bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Semantic priming and stimulus degradation: Implications for the role of the N400 in language processing
Authors: HOLCOMB PHILLIP J.
Published: September 2010

Two experiments explored the effects of stimulus degradation on behavioral and event‐related potential (ERP) measures of semantic priming. The primary goal was to help elucidate the psychological processes that underlie the N400 component. In both experiments, subjects made speeded lexical decisions to words and pseudowords preceded by either semantically related or unrelated prime words. In one block of trials, the target stimuli were intact, and in a second block they were degraded by removing a random 33% of the elements making up each letter of the target (Experiment 1) or by overlaying a matrix of dots on the target (Experiment 2). In both experiments, subjects responded faster and more accurately to related targets than to unrelated targets (behavioral semantic priming effect), and this priming effect was greater when the target was degraded. However, although the N400 component was larger for unrelated than related targets (ERP semantic priming effect), there was no evidence that this difference was larger in the degraded block of either experiment. These results indicate that the behavioral and ERP measures reported here appear to be tapping into different components of the process(es) involved in semantic priming. The implication of the results for the linguistic processes underlying the N400 are discussed.
Correspondence between brain ERP and behavioral asymmetries in a dichotic complex tone test
Authors: TENKE CRAIG E. , BRUDER GERARD E. , TOWEY JAMES P. , LEITE PAUL , SIDTIS JOHN J.
Published: September 2010

Electrophysiologic correlates of perceptual asymmetry for dichotic pitch discrimination were investigated in 20 normal subjects. Brain event‐related potentials (ERPs) elicited by dichotic pairs and binaural probe tones in the Complex Tone Test (Sidtis, 1981) were recorded from homologous scalp locations over left and right hemispheres (F3, F4; C3, C4; P3, P4; O1, O2). Baseline‐to‐peak amplitudes were measured for N100, P200, and a late positive complex consisting of P350, P550, and slow wave. A left ear advantage (LEA) was evident in 70% of the subjects, and hemispheric asymmetries related to this behavioral asymmetry were found for P350 and P550 amplitudes to probe stimuli. Subjects with a strong LEA had greater amplitudes over the right hemisphere than the left, whereas subjects with little or no LEA showed a nonsignificant trend toward the opposite hemispheric asymmetry. Hemispheric asymmetry of these late ERPs at parietal and occipital sites was highly correlated with behavioral asymmetry. These findings suggest the utility of electrophysiological measures in assessing hemispheric asymmetries for processing complex pitch information.
Interstimulus interval and the selective‐attention effect on auditory ERPs:
Authors: TEDER W. , ALHO K. , REINIKAINEN K. , NÄÄTÄNEN R.
Published: September 2010

The attention effect on the auditory event‐related potential (ERP) in dichotic conditions was studied as a function of the interstimulus interval (ISI). Subjects attended to stimuli delivered to a designated ear and responded to infrequent pitch deviants in this input. The mean ISI was either 80, 160, 480, or 800 ms. Negative difference waves (Nds) were computed by subtracting ERPs to unattended standards from ERPs to the same stimuli when attended.

The exogenous Nl, as estimated from unattended standard ERPs, was larger contralaterally to the stimulus and inverted in polarity at mastoids. With decreasing ISIs, Nl diminished in amplitude much faster than did the Nd. In addition, Nl latency remained stable, whereas Nd peaked markedly earlier with shorter ISIs, almost perfectly coinciding with the exogenous Nl. However, this temporal coincidence found in grand averages proved to be illusory in single subjects.

The early Nd showed no contralateral asymmetry at its peak, but asymmetry was apparent during the ascending slope. These lateral asymmetries resembled those of the exogenous Nl but occurred later. The early Nd peak was, at least mainly, caused by an endogenous attention effect, the processing negativity (PN), even with very short ISIs, but an effect on the exogenous Nl could not be excluded.
Frontal brain asymmetry and emotional reactivity: A biological substrate of affective style
Authors: WHEELER ROBERT E. , DAVIDSON RICHARD J. , TOMARKEN ANDREW J.
Published: September 2010

Individuals differ dramatically in the quality and intensity of their response to affectively evocative stimuli. On the basis of prior theory and research, we hypothesized that these individual differences are related to variation in activation of the left and right frontal brain regions. We recorded baseline brain electrical activity from subjects on two occasions 3 weeks apart. Immediately following the second recording, subjects were exposed to brief positive and negative emotional film clips. For subjects whose frontal asymmetry was stable across the 3‐week period, greater left frontal activation was associated with reports of more intense positive affect in response to the positive films, whereas greater right frontal activation was associated with more intense reports of negative affect in response to the negative film clips. The methodological and theoretical implications of these data are discussed.
Distortion of ERP averages due to overlap from temporally adjacent ERPs: Analysis and correction
Authors: WOLDORFF MARTY G.
Published: September 2010

