bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Communicating-Vessel Viscosimeter
Authors: Ortega Federico M. , Pavioni Osvaldo D. , Domínguez Hugo L.
Published: January 2007

There exist many methods of determining the viscosity coefficient (η) of a liquid. The most common one in introductory laboratories uses the Stokes viscosimeter. It allows students to obtain a value of η from a measurement of the terminal speed of a sphere falling in a vertically liquid-filled cylinder. This method gives good results when the fluid has a high viscosity (glycerine, oil, etc.). However, for lower-viscosity fluids such as water, the experiment is harder to do using simple instruments, and the results are less precise due to the high terminal speed of the falling spheres. A number of experiments have been described for determining the viscosity of liquids from their rate of flow through a tube.1,2 In this paper we describe a method in which the low-viscosity liquid is allowed to flow through a horizontal capillary tube. The flow speed is low enough to be measured with good precision using a manual stopwatch.
Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of
Streptococcus pyogenes
Isolates Displaying the MLS
B
Phenotype of Macrolide Resistance in Spain, 1999 to 2005
Authors: Pérez-Trallero Emilio , Montes Milagrosa , Orden Beatriz , Tamayo Esther , García-Arenzana José M. , Marimón José M.
Published: January 2007

The aim of this study was to describe the genetic characteristics of
Streptococcus pyogenes
showing the MLS
B
phenotype of macrolide resistance from 1999 to 2005 in Spain and to highlight the substantial increase in these isolates in the last few years. The antimicrobial susceptibilities of 17,232 group A streptococci isolated from Madrid and Gipuzkoa from 1999 to 2005 were studied. The presence of the resistance genes
ermA
,
ermB
,
mef
,
tetM
, and
tetO
and the presence of the
intTn
and
xis
genes of the Tn
916
-Tn
1545
transposon family were studied in a sample of 739 MLS
B
-resistant isolates. The epidemiological relationships among these isolates were analyzed by
emm
typing, T typing, and multilocus sequence typing. Erythromycin resistance was found in 21.3% of the isolates analyzed (annual variation of 14.3% to 28.9%). Until 2003, most erythromycin-resistant isolates showed the M phenotype, but in 2004 and 2005, about 50% of isolates showed the MLS
B
phenotype. Among the MLS
B
-resistant isolates studied, 16 clones were identified. The most prevalent clone was a strange
emm
11/T11/ST403 clone with a null
yqiL
allele. All but one of the 463
emm
11/T11/ST403 isolates carried the
ermB
,
tetM
,
intTn
, and
xis
genes. The second most prevalent MLS
B
-resistant clone was
emm
28/T28/ST52, which comprised two subclones: one bacitracin-resistant, tetracycline-susceptible subclone carrying the
ermB
gene (
n
= 115) and another bacitracin-susceptible, tetracycline-resistant subclone carrying the
ermB
and
tetM
genes (
n
= 33). The rapid diffusion of these two clones, and especially of
emm
11/T11/ST403, caused the large increase in MLS
B
-resistant
S. pyogenes
isolates in Spain, suggesting a potential ability for international dissemination.
Lack of Relationship between Purine Biosynthesis and Vancomycin Resistance in
Staphylococcus aureus
: a Cautionary Tale for Microarray Interpretation
Authors: Fox Paige M. , Climo Michael W. , Archer Gordon L.
Published: January 2007

Previous microarray data (E. Mongodin, J. Finan, M. W. Climo, A. Rosato, S. Gill, and G. L. Archer, J. Bacteriol. 185:4638-4643, 2003) noted an association in two vancomycin-intermediate
Staphylococcus aureus
(VISA) strains between high-level, passage-induced vancomycin resistance, a marked increase in the transcription of purine biosynthetic genes, and mutation of the putative purine regulator
purR
. Initial studies to report on the possible association between vancomycin resistance and alterations in purine metabolism in one of these strains (VP-32) confirmed, by Western analysis, an increase in the translation of PurH and PurM, two purine pathway enzymes. In addition, PurR was identified, by knockout and complementation in a vancomycin-susceptible strain, as a repressor of the purine biosynthetic operon in
S. aureus
, and the PurR missense mutation was shown to inactivate the repressor. However, despite the apparent relationship between increased purine biosynthesis and increased vancomycin resistance in VP-32, neither the addition of exogenous purines to a defined growth medium nor the truncation or inactivation of
purR
improved the growth of vancomycin-susceptible
S. aureus
in the presence of vancomycin. Furthermore, the passage of additional vancomycin-susceptible and VISA strains to high-level vancomycin resistance occurred without changes in cellular purine metabolism or mutation of
purR
despite the development of thickened cell walls in passaged strains. Thus, we could confirm neither a role for altered purine metabolism in the development of vancomycin resistance nor its requirement for the maintenance of a thickened cell wall. The failure of biochemical and physiological studies to support the association between transcription and phenotype initially found in careful microarray studies emphasizes the importance of follow-up investigations to confirm microarray observations.
First Linezolid-Resistant Clinical Isolates of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Richter Elvira , Rüsch-Gerdes Sabine , Hillemann Doris
Published: January 2007

