bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Value of Very Low Plasma Concentrations of Troponin T in Patients With Stable Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Latini Roberto , Masson Serge , Anand Inder S. , Missov Emil , Carlson Marjorie , Vago Tarcisio , Angelici Laura , Barlera Simona , Parrinello Giovanni , Maggioni Aldo P. , Tognoni Gianni , Cohn Jay N.
Published: August 2007

Background—

Circulating cardiac troponin T, a marker of cardiomyocyte injury, predicts adverse outcome in patients with heart failure (HF) but is detectable in only a small fraction of those with chronic stable HF. We assessed the prognostic value of circulating cardiac troponin T in patients with stable chronic HF with a traditional (cTnT) and a new precommercial highly sensitive assay (hsTnT).

Methods and Results—

Plasma troponin T was measured in 4053 patients with chronic HF enrolled in the Valsartan Heart Failure Trial (Val-HeFT). Troponin T was detectable in 10.4% of the population with the cTnT assay (detection limit ≤0.01 ng/mL) compared with 92.0% with the new hsTnT assay (≤0.001 ng/mL). Patients with cTnT elevation or with hsTnT above the median (0.012 ng/mL) had more severe HF and worse outcome. In Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for clinical risk factors, cTnT was associated with death (780 events; hazard ratio=2.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.72 to 2.52;
P
<0.0001) and first hospitalization for HF (655 events; hazard ratio=1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.25 to 1.93;
P
<0.0001). HsTnT was associated with the risk of death in unadjusted analysis for deciles of concentrations and in multivariable models (hazard ratio=1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 1.07 for increments of 0.01 ng/mL;
P
<0.0001). Addition of hsTnT to well-calibrated models adjusted for clinical risk factors, with or without brain natriuretic peptide, significantly improved prognostic discrimination (C-index,
P
<0.0001 for both outcomes).

Conclusions—

In this large population of patients with HF, detectable cTnT predicts adverse outcomes in chronic HF. By the highly sensitive assay, troponin T retains a prognostic value at previously undetectable concentrations.
Tyrosine Hydroxylase, the Rate-Limiting Enzyme in Catecholamine Biosynthesis
Authors: Rao Fangwen , Zhang Lian , Wessel Jennifer , Zhang Kuixing , Wen Gen , Kennedy Brian P. , Rana Brinda K. , Das Madhusudan , Rodriguez-Flores Juan L. , Smith Douglas W. , Cadman Peter E. , Salem Rany M. , Mahata Sushil K. , Schork Nicholas J. , Taupenot Laurent , Ziegler Michael G. , O’Connor Daniel T.
Published: August 2007

Background—

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis. Does common genetic variation at human
TH
alter autonomic activity and predispose to cardiovascular disease? We undertook systematic polymorphism discovery at the
TH
locus and then tested variants for contributions to sympathetic function and blood pressure.

Methods and Results—

We resequenced 80 ethnically diverse individuals across the
TH
locus. One hundred seventy-two twin pairs were evaluated for sympathetic traits, including catecholamine production, reflex control of the circulation, and environmental (cold) stress responses. To evaluate hypertension, we genotyped subjects selected from the most extreme diastolic blood pressure percentiles in the population. Human
TH
promoter haplotype/reporter plasmids were transfected into chromaffin cells. Forty-nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms were discovered, but coding region polymorphism did not account for common phenotypic variation. A block of linkage disequilibrium spanned 4 common variants in the proximal promoter. Catecholamine secretory traits were significantly heritable (h
2
), as were stress-induced blood pressure changes. In the
TH
promoter, significant associations were found for urinary catecholamine excretion and for blood pressure response to stress.
TH
promoter haplotype 2 (TGGG) showed pleiotropy, increasing both norepinephrine excretion and blood pressure during stress. Coalescent simulations suggest that
TH
haplotype 2 likely arose ≈380 000 years ago. In hypertension, 2 independent case-control studies (1266 subjects with 53% women and 927 subjects with 24% women) replicated the effect of C-824T in the determination of blood pressure.

Conclusions—

We conclude that human catecholamine secretory traits are heritable, displaying joint genetic determination (pleiotropy) with autonomic activity and finally with blood pressure in the population. Catecholamine secretion is influenced by genetic variation in the adrenergic pathway encoding catecholamine synthesis, especially at the classically rate-limiting step,
TH
. The results suggest novel pathophysiological links between a key adrenergic locus, catecholamine metabolism, and blood pressure and suggest new strategies to approach the mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment of systemic hypertension.
Epinephrine Is Required for Normal Cardiovascular Responses to Stress in the Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase Knockout Mouse
Authors: Bao Xuping , Lu Chuanyi M. , Liu Fujun , Gu Yusu , Dalton Nancy D. , Zhu Bo-Qing , Foster Elyse , Chen Ju , Karliner Joel S. , Ross John , Simpson Paul C. , Ziegler Michael G.
Published: August 2007

Background—

Epinephrine (EPI) is an important neurotransmitter and hormone. Its role in regulating cardiovascular function at rest and with stress is unclear, however.

