bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intravenous premedication with diazepam
Authors: MATTILA M. A. K. , SUISTOMAA M.
Published: March 2007

Two preparations of diazepam, Valium Roche mixed Micelles and Diazemuls, were compared as intravenous premedicants in 119 patients undergoing minor gynaecological surgery. There were no differences between the formulations with regard to anxiolytic effects and systemic tolerance. There were no symptoms typical of thrombophlebitis in the Valium Roche Mixed‐Micelles group and only one case in the Diazemuls group. Acute local tolerance was similar with both trial drugs and superior to conventional diazepam preparations. Based on the favourable results of the present study it can be concluded that such vehicles should be considered for any injectable preparation with a known tendency to produce venous irritation.
Atracurium in the myasthenic patient
Authors: BELL C. F. , FLORENCE A. M. , HUNTER J. M. , JONES R. S. , UTTING J. E.
Published: March 2007

The use of the new competitive muscle relaxant, atracurium, is described in five myasthenic patients presenting for thymectomy. With an initial dose of 0.1 mg/kg, that is approximately one‐fifth of that normally used, and incremental doses of 0.02–0.04 mg/kg, satisfactory clinical conditions were achieved. Neuromuscular function was monitored throughout using the train‐of‐four mechanical twitch response, and residual neuromuscular blockade was reversed satisfactorily at the end of the procedure with neo‐stigmine 5.0 mg. A marked increase in the magnitude of the first twitch of the train‐of‐four to greater than control levels, accompanied by pronounced fade. was found on reversal. In reduced dosage and with careful neuromuscular monitoring, atracurium is safe to use in the myasthenic patient.
The effect of labour and epidural analgesia on pain threshold
Authors: SENGUPTA P. , NIELSEN M.
Published: March 2007

Pain thresholds were measured using forehead pressure in 30 women before amniotomy and then during labour up to the point of their requesting analgesia. Measurements continued subsequently only in those having epidural analgesia alone. No significant change in pain threshold was seen in any patient up to the administration of analgesia, nor thereafter in the ten patients having epidurals. This study fails to confirm previous reports in animals of significant rises in pain threshold during parturition. It calls into question the view that previously reported changes in plasma endorphin levels may be associated with altered pain thresholds.
Choice of calcium salt
Authors: HEINING M. P. D. , BAND D. M. , LINTON R. A. F.
Published: March 2007

Equimolar quantities of calcium chloride and calcium gluconate produced similar changes in plasma ionised calcium concentration when injected intravenously into anaesthetised ferrets or when added to human blood in vitro. In vivo changes were followed with a calcium electrode positioned in the animal's aorta, and this showed that the ionisation of calcium gluconate on its first pass through the circulation is as great as that of calcium chloride. This does not support the common suggestion that calcium chloride is preferable to calcium gluconate because of its greater ionisation.
Difficult tracheal intubation in obstetrics
Authors: CORMACK R. S. , LEHANE J.
Published: March 2007

Difficult intubation has been classified into four grades, according to the view obtainable at laryngoscopy. Frequency analysis suggests that, in obstetrics, the main cause of trouble is grade 3, in which the epiglottis can be seen, but not the cords. This group is fairly rare so that a proportion of anaesthetists will not meet the problem in their first few years and may thus be unprepared for it in obstetrics. However the problem can be simulated in routine anaesthesia, so that a drill for managing it can be practised. Laryngoscopy is carried out as usual, then the blade is lowered so that the epiglottis descends and hides the cords. Intubation has to be done blind, using the Macintosh method. This can be helpful as part of the training before starting in the maternity department, supplementing the Aberdeen drill.
Promoting thinking and conceptual change with digital dialogue games
Authors: Ravenscroft A.
Published: March 2007

Abstract This paper will present a review of design‐based research conducted over the past 10 years that has modeled and promoted students' reasoning, conceptual change and argumentative dialogue processes and practices through designing a number of digital dialogue games. This line of work was inspired by some challenges and insights that emerged during projects dealing with conceptual change in science. Since then, the dialogical and pedagogical requirements for improved reasoning, knowledge development and conceptual understanding in a range of contexts have been addressed through projects that have designed and evaluated intelligent and highly interactive dialogue game tools, such as CoLLeGE (Computer‐based Laboratory for Language Games in Education), AcademicTalk and InterLoc (Collaborative Interaction through scaffolding Locutions). This article will review this line of work through justifying and describing the rationale for its trajectory before presenting ongoing work that synthesizes and operationalizes its findings and insights. The ongoing work emphasizes an inclusive and personalized approach to learning dialogue that stimulates reasoning, collaborative thinking and the development of argumentative dialogue practices. This is arguably relevant to most learning contexts, and especially to contemporary science education. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the role of dialogue in learning in the digital age.
Low carbohydrate–high protein diet and mortality in a cohort of Swedish women
Authors: Lagiou P. , Sandin S. , Weiderpass E. , Lagiou A. , Mucci L. , Trichopoulos D. , Adami H.‐O.
Published: March 2007

Objective.  The long‐term health consequences of diets used for weight control are not established. We have evaluated the association of the frequently recommended low carbohydrate diets – usually characterized by concomitant increase in protein intake – with long‐term mortality.

