bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Selection of Multiattribute Decision Making Methods for Scholarship Student Selection
Authors: Yeh Chung‐Hsing
Published: December 2003

Selecting scholarship students from a number of competing candidates is a complex decision making process, in which multiple selection criteria have to be considered simultaneously. Multiattribute decision making (MADM) has proven to be an effective approach for ranking or selecting one or more alternatives from a finite number of alternatives with respect to multiple, usually conflicting criteria. This paper formulates the scholarship student selection process as an MADM problem, and presents suitable compensatory methods for solving the problem. A new empirical validity procedure is developed to deal with the inconsistent ranking problem caused by different MADM methods. The procedure aims at selecting a ranking outcome which has a minimum expected value loss, when true attribute weights are not known. An empirical study of a scholarship student selection problem in an Australian university is conducted to illustrate how the selection procedure works.
A Comparison of Assessment Center Practices in Organizations in German‐speaking Regions and the United States
Authors: Krause Diana E. , Gebert Diether
Published: December 2003

The development, execution, and evaluation of ACs in 281 German, Swiss, and Austrian organizations are examined for compliance with professional guidelines and consideration of moderator variables of validity, and the results are compared with those reported for U.S. companies (Spychalski et al., 1997). The authors show that some recommendations (e.g., systematic testing of reliability and validity) have not received sufficient attention in either the German‐speaking or U.S. sample and that compliance with guidelines (e.g., the application of information policy to assessees) varies across the countries studied. The most important cross‐national differences in the development, execution, and evaluation of ACs are explained as results of ideologically rooted reservations, insufficient professionalization in some aspects of intraorganizational AC use, as well as specific aspects of the Labor‐Management Act and similar legislation in German‐speaking regions. These factors are linked with a cultural difference—institutionalized collectivism, which is greater in German‐speaking regions than in the United Sates.
Correcting Personality Tests for Faking: A Review of Popular Personality Tests and an Initial Survey of Researchers
Authors: Goffin Richard D. , Christiansen Neil D.
Published: December 2003

We reviewed a number of personality tests that are commonly used for personnel selection and found that some of the more popular tests provide a “correction” for faking. Additionally, a survey of researchers' preferences regarding correcting personality test scores for faking was conducted. The respondents, who were experienced in using personality tests for industrial‐organizational purposes, generally favored the use of faking corrections (69% were in favor). The apparently common practice of correcting personality scores for faking was contrasted with relevant conceptual, empirical, and statistical concerns as to the advisability of applying the correction for faking.
A Longitudinal Study of Applicant Reactions to Multiple Selection Procedures and Job and Organizational Characteristics
Authors: Carless Sally A.
Published: December 2003

This longitudinal field study aimed to: (a) examine the relative importance of reactions to psychological tests compared to interviews; (b) compare reactions to selection procedures with perceptions of job and organizational attributes; and (c) examine the relative importance of job acceptance intentions assessed at different stages. Graduate applicants were surveyed at four time points: pre‐selection, after an external interview, after psychological tests and internal interviews, and after actual job acceptance decision. Reactions to psychological tests were unrelated to attractiveness and acceptance intentions, whereas mixed findings were reported on reactions to interviews. Mostly, the findings showed that perceptions of job and organizational attributes explained significant variance in attractiveness and job acceptance intentions, whereas reactions to selection procedures were unrelated. The hypothesis that acceptance intentions closest in time to job acceptance decision would be more strongly related to job acceptance decision compared to intentions assessed at early stages was not supported. In general, the results emphasised the relative importance of initial attitudes of applicants in understanding applicant reactions.
Business groups, the financial market and modernization*
Authors: Kali Raja
Published: December 2003

Business groups are an important aspect of the industrial organization of many developing countries. This paper develops a theory suggesting that they may be organizations that facilitate modernization in the presence of financial market constraints.

An important function of the stockmarket is the diversification of risk that comes with specialized, productive technology. But in the face of serious information problems a well functioning stockmarket may fail to emerge, relegating the economy to a low productivity‐poverty trap. Bilateral links between a firm and a group of others may be a more cost effective way to achieve risk‐sharing. Such business groups may be feasible when a full‐fledged stockmarket is not. As modernization takes place, either because information problems become less severe or more firms enter the economy, business groups actually expand in size before being abruptly rendered obsolete by the stockmarket. This is consistent with empirical results from a number of emerging economies.
Gender pay differentials during the transition in Poland*
Authors: Adamchik Vera A. , Bedi Arjun S.
Published: December 2003

This paper assesses the relative economic welfare of women during the transition in Poland. After providing an account of gender differences in several labour market outcomes we analyse the male‐female wage differential over the period 1993–97. We find that there is almost no change in the wage gap, that most of the explained portion of the wage gap may be attributed to industrial and occupational segregation, and that a substantial portion of the wage gap remains unexplained. We briefly discuss possible socio‐economic explanations for our findings.
Credibility costs in the monetary integration game*
Authors: Besancenot Damien , Vranceanu Radu
Published: December 2003

