bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Security in Britain—Twenty Years After Beveridge
Authors: BURNS EVELINE M.
Published: May 2008

In one major respect British experience with social security policies since 1946 has vindicated Beveridge's analysis, namely that to be successful, any income maintenance program must be buttressed by an effective attack on other social problems. Two of these, the complications resulting from the varying size of families and the burden of medical care costs, have been the subject of special measures, Children's Allowances and the National Health Service. The former is not as effective as it might be, owing to the still modest level of the allowance per child; the latter has undoubtedly made the task of the income maintenance and public assistance services much easier by freeing them from the necessity of attempting to pay benefits or allowances to cover medical care costs, a particularly important consideration in regard to the aged.

But in the areas of housing and employment less has been done. The lack of adequate housing means that in many cases the Assistance Board has to grant higher allowances to cover unduly high rents or to carry a heavy burden of supplementation to meet rent charges. And although Britain has, until recently, enjoyed a surprisingly high degree of full employment, there is little evidence that this has been the result of deliberate policy; the situation now seems to be changing. The next few years may well see social security policy responding, as in the prewar period, to the needs of the unemployed rather than so exclusively to the needs of the aged. And it seems likely too that the needs of the unemployed will be interpreted more broadly than was the case in the prewar period, when it was thought sufficient merely to ensure some modicum of income. In the future it can be anticipated that there will be much greater pressure on the government to provide employment, through general expansionist policies, measures to revive depressed areas, more effective retraining and transfer programs, and perhaps also expanded public works.

In another respect, however, Britain's postwar social security experience has demonstrated that income security policy itself can never be determined once and for all. Increasing affluence has called in question the appropriateness of Beveridge's assumption that all that was needed was to ensure a very low minimum social insurance payment. Greater knowledge of the circumstances of those with little or no income has raised doubts as to the extent to which economic insecurity could be eliminated through universal coverage by social insurance, unsupported by a quite extensive national assistance system. It has also become clear, in view of the persistence in a period of high employment of groups of employable persons who for personal reasons are unable to secure or retain jobs, that assurance of income alone is not enough. The future is likely to witness a considerable expansion of social services other than income maintenance, not only for such groups but also for the aged whose needs are increasingly seen to demand something more than minimum income maintenance.
Cultural Patterns in the Role of the Manager
Authors: HAIRE MASON , GHISELLI EDWIN E. , PORTER LYMAN W.
Published: May 2008

This is a preliminary report of data. More exhaustive analysis will appear later. Meanwhile, some general findings emerge:

1. One cannot help but be struck by the consistent groupings of countries through all three parts of the study. Not only is the grouping consistent, but it tends to follow ethnic lines rather than level of industrialization.

2. The pattern of uniformity and diversity in the data is also striking. It seems possible to identify variables which are enduring and relatively culture‐free characteristics of people and other variables which are more situationally determined. This is outstanding in the uniformity of importance of needs and the great difference in their satisfaction. It also appears in the uniform swings on attitudes toward leadership while preserving national differences and in the similar grouping on the semantic differential.

3. Managers in all the countries studied could profitably examine these data. They might ask themselves if this is the way they see it, if this is the way they want it, and what the differences may mean to their countries' economies.
Equity and Strategy in Union Retirement Policy
Authors: BERS MELVIN K.
Published: May 2008

Unions have been much concerned with retirement policy. Pensions are valued by the members and, at the same time, aid union security and bargaining effectiveness. While the new programs have been drafted in a context of economic emergency, there is no reason to believe that in their main outlines they are but temporary expedients. Some recent internal union tensions over the subject have been transitional in nature, but others promise to be more permanent. The integration of pension and retirement policy with other major union programs remains to be worked out. And only experience will enable the memberships to digest the cost‐benefits implications of the new retirement programs and to make the adjustments most consistent with internal political reality.
The Impact of Human Resource Policies on Union Organizing
Authors: FIORITO JACK , LOWMAN CHRISTOPHER , NELSON FORREST D.
Published: May 2008

Using newly available data from the Conference Board on employer human resource policies, certification election outcomes, and union organization of new company facilities, we find that the logic of “union substitution” efforts by employers is supported: Companies having or encouraging employee communication and participation programs, including nonunion grievance procedures, are more successful in maintaining nonunion status than are companies without such programs. However, certain human resource policies, such as work sharing (as an alternative to layoffs), may actually enhance chances of union success.
Systems Model of the Performance Appraisal Interview Process
Authors: KLEIN HOWARD J. , SNELL SCOTT A. , WEXLEY KENNETH N.
Published: May 2008

A model of the performance appraisal interview, adapted from open systems theory, is proposed. The linkages within the model are examined and examples of hypotheses regarding the patterns of relationships which can be generated from this systems perspective are provided. The open systems framework is useful for examining the performance appraisal interview process because it integrates past models and research, generates issues and ideas for future research, and provides a multivariate perspective.
Evaluating Employer Sanctions: Farm Labor Contractor Experience
Authors: VAUPEL SUZANNE , MARTIN PHILIP L.
Published: May 2008

