bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are you sitting comfortably? The political economy of the body
Authors: Wilkin Peter
Published: January 2009

The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between the mass production of furniture in modern industrial societies and lower back pain (LBP). The latter has proven to be a major cost to health services and private industry throughout the industrialised world and now represents a global health issue as recent WHO reports on obesity and LBP reveal. Thus far there have been few co‐ordinated attempts to deal with the causes of the problem through public policy. Drawing upon a range of sources in anthropology, health studies, politics and economics, the paper argues that this a modern social problem rooted in the contingent conjuncture of natural and social causal mechanisms. The key question it raises is: what are the appropriate mechanisms for addressing this problem? This paper develops an analysis rooted in libertarian social theory and argues that both the state and the capitalist market are flawed mechanisms for resolving this problem. There remains a fundamental dilemma for libertarians, however. Whilst the state and the market may well be flawed mechanisms, they are the dominant ones shaping global political economy. To what extent can libertarians work within these structures and remain committed to libertarian goals?
Which News Moves the Euro Area Bond Market?
Authors: Andersson Magnus , Sebestyén Szabolcs , Overby Lars Jul
Published: January 2009

This paper explores a long dataset (1999-2005) of intraday prices on German long-term bond futures and examines market responses to major macroeconomic announcements and ECB monetary policy releases. German bond markets tend to react more strongly to the surprise component in US macro releases compared with aggregated and national euro area and UK releases, and the strength of those reactions to US releases has increased over the period considered. We also document that the numbers of German unemployed workers consistently have been known to investors before official releases.
Competition Tests with a Non-Structural Model: the Panzar–Rosse Method Applied to Germany’s Savings Banks
Authors: Gischer Horst , Stiele Mike
Published: January 2009

In this paper we adopt the Panzar-Rosse approach to assess the competitive conditions in the German banking market for the period from 1993 to 2002.We suggest several improvements to the empirical application of the approach and show that frequently used empirical models that apply price rather than revenue functions lead to biased results. Using disaggregated annual data from more than 400 savings banks (Sparkassen) the empirical findings indicate monopolistic competition, the cases of monopoly and perfect competition are strongly rejected. Furthermore, small banks seem to enjoy even more market power than larger institutions.
Why jackknifing yields good latency estimates
Authors: Miller Jeff , Ulrich Rolf , Schwarz Wolfgang
Published: January 2009

We compared individual‐participant and jackknife‐based methods for scoring the onset latencies of event‐related potential (ERP) components using a diffusion process as a model for an ERP. We studied “ramp‐like” components in which the true ERP increases or decreases monotonically, except for noise. If the growth rates of such components vary across participants, the jackknife‐based measure can easily have only 10%–20% as much error variance as the traditional method, and this advantage is magnified with more participants. We also studied ∩‐shaped or “bump‐like” components. Jackknifing generally yielded smaller error variances with these components too, especially when the component's peak amplitude varied across participants, but less so if the component's peak latency varied. These results help illuminate the reasons for the superiority of jackknife‐based onset latency measures over traditional measures in recent simulations.
Precues enable multiple response preprogramming: Evidence from startle
Authors: Carlsen Anthony N. , Chua Romeo , Summers Jeffrey J. , Inglis J. Timothy , Sanderson David J. , Franks Ian M.
Published: January 2009

When one or more response dimensions in a choice reaction time (RT) task are provided beforehand (or precued), RT decreases, indicating that the precued part of a response was prepared in advance. In this study, a startling acoustic stimulus was used to investigate the amount of preprogramming that occurs when part of the response is precued because a startling stimulus has been shown to directly trigger preprogrammed responses. Participants performed wrist flexion/extension movements in a precued one to four choice RT paradigm. A control auditory stimulus (82 dB) or a startling acoustic stimulus (124 dB) accompanied the visual “go” signal on each trial. Although RT latencies were significantly reduced by the startle, many more errors were observed in the startled conditions. Importantly, the errors seen at short RT latencies largely reflected multiple movements to the cued response alternatives, suggesting that multiple responses were preprogrammed.
Sensory detection thresholds are modulated across the cardiac cycle: Evidence that cutaneous sensibility is greatest for systolic stimulation
Authors: Edwards L. , Ring C. , McIntyre D. , Winer J. B. , Martin U.
Published: January 2009

The visceral afferent feedback hypothesis proposes that sensorimotor function is impaired by cortical inhibition associated with increased baroreceptor activation. This study is the first to examine the effects of naturally occurring variations in baroreceptor activity across the cardiac cycle on cutaneous sensory detection thresholds. In each trial, an electrocutaneous stimulus was delivered to the index finger at one of three intervals (0, 300, 600 ms) after the R‐wave of the electrocardiogram. Separate interleaving up‐down staircases were used to determine the 50% detection threshold for each R‐wave to stimulation interval. Cutaneous sensory detection thresholds were lower for stimuli presented at R+300 ms than R+0 ms or R+600 ms. The finding that cutaneous sensibility was greater when stimulated during systole than diastole may be accounted for by a modified afferent feedback hypothesis.
Developmental co‐ordination disorder (DCD) in adolescents and adults in further and higher education
Authors: Kirby Amanda , Sugden David , Beveridge Sally , Edwards Lisa
Published: January 2009

Few studies have looked at the strengths and weaknesses and needs of students with developmenal co‐ordination disorder (DCD). This paper describes a cohort of 93 UK students currently studying at further or higher education and who have reported motor difficulties present since childhood. The study group consisted of 21 reporting to have DCD only, 38 with DCD plus another diagnosis (a combination of any of the following: dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), learning difficulties); 23 subjects reporting dyslexia only, and 11 students who have not been formally diagnosed.

