bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Market Orientations in the Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector: A Meta-Analysis of Their Relationships With Organizational Performance
Authors: Shoham Aviv , Ruvio Ayalla , Vigoda-Gadot Eran , Schwabsky Nitza
Published: August 2006

In their effort to improve performance, many voluntary and nonorofit organizations (VNPOs) have turned to market mechanisms, hoping to learn and implement innovative ideas and methods that proved useful in the private sector. This article adopts the businesslike concept of “marketing” into the arena of VNPOs by offering a meta-analysis to assess the marketing orientation (MO) in the VNPO sector. The article attempts to answer three questions: (a) What is the theoretical grounding and rationality for using MO strategies in the VNPO sector? (b) Can the VNPO sector benefit from an MO approach? (c) Is the MO perspective applicable for organizations without “profit” as a main goal? The findings were compared with findings in the for-profit sector and were found to be stronger. Finally, using a second, methodological meta-analysis, boundary conditions on the MO-performance link were assessed. The implications for VNPOs are discussed and directions for future research are outlined.
The Nature Conservancy, the Press, and Accountability
Authors: Stephenson Max , Chaves Elisabeth
Published: August 2006

This article explores the May 2003 Washington Post investigative stories concerning The Nature Conservancy (TNC) for their implications for understanding the dynamics of accountability for nonprofit organizations. The authors argue that the series framed the conservancy's activities in accord with a metanarrative or story that may be reduced to the fable of The Prince and the Pauper. Because The Post depicted TNC's actions in this light in its front-page stories, the conservation organization had little strategic choice but to accept that characterization and to plead that it would do better in the future. Reality, however, was much more complex than this reductionist accounting suggested. The authors explore the social and political impact of The Post articles and their assumptions concerning organizational and democratic accountability as well as their implications for the potential for organizational learning and for public policy agenda-setting dynamics.
To Give or Not to Give, That Is the Question: How Methodology Is Destiny in Dutch Giving Data
Authors: Bekkers René , Wiepking Pamala
Published: August 2006

In research on giving, methodology is destiny. The volume of donations estimated from sample surveys strongly depends on the length of the questionnaire used to measure giving. By comparing two giving surveys from the Netherlands, the authors show that a short questionnaire on giving not only underestimates the volume of giving but also biases the effects of predictors of giving. Specifically, they find that a very short module leads to an underestimation of the effects of predictors of giving on the amount donated but an overestimation of their effects on the probability of charitable giving. Short survey modules may lead researchers to falsely reject or accept hypotheses on determinants of giving due to underreporting of donations.
The Moral Biography of Wealth: Philosophical Reflections on the Foundation of Philanthropy
Authors: Schervish Paul G.
Published: August 2006

Moral biography refers to the way all individuals conscientiously combine two elements in daily life: personal capacity and moral compass. Exploring the moral biography of wealth highlights the philosophical foundations of major gifts by major donors. First, the author provides several examples to elucidate his definition of moral biography. Second, he elaborates the elements of a moral biography. Third, he describes the characteristics that make one's moral biography a spiritual or religious biography. Fourth, he discusses the distinctive characteristics of a moral biography of wealth. Fifth, he suggests that implementing a process of discernment will enable development professionals to work more productively with donors. The author concludes by placing the notion of a moral biography of wealth in historical context and suggests how advancement professionals can deepen their own moral biography by working to deepen the moral biography of their donors.
A Conceptual Model Exploring the Dynamics of Government–Nonprofit Service Delivery
Authors: Cho Sungsook , Gillespie David F.
Published: August 2006

This article explores the dynamics between government and human service nonprofits for service delivery in the United States. The authors initiate the development of a dynamic resource theory to explain the process of government–nonprofit interdependence for human service delivery. The theory is conceived from the application of system dynamics to dependencies arising through the process of resource exchange. They explain how government regulations can help to improve or to lower the quality of service and how the balance of power between government and nonprofits shifts over time. Elaboration, refinement, and testing of dynamic resource theory will improve our ability to manage and benefit from the government–nonprofit partnership.
Marketing Bequest Club Membership: An Exploratory Study of Legacy Pledgers
Authors: Sargeant Adrian , Wymer Walter , Hilton Toni
Published: August 2006

Although bequest income accounts for 9% of overall giving in the United States many nonprofits continue to focus their solicitation efforts on the very wealthy, ignoring the bulk of the fund-raising database. In this study the authors work with three large nonprofits operating bequest societies and using direct marketing to solicit gifts from across their fund-raising database. They compare the profiles of their bequest pledgers with nonpledgers to determine whether individuals willing to offer a bequest may be demographically or attitudinally distinct. Developing a discriminant function they correctly classify 77.1% of 624 respondents to a postal survey of 3,000 donors and/or pledgers. Legacy pledgers appear significantly more likely to be seeking a means of reciprocation, are more concerned that the organization be performing well, and are more concerned with the quality of communications they receive. The fund-raising implications of their analysis are explored.
Foundation Approaches to Effectiveness: A Typology
Authors: Ostrower Francie
Published: August 2006

