bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cyclodextrin‐induced apoptosis in human keratinocytes is caspase‐8 dependent and accompanied by mitochondrial cytochrome c release
Authors: Schönfelder Ute , Radestock Anja , Elsner Peter , Hipler Uta‐Christina
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides that are able to form inclusion complexes with a variety of substances. For pharmaceutical applications, CD‐based drug formulations offer important advantages compared with uncomplexed drugs. These include improved water solubility of lipophilic drug molecules, increased chemical stability, as well as enhanced bioavailability and absorption rate. Also, a number of topical formulations for dermal and transdermal drug delivery contain CDs. However, the most frequently used CDs –β‐CD and MβCD – are known to extract cholesterol from plasma membranes and thus to cause cellular damage and cell death. In the present study, the influence of various CDs and CD derivatives on the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT was assessed. We found that β‐CD and MβCD induce apoptosis via the activator caspase‐8, which subsequently activates the effector caspases‐3/‐7. Furthermore, β‐CD‐induced apoptosis is accompanied by mitochondrial cytochrome c release. A significant shift from mitochondria into the cytosol was found. These findings may provide further rationale to the use of CDs in topical formulations for dermal and transdermal drug delivery or as raw material in order to functionalize textiles for medical applications.
Lipid class content as an indicator of critical periods for survival in juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Authors: Næsje T. F. , Thorstad E. B. , Forseth T. , Aursand M. , Saksgård R. , Finstad A. G.
Published: August 2006

Abstract –  The seasonal variation in lipid class composition (triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, cholesterols and polar lipids) was described for juvenile Atlantic salmon sampled at 12 occasions over an 18‐month period in the Norwegian River Alta (70°N). Lipid class composition was determined for pooled samples of groups of fish sorted by cohort and condition factor. Mass‐specific lipid content ranged from 2.3% and 8.1% of fresh mass, and mass‐specific triacylglycerol content between 0.16% and 5.6% of fresh mass. Total lipid content decreased by 34–57% during the winter period, before increasing by 155–176% between May and July. A large proportion of the variation in total lipid content was due to variation in triacylglycerol content (r2 = 0.95), except for variations at low total lipids levels when triacylglycerols were absent. The temporal variation in polar lipid content was, although to a lesser degree, related to total lipid content (r2 = 0.62), indicating that the fish also utilised polar lipids as an energy source during periods of starvation. Analyses of 39 individual parr collected in May showed a large individual variation in lipid class composition in the most critical period of the year. It is concluded that information on variation in lipid class composition may give more precise and detailed information of energy status during critical periods, although total lipid content will in most cases give a fair description of the energy status of the fish.
Arctic charr in Britain and Ireland – 15 species or one?
Authors: Adams C. E. , Maitland P. S.
Published: August 2006

Abstract –  From both a modern and a historical perspective there is little doubt that the Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, in Britain and Ireland (as well as elsewhere) is a ‘difficult’ species. Historically 15 separate species have been recognised from populations in Britain and Ireland and there have been recent attempts to reassert these specific names. Here we review the evidence for the status of these ‘species’. We conclude that the evidence for these 15 being afforded full species status is poor. However, both historical and contemporary data show that Salvelinus alpinus (Linnaeus 1758) in Britain and Ireland exhibits levels of variability in form that is much greater than in other species. We argue that a comprehensive genotypic and phenotypic survey of charr populations in Britain and Ireland is required to determine the full extent of variability and the status of populations with a view of providing suitable protection.
Conservation and management of the Arctic charr: a forward view
Authors: Adams C. E. , Bean C. W. , Fraser D. , Maitland P. S.
Published: August 2006

Abstract –  In this study, we synthesised the views of 34 participants in a workshop to consider the status and future conservation and management of the Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.). These are expressed as a series of resolutions deriving from a conference on Arctic charr conservation held in Perth, Scotland in June 2004. Agreed resolutions from the conference were as follows. (i) The unique diversity of Arctic charr should be recognised for the contribution it makes to biodiversity of northern aquatic communities. (ii) The recognition by the public, nongovernmental organisations and national governments of the importance of Arctic charr in northern ecosystems is an important step to the management and protection that should be pursued. (iii) The taxonomic status of highly variable charr populations requires to be reviewed. (iv) There should be a separate system, complementary to the taxonomic one, which systematically catalogues the biological diversity of S. alpinus. (v) The Arctic charr provides a unique natural resource to study the process of evolution and this requires the highest level of protection from anthropogenic effects. (vi) The status of conservation policy for Arctic charr needs to be urgently reviewed to take account of its unique position in the fauna.
Evaluation of RANK/RANKL/OPG gene polymorphisms in aggressive periodontitis
Authors: Soedarsono N. , Rabello D. , Kamei H. , Fuma D. , Ishihara Y. , Suzuki M. , Noguchi T. , Sakaki Y. , Yamaguchi A. , Kojima T.
Published: August 2006

Background and Objective:  Aggressive periodontitis (AgP) is a specific type of periodontal disease that is characterized by rapid attachment loss and bone destruction. While attempting to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with AgP, previous research has focused on candidate genes that may be involved in immune responses to microbial infections. In this study, the focus was on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the key mediators of osteoclast differentiation and activation, which involve receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB (RANK), RANK ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegrin (OPG), in the Japanese population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of RANK/RANKL/OPG gene polymorphisms with AgP in the Japanese population.