Linezolid resistance was found in 4 (1.9%) of 210 multidrug-resistant
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
strains. The MICs of linezolid were 4 μg/ml (one strain) and 8 μg/ml (three strains). Since no mutations were detected in potential target genes, the mechanism of resistance remains unclear.
A Mycobacterial Gene Involved in Synthesis of an Outer Cell Envelope Lipid Is a Key Factor in Prevention of Phagosome Maturation
Authors: Robinson Nirmal , Wolke Martina , Ernestus Karen , Plum Georg
Published: January 2007

Virulent mycobacteria cause arrest of phagosome maturation as a part of their survival strategy in hosts. This process is mediated through multiple virulence factors, whose molecular nature remains elusive. Using
Mycobacterium marinum
as a model, we performed a genome-wide screen to identify mutants whose ability to inhibit phagosome maturation was impaired, and we succeeded in isolating a comprehensive set of mutants that were not able to occupy an early endosome-like phagosomal compartment in mammalian macrophages. Categorizing and ordering the multiple mutations according to their gene families demonstrated that the genes modulating the cell envelope are the principal factors in arresting phagosome maturation. In particular, we identified a novel gene,
pmiA
, which is capable of influencing the constitution of the cell envelope lipids, thereby leading to the phagosome maturation block. The
pmiA
mutant was not able to resist phagosome maturation and was severely attenuated in mice. Complementing the mutant with the wild-type gene restored the attenuated virulence to wild-type levels in mice.
Falcipain-1, aPlasmodium falciparumCysteine Protease with Vaccine Potential
Authors: Kumar Amit , Kumar Krishan , Korde Reshma , Puri Sunil Kumar , Malhotra Pawan , Singh Chauhan Virander
Published: January 2007

Cysteine proteases (falcipains) ofPlasmodium falciparumare potential targets for antimalarial chemotherapy, since they have been shown to be involved in important cellular functions such as hemoglobin degradation and invasion/rupture of red blood cells during parasite life cycle. The role of falcipain-1 at the asexual blood stages of the parasite still remains uncertain. This is mainly due to a lack of methods to prepare this protein in an active form. In order to obtain biologically active falcipain-1, a number of falcipain-1 constructs were designed and a systematic assessment of the refolding conditions was done. We describe here the expression, purification, and characterization of a falcipain-1 construct encoding mature falcipain-1 and 35 amino acids from the C-terminal of the pro domain. Recombinant falcipain-1 was overexpressed in the form of inclusion bodies, solubilized, and purified by Ni2+-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity chromatography under denaturing conditions. A systemic approach was then followed to optimize refolding parameters. An optimum refolding condition was obtained, and the yield of the purified refolded falcipain-1 was ∼1 mg/liter. Activity of the protein was analyzed by fluorometric and gelatin degradation assays. Immunolocalization studies using anti-falcipain-1 sera revealed a distinct staining at the apical end of theP. falciparummerozoites. Previous studies using falcipain-1-specific inhibitors have suggested a role of falcipain-1 in merozoite invasion. Based on its localization and its role in invasion, we analyzed the immunogenicity of falcipain-1 in mice, followed by heterologous challenge withPlasmodium yoeliisporozoites. Our results suggest a possible role of falcipain-1 in merozoite invasion.
THE FRIEDRICHS-MODEL WITH FERMION-BOSON COUPLINGS II
Authors: CIVITARESE O. , GADELLA M. , PRONKO G. P.
Published: January 2007

In this work we present a formal solution of the extended version of the Friedrichs Model. The Hamiltonian consists of discrete and continuum bosonic states, which are coupled to fermions. The simultaneous treatment of the couplings of the fermions with the discrete and continuous sectors of the bosonic degrees of freedom leads to a system of coupled equations, whose solutions are found by applying standard methods of representation of bound and resonant states.
A COMMENT ON TWO-PHASE BEHAVIOR OF FINANCIAL MARKETS
Authors: KRZESINSKI ANTHONY E. , COSTA ANDRE , RAMAKRISHNAN MAYA , TAYLOR PETER G.
Published: January 2007

A recent study linked the behavior of buying and selling in financial markets to the phenomenon of phase transitions that occur in physical systems with many interacting components. We urge caution with such findings. In particular, we show that the statistical technique employed in the study referred to above to analyze stock trading data also produces evidence of two-phase behavior when used to analyze a simple sequence of independent and identically distributed random variables.
EXPLICIT SOLUTIONS FOR A NONLINEAR MODEL OF FINANCIAL DERIVATIVES
Authors: BORDAG L. A. , CHMAKOVA A. Y.
Published: January 2007

Families of explicit solutions are found to a nonlinear Black–Scholes equation which incorporates the feedback-effect of a large trader in case of market illiquidity. The typical solution of these families will have a payoff which approximates a strangle. These solutions were used to test numerical schemes for solving a nonlinear Black–Scholes equation.
VARIANCE TERM STRUCTURE AND VIX FUTURES PRICING
Authors: ZHU YINGZI , ZHANG JIN E.
Published: January 2007

Using no arbitrage principle, we derive a relation between the drift term of risk-neutral dynamics for instantaneous variance and the term structure of forward variance. We show that the forward variance curve can be derived from options market. Based on the variance term structure, we derive a no arbitrage pricing model for VIX futures pricing. The model is the first no arbitrage model combining options market and VIX futures market. The model can be easily generalized to price other volatility derivatives.
MULTIRESOLUTION ANALYSIS UNCOVERS HIDDEN CONSERVATION OF PROPERTIES IN STRUCTURALLY AND FUNCTIONALLY SIMILAR PROTEINS
Authors: CHUA GEK-HUEY , KRISHNAN ARUN , LI KUO-BIN , TOMITA MASARU
Published: January 2007

