bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure of two cDNAs encoding cholecystokinin precursors from the brain of Xenopus laevis
Authors: Wechselberger C , Kreil G
Published: December 2008

The skin secretions of many frogs, including Xenopus laevis, contain caerulein, a peptide related to mammalian cholecystokinin. We have screened a cDNA library prepared from the brain of this frog using a cloned cDNA encoding one of the caerulein precursors as a probe. Two clones were isolated which contained inserts encoding cholecystokinin precursors. It was found that the predicted precursor polypeptides resembled their mammalian counterparts rather than the caerulein precursors from the same species. The corresponding mRNAs of different size encoding the Xenopus cholecystokinin precursors are expressed in brain and in the gastrointestinal tract, but not in skin. The smaller mRNA was also detected in lung. These data demonstrate that a polypeptide homologous to mammalian cholecystokinin precursors was present early in the evolution of vertebrates. The possible evolution of the genes encoding the more complex caerulein precursors is discussed.
VITAMIN D DERIVATIVES IN COMBINATION WITH 9-cis RETINOIC ACID PROMOTE ACTIVE CELL DEATH IN BREAST CANCER CELLS
Authors: James S Y , Mackay A G , Colston K W
Published: December 2008

The effects of the novel vitamin D analogue, EB1089 alone, or in combination with the retinoid, 9-cis retinoic acid (9-cis RA) on indices of apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells have been examined. EB1089 was capable of reducing bcl-2 protein, a suppressor of apoptosis, and increasing p53 protein levels in MCF-7 cell cultures following 96h treatment. In the presence of 9-cis RA, EB1089 acted to further enhance the down-regulation and up-regulation of bcl-2 and p53 respectively.

Furthermore, EB1089 induces DNA fragmentation in MCF-7 cells, a key feature of apoptosis, alone and in combination with 9-cis RA in situ. The observation that EB1089 and 9-cis RA act in a cooperative manner to enhance induction of apoptosis in these cells may have therapeutic implications.
Transcriptional regulation of Na/K-ATPase by corticosteroids, glycyrrhetinic acid and second messenger pathways in rat kidney epithelial cells
Authors: Whorwood C B , Stewart P M
Published: December 2008

Corticosteroid regulation of Na/K-ATPase is of key importance in the modulation of Na+ transport across renal tubular epithelia. In amphibian renal cells, aldosterone induction of Na/K-ATPase α1 and β1 subunit gene transcription is mediated by an indirect mechanism dependent on the synthesis of a labile protein. In mammalian target cells, while both mineralo- and glucocorticoids increase the levels of Na/K-ATPase α1 and β1 subunit mRNA and enzyme activity, they are diminished by glycyrrhetinic acid (GE), the active ingredient of licorice.

To investigate the mechanisms underlying the regulation of mammalian renal Na/K-ATPase, levels of α1 and β1 mRNA were measured in rat kidney epithelial (NRK-52E) cells treated with a range of concentrations of aldosterone, corticosterone and GE in the presence of a specific inhibitor of mRNA synthesis, dichlororibofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB), an inhibitor of total RNA synthesis, actinomycin D (ActD), and the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX). In addition, GE was co-incubated with the sodium channel antagonist benzamiloride (BZ). The increase in both α1 and β1 mRNA levels following aldosterone and corticosterone was completely abolished by treatment with ActD and DRB, while CHX did not affect this response. Similarly, the GE-induced decrease in α1 and β1 mRNA was also completely abolished by ActD and DRB, but not by CHX or by BZ. The half-lives of α1 and β1 mRNA in these cells (means±s.e.m., n=4), estimated from the rate of mRNA decay in the presence of DRB, were 6·8±0·3 and 4·8±0·2 h respectively. This was unaffected by GE.

The inhibitory action of GE on α1 and β1 mRNA levels was accompanied by a dose-dependent decrease in levels of intracellular cAMP (means ± s.e.m., n=4) from 395±28 fmol cAMP/μg total cell protein to between 275 ± 19 fmol/μg total cell protein (0·1 μm GE) and 78±11 fmol/μg total cell protein (10 μm GE). This was abolished following down-regulation of protein kinase C by prolonged treatment with the phorbol ester tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and by pertussis toxin (PT), but not by cholera toxin (CT). Indeed, subunit mRNA levels were increased by 8-bromo-cAMP (2·2-fold) and stimulators of adenylate cyclase activity, i.e. forskolin (2·1-fold), PT (2·1-fold) and CT (1·9-fold), but not by TPA. In keeping with their effects on GE inhibition of cAMP synthesis, TPA and PT (but not CT) abolished the GE-induced decrease in subunit mRNA.

