bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A dual lethal system to enhance containment of recombinant micro-organisms
Authors: Torres Begoña , Jaenecke Susanne , Timmis Kenneth N. , García José L. , Díaz Eduardo
Published: December 2003

Active containment systems based on the controlled expression of a lethal gene are designed to increase containment of recombinant micro-organisms used for environmental applications. A major drawback in containment is the existence of mutations that generate surviving cells that cease to respond to the toxic effect of the lethal function. In this work the authors have developed for the first time a strategy to reduce the problem of mutations and increase the efficiency of containment based on the combination of two lethal functions acting on different cellular targets of major concern in containment, DNA and RNA, and whose expression is under control of different regulatory signals. To engineer the dual gene containment circuit, two toxin–antitoxin pairs, i.e. the colicin E3–immunity E3 and theEcoRI restriction–modification systems, were combined. The genes encoding the immunity E3 and theEcoRI methyltransferase proteins (antitoxins) were stably inserted into the chromosome of the host cell, whereas the broad-host-range lethal genes encoding the colicin E3 RNase and theEcoRI restriction endonuclease (toxins) were flanking the contained trait in a plasmid. This dual lethal cassette decreased gene transfer frequencies, through killing of the recipient cells, by eight orders of magnitude, which provides experimental evidence that the anticipated containment level due to the combination of single containment systems is generally achieved. Survivors that escaped killing were analysed and the mutational events involved were characterized.
Differential regulation of the Proteus mirabilis urease gene cluster by UreR and H-NS
Authors: Poore Carrie A. , Mobley Harry L. T.
Published: December 2003

Proteus mirabilis, a cause of catheter-associated urinary tract infection, relies on several virulence factors to colonize the urinary tract. Among these, urease contributes to the development of urinary stones resulting from the increase in local pH due to urease-mediated hydrolysis of urea to NH3and CO2. UreR, an AraC-like transcriptional activator, activates transcription of the genes encoding the urease subunits and accessory proteins (ureDABCEFG) in the presence of urea. UreR also initiates transcription of its own gene in a urea-inducible manner by binding to the intergenic region betweenureRandureD. The intergenic region contains poly(A) tracts that appear to be the target of H-NS. It has been shown thatEscherichia coliandP. mirabilisH-NS acts to repress transcription ofureRin anE. colimodel system. It was hypothesized that H-NS represses urease gene expression in the absence of UreR and urea by binding to the intergenic region. To demonstrate this theP. mirabilis hnsgene was cloned and the 15·6 kDa H-NS was overexpressed and purified as amyc-His tail fusion. Using a gel shift assay, purified H-NS-myc-His bound preferentially to a 609 bp DNA fragment containing the entireureR-ureDintergenic region. H-NS and UreR were able to displace each other from theureR-ureDintergenic region. Circular permutation analysis revealed that the intergenic region is bent. Moreover, H-NS recognizes this curvature, binds the DNA fragment and induces further bending of the DNA as shown by a circular ligation assay. The effects of H-NS, urea and temperature (25 vs 37 °C) on urease expression were shown inE. colicontaining anhnsknockout andP. mirabiliswhere expression was increased at 37 °C. Increased transcription from pureRwas seen in theE. coli hnsknockout when temperature was increased from 25 to 37 °C. These findings suggest H-NS and UreR differentially regulate urease in a negative and positive manner, respectively.
Genetic control of chlamydospore formation in Candida albicans
Authors: Nobile Clarissa J. , Bruno Vincent M. , Richard Mathias L. , Davis Dana A. , Mitchell Aaron P.
Published: December 2003

The chlamydospore is a distinctive morphological feature of the fungal pathogenCandida albicansthat can be induced to form in oxygen-limited environments and has been reported in clinical specimens. Chlamydospores are not produced by the model yeastsSaccharomyces cerevisiaeandSchizosaccharomyces pombe, so there is limited understanding of the pathways that govern their development. Here, the results of a forward genetic approach that begins to define the genetic control of chlamydospore formation are described. Six genes –ISW2,MDS3,RIM13,RIM101,SCH9andSUV3– are required for efficient chlamydospore formation, based on the phenotypes of homozygous insertion mutants and reconstituted strains. Mutations inISW2,SCH9andSUV3completely abolish chlamydospore formation. Mutations inRIM13,RIM101andMDS3delay normal chlamydospore formation. The involvement of alkaline pH-response regulators Rim13p and Mds3p in chlamydospore formation is unexpected in view of the fact that chlamydospores in the inducing conditions used here are repressed in alkaline media.
High-affinity myo-inositol transport in Candida albicans: substrate specificity and pharmacology
Authors: Jin Jean Huaqian , Seyfang Andreas
Published: December 2003