In studies of event‐related potentials (ERPs), short interstimulus intervals (ISIs) are often employed to investigate certain neural or psychological phenomena. At short ISIs, however, the ERP responses to successive stimuli may overlap, thereby distorting the ERP averages. This paper describes a signal processing approach for analyzing the distortion of ERP averages due to such overlap. In general, the distortion is modeled in terms of mathematical convolutions of the ERP waveform elicited by each type of adjacent stimulus with the corresponding distribution in time of those stimuli relative to the averaging epoch. Using this framework, a number of implications of ERP overlap for experimental design and interpretation are examined, with special emphasis given to selective attention paradigms. It is shown that the possibility of confound due to ERP overlap is widespread in short‐ISI experiments, and even the widely used procedure of stimulus randomization does not necessarily control for differential distortion of the ERPs to attended versus inattended stimuli. Problems due to ERP overlap can be particularly serious in short‐ISI studies that examine how ERPs (and associated perceptual processes) are influenced by the nature of the preceding stimulus (i.e., stimulus sequence effects). A set of algorithms is presented for estimating and removing the residual distortion due to response overlap from recorded ERP averages. The use of these algorithms, collectively termed the Adjacent Response (Adjar) Technique, can alleviate many of the overlaprelated problems that arise when short ISIs are used, thereby enhancing the power of the ERP technique.
Validation of surface EMG as a measure of intravaginal and intra‐abdominal activity: Implications for biofeedback‐assisted Kegel exercises
Authors: WORKMAN DON E. , CASSISI JEFFREY E. , DOUGHERTY MOLLY C.
Published: September 2010

This study validates surface EMG as a measure of pelvic muscle and abdominal activity by showing its high correlation to internal pressure data. Using standardized scores, between‐subjects correlation of perineal EMG and intravaginal pressure was r= .75, and the correlation of abdominal EMG and intra‐abdominal pressure was r= .72. Discriminant validity was also demonstrated by showing low correlation between standardized abdominal and perineal EMG measurements (r= .10). A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated that visual and auditory biofeedback of EMG during pelvic floor contractions increases intravaginal pressure when compared with trials without biofeedback. Potential benefits of fabric electrodes include reduced invasiveness and risk and the ease with which patients can utilize this technology for home practice.
The late Nd reflects a memory trace containing amodal spatial information
Authors: Meehan Sean , Singhal Anthony , Fowler Barry
Published: September 2010

The early Nd reflects the analysis of simple features of selectively attended auditory stimuli, but the precise nature of the more complex processing reflected by the late Nd is unclear. The late but not the early Nd is sensitive to interference from a concurrently presented visual spatial attention switching task. This experiment investigated whether the late Nd is also sensitive to deeper visual attention switching. Twenty‐one subjects performed a dichotic listening task concurrently with either visual spatial or visual letter matching attention switching tasks. Late Nd amplitude was reduced by the spatial but not the letter matching task, indicating insensitivity to deeper attention switching. P300 amplitude was reduced by both tasks. Reductions in N100 and P200 were uncorrelated. We propose that, in part, the late Nd reflects an amodal memory trace containing spatial information, possibly involving a “where” rather than a “what” auditory pathway.
Experimental Assessment of Stress Patterns in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms using the Photoelastic Method
Authors: Morris L. , O'Donnell P. , Delassus P. , McGloughlin T.
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) sac size is a major clinical problem. The maximum sac diameter is the major determining factor for treatment. There is a direct correlation between the wall stress and rupture sites for AAA with maximum wall stress not being dependent on the maximum diameter of the vessel but on the morphology of vessel. The reflective photoelastic method was developed to experimentally evaluate the stresses and strains in a model AAA. The epoxy resin material was used as the self‐supporting structure and had similar mechanical properties to the aneurysmal aorta. For both static and dynamic fluid testing the high‐stressed regions were located proximally and distally to the aneurysm. This correlates to reported in vivo rupture sites. There was a low‐stress region at the location of greatest diameter at the centre of the aneurysm. The direction of the maximum principal stress was found to be in the circumferential direction. The maximum stress for a high blood pressure of 22.7 kPa (170 mmHg) was 35% greater than that for a normal blood pressure of 16.0 kPa (120 mmHg). The photoelastic method is a powerful and innovative method of analysing stresses in AAA models, producing results, which are visual and easy to interpret.
A Simplified Model to Determine the Contribution of Strain Energy in the Failure Process of Thin Biological Membranes during Cutting
Authors: Doran C. F. , McCormack B. A. O. , Macey A.
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT: Thin biological membranes such as skin are highly deformable, nonlinear in behaviour and fracture resistant. As a result of these properties, measuring the resistance to fracture of such materials is difficult. This paper investigates the resistance to fracture of a thin biological membrane, using the example of animal skin. Models of cutting using a fracture approach are examined and a review of the structure and mechanical properties of skin is given. A review of previous work in examining the fracture behaviour of skin is carried out and a strain energy‐based failure model for skin is proposed. A method of measuring the fracture resistance of skin in opening mode (mode I) using this failure model is described. Values for the resistance to fracture of skin samples were calculated from experiments to be 2.32 ± 0.40 kj m‐2. These results were found to be in good agreement with the literature. The model and experimental technique proposed here may be applied to establish the failure properties of membranes and, in particular, a range of soft tissues under a variety of cutting conditions.
The Virtual Fields Method for Extracting Constitutive Parameters From Full‐Field Measurements: a Review
Authors: Grédiac M. , Pierron F. , Avril S. , Toussaint E.
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT:The virtual fields method has been developed for extracting constitutive parameters from full‐field measurements provided by optical non‐contact techniques for instance. It is based on the principle of virtual work written with some particular virtual fields. This paper can be regarded as a general review summarising some 15 years of developments of this method. The main aspects of the method are first recalled in the case of both linear and non‐linear constitutive equations. They are then illustrated by some recent relevant examples. Some studies underway as well as relevant issues to be addressed in the near future are eventually discussed.
Mechanical Property Measurement at the Micro/Nano‐scale1
Authors: Sharpe W. N.
Published: September 2010

