bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Politics of Choice and Competition in Public Services
Authors: LE GRAND JULIAN
Published: June 2007

The politics of choice and competition in public services are complex. Only public service users seem basically to want choice. Providers prefer alternative models of service delivery especially those that rely upon trust. Social democrats prefer voice and trust; conservatives want choice and competition to be exercised in the context of a full private market. Yet, so long as they are properly designed, policies aimed at promoting choice and competition can serve the interests of all these groups better than the alternatives.
The Future of Socialism and New Labour: An Appraisal
Authors: WICKHAM‐JONES MARK
Published: June 2007

Recently, much controversy has been generated about what Tony Crosland would have made of New Labour. Critics and supporters of the Blair project alike have laid claim to Crosland's legacy. For some it is evidence of New Labour's integrity; for others it confirms the party's betrayal of social democratic values. An examination of the arguments in The Future of Socialism indicates that it is neither. In this article, I offer a new appraisal of that text that challenges the orthodox analysis of it. Most accounts present the volume as a theoretical and original statement, one seeking to align British socialism with Swedish social democracy. I argue that the volume does not offer this kind of original contribution to debates about socialism. It is neither primarily a theoretical volume nor one that breaks decisively with the insularity that has shaped the trajectory of British socialism. I maintain that the importance of Crosland's legacy is emotional and symbolic: it offers Labour a charismatic and reassuring image of the party's past.
The Extreme Right in Britain: Still an ‘Ugly Duckling’ but for How Long?
Authors: GOODWIN MATTHEW J.
Published: June 2007

In recent years the far right in Britain has received increased support in local, national, and European elections. Examining these results researchers have pointed toward a wider potential support base for parties such as the BNP. Drawing upon in‐depth interviews with the BNP leadership, strategists, and organisers this paper argues that both the party's environment and the party itself must be incorporated if we are to provide a satisfactory account of recent success. Through cross‐national co‐operation and influence from far right parties elsewhere the BNP has embarked upon a concerted attempt to build political legitimacy. This paper examines this process whilst also highlighting some general policy implications emerging from recent BNP gains.
Multivariate Time‐Series Analysis With Categorical and Continuous Variables in an Lstr Model
Authors: Davis Ginger M. , Ensor Katherine B.
Published: June 2007

Abstract. We develop a methodology for multivariate time‐series analysis when our time‐series has components that are both continuous and categorical. Our specific contribution is a logistic smooth‐transition regression (LSTR) model, the transition variable of which is related to a categorical time‐series (LSTR‐C). This methodology is necessary for series that exhibit nonlinear behaviour dependent on a categorical time‐series. The estimation procedure is investigated both with simulation and an economic time‐series. We obtain superior or equivalent model fits as compared with another smooth‐transition regression model. Furthermore, even when the nonlinear behaviour of the time‐series is dependent on a continuous time‐series, we propose a simplification of the modelling process, which is the automatic formulation of the transition variable from the categorical time‐series. We are able to capture this nonlinear dependence on a continuous time‐series by using regression theory for categorical time‐series.
Spectral measures of PARMA sequences
Authors: Wyłomańska Agnieszka
Published: June 2007

Abstract. The aim of this article is to give a complete description of the spectral measure of periodic autoregressive moving‐average (PARMA) system in terms of its coefficients. In the analysis we use the spectral theory of strongly harmonizable sequences presented in Hurd [Journal of Multivariate Analysis(1989) Vol. 29, pp. 53–67] and the form of the unique bounded solution of ARMA model with periodic coefficients. As an application of the theoretical results, we present some examples of the spectral measures for PARMA models.
Single‐Parenthood and Poverty in Great Britain
Authors: Wright Robert E.
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT This paper examines empirically the relationship between single‐parenthood and absolute poverty in Great Britain. Data from two years of the Family Expenditure Survey are used (1968 and 1986). A poverty measure that is additively decomposable with population share weights, and consistent with Sen's axiomatic approach to poverty measurement, is used to decompose the total amount of poverty into the “shares” accruing to different types of households (i.e. female and male single‐parents, two‐parent households and “other” types of households). Three main conclusions concerning the poverty experience of British single‐parents emerge from the analysis. The first is that poverty rates for single‐parent households are generally higher than the average for all households. However, this disadvantage is not as large as one might expect, especially when a comparison is made with two‐parent households. The second is that single‐parent households are over‐represented in the ranks of the poor. That is, their “share” of total poverty is greater than their population share. The third is that increasing single‐parenthood has had little impact on the overall trend in absolute poverty in the period 1968 to 1986.
Experimental calibration of the vapour–liquid phase relations and lithium isotope fractionation in the system H2O–LiCl at 400°C/20–28 MPa
Authors: LIEBSCHER A. , MEIXNER A. , ROMER R. L. , HEINRICH W.
Published: June 2007

