bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel hepatitis B virus X‐interactive protein: Cytochrome C oxidase III
Authors: Wang Xiao Zhong , Li Dan , Tao Qi Min , Lin Na , Chen Zhi Xin
Published: March 2006

Background:  Hepatitis B virus‐encoded X protein has been shown to be capable of activating many different viral and cellular promoters through protein–protein interactions and to contribute to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. As its mechanism has not yet been identified unequivocally, the aim of the present study was to screen the cellular proteins that can interact with X protein.

Methods:  The yeast two‐hybrid system was used to screen the X‐interactive protein. False positive clones were eliminated by segregation analysis, and then putative positive clones were amplified, sequenced and analyzed with bioinformatics. A mating experiment was performed to confirm the binding of putative proteins to X protein in the yeast cells. The specific interaction between X protein and putative proteins in mammalian cells was verified by coimmunoprecipitation.

Results:  The hepatitis B virus X‐interactive protein recovered from a human liver cDNA library was cytochrome C oxidase III. The specific interaction between protein X and cytochrome C oxidase III was verified by mating experiment and coimmunoprecipitation of COS7 cell lysates expressing both proteins.

Conclusion:  These data support the speculation that cytochrome C oxidase III is a novel functional target of hepatitis B virus X protein in cells.
Expression of Ki‐67, transforming growth factor β1, and B‐cell lymphoma–leukemia‐2 in liver tissue of patients with chronic liver diseases
Authors: Piekarska Anna , Piekarski Janusz , Szymczak Wiesław , Kubiak Robert
Published: March 2006

Background:  The purpose of the present paper was to assess expression of proliferation, fibrosis and apoptosis markers in different phases of chronic liver diseases.

Methods:  Sixty‐six adults with chronic liver diseases (chronic hepatitis C, n = 48; chronic hepatitis B, n = 10; alcohol chronic liver disease, n = 8) treated at the Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology from 1999 to 2001, composed the study group. Liver biopsy specimens were used for immunohistochemical assessment of expression of Ki‐67, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1) and B‐cell lymphoma–leukemia‐2 (Bcl‐2). Grade of liver inflammation and stage of fibrosis were evaluated according to the Scheuer scale.

Results:  Expression of Ki‐67 in hepatocytes was most intensive in patients with grade 2 and 3 inflammation. The expression in patients with grade 4 inflammation was low. The expression of Ki‐67 in lymphocytes was most intensive in patients with grade 2 inflammation. Expression of TGF‐β1 in hepatocytes reached a maximum in patients with grade 2 or 3 inflammation and dropped in patients with grade 4 inflammation. There was a statistically significant correlation between stage of fibrosis and expression of TGF‐β1 in liver stromal cells. A very strong correlation was found between the expression of Bcl‐2 in bile ductules epithelium and the grade of inflammation (P = 0.006). The expression of Bcl‐2 in hepatocytes was observed only in patients with very intense liver inflammation (grade 3) and in patients with stage 3 or 4 fibrosis.

Conclusion:  Processes of proliferation, fibrosis and apoptosis are not directly correlated to progression of liver disease. Expression of studied markers can be used for analysis of dynamics of these processes.
Non‐verbal learning is impaired in very mild Alzheimer's disease (CDR 0.5): Normative data from the learning version of the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test
Authors: KASAI MARI , MEGURO KENICHI , HASHIMOTO RYUSAKU , ISHIZAKI JUNICHI , YAMADORI ATSUSHI , MORI ETSURO
Published: March 2006

Abstract  Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional state between normal aging and dementia. Although there have been some studies on the role of verbal memory in learning ability, there have been no reports on the part played by visual memory. In the present study, the Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (RCFT) was given to healthy subjects and to those with MCI to determine if visual memory was maintained in these two groups. Additionally, normative data from the learning version of the RCFT for Japanese subjects were examined, for purpose of reference. The participants consisted of 381 clinical dementia rating (CDR) 0 subjects and 137 CDR 0.5 subjects who could perform the full set of RCFT tasks. The CDR 0 group had significantly higher scores than the CDR 0.5 group in all trials. The CDR 0 participants also showed a significant step‐by‐step learning effect, while the CDR 0.5 participants did not show a significant learning effect. These results suggest that the CDR 0 participants maintained intact learning abilities of encoding and retrieval, while the CDR 0.5 participants did not do so; but further studies will be needed to clarify these findings.
Quality of life, depression, and stress in breast cancer women outpatients receiving active therapy in Taiwan
Authors: YEN JU‐YU , KO CHIH‐HUNG , YEN CHENG‐FANG , YANG MING‐JEN , WU CHIOU‐YUH , JUAN CHIUNG‐HUI , HOU MING‐FENG
Published: March 2006

