bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of Rat CD4+CD25+ T Cells and Their Ability to Prevent Not Only Diabetes But Also Insulitis in an Adoptive Transfer Model in BB Rats
Authors: Holm T. L. , Lundsgaard D. , Markholst H.
Published: June 2006

Human and mouse CD4+CD25+ T cells have been intensively studied through the last decade. However, little is known about this subset in other species. This study describes the phenotype of rat CD4+CD25+ Foxp3+ T cells and the site in which they exert regulation in a transfer‐induced autoimmune diabetes model. Several proteins and mRNAs are up‐regulated in unstimulated rat CD4+CD25+ T cells compared with CD4+CD25– T cells, including Foxp3, Lag‐3, CD80, interleukin 10 (IL‐10) and CTLA‐4. To investigate CD4+CD25+ T cells in vivo, we transferred three million diabetogenic T cells either alone or in combination with two million CD4+CD25+ T cells to 30‐day‐old BB rats. The pancreas and the pancreatic lymph nodes were examined as two potential regulatory sites. Time‐course analysis of pancreatic histology following diabetogenic T‐cell transfers revealed insulitis from about 14 days after transfer. By contrast, rats receiving both diabetogenic T cells and CD4+CD25+ T cells had no insulitis at any time. Moreover, the frequency of diabetogenic T cells in the pancreatic lymph nodes 2 days after transfer was significantly reduced in rats receiving both subsets. These data indicate that the primary site of T‐cell regulation is in the draining lymph nodes and not the pancreas in our model.
Dawsonite, alumohydrocalcite, nordstrandite and gorceixite in Permian marine strata of the Sydney Basin, Australia
Authors: GOLDBERY R. , LOUGHNAN F. C.
Published: June 2006

Dawsonite, alumohydrocalcite, nordstrandite, gorceixite and calcite are associated in marine strata of the Permian Shoalhaven Group of the Sydney Basin, south‐eastern Australia. The assemblages were apparently of late syngenetic or epigenetic development and resulted from two interrelated processes: (a) precipitation from solutions rich in sodium, aluminate and carbonate ions and (b) reaction of these solutions with earlier‐formed minerals leading to the development of complete and partial pseudomorphs. Although the evidence is inconclusive, the host rocks were probably the source of the ions.
The first description of an oesophageal candidosis by Bernhard von Langenbeck in 1839
Authors: Knoke M. , Bernhardt H.
Published: June 2006

In November 1839 the young university lecturer Bernhard (von) Langenbeck (1810–1887) published the first description of a fungus as aetiological agent of an oro‐pharyngeal and oesophageal candidosis. We present his in English translated paper entitled ‘Finding of fungi on the mucous membrane of the gullet of a typhoid fever corpse’ (Germ.) in ‘Neue Notizen aus dem Gebiete der Natur‐ und Heilkunde’ (Froriep). There are interesting particulars in Langenbeck's description and discussion. The publication happened at the same time as that by Johann Lukas Schoenlein about fungi as the cause of the favus lesions. In this time Langenbeck lived at Göttingen. Later he went to Kiel and Berlin and became one of the most prominent surgeons of the 19th century. He sponsored the founding of the German Surgical Society, the Berlin Medical Society and the ‘Archiv für Klinische Chirurgie’. In 1864 he was ennobled. Some of his assistants were Th. Billroth, R.U. Kroenlein, F. von Esmarch, and F. Trendelenburg.
Enzymatic activities of Alternaria alternata allergenic extracts and its major allergen (Alt a 1)
Authors: Sáenz‐de‐Santamaría Miriam , Guisantes Jorge A. , Martínez Jorge
Published: June 2006

Several allergens from Alternaria alternata have been isolated allowing some of them to be identified and characterised. Despite the fact that the major allergen of A. alternata (Alt a 1) has been extensively produced by recombinant technology, its biological activity still remains unknown. In the present study, extracts from culture filtrates were used to evaluate the intra‐specific variability of the enzymes and also as a source for isolating and purifying native Alt a 1. This was purified by affinity chromatography using antibody anti‐recombinant Alt a 1 (produced in Escherichia coli). Enzyme activities were analysed by the API‐ZYM System screening method. Results demonstrated the high variability of enzyme activities among the different strains. Only activities corresponding to phosphatases, esterases and β‐glucosidase were expressed by 100% of the strains. Both native and recombinant Alt a 1 showed phosphatase and esterase activities, suggesting that the glucidic moiety of this allergen does not significantly affect its enzyme activity.
Histoplasmosis: a review for clinicians from non‐endemic areas
Authors: Joseph Wheat L.
Published: June 2006

