bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of a sclerosing agent (1% polidocanol) to treat an orbital mucocele in a dog
Authors: Stuckey Jane Ashley , Miller William W. , Almond Gregory T.
Published: October 2011

A case of a salivary gland mucocele in a dog causing nonpainful exopthalmos with dorsolateral deviation of the globe and protrusion of the third eyelid. Diagnosis was made via ultrasound and confirmed with computed tomography. Aspiration of the cystic material along with injection of a sclerosing agent, 1% polidocanol (Aethoxysklerol), was used to destroy the mucocele. Follow‐up monthly examination post injection confirmed resolution of clinical signs to date, namely abnormal globe position, with no complications observed.
Prevalence of abnormal plasma liver enzymes in older people with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Morling J. R. , Strachan M. W. J. , Hayes P. C. , Butcher I. , Frier B. M. , Reynolds R. M. , Price J. F. ,   on behalf of the Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study investigators
Published: October 2011

Diabet. Med. 29, 488–491 (2012)

Aims  To determine the prevalence and distribution of abnormal plasma liver enzymes in a representative sample of older adults with Type 2 diabetes.

Methods  Plasma concentrations of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and γ‐glutamyltransferase were measured in a randomly selected, population‐based cohort of 1066 men and women aged 60–75 years with Type 2 diabetes (the Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study).

Results  Overall, 29.1% (95% CI 26.1–31.8) of patients had one or more plasma liver enzymes above the upper limit of the normal reference range. Only 10.1% of these patients had a prior history of liver disease and a further 12.4% reported alcohol intake above recommended limits. Alanine aminotransferase was the most commonly raised liver enzyme (23.1% of patients). The prevalence of abnormal liver enzymes was significantly higher in men (odds ratio 1.40, 95% CI 1.07–1.83), in the youngest 5‐year age band (odds ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.44–2.84), in patients with diabetes duration < 5 years (odds ratio 1.38, 95% CI 1.01–1.90), plasma HbA1c≥ 58 mmol/mol (7.5%) (odds ratio 1.43, 95% CI 1.09–1.88), obese BMI (odds ratio 2.84, 95% CI 1.59–3.06) and secondary care management for their diabetes (odds ratio 1.40, 95% CI 1.05–1.87). However, all these factors combined accounted for only 7.6% of the variation in liver enzyme abnormality.

Conclusions  The prevalence of elevated liver enzymes in people with Type 2 diabetes is high, with only modest variation between clinically defined patient groups. Further research is required to determine the prognostic value of raised, routinely measured liver enzymes to inform decisions on appropriate follow‐up investigations.
Physical activity, family history of diabetes and risk of developing hyperglycaemia and diabetes among adults in Mainland China
Authors: Xu F. , Wang Y. , Ware R. S. , Tse L. Ah , Dunstan D. W. , Liang Y. , Wang Z. , Hong X. , Owen N.
Published: October 2011

Diabet. Med. 29, 593–599 (2012)

Aims  To investigate the joint influence of physical activity and family history of diabetes on the subsequent risk of developing hyperglycaemia and Type 2 diabetes among Chinese adults.

Methods  A prospective community‐based cohort study was conducted among adults aged 35 years and older during 2004–2007 in Nanjing, China. Four communities (three urban and one rural) were randomly selected from 11 urban districts and two rural counties. Hyperglycaemia and Type 2 diabetes were defined using World Health Organization criteria based on fasting blood glucose concentration and physicians’ diagnosis, respectively. Physical activity, parental diabetes history, and other important covariates were assessed at baseline and in the third‐year follow‐up survey.

Results  At study conclusion data were collected from 3031 participants (follow‐up rate 81.3%). The 3‐year cumulative incidence of hyperglycaemia and Type 2 diabetes was 6.2% and 2.4%, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, compared with those with positive family history and insufficient physical activity, the adjusted relative risk ratio (95% CI) of developing hyperglycaemia was 0.19 (0.02, 1.51) for participants with sufficient physical activity and a positive family history; 0.55 (0.31, 0.97) for participants with insufficient physical activity and a negative family history; and 0.36 (0.19, 0.70) for participants with sufficient physical activity but a negative family history. Participants who had a negative family history and insufficient physical activity were also less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes (RRR = 0.28; 0.14, 0.54), and participants with a negative family history and sufficient physical activity were the least likely to develop Type 2 diabetes (0.23; 0.10, 0.56).