Material and Methods:  We examined 99 patients with AgP and 89 controls from the Japanese population to explore the possibility of RANK/RANKL/OPG loci as candidate regions associated with the disease. All exons and relevant exon–intron boundaries of these three candidate genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using 19 primers, followed by direct sequencing. The polymorphisms were identified by comparing the sequences obtained from 48 subjects.

Results:  We identified 27 SNPs in RANK, including 10 novel SNPs and seven SNPs each in both RANKL and OPG. A pairwise linkage disequilibrium analysis using the r2 statistic showed that some SNP pairs from the three loci are in tight linkage disequilibrium.

Conclusion:  An association analysis with allelotypes showed that SNPs identified in the RANK/RANKL/OPG genes have no significant association with AgP in the Japanese population.
Fundamental mechanisms of host immune responses to infection
Authors: Azuma M.
Published: August 2006

Chronic inflammatory periodontal disease is caused by host immune responses to periodontal microorganisms. Although periodontal disease seems to progress locally in the oral cavity, the actual immune responses proceed at two sites, one being the local area peripheral to the periodontium, and the other being in secondary lymphoid tissues, such as lymph nodes and the spleen. To investigate the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases, it is essential to understand exactly how the immune system works against microbial infections. The past decade has produced remarkable advances in our understanding of host immune responses. This review highlights two of these developments: cross‐talk between innate and adaptive immunity mediated by dendritic cells via toll‐like receptors; and antigen‐specific immune regulation by dendritic cells and T cells.
Melatonin modulates signal transduction pathways and apoptosis in experimental colitis
Authors: Mazzon Emanuela , Esposito Emanuela , Crisafulli Concetta , Riccardi Luisa , Muià Carmelo , Bella Paolo Di , Meli Rosaria , Cuzzocrea Salvatore
Published: August 2006

Abstract: Various evidences have documented that the pineal secretory product melatonin exerts an important anti‐inflammatory effect in different experimental models including colitis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether melatonin regulates the inflammatory response of experimental colitis in rats at the level of signal transduction pathway. Colitis was induced by intracolonic instillation of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS). Four days after DNBS administration, a substantial increase of colon TNF‐αproduction was associated with the colon damage. In DNBS‐treated rats, the colon injury correlated with a significant rise of apoptosis (evaluated by TUNEL coloration) which was associated with a significant increased expression of proapoptotic Bax and decreased colon content of antiapoptotic Bcl‐2. This inflammatory response was also related to activation of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) and phosphorylation of c‐Jun as well as FAS ligand expression in the colon. Treatment with melatonin (15 mg/kg daily i.p.) was associated with a remarkable amelioration of colonic disrupted architecture as well as a significant reduction of TNF‐α. Melatonin also reduced the NF‐κB activation and phosphorylation of c‐Jun as well as the Fas ligand expression in the colon. Furthermore, melatonin reduced the expression of Bax and prevented the loss of Bcl‐2 proteins as well as the presence of apoptotic cells caused by DNBS. The results of this study show that melatonin administration exerts beneficial effects in inflammatory bowel disease by modulating signal transduction pathways.
Mechanisms involved in the antinociception caused by melatonin in mice
Authors: Mantovani Michela , Kaster Manuella P. , Pertile Roberto , Calixto João B. , Rodrigues Ana Lúcia S. , Santos Adair R. S.
Published: August 2006

Abstract: The present study assesses the antinociceptive effect of melatonin in chemical behavioral models of nociception and investigates some of the mechanisms underlying this effect. Melatonin administered by intraperitoneal (i.p., 10–100 mg/kg), intracerebroventricular (i.c.v., 250–500 pmol/site) and intraplantar (i.pl., 30–100 ng/i.pl.) routes, reduced in a dose‐dependent manner the nociception caused by i.pl. injection of glutamate (10 μmol/paw), with mean ID50values of 32.6 mg/kg, 200 pmol/site and 59 ng/i.pl., respectively. Furthermore, melatonin in the dose range of 10–100 mg/kg, i.p., reduced the neurogenic pain caused by i.pl. injection of capsaicin (5.2 nmol/paw) with inhibition of 48 ± 4%. The antinociceptive effect of melatonin (100 mg/kg, i.p.) on glutamate‐induced nociception was completely prevented by the pretreatment of animals with naloxone (a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist, 1 mg/kg, i.p.), ketanserin (a preferential 5‐HT2Areceptor antagonist, 1 mg/kg, i.p.), sulpiride (a D2receptor antagonist, 50 mg/kg, i.p.),l‐arginine (a precursor of nitric oxide, 600 mg/kg, i.p.), yohimbine (anα2‐adrenoceptor antagonist, 0.15 mg/kg, i.p.) and luzindole (a preferential MT2receptor antagonist, 10 mg/kg, i.p.), but was not affected by the pretreatment withd‐arginine (an inactive isomer ofl‐arginine, 600 mg/kg, i.p.), prazosin (anα1‐adrenoceptor antagonist, 0.15 mg/kg, i.p.) or after bilateral adrenalectomy. Collectively, present results suggest that melatonin produces peripheral and central antinociception when assessed on capsaicin‐ or glutamate‐induced pain in mice through mechanisms that are likely mediated by interaction with plasma membrane‐bound melatonin receptors and modulated by opioid, serotonergic (5‐HT2Areceptors), dopaminergic (D2‐receptors), adrenergic (α2−adrenoceptors) systems as well as thel‐arginine‐nitric oxide pathway.
Attenuated pain responses in mice lacking CaV3.2 T‐type channels
Authors: Choi S. , Na H. S. , Kim J. , Lee J. , Lee S. , Kim D. , Park J. , Chen C.‐C. , Campbell K. P. , Shin H.‐S.
Published: August 2006

