bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decreased Activity of the Sodium-Calcium Exchanger in Tail Artery of Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Thompson Lisa E. , Rinaldi Gustavo J. , Bohr David F.
Published: September 2008

The ability of the Na-Ca exchanger to modify vascular relaxation was studied in rings isolated from tail arteries of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). The arteries were contracted with norepinephrine (NE) 1µM and after stabilization they were transferred to a Ca-free physiological salt solution still in presence of NE. The time to 50% relaxation (T-50) in these conditions was significantly greater in SHRSP (78 ± 7 s) than in WKY (50 ± 7 s). When the calcium pump was stopped with vanadate (VAN), the Ca uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum with ryanodine (RY) and the Na-Ca exchanger with a Na-free PSS, the relaxation was slowed (T-50 increased to 198 ± 16 s in SHRSP and to 162 ± 14 s in WKY). Releasing the Na-Ca exchanger only (i.e. still with VAN and RY but with normal Na in the bath) the T-50 for relaxation in Ca-free PSS was, in WKY, nearly as fast as in control conditions (54 ± 8 s). However, the Na-Ca exchanger in SHRSP was not so effective, and the T-50 for relaxation was slower than in control conditions (122 ± 10 s). We conclude that the activity of the Na-Ca exchanger is depressed in tail arteries of SHRSP. This abnormality in resistance vessels, would contribute to the enhanced vascular tone present in hypertension.
Resistance Artery Tone Is Influenced Independently by Pressure and by Flow
Authors: Bevan John A. , Garcia-Roldan Jose-Luis , Joyce Elizabeth H.
Published: September 2008

The responses of rabbit resistance arteries to pressure and flow have been examined using two in vitro techniques – when mounted isometrically in a myograph and when perfused using a video system that automatically registers diameter. The latter approach allows pressure and flow to be independently controlled. Under such circumstances three responses were studied; myogenic contraction and flow-dependent constriction and dilation. All responses occurred after endothelium removal and were unaffected by indomethacin (10–6M). The pressure and flow effects can be elicited separately and have different ionic bases. The effective stimulus for the myogenic response is stretch and that for flow is presumably shear stress. The mechano-transducers for these effects are different and are located either in the vascular smooth muscle cells or their surrounding extracellular matrix.
G-Proteins and Endothelial Responses
Authors: Flavahan N.A. , Vanhoutte P.M.
Published: September 2008

G-proteins are transducing proteins that couple a large number of membrane-bound receptors to a variety of intracellular effector systems. Pertussis toxin ADP-ribosylates certain G-proteins causing inhibition of their function. In porcine coronary arteries, pertussis toxin inhibited the endothelium-dependent relaxations evoked by alpha-2-adrenergic or serotonergic receptor stimulation, and by aggregating platelets or thrombin. Relaxations to nitric oxide and endothelium-dependent relaxations to bradykinin, adenosine diphosphate or A23187 were unaffected by the toxin. Therefore, certain endothelium-dependent relaxations are mediated by activation of a pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi-protein in the endothelial cells, most likely Gi-protein. In porcine coronary arteries with regenerated endothelium (following in vivo denudation), the endothelium-dependent relaxations caused by the pertussis toxin-sensitive stimuli were reduced and were not further affected by pertussis toxin. Relaxations to the other stimuli were not altered by the regeneration process and were still not affected by the toxin. In regenerating endothelial cells there may be a selective impairment of the G-protein-dependent mechanism for releasing EDRF, which may predispose the blood vessel to vasospasm or the initiation of vascular disease.
EDRF in Intact Vascular Networks
Authors: Griffith T.M. , Edwards D.H.
Published: September 2008

X-ray microangiography was used to investigate the role of basal EDRF activity in the isolated rabbit ear, changes in perfusion pressure at different flow rates being correlated with simultaneous changes in diameter in resistance arteries 70–1,000 µm in size. Under conditions of controlled-pressure but not controlled-fiow perfusion the preparations were shown to autoregulate flow, but only when EDRF activity was inhibited by haemoglobin or L-NMMA. The diameter data indicated that this phenomenon was mediated by a flow- and/or pressure-dependent constrictor response that is normally suppressed by EDRF activity. We also investigated the influence of basal EDRF activity on the geometrical ‘optimality’ of resistance artery branching, using four models which minimise respectively the total surface area, volume, shear stress (drag) or power losses at bifurcations. EDRF activity was found to maintain optimality in terms of minimum volume and power losses over a wide range of flow rates in pharmacologically constricted preparations. This may allow rapid changes in flow to occur with only small changes in central arterial pressure and also help to minimise cardiac work.
Endothelium-Derived Hyperpolarizing Factor
Authors: Komori Kimihiro , Vanhoutte Paul M.
Published: September 2008

