bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SIRT6 protects against pathological damage caused by diet‐induced obesity
Authors: Kanfi Yariv , Peshti Victoria , Gil Reuven , Naiman Shoshana , Nahum Liat , Levin Eran , Kronfeld‐Schor Noga , Cohen Haim Y.
Published: December 2009

The NAD+‐dependent SIRT6 deacetylase is a therapeutic candidate against the emerging metabolic syndrome epidemic. SIRT6, whose deficiency in mice results in premature aging phenotypes and metabolic defects, was implicated in a calorie restriction response that showed an opposite set of phenotypes from the metabolic syndrome. To explore the role of SIRT6 in metabolic stress, wild type and transgenic (TG) mice overexpressing SIRT6 were fed a high fat diet. In comparison to their wild‐type littermates, SIRT6 TG mice accumulated significantly less visceral fat, LDL‐cholesterol, and triglycerides. TG mice displayed enhanced glucose tolerance along with increased glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion. Gene expression analysis of adipose tissue revealed that the positive effect of SIRT6 overexpression is associated with down regulation of a selective set of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐responsive genes, and genes associated with lipid storage, such as angiopoietin‐like protein 4, adipocyte fatty acid‐binding protein, and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1, which were suggested as potential targets for drugs to control metabolic syndrome. These results demonstrate a protective role for SIRT6 against the metabolic consequences of diet‐induced obesity and suggest a potentially beneficial effect of SIRT6 activation on age‐related metabolic diseases.
Endogenous glucocorticoids decrease skeletal angiogenesis, vascularity, hydration, and strength in aged mice
Authors: Weinstein Robert S. , Wan Chao , Liu Qinglan , Wang Ying , Almeida Maria , O’Brien Charles A. , Thostenson Jeff , Roberson Paula K. , Boskey Adele L. , Clemens Thomas L. , Manolagas Stavros C.
Published: December 2009

Aging or glucocorticoid excess decrease bone strength more than bone mass in humans and mice, but an explanation for this mismatch remains elusive. We report that aging in C57BL/6 mice was associated with an increase in adrenal production of glucocorticoids as well as bone expression of 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β‐HSD) type 1, the enzyme that activates glucocorticoids. Aging also decreased the volume of the bone vasculature and solute transport from the peripheral circulation to the lacunar‐canalicular system. The same changes were reproduced by pharmacologic hyperglucocorticoidism. Furthermore, mice in which osteoblasts and osteocytes were shielded from glucocorticoids via cell‐specific transgenic expression of 11β‐HSD type 2, the enzyme that inactivates glucocorticoids, were protected from the adverse effects of aging on osteoblast and osteocyte apoptosis, bone formation rate and microarchitecture, crystallinity, vasculature volume, interstitial fluid, and strength. In addition, glucocorticoids suppressed angiogenesis in fetal metatarsals and hypoxia inducible factor‐1α transcription and vascular endothelial growth factor production in osteoblasts and osteocytes. These results, together with the evidence that dehydration of bone decreases strength, reveal that endogenous glucocorticoids increase skeletal fragility in old age as a result of cell autonomous effects on osteoblasts and osteocytes leading to interconnected decrements in bone angiogenesis, vasculature volume, and osteocyte‐lacunar‐canalicular fluid.
POLARIZATION ORDERINGS OF INCOME DISTRIBUTIONS
Authors: Chakravarty Satya R. , D'Ambrosio Conchita
Published: December 2009

This paper considers an intermediate notion of polarization which is defined as a convex mix of relative and absolute concepts of polarization. While absolute polarization indices remain unchanged under equal absolute augmentation in all incomes, relative indices do not change under equiproportionate variations in all incomes. We then identify the class of intermediate polarization indices whose orderings of alternative income distributions agree with the rankings generated by intermediate polarization curves. The ranking relation developed is implemented by a simple graphical device. Finally, a numerical illustration of the results developed in the paper is provided using data from Southern European countries.
Protein quality in Mirasol pathogen reduction technology–treated, apheresis‐derived fresh‐frozen plasma
Authors: Smith James , Rock Gail
Published: December 2009

BACKGROUND: The Mirasol pathogen reduction technology (PRT) system for plasma is based on a riboflavin (vitamin B2) and ultraviolet (UV) light treatment process resulting in pathogen inactivation due to irreversible photo‐oxidative damage of nucleic acids. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro protein quality of apheresis‐derived plasma treated with riboflavin and UV light in comparison with untreated fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP).

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty apheresis plasma samples (270 ± 10 mL) were combined with 35 ± 5 mL of riboflavin solution (500 µM), yielding a mean 60 µM final riboflavin concentration, and then exposed to UV light (6.24 J/mL). Riboflavin and UV light–treated plasma was then flash frozen, within 8 hours of collection, generating treated FFP. Treated FFP was thawed and analyzed using standard coagulation assays, and the percent retention of protein activity was reported, relative to untreated, paired controls.

