bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The differing mechanisms of photo-formation of 7-cyanobenzocyclooctatetraene from 7- and 6-cyano-2,3-benzobicyclo[4.2.0]octa-2,4,7-triene
Authors: Bender Christopher Owen , Dolman Douglas , Foesier Jeremy Christian , Lawson Sherry Lee , Preuss Kathryn Elvia
Published: February 2003

It is known that 7-cyanobenzocyclooctatetraene (COT 2) is a product of the thermolysis and direct photolysis of 7- and 6-cyano-2,3-benzobicyclo[4.2.0]octa-2,4,7-triene (1 and 5), though the mechanisms of these rearrangements have not been reported. In the present study experiments have been carried out using the deuterium-labelled trienes 1a (93%-d1 at C-6) and 5a (93%-d1 at C-8), which were formed from 2π + 2π photo-closure (direct irradiation) of COT 2a labelled at C-8. The results reveal that whereas the thermolysis of 1a and 5a and the direct irradiation of 5a reform COT 2a, probably via cleavage of the strained cyclobutene C-1C-6 bond, the direct irradiation of triene 1a gives a differently labelled COT product, containing the deuterium exclusively at C-9. The mechanism proposed for the latter phototransformation is a modification of the Zimmerman di-π-methane rearrangement.Key words: mechanisms, rearrangements, photochemistry, di-π-methane rearrangement.
THE LOWER BOUNDS OF THE LENGTHS OF THICK KNOTS
Authors: DIAO YUANAN
Published: February 2003

In this paper, we derive a formula that provides lower bounds on the minimal arc length required to tie a unit thickness knot in terms of the minimal crossing number of the knot. We prove that for any nontrivial knot with unit thickness, the minimal arc length is at least 24. This answers an open question (posted in [13]) in the negative: one cannot tie a knot using one foot-length of one-inch (diameter) rope. For knots with minimal crossing numbers up to 1850, our result yields larger lower bounds on the lengths of the knots than the known results.
ON THE LE-MURAKAMI-OHTSUKI INVARIANT IN DEGREE 2 FOR SEVERAL CLASSES OF 3-MANIFOLDS
Authors: GILLE CATHERINE
Published: February 2003

The 3-manifolds invariant of Le, Murakami and Ohtsuki is the universal finite type invariant for integral homology spheres. It takes values in the graded algebra of trivalent graphs and it is known that its degree one part is essentially the Casson-Walker-Lescop invariant. Here we compute the degree two term for several classes of 3-manifolds. In particular, we give an expression of ω (ML) up to order 2 when MLis the 3-manifold obtained by Dehn surgery along a framed link L with one or two components.
RIBBON LINK AND SEPARATE RIBBON LINK
Authors: KOBAYASHI KAZUAKI , KODAMA KOUJI , SHIBUYA TETSUO
Published: February 2003

We shall study several circles in the 3-sphere called a link which has "high" splitness properties. We offer several kind of those links and study relations among them. Alexander polynomial, Conway polynomial and Milnor μ and [Formula: see text] invariants did not work for those links as vanishing cause of high splitness. We use higher order elementary ideals to distinguish those links.
THIN POSITION FOR TANGLES
Authors: BACHMAN DAVID , SCHLEIMER SAUL
Published: February 2003

If a tangle, [Formula: see text] , has no planar, meridional, essential surfaces in its exterior then thin position for K has no thin levels.
ON A CLASS OF UNINORMS
Authors: DREWNIAK JÓZEF , DRYGAŚ PAWEŁ
Published: February 2003

Paper deals with binary operations in unit interval. We investigate connections between families of triangular norms, triangular conorms and uninorms. Certain structures of uninorms admits only the idempotent case.
DOMINATION OF AGGREGATION OPERATORS AND PRESERVATION OF TRANSITIVITY
Authors: SAMINGER SUSANNE , MESIAR RADKO , BODENHOFER ULRICH
Published: February 2003

Aggregation processes are fundamental in any discipline where the fusion of information is of vital interest. For aggregating binary fuzzy relations such as equivalence relations or fuzzy orderings, the question arises which aggregation operators preserve specific properties of the underlying relations, e.g. T-transitivity. It will be shown that preservation of T-transitivity is closely related to the domination of the applied aggregation operator over the corresponding t-norm T. Furthermore, basic properties for dominating aggregation operators, not only in the case of dominating some t-norm T, but dominating some arbitrary aggregation operator, will be presented. Domination of isomorphic t-norms and ordinal sums of t-norms will be treated. Special attention is paid to the four basic t-norms (minimum t-norm, product t-norm, Łukasiewicz t-norm, and the drastic product).
A REMARK ON THE ARITHMETIC MEAN OF AN INFINITE SEQUENCE
Authors: GONZÁLEZ L. , MUEL E. , MESIAR R.
Published: February 2003

We discuss several aspects of the generalization of the arithmetic mean for infinite sequences. It is shown that no operator on infinite sequences can posses all properties of the classical arithmetic mean. Some alternative operators are introduced and their properties compared.
CONTRAPOSITIVE SYMMETRY OF DISTRIBUTIVE FUZZY IMPLICATIONS
Authors: BACZYŃSKI MICHAŁ
Published: February 2003

