bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Hypertension and Kidney Hypertrophy in Transgenic Mice Overexpressing ARAP1 Gene in the Kidney
Authors: Guo Deng-Fu , Chenier Isabelle , Lavoie Julie L. , Chan John S.D. , Hamet Pavel , Tremblay Johanne , Chen Xiang Mei , Wang Donna H. , Inagami Tadashi
Published: June 2006

Angiotensin II regulates blood pressure via activation of the type 1 receptor. We previously identified a novel angiotensin II type 1 receptor–associated protein and demonstrated that it promotes receptor recycling to the plasma membrane. To delineate the pathophysiological function of the ARAP1 in the kidneys, we generated transgenic mice that overexpress rat ARAP1 cDNA specifically in proximal tubules and tested the hypothesis that proximal tubule-specific overexpression of ARAP1 causes hypertension. Two lines of male transgenic mice, 650 and 670, displayed kidney-specific transgene expression. Systolic blood pressure was significantly elevated by &20 to 25 mm Hg in these lines of mice at 20 weeks of age compared with their nontransgenic litter mates. Urine volume, but not water intake, was significantly decreased in both lines compared with nontransgenic controls. The kidney/body weight ratio was significantly increased in both lines compared with their nontransgenic litter mates at 12 and 20 weeks of age. In contrast, no difference was observed in the ratio of brain, spleen, heart, and testis to body weight between male transgenic and nontransgenic animals. Inhibitions of the renin–angiotensin system completely normalized the systolic blood pressure of transgenic mice. Moreover, low salt intake prevented the development of hypertension, whereas high salt intake exacerbated the increase in blood pressure in transgenic mice. Therefore, our data show that proximal tubule-specific overexpression of ARAP1 leads to hypertension, suggesting that renal ARAP1 plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure and renal function via activation of the intrarenal renin–angiotensin system.
Adverse Effects of Cigarette Smoke on NO Bioavailability
Authors: Zhang Wei-Zheng , Venardos Kylie , Chin-Dusting Jaye , Kaye David M.
Published: June 2006

Endothelial dysfunction is a hallmark of cardiovascular disease, and thel-arginine:NO pathway plays a critical role in determining endothelial function. Recent studies suggest that smoking, a well-recognized risk factor for vascular disease, may interfere withl-arginine and NO metabolism; however, this remains poorly characterized. Accordingly, we performed a series of complementary in vivo and in vitro studies to elucidate the mechanism by which cigarette smoke adversely affects endothelial function. In current smokers, plasma levels of asymmetrical dimethyl-arginine (ADMA) were 80% higher (P=0.01) than nonsmokers, whereas citrulline (17%;P<0.05) and N-hydroxy-l-arginine (34%;P<0.05) were significantly lower. Exposure to 10% cigarette smoke extract (CSE) significantly affected endothelial arginine metabolism with reductions in the intracellular content of citrulline (81%), N-hydroxy-l-arginine (57%), and arginine (23%), while increasing ADMA (129%). CSE significantly inhibited (38%) arginine uptake in conjunction with a 34% reduction in expression of the arginine transporter, CAT1. In conjunction with these studies, CSE significantly reduced the activity of eNOS and NO production by endothelial cells, while stimulating the production of reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, cigarette smoke adversely affects the endotheliall-arginine NO synthase pathway, resulting in reducing NO production and elevated oxidative stress. In conjunction, exposure to cigarette smoke increases ADMA concentration, the latter being a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Renal Function and Effectiveness of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Therapy in Patients With Chronic Stable Coronary Disease in the Prevention of Events with ACE inhibition (PEACE) Trial
Authors: Solomon Scott D. , Rice Madeline M. , A. Jablonski Kathleen , Jose Powell , Domanski Michael , Sabatine Marc , Gersh Bernard J. , Rouleau Jean , Pfeffer Marc A. , Braunwald Eugene
Published: June 2006

Background—

Patients with reduced renal function are at increased risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In the post–myocardial infarction setting, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been shown to be as effective in patients with impaired renal function as in those with preserved renal function.

Methods and Results—

We assessed the relation between renal function and outcomes, the influence of ACE inhibition on this relation, and whether renal function modifies the effectiveness of ACE inhibition in patients with stable coronary artery disease and preserved systolic function enrolled in the Prevention of Events with ACE inhibition trial (PEACE). Patients (n=8290) were randomly assigned to receive trandolapril (target, 4 mg/d) or placebo. Clinical creatinine measures were available for 8280 patients before randomization. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated with the 4-point Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. Renal function was related to outcomes, and the influence of ACE-inhibitor therapy was assessed with formal interaction modeling. The mean eGFR in PEACE was 77.6±19.4, and 1355 (16.3%) patients had reduced renal function (eGFR <60 mg · mL
−1
· 1.73 m
−2
). We observed a significant interaction between eGFR and treatment group with respect to cardiovascular and all-cause mortality (
P
=0.02). Trandolapril was associated with a reduction in total mortality in patients with reduced renal function (adjusted HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54 to 1.00) but not in patients with preserved renal function (adjusted HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.78 to 1.13).