Although T‐type Ca2+channels are implicated in nociception, the function of specific subtypes has not been well defined. Here, we compared pain susceptibility in mice lacking CaV3.2 subtype of T‐type Ca2+channels (CaV3.2−/−) with wild‐type littermates in various behavioral models of pain to explore the roles of CaV3.2 in the processing of noxious stimuliin vivo. In acute mechanical, thermal and chemical pain tests, CaV3.2−/−mice showed decreased pain responses compared to wild‐type mice. CaV3.2−/−mice also displayed attenuated pain responses to tonic noxious stimuli such as intraperitoneal injections of irritant agents and intradermal injections of formalin. In spinal nerve ligation‐induced neuropathic pain, however, behavioral responses of CaV3.2−/−mice were not different from those of wild‐type mice. The present study reveals that the CaV3.2 subtype of T‐type Ca2+channels are important in the peripheral processing of noxious signals, regardless of modality, duration or affected tissue type.
Hypolocomotion, anxiety and serotonin syndrome‐like behavior contribute to the complex phenotype of serotonin transporter knockout mice
Authors: Kalueff A. V. , Fox M. A. , Gallagher P. S. , Murphy D. L.
Published: August 2006

Although mice with a targeted disruption of the serotonin transporter (SERT) have been studied extensively using various tests, their complex behavioral phenotype is not yet fully understood. Here we assess in detail the behavior of adult female SERT wild type (+/+), heterozygous (+/−) and knockout (−/−) mice on an isogenic C57BL/6J background subjected to a battery of behavioral paradigms. Overall, there were no differences in the ability to find food or a novel object, nest‐building, self‐grooming and its sequencing, and horizontal rod balancing, indicating unimpaired sensory functions, motor co‐ordination and behavioral sequencing. In contrast, there were striking reductions in exploration and activity in novelty‐based tests (novel object, sticky label and open field tests), accompanied by pronounced thigmotaxis, suggesting that combined hypolocomotion and anxiety (rather than purely anxiety) influence the SERT −/− behavioral phenotype. Social interaction behaviors were also markedly reduced. In addition, SERT −/− mice tended to move close to the ground, frequently displayed spontaneous Straub tail, tics, tremor and backward gait – a phenotype generally consistent with ‘serotonin syndrome’‐like behavior. In line with replicated evidence of much enhanced serotonin availability in SERT −/− mice, this serotonin syndrome‐like state may represent a third factor contributing to their behavioral profile. An understanding of the emerging complexity of SERT −/− mouse behavior is crucial for a detailed dissection of their phenotype and for developing further neurobehavioral models using these mice.
Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for management of melanoma during pregnancy: risks for the fetus?
Authors: Egberts Friederike , Lischner Stephan , Russo Paul , Kampen W. Uwe , Hauschild Axel
Published: August 2006

In the treatment of malignant melanoma, various stage‐dependent diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are widely accepted.The situation becomes more complicated in pregnant women due to potential hazardous side effects to the fetus. We report on a 36‐year‐old woman, who was admitted with a high‐risk malignant melanoma on the right cheek. Prior to surgery we performed computed tomography (CT)‐scans that were unremarkable with the exception of “two small cysts of the uterus” The primary melanoma was excised and a sentinel node biopsy was performed under general anesthesia using radioactive tracers. Afterwards, adjuvant therapy with interferon alpha 2b was initiated. Five weeks later our patient reported that she was pregnant with twins in their eleventh week of gestation, although she previously denied several questions regarding a potential pregnancy. She declined the offer of an abortion and elected to continue with the interferon treatment against our medical advice. In the 36th week of gestation, she developed regional lymph node metastases. Consequently, labor was induced, resulting in the delivery of healthy twins. Six months later our patient developed lung metastases. Despite several chemotherapy regimens, she died one year later. An interdisciplinary approach to obtaining informed consent and managing female high risk melanoma patients with potential or present pregnancy is presented.
MULTIMODALITY IMAGE FUSION TO FACILITATE ANATOMIC LOCALIZATION OF 99MTC‐PERTECHNETATE UPTAKE IN THE FELINE HEAD
Authors: BARTHEZ P. Y. , SCHAAFSMA I. A. , POLLAK Y. W. E. A.
Published: August 2006