Design.  The Women's Lifestyle and Health cohort study initiated in Sweden during 1991–1992, with a 12‐year almost complete follow up.

Setting.  The Uppsala Health Care Region.

Subjects.  42 237 women, 30–49 years old at baseline, volunteers from a random sample, who completed an extensive questionnaire and were traced through linkages to national registries until 2003.

Main Outcome Measures.  We evaluated the association of mortality with: decreasing carbohydrate intake (in deciles); increasing protein intake (in deciles) and an additive combination of these variables (low carbohydrate–high protein score from 2 to 20), in Cox models controlling for energy intake, saturated fat intake and several nondietary covariates.

Results.  Decreasing carbohydrate or increasing protein intake by one decile were associated with increase in total mortality by 6% (95% CI: 0–12%) and 2% (95% CI: −1 to 5%), respectively. For cardiovascular mortality, amongst women 40–49 years old at enrolment, the corresponding increases were, respectively, 13% (95% CI: −4 to 32%) and 16% (95% CI: 5–29%), with the additive score being even more predictive.

Conclusions.  A diet characterized by low carbohydrate and high protein intake was associated with increased total and particularly cardiovascular mortality amongst women. Vigilance with respect to long‐term adherence to such weight control regimes is advisable.
Impact of MK886 on Eosinophil Counts and Phenotypic Features in Toxocariasis
Authors: Anibal F. F. , Rogerio A. P. , Malheiro A. , Machado E. R. , Martins‐Filho O. A. , Andrade M. C. , Soares E. G. , Medeiros A. I. , Faccioli L. H.
Published: March 2007

Experimental toxocariasis was used as a model of eosinophil migration. Mice inoculated with 200Toxocara caniseggs were treated with the leukotriene inhibitor MK886 (1 mg/kg/day). Eosinophils were counted in peripheral blood (PB), peritoneal cavity (PC) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples on post‐infection days 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 36. Eosinophil expression of Mac‐1 and VLA‐4 was analysed in PB and PC samples. We found thatT. canisinfection induced systemic eosinophilia from post‐infection day 3, peaking on days 6, 12 and 24 in PB, PC and BALF samples respectively. Eosinophilia was more pronounced in PB and PC samples than in BALF samples, and MK886 downregulated eosinophilia to varying degrees in the different sample types. In PB and PC samples,T. canisinfection caused early upregulation of Mac‐1 with late changes in the VLA‐4 profile, whereas MK886 had opposite effects. The distinct time‐dependent eosinophilia peaks and differential involvement of leukotrienes in integrin expression demonstrate that, despite the systemic eosinophilia triggered byT. canisinfection, inflammatory responses vary by compartment.
Transgenic expression of HLA‐E single chain trimer protects porcine endothelial cells against human natural killer cell‐mediated cytotoxicity
Authors: Lilienfeld Benjamin G. , Crew Mark D. , Forte Pietro , Baumann Bettina C. , Seebach Jörg D.
Published: March 2007

Abstract:  Background:  The susceptibility of porcine endothelial cells (pEC) to human natural killer (NK) cells is related to the failure of human major histocompatibility complex (MHC)‐specific killer inhibitory receptors to recognize porcine MHC class I molecules. The aims of this study were (i) to assess the protection of pEC against xenogeneic NK‐mediated cytotoxicity afforded by the stable expression of HLA‐E single chain trimers (SCT) composed of a canonical HLA‐E binding peptide antigen, VMAPRTLIL, the mature human β2‐microglobulin, and the mature HLA‐E heavy chain, and (ii) to test whether HLA‐E expression on pEC and porcine lymphoblastoid cells affects the adhesion of human NK cells.

Methods:  Porcine EC lines expressing different levels of HLA‐E SCT were generated by Ca2PO4‐transfection followed by limiting dilution cloning. Surface expression of HLA‐E was measured by flow cytometry. Susceptibility of transfected pEC lines against human NK cells was tested in 51Cr‐release cytotoxicity assays. Interactions between human NK cells and HLA‐E positive pEC or porcine lymphoblastoid cells were further addressed in adhesion and conjugation assays.

Results:  The level of protection of pEC from human NK‐mediated cytotoxicity correlated with the intensity of surface HLA‐E expression. Furthermore, the HLA‐E SCT‐mediated protection was specifically reversed by blocking the HLA‐E specific NK inhibitory receptor CD94/NKG2A. HLA‐E expression does neither affect the adhesion of human NK cells to pEC nor the heteroconjugate formation between human NK and porcine 13271.10 cells.

