bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metformin-Associated Lactic Acidosis in Chinese Patients with Type II Diabetes
Authors: Yeung Chun Wing , Chung Ho Yin , Fong Bonnie Mei Wah , Tsai Nga Wing , Chan Wai Ming , Siu Tak Shing , Tam Sidney , Tsui Sik Hon
Published: October 2011

Metformin is a widely used antidiabetic agent that is generally considered safe. However, metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA), though not common, occurs from time to time and results in significantly high mortality. A series of 23 MALA cases in a local major hospital in Hong Kong is reported in this article to demonstrate the epidemiological data, risk factors, clinical features as well as the clinical outcomes for better understanding of this disease entity. It is the first MALA case series in which plasma metformin levels were assessed. However, the results show that plasma metformin levels in MALA bear no diagnostic and prognostic values. Risk factors of mortality were identified as shock and high plasma lactate levels. The majority of patients were found to have significantly raised creatinine versus a normal baseline value before the acute illness. Concomitant illnesses taking place alongside MALA were common. With a high utility rate of renal replacement therapy (82.6%) in the study group, the mortality rate was 30.4%.
Effect of Salivary Factors on the Susceptibility of Hydroxyapatite to Early Erosion
Authors: Jager D.H.J. , Vieira A.M. , Ligtenberg A.J.M. , Bronkhorst E. , Huysmans M.C.D.N.J.M. , Vissink A.
Published: October 2011

Objective: Salivary pellicle is known to reduce the erosion of enamel and differences in the level of protection exist between individual saliva sources, but which parameters or components are important is not known. The focus of this study was to investigate the relationship between saliva parameters and early erosion of hydroxyapatite (HAp) with an in situ grown saliva film. Methods: Twenty-eight volunteers carried two HAp and one porcelain discs in their buccal sulcus for 1.5 h. Next, the discs covered with pellicle and the attached saliva film were exposed extraorally to 50 mM (pH = 3) citric acid for 2 min and unstimulated and stimulated saliva was collected. Calcium loss from HAp after erosive challenge was measured, corrected for calcium loss from pellicle on porcelain discs and averaged. Several salivary parameters were analysed. Pearson’s linear correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to study the relation between saliva parameters and HAp erosion. Results: Significant correlations were found between HAp erosion and the concentration of phosphorus in unstimulated saliva (r = 0.40, p = 0.03) and between HAp erosion and the concentration of sodium (r = –0.40, p = 0.03), chloride (r = –0.47, p = 0.01), phosphorus (r = 0.45, p = 0.01) and flow (r = –0.39, p = 0.04) of stimulated saliva. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant role in the HAp erosion for sodium, urea, total protein, albumin, pH and flow of unstimulated saliva and for sodium, potassium, urea, and phosphorus of stimulated saliva. Conclusions: Several salivary parameters are associated with the susceptibility of HAp to erosion.
Impact of SORL1 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms on Alzheimer’s Disease Cerebrospinal Fluid Markers
Authors: Alexopoulos Panagiotis , Guo Liang-Hao , Kratzer Martina , Westerteicher Christine , Kurz Alexander , Perneczky Robert ,   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: October 2011

Background: Recently, genetic variants of the neuronal sortilin-related receptor with A-type repeats (SORL1, also called LR11 or sorLA) have emerged as risk factors for the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: In this study, SORL1 gene polymorphisms, which have been shown to be related to AD, were analyzed for associations with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid beta1–42 (Aβ1–42), phosphorylated tau181, and total tau levels in a non-Hispanic Caucasian sample, which encompassed 100 cognitively healthy elderly individuals, 166 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 87 patients with probable AD. The data were obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database (www.loni.ucla.edu/ADNI). Moreover, the impact of gene-gene interactions between SORL1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) Ε4 allele, the major genetic risk factor for sporadic AD, on Aβ1–42 concentrations was investigated. Results: Significant associations between CSF Aβ1–42 levels and the SORL1 SNPs 23 (rs3824968) and 24 (rs2282649) were detected in the AD group. The latter association became marginally statistically insignificant after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Carriers of the SORL1 SNP24 T allele and the SNP23 A allele both had lower CSF Aβ1–42 concentrations than non-carriers of these alleles. The analysis of the impact of interactions between APOE Ε4 allele and SORL1 SNPs on CSF Aβ1–42 levels unraveled significant influences of APOE. Conclusions: Our findings provide further support for the notion that SORL1 genetic variants are related to AD pathology, probably by regulating the amyloid cascade.
Influence of grain size and temperature on micro upsetting of copper
Authors: Chang C C , Lin J C
Published: October 2011