99mTc‐pertechnetate is excreted in humans by the thyroid glands, gastric mucosa, salivary glands, choroid plexus, and sweat glands. Uptake attributed to the zygomatic and molar salivary glands is used commonly as a reference to assess thyroid uptake and differentiate euthyroid from hyperthyroid cats. However, the exact location and origin of uptake of 99mTc‐pertechnetate in the head during thyroid scintigraphy in cats remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to localize uptake of 99mTc‐pertechnetate in the head of the cat using multimodality image fusion. Computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and single photon emission tomography (SPECT) imaging were performed successively in two cats during the same anesthesia procedure. Transverse, dorsal, and sagittal images were reconstructed for each modality. Images were rescaled and fused manually. The anatomic location of focal 99mTc activity in SPECT images was identified in CT and MR images. Four major and four minor focal areas of uptakes were identified in the head in both cats. A rostral conical‐shaped activity was identified in the nasal cavity. Two symmetric focal areas of uptakes seen in the soft tissues in the ventro‐caudal retro‐bulbar region, and rostro‐medial to the vertical ramus of the mandible were attributed to zygomatic salivary glands. A central focal activity located ventral and caudal to the zygomatic uptake was located in the nasopharynx and soft palate. Minor symmetric areas of uptake identified in the retromandibular region were attributed to parotid and mandibular salivary glands. Minor symmetric areas of uptake identified in the region of the mandible were attributed to molar salivary glands. No focal area of uptake was identified in the brain.
Health Screening and Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Iacono Teresa , Sutherland Georgina
Published: August 2006

Abstract  Adults with developmental disabilities often experience health disparities when compared with the general population. Early detection of risk of disease may help to reduce such disparities, but many adults often do not participate in preventive health care at recommended levels. The aim of the present study was to describe health screening activities involving a large group of adults and explore how factors, such as living arrangement, type and severity of disability, and age, influence reported rates of participation. The study involved administering surveys to adults with disabilities and their immediate support persons (parents, carers, and professional support workers) and asking whether adults had visited a general practitioner (GP) and what was their participation in preventive services during the previous 12‐month period. Participation in preventive screening services ranged between 3% (screening for sexually transmitted infection) and 58% (screening for elevated blood pressure), and rates for certain services appeared low, particularly in comparison with equivalent screenings in the general population. Results showed a relationship between participation rates and living situation, type of disability, and age, but not severity of disability. The results suggest that higher rates of participation in preventative health activities among those enrolled in formal services may reflect a greater obligation or concern among paid workers and possibly a lack of awareness of health issues by families, and also that screening disparities may be attributed to GPs who may be applying guidelines from the general population but who are not aware of disability‐specific issues when examining adults with disabilities.
Measurement of Environmental Constructs in Disability Assessment Instruments
Authors: Guscia Roma , Ekberg Stuart , Harries Julia , Kirby Neil
Published: August 2006

Abstract  The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) assumes a biopsychosocial basis for disability and provides a framework for understanding how environmental factors contribute to the experience of disability. To determine the utility of prevalent disability assessment instruments, the authors examined the extent to which a range of such instruments addressed the impact of environmental factors on the individual and whether the instruments designed for different disability groups focused differentially on the environment. Items from 20 widely used disability assessment instruments were linked to the five chapters of the ICF environment component using standardized classification rules. Nineteen of the 20 instruments reviewed measured the environment to varying degrees. It was determined that environmental factors from the Natural Environment and Attitudes chapters were not well accommodated by the majority of instruments. Instruments developed for people with intellectual disabilities had the greatest environmental coverage. Only one instrument provided a relatively comprehensive and economical account of environmental barriers. The authors conclude that ICF classification of environmental factors provides a valuable resource for evaluating the environmental content of existing disability‐related instruments, and that it may also provide a useful framework for revising instruments in use and for developing future disability assessment instruments.
Exorcising Scandal in the White House: Presidential Polling in Times of Crisis
Authors: ROTTINGHAUS BRANDON , BEREZNIKOVA ZLATA
Published: August 2006

Several important works have addressed the issue of scandal in the White House; however, no study has used internal White House archival polling data to explore the phenomenon of presidential recovery from scandal. In this research note, we expand the analysis of presidential polling and connect these internal procedures to times of scandal in the White House across two presidents and three scandals. We identify four questions the White House is concerned with (through the polling) and we suggest polling is uniquely helpful in identifying answers to these questions that gauge the depth of presidential involvement, the ability of the president to continue to govern, the importance of the scandal to the public, and the fairness of the media.
The Law: George Bush as Commander in Chief: Toward the Nether World of Constitutionalism
Authors: ADLER DAVID GRAY
Published: August 2006