This article examines two decades of experience enforcing a federal employer sanctions law on farm labor contractors (FLCs) who knowingly hire illegal aliens. Enforcement experience indicates that employer sanctions laws have had little effect on the number of illegal aliens hired by FLCs; indeed, FLC activity has expanded and the proportion of illegal alien workers hired appears to have increased.
The Australian Wage System and Its Labor Market Effects
Authors: Whitfield Keith
Published: May 2008

In Australia, quasi‐judicial conciliation and arbitration tribunals set the terms and conditions under which the majority of employees work. Many commentators maintain that the activities of these tribunals have significantly affected the county's labor market and the operation of the economy. This paper outlines the distinguishing characteristics of Australia's wage determination system and reviews the research concerning its labor market consequences. Recent evidence suggests that critics of the system may have overstated their case.
Vacation Time and Unionism in the U.S. and Europe
Authors: Green Francis , Potepan Michael J.
Published: May 2008

American employees receive substantially less paid vacation than Europeans despite earning higher real wages and having greater personal wealth. Here we present past and current averages for individual countries, along with a brief history of the growth of paid vacations in the U.S. and Europe. Regression analyses of individual household data from the U.S. indicate that union membership substantially influences the length of vacation time for U.S. workers. This finding helps explain why the U.S. vacation time average is lower than the European average.
Wages, Nonwage Compensation, and Municipal Unions
Authors: ZAX JEFFREY S.
Published: May 2008

This study demonstrates that union power in municipal labor markets depends upon the form of unionization within each municipal department and on municipal bargaining policies, holding constant the legal environment. Bargaining units achieve larger increases in total compensation than unrecognized organizations, which are themselves stronger than unorganized departments. Compensation levels for unorganized and organized departments are higher in cities that bargain with other departments than in cities which do not bargain. Union wage effects understate total compensation effects regardless of the degree of unionization
Economic and Political Factors in Formal Grievance Resolution
Authors: MEYER DAVID , COOKE WILLIAM
Published: May 2008

The resolution of formal grievances is largely determined by the applicable rights of grievant and the facts surrounding disputes. However, to the extent these rights and/or facts are unclear, the granting or denial of grievances is also partially determined by economic and political factors. A model of the impact of such factors on the favor ability of grievance decisions is developed and tested. The tests yield support for the general thesis and for several specific hypotheses.
The Impact of Internal Union Politics on the 1981 UMWA Strike
Authors: GHILARDUCCI TERESA
Published: May 2008

This paper explicitly addresses the role internal union politics played in the rank‐and‐file rejection of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA)‐Bituminous Coal Operators Association (BCOA) contract in March 1981. The strike decision is viewed as having both political and economic components and as being rooted in the specific history and traditions of the UMWA. Using a unique data set, a statistically significant relationship between the vote for challenger Richard Trumka and the vote for the strike is found. Miners struck for many reasons in 1981. This study concludes that one of those reasons was to protest the union leadership.
Efficiency Wages in Weitzman's Share Economy
Authors: LEVINE DAVID
Published: May 2008

Weitzman proposes widespread profit or revenue sharing as a way of guaranteeing both very low levels of equilibrium unemployment and increased stability in the face of aggregate shocks. The benefits of a share economy come from the subsidy that current workers pay to marginal workers. In an efficiency‐wage model, the wage subsidy paid by current workers costs the firm as much in lower productivity as it gains from lower labor costs. There is, therefore, neither a reduction of the equilibrium unemployment rate nor a necessary increase in macroeconomic stability when the share economy is introduced.
Things Unions Do, Job Attributes, and Union Membership
Authors: HUNDLEY GREG
Published: May 2008

Implications of the governance and rent‐seeking models of unionism for the job characteristics‐union membership relationship are developed. Specific training and membership are found to be positively related, consistent with arguments that specific training governance. Membership is less likely on jobs requiring more general education—where incumbents typically see greater returns to individual mobility. Some support is found for job characteristics associated with efficiency gains to a collectivized employment relationship.
Compensating Wage Differentials in the Union and Nonunion Sectors
Authors: FAIRRIS DAVOD
Published: May 2008

This paper tests for the existence of structurally different compensating payments in the union and nonunion sectors of the economy. Significant differences may stem from the different mechanisms by which such payments are determined: markets are the primary mechanism in the nonunion sector, while Political processes play a major role in the union sector. The empirical results provide tentative support for the structural differences hypothesis; They also reveal an absence of positive and significant compensating payments in nonunion labor markets.
A Two–Tier Wage Structure in a Nonunion Firm
Authors: McFARLIN DEAN B. , FRONE MICHAEL R.
Published: May 2008

This study examines the perceptions of nonunion workers in a permanent two–tier wage structure. Consistent with the predictions of equity and justice theories, low–tier employees are found to be more likely to perceive the wage structure as unfair, have lower pay satisfaction and organizational commitment, and report poorer worker–management relations than high– tier employees. These attitudes may make nonunion firms more vulnerable to certification campaigns since they are the same factors that have been repeatedly linked to employee intentions to vote for a union.
Growth, Technology, and the Demand for Scientists and Engineers
Authors: FORBES KEVIN F. , ZAMPELLI ERNEST M.
Published: May 2008