The aim of this study was to first ascertain the similarities and differences between the students in the type of support received in childhood and while at university. The second goal was to examine the reported strengths and difficulties and see how they vary for each subgroup.

The DCD group reported higher levels of motor‐related difficulties such as handwriting and also executive functioning difficulties. They also had higher levels of professional support given in childhood and were also more likely to be living at home with parents compared with the dyslexia group. Despite different types of difficulties reported in the DCD group, the range of student support given across all groups was similar. Significantly more of the dyslexia group were reported to be in receipt of disability student allowance than the DCD group. The DCD and other disorders group were seen to be an intermediary group in most of the areas studied.
Chronic copper exposure exacerbates both amyloid and tau pathology and selectively dysregulates cdk5 in a mouse model of AD
Authors: Kitazawa Masashi , Cheng David , LaFerla Frank M.
Published: January 2009

Excess copper exposure is thought to be linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) neuropathology. However, the mechanism by which copper affects the CNS remains unclear. To investigate the effect of chronic copper exposure on both beta‐amyloid and tau pathologies, we treated young triple transgenic (3×Tg‐AD) mice with 250 ppm copper‐containing water for a period of 3 or 9 months. Copper exposure resulted in altered amyloid precursor protein processing; increased accumulation of the amyloid precursor protein and its proteolytic product, C99 fragment, along with increased generation of amyloid‐beta peptides and oligomers. These changes were found to be mediated via up‐regulation of BACE1 as significant increases in BACE1 levels and deposits were detected around plaques in mice following copper exposure. Furthermore, tau pathology within hippocampal neurons was exacerbated in copper‐exposed 3×Tg‐AD group. Increased tau phosphorylation was closely correlated with aberrant cdk5/p25 activation, suggesting a role for this kinase in the development of copper‐induced tau pathology. Taken together, our data suggest that chronic copper exposure accelerates not only amyloid pathology but also tau pathology in a mouse model of AD.
Lithium enhances the neuronal differentiation of neural progenitor cellsin vitroand after transplantation into the avulsed ventral horn of adult rats through the secretion of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor
Authors: Su Huanxing , Zhang Wenming , Guo Jiasong , Guo Anchen , Yuan Qiuju , Wu Wutian
Published: January 2009

This study was undertaken to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which lithium regulates the development of spinal cord‐derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs)in vitroand after transplantedin vivo. Our results show that lithium at the therapeutic concentration significantly increases the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of NPCsin vitro.Specific ELISAs, western blotting, and quantitative real‐time RT‐PCR assays demonstrate that lithium treatment significantly elevates the expression and production of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by NPCs in culture. Application of a BDNF neutralizing antibody in culture leads to a marked reduction in the neurogenesis of lithium‐treated NPCs to the control level. However, it shows no effects on the proliferation of lithium‐treated NPCs. These findings suggest that the BDNF pathway is possibly involved in the supportive role of lithium in inducing NPC neurogenesis but not proliferation. This study also provides evidence that lithium is able to elevate the neuronal generation and BDNF production of NPCs after transplantation into the adult rat ventral horn with motoneuron degeneration because of spinal root avulsion, which highlights the therapeutic potential of lithium in cell replacement strategies for spinal cord injury because of its ability to promote neuronal differentiation and BDNF production of grafted NPCs in the injured spinal cord.
U18666A, a cholesterol‐inhibition agent, modulates human neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors heterologously expressed in SH‐EP1 cell line
Authors: Zheng Chao , Wang Meng‐Ya , Liu Qiang , Wakui Makoto , Whiteaker Paul , Lukas Ronald J. , Wu Jie
Published: January 2009

In this study, we evaluate the effects of (3β)‐3‐[2‐(diethylamino)ethoxy]androst‐5‐en‐17‐one dihydrochloride (U18666A), a cholesterol synthesis/transporter inhibitor, on selected human neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) heterologously expressed in the SH‐EP1 cell line using whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings. The results indicate that with 2‐min pretreatment, U18666A inhibited different nAChR subtypes with a rank‐order of potency (IC50of whole‐cell peak current): α4β2 (8.0 ± 3.0 nM) > α3β2 (1.7 ± 0.4 μM) > α4β4 (26 ± 7.2 μM) > α7 (> 100 μM), suggesting this compound is more selective to α4β2‐nAChRs. Thus, the pharmacological profiles and mechanisms of U18666A acting on α4β2‐nAChRs were investigated in detail. U18666A suppresses both peak and steady state components of whole‐cell currents mediated by human α4β2‐nAChRs in response to nicotine. In nicotine‐induced concentration–response curves, U18666A reduces nicotine‐induced current at maximally effective agonist concentrations without influencing nicotine’s EC50value, suggesting a non‐competitive inhibition. U18666A‐induced inhibition of nAChR function is concentration‐, voltage‐, and use‐dependent, suggesting an open channel block. Taken into consideration of ∼10 000‐fold enhancement of the potency of U18666A after 2‐min pre‐treatment, this compound also likely inhibits α4β2‐nAChRs through a close channel block. In addition, the U18666A‐induced inhibition in α4β2‐nAChRs is not mediated by either increased receptor endocytosis or altered cell cholesterol. These data indicate that U18666A is a potent antagonist of α4β2‐nAChRs and may be useful as a tool in the functional characterization and pharmacological profiling of nAChRs, as well as a potential candidate for smoking cessation.
Lithium induces clearance of protease resistant prion protein in prion‐infected cells by induction of autophagy
Authors: Heiseke Andreas , Aguib Yasmine , Riemer Constanze , Baier Michael , Schätzl Hermann M.
Published: January 2009

