bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of T‐cell receptor Vβ haplotypes on the development of dermatitis in DS‐Nh mice: synergistic production of interleukin‐13 caused by staphylococcal enterotoxin C and peptide glycans from Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Yoshioka Takeshi , Imura Kinichi , Hikita Ichiro , Hirasawa Tsutomu , Sakata Tsuneaki , Matsutani Takaji , Horikawa Tatsuya , Arimura Akinori
Published: February 2007

Although the pathogenic role of interleukin‐13 (IL‐13) is a key for atopic dermatitis (AD), the mechanism of IL‐13 production in AD remains unclear. To investigate the role of the T‐cell receptor Vβ (TCR Vβ) haplotype in the development of dermatitis and the production of IL‐13 in the naturally occurring dermatitis model by staphylococcal enterotoxin C (SEC)‐producing Staphylococcus aureus, we raised DS‐Nh mice harbouring the TCR Vβa haplotype with a central deletion in the TCRBV gene segments, including TCR Vβ8S2. Observation and histopathological analysis of the two mouse substrains with spontaneous dermatitis indicated that later onset and weaker severity of AD‐like dermatitis were identified in mice with TCR Vβa compared to those with TCR Vβb. Immunohistochemical examination revealed the infiltration of a large number of CD4‐bearing T cells in the skin lesions in mice with TCR Vβb but not in those with TCR Vβa. Interestingly, much lower levels of serum IL‐13 were detected in mice with the TCR Vβa than in those with the TCR Vβb haplotype. In vitro, synthetic ligands (Pam2CSK4) of toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2) synergistically produced IL‐13 with SEC in splenocytes of mice with TCR Vβb but not of those with TCR Vβa, and natural killer T cells were essential for this synergism. Our findings suggested that this TCR Vβ‐haplotype‐dependent synergism with TLR2 plays an important role in the development of AD‐like dermatitis in DS‐Nh mice.
First combined electron backscatter diffraction and transmission electron microscopy study of grain boundary structure of deformed quartzite
Authors: SHIGEMATSU N. , PRIOR D. J. , WHEELER J.
Published: February 2007

The structures of boundaries in a deformed and dynamically recovered and recrystallized quartz polycrystal (mylonite) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, after the misorientation angles across the same grain boundaries had been analysed using electron backscatter diffraction in a scanning electron microscope. In this new approach, a specific sample area is mapped with electron backscatter diffraction, and the mapped area is then attached to a foil, and by the ion beam thinned for transmission electron microscopy analysis. Dislocations in grain boundaries were recognized as periodic and parallel fringes. The fringes associated with dislocations are observed in boundaries with misorientations less than 9°, whereas such fringes cannot be seen in the boundaries with misorientations larger than 17°. Some boundaries with misorientations between 9° and 17° generally have no structures associated with dislocation. One segment of a boundary with a misorientation of 13.5° has structures associated with dislocations. It is likely that the transition from low‐angle to high‐angle boundaries occurs at misorientations ranging from approximately 9° to 14°. Change in the grain boundary structure presumably influences the mobility of the boundaries. In the studied deformed quartz vein, a relative dearth of boundaries between misorientation angles of θ = 2° and θ = 15° has previously been reported, and high‐angle boundaries form cusps where they intersect low‐angle boundaries, suggesting substantial mobility of high‐angle boundaries.
Digital image processing as a tool to monitor biomass growth in Aspergillus niger 3T5B8 solid‐state fermentation: preliminary results
Authors: COURI S. , MERCÊS E. P. , NEVES B. C. V. , SENNA L. F.
Published: February 2007

The estimation of biomass is an essential parameter for controlling fermentation processes. However, monitoring biomass growth in filamentous fungi solid‐state fermentation is laborious. The aim of this study was to provide a better insight into the monitoring of biomass growth in Aspergillus niger 3T5B8 solid‐state fermentation using a digital image‐processing technique. The images were acquired with a stereomicroscope and a digital camera, and processed using KS400 software. Growth was evaluated every 24 h for 5 days, and quantified as the total area occupied by the hyphae. The correlation between the results of the proposed methodology and the polygalacturonase data was greater than 0.9, showing that a direct and linear relationship can be expected among these parameters. This work indicates that the digital processing technique can be used for indirect biomass estimation in a solid‐state fermentation process.
Regulation of superoxide dismutase expression by copper availability
Authors: Cohu Christopher M. , Pilon Marinus
Published: February 2007