Conclusions:  Stable surface expression of HLA‐E on pEC was achieved in the absence of extrinsic peptide pulsing and provided partial protection from human NK cytotoxicity. Though insufficient to inhibit xenogeneic NK cell reactivity completely, transgenic HLA‐E expression on pig organs might contribute to a successful application of clinical xenotransplantation in combination with other protective strategies.
Histopathological findings in the gastrointestinal tract of primate recipients of porcine renal xenografts following different immunosuppressive regimens
Authors: Cavicchioli Laura , De Zan Gabrita , Zappulli Valentina , Cadrobbi Roberto , Dedja Arben , Hutabba Samir , Ravarotto Licia , Cozzi Emanuele , Ancona Ermanno , Castagnaro Massimo
Published: March 2007

Abstract: Background: Cyclophosphamide (CYP) and methotrexate (MTX) have been used as immunosuppressants in induction or maintenance protocols in a large variety of xenotransplantation models. Combining the use of transgenic porcine organs expressing human decay‐accelerating factor (hDAF) with immunosuppressive therapy that included the use of CYP or MTX, survival of primate recipients of life‐supporting renal xenografts has been prolonged. However, both drugs can cause significant systemic toxicity and, in particular, gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity. To date only limited data have been reported on the histopathological features deriving from the use of such agents in non‐human primates.

Methods: Cyclophosphamide or MTX was used as part of the immunosuppressive regimen in 15 bilaterally nephrectomized non‐human primate (Macaca fascicularis) recipients of a life‐supporting hDAF porcine kidney. At post‐mortem, a detailed analysis of the GI tract in animals receiving either CYP or MTX was performed. Paraffin‐embedded sections of each portion of the GI tract were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). In some animals, additional investigations by immunohistochemistry (CD3, CD5, CD20, CD79αcy, lambda, and kappa light chains) and byin situhybridization for EBV encoded RNA (EBER) were undertaken.

Results: The xenografted animals from the CYP group had a mean survival of 31 days (range: 0 to 90 days); animals from the MTX group survived a median of 14 days (range: 0 to 39 days). GI complications were the most frequent cause of euthanasia after renal failure. In CYP‐treated animals GI‐tract lesions were primarily characterized by diffuse, severe lymphoplasmocytic mucosal inflammatory infiltrate. Variable degrees of villi atrophy and fusion, gut‐associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and goblet cell hyperplasia were also observed. In MTX‐treated primates, findings were consistent with severe villi atrophy associated with mild‐to‐moderate disseminated lymphoplasmocytic infiltration.

Conclusions: In conclusion, GI tract lesions are an early and consistent finding when CYP or MTX are used as induction agents in this model. The two compounds induce different types of GI tract damage, however, in agreement with their different mechanisms of action. Whilst CYP primarily determines inflammatory lesions, MTX leads to a degenerative type of damage. This study indicates that immunosuppressive drugs can cause severe GI tract damage in primate recipients of renal xenografts and may be responsible for life‐threatening lesions.
Nocturnal hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetic patients, assessed with continuous glucose monitoring: frequency, duration and associations
Authors: Wentholt I. M. E. , Maran A. , Masurel N. , Heine R. J. , Hoekstra J. B. L. , DeVries J. H.
Published: March 2007

Aims  We quantified the occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia in individuals with Type 1 diabetes treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) or multiple‐injection therapy (MIT) using a continuous subcutaneous glucose sensor.

Methods  A microdialysis sensor was worn at home by 24 patients on CSII (mean HbA1c 7.8 ± 0.9%) and 33 patients on MIT (HbA1c 8.7 ± 1.3%) for 48 h. Occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia were assessed and using multivariate regression analysis, the association between HbA1c, diabetes duration, treatment type (CSII vs. MIT), fasting and bedtime blood glucose values, total daily insulin dose and mean nocturnal glucose concentrations, and hypoglycaemia occurrence and duration was investigated.

Results  Nocturnal hypoglycaemia ≤ 3.9 mmol/l occurred in 33.3% of both the CSII‐ (8/24) and MIT‐treated patients (11/33). Mean (± sd; median, interquartile range) duration of hypoglycaemia ≤ 3.9 mmol/l was 78 (± 76; 57, 23–120) min per night for the CSII‐ and 98 (± 80; 81, 32–158) min per night for the MIT‐treated group. Multivariate regression analysis showed that bedtime glucose value had the strongest association with the occurrence (P = 0.026) and duration (P = 0.032) of nocturnal hypoglycaemia.

Conclusions  Microdialysis continuous glucose monitoring has enabled more precise quantification of nocturnal hypoglycaemia occurrence and duration in Type 1 diabetic patients. Occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia were mainly associated with bedtime glucose value.
Genetic variation in thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) is associated with hypertriglyceridaemia and blood pressure in diabetes mellitus
Authors: Van Greevenbroek M. M. J. , Vermeulen V. M. M‐J. , Feskens E. J. M. , Evelo C. T. , Kruijshoop M. , Hoebee B. , Van Der Kallen C. J. H. , De Bruin T. W. A.
Published: March 2007

Aims  Thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) is an attractive candidate gene for diabetes or diabetic dyslipidaemia, since TXNIP is the strongest glucose‐responsive gene in pancreatic B‐cells, TXNIP deficiency in a mouse model is associated with hyperlipidaemia and TXNIP is located in the 1q21‐1q23 chromosomal Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) locus. We set out to investigate whether metabolic effects of TXNIP that were previously reported in a murine model are also relevant in human Type 2 DM.