Euro candidates are expected to maintain the value of their currency within the fluctuation band of the new exchange rate mechanism for at least two years. This paper highlights some unpleasant macroeconomic effects that could occur during this interval. The problem is cast as a two‐stage sequential game between private agents and the government of the applicant country. The policy‐maker decides whether to devaluate the domestic currency or not at two distinct dates; it makes a last choice just before accession to the monetary union. Under an assumption of incomplete information of private agents about the government's priorities on inflation and economic activity, the game presents a hybrid perfect Bayesian equilibrium. In the pooling configuration, an initial policy of zero devaluation does not signal the final devaluation decision. As private agents cannot completely rule out the risk of a ‘last devaluation’, a premium adds to interest rates and entails a systematic output loss.
Continued decline for ethnic minorities in the transition?
Authors: Giddings Lisa
Published: December 2003

Using three Bulgarian cross‐sectional household surveys from 1986, 1993 and 1997, this essay shows that the mean log wage differential between ethnic Bulgarians and Turks increased from 0.1615 in 1986 to 0.2874 in 1993 and again to 0.4075 by 1997. Bulgarian gains over ethnic Turks in the early transition are related to both changes in the relative returns to skill and changes in the composition of demand for goods and services as the country moved toward a market economy. The Turks began the transition with fewer years of education than the Bulgarians, and began to close the education gap over this time. The Bulgarians, however, were more likely to have obtained more general secondary and university degrees than the ethnic Turks – degrees that, in contrast to technical or vocational degrees, are experiencing increased remuneration in the transition. With more of an asset that has become more valuable, the ethnic Bulgarians improved their relative position.
Reform reversals and output growth in transition economies*
Authors: Merlevede Bruno
Published: December 2003

This paper tests whether reform reversals during transition carry an economic cost. Reform is measured by an average reform index, while reform reversals are characterized by a drop in the average reform index. In the standard empirical framework the current level of reform affects growth negatively, while the lagged level affects growth positively. This non‐linear effect implies a counterintuitive, short‐lived positive effect of a reversal. In a simultaneous equation system with growth and the level of reform as dependent variables we explicitly introduce a reversal parameter. Empirical results suggest that reversals have an immediate negative impact on real output growth. Controlling for the level of reform shows that reversals are more costly at higher levels of reform.
A comment on The relationship between policies and growth in transition countries
Authors: Rzońca Andrzej , Ciżkowicz Piotr
Published: December 2003

The goal of this article is to point out the likely reasons for the differences between the results obtained by Roxana Radulescu and David Barlow1 and those presented in most other research papers on the growth determinants in the post‐communist countries. The authors also present the consequences of the impact of the specific composition of the EBRD index on the results of analysis obtained on the basis of econometric models, in which the index is used as a variable.
Increasing urban wage inequality in China
Authors: Knight John , Song Lina
Published: December 2003

Two strictly comparable cross‐section household datasets, relating to 1988 and 1995, are used to analyse the increase in wage inequality from an initially low level in urban China over this period of labour market reform. The institutional background and the evolution of policy are described. The rapid growth of wage inequality and the sharp widening of wage structure are quantified. Earnings functions are compared, and the increase in both the level and the inequality of wages are decomposed into their constituent elements. Quantile regression analysis is conducted to throw light on the relationships between the observed and the unobserved determinants of wages. Distinctions are made between the variables likely to represent human capital, discrimination, and segmentation. The evidence suggests that productive characteristics were increasingly rewarded as marketization occurred, but that discrimination and segmentation also grew. The move towards a fully‐fledged labour market was by no means complete.
Effects of FK506 on regeneration and macrophages in injured rat sciatic nerve
Authors: Kvist Martin , Danielsen Nils , Dahlin Lars B.
Published: December 2003

Abstract  Effects of FK506 [5.0 mg/kg body weight (BW), subcutaneous, daily] on nerve regeneration and presence of macrophages in lesioned rat sciatic nerves were studied. Models of autologous nerve graft or a nerve crush lesion were used and regeneration was evaluated by immunocytochemistry (also used to detect ED1/ED2 macrophages) and sensory pinch reflex test, respectively. Treatment with FK506 did not increase regeneration distance or regeneration rate in the autologous nerve grafts. However, regeneration distances after nerve crush were significantly longer following treatment with FK506. The number of macrophages (ED1/ED2) in nerve grafts increased over time, but treatment with FK506 had limited effects only in the presence of ED2 macrophages. Present and previously published studies may imply that there is a time‐related and type‐of‐injury‐related profile of FK506's pro‐regenerative effect.
Nerve injury and repair – a challenge to the plastic brain
Authors: Lundborg Göran
Published: December 2003

