bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ADSORBATE-INDUCED SURFACE STRESS MEASUREMENTS: A NEW METHOD FOR MONITORING IN-SITU SURFACE REACTIONS
Authors: GROSSMANN A. , ERLEY W. , IBACH H.
Published: November 2004

A new method to investigate in-situ catalytic reactions on single-crystal surfaces is introduced. The real-time technique of measuring the adsorbate-induced surface stress has been applied to the oxidation reaction of CO on Pt (111). The adsorption of each of the reactants, CO and oxygen, on Pt (111) induces a compressive stress which increases nonlinearly with the coverage. The stress-coverage dependence of CO and oxygen is explained by an ansatz, which considers the net charge transfer for an isolated adsorbate atom and the contribution of the wave-function overlap of adjacent atoms to the induced surface stress. The adsorbate-induced change of the total surface stress which is obtained during the surface reaction as a function of the time, is well reproduced by a Monte-Carlo simulation which regards the CO diffusion as well as the activation energy for the Langmuir-Hinshelwood reaction.
ATOMIC STRUCTURE OF THE Si(100)-(5×3)-Au SURFACE
Authors: JAYARAM G. , MARKS L.D.
Published: November 2004

An atomic structure model for the 5×3 phase observed on annealing Au deposited on clean Si (100) surfaces at room temperature is proposed from an ultrahigh-vacuum transmission electron microscopy imaging and diffraction study. The basic structure is made of silicon and gold atoms arranged in four parallel rows on the surface, and two parallel rows of gold atoms in the third layer in the bulk. The spacing between these subsurface gold rows results in the application of a compressive strain to the two outer surface rows. A combination of such structural units arranged in 5×3 and [Formula: see text] geometries satisfactorily explains earlier scanning tunneling microscopy, and current transmission electron microscopy data.
DYNAMICAL ANALYSIS OF X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON DIFFRACTION FROM W(001)c(2×2)-Ag AND -Au SURFACES
Authors: CHEN X. , ABUKAWA T. , TANI J. , KONO S.
Published: November 2004

The local structures of W (001) c (2×2)- Ag and - Au [refer to as c (2×2)- Ag and - Au ] surfaces have been studied by x-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD) for Ag-3d and Au-4f emissions with both multiple-scattering and single-scattering cluster approaches. Our dynamical study has revealed that the outermost layers of these surfaces form rumpled alloy structures, and the height of adsorbate atoms is 0.3±0.1 Å above that of W atoms in the top layer, and both adsorbate and tungsten atoms are at fourfold symmetric sites on the surfaces. It is also found in this study that there is a strong multiple-scattering effect on these surfaces, and a kinematical analysis fails completely on XPD from the c (2×2)- Ag surface at a high kinetic energy of 1115 eV, where the validity of the single-scattering theory was taken for granted in the past. Conditions that may result in such a strong multiple scattering in the systems are discussed in this paper.
Inhibition of plasma kallikrein by C1-inhibitor: role of endothelial cells and the amino-terminal domain of C1-inhibitor
Authors: Ravindran Sriram , Grys Thomas , A.Welch Rodney , Schapira Marc , Patston Philip
Published: November 2004

Activation of plasma prekallikein and generation of bradykinin are responsible for the angioedema attacks observed with C1inhibitor deficiency. Heterozygous individuals with <50% levels of active C1-inhibitor are susceptible to angioedema attacks indicating a critical need for C1-inhibitor to be present at maximum levels to prevent unwanted prekallikrein activation. Studies with purified proteins do not adequately explain this observation. Therefore to investigate why reduction of C1inhibitor to levels seen in angioedema patients results in excessive kallikrein generation we examined the effect of endothelial cells on the inhibition of kallikrein by C1-inhibitor. Surprisingly, it was found that a C1-inhibitor concentration of greater than 1 µM was needed to inhibit 3 nM kallikrein. We propose that this apparent protection from inhibition was mediated by kallikrein binding to the cells via the heavy chain in a high molecular weight kininogen and zinc independent manner. Protection of kallikrein from inhibition was not observed when C1-inhibitor truncated in the amino-terminal domain by the StcE metalloproteinase was used, which suggests a novel function for this unique domain. The requirement for high concentrations of C1-inhibitor to fully inhibit kallikrein is consistent with the fact that reduced levels of C1-inhibitor result in the kallikrein activation seen in angioedema.
Inhibition of monocyte, lymphocyte, and neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells by human milk oligosaccharides
Authors: Bode Lars , Kunz Clemens , Muhly-Reinholz Marion , Mayer Konstantin , Seeger Werner , Rudloff Silvia
Published: November 2004