Histoplasmosis is an important systemic mycosis in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Increasingly cases are recognised in nonendemic areas. Proper management requires recognition of the clinical syndromes caused by Histoplasma capsulatum infection, familiarity with the uses and limitations of the diagnostic tests, an understanding of the indications for treatment and role of specific antifungal agents. This review will address these issues with the goal of providing physicians in non‐endemic areas sufficient information to suspect, diagnose, and treat patients with histoplasmosis.
Clinical and experimental evaluation of a new chromogenic medium (OCCA®, Oxoid) for direct identification of Candida albicans, C. tropicalis and C. krusei
Authors: Baixench M. T. , Taillandier A. , Paugam A.
Published: June 2006

Oxoid Chromogenic Candida Agar (OCCA®) is a new commercial ready‐to‐use medium that contains chromogenic substrates for rapid detection and specific identification of Candida albicans, C. tropicalis and C. krusei. We evaluated the performance of this medium with 364 clinical specimens and 31 subcultures, and examined its ability to support the growth of small inocula of six reference strains. CHROMagar Candida was used as the reference medium. OCCA permitted the growth of most important yeasts, and readily discriminated among Candida spp. in clinical specimens, including mixed cultures.
In vitro tests indicate that certain varieties of oats may be harmful to patients with coeliac disease
Authors: Silano Marco , Dessì Mariarita , De Vincenzi Massimo , Cornell Hugh
Published: June 2006

Background:  The presence of oats in gluten‐free diet is controversial. The aim of this work is to evaluate if different varieties of oats exert different toxicity in coeliac disease.

Methods:  Three varieties of oats were tested by two in vitro assay based on the known ability of peptic‐tryptic digests of coeliac‐active proteins to agglutinate K562 cells and to disrupt lysosomes, respectively.

Results:  Avenins from the Italian variety Astra and the Australian variety Mortlook were much more active than the Australian variety Lampton. Gliadin, digested in the same way, certainly displayed more activity than all three avenins, but rice (var. Roma) did not have measurable activity.

Conclusions:  The results indicate that some varieties of oats may be potentially harmful to individuals with coeliac disease and therefore should be excluded from the gluten‐free diet required to maintain good health in coeliac disease. It is important to realize that constant, small amounts of active proteins in the diet, such as certain avenins, may prevent complete recovery of the intestinal mucosa in this disease.
Is Keeping a Secret or Being a Secretive Person Linked to Psychological Symptoms?
Authors: Kelly Anita E. , Yip Jonathan J.
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACT
This prospective study explored whether keeping a major secret, self‐concealment (i.e., the predisposition to keep secrets), and social support at Time 1 predicted symptomatology levels 9 weeks later (Time 2) among a sample of 86 undergraduates. The results showed that the process of keeping a secret actually predicted fewer symptoms, whereas the personality variable of self‐concealment predicted more symptoms at Time 2, even when the analyses controlled for social support. However, the predictive effects of both secret keeping and self‐concealment were wiped out when the analyses statistically controlled for initial symptomatology, which was positively linked to self‐concealment from the outset. These findings challenge conventional wisdom about the dangers of keeping a major secret and suggest that, instead, the kind of person who is secretive simply might be more vulnerable to symptoms.
Government Accountability For Outsourced Services*
Authors: Mulgan Richard
Published: June 2006

The effect of outsourcing on government accountability for public services continues to be contested. Analysts point to an accountability deficit while governments insist that accountability is retained (and indeed improved). The existence of an accountability deficit is confirmed, using examples from the Commonwealth Job Network. The government claim, that accountability remains, is best interpreted as rhetorical, as a refusal to shift blame to private contractors, even though some channels of accountability may be weakened. The claim can be seen as evidence of an increasing incorporation of private contractors into the overall structure of government.
Online data collection in academic research: advantages and limitations
Authors: Lefever Samúel , Dal Michael , Matthíasdóttir Ásrún
Published: June 2006

Online data collection in academic research might be replacing paper‐and‐pencil surveys or questionnaires in the near future. This paper discusses the advantages and limitations of online data collection, with particular reference to the conduct of two qualitative studies involving upper secondary school teachers and students in Iceland in 2002. Email was used for contacting the participants to ask them to visit a designated website in order to complete the questionnaire. Some problems arose with the use of an online web‐based programme for data collection. Among them were the unreliability of the email address lists and the lack of willingness, particularly among students, to participate. The paper concludes that while online surveys can access large and geographically distributed populations and achieve quick returns, they may no longer be as universally appealing as was once believed. Reaching the population sample remains a problem in online as well as in traditional data collection.
Research apprenticeships: A report on a model graduate programme in instructional systems
Authors: Carr‐Chellman Alison A. , Gursoy Husra , Almeida Luis , Beabout Brian
Published: June 2006