RESULTS: Plasma proteins demonstrated different sensitivities to riboflavin and UV treatment. The amount of total protein remained unchanged. After treatment, fibrinogen (antigen) showed 99% retention; Factor (F)XII, FXIII, ADAMTS‐13, and von Willebrand factor (ristocetin cofactor) 96% to 100%. Fibrinogen retained 77% activity, FII 80%, FVIIIc 75%, and FV 73% after treatment. Antithrombin, protein S, plasminogen, and α2‐antiplasmin retained between 91 and 100% activity.

CONCLUSION: The results from this study demonstrate that coagulant and anticoagulant proteins in riboflavin and UV light–treated (PRT) apheresis plasma are well preserved.
Quality evaluation of frozen apheresis red blood cell storage with 21‐day postthaw storage in additive solution 3 and saline‐adenine‐glucose‐mannitol: biochemical and chromium‐51 recovery measures
Authors: Bohoněk Miloš , Petráš Marek , Turek Ivo , Urbanová Jaroslava , Hrádek Tomáš , Chmátal Petr , Staropražská Věra , Koštířová Jitka , Horčičková Dana , Duchková Simona , Svobodová Jitka , Tejčková Eva
Published: December 2009

BACKGROUND: The Czech Republic decided to build the frozen red blood cell (RBC) bank for military contingency and civil emergency preparedness. Storage methods were validated with 51Cr recovery measures out to 21 days postthaw.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 139 apheresis RBC units collected in additive solution (additive solution 3 [AS‐3] or saline‐adenine‐glucose‐mannitol [SAG‐M]) were obtained from volunteers by double erythrocytapheresis; all were sterilely glycerolized, frozen, stored for at least 30 days at a minimum of −65°C in collection or cryogenic bags, thawed, sterilely deglycerolized, and stored at 4 ± 2°C for up to 21 days in AS‐3 or SAG‐M. Units were sampled before storage and after thaw weekly. Metabolic intermediates and 51Cr recovery measures were obtained to determine the index of therapeutic effectiveness (ITE).

RESULTS: Despite losses associated with cryoconservation and eventual transfer to cryogenic bags, 3‐week storage with optimum ITE was obtained with frozen storage in primary collection or cryogenic bags and postthaw storage in AS‐3. Such cells would pass as acceptable in vitro hematology and biochemistry variables.

CONCLUSIONS: A system for frozen RBC storage with 3‐week, postthaw, liquid storage has been validated. With commercially available components and automated processing, it is capable of supporting civilian rare blood and emergency and international military combat and peacekeeping support use patterns.
Is “transfusion‐associated necrotizing enterocolitis” an authentic pathogenic entity?
Authors: Christensen Robert D. , Lambert Diane K. , Henry Erick , Wiedmeier Susan E. , Snow Gregory L. , Baer Vickie L. , Gerday Erick , Ilstrup Sarah , Pysher Theodore J.
Published: December 2009

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) sometimes occurs after a transfusion, but it is unclear whether this is a chance association or cause and effect.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We compared features of neonates that developed surgical NEC within 48 hours after transfusion with others that developed NEC not preceded by transfusion. We assessed the blood used for transfusion and feeding practices among NEC cases and controls.

RESULTS: Forty neonates developed surgical NEC after a transfusion and 72 developed NEC unrelated to a transfusion. Those with NEC after transfusion were born at earlier gestation (mean 27 weeks, 90% confidence interval [CI] 26‐28 years vs. mean 30, 90% CI 29‐31; p < 0.001) and were of lower birth weight (mean 981 g, 90% CI 835‐1128 g vs. mean 1371 g, 90% CI 1245‐1496; p < 0.001) and developed NEC later during their neonatal intensive care unit course (day of life: mean 23, 90% CI 20‐27 vs. mean 16, 90% CI 13‐19; p < 0.001). Transfusions were more prevalent among those that developed NEC (p < 0.001). The blood transfused to those that developed NEC was not older, but those who developed NEC had been fed larger volumes of milk in the 24 hours before and during transfusion (p = 0.04) and were more likely to have been fed a bovine product during that period (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION: Approximately one‐third of surgical NEC cases in our system occurred after a transfusion. We speculate that a target area for reducing the prevalence of posttransfusion NEC involves feeding practices immediately before and during RBC transfusion.
Exploring opinions and beliefs about cord blood donation among Hispanic and non‐Hispanic black women
Authors: Rucinski Dianne , Jones Risé , Reyes Brenda , Tidwell Lawon , Phillips RoiAnn , Delves Denise
Published: December 2009

BACKGROUND: Despite higher birth rates among non‐Hispanic blacks and Hispanics, the availability of umbilical cord blood from these groups is lower due to lower donation rates than that of non‐Hispanic whites. Similar racial and ethnic disparities in donation rates have been found for blood and organ donation. This study is among the first to explore beliefs and attitudes toward umbilical cord blood donation among Hispanic and non‐Hispanic black women.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Five focus groups composed of Hispanic and non‐Hispanic black women were conducted to explore how women conceptualize information needs about umbilical cord blood donation and from whom women want to receive information about donation. Participants were adult women who had given birth within the past year or were pregnant.