Grain size and temperature significantly influence flow behaviour in metal-forming processes. This influence is even more pronounced in micro metal forming, because so-called ‘size effects’ cause inhomogeneity within the material and inaccuracy in the shape of the items produced. In this study, a specialized metal forming system was developed to investigate the effects of grain size and temperature on the micro upsetting of copper. To refine the grains of copper, the study used equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) and annealing techniques, after which the treated copper was carefully machined to prepare billets. The results clearly indicate how the flow stress of fine-grained copper exhibited a greater degree of sensitivity to forming temperature than coarse-grained copper. With the refinement to the grain size and increased forming temperature, it was possible to reduce inhomogeneous flow, leading to improvements in the edge quality of the deformed workpieces in micro upsetting.
Effect of Aflatoxin B1 on Nuclear Receptors PXR, CAR, and AhR and Their Target Cytochromes P450 mRNA Expression in Primary Cultures of Human Hepatocytes
Authors: Ayed-Boussema Imen , Pascussi Jean-Marc , Maurel Patrick , Bacha Hassen , Hassen Wafa
Published: October 2011

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), one of the most common mycotoxins found in human foods and animal feed, is principally hepatotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of AFB1 on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of pregnane X receptor (PXR), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and some of their target cytochromes using primary cultures of human hepatocytes. Our results showed that AFB1, at noncytotoxic increasing concentrations, caused a significant upregulation of cytochrome P 2B6 (CYP2B6), CYP3A5, and to a lesser extent CYP3A4 and CYP2C9. Pregnane X receptor and CAR mRNA expression increased in the 3 treated livers. Aflatoxin B1 was found also to induce an overexpression of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 genes accompanied by an increase in AhR mRNA expression. These findings suggest that AFB1 could activate PXR, CAR, and AhR; however, further investigations are needed to confirm nuclear receptor activation by AFB1.
Non-type 1 non-type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Sukumar Nithya , Nair Rajiv , Patel Vinod
Published: October 2011

Monogenic forms of b-cell diabetes have been broadly divided according to age of presentation, into neonatal and adolescent/adult forms (the latter previously termed maturity onset diabetes of the young – MODY). Herein we describe the identification of monogenic diabetes in a lady with a long-term history of treatment for type 1 diabetes diagnosed in early adulthood.
Sequencing of the HNF1α gene in an Uyghur patient with maturity onset diabetes of the young
Authors: Nuli Rebiya , Yimamu Yilihamujan G , Mohemaiti Patamu , Taxitiemuer Aierken
Published: October 2011

MODY (maturity onset diabetes of the young) is a monogenic form of diabetes mellitus characterised by autosomal dominant inheritance, onset usually before the age of 25, and a primary defect in the function of the beta cells of the pancreas. Mutations in the HNF1α gene (resulting in MODY3) are the most common cause of MODY. Here we describe the case of an 8-year-old Uyghur girl in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region, China who presented with symptoms suggestive of MODY3, a disease rarely reported in the Uyghur ethnic group. The HNF1α gene was sequenced for mutations, and we found a number of previously reported polymorphisms as well as two new variants in the course of molecular genetic testing. This is the first reported MODY3 case in an Uyghur ethnic population. The patient was treated with MODY3 therapy. These results indicate that molecular genetic testing is essential in confirming a diagnosis of MODY.
Diabetes, diabetes therapies and cancer: what’s the link?
Authors: Seewoodhary Jason , Bain Stephen C
Published: October 2011

Diabetes and cancer are prevalent diseases that have a large global impact on health and healthcare resources. Epidemiological studies suggest that patients with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing certain types of cancers. This may be due to diabetes and cancer sharing common risk factors, but it is likely that any association is intricately linked by biological mechanisms, which are only starting to be unravelled. This is further complicated by emerging data that suggest that some diabetes therapies may predispose or promote development of certain cancers, while metformin appears to have anti-neoplastic effects. This review considers the evidence associating diabetes, diabetes therapies and cancer.
Early adverse effect of abnormal glucose metabolism on arterial stiffness in drug naïve hypertensive patients
Authors: Vyssoulis Gregory , Pietri Panagiota , Vlachopoulos Charalambos , Alexopoulos Nikolaos , Kyvelou Stella-Maria , Terentes-Printzios Dimitris , Stefanadis Christodoulos
Published: October 2011

Arterial stiffness is independently related to increased cardiovascular risk in the hypertensive population. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether various stages of abnormal glucose metabolism may differently affect arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients and whether there is any difference in arterial stiffness among patients with normal glucose regulation. We studied 1375 never-treated hypertensive subjects. Participants were divided into four metabolic groups: normal glucose regulation (NG), impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM 2). Hypertensive subjects with NG were subdivided into three groups according to glucose levels. Arterial stiffness was estimated by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). PWV showed a significant increase from patients with NG to DM 2 (from 7.74±1.38 to 8.40±1.30 to 8.86±1.30 to 10.09±2.07 m/s respectively, p<0.001). Among hypertensive subjects with NG there was an increase in PWV from low normal to high normal values of glucose ( p<0.01). PWV was independently related to all glucose metabolic parameters ( p<0.001 for all). In the present study, we demonstrated an association between arterial stiffness and glucose tolerance in hypertensive subjects. Given the prognostic significance of arterial stiffness, aims should be towards closer monitoring and intensive care of hypertensive patients with abnormal glucose metabolism.
Doxycycline reduces fibril formation in a transgenic mouse model of AL amyloidosis
Authors: Ward Jennifer Ellis , Ren Ruiyi , Toraldo Gianluca , SooHoo Pam , Guan Jian , O'Hara Carl , Jasuja Ravi , Trinkaus-Randall Vickery , Liao Ronglih , Connors Lawreen H. , Seldin David C.
Published: October 2011