In conclusion, corticosteroid induction and GE inhibition of Na/K-ATPase subunit gene expression in rat kidney epithelial cells occur at the transcriptional level and do not require de novo synthesis of an intermediary protein. Furthermore, GE attenuation of subunit gene transcription may be mediated by both cAMP-dependent protein kinase A and diacylglycerol—protein kinase C pathways via interaction with a PT-sensitive Gi protein.
Vas deferens epithelial cells in subculture: a model to study androgen regulation of gene expression
Authors: Dassouli A , Darne Ch , Fabre S , Manin M , Veyssière G , Jean Cl
Published: December 2008

The understanding of androgen-regulated gene expression requires a cell culture system that mimics the functions of cells in vivo. In the present paper we have examined a vas deferens epithelial cell subculture system. Cultured vas deferens epithelial cells have been shown to exhibit polarized properties characteristic of functioning epithelia and to display a high level of androgen receptors. Incubation of cells with androgen caused a decrease in cellular androgen receptor mRNA that was time-dependent. Total suppression was observed after 24 h of exposure to androgen. By contrast, incubation of vas deferens epithelial cells with androgen resulted in a threefold increase in the cellular content of androgen receptor protein, as assayed by ligand binding. In response to androgens, vas deferens epithelial cells expressed mouse vas deferens protein mRNA (MVDP mRNA). Maximum expression of the MVDP gene, at both mRNA and protein levels, was observed after 24 h of androgen induction.

DEAE-dextran transfection conditions were defined using the MMTV-CAT vector. Dihydrotestosterone stimulated the transcription activation of MMTV-CAT gene in vas deferens epithelial cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. No induction was seen when fragments of the MVDP promoter region were cloned directly in front of the CAT gene and transiently transfected into vas deferens epithelial cells. It was found that cotransfection of cells with MVDP-CAT constructs and with an androgen receptor expression vector resulted in a small but consistent androgen-dependent increase in reporter gene activity. Transiently transfected vas deferens epithelial cells are a suitable model with which to study the effect of androgen on gene regulatory elements.
The follicle-stimulating hormone receptor and luteinizing hormone receptor genes are closely linked in sheep and deer
Authors: Montgomery G W , Tate M L , Henry H M , Penty J M , Rohan R M
Published: December 2008

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms were identified in sheep and deer using ovine cDNA probes for the FSH receptor (FSHR) and the LH receptor (LHCGR). FSHR and LHCGR were closely linked in sheep with no recombinants and neither receptor was linked to the Booroola fecundity gene (FecB). Both receptors were also closely linked in deer at a map distance of 3·3 cM. Linkage between the receptor genes assigns FSHR to sheep chromosome 3. Sequence analysis showed that the mammalian LHCGRs and FSHRs are more similar to each other than to mammalian TSH receptor (TSHR). Taken together, these data suggest that TSHR and the LHCGR/FSHR arose from a common ancestral gene by a process of chromosomal duplication. Subsequent duplication of the region containing the LH/FSH receptor and functional divergence could have given rise to the two gonadotrophin receptors present in mammals today.
A thyroid hormone receptor β gene polymorphism associated with Graves’ disease
Authors: Tassi V , Scarnecchia L , Di Cerbo A , Pirro M T , Di Paola R , Liuzzi A , Torlontano M , Zingrillo M , D’Aloiso L , De Filippis V
Published: December 2008

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) are clustered in families, but the nature of this clustering is still poorly understood. One possible approach to the identification of genetic factors interacting with the AITDs is the study of the association between polymorphic markers and AITDs themselves. In the present study we have shown an association between an allele of a HindIII restriction fragment length polymorphism (EAβH) intragenic to c-erbAβ, which codes for the thyroid hormone β receptor, and Graves’ disease. This polymorphism can be detected by PCR followed by digestion with the restriction enzyme HindIII. The allelic frequencies were analysed in a panel of DNAs extracted from a population of individuals affected by thyroid disease and originating from southern Italy. A control group (n=120) from the same area was also analysed. The distribution of EAβH alleles was significantly different (P<0·001) in Graves’ disease (n=94) but not in autoimmune thyroiditis (n=60), as compared with controls. Also the distribution of the EAβH genotypes was significantly different in Graves’ patients (P=0·003), as compared with controls, the homozygous state EAβH+/EAβH+ being more frequent in Graves’ patients than in all the other groups. We did not find any association between EAβH genotypes and clinical parameters in Graves’ patients, including eye signs, thyroid volume and level of TSH-binding inhibiting immunoglobulins. Our data support the idea that Graves’ disease is a genetically distinct group within the AITDs.
Cloning and analysis of the cDNA for the common α-subunit of the donkey pituitary glycoprotein hormones
Authors: Chopineau M , Stewart F
Published: December 2008

Reverse transcription-PCR was used to clone the coding region of the donkey (Equus asinus) glycoprotein hormone α-subunit transcript from pituitary gland RNA. The donkey α-subunit sequence demonstrated considerable identity with the horse (97% at the nucleotide level), confirming the very close evolutionary linkage between these two species. The predicted amino acid sequence revealed that the donkey α-subunit has the same unusual C-terminus as the horse α-subunit, when compared with all other mammalian α-subunits, including a Tyr-His transposition between positions 87 and 93 and Ile instead of Ser as the C-terminal residue. Since recent evidence indicates important involvement of this region of the α-subunit in receptor binding, these findings provide a possible partial explanation for the unique biological properties of the equine gonadotrophins.
Cloning of rabbit prolactin cDNA and prolactin gene expression in the rabbit mammary gland
Authors: Gabou L , Boisnard M , Gourdou I , Jammes H , Dulor J-P , Djiane J
Published: December 2008