Excessive leukocyte infiltration causes severe tissue damage in a variety of inflammatory diseases. The initial step in leukocyte extravasation is mediated by selectins and oligosaccharides on their glycoconjugate ligands. Human milk is a rich source of lactose-derived oligosaccharides that are partly absorbed in the intestine and excreted with the urine. As these components contain binding determinants for the selectins we investigated whether human milk oligosaccharides are able to affect leukocyte rolling and adhesion to endothelial cells under dynamic conditions. Therefore, monocytes, lymphocytes, or neutrophils isolated from human peripheral blood were passed over TNF-α-activated HUVEC under shear stress. The influence of different oligosaccharide fractions was determined by video-micros-copy and compared with the effects of various individual oligosaccharides. Within a physiological range (12.5-125 µg/ml) the acidic fraction significantly inhibited leukocyte rolling and adhesion (up to 24.0% and 52.8%, respectively) in a concentrationdependent manner. These effects were even more pronounced than those achieved by soluble sialyl-Lewis x, a physiological binding determinant for selectins. Several active components within the oligosaccharide fraction of human milk were identified, e.g. 3’-sialyl-lactose and 3’-sialyl-3-fucosyl-lactose. These results indicate that specific oligosaccharides in human milk may serve as anti-inflammatory components and might therefore contribute to the lower incidence of inflammatory diseases in human milk-fed infants.
Effect of selective inhibition of the p38 MAP kinase pathway on platelet aggregation
Authors: Kuliopulos Athan , Mohanlal Ramon , Covic Lidija
Published: November 2004

Systemic inflammation has been shown to be a contributing factor to the instability of atherosclerotic plaques in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). VX-702, a novel p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, is currently under investigation in ACS patients with unstable angina to evaluate its safety and efficacy during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).The role of p38 MAPK in platelet aggregation of normal individuals was examined using the selective second generation p38 MAPK inhibitor VX-702. Treatment of platelets with thrombin (activates PAR1 and PAR4 thrombin receptors), SFLLRN (PAR1), AYPGKF (PAR4), collagen (α2β1 and GPVI/FCγIIR receptors) and U46619 (TXA2) resulted in strong activation of p38 MAPK. Activation of the GPIb von Willebrand factor receptor with ristocetin did not stimulate p38 MAPK. Pre-treatment of platelets with 1 μM VX-702 completely inhibited activation of p38 MAPK by thrombin, SFLLRN, AYPGKF, U46619, and collagen. There was no effect of VX-702 on platelet aggregation induced by any of the agonists in the presence or absence of aspirin, heparin or apyrase. It has been postulated that a potential role of p38 MAPK is to activate phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) which catalyses formation of arachidonic acid leading to production of thromboxane. Interestingly, we show contrasting effects of p38 MAPK inhibition as compared to aspirin inhibition on platelet aggregation in response to collagen. Blockade of TXA2 production by aspirin results in significant inhibition of collagen activation. However, VX-702 has no effect on collagen-mediated platelet aggregation, suggesting that blocking p38 MAPK does not effect thromboxane production in human platelets. Therefore, unlike aspirin blockade of thromboxane production in platelets, p38 MAPK inhibitors such as VX-702 do not significantly affect platelet function and would not be expected to contribute to an elevated risk of bleeding side-effects in treated patients.
The effect of natural habituation on coagulation responses to acute mental stress and recovery in men
Authors: Preckel Daniel , Zgraggen Lilian , Mischler Katharina , Kudielka Brigitte , Haeberli André , Fischer Joachim , von Känel Roland
Published: November 2004

Blood coagulation activation might be one mechanism linking acute mental stress with coronary events. We investigated the natural habituation of coagulation responses and recovery to short-term mental stress.Three times with one-week intervals, 24 men (mean age 47 ± 7 years) underwent the same 13-min stressor (preparation, job interview, mental arithmetic). During each visit venous blood was obtained four times (baseline, immediately post-stress, 45 min of recovery, 105 min of recovery). Eight blood coagulation parameters were measured at weeks one and three. Acute stress provoked increases in von Willebrand factor antigen, fibrinogen, clotting factor FVII activity (FVII:C), FVIII:C, FXII:C (p’s ≤0.019), and D-dimer (N.S.). All coagulation parameters experienced full recovery except FVIII:C (p = 0.022). Stress did not significantly affect activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time. At all time points FVIII:C and FXII:C levels were significantly higher at week one compared to week three (p’s ≤0.041). Before catheter insertion, systolic blood pressure (p = 0.001) and heart rate (p = 0.026) were relatively higher at week one. Unlike the magnitude of systolic blood pressure response to stress (p = 0.007) and of cortisol recovery from stress (p = 0.002), the magnitude of all coagulation responses to stress and the recovery from stress were similar in week one and week three. Sympathetic activation with anticipatory stress best explained increased baseline activity in FVIII and FXII at week one. An incapacity of the coagulation system to adapt to stress repeats is perhaps a consequence of evolution, but might also contribute to increased coronary risk in some individuals, particularly in those with cardiovascular diseases.
A variant thrombasthenic phenotype associated with compound heterozygosity of integrin β3-subunit: (Met124Val)β3 alters the subunit dimerization rendering a decreased number of constitutive active αIIbβ3 receptors
Authors: González-Manchón Consuelo , Butta Nora , Larrucea Susana , Arias-Salgado Elena , Alonso Sonia , López Angela , Parrilla Roberto
Published: November 2004