The most abundant copper proteins in green tissues are plastocyanin (PC) in thylakoids and copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD) of which the major isoforms are found in the cytosol and in the chloroplast stroma. An iron superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) can also be found in the stroma. The expression of superoxide dismutases (SODs) has been studied mainly in the context of abiotic stress. However, the availability of metal cofactors may also determine SOD expression patterns. Indeed, in Arabidopsis thaliana, Cu/ZnSOD enzymes were only expressed when copper was sufficient. This observation was made for plants grown on sucrose‐containing tissue culture media and regulation of SOD expression by copper has not been tested for other species. To investigate the effect of copper on SOD expression, we used a hydroponic set‐up in which plants grew without any evident stress symptoms. We observed that A. thaliana, Brassica juncea, Lycopersicum lycopersicum, Zea mays and Oryza sativa, downregulated Cu/ZnSOD in response to copper limitation. Under this condition, FeSOD expression was upregulated to replace Cu/ZnSOD in the stroma in all plants except Z. mays, in which FeSOD was not detectable. Copper limitation did not affect PC accumulation in any of the plants except Z. mays. Comparisons of leaf copper contents and SOD expression suggest that Cu/ZnSOD and FeSOD expression levels are good indicators of impending copper deficiency. Plants that downregulate Cu/ZnSOD and upregulate FeSOD under copper limitation can maintain superoxide scavenging and save copper for use in PC, which is essential for photosynthesis.
Partitioning of excitation energy in two wheat cultivars with different grain protein contents grown under three nitrogen applications in the field
Authors: Li Peng‐Min , Cai Rui‐Guo , Gao Hui‐Yuan , Peng Tao , Wang Zhen‐Lin
Published: February 2007

Influences of different nitrogen applications on photosynthesis and utilization of excitation energy were explored by comparing two field‐grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars with high or low grain protein content [High protein cultivar ‘8901’ (HC) and low protein cultivar ‘1391’ (LC)]. High nitrogen application significantly decreased both CO2 assimilation and photorespiration in both cultivars during the early stages after anthesis. However, the actual photosystem II (PSII) efficiency (ФPSII) was not significantly different between high, moderate and low nitrogen applications in the HC. As a result, the ratio of ФPSII to the quantum yield of carbon metabolism (ΦCO2) measured under non‐photorespiratory conditions in the HC was higher under high nitrogen application than under low or medium nitrogen application. The grain protein content of the HC was also increased by high nitrogen application. In contrast, high nitrogen application decreased the actual PSII efficiency in the flag leaves of the LC in the early stages after anthesis and different nitrogen applications did not significantly alter the ФPSII/ΦCO2 ratio or grain protein content in the LC. No significant difference was detected in the activity of superoxide dismutase or ascrobate peroxidase between different nitrogen treatments in either cultivar throughout the entire experimental period. These results indicate that more excitation energy is partitioned to nitrogen metabolism in the flag leaves of the HC under high nitrogen application whereas the partitioning of excitation energy in the LC was not affected by nitrogen application.
A combination of fentanyl‐midazolam‐propofol provides better intubating conditions than fentanyl‐lignocaine‐propofol in the absence of neuromuscular blocking agents
Authors: Prakash S. , Arora D. , Prakash S. , Bhartiya V. , Singh R.
Published: February 2007

Background:  The use of propofol and adjuvants such as opioids, benzodiazepines and local anaesthetic agents, may provide adequate conditions for tracheal intubation without the need for neuromuscular blocking agents. In this randomized, double‐blind study, intubating conditions after induction of anaesthesia with propofol, midazolam and fentanyl were compared with those after propofol, lignocaine and fentanyl.

Methods:  In 80 ASA I/II adult patients undergoing elective gynaecological surgery, intubating conditions were compared after induction of anaesthesia with a fentanyl 2 μg/kg, midazolam 0.03 mg/kg, propofol 2.5 mg/kg combination (group FMP) vs. a fentanyl 2 μg/kg, lignocaine 1.5 mg/kg, propofol 2.5 mg/kg combination (group FLP). Intubating conditions were assessed using a qualitative scoring system.

Results:  Intubation was successful in all patients in group FMP and in 87.5% of patients in group FLP; (P= 0.021). Overall, intubating conditions were clinically acceptable in 77.5% and 55% of patients in group FMP and group FLP, respectively (P= 0.033).

Conclusion:  We conclude that the fentanyl, midazolam, propofol combination more reliably provides acceptable conditions for intubation than the fentanyl, lignocaine, propofol combination. Intubation was successful in all patients receiving the fentanyl, midazolam, propofol combination.
Quality assessment of sedation in intensive care
Authors: Tallgren M. , Pettilä V. , Hynninen M.
Published: February 2007

Background:  In the intensive care unit (ICU), analgesia and sedation are used to improve the comfort and safety of patients undergoing intensive care therapies. However, continuous administration of sedatives prolongs the time on mechanical ventilation and ICU stay. These adverse effects can be reduced by clear definition of the goals of sedation combined with a sedation protocol.

Methods:  The adherence to the local sedation guideline of a university affiliated ICU was monitored prospectively before and after intervention: reinforcement of the guideline. The primary endpoints of the study were the occurrence of daily interruption or tapering of sedation and achievement of the target Ramsay scale level (days: 2–3, nights: 3–4) according to the guideline.

Results:  Comparing sedation before and after the intervention (166 and 170 ICU days), no significant differences were observed in the occurrence of daily interruption or tapering of sedatives, 94/129 (73%) vs. 109/139 (78%) of sedation days, nor in the Ramsay scale level during the day, 4 (3–5) vs. 4 (3–5), or in the night, 5 (4–5) vs. 5 (4–5), respectively. After the intervention, Ramsay scale recordings were made more frequently, 280/398 (70%) vs. 234/380 (62%) of the nurses’ shifts (P <  0.01).

