bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ways of Reading Animals in Victorian Literature, Culture and Science
Authors: Mayer Jed 
Published: May 2010

AbstractBy decentring the human perspective and shifting focus towards the diverse roles of animals in human culture, the burgeoning field of animal studies is transforming the way we read texts past and present. Since Harriet Ritvo’s groundbreaking work,The Animal Estate: The English and Other Creatures in the Victorian Era(1987), the history of animals has been of particular interest to scholars of Victorian literature and culture. Similarly, those interested in the history of animals have frequently turned their attention to this period, which witnessed the emergence of public zoos, animal protection societies and the theory of natural selection. Of particular interest to scholars in a variety of fields have been the vivisection debates of the later‐19th century. Beginning in the 1870s, animal experimentation came to be more widely practiced in British physiological laboratories, bringing into conflict scientific and humanitarian interests in the animal, as antivivisectionists and advocates of animal research debated their right to speak for the nonhuman animal. Although the moral status of the experimental animal was at the centre of these debates, the animal presence has been notably absent from accounts of the period by historians of science. A concern with the ethical problems raised by the human use of animals is also absent or muted in recent scholarship on cultural representations of animals in the Victorian period. This essay considers these animal absences and suggests areas for further inquiry and development, arguing that the subject of the vivisection debates of the later‐19th century could serve as a meeting point for scholars interested in science studies, Victorian literature and culture, and the burgeoning field of animal studies.
Dietary Factors, Mediterranean Diet and Erectile Dysfunction
Authors: Esposito Katherine , Giugliano Francesco , Maiorino Maria Ida , Giugliano Dario 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Although epidemiological evidence seems to support a role for lifestyle factors in the pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction (ED), limited data are available suggesting that dietary changes may improve ED.

Aim
To provide an update on clinical evidence regarding the role of dietary factors in ED.

Methods
A systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE and other database (EMBASE, SCOPUS) with MeSH terms and keywords for “erectile dysfunction”, “diet”, “dietary patterns”, “Mediterranean diet”, and “lifestyle”.

Main Outcome Measures
To examine the data relating to erectile dysfunction with dietary factors, its relationship and the impact of dietary treatment.

Results
Only few studies assessed the role or the effect of diet on ED. A dietary pattern which is high in fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fish but low in red and processed meat and refined grains is more represented in subjects without ED. Mediterranean diet has been proposed as a healthy dietary pattern based on evidence that greater adherence to this diet is associated with lower all-cause and disease-specific survival. In type 2 diabetic men, those with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet had the lowest prevalence of ED and were more likely to be sexually active. In clinical trials, Mediterranean diet was more effective than a control diet in ameliorating ED or restoring absent ED in people with obesity or metabolic syndrome.

Conclusion
The adoption of a Mediterranean diet may be associated with an improvement of erectile dysfunction.
Chronic Administration of Sildenafil Modified the Impaired VEGF System and Improved the Erectile Function in Rats with Diabetic Erectile Dysfunction
Authors: Liu Guihua , Sun Xiangzhou , Dai Yuping , Zheng Fufu , Wang Daohu , Huang Yanping , Bian Jun , Deng Chunhua 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Men frequently develop diabetic erectile dysfunction (DMED), as a result of endothelial dysfunction. DMED patients often have reduced efficacy with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors therapy.

Aim
To determine whether chronic sildenafil administration can modify the impaired vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) system and improve the erectile function in rats with diabetic erectile dysfunction.

Methods
A group of Sprague Dawley rats (n=30) with DMED were induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) and screened by subcutaneous injection of Apomorphine (100 mg/kg). They were then exposed to either vehicle or sildenafil (prescribed in our hospital, 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, respectively) for 10 weeks. An additional nondiabetic and age-matched control group (n=10) was also allocated and given the routine diet for the same period. Assessments were performed to both groups at 36 hours after the last dose of sildenafil. Penile intracavernous pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), penile tissue morphology, immunohistologic analysis, and Western blot analysis of VEGF, VEGFR1, and eNOS were determined.

