bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Fatal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Yamada Shigeki , Koizumi Akio , Iso Hiroyasu , Wada Yasuhiko , Watanabe Yoshiyuki , Date Chigusa , Yamamoto Akio , Kikuchi Shogo , Inaba Yutaka , Toyoshima Hideaki , Kondo Takaaki , Tamakoshi Akiko
Published: December 2003

Background and Purpose—

The present study aimed to identify risk factors for mortality due to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) using a comprehensive questionnaire from the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) Study, a Japan-wide population-based prospective study.

Methods—

A total of 109 293 individuals (45 551 men and 63 742 women, aged 40 to 79 years) free of stroke at entry participated in the JACC Study between 1988 and 1990. Participants were followed up annually until they died or moved away from the surveyed community, or until the end of 1999. A diagnosis of death from SAH was based on the
International Classification of Diseases
, 10th revision (ICD-10). The age-adjusted univariate and multivariate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of various factors were calculated in sex-stratified and sex-specific analyses using the Cox proportional hazards regression model.

Results—

A total of 244 individuals (88 men and 156 women) died from SAH during the follow-up of 1 086 963 person-years. Our univariate analyses confirmed that preference for salty foods and history of blood transfusion, as well as hypertension, family history of stroke, cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and low BMI, had statistically significant associations with mortality due to SAH. Multivariable analyses revealed that history of blood transfusion was an independent significant risk factor (HR=4.2 [95%CI, 2.1 to 8.5]) for men, while preference for salty foods or heavy drinking were not.

Conclusions—

History of blood transfusion was found to be an independent risk. The association between SAH and blood transfusion warranted further study.
Environmental Fate of Gallium Arsenide Semiconductor Disposal
Authors: Uryu Tsutomu , Yoshinaga Jun , Yanagisawa Yukio
Published: November 2003

This article describes a methodology for the quantitative assessment of the environmental fate of gallium and arsenic from the disposal of mobile phones containing gallium arsenide (GaAs) semiconductors, using data from Japan.

The product lifetime of mobile phones is short, and the recycling systems for such phones are currently underdeveloped. As a result, many mobile phones are disposed of via incineration and landfilling. The disposal of GaAs semiconductors could lead to some releases of gallium and arsenic to air and water. The methodology presented here begins with an estimation of the cumulative number of disposed mobile phones, using a logistic curve. Then, thermodynamic simulation and laboratory experiments are carried out to assess how much gallium and arsenic may be released into the environment. Using this method, the cumulative number of mobile phones disposed of in Japan is calculated to be 610 million by 2010. Distribution among air emissions, the leachate, and the insoluble residue (in landfilled incinerator ash) was determined to be 4.20 × 10‐2%, 1.58 × 10‐1%, and 99.8% for gallium, and 2.00 × 10‐1%, 19.5%, and 80.3% for arsenic, respectively. For phones that are disposed of directly in landfills, it is estimated that nearly 100% of the gallium and arsenic exists as the insoluble residue. We suggest that, in the conditions present in Japan, disposal of mobile phones directly into the landfill is preferable to the incineration with subsequent landfill of ash with respect to gallium and arsenic emissions into the environment. The proposed methodology may be adapted for the assessment of the environmental fate of problematic substances from the disposal of similar products.
Rethinking Nazism and Religion: How Anti-Christian were the “Pagans”?
Authors: Steigmann-Gall Richard
Published: November 2003

InJune 1937, a thirteen-year-old boy by the name of Fritz Brüggemann wrote Heinrich Himmler, the Reichsführer-SS and head of the German police, asking for some theological advice. Himmler, a leading “neopagan” in the Nazi movement, had formally left the Catholic Church in 1936, but had been lost to Christianity years before. Fritz Brüggemann had also left his church, which meant that he, like Himmler, formally went by the designationgottgläubig(literally “believing in God”). Those designated as “believing in God” did not just avoid church taxes; they were also making a statement about their rejection of Germany's two confessions and their interest in a newvölkischalternative. Still, for this young Hitler Youth squad leader from Schönebeck, a speech on religion delivered to his troop was causing him concern. He was not sure if he had heard correctly, but he thought he understood the speaker to say that Jesus had been a Jew. He wrote to see if the Reichsführer-SS could perhaps enlighten him on this question. He received a reply from Rudolf Brandt, Himmler's personal assistant and a leading figure in his entourage. “The Reichsführer is of the opinion,” wrote Brandt, “that Christ was not a Jew. You must certainly have misunderstood the speaker.”
Parliamentarization and the Question of German Exceptionalism: 1867–1918
Authors: Kreuzer Marcus
Published: December 2003

