bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid receptor gene polymorphisms do not affect growth in fetal and early postnatal life. The Generation R Study
Authors: Geelhoed Miranda JJ , Steegers Eric AP , Koper Jan W , van Rossum Elisabeth FC , Moll Henriette A , Raat Hein , Tiemeier Henning , Hofman Albert , Jaddoe Vincent WV
Published: March 2010

Background

Glucocorticoids have an important role in early growth and development. Glucocorticoid receptor gene polymorphisms have been identified that contribute to the variability in glucocorticoid sensitivity. We examined whether these glucocorticoid receptor gene polymorphisms are associated with growth in fetal and early postnatal life.

Methods

This study was embedded in a population-based prospective cohort study from fetal life onwards. The studied glucocorticoid receptor gene polymorphisms included BclI (rs41423247), TthIIII (rs10052957), GR-9β (rs6198), N363S (rs6195) and R23K (rs6789 and6190). Fetal growth was assessed by ultrasounds in second and third trimester of pregnancy. Anthropometric measurements in early childhood were performed at birth and at the ages of 6, 14 and 24 months postnatally. Analyses focused on weight, length and head circumference. Analyses were based on 2,414 healthy, Caucasian children.

Results

Glucocorticoid receptor gene polymorphisms were not associated with fetal weight, birth weight and early postnatal weight. Also, no associations were found with length and head circumference. Neither were these polymorphisms associated with the risks of low birth weight or growth acceleration from birth to 24 months of age.

Conclusions

We found in a large population-based cohort no evidence for an effect of known glucocorticoid receptor gene polymorphisms on fetal and early postnatal growth characteristics. Further systematic searches for common genetic variants by means of genome-wide association studies will enable us to obtain a more complete understanding of what genes and polymorphisms are involved in growth in fetal life and infancy.
Characteristics of primary health care units with focus on drug information from the pharmaceutical industry and adherence to prescribing objectives: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Carlzon Daniel , Gustafsson Lena , Eriksson Anna L , Rignér Karin , Sundström Anders , Wallerstedt Susanna M
Published: March 2010

Background

Adherence to prescribing guidelines varies between primary health care units. The aim of the present study was to investigate correlations between characteristics of primary health care units and adherence to prescribing objectives for rational drug use with focus on drug information from the pharmaceutical industry.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed in all 25 primary health care units in Göteborg, Sweden. A questionnaire on characteristics of practice settings [(i) size of unit, (ii) profession of head, (iii) use of temporary physicians, (iv) drug information from the pharmaceutical industry, (v) producer-independent drug information, and (vi) education on prescribing for newly employed physicians] was sent to the heads of the units. A national sales register for prescribed drugs (Xplain) was used for evaluation of adherence to the six regional prescribing objectives concerning proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), statins and antidepressants.

Results

Twenty-two out of 25 primary health care units responded to the questionnaire (response rate 88%). A physician as head and presence of producer-independent drug information was positively correlated with adherence to the prescribing objectives (median number of prescribing objectives adhered to (25th - 75th percentile): 2.5 (1-3.25) vs 1 (0-2), P = 0.013; 2 (1-3) vs 0, P = 0.043, respectively. Presence of drug information from the pharmaceutical industry and education on prescribing for newly employed physicians was negatively associated with adherence to the prescribing objectives: 1 (0-2) vs 3.5 (2.25-4.75), P = 0.005; 1 (0-2) vs 3 (1.5-4), P = 0.034, respectively.

Conclusion

Several characteristics of the primary health care units correlated with adherence to prescribing objectives for rational drug use. Further research on this topic is needed and would constitute valuable information for health care decision makers.
Entamoeba histolytica Phosphoserine aminotransferase (EhPSAT): insights into the structure-function relationship
Authors: Mishra Vibhor , Ali Vahab , Nozaki Tomoyoshi , Bhakuni Vinod
Published: March 2010

Background

Presence of phosphorylated Serine biosynthesis pathway upstream to the de novo cysteine biosynthesis pathway makes PSAT a crucial enzyme. Besides this, phoshoserine produced by the enzyme can also be taken up directly by cysteine synthase as a substrate. PSAT is a PLP dependent enzyme where the cofactor serves as an epicenter for functional catalysis with the active site architecture playing crucial role in optimum function of the enzyme.

Findings

EhPSAT is a homodimer of molecular mass 86 kDa. To understand the structural modulations associated with pH dependent changes in functional activity of EhPSAT detailed biophysical studies were carried out. pH alterations had no significant effect on the secondary structure, cofactor orientation and oligomeric configuration of the enzyme however, pH dependent compaction in molecular dimensions was observed. Most interestingly, a direct correlation between pH induced modulation of functional activity and orientation of Trp 101 present in the active site of the enzyme was observed. Sodium halides nullified the pH induced global changes in the enzyme, however differential effect of these salts on the active site microenvironment and functional activity of the enzyme was observed.