Conclusions—

Although trandolapril did not improve survival in the overall PEACE cohort, in which mean eGFR was relatively high, trandolapril reduced mortality in patients with reduced eGFR. These data suggest that reduced renal function may define a subset of patients most likely to benefit from ACE-inhibitor therapy for cardiovascular protection.
Routine Thrombectomy in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Kaltoft Anne , Bøttcher Morten , Nielsen Søren Steen , Hansen Hans-Henrik Tilsted , Terkelsen Christian , Mæng Michael , Kristensen Jens , Thuesen Leif , Krusell Lars Romer , Kristensen Steen Dalby , Andersen Henning Rud , Lassen Jens Flensted , Rasmussen Klaus , Rehling Michael , Nielsen Torsten Toftegaard , Bøtker Hans Erik
Published: June 2006

Background—

Distal embolization during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction may result in reduced myocardial perfusion, infarct extension, and impaired prognosis.

Methods and Results—

In a prospective randomized trial, we studied the effect of routine thrombectomy in 215 patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction lasting <12 hours undergoing primary PCI. Patients were randomized to thrombectomy pretreatment or standard PCI. The primary end point was myocardial salvage measured by sestamibi SPECT, calculated as the difference between area at risk and final infarct size determined after 30 days (percent). Secondary end points included final infarct size, ST-segment resolution, and troponin T release. Baseline variables, including ST-segment elevation and area at risk, were similar. Salvage was not statistically different in the thrombectomy and control groups (median, 13% [interquartile range, 9% to 21%] and 18% [interquartile range, 7% to 25%];
P
=0.12), but 24 patients in the thrombectomy group and 12 patients in the control group did not have an early SPECT scan, mainly because of poor general or cardiac condition (
P
=0.04). In the thrombectomy group, final infarct size was increased (median, 15%; [interquartile range, 4% to 25%] versus 8% [interquartile range, 2% to 18%];
P
=0.004).

Conclusions—

Thrombectomy performed as routine therapy in primary PCI for ST-elevation myocardial infarction does not increase myocardial salvage. The study suggests a possible deleterious effect of thrombectomy, resulting in an increased final infarct size, and does not support the use of thrombectomy in unselected primary PCI patients.
Cardiovascular Outcomes With Atrial-Based Pacing Compared With Ventricular Pacing
Authors: Healey Jeffrey S. , Toff William D. , Lamas Gervasio A. , Andersen Henning R. , Thorpe Kevin E. , Ellenbogen Kenneth A. , Lee Kerry L. , Skene Allan M. , Schron Eleanor B. , Skehan J. Douglas , Goldman Lee , Roberts Robin S. , Camm A. John , Yusuf Salim , Connolly Stuart J.
Published: June 2006

Background—

Several randomized trials have compared atrial-based (dual-chamber or atrial) pacing with ventricular pacing in patients with bradycardia. No trial has shown a mortality reduction, and only 1 small trial suggested a reduction in stroke. The goal of this review was to determine whether atrial-based pacing prevents major cardiovascular events.

Methods and Results—

A systematic review was performed of publications since 1980. For inclusion, trials had to compare an atrial-based with a ventricular-based pacing mode; use a randomized, controlled, parallel design; and have data on mortality, stroke, heart failure, or atrial fibrillation. Individual patient data were obtained from 5 of the 8 identified studies, representing 95% of patients in the 8 trials, and a total of 35 000 patient-years of follow-up. There was no significant heterogeneity among the results of the individual trials. There was no significant reduction in mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87 to 1.03;
P
=0.19) or heart failure (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.77 to 1.03;
P
=0.15) with atrial-based pacing. There was a significant reduction in atrial fibrillation (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.89;
P
=0.00003) and a reduction in stroke that was of borderline significance (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.99;
P
=0.035). There was no convincing evidence that any patient subgroup received special benefit from atrial-based pacing.

Conclusions—

Compared with ventricular pacing, the use of atrial-based pacing does not improve survival or reduce heart failure or cardiovascular death. However, atrial-based pacing reduces the incidence of atrial fibrillation and may modestly reduce stroke.
Experiments on the Automatic Induction of German Semantic Verb Classes
Authors: im Walde Sabine Schulte
Published: June 2006

This article presents clustering experiments on German verbs: A statistical grammar model for German serves as the source for a distributional verb description at the lexical syntax-semantics interface, and the unsupervised clustering algorithm k-means uses the empirical verb properties to perform an automatic induction of verb classes. Various evaluation measures are applied to compare the clustering results to gold standard German semantic verb classes under different criteria. The primary goals of the experiments are (1) to empirically utilize and investigate the well-established relationship between verb meaning and verb behavior within a cluster analysis and (2) to investigate the required technical parameters of a cluster analysis with respect to this specific linguistic task. The clustering methodology is developed on a small-scale verb set and then applied to a larger-scale verb set including 883 German verbs.
Generating Referring Expressions that Involve Gradable Properties
Authors: van Deemter Kees
Published: June 2006

