bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RESERVOIR ARCHITECTURE IN A TERMINAL ALLUVIAL PLAIN: AN OUTCROP ANALOGUE STUDY (UPPER TRIASSIC, SOUTHERN GERMANY) PART 1: SEDIMENTOLOGY AND PETROPHYSICS
Authors: Hornung J. , Aigner T.
Published: April 2009

This outcrop analogue study investigates Triassic fluvial sandstones (Stubensandstein Formation) deposited on a terminal alluvial plain under semi‐arid to sub‐humid climatic conditions in the land‐locked South German Keuper Basin. The Stubensandstein may serve as an analogue for reservoir units in comparable continental basins. Data came from studies of (i) 13 large sandpits: in total, these have wall faces that cover over 80,500 sq.m, while single wall faces are to 480m wide and 50m high; (ii) three subsurface welllog clusters (comprising up to 20 boreholes), and four single wells. In this paper, two representative outcrops in proximal and distal palaeogeographic positions are discussed in detail.

This study combines the results of the following methodologies:

Sedimentological analysis: Fourteen lithofacies types and nine types of architectural element were identified. Exposed sandpit walls allowed distinct styles of alluvial architecture to be mapped, ranging from proximal to distal end members. Channel geometries change from ribbon‐like to sheet‐like, and lateral accretions change their lithofacies make up from sandy to muddy.

Ground penetrating radar: 2km of radar lines were recorded, and buried architectural elements were traced behind sandpit faces revealing their 3D geometries.

Petrophysics: A total of 1,860 permeability, 1,360 porosity and 4,500 gamma‐ray measurements were made in order to characterize fluid‐flow units. Porosity and permeability data show characteristic trends and distributions within the architectural elements. Lithofacies types can be grouped into four petrophysical rock types which show differences in poro‐perm values and frequency distributions which are related to depositional energy. The average permeability of sandbodies decreases by two orders of magnitudes from about 700md to 1md along palaeogeographic proximal to distal trends. Based on these data five types of fluid flow units with characteristic features were distinguished.

Data derived from the outcrop studies concerning sandbody dimensions and geometry, reservoir architecture and interconnectedness, poro‐perm trends and fluid‐flow units may be useful for subsurface reservoir characterization and modelling in similar settings. Part 2 of this paper will focus on the larger‐scale cyclicity, and provide depositional, palaeoclimatic and reservoir models.
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN TECTONIC ACTIVITY AND EUSTATIC SEA‐LEVEL CHANGES IN THE PINDOSAND MESOHELLENIC BASINS, NW GREECE: BASIN EVOLUTION AND HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL
Authors: Avramidis P. , Zelilidis A. , Vakalas I. , Kontopoulos N.
Published: April 2009

This paper investigates the sedimentological response of the Tertiary Pindos and Mesohellenic Basins to localized tectonic and eustatic sea‐level changes in a submarine setting dominated by turbidite deposition. Five composite stratigraphic cross‐sections were compiled from field data, three in the Pindos Basin and two in the Mesohellenic Basin; 45 samples were dated by means of nannofossil bio stratigraphy. On the basis of these field studies, we relate observed changes in depositional environment to eustatic sea‐level changes and to activity on local thrusts. Between the early Eocene and the late Miocene, tectonically‐driven subsidence in both basins was generally more significant than eustatic variations in controlling depositional patterns. However, depositional conditions can be related to eustatic changes at four specific times:

late Eocene submarine fans and deltaic or fan‐delta deposits in the Mesohellenic Basin can be related to a sea‐level rise (NP17) and subsequent fall (NP18‐19), respectively;

the development of submarine fans in both basins during the early to middle Oligocene (NP22‐23) can be related to a sea‐level rise;

a late Oligocene (NP24‐25) sea‐level fall can be related to more restricted depositional conditions, accompanied by intra‐basinal thrusting in the Pindos Basin and the presence of two indentors in the Mesohellenic Basin;

a change from deep‐water (submarine fan) to shallow‐marine deposition during the late Miocene in the Mesohellenic Basin can be related to a eustatic fall in sea‐level.

Standard organic geochemical analyses were carried out on 93 samples from both basins, including Rock‐Eval pyrolysis and column and gas chromatography. Preliminary results indicate that the sedimentary sequences in both the Pindos and Mesohellenic Basins may have the potential to generate natural gas.
Some Key Features in the Evolution of Self Psychology and Psychoanalysis
Authors: Fosshage James L.
Published: April 2009

Psychoanalysis, as every science and its application, has continued to evolve over the past century, especially accelerating over the last 30 years. Self psychology has played a constitutive role in that evolution and has continued to change itself. These movements have been supported and augmented by a wide range of emergent research and theory, especially that of cognitive psychology, infant and attachment research, rapid eye movement and dream research, psychotherapy research, and neuroscience. I present schematically some of what I consider to be the key features of the evolution of self psychology and their interconnection with that of psychoanalysis at large, including the revolutionary paradigm changes, the new epistemology, listening/experiencing perspectives, from narcissism to the development of the self, the new organization model of transference, the new organization model of dreams, and the implicit and explicit dimensions of analytic work. I conclude with a focus on the radical ongoing extension of the analyst's participation in the analytic relationship, using, as an example, the co‐creation of analytic love, and providing several brief clinical illustrations. The leading edge question guiding my discussion is “How does analytic change occur?”
Intersubjective Systems Theory
Authors: Orange Donna M.
Published: April 2009

