bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational complexity
Authors: Goldreich Oded
Published: September 2008

This book is rooted in the thesis that complexity theory is extremely rich in conceptual content, and that this contents should be explicitly communicated in expositions and courses on the subject. The desire to provide a corresponding textbook is indeed the motivation for writing the current book and its main governing principle.

The book offers a conceptual perspective on complexity theory, and the presentation is designed to highlight this perspective. It is intended mainly for students that wish to learn complexity theory and for educators that intend to teach a course on complexity theory. The book is also intended to promote interest in complexity theory and make it acccessible to general readers with adequate background (which is mainly being comfortable with abstract discussions, definitions and proofs). We expect most readers to have a basic knowledge of algorithms, or at least be fairly comfortable with the notion of an algorithm.

The book focuses on several sub-areas of complexity theory (including, e.g., pseudorandomness and probabilistic proof systems). In each case, the exposition starts from the intuitive questions addresses by the sub-area, as embodied in the concepts that it studies. The exposition discusses the fundamental importance of these questions, the choices made in the actual formulation of these questions and notions, the approaches that underly the answers, and the ideas that are embedded in these answers. Our view is that these (\non-technical") aspects are the core of the field, and the presentation attempts to re ect this view.
PCPs with small soundness error
Authors: Dinur Irit
Published: September 2008

The soundness error of a PCP verifier is the probability (usually denoted ε) that the verifier accepts an incorrect input. We are interested in the smallest possible values of ε for which the PCP theorem holds, and in particular whether the theorem holds when ε is an inverse polynomial function of the input length. We discuss the 'sliding scale conjecture' of [BGLR93, LY94] and related questions. We then sketch some of the existing approaches and constructions of PCPs with sub-constant soundness error.
Computational geometry column 51
Authors: O'Rourke Joseph
Published: September 2008

Can a simple spherical polygon always be triangulated? The answer depends on the definitions of "polygon" and "triangulate".

Define a
spherical polygon
to be a simple, closed curve on a sphere
S
composed of a finite number of great circle arcs (also known as
geodesic
arcs) meeting at vertices. Can every spherical polygon be triangulated? Figure 1 shows an example of what is intended.
1
The planar analog is well-known and a cornerstone of computational geometry: the interior of every planar simple polygon can be triangulated (and efficiently so). The situation for spherical polygons is not so straightforward. There are three complications.
Distributed quantum computing
Authors: Denchev Vasil S. , Pandurangan Gopal
Published: September 2008

Quantum computing and distributed systems may enter a mutually beneficial partnership in the future. On the one hand, it is much easier to build a number of small quantum computers rather than a single large one. On the other hand, the best results concerning some of the fundamental problems in distributed computing can potentially be dramatically improved upon by taking advantage of the superior resources and processing power that quantum mechanics offers. This survey has the purpose to highlight both of these benefits. We first review the current results regarding the implementation of arbitrary quantum algorithms on distributed hardware. We then discuss existing proposals for quantum solutions of leader election - a fundamental problem from distributed computing. Quantum mechanics allows leader election to be solved with no communication, provided that certain pre-shared entanglement is already in place. Further, an impossibility result from classical distributed computing is circumvented by the quantum solution of anonymous leader election - a unique leader is elected in finite time with certainty. Finally, we discuss the viability of these proposals from a practical perspective. Although, theoretically, distributed quantum computing looks promising, it is still unclear how to build quantum hardware and how to create and maintain robust large-scale entangled states. Moreover, it is not clear whether the costs of creating entangled states and working with them are smaller than the costs of existing classical solutions.
SIGACT news online algorithms column 13
Authors: Chrobak Marek
Published: September 2008

This is a survey of last year's work on online competitive algorithms. The survey covers only conference papers, including those from SODA, FOCS, STOC, STACS, COCOON, ISAAC, ESA, ICALP, WAOA, and ISAAC. I tried to focus on research directly dealing with competitive analysis, and in many cases I had to make judgment calls, whether to include them or not. My initial intent was to cover only some highlights, representative of the current trends in the field, but somehow, over time, it grew to a much longer and comprehensive document. I feel compelled to add that, with the deadline approaching, I was not able to spend as much time on debugging as I should, and some errors and omissions are, I'm afraid, inevitable. If you spot anything that should be corrected, please let me know.
Gem #16: pragma no_return
Authors: Duff Bob
Published: September 2008

Ada Gem #16 -- Pragma No_Return may be used to mark procedures that cannot return normally.
Gem #19: XML streaming of Ada objects
Authors: Obry Pascal
Published: September 2008

Ada Gem #19 -- XML streaming of Ada objects.
Gem #20: using pragma shared_passive for data persistence
Authors: Obry Pascal
Published: September 2008

Ada Gem #20 -- Using pragma Shared_Passive for data persistence.
Higher order mining
Authors: Roddick John F. , Spiliopoulou Myra , Lister Daniel , Ceglar Aaron
Published: September 2008

The value of knowledge obtainable by analysing large quantities of data is widely acknowledged. However, so-calledprimaryorraw datamay not always be available for knowledge discovery for several reasons. First, cooperating institutions that are interested in sharing knowledge may not be willing (or allowed) to disclose their primary data. Second, data in the form of streams are only temporarily available for processing. If stored at all, stream data are maintained in the form of synopses or derived, abstract representations of the original data. Finally, even for non-stream data, there are limits on the computation speed to be achieved -- such limits are set by hardware and firmware technologies. This problem can only be partially solved through parallelization and increased processing power. Ultimately, in many cases data must be summarized to be processed efficiently.