Graduate programmes in instructional design/educational technology are, by their nature, continuously being updated and improved. As a most recent iteration of the ever‐evolving graduate experience, an experimental programme at Pennsylvania State University’s Instructional Systems programme takes as its centerpiece a research apprenticeship in which graduate students work directly with their advisors in research teams as part of a credit‐bearing coursework. This paper reports the results of an evaluation to examine the uses and the effectiveness of the research apprenticeship from both faculty and staff perspectives. The findings indicate that the course enjoyed a great degree of flexibility and allowed faculty to integrate a number of different approaches and activities into this course and to account for extensive mentoring of graduate students through the credit‐bearing apprenticeship. Students indicated that the course gave them much more equitable access to mentoring for publications and presentations and opportunities to engage in scholarly activities throughout their apprenticeship. Suggestions for programmes seeking to employ an apprenticeship approach were drawn along with future research directions.
Teaching and Learning Forgiveness: A Multidimensional Approach
Authors: Malcolm Lois , Ramsey Janet
Published: June 2006

Abstract. This essay seeks to illumine the teaching and learning of the practice of forgiveness by relating a range of theoretical perspectives (theological, psychological, and socio‐cultural) to the process of cultivating the practical wisdom needed for forgiveness. We discuss how a Trinitarian “epistemology of the cross” might lead one to a new way of perceiving life’s constraints and possibilities and relate this theological epistemology to three psychological approaches for understanding forgiveness – a narrative approach, object‐relations theory, and consciousness development theory. Our discussion of these theoretical perspectives is explicitly related to the practice of teaching and learning forgiveness, outlining learning activities we have used in a course we taught (which ranged from case studies and film to lectures and discussions based on close readings of biblical and theological texts) and reporting highlights in our students’ work.
Pulling Structured Inequality into Higher Education: the Impact of Part‐Time Working on English University Students
Authors: Humphrey Robin
Published: June 2006

This paper explores the social and academic effects of term‐time working on undergraduate students at an English university. Data initially collected via a survey of student social relationships were enhanced by the inclusion of end‐of‐year academic performance. Various inferential statistical techniques were used to identify these effects. Path analysis was employed to disentangle significant variables and to show that term‐time working had direct and significant effects on the two factors shown to be affected most significantly by term‐time working: end‐of‐year average grade and participation in university societies. A major finding was that almost all students who worked came from state schools rather than from independent privately financed schools. The findings are discussed within the context of the recent history of funding policy regarding higher education in England. A key conclusion is that structured inequality, an inherent feature of a divided secondary education system, is being pulled firmly into higher education.
Adoption in Korea: current status and future prospects
Authors: Lee Bong Joo
Published: June 2006

This article examines the current status of adoption in Korea and discusses the issues that must be addressed for future development. The nature of adoption has changed dramatically in the last 50 years, and continues to change in Korea. If the first half of modern adoption history were about finding and providing permanent homes for war orphans and children abandoned out of destitution, the second half saw increasing demand for adoption to function as a key component of the continuum of child welfare services providing care for children who need protection and care outside their home. However, responding to this change has been a challenge over the years. Based on the analysis of recent trends of the child welfare system and adoption in Korea, this article reveals that there are significant barriers in the path to improving adoption, especially domestic adoption, so that it can be considered a realistic placement option for children who need protection and care in Korea. Suggestions for the future direction of reforming adoption policy and practice are given.
Pain in Adolescent Psychiatric Patients
Authors: Reigstad Bjørn , Jørgensen Kirsti , Wichstrøm Lars
Published: June 2006

Background:  Little is known about the extent of pain among adolescent psychiatric patients, and the relationships with psychosocial factors and psychiatric symptoms.

Method:  A representative sample of 129 adolescent patients were assessed with measures including the Youth Self‐Report, the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, and instruments assessing self‐perceptions, coping styles, stresses, sociodemographic factors, and childhood abuse.

Results:  More than half of the adolescents (54%) reported to be bothered currently by frequent pain. Frequent pain correlated with depression, self‐harm, suicide attempt, and with ruminative and emotion oriented coping. Adolescents suffering from frequent pain had more often experienced childhood abuse/neglect. A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that depression, alcohol intoxication and childhood neglect were the strongest concurrent predictors of frequent pain.

Conclusions:  Clinicians should ask child and adolescent psychiatric patients about pain, and be aware of possible connections with abuse/neglect, depression and suicidality.
The place of individuals in the politics of scale
Authors: Cidell Julie
Published: June 2006

Conceptualizations and re‐conceptualizations of scale have been powerful tools for explaining spatial processes that transcend traditionally‐bounded territories. Examining the role of individuals within a politics of scale can do even more to explain multi‐scalar conflicts. This paper does so by examining struggles over airport expansion in the US, showing how an understanding of the various roles of individuals in the politics of scale – as sites of multiple scales, as actors constituting other scales, and as scales in and of themselves – better explains multi‐scalar conflicts and offers more opportunities for resolving them.
Product Change Intensity, Product Advantage, and Market Performance: An Empirical Investigation of the PC Industry
Authors: Hua Stella Y. , Wemmerlöv Urban
Published: June 2006