Conclusion:  Adherence to the local sedation guideline was not high, and no significant change was seen after this simple intervention. Continuous education and discussion on the desirable and undesirable effects of sedation, followed by multidisciplinary re‐evaluation of the current guideline, are due in our unit.
Risk factors for failure to extend labor epidural analgesia to epidural anesthesia for Cesarean section
Authors: Orbach‐Zinger S. , Friedman L. , Avramovich A. , Ilgiaeva N. , Orvieto R. , Sulkes J. , Eidelman L. A.
Published: February 2007

Objective:  To identify parturients at risk of inability to extend labor epidural analgesia in whom alternative methods of anesthesia should be considered for Cesarean section (CS).

Methods:  For 6 months, we prospectively studied women undergoing a CS with a functioning epidural catheter in place from the delivery ward. All parturients received the same epidural protocol: bolus of bupivacaine 0.1% and fentanyl, then bupivacaine 0.1% and fentanyl (2 μg/ml) 10–15 ml/h and an additional 5 ml of bupivacaine 0.125% top‐ups according to patient request. Sixteen millilitres of lidocaine 2%, 1 ml of bicarbonate, and 100 μg of fentanyl were given for CS. Failed epidural analgesia was defined as the need to convert to general anesthesia.

Results:  Of the 101 parturients studied, 20 (19.8%) required conversion to general anesthesia. In univariate analysis, the likelihood of failed epidural anesthesia was inversely correlated with parturient’s age (P = 0.014) and directly correlated with pre‐pregnancy weight (P = 0.019), weight at the end of pregnancy (P = 0.003), body mass index (BMI) at the end of pregnancy (P = 0.0004), gestational week (P = 0.008), number of top‐ups (P = 0.0004) and visual analog scale (VAS) 2 h before CS (P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, the number of top‐ups in the delivery ward was the best predictor of epidural anesthesia failure (odds ratio 4.39, P = 0.005).

Conclusion:  Younger, more obese parturients at a higher gestational week, requiring more top‐ups during labor, having a higher VAS in the 2 h before CS are at risk of inability to extend labor epidural analgesia to epidural anesthesia for CS.
Propofol, more than halothane, depresses electroencephalographic activation resulting from electrical stimulation in reticular formation
Authors: Antognini J. F. , Bravo E. , Atherley R. , Carstens E.
Published: February 2007

Background:  Halothane and propofol depress the central nervous system, and this is partly manifested by a decrease in electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. Little work has been performed to determine the differences between these anesthetics with regard to their effects on evoked EEG activity. We examined the effects of halothane and propofol on EEG responses to electrical stimulation of the reticular formation.

Methods:  Rats (n= 12) were anesthetized with either halothane or propofol, and EEG responses were recorded before and after electrical stimulation of the reticular formation. Two anesthetic concentrations were used (0.8 and 1.2 times the amount needed to prevent gross, purposeful movement in response to supramaximal noxious stimulation), and both anesthetics were studied in each rat using a cross‐over design.

Results:  Electrical stimulation in the reticular formation increased the spectral edge (SEF) and median edge (MEF) frequencies by approximately 1–2 Hz during halothane anesthesia at low and high concentrations. During propofol anesthesia, MEF increased at the low propofol infusion rate, but SEF was unaffected. At the high propofol infusion rate, SEF and MEF decreased following electrical stimulation in the reticular formation.

Conclusions:  At immobilizing concentrations, propofol produces a larger decrease than halothane in EEG responses to reticular formation stimulation, consistent with propofol having a more profound depressant effect on cortical and subcortical structures.
Intravenous glucose–insulin–potassium during off‐pump coronary artery bypass surgery does not reduce myocardial injury
Authors: Shim Y. H. , Kweon T. D. , Lee J. H. , Nam S. B. , Kwak Y. L.
Published: February 2007

Background:  This randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study was designed to determine whether an intra‐operative, intravenous infusion of glucose–insulin–potassium (GIK) could be helpful in the prevention of myocardial ischemia and in the maintenance of intra‐operative cardiac performance in patients undergoing off‐pump coronary artery bypass (OP‐CAB) surgery.

Methods:  Eighty two adults undergoing elective OP‐CAB surgery were randomly divided into two groups that received intravenously either 5% dextrose in water or GIK (50% dextrose in 500 ml of water; regular insulin, 125 IU; potassium, 80 mmol) at 0.75 ml/kg/h immediately before the induction of anesthesia to the end of surgery. To evaluate myocardial damage, creatine kinase MB and troponin T were measured before surgery, immediately after arrival in the intensive care unit and on the first post‐operative day. To assess cardiac performance, hemodynamic data were obtained before and after the induction of anesthesia, before and after the bypass graft and after sternal closure. Blood glucose was measured at the same time.