Recently, we have examined the solutions of the system of the functional equations I(x, T(y, z)) = T(I(x, y), I(x, z)), I(x, I(y, z)) = I(T(x, y), z), where T : [0, 1]2 → [0, 1] is a strict t-norm and I : [0, 1]2 → [0, 1] is a non-continuous fuzzy implication. In this paper we continue these investigations for contrapositive implications, i.e. functions which satisfy the functional equation I(x, y) = I(N(y), N(x)), with a strong negation N : [0, 1] → [0, 1]. We show also the bounds for two classes of fuzzy implications which are connected with our investigations.
AN INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM GAME THEORY
Authors: FLITNEY A. P. , ABBOTT D.
Published: February 2003

The application of the methods of quantum mechanics to game theory provides us with the ability to achieve results not otherwise possible. Both linear superpositions of actions and entanglement between the players' moves can be exploited. We provide an introduction to quantum game theory and review the current status of the subject.
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND THE MOTIVATION OF TECHNICAL PROFESSIONALS
Authors: McMEEKIN ANDREW , COOMBS ROD
Published: February 2003

This paper examines the links between human resource management (HRM) and the motivation of technical professionals located in R&D (research and development) functions. This issue is addressed through case studies of four large technology-based firms. Interviews were conducted with human resource managers, line managers and technical professionals. The various HRM practices identified in the case studies are analysed with respect to their impact on the motivation of technical professionals. In particular, the research reveals that there is confusion between appraisal and performance management, and that explicit career management procedures are poorly deployed.
INNOVATION DIFFUSION AND IMPLEMENTATION
Authors: DRURY D. H. , FARHOOMAND A.
Published: February 2003

Economic progress continues to be greatly influenced by the development and adoption of innovations. Maintaining momentum necessitates understanding factors that influence the choices made by organisations. Diffusion and implementation research have each sought to understand necessary conditions and motivations and to identify obstacles. Whether these two areas of research have the same determinants, overlap, or are separate is controversially affecting the interpretation of current research. This issue is the subject of this paper.

The empirical investigation compares variables of the diffusion chronology with the choice decision in implementation. This macro-level analysis reveals that the two areas are connected but there are also substantial differences. The results of this study reconfirm the emerging evidence in the literature that the innovation adoption decision should not be treated as a dichotomous organisational choice. Furthermore, the evidence strongly points to the need to develop integrative theories that include the chronological aspects of the innovation adoption process.
A RESOURCE-BASED VIEW OF ALLIANCES: THE CASE OF THE HANDHELD COMPUTER INDUSTRY
Authors: MINSHALL TIM
Published: February 2003

Strategic alliances are a common feature of uncertain competitive environments driven by fast-changing technologies. However, research also reveals that firms find strategic alliances frequently to be more expensive, less efficient and more difficult to manage than anticipated. Alliances based around emerging technologies can suffer higher failure rates and incur greater costs than the formation of a new business venture. This paper uses a resource-based perspective to examine the variety of roles that, despite the problems they present, alliances have played in the strategies of three firms competing within the rapidly evolving handheld computer industry.

The paper concludes by presenting a view that the ability of a firm to set up and manage strategic alliances can be considered as a distinct organisational capability for firms seeking to compete in a fast changing competitive environment driven by emerging technologies, and indicates possible directions for future research in this area.
TYPES OF NETWORKS AND THEIR EFFECT ON INNOVATION IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY (CYPRUS)
Authors: HADJIMANOLIS ATHANASIOS
Published: February 2003

Networking, as a multidimensional concept, has been studied here from various angles. Vertical networking was found to be more important for innovation than the horizontal one. The study has shown that horizontal networking intensity, contrary to literature claims, is not correlated to innovativeness or performance and it is not significantly different across various manufacturing sectors. Cooperation among firms in the same sector in new product development was found to be very low and links to technology providers were also found to be weak. Some explanations for the findings are offered as well as suggestions for necessary managerial and policy actions. The findings are compared to stipulations of theoretical models e.g. the industrial district model.
CORPORATE ACTIVITIES IN SPEECH RECOGNITION AND NATURAL LANGUAGE: ANOTHER "NEW SCIENCE"-BASED TECHNOLOGY
Authors: KOUMPIS KONSTANTINOS , PAVITT KEITH
Published: February 2003

We have used data on patents and publications, and from an Internet-based survey, to analyse corporate technological activities in Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies. Two distinct clusters of firms exist: large firms mainly in telecommunications, desktop computing and consumer electronics; and small firms specialising in speech technologies. The small specialised firms depend heavily on nearby universities and public research institutes and, to some extent, on nearby large firms; their relations with the large firms are complementary as well as competitive. Similar patterns can be observed in other, recently emerging, "new science"-based technologies.

