bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Late occurrence of malignant post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) presenting with severe acute renal failure
Authors: Ziari Mohammadbagher , Kudva Ganesh C. , Salinas‐Madrigal Luis , Cortese Cherise , Garvin Paul , Osman Medhat M. , Bastani Bahar
Published: April 2007

We report the case of a 63‐year‐old man who presented with severe acute renal failure requiring dialysis 17 years after a successful renal transplant of a kidney from his daughter. Transplant kidney biopsy revealed post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder‐large B‐cell lymphoma. A PET scan revealed widespread disease, particularly involving the transplanted kidney. The patient responded rapidly to chemotherapy with VACOP‐B and rituximab, with a complete resolution of renal failure and of the findings from the PET scan. The patient was in remission for 6 months, while on chemotherapy, before he was found to have recurrence of the disease in cervical lymph nodes and died 1 month later with normal kidney function.
Characterization of astrocyte‐specific conditional knockouts
Authors: Casper Kristen B. , Jones Kristin , McCarthy Ken D.
Published: April 2007

Conditional gene knockouts are a very powerful tool for elucidating gene function in animal physiology and behavior. To obtain cell‐specific knockouts, a promoter is utilized that drives expression of Cre recombinase specifically to the cell population of interest. We describe several transgenic lines of mice that were created in an attempt to obtain astrocyte‐specific gene recombination. A 2 kb fragment from the human glial fibrillary acidic protein promoter is utilized to drive expression of inducible Cre recombinase, with both the Tet‐Off and tamoxifen responsive systems. We show data obtained from crosses with two Cre reporter lines, ROSA26R and an astrocyte Cre reporter created in our laboratory, to assess the cell specificity of gene recombination. Additionally, our system is shown to successfully recombine a floxed Connexin43 locus, although recombination is not as extensive as seen in crosses with reporter lines. genesis 45:292–299, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
NMR Studies of Paramagnetic Metallocarbaporphyrinoids
Authors: Pacholska‐Dudziak Ewa , Latos‐Grażyński Lechosław
Published: April 2007

Carbaporphyrinoids provide a suitable macrocyclic platform for organometallic investigations that provide unique opportunities for modifying a macrocyclic structure. Alteration of a coordination core is a route of choice for stabilizing unusual metal ion oxidation states and coordination geometries. This microreview presents the general characteristic of paramagnetic metallocarbaporphyrinoids, with a focus on NMR studies. NMR spectroscopy of paramagnetic molecules can be considered as a powerful probe of several intriguing aspects of the molecular and electronic structures, structural rearrangements, and reactivity, including oxidation and oxygenation, of this fascinating class of compounds. The chosen examples address paramagnetic organometallic nickel(II) and nickel(III) complexes of N‐confused porphyrins, the reactions of nickel(II) dimethylated N‐confused porphyrins with organometallic reagents, the stabilization of rare organocopper(II) species, the investigation of weak intramolecular metal–arene interactions, and the conformational flexibility of nickel(II) benziporphyrin and vacataporphyrin. Particular emphasis is placed on NMR studies as an efficient way of detecting intermediate species formed in the course of oxidation and oxygenation of iron(n) carbaporphyrinoids. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Oxidative Desulfurization of Azole‐2‐thiones with Benzoyl Peroxide: Syntheses of Ionic Liquids and Other Azolium Salts
Authors: Wolfe Derek M. , Schreiner Peter R.
Published: April 2007

1‐Alkyl‐3‐methylimidazole‐2‐thiones were prepared from amino esters in one pot and converted to inherently halide‐free 1‐alkyl‐3‐methylimidazolium benzoates by oxidation with benzoyl peroxide followed by a novel anion exchange. Also reported are the outcomes of exchanges with other anions, acidifications of the imidazolium benzoates to other salts, and extension of the method to the syntheses of 1,3‐diphenylimidazolium and 3‐methyl‐ and ‐butylthiazolium salts.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Why we're still arguing about the Pleistocene occupation of the Americas
Authors: Waguespack Nicole M.
Published: April 2007

Although empirical issues surround the when, how, and who questions of New World colonization, much of current debate hinges on theoretical problems because it has become clear that our understanding of New World colonization is not resolute.1 In fact, the central issues of debate have remained essentially unchanged for the last eighty years. The now classic and probably incorrect story of New World colonization begins in Late Pleistocene Siberia, with small a population of foragers migrating across Beringia (∼13,500 calendar years before present (CYBP) (Box 1) through an ice‐free corridor and traveling through the interior of North America. High mobility and rapid population growth spurred southward expansion into increasingly distant unoccupied regions, culminating in the settlement of the Southern Cone of South America. Armed with the skills and weapons needed to maintain a megafauna‐based subsistence strategy, early colonists necessarily had the adaptive flexibility to colonize a diverse array of Pleistocene landscapes. For a time, this scenario seemed well substantiated. The earliest sites in South America were younger than their northern counterparts, fluted artifacts were found across the Americas within a brief temporal window, and projectile points capable of wounding elephant‐sized prey were commonly found in association with proboscidean remains. The Bering Land Bridge connecting Asia to Alaska and an ice‐free corridor providing passage between the Pleistocene ice masses of Canada seemed to provide a clear route of entry for Clovis colonists. However, recent archeological, paleoenvironmental, biological, and theoretical work largely questions the plausibility of these events.
The Evolution of Zinjanthropus boisei
Authors: Constantino Paul , Wood Bernard
Published: April 2007