We experimentally determined the vapour–liquid two‐phase field and the vapour–liquid fractionation of the lithium isotopes in the system H2O–LiCl along the 400°C isotherm at 20–28 MPa. The critical point of the 400°C isotherm is at 27.6 MPa/750 mmol kg−1 LiCl, i.e. at slightly lower pressure but higher salt concentration than in the H2O–NaCl system. At a given pressure, the vapour in the H2O–LiCl system has higher salt concentrations compared to the vapour in the H2O–NaCl system whereas salt concentrations in coexisting liquid are comparable in both systems. The vapour–liquid two‐phase field in the H2O–LiCl system therefore opens less with decreasing pressure. The available data indicate that adding LiCl to a predominantly H2O–NaCl fluid may notably increase salt concentrations in the vapour. The lithium isotope fractionation between vapour and liquid is only minor with a slight preference of 7Li for the liquid. The data do not allow quantifying Δ7Livapour‐liquid precisely, but they suggest Δ7Livapour‐liquid ≤ −0.5‰. Even for extreme Rayleigh fractionation in an open system the lithium isotopic signature of vapour, liquid, and bulk system will not be altered by more than 1‰. The lithium isotopes are a conservative tracer during aqueous fluid phase separation and lithium isotope fractionation observed in natural hydrothermal systems reflects the combined effects of source reservoir and fluid–mineral interactions.
Reproduction in a population of the endangered Leadbeater's possum inhabiting lowland swamp forest
Authors: Harley D. K. P. , Lill A.
Published: June 2007

Denning groups (colonies) of Leadbeater's possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri inhabiting nest boxes in lowland swamp forest were characterized by the presence of only a single breeding pair. The percentage of adult females and males in the population that held the position of ‘resident breeding individual’ within their colony was 66±12 and 62±13%, respectively. The remaining animals were mainly younger adults yet to acquire breeding positions within established colonies. Male and female Leadbeater's possums that attain breeding status within a colony usually reproduced for more than 3 years. Breeding vacancies that arose following the death of an individual were quickly filled by immigrants from neighbouring colonies. Typically, both male and female possums did not commence breeding until they were more than 2 years of age and had dispersed from their natal colony to a neighbouring group. Births were recorded in every month, with no discernible peaks in reproductive activity. This is the first reported case of aseasonal reproduction by a small petaurid species in temperate Australia. The mean litter size was 1.55, and females typically produced two litters per year. The reproductive ecology of Leadbeater's possum differs from that of other small (<260 g), communally denning petaurids in temperate Australia in the following respects: (1) first breeding occurs when individuals are older, (2) breeding occurs throughout the year, (3) the natality rate per female is higher and (4) at any time, reproduction appears to be restricted to a single pair of animals within each colony.
Diets of savanna ungulates from stable carbon isotope composition of faeces
Authors: Codron D. , Codron J. , Lee‐Thorp J. A. , Sponheimer M. , De Ruiter D. , Sealy J. , Grant R. , Fourie N.
Published: June 2007

Hypotheses to explain diversity among African ungulates focus largely on niche separation along a browser/grazer continuum. However, a number of studies advocate that the browser/grazer distinction insufficiently describes the full extent of dietary variation that occurs within and between taxa. Disparate classification schemes exist because of a lack of uniform and reliable data for many taxa, and failure to incorporate spatio‐temporal variations into broader assessments of diet. In this study, we tested predictions for diet and dietary niche separation of African savanna ungulates using stable carbon isotope evidence from faeces for proportions of C3 (browse) to C4 (grass) intake among 19 species from the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Dietary predictions from the literature are confirmed in the case of browsers (black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis, giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis, bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus, kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros), mixed‐feeders (impala Aepyceros melampus, nyala Tragelaphus angasii), and most grazers (white rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum, Burchell's zebra Equus burchellii, warthog Phacochoerus africanus, hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius, blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus, tsessebe Damaliscus lunatus, waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus). In contrast, several species showed results differing from most expectations derived from the available literature, including eland Taurotragus oryx, steenbok Raphicerus campestris, grey duiker Sylvicapra grimmia, buffalo Syncerus caffer, roan antelope Hippotragus equinus and sable antelope Hippotragus niger. Many of these discrepancies can be accounted for by seasonal and/or regional dietary differences. Cluster analysis based on a data matrix that incorporates the extent of spatio‐temporal dietary variation among Kruger Park ungulates reveals several distinct categories of feeding preferences that extend beyond a two‐edged browser/grazer dichotomy, such as mixed‐feeders with a preference for either forage class, and spatial/seasonal shifts between uniform and mixed‐feeding styles among variable browsers (e.g. grey duiker) and variable grazers (e.g. buffalo). These results highlight the need for approaches that are sensitive to spatio‐temporal variations and the continuity of diet.
Polymorphonuclear leukocytes promote neurotoxicity through release of matrix metalloproteinases, reactive oxygen species, and TNF‐α
Authors: Nguyen Hal X. , O’Barr Thaddeus J. , Anderson Aileen J.
Published: June 2007