Abstract:  The introduction of sensors and actuators that have features on the scale of micrometres and nanometres has created a demand for new test methods to determine the mechanical properties of the materials used in them. These devices are fabricated by processes that are used in the microelectronics industry, and test specimens must be produced by the same processes. An entirely new area of experimental solid mechanics has developed over the past 15 years to meet these needs, and this paper summarises some of the progress. The coverage is limited to uniaxial tensile and compressive tests as these are the premier and standardised tests for macrospecimens.
Modern Photoelasticity for Residual Stress Measurement in Glass
Authors: Aben H. , Anton J. , Errapart A.
Published: September 2010

Abstract:  This paper gives a review of modern photoelastic technology for residual stress measurement in various glass articles, including glass articles of complicated shape. For residual stress measurement in axisymmetric glass articles, integrated photoelasticity is being used by many glass companies and research laboratories. In case of non‐axisymmetric glass articles of complicated shape, photoelastic tomography is used. As for automotive and architectural glass panels used in buildings, surface stress can be measured with the mirage method. More complete stress analysis can be carried out with the scattered light method. The paper is illustrated by numerous examples.
Three‐dimensional Displacement Analysis by Windowed Phase‐shifting Digital Holographic Interferometry
Authors: Morimoto Y. , Matui T. , Fujigaki M. , Matsui A.
Published: September 2010

Abstract:  Phase‐shifting digital holography is a new method for measuring the displacement distribution on the surface of an object. The authors previously proposed a windowed phase‐shifting digital holographic interferometry (windowed PSDHI). This method provides accurate displacement distributions by decreasing the effect of speckle patterns. In this study, the method is extended to analyse three‐dimensional displacement components in a microscope. Three object laser beams in the optical system are used. Four phase‐shifted holograms are recorded for each object laser beam. The complex amplitude of each reconstructed light at the object is calculated by the Fresnel diffraction integral of the complex amplitude of the hologram. The reconstructed distance is obtained at the point with the maximum of the standard deviation of the intensities of the object reconstructed with changing the reconstruction distance. The three phase‐difference values between before and after deformation provide the three‐dimensional displacement components. Theoretical treatment and experimental results of three‐dimensional displacement measurement using this method are shown.
‘Happy is the bride the rain falls on’:1 climate, health and ‘the woman question’ in nineteenth‐century missionary documentation
Authors: Endfield Georgina H , Nash David J
Published: September 2010

European ‘acclimatization’ represented a central geographical and medical question throughout the nineteenth century. Prolonged residences by Europeans in the tropics were thought to result in physical and moral deterioration, and women were thought to be particularly vulnerable. Among the first British women to venture into the tropics and sub‐tropics, missionary women played an important role in the articulation of acclimatization debates. In this paper, we use unpublished application and medical correspondence to illustrate how perspectives offered by and about missionary wives and female missionaries applying to the London Missionary Society reflect and challenged popular constructions of the tropics as uniformly dangerous places.
Serum anti‐Mullerian hormone is a useful measure of quantitative ovarian reserve but does not predict the chances of live‐birth pregnancy
Authors: TREMELLEN Kelton , KOLO Michelle
Published: September 2010

Background:  Serum anti‐Mullerian hormone (AMH) is an established marker of the number of oocytes left within a woman’s ovaries (quantitative ovarian reserve). However, it is presently unclear if serum AMH also measures oocyte quality and therefore the chances of successful live‐birth pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine if serum AMH assessed ovarian reserve correlates with chances of live birth (LB) and miscarriage following intra‐uterine insemination (IUI) treatment.

Methods:  In this retrospective study, serum AMH percentile charts were developed using AMH measurements from 1032 women undergoing routine infertility investigation. A total of 244 women undergoing IUI treatments were classified according to whether they had low (first quartile), normal (second and third quartiles) or high (fourth quartile) serum AMH concentrations relative to their age, and the subsequent pregnancy outcomes were analysed.

Results:  Serum AMH concentration fell with advancing maternal age and serum AMH concentrations were well correlated with quantitative ovarian reserve (antral follicle counts, AFC). The LB and miscarriage rates in each of the four AMH quartiles did not differ significantly from one another.