Abstract  Repair and reconstruction of major nerve trunks in the upper extremity is a very challenging surgical problem. Today, there is no surgical repair technique that can assure recovery of tactile discrimination in the hand of an adult patient following nerve repair. In contrast, young individuals usually attain a complete recovery of functional sensibility. The outcome from nerve repair depends mainly on central nervous system factors including functional cortical reorganizational processes caused by misdirection in axonal outgrowth. Deafferentation due to local anesthetic block, amputation or nerve transection in the upper extremity leads to very rapid cortical synaptic remodeling, resulting in a distorted cortical hand representation as well as in enlarged and overlapping cortical receptive fields. Sensory relearning programs are aimed at refinement of these receptive fields to normalize the distorted hand map and improve processing at a high‐order cortical level in the context of the ‘new language spoken by the hand’. As peripheral nerve repair techniques cannot be further refined, there is a need for new and improved strategies for sensory relearning following nerve repair. We propose the utilization of multimodal capacity of the brain, using another sense (hearing) to substitute for lost hand sensation and to provide an alternate sensory input from the hand early after transection. The purpose was to modulate cortical reorganizations due to deafferentation to preserve cortical hand representation. Preliminary results from a prospective clinical randomized study indicate that the use of a Sensor Glove System, which stereophonically transposes the friction sound elicited by active touch, results in improved recovery of tactile discrimination in the nerve‐injured hand. Future strategies for treatment of nerve injuries should promote cellular methods to minimize post‐traumatic nerve cell death and to improve axonal outgrowth rate and orientation, but high on the agenda are new strategies for refined sensory relearning following nerve repair.
Mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic sensory neuropathy
Authors: Fernyhough Paul , Huang Tze‐Jen , Verkhratsky Alex
Published: December 2003

Abstract  Symmetrical sensory polyneuropathy, the most common form of diabetic neuropathy in humans, is associated with a spectrum of structural changes in peripheral nerve that includes axonal degeneration, paranodal demyelination, and loss of myelinated fibers – the latter probably the result of a dying‐back of distal axons. Mitochondrial dysfunction has recently been proposed as an etiological factor in this degenerative disease of the peripheral nervous system. Lack of neurotrophic support has been proposed as a contributing factor in the etiology of diabetic neuropathy based on studies in animal models of Type I diabetes. We have recently demonstrated that insulin and neurotrophin‐3 (NT‐3) modulate mitochondrial membrane potential in cultured adult sensory neurons. We therefore tested the hypothesis that diabetes‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction is caused by impairments in neurotrophic support. We have used real‐time fluorescence video microscopy to analyze mitochondrial membrane potential in cultured adult sensory neurons isolated from normal and diabetic rats. Diabetes caused a significant loss of mitochondrial membrane potential in all sub‐populations of sensory neurons which can be prevented by in vivo treatment with insulin or NT‐3. The mechanism of insulin and NT‐3‐dependent modulation of mitochondrial membrane potential involves the activation of the phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI 3 kinase) pathway. Downstream targets of PI 3 kinase, such as Akt and the transcription factor cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB), are activated by insulin and NT‐3 and regulate sensory neuron gene expression. These alterations in gene expression modulate critical components of metabolite pathways and the electron transport chain associated with the neuronal mitochondrion. Our results show that in adult sensory neurons, treatment with insulin can elevate the input of reducing equivalents into the mitochondrial electron transport chain, which leads to greater mitochondrial membrane polarization and enhanced ATP synthesis.
Experimental strategies to promote functional recovery after peripheral nerve injuries
Authors: Gordon Tessa , Sulaiman Olawale , Boyd J. Gordon
Published: December 2003

Abstract  The capacity of Schwann cells (SCs) in the peripheral nervous system to support axonal regeneration, in contrast to the oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system, has led to the misconception that peripheral nerve regeneration always restores function. Here, we consider how prolonged periods of time that injured neurons remain without targets during axonal regeneration (chronic axotomy) and that SCs in the distal nerve stumps remain chronically denervated (chronic denervation) progressively reduce the number of motoneurons that regenerate their axons. We demonstrate the effectiveness of low‐dose, brain‐derived neurotrophic and glial‐derived neurotrophic factors to counteract the effects of chronic axotomy in promoting axonal regeneration. High‐dose brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on the other hand, acting through the p75 receptor, inhibits axonal regeneration and may be a factor in stopping regenerating axons from forming neuromuscular connections in skeletal muscle. The immunophilin, FK506, is also effective in promoting axonal regeneration after chronic axotomy. Chronic denervation of SCs (>1 month) severely deters axonal regeneration, although the few motor axons that do regenerate to reinnervate muscles become myelinated and form enlarged motor units in the reinnervated muscles. We found that in vitro incubation of chronically denervated SCs with transforming growth factor‐β re‐established their growth‐supportive phenotype in vivo, consistent with the idea that the interaction between invading macrophages and denervated SCs during Wallerian degeneration is essential to sustain axonal regeneration by promoting the growth‐supportive SC phenotype. Finally, we consider the effectiveness of a brief period of 20 Hz electrical stimulation in promoting the regeneration of axons across the surgical gap after nerve repair.
Digital electron microscopic examination of human sural nerve biopsies
Authors: Sullivan K. A. , Brown M. S. , Harmon L. , Greene D. A.
Published: December 2003

