bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Axisymmetric Stagnation—Point Flow and Heat Transfer of a Viscous Fluid on a Rotating Cylinder With Time-Dependent Angular Velocity and Uniform Transpiration
Authors: Rahimi A. B. , Saleh R.
Published: April 2007

The unsteady viscous flow and heat transfer in the vicinity of an axisymmetric stagnation point of an infinite rotating circular cylinder with transpiration U0 are investigated when the angular velocity and wall temperature or wall heat flux all vary arbitrarily with time. The free stream is steady and with a strain rate of Γ. An exact solution of the Navier-Stokes equations and energy equation is derived in this problem. A reduction of these equations is obtained by the use of appropriate transformations for the most general case when the transpiration rate is also time-dependent but results are presented only for uniform values of this quantity. The general self-similar solution is obtained when the angular velocity of the cylinder and its wall temperature or its wall heat flux vary as specified time-dependent functions. In particular, the cylinder may rotate with constant speed, with exponentially increasing/decreasing angular velocity, with harmonically varying rotation speed, or with accelerating/decelerating oscillatory angular speed. For self-similar flow, the surface temperature or its surface heat flux must have the same types of behavior as the cylinder motion. For completeness, sample semi-similar solutions of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations have been obtained numerically using a finite-difference scheme. Some of these solutions are presented for special cases when the time-dependent rotation velocity of the cylinder is, for example, a step-function. All the solutions above are presented for Reynolds numbers, Re=Γa2∕2υ, ranging from 0.1 to 1000 for different values of Prandtl number and for selected values of dimensionless transpiration rate, S=U0∕Γa, where a is cylinder radius and υ is kinematic viscosity of the fluid. Dimensionless shear stresses corresponding to all the cases increase with the increase of Reynolds number and suction rate. The maximum value of the shear stress increases with increasing oscillation frequency and amplitude. An interesting result is obtained in which a cylinder rotating with certain exponential angular velocity function and at particular value of Reynolds number is azimuthally stress-free. Heat transfer is independent of cylinder rotation and its coefficient increases with the increasing suction rate, Reynolds number, and Prandtl number. Interesting means of cooling and heating processes of cylinder surface are obtained using different rates of transpiration.
Direct Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow Around a Rotating Circular Cylinder
Authors: Hwang Jong-Yeon , Yang Kyung-Soo , Bremhorst Klaus
Published: April 2007

Turbulent flow around a rotating circular cylinder has numerous applications including wall shear stress and mass-transfer measurement related to the corrosion studies. It is also of interest in the context of flow over convex surfaces where standard turbulence models perform poorly. The main purpose of this paper is to elucidate the basic turbulence mechanism around a rotating cylinder at low Reynolds numbers to provide a better understanding of flow fundamentals. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) has been performed in a reference frame rotating at constant angular velocity with the cylinder. The governing equations are discretized by using a finite-volume method. As for fully developed channel, pipe, and boundary layer flows, a laminar sublayer, buffer layer, and logarithmic outer region were observed. The level of mean velocity is lower in the buffer and outer regions but the logarithmic region still has a slope equal to the inverse of the von Karman constant. Instantaneous flow visualization revealed that the turbulence length scale typically decreases as the Reynolds number increases. Wavelet analysis provided some insight into the dependence of structural characteristics on wave number. The budget of the turbulent kinetic energy was computed and found to be similar to that in plane channel flow as well as in pipe and zero pressure gradient boundary layer flows. Coriolis effects show as an equivalent production for the azimuthal and radial velocity fluctuations leading to their ratio being lowered relative to similar nonrotating boundary layer flows.
Fluctuation of Air-Water Two-Phase Flow in Horizontal and Inclined Water Pipelines
Authors: Kabiri-Samani A. R. , Borghei S. M. , Saidi M. H.
Published: April 2007

Air in water flow is a frequent phenomenon in hydraulic structures. The main reason for air entrainment is vortices at water intakes, pumping stations, tunnel inlets, and so on. The accumulated air, in a conduit, can evolve to a different flow pattern, from stratified to pressurized. Among different patterns, slug is most complex with extreme pressure variations. Due to lack of firm relations between pressure and influential parameters, study of slug flow is very important. Based on an experimental model, pressure fluctuations inside a circular, horizontal, and inclined pipe (90mm inside diameter and 10m long) carrying tow-phase air-water slug flow has been studied. Pressure fluctuations were sampled simultaneously at different sections, and longitudinal positions. The pressure fluctuations were measured using differential pressure transducers (DPT), while behavior of the air slug was studied using a digital camera. The objective of the paper is to predict the pressure variation in a pipeline or tunnel, involving resonance and shock waves experimentally. The results show that the more intensive phase interaction commences stronger fluctuations. It is shown, that the air-water mixture entering the pipe during rapid filling of surcharging can cause a tremendous pressure surge in the system and may eventually cause failure of the system (e.g., the maximum pressure inside the pipe would reach up to 10 times of upstream hydrostatic pressure as suggested by others too). Relations for forecasting pressure in these situations are presented as a function of flow characteristics, pipe geometry, longitudinal, and cross-sectional positions and head water.
Morphological Offset Computing for Contour Pocketing
Authors: Molina-Carmona R. , Jimeno A. , Rizo-Aldeguer R.
Published: April 2007