Systemic AL amyloidosis results from the aggregation of an amyloidogenic immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain (LC) usually produced by a plasma cell clone in the bone marrow. AL is the most rapidly fatal of the systemic amyloidoses, as amyloid fibrils can rapidly accumulate in tissues including the heart, kidneys, autonomic or peripheral nervous systems, gastrointestinal tract, and liver. Chemotherapy is used to eradicate the cellular source of the amyloidogenic precursor. Currently, there are no therapies that target the process of LC aggregation, fibril formation, or organ damage. We developed transgenic mice expressing an amyloidogenic λ6 LC using the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter to circumvent the disruption of B cell development by premature expression of recombined LC. The CMV-λ6 transgenic mice develop neurologic dysfunction and Congophilic amyloid deposits in the stomach. Amyloid deposition was inhibited in vivo by the antibiotic doxycycline. In vitro studies demonstrated that doxycycline directly disrupted the formation of recombinant LC fibrils. Furthermore, treatment of ex vivo LC amyloid fibrils with doxycycline reduced the number of intact fibrils and led to the formation of large disordered aggregates. The CMV-λ6 transgenic model replicates the process of AL amyloidosis and is useful for testing the antifibril potential of orally available agents.
Prognosis of ampullary cancer based on immunohistochemical type and expression of osteopontin
Authors: Zhao Xiang-qian , Dong Jia-hong , Zhang Wen-zhi , Liu Zhe
Published: October 2011

Background

Ampullary cancer (AC) was classified as pancreatobiliary, intestinal, or other subtype based on the expression of cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and cytokeratin 20 (CK20). We aimed to explore the association of AC subtype with patient prognosis.

Methods

The relationship of AC subtype and expression of Osteopontin (OPN) with the prognosis of 120 AC patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy was investigated.

Results

The patients had pancreatobiliary (CK7+/CK20-, n = 24, 20%), intestinal (CK7-/CK20+, n = 29, 24.2%) or other (CK7+/CK20+ or CK7-/CK20-, n = 67, 55.8%) subtypes of AC, and their median survival times were 23 ± 4.2, 38 ± 2.8 and 64 ± 16.8 months, respectively. The survival times of 64 OPN- patients (53.3%) and 56 OPN+ patients (46.7%) were 69 ± 18.4 and 36 ± 1.3 months, respectively. There was no significant effect of AC subtype on survival of OPN- patients. For OPN+ patients, those with pancreatobiliary AC had a shorter survival time (22 ± 6.6 months) than those with intestinal AC (37 ± 1.4 months, p = 0.041), and other AC subtype (36 ± 0.9 months, p = 0.010); intestinal and other AC subtypes had similar survival times.

Conclusions

The prognosis of AC patients can be estimated based on immunohistochemical classification and OPN status.
Comparative analyses of Campylobacter concisus strains reveal the genome of the reference strain BAA-1457 is not representative of the species
Authors: Kaakoush Nadeem O , Deshpande Nandan P , Wilkins Marc R , Raftery Mark J , Janitz Karolina , Mitchell Hazel
Published: October 2011

Background

Several studies have shown that significant genotypic heterogeneity exists among Campylobacter concisus strains. Recently, the genome of C. concisus UNSWCD, isolated from a patient with Crohn's disease, was sequenced.

Results

In this study, comparative analyses were performed between strain UNSWCD and BAA-1457, isolated from a patient with acute gastroenteritis. Searches between C. concisus UNSWCD and BAA-1457 showed that 76% of genes were homologues, whereas those between C. jejuni strains showed 90-91% to be homologues, indicating substantial variation exists within these two C. concisus genomes. More specific bidirectional homology searches identified 1593 genes that are shared between these strains, and 115 and 281 genes unique to UNSWCD and BAA-1457, respectively. Significantly, differences in the type of flagellin glycosylation pathways between the two strains were identified and confirmed by PCR. The protein profiles of UNSWCD, BAA-1457 and a further six strains of C. concisus were compared and analyzed bioinformatically, and this differentiated the strains into four clades. BAA-1457 was found to be highly divergent (average similarity: 56.8%) from the other seven strains (mean average similarity ± standard deviation: 64.7 ± 1.7%). Furthermore, searches for homologues of the 1593 proteins found to be common between UNSWCD and BAA-1457 were conducted against all available bacterial genomes, and 18 proteins were found to be unique to C. concisus, of which 6 were predicted to be secreted, and may represent good markers for detection of this species.

