bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low compliance with colonoscopic screening in first‐degree relatives of patients with large adenomas
Authors: COTTET V. , PARIENTE A. , NALET B. , LAFON J. , MILAN C. , OLSCHWANG S. , FAIVRE J. , BONAITI‐PELLIÉ C. , BONITHON‐KOPP C. ,   THE ANGH GROUP
Published: June 2006

Background

Little is known about compliance with colonoscopy as a screening method in first‐degree relatives of patients with large adenomas.

Aims

To evaluate the compliance with screening colonoscopy among this population, and its determinants.

Methods

Data were obtained from the family part of the GEADE study, a study on genetic factors of colorectal adenomas. Index cases were 306 patients with adenomas ≥ 10 mm. All living first‐degree relatives aged 40–75 who could be contacted by the index case were asked to undergo a colonoscopy, unless they had had one in the previous 5 years.

Results

Among 674 eligible relatives, 56 had had a colonoscopy within the preceding 5 years and 114 underwent a screening colonoscopy resulting in a compliance with screening colonoscopy of 18%. This was not related to most characteristics of index cases. Compliance was significantly lower when the index case lived in the Greater Paris area than when he/she lived in other areas (12% vs. 21%). It was higher in siblings (18%) and offspring (23%) than in parents (9%) and in relatives under 55 years old (22%) than in relatives aged 55 and over (15%).

Conclusions

Compliance with colonoscopy was low in first‐degree relatives of patients with large adenomas. The reasons for this should be determined and appropriate strategies developed to increase compliance.
Maternal self‐efficacy and maternal perception of child language competence in pre‐school children with a communication disability
Authors: Harty M. , Alant E. , Uys C. J. E.
Published: June 2006

Background  The aim of this study was to describe maternal self‐efficacy beliefs within the parenting domain and maternal ratings of pre‐school children’s language abilities, where the child has a communication disability. The association between these two constructs was also investigated.

Method  Twenty‐five mothers completed a questionnaire consisting of two subsections: parental self‐efficacy and maternal rating of child language ability. Convenience sampling was used, and mothers with children attending four special‐education schools in the Pretoria area consented to participate in the study.

Results  The results revealed that mothers generally had high self‐efficacy beliefs within certain parenting roles, in spite of the fact that their child has a communication disability. The lowest competence was reported in discipline and teaching roles. In addition, mothers’ reports of patterns of child ability correlated with what has been written in the literature. Correlation statistics generally revealed weak association between the constructs, with the strongest association between the parental domain of discipline and maternal reports of their child’s receptive language abilities.

Conclusions  Possible reasons for the weak correlation values are proposed. These include factors that may alter the way parents of children with disabilities construct and maintain self‐efficacy beliefs; as well as the fact that the two sections of the questionnaire measure maternal appraisals at two very different levels (objective observations and evaluative self‐regulatory processes).
Variability of the administered radioiodine doses for the treatment of hyperthyroidism in Belgium
Authors: Tondeur Marianne , Glinoer Daniel , Sand Alain , Verelst Jean , Ham Hamphrey
Published: June 2006

Objective   When using radioiodine for hyperthyroidism there is no consensus regarding the administration of fixed or calculated doses. Guidelines do not specify the preferable approach or the parameters to use to calculate the dose. Therefore, the dose might be quite different with regard to the chosen procedure. This study was undertaken to evaluate the variability of the amount of radioiodine administered in Belgium in various cases of hyperthyroidism.

Design and patients  Twenty‐one Belgian nuclear medicine physicians received summarized clinical files from 10 patients suffering from overt hyperthyroidism (n = 7) or subclinical hyperthyroidism (n = 3). Five patients had homogeneous goiters, one had multinodular goiter, and four had hot nodule. Participants had to determine the radioiodine dose (millicuries, mCi) they would give in each case.

Results   Proposed doses varied between 2 mCi and 25 mCi. Mean proposed dose for nodular disease was 10·71 mCi; it was 6·79 mCi for homogeneous goiter. For individual cases, a difference between the lowest and the highest dose of more than 17 mCi was observed in more than 50% of the cases.

Conclusions   We believe that more precise guidelines are mandatory, underlying uncertainties, controversies but recommending however, as minimal and maximal doses to administer, as well as clinical and biological parameters, if any, to be taken into account in order to modulate these doses.
Elevated interferon gamma expression in the central nervous system of tumour necrosis factor receptor 1‐deficient mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Authors: Wheeler Rachel D. , Zehntner Simone P. , Kelly Lisa M. , Bourbonnière Lyne , Owens Trevor
Published: June 2006

Inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) can be studied in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The proinflammatory cytokines interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) are implicated in EAE pathogenesis. Signals through the type 1 TNF receptor (TNFR1) are required for severe EAE to develop, whereas deficiency in IFN‐γ or its receptor result in more severe EAE. We investigated IFN‐γ expression in TNFR1‐deficient (TNFR1–/–) mice. We describe here that there were more IFN‐γ‐secreting T cells present in the CNS of TNFR1–/– mice during EAE compared to wild‐type (WT) mice, despite that clinical symptoms were mild, with delayed onset. There was greater expression of IL‐12/23p40 by antigen‐presenting cells in these mice, and in vitro, TNFR1–/– antigen‐presenting cells induced greater secretion of IFN‐γ but not interleukin (IL)‐17 when cultured with primed T cells than did WT antigen presenting cells. TNFR1–/– mice with EAE had significantly higher expression of CXCL10 mRNA (but not CCL5 mRNA) in the CNS compared to WT mice with EAE. These data demonstrate that IFN‐γ expression is enhanced in the CNS of TNFR1–/– mice with EAE and suggest that IFN‐γ levels do not necessarily correlate with EAE severity.
Endodontic status amongst 35‐year‐old Oslo citizens and changes over a 30‐year period
Authors: Skudutyte‐Rysstad R. , Eriksen H. M.
Published: June 2006

Aim  To determine the prevalence of apical periodontitis and quality of root fillings in 35‐year‐old citizens of Oslo, Norway in 2003, and to compare the results with data from the same age cohort collected by repetitive cross‐sectional studies in 1973, 1984 and 1993.

Methodology  A random sample of 250 35‐year‐old Oslo inhabitants was drawn from The National Bureau of Statistics Recordings. Attendance rate was 64%. Root filled teeth and teeth with periapical pathology were detected from panoramic radiographs and additional periapical radiographs of affected teeth were processed. The preriapical status was evaluated by applying the periapical index system (PAI). Chi‐square and Student's t‐tests were used for the evaluation of differences between the groups.

Results  Twenty‐three per cent of the individuals examined had root filled teeth and 16% had at least one tooth with apical periodontitis. Root filled teeth were associated with PAI values of 1 and 2 (health) in 57% of cases. Prevalence of root filled teeth and apical periodontitis remained unchanged during the past 10 years. An increase in the proportion of root filled teeth with apical periodontitis from 18% in 1973 to 43% in 2003 was observed.

Conclusions  Despite continuous improvement in dental health (reduced DMF‐values) compared with the previous Oslo studies; there was no improvement in endodontic status from 1993 to 2003.
People with learning disabilities in ‘out‐of‐area’ residential placements: 2. Reasons for and effects of placement
Authors: Beadle‐Brown J. , Mansell J. L. , Whelton B. , Hutchinson A. , Skidmore C.
Published: June 2006

Background  Official guidance on out‐of‐area placements creates incentives that could lead to people being placed against their own best interests, with negative consequences for them and for the ‘receiving’ authorities.

Method  Information was collected for 30 people through interviews with them, their families, home managers and care managers. Interviews concerned resident needs, reasons for placement, the homes, care management arrangements, resident quality of life and social inclusion. Information on care standards was abstracted from official records.

Results  The main reasons for out‐of‐area placement were insufficient local services of acceptable quality, financial incentives and loss of family contact through prior institutionalization. The effects varied, with the most disabled people experiencing worst outcomes. Some aspects were worse than comparison studies (choice, community involvement, number of homes meeting all the national minimum standards), some were the same (participation, family visiting and other contact), and one was better (visits to families). Variation was also evident in the involvement of social services staff from the placing authority and in ease of access to local healthcare resources.

Conclusions  Social services and health authorities should develop services locally that can support people with the full range of individual needs. Perverse incentives should be removed, perhaps by increasing the application of direct payments and personalized budgets.
Pain’s impact on adaptive functioning
Authors: Breau L. M. , Camfield C. S. , McGrath P. J. , Finley G. A.
Published: June 2006

Background  Pain interferes with the functioning of typical children, but no study has examined its effect on children with pre‐existing intellectual disabilities (ID).

Methods  Caregivers of 63 children observed their children for 2‐h periods and recorded in 1‐week diaries: pain presence, cause, intensity and duration. Caregivers also recorded the children’s performance of pre‐existing skills during each period. Proportion of skills displayed when pain was present and absent was compared. Fifty caregivers completed a second set of observations when pain was present and absent.

Results  Comparison of the first set of observations indicated children displayed significantly more abilities (64%) when pain‐free (Pain‐Free Day 1), than when pain was present (54%; Pain Day 1). Children displayed 64% of their possible abilities during Pain‐Free Day 2, but only 53% during Pain Day 2. Pain impacted all areas of function (communication, daily living, social and motor skills). Children’s physical and demographic characteristics did not moderate the impact of pain on function, but functioning of children with more severe ID was most impacted by pain.

