bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dermoscopy of Rippled Pattern Sebaceoma
Authors: Nomura Mizuho , Tanaka Masaru , Nunomura Maki , Izumi Miki , Oryu Fuyuki
Published: July 2010

A 77-year-old Japanese woman presented a dome-shaped pinkish nodule on the scalp. Dermoscopy demonstrated yellowish homogeneous ovoid areas with translucent whitish veil and arborizing vessels. No association with Muir-Torre syndrome was found. Histopathology revealed a smooth-bordered neoplasm in the dermis with partial connection to the epidermis. The tumor was composed mainly of germinative cells. The tumor focally showed a typical “rippled pattern”. There were only a few vacuolated cells suggesting sebaceous differentiation. These cells were highlighted with adipophilin antibody. No nuclear atypia or mitotic figures were observed. We regarded the neoplasm as sebaceoma. Dermoscopy demonstrated clearly visualized yellowish homogeneous ovoid areas. This feature usually corresponds to dermal conglomerations of the cells with sebaceous differentiation. However, this case histopathologically showed only limited area with sebaceous differentiation. We presented a case of rippled-pattern sebaceoma and described its dermoscopic features. This was the first report referring to the dermoscopic features of sebaceoma.
Weighted Differentiation Composition Operators from the Mixed‐Norm Space to the nth Weigthed‐Type Space on the Unit Disk
Authors: Stević Stevo
Published: July 2010

The boundedness and compactness of the weighted differentiation composition operator from the mixed‐norm space to the nth weighted‐type space on the unit disk are characterized.
Integrodifferential Equations on Time Scales with Henstock‐Kurzweil‐Pettis Delta Integrals
Authors: Sikorska-Nowak Aneta
Published: July 2010

We prove existence theorems for integro‐differential equations , x(0) = x0, t ∈ Ia = [0, a]∩T, a ∈ R+, where T denotes a time scale (nonempty closed subset of real numbers R), and Ia is a time scale interval. The functions f, k are weakly‐weakly sequentially continuous with values in a Banach space E, and the integral is taken in the sense of Henstock‐Kurzweil‐Pettis delta integral. This integral generalizes the Henstock‐Kurzweil delta integral and the Pettis integral. Additionally, the functions f and k satisfy some boundary conditions and conditions expressed in terms of measures of weak noncompactness. Moreover, we prove Ambrosetti′s lemma.
Small Deletion at the 7q21.2 Locus in a CCM Family Detected by Real-Time Quantitative PCR
Authors: Muscarella Lucia Anna , Guarnieri Vito , Coco Michelina , Belli Serena , Parrella Paola , Pulcrano Giuseppe , Catapano Domenico , D'Angelo Vincenzo A. , Zelante Leopoldo , D'Agruma Leonardo
Published: July 2010

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) represent a common autosomal dominant disorder that predisposes patients to haemorrhagic strokes and focal neurological signs. About 56% of the hereditary forms of CCMs have been so far associated with mutations in theKRIT1(Krev Interaction Trapped 1) gene, located at 7q21.2 (CCM1 locus). We described the complete loss of 7q21.2 locus encompassing theKRIT1gene and 4 flanking genes in a CCM family by using a dense set of 12 microsatellite markers. The complete loss of the maternal copy ofKRIT1gene region was confirmed by Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-QPCR) and the same approach was used for expression analysis. Additional RT-QPCR analysis showed the extension of the deletion, for a total of 700 kb, to the adjacent downstream and upstream-located genes,MTERF, AKAP9, CYP51A1, as well as a partial loss of theANKIB1gene. Here we report the molecular characterization of an interstitial small genomic deletion of the 7q21.2 region in a CCMs affected family, encompassing theKRIT1gene. Our findings confirm the loss of function mechanism for the already known CCM1 locus, without any evident involvement of the other deleted genes. Moreover, our investigations highlight the usefulness of the RT-QPCR to the molecular characterization of the breakpoints genomic deletions and to the identification of internal deleted genes involved in the human genetic diseases.
The Relation of Coffee Consumption to Serum Uric Acid in Japanese Men and Women Aged 49–76 Years
Authors: Pham Ngoc Minh , Yoshida Daigo , Morita Makiko , Yin Guang , Toyomura Kengo , Ohnaka Keizo , Takayanagi Ryoichi , Kono Suminori
Published: July 2010

Objective. Few studies have suggested an inverse relation between coffee intake and serum concentrations of uric acid (UA), but none has addressed the relation in men and women separately. We examined the relation between coffee intake and serum UA levels in free-living middle-aged and elderly men and women in Fukuoka, Japan.Methods. Study subjects were derived from the baseline survey of a cohort study on lifestyle-related diseases, and included 11.662 men and women aged 49–76 years; excluded were those with medication for gout and hyperuricemia, use of diuretic drugs, and medical care for cancer or chronic kidney disease. Statistical adjustment was made for body mass index, alcohol use, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and other factors.Results. There were inverse associations of coffee consumption with serum UA concentrations and hyperuricemia in men regardless of adjustment for covariates. Women showed a statistically significant, but weaker, inverse association between coffee and serum UA levels after allowance for the confounding factors.Conclusion. The findings add to evidence for a protective association between coffee intake and hyperuricemia.
MR Angiography of Peripheral Arterial Stents: In Vitro Evaluation of 22 Different Stent Types
Authors: Burg Matthias C. , Bunck Alexander C. , Seifarth Harald , Buerke Boris , Kugel Harald , Hesselmann Volker , Köhler Michael , Heindel Walter , Maintz David
Published: July 2010

