bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bradykinin- and substance P-induced edema formation in the hamster cheek pouch is tyrosine kinase dependent
Authors: Rubinstein Israel
Published: April 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine whether protein tyrosine kinase, a ubiquitous family of intracellular signaling enzymes that regulates endothelial cell function, modulates bradykinin- and substance P-induced increase in macromolecular efflux from the intact hamster cheek pouch microcirculation. Using intravital microscopy, I found that suffusion of bradykinin or substance P (each, 0.5 and 1.0 μM) onto the cheek pouch elicited significant, concentration-dependent leaky site formation and increase in clearance of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran; molecular mass, 70 kDa; P < 0.05). These responses were significantly attenuated by suffusion of genistein (1.0 μM) or tyrphostin 25 (10 μM), two structurally unrelated, nonspecific protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors ( P < 0.05). Conceivably, the kinase(s) involved in this process could be agonist specific because genistein was more effective than tyrphostin 25 in attenuating bradykinin-induced responses while the opposite was observed with substance P. Both inhibitors had no significant effects on adenosine (0.5 M)-induced responses ( P > 0.5). Collectively, these data suggest that the protein tyrosine kinase metabolic pathway modulates, in part, the edemagenic effects of bradykinin and substance P in the intact hamster cheek pouch microcirculation in a specific fashion.
Effects of acute hypoxia on cerebral and muscle oxygenation during incremental exercise
Authors: Subudhi Andrew W. , Dimmen Andrew C. , Roach Robert C.
Published: April 2007

To determine if fatigue at maximal aerobic power output was associated with a critical decrease in cerebral oxygenation, 13 male cyclists performed incremental maximal exercise tests (25 W/min ramp) under normoxic (Norm: 21% FiO2) and acute hypoxic (Hypox: 12% FiO2) conditions. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to monitor concentration (μM) changes of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin (Δ[O2Hb], Δ[HHb]) in the left vastus lateralis muscle and frontal cerebral cortex. Changes in total Hb were calculated (Δ[THb] = Δ[O2Hb] + Δ[HHb]) and used as an index of change in regional blood volume. Repeated-measures ANOVA were performed across treatments and work rates (α = 0.05). During Norm, cerebral oxygenation rose between 25 and 75% peak power output {Powerpeak; increased (inc) Δ[O2Hb], inc. Δ[HHb], inc. Δ[THb]}, but fell from 75 to 100% Powerpeak{decreased (dec) Δ[O2Hb], inc. Δ[HHb], no change Δ[THb]}. In contrast, during Hypox, cerebral oxygenation dropped progressively across all work rates (dec. Δ[O2Hb], inc. Δ[HHb]), whereas Δ[THb] again rose up to 75% Powerpeakand remained constant thereafter. Changes in cerebral oxygenation during Hypox were larger than Norm. In muscle, oxygenation decreased progressively throughout exercise in both Norm and Hypox (dec. Δ[O2Hb], inc. Δ [HHb], inc. Δ[THb]), although Δ[O2Hb] was unchanged between 75 and 100% Powerpeak. Changes in muscle oxygenation were also greater in Hypox compared with Norm. On the basis of these findings, it is unlikely that changes in cerebral oxygenation limit incremental exercise performance in normoxia, yet it is possible that such changes play a more pivotal role in hypoxia.
Induction of Vascular Permeability by the Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor–2 (S1P2R) and its Downstream Effectors ROCK and PTEN
Authors: Sanchez Teresa , Skoura Athanasia , Wu Ming Tao , Casserly Brian , Harrington Elizabeth O. , Hla Timothy
Published: April 2007

Objectives—

S1P acts via the S1PR family of G protein–coupled receptors to regulate a variety of physiological responses. Whereas S1P1R activates G
i
- and PI-3-kinase–dependent signals to inhibit vascular permeability, the related S1P2R inhibits the PI-3-kinase pathway by coupling to the Rho-dependent activation of the PTEN phosphatase. However, cellular consequences of S1P2R signaling in the vascular cells are not well understood.

Methods and Results—

Selective signaling of the S1P2R was achieved by adenoviral-mediated expression in endothelial cells. Secondly, endogenously expressed S1P2R was blocked by the specific pharmacological antagonist JTE013. Activation of S1P2R in endothelial cells resulted in Rho-ROCK– and PTEN-dependent disruption of adherens junctions, stimulation of stress fibers, and increased paracellular permeability. JTE013 treatment of naive endothelial cells potentiated the S1P1R-dependent effects such as formation of cortical actin, blockade of stress fibers, stimulation of adherens junction assembly, and improved barrier integrity. This observation was extended to the in vivo model of vascular permeability in the rat lung: the S1P2R antagonist JTE013 significantly inhibited H
2
O
2
-induced permeability in the rat lung perfused model.

