bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in thyroid hormone prescribing and consumption in the UK
Authors: Mitchell Anna L , Hickey Bryan , Hickey Janis L , Pearce Simon HS
Published: May 2009

Background

Thyroid hormone replacement is one of the most commonly prescribed and cost effective treatments for a chronic disease. There have been recent changes in community prescribing policies in many areas of the UK that have changed patient access to necessary medications. This study aimed to provide a picture of thyroid hormone usage in the UK and to survey patient opinion about current community prescribing policies for levothyroxine.

Methods

Data on community prescriptions for thyroid hormones in England between 1998 and 2007, provided by the Department of Health, were collated and analysed. A survey of UK members of a patient support organisation (the British Thyroid Foundation) who were taking levothyroxine was carried out.

Results

The amount of prescribed thyroid hormones used in England has more than doubled, from 7 to almost 19 million prescriptions, over the last 10 years. The duration of prescriptions has reduced from 60 to 45 days, on average over the same time. Two thousand five hundred and fifty one responses to the patient survey were received. Thirty eight percent of levothyroxine users reported receiving prescriptions of 28 days' duration. 59% of respondents reported being dissatisfied with 28-day prescribing.

Conclusion

Amongst users of levothyroxine, there is widespread patient dissatisfaction with 28-day prescription duration. Analysis of the full costs of 28-day dispensing balanced against the potential savings of reduced wastage of thyroid medications, suggests that this is unlikely to be an economically effective public health policy.
Multilevel analysis of HIV related risk behaviors among heroin users in a low prevalence community
Authors: Li Huizhen , Goggins William , Lee Shui Shan
Published: May 2009

Background

Injecting drug users (IDU) are at increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Their HIV prevalence however varies from place to place and may not be directly linked with the level of individual risk. This study explores the relative importance of individual and community level characteristics in the practice of HIV-related risk behaviors in IDU in Hong Kong where the HIV prevalence has remained low at below 1%.

Methods

Methadone clinics were used as the channel for accessing drug users in Hong Kong. HIV-related risk factors in drug users attending these clinics were retrieved from a questionnaire routinely administered to newly admitted and readmitted clients, and assessed using logistic regression and multilevel analyses.

Results

Between 1999 and 2005, a total of 41196 person-admissions were recorded by 20 methadone clinics. Male gender, older age and new admissions in bigger clinics located in districts with older median age were more likely to have engaged in HIV related risk behaviors including heroin injection, needle sharing, unprotected sex and having multiple sex partners (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Multilevel analysis is a useful adjunct for determining the association between risk behaviors and both individual and community factors in IDUs, which can be demonstrated even in low HIV prevalence settings.
Binding characteristics of the ovine membrane progesterone receptor alpha and expression of the receptor during the estrous cycle
Authors: Ashley Ryan L , Arreguin-Arevalo J Alejandro , Nett Terry M
Published: May 2009

Background

Classically, progesterone has been thought to act only through the well-known genomic pathway involving hormone binding to nuclear receptors and subsequent modulation of gene expression. However, there is increasing evidence for rapid, non-genomic effects of progesterone in a variety of mammalian tissues and it is possible that a membrane PR (mPR) is causing these events. We recently isolated and characterized an ovine mPR referred to as mPR-alpha, distinct from the nuclear PR. Based on predicted structural analysis, the ovine mPR-alpha possesses seven transmembrane domains typical of G protein-coupled receptors. Despite the homology to other reported mPRs, information pertaining to the steroid binding characteristics of the ovine mPR-alpha was lacking. Additionally, the ovine mPR-alpha transcript has been identified in the hypothalamus, pituitary, uterus, ovary and corpus luteum, yet changes in expression of the ovine mPR-alpha in these tissues were not known. Consequently, the purpose of this work was to determine the steroid binding characteristics of the ovine mPR-alpha and to investigate possible changes in expression of the ovine mPR-alpha in reproductive tissues throughout the estrous cycle.

Methods

Binding studies were performed using crude membrane fractions from CHO cells expressing the mPR-alpha. Using quantitative Real-time PCR we determined the expression pattern of mRNA for the ovine mPR-alpha during the ovine estrous cycle in tissues known to express the mPR-alpha. Jugular blood samples were also collected and analyzed for serum concentrations of P4 to ensure ewes were at the appropriate stage of their cycle.

Results

Only progesterone, 20alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone were able to displace binding of 3H-P4 (P < 0.001) to membrane fractions from CHO cells expressing ovine mPR-alpha. The average B-max and Kd values for three separate experiments were 624 +/- 119 fmol/micro gram protein and 122 +/- 50 nM, respectively. Significant changes in expression of mRNA for the mPR-alpha during the estrous cycle were noted in the corpus luteum and uterus.