Many people assume that OH 5, the type specimen of Paranthropus boisei, collected in 1959, was the first evidence of that taxon to be found, but OH 3, recovered in 1955, predated the discovery of OH 5 by four years. Thus, Paranthropus boisei recently celebrated the equivalent of its fiftieth birthday. This review marks that milestone by examining the way our understanding of this taxon has changed during its fifty, or so, year history.
Coupled ghost fluid/two‐phase level set method for curvilinear body‐fitted grids
Authors: Huang Juntao , Carrica Pablo M. , Stern Frederick
Published: April 2007

A coupled ghost fluid/two‐phase level set method to simulate air/water turbulent flow for complex geometries using curvilinear body‐fitted grids is presented. The proposed method is intended to treat ship hydrodynamics problems. The original level set method for moving interface flows was based on Heaviside functions to smooth all fluid properties across the interface. We call this the Heaviside function method (HFM). The HFM requires fine grids across the interface. The ghost fluid method (GFM) has been designed to explicitly enforce the interfacial jump conditions, but the implementation of the jump conditions in curvilinear grids is intricate. To overcome these difficulties a coupled GFM/HFM method was developed in which approximate jump conditions are derived for piezometric pressure and velocity and pressure gradients based on exact continuous velocity and stress and jump in momentum conditions with the jump in density maintained
but continuity of the molecular and turbulent viscosities imposed. The implementation of the ghost points is such that no duplication of memory storage is necessary. The level set method is adopted to locate the air/water interface, and a fast marching method was implemented in curvilinear grids to reinitialize the level set function. Validations are performed for three tests: super‐ and sub‐critical flow without wave breaking and an impulsive plunging wave breaking over 2D submerged bumps, and the flow around surface combatant model DTMB 5512. Comparisons are made against experimental data, HFM and single‐phase level set computations. The proposed method performed very well and shows great potential to treat complicated turbulent flows related to ship flows. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Direct simulation of two‐dimensional turbulent flow over a surface‐mounted obstacle
Authors: Fragos V. P. , Psychoudaki S. P. , Malamataris N. A.
Published: April 2007

Two‐dimensional turbulent flow over a surface‐mounted obstacle is studied as a numerical experiment that takes place in a wind tunnel. The transient Navier–Stokes equations are solved directly with Galerkin finite elements. The Reynolds number defined with respect to the height of the wind tunnel is 12 518. Instantaneous streamline patterns are shown that give a complete picture of the flow phenomena. Energy and enstrophy spectra yield the dual cascade of two‐dimensional turbulence and the −1 power law decay of enstrophy. Mean values of velocities and root mean square fluctuations are compared with the available experimental results. Other statistical characteristics of turbulence such as Eulerian autocorrelation coefficients, longitudinal and lateral coefficients are also computed. Finally, oscillation diagrams of computed velocity fluctuations yield the chaotic behaviour of turbulence. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of combined intervention programmes for people with dementia living at home and their caregivers: a systematic review
Authors: Smits Carolien H. M. , de Lange Jacomine , Dröes Rose‐Marie , Meiland Franka , Vernooij‐Dassen Myrra , Pot Anne Margriet
Published: April 2007

Objective

This study reviews the evidence for effects of combined intervention programmes for both the informal caregiver and the person with dementia.

Method

Systematic review. Electronic databases and key articles were searched for effect studies of combined programmes, published between January 1992 and February 2005. The resulting 52 reports were scored according to set inclusion criteria.

Results

Twenty five reports relating to 22 programmes met the inclusion criteria. Various aspects of caregivers' mental health and burden were studied. Best results were obtained regarding general mental health. Other aspects often showed modest and varying results. Caregivers' competence was less often addressed. The effects on the cognitive and physical functioning, behavioural problems and survival of the persons with dementia were modest and inconsistent, whereas their mental health is positively affected and admittance to long stay care is often delayed.

