bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pallidal Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease Patients with a Prior Unilateral Pallidotomy
Authors: Gálvez-Jiménez Nestor , Lozano Andres , Tasker Ronald , Duff Janice , Hutchison William , Lang Anthony E.
Published: February 2016

Objective:

To evaluate, in a double-blind fashion, the efficacy of deep brain stimulation of the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi) contralateral to a previous unilateral medial pallidotomy (MP).

Methods:

This pilot study involved 4 patients with a previous MP and one previously unoperated patient unable to tolerate any antiparkinsonian drugs. One of the patients with a prior unilateral MP had two electrodes implanted in the contralateral side, one in GPi and one in Vim thalamus. Detailed neurologic assessments were performed after overnight drug withdrawal and in the drug “on” state at baseline, 1 week and 3 months (in all), and 9 and 12 months (one) with patients and evaluators blinded to the status of stimulation.

Results:

GPi stimulation resulted in improvements in “off-period” contralateral bradykinesia, rigidity and tremor in all patients. Dyskinesias and freezing episodes were ameliorated in one patient each but dyskinesias were transiently induced in another. The patient with GPi+Vim electrodes had complete resolution of contralateral tremor with thalamic stimulation but less benefit from acute GPi stimulation. One patient experienced a single seizure one week post-op and no other surgical complications were observed.

Conclusions:

Deep brain stimulation can be applied safely and effectively in patients who have already had a pallidotomy on the contralateral side. The effect of stimulation at different sites on different symptom profiles and levodopa-induced dyskinesias requires further evaluation.
Selective Sparing of Human Nucleus Accumbens in Aging and Anoxia
Authors: Huang Ke-Wei , Zhao Yan
Published: February 2016

Objective

To investigate the effects of aging and anoxia on the nucleus accumbens.

Methods

The number of neurons in nucleus accumbens and caudate neucleus in 35 patients over 65 and 35 under 65 years, all without neurological or psychiatric diseases were counted.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference between the number of neurons in the accumbens in the two groups, but there was a decrease in the number of neurons in the elderly group. There was no reduction in volume of the neuronal nucleoli of the accumbens measured in 12 elderly patients compared to controls. These data suggest a sparing of the accumbens from changes associated with aging. There was relative preservation of the nucleus accumbens in 3 patients with anoxic encephalopathy.

Conclusions

These results show that accumbens was resistant to both aging and anoxia, the mechanism of which is discussed.
O6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase in Tumors and Cells of the Oligodendrocyte Lineage
Authors: Nutt Catherine L. , Costello Joseph F. , Bambrick Linda L. , Yarosh Daniel B. , Swinnen Lode J. , Chambers Ann F. , Cairncross J. Gregory
Published: February 2016

Background:

Oligodendrogliomas respond to nitrosourea-based chemotherapy and are induced in rats following transplacental exposure to ethylnitrosourea, observations suggesting that neoplastic and normal cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage are “sensitive” to nitrosoureas. Nitrosoureas alkylate DNA at O6-guanine with repair mediated by O6-methyIguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). The cytotoxic and carcinogenic properties of the nitrosoureas appear related to MGMT activity.

Methods:

To explore why oligodendrogliomas respond to chemotherapy, we measured MGMT activity in five chemosensitive human oligodendrogliomas and in rat oligodendrocyte lineage cells. We also measured MGMT activity in rat astrocytes and compared the cytotoxic effects of carmustine (BCNU) on oligodendrocyte lineage cells and astrocytes.

Results:

Low levels of MGMT activity were found in five of five human oligodendrogliomas. Cultures of neonatal rat glia enriched for oligodendrocyte lineage cells also had low levels of MGMT activity, approximately one-third that found in astrocytes (p < 0.02), and oligodendrocyte lineage cells were more sensitive to BCNU than astrocytes.

Conclusions:

Low MGMT activity may contribute to the chemosensitivity of some human oligodendrogliomas and rat oligodendrocyte lineage cells also have low levels. If drug resistance mechanisms in tumors reflect the biochemical properties of their cells of origin, then normal glia may serve as a laboratory substitute for human glioma.
Representing and consuming “the East” in cultural markets
Authors: Öncü Ayşe
Published: February 2016

“The East” is an exceptional territory identified with Kurdish ethnicity within the geographical boundaries of the Turkish nation. This paper focuses on a critical historical moment, circa 2000-2004, when the promise of peace in this region was coupled with the explosive growth of urban consumer markets, to bring into public circulation a host of commercialized images of “the East” and “Eastern people.” It examines how “the East” became codified in popular television melodrama. It also tracks how “Eastern tourism” became incorporated into middle-class leisure practices. By juxtaposing television narratives and tourist narratives, it argues that the commodification in cultural markets both affirms its “exceptionalism” and challenges its taken-for-granted parameters.
Turkish Economy in the 1990s: An Assessment of Fiscal Policies, Labor Markets and Foreign Trade
Authors: Haşim Köse Ahmet , Yeldan A. Erinç
Published: February 2016

Turkey entered the 1990s under conditions of a truly “open economy”–a macroeconomic environment where its capital account was completely liberalized and the process of financial de-regulation was completed. In this setting, many of the instruments of macro and fiscal control have changed in nature, as the constraints of macro equilibrium have undergone major structural change.

