bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the stability and settling of suspended solids in settling ponds. Part II. Diffusion analysis of initial settling of suspended solids
Authors: Yong R. N. , Elmonayeri D.
Published: December 2008

The initial settling behaviour of the low solids concentration suspensions is examined and analyzed to provide information on sedimentation characteristics and distribution of solids concentration profiles with time. The presence of surface-active forces, which participate in development of the suspended solids settling characteristics, does not always permit easy application of standard sedimentation models for calculating settling rates of the suspended solids. A simplified diffusion–convection model using the relative flux approach has been developed to predict the initial settling performance of the suspended solids. Experimentally determined fluid diffusion coefficients relative to diffused volumetric fluid contents are obtained to provide input to the calculations for prediction of actual test cases. Comparisons using laboratory settling test data, together with information from a field settling pond, are made with predictions obtained using the model. The comparative results show that the analyses obtained using the theoretical model can predict initial settling of the suspended solids. Key words: suspended solids, settling, sedimentation, diffusion, solids concentration, fines thickening.
Permeability of compacted granular materials
Authors: Kenney T. C. , Lau D. , Ofoegbu G. I.
Published: December 2008

Permeability tests were performed on materials of differing grain size and shape of gradation. It was found that permeability was primarily dependent on [Formula: see text] and was practically independent of the shape of gradation for the range of materials tested. Key words: permeability, tests, laminar flow, sand, gravel, particle gradation.
AGGREGATES COMPUTED OVER FUZZY SETS AND THEIR INTEGRATION INTO SQLf
Authors: BOSC PATRICK , LIETARD LUDOVIC
Published: December 2008

The SQLf query language is an extension of SQL to flexible querying of regular relational databases using fuzzy set theory. In this context, atomic predicates (called vague or fuzzy predicates) are expressing preferences and are defined by fuzzy sets. The main purpose of flexible querying is to provide the user with a set of discriminated answers (in the form of a fuzzy set). Until now, the use of aggregates (such as maximum or average) in SQLf queries is limited to the particular case where the aggregate applies to a crisp set. The objective of this paper is to propose an approach to define SQLf queries where the aggregate applies to a fuzzy set of items. The approach proposed here can indeed be seen as a generalization of Sugeno's fuzzy integral.
A FUZZY MULTI-OBJECTIVE MODEL OF QFD PRODUCT PLANNING INTEGRATING KANO MODEL
Authors: MU LI-FENG , TANG JIA-FU , CHEN YI-ZENG , KWONG CHUN-KIT
Published: December 2008

Quality function deployment (QFD) is a well-known customer driven system and tool for planning and managing new product development. House of quality (HOQ) is used to translate customer requirements (CRs) into each stage of a product development in QFD. In the conventional QFD model, constant coefficients are employed to present the relationships between “What matrix” and “How matrix” and among “How matrixes". In order to break the hindrance of the representation of simple linear function in the structure of HOQ, an integrative approach considering Kano model into QFD planning are employed, and processes are performed in uncertain and vague environments. Therefore, a fuzzy multi-objective model (FMOQFD-Kano) is proposed to reconcile the tradeoff between customer satisfaction and cost. Not only customer satisfaction is taken into account, but also cost is considered in the proposed model. Moreover, a fuzzy solution approach is applied to solve the model for preferred solutions under different alpha-levels, which can give decision-maker more choices to cater for uncertain environment. An example is presented to illustrate the applicability of the proposed model.
LATTICE-VALUED POSSIBILISTIC ENTROPY MEASURE
Authors: KRAMOSIL IVAN
Published: December 2008

Since almost fifty years, Shannon entropy measure has been used as a very powerful tool when quantifying and processing the amount of randomness contained in probability distributions. In this paper we propose a lattice-valued entropy measure H ascribing to each lattice-valued possibilistic distribution π the value H(π) defined as the expected value (in the sense of lattice-valued Sugeno integral with infimum in the role of t-norm) of certain nonincreasing function of the values ascribed to the elements of the basic space by the possibilistic distribution π in question. The main result reads that, for completely distributive complete lattices, the entropy value ascribed to possibilistically independent product of a finite number of lattice-valued possibilistic distributions is defined by the supremum of the entropy values ascribed to particular distributions.
Decompression to altitude: assumptions, experimental evidence, and future directions
Authors: Foster Philip P. , Butler Bruce D.
Published: December 2008

