bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An upstream region in the first intron of petunia actin‐depolymerizing factor 1 affects tissue‐specific expression in transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana)
Authors: Jeong Young‐Min , Mun Jeong‐Hwan , Kim Hoyeun , Lee So‐Young , Kim Sang‐Gu
Published: March 2007

The first intron of the petunia actin‐depolymerizing factor 1 (PhADF1) gene was previously shown to induce strong and constitutive expression of that gene in vegetative tissues of transgenic Arabidopsis. To examine intron‐mediated enhancement of PhADF1 gene expression in detail, the effects of splicing, deletion and promoter alteration on gene expression were analyzed in this study. Deletion of the 5′ upstream region of the intron significantly reduced the level of enhancement, under the control of both the PhADF1 and the PhADF2 promoters. The ratio of pre‐mRNA and mRNA does not correlate with the level of enhancement. To determine whether there is a promoter–intron interaction, the role of the intron was examined under the control of a heterogeneous promoter. The intron of PhADF1 induced GUS expression in vegetative tissues under the control of the reproductive tissue‐specific Arabidopsis profilin 5 (PRF5) promoter. In transient assays, the presence of the intron increased GUS expression under control of the 35S minimal promoter. Our results suggest that the first intron of the PhADF1 gene alters tissue‐specific expression by a post‐transcriptional mechanism. In addition, we have also shown that intron‐mediated enhancement is a conserved mechanism, which regulates the expression of the petunia and Arabidopsis ADF genes that are expressed in vegetative tissues.
Functional characterization of a glycine‐rich RNA‐binding protein 2 in Arabidopsis thaliana under abiotic stress conditions
Authors: Kim Joo Y. , Park Su J. , Jang Boseung , Jung Che‐Hun , Ahn Sung J. , Goh Chang‐Hyo , Cho Kyoungwon , Han Oksoo , Kang Hunseung
Published: March 2007

Although glycine‐rich RNA‐binding protein 2 (GRP2) has been implicated in plant responses to environmental stresses, the function and importance of GRP2 in stress responses are largely unknown. Here, we examined the functional roles of GRP2 in Arabidopsis thaliana under high‐salinity, cold or osmotic stress. GRP2 affects seed germination of Arabidopsis plants under salt stress, but does not influence seed germination and seedling growth of Arabidopsis plants under osmotic stress. GRP2 accelerates seed germination and seedling growth in Arabidopsis plants under cold stress, and contributes to enhancement of cold and freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis plants. No differences in germination between the wild‐type and transgenic plants were observed following addition of abscisic acid (ABA) or glucose, implying that GRP2 affects germination through an ABA‐independent pathway. GRP2 complements the cold sensitivity of an Escherichia coli BX04 mutant and exhibits transcription anti‐termination activity, suggesting that it has an RNA chaperone activity during the cold adaptation process. Mitochondrial respiration and catalase and peroxidase activities were affected by expression of mitochondrial‐localized GRP2 in Arabidopsis plants under cold stress. Proteome analysis revealed that expression of several mitochondrial‐encoded genes was modulated by GRP2 under cold stress. These results provide new evidence indicating that GRP2 plays important roles in seed germination, seedling growth and freezing tolerance of Arabidopsis under stress conditions, and that GRP2 exerts its function by modulating the expression and activity of various classes of genes.
Overexpression of BpMADS4 from silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) induces early‐flowering in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.)
Authors: Flachowsky H. , Peil A. , Sopanen T. , Elo A. , Hanke V.
Published: March 2007

To shorten the juvenile stage of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) the BpMADS4 gene from silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) was constitutively overexpressed in 25 transgenic apple clones. All clones were characterized by PCR, RT‐PCR and Real Time PCR. Solitary flowers were produced on in vitro shoots of eight transgenic clones and most of them appeared to be morphologically normal. Twenty shoots of each clone were rooted and transferred to a glasshouse. Glasshouse plants of clones T1165, T1187 and T1190 developed flowers. Several plants of T1165 and T1187 started floral initiation within 3–4 months following transfer to the glasshouse. Primary flowers were solitary and in a terminal position on the main shoot. Lateral flower clusters, consisting of three to five individual flowers, were also found. Pollen vitality and tube germination of glasshouse‐grown flowers were investigated, and there were no significant differences compared to pollen of non‐transgenic control plants. Preliminary crosses using flowers of glasshouse plants resulted in small apple fruits. It would seem that this is the first report on in vitro flower induction in transgenic apple.
Genomic regions associated with milling quality and grain shape identified in a set of random introgression lines of rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Zheng T. Q. , Xu J. L. , Li Z. K. , Zhai H. Q. , Wan J. M.
Published: March 2007

Rice milling quality is the final part of grain yield making it fit for eating and a complex trait that remains poorly understood genetically. Three components of rice milling quality, i.e. brown rice rate, milled rice rate and head rice rate and related rice grain shape traits were genetically dissected by the QTL mapping approach using a set of 231 random rice introgression lines and 160 SSR markers. A total of 10 genomic regions were found to be associated with rice grain shape and milling quality traits. Of these, one major QTL on chromosome 7 had large effects on rice grain shape and milling quality and was detected consistently in several related populations of rice, which offers an opportunity for marker‐aided improvement of rice milling quality and QTL cloning.
Liver histology in benign biliary stricture: Fibrosis to cirrhosis . . . and reversal?
Authors: Sikora Sadiq S , Srikanth Gadiyaram , Agrawal Vinita , Gupta Ramesh K , Kumar Ashok , Saxena Rajan , Kapoor Vinay K
Published: March 2007

Background:  Secondary biliary cirrhosis is a potential complication of post‐cholecystectomy bile duct stricture (PCBDS). This study addresses the factors that determine the severity of pathological changes on liver biopsy and the correlation with long‐term outcome following repair.