Main Outcome Measure
Functional, morphological, and proteomical changes on penile structures by the chronic Sildenafil (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, respectively) administration were determined.

Results
A significant increase of ICP, ICP/MAP ratio, and area under the curve were observed in the both groups treated by sildenafil (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, respectively), compared with the DMED rats without receiving Sildenafil. Immunohistochemical staining of their penile tissue showed a decrease in VEGF, VEGFR1, and eNOS staining in the controlled group compared with an improvement in the chronic sildenafil administration group. Western blot analysis demonstrated exactly the same results.

Conclusion
We demonstrated that daily sildenafil administration can restore the impaired VEGF system in the penis of DMED rats and progressively improve both erectile function and endothelial function, suggesting a potential general mechanism of improved signaling through the VEGF/eNOS signaling cascade.
Linkage of Large-Vessel Carotid Atherosclerotic Stroke to Inflammatory Genes via a Systematic Screen
Authors: Belter Inna , Wu Tianxia , Hipp Heather , Walter Joan , Scully Michele , Nyquist Paul A. , Bollettino Antonella , Goldman David , Max Mitchell B. , DeGraba Thomas J. 
Published: May 2010

Background Inflammatory cytokines including the IL-1 family, TNF-α and IL-6 mediate the formation of thrombosis on the luminal surface of atherosclerotic plaques. Gene polymorphisms that regulate these cytokines' expression may explain part of the variation in susceptibility to stroke in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes in inflammatory genes as they relate to symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis. Methods The study included 95 subjects with symptomatic (transient ischaemic attacks or stroke) and 113 subjects with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease. A panel of evenly spaced SNPs including previously reported functionally significant polymorphisms were genotyped for IL-1β (10 SNPs), IL-1α (nine SNPs), IL-1RN (11 SNPs), IL-6 (seven SNPs) and TNF-α and TNF-β (seven SNPs). Results Using single SNP analysis, IL-1RN rs315934 ( P = 0·025), IL-1RN rs315946 ( P = 0·042), IL-1RN rs315921 ( P = 0·035), IL-6 rs1180243 ( P = 0·018) and IL-1α rs2071373 ( P = 0·025) were associated with decreased odds of symptomatic carotid disease. Additionally, two diplotypes of the IL-1 RN gene ( P = 0·023 and 0·0064) and one diplotype in the IL-1α gene ( P = 0·02) were associated with a protective affect from cerebral ischaemic events. Logistic analysis for interaction of the protective SNPs reveals an additive effect of all SNP pair combinations. Conclusion These results suggest that genetic polymorphisms in proinflammatory genes may contribute to interindi-vidual differences in the development of symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease.
Stroke Education: Discrepancies among Factors Influencing Prehospital Delay and Stroke Knowledge
Authors: TeuschI Yvonne , Brainin Michael 
Published: May 2010

