bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Jacobinos versus Galegos
Authors: Hahner June E.
Published: March 2007

During the 1890s, the young Brazilian republic suffered from almost constant political and economic turbulence. Various civilian and military groups contended for power, while rapidly rising prices aggravated urban unrest. At the same time, increasing numbers of European immigrants entered Brazil, and, as in other Latin American countries, became a source of controversy (see Solberg, 1970). Some immigrants, such as Italian or Spanish anarchists, were themselves radical, and some opposition to immigrants came from conservative elements of Brazilian society. But the most vehement anti-immigrant outbursts of the inflation-ridden 1890s issued from radical nationalist sectors. The Portuguese, members of the largest foreign colony in Rio de Janeiro, became targets for virulent attacks by a little-known group who styled themselvesJacobinos. Both the ultranationalistic Jacobinos and the Portuguese, orGalegos, as they were scornfully termed, viewed each other as the most dangerous enemy they faced. After examining some aspects of Portuguese immigration to Brazil and the origins of Lusophobia, this article will focus on Jacobino criticisms and activities, which can best be understood within the specific economic and political context of the 1890s.
Attitudes of Peruvian Highland Village Leaders Toward Military Intervention
Authors: Fishel John T.
Published: March 2007

The military coup of October 3, 1968 appears to have inaugurated a new era in Peruvian sociopolitical life. Unlike earlier “revolutions,” the current one is neither a simple military intervention to give the traditional civilian system a breathing space nor is it the action of a traditional caudillo in alliance with the oligarchy. Rather, the Peruvian Revolution is a fundamental attempt to effect major structural changes in the sociopolitical economic order.

In the six years of Revolutionary government, many changes have been made. The semi-feudal power of the traditional coastal agricultural oligarchy has been broken and partially channeled into the modern industrial economy with its attendant influence. The means to this end was, of course, the agrarian reform which turned the large, productive coastal haciendas into generally economically successful producers' cooperatives. Similar results have been obtained in the industrial, mining, and fishing reforms.
Transportation and Urbanization in Caracas, 1891-1936
Authors: Stann E. Jeffrey
Published: March 2007

Urban morphology and growth have been studied by sociologists and others in the United States for half a century. A question raised in some recent studies is: To what extent are urban forms and growth processes universal? Sargent (1972) has proposed a universal model of urban dynamics intended “to relate processes to the spatial development,” particularly residential development, of the city. Sargent uses Buenos Aires between 1870 and 1930 as a case study. This article applies his model to another Latin American capital, Caracas, during approximately the same time period in order to demonstrate imperfections in the model as it relates to the way in which transportation systems expand, the forces which influence their expansion, and the manner in which they affect city growth.
Soviet-Cuban Relations, 1956-1960
Authors: Boughton George J.
Published: March 2007

In the growing body of literature on the Cuban Revolution, the subject of Soviet attitudes and policy toward Cuba has been neglected. While this neglect holds true for the entire period since 1956, it is particularly evident in the period between Castro's landing in Cuba in December 1956 and the signing of the Soviet-Cuban economic agreements of February 1960.

The few works which touch upon this period describe the Soviet Union as having no interest in Cuba during Castro's struggle against Batista and as merely reacting to Cuban events and initiatives thereafter. In contrast to this view, the present paper will argue that the Soviet Union was actively concerned with Cuban affairs from 1956 to 1960. It was, at least partially, in response to Soviet policy that Castro began the negotiations with the Soviet Union that resulted in the economic agreements of February 1960.
Brazilian Relations with Portuguese Africa in the Context of the Elusive “Luso-Brazilian Community”
Authors: Selcher Wayne A.
Published: March 2007

The year of 1972 brought the marked aggravation of a series of political-economic conflicts in Brazil's relations with developing countries outside the Western Hemisphere, calling into serious question the continued viability of its efforts of several years to maintain good relations with both Portugal and the nonaligned states (particularly those of Africa). Following successful tours of Latin American countries in 1971, Foreign Minister Mário Gibson Barboza termed 1972 the “Year of Africa” and visited Zaire and eight countries of West Africa to advance Brazil's ambitions as a leader of the LDCs by offering technical assistance, development financing, and increased trade, cooperation in commodity agreements, and cultural exchange based on the African component of Brazilian culture. This tour was intended to promote the image of Brazil as a peacefully multiracial, rapidly developing tropical civilization eager to share with others the solutions to economic growth which it had found.
The Economic Impact of an Externally Financed Loan Program
Authors: Dubner Howard E. , Weinkle Julian
Published: March 2007

A loan is considered a purely financial transaction that alters the composition of particular portfolios while leaving the aggregate stock of assets unchanged. Because such a transaction does not of itself generate new production, its dollar value is excluded from the calculation of GNP. It is probably for this reason that the economic significance of lending programs for stabilization purposes has been largely neglected. The transfer payment is similar to the loan in that neither enters the income stream directly, yet the former is considered to have a substantial economic effect.