Inositol is considered a growth factor in yeast cells and it plays an important role inCandidaas an essential precursor for phospholipomannan, a glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored glycolipid on the cell surface ofCandidawhich is involved in the pathogenicity of this opportunistic fungus and which binds to and stimulates human macrophages. In addition, inositol plays an essential role in the phosphatidylinositol signal transduction pathway, which controls many cell cycle events. Here, high-affinitymyo-inositol uptake inCandida albicanshas been characterized, with an apparentKmvalue of 240±15 μM, which appears to be active and energy-dependent as revealed by inhibition with azide and protonophores (FCCP, dinitrophenol).Candida myo-inositol transport was sodium-independent but proton-coupled with an apparentKmvalue of 11·0±1·1 nM for H+, equal pH 7·96±0·05, suggesting that theC. albicansmyo-inositol–H+transporter is fully activated at physiological pH.C. albicansinositol transport was not affected by cytochalasin B, phloretin or phlorizin, an inhibitor of mammalian sodium-dependent inositol transport. Furthermore,myo-inositol transport showed high substrate specificity for inositol and was not significantly affected by hexose or pentose sugars as competitors, despite their structural similarity. Transport kinetics in the presence of eight different inositol isomers as competitors revealed that proton bonds between the C-2, C-3 and C-4 hydroxyl groups ofmyo-inositol and the transporter protein play a critical role for substrate recognition and binding. It is concluded thatC. albicansmyo-inositol–H+transport differs kinetically and pharmacologically from the human sodium-dependentmyo-inositol transport system and constitutes an attractive target for delivery of cytotoxic inositol analogues in this pathogenic fungus.
CesAB is an enteropathogenic Escherichia coli chaperone for the type-III translocator proteins EspA and EspB
Authors: Creasey Elizabeth A. , Friedberg Devorah , Shaw Robert K. , Umanski Tatiana , Knutton Stuart , Rosenshine Ilan , Frankel Gad
Published: December 2003

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) are extracellular pathogens that colonize mucosal surfaces of the intestine via formation of attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions. The genes responsible for induction of the A/E lesions are located on a pathogenicity island, termed the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE), which encodes the adhesin intimin and the type III secretion system needle complex, translocator and effector proteins. One of the major EPEC translocator proteins, EspA, forms a filamentous conduit along which secreted proteins travel before they arrive at the translocation pore in the plasma membrane of the host cell, which is composed of EspB and EspD. Prior to secretion, many type III proteins, including translocators, are maintained in the bacterial cytoplasm by association with a specific chaperone. In EPEC, chaperones have been identified for the effector proteins Tir, Map and EspF, and the translocator proteins EspD and EspB. In this study, CesAB (Orf3 of the LEE) was identified as a chaperone for EspA and EspB. Specific CesAB–EspA and CesAB–EspB protein interactions are demonstrated. CesAB was essential for stability of EspA within the bacterial cell prior to secretion. Furthermore, a cesAB mutant failed to secrete EspA, as well as EspB, to assemble EspA filaments, to induce A/E lesion following infection of HEp-2 cells and to adhere to, or cause haemolysis of, erythrocytes.
Kaizenin Japan: an empirical study
Authors: Paul Brunet Adam , New Steve
Published: December 2003

This paper reports the study ofkaizenas practised in a selection of Japanese companies. After discussing the general understanding ofkaizenand proposing a clear definition, the paper describes the methodology of the study, and presents findings from the research, taking Nippon Steel Corporation (NSC) as a base model and comparing this with the data from other companies. The development ofkaizenactivity in NSC is presented together with a description of the current nature ofkaizen, which is compared with other firms in the steel and automotive industries to assess uniformity. The paper concludes thatkaizenevolves uniquely within each organisation, following changes to the organisation's business environment. Detailed implementations vary considerably between organisations, but all rely onkaizento achieve targets as an integral element in the operations management system. This yields insights intokaizen's sustainability, and points to its vulnerability to external economic conditions.
Strategic models for the development of obligation based inter‐firm relationships
Authors: Cousins Paul D. , Crone Michael J.
Published: December 2003

This paper seeks to examine the link between the academic debates on obligation contracting and its successful implementation as a mode of governance. The literature reports that firms are increasingly entering into long‐term, high dependency exchanges as a result of: increased demand for quality goods, demand for variability of goods, demand for constant innovation, severe price competition and increasing technology costs. These changes are forcing firms to enter into complex relationships with other firms in order to remain competitive. Examples of such relationships are: relational contracting, network organisations, strategic alliances and horizontal co‐operation. The increase in number and complexity of these exchanges in an environment characterised by uncertainty has led to the increased interest in the use of obligation contracting. Furthermore, this interest has been reinforced by the changing nature of products being exchanged. More knowledge‐based products and information‐based modes of production necessitate the sharing of strategically sensitive data. Hence the rise of importance of obligation contracting is not only due to the increased number of complex exchanges in uncertain environments, but also the very nature of the goods being exchanged.
Measures vs actions: the balanced scorecard in Swedish Law Enforcement
Authors: Carmona Salvador , Grönlund Anders
Published: December 2003