Conclusion

The mPR-alpha specifically binds progestins and its expression was correlated to progesterone secretion during the ovine estrous cycle. Results from the present studies suggest that mPR-alpha may have an important physiological role during the ovine estrous cycle.
Reduced expression of CRH receptor type 1 in upper segment human myometrium during labour
Authors: Cong Binhai , Zhang Lanmei , Gao Lu , Ni Xin
Published: May 2009

Background

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and CRH-related peptide are shown to modulate uterine contractility through two CRH receptor subtype, CRH-R1 and CRH-R2 during pregnancy. Through different signaling pathways, CRH-R1 maintains myometrial quiescence whereas CRH-R2 promotes smooth muscle contractility. We hypothesized that the expression of CRH receptors in myometrium might be changed during pregnancy and labour.

Method

Immunohistochemistry, Western blot and RT-PCR were used to quantify the cellular localization, the protein levels and the mRNA variants of both CRH-R1 and CRH-R2 in upper segment (US) and lower segment (LS) myometrium from nonpregnant and pregnant women at term before or after labour.

Results

CRH-R1 and CRH-R2 were predominately localized to myometrial smooth muscle cells in US and LS. The protein level of CRH-R1 in US was significantly down-regulated in pregnancy, with a further decrease at the onset of labour. However, the expression of CRH-R1 in LS remained unchanged during pregnancy and labour. No significant changes in CRH-R2 expression were observed in US or LS. Six variants of CRH-R1, CRH-R1alpha,-R1beta,-R1c, -R1e,-R1f and -R1g, were identified in nonpregnant and pregnant myometrium. CRH-R2alpha was identified in pregnant myometrium, whereas CRH-R2beta was identified in nonpregnant myometrium

Conclusion

CRH-R1 and CRH-R2 are expressed in nonpregnant and pregnant US and LS myometrium. Changed expression of CRH receptors during labour may underlie the initiation of uterine contractility during parturition.
Single molecule resolution of the antimicrobial action of quantum dot-labeled sushi peptide on live bacteria
Authors: Leptihn Sebastian , Har Jia Yi , Chen Jianzhu , Ho Bow , Wohland Thorsten , Ding Jeak Ling
Published: May 2009

Background

Antimicrobial peptides are found in all kingdoms of life. During the evolution of multicellular organisms, antimicrobial peptides were established as key elements of innate immunity. Most antimicrobial peptides are thought to work by disrupting the integrity of cell membranes, causing pathogen death. As antimicrobial peptides target the membrane structure, pathogens can only acquire resistance by a fundamental change in membrane composition. Hence, the evolution of pathogen resistance has been a slow process. Therefore antimicrobial peptides are valuable alternatives to classical antibiotics against which multiple drug-resistant bacteria have emerged. For potential therapeutic applications as antibiotics a thorough knowledge of their mechanism of action is essential. Despite the increasingly comprehensive understanding of the biochemical properties of these peptides, the actual mechanism by which antimicrobial peptides lyse microbes is controversial.

Results

Here we investigate how Sushi 1, an antimicrobial peptide derived from the horseshoe crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda), induces lysis of Gram-negative bacteria. To follow the entire process of antimicrobial action, we performed a variety of experiments including transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy as well as single molecule tracking of quantum dot-labeled antimicrobial peptides on live bacteria. Since in vitro measurements do not necessarily correlate with the in vivo action of a peptide we developed a novel fluorescent live bacteria lysis assay. Using fully functional nanoparticle-labeled Sushi 1, we observed the process of antimicrobial action at the single-molecule level.

Conclusion

Recently the hypothesis that many antimicrobial peptides act on internal targets to kill the bacterium has been discussed. Here, we demonstrate that the target sites of Sushi 1 are outer and inner membranes and are not cytosolic. Further, our findings suggest four successive steps of the bactericidal process: 1) Binding, mediated mainly by charged residues in the peptide; 2) Peptide association, as peptide concentration increases evidenced by a change in diffusive behavior; 3) Membrane disruption, during which lipopolysaccharide is not released; and 4) Lysis, by leakage of cytosolic content through large membrane defects.
Can we apply the Mendelian randomization methodology without considering epigenetic effects?
Authors: Ogbuanu Ikechukwu U , Zhang Hongmei , Karmaus Wilfried
Published: May 2009

Introduction

Instrumental variable (IV) methods have been used in econometrics for several decades now, but have only recently been introduced into the epidemiologic research frameworks. Similarly, Mendelian randomization studies, which use the IV methodology for analysis and inference in epidemiology, were introduced into the epidemiologist's toolbox only in the last decade.

Analysis

Mendelian randomization studies using instrumental variables (IVs) have the potential to avoid some of the limitations of observational epidemiology (confounding, reverse causality, regression dilution bias) for making causal inferences. Certain limitations of randomized controlled trials, such as problems with generalizability, feasibility and ethics for some exposures, and high costs, also make the use of Mendelian randomization in observational studies attractive. Unlike conventional randomized controlled trials (RCTs), Mendelian randomization studies can be conducted in a representative sample without imposing any exclusion criteria or requiring volunteers to be amenable to random treatment allocation.