Methods and Results—

An epinephrine-deficient mouse model was generated in which the epinephrine-synthesizing enzyme phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase was knocked out (KO). Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored by telemetry at rest and during graded treadmill exercise. Cardiac structure and function were evaluated by echocardiography in mice under 1 of 2 conditions: unstressed and lightly anesthetized or restrained and awake. In KO mice, resting cardiovascular function, including blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output, was the same as that in wild-type mice, and the basal norepinephrine plasma level was normal. However, inhibition of sympathetic innervation with the ganglion blocker hexamethonium caused a 54% smaller decrease in blood pressure in KO mice, and treadmill exercise caused an 11% higher increase in blood pressure, both suggesting impaired vasodilation in KO mice. Interestingly, phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase KO did not change the heart rate response to ganglionic blockade and exercise. By echocardiography, KO mice had an increased ratio of left ventricular posterior wall thickness to internal dimensions but did not have cardiac hypertrophy, suggesting concentric remodeling in the KO heart. Finally, in restrained, awake KO mice, heart rate and ejection fraction remained normal, but cardiac output was significantly reduced because of diminished end-diastolic volume.

Conclusion—

Our data suggest that epinephrine is required for normal blood pressure and cardiac filling responses to stress but is not required for tachycardia during stress or normal cardiovascular function at rest.
Impact of Repeated Dietary Counseling Between Infancy and 14 Years of Age on Dietary Intakes and Serum Lipids and Lipoproteins
Authors: Niinikoski Harri , Lagström Hanna , Jokinen Eero , Siltala Marja , Rönnemaa Tapani , Viikari Jorma , Raitakari Olli T. , Jula Antti , Marniemi Jukka , Näntö-Salonen Kirsti , Simell Olli
Published: August 2007

Background—

Atherosclerosis development might be delayed or prevented by dietary measures. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effect of low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol dietary counseling on fat intakes, growth, serum cholesterol values, and pubertal development in children and adolescents.

Methods and Results—

In the randomized prospective Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP), a low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet was introduced to intervention infants (n=540) at 7 months of age, and control children (n=522) received an unrestricted diet. Dietary intakes, serum cholesterol values, somatic growth, and development were followed up throughout childhood and adolescence. Saturated fat intakes, serum total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values were lower (
P
<0.001) in the intervention than in control children during the 14 years, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values in the 2 study groups showed no difference. Boys had lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations than girls throughout childhood (
P
<0.001), and the intervention effect on serum cholesterol concentration was larger in boys than girls. The 2 study groups showed no difference in growth, body mass index, pubertal development, or age at menarche (median, 13.0 and 12.8 years in the intervention and control girls, respectively;
P
=0.52). The cholesterol values decreased as puberty progressed. Mean concentrations of total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased from ≈4.5 and ≈1.4 mmol/L, respectively, in Tanner stage 1 (prepubertal) boys to ≈3.9 and ≈1.1 mmol/L in Tanner stage 4 (late pubertal) boys.

Conclusions—

Repeated dietary counseling remains effective in decreasing saturated fat and cholesterol intake and serum cholesterol values at least until 14 years of age. Puberty markedly influences serum cholesterol concentrations.
Selective Genotyping Reveals Association Between the Epithelial Sodium Channel γ-Subunit and Systolic Blood Pressure
Authors: Büsst Cara J. , Scurrah Katrina J. , Ellis Justine A. , Harrap Stephen B.
Published: August 2007

Systolic blood pressure is determined in large part by genes. Six independent studies have reported evidence of linkage between systolic pressure and chromosome 16p12 that incorporates
SCNN1G
, the gene encoding the γ-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel. We undertook the first comprehensive association analysis of
SCNN1G
and systolic pressure. To achieve genetic contrast, we sampled unrelated subjects within the upper (mean: 166 mm Hg; n=96) and lower (mean: 98 mm Hg; n=94) 10% of the systolic pressure distribution of 2911 subjects from the Victorian Family Heart Study. We examined genotypes and haplotypes related to 26 single nucleotide polymorphisms across
SCNN1G
and its promoter. Each of 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (
rs13331086
,
rs11074553
, and
rs4299163
) in introns 5 and 6 showed evidence of association with systolic pressure in logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index. Considered as a haplotype block, these single nucleotide polymorphisms were significantly associated with systolic pressure (haplo.score global:
P
=0.0001). In permutation analyses to account for multiple testing, a result such as this was observed only once in 10 000 permutations. The estimated frequency of 1 haplotype (TGC) was substantially greater in high (13.3%) than low (0.6%) systolic pressure subjects (
P
=0.0001). Three other haplotypes (TGG, TAC, and GGC) showed associations with high or low systolic pressure consistent with the observed associations of their composite alleles. These findings identify relatively common polymorphisms in the
SCNN1G
gene that are associated with high systolic blood pressure in the general Australian white population.
Effects of PREMIER Lifestyle Modifications on Participants With and Without the Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Lien Lillian F. , Brown Ann J. , Ard Jamy D. , Loria Catherine , Erlinger Thomas P. , Feldstein Adrianne C. , Lin Pao-Hwa , Champagne Catherine M. , King Abby C. , McGuire Heather L. , Stevens Victor J. , Brantley Phillip J. , Harsha David W. , McBurnie Mary Ann , Appel Lawrence J. , Svetkey Laura P.
Published: August 2007