In the early 1990s, the domestic economy witnessed a massive inflow of (mostly short-term) foreign capital. Furthermore, the so-called foreign exchange gap which had constrained the growth potential of Turkey for more than three decades seemed to have been alleviated. The ready availability of foreign exchange enabled the Turkish Lira to appreciate against the major currencies in real terms and led to a rapid expansion of import demand. Moreover, it made possible the financing of both the rapidly growing fiscal deficit of the public sector and the sudden rise of wage costs in the labor market.
Celebrating National Holidays in Turkey: History and Memory
Authors: Öztürkmen Arzu
Published: February 2016

The childhood memories of most Turkish citizens are full of images of national holiday celebrations. Loudly recited heroic poems, enthusiastic folk dance performances, costume parades and school shows, anxious teachers, and involuntary laughter during the long, silent moments of commemoration-all are part of these images. A few years ago (in 1998), Turkey celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Republic, giving us an opportunity to rethink these remembrances as both collective and personal experiences, with all their political and social implications. As in any other country with a state-controlled educational system, the structure of these celebrations had been well established and consolidated over the years, having “an accumulative effect upon successive generations” (Ben-Amos 1994, p. 54). The formalism and the overemphasized nationalism of the celebrations, repeated over and over for years, eventually created a sense of alienation. Nevertheless, when the Islamist Welfare Party assumed power over the municipalities of Istanbul and Ankara in 1994, the revival of the national holiday celebrations was remarkable. Thus began a new approach to celebrating national holidays, with rock concerts, extensive TV coverage, and public interviews. The seventh-fifth anniversary celebrations further revived the national holidays, with contributions from state as well as nongovernmental organizations. After the Welfare Party's assumption of power, the celebration of national holidays symbolized support for the Republic's reforms and secularism, in opposition to rising Islamic fundamentalism.
A theoretical prediction of super high-performance thermoelectric materials based on MoS2/WS2 hybrid nanoribbons
Authors: Zhang Zhongwei , Xie Yuee , Peng Qing , Chen Yuanping
Published: February 2016

Modern society is hungry for electrical power. To improve the efficiency of energy harvesting from heat, extensive efforts seek high-performance thermoelectric materials that possess large differences between electronic and thermal conductance. Here we report a super high-performance material of consisting of MoS2/WS2 hybrid nanoribbons discovered from a theoretical investigation using nonequilibrium Green’s function methods combined with first-principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. The hybrid nanoribbons show higher efficiency of energy conversion than the MoS2 and WS2 nanoribbons due to the fact that the MoS2/WS2 interface reduces lattice thermal conductivity more than the electron transport. By tuning the number of the MoS2/WS2 interfaces, a figure of merit ZT as high as 5.5 is achieved at a temperature of 600 K. Our results imply that the MoS2/WS2 hybrid nanoribbons have promising applications in thermal energy harvesting.
Synthesis of silver nanoparticles from Metarhizium robertsii waste biomass extract after nonylphenol degradation, and their antimicrobial and catalytic potential
Authors: Różalska Sylwia , Soliwoda Katarzyna , Długoński Jerzy
Published: February 2016

Waste biomass extracts of Metarhizium robertsii synthesize silver nanoparticles with high biocatalytic and antimicrobial activity.
Changes in Plant Metabolism and Accumulation of Fungal Metabolites in Response to Esca Proper and Apoplexy Expression in the Whole Grapevine
Authors: Magnin-Robert Maryline , Spagnolo Alessandro , Boulanger Anna , Joyeux Cécile , Clément Christophe , Abou-Mansour Eliane , Fontaine Florence
Published: February 2016

Trunk diseases have become among the most important grapevine diseases worldwide. They are caused by fungal pathogens that attack the permanent woody structure of the vines and cause various symptoms in woody and annual organs. This study examined modifications of plant responses in green stem, cordon, and trunk of grapevines expressing Esca proper (E) or apoplexy (A) event, which are the most frequent grapevine trunk disease symptoms observed in Europe. Transcript expression of a set of plant defense- and stress-related genes was monitored by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction while plant phytoalexins and fungal metabolites were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in order to characterize the interaction between the grapevine and trunk disease agents. Expression of genes encoding enzymes of the phenylpropanoid pathway and trans-resveratrol content were altered in the three organs of diseased plants, especially in the young tissues of A plants. Pathogenesis-related proteins and the antioxidant system were severely modulated in A plants, which indicates a drastic stress effect. In the meantime, fungal polyketides 6-MSA, (R)-mellein, and (3R,4R)-4-hydroxymellein, were accumulated in A plants, which suggests their potential effect on plant metabolism during the appearance of foliar symptoms.
Acute Compartment Syndrome in the Forearm with Trans-Ulnar Single Incision
Authors: Suzuki Taku , Inaba Naoto , Sato Kazuki
Published: February 2016

