bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CLO/GFA1 and ATO are novel regulators of gametic cell fate in plants
Authors: Moll Cordula , Von Lyncker Ludwig , Zimmermann Steffi , Kägi Christina , Baumann Nadine , Twell David , Grossniklaus Ueli , Groß‐Hardt Rita
Published: August 2008

The formation of gametes is a key step in the life cycle of any sexually reproducing organism. In flowering plants, gametes develop in haploid structures termed gametophytes that comprise a few cells. The female gametophyte forms gametic cells and flanking accessory cells. During a screen for regulators of egg‐cell fate, we isolated three mutants, lachesis (lis), clotho (clo) and atropos (ato), that show deregulated expression of an egg‐cell marker. We have previously shown that, in lis mutants, which are defective for the splicing factor PRP4, accessory cells can differentiate gametic cell fate. Here, we show that CLOTHO/GAMETOPHYTIC FACTOR 1 (CLO/GFA1) is necessary for the restricted expression of egg‐ and central‐cell fate and hence reproductive success. Surprisingly, infertile gametophytes can be expelled from the maternal ovule tissue, thereby preventing the needless allocation of maternal resources to sterile tissue. CLO/GFA1 encodes the Arabidopsis homologue of Snu114, a protein that is considered to be an essential component of the spliceosome. In agreement with their proposed role in pre‐mRNA splicing, CLO/GFA1 and LIS co‐localize to nuclear speckles. Our data also suggest that CLO/GFA1 is necessary for the tissue‐specific expression of LIS. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ATO encodes the Arabidopsis homologue of SF3a60, a protein that has been implicated in pre‐spliceosome formation. Our results thus establish that the restriction of gametic cell fate is specifically coupled to the function of various core spliceosomal components.
AtMap1: a DNA microarray for genomic deletion mapping in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Nagano Atsushi J. , Fukazawa Mitsue , Hayashi Makoto , Ikeuchi Momoko , Tsukaya Hirokazu , Nishimura Mikio , Hara‐Nishimura Ikuko
Published: August 2008

We have designed a novel tiling array, AtMap1, for genomic deletion mapping. AtMap1 is a 60‐mer oligonucleotide microarray consisting of 42 497 data probes designed from the genomic sequence of Arabidopsis thaliana Col‐0. The average probe interval is 2.8 kb. The performance of the AtMap1 array was assessed using the deletion mutants mag2‐2, rot3‐1 and zig‐2. Eight of the probes showed threefold lower signals in mag2‐2 than Col‐0. Seven of these probes were located in one region on chromosome 3. We considered these adjacent probes to represent one deletion. This deletion was consistent with a reported deleted region. The other probe was located near the end of chromosome 4. A newly identified deletion around the probe was confirmed by PCR. We also detected the responsible deletions for rot3‐1 and zig‐2. Thus we concluded that the AtMap1 array was sufficiently sensitive to identify a deletion without any a priori knowledge of the deletion. An analysis of the result of hybridization of Ler and previously reported polymorphism data revealed that the signal decrease tended to depend on the overlap size of sequence polymorphisms. Mutation mapping is time‐consuming, laborious and costly. The AtMap1 array removes these limitations.
The plant innate immunity response in stomatal guard cells invokes G‐protein‐dependent ion channel regulation
Authors: Zhang Wei , He Sheng Yang , Assmann Sarah M.
Published: August 2008

Stomata in the epidermis of terrestrial plants are important for CO2 absorption and transpirational water loss, and are also potential points of entry for pathogens. Stomatal opening and closure are controlled by distinct mechanisms. Arabidopsis stomata have been shown to close in response to bacteria and pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) as part of PAMP‐triggered immunity (PTI). Here we show that flg22, a PAMP derived from bacterial flagellin, also inhibits light‐induced stomatal opening. Consistent with our observations on stomatal opening, flg22 inhibits the inward K+ channels (K+in currents) of guard cells that mediate K+ uptake during stomatal opening. Similar to previously documented K+ current changes triggered by exogenous elevation of H2O2 and nitric oxide (NO), with prolonged duration of flg22 exposure the outward K+ channels (K+out currents) of guard cells are also inhibited. In null mutants of the flg22 receptor, FLS2, flg22 regulation of stomatal opening, K+in currents, and K+out currents is eliminated. flg22 also fails to elicit these responses in null mutants of the sole canonical G‐protein α subunit, GPA1. The bacterial toxin, coronatine, produced by several pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas syringae, reverses the inhibitory effects of flg22 on both K+in currents and stomatal opening, indicating interplay between plant and pathogen in the regulation of plant ion channels. Thus, the PAMP‐triggered stomatal response involves K+ channel regulation, and this regulation is dependent on signaling via cognate PAMP receptors and a heterotrimeric G‐protein. These new findings provide insights into the largely elusive signaling process underlying PTI‐associated guard cell responses.
Graded model of diffuse axonal injury for studying head injury‐induced cognitive dysfunction in rats
Authors: Maruichi Katsuhiko , Kuroda Satoshi , Chiba Yasuhiro , Hokari Masaaki , Shichinohe Hideo , Hida Kazutoshi , Iwasaki Yoshinobu
Published: August 2008