We report the analysis of a variant case of thrombasthenic phenotype that is a compound heterozygote for two mutations located within the metal ion dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) of the β3 subunit.The patient inherited a maternal allele carrying the Met124Val substitution and a paternal allele that changes Asp119 to Tyr. Phenotyping of the human platelet antigen 1 (HPA-1) showed that the platelet αIIbβ3 complex in the patient was mostly accounted for by the Asp 119Tyr allele that does not bind to fibrinogen (Fg). The patient showed agonistinduced binding of platelets to Fg but neither binding to PAC-1 nor cell aggregation could be detected, most likely due to the minute expression (≤5%) of αIIb(124Val)β3 receptors. CHO cells expressing (124Val)β3 showed a diminished surface expression of αIIbβ3, enhanced adhesion to immobilized Fg, and spontaneous aggregation in the presence of soluble Fg, suggesting that (124Val)β3 may confer constitutive activity to the αIIb(124Val)β3 receptors. A distinct feature of these cells is the failure of DTT to enhance the binding to soluble Fg and the formation of cell aggregates. The substitution of (124Met)β3 by either a polar or a positively charged amino acid restored the surface exposure and function of the αIIbβ3 receptors whereas a negatively charged residue did not.
The polymorphism of platelet membrane integrin α2β1 (α2807TT) is associated with premature onset of fetal loss
Authors: Gerhardt Andrea , Scharf Rüdiger , Mikat-Drozdzynski Barbara , Krüssel Jan , Bender Hans , Zotz Rainer
Published: November 2004

Inherited thrombophilia could increase susceptibility to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as fetal loss. We determined the G1691A mutation of the factorV gene (FVL), the G20210A mutation of the prothrombin gene, the C677T polymorphism of the methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductase (MTHFR) gene, the HPA-1 polymorphism of the β3 subunit of the platelet integrin αIIbβ3 and the C807T polymorphism of the α2 subunit of integrin α2 β1 in 104 women with fetal loss and 277 normal women. In a subgroup analysis of women with recurrent early fetal loss (n=34), the prevalence of the genetic markers did not differ significantly between the women with early fetal loss and the normal women. However, in this subgroup of patients the onset of fetal loss was significantly earlier in women with the α2807TT genotype (7.1 ± 1.9 vs. 8.8 ± 1.5 weeks, p=0.001). No such significant difference was observed in carriers of the other genetic markers. In the subgroup analysis of women with late fetal loss (n=70), only the prevalence of heterozygous FVL was significantly associated with late fetal loss (odds ratio 3.2, p=0.002). There was no significant association of any genetic risk factor with premature fetal loss in the subgroup analysis of women with at least one late miscarriage.This study demonstrates a significant association of the α2 807TT genotype of the platelet membrane integrin α2β1 with premature onset of early fetal loss. It appears that this risk factor does not induce the pathomechanism, but modulates the course of fetal loss. Furthermore, our study confirms the association of FVL with late fetal loss.
Rosuvastatin exerts favourable effects on thrombosis and neointimal growth in a mouse model of endothelial injury
Authors: Schäfer Katrin , Kaiser Kilian , Konstantinides Stavros
Published: November 2004

Apart from reducing systemic lipid levels, statins may improve the clinical course of atherosclerosis by exerting favourable pleiotropic effects on the vessel wall.We studied the effects of rosuvastatin, a new, potent 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, on vascular remodelling after endothelial injury in the hyperlipidaemic apolipoprotein E-knockout (apoE-/-) mouse. ApoE-/- mice, 22-weeks-old, were injected daily with rosuvastatin at a low (1 mg/kg; n=27) or high dosage (10 mg/kg; n=24), or with vehicle alone (n=26).After treatment for 2 weeks,endothelial injury and thrombosis of the carotid artery was induced with 10% ferric chloride.Treatment was then resumed for a 3-week period.Although statin treatment did not affect the plasma lipid levels of mice, mean times to arterial thrombosis were prolonged in the low-dose and the high-dose group compared to controls (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively). Interestingly, rosuvastatin withdrawal 4 days before injury completely reversed the antithrombotic effects of the drug. In follow-up studies 3 weeks after injury,deposition of fibrin in the vessel wall was significantly reduced in the rosuvastatin-treated animals. There was an increase in the content of α -actin-positive smooth muscle cells (P =0.008) and collagen fibers (P<0.001), and a concomitant decrease in the number of oxLDL-containing macrophages (P<0.001). Overall, the neointimal area and the severity of luminal stenosis were significantly reduced in statin-treated mice. Thus, rosuvastatin attenuates arterial thrombosis and neointima formation, and it may stabilise vascular lesions developing after endothelial injury in mice.These effects are independent of systemic lipid lowering.
Randomized Clinical Trial of Abciximab in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary Interventions After Treatment With a High Loading Dose of Clopidogrel
Authors: Mehilli Julinda , Kastrati Adnan , Schühlen Helmut , Dibra Alban , Dotzer Franz , von Beckerath Nicolas , Bollwein Hildegard , Pache Jürgen , Dirschinger Josef , Berger Peter P. , Schömig Albert
Published: November 2004

Background—

Diabetic patients are at increased risk of adverse outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions. Although subset analyses suggest particular benefit from the administration of abciximab in diabetic patients, no dedicated large randomized trials have been performed in diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, and certainly not after pretreatment with a high loading dose of clopidogrel.