Conclusion

Combined programmes may improve some, not all, aspects of functioning for caregiver and person with dementia. Care professionals must define their programme goals and target groups before advising their clients on a combined programme. Research may focus on the effects of programmes that were introduced fairly recently and on subgroups of caregivers (female caregivers, depressed caregivers and people with dementia, and minorities). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neural basis of processing sequential and hierarchical syntactic structures
Authors: Opitz Bertram , Friederici Angela D.
Published: April 2007

The psychological processes through which humans learn a language have gained considerable interest over the past years. It has been previously suggested that language acquisition partly relies on a rule‐based mechanism that is mediated by the frontal cortex. Interestingly, the actual structure involved within the frontal cortex varies with the kind of rules being processed. By means of functional MRI we investigated the neural underpinnings of rule‐based language processing using an artificial language that allows direct comparisons between local phrase structure dependencies and hierarchically structured long‐distance dependencies. Activation in the left ventral premotor cortex (PMC) was related to the local character of rule change, whereas long‐distance dependencies activated the opercular part of the inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's area (BA) 44). These results suggest that the brain's involvement in syntactic processing is determined by the type of rule used, with BA 44/45 playing an important role during language processing when long‐distance dependencies are processed. In contrast, the ventral PMC seems to subserve the processing of local dependencies. In addition, hippocampal activity was observed for local dependencies, indicating that the processing of such dependencies may be mediated by a second mechanism. Hum Brain Mapp, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Role of dCA3 efferents via the fimbria in the acquisition of a delay nonmatch to place task
Authors: Hunsaker Michael R. , Allan Kimberly D. , Kesner Raymond P.
Published: April 2007

Dorsal CA3, but not dorsal CA1, lesioned rats are impaired in the acquisition of a delay nonmatch to place task. In this study, dorsal CA3 efferent fibers in the fimbria were transected; while taking care to spare afferent fibers from the medial septum. Neurophysiological, anatomical tracing, and histochemical data suggest that the transection was selective to dorsal CA3 efferent fibers and spared afferents from the medial septum. Rats showed a deficit for acquisition, but not for performance once learned. One possible explanation is that a small change to the cholinergic inputs to dCA3 caused by a decrease in dorsal CA3 efferent signals reaching the medial septum may impair new learning but not performance of a task once learned. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Testing a conceptual hillslope recession model based on the storage–discharge relationship with the Richards equation
Authors: Lee Do‐Hun
Published: April 2007

The conceptual recession model based on the storage–discharge relationship was proposed to account for the unsaturated–saturated water storage interaction. The recession model was formulated by combining the constitutive storage–discharge relationship with the integral balance equation for unsaturated and saturated water storage. The functional form of the constitutive storage–discharge relationship was determined from the spatial integration of the Richards equation. The performance of the recession model was tested by comparing with the solution of the Richards equation for different simulation geometric shapes and soil types. The conceptual recession model incorporating the unsaturated–saturated water storage interaction was in good agreement with the recession response of the Richards equation. However, the recession model that neglected the unsaturated–saturated water storage interaction was comparable to the Richards equation only for soils with the weak interaction between unsaturated water storage and saturated water storage. This result suggests the important role of the unsaturated–saturated water storage interaction in the formulation of the recession process when the derivative of the functional relationship between the unsaturated water storage and saturated water storage becomes significant. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrogeologic controls on summer stream temperatures in the McKenzie River basin, Oregon
Authors: Tague Christina , Farrell Michael , Grant Gordon , Lewis Sarah , Rey Serge
Published: April 2007

Stream temperature is a complex function of energy inputs including solar radiation and latent and sensible heat transfer. In streams where groundwater inputs are significant, energy input through advection can also be an important control on stream temperature. For an individual stream reach, models of stream temperature can take advantage of direct measurement or estimation of these energy inputs for a given river channel environment. Understanding spatial patterns of stream temperature at a landscape scale requires predicting how this environment varies through space, and under different atmospheric conditions. At the landscape scale, air temperature is often used as a surrogate for the dominant controls on stream temperature. In this study we show that, in regions where groundwater inputs are key controls and the degree of groundwater input varies in space, air temperature alone is unlikely to explain within‐landscape stream temperature patterns. We illustrate how a geologic template can offer insight into landscape‐scale patterns of stream temperature and its predictability from air temperature relationships. We focus on variation in stream temperature within headwater streams within the McKenzie River basin in western Oregon. In this region, as in other areas of the Pacific Northwest, fish sensitivity to summer stream temperatures continues to be a pressing environmental issue. We show that, within the McKenzie, streams which are sourced from deeper groundwater reservoirs versus shallow subsurface flow systems have distinct summer temperature regimes. Groundwater streams are colder, less variable and less sensitive to air temperature variation. We use these results from the western Oregon Cascade hydroclimatic regime to illustrate a conceptual framework for developing regional‐scale indicators of stream temperature variation that considers the underlying geologic controls on spatial variation, and the relative roles played by energy and water inputs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of long‐term groundwater level data in regular monitoring wells, Barka, Sultanate of Oman
Authors: Rajmohan Natarajan , Al‐Futaisi Ahmed , Jamrah Ahmad
Published: April 2007