In the light of these observations, we anticipate the need for defining and practising data mining without the luxury of primary data. To that end, we formally introduce the paradigm ofHigher Order Miningas a form of data mining that is applied over non-primary, derived data or patterns. Although Higher Order Mining is a new paradigm, there are already research advances on knowledge discovery methods from patterns rather than data. We discuss them and organize them under the light of the new paradigm. We show that the HOM paradigm reveals further potential for knowledge discovery, including the delivery of rules and patterns with semantics that are closer to human intuition and are thus more appropriate for human inspection.
Larval Dispersal and Marine Population Connectivity
Authors: Cowen Robert K. , Sponaugle Su
Published: September 2008

Connectivity, or the exchange of individuals among marine populations, is a central topic in marine ecology. For most benthic marine species with complex life cycles, this exchange occurs primarily during the pelagic larval stage. The small size of larvae coupled with the vast and complex fluid environment they occupy hamper our ability to quantify dispersal and connectivity. Evidence from direct and indirect approaches using geochemical and genetic techniques suggests that populations range from fully open to fully closed. Understanding the biophysical processes that contribute to observed dispersal patterns requires integrated interdisciplinary approaches that incorporate high-resolution biophysical modeling and empirical data. Further, differential postsettlement survival of larvae may add complexity to measurements of connectivity. The degree to which populations self recruit or receive subsidy from other populations has consequences for a number of fundamental ecological processes that affect population regulation and persistence. Finally, a full understanding of population connectivity has important applications for management and conservation.
Expression of Heparanase in Renal Cell Carcinomas: Implications for Tumor Invasion and Prognosis
Authors: Mikami Shuji , Oya Mototsugu , Shimoda Masayuki , Mizuno Ryuichi , Ishida Masaru , Kosaka Takeo , Mukai Makio , Nakajima Motowo , Okada Yasunori
Published: September 2008

Purpose: Heparanase activity has been detected in many malignant tumors, showing a correlation with the metastatic potential. The present study was undertaken to investigate the expression of heparanase and its prognostic significance in renal cell carcinomas (RCC).

Experimental Design: Nineteen RCCs and 6 nonneoplastic renal tissues were analyzed for heparanase mRNA expression by real-time PCR. Heparanase protein expression was semiquantitatively investigated by immunohistochemistry in 70 RCCs. Involvement of heparanase in the invasiveness of RCC cell lines, 786-O and Caki-2 cells, was examined by down-regulating the gene expression with small interfering RNA (siRNA) using the Matrigel invasion assay.

Results: The expression level of heparanase mRNA was significantly higher in clear cell RCCs than in papillary RCCs, chromophobe RCCs, and nonneoplastic renal tissues. Heparanase was predominantly immunolocalized to cell surface and cytoplasm of clear cell RCCs and mean expression levels of heparanase were significantly higher in clear cell RCCs than in papillary and chromophobe RCCs. The protein expression levels were positively correlated with primary tumor stage, distant metastasis, and histologic grade. Targeting of heparanase mRNA expression in 786-O and Caki-2 cells with siRNA down-regulated the mRNA expression and inhibited the Matrigel invasion by these cells, whereas nonsilencing siRNA showed no effect. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that elevated heparanase expression was a significant and an independent predictor of disease-specific survival (odds ratio, 8.814; P = 0.019).

Conclusions: These data suggest that heparanase plays an important role in invasion and metastasis and silencing of the gene might be a potential therapeutic target in clear cell RCCs.
Potent Anticarcinoma Activity of the Humanized Anti-CD70 Antibody h1F6 Conjugated to the Tubulin Inhibitor Auristatin via an Uncleavable Linker
Authors: Oflazoglu Ezogelin , Stone Ivan J. , Gordon Kristine , Wood Christopher G. , Repasky Elizabeth A. , Grewal Iqbal S. , Law Che-Leung , Gerber Hans-Peter
Published: September 2008

Purpose: The antitubulin agent monomethyl auristatin F (MMAF) induces potent antitumor effects when conjugated via protease cleavable linkers to antibodies targeting internalizing, tumor-specific cell surface antigens. Humanized 1F6 (h1F6) is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD70, a member of the tumor necrosis factor family that is expressed on hematologic malignancies and carcinomas. Here, we tested h1F6–maleimidocaproyl (mc) MMAF conjugates, consisting of an uncleavable mc linker, for their ability to interfere with the growth of CD70-positive carcinomas.

Experimental Design: To evaluate the optimal drug per antibody ratio, we conjugated either four or eight MMAF molecules to the cysteines that comprise the interchain disulfides of h1F6 and determined antitumor activities in vitro and in xenografted mice. The tumor types tested included glioblastoma, patient-derived renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell isolates, and standard RCC tumor cell lines.