Although nitric oxide appears to be the major endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), it cannot explain all endothelium-dependent responses of isolated arteries. Thus, acetylcholine causes an endothelium-dependent, transient hyperpolarization, which is due to the release from the endothelial cells of a diffusible substance (endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor, EDHF) other than nitric oxide. The muscarinic receptors on the endothelium that trigger the release of EDHF belong to the M1-muscarinic subtype, while those activating the liberation of EDRF are M2-muscarinic in nature. The importance of endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization varies among different blood vessels. The hyperpolarization, and the resulting relaxation caused by EDHF can be attributed to an increase in K+ conductance in the vascular smooth muscle. Although the nature of EDHF remains elusive, it may be a labile metabolic of arachidonic acid.
Mechanoreception by the Endothelium: Mediators and Mechanisms of Pressure- and Flow-Induced Vascular Responses
Authors: Rubanyi Gabor M. , Freay Ana D. , Kauser Katalin , Johns Anthony , Harder David R.
Published: September 2008

Mechanoreception, a widely distributed sensory modality, has been shown to be present in certain blood vessels. Changes in physical forces, like sudden increase of transmural pressure or flow velocity (shear stress), trigger changes in blood vessel diameter; the former reduces it while the latter increases vessel caliber. These changes in diameter, which are the result of contraction and relaxation of vascular smooth muscle in the blood vessel media, can serve the purpose of physiological regulation of blood flow (autoregulation) and protection of the intima against damages from high shear forces. The precise location of mechanosensor(s) and the mechanism of mechanoreception and signal transduction are poorly understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that the endothelium may be a site of mechanoreception and that changes in the synthesis/release of endothelium-derived relaxing (EDRF, EDHF, PGI2) and contracting factors (EDCF) result in altered vascular smooth muscle tone and vessel caliber. Increased shear stress stimulates the release of EDRF and PGI2 probably via activation of a K+ channel (inward rectifier) in endothelial cell membrane. Endothelium-dependent vascular contraction evoked by increased transmural pressure may be the result of (1) reduced release of EDRF (canine carotid artery) and (2) stimulation of the release of a still unidentified EDCF(s) (feline cerebral artery). Thus the endothelium can serve as pressure and flow sensor and is capable of transducing changes in mechanical forces into changes of vascular smooth muscle tone by modulating the release of endothelium-derived vasoactive factors. The physiological importance of the mechanoreception by endothelial cells in the intact circulation remains to be determined.
Impaired Dilatation of Cerebral Arterioles in Chronic Hypertension
Authors: Heistad Donald D. , Mayhan William G. , Coyle Peter , Baumbach Gary L.
Published: September 2008

Several mechanisms impair cerebral vasodilatation during chronic hypertension. First, the external diameter of cerebral arterioles is reduced during chronic hypertension by structural ‘remodeling’. Thus, both vascular hypertrophy and remodeling result in encroachment on the lumen. Second, endothelium-dependent dilatation of cerebral vessels is impaired during chronic hypertension. Third, blood flow through cerebral collaterals is impaired by chronic hypertension, so that an important compensatory mechanism is compromised. Impaired vasodilator responses, together with limitation of increases in collateral blood flow, may predispose to cerebral ischemia and stroke during chronic hypertension.
Endothelium-Dependent Relaxations and Chronic Vasospasm after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Kim Phyo , Vanhoutte Paul M.
Published: September 2008

Endothelium-dependent relaxations are abolished in the canine basilar artery after subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) toward the lumen is not reduced. These findings suggest that the responsiveness of the smooth muscle to EDRF is impaired during chronic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Endothelins
Authors: Änggård Erik E. , Botting Renia M. , Vane John R.
Published: September 2008

The endothelins (ETs) are a family of newly discovered peptides with potent vasoconstrictor properties. They were first discovered in cultured endothelial cells but ET expression has since been found in many other tissues such as brain and kidney. They are peptides with 21 amino acids formed by hydrolytic cleavage of a larger peptide, big ET. Release of ETs from cultured endothelial cells is modulated by a variety of chemical and physical stimuli and as no storage sites have been identified it is suggested that endothelin release is regulated at the level of transcription or translation. Both big ET and ET-1 are found circulating in the blood. The levels are elevated in shock, myocardial infarction and kidney failure indicative of enhanced formation in these diseases. The literature now abounds with reports on actions of the ETs in vitro and in vivo. The vasoconstrictor properties are powerful and long-lasting. Several studies also show a mitogenic effect, indicating a possible trophic role. It is likely that in the next few years the development of inhibitors of endothelin synthesis and/or action will be of importance in unravelling the role of the ETs.
Molsidomine
Authors: Reden J.
Published: September 2008

Molsidomine is an established drug for the treatment of coronary heart disease. It acts via the metabolite SIN-1 through liberation of NO. Experiments have proven the identity of NO and EDRF. Investigation of the molecular mechanism of action of molsidosmine/SIN-1 indicate that molecular oxygen initiates NO formation through a one-electron abstraction from the intermediate. Ex vivo experiments in rats and in vitro studies in human coronary arteries showed that marked tolerance is induced with glyceryl trinitrate, whereas prolonged exposure to SIN-1 does not cause tolerance. Responsiveness to SIN-1 is not modified in nitrate-tolerant human arteries. Stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase underlies the antiaggregatory actions of EDRF. Likewise SIN-1 inhibits platelet aggregation in various models. In dogs and pigs with critical stenosis molsidomine reduced significantly the frequency and the severity of cyclical reductions of coronary blood flow.
Protein Kinase C as a Modulator of Response Amplification in Vascular Smooth Muscle
Authors: Laher Ismail , Thompson Loren P. , Gagne Lisa
Published: September 2008