A detailed investigation was carried out to evaluate long‐term groundwater level fluctuation in regular monitoring wells constructed by the Ministry of Water Resources in Barka, Sultanate of Oman. For this study, groundwater level data for 71 wells and rainfall data from six stations were collected from 1984 to 2003 and analysed. Based on long‐term water level fluctuation, groundwater wells are classified into three groups. In group 1, water level shows a long‐term cyclic trend without yearly fluctuation whereas in group 2 the water level declined continuously until 1995 followed by a constant water level. In group 3, water level decreases continuously throughout the study periods with rapid annual cyclic variation. Group 1 wells show high water‐level fluctuations (5 to 10 m) and seem to be regulated by discharge (lateral flow) from this aquifer and recharge from the adjacent Jabal Akhdar mountainous region. Constant trend in water level after 1995 in group 2 wells illustrates the advancement of saline–fresh water interface to the inland due to heavy pumping which is justified by higher electrical conductivity and Cl/HCO3 ratio. In group 3 wells, the water level dropped continuously due to overabstraction by agricultural farms and human settlements. In addition, wells existing near the recharge dams express the influences of recharge dams and rainfall, and exhibit high water‐level fluctuations during heavy rainfall periods. The long‐term regional variation indicates that water level drops continuously in the coastal and central parts of the study region. Linear regression analysis revealed that the decline in water level is 0·3–0·4 m year−1 near the coastal and central parts of the study area and is almost constant in the remaining area. We conclude that the contribution of man‐made activities on groundwater level is well compared with natural factors. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Longitudinal relations between employment and depressive symptoms in low‐income, suicidal African American women
Authors: Mascaro Nathan , Arnette Natalie C. , Santana M. Carmen , Kaslow Nadine J.
Published: April 2007

Unemployment and depression are problematic at both individual and societal levels, and research suggests that the two phenomena are related. More thorough and longitudinal analyses, particularly ones within low‐income minority populations, are needed to guide the development of programs to increase employment in persons with mental health problems. The current study aimed to specify the relations over time between depressive symptoms and employment status within a sample of 46 low‐income African American women participating in an intervention study for intimate partner violence and suicidal behavior. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis indicated that baseline levels of depressive symptoms predicted employment status at the end of a 10‐week intervention period, controlling for baseline employment status. Chi‐square analysis and qualitative analyses of trends in depression scores showed that changes in employment status during the 10‐week intervention period predicted 6‐month and one‐year follow‐up levels of depressive symptoms. Results imply that, for women in the currently sampled population, depressive symptoms create vulnerability for job loss, but the ability to gain employment despite high levels of depressive symptoms is linked to lowered depression levels over the long term. Community programs assisting such women could therefore not just lower the vulnerability to job loss by treating depressive symptoms, but they could potentially lower long‐term depression levels through interventions that enhance employability and motivation to pursue work. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.
The cognitive nature of forgiveness: Using cognitive strategies of primary appraisal and coping to describe the process of forgiving
Authors: Maltby John , Macaskill Ann , Gillett Raphael
Published: April 2007

The present study investigated forgiveness in a traditional cognitive model of stress appraisal and coping and in a more recent model that includes the construct of low control stressors. One‐hundred sixty six men and 168 women completed measures of forgiveness, primary stress appraisals, and coping strategies. For men, forgiveness was found to be positively associated with the use of challenge appraisals, and negatively associated with the use of loss appraisals and emotion‐focused coping. For women, forgiveness was found to be positively associated with emotion‐focused coping and acceptance, and negatively associated with avoidance. The results for women indicate that when forgiveness situations are conceptualized as low‐control stressors, we are able to explain the relationships between forgiveness, appraisal, and coping. The results for men are broadly in line with a more traditional model of coping, which does not consider the construct of low control. Crucial differences in the ways that men and women appraise and cope with situations involving forgiveness are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.
The efficacy of cognitive–behavioral therapy and the problem of drop‐out
Authors: Bados Arturo , Balaguer Gemma , Saldaña Carmina
Published: April 2007

Treatment drop‐out is a common problem in the everyday practice of psychotherapy. In the cognitive–behavioral psychology literature, there are scant data on drop‐out from therapy and the data available vary widely according to the definition of drop‐out and the intensity of treatment. This study presents results obtained in the Behavioural Therapy Unit of the University of Barcelona. Of the 203 patients seen in the unit, 89 (43.8%) dropped out, mostly in the early stages of the intervention. The most common reasons for this were low motivation and/or dissatisfaction with the treatment or the therapist (46.7%), external difficulties (40%), and patients' feeling of improvement (13.3%). Patients who dropped out differed from those who continued; they more often presented affective or eating disorders or problems with impulse control. The observed drop‐out rate is in line with figures reported for psychotherapy in general and by those studies which have considered cognitive–behavioral therapy in particular. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol.
Three dimensional rendering of the mitochondrial sheath morphogenesis during mouse spermiogenesis
Authors: Ho Han‐Chen , Wey Shiuan
Published: April 2007

