bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Efficient and Numerically Stable Method for Computing Bounds for the Interval Availability Distribution
Authors: Carrasco Juan A.
Published: September 2010

This paper is concerned with the computation of the interval availability (proportion of time in a time interval in which the system is up) distribution of a fault-tolerant system modeled by a finite (homogeneous) continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC). General-purpose methods for performing that computation tend to be very expensive when the CTMC and the time interval are large. Based on a previously available method (regenerative transformation) for computing the interval availability complementary distribution, we develop a method called bounding regenerative transformation for the computation of bounds for that measure. Similar to regenerative transformation, bounding regenerative transformation requires the selection of a regenerative state. The method is targeted at a certain class of models, including both exact and bounding failure/repair models of fault-tolerant systems with increasing structure function, with exponential failure and repair time distributions and repair in every state with failed components having failure rates much smaller than repair rates (F/R models), with a “natural” selection for the regenerative state. The method is numerically stable and computes the bounds with well-controlled error. For models in the targeted class and the natural selection for the regenerative state, computational cost should be traded off with bounds tightness through a control parameter. For large models in the class, the version of the method that should have the smallest computational cost should have small computational cost relative to the model size if the value above which the interval availability has to be guaranteed to be is close to 1. In addition, under additional conditions satisfied by F/R models, the bounds obtained with the natural selection for the regenerative state by the version that should have the smallest computational cost seem to be tight for all time intervals or not small time intervals, depending on whether the initial probability distribution of the CTMC is concentrated in the regenerative state or not.

CORRECTED VERSION OF RECORD, SEE LAST PAGE OF ARTICLE
An Algorithm for Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Dulá J. H.
Published: September 2010

The standard approach to process a data envelopment analysis (DEA) data set, and the one in widespread use, consists of solving as many linear programs (LPs) as there are entities. The dimensions of these LPs are determined by the size of the data sets, and they keep their dimensions as each decision-making unit is scored. This approach can be computationally demanding, especially with large data sets. We present an algorithm for DEA based on a two-phase procedure. The first phase identifies the extreme efficient entities, the frame, of the production possibility set. The frame is then used in a second phase to score the rest of the entities. The new procedure applies to any of the four standard DEA returns to scale. It also imparts flexibility to a DEA study because it postpones the decision about orientation, benchmarking measurements, etc., until after the frame has been identified. Extensive computational testing on large data sets verifies and validates the procedure and demonstrates that it is computationally fast.
A Branch-and-Price Algorithm for the Bin Packing Problem with Conflicts
Authors: Elhedhli Samir , Li Lingzi , Gzara Mariem , Naoum-Sawaya Joe
Published: September 2010

We provide a branch-and-price algorithm for the bin packing problem with conflicts, a variant of the classical bin packing problem that has major applications in scheduling and resource allocation. The proposed algorithm benefits from a number of special features that greatly contribute to its efficiency. First, we use a branching rule that matches the conflicting constraints, preserving the structure of the subproblems after branching. Second, maximal clique valid inequalities are generated based on the conflicting constraints and are added to the subproblems. The algorithm is tested on a standard set of problems and is compared to a recently proposed approach. Numerical results indicate its efficiency and stability.
Preprocessing Stochastic Shortest-Path Problems with Application to PERT Activity Networks
Authors: Reich Daniel , Lopes Leo
Published: September 2010

We present an algorithm for preprocessing a class of stochastic shortest-path problems on networks that have no negative cost cycles, almost surely. Our method adds utility to existing frameworks by significantly reducing input problem sizes and thereby increasing computational tractability. Given random costs with finite lower and upper bounds on each edge, our algorithm removes edges that cannot be in any optimal solution to the deterministic shortest-path problem, for any realization of the random costs. Although this problem is NP-complete, our algorithm efficiently preprocesses nearly all edges in a given network. We provide computational results both on sparse networks from PSPLIB—a well-known project evaluation and review technique library [Kolisch, R., A. Sprecher. 1996. PSPLIB—A project scheduling problem library. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 96(1) 205–216]—and dense synthetic ones: on average, less than 0.1% of the edges in the PSPLIB instances and 0.5% of the edges in the dense instances remain unclassified after preprocessing.
Lifted Tableaux Inequalities for 0–1 Mixed-Integer Programs: A Computational Study
Authors: Narisetty Amar K. , Richard Jean-Philippe P. , Nemhauser George L.
Published: September 2010

We describe families of inequalities for 0–1 mixed-integer programming problems that are obtained by lifting cover and packing inequalities. We show that these inequalities can be separated from single rows of the simplex tableaux of their linear programming relaxations. We present the results of a computational study comparing their performance with that of Gomory mixed-integer cuts on a collection of MIPLIB and randomly generated 0–1 mixed-integer programs. The computational study shows that these cuts yield better results than Gomory mixed-integer cuts.
A Dynamic Programming Heuristic for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and European Community Social Legislation
Authors: Kok A. L. , Meyer C. M. , Kopfer H. , Schutten J. M. J.
Published: September 2010