We report a case of ulnar nerve palsy caused by diaphyseal fractures of the forearm and acute compartment syndrome. Trans-ulnar single incision with a fasciotomy of the volar and dorsal compartments was used to fix the ulna. Full recovery of the ulnar nerve was achieved six months after the surgery. In cases of acute compartment syndrome with ulnar fracture, a trans-ulnar incision with compartment release is effective for the fixation of the ulna.
Where did we come from? The emergence and early development of voluntary sector studies in the UK
Authors: Harris Margaret
Published: February 2016

This article considers how the field of voluntary sector studies (VSS) in the UK emerged. Drawing on published and unpublished documents as well as on semi-structured interviews with people involved in the early development of VSS, a timeline of key events is suggested. The analysis reveals both social and cognitive elements in the field’s development and considers the broader policy and institutional context within which key events of the VSS field occurred.
Kinetic Modeling of VOC Photocatalytic Degradation Using a Process at Different Reactor Configurations and Scales
Authors: Assadi Aymen Amine , Abdelkrim Bouzaza , Dominique Wolbert
Published: February 2016

This work investigated the performance of isovaleraldehyde (3-methylbutanal) removal from gas streams in photocatalytic reactors at room temperature. The feasibility of pollutant removal using the up-scaled reactor was systematically assessed by monitoring the removal efficiency at different operational parameters, such as geometries of reactor, air flow rate and inlet concentration. A proposal modeling for scaling up the photocatalytic reactors is described and detailed in this present study. In this context, the photocatalytic degradation of isovaleraldehyde (Isoval) in gas phase is studied. In fact, the removal rate has been compared at different continuous ﬂow reactors: a photocatalytic tangential reactor (PTR), planar reactor and P5000 pilot. The effects of the inlet concentration, ﬂow rate, geometries and size of reactors on the removal efficiency are also studied. A kinetic model taking into account the mass transfer step is developed. The modeling is done by introducing an equivalent intermediate (EI) formed by the photo-oxidation of Isoval. This new approach has substantially improved the agreement between modeling and experiments with a satisfactory overall description of the mineralization from lab to pilot scales.
Study on the Effect of Nickel Doping on Mo-Bi Based Catalyst for Selective Oxidation of Isobutene to Methacrolein
Authors: Wang Fang , Wang Guangjian , Niu Xinshan
Published: February 2016

Small amount of different nickel precursors (nickel nitrate or nickel molybdate) were incorporated into MoBi-based catalyst to produce a series of modified composite oxides catalysts for the selective oxidation of isobutene (IB) to methacrolein (MAL). Nickel nitrate introduction can effectively improve IB conversion and nickel molybdate introduction can remarkably enhance the selectivity of MAL. The XRD results show that nickel introduction has some influence on the catalyst structure. The catalyst modified with NiMoO4 showed the highest MAL yield of 87.8%. According to the H2-TPR, BET and XPS results, the catalyst modified with NiMoO4 exhibits lower reduction temperature, higher pore volume and better lattice oxygen mobility, which were confirmed to be responsible for excellent catalytic performance for the title reaction. In the case of an excess of O2, an empirical kinetic model was used to evaluate the rate data. The activation energy (Ea) was found to be 172.4 kJ mol−1.
A collaboration investigating endocannabinoid signalling in brain and bone
Authors: Zimmer Andreas
Published: February 2016

Investigations into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the psychoactive effects of cannabis preparations have led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system. Interest in the central nervous system effects was initially the main focus of the research, but it soon became evident that the endocannabinoid system affects virtually every organ. The research field has therefore experienced a tremendous growth over the last decade and is now truly interdisciplinary. This short review provides a personal account of an interdisciplinary collaboration between Itai Bab from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the author. It describes the discovery of the endocannabinoid system in bone and the analysis of its functions. I am summarising the role of CB1 signalling as a modulator of sympathetic inhibition of bone formation. Thus, activation of CB1 receptors on sympathetic nerve terminals in bone, presumably from endocannabinoids released from apposing osteoblasts, reduces the inhibition of bone formation of sympathetic norepinephrine. CB2 receptors on osteoblasts and osteoclasts also modulate the proliferation and functions of these cells. Thus, activation of CB2 stimulates bone formation and represses bone resorption, whereas the genetic disruption of CB2 results in an osteoporosis-like phenotype. This signalling mechanism is clinically relevant, as shown by the association of polymorphisms in the CB2 receptor gene, CNR2, with bone density and osteoporosis. Finally, the review provides a summary of the recently discovered role of endocannabinoid signalling in one elongation. This review will also discuss the benefits of interdisciplinary and international collaborations.
Benefícios socioeconômicos da adoção de novas tecnologias no cultivo do açaí no Estado do Pará
Authors: Nogueira Ana Karlla Magalhães , Santana Antônio Cordeiro de
Published: February 2016

RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi calcular os benefícios socioeconômicos gerados pela adoção das novas tecnologias, no cultivo racional do açaí, no Estado do Pará, no período de 2001 a 2009. Utilizou-se o resultado das equações de demanda e oferta do açaí, estimadas por Nogueira (2011), com a finalidade de se obterem as elasticidades-preço da demanda e da oferta, para, assim, se aferirem os retornos sociais e econômicos da adoção de novas tecnologias sobre a economia do mercado de açaí no Estado. Os resultados mostraram que, a partir de 2001, com a adoção de tecnologias inovadoras no cultivo racional do fruto, houve substancial aumento do benefício socioeconômico para a população paraense. Esse benefício atingiu o patamar de R$ 25.763,79 mil, o que representou um incremento de 48,78% em relação ao benefício obtido antes da adoção das novas tecnologias (R$ 13.195,50 mil). Com relação à distribuição dos benefícios, os consumidores foram os principais beneficiários, com 71,86% dos benefícios totais.
Initial performance of corn in response to treatment of seeds with humic acids isolated from bokashi
Authors: Baldotto Marihus Altoé , Baldotto Lílian Estrela Borges
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACT The humified organic matter presents bioactivity similar to the auxinic effect. As bokashi is produced by a special process of humification, information is needed about the bioactive potential of its humic acids. The objective of this work was studying the initial performance of corn-indicator plants in response to the application of different concentrations of humic acids isolated from bokashi. The corn seeds were treated for 16 hours with solutions containing 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 80 mmol L-1 of C in the form of humic acids. Then, the seeds were planted in pots of 1 dm3 containing corrected and fertilized soil, in greenhouse. Growth characteristics of shoot and root systems were evaluated. The results showed that the humic acids extracted from bokashi had positive effects on the initial performance of corn.
Use of a percutaneously controlled hydraulic occluder for treatment of refractory urinary incontinence in three female cats
Authors: Wilson Kendall E. , Berent Allyson C. , Weisse Chick W.
Published: February 2016

CASE DESCRIPTION 3 cats were referred for evaluation of chronic urinary incontinence.

CLINICAL FINDINGS A presumptive diagnosis of urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) was made in all 3 cats. Preoperatively, incontinence was mild in 1 cat (incontinence during sleep) and moderate to severe (incontinence while awake and at rest) in 2. Structural abnormalities noted during cystoscopy included urethrovestibular junction stenosis (n = 1), vaginal stenosis (1), short urethra (1), and intrapelvic bladder (1).

TREATMENT AND OUTCOME All 3 cats were treated by means of implantation of an inflatable silicone hydraulic occluder (HO) via a ventral midline celiotomy. Immediately prior to HO implantation, patients underwent cystoscopy to detect any anatomic abnormalities and confirm the absence of ureteral ectopia. Following surgery, all 3 patients attained complete continence, needing 0 or 1 inflation of the device. Complications included cystoscopy-associated urethral tear (n = 1), constipation (1), stranguria (1), hematuria (2), and urinary tract infection (2). Device explantation was performed 14 weeks after surgery in 1 cat because of postoperative constipation. Constipation persisted and urinary incontinence recurred but was markedly improved following device removal in this cat (leakage of urine only when sleeping at follow-up 29 months after surgery [26 months after device explantation]). At the time of last follow-up, 2 of the 3 cats remained fully continent approximately 3 and 6 years after device implantation.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE Findings suggested that implantation of an HO may be a safe and effective long-term treatment for some cats with USMI. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the potential for treatment-related complications and the long-term outcome.
The accuracy of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the evaluation of bone lesions of undetermined origin
Authors: Tamam Cuneyt , Tamam Muge , Mulazimoglu Mehmet
Published: February 2016

The aim of the current study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of whole-body fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in detecting carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) with bone metastases. We evaluated 87 patients who were referred to FDG-PET/CT imaging and reported to have skeletal lesions with suspicion of malignancy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were calculated. The median survival rate was measured to evaluate the prognostic value of the FDG-PET/CT findings. In the search for a primary, FDG-PET/CT findings correctly diagnosed lesions as the site of the primary true positive (TP) in 64 (73%) cases, 4 (5%) findings diagnosed no site of a primary, and none were subsequently proven to be true negative (TN); 14 (16%) diagnoses were false positive (FP) and 5 (6%) diagnoses were false negative (FN). Life expectancy was between 2 months and 25 months. Whole-body FDG-PET/CT imaging may be a useful method in assessing the bone lesions with suspicion of bone metastases.
The Impact of Diet on Expression of Genes Involved in Innate Immunity in Goat Blood
Authors: Worku Mulumebet , Abdalla Ahmed , Adjei-Fremah Sarah , Ismail Hamid
Published: February 2016