Methods:  Liver biopsies obtained at surgery for repair of PCBDS in 71 patients were reviewed and pathological changes were scored from 0 to 3. Patients with fibrosis score 0–2 were categorized as the non‐cirrhotic group and those with score 3 (secondary biliary cirrhosis) were categorized as the cirrhotic group. Clinical and biochemical parameters, stricture type and outcome were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis for correlation with degree of fibrosis. Follow‐up liver biopsies (3–60 months) after stricture repair were obtained in five patients.

Results:  There were 58 patients in the non‐cirrhotic group and 13 in the cirrhotic group. On univariate analysis, portal hypertension and prolonged injury‐repair duration correlated with secondary biliary cirrhosis. Patients with a fair outcome in the cirrhotic group (4/13) had derangements in liver function tests but had patent biliary enteric anastomosis on evaluation. Of the five patients in whom liver biopsies were obtained at follow up, two had regression, two were static, and one had progression.

Conclusion:  All patients with PCBDS had varying degrees of fibrosis. Prolonged injury‐repair interval and portal hypertension were the important parameters correlating with secondary biliary cirrhosis. Early repair of biliary stricture is recommended to prevent liver fibrosis. A successful relief of biliary obstruction may halt and/or reverse pathological changes in the liver.
Applicability of MELD as a short‐term prognostic indicator in patients with chronic liver disease: An Indian experience
Authors: Mishra Peeyush , Desai Nutan , Alexander Jacob , Singh Dharmendra P , Sawant Prabha
Published: March 2007

Background:  The model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD), which employs objective variables, statistical weighting and a continuous scale, has replaced the Child–Turcotte–Pugh (CTP) classification as the scoring system of choice in several liver transplant centers. However, the predictive ability of MELD has never been prospectively evaluated in India. The aim of this study was to examine the MELD score, the CTP score and the recently proposed modified CTP score in Indian patients with liver cirrhosis to determine their correlation and compare their prognostic significance for short‐term survival.

Methods:  A total of 76 patients with cirrhosis (mean age 46.97 years) were prospectively evaluated and followed up for 6 months. MELD score, CTP score and modified CTP score were calculated at baseline. The correlation between variables was evaluated by Pearson's correlation test. Receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the cutoff values for each score with the best sensitivity and specificity in discriminating between patients who survived and those who died.

Results:  Alcoholic liver disease was the most common (50%) etiology of cirrhosis. MELD score and CTP score showed very good correlation (Pearson correlation r = 0.983). ROC curve showed area under curve (c‐statistics) for MELD score, CTP score and modified CTP score as 0.764, 0.804 and 0.817, respectively.

Conclusion:  The MELD score was not found to be superior to CTP score and modified CTP score for short‐term prognostication of patients with cirrhosis in this study.
Predictive value of rapid virological response and early virological response on sustained virological response in HCV patients treated with pegylated interferon α‐2a and ribavirin
Authors: Yu Jian‐Wu , Wang Gui‐Qiang , Sun Li‐Jie , Li Xiao‐Guang , Li Shu‐Chen
Published: March 2007

Background and Aim:  The therapeutic effect of pegylated interferon (peg‐IFN)‐α‐2a combination with ribavirin on patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is dependent on the rapidity of the virological response. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of rapid virological response (RVR) and early virological response (EVR) on sustained virological response (SVR) in HCV patients treated with peg‐IFN‐α‐2a and ribavirin.

Methods:  The HCV genotypes of 105 patients with chronic hepatitis C were detected by enzyme‐immunoassay. Patients received subcutaneous 180 µg peg‐IFN‐α‐2a once weekly plus daily ribavirin. Patients with genotype 1 were treated for 48 weeks and patients with genotype 2 or 3 were treated for 24 weeks. HCV RNA was assessed by qualitative PCR at pretreatment, at weeks 4 and 12 during treatment, and at week 24 of follow‐up. Virological response rates at different weeks were investigated, with RVR defined as serum HCV RNA undetectable after 4 weeks and EVR defined as HCV RNA either undetectable or decrease by ≥2 log10 after 12 weeks. The effects of virological response rates at different weeks on SVR were analyzed.