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) plays a major role in the development of cognitive dysfunction, emotional difficulties and behavioral disturbances in patients following closed head injury, even when they have no definite abnormalities on conventional MRI. This study aimed to develop a highly controlled and reproducible model for DAI that simulates post‐traumatic cognitive dysfunction in humans. Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to impact acceleration head injury, using a pneumatic impact targeted to a steel disc centered onto their skull. The severity of injury was graded as three levels by adjusting the driving pressure at 60, 70 or 80 pounds per square inch. In vivo MRI was obtained 2 days post‐injury. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze at 1 and 2 weeks post‐injury. HE staining and immunohistochemistry were performed to assess neuronal and axonal damages after 2 weeks. MRI demonstrated that this model induced no gross structural modification in the brain. The degree and duration of cognitive dysfunction were dependent on the force of impact. Histological analysis revealed the force‐dependent damage of the neurons and microtubule‐associated protein 2‐positive axons in the neocortex. Hippocampal damage was much less pronounced and was not linked to cognitive dysfunction. This is the first report that precisely evaluates the threshold of impact energy to lead to neocortical damage and cognitive dysfunction in rodents. This model would be suitable for clarifying the complex mechanisms of post‐traumatic brain damage and testing novel therapeutic approaches against post‐traumatic cognitive dysfunction due to diffuse axonal damage.
Clinical and pathological disagreement upon the cause of death in a teaching hospital: Analysis of 100 autopsy cases in a prospective study
Authors: Pinto Carvalho Fernando Luiz , Cordeiro José Antonio , Cury Patricia Maluf
Published: August 2008

The aim of the present study was to analyze the concordance between clinical and autopsy diagnoses. For this purpose, 100 patients submitted to autopsy from July 2000 to April 2001 were studied prospectively. In all cases, clinicians gave the immediate and the underlying causes of death for patients dying under their care. The diagnoses were compared to the macroscopic autopsy diagnoses. Cohen's kappa coefficient of agreement was estimated. Sixty‐four men and 36 women were submitted to autopsy. The most frequent pathological diagnosis of underlying cause of death were diseases of the circulatory system (35%), infections and parasitic diseases (20%) and diseases of the digestive system (11%). The kappa coefficient for immediate cause of death was 0.40 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.29–0.50); for underlying cause it was 0.38 (95%CI: 0.18–0.44), and for basic cause codified by group according to ICD‐10 it was 0.55 (95%CI: 0.44–0.67). Major disagreement occurred in 10 cases involving pathological causes of death as circulatory diseases, in which the clinicians diagnosed a digestive system disease as the cause of death (n = 5), or infectious and parasitic diseases (n = 5). The present study shows that agreement between clinical and pathological causes of death are moderate, proving that the autopsy is still a very important procedure.
Dietary factors in the aetiology of postnatal depression
Authors: Derbyshire E. , Costarelli V.
Published: August 2008

Summary  Prevalence of postnatal depression (PND) occurs in approximately 13–20% of women after birth and has detrimental consequences for both the mother and the offspring. The causes of PND remain unclear, with research suggesting a multifactorial aetiology. It is believed that some dietary constituents may, in part, be related to the onset of PND. The possible protective roles of folate, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium and zinc intake have been investigated, as well as the role of a high glycaemic index diet, with conflicting results. Most of the literature appears to have focused on the symptoms of PND in relation to patterns of fish consumption and intake of n‐3(omega‐3) fatty acids. A review of studies published through MEDLINE indicated that riboflavin, calcium and zinc may play a role in alleviating symptoms of PND. Although a greater number of published papers have studied associations between n‐3 intake and PND incidence, findings are somewhat contradictory. Further research is now required to develop these preliminary research findings with an aim to reducing the health costs of PND through the application of nutritional interventions.
How access, isolation and other factors may influence food consumption and nutrient intake in materially deprived older men in the UK
Authors: Holmes B. A. , Roberts C. L. , Nelson M.
Published: August 2008

Summary  The proportion of older people in the UK population is rising, and those aged 65 years and over are particularly at risk of malnutrition. This is caused by factors such as underlying disease, poor oral health, decreased mobility, limited transport to local shops, social isolation and poverty. Older men, particularly those who live alone, may be even more at risk of an inadequate diet. This paper presents findings from a subset of the Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey, a national survey of materially deprived individuals aged 2 years and over in the UK. The influence of social, physical and other factors on foods consumed and nutrient intake in 234 men (unweighted sample) aged 65 years and over who either lived alone or with other(s) of retirement age is investigated. Mean energy intakes fell below the estimated average requirement (84%), while mean intakes of several micronutrients fell below the reference nutrient intake (vitamin D 35%, magnesium 77%, potassium 75%, and zinc 88%). Men living in households where the person mainly responsible for shopping and preparing food had poorer cooking skills had a lower consumption of vegetables, wholemeal bread and fish and fish dishes, and lower intakes of energy and selected nutrients. Men who experienced difficulty in chewing consumed less fruit, vegetables, wholemeal bread and meat and meat dishes, and had lower intakes of protein and selected nutrients. Interventions need to focus on improving cooking skills, especially in men who live or eat alone, and on increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables in those with poor oral health, especially those who have difficulty chewing.
Audit Fees, Non‐Audit Fees and Auditor Going‐Concern Reporting Decisions in the United Kingdom
Authors: Basioudis Ilias G. , Papakonstantinou Evangelos , Geiger Marshall A.
Published: August 2008

