bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Technique to Measure the Trajectory of Drag Anchors in Soils
Authors: Zhang Wei , Liu Haixiao , Zhou Haifang , Sheng Zhigang
Published: May 2011

Drag anchors, including the vertically loaded plate anchors, play a very important role in deepwater mooring systems. However, the behavior of the anchor has never been clearly known, especially the trajectory of the anchor in soils when pulled into the seabed. Positioning in seabed soils is especially important for drag anchors because the working performance of the anchor is closely related to the embedment depth and orientation of the anchor and the properties of the surrounding soils. Hence, studying the trajectory by analytical and experimental methods is critical for the further application of drag anchors in offshore engineering. An overview of the present trajectory measurements demonstrates that there has not been an acceptable measurement technique for laboratory model flume experiments. In this paper, a contact measurement technique, which is based on the knowledge of the motion characteristic of the drag anchor in soils, is developed and applied in measuring the trajectory of the anchor models. This technique is easier to perform and has little effect on the behavior of drag anchors in soils. The measurement precision and applicability of the technique are verified through specially-designed experiments. Being an important application, the measurement technique can be adopted to detect the movement direction of the anchor with an arbitrary fluke section. The present work has demonstrated that through model tests and employing the developed technique, the movement direction of any type of drag anchor can be effectively and easily determined.
Handwipe Method for Removing Lead from Skin
Authors: Esswein Eric J. , Boeniger Mark F. , Ashley Kevin
Published: May 2011

Researchers at the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed a handwipe removal method for lead (Pb) after field studies showed that workers in lead-acid battery plants had significant risks for dermal-oral lead exposures, despite their attempts to remove the lead by washing with soap and water. Hand washing with soap and water remains the standard recommendation for workers (as well as the public) to clean skin known or believed to be contaminated with toxic metals, such as lead. Despite longstanding recommendations for workers to “wash hands with soap and water,” no efficacy studies show this to be a completely effective removal method for lead. Removal of toxic metals such as lead from skin constitutes a decontamination procedure; it is not, in fact, a hand-washing step. NIOSH scientists conceived and developed a highly effective (nearly 100 %) method for removal of lead from skin. A systems approach was devised incorporating four components deemed necessary for effective metal removal: Surfaction, pH control, chelation, and mechanical effects. The handwipe removal method evolved from a previous NIOSH invention, the handwipe disclosing method for the presence of lead, in the interests of providing complementary techniques for dermal lead detection and decontamination. The method is a patented, award-winning, commercialized technology that has significant potential to prevent occupational and public exposures to lead.
Energy-Based Method for Analyzing the Collapse Characteristics of Silt Subjected to Changes of Principal Stress Orientation
Authors: Yan Jun , Shen Yang , Huang Guofa , Yang Gui
Published: May 2011

When soils are subjected to dynamic loadings, their stress states not only alter in stress ratios but also in principal stress orientations cyclically. Under these complicated stress paths the pore water pressure of soils may develop to the level of liquefaction even at a relatively low shear stress ratio. Therefore, to investigate the characteristics of pore water pressure buildup under such stress paths, a series of experiments were conducted with hollow cylinder apparatus. The samples are saturated silt from the sea entrance of Yangtze River with the relative densities of 70 and 30 %. The tests employed three kinds of cyclic loading schemes including changes of principal stress orientation (i.e., cyclic triaxial, torsion shear, and principal stress rotation tests). According to the testing results, the dissipation energy (accumulated shear work per unit volume) was calculated for each sample. It was found that the influences of cyclic stress ratio, frequency, relative density and cyclic stress path on the pore water pressure buildup were analyzed. In light of the concept of collapse, the collapse energy was proposed as a dynamic strength criterion. Subsequently, an energy-based pore water pressure model was proposed, whose parameters could reflect the collapse energy and rate of pore water pressure buildup.
Inference of Site Frequency Spectra From High-Throughput Sequence Data: Quantification of Selection on Nonsynonymous and Synonymous Sites in Humans
Authors: Keightley Peter D , Halligan Daniel L
Published: May 2011

Sequencing errors and random sampling of nucleotide types among sequencing reads at heterozygous sites present challenges for accurate, unbiased inference of single-nucleotide polymorphism genotypes from high-throughput sequence data. Here, we develop a maximum-likelihood approach to estimate the frequency distribution of the number of alleles in a sample of individuals (the site frequency spectrum), using high-throughput sequence data. Our method assumes binomial sampling of nucleotide types in heterozygotes and random sequencing error. By simulations, we show that close to unbiased estimates of the site frequency spectrum can be obtained if the error rate per base read does not exceed the population nucleotide diversity. We also show that these estimates are reasonably robust if errors are nonrandom. We then apply the method to infer site frequency spectra for zerofold degenerate, fourfold degenerate, and intronic sites of protein-coding genes using the low coverage human sequence data produced by the 1000 Genomes Project phase-one pilot. By fitting a model to the inferred site frequency spectra that estimates parameters of the distribution of fitness effects of new mutations, we find evidence for significant natural selection operating on fourfold sites. We also find that a model with variable effects of mutations at synonymous sites fits the data significantly better than a model with equal mutational effects. Under the variable effects model, we infer that 11% of synonymous mutations are subject to strong purifying selection.
Spatial Regulation of lag-2 Transcription During Vulval Precursor Cell Fate Patterning in Caenorhabditis elegans
lag-2
Authors: Zhang Xinyong , Greenwald Iva
Published: May 2011