Abstract  Diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy is characterized by axonal degeneration and regeneration as well as by Schwann cell and microvascular changes. These changes have been described at both the light (LM) and the electron microscopic (EM) levels; however, EM has not been applied to large clinical trials. Our goal was to adapt the rigorous techniques used for quantifying human biopsies with LM image analysis to accommodate ultrastructural analyses. We applied digital image capture and analysis to the ultrastructural examination of axons in sural nerve biopsies from diabetic patients enrolled in a multicenter clinical trial. The selection of sural nerve biopsies was based on the quality of specimen fixation, absence of physical distortion, and nerve fascicle size (≥100 000; ≤425 000 µm2). Thin sections were collected on formvar‐coated slot grids, stabilized with carbon and scanned on a Phillips CM100 transmission electron microscope. Digital images were captured with a Kodak Megaplus 1.6 camera. A montage was constructed using software derived from aerial mapping applications, and this virtual image was viewed by EM readers. Computer‐assisted analyses included identification and labeling of individual axons and axons within regenerating clusters. The average density of regenerating myelinated axon clusters per mm2 was 65.8 ± 5.1, range of 0–412 (n = 193). These techniques increase the number of samples that may be analyzed by EM and extend the use of this technique to clinical trials using tissue biopsies as a primary endpoint.
Effects of gadolinium and tetrodotoxin on the response of slowly adapting type I mechanoreceptors to mechanical stimulation in frog dorsal skin
Authors: Takeda Mamoru , Nishikawa Toshimi , Sato Sumie , Aiyama Shigeo , Matsumoto Shigeji
Published: December 2003

Abstract  To elucidate the excitatory mechanism of mechanoreceptors innervating the frog skin, we examined the effects of gadolinium (Gd3+) and tetrodotoxin (TTX) on the response of single‐unit activity of slowly adapting type I mechanoreceptors to mechanical stimulation topically applied to the receptive field (RF). Recordings were made from 46 fibers responding to mechanical stimulation with von Frey hairs, which caused an irregular firing pattern with slow adaptation. Application of a mechanically gated channel blocker, Gd3+ (30 µM), and a Na+ channel blocker, TTX (3 µM), caused the suppression of discharge rates, which was characterized by the conversion of a slowly adapting to a rapidly adapting discharge pattern. The administration of a high‐voltage‐activated (HVA) Ca2+ channel blocker, Cd2+ (100 µm), inhibited the unit discharge and caused the conversion of a slowly adapting to a rapidly adapting discharge pattern. Tonic discharges evoked by anodal electrical stimulation were inhibited by the application of Gd3+ or TTX. Electron microscopic examination showed that the cytoplasm of Merkel cells seen in the RF contained numerous Merkel granules. These results suggest that the excitatory mechanism of frog cutaneous mechanoreceptors may be mediated by the activation of Gd3+‐sensitive stretch‐activated channels in the Merkel cell–neurite complex, which are related to the Na+ influx via voltage‐gated Na+ channels and/or the Ca2+ influx through HVA Ca2+ channels.
Implications of the precautionary approach for the management of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla
Authors: Russell I. C. , Potter E. C. E.
Published: December 2003

The European eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.), has a complex life history and many aspects of the biology and population dynamics of this species remain unknown or, at best, poorly understood. Relatively little is also known about the status of the stocks and fisheries, but available data suggest that recruitment of glass eels has been falling for the last 20 years and is at historically low levels. Yellow and silver eel catches have also been falling in many parts of the species range over a similar time‐scale. Re‐examination of the principles applied to fisheries management over recent years has resulted in the adoption of a ‘precautionary approach’ to the conservation, management and exploitation of fish stocks, and in an explicit need to take account of uncertainties in management to reduce risks to stocks and their environment. Such an approach is highly relevant to the management of the European eel and requires that urgent consideration is given to harvest strategies and decision structures for the national and international management of stocks and fisheries. Provisional biological reference levels should be established to provide an equable assessment of the status of stocks in all parts of Europe and to evaluate the need for management measures in all fisheries. These will need to be reviewed as further information comes available. Monitoring and research on eel stocks should therefore be enhanced and co‐ordinated to improve our understanding of the status of stocks throughout Europe and the biology of the species.
Estuarine and fluvial recruitment of the European glass eel, Anguilla anguilla, in an exploited Atlantic estuary
Authors: Briand C. , Fatin D. , Fontenelle G. , Feunteun E.
Published: December 2003