Conclusions  Sufficient physical activity and negative family history of diabetes may jointly reduce the risk of developing hyperglycaemia and Type 2 diabetes in Chinese adults.
THE EFFECT OF FDI ON LOCAL EDUCATION EXPENDITURES: EVIDENCE FROM THE UNITED STATES
Authors: Zhuang Hong
Published: October 2011

The intense competition for foreign direct investment (FDI) by state and local governments within the United States has raised concerns among some that this leads to the underprovision of public services and possibly welfare losses for local communities. Economic analysis of this hypothesis yields mixed results. This paper investigates the impact of FDI on local education expenditures both theoretically and empirically. The theoretical model shows an ambiguous impact of FDI on local expenditures for education. Empirically using US state‐level data from 1991 to 2000 and the system‐GMM estimator that controls for fixed effects, times series issues and endogeneity, I find evidence that FDI is positively correlated with increased expenditures on education.
Cottage economy or collective farm? English socialism and agriculture between Merrie England and the Five‐Year Plan
Authors: Taunton Matthew
Published: October 2011

The cottage economy and the collective farm are two alternative models of socialist agriculture that relate broadly to the traditions of Romantic and utilitarian socialism and embody diametrically opposed attitudes to food and its production. In the decades following the Russian Revolution of 1917 – at a time when collectivised agriculture was being implemented on a previously unimaginable scale, with disastrous consequences – the case for such a model was made enthusiastically by British Stalinists such as George Bernard Shaw, Jean Beauchamp, Margaret Cole, and Sidney and Beatrice Webb. This fed into a wider shift in British society where responsibility for securing the food supply was increasingly seen as a function of the state rather than the market. During the inter‐war decades the centre of gravity for British socialists’ thinking about food production shifted from the cottage economy to the collective farm. Yet there were those – like Chesterton, Belloc, Orwell and Muggeridge, as well as the emerging thinkers of the organic movement like Louise Howard and G. T. Wrench – who in various ways held on to the cottage economy ideal and the peasant smallholder as a bulwark against the vast, industrialised mega‐farms of the Soviet Empire. They were often seen not as socialists but as cranks. This paper explores the debates around this issue and considers their continuing relevance to our own thinking about the ways food is produced.
Crusoe's abattoir: cannibalism and animal slaughter in Robinson Crusoe
Authors: Mackintosh Alex
Published: October 2011

Robinson Crusoe (1719) is well known as a novel about cannibalism. Yet it is just as concerned with the slaughter of animals. This article argues that cannibalism and animal slaughter in Robinson Crusoe must be understood in tandem as highly politicised practices and considered in the light of the Foucauldian distinction between sovereign and disciplinary power. As an allegory for the foundation of political sovereignty – often linked in the novel to the sovereignty of humans over other animals – the novel reveals that effective management of humans, like that of livestock, requires a combination of sovereign and disciplinary power. Both types of power are shown to operate indiscriminately on the bodies and minds of humans and animals. As such, colonial power is shown to replicate the logic of cannibalism itself, which shocks precisely because of its failure to distinguish between the two. Finally, the ‘sympathy’ expressed by Crusoe in his dealings with animals must be understood as an intrinsic part of this strategy of domination through pastoral power. Written at the start of the age of sympathy, the novel therefore offers a cautionary corrective to a narrative of ever‐greater ‘humanity’ in our dealings with the brute creation.
A slave to the stove? The TV celebrity chef abandons the kitchen: lifestyle TV, domesticity and gender
Authors: Scholes Lucy
Published: October 2011

This essay uses the modern phenomenon of the TV celebrity chef to discuss contemporary debates about food culture. It links the rise of TV celebrity chefs to the popularity of lifestyle TV that has come to dominate our schedules. Taking Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver as the central case studies, this essay explores the way popular programmes present the role of cookery both in the home and in the public sphere. Embedded in this are issues pertaining to the gendered boundaries of the domestic environment – most significantly perhaps in the relationship between the idea of the ‘domestic goddess’ and twenty‐first‐century feminism. This essay argues that female TV chefs such as Smith and Lawson are still shown for the most part in their kitchens and their horizons rarely seem to stretch beyond the domestic sphere. Oliver, on the other hand, represents a new brand of chef who has taken off his apron and taken to the streets, rebranding himself as a social activist or even – in his own terms – a revolutionary.
FRAMING AND COUNTER‐FRAMING NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF GERMANY
Authors: VOGEL RICK
Published: October 2011

In this paper I explore the conflict between managerial and bureaucratic models of public sector management from the discursive perspective in institutional theory. Taking the under‐researched case of Germany, I conduct a textual analysis of seminal publications in the discourse on public sector reform and reveal the subversive framing conflict which accompanies the proliferation of private managerial models in the public sector. As the most general result, a frame which advocates the transfer of business‐like managerial practices clashes with a counter‐frame which opposes this managerialization. I elucidate how these competing frames are composed, which of their components are core and which are peripheral, how the frames relate to each other, and which broader discourses they exploit for legitimization purposes. The results imply that the often assumed superiority of managerial over bureaucratic control is constructed through discourse rather than being a law‐like regularity.
FDI Policy, Greenfield Investment and Cross‐border Mergers
Authors: Qiu Larry D. , Wang Shengzu
Published: October 2011

This paper examines a multinational's choice between greenfield investment and cross‐border merger when it enters another country via foreign direct investment (FDI) and faces the host country's FDI policy. Greenfield investment incurs a fixed plant setup cost, whereas the foreign firm obtains only a share of the joint profit from a cross‐border merger under the restriction of the FDI policy. This trade‐off is affected by market demand, cost differential, and market competition, among other things. The host country's government chooses its FDI policy to affect (or alter) the multinational's entry mode to achieve the maximum social welfare for the domestic country. We characterize the conditions shaping the optimal FDI policy and offer intuitions on FDI patterns in developing and developed countries.
The Byrd Amendment as Facilitating a Tacit International Business Collusion
Authors: Ogawa Yoshitomo , Ono Yoshiyasu
Published: October 2011