Intersubjective systems theory is the view that personal experience always emerges, maintains itself, and transforms in relational contexts. It is held for reasons of personal inclinations, philosophical belief, and clinical conviction. As a clinical sensibility, it primarily includes an emphasis on the emotional convictions or organizing principles that systematize experience, the personal engagement of the analyst, and the refusal to argue about reality.
My Life with Self Psychology
Authors: Shane Estelle
Published: April 2009

In this very personal writing, I describe my experiences with self psychology in general and with Heinz Kohut in particular, from its beginnings in the early 1970s until Kohut's death and my own subsequent development. The discovery of self psychology in the context of my beginnings as a new, rather disillusioned, candidate in a classical institute affiliated with the American Psychoanalytic Association is described, with the sense of relief that comes with finding a theoretical perspective that matched my own views about human beings. My experiences as a member of the small study group that met in Chicago under the leadership of Kohut, what that was like for me, and how I came to both grow under his influence and then to find my own voice from within that influence forms the majority of this essay of deep appreciation for Kohut the man and Kohut the founder of a psychoanalytic theory.
Experience Sampling Methods: A Modern Idiographic Approach to Personality Research
Authors: Conner Tamlin S. , Tennen Howard , Fleeson William , Barrett Lisa Feldman
Published: April 2009

Experience sampling methods are essential tools for building a modern idiographic approach to understanding personality. These methods yield multiple snapshots of people's experiences over time in daily life and allow researchers to identify patterns of behavior within a given individual, rather than strictly identify patterns of behavior across individuals, as with standard nomothetic approaches. In this article, we discuss the origin and evolution of idiographic methods in the field of personality and explain how experience sampling methods function as modern day idiographic methods in this field. We then review four primary ways in which experience sampling methods have been used to foster idiographic approaches in personality research. Specifically, we highlight approaches that examine individual differences in temporal and behavioral distributions, situation–behavior contingencies, daily processes, and the structure of daily experience. Following a brief methodology primer, we end by discussing future directions for idiographic experience sampling approaches in personality psychology and beyond.
Poroelastodynamics: Linear Models, Analytical Solutions, and Numerical Methods
Authors: Schanz Martin
Published: April 2009

This article presents an overview on poroelastodynamic models and some analytical solutions. A brief summary of Biot’s theory and of other poroelastic dynamic governing equations is given. There is a focus on dynamic formulations, and the quasistatic case is not considered at all. Some analytical solutions for special problems, fundamental solutions, and Green’s functions are discussed. The numerical realization with two different methodologies, namely, the finite element method and the boundary element method, is reviewed.
Residential exposure to radiofrequency fields from mobile phone base stations, and broadcast transmitters: a population-based survey with personal meter
Authors: Viel J F , Clerc S , Barrera C , Rymzhanova R , Moissonnier M , Hours M , Cardis E
Published: April 2009

Objectives:

Both the public perceptions, and most published epidemiologic studies, rely on the assumption that the distance of a particular residence from a base station or a broadcast transmitter is an appropriate surrogate for exposure to radiofrequency fields, although complex propagation characteristics affect the beams from antennas. The main goal of this study was to characterise the distribution of residential exposure from antennas using personal exposure meters.

Methods:

A total of 200 randomly selected people were enrolled. Each participant was supplied with a personal exposure meter for 24 h measurements, and kept a time–location–activity diary. Two exposure metrics for each radiofrequency were then calculated: the proportion of measurements above the detection limit (0.05 V/m), and the maximum electric field strength. Residential address was geocoded, and distance from each antenna was calculated.

Results:

Much of the time, the recorded field strength was below the detection level (0.05 V/m), the FM band standing apart with a proportion above the detection threshold of 12.3%. The maximum electric field strength was always lower than 1.5 V/m. Exposure to GSM and DCS waves peaked around 280 m and 1000 m from the antennas. A downward trend was found within a 10 km range for FM. Conversely, UMTS, TV 3, and TV 4&5 signals did not vary with distance.

Conclusions:

Despite numerous limiting factors entailing a high variability in radiofrequency exposure assessment, but owing to a sound statistical technique, we found that exposures from GSM and DCS base stations increase with distance in the near source zone, to a maximum where the main beam intersects the ground. We believe these results will contribute to the ongoing public debate over the location of base stations and their associated emissions.
Metal Regulation, Tolerance, and Body Burdens in the Larvae of the Genus Chironomus
Authors: Krantzberg G. , Stokes P. M.
Published: April 2009