Background. Tool path generation problem is one of the most complexes in computer aided manufacturing. Although some efficient algorithms have been developed to solve it, their technological dependency makes them efficient in only a limited number of cases. Method of Approach. Our aim is to propose a model that will set apart the geometrical issues involved in the manufacturing process from the purely technology-dependent physical issues by means of a topological system. This system applies methods and concepts used in mathematical morphology paradigms. Thus, we will obtain a geometrical abstraction which will not only provide solutions to typically complex problems but also the possibility of applying these solutions to any machining environment regardless of the technology. Presented in the paper is a method for offsetting any kind of curve. Specifically, we use parametric cubic curves, which is one of the most general and popular models in computer aided design (CAD)/computer aided manufacturing (CAM) applications. Results. The resulting method avoids any constraint in object or tool shape and obtains valid and optimal trajectories, with a low temporal cost of O(n∙m), which is corroborated by the experiments. It also avoids some precision errors that are present in the most popular commercial CAD/CAM libraries. Conclusions. The use of morphology as the base of the formulation avoids self-intersections and discontinuities and allows the system to machine free-form shapes using any tool without constraints. Most numerical and geometrical problems are also avoided. Obtaining a practical algorithm from the theoretical formulation is straightforward. The resulting procedure is simple and efficient.
A Selective Activity-Dependent Requirement for Dynamin 1 in Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis
Authors: Ferguson Shawn M. , Brasnjo Gabor , Hayashi Mitsuko , Wölfel Markus , Collesi Chiara , Giovedi Silvia , Raimondi Andrea , Gong Liang-Wei , Ariel Pablo , Paradise Summer , O'Toole Eileen , Flavell Richard , Cremona Ottavio , Miesenböck Gero , Ryan Timothy A. , De Camilli Pietro
Published: April 2007

Dynamin 1 is a neuron-specific guanosine triphosphatase thought to be critically required for the fission reaction of synaptic vesicle endocytosis. Unexpectedly, mice lacking dynamin 1 were able to form functional synapses, even though their postnatal viability was limited. However, during spontaneous network activity, branched, tubular plasma membrane invaginations accumulated, capped by clathrin-coated pits, in synapses of dynamin 1–knockout mice. Synaptic vesicle endocytosis was severely impaired during strong exogenous stimulation but resumed efficiently when the stimulus was terminated. Thus, dynamin 1–independent mechanisms can support limited synaptic vesicle endocytosis, but dynamin 1 is needed during high levels of neuronal activity.
Sparrow Wars, Reptilian Eucalypts, and Xenophobes
Authors: Gurevitch Jessica
Published: April 2007

American Perceptions of Immigrant and Invasive Species
. Strangers on the Land.
By Peter A. Coates
. University of California Press, Berkeley, 2006. 266 pp. $39.95, £26.95. ISBN 9780520249301.

Coates examines the reactions of 19th- and early-20th-century Americans to nonnative species such as starlings, gypsy moths, and eucalyptus.
Glucocorticosteroid-induced osteoporosis in adult primiparous Göttingen miniature pigs: effects on bone mineral and mineral metabolism
Authors: Scholz-Ahrens K. E. , Delling G. , Stampa B. , Helfenstein A. , Hahne H.-J. , Açil Y. , Timm W. , Barkmann R. , Hassenpflug J. , Schrezenmeir J. , Glüer C.-C.
Published: April 2007

Information on the pathophysiology of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) is limited, since its clinical picture often reflects a combined effect of glucocorticoids (GC) and the treated systemic disease (i.e., inflammation and immobility). In 50 healthy adult (30-mo-old) primiparous Göttingen minipigs, we studied the short-term (8 mo, n = 30) and long-term (15 mo, n = 10) effect of GC on bone and mineral metabolism longitudinally and cross-sectionally compared with a control group ( n = 10). All animals on GC treatment received prednisolone orally at a dose of 1.0 mg·kg body wt−1·day−1for 8 wk and thereafter at 0.5 mg/kg body wt−1·day−1. In the short term, GC reduced bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine by −47.5 ± 5.1 mg/cm3from baseline ( P < 0.001), which was greater ( P < 0.05) than the loss [not significant (NS)] in the control group of −11.8 ± 12.6 mg/cm3. Calcium absorption decreased from baseline by −2,488 ± 688 mg/7 days ( P < 0.001) compared with −1,380 ± 1,297 mg/7 days (NS) in the control group. Plasma bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) decreased from baseline by −17.8 ± 2.2 U/l ( P < 0.000), which was significantly different ( P < 0.05) from the value of the control group of −1.43 ± 4.8 U/l. In the long term, the loss of BMD became more pronounced and bone mineral content (BMC), trabecular thickness, mechanical stability, calcium absorption, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, and parathyroid hormone tended to be lower compared with the control group. There was a negative association between the cumulative dose of GC and BMD, which was associated with impaired osteoblastogenesis. In conclusion, the main outcomes after GC treatment are comparable to symptoms of GC-induced osteoporosis in human subjects. Thus the adult Göttingen miniature pig appears to be a valuable animal model for GC-induced osteoporosis.
Temporal Development of Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated and Ca2+-Activated Cl− Currents in Isolated Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons
Authors: Boccaccio Anna , Menini Anna
Published: April 2007