lag-2 encodes a ligand for LIN-12/Notch and is a component of the lateral signal that activates LIN-12/Notch during Caenorhabditis elegans  vulval precursor cell (VPC) fate patterning. lag-2 is specifically transcribed in one VPC, named P6.p, in response to activation of EGFR/Ras/MAPK by the inductive signal that initiates vulval development. Here, we show that a critical molecular event linking inductive and lateral signaling is the relief of VPC-wide lag-2 repression in P6.p. We find that the lag-2 promoter contains an element, VPCrep, which mediates repression in all VPCs when the inductive signal is absent, and another promoter element, VPCact, which is required for activation when repression is relieved by the inductive signal. We show that repression through VPCrep is mediated by the Elk1 ortholog LIN-1, and that the level and subcellular accumulation of a functional LIN-1::GFP protein is similar in all six VPCs before and after vulval induction, suggesting that relief of LIN-1–mediated repression in P6.p is likely due to the known MAPK-dependent phosphorylation of LIN-1. We also provide evidence that the factor(s) acting through VPCact is present in all VPCs but is not modulated by the inductive signal, and that transcription of lag-2 requires the Hth/Meis ortholog UNC-62 and the Mediator complex component SUR-2. Relief of repression of lag-2 in P6.p offers a plausible mechanistic basis for spatial restriction of lag-2 in generating the precise spatial pattern of VPC fates.
Inhibition of RNA Interference and Modulation of Transposable Element Expression by Cell Death in Drosophila
Authors: Xie Weiwu , Liang Chengzhi , Birchler James A
Published: May 2011

RNA interference (RNAi) regulates gene expression by sequence-specific destruction of RNA. It acts as a defense mechanism against viruses and represses the expression of transposable elements (TEs) and some endogenous genes. We report that mutations and transgene constructs that condition cell death suppress RNA interference in adjacent cells in Drosophila melanogaster. The reversal of RNAi is effective for both the white (w) eye color gene and green fluorescent protein (GFP), indicating the generality of the inhibition. Antiapoptotic transgenes that reverse cell death will also reverse the inhibition of RNAi. Using GFP and a low level of cell death produced by a heat shock-head involution defective (hs-hid) transgene, the inhibition appears to occur by blocking the conversion of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to short interfering RNA (siRNA). We also demonstrate that the mus308 gene and endogenous transposable elements, which are both regularly silenced by RNAi, are increased in expression and accompanied by a reduced level of siRNA, when cell death occurs. The finding that chronic ectopic cell death affects RNAi is critical for an understanding of the application of the technique in basic and applied studies. These results also suggest that developmental perturbations, disease states, or environmental insults that cause ectopic cell death would alter transposon and gene expression patterns in the organism by the inhibition of small RNA silencing processes.
Genome-Wide Epigenetic Perturbation Jump-Starts Patterns of Heritable Variation Found in Nature
Authors: Roux Fabrice , Colomé-Tatché Maria , Edelist Cécile , Wardenaar René , Guerche Philippe , Hospital Frédéric , Colot Vincent , Jansen Ritsert C , Johannes Frank
Published: May 2011

We extensively phenotyped 6000 Arabidopsis plants with experimentally perturbed DNA methylomes as well as a diverse panel of natural accessions in a common garden. We found that alterations in DNA methylation not only caused heritable phenotypic diversity but also produced heritability patterns closely resembling those of the natural accessions. Our findings indicate that epigenetically induced and naturally occurring variation in complex traits share part of their polygenic architecture and may offer complementary adaptation routes in ecological settings.
Measuring the Return on Government Spending on the Medicare Managed Care Program
Authors: Hall Anne E
Published: May 2011

I estimate the welfare provided to beneficiaries by the Medicare managed care program, and its net costs, for the years 1999-2002. I measure beneficiary welfare with a nested logit model of demand for Medicare HMO plans using detailed data on plan benefits. From this, I find that total beneficiary welfare provided by the program over the four-year period is about $61 billion (2000 $). I also use data on and estimates of the favorable selection enjoyed by Medicare HMOs from the research literature to estimate net costs of the program, which range from $21 billion to $31 billion (2000 $). Estimated net beneficiary welfare of the program therefore ranges from $30 billion to $40 billion and the estimated return on government spending ranges from 96 percent to 186 percent. Even though managed care plans are overpaid by Medicare, the program still enjoys a substantial return due to the popularity of its offerings.
Frequent Hemodialysis Schedules Are Associated with Reduced Levels of Dialysis-induced Cardiac Injury (Myocardial Stunning)
Authors: Jefferies Helen J. , Virk Bhupinder , Schiller Brigitte , Moran John , McIntyre Christopher W.
Published: May 2011

Background and objectives

Recurrent hemodialysis (HD)-induced ischemic cardiac injury (myocardial stunning) is common and associated with high ultrafiltration (UF) requirements, intradialytic hypotension, long-term loss of systolic function, increased likelihood of cardiovascular events, and death. More frequent HD regimens are associated with lower UF requirements and improved hemodynamic tolerability, improved cardiovascular outcomes, and reduced mortality compared with conventional thrice-weekly HD. This study investigated the hypothesis that modification of UF volume and rate with more frequent HD therapies would abrogate dialysis-induced myocardial stunning.

