bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Engineering or environmentalism: Changing views of the water question in Spain
Authors: Garca-Tornel Francisco Calvo
Published: January 2011

La desigual distribucin de los recursos hdricos en Espaa, debido a la diversidad climtica de la Pennsula, se ha contemplado tradicionalmente como una grave limitacin al desarrollo econmico general. Desde finales del siglo XVIII se propugna una poltica de redistribucin de recursos mediante
grandes obras hidrulicas, que culmin en los grandes proyectos de transferencias entre cuencas (desde el Tajo hacia el Sureste peninsular y desde el Ebro hacia Levante y Sur). Finalizando el siglo XX y desde puntos de vista ambientalistas y sociales, se critica esta poltica de oferta, desarrollando
un nuevo discurso que tiene como objetivo regular la demanda de agua utilizando la planificacin territorial y aplicando criterios ambientalistas. Los discursos tericos se han trasmitido al debate poltico general de forma fragmentada y con diferentes matices, segn se trate de territorios que
disponen de mayor o menor abundancia de recursos propios. La estructura del Estado espaol permite que los distintos puntos de vista se utilicen como argumentos polticos contradictorios en las distintas regiones, incluso ms all de las fronteras ideolgicas entre partidos. La inquietud social,
generada tanto en los territorios que exigen ms agua como en aquellos que habran de cederla en su caso, se utiliza para robustecer el apoyo popular de unos u otros con fines electorales.

The unequal distribution of water resources in Spain, due to climatic variations in the Peninsula, has
traditionally been seen as a serious limitation on economic development. Since the end of the eighteenth century the emphasis has been on a policy of redistribution of resources by means of major hydraulic infrastructure works, which culminated in the major projects for transferring water
between rivers (from the Tagus to the southwest of the Peninsula and from the Ebro to the Levante and to the south). Towards the end of the twentieth century, and from an environmental and social perspective, this policy of supply has come under attack, leading to the development of a new
discourse that aims to regulate the demand for water through regional planning and the application of environmental criteria. Academic debates entered the general political arena in a fragmented manner and with differing emphases in different regions, depending on the extent to which they
had sufficient water resources or not. The structure of the Spanish state is such that different points of view are used in different regions to sustain contradictory political arguments, which go beyond the ideological differences between political parties. Social concern, both in the territories
which demand more water and in those who have to give it away, is often used to electoral advantage in order to increase popular support for one side or the other.
Images of childhood in Southern Africa: A study of three films
Authors: Carklin Michael
Published: January 2011

A striking characteristic of many films from across the African continent is their focus on childhood experience and the centrality of child protagonists. Unlike many films in the West, such films are not necessarily produced for young audiences, but express broader social, communal
and cosmological concerns. This article focuses on Southern Africa and has two broad points of focus the one is what I have called lived geographies, a focus on the representation of children in the context of space and place; the other is what I have come to think of as rites of passage,
in this case, not those formal ceremonies that bring about a transformation in identity, but the circumstances and experiences of children that are so profoundly life changing. In discussing the films Malunde, Yesterday, and The Wooden Camera particularly, it is argued that rather
than trying to formally categorize childhood representations, it is important to recognize such representations as transformative and dynamic.
Book Review
Authors: Sow Moussa
Published: January 2011

SAMBA FLIX NDIAYE: CINASTE DOCUMENTARISTE AFRICAIN, BY HENRI-FRANOIS IMBERT, PARIS, L'HARMATTAN, 2007 359 pp., 31 (paperback), ISBN: 978-2-296-03862-2
Sightless touch and touching witnessing: Interplays of Authentic Movement and Contact Improvisation
Authors: Cohen Stefanie
Published: January 2011

This article reflects on combinations of the somatic practices of Authentic Movement and Contact Improvisation in group facilitation and artistic development. It examines benefits of the two practices, individually, while also considering insights the author has gleaned, more specifically,
as to the unique creative and therapeutic opportunities made available through different movement investigations of eyes-closed touch. Interwoven in the article are artist and facilitator reflections, student commentaries, and texts of somatic practitioners from both the United States and
the United Kingdom.
Book Review
Authors: Kramer Paula
Published: January 2011

Sensing Movement, Living Spaces: An Investigation of Movement Based on the Lived Experience of 13 Professional Dancers, Susanne Ravn (2009) First edition, Saarbrcken: VDM, 312 pp., ISBN: 978-3-639-20153-6, Paperback, 74
A question of somatics the search for a common framework for twenty-first-century contemporary dance pedagogy: Graham and Release-based techniques
Authors: Bannerman Henrietta
Published: January 2011

This article discusses Graham-based technique in the context of present-day British contemporary dance pedagogy, and focuses on the work as informed by somatic principles. I call for a reconsideration of dance pedagogy vis--vis Graham's technique, especially within the context of Release-based
teaching. Under the rubric of Hans-Georg Gadamer's fusion of horizons (Gadamer 2004) it is argued that current dance teaching methods could benefit from a reciprocal understanding of principles as taught in Graham-based training and somatics. Major principles that underpin Graham are analysed
and explained, as well as the main principles underpinning somatically informed dance pedagogy. The article further explores an overview of the 1970s shift in Britain when the domination of Graham-based pedagogy gave way to Release in response to the ideas of Mary Fulkerson.
Policing the borders of Chicano cinema: The critical reception of Allison Anders's Mi vida loca/My Crazy Life (1994) by the Chicano community
Authors: Pitman Thea
Published: January 2011