Lifestyle modification can reduce blood pressure and lower cardiovascular risk. Established recommendations include weight loss, sodium reduction, and increased physical activity. PREMIER studied the effects of lifestyle interventions based on established recommendations alone and with the addition of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern. This analysis aimed to assess the interventions’ impact on cardiometabolic variables in participants with, compared with those without, metabolic syndrome. The primary outcome was 6-month change in systolic blood pressure. Participants with prehypertension or stage-1 hypertension were randomly assigned to an advice only control group, a 6-month intensive behavioral intervention group of established recommendations (EST), or an established recommendations plus DASH group (EST+DASH). Metabolic syndrome was defined per National Cholesterol and Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. We used general linear models to test intervention effects on change in blood pressure, lipids, and insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment), in subgroups defined by the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome. Of 796 participants, 399 had metabolic syndrome. Both EST and EST+DASH reduced the primary outcome variable, systolic blood pressure. Within the EST+DASH group, those with and without metabolic syndrome responded similarly (
P
=0.231). However, within EST, those with metabolic syndrome had a poorer response, with a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 8.4 mm Hg versus 12.0 mm Hg in those without metabolic syndrome (
P
=0.002). Thus, metabolic syndrome attenuated the systolic blood pressure reduction of EST, but this attenuation was overcome in EST+DASH. Finally, diastolic blood pressure, lipids, and homeostasis model assessment responded similarly to both interventions regardless of metabolic syndrome status. Our data suggest that strategies for lowering BP in individuals with metabolic syndrome may be enhanced by recommendations to adopt the DASH dietary pattern.
Differential Regulation of NADPH Oxidase in Sympathetic and Sensory Ganglia in Deoxycorticosterone Acetate–Salt Hypertension
Authors: Cao Xian , Dai Xiaoling , Parker Lindsay M. , Kreulen David L.
Published: August 2007

We demonstrated recently that superoxide anion levels are elevated in prevertebral sympathetic ganglia of deoxycorticosterone acetate–salt hypertensive rats and that this superoxide anion is generated by reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase. In this study we compared the reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase enzyme system of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and sympathetic celiac ganglion (CG) and its regulation in hypertension. The reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity of ganglion extracts was measured using fluorescence spectrometry of dihydroethidine; the activity in hypertensive dorsal root ganglion was 34% lower than in normotensive DRG. In contrast, activity was 79% higher in hypertensive CG than normotensive CG. mRNA for the oxidase subunits NOX1, NOX2, NOX4, p47
phox
, and p22
phox
were present in both CG and DRG; mRNA for NOX4 was significantly higher in CG than in DRG. The levels of mRNA and protein expression of the membrane-bound catalytic subunit p22
phox
and of the regulatory subunits p47
phox
and
Rac-1
were measured in CG and DRG in normotensive and hypertensive rats. p22
phox
mRNA and protein expression was greater in CG of hypertensive rats but not in DRG. Compared with normotensive controls, p47
phox
mRNA and protein, as well as
Rac-1
protein, were significantly decreased in hypertensive DRG but not in CG. Immunohistochemical staining of p47
phox
showed translocation from cytoplasm to membrane in hypertensive CG but not in hypertensive DRG. This suggests that reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activation in sympathetic neurons and sensory neurons is regulated in opposite directions in hypertension. This differential regulation may contribute to unbalanced vasomotor control and enhanced vasoconstriction in the splanchnic circulation.
Aortic Distensibility and Retinal Arteriolar Narrowing
Authors: Cheung Ning , Sharrett A. Richey , Klein Ronald , Criqui Michael H. , Islam F.M. Amirul , Macura Katarzyna J. , Cotch Mary Frances , Klein Barbara E.K. , Wong Tien Y.
Published: August 2007