In the middle piece of mouse sperm tail, the idea of the mitochondria wrapping in a sinistral (left‐handed) double helical structure was generally accepted. In the existing model, mitochondria aligned in four longitudinal rows (stage 1) and twisted dextrally (right‐handed) (stage 2) and began to stagger, where opposing rows of mitochondria contacted each other to form a sinistral double helix (stage 3), finally, the end‐on touching mitochondria further elongated to their mature length (stage 4). However, in this model, mitochondria need to shift a long distance and reposition themselves. Since no gaps have been found in mitochondrial sheath, repositioning of most mitochondria along the middle piece is unlikely to happen. Therefore, we reapproached the questions through three‐dimensional rendering to provide a new model for mitochondrial sheath formation. In our proposed model, four dextrally arranged spherical mitochondrial arrays were considered stage 1 (resembles stage 2 of the old model). In stage 2 (resembles stage 3 of the old model), a critical difference was found that pairs of mitochondria from the opposing arrays formed ring‐like structures instead of a sinistral double helix. In stage 3, which was not observed in the old model, mitochondria staggered in a specific pattern to form the sinistral double helix. In stage 4, mitochondria elongated from crescent‐shaped to rod‐shaped structures. The new model proposed here would allow each mitochondrion to stay at where they attached first and elongate laterally from two directions to reach their final double helical structure without unreasonable great distance shift along the outer dense fibers. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fabrication of a novel micron scale Y‐structure‐based chiral metamaterial: Simulation and experimental analysis of its chiral and negative index properties in the terahertz and microwave regimes
Authors: Wongkasem Nantakan , Akyurtlu Alkim , Marx Kenneth A. , Goodhue William D. , Li Jin , Dong Qi , Ada Earl T.
Published: April 2007

In this report, we describe the fabrication of a chiral metamaterial based on a periodic array of Y‐shaped Al structures on a dielectric Mylar substrate. The unit cell dimensions of the Y‐structure are ∼100 μm on a side with 8 μm linewidths. The fabricated Y‐structure elements are characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Quantitative elemental analyses were carried out on both the Y‐structure, comprised of Al and its oxide, as well as adjacent regions of the underlying mylar substrate using the energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) capability of the SEM. Finite‐Difference Time‐Domain (FDTD) calculations of the negative index of refraction for a 3D wedge of multiple layers of the 2D metamaterials showed that these metamaterials possess double negative (−μ,−ϵ) electromagnetic bulk properties at THz frequencies. The same negative index of refraction was determined for a wedge comprised of appropriately scaled larger Y‐structures simulated in the microwave region. This double negative property was confirmed experimentally by microwave measurements on a 3D wedge comprised of stacked and registered Y‐structure sheets. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Human security—national perspectives and global agendas: insights from national human development reports
Authors: Jolly Richard , Ray Deepayan Basu
Published: April 2007

Since its introduction in UNDP's Human Development Report 1994, ‘human security’ has been a topic of lively debate. The purpose of this paper is to explore empirically how human security has been treated in National Human Development Reports (NHDRs), produced in 13 countries since 1997 with different definitions and points of focus. We use an inductive approach to examine how these stand up to the criticisms levelled in the literature against broader concepts of human security. The NHDRs of Afghanistan, Latvia, Macedonia and Bangladesh are of particular interest, both because of their rich analysis and because of the originality of the methodology they use. The paper concludes that broader definitions of human security are operational for both analysis and policy making. Limits to define a core of high‐priority concerns with human security can be set after exploring the concerns of people in specific situations rather than before. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Uncounted or illusory blessings? Competing responses to the Easterlin, Easterbrook and Schwartz paradoxes of well‐being
Authors: Gasper Des
Published: April 2007

The Easterlin paradox concerns slight or negligible increases in personal satisfaction reported as income rises beyond high middle income levels. Sister paradoxes highlighted by Easterbrook and Schwartz concern the frequent low or negligible impact on personal satisfaction of improvements in various dimensions of life. The paper identifies a range of responses to the paradoxes, shows how these responses reflect a series of different conceptions of the meaning of well‐being, and assesses their cogency. It indicates areas where follow‐on research is required. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Choosing sustainable consumption: a capability perspective on indicators
Authors: Comim Flavio , Tsutsumi Rie , Varea Angels
Published: April 2007

The concept of sustainable consumption (SC) has been proposed as a way of operationalising sustainable development (SD). However, until now, in view of the difficulties in conceptualising SC, emphasis has been placed mainly on a pragmatic approach. In ana‐conceptual and pragmatic account of SC, many problems remain unaddressed, such as the danger of the notion becoming empty and lack of integration between the different dimensions of sustainability. In this paper, we propose that the informational space provided by the capability approach (CA) offers a conceptual framework to elaborate SC. The CA is employed here (i) to discuss the philosophical underpinnings of SC as part of a strategy for enhancing quality‐of‐life and (ii) to investigate the links between the different dimensions of SC. Emphasis on autonomy, freedom, and public reasoning in the CA can help in contextualising and providing an organising frame for SC policies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New face of development assistance: public goods and changing ethics
Authors: Sandler Todd , Arce Daniel G.
Published: April 2007

This article indicates the policy implications of the increasing emphasis of public goods in foreign assistance. Even the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reflect this public good emphasis. This changing composition of aid has important ethical implications: public good aid is driven by altruism and self‐interest owing to benefit spillovers to donor nations. We show how key properties of publicness influence not only the desired direction of income transfers, but also the identity of the appropriate donor (i.e. donor nation, multilateral agency, or charitable foundation). The article also highlights how the spatial spillovers of public goods affect aid decisions. Finally, we relate five essential sectors to their public good properties and policy implications. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Right to water and access to water: an assessment
Authors: Anand P. B.
Published: April 2007