Purpose. To evaluate stent lumen visibility of a large sample of different peripheral arterial (iliac, renal, carotid) stents using magnetic resonance angiography in vitro.Materials and Methods. 21 different stents and one stentgraft (10 nitinol, 7 316L, 2 tantalum, 1 cobalt superalloy, 1 PET + cobalt superalloy, and 1 platinum alloy) were examined in a vessel phantom (vessel diameters ranging from 5 to 13 mm) filled with a solution of Gd-DTPA. Stents were imaged at 1.5 Tesla using a T1-weighted 3D spoiled gradient-echo sequence. Image analysis was performed measuring three categories: Signal intensity in the stent lumen, lumen visibility of the stented lumen, and homogeneity of the stented lumen. The results were classified using a 3-point scale (good, intermediate, and poor results).Results. 7 stents showed good MR lumen visibility (4x nitinol, 2x tantalum, and 1x cobalt superalloy). 9 stents showed intermediate results (5x nitinol, 2x 316L, 1x PET + cobalt superalloy, and 1x platinum alloy) and 6 stents showed poor results (1x nitinol, and 5x 316L).Conclusion. Stent lumen visibility varies depending on the stent material and type. Some products show good lumen visibility which may allow the detection of stenoses inside the lumen, while other products cause artifacts which prevent reliable evaluation of the stent lumen with this technique.
Cocarcinogenic Effect of Capsaicin Involves Activation of EGFR Signaling but Not TRPV1
Authors: Hwang Mun Kyung , Bode Ann M. , Byun Sanguine , Song Nu Ry , Lee Hyong Joo , Lee Ki Won , Dong Zigang
Published: July 2010

Epidemiologic and animal studies revealed that capsaicin can act as a carcinogen or cocarcinogen. However, the molecular mechanisms of the cancer-promoting effects of capsaicin are not clear. Here, we report that capsaicin has a cocarcinogenic effect on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)–promoted skin carcinogenesis in vivo and is mediated through the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), but not the transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1). Topical application of capsaicin on the dorsal skin of 7,12-dimetylbenz(a)anthracene–initiated and TPA-promoted TRPV1 wild-type (WT) and TRPV1 knockout (KO) mice induced more and larger skin tumors in TRPV1/KO mice, suggesting a TRPV1-independent mechanism. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was highly elevated by capsaicin treatment in tumors and murine embryonic fibroblasts from TRPV1/KO mice. Inhibitors of EGFR/MEK signaling suppressed TPA/capsaicin-induced COX-2 expression in TRPV1/KO cells, indicating that activation of EGFR and its downstream signaling is involved in COX-2 elevation. Capsaicin induced a further induction of TPA-increased COX-2 expression in EGFR/WT cells, but not in EGFR/KO cells. TPA/capsaicin cotreatment caused EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation and activated EGFR downstream signaling, including ERKs and Akt in EGFR/WT, but not EGFR/KO cells. Specific inhibition of EGFR and TRPV1 indicated that capsaicin-induced ERK activation in A431 cells was dependent on EGFR, but not TRPV1. Together, these findings suggest that capsaicin might act as a cocarcinogen in TPA-induced skin carcinogenesis through EGFR-dependent mechanisms. Cancer Res; 70(17); 6859–69. ©2010 AACR.
Maternal Age-Specific Rates of Fetal Chromosomal Abnormalities at 16–20 Weeks’ Gestation in Korean Pregnant Women ≧35 Years of Age
Authors: Park In Yang , Kwon Ji Young , Kim Yun Hee , Kim Myungshin , Shin Jong Chul
Published: July 2010

Objective: To provide estimates of maternal age-specific rates of fetal chromosomal abnormalities at 16–20 weeks’ gestation for Korean women ≧35 years of age. Methods: Using the logistic regression method, we analyzed the amniocentesis data of 2,032 gravidas who had fetal karyotyping for the sole indication of advanced maternal age. Also, we compared the prevalence of trisomy 21 among countries using previously published datasets. Results: The incidence of aneuploidies increased exponentially with maternal age (p < 0.001). The expected rate of trisomy 21 was 3.7 per 1,000 gravidas at 35 years of age. Comparison with other countries showed that Japan has a significantly lower rate of trisomy 21 than North America (p = 0.041; 95% CI 0.522–0.986) and the UK (p = 0.011; 95% CI 0.474–0.909). Conclusion: These age-related risk figures are the first data for Korean women. Advanced maternal age was in this study ascertained to be a strong risk factor for chromosomal abnormalities; however, the age-specific risk can be influenced by racial factors.
The Effects of Antidepressants on the Results of Skin Prick Tests Used in the Diagnosis of Allergic Diseases
Authors: Isik S. Rana , Celikel Serhat , Karakaya Gul , Ulug Berna , Kalyoncu A. Fuat
Published: July 2010