Results:  Of the 105 patients, 44 (41.9%) were genotype 1, 46 (43.8%) were genotype 2, and 15 (14.3%) were genotype 3. RVR rates (19.5%) of patients with genotype 1 were significantly lower than those (60.7%) of genotype 2 or 3 (χ2 = 16.836, P = 0.000); and EVR rates (73.2%) of patients with genotype 1 were significantly lower than those (96.7%) of genotype 2 or 3 (χ2 = 12.220, P = 0.000). The SVR rates (86.7%) of patients who had achieved RVR were significantly higher than those (43.9%) of patients who had not achieved RVR (χ2 = 19.713, P = 0.000). The positive predictive value of RVR in all patients was higher than that of EVR, but there was no significant difference between RVR and EVR. The negative predictive value of RVR in all patients or with genotype 1 was significantly lower than that of EVR. In univariate analysis, HCV RNA level (P = 0.014), genotype (P = 0.001), RVR (P = 0.000) and EVR (P = 0.000) were associated with effect of treatment. However, in stepwise regression analysis, the independent factors associated with effect of antiviral therapy were RVR (OR = 6.501, P = 0.001), EVR (OR = 2.776, P = 0.003) and genotype (OR = 3.061, P = 0.024).

Conclusions:  The RVR and EVR rates of patients with genotype 1 were significantly lower than those of patients with genotype 2 or 3. RVR had a similar predictive value as EVR on SVR. Genotype, HCV RNA level, RVR and EVR were associated with SVR. Genotype, RVR and EVR were independent factors for predicting the effect of antiviral therapy.
Endoluminal gastroplication for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: A 2‐year prospective pilot study from Taiwan
Authors: Liao Chien‐Chung , Lee Chia‐Long , Lin Bor‐Ru , Bai Chyi‐Huey , Hsieh Yu‐Hsia , Wu Chi‐Hwa , Gostout Christopher J
Published: March 2007

Background and Aim:  Endoluminal gastroplication (ELGP) offers a minimally invasive option for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Western countries. However, long‐term outcomes of ELGP in Asian populations have not been investigated. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the long‐term benefits of ELGP in Asian patients with GERD.

Methods:  Taiwanese patients diagnosed with GERD were enrolled and had the procedure performed with EndoCinch. The assessment included symptom scoring, validated GERD questionnaires, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, esophageal manometry and 24‐h pH monitoring before and after the procedure over a 2‐year period.

Results:  Twenty‐one consecutive patients were recruited and underwent ELGP. Patients reported improved heartburn symptom score (mean 64.0 vs 21.1, P < 0.001), regurgitation frequency score (mean 2.4 vs 1.3, P < 0.001), and GERD health‐related quality of life (mean 23.1 vs 10.1, P < 0.001) at 24 months. The mean total time of pH < 4 reduced from 121.7 min to 67.1 min (P = 0.008) and mean DeMeester score reduced from 32.9 to 17.6 (P = 0.011) at 3 months. Antisecretory drug discontinuation rate was 81%, 57%, 52% and 48% at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months, respectively. Of the patients who had a favorable initial response to ELGP at 1 month, 41% resumed antisecretory medications at 24 months follow‐up. All adverse events were mild and transient.

Conclusions:  Endoluminal gastroplication is a safe and modestly effective endotherapy for patients with GERD. It significantly improved symptoms in an Asian population. Approximately one in two patients continues to be off medication at 24 months follow‐up. However, the long‐term efficacy and durability are still to be determined.
Adult intussusception in Asians: Clinical presentations, diagnosis, and treatment
Authors: Chang Chun‐Chao , Chen Yang‐Yuan , Chen Yung‐Fa , Lin Chun‐Nan , Yen Hsu‐Heng , Lou Horng‐Yuan
Published: March 2007

Background:  Adult intussusception is a rare clinical entity. The presentations and optimal management of adult intussusception in Asians have seldom been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the causes and management of adult intussusception in Taiwan.

Methods:  A retrospective review performed at four medical centers in Taiwan identified 46 patients, at least 18 years old, with a diagnosis of intestinal intussusception from January 1992 to December 2005. Data related to presentations, diagnosis, treatment, and pathology were analyzed.

Results:  There were 28 men and 18 women with a mean age of 58 (range 19–83) years. Twenty‐five patients were diagnosed with enteric intussusception and 21 patients with colonic intussusception. Disease in 35 (76.1%) patients was caused by a benign lead point. The most common symptom was abdominal pain, which was seen in all patients. Twenty‐five patients presented with acute symptoms that they experienced over a period of less than 3 days. The preoperative diagnosis was 89.1% because of the wide use of abdominal computed tomography (CT). The most sensitive diagnostic modality was abdominal CT (88.6%). For all patients, 76% with enteric intussusception and 28.6% with colonic intussusception underwent operative reduction. At the time of writing, 71.7% patients were still alive. Only two patients died of postoperative complications.

Conclusions:  Most patients with adult intussusception in our series were men, and most intussusceptions were benign and of enteric origin. The most sensitive diagnostic modality is abdominal CT scan. Operative reduction is recommended for enteric intussusceptions but not for colonic intussusceptions. The prognosis of adult intussusception after surgery is good except for malignant intussusception.
Poisson's ratio as a sensitive indicator of (fatigue) damage in fibre‐reinforced plastics
Authors: VAN PAEPEGEM W. , DE BAERE I. , LAMKANFI E. , DEGRIECK J.
Published: March 2007

Even if the extent of damage in fibre‐reinforced plastics is limited, it already affects the elastic properties. Therefore, the damage initiation and propagation in composite structures is monitored very carefully. Beside the use of nondestructive testing methods (ultrasonic inspection, optical fibre sensing), the follow‐up of the degradation of engineering properties such as the stiffness is a common approach.