The Bush administration has advanced an expansive conception of the Commander‐in‐Chief Clause that has launched presidential power on a trajectory toward the realm of illimitable and unaccountable power, the nether world of American constitutionalism. President Bush would ascribe to the commander in chief powers that were never possessed by the president when the post was incorporated into the Constitution, and which may not be engrafted by a theory of a presidential revisory power. This essay contends that President Bush's claims, which find no foundation in the values, goals, and concerns that shaped the clause, represent a profound threat to constitutional government and republican values.
Ataxin‐3 is subject to autolytic cleavage
Authors: Mauri Pier Luigi , Riva Matteo , Ambu Daniela , De Palma Antonella , Secundo Francesco , Benazzi Louise , Valtorta Marco , Tortora Paolo , Fusi Paola
Published: August 2006

The protein ataxin‐3 is responsible for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, a neurodegenerative disease triggered when the length of a stretch of consecutive glutamines exceeds a critical threshold. Different physiologic roles have been suggested for this protein. More specifically, recent papers have shown that the highly conserved N‐terminal Josephin domain of ataxin‐3 binds ubiquitin and has ubiquitin hydrolase activity, thanks to a catalytic device specific to cysteine proteases. This article shows that the protein also has autoproteolytic activity, sustained by the same residues responsible for the ubiquitin hydrolase activity. The autolytic activity was abolished when these residues, i.e. Cys14 and His119, were replaced by noncatalytic ones. Furthermore, we found that pretreatment of the protein with tosyl l‐phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone also abolished this activity, and that this site‐specific reagent covalently bound His119, findings supported by MS experiments. MS also allowed us to establish that the attack was aspecific, as cleavage sites were observed at the carboxyl side of apolar, acidic and polar uncharged residues, clustered in the C‐terminal, unstructured domain of the protein. In contrast, the Josephin domain was preserved from attack. We propose that the autolytic activity reported here may play a role in pathogenesis, as fragments carrying expanded polyglutamines are thought to be significantly more toxic than the whole protein.
Steady‐state kinetic behaviour of functioning‐dependent structures
Authors: Thellier Michel , Legent Guillaume , Amar Patrick , Norris Vic , Ripoll Camille
Published: August 2006

A fundamental problem in biochemistry is that of the nature of the coordination between and within metabolic and signalling pathways. It is conceivable that this coordination might be assured by what we term functioning‐dependent structures (FDSs), namely those assemblies of proteins that associate with one another when performing tasks and that disassociate when no longer performing them. To investigate a role in coordination for FDSs, we have studied numerically the steady‐state kinetics of a model system of two sequential monomeric enzymes, E1 and E2. Our calculations show that such FDSs can display kinetic properties that the individual enzymes cannot. These include the full range of basic input/output characteristics found in electronic circuits such as linearity, invariance, pulsing and switching. Hence, FDSs can generate kinetics that might regulate and coordinate metabolism and signalling. Finally, we suggest that the occurrence of terms representative of the assembly and disassembly of FDSs in the classical expression of the density of entropy production are characteristic of living systems.
Production and characterization of a secreted, C‐terminally processed tyrosinase from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei
Authors: Selinheimo Emilia , Saloheimo Markku , Ahola Elina , Westerholm‐Parvinen Ann , Kalkkinen Nisse , Buchert Johanna , Kruus Kristiina
Published: August 2006

A homology search of the genome database of the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei identified a new T. reesei tyrosinase gene tyr2, encoding a protein with a putative signal sequence. The gene was overexpressed in the native host under the strong cbh1 promoter, and the tyrosinase enzyme was secreted into the culture supernatant. This is the first report on a secreted fungal tyrosinase. Expression of TYR2 in T. reesei resulted in good yields, corresponding to approximately 0.3 and 1 g·L−1 tyrosinase in shake flask cultures and laboratory‐scale batch fermentation, respectively. T. reesei TYR2 was purified with a three‐step purification procedure, consisting of desalting by gel filtration, cation exchange chromatography and size exclusion chromatography. The purified TYR2 protein had a significantly lower molecular mass (43.2 kDa) than that calculated from the putative amino acid sequence (61.151 kDa). According to N‐terminal and C‐terminal structural analyses by fragmentation, chromatography, MS and peptide sequencing, the mature protein is processed from the C‐terminus by a cleavage of a peptide fragment of about 20 kDa. The T. reesei TYR2 polypeptide chain was found to be glycosylated at its only potential N‐glycosylation site, with a glycan consisting of two N‐acetylglucosamines and five mannoses. Also, low amounts of shorter glycan forms were detected at this site. T. reesei TYR2 showed the highest activity and stability within a neutral and alkaline pH range, having an optimum at pH 9. T. reesei tyrosinase retained its activity well at 30 °C, whereas at higher temperatures the enzyme started to lose its activity relatively quickly. T. reesei TYR2 was active on both l‐tyrosine and l‐dopa, and it showed broad substrate specificity.
Characterization, localization and possible anti‐inflammatory function of rat histone H4 mRNA variants
Authors: Poirier René , Lemaire Irma , Lemaire Simon
Published: August 2006