Conclusions:  Serum AMH is a useful marker of quantitative but not qualitative ovarian reserve as it correlates well with AFC, yet bears no relation to chances of live‐birth or miscarriage.
Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Hospitalized Alcoholic Individuals
Authors: Lydiard R. Bruce , Brady Kathleen , Ballenger James C. , Howell Elizabeth F. , Malcolm Robert
Published: September 2010

There is increasing evidence that a subgroup of alcoholic individuals may have coexisting psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety disorders. To test this hypothesis, 49 consecutively admitted male veteran inpatient alcoholic subjects were screened for anxiety and mood disorders via a structured clinical interview. The lifetime prevalence rates of panic disorder (20%), social phobia (24.4%), and mood disorders (34.7%) were significantly higher than reported lifetime prevalence rates in the general population. The implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions for future research are made.
Service Needs and Utilization for Dual‐Diagnosis Patients
Authors: Lehman Anthony F. , Myers C. Patrick , Johnson Jeannette , Dixon Lisa B.
Published: September 2010

The authors examined treatment patterns for two groups of dually diagnosed psychiatric inpatients, those with a) co‐occurring, but independent mental and substance use disorders (IMD + PSUD); and b) substance‐induced organic mental disorders (PSUD‐OMD). Assessments included the Addiction Severity Index for perceived service needs, discharge records for recommended treatments, and the Quality of Life Interview for follow‐up treatment utilization. As expected, the groups differed on treatment patterns. Both received fewer services than needed during the 1‐year follow‐up. In particular, the IMD + PSUD patients utilized few substance abuse services and the PSUD‐OMD utilized few psychiatric services.
Effect of Combined Treatment With α‐Lipoic Acid and Acetyl‐L‐Carnitine on Vascular Function and Blood Pressure in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: McMackin Craig J. , Widlansky Michael E. , Hamburg Naomi M. , Huang Alex L. , Weller Susan , Holbrook Monika , Gokce Noyan , Hagen Tory M. , Keaney John F. , Vita Joseph A.
Published: September 2010

Mitochondria produce reactive oxygen species that may contribute to vascular dysfunction. α‐Lipoic acid and acetyl‐L‐carnitine reduce oxidative stress and improve mitochondrial function. In a double‐blind crossover study, the authors examined the effects of combined α‐lipoic acid/acetyl‐L‐carnitine treatment and placebo (8 weeks per treatment) on vasodilator function and blood pressure in 36 subjects with coronary artery disease. Active treatment increased brachial artery diameter by 2.3% (P=.008), consistent with reduced arterial tone. Active treatment tended to decrease systolic blood pressure for the whole group (P=.07) and had a significant effect in the subgroup with blood pressure above the median (151±20 to 142±18 mm Hg; P=.03) and in the subgroup with the metabolic syndrome (139±21 to 130±18 mm Hg; P=.03). Thus, mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to the regulation of blood pressure and vascular tone. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine the clinical utility of α‐lipoic acid/acetyl‐L‐carnitine as antihypertensive therapy.
New‐User Persistence With Antihypertensives and Prescription Drug Cost‐Sharing
Authors: Briesacher Becky A. , Limcangco M. Rhona , Frech‐Tamas Feride
Published: September 2010

This study employed a new‐user design to assess predictors of persistence with antihypertensive therapy, with emphasis on prescription drug cost‐sharing. This retrospective longitudinal analysis used 2001–2002 claims data from 45 large health plans. The sample consisted of 23,047 individuals with hypertension, aged 41 to 65 years and receiving new antihypertensive treatment of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, β‐blockers, calcium channel blockers, or diuretics. Prescription drug cost‐sharing was measured as generosity ratio of actual to expected copayment. Other measures included demographics, Charlson comorbidity, type of health plan, and health care spending. Multivariate models showed that generous drug coverage was associated with an 11% to 19% increase in persistence (P<.05) in 4 of 5 antihypertensive drug classes compared with less generous drug coverage, controlling for the other measures. Less generous drug coverage is a risk factor for poor persistence among most new antihypertensive users.
First‐Step Use of Fixed‐Dose Combination Treatment in Stage 2 Hypertensive Patients: Has the Time Come?
Authors: Weber Michael A. , Ruilope Luis , Giles Thomas D. , Izzo Joseph L.
Published: September 2010

A panel discussion was convened on February 14, 2007, to discuss the use of fixed‐dose combination therapy for stage 2 hypertensive patients. The panel was moderated by Michael A. Weber, MD, Professor of Medicine, SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, New York, NY. Participants included Luis Ruilope, MD, Chief, Hypertension Unit, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain, Thomas D. Giles, MD, Professor of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, Metairie, LA, and Joseph L. Izzo, Jr, MD, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.
Sleep Apnea and Hypertension: Prevalence in Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Sim John J. , Rasgon Scott A. , Derose Stephen F.
Published: September 2010