Increased aortic stiffness and retinal arteriolar narrowing are subclinical vascular effects of chronic hypertension and predict future cardiovascular events. The relationship between these 2 vascular measures is uncertain and is examined in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. This cross-sectional analysis involves 3425 participants (aged 45 to 85 years) free of clinical cardiovascular disease. Retinal vascular caliber was quantified from digital retinal photographs using standardized protocols. Aortic distensibility was determined from chest MRI. After controlling for age, squared age, gender, race, study center, height, weight, heart rate, cigarette smoking, past and current systolic blood pressure, use of antihypertensive medications, diabetes, fasting glucose, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein, reduced aortic distensibility (first versus fourth distensibility quartile) was associated with increased odds of retinal arteriolar narrowing (odds ratio: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.15 to 2.58, comparing lowest to highest quartile of arteriolar caliber). Further adjustments for atherosclerotic measures (carotid intima-media thickness, coronary calcium score, and ankle brachial index) had minimal impact on this association (odds ratio: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.55). Reduced aortic distensibility was not associated with retinal venular caliber. We conclude that increased aortic stiffness is associated with retinal arteriolar narrowing, independent of measured blood pressure levels and vascular risk factors. These data suggest that changes in the microvasculature may play a role linking aortic stiffness with clinical cardiovascular events.
Effect of Ovariectomy on Renal Estrogen Receptor-α and Estrogen Receptor-β in Young Salt-Sensitive and -Resistant Rats
Authors: Esqueda Ma. Eugenia Davila , Craig Teresa , Hinojosa-Laborde Carmen
Published: August 2007

This study evaluated the effect of ovariectomy on renal estrogen receptor (ER)-α and ERβ expression in young female Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats. Our hypothesis was that estrogen depletion results in an imbalance in ERα and ERβ expression in salt-sensitive rats. Rats were subjected to sham surgery (intact), ovariectomy, and ovariectomy with estrogen replacement. Kidneys were harvested 8 weeks later. Western blot was used to measure ERα and ERβ expression in the cortex and medulla. In intact rats, ERα was 2.7- and 4.3-fold higher in salt-sensitive compared with salt-resistant rats in the renal cortex and medulla, respectively. In salt-sensitive rats, ovariectomy caused 42% and 52% decreases in ERα and 107% and 314% increases in ERβ in renal cortex and medulla, respectively. In salt-resistant rats, ovariectomy caused 33% and 150% increases in ERα and 107% and 100% increases in ERβ in renal cortex and medulla, respectively. Estrogen replacement did not alter ERα but restored ERβ expression levels similar to levels in intact rats in both salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats. Thus, estrogen loss had opposite effects on ERα in salt-sensitive (downregulation) and salt-resistant rats (upregulation). We propose that the decrease in ERα expression in salt-sensitive rats after estrogen loss alters the balance of renal ERs and may play a role in accelerating the development of hypertension and renal damage.
US–Russian Strategic Relations and the Structuration of Central Asia
Authors: Cutler Robert
Published: August 2007

Central Asia is only one of the core regional subsystems of international relations that constitute Central Eurasia. The others are Southwest Asia and South Asia. All three subsystems are mutually distinct and do not intersect. The years 1989-1994 saw the geopolitical enlargement of Southwest Asia into Greater Southwest Asia; 1995-2000, that of Central Asia into Greater Central Asia; and 2001-2006, that of South Asia into Greater South Asia. These "Greater" complements overlap, and their intersection is key to the future of international relations in Greater Central Asia and Central Eurasia as a whole. It is through their matrix that powers such as Russia and the United States (as well as China, India, Iran, Turkey) play out their search for influence in Central Asia proper.
The Iranian Revolution: The Multiple Contexts of the Iranian Revolution
Authors: Amineh  , Eisenstadt
Published: August 2007

The Iranian Islamic Revolution, the only continual regime constituted by a modern fundamentalist movement, shares many of the characteristics of the Great revolutions. The causes of the Iranian Revolution are indeed very similar to those of the classical ones—namely the breakdown of a modernizing autocracy torn by internal contradictions between various processes of economic and social modernization that gave rise to many new modernized economic and professional classes, but denying them any political autonomy, any autonomous access to the political center, at the same time uprooting them from wider sectors of peasant and urban population—very much in a rather typical third world way, pushing them into the slums of the cities. The Khomeini Revolution also developed in the context of the expansion of modernity, and it built on many of the structural and organizational aspects of modernity—especially of course in the use of the media and modern organizational methods for the mobilization of the masses. It was also fully imbued by some of the institutional and ideological premises of modernity. Not only did it adapt such modern political institutions as parliament or presidency—to which there is no reference in any pristine Islamic vision—but it did also emphasize in modern ways such themes as equality and political participation far beyond what could be found in such vision or visions. At the same time the Iranian ulama felt utterly alienated from the Shah's secular regime, and modernizing ideology. Their basic cosmological orientations were radically antimodern, or rather more exactly anti-Enlightenment and anti-Western. It was this distinct combination of modern and anti-Enlightenment and anti-Western cosmological visions; as developed in the framework of new globalizing and inter-civilizational visions; that distinguished the Iranian Islamic revolution from the classical ones, bringing out some of its paradoxical similarities within the different post-modern movements. Thus, indeed, the modern fundamentalist movements, in a way most fully epitomized in the Iranian revolution, as well as in somewhat different mode the communal religious movements, entail an important, even radical, shift in the discourse about the confrontation with modernity and in the conceptualization of the relation between the Western and non-Western civilizations, religions or societies—thus, paradoxically sharing many characteristics with the various "post-modern" movements.
Iranian Foreign Policy since the Iranian Islamic Revolution: 1979-2006
Authors: Rakel Eva Patricia
Published: August 2007

