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Incomplete
Terms modified by Incomplete Selected AbstractsOPTIMAL EXPORT AND HEDGING DECISIONS WHEN FORWARD MARKETS ARE INCOMPLETEBULLETIN OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2007Kit Pong Wong D81; F23; F31 ABSTRACT This paper examines the behaviour of the competitive firm that exports to two foreign countries under multiple sources of exchange rate uncertainty. There is a forward market between the home currency and one foreign country's currency, but there are no hedging instruments directly related to the other foreign country's currency. We show that the separation theorem holds when the firm optimally exports to the foreign country with the currency forward market. The full-hedging theorem holds either when the firm exports exclusively to the foreign country with the currency forward market or when the relevant spot exchange rates are independent. In the case that the relevant spot exchange rates are positively (negatively) correlated in the sense of regression dependence, the firm optimally opts for a short (long) forward position for cross-hedging purposes. [source] Nonexistence of Constrained Efficient Equilibria When Markets are IncompleteECONOMETRICA, Issue 3 2002Egbert Dierker First page of article [source] Determinants of Incomplete Left Ventricular Mass Regression Following Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic StenosisJOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 4 2005Naoji Hanayama M.D. In this prospective study, we identified the predictors of Abn-LVMI. Methods: Between 1990 and 2000, 529 patients undergoing AVR for AS had clinical and hemodynamic data collected prospectively. Preoperative and annual postoperative transthoracic echos were employed to assess left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and hemodynamics. Abn-LVMI was defined as the 75th percentile of the lowest postoperative LVMI (>128 mg/m2, n = 133). All other patients were included in the normal regression group (N-LVMI). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of Abn-LVMI. Results: Preoperative hypertension, diabetes, coronary disease, valve size, mean postoperative gradients, effective orifice area, and patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM, indexed EOA <0.60 cm2/m2) did not predict Abn-LVMI. By logistic regression the most important positive predictor of Abn-LVMI was the extent of preoperative LVMI, with an odds ratio of 37.5 (p < 0.0001). Survival (93.4 ± 1.8% vs 94.8 ± 2.3%, p = 0.90) and freedom from NYHA III,IV (75.0 ± 3.7% vs 76.6 ± 5.3%, p = 0.60) were similar for both groups at 7 years. Conclusions: Measures of valve hemodynamics were not important predictors of incomplete regression of hypertrophy. The extent of preoperative hypertrophy was the most important predictor, suggesting that earlier surgical intervention may reduce the extent of hypertrophy postoperatively. Furthermore, the significance of LV hypertrophy to long-term survival must be reassessed, in the absence of scientific evidence. [source] Seven characteristics of medical evidenceJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2000FRCPC, Ross E. G. Upshur BA (Hons) Abstract This paper outlines seven essential characteristics of medical evidence and describes the implications of these for both the theory of evidence-based medicine and clinical practice. The seven characteristics are: (1) Provisional; (2) Defeasible; (3) Emergent; (4) Incomplete; (5) Constrained; (6) Collective and (7) Asymmetric. It is argued that the epistemological theory that best fits medical evidence is that of fallibilism. [source] Separation of Regulatory Powers When Contracts Are IncompleteJOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMIC THEORY, Issue 2 2010DAVID BARTOLINI The investment of a regulated firm affects the service/good provided on many dimensions. Should an integrated regulator take care of them all? Or is it better to have separate regulators responsible for them? We analyze the effect of the separation of regulatory powers on the regulated firm's,ex ante,incentive to invest in a "cooperative" innovation. The effects of the innovation are not verifiable and the cost of investing is sunk, hence, there is a problem of hold-up. We find that when the innovation produces opposite effects the,ex ante,firm's incentive to invest is larger in the case of separation than in the case of integrated regulation. We also stress the risk of over-investment that the separation of regulatory powers may induce. We maintain that along with classical incentive regulation,which mainly provides incentives for the firm to be efficient,the separation of regulatory powers may play a role in providing an incentive for cooperative innovations. [source] Statistical Inference For Risk Difference in an Incomplete Correlated 2 × 2 TableBIOMETRICAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2003Nian-Sheng Tang Abstract In some infectious disease studies and 2-step treatment studies, 2 × 2 table with structural zero could arise in situations where it is theoretically impossible for a particular cell to contain observations or structural void is introduced by design. In this article, we propose a score test of hypotheses pertaining to the marginal and conditional probabilities in a 2 × 2 table with structural zero via the risk/rate difference measure. Score test-based confidence interval will also