Ina contribution to this journal, Volker Berghahn regretted the fragmentation and lack of focus in the recent research on the German Empire. While he may have overstated his case, his criticism certainly applies to the historiography of Germany's parliamentarization. The dearth of research, especially of recent vintage, has left the debate about the exceptionalism of Germany's governing institutions indeed “fragmented and decentered.” Since Manfred Rauh's two volumes in the 1970s, little has been published. His thesis about Germany's silent parliamentarization has been attacked, it seems, more for the haughtiness of its footnotes than the substance of its argument. As a result, Rauh's provocative interpretation coexists far too quietly with other accounts, and thereby preempts the sort of dialogue and scholarly integration Berghahn so misses. In her response to Berghahn, Margaret Anderson points out that such a dialogue can be found in, without being confined to, the new work of Germany's electoral politics, that looked anew and more skeptically at the exceptional political development of Imperial Germany. Its findings indirectly raise questions about why the development of Germany's governing institutions — the Reichstag, the Bundersat, and the chancellor — continue to be interpreted in much more exceptionalist terms than the evolution of electoral politics.
Comparing Comparisons: Disciplines and the Sonderweg
Authors: Ledford Kenneth F.
Published: December 2003

Inspired in part by a recent exchange in Central European History in which Volker Berghahn and Margaret Lavinia Anderson debated trends in the historiography of the Wilhelmian era of the Kaiserreich, Marcus Kreuzer offers to historians the perspective of a political scientist on what he calls the neglected issue of the “parliamentarization” of the imperial regime over its last two decades. From the starting point of an interpretive dispute about German exceptionalism among historians, a dispute that to him seems easily solvable, Kreuzer compares the various arguments that historians have made about whether by 1914 the Imperial Reichstag was already, or was developing toward becoming, a truly parliamentary regime; he next categorizes historians into schools of interpretation; and he finally resolves the issue for historians by comparing the imperial Reichstag with an array of other parliaments, showing that, based upon evidence contained in the cumulative scholarship produced by historians, it in most cases ranks toward the more powerful end of the spectrum. In the end, he remains puzzled as to why this easily available method has remained too difficult for historians to grasp, concluding that it has been rather easy to drive a stake through the heart of the German Sonderweg, as it is with any exceptionalism.
Response to Ledford and Sperber
Authors: Kreuzer Marcus
Published: December 2003

Over the last decade, historians have made steady inroads into the frequently static social sciences as they are trying to understand the changing post-Cold War order and the even more rapidly changing global and domestic political economies. Such softening of disciplinary boundaries is also observable in the other direction. Jonathan Sperber's work on nineteenth-century electoral politics and Kenneth Ledford's study on German lawyers offer two examples among many of historians borrowing concepts and methods from the social sciences. Yet, these encouraging signs of disciplinary trespassing cannot mask the fact that these two disciplines continue only infrequently to publish in each others' journals, intelligently review each others' works, or jointly reflect on the payoffs of interdisciplinary scholarship. Given this limited dialogue, it is a particular pleasure to reply to two such thoughtful and constructive respondents. In subtly tackling the problems inherent in comparing, Kenneth Ledford ventures into the disciplinary borderlands of history and the social sciences while Jonathan Sperber stays more closely in the historical corner and — to use Ledford's apt characterization of his colleagues — “picks cautionary holes in the applicability” of comparisons.
Real-Time Mesoscale Modeling Over Antarctica: The Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System*
Authors: Powers Jordan G. , Monaghan Andrew J. , Cayette Arthur M. , Bromwich David H. , Kuo Ying-Hwa , Manning Kevin W.
Published: December 2003

In support of the United States Antarctic Program (USAP), the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the Byrd Polar Research Center of The Ohio State University have created the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS): an experimental, real-time mesoscale modeling system covering Antarctica. AMPS has been designed to serve flight forecasters at McMurdo Station, to support science and operations around the continent, and to be a vehicle for the development of physical parameterizations suitable for polar regions. Since 2000, AMPS has been producing high-resolution forecasts (grids to 3.3 km) with the “Polar MM5,” a version of the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University-NCAR Mesoscale Model tuned for the polar atmosphere. Beyond its basic mission of serving the USAP flight forecasters at McMurdo, AMPS has assisted both in emergency operations to save lives and in programs to explore the extreme polar environment. The former have included a medical evacuation from the South Pole and a marine rescue from the continental margin. The latter have included scientific field campaigns and the daily activities of international Antarctic forecasters and researchers. The AMPS program has been a success in terms of advancing polar mesoscale NWP, serving critical logistical operations of the USAP, and, most visibly, assisting in emergency rescue missions to save lives. The history and performance of AMPS are described and the successes of this unique real-time mesoscale modeling system in crisis support are detailed.
A novel mechanism of complement-independent clearance of red cells deficient in glycosyl phosphatidylinositol–linked proteins
Authors: Jasinski Marek , Pantazopoulos Panagiotis , Rother Russell P. , van Rooijen Nico , Song Wen-Chao , Molina Hector , Bessler Monica
Published: December 2003