A glass eel fishery exists downstream of the Arzal estuarine dam in the Vilaine (Brittany, France). Catch statistics were collected between 1996 and 2000, and processed using a subsampling technique which allowed data from a reliable subsample to be extrapolated to the whole fishery. During the same period, glass eel migration into fresh water was monitored using a glass eel trap located on the dam – the upstream limit of the fishery. The analysis of glass eel biology and exploitation shows that the glass eel fishery is very intensive and that there was more or less no escapement during the fishing seasons studied. The proportion of the stock successfully migrating towards fresh water, as compared with the total catch is estimated to range between 0.3 and 3.9%. In such a fishery, the fishing effort affects the abundance. Consequently, the total catch has to be used instead of catch‐per‐unit‐effort to estimate abundance.
A NOTCH4 association with multiple sclerosis is secondary to HLA‐DR*1501
Authors: Duvefelt K. , Anderson M. , Fogdell‐Hahn A. , Hillert J.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with supposedly autoimmune features known to be associated with a specific HLA DR‐DQ haplotype (DR15, DQ6, or HLDRB1*1501,DRB5*0101,DQA1*0102,DQB1*0602). We have previously reported that the associated haplotype extends to HLA‐B and described an independent association with HLA‐A alleles in MS. Owing to a complex situation with extensive linkage disequilibria, it is still unclear whether classical HLA genes are responsible or whether associations may be due to other genes in this region. Here, we analyzed an association in MS with the NOTCH4 and TNFα (tumor necrosis factor‐α) genes, located between the HLA‐DRB1 gene and the HLA‐A gene. For NOTCH4, located 0.4 Mb telomeric to HLA‐DRB1, an SNP at position −25 and a trinucleotide repeat were investigated in 181 MS patients, and 180 controls also typed P = 0.027 for HLA‐DRB and HLA‐A. A modest association was observed (OR = 3.44) with the C−25 allele. However, two‐locus analysis revealed that this association was secondary to the classical association with HLA‐DRB1. For TNF, located 0.7 Mb telomeric of NOTCH4, SNPs at positions −308 and −238 were studied in the same dataset. We found no association between these TNFα gene polymorphisms and MS in this dataset, although there was linkage disequilibrium (LD) between DRB1 and TNF and between HLA‐A and TNF. We conclude that alleles of the NOTCH4 and TNFα genes are unlikely to be of importance for the susceptibility to MS, although specific alleles of these genes are often carried on the same haplotype as DR15, DQ6.
HLA DQA1 genes generate multiple transcripts by alternative splicing and polyadenylation of the 3′ untranslated region
Authors: Hoarau J‐J. , Cesari M. , Caillens H. , Cadet F. , Pabion M.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Regulation of the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class II genes expression is an important field in immunology, because these molecules play a crucial role in the function of the immune system. HLA DQ genes expression is a complex phenomenon regulated at both transcriptional and post‐transcriptional levels. In this study, we have investigated the post‐transcriptional mechanisms accounting for alleles‐dependent length polymorphism of DQA1 mRNA. We have first sequenced the genomic DNA encoding the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of DQA1 *0101, *0102, *0103, *0201, *0301, *0401, and *0501 alleles. We have identified two competing splicing sites: a unique splicing donor site AG/GTA located 20 nucleotides downstream from the stop codon associated to two spliced acceptor sequences, ∼165 and ∼370 nucleotides downstream. In addition, three polyadenylation signals have been identified, respectively, at ∼475, ∼795, and ∼855 nucleotides downstream from the stop codon. Subsequently, we have analyzed mRNAs derived from DQA1 alleles in homozygous B lymphoblastoid cell lines by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. We show that allele‐dependent length polymorphism of DQA1 mRNA‐3′ UTR results from a combination of differential splicing and alternative polyadenylations. Four mRNA isoforms (two spliced variant cleaved at two distinct polyadenylation sites) were detected in DQA1 *0101, *0102, and *0103 homozygous cell lines, and six mRNA species (three spliced variant cleaved at two polyadenylation‐sequence signal) were generated by the other four alleles. Possible advantages for cells to generate multiple transcripts previously undetected are discussed.
Association of Fcγ receptor IIb polymorphism with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus in Chinese: a common susceptibility gene in the Asian populations
Authors: Chu Z.T. , Tsuchiya N. , Kyogoku C. , Ohashi J. , Qian Y.P. , Xu S.B. , Mao C.Z. , Chu J.Y. , Tokunaga K.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  The association of Fcγ receptor (FcγR) polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been demonstrated in various populations; however, the results have been inconsistent. We recently identified a single‐nucleotide polymorphism encoding a non‐synonymous substitution, Ile232Thr (I232T), of FCGR2B and its association with SLE in Japanese and in Thais. Multiple functional FcγR genes with polymorphisms (FCGR2A, FCGR2B, FCGR3A, and FCGR3B) cluster in 1q23, and some of them are in linkage disequilibrium (LD). To differentiate contributions from multiple‐linked loci, comparison of different populations may provide useful information. In this study, we analyzed the above four FCGR polymorphisms of the Chinese patients and controls for the association with SLE. FCGR2A‐H131R, FCGR2B‐I232T, FCGR3A‐F176V, and FCGR3B genotypes were determined in 167 Chinese patients with SLE and 129 healthy controls. Association was examined using case‐control analysis. Allele frequencies of FCGR2B‐232T and FCGR3A‐176F were significantly increased in SLE [odds ratio (OR) = 1.67 and OR = 1.41, respectively]. Interestingly, while these alleles had a tendency of positive LD in the controls, FCGR2B‐232T was in positive association with FCGR3A‐176V in SLE, suggesting that these two alleles were associated with SLE in an independent manner. Comparison between SLE with and without nephritis indicated significant association of FCGR2B‐232T with nephritis (OR = 2.65). When the present results were combined with our previous data on the Japanese and the Thais using meta‐analytic methods, highly significant and independent association was observed for FCGR2B and FCGR3A genotypes. These results strongly suggested that FCGR2B is a common susceptibility factor to SLE in the Asians.
Identification of two novel HLA class II alleles, DQB1*030503 and DRB1*0447
Authors: Velickovic Z.M. , Hogbin J.P. , Truong J. , Jaafar S. , Dunckley H.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Two novel human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles have been identified in routine typing of bone marrow donors for the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry in Sydney, Australia. Sequence analysis of exon 2 of both the DQB1 and DRB1 genes revealed the novel polymorphism. A silent substitution of G to A at nucleotide position 210 has been identified for the DQB1*030503 allele when compared to the closest matched allele, DQB1*030501. There is no associated amino acid difference between the translated products of the two alleles. The second new allele is a variant of the DRB1 gene. The DRB1*0447 allele was identified with three nucleotide substitutions compared to the closest matched allele DRB1*0436. There is a silent mutation at nucleotide position 303, G to C and two substitutions at adjacent nucleotide positions 344 and 345, T to G and G to T, respectively. The latter two substitutions result in an amino acid change from valine to glycine at position 86, implicating a different specificity and affinity of antigen binding.
Five newly identified HLA alleles: A*0310, A*2907, B*4435, Cw*0206, Cw*0506, and confirmation of A*3106, B*3924, Cw*0314, DRB1*0322, and DRB1*1433 alleles
Authors: Anholts J.D.H. , Drabbels J. , Verduijn W. , Oudshoorn M. , Schreuder G.M.Th.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  A number of HLA alleles have been newly identified. This concerns HLA‐A*0310, A*2907, B*4435, Cw*0206, Cw*0506, of which Cw*0206 was found in three unrelated individuals, all B*4002 positive. Some other alleles are also presented but confirm earlier detected sequences: A*3106, Cw*0314, DRB1*0322, and DRB1*1433. Moreover, we identified B*3924 in a bone marrow transplant recipient and in five of six unrelated stem cell donors, selected for this patient. In all cases, B*3924 was found on a haplotype combining A*0201, B*3924, Cw*0701, and DRB1*1303. The observation of this extended haplotype is of importance for the selection for stem cell transplantation. Cells expressing B*3924 and B*4435 were typed by serology as B39 and B44, respectively. Cells expressing HLA‐A*0310 do not express A3 but type as A‐Blank.
TNF‐α promoter polymorphisms and extended HLA and TNF‐α haplotypes in Koreans based on 100 families
Authors: Park Y.J. , Park H. , Park M.H.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  We investigated five single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) promoter, the distribution of five‐locus TNF‐α haplotypes, and extended human leukocyte antigen (HLA)/TNF‐α haplotypes in 200 parents from 100 unrelated Korean families. TNF‐α SNPs were typed using polymerase chain reaction single‐strand conformation polymorphism (PCR‐SSCP) and PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) methods. The frequencies of −1031C, −863A, −857T, −308A, and −238A alleles were 0.185, 0.145, 0.140, 0.060, and 0.040, respectively. The allele frequencies in Koreans were similar to those of Japanese. A total of five TNF‐α haplotypes (−1031/−863/−857/−308/−238) were detected in 196 parents: TCCGG (frequency 0.617), CACGG (0.143), TCTGG (0.143), TCCAG (0.061), and CCCGA (0.036). Five most common extended HLA/TNF‐α haplotypes (frequencies >0.020) accounted for 16% (63/392) of the total haplotypes. A total of 223 HLA haplotypes and 239 HLA/TNF‐α haplotypes were detected, indicating that most HLA haplotypes are exclusively associated with particular TNF‐α haplotypes.
Eleven human platelet systems studied in the Vietnamese and Ma'ohis Polynesian populations
Authors: Halle L. , Bach K H. , Martageix C. , Bianchi F. , Lê T Kim T. , Morel‐Kopp M.C. , Soulier J. , Tetaria C. , Kaplan C.
Published: December 2003