In this paper, it is investigated if the Poisson's ratio can be used as a sensitive indicator of (fatigue) damage in fibre‐reinforced plastics. Static, cyclic and fatigue tests have been performed on [0°/90°]2s glass/epoxy laminates, and axial and transverse strain were measured continuously. The evolution of the Poisson's ratio νxy versus time and axial strain ɛxx is studied. It is concluded that the degradation of the Poisson's ratio can be a valuable indicator of damage, in combination with the stiffness degradation.
Influence of Ramberg–Osgood fitting on the determination of plastic displacement rates in creep crack growth testing
Authors: HUH NAM‐SU , KIM YUN‐JAE , YOON KEE‐BONG
Published: March 2007

This paper investigates the effect of the Ramberg–Osgood (R‐O) fitting procedures on plastic displacement rate estimates in creep crack growth testing, via detailed two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional finite‐element analyses of the standard compact tension specimen. Four different R‐O fitting procedures are considered: (i) fitting the entire true stress–strain data up to the ultimate tensile strength, (ii) fitting the true stress–strain data from 0.1% strain to 0.8 of the true ultimate strain, (iii) fitting the true stress–strain data only up to 5% strain and (iv) fitting the engineering stress–strain data. It is found that the first two fitting procedures can produce significant errors in plastic displacement rate estimates. The last two procedures, on the other hand, provide reasonably accurate plastic displacement rates and thus should be recommended in creep crack growth testing. Several advantages of fitting the engineering stress–strain data over fitting the true stress–strain data only up to 5% strain are discussed.
Proposed life prediction model for laser‐formed high‐strength low‐alloy curved components
Authors: McGRATH P. J. , HUGHES C. J.
Published: March 2007

Techniques employed for material processing using laser technology are progressing at a rapid pace. One such technique is that of forming sheet metal plates. This high‐intensity localized heating process allows for forming of metallic sheet materials without the need for expensive tools and dies or any mechanical assistance. The fundamental mechanisms related to this process are reasonably well understood and documented but there remain areas that require further research and development. One such area is the fatigue behaviour of sheet materials manufactured by this novel process. Hence, the proceeds of this paper deal with fatigue life prediction of sheet metal components laser‐formed to a radius with a curvature of approximately 120 mm. The approach to this proposed model considers the mean stress relationship as given by Gerber and a prediction model derived from combining the aspects of life prediction models according to Collins and Juvinall & Marshek.
Effects of oestrogen receptor‐active compounds on lipid metabolism
Authors: Lakoski Susan G. , Herrington David M.
Published: March 2007

Abstract:  Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) have been used successfully in the treatment of breast cancer and osteoporosis while Tibolone has been used extensively in Europe for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Limited data is available on the effect of these agents on the cardiovascular system. Traditional and novel lipid markers are valuable in determining patients at increased cardiovascular risk. The purpose of this article is to discuss the mechanism of action of Tamoxifen, Raloxifene and Tibolone and their effects on lipid metabolism.
Daily inhibition of postprandial hyperglycaemia with JTT‐608, a novel oral antidiabetic agent, ameliorates pancreatic function in neonatally streptozotocin‐treated rats
Authors: Ohta T. , Sasase T. , Miyajima K. , Matsui K. , Matsushita M. , Furukawa N. , Yonemori F.
Published: March 2007

Aim:  Chronic glycaemic control, in particular, the control of postprandial hyperglycaemia, is essential for preventing the development of diabetic complications. We therefore evaluated the chronic treatment effect of a new antidiabetic agent, JTT‐608 [trans‐4‐(methylcyclohexyl)‐4‐oxobutyric acid], in neonatally streptozotocin‐treated rats.

Methods:  The rats were maintained with liquid meal three times a day and treated orally with JTT‐608 10 min before each meal for 12 weeks. Haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) and fasting blood glucose levels were measured at 4‐week intervals, and effects of JTT‐608 on pancreatic function and diabetic complications were examined after dosing period.

Results:  The postprandial hyperglycaemia was suppressed by JTT‐608 administration, and both HbA1C levels and fasting blood glucose levels were reduced during the experimental period. After the treatment period of 12 weeks, JTT‐608 further improved the early insulin secretion and the impaired glucose tolerance after meal loading in the diabetic rats. Also, pathological examination revealed that JTT‐608 reduced the incidence of the decrease in immunoreactivity of insulin. In examination of other diabetic complications, JTT‐608 ameliorated the reduced motor nerve conduction velocities observed in diabetic rats and inhibited the incidence of cataracts with diabetes.

Conclusions:  We conclude that a newly developed antidiabetic agent, JTT‐608, improves the pancreatic function and prevents the development of diabetic complications by inhibition of daily postprandial hyperglycaemia and could be useful for the treatment of diabetic subjects with impaired insulin secretion.
The preferred magnetic resonance imaging planes in quantifying visceral adipose tissue and evaluating cardiovascular risk
Authors: Liu K. H. , Chan Y. L. , Chan J. C. N. , Chan W. B. , Kong M. O. , Poon M. Y.
Published: March 2007

Background:  Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a well‐accepted non‐invasive method in the quantification of visceral adipose tissue. However, a standard method of measurement has not yet been universally agreed.

