bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconsidering low-dose aspirin therapy for cardiovascular disease: a study protocol for physician and patient behavioral change
Authors: Folks Brittany , LeBlanc William G , Staton Elizabeth W , Pace Wilson D
Published: June 2011

Background

There are often disparities between current evidence and current practice. Decreasing the gap between desired practice outcomes and observed practice outcomes in the healthcare system is not always easy. Stopping previously recommended or variably recommended interventions may be even harder to achieve than increasing the use of a desired but under-performed activity. For over a decade, aspirin has been prescribed for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and for patients with the coronary artery disease risk equivalents; yet, there is no substantial evidence of an appropriate risk-benefit ratio to support this practice. This paper describes the protocol of a randomized trial being conducted in six primary care practices in the Denver metropolitan area to examine the effectiveness of three interventional strategies to change physician behavior regarding prescription of low-dose aspirin.

Methods

All practices received academic detailing, one arm received clinician reminders to reconsider aspirin, a second arm received both clinician and patient messages to reconsider aspirin. The intervention will run for 15 to 18 months. Data collected at baseline and for outcomes from an electronic health record will be used to assess pre- and post-interventional prescribing, as well as to explore any inappropriate decrease in aspirin use by patients with known cardiovascular disease.

Discussion

This study was designed to investigate effective methods of changing physician behavior to decrease the use of aspirin for primary cardiovascular disease prevention. The results of this study will contribute to the small pool of knowledge currently available on the topic of ceasing previously supported practices.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01247454
Integrative network analysis reveals active microRNAs and their functions in gastric cancer
Authors: Tseng Chien-Wei , Lin Chen-Ching , Chen Chiung-Nien , Huang Hsuan-Cheng , Juan Hsueh-Fen
Published: June 2011

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous, small and highly conserved noncoding RNAs that control gene expression either by degradation of target mRNAs or by inhibition of protein translation. They play important roles in cancer progression. A single miRNA can provoke a chain reaction and further affect protein interaction network (PIN). Therefore, we developed a novel integrative approach to identify the functional roles and the regulated PIN of oncomirs.

Results

We integrated the expression profiles of miRNA and mRNA with the human PIN to reveal miRNA-regulated PIN in specific biological conditions. The potential functions of miRNAs were determined by functional enrichment analysis and the activities of miRNA-regulated PINs were evaluated by the co-expression of protein-protein interactions (PPIs). The function of a specific miRNA, miR-148a, was further examined by clinical data analysis and cell-based experiments. We uncovered several miRNA-regulated networks which were enriched with functions related to cancer progression. One miRNA, miR-148a, was identified and its function is to decrease tumor proliferation and metastasis through its regulated PIN. Furthermore, we found that miR-148a could reduce the invasiveness, migratory and adhesive activities of gastric tumor cells. Most importantly, elevated miR-148a level in gastric cancer tissues was strongly correlated with distant metastasis, organ and peritoneal invasion and reduced survival rate.

Conclusions

This study provides a novel method to identify active oncomirs and their potential functions in gastric cancer progression. The present data suggest that miR-148a could be a potential prognostic biomarker of gastric cancer and function as a tumor suppressor through repressing the activity of its regulated PIN.
An efficient frequency-domain full waveform inversion method using simultaneous encoded sources
Authors: Ben-Hadj-Ali Hafedh , Operto Stéphane , Virieux Jean
Published: June 2011

Three-dimensional full waveform inversion (FWI) still suffers from prohibitively high computational costs that arise because of the seismic modeling for multiple sources that is performed at each nonlinear iteration of FWI. Building supershots by assembling several sources allows mitigation of the number of simulations per FWI iteration, although it adds crosstalk artifacts because of interference between the individual sources of the supershots. These artifacts themselves can be reduced by encoding each individual source with a random phase shift during assembling of the sources. The source encoding method is applied to an efficient frequency-domain FWI, in which a limited number of discrete frequencies or coarsely sampled frequency groups are inverted successively following a multiscale approach. Random codes can be regenerated at each FWI iteration or for each frequency of a group during each FWI iteration, to favor the destructive summation of crosstalk artifacts over FWI iterations. Either a limited number of sources (partial assembling) or the total number of sources (full assembling) can be combined into supershots. Wide-aperture acquisition geometries such as land or marine node acquisitions are considered, to allow one to stack a large number of shots in the full computational domain and to test different partial assembling strategies involving sources that are close to or distant from each other. Two-dimensional case studies show that partial-source assembling of distant shots has a limited sensitivity to noise, for a computational saving that is roughly proportional to the number of shots assembled into the supershots. On the other hand, full assembling is more sensitive to noise, and it requires successive inversions of finely sampled frequency groups with a large number of FWI iterations. In contrast, refining the shot interval to improve the fold degrades the models when full assembling is applied to noisy data. Preliminary 3D application of the method leads to the same conclusions that 2D case studies do, with regard to the footprint of crosstalk noise in the imaging.
Intellectual Property
Authors: Walker David A.
Published: June 2011

The Intellectual Property department in each issue of Geophysics provides U.S. patent abstracts, published patent abstracts of U.S. patent applications, and published abstracts filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in England: implementation
costs
Authors: Shah Ajit , Pennington Mark , Heginbotham Chris , Donaldson Cam
Published: June 2011

Background

The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), introduced into the Mental
Capacity Act 2005, were fully implemented on 1 April 2009 in England and
Wales. The government estimated 20 000 assessments for DoLS at a cost of
£600 per assessment.