Conclusions

This study has elucidated several features that may be responsible for the heterogeneity that exists among C. concisus strains, and has determined that the strain BAA-1457 is genetically atypical to other C. concisus strains and is not a good candidate reference strain.
The Development of Legal Protection for Mediation Confidentiality in Hong Kong
Authors: Koo A.K.C. , Zhao Yun
Published: October 2011

One of the underlying objectives of the reformed civil justice system in Hong Kong is to facilitate the settlement of disputes. The court is now under the duty of active case management to encourage and promote the use of an alternative dispute resolution procedure where appropriate. Facilitative mediation was generally practised in Hong Kong before the Civil Justice Reform. By issuing a specific practice direction on mediation, the judiciary has given a strong boost for this process to the extent that parties may even be penalized in costs if they unreasonably refuse to mediate. The continuous transfer of conflict resolution from the hands of the judge to the parties gives rise to an increasing risk that information disclosed in mediation may be used to the parties' disadvantage in subsequent legal proceedings. This paper examines the precise scope of three common law principles that protect confidentiality of mediation communications. Drawing upon the approaches of local institutions, the US Uniform Mediation Act and the EU Mediation Directive, it considers the arguments that might be relevant in deciding what law should govern the issues at present not covered by the existing legal framework, a question that has become more pressing in view of the fact that negotiations have begun on a proposed mediation ordinance to deal with it.
Police and Security Officer Experiences of Occupational Violence and Injury in Australia
Authors: Ferguson Patricia , Prenzler Tim , Sarre Rick , de Caires Bryan
Published: October 2011

This study employed national workers' compensation data to examine and compare the nature and prevalence of work-related injuries and occupational violence experienced by Australian security officers and police between 2000 and 2008. The study found that while security officers' work-related injuries overall occurred at half the rate of police officers', the rates of occupational violence were about equal and followed the same trend over time — rising during the mid 2000s and then declining steadily. However, injuries to security officers appeared more serious than those experienced by police. Security officers were twice as likely to sustain a head injury and, on average, lost about six weeks more work than police. Compared with all other Australian occupations, security and police were in the top three highest claiming occupations for work-related injuries and deaths from occupational violence, with security officers at number one in both instances. The findings add to the very limited literature on injuries and violence experienced by police and security officers. However, the findings also show the need for more research on the specific situational factors involved in injuries and on what works in prevention.
Engaging Protestors: A Smarter Way for Policing Demonstrations
Authors: Gravelle James , Rogers Colin
Published: October 2011

This article examines the application of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within the police service in England and Wales in the light of the recent global demonstrations witnessed through events such as the G20. Following a recent published report from the HMIC, the police need to remain innovative in their approach to dealing with public protests. The article clearly illustrates the associated advantages of utilising CSR whilst arguing that such use would increase public confidence and provide greater resonance in attempts by the police to engage with their communities. The historical context and traditional responses are evaluated and the article concludes with the premise that whilst not being a panacea for resolving each of the difficulties in providing a specialist police service, CSR offers a real and robust option that needs to be carefully considered.
Making Sense of the Relationship between Trafficking in Persons, Human Smuggling, and Organised Crime: The Case of Nigeria
Authors: Ellis Tom , Akpala James
Published: October 2011

Trade in human beings, and Nigeria's role in it, is a contested area. This article first sets out to provide an integrated picture, from the varied academic and policy output, of human trafficking and smuggling, focused on a market picture that is able to incorporate both genders and diverse forms of exploitation, i.e., forced labour, prostitution and domestic servitude. It then outlines how organised crime operates under this model in the specific Nigerian context. Finally, the article reports the main results of a small exploratory study carried out with Nigerian law enforcement officers who work on the front line in tackling trafficking and smuggling.
Graduate Police Officers: Releasing the Potential for Pre-Employment University Programmes for Aspiring Officers
Authors: Tong Stephen , Wood Dominic
Published: October 2011

The introduction of IPLDP (Initial Police Learning and Development Programme) provided Chief Constables with the opportunity to deliver initial police training through established police training approaches or involve other organisations. Since the 1970s there have been attempts by universities in the UK to engage with police services in the design and delivery of educational programmes for police officers. A variety of curriculums and new partnerships have evolved but there is little evidence of the contribution of these developments or whether these ‘new’ approaches differ significantly from traditional training regimes. There remains resistance from some quarters towards involving universities in the learning and development of police officers manifested by the Government's lead that situates the essential learning requirements of a police officer below higher education level. This article suggests that policing is at a crossroads and needs to decide now if it wants to be seen as a profession.
On Directions Determined by Subsets of Vector Spaces over Finite Fields
Authors: Iosevich Alex , Morgan Hannah , Pakianathan Jonathan
Published: October 2011

We prove that if a subset of a
Chronic exposure to high fatty acids impedes receptor agonist-induced nitric oxide production and increments of cytosolic Ca2+ levels in endothelial cells
Authors: Tang Yanxia , Li GuoDong
Published: October 2011