The heterogeneity of foundations is usually captured in terms of classifications based on size or type (community, corporate, independent). This article argues that to capture broader elements of foundation approaches to philanthropy, we also need ways of categorizing foundations that reflect differences in how they approach their work and the underlying philosophies that inform their philanthropy. The article develops one such typology, drawing on research on 1,192 foundations. The typology is proposed as useful for understanding variations among foundations, and for its practical value in helping foundations clarify their own guiding frameworks.
The Effects of Volunteering for Nonprofit Organizations on Social Capital Formation: Evidence from a Statewide Survey
Authors: Isham Jonathan , Kolodinsky Jane , Kimberly Garrett
Published: August 2006

As membership in civic organizations declines in the United States, could volunteering for nonprofit organizations be an alternative source of social capital formation? After theoretically connecting volunteering with social capital using a household production framework, the authors then use a unique data set from Vermont to estimate the determinants of the probability of receiving a social capital benefit and the level of such a benefit. The probability of receiving a social capital benefit from one's most important nonprofit organization is increased: (a) if it is a religious or social service organization, (b) if one increases their volunteering for the organization, and (c) if one is female, college educated, or in a two-parent family. However, the relative magnitude of volunteering is similar, or relatively small, compared to the other significant determinants. An increase of volunteer hours does increase levels of social capital; however, the magnitude of this effect is also relatively small.
Ready-to-use simulations: DIALOGUES AND DECISIONS
Authors: Trefry Mary , Woodilla Jill , Gumbus Andra
Published: August 2006

In this exercise, participants explore moral dilemmas in the workplace and use ethical frameworks for decision making to support a particular plan of action. Participants read a scenario, propose courses of action in response to the moral dilemma, and engage in dialogue with others who propose alternative decisions. The exercise format allows individual participants to present and evaluate contradictory arguments. Competition for the most persuasive arguments occurs among individuals within teams of 5 participants and subsequently among all teams. During the dialogues and activities, underlying beliefs, values, and assumptions surface and are linked to ethical theories.
Rules, gameplay, and narratives in video games
Authors: Ang Chee Siang
Published: August 2006

An explanatorystudy is conductedto examine the different kinds of rules in video games. Two layers of game, the abstract and the narrative layer, are explored to unify the study of gameplay and narratives. Derivatives of paidea rules and ludus rules are analyzed in relation to gameplay and narratives. A model is presented to show the relation between rules, gameplay, and narratives. Video games are seen as having two layers, an abstract layer and a narrative layer, which are linked by game rules. It is hence maintained that gameplay and narratives should not be antagonistic; they should be complementary when studying video games.
Ready-to-use simulations: SURFING GLOBAL CHANGE
Authors: Ahamer Gilbert
Published: August 2006

SURFING GLOBAL CHANGE (SGC) serves as a procedural shell for attaining sustainable solutions for any interdisciplinary issue and is intended for use in advanced university courses. The participants' activities evolve through five levels from individual argumentation to molding one's own views for the “common good.” The paradigm of “ethics of negotiation” is implemented using a guided, step-by-step procedure that is characterized by mutual evaluation among the participants and by the dissolution of the traditional roles within education. Despite the existence of an elaborate structure of game rules, the setting of SGC provides for flexibility concerning the choice of themes, the definition of roles, the means of information retrieval, the selection of emphasis within the issue to be negotiated, the exploration of solutions, and notably, the allocation of “success” to the participants. SGC is therefore also usable as a tool for training in areas ripe for innovative social procedures.
Intelligent agents, simulation, and gaming
Authors: Yilmaz Levent , Ören Tuncer , Aghaee Nasser-Ghasem
Published: August 2006

Artificial intelligence and intelligent agents are sources of synergy for simulation and computer-based games. They support striking realism of the physical environment and provide unique opportunities for learning and complex operations. This article's purpose is to explore the relationship of software agents to simulation and games. This includes agents with advanced cognitive abilities (introspection, perception, anticipation, and understanding) as well as those representing personality, emotion, and cultural aspects of individuals and societies including issues. A recent special issue of Simulation: Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International on agent-directed simulation (ADS) is introduced. As a prelude to its presentation, the promising synergy of artificial intelligence, simulation, and gaming is elaborated on. A unifying paradigm for the synergy of agents and simulation and gaming—namely, ADS—is presented. It includes agent simulation, agent-supported simulation, and agent-based simulation. Also, two different usages of the term agent-based simulation are clarified.
Collective bargaining as a two-level game: Direct learner-expert interactions
Authors: Schilling Martin S. , Mulford Matthew A. , Geiger Ingmar R.
Published: August 2006