Lithium is used for several decades to treat manic‐depressive illness (bipolar affective disorder). Recently, it was found that lithium induces autophagy, thereby promoting the clearance of mutant huntingtin and α‐synucleins in experimental systems. We show here for the first time that lithium significantly reduces the amount of pathological prion protein (PrPSc) in prion‐infected neuronal and non‐neuronal cultured cells by inducing autophagy. Treatment of prion‐infected cells with 3‐methyladenine, a potent inhibitor of autophagy, counteracted the anti‐prion effect of lithium, demonstrating that induction of autophagy mediates degradation of PrPSc. Co‐treatment with lithium and rapamycin, a drug widely used to induce autophagy, had an additive effect on PrPSc clearance compared to treatment with either drug alone. In addition, we provide evidence that the ability to reduce PrPSc and to induce autophagy is common for diverse lithium compounds, not only for the drug lithium chloride, usually administered in clinical therapy. Furthermore, we show here that besides reduction of PrPSc‐aggregates, lithium‐induced autophagy also slightly reduces the levels of cellular prion protein. Limiting the substrate available for conversion of cellular prion protein into PrPSc may provide an additional mechanism for reduction of PrPSc by lithium‐induced autophagy.
Rapid substrate‐induced down‐regulation in function and surface localization of dopamine transporters: rat dorsal striatum versus nucleus accumbens
Authors: Richards Toni L. , Zahniser Nancy R.
Published: January 2009

The dopamine transporter (DAT) substrates dopamine, d‐amphetamine (AMPH), and methamphetamine are known to rapidly and transiently reduce DAT activity and/or surface expression in dorsal striatum and heterologous expression systems. We sought to determine if similar substrate‐induced regulation of DATs occurs in rat nucleus accumbens. In dorsal striatum synaptosomes, brief (15‐min)in vitrosubstrate pre‐exposure markedly decreased maximal [3H]dopamine uptake velocity whereas identical substrate pre‐exposure in nucleus accumbens synaptosomes produced a smaller, non‐significant reduction. However, 45 min after systemic AMPH administration, maximalex vivo[3H]dopamine uptake velocity was significantly reduced in both brain regions. Protein kinase C inhibition blocked AMPH’s down‐regulation of DAT activity. DAT synaptosomal surface expression was not modified following either the briefin vitroorin vivoAMPH pre‐exposure but was reduced after a longer (1‐h)in vitropre‐exposure in both brain regions. Together, our findings suggest that relatively brief substrate exposure results in greater down‐regulation of DAT activity in dorsal striatum than in nucleus accumbens. Moreover, exposure to AMPH appears to regulate striatal DATs in a biphasic manner, with an initial protein kinase C‐dependent decrease in DAT‐mediated uptake velocity and then, with longer exposure, a reduction in DAT surface expression.
Proteomic analysis reveals novel binding partners of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1
Authors: Francesconi Anna , Kumari Ranju , Suzanne Zukin R.
Published: January 2009

Regulated trafficking of neurotransmitter receptors is critical to normal neurodevelopment and neuronal signaling. Group I mGluRs (mGluR1/5 and their splice variants) are G protein‐coupled receptors enriched at excitatory synapses, where they serve to modulate glutamatergic transmission. The mGluR1 splice variants mGluR1a and mGluR1b are broadly expressed in the central nervous system and differ in their signaling and trafficking properties. Several proteins have been identified that selectively interact with mGluR1a and participate in receptor trafficking but no proteins interacting with mGluR1b have thus far been reported. We have used a proteomic strategy to isolate and identify proteins that co‐purify with mGluR1b in Madin‐Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, an established model system for trafficking studies. Here, we report the identification of 10 novel candidate mGluR1b‐interacting proteins. Several of the identified proteins are structural components of the cell cytoskeleton, while others serve as cytoskeleton‐associated adaptors and motors or endoplasmic reticulum‐associated chaperones. Findings from this work will help unravel the complex cellular mechanisms underlying mGluR trafficking under physiological and pathological conditions.
Preliminary Analyses of Tympanic‐Membrane Motion from Holographic Measurements
Authors: Furlong C. , Rosowski J. J. , Hulli N. , Ravicz M. E.
Published: January 2009

Abstract:  Computer‐aided, personal computer (PC) based, optoelectronic holography (OEH) was used to obtain preliminary measurements of the sound‐induced displacement of the tympanic membrane (TM) of cadaver cats and chinchillas. Real‐time time‐averaged holograms, processed at video rates, were used to characterise the frequency dependence of TM displacements as tone frequency was swept from 400 Hz to 20 kHz. Stroboscopic holography was used at selected frequencies to measure, in full‐field‐of‐view, displacements of the TM surface with nanometer resolution. These measurements enable the determination and the characterisation of inward and outward displacements of the TM. The time‐averaged holographic data suggest standing wave patterns on the cat’s TM surface, which move from simple uni‐modal or bi‐modal patterns at low frequencies, through complicated multimodal patterns above 3 kHz, to highly ordered arrangements of displacement waves with tone frequencies above 15 kHz. The frequency boundaries of the different wave patterns are lower in chinchilla (simple patterns below 600 Hz, ordered patterns above 4 kHz) than cat. The stroboscopic holography measurements indicate wave‐like motion patterns on the TM surface, where the number of wavelengths captured along sections of the TM increased with stimulus frequency with as many as 11 wavelengths visible on the chinchilla TM at 16 kHz. Counts of the visible number of wavelengths on TM sections with different sound stimulus frequency provided estimates of wave velocity along the TM surface that ranged from 5 m s−1 at frequencies below 8 kHz and increased to 25 m s−1 by 20 kHz.
Assessment of Pre‐Stress Losses in Instrumented Pre‐Stressed Concrete Beams Using Stochastic Analysis
Authors: Balaji Rao K. , Anoop M. B. , Sreeshylam P. , Sridhar S. , Kesavan K. , Ravisankar K.
Published: January 2009

Abstract:  In this study, stochastic analyses of pre‐stress losses in two pre‐stressed concrete beams are carried out, and the results of the analyses are compared with those obtained from the laboratory experimental investigations. The deterministic models given in ACI 209 (with modelling error) are used for predicting the pre‐stress losses. The compressive strength of concrete, water–cement ratio, coarse aggregate–cement ratio, fine aggregate–cement ratio, cement content, initial stress in steel and relative humidity are considered as random variables. Monte Carlo simulation technique is used to determine the statistical properties of pre‐stress losses at different times. From the results obtained, it is noted that while the relaxation strain can be assumed to follow a normal distribution, the frequency distributions of creep and shrinkage strains are not uni‐modal. A relation for estimating total losses is also proposed in the article. The stochastic analysis approach presented in the article would be useful in the assessment of pre‐stress losses in existing pre‐stressed concrete members in a more rational way.
A Pilot Trial of the Alpha‐1 Adrenergic Antagonist, Prazosin, for Alcohol Dependence
Authors: Simpson Tracy L. , Saxon Andrew J. , Meredith Charles W. , Malte Carol A. , McBride Brittney , Ferguson Laura C. , Gross Christopher A. , Hart Kim L. , Raskind Murray
Published: January 2009

Background:  Current medications for alcohol dependence (AD) show only modest efficacy. None target brain noradrenergic pathways. Theory and preclinical evidence suggest that noradrenergic circuits may be involved in alcohol reinforcement and relapse. We therefore tested the α‐1 adrenergic receptor antagonist, prazosin, as a pharmacotherapy for AD.

Methods:  We randomized 24 participants with AD but without posttraumatic stress disorder to receive either prazosin or placebo in a 6‐week, double‐blind pilot study. Medication was titrated to a target dose of 4 mg QAM, 4 mg QPM, and 8 mg QHS by the end of week 2. Participants received 5 medical management treatment sessions. Participants were reminded 3 times each day via a text pager to take medications and to call a telephone monitoring system once daily to provide self‐reports of alcohol consumption and craving, the primary outcome measures. Results were analyzed using mixed linear regression adjusted for drinking days per week at baseline and week number.

Results:  Twenty of the 24 (83%) subjects completed. Among the completers, the prazosin group reported fewer drinking days per week than the placebo group during the final 3 weeks of the study. Since only 1 woman was randomized to placebo and only three women completed the trial, the following results focus on the 17 male completers. The prazosin group reported fewer drinking days per week and fewer drinks per week during the final 3 weeks of the study; average total number of drinking days for the placebo group 5.7 (SEM 1.9) versus 0.9 (SEM 0.5) for the prazosin group, and average total number of drinks 20.8 (SEM 6.5) for the placebo group versus 2.6 (SEM 1.3) for the prazosin group. Rates of adverse events were equivalent across conditions.

Conclusions:  Prazosin holds promise as a pharmacologic treatment for AD and deserves further evaluation in a larger controlled trial.
Patterns of Ethanol Intake in Preadolescent, Adolescent, and Adult Wistar Rats Under Acquisition, Maintenance, and Relapse‐Like Conditions
Authors: García‐Burgos David , González Felisa , Manrique Tatiana , Gallo Milagros
Published: January 2009

Background:  Animal behavioral models of voluntary ethanol consumption represent a valuable tool to investigate the relationship between age and propensity to consume alcohol using an experimental methodology. Although adolescence has been considered as a critical age, few are the studies that consider the preadolescence age. This study examines the ethanol consumption/preference and the propensity to show an alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) after a short voluntary ethanol exposure from a developmental perspective.

Methods:  Three groups of heterogeneous Wistar rats of both sexes with ad libitum food and water were exposed for 10 days to 3 ethanol solutions at 3 different ontogenetic periods: preadolescence (PN19), adolescence (PN28), and adulthood (PN90). Ethanol intake (including circadian rhythm), ethanol preference, water and food consumption, and ADE were measured.

Results:  During the exposure, the 3 groups differed in their ethanol intake; the greatest amount of alcohol (g/kg) was consumed by the preadolescent rats while the adolescents showed a progressive decrease in alcohol consumption as they approached the lowest adult levels by the end of the assessed period. The pattern of ethanol consumption was not fully explained in terms of hyperphagia and/or hyperdipsia at early ages, and showed a wholly circadian rhythm in adolescent rats. After an abstinence period of 7 days, adult rats showed an ADE measured both as an increment in ethanol consumption and preference, whereas adolescent rats only showed an increment in ethanol preference. Preadolescent rats decreased their consumption and their preference remained unchanged.

Conclusions:  In summary, using a short period of ethanol exposure and a brief deprivation period the results revealed a direct relationship between chronological age and propensity to consume alcohol, being the adolescence a transition period from the infant to the adult pattern of alcohol consumption. Preadolescent animals showed the highest ethanol consumption level. The ADE was only found in adult animals for both alcohol consumption and preference, whereas adolescents showed an ADE only for preference. No effect of sex was detected in any phase of the experiment.
Government Spending and the Taylor Principle
Authors: NATVIK GISLE JAMES
Published: January 2009

This paper explores how government size affects the scope for equilibrium indeterminacy in a New Keynesian economy, where part of the population live hand‐to‐mouth. The main result is that a higher level of public consumption is likely to generate indeterminacy and render the Taylor principle insufficient as criterion for equilibrium uniqueness. This holds even though fiscal policy serves to reduce swings in current income. Only if government consumption is a substitute for private consumption, will it narrow the scope for indeterminacy. Hence monetary policy should be conducted with an eye to the amount and composition of government consumption.
The Long‐Run Fisher Effect: Can It Be Tested?
Authors: JENSEN MARK J.
Published: January 2009

In this paper, I provide a plausible explanation as to why past studies have been unable to find support for the long‐run Fisher effect. My argument is that exogenous shocks to the inflation rates in industrialized economies have not produced the permanent change to inflation necessary for testing the Fisher effect. Instead of finding a nonstationary, unit‐root process for inflation like previous Fisher effect studies, here each country's inflation rate is found to follow a mean‐reverting, fractionally integrated, long‐memory process. Applying a bivariate, maximum likelihood estimator to a multivariate, fractionally integrated model of inflation and nominal interest, I find that the estimated inflation rates in 17 developed countries are highly persistent, fractionally integrated, mean‐reverting processes with order of integration parameters significantly less than one. Since a permanent change to inflation has not occurred, a test of whether a permanent change to inflation affects the nominal interest rate one‐for‐one will be uninformative as to the truth or fallacy of the Fisher effect hypothesis.
Pass‐Through of Exchange Rates and Competition between Floaters and Fixers
Authors: BERGIN PAUL R. , FEENSTRA ROBERT C.
Published: January 2009

This paper studies how a rise in the share of U.S. imports from China, or any country with a fixed exchange rate, can explain a disproportionate fall in exchange rate pass‐through to U.S. import prices. A theoretical model provides an explanation working through changes in markups, showing that a particular “local bias” condition is necessary and that free entry amplifies the effect. The model produces a structural equation for pass‐through regressions including the China share; panel regressions over 1993–2006 indicate that the rising share of trade from China or other exchange rate fixers can explain as much as one‐half of the observed decline in pass‐through for the United States.
Exchange Rate Pass‐Through in a Competitive Model of Pricing‐to‐Market
Authors: AUER RAPHAEL , CHANEY THOMAS
Published: January 2009

This paper extends the Mussa and Rosen (1978) model of quality pricing under perfect competition. Exporters sell goods of different qualities to consumers who have heterogeneous preferences for quality. Production is subject to decreasing returns to scale and, therefore, supply and the toughness of competition react to cost changes brought about by exchange rate fluctuations. First, we predict that exchange rate shocks are imperfectly passed through into prices. Second, prices of low‐quality goods are more sensitive to exchange rate shocks than prices of high‐quality goods. Third, in response to an exchange rate appreciation, the composition of exports shifts toward higher quality and more expensive goods. We test these predictions using highly disaggregated price and quantity U.S. import data and find only weak empirical evidence in support of our theory.
Crisis Is Endemic to the Financial System
Authors: SOROS GEORGE
Published: January 2009

As British Prime Minister Gordon Brown notes in this section, we are witnessing the birth pangs of a new global order in this deepest financial and economic crash since the Great Depression. There will be plenty of pain all around for a while. And when the quarter‐century leveraged‐debt bubble of the United States—the explosion of which detonated the crash—is finally unwound, the new global balance will favor an Asia flush with cash. The G‐20 will replace the G‐7 as the executive committee of globalization. And, if wise leadership stays the course, there will be a “green lining” to the recovery as the fiscal stimulus is imbued with an environmental sensibility.
China's Stimulus and the Fall of the Dollar
Authors: ATTALI JACQUES
Published: January 2009

As British Prime Minister Gordon Brown notes in this section, we are witnessing the birth pangs of a new global order in this deepest financial and economic crash since the Great Depression. There will be plenty of pain all around for a while. And when the quarter‐century leveraged‐debt bubble of the United States—the explosion of which detonated the crash—is finally unwound, the new global balance will favor an Asia flush with cash. The G‐20 will replace the G‐7 as the executive committee of globalization. And, if wise leadership stays the course, there will be a “green lining” to the recovery as the fiscal stimulus is imbued with an environmental sensibility.
Market Volatility Is the Highest Since Hoover‐FDR Transition
Authors: ENGLE ROBERT
Published: January 2009

As British Prime Minister Gordon Brown notes in this section, we are witnessing the birth pangs of a new global order in this deepest financial and economic crash since the Great Depression. There will be plenty of pain all around for a while. And when the quarter‐century leveraged‐debt bubble of the United States—the explosion of which detonated the crash—is finally unwound, the new global balance will favor an Asia flush with cash. The G‐20 will replace the G‐7 as the executive committee of globalization. And, if wise leadership stays the course, there will be a “green lining” to the recovery as the fiscal stimulus is imbued with an environmental sensibility.
In Bailing Out Detroit, Break US Oil Dependence
Authors: WOOLSEY JAMES
Published: January 2009

As British Prime Minister Gordon Brown notes in this section, we are witnessing the birth pangs of a new global order in this deepest financial and economic crash since the Great Depression. There will be plenty of pain all around for a while. And when the quarter‐century leveraged‐debt bubble of the United States—the explosion of which detonated the crash—is finally unwound, the new global balance will favor an Asia flush with cash. The G‐20 will replace the G‐7 as the executive committee of globalization. And, if wise leadership stays the course, there will be a “green lining” to the recovery as the fiscal stimulus is imbued with an environmental sensibility.
Muslims Will Be Disappointed
Authors: ALI AYAAN HIRSI
Published: January 2009

America is more a creed than a nation. Our promise has always been that all individuals, despite race, religion or gender, have the equal chance to make it. The election of Barack Hussein Obama as president of the United States is thus a “soft power” coup for America's global image, which had lost its luster during the Bush years. Obama is the anti‐Bush who will lead by the power of example instead of the example of power. Yet, there are real limits. Can the power of example stop the North Korean or Iranian nuclear programs? Can it stop jihadists bent on establishing a new Caliphate across South Asia? Can it limit China's ambitions as the new power in Asia? In this section commentators from across the world offer their views.
Afghanistan Needs Teachers and Clean Water as Much as More Troops
Authors: HOSSEINI KHALED
Published: January 2009

America is more a creed than a nation. Our promise has always been that all individuals, despite race, religion or gender, have the equal chance to make it. The election of Barack Hussein Obama as president of the United States is thus a “soft power” coup for America's global image, which had lost its luster during the Bush years. Obama is the anti‐Bush who will lead by the power of example instead of the example of power. Yet, there are real limits. Can the power of example stop the North Korean or Iranian nuclear programs? Can it stop jihadists bent on establishing a new Caliphate across South Asia? Can it limit China's ambitions as the new power in Asia? In this section commentators from across the world offer their views.
Can Renal Acute Tubular Necrosis Be Differentiated from Autolysis at Autopsy?*
Authors: Kocovski Linda , Duflou Johan
Published: January 2009

Abstract:  We investigate the morphological characteristics that may differentiate between ischemic acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and autolysis in postmortem samples. Renal tissue from 57 postmortem cases with an antemortem diagnosis of ATN and 57 age‐/sex‐matched control cases were examined for 10 morphological characteristics: epithelial proliferation (Ki‐67 immunoperoxidase positivity), fibrin thrombi, tubular epithelial whorls, mitoses, casts, autolysis, tubulorrhexis, epithelial flattening, interstitial inflammation, and interstitial expansion. Tubular epithelial whorls were found in 16 ATN cases and were absent in controls. These findings suggest that specific morphological criteria may distinguish ischemic ATN from autolysis. Diagnoses of ATN may be confirmed using these combined criteria as contributing to cause of death and/or to ascertain previously undiagnosed cases of ATN postmortem.
Improved wound stability with a modified minimally invasive surgical technique in the regenerative treatment of isolated interdental intrabony defects
Authors: Cortellini Pierpaolo , Tonetti Maurizio S.
Published: January 2009

Aims: This paper describes a modified surgical approach of the minimally invasive surgical technique (modified minimally invasive surgical technique, M‐MIST) and preliminarily evaluates its applicability and clinical performances in the treatment of isolated deep intrabony defects in combination with amelogenins.

Material and Methods: Twenty deep isolated intrabony defects in 20 patients were studied. Fifteen were surgically accessed with the M‐MIST, while in five sites, which presented a lingual intrabony component, the conventional MIST had to be applied. The M‐MIST consisted of a buccal incision of the defect‐associated papilla, according to the principles of the papilla preservation techniques. Only a buccal flap was raised while the interdental papilla was left in situ. The granulation tissue filling the defect was dissected and removed, leaving the interdental and palatal tissues untouched. Root instrumentation and application of the regenerative material were performed before suturing. Primary closure of the flaps was attained with a single internal modified mattress suture. Surgery was performed with the aid of an operating microscope and microsurgical instruments.

Results: The surgical chair‐time of the M‐MIST‐treated sites (N=15) was 56±8.64 min. Early wound healing was uneventful: primary wound closure was attained and maintained in all sites. No oedema or haematoma was noted. Patients did not report pain or discomfort. The 1‐year clinical attachment level (CAL) gain was 4.5±1.4 mm in defects 6±1.5 mm deep. Residual probing depths (PDs) were 3.1±0.6 mm. A minimal increase of 0.1±0.3 mm in gingival recession between baseline and 1 year was observed.

Conclusions: M‐MIST was applicable on 15 isolated interproximal defects out of 20 selected ones. It resulted in very limited patient morbidity and excellent clinical improvements. These outcomes should be confirmed in a larger study.
Implants placed in combination with an internal sinus lift without graft material: an analysis of short‐term failure
Authors: Gabbert Olaf , Koob Andreas , Schmitter Marc , Rammelsberg Peter
Published: January 2009

Aim: Investigation of the short‐term survival of implants placed in combination with an internal sinus lift (ISL) without graft material.

Material and Methods: Thirty‐six patients received 92 screw‐shaped dental implants in combination with an ISL. No bone grafts or bone substitutes were used. Forty‐four patients with 77 implants in the native posterior maxilla served as controls. X‐rays taken after implant placement and 6 months later were evaluated for the presence of bone gain at the apical aspect of the implants. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis were used to estimate survival curves and to isolate risk factors for implant failures.

Results: Within a mean observation period of 1.2 years (minimum 9 months; maximum 3.7 years), four failures were recorded in the experimental group and two in the controls. The probability of survival was above 94% for both groups. Six–nine months after surgery, bone gain was observed in 29 out of 92 implants. Comparison of the experimental group and controls revealed no effect of ISL and membrane perforation on the probability of survival.

Conclusions: Promising short‐term outcomes were observed for implants with ISL without graft material; for a substantial proportion of implants, apical bone gain was observed in the first 6–9 months.
The worldwide airline network and the dispersal of exotic species: 2007–2010
Authors: Tatem Andrew J.
Published: January 2009

International air travel has played a significant role in driving recent increases in the rates of biological invasion and spread of infectious diseases. By providing high speed, busy transport links between spatially distant, but climatically similar regions of the world, the worldwide airline network (WAN) increases the risks of deliberate or accidental movements and establishment of climatically sensitive exotic organisms. With traffic levels continuing to rise and climates changing regionally, these risks will vary, both seasonally and year‐by‐year. Here, detailed estimates of air traffic trends and climate changes for the period 2007‐2010 are used to examine the likely directions and magnitudes of changes in climatically sensitive organism invasion risk across the WAN. Analysis of over 144 million flights from 2007‐2010 shows that by 2010, the WAN is likely to change little overall in terms of connecting regions with similar climates, but anticipated increases in traffic and local variations in climatic changes should increase the risks of exotic species movement on the WAN and establishment in new areas. These overall shifts mask spatially and temporally heterogenous changes across the WAN, where, for example, traffic increases and climatic convergence by July 2010 between parts of China and northern Europe and North America raise the likelihood of exotic species invasions, whereas anticipated climatic shifts may actually reduce invasion risks into much of eastern Europe.
A case of primary testicular germ cell tumor with rhabdomyosarcoma metastases as an example of applying the FISH method to diagnostic pathology
Authors: KORSKI KONSTANTY , BREBOROWICZ DANUTA , FILAS VIOLETTA , BREBOROWICZ JAN , GRYGALEWICZ BEATA , PIENKOWSKA‐GRELA BARBARA
Published: January 2009

We present the interesting case of a 38‐year‐old man with a primary malignant tumor of the right testis that metachronously metastasized to the urinary bladder and the stomach. Histologically, the testicular tumor was a mixed germ cell tumor composed of teratoma and embryonal carcinoma, but it also contained a sarcoma component of somatic type malignancy. Metastases showed rhabdomyoblastic differentiation histologically identical to the sarcoma component of the testicular tumor that was diagnosed as rhabdomyosarcoma. By applying fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to the cytogenetic examination of cells taken from the periventricular lymph node metastases, we demonstrated a structural chromosomal aberration characteristic of testicular neoplasms, i.e. the presence of isochromosome 12p (i(12p)). Additionally, the diagnosis was supported by immunohistochemistry.
Expression of CD44s and CD44v6 in transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder: comparison with tumour grade, proliferative activity and p53 immunoreactivity of tumour cells
Authors: KUNCOVÁ JITKA , URBAN MICHAEL , MANDYS VÁCLAV
Published: January 2009

Alterations of CD44 glycoproteins have been shown to play an important role in progression of various malignancies, including urothelial cancer. We investigated expression patterns of CD44s and CD44v6 in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder in relation to tumour grade, proliferative activity, and immunoreactivity for p53. The selected markers were detected immunohistochemically in 122 samples of TCC. We found a close relationship between CD44s and CD44v6 expression and tumour grade. The extension of positive staining for CD44s and CD44v6 towards the luminal surface was a predominant feature of differentiated carcinomas (grades 1 and 2), suggesting deranged maturation of cancer cells related to their neoplastic transformation. Heterogeneous expression of CD44s and CD44v6 predominated in poorly differentiated tumours (G3–4). However, areas of squamous differentiation within the high‐grade tumours displayed strong immunoreactivity for both CD44s and CD44v6. The proliferative activity and p53 overexpression increased with the dedifferentiation of the tumour. The results of this study are discussed in relation to the significance of CD44 expression in TCC and to the explanation for controversial results reported in previous studies on the relationship between CD44 expression and the biological behaviour of urothelial cells.
Prichard's structures of the fossa ovalis are age‐related phenomena composed of nonreplicating endothelial cells: the cardiac equivalent of cutaneous senile angioma
Authors: VAL‐BERNAL J. FERNANDO , MARTINO MARÍA , MAYORGA MARTA , GARIJO M. FRANCISCA
Published: January 2009

Prichard's structures or minute endocardial deformities with lacunas of capillary size lined by plump endothelial cells located in the fossa ovalis are an age‐related alteration of unknown origin. In this report the histogenesis, the proliferative potential and the incidence in the aged of these structures are investigated. We have undertaken a prospective histological study of the fossa ovalis in a series of 111 consecutive hearts of patients aged ≥70 years obtained at autopsy. Included in this study was immunohistochemical staining for vimentin, CD31, CD34, thrombomodulin, c‐kit (CD117), Ki67 (MIB1) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in six cases showing these structures. Prichard's structures were observed in 50 hearts (45%), and were more frequent in males. We confirmed that these structures are age‐related phenomena. Subendothelial structures were more common than intracavitary structures. Most individuals had Prichard's structures located on the right side; however, the structures were more numerous on the left side of the fossa ovalis. The immunohistochemical study revealed that Prichard's structures consisted of adult, fully differentiated, postmitotic‐type endothelial cells. We suggest that Prichard's structures are formed by infolding of the endothelial lining of the endocardium of the fossa ovalis as an irritational response to altered blood flow, eddies or turbulence. A parallel can be established between Prichard's structures and senile angiomas as both structures increase with age; they are not genuine neoplasms; and they are overgrowths made up of endothelial cells with terminal differentiation. We propose that Prichard's structures are the cardiac equivalent of cutaneous senile angioma.
Virus‐based immunotherapy of cancer: what do we know and where are we going?
Authors: SØRENSEN MARIA RATHMANN , THOMSEN ALLAN RANDRUP
Published: January 2009

Raising an efficient and sustained immune response to a growing tumour is extremely challenging, as tumours not only lack the capacity to induce an environment optimal for induction of the relevant immune response, but also tend to promote the development of very efficient immunosuppressive mechanisms. This review aims to evaluate selected cancer vaccination approaches using virus‐based cancer vaccines. These seem promising based on their capacity to mimic natural infection and hence to efficiently trigger the innate immune system and in turn a potent cellular immune response towards the tumours. However, even when a potent immune response has been induced, this is often not sufficient to eliminate the tumour completely before the cancer cells have had time to evolve new escape mechanisms as a result of the selection pressure from the initial immune response directed towards them. Therefore, it is very likely that it is necessary to combine a therapeutic tumour vaccine with immunomodulating strategies in order to accomplish effective tumour degradation or at least to hinder metastasis. Some of the immunosuppressive mechanisms worth trying to manipulate will be discussed in this review.
Rapid tumour‐like growth of giant filiform polyposis in a patient without a history of chronic bowel inflammation
Authors: VAINER BEN , JESS TINE , ANDERSEN PAAL SKYTT
Published: January 2009

Long‐term inflammation of the colonic mucosa during chronic inflammatory bowel disease with alternating periods of ulceration and healing may lead to the formation of finger‐like projections, so‐called filiform polyps. In rare cases, several filiform polyps form large tumour masses, termed giant filiform polyposis. We present a case of giant obstructing filiform polyposis in a patient without previous evidence of chronic bowel inflammation. The resected ascending colon from a 37‐year‐old woman was evaluated macroscopically and microscopically, and the presence of gene polymorphisms was studied by means of multiplex capillary electrophoresis single‐strand conformation polymorphism assay, DNA sequencing, TaqMan analysis, and restriction enzyme cleavage. The giant filiform polyposis was restricted to a 15 cm segment of the ascending colon, and the remaining colonic mucosa was entirely without inflammatory changes. During the post‐operative follow‐up period, the patient developed symptoms and signs of distal bowel inflammation. Gene polymorphism studies were inconclusive as to Crohn's disease. In conclusion, we present an unusual pathological entity of giant filiform polyposis, which developed relatively rapidly in a colon without any history or macroscopic changes suggestive of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Although the patient subsequently developed symptoms in keeping with Crohn's disease, studies of genetic polymorphism were unable to confirm this notion, and colorectal tissue has not been sampled postoperatively for histological evaluation.