bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Evidence for Genome-Wide Duplications at the Origin of Vertebrates Using an Amphioxus Gene Set and Completed Animal Genomes
Authors: Panopoulou Georgia , Hennig Steffen , Groth Detlef , Krause Antje , Poustka Albert J. , Herwig Ralf , Vingron Martin , Lehrach Hans
Published: July 2003

The 2R hypothesis predicting two genome duplications at the origin of vertebrates is highly controversial. Studies published so far include limited sequence data from organisms close to the hypothesized genome duplications. Through the comparison of a gene catalog from amphioxus, the closest living invertebrate relative of vertebrates, to 3453 single-copy genes orthologous between Caenorhabditis elegans (C), Drosophila melanogaster
(D), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Y), and to Ciona intestinalis ESTs, mouse, and human genes, we show with a large number of genes that the gene duplication activity is significantly higher after the separation of amphioxus and the vertebrate lineages, which we estimate at 650 million years (Myr). The majority of human orthologs of 195 CDY groups that could be dated by the molecular clock appear to be duplicated between 300 and 680 Myr with a mean at 488 million years ago (Mya). We detected 485 duplicated chromosomal segments in the human genome containing CDY orthologs, 331 of which are found duplicated in the mouse genome and within regions syntenic between human and mouse, indicating that these were generated earlier than the human–mouse split. Model based calculations of the codon substitution rate of the human genes included in these segments agree with the molecular clock duplication time-scale prediction. Our results favor at least one large duplication event at the origin of vertebrates, followed by smaller scale duplication closer to the bird–mammalian split.
Subsystem Identification Through Dimensionality Reduction of Large-Scale Gene Expression Data
Authors: Kim Philip M. , Tidor Bruce
Published: July 2003

The availability of parallel, high-throughput biological experiments that
simultaneously monitor thousands of cellular observables provides an
opportunity for investigating cellular behavior in a highly quantitative
manner at multiple levels of resolution. One challenge to more fully exploit
new experimental advances is the need to develop algorithms to provide an
analysis at each of the relevant levels of detail. Here, the data analysis
method non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) has been applied to the
analysis of gene array experiments. Whereas current algorithms identify
relationships on the basis of large-scale similarity between expression
patterns, NMF is a recently developed machine learning technique capable of
recognizing similarity between subportions of the data corresponding to
localized features in expression space. A large data set consisting of 300
genome-wide expression measurements of yeast was used as sample data to
illustrate the performance of the new approach. Local features detected are
shown to map well to functional cellular subsystems. Functional relationships
predicted by the new analysis are compared with those predicted using standard
approaches; validation using bioinformatic databases suggests predictions
using the new approach may be up to twice as accurate as some conventional
approaches.
Identification of a Large Novel Imprinted Gene Cluster on Mouse Proximal Chromosome 6
Authors: Ono Ryuichi , Shiura Hirosuke , Aburatani Hiroyuki , Kohda Takashi , Kaneko-Ishino Tomoko , Ishino Fumitoshi
Published: July 2003

Mice with maternal duplication of proximal chromosome 6 die in utero at an early embryonic stage. Recently, two imprinted genes, paternally expressedSgceand maternally expressedAsb4, were identified in this region. This report analyzes the imprinting status of genes within a 1-Mb region containing these two genes.Peg10, which is next toSgce, shows complete paternal expression, likeSgce. Conversely,Neurabin, Pon2, and Pon3show preferential maternal expression at embryonic stages, although they all show biallelic expression in neonatal tissues. These results demonstrate that there is a large novel imprinted gene cluster in this region. 5′-RACE (Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends) analysis ofPeg10revealed the existence of a novel first exon separate from the second exon, which encoded two putative ORFs similar to the viral Gag and Pol proteins. A differentially methylated region established in sperm and eggs is located just within the region containing the two first exons ofPeg10andSgce, and may play an important role in regulating the two paternally expressed genes:Peg10andSgce.
Extrachromosomal Circular DNA of Tandemly Repeated Genomic Sequences in Drosophila
Authors: Cohen Sarit , Yacobi Keren , Segal Daniel
Published: July 2003