As the first immune cells to infiltrate the nervous system after traumatic PNS and CNS injury, neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes, PMNs) may promote injury by releasing toxic soluble factors that may affect neuronal survival. Direct neurotoxicity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cytokines released by PMNs was investigated by culturing dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells with PMN‐conditioned media containing MMP inhibitor (GM6001), ROS scavengers, or tumor necrosis factor αR (TNF‐αR) neutralizing antibody. Although DRGs exposed to PMN‐conditioned media had 53% fewer surviving neurons than controls, neuronal cell loss was prevented by GM6001 (20 μmol/L), catalase (1000 U/mL), or TNF‐αR neutralizing antibody (1.5 μg/mL), elevating survival to 77%, 94%, and 95%, respectively. In accordance with protection by GM6001, conditioned media collected from MMP‐9 null PMNs was less neurotoxic than that collected from wild‐type PMNs. Additionally, MMP inhibition reduced PMN‐derived ROS; removal of ROS reduced PMN‐derived MMP‐9 activity; and TNF‐α inhibition reduced both PMN‐derived MMP‐9 activity and ROS in PMN cultures. Our data provide the first direct evidence that PMN‐driven neurotoxicity is dependent on MMPs, ROS, and TNF‐α, and that these factors may regulate PMN release of these soluble factors or interact with one another to mediate PMN‐driven neurotoxicity.
The roles of NADPH oxidase and phospholipases A2in oxidative and inflammatory responses in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Sun Grace Y. , Horrocks Lloyd A. , Farooqui Akhlaq A.
Published: June 2007

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in mammalian cells through enzymic and non‐enzymic mechanisms. Although some ROS production pathways are needed for specific physiological functions, excessive production is detrimental and is regarded as the basis of numerous neurodegenerative diseases. Among enzymes producing superoxide anions, NADPH oxidase is widespread in mammalian cells and is an important source of ROS in mediating physiological and pathological processes in the cardiovascular and the CNS. ROS production is linked to the alteration of intracellular calcium homeostasis, activation of Ca2+‐dependent enzymes, alteration of cytoskeletal proteins, and degradation of membrane glycerophospholipids. There is evolving evidence that ROS produced by NADPH oxidase regulate neuronal functions and degrade membrane phospholipids through activation of phospholipases A2(PLA2). This review is intended to cover recent studies describing ROS generation from NADPH oxidase in the CNS and its downstream activation of PLA2, namely, the group IV cytosolic cPLA2and the group II secretory sPLA2. A major focus is to elaborate the dual role of NADPH oxidase and PLA2in mediating the oxidative and inflammatory responses in neurodegenerative diseases, including cerebral ischemia and Alzheimer’s disease. Elucidation of the signaling pathways linking NADPH oxidase with the multiple forms of PLA2will be important in understanding the oxidative and degradative mechanisms that underline neuronal damage and glial activation and will facilitate development of therapeutic intervention for prevention and treatment of these and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Evidence that ethanol acts on a target in Loop 2 of the extracellular domain of α1 glycine receptors
Authors: Crawford Daniel K. , Trudell James R. , Bertaccini Edward J. , Li Kaixun , Davies Daryl L. , Alkana Ronald L.
Published: June 2007

Considerable evidence indicates that ethanol acts on specific residues in the transmembrane domains of glycine receptors (GlyRs). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the extracellular domain is also a target for ethanol action by investigating the effect of cysteine substitutions at positions 52 (extracellular domain) and 267 (transmembrane domain) on responses to n‐alcohols and propyl methanethiosulfonate (PMTS) in α1GlyRs expressed in Xenopus oocytes. In support of the hypothesis: (i) The A52C mutation changed ethanol sensitivity compared to WT GlyRs; (ii) PMTS produced irreversible alcohol‐like potentiation in A52C GlyRs; and (iii) PMTS binding reduced the n‐chain alcohol cutoff in A52C GlyRs. Further studies used PMTS binding to cysteines at positions 52 or 267 to block ethanol action at one site in order to determine its effect at other site(s). In these situations, ethanol caused negative modulation when acting at position 52 and positive modulation when acting at position 267. Collectively, these findings parallel the evidence that established the TM domain as a target for ethanol, suggest that positions 52 and 267 are part of the same alcohol pocket and indicate that the net effect of ethanol on GlyR function reflects the summation of its positive and negative modulatory effects on different targets.
Fibronectin is elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients suffering from bacterial meningitis and enhances inflammation caused by bacterial products in primary mouse microglial cell cultures
Authors: Goos Miriam , Lange Peter , Hanisch Uwe‐Karsten , Prinz Marco , Scheffel Jörg , Bergmann Reiner , Ebert Sandra , Nau Roland
Published: June 2007

Toll‐like receptors (TLR) play a key role in the recognition of pathogenic organisms. Fibronectin, an extracellular matrix protein, is considered a potent stimulator of the innate immune system through TLR4. In bacterial meningitis, several extracellular matrix proteins and bacterial compounds are elevated in the CSF. For this reason, we hypothesized that these molecules may jointly stimulate the innate immune system and increase neuronal damage in bacterial meningitis. Concentrations of fibronectin were elevated in the CSF of patients suffering from bacterial meningitis, but not in patients with multiple sclerosis, when compared with control patients without CSF abnormalities. In primary cultures of mouse microglial cells, co‐administration of fibronectin at concentrations occurring in the CSF in bacterial meningitis (10 μg/mL) with defined TLR agonists [lipopolysaccharide (TLR4), the synthetic lipopeptide tripalmytoyl‐cysteinyl‐seryl‐(lysyl)3‐lysine (TLR2) and single‐stranded unmethylated cytosine‐guanosine oligodesoxynucleotide (TLR9)] led to an additive release of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha when compared with the release elicited by either compound alone. In conclusion, the inflammatory reaction to bacterial compounds can be aggravated by endogenous fibronectin at elevated levels during bacterial CNS infections. This additive or synergistic effect may contribute to neuronal damage during bacterial meningitis.
Muscarinic M1 acetylcholine receptors regulate the non‐quantal release of acetylcholine in the rat neuromuscular junction via NO‐dependent mechanism
Authors: Malomouzh Artem I. , Mukhtarov Marat R. , Nikolsky Eugen E. , Vyskočil František
Published: June 2007