While nuanced and sensitive non-essentialist theorizations of Chicano identity have been put forward by key critics working in the field, these same critics still struggle, on occasion, to disentangle themselves from having recourse to essentialist arguments in their own work. The case that I examine here constitutes a prime example of this problem within Chicano critical discourse. It concerns the debates, in Chicano intellectual circles, over definitions of Chicano cinema, focalized via an examination of a film that has provoked a quite particular polemic in this respect: non-Chicana director Allison Anders'sMi vida loca/My Crazy Life(1994). My discussion of Anders's film will centre on its reception with a range of professional film critics, mostly Chicana/os, as well as reports on the reaction of a sample group of the film's subjects Chicana gang members to their representation on screen. It will examine the factors at play in the way it has been received and expose evidence of recursive essentialism in such arguments where apparent.
Development of a Geothermal Snow Melting System for Highway Overlays and Its Performance Validations
Authors: Seo Youngguk , Seo Unjong , Eum Juyong , Lee Seok-Jin
Published: January 2011

Geothermal energy has been applied to a snow melting system for highway overlays. This paper described practical steps for the design, construction, and validation of the system. These steps were carried out both in a laboratory and in the field. In the laboratory, a series of heat conductivity tests were carried out to understand the heat transfer characteristics in a pavement layer and to determine an optimum pipe pitch at 50 mm depth. Steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) was proposed as the pavement material to make the system durable in overlays subjected to heavy traffic, and its resistance to construction cracks was tested in the field. In 2009, the first trial version of the geothermal snow melting system was built into a 50 mm thick SFRC overlay. Since then, its snow melting performance has been monitored and evaluated under different snowfall accumulations and intensities. Given the design variables, it took about 30 to 60 minutes to remove snow and ice even under heavy snowfalls. Finally, the construction and operation costs of the developed system were calculated and compared with those of other snow melting methods. It is expected that the developed system will be installed on tunnel entrances and bridge decks on highways once its durability is verified under heavy axle loads.
Characterization of a native angiotensin from an anciently diverged serine protease inhibitor in lamprey
Authors: Wong Marty K S , Takei Yoshio
Published: January 2011

Angiotensinogen belongs to family A serine protease inhibitors (SERPIN family) and we have cloned and characterized SERPIN genes in two lamprey species, which possess all the properties of angiotensinogen. The putative angiotensinogens in lampreys can be considered as an evolutionary link between SERPIN and other angiotensinogen according to the phylogenetic analyses. The inferred sea lamprey angiotensinogen gene was expressed abundantly in liver and to a lesser extent in other tissues. The predicted lamprey angiotensin I (Ang I) sequence was unique and different from the teleost-type Ang I identified previously by the incubation of lamprey plasma with its kidney extract. Therefore, we characterized and compared the biochemical and physiological properties of this native lamprey Ang II (LpAng II) (EEDYDERPYMQPF) with teleost-type Ang II (NRVYVHPF). Using a newly developed RIA for LpAng II, plasma levels in Japanese lamprey were measured (157.4±35.2 fmol/ml, n=6), but teleost-type Ang II was undetectable. In conscious cannulated lamprey, LpAng II at 100 pmol/kg elicited a transient vasodepressor effect. At doses higher than 300 pmol/kg, a biphasic cardiovascular response with an initial vasodepressor effect followed by a transient rebound vasopressor effect was observed in a dose-dependent manner. However, teleost-type Ang II was not vasoactive up to 1 nmol/kg. In Japanese eel, LpAng II injection up to 3 nmol/kg did not alter the cardiovascular parameters. Our results suggested that the renin–angiotensin system first appeared in cyclostomes, and LpAng II could be important for the regulation of cardiovascular dynamics in lampreys because of its potent and acute vasoactive effect.
The Resolution of Sexual Antagonism by Gene Duplication
Authors: Connallon Tim , Clark Andrew G
Published: January 2011

Disruptive selection between males and females can generate sexual antagonism, where alleles improving fitness in one sex reduce fitness in the other. This type of genetic conflict arises because males and females carry nearly identical sets of genes: opposing selection, followed by genetic mixing during reproduction, generates a population genetic “tug-of-war” that constrains adaptation in either sex. Recent verbal models suggest that gene duplication and sex-specific cooption of paralogs might resolve sexual antagonism and facilitate evolutionary divergence between the sexes. However, this intuitive proximal solution for sexual dimorphism potentially belies a complex interaction between mutation, genetic drift, and positive selection during duplicate fixation and sex-specific paralog differentiation. The interaction of these processes—within the explicit context of duplication and sexual antagonism—has yet to be formally described by population genetics theory. Here, we develop and analyze models of gene duplication and sex-specific differentiation between paralogs. We show that sexual antagonism can favor the fixation and maintenance of gene duplicates, eventually leading to the evolution of sexually dimorphic genetic architectures for male and female traits. The timescale for these evolutionary transitions is sensitive to a suite of genetic and demographic variables, including allelic dominance, recombination, sex linkage, and population size. Interestingly, we find that female-beneficial duplicates preferentially accumulate on the X chromosome, whereas male-beneficial duplicates are biased toward autosomes, independent of the dominance parameters of sexually antagonistic alleles. Although this result differs from previous models of sexual antagonism, it is consistent with several findings from the empirical genomics literature.
Water Consumption and Use, Trihalomethane Exposure, and the Risk of Hypospadias
Authors: Iszatt Nina , Nieuwenhuijsen Mark J. , Nelson Paul , Elliott Paul , Toledano Mireille B.
Published: January 2011

OBJECTIVES:

Hypospadias is a congenital anomaly that affects up to 70 in 10 000 males. Ingestion of drinking-water–disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THMs) has been associated with hypospadias in a small sample. We examined risk of hypospadias and exposure to THMs through water consumption and use.