The accounting profession has come under increased scrutiny over recent years about the growing number of non‐audit fees received from audit clients and the possible negative impact of such fees on auditor independence. The argument advanced is that providing substantial amounts of non‐audit services to clients may make it more likely that auditors concede to the wishes of the client management when difficult judgments are made. Such concerns are particularly salient in the case of reporting decisions related to going‐concern uncertainties for financially stressed clients.

 This study empirically examines audit reports provided to financially stressed companies in the United Kingdom and the magnitude of audit and non‐audit service fees paid to the company's auditors. We find that the magnitude of both audit fees and non‐audit fees are significantly associated with the issuance of a going‐concern modified audit opinion. In particular, financially stressed companies with high audit fees aremorelikely to receive a going‐concern modified audit opinion, whereas companies with high non‐audit fees arelesslikely to receive a going‐concern modified audit opinion. Additional analyses indicate that the results are generally robust across alternative model and variable specifications. Overall, evidence supports the contention that high non‐audit fees have a detrimental effect on going‐concern reporting judgments for financially stressed U.K. companies.
Reflections on Amernic and Craig: A Note
Authors: Horniachek Dale
Published: August 2008

Amernic and Craig (2004) propose the impossibility of anything other than a binary divide between moral absolutism and relativism.Campbell (1992) is drawn on to support this; however, it is revealed here that it cannot be used in this way. While Amernic and Craig leave the arguments as to the inevitability of this binary divide at this juncture, their discussion of the possibilities for accounting education reform offers the prospect of an alternative to relativism that avoids moral absolutism. More fortunately, Campbell's book provides the theoretical arguments necessary to rebut both absolutism and relativism. This rejoinder observes that, in reviewing the history of accounting, Amernic and Craig drew heavily on the work of Raymond Chambers, a critic of current accounting practice. In many works he demonstrated its failure to produce data comparability when complying with current accounting standards to report the values of assets, debts and income. For Chambers, truth in accounting (and ultimately data comparability) is found by the rigorous application of scientific rules. Introducing students to his persuasive arguments would be a very effective way of helping them understand the fragile and disputed nature of truth in accounting. But students should also be introduced to the arguments of those such as Gaffiikin, who believe there are limits to the extent that accounting can be based on objective facts (2000). To allow them simply to accept the orthodoxy of the day not only fails to prepare their minds (Clarke, 1996), it also allows relativism into our classrooms. Students who can grapple with truth in accounting can then start addressing ethical truth. We must take our students beyond professional rules of conduct. A goal outlined in the article should be to teach them to treat the readers of financial statements with, as Campbell puts it, ‘integrity and insight’ (p. 438).
Is there information content from insider trading activities preceding earnings and dividend announcements in Hong Kong?
Authors: Cheng Louis T. W. , Leung T. Y.
Published: August 2008

This study examines whether insiders (directors) exploit information advantage of their firms by trading stocks before the simultaneous earnings and dividend announcements in Hong Kong. Our findings show that there are significant net‐insider‐buying activities before the announcements of good news (‘Earnings‐Dividend Increase’) and significant net‐insider‐selling activities before bad news (‘Earnings‐Dividend Decrease’ and ‘Earnings Decrease‐Dividend Zero’). In addition, our regression results provide some support for the hypothesis that there is a predictive relation between pre‐event insider trading activity and the abnormal return of the announcements.
Simulated financial dealing room: learning discovery and student accountability
Authors: Lambert Rod , Tant Kevin , Watson John
Published: August 2008

This paper identifies the effectiveness of a simulated treasury dealing room for teaching and learning. It uses a presurvey and a postsurvey to establish student perceptions of learning effectiveness. It concludes that students believe that the dealing room: (i) improves their opportunities to apply theory; (ii) provides better learning than lectures; (iii) is more effective than individual learning; (iv) improves student monitoring of learning effectiveness; and (v) improves student abilities to recognize ethical issues, develop alternative solutions to ethical problems, and evaluate solutions to ethical problems from a moral point of view. Student motivation is enhanced by: (i) the high value they place on dealing room learning; (ii) their preparedness to participate; (iii) rapidly reduced levels of anxiety about trading; and (iv) the learning resources provided.
Black swan or fat turkey?
Authors: Booth Geoff , Mazzawi Elias
Published: August 2008