In a development context external financing is thought to be a significant variable for increasing an economy's growth rate. The success of these loans in generating growth is usually measured by comparing the actual growth rate with some desired standard growth rate.
Political and Legal Challenges to Foreign Direct Private Investment in Colombia
Authors: Solaun Mauricio , Cepeda Fernando
Published: March 2007

The Colombian political system has been characterized by a duality. On the one hand, there are recurrent fears-and these perceptions are held even by outsiders—that the political system is on the verge of total collapse and disruption. On the other hand, when measured in terms of the continuity and survival of the traditional civilian elite and the actual challenge posed by counter-elites, the Colombia system has been relatively stable. In effect, since the turn of the century, Colombia's ruling group has been renovated by the cooptation of new elements by the ruling elite. The bulk of these new members has been young individuals fairly well integrated within the values and norms of the establishment. Although some social change has occurred and there has been some upward mobility (for the best general treatment of Colombian twentieth-century politics, see Dix, 1967), the resilience of the Colombian upper class can be illustrated with two cases.
Argentine Letters and the Peronato: An Overview
Authors: Stabb Martin S.
Published: March 2007

In recent years students of contemporary Argentine letters have begun to recognize the importance of the period 1946-1955 as one of crisis, of fundamental reassessment, and of generational strife. Though it would be an oversimplification to assign the cause of these trends to the political and social changes wrought by Juan D. Perón, the study of his regime—particularly as it affected cultural activity—can help put into clearer focus the confusing picture of literary groups, “generations,” and promociones that confronts the student of recent Argentine literature.

It should be emphasized that peronismo, for better or for worse, was more than an exclusively political movement: its influence was also farreaching in broad areas of popular culture, social standards, in matters of dress, speech, and in the use of leisure time. Its effects were complex, but on balance they all tended to produce a feeling of relaxation, a looseningup of formalities and traditional practices: stuffed shirts were displaced by descamisados; the normal work week was frequently broken up by strikes and government encouraged vacations; formal attire was no longer required at the opera; and many of the public parks that previously had, by some unwritten law, been considered the semi-private preserve of the middle and upper classes, became crowded with picnicking workers and their families.
Class and Mass in Pre-1964 Brazil
Authors: Nichols Glenn A.
Published: March 2007

Initial and prolonged military intervention in Brazil beginning with the events of 1964 has been the subject of considerable theorizing. Yet, relatively little data has been produced to support the various theories. As a consequence, scholars are left with a variety of imaginative and cogently stated options but without an ability to decide which of the choices most closely describes the political reality.

Direct and prolonged military intervention has been linked to factors external and internal to the military. Theories emphasizing the change of foreign investment patterns beginning in the 1950s (Cardoso, 1973), the persistence of an authoritarian, perhaps, corporativistic culture (Skidmore, 1973; Roett, 1972; Schmitter, 1971 and 1973), economic malaise (Skidmore, 1967; Lewis, 1975; Fishlow, 1973) and the shortcomings of political parties and civilian leadership (Schneider, 1965 and 1971; Tavares, 1970; Stepan, 1971; Reisky de Dubnic, 1968), and stress elements external to the military. Others, the role of the Superior War College in shaping interventionist attitudes among the officer corps (Stepan, 1973) and the military's assumption of the moderating power orpoder moderator(Torres, 1966) stress elements internal to the military.
Fiscal Incentives for Regional Development
Authors: Mahar Dennis J.
Published: March 2007

Intermittent cycles of boom and bust based on one product have long characterized the economic history of Brazil. In this respect, the immense tropical rainforest comprising the Amazon Basin has been no exception. Economic activity reached its peak in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when this region held a virtual monopoly position in the world rubber market. Manaus, strategically located at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões (Amazonas) Rivers, became the hub of the rubber industry and was transformed from an obscure river town of 3,000 inhabitants to a prosperous, cosmopolitan city of 50,000 in less than forty years. Due to an influx of Asian plantation-grown rubber, though, world prices started declining after 1910 and the Brazilian monopoly was broken—between 1910 and 1934, the Amazon's share of the world rubber market fell precipitously from 60 percent to 1 percent (Andrade, 1950: 23).
The Concept of the Caribbean in the Latin American Policy of the United States
Authors: Molineu Harold
Published: March 2007

During the past twenty years, the United States has been involved in three cases of armed intervention in Latin America: Guatemala in 1954, Cuba in 1961, and the Dominican Republic in 1965. In addition, there was the naval blockade and possibility of intervention in Cuba in 1962 during the missile crisis. Each of these episodes occurred in the Caribbean region (defined as including those areas either in or adjacent to the Caribbean Sea). There were no similar armed interventions elsewhere in Latin America during this period, and in fact, all of the incidents of United States armed intervention in the Twentieth Century have taken place in the Caribbean area. Therefore, in its actions in Latin America, the United States appears to distinguish between the Caribbean area and the rest of the continent. The Caribbean is treated as a special region where military intervention is apparently more justifiable than elsewhere in Latin America. Only in the area outside the Caribbean has Washington found it possible to abide by its inter-American treaty commitments to nonintervention.
The Whorehouse and the Whore in Spanish American Fiction of the 1960s
Authors: Schwartz Kessel
Published: March 2007

Spanish American fiction, from its earliest moments, has emphasized the whore as a reflection of society and the basic drives of human beings. José Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi's protagonists associate with numerous prostitutes, and one of them, Don Catrín de la Fachenda, works in a whorehouse. Other nineteenth century whores include the sentimental one in Eugenio Cambaceres's Música Sentimental (1884) and the idealistic one in Mercedes Cabello de Carbonera's El Conspirador (1892).