This article analyzes Iranian foreign policy since the Iranian Islamic revolution of 1979. The main questions to be dealt with are: what influences has the Iranian Islamic revolution had on foreign policy orientation and formulation of the Islamic Republic of Iran? What influences has Shi'ism had on foreign policy formulation in Iran? What impact have Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and the three presidents Hojjatoleslam Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Khatami, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had on foreign policy orientation? Have there been major shifts in foreign policy orientation during their tenures or has the overall foreign policy approach that was introduced by Khomeini after the revolution in 1979 remained the same? The article will first discuss the history of Shi'ism in Iran and its impact on politics since the introduction of Islam as state religion in the beginning of the sixteenth century by the Safavid Empire. It will then give an introduction to power relations in Iran since the Iranian Islamic revolution and analyze foreign policy orientation in Iran in four phases: (1) from 1979 to 1989, when Khomeini was the Supreme Leader; (2) from 1989-1997, during the presidency of Rafsanjani; (3) from 1997-2005, during the presidency of Khatami; and (4) since Ahmadinejad's presidency began in 2005.
The Middle East's Democracy Deficit in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Kamrava Mehran
Published: August 2007

The Middle East's democracy deficit is a product of the patterns of political and economic development in the region. It is not because the region is predominantly Islamic or is somehow afflicted by purportedly undemocratic cultures. By itself, culture is not an impediment to transition to democracy as it is subject to influences from the larger polity, especially insofar as the economy and the initiatives of the state are concerned. Instead, transition to democracy is determined by the degree of society's autonomy from the state. This autonomy may result from the empowerment of society as a consequence of economic development, or the state elite's devolution of power to social actors and classes, or, more commonly, a combination of both. Assumptions about the inherently undemocratic nature of cultures such as Islamic and Confucian ones are fundamentally invalid. The key to understanding democratic transitions lies instead in the nature of state-society relations rather than the nature of society's norms and values in themselves.
The Turkish Political Economy: Globalization and Regionalism
Authors: Onder Nilgun
Published: August 2007

Since the early 1980s, the Turkish economy has globalized via neoliberal reforms. Turkey's globalization entailed a fundamental shift from the inward-oriented, state-led industrialization that had characterized the Turkish political economy for decades to a strategy of export-led growth in an open market economy. Regionalism also became a major component of Turkey's globalization. In the post-Cold War era, the Turkish state has actively pursued multiple projects of regional economic integration. Regional projects are currently regarded as building blocks to Turkey's more successful participation in globalization. However, Turkey's neoliberal form of globalization so far has been characterized by major structural weaknesses, and it has resulted in recurrent economic crises.
Central Asia since the Dissolution of the Soviet Union: Economic Reforms and eir Impact on State-Society Relations
Authors: Pomfret Richard
Published: August 2007

In late 1991, with the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union, the five Central Asian republics became independent countries. The completely unexpected challenges of nation-building were superimposed on the transition from a centrally planned economy. Within the common bounds of resource-based economies and autocratic regimes, the five countries gradually became more differentiated as their governments introduced diverse national strategies for transition to a market-based economy. This article describes the different economic polices adopted by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan and analyzes the outcomes.
New Twists, More Intricate Configurations: The Changing Israel-Palestinian Regional Security Complex
Authors: Lawson Fred
Published: August 2007

Policies adopted by Syria, Hizbullah, and Israel have generated a major transformation in the Israel-Palestinian regional security complex. In the months after the United States-led overthrow of the Ba'thi regime in Iraq in March 2003, each of these three leaderships confronted a severe domestic political-economic crisis, and reacted to the crisis in ways that not only heightened the potential for conflict in regional affairs but also transformed the regional security complex into a more extensive constellation of alliances and adversarial relations.
Global Energy Security and Its Geopolitical Impediments—The Case of the Caspian Region
Authors: Amineh Mehdi Parvizi , Houweling Henk
Published: August 2007