Physicochemcial properties of amino acids are important factors in determining protein structure and function. Most approaches make use of averaged properties over entire domains or even proteins to analyze their structure or function. This level of coarseness tends to hide the richness of the variability in the different properties across functional domains. This paper studies the conservation of physicochemical properties in a functionally similar family of proteins using a novel wavelet-based technique known as multiresolution analysis. Such an analysis can help uncover characteristics that can otherwise remain hidden. We have studied the protein kinase family of sequences and our findings are as follows: (a) a number of different properties are conserved over the functional catalytic domain irrespective of the sequence identities; (b) conservation of properties can be observed at different frequency levels and they agree well with the known structural/functional properties of the subdomains for the protein kinase family; (c) structural differences between the different kinase family members are reflected in the waveforms; and (d) functionally important mutations show distortions in the waveforms of conserved properties. The potential usefulness of the above findings in identifying functionally similar sequences in the twilight and midnight zones is demonstrated through a simple prediction model for the protein kinase family which achieved a recall of 93.7% and a precision of 96.75% in cross-validation tests.
MAPPING PROPERTIES OF HEAT KERNELS, MAXIMAL REGULARITY, AND SEMI-LINEAR PARABOLIC EQUATIONS ON NONCOMPACT MANIFOLDS
Authors: MAZZUCATO ANNA L. , NISTOR VICTOR
Published: January 2007

Let [Formula: see text] be a second order, uniformly elliptic, positive semi-definite differential operator on a complete Riemannian manifold of bounded geometry M, acting between sections of a vector bundle with bounded geometry E over M. We assume that the coefficients of L are uniformly bounded. Using finite speed of propagation for L, we investigate properties of operators of the form [Formula: see text]. In particular, we establish results on the distribution kernels and mapping properties of e-tLand (μ + L)s. We show that L generates a holomorphic semigroup that has the usual mapping properties between the Ws,p-Sobolev spaces on M and E. We also prove that L satisfies maximal Lp–Lq-regularity for 1 < p, q < ∞. We apply these results to study parabolic systems of semi-linear equations of the form ∂tu + Lu = F(t, x, u, ∇ u).
Protein metabolism in glucocorticoid excess: study in Cushing's syndrome and the effect of treatment
Authors: Burt Morton G. , Gibney James , Ho Ken K. Y.
Published: January 2007

How protein metabolism is perturbed during chronic glucocorticoid excess is poorly understood. The aims were to investigate the impact of chronic glucocorticoid excess and restoration of eucortisolemia in Cushing's syndrome (CS) on whole body protein metabolism. Eighteen subjects with CS and 18 normal subjects (NS) underwent assessment of body composition using DEXA and whole body protein turnover with a 3-h constant infusion of l-[13C]leucine, allowing calculation of rates of leucine appearance (leucine Ra), leucine oxidation (Lox), and leucine incorporation into protein (LIP). Ten subjects with CS were restudied after restoration of eucortisolemia. Percentage FM was greater (43.9 ± 1.6 vs. 33.8 ± 2.4%, P = 0.002) and LBM lower (52.7 ± 1.6 vs. 62.1 ± 2.3%, P = 0.002) in CS. LBM was significantly correlated ( r2 > 0.44, P < 0.005) to leuceine Ra, Lox, and LIP in both groups. After correcting for LBM, leucine Ra (133 ± 5 vs. 116 ± 5 μmol/min, P = 0.02) and Lox (29 ± 1 vs. 24 ± 1 μmol/min, P = 0.01) were greater in CS. FM significantly correlated ( r2 = 0.23, P < 0.05) with leucine Ra and LIP, but not Lox in CS. In multiple regression, LBM was an independent determinant of all three indexes of leucine turnover, FM of leucine Ra, and LIP and CS of Lox. Following restoration of eucortisolemia, Lox was reduced (Δ−7.5 ± 2.6 μmol/min, P = 0.02) and LIP increased (Δ+15.2 ± 6.2 μmol/min, P = 0.04). In summary, whole body protein metabolism in CS is influenced by changes in body composition and glucocorticoid excess per se, which increases protein oxidation. Enhanced protein oxidation is a likely explanation for the reduced protein mass in CS. Successful treatment of CS reduces protein oxidation and increases protein synthesis to prevent ongoing protein loss.
High-Resolution Mapping for Essential Hypertension Using Microsatellite Markers
Authors: Yatsu Keisuke , Mizuki Nobuhisa , Hirawa Nobuhito , Oka Akira , Itoh Norihiko , Yamane Takahiro , Ogawa Momoko , Shiwa Tadashi , Tabara Yasuharu , Ohno Shigeaki , Soma Masayoshi , Hata Akira , Nakao Kazuwa , Ueshima Hirotsugu , Ogihara Toshio , Tomoike Hitonobu , Miki Tetsuro , Kimura Akinori , Mano Shuhei , Kulski Jerzy K. , Umemura Satoshi , Inoko Hidetoshi
Published: January 2007