Results: All h1F6-mcMMAF conjugates potently interfered with the growth of all carcinomas in vitro and resulted in complete responses of RCC tumors implanted orthotopically or s.c. in mice. In vitro, h1F6-mcMMAF(8) was generally more potent than h1F6-mcMMAF(4). However, h1F6-mcMMAF(4) displayed equal or better efficacy than h1F6-mcMMAF(8) when administered to tumor-bearing mice.

Conclusions: We showed that h1F6-mcMMAF conjugates inhibited the growth of human carcinomas and that increased drug loading, while improving potency in vitro, did not substantially affect the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties in vivo. Based on these findings, h1F6-mcMMAF(4), designated SGN-75, has been identified as a potential antibody-drug conjugate for clinical development.
Primer on Statistical Interpretation or Methods Report Card on Propensity-Score Matching in the Cardiology Literature From 2004 to 2006
Authors: Austin Peter C.
Published: September 2008

Background—

Propensity-score matching is frequently used in the cardiology literature. Recent systematic reviews have found that this method is, in general, poorly implemented in the medical literature. The study objective was to examine the quality of the implementation of propensity-score matching in the general cardiology literature.

Methods and Results—

A total of 44 articles published in the
American Heart Journal
, the
American Journal of Cardiology
,
Circulation
, the
European Heart Journal
,
Heart
, the
International Journal of Cardiology
, and the
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2006, were examined. Twenty of the 44 studies did not provide adequate information on how the propensity-score–matched pairs were formed. Fourteen studies did not report whether matching on the propensity score balanced baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects in the matched sample. Only 4 studies explicitly used statistical methods appropriate for matched studies to compare baseline characteristics between treated and untreated subjects. Only 11 (25%) of the 44 studies explicitly used statistical methods appropriate for the analysis of matched data when estimating the effect of treatment on the outcomes. Only 2 studies described the matching method used, assessed balance in baseline covariates by appropriate methods, and used appropriate statistical methods to estimate the treatment effect and its significance.

Conclusions—

Application of propensity-score matching was poor in the cardiology literature. Suggestions for improving the reporting and analysis of studies that use propensity-score matching are provided.
Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Predictors of Control of Hypertension in New York City
Authors: Angell Sonia Y. , Garg Renu K. , Gwynn R. Charon , Bash Lori , Thorpe Lorna E. , Frieden Thomas R.
Published: September 2008

Background—

Hypertension-related risk in urban areas may vary from national estimates; however, objective data on prevalence and treatment in local areas are scarce. We assessed hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control among New York City (NYC) adults.

Methods and Results—

The NYC Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES), modeled on the national HANES, was conducted in 2004 with a representative sample of noninstitutionalized NYC residents ≥20 years of age. Hypertension outcomes were examined with interview and examination data (n=1975). Multiple logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with control among adults with hypertension. We found that 25.6% of NYC adults had hypertension. Blacks had a higher prevalence than whites (32.8% versus 21.1%,
P
<0.001), as did Hispanics (26.5% versus 21.1%,
P
<0.05). Foreign-born residents who had lived in the United States for <10 years had lower rates than those who had lived in the United States longer (20.0% versus 27.5%,
P
<0.05). Among adults with hypertension, 83.0% were diagnosed, 72.7% were treated, and 47.1% had hypertension controlled. Of those treated, 64.8% had hypertension controlled. After adjustment for sociodemographic variables among all adults with treated hypertension, lack of a routine place of medical care was most strongly associated with poor control levels (adjusted odds ratio 0.21, 95% confidence interval 0.07 to 0.66). Among nonelderly adults with treated hypertension, blacks had 4-fold lower odds than whites of having hypertension controlled (adjusted odds ratio 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.06 to 0.92).

Conclusions—

In NYC, hypertension is common and frequently uncontrolled. Low levels of control are associated with poor access to care. Racial disparities in prevalence and control are evident among nonelderly adults.
Cost-Effectiveness of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Optimally Treated Stable Coronary Patients
Authors: Weintraub William S. , Boden William E. , Zhang Zugui , Kolm Paul , Zhang Zefeng , Spertus John A. , Hartigan Pamela , Veledar Emir , Jurkovitz Claudine , Bowen Jim , Maron David J. , O'Rourke Robert , Dada Marcin , Teo Koon K. , Goeree Ron , Barnett Paul G.
Published: September 2008

Background—

The COURAGE (Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive druG Evaluations) trial compared the effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) plus optimal medical therapy with optimal medical therapy alone on cardiovascular events in 2287 patients with stable coronary disease. After 4.6 years, there was no difference in the primary end point of death or myocardial infarction, although PCI improved quality of life. The present study evaluated the relative cost and cost-effectiveness of PCI in the COURAGE trial.