The amplification of α-adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstriction by angiotensin II was studied in femoral artery rings from rabbits. Threshold concentrations of angiotensin II (0.1 nM) increased the maximal response to clonidine to 139 ± 8% of control and produced a 3.2-fold increase in sensitivity. These effects of angiotensin II were reversed when tissues were pretreated with staurosporine (50 nM), an inhibitor of protein kinase C. The amplification of the α-adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstrictor effects of thrombin and norepinephrine by angiotensin II were also reversed by pretreatment with staurosporine. Angiotensin II induced a response amplification in vascular smooth muscle known to be a nonspecific phenomenon, implying postreceptor interaction at intracellular transducer systems. Our findings suggest that upon activation of protein kinase C by angiotensin II, arterial responses to α-adrenoceptor agonists are amplified. This provides for nonspecific changes in vascular sensitivity by tonic alterations in postsynaptic modulation by enzyme systems known to regulate Ca2+-dependent phenomena, e.g. those related to vascular excitation-contraction mechanisms.
Constriction of the Smooth Muscle of Rat Tail and Femoral Arteries and Dog Saphenous Vein Is Induced by Uridine Triphosphate via ‘Pyrimidinoceptors’, and by Adenosine Triphosphate via P2x Purinoceptors
Authors: Saïag Bernard , Milon Dominique , Allaín Hervé , Rault Bernard , Van Den Driessche Jean
Published: September 2008

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and uridine triphosphate (UTP) receptors were studied by comparing the contractile responses to UTP with those to ATP in the rat tail and femoral arteries and dog saphenous vein, after endothelium removal confirmed by histology, and near abolition of relaxation to acetylcholine. Contractions induced by ATP and UTP were dose dependent, as assessed from preparations at resting tension. Contraction curves were very different: rapid subsidence with ATP and sustained contraction with UTP. In the rat tail artery and the dog saphenous vein, quinidine, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) and phentolamine inhibited the contractions induced by ATP, whereas those induced by UTP were only slightly reduced in the presence of NDGA and were not antagonized by quinidine and phentolamine. In all three vessels, α-β methylene ATP induced desensitization to ATP, whereas it did not antagonize the UTP-induced contractions. Reactive blue 2 was incapable of antagonizing contractions to ATP and UTP in these preparations. In addition, UTP-induced contractions were hardly inhibited in a calcium-free Krebs solution, whereas ATP was totally inhibited. We showed that a calcium antagonist, nicardipine, was more potent on the UTP-induced than on the ATP-induced contractions. These results showed the UTP-induced contraction to be mediated by a new class of receptors, qualified here as ‘pyrimidinoceptors’, for which no antagonist is known. These results were obtained in the tail and femoral arteries of the rat and from the dog saphenous vein. ATP induced contraction in these three vessels via P2x purinoceptors. P2x purinoceptors and ‘pyrimidinoceptors’ are localized on the vascular smooth muscle.
L-Arginine Does Not Restore Endothelial Dysfunction in Atherosclerotic Rabbit Aorta in vitro
Authors: Mügge Andreas , Harrison David G.
Published: September 2008

Bioassay studies suggest that impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation in atherosclerotic arteries is due to a reduced release of biologically active endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). We tested the hypothesis that endothelial dysfunction is caused by deficiency of the EDRF precursor L-arginine. Aortae from normal and cholesterol-fed (1%, 4 months) rabbits were excised and incubated for 1 h with 5 mML-arginine. Pretreatment with L-arginine had no effect on the relaxation to acetylchohne in normal vessels and was without effect on the impaired response of atherosclerotic arteries to acetylchohne. This finding suggests that L-arginine deficiency is unlikely the underlying cause of impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation in the aorta of cholesterol-fed rabbits.
Effect of H-8, an Isoquinolinesulfonamide Inhibitor of Cyclic Nucleotide-Dependent Protein Kinase, on cAMP- and cGMP-Mediated Vasorelaxation
Authors: Daugirdas J.T. , Zhou H.L. , Tamulaitis V.V. , Nutting C.W. , Fiscus R.R.
Published: September 2008

We theorized that H-8, N-[2-(methylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide, an inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases, might be a useful probe to assess cyclic nucleotide-dependent relaxation of blood vessels. However, working in the rat caudal artery and aorta, we found that neither cyclic AMP- nor cyclic GMP-mediated relaxations were diminished by even large doses of H-8. For example, in the caudal artery, relaxation of a phenylephrine contraction by 8-bromo-cGMP (10–5M) was unaffected by H-8: control, 33 ± 6.2%; 10 µM H-8, 41 ± 12%; 30 µM H-8, 30 ± 16% (p NS). The amount of relaxation by 8-bromo-cAMP (3 × 10–4M) was actually increased by H-8: control, 29 ± 7.6%; 10 µM H-8, 34 ± 7.4%; 30 µM H-8, 80 ± 14%. In the rat aorta, H-8 also failed to diminish relaxation induced by 8-bromo-cGMP, or by atriopeptin II or sodium nitroprusside. In both caudal artery and aorta, H-8 of itself caused a dose-dependent suppression of α-adrenergic contraction: for example, in the caudal artery, with 10 or 30 µM H-8, peak contraction to phenylephrine was reduced to 70 (SEM) ± 12% or 52 ± 7% of control, respectively. The results suggest that the protein kinase inhibitor H-8 is not a useful probe to study cyclic nucleotide-dependent relaxation.
Quantitative Measurement of Fixation Rate and Dimension Changes in the Aldehyde/Pressure-Fixed Canine Carotid Artery
Authors: Kratky Ralph G. , Lo Dorian K. , Roach Margot R.
Published: September 2008

