple dosing in healthy subjects.

Methods: Two open‐label, sequential‐design studies were conducted in 24 healthy adults. In Study 1, subjects received carisbamate alone (5 days 250 mg q12h; 5 days 500 mg q12h), then VPA alone (7 days 300 mg q12h; 7 days 500 mg q12h), and then a combination of VPA (500 mg q12h) and carisbamate (5 days 250 mg q12h; 5 days 500 mg q12h). In Study 2, subjects received carisbamate alone as in Study 1, then LTG alone (14 days 25 mg q12h; 14 days 50 mg q12h), and then combination of LTG (50 mg q12h) and carisbamate (3 days 250 mg q12h; 14 days 500 mg q12h).

Results: Coadministration of VPA or LTG had minimal effect on carisbamate mean Cmax and AUCss values. Mean VPA‐Cmax and AUCss values were ∼15% lower when given concomitantly with carisbamate. However, the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for the Cmax and AUCss ratio with/without carisbamate were within the 80–125% equivalence range, Cmax 82–89%; AUCss 81–88%. Mean LTG Cmax and AUCss values were ∼20% lower when given concomitantly with carisbamate. The 90% CIs with and without carisbamate for LTG Cmax and AUCss were 79–86% and 75–81%, respectively. This modest change is not considered clinically significant.

Conclusions: There were no clinically significant interactions between carisbamate and VPA or LTG. Concomitant administration of carisbamate with VPA or LTG was generally safe and well tolerated.
Propofol‐associated Fatal Myocardial Failure and Rhabdomyolysis in an Adult with Status Epilepticus
Authors: Zarovnaya Elena L. , Jobst Barbara C. , Harris Brent T.
Published: March 2007

Summary:  Propofol is increasingly used for the treatment of status epilepticus due to the ease of use and tolerability, even if safety data from randomized clinical trials are lacking. An association of high infusion rates of propofol (>5 mg/kg/h) for more than 48 h and constellation of acidosis, rhabdomyolysis, and cardiovascular collapse has been reported in children, but has only been described in a few adult cases. We report a case and autopsy findings of an adult who developed rhabdomyolysis and cardiac failure after receiving propofol for status epilepticus. The patient became symptomatic within 55 h after initiation of propofol infusion. The maximal infusion rate did not exceed 7.2 mg/kg/h, and propofol in excess of 5mg/kg/h was infused for less than 20 h. Preexisting antiepileptic medication may have exacerbated acidosis. Propofol infusion for the treatment of status epilepticus should be carefully weighted against its real risk to develop propofol infusion syndrome, and alternative agents such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates should be considered for first line therapy. If necessary, prolonged propofol infusion at high doses for the treatment of status epilepticus should be used with caution, and in all cases careful monitoring for rhabdomyolysis and acidosis must be performed.
Cross‐Contamination During Food Preparation: A Mechanistic Model Applied to Chicken‐Borne Campylobacter
Authors: Mylius Sido D. , Nauta Maarten J. , Havelaar Arie H.
Published: March 2007

We develop a model for bacterial cross‐contamination during food preparation in the domestic kitchen and apply this to the case of Campylobacter‐contaminated chicken breast. Building blocks of the model are the routines performed during food preparation, with their associated probabilities of bacterial transfer between food items and kitchen utensils. The model is used in a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) of Campylobacter in the Netherlands. Using parameter values from the literature and performing elementary sensitivity analyses, we show that cross‐contamination can contribute significantly to the risk of Campylobacter infection and find that cleaning frequency of kitchen utensils and thoroughness of rinsing of raw food items after preparation has more impact on cross‐contamination than previously emphasized. Furthermore, we argue that especially more behavioral data on hygiene during food preparation is needed for a comprehensive Campylobacter risk assessment.
Reputation and Interstate Conflict
Authors: Crescenzi Mark J. C.
Published: March 2007

In international politics, states learn from the behavior of other nations, including the reputations states form through their actions in the international system. This article presents a model of how states process this information and examines how this learning affects international conflict. The model builds off of cognitive balance theory and foreign policy learning models and breaks new ground in its ability to provide a contextual assessment of reputation in world politics. The article then investigates whether a dyad is more likely to experience conflict if at least one state has a reputation for hostility. This hypothesis is tested empirically across all dyads in the international system from 1817 to 2000. The results indicate that states do engage in this learning behavior and that the information generated by extra‐dyadic interaction of states has a significant bearing upon the likelihood of dyadic conflict.
The Kantian Liberal Peace (Revisited)
Authors: Danilovic Vesna , Clare Joe
Published: March 2007