The authors sought to evaluate the prevalence of hypertension (HTN) in patients with sleep apnea (SA) who had normal kidney function and in patients with SA and chronic kidney disease (CKD). It has not been determined whether there is an effect of interplay of SA and CKD on the prevalence of HTN. In this study, the diagnosis of CKD was established based on the glomerular filtration rate and the presence of proteinuria. SA and HTN were diagnosed based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision coding, Current Procedural Terminology coding, and medication use. Using the database of a large integrated health system, 434,388 patients aged 18 years and older with 2 or more years of continuous enrollment during January 2002 to December 2004 were analyzed. The HTN rate with SA alone was 51%, compared with 70.2% with SA and CKD. The overall prevalence of HTN was 28% in patients without CKD or SA. The prevalence ratio for HTN was 1.36 (95% confidence interval, 1.33–1.39) more prevalent in patients with SA and CKD compared with patients with SA without CKD. The high prevalence of HTN in patients with SA and CKD suggests the need for evaluation of SA in patients with concurrent HTN and CKD.
Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in High‐Risk Populations: Epidemiology and Opportunities for Risk Reduction
Authors: Vongpatanasin Wanpen
Published: September 2010

Despite significant growth in the number of drug classes and individual agents available to combat various cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in clinical practice, the prevalence of these risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity, has remained largely unchanged and in some cases has even increased during the past decade. CV risk factors remain consistently undertreated across the world, despite consensus guidelines issued by national and international health care organizations. Given the earlier onset of obesity and diabetes mellitus in many national populations, beginning from childhood, it is desirable to implement a range of lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions intended to modify CV risk factors while also improving glucose tolerance. Drugs that block the renin‐angiotensin system are associated with reduced incidence of diabetes compared with other antihypertensive agents and should be considered mainstays of therapy for patients with hypertension who are at high risk for diabetes, CV disease, or both.
Reducing Cardiovascular Events in High‐Risk Patients: The Challenge of Managing Hypertension in Patients With Diabetic Renal Disease
Authors: Toto Robert D.
Published: September 2010

Hypertension is more prevalent and more difficult to control and is associated with a higher mortality rate in patients with diabetes than in nondiabetic patients. Elevated blood pressure contributes importantly to the development of albuminuria and progression of renal damage in diabetic nephropathy. Strong evidence indicates that the presence of albuminuria and overt nephropathy in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes is associated with a marked increase in the rate of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events. Blockade of the renin‐angiotensin system in patients with type 2 diabetes with or without chronic kidney disease is associated with a significant reduction in risk for cardiovascular events. Renin‐angiotensin system‐blocking agents should be considered first‐step pharmacologic therapy for hypertension in diabetic patients, with addition of other agents, if needed, to meet the recommended blood pressure goal of <130/80 mm Hg. In most instances, a diuretic is also needed to reduce blood pressure.
Evidence for Maximal Treatment of Atherosclerosis: Drastic Reduction of Cholesterol and Fibrinogen Restores Vascular Homeostasis
Authors: Jaeger Beate Roxane
Published: September 2010

Abstract:This article summarizes the clinical and biochemical evidence for maximal treatment of atherosclerosis by a simultaneous 60% to 70% reduction of plasma low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol), fibrinogen, and lipoprotein a concentrations with heparin‐mediated extracorporeal LDL/fibrinogen precipitation (HELP) apheresis and statins. Apheresis has proven efficient and safe in the treatment of more than 1,000 patients since 1984 and has been applied in children and adults for the treatment of homozygous and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, coronary artery disease, ischemic cardiomyopathy, generalized atherosclerosis, or transplant‐associated arteriosclerosis after cardiac transplantation. Simultaneous removal of the main atherogenic plasma compounds has an immediate impact on myocardial and peripheral vasomotion by increasing myocardial blood flow, coronary flow reserve, cerebral CO2‐reactivity, and muscle oxygen tension. Removal of fibrinogen and cholesterol reduces plasma viscosity by 20% and erythrocyte aggregation by 60% which gives rise to applying the HELP apheresis in various microcirculatory disorders. Pilot studies on acute retinal ischemia, critical limb ischemia, and sudden hearing loss confirm this observation.
Extracorporeal Plasma Treatment in Primary and Recurrent Focal Segmental Glomerular Sclerosis: A Review
Authors: Bosch Thomas , Wendler Thorsten
Published: September 2010