Results:  There was no significant difference in cardiac enzymes, hemodynamic parameters and blood glucose between the two groups. The use of vasoactive, inotropic and/or anti‐arrhythmic agents, insulin and supplemental glucose was not significantly different between the groups.

Conclusion:  The results suggest that the intravenous administration of GIK during OP‐CAB surgery neither reduces myocardial damage nor improves intra‐operative cardiac performance in patients without contractile dysfunction.
The Costs of Confronting Infanticidal Intruders in a Burying Beetle
Authors: Trumbo Stephen T. , Valletta Richard C.
Published: February 2007

Infanticide by unrelated adults is a complex behavior in burying beetles (Nicrophorus spp.) serving multiple functions (resource competition, access to mates, cannibalism). The costs of confronting an infanticidal intruder are likely to vary with context. To assess these costs for a single female parent (Nicrophorus pustulatus), we systematically manipulated the sex of a conspecific intruder and the timing of the intrusion. Male intruders were a greater takeover threat than female intruders, and infanticidal takeovers were more common earlier in the breeding cycle. Even though a male intruder posed a greater threat to the brood, a female intruder was a greater threat to the reproductive success of the resident female. Female intruders that took over a carcass excluded the resident female from the resource. When a male intruder took over a carcass, the resident female was able to recover much of her loss by producing a replacement brood. Even when females successfully defended their broods, they suffered decreased reproductive output relative to control females that never had to confront an intruder (expt 1), but the mechanisms underlying this cost were unclear. To test the hypothesis that defeated female intruders attempt to parasitize late‐stage broods, female intruders whose eggs could be identified by a fat‐soluble dye were introduced to resident females caring for larvae (expt 2). Fifteen of 20 intruders oviposited eggs and the number of eggs were related to intrusion pressure. Because resident females rarely produced eggs while caring for larvae, it is uncertain whether the behavior of the defeated female should be characterized as brood parasitism, a failed takeover attempt, or an attempt to use the remains of the depleted resource. This study provides the most complete picture of the changing costs of confronting an infanticidal threat throughout the vulnerable period of offspring development.
Magnetic Compass Orientation in Larval Iberian Green Frogs, Pelophylax Perezi
Authors: Diego‐Rasilla Francisco J. , Phillips John B.
Published: February 2007

Experiments were carried out to investigate whether Iberian green frog tadpoles Pelophylax perezi (formerly Rana perezi) are able of using the geomagnetic field for y‐axis orientation (i.e. orientation toward and away from shore). Tadpoles were trained outdoor for 5 d, in two different training configurations: (i) a training tank aligned along the magnetic north–south axis, with shore facing south, and (ii) a training tank aligned along the magnetic east–west axis, with shore located east, and similar to the shore–deep water axis (‘y‐axis’) found in their home stream, which flows from south to north. After training, tadpoles were individually tested for magnetic orientation in a water‐filled circular outdoor arena surrounded by a pair of orthogonally aligned cube‐surface‐coils used to alter the alignment of the earth's magnetic field. Tadpoles held in the east–west training tank oriented towards shore, indicating that they were able to distinguish between the shoreward and waterward direction along the y‐axis. Tadpoles trained in the tank that was aligned along the north–south axis showed bimodal magnetic compass orientation along the shore–deep water magnetic axis. These findings provide evidence for the use of magnetic compass cues for y‐axis orientation by P. perezi tadpoles.
Threat‐Related Acoustical Differences in Alarm Calls by Wild Bonnet Macaques (Macaca radiata) Elicited by Python and Leopard Models
Authors: Coss Richard G. , McCowan Brenda , Ramakrishnan Uma
Published: February 2007

Wild and urban bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) were studied in southern India to record alarm calls during presentations of realistic models of spotted and dark leopards (Panthera pardus) and an Indian python (Python molurus). Recordings of alarm calls were made from members of four forest troops at feeding stations who observed brief and prolonged presentations of fully exposed spotted and dark leopard morphs and partially concealed views of the spotted morph. Four different forest troops were presented a slowly moving python near feeding stations. Two predator‐inexperienced urban troops from the city of Bangalore were presented either the spotted leopard morph briefly or the python. Analyses of alarm calls revealed differences in acoustic structure, such as a lower harmonic to noise ratio, which can be interpreted as reflecting the level of perceived threat rather than predator type. Noisy alarm calls likely indicate high states of physiological arousal that might provide eavesdropping troop members with information useful for assessing the urgency of the predatory threat. Lack of alarm‐call distinctiveness characterizing predator type is complemented by explicit contextual information in which alarm calling to leopards never occurred on the ground whereas nearly all initial python‐elicited alarm calls were made by individuals on the ground monitoring the python. The alarm calls of Bangalore monkeys distinguished the leopard and python models, with the latter engendering the noisiest calls and immediate flight to trees. Such flight is unnecessary with the python and suggests that, without appropriate experience with pythons, bonnet macaques adopt less predator specific refuge‐seeking behavior.
Independence of Evoked Vocal Responses from Stimulus Direction in Burrowing Frogs Eupsophus (Leptodactylidae)
Authors: Penna Mario , Quispe Maricel
Published: February 2007