Methods and Results—

Resource use was assessed by diagnosis-related group for hospitalizations and by current procedural terminology code for outpatient visits and tests and then converted to costs by use of 2004 Medicare payments. Medication costs were assessed with the
Red Book
average wholesale price. Life expectancy beyond the trial was estimated from Framingham survival data. Utilities were assessed by the standard gamble method. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was expressed as cost per life-year and cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained. The added cost of PCI was approximately $10 000, without significant gain in life-years or quality-adjusted life-years. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio varied from just over $168 000 to just under $300 000 per life-year or quality-adjusted life-year gained with PCI. A large minority of the distributions found that medical therapy alone offered better outcome at lower cost. The costs per patient for a significant improvement in angina frequency, physical limitation, and quality of life were $154 580, $112 876, and $124 233, respectively.

Conclusions—

The COURAGE trial did not find the addition of PCI to optimal medical therapy to be a cost-effective initial management strategy for symptomatic, chronic coronary artery disease.
An Administrative Claims Measure Suitable for Profiling Hospital Performance on the Basis of 30-Day All-Cause Readmission Rates Among Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Keenan Patricia S. , Normand Sharon-Lise T. , Lin Zhenqiu , Drye Elizabeth E. , Bhat Kanchana R. , Ross Joseph S. , Schuur Jeremiah D. , Stauffer Brett D. , Bernheim Susannah M. , Epstein Andrew J. , Wang Yongfei , Herrin Jeph , Chen Jersey , Federer Jessica J. , Mattera Jennifer A. , Wang Yun , Krumholz Harlan M.
Published: September 2008

Background—

Readmission soon after hospital discharge is an expensive and often preventable event for patients with heart failure. We present a model approved by the National Quality Forum for the purpose of public reporting of hospital-level readmission rates by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Methods and Results—

We developed a hierarchical logistic regression model to calculate hospital risk-standardized 30-day all-cause readmission rates for patients hospitalized with heart failure. The model was derived with the use of Medicare claims data for a 2004 cohort and validated with the use of claims and medical record data. The unadjusted readmission rate was 23.6%. The final model included 37 variables, had discrimination ranging from 15% observed 30-day readmission rate in the lowest predictive decile to 37% in the upper decile, and had a c statistic of 0.60. The 25th and 75th percentiles of the risk-standardized readmission rates across 4669 hospitals were 23.1% and 24.0%, with 5th and 95th percentiles of 22.2% and 25.1%, respectively. The odds of all-cause readmission for a hospital 1 standard deviation above average was 1.30 times that of a hospital 1 standard deviation below average. State-level adjusted readmission rates developed with the use of the claims model are similar to rates produced for the same cohort with the use of a medical record model (correlation, 0.97; median difference, 0.06 percentage points).

Conclusions—

This claims-based model of hospital risk-standardized readmission rates for heart failure patients produces estimates that may serve as surrogates for those derived from a medical record model.
Prevalence, Clinical Significance, and Natural History of Left Ventricular Apical Aneurysms in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Maron Martin S. , Finley John J. , Bos J. Martijn , Hauser Thomas H. , Manning Warren J. , Haas Tammy S. , Lesser John R. , Udelson James E. , Ackerman Michael J. , Maron Barry J.
Published: September 2008

Background—

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common genetic heart disease characterized by a diverse clinical and phenotypic spectrum. This study reports the prevalence, morphology, clinical course, and management of an underrecognized subgroup of HCM patients with left ventricular apical aneurysms.

Methods and Results—

Of 1299 HCM patients, 28 (2%) were identified with left ventricular apical aneurysms, including a pair of identical twins. Aneurysms were recognized at a wide age range (26 to 83 years), including 12 patients (43%) who were ≤50 years of age. Apical aneurysms varied considerably in size (maximum dimension, 10 to 66 mm), were dyskinetic/akinetic with thin rims, and were associated with transmural (and often more extensive) myocardial scarring identified by late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Apical aneurysms were recognized by echocardiography in only 16 of 28 patients (57%) but by cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the 12 patients undetected by echocardiography. Left ventricular chamber morphology varied; however, 19 patients (68%) showed an “hourglass” contour, with midventricular hypertrophy producing muscular narrowing and intracavitary gradients in 9 patients (74±42 mm Hg). Sarcomeric protein missense mutations known to cause other phenotypic expressions of HCM were present in 3 patients. Over 4.1±3.7 years of follow-up, 12 patients (43%) with left ventricular apical aneurysms experienced adverse disease complications (event rate, 10.5%/y), including sudden death, appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator discharges, nonfatal thromboembolic stroke, and progressive heart failure and death.