Conclusions—

S1P2R activation in endothelial cells increases vascular permeability. The balance of S1P1 and S1P2 receptors in the endothelium may determine the regulation of vascular permeability by S1P.
2007: A Kairos Moment for Public Theology
Authors: Storrar William
Published: April 2007

The simultaneous launch of the International Journal of Public Theology and its sponsoring Global Network for Public Theology represents a 'kairos' moment of opportunity for theologians and other scholars working in the emerging field of interdisciplinary theological inquiry into contemporary public issues. Such moments happen, this article argues, when a disruptive social experience calls for the response of collaborative theological inquiry into the public issues generated by such disruptions. By telling an autobiographical story of a public theologian and by reflecting on the history of the pioneering Edinburgh University Centre for Theology and Public Issues, the article identifies common factors that have led a growing number of scholars and research centres around the world to identify with the phrase 'public theology'. Such factors include a commitment to the ecclesial and the emancipatory dimensions of doing theology and employing research methods that include the marginalized as agents of social transformation.
Public Theology as Christian Witness: Exploring the Genre
Authors: de Gruchy John
Published: April 2007

This article explores the genre of public theology from the specific context of South Africa, while looking for the points of commonality set out by Duncan Forrester. Since the phrase 'public theology' refers to an engagement between theology and politics in specific locations, its content will be diverse and, yet, there is much that diverse public theologies share. Moreover, good practice in public theology requires that secularity and religious diversity are taken seriously. Consequently, Christian witness in secular democratic society means promoting the common good by witnessing to core values rather than seeking privilege for the Christian religion. In particular, this article offers the anti-apartheid and other activities of Joseph Wing and Douglas Bax, as well as the academic work of Denise Ackermann and the political service of Alex Boraine as examples of good practice in public theology in South Africa. The article concludes with the affirmation that public theology implies engagement in matters of public importance either through debate or action and always with self-critical theological reflection.
Identification and control of metal transfer in pulsed GMAW using optical sensor
Authors: de Miranda H. C. , Scotti A. , Ferraresi V. A.
Published: April 2007

The aim of the present work was to design and develop an identification device for droplet detachments during pulsed GMAW and to assess the possibility of implementing a metal transfer control system. The developed identification device was based on a luminescence sensor and an electronic interface, capable of sensing the arc light flux. A basic control system for the pulse parameters was implemented using an A/D–D/A board for receiving signals from the sensor and sending instructions to an electronic power source and a trained neural network for the metal transfer recognition. Alternatively, the signal from the electronic interface could be directed to a microcomputer with a dedicated monitoring program. Automated pulsed welding was carried out on plain carbon steel, aluminium and stainless steel plates in the flat position. The metal transfers were recorded using a high speed camera and applying the shadowgraphy technique to validate the device performance. The results showed that the detachment device was efficient and consistent for aluminium (best results), stainless steel and low carbon welding. Moreover, the control system was capable of setting parameters that provided stable transfer at one drop per pulse rate, from welds starting at inadequate pulse parameter levels.
Simulation of capacitor discharge stud welding process and void formation
Authors: Oh H. S. , Lee J. H. , Yoo C. D.
Published: April 2007

Dynamic behaviour and void formation of the capacitor discharge (CD) stud welding process are investigated through simulation and experiments. Mechanical and electrical models are coupled to predict the current and voltage waveform of the stud welding, and the calculated results show good agreement with the experiment results. The mechanism of void formation and the void trapping condition are explained using the void flow model. While the results of the void flow model show that removal of the void is almost impossible, partial improvement in void reduction is achieved by adjusting the short circuit current between 1200 and 1700 A.
Class III antiarrhythmic methanesulfonanilides inhibit leukocyte recruitment in zebrafish
Authors: Brown Simon B , Tucker Carl S , Ford Christopher , Lee Yfe , Dunbar Donald R , Mullins John J
Published: April 2007

Understanding fundamental molecular mechanisms that govern the transmigration and interstitial migration of leukocytes to sites of tissue damage and infection is of potential significance in identifying novel therapeutic targets for the management of chronic inflammatory disorders. CD31 is a mammalian cell adhesion molecule that regulates the recruitment of leukocytes from the circulation. Our recent unpublished work has suggested that homophilic ligation of CD31 can negatively regulate the ether-à-go-go-related gene (ERG) current within leukocytes to regulate cell-cell adhesion. To validate and probe the functional significance of ERG in leukocytes, we developed an infected wound model of inflammation in zebrafish and assessed the efficacy of two ERG-specific inhibitors, dofetilide and E4031, as well as an ERG-specific antisense RNA morpholino on neutrophil recruitment. Our data confirm a hitherto undescribed role for ERG in leukocytes, where inhibition or translational knockdown of ERG resulted in significant attenuation of the inflammatory response to an infectious stimulus. Inhibition of ERG was verified independently by a decrease in the ventricular heart rate, where ERG also functions in the repolarization of the cardiac action potential. Our results suggest that ERG-specific Class III antiarrhythmic drugs can modulate inflammatory responses to infection.
Understanding phospholipase D (PLD) using leukocytes: PLD involvement in cell adhesion and chemotaxis
Authors: Gomez-Cambronero Julian , Di Fulvio Mauricio , Knapek Katie
Published: April 2007