Abstract: The frequencies of human platelet antigens (HPA) are variable among different ethnic groups. Platelet phenotyping and genotyping in different populations are important to the clinical implications of antiplatelet alloimmunization. No report on HPA prevalence has been published concerning the Vietnamese Kinh and Ma'ohis Polynesian populations. Recent anthropological and genetic marker studies suggest that these two groups have a common origin in East Asia, so we have conducted a combined study concerning the frequency of HPA‐1 to HPA‐11w systems (excluding HPA‐8w) and Gov in these two populations. The results demonstrate a similar pattern of prevalence between Ma'ohis and most of the Asian populations. However, it should be noted that the frequency of HPA‐2 is closer to northern Caucasian frequencies than to Asian frequencies. The population of Kinh shows an HPA distribution that is closer to the Chinese population than to the northeastern Thais except for HPA‐3, closer to the Indonesian population. Given HPA‐3 gene frequency distribution fetomaternal incompatibility could occur more frequently with the risk of alloantibody production.
Chemokine gene polymorphisms associate with gender in patients with uveitis
Authors: Chen Y. , Vaughan R.W. , Kondeatis E. , Fortune F. , Graham E.M. , Stanford M.R. , Wallace G.R.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Uveitis is an inflammatory condition of ocular tissue characterized by leukocyte infiltration, tissue damage, and decreased visual acuity. Chemokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of uveitis. Polymorphisms in the genes encoding chemokines have been described as affecting chemokine production or function. We analyzed the frequency of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding CCL2 (−2518 and −2076) and CCL5 (−403 and −28) in patients with Behçet's disease (BD), a systemic form of uveitis, and patients with retinal vasculitis (RV), an organ‐specific form of disease. We report that there was no association between any SNP and disease. However, when segregated on the basis of gender the CCR5 −403 AA genotype was only found in male patients with BD. Similarly, CCL2 genotypes 1/2 were predominant in males, while genotype 4 was significantly associated with disease in female patients with BD. Differences in disease symptoms and severity between males and females have been described in BD and gender‐specific genetic differences in chemokine gene function may be involved.
Production and the characterization of monoclonal antibody against CD43, K06
Authors: Park W.S. , Chae J.S. , Jung K.C. , Choi W.J. , Kook M.‐C. , Bae Y.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  A monoclonal antibody against human CD43 has been developed and designated as K06. Its reactivity in the lymphoid organs was different from that of known anti‐CD43 monoclonal antibodies suggesting that this may recognize a novel epitope of human CD43 molecule. The CD43 epitope detected by anti‐K06 monoclonal antibody was highly expressed in cortical thymocytes, platelets, and myeloid cells of normal peripheral blood, and its reactivity was comparable to that of known anti‐CD43 monoclonal antibodies. However, the density of this epitope was lower in the medullary thymocytes. Biochemical studies indicated that anti‐K06 monoclonal antibody could recognize glycosylated moiety of CD43 antigen. The expression profile of anti‐K06 monoclonal antibody in several cell lines was somewhat different from that of known anti‐CD43 antibodies. In addition, CD43 ligation through the K06 epitope appeared to induce apoptosis in human leukemic cell line, Molt‐4. We therefore assume that K06 epitope of human CD43 might have some role in T‐cell development.
The human leukocyte antigen genotype has a modest effect on the insulin gene polymorphism‐associated susceptibility to type 1 diabetes in the Finnish population
Authors: Laine A.P. , Hermann R. , Knip M. , Simell O. , Åkerblom H.K. , Ilonen J.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  In addition to the known human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐associated risk, polymorphisms of insulin gene region show association with type 1 diabetes. We analyzed possible interactions between the HLA class II genotypes and −2221 MspI (insulin) INS gene polymorphism in Finnish population, using a series of 1331 diabetic children and 2222 healthy newborns. C/C genotype was increased among diabetic children compared to the controls (83.2 vs 70.1%). This genotype was slightly more common in diabetic children with low or moderate HLA‐associated risk than in those with high risk, but INS gene effect was clear in all major HLA‐risk genotypes and, thus, can be used as an additional risk prediction marker, irrespective of HLA genotypes.
A novel HLA‐A allele: A*0257†
Authors: García‐Ortiz J.E. , Cox S.T. , Sandoval‐Ramirez L. , Little A.M. , Marsh S.G.E. , Madrigal J.A. , Argüello J.R.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  A novel human leucocyte antigen‐A*02 (HLA‐A*02) allele was detected by reference strand‐mediated conformation analysis (RSCA) of a DNA sample from a Tarahumara individual. Direct sequencing of HLA‐A locus polymerase chain reaction products identified a mutation in one of the alleles. Cloning and sequencing confirmed the presence of a new allele, A*0257 which differed from A*0206 by two nucleotides at positions 355 and 362, inducing changes in residues 95 and 97, respectively, within the peptide‐binding site. Those changes suggest that allele A*0257 may have resulted from an intralocus recombination event.
Rapid detection of all HLA‐B*27 alleles (B*2701–B*2725) by group‐specific polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Zino E. , Terlizzi S. Di , Carugo C. , Baggi L. , Galli A. , Bonini C. , Rossini S. , Mazzi B. , Fleischhauer K.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Human leucocyte antigen‐B*27 is strongly associated with a number of rheumatic diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis and reactive arthritis. Targeted detection of the B*27 group by molecular methods is hampered by the extreme heterogeneity of the serological B*27 group. Here, we describe a simple, rapid sequence‐specific primer‐based method for detection of all 28 B*27 alleles defined to date. The method involves an initial screening with two sequence‐specific polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), which has to be followed by two additional PCR amplifications in samples carrying a few rare subtypes of B*27, B*4202 or B*7301. The described protocol should be useful for laboratories involved in diagnostics and research of rheumatoid diseases.
Polymorphisms of toll‐like receptor 2 and 4 genes in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Sánchez E. , Orozco G. , López‐Nevot M.Á. , Jiménez‐Alonso J. , Martín J.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Human toll‐like receptors (TLRs) participate in the innate response and signal the activation of adaptive immunity. Therefore, these TLRs may be important in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We investigated, by using a polymerase chain reaction restriction‐fragment length polymorphism method, the possible association between the polymorphisms of TLR2 (Arg677Trp and Arg753Gln) and TLR4 (Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile) genes with the susceptibility or severity of RA and SLE. Our study population consisted of 122 patients with SLE, 224 patients with RA, and a control group of 199 healthy individuals. The TLR2 polymorphisms were very rare in our population; no individual carrying the TLR2‐Arg677Trp polymorphism was observed, whereas the TLR2‐Arg753Gln polymorphism was present in only 1% of the total population. We found no statistically significant differences in the TLR4‐Asp299Gly and the TLR4‐Thr399Ile genotype or allele distribution between SLE patients, RA patients, and control individuals. Similarly, no association was found with any of the demographic and clinical parameters tested either in RA or in SLE patients. In conclusion, a case‐control study was used to analyze, for the first time, the influence of TLR2 and TLR4 gene polymorphism on the predisposition and clinical characteristics of SLE and RA but provided no evidence for association of TLR2 or TLR4 gene polymorphism with either disease in the population under study.
Genetic variants in the tumor necrosis factor receptor II gene in patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Ehling R. , Gassner Ch. , Lutterotti A. , Strasser‐Fuchs S. , Kollegger H. , Kristoferitsch W. , Reindl M. , Berger T.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  Common genetic variants have been shown to influence disease susceptibility, disease course, or both in multiple sclerosis (MS). Several studies have suggested a role for tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) in the pathogenesis of MS. Recently, it has been reported that the TNF receptor (TNFR) II plays an essential role in the pathology and progression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of MS. To investigate whether TNFR II polymorphisms influence susceptibility and/or clinical progression of MS, genomic DNA of 321 samples of the Austrian Genetics in MS study group and DNA of 174 platelet donors, who served as healthy controls, were genotyped for five polymorphic sites in the TNFR II gene: exon 6 nucleotide (nt) 676*T→G, exon 6 nt 783*G→A (both are associated with non‐conserved amino acid substitution), exon 10 nt 1663*G→A, exon 10 nt 1668*T→G, and exon 10 nt 1690*T→C (all of which are located in the 3′ non‐coding region of the gene). We found a significant association between exon 10 nt 1668*T→G polymorphism and susceptibility to MS. The other investigated nucleotide substitutions were not associated with susceptibility to or clinical parameters in MS.
Human uterine leukocytes and pregnancy
Authors: Trundley A. , Moffett A.
Published: December 2003