A Ca2+-activated Cl− current constitutes a large part of the transduction current in olfactory sensory neurons. The binding of odorants to olfactory receptors in the cilia produces an increase in cAMP concentration; Ca2+ enters into the cilia through CNG channels and activates a Cl− current. In intact mouse olfactory sensory neurons little is known about the kinetics of the Ca2+-activated Cl− current. Here, we directly activated CNG channels by flash photolysis of caged cAMP or 8-Br-cAMP and measured the current response with the whole cell voltage-clamp technique in mouse neurons. We measured multiphasic currents in the rising phase of the response at −50 mV. The current rising phase became monophasic in the absence of extracellular Ca2+, at +50 mV, or when most of the intracellular Cl− was replaced by gluconate to shift the equilibrium potential for Cl− to −50 mV. These results show that the second phase of the current in mouse intact neurons is attributed to a Cl− current activated by Ca2+, similarly to previous results on isolated frog cilia. The percentage of the total saturating current carried by Cl− was estimated in two ways: 1) by measuring the maximum secondary current and 2) by blocking the Cl− channel with niflumic acid. We estimated that in the presence of 1 mM extracellular Ca2+ and in symmetrical Cl− concentrations the Cl− component can constitute up to 90% of the total current response. These data show how to unravel the CNG and Ca2+-activated Cl− component of the current rising phase.
Sex-specific regulation of gene expression in the aging monkey aorta
Authors: Qiu Hongyu , Tian Bin , Resuello Ranilo G. , Natividad Filipinas F. , Peppas Athanasios , Shen You-Tang , Vatner Dorothy E. , Vatner Stephen F. , Depre Christophe
Published: April 2007

Although increased vascular stiffness is more prominent in aging males than females, and males are more prone to vascular disease with aging, no study has investigated the genes potentially responsible for sex differences in vascular aging. We tested the hypothesis that the transcriptional adaptation to aging differs in males and females using a monkey model, which is not only physiologically and phylogenetically closer to humans than the more commonly studied rodent models but also is not afflicted with the most common forms of vascular disease that accompany the aging process in humans, e.g., atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes. The transcriptional profile of the aorta was compared by high-density microarrays between young and old males or females ( n = 6/group). About 600 genes were expressed differentially when comparing old versus young animals. Surprisingly, <5% of these genes were shared between males and females. Radical differences between sexes were especially apparent for genes regulating the extracellular matrix, which relates to stiffness. Aging males were also more prone than females to genes switching smooth muscle cells from the “contractile” to “secretory” phenotype. Other sex differences involved genes participating in DNA repair, stress response, and cell signaling. Therefore, major differences of gene regulation exist between males and females in vascular aging, which may underlie the physiological differences characterizing aging arteries in males and females. Furthermore, the analyses in young monkeys demonstrated differences in genes regulating vascular structure, implying that the sex differences in vascular stiffness that develop with aging are programmed at an early age.
Mr‐factors and Qr‐factors for near quasinorm on certain sequence spaces
Authors: Niamsup Piyapong , Lenbury Yongwimon
Published: April 2007

We study the multiplicativity factor and quadraticity factor for near quasinorm on certain sequence spaces of Maddox, namely, l(p) and l∞(p), where p = (pk) is a bounded sequence of positive real numbers.
Weak compatibility and fixed point theorems for four self‐maps in D‐metric spaces
Authors: Singh Bijendra , Jain Shobha
Published: April 2007

This paper establishes one common coincident point theorem and three unique common fixed point theorems for four self‐maps in D‐metric spaces, which improve and generalize, significantly, the results of Dhage et al. (2003), Dhage (1999), and Rhoades (2003) under weaker assumption using a more general contractive condition. An example, in support of these theorems, has also been constructed. All the results of this paper are new.
Unit‐circle‐preserving mappings
Authors: Jung Soon-Mo , Kim Byungbae
Published: April 2007

We prove that if a one‐to‐one mapping f : ℝn → ℝn(n ≥ 2) preserves the unit circles, then f is a linear isometry up to translation.
Magnetoelastic plane waves in rotating media in thermoelasticity of type II (G‐N model)
Authors: Roychoudhuri S. K. , Banerjee (Chattopadhyay) Manidipa
Published: April 2007