Studies of organizational performance have overwhelmingly relied on evidence gathered from private sector firms. Nevertheless, the past several years have witnessed increasing interest in enhancing effectiveness and efficiency in the public sector, in turn generating considerable investment in the deployment of performance metrics in such settings. Though extant evidence provides many perceptive insights into the specifics of performance frameworks in public sector organizations, little is known about the measurement of organizational performance in police work. Our investigation drew upon the deployment of the balanced scorecard in Swedish Law Enforcement, an organization that long ago implemented the new paradigm of policing, which consisted of enhancing the quality of urban life on the mere making of arrests. Results from this investigation concur with other studies indicating that public sector organizations tend to assume a stakeholder perspective on performance measurement. In particular, Swedish Law Enforcement developed a set of measures of external success and internal performance that addressed present, past, and future time dimensions. Implementation of the balanced scorecard in police work, though, raised some problems. Our study details concern about the aggregation of non‐financial performance measures. More importantly, some crucial areas in the new concept of policing (such as community policing) were neglected by the system. Conversely, the system focused on monitoring some easy‐to‐measure indicators that provided a traditional view of police work while some crucial areas of policing were not measured. This focus ultimately lessened the operational potential of the balanced scorecard system. Our study also puts forward some suggestions for future research in this area.
Drivers of volume flexibility requirements in manufacturing plants
Authors: Oke Adegoke
Published: December 2003

This paper presents the results of a major survey and case study of UK manufacturing plants in six major industrial sectors: electronics, process, engineering (capital), engineering (consumer), household goods and food. The paper explores the conditions under which volume flexibility is required by manufacturing plants. The major driver of volume flexibility requirements in manufacturing plants was found to be demand variability regardless of differences in sector, product and other plant characteristics. Other major drivers of volume flexibility were demand uncertainty, short product life‐cycle, short product shelf life, supply chain complexity and action of competitors. The applicability of most of these drivers is independent of the industrial sector. Drivers may be generic or may be dependent on the contextual or sectoral characteristics specific to a plant. The requirement for volume flexibility is, therefore, dictated by the specific conditions which a plant is faced with, and the degree of volume flexibility required varies widely.
Developing a model to measure the effectiveness of research units
Authors: Roy Santanu , Nagpaul P.S. , Mohapatra Pratap K.J.
Published: December 2003

Research and development (R&D) effectiveness has traditionally been measured in quantitative terms using measures such as the number of published papers (in journals, conference proceedings, etc.); patents; technologies successfully transferred or the external cash flow secured by a R&D organization. These are at times coupled with qualitative indicators such as the impact factor of the journals in which the papers are published and science citation index. However, all these measures often fail to adequately evaluate the effectiveness of research units (RUs) that carry out technological innovation projects. The present study examines this important conceptual question. The study attempts to develop a subjective measure of effectiveness of RU functioning within the laboratories under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India, in terms of peer review at four levels – self assessment, head of the RU, external scientific, and external administrative evaluators, using data from 236 RUs working in different laboratories functioning under CSIR. The measurement model component of structural equation modeling methodology using the LISREL 7.16 program has been adopted as the primary methodology for the study. In the measurement model presented, the observed indicators of the different effectiveness measure concepts (R&D effectiveness, user‐oriented effectiveness, administrative effectiveness and recognition) are assumed to possess causal relations with one another. Since subjective measures have not only weak measurement properties, but are also influenced by systematic and random measurement errors, the model's reliability and construct validity – both in terms of convergent validity and discriminate validity – have been ascertained.
Road‐kill on the information highway: repetitive strain injury in the academy
Authors: Guelke Jeanne Kay
Published: December 2003

Most critical scholars who study disabilities question how specific environments effectively enable or disable persons with mental or physical impairments, and avoid locating disabilities as objective realities for affected individuals. Applying such insights to intensive use of desktop computers within office environments such as universities, affords a critique of the disabling aspects of computer keyboarding and video display terminal viewing. Computer‐related repetitive strain injury is a physical impairment whose seriousness, treatment, solutions and accommodation within the workplace are currently in dispute; in part due to lobby efforts by the IT industry and computer‐intensive employers.
Thinking about environment: incorporating geographies of disability into rehabilitation science
Authors: Dyck Isabel , O'BRIEN PATTI
Published: December 2003

This paper concerns the introduction of geographical perspectives and concepts to health professionals in their analysis of disability or chronic illness. It focuses specifically on a course project, which drew on geographical literature and concepts from social theory in ‘mapping’ the daily routines of people with disability or chronic illness. It presents an analysis of the daily routines of a man with HIV/AIDS, showing the close and recursive interweaving of meanings of space and bodily inscription as a man under palliative care negotiates his body, neighbourhood and medical care. It describes his changing relationship to the spaces constituting his everyday life, and their renewed meaning as medical care becomes a more prominent theme in how such spaces are used. The relevance of this mapping of the chronically ill self into place and space to health professions is discussed through the particular lens of occupational therapy, which seeks to understand theoretically the inter‐linking of client behaviour and ‘environment’ and its implications for clinical reasoning.
Community‐based cooperative ventures for adults with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Lemon Carolyn , Lemon James
Published: December 2003