Conclusions  Children perform fewer adaptive skills when pain is present. This could affect long‐term functioning as well, through reduced practice of skills.
Usefulness of acr Expression for Monitoring Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Bacilli in ‘In Vitro’ and ‘In Vivo’ Experimental Models
Authors: Gordillo S. , Guirado E. , Gil O. , Díaz J. , Amat I. , Molinos S. , Vilaplana C. , Ausina V. , Cardona P.‐J.
Published: June 2006

Real‐time RT‐PCR was used to quantify the expression of genes possibly involved in Mycobacterium tuberculosis latency in in vitro and murine models. Exponential and stationary phase (EP and SP) bacilli were exposed to decreasing pH levels (from 6.5 to 4.5) in an unstirred culture, and mRNA levels for 16S rRNA, sigma factors sigA,B,E,F,G,H and M, Rv0834c, icl, nirA, narG, fpbB, acr, rpoA, recA and cysH were quantified. The expression of acr was the one that best correlated with the CFU decrease observed in SP bacilli. In the murine model, the expressions of icl, acr and sigF tended to decrease when bacillary counts increased and vice versa. Values from immunodepressed mice (e.g. α/β T cells, TNF, IFN‐γ and iNOs knock out strains), with accelerated bacillary growth rate, confirmed this fact. Finally, the expression of acr was maintained in mice following long‐term treatment with antibiotics. The quantification of acr expression could be useful for monitoring the presence of latent bacilli in some murine models of tuberculosis.
The Role of the interleukin‐10 Subfamily Members in Immunoglobulin Production by Human B Cells
Authors: Hummelshoj L. , Ryder L. P. , Poulsen L. K.
Published: June 2006

Interleukin (IL)‐10 has been shown to have various effects on B cells, including positively affecting the production of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG. Several human IL‐10‐related molecules have been identified. These include IL‐19, IL‐20, IL‐22, IL‐24, IL‐26, IL‐28 and IL‐29. To determine the effects of the IL‐10 analogues on the class switch recombination in B cells, we analysed Ig production from naïve B cells stimulated with these cytokines in the presence of anti‐CD40. None of the cytokines were found to induce Ig production by themselves in the presence of anti‐CD40 Ab. However, all cytokines inhibited the production of IgA and IgG induced by anti‐CD40 Ab alone. In combination with anti‐CD40 Ab and IL‐4, IgG4 were inhibited in cultures stimulated with IL‐20, IL‐22, IL‐26, IL‐28 and IL‐29 compared with IL‐4 and anti‐CD40 Ab alone, whereas all IL‐10 analogues increased the production of total IgG. All analogues reduced anti‐CD40 Ab + transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β‐induced IgA production compared with cultures stimulated with anti‐CD40 Ab and TGF‐β alone. Together, these data show that the IL‐10‐related cytokines in combination with anti‐CD40 Ab are not by themselves directly involved in the Ig regulation in B cells. However, some of the analogues might have regulatory effects on CSR induced by CD40‐ligation in combination with IL‐4 or TGF‐β.
Wave‐generated structures and sequences from a shallow marine succession, Lower Carboniferous, County Cork, Ireland
Authors: DE RAAF J. F. M. , BOERSMA J. R. , VAN GELDER A.
Published: June 2006

In a Lower Carboniferous formation south of Cork, Ireland, characterized by sand/mud alternations at varying scales, several lithotypes could be singled out on the basis of relative sand content and primary sedimentary structures. The lithotypes are arranged in several types of sequences: coarsening upwards, coarsening‐fining upwards, random, and in rare instances: fining upwards.

With increased gross sandcontent the sand intercalations thicken and show a richer array of structures, reflecting a wider range of energy conditions. The majority of the structures is interpreted as wave generated. Current formed structures play an insignificant role. Tidal effects could not be ascertained. The alternation of low‐ and high‐energy lithotypes, occurring in sandy as well as muddy parts of the sequences is explained as resulting from the interplay of storm and fair weather conditions. The effect of shoaling bathymetry is reflected in sequences by an increasing importance of high‐energy lithotypes.

The environment of deposition can be visualized as a muddy shallow marine platform on which longshore directed sandy shoals were formed under the influence of wave action. Depending on the degree of wave agitation and the availability of sand the shoals reached different stages of maturity: incipient, submerged or emergent. The sequential type encountered in vertical sections depends on the location of the line of logging and varies laterally as sandlenses thicken, amalgamate or die out.
Ancient Pompeian Dogs – Morphological and Morphometric Evidence for Different Canine Populations
Authors: Zedda M. , Manca P. , Chisu V. , Gadau S. , Lepore G. , Genovese A. , Farina V.
Published: June 2006

This article examines the morphological features of the dog during the Roman Age on the basis of osseous and dental remains dug up in Pompeii. The material, consisting of 113 canine bones and teeth, was subjected to both morphological and morphometrical analyses and was compared with modern canine breeds. In most cases, the age at death, shoulder height and other phenotypic features were ascertained. The examined Pompeian canine population fell mainly into two categories: small‐ and large‐sized animals. Among the former, one brachycephalic and two dolichocephalic subjects were included. Such morphological features agree with what is described in numerous texts and appears in mosaics, bas‐reliefs and frescoes of the Roman Age. As small‐sized dogs cannot be classified as Canes Venatici (sporting dogs), Canes Villatici (watch dogs) and Canes Pastorales (shepherd dogs) according to Columella's De re rustica, these animals may be considered as lapdogs.
Expression of AMH in Female Fetal Intersex Gonads in the Bovine
Authors: Cabianca G. , Rota A. , Cozzi B. , Ballarin C.
Published: June 2006