A study is made of the propagation of time‐harmonic plane waves in an infinite, conducting, thermoelastic solid permeated by a uniform primary external magnetic field when the entire medium is rotating with a uniform angular velocity. The thermoelasticity theory of type II (G‐N model) (1993) is used to study the propagation of waves. A more general dispersion equation is derived to determine the effects of rotation, thermal parameters, characteristic of the medium, and the external magnetic field. If the primary magnetic field has a transverse component, it is observed that the longitudinal and transverse motions are linked together. For low frequency (χ ≪ 1, χ being the ratio of the wave frequency to some standard frequency ω∗), the rotation and the thermal field have no effect on the phase velocity to the first order of χ and then this corresponds to only one slow wave influenced by the electromagnetic field only. But to the second order of χ, the phase velocity, attenuation coefficient, and the specific energy loss are affected by rotation and depend on the thermal parameters cT, cT being the nondimensional thermal wave speed of G‐N theory, and the thermoelastic coupling εT, the electromagnetic parameters εH, and the transverse magnetic field RH. Also for large frequency, rotation and thermal field have no effect on the phase velocity, which is independent of primary magnetic field to the first order of (1/χ) (χ ≫ 1), and the specific energy loss is a constant, independent of any field parameter. However, to the second order of (1/χ), rotation does exert influence on both the phase velocity and the attenuation factor, and the specific energy loss is affected by rotation and depends on the thermal parameters cT and εT, electromagnetic parameter εH, and the transverse magnetic field RH, whereas the specific energy loss is independent of any field parameters to the first order of (1/χ).
Subcentimeter Pulmonary Nodules Detected in Patients with Sarcoma
Authors: Ginsberg Michelle S. , Panicek David M.
Published: April 2007

Background. Subcentimeter pulmonary nodules are being detected
with increasing frequency in patients with sarcoma due to the greater use of chest CT,
the advent of helical (spiral) CT scanning and multidetector scanners, and the attendant
decrease in image section thickness.Assessing the clinical significance of these pulmonary
nodules is of particular importance in sarcoma patients, due to the frequent occurrence of
pulmonary metastasis from sarcomas.

Purpose. This article reviews the technical advances that have contributed
to the increased detection of subcentimeter pulmonary nodules, statistics about subcentimeter
pulmonary nodules and options for evaluating such nodules.

Erratum to “Subcentimeter Pulmonary Nodules Detected in Patients with Sarcoma”dx.doi.org/10.1080/13577140020008110
Sodium Thiosulphate: A New Way of Treatment for Calciphylaxis?
Authors: Meissner M. , Kaufmann R. , Gille J.
Published: April 2007

Sodium thiosulphate has been used in medicine for almost 100 years. There are some very important areas of application such as cyanide intoxications or the treatment of cisplatin toxicity. Till this day, this compound is almost unknown to most physicians. This is astonishing, especially because there are some promising reports in the literature describing a possibly wider area of application in different domains of medicine such as urology, nephrology or dermatology. Perhaps one of the most exciting and recent domains of sodium thiosulphate use is the treatment of calciphylaxis, providing new options dealing with this severe and mostly lethal illness. The goal of this article is to review the new application possibility of this compound.
Comparative Effect of Tacrolimus and Betamethasone Valerate on the Passive Sustainable Hydration of the Stratum Corneum in Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Xhauflaire-Uhoda E. , Thirion L. , Piérard-Franchimont C. , Piérard G.E.
Published: April 2007

Background: There is ample evidence that the skin barrier function is altered in atopic dermatitis. Little information is available about the effect of topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors on this function. Purpose: To assess the water content and its rate of accumulation in the stratum corneum of atopic patients using an indirect electrometric method while on tacrolimus or betamethasone valerate treatment. Method: Twenty-one patients with moderate atopic dermatitis affecting both forearms completed this double-blind randomized study. One forearm was treated twice daily for 3 weeks with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment. The other forearm was similarly treated with 0.12% betamethasone valerate ointment. Electrometric measurements were made under continuous occlusion secured by a Nova Dermal Phase Meter sensor probe. Assessments were performed at inclusion, after the 3-week treatment and after a further 3-week follow-up out of treatment. Results: During treatment, both compounds yielded a similar improvement in skin barrier function. Indeed, under probe occlusion, the rate of water accumulation was significantly decreased. This improvement was sustained after stopping the tacrolimus treatment. By contrast, the benefit was in part lost at the site that had been treated by betamethasone valerate. Conclusion: The difference in the effect of the 2 compounds may be due to the negative influence of betamethasone valerate on the epidermal metabolism leading to progressive atrophy of the tissue. The better preservation of the skin barrier function after stopping tacrolimus treatment may help retarding relapses of atopic dermatitis.
Efficacy of 25% Diluted Fluticasone Propionate 0.05% Cream as Wet-Wrap Treatment in Cutaneous Mastocytosis
Authors: Heide Rogier , de Waard-van der Spek Flora B. , den Hollander Jan C. , Tank Bhupendra , Oranje Arnold P.
Published: April 2007