Design, settings, participants, & measurements

A cross-sectional study of 46 patients established on hemodialysis >3 months compared four groups receiving the current range of quotidian therapies: conventional thrice-weekly HD (CHD3); more-frequent HD five to six times/week in a center (CSD) and at home (HSD); and home nocturnal HD (HN). Serial echocardiography quantitatively assessed regional systolic function to identify intradialytic left ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMAs). Cardiac troponin T (cTnT), N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and inflammatory markers were quantified.

Results

More frequent HD regimens were associated with lower UF volumes and rates compared with CHD3. Intradialytic fall in systolic BP was reduced in CSD and HSD groups and abolished in HN group. Mean RWMAs per patient reduced with increasing dialysis intensity (CHD3 > CSD > HSD > HN). Home-based groups demonstrated lower high-sensitivity C-reative protein levels, with trends to lower cTnT and NT-proBNP levels in the more frequent groups.

Conclusions

Frequent HD regimes are associated with less dialysis-induced myocardial stunning compared with conventional HD. This may contribute to improved outcomes associated with frequent HD therapies.
A mathematical model of the current density distribution in electrochemical cells
Authors: Popov Konstantin , Zivkovic Predrag , Nikolic Nebojsa
Published: May 2011

An approach based on the equations of electrochemical kinetics for the
estimation of the current density distribution in electrochemical cells is
presented. This approach was employed for a theoretical explanation of the
phenomena of the edge and corner effects. The effects of the geometry of the
system, the kinetic parameters of the cathode reactions and the resistivity
of the solution are also discussed. A procedure for a complete analysis of
the current distribution in electrochemical cells is presented.
A theoretical study of the intramolecular proton transfer and calculation of the nucleus independent chemical shift in juglone and some of its derivatives
Authors: Vessally E. , Fereyduni Ehsan , Kamaee M. , Moradi S.
Published: May 2011

In the present study, first, the intramolecular proton transfer (IPT) process
of juglone and its derivatives were theoretically investigated in the gas
phase and the effect of electron-withdrawing and electronreleasing
substituents in different positions of the phenyl and benzoquinone rings of
juglone on the IPT process was studied in which the geometries, energies and
thermodynamic functions of the compounds were obtained using DFT calculations
at the B3LYP/6-31+G(2d,p) level. Next, the influence of IPT on changing the
aromaticity of the phenyl and benzoquinone rings was investigated. To
determine the aromaticity of the rings, nuclear independent chemical shift
(NICS) values were calculated for the ground state and transition state
structures (GS1,TS,GS2) using the continues set of gauge transformations
(CSGT) procedure at the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p) level.
The Disappearing Intellectual in the Age of Economic Darwinism
Authors: Giroux Henry A.
Published: May 2011

Anti-intellectualism and political illiteracy are sweeping across the American media and cultural landscape, giving rise to discourses that are unabashedly nativist, racist, and reactionary. Populist sentiments drive the rabid individualism and anti-government rhetoric of right-wing groups such as the Tea Party movement. Underlying these sentiments is not simply religious or libertarian ideology, but an insidious neoliberal, pro-corporate agenda that supports deregulated capitalism and the demise of the social state. As anti-intellectualism spreads in the media and political spheres, Americans increasingly accept as a principle of governance the reality of living in a Darwinist, survival-of-the-fittest world. If democracy is going to have a future in the United States, critical education and universities as democratic public spheres need to be defended and expanded in order to resist a growing wave of anti-intellectualism that heralds the disappearance of the critical intellectual, the depoliticization and reduction of civic responsibility to banal acts of production and consumption, and the rise of the punishing state and a culture of cruelty that abandon racial minorities, the unemployed, sick, elderly and poor to lives of violence, hardship, despair, and insecurity.
Citizenship with/in or without Lifeworld? A Critical Review of the Contemporary Perspectives of Citizenship
Authors: Hung Ruyu
Published: May 2011

This article aims to propose the idea of citizenship with/in lifeworld. The author argues that most approaches to the conception of citizenship fail to pay fair attention to and include differences at the individual level. By exploring the meaning of the mainstream conceptions of citizenship, this article identifies the implied deficits as homogenisation and disembodiment. Homogenised and disembodied citizenship is ‘citizenship without lifeworld’. Drawing on Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of body, this article suggests that the understanding of citizenship cannot be separated from lifeworld. The notion of citizenship with/in lifeworld brings more potential for imagining a civic society welcoming differences.
Leisure, Government and Governance: A Swedish Perspective
Authors: Lindström Lisbeth
Published: May 2011

The leisure sector has witnessed a tremendous expansion since 1960. The purpose of this article is to analyse the decisions and goals of Swedish government policy during the period 1962 to 2005. The empirical analysis covers government Propositions and governmental investigations. The fields covered are sports, culture, exercise, tourism and recreation. The article concludes that during the last ten years the private sector, led by companies, economic associations and foundations, has expanded its involvement in the leisure sector. Whereas the state used to control all parts of the leisure value chain, it is now possible to distinguish between those who produce, arrange and finance leisure services.
Market Competition in Upper Secondary Education: Perceived Effects on Teachers' Work
Authors: Lundström Ulf , Holm Ann-Sofie
Published: May 2011