Bioaccumulation of metals are determined and compared for two populations of chironomid larvae collected from acidic lakes differing in their metal contamination. Results from laboratory experiments indicated that chironomid larvae from the more contaminated lake were able to regulate, or control their accumulation of Cu, Ni, and to some extent, Mn. Both populations regulated Zn, and neither population could regulate Pb or Cd. When larvae from the less contaminated site were exposed to sediments from the more contaminated lake, their growth was retarded and metals were accumulated to higher concentrations than for the native population. The data indicate that chronic exposure to elevated metal levels may result in the development of metal tolerance.
Terrestrial and In-Lake Contributions to Alkalinity Budgets of Drainage Lakes: An Assessment of Regional Differences
Authors: Shaffer Paul W. , Church M. Robbins
Published: April 2009

Using two independent procedures, we estimate relative contributions of in-lake alkalinity generation to total basin alkalinity budgets for drainage lakes in selected regions of the Eastern United States. The first method is based on the assumption of approximately equal areal rates of alkalinity production by watersheds and lakes, and uses watershed area to lake area ratio as a direct estimator of relative akalinity contributions. The second approach is based on existing models for in-lake alkalinity generation estimated from sulfate retention. Projections from the two methods are comparable, and show that for most drainage lakes in Northeastern United States, Southern Blue Ridge Province, and Upper Midwest, in-lake alkalinity generation is a minor contributor to net basin alkalinity production, contributing [Formula: see text] of total net basin alkalinity production in typical watersheds in any of the regions. The close agreement between the two procedures lends support to the use of watershed area to lake area ratio as a convenient estimator of relative alkalinity sources requiring only map-derived parameters. Regional assessment of current or future effects of acidic deposition on surface water chemistry in the Northeastern United States, the Southern Blue Ridge Province or other areas dominated by drainage lakes with high watershed to lake area ratio would not appear to be seriously comprised by use of models limited to consideration of terrestrial processes. In areas such as the Upper Midwest which are characterized by high proportions of seepage lakes or for lakes with long hydrologic residence times, in-lake processes and hydrologic influences must be considered.
Can We Estimate the True Weight of Zooplankton Samples after Chemical Preservation?
Authors: Giguère Louis A. , St-Pierre J.-F. , Bernier B. , Vézina A. , Rondeau j.-G.
Published: April 2009

Zooplankton are collected and sorted into two size fractions from which samples are randomly alloted to a battery of commonly used preservation techniques. We determine dry weight, ash content, and caloric content. We compute organic and inorganic losses of the samples to examine potential causes of variation in dry weight estimates. Treatments are: no preservation, preservation with one of three chemicals (75% ethanol, 5% or 10% buffered formaldehyde), preservation for 1 or 66 wk, and oven- or freeze-drying. Overall dry weight losses are independent of preservation methods. Chemical preservation reduces dry weight by 37 to 43%. Organic and inorganic losses range from 25 to 33% and 73 to 82%, respectively. Because inorganic losses are large, chemical preservation increases the caloric content of samples by 13 – 27%. Dry weight losses are somewhat size-dependent (37 versus 43% for the large and small size fraction respectively, after 66 wk of preservation). A regression of percent dry weight losses on body length (in millimetres) is obtained for our data, and published reports where formaldehyde is used as a preservative. It is: In[dry weight loss] = 4.149 − 0.576 length0.333. This relationship can be used to adjust the weight of zooplankton samples which have been preserved chemically. A survey of studies published in 1983 indicates that most authors did not adjust for dry weight losses due to preservation.
FERMION TRIPLET DARK MATTER AND RADIATIVE NEUTRINO MASS
Authors: MA ERNEST , SUEMATSU DAIJIRO
Published: April 2009

The neutral member of a Majorana fermion triplet (Σ+, Σ0, Σ-) is proposed as a candidate for the dark matter of the Universe. It may also serve as the seesaw anchor for obtaining a radiative neutrino mass.
AN ERROR ANALYSIS OF LAVRENTIEV REGULARIZATION IN LEARNING THEORY
Authors: Sahoo J. K. , Singh Arindama
Published: April 2009

In this paper we study how Lavrentiev regularization can be used in the context of learning theory, especially in regularization networks that are closely related to support vector machines. We briefly discuss formulations of learning from examples in the context of ill-posed inverse problem and regularization. We then study the interplay between the Lavrentiev regularization of the concerned continuous and discretized ill-posed inverse problems. As the main result of this paper, we give an improved probabilistic bound for the regularization networks or least square algorithms, where we can afford to choose the regularization parameter in a larger interval.
Iodide deficiency-induced angiogenic stimulus in the thyroid occurs via HIF- and ROS-dependent VEGF-A secretion from thyrocytes
Authors: Gérard Anne-Catherine , Poncin Sylvie , Audinot Jean-Nicolas , Denef Jean-François , Colin Ides M.
Published: April 2009

Vascular supply is an obvious requirement for all organs. In addition to oxygen and nutrients, blood flow also transports essential trace elements. Iodine, which is a key element in thyroid hormone synthesis, is one of them. An inverse relationship exists between the expansion of the thyroid microvasculature and the local availability of iodine. This microvascular trace element-dependent regulation is unique and contributes to keep steady the iodide delivery to the thyroid. Signals involved in this regulation, such as VEGF-A, originate from thyrocytes as early TSH-independent responses to iodide scarcity. The question raised in this paper is how thyrocytes, facing an acute drop in intracellular stores of iodine, generate angiogenic signals acting on adjacent capillaries. Using in vitro models of rat and human thyroid cells, we show for the first time that the deficit in iodine is related to the release of VEGF-A via a reactive oxygen species/hypoxia-inducible factor-1-dependent pathway.
Endothelial progenitor cell dysfunction in patients with progressive chronic kidney disease
Authors: Krenning Guido , Dankers Patricia Y. W. , Drouven Johannes W. , Waanders Femke , Franssen Casper F. M. , van Luyn Marja J. A. , Harmsen Martin C. , Popa Eliane R.
Published: April 2009