When people with intellectual disabilities gain some influence over the running of their own households and the organisation of their workplaces, their lives can improve markedly. But success depends on community support not only from their families and social workers, but also from nonprofit groups and public services such as social housing and public transit. Dominant trends among institutions in the social sector responsible for meeting the needs of people with intellectual disabilities have produced models that focus on deficiencies, individualisation and service. Through cooperative structures and entrepreneurial activity, projects in community economic development have attempted to replace these models with an emphasis on capacities, collectivisation and care. We describe projects engaged in by community‐based cooperatives in Toronto that demonstrate this approach and encourage those with disabilities to live interdependently and to participate as partners in their own businesses.
Disabilities, gender and employment: social exclusion, employment equity and Canadian banking1
Authors: England Kim
Published: December 2003

People with disabilities, especially women, suffer from appallingly high rates of poverty, and paid work is frequently cited as a primary route out of poverty. I draw on feminist analyses of work and disability studies to reflect on the Canadian federal government's Employment Equity Act. I use the example of the ‘Big Six’ banks to investigate the numerical representation and occupational distribution of women and men with disabilities compared to their counterparts without disabilities. However, social justice in the workplace is at least as much about the quality of social relationships as it is about statistical effects. Reaching workplace equity also involves the creation of a workplace climate where people with disabilities experience supportive and responsive supervision, along with a sense of being respected and valued. I assess the banks’ progress towards identifying and eliminating discriminatory disabling barriers. I close with a discussion of workplace climate and locate the Act in the context of a broader network of change that includes challenging ableism.
‘It feels like being Deaf is normal’: an exploration into the complexities of defining D/deafness and young D/deaf people's identities
Authors: Skelton Tracey , Valentine Gill
Published: December 2003

In this article we examine the ways in which young D/deaf British people express and experience their identities and how their D/deafness intersects with other self‐identifications. We examine the controversial debates within D/deaf communities, cultures and studies about D/deafness as disability versus D/deafness as linguistic minority. We explore the ways in which ‘Deaf ’ and ‘deaf ’ definitions and identities contradict, overlap, coexist and compete. At the same time we discuss the problems with binary constructions of deaf/hearing or Deaf/deaf for capturing the full experiences of young D/deaf people's lives. We consider the reasons why there is such a dearth of research within the social sciences which focuses on young D/deaf people's lives and discuss the complexities of conducting this type of research. Young D/deaf people's articulations of identities and cultural experiences are presented. We conclude with suggestions for researchers and also with a hope that the current D/deaf challenges towards the hearing world and deaf challenges within the Deaf world may bring future possibilities and opportunities for D/deaf young people in the U.K.
Enhancing spatial learning and mobility training of visually impaired people—a technical paper on the Internet‐based tactile and audio‐tactile mapping
Authors: Siekierska Eva , Labelle Richard , Brunet Louis , Mccurdy Bill , Pulsifer Peter , Rieger Monika K. , O'Neil Linda
Published: December 2003

Thanks to advances in technology such as Internet‐based mapping and the development of special inks, papers and global positioning systems, map making for vision impaired people can provide a range of products (e.g., tactile, haptic and audio‐tactile maps) that can improve their independence, self‐confidence and everyday life. The applications of tactile maps include learning spatial concepts and geography; audio‐tactile maps combined with access to geospatial information can enhance mobility and independence. In 1998, the Mapping Services Branch (MSB) of the Earth Sciences Sector of Natural Resources Canada initiated a tactile mapping program. Now referred to as the Government on Line—Mapping for the Visually Impaired Project (Natural Resources Canada 2003a), it aims to serve the community with special needs, with emphasis on those who are blind or visually impaired, their teachers and mobility instructors. This technical paper discusses the various types of tactile and audio‐tactile maps of Canada developed by the MSB in cooperation with its partners and describe the current research and development activities carried out within the project. It also leads the reader to further information on audio‐tactile maps and touch‐ and sound‐based computer interfaces.
Narrating intersections of gender and dwarfism in everyday spaces
Authors: Kruse, II Robert J.
Published: December 2003