This article discusses the global geopolitics of energy security in the post-Cold War environment. Energy companies headquartered in western countries have long history of accessing energy resources beyond borders through invasion of the host by their home state, followed by domination and the creation of property rights to explore and sell oil. Conquest and domination, respectively voluntary exchange are the survival strategies of human groups in the global system. The article differentiates between demand-induced scarcity, supply-induced scarcity, structural scarcity, and the creation and transfer of property rights. Together, the behaviors referred to by these concepts create a field of social forces that cross state borders and involve state and non-state actors. Monopolizing control over energy resources by the Anglo-Saxon maritime powers was one of the causes of both world wars. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US has been creating a land-based extension of its post-World War II defense perimeter. It runs from Romania, via Central Eurasia, to Israel, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Overland transport increasingly connects economies and energy supplies on the Central European and Pacific sides of the Eurasian continent. The US, therefore, has decided to bring under its military umbrella the energy-carrying region between industrializing China and India, recovering Russia and unifying Europe. China's policy to secure its energy supply by direct contracting with the home state and legal owner of the stock, brings it into confrontation with the US. The latter consumes one-quarter of the energy assumed to be present in the Greater Middle East. In recent decades, the Chinese economy has been growing at a rate substantially above the worldwide growth rate, which implies that China's share in the world economy is increasing over time. Accordingly, China is becoming more dependent on imports, especially energy. The US domestic oil production peaked in 1970-71. Thus, the US has no spare capacity to provide its allies in Europe and East Asia in case of an interruption of supply. The conquest of Iraq by the US and its allies, and the transfer of the management of the oil sector from the state to a US tax-paying private company opens a new era of violent interstate competition for access to and control of fossil energy sources.
China and the Greater Middle East: Globalization No Longer Equals Westernization
Authors: Radtke Kurt
Published: August 2007

The reshaping of the domestic social, political, and economic structures all over East Asia takes place in the context of a restructuring of the international (security) order. Despite China's increasing acceptance of international institutions and regimes the divergence of vital security interests of the United States (US) and Japan vis-a-vis those of China has raised the specter of increased polarization. This article will seek to answer the question of whether China is about to consciously challenge the power of the US and its allies not only in Asia, but also in the Greater Middle East (GME), mainly through China's impact on the economics, political, and social structure of those countries rather than through rivalry in the field of military power. China's conceptualization of the current global order is also shaped by historical memories of an age in which China was merely an object of Great Power politics which also directly affected the wider region, including the heartland of Eurasia, Southeast Asia, and in particular Japan and the Korean peninsula with their direct impact on China's security equation. To some Chinese strategists the Indian Ocean and countries of the GME have acquired a vital importance not only with regard to the supply of raw materials (including those obtained from Africa). Continuing Western strategic dominance in this large area would also have an important negative impact on China's global strategic position. For the first time in its history, China has become critically dependent on the acquisition of foreign resources—raw materials, investment and technology, as well as earnings from exports. China's economic activities in near neighbors such as Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, ailand, and Iran are also strategically important due to the impact on domestic and international politics of these countries. The US tends to interpret such influence in terms of Chinese power projection. This article interprets the linkages between domestic events and international strategies on the network of global (security) relations in terms of neogeopolitics rather than mainstream US scholarship.
The Changing Face of the Russian Far East: Cooperation and Resource Competition Between Japan, Korea, and China in Northeast Asia
Authors: Kangas Roger
Published: August 2007

When significant changes take place in one part of the world, it is to be expected that effects will be felt elsewhere. Particularly in an era of increasing globalization, as regions and countries become inextricably linked to each other, what takes place in one region will be felt in another. This is clearly the case with the Greater Middle East (GME). As this region expands in scope and composition, those areas on the borders must deal with the consequences. For example, much attention is placed on European reactions to and relations with the GME. Whether it is it terms of energy transfers, European Union programs regarding a "dialogue with Islam," or NATO's "Mediterranean Dialogue," there is a strong sense that Europeans must remain engaged with the region. However, can the same be said for states to the East particularly in the Far East? Is there a connection, and if so, how does this region relate to the GME? In short, why should someone examining the intricacies of state and societal development in the GME care about what takes place in the Russian Far East? There are several reasons that will be assessed in this article. First, the uncertainty of resource management and exploitation in the GME does mean that states in the Far East need to evaluate their own resource capabilities and needs. Developments within the GME necessitate a more thorough evaluation of what exists in the Far East for the countries in the region. Second, this sense of resource needs is in contrast to a political reality in the region: the major states have their own national security concerns located in other areas, thus creating a political and security "void." Russia, for example, gives higher priority to the West (Europe) and the South (Middle East). China remains committed to security concerns to the Southeast (Taiwan) and increasingly to the West (Central Asia and South Asia). Are the states in question devoting enough attention to the area that intersects them all? Third, if the states in the region believe that regional cooperation is important to address the first part above, the realities of the second part will most likely dampen any chance at true cooperation and regional development. How to overcome these problems and prevent the region from becoming a true "void" is the challenge of the states in the Far East today and in the future. A proper analysis of these security issues requires that one examine the perceptions held within the region, the capabilities and limitations of the respective governments, and an understanding of how these geopolitical differences have played out in the past.
The EU's Policies of Security of Energy Supply Towards the Middle East and Caspian Region: Major Power Politics?
Authors: Hoogeveen Femke , Perlot Wilbur
Published: August 2007