Conclusions

The study unequivocally demonstrates that pH induced selective modification of active site microenvironment and not global change in structure or oligomeric status of the enzyme is responsible for the pH dependent change in enzymatic activity of PSAT.
Effect of Oncostatin M on Uridine Diphosphate-5′-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 through Cross Talk with Constitutive Androstane Receptor
Authors: Masuyama Hisashi , Nakatsukasa Hideki , Hiramatsu Yuji
Published: March 2010

Hyperbilirubinemia remains a common condition in neonates. The constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is an orphan nuclear receptor that has been shown to participate in the activation of the uridine diphosphate-5′-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene, which plays an important role in bilirubin clearance. Oncostatin M (OSM), a member of the IL-6 family, is involved in the maturation of fetal hepatocytes. We have demonstrated that low OSM levels are a potential indicator of neonatal jaundice and the need for phototherapy. In this study we examined the effects of OSM on CAR-mediated signaling to investigate its potential role in neonatal jaundice via the CAR-UGT1A1 pathway. We observed that OSM positively augmented the CAR and UGT1A1 expressions and CAR-mediated signaling in vivo and in vitro, through cross talk between the nuclear CAR receptor and the plasma membrane OSM receptor, via the MAPK cascade. These data suggest that OSM might play a role in bilirubin metabolism via the CAR-UGT1A1 pathway.
A Stochastic Model for Order Book Dynamics
Authors: Cont Rama , Stoikov Sasha , Talreja Rishi
Published: February 2010

We propose a continuous-time stochastic model for the dynamics of a limit order book. The model strikes a balance between three desirable features: it can be estimated easily from data, it captures key empirical properties of order book dynamics, and its analytical tractability allows for fast computation of various quantities of interest without resorting to simulation. We describe a simple parameter estimation procedure based on high-frequency observations of the order book and illustrate the results on data from the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Using simple matrix computations and Laplace transform methods, we are able to efficiently compute probabilities of various events, conditional on the state of the order book: an increase in the midprice, execution of an order at the bid before the ask quote moves, and execution of both a buy and a sell order at the best quotes before the price moves. Using high-frequency data, we show that our model can effectively capture the short-term dynamics of a limit order book. We also evaluate the performance of a simple trading strategy based on our results.
New Policies for the Stochastic Inventory Control Problem with Two Supply Sources
Authors: Sheopuri Anshul , Janakiraman Ganesh , Seshadri Sridhar
Published: February 2010

We study an inventory system under periodic review in the presence of two suppliers (or delivery modes). The emergency supplier has a shorter lead-time than the regular supplier, but the unit price he offers is higher. Excess demand is backlogged. We generalize the recently studied class of dual index policies [Veeraraghavan, S., A. Scheller-Wolf. 2008. Now or later: Dual index policies for capacitated dual sourcing systems. Oper. Res. 56(4) 850–864] by proposing two classes of policies. The first class consists of policies that have an order-up-to structure for the emergency supplier. We provide analytical results that are useful for determining optimal or near-optimal policies within this class. This analysis and the policies we propose leverage our observation that the classical “lost sales inventory problem” is a special case of this problem. The second class consists of policies that have an order-up-to structure for the regular supplier. Here, we derive bounds on the optimal order quantity from the emergency supplier, in any period, and use these bounds for finding effective policies within this class. Finally, we undertake an elaborate computational investigation to compare the performance of the policies we propose with that of dual index policies. One of our policies provides an average cost-saving of 1.1% over the best dual index policy and has the same computational requirements. Another policy that we propose has a cost performance similar to the best dual index policy, but its computational requirements are lower.
New Combination Vaccines: DTaP-IPV (Kinrix) and DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel)
Authors: Johns Tracy L , Hutter George E
Published: March 2010

Objective:

To evaluate the clinical utility of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed and inactivated poliovirus vaccine ([DTaP-IPV]; Kinrix) and diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, Inactivated poliovirus and Haemophilus b conjugate (tetanus toxoid conjugate) vaccine ([DTaP-IPV/Hib]; Pentacel) in the schedule for pediatric immunizations.

Data Sources:

PubMed was searched (1966–April 2009) using the key words Kinrix and Pentacel. Subject headings included vaccines, combined; diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine; diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccines; poliovirus vaccine, inactivated; and Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide vaccinetetanus toxin conjugate. The search was limited to English-language publications involving humans. Product labeling was obtained from GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site was searched for relevant recommendations published June 2008–October 2009.

Study Selection And Data Extraction:

Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials evaluating immunogenicity and safety of DTaP-IPV and DTaP-IPV/Hib were reviewed. Published trials were supplemented with abstracts, review articles, manufacturer product labeling, and CDC recommendations.