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) contribute to repair and maintenance of the vascular system, but in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), the number and function of EPC may be affected by kidney dysfunction. We assessed numbers and the angiogenic function of EPC from patients with CKD in relation to disease progression. In a cross-sectional, prospective study, 50 patients with varying degrees of CKD, including 20 patients undergoing dialysis and 10 healthy controls, were included. Mononuclear cells were isolated, and circulating EPC were quantified by flow cytometry based on expression of CD14 and CD34. EPC were cultured on fibronectin-coated supramolecular films of oligocaprolactone under angiogenic conditions to determine their angiogenic capacity and future use in regenerative medicine. CKD patients had normal numbers of circulating CD14+ EPC but reduced numbers of circulating CD34+ EPC. Furthermore, EPC from patients with CKD displayed functional impairments, i.e., hampered adherence, reduced endothelial outgrowth potential, and reduced antithrombogenic function. These impairments were already observed at stage 1 CKD and became more apparent when CKD progressed. Dialysis treatment only partially ameliorated EPC impairments in patients with CKD. In conclusion, EPC number and function decrease with advancing CKD, which may hamper physiological vascular repair and can add to the increased risk for cardiovascular diseases observed in CKD patients.
Preparation and Characterization of Manganese Ferrite Aluminates
Authors: Dhiman R. L. , Taneja S. P. , Reddy V. R.
Published: April 2009

Aluminum doped manganese ferritesMnAlxFe2−xO4with0.0≤x≤1.0have been prepared by the double ceramic route. The formation of mixed spinel phase has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The unit cell parameter `aO' is found to decrease linearly with aluminum concentration due to smaller ionic radius of aluminum. The cation distributions were estimated from X-ray diffraction intensities of various planes. The theoretical lattice parameter, X-ray density, oxygen positional parameter, ionic radii, jump length, and bonds and edges lengths of the tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (B) sites were determined.57Fe Mössbauer spectra recorded at room temperature were fitted with two sextets corresponding to Fe3+ions at A- and B-sites. In the present ferrite system, the area ratio of Fe3+ions at the A- and B-sites determined from the spectral analysis of Mössbauer spectra gives evidence that Al3+ions replace iron ions at B-sites. This change in the site preference reflects an abrupt change in magnetic hyperfine fields at A- and B-sites as aluminum concentration increases, which has been explained on the basis of supertransferred hyperfine field. On the basis of estimated cation distribution, it is concluded that aluminum doped manganese ferrites exhibit a 55% normal spinel structure.
Nanostructural Formation of Pd-Co Bimetallic Complex on HOPG Surfaces: XPS and AFM Studies
Authors: Arroyo-Ramírez Lisandra , Montano-Serrano Rubenier , Raptis Raphael G. , Cabrera Carlos R.
Published: April 2009

A new single source approach was developed to synthesize Pd-Co nanoparticles using a bimetallic compound,[Et3NH]2[CoPd2(μ-4-I-3,5-Me2pz)4Cl4] (CoPd2), as a molecular precursor to obtain dispersed catalyst on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface, in view of preparing oxygen reduction catalysts for low temperature fuel cells. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were employed to characterize the nanostructure formations and to determine the composition and morphology of the complex on the HOPG. Results of high resolution XPS analysis (HR-XPS) revealed the binding energies corresponding to the atomic constituents of the precursor. When the precursor solution was placed on the surface of the HOPG, the bimetallic complex assumes a tubular structure and it appears that the surface of the HOPG offers a ground for the self-organization of nanostructural formations.
Copy Number Alterations that Predict Metastatic Capability of Human Breast Cancer
Authors: Zhang Yi , Martens John W.M. , Yu Jack X. , Jiang John , Sieuwerts Anieta M. , Smid Marcel , Klijn Jan G.M. , Wang Yixin , Foekens John A.
Published: April 2009