This paper examines the scope for a rights‐based perspective on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by focusing on right to water. The paper adapts Hohfeldian framework of elements of a right developed by Wenar. According to this, a right should be interpreted in terms of powers, privileges, claims and immunities. This framework highlights the inter‐connections between various aspects of governance and the effectiveness of a right to water. The conjecture whether the poor are more likely to have access to water when there is a right to water is examined with data (from WHO–UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme) pertaining to a small sample of countries where a right to water has been promulgated and some others where such right has not been promulgated. The impact of governance on improving access to water is examined using indicators from Governance Matters V (Kaufman et al., 2006). This analysis suggests that mechanisms of governance may be more important in improving access to water than a formal articulation of a right to water. Some challenges to operationalising a right to water are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Parallel imaging technique for the external carotid artery and its branches: Comparison of balanced turbo field echo, phase contrast, and time‐of‐flight sequences
Authors: Sumi Tadateru , Sumi Misa , Van Cauteren Marc , Kimura Yasuo , Nakamura Takashi
Published: April 2007

Purpose

To evaluate the parallel imaging technique in the external carotid artery and its branches using 3D balanced turbo field echo (3D bTFE), 3D phase‐contrast (3D PC), and 3D time‐of‐flight (3D TOF) MR angiography (MRA) sequences.

Materials and Methods

A total of 26 healthy volunteer subjects underwent 3D bTFE, 3D PC, and 3D TOF MRA with the parallel imaging sensitivity encoding (SENSE) technique. The obtained images were read in a blinded fashion by three radiologists. Interreader and intersequence statistical analyses were performed to compare the visibility of the arteries.

Results

Friedman's ranking test demonstrated that there was no significant difference in visibility between any two pairs of sequences for the external carotid artery and its first branches. However, of the three techniques, 3D PC MRA performed the best for the second‐order branches (P < 0.01) and for overall visibility of the external carotid artery and its branches (P < 0.01). The 3D bTFE sequence is superior to 3D TOF; however, an effective means of separating arteries from veins and salivary ducts is needed.

Conclusion

The combination of parallel imaging and the 3D PC technique is a promising approach for face and neck MRA. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:1028–1034. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Segmentation of gadolinium‐enhanced lesions on MRI in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Datta Sushmita , Sajja Balasrinivasa Rao , He Renjie , Gupta Rakesh K. , Wolinsky Jerry S. , Narayana Ponnada A.
Published: April 2007

Purpose

To develop and implement a method for identification and quantification of gadolinium (Gd) enhancements with minimal human intervention.

Materials and Methods

Dual fast spin echo (FSE), fluid attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR), and pre‐ and postcontrast T1‐weighted spin echo were acquired on 22 subjects. The enhancements were identified on the postcontrast T1‐weighted images based on morphological operations. A single threshold based on the ratio of the difference of postcontrast and precontrast T1 images with that of precontrast T1 images is applied to the reconstructed images to reduce the false classifications. False classification of enhancements arising from enhancing vasculature and structures such as the choroid plexus that lack a blood‐brain barrier were reduced by assuming that the true enhancements are always associated with hyperintense lesions on T2‐weighted images (T2 lesions). The enhanced lesions were further delineated based on fuzzy connectivity.

Results

The segmented Gd enhancements were evaluated quantitatively with manually identified enhancements based on similarity measures. The average similarity index (SI) of 0.76 suggests excellent performance of the proposed methodology. The Bland‐Altman plot shows a close agreement between the results obtained manually and those based on the proposed methodology.

Conclusion

The proposed algorithm identifies and quantifies Gd enhancements accurately with minimal human intervention. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:932–937. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Assessment of the carotid artery by MRI at 3T: A study on reproducibility
Authors: Alizadeh Dehnavi Reza , Doornbos Joost , Tamsma Jouke T. , Stuber Matthias , Putter Hein , van der Geest Rob J. , Lamb Hildo J. , de Roos Albert
Published: April 2007

Purpose

To examine the reproducibility of carotid artery dimension measurements using 3T MRI.

Materials and Methods

Ten healthy volunteers underwent three scans on two occasions for assessment of total vessel wall area (TVWA), total luminal area (TLA), and minimum (MinT) and maximum (MaxT) vessel wall thickness. A double inversion‐recovery (IR) fast gradient‐echo (FGRE) sequence was used on a commercial 3T system. During the first visit the subjects were scanned twice. The third scan was performed at least four days later. One observer traced all scans, and a second observer retraced the first scan series.

Results

For TVWA an interclass correlation (ICC) of 0.994 was calculated with all three scans taken into account. The interobserver ICC was 0.984. The agreement between the scans for TLA showed an ICC of 0.982 with an interobserver ICC of 0.998. For MinT and MaxT an ICC of 0.843 and 0.935 were calculated, with interobserver ICCs of 0.860 and 0.726, respectively.