RESULTS: Lack of basic information regarding umbilical cord blood, its harvesting and use, and the steps and conditions necessary to donate were primary barriers to donation. Women expressed confusion over the differences between “donation” and “banking.” The social value of donation was explicitly weighed in terms of the cost of the donation effort. Doctors were viewed as critical sources for information about donation, although women expressed skepticism about doctors' ability to convey sufficient information during short office visits.

CONCLUSION: Efforts to increase donation rates among Hispanic and non‐Hispanic black women should include information about both the technical aspects and the social value of donation. The specific terms “umbilical” and “donation” should be used consistently to prevent misunderstanding. Information should be provided by physicians with follow‐up by other health providers.
Monetary Policy Trade‐Offs with a Dominant Oil Producer
Authors: NAKOV ANTON , PESCATORI ANDREA
Published: December 2009

We model oil production decisions from optimizing principles rather than assuming exogenous oil price shocks and show that the presence of a dominant oil producer leads to sizable static and dynamic distortions of the production process. Under our calibration, the static distortion costs the U.S. around 1.6% of GDP per year. In addition, the dynamic distortion, reflected in inefficient fluctuations of the oil price markup, generates a trade‐off between stabilizing inflation and aligning output with its efficient level. Our model is a step away from discussing the effects of exogenous oil price variations and toward analyzing the implications of the underlying shocks that cause oil prices to change in the first place.
Simple Monetary Rules under Fiscal Dominance
Authors: KUMHOF MICHAEL , NUNES RICARDO , YAKADINA IRINA
Published: December 2009

This paper asks whether interest rate rules that respond aggressively to inflation, following the Taylor principle, are feasible in countries that suffer from fiscal dominance. We find that if interest rates are allowed to also respond to government debt, they can produce unique equilibria. But such equilibria are associated with extremely volatile inflation. The resulting frequent violations of the zero lower bound make such rules infeasible. Even within the set of feasible rules the welfare optimizing response to inflation is highly negative. The welfare gain from responding to government debt is minimal compared to the gain from eliminating fiscal dominance.
Does Inflation Targeting Affect the Dispersion of Inflation Expectations?
Authors: CAPISTRÁN CARLOS , RAMOS‐FRANCIA MANUEL
Published: December 2009

In this paper, we examine the effect of having an inflation targeting framework on the dispersion of inflation forecasts from professional forecasters. We use a panel data set of 25 countries—including 14 inflation targeters—with 16 years of monthly information. We find that the dispersion of long‐run inflation expectations is smaller in targeting regimes after controlling for country‐specific effects, time‐specific effects, the level and the variance of inflation, disinflation periods, and global inflation. On average, the full effect is not observed until the third year after implementation of inflation targeting. When we differentiate between developed and developing countries, the dispersion of inflation expectations after inflation targeting is smaller and statistically significant only in developing countries.
Can We Explain Inflation Persistence in a Way that Is Consistent with the Microevidence on Nominal Rigidity?
Authors: DIXON HUW , KARA ENGIN
Published: December 2009

This paper adopts the impulse‐response methodology to understand inflation persistence. It has often been argued that existing models of pricing fail to explain the persistence that we observe. We adopt a common general framework that allows for an explicit modeling of the distribution of contract lengths and for different types of price setting. We also evaluate how far the theories are consistent with recent evidence on price and wage rigidity. We find that allowing for a distribution of durations can take us a long way to solving the puzzle of inflation persistence, but not all the way yet.
Macroeconomic Shocks and Banks' Foreign Assets
Authors: BUCH CLAUDIA M. , CARSTENSEN KAI , SCHERTLER ANDREA
Published: December 2009

Recent developments in international financial markets have highlighted the role of banks in the transmission of shocks across borders. We employ dynamic panel methods for a sample of OECD countries to analyze whether banks' foreign assets react to macroeconomic shocks at home and abroad. We find that banks reduce their foreign assets in response to a relative increase in domestic interest rates, and they increase their foreign assets when the growth rate of world energy prices rises. The responses are characterized by a temporal overshooting and a dynamic adjustment process that extends over several quarters.
Does Wealth Imply Secularization and Longevity?
Authors: BECSI ZSOLT
Published: December 2009

We develop a simple life cycle model with endogenous longevity where religious firms influence religious beliefs using donations as an input. The model suggests that either wealth and economic development or competition by religious firms can explain cross‐country variation in religious beliefs, but to explain cross‐country variation in religious beliefs, longevity, and consumption both development and competition are required. Our results depend on the wealth and substitution effects that accompany economic development and religious market competition.
Decision Making Under Uncertainty—An Example for Seismic Risk Management
Authors: Tesfamariam Solomon , Sadiq Rehan , Najjaran Homayoun
Published: December 2009

Decision‐making techniques are used to select the “best” alternatives under multiple and often conflicting criteria. Multicriteria decision making (MCDM) necessitates to incorporate uncertainties in the decision‐making process. The major thrust of this article is to extend the framework proposed by Yager(1)for multiple decisionmakers and fuzzy utilities (payoffs). In addition, the concept of expert credibility factor is introduced. The proposed approach is demonstrated for an example of seismic risk management using a heuristic hierarchical structure. A step‐by‐step formulation of the proposed approach is illustrated using a hypothetical example and a three‐story reinforced concrete building.
Risk Perception and Movies: A Study of Availability as a Factor in Risk Perception
Authors: Sjöberg Lennart , Engelberg Elisabeth
Published: December 2009