Dyslipidemia is a common metabolic disorder in diabetes. Nitric oxide (NO) production from endothelium plays the primary role in endothelium-mediated vascular relaxation and other endothelial functions. Therefore, we investigated the effects of elevated free fatty acids (FFA) on the stimulation of NO production by phospholipase C (PLC)-activating receptor agonists (potent physiological endothelium-dependent vasodilators) and defined the possible alterations of signaling pathways implicated in this scenario. Exposure of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) to high concentrations of a mixture of fatty acids (oleate and palmitate) for 5 or 10 days significantly reduced NO production evoked by receptor agonists (bradykinin or ATP) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Such defects were not associated with alterations of either endothelial NO synthase mass or inositol phospholipid contents but were probably due to reduced elevations of intracellular free Ca2+levels ([Ca2+]i) under these conditions. Exposure of BAECs to FFA significantly attenuated agonist-induced [Ca2+]iincreases by up to 54% in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, bradykinin receptor affinity on the cell surface was significantly decreased by high concentrations of FFA. The morphology of BAECs was altered after 10-day culture with high FFA. Co-culture with protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors or antioxidants was able to reverse the impairments of receptor agonist-induced NO production and [Ca2+]irises as well as the alteration of receptor affinity in BAECs exposed to FFA. These data indicate that chronic exposure to high FFA reduces NO generation in endothelial cells probably by impairing PLC-mediated Ca2+signaling pathway through activation of PKC and excess generation of oxidants.
Exposure Assessment of ETBE in Gas Station Workers and Gasoline Tanker Truck Drivers
Authors: Eitaki Yoko , Kawai Toshio , Omae Kazuyuki
Published: October 2011

Exposure Assessment of ETBE in Gas Station Workers and Gasoline Tanker Truck Drivers: Yoko Eitaki, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Keio University—

Objectives

In order to measure occupational exposure concentrations of ethyl tertiarybutyl ether (ETBE), we developed a diffusive sampling method for monitoring ETBE and performed an ETBE exposure assessment.

Methods

The applicability of diffusive samplers was examined by exposing the samplers to ETBE vapor in test chambers. The personal exposure levels of workers and airborne concentrations were measured at 4 gas stations.

Results

The ETBE sampling rate for the diffusive samplers (VOC‐SD, Sigma‐Aldrich Japan) was 25.04 ml/min (25ºC). Compared with the active sampling method, the diffusive samplers could be used for short‐term measurements and in environments containing a mixture of organic solvents. The geometric mean (GM) of TWA‐8h ETBE was 0.08 ppm (0.02–0.28 ppm) in 28 gas station workers and 0.04 ppm (0.01–0.21 ppm) in 2 gasoline tanker truck drivers. With regard to ETBE airborne concentrations, the GM was 4.12 ppm (0.93–8.71 ppm) at the handles of hanging pumps but dropped to less than 0.01 ppm (less than 0.01–0.01 ppm) at the side of a public road.

Conclusion

The diffusive sampling method can be used for the measurement of occupational ETBE exposure. The threshold limit of TLV‐TWA 5 ppm recommended by the ACGIH was not exceeded in any of the workers in this study.
Advertisements and the Public Discourse in a Democracy
Authors: Hammer Yoav
Published: October 2011

Modern advertisements contain little information and expose few arguments. They rarely describe the product and its usage or compare it to similar products. Yet, advertisements convey many messagesthey attach meaning to products, suggest values, and spread a particular view of life. Advertisements create a failure in the democratic process; through advertising, commercial corporations intervene in the democratic discourse. Citizens are intensively exposed to the consumerist worldview while alternative points of view are scarcely presented in the communicative sphere.But commercial corporations are not legitimate participants in the public discourse in a democracy since they do not represent the political support of citizens. Presently, courts grant advertisements freedom of speech protection based on the importance of providing information for viewers. But by doing this, courts ignore the value suggesting messages prevalent in modern advertisements.For many years the law in the domain of campaign finance has restricted the speech of corporations in order to prevent distortion of the political discourse prior to elections. Similarly, we should allow the State to intervene to repair the failure in the public discourse created by advertisements. The law regarding informative messages and value-suggesting messages contained in advertisements should treat each separately, and advertisers should not be permitted to convey messages of the latter.
Privatization, School Choice and Educational Equality
Authors: Dahan Yossi
Published: October 2011

This Article looks at aspects of the relationship between privatization in education and educational justice, examining these relationships from normative and empirical points of view. It explores different meanings of privatization in the realm of education and assesses underlying reasons for certain aspects of privatization in light of two educational justice: the adequacy approach and the fair equality of opportunity approach. The Article argues that given the competitive nature of the sphere of education, considerations of fairness, as well as utility, solidarity, and democracy supply strong reasons for rejecting various arguments that support the existence of private schools. In the last thirty years, vouchers and school choice schemes have constituted the main modes of privatization, importing market mechanisms and the logic of competition into the realm of education. Empirical evidence suggests that vouchers and school choice schemes have not fulfilled the promise of reducing educational inequalities, partly due to the political, social, economic and ideological background in which they were implemented. The introduction of competition in the realm of education has created a reality that encourages schools to prefer low cost studentsstudents from middle and upper classes familiesover high cost disadvantaged studentswho come mainly from the lower class, and students with special needs. Not only have marketization and privatization changed the way that society distributes educational services, they promote a social ethos that emphasizes self-interest over the advancement of the public good and erodes democratic public forums in which collective societal decisions should be resolved.
Outsourcing Violence?
Authors: Harel Alon
Published: October 2011