Within the last decade, epigenetics has gained recognition as an independent field of study, and appears to be the new direction for future research into the genetics of complex diseases. Although previous articles have addressed some of the limitations of Mendelian randomization (such as the lack of suitable genetic variants, unreliable associations, population stratification, linkage disequilibrium (LD), pleiotropy, developmental canalization, the need for large sample sizes and some potential problems with binary outcomes), none has directly characterized the impact of epigenetics on Mendelian randomization. The possibility of epigenetic effects (non-Mendelian, heritable changes in gene expression not accompanied by alterations in DNA sequence) could alter the core instrumental variable assumptions of Mendelian randomization.

This paper applies conceptual considerations, algebraic derivations and data simulations to question the appropriateness of Mendelian randomization methods when epigenetic modifications are present.

Conclusion

Given an inheritance of gene expression from parents, Mendelian randomization studies not only need to assume a random distribution of alleles in the offspring, but also a random distribution of epigenetic changes (e.g. gene expression) at conception, in order for the core assumptions of the Mendelian randomization methodology to remain valid. As an increasing number of epidemiologists employ Mendelian randomization methods in their research, caution is therefore needed in drawing conclusions from these studies if these assumptions are not met.
Data integration from two microarray platforms identifies bi-allelic genetic inactivation of RIC8Ain a breast cancer cell line
Authors: Muggerud Aslaug Aamodt , Edgren Henrik , Wolf Maija , Kleivi Kristine , Dejeux Emelyne , Tost Jörg , Sørlie Therese , Kallioniemi Olli
Published: May 2009

Background

Using array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), a large number of deleted genomic regions have been identified in human cancers. However, subsequent efforts to identify target genes selected for inactivation in these regions have often been challenging.

Methods

We integrated here genome-wide copy number data with gene expression data and non-sense mediated mRNA decay rates in breast cancer cell lines to prioritize gene candidates that are likely to be tumour suppressor genes inactivated by bi-allelic genetic events. The candidates were sequenced to identify potential mutations.

Results

This integrated genomic approach led to the identification of RIC8A at 11p15 as a putative candidate target gene for the genomic deletion in the ZR-75-1 breast cancer cell line. We identified a truncating mutation in this cell line, leading to loss of expression and rapid decay of the transcript. We screened 127 breast cancers for RIC8A mutations, but did not find any pathogenic mutations. No promoter hypermethylation in these tumours was detected either. However, analysis of gene expression data from breast tumours identified a small group of aggressive tumours that displayed low levels of RIC8A transcripts. qRT-PCR analysis of 38 breast tumours showed a strong association between low RIC8A expression and the presence of TP53 mutations (P = 0.006).

Conclusion

We demonstrate a data integration strategy leading to the identification of RIC8A as a gene undergoing a classical double-hit genetic inactivation in a breast cancer cell line, as well as in vivo evidence of loss of RIC8A expression in a subgroup of aggressive TP53 mutant breast cancers.
HA117 gene increased the multidrug resistance of K562 cells in vitro: an investigation to the function of a novel gene related to drug resistance
Authors: Guo Yuxia , Zheng Gaihuan , Jin Xianqing , Xu Youhua , Luo Qing , Liu Xiaomei , Zhao Zhenzhen , Chen Yong
Published: May 2009

Objective

A novel multi-drug resistance gene named as HA117 has been screened and cloned in multidrug resisitant leukemia cell lines in our previous research, but its function is still unknown. In this study, HA117 gene was investigated whether it could increase the drug resistance in chronic myelogenous myeloid leukemia cell line K562.

Methods

HA117 was cloned and adenovirus vectors were constructed with the HA117 gene (Adeasy-HA117). K562 cells were infected by Ad-HA117 to get the K562/Ad-HA117 cells with HA117 gene expression. The infection efficiency and the multiplicity of infection (MOI) were detected by fluorescence and flow cytometry. The expression of HA117 gene was detected by RT-PCR. The drug sensitivities of K562/Ad-HA117 cells were detected by Methyl Thiazolyl Tetrazolium (MTT) assay.

Results

Recombinant adenovirus vectors were constructed and a MOI of 100 is most suitable to infect K562 cells. The infected K562 cells demonstrated in vitro production of HA117 mRNA as measured by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. There were no significant changes in K562/Ad-HA117 cells growth, while the drug sensitivities of K562/Ad-HA117 cells to Vincristine, Adriamycin, Etoposide, Daunorubicin, Mitomycin and Cyclophosphamide decreased 4.44, 7.18, 3.01, 9.53, 3.48 and 3.61 times than that of uninfected K562 cells, respectively (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Expression of the novel gene HA117 could significantly increased the multi-drug resistance of K562 cells, which indicated that HA117 is a functionally relevant multidrug resistance gene.
Adherence to Long-Term Surveillance Mammography Among Women With Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Treated With Breast-Conserving Surgery
Authors: Nekhlyudov Larissa , Habel Laurel A. , Achacoso Ninah S. , Jung Inkyung , Haque Reina , Collins Laura C. , Schnitt Stuart J. , Quesenberry Charles P. , Fletcher Suzanne W.
Published: May 2009

Purpose

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is an effective treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) but women who undergo BCS remain at risk for recurrences. Whether mammographic surveillance after BCS occurs and by whom is not known.