Media effects on risk perception have often been explained by Tversky and Kahneman's availability principle, but research has not consistently supported it. What seem like media effects based on availability may be effects of new information. In an experimental study, entertainment movies depicting dramatic risk events were shown. They were found to produce no average effects on perceived risks in spite of large mood effects and being perceived as credible. We found, however, evidence of idiosyncratic effects of the movies, that is, people reacted immediately after the movies with enhanced or diminished risk beliefs. These reactions had faded after 10 days. Implications for the availability heuristic and risk perception are discussed.
Modeling Logistic Performance in Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment
Authors: Rijgersberg Hajo , Tromp Seth , Jacxsens Liesbeth , Uyttendaele Mieke
Published: December 2009

In quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA), food safety in the food chain is modeled and simulated. In general, prevalences, concentrations, and numbers of microorganisms in media are investigated in the different steps from farm to fork. The underlying rates and conditions (such as storage times, temperatures, gas conditions, and their distributions) are determined. However, the logistic chain with its queues (storages, shelves) and mechanisms for ordering products is usually not taken into account. As a consequence, storage times—mutually dependent in successive steps in the chain—cannot be described adequately. This may have a great impact on the tails of risk distributions. Because food safety risks are generally very small, it is crucial to model the tails of (underlying) distributions as accurately as possible. Logistic performance can be modeled by describing the underlying planning and scheduling mechanisms in discrete‐event modeling. This is common practice in operations research, specifically in supply chain management. In this article, we present the application of discrete‐event modeling in the context of a QMRA for Listeria monocytogenes in fresh‐cut iceberg lettuce. We show the potential value of discrete‐event modeling in QMRA by calculating logistic interventions (modifications in the logistic chain) and determining their significance with respect to food safety.
After Enactment: The Lives and Deaths of Federal Programs
Authors: Berry Christopher R. , Burden Barry C. , Howell William G.
Published: December 2009

While many scholars have focused on the production of legislation, we explore life after enactment. Contrary to the prevailing view that federal programs are indissoluble, we show that programmatic restructurings and terminations are commonplace. In addition, we observe significant changes in programmatic appropriations. We suggest that a sitting congress is most likely to transform, kill, or cut programs inherited from an enacting congress when its partisan composition differs substantially. To test this claim, we examine the postenactment histories of every federal domestic program established between 1971 and 2003, using a new dataset that distinguishes program death from restructuring. Consistent with our predictions, we find that changes in the partisan composition of congresses have a strong influence on program durability and size. We thus dispel the notion that federal programs are everlasting while providing a plausible coalition‐based account for their evolution.
Tax Toleration and Tax Compliance: How Government Affects the Propensity of Firms to Enter the Unofficial Economy
Authors: Hibbs Douglas A. , Piculescu Violeta
Published: December 2009

How do government‐supplied institutional benefits and the taxation and regulation of producers affect the propensity of private firms to enter the unofficial economy and evade taxation? We propose a model in which the incentive of firms to operate underground depends on tax rates relative to firm‐specific thresholds of tax toleration that are decisively affected by quality of governance—in particular by the presence of high‐grade institutions delivering services enhancing official production that anchor profit‐maximizing firms to the official economy. Some key predictions of the model concerning the determinants of firms' tax toleration and tax compliance receive broad support from empirical analyses of enterprise‐level data from the World Bank's World Business Environment Surveys.
Party Government and the “Cohesive Power of Public Plunder”
Authors: Carroll Royce , Kim Henry A.
Published: December 2009

We argue that party government in the U.S. House of Representatives rests on two pillars: the pursuit of policy goals and the disbursement of particularistic benefits. Existing theories of party government argue that the majority party in the House is often successful in biasing policy outcomes in its favor. In the process, it creates “policy losers” among its own members who nevertheless support their party on procedural votes. We posit that the majority party creates an incentive for even the policy losers to support a procedural coalition through judicious distribution of particularistic benefits that compensates policy losers at a rate commensurate with the policy losses that they suffer. We evaluate our theory empirically using the concept of “roll rates” in conjunction with federal domestic outlays data for the period 1983–96. We find that, within the majority party, policy losers are favored in the distribution of “pork barrel” spending throughout this period.
International Institutions and Domestic Compensation: The IMF and the Politics of Capital Account Liberalization
Authors: Mukherjee Bumba , Singer David Andrew
Published: December 2009

Certain governments have been faster than others in relaxing their restrictions on the cross‐border movement of capital. How can we explain the timing and extent of financial liberalization across countries since the 1970s? We argue that IMF stabilization programs provide a window of opportunity for governments to initiate financial reforms, but that policy makers are more likely to seize this opportunity when welfare expenditures are high. Large loans from the IMF shield policy makers from the costs of financial reform, while welfare expenditures provide credibility to the government's ex ante promises of compensation to individuals who are harmed by the reforms. We test this hypothesis on data for 87 countries from 1975 to 2002. We employ a spatial autoregressive error sample selection model which accounts for the nonrandom participation of countries in IMF programs as well as the processes of international policy diffusion. The results provide strong support for the interactive effect of IMF programs and domestic welfare expenditures on financial liberalization.
Rough Terrain: Spatial Variation in Campaign Contributing and Volunteerism
Authors: Cho Wendy K. Tam , Gimpel James G.
Published: December 2009