Aims

To estimate the costs likely to be incurred with the implementation of
DoLS in England.

Method

The cost of conducting a single DoLS assessment was estimated using
resource-utilisation data ascertained from 37 professionals, secretarial
staff and independent mental capacity advocates involved with DoLS
assessments in six diverse local DoLS offices.

Results

The estimated average cost of a single DoLS assessment was £1277.

Conclusions

The estimated average cost of a single DoLS assessment was significantly
higher than the £600 estimated by the government. However, the allocated
budget, based on 20 000 estimated DoLS assessments in the first year of
its implementation, is likely to be adequate because a significantly
lower number of assessments (only 5200) were conducted in the first 9
months after its implementation.
Secondary Somatic Mutations RestoringBRCA1/2Predict Chemotherapy Resistance in Hereditary Ovarian Carcinomas
Authors: Norquist Barbara , Wurz Kaitlyn A. , Pennil Christopher C. , Garcia Rochelle , Gross Jenny , Sakai Wataru , Karlan Beth Y. , Taniguchi Toshiyasu , Swisher Elizabeth M.
Published: June 2011

Purpose

Secondary somatic BRCA1/2 mutations may restore BRCA1/2 protein in hereditary ovarian carcinomas. In cell lines, BRCA2 restoration mediates resistance to platinum chemotherapy and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. We assessed primary and recurrent BRCA1/2-mutated ovarian carcinomas to define the frequency of secondary mutations and correlate these changes with clinical outcomes.

Methods

Neoplastic cells were isolated with laser capture microdissection, and DNA was sequenced at the site of the known germline BRCA1/2 mutation. When secondary mutations were found that restored wild-type sequence, haplotyping was performed using single nucleotide polymorphisms in tumor and paired lymphocyte DNA to rule out retention of the wild-type allele.

Results

There were 64 primary and 46 recurrent ovarian carcinomas assessed. Thirteen (28.3%) of 46 (95% CI, 17.3% to 42.6%) recurrent carcinomas had a secondary mutation compared with two (3.1%) of 64 (95% CI, 1.0% to 10.7%) primary carcinomas (P = .0003, Fisher's exact test). Twelve (46.2%) of 26 (95% CI, 28.7% to 64.7%) platinum-resistant recurrences had secondary mutations restoring BRCA1/2, compared with one (5.3%) of 19 (95% CI, 1.2% to 24.8%) platinum-sensitive recurrences (P = .003, Fisher's exact test). Six (66.7%) of nine (95% CI, 34.8% to 87.8%) women with prior breast carcinoma had a recurrent carcinoma with a secondary mutation, compared with six (17.1%) of 35 (95% CI, 8.2% to 32.8%) with no history of breast carcinoma (P = .007, Fisher's exact test).

Conclusion

Secondary somatic mutations that restore BRCA1/2 in carcinomas from women with germline BRCA1/2 mutations predict resistance to platinum chemotherapy and may also predict resistance to PARP inhibitors. These mutations were detectable only in ovarian carcinomas of women whom have had previous chemotherapy, either for ovarian or breast carcinoma.
Relapsed or Refractory Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma in Children and Adolescents After Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster (BFM)–Type First-Line Therapy: A BFM-Group Study
Authors: Woessmann Willi , Zimmermann Martin , Lenhard Meike , Burkhardt Birgit , Rossig Claudia , Kremens Bernhard , Lang Peter , Attarbaschi Andishe , Mann Georg , Oschlies Ilske , Klapper Wolfram , Reiter Alfred
Published: June 2011

Purpose

To evaluate risk factors for outcome in children and adolescents with relapse of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) after comparable first-line therapy.

Patients and Methods

We analyzed a population-based cohort of 74 children with relapsed ALCL after Berlin-Frankfurt-Muenster–type first-line therapy between April 1990 and December 2003. The recommended salvage strategy was reinduction chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (SCT).

Results

With a median follow-up time of 8.4 years (range, 4.5 to 16.4 years), the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate after first relapse was 57% ± 6%. Survival correlated with time of relapse and clinically advanced dissemination. Five-year OS of 16 patients who experienced progression during first-line therapy was 25% ± 11% compared with 66% ± 6% for 58 patients with a later relapse (P = .002). Five-year OS of 11 patients with bone marrow or CNS involvement was 27% ± 13% compared with 62% ± 6% for 63 patients without involvement (P = .001). Five-year event-free survival (EFS) and OS of 39 children who received the recommended autologous SCT were 59% ± 8% and 77% ± 7%, respectively. EFS after autologous SCT was significantly associated with time to relapse (progression: n = 3; EFS, 0; later relapse: n = 36; EFS, 64% ± 8%; P = .014) and CD3 expression (CD3 negative: n = 25; EFS, 72% ± 9%; CD3 positive: n = 11; EFS, 18% ± 12%; P < .001), but not with site of relapse, conditioning regimen, or graft manipulation. No relapses occurred among 10 patients with relapsed CD3-positive ALCL treated with allogeneic SCT.