This paper analyzes the effect of the Byrd Amendment, which amended the US Tariff Act of 1930 to allow revenues from antidumping duties to be distributed to domestic import‐competing firms. In an international oligopoly framework it is shown that it urges the home firm to restrict output so that the foreign firm increases output and pays more duties. Consequently, not only the home firm but also the foreign firm is better off while only consumers are worse off. Home total surplus also increases under this policy especially when the home firm is very inefficient.
Limiting distribution of the score statistic under moderate deviation from a unit root in MA(1)
Authors: Yabe Ryota
Published: October 2011

This article derives an asymptotic distribution of Tanaka's score statistic under moderate deviation from a unit root in a moving average model of order one [MA(1)]. The limiting distribution is classified into three types depending on the order of deviation. In the fastest case, the convergence order of the asymptotic distribution continuously changes from the invertible process to the unit root one. In the slowest case, the limiting distribution coincides with one in the invertible process in the distribution sense. This implies that they share a common asymptotic property. The limiting distribution in the intermediate case has the boundary property between the fastest case and the slowest one.
The Medieval Origins of Conceivability Arguments
Authors: Boulter Stephen
Published: October 2011

The central recommendation of this article is that philosophers trained in the analytic tradition ought to add the sensibilities and skills of the historian to their methodological toolkit. The value of an historical approach to strictly philosophical matters is illustrated by a case study focussing on the medieval origin of conceivability arguments and contemporary views of modality. It is shown that common metaphilosophical views about the nature of the philosophical enterprise as well as certain inference patterns found in thinkers from Descartes to Chalmers have their origin in the theological concerns of the Scholastics. Since these assumptions and inference patterns are difficult to motivate when shorn of their original theological context, the upshot is that much post‐Cartesian philosophy is cast in an altogether unfamiliar, and probably unwelcome, light. The methodological point, however, is that this philosophical gain is born of acquaintance with the history of ideas.
Art as Orientation
Authors: Kreitman Norman
Published: October 2011

What is it that we lack in everyday life that causes us to value art so highly? This article argues that (almost) all values are to be understood in terms of a needs‐satisfaction system, and hence that the value of art can be understood only with reference to the state of the appreciator prior to engagement with the artwork. Aesthetic appreciation can be analysed as a process, which can be described in empirically based psychological terms, leading to a functional view of aesthetic experience as potentially enhancing the individual's orientation at sensory, cognitive, and interpersonal levels; our motivation is a special form of pleasure. Various objections are then considered, with particular attention to the role of pleasure in connection with tragedy; the relation of art to related cultural pursuits is also briefly indicated.
Epistemic Norms and Democracy: a Response to Talisse
Authors: Rydenfelt Henrik
Published: October 2011

John Rawls argued that democracy must be justifiable to all citizens; otherwise, a democratic society is oppressive to some. In A Pragmatist Philosophy of Democracy (), Robert B. Talisse attempts to meet the Rawlsian challenge by drawing from Charles S. Peirce's pragmatism. This article first briefly canvasses the argument of Talisse's book and then criticizes its key premise concerning (normative) reasons for belief by offering a competing reading of Peirce's “The Fixation of Belief” (). It then proceeds to argue that Talisse's argument faces a dilemma: his proposal of epistemic perfectionism either is substantive and can be reasonably disagreed about or is minimal but insufficient to ground a democratic society. Consequently, it suggests that the Rawlsian challenge can only be solved by abandoning Rawls's own notion of reasonableness, and that an interesting alternative notion of reasons can be derived from Peirce's “Fixation.”
Horizontal Effect and the Constitutional Constraint
Authors: Phillipson Gavin , Williams Alexander
Published: October 2011

This article offers a new interpretation – the ‘constitutional constraint’ model – of the duty theHumanRightsAct imposes on the courts to give horizontal effect toEuropeanConvention rights through the common law. The model requires courts to develop the common law compatibly with theConvention, but only where compatibility can be achieved by incremental development. We argue that models requiring more than incremental development are unsustainable; that deep constitutional norms compel the constraint of incrementalism, which is preserved under theHRA; and that by virtue of section 2 of theHRA, Convention rights function as principles rather than hard‐edged rights in this context. This further undermines the idea that the courts must strictly applyConvention rights and cannot allow them to be overridden by non‐Convention factors. The final section explores the nature of incrementalism in this context and the impact of the model on the doctrine of judicial precedent.
Determinants of social anxiety and social avoidance in psoriasis outpatients
Authors: Schneider G. , Heuft G. , Hockmann J.
Published: October 2011

Background  Psychological stressors can contribute to the first manifestation and to later exacerbations of psoriasis. As a result of the visible and disfiguring skin lesions, psoriasis patients often develop feelings of social anxiety and stigmatization and consecutive social avoidance, which can in turn affect employment and social activities and lead to psychological distress and impairment of quality of life. However, great differences regarding social anxiety and social avoidance can be observed between different individuals, even if their disfigurement appears comparable.