Data Synthesis:

DTaP-IPV is immunogenic compared to its component vaccines, with no effect of concomitantly administered measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Although injection site pain has occurred more with the combination vaccine, its use would reduce by 1 the number of injections given when a child is 4–6 years old. DTaP-IPV/Hib is immunogenic and safe compared to separate vaccines. Immunogenicity to 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine is not affected by concomitant administration. DTaP-IPV/Hib decreases injections by up to 7 when given at 2, 4, 6, and 15–18 months of age. It fits into the schedule more easily than DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), the other DTaP-containing combination vaccine indicated for the primary infant series.

Conclusions:

DTaP-IPV and DTaP-IPV/Hib combination vaccines are immunogenic and safe when given to infants and children. They reduce the number of required injections. Combination vaccines are encouraged to promote timely vaccination and complete immunization schedules.
Whither the Common Law Derivative Action?
Authors: Yap Ji Lian
Published: February 2010

The common law derivative action was developed as a result of decades of case law in common law jurisdictions. Hong Kong and Singapore continue to retain the common law derivative action within their respective legal frameworks, despite both having enacted statutory derivative actions. This paper considers the situations in which the common law derivative action continues to have practical application in each of these jurisdictions. It then considers whether the common law derivative action should be abolished in these jurisdictions, and if so, what consequential changes should be made to the statutory derivative action framework concurrent with this proposed abolition.
Forum Non Conveniens in Australia: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Gray Anthony
Published: February 2010

This paper critically examines the law of forum non conveniens, in particular the use of the ‘clearly inappropriate forum’ test in Australia, compared with the ‘more appropriate forum’ test applied in jurisdictions such as the UK and the US. It traces the development of the law in the UK in relation to forum non conveniens, including the English acceptance of the doctrine, and how it has been applied in various cases. Some criticism of the ‘more appropriate forum’ test is noted, and it is not recommended that the courts adopt the ‘laundry list’ approach evident in some US decisions, where up to 25 different factors are considered in assessing a forum non conveniens application. It considers the Australian ‘clearly inappropriate forum’ test, and concludes that the ‘clearly inappropriate forum’ test should no longer be followed in that it is unnecessarily parochial and is not consistent with other goals of the rules of private international law including comity. Links between Australia and the subject matter may well be tenuous. Confusion attends the application of the test in Australia at present, the court has rejected the English approach but claims to apply some of the factors mentioned in the English approach in the Australian test, and there is an undesirable schism between statutory rules applicable in domestic cases and the approach when the common law doctrine of forum non conveniens is used. The law regarding forum non conveniens should be harmonious with choice of law rules, and interest analysis can assist in formulating the desired approach to forum non conveniens applications.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention: The Adoption of Third-Party Litigation Funding and the Closed Class in Australian Class Actions
Authors: Legg Michael , Travers Louisa
Published: February 2010

Australian class actions have recently undergone a revolution in relation to the financing of litigation and group definition. Australia has historically banned contingency fees and adopted an opt-out class action. However, the law now allows for third-party litigation funding where non-lawyers may finance class actions in return for a share of the recovery and for the class action to be defined as a closed class that only includes those group members who have entered into a litigation funding agreement. These developments have important ramifications for class action practice. Litigation funding filled the financing gap in Australian class actions and consequently facilitated access to justice. However, the need for a contractual relationship to allow for the quasi-contingency fee to be recovered led to the employment of a closed class. The closed class dissuaded ‘free-riding’ but also undermined the Australian class action objectives of access to justice and efficient resolution of disputes.
The Journalist—Source Relationship in Context: A Comparative Review of US and English Law
Authors: Wallace Stuart
Published: February 2010

This paper analyses the legal protection of the journalist–source relationship from both sides and the underlying interests involved. The paper begins by analysing why the relationship deserves protection. The position of journalists at common law is analysed with a discussion of the application of the principle established in Norwich Pharmacal v Customs and Excise to journalists. The development of immunity from contempt in s. 10 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 is examined to illustrate the ideological clash between the judiciary and journalists. The impact of the Human Rights Act and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights are analysed to assess whether this will lead to a change in attitudes in the UK. Finally, the potential threat to journalists posed by compelled evidentiary disclosure in criminal cases is reviewed, with a particular look at ‘special procedure’ material. The US section begins with an analysis of the law at federal level, the decisions of the Supreme Court, including the leading decision of Branzburg v Hayes, as well as the role the legislature has played. The paper then analyses protections provided at state level, with a case study of the California shield law and a review of Californian jurisprudence.
Advance Directives Refusing Treatment as an Expression of Autonomy: Do the Courts Practise What They Preach?
Authors: Willmott Lindy
Published: February 2010