Excised canine carotid arteries held at constant physiologic length were cycled from –13 to +27 kPa with a constant-flow infusion pump, and the pressure-volume curves were recorded. The change in diameter on reducing the pressure from 16 to 0 kPa was determined and the strain of recoil [(diameter16 – diameter₀)/diameter16] calculated. Diameter recoil was reduced from 51 % (fresh tissue) to 5 % after 3 h pressure fixation in 4 % formaldehyde and to 9% after 15 min in 2% glutaraldehyde with little further change. Lengthwise recoil was reduced from 37 to 10% after 5 min in 2% glutaraldehyde. Photographs were taken to measure outer diameter during pressure fixation. There was no change in diameter in either fixative from the first minute up to 3 days at the constant pressure of 16 kPa.
Endothelial Cell Morphology around Graded Stenoses of the Dog Common Carotid Artery
Authors: Hutchison K.J.
Published: September 2008

Graded stenoses (40–64% diameter reduction) were applied to dog common carotid arteries under anesthesia, and 27 days later the poststenotic velocity field was examined using transcutaneous pulsed Doppler velocimetry. Following in situ fixation, endothelial cell area, shape and orientation was measured by digitizing endothelial cell outlines in scanning electron micrographs. Endothelial cell area in the vicinity of the stenosis throat (within ± 1 diameter) was reduced. No relation to stenosis hemodynamics was apparent. Cell area was increased 5 diameters downstream; in this region, there was turbulence due to jet break up. Cells were maximally rounded at the stenosis throat and gradually returned to upstream elongation by 5 diameters downstream. There was a region of flow separation and low velocity recirculation between the stenosis and the site of maximum turbulence, thus, downstream cell rounding was associated with flow separation. Subdivision of the experiments into four stenosis grades revealed little variation of the pattern of morphology between groups. It is possible that this is related to flow limitation with increasing grade. Elongation of endothelial cells through the entrance of the stenosis was apparent in only four experiments. Poststenotic dilatation of greater than 12 % external diameter increase was noted in only four out of the sixteen experiments. In general, the relation of cell elongation to shear stress is supported, but this relationship does not fully explain endothelial cell shape at a stenosis.
Where are the Legal Hadīth? A Study of the Musannaf of Ibn Abī Shayba
Authors: Lucas Scott
Published: September 2008

The Musannaf of Ibn Abī Shayba provides unparalleled access into the legal thought of the "Companions of hadīth" in 2nd/8th and early 3rd/9th century Iraq. This article consists of a quantitative analysis of 3628 narrations found in the Musannaf in the books on zakāt, divorce, and hadd crimes. It demonstrates that the Prophet Muhammad was an important authority in the Musannaf, but that he appears in only 8.7% of the narrations examined. Furthermore, it shows that the "Companions of hadīth" relied upon the legal opinions of many of the same Companions and Successors whom Joseph Schacht identified as the primary authorities for the "Companions of ra'y". It also identifies a division within the "Companions of hadīth" between those who, like Ibn Abī Shayba, categorically reject the opinions of post-Successor jurists, and others who accept them.
"Fantastic Charities": The Transformation of Waqf Practice in Colonial Zanzibar
Authors: Oberauer Norbert
Published: September 2008

The present study examines the impact of British colonial rule on waqf practice in Zanzibar. I argue that colonial policy towards waqf did not aim at the dismantlement of waqf as such. Nonetheless, it disrupted traditional patterns of waqf practice. Traditionally, waqf was controlled by wealthy patron families who used endowments to foster bonds of dependence and loyalty with manifold clientele and to maintain mosques representing the patron's social status. This practice was antithetical to British political and economic ideas, which were modern and capitalist. British officials insisted that patrons must use their wealth as a business resource and that the maintenance of mosques was a responsibility of the state. Accordingly, the British controlled waqf administration classified endowments as either "family waqf" or "mosque waqf". The first was fully exploited in favour of the founder's family, while the latter was turned into revenue for public mosque upkeep. As a result, waqf ceased to be an economic base for patron-client relationships and clients were transformed into a modern working class entirely dependent on wage labour.
Institutionalizing Sectarianism: The Lebanese Ja'fari Court and Shi'i Society under the French Mandate
Authors: Weiss Max
Published: September 2008