Abstract  The aims of the present study were to compare the quality of life (QoL), depression and stress between patients with malignant breast cancer and those with benign breast tumors. The present study also examined the factors related to QoL among the patients who were receiving active treatment for breast cancer. Among the 97 patients participating in the study, 73 patients were diagnosed as having malignant breast cancer (malignant group) and 24 as having benign tumors (benign group). All the participants completed the World Health Organization Questionnaire on Quality of Life to determine their QoL. The level of depression, stress, and demographic characteristics were also collected. Quality of life, depression and stress were compared between the malignant and benign groups, and the factors related to QoL were also examined. It was found that the malignant group had poorer physical and psychological QoL and higher life stress. Depression was significantly associated with QoL for both the malignant and benign groups, and the stress from health problem was the most significant predictors for QoL among the malignant group. The breast cancer patients suffered more severe psychological difficulty under active treatment than did the benign group patients. This will have great impact on their QoL, as in Western society. Depression and stress need to be recognized and aggressive psychological and/or medical intervention needs to be carried out in order to diminish the impact on QoL.
Oral cenesthopathy examined by Rorschach test
Authors: HONMA FUSAE , KIMURA MAHITO , ENDO SHUNKICHI , OHTSU MITSUHIRO , OKADA TOMOO , SATOH TAZUKO
Published: March 2006

Abstract  Experience of abnormal pains and unusual sensations in the mouth without a somatic base, for example abnormal mucus secretion, pulling sensation on the jaw or teeth, or a vibrating sensation, is termed ‘oral cenesthopathy’. Psychological factors were investigated in terms of cognitive functions and personality tendencies, using Rorschach test in 28 patients with this condition (three men and 25 women). In oral cenesthopathy patients (i) the processing of new information is inefficient; (ii) the necessary resources for social adaptation are lacking, emotional control is inadequate, and uncomfortable emotions are expressed less; and (iii) with regard to interpersonal interaction, less interest is shown in others, trust in others is diminished, and they tend to have a higher Coping Deficit Index.
Distress and functioning in mixed anxiety and depressive disorder
Authors: MAŁYSZCZAK KRZYSZTOF , PAWŁOWSKI TOMASZ
Published: March 2006

Abstract  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder (MADD) with reference to functional characteristics and symptomatic characteristics in comparison with anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and groups showing subthreshold symptoms (exclusively depressive or anxiety related). The present study was carried out in the following three medical settings: two psychiatric and one primary care. Patients seeking care in psychiatric institutions due to anxiety and depressive symptoms and attending primary medical settings for any reason were taken into account. A total of 104 patients (65 women and 39 men, mean age 41.1 years) were given a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐30), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and Present State Examination questionnaire, a part of Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, Version 2.0. There were no statistically relevant differences between MADD and anxiety disorders in median GHQ score (19 vs 16) and median GAF score (median 68.5 vs 65). When considering depressive disorders the median GHQ score (28) was higher, and median GAF score (59) was lower than that in MADD. In groups with separated subthreshold anxiety or depressive symptoms, median GHQ scores (12) were lower and median GAF scores (75) were higher than that in MADD. The most frequent symptoms of MADD are symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression. Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder differs significantly from GAD only in higher rates of depressed mood and lower rates of somatic anxiety symptoms. Distinction from depression was clearer; six of 10 depressive symptoms are more minor in severity in MADD than in the case of depression. Distress and interference with personal functions in MADD are similar to that of other anxiety disorders. A pattern of MADD symptoms locates this disorder between depression and GAD.
Cognitive impairment in people diagnosed with end‐stage liver disease evaluated for liver transplantation
Authors: SORRELL JAMES H. , ZOLNIKOV BRYAN J. , SHARMA ASHISH , JINNAI IZUMI
Published: March 2006

Abstract  Cognitive impairments are common in patients with end‐stage liver disease (ESLD). The aim of the present study was to identify and characterize the neuropsychological deficits between groups of patients with a variety of causes of ESLD and to assess the impact of heavy alcohol use on cognitive functioning. Cognitive functioning in 300 consecutive outpatients presenting for liver transplantation evaluation was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). All patients underwent a psychiatric interview and a physical and laboratory assessment. The prevalence of neuropsychological impairment was highest among patients with liver disease secondary to alcohol. Poor performance on neuropsychological testing was correlated strongly with the severity of liver disease as measured by the model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD). After controlling for the linear effects of MELD in subsequent analysis, a group difference emerged in patients with cholestatic liver disease showing less cognitive impairment when compared to all other groups. After controlling for the severity of liver disease, those patients with a history of alcohol abuse or dependence were found to perform more poorly on neuropsychological testing than those patients without such a history. Furthermore, the presence of these cognitive impairments predicted disability independent of the severity of the underlying liver disease.
Efficacy and safety of donepezil in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies: Preliminary findings from an open‐label study
Authors: MORI SATORU , MORI ETSURO , ISEKI EIZO , KOSAKA KENJI
Published: March 2006

