bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence of musculoskeletal pain and rheumatic disorders in a Bangladeshi rural community: a WHO‐APLAR‐COPCORD study
Authors: HAQ Syed Atiqul , DARMAWAN John , ISLAM Md. Nazrul , AHMED Moniruzzaman , BANIK Sree Krisna , Fazlur Rahman A. K. M. , ALAM Mohammad Noor , TAHIR Mohammad , RASKER J. J.
Published: September 2008

Aim:  To estimate the incidence of musculoskeletal pain and rheumatic disorders in a Bangladeshi rural community.

Methods:  This study was conducted in six villages near Dhaka from January 2001 to June 2002. Door‐to‐door case finding by interviewers was followed by interviewing and examination of positive respondents by trained doctors. The respondents with inflammatory arthropathies were reviewed 5 years later, in December 2006.

Results:  Four hundred and forty‐one (M = 163, F = 278) out of 2685 adults (M = 1324, F = 1361) developed new musculoskeletal pain yielding an incidence rates of 10.9/100 person‐years (PY) (M = 8.2, F = 13.6). The incidence was highest in the 35–44‐year age group in both genders. It was highest in housewives, followed by weavers and cultivators. The spine (7.5/100 PY) was the most common affected part followed by knees (6.5), shoulder (6.2) and neck (6.2). The most common cause of new musculoskeletal pain was non‐specific low back pain, followed by fibromyalgia and knee osteoarthritis. Forty‐one subjects (M = 17, F = 24) developed inflammatory joint or spinal pain (1000/100,000 PY). The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis, combined spondyloarthropothies, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthropathy and psoriatic arthritis were 120 (M = 101, F = 147), 150 (M = 252, F = 49), 75 (M = 151, F = 0), 50 (M = 101, F = 0) and 25 (M = 0, F = 49) per 100,000 PY, respectively. Thirty‐one cases had undiagnosed arthropathies (770/100,000 PY). Seven were unavailable in December, 2006 and one died. The remaining 23 were symptom‐free.

Conclusions:  The incidence of musculoskeletal pain and rheumatic disorders is considerable in this Bangladeshi rural community. Common incident disorders are non‐specific low back pain, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis of knees. Inflammatory arthropathies are not common. The majority of undiagnosed arthopathies undergo spontaneous lasting remission.
Dermatomyositis/polymyositis associated with malignancy: our experience with ten patients and review of relevant literature
Authors: TEMBE A. G. , RAMTEKE S. , JOSHI V. R. , BALAKRISHNAN C.
Published: September 2008

Objective:  To analyse the clinical and laboratory data of patients diagnosed with malignancy associated dermatomyositis/polymyositis (DM/PM) seen between January 2002 and February 2007.

Methods:  The demographic, clinical, treatment and follow‐up data from the case records of all 10 patients diagnosed with malignancy‐associated inflammatory muscle diseases (IMD) namely, DM/PM, were entered in a proforma and analysed.

Results:  In patient nos. 1–8, malignancy was diagnosed prior to the diagnosis of myositis; in patient no. 9, it was detected during screening and patient no. 10 developed breast cancer 5 years after PM diagnosis. All the patients had typical clinical and laboratory features of IMD, except two patients, who had amyopathic dermatomyositis with predominantly cutaneous features, creatine kinase levels less than two times the upper limit of normal and minimal muscle weakness. Breast cancer (6/10) and ovarian cancer (3/10) were the most commonly associated malignancies. All but one (patient no. 8) responded to treatment. Malignancy relapsed in four patients with concurrent relapse of myositis in three. These three patients died of the malignancy. One patient was lost to follow‐up. The mean duration of follow‐up in others was 21 months (range 12–60 months).

Conclusion:  DM is more commonly associated with malignancy. Carcinoma of the breast was the most commonly associated malignancy. Myositis responded in most patients. Death was due to the underlying malignancy. In most cases, the two conditions occur within 1 year.
Prolactin and macroprolactin in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: JOKAR Mohammadhassan , MAYBODI Naser TAYYEBI , AMINI Azam , FARD Mohammadreza HATEF
Published: September 2008

Aim:  The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma levels of prolactin and macroprolactin in a group of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and to determine if prolactin and macroprolactin concentrations were related to disease activity, clinical features or serological abnormalities.

Methods:  Ninety consecutive Iranian patients with SLE were tested for serum prolactin and macroprolactin levels. Total prolactin was measured directly in serum samples by radioimmunoassay. Free prolactin was extracted from the serum using polyethylene glycol. Clinical manifestation and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) were recorded. Auto antibodies were determined by standard techniques.

Results:  There were 90 patients (7 male, 83 female) with a mean age of 27.6 ± 9.1 (range 14–52). The mean disease duration was 27.6 ± 9.1 months. The frequency of high prolactin and macroprolactin, respectively, was 10% (9/90) and 5.6% (5/90) in patients with SLE. Macroprolactinemia was found in 55.55% (5/9) of hyperprolactinemic patients. Lupus activity was present in 63.3% (57/90) of patients without a significant difference in the frequency of high serum prolactin and macroprolactin levels when compared to inactive lupus. There were no statistically significant differences regarding demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics between the group of patients with macroprolactinemia and the group without macroprolactinemia.