During the past decade, considerable efforts and resources have been devoted to elucidating the multiple genetic and environmental determinants responsible for hypertension and its associated cardiovascular diseases. The success of positional cloning, fine mapping, and linkage analysis based on whole-genome screening, however, has been limited in identifying multiple genetic determinants affecting diseases, suggesting that new research strategies for genome-wide typing may be helpful. Disease association (case–control) studies using microsatellite markers, distributed every 150 kb across the human genome, may have some advantages over linkage, candidate, and single nucleotide polymorphism typing methods in terms of statistical power and linkage disequilibrium for finding genomic regions harboring candidate disease genes, although it is not proven. We have carried out genome-wide mapping using 18 977 microsatellite markers in a Japanese population composed of 385 hypertensive patients and 385 normotensive control subjects. Pooled sample analysis was conducted in a 3-stage genomic screen of 3 independent case–control populations, and 54 markers were extracted from the original 18 977 microsatellite markers. As a final step, each single positive marker was confirmed by individual typing, and only 19 markers passed this test. We identified 19 allelic loci that were significantly different between the cases of essential hypertension and the controls.
Diverse Contribution of Bone Marrow–Derived Cells to Vascular Remodeling Associated With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Arterial Neointimal Formation
Authors: Sahara Makoto , Sata Masataka , Morita Toshihiro , Nakamura Kazuto , Hirata Yasunobu , Nagai Ryozo
Published: January 2007

Background—

Recent evidence suggests that bone marrow (BM)–derived cells may differentiate into vascular cells that participate in arterial repair and/or lesion formation. However, it remains uncertain whether BM-derived cells also can participate in vascular remodeling associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Methods and Results—

The BM of Sprague-Dawley rats was reconstituted with that of green fluorescent protein–transgenic rats. The BM-chimeric rats were injected intraperitoneally with 60 mg/kg monocrotaline after unilateral subpneumonectomy, and they concurrently underwent wire-mediated endovascular injury in femoral artery. After 28 days, they had elevated right ventricular systolic pressure (58.8±5.4 versus 20.4±2.4 mm Hg in sham-control;
P
<0.01). The pulmonary arterioles were markedly thickened, with an infiltration of green fluorescent protein–positive macrophages into the perivascular areas. The endothelium of pulmonary arterioles contained only a few green fluorescent protein–positive cells, and green fluorescent protein–positive cells were seldom detected as smooth muscle cells in the lesions of thickened pulmonary arterioles. In contrast, BM-derived smooth muscle–like cells could be readily detected in the thickened neointima and media of the wire-injured femoral artery. Moreover, intravenous injection of 1×10
8
BM cells from young rats had no beneficial effects on pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary arterial remodeling, or survival in the aged rats treated with monocrotaline plus unilateral subpneumonectomy. No injected BM cell was identified as an endothelial cell or a smooth muscle cell.

Conclusions—

These results suggest that BM-derived cells can participate in arterial neointimal formation after mechanical injury, whereas they do not contribute substantially to pulmonary arterial remodeling associated with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in the pneumonectomized rats.
Occupational Stress, Personality Traits, Coping Strategies, and Suicide Ideation in the South African Police Service
Authors: Pienaar Jacobus , Rothmann Sebastiaan , van de Vijver Fons J. R.
Published: January 2007

The objective of this study is to determine whether suicide ideation among uniformed police officers of the South African Police Service could be predicted on the basis of occupational stress, personality traits, and coping strategies. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire, the Police Stress Inventory, the Personality Characteristics Inventory, and the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced are administered to a stratified random sample of 1,794 police employees from eight South African provinces. A logistic regression analysis shows that low scores on conscientiousness, emotional stability, approach coping, and turning to religion as well as high scores on avoidance coping are associated with more suicide ideation.
A Longitudinal Study of Psychological Functioning Among Juvenile Offenders
Authors: Wareham Jennifer , Dembo Richard
Published: January 2007

This study examines a sample of 278 justice-involved juveniles completing at least one of three follow-up interviews as part of a National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded study. Latent growth models are analyzed examining (a) changes in psychological functioning throughout time; (b) the effects of family problems, physical abuse, and sexual victimization on psychological functioning throughout time; and (c) differences across gender. Results indicate that the psychological problems of these youths remain relatively stable throughout time. Furthermore, consistent with findings from existing literature, psychological problems are related to the youths’ family problems and maltreatment experiences, affecting the psychological functioning of female and male youths differently. The findings suggest that focusing intervention and prevention early in a juvenile’s life is the most promising approach for preventing prolonged sociopsychological problems.
The State of Globalization
Authors: Randeria Shalini
Published: January 2007