Two histone H4 mRNA variants, H4‐v.1 and histogranin mRNAs, were detected in the rat genome and measured in various tissues and isolated alveolar macrophages. Medium to high levels of both mRNAs were present in the liver, adrenal glands, thymus, bone marrow and alveolar macrophages. H4‐v.1 cDNA contained an open reading frame that coded for unmodified whole histone H4, whereas histogranin cDNA lacked the first ATG codon and contained an open reading frame that coded for modified (Thr89) H4‐(84–102). The two genes displayed a sequence homologous (> 80%) to the open reading frame of core H4 somatic (H4s) and H4 germinal (H4g) and their variant nature was supported by the absence of histone consensus palindromic and purine‐rich sequences in the proximal 3′UTR, and the presence of a polyadenylation signal in the distal 3′UTR and of specific upstream transcription factor‐binding sites. H4‐v.1 and histogranin transcripts, but not H4s transcript, were selectively induced by lipopolysaccharide and/or interferon gamma in alveolar macrophages. In vitro transcription/translation experiments with H4‐v.1 and histogranin cDNA pCMV constructs produced peptides with the molecular mass (2 kDa) of the alternative histone H4 translation product which, like synthetic H4‐(86–100) and [Thr89]H4‐(86–100) or rat histogranin, inhibited lipopolysaccharide‐induced prostaglandin E2 release from rat alveolar macrophages. The synthetic peptides also inhibited the secretion of the CXC chemokine interleukin‐8 (GRO/CINC‐1) in response to lipopolysaccharide. The presence of H4‐v.1 and histogranin mRNAs in tissues wherein immune reactions take place and the inhibitory effects of their translation products on prostaglandin E2 and interkeukin‐8 secretion by activated alveolar macrophages suggest an anti‐inflammatory function.
Premature Ejaculation: On Defining and Quantifying a Common Male Sexual Dysfunction
Authors: Broderick Gregory A.
Published: August 2006

Introduction

Premature ejaculation (PE) and its individual and relationship consequences have been recognized in the literature for centuries. PE is one of the most common male sexual dysfunctions, affecting nearly one in three men worldwide between the ages of 18 and 59 years. Until recently, PE was believed to be a learned behavior predominantly managed with psychosexual therapy; however, the past few decades have seen significant advances in understanding its etiology, diagnosis, and management. There is, as yet, no one universally agreed upon definition of PE.

Aim

To review five currently published definitions of PE.

Methods

The Sexual Medicine Society of North America hosted a State of the Art Conference on Premature Ejaculation on June 24–26, 2005 in collaboration with the University of South Florida. The purpose was to have an open exchange of contemporary research and clinical information on PE. There were 16 invited presenters and discussants; the group focused on several educational objectives.

Main Outcome Measure

Data were utilized from the World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, the European Association of Urology, the Second International Consultation on Sexual Dysfunctions, and the American Urological Association.

Results

The current published definitions of PE have many similarities; however, none of these provide a specific “time to ejaculation,” in part because of the absence of normative data on this subject. While investigators agree that men with PE have a shortened intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT; i.e., time from vaginal penetration to ejaculation), there is now a greater appreciation of PE as a multidimensional dysfunction encompassing several components, including time and subjective parameters such as “control,”“satisfaction,” and “distress.”

Conclusion

There is a recent paradigm shift away from PE as a unidimensional disorder of IELT toward a multidimensional description of PE as a biologic dysfunction with psychosocial components.
Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Premature Ejaculation
Authors: Sharlip Ira D.
Published: August 2006

Introduction

Until recently, premature ejaculation (PE) was believed to have a psychologic etiology requiring psychosexual therapy. Recognition of a neurobiologic component to the etiology of PE has since highlighted the need for diagnostic and management guidelines for this common sexual problem. One major medical organization—the American Urological Association (AUA)—has established such guidelines. In addition, the Second International Consultation on Sexual Dysfunctions (ICSD) in 2003 developed a set of recommendations for PE, as well as for other sexual dysfunctions.

Aim

To review the current guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PE.

Methods

The Sexual Medicine Society of North America hosted a State of the Art Conference on Premature Ejaculation on June 24–26, 2005 in collaboration with the University of South Florida. The purpose was to have an open exchange of contemporary research and clinical information on PE. There were 16 invited presenters and discussants; the group focused on several educational objectives.

Main Outcome Measure

Data from the AUA Guideline on the Pharmacologic Management of Premature Ejaculation and the Second ICSD.

Results

Both documents emphasize the importance of a sexual history in diagnosing PE, and each of these two documents recognizes that diagnosis involves a shortened intravaginal latency time as well as patient reports of poor control over ejaculation and patient distress over the condition.