Product change decisions, such as the frequency of new product introductions, can impact product performance characteristics, sales, and market share of several generations of products and, therefore, a firm's long‐term survival and growth. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a firm's product change frequency, also referred to as product change intensity. A conceptual model linking a firm's product change intensity to its product advantage—and, in turn, to its market performance—with strategic product change orientation and technology competence as moderating effects, was used as a foundation for the study's hypotheses. These were tested using hierarchical and linear regressions, based on survey data collected from 55 U.S. companies in the personal computer (PC) industry. The analysis confirmed that a PC firm's product rate of change is positively associated with its product advantage and that its product advantage, in turn, is positively associated with its market share and growth performance. However, the hypothesized moderating effects were not confirmed. Rather, a firm's product change orientation and its level of technology competence are more likely to have a direct impact on product advantage. The implications of these findings are that, in general, firms that release new products frequently will have them viewed more favorably by the market than products with lower change intensities. Also, firms with higher levels of competence in the product technology domain tend to create products with greater market attraction. Finally, more radical changes to PC product architectures may pay off better than relatively minor changes. These results may not apply to other industries due to the specific design of personal computers and the nature of this fast‐paced market. Neither do the findings necessarily apply to all firms regardless of those firms' specific product and market strategies. More research is necessary to understand how a firm's adopted strategy, and the industry in which it operates, affect the relationships demonstrated in this study.
An Illustration of Potential Sources of Concept‐Test Error*
Authors: Klink Richard R. , Athaide Gerard A.
Published: June 2006

A critical step in prelaunch market analysis needing improvement is concept testing. This article reviews the literature on the three basic design decisions inherent to concept testing: (1) stimuli design; (2) respondent selection; and (3) response measurement. By incorporating findings from diffusion theory, the current review identifies a number of potential sources of concept‐test error (e.g., failing to account for adoption orientation could unintentionally mask the response of earlier adopters). Through an exploratory study that replicates in many ways a typical concept test, the present study illustrates how results of conventional concept testing can be sensitive to respondents' adoption orientation and the response measure used. This study offers implications for NPD practice that include accounting for the adoption orientation of respondents, using appropriate response measures such as affective questions for later adopters, and incorporating more product‐related information and repeat exposure for later adopters.
Over‐the‐Counter Pill Provision: Evidence from Jamaica
Authors: Chin‐Quee Dawn S. , Cuthbertson Carmen , Janowitz Barbara
Published: June 2006

Although many countries allow over‐the‐counter distribution of oral contraceptives, doubt remains about whether such provision is safe for the user. The greatest concern is whether women with contraindications for use are given access to the pill. Clearly, women without such contraindications should be given access to it and be offered adequate information about its correct use. In 15 pharmacies in Jamaica, mystery clients approached pharmacists to determine their willingness to sell oral contraceptives and to solicit information from them about correct use of the method. In addition to data from mystery‐client observations, interviews were conducted with 78 pharmacists and with 524 pharmacy customers who bought oral contraceptives, providing complementary information about knowledge of, attitudes toward, and experiences with the method. Analysis of the combined findings suggests that over‐the‐counter provision of oral contraceptives is a safe, practical, and effective method of distribution in Jamaica.
Predictors of Physicians’ Involvement in Addressing Sexual Health Issues
Authors: Tsimtsiou Zoi , Hatzimouratidis Konstantinos , Nakopoulou Evangelia , Kyrana Evie , Salpigidis George , Hatzichristou Dimitris
Published: June 2006

Objectives

Although the World Health Organization has declared that sexual health is an integral part of overall health, physicians seem to engage in taking the sexual health history less than their patients would desire. This study aimed at investigating the factors that predict physicians’ involvement in addressing sexual health issues, including their attitudes toward the doctor–patient relationship, as well as sexual issues.

Methods

Physicians participating in educational courses on erectile dysfunction were the study sample, and anonymously and optionally completed a battery of questionnaires. In addition to demographics and a questionnaire on their involvement in taking sexual histories, the beliefs about the doctor–patient relationship were measured by the Patient–Practitioner Orientation Scale, while the Physician Belief Scale was used as the measurement of the psychosocial aspects of patient care. Finally, participants completed the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory––Attitude subscale, in order to determine the possible role of physicians’ sexual attitudes.

Results

Previous training in communication skills was found to be the strongest predictor for sexual history taking. Physicians addressing patients’ psychosocial concerns were found to be more likely to ask for sexual health problems and to consider their management as less difficult. Other identified predictors of their involvement in sexual history taking were their medical specialty—possibly reflecting their level of education in sexual medicine––and having liberal sexual attitudes; female physicians and general practitioners reported more difficulty in dealing with sexual problems.

Conclusions

Physicians’ training in communication skills seems to be fundamental for sexual history taking and the management of sexual problems, as it improves their level of comfort in dealing with sexual issues; exposure to sexual medicine courses, and psychosocial orientation, as well as physicians’ personal sexual attitudes, are also important factors affecting their involvement in sexual medicine.
Determinants of Patient Satisfaction Following Penile Prosthesis Surgery
Authors: Akin-Olugbade Oluyemi , Parker Marilyn , Guhring Patricia , Mulhall John
Published: June 2006

Purpose

Penile prosthetic surgery is associated with satisfaction rates >90% for the general penile implant population. It is suggested that satisfaction rates may be lower in certain populations. This study was undertaken to define potential predictors of satisfaction.