Conclusion

Reinduction chemotherapy followed by autologous SCT proved feasible and efficacious for patients with a first relapse of CD3-negative ALCL after first-line therapy. Patients with progression during first-line therapy or relapsed CD3-positive ALCL may benefit from allogeneic SCT.
The contribution of mouse models to understanding the pathogenesis of spinal muscular atrophy
Authors: Sleigh James N. , Gillingwater Thomas H. , Talbot Kevin
Published: June 2011

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which is caused by inactivating mutations in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, is characterized by loss of lower motor neurons in the spinal cord. The gene encoding SMN is very highly conserved in evolution, allowing the disease to be modeled in a range of species. The similarities in anatomy and physiology to the human neuromuscular system, coupled with the ease of genetic manipulation, make the mouse the most suitable model for exploring the basic pathogenesis of motor neuron loss and for testing potential treatments. Therapies that increase SMN levels, either through direct viral delivery or by enhancing full-length SMN protein expression from the SMN1 paralog, SMN2, are approaching the translational stage of development. It is therefore timely to consider the role of mouse models in addressing aspects of disease pathogenesis that are most relevant to SMA therapy. Here, we review evidence suggesting that the apparent selective vulnerability of motor neurons to SMN deficiency is relative rather than absolute, signifying that therapies will need to be delivered systemically. We also consider evidence from mouse models suggesting that SMN has its predominant action on the neuromuscular system in early postnatal life, during a discrete phase of development. Data from these experiments suggest that the timing of therapy to increase SMN levels might be crucial. The extent to which SMN is required for the maintenance of motor neurons in later life and whether augmenting its levels could treat degenerative motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), requires further exploration.
The Role of Trading Frictions in Real Asset Markets
Authors: Gavazza Alessandro
Published: June 2011

This paper investigates how trading frictions vary with the thickness of the asset market by examining patterns of asset allocations and prices in commercial aircraft markets. The empirical analysis indicates that assets with a thinner market are less liquid—i.e., more difficult to sell. Thus, firms hold on longer to them amid profitability shocks. Hence, when markets for assets are thin, firms' average productivity and capacity utilization are lower, and the dispersions of productivity and of capacity utilization are higher. In turn, prices of assets with a thin market are lower and have a higher dispersion. (JEL A12, L11, L93)
Participation
Authors: Charness Gary , Dufwenberg Martin
Published: June 2011

We show experimentally that whether and how communication achieves beneficial social outcomes in a hidden-information context depends crucially on whether low-talent agents can participate in a Pareto-improving outcome. Communication is effective (and pat terns of lies and truth quite systematic) when this is feasible, but otherwise completely ineffective. We examine the data in light of two potentially relevant behavioral models: cost-of-lying and guilt-from-blame. (JEL D82, D83, Z13)
Electoral Accountability and Corruption: Evidence from the Audits of Local Governments
Authors: Ferraz Claudio , Finan Frederico
Published: June 2011

We show that political institutions affect corruption levels. We use audit reports in Brazil to construct new measures of political corruption in local governments and test whether electoral accountability affects the corruption practices of incumbent politicians. We find significantly less corruption in municipalities where mayors can get reelected. Mayors with reelection incentives misappropriate 27 percent fewer resources than mayors without reelection incentives. These effects are more pronounced among municipalities with less access to information and where the likelihood of judicial punishment is lower. Overall our findings suggest that electoral rules that enhance political accountability play a crucial role in constraining politician's corrupt behavior. (JEL D72, K42, O17)
Linking Conflict to Inequality and Polarization
Authors: Esteban Joan , Ray Debraj
Published: June 2011

In this paper we study a behavioral model of conflict that provides a basis for choosing certain indices of dispersion as indicators for conflict. We show that a suitable monotone transform of the equilibrium level of conflict can be proxied by a linear function of the Gini coefficient, the Herfindahl-Hirschman fractionalization index, and a specific measure of polarization due to Esteban and Ray. (JEL D31, D63, D74)
Education and Labor Market Discrimination
Authors: Lang Kevin , Manove Michael
Published: June 2011

Using a model of statistical discrimination and educational sorting, we explain why blacks get more education than whites of similar cognitive ability, and we explore how the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), wages, and education are related. The model suggests that one should control for both AFQT and education when comparing the earnings of blacks and whites, in which case a substantial black-white wage differential emerges. We reject the hypothesis that differences in school quality between blacks and whites explain the wage and education differentials. Our findings support the view that some of the black-white wage differential reflects the operation of the labor market. (JEL I21, J15, J24, J31, J71)
Optimal Policy Intervention and the Social Value of Public Information
Authors: James Jonathan G , Lawler Phillip
Published: June 2011

