bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Essential role of Rac1/NADPH oxidase in nerve growth factor induction of TRPV1 expression
Authors: Puntambekar Preeti , Mukherjea Debashree , Jajoo Sarvesh , Ramkumar Vickram
Published: November 2005

Nerve growth factor (NGF) regulates the nociceptive properties of a subset of small diameter sensory neurons by increasing the expression of the heat‐sensing transient receptor potential (TRP) channel, TRPV1. This action involves activation of the tyrosine kinase receptor (Trk) A/p38 MAPK pathway. Recent studies indicate that activation of TrkA promotes superoxide generation via NADPH oxidase. In this study, we determined whether the NADPH oxidase pathway is involved in NGF‐stimulated TRPV1 expression using a rat pheochromocytoma 12 line and rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. Treatment of these cells with NGF (100 ng/mL) increased TRPV1 protein expression (approx. twofold) but not mRNA. This increase was mimicked by H2O2 and attenuated by catalase and inhibitors of NADPH oxidase. NGF stimulated NADPH oxidase activity, while 24 h exposure further increased expression of the Rac1 and gp91phox subunits of the holoenzyme. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase by transient transfection of a dominant negative Rac1 mutant (RacN17) plasmid blocked NGF‐stimulated TRPV1 protein expression, while expression of a constitutively active Rac1 increased basal and NGF‐stimulated TRPV1 levels. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity also attenuated NGF‐dependent p38 MAPK activation. We conclude that the Rac1/NADPH oxidase pathway regulates p38 activation and TRPV1 expression which aids in the maintenance of peripheral neuron integrity and pain perception.
Optimal Capital Structure and Industry Dynamics
Authors: MIAO JIANJUN
Published: November 2005

This paper provides a competitive equilibrium model of capital structure and industry dynamics. In the model, firms make financing, investment, entry, and exit decisions subject to idiosyncratic technology shocks. The capital structure choice reflects the tradeoff between the tax benefits of debt and the associated bankruptcy and agency costs. The interaction between financing and production decisions influences the stationary distribution of firms and their survival probabilities. The analysis demonstrates that the equilibrium output price has an important feedback effect. This effect has a number of testable implications. For example, high growth industries have relatively lower leverage and turnover rates.
CEO Compensation, Change, and Corporate Strategy
Authors: DOW JAMES , RAPOSO CLARA C.
Published: November 2005

CEO compensation can influence the kinds of strategies that firms adopt. We argue that performance‐related compensation creates an incentive to look for overly ambitious, hard to implement strategies. At a cost, shareholders can curb this tendency by precommitting to a regime of CEO overcompensation in highly changeable environments. Alternatively shareholders can commit to low CEO pay, although this requires a commitment mechanism (either by the board of the individual company, or by the society as a whole) to counter the incentive to renegotiate upwards. We study the conditions under which the different policies for CEO compensation are preferred by shareholders.
On the Benefits of Concurrent Lending and Underwriting
Authors: DRUCKER STEVEN , PURI MANJU
Published: November 2005

This paper examines whether there are efficiencies that benefit issuers and underwriters when a financial intermediary concurrently lends to an issuer while also underwriting its public securities offering. We find issuers, particularly noninvestment‐grade issuers for whom informational economies of scope are likely to be large, benefit through lower underwriter fees and discounted loan yield spreads. Underwriters, both commercial banks as well as investment banks, engage in concurrent lending and provide price discounts, albeit in different ways. We find concurrent lending helps underwriters build relationships, increasing the probability of receiving current and future business.
Governance Mechanisms and Equity Prices
Authors: CREMERS K. J. MARTIJN , NAIR VINAY B.
Published: November 2005

We investigate how the market for corporate control (external governance) and shareholder activism (internal governance) interact. A portfolio that buys firms with the highest level of takeover vulnerability and shorts firms with the lowest level of takeover vulnerability generates an annualized abnormal return of 10% to 15% only when public pension fund (blockholder) ownership is high as well. A similar portfolio created to capture the importance of internal governance generates annualized abnormal returns of 8%, though only in the presence of “high” vulnerability to takeovers. The complementarity effect exists for firms with lower industry‐adjusted leverage and is stronger for smaller firms.
Transparency and International Portfolio Holdings
Authors: GELOS R. GASTON , WEI SHANG‐JIN
Published: November 2005

Does country transparency affect international portfolio investment? We examine this question by constructing new measures of transparency and by making use of a unique microdata set on portfolio holdings of emerging market funds around the world. We distinguish between government and corporate transparency. There is clear evidence that funds systematically invest less in less transparent countries. Moreover, funds have a greater propensity to exit nontransparent countries during crises.
Cultural Theories of Nursing Responsive to Human Needs and Values
Authors: Kikuchi June F.
Published: November 2005

Purpose: To present an alternative to the recent proposal that the extant theories of nursing be replaced with culture‐specific theories of nursing in order to have theories of nursing that are culturally responsive.

Method: A philosophical analysis of the implications for nursing practice of adopting the proposal serves as the basis for recommending a different philosophically based theoretical solution. Anticipated probable objections to that recommendation are considered.

Conclusion: Culture‐specific theories of nursing might allow nurses to be culturally sensitive. However, because nurses must be humanly responsive to the needs of people as human beings and not just as cultural beings, cultural theories of nursing should be developed within the precepts of a transcultural theory of nursing grounded in a conception of objective human needs and values.
Genomics and Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Frazier Lorraine , Johnson Rolanda L. , Sparks Elizabeth
Published: November 2005

Purpose: To describe genetic knowledge and discovery in the area of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to discuss how these new advances will influence the clinical care of affected people.