The successful global diffusion of formal democracy has gone hand in hand with the hollowing out of its substance. Ever more realms of domestic public policy are removed from the purview of national legislative deliberation and insulated from popular scrutiny. Rhetoric of accountability has accompanied the increasing unaccountability of international financial and trade organizations, transnational corporations as well as of states and NGOs. The new architecture of global governance characterized by legal plurality and overlapping sovereignties has facilitated a game of ‘passing the blame’ among these four actors. There is a curious ambivalence in current debates on globalization about the role of the state, which is conceived of as both central and marginal. Globalization is seen to be marked by the decline of both the external and the internal sovereignty of the state. Contrary to such a view, it will be argued here that the state is both an agent and an object of globalization. Although inadequate, the state remains indispensable as its laws and policies play a key role in transposing neo-liberal agendas to the national and local levels. If in the age of globalization and of economic Empire, political violence has been replaced by legal violence, resistance to it is also articulated in the language of law. This paper focuses on the dynamic of legal politics against impoverishment and dispossession caused by the new global designs of intellectual property protection, biodiversity conservation and privatization of the commons in India. The case studies in this paper point to the emergence of intertwined structures of rule, overlapping sovereignties and complex processes of legal transnationalization that have reconfigured the relations between law, state, and territoriality. If welfare states were concerned with the redistribution of risk and resources, cunning states seek to redistribute responsibility. Sensitivity to the history of colonialism would be an important corrective to the presentism and Westerncentrism of analyses of (legal) globalization.
Liquid Arts
Authors: Bauman Zygmunt
Published: January 2007

Bauman offers an exposition of his ideas against the context of art and artistic practices. He draws links between his work on ‘liquid modernity’ and the practices of Gustav Metzger dating back to the 1960s. In particular he stresses how Metzger’s concept of ‘auto-destructive art’ anticipates his own argument on the ways in which contemporary consumerism demands constant novelty, and hence a relentless flow of waste and dissipation - ‘disposal is already contained in the original design’. He develops his insights with reference to the work of Villeglé, Valdes and Braun-Vega who each exemplify key aspects of the liquid modern; creation and destruction, the hopeless and desperate battle for attention, the directionless march of time. It is a sequence of incessant new beginnings, but each new start also contains the seeds of its own destruction and disappearance.
“Let Me Tell You About My Job”: Exploring the Terrain of Emotion in the Workplace
Authors: Miller Katherine I. , Considine Jennifer , Garner Johny
Published: January 2007

Because of the rapid growth in literature on emotion and communication in organizations and the many disciplinary homes of this work, scholars use many conceptualizations of emotion in the workplace. In this article, the authors map the terrain of emotion and communication in the workplace. They first review extant literature and argue for five types of organizational emotion: emotional labor (inauthentic emotion in interaction with customers and clients), emotional work (authentic emotion in interaction customers and clients), emotion with work (emotion stemming from interaction with coworkers), emotion at work (emotion from nonwork sources experienced in the work-place), and emotion toward work (emotions in which work is the target of the feeling). They then explore these types of emotion through an analysis of workplace narratives from the books Working (Terkel, 1972) and Gig (Bowe, Bowe, & Streeter, 2000). Themes that characterize workplace emotion are considered, and directions for future research are proposed.
Distributed Modal Sensors for Rectangular Plate Structures
Authors: Jian Kailin , Friswell Michael I.
Published: January 2007

Modal sensors are sensitive to the structure's response at one or more modes and insensitive to the response due to other modes. Design techniques are well established for distributed sensors for beam structures, but plate structures are more difficult unless the sensor thickness or effectiveness is altered. This study considers the design of distributed modal sensors for plate structures. The sensors are assumed to be of constant thickness and the modes of the plate are assumed to be known functions. The boundary is assumed to be smooth and parameterized using a finite number of points and spline interpolation. The approach is demonstrated on a simply supported uniform rectangular plate and the modes are obtained from the analytical solution. The effect of the number of modes of interest, the form of the objective function, and the number of boundary points is highlighted.
Elastic Response of a Piezoelectric Ceramic Plate with Two Penny-shaped Electrodes at the Opposite Surfaces Under an Electric Load
Authors: Li Xian-Fang , Yong Lee Kang
Published: January 2007

The electric and elastic behaviors of a piezoelectric actuator under an external electric input are analyzed. The actuator is composed of a piezoelectric ceramic plate with two penny-shaped thin electrodes at the opposite surfaces. The problem is solved by using the Hankel transform technique. By reducing the mixed boundary value problem to a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind, numerical results are presented for the mechanical response of the piezoelectric plate subjected to applied electric stimulus. The profiles of the elastic displacements and the distributions of the stresses for a PZT-5H plate are shown graphically. The results indicate that the vertical surface displacement arrives at a maximum at the electrode region, while the radial surface displacement arrives at a peak at the electrode edge. Moreover, elastic stresses arrive at their peaks near the electrode edge within the piezoelectric plate.
A Pilot Study of the Effects of Atomoxetine on Driving Performance in Adults With ADHD
Authors: Barkley Russell A. , Anderson Deborah L. , Kruesi Markus
Published: January 2007

Objective: There is a high risk of vehicular crashes, traffic citations, and poorer driving performance in adults with ADHD. This pilot study examines the value of a new nonstimulant (atomoxetine) for improving the driving performance of adults with ADHD.

Method: Atomoxetine (1.2 mg/kg daily for 3 weeks) and a placebo are studied on 18 adults with ADHD ( M age = 37 years) using ratings of ADHD symptoms, impairment, and safe driving behavior; a virtual reality driving simulator; and ratings of simulator performance.

Results: Atomoxetine improves self-ratings of ADHD symptoms, impairments, safe driving behavior, and simulator driving performance. No effects of atomoxetine are evident on others’ ratings of driving behavior or on the simulator. Practice effects on the simulator may have obscured those drug effects.