Twentieth century Spanish American fiction is replete with man-eaters like Gallegos's Doña Bárbara, Rivera's Zoraida, Rojas González's Angustias, and with promiscuous types like the oddly named Pura, the sensual dancer of El Embrujo de Sevilla (1922). The prostitute as protagonist, however, enters the century through Augusto D'Halmar's Juana Lucero (1902) and Federico Gamboa's now classic Santa (1903). A poor, seduced, and abandoned country girl, Santa becomes first a high- and then a low-class prostitute in brothels and bordellos.
Seasonality of reproduction in captive squirrel monkeys (Saimiri Sciureus)
Authors: Trevino Heather S.
Published: March 2007

Seasonality of reproduction is believed to be influenced by environmental factors such as humidity, temperature, and photoperiod. In primates, there has been much speculation about which environmental factors have the greatest influence on reproductive seasonality. To determine whether environmental factors affect seasonality of reproduction of squirrel monkeys in captivity, I used path analysis to compare number of births and matings per month with monkeys kept in indoor enclosures (maintained at optimal temperatures) and those kept in outdoor enclosures (exposed to the elements). Since a different pattern of seasonality was found to occur, I was able to test whether temperature, rainfall, or photoperiod could explain the temporal variation in reproduction. Squirrel monkeys raised in captivity displayed different patterns of seasonality of reproduction, depending on the conditions in which they are housed ($ \chi_3^2=25.12 $, P<0.001; G = 28.10, P<0.001). Temperature seemed to have a large impact on number of births and matings per month (matings: path coefficient = 0.799; births: path coefficient = −1.315). Understanding what factors regulate reproduction for animals and how these factors affect reproduction differently in wild versus captive populations are important to conservation and management of species. Am. J. Primatol. 69:1001–1012, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Optic pathway gliomas in neurofibromatosis‐1: Controversies and recommendations
Authors: Listernick Robert , Ferner Rosalie E. , Liu Grant T. , Gutmann David H.
Published: March 2007

Optic pathway glioma (OPG), seen in 15% to 20% of individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), account for significant morbidity in young children with NF1. Overwhelmingly a tumor of children younger than 7 years, OPG may present in individuals with NF1 at any age. Although many OPG may remain indolent and never cause signs or symptoms, others lead to vision loss, proptosis, or precocious puberty. Because the natural history and treatment of NF1‐associated OPG is different from that of sporadic OPG in individuals without NF1, a task force composed of basic scientists and clinical researchers was assembled in 1997 to propose a set of guidelines for the diagnosis and management of NF1‐associated OPG. This new review highlights advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical behavior of these tumors made over the last 10 years. Controversies in both the diagnosis and management of these tumors are examined. Finally, specific evidence‐based recommendations are proposed for clinicians caring for children with NF1. Ann Neurol 2007;61:189–198
Lithiumdiisopropylamid: Reaktionskinetik in Lösung und Folgerungen für die organische Synthese
Authors: Collum David B. , McNeil Anne J. , Ramirez Antonio
Published: March 2007

Lithiumdiisopropylamid (LDA) ist ein herausragendes Reagens in der organischen Synthese. Dieser Aufsatz diskutiert kinetische Untersuchungen von LDA‐vermittelten Reaktionen, wobei eine Unterteilung in drei Abschnitte vorgenommen wird. Der erste Teil gibt eine Einführung in die Reaktionskinetik von LDA‐Lösungen mit Schwerpunkt auf dem charakteristischen Reaktionsgeschwindigkeitsverhalten, das von Solvatations‐ und Aggregationseinflüssen bestimmt wird. Im zweiten Teil werden substrat‐ und solvensabhängige Mechanismen zusammengefasst, aus denen sich grundlegende Prinzipien der Solvatation und Aggregatbildung ableiten lassen. Im abschließenden Teil werden Vorschläge gemacht, wie sich Erkenntnisse zu den Reaktionsmechanismen mit empirischen Methoden kombinieren lassen, um Ausbeuten, Reaktionsgeschwindigkeiten und Selektivitäten von Organolithiumreaktionen zu optimieren.
Fine structure of Eimer's organ in the coast mole (Scapanus orarius)
Authors: Marasco Paul D. , Tsuruda Pamela R. , Bautista Diana M. , Catania Kenneth C.
Published: March 2007