Localization of a sound source is important for animals in mating contexts: females generally orient towards signalling males, and males can estimate the position and quality of potential rivals. In anurans, the effect of sound direction on evoked vocal responses has been studied in males of Rana catesbeiana, which alter their vocal responses depending on the location of the stimulus. The current study explored the effects of sound direction in Eupsophus calcaratus, a frog that calls from inside burrows having resonance that would hinder the localization of incoming sounds. The vocal responses of 11 males to synthetic imitations of the conspecific advertisement call broadcast from loudspeakers positioned in front, to the right and left from the burrow openings were similar in terms of call rate, duration and latency. The invariance of the vocal responses indicates that for burrowing male frogs engaged in chorusing behaviour, the specific location of an opponent does not alter the persistence of vocal activity.
The role of IGF‐I and its binding proteins in the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Authors: Ezzat Vivienne A. , Duncan Edward R. , Wheatcroft Stephen B. , Kearney Mark T.
Published: February 2007

Patients with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes have an excessive risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); this increased risk is not fully explained by traditional risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidaemias. There is now compelling evidence to suggest that abnormalities of insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) and one of its binding proteins, insulin‐like growth factor‐binding protein‐1 (IGFBP‐1), occur in insulin‐resistant states and may be significant factors in the pathophysiology of CVD. We reviewed articles and relevant bibliographies following a systematic search of MEDLINE for English language articles between 1966 and the present, using an initial search strategy combining the MeSH terms: IGF, diabetes and CVD. Our aim was first to review the role of IGF‐I in vascular homeostasis and to explore the mechanisms by which it may exert its effects. We also present an overview of the physiology of the IGF‐binding proteins, and finally, we sought to summarize the evidence to date describing the changes in the insulin/IGF‐I/IGFBP‐1 axis that occur in type 2 diabetes and CVD; in particular, we have focused on the potential vasculoprotective effects of both IGF‐I and IGFBP‐1. We conclude that this system represents an interesting and novel therapeutic target in the prevention of CVD in type 2 diabetes.
The Further Re‐regulation of Farming Employment Relations in New Zealand
Authors: Tipples Rupert
Published: February 2007

This article extends the analysis of employment relations in New Zealand agriculture, begun in this journal in 1987, with a look backwards into how employment had developed from colonisation in the nineteenth century. That was extended by a further article in 1995, which considered the changes in employment relations that had followed the profound restructuring of the agricultural industries from 1984. Since 1995 there have been further profound changes but this time in New Zealand's parliamentary arrangements, following the introduction of the German proportional representation system of voting for the 1996 General Election. Subsequently governments have been coalitions and legislation has had to be less extreme. The Employment Contracts Act, 1991 has been replaced by the Employment Relations Act, 2000. High unemployment has been replaced by the lowest levels experienced in 30 years. The largest changes to affect the industries' employment relations, it is argued, are those brought about by the globalisation of agricultural supply chains and the changed labour market. Supermarket chains require not only quality‐assured produce to avoid risks to customers' health and safety, but also that food contracted is produced by properly trained, rewarded and satisfied staff. Thus, by a strange quirk, supermarkets in the vanguard of food capitalism may achieve more for improvements in agricultural employment than successive government policies have struggled to do.
The sigmatic future and the Genetic Affiliation of Venetic: Latin faxō‘I shall make’ and Venetic vha.g.s.to‘he made’1
Authors: Cirilo de Melo Wolfgang David
Published: February 2007

Latin has a so‐called sigmatic future faxō‘I shall make’. Scholars are divided as to the origins and antiquity of faxō; some believe it to go back to desideratives, others to aorists, and some argue that the formation arose within Latin, others that it can be traced back to Proto‐Italic. Closely connected with these problems are the questions whether Venetic is an Italic language and whether its past (‘aorist’) tense vha.g.s.to‘he made’ is related to faxō. I intend to show that faxō is based on inherited s‐aorists, not on desideratives, that the formation arose late, within Latin itself rather than within Proto‐Italic, and that there was never a past indicative beside it. Because of the last two reasons, vha.g.s.to must be independent of faxō. Venetic may still be an Italic language, but the form vha.g.s.to cannot be used as an argument in favour of such a connection.
Power dynamics and legal English
Authors: FRADE CELINA
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT:  English is tacitly accepted as the world language in various areas of international activities. Likewise, legal English, the language of the common law, is the lingua franca of international commercial and legal transactions by means of contracts. Within the present globalized scenario, there has been a reordering of power dynamics in the relationship of world Englishes parties towards a more symmetrical and cooperative type. This paper critically discusses power dynamics in legal English in world Englishes in the light of new trends in the international petroleum business. Qualitative research was conducted contrasting a former concessionaire contract dated 1934 and modern petroleum contracts dated after the 1950s. The conclusion is that the new texturing resulting from changes in the real world is not integrally reflected in the legal English of petroleum contracts.
Japanese working women and English study abroad
Authors: KOBAYASHI YOKO
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT:  This small‐scale interpretive study explores Japanese young women who quit decent jobs and invest large amounts of money to travel and study in Canadian English language programmes for substantial lengths of time without future plans of career advancement through their overseas learning experience. The first part of the study explicates the Japanese societal and corporate culture, where those women come from and plan to return, and suggests that the supposed beneficial effects of TOEIC, English skills and overseas study experience on professional opportunities are implicitly restricted to the prospective and current managerial staff, predominantly men, who are already in good standing regardless of their English levels. In‐depth interviews were conducted with three formerly employed women, complemented by descriptive statistics on another 22 women who responded to a questionnaire. This study demonstrates that the contextualized perspective of those women allows for a better understanding of the surface contradiction between the informants' decision to quit jobs and current commitment to overseas study, on the one hand, and on the other their low motivation for autonomous long‐term English study in the past and in the future, current beginner‐level English proficiency, and limited expectations for professional advancement through overseas study experience upon return home.
Introduction: Remembering the Religious History of A. E. (Tony) Cahill (1933–2004) and Patrick O’Farrell (1933–2003)
Authors: CAREY HILARY M.
Published: February 2007