One characteristic of genomic plasticity is the presence of extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA). This DNA is found in various eukaryotes from yeast to humans, and its levels are elevated by exposure to carcinogens. eccDNA is heterogeneous in size and composed of chromosomal sequences. In this study we used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to detect and characterize eccDNA in Drosophila. We found eccDNA throughout the fly's life cycle. These molecules comprise up to 10% of the total repetitive DNA content, and their size ranges from <1 kb to >20 kb. The eccDNA population contains circular multimers of tandemly repeated genes such as histones, rDNA, Stellate, and the Suppressor of Stellate. Multimers of centromeric heterochromatin sequences are included in eccDNA as well. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that intramolecular homologous recombination between direct tandem repeats is a favorite mechanism for eccDNA formation. The level of eccDNA increased following MMS treatment of wild-type larvae, consistent with phenomena observed in cultured mammalian cells. This shows mutagen-induced eccDNA formation in the context of the whole organism for the first time. Mutations in the genes okra, mus309, and mei41 did not affect eccDNA under normal conditions or following mutagen treatment, implying that eccDNA formation is different from known pathways of DNA repair.
EST Mining and Functional Expression Assays Identify Extracellular Effector Proteins From the Plant PathogenPhytophthora
Authors: Torto Trudy A. , Li Shuang , Styer Allison , Huitema Edgar , Testa Antonino , Gow Neil A.R. , van West Pieter , Kamoun Sophien
Published: July 2003

Plant pathogenic microbes have the remarkable ability to manipulate biochemical, physiological, and morphological processes in their host plants.These manipulations are achieved through a diverse array of effector molecules that can either promote infection or trigger defense responses. We describe a general functional genomics approach aimed at identifying extracellular effector proteins from plant pathogenic microorganisms by combining data mining of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) with virus-based high-throughput functional expression assays in plants. PexFinder, an algorithm for automated identification of extracellular proteins from EST data sets, was developed and applied to 2147 ESTs from the oomycete plant pathogenPhytophthora infestans. The program identified 261 ESTs (12.2%) corresponding to a set of 142 nonredundantPex(Phytophthoraextracellular protein) cDNAs. Of these, 78 (55%)PexcDNAs were novel with no significant matches in public databases. Validation of PexFinder was performed using proteomic analysis of secreted protein ofP. infestans. To identify which of thePexcDNAs encode effector proteins that manipulate plant processes, high-throughput functional expression assays in plants were performed on 63 of the identified cDNAs using anAgrobacterium tumefaciensbinary vector carrying the potato virus X (PVX) genome. This led to the discovery of two novel necrosis-inducing cDNAs,crn1andcrn2, encoding extracellular proteins that belong to a large and complex protein family inPhytophthora. Further characterization of thecrngenes indicated that they are both expressed inP. infestansduring colonization of the host plant tomato and thatcrn2induced defense-response genes in tomato. Our results indicate that combining data mining using PexFinder with PVX-based functional assays can facilitate the discovery of novel pathogen effector proteins. In principle, this strategy can be applied to a variety of eukaryotic plant pathogens, including oomycetes, fungi, and nematodes.
Assessing the Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles
gambiae Genome Annotations Using Genome-Wide Sequence Comparisons
Authors: Jaillon Olivier , Dossat Carole , Eckenberg Ralph , Eiglmeier Karin , Segurens Béatrice , Aury Jean-Marc , Roth Charles W. , Scarpelli Claude , Brey Paul T. , Weissenbach Jean , Wincker Patrick
Published: July 2003

We performed genome-wide sequence comparisons at the protein coding level
between the genome sequences of Drosophila melanogaster and
Anopheles gambiae. Such comparisons detect evolutionarily conserved
regions (ecores) that can be used for a qualitative and quantitative
evaluation of the available annotations of both genomes. They also provide
novel candidate features for annotation. The percentage of ecores mapping
outside annotations in the A. gambiae genome is about fourfold higher
than in D. melanogaster. The A. gambiae genome assembly also
contains a high proportion of duplicated ecores, possibly resulting from
artefactual sequence duplications in the genome assembly. The occurrence of
4063 ecores in the D. melanogaster genome outside annotations
suggests that some genes are not yet or only partially annotated. The present
work illustrates the power of comparative genomics approaches towards an
exhaustive and accurate establishment of gene models and gene catalogues in
insect genomes.
eVOC: A Controlled Vocabulary for Unifying Gene Expression Data
Authors: Kelso Janet , Visagie Johann , Theiler Gregory , Christoffels Alan , Bardien Soraya , Smedley Damian , Otgaar Darren , Greyling Gary , Jongeneel C. Victor , McCarthy Mark I. , Hide Tania , Hide Winston
Published: July 2003

Expression data contribute significantly to the biological value of the sequenced human genome,providing extensive information about gene structure and the pattern of gene expression. ESTs,together with SAGE libraries and microarray experiment information,provide a broad and rich view of the transcriptome. However, it is difficult to perform large-scale expression mining of the data generated by these diverse experimental approaches. Not only is the data stored in disparate locations,but there is frequent ambiguity in the meaning of terms used to describe the source of the material used in the experiment. Untangling semantic differences between the data provided by different resources is therefore largely reliant on the domain knowledge of a human expert. We present here eVOC,a system which associates labelled target cDNAs for microarray experiments,or cDNA libraries and their associated transcripts with controlled terms in a set of hierarchical vocabularies. eVOC consists of four orthogonal controlled vocabularies suitable for describing the domains of human gene expression data including Anatomical System,Cell Type,Pathology and Developmental Stage. We have curated and annotated 7016 cDNA libraries represented in dbEST,as well as 104 SAGE libraries,with expression information,and provide this as an integrated,public resource that allows the linking of transcripts and libraries with expression terms. Both the vocabularies and the vocabulary-annotated libraries can be retrieved from http://www.sanbi.ac.za/evoc/. Several groups are involved in developing this resource with the aim of unifying transcript expression information.
Allele-Specific Holliday Junction Formation: A New Mechanism of Allelic Discrimination for SNP Scoring
Authors: Yang Qinghong , Lishanski Alla , Yang Wendy , Hatcher Sandra , Seet Henrietta , Gregg Jeffrey P.
Published: July 2003