Background: Mastocytosis is a disorder that can be subdivided into two forms: cutaneous and systemic. Patients with cutaneous mastocytosis only may suffer from cosmetic problems. Topical steroid application has been shown to be effective in cases of limited skin lesions. Methods: A case-controlled pilot study was conducted during a 6-weeks treatment using diluted 25% fluticasone propionate 0.05% cream under wet-wrap occlusion in 5 adults and 6 children. Improvement was measured up to the 24th week after treatment using the SCORMA Index. Results: The results of this pilot study showed a partial but clear cosmetic improvement in 9 of the 11 patients. The mean SCORMA Index decreased after treatment from 38 to 26. Conclusion: 25% dilution of fluticasone propionate 0.05% cream under wet-wrap occlusion is an alternative treatment modality for alleviating the symptoms of cutaneous mastocytosis, but the improvement may be moderate and fall short of the patient’s expectations.
Advances in the Study of Stem-Cell-Enriched Hair Follicle Bulge Cells: A Review Featuring Characterization and Isolation of Human Bulge Cells
Authors: Ohyama Manabu
Published: April 2007

Hair follicles repeatedly regress and reconstitute themselves, suggesting the presence of intrinsic tissue stem cells. Using label-retaining cell technique to detect slow-cycling stem cells, hair follicle stem cells were detected in the bulge region of the outer root sheath, which provides the insertion point for the arrector pili muscle and marks the bottom of the permanent portion of hair follicles. Later studies elucidated important stem cell characteristics of the bulge cells, including high proliferative capacity and multipotency to regenerate the pilosebaceous unit as well as epidermis. Isolation of living bulge cells is now feasible. In addition, microarray analyses revealed the global gene expression profile of the bulge cells. However, most of those studies were performed in mouse hair follicles and our understanding of human bulge cells has been limited. Recently, remarkable progress was made in human bulge cell biology. The morphologically ill-defined human bulge boundary was precisely determined by the distribution of label-retaining cells. Laser capture microdissection enabled accurate isolation of human bulge cells and control cell populations. Microarray comparison analyses between isolated bulge and nonbulge cells elucidated the molecular signature of human bulge cells and identified cell surface markers for living bulge cell isolation. Importantly, isolated living human bulge cells demonstrated stem cell characteristics in vitro. In this review, recent advances in hair follicle bulge cell research are summarized, especially focusing on the characterization and isolation of human bulge cells.
Prognostic Significance of Pre- and Postoperative Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Wang J.Y. , Lu C.Y. , Chu K.S. , Ma C.J. , Wu D.C. , Tsai H.L. , Yu F.J. , Hsieh J.S.
Published: April 2007

Background: To evaluate the prognostic significance of pre- and postoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) levels in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods: 425 CRC patients underwent curative resection at our institution. Their pre- and postoperative serum CEA level was classified into two groups according to concentration: normal CEA (<5.0 ng/ml) and abnormal CEA (≧5.0 ng/ml). Results: Of all patients, abnormal pre- and postoperative serum CEA levels were observed in 181 (42.6%) and 48 (11.3%) patients, respectively. Abnormal preoperative serum CEA level was significantly correlated with the tumor located in the colon, the depth of tumor invasion, the status of lymph node metastasis, UICC stage, and the presence of postoperative relapse (p < 0.05). Concurrently, an abnormal postoperative serum CEA level was also prominently related to the above corresponding parameters (p < 0.05), except for the tumor location. Patients with a failed conversion of abnormal preoperative value to normal postoperative concentration were found to have the worst overall survival rate. Abnormal pre- and postoperative serum CEA levels were single independent predictors for survival and postoperative relapse, respectively. Conclusions: The identification of abnormal pre- and postoperative serum CEA levels may be useful in the auxiliary cancer prognosis or postoperative surveillance of CRC patients.
Metabolic Correlates of Brain Reserve in Dementia with Lewy Bodies: An FDG PET Study
Authors: Perneczky Robert , Häussermann Peter , Diehl-Schmid Janine , Boecker Henning , Förstl Hans , Drzezga Alexander , Kurz Alexander
Published: April 2007

Background: Studies suggest that brain reserve allows patients with more years of schooling to cope better with brain damage. Research has been mainly focussed on Alzheimer’s disease and no studies exist on patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). The aim of this study was to provide evidence for brain reserve in DLB. Methods: Twenty-one consecutive patients with DLB and 16 age-matched healthy controls were included. The participants underwent cerebral 18F-FDG PET imaging at rest. A group comparison was conducted in SPM2 between the patient and control groups. A linear regression analysis with glucose metabolism as the dependent and years of schooling as the independent variable was performed. Age, gender and a total score of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease neuropsychological battery were included as covariates into the analysis. Results: The patients showed a significant metabolic reduction in the frontal and posterior association cortices, the basal ganglia and the pulvinar of the thalami. Glucose metabolism and education showed an inverse relationship in an extensive cluster in the left temporo-parieto-occipital cortex. Conclusion: Similar findings were previously reported in Alzheimer’s disease and are regarded as evidence for brain reserve. Therefore, we suggest that brain reserve is also present in DLB.
Modulation of Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 1 Activity by Intrabodies
Authors: Fang Chih Yeu , Chiang Chen Yi , Pan Yun Ru , Tse Ka Po , Chang Yu Sun , Chang Hwan You
Published: April 2007