Objective  We intended to assess the joint impact of disease severity, mood, coping strategies, perceived social support and personal resources on social anxiety and social avoidance in psoriasis outpatients.

Methods  Forty‐nine psoriasis outpatients filled in self‐report questionnaires (Adjustment to Chronic Skin Diseases Questionnaire, Sense of Coherence scale, Social Support Questionnaire). The PASI score was assessed by the patients' dermatologist.

Results  Social fear/avoidance showed a high and significant correlation to impairment in quality of life (0.58, P ≤ 0.001). In regression analysis, disease severity, feelings of helplessness and perceived social support jointly explained 74% of the variance of social anxiety/avoidance.

Conclusions  Physicians treating patients with psoriasis must be aware of physical, psychological and social aspects of the disease and need to use a multidimensional approach.
Diet, morphology and performance in two chameleon morphs: do harder bites equate with harder prey?
Authors: Measey G. J. , Rebelo A. D. , Herrel A. , Vanhooydonck B. , Tolley K. A.
Published: October 2011

Ecologically induced morphological variation has been identified as a mainstay in evolutionary theory. Species that inhabit different habitats are likely to display morphological and functional differences related to the exploitation of different dietary resources available in each habitat within limits imposed by trade‐offs. Here, we examine two populations of theCapeDwarfChameleon,Bradypodion pumilum, from fynbos (heathland) and woodland to investigate whether head morphology and bite performance are related to diet within and between populations. Stomach contents are compared with prey availability to test whether chameleons are selective with respect to prey size, hardness and evasiveness. Our data show that for adult chameleons from the fynbos (Kogelberg;n= 44), mean and maximum prey size are tightly correlated with head morphology and performance. In woodland habitat (Stellenbosch;n= 52), only maximum prey size is correlated with head morphology and performance. Fynbos chameleons showed no preference with respect to prey hardness, while those from woodland ate less hard and/or sedentary prey than available, thus preferring items that were soft and/or evasive. Finally, fynbos chameleons have a diet of sedentary and/or evasive prey similar in proportions to that available. Our results suggest that diet is not directly related to selection on the head morphology and biting performance ofB. pumilumin woodland habitat, but that it may be important for selection in fynbos due to a reduction in overall prey availability.
Predator–prey interactions: jaguar predation on caiman in a floodplain forest
Authors: Azevedo F. C. C. , Verdade L. M.
Published: October 2011

Advances in the understanding of ecological factors determining predator–prey interactions have provided a strong theoretical background on diet preferences of predators. We examined patterns of jaguar predation on caiman in southern Pantanal, Brazil. We investigated factors affecting predation rates and vulnerability of caiman to predation by jaguars. We recorded 114 caiman mortality incidents. Predation accounted for 62.3% (n = 71) of all caiman found dead, while other causes of mortality (nonpredation) accounted for 37.7% (n = 43). We found that jaguars prey on a broad size range of caiman body and caiman predation was influenced by distance to forests. During dry seasons, 70% (n = 49) of deaths were due to predation, while 30% (n = 21) were due to nonpredation causes. However, we found no significant relationship between annual and monthly killings of caiman and rainfall totals by year and month (r = 0.130, r = −0.316). The annual flooding regime may be a more important factor influencing prey selection by jaguars. Although neotropical crocodilians are relatively well studied, their interactions with jaguars have been mostly ignored and should be prioritized in future studies.
Light‐induced protein and lipid oxidation in low‐fat cheeses: Effect on degree of enzymatic hydrolysis
Authors: DALSGAARD TRINE K , BAKMAN METTE , HAMMERSHØJ MARIANNE , SØRENSEN JOHN , NEBEL CAROLINE , ALBRECHTSEN RITA , VOGNSEN LENE , NIELSEN JACOB H
Published: October 2011

The effect of proteolysis on oxidation in low‐fat cheese was investigated. The accumulation of dityrosine during storage increased significantly in the cheese with a high degree of proteolysis, while hexanal and heptanal were lower in the cheese with high proteolytic activity, indicating that the peptides/free amino acids acted as antioxidants on the propagating step in lipid oxidation. Dimethyl disulphide concentration was also lower in the cheese with a higher level of peptides. Therefore, oxidation of tyrosine residues seemed to function as antioxidants both regarding secondary lipid oxidation products and protein‐derived oxidation products through formation of dityrosine, being a termination reaction.
Excitotoxicity‐induced endocytosis mediates neuroprotection by TAT‐peptide‐linked JNK inhibitor
Authors: Vaslin Anne , Naegele‐Tollardo Sonia , Puyal Julien , Clarke Peter G. H.
Published: October 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 10.1111/j.1471‐4159.2011.07535.x