Eimer's organ is a small, densely innervated sensory structure found on the glabrous rhinarium of most talpid moles. This structure consists of an epidermal papilla containing a central circular column of cells associated with intraepidermal free nerve endings, Merkel cell neurite complexes, and lamellated corpuscles. The free nerve endings within the central cell column form a ring invested in the margins of the column, surrounding 1–2 fibers that pass through the center of the column. A group of small‐diameter nociceptive free nerve endings that are immunoreactive for substance P surrounds this central ring of larger‐diameter free nerve endings. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a high concentration of tonofibrils in the epidermal cells of the central column, suggesting they are more rigid than the surrounding keratinocytes and may play a mechanical role in transducing stimuli to the different receptor terminals. The intraepidermal free nerve endings within the central column begin to degrade 15 μm from the base of the stratum corneum and do not appear to be active within the keratinized outer layer. The peripheral free nerve endings are structurally distinct from their counterparts in the central column and immunocytochemical double labeling with myelin basic protein and substance P indicates these afferents are unmyelinated. Merkel cell‐neurite complexes and lamellated corpuscles are similar in morphology to those found in a range of other mammalian skin. Anat Rec, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in surface enhanced poly(methyl methacrylate) microchannels
Authors: Bai Yunling , Huang Wei‐Cho , Yang Shang‐Tian
Published: March 2007

A novel surface treatment method was developed to enhance polymer‐based microchannel enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Escherichia coli O157:H7 detection. By applying an amine‐bearing polymer, poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI), onto poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) surface at pH higher than 11, PEI molecules were covalently attached and their amine groups were introduced to PMMA surface. Zeta potential analysis and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) demonstrated that the alkali condition is preferable for PEI attachment onto the PMMA surface. The amine groups on the PMMA surface were then functionalized with glutaraldehyde, whose aldehyde groups served as the active sites for binding the antibody by forming covalent bonds with the amine groups of the protein molecules. This surface modification greatly improved antibody binding efficiency and the microchannel ELISA for E. coli O157:H7 detection. Compared with untreated PMMA microchannels, ∼45 times higher signal and 3 times higher signal/noise ratio were achieved with the PEI surface treatment, which also shortened the time required for cells to bind to the microchannel surface to ∼2 min, much less than that usually required for the same ELISA carried out in 96‐well plates. The detection in the microchannel ELISA only required 5–8 cells per sample, which is also better than 15–30 cells required in multi‐well plates. With the high sensitivity, short assay time, and small reagent consumption, the microchannel ELISA can be economically used for fast detection of E. coli O157:H7. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;98: 328–339. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Significance analysis of time‐series transcriptomic data: A methodology that enables the identification and further exploration of the differentially expressed genes at each time‐point
Authors: Dutta Bhaskar , Snyder Robert , Klapa Maria I.
Published: March 2007

Time‐series transcriptional profiling experiments are becoming increasingly popular, in light of the abundance of information regarding a biological system's regulation that they are expected to reveal. However, identification of differentially expressed genes as a function of time and comparison between physiological states based on the genes' variability in significance level over time remain intriguing tasks, due to certain limitations in the currently available algorithms. Based on the principles of significance analysis of microarrays (SAM) method, we developed an algorithm that allows for the identification of the differentially expressed genes at each time‐point of a time sequence, using a common reference distribution and significance threshold for all time‐points. These results are further explored in a systematic way to extract information about (a) individual gene and gene class variability in significance level with time, (b) gene and time‐point correlation based on (a), and (c) gene class comparison based on (a). All algorithms have been programmed in C language in the form of four executable files for both Windows and Macintosh platforms under the overall name MiTimeS. MiTimeS was validated in the context of real transcriptomic data. It enables the extraction of biologically relevant information from the dynamic transcriptomic profiles currently unnoticed from the available algorithms. The applicability of MiTimeS is not limited to transcriptomic data, but it could be accordingly used for the analysis of dynamic data from other cellular fingerprints. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;98: 668–678. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diagnostic value of the 16‐detector row multislice spiral computed tomography for the detection of coronary artery stenosis in comparison to invasive coronary angiography
Authors: Deetjen Anja G. , Conradi Guido , Möllmann Susanne , Ekinci Okan , Weber Michael , Nef Holger , Möllmann Helge , Hamm Christian W. , Dill Thorsten
Published: March 2007

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of 16‐slice multislice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) of the coronaries and to provide data in a real clinical setting. Previous 16‐slice MSCT studies presented data excluding patients with calcification, vessels of < 1.5 or 2 mm, and segments with impaired image quality. By including these data for 16‐slice MSCT, a direct comparison with new data from 64‐slice MSCT is possible.

Methods and results

Sixty two patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD) were prospectively enrolled and underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA) and invasive coronary angiography (ICA). All vessels were evaluated for the presence of a significant coronary artery stenosis (>50%) using the American Heart Association (AHA) 15‐segment model. From the evaluation of 917 segments, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value (NPV) (positive predictive value [PPV] and NPV) for the presence of relevant coronary stenosis were 73, 98, and 71 and 98% per segment and 94, 90, and 91 and 93% per patient, respectively. The influence of age, gender, body surface area (BSA), heart rate (HR), stents, and Ca2+‐score value was analyzed. High Ca2+‐score values were the only statistically significant predictor for impaired diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions

In summary, CTA with evaluation of all vessel segments in a broad spectrum of patients allowed accurate and fast noninvasive coronary artery evaluation, including evaluation of stented segments. These data are very similar to those published recently for 64‐slice scanners. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparative analysis of epidermal growth factor receptor mutations and gene amplification as predictors of gefitinib efficacy in Japanese patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer
Authors: Sone Takashi , Kasahara Kazuo , Kimura Hideharu , Nishio Kazuto , Mizuguchi Masayuki , Nakatsumi Yasuto , Shibata Kazuhiko , Waseda Yuko , Fujimura Masaki , Nakao Shinji
Published: March 2007

BACKGROUND.