Methods and Results—

This study (Intracoronary Stenting and Antithrombotic Regimen: Is Abciximab a Superior Way to Eliminate Elevated Thrombotic Risk in Diabetics [ISAR-SWEET] Study) enrolled 701 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease who underwent an elective percutaneous coronary intervention after pretreatment with a 600-mg dose of clopidogrel >2 hours before the procedure: 351 patients were randomly assigned to abciximab and 350 patients to placebo. The primary end point of the trial was the composite incidence of death and myocardial infarction at 1 year. The frequency of angiographic restenosis (diameter stenosis ≥50%) was the secondary end point. The incidence of death or myocardial infarction was 8.3% in the abciximab group and 8.6% in the placebo group (
P
=0.91), with a relative risk of 0.97 (95% CI, 0.58 to 1.62). The incidence of angiographic restenosis was 28.9% in the abciximab group and 37.8% in the placebo group (
P
=0.01), with a relative risk of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.62 to 0.94). The incidence of target lesion revascularization was 23.2% in the abciximab group and 30.4% in the placebo group (
P
=0.03).

Conclusions—

The findings of this study do not support a significant impact of abciximab on the risk of death and myocardial infarction in diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions after pretreatment with a 600-mg loading dose of clopidogrel at least 2 hours before the procedure. The present findings suggest, however, that abciximab reduces the risk of restenosis in diabetic patients receiving coronary bare metal stents.
The Risks of Enlightened Self-Interest: Small Businesses and Support for Community
Authors: Besser Terry L. , Miller Nancy J.
Published: November 2004

This article focuses on the association between the beliefs of small business owners and managers and their support for the community. Qualitative and quantitative data are utilized in an exploratory examination of two rationales for socially responsible behavior and of two kinds of support. Analyses show that the belief in strengthening the community as an important strategy for business success is positively associated with the provision of nonrisky and risky support. Risky support may threaten short-term business success. However, the belief that a good public image is important for business success is negatively or not significantly associated with either risky or nonrisky support for the community. Findings uphold the position that there are significant variations in enlightened self-interest rationales that are differentially associated with business social performance among small business operators and demonstrate the usefulness of disaggregating social performance into risky and nonrisky variations.
The Evolution of Corporate Political Action: A Framework for Processual Analysisx
Authors: Lamberg Juha-Antti , Skippari Mika , Eloranta Jari , MÄKinen Saku
Published: November 2004

Variance theories have dominated corporate political action (CPA) research because the pioneering works in the 1970s and 1980s. Process theories offer an entirely new perspective on CPA research, as they are able to explain processes across a number of levels of analysis and link actions to contexts. We add to the existing CPA literature by offering a process model that can be useful especially in historical and evolutionary analysis. Our model depicts CPA as a complex system in which a firm’s actions are affected by various factors across organizational, industry, and institutional levels of analysis. As political actions also influence these factors, the process is in essence systemic and path dependent. Our model supplements existing research by offering the possibility to explain the long-term consequences of CPA vis-à-vis wider societal changes and by promoting longitudinal research strategies. In addition to the theoretical model, we provide a historical analysis of the evolution of the Finnish paper and pulp industry to illustrate the applicability of the framework.
The Influence of Culture on Stakeholder Management: Social Policy Implementation in Multinational Corporations
Authors: Veser Mark
Published: November 2004

This study offers a theoretical framework for stakeholder management in an international and multicultural environment. Through the use of an extensive qualitative case study analysis, a methodological approach was developed for analyzing stakeholder dialogue data for cultural differences. Based on the empirical data it was possible to show specific ways in which cultural dimensions affect the international diffusion of stakeholder related policies. These findings contribute to the fields knowledge on internal stakeholder management implementation, by addressing the complexity of embedding stakeholder management principles and practices within various international subsidiaries of the same multinational organization.
Contextualizing St. John’s Youth English within the Canadian Quotative System
Authors: D’Arcy Alex
Published: November 2004

Investigations of the Canadian quotative system have to this point focused on mainland urban varieties where General Canadian English is considered to be the linguistic norm. The current analysis seeks to expand our understanding of this system by examining quotative usage among young girls in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where the local vernacular differs in significant ways from the national variety. Variationist methodology is employed on a small corpus of St. John’s Youth English (SJYE), revealing notable similarities in the distribution of quotatives as well as the operation of internal constraints across the paradigm between this variety and that of the mainland. At the same time, there is evidence that be like, the most recent of the quotative cohort, has grammaticalized further in SJYE than in General Canadian, raising questions about the routes by which this change is progressing. The results thus situate SJYEwithin the Canadian quotative system while at the same time highlighting the status of Newfoundland English as a unique Canadian variety.
A Bayesian Approach to Net Health Benefits: An Illustration and Application to Modeling HIV Prevention
Authors: Johnson-Masotti Ana P. , Laud Purushottam W. , Hoffmann Raymond G. , Hayat Matthew J. , Pinkerton Steven D.
Published: November 2004