Abstract  The objectives of the present study were first to determine the feasibility of conducting a randomized clinical trial of 5 mg/day donepezil in patients with mild to moderate dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and second, to obtain preliminary data of possible intervention effects. Twelve patients with probable DLB were evaluated at weeks 4, 8, and 12 using modified Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) with an extra domain to additionally evaluate fluctuation in cognitive functions (NPI‐11); the Japanese version of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale‐cognitive subscale (ADAS‐J cog); and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). The NPI‐11 scores were significantly improved at weeks 8 and 12 compared with baseline. Despite a significant improvement in ADAS‐J‐cog at week 4, no more improvement was noted thereafter. Deterioration was not noted in UPDRS scores. Donepezil is expected to be therapeutically useful and safe in treating DLB patients, indicating marked improvements in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) rather than in cognitive deficit, without deteriorating parkinsonism.
Pathway to psychiatric care in Bali
Authors: KURIHARA TOSHIYUKI , KATO MOTOICHIRO , REVERGER ROBERT , TIRTA I GUSTI RAI
Published: March 2006

Abstract  The aim of the present study was to trace the help‐seeking pathway of mental patients and to elucidate the role of traditional healing in Bali. The source of care before attending Bangli Mental Hospital (Bali) of 54 consecutive patients with no prior psychiatric treatment was investigated. Subjects who had sought help from traditional healers were asked to evaluate treatment effect retrospectively according to a 5‐point scale. The pathway to psychiatric care was dominated by traditional healers. Of the patients, 47 (87.0%) consulted a healer (mean number 2.9) before visiting the mental hospital. Consultation with the healers was associated with treatment delay. However, of the 137 traditional healers on the pathway, 11 (8.0%) recommended that the subjects to go to a mental hospital, and all 11 subjects immediately followed the advice. Of the 47 subjects, 14 (29.8%) evaluated the treatment effect as much improved by at least one traditional healer on the pathway, although they ultimately attended the mental hospital. Subjects without psychotic symptoms tended to evaluate the treatment effect as much improved more often than psychotic subjects. Traditional healers function not only as a barrier to reaching psychiatric care, but as either an effective provider of care or a decision‐making support for seeking help from psychiatric care for some mental patients in Bali. The knowledge and recognition of psychological disorders by the traditional healers are crucial for early treatment intervention for psychiatric patients.
Reliability and validity of communication skills questionnaire (CSQ)
Authors: TAKAHASHI MEGUMI , TANAKA KATSUTOSHI , MIYAOKA HITOSHI
Published: March 2006

Abstract  A new and easy evaluation method of communication skills has been developed using the Communication Skills Questionnaire (CSQ), which can be self‐administered or administered by family members and medical staff. The reliability and validity of this CSQ were evaluated. Eighty‐seven patients with mental disorders and 100 normal controls participated in a self‐rating evaluation of the CSQ, and 55 family members and four medical personnel also participated in objective rating. The CSQ contained 29 items and these items were divided into three categories: cooperative skills (17 items), assertive skills (six items) and general communication skills (six items, mainly non‐verbal skills). Internal consistencies of all groups were between 0.91 and 0.97. Test–retest reliability values for patients, family members and medical staff were between 0.90 and 0.95. Interrater reliability of medical staff was 0.73. The total scores had a moderate positive correlation with Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score and doctor's impression of communication skill evaluated on a 10‐point scale. The patient group had a lower CSQ score than that of controls and the score differences between controls and patients with schizophrenia, mood disorders or eating disorders were statistically significant. This questionnaire is a good psychometric method of evaluating the communication skills of patients.
Somatic symptoms for predicting depression: One‐year follow‐up study in annual health examinations
Authors: NAKAO MUTSUHIRO , YANO EIJI
Published: March 2006

Abstract  It has recently been noted that screening for depression can improve clinical outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether somatic symptoms reported at health examinations predicted depression in the following year. Subjects were 1066 Japanese workers (732 men, mean age 35 years) attending annual health examinations at an institute in two successive years. A self‐administered questionnaire including items of 12 major somatic symptoms was given to all the subjects. Then clinical interviews of the DSM‐IV were used to diagnose major depression and minor depression in both years. In addition, the 17‐item Hamilton Depression Scale (HDS‐17) was measured as one of the outcomes of depression in the following year. The prevalence of major (minor) depression was 3.7 (7.8)% at baseline and 3.4 (5.9)% for the following year, respectively. The following year's HDS‐17 scores were higher (all P < 0.05) in those who had complained of each somatic symptom at baseline than in those who had not. Three somatic symptoms (low back pain, dizziness, and abdominal pain) at baseline were significant risk factors of major depression for the following year. Dizziness at baseline significantly predicted major and minor depression for the following year as well. Somatic symptoms may be good predictors to screen for depression at health examination.
Association between dopamine receptor D1 A‐48G polymorphism and methamphetamine abuse
Authors: LIU HSING‐CHENG , CHEN CHIH‐KEN , LEU SY‐JYE , WU HSIAO‐TEIN , LIN SHIH‐KU
Published: March 2006