Because the investigation of epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) status as a predictor of gefitinib efficacy in Japanese patients has shown promise, the authors evaluated EGFR mutations and gene amplification in biopsy specimens from Japanese patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received treatment with gefitinib to analyze the correlation between EGFR gene status and clinical outcome.

METHODS.

Fifty‐nine patients were enrolled in this study. EGFR gene amplification was evaluated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and EGFR mutations in exons 18, 19, and 21 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing.

RESULTS.

EGFR mutations were detected in 17 patients (28.8%). FISH‐positive results were observed in 26 patients (48.1%). The response rate was significantly higher in the patients with EGFR mutations than in the patients without mutations (58.8% vs 14.3%; P = .0005). No significant difference in the response rate was observed between FISH‐positive patients and FISH‐negative patients (31.8% vs 21.4%; P = .4339). EGFR mutation was correlated with both a longer time to progression (TTP) (7.3 months vs 1.8 months; P = .0030) and longer overall survival (OS) (18.9 months vs 6.4 months; P = .0092). No significant differences in TTP or OS were observed between FISH‐positive patients andFISH‐negative patients. The results from a multivariate analysis indicated that EGFR mutations maintained a significant association with longer TTP and longer OS.

CONCLUSIONS.

The results of this study suggested that EGFR mutations may serve as predictors of response and survival and that the role of EGFR gene amplification is not a predictor of gefitinib efficacy in Japanese patients with NSCLC. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Dendritic Morphology in Homeotropically Aligned Discotic Films
Authors: Pisula Wojciech , Kastler Marcel , El Hamaoui Bassem , García‐Gutiérrez Mari‐Cruz , Davies Richard J. , Riekel Christian , Müllen Klaus
Published: March 2007

A hexa‐alkylether‐substituted hexa‐peri‐hexabenzocoronene, as a discotic liquid crystal, spontaneously homeotropically self‐orients when cooled from the isotropic phase. During this process, a dendritic morphology is formed in which a significant optical difference is observed between the dendritic shapes and their periphery. However, local structural analysis using microfocus synchrotron radiation experiments demonstrate that there is an identical supramolecular order in both areas. Three‐dimensional confocal surface measurements reveal that these dendritic structures result from a dewetting process, which occurs during solidification. Thereby, the contact area between the organic material and the surface is reduced. These results are important for the design of organic electronics, since the reduction of the contact area in an electronic device might inhibit the charge transport between the discotic semiconductor and the electrode.
Elastk‐plastic dynamic analysis of structures using known elastic solutions
Authors: Liu S. C. , Lin T. H.
Published: March 2007

A numerical method is shown to analyse the dynamic elastic‐plastic responses of those structures with known elastic solutions. The displacement at one point at time t caused by a unit load applied at another point at zero time, called dynamic influence coefficient, is calculated from the known elastic solutions. Incremental plastic strain is accounted for by a set of additional incremental loads, so the stiffness matrix and the eigenvectors do not vary with time. From the incremental load including that caused by the incremental plastic strain, the displacement vs. time of the structure is obtained.

This method is applied to simply supported beams with bilinear stress‐strain relations with different strain‐hardening rates and to a simply supported elastic‐ideally plastic rectangular plate. This procedure can be extended to structures with no available known analytical elastic solutions. For these structures, the elastic solutions can be obtained by the finite element method.
Stochastic analysis of structures and piping systems subjected to stationary multiple support excitations
Authors: Lee Meng‐Chi , Penzien Joseph
Published: March 2007

A stochastic method has been developed for seismic analysis of structures and piping systems subjected to multiple support excitations. In either the time or the frequency domain, mean and extreme values of structural and piping system response can be found, including the effects of cross‐correlations of modal response and cross‐correlations of multiple support excitations. Stationary white noise and stationary filtered white noise ground excitations are used. A computer program has been developed to carry out the stochastic seismic analysis. Results for a realistic nuclear power plant structure and piping system with and without modal cross‐correlations and support excitation cross‐correlations are compared. From these results, it is concluded that neglecting cross‐correlations can lead to large errors. The stochastic method reported is shown to be more accurate than the response spectrum method and more economical than the time‐history method; therefore, it is recommended for seismic analysis of nuclear power plants.
Periodic response of a sliding oscillator system to harmonic excitation
Authors: Westermo B. , Udwadia F.
Published: March 2007