This study decomposes changes in science and engineering employment into their growth and technological change components, using an input‐output approach. The analysis is based on highly disaggregated industy‐occupation employment data and reveals that approximately 30 per cent of the change in total science and engineering employment can be attributed to technological change. This contrasts with the 54 per cent figure found in earlier research. The difference in these findings is due to the highly aggregated data employed in the earlier research.
No Evidence of Compensating Wages for Occupational Fatalities
Authors: LEIGH J. PAUL
Published: May 2008

This study combines new estimates of occupational mortality with industry death rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to test for compensating wages associated with job hazards. The new estimates apply to 347 three‐digit occupations in the United States. An unexpected result emerges: Evidence for compensating wages is apparent only when the BLS industry death rates are used; evidence is absent with the new occupational death rates.
Dualism in Part‐Time Employment
Authors: TILLY CHRIS
Published: May 2008

This paper draws on open‐ended interviews of managers to characterize two distinct types of part‐time employment in service industries. “Secondary” part‐time employment displays the typical characteristics of a secondary labor market; “retention” part‐time jobs are primary labor market jobs. Some predictions of this model are tested on Current Population Survey data.
Trust and the Flexible Firm: International Comparisons
Authors: LORENZ EDWARD H.
Published: May 2008

Japanese and German manufacturers are more successful than their counterparts in Britain and France in achieving organizational flexibility, which depends on labor‐management trust and cooperation. This trust developed in Germany and Japan over the post‐World War II decades through the institutionalization of a system of labor‐management consultation. This paper examines the role of power and social norms to explain why trust‐building systems of joint consultation take hold in one place and not in another.
The Great American Job Creation Machine in Comparative Perspective
Authors: WILENSKY HAROLD L.
Published: May 2008

Job creation is mainly a product of demographic changes and changes in social structure, particularly an increased supply of young and/or cheap labor. It is unrelated to unemployment rates or other measures of economic performance and their causes; it results in lower earnings growth and slower long‐run productivity gains. If job creation is little affected by demand policies, the appropriate response is less boasting about employment gains and more attention to reshaping the supply and quality of labor.
Unions and Work Attitudes in the United States and Japan
Authors: LINCOLN JAMES R. , BOOTHE JOAN N.
Published: May 2008

Examining whether Japanese enterprise unions have a negative effect on employee job attitudes or whether they forge a stronger bond between the worker and the firm, our results indicate that union membership has no effect on Japanese employees' job satisfaction, but that there is some negative impact on company commitment. Much of the union effect on U.S. workers' job attitudes stems from lower job complexity, work autonomy, perceived promotion chances, and quality circle membership.
Equal Employment Opportunity and the “Managerial Woman” in Japan
Authors: CANNINGS KATHLEEN , LAZONICK WILLIAM
Published: May 2008

Over the past three decades, women have represented an increasing proportion of newly employed four‐year college graduates, in Japan. We analyze the determinants of female representation among these new recruits in terms of the supply of female four‐year college graduates, the desire of Japanese women to participate in the paid labor force, shortages of male four‐year college graduates, and the impact of the Equal Employment Opportunity Law (EEOL) that went into effect in April 1986. Multivariate regression analysis reveals that the supply of female four‐year college graduates and the EEOL account for the rising proportion of women among university‐educated recruits into the paid labor force. We go on to explore the enhanced, but still limited, career opportunities that have opened up to Japanese women under the EEOL, and we relate their progress to the recent debate over the use of the “mommy track” in managerial hierarchies in the United States.
Does Unionization Increase Faculty Retention?
Authors: RESS DANIEL I.
Published: May 2008

Although there has been a large amount of research on the unionnonunion salary differential in higher education, little empirical work has been done on the possible nonsalary effects of faculty unions. This paper, using data from the AAUP and other sources, investigates unionization's impact on faculty retention rates. It is found that, holding salary, benefits, and other factors constant, unions increase a school's faculty retention rate for associate and full professors (although not for assistant professors). The impact of unionization, however, is not felt until a number of years after a representation election.
The Social Cost of Rent Seeking by Labor Unions in the United States
Authors: STEVENS CARL M.
Published: May 2008

The conventional welfare loss to trade unions and collective bargaining has been put at some fraction of 1.0 percent. Added to this should be the costs of resources deployed by the parties as they compete for monopoly gains. These additional social costs turn out to be on the same order as the conventional welfare loss. The analysis finds in passing that the investment by union members in paying dues yields very handsome dividends.
The Capital Market Response to Wage Negotiations in the Airlines
Authors: THOMAS STEVEN L. , OFFICER DENNIS , JOHNSON NANCY BROWN
Published: May 2008

This paper examines the effect of the announcement of various types of airline wage concessions on stock market value. Our results show that capital markets respond positively to wage cuts but not significantly to wage freezes or two‐tier settlements. However, a significant intraindustry spillover effect from two‐tier agreements was found that suggests that concessions by one carrier decreases the value of the remaining carriers. The results also vary by craft, indicating that labor market and institutional characteristics influence market response.
Labor Market Discrimination against Women with Disabilities
Authors: BALDWIN MARJORIE L. , JOHNSON WILLIAM G.
Published: May 2008