Conclusion:  Our results suggest that a subgroup of SLE patients have hyperprolactinemia and macroprolactinemia but they do not seem to have positive or negative correlation to clinical and laboratory features and disease activity.
Multicentre survey of rheumatoid arthritis patients from Ministry of Health Rheumatology Centers in Malaysia
Authors: SHAHRIR Mohd , SHAHDAN Mohd , SHAHID Mohamed , SULAIMAN W. , MOKHTAR A. M. , OTHMAN M. , ROSMAN A. , ONG S. G. , LAU I. S. , ZAIN M. M. , YUSOF H. , ISMAIL A. , YUSOF A. , TAN B. E. , CHONG H. C. , HUSSEIN H. , EISHWARY M. , SHAHRIL N. A. , LIZA M. I. , GUN S. C. , LOH Y. L. , DE'SOUZA B. , YUSOF A.
Published: September 2008

Aim:  This is a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) descriptive study, the first of its kind carried out in Malaysia.

Methods:  This descriptive study involved 1084 RA patients’ epidemiological and clinical data taken from Selayang, Putrajaya, Taiping and Seremban hospitals from June 2004 to December 2005.

Results:  One thousand and eighty‐four RA patients'data were analysed; 960 (88.6%) patients were female and 124 (11.4%) were male, approximately 8 : 1 M : F ratio. The majority of the patients were Indian (591; 54.5%), followed by the Malays (340; 31.4%), Chinese (126; 11.6%), indigenous (13; 1.2%) and others (14; 1.3%). Mean age was 49.6 ± 11.8 years with the youngest being 15 years and the oldest 88 years of age. Mean age for males was 52.0 ± 12.0 and females 49.3 ± 11.7 years (P = 0.017). Most of these patients were housewives (565; 52.1%), followed by paid workers (266; 24.5%), retired patients (80; 7.4%), unemployed (76; 7.0%) and others (97; 8.9%). Mean duration of illness was 8.4 ± 6.7 years; 805 (74.3%) patients were relatively new patients (≤ 2 years illness duration) and 279 (25.7%) patients had illness duration > 2 years. Eight hundred and six (74.4%) were seropositive RA patients and 385 (35.5%) had presence of deformity. The majority of patients were treated with methotrexate (178; 16.4%), followed by combination of methotrexate, sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine (143; 13.2%), leflunomide (140; 12.9%), sulfasalazine (133; 12.3%) and combination of methotrexate and sulfasalazine (108; 10%).

Conclusion:  In the above study, the majority of patients were female (960; 88.6%), Indian (591; 54.5%), had a mean age of 49.6 ± 11.8 years, most were housewives with a mean duration of illness of 8.4 ± 6.7 years and were treated with methotrexate (178; 16.4%). The results of the study may help Malaysian rheumaologists to understand their patients better and treat RA holistically.
Campylobacter spp. and their Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Poultry: An Epidemiological Survey Study in Turkey
Authors: Cokal Yavuz , Caner Vildan , Sen Aysin , Cetin Cengiz , Karagenc Nedim
Published: September 2008

The current study aimed at determining the prevalence and the antimicrobial resistance profiles of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. infecting broiler chickens. A total of 240 caecal samples from six slaughterhouses were examined for the presence of Campylobacter spp. C. jejuni was detected in 40.4% (97/240) of the samples and C. coli in 12.1% (29/240). The agar disc diffusion method and the E‐test were used for testing the antimicrobial susceptibility of C. jejuni and C. coli isolates. C. jejuni isolates were most resistant to nalidixic acid (79.4%) followed by tetracycline (76.3%), ciprofloxacin (74.2%) and enrofloxacin (15.5%). Among the C. coli isolates, the frequency of resistance to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin was the same at 65.5%. The predominant profiles of multidrug resistance to three or more antimicrobials in C. jejuni and C. coli were determined as tetracycline/nalidixic acid/ciprofloxacin resistance (48.5%) and tetracycline/nalidixic acid/ciprofloxacin/enrofloxacin resistance (51.7%), respectively. To prevent the transmission of antimicrobial‐resistant bacteria of animal origin to humans, it should be noted that high proportions of multidrug resistance were found in both species.
Prevention of Shedding and Re‐Shedding of Toxoplasma gondii Oocysts in Experimentally Infected Cats Treated with Oral Clindamycin: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Malmasi A. , Mosallanejad B. , Mohebali M. , Sharifian Fard M. , Taheri M.
Published: September 2008

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of preventive oral Clindamycin in cats infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Twelve short hair cats were divided into two groups (group 1 and group 2). No titres of T. gondii antibodies were detected in these cats before the experiment. The animals from group 1 were infected with tissue cysts of T. gondii and group 2 were infected and treated with Clindamycin (20 mg/kg/day). The infection was done with almost 40–50 tissue cysts for each cat on day 0. The cats from group 2 were treated with Clindamycin by oral rout for 24 days (from day −3 to day 21). At day 45, the groups 1 and 2 were divided into two subgroups with three animals each. Subgroups 1A and 2A were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone (1 mg/kg/day) for30 days and subgroups 1B and 2B were not immunosuppressed. Faecal exam looking for oocyst shedding was made by 30 days after T. gondii infection, and for 30 days after immunosuppression. All kittens from group 1 shedding oocysts after infection, while animals from group 2 did not shed. After immunosuppression period, all animals from group 1A re‐shed oocysts and animals from group 2A remained without shed. However, 2 (66.6%) of the kittens from subgroup 2B shed oocysts 19–20 days after re‐challenge. Based on this preliminary study, Clindamycin had a complete inhibitory effect on shedding of oocysts by cats, even under severe immunosuppression, which is a new finding not reported elsewhere.
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Among Nunavik Inuit (Canada)
Authors: Messier V. , Lévesque B. , Proulx J.‐F. , Rochette L. , Libman M. D. , Ward B. J. , Serhir B. , Couillard M. , Ogden N. H. , Dewailly É. , Hubert B. , Déry S. , Barthe C. , Murphy D. , Dixon B.
Published: September 2008