Although differences exist, hypobaric and hyperbaric exposures share common physiological, biochemical, and clinical features, and their comparison may provide further insight into the mechanisms of decompression stress. Although altitude decompression illness (DCI) has been experienced by high-altitude Air Force pilots and is common in ground-based experiments simulating decompression profiles of extravehicular activities (EVAs) or astronauts' space walks, no case has been reported during actual EVAs in the non-weight-bearing microgravity environment of orbital space missions. We are uncertain whether gravity influences decompression outcomes via nitrogen tissue washout or via alterations related to skeletal muscle activity. However, robust experimental evidence demonstrated the role of skeletal muscle exercise, activities, and/or movement in bubble formation and DCI occurrence. Dualism of effects of exercise, positive or negative, on bubble formation and DCI is a striking feature in hypobaric exposure. Therefore, the discussion and the structure of this review are centered on those highlighted unresolved topics about the relationship between muscle activity, decompression, and microgravity. This article also provides, in the context of altitude decompression, an overview of the role of denitrogenation, metabolic gases, gas micronuclei, stabilization of bubbles, biochemical pathways activated by bubbles, nitric oxide, oxygen, anthropometric or physiological variables, Doppler-detectable bubbles, and potential arterialization of bubbles. These findings and uncertainties will produce further physiological challenges to solve in order to line up for the programmed human return to the Moon, the preparation for human exploration of Mars, and the EVAs implementation in a non-zero gravity environment.
Imaging CNS Modulation of Pain in Humans
Authors: Bingel Ulrike , Tracey Irene
Published: December 2008

Pain is a highly complex and subjective experience that is not linearly related to the nociceptive input. What is clear from anecdotal reports over the centuries and more recently from animal and human experimentation is that nociceptive information processing and consequent pain perception is subject to significant pro- and anti-nociceptive modulations. These modulations can be initiated reflexively or by contextual manipulations of the pain experience including cognitive and emotional factors. This provides a necessary survival function since it allows the pain experience to be altered according to the situation rather than having pain always dominate. The so-called descending pain modulatory network involving predominantly medial and frontal cortical areas, in combination with specific subcortical and brain stem nuclei appears to be one key system for the endogenous modulation of pain. Furthermore, recent findings from functional and anatomical neuroimaging support the notion that an altered interaction of pro- and anti-nociceptive mechanisms may contribute to the development or maintenance of chronic pain states. Research on the involved circuitry and implemented mechanisms is a major focus of contemporary neuroscientific research in the field of pain and should provide new insights to prevent and treat chronic pain states.
Carbon Monoxide-Induced Cortical Visual Loss: Treatment with Hyperbaric Oxygen Four Years Later
Authors: Senol Mehmet G. , Yildiz Senol , Ersanli Dilaver , Uzun Gunalp , Gumus Tuna , Narin Yavuz , Ozkan Sezai , Ayata Ali
Published: December 2008

Objective: We present a patient who developed visual loss after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and was treated with hyperbaric oxygen. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 21-year-old woman poisoned with CO (with coma lasting 4 h and carboxyhemoglobin level 46%) developed seizures and cortical blindness 3 days after poisoning. Four years later, her visual acuity was 0.2 in both eyes. An 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) scan showed reduced metabolism in the bilateral posterior temporal and occipital lobes. The patient received a total of 50 hyperbaric oxygen sessions over 3 months for visual loss and the visual acuity improved to 0.5 in both eyes. In addition, increased metabolism was detected in the brain in post-treatment PET scans. Conclusion: PET documented brain hypoperfusion 4 years after CO poisoning and hyperbaric oxygen therapy improved visual acuity. However, we cannot endorse routine use of hyperbaric oxygen for such patients, until results of further clinical trials demonstrate efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen in CO-induced chronic brain injury.
The Effects of Misclassification in Studies of Gene-Environment Interactions
Authors: Cheng K.F. , Lin W.J.
Published: December 2008

Differential Misclassification of genotype may cause usual tests producing spurious gene-disease associations or unable to detect important associations. To control for the resulting bias, many model-based approaches have been proposed using validation data. However, the effects of joint misclassification of genotype and environmental exposure in studies of gene-environment interaction are still not clear. In this paper, we focus on quantifying the effects of misclassification in case-control and case-only studies of interaction without specifying any model for misclassification probabilities. By using the derived results, we are able to identify important conditions, under which the presence of misclassification does not introduce bias in case-control or case-only studies. We have conducted a simulation study, using parameter values from real examples, to confirm our theoretical findings. The simulation results show that under the identified conditions, many regular tests for the hypothesis of no interaction maintain correct type I error rates in the presence of differential misclassification. However, their powers may be decreased as misclassification error rates increase.
Deviations from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in Parental and Unaffected Sibling Genotype Data
Authors: Li Bingshan , Leal Suzanne M.
Published: December 2008