Geoff Booth and Elias Mazzawi assert that the recent failings of financial regulation are attributable more to improper application, rather than the basic design, of the processes of risk regulation and management.
Project Planning: The Effects of Using Formal Planning Techniques on Creative Problem‐Solving
Authors: Caughron Jay J. , Mumford Michael D.
Published: August 2008

Two lines of research have emerged in the study of planning techniques. The psychological approach emphasizes the cognitive processes that underlie planning while project management researchers have focused on applications of planning in organizational settings. The purpose of this study is to examine how the use of formal planning techniques influences planners' creative problem‐solving. Specifically, three planning techniques, Gantt charts, case‐based planning and critical path analysis, were examined. We attempted to ascertain the impact of using these techniques on a planner's ability to develop innovative solutions. It was found that participants demonstrated higher levels of creativity when they were encouraged to consider events that could jeopardize successful goal attainment rather than using cases from memory and planning specific tasks to be done.
Factors Associated with Creative Strategic Decisions
Authors: Ford Cameron M. , Sharfman Mark P. , Dean James W.
Published: August 2008

The study and practice of business strategy is fundamentally based on employing creative solutions to differentiate a firm from its competitors. Theories used to describe the causes and consequences of strategic differentiation tend to focus on organization‐level characteristics such as resources, capabilities and structures. However, less is known about day‐to‐day processes and practices whereby strategic managers develop create solutions necessary to establish strategic differentiation. This paper presents a preliminary field study of factors suggested by previous strategy process and micro‐strategy research that may lead to, and result from, creative strategic decisions. Findings produced by a longitudinal field study of 52 strategic decisions reveal that creative strategic choices arise in response to managers' perceptions of uncertainty and competition. The findings also suggest that creativity may improve the ultimate effectiveness of strategic choices by 5–10 per cent.
Transformational Leadership and Innovative Work Behaviour: Exploring the Relevance of Gender Differences
Authors: Reuvers Mark , Van Engen Marloes L. , Vinkenburg Claartje J. , Wilson‐Evered Elisabeth
Published: August 2008

The importance of innovation within organizations has been demonstrated on numerous occasions, which has subsequently led to the identification of effective leadership as a potential catalyst. Accordingly, empirical findings have repeatedly demonstrated a positive relationship between transformational leadership and work unit effectiveness measures. This study explores the relationship between transformational leadership and employee innovative work behaviour, additionally examining the moderating effect of gender of the manager and gender of the employee. Data were gathered within four Australian hospitals, generating a dataset of 335 respondents. The findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behaviour. Furthermore, gender of the manager moderated the latter relationship, indicating that employees report more innovative behaviour when the transformational leadership is displayed by male in comparison with female managers, confirming our gender bias hypothesis. No significant effect was found for the three‐way interaction of transformational leadership, gender of the manager, and gender of the employee. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Keeping connected: security, place, and social capital in a ‘Londoni’ village in Sylhet
Authors: Gardner Katy
Published: August 2008

This article explores the relationship between social mobility, insecurity, and connectedness to hierarchically ordered foreign places in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Here, particular areas have migratory connections with Britain, a destination which is perceived by those left behind as supplying bountiful economic opportunities and long‐lasting security. In contrast, Bangladesh is experienced as insecure and lacking in prospects. Within this context, social connections are vital, for through them links to Britain are produced and maintained; this is especially the case for young men who are hoping to find a British bride. For them, connectedness results from both their social capital (relationships to successful ‘Londoni’ migrants who help arrange their marriages) and their cultural capital (gained by participating in particular forms of work and lifestyles, thus making them more attractive as prospective grooms). Meanwhile for those families settled in Britain, another form of transnational connectedness takes place, in which the political insecurity and social exclusion experienced in Britain are offset by economic and social investments in thedesh(homeland).

L'article explore la relation entre mobilité sociale, insécurité et connections avec des lieux situés à l'étranger et entre lesquels une hiérarchie est établie. Dans le Sylhet, région du Bangladesh, certaines zones ont des connections migratoires avec la Grande‐Bretagne, destination que ceux qui sont restés perçoivent comme riche de possibilités économiques lucratives et de sécurité durable alors que le Bangladesh est perçu comme peu sûr et dépourvu de perspectives. Dans ce contexte, les connections sociales sont vitales car elles font le lien avec la Grande‐Bretagne, en particulier pour les jeunes hommes qui espèrent y trouver une épouse. Dans leur cas, les connections sont le produit à la fois d'un capital social (relations avec les émigréslondoniqui ont réussi et qui aident à arranger les mariages) et d'un capital culturel (acquis en participant à certaines formes de travail et de mode de vie qui améliorent leur attrait en tant que maris potentiels). Pour les familles installées en Grande‐Bretagne, les connections transnationales prennent une autre forme, dans laquelle l'insécurité politique et l'exclusion sociale vécues sur place sont compensées par les investissements économiques et sociaux dans ledesh(« le pays »).
On ‘same‐year siblings’ in rural South China
Authors: Santos Gonçalo D.
Published: August 2008

This article draws attention to a little‐known Chinese idiom and institution of close relatedness between non‐kin persons of the same sex. Instead of focusing primarily on the ideology of fictive/ritual kinship behind it, the article proceeds from the ego‐centred perspective of the practical/affective phenomenon that leads to its strategic deployment in the first place. This shift of focus to friendship opens the way for the presentation of data on contemporary rural South China that will both counter and give a post‐Mao update to the traditional picture of this region as a place in which friendship cannot thrive owing to the dominance of agnatic kinship and territory. These data give support to recent anthropological claims that friendship is a key universal phenomenon of human relatedness.

