bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Saccharomyces cerivisiae as a model system for kidney disease: what can yeast tell us about renal function?
Authors: Kolb Alexander R. , Buck Teresa M. , Brodsky Jeffrey L.
Published: April 2011

Ion channels, solute transporters, aquaporins, and factors required for signal transduction are vital for kidney function. Because mutations in these proteins or in associated regulatory factors can lead to disease, an investigation into their biogenesis, activities, and interplay with other proteins is essential. To this end, the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , represents a powerful experimental system. Proteins expressed in yeast include the following: 1) ion channels, including the epithelial sodium channel, members of the inward rectifying potassium channel family, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator; 2) plasma membrane transporters, such as the Na+-K+-ATPase, the Na+-phosphate cotransporter, and the Na+-H+ATPase; 3) aquaporins 1–4; and 4) proteins such as serum/glucocorticoid-induced kinase 1, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1, Rh glycoprotein kidney, and trehalase. The variety of proteins expressed and studied emphasizes the versatility of yeast, and, because of the many available tools in this organism, results can be obtained rapidly and economically. In most cases, data gathered using yeast have been substantiated in higher cell types. These attributes validate yeast as a model system to explore renal physiology and suggest that research initiated using this system may lead to novel therapeutics.
Elevated vertebrobasilar artery resistance in neonatal spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Cates Matthew J. , Steed Peter W. , Abdala Ana P. L. , Langton Philip D. , Paton Julian F. R.
Published: April 2011

There is a strong correlation between increased vertebral artery resistance and arterial blood pressure in humans. The reasons for this increased resistance at high systemic pressure remain unknown, but may include raised sympathetic activity. With the recent finding that prehypertensive spontaneously hypertensive (PHSH) rats, which have raised sympathetic nerve activity, but a blood pressure comparable to normotensive rat strains, we hypothesized that its vertebrobasilar vascular resistance would already be raised and, as a consequence, would exhibit a more responsive Cushing response (e.g., brain ischemia evoked sympathoexcitation and a pressor response). We report that PHSH rats exhibited a remodeling of the basilar artery (i.e., increased wall thickness and lower lumen-to-wall thickness ratio) that occurred before the onset of hypertension. In a novel in vitro vascularly isolated, arterially perfused brain stem preparation of PHSH rats of 4–5 wk of age, brain stem vascular resistance was raised by ∼35% relative to age- and sex-matched normotensive rats ( P < 0.05). In the in situ arterial perfused working heart-brain stem preparation, occlusion of both vertebral arteries in the PHSH rat resulted in a significantly greater increase in sympathetic activity (57 vs. 20%, PHSH vs. control; P < 0.01) that triggered a greater increase in arterial perfusion pressure (8 vs. 3 mmHg, PHSH vs. control; P < 0.01) compared with normotensive rats. These data indicate raised vertebrobasilar artery resistance before the onset of hypertension in the PHSH rat. With the raised responsiveness of the Cushing response in the PHSH rat, we discuss the possibility of brain stem perfusion as a central nervous system determinant of the set point of vasomotor sympathetic tone in the hypertensive condition.
High-frequency EEG covaries with spike burst patterns detected in cortical neurons
Authors: Telenczuk Bartosz , Baker Stuart N. , Herz Andreas V. M. , Curio Gabriel
Published: April 2011

Invasive microelectrode recordings measure neuronal spikes, which are commonly considered inaccessible through standard surface electroencephalogram (EEG). Yet high-frequency EEG potentials (hf-EEG, f > 400 Hz) found in somatosensory evoked potentials of primates may reflect the mean population spike responses of coactivated cortical neurons. Since cortical responses to electrical nerve stimulation vary strongly from trial to trial, we investigated whether the hf-EEG signal can also echo single-trial variability observed at the single-unit level. We recorded extracellular single-unit activity in the primary somatosensory cortex of behaving macaque monkeys and identified variable spike burst responses following peripheral stimulation. Each of these responses was classified according to the timing of its spike constituents, conforming to one of a discrete set of spike patterns. We here show that these spike patterns are accompanied by variations in the concomitant epidural hf-EEG. These variations cannot be explained by fluctuating stimulus efficacy, suggesting that they were generated within the thalamocortical network. As high-frequency EEG signals can also be reliably recorded from the scalp of human subjects, they may provide a noninvasive window on fluctuating cortical spike activity in humans.
Localization and function of Ih channels in a small neural network
Authors: Goeritz Marie L. , Ouyang Qing , Harris-Warrick Ronald M.
Published: April 2011