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired hemolytic anemia characterized by the increased sensitivity of red blood cells (RBCs) to complement, leading to intravascular hemolysis and hemoglobinuria. PNH is due to the expansion of a cell clone that has acquired a mutation in the PIGA gene. Mice with targeted Piga gene inactivation genetically mimic the human disease and have phosphatidylinositol glycan class A-negative (PIGA-) RBCs with a reduced half-life in circulation. Although PIGA-RBCs are hypersensitive to complement in vitro, their complement sensitivity in vivo is barely detectable. Here we show that the shortened survival of PIGA- RBCs is independent of complement either by using inhibitory C5 antibodies or by transfusion into C5-, C4-, C3-, or factor B-deficient mice. Splenectomy or high-dose cortisone treatment had no effect on the shorter survival of PIGA- RBCs. However, treatment with liposome-encapsulated clodronate, an agent that depletes macrophages in vivo, normalized the half-life of PIGA- RBCs. This indicates that the shortened survival of PIGA- RBCs is due to a novel pathway of PIGA- RBC clearance that is mediated by macrophages, but occurs independently of complement. Future investigations will show whether this novel pathway of PIGA- RBC destruction identified in mice may also operate in patients with PNH. (Blood. 2004;103:2827-2834)
Correction of hypercoagulability and amelioration of pulmonary arterial hypertension by chronic blood transfusion in an asplenic hemoglobin E/β-thalassemia patient
Authors: Atichartakarn Vichai , Chuncharunee Suporn , Chandanamattha Pakorn , Likittanasombat Khanchit , Aryurachai Katcharin
Published: December 2003

Chronic transfusion of packed red blood cells, in addition to other ongoing treatment with warfarin, acetyl salicylic acid, desferrioxamine, and other supportive measures, was given to a splenectomized hemoglobin E/β-thalassemia woman with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PHT). Serial measurements of plasma thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) levels and right-sided cardiac catheterization were used to monitor changes after treatment. Reduction of plasma TAT levels from 7.5 to 3.8 μg/L (normal, 3 ± 2.4 μg/L), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) from 553.8 to 238.6 dyne.sec.cm-5 (normal, 67 ± 30 dyne.sec.cm-5), and mean pulmonary arterial pressure from 51 to 32 mm Hg (normal, 9 to 19 mm Hg) occurred in tandem. Normalization of blood hypercoagulability as reflected in plasma TAT level by chronic blood transfusion was the likely basis for improvement of increased PVR, being secondary to thrombotic pulmonary arteriopathy and subsequently PHT. (Blood. 2004;103: 2844-2846)
CD200 is a novel p53-target gene involved in apoptosis-associated immune tolerance
Authors: Rosenblum Michael D. , Olasz Edit , Woodliff Jeffery E. , Johnson Bryon D. , Konkol Marja C. , Gerber Kimberly A. , Orentas Rimas J. , Sandford Gordon , Truitt Robert L.
Published: December 2003

During apoptotic cell death, biochemical processes modify self-proteins and create potential autoantigens. To maintain self-tolerance in the face of natural cell turnover, the immune system must prevent or control responses to apoptosis-associated autoantigens or risk autoimmunity. The molecular mechanisms governing this process remain largely unknown. Here, we show that expression of the immunoregulatory protein CD200 increases as murine dendritic cells (DCs) undergo apoptosis. We define CD200 as a p53-target gene and identify both p53- and caspase-dependent pathways that control CD200 expression during apoptosis. CD200 expression on apoptotic DCs diminishes proinflammatory cytokine production in response to self-antigens in vitro and is required for UVB-mediated tolerance to haptenated self-proteins in vivo. Up-regulation of CD200 may represent a novel mechanism, whereby immune reactivity to apoptosis-associated self-antigens is suppressed under steady state conditions. (Blood. 2004;103: 2691-2698)
Antibody blockade or mutation of the fibrinogen γ-chain C-terminus is more effective in inhibiting murine arterial thrombus formation than complete absence of fibrinogen
Authors: Jiroušková Markéta , Chereshnev Igor , Väänänen Heikki , Degen Jay L. , Coller Barry S.
Published: December 2003

An elevated plasma fibrinogen level is a risk factor for thrombotic cardiovascular disease, but which of fibrinogen's functions is responsible for the increased risk is unknown. To define better the contribution of fibrinogen to large vessel thrombus formation, we studied carotid artery thrombosis in wild-type mice, mice lacking fibrinogen (fbg–/–), mice treated with 7E9 (a blocking antibody to the fibrinogen γ-chain C-terminus), and mice expressing a mutant fibrinogen (γΔ5) that lacks the γ-chain platelet-binding motif QADGV. In control mice, thrombus formation resulted in occlusion in 8 ± 2 minutes (mean ± SD). In fbg–/– mice, thrombi grew to large sizes, but then they abruptly embolized, confirming previous observations by others in an arteriolar thrombus model. In contrast, mice treated with 7E9 and γΔ5 mice developed only small, nonoclusive mural thrombi and embolization was limited. These findings reveal that a fibrinogen antibody, 7E9, or a fibrinogen mutant retaining clotting function, can limit thrombus formation more effectively than the complete absence of fibrinogen. We hypothesize that the smaller thrombi in these animals result from the ability of fibrin to bind and sequester thrombin and/or the ability of the altered fibrinogen molecules, which cannot recruit platelets, to bind to and passivate the surface.
GW654652, the pan-inhibitor of VEGF receptors, blocks the growth and migration of multiple myeloma cells in the bone marrow microenvironment
Authors: Podar Klaus , Catley Laurence P. , Tai Yu-Tzu , Shringarpure Reshma , Carvalho Pedro , Hayashi Toshiaki , Burger Renate , Schlossman Robert L. , Richardson Paul G. , Pandite Lini N. , Kumar Rakesh , Hideshima Teru , Chauhan Dharminder , Anderson Kenneth C.
Published: December 2003