Objectives:  The objectives of the present study were 2‐fold, firstly, to identify the imaging plane in the Chinese population which gives the best correlation with total visceral adipose tissue volume and cardiovascular risk factors; and secondly to compare the correlations between single‐slice and multiple‐slice approach with cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods:  Thirty‐seven Chinese subjects with no known medical history underwent MRI examination for quantifying total visceral adipose tissue volume. The visceral adipose tissue area at five axial imaging levels within abdomen and pelvis were determined. All subjects had blood pressure measured and fasting blood taken for analysis of cardiovascular risk factors. Framingham risk score for each subject was calculated.

Results:  The imaging plane at the level of ‘lower costal margin’ (LCM) in both men and women had the highest correlation with total visceral adipose tissue volume (r = 0.97 and 0.99 respectively). The visceral adipose tissue area at specific imaging levels showed higher correlations with various cardiovascular risk factors and Framingham risk score than total visceral adipose tissue volume. The visceral adipose tissue area at ‘umbilicus’ (UMB) level in men (r = 0.88) and LCM level in women (r = 0.70) showed the best correlation with Framingham risk score.

Conclusions:  The imaging plane at the level of LCM is preferred for reflecting total visceral adipose tissue volume in Chinese subjects. For investigating the association of cardiovascular risk with visceral adipose tissue in MRI‐obesity research, the single‐slice approach is superior to the multiple‐slice approach, with the level of UMB in men and LCM in women as the preferred imaging planes.
Association between Pro12Ala polymorphism of the PPAR‐γ2 gene and insulin sensitivity in Brazilian patients with type‐2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Tavares V. , Hirata R. D. C. , Rodrigues A. C. , Monte O. , Salles J. E. N. , Scalissi N. , Speranza A. C. , Hirata M. H.
Published: March 2007

Aim:  Peroxisome‐proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ2 (PPAR‐γ2) is a nuclear receptor that plays an important role in lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of Pro12Ala polymorphism at the PPAR‐γ2 gene in Brazilian patients with type‐2 diabetes mellitus (T2Dm) and controls (CG).

Methods:  Genomic DNA was obtained from 207 unrelated white people presenting with T2Dm and from 170 controls. Anthropometric data included body mass index and waist to hip ratio. Biochemical parameters included fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, high‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glycated haemoglobin and insulin. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were also measured. Screening for mutations in the entire coding region of the PPAR‐γ gene was performed by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single‐strand conformational polymorphism and sequencing. Pro12Ala polymorphism was analysed by using PCR‐RFLP (restriction fragment‐length polymorphism).

Results:  One base substitution was identified – a C to G substitution in exon B of the PPAR‐γ2 gene. The frequency of the Ala12 allele in T2Dm (0.09) was similar to that found in CG (0.06, p = 0.185). In the T2Dm group, Ala12 allele was associated with lower fasting plasma insulin levels (p = 0.036) and higher insulin sensitivity (p = 0.049) by means of homeostasis model assessment. Among obese people, there was no association between any of the T2Dm or obesity‐related traits and the Pro12Ala polymorphism.

Conclusions:  The results of our study suggest that people with the Ala12 allele of the PPAR‐γ2 gene could be more sensitive to insulin than those carriers of the Pro12 allele among Brazilian Caucasians.
A comparison of the cellular and biological properties of DPP‐IV‐resistant N‐glucitol analogues of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 and glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide
Authors: Green B. D. , Gault V. A. , O'Harte F. P. M. , Flatt P. R.
Published: March 2007

Aim:  The two major incretin hormones – glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) and glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) – are being actively researched by the pharmaceutical industry because of their glucose‐lowering and potential anti‐diabetic properties. Unfortunately, the inactivation of GLP‐1 and GIP in the circulation brought about by dipeptidyl‐peptidase‐IV (DPP‐IV) degradation makes their biological actions short‐lived. This study directly compares the cellular and biological properties of GLP‐1, GIP and their N‐terminally modified counterparts, with glucitol extension at positions His7 and Tyr1, respectively, to confer DPP‐IV resistance.

Methods:  Using both the glucose‐responsive pancreatic beta‐cell line, BRIN BD11, and the obese diabetic (ob/ob) mouse, we assessed adenosine 3′,5′‐cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) production and insulinotropic action in vitro as well as in vivo glucose‐lowering and insulin‐releasing actions.

Results:  The results reveal that glycation of the N‐terminus of GLP‐1 or GIP stabilized both peptides against DPP‐IV degradation. However, N‐glucitol‐GLP‐1 displayed reduced cAMP production, insulinotropic activity and glucose‐lowering potency, compared to native GLP‐1. By contrast, N‐glucitol‐GIP exhibited substantially improved biological activities, compared to native GIP, and possessed similar or enhanced in vivo potency to GLP‐1. N‐terminal extension by means of glucitol addition is more beneficial to bioactivity of GIP than it is to GLP‐1.