Sericea Lespedeza (SL), is a high-quality, low input forage that suppresses gastro-intestinal parasites in goats. The effect of dietary SL on the expression of genes involved in innate immunity in goats has not been established. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a diet containing SL on the expression of genes involved in innate immunity in goat blood. Blood was collected by jugular venipuncture from goats fed a diet of 75% SL (n = 9) and a control group (n = 7), fed a SL free diet. Blood was used to evaluate expression of (CD-14, TLR-2, TLR-4, IL-10, IL-8, IL-2, INF-r, and TNF-a). Serum was extracted and used for evaluation of the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IFNr, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF), IL-1a, IL-8, IP-10 and RANTES) using a commercial ELISA kit. The level of gene expression of CD-14, TLR-2, TLR-4, IL-10, IL-8, IL-2, INF-r, and TNF-a was higher in treated animals compared to control. The Sericea Lespedeza diet affected the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by increasing the serum levels of TNF-a, IFNr, GCSF, GMCSF, IL-1a, IP-10 (P < 0.0002), and by decreasing (P < 0.0001) IL-8 and RANTES in blood from goats fed SL. This suggests that dietary tannins modulate gene expression and may affect the goat's innate immune response in blood. Further research is needed to understand and harness the effect of dietary condensed tannins to modulate innate immunity in goats.
Continuum structural topological optimizations with stress constraints based on an active constraint technique
Authors: Rong Jian Hua , Xiao Ting Ting , Yu Liao Hong , Rong Xuan Pei , Xie Ya Jun
Published: February 2016

Stress‐related problems have not been given the same attention as the minimum compliance topological optimization problem in the literature. Continuum structural topological optimization with stress constraints is of wide engineering application prospect, in which there still are many problems to solve, such as the stress concentration, an equivalent approximate optimization model and etc. A new and effective topological optimization method of continuum structures with the stress constraints and the objective function being the structural volume has been presented in this paper. To solve the stress concentration issue, an approximate stress gradient evaluation for any element is introduced, and a total aggregation normalized stress gradient constraint is constructed for the optimized structure under the r−th load case. To obtain stable convergent series solutions and enhance the control on the stress level, two p‐norm global stress constraint functions with different indexes are adopted, and some weighting p‐norm global stress constraint functions are introduced for any load case. And an equivalent topological optimization model with reduced stress constraints is constructed,being incorporated with the rational approximation for material properties, an active constraint technique, a trust region scheme, and an effective local stress approach like the qp approach to resolve the stress singularity phenomenon. Hence, a set of stress quadratic explicit approximations are constructed, based on stress sensitivities and the method of moving asymptotes. A set of algorithm for the one level optimization problem with artificial variables and many possible non‐active design variables is proposed by adopting an inequality constrained nonlinear programming method with simple trust regions, based on the primal‐dual theory, in which the non‐smooth expressions of the design variable solutions are reformulated as smoothing functions of the Lagrange multipliers by using a novel smoothing function. Finally, a two‐level optimization design scheme with active constraint technique, i.e. varied constraint limits, is proposed to deal with the aggregation constraints that always are of loose constraint (non active constraint) features in the conventional structural optimization method. A novel structural topological optimization method with stress constraints and its algorithm are formed, and examples are provided to demonstrate that the proposed method is feasible and very effective. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Transvaginal treatment of anterior or central urogenital prolapse using six tension‐free straps and light mesh
Authors: Guyomard Aurélie , Delorme Emmanuel
Published: February 2016

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, complications, and outcomes of treatment of anterior or central compartment urogenital prolapse by placement of an anteroposterior 22‐g/m2 mesh with six straps through one anterior vaginal incision.

Methods

In a prospective study, patients treated for urogenital prolapse at a center in France between February 2008 and June 2011 were enrolled. Previous treatments, related interventions, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and anatomic outcomes were recorded during 3 years of follow‐up. Failure was defined as recurrence of prolapse of stage II or higher according to the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system.

Results

Overall, 74 patients were included. Preoperatively, 55 (74%) patients had stage III cystocele, 13 (18%) had stage IV cystocele, and 44 (59%) had associated uterine prolapse of at least stage II. Postoperative hematoma occurred in three patients and vaginal exposure in two patients. There were no cases of visceral injury. Vaginal comfort improved postoperatively: 68 (92%) patients were satisfied with the outcome and there were no cases of de novo dyspareunia. Seventeen (23%) patients subsequently had stress urinary incontinence that was treated by placement of suburethral tape. The anatomic outcomes were satisfactory for 72 (97%) women, including sexually active patients.

