bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of dietary fish oil supplementation on cellular adhesion molecule expression and tissue myeloperoxidase activity in diabetic mice with sepsis
Authors: Chiu Wan-Chun , Hou Yu-Chen , Yeh Chiu-Li , Hu Ya-Mei , Yeh Sung-Ling
Published: March 2007

This study investigated the effect ofn-3 fatty acids on adhesion molecules and tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in diabetic mice with sepsis. Diabetes was induced by a streptozotocin injection. Mice with blood glucose levels exceeding 2000 mg/l were considered diabetic. Diabetic mice were assigned to two groups with a medium-fat (10 %, w/w) diet either provided by soyabean oil (SO,n30) or fish oil (FO,n30).n-3 fatty acids provided 4·3 % of the total energy and then-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio was 1:2 in the FO diet. After feeding the respective diet for 3 weeks, all mice had sepsis induced by caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and were killed at 0, 6 or 24 h after CLP, with ten mice at each time-point. The result showed that compared with the SO group, FO group had lower PGE2and TNF-α levels in peritoneal lavage fluid after CLP. Lymphocyte CD11a/CD18 expressions were higher at 6 h, whereas the percentage was lower at 24 h in the SO group than in the FO group. Neutrophil CD11b/CD18 expressions were significantly higher in the SO group than in the FO group at 0 h. The FO group had lower organ MPO activities at various time-points after CLP when compared with those of the SO group. The present findings suggest that compared with the diabetic mice fed SO, a low-dosen-3 fatty acid supplementation may attenuate leucocyte adhesion and infiltration into tissues in diabetic mice complicated with sepsis.
Ellagic acid inhibits IL-1β-induced cell adhesion molecule expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells
Authors: Yu Ya-Mei , Wang Zhi-Hong , Liu Chung-Hsien , Chen Chin-Seng
Published: March 2007

Expression of cell adhesion molecules by endothelium and the attachment of monocytes to endothelium may play a major role in atherosclerosis. Ellagic acid (EA) is a phenolic compound found in fruits and nuts including raspberries, strawberries, grapes and walnuts. Previous studies have indicated that EA possesses antioxidant activityin vitro. In the present study, we investigated the effects of EA on the formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, the translocation of NFκB and expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule (E-selectin) induced by IL-1β in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). We found that EA significantly reduced the binding of human monocytic cell line, U937, to IL-1β-treated HUVEC. The production of reactive oxygen species by IL-1β was dose-dependently suppressed by EA. Supplementation with increasing doses of EA up to 50 μmol/l was most effective in inhibiting the expression of VCAM-1 and E-selectin. Furthermore, the inhibition of IL-1β-induced adhesion molecule expression by EA was manifested by the suppression of nuclear translocation of p65 and p50. In conclusion, EA inhibits IL-1β-induced nuclear translocation of p65 and p50, thereby suppressing the expression of VCAM-1 and E-selectin, resulting in decreased monocyte adhesion. Thus, EA has anti-inflammatory properties and may play an important role in the prevention of atherosclerosis.
DIRCE AT THEBES
Authors: BERMAN DANIEL W.
Published: March 2007

In Boeotian Thebes, the simplest thirst for topographical detail will turn up a reference to Dirce. Whether depicted as a nymph, a spring, a river, or simply as flowing water, the name represents an integral, perhaps indispensable, part of the Theban landscape. But of course it is more than that. A narrative surrounds this watery place, telling of Theban kings and queens, of founding twins, and of odd and cruel tortures and torments. It is my goal in this article to understand these varying traditions surrounding Dirce by means of an examination of the interplay between mythic narratives and Theban topography. Narratives of Dirce grow and develop in relation to the physical landscape of the city, but this relationship is seldom reducible to a one-to-one correlation of story and place. The early Greek tradition has much to say about Dirce, some of it contradictory. But superficial contradiction is the norm in this realm, and some sense can be made of what we have with careful attention to the changing contexts surrounding appearances of Dirce as they are expressed and understood in early Greek literature, and to the changing ways the city of Thebes is described in the Greek mythic tradition.
Eurocentrism, Forced Labour, and Global Migration: A Critical Assessment
Authors: Mohapatra Prabhu P.
Published: March 2007

Recent historiography attempts increasingly to move beyond Eurocentrism. In the field of migration, Adam McKeown's article is a fine example of an attempt to put global migration in a non-Eurocentric perspective. Perhaps its most acute insight is in putting the paradigmatic European migration flows to the Americas in the nineteenth century at par with the mainly intra Asian (south/south-east Asian and north-east Asian) migration flows. McKeown's main target of attack is the unabashed “Euro-centrism” (or rather the “North Atlantic centrism”) of much of the migration literature on the so called age of mass migration. Eurocentrism appears, at least in the way that McKeown presents it, as a set of three interrelated propositions.
ATG1, an autophagy regulator, inhibits cell growth by negatively regulating S6 kinase
Authors: Lee Sung Bae , Kim Sunhong , Lee Jiwoon , Park Jeehye , Lee Gina , Kim Yongsung , Kim Jin‐Man , Chung Jongkyeong
Published: March 2007