Methods

Patients undergoing penile prosthesis surgery completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) prior to surgery, and the IIEF and Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS) questionnaires at least 6 months postoperatively accompanied by a Global Satisfaction Question (GSQ).

Results

A total of 114 patients constituted the study population. Subgroups evaluated included patients with Peyronie’s disease (PD), body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2, radical prostatectomy (RP), and patient age > 70 years. The mean patient age and duration of ED were 59 ± 14 and 3.2 ± 1.9 years, respectively. All groups demonstrated statistically significant differences between pre- and postoperative scores for the IIEF and EDITS. Patients with PD, a history of RP, and BMI > 30 kg/m2 had significantly lower scores on the GSQ, IIEF satisfaction domain, and EDITS compared with the general implant population. Only PD impacted negatively on the postoperative IIEF erectile function domain score. On the multivariate analysis, factors associated with ≥5-point difference in the IIEF satisfaction domain score compared with the general implant population were PD (RR = 4.2), RP (RR = 2.2), and BMI > 30 (RR = 1.8).

Conclusions

These data suggest that men diagnosed with PD, BMI > 30, or previous RP undergoing penile prosthesis surgery have lower satisfaction rates than the general penile implant population.
Is Obtaining an Arrestee's DNA a Valid Special Needs Search under the Fourth Amendment? What Should (and Will) the Supreme Court Do?
Authors: Maclin Tracey
Published: June 2006

In the past twenty years, advances in forensic DNA technology have revolutionized the American criminal justice system. The use of forensic DNA testing in America began in 1987, and its demonstrated scientific accuracy quickly led jurisdictions to accept expert testimony regarding DNA matches between suspects and crime scene evidence. Wielding the power to exonerate the innocent and apprehend the guilty, the use of DNA identification technology has become an indispensable resource for prosecutors and law enforcement officials, as well as for defense lawyers representing persons falsely accused or wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit. As states began to compile DNA profiles from convicted offenders, the need for a repository for these profiles resulted in the DNA database.

Originally, DNA databases included only “those classes of offenders with a high recidivism rate, such as sex offenders and violent felons.” Recognizing the crime-solving potential of this technology, state legislatures soon began to expand the scope of DNA database statutes to include broader classes of offenders.
Who Needs Special Needs? On the Constitutionality of Collecting DNA and other Biometric Data from Arrestees
Authors: Kaye D. H.
Published: June 2006

For years, the collection of DNA samples from individuals arrested for criminal misconduct has been advocated by police officials and endorsed by politicians. Louisiana, Virginia, California, and South Dakota have adopted laws to add DNA profiles derived from these samples to their DNA databases. Texas provides for DNA to be taken after indictment but before conviction. Although the U.S. Department of Justice initially shied away from the issue, the DNA Fingerprint Act of 20055 authorizes the collection of DNA from individuals arrested for violations of certain federal criminal laws, and the inclusion in the national DNA database of all profiles from states that type DNA prior to conviction.

But are these laws constitutional? In an article in a previous issue of this journal, and reprinted in this issue, Professor Tracey Maclin concludes that fidelity to precedent should lead the Supreme Court to strike down the Louisiana and Virginia laws as violations of the Fourth Amendment.
Social and Ethical Issues in the Use of Familial Searching in Forensic Investigations: Insights from Family and Kinship Studies
Authors: Haimes Erica
Published: June 2006

Since its origins in the mid-1980s, DNA profiling has become the most powerful tool for identification in contemporary society. Practitioners have deployed it to determine parentage, verify claims to identity in various civil contexts, identify bodies in wars and mass disasters, and infer the identity of individuals who have left biological traces at crime scenes. Thus DNA profiling can be used to implicate or exonerate individuals from participation in particular social relations and activities; this affords it a growing importance in major social institutions such as the family, the criminal justice system, immigration services, and health services. There are key state, security, civil liberty, personal, and commercial considerations surrounding the reliability and social implications of DNA profiling in establishing the identities of “family members,” “claimants,” “customers,” “suspects,” and “citizens.”