This article provides an introduction to a special issue of the Journal of Religious History on the theme religion and memory based on papers presented at the 20th International Congress of Historical Sciences held at the University of New South Wales, Sydney in July 2005. The special issue was prepared as a memorial tribute to the Australian historians Tony Cahill (1933–2004) and Patrick O’Farrell (1933–2003). Patrick O’Farrell made significant contributions to the histories of Ireland, Irish Australia, migration, place and memory. Tony Cahill was a former editor of the Journal of Religious History who published a number of biographical studies of the Irish‐born Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Francis Moran (1830–1911). The introduction provides a review summary of the published work of Patrick O’Farrell and brief notes about the seven articles which make up the special issue. The Appendix includes a full bibliography of the published writing of Patrick O’Farrell.
Patrick O’Farrell: An Expanded Memory
Authors: CAMPION EDMUND
Published: February 2007

This paper provides an analysis of the contribution to the Catholic history of Australia by Patrick O’Farrell. Eschewing footnotes, like O’Farrell himself, Campion considers the changes of tone, emphasis, and content which enrich the new editions of the history, from its first appearance in 1968 through subsequent rewriting in 1977, 1985, and 1992. It is argued that O’Farrell responded to the transformation of the Catholic world in the intervening decades but also to new research in Australian Catholic historiography, much of which he was responsible for fostering.
The Vanished Kingdoms of Patrick O’Farrell: Religion, Memory and Migration in Religious History
Authors: CAREY HILARY M.
Published: February 2007

This article considers the place of religion and memory in the history of religious immigration to Australia. It begins with a discussion of the work of Patrick O’Farrell and his family memoir, Vanished Kingdoms and its evocation of family, place, and religion in New Zealand and Australia. It reviews recent writing on collective memory by the religious sociologist Danièle Hervieu‐Léger, theologian Paul Ricoeur, and the Australian historian Peter Read, raising possibilities for the analysis of sources relating to the memory cultures of migrants to Australia in the nineteenth century. This article takes a small sample of testimonies from the letters of Irish migrants, including those edited by Patrick O’Farrell, and the speeches and correspondence of some members of the higher clergy and concludes with some speculation about the way in which migrants to Australia forged the chains of memory that constitute their religious communities.
ARE MENTAL STATE WELFARISM AND OUR CONCERN FOR NON‐EXPERIENTIAL GOALS INCOMPATIBLE?
Authors: RIVERA‐LÓPEZ EDUARDO
Published: February 2007

Abstract:  The question I address in this paper is whether there is a version of mental state welfarism that can be coherent with the thesis that we have a legitimate concern for non‐experiential goals. If there is not, then we should reject mental state welfarism. My thesis is that there is such a version. My argument relies on the distinction between “reality‐centered desires” and “experience‐centered desires”. Mental state welfarism can accommodate our reality‐centered desires and our desire that they be objectively satisfied. My general strategy is, at the level of the value theory, somewhat analogous to the strategy that indirect consequentialism applies at the level of moral obligation theory. To test my argument, I appeal to Nozick's well‐known example of the Experience Machine.
Stuck in the Slow Lane: Reconceptualizing the Links between Gender, Transport and Employment
Authors: Dobbs Lynn
Published: February 2007

This article draws on primary research undertaken in the North East of England to explore the way in which inequalities in access to transport resources impact on women’s opportunities to enter the public domain of paid work. It advances the idea of spatiality as a social construction and, building on previous studies, it explores the way in which a gender division of transport operating in the home and at work limits women’s access to temporal, financial and personal and geographic travel resources; ultimately constraining women’s mobility and restricting their employment opportunities. Finally, the article will argue that, although some women can achieve ‘masculine’ levels of transport resources, the majority of women are stuck in the slow lane and their mobility deprivation often confines them to the private world of the family, or alternatively, to part‐time, low paid work on the periphery of the labour market. This leads to the conclusion that there is an urgent need to provide women with a range of mobility choices which enhance their access to the labour market and to challenge the socially constructed processes which underpin the discrimination women face when accessing the world of paid employment.
Managed activism: two union organising campaigns in the not‐for‐profit sector
Authors: Simms Melanie
Published: February 2007