Integration between ASR and NLP has so far been weak with the two research communities functioning more or less independently, with the former progressing more rapidly than the latter. Having built technological capabilities in ASR and NLP with a small proportion of their corporate technological resources, the large firms have two options depending on the rate of progress in these technologies (especially NLP) in the future. If it is high, substantial investments (including those in complementary technologies) could open up massive market opportunities. If it is low, modest investments will allow the exploitation of niche markets.
Effects of Isosorbide Mononitrate and AII Inhibition on Pulse Wave Reflection in Hypertension
Authors: Stokes Gordon S. , Barin Edward S. , Gilfillan Kerry L.
Published: February 2003

The aortic pulse wave contour in isolated systolic hypertension often shows a prominent reflection peak, which combines with the incident wave arising from cardiac ejection so as to widen pulse pressure. We investigated the effects of an extended-release nitrate preparation and of 2 angiotensin II (AII) inhibitors (an AII receptor antagonist and an ACE inhibitor) on the aortic pulse wave contour and systemic blood pressure in hypertensive subjects with high augmentation index caused by exaggerated pulse wave reflection. Two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover studies were carried out in a total of 16 elderly patients with systolic hypertension resistant to conventional antihypertensive therapy. In 1 study, pharmacodynamic responses to single doses of placebo, isosorbide mononitrate, eprosartan, and captopril were determined; in the other, single-dose isosorbide mononitrate and placebo were compared in subjects treated with AII inhibitors at baseline. Blood pressure was measured by sphygmomanometry and pulse wave components by applanation tonometry at the radial artery. All 3 agents were shown to decrease brachial systolic blood pressure, aortic systolic blood pressure, and aortic pulse pressure. Qualitative effects on the aortic pulse wave contour differed: augmentation index was not significantly altered by either captopril or eprosartan but was decreased (
P
<0.0001) by ≈50% of the placebo value with isosorbide mononitrate in both study groups. We propose that isosorbide mononitrate corrected the magnified wave reflection in systolic hypertension of these elderly patients by an effect that was distinct from that exercised by either acute or chronic AII inhibition.
Altered Tropomyosin Expression in Essential Hypertension
Authors: Dunn Stuart A. , Mohteshamzadeh Mobin , Daly Ann K. , Thomas Trevor H.
Published: February 2003

Abnormal erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport is common in a subgroup of patients with essential hypertension and a strong family history of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. We have previously shown that the abnormality in sodium-lithium countertransport is associated with tropomyosin, a cytoskeletal protein required to stabilize actin filament formation. Leukocyte trafficking events, which depend on cytoskeletal reorganization, are also altered in patients with essential hypertension with abnormal sodium-lithium countertransport. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an abnormality in isoforms of tropomyosin that are common to erythrocytes and leukocytes. Analysis of reticulocyte RNA by reverse transcription (RT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed expression of TPMN and TPM5b isoforms of tropomyosin. No other isoforms were expressed. These isoforms were also detected in RNA from leukocytes. In patients with essential hypertension with abnormal erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport compared with normal control subjects, there was a higher TPMN/TPM5b ratio of protein in erythrocytes (median 3.8 [range 1.8 to 6.6] versus 2.9 [1.9 to 4.0],
P
<0.001) and of RNA in leukocytes (3.7 [1.7 to 8.2] versus 2.6 [1.2 to 4.3],
P
<0.01). Furthermore, the protein ratio of TPMN/TPM5b in erythrocytes showed significant correlation with the V
max
/K
m
ratio of sodium-lithium countertransport across the patient groups (
r
=−0.42;
P
<0.01). Therefore, altered tropomyosin expression may be the underlying abnormality associated with blood cell membrane changes in essential hypertension and implicates the cytoskeleton in the pathogenesis of the disease in a major subgroup of patients.
Angiotensinogen Gene Knockout Delays and Attenuates Cold-Induced Hypertension
Authors: Sun Zhongjie , Cade Robert , Zhang Zhonge , Alouidor James , Van Huong
Published: February 2003

The aim of the present study was to assess our hypothesis that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is responsible for cold-induced hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. Two groups of wild-type (WT) mice and 2 groups of angiotensinogen gene knockout (
Agt
-KO) mice (6 per group) were used. After blood pressures (BP) of the four groups were measured 3 times at room temperature (25°C), 1 WT and 1
Agt
-KO group were exposed to cold (5°C). The remaining groups were kept at 25°C. BP of the cold-exposed WT group increased significantly in 1 week of cold exposure and rose gradually to 168±7 mm Hg by week 5, whereas the BP of the
Agt
-KO group did not increase until week 3. The cold-induced increase in BP (ΔBP) was decreased significantly in the
Agt
-KO mice (19±3 mm Hg) compared with that of the WT mice (61±5 mm Hg) by 5 weeks of exposure to cold. Both WT and
Agt
-KO groups had cardiac hypertrophy in cold to the same extent.
Agt
-KO caused a significant increase in nitric oxide (NO) production. Thus, the RAS may inhibit NO formation. Chronic cold exposure decreased NO production, which may be mediated partially by activation of the RAS. These results strongly support that the RAS plays a critical role in the development of cold-induced hypertension but not cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, the role of the RAS in cold-induced hypertension may be mediated in part by its inhibition on NO production. The findings also reveal the possible relation between the RAS and NO in cardiovascular regulation.
Regression of Hypertensive Myocardial Fibrosis by Na
+
/H
+
Exchange Inhibition
Authors: Cingolani Horacio E. , Rebolledo Oscar R. , Portiansky Enrique L. , Pérez Néstor G. , Camilión de Hurtado María C.
Published: February 2003