This paper deals with the periodic response of an oscillating system which is supported on a frictional interface. The base excitation is assumed harmonic and the frictional force is assumed to be of the Coulomb type. Though each segment of the motion of such a system is described by linear equations, its complete response is highly non‐linear and varied. The most fundamental periodic solutions are derived analytically and numerically. The results indicate that such a system has several subharmonic resonant frequencies and that while the friction reduces the peak response of the system when it is excited at its ‘fixed‐base’ natural frequency, ωn, the sliding can induce considerably higher levels of response, when compared with those of a non‐sliding, fixed‐base system, for frequencies less than ωn. The results obtained herein may find application in the area of vibration isolation.
Dynamic stability of a lattice dome
Authors: Coan Christopher H. , Plaut Raymond H.
Published: March 2007

A shallow lattice dome subjected to three independent sets of step or impulse loads is investigated. Symmetric and asymmetric loading distributions are considered. The dynamic response is determined by numerical integration, and critical loads are defined by the Budiansky‐Roth criterion. Interaction curves for fixed maximum response and for snap‐through instability are obtained, and a comparison is made with previous results for static loading.
Towards an optimum model for the response of reinforced concrete beams to cyclic loads
Authors: Stanton John F. , McNiven H. D.
Published: March 2007

The paper describes the development of a mathematical model to predict the flexural response of reinforced concrete beams to severe cyclic loading. The model is constructed with the aid of System Identification, which permits the coefficients in it to be so tuned as to replicate with the maximum possible accuracy the results of physical experiments. The uniaxial constitutive behaviour of the concrete and steel are considered separately, and they are then combined through a bond‐slip relationship to form a global model for the composite material. The cyclic stress‐strain law for the steel proves to be critical to the overall accuracy, and a suitable formulation is developed for it. Comparisons between observed and predicted behaviour are presented, both for the steel alone and for the composite material.
Optimal seismic‐resistant design of a planar steel frame
Authors: Balling Richard J. , Pister Karl S. , Ciampi Vicenzo
Published: March 2007

This paper illustrates the design of a four‐storey, three‐bay, moment‐resisting, planar steel frame. Non‐linear step‐by‐step integration is used as the analysis technique within the design process itself rather than as a check at the end of the design process.

The method of design directly quantifies the accepted seismic‐resistant design philosophy that a properly designed structure: (1) resists moderate ground motion without structural damage, and (2) resists severe ground motion without collapse. Actual ground motion accelerograms are selected and scaled to levels representing moderate and severe ground motions. Constraints quantifying structural damage and limited non‐structural damage are constructed for the case of moderate ground motion, along with constraints quantifying collapse and limited structural damage for the case of severe ground motion. In addition serviceability constraints are imposed on structural behaviour under gravity loads only. Objective functions include the minimization of structural volume as well as the minimization of response quantities such as storey drifts and inelastically dissipated energy.

A sophisticated optimization algorithm is utilized to solve the resulting mathematical programming problem. Comparative results concerning the computational phase as well as performance of both preliminary and final designs are presented. The practicality and reliability of the design method are assessed.
The cost of quality improvements due to integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) in Uganda
Authors: Bishai David , Mirchandani Gita , Pariyo George , Burnham Gilbert , Black Robert
Published: March 2007

The goal of this paper is to measure the marginal change in facility‐level costs of medical care for children under five due to an increase in service quality achieved through the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) strategy. Since the beneficial effects of IMCI training on child health outcomes are due to IMCI's effects on service quality, costs of IMCI are regressed against measures of service quality in this paper. Our model shows that quality, as measured by a WHO‐index of integrated child assessment is 44% higher in facilities with at least one health worker trained in IMCI as compared to facilities with no health workers trained in IMCI, adjusting for facility utilization as well as type of facility ownership. Our marginal analysis that tied IMCI training to quality and quality to costs shows that on the margin, investing in IMCI training at a primary facility level can yield a significant 44.3% improvement in service quality for a modest 13.5% increase in annual facility costs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison and evaluation of two C‐reactive protein assays based on particle‐enhanced immunoturbidimetry
Authors: Şişman Ali Rιza , Küme Tuncay , Taş Gültekin , Akan Pι nar , Tuncel Pι nar
Published: March 2007

The use of C‐reactive protein (CRP) assays is increasing for a wide range of clinical conditions, and consequently the analytical performance requirements for CRP assays are also changing. For this reason, manufacturers have been developing CRP assays based on different methodologies to provide both high sensitivity and a wide measuring range. However, it is questionable whether these methods can meet the desired requirements for CRP assays. CRP Latex on the Cobas Integra 400 and CRP Tina‐quant Latex on the Modular Analytics‐P were evaluated in terms of detection limit, linearity, intra‐ and interassay precision, and comparability with 268 patient samples. The intra‐ and interassay precision of the two methods was <4.1% in the three pools with CRP concentrations ranging from 6.9 to 215 mg/L, and >10% in the pool with concentrations of ∼0.60 mg/L. The detection limits for CRP Latex and Tina‐quant Latex were 0.20 and 0.22 mg/L, respectively. Both methods were linear up to 215 mg/L. There was a good agreement between the two assays, except for a scattering at concentrations near the detection limits. Deming regression analysis for CRP Latex (x‐axis) and Tina‐quant Latex (y‐axis) yielded a slope of 1.067±0.018, an intercept of –0.148±0.358, and an Sy∣x of 5.10 (r=0.996, P<0.0001). The two assays gave comparable results. Low precision was determined for both assays, except for the low pool with a concentration of ∼0.60 mg/L. We concluded that both of these assays should be improved to meet high‐sensitivity criteria. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 21:71–76, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interplay between the retinoblastoma related pRb2/p130 and E2F‐4 and ‐5 in relation to JCV‐TAg
Authors: Caracciolo Valentina , Reiss Krzysztof , Crozier‐Fitzgerald Catena , De Pascali Francesco , Macaluso Marcella , Khalili Kamel , Giordano Antonio
Published: March 2007