Background: Some drugs may cause false negative results by suppressing the reactivity of the skin prick tests (SPTs). The aim of this survey was to show whether escitalopram, fluoxetine and sertraline had any effect on the reactivity of SPT. Methods: Twenty-four patients who were admitted to the outpatient clinic of the Psychiatry Department at the Hacettepe University Hospital and planned to be treated by these antidepressants were included in the study between May and October 2008. SPTs with positive control (histamine), negative control and 3 common aeroallergens were performed in the beginning, at the first and fourth weeks. A questionnaire including 26 questions about respiratory symptoms and allergic diseases was filled in face to face by the fellow-in-training. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of current respiratory and nasal symptoms was recorded at all 3 visits. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the 3 mean diameters measured at 3 time points in addition to the mean diameters of the wheals between groups using escitalopram, sertraline and fluoxetine (p > 0.05). There was a statistically significant decrease between the VAS of nasal symptoms at the 3 visits (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Escitalopram, fluoxetine and sertraline do not seem to affect the reactivity of SPTs. Nasal symptoms might have been decreased due to both the allergic treatment suggested and the end of the pollen season.
Observational Study of the Safety of an Ultra-Rush Sublingual Immunotherapy Regimen to Treat Rhinitis due to House Dust Mites
Authors: Roger Albert , Justicia José-Luis , Navarro Luis Ángel , Eseverri José Luis , Ferrès Jeroni , Malet Alfons , Alvà Víctor
Published: July 2010

Background: Ultra-rush regimens for administering sublingual immunotherapy to patients with allergies are becoming more widespread. We aimed to assess treatment safety for patients with allergic rhinitis with or without asthma caused by Dermatophagoides house dust mites. Methods: This observational study at 5 Spanish centers included 218 patients aged 4–64 years, of whom 117 were women and 122 were under 15 years old. Ultra-rush regimen consisted of incremental doses of an allergen extract comprising a 50% mixture of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae (30, 60, 120, 240 IR every 30 min) followed by maintenance therapy. Adverse reactions were monitored and asthmatic patients underwent spirometric testing at baseline and after each dose. Follow-up was scheduled after 2 weeks of maintenance with 240 IR three times a week. Results: Five patients had to modify ultra-rush regimen because of mild local adverse reactions. In total, 32 adverse reactions were reported in 27 patients during the ultra-rush regimen. Seven of these events were local gastrointestinal reactions, and the remaining 17 were local reactions, mainly labial or mouth itching and burning. Eight events were systemic reactions [rhinitis (n = 3), general malaise (n = 1), general malaise and vomiting (n = 1), dizziness (n = 1), asthma (n = 1), dyspnea (n = 1)]. All adverse reactions were mild or moderate. Serious adverse events or life-threatening anaphylactic reactions were not reported. Conclusions: High-dose sublingual immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides allergen extracts can be safely administered in an ultra-rush regimen, although its usefulness and benefit for perennial allergens (e.g. house dust mites) must be evaluated.
Depression, Alexithymia and Long-Term Mortality in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Kojima Masayo , Hayano Junichiro , Suzuki Sadao , Seno Hachiro , Kasuga Hirotake , Takahashi Hiroshi , Toriyama Takanobu , Kawahara Hirohisa , Furukawa Toshiaki A.
Published: July 2010

Background: Depression increases the risk of mortality in hemodialysis patients. Alexithymia, a disorder of affect regulation, has also been reported to be associated with mortality risk in the general population. We conducted a prospective study to estimate the independent impact of depression and alexithymia on long-term mortality. Methods: A total of 230 hemodialysis outpatients, with a mean age of 56.3 ± 9.6 years, completed a batch of self-report measures including the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Survival status was confirmed every 6 months for up to 5 years. The presence of depression and alexithymia was defined by a BDI-II score of ≧14 and a TAS-20 score of ≧61, respectively. Results: During the follow-up period, 27 deaths were confirmed. Both depression and alexithymia were associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality; the age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio for depression was 2.36 (95% CI: 1.08–5.15; p = 0.03) and that for alexithymia was 4.29 (95% CI: 1.95–9.42; p < 0.001). Depression lost its statistical significance after controlling for alexithymia, whereas alexithymia remained significant even after adjusting for the baseline depression, health status (the summary scores of the SF-36), marital status and clinical covariates (multivariate adjusted hazard ratio = 3.62; 95% CI: 1.32–9.93; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Alexithymia is a strong independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients.
Personality Features and Personality Disorders in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Nater Urs M. , Jones James F. , Lin Jin-Mann S. , Maloney Elizabeth , Reeves William C. , Heim Christine
Published: July 2010