Phospholipase D (PLD) is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of membrane phosphatidylcholine to choline and phosphatidic acid (PA; a second messenger). PLD is expressed in nearly all types of leukocytes and has been associated with phagocytosis, degranulation, microbial killing, and leukocyte maturation. With the application of recently developed molecular tools (i.e., expression vectors, silencing RNA, and specific antibodies), the demonstration of a key role for PLD in those and related cellular actions has contributed to a better awareness of its importance. A case in point is the recent findings that RNA interference-mediated depletion of PLD results in impaired leukocyte adhesion and chemotaxis toward a gradient of chemokines, implying that PLD is necessary for leukocyte movement. We forecast that based on results such as those, leukocytes may prove to be useful tools to unravel still-unresolved mechanistic issues in the complex biology of PLD. Three such issues are considered here: first, whether the cellular actions of PLD are mediated entirely by PA (the product of its enzymatic reaction) or whether PLD by itself interacts with other protein signaling molecules; second, the current difficulty of defining a “PA consensus site” in the various intracellular protein targets of PA; and third, the resolution of specific PLD location (upstream or downstream) in a particular effector signaling cascade. There are reasons to expect that leukocytes and their leukemic cell line counterparts will continue yielding invaluable information to cell biologists to resolve standing molecular and functional issues concerning PLD.
Oxytocin
Authors: SUE CARTER C. , POURNAJAFI‐NAZARLOO HOSSEIN , KRAMER KRISTIN M. , ZIEGLER TONI E. , WHITE‐TRAUT ROSEMARY , BELLO DEBORAH , SCHWERTZ DORIE
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide that is produced primarily in the hypothalamus and is best known for its role in mammalian birth and lactation. Recent evidence also implicates OT in social behaviors, including parental behavior, the formation of social bonds, and the management of stressful experiences. OT is reactive to stressors, and plays a role in the regulation of both the central and autonomic nervous system, including effects on immune and cardiovascular function. Knowledge of patterns of OT release would be of value in many fields of science and medicine. However, measurements of OT concentration in blood are infrequently performed, and previous attempts to measure OT in saliva have been unsuccessful. Using a sensitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and concentrated samples we were able to detect reproducible changes in salivary OT as a function of lactation and massage. These results indicate that measurements of biologically relevant changes in salivary OT are possible. These results confirm the biological relevance of changes in salivary OT with stressors and support saliva as a noninvasive source to monitor central neuroendocrine function.
Do Salivary Antibodies Reliably Reflect Both Mucosal and Systemic Immunity?
Authors: BRANDTZAEG PER
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Two major antibody classes operate in saliva: secretory IgA (SIgA) and IgG. The former is synthesized as dimeric IgA by plasma cells (PCs) in salivary glands and is exported by the polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR). Most IgG in saliva is derived from serum (mainly via gingival crevices), although some is locally produced. Gut‐associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and nasopharynx‐associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) do not contribute equally to mucosal PCs throughout the body. Thus, enteric immunostimulation is an inadequate mode of stimulating salivary IgA antibodies, which are poorly associated with the intestinal SIgA response, for instance after enteric cholera vaccination. Nevertheless, the IgA response in submandibular/sublingual glands is better related to B cell induction in GALT than the parotid response. Such disparity is suggested by the elevated levels of IgA in submandibular secretions of AIDS patients, paralleling their highly upregulated intestinal IgA system. Moreover, in patients with active celiac disease, IgA antibodies to disease‐precipitating gliadin are reliably represented in whole saliva but not in parotid secretion. Parotid SIgA may be more consistently linked to immune induction in palatine tonsils and adenoids (human NALT), as supported by the homing molecule profile of NALT‐derived B cell blasts. Also several other variables influence the levels of antibodies in oral secretions. These include difficulties with reproducibility and standardization of immunoassays, the impact of flow rate, acute or chronic stress, protein loss during sample handling, and uncontrolled admixture of serum‐derived IgG and monomeric IgA. Despite such problems, saliva remains an interesting biological fluid with great scientific and clinical potentials.
Microsensor Arrays for Saliva Diagnostics
Authors: WALT DAVID R. , BLICHARZ TIMOTHY M. , HAYMAN RYAN B. , RISSIN DAVID M. , BOWDEN MICHAELA , SIQUEIRA WALTER L. , HELMERHORST EVA J. , GRAND‐PIERRE NERLINE , OPPENHEIM FRANK G. , BHATIA JASVINDER S. , LITTLE FRÉDÉRIC F. , BRODY JEROME S.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Optical fiber microarrays have been used to screen saliva from patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) to ascertain the efficacy of dialysis. We have successfully identified markers in saliva that correlate with kidney disease. Standard assay chemistries for these markers have been converted to disposable test strips such that patients may one day be able to monitor their clinical status at home. Details of these developments are described. In addition, saliva from asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is being screened for useful diagnostic markers. Our goal is to develop a multiplexed assay for these protein and nucleic acid biomarkers for diagnosing the cause and severity of pulmonary exacerbations, enabling more effective treatment to be administered. These results are reported in the second part of this article.
Methamphetamine Disposition in Oral Fluid, Plasma, and Urine
Authors: HUESTIS MARILYN A. , CONE EDWARD J.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  This review of the disposition of methamphetamine in oral fluid, plasma, and urine is based on a comprehensive controlled dosing study involving five healthy, drug‐free research volunteers who resided on a closed clinical ward for 12 weeks. Subjects were administered four low (10 mg) and high (20 mg) daily oral doses of methamphetamine in two separate sessions. Near‐simultaneous collections of oral fluid and plasma were performed on the first day of each low‐ and high‐dose session. Thereafter, oral fluid was provided on each day of dosing by different oral fluid collection methods. All urine specimens were collected on an