Subthreshold ionic currents, which activate below the firing threshold and shape the cell's firing properties, play important roles in shaping neural network activity. We examined the distribution and synaptic roles of the hyperpolarization-activated inward current ( Ih) in the pyloric network of the lobster stomatogastric ganglion (STG). Ih channels are expressed throughout the STG in a patchy distribution and are highly expressed in the fine neuropil, an area that is rich in synaptic contacts. We performed double labeling for Ih protein and for the presynaptic marker synaptotagmin. The large majority of labeling in the fine neuropil was adjacent but nonoverlapping, suggesting that Ih is localized in close proximity to synapses but not in the presynaptic terminals. We compared the pattern of Ih localization with Shal transient potassium channels, whose expression is coregulated with Ih in many STG neurons. Unlike Ih, we found significant levels of Shal protein in the soma membrane and the primary neurite. Both proteins were found in the synaptic fine neuropil, but with little evidence of colocalization in individual neurites. We performed electrophysiological experiments to study a potential role for Ih in regulating synaptic transmission. At a synapse between two identified pyloric neurons, the amplitude of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) decreased with increasing postsynaptic activation of Ih. Pharmacological block of Ih restored IPSP amplitudes to levels seen when Ih was not activated. These experiments suggest that modulation of postsynaptic Ih might play an important role in the control of synaptic strength in this rhythmogenic neural network.
Dissociating the contributions of human frontal eye fields and posterior parietal cortex to visual search
Authors: Muggleton Neil G. , Kalla Roger , Juan Chi-Hung , Walsh V.
Published: April 2011

Imaging, lesion, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have implicated a number of regions of the brain in searching for a target defined by a combination of attributes. The necessity of both frontal eye fields (FEF) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in task performance has been shown by the application of TMS over these regions. The effects of stimulation over these two areas have, thus far, proved to be remarkably similar and the only dissociation reported being in the timing of their involvement. We tested the hypotheses that 1) FEF contributes to performance in terms of visual target detection (possibly by modulation of activity in extrastriate areas with respect to the target), and 2) PPC is involved in translation of visual information for action. We used a task where the presence (and location) of the target was indicated by an eye movement. Task disruption was seen with FEF TMS (with reduced accuracy on the task) but not with PPC stimulation. When a search task requiring a manual response was presented, disruption with PPC TMS was seen. These results show dissociation of FEF and PPC contributions to visual search performance and that PPC involvement seems to be dependent on the response required by the task, whereas this is not the case for FEF. This supports the idea of FEF involvement in visual processes in a manner that might not depend on the required response, whereas PPC seems to be involved when a manual motor response to a stimulus is required.
Operating System for Runtime Reconfigurable Multiprocessor Systems
Authors: Göhringer Diana , Hübner Michael , Nguepi Zeutebouo Etienne , Becker Jürgen
Published: April 2011

Operating systems traditionally handle the task scheduling of one or more application instances on processor-like hardware architectures. RAMPSoC, a novel runtime adaptive multiprocessor System-on-Chip, exploits the dynamic reconfiguration on FPGAs to generate, start and terminate hardware and software tasks. The hardware tasks have to be transferred to the reconfigurable hardware via a configuration access port. The software tasks can be loaded into the local memory of the respective IP core either via the configuration access port or via the on-chip communication infrastructure (e.g. a Network-on-Chip). Recent-series of Xilinx FPGAs, such as Virtex-5, provide two Internal Configuration Access Ports, which cannot be accessed simultaneously. To prevent conflicts, the access to these ports as well as the hardware resource management needs to be controlled, e.g. by a special-purpose operating system running on an embedded processor. For that purpose and to handle the relations between temporally and spatially scheduled operations, the novel approach of an operating system is of high importance. This special purpose operating system, called CAP-OS (Configuration Access Port-Operating System), which will be presented in this paper, supports the clients using the configuration port with the services of priority-based access scheduling, hardware task mapping and resource management.
Dynamic Application Model for Scheduling with Uncertainty on Reconfigurable Architectures
Authors: Ktata Ismail , Ghaffari Fakhreddine , Granado Bertrand , Abid Mohamed
Published: April 2011

Applications executed on embedded systems require dynamicity and flexibility according to user and environment needs. Dynamically reconfigurable architecture could satisfy these requirements but needs efficient mechanisms to be managed efficiently. In this paper, we propose a dedicated application modeling technique that helps to establish a predictive scheduling approach to manage a dynamically reconfigurable architecture named OLLAF. OLLAF is designed to support an operating system that deals with complex embedded applications. This model will be used for a predictive scheduling based on an early estimation of our application dynamicity. A vision system of a mobile robot application has been used to validate the presented model and scheduling approach. We have demonstrated that with our modeling we can realize an efficient predictive scheduling on a robot vision application with a mean error of 6.5%.
Assessment of Fetal Autonomic Nervous System Activity by Fetal Magnetocardiography: Comparison of Normal Pregnancy and Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Authors: Fukushima Akimune , Nakai Kenji , Kanasugi Tomonobu , Terata Miyuki , Sugiyama Toru
Published: April 2011