This Article develops a theory of inherently governmental functions and argues that these functions concern powers designed to execute or implement fundamental state decisionse.g., the decision to criminalize certain behavior, the decision to inflict a certain sanction, or to the decision to initiate or end a war. While most theorists agree that fundamental state decisions of the types described above ought only to be made by the State, some believe that the power to execute or implement these decisions can be transferred to private entities. Thus, for instance, theorists maintain that while only the State can criminalize behavior, private prisons can execute the punishment; while only the State can declare a war, mercenaries can carry it out, etc. This Article disputes this claim. By transferring powers of execution or implementation of fundamental state decisions to private entities, the State severs the link between its fundamental societal decisions and the actions designed to execute or implement these decisions. Private entities that imprison people or soldiers hired to fight a war ought to be regarded not merely as executing or implementing public decisions. Instead, they ought to be regarded as private entities whose own private judgments concerning the justness of the sanctions they inflict or the justifiability of the wars they fight are prerequisite for the performance of their jobs. The contribution to the genesis of the action of the private entity made by the courts decision to inflict a sanction or the States decision to go to war is, so to speak, superseded by the individuals own judgment. The Article further argues that being punished by another private individualrather than by the Stateinfringes upon ones dignity as it subjects the will of one person to the will of another. The justifiability of the exertion of violence hinges upon the agent performing it. Hence, I maintain that it is impermissible on the part of the State to privatize the execution or implementation of some fundamental societal decisions.
An energy efficient and load balancing routing algorithm for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Wang Jin , Ma Tinghuai , Cho Jinsung , Lee Sungoung
Published: October 2011

Many energy aware routing algorithms and protocols have been proposed for
wireless sensor networks recently to achieve aims like minimum energy
consumption, maximized network lifetime, reduced communication latency and
overhead etc. The problem of hotspot can not be well addressed under many
routing algorithms since some nodes which are on the shortest path or close
to the base station tend to deplete their energy quickly and consequently
cause network partition. In this paper, we propose a Ring-based Energy Aware
Routing (REAR) algorithm for wireless sensor networks which can achieve both
energy balancing and energy efficiency for all sensor nodes. Our algorithm
considers not only the hop number and distance but also the residual energy
of the next hop node during routing process. Simulation results validate that
our algorithm outperforms some other routing algorithms in the aspects of
energy consumption and network lifetime etc.
On the efficiency of cluster-based approaches for motion detection using body sensor networks
Authors: Lan Kun-Chan , Chou Chien-Ming , Wang Tzu-Nung , Li Mei-Wen
Published: October 2011

Body Sensor Networks (BSN) are an emerging application that places sensors on
the human body. Given that a BSN is typically powered by a battery, one of
the most critical challenges is how to prolong the lifetime of all sensor
nodes. Recently, using clusters to reduce the energy consumption of BSN has
shown promising results. One of the important parameters in these
cluster-based algorithms is the selection of cluster heads (CHs). Most prior
works selected CHs either probabilistically or based on nodes? residual
energy. In this work, we first discuss the efficiency of cluster-based
approaches for saving energy. We then propose a novel cluster head selection
algorithm to maximize the lifetime of a BSN for motion detection. Our results
show that we can achieve above 90% accuracy for the motion detection, while
keeping energy consumption as low as possible.
Privacy preserving in ubiquitous computing: Classification & hierarchy
Authors: Ma Tinghuai , Yan Sen , Wang Jin , Lee Sungyoung
Published: October 2011

In this paper, we adopt the classification of personal information and
hierarchy of services to build a privacy system, in which one communicates
with each other via pipes with different security levels. In each level, one
has the corresponding rights to access each other. The requesters are not
able to be infringed based on the personal information that service obtains
from service providers. Privacy system can decrease the interaction, while in
other circumstance the system strengthens and enhances the privacy
preserving. Thus we strike a balance between two goals of Ubiquitous
Computing: interaction and privacy preserving.
Flow visualization and study of CHF enhancement in pool boiling with Al2O3 - Water nano-fluids
Authors: Hegde Ramakrishna , Rao Shrikantha , Reddy Ranapratap
Published: October 2011

Pool boiling heat transfer characteristics of Al2O3-Water nanofluids is
studied experimentally using a NiCr test wire of 36 SWG diameter. The
experimental work mainly concentrated on i) change of Critical Heat Flux(CHF)
with different volume concentrations of nanofluid ii) flow visualization of
pool boiling using a fixed concentration of nanofluid at different heat flux
values. The experimental work revealed an increase in CHF value of around 48%
and flow visualization helped in studying the pool boiling behaviour of
nanofluid. Out of the various reasons which could affect the CHF enhancement,
surface roughness plays a major role in pool boiling heat transfer.
Rayeilgh number effect on the turbulent heat transfer within a parallelepiped cavity
Authors: Aksouh Mohamed , Mataoui Amina , Seghouani Nassim , Haddad Zoubida
Published: October 2011