Conclusions:  N‐terminal glycation generates a super GIP agonist, which possesses acute in vivo glucose‐lowering and insulinotropic actions superior to native GLP‐1. Therefore, N‐glucitol‐GIP is a particularly attractive potential candidate molecule for drug therapy of type 2 diabetes.
Inputs and Outcomes of Outdoor Management Development: Of Design, Dogma and Dissonance
Authors: Jones Philip J. , Oswick Cliff
Published: March 2007

Although it is now a multi‐million pound international industry, there is continuing scepticism about the benefits of Outdoor Management Development (OMD). This study investigates the impact of participation in an archetypal example of OMD on a cohort of junior managers (n=19). Participants reported changes in a variety of attitudes including, their opinions of themselves, team‐working and the theoretical frameworks used to underpin the programme. Analysis of individuals' accounts found associations between participation in particular forms of outdoor training activities and changes in certain categories of attitude. Cognitive dissonance theory is used as a framework to explain these changes. More specifically, we contend that task selection and review‐style choices made by providers and sponsors significantly influenced the reactions, sense‐making processes and training outcomes reported by participants. This study challenges the design of contemporary OMD programmes that privileges a linear, incremental view of development where one starts with simple tasks of short duration and gradually progresses to longer and more complex activities.
Enterprise Ritual: A Theory of Entrepreneurial Emotion and Exchange
Authors: Goss David
Published: March 2007

Unlike most other areas of social science, emotion has been a neglected concept within entrepreneurship research. Where it has appeared, it has usually been a marginal or subsidiary concern, subordinated to the more rational aspects of information processing and decision‐making. This article draws upon ideas from social exchange, interaction ritual and discourse theory to propose a model that integrates the processes of social interaction, emotion and cognition. The model supports a set of conjectural propositions about the role of emotions in shaping entrepreneurial behaviour and suggests a number of new opportunities for research in this area.
An Automated GIS Procedure for Delineating River and Lake Boundaries
Authors: Merwade Venkatesh M
Published: March 2007

Digitization of river and lake boundaries is an essential task in several hydrologic studies, which, in most cases, is performed manually by using aerial photographs. This paper presents an automatic geographic information system (GIS) procedure for delineating river and lake boundaries using aerial photographs. The GIS procedure is based on supervised classification of aerial photographs by using the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) for creating training areas. Four study areas – Lake Palestine in Texas, Brazos River in Texas, Neuse River in North Carolina, and Snake River in Idaho – are used to demonstrate the approach. The results from the automatic boundary delineation process are evaluated by comparing them to manually digitized boundaries. The boundaries delineated by the automatic procedure matched the manually digitized boundaries with an overall difference of less than five percent in terms of area measurement. Besides saving about 85 percent of manual labor, the GIS procedure provides a consistent way of delineating water bodies, and provides estimation of river channel widths, which, in conjunction with existing NHD data, can be used to estimate average flow depths. Supplementing the regional scale NHD data with local scale attributes such as channel width and depth may lead to increased use of NHD in local scale studies.
Knowledge Discovery in the Environmental Sciences: Visual and Automatic Data Mining for Radon Problems in Groundwater
Authors: Demšar Urška
Published: March 2007

Efficiently exploring a large dataset with the aim of forming a hypothesis is one of the main challenges in environmental research. The exploration of georeferenced environmental data is usually performed by established statistical methods. This paper presents an alternative approach. The aim of this study was to see if a visual data mining system and an integrated visual‐automatic data mining system could be used for data exploration for a particular environmental problem: the occurrence of radon in groundwater. In order to demonstrate this, two data mining systems were built, one consisting of visualisations and the other including an automatic data mining method – a Self‐Organising Map (SOM). The systems were designed for exploration of a large multidimensional dataset representing wells in Stockholm County.
User Assessment as Input for Useful Geospatial Representations within Mobile Location‐Based Services
Authors: Wealands Karen , Benda Peter , Miller Suzette , Cartwright William E
Published: March 2007

Mobile Location‐Based Services (mLBS) are an increasingly consumer‐based concept borne from, and continually driven by, technology‐centred development; as opposed to the needs of end users. Where users have been made a focus, the research generally concerns issues of overall system appearance, functionality, information content and interaction methods, with little emphasis on the component geospatial representations. This paper describes the initial stages of a research project aimed at filling this void through the application of a qualitative User‐Centred Design (UCD) methodology for optimising geospatial representations within mLBS applications, in order to support a selected user group: Australian ‘leisure‐based travellers’. Presented in this paper is an account of two UCD activities adopted for the research. The first, user profiling, served to define the target user population in terms of their technological, geospatial and travel experiences, using an online questionnaire. The second, user task analysis, involved in‐depth interviews with a subset of users in order to obtain a deeper understanding of the geospatial goals, tasks, needs and preferences within the population, as well as the range of user differences and variability in tasks present. An overall user assessment, through combined analysis of the two result sets, highlighted considerations for the ongoing research, including a set of specific implications for the design of alternative models for geospatial services, representations and interactions. The themes described in this paper represent an initial and necessary component of UCD, which has been largely overlooked in research relating to mLBS. Whilst the focus here is on a specific user group and context of use, it is envisaged that many of the concepts tested and ratified by the resulting models will be relevant to mLBS applications in general.
THE CASTRATION OF SIGNS: CONVERSING WITH AUGUSTINE ON CREATION, LANGUAGE AND TRUTH
Authors: TICCIATI SUSANNAH
Published: March 2007