Objective. To clarify the developmental activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) of the normal fetus and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) cases using fetal magnetocardiography (FMCG).Subjects and Methods. Normal pregnancy (n=35) and IUGR (n=12) cases at 28–39 and 32–37 weeks of gestation, respectively, were included in this study. The R-R interval variability was used to calculate the coefficient of variance (CVRR) and low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio.Results. The value ofCVRRin the normal pregnancy group displayed a slight increasing trend with gestational age. However, no such trend was observed in the IUGR group. In contrast, the LF/HF ratio in both the normal pregnancy group and the IUGR group clearly increased over the gestational period; the normal group showing statistical significance.Conclusion. The development of fetal ANS activity in IUGR cases might differ from that observed in the normal pregnancy group, and this may facilitate early detection of IUGR.
Using Molecular Markers to Help Predict Who Will Fail after Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Swanson Gregory P. , Quinn David
Published: April 2011

Recent phase III trial data clearly demonstrate that adjuvant therapy can reduce recurrence and increase survival after prostatectomy for prostate cancer. There is great interest in being able to accurately predict who is at risk of failure to avoid treating those who may not benefit. The standard markers consisting of prostate specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score, and pathological stage are not very specific, so there is an unmet need for other markers to aid in prognostic stratification. Numerous studies have been conducted with various markers and more recently gene signatures, but it is unclear whether any of them are really useful. We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature to determine the current status of molecular markers in predicting outcome after radical prostatectomy.
Cattle Bile Aggravates Diclofenac Sodium‐Induced Small Intestinal Injury in Mice
Authors: Ishikawa Hironori , Watanabe Shiro
Published: April 2011

Cattle bile (CB) has long been used in Japan as an ingredient of digestive medicines. Bile acids are major chemical constituents of CB, and CB ingestion is assumed to affect small intestinal injury induced by nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Mice were fed a diet supplemented with or without CB for 7 days and treated with diclofenac sodium (DIF) to induce small intestinal injury. Lesion formation was enhanced, and PGE2 content and COX expression levels were elevated in the small intestine of DIF‐treated mice fed the CB diet compared with those fed the control diet. The administration of a reconstituted mixture of bile acids found in CB enhanced lesion formation in DIF‐treated mice. CB administration elevated the contents of CB‐derived bile acids in the small intestine, some of which exhibited a high cytotoxicity to cultured intestinal epithelial cells. These results suggest that the elevated levels of CB‐derived cytotoxic bile acids in the small intestine contribute to the aggravation of DIF‐induced small intestinal injury. The use of CB may be limited during the therapy of inflammatory diseases with NSAIDs.
The Multifaceted Poliovirus 2A Protease: Regulation of Gene Expression by Picornavirus Proteases
Authors: Castelló Alfredo , Álvarez Enrique , Carrasco Luis
Published: April 2011

After entry into animal cells, most viruses hijack essential components involved in gene expression. This is the case of poliovirus, which abrogates cellular translation soon after virus internalization. Abrogation is achieved by cleavage of both eIF4GI and eIF4GII by the viral protease 2A. Apart from the interference of poliovirus with cellular protein synthesis, other gene expression steps such as RNA and protein trafficking between nucleus and cytoplasm are also altered. Poliovirus 2Apro is capable of hydrolyzing components of the nuclear pore, thus preventing an efficient antiviral response by the host cell. Here, we compare in detail poliovirus 2Apro with other viral proteins (from picornaviruses and unrelated families) as regard to their activity on key host factors that control gene expression. It is possible that future analyses to determine the cellular proteins targeted by 2Apro will uncover other cellular functions ablated by poliovirus infection. Further understanding of the cellular proteins hydrolyzed by 2Apro will add further insight into the molecular mechanism by which poliovirus and other viruses interact with the host cell.
The In Vivo Antidiabetic Activity of Nigella sativa Is Mediatedthrough Activation of the AMPK Pathway and Increased Muscle Glut4Content
Authors: Benhaddou-Andaloussi Ali , Martineau Louis , Vuong Tri , Meddah Bouchra , Madiraju Padma , Settaf Abdellatif , Haddad Pierre S.
Published: April 2011

The antidiabetic effect of N. sativa seed ethanol extract (NSE) was assessed in Meriones shawi after development of diabetes. Meriones shawi were divided randomly into four groups: normal control, diabetic control, diabetic treated with NSE (2 g eq plant/kg) or with metformin (300 mg/kg) positive control, both administered by daily intragastric gavage for 4 weeks. Glycaemia and body weight were evaluated weekly. At study′s end, an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was performed to estimate insulin sensitivity. Upon sacrifice, plasma lipid profile, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels were assessed. ACC phosphorylation and Glut4 protein content were determined in liver and skeletal muscle. NSE animals showed a progressive normalization of glycaemia, albeit slower than that of metformin controls. Moreover, NSE increased insulinemia and HDL‐cholesterol, compared to diabetic controls. Leptin and adiponectin were unchanged. NSE treatment decreased OGTT and tended to decrease liver and muscle triglyceride content. NSE stimulated muscle and liver ACC phosphorylation and increased muscle Glut4. These results confirm NSE′s previously reported hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic activity. More significantly, our data demonstrate that in vivo treatment with NSE exerts an insulin‐sensitizing action by enhancing ACC phosphorylation, a major component of the insulin‐independent AMPK signaling pathway, and by enhancing muscle Glut4 expression.
BCG Vaccination in HIV-Infected Children
Authors: Nuttall James J. C. , Eley Brian S.
Published: April 2011