Background: Genotyping error can increase both type I and II errors. In order to elucidate potential genotyping errors, data quality control often includes testing genotype data for deviations from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE). Methods: The Hardy-Weinberg Disequilibrium (HWD) coefficient and the ability to reject the null hypothesis of HWE were calculated analytically for genotype data from parents and unaffected siblings of affected probands. Results: Genotype data from parents and unaffected siblings display deviations from HWE when functional or markers in LD with functional locus are tested. For the parental genotype data all deviations from HWE are negative, indicating an excess of heterozygous genotypes with the strongest deviations from HWE observed for the multiplicative model. In contrast, for affected proband genotype data, there is no deviation from HWE under the multiplicative model and the deviations from HWE for the recessive model are positive. For the unaffected sibling data, patterns of deviation from HWE are similar to those observed in the proband data with the exception of the multiplicative model where the HWD coefficient although close to 0 can be either positive or negative depending on the allele frequency. Conclusion: Deviations from HWE in parental and unaffected sibling genotype data could be due to an association with the functional locus. However these deviations for genotypic relative risk ≤2.0 are not large and therefore the power to detect them is usually low. Testing for deviations from HWE in parental and unaffected sibling genotype data is still beneficial for quality control even though functional loci, in parental and unaffected sibling genotype data, can produce an association signal.
Detection of Parent-of-Origin Effects in Complete and Incomplete Nuclear Families with Multiple Affected Children Using Multiple Tightly Linked Markers
Authors: Zhou Ji-Yuan , Lin Shili , Fung Wing K. , Hu Yue-Qing
Published: December 2008

For a diallelic marker locus, the parental-asymmetry test (PAT) based on case-parents trios and its extensions to accommodate incomplete unclear families (1-PAT and C-PAT) are simple and powerful approaches to test for parent-of-origin effects. However, haplotype analysis is generally regarded as advantageous over single-marker analysis in genetic study of common complex diseases. This is mainly due to the fact that complex diseases are often associated with multiple markers. As such, HAP-PAT was constructed to test for parent-of-origin effects in the framework of haplotype analysis. However, its applicability is limited due to the need for complete parental information. In this paper, for nuclear families with only one parent and multiple affected children, we develop HAP-1-PAT to test for parent-of-origin effects using multiple tightly linked markers. We further propose HAP-C-PAT to combine data from families with both parents and those with only one parent. We carry out a simulation study to evaluate the validity and power of the test statistics in various settings, including incomplete family rates, marker/disease-locus linkage disequilibrium patterns, and population models. We perform analysis for all possible combinations of the markers being considered. A permutation-based Monte Carlo procedure is devised to determine the significance of the tests; the corrected global p values taking into account of multiple testing are used for inferences. The results show that HAP-1-PAT and HAP-C-PAT would work well even under the population stratification demographic model and assortative mating demographic model. Furthermore, for the disease models considered, there are significant gains in power from haplotype analysis compared to single-marker analysis, and from combined analysis using HAP-C-PAT compared to analysis using HAP-PAT for the complete family data only.
A Genotype-Based Approach to Assessing the Association between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
Authors: Wellek Stefan , Ziegler Andreas
Published: December 2008

Measuring the extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is of considerable importance, and many different between SNP association measures including Lewontin’s D′ and Pearson’s correlation coefficient ρ have been proposed. The vast majority of these association measures are based on haplotypes instead of genotypes. If no family data are available, the required additional haplotype estimation step is based on the assumption of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). In this paper we propose to estimate the extent of LD by using a genotype- rather than haplotype-based measure. Furthermore, we require of an appropriate measure of LD that it should remain invariant under the transition from haplotypes to diploid genotypes if HWE holds. We show that Pearson’s ρfulfills this invariance property in contrast to a variety of different LD measures including D′. We derive the asymptotic distribution of the empirical product-moment correlation R for counting variables and construct asymptotically valid confidence intervals using Fisher’s z-transformation. We demonstrate the validity of our approach by a numerical study of the coverage properties. We show that the loss in precision encountered by using genotype rather than haplotype data for estimating the association between SNPs is negligible for practical purposes. We finally illustrate our approach with data from an association study of IL-4 associated phenotypes and polymorphisms from the human IL-4 receptor alpha chain gene (IL4R).
The Influence of the Wahlund Effect on the Consanguinity Hypothesis: Consequences for Recessive Disease Incidence in a Socially Structured Pakistani Population
Authors: Overall Andrew D.J.
Published: December 2008

Background/Aims: Standard population genetic theory predicts that the relative risk of inheriting recessive disorders between consanguineous and non-consanguineous populations can be manyfold. However, it is rarely considered that consanguineous populations might be composites of socially defined endogamous and genetically differentiated subpopulations. A recent study of a British Pakistani population found evidence to suggest that extended families (biraderi) could contribute significantly to excessive homozygosity over that contributed by consanguinity. This study sets out to illustrate the potential of cryptic population substructure (the Wahlund effect) to contribute to recessive disease incidence in populations with complex social structure. Method: Population parameter estimates were drawn from a recent study of the British Pakistani population along with allele frequency estimates of nine recessive inborn errors of metabolism. The relative contribution of consanguinity and biraderi endogamy to recessive disease incidence was predicted. Results: Population substructure of the magnitude estimated from studies of biraderi endogamy are sufficient to significantly contribute to the incidence of recessive disorders within consanguineous populations. Conclusions: Because non-consanguineous couples have a higher risk of sharing the same recessive mutation in a substructured population relative to a non-substructured population, the health benefits of avoiding consanguinity in these situations is likely to be less pronounced than the standard consanguinity hypothesis predicts.
Pharmacological Manipulation of Immune-Induced Food Aversion in Rats
Authors: Zarzana Eduardo C. , Basso Alexandre S. , Costa-Pinto Frederico A. , Palermo-Neto João
Published: December 2008