This article examines the role of gradable properties in referring expressions from the perspective of natural language generation. First, we propose a simple semantic analysis of vague descriptions (i.e., referring expressions that contain gradable adjectives) that reflects the context-dependent meaning of the adjectives in them. Second, we show how this type of analysis can inform algorithms for the generation of vague descriptions from numerical data. Third, we ask when such descriptions should be used. The article concludes with a discussion of salience and pointing, which are analyzed as if they were gradable adjectives.
Building and Using a Lexical Knowledge Base of Near-Synonym Differences
Authors: Inkpen Diana , Hirst Graeme
Published: June 2006

Choosing the wrong word in a machine translation or natural language generation system can convey unwanted connotations, implications, or attitudes. The choice between near-synonyms such as error, mistake, slip, and blunder—words that share the same core meaning, but differ in their nuances—can be made only if knowledge about their differences is available.

We present a method to automatically acquire a new type of lexical resource: a knowledge base of near-synonym differences. We develop an unsupervised decision-list algorithm that learns extraction patterns from a special dictionary of synonym differences. The patterns are then used to extract knowledge from the text of the dictionary.

The initial knowledge base is later enriched with information from other machine-readable dictionaries. Information about the collocational behavior of the near-synonyms is acquired from free text. The knowledge base is used by Xenon, a natural language generation system that shows how the new lexical resource can be used to choose the best near-synonym in specific situations.
Consistent Validation of Manual and Automatic Sense Annotations with the Aid of Semantic Graphs
Authors: Navigli Roberto
Published: June 2006

The task of annotating texts with senses from a computational lexicon is widely recognized to be complex and often subjective. Although strategies like interannotator agreement and voting can be applied to deal with the divergences between sense taggers, the consistency of sense choices with respect to the reference dictionary is not always guaranteed.

In this article, we introduce Valido, a visual tool for the validation of manual and automatic sense annotations. The tool employs semantic interconnection patterns to smooth possible divergences and support consistent decision making.
Characterization of Local Structures in Flexible Polyurethane Foams by Solid-state NMR and FTIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Oka Hideyuki , Tokunaga Yuji , Masuda Takahiro , Kiso Hiroyuki , Yoshimura Hiroyuki
Published: June 2006

The article examines the characterization of local structures in water-blown flexible polyurethane foams with various amine catalysts. In this study, the authors have applied solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation, nuclear spin diffusion, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscope analysis on flexible polyurethane foams. Quantitative knowledge of the polymer structure and dynamics by these methods provides a significant insight on understanding the microphase separation and the domain structure of urethane and urea hard segments and polyether soft segments in foam.

Furthermore, the authors analyze the influence of hydrothermal degradation on the microphase structure of the foams. A detailed comparison of the fundamental results with conventional foam durability tests (e.g., humid aged compression sets) is described, and the hydrothermal degradation mechanism and the influence of catalysts on the foam stability are discussed.
Effect of Nanoclay on the Mechanical Properties of PMMA/Clay Nanocomposite Foams
Authors: Fu Jin , Naguib Hani E.
Published: June 2006

In this study, the effects of nanoclay on the mechanical properties of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA)/clay nanocomposite foams are investigated. Intercalated PMMA/clay nanocomposites have been prepared through a solvent co-precipitation method. PMMA/clay nanocomposites with only 0.5 wt% of well-dispersed montmorillonite nanoclay showed considerable improvement of mechanical properties; specifically in elastic modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break. However, with an increased load of clay in the nanocomposite, the mechanical properties decreased due to the agglomeration of excessive nanoclay. Microcellular foams have been processed with PMMA/clay nanocomposite material using a subcritical gas foaming method. When a short foaming time is used, the increased amount of nanoclay induced a greater amount of heterogeneous nucleation during the foaming process and therefore decreased the density of the foam. In contrast, when a longer foaming time is used, foam density increased with a larger nanoclay load due to the higher diffusivity coefficient of CO2 blowing agent. Nanoclay, as a nucleation agent and reinforcement filler, changed the foaming behavior and mechanical properties of the PMMA microcellular foams. The microcellular foams made of PMMA/clay nanocomposite with 0.5 wt% exhibited an optimized mechanical response under tensile experiments. It is observed that the mechanical properties of nanocomposite foams are greatly related to the mechanical properties of unfoamed material and foam density. The nanoclay dispersion quality is a very important factor for the mechanical properties of both foamed and unfoamed polymer/clay nanocomposites.
Low Temperature Curing of NBR for Property Improvement
Authors: Palaty Shiny , Joseph Rani
Published: June 2006