Two union recognition campaigns are contrasted: one focusing on developing workplace activism but with little sectoral focus (a ‘bottom‐up’ campaign), and the other with a sectoral strategy and less emphasis on workplace campaigning (a ‘top‐down’ campaign). The outcomes indicate the need for approaches, which allow both a strong workplace activism and a clear sectoral strategy as both the ‘top‐down’ and ‘bottom‐up’ strategies present difficulties. Although there are positive outcomes in both campaigns, the cases show that unions seeking to represent the interests of previously unorganised groups of workers need influence at both the sectoral and workplace levels if they are to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Taking an inclusive turn
Authors: Ainscow Mel
Published: February 2007

This special edition of the journal focuses on what is, arguably, the biggest challenge facing education systems, that of developing practices that will reach out to those learners who are failed by existing arrangements. Specifically, the papers look at ways of using the views of stakeholders in order to move schools and other centres of learning in a more inclusive direction.

My own contribution is to provide an overall context for the ideas presented by the authors. I do this by first reflecting on what inclusion in education means and then outlining my own thoughts on what research suggests about strategies for moving thinking and practice forward. This leads me to stress the importance of evidence as a ‘lever for change’ (Ainscow, 2005, p. 111).
Visual narrative: a technique to enhance secondary students’ contribution to the development of inclusive, socially just school environments – lessons from a box of crayons
Authors: Carrington Suzanne , Allen Kate , Osmolowski Daniel
Published: February 2007

This paper reports on a project that involved Australian secondary school students working as participatory researchers in collaboration with a researcher and two teachers. Research methodology using visual narrative techniques provided the students with a conceptual lens to view their school community. The examples of visual narrative shared in this presentation depict problems, contradictions of exclusion and celebrations of inclusion in the lived world of the students. Photographs combined with narratives represent students’ views of their social, cultural and political environment. This project illustrates how the insights of students can help break down assumptions, values and meanings that block progress to achieving more socially just schools.
Scaling of lactate threshold by peak oxygen uptake and by fat‐free mass0·67
Authors: Davis James A. , Storer Thomas W. , Caiozzo Vincent J. , Pham Patrick H.
Published: February 2007

The lactate threshold (LT) represents the onset of metabolic acidosis during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). It is measured as a O2 in the units of ml min−1. In order to make comparisons among subjects, LT is often scaled or normalized by O2 peak resulting in the LT/O2 peak ratio. Ratio variables have underlying assumptions. One assumption is that the relationship between the numerator and denominator is linear with a zero y‐intercept. If the relationship has a positive y‐intercept, then the ratio will decrease with increasing values of the scaling variable thereby penalizing subjects with larger values of the scaling variable. Our purpose was to examine the validity of scaling LT by O2 peak and by fat‐free mass raised to 0·67 power (FFM0·67) as dimensional analysis predicts that LT is proportional to FFM0·67. Cycle ergometer CPET was administered to 204 healthy, sedentary subjects (103 males) to the limit of tolerance. Lactate threshold was estimated noninvasively using the V‐slope technique. Fat‐free mass was assessed by skinfolds. The relationship of LT versus O2 peak was linear with a positive y‐intercept for both sexes. Consequently, the LT/O2 peak ratio decreased as O2 peak increased for both sexes. The relationship of LT versus FFM0·67was linear with a zero y‐intercept for both sexes. Consequently, the plot of the LT/FFM0·67 ratio versus FFM resulted in a straight line with a slope of zero for both sexes. The results of this study support the conclusion that FFM0·67, but not O2 peak, is a valid scaling variable for LT.
Factors affecting the three‐dimensional distribution of exogenous zinc in a sandy Luvisol subjected to intensive irrigation with raw wastewaters
Authors: Dère C. , Cornu S. , Lamy I.
Published: February 2007

Massive volumes of raw wastewater have been spread on sandy Luvisols in the Paris region since 1899, causing major soil contamination with metallic trace elements (MTE). To identify the factors influencing the vertical and horizontal redistribution of MTE at the plot scale, a study was carried out of the three‐dimensional distribution of zinc. The background and exogenous fractions of zinc in the contaminated soil were discriminated using correlations between zinc and iron defined from unpolluted soils of the area. At the surface, the spatial distribution of zinc is determined by the geometry of the irrigation system and the terrain topography. The highest concentrations are observed near the irrigation outlets and in areas of very slight slope. The exogenous zinc has migrated down to the base of the studied solums (1 m depth), and its subsurface distribution depends upon the physico‐chemical properties of the horizons. In the E horizon, the trapping of exogenous zinc is governed by the number of available reactive sites, whereas in the Bt horizon it is a function of the vertical and lateral behaviour of the drainage. Moreover, lateral transfer of exogenous zinc occurs in the C horizon. In the case of soil contaminated with raw wastewater, the organization of water flow on the surface and in the subsurface is a determining factor in the redistribution of zinc within a plot.
Polyhedral studies for minimum‐span graph labelling with integer distance constraints
Authors: Mak Vicky
Published: February 2007