Conclusions—

Patients with left ventricular apical aneurysms represent an underappreciated subset in the heterogeneous HCM disease spectrum with important clinical implications, often requiring a high index of suspicion and cardiovascular magnetic resonance for identification. Apical aneurysms in HCM are associated with substantial cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and raise novel treatment considerations.
Functional Impairment of Von Willebrand Factor in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Le Tourneau Thierry , Susen Sophie , Caron Claudine , Millaire Alain , Maréchaux Sylvestre , Polge Anne-Sophie , Vincentelli André , Mouquet Frederic , Ennezat Pierre-Vladimir , Lamblin Nicolas , de Groote Pascal , Van Belle Eric , Deklunder Ghislaine , Goudemand Jenny , Bauters Christophe , Jude Brigitte
Published: September 2008

Background—

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy submits blood to conditions of high shear stress. High shear stress impairs von Willebrand factor (VWF) and promotes abnormal bleeding in aortic stenosis. We sought to evaluate VWF impairment and its relationships to baseline or exercise obstruction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Methods and Results—

Outflow obstruction was evaluated by rest and exercise echocardiography in 62 patients with HCM (age 44±16 years, 40 males). HCM was considered obstructive in 28 patients with rest or exercise peak gradient ≥30 mm Hg. Blood was sampled to assess VWF. History of bleeding was recorded. Baseline median (25th to 75th percentile) peak gradient was 11 (5–62) mm Hg. Shear-induced platelet adhesion was impaired in patients with obstructive HCM. The ratio of VWF–collagen-binding activity to antigen and the percentage of high-molecular-weight multimers of VWF were lower in patients with obstructive HCM than in those with nonobstructive HCM (0.49 [0.43 to 0.59] versus 0.82 [0.73 to 1.03] and 5.0% [3.9% to 7.2%] versus 11.7% [10.8% to 12.5%], respectively; both
P
<0.0001). Platelet adhesion time, VWF–collagen-binding activity–to-antigen ratio, and the percentage of high-molecular-weight multimers correlated closely and independently with peak gradient (
r
=0.81,
r
=−0.68, and
r
=−0.89, respectively; all
P
<0.0001). According to receiver operating characteristic curves, a peak gradient threshold of 15 mm Hg at rest and 35 mm Hg during exercise was sufficient to impair VWF. Conversely, VWF function tended to improve with a decrease in peak gradient. Obstructive HCM patients had a trend toward abnormal spontaneous bleeding.

Conclusions—

In obstructive HCM, VWF impairment is frequent and is closely and independently related to the magnitude of outflow obstruction. A resting peak gradient of 15 mm Hg is sufficient to impair VWF. VWF abnormalities might favor abnormal bleeding in this setting.
Transgenic Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Overexpression in Vessels of SHRSP Rats Reduces Blood Pressure and Improves Endothelial Function
Authors: Rentzsch Brit , Todiras Mihail , Iliescu Radu , Popova Elena , Campos Luciana A. , Oliveira Marilene L. , Baltatu Ovidiu C. , Santos Robson A. , Bader Michael
Published: September 2008

Rat models of hypertension, eg, spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats (SHRSP), display reduced angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) mRNA and protein expression compared with control animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ACE2 in the pathogenesis of hypertension in these models. Therefore, we generated transgenic rats on a SHRSP genetic background expressing the human ACE2 in vascular smooth muscle cells by the use of the SM22 promoter, called SHRSP-ACE2. In these transgenic rats vascular smooth muscle expression of human ACE2 was confirmed by RNase protection, real-time RT-PCR, and ACE2 activity assays. Transgene expression leads to significantly increased circulating levels of angiotensin-(1-7), a prominent product of ACE2. Mean arterial blood pressure was reduced in SHRSP-ACE2 compared to SHRSP rats, and the vasoconstrictive response to intraarterial administration of angiotensin II was attenuated. The latter effect was abolished by previous administration of an ACE2 inhibitor. To evaluate the endothelial function in vivo, endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent agents such as acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside, respectively, were applied to the descending thoracic aorta and blood pressure was monitored. Endothelial function turned out to be significantly improved in SHRSP-ACE2 rats compared to SHRSP. These data demonstrate that vascular ACE2 overexpression in SHRSP reduces hypertension probably by locally degrading angiotensin II and improving endothelial function. Thus, activation of the ACE2/angiotensin-(1-7) axis may be a novel therapeutic strategy in hypertension.
Changes in Home Versus Clinic Blood Pressure With Antihypertensive Treatments
Authors: Ishikawa Joji , Carroll Deirdre J. , Kuruvilla Sujith , Schwartz Joseph E. , Pickering Thomas G.
Published: September 2008

Home blood pressure (HBP) monitoring is recommended for assessing the effects of antihypertensive treatment, but it is not clear how the treatment-induced changes in HBP compare with the changes in clinic blood pressure (CBP). We searched PubMed using the terms “home or self-measured blood pressure,” and selected articles in which the changes in CBP and HBP (using the upper arm oscillometric method) induced by antihypertensive drugs were presented. We performed a systematic review of 30 articles published before March 2008 that included a total of 6794 subjects. As there was significant heterogeneity in most of the outcomes, a random effects model was used for the meta-analyses. The mean changes (±SE) in CBP and HBP (systolic/diastolic) were −15.2±0.03/−10.3±0.03 mm Hg and −12.2±0.04/−8.0±0.04 mm Hg respectively, although there were wide varieties of differences in the reduction between HBP and CBP. The reductions in CBP were correlated with those of HBP (systolic BP;
r
=0.66, B=0.48, diastolic BP;
r
=0.71, B=0.52,
P
<0.001). In 7 studies that also included 24-hour BP monitoring, the reduction of HBP was greater than that of 24-hour BP in systolic (HBP; −12.6±0.06 mm Hg, 24-hour BP; −11.9±0.04 mm Hg,
P
<0.001). In 5 studies that included daytime and nighttime systolic BP separately, HBP decreased 15% more than daytime ambulatory BP and 30% more than nighttime ambulatory BP. In conclusion, HBP falls ≈20% less than CBP with antihypertensive treatments. Daytime systolic BP falls 15% less and nighttime systolic BP falls 30% less than home systolic BP.
Ibn Khaldun's Concept of Assabiyya: An Alternative Tool for Understanding Long-Term Politics
Authors: Kayapınar M. Akif
Published: September 2008