Anti Müllerian Hormone, AMH, is believed to be the main agent in the freemartin syndrome. Supposing an active role of freemartin gonads in AMH secretion, in the present study, we aimed at investigating the presence and the localization of AMH producing cells either in fetal or in adult freemartin gonads. Our finding of positive AMH cells in a 26‐week‐old freemartin fetus indicates an active role of masculinized freemartin gonads in AMH secretion. However, the positive reaction, limited to few cells grouped in ‘nests’ in proximity to testis cord‐like structures, supports a chimeric origin of such cells, migrated from the male co‐twin. No adult freemartin, irrespective from the degree of masculinization, showed any AMH positive cell.
Schizophyllum commune associated with bronchogenous cyst
Authors: Bulajic Nina , Cvijanovic Vlado , Vukojevic Jelena , Tomic Diana , Johnson Elizabeth
Published: June 2006

Previous TBC lesions, diabetes and use of corticosteriods are recognised as risk factors for developing long‐standing disease caused by Schizophyllum commune. In the case report presented in this work, S. commune was isolated from an inflamed bronchogenous cyst of previously immunocompetent patient. The isolated mould failed to sporulate and identification was achieved by nucleotide sequencing.
Origin of hepatocellular carcinoma: Role of stem cells
Authors: Wu Xiong‐Zhi , Chen Dan
Published: June 2006

The question of whether hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arises from the differentiation block of stem cells or dedifferentiation of mature cells remains controversial. Recently, researchers suggested that HCC may originate from the transdifferentiation of bone marrow cells. Interestingly, there are four levels of cells in the hepatic stem cell lineage: bone marrow cells, hepato‐pancreas stem cells, oval cells and hepatocytes. Hematopoietic stem cells and the liver are known to have a close relationship in early development. Bone marrow stem cells could differentiate into oval cells, which could differentiate into hepatocytes and duct cells. The development of pancreatic and liver buds in embryogenesis suggests the existence of a common progenitor cell to both the pancreas and liver. Cellular events during hepatocarcinogenesis illustrate that HCC may arise from cells at various stages of differentiation in the hepatic stem cell lineage.
If the PRS Experience in Latin America is a Disappointment, What is the Alternative?
Authors: Holmqvist Göran , Cueva Karin Metell
Published: June 2006

This is a reflection inspired by Geske Dijkstra's article ‘The PRSP Approach and the Illusion of Improved Aid Effectiveness: Lessons from Bolivia, Honduras and Nicaragua’ (Development Policy Review 23 (4), July 2005) which questions the usefulness of the PRS approach in Latin America, building to a considerable degree on studies carried out in the three countries by the Institute of Social Studies (ISS), which Sida financed.1
FACTORS INHIBITING DEFLATIONARY BIAS IN CURRENCY BOARD ECONOMIES: EVIDENCE FROM THE COLONIAL ERA
Authors: Treadgold Malcolm
Published: June 2006

A traditional criticism of currency boards is that they impart a deflationary bias to growing economies. Three factors, however, may inhibit the bias: increases in the velocity of money; increases in the monetary base, which under a currency board occur only through balance‐of‐payments surpluses; and increases in the money multiplier. This article investigates each of the factors in Fiji, Ghana, Jamaica and Malaya over various periods near the end of the colonial era. Except in Malaya, where the money multiplier declined, all helped prevent deflationary outcomes. In broad terms, growth in the monetary base was the most important.
New Public Management and ‘Photocopy’ Bargaining in the Australian Public Service
Authors: Lyons Michael , Ingersoll Louise
Published: June 2006

The industrial relations policy of the Federal Coalition Government is to encourage industrial bargaining to occur at the enterprise or individual level, free from ‘outside’ influences. While it encourages devolved bargaining at the agency and individual level within the Public Service (Australian Public Service) this policy creates tensions with its role as a centralized policy maker, economic manager and employer of the APS workforce. It also conflicts with the APS' adoption of New Public Management. In practice, the government retains considerable centralised control over agency bargaining outcomes, which is a de facto method of pattern bargaining. By analysing the substantive outcomes from nine APS agency level certified agreements (hours of work, pay and leave entitlements), the article discusses whether this one size fits all' model is evidence of an appreciation that public sector industrial relations is separate and distinct from private sector industrial relations, or another example of duplicity in the federal coalition government's ideology driven approach to industrial relations.
The influence of text production on learning with the Internet
Authors: Priemer Burkhard , Ploog Maria
Published: June 2006

The findings of two studies with students doing research with the Internet about topics in science are reported. The focus is on students’ methods of text production when using external web‐based information and their learning outcomes. In a first exploratory study, the computer‐based text production of 45 students was analysed using log files. Two types of students were identified with respect to the ways they used information obtained from the Web: Compilers usually copied text from web sources into their own essays. They lacked adequate cognitive processing of the collected information. Authors created original text and scored significantly higher in posttests. A follow‐up study with 133 students verified parts of the hypothesis that writing with external sources of information has epistemic effects. However, students with basic writing skills and little prior knowledge benefited most from writing tasks.
Definite and Nondefinite Superlatives and NPI Licensing
Authors: Herdan Simona , Sharvit Yael
Published: June 2006