We have analyzed the DNA copy numbers for over 100,000 single-nucleotide polymorphism loci across the human genome in genomic DNA from 313 lymph node–negative primary breast tumors for which genome-wide gene expression data were also available. Combining these two data sets allowed us to identify the genomic loci and their mapped genes, having high correlation with distant metastasis. An estimation of the likely response based on published predictive signatures was performed in the identified prognostic subgroups defined by gene expression and DNA copy number data. In the training set of 200 patients, we constructed an 81-gene prognostic copy number signature (CNS) that identified a subgroup of patients with increased probability of distant metastasis in the independent validation set of 113 patients [hazard ratio (HR), 2.8; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.4–5.6] and in an external data set of 116 patients (HR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.3–10.6). These high-risk patients constituted a subset of the high-risk patients predicted by our previously established 76-gene gene expression signature (GES). This very poor prognostic group identified by CNS and GES was putatively more resistant to preoperative paclitaxel and 5-fluorouracil-doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy (P = 0.0048), particularly against the doxorubicin compound, while potentially benefiting from etoposide. Our study shows the feasibility of using copy number alterations to predict patient prognostic outcome. When combined with gene expression–based signatures for prognosis, the CNS refines risk classification and can help identify those breast cancer patients who have a significantly worse outlook in prognosis and a potential differential response to chemotherapeutic drugs. [Cancer Res 2009;69(9):3795–801]
A Novel A33 Promoter–Based Conditionally Replicative Adenovirus Suppresses Tumor Growth and Eradicates Hepatic Metastases in Human Colon Cancer Models
Authors: Cafferata Eduardo G. , Macció Daniela R. , Lopez Maria V. , Viale Diego L. , Carbone Cecilia , Mazzolini Guillermo , Podhajcer Osvaldo L.
Published: April 2009

Purpose: A33 antigen is a membrane-bound protein expressed in intestinal epithelium that is overexpressed in 95% of primary and metastatic colorectal carcinomas but is absent in most epithelial tissues and tumor types. We hypothesized that A33 promoter might be useful in the design of a conditionally replicative adenovirus for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Experimental Design: We cloned an A33 promoter fragment (A33Pr) that extends from −105 to +307 bp. Using luciferase activity as a reporter gene, we showed that A33Pr was active in CRC cell lines. We next constructed a conditionally replicative adenovirus named AV22EL where E1A was placed under the control of A33Pr. The tumor-specific oncolytic effect of AV22EL was investigated both in vitro and in vivo.

Results: AV22EL induced specific in vitro lysis of human CRC cell lines that expressed A33 and have negligible lytic capacity on cells that lacked or had minimal A33 expression, including normal human colonic cells. In vivo, a marked reduction of tumor growth and increased long-term survival rates were observed in nude mice xenografted with s.c. CRC tumors. Combination with 5-fluorouracil induced an additive effect in vitro with no toxic effects in vivo. Remarkably, AV22EL completely eliminated established hepatic metastases in >90% of mice and restored hepatic function according to biochemical parameters. Its systemic administration induced E1A expression only in the hepatic metastasis but not in normal organs.

Conclusions: These data show that AV22EL is a stringently regulated and potent oncolytic agent for the treatment of CRC.
Sunitinib Prolongs Survival in Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of Multistep Lung Carcinogenesis
Authors: Gandhi Leena , McNamara Kate L. , Li Danan , Borgman Christa L. , McDermott Ultan , Brandstetter Kathleyn A. , Padera Robert F. , Chirieac Lucian R. , Settleman Jeffrey E. , Wong Kwok-Kin
Published: April 2009

Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a poor prognosis, with substantial mortality rates even among patients diagnosed with early-stage disease. There are few effective measures to block the development or progression of NSCLC. Antiangiogenic drugs represent a new class of agents targeting multiple aspects of tumor progression, including cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and outgrowth of metastatic deposits. We tested the multitargeted angiogenesis inhibitor sunitinib in a novel endogenous mouse model of NSCLC, which expresses a conditional activating mutation in Kras with or without conditional deletion of Lkb1; both alterations are frequent in human NSCLC. We showed that daily treatment with sunitinib reduced tumor size, caused tumor necrosis, blocked tumor progression, and prolonged median survival in both the metastatic (Lkb1/Kras) and nonmetastatic (Kras) mouse models; median survival was not reached in the nonmetastatic model after 1 year. However, the incidence of local and distant metastases was similar in sunitinib-treated and untreated Lkb1/Kras mice, suggesting that prolonged survival with sunitinib in these mice was due to direct effects on primary tumor growth rather than to inhibition of metastatic progression. These collective results suggest that the use of angiogenesis inhibitors in early-stage disease for prevention of tumor development and growth may have major survival benefits in the setting of NSCLC.
Levels of Prostaglandin E Metabolite and Leukotriene E4 Are Increased in the Urine of Smokers: Evidence that Celecoxib Shunts Arachidonic Acid into the 5-Lipoxygenase Pathway
Authors: Duffield-Lillico Anna J. , Boyle Jay O. , Zhou Xi Kathy , Ghosh Aradhana , Butala Geera S. , Subbaramaiah Kotha , Newman Robert A. , Morrow Jason D. , Milne Ginger L. , Dannenberg Andrew J.
Published: April 2009