The principle of autonomy is at the heart of the right of a competent individual to make an advance directive that refuses life-sustaining medical treatment, and to have that directive complied with by medical professionals. That right is protected by both the common law and, to an extent, by legislation that has been enacted in the United Kingdom and many jurisdictions in Australia. The courts have a critical role in protecting that autonomy, both in those jurisdictions in which the common law continues to operate and in those jurisdictions which are now governed by statute, and in which judicial determinations will need to be made about legislative provisions. The problem explored in this paper is that while the judiciary espouses the importance of autonomy in its judgments, that rhetoric is frequently not reflected in the decisions that are reached. In the United Kingdom and Australia, there is a relatively small number of decisions that consider the validity and applicability of advance directives that refuse life-sustaining medical treatment. This paper critically evaluates all of the publicly available decisions and concludes that there is cause for concern. In some cases, there has been an unprincipled evolution of common law principles, while in others there has been inappropriate adjudication through operational irregularities or failure to apply correct legal principles. Further, some decisions appear to be based on a strained interpretation of the facts of the case. The apparent reluctance of some members of the judiciary to give effect to advance directives that refuse treatment is also evidenced by the language used in the judgments. While the focus of this paper is on common law decisions, reference will also be made to legislation and the extent to which it has addressed some of the problems identified in this paper.
Extending Time Limits in Sexual Abuse Cases: A Critical Comparative Evaluation
Authors: Gray Anthony
Published: February 2010

An issue common to many common law jurisdictions is the question of civil claims based on alleged past sexual abuse brought a long time after the events. Many survivors of such abuse only make the allegations public, if ever, many years after the abuse took place. Each jurisdiction has time limits within which civil claims must be brought. There are generally sound policy reasons for such limits: to discourage lax attempts to enforce or vindicate claims; to respect the right of the defendant to not have stale claims brought; and to allow for a fair trial given the likelihood that the quality of evidence will deteriorate over time. However, it is difficult to impose such regimes on survivors of sexual abuse who come forward much later. The paper explores psychological literature that helps to explain why it is that such victims may only come forward, if ever, many years after the events. It is submitted that legal systems generally need to take a much more flexible approach to extension of time claims in such contexts, and avoid judgments as to when a victim ‘should have’ brought their claim. It will be concluded that the approach of several Canadian provinces, removing the limitation period in such cases, is the preferred approach.
Need Verdicts Come in Pairs?
Authors: Laudan Larry
Published: February 2010

Given the high standard of proof that operates in criminal cases, the meaning of an acquittal is highly ambiguous. This disadvantages the genuinely innocent defendant and also citizens who are unsure of the significance of any given ‘Not Guilty’ verdict. The finders of fact may have taken any one of a wide range of views in relation to the defendant's guilt, and it is argued that the two extremes of acquittal and conviction take insufficient account of this.
From ad Hoc to Hybrid—The Rules and Regulations Governing Reception of Expert Evidence at the International Criminal Court
Authors: Derham Roger , Derham Nicole
Published: February 2010

The International Criminal Court has been established as a permanent forum to try only the gravest of crimes. Given the unique treaty-sanctioned amalgamation of common law and civil law procedures of the Court, this article examines the evidentiary provisions for the reception of expert opinion at pre-trial, trial and reparation stages. It discusses some of the recent decisions concerning expert witness testimony and considers whether this jurisprudence has evolved sufficiently to overcome many of the perceived shortcomings of expert witness involvement in the ad hoc tribunals. The article looks to recent developments in national civil and criminal law procedures concerning expert testimony and proposes the adoption of a specific definition of what the ICC actually considers an expert or expert witness to be, as well as a Code of Conduct for such witnesses. In conclusion the article proposes a minimal-set of procedural modifications thought essential to optimise the use of experts and expert witnesses at the ICC.
The Reliability of Expert Evidence: Reflections on the Law Commission's Proposals for Reform
Authors: Heffernan Liz , Coen Mark
Published: February 2010

The problems associated with the use of expert evidence by the criminal courts have been the subject of ongoing controversy. The Law Commission of England and Wales has recently added its voice to the debate with the publication of a Consultation Paper on the admissibility of expert evidence. This article examines the current law governing the reliability of expert evidence. It analyses the Law Commission's recommendation for the creation of a new statutory rule which would require the trial judge to assess evidentiary reliability as a matter of admissibility. The authors chart the emergence of the US Daubert test, on which the recommendation is based, and consider the lessons to be learned from American experience. While welcoming the recommendation in principle, the authors argue that the crafting and implementation of the proposed admissibility requirement would present formidable challenges.
Anonymous Witnesses in England and Wales: Charting a Course from Strasbourg?
Authors: Doak Jonathan , Huxley-Binns Rebecca
Published: February 2010