Objective: The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in the development of many human neoplasias including B lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. EBV latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is essential to virus-induced B cell immortalization and the downregulation of cell adhesion molecules that increases cell motility. Therefore, identifying LMP1 activity modulation methods may lead to the development of new therapies for LMP1-positive tumors. Methods: This study uses a phage display single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) library to screen recombinant antibodies specific to the LMP1 C terminal region. A total of 45 individual clones were obtained, and these scFvs were cloned as intrabodies and transfected into LMP1-positive cells. Results: One of the scFv clones, designated H3, was capable of reducing LMP1-mediated NF-ĸB activation in HEK293 cells. Immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation studies show that scFv H3 could interact with LMP1 in vivo. In addition, expression of scFv H3 intrabody could reduce cell motility in MDCK-LMP1 cells in the transwell migration assay. Conclusion: These data indicate that scFv H3 intrabody can inhibit LMP1 functions in epithelial cells and may be useful for attenuating the LMP1 function in LMP1-positive tumors.
Seven-Transmembrane Receptors and Ubiquitination
Authors: Shenoy Sudha K.
Published: April 2007

Regulation of protein function by posttranslational modification plays an important role in many biological pathways. The most well known among such modifications is protein phosphorylation performed by highly specific protein kinases. In the past decade, however, covalent linkage of the low-molecular-weight protein ubiquitin to substrate proteins (protein ubiquitination) has proven to be yet another widely used mechanism of protein regulation playing a crucial role in virtually all aspects of cellular functions. This review highlights some of the recently discovered and provocative roles for ubiquitination in the regulation of the life cycle and signal transduction properties of 7-transmembrane receptors that serve to integrate many biological functions and play fundamental roles in cardiovascular homeostasis.
On the Nature of Long-Distance Anaphors
Authors: Giorgi Alessandra
Published: April 2007

I consider two interpretive properties of long-distance anaphors: (a) they have only a pure-reflexive reading, in the sense that they fail to refer to portrayals of their antecedent, and (b) whenever possible, they must be interpreted as de se, or to put it better, as first-personal. Long-distance anaphors seem to be interpretively parallel to local reflexive construals such as those seen with inherent reflexivity and constructions of inalienable possession. Moreover, in some languages, such as Chinese and Italian, long-distance anaphors can also be locally bound, and in such cases, they pattern with self anaphors rather than with inherent reflexives. To account for this pattern, I propose that long-distance anaphors, together with the local construals mentioned above, are the spell-out of an unsaturated position, saturated in the course of the derivation via θ-identification with the antecedent.
Can Ice-Nucleating Aerosols Affect Arctic Seasonal Climate?
Authors: Prenni Anthony J. , Harrington Jerry Y. , Tjernström Michael , DeMott Paul J. , Avramov Alexander , Long Charles N. , Kreidenweis Sonia M. , Olsson Peter Q. , Verlinde Johannes
Published: April 2007

Mixed-phase stratus clouds are ubiquitous in the Arctic and play an important role in climate in this region. However, climate and regional models have generally proven unsuccessful at simulating Arctic cloudiness, particularly during the colder months. Specifically, models tend to underpredict the amount of liquid water in mixed-phase clouds. The Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiments (M-PACE), conducted from late September through October 2004 in the vicinity of the Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) North Slope of Alaska field site, focused on characterizing low-level Arctic stratus clouds. Ice nuclei (IN) measurements were made using a continuous-flow ice thermal diffusion chamber aboard the University of North Dakota's Citation II aircraft. These measurements indicated IN concentrations that were significantly lower than those used in many models. Using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), we show that these low IN concentrations, as well as inadequate parameterizations of the depletion of IN through nucleation scavenging, may be partially responsible for the poor model predictions. Moreover, we show that this can lead to errors in the modeled surface radiative energy budget of 10–100 Wm−2. Finally, using the measured IN concentrations as input to RAMS and comparing to a mixed-phase cloud observed during M-PACE, we show excellent agreement between modeled and observed liquid water content and net infrared surface flux.
Modeling and Scaling Coupled Energy, Water, and Carbon Fluxes Based on Remote Sensing: An Application to Canada’s Landmass
Authors: Chen Baozhang , Chen Jing M. , Mo Gang , Yuen Chiu-Wai , Margolis Hank , Higuchi Kaz , Chan Douglas
Published: April 2007

Land surface models (LSMs) need to be coupled with atmospheric general circulation models (GCMs) to adequately simulate the exchanges of energy, water, and carbon between the atmosphere and terrestrial surfaces. The heterogeneity of the land surface and its interaction with temporally and spatially varying meteorological conditions result in nonlinear effects on fluxes of energy, water, and carbon, making it challenging to scale these fluxes accurately. The issue of up-scaling remains one of the critical unsolved problems in the parameterization of subgrid-scale fluxes in coupled LSM and GCM models.

A new distributed LSM, the Ecosystem–Atmosphere Simulation Scheme (EASS) was developed and coupled with the atmospheric Global Environmental Multiscale model (GEM) to simulate energy, water, and carbon fluxes over Canada’s landmass through the use of remote sensing and ancillary data. Two approaches (lumped case and distributed case) for handling subgrid heterogeneity were used to evaluate the effect of land-cover heterogeneity on regional flux simulations based on remote sensing. Online runs for a week in August 2003 provided an opportunity to investigate model performance and spatial scaling issues.