Purpose. To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of HIV prevention when costs and effects cannot be measured directly. To quantify the total estimation of uncertainty due to sampling variability as well as inexact knowledge of HIV transmission parameters. Methods. The authors focus on estimating the incremental net health benefit (INHB) in a randomized trial of HIV prevention with intervention and control conditions. Using a Bernoulli model of HIV transmission, changes in the participants’ risk behaviors are converted into the number of HIV infections averted. A sampling model is used to account for variation in the behavior measurements. Bayes’s theorem and Monte Carlo methods are used to attain the stated objectives. Results. The authors obtained a positive mean INHB of 0.0008, indicating that advocacy training is just slightly favored over the control condition for men, assuming a $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) threshold. To be confident of a positive INHB, the decision maker would need to spend more than $100,000 per QALY.
An Exploration of Relative Health Stock in Advanced Cancer Patients
Authors: Gaskin Darrell J. , Weinfurt Kevin P. , Castel Liana D. , DePuy Venita , Li Yun , Balshem Andrew , Benson Al , Burnett Caroline B. , Corbett Sandra , Marshall John , Slater Elyse , Sulmasy Daniel P. , Van Echo David , Meropol Neal J. , Schulman Kevin A.
Published: November 2004

Objective. The authors sought to empirically test whether relative health stock, a measure of patients’ sense of loss in their health due to illness, influences the treatment decisions of patients facing life-threatening conditions. Specifically, they estimated the effect of relative health stock on advanced cancer patients’ decisions to participate in phase I clinical trials. Method. A multicenter study was conducted to survey 328 advanced cancer patients who were offered the opportunity to participate in phase I trials. The authors asked patients to estimate the probabilities of therapeutic benefits and toxicity, their relative health stock, risk preference, and the importance of quality of life. Results. Controlling for health-related quality of life, an increase in relative health stock by 10 percentage points reduced the odds of choosing to participate in a phase I trial by 16% (odds ratio = 0.84, 95% confidence interval = 0.72, 0.97). Conclusion. Relative health stock affects advanced cancer patients’ treatment decisions.
Theory about Heuristic Strategies Based on Verbal Protocol Analysis: The Emperor Needs a Shave
Authors: Hamm Robert M.
Published: November 2004

A research report in the present issue of Medical Decision Making raises questions about the definition of heuristic strategies, the validity of conclusions drawn from the analysis of verbal protocols, and the tradeoff between rigor and relevance in research on the psychology of patient decision making.
Transcription Regulation within the Circadian Clock: The E-box and Beyond
Authors: Hardin Paul E.
Published: November 2004

The circadian oscillator is composed of transcriptional feedback loops in organisms ranging from cyanobacteria to humans. These transcriptional feedback loops are so named because transcriptional regulators accumulate to high levels and then feed back to control their own genes’ transcription, thus generating a self-sustaining rhythm in gene expression. In insects and vertebrates, the genes that encode these feedback regulators are remarkably well conserved and function to control not 1 but 2 feedback loops. These feedback loops control rhythmic transcription in opposite phases of the circadian cycle, yet they are interlocked because they share a number of components. In this review, the author will compare transcriptional regulatory mechanisms within the Drosophila and mammalian feedback loops and outline remaining questions concerning transcriptional regulation within and downstream of these feedback loops.
Posttranscriptional and Posttranslational Regulation of Clock Genes
Authors: Harms Emily , Kivimäe Saul , Young Michael W. , Saez Lino
Published: November 2004

Circadian rhythms have been observed in diverse organisms, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. In such organisms, the circadian clock is primarily composed of a cell-autonomous transcriptional feedback loop. In addition to transcriptional regulation, the modification of core clock transcripts and proteins can dramatically affect the circadian clock. In this review, the authors discuss some of the posttranscriptional and posttranslational modifications and their effects on the circadian clock. The combined outcome of these modifications is to adjust the timing of the clock to produce a circadian oscillator that takes approximately 24 h.
The Arabidopsis thaliana Clock
Authors: Salomé Patrice A. , McClung C. Robertson
Published: November 2004

A combination of forward and reverse genetic approaches together with transcriptome-scale gene expression analyses have allowed the elaboration of a model for the Arabidopsis thaliana circadian clock. The working model largely conforms to the expected negative feedback loop model that has emerged from studies in other model systems. Although a core loop has emerged, it is clear that additional components remain to be identified and that the workings of the Arabidopsis clock have been established only in outline. Similarly, the details of resetting by light and temperature are only incompletely known. In contrast, the mechanism of photoperiodic induction of flowering is known in considerable detail and is consistent with the external coincidence model.
Finding New Clock Components: Past and Future
Authors: Takahashi Joseph S.
Published: November 2004