Methods

We reviewed medical records of women diagnosed with DCIS between 1990 and 2001 and treated with BCS. Using descriptive statistics, generalized estimating, and logistic regression modeling, we examined the rates and predictors of surveillance mammography over a 10-year period after BCS.

Results

The cohort included 3,037 women observed for a median of 4.8 years (range, 0.5 to 15.7). Of the 2,676 women observed for at least 1 year after BCS, most (79%) had at least one surveillance mammogram during the first year of follow-up; 69% in year 5 and 61% in year 10. Among those observed for 5 years, surveillance mammograms were more likely among women age 60 to 69 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.34), users of menopausal hormone therapy at diagnosis (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.57) as well as those treated with adjuvant radiation (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.53) and adjuvant radiation with tamoxifen (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.30). Surveillance mammograms were less likely among obese women (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.86). The findings were similar among women observed for 10 years. Only 34% and 15% of women observed for 5 and 10 years, respectively, had a surveillance mammogram during each year of follow-up.

Conclusion

Surveillance mammography after BCS among insured women with DCIS often did not occur yearly and declined over time after treatment. Patients and providers must remain vigilant about surveillance after BCS.
Poor Outcome for Children and Adolescents With Progressive Disease or Relapse of Lymphoblastic Lymphoma: A Report From the Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster Group
Authors: Burkhardt Birgit , Reiter Alfred , Landmann Eva , Lang Peter , Lassay Lisa , Dickerhoff Roswitha , Lakomek Max , Henze Günter , von Stackelberg Arend
Published: May 2009

Purpose

Little is known about the outcome of pediatric patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) who suffer from progressive disease or relapse.

Patients and Methods

We analyzed the pattern of LBL relapses after current non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster (BFM) frontline therapy between April 1990 and March 2003. Relapse therapy was according to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) –Relapse-BFM protocols or ALL-BFM protocols for high-risk patients.

Results

Twenty-eight (11%) of 251 registered patients with precursor T-cell LBL (T-LBL) and six (8%) of 73 patients with precursor B-cell LBL (pB-LBL) suffered from relapse. Of the 28 patients with T-LBL, one died from infection during relapse chemotherapy, 18 failed to achieve stable remission and died from disease progression, and nine reached allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (SCT). Two of these nine patients who underwent SCT died from transplantation-associated toxicity, three died from disease progression, and four are still alive. These four patients are in second remission of their lymphoma for 48, 68, 125, and 131 months, respectively, after allogeneic SCT. One of the four patients developed colon adenocarcinoma 47 months after SCT. Of the six patients with pB-LBL who experienced relapse, one patient died as a result of toxicity of relapse chemotherapy, two died from disease progression after chemotherapy, and three received allogeneic SCT. Of these, two died from subsequent disease progression, and one is still alive 57 months after allogeneic SCT.

Conclusion

Using modern conventional therapy in the frontline treatment of LBL, 10% of patients suffer from progressive disease or relapse. Because of the extremely poor reinduction success, the salvage rate for these patients is poor, with only a 14% (SE = 6%) overall survival. Long-term survival was only achieved in those few patients who were able to undergo an allogeneic SCT.
Phase II Study of Pemetrexed and Carboplatin Plus Bevacizumab With Maintenance Pemetrexed and Bevacizumab As First-Line Therapy for Nonsquamous Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Patel Jyoti D. , Hensing Thomas A. , Rademaker Alfred , Hart Eric M. , Blum Matthew G. , Milton Daniel T. , Bonomi Philip D.
Published: May 2009

Purpose

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed, carboplatin, and bevacizumab followed by maintenance pemetrexed and bevacizumab in patients with chemotherapy-naive stage IIIB (effusion) or stage IV nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients and Methods

Patients received pemetrexed 500 mg/m2, carboplatin area under the concentration-time curve of 6, and bevacizumab 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks for six cycles. For patients with response or stable disease, pemetrexed and bevacizumab were continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Results

Fifty patients were enrolled and received treatment. The median follow-up was 13.0 months, and the median number of treatment cycles was seven (range, one to 51). Thirty patients (60%) completed ≥ six treatment cycles, and nine (18%) completed ≥ 18 treatment cycles. Among the 49 patients assessable for response, the objective response rate was 55% (95% CI, 41% to 69%). Median progression-free and overall survival rates were 7.8 months (95% CI, 5.2 to 11.5 months) and 14.1 months (95% CI, 10.8 to 19.6 months), respectively. Grade 3/4 hematologic toxicity was modest—anemia (6%; 0), neutropenia (4%; 0), and thrombocytopenia (0; 8%). Grade 3/4 nonhematologic toxicities were proteinuria (2%; 0), venous thrombosis (4%; 2%), arterial thrombosis (2%; 0), fatigue (8%; 0), infection (8%; 2%), nephrotoxicity (2%; 0), and diverticulitis (6%; 2%). There were no grade 3 or greater hemorrhagic events or hypertension cases.