The French Mandate authorities in Greater Lebanon formally recognized the Ja'fari madhhab in January 1926. As a result, state-led shari'a courts in Beirut, South Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, the Lebanese Ja'fari court, were authorized to adjudicate matters of personal status—marriage, divorce, nafaqa, inheritance and property. As the first Lebanese Shi'i institution to enjoy communal autonomy granted by the state, the records from the Ja'fari courts provide insight into the everyday life-worlds of ordinary Shi'i Muslims in Lebanon during a period of gradual social change. Through a close reading of some unique cases—dealing with inheritance, maslaha and zinā—this article invites a consideration of how both the bureaucratization and practice of Shi'i law in these courts were central to the institutionalization of a new kind of Shi'i sectarianism in Mandate-era Lebanon.
Humiliation and the Inertia Effect: Implications for Understanding Violence and Compromise in Intractable Intergroup Conflicts
Authors: Ginges Jeremy , Atran Scott
Published: September 2008

We investigated the influence of humiliation on inter-group conflict in three
studies of Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza. We demonstrate
that experienced humiliation produces an inertia effect; a tendency towards
inaction that suppresses rebellious or violent action but which
paradoxically also suppresses support for acts of inter-group compromise. In
Study 1, Palestinians who felt more humiliated by the Israeli occupation
were less likely to support suicide attacks against Israelis. In Study 2,
priming Palestinians with a humiliating experience caused fewer expressions
of joy when subsequently hearing about suicide attacks. In Study 3,
Palestinians who felt more humiliated by peace deals were less likely to
support those deals, while Israeli symbolic compromises that decreased
feelings of humiliation increased support for the same deals. While the
experience of humiliation does not seem to contribute to political violence,
it does seem to suppress support for conflict resolution.
Descartes' Mistake: How Afterlife Beliefs Challenge the Assumption that Humans are Intuitive Cartesian Substance Dualists
Authors: Hodge K. Mitch
Published: September 2008

This article presents arguments and evidence that run counter to the widespread assumption among scholars that humans are intuitive Cartesian substance dualists. With regard to afterlife beliefs, the hypothesis of Cartesian substance dualism as the intuitive folk position fails to have the explanatory power with which its proponents endow it. It is argued that the embedded corollary assumptions of the intuitive Cartesian substance dualist position (that the mind and body are different substances, that the mind and soul are intensionally identical, and that the mind is the sole source of identity) are not compatible with cultural representations such as mythologies, funerary rites, iconography and doctrine as well as empirical evidence concerning intuitive folk reasoning about the mind and body concerning the afterlife. Finally, the article suggests an alternative and more parsimonious explanation for understanding intuitive folk representations of the afterlife.
The Devil's Advocate: Secular Arguments Diminish both Implicit and Explicit Religious Belief
Authors: Shariff Azim F. , Cohen Adam B. , Norenzayan Ara
Published: September 2008

The religion-science debate has heated up in recent years, with polemical
arguments on both side decrying the other. Given that the dominant view is
of religiousness as a relatively fixed personality trait, all of this furor
seems excessive. Interested in just how malleable religiousness is, we
exposed half of our participants to an argument against the existence of God
by Richard Dawkins. Those exposed to Dawkins' arguments showed lower
self-reported religiousness, as well as less implicit association between
religion and truth. These results demonstrate the flexibility of trait
religiousness.
Recent Revisions to Commercial Agency Law in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Stovall Howard
Published: September 2008

The United Arab Emirates—despite its general reputation for free trade and limited government regulation of business—has had (for over two decades) the most onerous 'dealer protection' law in the Middle East.Very recently, however, pro-competition (or anti-monopoly) sentiment within certain UAE government circles resulted in enactment of a new federal law and two UAE Ministry of Economy resolutions that collectively reflect a weakening of those dealer protections. For example, Minister of Economy Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi observed:The new amendments will certainly boost the competitive economic climate in the UAE…. This law was promulgated out of the desire to enhance and maintain stability in prices and ensure that agencies are not manipulated to increase prices.The following summary highlights some of the more significant aspects of current UAE commercial agency law, including a look at those recent amendments. (I have prepared an English translation of the UAE Commercial Agency Law, including the 2006 amendments, listed as Appendix 1 at the end of this article.)
Arbitration in Yemen
Authors: Kambeck Jens
Published: September 2008

The Human Development Index (HDI, 2005) ranked Yemen 151st out of 177 countries. Although it is one of the poorest countries in world, the population of 21.4 million people is the highest in all Arab countries and it is expected to double within the next 20 years. This makes it an interesting and growing market—and one in which international companies are presently investigating opportunities. The Yemeni legal system, although having improved in recent years, is still not capable of making and executing fair legal decisions, by international standards. In this environment, national and international trade requires alternatives for legal decision-making. In response to this, two arbitration centres are currently operating in Yemen and offer businesspeople an alternative to court based adjudication. As Yemen attempts to become a member of the WTO and tries to create a investment-friendly atmosphere, arbitration can be a very important alternative for providing legal certainty as the court system continues to develop towards international standards.
Multiple Risks, Emotion Regulation Skill, and Cortisol in Low-Income African American Youth: A Prospective Study
Authors: Kliewer Wendy , Reid-Quiñones Kathryn , Shields Brian J. , Foutz Lauren
Published: September 2008