Organizing Framework: A selective review of the literature is presented on the disease mechanism of both the Mendelian and multifactorial genetic cardiovascular conditions. A case study approach is used to illustrate how the genetic paradigm affects the healthcare experience of a family affected with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Findings: The current state of CVD treatment remains complex. An understanding of genomic concepts and a genome‐based approach is necessary to determine: (a) the risk of CVD susceptibility beyond traditional risk factors; (b) early detection of illness; (c) response to treatment; and (d) molecular taxonomy of the disease.

Conclusions: The results of genetic research, education, and teaching will lead to a new understanding of genes and pathways, resulting in powerful new therapeutic approaches to CVD. The challenge is to translate genetic discoveries into clinical practice that ultimately leads to preventing CVD and reducing mortality.
Predictors of Alcohol Misuse and Abuse in Older Women
Authors: Stevenson Joanne Sabol , Masters Joan A.
Published: November 2005

Purpose: To determine the predictive ability of self‐report questions, physical measures, and biomarkers to detect alcohol misuse and abuse among older women.

Design and Methods: Healthy women volunteers age 60 and older who fit selection criteria were enrolled. The 135 participants were divided into nondrinkers (ND; n= 63) and drinkers (D; n= 72) based on self‐reports of quantity and frequency of standard drinks consumed per month. The mean ages for the groups were 69.2 (ND) and 69.6 (D).

Findings: The best predictor was a score >0 on the T‐ACE, a four‐item instrument to detect alcohol abuse. Other significant predictors were: (a) behaviors: smoking, mixing over‐the‐counter (OTC) drugs with alcohol, heavy coffee drinking, using alcohol to sleep, and less sleep latency; and (b) biomarkers: higher mean corpuscular volume (MCV), hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). The heaviest drinker subgroup had more physical stigmata, including broken blood vessels in nose and larger liver spans.

Conclusions: The “best predictor model” showed that older women who were at risk for alcohol misuse or abuse had T‐ACE scores of 1 or higher, used two or more OTC drugs regularly, drank large amounts of coffee, used alcohol to fall asleep, and had less sleep latency. Because positive T‐ACE scores have high sensitivity and specificity for alcohol abuse, scores of 1 or greater should be addressed in clinical settings, e.g., referrals for more definitive diagnoses and relevant treatment.
Risk Perception and Compliance With Quarantine During the SARS Outbreak
Authors: Cava Maureen A. , Fay Krissa E. , Beanlands Heather J. , McCay Elizabeth A. , Wignall Rouleen
Published: November 2005

Purpose: To explore the experience of being on quarantine for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) with a focus on the relationship between perceived risk of contracting SARS and reported compliance with the quarantine order and protocols.

Design: Descriptive, qualitative.

Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with people who had been quarantined during the SARS outbreak in Toronto in 2003. Data analysis was completed using an iterative and collaborative approach of reading and re‐reading the transcribed interviews, identifying common themes, and comparing and contrasting the data.

Findings: To varying extents, participants wavered between fear and denial about their risk of contracting or spreading SARS. Reported compliance with the actual quarantine order was high. However, within households quarantine protocols were followed unevenly.

Conclusions: This research indicates the need for greater credibility in public health communications to increase compliance with quarantine protocols and to contain outbreaks of new and deadly infectious diseases.
Incorporating Documents Into Qualitative Nursing Research
Authors: Miller Fiona A. , Alvarado Kim
Published: November 2005

Purpose: To present an overview of how documents can be incorporated as key sources of data in qualitative nursing research.

Methods: Analysis of the nature of documents and the distinctive features of any research strategy to analyze documents.

Conclusions: Many different strategies can be used in the analysis of documentary sources that are relevant to nursing practice. A systematic approach to the analysis of these textual resources, using one or several of the analytic strategies described here, can support and advance nursing scholarship.
Repp86: a new prognostic marker in mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Schrader Carsten , Janssen Dirk , Meusers Peter , Brittinger Günter , Siebmann Jens U. , Parwaresch Reza , Tiemann Markus
Published: November 2005

Abstract:  Objectives: Proliferation indices are important prognostic factors for the clinical outcome of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). We investigated whether the expression of repp86 (restrictedly expressed proliferation‐associated protein 86 kDa), a new proliferation specific marker expressed in the cell cycle phases G2, S and M, but not in G1, correlates with the clinical course in patients with MCL. Patients and Methods: Biopsy specimens from 94 untreated patients enrolled in two multicenter trials were investigated immunohistochemically with monoclonal antibodies against CD20, CD5, CD3, CD23, cyclin D1, and repp86 (Ki‐S2). Results: Patients with 0–1% repp86 expression had a median overall survival time of 71.0 months, compared with 38.2 months for patients with 1–5% positive cells and 25.4 months for patients with 5–10% positive tumor cells. Patients with repp86 expression of more than 10% showed the shortest survival (median: 15.0 months). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed a significant difference in the overall survival time between patients with very high (>10%) and very low (0–1%) repp86 expression (P < 0.0001) in the tumor cells. The multivariate analysis revealed repp86 expression to be superior to other clinical characteristics as a prognostic factor (P = 0.0016). Conclusion: Based on these findings, repp86 expression is a new important prognostic factor in MCL.
Cardiac presentation of ALK positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma
Authors: Lim Z. Y. , Grace R. , Salisbury J. R. , Creamer D. , Jayaprakasam A. , Ho A. Y. L. , Devereux S. , Mufti G. J. , Pagliuca A.
Published: November 2005