Zinc salts of ethyl, isopropyl, and butyl xanthates are prepared in the laboratory, and the effect of these xanthates with zinc diethyl dithiocarbamate (ZDC) on the vulcanization of HAF-filled nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) compounds has been studied at different temperatures. The cure times of these compounds have been compared with that of NBR compounds containing TMTD/MBTS. The rubber compounds with the three xanthate accelerators and ZDC are cured at various temperatures from 60 to 150 C. The sheets are molded and properties such as tensile strength, tear strength, cross-link density, elongation at break, compression set, abrasion resistance, flex resistance, etc. have been evaluated. The properties show that zinc salt of the xanthate/ZDC accelerator system has a positive synergistic effect on the cure rate and mechanical properties of NBR compounds.
Effect of Carbon Black on Devulcanized Ground Rubber Tire—Natural Rubber Vulcanizates: Cure Characteristics and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Maridass B. , Gupta B. R.
Published: June 2006

Ground rubber tire (GRT) powder is devulcanized using a counter-rotating twin screw extruder and then the product is mixed with 30 phr virgin natural rubber (NR) and HAF carbon black added in various proportions. The data obtained from a cure rheometer is used to fit in a four-parameter logistic model to correlate the variation of torque with time. The mechanical properties were evaluated, which suggested that optimum properties are obtained with a 15 phr HAF addition. The effects of a sulfur/accelerator (S/CBS) ratio study reveals that satisfactory properties are obtained at a S/CBS ratio of 1.5/0.75.
Coagulated Styrene-Vinylpyridine-Butadiene Ter-polymer latex as Secondary Accelerator in Sulfonamide—Sulfur Curing System
Authors: Chakraborty S. , Sajith P. , Agrawal S. L. , Bandyopadhyay S. , Mukhopadhyay R. , Deuri A. S.
Published: June 2006

In the present study, coagulated styrene-vinylpyridine-butadiene ter-polymer latex (VP latex) is used as a secondary accelerator to increase the cure rate in the sulfonamide—sulfur curing system in natural as well as synthetic rubber-based compounds. The activation energy is observed to be lower when coagulated VP latex is used as a secondary accelerator. All other physical properties are observed to be comparable. It is found that a small amount of coagulated VP ter-polymer is sufficient to increase the reaction rate. However, it is also found that coagulated VP latex alone is not a satisfactory accelerator.
Thermal Degradation Study of Functionalized MWNT Reinforced Segmented Polyurethane Membrane
Authors: Mondal S. , Hu J. L.
Published: June 2006

The thermal degradation of polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG, Mn 1/42900) based polyurethane (PU), along with four different weight contents (such as 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, and 2.5 wt%) of functionalized multiwalled nanotube (MWNT) reinforced PUs are studied in air as well as in nitrogen atmosphere. The degradation results are reported in 10 and 50% weight loss and derivative of thermogravimetry (DTG). As expected, PUs are thermally more stable in nitrogen than in air. However, the influence of MWNT content on thermal stability is unclear. At 0.25 and 0.50 wt% of MWNT content, thermal stability declined and a further increase of MWNT improved the thermal stability of PU. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis is also performed for untreated and heat treated films in order to understand the degradation at different temperatures. Free C1/4O stretching neck dimension increases with increasing temperature which signifies breaking of H-bonding detected by FTIR measure ments.
The basic norm and democracy in Hans Kelsen’s legal and political theory
Authors: Kalyvas Andreas
Published: June 2006

Hans Kelsen refused to develop a democratic theory of the basic norm. Given that he expounded a strong distinction between law and politics as two separate scientific disciplines he consistently argued against any attempt to politicize legal science and corrupt its object of cognition. As a result, there has been very little discussion of the basic norm in relation to his democratic theory. This article attempts to fill this gap by tracing the relationship between the basic norm and democracy in Kelsen’s legal and political writings. More precisely, it maps Kelsen’s seminal distinction between autonomy and heteronomy onto his reflections on constitutional making and probes the anti-democratic implications of his theory of the basic norm as they undermine the normative foundations of democratic theory. The article concludes by addressing the question of whether it is possible to articulate a theory of the democratic ground norm, of democratic foundings with a normative content, by proposing the idea of an immanent, performative basic norm as the source of validity of a democratic constitutional order
Suicidal thoughts
Authors: Tierney Thomas F.
Published: June 2006

Liberal articulations of the right to die generally focus on balancing individual rights against state interests, but this approach does not take full advantage of the disruptive potential of this contested right. This article develops an alternative to the liberal approach to the right to die by engaging the seemingly discordant philosophical perspectives of Michel Foucault and Thomas Hobbes. Despite Foucault’s objections, a rapprochement between these perspectives is established by focusing on their shared emphasis on the role that death plays in the order of modernity. After the article has established the complementarity of Foucault and Hobbes, Hobbes’ unique stance toward suicide is first viewed in the context of the early-modern hostility toward suicide, and then contrasted with Foucault’s Stoic-inspired affirmation of suicide. This comparison of these two philosophers’ positions on suicide opens to contestation dimensions of modern subjects that remain undisturbed by liberal approaches to the right to die
Abu Ghraib: imprisonment and the war on terror
Authors: Gordon Avery F.
Published: June 2006