Conclusion

With the use of a commercial 3T MR system, TVWA, TLA, and wall thickness measurements of the carotid artery can be assessed with good reproducibility. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:1035–1043. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Encoding of electrophysiology and other signals in MR images
Authors: Hanson Lars G. , Lund Torben E. , Hanson Christian G.
Published: April 2007

Purpose

To develop a gradient insensitive, generic technique for recording of non‐MR signals by use of surplus scanner bandwidth.

Materials and Methods

Relatively simple battery driven hardware is used to transform one or more signals into radio waves detectable by the MR scanner. Similar to the “magstripe” technique used for encoding of soundtracks in motion pictures, the electrical signals are in this way encoded as artifacts appearing in the MR images or spectra outside the region of interest. The encoded signals are subsequently reconstructed from the signal recorded by the scanner.

Results

Electrophysiological (EP) eye and heart muscular recording (electrooculography [EOG] and electrocardiography [ECG]) during fast echo planar imaging (EPI) is demonstrated with an expandable, modular 8‐channel prototype implementation. The gradient artifacts that would normally be dominating EOG are largely eliminated.

Conclusion

The method provides relatively inexpensive sampling with inherent microsecond synchronization and it reduces gradient artifacts in physiological recordings significantly. When oversampling is employed, the method is compatible with all MR reconstruction and postprocessing techniques. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:1059–1066. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MR colonography with fecal tagging: Do individual patient characteristics influence image quality?
Authors: Kinner Sonja , Kuehle Christiane A. , Langhorst Jost , Ladd Susanne C. , Nuefer Michael , Barkhausen Joerg , Lauenstein Thomas C.
Published: April 2007

Purpose

To evaluate if different patient characteristics influence performance of fecal tagging (a new MR colonography (MRC) technique to label stool to avoid bowel cleansing) and, consecutively, MR image quality.

Materials and Methods

A total of 333 patients (mean age = 61 years) underwent MRC with fecal tagging. Four segments of the large bowel (ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid colon) were assessed as for the presence of nontagged stool particles, which can impede an assessment of the colonic wall. Ratings were correlated with patients' characteristics including patient age (<55 vs. ≥55 years), body mass index (BMI) (<25 vs. ≥25), gender, and acceptance levels for fecal tagging. Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann‐Whitney U‐test.

Results

A total of 1332 colonic segments were evaluated. Among them, 327 segments (25%) did not contain any visible stool particles. Considerably reduced image quality was found in 61 segments (5%). Best image quality was found in the sigmoid colon (mean value = 1.9), while image quality of the ascending colon turned out to be worst (mean value = 2.6). Fecal tagging effectiveness showed a reverse correlation with patient age. However, all other characteristics did not have a statistically significant influence on fecal tagging outcome.

Conclusion

MRC in conjunction with barium‐based fecal tagging led to diagnostic image quality in 95% of all colonic segments. Since tagging results were significantly decreased in patients ≥55 years, tagging protocols should to be modified in this group, i.e., by increasing the time interval of tagging administration. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007;25:1007–1012. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of viral kinetics in patients with hepatitis B e antigen‐positive chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Wu I‐Chin , Chow Nan‐Haw , Cheng Pin‐Nan , Liu Wen‐Chun , Young Kung‐Chia , Chang Wei‐Lun , Chen Chi‐Yi , Tseng Kuo‐Chih , Chang Ting‐Tsung
Published: April 2007

A study was conducted during a 1 year follow‐up to characterize the viral kinetics in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive chronic hepatitis B and to develop a model of predicting the probability of spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion. Fifty‐seven patients with HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B were enrolled with monthly follow‐ups from three Phase III clinical trial placebo groups. According to serial viral loads, 30 patients (52.6%) with the stationary pattern maintained stable HBV DNA levels with fluctuations of less than 1.5 log copies/ml. Twenty patients (35.1%) with the declining pattern exhibited a spontaneous decline of more than 1.5 log copies/ml without a following rebound of at least 1.5 log copies/ml. The remaining seven patients (12.3%) had the wavering pattern. Both declining and wavering patterns, when compared with the stationary pattern, had significantly higher hepatic necroinflammation in terms of ALT and Knodell scores at the baseline and peak ALT levels during the follow‐up period. The declining pattern had a significantly better clinical outcome in terms of the lowest final HBV DNA and a reduction in the necroinflammatory score after 1 year. Furthermore, the declining pattern had a favorable HBeAg seroconversion rate (40%) compared with the wavering (14.3%) and stationary patterns (0%). A regression equation, incorporating simultaneous serum bilirubin, ALT, and HBV DNA levels, predicted the probability of HBeAg seroconversion with a sensitivity of 76.8% and a specificity of 74.7%. In conclusion, different viral kinetic patterns in patients with chronic hepatitis B implicate distinct clinical significance and immunologic perspective. J. Med. Virol. 79: 663–669, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ongoing subclinical infection of hepatitis E virus among blood donors with an elevated alanine aminotransferase level in Japan
Authors: Gotanda Yuhko , Iwata Akiko , Ohnuma Hitoshi , Yoshikawa Akira , Mizoguchi Hideaki , Endo Kazunori , Takahashi Masaharu , Okamoto Hiroaki
Published: April 2007