L'article attire l'attention sur un idiome et une institution chinois peu connus, établissant une relation étroite entre personnes non apparentées du même sexe. Toutefois, au lieu de s'intéresser principalement à l'idéologie de la parenté fictive ou rituelle qui sous‐tend cette notion, l'auteur l'aborde selon le point de vue égocentré d'un phénomène pratique et affectif aboutissant en prioritéà son déploiement stratégique. Le déplacement de l'accent vers l'amitié rend possible une présentation de données actualisée sur le Sud rural de la Chine post‐maoïste contemporaine qui s'oppose à l'image traditionnelle de cette région comme lieu où les relations d'amitié ne peuvent pas durer en raison de la prévalence de la parenté agnatique et du territoire. Ces données viennent à l'appui de récentes thèses anthropologiques selon lesquelles l'amitié est un phénomène universel et essentiel dans les relations humaines.
Sorcery, ghostly attack, and the presence and absence of shamans among the Ulwa and Miskitu of eastern Nicaragua
Authors: Jamieson Mark
Published: August 2008

This article considers mystical violence and the role of shamans in two villages in eastern Nicaragua. In one of these villages – a predominantly Ulwa community called Karawala – sorcery accusations and intimations constitute an important area of discourse in discussions of the causes of misfortune, while in the other – a Miskitu community called Kakabila – ghostly attacks are much more significant. The analysis is comparative in focus, presenting the many similarities shared by these communities, while at the same time isolating important variations that might account for the differing emphases on sorcery and ghostly attack. Consideration of beliefs and practices surrounding death and the role of shamans in the diagnoses of the causes of misfortune suggests that the differing emphases on sorcery and ghostly attack in these two contexts must be understood as refractions of how potentially conflictive relationships within the (re)productive process, crucially perceived in both translocal and local terms, are managed.

L'auteur s'intéresse à la violence mystique et au rôle des chamanes dans deux villages de l'Est du Nicaragua. Dans l'un de ces villages nommé Karawala, à population principalement ulwa, les accusations et suggestions de sorcellerie constituent un sujet important du discours dans les discussions sur les causes de malheurs. Dans l'autre, un village miskitu nommé Kakabila, l'accent est davantage mis sur les attaques de fantômes. L'approche de l'analyse est comparative et présente les nombreux points communs entre ces communautés, tout en isolant les différences importantes qui pourraient expliquer l'importance différente de la sorcellerie et des attaques de fantômes. L'examen des croyances et pratiques liées à la mort et au rôle des chamanes dans le diagnostic des causes de malheurs suggère que dans ces deux contextes, l'accentuation différenciée de la sorcellerie et des fantômes renvoie à la manière de gérer les relations potentiellement conflictuelles dans le processus de (re)production, jugées cruciales en termes translocaux aussi bien que locaux.
Pacific Island gastrologies: following the flaps
Authors: Errington Frederick , Gewertz Deborah
Published: August 2008

Many social scientists have been productively following the global flow of foods because this flow makes vivid – indeed, encapsulates – relationships between contemporary political economies. In this article, we focus on the movement of lamb/mutton flaps (sheep bellies) through a Pacific portion of the globe. Applying insights from studies of material culture, we show that the flow of a certain kind of fatty flesh – a flesh with significant material ambiguities – is particularly revealing of what are, indeed, asymmetrical relationships. When fatty flesh is a by‐product deemed edible only in the developing world, its embodiment in the (often overly) fatty flesh of developing‐world consumers lends itself to politically salient arguments about who is ‘dumping’ what on whom and with what effects; about who, if anyone, should be responsible for whom and in what ways.

Les études sociologiques qui ont pris pour objet le flux global des produits alimentaires se sont avérées particulièrement productives dans la mesure où ce flux illustre (incarne même) de façon vivace les relations entre les économies politiques contemporaines. Les auteurs s'attachent ici aux mouvements des ventres d'agneau ou de mouton dans la région du Pacifique. À partir de l'éclairage donné par les études de la culture matérielle, ils montrent que la circulation d'un certain type de viande grasse, chair porteuse d'importantes ambiguïtés matérielles, est particulièrement révélateur de ce qui est en réalité une relation asymétrique. Dès lors que cette viande est un résidu de production, jugé consommable seulement dans les pays en voie de développement, son incorporation sous forme de matière (souvent trop) grasse par les consommateurs de ces pays se prête à une argumentation politiquement prégnante sur qui « jette » quoi et à qui, et avec quels effets, et sur qui (s'il en est un) doit être responsable de qui, et de quelle manière.
Seeing sound: consciousness and therapeutic acoustics in the inter‐sensory shamanic epistemology of the Orang Sakai of Riau (Sumatra)
Authors: Porath Nathan
Published: August 2008