Excitotoxicity and cerebral ischemia induce strong endocytosis in neurons, and we here investigate its functional role in neuroprotection by a functional transactivator of transcription (TAT)‐peptide, the c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor D‐JNKI1, against NMDA‐excitotoxicity in vitro and neonatal ischemic stroke in P12 Sprague–Dawley rats. In both situations, the neuroprotective efficacy of D‐JNKI1 was confirmed, but excessively high doses were counterproductive. Importantly, the induced endocytosis was necessary for neuroprotection, which required that the TAT‐peptide be administered at a time when induced endocytosis was occurring. Uptake by other routes failed to protect, and even promoted cell death at high doses. Blocking the induced endocytosis of D‐JNKI1 with heparin or with an excess of D‐TAT‐peptide eliminated the neuroprotection. We conclude that excitotoxicity‐induced endocytosis is a basic property of stressed neurons that can target neuroprotective TAT‐peptides into the neurons that need protection. Furthermore, it is the main mediator of neuroprotection by D‐JNKI1. This may explain promising reports of strong neuroprotection by TAT‐peptides without apparent side effects, and warns that the timing of peptide administration is crucial.
A dominance‐based approach to map risks of ecological invasions in the presence of severe uncertainty
Authors: Yemshanov Denys , Koch Frank H. , Barry Lyons D. , Ducey Mark , Koehler Klaus
Published: October 2011

Aim Uncertainty has been widely recognized as one of the most critical issues in predicting the expansion of ecological invasions. The uncertainty associated with the introduction and spread of invasive organisms influences how pest management decision makers respond to expanding incursions. We present a model‐based approach to map risk of ecological invasions that combines two potentially conflicting goals: (1) estimating the likelihood of a new organism being established at a given locale and (2) quantifying the uncertainty of that prediction.

Location Eastern and central Canada.

Methods Our methodology focuses on the potential for long‐distance, human‐assisted spread of invasive organisms. First, we used a spatial simulation model to generate distributions of plausible invasion outcomes over a target geographical region. We then used second‐degree stochastic dominance (SSD) criteria to rank all geographical locations in the target region based on these distributions. We applied the approach to analyze pathways of human‐assisted spread (i.e., with commercially transported goods) of the emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennisFairmaire), a major pest of ash trees in North America.

Results The projected potential of the pest to establish at remote locations is significantly shaped by the amount of epistemic uncertainty in the model‐based forecasts. The estimates based on the SSD ranking identified major ‘crossroads’ through which the movement of the EAB with commercial transport is most likely to occur. The system of major expressways in Ontario and Quebec was confirmed as the primary gateway of the pest’s expansion throughout the Canadian landscape.

Main conclusions Overall, the new approach generates more realistic predictions of long‐distance introductions than models that do not account for severe uncertainties and thus can help design more effective pest surveillance programmes. The modelling technique is generic and can be applied to assess other environmental phenomena when the level of epistemic uncertainty is high.
Can we explain regional abundance and road‐kill patterns with variables derived from local‐scale road‐kill models? Evaluating transferability with the European polecat
Authors: Barrientos Rafael , de Dios Miranda Juan
Published: October 2011

Aim  We evaluated the transferability of variables previously found to have a significant effect on European polecat Mustela putorius road‐kills at a local scale (i.e. 50 m around location points) when we extrapolate them to a large scale [Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) 100 km2] in a neighbouring area.

Location  Andalusia, south Spain. We carried out our study in 821 of the 985 UTM 100 km2 cells included in this region.

Methods  The units of the different variables were adapted to the new scale. We used data from the Spanish Atlas survey to obtain the abundance of the different species and GIS data for the rest of the variables. We controlled the spatial autocorrelation by incorporating spatial filters obtained with Spatial Eigenvector Mapping into multiple regression analyses. We used AIC criteria and the best subset procedure to investigate the relationship between the selected variables and species abundance, and road‐kill occurrence.

Results  The best subset procedure provided two models that explained 40% of variation in polecat abundance and eleven models that explained around 25% of variation in road‐kills. The main explanatory factor for polecat abundance was the abundance of other carnivores, whereas polecat abundance was the main factor for road‐kills. In both cases, rabbit abundance was the second most important explanatory variable.

Main Conclusions  Our findings highlight the possibility of partially explaining the abundance and road‐kill patterns at a large scale based on significant variables from local‐scale models. Mitigation measures to reduce polecat fatalities should combine actions at different scales. Routes that cross carnivore hotspots, including those of polecats, and areas with important populations of rabbits, should be avoided during road planning. When these routes are unavoidable, local‐scale mitigation measures must be implemented.
Model migrations: mobility and boundary crossings in regional climate prediction
Authors: Mahony Martin , Hulme Mike
Published: October 2011

The Hadley Centre’s PRECIS regional climate modelling system has been designed to fulfil the informational requirements of adaptation and development planners in the ‘global south’. Drawing on recent insights from science and technology studies and the geography of science concerning the mobility of scientific knowledge, this study investigates the institutional and discursive associations that enable the PRECIS modelling system to move between its UK birthplace and new sites of climate simulation. Document analysis and interviews with key personnel reveal the construction of regional climate modelling as an obligatory passage point for those seeking to adapt to future climates in developing countries. Furthermore, the operation of PRECIS across the boundaries of intersecting scientific and political worlds imbues the model with a level of epistemic power that has enabled the partial re‐shaping of the global geographies of climate knowledge production. This new structuring of scientific practice is potentially empowering through the redistribution of climate modelling expertise, yet it may also contribute to the construction of climate prediction as a limit to adaptation. We argue that it furthers an epistemic hegemony that renders alternative ‘ways of knowing’ the climate either subordinate to or dependent upon the epistemic community centred on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and global governance mechanisms. The study illuminates the potential for geographers of science to make normative interventions in debates around the interplay of space, knowledge and power in contexts of environmental deliberation and governance.
Evaluation of transient elastography for fibrosis assessment compared with large biopsies in chronic hepatitis B and C
Authors: Verveer Claudia , Zondervan Pieter E. , ten Kate Fibo J. W. , Hansen Bettina E. , Janssen Harry L. A. , de Knegt Robert J.
Published: October 2011