Methods  The frequency distribution of a 3′ UTR single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TXNIP was investigated in subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 379), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT; n = 228) and Type 2 DM (n = 230). Metabolic data were used to determine the effect of this SNP on parameters associated with lipid and glucose metabolism.

Results  The frequency of the TXNIP variation did not differ between groups, but within the group of diabetic subjects, carriers of the TXNIP‐T variant had 1.6‐fold higher triglyceride concentrations (P = 0.015; n = 136) and a 5.5‐mmHg higher diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.02; n = 212) than homozygous carriers of the common C‐allele, whereas in non‐diabetic subjects fasting glucose was 0.26 mmol/l lower (P = 0.002; n = 478) in carriers of the T‐allele. Moreover, a significant interaction between plasma glucose concentrations and TXNIP polymorphism on plasma triglycerides was observed (P = 0.012; n = 544).

Conclusion  This is the first report to implicate TXNIP in a human disorder of energy metabolism, Type 2 diabetes. The effect of TXNIP on triglycerides is influenced by plasma glucose concentrations, suggesting that the biological relevance of TXNIP variations may be particularly relevant in recurrent episodes of hyperglycaemia.
The metabolic syndrome and incidence of cardiovascular disease in non‐diabetic subjects—a population‐based study comparing three different definitions
Authors: Nilsson P. M. , Engström G. , Hedblad B.
Published: March 2007

Aims  Between 1998 and 2005, a number of definitions of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) have been proposed. The aim of this population‐based cohort study was to compare prevalence rates and the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) using different definitions of MetS.

Methods  A total of 5047 non‐diabetic subjects (66% women), from the city of Malmö, Sweden, were followed. The incidence of fatal and non‐fatal CVD (cardiac events, n = 176, and stroke, n = 171) was monitored over 11 years of follow‐up. MetS was defined in three different ways [by International Diabetes Federation (IDF), National Cholesterol Education Program—Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP‐ATPIII), or European Group for the study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR) criteria] based on data on waist circumference, blood pressure, serum triglycerides, High‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting blood glucose. The IDF definition identified 21.9% of the subjects having the MetS. Corresponding figures for the NCEP‐ATPIII and EGIR definitions were 20.7 and 18.8%, respectively.

Results  After taking age, gender, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and lifestyle factors into account, the hazard ratio (HR) for CVD event according to the IDF, NCEP‐ATPIII and EGIR definitions were HR 1.11 (95% CI: 0.86–1.44), 1.59 (1.25–2.03) and 1.35 (1.05–1.74), respectively. The results were largely similar for cardiac and stroke events.

Conclusions  The prevalence of Mets according to the IDF definition was higher in comparison with NCEP‐ATPIII and EGIR definitions, but the IDF definition was not superior to these definitions for prediction of CVD events. This was true for both genders and questions the usefulness of the current IDF criteria of MetS in a North‐European, Caucasian population. In addition, single risk factors such as smoking had an equal prediction as the metabolic syndrome.
Populism versus Democracy
Authors: Abts Koen , Rummens Stefan
Published: March 2007

This article provides a comparative conceptual analysis of the logic of populism and the logic of (constitutional) democracy. Populism is defined as a thin-centered ideology which advocates the sovereign rule of the people as a homogeneous body. The logic of this ideology is further developed in reference to the work of Carl Schmitt and is shown to generate all the characteristics typically ascribed to populism. The logic of democracy is analyzed on the basis of the work of Claude Lefort and defined as a regime in which the locus of power remains an empty place. This analysis replaces the widespread model of constitutional democracy as a paradoxical combination of a constitutional and a democratic pillar. This two-pillar model fails to appreciate the internal coherence and some of the main features of the (constitutional) democratic logic. Thereby, the two-pillar approach gives rise to an understanding of populism as continuous with the democratic promise of constitutional democracy. In contrast, our analysis explains populism as the closure of the empty place of democracy. This highlights the antagonistic discontinuity between the logic of populism and the logic of democracy.
High‐frequency QRS electrocardiogram
Authors: Trägårdh Elin , Schlegel Todd T.
Published: March 2007

The standard 12‐lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the most commonly used methods for diagnosing heart disease. Standard ECG is not always optimal, however, and new ECG methods can provide additional information. Analysis of high‐frequency QRS components (HF‐QRS) has been shown to increase the diagnostic performance of the ECG. Several investigators have studied HF‐QRS in different cardiac conditions, including acute myocardial ischaemia and myocardial infarction, but more knowledge is needed about the characteristics of HF‐QRS before clinicians can use it as an adjunct to standard ECG.
The Nation-State and International Capital Flows in Historical Perspective
Authors: Thompson Helen
Published: March 2007