The use of anonymous testimony in England and Wales has recently been the subject of a number of high-profile appellate decisions and legislative intervention. As the law currently stands, it is permissible for the criminal courts to receive such testimony, subject to certain safeguards. This article evaluates the position against the threshold for anonymous evidence laid down by the European Court of Human Rights. It is argued that such evidence is too readily admissible under the current legislative framework. As such, the rules regulating the use of anonymous testimony should be amended so that they comply fully with the fair trial rights of the accused.
Responsibility, ‘Bad Luck’, and Delinquent Animals: Law as a Means of Explaining Tragedy
Authors: Elvin Jesse
Published: February 2010

This article examines the phenomenon of the prosecution and punishment of animals in medieval and early modern Western legal systems. Animal trials are important because examining them can help us learn more about the functions of legal proceedings. The article considers potential explanations regarding these trials. With reference to Nicholas Humphrey's idea that the animal trials were the product of a search for order, the article subsequently argues that the notion that law can make sense of tragedies by defining them as the consequence of culpable conduct is illuminating in the context of contemporary English law. By conducting an analysis of a well-known contemporary criminal law case, the James Bulger trial, the article shows that one can plausibly interpret the outcome of certain significant modern cases as having the function of explaining tragedies in a relatively reassuring manner, and that this function may conflict with the requirement of ‘doing justice’.
A Right to Assist? Assisted Dying and the Interim Policy
Authors: Livings Ben
Published: February 2010

There are few more controversial, or emotive, debates within the criminal law than that which surrounds the topic of euthanasia, questioning as it does the fundamental role of the law in regulating the most intimate aspects of a person's life and death. The acknowledgement by the courts (notably in the cases of Diane Pretty and Debbie Purdy) that this area engages a person's rights under the European Convention on Human Rights exacerbates the urgency of the problem, and further nuances the debate as to the extent to which the autonomy of the person is impinged upon, and whether this is a function legitimately exercised by the state. In the wake of the announcement of new guidelines for prosecution in cases of assisted suicide, this article examines the state of the law regarding assisted suicide in England and Wales, and the fragile position of euthanasia within the criminal law. It will look to the various, and often rights-based, challenges to the law, and in particular a potential challenge through Article 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Can Dishonesty Be Salvaged? Theft and the Grounding of the MSC Napoli
Authors: Glover Richard
Published: February 2010

The purpose of this article is to consider the lack of certainty surrounding the law on dishonesty in theft in the context of events that occurred on Branscombe beach following the grounding of the MSC Napoli on the South Devon coast in January 2007—that is the ‘looting and plundering’ of the containers that came ashore. It will be contended that the hesitant response of the police to the incident may be explained, in part, by uncertainty in the law on dishonesty. Further, it will be argued that the offence of theft is contrary to the rule of law and that the Napoli incident highlights the need for a statutory definition of dishonesty that replicates the law in New Zealand.
The Attorney General's Guidelines on Plea Bargaining in Serious Fraud: Obtaining Guilty Pleas Fairly?
Authors: Watson Duncan
Published: February 2010

Fraud reform has recently culminated in the introduction of guidelines on plea bargaining issued by the Attorney General. In addition, it is likely that these guidelines will be complimented by new sentencing provisions from the Sentencing Guidelines Council to give a formal plea-bargaining model, which is hoped will increase conviction rates, process cases more expeditiously and reduce public expenditure for fraud prosecution. In addition, these guidelines have been complemented by new sentencing provisions from the Sentencing Guidelines Council to give a formal plea-bargaining model. This article will examine whether the new plea-bargaining model will deliver the transparent, efficient and effective system desired, whilst ensuring that those defendants who enter into plea bargains are free from improper pressure to plead guilty. Having been studied as part of the fraud reform process, the US Federal plea-bargaining model will be used as a barometer in this examination.
"Too far gone in disgust": Mirror Neurons and the Manipulation of Embodied Responses in The Libertine
Authors: Rokotnitz Naomi
Published: February 2010

Stephen Jeffreys' play The Libertine (1994) dramatizes the life of the notorious seventeenth-century poet and libertine, John Wilmot, Second Earl of Rochester. Jeffreys' antipathy to his protagonist is conveyed to his audiences through a masterful manipulation of their in-born disgust reflexes. In the 2004 film of The Libertine , directed by Lawrence Dunmore, playwright and director collaborate to create an overwhelming onslaught upon the viewers' senses, which results in the audience almost invariably experiencing unmitigated aversion toward Rochester. Placing both play and film in the context of recent research into mirror neurons, simulation, and disgust-mechanisms and their potential resonance among theater and cinema viewers, this essay considers how preconscious neurological, visual, auditory, and motor circuits may be accessed and influenced in order to provoke both the sensation of physical disgust and the moral judgments of indignation and rejection.
Who Has More Life? Authentic Bodies and the Ethopolitics of Stem Cells
Authors: Langstrup Henriette , Sommerlund Julie
Published: February 2010

