bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Work and pay in small Chinese clothing firms: a constrained negotiated order
Authors: Li Min , Edwards Paul 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTSmall clothing factories in China represent ideal conditions to find regimes characterised by market despotism. Yet studies of similar firms in other countries suggest that ‘negotiated paternalism’ is a better characterisation and that work relations have a large degree of cross‐national similarity. Using interview data from seven small case firms and 63 employees in 12 small clothing firms in Guangdong province, this article finds important parallels with other countries in terms of pay system and negotiated order. Workers could negotiate relatively high wages, albeit at the cost of very long hours. This situation reflected booming economic conditions, a non‐rationalised production system that left space for individual and informal collective bargaining, and close personal ties between workers and managers. Work relations in small firms are more nuanced than the sweatshop image allows, and extreme exploitation is more likely in Taylorised workplaces run by large corporations.
Employee ‘voice’ and working environment in post‐communist New Member States: an empirical analysis of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Authors: Woolfson Charles , Calite Dace , Kallaste Epp 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTThis article examines employee ‘voice’ in workplace health and safety in three Baltic New Member States by means of a cross‐national survey. The data point to unresolved problems of voice in the context of rather poor working environments. These present opportunities for collective renewal by trade unions, but paradoxically are more likely to be addressed by employers in the context of significant labour shortages created by a post‐European Union accession labour ‘exit’.
Survival rates and causes of mortality of Amur tigers on and near the Sikhote‐Alin Biosphere Zapovednik
Authors: Goodrich J. M. , Kerley L. L. , Smirnov E. N. , Miquelle D. G. , McDonald L. , Quigley H. B. , Hornocker M. G. , McDonald T. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractWe examined causes of mortality and survival rates for Amur tigers on and near the Sikhote‐Alin Biosphere Zapovednik. Our objectives were to estimate and compare survival rates among sex and age classes, estimate cause‐specific mortality, identify conservation issues related to tiger mortality and provide recommendations for reducing human‐caused mortality. We used two separate datasets; one based on radio‐tracking tigers from 1992 to 2005 and one based on reports of dead tigers from 1976 to 2000. We examined causes of mortality for both datasets and used a Cox proportional hazards models to estimate survival rates using data from 42 radio‐collared tigers. Mortality was predominantly human‐caused for both datasets (83% for the telemetry dataset and 78% for the other, n=24 and 53 mortalities, respectively), and 75% of collared animals were poached. All collared subadult tigers that dispersed were poached (n=6). Annual survival of adult females (0.81±0.10) was greater than that of adult males (0.63±0.20) (z=1.52, P=0.13) and subadult males (0.41±0.46) (z=2.07, P=0.04). Survival rates were precariously low on our study area, which included the largest protected area within Amur tiger range. Efforts to reduce human‐caused mortality should focus on poaching and reducing deaths from tiger–human conflicts.
Heart rate variability response to alcohol, placebo, and emotional picture cue challenges: Effects of 0.1‐Hz stimulation
Authors: Vaschillo Evgeny G. , Bates Marsha E. , Vaschillo Bronya , Lehrer Paul , Udo Tomoko , Mun Eun Young , Ray Suchismita 
Published: May 2008

AbstractHeart rate variability (HRV) supports emotion regulation and is reduced by alcohol. Based on the resonance properties of the cardiovascular system, a new 0.1‐Hz methodology was developed to present emotional stimuli and assess HRV reaction in participants (N=36) randomly assigned to an alcohol, placebo, or control condition. Blocked picture cues (negative, positive, neutral) were presented at a rate of 5 s on, 5 s off (i.e., 0.1‐Hz frequency). SDNN, pNN50, and HF HRV were reduced by alcohol, compared to the placebo and control. The 0.1‐Hz HRV index was diminished by alcohol and placebo, suggesting that autonomic regulation can be affected by cognitive expectancy. The 0.1‐Hz HRV index and pNN50 detected changes in arousal during emotional compared to neutral cues, and the 0.1‐Hz HRV index was most sensitive to negative valence. The 0.1‐Hz HRV methodology may be useful for studying the intersection of cognition, emotion, and autonomic regulation.