We report here a new mechanism for allelic
discrimination—allele-specific Holliday Junction formation. The Holliday
Junction (HJ) is a unique DNA structure that can be formed in a
sequence-nonspecific manner by routine PCR. To cause the PCR-based HJ
formation to occur in an allele-specific manner, the PCR primers are
manipulated such that an extra mismatch next to a SNP of interest is
introduced between a target and a reference amplicon and a GC-clamp is added.
Based on this new mechanism, novel SNP genotyping methods were developed,
including a homogeneous fluorescence polarization (FP) competition assay that
requires neither labeled primers/probes nor expensive enzymes/substrates.
Using this novel genotyping technology, we were able to convert >95% of SNP
sequences into genotyping assays that work well under a universal set of assay
conditions and achieved 100% accuracy in clinical samples.
Differential Involvement of NMDA and AMPA Receptors Within the Nucleus Accumbens in Consolidation of Information Necessary for Place Navigation and Guidance Strategy of Mice
Authors: Sargolini Francesca , Florian Cédrick , Oliverio Alberto , Mele Andrea , Roullet Pascal
Published: July 2003

Recent evidence now points to a role of glutamate transmission within the nucleus accumbens (Nacc) in spatial learning and memory. Unfortunately, the role of the distinct classes of glutamate receptors within this structure in mediating the different steps of the memorization process is not clear. The aim of this study therefore was to further investigate this issue, trying to assess the involvement of the two classes of glutamate receptors within the Nacc in consolidation of spatial information using an associative spatial task, the water maze. For this purpose, focal injections of the NMDA antagonist, AP-5, and of the AMPA antagonist, DNQX, have been performed immediately after the training phase, and mice have been tested for retention 24 h later. Two different versions of the water-maze task have been used: In the place version, animals could learn the position of the platform using visual distal cues, and in the cue version, the location of the platform was indicated by a single proximal cue. The results demonstrated that posttraining NMDA receptor blockade affects mice response in the place but not in the cue water-maze task. On the contrary, AMPA receptor blockade induced no effect in either version of the task. These data confirm a functional dissociation between glutamate receptors located in the Nacc in modulating spatial memory consolidation and indicate that they are specifically involved in consolidation of information necessary to acquire a place but not to a guidance strategy.
Spared Anterograde Memory for Shock-Probe Fear Conditioning After Inactivation of the Amygdala
Authors: Lehmann Hugo , Treit Dallas , Parent Marise B.
Published: July 2003

Previous studies have shown that amygdala lesions impair avoidance of an
electrified probe. This finding has been interpreted as indicating that
amygdala lesions reduce fear. It is unclear, however, whether
amygdala-lesioned rats learn that the probe is associated with shock. If the
lesions prevent the formation of this association, then pretraining reversible
inactivation of the amygdala should impair both acquisition and retention
performance. To test this hypothesis, the amygdala was inactivated
(tetrodotoxin; TTX; 1 ng/side) before a shock-probe acquisition session, and
retention was tested 4 d later. The data indicated that, compared with rats
infused with vehicle, rats infused with TTX received more shocks during the
acquisition session, but more importantly, were not impaired on the retention
test. In Experiment 2, we assessed whether the spared memory on the retention
test was caused by overtraining during acquisition. We used the same procedure
as in Experiment 1, with the exception that the number of shocks the rats
received during the acquisition session was limited to four. Again the data
indicated that amygdala inactivation did not impair performance on the
retention test. These results indicate that amygdala inactivation does not
prevent the formation of an association between the shock and the probe and
that shock-probe deficits during acquisition likely reflect the amygdala's
involvement in other processes.
Neural Correlates of Person Recognition
Authors: Paller Ken A. , Ranganath Charan , Gonsalves Brian , LaBar Kevin S. , Parrish Todd B. , Gitelman Darren R. , Mesulam M.-Marsel , Reber Paul J.
Published: July 2003