This essay considers Ibn Khaldun's concept of assabiyya with respect to the generation of the collective political action, particularly, directed to state formation. Special attention is paid to the nature and genesis of assabiyya as a technical term developed cumulatively throughout the Muqaddimah. It asks whether assabiyya, as Ibn Khaldun defined it, can be reformulated and applied in understanding and explaining current political developments. It concludes with the assertion that, considering its holistic and interdisciplinary nature, its moral implications, and, most importantly, its spatio-temporal dimension, assabiyya can emerge as an alternative conceptual tool in overcoming the impasse currently facing political theory in general and the liberal democratic paradigm in particular.
Beyond 'Science as a Vocation': Civilisational Epistemology in Weber and Ibn Khaldun
Authors: Ardıç Nurullah
Published: September 2008

Both Ibn Khaldun and Weber discuss science as a vocation, but their epistemologies go beyond it by incorporating the civilisational dimension. Commonly used as a unit of analysis by classical theorists, the term 'civilisation' has recently been rediscovered in social sciences. It has been argued that the 'epistemological paradigms of civilisations' produced by the mainstream intellectual traditions are fundamental factors shaping the minds of key intellectuals. This article tests this argument by analysing to what extent Ibn Khaldun and Weber's views of knowledge and science are influenced by Islamic and Western epistemological paradigms, respectively. Based on a close and critical reading of their relevant work, it argues that there are some resemblances, but also significant differences, between Ibn Khaldun and Weber, which can indeed be explained with reference to civilisational epistemological paradigms.
The Perception of Rational Sciences in the Muqaddimah: Ibn Khaldun's Individual Aptitudes Theory
Authors: Türker ÖMer
Published: September 2008

Ibn Khaldun utilises a web of terminology comprised of an intertwining of the Peripatetic and Asharî traditions, and establishes the discipline of umrân, after having espoused Asharî metaphysics and the Peripatetic mode of thinking. Besides accepting the Peripatetic theory of the soul, he converts it into a new theoretical structure which could be labelled as the individual characteristics or aptitudes theory, and assesses the attainment and administering of this knowledge within the magnitude of his self-developed theory. Data acquired about a given being, keeping with Ibn Khaldun, has cropped up as an outcome of "individual characteristics or aptitudes unique to persons" and precludes the creation from it a discipline, hence the perennial unfeasibility of converting metaphysical data into an objective discipline.
Ibn Khaldun's Perception of Sufis and Sufism: The Discipline of Tasawwuf in Umran
Authors: Ceyhan Semih
Published: September 2008

The purpose of this study is to analyse, against the backdrop of historical, social and political philosophy, Ibn Khaldun's perception of tasawwuf, a discipline he enumerates among the sharia sciences to emerge in umran, and notwithstanding his commending of the first phases of the incipience of tasawwuf rooted in ascetic ethics, his general criticisms of the Sufi thought of muhaqqiqs, i.e., investigative post-Ghazzalian Sufis, lead by Ibn al-Arabi. The analysis will seek to accentuate two determining problems of Ibn Khaldun's connected outlook: first, the identity of the religious-political authority; and second, how tasawwuf ought to be in umran. Historical experience illustrates, Ibn Khaldun holds, that the attempts of saints in seizing religious-worldly authority have been futile, as attested by the upheavals of Ibn al-Qasi and other Sufis, a failure which accordingly is occasioned by their deprivation of the support of tribalism, more precisely, their inefficiency in garnering social agreement on their ideas. Proceeding from this sociohistorical perspective, Ibn Khaldun has urged tasawwuf to abide by interpreting the spiritual states of pre-Ghazzalian Sufis, at the detriment of ruing the notion of tasawwuf espoused by muhaqqiq Sufis.
Ibn Khaldun's Critique of the Theory of al-Siyâsah al-Madaniyyah
Authors: Korkut Şenol
Published: September 2008

In this paper the method proposed by Ibn Khaldun in the political and social fields, will be examined in its original dimensions. The political philosophy that started with al-Farabi as a systematic style of thought in Islamic thought used deduction as a mandatory part of the tradition belonging to the philosopher. In one sense, this is a journey from 'description' to 'depiction'. Ibn Khaldun stated that this method remains insufficient in order to explain social phenomena and events, and widening this perspective indicated that political philosophy, in one sense, is compelled to present a utopian social model, and departing from this point criticised al-Farabi as not being a philosophical realist. At this point, the accusations made against the philosophers and his approach to the criticism of al-Siyasah al-Madaniyyah are investigated as to whether or not Ibn Khaldun approached political philosophy from a universal point of view, and if, while making these accusations, the theories of the philosophers were taken into account. Accordingly, Ibn Khaldun's theory of prophethood and happiness and the falasifa's influences on Ibn Khaldun are investigated.
The Forgotten Concept of Human Nature in Khaldunian Studies
Authors: Dhaouadi Mahmoud
Published: September 2008