Conclusions

Condensed guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PE are presented. Once diagnosis is suspected, optimal treatment regimens should be established utilizing randomized placebo-controlled trials.
Studies on instant raw tamarind chutney powder
Authors: Jyothirmayi Tummala , Rao Galla Narsing , Rao Dubasi Govardhana
Published: August 2006

Instant raw tamarind chutney powder was prepared by mixing the dry raw tamarind powder with a suitable combination of spice powders and salt. The proximate and mineral composition of the dry raw tamarind powder and instant raw tamarind chutney powder were determined. The acid content as tartaric acid was 12.6% and 5.8% in the dry raw tamarind powder and instant chutney powder respectively. Other components in the instant chutney powder and dry raw tamarind powder were: fibre content, 12.7% and 18.7%; protein content, 7.7% and 10.3%; calcium, 64 and 111 mg/100 g; and iron, 9.5 and 4.5 mg/100 g respectively. Storage studies were carried out by packing the powders in polyethylene pouches. The polyphenol content increased in both samples during the storage period. Sensory analyses showed that the instant raw tamarind chutney powder scored 7.2 (above good) even after the 6‐month storage period.
A new ready‐to‐eat dish for a traditional market
Authors: Feliciano Daniel , Albisu Luis Miguel
Published: August 2006

Consumption of ready‐to‐eat meals in Spain is limited, although an increasing trend is observed. This paper examines consumers’ reactions to the possible launching of a new ready‐to‐eat roast lamb dish, which could be applied for home consumption or foodservice/catering. This dish is cooked following traditional methods, is appreciated by most consumers and is consumed quite often. A survey has been undertaken to gain information about consumers’ opinions, purchasing habits and consumption of ready‐to‐eat dishes. The consumption of this type of product is strongly related to consumers’ age, education and income. Spanish consumers do not trust ready‐to‐eat dishes because they perceive these dishes as incorrectly processed and containing preservatives. In this study a hypothetical ready‐to‐eat roast lamb dish was also presented to consumers with two non‐traditional side dishes. Consumers tasted the dish, and their preferences were analysed using a conjoint analysis. Results show that some preferences are linked with tradition, whereas others are more innovative and typical of modern‐time behaviour. The right combination of features could be critical for a proper launching process.
Assessing the foodservice potential of muscles from the chuck
Authors: Bratcher Christy L. , Moore Kevin C. , Keene Michael P. , Lorenzen Carol L.
Published: August 2006

The objective of this study was to determine the foodservice potential of muscles from the chuck. US Department of Agriculture Select chucks and briskets (n = 25) were fabricated to produce the following muscles: Complexus (C), Serratus ventralis (SV), Rhomboideus (R) and Pectoralis superficialis (PS). Yield, drip loss, marinade uptake, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and proximate analysis were performed. Chef focus group (n = 12) determined the desirability for foodservice, and an economic analysis was conducted. SV had the highest yield of the chuck (13%), followed by C (7%) and R (4%). PS was 28% of the brisket. SV had higher drip loss (P < 0.05) than C, and the highest (P < 0.05) marinade uptake. TBARS values were low, with no differences between muscles (P > 0.05). Proximate analysis differed by muscle (P < 0.05). The threshold values for the muscles chosen were $5.51/kg and $6.61/kg for R and C respectively. The breakeven price for R and C combined was $6.06/kg. Other muscles were not perceived as candidates.
Teamworking: a new dynamic in the pursuit of management control
Authors: Geary John F. , Dobbins Anthony
Published: August 2006

This article examines the introduction of teamworking in the pharmaceutical industry. It was found that the organisation of work contained a mix of benefits and costs. The balance between the two was not random; employees' response was influenced by and connected to prior experiences and expectations, management's business strategies and approach to industrial relations and HRM. The article argues that there was a new dynamic, but one cast within the familiar terrain of management seeking to maintain control and generate consent.
Employee involvement and the middle manager: saboteur or scapegoat?
Authors: Fenton‐O'Creevy Mark
Published: August 2006

This article reports on the results of a study of managers' attitudes to employee involvement. Contrary to a number of existing studies, this research found middle managers' attitudes to be no more negative than those of senior managers. As hypothesised, managers' intentions to support employee involvement were found to be inversely related to recent managerial job loss and positively related to managers' experience of employee involvement. Contrary to expectations, the study revealed a positive relationship between recent delayering and intentions to support the involvement of employees. The study also reveals a complex curvilinear relationship between managers' perceptions of their own empowerment and their attitudes to employee involvement. The article draws out a number of implications for practice.
Counting angels: a comparison of personnel and HR specialists
Authors: Hoque Kim , Noon Mike
Published: August 2006