Rapidly identifying known individuals is an essential skill in human
society. To elucidate the neural basis of this skill, we monitored brain
activity while experimental participants demonstrated their ability to
recognize people on the basis of viewing their faces. Each participant first
memorized the faces of 20 individuals who were not known to the participants
in advance. Each face was presented along with a voice simulating the
individual speaking their name and a biographical fact. Following this
learning procedure, the associated verbal information could be recalled
accurately in response to each face. These learned faces were subsequently
viewed together with new faces in a memory task. Subjects made a yes–no
recognition decision in response to each face while also covertly retrieving
the person-specific information associated with each learned face. Brain
activity that accompanied this retrieval of person-specific information was
contrasted to that when new faces were processed. Functional magnetic
resonance imaging in 10 participants showed that several brain regions were
activated during blocks of learned faces, including left hippocampus, left
middle temporal gyrus, left insula, and bilateral cerebellum. Recordings of
event-related brain potentials in 10 other participants tracked the time
course of face processing and showed that learned faces engaged neural
activity responsible for person recognition 300–600 msec after face
onset. Collectively, these results suggest that the visual input of a recently
learned face can rapidly trigger retrieval of associated person-specific
information through reactivation of distributed cortical networks linked via
hippocampal connections.
Sleep and the Time Course of Motor Skill Learning
Authors: Walker Matthew P. , Brakefield Tiffany , Seidman Joshua , Morgan Alexandra , Hobson J. Allan , Stickgold Robert
Published: July 2003

Growing evidence suggests that sleep plays an important role in the process of procedural learning. Most recently, sleep has been implicated in the continued development of motor-skill learning following initial acquisition. However, the temporal evolution of motor learning before and after sleep, the effects of different training regimens, and the long-term development of motor learning across multiple nights of sleep remain unknown. Here, we report data for subjects trained and retested on a sequential finger-tapping task across multiple days. The findings demonstrate firstly that following initial training, small practice-dependent improvements are possible before, but not following the large practice-independent gains that develop across a night of sleep. Secondly, doubling the quantity of initial training does not alter the amount of subsequent sleep-dependent learning that develops overnight. Thirdly, the amount of sleep-dependent learning does not correlate with the amount of practice-dependent learning achieved during training, suggesting the existence of two discrete motor-learning processes. Finally, whereas the majority of sleep-dependent motor-skill learning develops during the first night of sleep following training, additional nights of sleep still offer continued improvements.
Complex Effects of NMDA Receptor Antagonist APV in the Basolateral Amygdala on Acquisition of Two-Way Avoidance Reaction and Long-Term Fear Memory
Authors: Savonenko Alena , Werka Tomasz , Nikolaev Evgeni , Zieliñski Kazimierz , Kaczmarek Leszek
Published: July 2003

Although much has been learned about the role of the amygdala in Pavlovian fear conditioning, relatively little is known about an involvement of this structure in more complex aversive learning, such as acquisition of an active avoidance reaction. In the present study, rats with a pretraining injection of theN-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (APV), into the basolateral amygdala (BLA) were found to be impaired in two-way active avoidance learning. During multitrial training in a shuttle box, the APV-injected rats were not different from the controls in sensitivity to shock or in acquisition of freezing to contextual cues. However, APV injection led to impaired retention of contextual fear when tested 48 h later, along with an attenuation of c-Fos expression in the amygdala. These results are consistent with the role of NMDA receptors of the BLA in long-term memory of fear, previously documented in Pavlovian conditioning paradigms. The APV-induced impairment in the active avoidance learning coincided with deficits in directionality of the escape reaction and in attention to conditioned stimuli. These data indicate that normal functioning of NMDA receptors in the basolateral amygdala is required during acquisition of adaptive instrumental responses in a shuttle box but is not necessary for acquisition of short-term contextual fear in this situation.
Molecular Mechanisms Contributing to Long-Lasting Synaptic Plasticity at the Temporoammonic–CA1 Synapse
Authors: Remondes Miguel , Schuman Erin M.
Published: July 2003

The hippocampus and the nearby medial temporal lobe structures are required
for the formation, consolidation, and retrieval of episodic memories. Sensory
information enters the hippocampus via two inputs from entorhinal cortex (EC):
One input (perforant path) makes synapses on the dendrites of dentate granule
cells as the first set of synapses in the trisynaptic circuit, the other
(temporoammonic; TA) makes synapses on the distal dendrites of CA1 neurons.
Here we demonstrate that TA–CA1 synapses undergo both early- and
late-phase long-term potentiation (LTP) in rat hippocampal slices. LTP at
TA–CA1 synapses requires both NMDA receptor and voltage-gated
Ca2+ channel activity. Furthermore, TA–CA1 LTP is insensitive
to the blockade of fast inhibitory transmission (GABAA-mediated)
and, interestingly, is dependent on GABAB-dependent slow inhibitory
transmission. These findings indicate that the TA–CA1 synapses may rely
on a refined modulation of inhibition to exhibit LTP.
Diencephalic Damage Decreases Hippocampal Acetylcholine Release During Spontaneous Alternation Testing
Authors: Savage Lisa M. , Chang Qing , Gold Paul E.
Published: July 2003