This article estimates the extent of wage discrimination and, for the first time, the employment effects of wage discrimination, against women with disabilities. In 1984, more than one‐half of the offer wage differential between disabled and nondisabled women is attributable to discrimination, but the absolute wage differential is small. The results suggest that wage discrimination related to disability tends to be most severe for a relatively small group of women with impairments against which prejudice is most intense. There is a large difference between the employment rates of disabled and nondisabled women but only a small part of the differential is attributable to the disincentive effects of wage discrimination. The results also show that women with disabilities face a double burden of gender‐ and disability‐related discrimination, but do not show that gender‐related discrimination is worse for women who have a disability.
What Works at Work: Overview and Assessment
Authors: ICHNIOWSKI CASEY , KOCHAN THOMAS A. , LEVINE DAVID , OLSON CRAIG , STRAUSS GEORGE
Published: May 2008

This article discusses why it is difficult to measure the effects of management practices on organizational performance. In spite of these difficulties, a collage of evidence suggests that innovative workplace practices can increase performance, primarily through the use of systems of related practices that enhance worker participation, make work design less rigid, and decentralize managerial tasks. A majority of U.S. businesses have adopted some innovative work practices. However, only a small percentage of businesses have adopted a full system of innovative practices. We outline several constraints on the diffusion of new work practices, and suggest directions for future research
ICP–MS ANALYSIS OF GLASS FRAGMENTS OF PARTHIAN AND SASANIAN EPOCH FROM SELEUCIA AND VEH ARDAŠ?R (CENTRAL IRAQ)*
Authors: MIRTI P. , PACE M. , NEGRO PONZI M. M. , ACETO M.
Published: May 2008

Forty‐one glass fragments were analysed by inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry, determining 40 major, minor and trace elements, including rare earth elements. The fragments came from excavations carried out at the archaeological sites of Seleucia and Veh Ardaš?r in modern Iraq, and were dated to the Parthian and Sasanian epochs. Analytical data indicate that all the samples are silica–soda–lime glasses. Magnesium and potassium oxide contents below 1% suggest that eight out of nine glasses from Seleucia, dating from between the first and the third century ad, could have been obtained by use of an evaporite as a flux; the same conclusion can be drawn for some of the Sasanian glasses dating from the fourth and fifth centuries ad. The other glasses from Veh Ardaš?r, as well as the remaining sample from Seleucia, are characterized by higher contents of magnesium and potassium, which suggests recourse to plant ash; different magnesium and phosphorus contents allow one to separate these samples into two main groups, pointing to the use of different kinds of plant ash. Aluminium and calcium contents, together with trace element data, may indicate that different sands were used for preparing glasses of different composition. Samples from Seleucia and Veh Ardaš?r are mainly blue–green and green to yellow–green, respectively; iron and manganese contents suggest that the furnace atmosphere was mainly responsible for the development of these hues.
Predatory Lending Laws and the Cost of Credit
Authors: Pennington‐Cross Anthony , Ho Giang
Published: May 2008

Various states and other local jurisdictions have enacted laws intending to reduce predatory and abusive lending in the subprime mortgage market. These laws have created substantial geographic variation in the regulation of mortgage credit. This article examines whether these laws are associated with a higher or lower cost of credit. Empirical results indicate that the laws are associated with at most a modest increase in cost. However, the impact depends on the product type. In particular, loans with fixed (adjustable) rates are associated with a modest increase (decrease) in cost.
Growth and Mortality of Ostrea edulis at Two Sites on the Damariscotta River Estuary, Maine, USA
Authors: Carnegie Ryan B. , Barber Bruce J.
Published: May 2008

The Damariscotta River estuary is a center of oyster culture in Maine, yet the comparative performance of flat oysters Ostrea edulis at different locations in this now Bonamia ostreae‐enzootic estuary has not been assessed. Juvenile O. edulis were deployed in July 1997 among replicate floating trays at one estuarine (Little Point) and one marine site (Lowes Cove), and growth, mortality, and B. ostreae prevalence were compared through December 1999. Growth was faster at Little Point though oysters at both locations reached market size in less than three full growing seasons. Mortality was similar between locations except following a June 1998 rain event that decreased salinity more precipitously at Little Point. Cumulative mortality was greater at Little Point (45.8%) than Lowes Cove (26.7%). Surprisingly, B. ostreae was observed in only a single oyster from Little Point in May 1998. These data indicate that flat oysters in Maine may grow well across a wide range of environments, yet may demonstrate better survival at marine sites where salinity fluctuations are less extreme. While B. ostreae is likely still a threat, selection of sites where rapid growth to market size is possible may reduce its impact.
Pharmacokinetics of potassium bromide in adult horses
Authors: Raidal SL , Edwards S
Published: May 2008

Objective To determine the pharmacokinetics of potassium bromide (KBr) in horses after a single and multiple oral doses.