Despite the use of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination for many years, infants and young children exposed to adults with infectious forms of tuberculosis (TB) are at high risk of developing complicated TB disease. This risk is much higher among HIV-infected children, and data on BCG protective efficacy in HIV-infected children is lacking. Recent research on BCG safety in HIV-infected infants has resulted in policy shifts, but implementation is challenging. New approaches to preventing TB among infants and children, particularly HIV-infected infants, are needed. This paper briefly reviews BCG safety and efficacy considerations in HIV-infected infants and discusses other approaches to preventing TB, including new TB vaccines and vaccination strategies.
Late Life-Threatening Hemorrhage after Percutaneous Tracheostomy
Authors: Richter Torsten , Gottschlich Birgit , Sutarski Susanne , Müller Rainer , Ragaller Maximilian
Published: April 2011

Purpose.Formation of a tracheoinnominate artery fistula (TIF) and consecutive hemorrhage is a rare and life-threatening complication with high mortality. Warning symptoms can be absent. The current literature contains only few considerations for misleading signs, especially in cases where the contact between the tissue and the cannula is tight.Method and Results.We report two cases of life-threatening hemorrhages that appeared six days and two months after percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) in two patients, respectively. In these cases, diagnosis of tracheoinnominate artery fistula (TIF) was difficult. Tracheal ring fracture after PDT and pressure ulceration caused by cannula were implicated in TIF formation. The cannula was overblocked to buy time before surgical closure. Both patients survived without any additional neurological deficiency.Conclusion.Massive hemorrhage in patients after tracheostomy is likely due to TIF. Ultrasound scanning before PDT and careful periodical followup of the trachea are required.
Modeling and Extraction of Parameters Based on Physical Effects in Bipolar Transistors
Authors: Nagy Agnes , Polanco Alicia , Alvarez Manuel
Published: April 2011

The rising complexity of electronic systems, the reduction of components size, and the increment of working frequencies demand every time more accurate and stable integrated circuits, which require more precise simulation programs during the design process. PSPICE, widely used to simulate the general behavior of integrated circuits, does not consider many of the physical effects that can be found in real devices. Compact models, HICUM and MEXTRAM, have been developed over recent decades, in order to eliminate this deficiency. This paper presents some of the physical aspects that have not been studied so far, such as the expression of base-emitter voltage, including the emitter emission coefficient effect (n), physical explanation and simulation procedure, as well as a new extraction method for the diffusion potentialVDE(T), based on the forward biased base-emitter capacitance, showing excellent agreement between experimental and theoretical results.
A Jacobi Dual‐Petrov‐Galerkin Method for Solving Some Odd‐Order Ordinary Differential Equations
Authors: Doha E. H. , Bhrawy A. H. , Hafez R. M.
Published: April 2011

A Jacobi dual‐Petrov‐Galerkin (JDPG) method is introduced and used for solving fully integrated reformulations of third‐ and fifth‐order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with constant coefficients. The reformulated equation for the Jth order ODE involves n‐fold indefinite integrals for
n = 1, …, J. Extension of the JDPG for ODEs with polynomial coefficients is treated using the Jacobi‐Gauss‐Lobatto quadrature. Numerical results with comparisons are given to confirm the reliability of the proposed method for some constant and polynomial coefficients ODEs.
Use of Rituximab in Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Associated with Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas
Authors: Fozza Claudio , Longinotti Maurizio
Published: April 2011

The association between non-Hodgkin lymphomas and autoimmune disorders is a well-known event. Also autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA), although much more frequent in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), has been described in this group of patients. In recent years, among the more traditional therapeutic options, rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, has shown interesting results in the treatment of primary AHA. Although this drug has been frequently used for AHA in patients with CLL, much less data are available on its use in NHL patients. However, considering that the main pathogenetic mechanism of AHA in course of lymphoproliferative disorders seems to be an antibody production directly or indirectly mediated by the neoplastic clone, this monoclonal antibody represents an ideal therapeutic approach. In this paper we will briefly describe some biological and clinical features of NHL-patients with AHA. We will then analyze some studies focusing on rituximab in primary AHA, finally reviewing the available literature on the use of this drug in NHL related AHA.
Glioma-Associated Cytomegalovirus Mediates Subversion of the Monocyte Lineage to a Tumor Propagating Phenotype
Authors: Dziurzynski Kristine , Wei Jun , Qiao Wei , Hatiboglu Mustafa Aziz , Kong Ling-Yuan , Wu Adam , Wang Yongtao , Cahill Daniel , Levine Nicholas , Prabhu Sujit , Rao Ganesh , Sawaya Raymond , Heimberger Amy B.
Published: April 2011

Purpose: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been ubiquitously detected within high-grade gliomas, but its role in gliomagenesis has not been fully elicited.