METHODS:

Between September 2000 and March 2003, we interviewed mothers of 471 boys with hypospadias and 490 controls in southeast England about maternal water consumption, dishwashing, showering, bathing and swimming. We obtained residential THM concentrations from the water companies and linked them by using Geographical Information Systems, which provided data on 468 case-subjects and 485 controls.

RESULTS:

THM exposures, except for ingestion of ≥6 μg/day of bromodichloromethane (odds ratio [OR]: 1.65 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–2.69]), were not associated with risk of hypospadias. Elevated risk of hypospadias was associated with estimates of consumption of cold tap water at home (OR: 1.71 [95% CI: 1.07–2.76]), total water (OR: 1.70 [95% CI: 1.09–2.67]), bottled water (OR: 1.64 [95% CI: 1.09–2.48]), and total fluid (OR: 1.55 [95% CI: 1.01–2.39]) for the highest versus the lowest categories; the first 2 showed dose-response trends.

CONCLUSIONS:

Evidence for an association between maternal water consumption and risk of hypospadias did not seem to be explained by THM exposure. Factors that influence maternal water consumption or other contaminants in tap or bottled water might explain this finding. It is important that women maintain an adequate fluid intake during pregnancy.
Gender Differences in Food Insecurity and Morbidity Among Adolescents in Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Belachew Tefera , Hadley Craig , Lindstrom David , Gebremariam Abebe , Michael Kifle Wolde , Getachew Yehenew , Lachat Carl , Kolsteren Patrick
Published: January 2011

OBJECTIVE:

Several studies have shown the adverse health consequences of food insecurity on household members. To what extent this relationship is mediated by gender among adolescents has not been documented. We hypothesized that the health consequences of food insecurity would be more pronounced in girls compared with boys.

METHODS:

We used the first-round data from a 5-year longitudinal family survey of 2084 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years from urban, semiurban, and rural areas of southwest Ethiopia. Stratified random sampling was used to select households and adolescents. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare self-reported morbidity according to food-security status and gender after adjusting for nutritional and socioeconomic covariates.

RESULTS:

Overall, 29.9% of girls and 19.2% of boys reported illness during the previous 1 month before the survey. Food-insecure girls were twice as likely to report suffering from an illness (P < .01) compared with boys, and the risk of reported illness tripled when girls were food insecure and were part of food-insecure households (P < .01). Girls were 7.4 and 7.0 times more likely to report difficulties with activities because of poor health and having a feeling of tiredness/low energy compared with boys, respectively (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS:

We report that in a food-insecure situation, gender is an important predictor of an adolescent's self-reported health status. Food-security interventions should consider gender as a key variable to narrow the gap in health between boys and girls.
Franz Sättler (Dr. Musallam) and the Twentieth-Century Cult of Adonism
Authors: Hakl Hans Thomas
Published: January 2011

The main character of this story is Dr. Franz Sättler, born 1884 in Northern Bohemia under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A brilliant but poor student of ancient philology and orientalism at the University of Prague and editor of the first German-Persian dictionary he wanted to become a university professor but was unable to find a paid job at the University. So he started to write adventure novels. Probably in order to finance his travels he then became a spy and ended up in prison. Due to his vast knowledge of oriental languages and culture he always found ways to travel widely in the Near East supposedly to study with esoteric masters. In several volumes Sättler explained then their alleged teachings. 1925 he founded a magical order in Vienna which he pretended to be the German outpost of an oriental secret society. This order worshipped the mythological figures of Adonis and Dido as orgiastic counterparts to the “prudish” Christian creed. A whole intricate mythological cosmos with a fierce antichristian bias and a language of its own was invented by Sättler for this purpose.

Very soon however the order’s branches in Germany were closed down by the police because of immoral incidents. Dr. Franz Sättler was also accused for selling quack remedies at high prices. He fled first to Czechoslovakia and then probably to Greece. He also founded a bogus limited company which was to dig up a hidden gold treasure in Greece which Sättler pretended to have found in his early years selling the shares of this company at high prices. Other business scams were invented by him, too. At the same time however he was a typical social reformer, advocating women’s rights and sexual liberty and he even wanted to reform the existent laws of Germany and also German orthography. It is not known when, where and how he died. There are still today followers of his Cult of Adonism.
Idolatry, Ecology, and the Sacred as Tangible
Authors: York Michael
Published: January 2011