We examine spatial patterns of mass political participation in the form of volunteering and donating to a major statewide election campaign. While these forms of participation are predictably associated with the political and socioeconomic characteristics of the precincts in which the participants reside, we find that these statistical relationships are spatially nonstationary. High‐income neighborhoods, for example, are associated with stronger effects on participation at some locations more than at others. By using geographically weighted regression (GWR) to specify local regression parameters, we are able to capture the heterogeneity of contextual processes that generate the geographically uneven flow of volunteers and contributors into a political campaign. Since spatial nonstationarity may well be a rule rather than an exception in the study of many political phenomena, social scientific analyses should be mindful that relationships may vary by location.
Ideological Congruence and Electoral Institutions
Authors: Golder Matt , Stramski Jacek
Published: December 2009

Although the literature examining the relationship between ideological congruence and electoral rules is quite large, relatively little attention has been paid to how congruence should be conceptualized. As we demonstrate, empirical results regarding ideological congruence can depend on exactly how scholars conceptualize and measure it. In addition to clarifying various aspects of how scholars currently conceptualize congruence, we introduce a new conceptualization and measure of congruence that captures a long tradition in democratic theory emphasizing the ideal of having a legislature that accurately reflects the preferences of the citizenry as a whole. Our new measure is the direct counterpart for congruence of the vote‐seat disproportionality measures so heavily used in comparative studies of representation. Using particularly appropriate data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems, we find that governments in proportional democracies are not substantively more congruent than those in majoritarian democracies. Proportional democracies are, however, characterized by more representative legislatures.
The New Racial Calculus: Electoral Institutions and Black Representation in Local Legislatures
Authors: Marschall Melissa J. , Ruhil Anirudh V. S. , Shah Paru R.
Published: December 2009

In this study we revisit the question of black representation on city councils and school boards using a novel substantive and methodological approach and longitudinal data for a sample of over 300 boards and councils. Conceptualizing black representation as a two‐stage process, we fit Mullahy's hurdle Poisson models to explain whether and to what extent blacks achieve representation in local legislatures. We find that while the size of the black population and electoral arrangements matter more than ever, especially for overcoming the representational hurdle, the extent to which the black population is concentrated is also strongly associated with black council representation. Further, whereas black resources and opportunities to build “rainbow” coalitions with Latinos or liberal whites are marginally if at all related to black legislative representation, we find that legislative size is an underappreciated mechanism by which to increase representation, particularly in at‐large systems, and is perhaps the best predictor of moving towards additional representation.
The Freedom of Desire: Hegel's Response to Rousseau on the Problem of Civil Society
Authors: Church Jeffrey
Published: December 2009

The ever‐growing body of literature on civil society can benefit from a return to the original theoretical articulation and defense of the concept in the work of G.W.F. Hegel. Specifically, this article suggests that Jean‐Jacques Rousseau's influential critique of civil society remains unanswered and argues that Hegel responded with a sweeping and sympathetic institutional design that remains relevant today. Hegel agrees with Rousseau that commercial society aggravates the dissatisfaction of its members, and that educating individual desire through institutional design is necessary to solve this difficulty. However, modern states need not adopt Rousseau's extreme and impracticable solution. Hegel's concrete, market‐based associations of civil society render desires satiable and elevate them to accord with the common good, while still maintaining the freedom and distinctness of a pluralistic modern society.
Partisanship, Political Control, and Economic Assessments
Authors: Gerber Alan S. , Huber Gregory A.
Published: December 2009

Previous research shows that partisans rate the economy more favorably when their party holds power. There are several explanations for this association, including use of different evaluative criteria, selective perception, selective exposure to information, correlations between economic experiences and partisanship, and partisan bias in survey responses. We use a panel survey around the November 2006 election to measure changes in economic expectations and behavioral intentions after an unanticipated shift in political power. Using this design, we can observe whether the association between partisanship and economic assessments holds when some leading mechanisms thought to bring it about are excluded. We find that there are large and statistically significant partisan differences in how economic assessments and behavioral intentions are revised immediately following the Democratic takeover of Congress. We conclude that this pattern of partisan response suggests partisan differences in perceptions of the economic competence of the parties, rather than alternative mechanisms.
Using Experiments to Estimate the Effects of Education on Voter Turnout
Authors: Sondheimer Rachel Milstein , Green Donald P.
Published: December 2009