cDNA clones coding for rabbit prolactin were isolated from a pituitary library using a rat prolactin RNA probe. One cDNA contained 873 bases including the entire coding sequence of rabbit prolactin, its signal peptide and the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions of 44 and 145 nucleotides respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cloned prolactin cDNA presented a 93–78% identity with mink, porcine and human prolactins. The prolactin gene transcription was investigated by RT-PCR analysis in several organs of midlactating New Zealand White rabbits. The ectopic transcription of the prolactin gene was examined in more detail in the mammary gland. A strong PCR signal was detected in the mammary gland of virgin does and was also observed during pregnancy and at the beginning of lactation. This PCR signal was very weak in mid-lactating and absent in post-weaning mammary gland.
Angiotensin II stimulation of the basolateral located Na+/H+ antiporter in eel (Anguilla anguilla) enterocytes
Authors: Vilella S , Zonno V , Marsigliante S , Ingrosso L , Muscella A , Ho M M , Vinson G P , Storelli C
Published: December 2008

The pH-sensitive fluorescent dye, 2′,7′-bis-carboxy-ethyl-5,6-carboxyfluorescein acetoxymethyl ester, was used to examine the effects of fish or human angiotensin II (Ang II) on the activity of the basolateral located Na+/H+ antiporter in eel intestinal cell suspensions. Exposure of eel enterocytes to either hormone led to an increased activity of the antiporter. This time- and dose-dependent stimulatory effect was inhibited by the specific antiporter inhibitor dimethylamiloride (DMA).

Preincubation with a monoclonal antibody (6313/G2), directed against the N-terminal extracellular domain of the mammalian AT1 Ang II receptor, prevented the stimulatory effect of the hormone and inhibited the binding of [3,5-3H]Tyr4-Ile5-Ang II to intestinal cell suspensions, suggesting specific binding of the antibody to the eel Ang II receptor. The results indicate that both fish and human Ang II stimulate the DMA-sensitive Na+/H+ antiporter present in eel intestinal cells by means of a mammalian AT1-like receptor.
In vitro pituitary GH secretion after GHRH, forskolin, dibutyryl cyclic-adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulation in long-term orchidectomized rats
Authors: Tena-Sempere M , Pinilla L , Aguilar E
Published: December 2008

In the present work in vitro GH pituitary responsiveness to GHRH in short-term (STO) and long-term orchidectomized (LTO) male rats was compared. In agreement with previous data obtained in vivo, pituitaries from STO rats showed reduced GH release after GHRH stimulation while LTO male pituitaries presented responses similar to those from control animals after maximal GHRH (10-6 m) stimulation. This suggests that compensatory mechanisms have taken place, probably at the pituitary level, in order to restore GH pituitary responsiveness to high doses of GHRH. However, LTO male rats showed a reduced sensitivity to GHRH relative to intact males, as indicated by a higher EC50 vs controls (40·82 ± 12·03 nm vs 0·35 ± 0·09 nm in intact males). We aimed to investigate further the events involved in the compensatory mechanisms that take place in LTO rats. For this purpose, we compared in vitro GH secretion by pituitaries from intact and LTO male rats after stimulation with specific activators of the signal transduction pathways related to GH release. Forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic-adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate were more effective in eliciting GH secretion (expressed in terms of percent increment over basal GH release) in LTO males, whereas phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was completely ineffective in stimulating GH release in this group. Thus, our results clearly showed that long-term orchidectomy enhances the effectiveness of the cAMP pathway in inducing GH release while it completely blunts that of the protein kinase C pathway. In conclusion, orchidectomy decreased the effectiveness of GHRH in eliciting GH release in vitro. However, long-term orchidectomy activated compensatory mechanisms that restored complete GH pituitary responsiveness to maximal GHRH stimulation. These mechanisms seem not to operate in STO rats. An increased effectiveness of the cAMP pathway in eliciting GH release in LTO rats is probably involved in the aforementioned compensatory mechanisms.
Negative regulatory domains in a trophoblast interferon promoter
Authors: Guesdon F M J , Stewart H J , Flint A P F
Published: December 2008

A bovine trophoblast interferon (IFN-τ) gene promoter sequence (− 450 to +26 bp relative to the transcription start site) led to expression of reporter gene (CAT) constructs transfected into L929 (murine fibroblast) or JAR (human choriocarcinoma) cells. Expression depended on the presence of an exogenous (SV40) enhancer. Poly(I)(C) activated endogenous IFN production in L929 and JAR cells but had no consistent effect on CAT expression. Similar results were obtained in L929 cells with inactivated Newcastle disease virus. There was no 'priming' effect of exogenous Type I IFN. Deletion mutants revealed sites exerting negative control on expression between −338 and −247 bp, and between −150 and −71 bp; these regions contained sequences resembling previously identified negative regulatory domains. In the absence of viral inducibility it is proposed that negative regulation contributes towards the stringent control of expression characteristic of IFN-τ genes.
Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide/vasoactive intestinal polypeptide receptor subtypes are differently expressed in rat transplanted pituitary tumours (SMtTW) and in the normal gland
Authors: Vertongen p , Delhase M , Rajas F , Trouillas J , Hooghe-Peters E , Svoboda M , Robberecht P
Published: December 2008