This essay discusses contemporary U.S. debates over human embryonic stem-cell (hESC) research. Central characteristics of these debates, we argue, are the actors and bodies who come to represent "life itself"—a life either to be protected by or protected from hESC research. When biomedical research enters into the hybrid space of media and politics, some actors emerge as having "more life"—and therefore more authenticity and legitimacy—in raising ethical claims than others. We will argue that the bodies of children and celebrities act as particularly authentic bodies, and as forceful representatives in ethopolitical struggles. This, we will argue, relates to children and celebrities being "real" though also "blank," in the sense of inviting identifications and projections. They embody unspecific potentiality and can act as images of a common future more profoundly than the bodies of "ordinary people."
Postmortem Exhibitions: Taxidermied Animals and Plastinated Corpses in the Theaters of the Dead
Authors: Desmond Jane
Published: February 2010

This essay compares contemporary conventions for the public display of dead bodies as they apply to humans and to animals. Focusing on the Body Worlds exhibits by Gunther von Hagens, the phenomenally successful exhibits of posed, plastinated cadavers that have drawn twenty-seven million visitors worldwide, it compares these museum exhibits of human remains to the long-standing tradition of taxidermy as a mode of display for dead animal bodies. It argues that the Body Worlds shows, although generating some controversy, are ultimately acceptable to these millions of viewers precisely because they function as a form of anti-taxidermy. The skins that are the essence of taxidermic work on animals are absent from the human displays, which present the interior of the bodies only. The essay suggests that this difference is not simply a choice about how to reveal human anatomy—namely, to show the muscles under the skin—but is crucial to how such displays became the most-viewed exhibition in history. This anonymity—the stripping of marks of racialization and class positioning—facilitates the "right to look" under the twin supports of the discourses of art and anatomical science.
Coloring the Virtual
Authors: Manning Erin
Published: February 2010

Jim Campbell's sculptural installations and filmic images have pioneered new ways of looking: the closer you get to the images, the more intangible they become. The more you perceive their moving-stillness, the more they move you. This essay explores how Campbell's work creates propositions for vision that alter not only how an image is seen in its framed stability, but how the instability of its composition occasions kinesthetic experience, activating a lively dialogue between the analog and the digital in a way that calls forth the future cinematic.
On "Sourcery," or Code as Fetish
Authors: Chun Wendy Hui Kyong
Published: February 2010

This essay offers a sympathetic interrogation of the move within new media studies toward "software studies." Arguing against theoretical conceptions of programming languages as the ultimate performative utterance, it contends that source code is never simply the source of any action; rather, source code is only source code after the fact: its effectiveness depends on a whole imagined network of machines and humans. This does not mean that source code does nothing, but rather that it serves as a kind of fetish, and that the notion of the user as super agent, buttressed by real-time computation, is the obverse, not the opposite of this "sourcery."
Facing up to uncertain life expectancy: The longevity fan charts
Authors: Dowd Kevin , Blake David , Cairns Andrew J.G.
Published: February 2010

This article uses longevity fan charts to represent the uncertainty in projections of future life expectancy. These fan charts are based on a mortality model calibrated on mortality data for English and Welsh males. The fan charts indicate strong upward sloping trends in future life expectancy. Their widths indicate the extent of uncertainty in these projections, and this uncertainty increases as the forecast horizon lengthens. Allowing for uncertainty in the parameter values of the model adds further to uncertainty in life expectancy projections. The article also illustrates how longevity fan charts can be used to stress-test longevity outcomes.
Patterns of nonresident father contact
Authors: Cheadle Jacob E. , Amato Paul R. , King Valarie
Published: February 2010

We used the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort (NLSY79) from 1979 to 2002 and the Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (CNLSY) from 1986 to 2002 to describe the number, shape, and population frequencies of U.S. nonresident father contact trajectories over a 14-year period using growth mixture models. The resulting four-category classification indicated that nonresident father involvement is not adequately characterized by a single population with a monotonic pattern of declining contact over time. Contrary to expectations, about two-thirds of fathers were consistently either highly involved or rarely involved in their children’s lives. Only one group, constituting approximately 23% of fathers, exhibited a clear pattern of declining contact. In addition, a small group of fathers (8%) displayed a pattern of increasing contact. A variety ofvariables differentiated between these groups, including the child’s age at father-child separation, whether the child was born within marriage, the mother’s education, the mother’s age at birth, whether the father pays child support regularly, and the geographical distance between fathers and children.
Obesity and excess mortality among the elderly in the United States and Mexico
Authors: Monteverde Malena , Noronha Kenya , Palloni Alberto , Novak Beatriz
Published: February 2010