We have recently reported that the inhibition of the Na
+
/H
+
exchanger (NHE) during 1 month in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is followed by regression of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy but not of myocardial fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a treatment of longer duration could reduce myocardial fibrosis and stiffness. SHR received 3.0 mg/kg per day of the specific NHE-1 inhibitor cariporide; the effect on cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, myocardial collagen volume fraction, collagen synthesis, and myocardial stiffness (length-tension relation in left papillary muscles) was evaluated at several time points (after 1, 2, or 3 months). A slight decrease of ≈5 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure was observed after 1 month of treatment with no further changes. After 2 and 3 months of treatment, the size of cardiomyocytes remained within normal values and myocardial fibrosis progressively decreased to normal level. Accordingly, myocardial stiffness and the serum levels of the carboxyterminal propeptide of procollagen type I, a marker of collagen type I synthesis, were normalized after 3 months. Left ventricular weight decreased from 910±43 (in untreated SHR) to 781±21 mg (treated SHR) after 3 months of treatment. No difference in body weight between treated and untreated SHR was observed after this period of treatment. The present data allow us to conclude that in the SHR the administration of an NHE-1 inhibitor for 2 or 3 months leads to the normalization of collagen type I synthesis, myocardial collagen volume fraction, and stiffness.
Atrial Fibrillation in Hypertension
Authors: Verdecchia Paolo , Reboldi GianPaolo , Gattobigio Roberto , Bentivoglio Maurizio , Borgioni Claudia , Angeli Fabio , Carluccio Erberto , Sardone Maria Grazia , Porcellati Carlo
Published: February 2003

Incidence, determinants, and outcome of atrial fibrillation in hypertensive subjects are incompletely known. We followed for up to 16 years 2482 initially untreated subjects with essential hypertension. At entry, all subjects were in sinus rhythm. Subjects with valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, preexcitation syndrome, thyroid disorders, or lung disease were excluded. During follow-up, a first episode of atrial fibrillation occurred in 61 subjects at a rate of 0.46 per 100 person-years. At entry, subjects with future atrial fibrillation differed (all
P
<0.05) from those without by age (59 versus 51 years), office, and 24-hour systolic blood pressure (165 and 144 versus 157 and 137 mm Hg, respectively), left ventricular mass (58 versus 49 g/height[m]
2.7
), and left atrial diameter (3.89 versus 3.56 cm). Age and left ventricular mass (both
P
<0.001) were the sole independent predictors of atrial fibrillation. For every 1 standard deviation increase in left ventricular mass, the risk of atrial fibrillation was increased 1.20 times (95% CI, 1.07 to 1.34). Atrial fibrillation became chronic in 33% of subjects. Age, left ventricular mass, and left atrial diameter (all
P
<0.01) were independent predictors of chronic atrial fibrillation. Ischemic stroke occurred at a rate of 2.7% and 4.6% per year, respectively, among subjects with paroxysmal and chronic atrial fibrillation. These data indicate that in hypertensive subjects with sinus rhythm and no other major predisposing conditions, risk of atrial fibrillation increases with age and left ventricular mass. Increased left atrial size predisposes to chronicization of atrial fibrillation.
Mechanistically Distinct Steps in the Mitochondrial Death Pathway Triggered by Oxidative Stress in Cardiac Myocytes
Authors: Akao Masaharu , O’Rourke Brian , Teshima Yasushi , Seharaseyon Jegatheesan , Marbán Eduardo
Published: February 2003

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, we characterize three distinct phases of the H
2
O
2
-induced response, which leads to loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ
m
) and subsequent cell death in cultured cardiac myocytes. (1) Priming: After H
2
O
2
exposure (100 μmol/L), cells maintain a constant ΔΨ
m
for the cell-to-cell specific latency but at the same time undergo progressive changes in inner mitochondrial membrane structure (swelling and loss of cristae by electron microscopy). An increase of matrix calcium is required, but not sufficient, for this process. (2) Depolarization: Priming is followed by sudden depolarization of ΔΨ
m
, which is mediated by mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, as evidenced by the concomitant release of calcein from mitochondria. This process is rapid (<4 minutes), complete, and irreversible. The duration of depolarization is constant and does not depend on the length of the priming process in any given cell. (3) Fragmentation: Along with massive mitochondrial swelling and release of cytochrome
c
into the cytoplasm, cells undergo surface membrane alterations, such as exposure of phosphatidylserine and eventual loss of membrane integrity and cellular fragmentation. Thus, oxidant stress elicits reproducible and stereotyped responses in cardiac cells. The priming phase, during which mitochondria undergo major ultrastructural alterations but remain functional, represents a particularly attractive target for intervention in the prevention of cell death.
Diabetes Mellitus Impairs Vasodilation to Hypoxia in Human Coronary Arterioles
Authors: Miura Hiroto , Wachtel Ruth E. , Loberiza Fausto R. , Saito Takashi , Miura Mamoru , Nicolosi Alfred C. , Gutterman David D.
Published: February 2003

ATP-sensitive K
+
channels (K
ATP
) contribute to vasomotor regulation in some species. It is not fully understood the extent to which K
ATP
participate in regulating vasomotor tone under physiological and pathophysiological conditions in the human heart. Arterioles dissected from right atrial appendage were studied with video microscopy, membrane potential recordings, reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. Hypoxia produced endothelium-independent vasodilation and membrane hyperpolarization of vascular smooth muscle cells, both of which were attenuated by glibenclamide. Aprikalim, a selective K
ATP
opener, also induced a potent endothelium-independent and glibenclamide-sensitive vasodilation with membrane hyperpolarization. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction detected mRNA expression for K
ATP
subunits, and immunohistochemistry confirmed the localization of the inwardly rectifying Kir6.1 protein in the vasculature. In patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), vasodilation was reduced to both aprikalim (maximum dilation, DM(+) 90±2% versus DM(−) 96±1%,
P
<0.05) and hypoxia (maximum dilation, DM(+) 56±8% versus DM(−) 85±5%,
P
<0.01) but was not altered to sodium nitroprusside or bradykinin. Baseline myogenic tone and resting membrane potential were not affected by DM. We conclude that DM impairs human coronary arteriolar dilation to K
ATP
opening, leading to reduced dilation to hypoxia. This reduction in K
ATP
function could contribute to the greater cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in DM.
Imaging-Based Decision Making in Thrombolytic Therapy for Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Schellinger Peter D. , Fiebach Jochen B. , Hacke Werner
Published: February 2003