Given that DNA profiling is increasingly influential in forensic inquiries, the recently-developed practice in the UK of “familial searching” of DNA databases has the potential to become a significant aspect of investigations.
Explaining Differential Trust of DNA Forensic Technology: Grounded Assessment or Inexplicable Paranoia?
Authors: Duster Troy
Published: June 2006

“What you see depends on where you stand”

–Albert Einstein
Genes and Antisocial Behavior: Perceived versus Real Threats to Jurisprudence
Authors: Carey Gregory , Gottesman Irving I.
Published: June 2006

Combine the following: medicine, ethics, jurisprudence, behavioral genetics, and antisocial behavior (ASB). Given our level of scientific knowledge today, this combination is more akin to a cerebral smorgasbord than to a dinner where starter, entree, wine, and dessert are carefully chosen to complement one another. Hence, any survey of menus must be highly selective. We accept as a given that there is a noteworthy genetic influence on ASB no matter how it is defined. In terms of behavioral research, the magnitude of that genetic influence is substantial, but so is the impact from the environment, broadly defined to include pre-and post-natal, physical (e.g., anoxia, fetal alcohol syndrome, or crack) as well as psychosocial (e.g., quality of parenting, ethnic culture, or religion) elements.

We will discuss some of the major issues raised by this fact of genetic influence that have most applicability to topics usually raised by observers outside of behavioral genetics.
Statutory Frameworks for Regulating Information Flows: Drawing Lessons for the DNA Data Banks from other Government Data Systems
Authors: Lazer David , Mayer-Schönberger Viktor
Published: June 2006

The above bit string encodes personal information about one of the authors of this essay. Of course, without rules to decode the bit string, it is impossible to say whether it is genetic information, weight, age, fingerprint, religion, etc. Layered on top of that technical decoding process is a social decoding process – how sensitive is this information? How useful is it to the government for various purposes? The objective of this paper is to offer some key lessons for the regulation of genetic information collected by the state for law enforcement purposes. In the first part of the paper, we discuss two fundamental principles of informational privacy theory. Utilizing these, we then examine the statutory regimes that have emerged for the regulation of the information that the government collects in three different domains – fingerprints, department of motor vehicle (DMV) records, and tax records. In the third and final part we use the results of our analysis as analogies for similar regulatory challenges in the regulation of genetic information collected for law enforcement purposes, and make some tentative recommendations.
Abortion: Supreme Court Avoids Disturbing Abortion Precedents by Ruling on Grounds of Remedy – Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England
Authors: Law Nathaniel
Published: June 2006

On January 18, 2006, the United States Supreme Court unanimously held that the constitutional challenge to New Hampshire's Parental Notification Prior to Abortion Act would be remanded to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, to determine whether the Court of Appeals could, consistent with New Hampshire's legislative intent, formulate a narrower remedy than a permanent injunction against enforcement of the parental notification law in its entirety.

In 2003, New Hampshire enacted the Parental Notification Prior to Abortion Act (“The Act”). The Act specifies, in pertinent part, that “No abortion shall be performed upon an unemancipated minor or upon a female for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed… until at least 48 hours after written notice of the pending abortion has been delivered....” The Act allows for three exceptions where a physician may perform an abortion on a minor child without parental or guardian notification.
Highly qualified and highly ambitious: implications for workforce retention of realising the career expectations of graduate nurses in England
Authors: Robinson Sarah , Murrells Trevor , Clinton Michael
Published: June 2006

Although increasing numbers of graduates now enter the UK labour market, there has been little evaluation of the benefits that this component of the workforce is reported to bring to employing organisations. This study focused on nursing; a profession in which graduate entry is increasing but potential benefits of moving to all‐graduate entry are strongly contested. Career behaviour and expectations of graduate nurses were compared with those of diploma‐qualified nurses. Career behaviours were similar but differences were found in fulfilment of expectations that reflected findings reported for graduates in other employment contexts. Graduates entered nursing with higher expectations than diplomates but these were often unfulfilled. Graduates reported lower levels of satisfaction than diplomates over time and became less likely to intend remaining in nursing. Implications for increasing graduate entry are discussed, together with strategies to facilitate better synchronisation between graduate expectations and opportunities within the NHS and beyond.
Habitat density, song structure and dialects in the Madagascar paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone mutata
Authors: Van Dongen Wouter F. D. , Mulder Raoul A.
Published: June 2006

Bird song is an important signal for long‐distance intraspecific communication. Thus, song characteristics are expected to have undergone adaptive modification to maximise propagation through the environment. Acoustic properties of song should be correlated with the habitat in which they are broadcast, and neighbouring individuals should sing similar songs because they share the same local acoustic environment. We tested these predictions by investigating associations between habitat characteristics and song attributes in the Madagascar paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone mutata. We also examined whether song dialects were distributed non‐randomly through the study site and which features of habitat density best explained these associations. We found that individuals on territories in denser habitat sang longer songs at lower frequencies. Features of song structure were related to both understorey and canopy cover density. The distribution of dialects within the study site was also strongly associated with variation in understorey cover. These findings suggest that habitat variation contributes to maintaining microgeographic variation in song structure in this species.
Enhanced sensitivity of Kv channels to hypoxia in the rabbit carotid body in heart failure: role of angiotensin II
Authors: Li Yu‐Long , Schultz Harold D.
Published: June 2006