BackgroundTime is essential for the treatment of acute stroke. Much time is lost outside the hospital, either due to failure in identifying stroke symptoms or due to a delay in notification or transport. We review studies reporting factors associated with better stroke knowledge and shorter time delays. We summarise the evidences for the effect of stroke knowledge and education on people's reaction in the acute situation of stroke.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE for studies reporting factors associated with prehospital time of stroke patients, or knowledge of stroke symptoms. Further, we searched for studies reporting educational interventions aimed at increasing stroke symptom knowledge in the population.FindingsWe included a total of 182 studies. Surprisingly, those factors associated with better stroke knowledge such as education and sociodemographic variables were not related to shorter time delays. Few studies report shorter time delays or better stroke knowledge in persons having suffered a previous stroke. Factors associated with shorter time delays were more severe stroke and symptoms regarded as serious, but not better knowledge about the most frequent symptoms such as hemiparesis or disorders of speech. Only 25–56% of patients recognised their own symptoms as stroke. While stroke education increases the knowledge of warning signs, a few population studies measured the impact of education on time delays; in such studies, time delays decreased after education. This may partly be mediated by better organisation of EMS and hospitals.InterpretationThere is a discrepancy between theoretical stroke knowledge and the reaction in an acute situation. Help-seeking behaviour is more dependent on the perceived severity of symptoms than on symptom knowledge. Bystanders play an important role in the decision to call for help and should be included in stroke education. Education is effective and should be culturally adapted and presented in a social context. It is unclear which educational concept is best suited to enhance symptom recognition in the acute situation of stroke, especially in view of discrepancies between knowledge and action.
RMB Internationalization and Its Implications for Financial and Monetary Cooperation in East Asia
Authors: Park Yung Chul 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThis paper emphasizes the importance of the denomination of financial assets rather than trade invoicing as a long‐term determinant of an international currency. China needs to liberalize and open its financial system and make the RMB fully convertible, and to adopt a more flexible exchange rate system to speed up its currency internationalization, for which China could follow either a global or regional approach. The global approach is a riskier and more unpredictable strategy because it would demand a scope and timeframe of financial liberalization that is likely to be beyond China's institutional capacity over the coming decade. There are two options that could be taken in following the regional approach. One is creating an ASEAN+New 3 (the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) RMB bloc and the other is liberalizing China's financial industries and internationalizing the RMB by playing a leading role in East Asia's economic integration within the framework of ASEAN+3. This paper concludes that the latter is a more realistic and effective approach for China.
Economic Openness and Subjective Well‐being in China
Authors: Xin Wen , Smyth Russell 
Published: May 2010

AbstractUsing a large household survey administered across 30 cities in September 2003, we examine the relationship between the degree of economic openness, measured as the sum of imports and exports as a share of GDP, and subjective well‐being in urban China. We find that respondents who live in cities with high levels of economic openness report significantly lower levels of subjective well‐being ceteris paribus. We offer four explanations for this result; namely, inadequate social protection in the face of globalization, unfulfilled expectations, political dissatisfaction and anomie.
Anomaly in China's Dollar–RMB Forward Market
Authors: Wang Yi David 
Published: May 2010

AbstractNewly‐established data on onshore deliverable US dollar–RMB forwards and the Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate from October 2006 to April 2009 reveal significant violations of covered interest rate parity. This paper explains the cause of this anomaly. Deviations in the forward market are caused by an increase in US dollar‐to‐RMB conversion restrictions. Given that Chinese monetary authorities want to prevent market participants from taking advantage of the predictable appreciation of the RMB, China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange has to tighten up the control on US dollar‐to‐RMB conversions. Under the tightened conversion restrictions, similar deviations will resurface in the forward market whenever hot money inflow increases. One way to avoid covered interest rate parity violations in the forward market is to decrease hot money inflow into China by maintaining a stable and credible exchange rate policy.
Information Measures in Perspective
Authors: Ebrahimi Nader , Soofi Ehsan S. , Soyer Refik 
Published: May 2010

SummaryInformation‐theoretic methodologies are increasingly being used in various disciplines. Frequently an information measure is adapted for a problem, yet the perspective of information as the unifying notion is overlooked. We set forth this perspective through presenting information‐theoretic methodologies for a set of problems in probability and statistics. Our focal measures are Shannon entropy and Kullback–Leibler information. The background topics for these measures include notions of uncertainty and information, their axiomatic foundation, interpretations, properties, and generalizations. Topics with broad methodological applications include discrepancy between distributions, derivation of probability models, dependence between variables, and Bayesian analysis. More specific methodological topics include model selection, limiting distributions, optimal prior distribution and design of experiment, modeling duration variables, order statistics, data disclosure, and relative importance of predictors. Illustrations range from very basic to highly technical ones that draw attention to subtle points.
Silencing and re‐expression of retinoic acid receptor beta2 in human melanoma
Authors: Fan Jun , Eastham Linda , Varney Melinda E. , Hall Adam , Adkins Nicolas L. , Sollars Vincent E. , Georgel Philippe , Niles Richard M. 
Published: May 2010