The molecular mechanism of circadian clocks has been unraveled primarily by the use of phenotype-driven (forward) genetic analysis in a number of model systems. We are now in a position to consider what constitutes a clock component, whether we can establish criteria for clock components, and whether we have found most of the primary clock components. This perspective discusses clock genes and how genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry have been used to find clock genes in the past and how they will be used in the future.
Clock Genes in Cell Clocks: Roles, Actions, and Mysteries
Authors: Okamura Hitoshi
Published: November 2004

Cellular events must be organized in the time dimension as well as in the space dimension for many proteins to perform their cellular functions effectively. The intracellular molecular oscillating loops that compose the cell’s circadian clock coordinate the timing of the expression of a variety of genes with basic or specific cellular functions. In mammals, the temporal pattern of clock gene expression generated in each SCN neuron is coupled to those of other cells and, amplified, spreads its signals through the brain and then, via feeding behavior, glucocorticoids, and sympathetic nerves, to peripheral organs. These peripheral organs have their own circadian clocks. In some tissues, such as liver, there is also a clock-regulating cell cycle, which interacts strongly with the components and temporal organization of the circadian clock. Some tissues, however, suchas testis, express clock genes whose function, if any, remains unclear. Furthermore, circadian clock function may be suspended in differentiating tissue. Thus, the prominence of circadian organization may not apply equally to all tissues under all conditions.
What Is Violence Against Women? Defining and Measuring the Problem
Authors: Tjaden Patricia
Published: November 2004

This article discusses (a) the relationship between the reemergence of the women’s movement in the 1970s and the current field of violence against women; (b) the role voluntary associations and social activism play in shaping social institutions, including the institution of academic scholarship; (c) the need to broaden our definition of violence against women to include nonviolent acts, such as stalking and emotional abuse; (d) the need to study the interrelationships among various forms of violence and abuse, including violence and abuse experienced as a minor and violence and abuse experienced as an adult; (e) the importance of using precise language when reporting research findings; (f) the importance of using a multiple definition/measurement approach when conducting research on violence against women; and (g) the need for comprehensive research on violence against women that takes into account the various types of violent and abusive behaviors experienced by women over their lifetimes.
Beyond PTSD: Mental Health Consequences of Violence Against Women
Authors: Mechanic Mindy B.
Published: November 2004

This article proposes that we move beyond posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in our conceptualization of traumatic stress responses of victimized women exposed to serial forms of unrelenting violence, such as intimate partner violence and stalking. It is argued that the traditional PTSD framework is ill fitting in the context of some forms of violence against women (VAW), and these limits have consequences for developing appropriate interventions for some victimized women. The article further suggests going beyond PTSD by developing a more nuanced understanding of the ways in which PTSD and other mental health symptoms contribute to the vast array of deleterious personal, societal, and economic costs of VAW.
Neuropsychosocial Features of Very Mild Alzheimer’s Disease (CDR 0.5) and Progression to Dementia in a Community: The Tajiri Project
Authors: Meguro Kenichi , Shimada Masumi , Yamaguchi Satoshi , Sano Iwao , Inagaki Hiroki , Matsushita Masaaki , Sekita Yasuyoshi , Mori Etsuro
Published: November 2004

The borderline condition between normal aging and dementia should be detected to predict further deterioration. The authors cross-sectionally analyzed neuropsychological data, memory complaints, and social activities for communitydwelling older adults. The rate of decline from Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0.5 to dementia during a 3-year interval was also analyzed. Short-term memory rather than long-term memory was found to be sensitive in distinguishing those with CDR 0 from those with CDR 0.5. Relatives’ observations of memory decline rather than subjective memory complaints were significantly different. Participants with CDR 0.5 reported fewer problems with social activities than did their relatives. Ten of the 29 CDR 0.5 participants (34.5%) showed cognitive decline, the decliners showing lower scores on short-term memory and orientation at the baseline condition. The neuropsychological data showed CDR 0.5 to be similar to very mild Alzheimer’s disease. It would be better if subjective complaints were excluded from the criteria of the borderline condition.
Serum Levels of Soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 and Soluble Endothelial Leukocyte Adhesion Molecule-1 in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Rentzos M. , Michalopoulou M. , Nikolaou C. , Cambouri C. , Rombos A. , Dimitrakopoulos A. , Kapaki E. , Vassilopoulos D.
Published: November 2004

Serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (s-ICAM-1) and soluble E-selectin (s-ELAM-1) were evaluated in 25 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 54 patients with noninflammatory neurological diseases (NIND), and 15 control subjects. Patients with AD had a higher s-ICAM-1 level compared with the NIND patients and the control subjects ( P< .001 and P< .04, respectively). The presence of high s-ICAM-1 values may be related to immunological processes involved in pathogenetic mechanisms of AD. The not statistically significant values of (s-ELAM-1), a glycoprotein considered an exclusive marker of endothelial activation, compared with the NIND patients and healthy subjects ( P< .47 and P< .17, respectively), seem to suggest the neural rather than the endothelial s-ICAM origin in patients with AD.
Executive Deficits in Elderly Patients With Major Unipolar Depression
Authors: Baudic Sophie , Tzortzis Catherine , Barba Gianfranco Dalla , Traykov Latchezar
Published: November 2004