Dwarfs, midgets, even freaks, are among the terms that have been used to label little people. Feminist theorists have argued that discursive identities of women prevent any meaningful essentialised analysis of their experiences. Similarly, disability researchers have argued against generalising the experiences of disabled individuals. This paper explores the intersection of gender and dwarfism through the narratives of four women who are little people. Findings suggest that the ways women, who are little people, negotiate public spaces are affected by discourses of gender, disability and common conceptions of what is physically normal. Furthermore, these discourses have material implications in the everyday lives of these women. A brief historical overview of dwarfism is followed by narratives that describe experiences in public spaces, perceptions of height related to age and capability, gendered spaces and sexual stereotypes, uncomfortable spaces, violations of personal space and transportation. This paper provides a partial perspective on how discourses of dwarfism are manifest in social spaces and the built environment. Despite these significant commonalities that little people shared with other disabled people, there are socio‐spatial experiences that appear to be unique to people with dwarfism.
Alzheimer's disease: Mechanisms and development of therapeutic strategies
Authors: Tabira Takeshi
Published: December 2003

Senile plaques are the most characteristic change in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In senile plaques, β amyloid is deposited, which is composed of aggregated amyloid β protein (Aβ) derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP). Therefore, it is suggested that there exists a mechanism of increase of Aβ production or a decrease of Aβ degradation and/or clearance of β amyloid in AD. Mutations in familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) genes such as APP, presenilin 1 (PS1) and presenilin 2 (PS2) result in an increase of Aβ production. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a genetic risk factor for AD, is involved in Aβ production and/or its clearance. Thus, it is suggested that an inhibition of Aβ production and a facilitation of β amyloid degradation and clearance delay the clinical onset and progression of AD, and it is possible to cure AD even after an onset of the disease, if it is still at an early phase. Researchers studied the fine mechanisms of Aβ production and identified enzymes that cleave‐out Aβ from APP. Inhibitors of the cleaving enzymes are proven to be effective in ameliorating AD‐like conditions in its animal models and are now being applied to humans. Researchers also found an efficient way of clearing β amyloid deposits using the immune system, which was effective in animal models. When it was applied to humans, some patients developed meningoencephalitis as a side‐effect. Therefore, safer vaccines are now being developed. It did not require 20 years for researchers to develop therapeutic strategies since the discovery of Aβ in 1984. Now that AD is becoming a treatable disease, early diagnosis and early treatment will soon become the rule. Notably, AD may not be a psychiatric disorder any more, and mainly neurologists and geriatricians will see patients. Thus, neurogeriatrics will become more and more important.
Development of elderly diabetes burden scale for elderly patients with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Araki Atsushi , Ito Hideki
Published: December 2003

Background:  The purpose of the present paper was to validate an elderly diabetes burden scale (EDBS) and to assess its correlates in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods:  Comprehensive questionnaires about both diabetes‐specific and non‐specific quality of life (QOL) were given by an interviewer to 455 elderly diabetic patients aged > 65 years. To assess diabetes‐specific QOL, the EDBS was developed. The internal consistency and test–retest reliability of the EDBS were assessed. The validity of the EDBS was assessed with the correlation with the Philadelphia Geriatric Center morale scale, the mini‐mental state examination (MMSE) and diabetic complications, treatment of diabetes, hemoglobin (Hb) A1c, frequency of hypoglycemia, and socioeconomic factors.

Results:  Factor analysis of the 23 items on EDBS produced six reliable components (Cronbach's α): symptom burden (0.55), dietary restrictions (0.89), social burden (0.89), worry about diabetes (0.85), treatment dissatisfaction (0.85), and burden by tablets or insulin (0.77). It was found that the EDBS and its six subscales had good test–retest reliability (r = 0.94–0.99). However, the EDBS correlated significantly with the morale scale but not with MMSE, suggesting convergent and discriminant validity. The high scores of some subscales and total EDBS were significantly associated with high HbA1c level, frequency of hypoglycemia, and insulin therapy, showing construct validity. Multivariate analyses revealed that hyperglycemia, frequency of hypoglycemia, insulin treatment, the presence of microangiopathy, and low positive social support were independently associated with increased elderly diabetes burden scores.

Conclusion:  The EDBS is a simple but reliable and valid measure of diabetic‐specific QOL in elderly people with diabetes mellitus.
Multiple pathology and tails of disability: Space–time structure of disability in longevity
Authors: Matsushita Satoru , Matsushita Mitsugu , Itoh Hiroto , Hagiwara Kouichi , Takahashi Ryuutaro , Ozawa Toshio , Kuramoto Kizuku
Published: December 2003