Nitric oxide (NO), previously demonstrated to participate in the regulation of the resting membrane potential in skeletal muscles via muscarinic receptors, also regulates non‐quantal acetylcholine (ACh) secretion from rat motor nerve endings. Non‐quantal ACh release was estimated by the amplitude of endplate hyperpolarization (H‐effect) following a blockade of skeletal muscle post‐synaptic nicotinic receptors by (+)‐tubocurarine. The muscarinic agonists oxotremorine and muscarine lowered the H‐effect and the M1 antagonist pirenzepine prevented this effect occurring at all. Another muscarinic agonist arecaidine but‐2‐ynyl ester tosylate (ABET), which is more selective for M2 receptors than for M1 receptors and 1,1‐dimethyl‐4‐diphenylacetoxypiperidinium (DAMP), a specific antagonist of M3 cholinergic receptors had no significant effect on the H‐effect. The oxotremorine‐induced decrease in the H‐effect was calcium and calmodulin‐dependent. The decrease was negated when either NO synthase was inhibited by NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester or soluble guanylyl cyclase was inhibited by 1H‐[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3‐a]quinoxalin‐1‐one. The target of muscle‐derived NO is apparently nerve terminal guanylyl cyclase, because exogenous hemoglobin, acting as an NO scavenger, prevented the oxotremorine‐induced drop in the H‐effect. These results suggest that oxotremorine (and probably also non‐quantal ACh) selectively inhibit the non‐quantal secretion of ACh from motor nerve terminals acting on post‐synaptic M1 receptors coupled to Ca2+ channels in the sarcolemma to induce sarcoplasmic Ca2+‐dependent synthesis and the release of NO. It seems that a substantial part of the H‐effect can be physiologically regulated by this negative feedback loop, i.e., by NO from muscle fiber; there is apparently also Ca2+‐ and calmodulin‐dependent regulation of ACh non‐quantal release in the nerve terminal itself, as calmidazolium inhibition of the calmodulin led to a doubling of the resting H‐effect.
Ecomorphology of the wheatears (genus Oenanthe)
Authors: KABOLI MOHAMMAD , ALIABADIAN MANSOUR , GUILLAUMET ALBAN , ROSELAAR CEES S. , PRODON ROGER
Published: June 2007

We used measurements of museum skins to assess morphological differences between the 22 currently recognized species of wheatear and to identify correlations between morphological features, behavioural traits and degrees of sympatry between species. Ground‐dwelling species of steppe‐like habitats have long tarsi, long claws and short tails; some are migratory and have long pointed wings and non‐emarginated primaries (O. isabellina and O. oenanthe), while others are sedentary and have more rounded and slotted wings (O. bottae, O. heuglini and O. pileata). Vegetation‐tolerant species (O. pleschanka, O. hispanica, O. cypriaca and O. deserti) have relatively long tails, short tarsi, long middle toes and long claws. The rock‐dwelling species have short tarsi, long toes and short claws; they can be either relatively heavy (O. leucura and O. monticola) or light, like the wheatears inhabiting the most arid areas (O. monacha, O. leucopyga and O. alboniger). Although sedentary, the latter show intermediate characteristics between sedentary and migratory species, having relatively pointed wings with non‐emarginated primaries. Together with their low wing‐loadings, these traits may be related to the scarcity of resources in their habitats, which obliges them to make frequent and long flights. The clear morphological differentiation between wheatear species appears to be mainly related to their migratory and foraging habits, but seems to bear no relation to their degree of sympatry.
Ketogenic Diet: Electrophysiological Effects on the Normal Human Cortex
Authors: Cantello Roberto , Varrasi Claudia , Tarletti Roberto , Cecchin Michela , D'Andrea Federico , Veggiotti Pierangelo , Bellomo Giorgio , Monaco Francesco
Published: June 2007

Summary:  Purpose: To explore the cortical electrophysiology of the ketogenic diet (KD) in the normal human. KD is effective against refractory epilepsy, but its precise mechanism is obscure. At the transmitter level, an enhancement of GABA inhibition has often been proposed.

Methods: We studied eight healthy volunteers undergoing a “classic” KD for 2 weeks. We measured several biochemical variables at baseline (T0), after 1 week (T1) and 2 weeks (T2) of KD, then 3 months after the KD conclusion (T3). Ketosis was quantified as 24‐h ketonuria. At the same time, we studied the motor cortical excitability by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We also quantitatively evaluated the EEG signal in search of frequency shifts over the rolandic areas.