Democratic peace studies have traditionally identified Kantian “republicanism” with procedural democracy and largely ignored liberalism and constitutionalism, which are even more fundamental for Kant's reasoning behind the liberal peace. A closer look into his major political works reveals that peaceful relations are expected from states with the protection of individual freedoms (liberalism), the rule of law and legal equality (constitutionalism), and representative government (democracy). Only when all three constitutive elements are jointly considered can we uncover the multifaceted nature of Kant's approach to the domestic sources of international peace. In this way, we not only find that monadic and dyadic expectations are consistent with Kant's theory, but also that both normative and interest‐based explanations for international peace can equally draw on Kant as their theoretical precursor. We further demonstrate that it is plausible to infer that the Kantian legacy is related to civil peace as well. The propositions we derive from our theoretical reexamination of the Kantian legacy are strongly supported in our quantitative empirical test. Moreover, constitutional liberalism, rather than democracy, shows to be both more central for Kant's theory and empirically more robustly related to international as well as domestic peace.
Punishing drivers who kill: putting road safety first?
Authors: Cunningham Sally
Published: March 2007

This article seeks to argue that the new offence of causing death by careless driving is undesirable and ought not to have been created. From a legal perspective, the offence goes against some fundamental principles of criminal law and, from a practical view, it will fail to rectify previous problems with the pre-existing offences available as criminal charges in cases of road death. Furthermore, it will not satisfy the public’s appetite for a more punitive approach to drivers who kill. It will be argued that the law in this area should not be driven by this latter consideration but that it should be used primarily as a method of increasing road safety. A radical alternative offence structure of general driving offences is proposed with this as its objective.
Assessment of middle ear disease in the dog: a comparison of diagnostic imaging modalities
Authors: Doust R. , King A. , Hammond G. , Cave T. , Weinrauch S. , Mellor D. , Sullivan M.
Published: March 2007

Objectives: To compare radiography and ultrasound for the assessment of the tympanic bulla against computed tomography results.

Methods: Thirty‐one dogs had dorsoventral, left and right lateral oblique and rostrocaudal open mouth radiographs compared with ultrasound images and computed tomography scans of the tympanic bullae.

Results: Radiography was superior to ultrasonography for the evaluation of the middle ear. However, computed tomography assessment was best predicted by a combination of radiographic and ultrasonographic findings.

Clinical Significance: A combination of radiography and ultrasound can provide a more accurate assessment of the bulla than either of them alone. Ultrasound may have a role in the evaluation of middle ear disease in the dog. Results are operator dependent and not reproducible with current recording techniques.
Sodium Channels and Multiple Sclerosis: Roles in Symptom Production, Damage and Therapy
Authors: Smith Kenneth J.
Published: March 2007

Our understanding of the potential role of sodium channels in multiple sclerosis (MS) has grown substantially in recent years. The channels have long had a recognized role in the symptomatology of the disease, but now also have suspected roles in causing permanent axonal destruction, and a potential role in modulating the intensity of immune activity. Sodium channels might also provide an avenue to achieve axonal and neuronal protection in MS, thereby impeding the otherwise relentless advance of permanent neurological deficit. The symptoms of MS are largely determined by the conduction properties of axons and these, in turn, are largely determined by sodium channels. The number, subtype and distribution of the sodium channels are all important, together with the way that channel function is modified by local factors, such as those resulting from inflammation (eg, nitric oxide). Suspicion is growing that sodium channels may also contribute to the axonal degeneration primarily responsible for permanent neurological deficits. The proposed mechanism involves intra‐axonal sodium accumulation which promotes reverse action of the sodium/calcium exchanger and thereby a lethal rise in intra‐axonal calcium. Partial blockade of sodium channels protects axons from degeneration in experimental models of MS, and therapy based on this approach is currently under investigation in clinical trials. Some recent findings suggest that such systemic inhibition of sodium channels may also promote axonal protection by suppressing inflammation within the brain.
Raman Thermometry of Polysilicon Microelectro-mechanical Systems in the Presence of an Evolving Stress
Authors: Abel Mark R. , Graham Samuel , Serrano Justin R. , Kearney Sean P. , Phinney Leslie M.
Published: March 2007

In this work, the use of Raman Stokes peak location and linewidth broadening methods were evaluated for thermometry applications of polysilicon microheaters subjected to evolving thermal stresses. Calibrations were performed using the temperature dependence of each spectral characteristic separately, and the uncertainty of each method quantified. It was determined that the Stokes linewidth was independent of stress variation allowing for temperature determination, irrespective of stress state. However, the linewidth method is subject to greater uncertainty than the Stokes shift determination. The uncertainties for each method are observed to decrease with decreasing temperature and increasing integration times. The techniques were applied to mechanically constrained electrically active polysilicon microheaters. Results revealed temperatures in excess of 500°C could be achieved in these devices. Using the peak location method resulted in an underprediction of temperature due to the development of a relative compressive thermal stress with increasing power dissipation.
Inverse Approaches to Drying of Thin Bodies With Significant Shrinkage Effects
Authors: Kanevce Gligor H. , Kanevce Ljubica P. , Mitrevski Vangelce B. , Dulikravich George S. , Orlande Helcio R. B.
Published: March 2007