Background—

Thrombolysis is the treatment of choice for acute stroke within 3 hours after symptom onset. Treatment beyond the 3-hour time window has not been shown to be effective in any single trial; however, meta-analyses suggest a somewhat lesser but still significant effect within 3 to 6 hours after stroke. It seems reasonable to apply improved selection criteria that allow differentiation between patients with and without a relevant indication for thrombolytic therapy.

Summary of Review—

The present literature on imaging in stroke has been thoroughly reviewed, covering Doppler ultrasound (DU), arteriography, CT, and MRI and including modern techniques such as perfusion CT, diffusion- and perfusion-weighted MRI (DWI, PWI), CT angiography and MR angiography (CTA, MRA), and CTA source image analysis (CTA-SI). The authors present their view of a comprehensive diagnostic approach to acute stroke, which challenges the concept of a rigid therapeutic time window.

Conclusions—

Information about the presence or absence of a vessel occlusion, whether by means of DU, CTA, or MRA, is essential before recombinant tissue plasminogen activator is given in the 3- to 6-hour time window. Clear demarcation of the irreversibly damaged infarct core and the ischemic but still viable and thus salvageable tissue at risk of infarction as seen on DWI/PWI/MRA or alternatively CT/CTA/CTA-SI should be obtained before thrombolysis is initiated within 3 to 6 hours. Once these advanced techniques are used, the therapeutic time window can be extended with acceptable safety. However, comprehensive informed consent is mandatory, especially when thrombolytic therapy is considered beyond established time windows.
Are Some Patients Likely to Benefit From Recombinant Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator for Acute Ischemic Stroke Even Beyond 3 Hours From Symptom Onset?
Authors: Kent David M. , Ruthazer Robin , Selker Harry P.
Published: February 2003

Background and Purpose—

Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) has been demonstrated to improve outcomes in acute ischemic stroke when delivered within 3 hours of symptom onset. However, the Alteplase Thrombolysis for Acute Noninterventional Therapy in Ischemic Stroke (ATLANTIS B) trial, in which patients were treated mostly between 3 and 5 hours after symptom onset, found no overall benefit from rtPA. We hypothesized that a subgroup of patients at low risk for thrombolysis-related intracranial hemorrhage, identifiable on the basis of pretreatment clinical variables, may benefit even when treated after 3 hours, despite the overall results of the trial.

Methods—

Using an independently derived multivariate model that predicts the risk of thrombolysis-related intracranial hemorrhage in patients receiving tPA for acute myocardial infarction (based on 6 easily obtainable clinical characteristics), we stratified patients in the ATLANTIS B trial into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk tertiles. We examined outcomes in the prespecified low-risk subgroup using a global test of significance across 4 outcome scales.

Results—

Despite having a similar average baseline stroke severity and median time to treatment (270 minutes), patients in the prespecified low-risk group (n=194) were significantly less likely to have a symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage than other patients in the trial (2.2% versus 9.2%,
P
=0.03). Although there was no treatment effect for rtPA in the overall trial, a consistent trend favoring rtPA therapy (a 5% to 12% absolute treatment benefit) was found across 4 different stroke scales in the prespecified low-risk group (
P
=0.10). The treatment-benefit-by-risk interaction was significant (
P
=0.03).

Conclusions—

Use of a multivariate index based on clinical variables is a promising approach to assist in the selection of patients with a favorable risk-benefit profile for thrombolytic therapy beyond 3 hours.
Gene Transfer of Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase Reduces Cerebral Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Watanabe Yoshimasa , Chu Yi , Andresen Jon J. , Nakane Hiroshi , Faraci Frank M. , Heistad Donald D.
Published: February 2003

Background and Purpose—

Superoxide may play an important role in cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Our first goal was to determine the effect of gene transfer of extracellular superoxide dismutase (ECSOD) on vasospasm after experimental SAH. Our second goal was to determine whether tissue binding of ECSOD via the heparin-binding domain (HBD) is important for the effect of the enzyme. Thus, we examined effects of gene transfer of ECSOD with the HBD deleted (ECSODΔHBD).

Methods—

Adenovirus expressing human ECSOD (AdECSOD), ECSODΔHBD (AdECSODΔHBD), or no transgene (AdBglII) was injected into the cisterna magna of anesthetized rabbits 30 minutes after induction of experimental SAH. Cerebral angiography, an assay for ECSOD activity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and Western blotting for human ECSOD in the basilar artery were performed.