Previous studies have shown that the multiple myeloma (MM) cell line and MM patient cells express high-affinity vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-1 or Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (Flt-1) but not VEGF receptor-2 or Flk-1/kinase insert domain-containing receptor (Flk-1/KDR) and that VEGF triggers MM cell proliferation through a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent pathway and migration through a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent pathway. The present study evaluates the efficacy of the small molecule tyrosine-kinase inhibitor GW654652, which inhibits all 3 VEGF receptors with similar potency. We show that GW654652 acts directly on MM cells and in the bone marrow microenvironment. Specifically, GW654652 (1-10 μg/mL) inhibits, in a dose-dependent fashion, VEGF-triggered migrational activity and cell proliferation of MM cell lines that are sensitive and resistant to conventional therapy. As expected from our previous studies of VEGF-induced signaling and sequelae in MM cells, GW654652 blocked VEGF-induced Flt-1 phosphorylation and downstream activation of AKT-1 and MAPK-signaling cascades. Importantly, GW654652 also inhibits interleukin-6 and VEGF secretion and proliferation of MM cells induced by tumor cell binding to bone marrow (BM) stromal cells. The activity of a pan-VEGF receptor inhibitor against MM cells in the BM milieu, coupled with its lack of major toxicity in preclinical mouse models, provides the framework for clinical trials of this drug class to improve patient outcome in MM. (Blood. 2004;103:3474-3479)
Emergency Department Blood or Body Fluid Exposure Evaluations and HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis Usage
Authors: Merchant Roland C. , Becker Bruce M. , Mayer Kenneth H. , Fuerch Janene , Schreck Barbara
Published: December 2003

Objectives:To determine the frequency and type of patient visits for blood or body fluid exposures to a large, urban emergency department (ED); to ascertain the frequency that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was prescribed for these exposures; and to compare HIV PEP usage by patient group, occupation, and exposure type.Methods:Retrospective medical record review of ED patient visits (January 1, 1995, through June 30, 2001) extracted from two separate billing record computerized databases using 14 ICD‐9 codes that defined blood or body fluid exposures.Results:Of the 1,436 visits, 22% were by health care workers (HCWs) and 78% by non‐HCW adults, adolescents, or children. Sixty percent of the HCWs sustained needlestick or sharp injuries, 73% of non‐HCW adults had human bites, and 81% of adolescents and children had sexual exposures. Nurses were the largest group of HCWs, whereas police, correction officers, and security guards were the largest group of non‐HCWs exposed at work. HCWs and non‐HCW adults who sustained nonsexual exposures were much more likely to present for an evaluation within 24 hours than adolescents or children who suffered sexual assault (p < 0.001). HIV PEP was prescribed 143 times: 92 to HCWs and 51 to all other patients. HIV PEP was most often prescribed to HCWs sustaining needlestick injuries.Conclusions:The majority of patients were not HCWs, which attests to the need for national, nonoccupational blood or body fluid management guidelines. There may be particular groups who would benefit from educational campaigns informing them of the need for early‐intervention, postexposure measures to prevent an HIV infection.
Rates of At‐risk Drinking among Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Occupational and Nonoccupational Injury
Authors: McLean Samuel A. , Blow Frederic C. , Walton Maureen A. , Gregor Mary Ann , Barry Kristen L. , Maio Ronald F. , Knutzen Steven R.
Published: December 2003

Objectives: To compare the characteristics and rates of at‐risk drinking among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with occupational and nonoccupational injury. Methods: Cross‐sectional survey of injured patients presenting to a university hospital ED. Injured patients were prospectively identified, and consenting patients completed a survey including questions regarding quantity/frequency of alcohol use, TWEAK, CAGE, and work‐relatedness of injury. Major trauma and motor‐vehicle collisions were excluded. Demographic and injury information was obtained from the medical record. Patients with a TWEAK score ≥3, CAGE score ≥2, or who exceeded NIAAA quantity/frequency guidelines were defined as at‐risk drinkers. Analysis utilized the Student t‐test for continuous variables, and frequency and chi‐square analysis for categorical variables. Results: Among 3,476 enrolled patients, 766 (22%) had work injuries and 2,710 (78%) had nonwork injuries. Patients with work injuries were as likely as patients with nonwork injuries to be at‐risk drinkers; 35% of patients with an occupational injury and 36% of those with a nonoccupational injury were at‐risk drinkers (odds ratio = 0.96). Conclusions: Patients presenting to the ED with an occupational injury have rates of at‐risk drinking similar to other injury patients, and may be an important group in which to target brief alcohol interventions.
Treatment of Acute Stroke with Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Abciximab
Authors: Morris Daniel C. , Silver Brian , Mitsias Panos , Lewandowski Christopher , Patel Suresh , Daley Sheila , Zhang Zheng G. , Lu Mei
Published: December 2003