Abstract:  In human pregnancy, the embryo implants into the specialized mucosal wall of the uterus (decidua) and the placenta starts to form. Cells from the placenta (trophoblasts) invade into the uterine mucosa in order to open up maternal uterine arteries to ensure an adequate supply of blood to the developing fetus. The trophoblasts have a unique immunological phenotype compared to most cells especially with regard to their expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens. On the other side of the interaction, the uterine mucosa (endometrium) differentiates in preparation for implantation. One of the changes that takes place is the appearance in the endometrium of a large number of maternal leukocytes in the final part of the menstrual cycle. If pregnancy ensues, these leukocytes continue to increase in number and are found in close contact with trophoblasts. The composition of this population of maternal immune cells is unusual compared to that seen at other mucosal sites. A lot of research has focused on whether maternal T‐cell responses are suppressed or modified during pregnancy. Research has also concentrated on the specialized uterine natural killer (NK) cells, which are found in the decidua in large numbers during early pregnancy. These uterine NK cells have been shown to express receptors for trophoblast MHC antigens, but their role in pregnancy is still mysterious. The purpose of this review is to give an overview of what is known about the immunology at the implantation site and also to provide an update of some of the most recent findings in this field.
Increased delivery of haemodialysis assists successful pregnancy outcome in end‐stage renal failure
Authors: PRASAD Shilpanjal , PARKHURST Desiree , MORTON Mark R , HENNING Paul , LAWTON Jill , BANNISTER Kym
Published: December 2003