Background

Fibrosis determines prognosis and management in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C (CHB and CHC). Transient elastography (TE) is a promising non‐invasive method to assess fibrosis. We prospectively studied the performance of TE compared to histology and also whether there are differences between CHB and CHC. Only large biopsies (≥25 mm) were used.

Methods

We included 241 patients with CHB (n = 125) and CHC (n = 116), of whom we acquired 257 liver biopsies, all preceded by elastography. We correlated liver stiffness with fibrosis stage according to the METAVIR system, inflammation (Histology Activity Index), steatosis and iron. The impact of gender, age, body mass index, alcohol, alanine aminotransferase levels, platelet count, viral load and genotype on liver stiffness was evaluated.

Results

The AUROC's for F ≥ 2 were 0.85 for CHB and 0.76 for CHC. AUROC's for F ≥ 3 were 0.91 for CHB and 0.87 for CHC and 0.90 and 0.91 for F4 for CHB and CHC respectively. For F ≥ 2 the cut‐off value was 6.0 kPa for CHB and 5.0 kPa for CHC. The cut‐off values for ≥F3 were 9.0 and 8.0 kPa for CHB and CHC, respectively, and 13.0 kPa for F4 in both CHB and CHC patients. Besides inflammation, all other remaining factors do not influence liver stiffness.

Conclusion

For the diagnosis of fibrosis stages F ≤ 2 TE is suboptimal, and inflammation may induce higher values. For stages F ≥ 3 TE performance is good and equal in both CHB and CHC patients.
Synthesis and absorption spectra of some novel hetaryldisazocalix[4]arene derivatives
Authors: Şener İzzet , Kadifeli Fikriye
Published: October 2011

In this study, a convenient method for the synthesis of thirteen novel disazo dyes containing 25,26,27‐tribenzoyloxy‐28‐hydroxycalix[4]arene have been described. 5,11,17,23‐Tetra‐tert‐butyl‐25,26,27,28‐tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene, 25,26,27,28‐tetrahydroxycalix[4]arene and 25,26,27‐tribenzoyloxy‐28‐hydroxycalix[4]arene were synthesised based on previously published literature. 2‐Arylhdrazone‐3‐ketiminobutyronitriles were synthesised and reacted with hydrazine hydrate to afford the corresponding 5‐amino‐4‐arylazo‐3‐methyl‐1H‐pyrazoles. Thirteen novel hetaryldisazocalix[4]arene derivatives were achieved by diazotisation of 5‐amino‐4‐arylazo‐3‐methyl‐1H‐pyrazoles using nitrosylsulphuric acid, coupled with 25,26,27‐tribenzoyloxy‐28‐hydroxycalix[4]arene. The obtained hetaryldisazocalix[4]arene dyes were characterised based on Fourier Transform–infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopic techniques, as well as elemental analysis. The solvatochromic behaviour of these dyes in various solvents was examined. Acid‐base effects on the visible absorption maxima of the dyes were also reported.
Dialysis Vascular Access Management by Interventional Nephrology Programs at University Medical Centers in the United States
Authors: Vachharajani Tushar J. , Moossavi Shahriar , Salman Loay , Wu Steven , Dwyer Amy C. , Ross Jamie , Dukkipati Ramanath , Maya Ivan D. , Yevzlin Alexander S. , Agarwal Anil , Abreo Kenneth D. , Work Jack , Asif Arif
Published: October 2011

The development of interventional nephrology has undoubtedly led to an improvement in patient care at many facilities across the United States. However, these services have traditionally been offered by interventional nephrologists in the private practice arena. While interventional nephrology was born in the private practice setting, several academic medical centers across the United States have now developed interventional nephrology programs. University Medical Centers (UMCs) that offer interventional nephrology face challenges, such as smaller dialysis populations, limited financial resources, and real or perceived political “turf” issues.” Despite these hurdles, several UMCs have successfully established interventional nephrology as an intricate part of a larger nephrology program. This has largely been accomplished by consolidating available resources and collaborating with other specialties irrespective of the size of the dialysis population. The collaboration with other specialties also offers an opportunity to perform advanced procedures, such as application of excimer laser and endovascular ultrasound. As more UMCs establish interventional nephrology programs, opportunities for developing standardized training centers will improve, resulting in better quality and availability of nephrology‐related procedures, and providing an impetus for research activities.
Guillain‐Barré syndrome: background incidence rates in The Netherlands
Authors: van der Maas Nicoline A. T. , Kramer Merlijn A. , Jacobs Bart C. , van Soest Eva M. , Dieleman Jeanne P. , Kemmeren Jeanet M. , de Melker Hester E. , Sturkenboom Miriam C. J. M.
Published: October 2011

Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) is a (sub)acute polyradiculoneuropathy, which may occur following immunization. To interpret the occurrence of GBS after introduction of large‐scale immunization programmes, it is important to define recent background incidence rates (IRs) of GBS. We used a general practitioner electronic medical record database to assess age‐specific GBS IRs between 1996 and 2008 in The Netherlands. All possible GBS cases were manually reviewed. Validated incident cases were reviewed by a neurologist (B. J.) for diagnostic certainty using the GBS case definition of the Brighton Collaboration (BC). In a population of 638,891 persons, we identified 23 validated incident GBS cases (mean age 46 years). IR was 1.14 per 100,000 person years (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67–1.61) and was lower for people under 50 years (0.76; 95%CI 0.41–1.32) compared with elderly of 50 years or older (1.80; 95%CI 0.98–3.05). Only six cases fulfilled level 1 or 2 of diagnostic certainty of the BC case definition. IR of GBS increases with age. As vaccinations are often targeted at specific age groups, age‐specific rates should be used to monitor GBS observed versus expected rates after introduction of large‐scale vaccination programmes.
Hospital‐Admitted Injury Attributable to Alcohol
Authors: Miller Ted R. , Spicer Rebecca S.
Published: October 2011

Background:  Primary data collection has established that alcohol causes injuries treated in the emergency department. No comparable data exist for injuries admitted to hospital. Data on the injury risks of heavy drinkers relative to other drinkers also are sparse.

Methods:  We estimated (i) whether regular heavy drinkers have higher hospitalized injury risks than other people when alcohol‐negative and (ii) how much hospitalized injury risk of regular heavy drinkers and other drinkers rises when alcohol‐positive. We combined national alcohol consumption data with alcohol metabolism rates to estimate hours spent alcohol‐positive versus alcohol‐negative during a year for heavy drinkers versus other people. A literature review provided hospitalized nonfatal injury rates for these groups by alcohol involvement.

Results:  Relative to other alcohol‐negative people aged 18 and older, heavy drinkers have an estimated relative risk of hospitalized injury of 1.4 when alcohol‐negative and 4.3 when alcohol‐positive. Others have an estimated relative risk of 1.0 when alcohol‐negative and 6.8 when alcohol‐positive. Thus, alcohol greatly raises injury risk. The excess risk patterns persist for a wide range of sensitivity analysis values. Of hospitalized injuries, an estimated 21% are alcohol‐attributable including 36% of assaults.

Conclusions:  Drinking alcohol is a major cause of hospitalized injury. Heavy drinkers lead risky lifestyles. They tolerate alcohol better than most drinkers, but their injury risks still triple when they drink. Our approach to attribution is a valuable complement to more costly, more precise approaches that rely heavily on primary data collection. It works for any severity of injury. Applying it only requires an existing alcohol consumption survey plus data on alcohol involvement in targeted injuries.
Excitation of Rat Cerebellar Golgi Cells by Ethanol: Further Characterization of the Mechanism
Authors: Botta Paolo , Simões de Souza Fabio M. , Sangrey Thomas , De Schutter Erik , Valenzuela C. Fernando
Published: October 2011

Background:  Studies with rodents suggest that acute ethanol exposure impairs information flow through the cerebellar cortex, in part, by increasing GABAergic input to granule cells. Experiments suggest that an increase in the excitability of specialized GABAergic interneurons that regulate granule cell activity (i.e., Golgi cells [GoCs]) contributes to this effect. In GoCs, ethanol increases spontaneous action potential firing frequency, decreases the afterhyperpolarization amplitude, and depolarizes the membrane potential. Studies suggest that these effects could be mediated by inhibition of the Na+/K+ ATPase. The purpose of this study was to characterize the potential role of other GoC conductances in the mechanism of action of ethanol.

Methods:  Computer modeling techniques and patch‐clamp electrophysiological recordings with acute slices from rat cerebella were used for these studies.

Results:  Computer modeling suggested that modulation of subthreshold Na+ channels, hyperpolarization‐activated currents, and several K+ conductances could explain some but not all actions of ethanol on GoCs. Electrophysiological studies did not find evidence consistent with a contribution of these conductances. Quinidine, a nonselective blocker of several types of channels (including several K+ channels) that also antagonizes the Na+/K+ ATPase, reduced the effect of ethanol on GoC firing.