Objectives: Preclinical data suggest that treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with the combination of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt‐PA) and abciximab may increase efficacy and decrease the rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). The authors report pilot data of five AIS patients with half‐dose rt‐PA and abciximab as part of an ongoing phase I safety trial with sICH as the primary outcome. Methods: Five patients with AIS were treated with the combination of half‐dose rt‐PA (0.45 mg/kg) and abciximab (0.25 mg/kg bolus followed by a 0.125 μg/kg/min infusion over 12 hours). Head computed tomographic scan was obtained after 24 hours of treatment onset. Results: Four patients received the combination of half‐dose abciximab and rt‐PA without major complications. One patient experienced a parenchymal hematoma type‐1 ICH without significant decline of his neurological status. The average National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale change at discharge in comparison with pretreatment was −5.4 ± 7.0, and the median change was 6 points with a range of 4 points (worsening) to −13 points (improvement) (p = 0.07) based on a one‐sided t‐test. Conclusions: Administration of rt‐PA and abciximab to AIS patients was completed without difficulty. No sICH were observed; however, 20% (1 out of 5) experienced an asymptomatic ICH. Based on our observation of five patients, there was a trend of treatment efficacy; however, these results need to be confirmed in a larger‐scale placebo‐controlled clinical trial.
Anogenital Injuries in Adolescents after Consensual Sexual Intercourse
Authors: Jones Jeffrey S. , Rossman Linda , Hartman Melissa , Alexander Carmen C.
Published: December 2003

Objectives: To compare the types and locations of anogenital injuries occurring in adolescent females (13–17 years old) after consensual and nonconsensual sexual intercourse. Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective, matched case–control study to assess anogenital injuries in female adolescents presenting to a free‐standing nurse examiner clinic during a four‐year study period. Adolescents were selected for inclusion in the study if they reported consensual sexual intercourse (CSI) and agreed to a medical–legal examination. Control subjects were victims of alleged sexual assault or nonconsensual sexual intercourse (NCSI) matched to cases by age and prior sexual intercourse experience. Genital trauma was documented using colposcopy with nuclear staining and digital photography. Data were analyzed using chi‐square and t‐tests. Results: Fifty‐one cases of CSI were identified; the age range was 13 to 17 years (mean = 15.1 years). Overall, 49% (25/51) of CSI subjects reported no prior sexual intercourse experience. CSI and NCSI were comparable in terms of race, time to physical examination, alcohol use, and frequency of genital injuries (73% vs. 85%, p = 0.069). The mean number of documented anogenital injuries in CSI subjects was 1.9 ± 1.5. These injuries commonly involved the hymen, fossa navicularis, and posterior fourchette. CSI subjects had a greater number of anogenital injuries (2.6 ± 2.0; p = 0.02), typically involving the fossa navicularis, labia minora, and hymen. The most common type of injury in both groups was lacerations (39% vs. 41%); however, NCSI subjects had a greater incidence of anogenital abrasions, ecchymosis, and edema (χ2= 10.4, p = 0.035). Conclusions: Anogenital trauma was documented in 73% of adolescent females after consensual sexual intercourse versus 85% of victims of sexual assault. The localized pattern and severity of anogenital injuries were significantly different when compared with victims of sexual assault.
γ-Aminobutyric Acid Neurons Integrate and Rapidly Transmit Permissive and Inhibitory Metabolic Cues to Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons
Authors: Sullivan Shannon D. , Moenter Suzanne M.
Published: December 2003

Negative energy balance inhibits fertility by decreasing GnRH release; however, the mechanisms are not well understood. GnRH neurons can be excited by activation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptors, and GABAergic neurons provide a major synaptic input. We hypothesized that permissive metabolic signals mediated by leptin and inhibitory signals conveyed by neuropeptide Y (NPY) and opiates rapidly alter GABAA receptor-mediated drive to GnRH neurons. In fed and fasted female mice, GABAergic postsynaptic currents (PSCs) were recorded from GnRH neurons before and after in vitro treatment with leptin, NPY, or met-enkephalin. Leptin increased PSC frequency in fed and fasted mice, indicating that it increased presynaptic activity. Leptin also increased PSC size. Inhibiting leptin receptor signaling pathways within GnRH neurons abolished the latter effect, indicating a direct action on these cells. In fed, but not fasted, mice, NPY and met-enkephalin decreased PSC frequency in an antagonist-reversible manner, but did not alter PSC size. NPY-1 receptor antagonists alone increased frequency in fed and fasted mice, as did opiate receptor blockade in fasted animals, suggesting that endogenous NPY and opiates modulate GABAergic drive to GnRH neurons. These data suggest that GABAergic afferents integrate metabolic signals for delivery to GnRH neurons. Decreased sensitivity to NPY and opiates in fasted mice indicate that these peptides send physiologically relevant signals regarding energy balance to GnRH neurons.
Germ line stem cell differentiation inDrosophilarequires gap junctions and proceeds via an intermediate state
Authors: Gilboa Lilach , Forbes Alexandria , Tazuke Salli I. , Fuller Margaret T. , Lehmann Ruth
Published: December 2003

Gap junctions coordinate processes ranging from muscle contraction to ovarian follicle development. Here we show that the gap junction protein Zero population growth (Zpg) is required for germ cell differentiation in the Drosophila ovary. In the absence of Zpg the stem cell daughter destined to differentiate dies. The zpg phenotype is novel, and we used this phenotype to genetically dissect the process of stem cell maintenance and differentiation. Our findings suggest that germ line stem cells differentiate upon losing contact with their niche, that gap junction mediated cell-cell interactions are required for germ cell differentiation,and that in Drosophila germ line stem cell differentiation to a cystoblast is gradual.
Wg and Egfr signalling antagonise the development of the peripodial epithelium inDrosophilawing discs
Authors: Baena-López Luis Alberto , Pastor-Pareja José Carlos , Resino Jaime
Published: December 2003