Results: Significant (p < 0.05) neurophysiological changes appeared at T2. These consisted of a strengthening of short‐latency cortical inhibition (SICI), a TMS index which is thought to reflect GABA‐A inhibition in the cortex. Then, there was an enhancement of the beta EEG band over the perirolandic region, similar to that following administration of GABA‐A agonists. All changes disappeared at T3.

Conclusions: A standard, short‐term KD affected the cortical physiology of the normal human. The main changes were an augmented SICI and an increased perirolandic beta EEG activity, which are compatible with a lower level of neural excitation within the cortex.
The Effects on Cognitive Function and Behavioral Problems of Topiramate Compared to Carbamazepine as Monotherapy for Children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy
Authors: Kang Hoon‐Chul , Eun Baik‐Lin , Wu Lee Chang , Ku Moon Han , Kim Joon‐Sik , Wook Kim Dong , Soo Lee Joon , Young Chae Kyu , Ho Cha Byung , Sook Suh Eun , Chae Park Jung , Lim Kyunghwa , Hye Ha Eun , Ho Song Dong , Dong Kim Heung ,   Korean Pediatric Topiramate Study Group
Published: June 2007

Summary:  Methods: A multicenter, randomized, open‐label, observer‐blinded, parallel‐group clinical trial was conducted. TPM was introduced at a dose of 12.5 mg/day with the minimum target dose of 50 mg/day in patients <30 kg and 75 mg/day in patients >30 kg over 4 weeks. CBZ was started at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day with the minimum target dose of 20 mg/kg/day over 4 weeks. Additional individual escalation was allowed up to a maximum target dose. The primary study end point was change on a neuropsychological test battery after 28 weeks of treatment.

Results: Neuropsychological data were available for 88 patients (45 patients for TPM and 43 patients for CBZ). Of the cognitive variables measured, arithmetic showed significant worsening in TPM (p = 0.037). An additional test, for maze, also showed a significantly greater improvement for CBZ (p = 0.026). Of behavioral variables, no significant changes were found but the scores had a negative trend for the TPM. When 30 patients on the minimum target dose for TPM were compared to 40 patients treated with minimum target CBZ, there was no significant worsening of cognitive and behavioral effects in the TPM.

Conclusion: The pattern of neuropsychometric changes with TPM seemed to be slightly worse overall than CBZ. However, outcome with the minimum target dose did not differ significantly in comparisons between the treatment groups.
Antiepileptic Drugs and MTHFR Polymorphisms Influence Hyper‐Homocysteinemia Recurrence in Epileptic Patients
Authors: Belcastro Vincenzo , Gaetano Gorgone , Italiano Domenico , Oteri Giancarla , Caccamo Daniela , Pisani Laura Rosa , Striano Pasquale , Striano Salvatore , Ientile Riccardo , Pisani Francesco
Published: June 2007

Summary:  The influence of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and/or common polymorphisms (677C → T, 1298A → C) of the methylene‐tetrahydrofolate‐reductase (MTHFR) gene on the recurrence time of hyper‐total‐homocysteinemia (tHcy > 13 μmol/L) was investigated in 59 hyper‐homocysteinemic patients (34M/25F, 20–49 years). Plasma tHcy and folate were assayed before and after 1‐month folate supplementation (5mg/day), and after 2, 4, and 6 months. Four MTHFR polymorphism groups were identified with the following tHcy (μmol/L) and folate (nmol/L) levels (mean ± SD): (a) MTHFR677TT/1298AA, 24 patients, 36.0 ± 4.8, 4.1 ± 0.7; (b) MTHFR677CT/1298AC 27.1 ± 2.7, 5.3 ± 1.0 (n = 15); (c) MTHFR677CT/1298AA 16.6 ± 3.6, 6.8 ± 1.0 (n = 11), all taking enzyme‐inducing AEDs; and (d) MTHFR677TT/1298AA 24.5 ± 3.2, 5.6 ± 1.1 (n = 9), treated with new AEDs. After folate therapy, plasma t‐Hcy and folate were normal in all patients. At 6 months, 43 patients (72.9%) exhibited hyper‐tHcy, the greater proportion belonging to the EI‐AED‐MTHFR677TT/1298AA (39%). Knowledge of the hyper‐tHcy recurrence time after folate therapy discontinuation may help in optimizing folate supplementation pulses.
Nerve conduits and growth factor delivery in peripheral nerve repair
Authors: Pfister Lukas A. , Papaloïzos Michaël , Merkle Hans P. , Gander Bruno
Published: June 2007