Conclusion: The authors find a mixed pattern of results such that atomoxetine warrants further study for its effects on driving in this high-risk population.
Untangling research puzzles in Merton's multilevel anomie theory
Authors: Baumer Eric P.
Published: January 2007

The position advanced in this article is that, rather than presenting two analytically distinct theories as often claimed in the literature, the anomie perspective articulated by Robert Merton reflects one multilevel theory of how macro-level social and cultural conditions increase the likelihood of deviance among individuals. In this article, I translate Merton's multilevel theory into a precise causal model and describe how it accounts for variation in instrumental crime both within and across social collectivities. I then highlight the research implications of this multilevel model, including the types of data and methods needed to evaluate the model and the research puzzles that have been largely overlooked owing to the single-level approaches applied in previous explications of Merton's theory.
Values, preferences, and the citizen-consumer distinction in cost-benefit analysis
Authors: Orr Shepley W.
Published: January 2007

This article examines criticisms of cost-benefit analysis and the contingent valuation method from methodological and moral philosophical perspectives. Both perspectives argue that what should be elicited for public decisions are attitudes or values, not preferences, and that respondents should be treated as citizens and not consumers. The moral philosophical criticism argues in favour of deliberative approaches over cost-benefit analysis. The methodological perspective is here criticized for overemphasizing the importance of protest responses and anomalies and biases in contingent valuation, and for failing to provide the necessary information needed to make public decisions over the allocation of scarce goods. The moral philosophical perspective is criticized for: failing to provide criteria for distinguishing between values and preferences, assuming impartiality requires expression of values and not preferences; failing to recognize the diversity of forms of expression of values, including expression of values through monetary evaluation; and assuming that cost-benefit analysis is necessarily an implementation of a utilitarian political philosophy. The article concludes by showing that deliberative decision-making mechanisms can be overly demanding on citizens, and argues for greater openness in the potential moral justifications of cost-benefit analysis.
Original sin and insider research
Authors: Moore Bruce
Published: January 2007

This article draws parallels between my experience of undertaking insider research and the original sin the biblical Adam and Eve committed when they ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge. I examine my motivation for undertaking research and consider how my focus shifted from my original research questions onto me and my role as both a senior executive and a researcher. I discuss my experience of the need to discover and develop my own interpretation distinct from the orthodoxy of the organization. I identify the influences that caused me to embrace the inherent conflict of being both an insider and a researcher and the consequences that ensued. Although ultimately I found I could not resolve this conflict, I have few regrets and I hope my article will do more to encourage others, rather than deter them from making a similar commitment to undertake insider research in their own organizations.
GraphDNA: a Java program for graphical display of DNA composition analyses
Authors: Thomas Jamie M , Horspool Daniel , Brown Gordon , Tcherepanov Vasily , Upton Chris
Published: January 2007

Background

Under conditions of no strand bias the number of Gs is equal to that of Cs for each DNA strand; similarly, the total number of Ts is equal to that of As. However, within each strand there are considerable local deviations from the A = T and G = C equality. These asymmetries in nucleotide composition have been extensively analyzed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes and related to chromosome organization, transcription orientation and other processes in certain organisms. To carry out analysis of intra-strand nucleotide distribution several graphical methods have been developed.

Results

GraphDNA is a new Java application that provides a simple, user-friendly interface for the visualization of DNA nucleotide composition. The program accepts GenBank, EMBL and FASTA files as an input, and it displays multiple DNA nucleotide composition graphs (skews and walks) in a single window to allow direct comparisons between the sequences. We illustrate the use of DNA skews for characterization of poxvirus and coronavirus genomes.

Conclusion

GraphDNA is a platform-independent, Open Source, tool for the analysis of nucleotide trends in DNA sequences. Multiple sequence formats can be read and multiple sequences may be plotted in a single results window.
Effect of an antepartum Pap smear on the coverage of a cervical cancer screening programme: a population-based prospective study
Authors: Nygård Mari , Daltveit Anne-Kjersti , Thoresen Steinar Ø , Nygård Jan F
Published: January 2007

Background

Almost one-third of Norwegian women aged 25–69 years invited to have a Pap smear do not attend during the recommended period, and thus constitute a population with high-risk of cervical cancer (CC). Since the incidence of precancerous lesions of the cervix peak with occurrence of pregnancies within the same decade in women aged 25 to 35 years of age, antepartum care presents an opportunity to offer a Pap smear thereby increasing the coverage of the programme. The study objective was to describe the effect of the antepartum Pap smear on the coverage of a cytological CC screening programme.

Methods

Among 2 175 762 women resident in Norway in 31.12.1996, all women who gave birth in 1996–7 were identified from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Attendance to the cervical cancer screening was assessed by linkage to the Cytology Registry separately for the pregnant and non-pregnant women cohorts. The results were stratified by age, history of previous Pap smear and history of invitation to the CC screening programme. Logistic regression was used to estimate the relative probabilities of having a Pap smear adjusted for age, screening history, and time since invitation, for pregnant and non-pregnant women, respectively.