ad libitum

basis throughout the study. Specimens were analyzed by gas‐chromatography mass spectrometry for methamphetamine and the metabolite, amphetamine, with a limit of quantification of 2.5 ng/mL for each analyte. Methamphetamine and metabolite concentrations in oral fluid appeared to follow a similar time course in oral fluid as in plasma and were dose‐proportional, but oral fluid concentrations exceeded plasma concentrations. Urine drug concentrations were substantially higher than those in oral fluid. Some drug accumulation was noted with daily dosing, but generally did not markedly influence detection times or detection rates of oral fluid tests. Detection times and detection rates for oral fluid and urine were determined at cessation of 4 days of dosing. Generally, detection times and rates for urine were longer than those observed for oral fluid at conventional cutoff concentrations. When contemplating selection of oral fluid as a test matrix, the advantages of oral fluid collection should be weighed against its shorter time of detection compared to that of urine.
Molecular and Protein Markers of Disease
Authors: GLICK MICHAEL
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Oral fluid diagnostics are becoming a part of routine care. The key to their use is to correctly interpret their findings so that patients' well‐being can be optimized.
The Onset of Labor Alters Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Type 1 Receptor Variant Expression in Human Myometrium: Putative Role of Interleukin-1β
Authors: Markovic Danijela , Vatish Manu , Gu Mei , Slater Donna , Newton Rob , Lehnert Hendrik , Grammatopoulos Dimitris K.
Published: April 2007

CRH targets the human myometrium during pregnancy. The efficiency of CRH actions is determined by expression of functional receptors (CRH-R), which are dynamically regulated. Studies in myometrial tissue biopsies using quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that the onset of labor, term or preterm, is associated with a significant 2- to 3-fold increase in CRH-R1 mRNA levels. Detailed analysis of myometrial CRH-R1 mRNA variants showed a decline of the pro-CRH-R1 mRNA encoding the CRH-R1β variant during labor and increased mRNA levels of CRH-R1d mRNA. Studies in myometrial cells identified IL-1β as an important regulator of myometrial CRH-R1 gene expression because prolonged treatment of myometrial cells with IL-1β (1 ng/ml) for 18 h induced expression of CRH-R1 mRNA levels by 1.5- to 2-fold but significantly attenuated CRH-R1β mRNA expression by 70%. In contrast, IL-1β had no effect on CRH-R1d mRNA expression. Studies using specific inhibitors suggest that ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and downstream nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB mediate IL-1β effects on myometrial CRH-R1 gene. However, the increased CRH-R1 mRNA expression was associated with a dampening of the receptor efficacy to activate the adenylyl cyclase/cAMP signaling cascade. Thus, our findings suggest that IL-1β is an important regulator of CRH-R1 expression and functional activity, and this interaction might play a role in the transition of the uterus from quiescence to active contractions necessary for the onset of parturition.
Synthesis and Properties of Liquid-Crystalline-Conjugated Polymers
Authors: Akagi Kazuo
Published: April 2007

We have synthesized novel liquid-crystalline (LC)-conducting polymers by introducing LC groups into acetylene monomers and polymerizing them with Ziegler–Natta, metathesis, and rhodium-based catalysts. All polymers prepared were soluble in organic solvents and had a thermotropic liquid crystallinity characterized with fan-shaped texture in polarizing optical microscopy. Phase transitions and the corresponding enthalpy changes were also evaluated by means of differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). High-order structures of the polymers were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. XRD measurements showed that the polymers had layered structures in the LC state to give smectic A phases, which is in agreement with the results from the polarizing optical microscope. We found that the LC side chains alternate on both sides of the polyene chain, giving rise to a stereoregular sequence, such as head–head–tail–tail linkage. Macroscopic alignments of the polymers were performed in the liquid-crystalline phase by shear stress or a magnetic force field of 0.7–1.0 Tesla, which resulted in an enhancement by two orders of magnitude in the electrical conductivity of iodine-doped cast films. Orientation behaviors of the polymers as well as the monomers were investigated using fused-state 13C NMR measurements with proton dipolar decoupling. Analysis of chemical shift tensors was also carried out to evaluate the order parameter and shielding anisotropy in the LC phase. As a result, we demonstrated that LC-conjugated polymers uniaxially aligned due to the magnetically forced alignment of the LC side-chain, giving rise to a monodomain structure.
Spin–Spin Interaction of TEMPO Molecular Chains Formed in an Organic One-Dimensional Nanochannel as Studied by Electron Spin Resonance (ESR)
Authors: Kobayashi Hirokazu , Ueda Takahiro , Miyakubo Keisuke , Eguchi Taro , Tani Atsushi
Published: April 2007