This article explores therapeutic shamanic sounds in relation to Orang Sakai ideas of (altered) consciousness. The argument given is that within a shamanic epistemology the very idea of producing sound involves an assumption of the material existence of non‐physical beings as sound‐makers. Such sounds are conceived to be as materially real as are ordinary physical sounds. The article argues further that sound is not only experienced through hearing but can also be inter‐sensorially experienced through the perception of sight. Moreover, ocular perception can refer to both seeing with the eyes and seeing with the ‘inner eye’, which for Sakais is an organ and not a mental function. Finally, given that sound can be inter‐sensorially experienced, this article questions the validity of the oral/aural concept for non‐literate societies.

L'auteur explore les sons chamaniques thérapeutiques en relation avec les idées de conscience (modifiée) des Orang Sakai. Son argument est que dans une épistémologie chamanique, l'idée même de production de sons suppose l'existence matérielle d'êtres non physiques qui sont à l'origine de ces sons. Ceux‐ci sont conçus comme étant aussi matériellement réels que les sons physiques ordinaires. L'auteur affirme en outre que le son n'est pas seulement perçu par l'oreille mais peut aussi être perçu de façon intersensorielle, par la perception visuelle. En outre, la perception visuelle peut faire référence à la fois à la vision par les yeux et à la vision par « l'œil intérieur », que les Sakai considèrent comme un organe et non comme une fonction mentale. Enfin, étant donné que le son peut être perçu de façon intersensorielle, l'article remet en question la validité du concept d'oralité/auralité dans les sociétés sans écrit.
“Visions on the Battlefields”: Alexander A. Boddy, Early British Pentecostalism, and the First World War, 1914–1918*
Authors: LENZ DARIN D.
Published: August 2008

This article investigates the relationship between religion and politics in the First World War by examining the work of Rev. Alexander A. Boddy, a Church of England minister and key leader in early British Pentecostalism. The article surveys a wide variety of responses to the war in Great Britain, but focuses, in particular, on how Pentecostalism shaped Boddy's distinctive understanding of events, especially his view of supernatural phenomenon, his attitude toward the nations involved, and his eschatology. The article explores how Pentecostalism, by focusing on signs and wonders in everyday life, contributed to an interpretation of state politics and world events that placed unique emphasis on determining the role of the supernatural in contemporary events that remains part of popular Pentecostalism today.
Joining the Evangelical Club: The Movement of the Wesleyan‐Holiness Churches in Australia Along the Church‐Sect Continuum
Authors: O’BRIEN GLEN
Published: August 2008

A number of North American Wesleyan‐Holiness denominations emerged in Australia, beginning in the years following the Second World War. Some of these churches moved from being despised and marginalized sects to established denominations while others remained small and isolated, experiencing little growth. Their story demonstrates that movement along the church‐sect continuum is by no means a smooth and inevitable one. Random processes may lower or raise religious tension within the group thus affecting its movement along the continuum. The strict behavioural standards in Wesleyan‐Holiness churches have gradually been lowered and the distinctive beliefs of these groups have been eroded. Wesleyan‐Holiness churches in Australia have grown primarily through “switchers” from other denominations more than from new convert growth, so that they have become more generically “Evangelical” and less distinctively “Holiness” in their beliefs and practices.
New mutations associated with resistance not detected following zidovudine monotherapy in pregnancy when used in accordance with British HIV Association guidelines*
Authors: Read P , Costelloe S , Mullen J , O'Shea S , Lyons F , Hay P , Welch J , Larbalestier N , Taylor GP , De Ruiter A
Published: August 2008

Objectives

To determine whether mutations conferring drug resistance are detectable after zidovudine monotherapy (ZDVm) in pregnancy, using both standard genotyping and more sensitive cloning assays.

Methods

Post‐delivery samples from women meeting the British HIV Association guidelines criteria for the use of ZDVm in the prevention of mother‐to‐child transmission (MTCT) and who received ZDVm were analysed using the Trugene HIV‐1 genotyping assay. In order to detect drug‐resistant minority species, samples from a sub‐group of 14 women were evaluated for minority drug‐resistant variants. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products from the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene (codons 1–258) were cloned into the pCR4 Blunt TOPO cloning vector. Sequences were submitted to the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database for analysis.

Results

Eighty women met the inclusion criteria. Successful genotypes were obtained from 53. There were no new mutations conferring resistance to ZDV detected post‐delivery using either standard genotyping or cloning for minority species.