Background: Mice allergic to ovalbumin (OVA) avoid drinking a solution containing this antigen. This was interpreted as related to IgE-dependent mast cell degranulation and sensory C fiber activation. Methods: We employed pharmacological manipulation to further investigate the mediators involved in immune-induced food aversion. Results: While nonimmunized rats preferred a sweetened OVA solution, immunized rats avoided it. We also employed a paradigm in which rats are conditioned to drink water for two 10-min sessions a day. Tolerant rats presented lower IgE titers, and this manipulation abrogated food aversion. Dexamethasone (1.0 mg/kg) prevented the aversion of OVA-immunized rats to the antigen-containing solution. Combined blockade of H1 and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)2 receptors by promethazine (3.0 mg/kg) plus methysergide (5.0 mg/kg) was unable to alter food aversion. Blockade of 5-HT3 receptors by ondansetron (1.0 mg/kg) caused a twofold increase in the ingestion of the sweetened OVA solution by immunized rats, suggesting the involvement of 5-HT3 receptors in food aversion. Finally, we showed that dexamethasone or promethazine plus methysergide, but not ondansetron, effectively prevented the IgE-dependent mast-cell-degranulation-induced increase in vascular permeability in rats. Conclusion: We suggest that regardless of whether or not they cause edema, IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation and consequent 5-HT3 signaling are involved in the process that triggers avoidance to the source of the allergen in allergic rats.
Evidence for a Role of the NOS1AP (CAPON) Gene in Schizophrenia and Its Clinical Dimensions: An Association Study in a South American Population Isolate
Authors: Kremeyer Barbara , García Jenny , Kymäläinen Hanna , Wratten Naomi , Restrepo Gabriel , Palacio Carlos , Miranda Ana Lucía , López Carlos , Restrepo Margarita , Bedoya Gabriel , Brzustowicz Linda M. , Ospina-Duque Jorge , Arbeláez María Patricia , Ruiz-Linares Andrés
Published: December 2008

Background/Aims: Recent studies have implicated a region on chromosome 1q21-23, including the NOS1AP gene, in susceptibility to schizophrenia. However, replication studies have been inconsistent, a fact that could partly relate to the marked psychopathological heterogeneity of schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to evaluate association of polymorphisms in the NOS1AP gene region to schizophrenia, in patients from a South American population isolate, and to assess if these variants are associated with specific clinical dimensions of the disorder. Methods: We genotyped 24 densely spaced SNPs in the NOS1AP gene region in a schizophrenia trio sample. The transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) was applied to single marker and haplotype data. Association to clinical dimensions (identified by factor analysis) was evaluated using a quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT). Results: We found significant association between eight SNPs in the NOS1AP gene region to schizophrenia (minimum p value = 0.004). The QTDT analysis of clinical dimensions revealed an association to a dimension consisting mainly of negative symptoms (minimum p value 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with a role for NOS1AP in susceptibility to schizophrenia, especially for the ‘negative syndrome’ of the disorder.
Improper Adjustment for Baseline in Genetic Association Studies of Change in Phenotype
Authors: McArdle P.F. , Whitcomb B.W.
Published: December 2008

Objective: In studies of associations between genetic factors and outcomes where change in phenotype is of interest, proper modeling of the data, particularly the treatment of baseline trait values, is required to draw valid conclusions. Methods: The authors compared models of blood pressure response to a cold pressor test with and without inclusion of baseline blood pressure as a regressor and evaluate the resultant biases. Results: Adjustment for baseline presents a potential source of bias for assessment of genotype-phenotype associations. This bias was observed to occur both under the absence of a true effect, as well when a relation between genotype and change in phenotype was simulated. In simulations that incorporated measurement error, estimates were as great as two fold the true parameter values when unmeasured confounding was a factor. Conclusions: Adjusting for baseline introduces bias in genetic association studies when change in phenotype is the outcome of interest. Model misspecification bias may impact inference and provide one possible source of non-replication of findings in the literature.
Exploring the Performance of Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction in Large Scale SNP Studies and in the Presence of Genetic Heterogeneity among Epistatic Disease Models
Authors: Edwards Todd L. , Lewis Kenneth , Velez Digna R. , Dudek Scott , Ritchie Marylyn D.
Published: December 2008