This article uses data from the 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey to explore the extent to which the characteristics and job‐related activities of specialists who use the title 'human resources' differ from those who use the title 'personnel'. The results demonstrate that specialists using the HR title are better qualified than those using the personnel title and they are more involved with strategic planning. Additionally, employee development is more likely to be included in strategic plans, and there is slightly greater evidence of devolution of responsibility to supervisors where the specialist uses the HR rather than the personnel title. Finally, several practices commonly associated with HRM, such as personality tests, attitude surveys and off‐the‐job training, are more likely to have been adopted in workplaces that have an HR specialist than in those that have a personnel specialist.
Are public sector personnel managers the profession's poor relations?
Authors: Lupton Ben , Shaw Sue
Published: August 2006

This article is concerned with differences between personnel practitioners in the private and public sectors. Drawing on survey and interview data from practitioners in both sectors, the authors report that public sector practitioners are less well‐qualified and are paid less than their private sector counterparts. Very few practitioners move between the sectors, suggesting the existence of separate and self‐contained career structures. It is argued that this is not a separation of equals, and is maintained partly by the existence of a system of myths and stereotypes which have the effect of discouraging able professionals from entering the public sector. The article considers the reasons for the continuing differences and the separation, particularly in the light of public sector reforms which might have been expected to have diminished them. The implications for personnel management in the public sector and for the personnel profession in general are then discussed.
Dilemmas in the management of temporary work agency staff
Authors: Ward Kevin , Grimshaw Damian , Rubery Jill , Beynon Huw
Published: August 2006

Temporary jobs account for an increasing proportion of new engagements in the UK labour market, with temporary work agencies or 'labour market intermediaries' occupying a central role in the regulation of entry into some organisations. Such evolving arrangements have been found to have their contradictions, even for the host organisation. This article explores the internal and external pressures to use a temporary work agency as a means of recruiting labour at host organisations. It considers some of the HRM issues that stem from the use of such workers, including the tendency to devolve HRM to the managers of such agencies operating within the host organisation. Central to this article is a consideration of the potential sustainability of organisations' use of temporary agency workers, engaging with this concern from the perspective of organisational cost‐effectiveness.
Company‐based education programmes: what's the pay‐off for employers?
Authors: Martin Graeme , Pate Judy , Beaumont Philip
Published: August 2006

This article addresses the question of whether company‐based programmes of education repay employer investment in terms of learning transfer to the workplace. Building on earlier work by the authors, we use an in‐depth longitudinal case study of a long‐standing programme of continuous education sponsored by the US‐based NCR corporation in Scotland. As educators, we expected to find that the programme would have been associated with positive outcomes, based on the belief that 'embrained' or formal, abstract knowledge can be transferred to the workplace. We were aware, however, that research in this area has not been promising in demonstrating learning transfer, in part because such a process is mediated by the quality of the transfer climate. Drawing on survey data and in‐depth interviewing of a sample cohort, we found that the programme of company‐based education had significant implications for learning transfer. Surprisingly, however, transfer climate had little influence on the willingness of employees to use their knowledge to make improvements or generate innovations at work. Finally, we found that these data supported situated learning theory, stressing the importance of tacit knowledge, informal learning, the communal nature of workplace learning and the difficulties in evaluating learning transfer. We believe that these results have important implications for the literature on the evaluation of HRD interventions, for human resource development (HRD) specialists interested in developing programmes of so‐called lifelong learning and for practitioners working in the area of organisational learning and learning organisations.
Perceptions of stress at work
Authors: Smith Andrew
Published: August 2006

This article reviews previous research on the scale of perceived stress at work and describes results from the 'Bristol Stress and Health at Work' study (Smith et al, 2000a, 2000b). This study had three main aims: first, to determine the scale of perceived stress at work in a random population sample; secondly, to distinguish the effects of stress at work from those of stress in life as a whole; and, finally, to determine whether objective measures of health status and performance efficiency were related to reports of stress at work. These objectives were investigated by conducting an epidemiological survey of 17,000 randomly selected people from the Bristol electoral register, a follow‐up survey 12 months later and detailed investigation of a cohort from the original sample. The results revealed that approximately 20 per cent of the sample reported very high or extremely high levels of stress at work. This effect was reliable over time, related to potentially stressful working conditions and associated with impaired physical and mental health. The effects of stress at work could not be attributed to life stress or negative affectivity. The cohort study also suggested that high levels of stress at work may influence physiology and mental performance. The prevalence rate obtained in this study suggests that five million workers in the UK may have very high levels of stress at work.
Managing organisational culture: insights from the hospitality industry
Authors: Ogbonna Emmanuel , Harris Lloyd C.
Published: August 2006

Despite the widespread criticism of the culture management approach by respected academics, recent surveys indicate that managers are continuing to engage in planned cultural interventions. Indeed, reports demonstrate that managing organisational culture is one of the most popular forms of managerial intervention, with one survey concluding that over 90 per cent of organisations engage in planned cultural change. This study describes and analyses organisational culture interventions in four companies within a single industry. It argues that the conceptualisation of organisational culture and culture change should be differentiated in ways that recognise the significance of contextual factors. It presents an analysis of interventions in the hospitality industry and delineates four insights from this sector that are pertinent to the theory and practice of managing cultural change.