It has been proposed that cell growth and autophagy are coordinated in response to cellular nutrient status, but the relationship between them is not fully understood. Here, we have characterized the fly mutants of Autophagy‐specific gene 1 (ATG1), an autophagy‐regulating kinase, and found that ATG1 is a negative regulator of the target of rapamycin (TOR)/S6 kinase (S6K) pathway. Our Drosophila studies have shown that ATG1 inhibits TOR/S6K‐dependent cell growth and development by interfering with S6K activation. Consistently, overexpression of ATG1 in mammalian cells also markedly inhibits S6K in a kinase activity‐dependent manner, and short interfering RNA‐mediated knockdown of ATG1 induces ectopic activation of S6K and S6 phosphorylation. Moreover, we demonstrated that ATG1 specifically inhibits S6K activity by blocking phosphorylation of S6K at Thr 389. Taken together, our genetic and biochemical results strongly indicate crosstalk between autophagy and cell growth regulation.
‘Outlines of a World Coming into Existence’: Pervasive Computing and the Ethics of Forgetting
Authors: Dodge Martin , Kitchin Rob
Published: March 2007

In this paper we examine the potential of pervasive computing to create widespread sousveillance, which will complement surveillance, through the development of life-logs—sociospatial archives that document every action, every event, every conversation, and every material expression of an individual's life. Reflecting on emerging technologies, life-log projects, and artistic critiques of sousveillance, we explore the potential social, political, and ethical implications of machines that never forget. We suggest, given that life-logs have the potential to convert exterior generated oligopticons to an interior panopticon, that an ethics of forgetting needs to be developed and built into the development of life-logging technologies. Rather than seeing forgetting as a weakness or a fallibility, we argue that it is an emancipatory process that will free pervasive computing from burdensome and pernicious disciplinary effects.
Policy and Planning for Large-Infrastructure Projects: Problems, Causes, Cures
Authors: Flyvbjerg Bent
Published: March 2007

This paper focuses on problems and their causes and cures in policy and planning for large-infrastructure projects. First, it identifies as the main problem in major infrastructure developments pervasive misinformation about the costs, benefits, and risks involved. A consequence of misinformation is cost overruns, benefit shortfalls, and waste. Second, it explores the causes of misinformation and finds that political-economic explanations best account for the available evidence: planners and promoters deliberately misrepresent costs, benefits, and risks in order to increase the likelihood that it is their projects, and not those of their competition, that gain approval and funding. This results in the ‘survival of the unfittest’, in which often it is not the best projects that are built, but the most misrepresented ones. Finally, it presents measures for reforming policy and planning for large-infrastructure projects with a focus on better planning methods and changed governance structures, the latter being more important.
The Structure of Interurban Traffic: A Weighted Network Analysis
Authors: De Montis Andrea , Barthélemy Marc , Chessa Alessandro , Vespignani Alessandro
Published: March 2007

We study the structure of the network representing the interurban commuting traffic of the Sardinia region, Italy, which amounts to 375 municipalities and 1600 000 inhabitants. We use a weighted network representation in which vertices correspond to towns and the edges correspond to the actual commuting flows among those towns. We characterize quantitatively both the topological and weighted properties of the resulting network. Interestingly, the statistical properties of the commuting traffic exhibit complex features and nontrivial relations with the underlying topology. We characterize quantitatively the traffic backbone among large cities and we give evidence for a very high heterogeneity of the commuter flows around large cities. We also discuss the interplay between the topological and dynamical properties of the network as well as their relation with sociodemographic variables such as population and monthly income. This analysis may be useful at various stages in environmental planning and provides analytical tools for a wide spectrum of applications ranging from impact evaluation to decision making and planning support.
The Interrelationships between Building Regulations and Architects' Practices
Authors: Imrie Rob
Published: March 2007

It is commonly assumed that building regulation and control is a technical activity and part of a bureaucratic machine external to the design process. For many architects building regulations are no more than a set of rules to be adhered to, and are usually seen as ephemeral, even incidental, to the creative process of design. However, the main argument of this paper suggests that the building regulations are entwined with, and are constitutive of, architects' practices. Far from being an insignificant part of the design process, as some commentators suggest, I develop the argument that the building regulations influence aspects of creative practice and process in architecture and, as such, ought to be given greater attention by scholars of urban design.
Change in permeant size selectivity by phosphorylation of connexin 43 gap-junctional hemichannels by PKC
Authors: Bao Xiaoyong , Lee Sung Chang , Reuss Luis , Altenberg Guillermo A.
Published: March 2007