Results

69% of the pregnant women had a Pap smear during one year of follow-up since beginning of the pregnancy with the majority taken during the antepartum period. Irrespectively of age or history of having a Pap smear, pregnant women were 4.3 times more likely to have a Pap smear during follow-up compared to non-pregnant women. 63.2% of the pregnant women had a smear as response to the invitation letter compared to 28.7% of the non-pregnant women, OR = 2.1 (95% CI 1.9 to 2.4). As an indication of "over-screening", 5397 pregnant women (57.8%) with a smear shortly before the start of follow-up also had a new Papsmear, compared to 83 023 (32.3%) in non-pregnant.

Conclusion

Pap smear screening during pregnancy increases the coverage of the CC screening programme. The contribution of the antepartum Pap smear to "over-screening" exists but its effect is modest in countries where women on average become pregnant after the start of recommended age of screening.
Overlapping enhancer/promoter and transcriptional termination signals in the lentiviral long terminal repeat
Authors: Yang Qing , Lucas Aurore , Son Sodany , Chang Lung-Ji
Published: January 2007

Oncoretrovirus, but not lentivirus, displays a high transcriptional readthrough activity in the 3' long terminal repeat (LTR) (Zaiss et al. J. Virol. 76, 7209–7219, 2002). However, the U3-deleted, self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral LTR also exhibits high transcriptional readthrough activity. Since the canonical "core" polyadenylation signal (AAUAAA) of the lentivirus is located in the R-U5 region, the above finding suggests that additional RNA termination signals must be present in the U3 region. Insertion of alternative termination signals including panhuman T cell leukemia virus type I polyadenylation signal, a 3' end small intron, and a tertiary tRNA motif into the lentiviral SIN LTR did not restore the transcriptional termination function. Functional dissection of the U3 region revealed that 70–80% of the termination signals reside in the transcriptional control region within 124 nt overlapping NFκB, Sp1 and TATA binding sites. Serial deletion analysis of the transcriptional control region indicates that the lentiviral enhancer/promoter elements are essential to the RNA termination function. These results characterize the mechanism of lentiviral transcriptional readthrough, which addresses important fundamental and practical issue of RNA readthrough influencing lentiviral gene function and vector safety.
The face-specific N170 component is modulated by emotional facial expression
Authors: Blau Vera C , Maurer Urs , Tottenham Nim , McCandliss Bruce D
Published: January 2007

Background

According to the traditional two-stage model of face processing, the face-specific N170 event-related potential (ERP) is linked to structural encoding of face stimuli, whereas later ERP components are thought to reflect processing of facial affect. This view has recently been challenged by reports of N170 modulations by emotional facial expression. This study examines the time-course and topography of the influence of emotional expression on the N170 response to faces.

Methods

Dense-array ERPs were recorded in response to a set (n = 16) of fear and neutral faces. Stimuli were normalized on dimensions of shape, size and luminance contrast distribution. To minimize task effects related to facial or emotional processing, facial stimuli were irrelevant to a primary task of learning associative pairings between a subsequently presented visual character and a spoken word.

Results

N170 to faces showed a strong modulation by emotional facial expression. A split half analysis demonstrates that this effect was significant both early and late in the experiment and was therefore not associated with only the initial exposures of these stimuli, demonstrating a form of robustness against habituation. The effect of emotional modulation of the N170 to faces did not show significant interaction with the gender of the face stimulus, or hemisphere of recording sites. Subtracting the fear versus neutral topography provided a topography that itself was highly similar to the face N170.

Conclusion

The face N170 response can be influenced by emotional expressions contained within facial stimuli. The topography of this effect is consistent with the notion that fear stimuli exaggerates the N170 response itself. This finding stands in contrast to previous models suggesting that N170 processes linked to structural analysis of faces precede analysis of emotional expression, and instead may reflect early top-down modulation from neural systems involved in rapid emotional processing.
Modified Opsite® Sandwich for Temporary Abdominal Closure: A Non-Traumatic Experience
Authors: Wilde JM , Loudon MA
Published: January 2007

INTRODUCTION

Laparostomy techniques have advanced since the advent of damage control surgery for the critically injured patient. Numerous methods of temporary abdominal closure (TAC) are described in the literature with most reports focusing on trauma. We describe a modified technique for TAC and report its use in a series of critically ill non-trauma patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eleven patients under the care of one consultant underwent TAC over a 36-month period. A standardised technique was used in all cases and this is described. Severity of illness at the time of the first laparotomy was assessed using the Portsmouth variant of the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity (P-POSSUM).

RESULTS

Nineteen TACs were performed in 11 patients with a variety of serious surgical conditions. In-hospital mortality was zero despite seven of the patients having an individual P-POSSUM predicted mortality in excess of 50%. The laparostomy dressing proved simple in construction, facilitated nursing care and was well-tolerated in the critical care environment. All patients underwent definitive fascial closure during the index admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparostomy is a useful technique outwith the context of trauma. We have demonstrated the utility of the modified Opsite® sandwich vacuum pack for TAC in a series of critically ill patients with a universally favourable outcome. This small study suggests that selective use of TAC may reduce surgical mortality.
An Algorithm for the Management of Bile Leak Following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Ahmad F , Saunders RN , Lloyd GM , Lloyd DM , Robertson GSM
Published: January 2007

INTRODUCTION

The management of bile leaks following laparoscopic cholecystectomy has evolved with increased experience of ERCP and laparoscopy. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a minimally invasive management protocol.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty-four patients with a bile leak following laparoscopic cholecystectomy were recorded consecutively between 1993 and 2003. Between 1993–1998, 10 patients were managed on a case-by-case basis. Between 1998–2003, 14 patients were managed according to a minimally invasive protocol utilising ERC/biliary stenting and re-laparoscopy if indicated.