IN RECENT YEARS IT HAS BECOME A COMMONPLACE OF BOTH academic and financial discourse that we are living in a new economic and political world in which financial globalization is destroying the economic autonomy of individual states and hence the foundations of the nation-state as the focus of political authority and the possibilities of politics. Of course, other threats to the nation-state exist — most crucially, the inability to reconcile its virtual monopoly of political authority, and the constraints it imposes on cooperation between states, with ecological causality — but it is the macro-economic crisis of the state which has captured most attention. Undoubtedly, the contemporary international financial environment makes macro-economic management an extremely difficult practical task for many states. With the daily value of foreign exchange transactions amounting to over $1200 billion, governments run the perpetual risk that their choices, or indeed those of other governments, will precipitate an unsustainable rise or fall in the value of their currency. At the same time they must, if they wish to borrow in international capital markets, pursue policies which will secure, and retain, the confidence of international investors. This, of course, creates a very considerable incentive for governments to choose policies which, in both fiscal and monetary terms, prioritize low inflation over growth and employment.
Elite Settlements and the Taming of Politics
Authors: Higley John , Burton Michael
Published: March 2007

A BASIC QUESTION IS HOW POLITICS ARE TAMED AND CEASE BEING A deadly, warlike affair. The most dramatic way is through sudden, deliberate and lasting compromises of core disputes among political elites – what we think of as ‘elite settlements’. Prior to settlements elites disagree about government institutions, engage in unchecked fights for dominance, and view politics as winner-take-all. After settlements, elite persons and groups continue to be affiliated with conflicting parties, movements, and beliefs, but they share a consensus about government institutions and the codes and rules of political competition. Settlements tame politics by generating tacitly accommodative and overtly restrained practices among competing political elites.
The New Political System of Israel
Authors: Diskin Abraham
Published: March 2007

During the 1990s the israeli political system faced a number of major upheavals on both the macro- and the micro-political levels. As a result many of its basic features changed considerably. Presently, it is more difficult to predict future political behaviour in Israel than ever before.

One may point at the only successful no-confidence vote, which took place on 15 March 1990, as an event that symbolically initiated the new era. Yitzhak Shamir, the head of the Likud and the acting prime minister at the time, overcame the crisis, formed a new government, and continued to serve as prime minister. Yitzhak Rabin of the Labour Party took power following the 1992 elections. Shimon Peres of Labour succeeded Rabin as premier following Rabin's assassination in November 1995. Peres lost the 1996 elections to Likud's new leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. In the 1999 elections, Labour returned to power under the leadership of Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
Improving the Interpretation of Ictal Scalp EEG: BSS–CCA Algorithm for Muscle Artifact Removal
Authors: Vergult Anneleen , De Clercq Wim , Palmini André , Vanrumste Bart , Dupont Patrick , Van Huffel Sabine , Van Paesschen Wim
Published: March 2007

Summary:  Purpose: To investigate the potential clinical relevance of a new algorithm to remove muscle artifacts in ictal scalp EEG.

Methods: Thirty‐seven patients with refractory partial epilepsy with a well‐defined seizure onset zone based on full presurgical evaluation, including SISCOM but excluding ictal EEG findings, were included. One ictal EEG of each patient was presented to a clinical neurophysiologist who was blinded to all other data. Ictal EEGs were first rated after band‐pass filtering, then after elimination of muscle artifacts using a blind source separation–canonical correlation analysis technique (BSS–CCA). Degree of muscle artifact contamination, lateralization, localization, time and pattern of ictal EEG onset were compared between the two readings and validated against the other localizing information.

Results: Muscle artifacts contaminated 97% of ictal EEGs, and interfered with the interpretation in 76%, more often in extratemporal than temporal lobe seizures. BSS–CCA significantly improved the sensitivity to localize the seizure onset from 62% to 81%, and performed best in ictal EEGs with moderate to severe muscle artifact contamination. In a significant number of the contaminated EEGs, BSS–CCA also led to an earlier identification of ictal EEG changes, and recognition of ictal EEG patterns that were hidden by muscle artifact.

Conclusions: Muscle artifacts interfered with the interpretation in a majority of ictal EEGs. BSS–CCA reliably removed these muscle artifacts in a user‐friendly manner. BSS–CCA may have an important place in the interpretation of ictal EEGs during presurgical evaluation of patients with refractory partial epilepsy.
Social Capital and the Dynamics of Trust in Government
Authors: Keele Luke
Published: March 2007

It is well understood that trust in government responds to the performance of the president, Congress, and the economy. Despite improved government performance, however, trust has never returned to the levels witnessed in the 1950s and 1960s. Social capital may be the force that has kept trust low. If so, we need to assess the relative contributions of both government performance and social capital at the macro level. Using macrolevel data, the analysis, here, is designed to capture the variation over time in both social capital and government performance and let them compete to explain the macro variation in trust. The empirical results demonstrate that both government performance and social capital matter, but that social capital appears to be the force which accounts for the decline in trust over the last 40 years.
Electoral Competition, Participation, and Government Responsiveness in Mexico
Authors: Cleary Matthew R.
Published: March 2007