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays an important role in the enhanced chemoreflex function that occurs in congestive heart failure (CHF), but the mechanism of this effect within the carotid body (CB) is not known. We investigated the sensitivity of Ca2+‐independent, voltage‐gated K+ (Kv) channels to hypoxia in CB glomus cells from CHF rabbits, and whether endogenous angiotensin II (Ang II) modulates this action. Using the conventional whole‐cell patch clamp technique, we found that Kv currents (IK) under normoxic conditions were blunted in the CB glomus cells from CHF rabbits compared with sham rabbits. In addition, the inhibition of IK and the decrease of resting membrane potential (RMP) induced by hypoxia were greater in CHF versus sham glomus cells. Ang II, at 100 pm, had no direct effect on IK at constant normoxic PO2, but increased the sensitivity of IK and RMP to hypoxia in sham glomus cells. In CHF glomus cells, an AT1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist, L‐158 809 (1 μm), alone did not affect IK at normoxia, but it decreased the sensitivity of IK and RMP to hypoxia. At higher concentrations, Ang II dose dependently (0.1–100 nm) reduced IK under constant normoxic conditions in sham and CHF glomus cells, with threshold concentrations of about 900 and 600 pm, respectively. Immunocytochemical and Western blot assessments demonstrated the down‐expression of Kv3.4 but not Kv4.3 channels in CHF glomus cells. These results indicate that: (1) Ang II/AT1R signalling increases the sensitivity of Kv channels to hypoxia in CB glomus cells from CHF rabbits; (2) high concentrations of Ang II (> 1 nm) directly inhibit IK in CB glomus cells from sham and CHF rabbits; (3) changes in Kv channel protein expression (Kv3.4 versus Kv4.3) in the CB glomus cell may contribute to the suppression of IK and enhanced sensitivity of IK to hypoxia in CHF.
Leucine supplementation improves muscle protein synthesis in elderly men independently of hyperaminoacidaemia
Authors: Rieu Isabelle , Balage Michèle , Sornet Claire , Giraudet Christophe , Pujos Estelle , Grizard Jean , Mosoni Laurent , Dardevet Dominique
Published: June 2006

The present study was designed to assess the effects of dietary leucine supplementation on muscle protein synthesis and whole body protein kinetics in elderly individuals. Twenty healthy male subjects (70 ± 1 years) were studied before and after continuous ingestion of a complete balanced diet supplemented or not with leucine. A primed (3.6 μmol kg−1) constant infusion (0.06 μmol kg−1 min−1) of l‐[1‐13C]phenylalanine was used to determine whole body phenylalanine kinetics as well as fractional synthesis rate (FSR) in the myofibrillar fraction of muscle proteins from vastus lateralis biopsies. Whole body protein kinetics were not affected by leucine supplementation. In contrast, muscle FSR, measured over the 5‐h period of feeding, was significantly greater in the volunteers given the leucine‐supplemented meals compared with the control group (0.083 ± 0.008 versus 0.053 ± 0.009% h−1, respectively, P < 0.05). This effect was due only to increased leucine availability because only plasma free leucine concentration significantly differed between the control and leucine‐supplemented groups. We conclude that leucine supplementation during feeding improves muscle protein synthesis in the elderly independently of an overall increase of other amino acids. Whether increasing leucine intake in old people may limit muscle protein loss during ageing remains to be determined.
Building Surrogate Models Based on Detailed and Approximate Simulations
Authors: Qian Zhiguang , Seepersad Carolyn Conner , Joseph V. Roshan , Allen Janet K. , Jeff Wu C. F.
Published: June 2006

Preliminary design of a complex system often involves exploring a broad design space. This may require repeated use of computationally expensive simulations. To ease the computational burden, surrogate models are built to provide rapid approximations of more expensive models. However, the surrogate models themselves are often expensive to build because they are based on repeated experiments with computationally expensive simulations. An alternative approach is to replace the detailed simulations with simplified approximate simulations, thereby sacrificing accuracy for reduced computational time. Naturally, surrogate models built from these approximate simulations are also imprecise. A strategy is needed for improving the precision of surrogate models based on approximate simulations without significantly increasing computational time. In this paper, a new approach is taken to integrate data from approximate and detailed simulations to build a surrogate model that describes the relationship between output and input parameters. Experimental results from approximate simulations form the bulk of the data, and they are used to build a model based on a Gaussian process. The fitted model is then “adjusted” by incorporating a small amount of data from detailed simulations to obtain a more accurate prediction model. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated with a design example involving cellular materials for an electronics cooling application. The emphasis is on the method and not on the results per se.
The Design of a Novel Prismatic Drive for a Three-DOF Parallel-Kinematics Machine
Authors: Chablat D. , Angeles J.
Published: June 2006