Abstract: This review summarizes the state of the art of apheresis in focal segmental sclerosing glomerulonephritis (FSGS) based on the current literature. FSGS is a major cause of nephrotic syndrome and renal insufficiency and has a high tendency to recur after renal transplantation. In many instances, treatment with steroids and/or immunosuppressive agents is without effect. Therapeutic plasma exchange (as well as immunoadsorption in some instances) was performed in primary (pFSGS) and recurrent (rFSGS) FSGS. Proteinuria could be improved and renal function was stabilized in 58% of rFSGS adults, in 74% of rFSGS children, and in 44% of pFSGS in adults. Treatment was successful if implemented early, i.e., in the stage of minimal change glomerulopathy before significant sclerosis had developed. This approach will probably be realistic only in the regular follow‐up after transplantation. Furthermore, some patients with full‐blown pFSGS were treated successfully in a prophylactic indication immediately prior to transplantation which decreased the incidence of recurrence to 26% in treated patients versus 54% in controls. Due to the uncontrolled study design and small patient cohorts in most trials, the major disadvantage of the reports currently available on the use of apheresis in FSGS is their low level of evidence from which the previous conclusions had to be drawn. Large prospective, controlled and randomized clinical trials are urgently needed for recommendations based on high‐level evidence.
Treatment of Autoimmune Disease: Synergy Between Plasma Exchange and Intravenous Immunoglobulins
Authors: Nydegger Urs E. , Sturzenegger Mathias
Published: September 2010

Abstract: Therapeutic plasma exchange (PE) has been used for three decades in the treatment of autoimmune disease. Its mechanism of action hinges on a profound modulation of the immune system which is only partially understood. Removal of circulating immune complexes, immunoglobulins, and complement components play a role. Moreover, the substitution of plasma components like anti‐idiotypic antibodies and immunoglobulins targeted against a host of antigens may add to its beneficial effects. Recently, intravenous administration of immunoglobulins was found to mimic the effects of PE in certain diseases. In fact, downregulation of Fc receptors, modulation of the complement activation, and anti‐idiotypic downregulation of primary autoantibodies are mechanisms held to be responsible for its immunosuppressive effects.This article summarizes the effects of both treatment modalities, discusses their pros and cons, and makes differential therapeutic suggestions for the clinician of which to use in various autoimmune diseases.
Strategic Actions and Credit Spreads: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: DAVYDENKO SERGEI A. , STREBULAEV ILYA A.
Published: September 2010

Do strategic actions of borrowers and lenders affect corporate debt values? We find higher bond spreads for firms that can renegotiate debt contracts relatively easily. Consistent with theories of strategic debt service, the threat of strategic default depresses bond values ex ante, even though there may be efficiency gains from renegotiation ex post. However, the economic significance of the net effect is small, suggesting that bondholders have considerable bargaining power. The effect of strategic actions is higher when creditors are particularly vulnerable to strategic threats, including risky firms with high managerial shareholding, simple debt structures, and high liquidation costs.
How Laws and Institutions Shape Financial Contracts: The Case of Bank Loans
Authors: QIAN JUN , STRAHAN PHILIP E.
Published: September 2010

Legal and institutional differences shape the ownership and terms of bank loans across the world. We show that under strong creditor protection, loans have more concentrated ownership, longer maturities, and lower interest rates. Moreover, the impact of creditor rights on loans depends on borrower characteristics such as the size and tangibility of assets. Foreign banks appear especially sensitive to the legal and institutional environment, with their ownership declining relative to domestic banks as creditor protection falls. Our multidimensional empirical model paints a more complete picture of how financial contracts respond to the legal and institutional environment than existing studies.
Vote Trading and Information Aggregation
Authors: CHRISTOFFERSEN SUSAN E.K. , GECZY CHRISTOPHER C. , MUSTO DAVID K. , REED ADAM V.
Published: September 2010

The standard analysis of corporate governance assumes that shareholders vote in ratios that firms choose, such as one share‐one vote. However, if the cost of unbundling and trading votes is sufficiently low, then shareholders choose the ratios. We document an active market for votes within the U.S. equity loan market, where the average vote sells for zero. We hypothesize that asymmetric information motivates the vote trade and find support in the cross section. More trading occurs for higher‐spread and worse‐performing firms, especially when voting is close. Vote trading corresponds to support for shareholder proposals and opposition to management proposals.
Measuring Distress Risk: The Effect of R&D Intensity
Authors: FRANZEN LAUREL A. , RODGERS KIMBERLY J. , SIMIN TIMOTHY T.
Published: September 2010

Because of upward trends in research and development activity, accounting measures of financial distress have become less accurate. We document that (1) higher research and development spending increases the likelihood of misclassifying solvent firms, (2) adjusting for conservative accounting of research and development increases the number of correctly identified distressed firms, and (3) adjusted measures of distress alleviate previously documented anomalously low returns of large, high distress risk, low book‐to‐market firms. The results hold after updating stale parameters and under various tax assumptions. Our evidence raises concerns about interpretation of extant literature that relies on accounting measures of distress.
Information Asymmetry and Asset Prices: Evidence from the China Foreign Share Discount
Authors: CHAN KALOK , MENKVELD ALBERT J. , YANG ZHISHU
Published: September 2010

We examine the effect of information asymmetry on equity prices in the local A‐ and foreign B‐share market in China. We construct measures of information asymmetry based on market microstructure models, and find that they explain a significant portion of cross‐sectional variation in B‐share discounts, even after controlling for other factors. On a univariate basis, the price impact measure and the adverse selection component of the bid‐ask spread in the A‐ and B‐share markets explains 44% and 46% of the variation in B‐share discounts. On a multivariate basis, both measures are far more statistically significant than any of the control variables.
Ambiguity, Information Quality, and Asset Pricing
Authors: EPSTEIN LARRY G. , SCHNEIDER MARTIN
Published: September 2010