Abstract:  Cardiac involvement as an initial presentation of malignant lymphoma is a rare occurrence. We report the case of an immunocompetent 29‐year‐old male who presented with syncope and arrythmias secondary to a ventricular cardiac mass. Transcutaneous cardiac biopsy was non‐diagnostic, therefore an open cardiac biopsy was performed from which a provisional diagnosis of a cardiac inflammatory pseudotumour was made. Six months after presentation, he developed several subcutaneous lesions with systemic symptoms. Histological and immunophenotypic review of the initial cardiac biopsy revealed features consistent with a diagnosis of CD30, ALK1 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Despite intensive treatment with combination chemotherapy, there was significant progression of disease, and he died 11 months after diagnosis. The overall prognosis of cardiac lymphoma remains poor, which may be due to the often late presentation of the tumour. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a cardiac ALK positive ALCL. Although rare, cardiac presentation of ALCL should be added to the list of differential diagnoses of cardiac lymphomas.
Hemosiderin deposits in chronic graft‐vs.‐host disease related myopathy
Authors: Schmidt‐Hieber Martin , Okuducu Ali Fuat , Stoltenburg Gisela , Mackert Bruno‐Marcel , Benzian Nadia , Thiel Eckhard , Blau Igor Wolfgang
Published: November 2005

Abstract:  Chronic graft‐vs.‐host disease (cGVHD) occurs in 20–50% of patients who survive for at least 100 d after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). cGVHD includes scleroderma‐like skin changes, chronic cholangitis, obstructive lung disease and general wasting syndrome. Polymyositis or myopathy are rare manifestations of cGVHD with approximately 40 reported cases. Polymyositis accompanied by hemosiderin deposits in cGVHD has been reported only once, and there are no reports on lipofuscin deposits in skeletal muscle cells in cGVHD. We report here on a 56‐yr‐old male who underwent allogeneic SCT in 1999 for osteomyelofibrosis and progressive hematopoietic insufficiency. In February 2004, the patient was hospitalized for progressive muscular weakness with loss of the ability to walk. Laboratory tests demonstrated normal values for serum creatine kinase, aldolase and lactic dehydrogenase; the ferritin level was highly elevated. The femoral muscle biopsy showed mostly perifascicular atrophy as well as numerous subsarcolemmal hemosiderin and lipofuscin deposits. Intravenous administration of the chelating agent deferoxamine was ineffective. Three weeks later the patient died of aspiration pneumonia. Interestingly, autopsy disclosed moderate hemosiderin deposits in the liver, the organ usually involved in hemosiderosis.
Circulating endothelial cells in patients with acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Wierzbowska Agnieszka , Robak Tadeusz , Krawczyńska Anna , Wrzesień‐Kuś Agata , Pluta Agnieszka , Cebula Barbara , Smolewski Piotr
Published: November 2005

Abstract:  Objectives: The circulating endothelial cells (CEC) are proposed to be a non‐invasive marker of angiogenesis. The level of CEC in peripheral blood (PB) of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients has not been investigated prior to this study. We evaluated the count of resting (rCEC), activated (aCEC) and endothelial progenitor cells (CEPC) in the PB of AML and healthy subjects. In addition we correlated the levels of CEC with disease status, known prognostic factors and response to treatment. Methods: CEC were quantified by utilizing four‐color flow cytometry procedures in 48 AML patients at the time of diagnosis and 29 healthy controls. Additionally, measurements were again taken after the first course of induction treatment in 12 of the patients. Results: The numbers of aCEC, rCEC and CEPC were significantly higher in the AML patients than in the controls (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.001, respectively). The CEC count was significantly higher in the AML patients with white blood cell count (WBC) >15 G/L, elevated lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and a higher (over median) absolute blasts count (ABC) in PB than in the group with WBC <15 G/L (P < 0.03), a normal LDH level (P < 0.03) and a lower (<median) ABC (P < 0.05). The levels of aCEC, rCEC and CEPC determined after the first course of chemotherapy were significantly lower than at diagnosis in the patients who achieved complete remission (P < 0.02), and do not differ in patients refractory to treatment. Conclusion: CEC levels are higher in AML and correlate with disease status and response to treatment. Further investigation should be undertaken to better determine their prognostic value.
Recurrent chemotherapy‐induced tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) with renal failure in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia – successful treatment and prevention of TLS with low‐dose rasburicase
Authors: Hummel Margit , Buchheidt Dieter , Reiter Sebastian , Bergmann Jörg , Adam Katja , Hehlmann Rüdiger
Published: November 2005