The development and expansion of market solutions is one of the most important changes in Swedish education in the last 30 years. The aim of the article is to describe and analyse how students and staff in upper secondary schools perceive the impact of market competition on teachers' work. Three groups of actors in two Swedish regions were interviewed: students, teachers and principals. The interviews were carried out at eight schools in five municipalities, at both public and independent schools. The results show that competition relations are more complex than is often assumed. Intensification of teachers' work is a common theme in the interviews. Traditional professional values and identities are challenged by the market competition and a market-oriented teacher is shaped – whether the teachers like it or not. The extension of teachers' tasks is increasingly about marketing. A new type of service-minded and flexible teacher is created. Regarding the effects of competition on teacher performance, the results are contradictory. The quality discourse is problematised as there is no evident link between winners in the school competition and the quality of teaching and student outcomes. The Swedish case is interesting in the international literature as an example of a rapidly growing upper secondary school market which is closer to the logic of the market than many other nations' school systems.
Controversial Issues: Identifying the Concerns and Priorities of Student Teachers
Authors: Woolley Richard
Published: May 2011

The theoretical framework of this article considers the significant place of education in the socialisation and enculturation of children. This requires that student teachers develop critical pedagogies as a means of promoting equity, pupil voice and democratic structures in schools. Key to this is Cole's concept of ‘isms' and ‘phobias’, and the need to prepare student teachers to address them, and to evaluate both formal and hidden curricula. This article outlines the findings of a small-scale study that explored student teachers' views on elements of issues-based education, the content of their training courses, and their personal priorities and apprehensions. It involved student teachers in eight universities in England during 2008–09. This article outlines the full range of responses to the survey and students' reasons for their priorities. The findings provide a context for providers of initial teacher education to consider the content and focus of their programmes.
Isolation and characterization of some novel genes of the apolipoprotein A-I family in Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica
Authors: Choudhury Malay , Oku Takahiro , Yamada Shoji , Komatsu Masaharu , Kudoh Keita , Itakura Takao , Ando Seiichi
Published: May 2011

Apolipoproteins such as apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, apoA-IV, and apoE are lipid binding proteins synthesized mainly in the liver and the intestine and play an important role in the transfer of exogenous or endogenous lipids through the circulatory system. To investigate the mechanism of lipid transport in fish, we have isolated some novel genes of the apoA-I family, apoIA-I (apoA-I isoform) 1–11, from Japanese eel by PCR amplification. Some of the isolated genes of apoIA-I corresponded to 28kDa-1 cDNAs which had already been deposited into the database and encoded an apolipoprotein with molecular weight of 28 kDa in the LDL, whereas others seemed to be novel genes. The structural organization of all apoIA-Is consisted of four exons separated by three introns. ApoIA-I10 had a total length of 3232 bp, whereas other genes except for apoIA-I9 ranged from 1280 to 1441 bp. The sequences of apoIA-Is at the exon-intron junctions were mostly consistent with the consensus sequence (GT/AG) at exon-intron boundaries, whereas the sequences of 3′ splice acceptor in intron 1 of apoIA-I1-7 were (AC) but not (AG). The deduced amino acid sequences of all apoIA-Is contained a putative signal peptide and a propeptide of 17 and 5 amino acid residues, respectively. The mature proteins of apoIA-I1-3, 7, and 8 consisted of 237 amino acids, whereas those of apoIA-I4-6 consisted of 239 amino acids. The mature apoIA-I10 sequence showed 65% identity to amino acid sequence of apoIA-I11 which was associated with an apolipoprotein with molecular weight of 23 kDa in the VLDL. All these mature apoIA-I sequences satisfied the common structural features depicted for the exchangeable apolipoproteins such as apoA-I, apoA-IV, and apoE but apoIA-I11 lacked internal repeats 7, 8, and 9 when compared with other members of apoA-I family. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these novel apoIA-Is isolated from Japanese eel were much closer to apoA-I than apoA-IV and apoE, suggesting new members of the apoA-I family.
Spinal cord compression secondary to a thoracic vertebral osteochondroma
Authors: Tian Ye , Yuan Wen , Chen Huajiang , Shen Xiaolong
Published: May 2011

The authors describe a case of spinal cord compression due to an osteochondroma arising from the T-6 vertebral body in a patient with hereditary multiple exostoses. This 16-year-old boy presented with spastic paraparesis. Surgical decompression was followed by resolution of the neurological impairments. Osteochondroma is the most common bone tumor. The distribution of osteochondromas greatly favors the extremities and these lesions rarely arise in the vertebral column. Osteochondromas occur in 2 distinct clinical settings—as solitary or multiple tumors, the latter being often associated with hereditary multiple exostoses. Osteochondromas are more commonly found in the posterior elements of the vertebrae. Intraspinal presentation of these tumors is usually limited to the cervical regions, with few tumors reported in the thoracic vertebrae. Based on the presented case and literature review, the authors conclude that osteochondromas of the thoracic spine that cause myelopathy usually arise from the vertebral body and pedicle. Prompt and systematic radiological investigations are important in planning surgical management. Surgical excision usually yields good results.
Reforms in Medical Education: Trends and Challenges
Authors: Anwar AKM Nurul
Published: May 2011

DOI: 10.3329/jcmcta.v21i1.7660 Journal of Chittagong Medical College Teachers' Association 2010: 21(1):1-2
Looking Beyond the Box towards the Horizon
Authors: Yunus Emran Bin
Published: May 2011

DOI: 10.3329/jcmcta.v21i1.7662 Journal of Chittagong Medical College Teachers' Association 2010: 21(1):6-7
The JCMCTA: Glimpses from the Past
Authors: Editors The
Published: May 2011