This paper studies the polytope of the minimum‐span graph labelling problems with integer distance constraints (DC‐MSGL). We first introduce a few classes of new valid inequalities for the DC‐MSGL defined on general graphs and briefly discuss the separation problems of some of these inequalities. These are the initial steps of a branch‐and‐cut algorithm for solving the DC‐MSGL. Following that, we present our polyhedral results on the dimension of the DC‐MSGL polytope, and that some of the inequalities are facet defining, under reasonable conditions, for the polytope of the DC‐MSGL on triangular graphs.
Network modelling of underground mine layout: two case studies
Authors: Thomas Doreen A. , Brazil Marcus , Lee David H. , Wormald Nicholas C.
Published: February 2007

The dominant working structure of an underground mine is a set of interconnected tunnels which provides access to ore zones and haulage of ore from the designated ore zones to the mill. This set of interconnected tunnels forms a network. We describe a mathematical network model and the modelling features of our two software tools for designing underground mine layouts that minimise associated costs. The application of these techniques is illustrated in two industry case studies. In the first, we apply the underground network optimisation tool to design an extension to an Australian gold mine where 15 new distinct orebodies are located in a 3 km long region, several hundred metres underground. In a second case study, we design a single decline for accessing a large orebody where a turning circle constraint is a significant factor. An efficient decline is found using the decline optimisation tool.
Psychological Status, Coping, and Social Support of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Central China
Authors: Sun HuiMin , Zhang JunJian , Fu XueDong
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate psychological status, coping, social support, and psychosocial factors associated with people living with HIV/AIDS in a highly HIV‐infected area of central China.

Design: Cross‐sectional descriptive correlation study.

Sample: Of 200 individuals with HIV/AIDS registered at the “Warm Homestead” health care center (central China), all who met the eligibility criteria (n=103) were recruited; 94 of these completed questionnaires.

Measurements: Four anonymous self‐administered questionnaires were used: (a) demographic data questionnaire, (b) Symptom Checklist–90 (SCL–90), (c) Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, and (d) Perceived Social Support Scale questionnaire.

Results: Participants had low education levels and family incomes. The majority (n=87, 92.6%) had become infected due to improper procedures during plasma donations. Participants reported moderately high levels of perceived social support, but their high SCL–90 scores indicated high levels of psychological distress. The most frequently used coping style was confrontation. Both acceptance‐resignation and avoidance coping styles were significantly correlated with high distress (high SCL–90 total and subscale scores).

Conclusion: Public health personnel and AIDS professionals may consider further interventions to promote psychological health in HIV/AIDS‐positive individuals in highly HIV‐infected areas of China, as the available social support did not seem to be effective in decreasing psychological pathology or mobilizing their coping strategies.
Does the Theory of Planned Behavior Identify Diabetes‐Related Cognitions for Intention to Be Physically Active and Eat a Healthy Diet?
Authors: Blue Carolyn L.
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT
Diabetes, a major public health problem, can be prevented or delayed with physical activity and diet modifications, but this requires changing behavior. Understanding the beliefs of persons at risk for diabetes may result in more effective and efficient behavior change interventions.

Objective: To explore the utility of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and perceived diabetes risk for identifying modifiable diabetes‐related beliefs for behavior change.

Design: Descriptive survey based on the TPB and perceived risk.

Sample: Convenience sample included 106 adults at risk for diabetes.

Measurements: Mailed questionnaire with scales to measure TPB variables.

Results: Subjective norm and perceived behavioral control were related to intention to be physically active, and attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were related to intention to eat a healthy diet. Perceived diabetes risk was not related to intention to be physically active or eat a healthy diet.

Conclusions: The TPB is a useful theory in explaining physical activity and healthy eating intentions in persons at risk for diabetes. The relationship of perceived diabetes risk and intentions to be physically active and eat a healthy diet needs further investigation.
Searching Health Information Via the Web: Hong Kong Chinese Older Adults' Experience
Authors: Leung Angela , Ko Peggy , Chan Kin Sun , Chi Iris , Chow Nelson
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT
Objective and sample: This paper reports on the learning experience of 88 Chinese older adults who attended a health Web‐navigating workshop.

Design: Through a 3‐hr training workshop, participants were guided to browse through seven health Web sites that provide authoritative health information by the Hong Kong government, academic institutions, or professional bodies.

Methods: Upon completion of the workshop, an evaluation was made of the participants' confidence in navigating health Web sites by themselves at home and in utilizing the health information sources.

Results: The findings indicated that participants' confidence in seeking health information via the Internet was not associated with their age, educational level, or experience of using computers before the workshop but was significantly associated with their satisfaction with the workshop (p<.05). Significant change of source of health information was noted at follow‐up, suggesting that the workshop was successful.

Conclusions: Implications of the results for running health Web‐navigating programs among Chinese older adults are discussed.