Animals Twelve adult Standardbred and Thoroughbred mares

Procedure Horses were randomly assigned into two treatment groups. In Part 1 of the study, horses were given a single oral dose of 120 mg/kg KBr. Part 2 of the study evaluated a loading dose of 120 mg/kg KBr daily by stomach tube for 5 days, followed by 40 mg/kg daily in feed for 7 days. Serum concentrations of bromide were determined by colorimetric spectrophotometry following drug administration to permit determination of concentration versus time curves from which pharmacokinetic parameters could be calculated. Treated horses were monitored twice daily by clinical examination. Serum concentrations of sodium, potassium and chloride ions and partial pressures of venous blood gases were determined.

Results Maximum mean serum bromide concentration following a single dose of KBr (120 mg/kg) was 284 ± 15 µg/mL and the mean elimination half‐life was 75 ± 14 h. Repeated administration of a loading dose of KBr (120 mg/kg once daily for 5 days) gave a maximum serum bromide concentration of 1098 ± 105 µg/mL. The administration of lower, maintenance doses of KBr (40 mg/kg once daily) was associated with decreased serum bromide concentrations, which plateaued at approximately 700 µg/mL. Administration of KBr was associated with significant but transient changes in serum potassium and sodium concentrations, and possible changes in base excess and plasma bicarbonate concentrations. High serum concentrations of bromide were associated with an apparent increase in serum chloride concentrations, when measured on an ion specific electrode.

Conclusions and clinical relevance A loading dose of 120 mg/kg daily over 5 days and maintenance doses of approximately 90–100 mg/kg of KBr administered once daily are predicted to result in serum bromide concentrations consistent with therapeutic efficacy for the management of seizures in other species. The clinical efficacy of this agent as an anticonvulsant medication and/or calmative in horses warrants further investigation.
Interactions between multiple sources of short‐term plasticity during evoked and spontaneous activity at the rat calyx of Held
Authors: Hennig Matthias H. , Postlethwaite Michael , Forsythe Ian D. , Graham Bruce P.
Published: May 2008

Sustained activity at most central synapses is accompanied by a number of short‐term changes in synaptic strength which act over a range of time scales. Here we examine experimental data and develop a model of synaptic depression at the calyx of Held synaptic terminal that combines many of these mechanisms (acting at differing sites and across a range of time scales). This new model incorporates vesicle recycling, facilitation, activity‐dependent vesicle retrieval and multiple mechanisms affecting calcium channel activity and release probability. It can accurately reproduce the time course of experimentally measured short‐term depression across different stimulus frequencies and exhibits a slow decay in EPSC amplitude during sustained stimulation. We show that the slow decay is a consequence of vesicle release inhibition by multiple mechanisms and is accompanied by a partial recovery of the releasable vesicle pool. This prediction is supported by patch‐clamp data, using long duration repetitive EPSC stimulation at up to 400 Hz. The model also explains the recovery from depression in terms of interaction between these multiple processes, which together generate a stimulus‐history‐dependent recovery after repetitive stimulation. Given the high rates of spontaneous activity in the auditory pathway, the model also demonstrates how these multiple interactions cause chronic synaptic depression under in vivo conditions. While the magnitude of the depression converges to the same steady state for a given frequency, the time courses of onset and recovery are faster in the presence of spontaneous activity. We conclude that interactions between multiple sources of short‐term plasticity can account for the complex kinetics during high frequency stimulation and cause stimulus‐history‐dependent recovery at this relay synapse.
Increased sympathetic outflow in juvenile rats submitted to chronic intermittent hypoxia correlates with enhanced expiratory activity
Authors: Zoccal Daniel B. , Simms Annabel E. , Bonagamba Leni G. H. , Braga Valdir A. , Pickering Anthony E. , Paton Julian F. R. , Machado Benedito H.
Published: May 2008

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) in rats produces changes in the central regulation of cardiovascular and respiratory systems by unknown mechanisms. We hypothesized that CIH (6% O2 for 40 s, every 9 min, 8 h day−1) for 10 days alters the central respiratory modulation of sympathetic activity. After CIH, awake rats (n= 14) exhibited higher levels of mean arterial pressure than controls (101 ± 3 versus 89 ± 3 mmHg, n= 15, P < 0.01). Recordings of phrenic, thoracic sympathetic, cervical vagus and abdominal nerves were performed in the in situ working heart–brainstem preparations of control and CIH juvenile rats. The data obtained in CIH rats revealed that: (i) abdominal (Abd) nerves exhibited an additional burst discharge in late expiration; (ii) thoracic sympathetic nerve activity (tSNA) was greater during late expiration than in controls (52 ± 5 versus 40 ± 3%; n= 11, P < 0.05; values expressed according to the maximal activity observed during inspiration and the noise level recorded at the end of each experiment), which was not dependent on peripheral chemoreceptors; (iii) the additional late expiratory activity in the Abd nerve correlated with the increased tSNA; (iv) the enhanced late expiratory activity in the Abd nerve unique to CIH rats was accompanied by reduced post‐inspiratory activity in cervical vagus nerve compared to controls. The data indicate that CIH rats present an altered pattern of central sympathetic–respiratory coupling, with increased tSNA that correlates with enhanced late expiratory discharge in the Abd nerve. Thus, CIH alters the coupling between the central respiratory generator and sympathetic networks that may contribute to the induced hypertension in this experimental model.
Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Norovirus Genomes in Oysters by a Two-Step Isothermal Amplification Assay System Combining Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification and Reverse Transcription-Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays
Authors: Fukuda Shinji , Sasaki Yukie , Seno Masato
Published: May 2008