The exposure of torture and sadistic treatment of prisoners in US-run prisons in Iraq and elsewhere in the ‘theatre’ of the war on terror has shed light on the nature of military imprisonment today. However, the actions and policies of military prison guards reflect accepted civilian prison norms. Excessive force, civil disability and the loss of internationally guaranteed rights, and indefinite detention are central means by which the wars on both terror and crime (civilian mass imprisonment) are executed. These practices, amounting to a condition of permanent imprisonment, are being pioneered by the US in its super-maximum civilian prisons. Permanent war and permanent imprisonment are not exceptional but increasingly the routine means by which the racial state organises the abandonment of surplus and potentially rebellious populations and attempts to quarantine the effects of global poverty.
They had to die: assassination against liberation
Authors: Brittain Victoria
Published: June 2006

The use of political assassinations against key leaders of liberation movements has had a major impact on the course of history in Africa and the Middle East. Not only have some of the greatest of Third World leaders been killed but so, too, has the hope for political change they embodied. This survey of assassinations carried out by western states and their agents from the 1960s onwards reveals a bloody legacy of killings of leaders from Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Morocco, Mozambique, Palestine, South Africa, Togo and Zimbabwe – all of which were linked to the interests of western imperialism. Today's daily diet of suicide bombings and the targeting of civilians by both western militaries and jihadis is one consequence, it is suggested, of the brutalisation effected by the policy of political assassination.
Freedom of speech is not an absolute
Authors: Sivanandan A.
Published: June 2006

In September 2005, the right-wing Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published specially commissioned cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that were judged, by Muslims and many non-Muslims, to be racist and offensive. Republished in February 2006 in newspapers across Europe (except the UK), they were the occasion for demonstrations and riots throughout both the Muslim and non-Muslim world. In this wide-ranging interview, originally conducted for the Norwegian newspaper Klassekampen, A. Sivanandan reflects on free speech and its relation to other freedoms in an unequal, globalised world. He looks at it in the context both of the ‘war on terror’ and past histories of colonisation.
A Prospective, Randomized Clinical Investigation of the Treatment of First-Time Ankle Sprains
Authors: Beynnon Bruce D. , Renström Per A. , Haugh Larry , Uh Benjamin S. , Barker Howard
Published: June 2006

Background

Acute ankle ligament sprains are treated with the use of controlled mobilization with protection provided by external support (eg, functional treatment); however, there is little information regarding the best type of external support to use.

Hypothesis

There is no difference between elastic wrapping, bracing, bracing combined with elastic wrapping, and casting for treatment of acute, first-time ankle ligament sprains in terms of the time a patient requires to return to normal function.

Study Design

Randomized controlled clinical trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods

Patients suffering their first ligament injury were stratified by the severity of the sprain (grades I, II, or III) and then randomized to undergo functional treatment with different types of external supports. The patients completed daily logs until they returned to normal function and were followed up at 6 months.

Results

Treatment of grade I sprains with the Air-Stirrup brace combined with an elastic wrap returned subjects to normal walking and stair climbing in half the time required for those treated with the Air-Stirrup brace alone and in half the time required for those treated with an elastic wrap alone. Treatment of grade II sprains with the Air-Stirrup brace combined with the elastic wrap allowed patients to return to normal walking and stair climbing in the shortest time interval. Treatment of grade III sprains with the Air-Stirrup brace or a walking cast for 10 days followed by bracing returned subjects to normal walking and stair climbing in the same time intervals. The 6-month follow-up of each sprain severity group revealed no difference between the treatments for frequency of reinjury, ankle motion, and function.

Conclusion

Treatment of first-time grade I and II ankle ligament sprains with the Air-Stirrup brace combined with an elastic wrap provides earlier return to preinjury function compared to use of the Air-Stirrup brace alone, an elastic wrap alone, or a walking cast for 10 days.
Postoperative Subscapularis Muscle Insufficiency after Primary and Revision Open Shoulder Stabilization
Authors: Scheibel Markus , Tsynman Alexander , Magosch Petra , Schroeder Ralf Juergen , Habermeyer Peter
Published: June 2006

Background

Postoperative subscapularis muscle insufficiency after open shoulder stabilization procedures represents an unrecognized condition.

Hypothesis

Primary and revision open shoulder stabilization using the inverted L-shaped tenotomy approach impairs subscapularis muscle recovery and affects final clinical outcome.

Study Design

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Twenty-five patients who underwent primary (group 1: n = 13; mean age, 36.5 years; follow-up, 48 months) or revision (group 2: n = 12; mean age, 34.2 years; follow-up, 52 months) open shoulder stabilization procedures were followed up clinically (clinical subscapularis tests and signs, Constant score, and Rowe score) and by magnetic resonance imaging (tendon integrity, defined muscle diameters, and signal intensity analysis [ratio infraspinatus/upper subscapularis muscle and infraspinatus/lower subscapularis muscle]). A third group (group 0) of 12 healthy volunteers served as a control.