Background/Aims: In genetic studies of complex disease a consideration for the investigator is detection of joint effects. The Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR) algorithm searches for these effects with an exhaustive approach. Previously unknown aspects of MDR performance were the power to detect interactive effects given large numbers of non-model loci or varying degrees of heterogeneity among multiple epistatic disease models. Methods: To address the performance with many non-model loci, datasets of 500 cases and 500 controls with 100 to 10,000 SNPs were simulated for two-locus models, and one hundred 500-case/500-control datasets with 100 and 500 SNPs were simulated for three-locus models. Multiple levels of locus heterogeneity were simulated in several sample sizes. Results: These results show MDR is robust to locus heterogeneity when the definition of power is not as conservative as in previous simulation studies where all model loci were required to be found by the method. The results also indicate that MDR performance is related more strongly to broad-sense heritability than sample size and is not greatly affected by non-model loci. Conclusions: A study in which a population with high heritability estimates is sampled predisposes the MDR study to success more than a larger ascertainment in a population with smaller estimates.
Analysis of 30 Genes (355 SNPS) Related to Energy Homeostasis for Association with Adiposity in European-American and Yup’ik Eskimo Populations
Authors: Chung Wendy K. , Patki Amit , Matsuoka Naoki , Boyer Bert B. , Liu Nianjun , Musani Solomon K. , Goropashnaya Anna V. , Tan Perciliz L. , Katsanis Nicholas , Johnson Stephen B. , Gregersen Peter K. , Allison David B. , Leibel Rudolph L. , Tiwari Hemant K.
Published: December 2008

Objective: Human adiposity is highly heritable, but few of the genes that predispose to obesity in most humans are known. We tested candidate genes in pathways related to food intake and energy expenditure for association with measures of adiposity. Methods: We studied 355 genetic variants in 30 candidate genes in 7 molecular pathways related to obesity in two groups of adult subjects: 1,982 unrelated European Americans living in the New York metropolitan area drawn from the extremes of their body mass index (BMI) distribution and 593 related Yup’ik Eskimos living in rural Alaska characterized for BMI, body composition, waist circumference, and skin fold thicknesses. Data were analyzed by using a mixed model in conjunction with a false discovery rate (FDR) procedure to correct for multiple testing. Results: After correcting for multiple testing, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Ghrelin (GHRL) (rs35682 and rs35683) were associated with BMI in the New York European Americans. This association was not replicated in the Yup’ik participants. There was no evidence for gene × gene interactions among genes within the same molecular pathway after adjusting for multiple testing via FDR control procedure. Conclusion: Genetic variation in GHRL may have a modest impact on BMI in European Americans.
Application of Body Mass Index to Schoolchildren of Mexico City
Authors: Ortiz-Hernández Luis , López Olmedo Nancy Paulina , Genis Gómez Maricarmen Teresa , Melchor López Dulce Paola , Valdés Flores Jesús
Published: December 2008

Background: The validity of body mass index (BMI)-for-age for obesity diagnosis in Latin-American children may be limited due to observed cases of overweight without obesity (i.e. body fat excess), possibly due to certain physical characteristics. In the current study, we investigated whether the usefulness of BMI-for-age in the diagnosis of obesity among Mexican schoolchildren is modified by height, trunk length, muscle mass, body frame, or waist circumference. Methods: Our study cohort comprised 1,015 schoolchildren (aged 6–11 years) from Mexico City. Obesity diagnostics were derived from three classifications of BMI-for-age: percentiles of BMI according to the references of the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), the National Center for Health Statistics and the International Obesity Task Force. The area under the curve (AUC, through receiver-operating characteristic curves) and optimal cutoff points (by Youden index) of each classification were calculated. Body fat percentage, triceps skinfold thickness and blood pressure were used as standards. AUC and optimal cutoff point analysis were stratified according to height-for-age, sitting height, elbow breadth, arm muscle area (AMA) and waist circumference. Results: For the general population, the CDC reference had the highest values of AUC (0.94 for triceps skinfold thickness and 0.96 for body fat percentage), and the optimal cutoff point was the 85th percentile. Among schoolchildren with large body frames (measured through elbow breadth) or with high muscle mass (assessed by AMA), the optimal cutoff point was the 95th percentile of the CDC reference. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the percentile cutoff to define obesity in children with high muscle mass or a large body frame should be the 95th percentile, while the 85th percentile can still be used for the other children.
Oncologists and Hepatitis B: A Survey to Determine Current Level of Awareness and Practice of Antiviral Prophylaxis to Prevent Reactivation
Authors: Khokhar Omar S. , Farhadi Arash , McGrail Lisa , Lewis James H.
Published: December 2008

Background/Aims: The risk of chronic hepatitis B virus reactivation under the influence of chemotherapy or immunosuppression is being increasingly recognized. However, many oncologists either have not observed this complication or are not aware of current recommendations for hepatitis B prophylaxis. Our aims were to determine the awareness of the reactivation risk and to understand the screening and prevention practices among oncologists. Methods: A questionnaire survey was administered to oncologists in the Washington, D.C., area. Results: Responses from 131 practitioners to the 10 questions were received. Nearly 80% of respondents were aware of reactivation, but only 30% had seen a case and only 56% were aware of prophylactic therapy. Fourteen percent of oncologists screened all patients, whereas 86% screened selectively based on risk factors. Most (76%) would use prophylaxis in a patient with active hepatitis B virus, but only about half would treat chronic carriers or those with resolved infection. Regarding choice of prophylaxis, nearly half (48%) were unsure of which agent to use. Conclusions: Improving awareness of hepatitis B virus reactivation and antiviral prophylaxis in the oncology community seems warranted.
Influence of Fetal Anemia on Fetal Splenic Artery Doppler in Rh-Alloimmunized Pregnancies
Authors: Correa, Jr. M.D. , Castro M.J.B.V. , Cabral A.C.V. , Apocalypse I.M. , Leite H.V.
Published: December 2008