We developed a two-step isothermal amplification assay system, which achieved the detection of norovirus (NoV) genomes in oysters with a sensitivity similar to that of reverse transcription-seminested PCR. The time taken for the amplification of NoV genomes from RNA extracts was shortened to about 3 h.
In Silico and In Vivo Evaluation of Bacteriophage φEF24C, a Candidate for Treatment of
Enterococcus faecalis
Infections
Authors: Uchiyama Jumpei , Rashel Mohammad , Takemura Iyo , Wakiguchi Hiroshi , Matsuzaki Shigenobu
Published: May 2008

Along with the increasing threat of nosocomial infections by vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus faecalis
, bacteriophage (phage) therapy has been expected as an alternative therapy against infectious disease. Although genome information and proof of applicability are prerequisites for a modern therapeutic phage,
E. faecalis
phage has not been analyzed in terms of these aspects. Previously, we reported a novel virulent phage, φEF24C, and its biology indicated its therapeutic potential against
E. faecalis
infection. In this study, the φEF24C genome was analyzed and the in vivo therapeutic applicability of φEF24C was also briefly assessed. Its complete genome (142,072 bp) was predicted to have 221 open reading frames (ORFs) and five tRNA genes. In our functional analysis of the ORFs by use of a public database, no proteins undesirable in phage therapy, such as pathogenic and integration-related proteins, were predicted. The noncompetitive directions of replication and transcription and the host-adapted translation of the phage were deduced bioinformatically. Its genomic features indicated that φEF24C is a member of the SPO1-like phage genus and especially that it has a close relationship to the
Listeria
phage P100, which is authorized for prophylactic use. Thus, these bioinformatics analyses rationalized the therapeutic eligibility of φEF24C. Moreover, the in vivo therapeutic potential of φEF24C, which was effective at a low concentration and was not affected by host sensitivity to the phage, was proven by use of sepsis BALB/c mouse models. Furthermore, no change in mouse lethality was observed under either single or repeated phage exposures. Although further study is required, φEF24C can be a promising therapeutic phage against
E. faecalis
infections.
Acyl Chain Specificity of the Acyltransferases LpxA and LpxD and Substrate Availability Contribute to Lipid A Fatty Acid Heterogeneity in
Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Bainbridge Brian W. , Karimi-Naser Lisa , Reife Robert , Blethen Fleur , Ernst Robert K. , Darveau Richard P.
Published: May 2008

Porphyromonas gingivalis
lipid A is heterogeneous with regard to the number, type, and placement of fatty acids. Analysis of lipid A by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry reveals clusters of peaks differing by 14 mass units indicative of an altered distribution of the fatty acids generating different lipid A structures. To examine whether the transfer of hydroxy fatty acids with different chain lengths could account for the clustering of lipid A structures,
P. gingivalis lpxA
(

lpxA
Pg

) and

lpxD
Pg

were cloned and expressed in
Escherichia coli
strains in which the homologous gene was mutated. Lipid A from strains expressing either of the
P. gingivalis
transferases was found to contain 16-carbon hydroxy fatty acids in addition to the normal
E. coli
14-carbon hydroxy fatty acids, demonstrating that these acyltransferases display a relaxed acyl chain length specificity. Both LpxA and LpxD, from either
E. coli
or
P. gingivalis
, were also able to incorporate odd-chain fatty acids into lipid A when grown in the presence of 1% propionic acid. This indicates that
E. coli
lipid A acyltransferases do not have an absolute specificity for 14-carbon hydroxy fatty acids but can transfer fatty acids differing by one carbon unit if the fatty acid substrates are available. We conclude that the relaxed specificity of the
P. gingivalis
lipid A acyltransferases and the substrate availability account for the lipid A structural clusters that differ by 14 mass units observed in
P. gingivalis
lipopolysaccharide preparations.
Dendritic Cell Internalization of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus: Influence of Heparan Sulfate Binding on Virus Uptake and Induction of the Immune Response
Authors: Harwood Lisa J. , Gerber Heidi , Sobrino Francisco , Summerfield Artur , McCullough Kenneth C.
Published: May 2008