The expression of the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide/vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (PACAP/VIP) receptor subtypes was evaluated in the normal rat pituitary gland and in different rat spontaneous transplantable SMtTW tumours (SMtTW2 which expresses prolactin (PRL), SMtTW10 which expresses GH and SMtTW3 which expresses both PRL and GH) by measurement of PACAP/VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity and detection of the presence of mRNA coding for the different receptor forms. In normal glands, the order of potency of the peptides suggested that adenylate cyclase activity was mediated through interaction with PACAP selective receptors (PACAP I receptors); mRNAs coding for the PACAP I receptor, but also for the PACAP II VIP2 receptor, were detected. In SMtTW2 tumours, the functional response was close to that observed in the presence of PACAP II VIP2 receptors; mRNAs coding for PACAP I and PACAP II VIP1 and PACAP II VIP2 receptors were detected. In the SMtTW10 tumours, the functional response was complex but compatible with the involvement of PACAP I and PACAP II receptors; mRNAs coding for the PACAP I and PACAP II VIP1 receptors were detected. In the SMtTW3 tumour, the profile was similar to that of the normal pituitary gland and the mRNA coding for the PACAP I receptor only was detected. Thus, while the control of normal pituitary gland adenylate cyclase activity by PACAP and VIP was mediated by PACAP-selective receptors, in spontaneous transplantable tumours a variable profile was observed and PACAP, as well as VIP1 and VIP2 receptors, may contribute to the responses.
Analysis of the rat clusterin gene promoter and cyclic AMP-regulated mRNA stability in testicular cells
Authors: Rosemblit N , Feng Z-M , Chen C-L C
Published: December 2008

Clusterin, also known as SGP-2 or TRPM-2, is expressed in the male reproductive tissues at different levels. The genomic structure of the rat clusterin gene was recently reported by our laboratory and others. In this study, we have determined the promoter responsible for the basal expression of the rat clusterin gene in testicular cells by analyzing the transient expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene in MA-10 cells driven by different segments of the 5′-flanking region and the first intron of the clusterin gene. The region required for maximal basal expression was identified at − 266 to + 54. Addition of DNA fragments of the rat clusterin gene from − 1298 to − 266 bp, or from + 54 to + 1153 to ( − 266/+54)CAT resulted in a 87% decrease in CAT activity, suggesting the presence of inhibitory DNA elements in both the 5′-flanking region and the first intron. When DNA fragment in the first intron, + 1153 to + 2874, was included, CAT activity in the ( − 266/+2874)CAT construct increased to 70% of the clusterin promoter ( − 266/+54)CAT, indicating that stimulatory DNA elements may be present in this region of the first intron. Treatment of MA-10 cells with cyclic AMP (cAMP) neither decreased CAT activity driven by any of the clusterin/CAT chimeric plasmids examined in transient transfection studies, nor reduced the synthesis of nuclear clusterin RNA in nuclear run-on assays, indicating that the reduction of clusterin mRNA levels by cAMP previously reported in our laboratory is not exerted at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, addition of transcriptional or translational inhibitors (actinomycin D and cycloheximide respectively) abolished the cAMP effect observed in MA-10 cells. In summary, we have demonstrated that the basal transcription of the rat clusterin gene in testicular cells is under the control of both positive and negative regulatory sequences at the 5′-flanking region as well as in the first intron. The reduction of clusterin mRNA after exposure of MA-10 cells to cAMP is not due to a decrease in its transcriptional activity, but rather to an increase in the degradation of this mRNA through synthesis of a destabilizing protein(s) and its mRNA.
Bombesin specifically induces intracellular calcium mobilization via gastrin-releasing peptide receptors in human prostate cancer cells
Authors: Aprikian A G , Han K , Chevalier S , Bazinet M , Viallet J
Published: December 2008

Bombesin and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) are potent neuropeptides expressed by prostate cancer neuroendocrine cells and are related to the progression of this malignancy. This study characterizes bombesin receptors in human prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3, DU-145, LNCaP) and assesses the in vitro effect of bombesin on signal transduction and cell proliferation. [125I]Tyr4-bombesin binding assays (37 °C) and Scatchard analyses revealed the presence of a single class of high-affinity receptors with similar Kd values (1·5, 1·1 and 3·6 × 10−10 m in PC-3, DU-145 and LNCaP cells respectively) but with significant differences in the number of binding sites per cell (47·6, 1·5 and 0·1 × 103 in PC-3, DU-145 and LNCaP cells respectively). Molecular characterization of the binding sites performed in PC-3 cells by cross-linking experiments and SDS/PAGE revealed a single radioactive band of 85 kDa. To determine which of the three known bombesin receptor subtypes (GRP receptor (GRP-R), neuromedin B receptor, bombesin receptor subtype-3) were expressed in the cell lines, reverse transcription/PCR analysis of cellular RNA followed by hybridization with receptor-specific cDNA was performed. This revealed the presence of GRP-R transcript in all cell lines, while neither of the other two receptor transcripts were expressed. When intracellular calcium mobilization was measured by Fura-2/AM cell labeling and spectrofluorometric monitoring, bombesin (100 nm) induced rapid calcium mobilization in both PC-3 (>200% of baseline) and DU-145 (>100% of baseline) cells, but not in LNCaP cells. However, as measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and [3H]thymidine incorporation, no growth modulation was observed with bombesin or bombesin receptor antagonist at various concentrations (0-500 nm). Our data indicate that bombesin is a potent inducer of signal transduction via GRP-R receptors in androgen-insensitive PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cells. This suggests that the bombesin/GRP family of neuropeptides may play a regulatory role in the biology of androgen-independent prostate cancer.
New port facilities at Punta Langosteira, Spain
Authors: Noya Arquero F. J.
Published: December 2008