While paganic aniconic forms of religiosity do flourish, such as we see in Shinto, Balinese Hinduism and Neo-paganism, idolatry is nevertheless a central form of religious expression to both generic paganism and vernacular forms of worship in general. However, thanks to the historically prevailing iconoclastic sentiments of Abrahamic religion, idolatrous worship has been vilified and ignored as a bona fide and authentic venerational response. The counter-argument presented in this essay rests on the contention that the corpo-spiritual fundaments of pagan perception not only allows idolatry but also encourages it as a distinguishing and legitimately affirmative religious approach. Through an emancipated understanding of the dynamics of the tangible, emerging pagan spirituality can flourish despite the biases, ridicule and condemnations inherent in both Abrahamic religion and secular ‘superiority’ as well as in ‘puritanical’ aspirations associated with dharmic orientations
Tobacco use among the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Marinho Valeska , Laks Jerson , Coutinho Evandro Silva Freire , Blay Sergio Luís
Published: January 2011

The aim of this study was to combine the results of identified surveys on the prevalence of tobacco use in old age to estimate world prevalence of tobacco use and possible factors related to such behavior among the elderly. The literature search included electronic databases such as MEDLINE, LILACS, and Biological Abstracts, hand-searching of specialist journals and cited reference searches. The combined global prevalence was estimated using the random effects model. The total number of elderly subjects included in all surveys was 140,058, with data available from all the continents. Overall prevalence of tobacco use was 13% in both genders (22% male and 8% female). The prevalence rates were heterogeneous among surveys and were associated with smoking definition, questionnaire application, and country economic status. Few epidemiological studies assessed tobacco use among the elderly. A higher prevalence rate of tobacco use in males who live in higher income countries could be found, although additional evidence regarding elderly samples is still required.
First reported outbreak of green tobacco sickness in Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Patricia Pereira Vasconcelos de , Sihler Camila Brederode , Moura Lenildo de , Malta Deborah Carvalho , Torres Maria Célia de Albuquerque , Lima Sandra Márcia da Costa Pereira , Lima Ana Lucia Alves de , Leite Carlos Eduardo , Costa-e-Silva Vera Luiza da , Sobel Jeremy , Lanzieri Tatiana Miranda
Published: January 2011

Dermal absorption of nicotine by people harvesting tobacco may cause an acute intoxication called green tobacco sickness. Although Brazil is the second largest producer of tobacco in the world, green tobacco sickness had not been reported in the country to date. We conducted a 1:1 matched case-control study among persons involved in tobacco farming to determine the occurrence of green tobacco sickness in the northeast region of Brazil and to identify the risk factors involved. A case-patient was a person who received a diagnosis by health professional of acute intoxication during the study period and had a cotinine level over 10ng/mL detected by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. We identified 107 case-patients. The main signs and symptoms observed were dizziness, weakness, vomit, nausea and headache. Independent risk factors identified were being male, a non smoker and having worked in the harvest of tobacco leaves. Case-patients had higher median urinary cotinine levels than controls (p < 0.05). Epidemiological and laboratory data indicate for the first time the occurrence of green tobacco sickness in Brazil.
Calibration of the dietary data obtained from the Brazilian center of the Natural History of HPV Infection in Men study: the HIM Study
Authors: Teixeira Juliana Araujo , Baggio Maria Luiza , Fisberg Regina Mara , Marchioni Dirce Maria Lobo
Published: January 2011

The objective of this study was to estimate the regressions calibration for the dietary data that were measured using the quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) in the Natural History of HPV Infection in Men: the HIM Study in Brazil. A sample of 98 individuals from the HIM study answered one QFFQ and three 24-hour recalls (24HR) at interviews. The calibration was performed using linear regression analysis in which the 24HR was the dependent variable and the QFFQ was the independent variable. Age, body mass index, physical activity, income and schooling were used as adjustment variables in the models. The geometric means between the 24HR and the calibration-corrected QFFQ were statistically equal. The dispersion graphs between the instruments demonstrate increased correlation after making the correction, although there is greater dispersion of the points with worse explanatory power of the models. Identification of the regressions calibration for the dietary data of the HIM study will make it possible to estimate the effect of the diet on HPV infection, corrected for the measurement error of the QFFQ.
A epidemia de AIDS no Brasil e as desigualdades regionais e de oferta de serviço
Authors: Grangeiro Alexandre , Escuder Maria Mercedes Loureiro , Castilho Euclides Ayres de
Published: January 2011

Identificar diferentes perfis da epidemia de AIDS no Brasil relacionando-os à organização do setor saúde, às situações relacionadas ao risco de infecção e ao grau de implantação da resposta. Municípios brasileiros foram agrupados segundo magnitude e tendência da epidemia entre 2002 e 2006, e estudados por meio de indicadores obtidos em bases de dados secundários. Municípios com epidemias de grande magnitude (39%) apresentaram um maior número de situações associadas ao risco e os com tendência de aumento da incidência (11,5%) menor grau de implantação da resposta. Cidades com grandes epidemias que reduzem/estabilizam concentraram 68,6% dos Centros de Testagens, 75,8% dos ambulatórios e 81,4% dos exames anti-HIV feitos no sistema de saúde. Ações preventivas em escolas e na atenção básica apresentaram baixa cobertura comparativamente à área assistencial. Diferenças entre regiões foram observadas. Desigualdades no grau de implantação da resposta ao HIV podem contribuir para a ocorrência de diferentes perfis da epidemia no país.
Fatores associados à não-adesão ao tratamento com anti-hipertensivos em pessoas atendidas em unidades de saúde da família
Authors: Santa-Helena Ernani Tiaraju de , Nemes Maria Ines Battistella , Eluf Neto José
Published: January 2011