Conclusion

This regimen, involving a maintenance component, was associated with acceptable toxicity and relatively long survival in patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. These results justify a phase III comparison against the standard-of-care in this patient population.
Adsorption of Paracetamol and Acetylsalicylic Acid onto Commercial Activated Carbons
Authors: Beninati Sabina , Semeraro Domenica , Mastragostino Marina
Published: May 2009

The adsorption of paracetamol (PAR) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) onto high-surface-area, commercial activated carbons was investigated at 26°C via adsorption isotherms at different pH values, including pH 1.5 to simulate conditions existing in the stomach. A wide-ranging characterization of the carbons, including analysis of their morphology and surface chemistry, was undertaken, with the actual surface areas of the carbons available for PAR and ASA adsorption being estimated by taking the molecular sizes of the drugs into account. This provided an understanding of the differences in the drug adsorption behaviour of the carbons.
Carbaryl Sorption by Porogen-Treated Banana Pith Carbon
Authors: Sathishkumar M. , Choi J.G. , Ku C.S. , Vijayaraghavan K. , Binupriya A.R. , Yun S.E.
Published: May 2009

This paper reports the adsorption ability of banana pith activated carbon, with ZnCl2 as the porogen, towards carbaryl (1-naphthyl- N-methylcarbamate) from aqueous solution. The pH-edge experiments revealed that carbaryl adsorption onto ZnCl2-treated banana pith activated carbon (ZTC) was a pH-dependent process with maximum adsorption occurring at pH 11. The adsorption isotherm obtained at pH 11 revealed that ZTC possessed a maximum adsorption capacity of 45.9 mg/g. The adsorption isotherms were well described by the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The kinetic data obtained at different initial carbaryl concentrations were modelled using pseudo-first- and -second-order models. Acetone successfully desorbed carbaryl with a 99.8% elution efficiency.
Optimum Shape Design of Space Structures by Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Salajegheh E. , Mashayekhi M. , Khatibinia M. , Kaykha M.
Published: May 2009

Space structures are usually highly indeterminate and therefore have a large number of redundant members. It is important to choose the appropriate number of elements and joints for the structure under consideration. Optimum shape design of space structures is the aim of the present work and to achieve an optimal configuration, parameters such as number of joints, number of members, support conditions and the overall shape of the structures are considered. To attain a practical configuration, the presence of the joints of the structures and the locations of the columns are taken as the shape design variables as well as the cross-sectional area of the elements of the structures under considerations. The resulting configurations are very interesting after the removal of unnecessary joints and columns. It was also observed that a part of sphere might not be appropriate for the dome structures as usually chosen by the designers. For different static loading conditions that presented in this research, second or third order polynomial would be more suitable for the shape of these structures. In this study, optimum shape design of space structures is performed using a modified genetic algorithm (MGA).
Experimental Performance of Recycled Aggregate Concrete-Filled Circular Steel Tubular Columns Subjected to Cyclic Flexural Loadings
Authors: Yang You-Fu , Han Lin-Hai , Zhu Lin-Tao
Published: May 2009

This paper is an attempt to study the cyclic performances of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC)-filled steel tubular columns. Thirteen specimens with circular section, including 10 RAC-filled steel tubular (RACFST) columns and 3 reference normal concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns, were tested under constant axial load and cyclically increasing flexural loadings. The parameters in the test are: (1) concrete type: normal concrete and recycled aggregate concrete; and (2) axial load ratio ( n), from 0.05 to 0.52. It was found that, generally, the performances of RACFST columns under constant axial load and cyclically increasing flexural loadings are similar to the corresponding normal CFST columns, and RACFST columns can also exhibit high ductility levels and energy dissipation abilities.
An Experimental Study on Punching Shear Behavior of Concrete Slabs
Authors: Alam A. K. M. Jahangir , Amanat Khan Mahmud , Seraj Salek M.
Published: May 2009

In determining the punching shear capacity of flat slabs, current codes of practice usually do not consider the effect of boundary restraint against rotation. The contribution of flexural steel reinforcement is ignored by some of the code provisions. Present paper is comprised of the test results of 15 model slabs in an effort to ascertain the influence of boundary restraint, the influence of flexural reinforcement and effect of thickness of the slabs on their structural behavior and punching load-carrying capacity. Cracking pattern and load-deflection behavior of the slabs tested have also been monitored closely. Significant effect of edge restraint on the punching failure load, resulting in an enhancing of the ultimate punching strength, and effect of flexural reinforcement on the punching failure load have been noticed. The code-specified strength of the specimens was calculated in accordance with the American, British, Canadian, European, and Australian codes. It has been understood that punching shear is not effectively estimated in some codes. Thus, inclusion of the findings of the study in the design codes is expected to result in a rational design of structural systems where punching phenomenon plays a vital role.
Full-Scale Testing of Axially Loaded RC Columns Strengthened by Steel Angles and Strips
Authors: Giménez Ester , Adam Jose M. , Ivorra Salvador , Moragues Juan J. , Calderón Pedro A.
Published: May 2009