Human polyomaviruses, which include JC virus (JCV) and BK virus (BKV), as well as the simian virus 40 (SV40), have been associated with human tumors and have been shown to be highly tumorigenic in experimental animal models. Although the mechanism by which JCV induces tumorigenesis is not entirely clear, earlier studies point to the involvement of the viral early protein T‐antigen which has the ability to bind and inactivate tumor suppressors and cell cycle regulatory proteins, such as the retinoblastoma family proteins and p53. We investigated if the distribution between nucleus and cytoplasm of the transcription factors E2F4 and E2F5 is mediated by pRb2/p130 and if the presence of JCV T‐antigen may impair this shuttling by sequestering pRb2/p130. The results showed that E2F4 was prevalently localized in the nucleus of both T‐antigen positive and ‐negative R503 cells independently of the cell cycle phase. E2F5 instead was prevalently localized in the cytoplasmic fraction in G0/G1, S‐phase synchronized, and asynchronous R503 and R503 T‐Ag positive cells. The presence of T‐antigen did not influence the subcellular localization of these transcription factors E2F4 and E2F5, at least in this murine cellular model. Moreover, Small interference RNA experiments directed toward silencing the Rb2/p130 gene demonstrated that pRb2/p130 does not play a predominant role in the nuclear transportation of E2F4 and E2F5. J. Cell. Physiol. 212: 96–104, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rotavirus genotypes in Slovenia: Unexpected detection of G8P[8] and G12P[8] genotypes
Authors: Steyer Andrej , Poljšak‐Prijatelj Mateja , Bufon Tatjana Lužnik , Marčun‐Varda Nataša , Marin Jožica
Published: March 2007

A rotavirus surveillance study was undertaken in Slovenia from December 2005 to March 2006. Stool samples from 114 children hospitalized with acute viral gastroenteritis were collected from two main Slovenian hospitals. These confirmed rotavirus‐positive samples were selected for a rotavirus G and P genotype prevalence study. Six untypable strains of genotype G were further analyzed with sequencing of the VP7, VP8*, and NSP4 genes. The findings of the study were that the G1 genotype was the most prevalent, found in 72 samples (63.2%), followed by G9 in 26 samples (22.8%), G4 in 10 samples (8.8%), and G3 in 2 samples (1.7%). All G genotypes were combined with the P[8] genotype specificity. After sequence analysis, one G8 and two G12 genotypes were also characterized. In a VP7‐based phylogenetic analysis, the G8P[8] strain (SI‐885/06) was more closely related to the Cody I801 bovine strain than to other human strains. Both G12 strains (SI‐264/06 and SI‐403/06) were shown to belong to the Se585 G12 cluster. In the VP8* phylogenetic tree, all analyzed strains except one, belonged to the P[8] lineage II and shared high identity in amino acid sequence. All characterized strains were clustered into the NSP4 genotype B. The molecular characterization of this G8 strain supports the theory of interspecies transmission of rotaviruses and animal‐human genome reassortment. This is the first report on rotavirus G12 detection in Slovenia. J. Med. Virol. 79:626–632, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quantitative detection of herpes simplex virus DNA in the lower respiratory tract
Authors: Gooskens J. , Templeton K.E. , Claas E.C. , van Bussel M.J. , Smit V.T. , Kroes A.C.
Published: March 2007