Abstract.  We observe that superlative noun phrases are often not definite and may be headed by an indefinite determiner and other determiners. We attribute this fact to the semantics of the superlative morpheme which creates a (not necessarily singleton) set of individuals. A welcome prediction made by this proposal is that negative polarity items (NPIs) are licensed in the postnominal position only when the determiner that precedes the superlative morpheme is definite, because only then does the superlative morpheme have the semantic property required for NPI licensing—namely, Strawson Downward Entailingness. We explore some semantic and syntactic consequences of the proposal.
Teaching Liberal Arts Undergraduates about Hinduism amid Theoretical and Political Contestation Today
Authors: Fort Andrew O.
Published: June 2006

Abstract.  As the number of people of South Asian heritage in America has greatly increased over recent decades, the study and teaching of Hinduism has come under ever greater scrutiny. During this time, the number of students of Indian background has vastly increased in some schools in some parts of the United States. This increased presence and scrutiny has had some salutary effects, including greater attention to and accountability in our field, but has also led to some unwelcome conflict and feelings of misrepresentation by both academics and adherents. Some of us are in the perplexing position of being keenly aware of and in conversation about tensions elsewhere, yet still having few (or no) Hindu students in our own classrooms. This essay will discuss two matters given this background: first, I will describe how I present Hindu religious traditions in my local context, and then I will offer some more general reflections on teaching and researching Hinduism in the United States today.
From Sole Learning to Soul Learning
Authors: Baldwin Gayle R.
Published: June 2006

Abstract.  Is it effective or even possible to teach an introductory course in religious studies that not only provides first‐year university students with the fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and critical tools of religious inquiry but also invites and stimulates the transformation of the religious imagination? In what kind of teaching and learning method could the process of personal transformation occur and how might one assess it? These are the questions that led to an experiment in teaching religion the objective of which was to prepare beginning students for the academic approach to religion and, at the same time, transmit the experience of learning as an embodied process that engages personal narrative within a community context. This essay is based on a three‐year project that has made considerable progress in meeting these goals and answering these questions. (Supplementary materials for this essay are available on the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion web site http://www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/journal/baldwin.html.)
Practical Wisdom: On Theological Teaching and Learning – Edited by Malcolm L. Warford
Authors: Lai Alan Ka Lun
Published: June 2006

Books reviewed:

Practical Wisdom: On Theological Teaching and Learning. Edited by Malcolm L. Warford. New York, N.Y.: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2004. xiv + 283 pages. ISBN 0‐8204‐7263‐8.
Alternative Strategies for Evaluating Student Learning – Edited by Michelle V. Achacoso and Marilla D. Svinicki
Authors: Carey Greg
Published: June 2006

Books reviewed:

Alternative Strategies for Evaluating Student Learning. Edited by Michelle V. Achacoso and Marilla D. Svinicki. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 100. San Francisco: Jossey‐Bass Publishers, 2004. 122 pages. ISBN 0‐7879‐7970‐8. $29.00.
Discussion‐Based Online Teaching to Enhance Student Learning: Theory, Practice and Assessment – Tisha Bender
Authors: Simmons Laura K.
Published: June 2006

Books reviewed:

Discussion‐Based Online Teaching to Enhance Student Learning: Theory, Practice and Assessment. By Tisha Bender. Sterling, Virginia: Stylus Publishing, 2003. xviii + 206 pages. ISBN 1‐57922‐065‐7. $24.95 (paperback).
Philosophy of Education: Aim, Theory, Common Sense, and Research – Richard Pring
Authors: Heen Erik M.
Published: June 2006

Books reviewed:

Philosophy of Education: Aim, Theory, Common Sense, and Research. By Richard Pring. London: Continuum, 2004. viii + 280 pages. ISBN 08264‐7239‐7.
META‐HUMANS AND METANOIA: THE MORAL DIMENSION OF EXTRATERRESTRIALS
Authors: Kracher Alfred
Published: June 2006

Abstract. Although we do not know whether intelligent extraterrestrials exist, they are a permanent fixture of literature and philosophical argument. Part of their appeal is that they watch us from above and thus serve as a metaphor for human self‐reflexivity. This makes fictional aliens especially useful when moral issues are at stake. In order to evaluate stories about aliens with respect to moral conclusions two conditions must be fulfilled. First, the stories have to be detailed enough that we can understand the circumstances of the aliens' moral choices. Therefore science fiction often is more useful than arguments involving aliens in short technical papers. Second, their fictional lives need to be possible in our own universe, or very nearly so, in order to be relevant for our own moral conduct. Taking as an example the unfallen aliens in C. S. Lewis's novels Out of the Silent Planet (1938) and Perelandra (1943), we can acknowledge the theological interest and literary subtlety. Nonetheless, the stories fail as moral parables in one important respect: The aliens depicted could not be a product of evolution in our universe, at least as we currently understand its scientific laws. This realization has important consequences for our self‐understanding and thus underlines how fictional aliens can be useful in making sense of the complexities involved in moral argumentation.
Legal Diversity and Regulatory Competition: Which Model for Europe?
Authors: Deakin Simon
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  Two models of regulatory competition are contrasted, one based on a US pattern of ‘competitive federalism’, the other a European conception of ‘reflexive harmonisation’. In the European context, harmonisation of corporate and labour law, contrary to its critics, has been a force for the preservation of diversity, and of an approach to regulatory interaction based on mutual learning between nation states. It is thus paradoxical, and arguably antithetical to the goal of European integration, that this approach is in danger of being undermined by attempts, following the Centros case, to introduce a Delaware‐type form of inter‐jurisdictional competition into European company law.
Karl Barth's Christology as a Resource for a Reformed Version of Kenoticism
Authors: McCORMACK BRUCE L.
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  This article starts by examining the ‘shift’ in thinking on kenosis from the sixteenth‐century doctrine established by Lutheran orthodoxy to the nineteenth‐century understanding developed by Gottfried Thomasius. Karl Barth's understanding of ‘kenotic Christology’ was largely controlled by the nineteenth‐century definition and, as a result, he rejected it. However, Barth's later treatment of the incarnation in CD IV/I provides resources for taking up the language of kenosis in a positive way that would be thoroughly ‘Reformed’ in character. There are considerable theological gains to be made by such an approach.
The Trinity, Election and God's Ontological Freedom: A Response to Kevin W. Hector
Authors: MOLNAR PAUL D.
Published: June 2006