This purpose is about a three dimensional study of natural convection within
cavities. This problem is receiving more and more research interest due to
its practical applications in the engineering and the astrophysical research
The turbulent natural convection of air in an enclosed tall cavity with high
aspect ratio (AR=H/W=28.6) is examined numerically. Two cases of differential
temperature have been considered between the lateral cavity plates
corresponding, respectively, to the low and high Rayleigh numbers: Ra=8.6?105
and Ra=1.43?106 [1]. For these two cases, the flow is characterized by a
turbulent low Reynolds number. This led us to improve the flow
characteristics using two one point closure low-Reynolds number turbulence
models: RNG k-e model and SST k-w model, derived from standard k-e model and
standard k-w model, respectively. Both turbulence models have provided an
excellent agreement with the experimental data. In order to choose the best
model, the average Nusselt number is compared to the experiment and other
numerical results. The vorticity components surfaces confirm that the flow
can be considered two-dimensional with stretched vortex in the cavity core.
Finally, a correlation between Nusselt number and Rayleigh number is obtained
to predict the heat transfer characteristics.
To be or Not to be a Clinical Director?
Authors: Emmerson Brett , Norrie Peter , Patton Murray , O'Connor Nick
Published: October 2011

Objective: This article is designed to raise the interest of psychiatrists in the position of clinical director.

Conclusions: The clinical director can improve the recovery of large numbers of mental health consumers by influencing the direction of local mental health policy, planning and funding. The effective clinical director will be an experienced psychiatrist with clinical credibility, who is present and available, leads by example, is flexible, energetic, delegates, can “manage up” and has probably undergone management training.
From Traumatic Attachment to Somatization Disorder
Authors: Haliburn Joan
Published: October 2011

Objective: This paper emphasizes attachment trauma as an important etiological factor in somatization disorder and psychoanalytic psychotherapy as an effective treatment.

Method: Weekly psychotherapy with an 18 year old with somatization disorder, using the Conversational Model, is described.

Conclusion: Early cumulative trauma has far-reaching health consequences. Brief psychotherapy produces symptom relief, and long-term analytic therapy is necessary for sustained improvement.
“Big MAC”: The Role of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry in Hospital Medical Advisory Committees
Authors: Parker Robert , Chapman David , Notaras Len
Published: October 2011

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to describe the participation of a consultation-liaison (CL) psychiatrist within a hospital medical advisory committee (MAC) and examine how this may generally contribute to improved patient care as well as assist in the development of governance within the hospital.

Conclusions: Psychiatrists have a role in a MAC in enhancing the recognition of psychiatric care issues within the hospital, educating other members of the committee with respect to improved recognition of mental illness affecting hospital inpatients and enhanced care of patients requiring substitute decision-making. The psychiatrist also has a role in advising the committee on psychosocial issues generally affecting the hospital service as well as informing on psychological issues that impact on hospital staff performance. To an extent, CL psychiatry also encompasses issues involving all the other medical craft groups in hospitals, offering the opportunity for a “global” perspective that may be expressed through participation in a MAC.
Cytokines in Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Lee Sylvia , Margolin Kim
Published: October 2011

Cytokines are molecular messengers that allow the cells of the immune system to communicate with one another to generate a coordinated, robust, but self-limited response to a target antigen. The growing interest over the past two decades in harnessing the immune system to eradicate cancer has been accompanied by heightened efforts to characterize cytokines and exploit their vast signaling networks to develop cancer treatments. The goal of this paper is to review the major cytokines involved in cancer immunotherapy and discuss their basic biology and clinical applications. The paper will also describe new cytokines in pre-clinical development, combinations of biological agents, novel delivery mechanisms, and potential directions for future investigation using cytokines.
RNA-Seq for Plant Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Kimbrel Jeffrey A. , Di Yanming , Cumbie Jason S. , Chang Jeff H.
Published: October 2011

The throughput and single-base resolution of RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) have contributed to a dramatic change in transcriptomic-based inquiries and resulted in many new insights into the complexities of bacterial transcriptomes. RNA-Seq could contribute to similar advances in our understanding of plant pathogenic bacteria but it is still a technology under development with limitations and unknowns that need to be considered. Here, we review some new developments for RNA-Seq and highlight recent findings for host-associated bacteria. We also discuss the technical and statistical challenges in the practical application of RNA-Seq for studying bacterial transcriptomes and describe some of the currently available solutions.
Neural Changes Developed during the Extinction of Cocaine Self-Administration Behavior
Authors: Higuera-Matas Alejandro , Miguens Miguel , Olmo Nuria del , García-Lecumberri Carmen , Ambrosio Emilio
Published: October 2011

The high rate of recidivism in cocaine addiction after prolonged periods of abstinence poses a significant problem for the effective treatment of this condition. Moreover, the neurobiological basis of this relapse phenomenon remains poorly understood. In this review, we will discuss the evidence currently available regarding the neurobiological changes during the extinction of cocaine self-administration. Specifically, we will focus on alterations in the dopaminergic, opioidergic, glutamatergic, cholinergic, serotoninergic and CRF systems described in self-administration experiments and extinction studies after chronic cocaine administration. We will also discuss the differences related to contingent versus non-contingent cocaine administration, which highlights the importance of environmental cues on drug effects and extinction. The findings discussed in this review may aid the development of more effective therapeutic approaches to treat cocaine relapse.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Neutralization: A Review
Authors: Hosie Margaret J. , Pajek Daniela , Samman Ayman , Willett Brian J.
Published: October 2011