The pivotal role of news agencies in the context of globalization: a historical approach
Authors: BIELSA ESPERANÇA 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe global media play a fundamental role in contemporary globalization, making possible instant communication and promoting an experience of global connectedness. The globalization of media communications has deeply shaped the modern journalistic field in the last 150 years and, at the same time, global news organizations have been instrumental in creating the very conditions that have made globalization possible. In this article I explore the relationship between globalization and the media and trace the historical development of the field of global news, examining in detail the role and trajectories of its most important players, the global news agencies, and highlighting significant parallels between nineteenth‐century globalization and the processes that have led to increased global connectedness in the past decades. I also devote some attention to the more recent developments in the field of global news and the appearance of new types of media organizations.
Clinical Outcomes after Failed Renal Transplantation—Does Dialysis Modality Matter?
Authors: Perl Jeffrey , Bargman Joanne M. , Davies Simon J. , Jassal Sarbjit V. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractPatients returning to dialysis after graft loss (DAGL) are an increasing segment of the end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) population. It is unclear whether patients with previous graft loss have equivalent or reduced survival from the time of restarting dialysis when compared with ESRD patients initiating dialysis for the first time. Moreover, the impact of dialysis modality on the survival of patients returning to DAGL is not known. Studies of patients with transplant graft failure returning to hemodialysis (HD) have suggested decreased survival when compared with transplant‐naïve dialysis patients, yet some studies of patients with graft failure returning to peritoneal dialysis (PD) have demonstrated equivalent survival. Based on these data, it is unclear whether survival differences may exist between the dialysis modalities, and if they do, whether they can be attributed to either differences in patient characteristics or to factors related to the dialysis modalities. For patients starting back onto dialysis, in whom preservation of residual renal function is important, it is also unclear how immunosuppression reduction or transplant nephrectomy may affect survival. In this review, we will summarize the available literature on survival rates of patients returning to DAGL; compare and contrast survival after initiation of HD and PD and discuss what is known about the impact of transplant nephrectomy and the different approaches to immunosuppression reduction. Practical considerations will be discussed with a specific emphasis on patients treated by PD.
Sleep staging and respiratory events in refractory epilepsy patients: Is there a first night effect?
Authors: Selwa Linda M. , Marzec Mary L. , Chervin Ronald D. , Weatherwax Kevin J. , Vaughn Bradley V. , Foldvary‐Schaefer Nancy , Wang Lily , Song Yanna , Malow Beth A. 
Published: May 2008

SummaryPurpose:  We performed this analysis of possible first night effects (FNEs) on sleep and respiratory parameters in order to evaluate the need for two serial night polysomnograms (PSGs) to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in epilepsy patients.Methods:  As part of a pilot multicenter clinical trial investigating the effects of treating sleep apnea in epilepsy, two nights of PSG recording were performed for 40 patients with refractory epilepsy and OSA symptoms. Sleep architecture was examined in detail, along with respiratory parameters including apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) and minimum oxygen saturation. Analysis included two‐tailed t‐tests, Wilcox sign rank analysis, and Bland Altman measures of agreement.Results:  Total sleep time differed between the two nights (night 1,363.8 min + 59.4 vs. 386.3 min + 68.6, p = 0.05). Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and percentage of REM sleep were increased during night two (night 1: 12.3% + 5.9 vs. night 2: 15.5% + 6.2, p = 0.007), and the total minutes of slow‐wave sleep (SWS) were increased (night 1: 35.6 + 60.7 vs. night 2: 46.4 + 68.1, p = 0.01). No other sleep or respiratory variables differed between the two nights. Given an AHI inclusion criterion of five apneas per hour, the first PSG identified all but one patient with OSA.Discussion:  Respiratory parameters showed little variability between the first and second nights. Sleep architecture was mildly different between the first and second PSG night. Performing two consecutive baseline PSGs to diagnose OSA may not be routinely necessary in this population.