When ambiguity‐averse investors process news of uncertain quality, they act as if they take a worst‐case assessment of quality. As a result, they react more strongly to bad news than to good news. They also dislike assets for which information quality is poor, especially when the underlying fundamentals are volatile. These effects induce ambiguity premia that depend on idiosyncratic risk in fundamentals as well as skewness in returns. Moreover, shocks to information quality can have persistent negative effects on prices even if fundamentals do not change.
Individual Investor Trading and Stock Returns
Authors: KANIEL RON , SAAR GIDEON , TITMAN SHERIDAN
Published: September 2010

This paper investigates the dynamic relation between net individual investor trading and short‐horizon returns for a large cross‐section of NYSE stocks. The evidence indicates that individuals tend to buy stocks following declines in the previous month and sell following price increases. We document positive excess returns in the month following intense buying by individuals and negative excess returns after individuals sell, which we show is distinct from the previously shown past return or volume effects. The patterns we document are consistent with the notion that risk‐averse individuals provide liquidity to meet institutional demand for immediacy.
Information, Trading, and Product Market Interactions: Cross‐sectional Implications of Informed Trading
Authors: TOOKES HEATHER E.
Published: September 2010

I present a simple model of informed trading in which asset values are derived from imperfectly competitive product markets and private information events occur at individual firms. The model predicts that informed traders may have incentives to make information‐based trades in the stocks of competitors, especially when events occur at firms with large market shares. In the context of 759 earnings announcements, I use intraday transactions data to test the hypothesis that net order flow and returns in the stocks of nonannouncing competitors have information content for announcing firms.
IPO Pricing and Share Allocation: The Importance of Being Ignorant
Authors: GONDAT‐LARRALDE CÉLINE , JAMES KEVIN R.
Published: September 2010

Since an underwriter sets an IPO's offer price without knowing its market value, investors can acquire information about its value and avoid overpriced deals (“lemon‐dodge”). To mitigate this well‐known risk, the bank enters into a repeat game with a coalition of investors who do not lemon‐dodge in exchange for on‐average underpriced shares. We (i) derive and test a quantitative IPO pricing rule (showing that tech IPOs were not excessively underpriced during the boom of the 1990s); and (ii) analyzing a unique multibank data set, find strong support for the conjecture that a bank preferentially allocates shares to its coalition.
CLUMSY SOLUTIONS FOR A COMPLEX WORLD: THE CASE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Authors: VERWEIJ MARCO , DOUGLAS MARY , ELLIS RICHARD , ENGEL CHRISTOPH , HENDRIKS FRANK , LOHMANN SUSANNE , NEY STEVEN , RAYNER STEVE , THOMPSON MICHAEL
Published: September 2010

Successful solutions to pressing social ills tend to consist of innovative combinations of a limited set of alternative ways of perceiving and resolving the issues. These contending policy perspectives justify, represent and stem from four different ways of organizing social relations: hierarchy, individualism, egalitarianism and fatalism. Each of these perspectives: (1) distils certain elements of experience and wisdom that are missed by the others; (2) provides a clear expression of the way in which a significant portion of the populace feels we should live with one another and with nature; and (3) needs all of the others in order to be sustainable. ‘Clumsy solutions’– policies that creatively combine all opposing perspectives on what the problems are and how they should be resolved – are therefore called for. We illustrate these claims for the issue of global warming.
A DIALECTICAL APPROACH TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Authors: Mason Richard , Leschly Kim , Feinberg Abe , Smith Jeffrey H.
Published: September 2010

This paper reports on the methodology and an application of a dialectical approach to research and development, planning. The methodology features a structured debate followed by argumentation analysis. The argumentation analysis in turn is followed by an assessment of the plausibility of the arguments. The application involved using the methodology to assess the level of funding for research and development for a transportation system that would employ advanced technology. The Dialectic Inquiry process, and specifically, the plausibility rating activity, were seen as valuable aids for policy analysis.
THE TWILIGHT OF ADVERSARINESS: TRENDS IN CIVIL JUSTICE
Authors: Holland Kenneth M.
Published: September 2010

The author evaluates changes in the form of civil adjudication that have occurred since the adoption of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in 1938. The evidence reveals a. paradoxical situation–the system has become both less and more adversarial. After identifying the causes of these opposing trends, the author concludes that the forces undermining adversariness are more powerful than those supporting the traditional model. Finally, the implications of this retreat from customary procedure are explored.
ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION AS ALTERNATIVES TO COURT*
Authors: McEwen Craia A. , Maimon Richard J.
Published: September 2010