This paper presents the results obtained from full-scale tests on 14 reinforced concrete columns strengthened with steel angles and strips subjected to axial loads. All the columns were subjected to loading before strengthening. The influence of various factors on the behaviour of the strengthened column was studied. The results of laboratory tests show that the system of steel angles and strips is highly effective for increasing ultimate load in a column and also increases column stiffness and its ultimate strain. Furthermore, analysis of the results of the experiments allows the load transfer mechanisms which affect the behaviour of the strengthened element to be determined.
Saturation Effect on Dynamic Tensile and Compressive Strength of Concrete
Authors: Wang Hailong , Jin Weiliang , Li Qingbin
Published: May 2009

The effect of saturation coupled with loading rate on the tensile strength and the compressive mechanical properties of concrete, namely static and dynamic strengths, Young's modulus and critical strain, were studied by splitting and uniaxial compression tests respectively. The experimental results indicate that the static tensile and compressive strengths of saturated concrete are lower than those of concrete in dry state, but the dynamic strengths of saturated concrete is higher than those of concrete in dry state. The difference increases when the loading rate increases. Based on physics and cracking rules of concrete, physical explanations on the effect of saturation and loading rate on the concrete strength were given with the consideration of the harmful and favorable effects of free water in the cracks. In addition, proving experiments were also carried out to investigate that whether the state of water in the cracks affects the surface energy of solid, and the results showed that surface energy was valid to explain the variation of tensile strength of concrete.
An Approximate Path Finding Algorithm for Bridging Special Obstacles
Authors: Qiaoyu Sun , Yinrong Pan
Published: May 2009

This paper presents an algorithm, which is used to find the shortest path between two given nodes in a grid with sparse polygon obstacles. Among these obstacles some of them may be bridged. The algorithm executes the search using a “don't change direction” heuristic along the line towards the target node. The path has eight searching directions, which are decided by the opposition of sources and target nodes. According to the result of many contrastive and on-the-fly experiments, the algorithm reduces the size of searching region. The path length is also shorter than those found by using traditional algorithms. Performance analysis shows that this algorithm is efficient.
The European Economic Constitution and the Constitutional Dimension of Private Law
Authors: Collins Hugh
Published: May 2009

Intervening in the debate about the future of the European Union and the need for a balanced economic constitution that will consolidate a distinctive European social model, the essay argues that private law shares constitutional qualities with other public law sources such as abstract declarations of social and political rights, and that the construction of European private law is a necessary ingredient of the project for establishing a European economic constitution. In making this argument, the essay examines the concept of an economic constitution, its relation to the idea of a private law society, and the criticisms that have been made of the existing European economic constitution that it is unbalanced.
Buchbesprechung
Authors: Kosny Witold
Published: May 2009

FOMIČEV, SERGEJ, Griboedov: Ėnciklopedija, SPb: Nestor-Istorija, 2007. 396 S. ISBN 978-5-981872-36-5
The Political Economy of Financial Liberalization in South Korea: State, Big Business, and Foreign Investors
Authors: Kalinowski Thomas , Cho Hyekyung
Published: May 2009

This paper studies the political economy of financial liberalization in Korea. We highlight the primary importance of state intervention in promoting financial liberalization. We shed light on "power games" of state, big business, and foreign investors emerging in state-led financial liberalization, and their impact on the Korean economy.
"Super-Sizing" the DPRK Threat: Japan's Evolving Military Posture and North Korea
Authors: Hughes Christopher W.
Published: May 2009

Japan's reemergence as a "normal" military power has been accelerated by the "super-sizing" of North Korea: a product of the North's extant military threat, multiplied exponentially by its undermining of U.S.-Japan alliance solidarity, views of the North as a domestic "peril," and the North's utilization as a catch-all proxy for remilitarization.
Economics, Lobbying, and U.S. Congressional Support for Taiwan: Buying American Support, 2002–2006
Authors: Wu Joshua Su-Ya
Published: May 2009

As Taiwan-U.S. trade has increased, I hypothesize that there is a relationship between increased Taiwanese importation of U.S. exports and greater American congressional support for Taiwan. This analysis, however, finds no such empirical correlation. Instead, support for Taiwan seems to be based more on shared norms of democracy and human rights.
Organisms, Machines, and Thunderstorms: A History of Self-Organization, Part Two. Complexity, Emergence, and Stable Attractors
Authors: Keller Evelyn Fox
Published: May 2009

Part Two of this essay focuses on what might be called the third and most recent chapter in the history of self-organization, in which the term has been claimed to denote a paradigm shift or revolution in scientific thinking about complex systems. The developments responsible for this claim began in the late 1960s and came directly out of the physical sciences. They rapidly attracted wide interest and led to yet another redrawing of the boundaries between organisms, machines, and naturally occurring physical systems (such as thunderstorms). In this version of self-organization, organisms are once again set apart from machines precisely because the latter depend on an outside designer, but—in contrast to Kant's ontology—they are now assimilated to patterns in the inorganic world on the grounds that they, too, like many biological phenomena, arise spontaneously.
Between Accuracy and Manageability: Computational Imperatives in Quantum Chemistry
Authors: Park Buhm Soon
Published: May 2009