Ongoing subclinical infection of hepatitis E virus (HEV) has not been fully studied. In the present study, serum samples were collected from 6700 voluntary blood donors with an elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of 61‐476 IU/l at a Japanese Red Cross Blood Center, and were tested for the presence of IgG, IgM and IgA classes of antibodies to HEV (anti‐HEV) by in‐house ELISA and HEV RNA by nested RT‐PCR. Overall, 479 blood donors (7.1%) were positive for anti‐HEV IgG, including 8 donors with anti‐HEV IgM and 7 donors with anti‐HEV IgA. Among the nine donors with anti‐HEV IgM and/or anti‐HEV IgA, six had detectable HEV RNA. The presence of HEV RNA was further tested in 10‐sample minipools of sera from the remaining 6691 donors, and three donors including one without anti‐HEV IgG were found to be positive for HEV RNA. When stratified by ALT level, the prevalence of HEV RNA was significantly higher among the 109 donors with ALT ≥201 IU/l than among the 6591 donors with ALT of 61–200 IU/l (2.8% vs. 0.1%, P < 0.0001). The HEV isolates obtained from the nine viremic donors segregated into genotype 3, shared a wide range of identities of 85.6–98.5% and were 87.3–93.9% similar to the Japan‐indigenous HEV strain (JRA1), in the 412‐nucleotide sequence of open reading frame 2. This study suggests that approximately 3% of Japanese individuals with ALT ≥201 IU/l have ongoing subclinical infection with various HEV strains. J. Med. Virol. 79: 734–742, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A putative new domain target for anti‐hepatitis B virus: Residues flanking hepatitis B virus reverse transcriptase residue 306 (rtP306)
Authors: Wang Yong‐Xiang , Xu Xiang , Luo Cheng , Ma Zhang‐Mei , Jiang Hua‐Liang , Ding Jian‐Ping , Wen Yu‐Mei
Published: April 2007

Previous work showed that conservation of proline at residue 306 (rtP306) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reverse transcriptase (RT) is crucial for virus replication and encapsidation of pregenomic RNA (pgRNA). In this study, the functions of residues flanking rtP306 in HBV RT (rtG304, rtY305, rtA307, rtL308 and rtL311) are presented. Alanine or phenylalanine was used to substitute these residues by constructing site‐directed mutants which were used to transfect Huh‐7 cells. Replication competencies and encapsidation efficiencies were compared between the mutants and the parental viral strain. Substitutions at these residues resulted in marked decrease of replication competency, which was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization of HBV DNA isolated from intracytoplasmic core particles, and trans‐complementation between a non‐replicative defective mutant and corresponding RT mutants. Impaired pgRNA encapsidation efficiency of these mutants was shown as the major mechanism for decreased replication efficiency. Since residues from rt304 to rt311 are highly conserved among genotypes A–H HBV strains, results suggest that rt304 to rt311 in HBV RT may serve as a putative anti‐HBV new target domain. J. Med. Virol. 79: 676–682, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Isolation of therapeutic human monoclonal antibodies for varicella‐zoster virus and the effect of light chains on the neutralizing activity
Authors: Suzuki Kazuhiro , Akahori Yasushi , Asano Yoshizo , Kurosawa Yoshikazu , Shiraki Kimiyasu
Published: April 2007

Therapeutic antibodies against varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) were isolated from a combinatorial library of human antibodies using a phage‐display system. Purified gH:gL was used to screen the library, and approximately 300 clones were isolated. Eight kinds of Fab‐cp3‐fused molecules (clones 10, 24, 36, 60, 94, 120, 192, and 431) neutralized viral infectivity. After conversion of Fab‐cp3 antibodies to the Fab‐protein A form, the concentrations of antibodies showing 50% inhibition of plaque formation ranged from 0.12 to 400 nM. Clones 10, 24, 94, 120 and 431 neutralized wild strains without showing strain specificity and were further converted to human IgG1. Two clones (24 and 94) were confirmed to react with gH:gL and VZV‐infected cells. IgG of clone 94 prevented spreading of infected cells. Thus these antibodies exhibited the typical phenotype of anti‐gH antibody. Next the contribution of light (L) chains to neutralizing activity was analyzed by comparing the effect of L chain of clones 10, 120, and 192 with the identical heavy chain on their neutralizing activity. The L chain in the Fab form of clone 94 was replaced by L chains of clones 10, 24, 36, and 60 and the neutralizing activity of these replaced antibodies was weaker than that of the prototype clone 94. When the kappa‐L chain of clone 94 was replaced by the lambda‐L chain of clone 24, this antibody possessed neutralizing activity despite the kappa‐lambda class change. Thus, human antibody library against VZV‐gH has been established and characterized the role of the L chain in VZV‐neutralizing activity to engineering further an antibody with stronger neutralizing activity. J. Med. Virol. 79: 852–862, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.