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) presents unique diagnostic and management challenges. Personality may be a risk factor for CFS and may contribute to the maintenance of the illness. Methods: 501 study participants were identified from the general population of Georgia: 113 people with CFS, 264 with unexplained unwellness but not CFS (insufficient fatigue, ISF) and 124 well controls. We used the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire, 4th edition, to evaluate DSM-IV personality disorders. We used the NEO Five-Factor Inventory to assess personality features (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness). The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory measured 5 dimensions of fatigue, and the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form 36 measured 8 dimensions of functional impairment. Results: Twenty-nine percent of the CFS cases had at least 1 personality disorder, compared to 28% of the ISF cases and 7% of the well controls. The prevalence of paranoid, schizoid, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive and depressive personality disorders were significantly higher in CFS and ISF compared to the well controls. The CFS cases had significantly higher scores on neuroticism, and significantly lower scores on extraversion than those with ISF or the well controls. Personality features were correlated with selected composite characteristics of fatigue. Conclusions: Our results suggest that CFS is associated with an increased prevalence of maladaptive personality features and personality disorders. This might be associated with being noncompliant with treatment suggestions, displaying unhealthy behavioral strategies and lacking a stable social environment. Since maladaptive personality is not specific to CFS, it might be associated with illness per se rather than with a specific condition.
Odorant Response Kinetics from Cultured Mouse Olfactory Epithelium at Different Ages in vitro
Authors: Viswaprakash Nilmini , Josephson Eleanor M. , Dennis John C. , Yilma Solomon , Morrison Edward E. , Vodyanoy Vitaly J.
Published: July 2010

Mammalian olfactory epithelium can withstand the external environment, undergo life-long regeneration, and respond to thousands of odorant stimuli, making it an attractive system for a variety of studies. Previously, we described a long-lived olfactory coculture of olfactory epithelium and bulb tissues and we present here the kinetic properties of that culture system. Neonatal mouse epithelial-bulbar explants were grown for periods as long as 121 days in vitro (DIV), nearly doubling the survival time of our previously longest lived cultures. Cultures at all ages responded to air-borne odorants. The youngest cultures (1–15 DIV) showed shorter half-rise and half-decay times than older cultures (21–121 DIV), and were more variable in their half-decay times. Zinc nanoparticles enhanced electro-olfactogram responses of both younger and older cultures and both groups were immunopositive for olfactory marker protein. The results show that our olfactory culture model can support mature, odorant-responsive olfactory receptor neurons that possess many of the response features of in situ olfactory receptor neurons.
Pathogenesis of Sudden Unexpected Death in a Clinical Trial of Patients With Myocardial Infarction and Left Ventricular Dysfunction, Heart Failure, or Both
Authors: Pouleur Anne-Catherine , Barkoudah Ebrahim , Uno Hajime , Skali Hicham , Finn Peter V. , Zelenkofske Steven L. , Belenkov Yuri N. , Mareev Viacheslav , Velazquez Eric J. , Rouleau Jean L. , Maggioni Aldo P. , Køber Lars , Califf Robert M. , McMurray John J.V. , Pfeffer Marc A. , Solomon Scott D.
Published: July 2010

Background—

The frequency of sudden unexpected death is highest in the early post–myocardial infarction (MI) period; nevertheless, 2 recent trials showed no improvement in mortality with early placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator after MI.

Methods and Results—

To better understand the pathophysiological events that lead to sudden death after MI, we assessed autopsy records in a series of cases classified as sudden death events in patients from the VALsartan In Acute myocardial infarctioN Trial (VALIANT). Autopsy records were available in 398 cases (14% of deaths). We determined that 105 patients had clinical circumstances consistent with sudden death. On the basis of the autopsy findings, we assessed the probable cause of sudden death and evaluated how these causes varied with time after MI. Of 105 deaths considered sudden on clinical grounds, autopsy suggested the following causes: 3 index MIs in the first 7 days (2.9%); 28 recurrent MIs (26.6%); 13 cardiac ruptures (12.4%); 4 pump failures (3.8%); 2 other cardiovascular causes (stroke or pulmonary embolism; 1.9%); and 1 noncardiovascular cause (1%). Fifty-four cases (51.4%) had no acute specific autopsy evidence other than the index MI and were thus presumed arrhythmic. The percentage of sudden death due to recurrent MI or rupture was highest in the first month after the index MI. By contrast, after 3 months, the percentage of presumed arrhythmic death was higher than recurrent MI or rupture (χ
2
=23.3,
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

Recurrent MI or cardiac rupture accounts for a high proportion of sudden death in the early period after acute MI, whereas arrhythmic death may be more likely subsequently. These findings may help explain the lack of benefit of early implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy.
Disentangling Chat
Authors: Elsner Micha , Charniak Eugene
Published: July 2010

When multiple conversations occur simultaneously, a listener must decide which conversation each utterance is part of in order to interpret and respond to it appropriately. We refer to this task as disentanglement. We present a corpus of Internet Relay Chat dialogue in which the various conversations have been manually disentangled, and evaluate annotator reliability. We propose a graph-based clustering model for disentanglement, using lexical, timing, and discourse-based features. The model's predicted disentanglements are highly correlated with manual annotations. We conclude by discussing two extensions to the model, specificity tuning and conversation start detection, both of which are promising but do not currently yield practical improvements.
Discourse Constraints for Document Compression
Authors: Clarke James , Lapata Mirella
Published: July 2010