Comparisons of simulated results with available tower observations (five sites) across an east–west transect over Canada’s southern forest regions indicate that the model is reasonably successful in capturing both the spatial and temporal variations in carbon and energy fluxes, although there were still some biases in estimates of latent and sensible heat fluxes between the simulations and the tower observations. Moreover, the latent and sensible heat fluxes were found to be better modeled in the coupled EASS–GEM system than in the uncoupled GEM. There are marked spatial variations in simulated fluxes over Canada’s landmass. These patterns of spatial variation closely follow vegetation-cover types as well as leaf area index, both of which are highly correlated with the underlying soil types, soil moisture conditions, and soil carbon pools. The surface fluxes modeled by the two up-scaling approaches (lumped and distributed cases) differ by 5%–15% on average and by up to 15%–25% in highly heterogeneous regions. This suggests that different ways of treating subgrid land surface heterogeneities could lead to noticeable biases in model output.
Democratization and International Conflict
Authors: Clare Joe
Published: April 2007

This study re-examines the link between democratization and international conflict. It is founded on the argument that the greatest threat to a democratizing incumbent's tenure arises from the ability of the old authoritarian elite or their supporters to overthrow the new regime for failed foreign policies. Given this framework, the article differentiates among transitioning states based on the strength of the old authoritarian leadership vis-à-vis the new democratic government. The institutional and political balance between the transitional forces and the remnants of the ancien régime is, in turn, considered a function of the legacies of past democratic and authoritarian rule. Leaders in redemocratizing states, and those with a longer legacy of previous democratic rule, should be more likely to initiate disputes, as they are more institutionally insulated from the old authoritarian elite. On the other hand, a stronger legacy of authoritarian rule is expected to lead to a more cautious foreign policy. These expectations are tested in a quantitative analysis of international dispute behavior for all democratizing states from 1950 to 1990. The results strongly confirm the hypotheses, lending validity to the theoretical explanation in this study that attributes differences among democratizing states in their conflict propensities to their institutional past.
Transnational Dimensions of Civil War
Authors: Gleditsch Kristian Skrede
Published: April 2007

Existing research has related civil war primarily to country-specific factors or processes that take place within individual states experiencing conflict. Many contemporary civil wars, however, display a transnational character, where actors, resources, and events span national boundaries. This article challenges the 'closed polity' approach to the study of civil war, where individual states are treated as independent entities, and posits that transnational factors and linkages between states can exert strong influences on the risk of violent civil conflict. Previous research has shown that conflicts in a state's regional context can increase the risk of conflict, but the research has not distinguished between different varieties of transnational linkages that may underlie geographic contagion, and it has failed to consider the potential influences of domestic attributes. The article develops and evaluates a series of hypotheses on how transnational factors can influence the risk of conflict and the prospects for maintaining peace in a conditional autologistic model, including country-specific factors often associated with civil wars. The results suggest that transnational linkages between states and regional factors strongly influence the risk of civil conflict. This, in turn, implies that the risk of civil war is not determined just by a country's internal or domestic characteristics, but differs fundamentally, depending on a country's linkages to other states.
Assessing the Contingency Model of Third-Party Intervention in Successful Cases of Prenegotiation
Authors: Fisher Ronald J.
Published: April 2007

The theory and practice of third-party intervention continue to develop in constructive directions and increasingly acknowledge the utility of unofficial methods directed more toward the subjective and relational aspects of international conflict. A previously developed contingency model of third-party intervention articulates the potential complementarity of these unofficial approaches (e.g. problem-solving workshops) with more traditional, official methods (e.g. power mediation) in pursuit of resolution. A comparative analysis of five cases of successful unofficial intervention in ethno-political conflicts identifies important contributions to the peace process. Descriptions of the interventions are followed by an identification of the transfer mechanisms and effects that carried the fruits of the unofficial interactions into the official domain. Each case is then reflected on the contingency model by identifying the stage of conflict escalation and the initiation, sequencing, and complementarity of interventions. The analysis provides some support for the validity of the model, although variations in the patterns of intervention indicate that strict applications of the model may be untenable. The model is thus seen as an idealized representation of a complex reality, but one that identifies some of the necessary interplay between official and unofficial interventions in order to effectively address intractable ethno-political conflicts.
Power or Justice? Rule and Law in the Palestinian Authority
Authors: Frisch Hillel , Hofnung Menachem
Published: April 2007

Rule of law is usually analyzed exclusively in reference to domestic peace within the political entity. Yet, establishing a powerful independent legal system can have a major impact on peaceful relations between political entities. This article evaluates the Palestinian Authority's performance in creating democratic and legal institutions from its inception in the summer of 1994 until the outbreak of the armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in September 2000. Three potential explanations drawn from the literature on state formation are evaluated in explaining the outcome: the foreign intervention thesis blames the failure on the asymmetry of power between Israel and the PLO; the domestic structural claim is that the weakness of the legal system stems from the unwillingness of the ruler to limit his power; and the cultural argument claims that only Anglo-Saxon and European states are truly liberal and democratic. The findings show that the quest for power led to centralization of authority in the executive, despite valiant attempts by politicians and civil society to avert such an outcome, and the article identifies the types of obstacles that need to be overcome to transform the Palestinian entity into a democratic reality that would promote peaceful coexistence with its neighbors.
The Cyprus Conflict: Root Causes and Implications for Peacebuilding
Authors: Hadjipavlou Maria
Published: April 2007