In practice, apart from the problem of vehicle routing, schedulers also face the problem of finding feasible driver schedules complying with complex restrictions on drivers' driving and working hours. To address this complex interdependent problem of vehicle routing and break scheduling, we propose a restricted dynamic programming heuristic for the vehicle routing problem with time windows and the full European social legislation on drivers' driving and working hours. The problem we consider includes all rules in this legislation, whereas in the literature only a basic set of rules has been addressed. In addition to this basic set of rules, the legislation contains a set of modifications that allow for more flexibility. To include the legislation in the restricted dynamic programming heuristic, we propose a break scheduling heuristic. Computational results show that our method finds solutions to benchmark instances—which only consider the basic set of rules—with 18% fewer vehicles and 5% less travel distance than state-of-the-art approaches. Moreover, our results are obtained with significantly less computational effort. Furthermore, the results show that including a set of rules on drivers' working hours—which has been generally ignored in the literature—has a significant impact on the resulting vehicle schedules: 3.9% more vehicle routes and 1.0% more travel distances are needed. Finally, using the modified rules of the legislation leads to an additional reduction of 4% in the number of vehicles and of 1.5% in travel distances. Therefore, the modified rules should be exploited in practice.
Branch and Price for Service Network Design with Asset Management Constraints
Authors: Andersen Jardar , Christiansen Marielle , Crainic Teodor Gabriel , Grønhaug Roar
Published: September 2010

We address the service network design problem with asset management considerations for consolidation-based freight carriers. Given a set of demands to be transported from origins to destinations and a set of transshipment facilities, the objective is to select services and their schedules, build routes for the assets (vehicles) operating these scheduled services, and move the demands (commodities) through the resulting service network as efficiently as possible. We propose a first branch-and-price framework for the mixed-integer formulation of the problem with integer cycle design and continuous flow-path variables. The proposed method includes particular column generation subproblems for dynamically constructing these cycles and paths, as well as an acceleration technique to identify integer solutions rapidly. The computational study shows that the proposed method finds better solutions for large network instances than reported previously.
The Mobile Facility Routing Problem
Authors: Halper Russell , Raghavan S.
Published: September 2010

In many applications, ranging from cellular communications to humanitarian relief logistics, mobile facilities are used to provide a service to a region with temporal and spatially distributed demand. This paper introduces the mobile facility routing problem (MFRP), which seeks to create routes for a fleet of mobile facilities that maximizes the demand serviced by these mobile facilities during a continuous-time planning horizon. In this setting, demand is produced by discrete events at rates that vary over time. Mobile facilities can be positioned at discrete locations to provide service to nearby events. In addition, mobile facilities can be relocated at any time, although the relocation times are significant in relation to the length of the planning horizon. The demand serviced by a mobile facility depends on the arrival and departure times at each location it visits. Although the MFRP is NP-hard, the optimal route for a single mobile facility can be computed in polynomial time. We describe three heuristics for creating routes for the fleet of mobile facilities and evaluate their performance. Our results demonstrate that these heuristics produce high-quality routes for mobile facilities, especially in scenarios where the demand for service changes significantly over time.
Checking the Feasibility of Dial-a-Ride Instances Using Constraint Programming
Authors: Berbeglia Gerardo , Pesant Gilles , Rousseau Louis-Martin
Published: September 2010

In the dial-a-ride problem (DARP), a fleet of vehicles must serve transportation requests made by users that need to be transported from an origin to a destination. In this paper we develop the first exact algorithm which is able to either efficiently prove the infeasibility or to provide a feasible solution. Such an algorithm could be used in a dynamic setting for determining whether it is possible or not to accept an incoming request. The algorithm includes solution space reduction procedures, and filtering algorithms for some DARP relaxations. Computational results show that the filtering algorithms are effective and that the resulting algorithm is advantageous on the more constrained instances.
Audit of local recurrence following breast conservation surgery with 5-mm target margin and hypofractionated 40-Gray breast radiotherapy for invasive breast cancer
Authors: Liau Siong-Seng , Cariati Massimiliano , Noble David , Wilson Charles , Wishart Gordon C
Published: September 2010

INTRODUCTION

The risk of ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence (IBTR) following breast conservation surgery (BCS) for invasive breast cancer (IBC) and radiotherapy is dependent on patient-, tumour- and treatment-related variables. In the Cambridge Breast Unit, breast conserving surgery has been performed with a target radial margin of 5 mm for IBC, in combination with 40-Gy hypofractionated (15 fractions) breast radiotherapy, since 1999.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

An audit was performed of cases treated between 1999 and 2004. A total of 563 patients underwent BCS for invasive breast cancer with 90.4% receiving radiotherapy (RT) and 60.4% of patients receiving boost RT (3 fractions of 3-Gy).

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 58 months, five of the 563 (0.9%) patients developed IBTR. The 5-year actuarial IBTR rate was 1.1%. In terms of distant disease recurrence (DDR), 29 of the 563 (5.2%) had DDR during follow-up, giving a 5-year actuarial DDR rate of 5.4%. The 5-year breast cancer specific survival was 95%, with the poorer NPI groups having worse breast cancer specific survival (Log-rank, P < 0.0001). More importantly, patients with IBTR had a shorter breast cancer-specific survival than those who were IBTR-free (Log-rank, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our treatment regimen, combining BCS with a 5-mm target margin and hypofractionated 40-Gy RT, results in an extremely low rate of IBTR, and compares favourably with the target IBTR rate of < 5% defined by the Association of Breast Surgeons (ABS) at BASO guidelines.
Four-part proximal humeral fractures: diagnosis with the ‘sunset’ sign on anteroposterior radiograph
Authors: Kachramanoglou C , Chidambaram R , Mok D
Published: September 2010

INTRODUCTION

Four-part proximal humeral fractures require surgical intervention. However, they can be difficult to diagnose in radiological images. We aim to define a new, easily recognisable, radiological sign as a predictor of four-part fracture of the proximal humerus in a plain anteroposterior radiograph of the shoulder.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We describe our ‘sunset’ sign as ‘articular surface of humeral head pointing away from the glenoid and tilted upwards, in the presence of a displaced greater tuberosity fracture’. We postulate that a patient with proximal humerus fracture showing this sign has four-part fracture until proven otherwise. Between 2002 and 2006, 80 consecutive patients had surgical treatment of their proximal humeral fractures in our unit. Pre-operative radiographs and operative notes of 79 patients were evaluated independently by three blinded observers. The presence of ‘sunset’ sign was recorded. Findings were then correlated with the operative diagnoses to confirm whether they were four-part fractures or not. With 95% confidence interval, we calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for our diagnostic sign.