Svensson (2006) argues that Morris and Shin (2002) is, contrary to what is claimed, pro-transparency. This paper reexamines the issue but with an important modification to the original Morris and Shin framework. Recognizing that central banks impact the economy not only indirectly via public announcements, but also directly through policy actions, we consider the social value of public information in the presence of active policy intervention. Our results strengthen Morris and Shin's conclusions considerably: in particular, we find that public disclosure of the central bank's information is unambiguously, i.e., regardless of parameter values, undesirable. (JEL D82, D83, E52, E58)
Information and Prices with Capacity Constraints
Authors: Lester Benjamin
Published: June 2011

In the theoretical literature on consumer search, one conclusion is nearly universal: as buyers become better able to observe and compare prices ex ante, sellers will set lower prices in equilibrium. In this paper, I examine a standard consumer search model with one small -- yet often relevant -- additional restriction: I assume that sellers are capacity constrained. In this environment, I illustrate that the conventional wisdom regarding information and prices does not necessarily hold: having more informed consumers can lead to a decrease in prices, have no effect at all, or even lead to an increase in prices.
Group Size and Incentives to Contribute: A Natural Experiment at Chinese Wikipedia
Authors: Zhang Xiaoquan (Michael) , Zhu Feng
Published: June 2011

The literature on the private provision of public goods suggests an inverse relationship between incentives to contribute and group size. We find, however, that after an exogenous reduction of group size at Chinese Wikipedia, the nonblocked contributors decrease their contributions by 42.8 percent on average. We attribute the cause to social effects: contributors receive social benefits that increase with both the amount of their contributions and group size, and the shrinking group size weakens these social benefits. Consistent with our explanation, we find that the more contributors value social benefits, the more they reduce their contributions after the block. (JEL H41, L17, L82)
The Political Abuse of International Health System Comparisons
Authors: Ehlke Daniel
Published: June 2011

Though the science of medicine subscribes to learning from best practices and the transmission of superior treatment regimens across national boundaries, the same ethos does not inform political debates surrounding health system reform. The Canadian and English health systems have been used - and, more frequently - abused by American politicians in their quest to support their own model of reform, or preserve the status quo.
microRNA-Seq reveals cocaine-regulated expression of striatal microRNAs
Authors: Eipper-Mains Jodi E. , Kiraly Drew D. , Palakodeti Dasaradhi , Mains Richard E. , Eipper Betty A. , Graveley Brenton R.
Published: June 2011

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs that modulate gene expression by binding target mRNAs. The hundreds of miRNAs expressed in the brain are critical for synaptic development and plasticity. Drugs of abuse cause lasting changes in the limbic regions of the brain that process reward, and addiction is viewed as a form of aberrant neuroplasticity. Using next-generation sequencing, we cataloged miRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens and at striatal synapses in control and chronically cocaine-treated mice. We identified cocaine-responsive miRNAs, synaptically enriched and depleted miRNA families, and confirmed cocaine-induced changes in protein expression for several predicted synaptic target genes. The miR-8 family, known for its roles in cancer, is highly enriched and cocaine regulated at striatal synapses, where its members may affect expression of cell adhesion molecules. Synaptically enriched cocaine-regulated miRNAs may contribute to long-lasting drug-induced plasticity through fine-tuning regulatory pathways that modulate the actin cytoskeleton, neurotransmitter metabolism, and peptide hormone processing.
Phonological similarity in multi-word units
Authors: Gries Stefan Th.
Published: June 2011

In this paper, I investigate the phonological similarity of different elements of the phonological pole of multi-word units. I discuss two case studies on slightly different levels of abstractness. The first case study investigates lexically fully-specified V-NPDirObj idioms such as kick the bucket and lose one's cool; the idioms investigated are taken from the Collins Cobuild Dictionary of Idioms (Harper Collins, 2002). The second case study investigates the lexically less specified way-construction, which is exemplified by He fought his way through the crowd (cf. Goldberg, Constructions: A Construction Grammar approach to argument structure, The University of Chicago Press, 1995: Ch. 9), on the basis of data from the British National Corpus 1.0.

I show that both patterns exhibit a strong phonological within-pole relation, namely a strong preference for having their slots filled with phonologically similar elements, where phonological similarity is manifested in alliteration patterns. These preferences are statistically significant when compared to chance-level expectations derived both from the corpora and from the CELEX database (Baayen et al., The CELEX Lexical Database (CD-ROM), University of Pennsylvania, 1995) and are explained on the basis of Langacker's concept of syntactic and phonological constituents as well as current exemplar-/usage-based approaches.
Secondary determiners as markers of generalized instantiation in English noun phrases
Authors: Breban Tine
Published: June 2011