Associations between multiple risks, emotion regulation skill, and basal cortisol levels were examined in a community sample of 69 African American youth (mean age = 11.30 years; 49% male) living in an urban setting. Multiple risks were assessed at Time 1 and consisted of 10 demographic and psychosocial risk factors including parent, child, and observer reports. Parents rated the child's emotion regulation skill at Time 2, 6 months later. Three saliva samples were collected one morning in the week following the Time 2 interview and assayed for cortisol, a stress hormone. Regression results indicated that multiple risks at Time 1 were associated with depressed cortisol levels at Time 2, but that patterns of association differed across levels of emotion regulation skill and sex. Youth with good emotion regulation skills showed no differences in cortisol across low and high levels of risk. In contrast, females with poor emotion regulation skill showed strong negative associations between multiple risks and basal cortisol levels. Hypocortisolism is a response of some youth to multiple risks, but protective factors can attenuate this association.
Understanding and Managing Conversations from a Knowledge Perspective: An Analysis of the Roles and Rules of Face-to-face Conversations in Organizations
Authors: Mengis Jeanne , Eppler Martin J.
Published: September 2008

This article presents a discussion on the role of face-to-face conversations for social knowledge processes and sense making in organizations. Given the importance attributed to conversations in the literature, but also the many conversational routines that prevent knowledge creation and sharing, the question pursued is how conversations can be managed to foster developments in organizational knowing. We particularly focus on the role of explicit rules as one means to manage conversations from a knowledge perspective and analyse contributions from knowledge management, organizational learning, decision making and change management. In order to refine and systemize the discussion on the multitude of conversation rules, we propose a management framework by drawing on communication theory. Implications for management as well as future directions for research on conversation management conclude the article.
Contractarian Business Ethics: Credentials and Design Criteria
Authors: Wempe Ben
Published: September 2008

Contractarian business ethics (CBE) is in great vogue in the present study of corporate morality. Its stated ambition is to provide better practical guidance than the more general ethical theories of business ethics, such as Kantianism, pragmatism, utilitarianism, virtue ethics or the stakeholder model. But how good is this new trend in business ethics theorizing? This article aims to assess CBE's credentials as a social contract argument. For this purpose, it embarks on a comparative analysis of the use of the social contract model in two earlier domains: political authority and social justice. Building on this comparison, it then develops four criteria for any future CBE. To apply the social contract model properly to the domain of corporate morality, it should be: (1) self-disciplined, i.e. not aspire to results beyond what the contract model can realistically establish; (2) argumentative, i.e. provide principles that are demonstrative results of the contractarian method; (3) task-directed, i.e. it should be clear what the social contract thought-experiment is intended to model; and (4) domain-specific, i.e. the contractarian choice situation should be tailored to the defining problems of corporate morality.
Popular Support for Economic Internationalism in Mainland China: A Six-Cities Public Opinion Survey
Authors: Chunlong Lu  , Ye Tian
Published: September 2008

Since the onset of the post-Mao reform, China has become more and more dependent on the world economy. Based on survey data drawn from the Second PEW Global Attitudes Project in 2002, this article finds that a majority of the surveyed respondents, especially in urban China, had “positive” attitudes toward economic internationalism. Moreover, the findings indicate that Chinese people's subjective orientations (such as the belief in cultural superiority, the sense of modernity, and life satisfaction) significantly influenced their support for economic internationalism; objective socio-demographic attributes (that is, education, age, and contact with overseas friends or relatives) helped shape such support. These findings have important political implications for the future of China's involvement in the world economy.
Support for Democracy and Autocracy in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, 1992—2002
Authors: Haerpfer Christian W.
Published: September 2008

This article analyzes the “realist” support for the current regime as well as the support for democracy as a set of “idealist” principles in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. It also analyzes political support for nondemocratic regimes as alternatives to democratic governance. The main conclusion of this article is that mass public support for democracy as the best form of government encompasses an absolute majority of citizens in Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, and Belarus as well as a relative majority of Russian citizens. Political support for the current regimes declined between 1992 and 2002 and collapsed in Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia. This collapse of public support for the current political regime contributed to the “revolutions” in Georgia and Ukraine. The proportion of supporters for authoritarian regimes in Russia and the other post-Soviet countries decreased from about one-third to onefifth of their respective electorates. This cross-national study provides empirical evidence of increasing support for democracy as an ideal form of government and a corresponding decrease in support for autocracy in eight political regimes in the Commonwealth of Independent States area in the period from 1992 until 2002.
Representation without Participation: Quotas for Women in Bangladesh
Authors: Pranab Kumar Panday
Published: September 2008

This article explores the state of women's participation in the political process in Bangladesh. Available data substantiates that women's organizations, donors, and nongovernmental organizations have influenced the government of Bangladesh to introduce quotas for women. Although quotas have increased the total number of women in political arenas, their representation in the decision-making process has not yet been ensured. They still face several social, cultural, and religious challenges which hinder their participation and they are still neglected by their male counterparts. Once they ask for their rights, they are very often victimized, assaulted, and harassed.
Influence of Helicobacter hepaticus Infection on the Chronic Toxicity and Carcinogenicity of Triethanolamine in B6C3F1 Mice
Authors: Stout Matthew D. , Kissling Grace E. , Suárez Fernando A. , Malarkey David E. , Herbert Ronald A. , Bucher John R.
Published: September 2008