Disability and the resulting lowered quality of life are serious issues accompanying increased longevity. Curiously, despite its potential contribution to aging theory, complete statistical and etiological structures of this common and unwelcome aging phenotype before death have not been well identified. Another neglected issue in aging and disability is the principles of phylogenesis and morphogenesis, which contemporary life science invariably starts with. In the present review these two related subjects are addressed, with an introduction of an analysis on patients and published data. Statistically rigorous log–normal and normal distributions distinguish disability for its duration and age‐wise distribution, respectively. Multiple pathology and diverse effects of various endogenous diseases on disability are confirmed. The robust long‐tailed log–normal distribution for various phases of disability validates the fact that patients in disability undergo series of stochastic subprocesses of many independent endogenous diseases until death. For 60% of patients, the log–normal distribution is mimicked by a random walk model. Diseases of core organs are major causes of the long tails. A declining force of natural selection after reproduction and trade‐off of life history through pleiotropy of the genes are considered to be the roots of aging. The attenuated selection pressure and the resulting decrease of genetic constraints produce an increased opportunity for chance and stochastics. Elucidated stochastic behaviors of disability underscore the key role of chance in aging. Evolutionary modifications in the development of the structure tend to favor developmentally later stages first. Distal parts are developmentally last, therefore most subject to modification. The rate of molecular evolution of the genes is also found to be relatively slow at the core and rapid at the edge of cells and organs. Therefore, systems at the core must be relatively slow and inactive to comply with pleiotropy and trade‐offs in comparison with systems at the edge. Hence, against flat and probabilistic aging, the core organs must be moulded to be more robust with a lower threshold for dysfunction, to age relatively slowly, and should have less of a disease quota in aging. The principle of core protective aging assures possibilities not only to reduce disability but also to accomplish the Third Age as well. Finally, it must also be acknowledged that the principle is a double‐edged sword. Paradoxically, the developed biological and societal organization provides protection for the injured core, and so develops long tails of disability. The principle of core protective aging re‐emphasizes the key role of prevention in order to reduce the amount of disability.
Hemodynamic changes in Alzheimer's and Binswanger's diseases as evaluated by second‐derivative finger photoplethysmography
Authors: Iwamoto Toshihiko , Kanetaka Hidekazu , Takasaki Masaru , Takazawa Kenji
Published: December 2003

Background:  Hemodynamics is often the focus of dementia research, but methodological difficulties have precluded such research. To clarify the role of hemodynamic factors in the pathogenesis of dementing illness, the newly developed, second‐derivative finger photoplethysmography (SD‐PTG), which can provide hemodynamic indices, was studied in 173 patients with dementia.

Methods:  The subject group consisted of 41 patients with Binswanger's disease (BD group), 31 patients with Alzheimer's disease with severe periventricular lucency (PVL; AD + PVL group), and 101 patients with Alzheimer's disease without PVL. The SD‐PTG findings as well as the clinical findings of each group were compared with those of 114 controls without dementia. The heights of the a‐, b‐, c‐, d‐, and e‐waves on SD‐PTG waveforms were measured, and b/a and d/a ratios were used as indices of distensibility of the aorta and peripheral vascular impedance in the systemic circulation, respectively.

Results:  The b/a ratio was significantly higher in the BD and AD + PVL groups than in the AD − PVL group (P < 0.01). The d/a ratio was significantly lower in the BD group than in the AD + PVL, AD − PVL, and control groups (P < 0.01). The d/a ratio in the BD group correlated significantly with mini‐mental state examination (MMSE) score (r = 0.47, P = 0.0023).

Conclusions:  The results indicate that decreased distensibility of the aortic wall is associated with the white matter lesions in both types of dementia, while the low d/a ratio and the correlation between the d/a ratio and the MMSE score in the BD group indicate that increased peripheral impedance was associated with more extensive involvement of the white matter and cognitive decline in Binswanger's disease.
Effect of death education on self‐determination in medical treatment in university students
Authors: Mogi Nanaka , Masuda Yuichiro , Hattori Ayako , Naito Michitaka , Iguchi Akihisa , Uemura Kazumasa
Published: December 2003

Background:  Young people have little opportunity to acquire knowledge about or to determine in advance their medical preferences regarding their own end‐of‐life situation, including diagnosis disclosure and/or organ donation. Therefore a 90 min university‐level death education lecture was presented, which was designed to allow students to examine their attitudes regarding medical autonomy and to prepare themselves to make realistic decisions.

Methods:  At the beginning of the semester a survey was conducted using the questionnaire method. Three months later the death education lecture was provided to students in the death education group and the usual lecture to students in the control group, after which the survey using the same questionnaire was readministered. The questionnaire consisted of Templer's death anxiety scale (DAS), five items regarding medical autonomy, background data, and voluntary comment.

Results:  Regarding the DAS and the items on medical autonomy, no significant differences were detected between the pre‐test and post‐test results, nor between the death education group (n = 62) and the control group (n = 49). However, in the death education group there was a significant increase in the number writing about the deaths of significant others and in the number providing voluntary comments.