Different presurgical characteristics and seizure outcomes in children with focal cortical dysplasia type I or II
Authors: Krsek Pavel , Pieper Tom , Karlmeier Anja , Hildebrandt Michelle , Kolodziejczyk Dieter , Winkler Peter , Pauli Elisabeth , Blümcke Ingmar , Holthausen Hans 
Published: May 2008

SummaryPurpose: Cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a frequent cause of epilepsy in childhood. Two major pathological variants are distinguished, FCD type I and II. The aim of the study was to characterize differences between FCD type I and II with respect to imaging and EEG findings, clinical and neuropsychological presentations, and surgical outcome.Methods: Forty children with refractory epilepsy and histopathologically confirmed FCD were retrospectively analyzed. FCD type I was identified in 24 and FCD type II in 16 patients.Results: Characteristic MRI abnormalities in FCD type I included subtle white matter signal changes and regional reduction of the white matter volume. Typical MRI findings in FCD type II were increased cortical thickness, transmantle sign, gray‐white matter junction blurring, fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and proton density (PD) gray matter signal changes as well as T1w, and PD white matter signal changes. Continuous EEG slowing was significantly more common in patients with FCD type I. Children with FCD type I presented with lower levels of intelligence and were suffering more often from maladaptive behavior and behavioral disorders. Surgical outcome was significantly worse in the FCD type I group (seizure freedom was achieved in 21% FCD type I patients and in 75% FCD type II subjects, p < 0.001).Conclusions: Clinically important differences were found in children with distinct histopathological subtypes of FCD. Due to prominent neuropsychological deficits and worse seizure outcome, treatment strategies in FCD type I are more challenging than previously reported and these children should be recognized and specifically addressed within the incoherent group of patients with malformative brain disorders.
Burden of Neuropathic Pain in Indian Patients Attending Urban, Specialty Clinics: Results from a Cross Sectional Study
Authors:   IndINeP Study Group
Published: May 2008

▪ AbstractBackground and Objective:  Recent studies in Western populations have reported high patient burden of neuropathic pain. No data are currently available on the burden of neuropathic pain in Indian patients. Our study evaluated the burden of neuropathic pain in patients attending urban, private‐sector, specialty clinics.Methods:  This cross‐sectional, observational study surveyed 467 patients with neuropathic pain to assess the burden of pain (pain severity, patient‐reported treatment effectiveness, impact of hypothetical pain relief on overall health rating), burden because of quality of life impairment (EuroQoL health state, pain interference with daily living, sleep and mood disturbances, medication‐related adverse events), and economic burden (treatment cost, impact on employment and productivity). Physicians filled out a clinical case report form to provide information on patient's neuropathic pain disorder and treatment provided. The data were analyzed to assess the overall burden of neuropathic pain.Results:  Painful diabetic neuropathy was the most common cause of neuropathic pain (72%). Majority (64%) of patients reported moderate to severe pain, and about 50% reported moderate to severe pain‐related interference in activities of daily living. Substantial sleep impairment was reported as compared with general population. About 50% of patients reported co‐morbid mood disorders, while 67% reported medication‐related adverse event in the preceding week. Fifty‐seven per cent of patients reported an adverse impact on their employment status, including 13% who retired early or were unemployed. Among those currently working, 72% reported reduced productivity, including 22% who reported reduced productivity “most” or “all” of the time.Conclusions:  In Indian patients with access to urban, private‐sector, specialty clinics neuropathic pain (particularly painful diabetic neuropathy) remains a significant medical condition with substantial negative impact on their quality of life. ▪
Millisecond dip events in the 2007 RXTE/PCA data of Sco X—1 and the trans-Neptunian object size distribution
Authors: Liu Chih-Yuan , Chang Hsiang-Kuang , Liang Jau-Shian , King Sun-Kun 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Millisecond dips in the RXTE/PCA archival data of Sco X-1 taken from 1996 to 2002 were reported recently. Those dips were found to be most likely caused by instrumental dead time but may also contain some true astronomical events, which were interpreted as the occultation of X-rays from Sco X-1 by trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) of 100 m size. Here, we report the results of search for millisecond dip events with the new RXTE/PCA data of Sco X-1 taken in the year 2007. Adopting the same selection criteria as that in the previous study, we found only three dip events in 72-ks data, much fewer than the 107 events found in the 560-ks data taken from 1996 to 2002 reported earlier. The new data provide more detailed information of individual ‘very large events’ (VLEs), which is not available in the old archival data. Although the number of VLEs does not obviously increase during the occurrence of dip events, all the three dip events are coincident in time with VLEs that have no flags set for any of the propane or the six main xenon anodes. It is a strong indication of instrumental effects. No significant dips which might be real occultation by 60–100 m TNOs were observed. With only 72-ks data, however, the previously proposed possibility that about 10 percent of the dip events might not be instrumental still cannot be strictly excluded. Using the absence of those anomalous VLEs as the criterion for identifying non-instrumental dip events, we found, at a lower confidence level, four dip events of duration 8–10 ms in the 72-ks data. Upper limits to the size distribution of TNOs at the small size end are suggested.
