bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Celebratory Drinking and Intoxication
Authors: Glindemann Kent E. , Wiegand Douglas M. , Geller E. Scott
Published: April 2007

Two field studies measured college students' actual intoxication levels using handheld breathalyzers on Halloween and St. Patrick's Day and compared these celebration days to typical nights surrounding these events. In addition, across all nights of Study 2, participants were asked if they were celebrating any occasion or event that night, and those reporting a celebration motive were compared to those with no such motive. The combined sample was 70% men ( n = 498), and 89.9% ( n = 639) were students at the local university. Across both years of the study, those reporting a celebration motive reached significantly higher levels of intoxication (mean blood alcohol concentration = .096, n = 413) than those not celebrating (mean blood alcohol concentration = .074, n = 298, p < .05). These results support the hypothesis that those consuming alcohol with a specific reason to celebrate reach higher levels of intoxication.
Testing the Relationship Between Involvement and Perceived Neighborhood Safety
Authors: Funk Laura M. , Allan Diane E. , Chappell Neena L.
Published: April 2007

This article examines the association between social and community involvement and perceived neighborhood safety for residents of a relatively disadvantaged area of a medium-sized Canadian city. Data are from a survey of 918 local residents who are in midlife (35 to 64 years of age). A specialized regression technique for categorical dependent variables is used that is sensitive to variations. Even using this technique and in contrast to some of the existing literature (with the exception of length of residence and trust in neighbors), our findings do not support an association between involvement and perceived safety. Rather, attention is drawn to the roles of perceived health and perceived stress as well as local area perceptions. The absence of significant relationships with most measures of involvement challenges the idea that involvement in one's community decreases fear and increases feelings of safety.
Explaining Popular Support for Environmental Protection
Authors: Gelissen John
Published: April 2007

The differences in public support for environmental protection among individuals from 50 nations were investigated. Support was determined by the willingness of individuals to make financial sacrifices to protect the environment. The results from multilevel analyses indicated that significant variance exists within and among nations in the level of support. The contextual-level variance was to a substantial degree explained by individual-level variables, capturing compositional effects. Income, postmaterialism, educational attainment, environmental involvement, and age related directly to support for environmental protection. Contextual-level variables—GDP, GDP growth, and average postmaterialist value-orientation of publics—also related directly to levels of support among nations and explained a significant part of the contextual-level variance. The findings are congruent with the affluence hypothesis and Inglehart's subjective values hypothesis. They also point to the necessity of simultaneously assessing the effects of individual- and contextual-level characteristics on proenvironmental attitudes in cross-national research.
Affective Appraisals of the Daily Commute
Authors: Gatersleben Birgitta , Uzzell David
Published: April 2007

To date, most research on travel behavior has been limited to studying utilitarian appraisals of car users and users of public transport. Studies on affective experiences are usually limited to commuter stress. A survey among university employees revealed that in support of previous research, car commuters find their journey more stressful than other mode users. The main sources of this stress are delays and other road users. Users of public transport also “complain” about delays; however, this results in stress as well as boredom. Walking and cycling journeys are the most relaxing and exciting and therefore seem the most optimum form of travel from an affective perspective. The affective appraisals of the daily commute are related to instrumental aspects, such as journey time, but also to general attitudes toward various travel modes. These findings have implications for sustainable transport policy initiatives that aim to persuade people to abandon their car.
Attitudinal and Community Influences on Participation in New Curbside Recycling Initiatives in Northern Ireland
Authors: Kurz Tim , Linden Mark , Sheehy Noel
Published: April 2007

This study compared the influence of individualistic attitudinal factors with more community-level (or ecological) variables on recycling behavior in the context of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Data obtained from a postal questionnaire ( n = 765) were matched with historical recycling participation behavior data collected by the local government authority to examine the effect of general environmental concern, attitudes toward recycling, sense of community, and socioeconomic status of neighborhood on levels of participation in a recently introduced curbside collection program. The influence of cultural differences between Catholic and Protestant communities in Belfast is also considered. Our results suggested that socioeconomic status of area was the strongest predictor of recycling participation, with recycling attitudes and sense of community also having some affect, and general environmental concern being found to have no effect. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for theories of proenvironmental behavior and their application to the promotion of recycling participation within communities.
Toxic Politics, Organizational Change, and the “Greening” of the U.S. Military
Authors: Durant Robert F.
Published: April 2007

Despite the practical, normative, and theoretical import of large-scale organizational change in public organizations, scant research exists on this topic by political science, public administration, or public management scholars. Moreover, scholars have classified the broader literature on this topic as rife with complexities, competing theoretical pressures, and inconclusiveness. This article returns to basics by using a grounded theory approach to develop and illustrate an empirically informed and theoretically integrated “politycentered” framework for studying large-scale organizational change in public organizations. Informing the framework are the patterns of politics driving, and driven by, efforts in the post—Cold War era to “green” the U.S. military by incorporating environmental and natural resource protection values into the services' core missions.
Administrative Justice in Public Welfare Bureaucracies
Authors: Lens Vicki
Published: April 2007