Helicobacter hepaticus ( H. hepaticus) infection causes hepatitis and increased hepatocellular neoplasms in male mice; although females are also infected, liver lesions are not typically expressed. In the 1990s, B6C3F1 mice from some chronic National Toxicology Program (NTP) studies were found to be infected with H. hepaticus. In these studies, there was hepatitis in many of the males, and there were more hepatocellular neoplasms in control males compared to studies with uninfected mice. In one of these studies, increased hepatocellular neoplasms at the high doses in male and female mice exposed topically to triethanolamine (TEA) provided the only evidence of carcinogenic activity. This study was repeated in mice free of H. hepaticus.However, the NTP mouse production colony and the diet differed between studies; these differences were the result of NTP programmatic decisions. In repeat study males, although control incidences were similar between studies, exposure did not result in increased hepatocellular neoplasms. In repeat study females, the control incidence of hepatocellular neoplasms was half that observed in the initial study, and these neoplasms were increased over controls at all doses. These data suggest that in the initial study, H. hepaticusinfluenced the induction of hepatocellular neoplasms in males, but not in females.
The Effect of Fasting on Hepatic Lipid Accumulation and Transcriptional Regulation of Lipid Metabolism Differs between C57BL/6J and BALB/cA Mice Fed a High-fat Diet
Authors: Nishikawa Satomi , Doi Kunio , Nakayama Hiroyuki , Uetsuka Koji
Published: September 2008

The effects of fasting on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) are still unclear. After fasting, the degree of hepatic lipid accumulation differs between HFD-fed C57BL/6J (B6) and BALB/cA (BALB/c) mice. It is not clear whether this difference is due to sensitivity to fasting or HFD. The aim of this study is to elucidate this difference among strains. After nine weeks of HFD feeding, both B6 and BALB/c mice showed moderate hepatic steatosis. However, after a subsequent twenty-hour fast, the hepatic lipid accumulation was markedly decreased in B6 but not in BALB/c mice. Moreover, the mRNA expression of a transcription factor, Srebp1(regulates hepatic lipid metabolism), and its target genes— malic enzyme, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase(regulate fatty acid synthesis), and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase(regulates triacylglycerol synthesis)—were more markedly reduced in B6 than BALB/c mice. In conclusion, fasting may modify hepatic lipid accumulation in HFD-fed B6 and BALB/c mice differently. The difference may be partly owing to a marked downregulation of the expression of some lipid-metabolism–related genes in B6 mice. These results suggest that fasting per se has a significant effect on hepatic lipid accumulation in mouse strains. SREBP1 might play a role in this fasting effect.
Modifying ICD-9-CM Coding of Secondary Diagnoses to Improve Risk-Adjustment of Inpatient Mortality Rates
Authors: Pine Michael , Jordan Harmon S. , Elixhauser Anne , Fry Donald E. , Hoaglin David C. , Jones Barbara , Meimban Roger , Warner David , Gonzales Junius
Published: September 2008

Objective . To assess the effect on risk-adjustment of inpatient mortality rates of progressively enhancing administrative claims data with clinical data that are increasingly expensive to obtain. Data Sources . Claims and abstracted clinical data on patients hospitalized for 5 medical conditions and 3 surgical procedures at 188 Pennsylvania hospitals from July 2000 through June 2003. Methods . Risk-adjustment models for inpatient mortality were derived using claims data with secondary diagnoses limited to conditions unlikely to be hospital-acquired complications. Models were enhanced with one or more of 1) secondary diagnoses inferred from clinical data to have been present-on-admission (POA), 2) secondary diagnoses not coded on claims but documented in medical records as POA, 3) numerical laboratory results from the first hospital day, and 4) all available clinical data from the first hospital day. Alternative models were compared using c-statistics, the magnitude of errors in prediction for individual cases, and the percentage of hospitals with aggregate errors in prediction exceeding specified thresholds. Results . More complete coding of a few under-reported secondary diagnoses and adding numerical laboratory results to claims data substantially improved predictions of inpatient mortality. Little improvement resulted from increasing the maximum number of available secondary diagnoses or adding additional clinical data. Conclusions . Increasing the completeness and consistency of reporting a few secondary diagnosis codes for findings POA and merging claims data with numerical laboratory values improved risk adjustment of inpatient mortality rates. Expensive abstraction of additional clinical information from medical records resulted in little further improvement.
Incorporating Uncertainty Into Medical Decision Making: An Approach to Unexpected Test Results
Authors: Bianchi Matt T. , Alexander Brian M. , Cash Sydney S.
Published: September 2008