Abstract:  A recent article by Kevin Hector considered the disagreement between Bruce McCormack and me over the relationship between the doctrines of election and the Trinity raising a number of crucial issues such as the proper relation of the immanent and economic Trinity, the nature of God's freedom and the identity of the logos asarkos. In this article I explore how and why Barth's dialectical understanding of the triune God's freedom from and for creatures disallowed equating God's ontological freedom with election in the manner suggested by McCormack and Hector, because that would reduce God's omnipotence to his omnicausality, the immanent to the economic Trinity.
Gold mining in Ghana's forest reserves: a report on the current debate
Authors: Hilson Gavin , Nyame Frank
Published: June 2006

This paper examines the debate surrounding a recent decision made by the Ghanaian government to permit gold exploration – and potentially, mining – in ‘protected’ forest reserves. In 2001, four mining companies were awarded mineral exploration concessions in forested regions of the country, and have since put forward applications to mine for gold. Notwithstanding the sharp divide in opinion on the issue, the continued uncertainty surrounding the implications of the proposed activities makes further research on the ground imperative in the short term. Work aiming to elicit indigenous perspectives on the projects, as well as research that facilitates dialogue between and/or among stakeholder parties, should be prioritized.
Correlation Between the Aging Males’ Symptoms Scale and Sex Steroids, Gonadotropins, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, and Growth Hormone Levels in Ambulatory Men
Authors: Miwa Yoshiji , Kaneda Taisei , Yokoyama Osamu
Published: June 2006

Introduction

Partial androgen deficiency of the aging male (PADAM) is defined as a biochemical syndrome associated with advancing age that is characterized by a deficiency in serum androgen levels. The Aging Males’ Symptoms (AMS) Scale was developed to evaluate PADAM-related symptoms and is currently used worldwide; however, it has been reported that PADAM-related symptoms evaluated by this scale are not related to serum testosterone levels. In addition to testosterone, the levels of other hormones also decrease with age; therefore, multihormone alterations may influence PADAM-related symptoms.

Aim

To investigate the relationship between PADAM-related symptoms evaluated by the AMS Scale and serum levels of testosterone, estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and growth hormone (GH) in men.

Methods

A total of 141 ambulatory men were recruited after excluding men with endocrine and other related diseases. All participants completed the AMS questionnaire and an analysis of serum levels of total and free testosterone (TT and FT), E2, LH, FSH, DHEA-S, and GH.

Main Outcome Measure

The relationship between AMS scores (total and subscores) and serum hormone levels was determined.

Results

There were significant negative correlations between age and serum FT and DHEA-S levels, as well as positive correlations between age and serum LH and FSH levels, but no correlation between age and AMS scores. None of the three AMS domain scale scores and total scores significantly correlated with serum levels of TT, FT, E2, LH, FSH, DHEA-S, or GH.

Conclusions

The results of the present study suggest that PADAM-related symptoms as evaluated by the AMS Scale are not significantly related to serum levels of TT, FT, E2, LH, FSH, DHEA-S, or GH. Because many factors related to aging are thought to contribute to the occurrence of PADAM-related symptoms, the AMS Scale may not be able to predict serum hormone levels.
Family Ties: The Use of DNA Offender Databases to Catch Offenders' Kin
Authors: Greely Henry T. , Riordan Daniel P. , Garrison Nanibaa' A. , Mountain Joanna L.
Published: June 2006

“The sins of the fathers are to be laid upon the children.”