Experimental Design: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors were analyzed by flow cytometry to determine CMV antigen expression within various glioma-associated immune populations. The glioma cancer stem cell (gCSC) CMV interleukin (IL)-10 production was determined by ELISA. Human monocytes were stimulated with recombinant CMV IL-10 and levels of expression of p-STAT3, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), TGF-β, viral IE1, and pp65 were determined by flow cytometry. The influence of CMV IL-10–treated monocytes on gCSC biology was ascertained by functional assays.

Results: CMV showed a tropism for macrophages (MΦ)/microglia and CD133+ gCSCs within GBMs. The gCSCs produce CMV IL-10, which induces human monocytes (the precursor to the central nervous system MΦs/microglia) to assume an M2 immunosuppressive phenotype (as manifested by downmodulation of the major histocompatibility complex and costimulatory molecules) while upregulating immunoinhibitory B7-H1. CMV IL-10 also induces expression of viral IE1, a modulator of viral replication and transcription in the monocytes. Finally, the CMV IL-10–treated monocytes produced angiogenic VEGF, immunosuppressive TGF-β, and enhanced migration of gCSCs.

Conclusions: CMV triggers a feedforward mechanism of gliomagenesis by inducing tumor-supportive monocytes. Clin Cancer Res; 17(14); 4642–9. ©2011 AACR.
Genetic variability in response to clopidogrel therapy and its clinical implications
Authors: Freynhofer Matthias , Siller-Matula Jolanta , Schrör Karsten , Huber Kurt , Yukhanyan Liana
Published: April 2011

This article concentrates on individual genetic differences responsible for variations of action of clopidogrel, which have been found to be partially responsible for increased cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease under dual antiplatelet therapy. According to these results, genotyping for the relevant gene polymorphisms, especially for the CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles, has been discussed to be an effective method of individualising and optimising clopidogrel treatment. However, due to the facts that 1) there are no prospective studies demonstrating a clinical benefit of personalising antiplatelet therapy based on genotyping; 2) CYP2C19 polymorphisms account for only approximately 12% of variability in clopidogrel platelet response; 3) the positive predictive value of CYP2C19 loss-of-function polymorphisms for cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention is only approximately 12% – 20%; 4) it is likely that other clinical factors and risk constellations might be of greater clinical importance; and 5) it is unknown whether a specific genetic polymorphism is capable of influencing outcome for the individual patient; genetic profiling cannot be recommended for routine use at present but will remain of considerable scientific interest.
Liver X Receptors in Atherosclerosis and Inflammation
Authors: Im Seung-Soon , Osborne Timothy F.
Published: April 2011

Liver X receptors (LXRs) are cholesterol-sensing nuclear receptors that are not only key regulators of lipid metabolism and transport but also suppress inflammatory signaling in macrophages through a unique mechanism of transrepression. In this brief review, we focus on the regulatory actions of LXR primarily in macrophages responding to a proatherogenic environment. LXR potentially interferes with atherosclerosis by 2 different agonist-dependent signaling pathways. The first is through promoting reverse cholesterol transportby directly activating genes of cellular cholesterol export. The second is through a general inhibitory action on proinflammatory genes where sumo-modified and agonist-bound LXR recruits negative coregulatory proteins to nuclear factor κB at immune response gene promoters through protein–protein interactions. The antiinflammatory actions of LXR may be a direct response to the proinflammatory actions recently proposed for cholesterol on inflammasome activity in the vessel wall.
The Past & Future of American Civil Rights
Authors: Massey Douglas S.
Published: April 2011

Although American society will not become race-blind anytime soon, the meaning of race is changing, and processes of racial formation now are quite different than those prevailing just two generations ago. Massey puts the present moment in historical perspective by reviewing progress toward racial equality through successive historical epochs, from the colonial era to the age of Obama. He ends by exploring the contours of racial formation in the United States today, outlining a program for a new civil rights movement in the twenty-first century.
Has the Supreme Court Been More a Friend or Foe to African Americans?
Authors: Klarman Michael J.
Published: April 2011

This essay challenges the conventional wisdom that regards the Supreme Court as a heroic defender of the rights of racial minorities against majority oppression. It argues that over the course of American history, the Court, more often than not, has been a regressive force on racial issues. Klarman draws three lessons from his survey of the Court's racial jurisprudence: (1) the composition of the Court influences whether its racial jurisprudence is progressive or regressive; (2) the composition of the Court is, in significant part, a reflection of national politics; and (3) the Court's constitutional interpretations regarding race – just as on any other issue – broadly reflect the political and social climate of the era and thus rarely deviate far from dominant public opinion.
Challenging History: Barack Obama & American Racial Politics
Authors: Smith Rogers M. , King Desmond S. , Klinkner Philip A.
Published: April 2011