Abstract  Peripheral nerves possess the capacity of self‐regeneration after traumatic injury. Transected peripheral nerves can be bridged by direct surgical coaptation of the two nerve stumps or by interposing autografts or biological (veins) or synthetic nerve conduits (NC). NC are tubular structures that guide the regenerating axons to the distal nerve stump. Early synthetic NC have primarily been made of silicone because of the relative flexibility and biocompatibility of this material and because medical‐grade silicone tubes were readily available in various dimensions. Nowadays, NC are preferably made of biodegradable materials such as collagen, aliphatic polyesters, or polyurethanes. Although NC assist in guiding regenerating nerves, satisfactory functional restoration of severed nerves may further require exogenous growth factors. Therefore, authors have proposed NC with integrated delivery systems for growth factors or growth factor–producing cells. This article reviews the most important designs of NC with integrated delivery systems for localized release of growth factors. The various systems discussed comprise NC with growth factors being released from various types of matrices, from transplanted cells (Schwann cells or mesenchymal stem cells), or through genetic modification of cells naturally present at the site of injured tissue. Acellular delivery systems for growth factors include the NC wall itself, biodegradable microspheres seeded onto the internal surface of the NC wall, or matrices that are filled into the lumen of the NC and immobilize the growth factors through physical‐chemical interactions or specific ligand‐receptor interactions. A very promising and elegant system appears to be longitudinally aligned fibers inserted in the lumen of a NC that deliver the growth factors and provide additional guidance for Schwann cells and axons. This review also attempts to appreciate the most promising approaches and emphasize the importance of growth factor delivery kinetics.
Immortalization and characterization of a nociceptive dorsal root ganglion sensory neuronal line
Authors: Chen Weiran , Mi Ruifa , Haughey Norman , Oz Murat , Höke Ahmet
Published: June 2007

Abstract  Development of neuroprotective strategies for peripheral neuropathies requires high‐throughput drug screening assays with appropriate cell types. Currently, immortalized dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neuronal cell lines that maintain nociceptive sensory neuronal properties are not available. We generated immortalized DRG neuronal lines from embryonic day 14.5 rats. Here, we show that one of the immortalized DRG neuronal lines, 50B11, has the properties of a nociceptive neuron. When differentiated in the presence of forskolin, these cells extend long neurites, express neuronal markers, and generate action potentials. They express receptors and markers of small‐diameter sensory neurons and upregulate appropriate receptor populations when grown in the presence of glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor or nerve growth factor. Furthermore, they express capsaicin receptor transient receptor potential vanilloid family‐1 (TRPV‐1) and respond to capsaicin with increases in intracellular calcium. In a 96‐well plate format, these neurons show a decline in ATP levels when exposed to dideoxycytosine (ddC) in a proper time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. This ddC‐induced reduction in ATP levels correlates with axonal degeneration. The immortalized DRG neuronal cell line 50B11 can be used for high‐throughput drug screening for neuroprotective agents for axonal degeneration and antinociceptive drugs that block TRPV‐1.
THE ASSIGNMENT OF MEN TO MACHINES: AN APPLICATION OF BRANCH AND BOUND
Authors: Miller Jeffrey G. , Berry William L.
Published: June 2007

This paper presents a branch and bound algorithm for assigning men to machines in a production system. The labor assignment problem of concern in this paper occurs when 1) a single operator can service several semi‐automatic machines simultaneously, 2) the service and machine processing times are different among the machines and are deterministic, 3) a strict cyclic service discipline is assumed, and 4) the combined costs of idle labor and machine time are to be minimized. The paper includes a formal definition of the labor assignment problem, a description of the branch and bound algorithm, and a discussion of the computational experience with the algorithm.
THE INDUCE VERSUS PURCHASE DECISION: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF INDUSTRIAL R&D*
Authors: Link Albert , Tassey Gregory , Zmud Robert W.
Published: June 2007

With the recent slowdown in productivity growth within the economy, R&D has come under scrutiny as a policy target variable. If such targeting is to be effective, it must be realized that not all innovations employed within a firm are induced by the firm through its own R&D: many innovations are purchased through technological licensing or in the form of new capital equipment. Here, interfirm differences in this “make” versus “buy” strategy are analyzed within the context of the Utterback‐Abernathy production process lifecycle. Our findings suggest that (1) alternative sources to a firm's R&D for stimulating innovation may prove a viable strategy for federal targeting and (2) extrapolating the Utterback‐Abernathy model to an industry formulation has empirical validity.
Performance Measures for Selection of Metamodels to be Used in Simulation Optimization
Authors: Keys Anthony C. , Rees Loren Paul , Greenwood Allen G.
Published: June 2007

This paper points out the need for performance measures in the context of simulation optimization and suggests six such measures. Two of the measures are indications of absolute performance, whereas the other four are useful in assessing the relative performance of various candidate metamodels. The measures assess performance on three fronts: accuracy of placing optima in the correct location, fit to the response, and fit to the character of the surface (expressed in terms of the number of optima). Examples are given providing evidence of the measures' utility—one in a limited scenario deciding which of two competing metamodels to use as simulation optimization response surfaces vary, and the other in a scenario of a researcher developing a new, sequential optimization search procedure.
Civil Service Reform as National Security: The Homeland Security Act of 2002
Authors: Brook Douglas A. , King Cynthia L.
Published: June 2007

The events of 9/11 have influenced policy making in public administration. The Homeland Security Act of 2002, which created the Department of Homeland Security, contained language that empowered the secretary of homeland security and the director of the Office of Personnel Management to establish a personnel management system outside the normal provisions of the federal civil service. Why did civil service reform succeed as part of this legislation when previous attempts at large‐scale reform had failed? A case analysis of the enactment of civil service reform in the Homeland Security Act points to theories of policy emergence and certain models of presidential and congressional policy making. In this case, civil service reform became associated with national security instead of management reform. An assessment of the rhetorical arguments used to frame this policy image offers a powerful explanation for the adoption of the personnel management reforms in the Homeland Security Act. This case has implications for understanding how policy makers might approach future management reform agendas.
The Institutionalist: A Conversation with Hugh Heclo
Authors: Pfiffner James P.
Published: June 2007