Just after midnight on March 21, 2003, a drunk stood on a footbridge over a motorway in a village in Surrey in southern England. After eight pints of beer, he was drunk enough to decide to drop a brick from the overpass into traffic to see if he could hit something; unfortunately, he was not so drunk that he missed. The brick crashed through the windshield on the driver's side of a truck. It hit the driver, Michael Little, in the chest, triggering a fatal heart attack. He stayed conscious long enough to pull the truck safely to the side of the road, thereby perhaps saving other motorists; then he died. The crime was widely publicized, as was the driver's role in preventing any further accidents.
Reviews in Medical Ethics: The Ethics and Regulation of Research with Human Subjects, Carl Coleman, Jerry Menikoff, Jesse Goldner, and Nancy Dubler, eds., (LexisNexis) 2005
Authors: Resnik David B.
Published: June 2006

The Ethics and Regulation of Research with Human Subjects, edited by Professors Carl Coleman of Seton Hall, Jerry Menikoff of the University of Kansas, Jesse Goldner of Saint Louis University, and Nancy Dubler of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is an up-to-date and authoritative collection of readings on ethical, legal, and policy issues in research with human subjects. The authors have modeled their text on the casebook style commonly used in law schools. At 746 pages, plus front matter and an appendix, this book contains just about everything one needs to know for a thorough grasp on human subjects research, including federal and state regulations governing this research, interpretive guidance from federal agencies, international guidelines and codes, court decisions, historical documents and case studies, and selected readings from scholarly articles and books. The book includes written comments and questions to help students understand and interpret the readings.
Recent Developments in Health Law: Civil Procedure: First Circuit Holds it Unreasonable to Hale Hospitals into Foreign Forums Simply for Accepting Out-of-State Patients — Harlow v. Children's Hospital
Authors: Hague Ashley Clare
Published: June 2006

The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently upheld a United States District Court for the District of Maine Judge's decision to dismiss a Maine plaintiff's medical malpractice claim against a Massachusetts hospital defendant for want of personal jurisdiction over the hospital. The Court of Appeals found it unreasonable to hale hospitals into an out-of-state court merely because they accept out-of-state patients.

Plaintiff Danielle Harlow is a Maine resident who suffered a stroke at the age of six while undergoing a medical procedure at Children's Hospital of Boston, Massachusetts (“Children's Hospital”). The stroke, allegedly caused by the Hospital's negligence, led to brain damage resulting in partial paralysis and cognitive and behavioral impairments. The procedure was supposed to treat Harlow's rapid heartbeat, a condition related to her Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. Harlow's pediatrician in Maine recommended that she visit Children's Hospital in Boston to treat her arrhythmia.
The changing face of HRM: in search of balance
Authors: Francis Helen , Keegan Anne
Published: June 2006

Current models of HRM suggest that expectations about HR roles are changing as organisations are striving to make the HR function leaner and more ‘strategic’. In our article we explore the changing roles of HRM as they are perceived by different stakeholder groups within the HR profession through the medium of a study examining the diffusion of the concept of ‘the thinking performer’ launched by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in 2002. We explain how the concept of business partnering dominates respondents' talk about HR policy and practice and raise questions about the impact of this in terms of HRM's relationship with employees, employee well‐being and the career paths of HR professionals. We argue that the profession needs to reflect seriously on the consequences of a dominant business/strategic partner framing of HR work, which fails to address the duality that has historically always been inherent in HR practice. We conclude that there is a need for a more balanced HR agenda addressing human and economic concerns in current and future models of HRM.
A Polynomial Homotopy Formulation of the Inverse Static Analysis of Planar Compliant Mechanisms
Authors: Su Hai-Jun , McCarthy J. Michael
Published: June 2006

This paper formulates the inverse static analysis of planar compliant mechanisms in polynomial form. The goal is to find the equilibrium configurations of the system in response to a known force/moment applied to the mechanism. The geometric constraint of the linkage defines a set of kinematics equations which are combined with equilibrium equations obtained from partial derivatives of the potential-energy function. In order to apply polynomial homotopy solver to these equations, we approximate the linear torsion spring torque at each joint by using sine and cosine functions. The results obtained from the homotopy solver are then refined using Newton-Raphson iteration. To demonstrate the analysis steps, we study two example planar compliant mechanisms, a four-bar linkage with two torsional springs, and a parallel platform supported by three linear springs. Numerical examples are provided together with plots of the potential energy during a movement between selected equilibrium positions.
A Novel Approach for Computation of Constraints on Parameters of Modification of the Tooth Addendum of Precision Involute Hobs
Authors: Radzevich Stephen P.
Published: June 2006

In this paper a novel modified scheme and effective computer representation for hobbing operation of precision involute gears is presented. The specific goals of the paper are as follows: (a) to provide a comprehensive understanding of the principal features of addendum modification of an involute gear hob tooth, (b) to come up with a novel approach for the computation of parameters of modification of the hob tooth addendum, (c) to determine the applicability and advantages of the application of the developed approach. The key concept in this paper is satisfaction of the necessary conditions of proper part surface generation (Radzevich, S. P., 2002, Computer Aided Design, 34, pp. 727–740) in gear hobbing operation. The research is performed with the application of the novel DG∕K approach of surface machining earlier developed by the author. The DG∕K approach of surface generation is based on fundamental results obtained in differential geometry of surfaces, and in kinematics of multiparametric motion of a rigid body in E3 space. The interested reader may wish to go to the monographs (Radzevich, S. P., 2001, Monograph Kiev, Rastan; 1991, Monograph, Kiev, Vishcha Shkola Publishing) for details. Both of the monographs are available from The Library of Congress. A novel approach for the computation of constraints on the actual values of addendum modification of an involute hob is reported in this paper. The advantages of the developed approach are threefold. It yields the computation: (a) of the minimum and the maximum allowed value of the normal pressure angle; (b) of the maximum allowed value of addendum modification of an involute hob, and (c) of the maximum allowed reduction of addendum of a gear hob. In the way of implementation is also described.
A Methodology for Trading-Off Performance and Robustness Under Uncertainty
Authors: Mourelatos Zissimos P. , Liang Jinghong
Published: June 2006