Results

Clinical signs for subscapularis muscle insufficiency were present in 53.8% of cases in group 1 and 91.6% of cases in group 2. There were no significant differences between groups with regard to Constant and Rowe scores (P >. 05). On magnetic resonance imaging, no complete tendon ruptures were found. The mean vertical diameter of the subscapularis muscle and the mean transverse diameter of the upper subscapularis muscle portion were significantly greater in group 0 than in group 1 and greater in group 1 than in group 2 (P <. 05). The mean transverse diameter of the lower subscapularis muscle was comparable in all groups (P >. 05). The signal intensity analysis revealed the infraspinatus/upper subscapularis muscle ratio was greater in group 0 than in group 1 and greater in group 1 than in group 2 (P <. 05). The infraspinatus/lower subscapularis muscle ratio was lower in group 0 than in groups 1 and 2 (P <. 05).

Conclusion

Open shoulder stabilization using an inverted L-shaped tenotomy approach may lead to atrophy and fatty infiltration, particularly of the upper part of the subscapularis muscle, resulting in postoperative subscapularis muscle insufficiency. Revision procedures using the same approach may further compromise clinical subscapularis muscle function and structure. The lower portion of the subscapularis muscle seems to have a compensating effect that may, in addition to a meticulous capsulolabral reconstruction, account for the uncompromised overall clinical outcome.
Will the Second Cable Tray Be Ignited In a Nuclear Power Plant?
Authors: Shen Tzu-Sheng
Published: June 2006

To ensure the systems related to nuclear safety maintain their functions during a fire, designers often use redundant trains of cables to support those systems and assure that a fire involving one train does not damage or ignite the other. This may be accomplished by meeting separation requirements between redundant cables or installing automatic fire suppression systems as specified by applicable codes. Some spaces, such as the cable spreading room, involve large concentrations of redundant safe shutdown cables, often making it difficult to meet the cable separation requirements. This article demonstrates the use of the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) to determine the exposure conditions from a cable tray fire to a redundant cable tray. The results show that the 20 ft of separation between cable trays, as required by 10CFR50, could be reduced by a performance-based approach in some configurations.
Effect of Construction Method on the Fire Behavior of Sandwich Panels with Expanded Polystyrene Cores in Room Fire Tests
Authors: Griffin Gregory J. , Bicknell Ashley D. , Bradbury Glenn P. , White Nathan
Published: June 2006

Room fire tests are conducted, according to the ISO 9705 or ISO 13784-1 protocols, on steel-skinned sandwich panels with expanded polystyrene (EPS) cores. The thickness of the panel cores, grade of EPS, and construction methods of fixing the panels are varied. During the fire tests, the temperature profiles within the panels are measured to determine the onset of EPS melting and possible flame spread within the panels. Temperature profiles within the room, heat release rate from the room, and ceiling heat flux are also measured. It is found that the construction methods that best restrict pyrolysis gases and molten EPS from leaking out of the panel skins into the room enclosure give the greatest resistance to fire spread and prevent the occurrence of flashover.
Phosphorous Containing Chitosan Beads for Controlled Oral Drug Delivery
Authors: Jayakumar R. , Reis R. L. , Mano J. F.
Published: June 2006

Phosphorous containing chitosan (PCTS) was synthesized by a graft copolymerization technique in order to be used as controlled drug delivery devices. To test this potential, PCTS beads were prepared by using tripolyphosphate, at pH 4.0 and characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The in vitro drug release behavior in various pH solutions was studied using indomethacin (IM) as a model drug at two different concentrations (0.3 and 0.6% w/w). The release percent of IM from PCTS beads was found to be increased with the increasing of pH in the buffer solution. The release rate of IM at pH 7.4 was higher than that at pH 1.4, due to the ionization of phosphorous groups and the high solubility of IM in the alkaline medium. These results indicated that PCTS beads have the potential to be used as controlled drug delivery systems through oral administration by avoiding the drug release in the highly acidic gastric fluid region of the stomach.
Nanoscale Amphiphilic Star-like Macromolecules with Carboxy-, Methoxy and Amine-terminated Chain Ends
Authors: Wang Jinzhong , Tian Lu , Argenti Anthony , Uhrich Kathryn E.
Published: June 2006

Amphiphilic star-like macromolecules (ASMs) with chain ends terminating as methoxy-, carboxy and amine groups were synthesized for use as drug solubilization and delivery systems. Hydrophobic mucic acid derivatives were conjugated to the pentaerythritol tetraacrylate as the core molecule, then poly(ethylene glycol) chains with specific functionalized chain ends were attached. With respect to size in solution, the ASMs with longer alkyl chains (C12) in the core were slightly larger than polymers with shorter alkyl chains (C6), and the carboxy-terminated ASMs displayed slightly larger sizes than the methoxy and amine-terminated polymers. In aqueous solution, the ASMs maintained their nanosize, ranging from 20 to 40nm in diameter in solutions with pH values of 2, 7.4 and 9. The shorter C6 chain polymers displayed sizes that were independent of pH, whereas the longer chain polymers displayed a more pronounced response to pH changes. With respect to thermal properties, ASMs with larger hydrophobic cores had slightly lowered melting and crystallization temperatures. The methoxy-terminated ASMs have higher melting and crystallization temperatures (by 8°C) than the ASMs terminated with carboxy and amine functionalities.
Synthesis and Degradation Characteristics of Polyurethanes Containing AZO Derivatives of 5-Amino Salicylic Acid
Authors: Davaran Soodabeh , Rashidi Mohammad R. , Hanaee Jalal , Khani Abbas , Mahkam Mehrdad , Hashemi Mahdi
Published: June 2006