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) play a role in inflammation and carcinogenesis. Biomarkers that reflect tobacco smoke–induced tissue injury are needed. In this study, levels of urinary prostaglandin E metabolite (PGE-M) and leukotriene E4 (LTE4), biomarkers of the COX and 5-LO pathways, were compared in never smokers, former smokers, and current smokers. The effects of celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, on levels of PGE-M and LTE4 were determined. Baseline levels of PGE-M and LTE4 were positively associated with smoking status; levels of PGE-M and LTE4 were higher in current versus never smokers. Treatment with 200 mg celecoxib twice daily for 6 ± 1 days led to a reduction in urinary PGE-M levels in all groups but exhibited the greatest effect among subjects with high baseline PGE-M levels. Thus, high baseline PGE-M levels in smokers reflected increased COX-2 activity. In individuals with high baseline PGE-M levels, treatment with celecoxib led to a significant increase in levels of urinary LTE4, an effect that was not found in individuals with low baseline PGE-M levels. In conclusion, increased levels of urinary PGE-M and LTE4 were found in human smokers, a result that may reflect subclinical lung inflammation. In individuals with high baseline levels of PGE-M (elevated COX-2 activity), celecoxib administration shunted arachidonic acid into the proinflammatory 5-LO pathway. Because 5-LO activity and LTE4 have been suggested to play a role in cardiovascular disease, these results may help to explain the link between use of COX-2 inhibitors and cardiovascular complications.
Evidence for Coregulation of Myocardial Gene Expression by MEF2 and NFAT in Human Heart Failure
Authors: Putt Mary E. , Hannenhalli Sridhar , Lu Yun , Haines Philip , Chandrupatla Hareesh R. , Morrisey Edward E. , Margulies Kenneth B. , Cappola Thomas P.
Published: April 2009

Background—

Pathological stresses induce heart failure in animal models through activation of multiple cardiac transcription factors (TFs) working cooperatively. However, interactions among TFs in human heart failure are less understood. Here, we use genomic data to examine the evidence that 5 candidate TF families coregulate gene expression in human heart failure.

Methods and Results—

RNA isolates from failing (n=86) and nonfailing (n=16) human hearts were hybridized with Affymetrix HU133A arrays. For each gene on the array, we determined conserved MEF2, NFAT, NKX , GATA , and FOX binding motifs within the −1-kb promoter region using human-murine sequence alignments and the TRANSFAC database. Across 9076 genes expressed in the heart, TF-binding motifs tended to cluster together in nonrandom patterns within promoters of specific genes (
P
values ranging from 10
−2
to 10
−21
), suggesting coregulation. We then modeled differential expression as a function of TF combinations present in promoter regions. Several combinations predicted increased odds of differential expression in the failing heart, with the highest odds ratios noted for genes containing both MEF2 and NFAT binding motifs together in the same promoter region (peak odds ratio, 3.47;
P
=0.005).

Conclusions—

These findings provide genomic evidence for coregulation of myocardial gene expression by MEF2 and NFAT in human heart failure. In doing so, they extend the paradigm of combinatorial regulation of gene expression to the human heart and identify new target genes for mechanistic study. More broadly, we demonstrate how integrating diverse sources of genomic data yields novel insight into human cardiovascular disorders.
Growth-Differentiation Factor-15 for Risk Stratification in Patients With Stable and Unstable Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Kempf Tibor , Sinning Jan-Malte , Quint Anja , Bickel Christoph , Sinning Christoph , Wild Philipp S. , Schnabel Renate , Lubos Edith , Rupprecht Hans J. , Münzel Thomas , Drexler Helmut , Blankenberg Stefan , Wollert Kai C.
Published: April 2009

Background—

Growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a stress-responsive transforming growth factor-β-related cytokine that has emerged as a prognostic biomarker in acute coronary syndrome trial populations. Its predictive role in stable coronary heart disease (CHD) has never been assessed.

Methods and Results—

The circulating levels of GDF-15 were measured by immunoradiometric assay in patients with stable angina pectoris (n=1352) or acute coronary syndrome (n=877) who were followed up for a median of 3.6 years. Stable angina pectoris patients presenting with normal (<1200 ng/L), moderately elevated (1200 to 1800 ng/L), or markedly elevated (>1800 ng/L) GDF-15 levels had 3.6-year CHD mortality rates of 1.4%, 2.7%, and 15.0%, respectively (
P
<0.001). By backward stepwise Cox-regression analysis, which adjusted for age and gender, clinical variables, the number of diseased vessels, renal function, the levels of C-reactive protein, cardiac troponin I, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, GDF-15 remained an independent predictor of CHD mortality (
P
<0.001). Addition of GDF-15 improved the prognostic accuracy of a clinical risk prediction model concerning CHD mortality (c-statistic, 0.84 versus 0.74;
P
=0.005). Analysis of the acute coronary syndrome part of the study population confirmed GDF-15 as an independent predictor of CHD mortality (
P
<0.001). The circulating levels of GDF-15 did not predict the future risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with stable angina pectoris or acute coronary syndrome.