The utility of diagnostic tests derives from the ability to translate the population concepts of sensitivity and specificity into information that will be useful for the individual patient: the predictive value of the result. As the array of available diagnostic testing broadens, there is a temptation to de-emphasize history and physical findings and defer to the objective rigor of technology. However, diagnostic test interpretation is not always straightforward. One significant barrier to routine use of probability-based test interpretation is the uncertainty inherent in pretest probability estimation, the critical first step of Bayesian reasoning. The context in which this uncertainty presents the greatest challenge is when test results oppose clinical judgment. It is this situation when decision support would be most helpful. The authors propose a simple graphical approach that incorporates uncertainty in pretest probability and has specific application to the interpretation of unexpected results. This method quantitatively demonstrates how uncertainty in disease probability may be amplified when test results are unexpected (opposing clinical judgment), even for tests with high sensitivity and specificity. The authors provide a simple nomogram for determining whether an unexpected test result suggests that one should ``switch diagnostic sides.'' This graphical framework overcomes the limitation of pretest probability uncertainty in Bayesian analysis and guides decision making when it is most challenging: interpretation of unexpected test results.
Lessons Learned by (from?) an Economist Working in Medical Decision Making
Authors: Wakker Peter P.
Published: September 2008

This article is a personal account of the author's experiences as an economist working in medical decision making. He discusses the differences between economic decision theory and medical decision making and gives examples of the mutual benefits resulting from interactions. In particular, he discusses the pros and cons of different methods for measuring quality of life (or, as economists would call it, utility), including the standard gamble, the time tradeoff, and the healthy-years equivalent methods.
Curriculum-Based Measures of Writing for High School Students
Authors: Diercks-Gransee Barbara , Weissenburger Jacalyn Wright , Johnson Cindy L. , Christensen Paul
Published: September 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine whether technically adequate curriculum-based measures of writing could be identified for use with high school students. The participants included 10th-grade general and special education students from two public school districts in Wisconsin. Students ( n = 82) completed two narrative writing samples in response to story starters, and samples were scored for four alternative curriculum-based measures: incorrect word sequences (ICWS), correct punctuation marks (CPM), adverbs (ADV), and adjectives (ADJ). Results revealed moderately strong alternate-form reliability and criterion-related validity coefficients for ICWS. Although CPM was found to be reliable, the criterion-related validity evidence varied according to the type of criterion measure. Other findings indicated that ICWS and CPM cut scores may have utility for specific screening purposes. The curriculum-based measures of ADJ and ADV, however, were not found to have the technical adequacy needed for predictive purposes.
Home Accidents in the Community-Dwelling Elderly in Izmir, Turkey
Authors: Keskinoglu Pembe , Picakciefe Metin , Bilgic Nurcan , Giray Hatice , Karakus Nuriye , Ucku Reyhan
Published: September 2008

Objective: To determine and compare the prevalence of and risk factors for home accidents in the elderly in two different districts. Method: This cross-sectional study involves 497 older participants ages 65 and older. Sociodemographic characteristics of the elderly and characteristics of the houses in two different regions are evaluated. Data are analyzed by chisquare and t test. Results : The prevalence of home accidents was 39.3% in the low socioeconomic region and 13.1% in the high socioeconomic region within the past 6 months ( p = .000). The most common type of home accident was fall (61.8%), followed by cut or piercing (22.0%). Home accidents are associated with being female and increasing age in the higher socioeconomic region, whereas being female, being unmarried, and living in a squatter house are associated with home accidents in the low socioeconomic region. Discussion: The prevalence of home accidents in the elderly population who live in low socioeconomic region was higher.
Differential Associations of Social Support and Social Connectedness With Structural Features of Social Networks and the Health Status of Older Adults
Authors: Ashida Sato , Heaney Catherine A.
Published: September 2008

Objective: This study explores the extent to which the constructs of social support and social connectedness differ in terms of their associations with the structural characteristics of social networks and the health status of older adults. Method: Trained interviewers conducted 126 face-to-face interviews with community-dwelling older adults aged 65 to 85 years. Results: Having frequent contact with network members was positively associated with social support. Network density and having network members living in close proximity were positively associated with perceived social connectedness. Furthermore, perceived social connectedness had a significant positive association with health status, whereas social support did not. Discussion: Perceived social connectedness may be relatively more important to the health and well-being of older adults than the perceived availability of social support. Efforts to enhance older adults' social relationships can be focused on developing friends and companions, allowing them to feel socially engaged in society.
Leisure Activities and Mortality
Authors: Agahi Neda , Parker Marti G.
Published: September 2008

Objectives: This study examines the association between participation in leisure activities and mortality risk among older men and women. Methods: A representative sample of 1,246 men and women ages 65 to 95, interviewed in 1991-1992, were followed for 12 years. Cox regressions analyzed mortality risk. Results : Participating in only a few activities doubled mortality risk compared to those with the highest participation levels, even after controlling for age, education, walking ability, and other health indicators. Women had a dose-response relationship between overall participation and survival. Strong associations with survival were found for engagement in organizational activities and study circles among women and hobby activities and gardening among men. Discussion: Results suggest gender differences in the association between leisure activities and mortality. Women display a decreasing mortality risk for each additional activity. Social activities have the strongest effects on survival among women, whereas men seem to benefit from solitary activities.