DOI: 10.3329/jcmcta.v21i1.7663 Journal of Chittagong Medical College Teachers' Association 2010: 21(1):8-9
The Spectrum of Cutaneous Manifestations in Lupus Erythematosus: The Tertiary Hospital Experience
Authors: Mowla Mohammad Rafiqul , Alam Mansurul , Hoque Md Gofranul , Islam AQM Serajul , Dey Nishit Ranjan , Hoque Roksana , Datta Pradip Kumar , Hasan Suzon Al
Published: May 2011

Key words: SLE; cutaneous; ChittagongDOI: 10.3329/jcmcta.v21i1.7668 Journal of Chittagong Medical College Teachers' Association 2010: 21(1):34-39
Clinical and Biochemical Evaluation of Atypically Presented Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome
Authors: Mahmud Nasir Uddin , Sharma Jhulan Das , Azad Abul Kalam , Barua Chowdhury Chimnjib , Kamal Abu Hena Mostafa
Published: May 2011

Key words: nephrotic syndrome; proteinuria; oedemaDOI: 10.3329/jcmcta.v21i1.7680 Journal of Chittagong Medical College Teachers' Association 2010: 21(1):56-61
Systemic Amyloidosis Presented with Persistent Cough: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Sayeed Md Abu , Sattar Md Abdus , Paul Sujat , Siraji Dilruba , Das Uzzwal Kanti
Published: May 2011

Key words: systemic amyloidosis; immunoglobulin light chain-derived amyloidosis (AL); respiratory amyloidosis; coughsDOI: 10.3329/jcmcta.v21i1.7683 Journal of Chittagong Medical College Teachers' Association 2010: 21(1):70-73
Advanced Abdominal Pregnancy: A Case Report
Authors: Hamid Ayinur Nahar , Begum Rokeya , Sultana Zakeya , Akhter Nargis
Published: May 2011

DOI: 10.3329/jcmcta.v21i1.7684 Journal of Chittagong Medical College Teachers' Association 2010: 21(1):74-76
Mechanical evaluation of a tapered thread-run-out half-pin designed for external skeletal fixation in small animals
Authors: Toombs J. P. , Bronson D. G. , Ross J. D. , Browne R. H. , Griffin H.
Published: May 2011

An in vitro mechanical study was performed to compare the stiffness, maximum load, and cyclic load-to-failure of a new external fixation half-pin design utilizing a tapered thread-run-out (TRO) feature with currently available positive profile thread (PP) half-pins. Five different sizes of each of the two pin types were evaluated. Under static loading, TRO pins were significantly stiffer and had a higher maximum load compared to the similar sized PP pins (p ±0.0001 for all comparisons). In cyclic fatigue testing, TRO pins lasted 2.3- to 4.9-fold more cycles than PP pins of similar size (p ±0.0001 for all comparisons). The increased pin stiffness and improved cyclic lifespan provided by TRO pins may be especially valuable in the stabilization of biologically and mechanically challenging fracture cases where healing is prolonged.
The use of cyclosporine-A in dogs with chronic osteoarthritis: A pilot study
Authors: Headrick J. , Weigel J. P. , Millis D. L. , de Mello Souza C. H.
Published: May 2011

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of cyclosporine-A in dogs with radiographic and physical evidence of chronic stifle osteoarthritis.

Materials and methods: Ten hound-type dogs with osteoarthritis induced by surgical transection of a cranial cruciate ligament followed by immediate stabilization of the stifle four years prior to study start were randomized to two groups. Cyclosporine-A was administered orally once daily at 5 mg/kg to one group for one month while the other group served as control. After a two week wash-out period during which the animals were not treated, and the degree of lameness was allowed to return to baseline, the treatments were switched so that the second group received treatment with cyclosporine-A and the first group served as control. Ground reaction forces were measured using a force platform in all animals at day zero and then every two weeks until the end of the study.

Results: Cyclosporine-A did not alter the degree of lameness based on assessment of ground reaction forces.

Conclusions: At a dose of 5 mg/kg/day for 28 days, cyclosporine-A was not effective in decreasing lameness of dogs with chronic osteoarthritis induced by surgical transection of the cranial cruciate ligament.
Risk of canine cranial cruciate ligament rupture is not associated with the major histocompatibility complex
Authors: Kennedy L. J. , Short A. D. , Barnes A. , Ferguson J. , Ollier W. E. R. , Clements D. N.
Published: May 2011

Objectives: To investigate the association of the major histocompatability (MHC) class II allele haplotype frequencies with the diagnosis of cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture in two breeds of dog.

Methods: DNA samples from populations of Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers with CCL rupture and general populations of the same breeds were characterised for three DLA class II loci (DRB1*, DQA1* and DQB1*) alleles using sequence-based typing or reference strand-mediated conformation analysis.

Results: Although distinct differences in haplotype types, frequencies and homozygozity were observed between the two breeds, no disease specific association could be identified for the development of the CCL rupture within either population.