Abstract:  Introduction: Rasburicase is a recombinant urate oxidase that is produced by a genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae and has been approved for prophylaxis and treatment of tumor lysis syndrome in 2001. In several studies, rasburicase, given at a dose of 0.15–0.2 mg/kg for up to 7 d, proved to be highly effective in lowering urate levels. Case report: We report the case of a patient with chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL) who experienced tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) with acute renal failure after fludarabine/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy and after bendamustine treatment. During the first episode of TLS, after fludarabine/cyclophosphamide (creatinine 3.3 mg/dL, urate 24.6 mg/dL), the patient received rasburicase 0.2 mg/kg for 3 d. Urate levels decreased below the lower limit of normal and renal function recovered. After bendamustine therapy, given for disease progression 8 months later, TLS with acute oliguric renal failure re‐occurred (creatinine 3.1 mg/dL, urate 20.8 mg/dL). The patient was treated with hyperhydration and two doses of rasburicase (0.056 mg/kg), resulting in a prompt decrease of the urate level and recovery of renal function. Both episodes of TLS were successfully treated with rasburicase in a lower dose than recommended by the manufacturer. During a second bendamustine course, TLS was successfully treated by low doses of rasburicase (0.056 mg/kg for 2 d). Conclusion: This is the first report of TLS in CLL after bendamustine chemotherapy reported in the literature. Treatment and prevention of TLS by low doses of rasburicase is possible and cost‐effective.
Over‐expression of tumor necrosis factor‐alpha in bone marrow biopsies from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: relationship to anemia and prognosis
Authors: Stifter Gerald , Heiss Simone , Gastl Günther , Tzankov Alexandar , Stauder Reinhard
Published: November 2005

Abstract:  Objectives: An excessive intramedullar progenitor cell apoptosis, to which elevated expression of tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) might contribute, is considered the main cause of inefficient hematopoiesis in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Enhanced bone marrow (BM) angiogenesis is regarded as an essential cofactor in the progression of MDS to acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and microvessel formation may be induced by TNF‐α as well. To investigate TNF‐α signaling and neoangiogenesis as potential molecular pathways for therapeutic intervention in MDS with respect to the various MDS subtypes, we performed a morphological and clinico‐pathological study on a large series of paraffin‐embedded trephine BM biopsies. Methods: TNF‐α expression and BM vessels were immunohistochemically analyzed on 89 paraffin‐embedded BM biopsies from patients with MDS and secondary AML, including 12 control samples. Data were correlated with clinico‐pathological and laboratory parameters and analyzed for their prognostic significance considering overall survival. Results: TNF‐α was over‐expressed in MDS patients, especially in those with refractory anemia and its expression correlated with BM cellularity and with magnitude of anemia as well as with microvessel density (MVD). TNF‐α over‐expression was associated with premature deaths. MVD was increased in MDS and secondary AML and correlated with marrow cellularity and expression of TNF‐α, but was not of prognostic significance. Conclusions: TNF‐α expression and MVD are elevated in MDS and secondary AML. TNF‐α expression in BM progenitor cells appears to negatively impact erythropoiesis and overall survival in MDS, and may serve as a potential therapeutic target in patients with hypercellular MDS with marked anemia.
Methylation status of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene and its clinical impact on prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma
Authors: Takada Satoru , Morita Kimio , Hayashi Kunihiko , Matsushima Takahumi , Sawamura Morio , Murakami Hirokazu , Nojima Yoshihisa
Published: November 2005

Abstract:  Aberrant methylation of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) has been studied in multiple myeloma (MM). We determined the methylation status of the FHIT (fragile histidine triad) gene, a putative TSG, in 48 patients with MM. Clinical association with its methylation status was then analyzed. The FHIT gene methylation was observed in 21 of the 48 patients (44%). No association between FHIT gene methylation and clinical variables such as age, gender and clinical stage was found. However, the estimated 50% survival time of the methylated group was significantly shorter than that of the unmethylated group (18.2 vs. 45.1 months, P < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed adverse prognostic factors: FHIT gene methylation (P = 0.028), poor performance status (I to IV, P = 0.002), anemia (≤8.5 g/dL, P = 0.007), hypoalbuminemia (≤3.5 g/dL, P < 0.002), high serum C‐reactive protein levels (>0.5 mg/dL, P = 0.002), elevated beta‐2‐microglobulin serum levels (>6.5 mg/L, P < 0.001), and treatments not including autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (auto‐PBSCT) (P = 0.007). Multivariate analysis identified FHIT gene methylation [hazard ratio (HR) 1.722, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.150–2.603, P = 0.009], elevated beta‐2‐microglobulin serum levels (>6.5 mg/L, HR 2.005, 95% CI 1.035–3.937, P = 0.004), and treatments not including auto‐PBSCT are independent predictive variables. These findings indicate that aberrant methylation of the FHIT gene is an independent adverse prognostic factor in MM.
Inhibitory effect of piperlonguminine on melanin production in melanoma B16 cell line by downregulation of tyrosinase expression
Authors: Kim Kyeong‐Soo , Kim Jeong Ah , Eom Seung‐Yong , Lee Seung Ho , Min Kyung Rak , Kim Youngsoo
Published: November 2005