Imaginal discs contain a population of cells, known as peripodial epithelium, that differ morphologically and genetically from the rest of imaginal cells. The peripodial epithelium has a small contribution to the adult epidermis, though it is essential for the eversion of the discs during metamorphosis. The genetic mechanisms that control the identity and cellular morphology of the peripodial epithelia are poorly understood. In this report,we investigate the mechanisms that pattern the peripodial side of the wing imaginal disc during early larval development. At this time, the activities of the Wingless (Wg) and Epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr) signalling pathways specify the prospective wing and notum fields, respectively. We show that peripodial epithelium specification occurs in the absence of Wingless and Egfr signalling. The ectopic activity in the peripodial epithelium of any of these signalling pathways transforms the shape of peripodial cells from squamous to columnar and resets their gene expression profile. Furthermore,peripodial cells where Wingless signalling is ectopically active acquire hinge identity, while ectopic Egfr activation results in notum specification. These findings suggest that suppression of Wg and Egfr activities is an early step in the development of the peripodial epithelium of the wing discs.
N-RAP scaffolds I-Z-I assembly during myofibrillogenesis in cultured chick cardiomyocytes
Authors: Carroll Stefanie , Lu Shajia , Herrera Amy H. , Horowits Robert
Published: December 2003

N-RAP is a muscle-specific protein with an N-terminal LIM domain (LIM), C-terminal actin-binding super repeats homologous to nebulin (SR) and nebulin-related simple repeats (IB) in between the two. Based on biochemical data, immunofluorescence analysis of cultured embryonic chick cardiomyocytes and the targeting and phenotypic effects of these individual GFP-tagged regions of N-RAP, we proposed a novel model for the initiation of myofibril assembly in which N-RAP organizes α-actinin and actin into the premyofibril I-Z-I complexes. We tested the proposed model by expressing deletion mutants of N-RAP (i.e. constructs containing two of the three regions of N-RAP) in chick cardiomyocytes and observing the effects on α-actinin and actin organization into mature sarcomeres. Although individually expressing either the LIM, IB, or SR regions of N-RAP inhibited α-actinin assembly into Z-lines, expression of either the LIM-IB fusion or the IB-SR fusion permitted normal α-actinin organization. In contrast, the LIM-SR fusion (LIM-SR) inhibited α-actinin organization into Z-lines, indicating that the IB region is critical for Z-line assembly. While permitting normal Z-line assembly, LIM-IB and IB-SR decreased sarcomeric actin staining intensity; however, the effects of LIM-IB on actin assembly were significantly more severe, as estimated both by morphological assessment and by quantitative measurement of actin staining intensity. In addition, LIM-IB was consistently retained in mature Z-lines, while mature Z-lines without significant IB-SR incorporation were often observed. We conclude that the N-RAP super repeats are essential for organizing actin filaments during myofibril assembly in cultured embryonic chick cardiomyocytes, and that they also play an important role in removal of the N-RAP scaffold from the completed myofibrillar structure. This work strongly supports the N-RAP scaffolding model of premyofibril assembly.
ENTH/ANTH proteins and clathrin-mediated membrane budding
Authors: Legendre-Guillemin Valerie , Wasiak Sylwia , Hussain Natasha K. , Angers Annie , McPherson Peter S.
Published: December 2003

The epsin N-terminal homology (ENTH) domain is an evolutionarily conserved protein module found primarily in proteins that participate in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Structural analyses and ligand-binding studies have shown that a set of proteins previously designated as harboring an ENTH domain in fact contain a highly similar, yet unique module referred to as an AP180 N-terminal homology (ANTH) domain. ENTH and ANTH (E/ANTH) domains bind both inositol phospholipids and proteins and contribute to the nucleation and formation of clathrin coats on membranes. ENTH domains also function in the development of membrane curvature through lipid remodeling during the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles. E/ANTH-bearing proteins have recently been shown to function with adaptor protein-1 and GGA adaptors at the trans-Golgi network, which suggests that E/ANTH domains are universal components of the machinery for clathrin-mediated membrane budding.
Executive Insights: The Impact of Linguistic Differences on International Brand Name Standardization: A Comparison of English and Chinese Brand Names of Fortune-500 Companies
Authors: Francis June N.P. , Lam Janet P.Y. , Walls Jan
Published: December 2003

The authors investigate the brand name standardization/adaptation strategies used by consumer goods Fortune -500 companies in China and Hong Kong. The authors compare English brand names with Chinese brand names on several dimensions. The vast majority of firms localize their brand names, and transliteration of the brand name is the strategy used most often. Firms also appear to be successful in avoiding unfortunate brand name mistakes and add features to the brand names, such as cultural symbols, additional product benefits, and more positive connotations, when localizing the brand name for the Chinese market.
Cultural Paradoxes Reflected in Brand Meaning: McDonald's in Shanghai, China
Authors: Eckhardt Giana M. , Houston Michael J.
Published: December 2003