This paper is concerned with English noun phrases that denote generalized instances: they do not refer to actual spatio-temporal instances, but to virtual ones that are abstracted from a limited number of actual instances, e.g., a student in Three times, a student complained (Langacker, Foundations of Cognitive Grammar. Volume II: Descriptive application, Stanford University Press, 1991, Dynamicity, fictivity, and scanning: The imaginative basis of logic and linguistic meaning, Cambridge University Press, 2005, forthcoming). Langacker likens generalized instances to generic ones, which constitute “global” generalizations over all actual instances of a type. On the basis of authentic data, I argue that, even though the profiled instance denoted by generic and generalized noun phrases is similar, the way the respective instances are accessed in discourse is very different. My data set consists of English noun phrases that are explicitly marked for generalized instantiation by the addition of a secondary determiner such as same in The twin brothers bought the same car or kind of in There was no way we could match that kind of offer. I compare noun phrases of four sets of secondary determiners, viz. adjectives of multiple exposure (usual), of identity (same, identical), of similarity (similar, comparable) and type noun constructions (kind of/type of/sort of). These data also allow me to refine the concept of generalized instantiation in terms of its semantic subtypes, the semantic interaction between secondary determiner and primary determiner, and the selection criteria for secondary determiners that can express it.
Crosstalk 2.0: asylum and communicative breakdowns
Authors: Jacquemet Marco
Published: June 2011

Using ethnographic evidence on asylum proceedings for refugee recognition from various sources (Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom, and Canada), this paper updates Gumperz's notion of
Laboratory Study on Soil Shear Stiffness and Strength Under Unloading Conditions
Authors: Yuan Junping , Nguyen Hoang Viet
Published: June 2011

In excavated earth structures (e.g., deep excavation, cut slope, and underground construction etc.) unloading is the most predominant factor that affects the behavior of soil mass. However in engineering practice, the influence of unloading factor has not been really considered. For example, the soil shear strength characteristics are often investigated from the conventional triaxial shear test, consequently it leads to some doubts when applying the shear strength properties under loading condition to analyze the stability and displacement problem of unloading cases. In this study, a comparison of soil shear deformation and strength between loading and unloading conditions was carried out, which was based on two series of tests for remoulded clay conducted on the Advanced Stress Path Triaxial Testing System. The test results showed that the unloading factor affects soil behaviour significantly. The differences in friction angle, collapsibility, excess pore-water pressure, and shear modulus during shear under unloading condition are remarkable from under loading condition.
Underimmunization in Ohio's Amish: Parental Fears Are a Greater Obstacle Than Access to Care
Authors: Wenger Olivia K. , McManus Mark D. , Bower John R. , Langkamp Diane L.
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE:

Holmes County, Ohio, one of the largest Amish communities in the world, has persistently low immunization rates. Studies of other Amish communities have revealed that parents do not immunize their children because of lack of access to immunizations. Our study explored reasons that Amish parents in the previously uninvestigated Holmes County population exempt themselves from immunizations.

METHODS:

In January 2007, questionnaires for assessing attitudes regarding immunizations were mailed to a random sampling of 1000 Amish parents in Holmes County.

RESULTS:

Thirty-seven percent of the parents responded. Among the 359 respondents, 68% stated that all of their children had received at least 1 immunization, and 17% reported that some of their children had received at least 1 immunization. Only 14% of the parents reported that none of their children had received immunizations. Eighty-six percent of the parents who completely exempted their children from vaccines stated that the main reason they do not vaccinate their children is concern over adverse effects. Many parents indicated that they allow their children to receive only some vaccines because of concern about the way certain vaccines are produced.

CONCLUSIONS:

The reasons that Amish parents resist immunizations mirror reasons that non-Amish parents resist immunizations. Even in America's closed religious communities, the major barrier to vaccination is concern over adverse effects of vaccinations. If 85% of Amish parents surveyed accept some immunizations, they are a dynamic group that may be influenced to accept preventative care. Underimmunization in the Amish population must be approached with emphasis on changing parental perceptions of vaccines in addition to ensuring access to vaccines.
Food Commercials Increase Preference for Energy-Dense Foods, Particularly in Children Who Watch More Television
Authors: Boyland Emma J. , Harrold Joanne A. , Kirkham Tim C. , Corker Catherine , Cuddy Jenna , Evans Deborah , Dovey Terence M. , Lawton Clare L. , Blundell John E. , Halford Jason C. G.
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE:

Our aim was to determine if levels of television viewing (a proxy measure for habitual commercial exposure) affect children's food preference responses to television food commercials.

METHODS:

A total of 281 children aged 6 to 13 years from northwest England viewed toy or food television commercials followed by a cartoon on 2 separate occasions; they then completed 3 food preference measures, a commercial recognition task, and a television viewing questionnaire.

RESULTS:

After viewing the food commercials, all children selected more branded and nonbranded fat-rich and carbohydrate-rich items from food preference checklists compared with after viewing the toy commercials. The food preferences of children with higher habitual levels of television viewing were more affected by food commercial exposure than those of low television viewers. After viewing food commercials, high television viewing children selected a greater number of branded food items compared with after the toy commercials as well as compared with the low television viewers. Children correctly recognized more food commercials than toy commercials.