Bezafibrate prevents hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrogenesis in a murine steatohepatitis model, and suppresses fibrogenic response induced by transforming growth factor‐β1 in a cultured stellate cell line
Authors: Nakano Shigeru , Nagasawa Tatsuya , Ijiro Tomoyuki , Inada Yoichi , Tamura Toru , Maruyama Kazuyasu , Kuroda Junji , Yamazaki Yoshinobu , Kusama Hiroshi , Shibata Nobuo 
Published: May 2008

Aim:  The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive actions of bezafibrate against non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), and fibrogenesis by using a model of NASH and an in vitro model.Methods:  Male KK‐Ay/TaJcl (KK‐Ay) mice were fed a methionine and choline‐deficient (MCD) diet or a MCD diet containing bezafibrate or pioglitazone for 7 weeks, after which biochemical parameters, pathological changes, and hepatic mRNA levels were assessed. An in vitro HSC model was designed by using a previously described RI‐T cell line stimulated by transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1).Results:  MCD diet‐fed KK‐Ay mice developed hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, and hepatic fibrosis. Bezafibrate markedly decreased the hepatic content of triglyceride accumulation of fatty droplets within hepatocytes, and increased the expression of hepatic fatty acid β‐oxidative genes in MCD diet‐fed KK‐Ay mice. Bezafibrate markedly inhibited the increases in the plasma alanine aminotransferase level and hepatic content of thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances in this model. Moreover, it dramatically reduced hepatic inflammatory changes and fibrosis concomitantly with marked reductions in the mRNA levels for inflammatory cytokine, chemokine, and profibrogenic genes. Importantly, both bezafibrate and pioglitazone markedly reduced the mRNA levels of profibrogenic and fibrogenic genes in TGF‐β1‐stimulated cells.Conclusion:  Bezafibrate improved hepatic steatosis and potently prevented inflammation, oxidative stress, HSC activation, and fibrogenesis in the liver. Moreover, this study was the first to demonstrate that bezafibrate directly inhibits hepatic fibrogenic response induced by TGF‐β1 in vitro. Hence bezafibrate may be a new therapeutic strategy against NASH and hepatic fibrosis.
Ectopic transplantation of hepatocyte sheets fabricated with temperature‐responsive culture dishes
Authors: Kano Kyoko , Yamato Masayuki , Okano Teruo 
Published: May 2008

Aim:  Hepatocyte transplantation to host livers by single cell suspension injection from the portal vein has been clinically successful in cases where the host liver architecture is intact. However, further investigation is still needed to achieve regeneration of the liver architecture when the host liver is destroyed, since single cell suspension injection often results in the formation of small hepatocyte colonies or islands. We show a hepatocyte transplantation strategy to ectopic sites.Methods:  Primary hepatocytes isolated from green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐transgenic rats were cultured on temperature‐responsive culture dishes. After harvest as intact cell sheets, triple‐layered cell sheets were transplanted over the superficial caudal epigastric artery and vein of athymic rats which had operation of 70% partial hepatectomy.Results:  The transplanted hepatocytes were integrated to host tissue with a laminar cell arrangement at transplanted sites within one week after surgery. But the transplanted hepatocytes were hardly detected four weeks after transplantation, when the partially hepatectomized host liver was completely regenerated. GFP‐positive bile duct‐like tubes and functional blood vessels were observed.Conclusion:  These results imply the usefulness of hepatocyte sheets in ectopic transplantation, as well as the need of trophic factors for hepatocyte survival.