RESULTS

Of 79 patients, 30 displayed ‘sunset’ sign in their pre-operative radiograph. Of these, 28 had confirmed four-part fractures operatively. The positive predictive value of ‘sunset’ sign was 93%. The specificity and sensitivity were 95% and 78%, respectively. The sensitivity was affected by eight patients with four-part fractures with displaced articular head fragment which had dropped either medially or posteriorly.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that, in patients with proximal humeral fractures, the presence of ‘sunset’ sign in the anteroposterior radiograph is a reliable indicator of four-part fracture.
Acupuncture therapy for chronic lower back pain: a systematic review
Authors: Trigkilidas Dionysios
Published: September 2010

INTRODUCTION

Chronic low back pain is a common condition affecting a significant proportion of the population and has large economic implications on the society. Acupuncture has grown in popularity as an alternative therapy for chronic low back pain. Recent National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on low back pain offer a course of acupuncture as a baseline treatment option according to patient preference. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate if this treatment option is justified in view of recent evidence available on the efficacy of acupuncture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Studies included were identified by a PubMed search for relevant, randomised, controlled trials on the 23 July 2009. A systematic review was performed.

RESULTS

Fifteen randomised controlled trials were identified. Of these, four met the eligibility criteria and were critically appraised. These trials suggest acupuncture can be superior to usual care in treating chronic low back pain, especially, when patients have positive expectations about acupuncture.

CONCLUSIONS

NICE guidelines of a course of acupuncture, offered according to patient preference as a treatment option for chronic low back pain, are justified.
Short course pre-operative ferrous sulphate supplementation – is it worthwhile in patients with colorectal cancer?
Authors: Quinn Martha , Drummond Robert J , Ross Fiona , Murray Juliette , Murphy John , Macdonald Angus
Published: September 2010

INTRODUCTION

Pre-operative anaemia is well recognised in patients presenting with colorectal cancer (CRC). While the benefits of long-term FeSO4 supplementation on Fe deficiency anaemia are well established, it is not known if short-course supplementation (2–3 weeks) impacts significantly on pre-operative haemoglobin (Hb) levels. This study examines the impact of short-term, oral FeSO4 supplementation on patients undergoing surgery for CRC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All patients with CRC presenting to a single surgeon were included. At diagnosis, baseline Hb and blood film were checked on all patients who then received 200 mg tds of FeSO4. Haemoglobin was rechecked pre-operatively and daily postoperatively. Patients requiring pre-operative blood transfusions were excluded from analysis.

RESULTS

Between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2006, 117 patients were identified, 14 of whom were excluded. Patients received a median of 39 days’ treatment with FeSO4. Fifty-eight (56.3%) patients were anaemic at presentation gaining a mean of 1.73 g/dl (P < 0.001) from short-course FeSO4 supplementation. Right-sided tumours (lower mean Hb at presentation; P = 0.008) responded more to FeSO4 when compared to left-sided tumours (P < 0.017). Increase in Hb was unrelated to pathological stage. The transfusion rate for all curative resections was 0.69 units/patient. For the historical cohort (patients undergoing curative resection between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2003), the mean transfusion rate fell from 1.69 units/patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Routine short-course supplementation with iron offers improved pre-operative Hb prior to surgery in CRC, especially in right-sided lesions and those with presenting anaemia.
Early complications of total hip and knee replacement: a comparison of outcomes in a regional orthopaedic hospital and two independent treatment centres
Authors: Bannister Gordon , Ahmed Mansoor , Bannister Miles , Bray Rachel , Dillon Paul , Eastaugh-Waring Stephen
Published: September 2010

INTRODUCTION

There is anecdotal evidence of poorer outcomes from prosthetic joint replacement performed in independent eatment centres but very few comparative studies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We compared the early re-operation, dislocation, re-admission, major wound infection and audit rates of 880 total hip (THA) and 874 total knee (TKA) arthroplasties carried out at a regional orthopaedic hospital (Avon Orthopaedic Centre; AOC) with 368 THAs and 365 TKAs from an NHS (WGH) and 67 THAs and 86 TKAs from a private hospital (CNH) independent treatment centre.

RESULTS

Early re-operation rates were 9% at CNH, 1.4% at WGH and 0.6% at AOC after THA and 8% at CNH, 1.9% at WGH and 1% at AOC after TKA. After THA, dislocation rates after THA were 6% at CNH and 1.8% at both WGH and AOC. Re-admission rates were 13% at CNH, 0.6% at WGH and 1.2% at AOC. Major wound problems were 20% at CNH, 3.8% at WGH and 0.4% at AOC after THA and 19% at CNH, 1.9% at WGH and AOC (1.1%) after TKA. After TKA, re-admission rates from CNH were 13%, 1% at WGH and 1.1% at AOC. AOC and WGH audited their outcomes. None were available from CNH.

CONCLUSIONS

Results and audit from independent treatment centres are variable and patients should be warned of this before undergoing treatment at them.
Hand surgery after axillary lymph node clearance for breast cancer: contra-indication to surgery?
Authors: Fulford Dean , Dalal Sam , Winstanley John , Hayton Mike J
Published: September 2010

INTRODUCTION

Breast cancer patients who have had prior axillary lymph node clearance (ALNC) can present with ipsi lateral hand conditions that could easily be treated with surgical intervention. These patients are often advised to avoid interventional procedures due to risks of complications such as lymphoedema, infection and cellulitis.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Between April and June 2009, we conducted an online survey of hand surgeons, breast surgeons and breast-care nurses to obtain their views on hand surgery after ipsilateral axillary lymph node clearance.