Vast reserves of fossil fuels make the Greater Middle East (GME) region the centre of attention in terms of security of supply considerations of all major energy-consuming countries, most notably of the United States (US), China, India, and of the European Union (EU). Although energy security is on the EU's agenda, the supranational nature of the EU inhibits it to pursue an external energy security policy in the same way as other consuming countries. Its power, mandate, and in many ways preparedness to execute a common foreign policy towards the GME, let alone as specific as a common foreign energy strategy, are limited. This article seeks to answer the questions of what role the EU wants to play in the GME region in relation to objectives of energy security, what role it can play in this respect, and whether the EU's Middle East politics can be regarded as major power politics.
Does “Main Street” Promote Sense of Community? A Comparison of San Francisco Neighborhoods
Authors: Pendola Rocco , Gen Sheldon
Published: August 2007

Creating “community” has long been a goal of urban planners. Although such rhetoric abounds in planning circles, what it all means is unclear. In this article, the authors review the community psychology and urban planning literature, defining sense of community within the context of how the built environment might facilitate or impede it. They then present their research, which tests the effects of “main street” on sense of community in four San Francisco neighborhoods. Results indicate that respondents in neighborhoods exhibiting characteristics of a main street town (Bernal Heights and West Portal) have significantly higher sense of community than do respondents from a high-density neighborhood (Nob Hill) and from a more suburban-style city neighborhood (Sunset).
Effects of Long-term Exposure on E-glass Composite Material Subjected to Stress Corrosion in a Saline Medium
Authors: Segovia F. , Salvador M.D. , Sahuquillo O. , Vicente A.
Published: August 2007

This work provides an insight on very long-term degradation of polyester-fiber glass composites immersed more than 30,000 h in saline medium under service stresses. Samples were loaded under bending conditions with stresses both in the elastic and plastic fields, with the result that characteristics in a flexural mode were able to be determined and the ensuing decrease in characteristics was fitted to an exponential model. The degree of losses ranged from 25 to 31% for the bending modulus, from 28 to 35% for the flexural strength, and from 40 to 51% for the specific fracture energy. The most notable losses were for specimens immersed in artificial sea water under a continuous stress of 140 MPa, corresponding to the plastic behavior of the material. Although the existence of matrix plasticization is doubtful, the osmotic effects of the diffusion on the matrix and the junction to the fibers, the presence of microcracks, and the effects of chemical ions in the medium on the surface fiber composition became evident in the strength degradation of the material.
Assessment of Porosity of Flat Textile Fabrics
Authors: Jakšić Danilo , Jakšić Nikola
Published: August 2007

An immersion method for measuring parameters of porosity in woven and knitted fabrics and even thin non-woven fabrics is presented in this paper. The experimental results correlated to the theory to a great extent. The method is based on selectively squeezing out the fluid from the pores of wet fabrics by air pressure. We were able to estimate the porosity parameters such as the hydraulic diameter of pores, the distribution of pores, the open area for the fluid flow and the number of hydraulic pores. The parameters were estimated based on the measurement of the air volume velocity through dry and wet samples as a function of the air pressure. All measured data were fed into the computer program developed for that purpose. The whole procedure took about 20 minutes and the results obtained by this method were in good agreement with those gained optically.
Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis of Cotton Contamination
Authors: Abidi Noureddine , Hequet Eric
Published: August 2007

The universal attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (UATR-FTIR) equipped with a ZnSe—Diamond composite crystal was used to analyze contaminated cotton fibers. Cotton samples were selected based on their high speed stickiness detector readings and sugar content as determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Trehalulose (dominant sugar in whitefly honeydew) was identified at 3280, 1622, and 1018 cm—1. Integrated intensities I3280, I1622, and I1018 showed high correlations with the trehalulose content on the contaminated lint. Principal component analysis of the FTIR spectra showed that it is possible to discriminate between contaminated and non-contaminated cotton and indicated that FTIR spectra of cotton lint fall into different clusters corresponding to different levels of contamination. The results obtained showed that the ZnSe—Diamond composite crystal FTIR accessory could be used as a fast and precise nondestructive method to discriminate between contaminated and non-contaminated cotton.
Flow Characterization in Cylinders for Pneumatic Spinning
Authors: Bergada J.M. , Valencia E. , Coll Li.
Published: August 2007

Traditional spinning systems are reaching profitability limits due to high production costs and low productivity. Pneumatic spinning is seen as a developing system; its productivity is much higher than that achieved by conventional systems. This paper evaluates one of the main factors that prevents an increase of productivity in pneumatic spinning. This is the air currents generated at the drafting cylinder entrance, which interact with the incoming fibers, diverting them from their expected path. Using laser anemometry, the airflow velocity distribution around drafting cylinders has been measured and it has been found that vorticity is created at the cylinder entrance. Extensive CFD simulation on the airflow drag by the cylinders has given a clear insight into the vortex created, producing valuable information on how cylinder design affects the vorticity created. It has been found experimentally that the use of a drafting cylinder with holes in it produced good results, reducing the air currents and allowing a sharp increase in yarn quality, as well as an increase in productivity. A study of vortex kinematics has been undertaken, bringing a better understanding of vortex creation, development, and breakdown.
Two-Day, Intensive Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder
Authors: Deacon Brett
Published: August 2007