SummaryMany melanoma cells are resistant to the anti‐proliferative effect of all trans retinoic acid (ATRA). Retinoic Acid Receptor‐β2 (RAR‐β2) mediates the ATRA growth inhibition. We found a correlation between the anti‐proliferative activity of ATRA and expression of RAR‐β2. There was not a strict correlation between DNA methylation of RAR‐β gene and its expression. There was no difference in global and RARβ specific nucleosome repeat length (NRL) in melanoma and melanocytes or between control and ATRA treated cells. Pan‐acetylation of H3 and H4 within the RAR‐β gene promoter was higher in cells expressing RAR‐β2. All trans retinoic acid treatment of responsive cells did not change pan‐acetylation of H3/H4, but addition of ATRA to non‐responsive cells increased H4 pan‐acetylation. Phytochemicals or the histone deacetylase inhibitor Trichostatin A did not restore expression of RAR‐β2. Treatment of WM1366 melanoma cells with 5‐aza 2′‐deoxycytidine reactivated RAR‐β2 gene expression and restored the ability of ATRA to further induce the expression of this gene. Therefore, promoter methylation is responsible for silencing of RAR‐β2 in some melanoma cells and pan‐acetylation of H3 likely plays a permissive role in expression of RAR‐β2.
Early School Leaving among Immigrants in Toronto Secondary Schools
Authors: ANISEF PAUL , BROWN ROBERT S. , PHYTHIAN KELLI , SWEET ROBERT , WALTERS DAVID 
Published: May 2010

Les données du Conseil scolaire du district de Toronto sont utilisées pour déterminer quelles sont les répercussions de vivre sous le seuil de faible revenu (SFR) sur le décrochage à l'école secondaire, en tenant compte du statut de la génération d'immigrants ainsi que d'une diversité de facteurs de risques (par exemple, le pays d'origine, l'âge à l'entrée de l'école secondaire, la réussite scolaire). Les résultats ont indiqué que la mesure SFR du voisinage constituait un prédicteur significatif du décrochage scolaire, indépendamment du statut d'immigrant. L'explication du taux de décrochage des immigrants à partir du facteur de la génération n'a obtenu que peu de soutien. La région d'origine s'est avérée un prédicteur marquant du décrochage où l'on constatait des différences entre les groupes d'immigrants et entre les étudiants immigrants et les étudiants originaires du pays.While education statistics confirm that there is little difference in the dropout rates of native‐born and immigrant youth, analyses of Toronto District School Board (TDSB) data have revealed significant variation in school persistence within immigrant groups. Among newcomer youth, the decision to leave school early has been reported to be strongly influenced by socioeconomic status as well as such factors as country of origin, age at arrival, generational status, family structure, and academic performance. While living in low‐income conditions is thought to place both foreign‐ and Canadian‐born youth at risk of poor school performance and early school withdrawal, their substantially higher incidence of poverty suggests that today's immigrant youth are likely to face greater obstacles to academic success that may in turn have detrimental, long‐term consequences. This paper uses TDSB data to investigate the extent to which living below the low‐income cutoff affects the likelihood of dropping out of secondary school, while taking into account generational status as well as a variety risk factors, noted above. Policy implications are discussed.
Comparison of laparoscopic and open adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma in a single center
Authors: Okegawa T , Nutahara K , Higashihara E 
Published: May 2010