In this article I test two competing visions about how democracy produces responsive government. Electoral theories of democracy posit that elected governments are responsive to public demands because citizens are able to sanction bad politicians and select good ones. Participatory theories attribute responsiveness to a citizenry's ability to articulate demands and pressure government through a wider range of political action. I test hypotheses derived from these two approaches, using an original dataset that combines electoral, socioeconomic, and public‐financial indicators for Mexico's 2,400 municipalities, from 1989 to 2000. The data show that electoral competition has no effect on municipal government performance. But the results are consistent with the hypothesis that nonelectoral participation causes improved performance. Thus, I suggest that the quality of municipal government in Mexico depends on an engaged citizenry and cooperation between political leaders and their constituents, rather than the threat of electoral punishment. I recommend that scholars broaden the study of government responsiveness to account for participatory strategies of political influence and critically assess the claims of those who would promote elections as a cure‐all for poor democratic performance.
Unsuspected periventricular leukomalacia in children with strabismus: a case series
Authors: Muen Wisam J. , Saeed Muhammad U. , Kaleem Musa , Abernethy Laurence , Chandna Arvind
Published: March 2007

Purpose:  We report a case series of seven patients who presented with strabismus and no apparent known neurological deficit.

Methods:  A retrospective review of notes was performed on all patients presenting at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital (Alder Hey) with strabismus, in whom subsequent investigation revealed the presence of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL).

Results:  All seven patients presented with esotropia. One patient also had dissociated vertical deviation. A history of premature birth was elicited in six cases; however, one patient had been born at 42 weeks. Apparently uncomplicated routine surgery produced unexpectedly poor results.

Conclusions:  Patients with undiagnosed PVL may present to the ophthalmologist with strabismus and no other apparent neurological abnormality. Where it is suspected that the patient may have suffered a significant hypoxic‐ischaemic event, the ophthalmologist should have a low threshold for investigating with magnetic resonance imaging, particularly if the patient shows unexpected outcomes following appropriate treatment. Patients and parents should be counselled on possible suboptimal results prior to the offer of surgical correction of strabismus.
Extracorporeal Photochemotherapy for the Treatment of Chronic Graft‐Versus‐Host Disease: Trend for a Possible Cell Dose‐Related Effect?
Authors: Perseghin Paolo , Galimberti Stefania , Balduzzi Adriana , Bonanomi Sonia , Baldini Valentina , Rovelli Attilio , Dassi Maria , Rambaldi Alessandro , Castagna Luca , Corti Paola , Pogliani Enrico M , Uderzo Cornelio
Published: March 2007

Abstract:  Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) has been progressively introduced into the treatment of both acute and chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (cGvHD) over the last decade. Nevertheless, its mechanisms of action, as well as the optimal treatment schedule, have not yet been defined. We retrospectively analyzed 25 patients with cGvHD unresponsive to conventional treatments who underwent ECP from 1997 until 2005. The impact of various factors (such as treated and infused nucleated cells, time from transplantation and cGvHD onset, and time from cGvHD and ECP treatment) on the probability of no response to ECP was therefore investigated. A positive response to ECP was achieved in 80% of the patients, after a median of 19 ECP treatments (with a range of 8–38). Eighteen out of the 20 patients responsive to the treatment maintained their response for a median of 30 months. We mainly focused on clinical response and yield composition. The analysis on mononuclear cell (MNC) dose suggested that an increase of MNC dose/kg b.w. (body weight) induced a decrease in the odds of treatment failure, and that, if the MNC dose infused was at least 100 × 106/kg b.w. per ECP treatment, a more positive and longer‐lasting response was achieved. Moreover, the mean dose of treated and infused monocytes × 106/kg b.w./ECP did not account for a clear dose‐related effect. These findings may eventually result in a more patient‐tailored approach to ECP. Prospective multicenter trials should be designed to investigate the real impact of MNC dose on ECP responsiveness.
Inflammatory Cell Migration into the Central Nervous System: A Few New Twists on an Old Tale
Authors: Man Shumei , Ubogu Eroboghene E. , Ransohoff Richard M.
Published: March 2007

Understanding the mechanisms of leukocyte trafficking into the brain might provide insights into how to modulate pathologic immune responses or enhance host protective mechanisms in neuroinflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis. This review summarized our knowledge about the sites for leukocyte entry into the central nervous system, highlighting the routes from blood into the perivascular space and brain parenchyma through the blood–brain barrier. We further discussed the multistep paradigm of leukocyte–endothelial interactions at the blood–brain barrier, focusing on the adhesion molecules and chemokines involved in leukocyte transmigration. Luminal chemokines, which are immobilized on endothelial surfaces, initiate leukocyte integrin clustering and conformational change, leading to leukocyte arrest. Some leukocytes undergo post‐arrest locomotion across the endothelial surface until interendothelial junctions are identified. Leukocytes then extend protrusions through the interendothelial junctions, in search of abluminal chemokines, which will serve as guidance cues for transmigration. Extravasating cells first accumulate in the perivascular space between the endothelial basement membrane and the basement membrane of the glia limitans. Matrix metalloproteases may be involved in leukocyte transverse across glia limitans into the brain parenchyma. The adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors provide attractive targets for neuroinflammatory diseases because of their important role in mediating central nervous system inflammation.
The Analytical Solution and The Existence Condition of Dry Friction Backward Whirl in Rotor-to-Stator Contact Systems
Authors: Jiang Jun
Published: March 2007