RESULTS

Bile leaks presented as bile in a drain left in situ post laparoscopic cholecystectomy (8/10 versus 10/14) or biliary peritonitis (2/10 versus 4/14). Prior to 1998, neither ERC nor laparoscopy were utilised routinely. During this period, 4/10 patients recovered with conservative management and 6/10 (60%) underwent laparotomy. There was one postoperative death and median hospital stay post laparoscopic cholecystectomy was 10 days (range, 5–30 days). In the protocol era, ERC ± stenting was performed in 11/14 (P = 0.01 versus pre-protocol) with the main indication being a persistent bile leak. Re-laparoscopy was necessary in 5/14 (P = 0.05 versus preprotocol). No laparotomies were performed (P < 0.01 versus pre-protocol) and there were no postoperative deaths. Median hospital stay was 11 days (range, 5–55 days).

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of a minimally invasive protocol utilising ERC and re-laparoscopy offers an effective modern algorithm for the management of bile leaks after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Alterations in Proximal Femur Geometry in Children Treated with Glucocorticoids for Crohn Disease or Nephrotic Syndrome: Impact of the Underlying Disease
Authors: Burnham Jon M , Shults Justine , Petit Moira A , Semeao Edisio , Beck Thomas J , Zemel Babette S , Leonard Mary B
Published: January 2007

Proximal femur geometry was assessed in children and young adults treated with chronic GCs for CD or SSNS. Subperiosteal width and section modulus were significantly lower in CD and greater in SSNS compared with controls, highlighting the importance of the underlying disease, persistent inflammation, and alterations in lean mass.

Introduction: The impact of glucocorticoid (GC) therapy on bone structure during growth is unknown. Our objective was to characterize proximal femur geometry in children and young adults with Crohn disease (CD) or steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) compared with controls and to evaluate the influence of lean mass and GC therapy on bone parameters.

Materials and Methods: DXA scans of the hip and whole body were obtained in 88 subjects with CD, 65 subjects with SSNS, and 128 controls (4–26 years of age). Hip structural analysis parameters (subperiosteal width, cross-sectional area [CSA], and section modulus in the narrow neck [NN], intertrochanteric region [IT], and femoral shaft [FS]), areal BMD, and whole body lean mass were expressed as Z scores compared with controls. Multivariable linear regression was used to adjust outcomes for group differences in age, sex, race, and height.

Results: Mean lean mass Z scores were lower in CD (−0.63, p < 0.001) and greater in SSNS (0.36, p = 0.03) compared with controls. Hip areal BMD Z scores were lower in CD (−0.73, p < 0.001) but not SSNS (−0.02, p > 0.2) compared with controls. In CD, Z scores for subperiosteal width (NN: −1.66, p < 0.001; FS: −0.86, p < 0.001) and section modulus (NN: −0.60, p = 0.003; FS: –0.36, p = 0.03) were significantly lower than controls. In contrast, in SSNS, Z scores were greater for IT subperiosteal width (0.39, p = 0.02), FS CSA (0.47, p = 0.005), and FS section modulus (0.49, p = 0.004). Alterations in section modulus in CD and SSNS were eliminated after adjustment for lean mass. Cumulative GC dose was inversely associated with FS subperiosteal width and section modulus only in CD.

Conclusions: These data show that the effects of GC on proximal femur geometry during growth are influenced by the underlying disease, persistent inflammation, and alterations in lean mass. These data also provide insight into the structural basis of hip fragility in CD.
Expression of CXCL15 (Lungkine) in Murine Gastrointestinal, Urogenital, and Endocrine Organs
Authors: Schmitz Julia M. , McCracken Vance J. , Dimmitt Reed A. , Lorenz Robin G.
Published: January 2007

The ELR+ chemokine CXCL15, which recruits neutrophils during pulmonary inflammation, is also known as lungkine due to its reported exclusive expression in the lung. We now report that CXCL15 mRNA and protein are also expressed in other mucosal and endocrine organs including the gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts and the adrenal gland. Our results indicate that CXCL15 is expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract, with the exception of the cecum. Gastric CXCL15 protein expression is approximately 10-fold lower than pulmonary expression and primarily occurs in a specific lineage of gastric epithelial cells, the prezymogenic and zymogenic cell. Similar to the increased expression of CXCL15 during pulmonary inflammation, gastric inflammation induced by infection with Helicobacter felis caused an increase in gastric CXCL15 expression. However, colonic CXCL15 expression was not altered in two different models of colonic inflammation, the Helicobacter hepaticus T-cell transfer model and the mdr1a−/− model of colitis. These findings clearly demonstrate that CXCL15, previously reported to be the only lung-specific chemokine, is also highly expressed in other murine mucosal and endocrine organs. The functional role of CXCL15 in mucosal disease remains to be elucidated. This manuscript contains online supplemental material at http://www.jhc.org . Please visit this article online to view these materials.