Quantitation of herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens could indicate an infectious role in the lower respiratory tract. The aim of this study was to compare quantitative HSV DNA results from adult bronchoalveolar lavage specimens to clinical outcome. Quantitative real‐time PCR assays targeting HSV and other herpes viruses were performed on adult bronchoalveolar lavage specimens obtained from a largely immunocompromised population during a 1‐year period. The results were compared to patient characteristics and outcome. HSV DNA was detected in 11 (19%) of 57 bronchoalveolar lavage specimens with a mean viral level of 5.6 log genome equivalents/ml (range, 2.9–8.1 log). A threshold of HSV DNA levels equal or higher than 5.0 log (n = 7) was associated with mortality within 28 days following hospital admission (odds ratio [OR], 6.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–39.2). A threshold level of 5.5 log was associated with mortality within 28 days of sampling (OR 8.5; 95% CI 1.2–62.1), only after excluding patients receiving specific antiviral medication. Patients with HSV DNA levels equal or higher than 7.5 log had severe respiratory failure. Viral pneumonia was histologically proven in one patient with 8.0 log at autopsy. No patient with HSV DNA levels below 5.5 log (n = 5) or DNA levels higher than 5.0 log of cytomegalovirus (CMV) (n = 3), Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) (n = 9), varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) (n = 1), or human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) (n = 0) died within 28 days of hospital admission. We conclude that quantitative detection of HSV DNA in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is a potential diagnostic tool for detection of relevant viral infection of the lower respiratory tract. J. Med. Virol. 79:597–604, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Selective protection against oxidative damage in brain of mice with a targeted disruption of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene
Authors: Martínez‐Lazcano Juan Carlos , Pérez‐Severiano Francisca , Escalante Bruno , Ramírez‐Emiliano Joel , Vergara Paula , González Rosa O. , Segovia José
Published: March 2007

Nitric oxide (NO) is an essential messenger molecule in brain, where it is produced in neurons mostly by the activity of the neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). To understand the participation of the different isoforms of NOS in physiological functioning and in pathological processes, mice with null mutations for each of the NOS isoforms have been generated. In the present paper, we report that there is a selective protection from oxidative damage in the brain of mice with a targeted disruption of the nNOS gene. The cerebellum of these mice shows reduced levels of lipid peroxidation (LP) at the different ages tested, compared with wild‐type mice, and also a reduction in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We observed a decrease of LP in cortex, and no effect on either LP or ROS formation was observed in striatum of knockout mice compared with wild type. We also report increased spontaneous motor activity of knockout mice. The expression and activity of nNOS are crucial to maintain redox status in brain, and we consider that the alteration in oxidative damage may help us to explain the phenotypical characteristics of nNOS knockout mice and their differential susceptibility to brain insults. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A variable poly‐T sequence modulates α‐synuclein isoform expression and is associated with aging
Authors: Beyer Katrin , Humbert Jordi , Ferrer Anna , Lao José I. , Latorre Pilar , Lopez Dolores , Tolosa Eduard , Ferrer Isidro , Ariza Aurelio
Published: March 2007

α‐Synuclein, the main component of proteinaceous inclusions in synucleinopathies, is centrally involved in aggregation processes preceding Lewy body formation. Here we describe a new α‐synuclein gene poly‐T polymorphism that is situated upstream to exon 3 and consists of three different alleles. A correlation between poly‐T length and expression of α‐synuclein 126 mRNA, an isoform lacking exon 3, was detected in the human cerebral cortex. Specifically, when compared with the most frequent 7T/7T genotype, the shortest poly‐T stretch (5T) was associated with the lowest α‐synuclein 126 expression levels, whereas the longest poly‐T stretch (12T) was accompanied by the highest α‐synuclein 126 expression levels. Thus, three different expression‐level‐specific genotypes, with 5T+ genotypes as low α‐synuclein 126 expression genotypes and 12T+ genotypes as high α‐synuclein 126 expression genotypes, could be established. Poly‐T genotype distributions were also analyzed in a healthy control population. Age‐dependent variations in this distribution were observed and showed accumulation of low α‐synuclein 126 expression genotypes at ages under 60 years and high α‐synuclein 126 expression genotypes at ages over 80 years. To determine human specificity of the variable poly‐T strech, the mouse α‐synuclein gene sequence was analyzed. Although α‐synuclein is very well conserved in vertebrates, the poly‐T sequence was found to be absent in mice, and an α‐synuclein 126 mouse homologue could not be detected. In conclusion, this newly identified poly‐T polymorphism is a human‐specific sequence; its length influences α‐synuclein 126 expression levels; and, finally, it seems to exert a specific influence on normal aging. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Activation of the nociceptin opioid system in rat sensory neurons produces antinociceptive effects in inflammatory pain: Involvement of inflammatory mediators
Authors: Chen Yong , Sommer Claudia
Published: March 2007

Despite a large body of literature on the nociceptin (NC) opioid system in pain modulation, the mechanism of action of NC remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the role and mode of action of the spinal NC system in inflammatory pain. Preemptive intrathecal administration of NC attenuated thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia in rats with intraplantar complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) injection. By using immunohistochemistry in L4 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, a marked increase of NC and ORL1 receptor immunoreactivity was detected following CFA. Intrathecal administration of NC attenuated the CFA‐induced increases of calcitonin gene‐related peptide, transient receptor potential vanilloid‐1, and tumor necrosis factor‐α in DRG neurons. Real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction showed that NC reduced the up‐regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA but not that of neuronal nitric oxide synthase mRNA in spinal cord segments after CFA. Furthermore, [Nphe1]NC(1–13)NH2, a selective opioid receptor‐like 1 (ORL1) receptor antagonist, significantly antagonized the effects of NC on pain modulation and on the expression of inflammatory mediators, indicating a specific NC action through the ORL1 receptor. Together, these findings reveal novel mechanisms by which the NC system produces analgesia. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.