Abstract Several lines of evidence have suggested that substance abuse is mediated by the dopaminergic rewarding system, primarily through the activity of the dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the association of DRD1 A‐48G polymorphism with methamphetamine (MAP) abusers and MAP‐induced psychosis patients. A total of 363 MAP abusers and 425 healthy normal controls were enrolled. The structural Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Study was used to evaluate all MAP abusers. The MAP abusers were classified into psychosis (n = 135) and non‐psychosis (n = 228) groups. A‐48G polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism. The results show that male sex and a higher frequency of MAP abuse were the predisposing factors in the development of MAP psychosis. TheDRD1‐48G allele frequency in the MAP psychosis group, non‐psychosis group and the healthy normal controls was 0.14, 0.18 and 0.16, respectively. No association was found betweenDRD1A‐48G polymorphism and MAP abuse and MAP psychosis. However, the data provided additional evidence of ethnicity‐related differences in the distribution of polymorphism in comparison to previous studies.
Twelve‐month use of mental health services in four areas in Japan: Findings from the World Mental Health Japan Survey 2002–2003
Authors: NAGANUMA YOICHI , TACHIMORI HISATERU , KAWAKAMI NORITO , TAKESHIMA TADASHI , ONO YUTAKA , UDA HIDENORI , HATA YUKIHIRO , NAKANE YOSHIBUMI , NAKANE HIDEYUKI , IWATA NOBORU , FURUKAWA TOSHIAKI A. , KIKKAWA TAKEHIKO
Published: March 2006

Abstract  The aim of the present study was to provide basic descriptive data regarding utilization of 12‐month mental health services in the Japanese community population. Face‐to‐face household surveys were carried out in four areas (two urban cities and two rural municipalities), and a total of 1663 persons participated (overall response rate: 56.4%). For data collection, the structured psychiatric interview, World Mental Health version of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH‐CIDI) was used, allowing DSM‐IV diagnoses, severity, and service utilization. It was found that 7.3% of total respondents had received any service, either professional or non‐professional, in the past 12 months, including 20.0% of those with 12‐month DSM‐IV disorders and 6.2% of those without. Thirty‐three percent of those with any mood disorder used any service, and 26.8% of those used some type of health care. The probability of people with 13–15 years of education receiving mental health treatment was fourfold higher than those with ≥16 years of education. Gender, age, or income were not found to contribute to utilization of mental health services. The results confirm that the majority of people with a recent psychiatric disorder have not used mental health care or other support systems. The mental health care system in Japan has improved over the past decade, but not enough for people suffering from mental disturbances.
Safety of ketorolac in neonates and infants after cardiac surgery
Authors: MOFFETT BRADY S. , WANN TIFFANY I. , CARBERRY KATHLEEN E. , MOTT ANTONIO R.
Published: March 2006

Background:  Ketorolac is an injectable nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug that is often used as a transitional short‐term analgesic to treat moderate pain and to decrease opioid use. There is a paucity of literature documenting the safety of using ketorolac in neonates and infants after cardiac surgery.

Methods:  A retrospective chart review was performed which identified all patients <6 months of age who received ketorolac after cardiac surgery. Patients’ demographic, surgical, and dosing data were collected. A Student's t‐test was used to identify significant differences in renal and hematologic laboratory values at baseline and at 48 h of treatment.

Results:  A total of 53 children <6 months of age received at least one dose of ketorolac after cardiac surgery. Eleven of 53 children (21%) were <1 month of age. The blood urea nitrogen/serum creatinine (SCr) levels increased from baseline at 48 h of therapy in all infants, but stayed within normal limits. The largest increase in SCr level from baseline on any day of ketorolac therapy was 26 μmol·l−1 (0.3 mg·dl−1) which occurred in two neonates. Four patients (three infants and one neonate) had minor episodes of bleeding while being treated with ketorolac. There were no clinically significant changes in hemoglobin, hematocrit or platelet count. None of these episodes caused hemodynamic instability nor required transfusion of blood products.

Conclusions:  Ketorolac was used safely in neonates and infants who have had cardiac surgery at our institution. Ketorolac was not associated with any adverse hematologic or renal effects. Prospective investigation is warranted to further assess the safety and effectiveness of ketorolac in this patient population.
Measuring anesthesia in children using the EEG
Authors: DAVIDSON ANDREW J.
Published: March 2006