Clinical significance: The risk for developing CCL rupture was not associated with DLA haplotype group(s) in Labrador Retrievers or Golden Retrievers, thus the hypothesis that there is an autoimmune basis to CCL rupture was not supported.
Ground beetles of the Ukraine (Coleoptera, Carabidae)
Authors: Putchkov Alexander
Published: May 2011

A review of the ground beetles of the Ukrainian fauna is given. Almost 750 species from 117 genera of Carabidae are known to occur in the Ukraine. Approximately 450 species of ground beetles are registered in the Carpathian region. No less than 300 species of ground beetles are found in the forest zone. Approximately 400 species of Carabidae present in the forest-steppe zone are relatively similar in species composition to those in the forest territories. Some 450 species of Carabidae are inhabitants of the steppe zone. Representatives of many other regions of heterogeneous biotopes such as forest, semi desert, intrazonal, etc. can be found in the steppe areas. The fauna of Carabidae (ca. 100 species) of the lowlands of southern Ukraine (sandy biotopes), situated mostly in the Kherson region, is very peculiar. The fauna of the Crimean mountains contains about 300 species. Conservation measures for the Carabidae are discussed.
La fin d'une exception française ?
Authors: Tusseau Guillaume
Published: May 2011

Résumé En offrant au juge constitutionnel la possibilité de remettre en cause la validité d’une loi, à l’initiative des justiciables, d’une part, et après l’entrée en vigueur de la loi, d’autre part, la révision constitutionnelle de 2008 a mis un terme à un légicentrisme encore profondément enraciné. Mais l’affiliation hexagonale au modèle de l’État constitutionnel peut sembler anachronique, tant le constitutionnalisme actuel s’avère international, supranational et transnational. Dans ce contexte, l’instauration de la question prioritaire de constitutionnalité ne paraît pas de nature à susciter l’ aggiornamento conceptuel dont le constitutionnalisme français aurait besoin.
Conventionnalité et constitutionnalité
Authors: Simon Denys
Published: May 2011

Résumé La priorité conférée par le législateur organique à la question prioritaire de constitutionnalité, par rapport aux questions de conventionnalité qui pouvaient être soulevées devant le juge du fond, ou devant le Conseil d’État et la Cour de cassation, a été à l’origine des principales difficultés initiales dans la mise en œuvre du mécanisme. En particulier, la compatibilité du dispositif avec les exigences de la primauté du droit de l’Union et de la faculté / obligation du renvoi préjudiciel a donné lieu à des lectures contradictoires, qui se sont traduites par des prises de position antinomiques dans la jurisprudence de la Cour de cassation, du Conseil constitutionnel, du Conseil d’État et de la Cour de justice de l’Union. Il semble qu’on puisse néanmoins concilier les différentes approches à certaines conditions sans remettre en cause la logique de la question prioritaire de constitutionnalité « à la française »...
Cinq Cours suprêmes ?
Authors: de Béchillon Denys
Published: May 2011

Résumé Bien que dans des contextes et avec des pouvoirs différents, cinq Cours se partagent aujourd’hui le pouvoir de juger « souverainement » la loi française. Un regard trop rapide fait apparaître cette polyphonie comme la source d’un grave désordre. Un examen plus attentif permet d’y voir plutôt la matière précieuse d’un enrichissement, pour l’État de droit et pour le fonctionnement même de la société.
Le procès constitutionnel
Authors: Rousseau Dominique
Published: May 2011

Résumé Un différend lié à l’application d’une disposition législative, un jugement de ce différend selon les principes du contradictoire, de la publicité, de l’oralité, de l’impartialité du tribunal et une décision bénéficiant de l’autorité de la chose jugée, tous les éléments constitutifs du procès sont réunis. Ils peuvent être améliorés, complétés, approfondis et il faut revenir ici, et une nouvelle fois, sur un mode de nomination des juges constitutionnels qui ne correspond plus à sa fonction juridictionnelle ; mais ni la Cour de cassation et encore moins le Conseil d’État n’ont, d’un coup d’un seul, respecté ensemble les critères formels et matériels du procès. Assurément, la chose qui se déroule au Conseil constitutionnel est bien un procès constitutionnel. Et sans guillemets !
Le Parlement et la QPC
Authors: Carcassonne Guy
Published: May 2011

Résumé Si la révision de 2008 avait ouvert la possibilité, c’est bien le Parlement qui a donné véritablement naissance à la QPC, en faisant une question plutôt qu’une exception, en la rendant prioritaire plutôt que préalable ou préjudicielle. Et parce qu’il se sent le père de cette procédure nouvelle, le Parlement est attentif à sa croissance, se montre mécontent de ce qui l’entrave et prêt à intervenir à nouveau, si nécessaire, pour la protéger, alors que c’est lui qui, sanctionné dans ses lois et devant les refaire selon un calendrier imposé, a pourtant le plus à souffrir de chacun de ses succès.
La résistance immédiate de la Cour de cassation à la QPC
Authors: Molfessis Nicolas
Published: May 2011

Résumé Dès son entrée en vigueur, la Cour de cassation a marqué sa défiance à l’encontre de la QPC. Ses premières décisions expriment la réticence des magistrats de l’ordre judiciaire à admettre le contrôle de la loi en vigueur ; elles manifestent aussi le fait que, globalement, la Cour de cassation ressent la QPC comme une forme de concurrence, d’autant moins bienvenue que le Conseil constitutionnel n’a pas la légitimité de l’institution du quai de l’Horloge. Les marques d’hostilité de la Cour de cassation ont à leur tour provoqué des réactions, parfois vives, sinon brutales. L’année 2010 restera, sous cet aspect, une année de déchirements institutionnels, de querelles doctrinales et prétoriennes sans équivalents, au risque d’une véritable rupture entre la Cour de cassation, une partie de la doctrine, le Conseil constitutionnel et le Parlement.
Question prioritaire de constitutionnalité et question incidente de constitutionnalité italienne : ab origine fidelis
Authors: Pardini Jean-Jacques
Published: May 2011