Results—

Baseline diameter of the basilar artery averaged 0.77±0.01 mm (mean±SEM) and was similar in all treatment groups. Decreases in diameter of the basilar artery 2 days after SAH were smaller after AdECSOD (11±3%; n=10) than after AdBglII (25±4%; n=7;
P
<0.05). ECSOD activity was not detected in CSF before SAH and gene transfer. Of 8 rabbits treated with AdECSOD, in which ECSOD activity in CSF was measured after SAH, 5 animals had detectable ECSOD activity in CSF (46±13 U/mL). In these 5 rabbits, the diameter decreased by only 6±3%, and ECSOD protein was detected in the basilar artery. After AdECSODΔHBD (n=4), despite high levels of ECSOD activity in CSF (91±19 U/mL), vessel diameter decreased by 20±2%, and no ECSODΔHBD protein was detected in the basilar artery.

Conclusions—

Gene transfer of ECSOD reduces cerebral vasospasm after experimental SAH. Tissue binding of the enzyme is essential for cerebral vascular effects of ECSOD.
Atrial Fibrillation and the Prothrombotic State in the Elderly
Authors: Conway Dwayne S.G. , Heeringa Jan , Van Der Kuip Deirdre A.M. , Chin Bernard S.P. , Hofman Albert , Witteman Jacqueline C.M. , Lip Gregory Y.H.
Published: February 2003

Background and Purpose—

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major cause of stroke among the elderly. Evidence for a prothrombotic state in AF is controversial, and there is a lack of studies among the elderly. We studied the relationships between AF and 3 prothrombotic plasma markers—von Willebrand factor (vWf; a marker of endothelial damage/dysfunction), soluble P-selectin (sP-sel; a marker of platelet activation), and fibrinogen—in a matched case-control study nested within a large community-based study of an elderly population.

Methods—

We identified 162 elderly participants (mean±SD age, 78±8 years; 51% male) in the Rotterdam Study with documented AF and matched each case by age and sex to 2 population controls. vWf and sP-sel were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; fibrinogen was measured with the Clauss method. We used conditional logistic regression analysis to assess the relationships between the markers and AF, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results—

There were no significant relationships between either fibrinogen (
P
=0.8) or sP-sel (
P
=0.6) and AF. However, a positive linear relationship between vWf level and presence of AF remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders among women (odds ratio [OR], 1.17; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.34) per 10-IU/dL increase in vWf but not among men (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.17).

Conclusions—

We observed a positive relationship between AF and plasma vWf (or endothelial damage/dysfunction) in our elderly population, which was most apparent among women. Fibrinogen and sP-sel levels were unrelated to AF. The prothrombotic state of AF may be subject to sex differences, but longitudinal studies are needed to determine the relationship between these plasma markers and stroke risk.
Modified National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Can Be Estimated From Medical Records
Authors: Kasner Scott E. , Cucchiara Brett L. , McGarvey Michael L. , Luciano Jean M. , Liebeskind David S. , Chalela Julio A.
Published: February 2003

Background and Purpose—

The 15-item National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is a quantitative measure of stroke-related neurological deficit with established reliability and validity for use in clinical research. An abridged 11-item modified NIHSS (mNIHSS) has been described that simplifies or eliminates redundant and less reliable items. We aimed to determine whether the mNIHSS could be accurately abstracted from medical records to facilitate retrospective research.

Methods—

We selected 39 patient records for which NIHSS scores were formally measured. Handwritten notes from medical records were abstracted, and NIHSS item scores were estimated by 5 raters blinded to actual scores. Estimated scores were compared among raters and with actual measured scores.

Results—

Interrater reliability for total NIHSS on admission and discharge was excellent, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of 0.85 and 0.79, respectively. However, ICCs for 2 items (facial palsy and dysarthria) were poor (<0.40). Interrater reliability for total mNIHSS was slightly greater, with ICCs of 0.87 and 0.89 on admission and discharge, respectively. None of the 11 mNIHSS items had poor reliability, 4 were moderate (ICC, 0.40 to 0.75), and 7 were excellent (ICC >0.75). Sixty-two percent of estimated total NIHSS scores were within 2 points of actual scores and 91% were within 5 points, whereas 70% of estimated total mNIHSS scores were within 2 points and 95% were within 5 points.

Conclusions—

The mNIHSS can be estimated from medical records with a high degree of reliability and validity. In retrospective assessment of stroke severity, the mNIHSS performs better than the standard NIHSS and may be easier to use because it has fewer and simpler items.
Family History and Risk of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Okamoto Kazushi , Horisawa Rokuro , Kawamura Takashi , Asai Akihiko , Ogino Masataka , Takagi Takuya , Ohno Yoshiyuki
Published: February 2003

Background and Purpose—

We sought to examine the relation between a family history of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and the risk of SAH by using a case-control study.

Methods—

Case subjects consisted of a consecutive series of 195 patients with spontaneous SAH, aged 30 to79 years, with aneurysms confirmed by angiography and/or CT scan. Hospital and community control subjects were identified and matched to each case by sex and age (±2 years). Multiple conditional logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% interval (CI) adjusted for potential confounders.

Results—

Having a family member with SAH was significantly associated with an increased risk of SAH (OR, 4.0, 95% CI, 2.0 to 8.0), after adjusting for potential confounders. The risk for a positive family history of SAH was similar for men and women and was inversely related to the SAH patient’s age. A maternal positive SAH history (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.8 to 16.0) posed a much greater risk than a paternal positive history (OR, 3.2, 95% CI, 1.1 to 13.4).