Conclusion

Transvaginal prolapse repair by placement of an anteroposterior six‐strap 22‐g/m2 mesh was feasible and effective with satisfactory 3‐year outcomes.
Natural Persons, Juridical Persons and Legal Personhood
Authors: Elvia Arcelia Quintana Adriano
Published: February 2016

The study of commercial law can be divided into four basic categories: (a) individuals (natural persons); (b) objects of commerce; (c) legal instruments and (d) administrative and legal procedures. Business relations between individuals and business entities requires significant legal documentation, including atypical or nonstandard business contracts. A central feature of all business transactions is the “legal entity”, used by organizations worldwide to conduct business. In order for many businesses to carry out routine activities, they must have many of the same legal rights and responsibilities as natural persons. In a word, these entities require “legal personhood”. Which leads us to the question of Legitimation. The most widely used legal instruments are nonstandardized business contracts. In essense, this is the delineation of contracting parties as entities with well-defined rights and obligations. This authority depends, in turn, on the legitimacy of the “personhood” of the contracting parties, which is often a point of dispute in business relations. Regardless of whether one accepts the use of terms “legal entity” and “legal personhood”, they often give rise to immeasurable and diverse conflicts domestically, regional and at global level. This had led to efforts to improve the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce and improve legal models that provide guidance to diverse nations. We have reviewed the works of different authors concluding.
Short-time self-diffusion, collective diffusion and effective viscosity of dilute hard sphere magnetic suspensions
Authors: Mizerski Krzysztof A. , Wajnryb Eligiusz
Published: February 2016

The virial corrections to short-time self- and collective diffusion coefficients as well as the effective viscosity are calculated for suspensions of hard spheres with the same radii and constant (blocked within the particle) magnetization modelled by a point dipole. Analytic, integral formulae derived from basic principles of statistical mechanics are provided for both cases – in the absence and in the presence of an external magnetic field. In the former case the diffusion and viscosity coefficients are evaluated numerically as a function of the strength of magnetic interactions between the particles and it is reported that the translational collective diffusion coefficient is significantly greater than all the other coefficients. In the presence of an external magnetic field the coefficients become anisotropic and are evaluated in the asymptotic regime of weak interparticle magnetic interactions.
Transient Response of Functionally Graded Material Circular Cylindrical Shells with Magnetostrictive Layer
Authors: Hong C.-C.
Published: February 2016

The generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method is used to investigate the transient response of magnetostrictive functionally graded material (FGM) circular cylindrical shells. The effects of control gain value, thermal load temperature and power-law index on transient responses of dominant normal displacement and thermal stress are analyzed. With velocity feedback and suitable product values of coil constant by control gain in the magnetostrictive FGM shells can reduce the transient amplitude of displacement into a smaller value.
Anticipatory Self-Defence in the Legislative History of the United Nations Charter
Authors: McCormack Timothy L. H.
Published: February 2016

Article 51 of the United Nations Charter states that:

Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of selfdefense shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.

International lawyers are still arguing about the scope of the right of self-defence in Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. Most of the arguments focus on the semantics of Article 51. Those who argue for a “restrictive view” of the provision emphasise the qualifying phrase “if an armed attack occurs”.
Organs of Enforcement and Enforceable Instruments in a Comparative Perspective
Authors: Kerameus K.D.
Published: February 2016

Professor Lawrence M. Friedman, the well-known legal historian and legal sociologist, stressed in a recent essay that the contemporary relevance of law within broader social phenomena could be analysed in terms of community expectations. He wrote that during the 19th century “[p]eople knew that they were exposed, at all times, to the risks of sudden disaster — disease, death in childbirth and childhood, accidents, chronic economic uncertainties. They faced these calamities without private insurance, without public welfare programs, and without legal liability rules that made it practical to collect damages from private citizens and companies”. Societies of the past fostered a “culture of low expectations” with regard to law as well as to life itself. In contrast, our contemporary society driven by medical, technical and social developments heads towards the “reduction of uncertainty”. Amazing progress in medicine, the full-fledged emergence of the welfare state, and the expansion of private liability for accidents and injuries have, at least in Western countries, greatly enhanced people's expectations from the social mechanisms. The stature of law has grown accordingly to unknown pre-eminence since all methods of reducing risks are now shaped in terms of legal norms.
Retributive Punishment — Ideals and Actualities
Authors: Duff Antony
Published: February 2016

A consequentialist holds that systems of criminal punishment must be justified, if they can be justified at all, by their consequential benefits. It is a contingent fact, if it is a fact at all, that these benefits are most efficiently attained by a system of punishment, and by punishments which ordinary moralists would regard as just; and a thorough-going consequentialist must be ready in principle to justify punishments which many would condemn as unjust. A retributivist, on the other hand, insists that the justice of a system or instance of punishment is essential to its justification; and that the demands of justice cannot be reduced to those of consequential utility.