This article takes as its starting point Nicholas Lash's use of the Buberian distinction between the basic words “I‐It” and “I‐You” to address the question of how the difference between God and creation is “displayed” within the world. Drawing on a rather different discourse—the semiotics developed by Augustine in the distinctions he makes between sign and thing, use and enjoyment—it seeks to explore the concrete shape that might be taken by practices that foster the speaking of the basic word “I‐You”, and which thereby manifest God's redemptive activity within the world, focusing specifically on practices of debate and argument. “What might a redeemed practice of debate look like?” is the question that this article seeks to answer.
EUROPE IN CRISIS: A QUESTION OF BELIEF OR UNBELIEF? PERSPECTIVES FROM THE VATICAN1
Authors: BOEVE LIEVEN
Published: March 2007

For Joseph Ratzinger, elected Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, modernity has transformed Europe into a continent without God. As a result, Europe's self‐understanding is flawed. This outcome puts serious doubts on the Church's resolution, expressed in Gaudium et spes, to dialogue with the modern world. Moreover, the present pope was among the first to warn both church and society against the erosion of modernity. Also more recently, e.g. in his Values in a Time of Upheaval, he argued that only a Europe firmly rooted in Christian faith can survive the nihilism and moral crisis with which it is confronted. As a creative minority Christians should help Europe win back the best of its heritage and use it to the service of all humanity. In this contribution Boeve presents the evolution and primary features of Joseph Ratzinger's thought in this regard and concludes with a number of critical observations.
THE IMPORTANCE OF OVERCOMING METAPHYSICS FOR THE LIFE OF FAITH
Authors: WESTPHAL MEROLD
Published: March 2007

This essay proceeds, first, with an analysis of the theme of overcoming metaphysics in Kant and Heidegger to see just what it is that needs overcoming and how this might be of service to the life of biblical, ecclesial faith. This is followed by an account of how Jean‐Luc Marion sees the right kind of phenomenology as performing this task and of John Milbank's counterclaim that “only theology overcomes metaphysics”. Marion's position is then defended as a genuine, if partial overcoming that needs theology for its completion. Finally, a brief account is offered of the authentically metaphysical dimension of theology.
Who's On the Line? Indian Call Center Agents Pose as Americans for U.S.‐Outsourced Firms
Authors: POSTER WINIFRED R.
Published: March 2007

This paper explores the globalization of service work through an analysis of customer service call centers in India for U.S. firms. It reveals a new kind of managerial strategy, “national identity management,” in which employees are asked to subsume different national identities as part of the job. Through interviews with over eighty Indian call center personnel and case studies of three call centers, this paper analyzes how and why ethnicity and citizenship have become crucial elements of the labor process. It builds upon and elaborates seminal theories of managerial control in interactive service work, including Hochschild's theory of emotion management and Leidner's theory of scripting. It argues that globalization fundamentally alters the relationship of the actors, the purpose and practice of managerial control, and the outcomes for those involved. In addition, it reflects on theories of advancing information and communication technology (ICT), and global identity. Some scholars argue that the development of ICTs will lead to a homogenization (especially an “Americanization”) of identities, while others see increasing global disjuncture and renegotiation of identities. Instead, this analysis reveals a continuum of responses by workers to the process of national identity management, and the forging of multiple, internally differentiated ethnic identities. It concludes by arguing that customer service work will continue to be globalized, and as a result, issues of “nation” will increasingly surface within interactive service work.
Do Industrial Relations Institutions Influence Foreign Direct Investment? Evidence from OECD Nations
Authors: HAM HWIKWON , KLEINER MORRIS M.
Published: March 2007

The potential impact of industrial relations institutions on economic outcomes has been a key element in analyzing the governing of the global workplace. We present case information and analysis that show that there are trade‐offs between higher levels of economic outcomes and greater equity and employee voice associated with more and deeper labor market institutions. The estimates from the model show the impact of industrial relations system policies within a nation on a country's foreign direct investment (FDI) from other nations for the period 1985 through 2000 using data from nations that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD). Examples of the impact of major transformations in national industrial relations systems on FDI for UK and New Zealand also are presented. Our results show that higher levels of industrial relations institutions from the firms’ perspective are usually associated with lower levels of FDI.
From Islamism to nationalism in Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: ASPINALL EDWARD
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACT. This article analyses a dramatic political transformation in Indonesia's Aceh province. In the 1950s, an Islamic rebellion (Darul Islam) aimed not to separate Aceh from Indonesia, but rather to make Indonesia an Islamic state. A successor movement from the 1970s was GAM, the Free Aceh Movement. GAM, however, was essentially secular‐nationalist in orientation, sought Aceh's complete independence and did not espouse formal Islamic goals. The transformation is explained by various factors, but the key argument concerns the relationship between Islam and nationalism. The defeat of Darul Islam had caused Aceh's Islamic leaders to focus on what they could achieve in Aceh alone, ultimately giving rise to Acehnese nationalism and the secessionist goal. However, Islam remained a point of commonality with, rather than difference from, majority‐Muslim Indonesia. The logic of nationalist identity construction and differentiation thus caused Aceh's separatist leaders, despite being personally devout, to increasingly downplay Islamic symbols and ideology.
‘Faith in nation comes in different guises’1: modernist versions of religious nationalism2
Authors: MIHELJ SABINA
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACT.Many scholars of nationalism seem to assume that religious nationalism is inherently and necessarily hostile to the secular nation‐state and to modern developments in general. The present paper challenges this conviction by drawing on recent debates among sociologists of religion, and it points to the existence of modernist versions of religious nationalism that acknowledge the legitimacy of the secular nation‐state and are generally sympathetic to modern developments. It examines one of the most prominent manifestations of this variety of nationalism, namely Protestant modernist nationalism. After a brief consideration of cases from nineteenth century Europe, the remainder of the paper focuses on the modernist religious nationalisms arising in post‐Cold War Eastern Europe, with a special focus on Slovenia.
Neural mechanisms of visual selective attention
Authors: MANGUN GEORGE R.
Published: March 2007