Tyrosinase is a key enzyme for melanin biosynthesis, and hyperpigmentation disorders are associated with abnormal accumulation of melanin pigments, which can be improved by treatment with depigmenting agents. In the present study, piperlonguminine from Piper longum was discovered to inhibit melanin production in melanoma B16 cells stimulated with α‐melanocyte stimulating hormone (α‐MSH), 3‐isobutyl‐1‐methylxanthine or protoporphyrin IX, where the compound exhibited stronger depigmenting efficacy than kojic acid. However, piperlonguminine did not affect 1‐oleoyl‐2‐acetyl‐sn‐glycerol‐induced melanogenesis and did not affect protein kinase C‐mediated melanin production. Surprisingly, piperlonguminine did not inhibit the catalytic activity of cell‐free tyrosinase from melanoma B16 cells but rather suppressed tyrosinase mRNA expression. This effect was attributed to the inhibitory action of piperlonguminine on α‐MSH‐induced signaling through cAMP to the cAMP responsive element binding protein that in turn regulates the expression of the microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor, a key activator of the tyrosinase promoter. This study demonstrates that piperlonguminine is an efficient depigmenting agent with a novel mechanism of action.
Fish and molluscan metallothioneins
Authors: Vergani Laura , Grattarola Myriam , Borghi Cristina , Dondero Francesco , Viarengo Aldo
Published: November 2005

Metallothioneins (MTs) are noncatalytic peptides involved in storage of essential ions, detoxification of nonessential metals, and scavenging of oxyradicals. They exhibit an unusual primary sequence and unique 3D arrangement. Whereas vertebrate MTs are characterized by the well‐known dumbbell shape, with a β domain that binds three bivalent metal ions and an α domain that binds four ions, molluscan MT structure is still poorly understood. For this reason we compared two MTs from aquatic organisms that differ markedly in primary structure: MT 10 from the invertebrate Mytilus galloprovincialis and MT A from Oncorhyncus mykiss. Both proteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli as glutathione S‐transferase fusion proteins, and the MT moiety was recovered after protease cleavage. The MTs were analyzed by gel electrophoresis and tested for their differential reactivity with alkylating and reducing agents. Although they show an identical cadmium content and a similar metal‐binding ability, spectropolarimetric analysis disclosed significant differences in the Cd7‐MT secondary conformation. These structural differences reflect the thermal stability and metal transport of the two proteins. When metal transfer from Cd7‐MT to 4‐(2‐pyridylazo)resorcinol was measured, the mussel MT was more reactive than the fish protein. This confirms that the differences in the primary sequence of MT 10 give rise to peculiar secondary conformation, which in turn reflects its reactivity and stability. The functional differences between the two MTs are due to specific structural properties and may be related to the different lifestyles of the two organisms.
Interaction of gymnemic acid with cyclodextrins analyzed by isothermal titration calorimetry, NMR and dynamic light scattering
Authors: Izutani Yusuke , Kanaori Kenji , Imoto Toshiaki , Oda Masayuki
Published: November 2005

The physiological phenomenon that the antisweet taste effect of gymnemic acid (GA) is diminished by application of γ‐cyclodextrin (γ‐CD) to the mouth was evaluated at the molecular level using isothermal titration calorimetry, NMR and dynamic light scattering. These analyses showed that GA specifically binds to γ‐CD. Thermodynamic analysis using isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that the association constant of GA and γ‐CD is 105−106 m−1 with favorable enthalpy and entropy changes. The heat capacity change was negative and large, despite the change in accessible surface area upon binding being small. These thermodynamics indicate that the binding is dominated by hydrophobic interactions, which is in agreement with inclusion complex formation of γ‐CD. In addition, NMR measurements showed that in solution the spectra of GA are broad and sharpened by the addition of γ‐CD, indicating that unbound GA is in a water‐soluble aggregate that is dispersed when it forms a complex with γ‐CD. Dynamic light scattering showed that the average diameter of unbound GA is > 30 nm and that of GA and γ‐CD complex is 2.2 nm, similar to unbound γ‐CD, supporting the aggregate property of GA and the inclusion complexation of GA by γ‐CD.
The Yin and Yang of protein folding
Authors: Jahn Thomas R. , Radford Sheena E.
Published: November 2005

The study of protein aggregation saw a renaissance in the last decade, when it was discovered that aggregation is the cause of several human diseases, making this field of research one of the most exciting frontiers in science today. Building on knowledge about protein folding energy landscapes, determined using an array of biophysical methods, theory and simulation, new light is now being shed on some of the key questions in protein‐misfolding diseases. This review will focus on the mechanisms of protein folding and amyloid fibril formation, concentrating on the role of partially folded states in these processes, the complexity of the free energy landscape, and the potentials for the development of future therapeutic strategies based on a full biophysical description of the combined folding and aggregation free‐energy surface.
Aspects on human amyloid forms and their fibril polypeptides
Authors: Westermark Per
Published: November 2005

Amyloid is an in vivo fibrillar substance containing a fibril protein and several additional molecules. Presently, 25 proteins have been reported as main fibril components. Why just a few proteins form amyloid in vivo is still insufficiently understood. Many fibril proteins appear as fragments of larger precursors and for some types it is not clear whether fragmentation comes before or after fibrillation. The self‐assembly by amyloid proteins can be speeded up by seeding with preformed fibrils. In mice, systemic amyloidoses are transmissible by a seeding mechanism. Whether this prion‐like mechanism occurs in humans is not known, but can definitely not be ruled out.
Structures for amyloid fibrils
Authors: Makin O. Sumner , Serpell Louise C.
Published: November 2005