As a result of their intimate contact with the land and their nutritional habits, the Inuit of Nunavik are considered to be at risk from zoonotic infections. To better understand the risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection, a serosurvey was conducted in Nunavik, Québec, in September 2004. A representative sample of the Inuit adult population of Nunavik participated in this cross‐sectional study (n = 917). Antibodies (IgG) against T. gondii were detected by immunoassay. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, traditional activities, domestic environment and nutrition was gathered by questionnaire and explored as variables explanatory of seropositive results. Associations found to be statistically significant in univariate analyses were assessed by multivariable logistic regression to control for confounding factors. Almost two thirds (59.8%) of the Inuit of Nunavik were found to be seropositive for T. gondii. In multivariate analyses, risk factors for seropositivity were: increasing age, gender (women > men), lower level of education, consumption of potentially contaminated water (determined by an index of risk from waterborne infections), frequent cleaning of water reservoirs, and consumption of seal meat and feathered game. There was some variation in seroprevalence between the Ungava Bay coast (52.3%) and the Hudson Bay coast (65.6%), the two main regions of Nunavik, but this variation was not significant in the multivariable logistic regression model. This cross‐sectional study demonstrated high T. gondii seroprevalence in the Inuit population and revealed that age, gender, schooling and community of residence all influence serostatus in this population. Variables related to drinking water and food choices may also influence the risk of infection. These results raise important questions about T. gondii transmission in Nunavik including possible links between terrestrial and marine cycles.
Campylobacter Monitoring in German Broiler Flocks: An Explorative Time Series Analysis
Authors: Hartnack S. , Doherr M. G. , Alter T. , Toutounian‐Mashad K. , Greiner M.
Published: September 2008

Campylobacter, a major zoonotic pathogen, displays seasonality in poultry and in humans. In order to identify temporal patterns in the prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in a voluntary monitoring programme in broiler flocks in Germany and in the reported human incidence, time series methods were used. The data originated between May 2004 and June 2007. By the use of seasonal decomposition, autocorrelation and cross‐correlation functions, it could be shown that an annual seasonality is present. However, the peak month differs between sample submission, prevalence in broilers and human incidence. Strikingly, the peak in human campylobacterioses preceded the peak in broiler prevalence in Lower Saxony rather than occurring after it. Significant cross‐correlations between monthly temperature and prevalence in broilers as well as between human incidence, monthly temperature, rainfall and wind‐force were identified. The results highlight the necessity to quantify the transmission of Campylobacter from broiler to humans and to include climatic factors in order to gain further insight into the epidemiology of this zoonotic disease.
Cell Wall Chitosaccharides Are Essential Components and Exposed Patterns of the Phytopathogenic OomyceteAphanomyces euteiches
Authors: Badreddine Ilham , Lafitte Claude , Heux Laurent , Skandalis Nicholas , Spanou Zacharoula , Martinez Yves , Esquerré-Tugayé Marie-Thérèse , Bulone Vincent , Dumas Bernard , Bottin Arnaud
Published: September 2008

Chitin is an essential component of fungal cell walls, where it forms a crystalline scaffold, and chitooligosaccharides derived from it are signaling molecules recognized by the hosts of pathogenic fungi. Oomycetes are cellulosic fungus-like microorganisms which most often lack chitin in their cell walls. Here we present the first study of the cell wall of the oomyceteAphanomyces euteiches, a major parasite of legume plants. Biochemical analyses demonstrated the presence of ca. 10%N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) in the cell wall. Further characterization of the GlcNAc-containing material revealed that it corresponds to noncrystalline chitosaccharides associated with glucans, rather than to chitin per se. Two putative chitin synthase (CHS) genes were identified by data mining of anA. euteichesexpressed sequence tag collection and Southern blot analysis, and full-length cDNA sequences of both genes were obtained. Phylogeny analysis indicated that oomycete CHS diversification occurred before the divergence of the major oomycete lineages. Remarkably, lectin labeling showed that theAphanomyces euteicheschitosaccharides are exposed at the cell wall surface, and study of the effect of the CHS inhibitor nikkomycin Z demonstrated that they are involved in cell wall function. These data open new perspectives for the development of antioomycete drugs and further studies of the molecular mechanisms involved in the recognition of pathogenic oomycetes by the host plants.
Two Homologous Agr-Like Quorum-Sensing Systems Cooperatively Control Adherence, Cell Morphology, and Cell Viability Properties inLactobacillus plantarumWCFS1
Authors: Fujii Toshio , Ingham Colin , Nakayama Jiro , Beerthuyzen Marke , Kunuki Ryoko , Molenaar Douwe , Sturme Mark , Vaughan Elaine , Kleerebezem Michiel , de Vos Willem
Published: September 2008