A rodent model of diencephalic amnesia, pyrithiamine-induced thiamine
deficiency (PTD), was used to investigate diencephalic-hippocampal
interactions. Acetylcholine (ACh) release, a marker of memory-related
activation, was measured in the hippocampus of PTD-treated and control rats
prior to, during, and after spontaneous alternation test. During behavioral
testing, all animals displayed increases in ACh release. However, both the
percent increase of ACh release during spontaneous alternation testing and the
alternation scores were higher in control rats relative to PTD-treated rats.
Thus, when rats are tested on a task with demands dependent on the
hippocampus, it appears that the hippocampus is not fully activated after
diencephalic damage.
Enhanced Human Memory Consolidation With Post-Learning Stress: Interaction With the Degree of Arousal at Encoding
Authors: Cahill Larry , Gorski Lukasz , Le Kathryn
Published: July 2003

Abundant evidence indicates that endogenous stress hormones such as
epinephrine and corticosterone modulate memory consolidation in animals. We
recently provided the first demonstration that an endogenous stress hormone
(epinephrine) can enhance human memory consolidation. However, these findings
also suggested that post-learning stress hormone activation does not uniformly
enhance memory for all recently acquired information; rather, that it
interacts with the degree of arousal at initial encoding of material in
modulating memory for the material. Here we tested this hypothesis by
administering cold pressor stress (CPS) or a control procedure to subjects
after they viewed slides of varying emotional content, and assessing memory
for the slides 1 wk later. CPS, which significantly elevated salivary cortisol
levels, enhanced memory for emotionally arousing slides compared with the
controls, but did not affect memory for relatively neutral slides. These
findings further support the view that post-learning stress hormone-related
activity interacts with arousal at initial encoding to modulate memory
consolidation.
The changing nature of work
Authors: McGreevy Malcolm
Published: July 2003

Changes in the environment in which organisations operate have a marked effect on how they behave, how they perform and even on their survival. Such changes force organisations to adapt by reengineering, restructuring, changing the focus or location of their production or to downsize, each of which have led to a number of significant changes in the way that work is organised. Over time it has been possible to detect a number of trends and the impact they have both on the individuals affected by those changes and the organisations themselves. The effects of breaking the "psychological contract" are explored in terms of individual attitudes and behaviour as are the methods employed by organisations to take account of the organisational changes they are facing and the way they manage their workforces. This is the first of two articles by the author on the issue of organisational and individual adaptation; the second on organisational transitions will appear in a future issue.
Strategies for e‐education
Authors: Chan Peng S. , Welebir Brad
Published: July 2003

The Internet is a powerful and popular medium for information exchange. Because of its 24‐hour accessibility, people who are not able to attend a traditional college or university can obtain an education from a distance easier than ever before, and at their own pace. The physical reach of the university has been dramatically expanded, which in turn has led administrators to re‐evaluate their strategies. This study examines the manner in which traditional higher education is being transformed by the Internet and suggests ways for higher educational institutions to take advantage of this powerful medium.
The COGAL concept of leadership
Authors: Eales‐White Rupert
Published: July 2003

Our view of leadership is affected by the subconscious impact of the literal meaning of the words “boss” and “leader”. Changing that view to COGAL (Creator of Growth and Learning) will improve our leadership approach. Research into the actions effective leaders take provides a working model of effective leadership with the key action areas being “developing themselves”, “leading by example”, “putting the followers’ work into context”, “developing their followers” and “providing support to their followers”. All managers questioned believe they are or can grow into COGALs. It is helpful to aim to be a 70 percent leader.
Improving business performance – the potential of arts in training
Authors: Beckwith Annabelle
Published: July 2003

Successful employee development is about changing attitudes and motivation before changing behaviour. The performing arts at their best can move an audience towards a particular state of mind; by adapting drama and music techniques for corporate training, they can be used to influence attitude and motivation, as well as develop core skills. In practice, various arts‐based training methods have been used to develop key communication skills, to examine sensitive issues which might otherwise be difficult to bring into the open, and to dramatically represent complex business issues. For those companies prepared to invest in it, arts‐based training can also be a catalyst for creativity in business. In an environment where creative advantage can increasingly be equated with competitive advantage, this is significant.
Adding heart to your evaluation
Authors: Hatton Angela
Published: July 2003