Dendritic cells (DC), which are essential for inducing and regulating immune defenses and responses, represent the critical target for vaccines against pathogens such as foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Although it is clear that FMDV enters epithelial cells via integrins, little is known about FMDV interaction with DC. Accordingly, DC internalization of FMDV antigen was analyzed by comparing vaccine virus dominated by heparan sulfate (HS)-binding variants with FMDV lacking HS-binding capacity. The internalization was most efficient with the HS-binding virus, employing diverse endocytic pathways. Moreover, internalization relied primarily on HS binding. Uptake of non-HS-binding virus by DC was considerably less efficient, so much so that it was often difficult to detect virus interacting with the DC. The HS-binding FMDV replicated in DC, albeit transiently, which was demonstrable by its sensitivity to cycloheximide treatment and the short duration of infectious virus production. There was no evidence that the non-HS-binding virus replicated in the DC. These observations on virus replication may be explained by the activities of viral RNA in the DC. When DC were transfected with infectious RNA, only 1% of the translated viral proteins were detected. Nevertheless, the transfected cells, and DC which had internalized live virus, did present antigen to lymphocytes, inducing an FMDV-specific immunoglobulin G response. These results demonstrate that DC internalization of FMDV is most efficient for vaccine virus with HS-binding capacity, but HS binding is not an exclusive requirement. Both non-HS-binding virus and infectious RNA interacting with DC induce specific immune responses, albeit less efficiently than HS-binding virus.
Genetic Interactions among the West Nile Virus Methyltransferase, the RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase, and the 5′ Stem-Loop of Genomic RNA
Authors: Zhang Bo , Dong Hongping , Zhou Yangsheng , Shi Pei-Yong
Published: May 2008

Flavivirus methyltransferase catalyzes both guanine N7 and ribose 2′-OH methylations of the viral RNA cap (GpppA-RNA→m
7
GpppAm-RNA). The methyltransferase is physically linked to an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in the flaviviral NS5 protein. Here, we report genetic interactions of West Nile virus (WNV) methyltransferase with the RdRp and the 5′-terminal stem-loop of viral genomic RNA. Genome-length RNAs, containing amino acid substitutions of D146 (a residue essential for both cap methylations) in the methyltransferase, were transfected into BHK-21 cells. Among the four mutant RNAs (D146L, D146P, D146R, and D146S), only D146S RNA generated viruses in transfected cells. Sequencing of the recovered viruses revealed that, besides the D146S change in the methyltransferase, two classes of compensatory mutations had reproducibly emerged. Class 1 mutations were located in the 5′-terminal stem-loop of the genomic RNA (a G35U substitution or U38 insertion). Class 2 mutations resided in NS5 (K61Q in methyltransferase and W751R in RdRp). Mutagenesis analysis, using a genome-length RNA and a replicon of WNV, demonstrated that the D146S substitution alone was lethal for viral replication; however, the compensatory mutations rescued replication, with the highest rescuing efficiency occurring when both classes of mutations were present. Biochemical analysis showed that a low level of N7 methylation of the D146S methyltransferase is essential for the recovery of adaptive viruses. The methyltransferase K61Q mutation facilitates viral replication through improved N7 methylation activity. The RdRp W751R mutation improves viral replication through an enhanced polymerase activity. Our results have clearly established genetic interactions among flaviviral methyltransferase, RdRp, and the 5′ stem-loop of the genomic RNA.
Mutations in E2-PePHD, NS5A-PKRBD, NS5A-ISDR, and NS5A-V3 of Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1 and Their Relationships to Pegylated Interferon-Ribavirin Treatment Responses
Authors: Muñoz de Rueda P. , Casado J. , Patón R. , Quintero D. , Palacios A. , Gila A. , Quiles R. , León J. , Ruiz-Extremera A. , Salmerón J.
Published: May 2008

Mutations in several subgenomic regions of hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been implicated in influencing the response to interferon (IFN) therapy. Sequences within HCV NS5A (PKR binding domain [PKRBD], IFN sensitivity-determining region [ISDR], and variable region 3 [V3]) were analyzed for the pretreatment serum samples of 60 HCV genotype 1-infected patients treated with pegylated IFN plus ribavirin (1b,n= 47; 1a,n= 13) but with different treatment outcomes, those with sustained virologic responses (SVR;n= 36) or nonresponders (NR;n= 24). Additionally, the sequence of the PKR/eIF-2α phosphorylation homology domain (E2-PePHD) region was determined for 23 patients (11 SVR and 12 NR). The presence of >4 mutations in the PKRBD region was associated with SVR (P= 0.001) and early virologic responses (EVR; 12 weeks) (P= 0.037) but not rapid virologic responses (4 weeks). In the ISDR, the difference was almost statistically significant (68% of SVR patients with mutations versus 45% without mutations;P= 0.07). The V3 region had a very high genetic variability, but this was not related to SVR. Finally, the E2-PePHD (n= 23) region was well conserved. The presence of >4 mutations in the PKRBD region (odds ratio [OR] = 9.9;P= 0.006) and an age of ≤40 years (OR = 3.2;P= 0.056) were selected in a multivariate analysis as predictive factors of SVR. NS5A sequences from serum samples taken after 1 month of treatment and posttreatment were examined for 3 SVR and 15 NR patients to select treatment-resistant viral subpopulations, and it was found that in the V3 and flanking regions, the mutations increased significantly in posttreatment sera (P= 0.05). The genetic variability in the PKRBD (>4 mutations) is a predictive factor of SVR and EVR in HCV genotype 1 patients treated with pegylated IFN and ribavirin.
Molecular Basis of Cytotoxicity of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Latent Membrane Protein 1 (LMP1) in EBV Latency III B Cells: LMP1 Induces Type II Ligand-Independent Autoactivation of CD95/Fas with Caspase 8-Mediated Apoptosis
Authors: Le Clorennec Christophe , Ouk Tan-Sothéa , Youlyouz-Marfak Ibtissam , Panteix Stéphanie , Martin Catherine-Claude , Rastelli Julia , Adriaenssens Eric , Zimber-Strobl Ursula , Coll Jean , Feuillard Jean , Jayat-Vignoles Chantal
Published: May 2008