Alzheimer's disease and Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease are the best‐known examples of a group of diseases known as the amyloidoses. They are characterized by the extracellular deposition of toxic, insoluble amyloid fibrils. Knowledge of the structure of these fibrils is essential for understanding the process of pathology of the amyloidoses and for the rational design of drugs to inhibit or reverse amyloid formation. Structural models have been built using information from a wide variety of techniques, including X‐ray diffraction, electron microscopy, solid state NMR and EPR. Recent advances have been made in understanding the architecture of the amyloid fibril. Here, we describe and compare postulated structural models for the mature amyloid fibril and discuss how the ordered structure of amyloid contributes to its stability.
EXAMINING RATING SOURCE VARIATION IN WORK BEHAVIOR TO KSA LINKAGES
Authors: BARANOWSKI LAURA E. , ANDERSON LANCE E.
Published: November 2005

We examined Work Behavior to knowledge, skill, or ability linkage ratings for 9 jobs to determine the degree to which differences in the ratings were due to rater type. We collected ratings from incumbents and 2 types of job analysts: project job analysts (analysts knowledgeable of the job) and nonproject job analysts (analysts with very little or no knowledge of the job). In our analyses of the data, we calculated means, standard deviations, effect sizes, and correlations for each rater type, as well as compared the reliability of the ratings. We also estimated variance components for each job by conducting generalizability analyses (Brennan, 1983; Shavelson, Webb, & Rowley, 1989). Our findings indicate that the level of linkage ratings is similar across rater types, that it is important to obtain ratings from multiple raters regardless of rater type, and that ratings from job analysts may be more reliable than those of incumbents.
RETEST EFFECTS IN OPERATIONAL SELECTION SETTINGS: DEVELOPMENT AND TEST OF A FRAMEWORK
Authors: LIEVENS FILIP , BUYSE TINE , SACKETT PAUL R.
Published: November 2005

This study proposes a framework for examining the effects of retaking tests in operational selection settings. A central feature of this framework is the distinction between within‐person and between‐person retest effects. This framework is used to develop hypotheses about retest effects for exemplars of 3 types of tests (knowledge tests, cognitive ability tests, and situational judgment tests) and to test these hypotheses in a high stakes selection setting (admission to medical studies in Belgium). Analyses of within‐person retest effects showed that mean scores of repeat test takers were one‐third of a standard deviation higher for the knowledge test and situational judgment test and one‐half of a standard deviation higher for the cognitive ability test. The validity coefficients for the knowledge test differed significantly depending on whether examinees' test scores on the first versus second administration were used, with the latter being more valid. Analyses of between‐person retest effects on the prediction of academic performance showed that the same test score led to higher levels of performance for those passing on the first attempt than for those passing on the second attempt. The implications of these results are discussed in light of extant retesting practice.
A META‐ANALYSIS OF WORK SAMPLE TEST VALIDITY: UPDATING AND INTEGRATING SOME CLASSIC LITERATURE
Authors: ROTH PHILIP L. , BOBKO PHILIP , McFARLAND LYNN A.
Published: November 2005

Work sample tests have been used in applied psychology for decades as important predictors of job performance, and they have been suggested to be among the most valid predictors of job performance. As we examined classic work sample literature, we found the narrative review by Asher and Sciarrino (1974) to be plagued by many methodological problems. Further, it is possible that data used in this study may have influenced the results (e.g., r= .54) reported by Hunter and Hunter in their seminal work in 1984. After integrating all of the relevant data, we found an observed mean correlation between work sample tests and measures of job performance of .26. This value increased to .33 when measures of job performance (e.g., supervisory ratings) were corrected for attenuation. Our results suggest that the level of the validity for work sample tests may not be as large as previously thought (i.e., approximately one third less than previously thought). Further, our work also summarizes the relationship of work sample exams to measures of general cognitive ability. We found that work sample tests were associated with an observed correlation of .32 with tests of general cognitive ability.
ENHANCING CAREER BENEFITS OF EMPLOYEE PROACTIVE PERSONALITY: THE ROLE OF FIT WITH JOBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Authors: ERDOGAN BERRIN , BAUER TALYA N.
Published: November 2005

Organizations increasingly expect employees to demonstrate proactive behaviors. We examined person–organization fit (P–O fit) and person–job fit (P–J fit) as moderators of the relationship between proactive personality and intrinsic career success (job and career satisfaction). We hypothesized that proactive personality would be related to intrinsic career success only to the extent that individuals had high fit with organizations and jobs. In Study 1, using a sample of 295 teachers and 139 of their peers working in 15 elementary and high schools in Turkey, we found that proactive personality was positively related to job satisfaction only for individuals with high P–O fit. Furthermore, proactive personality was positively related to career satisfaction only for individuals with high P–O fit and for individuals with high P–J fit. We replicated the findings for P–O fit as a moderator of personality with respect to job and career satisfaction in Study 2, using a sample of 203 university professors in the United States. We found no support in either sample for P–J fit as a moderator of proactive personality with respect to job satisfaction. In Study 2, we found that research productivity was related to proactive personality differentially for high and low P–J fit tenure‐track faculty members.
CONTENT OF TRANS C18:1 AND TRANS C18:2 ISOMERS AND CIS9TRANS11 C18:2 (CLA) IN FAT BLENDS
Authors: ŻEGARSKA Z. , PASZCZYK B. , BOREJSZO Z.
Published: November 2005