Several studies have evaluated executive function in depressed patients, and the results vary from significant impairment relative to controls to virtually intact performances. To better comprehend executive impairment in elderly patients with major unipolar depression, the performance of 21 elderly depressed patients was compared with that of 19 elderly normal controls on executive tasks. The relationships between memory deficits and depression severity and between memory deficits and executive dysfunction were also examined. Depressed patients’ performance was significantly worse than that of controls on almost all executive tasks. Their score for logical memory was significantly correlated with that for several executive tasks. Executive performance was also correlated with depression severity. Unipolar depressed patients present executive deficits. Memory failure in these patients may reflect impairment in retrieval processes, which in turn depends on executive function. Executive deficits are associated with depression severity. These results may be useful in the differential diagnosis between depression and early Alzheimer’s disease.
The Power of Mind
Authors: Fiol C. Marlene , O’Connor Edward J.
Published: November 2004

This essay invites you to entertain the possibility that our current ideas about the human mind and its supposed limitations may themselves be limited. What if organizational realities were more malleable than we believe? What if organizational members could alter their physical surroundings even just occasionally through focused mental attention? We review evidence from numerous fields suggesting that the human mind may be capable of affecting physical reality from a distance and into the past and the future. Although not all studies have provided universal support, the evidence for the impact of focused mental attention is sufficiently compelling and the potential implications sufficiently important that we believe it is time to explicitly examine the organizational implications of the power of the human mind.
Commentary on “Filmmaking and Research” and “Images of Influence”
Authors: Champoux Joseph E.
Published: November 2004

This commentary focuses on David Buchanan and Andrzej Huczynski’s “Imagesof Influence: 12 Angry Men and Thirteen Days ,” and Paul S. Goodman’s “Filmmaking and Research: An Intersection.” These two articles offer insights about film as a teaching resource and how filmmaking can inform our research processes. The similarities between these two articles stop at their common basis in film. They each give us useful but different views on film in teaching and filmmaking and the research process.
Glucocorticoids: Protectors of the Brain during Innate Immune Responses
Authors: Glezer Isaias , Rivest Serge
Published: November 2004

The innate immune response is a coordinated set of reactions involving cells of myeloid lineage and a network of signaling molecules. Such a response takes place in the CNS during trauma, stroke, spinal cord injury, and neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting that macrophages/microglia are the cells that perpetuate the progressive neuronal damage. However, there is accumulating evidence that these cells and their secreted proinflammatory molecules have more beneficial effects than detrimental consequences for the neuronal elements. Indeed, a timely controlled innate immune response may limit toxicity in swiftly eliminating foreign materials and debris that are known to interfere with recovery and regeneration. Each step of the immune cascade is under the tight control of stimulatory and inhibitory signals. Glucocorticoids (GCs) act as the critical negative feedback on all myeloid cells, including those present within the brain parenchyma. Because too little is like too much, both an inappropriate feedback of GCs on microglia and high circulating GC levels in stressed individuals have been associated with deleterious consequences for the brain. In this review, the authors discuss both sides of the story with a particular emphasis on the neuro-protective role of endogenous GCs during immune challenges and the problems in determining whether GCs can be a good therapy for the treatment of neuropathological conditions.
Cognitive Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease: The Role of Frontostriatal Circuitry
Authors: Owen Adrian M.
Published: November 2004

It has been known for many years that the classic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are accompanied by deficits of executive function that resemble those seen after frontal lobe damage in humans. What is less clear is how different components of frontostriatal circuitry contribute to these impairments. Recently, improved methods of clinical assessment and classification, combined with novel technical approaches, such as functional neuroimaging, have led to great advances in our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that drive frontostriatal circuitry. As a direct result, it has been possible to redefine impairments of executive function in Parkinson’s disease more precisely in terms of the specific neuropsychological, neuroanatomical, and psychopharmacological mechanisms involved.
A Neural Circuit Basis for Spatial Working Memory
Authors: Constantinidis Christos , Wang Xiao-Jing
Published: November 2004

The maintenance of a mental image in memory over a time scale of seconds is mediated by the persistent discharges of neurons in a distributed brain network. The representation of the spatial location of a remembered visual stimulus has been studied most extensively and provides the best-understood model of how mnemonic information is encoded in the brain. Neural correlates of spatial working memory are manifested in multiple brain areas, including the prefrontal and parietal association cortices. Spatial working memory ability is severely compromised in schizophrenia, a condition that has been linked to prefrontal cortical malfunction. Recent computational modeling work, in interplay with physiological studies of behaving monkeys, has begun to identify microcircuit properties and neural dynamics that are sufficient to generate memory-related persistent activity in a recurrent network of excitatory and inhibitory neurons during spatial working memory. This review summarizes recent results and discusses issues of current debate. It is argued that understanding collective neural dynamics in a recurrent microcircuit provides a key step in bridging the gap between network memory function and its underlying cellular mechanisms. Progress in this direction will shed fundamental insights into the neural basis of spatial working memory impairment associated with mental disorders.
Protease-Activated Receptors in Neuronal Development, Neurodegeneration, and Neuroprotection: Thrombin as Signaling Molecule in the Brain
Authors: Rohatgi Tanuja , Sedehizade Fariba , Reymann Klaus G. , Reiser Georg
Published: November 2004