Mathematical optimization plays an important role in engineering design, leading to greatly improved performance. Deterministic optimization, however, may result in undesired choices because it neglects uncertainty. Reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) and robust design can improve optimization by considering uncertainty. This paper proposes an efficient design optimization method under uncertainty, which simultaneously considers reliability and robustness. A mean performance is traded-off against robustness for a given reliability level of all performance targets. This results in a probabilistic multiobjective optimization problem. Variation is expressed in terms of a percentile difference, which is efficiently computed using the advanced mean value method. A preference aggregation method converts the multiobjective problem to a single-objective problem, which is then solved using an RBDO approach. Indifference points are used to select the best solution without calculating the entire Pareto frontier. Examples illustrate the concepts and demonstrate their applicability.
MULTIMODE TIME-MARKOV SYSTEMS: RECURSIVE TENSOR-BASED ANALYSIS, CHAOTIC GENERATION, LOCALLY LOOPING PROCESSES
Authors: MAZZINI G. , SETTI G. , ROVATTI R.
Published: June 2006

The paper proposes a systematic solution to the problem of mixing different stochastic processes, each implied by a certain mode of operation of the system at hand and with a random duration whose distribution depends on the previous and present modes. We do so by widening the scope of an existing framework for the statistical characterization of finite valued processes with memory-one properties. The point of view is that of stochastic dynamics and the state space of the process is partitioned into regions (that we identify with modes) such that, if sojourn in a mode can be assumed, the statistical characterization is fully understood. The process is also allowed to stochastically move from one mode to another and the number of time steps for which it remains in each mode is a random variable whose distribution is a function only of the mode visited before. A general theoretical framework is developed here for the computation of any-order joint probabilities. The framework is then exemplified for the case of locally looping systems that are random sequences of modes comprising the cyclical execution of given atomic actions. They are the model of choice for complex appliances that operate following the steps of a communication protocol, and/or the various phases of a bus cycle, and/or the load-compute-store mechanism of a microprocessor, etc. Exploiting the theory put forward by the paper, we highlight how these processes could be generated by suitably designed 2-d chaotic maps and how their second- and third-order spectra may be obtained and interpreted when exponentially or polynomially decaying distributions are assumed for mode sojourn times.
ON SOLITON-MEDIATED FAST ELECTRIC CONDUCTION IN A NONLINEAR LATTICE WITH MORSE INTERACTIONS
Authors: VELARDE MANUEL G. , EBELING WERNER , HENNIG DIRK , NEIßNER CHRISTIAN
Published: June 2006

Assuming the quantum mechanical "tight binding" of an electron to a nonlinear lattice with Morse potential interactions we show how electric conduction can be mediated by solitons. For relatively high values of an applied electric field the current follows Ohm's law. As the field strength is lowered the current takes a finite, constant, field-independent value.
Effects of sildenafil on hypoxic pulmonary vascular function in dogs
Authors: Fesler Pierre , Pagnamenta Alberto , Rondelet Benoit , Kerbaul François , Naeije Robert
Published: June 2006

Sildenafil has been shown to be an effective treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and is believed to present with pulmonary selectivity. This study was designed to determine the site of action of sildenafil compared with inhaled nitric oxide (NO) and intravenous sodium nitroprusside (SNP), known as selective and nonselective pulmonary vasodilators, respectively. Inhaled NO (40 ppm), and maximum tolerated doses of intravenous SNP and sildenafil, (5 μg·kg−1·min−1and 0.1 mg·kg−1·h−1), respectively, were administered to eight dogs ventilated in hypoxia. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was evaluated by pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa) minus left atrial pressure (Pla) vs. flow curves, and partitioned into arterial and venous segments by the occlusion method. Right ventricular hydraulic load was defined by pulmonary arterial characteristic impedance (Zc) and elastance (Ea) calculations. Right ventricular arterial coupling was estimated by the ratio of end-systolic elastance (Ees) to Ea. Decreasing the inspired oxygen fraction from 0.4 to 0.1 increased Ppa − Pla at a standardized flow of 3 l·min−1·m−2from 6 ± 1 to 18 ± 1 mmHg (mean ± SE). Ppa − Pla was decreased to 9 ± 1 by inhaled NO, 14 ± 1 by SNP, and 14 ± 1 mmHg by sildenafil. The partition of PVR, Zc, Ea, and Ees/Ea was not affected by the three interventions. Inhaled NO did not affect systemic arterial pressure, which was similarly decreased by sildenafil and SNP, from 115 ± 4 to 101 ± 4 and 98 ± 5 mmHg, respectively. We conclude that inhaled NO inhibits hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction more effectively than sildenafil or SNP, and sildenafil shows no more selectivity for the pulmonary circulation than SNP.