Gap-junctional channels, permeable to large hydrophilic solutes of up to
M
r
≈ 1,000, are responsible for cell-to-cell communication. Phosphorylation of connexin 43 (Cx43) by PKC abolishes the permeability of gap-junctional channels and hemichannels to large hydrophilic solutes, but not to small inorganic ions. Here, we report on a methodology to produce purified hemichannels of controlled subunit composition and apply it to the generation of hemichannels with variable number of PKC-phosphorylated subunits. The subunit composition was determined by luminescence resonance energy transfer. We show that all Cx43 subunits in the hemichannel hexamer have to be phosphorylated to abolish sucrose (
M
r
342) permeability. We also show that the hemichannel pores with all subunits phosphorylated by PKC have a sizable diameter, allowing for permeation of the small hydrophilic solute ethyleneglycol (
M
r
62). These results indicate that phosphorylation of Cx43 by PKC alters the hemichannel size selectivity and explain why PKC activity affects dye transfer between cells without consistent effects on electrical communication.
Osteopenia in X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome reveals a regulatory role for CD40 ligand in osteoclastogenesis
Authors: Lopez-Granados Eduardo , Temmerman Stephane T. , Wu Lynne , Reynolds James C. , Follmann Dean , Liu Shuying , Nelson David L. , Rauch Frank , Jain Ashish
Published: March 2007

We report that osteopenia is a prominent and previously unappreciated clinical feature of patients with X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome, an inherited immune deficiency disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding CD40 ligand (CD40L). We therefore conducted studies to determine the relationship between CD40L and osteoclastogenesis. Recognizing that activated T cells express surface receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and can induce osteoclast differentiation of myeloid cells expressing RANK, we assessed the capacity of wild-type T cells and CD40L−/−T cells to induce osteoclastogenesisin vitro. Relative to wild-type T cells, activated CD40L−/−T cells from both humans and mice promoted robust osteoclast differentiation of myeloid cells. Whereas activated CD40L−/−T cells had normal expression of RANKL, they were deficient in IFN-γ production. In subsequent studies, we cultured activated CD40L−/−T cells in the presence of IFN-γ, and we found that the osteoclastic capacity of CD40L−/−T cells could be greatly diminished. These results show that CD40L can influence RANKL signaling through T cell priming, and thus they demonstrate a regulatory role for CD40L in bone mineralization that is absent in patients with X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome.
The importance of the Montreal Protocol in protecting climate
Authors: Velders Guus J. M. , Andersen Stephen O. , Daniel John S. , Fahey David W. , McFarland Mack
Published: March 2007

The 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a landmark agreement that has successfully reduced the global production, consumption, and emissions of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). ODSs are also greenhouse gases that contribute to the radiative forcing of climate change. Using historical ODSs emissions and scenarios of potential emissions, we show that the ODS contribution to radiative forcing most likely would have been much larger if the ODS link to stratospheric ozone depletion had not been recognized in 1974 and followed by a series of regulations. The climate protection already achieved by the Montreal Protocol alone is far larger than the reduction target of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Additional climate benefits that are significant compared with the Kyoto Protocol reduction target could be achieved by actions under the Montreal Protocol, by managing the emissions of substitute fluorocarbon gases and/or implementing alternative gases with lower global warming potentials.
Intersubunit movement is required for ribosomal translocation
Authors: Horan Lucas H. , Noller Harry F.
Published: March 2007

Translocation of tRNA and mRNA during protein synthesis is believed to be coupled to structural changes in the ribosome. The “ratchet model,” based on cryo-EM reconstructions of ribosome complexes, invokes relative movement of the 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits in this process; however, evidence that directly demonstrates a requirement for intersubunit movement during translocation is lacking. To address this problem, we created an intersubunit disulfide cross-link to restrict potential movement. The cross-linked ribosomes were unable to carry out polypeptide synthesis; this inhibition was completely reversed upon reduction of the disulfide bridge.
In vitro
assays showed that the cross-linked ribosomes were specifically blocked in elongation factor G-dependent translocation. These findings show that intersubunit movement is required for ribosomal translocation, accounting for the universal two-subunit architecture of ribosomes.
Crystal structure of a peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase suggests a model for processive glycan chain synthesis
Authors: Yuan Yanqiu , Barrett Dianah , Zhang Yi , Kahne Daniel , Sliz Piotr , Walker Suzanne
Published: March 2007