Conclusion:  The death education lecture had the effect of deepening the students’ thoughts regarding their own death and/or their attitudes to medical autonomy.
Aging society and the adult guardianship system
Authors: Mizuno Yutaka , Nanba Yoshio
Published: December 2003

Prior to recent revisions, civil law in Japan had established a system of interdict and quasi‐incompetency. This system was begun in 1898 and, up until the revisions of April 2000, it had spanned more than 100 years without undergoing any major changes. Statistically, there has been a steady increase in the number of pronouncements and retractions of incompetency in recent years. A 1980 survey showed that these cases most commonly involved people aged between 20 years and 40 years, and that the proportions of psychiatric disorder, mental retardation, and dementia in these cases were of nearly the same level. A 1996 survey, in contrast, showed a greater proportion of elderly, with about half these cases relating to dementia or a vegetative state. The new adult guardianship system was revised for the purpose of harmonizing the conventional idea of protection and new ideas including respect for self‐determination, practical use of remaining abilities, and normalization. The new adult guardianship system currently in place, as well as a voluntary guardianship system, was established together with the change from the interdict/quasi‐incompetency system to create a system of assistance, curatorship, and guardianship. The voluntary guardianship system is defined as follows. Users themselves, during the period in which they maintain sound judgment ability, can entrust receivers with some or all of their affairs related to care and management of property. The system becomes valid when the superintendent of the voluntary guardian is appointed. The care insurance system that was put into effect at the same time shifted from the earlier enforcement system to a contract system, so the judgment ability of a person to enter a contract at the time of a decision has become an issue. Finally, in dealing with people with dementia, especially mild dementia, problems arise as to the best method of informed consent, including notifying people of their specific disease, and determining who should decide the treatment for incompetent people with dementia.
Green tea for decubitus ulcer in bedridden patients
Authors: Fujii Masahiko , Ohrui Takashi , Sato Toshihiro , Sato Takuma , Sato Nobuko , Sasaki Hidetada
Published: December 2003

Background:  Despite the many devices and care, decubitus ulcer is not well managed in elderly nursing home patients. Decubitus ulcers are often infected with methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Green tea includes catechins, a type of polyphenol, and its antimicrobial and anti‐oxidant properties have been documented. Green tea might be effective for decubitus ulcer infected with MRSA.

Methods:  Decubitus ulcer was treated using green tea in the elderly in a nursing home and its effectiveness was compared with conventional debridement with saline.

Results:  Decubitus ulcer treated with green tea subsided significantly compared with decubitus ulcer treated with conventional saline. The MRSA disappeared in half of the patients in the treated group but did not change in the control group.

Conclusion:  Green tea should be used for care of decubitus ulcer.
Autopsy case of primary central nervous system lymphoma with subacute mental deterioration and progressive white matter lesions in an elderly man
Authors: Kokubo Yoshiaki , Hozumi Isao , Sano Akie , Akai Akifumi , Ikeda Yoko , Okamoto Kouichirou , Matsuyama Zenjiro , Inuzuka Takashi , Yamakita Noriyoshi , Takahashi Hitoshi
Published: December 2003

An autopsy case is reported here of a 70‐year‐old Japanese man with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) manifesting subacute mental deterioration and progressive white matter lesions. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed irregular hyperintense lesions on T2‐weighted images of the white matter of the bilateral frontal lobes. The hyperintense lesions then spread to the corpus callosum, internal capsule, globus pallidus and along the pyramidal tract in the brainstem without a mass effect. The U‐fibers were also involved in some regions. Neither brain swelling nor a significant atrophy was observed. The clinical manifestations and imaging findings of PCNSL are diverse. Recently, some reports have revealed atypical MR imaging of PCNSL exhibiting diffuse infiltration in the brain parenchyma without mass formation and enhancement of the lesions after the administration of a contrast medium. The authors also encountered an interesting case of PCNSL presenting as progressive white matter lesions without brain swelling. It is now possible to finely observe white matter lesions by brain MRI, particularly in T2‐weighted images. Recently the number of immunocompetent elderly patients with PCNSL appears to be increasing in Japan. Autopsy of the present case revealed an intermediate lymphocytic malignant lymphoma. Because imaging and laboratory findings are not completely specific for the diagnosis of PCNSL at present, brain biopsy is more strongly recommended for the final diagnosis of PCNSL even in elderly patients, based on which appropriate treatment is administered.
Transfer of elderly patients from health care facilities to emergency departments: Prospective observational study of the emergency department in Japan
Authors: Iwata Mitsunaga , Kuzuya Masafumi , Kitagawa Yoshimi , Ohmiya Takashi , Iguchi Akihisa
Published: December 2003

Background:  The purpose of the present paper is to describe the current status of emergency departments (ED) that are used by health care facilities for elderly (HCFFE) residents in Japan.

Methods:  The present paper is based on a prospective, observational study that was undertaken at a teaching hospital in Nagoya city over a 12‐month period. All patients transferred to the hospital ED from a regional HCFFE were analyzed. Demographic data, timing of the visit, the primary reason for transfer, diagnosis and disposition were recorded. The need for ambulance use was graded prospectively using three categories of urgency.