This article discusses the options for training professionals wanting to take a more strategic approach to the evaluation of their activities. It is based on practical experience and an insight into business metrics parachuted into this area from the field of strategic marketing. The author presented the contents of this article at CIPD’s 2003 HRD conference – its intention is to encourage new thinking around this challenging area. The thrust of the argument made is that for a variety of reasons evaluation has been driven by external demands for measurement and focused on efficiency. Business benefits from training essentially depend on effectiveness. Effectiveness requires integrated efforts from T&D and other stakeholders over a sensible time‐line. T&D needs to stop trying to isolate the impact of one element of this integrated mix but report on the whole utilising a combination of measurements and approaches.
Understanding the culture of e‐learning
Authors: Lea Piers
Published: July 2003

Culture is a vital consideration for businesses. Culture means different things to different people. It denotes civilisation, but also customs, traditions and codes. It is possible to think of culture as everything that differentiates between mere existence and true quality of life. National culture is complex enough, but when you combine it with the unique business culture which defines every organisation you have a complicated riddle to solve. Understanding the cultural complexity of an organisation can help a business maximise the full potential of its e‐learning activity – the difference between “mere existence” and “true quality”. The key questions are: how is that happening and how do you adapt this to an e‐learning strategy?
Corporate policies to include micro activity goals can affect sales urgency in salespeople, prospects and customers
Authors: DeCormier Ray A. , Beirn Arthur
Published: July 2003

Many industrial salespeople and sales managers think that to close a sale they need to employ manipulative closing techniques during the closing stage of the sales process. That is a mistake. Successful sellers make prospects aware of their needs in the "needs awareness" stage and create a sense of urgency to satisfy those needs. This paper discusses how corporate policies, goal setting (financial and activity) and employing effective information systems can create or diminish the sense of urgency for industrial salespeople.
Developing a multilingual, personalised medical library portal: use of MyLibrary in Slovenia
Authors: Rozic‐Hristovski Anamarija , Humar Iztok , Hristovski Dimitar
Published: July 2003

The Central Medical Library (CMK) at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, created its Web site in 1997 and has since then been actively involved in its maintenance and improvement. The analysis of Web site usage, which was performed using different data‐mining methods, revealed an increasing interest among the Slovene biomedical community. Patrons have often complained to librarians about information overload and difficulty in following all the Web site’s enhancements. This situation called for a dynamic restructuring of the CMK Web site. Such problems are often solved with customisable and personalised library portals. Having limited financial and human resources, it was decided to customise and extend an existing library portal software solution (MyLibrary from North Carolina State University). The MyLibrary portal for the CMK was not only customised, but some important new functionality, most notably multilingual support, was added. This experience of developing a personalised library portal could be of interest to most libraries that offer information in at least two languages.
Building a portal for reusable software components with Microsoft SharePoint Server: design, implementation and experiences in Singapore
Authors: Goh Dion H. , Ang Rebecca P. , Sikand Parwatjit
Published: July 2003

Reusability is an important concept in software development because it provides many benefits, including shorter development cycles, increased software reliability and lower production costs. This paper describes the experiences of developing a portal of reusable components to support information retrieval teaching and research in a Master’s programme in information studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The portal contains the source code of these components and covers a variety of areas in the field of information retrieval such as algorithms and data structures for lexical analysis, indexing and ranking. The portal provides users with features to search or browse for code, contribute new code under appropriate categories, participate in threaded discussions and rate source code. The portal also contains document management features that allow co‐ordinators to evaluate contributions before publishing them for general access.
Uptake and use of electronic information services: trends in UK higher education from the JUSTEIS project
Authors: Urquhart Christine , Thomas Rhian , Lonsdale Ray , Spink Siân , Yeoman Alison , Fenton Roger , Armstrong Chris
Published: July 2003

The aim of the JUSTEIS project over the first three cycles (1999‐2002) was to examine the uptake and use of electronic information services in higher education in the UK, so that planning of services could be informed by trends in usage and evidence of specific needs. The objectives were to: examine which services were used by students and academic staff; how senior library staff planned services to purchase content and support its use; and examine how library and information services promoted services through their Web pages. Results over the three years explained the growing popularity of electronic journal services, the acceptance of the search engine model for information retrieval and the important role academic staff play in the promotion of electronic information services for student learning. Conclusions and recommendations concern the need for library and information staff to make their approach to integration of information skills into the curriculum appropriate for the discipline, the type of institution, and its strategy for implementation of any virtual or managed learning environment software.
NewsNIC: a Web‐based, full‐text news clipping service from the National Informatics Centre Library in India
Authors: Matoria Ram Kumar , Upadhyay P.K. , Mishra Arvind
Published: July 2003

Newspapers constitute an important source of information as they contain the latest information in the form of news with, often daily, updating. Being aware of their importance, libraries have been providing news clipping services in various ways to their users since newspapers were invented. Initially, manual methods of marking, cutting and pasting the useful news items were used, but today’s libraries have automated this service by using information technology. This certainly has improved the access, delivery, and searching of news clippings in a Web‐based network environment for remote users. This case study discusses the needs, objectives and advantages of NewsNIC, a Web‐based full‐text news clippings project implemented by the library of the National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India. The authors discuss the design aspects, various systems components, Web technology and database tools used as back‐end solutions, and the use of the Microsoft MS SQL Server features and active server pages technology.
Assistive technology for users in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea public libraries in the UK
Authors: Cahill Kay , Cornish Sue
Published: July 2003