The magnitude and dimensionality of spin–spin interactions among 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxyl radical (TEMPO) molecules in a 1D nanochannel consisting of tris(o-phenylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene (TPP) were examined using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Dilution of TEMPO with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine (TEMP), a diamagnetic molecule, reduced the dipolar interaction in the TPP/(TEMPO/TEMP) inclusion compound (IC), leading to axially symmetric hyperfine coupling and g-tensors with a molar fraction of 0–0.45: A⊥ = 1.93 ± 0.03 mT and A|| = 0.7 ± 0.1 mT, and g⊥ = 2.0063 ± 0.0003 and g|| = 2.0068 ± 0.0005. The resonance line in TPP/(TEMPO/TEMP) IC narrowed when the molar fraction was more than 0.7, implying the existence of exchange narrowing. The ESR lineshape of TPP/TEMPO IC showed pure 1D spin diffusion between 139 and 166 K, while interchain exchange interactions contributed to the line shape in T > 166 K. The magnitude of intra-chain exchange interaction, |Jintra|/kB, in TPP/TEMPO IC depended on the temperature from ≈0.05 K in 139–166 K to 0.4 K at 383 K. This aspect implies that molecular motion strongly affects the spin–spin interaction between TEMPO molecules in the TPP crystal. The magnetic susceptibility of TPP/TEMPO IC was also measured, and it was found that the exchange interaction was antiferromagnetic.
Organometallic Complexes Supported on a Metal-Oxide Cluster. pH-Dependent Interconversion between the Monomeric and Dimeric Species of the Polyoxoanion-Supported [(arene)Ru]2+ Complex
Authors: Nomiya Kenji , Hayashi Kunihiko , Kasahara Yuhki , Iida Tasuku , Nagaoka Yumiko , Yamamoto Hiroyuki , Ueno Takamasa , Sakai Yoshitaka
Published: April 2007

Keggin polyoxometalate (POM)-supported two (arene)Ru2+ complexes, i.e., the monomeric species (type-m) [{(arene)Ru(H2O)}PW11O39]5− and the dimeric species (type-d) [({(arene)Ru}PW11O39)2(μ-WO2)]8−, were prepared as water-soluble Et2NH2+ salts by pH-controlled reactions in aqueous solutions of the in situ-generated, mono-lacunary Keggin POM [PW11O39]7− with the organometallic precursor [{RuCl2(arene)}2]. The effects of the arene (benzene (1), toluene (2), p-cymene (3), and hexamethylbenzene (4)) on the proportion of the type-m to type-d complex produced were examined. pH-Varied 31P NMR spectroscopy showed that there was a pH-dependent interconversion between type-m and type-d complexes, i.e., the ratio of the dimeric species increased as pH of the solution was lowered. Under the reaction conditions, the dimeric species d1, d3, and d4 as water-soluble Et2NH2+ salts were successfully isolated as the major products. It was concluded that (1) steric repulsion between the two (arene)Ru2+ fragments in the dimeric species was not significant, (2) the proportion was strongly dependent on the pH of the solution rather than the bulkiness of the arene, and (3) the use of the in situ-generated [PW11O39]7−, but not the isolated lacunary species, such as K7[PW11O39]·nH2O, had an effect on the reaction.
Cycloadditions of 3,4-Dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-Oxide with Thioketones and a Selenoketone
Authors: Shioji Kosei , Matsumoto Akio , Takao Masahiko , Kurauchi Yoshimitsu , Shigetomi Toshiyuki , Yokomori Yoshinobu , Okuma Kentaro
Published: April 2007

Cycloadditions of 2-diphenylphosphinoyl-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-oxide (DPhPMPO), 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-oxide having a diphenylphosphinoyl group at the C2 position with thioketones afforded the corresponding 1,4,2-oxathiazolidines. Dissociation constants of these 5-membered ring products were determined. The cycloadducts were stabilized by the diphenylphosphinoyl group. The reaction of DPhPMPO with di-tert-butyl selenoketone gave the corresponding selenoamide under microwave irradiation. The formation of the selenoamide indicated that the cycloaddition of DPhPMPO with the selenoketone analogue also proceeded through the formation of the corresponding 5-membered ring product.
Macrocyclic Compounds Having Sulfide Moieties Derived from o-Terphenyl
Authors: Sato Ryu , Hamasaka Go , Yamamoto Tatsuya , Muraoka Hiroki , Nakajo Shiduko , Ogawa Satoshi
Published: April 2007

4,4″-Dimercapto-o-terphenyl as a precursor of macrocyclic compounds was prepared from o-terphenyl by chlorosulfonation and reduction. Eight macrocycles having sulfide moieties were synthesized from 4,4″-dimercapto-o-terphenyl. The thioethynyl compound, derived from 4,4″-dimercapto-o-terphenyl by introduction vinyl group and by addition of Br2 following dehydrobromination, gave a novel cumulene upon treatment with cupric acetate in THF/pyridine. The structures of macrocyclic products were determined by 1H and 13C NMR, IR, and mass spectroscopies, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallographic analysis. UV–vis and fluorescence spectra, and cyclic voltammogram, were also acquired.
RNA-editing-associated protein 1 null mutant reveals link to mitochondrial RNA stability
Authors: Hans Jennifer , Hajduk Stephen L. , Madison-Antenucci Susan
Published: April 2007