be outlined. We evaluate the performance of the score test and the existing likelihood ratio test. Our empirical results evince the similar and satisfactory performance of the two tests (with appropriate adjustments) in terms of coverage probability and expected interval width. Both tests consistently perform well from small- to moderate-sample designs. The score test however has the advantage that it is only undefined in one scenario while the likelihood ratio test can be undefined in many scenarios. We illustrate our method by a real example from a two-step tuberculosis skin test study. [source] Vaccination rate and age of premature infants weighing <1500 g: a pilot study in north-western SwitzerlandACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 12 2001BU Tillmann In Switzerland, there are no special vaccination recommendations for premature and low-birthweight infants with respect to a particular target vaccination age. Incomplete and delayed vaccination bears the inherent risk of preventable infections. Therefore, the vaccination rate and age of 60 premature infants in north-western Switzerland born in 1994/95 were investigated in a retrospective case-control study. For this group of patients these are the first data ever available for this region. At the age of 4,5 y, the vaccination rates for polio and diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP acellular) as well as Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) were similar in both preterm and full-term infants. In both groups, the fourth dose of vaccine against DTP, Hib and polio was far less frequently administered than the first three. The vaccination age in preterm infants for most vaccinations was significantly higher than in age-matched full-term controls. This was particularly obvious for the first dose of vaccine against polio and DTP. In preterm infants, the median age (5th; 95th percentile) at the date of the first polio vaccination was 131 (89; 270) d and 82 (60; 182) in full-term controls (p < 0.00001). The age difference was even larger for the first DTP vaccination (62 d, p < 0.00001). The main reasons for delayed vaccination may include insufficient information given to parents as well as prolonged hospitalization. Conclusion: Vaccination of preterm infants should be discussed in every discharge communication, with emphasis on vaccine administration at the appropriate chronological age. [source] Pitfalls in the Diagnosis of Cerebellar InfarctionACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 1 2007Sean I. Savitz MD Abstract Background Cerebellar infarctions are an important cause of neurologic disease. Failure to recognize and rapidly diagnose cerebellar infarction may lead to serious morbidity and mortality due to hydrocephalus and brain stem infarction. Objectives To identify sources of preventable medical errors, the authors obtained pilot data on cerebellar ischemic strokes that were initially misdiagnosed in the emergency department. Methods Fifteen cases of misdiagnosed cerebellar infarctions were collected, all seen, or reviewed by the authors during a five-year period. For each patient, they report the presenting symptoms, the findings on neurologic examination performed in the emergency department, specific areas of the examination not performed or documented, diagnostic testing, the follow-up course after misdiagnosis, and outcome. The different types of errors leading to misdiagnosis are categorized. Results Half of the patients were younger than 50 years and presented with headache and dizziness. All patients had either incomplete or poorly documented neurologic examinations. Almost all patients had a computed tomographic scan of the head interpreted as normal, and most of these patients underwent subsequent magnetic resonance imaging showing cerebellar infarction. The initial incorrect diagnoses included migraine, toxic encephalopathy, gastritis, meningitis, myocardial infarction, and polyneuropathy. The overall mortality in this patient cohort was 40%. Among the survivors, about 50% had disabling deficits. Pitfalls leading to misdiagnosis involved the clinical evaluation, diagnostic testing, and establishing a diagnosis and disposition. Conclusions This study demonstrates how the diagnosis of cerebellar infarction can be missed or delayed in patients presenting to the emergency department. [source] Proposing magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia in low-field MRICONCEPTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE, Issue 1 2010Pádraig Cantillon-Murphy Abstract This work examines feasibility, practical advantages, and disadvantages of a combined MRI/magnetic particle hyperthermia (MPH) system for cancerous tumor treatment in low perfusion tissue. Although combined MRI/hyperthermia systems have been proposed and constructed, the current proposal differs because the hyperthermia system would be specifically designed to interact with the magnetic nanoparticles injected at the tumor site. The proposal exploits the physical similarities between the magnetic nanoparticles currently employed for MPH and those used as superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) contrast agents in MR imaging. The proposal involves the addition of a rotating magnetic field RF hyperthermia source perpendicular to the MRI B0 field which operates in a similar manner to the MRI RF excitation field, B1, but at significantly higher frequency and field strength such that the magnetic nanoparticles are forced to rotate in its presence. This rotation is the source of increases in temperature which are of therapeutic benefit in cancer therapy. For rotating magnetic fields with amplitudes much smaller than B0, the nanoparticles' suspension magnetization rapidly saturates with increasing B0. Therefore, the proposal is best suited to low-field MRI systems when magnetic saturation is incomplete. In addition, careful design of the RF hyperthermia source is required to ensure no physical or RF interference with the B1 field used for MRI excitation. Notwithstanding these caveats, the authors have shown that localized steady-state temperature rises in small spherical tumors of up to 10°C are conceivable with careful selection of the nanoparticle radius and concentration, RF hyperthermia field amplitude and frequency. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 36A: 36,47, 2010. [source] Jürgen Habermas's Theory of CosmopolitanismCONSTELLATIONS: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRITICAL AND DEMOCRATIC THEORY, Issue 4 2003Robert Fine In this paper we explore the sustained and multifaceted attempt of Jürgen Habermas to reconstruct Kant's theory of cosmopolitan right for our own times. In a series of articles written in the post-1989 period, Habermas has argued that the challenge posed both by the catastrophes of the twentieth century, and by social forces of globalization, has given new impetus to the idea of cosmopolitan justice that Kant first expressed. He recognizes that today we cannot simply repeat Kant's eighteenth-century vision: that if we are to grapple with the complexities of present-day problems, it is necessary to iron out certain inconsistencies in Kant's thinking, radicalize it where its break from the old order of nation-states is incomplete, socialize it so as to draw out the connections between perpetual peace and social justice, and modernize it so as to comprehend the "differences both in global situation and conceptual framework that now separate us from him."1 His basic intuition, however, is that Kant's idea of cosmopolitan right is as relevant to our times as it was to Kant's own. If it was Kant's achievement to formulate the idea of cosmopolitanism in a modern philosophical form, Habermas takes up the challenge posed by Karl-Otto Apel: to "think with Kant against Kant" in reconstructing this idea. What follows is a critical assessment of Habermas's response to this challenge. We focus here on the dilemmas he faces in grounding his normative commitment to cosmopolitan politics and in reconciling his cosmopolitanism with the national framework in which he developed his ideas of constitutional patriotism and deliberative democracy. [source] Sensitive skin: closing in on a physiological causeCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 3 2010Miranda A. Farage The phenomenon of ,sensitive skin' is a relatively recent complaint in which certain individuals report more intense and frequent adverse sensory effects than the normal population upon use of cosmetic (personal-care) products. Originally defined as a minority complaint, sensitive skin is now claimed by a majority of women in industrialized countries and nearly half of men. Sensitive skin is self-diagnosed and typically unaccompanied by any obvious physical signs of irritation, and the number of individuals who claim sensitivity has risen steadily with the number of consumer products targeted towards this supposedly uncommon group. Believed by many dermatologists, therefore, to be a ,princess and the pea' phenomenon, the problem of sensitive skin has largely avoided focussed research. Over the last few years, however, the evidence of documentable biophysical changes associated with the largely sensory symptoms of this disorder has accumulated, including some gained by improved methods of identifying subclinical signs of skin irritation. Although the understanding of the aetiology of this phenomenon is as yet incomplete, existing research now supports a biophysical origin for this disorder. Effective methods of diagnosis, intrinsic and extrinsic contributors to exaggerated neural sensitivity, and the specific mechanisms of the discomfort associated with the compliant are required, as are appropriate means of prevention and treatment. [source] The Disclosure of UK Boardroom Pay: the March 2001 DTI proposalsCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2001Martin J. Conyon In March 2001 the government announced that new disclosure rules relating to UK boardroom pay would be introduced. This paper critically evaluates these proposals. The new proposals emerged from the government's Directors Remuneration consultative document issued in July 1999. The current paper makes the following contributions to the governance literature. First, the new disclosure proposals are reviewed. I suggest that they are incomplete both in their detail and scope. I also suggest that the government has conceded that more US style executive compensation disclosure is required. Second, I describe US executive compensation disclosure practices. If convergence in disclosure practice is potentially desirable then a more systematic comparison and analysis of current disclosure policies in the two economies is warranted. [source] Transgenic mice for studies of the renin,angiotensin system in hypertensionACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 4 2004J. L. Lavoie Abstract Hypertension is a polygenic and multi-factorial disorder that is extremely prevalent in western societies, and thus has received a great deal of attention by the research community. The renin,angiotensin system has a strong impact on the control of blood pressure both in the short- and long-term, making it one of the most extensively studied physiological systems. Nevertheless, despite decades of research, the specific mechanisms implicated in its action on blood pressure and electrolyte balance, as well as its integration with other cardiovascular pathways remains incomplete. The production of transgenic models either over-expressing or knocking-out specific components of the renin,angiotensin system has given us a better understanding of its role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Moreover, our attention has recently been refocused on local tissue renin,angiotensin systems and their physiological effect on blood pressure and end-organ damage. Herein, we will review studies using genetic manipulation of animals to determine the role of the endocrine and tissue renin,angiotensin system in hypertension. We will also discuss some untraditional approaches to target the renin,angiotensin system in the kidney. [source] Manufacturing Practices and Strategy Integration: Effects on Cost Efficiency, Flexibility, and Market-Based PerformanceDECISION SCIENCES, Issue 3 2005Morgan Swink ABSTRACT Manufacturing plant managers have sought performance improvements through implementing best practices discussed in World Class Manufacturing literature. However, our collective understanding of linkages between practices and performance remains incomplete. This study seeks a more complete theory, advancing the idea that strategy integration and enhanced manufacturing capabilities such as cost efficiency and flexibility serve as intermediaries by which practices affect performance. Hypotheses related to this thesis are tested using data from 57 North American manufacturing plants that are past winners and finalists in Industry Week's"America's Best" competition (Drickhamer, 2001). The results suggest that strategy integration plays a strong, central role in the creation of manufacturing cost efficiency and new product flexibility capabilities. Furthermore, strategy integration moderates the influences of product-process development, supplier relationship management, workforce development, just-in-time flow, and process quality management practices on certain manufacturing capabilities. In turn, manufacturing cost efficiency and new product flexibility capabilities mediate the influence of strategy integration on market-based performance. These findings have implications for practice and for future research. [source] Metrics in the Science of SurgeACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2006Jonathan A. Handler MD Metrics are the driver to positive change toward better patient care. However, the research into the metrics of the science of surge is incomplete, research funding is inadequate, and we lack a criterion standard metric for identifying and quantifying surge capacity. Therefore, a consensus working group was formed through a "viral invitation" process. With a combination of online discussion through a group e-mail list and in-person discussion at a breakout session of the Academic Emergency Medicine 2006 Consensus Conference, "The Science of Surge," seven consensus statements were generated. These statements emphasize the importance of funded research in the area of surge capacity metrics; the utility of an emergency medicine research registry; the need to make the data available to clinicians, administrators, public health officials, and internal and external systems; the importance of real-time data, data standards, and electronic transmission; seamless integration of data capture into the care process; the value of having data available from a single point of access through which data mining, forecasting, and modeling can be performed; and the basic necessity of a criterion standard metric for quantifying surge capacity. Further consensus work is needed to select a criterion standard metric for quantifying surge capacity. These consensus statements cover the future research needs, the infrastructure needs, and the data that are needed for a state-of-the-art approach to surge and surge capacity. [source] An investigation of root-fractured permanent incisor teeth in childrenDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Laura Feely Abstract ,,,The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the type of healing which occurred in root-fractured permanent incisor teeth in children. The objectives were to determine whether gender, age, stage of root development or location of the fracture affected the healing type. The method involved careful scrutiny of clinical records and radiographs of children who attended a unit of paediatric dentistry in a dental hospital. Relevant information was entered onto a data collection sheet. The results were tabulated and analysed by the ,2 -tests using the SPSS statistical package. The results are based on 34 root-fractured teeth in 33 children aged 8,15 years. Root development was incomplete in 27 of the root-fractured teeth and complete in seven teeth. A good healing outcome was seen in 27 (79.4%) of the teeth and poor healing in 7 (20.6%). The only factor which was found to be statistically significantly related to healing was the stage of root development. It can be concluded that root-fractured teeth with immature roots have a better chance of showing good healing than teeth with mature roots. [source] Agoraphobia: a review of the diagnostic classificatory position and criteria,,DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 2 2010Hans-Ulrich Wittchen Ph.D. Abstract The status of agoraphobia (AG) as an independent diagnostic category is reviewed and preliminary options and recommendations for the fifth edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V) are presented. The review concentrates on epidemiology, psychopathology, neurobiology, vulnerability and risk factors, clinical course and outcome, and correlates and consequences of AG since 1990. Differences and similarities across conventions and criteria of DSM and ICD-10 are considered. Three core questions are addressed. First, what is the evidence for AG as a diagnosis independent of panic disorder? Second, should AG be conceptualized as a subordinate form of panic disorder (PD) as currently stipulated in DSM-IV-TR? Third, is there evidence for modifying or changing the current diagnostic criteria? We come to the conclusion that AG should be conceptualized as an independent disorder with more specific criteria rather than a subordinate, residual form of PD as currently stipulated in DSM-IV-TR. Among other issues, this conclusion was based on psychometric evaluations of the construct, epidemiological investigations which show that AG can exist independently of panic disorder, and the impact of agoraphobic avoidance upon clinical course and outcome. However, evidence from basic and clinic validation studies remains incomplete and partly contradictory. The apparent advantages of a more straightforward, simpler classification without implicit hierarchies and insufficiently supported differential diagnostic considerations, plus the option for improved further research, led to favoring the separate diagnostic criteria for AG as a diagnosis independent of panic disorder. Depression and Anxiety, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Genetics of anxiety disorders: the complex road from DSM to DNA,DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 11 2009Jordan W. Smoller M.D. Sc.D. Abstract Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting one in four individuals over a lifetime. Although our understanding of the etiology of these disorders is incomplete, familial and genetic factors are established risk factors. However, identifying the specific casual genes has been difficult. Within the past several years, advances in molecular and statistical genetic methods have made the genetic dissection of complex disorders a feasible project. Here we provide an overview of these developments, with a focus on their implications for genetic studies of anxiety disorders. Although the genetic and phenotypic complexity of the anxiety disorders present formidable challenges, advances in neuroimaging and experimental animal models of anxiety and fear offer important opportunities for discovery. Real progress in identifying the genetic basis of anxiety disorders will require integrative approaches that make use of these biologic tools as well as larger-scale genomic studies. If successful, such efforts may yield novel and more effective approaches for the prevention and treatment of these common and costly disorders. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Residual cognitive impairments in remitted depressed patients,DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 6 2008Wendelien Merens M.A. Abstract Depressive disorders are associated with various cognitive impairments. Studies on whether or not these impairments persist into the euthymic phase have shown conflicting results, due to differences in test versions and in study samples. In this paper, we aimed to compare the cognitive performance of remitted depressed patients with that of age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers across a wide range of cognitive domains. In two studies, we found few differences on neutral as well as emotional information processing tests. The findings indicate that remitted depressed patients who use antidepressant medication still show an increased recognition of facial expression of fear compared to healthy controls. Patients also performed worse on a test of recognition of abstract visual information from long-term memory. No other residual cognitive impairments were found. These results indicate that most of the cognitive impairments associated with depression resolve with recovery through medication, even when recovery is incomplete. Considering the finding that remitted depressed patients have higher levels of cognitive reactivity, future studies may investigate the possibility that these cognitive impairments have not resolved but have become latent, and may therefore easily be triggered by small changes in mood state. Depression and Anxiety 0:1,10, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Limits to Democratic Development in Civil Society and the State: The Case of Santo DomingoDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 1 2003Anne Marie Choup Some scholars see civil society as key to democratization of the political system. In this view, pressure from civil society forces democratization of the state. However, this disregards the fact that changes in civil society's behaviour require changes in political society , changes are reciprocal. The demand,making strategies of grassroots organizations in the Dominican Republic in 1999 provide a good example of this dynamic: the incomplete nature of the democratic transition (specifically, the persistence of paternalism and clientelism) constrained the democratic strategy choices of the civil society organizations. Just as democratization within political society is inconsistent and incomplete, so will be the demand,making strategies of the grassroots towards the state. The Dominican case is of particular interest as it illustrates the blend of personalized and institutionalized elements characteristic of democratic transition. [source] Hoxb3 vagal neural crest-specific enhancer element for controlling enteric nervous system developmentDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 2 2005Kwok Keung Chan Abstract The neural and glial cells of the intrinsic ganglia of the enteric nervous system (ENS) are derived from the hindbrain neural crest at the vagal level. The Hoxb3 gene is expressed in the vagal neural crest and in the enteric ganglia of the developing gut during embryogenesis. We have identified a cis -acting enhancer element b3IIIa in the Hoxb3 gene locus. In this study, by transgenic mice analysis, we examined the tissue specificity of the b3IIIa enhancer element using the lacZ reporter gene, with emphasis on the vagal neural crest cells and their derivatives in the developing gut. We found that the b3IIIa-lacZ transgene marks only the vagal region and not the trunk or sacral region. Using cellular markers, we showed that the b3IIIa-lacZ transgene was expressed in a subset of enteric neuroblasts during early development of the gut, and the expression was maintained in differentiated neurons of the myenteric plexus at later stages. The specificity of the b3IIIa enhancer in directing gene expression in the developing ENS was further supported by genetic analysis using the Dom mutant, a spontaneous mouse model of Hirschsprung's disease characterized by the absence of enteric ganglia in the distal gut. The colonization of lacZ -expressing cells in the large intestine was incomplete in all the Dom/b3IIIa-lacZ hybrid mutants we examined. To our knowledge, this is the only vagal neural crest-specific genetic regulatory element identified to date. This element could be used for a variety of genetic manipulations and in establishing transgenic mouse models for studying the development of the ENS. Developmental Dynamics 233:473,483, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A cognitive and affective pattern in posterior fossa strokes in children: a case seriesDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 7 2010MANOELLE KOSSOROTOFF Aim, Posterior fossa strokes account for about 10% of ischaemic strokes in children. Although motor and dysautonomic symptoms are common, to our knowledge cognitive and affective deficits have not been described in the paediatric literature. Our aim, therefore, was to describe these symptoms and deficits. Method, In a retrospective study, we included all cases of posterior fossa strokes in children occurring at a single centre between 2005 and 2007, and investigated cognitive and affective deficits. Results, Five males aged 3 to 14 years met the inclusion criteria. They all presented very early with mood disturbances: outbursts of laughter and/or crying and alternating agitation or prostration that disappeared spontaneously within a few days. Persistent cognitive deficits were also diagnosed in all five: initial mutism, then anomia, followed by comprehension deficiency and deficiencies of planning ability, visual,spatial organization, and attention. Despite early and intensive rehabilitation, recovery from these cognitive deficits was slow and sometimes incomplete, and on follow-up they proved to be more disabling than the motor symptoms. Interpretation, These findings are similar to the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome described in adults, and quite similar to the language and affective deficits observed in children after surgery for posterior fossa tumour. This is consistent with the role of the cerebellum and brainstem in affective and cognitive processes from early development. [source] The sexually dimorphic expression of L7/SPA, an estrogen receptor coactivator, in zebra finch telencephalonDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 14 2007Kelli A. Duncan Abstract Sex differences in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) brain are robust and include differences in morphology (song control nuclei in males are significantly larger) and behavior (only males sing courtship songs). In zebra finches, hormonal manipulations during development fail to reverse sex differences in song nuclei size and suggest that the classical model of sexual differentiation is incomplete for birds. Coactivators act to initiate transcriptional activity of steroid receptors, and may help explain why hormonal manipulations alone are not sufficient to demasculinize the male zebra finch brain. The present study investigated the expression and localization of L7/SPA (an estrogen receptor coactivator) mRNA and protein expression across the development of zebra finch song nuclei from males and females collected on P1 (song nuclei not yet formed), P10 (posthatch day 10, song nuclei formed), P30 (30 days posthatch, sexually immature but song nuclei formed and birds learning to sing), and adult birds (older than 65 days and sexually mature). Northern blot analysis showed a significant sex difference in P1 and adult L7/SPA mRNA expression while Western blot analysis also showed enhanced expression in the male brain at all age points. Both in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that L7/SPA mRNA and protein were located in the song nuclei as well as expressed globally. Elevated coactivator expression may be a possible mechanism controlling the development of male song control nuclei, and coactivators such as L7/SPA may be important regulators of the masculinizing effects of estradiol on brain sexual differentiation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007. [source] SECOND LOOK COLONOSCOPY: INDICATION AND REQUIREMENTSDIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 2009Jean-Francois Rey Background:, There are circumstances when a colonoscopy should be repeated after a short interval following the first endoscopic procedure which has not completely fulfilled its objective. Review of the literature:, A second look colonoscopy is proposed when there remains a doubt about missed neoplastic lesions, either because the intestinal preparation was poor or because the video-endoscope did not achieved a complete course in the colon. The second look colonoscopy is also proposed at a short interval when it is suspected that the endoscopic removal of a single or of multiple neoplastic lesions was incomplete and that a complement of treatment is required. When the initial endoscopic procedure has completely fulfilled its objective, a second look colonoscopy can be proposed at longer intervals in surveillance programs. The intervals in surveillance after polypectomy are now adapted to the initial findings according to established guidelines. This also applies to the surveillance of incident focal cancer in patients suffering from a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Conclusion:, Finally, in most developed countries, a priority is attributed to screening of colorectal cancer and focus is given on quality assurance of colonoscopy which is considered as the gold standard procedure in the secondary prevention of colorectal cancer. [source] ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION FOR ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL NEOPLASMSDIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 2 2009Mitsuhiro Fujishiro Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has gradually gained acceptance as one of the standard treatments for early esophageal cancer, as well as for early gastric cancer in Japan, but standardization of the knowledge is still incomplete. The final goal to perform ESD is not to resect the lesion in an en bloc fashion, but to save the patient from esophageal cancer-related death. Thus, the indications should be considered based on the entire patient, not just the target lesion itself, and pre-, peri- and postoperative management of the patient is also very important, as well as technical aspects of ESD. In terms of the techniques of ESD, owing to refinement of the procedural strategy, invention of the devices, and the learning curve, acceptable safety and favorable middle-term efficacy have been obtained. We believe that ESD will become a standard treatment for early esophageal cancer not only in Japan but also worldwide in the near future. [source] Efficacy of mediastinal lymphadenectomy in transhiatal esophagectomy with and without diaphragm opening: a cadaveric studyDISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 2 2002F. A. M. Herbella SUMMARY., Transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) is believed to induce a lower morbidity and mortality compared with transthoracic esophagectomy, but to be inefficient in performing mediastinal lymphadenectomy. Some surgeons are convinced that lymphadenectomy of the lower mediastinum in THE and transthoracic esophagectomy are equivalent. To test this, the authors performed THE in 20 cadavers (10 with and 10 without diaphragm opening). The number of lymph nodes resected with the esophagus and dissected through the hiatus was counted. After THE, the thorax was opened and the number of residual lymph nodes was evaluated. Complications were also assessed. The results show that lymphadenectomy in THE is incomplete in the lower mediastinum and not possible in the upper mediastinum; comparing THE with and without diaphragm opening, the first permits resection of a superior number of lymph nodes with the esophagus and dissection of a higher number of nodes through the hiatus. It is concluded that THE does not provide an effective mediastinal lymphadenectomy. [source] Landslide inventories and their statistical propertiesEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 6 2004Bruce D. Malamud Abstract Landslides are generally associated with a trigger, such as an earthquake, a rapid snowmelt or a large storm. The landslide event can include a single landslide or many thousands. The frequency,area (or volume) distribution of a landslide event quanti,es the number of landslides that occur at different sizes. We examine three well-documented landslide events, from Italy, Guatemala and the USA, each with a different triggering mechanism, and ,nd that the landslide areas for all three are well approximated by the same three-parameter inverse-gamma distribution. For small landslide areas this distribution has an exponential ,roll-over' and for medium and large landslide areas decays as a power-law with exponent -2·40. One implication of this landslide distribution is that the mean area of landslides in the distribution is independent of the size of the event. We also introduce a landslide-event magnitude scale mL = log(NLT), with NLT the total number of landslides associated with a trigger. If a landslide-event inventory is incomplete (i.e. smaller landslides are not included), the partial inventory can be compared with our landslide probability distribution, and the corresponding landslide-event magnitude inferred. This technique can be applied to inventories of historical landslides, inferring the total number of landslides that occurred over geologic time, and how many of these have been erased by erosion, vegetation, and human activity. We have also considered three rockfall-dominated inventories, and ,nd that the frequency,size distributions differ substantially from those associated with other landslide types. We suggest that our proposed frequency,size distribution for landslides (excluding rockfalls) will be useful in quantifying the severity of landslide events and the contribution of landslides to erosion. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Output-only structural identification in time domain: Numerical and experimental studiesEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 4 2008M. J. Perry Abstract By identifying changes in stiffness parameters, structural damage can be detected and monitored. Although considerable progress has been made in this research area, many challenges remain in achieving robust structural identification based on incomplete and noisy measurement signals. The identification task is made even more difficult if measurement of input force is to be eliminated. To this end, an output-only structural identification strategy is proposed to identify unknown stiffness and damping parameters. A non-classical approach based on genetic algorithms (GAs) is adopted. The proposed strategy makes use of the recently developed GA-based method of search space reduction, which has shown to be able to accurately and reliably identify structural parameters from measured input and output signals. By modifying the numerical integration scheme, input can be computed as the parameter identification task is in progress, thereby eliminating the need to measure forces. Numerical and experimental results demonstrate the power of the strategy in accurate and efficient identification of structural parameters and damage using only incomplete acceleration measurements. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Predator control of ecosystem nutrient dynamicsECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 10 2010Oswald J. Schmitz Abstract Predators are predominantly valued for their ability to control prey, as indicators of high levels of biodiversity and as tourism attractions. This view, however, is incomplete because it does not acknowledge that predators may play a significant role in the delivery of critical life-support services such as ecosystem nutrient cycling. New research is beginning to show that predator effects on nutrient cycling are ubiquitous. These effects emerge from direct nutrient excretion, egestion or translocation within and across ecosystem boundaries after prey consumption, and from indirect effects mediated by predator interactions with prey. Depending on their behavioural ecology, predators can create heterogeneous or homogeneous nutrient distributions across natural landscapes. Because predator species are disproportionately vulnerable to elimination from ecosystems, we stand to lose much more from their disappearance than their simple charismatic attractiveness. [source] Plant functional traits and soil carbon sequestration in contrasting biomesECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 5 2008Gerlinde B. De Deyn Abstract Plant functional traits control a variety of terrestrial ecosystem processes, including soil carbon storage which is a key component of the global carbon cycle. Plant traits regulate net soil carbon storage by controlling carbon assimilation, its transfer and storage in belowground biomass, and its release from soil through respiration, fire and leaching. However, our mechanistic understanding of these processes is incomplete. Here, we present a mechanistic framework, based on the plant traits that drive soil carbon inputs and outputs, for understanding how alteration of vegetation composition will affect soil carbon sequestration under global changes. First, we show direct and indirect plant trait effects on soil carbon input and output through autotrophs and heterotrophs, and through modification of abiotic conditions, which need to be considered to determine the local carbon sequestration potential. Second, we explore how the composition of key plant traits and soil biota related to carbon input, release and storage prevail in different biomes across the globe, and address the biome-specific mechanisms by which plant trait composition may impact on soil carbon sequestration. We propose that a trait-based approach will help to develop strategies to preserve and promote carbon sequestration. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||