Conclusion—

This study identifies GDF-15 as a strong and independent predictor of CHD mortality across the broad spectrum of patients with stable and unstable CHD.
Taxonomic notes on the snakes of Northern Cyprus, with observations on their morphologies and ecologies
Authors: Göçmen Bayram , Atatür Mehmet , Budak Abidin , Bahar Hasan , Yildiz Mehmet Zülfü , Alpagut-Keskin Nuren
Published: April 2009

A total of 66 specimens belonging to eleven snake species, some of which were collected during the field studies of 17-31 July and 3-25 September 2003, and some others which have been previously collected and all have been deposited into the collection of ZDEU (Zoology Dept. Ege University), were evaluated taxonomically. 25 of the specimens belonged to Typhlopidae, 37 to Colubridae, three to Viperidae and one to Boidae. These specimens were evaluated from the points of view of pholidosis, pattern and coloration and morphological measurements. Some biological and ecological information were also given with the brief geological history of eastern Mediterranean region.
The Legal Framework of Capital Movements and Current Payments in Palestine and its Compatibility with International Law
Authors: Fares Samer
Published: April 2009

Since its inauguration in 1994, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has taken responsibility over Palestinian economy and finance. The PA lifted all restrictions on the movement of capital and current payments. Although this has moved Palestinian economy from a heavily controlled economy to a market-based style, the liberalization process was not built on sound legal bases and thus created a legal vacuum. The PA has been working ever since to confirm the Palestinian free-market economy with the introduction of a new well-developed legal system consistent with international standards and norms. Therefore, the objectives of this article are to analyze the Palestinian liberalization process and its compatibility with international law obligations.
A Paradigm Shift in Assessing /Evaluating the Value and Significance of Hadīth in Islamic Thought: From 'ulūmu-l-isnād/rijāl to 'usūlu-l-fiqh
Authors: Duderija Adis
Published: April 2009

This article proposes a new method for assessing and evaluating the function and value of Hadīth literature in Islamic thought, especially in relation to 'usūlu-l-fiqh sciences. It argues that the classical Islamic scholarships embodied either by methodologies developed by the Muhadīthūn with the primary focus on isnād- and rijāl-based Hadīth analysis or the epistemological evaluation of Hadīth in the hands of the 'Usūliyyūn is inadequate in developing a systematic methodology that would be able to ultimately resolve the current impasse on the questions of Sunnah compliance of otherwise vast (Sunni and Shi'a) Hadīth bodies of knowledge. Instead, it argues that the ultimate assessment, evaluation and definitive 'value' or significance of Hadīth literature, especially in the areas of law theory, jurisprudence but also theology, rests upon the broader questions concerning issues pertaining to what the author refers to as Qur'āno–Sunnahic hermeneutics. The article draws upon a published article on the new methodology of the nature and the scope of the concept of Sunnah developed by the same author elsewhere in which a direct hermeneutic relationship between Hadīth and the symbiotic nature of the Qur'āno–Sunnahic hermeneutic relationship is established in order to argue that the questions of Hadīth authenticity and reliability take a secondary role in their overall assessment and evaluation, especially in 'usūlu-l-fiqh theory. Instead (hermeneutic or exegetical) Hadīth value, significance and role is primarily determined in relation to its position with regards to the delineating features and the epistemological and methodological assumptions of a particular Qur'āno–Sunnahic hermeneutic model.
A Study of Relationships between Florida Thunderstorm Properties and Corresponding Anvil Cloud Characteristics
Authors: Theisen Chris J. , Kucera Paul A. , Poellot Michael R.
Published: April 2009

Tropical thunderstorms produce large amounts of cirrus anvil clouds, which have a large effect on the climate system. Modeling of the cirrus anvil is a very important factor in the driving processes in atmospheric, climate, and radiation budget models. The current research project is focused on determining the relationships between the thunderstorm intensity and cirrus anvil characteristics of storms during the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers–Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE). During July 2002, 19 different storms were selected for analysis. A vertical profile of reflectivity was extracted for each cell in which the maximum reflectivity, and maximum 10- and 40-dBZ height were identified. A majority of the thunderstorms in this study were single cells or isolated multicell clusters initiated from outflow boundaries or sea-breeze interactions. The results show that a general thunderstorm life cycle characteristic time sequence was determined, finding that the maximum reflectivity occurred on average 10 min after the cell first appeared in the base scan reflectivity image. The anvil origin and maximum height were found to occur approximately 10 and 25 min after maximum reflectivity, respectively. The anvil’s mean particle size was found to increase with time and decrease with altitude. The opposite relationship holds true for the particle concentration. Contour analysis has shown that the particle size increased with increased thunderstorm intensity and time after maximum reflectivity. An increase in convective core intensity corresponds to increased anvil particle concentrations early after maximum reflectivity, as was observed.
Social development content in the courses of Australian social work schools
Authors: Pawar Manohar
Published: April 2009

This article looks into the coverage of social development in the curricula of Australian social work schools. Although most Australian BSW programmes appear to concentrate on a remedial social work model, some schools have made significant progress in incorporating social development content into their MA/MSW and higher-degree research programmes. The study identifies critical problems and strategies relating to the inclusion of such material.
Islamic theology and prayer
Authors: Al-Krenawi Alean , Graham John R.
Published: April 2009

This article examines aspects of knowledge that are important to social work practice with Muslim clients: Islamic theology, prayers and the pillars of Islam (the shahada, or profession of faith; the salat, or practice of prayer five times daily; the zakat, or alms-giving; the siam, or fasting during the holy month of Ramadan; and the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca). Major aspects include natural forms of social support, familial and marital mediation, conflict resolution, group cohesion and support, individual catharsis and psychological relief, and self-actualization.
Interaction patterns among users of a Danish community care centre
Authors: Kristiansen Soren
Published: April 2009