The powerful relationship between education and voter turnout is arguably the most well‐documented and robust finding in American survey research. Yet the causal interpretation of this relationship remains controversial, with many authors suggesting that the apparent link between education and turnout is spurious. In contrast to previous work, which has relied on observational data to assess the effect of education on voter turnout, this article analyzes two randomized experiments and one quasi‐experiment in which educational attainment was altered exogenously. We track the children in these experiments over the long term, examining their voting rates as adults. In all three studies, we find that exogenously induced changes in high school graduation rates have powerful effects on voter turnout rates. These results imply that the correlation between education and turnout is indeed causal. We discuss some of the pathways by which education may transmit its influence.
A Global Model for Forecasting Political Instability
Authors: Goldstone Jack A. , Bates Robert H. , Epstein David L. , Gurr Ted Robert , Lustik Michael B. , Marshall Monty G. , Ulfelder Jay , Woodward Mark
Published: December 2009

Examining onsets of political instability in countries worldwide from 1955 to 2003, we develop a model that distinguishes countries that experienced instability from those that remained stable with a two‐year lead time and over 80% accuracy. Intriguingly, the model uses few variables and a simple specification. The model is accurate in forecasting the onsets of both violent civil wars and nonviolent democratic reversals, suggesting common factors in both types of change. Whereas regime type is typically measured using linear or binary indicators of democracy/autocracy derived from the 21‐point Polity scale, the model uses a nonlinear five‐category measure of regime type based on the Polity components. This new measure of regime type emerges as the most powerful predictor of instability onsets, leading us to conclude that political institutions, properly specified, and not economic conditions, demography, or geography, are the most important predictors of the onset of political instability.
How to Analyze Political Attention with Minimal Assumptions and Costs
Authors: Quinn Kevin M. , Monroe Burt L. , Colaresi Michael , Crespin Michael H. , Radev Dragomir R.
Published: December 2009

Previous methods of analyzing the substance of political attention have had to make several restrictive assumptions or been prohibitively costly when applied to large‐scale political texts. Here, we describe a topic model for legislative speech, a statistical learning model that uses word choices to infer topical categories covered in a set of speeches and to identify the topic of specific speeches. Our method estimates, rather than assumes, the substance of topics, the keywords that identify topics, and the hierarchical nesting of topics. We use the topic model to examine the agenda in the U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2004. Using a new database of over 118,000 speeches (70,000,000 words) from the Congressional Record, our model reveals speech topic categories that are both distinctive and meaningfully interrelated and a richer view of democratic agenda dynamics than had previously been possible.
A Method of Automated Nonparametric Content Analysis for Social Science
Authors: Hopkins Daniel J. , King Gary
Published: December 2009

The increasing availability of digitized text presents enormous opportunities for social scientists. Yet hand coding many blogs, speeches, government records, newspapers, or other sources of unstructured text is infeasible. Although computer scientists have methods for automated content analysis, most are optimized to classify individual documents, whereas social scientists instead want generalizations about the population of documents, such as the proportion in a given category. Unfortunately, even a method with a high percent of individual documents correctly classified can be hugely biased when estimating category proportions. By directly optimizing for this social science goal, we develop a method that gives approximately unbiased estimates of category proportions even when the optimal classifier performs poorly. We illustrate with diverse data sets, including the daily expressed opinions of thousands of people about the U.S. presidency. We also make available software that implements our methods and large corpora of text for further analysis.
Conduction Delay in Right Ventricle as a Marker for Identifying High‐Risk Patients With Brugada Syndrome
Authors: DOI ATSUSHI , TAKAGI MASAHIKO , MAEDA KEIKO , TATSUMI HIROAKI , SHIMENO KENJI , YOSHIYAMA MINORU
Published: December 2009

Conduction Delay as a Marker for Brugada Syndrome. Objectives: To evaluate the significance of conduction delay (CD) in the right ventricle (RV) in Brugada syndrome (BS) as a marker for risk stratification of sudden death.

Methods:
Twenty‐five patients with BS (7 with documented ventricular fibrillation (VF), 8 with syncope, and 10 without symptoms) and 10 control subjects were paced from the RV apex using 8 beats of drive pacing and a single extra‐stimulus. CDs in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) (CD‐RV) and in the lateral left ventricle (L‐LV) (CD‐LV), and the local electrogram durations at a single extra‐stimulus in RVOT (D‐RV) and L‐LV (D‐LV) were calculated. We also evaluated changes in 12‐lead ECG parameters in 16 patients with BS after pilsicainide challenge test (Pilsicainide‐test).

Results:
Maximal CD‐RV and maximal D‐RV were significantly larger than maximal CD‐LV and maximal D‐LV in BS (26 ± 10 and 105 ± 15 vs 20 ± 6 and 92 ± 15 ms, P < 0.05, respectively). Maximal CD‐RV and maximal D‐RV in patients with documented VF were the largest among the 3 groups. There was a significant positive correlation between maximal CD‐RV or maximal D‐RV and changes in QRS duration in leads V2 and V5 and in S wave duration in lead II and V5 after Pilsicainide‐test (CD‐RV; r = 0.54, 0.51, 0.56, and 0.53: D‐RV; r = 0.55, 0.5, 0.57, and 0.53, P < 0.05, respectively). In control subjects, there were no significant differences.