Dry friction backward whirl is a self-excited vibration state in rotor-to-stator contact systems, by which the rotor is in continuous contact with the stator, slipping continuously on the contact surface and whirling backward at a supersynchronous frequency. To correctly cope the response of dry friction backward whirl, the effect of dry friction must be taken into account in rotor/stator models. From the knowledge on the characteristics of dry friction backward whirl, the whirl frequency, the existence condition and the solution of this response are derived analytically in this paper. The analytical results are verified by simulations and shown in good correspondence to the experimental observations.
Laminar Forced Convection From a Circular Cylinder Placed in a Micropolar Fluid
Authors: Mahfouz F. M.
Published: March 2007

In this paper laminar forced convection associated with the cross-flow of micropolar fluid over a horizontal heated circular cylinder is investigated. The conservation equations of mass, linear momentum, angular momentum and energy are solved to give the details of flow and thermal fields. The flow and thermal fields are mainly influenced by Reynolds number, Prandtl number and material parameters of micropolar fluid. The Reynolds number is considered up to 200 while the Prandtl number is fixed at 0.7. The dimensionless vortex viscosity is the only material parameter considered in this study and is selected in the range from 0 to 5. The study has shown that generally the mean heat transfer decreases as the vortex viscosity increases. The results have also shown that both the natural frequency of vortex shedding and the amplitude of oscillating lift force experience clear reduction as the vortex viscosity increases. Moreover, the study showed that there is a threshold value for vortex viscosity above which the flow over the cylinder never responds to perturbation and stays symmetric without vortex shedding. Regarding drag coefficient, the results have revealed that within the selected range of controlling parameters the drag coefficient does not show a clear trend as the vortex viscosity increases.
Thermal Conductivity of Metal-Oxide Nanofluids: Particle Size Dependence and Effect of Laser Irradiation
Authors: Kim Sang Hyun , Choi Sun Rock , Kim Dongsik
Published: March 2007

The thermal conductivity of water- and ethylene glycol-based nanofluids containing alumina, zinc-oxide, and titanium-dioxide nanoparticles is measured using the transient hot-wire method. Measurements are performed by varying the particle size and volume fraction, providing a set of consistent experimental data over a wide range of colloidal conditions. Emphasis is placed on the effect of the suspended particle size on the effective thermal conductivity. Also, the effect of laser-pulse irradiation, i.e., the particle size change by laser ablation, is examined for ZnO nanofluids. The results show that the thermal-conductivity enhancement ratio relative to the base fluid increases linearly with decreasing the particle size but no existing empirical or theoretical correlation can explain the behavior. It is also demonstrated that high-power laser irradiation can lead to substantial enhancement in the effective thermal conductivity although only a small fraction of the particles are fragmented.
Review of Metamodeling Techniques in Support of Engineering Design Optimization
Authors: Wang G. Gary , Shan S.
Published: March 2007

Computation-intensive design problems are becoming increasingly common in manufacturing industries. The computation burden is often caused by expensive analysis and simulation processes in order to reach a comparable level of accuracy as physical testing data. To address such a challenge, approximation or metamodeling techniques are often used. Metamodeling techniques have been developed from many different disciplines including statistics, mathematics, computer science, and various engineering disciplines. These metamodels are initially developed as “surrogates” of the expensive simulation process in order to improve the overall computation efficiency. They are then found to be a valuable tool to support a wide scope of activities in modern engineering design, especially design optimization. This work reviews the state-of-the-art metamodel-based techniques from a practitioner’s perspective according to the role of metamodeling in supporting design optimization, including model approximation, design space exploration, problem formulation, and solving various types of optimization problems. Challenges and future development of metamodeling in support of engineering design is also analyzed and discussed.
Finite Element Simulation for Short Pulse Light Radiative Transfer in Homogeneous and Nonhomogeneous Media
Authors: An W. , Ruan L. M. , Tan H. P. , Qi H. , Lew Y. M.
Published: March 2007

With the rapid progress on ultrashort pulse laser, the transient radiative transfer in absorbing and scattering media has attracted increasing attention. The temporal radiative signals from a medium irradiated by ultrashort pulses offer more useful information which reflects the internal structure and properties of media than that by the continuous light sources. In the present research, a finite element model, which is based on the discrete ordinates method and least-squares variational principle, is developed to simulate short-pulse light radiative transfer in homogeneous and nonhomogeneous media. The numerical formulations and detailed steps are given. The present models are verified by two benchmark cases, and several transient radiative transfer cases in two-layer and three-layer nonhomogeneous media are investigated and analyzed. The results indicate that the reflected signals can imply the break of optical properties profile and their location. Moreover, the investigation for uniqueness of temporal reflected and transmitted signals indicate that neither of these two kinds of signals can be solely taken as experimental measurements to predict the optical properties of medium. They should be measured simultaneously in the optical imaging application. The ability of the present model to deal with multi-dimensional problems is proved by the two cases in the two-dimensional enclosure.
On the Use of the Fully Compressible Navier-Stokes Equations for the Steady-State Solution of Natural Convection Problems in Closed Cavities
Authors: Mazumder Sandip
Published: March 2007