One of the few avenues open to citizens to dispute mistakes in the administration of public welfare programs is administrative hearings (“fair hearings”). However, recipients rarely use them. This has important implications for social equity, as government is obligated to ensure its process for distributing benefits is fair and equitable. Drawing on data from 28 qualitative interviews with recipients who were sanctioned for violating the work rules, this study explores why recipients appealed, or did not appeal, their work sanctions. The findings indicate that nearly all of the recipients believed they were wrongfully sanctioned and were aware of their right to appeal. For recipients who did not appeal, the fair hearing system was indistinguishable from the rest of the agency, which they viewed as inflexible and intractable. In contrast, those who appealed viewed fair hearings more favorably, and unlike the nonappealers, had been encouraged to appeal by social networks.
Self-Expression and Depressive Symptoms in Late Life
Authors: Krause Neal
Published: April 2007

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a latent-variable model to assess the relationship between self-expression and depressive symptoms in late life. Data from a nationwide survey of older adults ( n = 1,013) provided empirical support for the following theoretical linkages embedded in this conceptual framework: (1) Higher levels of educational attainment are associated with greater self-expression, (2) older people who find avenues for self-expression are more likely to develop senses of meaning in life, (3) older adults who find senses of meaning in life are more likely to feel grateful, and (4) elders who feel grateful are less likely to experience symptoms of depression.
The factors influencing members' continuance intentions in professional virtual communities — a longitudinal study
Authors: Chen Irene Y. L.
Published: April 2007

The advance of internet technology has stimulated the rise of professional virtual communities (PVCs). The objective of PVCs is to encourage people to exploit or explore knowledge through websites. However, many virtual communities have failed due to the reluctance of members to continue their participation in these PVCs. Motivated by such concerns, this study formulates and tests a theoretical model to explain the factors influencing individuals' intention to continue participating in PVCs' knowledge activities. Drawing from the information system and knowledge management literatures, two academic perspectives related to PVC continuance are incorporated in the integrated model. This model posits that an individual's intention to stay in a professional virtual community is influenced by a contextual factor and technological factors. Specifically, the antecedents of PVC members' intention to continue sharing knowledge include social interaction ties capital and satisfaction at post-usage stage. These variables, in turn, are adjusted based on the confirmation of pre-usage expectations. A longitudinal study is conducted with 360 members of a professional virtual community. Results indicate that the contextual factor and technological factors both exert significant impacts on PVC participants' continuance intentions.
Comparing with your main competitor: the single most important task of knowledge management performance measurement
Authors: Huang Mu-Jung , Chen Mu-Yen , Yieh Kaili
Published: April 2007

The single most important task of knowledge management (KM) performance measurement is comparing your company with its main rivals. Most of the metrics and methods of knowledge measurement that have been developed are concentrated on measuring the knowledge within the organization, which may be nice to know, but is not critical. In this paper, we propose a methodology for comparing a firm's knowledge management performance with its major rivals using the Analytical Network Process (ANP) to obtain a clear direction of the effort required to gain or maintain a competitive advantage. The ANP approach employed in the present study is a theory of multiple criteria decision making (MCDM), and is good at dealing with tangible and intangible information. Our methodology is designed to make a detailed comparison of a firm's KM performance with that of its main rivals, in order to be able to provide effective information for improving its KM and to increase its decision-making quality. This paper makes three important contributions: (1) it develops a comprehensive model, which incorporates a variety of issues for conducting KM performance measurements in comparison with major rivals; (2) case experience is provided to help us understand the advantages and disadvantages of the methodology for KM performance measurement from a practical point of view, and (3) the results obtained from exploring the case firm present changes that the case firm can make, implying that the case firm must reinforce its knowledge creation and internalization so as to improve its position in comparison with its most competitive rivals. The method proposed by this paper is generic in nature and is applicable to benefit any firm.
Review: Serotonin by stress interaction: a susceptibility factor for the development of depression?
Authors: Firk Christine , Markus C. Rob
Published: April 2007

A genetic predisposition to depression may be a potential risk factor in the development of depression. Although the neurobiological equivaLent of the predisposition remains unclear, it seems as though the brain serotonin (5-HT) system pLays an important mediating role. Therefore, individuals with a family history of depression (FH+) may be more likely to develop depression due to an innate vulnerability related to altered serotonergic neurotransmission in the brain. A major problem, however, is that the role of brain 5-HT in depression is complex and this serotonin-related innate vulnerability, by itself, is not sufficient enough to cause a depressive episode. In the search for additional factors, stress has received particular attention. Stressful life events influence and precede the onset of depression. Furthermore, depression is associated with stress hormone dysregulation and bidirectional interactions are thought to occur between stress-related changes in the neuroendocrine stress system and the 5-HT system. In the current review, we argue that healthy individuaLs with a positive family history of depression are more prone to develop depression due to a genetic 5-HT susceptibility, which deteriorates stress coping mechanisms and increases stress vulnerability.
The Case for Phased Retirement
Authors: Fleites Luis , Valentino Lou
Published: April 2007