AbstractIntroduction: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is recognized as a safe and feasible surgical procedure for removing adrenal masses, though some reports have questioned its use because of an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. This study aims to compare laparoscopic surgery and open surgery for pheochromocytoma.Methods: We analyzed 26 patients operated on for adrenal pheochromocytoma (laparoscopic surgery: 11 patients; open surgery: 15 patients) at Kyorin University Hospital from April 1995 to July 2009. Patient records were analyzed with regards to operative time, blood loss, complications, blood pressure during surgery, amount of analgesia required in patient‐controlled analgesia, time to oral intake, length of hospital stay, and other factors.Results: Mean tumor size was greater in the open surgery patients. Blood loss was significantly less extensive in the laparoscopic surgery patients. Rates of intraoperative hypertension (defined as a sudden rise in systolic blood pressure of >200 mmHg) and hypotension (systolic blood pressure of <80 mmHg) immediately after clamping of the adrenal vein were significantly lower in the laparoscopic surgery patients. No significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to operative time, occurrence of complications, and analgesic requirements. Only one case (9.1%) required conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery because intraoperative complications, specifically uncontrollable hemorrhaging. Time to oral intake after surgery and hospital stay were significantly shorter in the laparoscopic surgery patients. During the follow‐up period, there was no mortability or recurrence of endocrinopathy in the two groups.Conclusion: We consider the safety of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma to be similar to that of open surgery.
Assessment of assemblage‐wide temporal niche segregation using null models
Authors: Castro‐Arellano Ivan , Lacher Thomas E. , Willig Michael R. , Rangel Thiago F. 
Published: May 2010

Summary 1. Although time can be subdivided to promote species coexistence, quantitative examination of assemblage‐wide temporal niche overlap has seldom been explored with appropriate null models. Because of the sequential and continuous nature of time, it requires a different kind of randomization model than those used to assess subdivision of discrete and non‐sequential resources (e.g. food types and microhabitats). 2. For two common niche overlap indices (Pianka and Czekanowski), we compared the responses of two common randomization models and a newly developed model (ROSARIO) to different levels of temporal autocorrelation, specialization and coincidence of activity. 3. Although qualitatively similar results characterized overlap indices, results differed depending on randomization model. Temporal resolution of the data and amount of temporal specialization in an assemblage can have large effects on model outcomes. ROSARIO is as powerful as the models used for analyses of overlap of nominal and unordered resources, but it is more appropriate for ranked and interval data, as it maintains the empirical temporal autocorrelation within species. 4. ROSARIO can be a useful tool for exploration of assemblage‐wide patterns of overlap in the use of resources that occur as cyclical phenomena, such as diel phases, yearly seasons, lunar tides and climate oscillations.
Delayed Addition of Glucocorticoids Selectively Suppresses Cytokine Production in Stimulated Human Whole Blood
Authors: Horton Devin L. , Remick Daniel G. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTGlucocorticoids (GC) are potent drugs proven to effectively treat inflammatory diseases, although patients typically begin therapy after the onset of symptoms. Clinical studies with cytokine inhibitors prove that these mediators drive inflammatory responses in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Despite the clear sequence of cytokine-induced inflammation followed by effective GC treatment, most basic science investigations have examined the ability of GC to prevent an inflammatory response rather than halt its progression. The current studies used the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) agonist palmitoyl3-cysteine-serine-lysine4(PAM) or the TLR4 agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to stimulate human whole blood and determine whether postponing the addition of the GC dexamethasone (DEX) limits its ability to decrease cytokine production. Twenty-four hours after stimulation, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and IL-8 levels were measured, in addition to the cytokine inhibitors IL-1 soluble receptor II (SRII), IL-1 receptor antagonist, and TNF SRII. LPS rapidly induced all of the proinflammatory mediators over 24 h while failing to induce any of the cytokine inhibitors. PAM stimulation also induced IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8. Concomitant addition of DEX plus LPS or PAM significantly suppressed all cytokine levels. Delaying the addition of DEX until 6 h after LPS stimulation failed to decrease TNF or IL-6. In contrast, delayed DEX addition significantly suppressed PAM-induced IL-1β, IL-6, or IL-8 and also suppressed LPS-induced IL-1β and IL-8. Our results show that cytokines which typically increase in concentration between 6 and 24 h after stimulation were significantly suppressed by the addition of DEX 6 h after stimulation.