The design of a novel prismatic drive is reported in this paper. This transmission is based on Slide-o-Cam, a cam mechanism with multiple rollers mounted on a common translating follower. The design of Slide-o-Cam was reported elsewhere. This drive thus provides pure-rolling motion, thereby reducing the friction of rack-and-pinions and linear drives. Such properties can be used to design new transmissions for parallel-kinematics machines. In this paper, this transmission is intended to replace the ball-screws in Orthoglide, a three-dof parallel robot intended for machining applications.
Safety Envelope for Load Tolerance and its Application to Fatigue Reliability Design
Authors: Wang Haoyu , Kim Nam H. , Kim Yoon-Jun
Published: June 2006

In this paper, a safety envelope concept for load tolerance is introduced. This shows the capacity of the current design as a future reference for design upgrade, maintenance, and control. The safety envelope is applied to estimate the load tolerance of a structural part with respect to the fatigue reliability. First, the dynamic load history is decomposed into the average value and amplitude, which are modeled as random variables. Second, through fatigue analysis and uncertainty propagation, the reliability is calculated. Last, based on the implicit function evaluation for the reliability, the boundary of the safety envelope is calculated numerically. The effect of different distribution types of random variables is then investigated to identify the conservative envelope. In order to improve the efficiency of searching the boundary, probabilistic sensitivity information is utilized. When the relationship between the safety of the system and the load tolerance is linear or mildly nonlinear, the linear estimation of the safety envelope turns out to be accurate and efficient. During the application of the algorithm, a stochastic response surface of logarithmic fatigue life with respect to the load capacity coefficient is constructed, and the Monte Carlo simulation is utilized to calculate the reliability and its sensitivities.
Inclusion of Model Errors in Reliability-Based Optimization
Authors: Mahadevan Sankaran , Rebba Ramesh
Published: June 2006

This paper proposes a methodology to estimate errors in computational models and to include them in reliability-based design optimization (RBDO). Various sources of uncertainties, errors, and approximations in model form selection and numerical solution are considered. The solution approximation error is quantified based on the model itself, using the Richardson extrapolation method. The model form error is quantified based on the comparison of model prediction with physical observations using an interpolated resampling approach. The error in reliability analysis is also quantified and included in the RBDO formulation. The proposed methods are illustrated through numerical examples.
The Value of Using Imprecise Probabilities in Engineering
Design
Authors: Aughenbaugh Jason Matthew , Paredis Christiaan J. J.
Published: June 2006

Engineering design decisions inherently are made under risk and uncertainty. The characterization of this uncertainty is an essential step in the decision process. In this paper, we consider imprecise probabilities (e.g., intervals of probabilities) to express explicitly the precision with which something is known. Imprecision can arise from fundamental indeterminacy in the available evidence or from incomplete characterizations of the available evidence and designer’s beliefs. The hypothesis is that, in engineering design decisions, it is valuable to explicitly represent this imprecision by using imprecise probabilities. This hypothesis is supported with a computational experiment in which a pressure vessel is designed using two approaches, both variations of utility-based decision making. In the first approach, the designer uses a purely probabilistic, precise best-fit normal distribution to represent uncertainty. In the second approach, the designer explicitly expresses the imprecision in the available information using a probability box, or p-box. When the imprecision is large, this p-box approach on average results in designs with expected utilities that are greater than those for designs created with the purely probabilistic approach, suggesting that there are design problems for which it is valuable to use imprecise probabilities.
Crystal Structure of the Rabies Virus Nucleoprotein-RNA Complex
Authors: Albertini Aurélie A. V. , Wernimont Amy K. , Muziol Tadeusz , Ravelli Raimond B. G. , Clapier Cedric R. , Schoehn Guy , Weissenhorn Winfried , Ruigrok Rob W. H.
Published: June 2006

Negative-strand RNA viruses condense their genome into a helical nucleoprotein-RNA complex, the nucleocapsid, which is packed into virions and serves as a template for the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex. The crystal structure of a recombinant rabies virus nucleoprotein-RNA complex, organized in an undecameric ring, has been determined at 3.5 angstrom resolution. Polymerization of the nucleoprotein is achieved by domain exchange between protomers, with flexible hinges allowing nucleocapsid formation. The two core domains of the nucleoprotein clamp around the RNA at their interface and shield it from the environment. RNA sequestering by nucleoproteins is likely a common mechanism used by negative-strand RNA viruses to protect their genomes from the innate immune response directed against viral RNA in human host cells at certain stages of an infectious cycle.
Structure of the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Nucleoprotein-RNA Complex
Authors: Green Todd J. , Zhang Xin , Wertz Gail W. , Luo Ming
Published: June 2006

Vesicular stomatitis virus is a negative-stranded RNA virus. Its nucleoprotein (N) binds the viral genomic RNA and is involved in multiple functions including transcription, replication, and assembly. We have determined a 2.9 angstrom structure of a complex containing 10 molecules of the N protein and 90 bases of RNA. The RNA is tightly sequestered in a cavity at the interface between two lobes of the N protein. This serves to protect the RNA in the absence of polynucleotide synthesis. For the RNA to be accessed, some conformational change in the N protein should be necessary.