Conclusions:
CD in RV was a useful marker for identifying high‐risk patients with BS. CD in the RV, especially in the RVOT epicardium, may be related to arrhythmias in BS. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 688‐696, June 2010)
Atrial Resynchronization Following Heart Transplantation in Childhood
Authors: CADRIN‐TOURIGNY JULIA , FOURNIER ANNE , KHAIRY PAUL , VOBECKY SUZANNE J.
Published: December 2009

Atrial Resynchronization After Transplant. Despite preserved left ventricular function, exercise capacity is often impaired after cardiac transplantation due to autonomic denervation of the donor's sinus node. We present our experience with atrio‐atrial resynchronization in 2 pediatric heart transplant recipients. Both were highly active, suffered from chronotropic incompetence, and underwent successful atrial resynchronization with an objective improvement in exercise capacity, restoration of a physiologic chronotropic response, and resolution of dyspnea. Long‐term stable recipient sinus node function may, therefore, be maintained in some cardiac transplant recipients with standard atrio‐atrial anastomes. Atrio‐atrial pacing may be feasible and effective years after transplantation. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 577‐580, May 2010)
The Modified Anterior Line: An Alternative Linear Lesion in Perimitral Flutter
Authors: TZEIS STYLIANOS , LUIK ARMIN , JILEK CLEMENS , SCHMITT CLAUS , ESTNER HEIDI L. , WU JINJIN , REENTS TILKO , FICHTNER STEPHANIE , KOLB CHRISTOF , KARCH MARTIN R. , HESSLING GABRIELE , DEISENHOFER ISABEL
Published: December 2009

Modified Anterior Line for Perimitral Flutter. Introduction: Ablation of left atrial flutter (LAF) is often limited by the need for technically demanding linear lesions. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a new modified anterior line (MAL), connecting the anterior/anterolateral mitral annulus with the left superior pulmonary vein for ablation of perimitral flutter.

Methods and Results:
MAL was performed in 65 patients (15 females, age 63.6 ± 9.8 years) with perimitral flutter using 3D mapping systems (70.8% Carto, 29.2% NavX). Perimitral flutter was either the presenting arrhythmia (73.8%) or an intermediate organized rhythm during atrial fibrillation ablation. Follow‐up included repetitive 7‐day Holter with 93.8% of patients off antiarrhythmics. MAL was acutely effective in 63/65 patients (96.9%). Termination to sinus rhythm occurred in 36 of 65 patients (55.4%), and in 27 of 65 patients (41.5%) there was a change to another LAF type. Bidirectional block across the MAL was achieved in 56 of 65 patients (86.1%). After 6 months of follow‐up, 20 of 41 patients (48.8%) had a LAF recurrence, with 6 patients undergoing a reablation. In all redo patients the MAL was still complete and LAF mechanism was different to the initially targeted. No major complication occurred during the ablation procedures or in the postablation period.

Conclusion:
The MAL is a safe and effective linear lesion for the treatment of perimitral LAF. Its value compared to more established linear lesions as the mitral isthmus line has to be evaluated in larger studies. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 665‐670, June 2010)
Terbium‐Catalyzed Selective Area Growth of SiC Nanorods: Synthesis, Optimal Growth, and Field Emission Properties
Authors: Zhou Jin‐Yuan , Chen Zhi‐Yong , Xu Xian‐Bo , Zhou Ming , Ma Zi‐Wei , Zhao Jian‐Guo , Li Rui‐Shan , Xie Er‐Qing
Published: December 2009

The purpose of this work is to elucidate the selective area growth of SiC nanorods on the electrospun nanofibers catalyzed by terbium metals, and further explore the optimal growth conditions and field emission properties in this case. X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the growth mechanism. Test results indicated that our experimental process should be an organic whole and each aspect is indispensable. Furthermore, our work finished up with excellent field emission results, showing a rather low Eto of 8 V/μm and a large β value of 904.
Observations on the Influence of Secondary Me Oxide Additives (Me=Si, Al, Mg) on the Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Behavior of Silicon Nitride Ceramics Containing RE2O3(RE=La, Gd, Lu)
Authors: Becher Paul F. , Shibata Naoya , Painter Gayle S. , Averill Frank , Van Benthem Klaus , Lin Hua‐Tay , Waters Shirley B.
Published: December 2009

The evolution of β‐Si3N4microstructures is influenced by the adsorption of rare earth (RE) elements at grain surfaces and by the viscosity of the intergranular phases. Theoretical and scanning transmission electron microscopy studies show that the RE atoms exhibit different tendencies to segregate from the liquid phase to grain surfaces and different binding strengths at these surfaces. When combined with MgO (or Al2O3) secondary additions, the rare earth additives are combined in low‐viscosity intergranular phases during densification and the α‐ to β‐phase transformation and microstructural evolution are dominated by the RE adsorption behavior. On the other hand, a much higher viscosity intergranular phase forms when the RE2O3are combined with SiO2. While the RE adsorption behavior remains the same, phase transformation and microstructure are now dominated by Si3N4solubility and transport in the high liquid phase. By understanding these additive effects, one can develop reinforced microstructures leading silicon nitride ceramics with greatly improved mechanical behavior.
Significant Processing Parameters for Sintered Density, Phase Development, and Microstructure Observation of Sr2FeMoO6
Authors: Yang Chao‐Wei , Fang Tsang‐Tse
Published: December 2009