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a highly effective treatment for panic disorder. However, few patients have access to this treatment, particularly those living in rural areas. In a pilot study, the author previously described the efficacy of a 2-day, intensive, exposure-based CBT intervention that was developed for the purpose of delivering CBT to a largely rural patient population that must travel long distances to find a treatment provider. The present study describes the successful implementation of this treatment with a 38-year-old woman with panic disorder and agoraphobia whose clinical presentation was complicated by recurrent fainting episodes during her panic attacks. Technical and theoretical issues in the conduct of this treatment are discussed, along with more general strategies to increase the efficiency and efficacy of CBT for panic disorder.
Spontaneous Recovery of Previously Extinguished Behavior as an Alternative Explanation for Extinction-Related Side Effects
Authors: Waller Raymond J. , Mays Nicole M.
Published: August 2007

Extinction is accepted as a viable intervention for behaviors that are hypothesized to be maintained by contingent attentional reinforcement. However, it is frequently acknowledged that extinction has potential numerous side effects, including the generation of aggressive behavior. This explanation does not provide a behavioral conceptualization of such side effects. This article offers that spontaneous recovery of previously extinguished behavior as a behavioral explanation of side effects sometimes observed during the extinction process.
Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Comorbid Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia and Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Labrecque Joane , Marchand André , Dugas Michel J. , Letarte Andrée
Published: August 2007

The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for comorbid panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by combining treatment strategies for both disorders. A single-case, multiple-baseline design across participants was used. Three participants with primary PDA and secondary GAD took part in the study. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed by means of a structured interview, self-administered questionnaires, and daily self-monitoring measures. After treatment, 2 of the 3 participants achieved high end-state functioning and maintained this level of functioning at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. The third participant also improved but only reached high end-state functioning at 6-month follow-up. It therefore appears that the combined treatment is relatively effective for PDA–GAD comorbidity. Possible avenues for improving the treatment are suggested.
Using Video Modeling for Generalizing Toy Play in Children With Autism
Authors: Paterson Claire R. , Arco Lucius
Published: August 2007

The present study examined effects of video modeling on generalized independent toy play of two boys with autism. Appropriate and repetitive verbal and motor play were measured, and intermeasure relationships were examined. Two single-participant experiments with multiple baselines and withdrawals across toy play were used. One boy was presented with three physically unrelated toys, whereas the other was presented with three related toys. Video modeling produced increases in appropriate play and decreases in repetitive play, but generalized play was observed only with the related toys. Generalization may have resulted from variables including the toys' common physical characteristics and natural reinforcing properties and the increased correspondence between verbal and motor play.
Succession Planning in Government
Authors: Jarrell Karen M. , Pewitt Kyle Coby
Published: August 2007

Succession planning is the plan an organization develops to meet its most critical employment needs. Although frequently used in the private arena, succession planning is rarely employed in the public sector. Can public organizations, with inherent bureaucracy and meritocracy, sustain a talented workforce given the impending changes in the workforce? Using a case study of a municipality known for its succession planning model, this article suggests that government agencies are capable of building a functioning and effective talent pipeline. Specific findings are suggested to prepare public organizations in their own planning efforts.
Using a second-order polynomial model to determine the optimum dregs/bark ratio for industrial-biosolid composting: the initial conditioning stage
Authors: Zambrano M. , Freer J. , Baeza J. , Villarroel M. , Vidal G.
Published: August 2007

Increasing pulp industry production has generated additional solid waste (i.e. biological sludge, dregs, etc.) and therefore an increasing disposal problem. On the other hand, composting is emerging as an interesting alternative for the disposal of residues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of sludge, dregs and bark and the effect on their initial conditioning stage prior to composting, using pine chips as bulking agent. After their characterization, these solid wastes were combined in different mixture proportions defined by a 32 experimental design based on the response surface methodology (RSM), in which 18 observations were required for the independent variables (dregs and bark) and the C : N ratio, moisture content and pH were the dependent variables. The characterization indicated that the dregs have alkaline properties with the presence of some essential plant nutrients, such as phosphorous (0.37%), potassium (0.76%), magnesium (1.4%) and calcium (27%). The combination of the macronutrients (phosphorous: 0.39%, potassium: 0.24%, calcium: 1.7%, magnesium: 0.44%) and micro-nutrients such as ferrous material (0.47%) and zinc (0.12%) found in the sludge suggest a promising alternative despite the potential problem due to the high pH of the dregs. The RSM design indicated a feasible region that satisfied the optimal dregs : bark ratio of 0.25 without exceeding the addition of 12.5% dregs, due to the alkaline properties of these inorganic wastes and the quadratic influence over the C : N ratio. The experimental results indicated that the composting process of dregs, bark and sludge is technically suitable, although the use of a rapidly available C source needs to be evaluated.