CONCLUSIONS:

Exposure to television food commercials enhanced high television viewers' preferences for branded foods and increased reported preferences for all food items (branded and nonbranded) relative to the low television viewers. This is the first study to demonstrate that children with greater previous exposure to commercials (high television viewers) seemed to be more responsive to food promotion messages than children with lower previous advertising exposure.
Adults With Chronic Health Conditions Originating in Childhood: Inpatient Experience in Children's Hospitals
Authors: Goodman Denise M. , Hall Matthew , Levin Amanda , Watson R. Scott , Williams Roberta G. , Shah Samir S. , Slonim Anthony D.
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE:

To describe the rate of increase of the population of adults seeking care as inpatients in children's hospitals over time.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

We analyzed data from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2008, from patients hospitalized at 30 academic children's hospitals, including growth rates according to age group (pediatric: aged <18 years; transitional: aged 18–21 years; or adult: aged >21 years) and disease.

RESULTS:

There were 3 343 194 hospital discharges for 2 143 696 patients. Transitional patients represented 2.0%, and adults represented 0.8%, totaling 59 974 patients older than 18 years. The number of unique patients, admissions, patient-days, and charges increased in all age groups over the study period and are projected to continue to increase. Resource use was disproportionately higher in the older ages. The growth of transitional patients exceeded that of others, with 6.9% average annual increase in discharges, 7.6% in patient-days, and 15% in charges. Chronic conditions occurred in 87% of adults compared with 48% of pediatric patients. Compared with pediatric patients, the rates of increase of inpatient-days increased significantly for transitional age patients with cystic fibrosis, malignant neoplasms, and epilepsy, and for adults with cerebral palsy. Annual growth rates of charges increased for transitional and adult patients for all diagnoses except cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease.

CONCLUSIONS:

The population of adults with diseases originating in childhood who are hospitalized at children's hospitals is increasing, with varying disease-specific changes over time. Our findings underscore the need for proactive identification of strategies to care for adult survivors of pediatric diseases.
Functional identity and functional structure change through succession in a rocky intertidal marine herbivore assemblage
Authors: Aguilera Moisés A. , Navarrete Sergio A.
Published: June 2011

Despite the great interest in characterizing the functional structure and resilience of functional groups in natural communities, few studies have examined in which way the roles and relationships of coexisting species change during community succession, a fundamental and natural process that follows the release of new resources in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Variation in algal traits that characterize different phases and stages of community succession on rocky shores are likely to influence the magnitude, direction of effects, and the level of redundancy and complementarity in the diverse assemblage of herbivores. Two separate field experiments were conducted to quantify per capita and population effects and the functional relationship (i.e., redundancy or complementarity) of four herbivore species found in central Chile during early and late algal succession. The first experiment examined grazer effects on the colonization and establishment of early‐succession algal species. The second experiment examined effects on the late‐successional, dominant corticated alga Mazzaella laminarioides. Complementary laboratory experiments with all species and under natural environmental conditions allowed us to further characterize the collective effects of these species. We found that, during early community succession, all herbivore species had similar effects on the ephemeral algae, ulvoids, but only during the phase of colonization. Once these algae were established, only a subset of the species was able to control their abundance. During late succession, only the keyhole limpet Fissurella crassa could control corticated Mazzaella. The functional relationships among these species changed dramatically from redundant effects on ephemeral algae during early colonization, to a more complementary role on established early‐successional algae, to a dominant (i.e., keystone) effect on late succession. This study highlights that functional relationship within consumer assemblages can vary at different phases and times of community succession. Differentiation in herbivore roles emphasizes the need to evaluate consumer's impacts through different times of community succession, and through experimental manipulations to make even broad predictions about the resilience or vulnerability of diverse intertidal assemblages to human disturbances.
Monthly groundwater level prediction using ANN and neuro-fuzzy models: a case study on Kerman plain, Iran
Authors: Jalalkamali Amir , Sedghi Hossein , Manshouri Mohammad
Published: June 2011

The prediction of groundwater levels in a well has immense importance in the management of groundwater resources, especially in arid regions. This paper investigates the abilities of neuro-fuzzy (NF) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques to predict the groundwater levels. Two different NF and ANN models comprise various combinations of monthly variablities, that is, air temperature, rainfall and groundwater levels in neighboring wells. The result suggests that the NF and ANN techniques are a good choice for the prediction of groundwater levels in individual wells. Also based on comparisons, it is found that the NF computing techniques have better performance than the ANN models in this case.
Does a Minimum Quality Standard Always Reduce the Price of High Quality Products?
Authors: Panzar John C , Savage Ian
Published: June 2011

This paper investigates the standard finding that instituting a minimum quality standard within a vertically differentiated market unambiguously benefits consumers of high quality products. A competitive model is specified in which random cost shocks lead some firms to cheat in equilibrium on their reputation for high quality. When cheating occurs, instituting or raising the level of a minimum standard can lead to the price of high quality products either increasing or decreasing. The effect of a minimum quality standard on the price of high quality products becomes an empirical rather than a theoretical issue.
Changes Over Time in Glycemic Control, Insulin Sensitivity, and β-Cell Function in Response to Low-Dose Metformin and Thiazolidinedione Combination Therapy in Patients With Impaired Glucose Tolerance
Authors: Retnakaran Ravi , Qi Ying , Harris Stewart B. , Hanley Anthony J. , Zinman Bernard
Published: June 2011

OBJECTIVE

In the Canadian Normoglycemia Outcome Evaluation (CANOE) trial, low-dose rosiglitazone/metformin reduced the risk of diabetes in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance by 66% over a median of 3.9 years. We evaluate the temporal changes in glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and β-cell function during this trial.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

CANOE participants (n = 207) underwent annual oral glucose tolerance testing, enabling temporal comparison of glycemia, insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index), and β-cell function (insulin secretion-sensitivity index-2 [ISSI-2]) between the rosiglitazone/metformin and placebo arms.