Sentence compression holds promise for many applications ranging from summarization to subtitle generation. The task is typically performed on isolated sentences without taking the surrounding context into account, even though most applications would operate over entire documents. In this article we present a discourse-informed model which is capable of producing document compressions that are coherent and informative. Our model is inspired by theories of local coherence and formulated within the framework of integer linear programming. Experimental results show significant improvements over a state-of-the-art discourse agnostic approach.
Learning Tractable Word Alignment Models with Complex Constraints
Authors: V. Graça João , Ganchev Kuzman , Taskar Ben
Published: July 2010

Word-level alignment of bilingual text is a critical resource for a growing variety of tasks. Probabilistic models for word alignment present a fundamental trade-off between richness of captured constraints and correlations versus efficiency and tractability of inference. In this article, we use the Posterior Regularization framework (Graça, Ganchev, and Taskar 2007) to incorporate complex constraints into probabilistic models during learning without changing the efficiency of the underlying model. We focus on the simple and tractable hidden Markov model, and present an efficient learning algorithm for incorporating approximate bijectivity and symmetry constraints. Models estimated with these constraints produce a significant boost in performance as measured by both precision and recall of manually annotated alignments for six language pairs. We also report experiments on two different tasks where word alignments are required: phrase-based machine translation and syntax transfer, and show promising improvements over standard methods.
Intra-articular Microparticles for Drug Delivery to the TMJ
Authors: Mountziaris P.M. , Sing D.C. , Mikos A.G. , Kramer P.R.
Published: July 2010

This study describes the in vivo biocompatibility of intra-articular poly(DL-lactic- co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticle (MP) formulations in the rat temporomandibular joint (TMJ). To our knowledge, this is the first intra-articular microparticle-based drug delivery system for the TMJ. The impact of PLGA MP concentration on rat TMJ function was quantified via computerized meal pattern analysis; in this non-invasive technique, previously validated markers of TMJ pain or nociception (specifically, meal duration and food intake) were recorded by computer-monitored pellet feeders. Bilateral intra-articular injection of 15, 30, or 50 mg/mL PLGA MPs had no impact on meal duration or food intake over 6 days, compared with controls that did not receive injections. Histological analysis showed that the MPs were retained within the synovial lining. These findings indicate that the PLGA MPs described herein are biocompatible and suitable for intra-articular delivery to the rat TMJ, a finding that has significant implications for the improvement of TMJ therapeutics.
Ethanol Wet-bonding Technique Sensitivity Assessed by AFM
Authors: Osorio E. , Toledano M. , Aguilera F.S. , Tay F.R. , Osorio R.
Published: July 2010

In ethanol wet bonding, water is replaced by ethanol to maintain dehydrated collagen matrices in an extended state to facilitate resin infiltration. Since short ethanol dehydration protocols may be ineffective, this study tested the null hypothesis that there are no differences in ethanol dehydration protocols for maintaining the surface roughness, fibril diameter, and interfibrillar spaces of acid-etched dentin. Polished human dentin surfaces were etched with phosphoric acid and water-rinsed. Tested protocols were: (1) water-rinse (control); (2) 100% ethanol-rinse (1-min); (3) 100% ethanol-rinse (5-min); and (4) progressive ethanol replacement (50-100%). Surface roughness, fibril diameter, and interfibrillar spaces were determined with atomic force microscopy and analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and the Student-Newman-Keuls test (α = 0.05). Dentin roughness and fibril diameter significantly decreased when 100% ethanol (1-5 min) was used for rinsing (p < 0.001). Absolute ethanol produced collapse and shrinkage of collagen fibrils. Ascending ethanol concentrations did not collapse the matrix and shrank the fibrils less than absolute ethanol-rinses.
Latin American Cities and Globalisation: Change and Permanency in the Context of Development Expectations
Authors: Córdoba Ordóñez Juan A. , Gago García Cándida
Published: July 2010

Some interesting changes have been taking place in the urbanisation processes of Latin American countries in the past few decades, some of which are definitely related to global processes. The empirical evidence of this relation is hard to pin down due to the lack of data sources, but in this paper it is suggested that the growth in volume and diversity of mobility relations between cities can be indicators of an overlapping of urban phenomena and global processes. A diachronic analysis (1970—2008) of Latin American air transport connectivity is used to evaluate the growth and the degree of cohesion of the internal relational systems and changes and continuities in the external relational systems. Even though air transport is an indicator to be complemented with other indicators when analysing global relations, the results indicate a continuation of existing Latin American structures (centralism and polarisation) and the emergence of new forms of dependence (tourism and migration), which should not be overlooked in the study of global relational systems.
World Cities of Scientific Knowledge: Systems, Networks and Potential Dynamics. An Analysis Based on Bibliometric Indicators
Authors: Matthiessen Christian Wichmann , Schwarz Annette Winkel , Find Søren
Published: July 2010