Para estimar a prevalência e analisar fatores associados à não-adesão ao tratamento de pessoas com hipertensão arterial sistêmica, atendidas em unidades de saúde da família, procedeu-se a estudo transversal com 595 pacientes. A variável dependente não-adesão foi medida com questionário (Questionário de Adesão a Medicamentos - QAM-Q). Foram coletadas variáveis sócio-econômicas, assistenciais, pessoais e do tratamento, analisadas por modelo de regressão logística hierarquizado. A prevalência de não-adesão foi de 53%. As variáveis associadas à não-adesão foram: (1) sócio-econômicas _ pertencer às classes econômicas C/D/E, estar inserido no mercado de trabalho, em ocupações não qualificadas; (2) assistenciais _ precisar comprar os medicamentos e mais que 6 meses desde a última consulta, e; (3) características das pessoas e do tratamento _ interromper previamente o tratamento, estar em tratamento há menos de 3 anos e presença de transtorno mental comum. O estudo dos determinantes da não-adesão articulados em um modelo hierarquizado sugere que as desigualdades sociais se mostram diretamente associadas à não-adesão, ou mediadas por fatores dos serviços e das pessoas.
Cervical cancer mortality trends in Brazil, 1981-2006
Authors: Silva Gulnar Azevedo e , Girianelli Vania Reis , Gamarra Carmen Justina , Bustamante-Teixeira Maria Teresa
Published: January 2011

The aim of this study was to describe cervical cancer mortality trends in Brazil for the period 1981-2006. Cervical cancer mortality was corrected on the basis of proportional redistribution of the deaths from "malignant neoplasm of uterus, part unspecified". Time trends were evaluated by means of simple linear regression. After correction, cervical cancer ranked second among the leading causes of death from cancer in the female population up to 2005, with a downward trend for the country as a whole, a decline in the State capitals, and a stable trend in the municipalities in the interior. A downward trend was confirmed in the State capitals in all geographic regions of the country. In the municipalities in the interior, there was an increase in the North and Northeast regions, a decline in the Southeast and South, and a stable trend in the Central-West. Although uneven, the decline began to take consistent shape in the country. Even better results could be achieved by investing in the expansion of screening coverage, especially among the populations at greatest risk.
Lutzomyia longipalpis naturally infected by Leishmania (L.) chagasi in Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, an area of intense transmission of visceral leishmaniasis
Authors: Missawa Nanci A. , Michalsky Érika Monteiro , Fortes-Dias Consuelo Latorre , Santos Dias Edelberto
Published: January 2011

The American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL) is caused by parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania (Trypanosomatidae) and is transmitted to humans through the bite of certain species of infected phlebotomine sand flies. In this study, we investigated the natural infection ratio of Lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector species of AVL in Brazil, in Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso State. Between July 2004 and June 2006, phlebotomine sand flies were captured in peridomestic areas using CDC light-traps. Four hundred and twenty (420) specimens of Lu. longipalpis were captured. 42 pools, containing 10 specimens of Lu. longipalpis each, were used for genomic DNA extraction and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification. Leishmania spp. DNA was detected in three out of the 42 pools tested, resulting in a minimal infection ratio of 0.71%. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis indicated that Leishmania (L.) chagasi was the infective agent in the positive pools.
The Midterm Landslide of 2010: A Triple Wave Election
Authors: Campbell James E.
Published: January 2011

Democrats were trounced in the 2010 midterm elections. They lost six seats in the U.S. Senate, six governorships, and about 700 seats in state legislatures. Compared to 2008, Democrats lost 64 seats in the House and Republicans regained their House majority. The Republican majority elected in 2010 was the largest number of Republicans elected since 1946. The analysis finds that Republican seat gains resulted from the receding of the pro-Democratic waves of 2006 and 2008 as well as the incoming pro-Republican wave of 2010. Voters rejected Democrats in 2010 for their failure to revive the economy, but also for their advancement of the national healthcare reform and other liberal policies. The analysis speculates that Democrats are likely to gain House seats and lose Senate seats in 2012. Finally, President Obamas prospects of re-election have probably been improved because of the Republican gains in the 2010 midterm.
Voter Turnout in the 2010 Midterm Election
Authors: McDonald Michael P.
Published: January 2011

I place national turnout rates in historical perspective and investigate what state turnout rates may tell us about what factors are related to higher levels of voter participation. In midterm elections compared to presidential election, voter turnout is lower among all groups, but more so for young people. I discuss the implications of younger citizens' disengagement in midterm elections in light of an increasing gap in support for the political parties candidates among the young and the old.
The Citizens United Election? Or Same As It Ever Was?
Authors: Franz Michael M
Published: January 2011

In January 2010, the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. FEC overturned long-standing regulations governing the role of unions and corporations in sponsoring pro-candidate advocacy. Many predicted a deleterious effect on the electoral process. In the aftermath of the midterm elections, a number of questions deserve consideration. Was the observed level of outside spending abnormally high in 2010? What can we say about the potential effect of outside spending on the outcomes of House and Senate races? Moreover, what has the decision done to the power of parties and, most especially, their ability to compete with special interests in backing federal candidates? This paper investigates these questions using data from the Wesleyan Media Project, which tracked political ads in 2010. The initial evidence suggests that while interest groups were aggressive players in the air war, their impact may not have been as negative or as large as initially predicted.
The Tea Party at the Election
Authors: Courser Zachary
Published: January 2011