The steady-state compressible form of the Navier-Stokes equations, along with no-slip boundary conditions on walls, represents a boundary value problem. In closed heated cavities, these equations are incapable of preserving the initial mass of the cavity and predicting the pressure rise. A simple strategy to adjust the reference pressure in the system is presented and demonstrated. The strategy is similar to solving the transient form of the governing equations, but completely eliminates truncation errors associated with temporal discretization of the transient terms. Results exhibit good agreement with previous reports. Additional results are shown to highlight differences between the fully compressible formulation and the Boussinesq approximation.
Restoration of the Mississippi Delta: Lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Authors: Day John W. , Boesch Donald F. , Clairain Ellis J. , Kemp G. Paul , Laska Shirley B. , Mitsch William J. , Orth Kenneth , Mashriqui Hassan , Reed Denise J. , Shabman Leonard , Simenstad Charles A. , Streever Bill J. , Twilley Robert R. , Watson Chester C. , Wells John T. , Whigham Dennis F.
Published: March 2007

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed the vulnerability of coastal communities and how human activities that caused deterioration of the Mississippi Deltaic Plain (MDP) exacerbated this vulnerability. The MDP formed by dynamic interactions between river and coast at various temporal and spatial scales, and human activity has reduced these interactions at all scales. Restoration efforts aim to re-establish this dynamic interaction, with emphasis on reconnecting the river to the deltaic plain. Science must guide MDP restoration, which will provide insights into delta restoration elsewhere and generally into coasts facing climate change in times of resource scarcity.
Coupled Thermal and Hydrological Evolution of Tropical Africa over the Last Deglaciation
Authors: Weijers Johan W. H. , Schefuß Enno , Schouten Stefan , Damsté Jaap S. Sinninghe
Published: March 2007

We analyzed the distribution of branched tetraether membrane lipids derived from soil bacteria in a marine sediment record that was recovered close to the Congo River outflow, and the results enabled us to reconstruct large-scale continental temperature changes in tropical Africa that span the past 25,000 years. Tropical African temperatures gradually increased from ∼21° to 25°C over the last deglaciation, which is a larger warming than estimated for the tropical Atlantic Ocean. A direct comparison with sea-surface temperature estimates from the same core revealed that the land-sea temperature difference was, through the thermal pressure gradient, an important control on central African precipitation patterns.
CRISPR Provides Acquired Resistance Against Viruses in Prokaryotes
Authors: Barrangou Rodolphe , Fremaux Christophe , Deveau Hélène , Richards Melissa , Boyaval Patrick , Moineau Sylvain , Romero Dennis A. , Horvath Philippe
Published: March 2007

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) are a distinctive feature of the genomes of most Bacteria and Archaea and are thought to be involved in resistance to bacteriophages. We found that, after viral challenge, bacteria integrated new spacers derived from phage genomic sequences. Removal or addition of particular spacers modified the phage-resistance phenotype of the cell. Thus, CRISPR, together with associated
cas
genes, provided resistance against phages, and resistance specificity is determined by spacer-phage sequence similarity.
Simultaneous Quantification of Epstein-Barr Virus, Cytomegalovirus, and Human Herpesvirus 6 DNA in Samples from Transplant Recipients by Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay
Authors: Wada Kaoru , Kubota Naomi , Ito Yoshinori , Yagasaki Hiroshi , Kato Koji , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Ono Yasuyuki , Ando Hisami , Fujimoto Yasuhiro , Kiuchi Tetsuya , Kojima Seiji , Nishiyama Yukihiro , Kimura Hiroshi
Published: March 2007

We developed a multiplex real-time PCR assay using 6-carboxyfluorescein, 6-carboxy-4′,5′-dichloro-2′,7′-dimethoxyfluorescein, and carbocyanine 5-labeled probes to simultaneously quantify Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) DNA. When previously tested and stored DNA samples were examined, results of the multiplex real-time PCR assay were as sensitive and specific as those of a single real-time PCR assay. The multiplex assay was used to quantify the EBV, CMV, and HHV-6 DNA in 46 transplant recipients. A total of 303 whole-blood and plasma specimens were collected and analyzed. According to the results of the multiplex assay, the detection rates for viral DNA in whole blood and plasma were 23.8% and 5.9% for EBV, 11.2% and 5.3% for CMV, and 12.5% and 2.0% for HHV-6, respectively. All forms of viral DNA were detected more frequently in whole blood than in plasma. During the symptomatic period, EBV DNA was detected in all whole-blood specimens but not in all plasma specimens. Furthermore, the EBV DNA load in whole blood was higher during the symptomatic period than during the asymptomatic period, whereas the EBV DNA load in plasma was similar for both periods. These results demonstrate that whole blood is more suitable for the quantification of EBV DNA in transplant patients. However, a cutoff value with clinical relevance still needs to be determined.