Résumé La question prioritaire de constitutionnalité est assurément proche de la question préjudicielle de constitutionnalité italienne. L’identité de principe entre les deux systèmes tient à l’hybridation du contrôle de constitutionnalité des lois par la garantie de prétentions subjectives et à la relation dialectique conséquente juges a quibus  / juge constitutionnel. Néanmoins, cette « communicabilité » laisse place à des différences et nuances quant aux choix opérés des deux côtés des Alpes pour la mise en œuvre des mécanismes. Ces différences et nuances se constatent du point de vue de l’introduction du recours en inconstitutionnalité et des normes impliquées dans le jugement constitutionnel. Elles reflètent le conditionnement culturel des deux États et la fidélité aux origines.
La question d'inconstitutionnalité en Espagne
Authors: Bon Pierre
Published: May 2011

Résumé Très largement inspirée du contrôle concret de la constitutionnalité des lois tel qu’il fonctionne depuis longtemps en Italie et en Allemagne, la question d’inconstitutionnalité espagnole présente un certain nombre de spécificités par rapport à la qpc française : elle ne concerne pas seulement les lois mais, plus généralement, tous les actes ayant force de loi quel qu’en soit l’auteur ; les normes de référence ne sont pas les seuls droits et libertés garantis par la Constitution mais cela concerne l’ensemble des dispositions constitutionnelles de même que certaines lois particulières ; il n’y a pas de filtrage par le juge ordinaire suprême puisque tout juge peut saisir directement le Tribunal constitutionnel ; le juge peut ce faire à la demande des parties mais aussi d’office ; dans son ordonnance de saisine, il a l’habitude de développer largement les raisons qui le conduisent à douter de la constitutionnalité de la norme, suscitant ainsi un dialogue fructueux avec le Tribunal constitutionnel.
Un nouveau Conseil Constitutionnel ?
Authors: Colliard Jean-Claude
Published: May 2011

Résumé Dès ses premiers mois d’application, la question prioritaire de constitutionnalité a connu un vif succès. Cela pose la question de savoir si ce contentieux, nouveau et d’emblée important, est susceptible d’avoir des conséquences sur le Conseil et d’entraîner quelques évolutions. Celles-ci pourraient toucher son organisation, statut des membres et renforcement des services, sa procédure, tant pour le contentieux électoral que pour le contentieux a priori , ou sa place dans le concert des juges face au rôle de filtre des cours suprêmes nationales ou à la question de plus en plus présente de l’articulation entre droit constitutionnel national et droit européen.
L'appropriation de la question prioritaire de constitutionnalité par ses acteurs
Authors: Piwnica Emmanuel
Published: May 2011

Résumé Le contrôle de la conformité à la Constitution de la loi promulguée a été décrit comme une véritable révolution au regard de la tradition juridique française. Ce nouveau droit, qui offre au justiciable la faculté de contester une loi dans le cadre d’un procès, a été reçu avec enthousiasme par ses acteurs, ainsi qu’en attestent le nombre de questions posées depuis l’entrée en vigueur de cette procédure comme le nombre d’annulations prononcées, notamment dans des domaines emblématiques. Cet accueil favorable résulte de l’efficacité de la question prioritaire de constitutionnalité qui a été immédiatement perçue, grâce à un effort sans précédent en matière d’information de la part du Conseil constitutionnel, du Conseil d’État et de la Cour de cassation.
La QPC et les citoyens
Authors: Duhamel Olivier
Published: May 2011

Résumé La question prioritaire de constitutionnalité existe enfin, mais depuis un an seulement. Trop peu pour apprécier toutes ses conséquences sur le rapport entre les citoyens et la Constitution. Assez cependant pour que se soient exprimés deux points de vue contradictoires ici réfutés : celui d’une réforme considérable pour les citoyens, celui d’un changement dérisoire en réalité. L’analyse de la procédure suivie devant le Conseil et celle des premières décisions permet de dresser un premier bilan qui atteste la portée civique de la QPC, consistante et circonscrite.
Addressing International Human Trafficking in Women and Children for Commercial Sexual Exploitation in the 21st century
Authors: Bassiouni Cherif M. , Rothenberg Daniel , Higonnet Ethel , Farenga Cynthia , Sol Invictus Augustus
Published: May 2011

L'objectif de cette étude est triple: premièrement, définir les nombreux problèmes conceptuels dans la compréhension de la traite d´êtres humains, en particulier l'imprécision de la définition et le manque de données précises sur le phénomène; deuxièmement, lier ces questions à un examen attentif de l'évolution juridique de la traite comme étant liée à des mécanismes relatifs à l'esclavage, à la prostitution, aux infractions du travail et à la criminalité organisée, et, troisièmement, utiliser cette analyse comme base pour une série de recommandations pour la recherche mondiale et l'élaboration de politiques susceptibles d’aider la communauté internationale dans la prévention et la répression de la traite, un crime qui révèle des éléments troublants de notre monde en mutation rapide.
Overcoming the Challenges to Accurately Measuring the Phenomenon of Human Trafficking
Authors: Aronowitz Alexis A.
Published: May 2011