In trypanosomatids, uridylate residues are post-transcriptionally added to or deleted from pre-mRNAs during the complex process of RNA editing. Editing is carried out exclusively in the mitochondrion of these parasites and involves numerous proteins assembled into protein and ribonucleoprotein complexes. Previously we identified RNA-editing-associated protein -1 (REAP-1), an RNA binding protein found in the mitochondrion of Trypanosoma brucei. REAP-1 was shown to specifically recognize and bind to pre-mRNAs that require editing and was proposed to act as a recruitment factor to deliver pre-mRNAs to editing complexes. To help define the role of REAP-1, we have now constructed REAP-1 null mutants. We show that the null mutants, although viable, have a significant growth defect. RNA levels within the mitochondrion were evaluated using reverse transcriptase real-time PCR. Surprisingly, the results show that mitochondrial RNA levels are increased, regardless of the editing status of the RNA. All RNA tested, whether unedited, edited, or never edited were increased in the mutant cell line relative to wild-type levels. This study provides the first evidence for a role of REAP-1 in RNA metabolism.
Brokers and Competitive Advantage
Authors: Ryall Michael D. , Sorenson Olav
Published: April 2007

The broker profits by intermediating between two (or more) parties. Using a biform game, we examine whether such a position can confer a competitive advantage, as well as whether any such advantage could persist if actors formed relations strategically. Our analysis reveals that, if one considers exogenous the relations between actors, brokers can enjoy an advantage but only if (1) they do not face substitutes either for the connections they offer or the value they can create, (2) they intermediate more than two parties, and (3) interdependence does not lock them into a particular pattern of exchange. If, on the other hand, one allows actors to form relations on the basis of their expectations of the future value of those relations, then profitable positions of intermediation only arise under strict assumptions of unilateral action. We discuss the implications of our analysis for firm strategy and empirical research.
The Horizontal Scope of the Firm: Organizational Tradeoffs vs. Buyer-Supplier Relationships
Authors: Chatain Olivier , Zemsky Peter
Published: April 2007

Horizontal scope—the set of products and services offered—is an important dimension of firm strategy and a potentially significant source of competitive advantage. On one hand, the ability to build close buyer-supplier relationships over multiple transactions can give an advantage to broad firms that offer buyers “one-stop shopping.” On the other hand, the existence of organizational tradeoffs can give an advantage to firms that specialize in a narrower range of products or services. We develop a biform game that incorporates this tension and show how the use of three generic scope strategies—specialist, generalist, and hybrid—depends on organizational tradeoffs, client-specific scope economies, barriers to entry, heterogeneity in buyer task requirements, and the bargaining power of suppliers relative to buyers. We then use the model to study a variety of issues in supply chain management, including the gains to coordinating suppliers, the optimal level of buyer power, and the desirability of subsidizing suppliers.

One of our objectives is to show how biform games, which introduce unstructured negotiations into game theory analysis, can be used to develop applied theory relevant to strategy. Generalizing from our stylized model, we identify a class of biform games involving buyers and suppliers that is useful for strategy analysis. Games in this class have the attractive property of each supplier’s share of industry total surplus being the product of its added value and its relative bargaining power.
Disagreements, Spinoffs, and the Evolution of Detroit as the Capital of the U.S. Automobile Industry
Authors: Klepper Steven
Published: April 2007

The agglomeration of the automobile industry around Detroit, Michigan is explained using a theory in which disagreements lead employees of incumbent firms to found spinoffs in the same industry. Predictions of the theory concerning entry and firm survival are tested using data on the origin, location, and years of production of every entrant into the industry from 1895 to 1966. The geographic concentration of the industry is attributed to four early successful entrants and the many successful spinoffs they spawned in the Detroit area and not to conventional agglomeration economies benefiting co-located firms, as featured in modern theories of agglomeration. Implications of the findings regarding firm strategy are discussed.
Quality-Controlled Measurement Methods for Quantification of Variations in Transcript Abundance in Whole Blood Samples from Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Peters Elizabeth Herness , Rojas-Caro Sandra , Brigell Mitchell G , Zahorchak Robert J , des Etages Shelley Ann , Ruppel Patricia L , Knight Charles R , Austermiller Bradley , Graham Myrna C , Wowk Steve , Banks Sean , Madabusi Lakshmi V , Turk Patrick , Wilder Donna , Kempfer Carole , Osborn Terry W , Willey James C
Published: April 2007

Background: Transcript abundance (TA) measurement in whole blood frequently is conducted to identify potential biomarkers for disease risk and to predict or monitor drug response. Potential biomarkers discovered in this way must be validated by quantitative technology. In this study we assessed the use of standardized reverse transcription PCR (StaRT-PCR™) to validate potential biomarkers discovered through whole blood TA profiling.

Methods: For each of 15 healthy volunteers, 6 blood samples were obtained, including 3 samples at each of 2 separate visits. Total variation in TA for each gene was partitioned into replicate, sample, visit, study participant, and residual components.