This paper deals with the application of inverse concepts to the drying of bodies that undergo changes in their dimensions. Simultaneous estimation is performed of moisture diffusivity, together with the thermal conductivity, heat capacity, density, and phase conversion factor of a drying body, as well as the heat and mass transfer coefficients and the relative humidity of drying air. This was accomplished by using only temperature measurements. A mathematical model of the drying process of shrinking bodies has been developed where the moisture content and temperature fields in the drying body are expressed by a system of two coupled partial differential equations. The shrinkage effect was incorporated through the experimentally obtained changes of the specific volume of the drying body in an experimental convective dryer. The proposed method was applied to the process of drying potatoes. For the estimation of the unknown parameters, the transient readings of a single temperature sensor located in the midplane of the potato slice, exposed to convective drying, have been used. The Levenberg–Marquardt method and a hybrid optimization method of minimization of the least-squares norm are used to solve the present parameter estimation problem. Analyses of the sensitivity coefficients and of the determinant of the information matrix are presented as well.
An Investigation Into the Use of Springs and Wing Motions to Minimize the Power Expended by a Pigeon-Sized Mechanical Bird for Steady Flight
Authors: Kurien Issac K. , Agrawal Sunil K.
Published: March 2007

In this paper, we investigate the effect of using springs and wing motions to minimize the power required by a mechanical bird to fly. Inertia forces as well as aerodynamic forces on the wing are included. The design takes into account different flight speeds in the range from 0 to 20m∕s. Four ways in which springs can be attached, are considered. The frequency of wing beat is kept fixed and both flapping and feathering are assumed to be simple harmonic. Constraints are imposed on the maximum power expended by the two actuators of a wing. The results show that introduction of springs increases the power required at lower speeds, marginally reducing the power at higher speeds. In the manner in which they are used here, springs do not appear to be useful to reduce power. However, the optimal solutions obtained without springs indicate that it is possible to develop pigeon-like mechanical birds which can hover and fly steadily up to 20m∕s.
Forward/Reverse Velocity and Acceleration Analysis for a Class of Lower-Mobility Parallel Mechanisms
Authors: Zhu Si J. , Huang Zhen , Ding Hua F.
Published: March 2007

This paper proposes a novel kinematic analysis method for a class of lower-mobility mechanisms whose degree-of-freedom (DoF) equal the number of single-DoF kinematic pairs in each kinematic limb if all multi-DoF kinematic pairs are substituted by the single one. For such an N-DoF (N<6) mechanism, this method can build a square (N×N) Jacobian matrix and cubic (N×N×N) Hessian matrix. The formulas in this method for different parallel mechanisms have unified forms and consequently the method is convenient for programming. The more complicated the mechanism is (for instance, the mechanism has more kinematic limbs or pairs), the more effective the method is. In the rear part of the paper, mechanisms 5-DoF 3-R(CRR) and 5-DoF 3-(RRR)(RR) are analyzed as examples.
A Mathematical Model Predicting the Minimum Meniscus Radius in Mixed Particles
Authors: Cheng P. , Ma H. B.
Published: March 2007

The minimum meniscus radius occurring in the heat pipe determines the maximum capillary heat transport. The accurate prediction of minimum meniscus radii plays a key role in designing a highly efficient heat pipe cooling device. In the current investigation, a mathematical model predicting the minimum meniscus radius occurring in the sintered particles is developed. If the particle size distribution is given, the model can be used to predict the minimum meniscus radii in sintered particles.
A New Method to Analyze Spatial Binary Mechanisms With Spherical Pairs
Authors: Lin Psang Dain , Hsieh Jung-Fa
Published: March 2007

One of the most popular mathematical tools in the fields of robotics and mechanisms is the Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) notation (Denavit and Hartenberg, 1955, J. Appl. Mech., 77, pp. 215–221). It is valid only for mechanisms containing prismatic, revolute, helical, and cylindrical pairs, but cannot be applied to spherical pairs. This paper presents an extended DH notation that includes spherical pairs, consequently allowing the required independent parameters of any spatial binary mechanism to be listed for purposes of analysis and synthesis. Further, the interference-free region with maximum ball-retention capability of a socket in a spherical pair can be determined analytically. Extended DH notation can systematically model arbitrary binary mechanisms with spherical pairs, simplifying their design and study.
Superelement-Based Modeling of Load Distribution in Large-Size Slewing Bearings
Authors: Smolnicki Tadeusz , Rusiński Eugeniusz
Published: March 2007

The supporting structures in large-size slewing bearings are highly flexible. In order to choose the proper bearing and shape the load-carrying structure one must estimate the distribution of forces among the individual rolling elements. Advanced numerical models are needed for this. An original method of modeling the rolling element-track system is presented and its usefulness for modeling large-size bearings is demonstrated. The results of an exemplary analysis are presented in the form of graphs and figures. The superelement-based discrete bearing models are so far most comprehensive and take into account all the phenomena involved in the bearing-supporting structures system. The application of the finite-element method and the models based on the track-rolling element-track superelement made it possible to determine the effect of the deformability of the supporting structures and the nonuniformity of their flexibility on the loading of the rolling elements in the two-row bearing. The use of formulas which do not take into account the flexibility of the supporting structures to determine the distribution of the load among the rolling elements is unacceptable.