Increasing levels of obesity could compromise future gains in life expectancy in low-and high-income countries. Although excess mortality associated with obesity and, more generally, higher levels of body mass index (BMI) have been investigated in the United States, there is little research about the impact of obesity on mortality in Latin American countries, where very the rapid rate of growth of prevalence of obesity and overweight occur jointly with poor socioeconomic conditions. The aim of this article is to assess the magnitude of excess mortality due to obesity and overweight in Mexico and the United States. For this purpose, we take advantage of two comparable data sets: the Health and Retirement Study 2000 and 2004 for the United States, and the Mexican Health and Aging Study 2001 and 2003 for Mexico. We find higher excess mortality risks among obese and overweight individuals aged 60 and older in Mexico than in the United States. Yet, when analyzing excess mortality among different socioeconomic strata, we observe greater gaps by education in the United States than in Mexico. We also find that although the probability of experiencing obesity-related chronic diseases among individuals with high BMI is larger for the U. S. elderly, the relative risk of dying conditional on experiencing these diseases is higher in Mexico.
Last hired, first fired? black-white unemployment and the business cycle
Authors: Couch Kenneth A. , Fairlie Robert
Published: February 2010

Studies have tested the claim that blacks are the last hired during periods of economic growth and the first fired in recessions by examining the movement of relative unemployment rates over the business cycle. Any conclusion drawn from this type of analysis must be viewed as tentative because cyclical movements in the underlying transitions into and out of unemployment are not examined. Using Current Population Survey data matched across adjacent months from 1989–2004, this article provides the first detailed examination of labor market transitions for primeage black and white men to test the last hired, first fired hypothesis. Considerable evidence is presented that blacks are the first fired as the business cycle weakens. However, no evidence is found that blacks are the last hired. Instead, blacks appear to be initially hired from the ranks of the unemployed early in the business cycle and later are drawn from nonparticipation. The narrowing of the racial unemployment gap near the peak of the business cycle is driven by a reduction in the rate of job loss for blacks rather than increases in hiring.
Multivariate analysis of parity progression–based measures of the total fertility rate and its components
Authors: Retherford Robert , Ogawa Naohiro , Matsukura Rikiya , Eini-Zinab Hassan
Published: February 2010

This article describes a methodology for applying a discrete-time survival model—the complementary log-log model—to estimate effects of socioeconomic variables on (1) the total fertility rate and its components and (2) trends in the total fertility rate and its components. For the methodology to be applicable, the total fertility rate (TFR) must be calculated from parity progression ratios (PPRs). The components of the TFR are PPRs, the total marital fertility rate (TMFR), and the TFR itself as measures of the quantum of fertility, and mean and median ages at first marriage and mean and median closed birth intervals by birth order as measures of the tempo or timing of fertility. The focus is on effects of predictor variables on these measures rather than on coefficients, which are often difficult to interpret in the complex models that are considered. The methodology is applicable to both period and cohort data. It is illustrated by application to data from the 1993, 1998, and 2003 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in the Philippines.
Education and gender bias in the sex ratio at birth: Evidence from India
Authors: Echávarri Rebeca A. , Ezcurra Roberto
Published: February 2010

This article investigates the possible existence of a nonlinear link between female disadvantage in natality and education. To this end, we devise a theoretical model based on the key role of social interaction in explaining people’s acquisition of preferences, which justifies the existence of a nonmonotonic relationship between female disadvantage in natality and education. The empirical validity of the proposed model is examined for the case of India, using district-level data. In this context, our econometric analysis pays particular attention to the role of spatial dependence to avoid any potential problems of misspecification. The results confirm that the relationship between the sex ratio at birth and education in India follows an inverted U-shape. This finding is robust to the inclusion of additional explanatory variables in the analysis, and to the choice of the spatial weight matrix used to quantify the spatial interdependence between the sample districts.
Childhood nutrition and later fertility: Pathways through education and pre-pregnant nutritional status
Authors: Graff Mariaelisa , Yount Kathryn M. , Ramakrishnan Usha , Martorell Reynaldo , Stein Aryeh D.
Published: February 2010