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) oncoprotein latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is thought to act as the major transforming protein in various cell types, by rerouting the tumor necrosis factor receptor family signaling pathway. Despite this implication in EBV-associated transformation of cells, LMP1 toxicity is a well-known but poorly studied feature, perhaps because it contradicts its role in transformation. We show that LMP1 physiological levels are very heterogeneous and that the highest levels of LMP1 correlate with Fas overexpression and spontaneous apoptosis in lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). To understand the cytotoxic effect of LMP1 in LCLs, we cloned wild-type LMP1 into a doxycycline double-inducible episomal vector pRT-1, with a truncated version of NGFR as a surrogate marker of inducibility. We found that LMP1 overexpression induced apoptosis in LCL B cells, as shown by annexin V labeling, sub-G1peak, and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase cleavage. Knocking down Fas expression by small interfering RNA abolished LMP1-induced apoptosis. The absence of detectable levels of Fas ligand mRNA suggested a ligand-independent activation of Fas. LMP1 induced Fas overexpression with its relocalization in lipid raft microdomains of the membrane. Fas immunoprecipitation detected FADD (Fas-associated death domain protein) and caspase 8, suggesting a Fas-dependent formation of the death-inducing signaling complex. Caspases 8, 9, 3, and 7 were activated by LMP1. Caspase 8 activation was associated with BID cleavage and truncated-BID mitochondrial relocalization, consistent with type II apoptosis. Therefore, our results are in agreement with a model where LMP1-dependent NF-κB activation induces Fas overexpression and autoactivation that could overwhelm the antiapoptotic effect of NF-κB, revealing an ambivalent function of LMP1 in cell survival and programmed cell death.
The diffusional water permeability of Elodea leaf cells as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance
Authors: Stout Darryl G. , Cotts Robert M. , Steponkus Peter L.
Published: May 2008

A new nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique developed by Conlon and Outhred (1972. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 288: 354–361) to measure diffusional water permeability was applied to the multicellular plant system Elodea Nuttallii (Planch) St. John leaves. This technique involves measuring a transverse relaxation time (T2) in the absence (T2 = Ta) and in the presence (T2 = Ta′) of extracellular paramagnetic cations. A valid estimate of Ta was measured for Elodea leaves. The value of Ta′ was found to decrease continuously with time. Evidence is presented that the decrease of Ta′ with time is initially related primarily to the time required for the paramagnetic ion to diffuse throughout the extracellular space and then later related to influx of the paramagnetic ion into the cells. By extrapolating to zero time to correct for paramagnetic-cation influx into the cells it was possible to estimate the value of Ta′ required to calculate the water exchange time out of the cells. It was estimated from the NMR data that Mn2+ (the paramagnetic ion used) flux into the cells occurred at a rate of 3.0 × 10−14 mol cm2 s−1. A procedure to determine whether the water-exchange time is controlled by intracellular unstirred layers or by membrane water permeability or by both is given. The water-exchange time of Elodea leaves is predominantly controlled by the intracellular unstirred layers. Thus it was only possible to set a lower limit on the diffusional water permeability coefficient (Pd) of Elodea leaf membranes of 3 × 10−2 cm s−1 at 20 °C.
Morphological variations in a new species of Entophlyctis. I. The species concept
Authors: Powell Martha J. , Koch William J.
Published: May 2008

A new endobiotic fungus Entophlyctis variabilis is described. This fungus exhibits morphological variations which cut across recognized taxonomic lines. The relationship of the thallus to the substratum can be epi-endobiotic, interbiotic, or endobiotic. During thallus development, the wall of the encysted zoospore remains as a discharge tube, as an appendage on the zoosporangium, or as a part of the enlarging zoosporangium. These morphological variations result from three developmental patterns for zoosporangial differentiation. In type I development, the zoosporangium develops from the germ tube, and the cyst remains as a discharge tube. In type II development, the cyst is incorporated into a portion of the enlarging germ tube which becomes the zoosporangium. In type III development, the zoosporangium develops directly from the enlargement of the cyst. In each type of development, the zoosporangium develops from the region of the thallus where the nuclei are located.
Morphological variations in a new species of Entophlyctis. II. Influence of growth conditions on morphology
Authors: Powell Martha J. , Koch William J.
Published: May 2008

The extent of variation in zoosporangial and zoosporic characters of Entophlyctis variabilis was established under controlled but diverse growth conditions. The frequency of the three patterns of thallus development varied in each isolate and with different media, but on each medium the type I developmental pattern predominated. Zoosporangial pigmentation of each isolate differed and varied with growth media, exposure to light, and age. The size and shape of zoosporangia depended upon temperature and nutrient source. Nutrient source also influenced the number and morphology of rhizoids and discharge tubes. Although zoospore body size varied with the nutrient source, flagellum length did not vary. The taxonomic significance of the many differences observed in the morphology of thalli of E. variabilis is assessed.