Role of endothelin receptors on basal and endothelin-1-stimulated lung myofibroblast proliferationThis article is one of a selection of papers published in the special issue (part 1 of 2) on Forefronts in Endothelin.
Authors: Préfontaine Annick , Calderone Angelino , Dupuis Jocelyn 
Published: May 2008

Proliferation of myofibroblasts (MYF) contributes to numerous lung disorders. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) production is increased in various lung diseases and could contribute to lung remodelling. The respective roles of ETAand ETBreceptors (ETA-R, ETB-R) and the role of endogenous ET-1 production by lung MYF on proliferation of MYF remain uncertain. Rat lung MYF were isolated and3H-thymidine and3H-leucine incorporation assays were completed in the presence of a selective ETA-R antagonist, a selective ETB-R antagonist, or a combination of both. Receptor expression was evaluated by confocal imaging, and ET-1 levels were measured by ELISA. Confocal microscopy revealed abundant ETA-R and ETB-R expression on lung MYF. ET-1 (10 nmol/L) stimulated MYF proliferation and protein synthesis through PI3-kinase and p38 pathways. Although neither selective ETA-R blockade (BQ-123, 1 μmol/L) nor selective ETB-R blockade (BQ-788, 1 μmol/L) alone inhibited proliferation or protein synthesis, their combination almost completely abolished ET-1 mitogenic effect. Surprisingly, basal MYF proliferation was increased by selective blockade of either ETA-R or ETB-R alone, but not by dual blockade. ET-1 levels were not affected by the antagonists. Our findings indicate that both the ETA-R and the ETB-R regulate basal and stimulated lung MYF proliferation and suggest possible interactions between the receptors.
Additional lack of iNOS attenuates diastolic dysfunction in aged ET-1 transgenic miceThis article is one of a selection of papers published in the special issue (part 1 of 2) on Forefronts in Endothelin.
Authors: Kalk Philipp , Westermann Dirk , Herzfeld Sophia , Relle Katharina , Pfab Thiemo , Bauer Christian , Tschöpe Carsten , Stasch Johannes-Peter , Hocher Berthold 
Published: May 2008

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) exhibits potent proinflammatory and profibrotic properties. Moreover, inflammation is a potent stimulus for inducible NO synthase (iNOS), which has been shown to contribute to cardiac injury. We thus hypothesized that ET-1-induced cardiac injury is attenuated by concomitant lack of iNOS. We established crossbred animals of ET-1 transgenic mice (ET+/+) and iNOS knockout mice (iNOS−/−). At 13 months of age, mice were allocated according to their genotype to one of 4 study groups: wild type (WT) controls (n = 8); ET-1 transgenic (ET+/+) mice (n = 10); iNOS knockout (iNOS−/−) mice (n = 7); and crossbred (ET+/+ iNOS−/−) mice (n = 15). Left ventricular function was determined in vivo by using a tip catheter. Animals were subsequently euthanized and hearts were harvested for weight assessment and histologic evaluation. No cardiac hypertrophy was present, as evidenced by similar mean cardiac weight and myocyte diameter in all groups. Cardiac perivascular fibrosis was significantly increased in ET+/+ and iNOS−/− groups versus WT, whereas ET+/+ iNOS−/− mice did not differ from WT. Regarding left ventricular function, plasma B-type natriuretic peptide was elevated in ET+/+ and iNOS−/− mice, but again in crossbred animals this effect was blunted. Heart catheterization revealed a significantly increased stiffness constant in both ET-overexpressing groups versus WT, but this increase was significantly attenuated in the ET+/+iNOS−/− group versus the ET+/+ group. Parameters indicating systolic heart failure (EF, cardiac output), however, were not different between all study groups. Our study demonstrates that ET transgenic mice develop left ventricular stiffening with subsequent diastolic dysfunction in a slow, age-dependent manner. Additional knock out of iNOS significantly attenuates cardiac injury. We thus conclude that ET-1-induced cardiac injury is at least partially mediated by iNOS.