Retributivist accounts of punishment come in a variety of forms: we must distinguish those who insist only that guilt is a necessary, not a sufficient, condition of justified punishment from those who insist that punishment must be fully justified by reference to a past offence; and amongst the latter we find various accounts of how it is that an offence justifies or requires punishment. But essential to any retributivist account is the claim that an adequate justification of punishment must cite not, or not only, its consequential benefits, but its relationship to a past offence: it is a non-consequentialist requirement of justice that punishment must be of an offender, for an offence; that only the guilty may be punished, and that the severity of their punishments should be limited, if not completely determined, by the seriousness of the offences for which they are punished.
Norm Versus Discretion in Sentencing
Authors: Weigend Thomas
Published: February 2016

Should judges have discretion in sentencing? The answer cannot be “yes” or “no” but only the further question “how much?”. The bulk of this statement will be devoted to this second question, but I will first explain why there is no absolute answer to the issue of judicial discretion in sentencing.

Most legal systems grant the sentencing judge (practically) unlimited freedom to choose among a vast array of dispositions in any given case. Legal standards guiding their decision-making are typically non-directive, vague, or non-existent. The result, not unexpectedly, is a great disparity in sentencing outcomes. This state of affairs can best be explained in terms of unquestioned tradition and judicial self-image.
Sentencing as Art — A Response: Sentencing as a Just System
Authors: Kremnitzer Mordechai
Published: February 2016

The approach of my good friend Shachar illustrates the saying that uncompromising aspiration to perfection is a hindrance to progress. To me, his approach, whereby “we will only have our personal intuitions to tell us who was judged correctly, but our personal intuitions may be wrong”, is unacceptable, both in itself, and from the point of view of the conclusions to be drawn therefrom under Shachar's central thesis.

A.Ambiguity in Shachar's Thesis

But first, the thesis is not entirely clear. On page 648, he writes as follows: “… I believe that intuitive answers to complex moral questions are not necessarily arbitrary. One choice is probably better or worse than the others, yet it often cannot be rationally and conclusively demonstrated to be so”.
Madness, Entropy, Paradox: The Legacy of Political Violence in Loida Maritza Pérez's Geographies of Home
Authors: KRAUSE JENNIFER
Published: February 2016

This article adds to the conversation surrounding what it means to be Latino/a within the United States by considering Loida Maritza Pérez's Geographies of Home. By focussing on the plight of Marina within the novel, one can begin to look at this Dominican-American as not just a madwoman and victim of diaspora, machismo, and class; instead, she is a character who questions archetypal iterations of Latino/a identity even as she reinforces national and transnational stereotypes. Such a close reading of Pérez's novel allows us to reconfigure ideas of race, displacement, and hyphenation in American society.
ENDOGENOUS PROCESSES OF COLONIAL SETTLEMENT. THE SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF EUROPEAN SETTLER FARMING IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Authors: Frankema Ewout , Green Erik , Hillbom Ellen
Published: February 2016

This paper comments on studies that aim to quantify the long-term economic effects of historical European settlement across the globe. We argue for the need to properly conceptualise «colonial settlement» as an endogenous development process shaped by the interaction between prospective settlers and indigenous peoples. We conduct three comparative case studies in West, East and Southern Africa, showing that the «success» or «failure» of colonial settlement critically depended on colonial government policies arranging European farmer’s access to local land, but above all, local labour resources. These policies were shaped by the clashing interests of African farmers and European planters, in which colonial governments did not necessarily, and certainly not consistently, abide to settler demands, as is often assumed.
Migraine and Oral Contraceptives
Authors: Becker W.J.
Published: February 2016

Initiation of oral contraceptive (OC) therapy in migraine may worsen pre-existing migraine or change the pattern of the individual migraine attacks. Many women experience no change in their migraine and a few show improvement. Evidence is accumulating that migraine increases ischemic stroke risk and that this risk is higher in migraine with aura than in migraine without aura. OCs also increase stroke risk, and the increased stroke risk attributable to each of migraine and OC therapy may be additive. The risk of ischemic stroke in young women is very low and likely remains acceptably low in young women with migraine without aura and in those with a simple migraine aura when OCs are prescribed. However, the presence of a complex or prolonged migraine aura, or of additional stroke risk factors such as increased age, smoking, and hypertension likely increases the ischemic stroke risk further in patients with migraine when OCs are prescribed. Whether OCs can be prescribed safely for the patient with migraine depends upon many factors including patient age, type of migraine, and the presence or absence of other stroke risk factors.
Early Seizures after Severe Closed Head Injury
Authors: Lee Shih-Tseng , Lui Tai-Ngar , Wong Cheuk-Wah , Yeh Yi-Shen , Tzuan Wen-Ching , Chen Tzu-Yung , Hung Shang-Yu , Wu Chieh-Tsai
Published: February 2016

Background:

We studied the incidence and clinical significance of early post-traumatic seizures after severe closed head injury.