Better childhood nutrition is associated with earlier physical maturation during adolescence and increased schooling attainment. However, as earlier onset of puberty and increased schooling can have opposing effects on fertility, the net effect of improvements in childhood nutrition on a woman’s fertility are uncertain. Using path analysis, we estimate the strength of the pathways between childhood growth and subsequent fertility outcomes in Guatemalan women studied prospectively since birth. Height for age z score at 24 months was positively related to body mass index (BMI kg/m2) and height (cm) in adolescence and to schooling attainment. BMI was negatively associated (−0.23 ± 0.09 years per kg/m2; p < . 05) and schooling was positively associated (0.38 ± 0.06 years per grade; p < .001) with age at first birth. Total associations with the number of children born were positive from BMI (0.07 ± 0.02 per kg/m2; p < .05) and negative from schooling (−0.18 ± 0.02 per grade; p < .01). Height was not related to age at first birth or the number of children born. Taken together, childhood nutrition, as reflected by height at 2 years, was positively associated with delayed age at first birth and fewer children born. If schooling is available for girls, increased growth during childhood will most likely result in a net decrease infertility.
An integrative approach to health
Authors: Harris Kathleen Mullan
Published: February 2010

In this article, I make the case for using an integrative approach to health, broadly defined as social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being; for studying health among the young as an important marker for future health and well-being across the life course; and for understanding health disparities among the young as both causes and consequences of social stratification. An integrative approach bridges biomedical sciences with social and behavioral sciences by understanding the linkages between social, behavioral, psychological, and biological factors in health. It is furthermore vital that integration occur in all steps of the research process: in theory, design, data collection, and analysis. I use the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, or Add Health, as an example of an integrative approach to health and of the importance of adolescence and the transition to adulthood years for setting health trajectories into adulthood. Evidence is also presented on the linkages between health trajectories during adolescence and the transition to adulthood and social stratification in adulthood.
Endowments and parental investments in infancy and early childhood
Authors: Datar Ashlesha , Kilburn M. Rebecca , Loughran David S.
Published: February 2010

This article tests whether parents reinforce or compensate for child endowments. We estimate how the difference in birth weight across siblings impacts specific parental investments: breast-feeding, well-baby visits, immunizations, and preschool attendance. Our results indicate that normal-birth-weight children are 5%–11% more likely to receive early childhood parental investments than their low-birth-weight siblings. Moreover, the presence of additional low-birth-weight siblings in the household increases the likelihood of investments such as well-baby visits and immunizations for normal-birth-weight children. These results suggest that parental investments in early childhood tend to reinforce endowment differences.
Early life exposures and the occurrence and timing of heart disease among the older adult Puerto Rican population
Authors: Mceniry Mary , Palloni Alberto
Published: February 2010

Few studies have examined the effects of early life conditions on the timing of the onset of heart disease. We use the remarkable example of a representative sample of the population of older Puerto Ricans aged 60– 74 who lived in the countryside during childhood (n = 1,438) to examine the effects of seasonal exposures to poor nutrition and infectious diseases during late gestation on the timing of the onset and the probability of ever experiencing adult heart disease. Cox and log logistic hazard models controlling for childhood conditions (self-reported childhood health status and socioeconomic status [SES], rheumatic fever, and knee height) and adult risk factors (adult SES, obesity, smoking, texercise, and self-reported diabetes) showed that the risk of onset of heart disease was 65% higher among those born during high-exposure periods compared with unexposed individuals. However, there were no significant differences in median time of onset for those ever experiencing heart disease. As a comparison, we found that there were no significant seasonality effects for those who lived in urban areas during childhood. We conclude that early exposures in utero have important ramifications for adult heart disease among the older Puerto Rican population. We show, however, that while exposure is associated with the probability of ever experiencing adult heart disease, it is not associated with the timing of onset among those who do experience it.
Orphanhood and human capital destruction: Is there persistence into adulthood?
Authors: Beegle Kathleen , De Weerdt Joachim , Dercon Stefan
Published: February 2010

This article presents unique evidence that orphanhood matters in the long run for health and education outcomes in a region of northwestern Tanzania. We study a sample of 718 non-orphaned children surveyed in 1991–1994 who were traced and reinterviewed as adults in 2004. A large proportion, 19%, lost one or more parents before age 15 in this period, allowing us to assess permanent health and education impacts of orphanhood. In the analysis, we control for a wide range of child and adult characteristics before orphanhood, as well as community fixed effects. We find that maternal orphanhood has a permanent adverse impact of 2 cm of final height attainment and one year of educational attainment. Expressing welfare in terms of consumption expenditure, the result is a gap of 8.5% compared with similar children whose mothers survived until at least their 15th birthday.
Health, wartime stress, and unit cohesion: Evidence from Union Army veterans
Authors: Costa Dora L. , Kahn Matthew E.
Published: February 2010

We find that Union Army veterans of the American Civil War who faced greater wartime stress (as measured by higher battlefield mortality rates) experienced higher mortality rates at older ages, but that men who were from more cohesive companies were statistically significantly less likely to be affected by wartime stress. Our results hold for overall mortality, mortality from ischemic heart disease and stroke, and new diagnoses of arteriosclerosis. Our findings represent one of the first long-run health follow-ups of the interaction between stress and social networks in a human population in which both stress and social networks are arguably exogenous.