Modern American racial politics remains sharply divided over racial policy issues, with coalitions of political activists, groups, and governing institutions aligned on opposing sides. A “color-blind” policy alliance urges government to act with as little regard to race as possible. A “race-conscious” alliance argues that policies should aim to reduce material racial inequalities and that race-targeted measures are often needed. These modern racial policy alliances are strongly identified with the two major parties; as a result, they contribute to modern political polarization. In a predominantly white electorate, color-blind policies are far more popular than race-conscious ones. President Barack Obama has responded by stressing goals of national unity and foregrounding color-blind policies, while quietly choosing among them on race-conscious grounds and adopting limited race-targeted measures. It remains to be seen whether his approach can succeed in reducing material racial inequalities or immunizing him from charges of reverse racism. It also faces challenges at home and abroad for privileging American national interests above multicultural and internationalist concerns.
Millennials & the Myth of the Post-Racial Society: Black Youth, Intra-generational Divisions & the Continuing Racial Divide in American Politics
Authors: Cohen Cathy J.
Published: April 2011

According to some academics and journalists, once the “millennials” dominate the political arena, many of the thorny social issues that have caused great debate and consternation among the American public will be resolved. This line of reasoning suggests that young people who embrace and personify a more inclusive society will eventually take over both policy-making and thought leadership, moving both in a more liberal direction. Yet data from the Black Youth Project and the Mobilization, Change, and Political and Civic Engagement Project suggest that deep divides still exist among young people, with black youth particularly suspect of the idea of a post-racial anything. Furthermore, significant and profound differences in how young whites, blacks, and Latinos think about such topics as racism, citizenship, and gay and lesbian issues continue to define American politics today as practiced by the young – even in the age of Obama.
Immigration: The New American Dilemma
Authors: Waldinger Roger
Published: April 2011

The American dilemma was once distinctively American, rooted in the particular history of the United States and in the conflict between liberal principles and exclusionary practice. The contemporary American dilemma takes a different form, arising from the challenges that emerge when international migration confronts the liberal nation-state. Solving the earlier dilemma called for extending and deepening citizenship so that it would be fully shared by all Americans. However, that more robust citizenship is only for Americans, who alone can cross U.S. borders as they please. Consequently, rights stop at the national boundary, where the admission of foreigners is controlled and restricted. Because entries are rationed, migration policies select a favored few, creating new forms of de jure inequality that separate citizens from resident aliens and distinguish among resident foreigners by virtue of their right to territorial presence. Thus, the encounter between citizens wanting to preserve their national community and newly arrived foreigners seeking to get ahead yields an inescapable social dilemma, one that America shares with other rich democracies.
“And Now for Something Completely Different”: A “Pythonic” Reading of Pentecost?
Authors: Charette Blaine
Published: April 2011

Jack Levison’s discussion of spirit filling in Acts, although highly inventive, ultimately lacks cogency. His attempt to view the episode of the slave girl possessed of a “pythonic spirit” as paradigmatic for understanding the experience of the believers at Pentecost fails because of a misreading of the Acts 16 text and a misrepresentation of Luke’s interests with respect to the Hellenistic religious context of early Christianity. Levison’s reading of the Pentecost event is similarly flawed by the importation of unwarranted parallels from the Hellenistic religious environment. Positively, the study points to the need for further research on the subject of ecstasy in the New Testament.
Pharmaceuticals in the Water Cycle Mechanisms for the Regulation of Environmentally Harmful Pharmaceutical Substances
Authors: Kern Katharina
Published: April 2011

Pharmaceutical substances that accumulate in the water cycle can pose a lasting risk to animals and potentially even humans. This article outlines how pharmaceutical law and specific areas of environmental law (chemical, water and agricultural law) deal with this threat. It is shown that these laws fail to provide effective protection and, therefore, legal and socio-political strategies are proposed on how to better control and reduce the environmental risks posed by pharmaceuticals.
The Effect of Modal Interference on VLF Long-Range Lightning Location Networks Using the Waveform Correlation Technique
Authors: Bennett A. J. , Gaffard C. , Nash J. , Callaghan G. , Atkinson N. C.
Published: April 2011

The arrival time difference (ATD) long-range lightning location network (ATDnet) is the long-range very low frequency (VLF) lightning location network owned and operated by the Met Office, locating lightning using a waveform correlation technique. Pronounced differences in the waveform shape with distance to lightning have been observed and attributed to interference between different propagation modes within the earth–ionosphere waveguide. During the day, waveform correlations were significantly degraded at a distance of 450 km from the sensor, with the main degradations occurring during the night centered at propagation distances of 650 and 2150 km. The observation and simple modeling of modal interference spacing allowed the effective ionospheric height during summer over Europe to be estimated for day and night as 69 and 88.5 km, respectively, for 13.7 kHz. Wider distribution of sensor sites, lowering of the receiver frequency, and adaptation of the reference waveform selection criteria have been suggested to mitigate the effect of this interference on network performance.
Remote Trigger of Deep Convection by Cold Outflow over the Taiwan Strait in the Mei-Yu Season: A Modeling Study of the 8 June 2007 Case
Authors: Wang Chung-Chieh , Tai-Jen Chen George , Huang Shin-Yi
Published: April 2011

In this study, the heavy-rainfall event over central Taiwan during the mei-yu season on 8 June 2007 is investigated, with an emphasis on the triggering mechanism for the deep convection that produced the rain. Observations indicate that there existed two lines of forcing with convection prior to the rain: one over the northern Taiwan Strait along the mei-yu front and the other over the southern Taiwan Strait. Yet, the convection in question developed over the central strait between these two lines, in an unstable environment with strong westerly vertical wind shear. This motivated the authors to carry out the present study.