RESULTS

The majority of hand surgeons (58%) felt there was no contra-indication to surgery in a breast cancer patient with prior ipsilateral ALNC compared to just 30% of breast surgeons and 10% of breast-care nurses. The majority of breast surgeons and breast-care nurses (70% and 89%, respectively) felt that hand surgery was a relative contra-indication compared to just 41% of hand surgeons. Postoperative lymphoedema was the commonest cited reason for avoiding surgery. The majority of hand surgeons (79%) and nearly two-thirds of breast surgeons (57%) would use a tourniquet during surgery if it was normal practice.

CONCLUSIONS

A review of the published literature does not support the notion that these patients experience increased complications; therefore, we recommend the advice given to breast cancer patients regarding ipsilateral surgery be re-evaluated.
Emotion regulation difficulties are relevant to persecutory ideation
Authors: Westermann Stefan , Lincoln Tania M.
Published: September 2010

Objectives. Persecutory delusions are preceded and accompanied by negative emotions, which may be prolonged or even amplified by difficulties in the ability to regulate negative emotions. This study aims to gain insight into emotion regulation difficulties in persecutory ideation.

Design and method. A correlational approach was adopted to explore bivariate and multivariate associations between emotion regulation difficulties and persecutory ideation in a subclinical sample. Furthermore, general psychopathology as well as positive symptoms of schizophrenia were assessed in order to estimate the specificity of emotion regulation difficulties. Data from 151 participants acquired via an Internet‐based survey were analyzed.

Results. There were substantial bivariate correlations between paranoid ideation and emotion regulation difficulties. However, only impulse control difficulties were specific to persecutory ideation after controlling for general psychopathology. Additionally, a multivariate analysis revealed unexpected positive associations between the acceptance of emotional responses and paranoid ideation as well as positive symptoms.

Conclusions. Besides the general difficulties in regulating emotion that are common to many clinical disorders and were associated with overall psychopathology, subclinical psychotic symptoms seem to be specifically associated with certain aspects of emotion regulation. Emotion regulation difficulties are likely to contribute to symptom formation and maintenance in persecutory delusions and might therefore present a valuable treatment target.
The Temporarily and Chronically Uninsured: Does Their Use of Primary Care Differ?
Authors: Broyles Robert W. , Narine Lutchmie , Brandt Edward N.
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study is to examine differences in the use of preventive or early-detection services by the temporarily and chronically uninsured. The use of preventive care was measured by an index that depicts the use of nine preventive or early-detection services and the use or nonuse of each procedure on the index. Respondents whose lapse in insurance coverage was one year or more were identified as chronically uninsured, while those whose lapse in coverage was less than one year were identified as temporarily uninsured. The analysis indicates that the chronically uninsured and, to a lesser extent, the temporarily uninsured use significantly fewer preventive or early-detection services than their insured counterparts.
Frailty and Education in the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Leigh J. Paul , Fries James F.
Published: September 2010

This study tests for the presence of education-frailty correlations among 1,176 Mexican Americans, 522 Cuban Americans, and 560 Puerto Ricans, 50 years and older, in the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Hispanics with the least schooling (less than 7 years) were found to have the highest frailty rates, and those with the most (more than 12 years of schooling) were found to have the lowest frailty rates. Similar, but somewhat weaker, correlations were discovered after a measure of self-efficacy was accounted for.
Latino Adults' Health Insurance Coverage: An Examination of Mexican and Puerto Rican Subgroup Differences
Authors: Vitullo Margaret Weigers , Taylor Amy K.
Published: September 2010

Lack of health insurance is a serious problem in the United States. Using data from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, this paper examines how insurance varies between black, white, and Latino adults. Because Latino subgroups are not homogeneous, the paper also compares the factors associated with health insurance status for Mexican and Puerto Rican adults. Results indicate that access to private health insurance for Latino adults was more closely associated with workplace characteristics than employment itself. Time lived in the United States was a major factor associated with being uninsured for Mexican adults, while language barriers were a major factor limiting Puerto Rican individuals' access to private health insurance. The paper suggests two approaches for decreasing uninsurance among Latino adults: (1) strengthening the link between employment and private health insurance and (2) addressing disparities in access to public coverage for racial and ethnic groups, including recent immigrants.
Native American Women in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment
Authors: Peterson Sara , Berkowitz Gale , Cart Courtney Uhler , Brindis Claire
Published: September 2010

Alcohol and other drug use is a serious problem among American Indian and Alaska Native women. However, information about their needs for treatment is lacking. In response, a study was conducted to document the life experiences and perceived recovery needs of American Indian and Alaska Native women at nine treatment centers nationwide. The data show that most of these women have experienced various forms of abuse and neglect from childhood into adulthood and have been exposed to alcohol and other drugs from an early point in fair lives. Most of these women have made multiple attempts to recover from their addictions, offen for the sake of fair children. The information derived from this study can be used as the foundation for further research about the treatment needs of American Indian and Alaska Native women.
Kinetic and structural characterization of bacterial glutaminyl cyclases from Zymomonas mobilis and Myxococcus xanthus
Authors: Carrillo David Ruiz , Parthier Christoph , Jänckel Nadine , Grandke Julia , Stelter Marco , Schilling Stephan , Boehme Mathias , Neumann Piotr , Wolf Raik , Demuth Hans-Ulrich , Stubbs Milton T. , Rahfeld Jens-Ulrich
Published: September 2010