The city of A Coruña in Spain has developed around its port and is currently congesting it and rendering it impossible for the port to expand. The proximity of the city means that the port traffic that has effects on the environment could cause a nuisance. There is a conflict of interest between the port and the city, because the latter requires constant expansion towards the port zones and makes land access to the port extremely difficult. All the aforementioned problems have led to the need to consider that any enlargements to the port facilities will have to take place outside the city. The new port facilities project at Punta Langosteira involves the construction of a 3360 m long breakwater with three alignments, and the creation of a dock basin with 230 ha of sheltered waters, with a capacity for nine berths for oil tankers. The project also includes the construction of a 900 m long quay running transversely to the coast, at depths ranging from 22 to 16 m and creating 143 ha of esplanade land, of which 91 ha are to be reclaimed from the sea.
Molecular Modeling Studies on NADP-Dependence of Candida Tropicalis Strain Xylose Reductase
Authors: Wang Jing-Fang , Wei Dong-Qing , Du Hong-Li , Li Yi-Xue, , Chou Kuo-Chen
Published: December 2008

The Candida tropicalis strain CT1799 xylose reductase (XR) with protein ID ABG49458.1 is a kind of
NADPH-dependent xylose reductase. It could be used to construct recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain for utilizing
xylose and producing alcohol. To investigate the interaction mechanism of XR with NADP and NAD, the 3D (dimensional)
structure for XR was developed. With the 3D structure, the molecular docking operations were conducted to find
the most favorable bindings of XR with NADP and NAD. Based on these results, the binding pockets of XR for NADP
and NAD have been explicitly defined, respectively. It was observed that Asn278 and Arg282 of XR could form hydrogen
bonds with both NADP and NAD that were bonded to the same site of XR with some competitive relationship. However,
according to the binding energies and conformational fitting, NADP is a more favorable coenzyme to XR. All these findings
may explain why XR is NADP-dependent. The findings can be used to guide mutagenesis studies, providing useful
clues to modify the enzyme for improving the utilization of xylose in producing alcohol. In addition, because the human
aldose reductases have the functions to reduce the open chain form of glucose to sorbitol, a process physiologically significant
for diabetic patients at the time that their blood glucose levels are elevated, the information gained through this
study may also stimulate the development of new strategies for the therapeutic treatment of diabetes.
How Singaporean Students Decide to Study in Australia: Towards Building a Model of Their Decision-Making
Authors: Gatfield Terry , Larmar Stephen
Published: December 2008

Higher education ranks as Australia's sixth largest export sector, making a financial contribution of over $9 billion to the economy in 2004–2005. Surveys of potential students and projections by IDP-Education Australia on marketing higher education in 2025 are that the overseas student intake will rise by 14% to 850,000, earning in export trade around $A56 billion annually. Australia currently has 10 per cent of the global market share for international students, being the second largest supplier after the USA. With additional places required, particularly from the Asian nations, primary beneficiaries will be Australia's universities. Due to the size and growth potential of the industry, this article is designed to better understand the process of decision-making by international students in the Asian region, with a specific focus on Singapore. By examination of relevant theories, the literature and an analysis of the decision-making processes identified for students from Singapore, a model of decision-making is constructed to attempt to explain the behaviour of this student population.
Legal Liability Coverage and Voluntary Disclosure
Authors: Wynn Jinyoung Park
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT: This paper examines whether legal liability coverage, as measured by excess Directors’ and Officers’ (D&O) liability insurance coverage and excess cash for indemnification, is associated with the quantity and the quality of a firm’s voluntary disclosures. Using Canadian firms whose D&O insurance data are publicly available, I find that firms with higher excess coverage are less likely to report bad news forecasts for the sample firms that are cross-listed in the U.S., and that the number of bad news forecasts decreases for large cross-listed sample firms having high litigation risk. The results are consistent with the litigation cost argument for the disclosure of bad news. I also find that higher excess liability coverage leads to disclosures of more precise bad news for the cross-listed sample firms and less timely disclosures of bad news for large cross-listed sample firms. Further, excess cash for indemnification is a more significant determinant of disclosure decisions.
Effects of preoperative administration of butorphanol or meloxicam on physiologic responses to surgery in ball pythons
Authors: Olesen Mette G. , Bertelsen Mads F. , Perry Steve F. , Wang Tobias
Published: December 2008

Objective—To characterize physiologic responses of ball pythons (Python regius) following a minor surgical procedure and investigate the effects of 2 commonly used analgesics on this response.

Animals—15 healthy ball pythons.