This article explores the place of computation in the history of quantum theory by examining the development of several approximation methods to solve the Schrödinger equation without using empirical information, as these were worked out in the years from 1927 to 1933. These ab initio methods, as they became known, produced the results that helped validate the use of quantum mechanics in many-body atomic and molecular systems, but carrying out the computations became increasingly laborious and difficult as better agreement between theory and experiment was pursued and more complex systems were tackled. I argue that computational work in the early years of quantum chemistry shows an emerging practice of theory that required human labor, technological improvement (computers), and mathematical ingenuity.
The G-Stack Collaboration (1954): An Experiment of Transition
Authors: Olivotto Cristina
Published: May 2009

The G-Stack collaboration was a unique network of European laboratories interested in cosmic rays as a source of particles. The network was established in the mid-1950s in order to carry out a balloon flight aimed at using nuclear emulsions to investigate the nature of K mesons. The experiment was significant for the physics of the period, not only because of the scientific results it achieved, but also because it represented an experiment of transition from one epoch to another, from "small science" to "big science," from cosmic rays to accelerators. Launched from northern Italy in 1954, it was also the first strong response to the idea of establishing an international collaboration among European countries in the field of particle physics, with more than thirty authors signing the papers under the collective name of "G-Stack collaboration." An excellent example of knowledge circulation in a European framework, the G-Stack collaboration left a strong heritage for the biggest scientific European institutions and for the reconstruction of Italian physics after the Second World War.
Sexual Development in Lucilia cuprina (Diptera, Calliphoridae) Is Controlled by the Transformer Gene
Authors: Concha Carolina , Scott Maxwell J
Published: May 2009

Insects use an amazing variety of genetic systems to control sexual development. A Y-linked male determining gene (M) controls sex in the Australian sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina, an important pest insect. In this study, we isolated the L. cuprina transformer (Lctra) and transformer2 (Lctra2) genes, which are potential targets of M. The LCTRA and LCTRA2 proteins are significantly more similar to homologs from tephritid insects than Drosophila. The Lctra transcript is alternatively spliced such that only females make a full-length protein and the presence of six TRA/TRA2 binding sites in the female first intron suggest that Lctra splicing is autoregulated as in tephritids. LCTRA is essential for female development as RNAi knockdown of Lctra mRNA leads to the development of male genitalia in XX adults. Analysis of Lctra expression during development shows that early and midstage male and female embryos express the female form of Lctra and males express only the male form by the first instar larval stage. Our results suggest that an autoregulatory loop sustains female development and that expression of M inhibits Lctra autoregulation, switching its splicing to the male form. The conservation of tra function and regulation in a Calliphorid insect shows that this sex determination system is not confined to Tephritidae. Isolation of these genes is an important step toward the development of a strain of L. cuprina suitable for a genetic control program.
The Genealogical Consequences of Fecundity Variance Polymorphism
Authors: Taylor Jesse E
Published: May 2009

The genealogical consequences of within-generation fecundity variance polymorphism are studied using coalescent processes structured by genetic backgrounds. I show that these processes have three distinctive features. The first is that the coalescent rates within backgrounds are not jointly proportional to the infinitesimal variance, but instead depend only on the frequencies and traits of genotypes containing each allele. Second, the coalescent processes at unlinked loci are correlated with the genealogy at the selected locus; i.e., fecundity variance polymorphism has a genomewide impact on genealogies. Third, in diploid models, there are infinitely many combinations of fecundity distributions that have the same diffusion approximation but distinct coalescent processes; i.e., in this class of models, ancestral processes and allele frequency dynamics are not in one-to-one correspondence. Similar properties are expected to hold in models that allow for heritable variation in other traits that affect the coalescent effective population size, such as sex ratio or fecundity and survival schedules.
Kernicterus in Preterm Infants
Authors: Okumura Akihisa , Kidokoro Hiroyuki , Shoji Hiromichi , Nakazawa Tomoyuki , Mimaki Masakazu , Fujii Katsunori , Oba Hiroshi , Shimizu Toshiaki
Published: May 2009

OBJECTIVE. We sought to clarify the features of kernicterus in preterm infants.

METHODS. The subjects of this study were 8 preterm infants with athetoid cerebral palsy whose gestational ages were ≤34 weeks. We retrospectively investigated clinical, laboratory, MRI, and brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) findings.

RESULTS. Gestational age was ≤26 weeks in 6 of the 8 infants, and birth weight was <1000 g in 5 infants. Serious postnatal complications with systemic deterioration were observed in 3 infants. Total bilirubin levels were measured frequently in the majority of infants; peak values of >15 mg/dL were observed in 3 infants. No infant showed neurologic symptoms characteristic of classical acute bilirubin encephalopathy during the neonatal period. Dystonic posture and abnormal muscle tone were first recognized within 6 months' corrected age in all patients. During infancy, MRI was performed in 7 infants. Abnormal high-intensity areas were observed in the bilateral globi pallidi in all 7 infants. However, MRI during the neonatal period or after 1 year's corrected age showed no abnormal findings. BAEP measurements were abnormal in 7 of the 8 infants.