This case study describes the process of implementing assistive technology in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the UK. The introduction of dedicated ICT facilities for users with disabilities is set within the context of the UK People’s Network programme, and the social inclusion and lifelong learning agendas. An outline of the decision‐making process is provided including: choosing appropriate software and hardware; staff training and user training; plans to roll out the service to all libraries within the borough and promoting the services to disabled groups.
Optimal trust and teamwork: from groupthink to teamthink
Authors: Erdem Ferda
Published: July 2003

Suggests that there is an optimal level of trust in many team situations. Too much trust can impact negatively on performance. Uses empirical research involving 142 members of 28 teams to identify factors that relate to this optimal level of trust, and those factors that demonstrate undesirable behaviors. In order to maximize team performance, teams must exhibit critical enquiry and constructive criticism in addition to a supportive understanding.
A study of the effect of perceived lecture quality on post‐lecture intentions
Authors: Devinder K. , Datta Biplab
Published: July 2003

Suggests that, as a service industry, education must pay attention to the quality of its “products” and its relationships with its “customers”. Investigates students’ perceptions of the quality of lectures offered in an institute imparting professional courses. Identifies the importance of various quality attributes and the level of student satisfaction as they relate to post‐lecture intentions.
An integrated approach to improving the adhesive bond strength of honeycomb composite joints
Authors: Thomas A.J. , Antony J.
Published: July 2003

Adhesive bonded composite joints are traditionally difficult to model using finite element (FE) techniques. The approach to modelling these joints requires the use of powerful FE packages as well as significant skill and knowledge on behalf of the FE analyst in order to model accurately both the material and adhesive characteristics. This paper develops a methodology for employing the Taguchi experimental design technique to aid the FE analyst in identifying the factors that directly affect joint performance. An approach is developed which integrates experimental design and FE analysis.
A simulation of a workflow management system
Authors: Greasley Andrew
Published: July 2003

Suggests that simulation of the workflow component of a computer supported co‐operative work (CSCW) system has the potential to reduce the costs of system implementation, while at the same time improving the quality of the delivered system. Demonstrates the value of being able to assess the frequency and volume of workflow transactions using a case study of CSCW software developed for estate agency co‐workers in which a model was produced based on a discrete‐event simulation approach with implementation on a spreadsheet platform.
Adventure learning: competitive (Kiasu) attitudes and teamwork
Authors: Hwang Alvin
Published: July 2003

Outdoor experiential activities, commonly referred to as adventure learning (AL), have been useful in improving teamwork. This study shows the impact of AL on teamwork attitudes that are moderated by two competitive attitudes – the first, Kiasu‐positive (an attitude of diligence that directed effort towards work so as to get ahead of others) led to smaller teamwork attitudinal improvements, while the second, Kiasu‐negative (an attitude that is focussed on preventing others from getting ahead of oneself), led to larger teamwork attitudinal improvements. These competitive attitudes were also examined for their relationships with collectivism and pace of work.
Technology and innovation management learning in the knowledge economy
Authors: Liyanage Shantha , Poon Patrick S.
Published: July 2003

Technology and innovation management education is now regarded as a critical area of study in most business schools. This growing importance is partly a strategic response to managing knowledge‐driven industry development. In a changing business climate, traditional management education needs to combine with pragmatic technology management education that provides rich ground for developing managerial theories that are less “fuzzy” and practically more relevant to industry needs. Management studies are not just about theoretical constructs, but must, instead, address practical resolutions and problem solving in the real business world. This paper investigates the epistemological, pedagogical and organizational factors impacting on the design, development, and implementation of technology management learning programs. In doing so, it brings theory in line with practice. It draws on the authors' personal experiences, case examples, and student reflections during a project over three years to design, develop and implement a masters‐level Web‐based online technology program in three countries – Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Effective management learning, we argue, needs a techno‐managerial approach that combines general management theories with technology management practice to link business and technology communities.
The impact of education on attitudes of female government employees
Authors: Metle Mesh'al Kh.
Published: July 2003

This study investigates the relationship of education (level and field) on job satisfaction among Kuwaiti women employees (KWE) in the Kuwaiti public government sector (KGS). This study differs from previous investigations of job satisfaction in two principle ways: in taking into account education (level and field) in the public sector work setting; in using a quantitative test for testing some demographic factors that have not been measured in previous researches and studies, especially in a very important sector which is the KGS in a rapidly industrializing Middle Eastern country. Broader characteristics, especially education field and level, is of substantial importance in predicting and affecting job satisfaction. Implications, limitations and lines of future research are discussed.
Managing change and changing managers from ABC to XYZ
Authors: Burnes Bernard
Published: July 2003