This paper is based on identification of the pattern of the upper level of the world city network of knowledge as published in a series of earlier papers. It is our aim to update the findings and relate to the general world city discussion. The structure of the world cities of knowledge network has changed over the past decade in favour of south-east Asian and south European cities and in disfavour of the traditional centres of North America and north-western Europe. The analysis is based on bibliometric data on the world’s 100 largest cities measured in terms of research output. The level of co-authorship between researchers in different cities is an indicator of links and respect, and the number of citations of papers produced by researchers located in each city is an indicator of respect. Finally, one research discipline is selected for an experiment in forecasting future hot spots of research.
The Effects of Presession Manipulations on Automatically Maintained Challenging Behavior and Task Responding
Authors: Chung Yi-Chieh , Cannella-Malone Helen I.
Published: July 2010

This study examined the effects of presession exposure to attention, response blocking, attention with response blocking, and noninteraction conditions on subsequent engagement in automatically maintained challenging behavior and correct responding in four individuals with significant intellectual disabilities. Following a functional analysis, the effects of the four presession conditions were examined using multielement designs. Results varied across the 4 participants (e.g., presession noninteraction acted as an abolishing operation for 2 participants, but as an establishing operation for the other 2 participants). As such, both the results replicated and contradicted previous research examining the effects of motivating operations on automatically maintained challenging behavior. Although the results varied across participants, at least one condition resulting in a decrease in challenging behavior and an increase in correct responding were identified for each participant. These findings suggested that presession manipulations resulted in decreases in subsequent automatically maintained challenging behavior and simultaneous increases in correct responding might need to be individually identified when the maintaining contingencies cannot be identified.
Lived Spaces in History
Authors: Ganesh K.N.
Published: July 2010

There has been considerable research work on early South India, particularly early Tamilakam, using archaeological, epigraphical and literary sources. Earlier, studies on early Tamilakam was almost exclusively based on the early Tamil texts, called as heroic or bardic poetry. However, a wealth of material has been generated by archaeological exploration, that have unearthed a mass of material from paleolithic, mesolthic, neolithic and the iron age megalthic, bordering on the early historic ages. A number of Tamil Brahmi label inscriptions have also been discovered. However, the largst number of archeaological finds have been megalthic burial sites and habitation sites are only in the process of being discovered. There are also difficulties in corroborating archaelogical and epigraphic material with the enormous corpus of early Tamil texts. As a result, there is a tendency to dismiss the early Tamil texts as not conducive to historical analysis. The present article argues that we will still be able to use the material of the early Tamil texts using the tools provided by human geography, and suggests a methodology for making use of the literary material for further explorations in the early history of Tamilakam.
Use of ‘Hindu’ Idioms in Christian Worship and Propaganda in Kerala
Authors: Veluthat Kesavan
Published: July 2010

This article looks at the way in which the Christians of Kerala adopted idioms typical of ‘Hindu’ Brāhmanical religion for worship and later for purposes of propaganda. Taken up for detailed study are the works by Rev. John Ernest Hanxledon (1681–1732), a German Jesuit who worked in Kerala in the first three decades of the eighteenth century. Items such as the use of popular Malayalam metres, figures of speech, other literary tropes, the employment of the linguistic technique of social distancing, etc. make for a good study. These have been studied in contrast with the experience of Rev. Roberto de Nobili a century ago.
Effect of Hyperconcavity of the Lumbar Vertebral Endplates on the Playing Careers of Professional American Football Linemen
Authors: Paxton E. Scott , Moorman Claude T. , Chehab Eric L. , Barnes Ronnie P. , Warren Russell F. , Brophy Robert H.
Published: July 2010

Background

Hyperconcavity of the lumbar spine has been found in a disproportionate percentage of college football lineman evaluated at the National Football League (NFL) Combine compared with age-matched controls.

Hypothesis

College football linemen with hyperconcavity of the lumbar spine are more likely to play in the NFL and to have a longer career in professional football.

Study Design

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

Ninety three linemen from the 1992 and 1993 NFL Combines with hyperconcavity of the lumbar spine were compared with 191 linemen from the same combines without these changes in the lumbar spine. The percentage of athletes who played at least 1 game for an NFL team and the average length of career was calculated for both groups. In addition, the length of career for players with these changes was compared with those of matched controls based on other injuries and surgeries, year drafted, and round drafted.

Results

There was no difference in the likelihood of playing professional football between linemen with lumbar spine changes (54 of 93 [58%]) and those without (101 of 191 [53%]) (P = .41). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in length of career in terms of years played, games played, or games started.