Une politique efficace et des mesures propres à l'enquête de la traite des êtres humains, à la prévention et à l'assistance aux victimes exigent la collecte de données fiables sur l'ampleur du problème ainsi que sur les caractéristiques du trafic et les tendances. Ce document examine les limites dans l’évaluation de la traite des êtres humains et la façon dont les statistiques en général sur- ou sous-estiment le phénomène. Les questions de méthodologie et de définition et l’absence de partage des données contribuent à disperser les connaissances, la collecte de données fiables constituant un défi. Le document aborde brièvement des efforts nationaux, régionaux et internationaux réussis de collecte de données et fournit des recommandations pour des méthodes efficaces et pratiques destinées à améliorer la collecte de données fiables.
Women as Victims and Survivors in the Context of Transnational Human Trafficking for Commercial Sex Exploitation
Authors: Eerz Edna
Published: May 2011

L'article passe en revue les circonstances nationales et globales socioculturelles, économiques et juridiques qui créent un terrain fertile pour la traite des personnes aux fins d’exploitation sexuelle commerciale. Il montre que les vulnérabilités des femmes et des filles jouent un rôle central dans leur exploitation sexuelle, fait état des conditions défavorables complexes et des obstacles rencontrés dans la prévention du trafic sexuel, la protection de ses victimes et la poursuite de ses auteurs. L'article conclut en présentant des suggestions pour la protection, la prévention et l’efficacité des poursuites du trafic sexuel sur les niveaux micro et macro.
Fighting Against Human Trafficking for Commercial Sexual Exploitation: The Actions in Western Europe
Authors: Scarpa Silvia
Published: May 2011

L'article examine les initiatives développées par les États européens au niveau régional et national pour lutter contre la traite des êtres humains aux fins d'exploitation sexuelle commerciale, afin de prévenir le phénomène et protéger les victimes. Il évalue l'action menée au niveau régional par le Conseil de l'Europe. D’un côté, la Convention européenne sur la lutte contre la traite des êtres humains, récemment adoptée sous ses auspices, peut être considérée comme une réalisation marquante, en ce qu’elle constitue aujourd'hui l’instrument international le plus avancé sur la traite des êtres humains à travers le monde. D’un autre côté, la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme dans l’arrêt Rantsev v. Cyprus and Russia , estime que l'article 4 de la Convention européenne des droits de l'homme sur la prohibition de l'esclavage, la servitude et le travail forcé doit être interprété « à la lumière des conditions actuelles », de sorte que la traite des personnes relève sans doute de son champ d’application. Au niveau national, tous les pays d'Europe occidentale ont une législation spécifique pour lutter contre la traite des êtres humains et certains d'entre eux ont même récemment adopté de nouvelles lois concernant la prostitution, qui visent directement à lutter contre le trafic sexuel. Par conséquent, l'article conclut que les pays d'Europe occidentale semblent être bien équipés pour lutter contre la traite des êtres humains aux fins d'exploitation sexuelle commerciale.
ARTICLE RETIRÉ : The U.S. Human Trafficking Reporting System: Utility and Limitations
Authors: Banks Duren
Published: May 2011

La loi sur les victimes de la traite et la protection contre la violence a été adoptée par le Congrès en 2000 et autorisée à nouveau en 2003, 2005 et 2008. En réponse à la recherche limitée et aux estimations variables sur la traite des êtres humains, le Congrès a demandé une étude sur la portée et les caractéristiques du trafic d'êtres humains aux États-Unis dans la loi de 2005. Le Bureau of Justice Statistics, US Department of Justice, a été désigné pour recueillir des informations auprès des organismes d'application de la loi à travers LES États-Unis sur la traite des êtres humains. Le Human Trafficking Reporting System (HTRS) a été conçu pour recueillir des renseignements détaillés sur les incidents de traite des êtres humains étudiés par les forces de travail financés par l’État fédéral. Le HTRS est le premier système qui se concentre spécifiquement sur les enquêtes nationales et locales de traite des êtres humains aux États-Unis et qui a le potentiel pour combler les lacunes dans notre compréhension de ces crimes. Un rapport de 2009 du Bureau of Justice Statistics a décrit la portée et les caractéristiques des incidents soupçonnés de trafic d'êtres humains recherchés par les groupes de travail en 2007 et 2008. Bien que ces résultats fournissent une certaine compréhension des cas étudiés par les groupes de travail des États aux États-Unis, ils n'ont pas abouti à une estimation de la portée générale du trafic d'êtres humains dans le pays. Des analyses complémentaires ont été menées avec le HTRS pour acquérir une meilleure compréhension de la qualité et de la fiabilité des données, et les résultats des cas confirmés et non confirmés de traite des personnes. La reconnaissance des limites du système et la maximalisation de son utilité en l'intégrant dans d'autres systèmes peuvent fournir une image plus complète de la portée de la traite des êtres humains dans ce pays.
The Problem of Demand in Combating Sex Trafficking
Authors: Smith Linda , Healy Vardaman Samantha
Published: May 2011

Quatre années de recherche menées par Shared Hope International dans divers pays, y compris aux États-Unis, révèlent un point commun déterminant dans l'industrie du sexe: la demande cause le trafic sexuel dans tous les pays du monde. La demande est créée par les hommes et les femmes (surtout des hommes) qui cherchent à acheter des services sexuels ou des divertissements sexuels venant de personnes qui ont été soumises à la force, à la fraude ou à la coercition ou qui sont âgées de moins de 18 ans et qui sont impliquées dans le commerce du sexe.