This article presents the findings of a study of ex-mental patients in a community care centre in Denmark. Participant observation was used in combination with qualitative and semi-structured interviews. It marks the first part of a research project to develop a sociological understanding of social relations and interaction patterns among mental patients living outside institutions. The present study describes and analyses the social community, norm and value systems and explains them scientifically as amounting to a mutual or social coping situation.
Responding to gender violence in Albania
Authors: Van Hook Mary P. , Haxhiymeri Edlira , Gjermeni Eglantina
Published: April 2009

With the birth of democracy in Albania, social workers partnered with attorneys, physicians, other community leaders, organizations, and foundations, to identify the problem of domestic violence in the country. They addressed the problem of violence by establishing a center for women, community information programs, and initiatives to address policy issues.
Repositioning cross-cultural counseling in a multicultural society
Authors: Yan Miu Chung , Lam Ching Man
Published: April 2009

This article examines the nature and limits of the existing cross-cultural counseling discourses in order to search for a more culturally sensitive cross-cultural counseling approach. The authors pinpoint the inherent cultural deficiencies of the existing modification-based cross-cultural counseling approaches and advocate that the cross-cultural counseling process should be an inter-subjective interaction between the counselors and counselees, both of whom are products of their own culture. Cross-cultural counseling therefore should be seen as a contextualized cultural activity which requires the open-mindedness and sensitivity of the practitioners to the cultural influence of both their clients and themselves.
Managing the quality paradox
Authors: Breda Jef , Crets Stefan
Published: April 2009

Management methods such as Total Quality Management are being introduced into the non-profit sector without reconsideration. One of these unconsidered items concerns the turbulence in the immediate environment. In this study of a Belgian social service agency we demonstrate the massive impact of short-term changes on the internal work processes as well as the managerial potential to react to and control these influences.
Help-seeking experiences of Hong Kong social work students
Authors: Rudowicz Elisabeth , Au Elaine
Published: April 2009

Experiences of help-seeking among the sample of 250 social work students were explored. A model of the reciprocal relationship between the situation prompting help-seeking, the social and cultural context, and the individual’s feelings was used to analyze the data. The results support the reciprocal link between the type of help-seeking situation, feelings and utilized resources, and show that Hong Kong social work students carry a heavy cultural load of preconceptions relating to help-seeking.
Bullying as a social malady in contemporary Japan
Authors: Treml Jacqueline Noel
Published: April 2009

In the past 20 years bullying has become a serious problem in contemporary Japanese society. Bully-related suicides are on the rise and policymakers have been forced to aggressively pursue the issue. This article suggests that bullying in Japan has been affected by many factors, including the stresses involved in the educational system, Japan’s indigenous religion, Shinto, and a national trend of passivity towards power. Japan affords us the opportunity to see bullying as an international concern and to learn from the efforts of the Japanese to combat it.
Social work education and practice
Authors: Shera Wes , Bogo Marion
Published: April 2009

In planning for the future, schools of social work need good-quality information about current and future anticipated changes which affect the nature of social work practice. A wide variety of methods are available to conduct “futures studies” to assist schools with this planning. This article reviews the international literature on futures studies in social work and concludes that a high-quality study requires substantial funding, the meaningful participation of multiple constituencies, and the use of multiple methods for data collection and action planning.
Social workers’ recommendations on the non-custodial father’s visitation rights with his preschool children
Authors: Cohen Orna , Shnit Dan
Published: April 2009

This study examines the variables that affect Israeli social workers’ recommendations to the courts on non-custodial fathers’ access to their preschool children. Analysis of 151 court reports written by social workers in central Israel shows that they award more limited visiting rights to fathers who are poorly educated, do not meet with them, and are in conflict with their spouses over money and property. The discussion focuses on the social workers’ inadvertent biases against men of a lower socio-economic level and offers practical suggestions for a more professional approach.
Chinese corpus, western application
Authors: Tsang A. Ka Tat , Yan Miu-Chung
Published: April 2009

Indigenization is a key issue in the development of professional social work in China. Chinese social work scholars have adopted the century-old conceptual formulation of ‘Chinese corpus, western application’ to balance the need for western knowledge and the need for intellectual autonomy. This article explores major current debates on ideology, teleology, epistemology and technology within the social work profession in the West and their implications for social work development in China.
Conceptual muddle, practical dilemma
Authors: George Janet
Published: April 2009

A clear understanding of the concept of human rights is fundamental to social work that places a priority on social development as a strategy for social justice; this paper illustrates the difficulty in applying the concept by reference to the Asia-Pacific area. Social workers should take a position on human rights and social justice, weighing conceptual, cultural and political aspects. This is a prerequisite to defining feasible strategies, based on a view of the relationships between idealism and pragmatism and between universalism and relativism. For social work educators, it is a prerequisite to curriculum design for social development.
Visions of community
Authors: Jivanjee Pauline , Tebb Susan
Published: April 2009

Experiences traveling in Kenya provide a backdrop to an examination of the principles and practices of the Harambee and women’s movements in Kenya as they compare with feminist social work practice in the United States. Concluding remarks address the implications of our learning for our work in social work education.