New types of biodegradable and pH sensitive polyurethanes containing azo derivatives of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) were synthesized by condensation of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) with 4, 4-dihydroxy azobenzene-3, 3-dicarboxylic acid (AZO I) or 4, 4-dihydroxy 3-formyl azobenzene-3-carboxylic acid (AZO II). They contained both hydrolysable urethane bonds and enzymatically degradable azo-aromatic links. Degradation of polyurethanes (PU-AZO I and PU-AZO II) in phosphate buffer solutions was pH dependant. In basic conditions AZO I or AZO II was rapidly released over 48h. Incubation of PU-AZO I and PU-AZO II with rat cecal contents at 37°C gradually released 5-ASA, and the amount of drug released was 85% and 78% in 48h respectively. These polyurethane derivatives are being investigated for colon-specific drug delivery systems for treating inflammatory bowel disease based on the pH-dependant degradation of the polymer.
Effects of Pre-stretching on the Tensile Properties of Knitted Glass Fiber Fabric Reinforced Polypropylene Composite
Authors: Zaixia Fan , Zhangyu  , Yanmo Chen , Hairu Long
Published: June 2006

Weft knitted glass fiber (GF) fabric reinforced polypropylene (PP) composite sheets were fabricated by hot pressing of stacked rib 1: 1 knitted fabric preform layers. The knitted preforms were made from GF/PP commingled yarn containing 50 vol% (≈73 wt%)GF. Before hot pressing, the preforms were stretched in the wale direction at various ratios. The tensile properties of the pre-stretched GF-PP composites were studied. It was found that there is a critical value of pre-stretch ratio as far as tensile stiffness and tensile strength are concerned. On increasing the pre-stretch ratio within the range of this critical value, both tensile stiffness and tensile strength increase. If the pre-stretch ratio goes beyond this critical value and continues to increase, both tensile stiffness and tensile strength display a tendency of slight decrease because of the break of more glass fibers. The failure strain of the composites decreases with the increase of the pre-stretch ratio because of the decrease of the stretchability of the knitted reinforcements.
Metal Filled High Density Polyethylene Composites – Electrical and Tensile Properties
Authors: Nurazreena  , Hussain Luay Bakir , Ismail H. , Mariatti M.
Published: June 2006

The electrical resistivity and tensile properties of composites formed by the incorporation of metal powders such as aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) in a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix are investigated. Results are presented for metal fillers content varying between 0 and 55% by volume. The effect of different types of filler and filler content on electrical and tensile properties of the composites is analyzed. As a result, it is found that the electrical resistivity properties of the composites are governed by the shape of the filler and the amount of filler content. In this study, it is found that the tensile strength is influenced by the shape of the filler, degree of crystallinity and the adhesion between metal fillers and polymer. For example, more metal filler loading results in filler agglomeration which reduces the adhesion between metal fillers and polymer and increases the metal-to-metal contacts, this subsequently reduces the strength of the composite materials. The Young's modulus of the composite systems seems to follow the normal trend of filled polymer composites, where in general the Young's modulus increases with increasing amount of filler loadings.
A Numerical and Experimental Study on Thermal Conductivity of Particle Filled Polymer Composites
Authors: Kumlutas Dilek , Tavman Ismail H.
Published: June 2006

In this study, thermal conductivity of particle filled polymer composites is investigated numerically and experimentally. In the numerical study, the finite-element program ANSYS is used to calculate the thermal conductivity of the composite by using the results of the thermal analysis. Three-dimensional models are used to simulate the microstructure of composite materials for various filler concentrations at various ratios of thermal conductivities of filler to matrix material. The models used to simulate particle filled composite materials are cubes in a cube lattice array and spheres in a cube lattice array. A modified hot wire method is used to measure the thermal conductivity of the composites consisting of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix filled with tin particles up to 16% by volume. The experimentally measured thermal conductivities are compared with numerically calculated ones by using the spheres in cube model and also with the already existing theoretical and empirical models. At low particle content, up to 10% of volume content of tin filler, numerical estimation and all other models except for the Cheng and Vachon model, predict well the thermal conductivity of the composite. For more heavily filled composites there is an exponential increase in thermal conductivity and most of the models fail to predict thermal conductivity in this region.
Theory in Action
Authors: Gergen Kenneth J. , Zielke Barbara
Published: June 2006