Methods:

This prospective study is based on clinical observation of 3340 adult patients with severe closed head injuries, each of them having a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 3 to 8 after trauma. Anticonvulsant agents were not given to these patients unless there was evidence of seizure.

Results:

One hundred and twenty-one patients (3.6%) experienced seizures within 1 week after head injury; 42 of these (1.26% of the series) had seizures within 24 hours after trauma. The incidence of intracerebral parenchymal damage was found to be higher among those patients who developed seizures in the first week (66.1%) than in those who did not (62.7%). However this result did not reach statistical significance. The patients with early seizures had a lower mortality rate (p < 0.01). In patients who survived from the initial injury, the occurrence of early post-traumatic seizures did not appear to influence the neurological recovery at 6 months after injury.

Conclusion:

Presence of intracerebral parenchymal damage on CT scan after severe closed head injury does not increase the risk of early post-traumatic seizures. With proper treatment, patients presenting with early seizures may have a lower mortality rate. However, the occurrence of early seizures does not influence the neurological recovery in patients who survive the initial severe closed head injury.
“Familial Parkinson's Disease” – A Case-Control Study of Families
Authors: Uitti Ryan J. , Shinotoh Hitoshi , Hayward Margo , Schulzer Michael , Mak Edwin , Calne Donald B.
Published: February 2016

Background:

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients frequently report a family history of PD and this may provide etiological clues to PD. It has also been suggested that a report of a negative family history is reliable. We studied the prevalence of PD in relatives of PD patients to assess the reliability of family history and to evaluate possible explanations of “familial PD”(fPD).

Methods:

81 of 650 (12.5%) PD probands (all PD patients seen at clinic in 4 years) reported a positive family history of PD. Each fPD proband was matched with non-familial PD (nfPD) proband by gender and year of birth. Screening and follow-up questionnaires were mailed to relatives to obtain information concerning pedigree and presence of neurodegenerative disease. Available family members (regardless of disease status) were examined.

Results:

On examination, 8 persons, said to be “normal” by probands, relatives and themselves, had definite or possible PD (5 fPD, 3 nfPD). The prevalence rate of PD among first and second degree living relatives of probands varied significantly between fPD and nfPD groups (6269/100 000 versus 1190/100 000; p < 0.001). The weighted prevalence (taking into account the proportions of fPD and nfPD within the clinic) was 1822/100 000, a value more than 5 times higher than reported prevalence rates of PD in the general population (p < 0.001). The prevalence rate was greater in first degree relatives than second degree.

Conclusions:

“Familial parkinsonism” cannot be explained merely by size of or advanced age within families. Significant numbers of previously unrecognized PD patients may be identified despite a “negative” family history. That is, the patient's report of an absence of familial parkinsonism is frequently inaccurate. The prevalence rate in relatives of PD patients appears to be higher than the general population – regardless of the family history reported by a PD patient. We believe our study suggests that genetic influences or early life environmental exposures are likely to be of etiological importance in PD.
A Rare Form of Adult Onset Leukodystrophy: Orthochromatic Leukodystrophy with Pigmented Glia
Authors: Shannon P. , Wherrett J.R. , Nag S.
Published: February 2016

Background:

Orthochromatic leukodystrophy with pigmented glia and scavenger cells is a rare leukodystrophy of unknown etiology. This report describes a 42-year-old man with a history of depression, dementia and parkinsonism having the pathological features of orthochromatic leukodystrophy with pigmented glia.

Methods:

We reviewed the clinical history and pathology of autopsy and brain biopsy material.

Results:

Imaging revealed bilateral cerebral white matter hypodensities. At autopsy, the brain demonstrated a leukodystrophy affecting predominantly the cerebral hemispheres and characterized by demyelination, and cytoplasmic pigment deposits in oligodendroglia and astrocytes. The pigment had the staining properties of ceroid-lipofuschin and on ultrastructural examination was composed of membrane-bound lipid and electron-dense inclusions which had a fingerprint-like pattern. Similar pigment inclusions were not observed on ultrastructural examination of renal, splenic or hepatic tissue obtained at autopsy. The brain biopsy contained cerebral cortex with sparse subcortical white matter in which a few oligodendroglia and fewer astrocytes at the grey/white junctions showed cytoplasmic pigmentary inclusions identical to those described above. However, due to the paucity of white matter in the specimen a definite diagnosis of orthochromatic leukodystrophy with pigmented glia was not made.

Conclusions:

The diagnosis of orthochromatic leukodystrophy with pigmented glia and scavenger cells can only be made antemortem if the brain biopsy contains adequate white matter and although a rare condition, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an adult onset leukodystrophy.