This interview marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of Hugh Heclo’s classic, A Government of Strangers: Executive Politics in Washington. This engaging conversation touches on such wide‐ranging themes as Heclo’s early mentorship by Aaron Wildavsky; his nurturing apprenticeship at the Brookings Institution, leading to the publication of A Government of Strangers; the increasingly intense partisanship and schism within the executive branch between career federal bureaucrats and political appointees; the conduct of presidential administrations as never‐ending political marketing campaigns; the cynical harnessing of religion in the service of policy objectives; public service and institutional commitment; and the need for political leadership to engage the public honestly and responsibly on matters of fiscal concern.
Charity, Philanthropy, Public Service, or Enterprise: What Are the Big Questions of Nonprofit Management Today?
Authors: Lohmann Roger A.
Published: June 2007

“Nonprofit sector” issues, both in public discourse and pedagogy, are too narrowly cast as problems confronting public‐serving nonprofits and grant‐making foundations. Consisting also of membership organizations, educational institutions, and political pressure groups, the sector constitutes a major force in society which, in its interactive entirety, might better be termed a “social economy.” This social economy both influences and is shaped by public administration, and it is now very much under public scrutiny. The author raises seminal questions that challenge the mission, management, and resources of this critical sector of society.
Endowments: Stable Largesse or Distortion of the Polity?
Authors: Irvin Renée A.
Published: June 2007

As ever more private resources are held in foundations and nonprofit organizations’ endowment funds, more scholars and practitioners are demanding that these assets be put to good use immediately. Those favoring the preservation of capital—primarily representing private foundations—sound unnecessarily cautious. This article examines endowment conservation from a variety of critical angles, finding strong rationales for both conserving and liquidating endowments. Policy responses to the buildup of endowment assets include requiring a faster payout or regulating the amount and type of administrative expenses included in annual payout. This article reviews the relationship of the business cycle and wealth distribution to annual giving. The most prudent course, in view of the cyclical nature of giving as well as the substantial generational wealth currently held by elders, appears to be to conserve significant assets now in order to establish a stable flow of future social benefits.
The Strategic Use of Information Technology by Nonprofit Organizations: Increasing Capacity and Untapped Potential
Authors: Hackler Darrene , Saxton Gregory D.
Published: June 2007

How are nonprofits using information technology to enhance mission‐related outcomes and boost organizational performance? The authors examine a large‐scale survey of nonprofits’ technology planning, acquisition, and implementation to assess the strategic use of IT in these organizations. They evaluate nonprofits’ strategic technology‐use potential by examining IT‐related competencies and practices that are critical for the successful strategic employment of technology resources. Several promising developments are found, alongside significant deficits in the strategic utilization of IT, especially in the areas of financial sustainability, strategic communications and relationship building, and collaborations and partnerships. To boost IT’s mission‐related impact, nonprofits must enhance their organizational capacities in long‐term IT planning, budgeting, staffing, and training; performance measurement; Internet and Web site capabilities; and the vision, support, and involvement of senior management.
Documenting Disparity in Minority Contracting: Legal Requirements and Recommendations for Policy Makers
Authors: Martin Heather , Berner Maureen , Bluestein Frayda
Published: June 2007

The challenge of advancing policy goals and public administration is compounded when legal compliance rests on data and complex analysis. This is true of disparity studies that support local government‐sponsored minority contracting programs. How can local governments prepare to work with such programs in this complex environment? The authors analyze several court cases challenging minority contracting programs and illustrate the difficulty of administering public programs at the juncture of public policy goals, subtle changes in law, and demands for quality statistical analysis. Many public agencies, especially at the local level, are not prepared to address the data requirements demanded by these programs. To help with this challenge, the authors develop a set of guiding principles to help practitioners satisfy the legal requirements and meet the policy goals of minority contracting and similar programs. This includes a new emphasis on continuous gathering of valid, local‐level data.
Outsourcing Oversight: A Comparison of Monitoring for In‐House and Contracted Services
Authors: Marvel Mary K. , Marvel Howard P.
Published: June 2007

The public sector contracting literature has long argued that outsourced services need to be and, in fact, are subject to a more elevated level of scrutiny compared to internally delivered services. Recently, the performance measurement and management literature has suggested that the twin themes of accountability and results have altered the management landscape at all levels of government. By focusing on performance monitoring, the implication is that monitoring levels for internally provided services should more closely approximate those for contracted services. The analysis provided here yields empirical comparisons of how governments monitor the same service provided in‐house and contracted out. We find evidence that services provided internally by a government’s own employees are indeed monitored intensively by the contracting government, with levels of monitoring nearly as high as those for services contracted out to for‐profit providers. In contrast, however, we find strong evidence that performance monitoring by the contracting government does not extend to nonprofit and other governmental service providers, each of which is monitored much less intensively than when comparable services are provided internally. For such service providers, it appears that monitoring is either outsourced along with services, or simply reduced.
Th e Decision to Contract Out: A Study of Contracting for E‐Government Services in State Governments
Authors: Ya Ni Anna , Bretschneider Stuart
Published: June 2007