This article is an examination of the Tea Party movement's effects on the 2010 midterm elections. The Tea Party proves to be a grassroots movement that was initially spurred by economic crisis and gradually pulled within the Republican Party. While a handful of experienced conservative interest groupsand the Republican Party itselfmanaged to use the energies of Tea Party sentiment to effect a Republican takeover of the House of Representatives, the movement's decentralized and independent nature prevented grassroots Tea Party groups from being a significant force in the election. While Tea Party supporters continue to resist organization, the effective translation of their political concerns into policy change seems very unlikely. Moreover, in the absence of severe economic crisis, their fortunes seem certain to be determined by the Republican Party.
Advertising Trends in 2010
Authors: Fowler Erika Franklin , Ridout Travis N
Published: January 2011

Political advertising offers an important window on American campaigns and elections. We analyze a comprehensive database of political ads aired during the 2010 midterms to shed light on campaign strategies in this history-making election. We find that with the increase in competitive races in 2010, the volume of advertising rose too, as did its negativity. Moreover, we track the issues mentioned by each party, finding that while the parties agreed that employment was the top issue, there was also much divergence in issue priorities, with Republicans taking up some unlikely themes such as health care and change. The high volume of advertising in 2010 suggests a greater potential for voter learning, but the high levels of ad negativity could have had both positive and negative consequences on the electorate.
The Year of the Outsider: Political Amateurs in the U.S. Congress
Authors: Canon David T.
Published: January 2011

The 2010 elections produced the largest number of political amateurs elected to Congress in more than sixty years. This article will examine both the popular fascination with amateur candidates and the scholarly interest in political careers. Specifically, I will discuss celebrity politicians, amateurs who become celebrities because of their unusual campaigns, the impact of the Tea Party, and the implications of the large class of amateurs for ambition theory and the strategic-politicians hypothesis.
Sensitive determination of dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and ethanol with a nano-porous carbon electrode
Authors: Liu Xiaoqin , Li Buhai , Li Chunya
Published: January 2011

A nano-porous carbon electrode, fabricated in 0.1 mol L?1 NaOH by the
electrochemical technique, was used for the electrochemical detection of
dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NADH, with an overpotential
decrease of about 270 mV and a linear range from 1.0 ? 10?6 to 1.0 ? 10?4 mol
L?1. Amperometric sensing of ethanol cooperating with alcohol dehydrogenase
and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide was successfully demonstrated. A linear
response in the range from 5.0 ? 10?5 mol L?1 to 1.0 ? 10?2 mol L?1 was
obtained, with a detection limit of 1.0 ? 10?5 mol L?1. The method was
successfully employed to determine ethanol in beer with high precision.
Antimicrobial activity of secondary metabolites isolated from Centaurea spruneri Boiss.& Heldr.
Authors: Ciric Ana , Karioti Anastasia , Glamoclija Jasmina , Sokovic Marina , Skaltsa Helen
Published: January 2011

Two coumarins, scopoletin (1) and isoscopoletin (2), two simple phenolic
acids, protocatechuic acid (3) and isovanillic acid (4) and one flavonoid,
eriodictyol (5) were isolated from the aerial parts of Centaurea spruneri.
The structure of the compounds was established by spectroscopic methods. The
in vitro antimicrobial activity of the isolated compounds was tested against
eight bacteria and eight fungal species, using a microdilution method. All
compounds tested showed moderate antibacterial and antifungal activities.
Their minimum inhibitory concentrations were in the range 0.655 - 2.38 ?mol
ml-1 and their minimal bactericidal concentrations ranged from 0.694 to 4.15
?mol ml-1 against the tested bacterial species. All compounds showed
fungistatic activity at 0.259 - 2.38 ?mol ml-1 and fungicidal at 0.69 - 2.6
?mol ml-1 against all fungi tested.
A three-component synthesis of functionalized ketenimines by the reaction of alkyl isocyanides and dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates in the presence of 2-quinolinol
Authors: Mohtat Bita , Djahaniani Hoorieh , Yavari Issa , Naderi Kobra
Published: January 2011

The 1:1 reactive intermediates generated by the addition of alkyl isocyanides
to dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates were trapped by 2-quinolinol to yield
highly functionalized ketenimines and, in some cases, minor amounts of
1-azabuta-1,3-dienes.
The crystal structure and spectroscopic properties of catena- (2-methylimidazolium bis(μ2-chloro)-aqua-chloromanganese(II))
Authors: Hachuła Barbara , Pędras Monika , Nowak Maria , Kusz Joachim , Pentak Danuta , Borek Jerzy
Published: January 2011