Visual selective attention improves our perception and performance by modifying sensory inputs at an early stage of processing. Spatial attention produces the most consistent early modulations of visual processing, which can be observed when attention is voluntarily allocated to locations. These effects of spatial attention are similar when attention is cued in a trial‐by‐trial, or sustained, fashion and are manifest as changes in the amplitudes, but not the latencies, of evoked neural activity recorded from the intact human scalp. This modulation of sensory processing first occurs within the extrastriate visual cortex and not within the striate or earlier subcortical processing stages. These relatively early spatial filters alter the inputs to higher stages of visual analysis that are responsible for feature extraction and ultimately object perception and recognition, and thus provide physiological evidence for early precategorical selection during visual attention. Moreover, the physiological evidence extends early selection theories by providing neurophysiologically precise information about the stages of visual processing affected by attention.
Caffeine and smoking: Subjective, performance, and psychophysiological effects
Authors: PRITCHARD WALTER S. , ROBINSON JOHN H. , DeBETHIZY J. DONALD , DAVIS RILEY A. , STILES MITCHELL F.
Published: March 2007

The effects of caffeine and smoking on cognitive performance, subjective variables, heart rate, and EEG were assessed in two sessions. In one session, subjects received caffeine (2.5 mg/kg bodyweight), while in the other they received placebo. In both sessions (hey smoked a cigarette (8 cued puffs) having a nicotine yield of 1.2 mg. Caffeine produced an increase in self‐reported muscular tension and tended to increase anxiety and delta magnitude. Smoking facilitated performance of a paper‐and‐pencil math task and increased heart rate. Smoking also appeared to produce cortical activation as indexed by decreased right frontal delta, decreased right centro‐parietal theta, globally increased alpha, and increased centro‐occipital/decreased posterior‐temporal betal. Smoking also increased central/decreased posterior‐temporal beta2. Smoking and caffeine did not interact for any measure, suggesting that the epidemiological link between smoking and coffee drinking may have a non‐pharmacological basis.
Cardiovascular reactivity, Type A behavior, and coronary heart disease: Comparisons between myocardial infarction patients and controls during laboratory‐induced stress
Authors: SUNDIN ÖRJAN , ÖHMAN ARNE , PALM THOMAS , STRÖM GUNNAR
Published: March 2007

Cardiovascular responses to a series of laboratory stressors were examined in middle‐aged Type A and Type B men. The subjects were 30 patients with diagnosed myocardial infarction (NYHA Class 1) and 26 age‐matched healthy controls. All subjects were nonsmokers in the normotensive range, and none were on medication. Blood pressure, heart rate, forearm blood flow and resistance, and impedance cardiography‐determined response variables were obtained during performance and recovery periods of both mental and physical tasks. The patients showed elevated reactivity in systolic blood pressure and cardiac output and prolonged systolic lime ratio during mental stress tasks and elevated total peripheral resistance and lower cardiac output and stroke volume during physical tasks, as compared with control subjects. Thus, the difference in blood pressure reactivity between patients and controls appeared to be primarily dependent on the vascular component during physical tasks, whereas the mental tasks promoted a hemodynamic response pattern more consistent with beta adrenergic activation. Type A men, irrespective of coronary status, showed larger systolic and diastolic blood pressure response to both mental and physical stress than did Type B men.
Generalization of the orienting response to significant stimuli: The roles of common and distinctive stimulus components
Authors: BEN‐SHAKHAR GERSHON , GATI ITAMAR , SALAMON NOA
Published: March 2007

This study focused on the effects of common and distinctive stimulus components on the generalization of the orienting response (OR) to significant stimuli. Compound pictorial stimuli were used as the relevant items memorized by the subjects. Skin conductance responses were measured during the subsequent presentation of a stimulus sequence that included a test stimulus that shared some common components with the relevant one. The two types of stimulus components (common and distinctive) were independently manipulated. As predicted by the feature‐matching theory, both types of features affected OR generalization, but the distinctive components effect was due mainly to a large decline in OR with the introduction of the first distinctive component. As hypothesized, no interaction was observed between the effects of common and distinctive components. Contrary to expectations, similar OR generalization was obtained regardless of whether the test stimulus was constructed by deleting stimulus components from the relevant stimulus or by adding components to that stimulus.