Conclusion

Hyperconcavity of the lumbar spine does not appear to have any effect on the potential professional American football careers of college football linemen entering the NFL. Endplate changes on radiographs are not a significant screening tool for elite American football linemen. Further study of larger populations is needed to definitively answer whether these adaptive changes in the lumbar spine have any clinical relevance to these athletes.
The David Gordon Memorial Lecture: Finance without Financiers: Prospects for Radical Change In Financial Governance
Authors: Epstein Gerald
Published: July 2010

In response to the financial crisis of 2007—2010, governments in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere have invested billions of dollars in financial institutions to prevent them from going bankrupt and from further disrupting the global economy. Despite these massive public bail-outs, a government and “elite” consensus has emerged that these nationalized or quasi-nationalized financial institutions should be privatized as soon as possible, and that, apart from modest changes in financial regulation, our economies should return to the status quo ante financial structure. I disagree. As the crisis reveals, “financier” dominated finance has a number of devastating flaws: it creates major externalities that contribute to financial and real economic instability; it promotes short-term investment strategies; it contributes to inequality; and it undermines economic efficiency and the achievement of social goals in the real economy. I argue that a better strategy for achieving economic recovery, restructuring, and widely shared, sustainable prosperity is to use public investments in the financial sector to build on the successful post-World War II experiences of publicly oriented financial institutions to create a stronger presence of “finance without financiers.”

JEL classification: E02, E44, G28
Some Critical Notes on Citation Metrics and Heterodox Economics
Authors: Kapeller Jakob
Published: July 2010

This article investigates citations metrics as an institutional phenomenon from two perspectives: first it tries to articulate the role of citation metrics within a Gramscian framework; second it compares citation patterns from orthodox and heterodox economic journals to gain insights on the current economic discourse. Complementary to this general question the role of the Review of Radical Political Economics within citation metrics will be discussed.

JEL classification: A14, B50, B51
Seeds of Change: Hybrid Corn, Monopoly, and the Hunt for Superprofits
Authors: Ramey Elizabeth A.
Published: July 2010

Hybrid corn is widely acknowledged to be the cornerstone of twentieth century breakthroughs in agricultural technology, an essential step toward achieving the “pushbutton cornucopia” to which modern agriculture aspires. This paper challenges this view by examining the social causes and consequences of technical change in corn production, and shows how the development and adoption of hybrid technologies has contributed to the perpetual crisis of corn farming, while sustaining the expansion of the seed corn industry.

JEL classification: B51, Q16, O33
Lifetime Marital History and Mortality After Age 50
Authors: Henretta John C.
Published: July 2010

Objectives: This article examines the relationship between lifetime marital history and mortality after age 50. Method: Data are drawn from the Health and Retirement Study birth cohort of 1931 to 1941. The analysis utilizes three measures of marital history: number of marriages, proportion time married, and age at first marriage. Results: Three or more marriages and a lower proportion of adult life spent married are each associated with a higher hazard of dying after age 50 for both men and women even after controlling for current marital status and socioeconomic status. Smoking behavior accounts for part of the relationship of marital history and status with mortality. Discussion: Research on marital status and health should consider marital history as well as current status. Two topics are particularly important: examining the relationship in different cohorts and disentangling the potentially causal role of health behaviors such as smoking.
Realizing a Humanoid Neck with Serial Chain Four-bar Mechanism
Authors: Tadesse Yonas , Subbarao Kamesh , Priya Shashank
Published: July 2010

In this article, we present design, fabrication, and characterization of a two-degree freedom humanoid neck based on serial chain four-bar mechanism. The nodding mechanism is designed in such a way that an eccentric center of gravity of the robotic head is counterbalanced by pre-tensioned springs which makes the modular neck prototype statically in equilibrium. In addition, due to installation of drive motor away from the rotation axis of nodding system, the torque requirement is significantly reduced allowing the use of low-cost RC servo motor to drive the head assembly. We describe in detail modeling and characterization of the neck rotational movement focusing on nodding mechanism. Extensive mathematical model for interaction of two dynamical systems, head-neck and servomechanism, is developed. Humanoid neck design based on RC servo motor having potentiometer feedback experiences inherent overshooting. In order to overcome the overshoot associated with servo dynamics, an external PD controller is implemented and the motion similar to that of human neck is demonstrated by numerical simulation.
Development of High-performance ERG based on the Principle of Electro-adhesive Effect
Authors: Kakinuma Y. , Aoyama T. , Anzai H.
Published: July 2010

Electrorheological gel (ERG) is a novel functional elastomer, which has frictional and adhesive surface properties that vary according to the intensity of an applied electric field. This peculiar phenomenon is referred to as the electro-adhesive (EA) effect. The shear stress of ERG generated under an applied electric field is approximately 30-40 times higher than that of electrorheological fluids (ERF), due to its high adhesive strength. However, the generated EA effect of ERGs varies widely due to surface conditions, especially the density and distribution of ER particles at the surface. In order to stabilize and improve the performance of ERG, the electrical field-assisted molding process is proposed as a production method. In this process, the mixture solution including ERFs and gel agent is gelling under electric field. The principle of the EA effect is theoretically investigated and a high-performance ERG produced by the proposed process, in which ER particles are aligned densely at the surface, is developed and the performance is experimentally evaluated by surface observation and shear test, revealing a highly dense arrangement of ER particle at its surface and a higher shear stress twice that of conventional ERG.
Semantic B2B-integration Using an Ontological Message Metamodel
Authors: Vujasinovic Marko , Ivezic Nenad , Barkmeyer Edward , Marjanovic Zoran
Published: July 2010