Results: Variation originating from technical processing was <5% of total combined variation and was primarily preanalytical. Interindividual biological sample variation was larger than technical variation. For 12 of 19 tests, the distribution of measured values was gaussian (Shapiro–Wilks test).

Conclusion: For control or diseased population groups with variation rates as low as those observed in this control group, 17 individuals per group would be required to detect 1 SD change with 80% power with a 2-sided α = 0.05 statistical test for mean differences.
Art games: Interactivity and the embodied gaze
Authors: Coulter-Smith Graham , Coulter-Smith Elizabeth
Published: April 2007

One of the most salient differences between fine art and new media art lies in the possibility for interactivity. Interactivity is not simply an inherent quality of new media, it also relates to a crucial ethico-aesthetic premise informing deconstructive art from Dada and Surrealism
through radical art of the 1960s and 1970s and into the present. The ethico-aesthetic premise in question concerns breaking down the barrier between the viewer and the work of art and bringing art into life. More specifically the goal is to bring creativity into everyday life as an antidote
to alienation and reification. Whereas new media art finds it relatively easy to devise art games that encourage creative involvement on the part of the viewer, fine art is severely hindered in its attempts in this direction by the traditional focus on the artist-genius and the transformation
of the artistic product (whatever its material) into a precious object. It will be shown that creative games exist in fine art but they are for the most part designed by the artist for the artist. This is even the case with the most radical fine artists celebrated at the turn of the millennium
such as Rirkrit Tiravanija who Nicolas Bourriaud put forward as a prime instance of so-called relational aesthetics.
Anforderungen an die Qualität und Kompetenz nach DIN EN ISO 15189 im Bereich der virologischen Laboratoriumsdiagnostik. Ein Erfahrungsbericht / Requirements for quality and competence according to EN ISO 15189 for medical virological laboratory diagnostics. A field report
Authors: Rabenau Holger F. , Steinhorst Andreas
Published: April 2007

In der internationalen Norm DIN EN ISO 15189 (kurz ISO 15189) sind für medizinische Laboratorien besondere Anforderungen an die Qualität und Kompetenz festgelegt. Die ISO 15189 gilt für alle medizinischen Laboratorien. Sie wurde für den Bereich der Virologie durch eine gemeinsame Arbeitsgruppe der Gesellschaft für Virologie (GfV) und der Deutschen Vereinigung zur Bekämpfung der Viruskrankheiten (DVV) in Form von fachspezifischen Checklisten konkretisiert.

Viele medizinische Laboratorien lassen sich im Rahmen einer Akkreditierung bestätigen, dass sie die Anforderungen der ISO 15189 erfüllen. Wesentlicher Bestandteil der Akkreditierung ist eine Begutachtung in den Laboratorien. Die Begutachtungen in der Virologie werden von Experten durchgeführt, die von der GfV benannt werden.

Gründe der Laboratorien für eine Akkreditierung können sehr unterschiedlich sein. Sie reichen von der Verbesserung der internen Abläufe und Ermittlung sicherer/richtiger Untersuchungsergebnisse bis zu einer besseren Positionierung am Markt.

Der Artikel stellt die Anforderungen und Probleme virusdiagnostisch tätiger Laboratorien, basierend auf der ISO 15189, als Erfahrungsbericht vor. Dabei wird auf die Infektionsserologie, die molekularbiologische Diagnostik und die Virusisolierung auf Zellkulturen eingegangen.
Collaborating across Disciplines: “It's a Small World After All”
Authors: Langland Elizabeth
Published: April 2007

My title came to me as a way of suggesting immediately both the exciting and the troublesome potentials of collaborations between foreign language and English departments. No one can take Disney's banal lyrics at all seriously, and the tune is both insidious and annoying. So why invoke it in a serious discussion?
Is Work in Education Child's Play? Understanding Risks to Educators Arising from Work Organization and Design of Work Spaces
Authors: Seifert Ana María
Published: April 2007

The educational sector exposes its primarily female work force to numerous psychosocial risk factors. At the request of the education workers', ergonomists developed a participatory research project in order to understand the determinants of the difficulties experienced by special education technicians. These technicians work with students presenting behavioral and learning difficulties as well as developmental and mental health problems. Eighteen technicians were interviewed and the work of seven technicians and two teachers was observed. Technicians prevent and manage crisis situations and help students acquire social skills. Coordination with teachers is made difficult by the fact that most technicians work part time, part year, and many technicians' work areas and classrooms are physically distant one from another. Most technicians change schools each year and must continually reconstruct work teams. Management strategies and poorly adapted working spaces can have important repercussions on coordination among educators and on technicians' capacity to help students and prevent aggressive behavior.
Paradoxical Payoffs: Migrant Women, Informal Sector Work, and HIV/AIDS in South Africa
Authors: Singh Gayatri
Published: April 2007