Brands are powerful symbols that reflect not only the image with which marketers hope to imbue them but also the cultural milieu in which they are imbedded. If that milieu is in a state of flux, brands can come to represent some surprising ideas and values to which marketing efforts must be sensitive. In this research, the authors relate the nature of societal change, a common occurrence in many developing markets and especially China, to evaluation of a brand by a broad cross-section of urban Chinese consumers. Using the methodology of scenario completion, the authors reveal that the McDonald's brand is evaluated in the context of societal norms and values that are brought up in various usage situations. Brand evaluations can be inconsistent and often paradoxical depending on the context. The results suggest that marketers should be closely involved with the way their brand is interacting with cultural values in transitional markets.
Technology as an Enabler of the Global Branding of Retail Financial Services
Authors: Wright April
Published: December 2003

The market for retail financial services has been transformed in the past decade by new distribution and processing technologies and their impact on consumer attitudes to banking and banks. These factors have removed the geographic and cost barriers to the global distribution of retail financial services and have led to a convergence in the key benefits sought by consumers in developed countries. This increases the need for and the effectiveness of globally consistent brand images.
The Perennial Issue of Adaptation or Standardization of International Marketing Communication: Organizational Contingencies and Performance
Authors: Solberg Carl Arthur
Published: December 2003

The author investigates the standardization/adaptation issue in international advertising from an organizational perspective, introducing two variables: knowledge of local market conditions at the center (exporter/headquarters level) and headquarters’ influence on local marketing decisions. The author interviewed 150 Norwegian exporters by mail on their experience in this respect. The results reveal that the two dimensions indeed have some impact on how firms develop their international marketing strategies. Knowledge of local market conditions seems to play an overriding role, leading to a more standardized approach by firms. Not surprisingly, centralized decision power seems to lead to more negative reactions at the intermediary level. In contrast, firms that have a more relaxed stance on the standardization issue and leave the marketing decisions to the local representatives seem to have better relations with these representatives than do other firms. The author discusses implications for global brand management and research.
Multiple Channel Strategies in the European Personal Computer Industry
Authors: Gabrielsson Mika , Kirpalani V.H. Manek , Luostarinen Reijo
Published: December 2003

The authors examine sales channel strategies for international expansion as a means of compensating for constantly decreasing unit prices and margins in the personal computer (PC) industry operation in the European Union market. The authors describe and analyze the development from single (direct or indirect) to multiple (dual or hybrid) sales channel strategy for international expansion on the basis of four theoretical approaches. The methodology used is a qualitative research strategy. The authors conduct a longitudinal multiple case study consisting of 20 top management interviews related to four cases. They examine the development of the sales channel strategies of selected large companies in the European PC business. Multiple sales channels, especially the hybrid ones, are an optimal solution for expanding sales volumes. The results contribute to the relatively underresearched area of multiple channels, and the managerial implications drawn should be helpful not only to PC companies but also to other firms, such as “born globals.”
Relationship Bonding and Trust as a Foundation for Commitment in U.S.–Mexican Strategic Alliances: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
Authors: Rodríguez Carlos M. , Wilson David T.
Published: December 2003

This article develops a model to understand the influence of relationship bonding on trust and commitment between partners in international strategic alliances. Theoretical foundations are drawn from resource dependency and social exchange theories as frameworks for the analysis of interdependency. The model is tested in the context of U.S.–Mexican strategic alliances. The results of this study show that trust and commitment assist in building interdependency between both partners and perceived structural dependency is a prerequisite to maintain and develop social dynamics in the relationship. Trust is built mainly on economic and strategic cooperation for U.S. managers whereas Mexican managers perceive social and affective dimensions as its driving forces. Both U.S. and Mexican managers perceive commitment to the relationship as supported on high levels of trust. The authors discuss the implications of these results for the management of the relationship and building interdependency from a cultural perspective.
Executive Insights: Countering Brand Counterfeiters
Authors: Green Robert T. , Smith Tasman
Published: December 2003

Brands represent the most valuable asset that many firms possess, and the associated brand equity is usually the result of years of development efforts. Yet many brands are becoming increasingly threatened by the worldwide phenomenon of brand counterfeiting, whereby imitations of the brand are sold to unwary consumers as the original. Counterfeits are known to flourish especially in developing countries that have weak legal infrastructures and corruptible public officials. What can a company do in the face of this threat? The authors summarize the literature that addresses this issue and provide an in-depth description of how one company addressed the threat of counterfeits in a lucrative developing market. The case illustrates the lengths companies may need to go to respond to counterfeits and raises many issues in relation to these actions.
Competing Perspectives in International Marketing Strategy: Contingency and Process Models
Authors: Özsomer Ayşegül , Prussia Gregory E.
Published: December 2003