Government contracting, especially for information technology products and services, has accelerated in recent years in the United States. Drawing on the insights of privatization studies, the authors examine the economic and political rationales underpinning government decisions to contract out e‐government services. This article tests the extent to which economic and political rationality influence governments’ contracting decisions using data from multiple sources: a survey conducted by National Association of State Chief Information Officers, a survey by the National Association of State Procurement Officers, the Council of State Legislatures, and macro‐level state data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Important factors affecting the state‐level contracting decision are population size, market size, the competitiveness of the bidding process, the professional management of contracts, the partisan composition of legislatures, and political competition. Political rationales appear to play a major role in state contracting decisions. Some arguments associated with markets and economic rationality are clearly politically motivated.
Public–Private Partnerships: An International Performance Review
Authors: Hodge Graeme A. , Greve Carsten
Published: June 2007

Public–private partnerships are enjoying a global resurgence in popularity, but there is still much confusion around notions of partnership, what can be learned from our history with partnerships, and what is new about the partnership forms that are in vogue today. Looking at one particular family of public–private partnerships, the long‐term infrastructure contract, this article argues that evaluations thus far point to contradictory results regarding their effectiveness. Despite their continuing popularity with governments, greater care is needed to strengthen future evaluations and conduct such assessments away from the policy cheerleaders.
Immediate Changes in Stenosis Geometry Following Stent Implantation: Comparison Between a Self‐Expanding and a Balloon‐Expandable Stent
Authors: de JAEGERE PETER P. , STRAUSS BRADLEY H. , van der GIESSEN WILLEM J. , de FEYTER PIM J. , SERRUYS PATRICK W.
Published: June 2007

The immediate changes in stenosis geometry following Wallstent and Wiktor stent implantation in native coronary arteries were compared in 92 patients (46 in each group) using automated edge detection. Patients with comparable baseline stenosis characteristics were selected. Lesions were matched for lesion site, reference diameter, and minimal luminal diameter. In both groups, the stented coronary artery was the left anterior descending artery in 27 patients (59%), the left circumflex artery in four patients (9%), and the right coronary artery in 15 patients (33%). The baseline reference diameter was 2.86 ± 0.39 mm and 2.87 ± 0.42 mm in the Wallstent and Wiktor stent study group, respectively (NS). The baseline minimal luminal diameter was identical in both groups (1.13 ± 0.24 mm). The nominal size (mean ± SD) of the unconstrained Wallstent was 3.5 ± 0.3 mm and 3.3 ± 0.3 mm for the Wiktor stent (P < 0.05). Both types of stents resulted in a similar increase in minimal luminal diameter immediately following implantation (Wallstent: 2.34 ± 0.38 mm, Wiktor stent: 2.43 ± 0.27 mm, NS). Furthermore, there was a similar decrease in diameter stenosis and increase in minimal luminal cross‐section area following implantation of both stents. These morphological changes were associated with a normalization of the hemodynamic parameters in both groups. It is concluded that, although the Wallstent and Wiktor stent are different in design and mechanical characteristics, there is a similar immediate improvement in stenosis geometry following implantation of both devices.
The effect of travel time on oviposition behavior and spatial egg aggregation: experiments withDrosophila
Authors: Takahashi Kazuo H.
Published: June 2007

A higher degree of spatial egg aggregation is often observed in environments where resource patches are more sparsely distributed. This suggests a higher probability of species coexistence when resource distribution is sparse. However, it is still unclear how the degree of spatial egg aggregation increases. I propose a model to explain this phenomenon, which assumes that (i) egg load (the number of mature eggs in ovaries) increases in the travel period between resource patches and (ii) the retention of eggs in the ovaries is harmful (egg load pressure). With these assumptions, a female would lay accumulated eggs on arrival at a new resource patch, resulting in a higher degree of spatial egg aggregation. Laboratory experiments with three drosophilid species,Drosophila simulansSurtevant,Drosophila aurariaPeng, andDrosophila immigransSturtevant, support the model. This study provides evidence that host availability affects the spatial egg aggregation via egg load.
Analysis of distribution patterns of yellow European eels in the Loire catchment using logistic models based on presence–absence of different size‐classes
Authors: Lasne E. , Laffaille P.
Published: June 2007

Abstract –  We used logistic models to analyse the longitudinal distribution patterns of yellow European eels in the Loire catchment (France). Our models for predicting the presence of yellow eels supported contrasting spatial patterns according to the size of individuals and catchments. The smallest eels (mainly <150 mm and secondly 150–300 mm) were confined to downstream areas, but rapidly colonised upstream reaches. By contrast, larger eels were distributed further inland but tended to become more sedentary. In addition, a higher density of barriers to migration in the Maine catchment (a large catchment within the Loire catchment) probably delayed the upstream colonisation compared with the rest of the Loire catchment. These results suggest that logistic models may be a useful and efficient tool: (1) for the assessment of eel status and trends in freshwater systems; and (2) for the assessment of the consequences of local perturbations or conversely improvement of colonisation.