Procedures—Snakes were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 3 treatments: meloxicam (0.3 mg/kg [0.14 mg/lb]; n = 5), butorphanol (5 mg/kg [2.3 mg/lb]; 5), or saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (5) before catheterization of the vertebral artery. Plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol, blood pressure, heart rate, and blood gas values were measured at various times for 72.5 hours after catheterization. The 72.5-hour point was defined as baseline.

Results—Heart rate of ball pythons increased significantly during the first hour following surgery. Mean plasma epinephrine concentration increased slightly at 2.5 hours after surgery, whereas mean plasma cortisol concentration increased beginning at 1.5 hours, reaching a maximum at 6.5 hours. Mean blood pressure increased within the first hour but returned to the baseline value at 2.5 hours after surgery. After 24.5 hours, blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma hormone concentrations remained stable at baseline values. There were no significant differences in values for physiologic variables between snakes that received saline solution and those that received meloxicam or butorphanol.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Measurement of physiologic variables provides a means of assessing postoperative pain in snakes. Meloxicam and butorphanol at the dosages used did not decrease the physiologic stress response and did not appear to provide analgesic effects in ball pythons.
Evaluation of risk factors associated with suture-nidus cystoliths in dogs and cats: 176 cases (1999–2006)
Authors: Appel Sherry L. , Lefebvre Sandra L. , Houston Doreen M. , Holmberg David L. , Stone J. Elizabeth Arnold , Moore Andrew E. P. , Weese J. Scott
Published: December 2008

Objective—To characterize and evaluate risk factors for suture-associated cystoliths in dogs and cats.

Design—Retrospective case-control study.

Animals—163 dogs and 13 cats with suture-associated cystoliths and 326 control dogs and 26 control cats with non–suture-associated cystoliths.

Procedures—Submissions to the Canadian Veterinary Urolith Centre received from 1999 to 2006 were reviewed. Case dogs and cats had cystoliths associated with visible suture or with hollow, cylindrical channels or suture knot impressions consistent with dissolved suture. Control dogs and cats had at least a single recurrent non–suture-associated cystolith submitted closest in time to the sample case. Associations among cystolith composition, recurrence times, sex, age, and breed were evaluated.

Results—Cases consisted of 92 dogs and 7 cats with visible suture and 71 dogs and 6 cats with dissolved suture. Suture-associated cystoliths represented 0.6% of canine cystoliths, 9.4% of recurrent canine cystoliths, 0.17% of feline cystoliths, and 4% of recurrent feline cystoliths. Sexually intact and neutered males were at increased odds of suture-associated cystoliths, relative to spayed female dogs. Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, and Pomeranians were significantly predisposed to form suture-associated cystoliths. In dogs, compound suture-associated cystoliths were significantly more likely than other cystolith types (OR, 8.6). Dogs with suture-associated cystoliths had significantly shorter recurrence times than did control dogs.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Suture remnants in the bladder have an important role in recurrent cystolithiasis in dogs. Identification of risk factors is important for avoiding recurrence of iatrogenic cystoliths.
Use of ketoconazole to treat dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism: 48 cases (1994–2007)
Authors: Lien Yu-Hsin , Huang Hui-Pi
Published: December 2008

Objective—To evaluate the effectiveness of ketoconazole as a treatment for dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH).

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—48 client-owned dogs in which PDH was diagnosed.

Procedures—Medical records of dogs with PDH that were treated with ketoconazole were examined. Data collected from each record included signalment, clinical signs, results of ACTH stimulation tests before and after treatment with ketoconazole, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities, dosage of ketoconazole, clinical response, and survival time.

Results—43 of 48 (90%) dogs had evidence of clinical improvement during the treatment period. In all dogs, treatment with ketoconazole resulted in significantly lower serum cortisol concentrations as measured before and after ACTH stimulation testing; 69% (33/48) of serum cortisol concentrations measured after ACTH stimulation were within the reference range. Serum ALP and ALT activities significantly decreased after treatment with ketoconazole. Survival time after diagnosis of PDH ranged from 2 to 61 months (mean, 26.9 months; median, 25 months).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Ketoconazole was a safe and effective option for treating dogs with PDH. Additional research is needed to evaluate the effects of long-term treatment with ketoconazole on adrenal glands.
Use of trazodone as an adjunctive agent in the treatment of canine anxiety disorders: 56 cases (1995–2007)
Authors: Gruen Margaret E. , Sherman Barbara L.
Published: December 2008

Objective—To evaluate efficacy of trazodone hydrochloride as an adjunctive treatment for anxiety disorders as well as treatment protocol, dose range, concurrent drug use, adverse events, and therapeutic response in dogs unresponsive to other pharmacologic agents.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—56 dogs with anxiety disorders treated at a referral veterinary behavior clinic.

Procedures—Medical records of dogs with anxiety disorders adjunctively treated with trazodone were retrospectively evaluated with respect to signalment, primary and secondary behavioral diagnoses, physical examination results, hematologic data (CBC and serum biochemical panel), pharmacologic management, and outcome.