Objective: To verify the correlation between fetal splenic artery Doppler velocimetry and fetal hemoglobin (Hb) levels in Rh alloimmunization. Methods: Splenic artery Doppler peak systolic velocity (PSV) and pulsatility index (PI) were obtained before cordocentesis in rhesus-alloimmunized fetuses. Doppler was performed before 80 cordocentesis in 36 patients between 20 and 35 weeks of gestation. Mild, moderate and severe anemia were defined as a Hb deficit of ≥2, ≥5 and ≥7 g/dl respectively. Results: Anemia was noted in 64% of the fetuses and moderate and severe anemia in 18 and 21%. Splenic artery PSV was higher in groups with moderate (p = 0.001) and severe (p < 0.000) anemia but not in the group with mild anemia (p = 0.189) when compared to non-anemic fetuses. Splenic artery PI was higher only in the severely anemic group (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The splenic artery PI and PSV are higher in fetuses with severe anemia.
N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Independently Predicts Protein Energy Wasting and Is Associated with All-Cause Mortality in Prevalent HD Patients
Authors: Guo Qunying , Bárány Peter , Qureshi Abdul Rashid , Snaedal Sunna , Heimbürger Olof , Stenvinkel Peter , Lindholm Bengt , Axelsson Jonas
Published: December 2008

Background: N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has been demonstrated to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in end-stage renal disease patients. We hypothesized that common confounders, such as protein-energy wasting (PEW) and inflammation could modulate this relationship. Methods: NT-proBNP was measured in 222 prevalent hemodialysis (HD) patients (55.4% male, mean age 66 years, range 51–74) using commercial ELISA. Levels were related to clinical characteristics, biochemical markers and survival. Results: NT-proBNP levels were positively associated with IL-6 (ρ = 0.37, p <0.001) and C-reactive protein (ρ = 0.25, p <0.001), but negatively associated with serum IGF-1 (ρ = –0.34, p < 0.001), handgrip strength (ρ = –0.30, p <0.001) and body weight (ρ = –0.20, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, an NT-proBNP level above the cutoff of the receiver-operating curve (9,761 pg/ml) was associated with PEW (odds ratio = 2.30, p = 0.008) even following adjustment for age, dialysis vintage, inflammation and the Davies score. As expected, NT-proBNP predicted clinical CVD (odds ratio = 1.90, p = 0.05) and all-cause mortality (Cox regression hazard ratio = 1.57, p = 0.03) also after adjustment for confounders. Patients with an NT-proBNP above the cutoff also exhibited a higher mortality (Kaplan-Meier χ2 = 13.95, p < 0.001). Conclusion: We demonstrate a novel association between NT-proBNP and PEW, which may be part of the explanation for the strong links between NT-proBNP and mortality in HD patients.
Effect of Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Captopril on T Cell Functions in Essential Hypertension
Authors: Shasha Shaul M. , Nusam David , Labin Lea , Kristal Batia , Steinberger Osnat , Barzilai Miriam , Makov Ehud U. , Shkolnik Tamar
Published: December 2008

T cell function tests were performed in 6 patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension (EH) before and after treatment with captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Total T and T cell subsets were within normal range and were not affected by the drug. The response of PBL to lectin stimulation was significantly impaired. While the stimulation index (SI) was almost normal when washed PBL were used (32.2 ± 6.90 with PHA and 20.17 ± 4.1 with Con A) or after their incubation with serum taken from normal subjects (40.42 ± 10.9 and 15.53 ± 3.4, respectively), autologous serum significantly reduced the SI (15.04 ± 5.9 with PHA, p < 0.05 and 6.68 ± 1.45 with Con A, p < 0.005). While captopril seemed to supress the SI of washed PBL after 1 week of treatment, it enhanced the SI from 32.21 ± 6.91 to 55.32 ± 10.76 for PHA and from 20.17 ± 4.13 to 30.63 ± 5.41 for Con A (p < 0.001). This effect was more obvious when the stimulations were performed with normal serum (from 40.42 ± 10.9 to 96.47 ± 17.51 for PTH and from 15.53 ± 3.43 to 40.02 ± 8.0 for Con A, (p < 0.001). These results confirm previous reports indicating that the cellular immune response is impaired in EH. It seems that an inhibitory factor found in the serum of these patients is responsible for this impairment. Our findings may suggest that this factor may be angiotensin II.
Politics and representation of caste identity in regional historiography
Authors: Keiko Yamada
Published: December 2008