Although the value placed on theoretical work in psychology has diminished over recent years, new and significant challenges to the status of theory have emerged within the intellectual community more generally. The demise of the mapping metaphor, the reduction of reason to rhetoric, and the recognition of the impossibility of value-neutral theorizing all raise questions concerning the status and function of theory. Critical theory in psychology has provided one response to these issues by employing theory as an emancipatory device. However, given the limits to pure critique, many search for means of employing theory in the service of pro-active practices of social change. Given the various problems of theory in the traditional mold, what is the function and status of theory in these emerging practices? In the present issue, we bring together five explorations of the utility of theory in processes of social action. Pivotal in these offerings is the reconceptualization of theory as a form of discursive action. When viewed in this light, new and important issues emerge in our understanding of theoretical work and its place in both intellectual and social life.
Theory in the Context of Collaborative Inquiry
Authors: Sugiman Toshio
Published: June 2006

Collaborative practices that bring researchers and community participants together are favored by a social constructionist meta-theory. Specific features of research activity in the human sciences are discussed relevant to the contributions of theory to collaborative practice. It is argued that collaborative practice consists of alternating movements between two modes of action. In the first mode, the present, the past and the future of a local field are grasped and problem-solving is initiated. In this mode, action is largely based on tacit forms of understanding. In the second mode, the tacit assumptions are recognized in the past tense and thus become explicit. In the first mode, a theory helps facilitate the movement by deepening the understanding of a field and developing a policy or a plan. In the second mode, a theory can logically express the tacit assumptions, relocate recognition and practice in the previous or first mode, and reveal useful new directions for action in a newly emerging first mode. It is further argued that collaborative practice in a local field can be linked with action in other local fields, thus giving rise to inter-local practices. Theoretical abstractions can be used to translate concrete activities in such a way that activities in spatially and temporally removed situations are illuminated.
Getting Closer at a Distance
Authors: Hepburn Alexa
Published: June 2006

In general it is very hard to document clear applications of the content of psychological theory. While deconstruction reveals the binary organization and contingency of accounts of theory and application in psychology, nevertheless there is a desire to be useful to the organizations that we engage with as researchers. This dilemma is illustrated through a personal narrative of my involvement as a researcher with a UK charitable organization—the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). As the research has developed it has become an attempt to explicate and make visible current practice on the NSPCC helpline. This move will be illustrated using the example of extreme emotion, and in particular callers' crying. In terms of utility the research emerges as an attempt to turn practices into strategies, where the kinds of embodied, untheorized, practices in which people engage in a highly occasioned and finessed way are explicated, allowing them to be turned into strategies, for example of good practice or communication breakdown. These traces will help to interrogate simple stories about theory and application.
The Case of Internalized Homophobia
Authors: Russell Glenda M. , Bohan Janis S.
Published: June 2006

This paper suggests that theoretical formulations do not stand apart from research and practice but rather themselves represent forms of praxis. This proposal is illustrated by an alternative perspective on the psychological construct of internalized homophobia. Calling upon postmodern construals of self and identity, the authors argue that the usual distinction between homophobia-in-the-world and internalized homophobia as experienced and expressed by non-heterosexual individuals is a false one. Rather, all members of a homonegative society incorporate and convey homonegative attitudes, reflecting common rather than differential expressions of that homonegativity. A new term, homonegating processes, is proposed as more encompassing and useful than current terminology. In addition, the paper argues that the assumption of such an alternative perspective both expresses and engenders alternative enactments in psychological practice. The paper closes with an exploration of some pragmatic implications of this analysis.
Radical Plural Feminisms and Emancipatory Practice in Post-Apartheid South Africa
Authors: Macleod Catriona
Published: June 2006

Despite ten years of democracy, gross inequities continue to permeate South African society, implying the need for emancipatory theory and practice. Furthermore, despite a minority critical voice, South African psychology, as elsewhere, has been a generally conservative discipline. In this paper I explore how a radical plural feminism provides a resource for liberatory theory/practice. Drawing on Foucauldian discourse and postcolonial insights, this framework performs a ‘both/and’ (rather than an ‘either/or’) function in the theorizing and practice of diversity/unity and micro/macro-level politics. This theory is installed in practice through intellectual activism. Intellectual activism implies in this context: refusing abstractions that pre-define who one is, while at the same time strategically deploying plural identities around contingent issues; working in the bordersites of dominant understandings; identifying, communicating and acting upon transversal relations of commonality; identifying and inhabiting the contradictions and disparities contained in dominant and oppressive discourses; and being constantly vigilant and reflective in terms of self, other, context, process, assumptions and theory.
Towards the Multiple Body
Authors: Tucker Ian
Published: June 2006

These texts each approach embodiment theory from a different angle. Shilling attempts to address the multi-dimensionality of embodiment theory, Crossley attempts to overcome mind–body dualism, whilst Coupland and Gwyn's review places empirical data at the forefront of its endeavours. Whilst each provides valuable insight into ways of thinking about the body, they tend towards emphasizing either bodies as ‘acted upon’ or bodies as ‘actors’. The argument laid out in this review is that they (singularly and combined) fall short in illuminating a multiplex materially grounded concept of bodies as parts of knowledge-producing relations, rather than distinct entities. An example taken from Mol's notion of the multiple body is put forward as an alternative concept through which embodiment theory can move forward.