The Cloud-Resolving Storm Simulation (CReSS) of Nagoya University was used and the event was reproduced at a horizontal grid size of 2 km, including the initiation of new convection over the central strait at the correct location and time. The model results suggest a crucial role played by the series of active, persistent, and propagating storms in the southern strait (along the aforementioned second forcing line). On their back (northern) side, these storms repeatedly produced pulses of cold outflow that traveled toward the north-northeast with positive pressure perturbation. With characteristics of gravity waves, the perturbation propagated faster than the cold air and the associated increase in forward-directed (horizontal) pressure gradient force led to northward acceleration of near-surface flow (by up to 4–5 m s−1h−1). The stronger southerly flow in turn enhanced downstream convergence, and the deep convection was triggered in the central strait near the arrival of the gravity wave ahead of the cold air. When the convection moved eastward over Taiwan, heavy rainfall resulted. The mechanism presented here for remote triggering of convection over the ocean has not been documented near Taiwan during the mei-yu season. With a better understanding about the behavior of convection, these results can contribute to the improvement of quantitative precipitation forecasts and hazard prevention and reduction.
The Religious Roots of Irish Nationalism
Authors: Coakley John
Published: April 2011

The intensity of conflict in the Middle East tends to overshadow other instances where ethno-national conflict has a religious base. The author draws attention to one of them: Ireland. He considers the link between religion and nationalism in Ireland from three perspectives. The first is the significance of religion as an “ethnic marker”: as an indicator of geopolitical (and therefore ethnic) origin rather than of belief system. The second is the role of religious belief, and its potential to accentuate differences between communities. The third is the impact of social organization: the tendency of faith groups towards separate but internally integrated organization, and therefore towards the promotion of group solidarity. The author concludes by exploring the implications of this link between religion and nationalism following the partition of the island.
Treatment Provider’s Perceived Effectiveness of Probation and Parole
Authors: Suttmoeller Michael , Keena Linda D.
Published: April 2011

In the fall of 2005, the state of Missouri launched a three-prong assessment of the relationship between probation and parole and three of their stakeholders: police, courts, and treatment providers. The Division of Probation and Parole was interested in identifying these perceptions as they implement the Missouri Reentry Process (MRP). The MRP promotes the formation of interdependent working relationships between stakeholders and probation and parole. Before these relationships can be fostered or improved, an assessment of the current relationship was necessary. This article focuses on the 2nd year’s project that involved a web-based, statewide survey of treatment providers. The purpose of the study was to conduct a utilization-focused evaluation to ascertain treatment providers’ perceptions of probation and parole’s service delivery. The descriptive statistics examined and described broad perceptions of the relationship. Bivariate analysis was conducted to determine whether a relationship existed between different dimensions such as education level, facility staff size, and other variables such as perceived support for treatment and whether probation and parole officers participate in information-sharing meetings. An overall favorable perception of probation and parole was apparent from the survey results. Statistically significant results for several dimensions of the relationship between probation and parole officers and treatment providers were found. These statistically significant results provided insight into the effectiveness of probation and parole’s service delivery. The article concludes with a presentation of policy implications.
Hydraulic power of slow-rotating waterwheels: a novel analytical approximation
Authors: Pujol T , Montoro L , Silva X
Published: April 2011

Slow-rotating waterwheels are mechanical devices of great historical relevance since they provided power to ancient communities for shifting from a subsistence to a market-oriented economy. Technical studies of these antecessors of hydraulic turbines mainly rely on basic principles that do not take into account the blade-to-blade distance and, therefore, the loss of energy from spillage (parts of the jet flow that do not interact with the moving blades). These effects are included in this article in a novel analytical approximation based on a sequential frame methodology. We apply this extended analytical expression to the analysis of three different sets of parameters referred to a laboratory-scale horizontal waterwheel. Results are compared with those obtained experimentally and, also, with computational fluid dynamics simulations. In contrast to the classical expression that clearly fails to explain the waterwheel behaviour when few blades are employed, our new analytical approximation remarkably agrees with both simulations and experimental data.
Experiences of Parents With Caring for Their Child After a Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Flury Maria , Caflisch Ueli , Ullmann-Bremi Andrea , Spichiger Elisabeth
Published: April 2011