Although enzymes responsible for the cyclization of amino-terminal glutamine residues are present in both plant and mammal species, none have yet been characterized in bacteria. Based on low sequence homologies to plant glutaminyl cyclases (QCs), we cloned the coding sequences of putative microbial QCs fromZymomonas mobilis(ZmQC) andMyxococcus xanthus(MxQC). The two recombinant enzymes exhibited distinct QC activity, with specificity constantskcat/Kmof 1.47±0.33 mm-1s-1(ZmQC) and 142±32.7 mm-1s-1(MxQC) towards the fluorescent substrate glutamine-7-amino-4-methyl-coumarine. The measured pH-rate profile of the second order rate constant displayed an interesting deviation towards the acidic limb of the pH chart in the case of ZmQC, whereas MxQC showed maximum activity in the mild alkaline pH range. Analysis of the enzyme variants ZmQCGlu46Gln and MxQCGln46Glu show that the exchanged residues play a significant role in the pH behaviour of the respective enzymes. In addition, we determined the three dimensional crystal structures of both enzymes. The tertiary structure is defined by a five-bladed β-propeller anchored by a core cation. The structures corroborate the putative location of the active site and confirm the proposed relation between bacterial and plant glutaminyl cyclases.
The C2-streptavidin delivery system promotes the uptake of biotinylated molecules in macrophages and T-leukemia cells
Authors: Fahrer Jörg , Rieger Julia , van Zandbergen Ger , Barth Holger
Published: September 2010

Macrophages are tightly associated with inflammatory diseases as well as carcinogenesis, and therefore represent promising targets for drug delivery and gene transfer. We have recently established a novel protein delivery system based on the binary C2 toxin ofClostridium botulinumand streptavidin, allowing the uptake of exogenous biotinylated molecules into mammalian cells. Here, we applied this C2-streptavidin delivery system to macrophages and other leukocytes. First, the effect of wild-type C2 toxin on different leukocyte cell lines was tested, indicating no differences in sensitivity. Next, the uptake and stability of the engineered C2-streptavidin was analyzed in macrophages and Jurkat T-cells, showing internalization into the cytosol of both cell types with similar kinetics. The transporter did not exhibit any cytotoxic effect and did not interfere with phagocytosis in primary human macrophages. The C2-streptavidin system promoted specific uptake of biotinylated fluorophores into the cytosol of macrophages as revealed by confocal microscopy. In addition, flow cytometry analysis showed a significantly enhanced uptake of biotinylated fluorescent tracers in Jurkat leukemia cells mediated by the C2-streptavidin transporter. Our results demonstrate that C2-streptavidin is a functional delivery system for transport of biotinylated molecules into macrophages and other leukocytes without compromising cell viability and intrinsic functions such as phagocytosis.
Acute and long-term effects of metformin on the function and insulin secretory responsiveness of clonal β-cells
Authors: McKiney Joan M. , Irwin Nigel , Flatt Peter R. , Bailey Clifford J. , McClenaghan Neville H.
Published: September 2010

Functional effects of acute and prolonged (48 h) exposure to the biguanide drug metformin were examined in the clonal pancreatic β-cell line, BRIN-BD11. Effects of metformin on prolonged exposure to excessive increased concentrations of glucose and palmitic acid were also assessed. In acute 20-min incubations, 12.5–50 μm metformin did not alter basal (1.1 mm glucose) or glucose-stimulated (16.7 mm glucose) insulin secretion. However, higher concentrations of metformin (100–1000 μm) increased (1.3–1.5-fold; p<0.001) insulin release at basal glucose concentrations, but had no effect on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. There were no apparent acute effects of metformin on intracellular Ca2+ concentrations, but metformin enhanced (p<0.05 to p<0.01) the acute insulinotropic actions of GIP and GLP-1. Exposure for 48 h to 200 μm metformin improved aspects of β-cell insulin secretory function, whereas these benefits were lost at 1 mm metformin. Prolonged glucotoxic and lipotoxic conditions impaired β-cell viability and insulin release in response to glucose and to a broad range of insulin secretagogues. Concomitant culture with 200 μm metformin partially reversed many of the adverse effects of prolonged glucotoxic conditions. However, there were no beneficial effects of metformin under prolonged culture with elevated concentrations of palmitic acid. The results suggest that metformin exerts direct effects on β-cell viability, function and survival that could contribute to the use of this agent in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Traditional Papermaking and Paper Cult Figures of Mexico
Authors: Cohen Jeffrey H.
Published: September 2010

Traditional Papermaklng and Paper Cult Figures of Mexico. A. R. Sandstrom and P.E.Sandstrom Norman. University of Oklahoma Press, 1986. 336 pp. $24.95 (cloth) ISBN 0‐8061‐1972‐1
Intervillage Conflict In Oaxaca
Authors: Whiteford Michael B.
Published: September 2010

Intervillage Conflict In Oaxaca. PHILLIP A. DENNIS. New Brunswick and London: Rutgers University Press, 1987. x + 213 pp., figures, glossary, references. $28.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐8135‐1178‐x
The Crossroads of Class and Gender
Authors: Whiteford Linda
Published: September 2010

The Crossroads of Class and Gender: Industrial Homework, Subcontracting and Household Dynamics in Mexico City. Lourdes Beneria and Martha Roldan Women In Culture and Society Series. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987. xll. 204 pp. $42.00 (cloth) ISBN 0‐226‐04231‐6; $15.95 (paper) ISBN 0‐226‐04232‐4.
Mary, Michael, and Lucifer: Folk Catholicism in Central America
Authors: Chinas Beverly N.
Published: September 2010