Conclusions:  These findings further support that ethanol increases GoC excitability via modulation of the Na+/K+ ATPase and suggest that a quinidine‐sensitive K+ channel may also play a role in the mechanism of action of ethanol.
Future Directions in Research Regarding Attitudes Toward Immigrants
Authors: Zárate Michael A. , Quezada Stephanie A.
Published: October 2011

Immigration became a political concern after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Since then, states are implementing legislation that targets immigrant groups. In response, researchers have begun to investigate the consequences of immigration policies in the United States. For this special issue of Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, the editors compiled a series of articles that highlight how the new political dynamics are influencing the lives of immigrants, often in reaction to Arizona SB 1070. This commentary summarizes the key topics discussed in the series of articles and provides suggestions for new research. It is proposed that prejudice towards immigrants is now “allowed” by the new social norms and that such prejudice produces new questions rarely addressed in the literature. The realities that some immigrants bring to the country (like reduced homicide rates) contrast the political rhetoric, and those distinctions provide great opportunities for research. In addition, the change brought about by large immigrant populations can influence self‐perceptions of what many Americans consider the national identity, which is also rarely studied. This special issue provides a great step in this research endeavor, and it is proposed that there are multiple possible paths to productive research regarding prejudice towards immigrants.
Fixed Prosthodontic Rehabilitation in a Wear Patient with Fabry's Disease
Authors: Bidra Avinash S.
Published: October 2011

Fabry's disease is an uncommon X‐linked metabolic disorder that leads to abnormal accumulation of glycosphingolipids in the body resulting in a variety of systemic disorders. Few reports have addressed dental findings and management of these patients. This clinical report describes the fixed prosthodontic rehabilitation of an adult male patient with Fabry's disease, who presented with generalized severe wear of the dentition. In addition to numerous systemic morbidities, the patient also presented with intraoral angiokeratomas, telangiactasias, anterior diastemata, bimaxillary prognathism, and other oral findings known to be prominent in these patients. The patient was managed by an interdisciplinary team of dental specialists in close coordination with his nephrologist. The prosthodontic treatment included restorations on all teeth, except mandibular anterior teeth, and the patient was restored with a partial group function scheme of occlusion. At the 3.5‐year follow‐up appointment, the patient's oral health and integrity of the restorations remained stable. This is the first clinical report describing the prosthodontic management of a patient with Fabry's disease. Unique features related to this patient's fixed prosthodontic treatment include accommodation to complex medical problems, management of maxillary diastemata, and choice of occlusal scheme.
Full‐Mouth Rehabilitation of a Patient with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Clinical Report
Authors: Guo Juanli , Reside Glenn , Cooper Lyndon F.
Published: October 2011

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition caused by stomach acid regurgitating into the esophagus or oral cavity, often causing heartburn. Tooth erosion and wear are common oral manifestations of GERD. This clinical report describes the full‐mouth rehabilitation of a patient with over 30 years of GERD, causing wear of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth, along with complications associated with past restorations. Full‐mouth rehabilitation of natural teeth in conjunction with dental implants was selected as the treatment option. Ideal occlusal design and optimal esthetics, along with reinforcement of oral hygiene, ensure a favorable prognosis.
Interim Prosthetic Phase of Multidisciplinary Management of Cleidocranial Dysplasia: “The Bronx Approach”
Authors: Berg Robert W. , Kurtz Kenneth S. , Watanabe Ikuya , Lambrakos Anthony
Published: October 2011

This case report presents treatment of two patients with the usual characteristics of Cleidocranial Dysostosis. A multidisciplinary approach using the disciplines of prosthodontics, orthodontics, and oral surgery was effected. Exfoliation of the patient's deciduous teeth and failure of permanent anterior tooth eruption led to emotional, social, and self‐esteem issues in both patients. Due to the psychosocial issues confronting these two patients, esthetics was addressed prior to active intervention with orthodontics and after some surgical intervention. The use of two interim overdenture prostheses with magnetic retention is described.
Effect of conditions in sealed plastic bags on eclosion of mass‐reared Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni
Authors: Dominiak Bernie , Sundaralingam Selliah , Jiang Laura , Nicol Helen
Published: October 2011

The sterile insect technique has been used for more than 50 years to control a range of insects around the world. Sterile insect technique is rapidly becoming a major component of many area‐wide fruit fly management programmes. Irradiation of immature life stages induces sterility in adults, which are then distributed over large areas to mate with wild flies, resulting in no viable offspring. However, irradiation in normal air results in declining adult quality. To optimize the quality of sterile adult flies, several techniques are available to lower the levels of oxygen in fruit fly tissues prior to irradiation. The simplest method is to seal pupae in plastic bags and allow the oxygen consumption of pupae to minimize oxygen in both the air and pupal tissue. Some fruit fly species have rapid decreases in eclosion as a result of low oxygen atmospheres. We tested the tolerance of Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae), to low oxygen for the first time. In the first two experiments, unirradiated B. tryoni pupae were tested for different periods in sealed plastic bags at 17, 21, and 26 °C. Optimum eclosion occurred at 21 °C with the lowest eclosion at 26 °C. In general, mean full eclosion declined at ca. 0.1% eclosion per hour sealed in plastic bags during the first 96 h for all temperatures. In the third and fourth experiments at 17 °C, there was a decline in average eclosion for irradiated and unirradiated pupae of about 13.4% after they were sealed in plastic bags for 192 h. In general, B. tryoni eclosion declined at 0.1% per hour inside sealed plastic bags for periods up to 192 h at 17 °C. Queensland fruit flies can tolerate long periods of conditions found inside sealed plastic bags and current practices for sterile B. tryoni release programmes will result in minimum decrease in eclosion. The possible evolution of tolerance of these conditions is discussed.