SUMMARY:  Pregnancy in patients on maintenance dialysis is rare, with few cases of successful live births reported in Australian women on dialysis at the time of conception. Increasing dialysis delivery may improve outcomes for both mother and foetus in this high‐risk situation. We report a case of successful pregnancy outcome with the application of an intensive dialysis regimen.
Orbital cellulitis associated withToxocara canisin a dog
Authors: Laus José L. , Canola Júlio Carlos , Mamede Fabrício V. , Almeida Denize E. , Godoy Guilherme S. , Oliveira Celso J. B. , Pontin Karina , Albuquerque Sérgio , Alessi Antônio C.
Published: December 2003

Reports ofToxocara canisocular larva migrans are uncommon in animals, with only a few cases reported. Most reports involve larval migration into the retina and choroid, with parasitic invasion of the orbit reported only in experimental studies. This is the first clinical case ofToxocara canisinfection in the retrobulbar region of a 10‐year‐old, cross‐bred male dog presenting with unilateral orbital cellulitis. Ophthalmic signs included protrusion of the nictitating membrane, chemosis, exophthalmos and hypertropia. The parasite was diagnosed by histologic and parasitologic examination of orbital tissues, which were removed during enucleation.
Granulomatous conjunctivitis in an ostrich
Authors: Saroglu Murat , Yucel Rauf , Aktas Mustafa
Published: December 2003

Ostriches lack meibom glands, but have small lacrimal glands ventral to the lateral canthus, with ductules that open into the inside of the lower eyelid. Chalazion is a chronic granulomatous inflammation of the meibom glands that may develop from blockage of the ductules into the conjunctiva. A 2‐year‐old female ostrich presented with chronic granulomatous conjunctivitis, with clinical and histopathologic findings similar to chalazion of other species. The granulomatous dacryoadenitic mass was excised and no recurrence occurred at 4 months. This is the first case of chronic granulomatous conjunctivitis reported in the ostrich.