Advances in electroencephalogram (EEG) processing have produced new interest in measuring anesthesia using the EEG. There are a number of EEG‐based anesthesia ‘depth’ monitors now available and their use in pediatric anesthesia is increasing. Although these monitors have been extensively studied in adults, there are relatively few studies examining their validity or use in children. To some extent we must rely on adult data. However, extrapolation of data from adults to children requires an in depth understanding of the physiology behind the data. The first question is what is being measured. What is anesthesia? A model of anesthesia has several components with arousal as a core component. Arousal can be linked to clinical observations, and correlates with anatomical and physiological studies. The EEG has characteristics that fairly consistently change with arousal during anesthesia, but the relationship between arousal and the EEG is imprecise and drug dependent. This relationship is the basis for using the EEG to measure anesthesia and provides only an indirect measure of consciousness and memory formation. A good understanding of how the EEG is related to anesthesia is essential when interpreting the EEG during anesthesia, and especially when extending the use of the EEG to measure anesthesia in children. Physiological studies in adults and children indicate that EEG‐derived anesthesia depth monitors can provide an imprecise and drug‐dependent measure of arousal. Although the outputs from these monitors do not closely represent any true physiological entity, they can be used as guides for anesthesia and in so doing have improved outcomes in adults. In older children the physiology, anatomy and clinical observations indicate the performance of the monitors may be similar to that in adults, although the clinical relevance of outcomes may be different. In infants their use cannot yet be supported in theory or in practice.
Prevalence and trends of metabolic syndrome in Korea: Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 1998–2001
Authors: Park H. S. , Kim S. M. , Lee J. S. , Lee J. , Han J. H. , Yoon D. K. , Baik S. H. , Choi D. S. , Choi K. M.
Published: March 2006

Background:  Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major international health problem. Limited information is available about the prevalence of MetS in Asia, especially in Korea.

Objective:  To examine the prevalence and trends of MetS in a Korean population. In addition, we investigated the risk factors associated with MetS.

Design and Participants:  A total of 7445 participants aged ≥20 years from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey (KNHNS) 1998 and 5964 participants from the KNHNS 2001 were included in this analysis. The KNHNS is a cross‐sectional health survey of a nationally representative sample of the Korean population. The prevalence of MetS was determined using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria and the Asia‐Pacific criteria for obesity based on waist circumference (APC‐WC).

Results:  Using the ATP III criteria, the age‐adjusted prevalence of MetS among Korean adults was 15.7% (13.7% male, 17.8% female) in 1998 and 14.4% (13.0% male, 16.2% female) in 2001. Using the APC‐WC criteria, the prevalence was 21.6% (19.4% male, 23.9% female) in 1998 and 21.4% (20.1% male, 23.4% female) in 2001. Of the five MetS components, increasing trends were found between 1998 and 2001 in the prevalence of hypertriglyceridaemia, low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and central obesity for both men and women. Age, sex, body mass index and a family history of diabetes were associated with MetS.

Conclusions:  These results from a representative sample show that MetS is common in Korean adults. A systemic public health programme is required to prevent future increases in diabetes and cardiovascular complications.
Inhaled insulin delivery – where are we now?
Authors: Muchmore Douglas B. , Gates Jeffrey R.
Published: March 2006

Since 1925, when the concept of treating diabetes with inhaled insulin (INH) was originally published, a number of clinical challenges have been resolved through technological advancements. Efforts by pharmaceutical partnerships or individual companies have resulted in the development of both injection‐free devices and novel insulin formulations. Four different INH systems are now in phase 3 of clinical development, and several other INH systems are in earlier stages of clinical study. Clinical data consistently demonstrate that INH therapy is comparable to subcutaneous (SC) therapy in improving glycaemic control in patients with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, generally without greater risk of overall hypoglycaemia. INH is generally well tolerated and appears to be safe. Adverse‐event profiles for INH therapies are similar to SC insulin therapy, with the majority of events being reported as being mild to moderate. Long‐term safety studies are ongoing, with emphasis on evaluating the impact of INH therapy on pulmonary function and immune responses. Although small, reversible decreases in pulmonary diffusion capacity (DLco) and FEV1 have been reported in response to INH, pulmonary function and structure do not appear to be affected in any clinically significant way. While insulin antibodies are increased in INH therapy, these antibodies have not been correlated with haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin dosage, hypoglycaemia, pulmonary function or adverse events. Nevertheless, properly controlled, long‐term studies will best answer any remaining concerns. From the patient’s perspective, INH therapy is preferred by the majority of patients over conventional SC insulin therapy. Studies have shown that patients prefer INH therapy, because it provides greater lifestyle flexibility and social acceptability while at the same time avoiding the pain associated with injection. Thus, after more than 80 years during which the injection route has been the only means of administering insulin, patients and physicians may soon avail themselves of another valuable tool in management of diabetes.
PARSIMONIOUS PERIODIC TIME SERIES MODELING
Authors: Lund Robert , Shao Qin , Basawa Ishwar
Published: March 2006

This paper studies techniques for fitting parsimonious periodic time series models to periodic data. Large sample standard errors for the parameter estimates in a periodic autoregressive moving‐average time series model under parametric constraints are derived. Likelihood ratio statistics for hypothesis testing are examined. The techniques are applied in modeling daily temperatures at Griffin, Georgia, USA.
MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATION IN LINEAR MODELS WITH EQUI‐CORRELATED RANDOM ERRORS
Authors: Zhang Haimeng , Rao M. Bhaskara
Published: March 2006

Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of maximum likelihood estimators of unknown parameters in linear models with equi‐correlated random errors are presented. The basic technique we use is that these models are, first, orthogonally transformed into linear models with two variances, and then the maximum likelihood estimation problem is solved in the environment of transformed models. Our results generalize a result of Arnold, S. F. (1981)[The theory of linear models and multivariate analysis. Wiley, New York]. In addition, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of restricted maximum likelihood estimators of the parameters. The results of Birkes, D. & Wulff, S. (2003)[Existence of maximum likelihood estimates in normal variance‐components models. J Statist Plann. Inference.113, 35–47] are compared with our results and differences are pointed out.
Inference for pth‐order random coefficient integer‐valued autoregressive processes
Authors: Zheng Haitao , Basawa Ishwar V. , Datta Somnath
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  A pth‐order random coefficient integer‐valued autoregressive [RCINAR(p)] model is proposed for count data. Stationarity and ergodicity properties are established. Maximum likelihood, conditional least squares, modified quasi‐likelihood and generalized method of moments are used to estimate the model parameters. Asymptotic properties of the estimators are derived. Simulation results on the comparison of the estimators are reported. The models are applied to two real data sets.
A Modified Nonparametric Prewhitened Covariance Estimator
Authors: Hirukawa Masayuki
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  This paper proposes a fully modified version of the spectral matrix estimator (and the long‐run variance estimator as a special case) proposed originally by Xiao and Linton [Journal of Time Series Analysis (2002) Vol. 23, pp. 215–250], and derives its asymptotic results. A striking feature of the modified spectral matrix estimator is to achieve the convergence rate of O(T −8/9) in the mean squared error (MSE), which is usually achieved under the fourth‐order spectral window. However, this estimator does not sacrifice the positive definiteness of the resulting estimate for the rate improvement; it is Hermitian and positive definite in finite samples by construction. The faster convergence rate is established by a multiplicative bias correction of the crude spectral estimator under the second‐order spectral window. The approximations to some sensible definitions of the MSE of the estimator and the bandwidths that minimize the asymptotic MSEs are also derived. Monte Carlo results indicate that for a wide variety of processes the modified spectral matrix estimator reduces the bias without inflating the variance and thus improves the MSE, compared with the crude, bias‐uncorrected estimator.
Transitions to employment from labour market enterprises in Norway
Authors: Aakvik Arild , Dahl Svenn‐Åge
Published: March 2006

In this article we analyse a labour market programme for partially disabled workers that involves the transition from labour market enterprises to a job in the ordinary labour market. We found that the percentage of these people who found jobs after a maximum two‐year programme period increased over time. In 1995, 28 per cent became employed in the ordinary job market after leaving the programme. Exit rates to employment increased to 36 per cent in 1998 and to 39 per cent in 1999. We also found heterogeneity in the job transitions. Employment ratios for men were relatively stable over time, varying between 30 and 40 per cent over the period 1995–1999. For women, however, we found a significant change in employment ratios, with 21 per cent finding a job in 1995 and 40 per cent in 1999. In 1995, employment ratios for female participants were below those of male participants, although there was no difference over the whole period studied (1995–1999). In 1999, the average transition rate to employment was higher for female than for male participants.
Socially excluding housing support to homeless substance misusers: two Swedish case studies of special category housing
Authors: Blid Mats , Gerdner Arne
Published: March 2006

This article discusses special category housing for homeless addicts, based on case studies of two different housing programmes and using both qualitative and quantitative data. The staff and residents were interviewed about their experiences of the programmes. Longitudinal data were collected on various indicators of substance misuse and the frequency of contact with the social services at different levels. Our findings show that special category housing has positive direct effects on the housing stability of the residents and their feelings regarding their quality of life, but not on their substance misuse. However, the increased housing stability seems to be more a direct effect of their staying on the programme, rather than a long‐term effect. Furthermore, although their quality of life improves, the residents still experience a lack of belonging and feel that their lives lack meaningful content. The choice of special category housing as an intervention model thus seems to perpetuate rather than prevent social exclusion and can possibly be described as an expression of ‘institutionalised resignation’.
Discourses of community: challenges for social work
Authors: Lynn Margaret
Published: March 2006

The ambiguity of community allows it to be a space for a vast range of imposed and ‘organic’ social reproduction functions, and an accessible site for meaningful collective action, but it also has the potential for disempowerment. The breadth of the concept of ‘community’ allows for it to be critiqued as ephemeral or as romantic fiction, but also used and exploited by government. It is because it retains such power to evoke reaction and contest that we need to understand the power that drives it, and the ideological purpose for which it may be used or misused. The notion of discourse immediately becomes useful. We can recognise competing discourses of community, and examine how they are used politically. We can recognise ways in which social work can engage with community discourses of empowerment rather than control. The article will explore a number of discourses and examine their usefulness for practice.
August 2003: Reflections on a French Summer Disaster
Authors: Thirion Xavier , Debensason David , Delarozière Jean Christophe , San Marco Jean Louis
Published: March 2006