Results—Overall, trazodone, used as an adjunctive agent in combination with other behavioral drugs, was well tolerated over a wide dose range and enhanced behavioral calming when administered on a daily or as-needed basis.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Although further controlled studies of dose range, efficacy, and safety are needed, trazodone may provide an additional therapeutic option for use in dogs that are unresponsive to conventional treatment.
Poorly differentiated leiomyosarcoma of the urogenital tract in a horse
Authors: Hurcombe Samuel D. A. , Slovis Nathan M. , Kohn Catherine W. , Oglesbee Michael
Published: December 2008

Case Description—A 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly was evaluated because of hemorrhage from the vulva and suspected hematuria of 5 days' duration.

Clinical Findings—A primary coagulopathy was ruled out on the basis of results of hematologic testing. Vaginoscopy and cystoscopy revealed a large bleeding mass in the bladder that extended into the vagina, causing marked obliteration of normal urogenital structures and difficulty in urination. Histologic examination of endoscopic and surgical biopsy speci-mens revealed a poorly differentiated neoplasia likely of mesenchymal origin. Chronic suppurative cystitis caused by Streptococcus zooepidemicus was also diagnosed.

Treatment and Outcome—The tumor continued to grow despite treatment with doxorubicin and, within 45 days, was causing substantial discomfort and stranguria. Given the grave prognosis, the horse was euthanized. At necropsy, the tumor was found to have caused widespread destruction of the urinary bladder and to have invaded the broad ligament of the uterus. The mass was identified as a poorly differentiated leiomyosarcoma on the basis of results of histologic examination and immunohistochemical staining for α-actin.

Clinical Relevance—Findings suggested that leiomyosarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis when examining horses with urogenital bleeding.
Wavelength tuning in Er3+,Yb3+:glass microchip lasers
Authors: Młyńczak J. , Kopczyński K. , Mierczyk Z.
Published: December 2008

The paper presents the investigation results of laser generation around 1.5 μm at different wavelengths. The shifts of the wavelength were achieved by the change of pump power, transmission of an output mirror, and length of an active medium. Mathematical analysis and explanation of this phenomenon was curried out on the basis of the change in relation between the gain and loss lines.
Studies with β-Oxoalkanonitriles: Simple Novel Synthesis of 3-[2,6-Diaryl-4- pyridyl]-3-oxopropanenitriles
Authors: Riyadh Sayed  M. , Al-Matar Hamad  M. , Elnagdi Mohamed  H.
Published: December 2008

Heteroaromatization of ethyl 2-cyano-4-oxo-2-(2-oxo-2-arylethyl)-4-arylbutanoates 3a,b with ammonium acetate gave ethyl 2,6-diarylisonicotinates 4a,b. Treatment of the latter with acetonitrile afforded novel β-oxoalkanonitriles 6a,b. Reactions of 6a,b with phenyl hydrazine and hydroxylamine gave the corresponding pyridyl aminopyrazoles 8a,b and pyridyl aminoisoxazoles 10a,b, respectively.
Imprinting of Molecular Recognition Sites on Nanostructures and Its Applications in Chemosensors
Authors: Guan Guijian , Liu Bianhua , Wang Zhenyang , Zhang Zhongping
Published: December 2008

Biological receptors including enzymes, antibodies and active proteins have been widely used as the detection platform in a variety of chemo/biosensors and bioassays. However, the use of artificial host materials in chemical/biological detections has become increasingly attractive, because the synthetic recognition systems such as molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) usually have lower costs, higher physical/chemical stability, easier preparation and better engineering possibility than biological receptors. Molecular imprinting is one of the most efficient strategies to offer a synthetic route to artificial recognition systems by a template polymerization technique, and has attracted considerable efforts due to its importance in separation, chemo/biosensors, catalysis and biomedicine. Despite the fact that MIPs have molecular recognition ability similar to that of biological receptors, traditional bulky MIP materials usually exhibit a low binding capacity and slow binding kinetics to the target species. Moreover, the MIP materials lack the signal-output response to analyte binding events when used as recognition elements in chemo/biosensors or bioassays. Recently, various explorations have demonstrated that molecular imprinting nanotechniques may provide a potential solution to these difficulties. Many successful examples of the development of MIP-based sensors have also been reported during the past several decades. This review will begin with a brief introduction to the principle of molecular imprinting nanotechnology, and then mainly summarize various synthesis methodologies and recognition properties of MIP nanomaterials and their applications in MIP-based chemosensors. Finally, the future perspectives and efforts in MIP nanomaterials and MIP-based sensors are given.
The Role of Operational Interdependence and Supervisory Experience on Management Assessments of Resource Planning Systems
Authors: Bendoly Elliot , Bachrach Daniel G. , Powell Benjamin
Published: December 2008

Greater interdependence among workers and activities not only increases the need for internal communication, but it also imposes complications and barriers to effective information exchange. Intraorganizational communication capabilities of certain information systems can help overcome these barriers. However, the extent to which certain systems are promoted as communication tools depends largely on management's interpretation of their usefulness, which in turn may be largely dependent on operational context and managerial experience. We use a controlled experimental approach to study how these issues interact to impact managerial assessments of resource planning systems. Results show that managers value the communication capabilities of resource planning systems more so in highly task‐interdependent contexts and that these assessments are still more positive among managers with greater supervisory experience. As a result, these findings pose direct implications regarding the management support of technology use.
A Strategy for Opening a New Market and Encroaching on the Lower End of the Existing Market
Authors: Druehl Cheryl T. , Schmidt Glen M.
Published: December 2008