Empirical studies investigating the relationship between marketing standardization and performance have generated mixed results. This study investigates the causal ordering between marketing strategy and marketing structure as determinants of subsidiary performance. The authors propose a multiple contingencies approach that tests both the contingency (e.g., Chandler 1962 ) and the process (e.g., Bower 1970 ) frameworks in the subsidiary context. Findings based on a two-phase longitudinal study provide initial support for the framework that suggests that marketing structure follows marketing strategy. In response to increased target market similarity, companies in the study opted for more standardized marketing strategies. Furthermore, centralization of structure mediated the relationship between marketing strategy and subsidiary performance. The performance impact of centralization, however, was cross-lagged and negative. Results suggest adapting marketing strategies to local markets as a way of enhancing performance.
A Note on Psychological Distance and Export Market Selection
Authors: Dow Douglas
Published: December 2003

The concept of psychological distance, or psychic distance, was first proposed by Beckerman (1956) and later popularized by Johanson and Vahlne (1977) . However, efforts to test the impact of psychological distance on export market selection have been sporadic and flawed. The author calibrates a single-item indicator of psychological distance using an independent panel of experts. The predictive ability of the resulting instrument is then tested on the order in which Australian exporters select their first five foreign markets. The author then compares this instrument with three other scales that are commonly employed as indicators of psychological distance. Scales based on Sethi's (1971) and Hofstede's (1980) work prove to be inferior predictors of early market selection. Geographic distance is found to be a significant predictor, but its effect is largely independent of psychological distance. The author also explores the dynamic nature of psychological distance. The impact of psychological distance on market selection appears to decrease substantially after the first market entry decision but remains a significant predictor.
Configural Advantage in Global Markets
Authors: Craig C. Samuel , Douglas Susan P.
Published: December 2003

Achieving a sustainable competitive advantage in global markets depends on the geographic scope and diversity of the firm's operations and their interlinkage, as well as on the extent of market integration and interdependence. The spatial configuration of the firm's assets, capabilities, and resources and the ability to manage and use these resources effectively are crucial elements of the firm's global strategy. The authors examine the nature of a firm's configural advantage in global markets in terms of its key components, capabilities, and management issues.
Educator Insights: The Policy Gap in International Marketing
Authors: Czinkota Michael R.
Published: December 2003

In the light of the growing importance of policy for international marketing practice, the author makes a case for an increase in policy-oriented international marketing work in academia by presenting some key policy issues and developing international marketing research dimensions associated with these issues. The author makes suggestions for the structuring of research strategies that are responsive to policy changes and offers some thoughts on how researchers can influence and shape policy with their research insights. The author makes recommendations that might help increase the policy orientation of international marketing academics.
Executive Insights: Franchising Opportunities and Threats in Russia
Authors: Alon Ilan , Banai Moshe
Published: December 2003

This article pertains to franchising in Russia, a post-Communist economy with one of the largest market potentials for American business. The authors focus on the environmental factors associated with international franchising in Russia and examine the four Ps and the entry strategies available to prospective franchisors, which provides the background for a franchising marketing plan. In addition, this research provides rules of thumb to potential market entrants into Russia.
Information Acquisition Activities: A Study of Global Start-Up Exporting Companies
Authors: Yeoh Poh-Lin
Published: December 2003

In this study, the author investigates the antecedents of information search effort and information source use and the implications of firms’ information acquisition activities on export performance. The author examines four major sets of variables to understand their impact on firms’ information search effort and the use of personal, quasi-government, and documented sources. These variables are information source characteristics, firm strategic orientation, environmental characteristics, and organizational characteristics. Empirical results based on a survey of U.S. exporting firms provide mixed support for these factors in predicting firms’ information search effort and information source use. Findings on firm performance support the notion that firms that engage in greater information search and those that rely on personal and quasi-government information sources tend to have higher performance levels.
Sicherheit mobiler Roborter (Safety of mobile robots)
Authors: Adamy Jürgen , Bechtel Peter
Published: December 2003

In der mobilen Robotik sind in Zukunft viele Anwendungen wie z.B. Reinigungs- und Transportaufgaben denkbar, die verglichen mit Industrierobotern viel höhere Sicherheitsanforderungen stellen. Dies liegt an der größeren erforderlichen Autonomie dieser Systeme und dem direkten Kontakt mit Menschen. Es ist daher nötig, Konzepte zu entwickeln, um die sichere Funktion von mobilen Robotern zu gewährleisten, wenn diese einsetzbar sein sollen. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, für verschiedene Typen von mobilen Robotern die typischen Gefährdungen herauszuarbeiten, sowie grundlegende Sicherheitsstrukturen und Anforderungen für den Einsatz zu beschreiben.
Internet-basiertes Lernen (Internet-based Learning)
Authors: Schmid Christian
Published: December 2003

Dieser Übersichtsbeitrag befasst sich weitgehend mit den technischen Aspekten des Online-Lernens und der zugehörigen Lernplattformen im Internet, da sich für das Lehrgebiet der Automatisierungstechnik besondere Anforderungen ergeben. Ausgehend vom Lernen und Experimentieren werden Online-Lernplattformen analysiert und die Besonderheiten für dieses Fachgebiet herausgearbeitet. Da das Web nur Grundfunktionen für Lernplattformen zur Verfügung stellt, werden Entwicklungen für Erweiterungen anhand von mehreren Beispielen aufgezeigt. Den Fernlaboren und der Fernlabortechnik wird besondere Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt und zuletzt ein ausführlicher Blick in die Zukunft gewagt.