In post-apartheid South Africa, there has been a significant rise in women's out-migration from rural areas and across its territorial borders for economic purposes resulting in gender reconfiguration of migration streams. Alongside, there has been a simultaneous increase in the participation of women in the labor force. However, this has mostly grown in the informal sector, which is often associated with low earnings and insecure working conditions. One consequence has been the increasing reliance of migrant women on survivalist activities such as informal sexual exchanges that increase their risk of contracting HIV infection. Insecure working environments also expose migrant women to sexual abuses. This article is based on the author's work in South Africa's major urban centers and examines the nature of the relationship between the increased migration of black African women in South Africa, the nature of their work, and their resultant vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.
Reproductive and Sexual Health Education for Adolescents in Bangladesh: Parents' View and Opinion
Authors: Rob Ubaidur , Ghafur Tehmina , Bhuiya Ismat , Talukder Md. Noorunnabi
Published: April 2007

This study attempted to find out whether parents in Bangladesh considered it important to provide reproductive and sexual health education to their adolescent children. It investigated possibilities of making parents play effective role models in educating their children on reproductive and sexual health. Findings suggest considerable positive attitude of parents toward adolescent reproductive health education, including a positive environment for introducing reproductive and sexual health education in schools. Nevertheless, findings also revealed a serious lack of knowledge among parents on basic understanding of reproductive and sexual health matters. Some parents also had reservations about educating their children on these matters. Making parents more aware of reproductive and sexual health matters and developing their communication skill to talk to their children along with in-school education for adolescents should be given high priority in Bangladesh.
Understanding Women's Work: Steps toward Transformation—An Introduction
Authors: Seifert Ana María , Messing Karen
Published: April 2007

A session at the 2005 Delhi Congress on Women, Work and Health was entitled “Social movements and research on women, work and health: How can researchers and community members work together on current problems?” and described researcher-worker collaboration to gain recognition for the constraints and requirements of women's jobs. Suffering in the workplace may appear to come primarily from such visible aggressors as toxins and heavy weights, but its ultimate cause is the powerlessness, isolation, and denigration that sap workers' ability to fight back. Participatory research projects described here have promoted solidarity and encouraged the transformation of working conditions.
Restructuring of the Québec Health Network and its Effects on the Profession of Home Health Aides and Their Occupational Health and Safety
Authors: Cloutier Esther , Ledoux Elise , Bourdouxhe Madeleine , David Hélène , Gagnon Isabelle , Ouellet Rançois
Published: April 2007

The Québec health sector is facing profound macroeconomic and macro-organizational changes. This article addresses the impact of these changes on the work of home health aides (HHAs) and their occupational health and safety (OHS). The study was carried out in the home care services of four local community service centers (CLSCs) with different organizational characteristics. It is based on an analysis by triangulation of 66 individual and group interviews, 11 work days, and 35 multidisciplinary or professional meetings observed, as well as administrative documents. HHAs are experiencing an erosion of their job because the relational and emotional components of their work are disappearing. This results in an increase in musculoskeletal and psychological health problems. This study also shows that managers' decisions can reduce or increase the HHAs' work constraints. Stability in the clientele served and the possibility of organizing their routes are good examples of positive impacts.
Two Centuries of Progress in Technical Communication
Authors: Connatser Bradford R.
Published: April 2007

A common aphorism in the halls of education is that the writing skills of Americans decline over time. Compared to the “golden age of letters,” so the argument goes, each subsequent generation of writers is worse than the last. Although contemporary readers and educators commiserate over encounters with bad writing, a fair comparison of 18th century American exemplars to modern American exemplars reveals a significant advance in clarity, an advance that technical communicators can be proud of. To demonstrate the advances in expository writing over the past two centuries, the author compares what the authors of the U.S. Constitution did with their limited resources to what modern professional communicators do with their abundance of resources. Many of the communication problems that were pervasive when the U.S. Constitution was created have since been remedied by insights emerging from the fields of linguistics, human factors, and cognitive psychology, among others.
Coyote Investigative Behavior Following Removal of Novel Stimuli
Authors: HEFFERNAN DANIEL J. , ANDELT WILLIAM F. , SHIVIK JOHN A.
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT Because coyotes (Canis latrans) show an aversion to novel objects, we examined the effects of the presence and removal of repellent and attractive stimuli on coyote behavior. We found a greater proportion of captive coyotes investigated 10‐cm‐tall cones (0.95) compared to 90‐cm‐tall cones (0.68) and control sites (0.81), and spent longer periods (P < 0.001 in all instances) investigating small cones (x̄ = 465 sec), compared to large cones (x̄ = 212 sec) and control sites (x̄ = 45 sec). However, investigation times at sites following removal of large cones were 1.6 and 2.3 times greater than investigation times at sites following removal of small cones and the control, respectively. Results from pen studies were supported by a field study. Wild coyotes in south Texas visited 43% of small cones but did not visit large cones. Following removal of cones, visits to small cone stations decreased to 29%, whereas coyotes visited 43% of large cone stations. Thus, we observed a direct relationship between aversion toward large novel objects and subsequent attraction to sites following their removal among both captive and wild coyotes. Based upon our results, we suggest that placing large novel objects over traps that are set and removing such objects after a few days, with the subsequent addition of an olfactory attractant, may increase exploratory behavior and capture of coyotes.