A two-component regulatory system ofLactobacillus plantarum, encoded by genes designatedlamKandlamR(hpk10andrrp10), was studied. ThelamKandlamRgenes encode proteins which are highly homologous to the quorum-sensing histidine kinase LamC and the response regulator LamA, respectively. Transcription analysis of thelamKRoperon and thelamBDCAoperon and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of production of the LamD558 autoinducing peptide were performed for ΔlamA, ΔlamR, ΔlamAΔlamRdeletion mutants and a wild-type strain. The results suggested thatlamAandlamRare cooperating genes. In addition, typical phenotypes of the ΔlamAmutant, such as reduced adherence to glass surfaces and filamentous cell morphology, were enhanced in the ΔlamAΔlamRmutant. Microarray analysis suggested that the same cell wall polysaccharide synthesis genes, stress response-related genes, and cell wall protein-encoding genes were affected in the ΔlamAand ΔlamAΔlamRmutants. However, the regulation ratio was more significant for the ΔlamAΔlamRmutant, indicating the cooperative effect of LamA and LamR.
Performance of self-reported occupational exposure compared to a job-exposure matrix approach in asthma and chronic rhinitis
Authors: Quinlan P J , Earnest G , Eisner M D , Yelin E H , Katz P P , Balmes J R , Blanc P D
Published: September 2008

Objectives:

Self-reported exposure to vapours, gas, dust or fumes (VGDF) has been widely used as an occupational exposure metric in epidemiological studies of chronic lung diseases. Our objective was to characterise the performance of VGDF for repeatability, systematic misclassification, and sensitivity and specificity against exposure likelihood by a job-exposure matrix (JEM).

Methods:

We analysed data from two interviews, 24 months apart, of adults with asthma and chronic rhinitis. Using distinct job as the unit of analysis, we tested a single response item (exposure to VGDF) against assignment using a JEM. We further analysed VGDF and the JEM among a subset of 199 subjects who reported the same job at both interviews, using logistic regression analysis to test factors associated with VGDF inconsistency and discordance with the JEM.

Results:

VGDF was reported for 193 (44%) of 436 distinct jobs held by the 348 subjects studied; moderate to high exposure likelihood by JEM was assigned to 120 jobs (28%). The sensitivity and specificity of VGDF against JEM were 71% and 66%, respectively. Among 199 subjects with the same job at both interviews, 32% had a discordant VGDF status (κ = 0.35). Those with chronic rhinitis without concomitant asthma compared to asthma alone were more likely to have a VGDF report discordant with the JEM (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 9.0; p = 0.01). Rhinitis was also associated with reported VGDF in a job classified by the JEM as low exposure (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.6 to 9.4; p = 0.003).

Conclusion:

The VGDF item is moderately sensitive measured against JEM as a benchmark. The measure is a useful assessment method for epidemiological studies of occupational exposure risk.
Socio-economic differences in the association between sickness absence and mortality: the prospective DREAM study of Danish private sector employees
Authors: Lund T , Kivimäki M , Christensen K B , Labriola M
Published: September 2008

Objectives:

To examine duration of sickness absence as a risk marker for future mortality by socio-economic position among all private sector employees in Denmark in 1998–2004.

Methods:

All residents in Denmark employed in the private sector receiving sickness absence compensation in 1998 were investigated in a prospective cohort study. 236 207 persons (38.2% women, 61.8% men, age range 18–65, mean age 37.8 years) alive on 1 January 2001 were included in the study. Mortality from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2004 was assessed using national register data. Deaths in 1999 and 2000 were excluded to determine the status of sickness absence duration as an early risk marker. For analyses within occupational grades, data were available for a sub-population of 137 607 study participants.

Results:

3040 persons died during follow-up. The age-adjusted risk of future mortality increased by duration of sickness absence in a graded fashion among men and non-blue collar workers. Among women and blue collar workers, there was no association of mortality with duration of sickness absences below 6 weeks. However, employees with ⩾6 weeks of absence compared to those with 1-week absence had a substantial excess risk of death in all groups: adjusted hazard ratio 2.2 (95% CI 1.8 to 2.7) for women, 2.1 (95% CI 1.8 to 2.4) for men, 3.7 (95% CI 1.9 to 7.2) in white collar occupations, 3.3 (95% CI 2.2 to 5.0) in intermediate grade occupations and 2.0 (95% CI 1.7 to 2.3) in blue collar occupations.

Conclusion:

Administratively collected data on sickness absence compensation for periods ⩾6 weeks identified “at risk” groups for future excess mortality in male and female private sector employees across occupational grade levels.
Volcanogenic nutrient fluxes and plant ecosystems in large igneous provinces: an example from the Columbia River Basalt Group
Authors: JOLLEY DAVID W. , WIDDOWSON MIKE , SELF STEPHEN
Published: September 2008