Mary, Michael, and Lucifer: Folk Catholicism in Central America. JOHN M. INGHAM. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1986.228 pp. $25.00 (Cloth). ISBN 0‐292‐75089‐7
Food Policy in Mexico
Authors: Baer Robert D.
Published: September 2010

Food Policy In Mexico: The Search for Self‐ Sufficiency. James E. Austin and Gustavo Esteva. eds. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1987. 400 pp. $49.50 (Cloth) ISBN 0‐8014‐1962‐X; $16.95 (paper) ISBN 0‐8014‐9453‐2
Roles Conyugales Y Redes de Relaclones Sociales
Authors: Hopgood James F.
Published: September 2010

Roles Conyugales Y Redes de Relaclones Sociales, INGRID ROSENBLUETH, Cuadernos Universitarlos 15, Universidad Autdnoma Metropolitan?Iztapalapa, Mexico, D.F., Mexico, 1984. 203pp.,appendix, bibliography. ISBN 968‐840‐101‐3, n.p.
A Dream of Maya
Authors: Burroughs Catherine
Published: September 2010

. Dream of Maya: Augustus and Alice Le Plongeon in Nineteenth‐Century Yucatan. Lawrence Gustave Desmond and Phillis Mauch Messenger Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1988. xl. 147 pp., bibliography, Index. $19.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐8263‐1000‐1
Preclassic Maya Pottery at Cuello, Belize
Authors: Zeitlin Robert N.
Published: September 2010

Preclassic Maya Pottery at Cuello, Belize. Laura J. Kosakowsky. Anthropological Papers of the University of Arizonza, Number 47. Tuscon: The University of Arizona Press, 1987. vil. 101 pp. $29.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐8165‐1017‐2
Aztec Warfare
Authors: Sandstrom Alan R.
Published: September 2010

Aztec Warfare: Imperial Expansion and Political Control. Ross Hassig. Norman and London: University of Oklahoma Press, 1988. 404 pp. $29.95 (Cloth). ISBN 0‐8061‐2121‐1
Ceramic Theory and Cultural Process
Authors: Niles Susan A.
Published: September 2010

Ceramic Theory and Cultural Process. DEAN E. ARNOLD. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. 279 pp. $15.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐521‐27259‐9
The Origins and Development of the Andean State
Authors: Seligmann Linda J.
Published: September 2010

The Origins and Development of the Andean State. Johnathan Haas eds., Sheila Pozorski and Thomas Pozorski (eds.). New Directions In Archaeology. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1987. 200 pp., graphs, maps, sketches, Index. $42.50 (cloth). ISBN 0‐521‐33102‐1
Early Settlement and Subsistence in the Casma Valley, Peru
Authors: Zeidler James A.
Published: September 2010

Early Settlement and Subsistence In the Casma Valley, Peru.Sheila Pozorski and Thomas Pozorski Iowa City: Unlversltyof Iowa Press, 1987. 149 pp., tables, figures. 20.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐87745‐183‐4.
Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs/A Nahuatl‐English Dictionary and Concordance to the Cantares Mexicanos
Authors: Brody Jill
Published: September 2010

Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs. John Bierhorst. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1985. Xiv. 559 pp. $48.50 (Cloth). ISBN 0‐8047‐ 1182‐8

. Nahuatl‐English Dictionary and Concordance to the Cantares Mexicanos. John Bierhorst Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1985. 760 pp. $69.50 (Cloth) ISBN 0‐8047‐1183‐6
The Serpent and the Rainbow/The Passage of Darkness
Authors: Lawless Robert
Published: September 2010

The Serpent and the Rainbow:. Harvard Scientist Uncovers the Startling Truth about the Secret World of Haitian Voodoo and Zombis. Wade Davis. Warner Books, 1987.384 pp. $4.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐446‐34387‐0

Passage of Darkness: The Ethnoblology of the Haitian Zombie. Wade Davis. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1988. xxi+344 pp. $29.95 (Cloth). ISBN 0‐8078‐1776‐7; $9.95(paper). ISBN 0‐8078‐4210‐9
Harvest of Violence
Authors: England Nora C.
Published: September 2010

Harvest of Violence: The Maya Indians and the Guatamalan Crisis. Robert M. Carmack, (ed.). Norma and London: University of Oklahoma Press, 1988. 334 pp. $21.95 (cloth). ISBN 0‐8061‐2131‐7
In the Rainforest
Authors: Chibnik Michael
Published: September 2010

In the Rainforest: Report from. Strange, Beautiful, Imperiled World. Catherine Caufield. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1986. xlv. 306 pp. $11.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐226‐09785‐2
Drugs in Latin America
Authors: Heath Dwight B.
Published: September 2010

Drugs in Latin America. Edmundo Morales. (ed.)‐ Williamsburg, Va: Studies in Third World Societies. Publication 37, Department of Anthropology, College of William and Mary, November, 1988, xvlil. 203 pp., maps, tables, photographs. $xx.xx. LCCCN 87‐073040
Before the Bulldozer: The Namblquara Indians and the World Bank
Authors: Hess David
Published: September 2010

Before the Bulldozer: The Namblquara Indians and the World Bank. David Price. Cabin John, MD: Seven Locks Press, 1989. vi. 212 pp. $17.95 (cloth). ISBN 0‐932020‐67‐4
Food, Gender, and Poverty In the Ecuadorian Andes
Authors: Butler Barbara Y.
Published: September 2010

Food, Gender, and Poverty In the Ecuadorian Andes. Mary J. Weismantel. Philadelphia: Universityof Pennsylvania Press, 1989. 248 pp., illustrations. $33.95 (Cloth). ISBN 0‐8122‐8115‐2
Enfermedad, Daño e Ideologia: Antropologia médica de los renacientes de Pindilig
Authors: Hirschkind Lynn
Published: September 2010