The heat wave of August 2003 caused a hecatomb in France. Its extent and consequences (INVS 2003) require analysis in order to understand why such a situation occurred and how to avoid that the same medical disaster will be caused in the future by identical climatic conditions. This natural disaster had no known precedent in France. The heatwave lasted for three weeks in August 2003 and led to 14800 deaths. However, the human toll of this catastrophe cannot be explained solely by the violence of the attack. Any analysis of this dramatic crisis, as for any public health threat, should take into account the agent involved, the population concerned, the specific relation between the agent and the target, and, based upon this, the crisis management needed. The analysis presented in this article, following the described line, shows that the crisis management was far from optimal. Learning from this situation should allow us to do better, next time such a climatic catastrophe occurs. A key factor is promoting adequate citizen response.
Bordering on Reality: Findings on the Bonfire Crisis Management Simulation
Authors: Helsloot Ira
Published: March 2006

On 6 April 2005 a national crisis management simulation, code named Bonfire, was held at various locations in the Netherlands. The Bonfire scenario was built around a terrorist threat followed by an actual attack in the Amsterdam ArenA and a hostage‐taking. Bonfire's scale and realism made it unique for the Netherlands. Its complexity led to unplanned incidents that actually made it even more realistic, because this is something that occurs in every crisis situation. This evaluation shows that the co‐ordination, internal provision of information and crisis communication – the three core elements of crisis management discussed in this report –were mainly in the hands of the decision‐makers themselves. This put so much pressure on them that they were rarely able to make strategic decisions for the medium or long term. Support staff had been expected to ease pressure on the leadership by preparing their meetings and working out the results. This did not go as planned, however. Since they did not always have access to the latest information, they could not provide optimum support. As a result, they were by‐passed, so that they had even less access to information. The vicious circle was thus complete. It was observed that new counter‐terrorism structures installed in the Netherlands after ‘9–11’ functioned as foreseen, but that decision‐making required the input of far more parties than had been envisaged. In the course of the operations, therefore, the various levels established a more or less spontaneous link with the standard crisis management structures.
Power
Authors: Holton Robert
Published: March 2006

Abstract. Professor Holton offers his impressions of the recently discovered transcriptions of the seminar Parsons participated in at Brown University on March 10, 1973.
On Teasing Out Sociology from Economics
Authors: Swedberg Richard
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  Of the many interesting pieces of information that can be found in Parsons's March 10, 1973 seminar at Brown University, one concerns his relationship to Schumpeter, and it is to this that this brief note is devoted. Parsons and Schumpeter knew each other for some 20 years, and one of the many things that Schumpeter taught Parsons was that one can read the texts of economists for the sociological insights that they contain. In Parsons's formulation from the seminar: “economists must have some sociological ideas.”
Economics, Sociology, and the “Professional Complex”
Authors: Holmwood John
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  This article discusses the relationship between economics and sociology in the context of Parsons's analytical theory of action and systems and his criticisms of orthodox and institutional economics. The article also addresses his view of the importance of the professions to an understanding of the nature of advanced capitalism. The professions are discussed as both an illustration of his theoretical argument and a substantive problem that stimulated the development of his theory. The “professional complex” is an emergent phenomenon in capitalism that modifies its operation and points to the complexity of systems of social action that require to be analyzed without being reduced to one of their elements. This reductionism is evident in orthodox economic theory and also in the more sociologically‐oriented approach of institutional economics. Parsons argues that each is a form of what, following Whitehead, he calls the “fallacy of misplaced concreteness.” Although Parsons offers a significant critique of dominant approaches in economics, major flaws within his own theory create the appearance that he has simply carried over the deficiencies of orthodox theory into his own general statement of theory. These flaws contribute to major misunderstandings of Parsons's project and, therefore, indicate continuing problems in the relation between economics and sociology.
Interpenetration Versus Embeddedness
Authors: Beckert Jens
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  The economy and economics are important fields in Talcott Parsons's work. Parsons's contributions on this subject were, however, mostly critically received in the new economic sociology. In this article, main points of criticism of Parsons's economic sociology will be discussed and the question asked whether the importance of Parsons's works in economic sociology was adequately treated. It will be demonstrated that the critical assessments was based for the most part on theoretical conceptions Parsons developed during his structural‐functionalist period. Hence the assessments neglected to discuss the theory of expressive‐symbolic communication of affect that Parsons developed in his later systems‐functionalist period. However, precisely these later theoretical developments correlate directly with the concept of social embeddedness as a key concept in the new economic sociology. A stronger linking with this development in Parsons's theory could bring economic sociology closer to finding a foundation in action theory, which has been missing up to the present.
Molten Salt Synthesis of Magnesium Aluminate (MgAl2O4) Spinel Powder
Authors: Zhang Shaowei , Jayaseelan Daniel Doni , Bhattacharya Goutam , Lee William Edward
Published: March 2006