Research from biological and geological sources has highlighted the role of volcanoes in the outgassing of P, and thermal fixation and subsequent atmospheric oxidation of NO

x

in volcanic environments. The impact of these nutrient fluxes on biological systems has been demonstrated on present-day Hawai'i, and here we consider the impact on the plant communities within a large igneous province (LIP). The Miocene Columbia River Basalt Province, the youngest LIP on Earth, contains many sedimentary interbeds between the flows of the major extrusive phase, and these interbeds preserve variable but often diverse palynofloras. By integration of palynofloral analysis with analysis of macronutrient levels in the interbeds it can be suggested that there may have been significantly elevated levels of P within the lava field proximal to the source vents, a distribution mirrored by Ca and Mg. Evidence for potential volcanogenic eutrophication is restricted to >10
3
year duration interbeds, contemporary with eruptive activity elsewhere in the LIP. The geochemistry and palynology of other interbeds demonstrate nutrient deficiency, with a potential route to nutrient sufficiency available from long-term symbiotic N-fixation. Elsewhere within the Columbia River Basalt Province, this process is short-circuited by the imput of felsic ash from the nearby Cascades Range of volcanoes.
Tectonic sequence diagrams and the structural evolution of schists and gneisses in multiply deformed terranes
Authors: FORSTER M.A. , LISTER G.S.
Published: September 2008

The current practice of numbering deformation phases (D
1
. . . D

n

) in a multiple deformed terrane obscures the link between data and inference, and can lead to erroneous interpretations. Routine production of tectonic sequence diagrams (TSDs) allows a method whereby all deformation and metamorphic mineral growth events, their overprinting and duration (based on relative timing) are systematically recorded. Different hypotheses as to correlation of TSDs across a region can then be assessed objectively, including correlation of characteristic sequences that can often be recognized in TSDs from single outcrops. TSDs ensure that absolute dating is applied to specific events within a sequence, eliminating the practice where a date is imprecisely correlated. TSDs also place a focus on the independent character of events, here confirmed by absolute dating. Here we demonstrate how TSDs show that many fold nappes are recumbent folds transected by later (unrelated) ductile shear zones. TSDs also show that
P
–
T
–
t
paths and exhumation rates must include starting and stopping of events, periods of quiescence and changes in tectonic mode from shortening to extension. TSDs allow objective analysis of the complexity present in many metamorphic tectonites, but which is obscured by conventional methodology.
Tectonic response of the central Chilean margin (35–38°S) to the collision and subduction of heterogeneous oceanic crust: a thermochronological study
Authors: SPIKINGS R. , DUNGAN M. , FOEKEN J. , CARTER A. , PAGE L. , STUART F.
Published: September 2008

Along-strike geological segmentation in the Andean chain has been recognized at various scales and is usually attributed to changes in plate motion vectors, as well as the upper-plate expression of differing subducted slab age, strength and composition. We present new multi-phase
40
Ar/
39
Ar, apatite fission-track and zircon and apatite (U–Th)/He data from a north–south-oriented traverse between 35 and 38°S along the Principal Andean Cordillera of Chile that reveal (1) rapid cooling at 18 and 15 Ma, which can be attributed to both thermal relaxation following magmatic intrusion and regional-scale exhumation, and (2) along-strike differences in the extent of exhumation since 7.5 Ma that may be a consequence of the subduction of the Juan Fernandez Ridge above the flat-slab segment at 32°, since 10 Ma. A comparison of the response of the South American Plate to the collision of the Carnegie, Nazca and Juan Fernandez ridges suggests that slab flattening is not the dominant driving force that exhumes the upper plate in these settings. Rather, the extent of exhumation is controlled by pre-existing structural weaknesses, the time duration of the dynamically supported topography, and climate.
Dyke emplacement and related hazard in volcanoes with sector collapse: the 2007 Stromboli (Italy) eruption
Authors: NERI M. , LANZAFAME G. , ACOCELLA V.
Published: September 2008

In February 2007, two effusive vents opened along the flank of Sciara del Fuoco depression at Stromboli. The summit craters collapsed, obstructing the central conduit, choking the vents and increasing the deformation within Sciara del Fuoco. Here a new vent opened, releasing the excess magmatic pressure. The eruption continued, after a summit explosion, until April. The vents were fed by laterally propagating dykes. Vent location is similar to that of the 2002–2003 eruption; that eruption was fed by dykes triggering landslides, which in turn produced a tsunami. However, the 2007 eruption did not develop landslides, suggesting that their triggering also depends on other factors (i.e. magmatic pressure).
Tectonic significance of the Highland Boundary Fault, Scotland
Authors: TANNER GEOFF
Published: September 2008

None of the major roles assigned to the Highland Boundary Fault, such as a transcurrent fault with an orogen-parallel, sinistral displacement of several hundred kilometres, or terrane boundary, are confirmed. The Highland Boundary Fault can be traced NE–SW across Scotland for >240 km and defines the northern margin of the Midland Valley. Except for small outliers of Late Palaeozoic rocks on the NW side, it separates the Highland Border Ophiolite and Dalradian rocks of Neoproterozoic–Early Ordovician age (Grampian terrane) to the NW from Late Silurian–Early Carboniferous rocks (Midland Valley terrane) to the SE. The present Highland Boundary Fault is a steep, NW-dipping, post-Early Devonian, reverse fault that probably terminates SW of Bute. Stratigraphical and provenance links, and palaeostress data, limit post-Early Devonian lateral displacement to <30 km. The fault formed in conjunction with the Strathmore Syncline (to the SE) during the Acadian (Middle Devonian) Orogeny, in a transpressive regime that caused uplift of the Grampian block and a small sinistral movement on the Highland Boundary Fault. The location and orientation of the present-day Highland Boundary Fault may have been controlled by rejuvenation of an unseen, steeply inclined, strike-slip fault formed 460–420 Ma ago, a period for which no geological record is preserved in the Highland Border.
New U–Pb and Rb–Sr constraints on pre-Acadian tectonism in North Wales
Authors: SCHOFIELD D.I. , EVANS J.A. , MILLAR I.L. , WILBY P.R. , ASPDEN J.A.
Published: September 2008