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) belong to the superfamily of seven transmembrane domain G protein-coupled receptors. Four PAR subtypes are known, PAR-1 to -4. PARs are highly homologous between the species and are expressed in a wide variety of tissues and cell types. Of particular interest is the role which these receptors play in the brain, with regard to neuroprotection or degeneration under pathological conditions. The main agonist of PARs is thrombin, a multifunctional serine protease, known to be present not only in blood plasma but also in the brain. PARs possess an irreversible activation mechanism. Binding of agonist and subsequent cleavage of the extracellular N-terminus of the receptor results in exposure of a so-called tethered ligand domain, which then binds to extracellular loop 2 of the receptor leading to receptor activation. PARs exhibit an extensive expression pattern in both the central and the peripheral nervous system. PARs participate in several mechanisms important for normal cellular functioning and during critical situations involving cellular survival and death. In the last few years, research on Alzheimer’s disease and stroke has linked PARs to the pathophysiology of these neurodegenerative disorders. Actions of thrombin are concentration-dependent, and therefore, depending on cellular function and environment, serve as a double-edged sword. Thrombin can be neuroprotective during stress conditions, whereas under normal conditions high concentrations of thrombin are toxic to cells.
Assessing and Enhancing the Basic Writing Skills of Marketing Students
Authors: Bacon Donald R. , Anderson Elizabeth Scott
Published: November 2004

Employers consistently rank communication skills, in particular writing ability, among the most important skills for undergraduate business students to possess. However, improving writing skills, especially with respect to punctuation, grammar, and word choice, often requires substantial teacher time and effort. To assess and improve student writing skills in a time-efficient manner, the authors developed a computer-scored measure of students’ ability to edit for writing mechanics. The authors tested the method with a pretest and posttest design and found that when students were held accountable for improvement (with 5% of the course grade dependent on improvement), there was a significant increase in students’ ability to edit. Without that accountability, improvement did not occur.
Organized Interest Advertorials
Authors: Brown Clyde , Waltzer Herbert
Published: November 2004

Advertorials are a form of outside lobbying that organized interests use to influence policy makers and attentive publics. It is apparent by their popularity that organized interests consider them to be an effective form of political communication. Recent studies have dealt with advertorials related to the ordinary business of politics and public affairs. This article examines advertorials associated with an extraordinary event, the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack and the ensuing “war on terrorism.” The authors analyze 689 advertorials sponsored by 415 organized interests that appeared in the New York Times from the attack through the first anniversary to the end of 2002. Typologies of advertorials (11), organized interests (21), corporate and noncorporate economic interests (30), and 9/11 content (28) are used to document what types of advertorials were placed, what interests availed themselves of advertorial campaigns, which organizations sponsored the most advertorials, and what messages were being communicated. The rationales of organized interests in sponsoring advertorials in response to a national trauma like 9/11 are discussed.
Effects of Metaphors for Asian and Majority-Culture Students
Authors: Weitzel Marilyn L. , Davidson-Shivers Gayle V.
Published: November 2004

Nursing programs have seen an increase in multicultural students entering into the profession. One challenge is that of communicating clearly among groups of people including majority Americans and those for whom English is a second language. This article addresses the effectiveness of metaphors that bridge the gap between a known concept and one that is new to the learner. This study found that students from the majority culture and those for whom English is a second language misunderstand metaphors. Therefore, faculty members who seek to communicate clearly should pay special attention to the use of metaphors. One challenge to the nurse is effective communication, as the client may not yet have acquired the ability to understand common metaphors. The student who has been educated to be sensitive to these concerns will provide better care for these clients.
Improving Cancer Awareness among Asian Americans Using Targeted and Culturally Appropriate Media: A Case Study
Authors: Ma Grace X. , Fleisher Linda , Gonzalez Evelyn , Edwards Rosita L.
Published: November 2004

Reaching Asian Americans with cancer awareness messages is critical to improving cancer detection and reducing risk. Two separate targeted media campaigns, sponsored by the Asian Tobacco Education, Cancer Awareness, and Research (ATECAR), were implemented to increase cancer awareness among Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and Cambodians residing in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. These campaigns, based on Rogers’s diffusion and innovation theoretical model, were culturally sensitive, multilingual, and implemented over an extended time frame using print articles and a radio series under the respective general headings ATECAR Link and Voice of ATECAR. The series covered a range of topics that included tobacco smoking and health, cervical and breast cancer, clinical trials, and cancer information. Despite a reputation for noninvolvement in mainstream cancerrelated media issues, results of the campaigns reflected an exceptional response from the targeted communities. The results suggest that wellplanned, community-based media campaigns can have positive impacts on cancer awareness in Asian communities.