Enfermedad, Daño. Ideologia: Antropologia médica de los renacientes de Pindilig. Carmen Muñoz Bernand. Quito, Ecuador: Ediciones Abya‐Yala, 1986. 213 pp. n.p. (paper).
Al Futuro Desde la Experiencia: Los Pueblos Indfgenas y elManejo delMedio Ambiente
Authors: Hirschkind Lynn
Published: September 2010

Al Futuro Desde la Experiencia: Los Pueblos Indfgenas y elManejo delMedio Ambiente. Leslie Ann Brownrigg. Quito, Ecuador: Ediciones Abya‐Yala, 1986. 243 pp. n.p (paper).
To Be a Slave in Brazil, 1500‐1888
Authors: Graham Richard
Published: September 2010

To Be. Slave in Brazil, 1500‐1888. Katia M. De Queiros Mattos New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1986. xiv. 250 pp., appendices, glossary, tables, bibliography. $40.00 (cloth), $12.00(paper). ISBN 0‐8135‐1154‐2, ISBN 0‐8135‐1155‐0
Crisis and Decline: The Viceroyalty of Peru In the Seventeenth Century
Authors: Poole Deborah A.
Published: September 2010

Crisis and Decline: The Viceroyalty of Peru In the Seventeenth Century. Kenneth J. Andrien. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1985. 298 pp. $27.50 (paper). ISBN 0‐8263‐0791‐4.
Book Reviews: Archaeology and Ethnohistory
Authors: Arnold Jeanne E.
Published: September 2010

Chiefdoms In the Americas. Robert D. Drennan and Carlos A. Uribe (eds.). Lanham, Md., New York, and London: University Presses of America, 1987. xix. 390 pp., illustrations. $36.00 (library binding), $20.75 (paper). ISBN 0‐8191‐6130‐6, ISBN 0‐8191‐6131‐4
La resistencia andina: Cayambe, 1500‐1800
Authors: Thurner Mark
Published: September 2010

La resistencia andina: Cayambe, 1500‐1800. Galo Ramon. Quito: Centro Andino de Accion Popular/FLACSO, 1987. 284 pp. n.p.
Speaking Mexicano: Dynamics of Syncretic Language in Central Mexico
Authors: Brody Jill
Published: September 2010

Speaking Mexicano: Dynamics of Syncretic Language in Central Mexico. Jane H. Hill and Kenneth C. Hill. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1986. xiii. 493 pp., map, tables, appendixes, bibliography, Index. $40.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐8047‐1182‐8
Cocaine: White Gold Rush in Peru
Authors: Weil Jim
Published: September 2010

Cocaine: White Gold Rush in Peru. Edmundo Morales. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1989. 228 pp., appendix, notes, bibliography, index. $24.95 (cloth). ISBN 0‐8165‐1066‐0
Healers of the Andes: Kallawaya Herbalists and Their Medicinal Plants
Authors: Browner Carole H.
Published: September 2010

Healers of the Andes: Kallawaya Herbalists and Their Medicinal Plants. Joseph W. Bastien (illustrations by Eleanor Forfang Stauffer). Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1987. 288 pp. 37.50 (Cloth). ISBN 07‐87480‐4
The Peruvian Mining Industry: Growth, Stagnation, and Crisis
Authors: Benson Lynette
Published: September 2010

The Peruvian Mining Industry: Growth, Stagnation, and Crisis. Elizabeth Dore. WVSS on Latin America and the Caribbean Series. Boulder: Westview Press, 1988. 195 pp. $41.00 (paper). ISBN 0‐8133‐7061‐2
Fragile Lands of Latin America: Strategies for Sustainable Development
Authors: O'Connor Francis A.
Published: September 2010

Fragile Lands of Latin America: Strategies for Sustainable Development. John O. Browder (ed.). Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1989. xvi. 301 pp., tables, map, figures, bibliography. $47.50 (paper). ISBN 0‐8133‐7705‐6
Swidden‐Fallow Agroforestry in the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: Reed Richard K.
Published: September 2010

Swidden‐Fallow Agroforestry in the Peruvian Amazon. William M. Denevan and Christine Padoch. (eds.). Advances in Economic Botany, Volume 5. New York: New York Botanical Garden. 1987. iv. 107 pp. $22.50 (paper). ISBN 0‐89327‐325‐2
A Musical View of the Universe: Kalapalo Myth and Ritual Performances
Authors: Ehrenreich Jeffrey David
Published: September 2010

A Musical View of the Universe: Kalapalo Myth and Ritual Performances. Ellen B. Basso. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1985. 344 pp., appendices, notes, bibliography, index, index of myths. $39.95(cloth),$19.95(textedition). ISBN 0‐8122‐7931‐X
The Continuing Crisis: U.S. Policy in Central America and the Caribbean
Authors: Edelman Marc
Published: September 2010

The Continuing Crisis: U.S. Policy in Central America and the Caribbean. Mark Falcoff and Robert Royal. eds.). Washington: Ethics and Public Policy Center, 1987. xii. 555 pp. $14.00 (paper). ISBN 0‐89633‐106‐7
Conflict, Migration, and the Expression of Ethnicity
Authors: Kearney Michael
Published: September 2010

Conflict, Migration, and the Expression of Ethnicity. NANCIE L. GONZALEZ and CAROLYN S. McCOMMON, (eds.). Boulder: Westview Press, 1989. vi+250pp.,notes,bibliography, index. $28.50 (paper). ISBN 0‐8133‐7620‐3
Caye Caulker: Economic Success in a Belizean Fishing Village
Authors: Schwartz Norman B.
Published: September 2010