Conclusions

A short course of ZDVm in carefully selected women does not lead to the emergence of drug resistance based on either standard genotyping or cloning for the detection of minority species. Therefore, this strategy can still be considered in women wishing to prevent MTCT while minimizing antiretroviral exposure, without fear of compromising their future HIV care.
Mapping Regional and Sectoral Characteristics of Knowledge‐Intensive Business Services: Evidence from the Province of Quebec (Canada)
Authors: DOLOREUX DAVID , AMARA NABIL , LANDRY RÉJEAN
Published: August 2008

ABSTRACT  The study presents original evidence on the characteristic features and innovation activities of knowledge‐intensive business services (KIBS). Based on a wide‐scale survey of 1,124 KIBS firms in Quebec (Canada), we explore empirically the extent to which KIBS from various sectors and regions differ in their characteristics and their uses of innovation practices. The results from the sectoral analysis reveal that KIBS display different characteristic features and innovation behaviours across sectors, thus suggesting that inter‐sectoral differences are important when explaining innovation activities in KIBS. The comparison between KIBS in large, medium, central, and resource regions shows that the characteristic features and the innovativeness of KIBS are rather similar, and little or no significant statistical differences were found between the different regions in the province of Quebec. Thus, overall, the results of our study seem to suggest that a location does not tend to make a difference in respect to characteristic features and innovation performance of KIBS.
The Economic Status of Areas Surrounding Major U.S. Container Ports: Evidence and Policy Issues
Authors: GROBAR LISA M.
Published: August 2008

ABSTRACT  This article examines the current economic status of the areas surrounding major U.S. container ports. We define a “port district” as the geographic area within a 7.5‐mile radius of a port. Our sample includes the 10 largest container ports in the U.S. We find that when we compare port districts to their surrounding metropolitan areas, household unemployment and poverty rates are significantly higher in port districts. Thus, the same ports that serve as “economic engines” for the region and nation may be the cause of economic decline and deterioration in the immediate areas that surround them. This presents a challenge for policy makers who want to preserve the benefits of international trade while facing increasing opposition to port expansion by local communities.
International briefing 20: training and development in Andorra
Authors: Eguiguren‐Huerta Marcos , Llinàs‐Audet Xavier , Parellada‐Sabata Martí
Published: August 2008

This briefing investigates the status of the educational system and, more specifically, of continuing training in companies in the Principality of Andorra. Part of this analysis is based on a field study designed to explore and understand both the current situation and the training needs of the main sectors within the Andorran economy. A proposal for continuing training is posed, with reference to best practice from different countries, in particular Spain and France, which share geographic borders with the principality.
Biophysical characteristics of skin in diabetes: a controlled study
Authors: Seirafi H , Farsinejad K , Firooz A , Davoudi SM , Robati RM , Hoseini MS , Ehsani AH , Sadr B
Published: August 2008

Background  Cutaneous complications are common in diabetes. Previous assays suggest that hyperglycemia and decreased insulin signal are involved in the impairment of skin function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biophysical characteristics of skin in patients with diabetes mellitus and compares them with healthy non‐diabetic controls.

Objective  To measure biophysical characteristic of skin including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), water content, sebum and skin elasticity in patients with diabetes mellitus and compare them with healthy non‐diabetic controls.

Methods  This case‐control study was conducted on 38 patients with diabetes and 40 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy people. The biophysical properties of skin including stratum corneum (SC) hydration, sebum content, TEWL and skin elasticity were measured and compared between the two groups at three different locations of the body.

Results  The measurement of SC hydration and TEWL showed no significant difference between diabetics and controls. The skin surface lipids on the forehead but not other sites were significantly lower in the diabetics than in the controls. Acoustic wave propagation speed, a measurement related to skin elasticity, was significantly lower in forearm and forehead of diabetics.

Conclusion  Diabetes affects some functional properties of epidermis and dermis that may responsible for many cutaneous manifestations of diabetes. These results suggest that patients with diabetes mellitus tend to show a normal hydration state of the SC together with decreased sebaceous gland activity and impaired skin elasticity, without any impairment of the SC barrier function.

Conflicts of interest

None declared
Combined effects of HLA‐Cw6 and cigarette smoking in psoriasis vulgaris: A hospital‐based case–control study in China
Authors: Jin Y , Yang S , Zhang F , Kong Y , Xiao F , Hou Y , Fan X , Zhang X
Published: August 2008

Background  Psoriasis is not only related to genetic factors but also to environmental factors. However, the combined effect of genetic and environmental factors in the development of psoriasis has still been unclear.

Objective  The study was to analyze the combined effect of HLA‐Cw6 and smoking on psoriasis vulgaris.

Methods  A hospital‐based case‐control was conducted study. One hundred seventy‐eight cases and 178 controls received this epidemiological investigation and HLA typing by polymerase chain reaction utilizing sequence‐specific primers.