This article traces the role played by the modern historical consciousness of region and language in the writing of caste historiography during the first half of the twentieth century. It studies the Telugu-speaking Kammas, a dominant caste in Andhra, a region that has witnessed a vehement movement for linguistic states. Ever since the chaotic disputes on Andhra historiog-raphy flared up in 1910, ways to interpret the regional past have become crucial for their self-definition in the newly acquired idea of India as well as that of Hinduism, with the whole debate ultimately leading to the emergence of some influential historiographies on the Kamma caste. A close analysis of the development of different historiographies—from those of non-Brahmin leaders, Suriyadevara Raghavayya Chaudari and Tripuraneni Ramaswami Chaudari, to the socialist-cum-nationalist leader, N.G. Ranga, and a caste movement ideologue, Kotta Bhavayya Chaudari—demonstrates the correlation and complicity between history and caste identity and homeland language movements. They were, in a sense, on the lookout for a new, totally different history.
What makes people who they are? Pandit networks and the problem of livelihoods in early modern Western India
Authors: O'Hanlon Rosalind , Minkowski Christopher
Published: December 2008

The question ‘Who is a Brahman?’ was the focus of sustained and intense debate among the many small and competing Brahman communities of western India's Konkan littoral during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This debate ranged over history, lineage, reputation, social relationships, modes of livelihood and customary practices. It was conducted along the intellectual and social networks that linked the shrine towns and sacred centres of the Maratha country with the Maratha pandit communities of Banaras, then engaged in their own allied discussions about the nature of early modern India's social order. More locally, puranic and allied genres of narrative history engaged with the same question, offering com-peting versions of the origins and moral qualities of the region's Brahman communities. The appropriateness of the different kinds of agricultural work and petty trade common amongst them lay at the heart of these debates. As the region's Brahman communities began to define themselves as a new kind of scribal and administrative elite in the early modern period, and to compete for the advantages and resources that such service livelihoods offered, associations with menial work became a key discursive marker of Brahman unfitness. These new definitions of Brahman standing and entitlement reached their culmination under the Maratha government of the peshwas.
Archaeology and empire
Authors: Ray Himanshu Prabha
Published: December 2008

In this article, which is based largely on archaeological data, I argue that colonial intervention between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries in South and Southeast Asia not only altered the nature of linkages that had existed across Asia from at least the middle of the first millennium BC, but also, and more significantly, redefined our understanding of monuments, especially religious structures, from abodes of spiritual power to objects of artistic and aesthetic appre-ciation. This had far-reaching implications for the study and understanding of the nature of Indic religions, and here, I focus on Buddhism. The article highlights the changes intro-duced as a result of colonial intervention in three major monuments of South and Southeast Asia, viz., Bodh Gaya in eastern India, Borobudur in central Java, and the Angkor complex in Cambodia.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Authors: Gibbs Michael G. , Dosen Anthony J. , Guerrero Rosalie B.
Published: December 2008

This article presents an evaluation of the Bridging the Digital Divide Program, an intervention in five inner-city Chicago Catholic schools during one school year conducted by a local university. The interventions included (a) instillation of technology and (b) professional technology skill development for in-service teachers. The analysis indicates that (a) in-service teachers who participated in the workshops did increase their understanding of specific technology, (b) in-service teachers who did not participate also increased their use of technology, (c) students increased their use of technology and skill development, and (d) professional development programs need to address issues for in-service teachers at all levels of skill development.
The Coracoidal Insertion of the Coracoclavicular Ligaments
Authors: Salzmann Gian M. , Paul Jochen , Sandmann Gunther H. , Imhoff Andreas B. , Schöttle Philip B.
Published: December 2008

Background

Current surgical procedures restoring a dislocated acromioclavicular joint aim to perform an anatomically correct and biomechanically stable reconstruction. However, the coracoidal insertions for the coracoclavicular ligaments have not yet been defined.

Purpose

The objective was to evaluate dimension and orientation of the coracoclavicular footprints with respect to bony landmarks for use in anatomic reconstruction of the coracoclavicular ligament complex.

Study Design

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods

Twenty-three (17 female, 6 male) fresh-frozen cadaveric human shoulders were dissected, and the coracoclavicular ligaments including the coracoid and the lateral clavicle were exposed. After measurement of bony coracoidal dimensions, the ligaments were dissected and the insertion sites as well as the footprint centers were identified and marked. Each coracoclavicular insertion dimension and its distance to the bony landmarks was recorded. Sex-related differences were calculated.

Results

The mean total coracoidal length was 43.1 ± 2.2 mm. The distance from the tip of the coracoid to the precipice, the point at which the undersurface of the coracoid changes from a horizontal to a vertical direction, measured 20.3 ± 2.6 mm. The mean distance from the conoidal center to the medial coracoidal boarder and to the precipice was 1.7 ± 0.7 mm and 16.4 ± 2.4 mm, respectively. The mean distance from the trapezoidal center to the medial border and to the precipice was 8.7 ± 3 mm and 10.9 ± 2.4 mm, respectively. The mean distance between the footprint centers was 10.1 ± 4.2 mm.