The content ofTrans C18:1,Trans C18:2 and cis9trans11 C18:2 (CLA) in the marketed fat blends was evaluated by capillary gas chromatography and silver thin‐layer chromatography. For comparison, the level of these acids was also determined in commercial butter, purchased at the same time. The content ofTrans C18:1 in fat blends showed that half of the examined products containedTrans C18:1 at 1.9–4.4%, while the other half contained 8.2–24.2%Trans fatty acids. The fat blends with a high total content ofTrans C18:1 were characterized by a high proportion ofTrans 6–8 andTrans 9 isomers. TheTrans 9 C18:1 in these products constituted 15.0–22.5% of the totalTrans C18:1. The level ofTrans C18:2 in fat blends examined ranged from 0.3 to 1.1%. Seven of the 18 tested fat blends contained, apart from cis‐trans andTrans‐cis C18:2, alsoTrans‐trans C18:2 in the 0.03–0.4% range. In all fat blends examined, CLA was present. The products with a low level ofTrans C18:1 contained CLA at 0.3–1.0%. The content of CLA in the fat blends with high level ofTrans C18:1 did not exceed 0.3%.
LIVER AND MUSCLE TISSUE FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF THE LIPID FRACTIONS OFDIPLODUS VULGARISFROM THE NORTH ADRIATIC SEA, CROATIA
Authors: VARLJEN JADRANKA , BATIČIĆ LARA , SINČIĆ‐MODRIĆ GORDANA , VARLJEN NEVEN , KAPOVIĆ MILJENKO
Published: November 2005

Liver and muscle tissue from two‐banded sea bream,Diplodus vulgaris, were analyzed. The total lipid content recorded was 1.1 ± 0.3% in the edible muscle tissue and 4.5 ± 1.0% in the liver. The fatty acid composition of triacylglycerols and polar (phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine) lipid fractions from the liver and muscle tissue were determined. The major fatty acids in both tissues were saturates: palmitic (20.8–43.4%) and stearic acids (6.3–33.7%); monounsaturates: oleic (10.0–33.6%) and palmitoleic acids (2.1–11.0%); and polyunsaturates: arachidonic (1.5–8.6%), docosatrienoic (0.8–11.6%), eicosapentaenoic (1.1–5.5%) and docosahexaenoic acids (1.5–9.9%). The liver contained more n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids compared with the muscle tissue. A statistically significant difference in the relative amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid was found in the phosphatidylethanolamine between muscle and liver tissue (P < 0.01). The relative ratio of docosahexaenoic acid was statistically significantly higher in liver triacylglycerols (P < 0.0005) and phosphatidylcholine (P < 0.05) compared with the muscle tissue.
MONOACYLGLYCEROL SYNTHESIS VIA ENZYMATIC GLYCEROLYSIS USING A SIMPLE AND EFFICIENT REACTION SYSTEM
Authors: YANG TIANKUI , REBSDORF MORTEN , ENGELRUD ULRIK , XU XUEBING
Published: November 2005

The production of monoacylglycerols (MAGs) via enzymatic glycerolysis in a simple and efficient operation was evaluated. The sunflower oil was used as the starting material to produce MAGs containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. Three commercial immobilized lipases, namely Lipozyme RM IM, Lipozyme TL IM and Novozym 435, were employed in a batch reaction system. Novozym 435 showed better properties in glycerolysis. The increased temperature and high glycerol/oil ratio had little effect on the yield of MAGs in such a system. The reaction in a packed bed reactor (PBR) gave lower yield of MAGs because of the insufficient contact between the oil and the glycerol in the continuous reactor. The low homogeneity in the enzymatic glycerolysis system was the obstacle to improve the MAG yield; thus, tert‐butanol was used in the reaction system. The equilibrium yield of up to 70% MAGs in the selected reaction system was easily obtained within 2 h in a simple batch reactor. The reaction in a PBR was also conducted in tert‐butanol medium with a conjugated linoleic acid oil. The MAG yield of 70% was also obtained with a residence time of only 30 min. The pressure drop of the system was less than 1 bar per m/h linear flow rate, indicating that the operation could be used in practical applications.
ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF ALMOND SEED EXTRACT AND ITS FRACTIONS
Authors: AMAROWICZ RYSZARD , TROSZYŃSKA AGNIESZKA , SHAHIDI FEREIDOON
Published: November 2005

Phenolic compounds were extracted from defatted almond seeds using 80% aqueous acetone. Crude extract was applied onto a Sephadex LH‐20 column. Fraction I consisting of low‐molecular‐weight phenolics was eluted from the column by ethanol. Fraction II consisting of tannins was obtained using water‐acetone (1:1, v/v) as the mobile phases. Phenolic compounds present in the crude extract and its fractions showed antioxidant and antiradical properties as revealed following studies using a β‐carotene‐linoleate model system, total antioxidant activity (TAA) method, 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reducing power evaluation. Results of these assays showed highest values when tannins (fraction II) were tested. For example, TAA of tannin fraction was 3.93 mmol Trolox/g, whereas the crude extract and fraction I showed values of only 0.24 and 0.09 μmol Trolox/mg, respectively. The content of total phenolics in fraction II was the highest (80.4 mg/g). The content of tannins in this fraction determined using the vanillin method and expressed as absorbance units at 500 nm per 1 g was 2436. The high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of almond seed crude extract showed the presence of phenolic compounds, namely vanillic, caffeic, p‐coumaric, ferulic acids (after basic hydrolysis), quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin (after acidic hydrolysis), delphinidin and cyanidin (after n‐butanol‐HCl hydrolysis) and procyanidin B2 and B3.
PREPARATION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF EPIGALLOCATECHIN GALLATE OCTADECANOATE
Authors: DU QIZHEN , SHEN LIANQING
Published: November 2005