Children and adolescents with cancer are increasingly treated and cared for at home; hospital stays are reduced to a minimum. Taking care of a sick child at home has an impact on the entire family: the sick child, the siblings, and the parents. This qualitative study examines the experiences of parents taking their child home for the first time after the diagnosis. Parents of 10 children newly diagnosed with cancer were interviewed twice around the time of the first discharge; data were analyzed using content analysis methodology. Findings illustrated parents’ preparation of and experiences around their child’s first discharge, the huge amount of new and changed tasks parents have to fulfill at home when caring for their child with cancer, and consequences for the parents. By providing individualized information and instruction, by having parents anticipate potential problems and solutions, and by describing available community support and integrating district nurses as well as other parents with the same experiences more frequently, health care professionals in the hospital can optimize discharge planning for these parents.
A covariant constitutive theory for anisotropic hyperelastic solids with initial strains
Authors: Lu Jia
Published: April 2011

Soft tissue systems typically do not have a global stress-free configuration, and the configuration taken as the reference normally contains a pre-existing strain field which we refer to as the initial strain. This article presents a constitutive theory for hyperelastic solids with initial strains. The notion of a material metric is introduced. A constitutive description with the material metric describing the natural geometry is developed. Covariant conditions are introduced into the constitutive equation. It is found that the covariant conditions embody the notion of local natural configuration and imply a well-known invariance principle in elasticity. A representation theorem for covariant anisotropic functions is established. This theorem enables the derivation of covariant anisotropic functions using existing Euclidean representation theorems. Examples of covariant constitutive representations for isotropic, transversely isotropic, and general anisotropic materials are presented.
Tightening the Regulatory Knot: Hospice Regulatory and Health Care Legislative Reform Converge on Hospice Clinical Management
Authors: Havens Lang Susan , Cabin William D.
Published: April 2011

Hospices have been implementing various approaches to cope with the increased regulatory scrutiny in the last 3 years, prompted by concern about costs and outcomes. Medicare, through its fiscal intermediaries, has issued increasingly more restrictive local coverage determination (LCD) guidelines for initial and ongoing qualifying criteria. The regulatory focus has been intensified and extended by the 2010 federal health care reform legislation. The article examines how one hospice clinical management team is managing the convergence of the increased regulation and the new federal health care reform requirements.
Impairment in Children With and Without ADHD
Authors: Brammer Whitney A. , Lee Steve S.
Published: April 2011

Objective: To ascertain the association of childhood ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) on functional impairment and to test the moderating influence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Method: Ethnically diverse 6- to 9-year-old children with ( n = 59) and without ( n = 47) ADHD were ascertained using multiple methods (i.e., rating scales and structured interview) and informants (i.e., parent, teacher, and interviewer). Results: Using ratings of impairment that were independent of the diagnostic assessment of ADHD and ODD, the association between ADHD and impairment was significantly moderated by CU traits, such that CU traits positively predicted impairment at low and moderate levels of ADHD but not at high levels of ADHD. CU traits did not moderate the association of ODD and impairment. Conclusion: The authors discuss findings within the context of multiple pathways to and from negative outcomes and the utility of evaluating CU traits in studies of ADHD and conduct problems.
School, Youth Culture and Territorial Stigmatization in Swedish Metropolitan Districts
Authors: Sernhede Ove
Published: April 2011

This article deals with processes of marginalization and patterns of segregation in contemporary Sweden that have transformed the former welfare state. During the 1990s we saw the growth of new forms of poverty in the multi-ethnic suburbs of the metropolitan districts of Sweden. The schools in these suburbs are still wrestling with many problems. If these schools wish to reclaim credibility, one way might be to understand and to learn from the topics and processes embedded in hip-hop, the culture of the young in these areas. Hip-hop has grown and engaged many young people in the multi-cultural neighbourhoods of metropolitan Sweden during the last two decades. The article focuses on how informal learning processes embedded in the cultural praxis of youth empower them to express themselves. In the article these learning processes are contrasted with the formal learning carried on in contemporary suburban schools. The hip-hop culture from these suburbs carries with it a social and political criticism and could in one sense be compared to the cultural aspirations of the labour movement in the early part of last century.
Punitive penal preferences and support for welfare: Applying the ‘governance of social marginality’ thesis to the individual level
Authors: Rubin Ashley T.
Published: April 2011

The individual has, until recently, been generally excluded from law and society explorations of the twin increases in penal and welfare punitiveness. However, public opinion enjoys an implicit role in policy change that is only now beginning to receive attention. This study explores the presence and nature of the correlation between attitudes toward welfare and penal policy at the individual level in general and across time. Using individual-level data from the General Social Survey (1972—2006), this study concludes that individuals’ punitiveness in penal policy preferences is well correlated with opposition to welfare spending, and that this relationship has persisted across time, though with significant variation. Moreover, we find that much of the correlation across time is due to cross-policy punitiveness, and that cross-policy welfarism is responsible for only a small (though growing since the late 1990s) portion of the correlation. We suggest that further research exploring this correlation may help us to understand the mechanism that links penal and welfare policy at the state level as well.