In this article, the authors introduce a new feature to model the collective bargaining process: a two-level game setting with direct learner-expert interaction. In the simulation ZUG UM ZUG 2015, participants form union and management negotiation teams to negotiate with each other (first level) and with a management or union “tariff commission,” which has to approve proposed contracts (second level). To increase the degree of realism and the teaching effectiveness of the simulation, real-world negotiation experts negotiate in tariff commissions directly with participants. The authors also introduce a negotiation process to facilitate an efficient knowledge transfer from experts to learners.
Reports & communications: Debriefings of Web-based malaria games
Authors: Lennon Jeffrey L.
Published: August 2006

This study describes the postgame debriefings of an adolescent participant in the Philippines who had played two Web-based computer games related to the topic of malaria. These games, produced by the Nobel Foundation, the MOSQUITO GAME and the PARASITE GAME, were based on the works of Nobel Prize winners Ronald Ross and Alphonse Laveron. After the play of the games, a 7-point debriefing was conducted. This took place in an informal setting. The participant enjoyed and learned new content from both games. Also, the participant made suggestions about revisions of the games' objectives. The study revealed that the debriefing format was smoothly accomplished and effective for these games.
Ready-to-use simulations: TELEMATICS
Authors: Jenner Stephen R.
Published: August 2006

In this realistic situation, a small engineering design and manufacturing company seeks investment and production orders from a larger telecom firm in another country. There is no need to referee the game, as participants quickly engage in the exercise. No special materials are required, and the debriefing is quite straightforward. A separate facilitator's guide suggests directions for further study and reveals what actually happened.
From Intercity Competition to Collaborative Planning
Authors: Zhang Tingwei
Published: August 2006

By reviewing changes in relationships during the past 50 years among cities in the Yangtze River Delta region of China, the author explores underlying forces affecting the relationship between a service center (Shanghai) and manufacturing bases (cities in the region surrounding Shanghai). Key internal factors, such as the development stage of cities and the government's promotion policies, together with external factors, including national politics and policy shifts and the strategy of foreign direct investment, are found to be influential in the dynamic relationship. Suggestions based on the Chinese case are offered for a regional alliance.
Governing the Regimeless City
Authors: Rast Joel
Published: August 2006

Recent literature on urban governance has focused predominantly on cities with effective partnerships between business and local government. Increased attention to the role played by such partnerships in the creation of local governing capacity has changed the way that most contemporary urban theorists understand community power. In place of the Weberian model emphasizing the use of power for social control purposes, urban-regime theorists view power in terms of its capacity to accomplish goals— power to instead of power over. This article examines development policy in postwar Milwaukee during a period in which a business-government partnership failed to materialize. I argue that the absence of business-government cooperation placed a distinctive imprint on local power relations. Power in postwar Milwaukee is best understood through a multidimensional approach that incorporates both Weberian and contemporary approaches to the study of community power.
The Economic Impact of Terrorist Incidents on the Italian Hospitality Industry
Authors: Greenbaum Robert T. , Hultquist Andy
Published: August 2006

Acts of terror are intended to incite fear and intimidation, which makes tourism particularly susceptible to attacks. Because the hospitality industry serves as a useful barometer of the indirect impact of attacks, we examine the impact of terrorist incidents on lodging-use rates in Italy between 1995 and 1997. We make use of data on domestic as well as international terrorism at the city level to explore more localized implications of terrorist incidents. We find that lodgings used by foreign visitors are the most sensitive to terrorist attacks and that the incidents have the largest impact during the year of the attack.
The Political Ecology of Uneven Urban Green Space
Authors: Heynen Nik , Perkins Harold A. , Roy Parama
Published: August 2006

This article investigates the role of urban political economy, private-public property relations, and race and ethnicity in the social production of Milwaukee's urban forest. By integrating urban-forest canopy-cover data from aerial photography, United States Census data, and qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews, this analysis suggests that there is an inequitable distribution of urban canopy cover within Milwaukee. Since urban trees positively affect quality of life, the spatially inequitable distribution of urban trees in relation to race and ethnicity is yet another instance of urban environmental inequality that deserves greater consideration in light of contemporary and dynamic property relations within capitalist societies.
Assessing the Micro-Foundations of the Tiebout Model
Authors: Bickers Kenneth N. , Salucci Lapo , Stein Robert M.
Published: August 2006

In this article, we seek to shed light on the micro-foundations of the Tiebout model. We use a survey of respondents in four of the largest United States metropolitan areas to analyze factors that contribute to households' exiting behavior. In this analysis, we explore the types of reasons likely movers offer to explain a potential move. The analysis incorporates variables measuring Tiebout factors and variables drawn from two important alternative explanations that have been discussed widely in political science in recent years. Our findings generally support a Tiebout explanation: Evaluations of core municipal services are found to be the strongest determinant of the likelihood to move. Moreover, variables drawn from alternative explanations, including race, family income, and social capital, are found to be either unrelated to the decision to move or to have the opposite effect on the likelihood of moving from what would be expected.
Reading Words in Discourse: The Modulation of Lexical Priming Effects by Message-Level Context
Authors: Ledoux Kerry , Camblin C. Christine , Swaab Tamara Y. , Gordon Peter C.
Published: August 2006

Repetition and semantic-associative priming effects have been demonstrated for words in nonstructured contexts (i.e., word pairs or lists of words) in numerous behavioral and electrophysiological studies. The processing of a word has thus been shown to benefit from the prior presentation of an identical or associated word in the absence of a constraining context. An examination of such priming effects for words that are embedded within a meaningful discourse context provides information about the interaction of different levels of linguistic analysis. This article reviews behavioral and electrophysiological research that has examined the processing of repeated and associated words in sentence and discourse contexts. It provides examples of the ways in which eye tracking and event-related potentials might be used to further explore priming effects in discourse. The modulation of lexical priming effects by discourse factors suggests the interaction of information at different levels in online language comprehension.
Comparative Psychoneuroimmunology: Evidence From the Insects
Authors: Adamo Shelley A.
Published: August 2006

Interactions between immune systems, nervous systems, and behavior are well established in vertebrates. A comparative examination of these interactions in other animals will help us understand their evolution and present adaptive functions. Insects show immune-behavioral interactions similar to those seen in vertebrates, suggesting that many of them may have a highly conserved function. Activation of an immune response in insects results in illness-induced anorexia, behavioral fever, changes in reproductive behavior, and decreased learning ability in a broad range of species. Flight-or-fight behaviors result in a decline in disease resistance. In insects, illness-induced anorexia may enhance immunity. Stress-induced immunosuppression is probably due to physiological conflicts between the immune response and those of other physiological processes. Because insects occupy a wide range of ecological niches, they will be useful in examining how some immune-behavioral interactions are sculpted by an animal's behavioral ecology.
Neuroimaging, Cognitive, and Neurobehavioral Outcomes Following Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Authors: Hopkins Ramona O. , Woon Fu Lye M.
Published: August 2006

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced as a byproduct of combustion. Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of poisoning injury and death worldwide. Morbidity following CO poisoning includes neurologic sequelae, neuropathologic abnormalities on brain imaging, neurobehavioral changes, and cognitive impairments. It is estimated that as high as 50% of individuals with carbon monoxide poisoning will develop neurologic, neurobehavioral, or cognitive sequelae. Carbon monoxide related cognitive impairments included impaired memory, attention, executive function, motor, visual spatial, and slow mental processing speed. Given the high rate of brain related morbidity and the fact that the majority of carbon monoxide is avoidable, awareness and prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning is warranted.
A child bride and her representation in the Vatican Epithalamion, cod. gr. 1851
Authors: Hennessy Cecily
Published: August 2006

Vatican cod. gr. 1851 is composed of four bifolia, which contain the partial text of a poem and seven illuminations. The protagonists described in the poem are a Byzantine emperor, his youthful son, his daughter and a young foreign princess to whom the son is betrothed. Comparisons with other examples of imperial dress lead to the conclusion that the illustrations in the manuscript are probably fourteenth-century. I propose that the groom was Andronikos IV, who married, in 1356, aged eight, Maria, the nine-year-old daughter of the tsar of Bulgaria, Ivan Alexander. This marriage raises issues of children’s roles at court and the nature of books made for them.
The strange case of the Turkish and Venetian judges in eighteenth-century Mani wall paintings
Authors: Chapman John
Published: August 2006

Investigating church wall paintings in Mani, Greece, the author identified a common theme of the Ainoi, the graphic interpretation of Psalms 148–150. Within this scheme there is often a specific depiction of the ‘Judges of the Earth’ as an Ottoman judge and a Venetian nobleman. This depiction is unique to Mani and is restricted to the mid-eighteenth century and those areas of Mani dominated by the rule of the kapetanoi. The paintings allude to the lack of established legal systems in that period of Mani’s history and refer back to times of stable law under Ottoman and Venetian rule.
The Kelly naval mission to Greece, May 1919–October 1921
Authors: Fotakis Zisis
Published: August 2006

This article focuses on the activities of the Kelly naval mission to Greece between 1919 and 1921, the period when the geographic importance of Greece from the naval perspective and the potential of her navy attracted the interest of Britain. Notwithstanding the fact that plans to institute a pivotal Anglo–Greek naval partnership in the Eastern Mediterranean were frustrated because of the Asia Minor catastrophe, the Kelly naval mission to Greece was largely successful in developing the Greek Navy. During its term in Greece, work was expedited at the Ministry of the Marine, the recruiting law was revised and a significant number of Greek naval officers were admitted to British naval schools. Moreover, the syllabus of Greek naval colleges was updated and the Greek Naval Air Service developed on solid foundations. Financial difficulties and political complications hindered the realization of the more ambitious projects of the mission, i.e. the establishment of a new arsenal at Skaramanga and the procurement of sorely needed naval units. However, maintaining the many old Greek warships in working condition would have been impossible had it not been for the success of the mission in developing the organization and infrastructure of the Salamis arsenal.
Michael Choniates, poet of love and knowledge
Authors: Livanos Christopher
Published: August 2006

This article situates an epigram by Michael Choniates on medieval Athens in the broader context of European poetry by examining Michael’s use of the ‘lover as idolater’ and ‘looking for Rome in Rome’ topoi in comparison with treatments of these themes in the Italian and medieval Latin traditions. It then discusses the poem in light of Michael’s engagement with Byzantine romance and liturgical verse. The author attempts to show that this poem, commonly read for its ‘O! tempora, O! mores’ sentiment, is a subtle and rich text that creatively deals with some of the major themes of medieval literature.
The playful mode of writing in Psycharis’s To Ταξίδι μου (1888)
Authors: Pateridou Georgia
Published: August 2006

The aim of this paper is to discuss the literary qualities of Psycharts’s To Tαξίδι μοο, in particular, to analyse specific examples that demonstrate its playful mode of writing. Firstly, it will attempt to place the text in the literary context of its period by discussing its conception and significance for Modern Greek literature. Secondly, it will focus on the element of humour in the text, which can best be described as a playful mode of writing. The playfulness can be explained as raising false expectations in readers in a way that does not become obtrusive or unpleasant, but aims to entertain through the effects of surprise. This mode of writing is created mainly through intertextual allusions, incongruous juxtapositions, and comical, satirical or parodic undertones.
CCL18/PARC stimulates hematopoiesis in long-term bone marrow cultures indirectly through its effect on monocytes
Authors: Wimmer Antonia , Khaldoyanidi Sophia K. , Judex Martin , Serobyan Naira , DiScipio Richard G. , Schraufstatter Ingrid U.
Published: August 2006

Chemokines play a role in regulating hematopoietic stem cell function, including migration, proliferation, and retention. We investigated the involvement of CCL18 in the regulation of bone marrow hematopoiesis. Treatment of human long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMCs) with CCL18 resulted in significant stimulation of hematopoiesis, as measured by the total number of hematopoietic cells and their committed progenitors produced in culture. Monocytes/macrophages, whose survival was almost doubled in the presence of CCL18 compared with controls, were the primary cells mediating this effect. Conditioned media from CCL18-treated mature monocytes fostered colony-promoting activity that increased the number of colonies formed by hematopoietic progenitor cells. Gene expression profiling of CCL18-stimulated monocytes demonstrated more than 200 differentially expressed genes, including those regulating apoptosis (caspase-8) and proliferation (IL-6, IL-15, stem cell factor [SCF]). Up-regulation of these cytokines was confirmed on the protein expression level. The contribution of SCF and IL-6 in CCL18-mediated stimulatory activity for hematopoiesis was confirmed by SCF- and IL-6–blocking antibodies that significantly inhibited the colony-promoting activity of CCL18-stimulated conditioned medium. In addition to the effect on monocytes, CCL18 facilitated the formation of the adherent layer in LTBMCs and increased the proliferation of stromal fibroblast-like cells.
Identification, cloning and characterization of a novel 47 kDa murine PKA C subunit homologous to human and bovine Cβ2
Authors: Funderud Ane , Henanger Heidi H , Hafte Tilahun T , Amieux Paul S , Ørstavik Sigurd , Skålhegg Bjørn S
Published: August 2006

Background

Two main genes encoding the catalytic subunits Cα and Cβ of cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase (PKA) have been identified in all vertebrates examined. The murine, bovine and human Cβ genes encode several splice variants, including the splice variant Cβ2. In mouse Cβ2 has a relative molecular mass of 38 kDa and is only expressed in the brain. In human and bovine Cβ2 has a relative molecular mass of 47 kDa and is mainly expressed in lymphoid tissues.

Results

We identified a novel 47 kDa splice variant encoded by the mouse Cβ gene that is highly expressed in lymphoid cells. Cloning, expression, and production of a sequence-specific antiserum and characterization of PKA catalytic subunit activities demonstrated the 47 kDa protein to be a catalytically active murine homologue of human and bovine Cβ2. Based on the present results and the existence of a human brain-specifically expressed Cβ splice variant designated Cβ4 that is identical to the former mouse Cβ2 splice variant, the mouse splice variant has now been renamed mouse Cβ4.

Conclusion

Murine lymphoid tissues express a protein that is a homologue of human and bovine Cβ2. The murine Cβ gene encodes the splice variants Cβ1, Cβ2, Cβ3 and Cβ4, as is the case with the human Cβ gene.
Organization and post-transcriptional processing of focal adhesion kinase gene
Authors: Corsi Jean-Marc , Rouer Evelyne , Girault Jean-Antoine , Enslen Hervé
Published: August 2006

Background

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase critical for processes ranging from embryo development to cancer progression. Although isoforms with specific molecular and functional properties have been characterized in rodents and chicken, the organization of FAK gene throughout phylogeny and its potential to generate multiple isoforms are not well understood. Here, we study the phylogeny of FAK, the organization of its gene, and its post-transcriptional processing in rodents and human.

Results

A single orthologue of FAK and the related PYK2 was found in non-vertebrate species. Gene duplication probably occurred in deuterostomes after the echinoderma embranchment, leading to the evolution of PYK2 with distinct properties. The amino acid sequence of FAK and PYK2 is conserved in their functional domains but not in their linker regions, with the absence of autophosphorylation site in C. elegans. Comparison of mouse and human FAK genes revealed the existence of multiple combinations of conserved and non-conserved 5'-untranslated exons in FAK transcripts suggesting a complex regulation of their expression. Four alternatively spliced coding exons (13, 14, 16, and 31), previously described in rodents, are highly conserved in vertebrates. Cis-regulatory elements known to regulate alternative splicing were found in conserved alternative exons of FAK or in the flanking introns. In contrast, other reported human variant exons were restricted to Homo sapiens, and, in some cases, other primates. Several of these non-conserved exons may correspond to transposable elements. The inclusion of conserved alternative exons was examined by RT-PCR in mouse and human brain during development. Inclusion of exons 14 and 16 peaked at the end of embryonic life, whereas inclusion of exon 13 increased steadily until adulthood. Study of various tissues showed that inclusion of these exons also occurred, independently from each other, in a tissue-specific fashion.

Conclusion

The alternative coding exons 13, 14, 16, and 31 are highly conserved in vertebrates and their inclusion in mRNA is tightly but independently regulated. These exons may therefore be crucial for FAK function in specific tissues or during development. Conversely pathological disturbance of the expression of FAK and of its isoforms could lead to abnormal cellular regulation.
Development and evaluation of different normalization strategies for gene expression studies in Candida albicans biofilms by real-time PCR
Authors: Nailis Heleen , Coenye Tom , Van Nieuwerburgh Filip , Deforce Dieter , Nelis Hans J
Published: August 2006

Background

Candida albicans biofilms are commonly found on indwelling medical devices. However, the molecular basis of biofilm formation and development is not completely understood. Expression analysis of genes potentially involved in these processes, such as the ALS (Agglutinine Like Sequence) gene family can be performed using quantitative PCR (qPCR). In the present study, we investigated the expression stability of eight housekeeping genes potentially useful as reference genes to study gene expression in Candida albicans (C. albicans) biofilms, using the geNorm Visual Basic Application (VBA) for Microsoft Excel. To validate our normalization strategies we determined differences in ALS1 and ALS3 expression levels between C. albicans biofilm cells and their planktonic counterparts.

Results

The eight genes tested in this study are ranked according to their expression stability (from most stable to least stable) as follows: ACT1 (β-actin)/PMA1 (adenosine triphosphatase), RIP (ubiquinol cytochrome-c reductase complex component), RPP2B (cytosolic ribosomal acidic protein P2B), LSC2 (succinyl-CoA synthetase β-subunit fragment), IMH3 (inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase fragment), CPA1 (carbamoyl-phosphate synthethase small subunit) and GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase).

Our data indicate that five genes are necessary for accurate and reliable normalization of gene expression data in C. albicans biofilms. Using different normalization strategies, we found a significant upregulation of the ALS1 gene and downregulation of the ALS3 gene in C. albicans biofilms grown on silicone disks in a continous flow system, the CDC reactor (Centre for Disease Control), for 24 hours.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we recommend the use of the geometric mean of the relative expression values from the five housekeeping genes (ACT1, PMA1, RIP, RPP2B and LSC2) for normalization, when analysing differences in gene expression levels between C. albicans biofilm cells and planktonic cells. Validation of the normalization strategies described above showed that the ALS1 gene is overexpressed and the ALS3 gene is underexpressed in C. albicans biofilms grown on silicone in the CDC reactor for 24 hours.
Systemic zoledronate treatment both prevents resorption of allograft bone and increases the retention of new formed bone during revascularization and remodelling. A bone chamber study in rats
Authors: Åstrand Jörgen , Harding Anna Kajsa , Aspenberg Per , Tägil Magnus
Published: August 2006

Background

In osteonecrosis the vascular supply of the bone is interrupted and the living cells die. The inorganic mineral network remains intact until ingrowing blood vessels invade the graft. Accompanying osteoclasts start to resorb the bone trabeculae and gradually replace the bone. If the osteonecrosis occurs in mechanically loaded parts, like in the subchondral bone of a loaded joint, the remodelling might lead to a weakening of the bone and, in consequence to a joint collapse. Systemic bisphosphonate treatment can reduce the resorption of necrotic bone. In the present study we investigate if zoledronate, the most potent of the commercially available bisphosphonates, can be used to reduce the amount or speed of bone graft remodeling.

Methods

Bone grafts were harvested and placed in a bone chamber inserted into the tibia of a rat. Host tissue could grow into the graft through openings in the chamber. Weekly injections with 1.05 μg zoledronate or saline were given subcutaneously until the rats were harvested after 6 weeks. The specimens were fixed, cut and stained with haematoxylin/eosin and used for histologic and histomorphometric analyses.

Results

By histology, the control specimens were almost totally resorbed in the remodeled area and the graft replaced by bone marrow. In the zoledronate treated specimens, both the old graft and new-formed bone remained and the graft trabeculas were lined with new bone. By histomorphometry, the total amount of bone (graft+ new bone) within the remodelled area was 35 % (SD 13) in the zoledronate treated grafts and 19 % (SD 12) in the controls (p = 0.001). Also the amount of new bone was increased in the treated specimens (22 %, SD 7) compared to the controls (14 %, SD 9, p = 0.032).

Conclusion

We show that zoledronate can be used to decrease the resorption of both old graft and new-formed bone during bone graft remodelling. This might be useful in bone grafting procedure but also in other orthopedic conditions, both where necrotic bone has to be remodelled i.e. after osteonecrosis of the knee and hip and in Perthes disease, or in high load, high turnover conditions like delayed union, periprosthetic osteolysis or bone lengthening operations. In our model an increased net formation of new bone was found which probably reflects that new bone formed was retained by the action of the bisphosphonates rather than a true anabolic effect.
Hospice utilization during the SARS outbreak in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Tzeng-Ji , Lin Ming-Hwai , Chou Li-Fang , Hwang Shinn-Jang
Published: August 2006

Background

The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic threw the world into turmoil during the first half of 2003. Many subsequent papers have addressed its impact on health service utilization, but few have considered palliative (hospice) care. The aim of the present study was to describe changes in hospice inpatient utilization during and after the SARS epidemic in 2003 in Taiwan.

Methods

The data sources were the complete datasets of inpatient admissions during 2002 and 2003 from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Before-and-after comparisons of daily and monthly utilizations were made. Hospice analyses were limited to those wards that offered inpatient services throughout these two years. The comparisons were extended to total hospital bed utilization and to patients who were still admitted to hospice wards during the peak period of the SARS epidemic.

Results

Only 15 hospice wards operated throughout the whole of 2002 and 2003. In 2003, hospice utilization began to decrease in the middle of April, reached a minimum on 25 May, and gradually recovered to the level of the previous November. Hospices showed a more marked reduction in utilization than all hospital beds (e.g. -52.5% vs. -19.9% in May 2003) and a slower recovery with a three-month lag. In total, 566 patients were admitted to hospice wards in May/June 2003, in contrast to 818 in May/June 2002. Gender, age and diagnosis distributions did not differ.

Conclusion

Hospice inpatient utilization in Taiwan was indeed more sensitive to the emerging epidemic than general inpatient utilization. A well-balanced network with seamless continuity of care should be ensured.
The integrase interactor 1 (INI1) proteins facilitate Tat-mediated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transcription
Authors: Ariumi Yasuo , Serhan Fatima , Turelli Priscilla , Telenti Amalio , Trono Didier
Published: August 2006

Integration of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) into the host genome is catalyzed by the viral integrase (IN) and preferentially occurs within transcriptionally active genes. During the early phase of HIV-1 infection, the incoming viral preintegration complex (PIC) recruits the integrase interactor 1 (INI1)/hSNF5, a chromatin remodeling factor which directly binds to HIV-1 IN. The impact of this event on viral replication is so far unknown, although it has been hypothesized that it could tether the preintegration complex to transcriptionally active genes, thus contributing to the bias of HIV integration for these regions of the genome. Here, we demonstrate that while INI1 is dispensable for HIV-1 transduction, it can facilitate HIV-1 transcription by enhancing Tat function. INI1 bound to Tat and both the repeat (Rpt) 1 and Rpt 2 domains of INI1 were required for efficient activation of Tat-mediated transcription. These results suggest that the incoming PICs might recruit INI1 to facilitate proviral transcription.
ECT associated musical hallucinations in an elderly patient: a case report
Authors: Janakiraman Raguraman , Wildgoose Keith , Seelam Kalyan
Published: August 2006

Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) is a medical treatment for severe mental illness in which small, carefully controlled electricity is applied to the brain. This electric stimulation is done in conjunction with anesthesia and muscle relaxant medications to produce a mild generalized seizure. This is used to treat a variety of psychiatric disorders. This is most effective in the treatment of severe depression providing a rapid relief. We report and discuss an unusual presentation of a ninety three year old lady with a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Severe with Psychotic features (296.34) who experienced musical hallucinations whilst she was treated on ECT. Clinically there was an inverse relationship between the biological symptoms of depression and musical hallucination during the ECT management. Though similar reports have never been reported earlier, we noticed a good association between the initiation of ECT and musical hallucination in our patient. The patient stopped experiencing musical hallucinations and improved of her biological symptoms of depression completely after the full course of ECT.
The μ-opioid receptor gene and smoking initiation and nicotine dependence
Authors: Zhang Lan , Kendler Kenneth S , Chen Xiangning
Published: August 2006

The gene encoding the mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) is reported to be associated with a range of substance dependence. Experiments in knockout mice indicate that the mu-opioid receptor may mediate reinforcing effects of nicotine. In humans, opioid antagonist naltrexone may reduce the reinforcing effects of tobacco smoking. Additionally, the OPRM1 gene is located in a region showing linkage to nicotine dependence. The OPRM1 is thus a plausible candidate gene for smoking behavior. To investigate whether OPRM1 contributes to the susceptibility of smoking initiation and nicotine dependence, we genotyped 11 SNPs in the gene for 688 Caucasian subjects of lifetime smokers and nonsmokers. Three SNPs showed nominal significance for smoking initiation and one reached significance for nicotine dependence. The global test for three-marker (rs9479757-rs2075572-rs10485057) haplotypes was significant for smoking initiation (p = 0.0022). The same three-marker haplotype test was marginal (p = 0.0514) for nicotine dependence. These results suggest that OPRM1 may be involved in smoking initiation and nicotine dependence.
Zebrafish promoter microarrays identify actively transcribed embryonic genes
Authors: Wardle Fiona C , Odom Duncan T , Bell George W , Yuan Bingbing , Danford Timothy W , Wiellette Elizabeth L , Herbolsheimer Elizabeth , Sive Hazel L , Young Richard A , Smith James C
Published: August 2006

We have designed a zebrafish genomic microarray to identify DNA-protein interactions in the proximal promoter regions of over 11,000 zebrafish genes. Using these microarrays, together with chromatin immunoprecipitation with an antibody directed against tri-methylated lysine 4 of Histone H3, we demonstrate the feasibility of this method in zebrafish. This approach will allow investigators to determine the genomic binding locations of DNA interacting proteins during development and expedite the assembly of the genetic networks that regulate embryogenesis.
Separation Anxiety as a Mediator Between Acute Morphine Administration and PTSD Symptoms in Injured Children
Authors: SAXE GLENN , GEARY MEAGHAN , BEDARD KATHERINE , BOSQUET MICHELLE , MILLER ALISA , KOENEN KARESTAN , STODDARD FREDERICK , MOULTON STEPHEN
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Emerging evidence suggests that individuals who receive morphine while hospitalized demonstrate a decrease in symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the mechanisms of effects are not yet well understood. The goal of the current study was to examine three possible mediators for this effect. Sixty‐one injured (burns, motor vehicle accidents, falls, and assaults) children were assessed during hospitalization and again 3 months post discharge. Assessment included acute and follow‐up child report measures of pain, PTSD, and anxiety symptoms, as well as a medical record review for medication administration and pulse during hospitalization. Pathway analyses were conducted to test the potential mediating roles of pain reduction, noradrenergic attenuation, and separation anxiety on the association between morphine and PTSD. Results suggest that a reduction in separation anxiety may mediate the association between morphine administration and PTSD symptom reduction at 3 months. These findings have implications for our understanding of morphine's effects on psychological functioning following an acute injury and for direct clinical care.
Efficacy of Hydrocortisone in Preventing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Critical Illness and Major Surgery
Authors: SCHELLING GUSTAV , ROOZENDAAL BENNO , KRAUSENECK TILL , SCHMOELZ MARTIN , DE QUERVAIN DOMINIQUE , BRIEGEL JOSEF
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Like other humans exposed to extreme trauma, patients who have been treated in an intensive care unit (ICU) often report traumatic memories. Extremely traumatic memories from the ICU in some of these patients are associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which results in significant impairments in health‐related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes of ICU therapy. Severely ill patients in the ICU often show insufficient endogenous glucocorticoid signaling, which has recently been termed critical illness‐related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI). We performed several controlled trials in ICU patients with suspected CIRCI from septic shock or cardiac surgery, which indicated that the administration of glucocorticoids (stress doses of hydrocortisone) during ICU treatment results in a significant reduction of PTSD symptoms in long‐term survivors as well as improvements in HRQL outcomes. Stress doses of hydrocortisone could help to surmount impaired glucocorticoid signaling from CIRCI during critical illness resulting in a downregulation of the stress response as well as inhibition of traumatic memory retrieval and facilitated extinction of aversive information.
Memory Performance in Older Trauma Survivors
Authors: GOLIER JULIA A. , HARVEY PHILIP D. , LEGGE JULIANA , YEHUDA RACHEL
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Impaired declarative memory performance and smaller hippocampal volume have been observed in young and middle‐aged adults with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These alterations may put trauma survivors with PTSD at greater risk for cognitive decline in later life. This article focuses on the emerging literature on neuropsychological impairment in aging trauma survivors, in particular, elderly combat veterans and survivors of the Holocaust. In veterans and in Holocaust survivors, PTSD was associated with substantial impairments in learning, free and cued recall, and recognition memory compared to the respective nonexposed subjects; however, in neither group was PTSD associated with impaired retention or “rapid forgetting.” Additionally, PTSD was not associated with smaller right or left hippocampal volume in either cohort. PTSD is associated with considerable cognitive burden with age. Longitudinal studies of older subjects are warranted to examine whether PTSD is associated with accelerated aging or progressive memory loss.