Results  The risk of psoriasis was related to smoking, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) being 2.07 (P < 0.01), and there is a graded positive association between the risk of psoriasis and intensity or duration of smoking. Stressful life events increased the risk of psoriasis (OR = 7.87, P < 0.01). We found the waist‐hip ratio (WHR) increased the risk of psoriasis vulgaris, and OR was 2.67 (P < 0.01) in China. Individuals harboring the HLA‐Cw6 gene obviously increased the risk of psoriasis, OR being 9.93 (P < 0.01) after adjusted for potential confounder factors, while the OR of psoriasis for HLA‐B57 was 2.41 (P < 0.05). Significant combined effect between HLA‐Cw6 and HLA‐B57 for psoriasis was found (OR = 10.51, P < 0.01). A striking finding is that the risk of psoriasis for smokers with HLA‐Cw6 increased about 11‐fold than non‐smokers without HLA‐Cw6, and the risk increased some 20‐fold in individuals with HLA‐Cw6 having stressful life events compared with one without HLA‐Cw6 and stressful life events.

Conclusion  Our study suggested that the combined effect between HLA‐Cw6 and cigarette smoking or stressful life events may play an important role in the development of psoriasis vulgaris in Han Chinese population.

Conflicts of interest

None declared
Label equity and the effectiveness of values‐based labels: an experiment with two French Protected Geographic Indication labels
Authors: Carpenter Marie , Larceneux Fabrice
Published: August 2008

The objective of this research is to explore the decision‐making process of consumers when faced with food products that have values‐based labels. An experimental methodology was used to test the impact of a label of origin guaranteed by the European Union, the Protected Geographic Indications (PGI) label. The reactions of French consumers to photographs of two food products were investigated with four different presentations: without a specific label, with a simple regional label, with both a regional label and the PGI label, and finally, with the previous two labels along with an explanation of the nature of the PGI label. It was found that the impact on overall quality and purchase intention emerged only when the relatively unrecognized PGI label was explained to consumers, thus highlighting the importance of building awareness of a values‐based label. When it was explained, however, the values‐based label was shown to operate as an effective market signal that generated both descriptive and inferential beliefs in relation to the products bearing the label. These beliefs in turn explained consumers’ perception of overall quality and influenced purchasing intention. By investigating the dimensions of label equity and by explaining the mechanism whereby values‐based labels are perceived by consumers, this research offers firms a methodology for improving the commercial viability of values‐based labelling schemes. Policymakers can also benefit from these insights to develop clearer understanding of how labels are actually interpreted by consumers. Finally, consumers – individually and collectively – will be better served by labelling schemes that incorporate an understanding of their perspective.
Labelling wool products for animal welfare and environmental impact
Authors: Hustvedt Gwendolyn , Peterson Hikaru Hanawa , Chen Yun‐Ju
Published: August 2008

The notable growth of the market in recent years indicates apparel consumers' interest in organic fibre products. Yet less is understood about how apparel consumers would respond to labelling for other credence attributes associated with animal‐fibre products, such as animal welfare or eco‐friendliness. An online survey of 507 US consumers was used to compare consumers' reactions with a variety of labelling schemes for wool product attributes, including animal‐friendly, organic and environmentally friendly production. Consumer segments were created based on frequency of label choice, and analysis of variance and multinomial logit regression were used to identify and characterize the demographics and psychographics of the consumer segments that found labelling for animal welfare or environmental concerns appealing. The study identified a segment of consumers (19% of the sample) who were motivated to purchase apparel products labelled for animal welfare. These animal‐focused consumers could be identified with relatively high accuracy from the demographic and psychographic variables in the model. The model variables, which included familiarity with organic products and self‐perceived knowledge about environmental damage related to apparel production, were not effective in identifying the environment‐focused apparel consumers. The results also demonstrated the ability of a general belief in animal rights to motivate the apparel consumers in the sample, suggesting that acting on a concern for animals could be a more powerful motivation for consumer behaviour than acting on a concern for the environment.
Consumer willingness to pay for sustainable apparel: the influence of labelling for fibre origin and production methods
Authors: Hustvedt Gwendolyn , Bernard John C.
Published: August 2008

This study of value‐based labelling for apparel products examined consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for three credence attributes of fibre: origin, type and production method. Experimental auctions were conducted with student subjects in Texas and used socks made from cotton and polylactic acid (PLA), a fibre manufactured from corn. The bid results of two rounds were compared. The first round was conducted without information about the credence attributes of the socks. The second round included varying levels of three types of attributes: fibre origin (imported, US and Texas), fibre type (cotton and corn) and production method [conventional, organic and non‐genetically modified (GM)]. Tobit regression analysis was performed using the attributes and subject demographics to determine consumer WTP for the various attribute levels and to profile consumers with interest in the attributes. In terms of origin, results show that participants were willing to pay a premium for socks with fibres produced in Texas, but not for those produced in the US. Fibre type mattered, with participants requiring a discount once they learned that socks were made with PLA fibre. The greatest premium ($1.86) was placed on socks labelled as organic, slightly more than the premium for socks labelled as non‐GM. The results also indicate that women were less willing to pay for US fibres than men, and Hispanics were less willing to pay for organic or non‐GM fibre production. A key finding of this study is that consumers value information about the local origin of fibres. The premium for organic fibres is not unexpected, given the success of the organic apparel market, but the premium on non‐GM fibres suggests that sustainable production systems that are not organic may be successful if they emphasize other attributes such as local or non‐GM.