We identify and analyze a scenario where a firm first opens up what we call a “detached” market, by offering a new product that meets a customer need that is very different from (i.e., detached from) the need met by the old established product. Our analysis builds on the previous studies that describe alternate ways in which a new product might open a new market and ultimately encroach on an existing market. Consider the example of cell phones: They opened up a new detached market by meeting the customer need for mobility, a need very different from the traditional attribute of reception quality. By meeting an important detached need, a new product can sell at a high price, even though it might be woefully deficient with regard to the traditional performance dimension (the reception/coverage of early cell phones was sorely lacking). A person who is a high‐end customer for the old product initially despises the new product as a replacement for the old one but might simultaneously be one of the first customers for the new product because it fills the detached‐market need. Over time, the new product improves along the traditional dimension (e.g., cell phone reception/coverage has dramatically improved), and eventually it becomes a replacement for the old product, encroaching from the lower end upward (the first customers to drop their landlines have been lower‐end customers such as students and apartment dwellers, whereas higher‐end business customers still have landlines in their offices). We call this the detached‐market form of low‐end encroachment and show how it helps explain the conundrum of an expensive “disruptive” innovation. We go on to relate our results to the finding that “willingness to cannibalize” is a key factor in an incumbent firm's growth and survival, and to the “blue ocean strategy.”
An Exploratory Study of the Impact of e‐Service Process on Online Customer Satisfaction
Authors: Ba Sulin , Johansson Wayne C.
Published: December 2008

Although extensive academic research has examined the dynamics of interpersonal interactions between service providers and customers, much less research has investigated customer service encounters through technological interfaces such as the Web in electronic commerce transactions. Corporate websites have become an important point of contact with customers for many companies. Service has been described as one of the most important attributes for online business to influence traffic and sales. However, more research is needed to understand how Web‐based technological capabilities of services affect customer satisfaction. In this paper, we propose viewing the interface between online buyers and sellers through the lens of service management to identify possible determinants of online customer satisfaction. A company's website is considered its electronic service delivery system. We look at this electronic service delivery system from its process point of view. Our findings indicate that as the electronic service delivery system process improves, a customer's perception of the website's ease of use increases, leading to increased service value and perceived control over the process, which increases customer satisfaction. The research provides evidence that the technological capabilities embedded in the website processes are an important factor in determining service quality and ultimately online customer satisfaction.
The Management of Technology: A Production and Operations Management Perspective
Authors: Gaimon Cheryl
Published: December 2008

We highlight many of the traditional research themes in the management of technology as well as research themes on emerging topics such as those that appear in this focused issue. The discussion demonstrates the breadth and multidisciplinary nature of management of technology as well as the variety of methods employed in management of technology research. We conclude by offering a list of research themes that are of particular interest to the Management of Technology Department of Production and Operations Management.
Benchmarking and Monitoring International Warehouse Operations in Europe
Authors: deKoster M. B. M. , Balk Bert M.
Published: December 2008

We report on a cross‐sectional and longitudinal comparison of European distribution centers in the Netherlands. European distribution centers are responsible for the distribution of a manufacturer's (mostly Asian or American) products over customers in a large part of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, often with strict service‐level agreements. In total, 65 physical warehouses, containing 140 European, Asian, and American European distribution center operations, in combination with different outsourcing relations (own‐account, dedicated outsourced, and public outsourced), were benchmarked in 2000 and monitored over the period 2000–2004. We conclude that both in 2000 and 2004, European warehouses are more efficient than Asian and American warehouses, and outsourced operations (particularly public warehouses) are more efficient than own‐account operations. Over the period 2000–2004, efficiency appears to have declined substantially; the most distinct differences are to be found among public outsourced warehouses and, because many European distribution center warehouse operations of European origin are run by public service providers, among European warehouses. This decline in efficiency also led to a decline in productivity, in spite of the fact that overall the available technology has improved. We conjecture potential causes for this decline.
A Specialized Inventory Problem in Banks: Optimizing Retail Sweeps
Authors: Nair Suresh K. , Anderson Richard G.
Published: December 2008

Deposits held at Federal Reserve Banks are an essential input to the business activity of most depository institutions in the United States. Managing these deposits is an important and complex inventory problem for two reasons. First, Federal Reserve regulations require that depository institutions hold certain amounts of such deposits at the Federal Reserve Banks to satisfy statutory reserve requirements against customers' transaction accounts (demand deposits and other checkable deposits). Second, some inventory of such deposits is essential for banks to operate one of their core lines of business: furnishing payment services to households and firms. Because the Federal Reserve does not pay interest on such deposits used to satisfy statutory reserve requirements, banks seek to minimize their inventory of such deposits. In 1994, the banking industry introduced a new inventory management tool for such deposits, the retail deposit sweep program, which avoids the statutory requirement by reclassifying transaction deposits as savings deposits. This is an interesting inventory problem for fungible items, where the conversion process is reversible. We examine two methods for operating such sweeps programs within the limits of Federal Reserve regulations, and we develop a stochastic dynamic programming model to implement one such method, the threshold method.