Conclusion

Reproducible dimensions and orientation of the coracoclavicular footprints are given.

Clinical Relevance

Coracoidal anatomic landmarks can be used intraoperatively for an anatomic reconstruction of the coracoclavicular ligaments.
Neurologic and Vascular Injuries Associated with Knee Ligament Injuries
Authors: Johnson Michael E. , Foster Lynanne , DeLee Jesse C.
Published: December 2008

Background

Multiple ligament knee injuries are commonly associated with neurovascular complications such as popliteal artery, common peroneal nerve, and tibial nerve injuries.

Hypothesis

While the importance of identifying these complications in association with bicruciate and triligamentous injuries has been well established, it is important to recognize that any biligamentous and some single ligament knee injuries present with neurological and vascular complications as well.

Study Design

Literature review.

Conclusion

Popliteal artery injuries require immediate intervention to help prevent limb loss. Peroneal and tibial nerve injuries can be a significant cause of morbidity and, therefore, require an understanding of their natural history, anatomy, and pathophysiologic implications to maximize functionality.

Clinical Relevance

This review explores the types, mechanisms, and classifications of common neurovascular complications of knee ligament injuries, discusses their diagnosis, and reviews the therapeutic options available to optimize patient outcomes.
Methodological Immaturity in Childhood Research?
Authors: Gallacher Lesley-Anne , Gallagher Michael
Published: December 2008

Much of the recent literature on social research with children advocates the use of participatory techniques. This article attempts to rethink such techniques in several ways. The authors argue that participatory approaches, in their insistence that children should take part in research, may in fact involve children in processes that aim to regulate them. Using examples drawn from their own work, the authors question whether participatory methods are necessary for children to exercise agency in research encounters. They conclude by suggesting that researchers working with children might benefit from an attitude of methodological immaturity.
Challenging Childhoods
Authors: Backett-Milburn Kathryn , Wilson Sarah , Bancroft Angus , Cunningham-Burley Sarah
Published: December 2008

Concern is increasing about children growing up in families where there are substance use problems but relatively little is known about the perspectives of the children themselves. This article reports on a qualitative study with young people who grew up in such families, exploring their accounts of their daily lives at home, school and leisure. The study focuses on the everyday interactions, practices and processes the young people felt helped them to `get by' in their challenging childhoods, showing how the protective factors thought to promote `resilience' were seldom in place for them unconditionally and without associated costs.
Learning or earning in the `smart state'
Authors: Ailwood Jo
Published: December 2008

This article presents an analysis of how the discursive regimes of advanced liberalism, knowledge economies and lifelong learning have produced the conditions of possibility for the new preparatory year in Queensland's government schools. This analysis investigates what new tactics, strategies and practices this year of preparatory schooling enables. The emphasis on advanced liberal knowledge economies, and the changing political rationalities these economies produce, reveals new ways of thinking about workers and selves. Within these shifts, the author suggests that for early childhood education, the shape of the adult-to-be impacts upon ways of producing the present child. Furthermore, it is proposed that as the work of Queensland's early childhood educators in the year prior to compulsory schooling is increasingly becoming public, their professional practices are produced and managed in order to create the `school-ready' child.
Special Section: The Problem of Psychology and the Integration of Human Knowledge
Authors: Henriques Gregg R.
Published: December 2008

The central thesis of this essay is that the problem of psychology lies at the very heart of the difficulties associated with integrating human knowledge. The startling consequence of this insight is that it means the solution to psychology's epistemological woes opens up a new pathway for achieving unified knowledge. A brief overview of the fragmentation of knowledge will be offered and special attention will be paid to Wilson's (1998) proposal. The problem of psychology, Wilson's failure to address it, and the reasons why it is integral to any proposal for unifying knowledge will then be specified. The article concludes with an articulation of how the Tree of Knowledge (ToK) System solves the problem of psychology, resolves many of the fundamental issues associated with integrating human knowledge, and is commensurate with the foremost concerns of natural scientists, social scientists, and humanists, allowing for objectivity, coherence, and pluralism.
Special Section: Theoretical Unification as a Practical Project
Authors: Quackenbush Steven W.
Published: December 2008

In his Critique of Pure Reason, Kant (1787/1998) suggested that scientific and humanistic interpretations of human existence can and should be woven into `a single philosophical system' (p. 695). Yet, Kant was well aware of the profound tension between theoretical analyses of the natural order and practical accounts of our experience as moral agents. In this essay, I argue that the Tree of Knowledge System proposed by Henriques (2003, 2004, 2008) has the scope and conceptual power necessary to account for the emergence of the Kantian tension between theoretical and practical reason. Following Kant, however, I maintain that this tension cannot be adequately resolved on a theoretical plane. Rather, a holistic account of the cultural-person-as-a-whole requires the subordination of theoretical to practical reason. Concretely, this implies that the quest for theoretical unification cannot proceed without concomitant evaluations of the various justification systems that guide the work of scholars in the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities.