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Selected AbstractsWars and Markets: How Bond Values Reflect the Second World WarECONOMICA, Issue 271 2001Bruno Frey Historical events are reflected in asset prices. Based on a unique data-set, we analyse government bond prices of Germany and Austria traded on the Swiss bourse during the Second World War. Some war events generally considered crucial are clearly reflected in government bond prices; this holds, in particular, for the official outbreak of the war and the loss and gain of national sovereignty. Other events to which historians attach great importance are not reflected in bond prices, most prominently Germany's capitulation in 1945. The analysis of financial markets provides a fruitful method for evaluating the importance contemporaries attached to historical events. [source] Transvaginal Hysterosalpingo-Contrast Sonography (HyCoSy) Compared with ChromolaparoscopyJOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2000Dr. Somchai Tanawattanacharoen Abstract Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of HyCoSy with chromolaparoscopy for the diagnosis of tubal occlusion and uterine abnormalities. Methods: Sixty infertile women in whom the cause of infertility was thought to be tubal occlusion or uterine abnormalities and who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria as specified in the study protocol were included. HyCoSy was performed during the first half of the menstrual cycle at least 24 hours prior to chromolaparoscopy. The results from both HyCoSy and chromolaparoscopy were compared in assessing tubal occlusion and uterine pathology. Results: For the evaluation of fallopian tubes, we found corresponding results between HyCoSy and chromolaparoscopy in 80.0%. The agreement between both procedures in assessing the uterine pathology was 80.4%. Twenty-two women experienced adverse events. The most common complaint was pelvic pain. Other events encountered were: nausea (3 women) and vaginal bleeding (2 women). All events were thought to be not related to the study drug. Conclusion: HyCoSy showed good diagnostic performance in the evaluation of the fallopian tubes and uterus in infertile women. The adverse events reported in this study are minor and procedure-related (catheter insertion) rather than the trial substance. [source] Conditional Lifetime Data Analysis Using the Limited Expected Value FunctionQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2004John Quigley Abstract Much failure, and other event, data are commonly highly censored. Consequently this limits the efficacy of many statistical analysis techniques. The limited expected value (LEV) function presents an alternative way of characterizing lifetime distributions. In essence the LEV provides a means of calculating a truncated mean time to failure (MTTF) (or mean time before failure (MTBF) if appropriate) that is adjusted at each of the censoring times and so appears potentially suitable for dealing with censored data structures. In theory, the LEV has been defined for many standard distributions, however its practical use is not well developed. This paper aims to extend the theory of LEV for typical censoring structures to develop procedures that will assist in model identification as well as parameter estimation. Applications to typical event data will be presented and the use of LEV in comparison with a selection of existing lifetime distributional analysis will be made based on some preliminary research. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Relating information-needs to the cancer experience.EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 1 2000This paper is based on a phenomenological study that used narratives to explore lived cancer experiences. The aim of the study was to determine the important issues for people with cancer that arose out of their cancer experience, and to place their information-needs within the stages of the cancer trajectory. The literature highlights the importance of information-giving; however, many problems are encountered with its provision. People with cancer frequently express dissatisfaction with the information given to them and experience difficulty in retaining and processing information. Six individuals were invited to tell the story of their cancer experience through in-depth interviews and narrative analysis uncovered thematic aspects of the lived experience. One interview in particular stood out as capturing the essence of a lived experience. Jenny's narrative had a beginning, a middle and an end, features that are traditionally associated with stories. This paper focuses on her story in depth, and illustrates the extent to which cancer can impinge on normal coping mechanisms. A diagnosis of cancer cannot be isolated from the other events in an individual's life, and themes emerged which showed that cancer impacts on different aspects of an individual's self-identity, including body image, family, social and work relationships. The cancer experience invariably begins before the point of diagnosis and information-needs clearly change over time. [source] REVIEW: Reward sensitivity: issues of measurement, and achieving consilience between human and animal phenotypesADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010David N. Stephens ABSTRACT Reward is a concept fundamental to discussions of drug abuse and addiction. The idea that altered sensitivity to either drug,reward, or to rewards in general, contributes to, or results from, drug-taking is a common theme in several theories of addiction. However, the concept of reward is problematic in that it is used to refer to apparently different behavioural phenomena, and even to diverse neurobiological processes (reward pathways). Whether these different phenomena are different behavioural expressions of a common underlying process is not established, and much research suggests that there may be only loose relationships among different aspects of reward. Measures of rewarding effects of drugs in humans often depend upon subjective reports. In animal studies, such insights are not available, and behavioural measures must be relied upon to infer rewarding effects of drugs or other events. In such animal studies, but also in many human methods established to objectify measures of reward, many other factors contribute to the behaviour being studied. For that reason, studying the biological (including genetic) bases of performance of tasks that ostensibly measure reward cannot provide unequivocal answers. The current overview outlines the strengths and weaknesses of current approaches that hinder the conciliation of cross-species studies of the genetics of reward sensitivity and the dysregulation of reward processes by drugs of abuse. Some suggestions are made as to how human and animal studies may be made to address more closely homologous behaviours, even if those processes are only partly able to isolate ,reward' from other factors contributing to behavioural output. [source] Identification and functional analysis of the gene for type I myosin in fission yeastGENES TO CELLS, Issue 3 2001Mika Toya Background Type I myosin is highly conserved among eukaryotes, and apparently plays important roles in a number of cellular processes. In the budding yeast, two myosin I species have been identified and their role in F-actin assembly has been inferred. Results We cloned the fission yeast myo1 gene, which apparently encoded a myosin I protein. Disruption of myo1 was not lethal, but it caused growth retardation at high and low temperatures, sensitivity to a high concentration of KCl, and aberrance in cell morphology associated with an abnormal distribution of F-actin patches. An abnormal deposition of cell wall materials was also seen. Homothallic myo1, cells could mate, but heterothallic myo1, cells were poor in conjugation. Myo1p was necessary for the encapsulation of spores. The tail domain of Myo1p was pivotal for its function. Calmodulin could bind to Myo1p through the IQ domain at the neck. Conclusions Myo1p appears to control the redistribution of F-actin patches during the cell cycle. Loss of Myo1p function is likely to slow down the actin assembly/disassembly process, which results in a failure of the actin cycle to catch up with other events in both the mitotic and meiotic cell cycles, including extension of the conjugation tubes. [source] Psychopathology and autobiographical memory in stroke and non-stroke hospitalized patientsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2003Mark John Sampson Abstract Background Psychopathology and autobiographical memory were investigated in a cohort of stroke and non-stroke hospitalized patients. Both these cohorts have been identified as having high levels of psychopathology (Katon and Sullivan 1990; Burvill et al., 1995). Difficulties recalling specific autobiographical memories (overgeneral memory) have been identified as important psychological variables in depression and predictors of outcome (Williams and Scott 1988; Brittlebank et al., 1993). Intrusive autobiographical memories have also been found to be associated with depression and overgeneral memory in depressed women (Kuyken and Brewin, 1995) and depressed cancer patients (Brewin et al., 1998a). This study looked at levels of psychopathology and autobiographical memories in stroke and non-stroke hospital patients. Method 417 patients were screened, of the 176 eligible 103 agreed to participate (54 stroke and 49 non-stroke). Participants were assessed for overgenerality using the Autobiographical Memory Test and intrusiveness of memories using the Impact of Events Scale. Also assessed were PTSD-like symptoms (PCL-S), mood (HADS, GHQ-28) and cognitive ability (MMSE, verbal fluency, digit span and estimated pre-morbid IQ). Results No significant differences were found between stroke and non-stroke patients on severity of depression, anxiety, severity of PTSD-like symptoms or autobiographical memories. Backward multivariate regression analyses for combined data (stroke and non-stroke) indicated that overgeneral memory recall, intrusive memories of past events and intrusive memories of illness were significant independent predictors of depression (HADS). Avoidance of intrusive memories and reported childhood distress were not predictors of overgeneral memory recall. Significant predictors of overgeneral memory recall were; Gender, antidepressant medication, and estimated IQ. Conclusion Significant levels of psychopathology were identified in this cohort. However, there were no significant differences in the levels of depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms and autobiographical memory between stroke and non-stroke hospitalized patients. Of particular interest was the finding that PTSD-like symptoms did not appear to be influenced by the nature of the person's illness. In combined data (stroke and non-stroke) autobiographical memories (intrusive images of their illness, intrusive memories of other events and overgeneral memory recall variables) were significant predictors of depression in this cohort. This suggests that psychological intervention of memory processes may be a worthwhile target in psychological intervention for depression in these cohorts. Gender, cognitive impairment, antidepressant medication, and estimated IQ were significant predictors of overgeneral memory recall and further investigation into the validity of these findings are warranted. Suggestions for further research and limitations of the study are also discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The accuracy of matrix population model projections for coniferous trees in the Sierra Nevada, CaliforniaJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2005PHILLIP J. VAN MANTGEM Summary 1We assess the use of simple, size-based matrix population models for projecting population trends for six coniferous tree species in the Sierra Nevada, California. We used demographic data from 16 673 trees in 15 permanent plots to create 17 separate time-invariant, density-independent population projection models, and determined differences between trends projected from initial surveys with a 5-year interval and observed data during two subsequent 5-year time steps. 2We detected departures from the assumptions of the matrix modelling approach in terms of strong growth autocorrelations. We also found evidence of observation errors for measurements of tree growth and, to a more limited degree, recruitment. Loglinear analysis provided evidence of significant temporal variation in demographic rates for only two of the 17 populations. 3Total population sizes were strongly predicted by model projections, although population dynamics were dominated by carryover from the previous 5-year time step (i.e. there were few cases of recruitment or death). Fractional changes to overall population sizes were less well predicted. Compared with a null model and a simple demographic model lacking size structure, matrix model projections were better able to predict total population sizes, although the differences were not statistically significant. Matrix model projections were also able to predict short-term rates of survival, growth and recruitment. Mortality frequencies were not well predicted. 4Our results suggest that simple size-structured models can accurately project future short-term changes for some tree populations. However, not all populations were well predicted and these simple models would probably become more inaccurate over longer projection intervals. The predictive ability of these models would also be limited by disturbance or other events that destabilize demographic rates. [source] Gaining fluid bed process understanding by in-line particle size analysisJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 3 2009Tero Närvänen Abstract Different process phenomena and process failure modes could be monitored using the in-line particle size data measured by spatial filtering technique (SFT). In addition to the real-time granule growth monitoring, other events, such as the blocking of filter bags and the distributor plate, could be observed. SFT was used off-line, at-line and in-line in 14 differently manufactured granulation batches. No significant fouling occurred during the manufacturing due to the appropriate positioning of the probe. The off-line SFT results correlated well (R2,=,0.97) with the sieve analysis results. It was also found that size segregation influenced both the in-line and at-line particle size results during the fluidization: in-line method underestimated and at-line method overestimated the final particle size. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 98:1110,1117, 2009 [source] Perspectives on the Past: A Study of the Spatial Perspectival Characteristics of Recollective MemoriesMIND & LANGUAGE, Issue 2 2007DOROTHEA DEBUS I begin by considering the ,Past-Dependency-Claim', which states that every recollective memory (or ,R-memory') has its spatial perspectival characteristics in virtue of the subject's present awareness of the spatial perspectival characteristics of a relevant past perceptual experience. Although the Past-Dependency-Claim might for various reasons seem particularly attractive, I show that it is false. I then proceed to develop and defend the ,Present-Dependency-Claim', namely the claim that the spatial perspectival characteristics of an R-memory depend on the spatial perspectival characteristics of perceptual experiences that the subject has at the time at which the R-memory occurs. Lastly, I discuss the phenomenon of so-called ,observer-memories', which presents a special challenge for any attempt to account for the spatial perspectival characteristics of R-memories. I argue that we have no good reason to deny that the relevant experiences should count as memories, and I show that we can account for the spatial perspectival characteristics of observer-memories with the help of the ,Present-Dependency-Claim'. More generally, the paper shows that certain events that occur in a subject's mental life (namely, a subject's R-memories) are necessarily dependent on other events that occur in the relevant subject's mental life (namely, on certain perceptual experiences). This more general conclusion in turn should be relevant for any attempt to develop an appropriate account of a subject's mental life as a whole. [source] Electron Beam Computed Tomographic Scanning in Preventive MedicinePREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002David G. King BSc Undetected coronary atherosclerosis is present in the majority of patients suffering myocardial infarction or sudden death. Electron beam computed tomography affords noninvasive scanning of the heart to detect and measure coronary calcification. These data permit dramatically improved assessment of both short term and future risk for cardiac and other events. Knowledge of this risk gives the physician an opportunity for timely and cost-effective interventions. [source] Phylogeny of the large extinct South American Canids (Mammalia, Carnivora, Canidae) using a "total evidence" approachCLADISTICS, Issue 5 2010Francisco J. Prevosti South America currently possesses a high diversity of canids, comprising mainly small to medium-sized omnivorous species, but in the Pleistocene there were large hypercarnivorous taxa that were assigned to Protocyon spp., Theriodictis spp., Canis gezi, Canis nehringi and Canis dirus. These fossils have never been included in phylogenies based on quantitative cladistics, but hand-constructed cladograms published in the 1980s included some of them in the South American canine clade and others in the Canis clade. In this work, the phylogenetic position of the large extinct South American canids was studied using a large sample of living and extinct canids, as well as different sources of characters (e.g. DNA and 133 osteological characters). The phylogenetic analysis corroborates the inclusion of Theriodictis and Protocyon in the "South American clade", where C. gezi is also included. In addition, the position of C. dirus as a highly derived Canis species is confirmed. The simultaneous analysis supports hypercarnivory having arisen at least three times in Caninae and once in the "South American clade". The combination of the phylogenetic analyses, the fossil record and divergence dates estimated in previous works suggests that at least three or four independent lineages of the "South American clade" invaded South America after the establishment of the Panama bridge around 3 million years ago, plus other events corresponding to the immigration of Urocyon and Canis dirus. © The Willi Hennig Society 2009. [source] In vivo expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 6 (STAT6) in nasal mucosa from atopic allergic rhinitis: effect of topical corticosteroidsCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 1 2000Ghaffar Background The allergen-induced late nasal response is associated with a high local expression of interleukin (IL) -4, a TH2-type cytokine implicated in immunoglobulin (Ig) E production, tissue eosinophilia and other events considered to be relevant to allergic inflammation. Interaction of IL-4 with its receptor activates at least two distinct signalling pathways that culminate in the transcription of specific target genes. One pathway involves the activation of a transcription factor termed signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 6 (STAT6). Objective To investigate the expression of STAT6 in the allergen-induced late nasal response and to examine the effect of local steroid treatment on STAT6 expression. Methods Inferior turbinate biopsies were obtained from subjects with allergic rhinitis out of the allergen season. Subjects were then randomized into topical steroid- (n = 6) and placebo-treated (n = 6) groups in a double-blind fashion. After a 6-week treatment period, a second nasal biopsy was performed 24 h after local challenge with allergen. STAT6 immunoreactivity was examined in biopsy specimens by immunocytochemistry using a specific monoclonal antibody. Numbers of inflammatory cells (CD3+ T cells and MBP+ eosinophils) and IL-4 mRNA+ cells were investigated by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization, respectively. Results STAT6 immunoreactivity was detected in all biopsies studied and localized predominantly to inflammatory tissue of the nasal mucosa. After allergen challenge, expression of STAT6 was markedly increased in placebo-treated patients (P < 0.01). By confocal microscopy, STAT6 was localized to the cytoplasm and the nucleus of positively-staining cells. The allergen-induced increase in STAT6 immunoreactive cells was not observed in the steroid-treated patients. The change in STAT6 immunoreactivity after allergen challenge correlated significantly with the change in numbers IL-4 mRNA+ cells (r = 0.74, P = 0.006) and CD3+ T cells (r = 0.76, P = 0.004), but not MBP+ eosinophils. Conclusion This study provides the first evidence of increased STAT6 expression in vivo in human allergic inflammation. The results support a role for STAT6 and IL-4 in the pathogenesis of late nasal response and show that decreases in STAT6 expression parallel the reduction in IL-4 expression that occurs with topical steroid treatment. [source] |