One of the major obstacles that must be overcome in the design of effective lentiviral vaccines is the ability of lentiviruses to evolve in order to escape from neutralizing antibodies. The primary target for neutralizing antibodies is the highly variable viral envelope glycoprotein (Env), a glycoprotein that is essential for viral entry and comprises both variable and conserved regions. As a result of the complex trimeric nature of Env, there is steric hindrance of conserved epitopes required for receptor binding so that these are not accessible to antibodies. Instead, the humoral response is targeted towards decoy immunodominant epitopes on variable domains such as the third hypervariable loop (V3) of Env. For feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), as well as the related human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), little is known about the factors that lead to the development of broadly neutralizing antibodies. In cats infected with FIV and patients infected with HIV-1, only rarely are plasma samples found that contain antibodies capable of neutralizing isolates from other clades. In this review we examine the neutralizing response to FIV, comparing and contrasting with the response to HIV. We ask whether broadly neutralizing antibodies are induced by FIV infection and discuss the comparative value of studies of neutralizing antibodies in FIV infection for the development of more effective vaccine strategies against lentiviral infections in general, including HIV-1.
Observaciones acerca del comercio de época romana entre Hispania y el Norte de Africa
Authors: Gozalbes Cravioto Enrique
Published: October 2011

Les villes côtières romaines d'Espagne et du Nord de l'Afrique ont entretenu d'importantes relations durant l'Antiquité romaine. Cependant les études s'y rapportant ont été centrées sur les relations de caractère général, ce qui rendait nécessaire une analyse concrète de leurs aspects commerciaux. En dépit d'affirmations généralisées, le commerce hispano-africain à l'époque romaine fut moins intense que celui que les provinces d'Espagne entretinrent avec leurs voisines européennes. De même, le commerce se limite à des échanges entre produits manufacturés d'une part et matières premières exotiques (ivoire, bois précieux, pourpre) de l'autre. En dernier lieu, l'Auteur analyse, à l'exception du cas de la Maurétanie tingitane, les principales routes de ce trafic maritime et les ports desservis.
Enfance Sourde : soigner et faire taire…
Authors: Meynard André
Published: October 2011

Résumé Pourquoi ne parvenons-nous pas à prendre acte de ce que certains humains en viennent à parler avec les mains et entendre avec les yeux ? Si les tout jeunes enfants Sourds ne perçoivent pas les fréquences conversationnelles de nos langues vocales, ils demeurent cependant entendants du message symbolique. D’où vient donc cette poussée, cette force avec laquelle ces garçons et filles sont attirés vers une telle modalité de dire ? Pourquoi une surdité à ces modalités du parler prospère-t-elle encore si fortement dans les dispositifs d’accueil et d’éducation de ces sujets ?
Le jeune sourd et sa famille face à des points de vue divergents
Authors: Lagarrigue Jacques
Published: October 2011

Résumé La prise en charge institutionnelle des jeunes sourds depuis trente ans a connu des mutations importantes, significatives des différents regards qu’a portés notre société sur la surdité et sur la place qu’elle leur reconnaît. La démutisation, la langue des signes, la constitution d’une communauté et d’une culture sourde, l’implant cochléaire ont marqué cette évolution. Le développement de ces points de vue, souvent divergents, et leur pluralité amènent des choix et un positionnement particulièrement difficiles pour les parents, les professionnels et surtout pour les jeunes sourds eux-mêmes.
La Bulle Rose, au regard de la surdité
Authors: Esponde Marie , Carrère-Bordehore Nicolas
Published: October 2011

Résumé En 1988, la Bulle Rose a inauguré à Toulouse ce qui sera ensuite nommé « lieux d’accueil enfants-parents ». En avril 2010, l’équipe des accueillants s’est élargie, revisitant pour l’occasion son dispositif, non pas dans le projet de répondre à une communauté, mais bien plutôt de ne pas rester sourde à ceux qui lui adressaient une demande. Que les enjeux imaginaires de l’entreprise n’empêchent pas l’accès à ce que cette expérience nous apprendrait d’autre que l’attendu en constitue le pari.
L'information et la coopération : éléments clés pour réussir le parcours scolaire des élèves sourds et malentendants
Authors: Sarrazin-Auriol Corinne
Published: October 2011

Résumé La problématique de la scolarité des enfants sourds et malentendants est particulièrement complexe. Elle doit, en effet, prendre en compte deux types de critères : la modalité scolaire et la modalité linguistique dans le cadre du Projet personnalisé de scolarisation ( pps) . L’accompagnement des parents s’avère nécessaire lors des choix d’orientation entre une communication en seule langue française ou une communication bilingue (langue des signes française/langue française) et tout au long de l’élaboration du projet de vie. Le référent de scolarité chargé de l’information, de la coordination des parties prenantes du pps apparaît au centre de cet accompagnement, déterminant pour la réussite du parcours scolaire de ces élèves.