Conclusions—

A positive family history of SAH was significantly and strongly associated with the risk of SAH. To prevent the onset of SAH at a younger age, much more attention should be given to individuals with any family member (first-degree relatives) suffering SAH episodes.
GHOST FETUSES, FALSE PREGNANCIES, AND THE PARAMETERS OF MEDICAL UNCERTAINTY IN CLASSICAL CHINESE GYNECOLOGY
Authors: Wu Yi-Li
Published: February 2003

This paper examines the issue of medical uncertainty in Chinese gynecology by analyzing how classical medicine defined and explained different forms of false pregnancy. Besides recognizing that false pregnancies could mimic true ones, Chinese gynecology also recognized that true fetuses could deviate from the normal course of gestation and thus mimic false pregnancies. Therefore, the paper argues that the perceived difficulty of distinguishing between true and false pregnancies was intimately linked to the belief that female reproductive energies were easily subverted by external pathogens and internal imbalances. Special attention is given to the syndrome known as Ghost Fetus, which was originally explained as the product of human-ghost intercourse but later understood primarily as the result of excessive female emotion. During the Qing, furthermore, discussions of Ghost Fetus and other forms of false pregnancy frequently merged into discussions of female depletion and menstrual irregularity. The paper concludes that these changes in the definition of Ghost Fetus are part of a larger change in gender norms during the Ming-Qing that increasingly focused on female emotionality and physical debility.
BODY AND IDENTITY IN LIAOZHAI ZHIYI
Authors: Francis Sing-Chen Lydia
Published: February 2003

This paper discusses how Pu Songling (1640-1715) constructs an alternative self-identity through his artistic representations of the body in Liaozhai zhiyi. Pu's fantastic discourse of the body subverts late imperial cultural and fictional discourses, in which the corporeal body becomes a material marker of essentialized cultural identity. In Liaozhai, the body is problematized as a signifier of selfhood. The figure of the phallus as a symbol of power is detached from the physical body and dissociated from conventional concepts of sex and gender. On the thematic level, the deconstructed bodies in Liaozhai may be read as embodiments of class and gender identities transformed through an alternative fictional discourse of self-expression.
YOU MUST NOT ADD ANYTHING TO WHAT I COMMAND YOU: PARADOXES OF CANON AND AUTHORSHIP IN ANCIENT ISRAEL
Authors: Levinson Bernard
Published: February 2003

For all the debate in the contemporary humanities about the canon, there is little interdisciplinary dialogue on the issue, nor even meaningful input from the perspective of academic biblical studies, the one discipline that specializes in the formation and interpretation of the canon. Seeking to provide such a perspective, this article shows how cultures having a tradition of prestigious or authoritative texts address the problem of literary and legal innovation. Engaging the work of Jonathan Z. Smith on exegetical ingenuity, the study begins with cuneiform law, and then shows how ancient Israel's development of the idea of divine revelation of law creates a cluster of constraints that would be expected to impede legal revision or amendment. As a test-case, the article examines the idea that God punishes sinners transgenerationally, vicariously extending the punishment due them to three or four generations of their progeny. A series of inner-biblical and post-biblical responses to the rule demonstrates, however, that later writers were able to criticize, reject, and replace it with the alternative notion of individual retribution. The conclusions stress the extent to which the formative canon sponsors this kind of critical reflection and intellectual freedom.
RELIGION AND ETHNICITY: COMMUNITY FORMATION IN THE BRITISH ALEVI COMMUNITY
Authors: Geaves Ron
Published: February 2003

The article explores the Alevi community, a little-studied Muslim-influenced heterogeneous religious tradition whose roots are in Eastern Turkey, and provides recent fieldwork of the Alevi presence in London which has appeared through migration since the 1980s. This community development is compared with the older Alevi community in Istanbul. The intention is to use the high number of Alevis who live in diaspora communities to analyse the relationship between religion and ethnicity. The author argues, that even though the Alevi revival that has manifested since the 1990s and in which Alevi youth participate visibly, appears to be cultural rather than religious, closer examination of Alevi religious traditions indicates that the forms taken by the revival have their roots in traditional Alevi spiritual beliefs and practices in which values of tolerance, heterodoxy, freedom and justice prevail. The article concludes that although Alevi youth appear to be diverging significantly from their Sunni Muslim counterparts in their respective identity quests, religion plays a significant role for both although the manifestations of revival are almost diametrically opposed. This can be explained by the different manifestations of belief and practice in each community.
DIE VIRGINITÄTS-METAPHER IN APK 14:4-5 IM HORIZONT VON BEFLECKUNG, LOSKAUF UND ERSTLINGSFRUCHT
Authors: Zimmermann Ruben
Published: February 2003