In an age where effective leaders are at a premium and where continuous change appears to be the order of the day, this article argues that organisations need to align organisational change and management development strategically and operationally in order to maintain and increase their competitiveness. Illustrated by the experience of two organisations that sought to implement major organisational changes, the article highlights the benefits of seeing managerial development and organisational change as parallel and linked activities and the pitfalls of not doing so.
Diversity factors and preferential treatments in selecting employees
Authors: Taap Manshor Amat , Jusoh Mazuki , Simun Maimun
Published: July 2003

This study examines the effect of hiring managers' demographic characteristics on employee selection preferences, and the strength of the manager's selection preferences towards candidates' demographic characteristics when the candidate's relative qualification changes. A sample of 156 respondents from various industries in Malaysia was acquired and analysed using cross‐tabulation, Chi‐square and t‐test of differences in means. Six variables examined were age, gender, race, religion, marital status, and locality of education. The effect of hiring managers' demographic characteristics on the decision to hire a candidate is significant for two variables: race and religion. Also, the strength of preference, based on the candidate's race and religion, remains high even though their qualification was lower. Implications of the study are discussed.
A method for strategic client briefing
Authors: Smith Jim , Wyatt Ray , Jackson Norm
Published: July 2003

Strategic client briefing is now recognised as an essential component of best practice in facilities management. A number of different briefing approaches have evolved, or are being developed, and this paper presents strategic needs analysis (SNA). It has been applied within six project‐inception studies with real clients, for developing and choosing a strategic direction for the project being considered by all the stakeholders. Moreover, a survey of stakeholders was carried out after each study, in order to find out how well participants thought the workshop performed in terms of six key process characteristics. Such key characteristics were further divided into a total of 41 additionally assessed attributes considered as important within the client‐briefing process. Analysis of such assessments revealed some interesting positive and negative features. Consequently, the SNA approach was refined. Presents the major findings of the work carried out along with some observations about overall processes, and suggestions for further improving strategic client briefing using SNA or similar approaches.
The impact of facilities on student choice of university
Authors: Price If , Matzdorf Fides , Smith Louise , Agahi Helen
Published: July 2003

Despite rhetoric of added value, facilities management suffers a dearth of objectively researched, publicly available information concerning the impact of facilities on businesses at the level of market sectors or individual organisations. This paper aims to correct that situation for UK higher education institutions. A survey of undergraduates starting university in 2001 has confirmed, to high levels of significance, earlier research with the 2000 intake. For many institutions, facilities factors, where provided to a high standard, are perceived as having an important influence on students’ choice of institution. Year‐on‐year comparisons show strong agreement at the global level and, where data could be gathered, at the institutional level. Individual institutions show marked differences, significant at levels of confidence of over 95 per cent. A comparison of “reputational pull” and “facilities pull” is suggested as a means of differentiating the “brand” of different institutions.
Optimization of MVAC systems for energy management by evolutionary algorithm
Authors: Fong K.F. , Hanby V.I. , Chow T.T.
Published: July 2003

Energy management in existing building services installations is an essential focus of contemporary facilities management. The subway company that is one of the major utilities services in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has considered better energy management schemes in its subway stations to reduce the running cost. In the past few years some feasible measures in the mechanical ventilation and air conditioning (MVAC) systems were implemented, however the engineering decisions were supported by trial‐and‐error or imprecise estimation. Improvement to this process would be possible if numerical optimization methods were to be used. An evolutionary algorithm coupled with an external plant simulation programme was applied to determine the optimum conditions of the essential parameters of the MVAC systems. For the centralized MVAC systems under study, the developed optimization and simulation model was found useful in appraising the energy management opportunities for effective design and facilities management.
Decentralising asset management in a university environment using Web enabled technology
Authors: Cesar Gabriel Gerard
Published: July 2003

With the advent of Web technology and the proliferation of Web enabled systems in the last few years, remote computer aided facilities management (CAFM) and computer integrated facilities management (CIFM) are starting to assume a more significant role. Computerised asset management (AM) has been widely discussed and various conceptual models, benchmarking and best practice principles have been proposed in the past. However, the vast majority of case studies involved private corporations as well as public sector institutions, with the majority using single‐site studies, but very little dealt with the education sector spread on multi‐sites. The effective management of assets forms an integral part of the management of the University of Sydney’s (USYD) overall resources in order to achieve its goals towards excellence in teaching and research. Reviews the current, more or less, manual centralised AM system at USYD and proposes a framework for a more decentralised, Web‐based AM system built on the existing CIFM system used by the Facilities Management Office. Further examines the strengths and weaknesses of the current and proposed systems and the possible application of the proposed system to a range of AM scenarios outside the context of the university environment.