A survey in 2000—02 in both the Greek- and Turkish-Cypriot communities examines the beliefs about the root causes of the Cyprus conflict, the political culture, social attitudes, and future solutions. This article shows that both external and internal factors, both psychological and contextual, have played an influential role in the creation and perpetuation of the conflict — a view that challenges the selective official positions that define the problem as either a problem of external factors or merely an internal discord between the majority and minority population. The article highlights the complexity that characterizes intractable conflicts. It promotes the view that internal, contextual, and psychological factors are equally significant, as are legal and political factors, to be taken into account when addressing peacebuilding and future solutions. Some generalizations will be made with regard to the value of micro-level (i.e. societal studies) research in the field of conflict resolution and political psychology.
Dilemmas of Electoral Clientelism: Taiwan, 1993
Authors: Wang Chin-Shou , Kurzman Charles
Published: April 2007

For many years, studies of electoral clientelism regarded clients as the captive votes of patrons. In recent years, this conventional wisdom has come under challenge, as scholars have come to recognize the widespread noncompliance of clients. This article uses the case of the 1993 Taiwan election to offer the first ever systematic data on noncompliance. Documents from the ruling Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) campaign office in one Taiwanese district, combined with district electoral results, demonstrate considerable leakage in this instance of clientelistic mobilization: at least 45 percent of voters who sold their votes to the Kuomintang did not, in fact, vote for the Kuomintang's candidate. This article argues that clientelistic mobilization faced at least four serious obstacles, including (1) broker scarcity, (2) factionalism, (3) embezzlement, and (4) financial limitations. These obstacles prevented the Kuomintang from making full use of its broker organizations, even as it devoted extensive economic and political resources and personnel to the election.
Electrothermal Arthroscopic Shoulder Capsulorrhaphy
Authors: Hawkins Richard J. , Krishnan Sumant G. , Karas Spero G. , Noonan Thomas J. , Horan Marilee P.
Published: April 2007

Background

Few studies have documented the outcomes of thermal capsulorrhaphy for shoulder instability.

Purpose

To examine prospective evaluate outcomes of the first 100 patients with glenohumeral instability treated with thermal capsulorrhaphy.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

Between 1997 and 1999, 85 of 100 patients treated with thermal capsulorrhaphy for glenohumeral instability were available for review at 2-year minimum follow-up (average, 4 years). Fifty-one patients suffered from anterior instability; 24 had an associated Bankart lesion. Ten patients demonstrated posterior instability; 1 had an associated reverse Bankart lesion. Seventeen patients had multidirectional instability; 8 had an associated Bankart lesion. Seven patients demonstrated anterior and posterior instability without an inferior component; 2 had an associated Bankart lesion. Failures were defined as shoulders requiring revision stabilization (14) or with recurrent instability (18), recalcitrant pain (3), or stiffness (2).

Results

Forty-eight of 85 procedures were successful, and 37 of 85 failed. For patients with anterior instability plus a Bankart lesion, 7 of 24 (26%) had failed results. For those with anterior instability without a Bankart lesion, 10 of 27 (33%) had failed results. The failure rates for posterior, multidirectional instability, and anteroposterior were 60% (6/10), 59% (10/17), and 57% (4/7), respectively. Of the 48 successes, mean preoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score improved from 71 to 96 postoperatively, and patient satisfaction was 9.1 on a 10-point scale.

Conclusion

Because of the high failure rates, we now augment thermal capsulorrhaphy with capsular plication and/or rotator interval closure in cases of posterior and multidirectional instability and have lengthened the initial immobilization period to improve outcomes. Failure rates for thermal capsulorrhaphy, even with labral repairs, are high especially for shoulders with multidirectional instability and posterior instability. When procedures were successful, however, patients were very satisfied with significant improvements in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores.
Turning Back the Linguistic Turn in the Theory of Knowledge
Authors: Allen Barry
Published: April 2007

The so-called linguistic turn in philosophy intensified (rather than overcame) the rationalism that has haunted Western ideas about knowledge since antiquity. Orthodox accounts continue to present knowledge as a linguistic, logical quality, expressed in statements or theories that are well justified by evidence and actually true. Restating themes from the author's Knowledge and Civilization (2004a), I introduce an alternative conception of knowledge designed to overcome these propositional, discursive, logocentric presumptions. I interpret knowledge as a quality of artifacts. A surgical operation or a bridge may be as good examples of knowledge as any true scientific proposition or theory. I define the quality that marks an artifact as a work of knowledge as superlative artifactual performance. To explain knowledge in these terms is not to offer a metaphysical or epistemological theory of its essence or concept. Instead, I am explaining knowledge in terms of its good, its value, the human point of caring to know.