E-Business applications are often required to use different, incompatible, message sets to implement message interfaces for a business-to-business (B2B) communication. This makes communication with every new partner a new interoperability problem. In this article, we present a semantic-mediation architecture that provides for interoperable B2B data exchange. The mediation process is based on an Ontological Metamodel of message schemas and messages, and uses existing reference business ontologies. An approach for message schema semantic reconciliation and annotation is devised to support the mediation. We demonstrate the approach on a scenario that involves two incompatible message interfaces, one UN/EDIFACT based and another OAGIS XML based.
The direct method for harmonic oscillations of elastic plates with Robin boundary conditions
Authors: Thomson G.R. , Constanda C.
Published: July 2010

The interior and exterior Robin boundary value problems for the model of flexural vibrations of plates with transverse shear deformation are solved by means of layer potentials in conjunction with the integral representation formulas for the solutions.
Oblique Impacts and Rebounds of Lennard-Jones Clusters on Solid Surfaces
Authors: Awasthi A. , Hendy S.C. , Brown S.A.
Published: July 2010

We report on molecular dynamics simulations of oblique impacts of Lennard-Jones clusters with a weakly attractive solid surface. We confirm that the probability of adhesion to the substrate by the cluster is largely determined by the normal velocity of the cluster. We also analyze the dependence of the angle of reflection on the impact velocity, showing that it can be understood in terms of the velocity dependence of Newton’s normal and tangential coefficients of restitution. In particular, we find that the tangential coefficient of restitution remains close to one, depending only weakly on the impact velocity, so that the angle of reflection is principally determined by the magnitude of the normal coefficient of restitution, which has a much stronger dependence on velocity. This strong velocity dependence means that at high velocities relatively small angles of reflection can occur.
Crafting Qualitative Research
Authors: Cunliffe Ann L.
Published: July 2010

The purpose of this article is to revision Morgan and Smircich's typology, taking into account the changes in organization and management theory over the intervening 30 years. Developments in metatheoretical perspectives, organization theory, research methods, and ways of theorizing mean our choices about qualitative research have become more complex. In addition, the 1980 typology was based on a now contested subject–object distinction. I replace this continuum with three problematics—intersubjectivism, subjectivism, and objectivism—and examine the ontological, epistemological, and methodological assumptions of each. I offer examples and resources for qualitative researchers, arguing that considering our metatheoretical positioning provides a basis for building crafted, persuasive, consistent, and credible research accounts.
Hotel Management Contracts and Deficiencies in Owner-Operator Capital Expenditure Goal Congruency
Authors: Turner Michael J. , Guilding Chris
Published: July 2010

A review of the findings of prior empirical research concerning hotel management contracts between owners and operators is undertaken. It is noted that management contracts have become increasingly commonplace in the international hotel sector and that gross revenue and gross operating profit are the most extensively used determinants of operator incentive fee remuneration. These findings present a platform for examining how revenue and gross operating profit are deficient in promoting owner—operator goal congruency. In light of this, return on investment (ROI) and residual income (RI) are examined as potential alternative determinants of operator reimbursement. Although it is appears that both ROI and RI as determinants of hotel operator fees would represent an advance in promoting owner—operator goal congruency, a rationale outlining how RI is preferable to ROI is outlined.
Interpreter-mediated interaction as bilingual speech: Bridging macro- and micro-sociolinguistics in codeswitching research
Authors: Angermeyer Philipp Sebastian
Published: July 2010

This article investigates codeswitching, codemixing, and other bilingual speech phenomena in interpreter-mediated interaction, a type of data that has been largely ignored by linguists working on bilingualism. It is argued that important theoretical considerations exist for considering such data, as it represents interaction between speakers of the different languages that are in contact (exolingual interaction) and thus enables the researcher to link micro-sociolinguistic observations about the interaction to macro-sociolinguistic facts of the contact situation more generally. Investigating data from arbitration hearings in New York City courts during which speakers of Haitian Creole, Polish, Russian, or Spanish interact with English speakers, it is shown that bilingual speech phenomena like codeswitching to English and insertion of English lexical items in other language structures pattern in ways that parallel the findings of more traditional studies that draw on in-group interaction. However, it is argued that their asymmetrical distribution can be directly related to the power asymmetries that hold between English-speaking court officials and other-language-speaking court users. Furthermore, it is shown that investigating interpreter-mediated interaction has several methodological advantages, as it facilitates a cross-linguistic comparison across parallel interactional episodes and avoids several problems of researcher access and observer effects that often constrain codeswitching studies.
Connectivity and contingency in planning
Authors: Madanipour Ali
Published: July 2010

The article argues that a defining feature of planning is its efforts at making, formalizing and expanding connections between events, functions and institutions. In the context of contingency, diversity and uncertainty that characterizes complex urban societies, spatial planning is an instrumental formal process that seeks to shape and manage the future of spatial conditions and relations. The planning process involves setting up a series of temporal, spatial and institutional connections, which, it is argued, have been subject to rupture, shrinkage and fragmentation, and so they are themselves contingent, and frequently limited to being symbolic rather than substantive connections, turning planning into a speculative process. To meet the future challenges, planners need to rethink these connections.