The processing parameters affecting the sintered density, phase development, and microstructure observation of Sr2FeMoO6 (SFMO) had been investigated. It was found that SFMO would decompose when even minute water was present during grinding process and the phases observed in the microstructures were very sensitive to the thermal‐etching atmospheres. These results make the impact on the preparation of high quality and interpretation of the fundamental physics of SFMO.
An X‐Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Investigation of Highly Soluble Grain‐Boundary Impurity Films in Hollandite
Authors: Zhang Zhaoming , Carter Melody L.
Published: December 2009

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to detect an intergranular impurity film in two (BaxCsy)(MnzTi8−z)O16 hollandite samples sintered in argon and air, respectively. This impurity film is enriched in Cs and Ba, as a result of segregation during high‐temperature processing. The Cs ions in the grain‐boundary layer have a different chemical bonding state from that in the hollandite phase, as evidenced by a large chemical shift of the Cs 3d and Cs 4d levels. The chemical environment around the Ba ions in the intergranular film is also likely to be different from that in the hollandite. The presence of this grain‐boundary film is responsible for the relatively high initial loss of Cs and Ba during the aqueous dissolution testing.
Roles of AP‐2 transcription factors in the regulation of cartilage and skeletal development
Authors: Wenke Ann‐Kathrin , Bosserhoff Anja K.
Published: December 2009

During embryogenesis, most of the mammalian skeletal system is preformed as cartilaginous structures that ossify later. The different stages of cartilage and skeletal development are well described, and several molecular factors are known to influence the events of this enchondral ossification, especially transcription factors. Members of the AP‐2 family of transcription factors play important roles in several cellular processes, such as apoptosis, migration and differentiation. Studies with knockout mice demonstrate that a main function of AP‐2s is the suppression of terminal differentiation during embryonic development. Additionally, the specific role of these molecules as regulators during chondrogenesis has been characterized. This review gives an overview of AP‐2s, and discusses the recent findings on the AP‐2 family, in particular AP‐2α, AP‐2β, and AP‐2ε, as regulators of cartilage and skeletal development.
Nucleolin/C23 mediates the antiapoptotic effect of heat shock protein 70 during oxidative stress
Authors: Jiang Bimei , Zhang Bin , Liang Pengfei , Song Juan , Deng Hongbing , Tu Zizhi , Deng Gonghua , Xiao Xianzhong
Published: December 2009

Although heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) has been shown to markedly inhibit H2O2‐induced apoptosis in C2C12 cells, and nucleolin/C23 has also been implicated in apoptosis, the relationship of these two molecules is still largely unknown. The aim of the current study was to investigate the potential involvement of nucleolin/C23 in the antiapoptotic mechanism of Hsp70. We found that primary cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes underwent apoptosis upon H2O2 treatment, and in these cells nucleolin/C23 protein was highly unstable and had a half‐life of less than 4 h. However, transfection with Hsp70 greatly stabilized nucleolin/C23 and also protected the cells from H2O2‐induced apoptosis. When nucleolin/C23 was knocked down with an antisense oligomer, H2O2‐induced apoptosis became more severe, even in Hsp70‐overexpressed cells, demonstrating an essential role of nucleolin/C23 in the antiapoptotic effects of Hsp70. Similar results were obtained by both nuclear morphology observation and caspase‐3 activity assay. Therefore, these data provide evidence that nucleolin/C23 is an essential downstream effecter of Hsp70 in the protection of cardiomyocytes against oxidative stress‐induced apoptosis.
Accessibility changes within diphtheria toxin T domain when in the functional molten globule state, as determined using hydrogen/deuterium exchange measurements
Authors: Man Petr , Montagner Caroline , Vitrac Heidi , Kavan Daniel , Pichard Sylvain , Gillet Daniel , Forest Eric , Forge Vincent
Published: December 2009

The translocation domain (T domain) of diphtheria toxin adopts a partially folded state, the so‐called molten globule state, to become functional at acidic pH. We compared, using hydrogen/deuterium exchange experiments associated with MS, the structures of the T domain in its soluble folded state at neutral pH and in its functional molten globule state at acidic pH. In the native state, the α‐helices TH5 and TH8 are identified as the core of the domain. Based on the high‐resolution structure of the T domain, we propose that TH8 is highly protected because it is buried within the native structure. According to the same structure, TH5 is partly accessible at the surface of the T domain. We propose that its high protection is caused by the formation of dimers. Within the molten globule state, high protection is still observed within the helical hairpin TH8–TH9, which is responsible for the insertion of the T domain into the membrane. In the absence of the lipid bilayer, this hydrophobic part of the domain self‐assembles, leading to the formation of oligomers. Overall, hydrogen/deuterium‐exchange measurements allow the analysis of interaction contacts within small oligomers made of partially folded proteins. Such information, together with crystal structure data, are particularly valuable for using to analyze the self‐assembly of proteins.

Structured digital abstract

MINT‐7298382, MINT‐7298394: diphtheria toxin (uniprotkb:Q6NK15) and diphtheria toxin (uniprotkb:Q6NK15) bind (MI:0407) by molecular sieving (MI:0071)