RESULTS

Glycemic parameters and insulin sensitivity improved in the rosiglitazone/metformin arm in year 1, but deteriorated in the years thereafter as in the placebo arm. Generalized estimating equation analysis confirmed that both insulin sensitivity and β-cell function decreased over time (Matsuda: β = −0.0515, P < 0.0001; ISSI-2: β = −6.6507, P < 0.0001), with no significant time-by-treatment interaction (Matsuda: P = 0.57; ISSI-2: P = 0.22).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite preventing incident diabetes, low-dose rosiglitazone/metformin did not modify the natural history of worsening insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction.
Reading Mirrors: Reception of the Israeli Wall in the German Media, 2003-2004
Authors: Bikard Arielle Fridson
Published: June 2011

In what way does national history shape the interpretation of international events in that country's media? Germany has always had a particularly sensitive and complex relationship with Israel. The Holocaust left such a scar on German identity that the country cannot consider Israel without confronting its own history. In Israel, Germany sees a “reflection“ of its own historical and symbolic space. In this article, I draw together a close reading of major German newspapers with more interdisciplinary theoretical perspectives in order to illuminate the mechanism of what I call “mirror reading,“ and especially to reveal its workings during what I consider a key shift in the discourse on German identity. The German print media, which I treat as the activating agent in German narration of national identity, plays a central role in this reflection by projecting national symbols onto Israel. In particular, I identify the initial reception of the Israeli wall (2003-2004) as a turning point in the debate on German self-understanding after the Holocaust. I establish that there are two extremes in a continuum of how German national history can frame the Israeli wall, one making Germany an active agent and the other a passive one. Employing national symbols in the media distorts the domestic perception of foreign events. My study casts a first light on this little understood—but nonetheless crucial—phenomenon.
New Compounds with [As7]3– Clusters: Synthesis and Crystal Structures of the Zintl Phases Cs2NaAs7, Cs4ZnAs14 and Cs4CdAs14
Authors: He Hua , Tyson Chauntae , Bobev Svilen
Published: June 2011

Three new cluster compounds, Cs2NaAs7, Cs4ZnAs14, and Cs4CdAs14 were obtained from high temperature reactions. Their structures feature heptaarsenide [As7]3– anions, where the clusters in Cs4ZnAs14 and Cs4CdAs14 are dimerized by the linkers Zn and Cd, respectively. The bonding characteristics of these clusters are discussed and compared. Band structure calculation on Cs2NaAs7 suggests that this compound is a semiconductor with an energy gap of circa 1.6 eV, which is in consistent with the dark red color of the crystals.
Opportunities Offered by Chiral η6-Arene/N-Arylsulfonyl-diamine-RuII Catalysts in the Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones and Imines
Authors: Václavík Jiří , Kačer Petr , Kuzma Marek , Červený Libor
Published: June 2011

Methods for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of ketones and imines are still being intensively studied and developed. Of foremost interest is the use of Noyori’s [RuCl(η6-arene)(N-TsDPEN)] complexes in the presence of a hydrogen donor (i-PrOH, formic acid). These complexes have found numerous practical applications and have been extensively modified. The resulting derivatives have been heterogenized, used in ATH in water or ionic liquids and even some attempts have been made to approach the properties of biocatalysts. Therefore, an appropriate modification of the catalyst that suits the specific requirements for the reaction conditions is very often readily available. The mechanism of the reaction has also been explored to a great extent. Model substrates, acetophenone (a ketone) and 6,7-dimethoxy-1-methyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline (an imine), are both reduced by this Ru catalytic system with almost perfect selectivity. However, in each case the major product is a different enantiomer (S- for an alcohol, R- for an amine when the S,S-catalyst is used), which demanded an in-depth mechanistic investigation. Full-scale molecular modelling of this system enabled us to visualize the plausible 3D structures of the transition states, allowing the proposition of a viable explanation of previous experimental findings.
Ecosystem Management: Tomorrow’s Approach to Enhancing Food Security under a Changing Climate
Authors: Munang Richard Tingem , Thiaw Ibrahim , Rivington Mike
Published: June 2011