? novel manganese(II) coordination polymer, catena-(2- methylimidazolium
bis(?2-chloro)-aqua-chloromanganese(II)), {(C4H7N2)[MnCl3(H2O)]}n, was
synthesized, structurally characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and confirmed by
single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis and EPR
spectroscopy of the compound were also performed. The colourless crystals of
the complex were monoclinic, space group P21/c, with the cell parameters a =
11.298(2) ?, b = 7.2485(14) ?, c = 14.709(5) ?, ? = 128.861(18)?, V =
938.0(5) ?3, Z = 4 and R1 = 0.03. The title compound consisted of
onedimensional infinite anionic chains [MnCl3(H2O)]n and isolated 2-
methylimidazolium cations. The Mn(II) atom was octahedrally coordinated to
four bridging chloride anions [Mn-Cl = 2.5109(6) - 2.5688(7) ?], one terminal
chloride anion [Mn-Cl = 2.5068(11) ?] and a H2O molecule [Mn-O = 2.2351(17)
?]. A three-dimensional layer structure was constructed via hydrogen bonds
and by weak ?-? stacking interactions. A four-step thermal decomposition
occurred in the temperature range 25-900?C under nitrogen.
Synthesis and biological activity of 5-nitrofuran-containing (1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)piperazine moieties as a new type of anti-Helicobacter pylori heterocycles
Authors: Moshafi Hassan , Yahya-Meymandi Azadeh , Sadat-Ebrahimi Esmaeil , Emami Saeed , Nakhjiri Maryam , Siavoshi Farideh , Omrani Maryam , Vosooghi Mohsen , Alipour Eskandar , Shafiee Abbas , Foroumadi Alireza
Published: January 2011

In order to find new and potent drug candidates for the treatment of
Helicobacter pylori infections? in this study attention was focused on the
synthesis and anti-H. pylori activity of a series of 5-(5-nitrofuran-2-
yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles containing piperazinyl functionality at the C-2
position of the 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring. The synthesis of 1-[5-(5-nitrofuran-
2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl]piperazine derivatives (3a-h) and pyrrolidine
derivative 3i was achieved with a versatile and efficient synthetic route
via 2-chloro-5-(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole. The inhibitory
activity of the new derivatives 3a-i against twenty clinical H. pylori
strains was evaluated by the disc diffusion method and compared with the
commercially available standard drug metronidazole Resulting biological data
indicated that most compounds exhibited strong inhibitory activity even at
doses lower than 2 ?g disc-1 (average of inhibition zone >20 mm) while
metronidazole had little or no growth inhibition at this dose. Compound 3c
containing the N-benzoylpiperazin-1-yl moiety showed the most potent
inhibitory activity.
The Remote Audit
Authors: Teeter Ryan A. , Alles Michael G. , Vasarhelyi Miklos A.
Published: January 2011

ABSTRACT: Audit practitioners have been progressively adopting communications and analytic technology to extend the scope, change the timing, and reduce the costs of audit processes. These efforts have been mainly ad hoc, lacking an integrative theoretical positioning. This paper redefines the concept of the “remote audit” as the process by which internal auditors couple information and communication technology (ICT) with analytical procedures to gather electronic evidence, interact with the auditee, and report on the accuracy of financial data and internal controls, independent of the physical location of the auditor. Building on research on virtual teams and an analysis of internal audit activities, we present a research framework identifying areas where ICT and automated audit analytics enable auditors to work remotely, reduce travel costs and latency, and increase efficiency and coverage.
Carbide Ripened Fruits- A Recent Health Hazard
Authors: Fattah SA , Ali MY
Published: January 2011

DOI: 10.3329/fmcj.v5i2.6816Faridpur Med. Coll. J. 2010;5(2):37
Initial Experience Of Laparoscopic Incisional Hernia Repair
Authors: Biswas SK , Arefin MM , Saha JC , Ahmed T , Rahman MM
Published: January 2011

The laparoscopic incisional hernia repair is a safe alternative to open mesh repair. The procedure has the advantages of minimal access surgery and lower recurrence rate. A prospective study of laparoscopic incisional hernia repair of our first 11 patients was performed from July 2008 to December 2009. No serious intraoperative or postoperative morbidity was encountered, only two patients developed seroma. The mean operating time was 90 minutes (60 to 180 minutes). The mean day of discharge after surgery was 3 days (2-7 days). No patient developed a recurrence during mean follow up period of 10 months. Laparoscopic repair of incisional hernia has been shown to be feasible, safe and effective. However, careful patient selection and acquiring the necessary advanced laparoscopic surgical skills coupled with the proper use of equipment are mandatory before embarking on this procedure.Key Words: Incisional hernia; Laparoscopic repair; Mesh; Polypropylene DOI: 10.3329/fmcj.v5i2.6819Faridpur Med. Coll. J. 2010;5(2):41-45
Clinical Significance Of Serum HbeAg Among HbsAg Positive Patients
Authors: Islam MDU , Ahmed RU , Kabria SG , Hossain MT , Biswas MK , Bhuiyan MSR , Ahmed NU , Haq N
Published: January 2011