To prepare a liposoluble antioxidant, the esterification reaction between octadecanoyl chloride and epigallocatechin‐3‐O‐gallate (EGCG) from green tea was conducted. The main reaction product, EGCG–octadecanoate (EGCGO), was isolated from the reaction mixture; and its antioxidant activity was assayed using 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and inhibition of peroxide formation in soybean oil. The solubility of EGCGO in soybean oil was 11.7 g/L. The relative antioxidant power of EGCGO was 78% of that of the EGCG's and 278% of that of the butylated hydroxytoluene's based on DPPH radical scavenging activity. The relative antioxidant activity was 2.4 times that of vitamin E's on the basis of inhibiting peroxide formation in soybean oil. The results show that it was feasible to prepare a liposoluble antioxidant through the esterification of EGCG.
Multiple Transatlantic Introductions of the Western Corn Rootworm
Authors: Miller Nicholas , Estoup Arnaud , Toepfer Stefan , Bourguet Denis , Lapchin Laurent , Derridj Sylvie , Kim Kyung Seok , Reynaud Philippe , Furlan Lorenzo , Guillemaud Thomas
Published: November 2005

The invasion of Europe by the western corn rootworm, North America's most destructive corn pest, is ongoing and represents a serious threat to European agriculture. Because this pest was initially introduced in Central Europe, it was believed that subsequent outbreaks in Western Europe originated from this area. Using model-based Bayesian analyses of the genetic variability of the western corn rootworm, we demonstrate that this belief is false: There have been at least three independent introductions from North America during the past two decades. This result raises questions about changing circumstances that have enabled a sudden burst of transatlantic introductions.
Transient Floral Change and Rapid Global Warming at the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary
Authors: Wing Scott L. , Harrington Guy J. , Smith Francesca A. , Bloch Jonathan I. , Boyer Douglas M. , Freeman Katherine H.
Published: November 2005

Rapid global warming of 5° to 10°C during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) coincided with major turnover in vertebrate faunas, but previous studies have found little floral change. Plant fossils discovered in Wyoming, United States, show that PETM floras were a mixture of native and migrant lineages and that plant range shifts were large and rapid (occurring within 10,000 years). Floral composition and leaf shape and size suggest that climate warmed by ∼5°C during the PETM and that precipitation was low early in the event and increased later. Floral response to warming and/or increased atmospheric CO
2
during the PETM was comparable in rate and magnitude to that seen in postglacial floras and to the predicted effects of anthropogenic carbon release and climate change on future vegetation.
Obestatin, a Peptide Encoded by the Ghrelin Gene, Opposes Ghrelin's Effects on Food Intake
Authors: Zhang Jian V. , Ren Pei-Gen , Avsian-Kretchmer Orna , Luo Ching-Wei , Rauch Rami , Klein Cynthia , Hsueh Aaron J. W.
Published: November 2005

Ghrelin, a circulating appetite-inducing hormone, is derived from a prohormone by posttranslational processing. On the basis of the bioinformatic prediction that another peptide also derived from proghrelin exists, we isolated a hormone from rat stomach and named it obestatin—a contraction of obese, from the Latin “obedere,” meaning to devour, and “statin,” denoting suppression. Contrary to the appetite-stimulating effects of ghrelin, treatment of rats with obestatin suppressed food intake, inhibited jejunal contraction, and decreased body-weight gain. Obestatin bound to the orphan G protein–coupled receptor GPR39. Thus, two peptide hormones with opposing action in weight regulation are derived from the same ghrelin gene. After differential modification, these hormones activate distinct receptors.
Photosynthetic O
2
Formation Tracked by Time-Resolved X-ray Experiments
Authors: Haumann M. , Liebisch P. , Müller C. , Barra M. , Grabolle M. , Dau H.
Published: November 2005

Plants and cyanobacteria produce atmospheric dioxygen from water, powered by sunlight and catalyzed by a manganese complex in photosystem II. A classic S-cycle model for oxygen evolution involves five states, but only four have been identified. The missing S
4
state is particularly important because it is directly involved in dioxygen formation. Now progress comes from an x-ray technique that can monitor redox and structural changes in metal centers in real time with 10-microsecond resolution. We show that in the O
2
-formation step, an intermediate is formed—the enigmatic S
4
state. Its creation is identified with a deprotonation process rather than the expected electron-transfer mechanism. Subsequent electron transfer would give an additional S
4
′ state, thus extending the fundamental S-state cycle of dioxygen formation.
Structural Observation of the Primary Isomerization in Vision with Femtosecond-Stimulated Raman
Authors: Kukura Philipp , McCamant David W. , Yoon Sangwoon , Wandschneider Daniel B. , Mathies Richard A.
Published: November 2005

The primary event that initiates vision is the light-induced 11-cis to all-trans isomerization of retinal in the visual pigment rhodopsin. Despite decades of study with the traditional tools of chemical reaction dynamics, both the timing and nature of the atomic motions that lead to photoproduct production remain unknown. We used femtosecond-stimulated Raman spectroscopy to obtain time-resolved vibrational spectra of the molecular structures formed along the reaction coordinate. The spectral evolution of the vibrational features from 200 femtoseconds to 1 picosecond after photon absorption reveals the temporal sequencing of the geometric changes in the retinal backbone that activate this receptor.