Caye Caulker: Economic Success in a Belizean Fishing Village. ANNE SUTHERLAND. Westview Special Studies in Social, Political, and Economic Development. Boulderand London: Westview Press, Inc., 1986. xvii+170 pp., index, bibliography, 5 maps, 2 tables, 7 figures. $28.50 (paper). ISBN 0‐8133‐7283‐6
Rx: Spiritist as Needed: A Study of a Puerto Rican Community Mental Health Resource
Authors: Ward T.W.
Published: September 2010

Rx: Spiritist as Needed:. Study of. Puerto Rican Community Mental Health Resource. Alan Harwood Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1987 (1977). 288 pp. $12.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐8014‐9470‐2
Puerto Rico
Authors: Murphy Martin F.
Published: September 2010

Puerto Rico. ELENA CEVALLOS. World Bibliographical Series, Volume 52. Oxford: Clio Press, 1985. xiii+195 pp. $40.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐903450‐89‐5
Banana Diplomacy: The Making of American Policy in Nicaragua, 1981‐1987
Authors: Sutherland Anne
Published: September 2010

Banana Diplomacy: The Making of American Policy in Nicaragua, 1981‐1987. ROY GUTMAN. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1988. 404 pp. $19.95 (cloth), $9.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐671‐60626‐3, ISBN 0‐671‐68294‐6
Condemned to Repetition: The United States and Nicaragua
Authors: Dennis Philip A.
Published: September 2010

Condemned to Repetition: The United States and Nicaragua. Robert A. Pastor. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987. 420 pp. $12.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐691‐02291‐7
The Myth of Ritual: A Native's Ethnography of Zapotec Life‐Crises Rituals
Authors: Nunley Mary Christopher
Published: September 2010

The Myth of Ritual: A Native's Ethnography of Zapotec Life‐Crises Rituals. Fadwa el Guindi with the collaboration of Abel Hernandez Jimenez. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1986. xvii+147 pp., bibliography, index. $22.95 (cloth). ISBN 0‐8165‐0907‐7
Anthropological Perspectives on Rural Mexico
Authors: Cohen Jeffrey H.
Published: September 2010

Anthropological Perspectives on Rural Mexico. Cynthia Hewitt De Alcántara. Boston: Routledge and Hall, 1984. 245 pp. $59.95 (cloth). ISBN 0‐7100‐9923‐1
The Social Ecology and Economic Development of Ciudad Juarez
Authors: Guggenheim Scott
Published: September 2010

The Social Ecology and Economic Development of Ciudad Juarez. Gay Young (ed.). Boulder: Westview Press, 1986. 175 pp. $35.00 (paper). ISBN 0‐8133‐7248‐8
Way of Death: Merchant Capitalism and the Angolan Slave Trade, 1730‐1830
Authors: Hess David J.
Published: September 2010

Way of Death: Merchant Capitalism and the. ngolan Slave Trade, 1730‐1830. Joseph C. Miller. Madison, Wl: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. 796 pp., illustrations $35.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐299‐11560‐7
Trail of Miracles: Stories from a Pilgrimage in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Burroughs Catherine B.
Published: September 2010

Trail of Miracles: Stories from. Pilgrimage in Northeast Brazil. Candace Slater. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986. 289 pp. $37.50 (Cloth). ISBN 0‐520‐05306‐0
Two Worlds: The Indian Encounter with the European, 1492‐1509
Authors: Morales Edmundo
Published: September 2010

Two Worlds: The Indian Encounter with the European, 1492‐1509. S.LYMAN TYLER. Salt Lake City: The University of Utah Press, 1988. 272 pp. $25.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐87480‐297‐0
Life and Death at Paloma: Society and Mortuary Practices in a Preceramic Peruvian Village
Authors: Becker Marshall J.
Published: September 2010

Life and Death at Paloma: Society and Mortuary Practices in. Preceramic Peruvian Village. Jeffrey Quilter. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1989. xvi. 280pp. $25.00(cloth). ISBN 0‐87745‐194‐X
Mortuary Practices and Social Differentiation at Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico
Authors: Nance C. Roger
Published: September 2010

Mortuary Practices and Social Differentiation at Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico. John C. Ravesloot. Anthropological Papers of the University of Arizona, No. 49. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1988. xii+113 pp. $25.00 (paper). ISBN 0‐8165‐1048‐2
West Indians and Their Language
Authors: Lewis J. Lowell
Published: September 2010

West Indians and Their Language. Peter A. Roberts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. 224 pp. $39.50 (cloth), $10.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐521‐35136‐7, ISBN 0‐521‐35955‐4
Livelihood and Resistance: Peasants and the Politics of Land In Peru
Authors: Mitchell William P.
Published: September 2010

Livelihood and Resistance: Peasants and the Politics of Land In Peru. Gavin Smith. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989. 279 pp., notes, glossary, bibliography, Index. $37.50 (cloth). ISBN 0‐520‐06365‐1.
Tsewa's Gift: Magic and Meaning In an Amazonian Society
Authors: Ehrenreich Jeffrey David
Published: September 2010

Tsewa's Gift: Magic and Meaning In an Amazonian Society. Michel F. Brown. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1986. 220 pp., illustrations, plates, tables, afterword, appendices, notes, bibliography, index. $19.95 (cloth). ISBN0‐8747‐4294‐3.
Yuqul: Forest Nomads In a Changing World
Authors: Conklin Beth Ann
Published: September 2010

Yuqul: Forest Nomads In. Changing World. Allyn Maclean Stearman. New York: Holt, Rlnehart and Winston, 1989. 164 pp. $8.00 (paper). ISBN0‐ 03‐022702‐X.