Results:  A total of 102 HCFFE residents made 116 ED visits. Their mean age was 83.3 years (range 58–101), 68% were female. The majority of patients (93%) were transferred by ambulance. Ambulance transfer was classified as emergency (20% of patients), urgent (51%) and routine (29%). The main reasons for patients to be transferred were fever (15.5%), fall (11.2%), altered mental status (10.3%), focal neurological deficits (10.3%), and weakness (9.5%). A total of 88% of the ED visits led to admission to the hospital. After admissions, the mean length of stay was 21.4 days and the mortality rate was 13%.

Conclusion:  Elderly patients staying in HCFFE are frequently transferred to an ED, and their visits are likely to lead to admission to the hospital, which is associated with prolonged lengths of stay as well as high mortality rates.
Proportional‐Integral‐Plus Control of an Intelligent Excavator
Authors: Gu Jun , Taylor James , Seward Derek
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  This article considers the application of Proportional‐Integral‐Plus (PIP) control to the Lancaster University Computerised Intelligent Excavator (LUCIE), which is being developed to dig foundation trenches on a building site. Previous work using LUCIE was based on the ubiquitous PI/PID control algorithm, tuned on‐line, and implemented in a rather ad hoc manner. By contrast, the present research utilizes new hardware and advanced model‐based control system design methods to improve the joint control and so provide smoother, more accurate movement of the excavator arm. In this article, a novel nonlinear simulation model of the system is developed for MATLAB/SIMULINK©, allowing for straightforward refinement of the control algorithm and initial evaluation. The PIP controller is compared with a conventionally tuned PID algorithm, with the final designs implemented on‐line for the control of dipper angle. The simulated responses and preliminary implementation results demonstrate the feasibility of the approach.
A Control Architecture for Robotic Excavation in Construction
Authors: Ha Q. P. , Rye D. C.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  This article presents a hybrid control architecture developed for robotic excavation. The lower‐level controllers are designed using a combination of sliding mode control and fuzzy logic control. Control strategies at the higher level involve task decomposition in association with statecharts, and task execution and verification. Typical machine tasks are decomposed into subtasks and/or states. Graphical notation is introduced to facilitate software implementation of the control flow within statecharts. For each subtask, a statechart via its states at different priority levels selects to activate a number of corresponding lower‐level controllers as a result from resolution of the machine resources and the control and data flows. The control architecture is designed with a view to managing hierarchical complexity, and facilitating the application of formal verification methods, software reuse, and lower‐level control results. Field test results through the task of digging a trench are provided to demonstrate the feasibility of robotic excavation in moving toward construction automation.
Intelligent System for Condition Monitoring of Underground Pipelines
Authors: Sinha Sunil K. , Knight Mark A.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Pipeline infrastructure is decaying at an accelerating rate due to reduced funding, insufficient quality control resulting in poor installation, little or no inspection and maintenance, and a general lack of uniformity and improvement in design, construction and operation practices, among other things. Developing an intelligent system can provide fast and reliable decision‐making tools that are needed to handle the large volume of deteriorating buried pipeline infrastructure systems, particularly water and wastewater pipelines, that pose serious threats to environment if they fail. The focus of this article is to develop state‐of‐the‐art concepts and technology for buried pipeline system data acquisition, data interpretation, and utilization of the data for an intelligent renewal of buried infrastructure. Such a system could automate in real time much of the pipeline data acquisition, interpretation, and evaluation process, and capture the experience and judgment of expert utility engineers in performing condition assessment and identification of appropriate rehabilitation and maintenance strategies.
A Traceability System between Plant and Work Site for Asphalt Pavements
Authors: Peyret F. , Tasky R.
Published: December 2003

Abstract: This article begins by introducing the developmental work carried out within the scope of the OSYRIS (Open System for Road Information Support) project, with the aim of proposing a new IT infrastructure for road‐building sites and by drawing attention to the need for an electronic connection between paving operations and the asphalt mixing plant. The set of system specifications required to satisfy this connection is then given, along with a state‐of‐the‐art survey. The central section of the article presents the proposed solution, which is based on both electronic tagging of the trucks hauling asphalt and a GPS positioning of the asphalt pavers. The first experiment conducted in 2001 is also described and the article ends with concluding observations and future outlook.
Graphical Programming and the Development of Construction Robots
Authors: Seward Derek , Zied Khaled
Published: December 2003

Abstract: Complexity, multidisciplinarity, and algorithmic inherency are characteristics of construction robotic systems. Controlling the development process of such systems requires the adoption of a development model based on Systems Engineering principles. The software‐development process is an important aspect of the system, which requires a development environment that can cope with this complexity. Using traditional programming languages (textual) requires highly trained programmers for this purpose, which involves high cost and long development time. In the present work Graphical Programming (iconic) is used as the software development environment because it is highly modular and allows concurrent development, both of which save on time and cost. It also enables nonexpert programmers to produce software capable of coping with the system complexity. A detailed case study of the software development process for an existing tool manipulation robot known as Starlifter is presented. Use of the LabVIEW package is demonstrated for both onboard system control and off‐line project management.