A new U–Pb date of 615.2 ± 1.3 (2σ) Ma for the Twt Hill Granite, North Wales, contrasts with an Rb–Sr isochron age of 491 ± 12 (2σ) Ma from the same body. The latter age is thought to result from isotope resetting during regional low-grade metamorphism or fault reactivation. The Rb–Sr age also coincides with the onset of latest Cambrian to Early Tremadoc regression and is taken to reflect tectonic uplift prior to the Arenig overstep at around 478 Ma. It is proposed that this in turn reflects plate-scale processes along the contemporary peri-Gondwanan continental margin.
Mechanisms of Muscle Degeneration, Regeneration, and Repair in the Muscular Dystrophies
Authors: Wallace Gregory Q. , McNally Elizabeth M.
Published: September 2008

To withstand the rigors of contraction, muscle fibers have specialized protein complexes that buffer against mechanical stress and a multifaceted repair system that is rapidly activated after injury. Genetic studies first identified the mechanosensory signaling network that connects the structural elements of muscle and, more recently, have identified repair elements of muscle. Defects in the genes encoding the components of these systems lead to muscular dystrophy, a family of genetic disorders characterized by progressive muscle wasting. Although the age of onset, affected muscles, and severity vary considerably, all muscular dystrophies are characterized by muscle necrosis that overtakes the regenerative capacity of muscle. The resulting replacement of muscle by fatty and fibrous tissue leaves muscle increasingly weak and nonfunctional. This review discusses the cellular mechanisms that are primarily and secondarily disrupted in muscular dystrophy, focusing on membrane degeneration, muscle regeneration, and the repair of muscle.
Subsystem Organization of the Mammalian Sense of Smell
Authors: Munger Steven D. , Leinders-Zufall Trese , Zufall Frank
Published: September 2008

The mammalian olfactory system senses an almost unlimited number of chemical stimuli and initiates a process of neural recognition that influences nearly every aspect of life. This review examines the organizational principles underlying the recognition of olfactory stimuli. The olfactory system is composed of a number of distinct subsystems that can be distinguished by the location of their sensory neurons in the nasal cavity, the receptors they use to detect chemosensory stimuli, the signaling mechanisms they employ to transduce those stimuli, and their axonal projections to specific regions of the olfactory forebrain. An integrative approach that includes gene targeting methods, optical and electrophysiological recording, and behavioral analysis has helped to elucidate the functional significance of this subsystem organization for the sense of smell.
Human neutrophil peptides: a novel potential mediator of inflammatory cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Quinn Kieran , Henriques Melanie , Parker Tom , Slutsky Arthur S. , Zhang Haibo
Published: September 2008

The traditional view of atherosclerosis has recently been expanded from a predominantly lipid retentive disease to a coupling of inflammatory mechanisms and dyslipidemia. Studies have suggested a novel role for polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN)-dominant inflammation in the development of atherosclerosis. Human neutrophil peptides (HNPs), also known as α-defensins, are secreted and released from PMN granules upon activation and are conventionally involved in microbial killing. Current evidence suggests an important immunomodulative role for these peptides. HNP levels are markedly increased in inflammatory diseases including sepsis and acute coronary syndromes. They have been found within the intima of human atherosclerotic arteries, and their deposition in the skin correlates with the severity of coronary artery diseases. HNPs form complexes with LDL in solution and increase LDL binding to the endothelial surface. HNPs have also been shown to contribute to endothelial dysfunction, lipid metabolism disorder, and the inhibition of fibrinolysis. Given the emerging relationship between PMN-dominant inflammation and atherosclerosis, HNPs may serve as a link between them and as a biological marker and potential therapeutic target in cardiovascular diseases including coronary artery diseases and acute coronary syndromes.
Ultrafast Four-Wave Optical Parametric Amplification in Transparent Condensed Bulk Media
Authors: Dubietis Audrius , Tamošauskas Gintaras , Valiulis Gintaras , Piskarskas Algis
Published: September 2008

We present a short overview of recent advances in ultrashort pulse four-wave optical parametric
amplification in transparent condensed bulk media with Kerr nonlinearity. Highly efficient (10% to 15% pump-to-signal energy conversion) four-wave optical parametric amplification in water and fused silica is experimentally demonstrated. The amplification process highly benefits from 1-dimensional spatial soliton propagation regime, which sets in under proper combination of cylindrical beam focusing and noncollinear phase matching geometry with millijoule pumping. Under these operating conditions, strong four-wave coupling quenches catastrophic beam break-up and filamentation, and the setup operates reasonably below the damage threshold of the nonlinear medium. The proposed methodology offers a number of advantages as compared to guided-wave configurations in gaseous media.
A Novel Dimer of α-Tocopherol
Authors: Patel Anjan , Mazzini Francesco , Netscher Thomas , Rosenau Thomas
Published: September 2008

Decomposition of the complex 4, formed between the α-tocopherol ortho-quinone methide (2) and NMMO, by fast heating from −78∘C to 70∘C in inert solvents produces a novel α-tocopherol dimer with 6H,12H-dibenzo[b,f][1,5]dioxocine structure (5) which—in contrast to the well-known spiro-dimer of α-tocopherol (3)—is symmetrical. This is the first example of a direct reaction of the highly transient zwitterionic, aromatic precursor 2a in the formation of the ortho-quinone methide 2.
La identidad comparativa veinte años después: repercusión en el dominio de las relaciones intergrupales
Authors: Huici Carmen , Gómez Ángel , Bustillos Antonio
Published: September 2008

El presente trabajo trata, en primer lugar, de ofrecer un panorama de la contribución de María Ros a la Psicología Social española en el dominio de la identidad comparativa. Este concepto, desarrollado a partir de la perspectiva de la Identidad Social1 y de la Teoría de la Autocategorización2, implica la consideración simultanea del grado de identificación con categorías sociales con distinto nivel de inclusividad y de sus efectos sobre diversos aspectos de las relaciones intergrupales: actitudes hacia el uso de las lenguas autóctonas en España, estereotipos, favoritismo o las preferencias por diversas estrategias de aculturación. También se revisan los trabajos que ponen en relación la identidad comparativa con las actitudes hacia categorías supraordenadas y con la percepción de entitatividad. En segundo lugar, se revisa a grandes rasgos la investigación posterior que aborda los efectos de la identificación a diferentes niveles de inclusividad en distintos campos de aplicación, y las diversas implicaciones teóricas del trabajo sobre identidad comparativa.
Climate Response of Linear and Quadratic Functionals Using the Fluctuation–Dissipation Theorem
Authors: Gritsun Andrey , Branstator Grant , Majda Andrew
Published: September 2008

A generalization of the fluctuation–dissipation theorem (FDT) that allows generation of linear response operators that estimate the response of functionals of system state variables is tested for a system defined by an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM). A sketch of the proof of this generalization is provided, followed by comparison of response estimates based on the theory and actual responses of the AGCM for various idealized anomalous equatorial heat sources. Tested response quantities include precipitation, variances of bandpass and low-pass streamfunction, and momentum and heat fluxes. The solutions from the FDT operators are very similar to the AGCM solutions in terms of structure while overestimating response amplitudes by about 20%. As an example of an application of such response operators, the FDT operator that estimates the response of bandpass upper-tropospheric streamfunction variance is used to find the most efficient means of disturbing the Atlantic storm tracks by tropical heating. The results of the study suggest that the generalized FDT is an attractive method for systematically studying response attributes of the climate system that are of interest to climate scientists and society.
An Empirical Parameterization of Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation for Multiple Chemical Species of Aerosol
Authors: Phillips Vaughan T. J. , DeMott Paul J. , Andronache Constantin
Published: September 2008

A novel, flexible framework is proposed for parameterizing the heterogeneous nucleation of ice within clouds. It has empirically derived dependencies on the chemistry and surface area of multiple species of ice nucleus (IN) aerosols. Effects from variability in mean size, spectral width, and mass loading of aerosols are represented via their influences on surface area. The parameterization is intended for application in large-scale atmospheric and cloud models that can predict 1) the supersaturation of water vapor, which requires a representation of vertical velocity on the cloud scale, and 2) concentrations of a variety of insoluble aerosol species.

Observational data constraining the parameterization are principally from coincident field studies of IN activity and insoluble aerosol in the troposphere. The continuous flow diffusion chamber (CFDC) was deployed. Aerosol species are grouped by the parameterization into three basic types: dust and metallic compounds, inorganic black carbon, and insoluble organic aerosols.

Further field observations inform the partitioning of measured IN concentrations among these basic groups of aerosol. The scarcity of heterogeneous nucleation, observed at humidities well below water saturation for warm subzero temperatures, is represented. Conventional and inside-out contact nucleation by IN is treated with a constant shift of their freezing temperatures.

The empirical parameterization is described and compared with available field and laboratory observations and other schemes. Alternative schemes differ by up to five orders of magnitude in their freezing fractions (−30°C). New knowledge from future observational advances may be easily assimilated into the scheme’s framework. The essence of this versatile framework is the use of data concerning atmospheric IN sampled directly from the troposphere.
Market Hegemony and Economic Theory
Authors: Ellis Stephen
Published: September 2008

It is central to standard economic theory that people act on their interests. People are interested in a variety of things, so a range of values should influence market behavior. When engaged in commerce, however, people generally act for personal gain; the influence of other values usually just disappears in the marketplace. What is missing from the standard account is that people often act on proper subsets of their interests. Economics can, however, be extended to capture this insight.
The Development of the Resource-based View: Reflections from Birger Wernerfelt 1
Authors: Lockett Andy , O'Shea Rory P. , Wright Mike
Published: September 2008

Since the publication of Birger Wernerfelt's seminal article on the `Resource-based view of the firm' in 1984, the strategic management field has embraced the notion that firms are fundamentally heterogeneous in terms of their resources and internal capabilities. This paper assesses the development of the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm from Wernerfelt's own perspective. Given his limited engagement in the strategic management field over the previous decades, we asked Wernerfelt to revisit his work and to comment on the critical issues which have subsequently arisen as the RBV has developed into a dominant paradigm in strategic management.
On the Path towards a Competence-based Theory of the Firm
Authors: Freiling Jörg , Gersch Martin , Goeke Christian
Published: September 2008

Exploiting the potential and tackling the problems of resource-based and competence-based research, this paper develops a proposal for a competence-based theory of the firm (CbTF). The CbTF is based on the fundamentals of market process theory and is independent of existing approaches to explaining the nature of the firm. The paper addresses the basics of the theory in terms of the philosophy of science by referring to the Lakatos model and the position of CbTF in organization theory. The fundamental question of the nature of the firm is approached by the notion of an organizational `ambiente' and by using findings of entrepreneurship research.
Organizational Capabilities, Patterns of Knowledge Accumulation and Governance Structures in Business Firms: An Introduction
Authors: Dosi Giovanni , Faillo Marco , Marengo Luigi
Published: September 2008

The capability-based view of the firm is based on the assumption that firms know how to do things. Assuming the existence of a thing called `organizational knowledge', in the first part of the paper we identify its main building blocks and we provide a description of its inner structure. This results in an analysis of the relationships among key concepts like organizational routines, organizational competencies and skills. In the second part, we consider some empirical implications of the adoption of a capability-based view of the firm in dealing with issues like horizontal and vertical boundaries of the firm, innovation and corporate performance. Some implications for strategic management are also discussed.
A Communicative Theory of the Firm: Developing an Alternative Perspective on Intra-organizational Power and Stakeholder Relationships
Authors: Kuhn Timothy
Published: September 2008

Existing theories of the firm exhibit significant shortcomings when questions turn to intra-organizational power and extra-organizational relationships — two issues central to understanding firm operations. Here I advance an alternative view, founded on the Montreal School of organizational communication's conception of conversation—text relations, yet extending it in several ways. In developing a communicative theory of the firm, I highlight the functions of, and relations between, `concrete' and `figurative' texts, paying particular attention to their participation in the construction of an authoritative (yet never monolithic) system for cooriented and distributed action. Using examples drawn from struggles over power, strategy, and organizational form at GM, I show that seeing the firm in textual terms presents a very different view of its operations. Doing so, portrays individuals and collectives as engaging in sophisticated games where firms marshal consent and attract capital through textually mediated practice. Moreover, through game playing, the firm's trajectory is authored. Building on these arguments, I present two novel and testable propositions about the nature of organizational change in interfirm and stakeholder relationships.
Game Theory: Can it Unify the Social Sciences?
Authors: Varoufakis Yanis
Published: September 2008

Social theorists from many different fields have hailed Game Theory as a framework that can unify the social sciences on a bedrock of mathematical reasoning, which relegates all previous attempts to provide a unifying framework for economics, political science, anthropology, organization theory etc. to social science's prehistory. After discussing in detail the five crucial theorems on which such claims are based, this paper assesses critically: (a) Game Theory's main results, and (b) the extent to which Game Theory offers a common method that can, potentially, unify the social sciences.
Testing a Framework of the Organization of Small Firms
Authors: Gilman Mark W. , Edwards Paul K.
Published: September 2008

Studies of small firms tend to assume either that models derived from large firms can be applied directly or that small firms are uniformly distinct from large ones. A recent framework, based mainly on low-wage family-owned firms, has identified an analytical space to identify different types of small firm.This article tests out that framework in a different context: four high-tech and non-family-owned firms. The framework identified market conditions and strategic choice as key measures, and was useful in capturing practice, though it also needed further refinement. Key substantive implications were: apparently similar firms in fact behaved differently, for reasons to do with their market situations and the choices they made; and the firms displayed tensions between `modern' business strategies and `traditional' and informal employment practices, tensions that the framework helps to capture.
Debt Maturity and Relationship Lending
Authors: Hernández-Cánovas Ginés , Koëter-Kant Johanna
Published: September 2008

This article examines the association between bank debt maturity and relationship lending using a unique survey sample of 3366 SMEs from 19 European countries. The knowledge of how the institutional environment shapes relationship lending helps us to understand how current institutional changes, such as Basel II, might affect the SME—bank relationship and hence, SME access to financing. Our results indicate that stronger firm—bank relationships lengthen the maturity of bank loans and that this association is country specific. For example, we show that relationship lending increases (decreases) the likelihood of long-term debt for SMEs in countries with less (more) competition in the banking sector.The implication of our results is that new unified rules within the European community may impact SME access to bank debt differently, depending on the country the firm operates in.This is important for SMEs, banks and policy makers.
Long-term Orientation of the Supply Function in the SME Context
Authors: Cambra-Fierro Jesús J. , Polo-Redondo Yolanda
Published: September 2008

In order to increase efficiency and probability of success, firms can now no longer focus solely on managing satisfactory relationships with customers. In an increasingly complex and dynamic economic context it is necessary to identify and manage appropriately all the activities capable of generating value throughout the complete business cycle. For example, there is growing interest in appropriate management of the relationships that companies establish with their suppliers, as the first step towards ensuring that the product complies with the desired standards.This work therefore focuses on the analysis of firm—suppliers relationships, specifically on their temporal orientation.We consider that the context of SMEs differs from that of larger firms, and that, for this reason, it is necessary to analyse their specific situation in depth. So, by means of an exploratory study we identified that generally, these relationships tended to have a long-term orientation, although motivations differed depending on the size of the firm. Subsequently, by means of a confirmatory study we tested an explanatory model of the aforementioned temporal orientation. The implications derived from our study are discussed in the final part of this work.