Die Rede von der ”Jungfräulichkeit“ der 144 000 in Apk 14:1-5 wird durch die im unmittelbaren Kontext genannten Motive ”Befleckung mit Frauen“, ”Loskauf“ und ”Erstlingsfrucht“ näher konkretisiert, die sich insgesamt zu einem Komplex geschlechtermetaphorischer Aussagen verbinden lassen: Jungfräulichkeit, Makellosigkeit und Nachfolgeversprechen können als Hinweise für den Vorstellungshorizont der Hochzeit gewertet werden, der durch die weiteren Motive präzisiert wird: Die ”Nicht-Befleckung mit Frauen“ spielt auf die Enthaltung von Mischehen an, der ”Loskauf“-Gedanke könnte aus der römischen Praxis der Heirat einer freigelassenen Sklavin inspiriert sein, während das Motiv der ”Erstlingsfrucht“ den für die jüdische Eheschließung zentralen Aspekt der ”Heiligung“ benennt und an eine prophetische Tradition anknüpft ( Jer 2:2-3). Die Funktion aller Aussagen besteht darin, dass die 144 000 fremden Macht- und Besitzansprüchen entzogen werden und ihre enge Zugehörigkeit zum Lamm, dem königlichen Bräutigam, betont wird. Die geschlechtsspezifische Beschreibung der 144 000 rückt die Auserwählten in den Horizont der Braut, so dass die in Apk 19:6-9 bzw. Apk 21:2,9 imaginierte himmlische Hochzeit durch Apk 14:1-5 vorbereitet wird.
ADAPTATIONS BY GREAT REED WARBLERS TO BROOD PARASITISM: A COMPARISON OF POPULATIONS IN SYMPATRY AND ALLOPATRY WITH THE COMMON CUCKOO
Authors: Moskát  , Szentpéteri  , Barta
Published: February 2003

Egg rejection behaviour, as an antiparasite defence against brood parasitism was compared in two great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus populations. In central Hungary the host population lives in sympatry with the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, and it is heavily parasitised (ca 66%). In central Greece the great reed warbler occurs in allopatry with the cuckoo, so it is not parasitised at all. Experimental parasitism with poorly mimetic (often called 'non-mimetic') artificial cuckoo eggs revealed a 100% rejection rate towards the foreign eggs in the Greek population, but the Hungarian hosts accepted 29.4% and rejected 70.6% of the model cuckoo eggs. No other rejection type than ejection was observed. The significantly higher level of rejection in Greece than in Hungary suggests that the Greek great reed warbler population is an abandoned host population of the cuckoo, which kept its egg recognition ability. A computer-based image analysis of host's clutches revealed that interclutch variation in egg colour was greater than intraclutch variation in the Hungarian population, but not in the Greek population. Spottedness of eggs were similar in both populations. Generally, a tendency for a higher interclutch variation was found in Hungary. Intraclutch variation was more similar in the two populations, but for the colour variables it showed a lower value in Hungary than in Greece. The heavy cuckoo parasitism in Hungary is suggested to be the main cause for the increased interclutch variation in relation to intraclutch variation in egg appearance among great reed warbler clutches. The high interclutch variation reduces the chance that the parasite egg's appearance matches that of the hosts', which facilitates hosts' egg discrimination.
VOCAL COMMUNICATION IN THE PALE-WINGED TRUMPETER (PSOPHIA LEUCOPTERA): REPERTOIRE, CONTEXT AND FUNCTIONAL REFERENCE
Authors: Seddon Nathalie , Tobias Joseph , Alvarez Adriana
Published: February 2003

Adult pale-winged trumpeters produce a varied repertoire of vocalizations: apart from one loud 'tremolo song' we recorded 11 structurally discrete close-range calls, one of which (the 'mew') was individually distinct. There was significant variation across vocalization type with respect to the identity and behaviour of the caller and the response of the receiver(s). It was possible to group vocalizations into six broad contextual classes: alarm, recruitment, social, contact, feeding and territory defence. On detection of danger, trumpeters gave two acoustically different calls, one for aerial predators, and another for terrestrial predators or conspecific intruders. They also produced distinct calls on detection of large prey items such as snakes. These (alarm and snake-finding) call types seemed to evoke different responses by receivers and therefore appeared to be functionally referent. Vocal behaviour was positively correlated with dominance rank and at least two other calls had important roles in mediating social interactions within the group. Finally, the 'mew' call was only given when a trumpeter was separated from, and usually out of visual contact with the rest of the group. This call was functionally referent, eliciting a vocal response from receivers: they produced a loud 'grunt' call, which was also unique to this situation. This is the first experimental demonstration in a bird of the proximate factors motivating production of an individually distinct contact call.
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO MALE MATING SUCCESS IN THE POLYGYNOUS DUSKY WARBLER (PHYLLOSCOPUS FUSCATUS)
Authors: Forstmeier Wolfgang
Published: February 2003

In a mating system where females obtain multiple benefits from choosing a partner, male reproductive success will depend on a variety of factors. Females may seek (1) a high-quality territory (2) a good parent and (3) good genes for offspring viability. Looking at the dusky warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus, a system of resource-defence polygyny, I try to establish the relative importance of these factors for determining male mating success. Male success in social pairing (i.e. harem size) largely depended on territory quality and thereby on success in competition over the best territories. Old males and males with high body mass had a greater chance of mating polygynously, while first-year males and males of low body weight more often remained unmated. In addition, males with long tails were more likely to stay unmated. Interestingly, males with long tails contributed less to offspring care, which suggests that the social mating decisions of primary females also depended on the readiness of males to provision the young. Analysis of extra-pair paternity showed that females did not prefer to copulate with males that were most successful in competition over territories. Nevertheless, polygynous males, on average, sired 3.4 times more offspring than monogamous males. Socially unmated males sired 0.7 times as many. In general, variation in competitive ability had a roughly two times larger effect on male mating success than variation in male attractiveness. The effect of variation in parental qualities was probably less than one tenth of the effect of competitive ability.