CONCLUSIONS. Preterm infants with athetotic cerebral palsy showed rather homogeneous features, similar to term infants with kernicterus, with marked hyperbilirubinemia. This combination of clinical, laboratory, neuroimaging, and neurophysiological data will contribute to the increased recognition of preterm infants with kernicterus.
Weed Community Composition after 26 Years of Fertilization of Late Rice
Authors: Nie Jun , Yin Li C. , Liao Yu L. , Zheng Sheng X. , Xie Jian
Published: May 2009

To assess the influence of long-term fertilization on weed communities of early and late rice crops, the weed species composition was investigated in experimental plots initiated in 1981 at the Key Field Experimental Monitoring Station of the Reddish Paddy Soil Eco-Environment in Wangcheng, China. The treatments were (1) a control (CK), no fertilizer; (2) N–P, no K; (3) N–K, no P; (4) P–K, no N; (5) N–P–K; (6) N–P–K + Ca, N, P, and K plus lime; (7) N–P + S, N and P plus additional rice straw return; (8) N–P–K + S, N, P, and K plus additional rice straw; (9) N–K + M, N and K plus swine manure. The results indicated that weed flora composition and density were influenced by the different fertilization treatments. Multivariate analyses indicated that changes in the weed community composition were primarily due to soil-available N, followed by light intensity on the field surface, and soil-available P. More weed species and total weed density were observed in the control and P–K plots than in plots in which N, P, and K were applied together. Omission of N application had a greater effect on the weed community than the omission of P or K applications. Nutrients derived from synthetic fertilizers and organic manure or the additional application of lime had no obvious effect on the weed community of late rice crops.
Tolerance and Selectivity of Cereal Species and Cultivars to Postemergence Weed Harrowing
Authors: Rasmussen Jesper , Nielsen Helle H. , Gundersen Hanne
Published: May 2009

POST weed harrowing and other cultivation methods to control weeds in early crop growth stages may result in crop damage due to low selectivity between crop and weeds. Crop tolerance to cultivation plays an important role but it has not been clearly defined and analyzed. We introduce a procedure for analyzing crop tolerance on the basis of digital image analysis. Crop tolerance is defined as the ability of the crop to avoid yield loss from cultivation in the absence of weeds, and it has two components: resistance and recovery. Resistance is the ability of the crop to resist soil covering and recovery is the ability to recover from it. Soil covering is the percentage of the crop that has been buried because of cultivation. We analyzed data from six field experiments, four experiments with species of small grains, barley, oat, wheat, and triticale, and two experiments with barley cultivars with different abilities to suppress weeds. The order of species' tolerance to weed harrowing was triticale > wheat > barley > oat and the differences were mainly caused by different abilities to recover from soil covering. At 25% soil covering, grain yield loss in triticale was 0.5%, in wheat 2.5%, in barley 3.7%, and in oat 6.5%. Tolerance, resistance, and recovery, however, were influenced by year, especially for oat and barley. There was no evidence of differences between barley cultivars in terms of tolerance indicating that differences among species are more important than differences among cultivars. Selectivity analysis made it possible to calculate the crop yield loss due to crop damage associated with a certain percentage of weed control. In triticale, 80% weed control was associated with 22% crop soil cover on average, which reduced grain yield 0.4% on average in the absence of weeds. Corresponding values for wheat, barley, and oat were 23, 21, and 20% crop soil cover and 2.3, 3.6, and 5.1% grain yield loss.
Adaptive Responses of Field-Grown Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) to Variable Light Quality and Quantity Environments
Authors: Gramig Greta G. , Stoltenberg David E.
Published: May 2009

Field experiments were conducted to determine whether exposure to reduced red : far-red light ratios (R : FR) typical of crop–weed environments was associated with adaptive changes in morphology, productivity, and fecundity of common lambsquarters. Plants were grown in reduced or ambient R : FR environments (both in full sunlight) until initiation of flowering, after which plants were grown in full sunlight or partial shade. At initiation of flowering, plants that had been exposed to reduced R : FR exhibited greater specific leaf area, stem elongation, main stem leaf area, specific stem length, and main stem mass compared with plants exposed to ambient R : FR. However, biomass allocation to stems, leaves, and roots did not differ between vegetative-stage R : FR treatments. At the end of flowering, morphology and productivity of plants exposed to partial shade did not differ between vegetative-stage R : FR treatments. In contrast, plants exposed to full sunlight during flowering after exposure to reduced R : FR during the vegetative stage had less total plant mass, less total leaf area, greater stem elongation, greater specific stem length, and a greater ratio of main stem to total stem mass compared with plants exposed to ambient R : FR during the vegetative stage. At physiological maturity, plants exposed to reduced R : FR during the vegetative stage and to partial shade during the reproductive stage had less total seed mass and fewer seeds compared with plants exposed to ambient R : FR during the vegetative stage and to partial shade during the reproductive stage. Fecundity of plants exposed to full sunlight during the reproductive stage did not differ between vegetative-stage R : FR treatments. These results indicate that exposure of common lambsquarters to reduced R : FR during the vegetative stage was maladaptive at later stages of growth in competitive environments, and suggest that interactions of light quality and quantity are important determinants of common lambsquarters fecundity.