This paper argues that a sustainable ecosystem management approach is vital to ensure the delivery of essential ‘life support’ ecosystem services and must be mainstreamed into societal conscience, political thinking and economic processes. Feeding the world at a time of climate change, environmental degradation, increasing human population and demand for finite resources requires sustainable ecosystem management and equitable governance. Ecosystem degradation undermines food production and the availability of clean water, hence threatening human health, livelihoods and ultimately societal stability. Degradation also increases the vulnerability of populations to the consequences of natural disasters and climate change impacts. With 10 million people dying from hunger each year, the linkages between ecosystems and food security are important to recognize. Though we all depend on ecosystems for our food and water, about seventy per cent of the estimated 1.1 billion people in poverty around the world live in rural areas and depend directly on the productivity of ecosystems for their livelihoods. Healthy ecosystems provide a diverse range of food sources and support entire agricultural systems, but their value to food security and sustainable livelihoods are often undervalued or ignored. There is an urgent need for increased financial investment for integrating ecosystem management with food security and poverty alleviation priorities. As the world’s leaders worked towards a new international climate change agenda in Cancun, Mexico, 29 November–10 December 2010 (UNFCCC COP16), it was clear that without a deep and decisive post-2012 agreement and major concerted effort to reduce the food crisis, the Millennium Development Goals will not be attained. Political commitment at the highest level will be needed to raise the profile of ecosystems on the global food agenda. It is recommended that full recognition and promotion be given of the linkages between healthy, protected ecosystems and global food security; that sufficient resources be allocated for improved ecosystem valuation, protection, management and restoration; and that ecosystem management be integrated in climate change and food security portfolios. We will not be able to feed the world and eradicate extreme poverty, if we do not protect our valuable ecosystems and biodiversity.
Potent Anti-HIV-1 Activity of N-HR-Derived Peptides Including a Deep Pocket-Forming Region without Antagonistic Effects on T-20
Authors: Izumi Kazuki , Watanabe Kentaro , Oishi Shinya , Fujii Nobutaka , Matsuoka Masao , Sarafianos Stefan G , Kodama Eiichi N
Published: June 2011

Background:

Enfuvirtide (T-20), a C-terminal heptad repeat (C-HR)-derived peptide of HIV-1 glycoprotein, gp41, effectively suppresses HIV-1 replication through a putative mechanism that involves it acting as a decoy and binding to the N-terminal heptad repeat (N-HR) of the virus. In this study, we address whether the anti-HIV-1 activity of T-20 is antagonized by a variety of N-HR-derived peptides.

Methods:

Multinuclear activation of galactosidase indicator assays were used to evaluate T-20 activity in the presence of N-HR-derived peptides. The gp41-derived peptides were chemically synthesized.

Results:

We demonstrate additive anti-HIV activity when T-20 is used in combination with N-HR-derived peptides that do not have a putative binding region for the tryptophan-rich domain in T-20. The presence of a deep pocket-forming region in the N-HR-derived peptides enhanced their anti-HIV-1 activity, but had little effect on the activity of T-20.

Conclusions:

These results indicate that T-20-based antiviral therapies can be combined with N-HR-derived peptides.
Du réel du bruit au réel de la voix : la musique de l'inconscient et ses impasses
Authors: Catão Inês
Published: June 2011

Résumé La voix est le paradigme de l’objet pulsionel. Elle joue un rôle primordial dans l’instauration du fonctionnement psychique en articulant le signifiant au corps réel de l’ infans . Il s’agit d’un objet particulier par rapport aux autres. Cette particularité est liée au fait qu’il est l’objet du désir de l’Autre , ce qui implique une double direction : de l’Autre vers le sujet mais aussi du sujet vers l’Autre. L’importante question de l’adresse nous conduit à poser la question de la responsabilité du sujet. Pour faire avancer la recherche sur le moment originaire de fondation de l’inconscient, il faut dédoubler le chemin de la constitution de la voix comme objet pulsionel. Dans la constitution du sujet de l’inconscient, le parlêtre fait un parcours entre deux réels : du réel du bruit au réel de la voix, en passant par le sonore et la musicalité. Temps du sujet d’avant le sujet du désir. Il convient de dédoubler les opérations de constitution du sujet proposées par Lacan – aliénation et séparation – et de les penser en tenant compte de l’objet voix avant que celui-ci ne s’organise en tant qu’objet pulsionnel. La clinique psychanalytique de ceux qui ne parlent pas – l’ infans et l’enfant autiste – nous offre un témoignage du temps mythique de l’incorporation du langage et de ses impasses. Dans l’autisme, la voix ne se constitue pas comme objet de la pulsion, ce qui rend impossible la fonction de la parole. L’article rapproche voix et poésie. La structure du poème enseigne au psychanalyste sa propre fonction. Il s’agit de « répondre » au réel par le réel, en restituant l’énigme.
Musique, émotion, inconscient : logiques d'une perlaboration
Authors: Guerra Giovanni
Published: June 2011

Résumé La relation entre musique et émotion est au centre d’un débat entre ceux qui accordent une place centrale à l’émotion et ceux qui nient l’intérêt de l’émotion. On reprend l’interprétation de l’émotion empruntée à Ignacio Matte Blanco qui introduit la notion de structure bi-logique de la psyché. La musique aussi, d’ailleurs, se caractérise par une structure bi-logique analogue. L’écoute de la musique ainsi implique un travail de perlaboration qui met en jeu et la logique symétrique (inconscient) et la logique asymétrique (conscience).