On the sixth centenary commemoration (2006) of Ibn Khaldun, the focus in this essay is on the forgotten concept of 'human nature' in the studies of those who have dealt with his 'new social science' (ilmu al-umrani al-bashari). Though the concept is essential for the study of Ibn Khaldun's interdisciplinary thought; it has hardly been studied by those who have focused their scholarly work on the author of the Muqaddimmah's thought heritage. This essay attempts to shed light on Ibn Khaldun's concept of human nature. Here, three different types of the latter are identified in Ibn Khaldun's vision of humans. These types of human nature do not only affect the behaviours of single members of human societies, but they do also influence the rise and fall of the entire human societies and civilisations.
Television News in Singapore: Mediating Conflict and Consent
Authors: Rai Mugdha , Cottle Simon
Published: September 2008

Singapore's television media, notwithstanding the island's economic successes, is widely considered to be tightly controlled and regulated by the government. The role of Singapore's television news in enabling or curtailing democratic processes, however, remains largely unnoticed and under-theorised. This article reports on recent research which secures added empirical purchase on Singapore's TV journalism today and does so by identifying, mapping and pursuing into the production domain the repertoire of communicative frames that differentially characterise contemporary TV news in Singapore. Our findings document that there is considerably more complexity in the ecology and communicative frames of TV news than has so far been acknowledged or explored and these complexities have direct bearing on debates about the mediation of conflict and consent in Singapore's brand of 'democracy'.
Filial Piety and Intergenerational Co-residence: The Case of Chinese Singaporeans
Authors: Phua Voon Chin , Loh Jason
Published: September 2008

The concept of filial piety is not static and is subject to interpretations. The concept of filial piety also has evolved over time and adapted to local cultures. In this paper, we examine the practices of filial piety among Chinese Singaporeans. Using in-depth interviews collected in 2006 and 2007, we find that the idea of filial piety still resonates among Chinese Singaporeans, though in some cases it may merely be symbolic. While intergenerational co-residence is not the only way for children to demonstrate their filial piety, most participants view it as the epitome. However, filial piety, as demonstrated through intergenerational co-residence, may be hiding other issues that are detrimental to the quality of life for all parties. Nonetheless, positive intergenerational relationships bind the family together.
Between Myth and Reality: Approaches to Ibn Khaldun in the Arab World
Authors: Tomar Cengiz
Published: September 2008

Ibn Khaldun is one of most discussed social philosophers in the modern Arab World. The most important reasons for this are that he lived in a time of crisis that resembles the one that Muslims find themselves in at the present time, that his thoughts have found approval from Western scientists, and that they possess modern characteristics. It is for these reasons that the thought of Ibn Khaldun, from the 19th century onwards, have given rise to a wide variety of interpretations, including pan-Islamism, nationalism, socialism and other ideologies that have found interest in the Arab world. In this article, after examining the heritage of thought bequeathed by Ibn Khaldun to Arab culture, starting from the time in which he lived, we will try to evaluate interpretations of the Muqaddimah in the modern Arab world.
Escaping the Reformation in the Republic of Letters: Confessional Silence in Latin Emblem Books
Authors: Visser Arnoud
Published: September 2008

Recent scholarship has advanced paradoxical conclusions about the relationship between Renaissance humanism and the Reformation. While humanist techniques are considered to have played an instrumental role in the development, spread, and implementation of the Reformation, the humanist community is generally regarded as a supra-confessional “Republic of Letters.” This article addresses this paradox by looking at the religious language in Latin emblem books. These highly popular works emphasized a personal, intellectual spirituality, and expressed reservations against institutionalised religion. They have often been interpreted ideologically, as a humanistic, irenical response to the religious turmoil. When read in the context of the authors' and readers' practical interests, however, they reveal a more pragmatic strategy. Rather than promoting religious ideals, they used an a-confessional language to accommodate religious pluriformity. Examples of the reception by individual readers, e.g., in alba amicorum, further exemplify how confessional silence served as a communicative strategy in the Republic of Letters.
Johann Heinrich Hottinger (1620–1667) and the “Historia Orientalis”
Authors: Loop Jan
Published: September 2008

Generally neglected by scholars of the history of oriental studies, Johann Heinrich Hottinger's Historia Orientalis (1651, 2nd ed. 1660) is one of the most significant contributions to the history of Islam to have been published in the seventeenth century. This article analyses Hottinger's interest in Islam and in Arabic sources across the range of his writings and his correspondence, with a special focus on the Historia Orientalis. It discusses the philological and antiquarian standards by which he assessed Arab history and it describes the numerous Islamic manuscripts he exploited. It also examines the manifold ways in which Hottinger used the Koran and other Islamic sources to corroborate his apologetic Protestant interpretation of Church history. It thus sheds a light on the impact that a combination of confessional commitment, antiquarianism, and philology had on the rise of oriental studies in seventeenth-century Europe.
Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim's Febronius: A Censored Bishop and His Ecclesiology
Authors: Lehner Ulrich
Published: September 2008