Advocates of mediation and arbitration claim their to adjudication in three areas: reduction of court caseloads and costs; increase in accessibility of justice; and improvement in the quality of justice. Available evidence shows that mediation and arbitration neither lower court costs (though they increase court capacity), nor substantially expand access to justice. By some measures, however, mediation provides fairer outcomes and, in civil cases, higher rates of compliance than does adjudication. Though less effective than often claimed in reducing problems of administering justice, mediation and arbitration‐in their distinctive ways‐do thus offer modestly effective alternatives to court.
MEASURING JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE IN TRIAL COURTS: CONCEPTUAL, EMPIRICAL, AND POLITICAL PROBLEMS*
Authors: Ryan John Paul
Published: September 2010

This article explores some of the issues associated with evaluation of judicial performance. It is argued that measuring judicial performance in trial courts, as the basis for subsequent evaluation, is fraught with problems of definition, counting and interpretation. These problems result from the diversity of judges' work in trial courts, uncertainty as to the importance of speedy resolution of cases and the political environment within which judging takes places.
MINDING THE BUSINESS OF THE SUPREME COURT: SOME THOUGHTS ON THE EFFECTS OF THE JUDGES' BILL OF 1925*
Authors: Caldeira Gregory A.
Published: September 2010

Twice at least in the Court's first too centuries it has found itself inundated with litigation that has outstripped its abilities to process it. Congress has from time to time had to make adjustments in the Supreme Court's jurisdiction so that the court could cope with its caseload. These “reforms” are potentially quite, important., yet few scholars have studied the effects, intended and unintended, of them. This paper reviews and criticize the scholarship on the effects of one especially interesting reform, the Judges' Bill of 1925, Along the way I offer a number of suggestions ore offered on how social scientists might in the future go about studying the effects of judical‐reform.
THE IMPACT OF JUDICIAL IMPACT STATMENTS*
Authors: Gallas Geoff
Published: September 2010

Judicial impact statements, if used indiscriminately, can do little either to protect federal and state judiciaries or assist legislatures. This conclusion emerges clearly from well documented case material available with respect to federal executive experience, the California experience with impact statements, as well as independent interview data which is summarized here. As a result, the broader issue of the reasons and the possible meaning of the currency of such a strategy emerges. Two such issues are addressed here: the behavioral assumptions and power relations that underlie judicial reform.
MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
Authors: Robey John S.
Published: September 2010

This paper ranks the scholarly impart of our contributors to the study of public policy analysis. Ratings are derived by way of measuring how widely cited individual scholars are in the literature. Utilizing this rationale we rank order the top thirty contributors to the discipline of policy analysis for the past dozen (1969–1980) years.
THE POLITICS OF MEASURING POVERTY AMONG THE ELDERLY
Authors: Girshick Lori B. , Williamson John B.
Published: September 2010

We discuss the special problems associated with efforts to measure poverty among the elderly. Income measures must be adjusted for a variety of non‐income sources of well‐being such as net worth, human capital, and in‐kind, transfers. While such adjustments are needed, efforts to date are problematic to the extent that new sources of error are introduced. A close analysis of official government measures of poverty reveals that they reflect a variety of political assumptions and compromises. Examination of the eligibility criteria associated with various government social programs for the elderly reveal implicit poverty lines that differ from the official poverty lines. The importance of these operational poverty lines cannot be overestimated.
WHO BENEFITS FROM KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE HEALTH OF UNDOCUMENTED MEXICANS?
Authors: Nalven Joseph
Published: September 2010

This article discusses the legal context in which health research of undocumented Mexicans takes place. Two lines of inquiry are brought together: the national debate on undocumented immigration and the maturing research on the health of Mexican Americans. Because of the politicized nature of immigration status, “immigration” is ignored as an explanatory variable. Several potential outcomes are examined, such as “ghost” programming and increased public health risks.
CHANGING PUBLIC ATTITUDES ABOUT PUBLIC WELFARE CLIENTS AND SERVICES THROUGH RESEARCH
Authors: Ginsberg Leon H.
Published: September 2010

Research findings aye useful in interpreting the widely misunderstood services of public welfare departments to the public. This article describes three research projects that were conducted and publicized by a state welfare department primarily to clarify public understanding of welfare programs. The three projects examined the characteristics of a special allowance given families to purchase school clothing for their children, the rate of turnover of Aid to Families with Dependent Children cases, and the numbers of and reasons for public employees receiving assistance from a state welfare department. Strategies for dealing with the media in interpreting public welfare programs are also suggested.
The Localism Principle in Communications Policymaking and Policy Analysis: Ambiguity, Inconsistency, and Empirical Neglect
Authors: Napoli Philip M.
Published: September 2010

Localism long has been a central guiding principle in communications policymaking, yet its specific meaning and objectives have not been well articulated by policymakers. This article attempts to bring greater clarity to the localism principle, through an examination of how the Federal Communications Commission has defined local programming. Policymakers have failed to establish a clear and stable definition of what constitutes local programming, which has contributed to the sense of ambiguity, uncertainty, and inconsistency that long has characterized localism policymaking. If localism policies are to reflect the rationales upon which they are based, the definition of local programming must be expanded to account not only for a program's point of origin, but for the nature of a program's content as well.