MgAl2O4 (MA) spinel powder was synthesized by heating an equimolar composition of MgO and Al2O3 in LiCl, KCl, or NaCl. The synthesis temperature can be decreased from >1300°C (required by the conventional solid–solid reaction process) to ∼1100°C in LiCl, or to ∼1150°C in KCl or NaCl. The molten salt synthesized MA powder was pseudomorphic and retained, to a large extent, the size and morphology of the original Al2O3 raw material, indicating that a “template formation mechanism” plays an important role in the synthesis process.
Mechanical and Fretting Wear Behavior of Novel (W,Ti)C–Co cermets
Authors: Bodhak S. , Basu Bikramjit , Venkateswaran T. , Jo Wook , Jung Kyung‐Hwan , Kim Doh‐Yeon
Published: March 2006

In an effort to refine the composition and properties of existing hard metals, (W,Ti)C–20 wt% Co cermets have been developed. The present research reports the mechanical and tribological properties of these novel materials. Single‐step as well as two‐stage and three‐stage sintering experiments were conducted on the cermets, processed from the (W,Ti)C solid solution powders. For property comparison, premixed WC/TiC powders were used to fabricate a reference (W,Ti)C–20 wt% Co cermet material. Higher sintered density (9.57 g/cm3) as well as better elastic modulus (467 GPa) and hardness (∼17 GPa) were obtained after three‐stage sintering of solid solution powders. In order to evaluate the tribological properties, the fretting wear experiments (mode I, linear relative tangential displacement) were performed against bearing steel for varying normal load in the range of 2–10 N. The experimental results reveal that the steady‐state coefficient of friction (COF) varies between 0.50 and 0.65, and a lower COF is recorded at 10 N load for cermets processed from solid solution powders. Under varying tribological conditions, the cermets sintered from solid solution powders exhibit low wear depth (∼1–4 μm) and lower wear rate (7 × 10−7–18 × 10−7 mm3·(N·m)−1 when compared with cermet prepared from the premixed WC/TiC starting powders (wear rate ∼14 × 10−7–22 × 10−7 mm3·(N·m)−1). The wear rate data are critically evaluated based on the phenomenological models. Broadly, abrasive wear is the dominant wear mechanism, and limited contribution from localized spalling of tribolayer and tribochemical wear was also observed.
Epicuticular compounds and sexual recognition in the ball‐roller scarab, Canthon cyanellus cyanellus
Authors: Ortiz‐Domínguez Maribel , Favila Mario E. , Mendoza‐López María R. , García‐Barradas Oscar , Cruz‐Sánchez Jesús S.
Published: March 2006

We analyzed the role of cuticular compounds in sexual recognition of the carrion ball‐roller scarab, Canthon cyanellus cyanellus (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Males rolled food balls with freeze‐killed females on them as though the females were alive. Acceptance of female cadavers was low when they were washed with solvents and increased significantly when the solvent extract was reapplied to the cadavers. Acceptance of female cadavers by males was significantly higher than that of male cadavers by females. Male cadavers washed with solvent and impregnated with female cuticular compounds were accepted by males as though they were frozen or living females. Similarly, extracted female cadavers impregnated with male cuticular compounds were accepted by females. These results suggest that C. c. cyanellus males recognize females by their cuticular compounds, whereas females use a combination of cuticular compounds and other unknown cues to recognize males.
Assessment of the potential of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) varieties as trap plants for management of Chilo partellus
Authors: Khan Zeyaur R. , Midega Charles A.O. , Hutter Nicholas J. , Wilkins Richard M. , Wadhams Lester J.
Published: March 2006

Ten Napier grass [Pennisetum purpureum Schumach (Poaceae)] varieties, used in various parts of Kenya as animal fodder, were tested for their potential role as a trap crop in the management of the gramineous spotted stemborer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), through habitat manipulation. Oviposition preference and larval survival and development were determined for each of these varieties under laboratory and screen‐house conditions. Two‐choice tests revealed that seven of the varieties tested were preferentially chosen by gravid female moths for oviposition over a susceptible maize cv. Inbred A. Larval survival was significantly lower on the majority of the Napier grass varieties (about 10%) than on maize cv. Inbred A (about 60%). Similarly, larval development was about 2 weeks longer on the majority of the Napier grass varieties. It was concluded that four of the varieties tested (Bana, Ex‐Machakos, Gold Coast, and Ex‐Nyanza‐2) had potential for use as trap crops in C. partellus management because they were more preferred by the borer moths for oviposition and allowed minimal survival of the larvae. This minimal larval survival is desirable in the conservation of C. partellus natural enemies when the cultivated host plant is out of season.