Carefully constructed phased retirement plans can benefit both employers and employees.
Determinants of Executive Compensation and Its Impact on Organizational Performance
Authors: Syed Tahir Hijazi  , Komal Khalid Bhatti
Published: April 2007

Company size is closely related to job complexity and employer's ability to pay in determining executive pay.
Pay Inversion Versus Pay for Performance
Authors: McNatt D. Brian , Glassman Myron , McAfee R. Bruce
Published: April 2007

As labor market shifts give rise to more pay inversion, employers must seek solutions or face an increasingly disengaged workforce.
Assessing the Health State of Ancient Structures: The Role of Vibrational Tests
Authors: De Stefano A. , Ceravolo R.
Published: April 2007

While historical architectural heritage is a resource and a fundamental part of the cultural European background, it also causes concern, mainly due to the huge investment needed to maintain it or even to repair it after environmental injuries. The final aim of this research is the creation of tools suitable for use in the monitoring of an ancient heritage building. The questions raised cover the whole diagnostic process to be developed in terms of data acquisition, signal processing, numerical modeling, structural identification, optimization of the rehabilitation, intervention design, safety evaluation, and decision-making.
Analysis of Data Quality for Ambient Vibration Testing of the Henry Hudson Bridge
Authors: Grimmelsman Kirk A. , Pan Qin , Aktan A. Emin
Published: April 2007

The quality of test data is an important consideration in conducting field experiments on civil infrastructure. In addition to possible errors due to the experimental setup, the uncertainties due to incomplete knowledge of a structure's behavior and its interactions with the natural environment greatly affect the reliability of the final results. This study discusses the uncertainty related to ambient vibration testing of a long-span steel arch bridge. The consistency of the identified parameters is examined through statistical analyses, and the effects of bandwidth and stationarity on the identified parameters are discussed.
Experimental Seismic Analysis of a Historical Building
Authors: Clemente P. , Rinaldis D. , Buffarini G.
Published: April 2007

This article discusses seismic analysis of a historical building to predict the state of damage in case of earthquakes. A temporary array is first used to have a first glance at the dynamic properties of the building. Then a permanent array is installed and several events are recorded. The experimental results are compared with those obtained by means of a simplified finite element model that reproduces the complex nature of the building. The results obtained are very useful to predict where stresses could be concentrated and where cracks or damage could start under seismic actions. Such an analysis is very important both to identify areas in the structure particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and to plan an effective building retrofit program to resist seismic actions.
War and the Socialization of Children
Authors: Ember Carol R. , Ember Melvin
Published: April 2007

This article presents two evolutionary models that may explain relationships between war, socialization, and other kinds of violence. One model derives from the perspective suggesting that reproductive strategy is contingent on environmental variation; the other model derives from a number of studies conducted by Carol and Melvin Ember. In this article, the authors focus particularly on the causes and consequences of low father salience. They spell out the assumptions of the two models and describe some new cross-cultural evidence on presumed causal connections not previously evaluated cross-culturally. Their findings largely question the assumption that low father salience, as measured by father sleeping distance, will be associated with wider mating efforts. They also find some inconsistencies in their own model that suggest how it needs to be revised.
Evolutionary Explanations for Societal Differences and Historical Change in Violent Crime and Single Parenthood
Authors: Barber Nigel
Published: April 2007

This article argues that social science can be conducted beneath the umbrella of natural science and evolutionary theory. Evolutionary social science makes four key causal assumptions: (a) that modern societies owe their character to an interaction of hunter—gatherer adaptations with the modern environment, (b) that some changes in societies reflect change in individuals, (c) that historical changes and cross-societal differences can be due to similar adaptational mechanisms, given (d) that different social contexts (e.g., food scarcity, single parenthood) modify psychological development through adaptive mechanisms. This approach is illustrated by cross-national data on violent crime and single parenthood.
Self-Regulation of Visual Attention and Facial Expression of Emotions in ADHD Children
Authors: Kühle Hans J. , Kinkelbur Jörg , Andes Kerstin , Heidorn Fridjof M. , Zeyer Solveigh , Rautzenberg Petra , Jansen Fritz
Published: April 2007

Objective: To test if visual focusing and mimic display as features of self-regulation in ADHD children show a curvilinear relation to rising methylphenidate (MPH) doses. To test if small dose steps of 2.5mg MPH cause significant changes in behavior. And to test the relation of these features to intellectual performance, parents' ratings, and clinical outcome. Method: Twenty-five children of a clinical convenience sample are filmed playing cards and doing oral arithmetic exercises without medication and after intake of MPH raised in steps of 2.5 mg. Recordings are revised by four blinded raters counting visual focus loss and rating the variability of patients' smile. Results: All hypotheses are confirmed. Best self-regulation coincides with best intellectual performance, highly significant improvement in parents' ratings, and good clinical outcome. Conclusion: The procedure could be helpful for MPH dose finding in the physician's practice and make therapy more efficient by means of a more precise dosage. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 10(4) 350-358)
Lower Extremity Response Time Performance in Boys With ADHD
Authors: Pedersen Scott J. , Heath Matthew , Surburg Paul R.
Published: April 2007

Objective: Children with ADHD have been labeled as “uncoordinated” and “inefficient movers”; however, a paucity of research has systematically examined “stimulant-free” motor processing in this population. Method: In the present investigation, the authors employ a cross-lateral integration task to assess the attainment of a motor milestone in a corpus of 16 adolescents with ADHD acutely removed from their daily medication routine (methylphenidate) and 19 age-matched peers. Participants perform a choice response time task involving the lower extremity to targets located at midline and in ipsilateral and contralateral space. Results/Conclusion: This investigation finds that children with ADHD have slower lower extremity reaction and movement times compared to controls, and all preadolescent children demonstrate an inhibition in processing movements that require crossing the midline of the body. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 10(4) 343-349)
Effects of Auditory Distraction on Cognitive Processing of Young Adults
Authors: LaPointe Leonard L. , Heald Gary R. , Stierwalt Julie A. G. , Kemker Brett E. , Maurice Trisha
Published: April 2007

Objective: The effects of interference, competition, and distraction on cognitive processing are unclearly understood, particularly regarding type and intensity of auditory distraction across a variety of cognitive processing tasks. Method: The purpose of this investigation was to report two experiments that sought to explore the effects of types of distraction (4-talker babble; word repetition; combined 4-talker babble with word repetition) when compared to a control condition of quiet on a range of computerized measures (simple reaction time; choice reaction time; serial pattern matching; lexical decision-making; visual selective attention; response reversal and rapid visual scanning; and form discrimination) in 40 young adults (Experiment 1). Results: Few distraction effects were found on cognitive processing at the comfortable loudness level (40dB SL). In Experiment 2, statistically significant differences for choice reaction time and serial pattern matching (working memory) were found in both speed and accuracy when distractions were presented at perceived uncomfortable loudness levels (ULL) and compared with conditions of quiet and comfortable loudness level (40dB SL). Conclusion: Cognitive resource allocation models may be useful in interpreting the effects of auditory distraction on cognitive-linguistic processing, and this model may help to explain differential distraction effects in clinical populations with attention deficits. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 10(4) 398-409)
Informativeness of Maternal Reports on the Diagnosis of ADHD
Authors: Biederman Joseph , Ball Sarah W. , Mick Eric , Monuteaux Michael C. , Kaiser Roselinde , Bristol Elyssa , Faraone Stephen V.
Published: April 2007

Objective: We evaluated correlates of the diagnosis of ADHD in youth by informant source. Method: Ninety-four pairs of mother reports and youth self-reports on ADHD were independently assessed, using diagnostic interviews from a large study of youth of both genders with and without ADHD. Comparisons were made on measures of interpersonal, school, and family functioning; treatment history; and parental psychopathology by informant source. Results: With the exception of higher rates of ADHD-associated impairment and higher frequency of treatment for ADHD in the combined youth-mother group. There were no other differences in any other clinical or familial correlates by informant source; both informant groups had higher levels of impairment in multiple nonoverlapping measures of dysfunction than controls. Males were overrepresented among the mother-only group. Conclusion: Maternal reports of ADHD result in a meaningful diagnosis of ADHD with high levels of impairment, regardless of endorsement by the affected youth. (J. of Att. Dis. 2007; 10(4) 410-417)
Interest Group Competition on Federal Agency Rules
Authors: McKay Amy , Yackee Susan Webb
Published: April 2007

In the lobbying literature, the effects of competition—two or more interests lobbying on opposing sides of a policy debate—have not been assessed with regard to government agency policymaking. Consequently, neither the amount nor the effect of competitive lobbying is well understood. Using nearly 1,700 comments on 40 federal agency rules, we evaluate two questions: Do government agencies respond to lobbying by changing agency policies? and Does lobbying on one side of a policy issue beget lobbying on the opposing side? We demonstrate that agencies change the content of final rules in favor of the side that dominates the submission of comments. Thus, it seems the “squeaky wheel gets the grease” during rulemaking. We find no evidence, however, of counteractive lobbying during agency rulemaking. Our results suggest that interest groups may further their policy goals by observing more closely the actions of opposing groups during agency policymaking.
Mortality rates, life expectancy, and causes of death in people with hemophilia A or B in the United Kingdom who were not infected with HIV
Authors: Darby Sarah C. , Kan Sau Wan , Spooner Rosemary J. , Giangrande Paul L. F. , Hill Frank G. H. , Hay Charles R. M. , Lee Christine A. , Ludlam Christopher A. , Williams Michael
Published: April 2007

Since the 1970s, mortality in the hemophilia population has been dominated by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and few reports have described mortality in uninfected individuals. This study presents mortality in 6018 people with hemophilia A or B in the United Kingdom during 1977 to 1998 who were not infected with HIV, with follow-up until January 1, 2000. Given disease severity and factor inhibitor status, all-cause mortality did not differ significantly between hemophilia A and hemophilia B. In severe hemophilia, all-cause mortality did not change significantly during 1977 to 1999. During this period, it exceeded mortality in the general population by a factor of 2.69 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.37-3.05), and median life expectancy in severe hemophilia was 63 years. In moderate/mild hemophilia, all-cause mortality did not change significantly during 1985 to 1999, and median life expectancy was 75 years. Compared with mortality in the general population, mortality from bleeding and its consequences, and from liver diseases and Hodgkin disease, was increased, but for ischemic heart disease it was lower, at only 62% (95% CI: 51%-76%) of general population rates, and for 14 other specific causes it did not differ significantly from general population rates. There was no evidence of any death from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or from conditions that could be confused with it.
The spectrum of mutations in the PCFT gene, coding for an intestinal folate transporter, that are the basis for hereditary folate malabsorption
Authors: Zhao Rongbao , Min Sang Hee , Qiu Andong , Sakaris Antoinette , Goldberg Gary L. , Sandoval Claudio , Malatack J. Jeffrey , Rosenblatt David S. , Goldman I. David
Published: April 2007

Hereditary folate malabsorption (HFM) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by impaired intestinal folate absorption and impaired folate transport into the central nervous system. Recent studies in 1 family revealed that the molecular basis for this disorder is a loss-of-function mutation in the PCFT gene encoding a proton-coupled folate transporter. The current study broadens the understanding of the spectrum of alterations in the PCFT gene associated with HFM in 5 additional patients. There was no racial, ethnic, or sex pattern. A total of 4 different homozygous mutations were detected in 4 patients; 2 heterozygous mutations were identified in the fifth patient. Mutations involved 4 of the 5 exons, all at highly conserved amino acid residues. A total of 4 of the mutated transporters resulted in a complete loss of transport function, primarily due to decreased protein stability and/or defects in membrane trafficking, while 2 of the mutated carriers manifested residual function. Folate transport at low pH was markedly impaired in transformed lymphocytes from 2 patients. These findings further substantiate the role that mutations in PCFT play in the pathogenesis of HFM and will make possible rapid diagnosis and treatment of this disorder in infants, and prenatal diagnosis in families that carry a mutated gene.
Activation of the Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone β-Subunit Gene by LIM Homeodomain Transcription Factor Lhx2
Authors: Kim Kee K. , Song Seok B. , Kang Kwang I. , Rhee Myungchull , Kim Kyoon Eon
Published: April 2007

Although there is evidence that the LIM homeodomain transcription factor, Lhx2, can stimulate transcription of the glycoprotein hormone α-subunit gene, the role of Lhx2 in regulating TSH β-subunit has not been established. In the present studies, the ability of Lhx2 to regulate transcription of the TSH β-subunit gene was examined. In the thyrotrope-derived TαT1 cell line, Lhx2 expression was found to be induced by treatment with either TRH or cAMP, consistent with the possibility that Lhx2 may play a role in mediating the ability of this signaling pathway to stimulate TSH gene expression. Transient, forced overexpression of Lhx2 stimulated activity of a TSH β-subunit reporter gene. Deletion studies provided evidence that the −177 to −79 region of the TSH β-subunit promoter was necessary for stimulation of reporter gene activity by Lhx2. A gel mobility shift assay provided the evidence that Lhx2 can bind to this region of DNA. DNase I footprinting studies demonstrated that two distinct regions of the TSHβ promoter, −118 to −108 and −86 to −68, are protected by Lhx2 from nuclease digestion. These regions contain repeats of the sequence, 5′-(G/T)CAAT(T/A)-3′. Mutation of this sequence, especially in the −86 to −68 region, substantially decreased Lhx2 responsiveness of the TSH β-subunit reporter gene. In addition, a DNA fragment containing the −177 to −79 region of the TSHβ promoter was found to confer Lhx2 responsiveness to a minimal promoter. These results provide multiple lines of evidence consistent with a role for Lhx2 in modulating expression of the TSH β-subunit gene.
Platelets Are Novel Regulators of Neovascularization and Luteinization during Human Corpus Luteum Formation
Authors: Furukawa Kazumi , Fujiwara Hiroshi , Sato Yukiyasu , Zeng Bin-Xiang , Fujii Haruko , Yoshioka Shinya , Nishi Eiichiro , Nishio Takeshi
Published: April 2007

The human corpus luteum is a unique endocrine organ that is periodically constructed from the ovulated follicle. During human corpus luteum formation, which is well known as a pathophysiological model for tissue remodeling, the precise mechanisms by which centripetal vascular development is regulated remain unknown. Recently platelets were reported to contain chemoattractive substances with the potential to induce endothelial migration. In this study, we examined the involvement of platelets in the early tissue remodeling process of the human corpus luteum. An immunohistochemical study demonstrated that considerable amounts of red blood cells and CD41-positive platelets were localized at extravascular sites among luteinizing granulosa cells after ovulation. Platelet deposition gradually decreased and became limited near the central cavity toward which microvessels were extending. Platelets were hardly observed in the midluteal phase when the vascular network had already been established. These platelets expressed CD62P/P-selectin and were colocalized with extracellular matrix, suggesting that platelets had been activated by the extracellular matrix. Progesterone production by luteinizing granulosa cells that were isolated from patients undergoing in vitro fertilization therapy was significantly promoted by direct contact with platelets during 4-d culture. Platelet-derived soluble factors induced spreading in granulosa cell morphology. These factors also increased the migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, whereas luteinizing granulosa cells attenuated platelet-induced endothelial cell migration. These findings lead us to propose the novel concept that platelets are regulators of endothelial cell migration and granulosa cell luteinization in the remodeling process of the human corpus luteum.
Upstream Stimulatory Factor Regulates Constitutive Expression and Hormonal Suppression of the 90K (Mac-2BP) Protein
Authors: Grassadonia Antonino , Tinari Nicola , Fiorentino Bruno , Nakazato Minoru , Chung Hyun-Kyung , Giuliani Cesidio , Napolitano Giorgio , Iacobelli Stefano , Howcroft T. Kevin , Singer Dinah S. , Kohn Leonard D.
Published: April 2007

We previously reported that hormones important for the normal growth and function of FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells, TSH, or its cAMP signal plus insulin or IGF-I, could transcriptionally suppress constitutive and γ-interferon (IFN)-increased synthesis of the 90K protein (also known as Mac-2BP). Here we cloned the 5′-flanking region of the rat 90K gene and identified a minimal promoter containing an interferon response element and a consensus E-box or upstream stimulator factor (USF) binding site, which are highly conserved in both the human and murine genes. We show that suppression of constitutive and γ-IFN-increased 90K gene expression by TSH/cAMP plus insulin/IGF-I depends on the ability of the hormones to decrease the binding of USF to the E-box, located upstream of the interferon response element. This site is required for the constitutive expression of the 90K gene. Transfection with USF1 and USF2 cDNAs increases constitutive promoter activity, attenuates the ability of TSH/cAMP plus insulin/IGF-I to decrease constitutive or γ-IFN-increased 90K gene expression but does not abrogate the ability of γ-IFN itself to increase 90K gene expression.
Estradiol, Progesterone, and Genistein Inhibit Oocyte Nest Breakdown and Primordial Follicle Assembly in the Neonatal Mouse Ovary in Vitro and in Vivo
Authors: Chen Ying , Jefferson Wendy N. , Newbold Retha R. , Padilla-Banks Elizabeth , Pepling Melissa E.
Published: April 2007

In developing mouse ovaries, oocytes develop as clusters of cells called nests or germ cell cysts. Shortly after birth, oocyte nests dissociate and granulosa cells surround individual oocytes forming primordial follicles. At the same time, two thirds of the oocytes die by apoptosis, but the link between oocyte nest breakdown and oocyte death is unclear. Although mechanisms controlling breakdown of nests into individual oocytes and selection of oocytes for survival are currently unknown, steroid hormones may play a role. Treatment of neonatal mice with natural or synthetic estrogens results in abnormal multiple oocyte follicles in adult ovaries. Neonatal genistein treatment inhibits nest breakdown suggesting multiple oocyte follicles are nests that did not break down. Here we investigated the role of estrogen signaling in nest breakdown and oocyte survival. We characterized an ovary organ culture system that recapitulates nest breakdown, reduction in oocyte number, primordial follicle assembly, and follicle growth in vitro. We found that estradiol, progesterone, and genistein inhibit nest breakdown and primordial follicle assembly but have no effect on oocyte number both in organ culture and in vivo. Fetal ovaries, removed from their normal environment of high levels of pregnancy hormones, underwent premature nest breakdown and oocyte loss that was rescued by addition of estradiol or progesterone. Our results implicate hormone signaling in ovarian differentiation with decreased estrogen and progesterone at birth as the primary signal to initiate oocyte nest breakdown and follicle assembly. These findings also provide insight into the mechanism of multiple oocyte follicle formation.
The Role of Repressor Proteins in the Adrenergic Induction of Type II Iodothyronine Deiodinase in Rat Pinealocytes
Authors: Chik C. L. , Wloka M. T. , Price D. M. , Ho A. K.
Published: April 2007

In this study, we investigated the transcriptional regulation of the adrenergic induction of type II iodothyronine deiodinase (Dio2) in rat pinealocytes. Treatment of pinealocytes with norepinephrine (NE) caused an increase in the mRNA level of Dio2 that peaked around 2 h and declined over the next 5 h. Both β- and α1-adrenergic receptors contributed to the NE induction of Dio2 expression through a cAMP/protein kinase A mechanism. In pinealocytes that had been stimulated by NE, inhibition of transcription by actinomycin had no discernible effect on Dio2 expression. In contrast, inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide enhanced the NE induction of Dio2 expression, suggesting the involvement of a repressor protein. Transient transfection of pinealocytes with adenovirus expressing small interfering RNA against Fos-related antigen 2 (Fra2) enhanced the NE induction of Dio2 expression, whereas the effect of overexpression of the full-length transcript of Fra2 was inhibitory. Time-course study indicated that preventing the NE induction of Fra2 enhanced the NE induction of Dio2 after 3 h, and the enhancement persisted beyond 6 h after NE stimulation. In comparison, transient transfection of pinealocytes with small interfering RNA against inducible cAMP early repressor (Icer) had no effect on the NE induction of Dio2 expression, whereas overexpression of the full-length transcript of Icer caused a small reduction of the NE-stimulated Dio2 expression. Together, our results support Fra-2 as an important transcriptional repressor that helps shape the time profile of the adrenergic induction of Dio2 expression in the rat pineal gland.
Steroid-Producing Cells Regulate Arterial Tone of Adrenal Cortical Arteries
Authors: Zhang David X. , Gauthier Kathryn M. , Falck John R. , Siddam Anjaiah , Campbell William B.
Published: April 2007

Adrenal blood flow is coupled to adrenal hormone secretion. ACTH increases adrenal blood flow and stimulates the secretion of aldosterone and cortisol in vivo. However, ACTH does not alter vascular tone of isolated adrenal cortical arteries. Mechanisms underlying this discrepancy remain unsolved. The present study examined the effect of zona glomerulosa (ZG) cells on cortical arterial tone. ZG cells (105 to 107 cells) and ZG cell-conditioned medium relaxed preconstricted adrenal arteries (maximal relaxations = 79 ± 4 and 66 ± 4%, respectively). In adrenal arteries coincubated with a small number of ZG cells (0.5–1 × 106), ACTH (10−12 to 10−8m) induced concentration-dependent relaxations (maximal relaxation = 67 ± 4%). Similarly, ACTH (10−8m) dilated (55 ± 10%) perfused arteries embedded in adrenal cortical slices. ZG cell-dependent relaxations to ACTH were endothelium-independent and inhibited by high extracellular K+ (60 mm); the K+ channel blocker, iberiotoxin (100 nm); the cytochrome P450 inhibitors SKF 525A (10 μm) and miconazole (10 μm); and the epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) antagonist 14,15-EEZE (2 μm). Four EET regioisomers were identified in ZG cell-conditioned media. EET production was stimulated by ACTH. We conclude that ZG cells release EETs and this release is stimulated by ACTH. Interaction of endocrine and vascular cells represents a mechanism for regulating adrenal blood flow and couples steroidogenesis to increased blood flow.
Revisiting the Krogh Principle in the post-genome era:Caenorhabditis elegansas a model system for integrative physiology research
Authors: Strange Kevin
Published: April 2007

Molecular biology drove a powerful reductionist or `molecule-centric'approach to biological research in the last half of the 20th century. Reductionism is the attempt to explain complex phenomena by defining the functional properties of the individual components that comprise multi-component systems. Systems biology has emerged in the post-genome era as the successor to reductionism. In my opinion, systems biology and physiology are synonymous. Both disciplines seek to understand multi-component processes or `systems' and the underlying pathways of information flow from an organism's genes up through increasingly complex levels of organization.

The physiologist and Nobel laureate August Krogh believed that there is an ideal organism in which almost every physiological problem could be studied most readily (the `Krogh Principle'). If an investigator's goal were to define a physiological process from the level of genes to the whole animal, the optimal model organism for him/her to utilize would be one that is genetically and molecularly tractable. In other words, an organism in which forward and reverse genetic analyses could be carried out readily, rapidly and economically. Non-mammalian model organisms such as Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila,zebrafish and the plant Arabidopsis are cornerstones of systems biology research.

The nematode C. elegans provides a particularly striking example of the experimental utility of non-mammalian model organisms. The aim of this paper is to illustrate how genetic, functional genomic, molecular and physiological methods can be combined in C. elegans to develop a systems biological understanding of fundamental physiological processes common to all animals. I present examples of the experimental tools available for the study of C. elegans and discuss how we have used them to gain new insights into osmotic stress signaling in animal cells.
Functional genomics and proteomics of the cellular osmotic stress response in `non-model' organisms
Authors: Kültz Dietmar , Fiol Diego , Valkova Nelly , Gomez-Jimenez Silvia , Chan Stephanie Y. , Lee Jinoo
Published: April 2007

All organisms are adapted to well-defined extracellular salinity ranges. Osmoregulatory mechanisms spanning all levels of biological organization, from molecules to behavior, are central to salinity adaptation. Functional genomics and proteomics approaches represent powerful tools for gaining insight into the molecular basis of salinity adaptation and euryhalinity in animals. In this review, we discuss our experience in applying such tools to so-called`non-model' species, including euryhaline animals that are well-suited for studies of salinity adaptation. Suppression subtractive hybridization,RACE-PCR and mass spectrometry-driven proteomics can be used to identify genes and proteins involved in salinity adaptation or other environmental stress responses in tilapia, sharks and sponges. For protein identification in non-model species, algorithms based on sequence homology searches such as MSBLASTP2 are most powerful. Subsequent gene ontology and pathway analysis can then utilize sets of identified genes and proteins for modeling molecular mechanisms of environmental adaptation. Current limitations for proteomics in non-model species can be overcome by improving sequence coverage, N- and C-terminal sequencing and analysis of intact proteins. Dependence on information about biochemical pathways and gene ontology databases for model species represents a more severe barrier for work with non-model species. To minimize such dependence, focusing on a single biological process (rather than attempting to describe the system as a whole) is key when applying `omics'approaches to non-model organisms.
Constructing the landscape of the mammalian transcriptome
Authors: Carninci Piero
Published: April 2007

The principal route to understanding the biological significance of the genome sequence comes from discovery and characterization of that portion of the genome that is transcribed into RNA products. We now know that this`transcriptome' is unexpectedly complex and its precise definition in any one species requires multiple technical approaches and an ability to work on a very large scale. A key step is the development of technologies able to capture snapshots of the complexity of the various kinds of RNA generated by the genome. As the human, mouse and other model genome sequencing projects approach completion, considerable effort has been focused on identifying and annotating the protein-coding genes as the principal output of the genome. In pursuing this aim, several key technologies have been developed to generate large numbers and highly diverse sets of full-length cDNAs and their variants. However, the search has identified another hidden transcriptional universe comprising a wide variety of non-protein coding RNA transcripts. Despite initial scepticism, various experiments and complementary technologies have demonstrated that these RNAs are dynamically transcribed and a subset of them can act as sense–antisense RNAs, which influence the transcriptional output of the genome. Recent experimental evidence suggests that the list of non-protein coding RNAs is still largely incomplete and that transcription is substantially more complex even than currently thought.
Modelling genotype–phenotype relationships and human disease with genetic interaction networks
Authors: Lehner Ben
Published: April 2007

Probably all heritable traits, including disease susceptibility, are affected by interactions between mutations in multiple genes. We understand little, however, about how genes interact to produce phenotypes, and there is little power to detect interactions between genes in human population studies. An alternative approach towards understanding how mutations combine to produce phenotypes is to construct systematic genetic interaction networks in model organisms. Here I describe the methods that are being used to map genetic interactions in yeast and C. elegans, and the insights that these networks provide for human disease. I also discuss the mechanistic interpretation of genetic interaction networks, how genetic interactions can be used to understand gene function, and methods that have been developed to predict genetic interactions on a genome-wide scale.
Variable gene expression in eukaryotes: a network perspective
Authors: Wittkopp Patricia J.
Published: April 2007

Changes in gene expression underlie phenotypic plasticity, variation within species, and phenotypic divergence between species. These expression differences arise from modulation of regulatory networks. To understand the source of expression differences, networks of interactions among genes and gene products that orchestrate gene expression must be considered. Here I review the basic structure of eukaryotic regulatory networks and discuss selected case studies that provide insight into how these networks are altered to create expression differences within and between species.
Historical reconstructions of evolving physiological complexity:O2 secretion in the eye and swimbladder of fishes
Authors: Berenbrink Michael
Published: April 2007

The ability of some fishes to inflate their compressible swimbladder with almost pure oxygen to maintain neutral buoyancy, even against the high hydrostatic pressure several thousand metres below the water surface, has fascinated physiologists for more than 200 years. This review shows how evolutionary reconstruction of the components of such a complex physiological system on a phylogenetic tree can generate new and important insights into the origin of complex phenotypes that are difficult to obtain with a purely mechanistic approach alone. Thus, it is shown that oxygen secretion first evolved in the eyes of fishes, presumably for improved oxygen supply to an avascular, metabolically active retina. Evolution of this system was facilitated by prior changes in the pH dependence of oxygen-binding characteristics of haemoglobin (the Root effect) and in the specific buffer value of haemoglobin. These changes predisposed teleost fishes for the later evolution of swimbladder oxygen secretion, which occurred at least four times independently and can be associated with increased auditory sensitivity and invasion of the deep sea in some groups. It is proposed that the increasing availability of molecular phylogenetic trees for evolutionary reconstructions may be as important for understanding physiological diversity in the postgenomic era as the increase of genomic sequence information in single model species.