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is a menace worldwide as a major cause of morbidity & mortality through its consequences viz. acute hepatitis, chronic active, or persistent hepatitis, cirrhosis of liver and primary hepatocellular carcinoma. A total of 127 'HBsAg positive' patients were studied for 'HBeAg' by serum ELISA. Patient's aged between 11 to 60 years with a mean age 27.11. Out of 127 'HBsAg positive' cases 19 (14.96%) were 'HBeAg positive', of which maximum (21.43%) were among <20 years age group. Among 106 male patients 15 (14.155) & among 21 female patients 4 (19.055) were 'HBeAg positive'. Often the initiation of therapeutic approach remains a dilemma in absence of laboratory assessment of viraemic load or presence of HBV DNA through PCR or other DNA hybridization techniques. In such situations, alternatively, a significantly serum 'HBeAg' among 'HBsAg positive' patients may be taken as a surrogate marker for acute viral replication, and, thus apply justifying the initiation of antiviral chemotherapy without delay. DOI: 10.3329/fmcj.v5i2.6821Faridpur Med. Coll. J. 2010;5(2):50-52
Study Of Serum Lipid Profile In Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia
Authors: Islam NAF , Chowdhury MAR , Kibria GM , Akhter S
Published: January 2011

The present study was designed to evaluate the association of lipid profile in pre- eclampsia and eclampsia. This case-control study was carried out in the department of biochemistry, M.A.G. Osmani Medical College, Sylhet, during July 2005 to June 2006. Total 100 study subjects were evaluated, 40 normotensive pregnant women (mean age 24.90 ± 4.04) as normal and 60 already diagnosed preeclamptic & eclamptic women (mean age 24.17 ± 4.90) as study group. Age range was 15-45 years, gestational age 24 weeks to term were included. Patients with pre-existing hypertension were excluded. Serum lipid profile (total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and LDLcholesterol) of hundred women with Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia (n=60), normotensive women (n=40) were monitored. The preeclampsia was associated with a significant rise in triglyceride (225.6 ± 28.93 vs 165.6 ± 17.22) and fall in HDL cholesterol concentration (42.4 ± 9.29 vs 55.7 ± 7.11), while eclamptic women showed significant fall in HDL cholesterol (41.8 ± 8.79 vs 55.7 ± 7.11) and rise in LDL cholesterol (133.4 ± 11.75 vs 115.2 ± 10.72) as compared to normal pregnant women. Lipid metabolism plays a key role in the pathophysiology of Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia. Increased triglycerides levels along with decreased HDL-cholesterol levels and delayed triglycerides clearance and high blood pressure are associated with development of preeclampsia and eclampsia. This association may be significant in understanding the pathologic processes of preeclampsia and may help in developing strategies for prevention or early diagnosis of the disorder. Key Words: Preeclampsia; High Density Lipoproteins; Triglycerides; Low Density Lipoprotein. DOI: 10.3329/fmcj.v5i2.6823Faridpur Med. Coll. J. 2010;5(2):56-59
Silicosis - A Case Report
Authors: Ali MY , Fattah SA , Alam MT , Ahmed F , Parveen SS , Royesuddin M , Ahmed MN , Ali SY
Published: January 2011

Silicosis is not an uncommon disease in Bangladesh as a good number of people are exposed to silica dust in their working places. Again pulmonary tuberculosis is also common here, the risk of which is increased by about 30 folds in silicosis. In the reported case, a young stone cutter of 40 years was admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital with progressive dyspnoea, dry cough and radiological appearance of multiple small and a large nodular pulmonary mass. Two of his brothers, also stonecutter, died of similar disease. In this context the patient was diagnosed as a case of chronic complicated silicosis and treated symptomatically as there is no curative treatment. A good number of people are engaged in stone cutting in our country including Faridpur district and are vulnerable to this progressive and non-curable disease. To aim of this case report is to make those people to be aware about the condition, so that they can protect themselves by taking appropriate measures (i.e. using protective mask) and should monitored their condition by regular chest x-ray. If early signs of silicosis is detected the worker should changed their job. DOI: 10.3329/fmcj.v5i2.6827Faridpur Med. Coll. J. 2010;5(2):69-71
Research into Witchcraft in Psychoanalysis and History
Authors: Gerlach Alf
Published: January 2011

Witchcraft and witch-hunting have been a topic for numerous historical and psychoanalytical research projects. But until now, most of these projects have remained rather isolated from one from the other, each in their own context. In this article I shall attempt to set up a dialogue between psychoanalysis and history by way of the example of research into witchcraft. However, I make no claim to covering the different psychoanalytical and historical approaches in full. As a historical ‘layman’, my interest lies in picking out some of the approaches that seem to me particularly well suited to contribute to reciprocal enhancement.

Historische und psychoanalytische Ansätze in der Hexenforschung sind bisher realtiv isoliert voneinander geblieben. Eine Schwierigkeit psychoanalytischer Deutungsversuche der Hexenverfolgungen liegt darin, dass diese Interpretationen zu wenig auf die zeitliche und örtliche Differenzierung der Quellen achten. Der Autor schlägt eine Annäherung mit der von G. Devereux entickelten komplementaristischen Methode vor. Dessen Unterscheidung zwischen einem ethnischen und einem idiosynkratischen Unbewussten kann, wenn es auf die vertikale Zeitachse der Geschichtswissenschaft übersetzt wird, zu einem fruchtbaren Dialog zwischen Psychoanalyse und Geschichtswissenschaft führen. Beispiele von Hexenphantasien aus der klinisch-psychoanalytischen Arbeit können so mit kollektiven Phantasien in Bezug gesetzt warden, die sowohl der historischen Hexenverfolgung wie auch heute noch vorfindbaren Massenneurosen zugrunde liegen.