In the second half of the eighteenth century, the greatest enemy of the Roman Curia was no longer French Gallicanism but German Febronianism, since it challenged papal primacy. It gained its name from the pseudonymous author of the book, De statu Ecclesiae (1763). The author, auxiliary Bishop Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim, was immediately censored and later forced to sign a retraction. This essay will provide the first English synthesis and overview of the publishing history of this important work and its ecclesiology, as well as show how the Curia dealt with this dissident theologian.
Neo-Calvinist Culture Protestantism: Abraham Kuyper's Stone Lectures
Authors: Molendijk Arie
Published: September 2008

The article addresses Kuyper's re-interpretation of Calvinism, which allegedly combined the richness of its tradition with an endorsement of modern principles and ways of life (except for gambling, theater going, and some other minor activities). Yet the acceptance of the modern way of life did not mean secularism; on the contrary, according to Kuyper Calvinism in itself was a modern principle, which could – against the prevailing powers of a secularizing modernity – penetrate society as a whole.
State Leadership for School Improvement: An Analysis of Three States
Authors: Seashore Louis Karen , Thomas Emanda , Gordon Molly F. , Febey Karen S.
Published: September 2008

Purpose: Extant reports on states'policy differences are mostly descriptive and largely ignore the pervasive role of political culture on their educational policy-making processes. This article examines the effect of policy culture on states' policy-making mechanisms. There is evidence that a state's political culture is a significant mediating influence on its educational policy making and leadership practices at the state, district, and local level.

Data Collection and Analysis: We conducted an empirical, comparative case study of educational leadership and policy-making mechanisms in three states—Indiana, Nebraska, and Oregon. Those three states, chosen because of their similarities in size but differences in educational policy histories, were part of a larger leadership study of nine states. Within each state, researchers interviewed between 8 and 11 educational policymakers who represented a diverse array of positions and organizations. The interviews were 1 hr in length, conducted in a semistructured format, and revolved around their states' accountability and school leadership policies, key educational stakeholders, and levels of collaboration among those stakeholders.

Findings: Each state in the study had very different means through which they pursued educational policies. Indiana had centralized decision-making structures that sought to promote leadership and accountability through policies that revolved around equity and efficiency. Oregon had a high level of participation and collaboration at all levels in the state's mostly decentralized but very open educational policy-making process that emphasized quality. Nebraska's policy culture, which was more independent and decentralized than Oregon's, was highly collaborative but had comparatively low levels of support for state-supported leadership and accountability initiatives. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that political culture is a mediating factor for states' responses to increasing demands for leadership and accountability initiatives; it is therefore necessary to account for the impact of each state's unique political culture when planning for and explaining results of these initiatives.
Communication and Guilt in a Prisoner's Dilemma
Authors: Miettinen Topi , Suetens Sigrid
Published: September 2008

In this article, the authors measure experienced guilt in a prisoner's-dilemma experiment with preplay communication. The authors find that feelings of guilt only arise in the case of unilateral defection and that they are stronger when players have mutually agreed to cooperate. The authors also find that fining unilateral defection reduces feelings of guilt.
Perfect Storms?
Authors: Enterline Andrew J. , Greig J. Michael
Published: September 2008

What explains variation in domestic political instability in polities imposed by foreign powers? We formulate a framework grounded in four sources of political instability in imposed polities: (1) the initial conditions under which a polity is imposed, (2) policy choices made by the imposer, (3) the prevailing domestic conditions within states hosting the imposed polity, and (4) the international environment within which the host state is embedded. Employing a sample of ninety-four imposed polities during the period 1816—1994 to test expectations from the framework, we find, in part, that ethnoreligious heterogeneity coupled with democratic institutions, preimposition military defeat, colonial experience, dissimilarity of neighboring political institutions, hostility from neighboring states, and the presence of the imposing state each stimulate political instability. The analysis suggests a bleak prognosis for domestic peace in postinvasion Afghanistan and Iraq as the causal factors that militate against domestic stability are manifold and likely reinforcing.
Vocal Improvisation and Creative Thinking by Australian and American University Jazz Singers A Factor Analytic Study
Authors: Madura Ward-Steinman Patrice
Published: September 2008

In this study, the author investigated factors underlying vocal improvisation achievement and relationships with the singers' musical background. Participants were 102 college students in Australia and the United States who performed 3 jazz improvisations and 1 free improvisation. Jazz improvisations were rated on rhythmic, tonal, and creative thinking criteria; free improvisations were rated only on creativity criteria. The results are as follows: (a) A significant difference was found between jazz and free improvisation achievement; (b) extensive jazz experience, especially study and listening, was found to be significantly correlated with vocal improvisation achievement; (c) 3 factors were found to underlie jazz improvisation: jazz syntax, vocal creativity, and tonal musicianship; and (d) 3 factors were found to underlie free improvisation: musical syntax, vocal creativity, and scat syllable creativity.