Peptidoglycan is an essential polymer that forms a protective shell around bacterial cell membranes. Peptidoglycan biosynthesis is the target of many clinically used antibiotics, including the β-lactams, imipenems, cephalosporins, and glycopeptides. Resistance to these and other antibiotics has prompted interest in an atomic-level understanding of the enzymes that make peptidoglycan. Representative structures have been reported for most of the enzymes in the pathway. Until now, however, there have been no structures of any peptidoglycan glycosyltransferases (also known as transglycosylases), which catalyze formation of the carbohydrate chains of peptidoglycan from disaccharide subunits on the bacterial cell surface. We report here the 2.1-Å crystal structure of the peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase (PGT) domain of
Aquifex aeolicus
PBP1A. The structure has a different fold from all other glycosyltransferase structures reported to date, but it bears some resemblance to λ-lysozyme, an enzyme that degrades the carbohydrate chains of peptidoglycan. An analysis of the structure, combined with biochemical information showing that these enzymes are processive, suggests a model for glycan chain polymerization.
A Bayesian Multilevel Modeling Approach to Time-Series Cross-Sectional Data
Authors: Shor Boris , Bafumi Joseph , Keele Luke , Park David
Published: March 2007

The analysis of time-series cross-sectional (TSCS) data has become increasingly popular in political science. Meanwhile, political scientists are also becoming more interested in the use of multilevel models (MLM). However, little work exists to understand the benefits of multilevel modeling when applied to TSCS data. We employ Monte Carlo simulations to benchmark the performance of a Bayesian multilevel model for TSCS data. We find that the MLM performs as well or better than other common estimators for such data. Most importantly, the MLM is more general and offers researchers additional advantages.
Use and outcome of online health information services: a study among Scottish population
Authors: Harbour Jenny , Chowdhury Gobinda G.
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on a research designed to find out how people in Scotland access and use online health information.

Design/methodology/approach

It is based on a survey of two sets of population in Glasgow – a group of 64 users from the general public and a group of 24 post graduate students from a university in Glasgow.

Findings

Use of the Internet for health information was found to be much lower in Scotland than in the previous UK studies particularly those using online surveys. It was noted that people searched online health information for themselves, family and friends. Healthy eating, exercise and alternative medicine were the most commonly sought topics. Approximately half the survey participants felt online health information influenced their treatment.

Originality/value

The study incorporates both Internet users and non‐users, as well as proficient internet users, and therefore provides a more balanced view.
Analysis of the behaviour of the users of a package of electronic journals in the field of chemistry
Authors: Borrego Angel , Urbano Cristóbal
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to analyse the behaviour of the users of a package of electronic journals using the data of consumption per IP address.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses the data of consumption at the University of Barcelona of 31 electronic journals of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2003. Data of sessions, articles downloaded and abstracts viewed were analysed.

Findings

Most of the consumption was concentrated at a few IP addresses, and most of the users made little use of the information available. There was found to be a greater dispersion of the consumption of electronic information than of information on paper. Finally, it was determined that the number of abstracts viewed is a good predictor of the number of regular users of a journal.

Originality/value

The paper offers new data on behaviour in the consumption of electronic information and presents a method for determining the number of regular users of a journal from the number of articles viewed.
Developing a qualitative understanding of university‐corporate education partnerships
Authors: Ryan Lindsay
Published: March 2007

Purpose

Collaborations between universities and industry to develop and deliver customised corporate education programs are increasing. The purpose of this paper is to assist managers to make an informed decision on the structure and approach to their corporate education programs by exploring a range of qualitative factors in university‐corporate education partnerships.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the findings of a series of qualitative interviews with six senior corporate managers from diverse industries and three university managers on the factors they regard as important in university‐corporate education partnerships.

Findings

The research highlights the needs for both universities and corporations to take the time to learn and understand the requirements and expectations of each other and, as in any good relationship, provide flexibility to accommodate these requirements and expectations. The research findings are intended to provide a starting‐point for understanding the nature of the working relationship between universities and corporations in order to successfully develop and deliver corporate education programs in industry.

Originality/value

Most papers on university‐corporate education partnerships are based on opinion or case studies. The originality of this research provides an objective insight into factors that influence the success of university‐corporate education partnerships.
From stakeholders to institutions: the changing face of social enterprise governance theory
Authors: Mason Chris , Kirkbride James , Bryde David
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to set out the current theoretical landscape of social enterprise governance. It considers the two theories of governance currently advocated in the social enterprise literature – stakeholder and stewardship theories. Furthermore, it asserts the utility of neoinstitutional theory in analysis of social enterprise governance.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology employed was critical review and application of the prevailing governance theory in a social enterprise context.

Findings

The prevailing institutional theory offers a great deal in explaining the governance dynamic in these organisations. The influence that values, symbols and cultural norms have upon organisation structure are not fully encompassed in social enterprise governance theory. Rather, it has been adapted and diluted to fit different explanations of governance, such as stakeholder and stewardship theory.

Research limitations/implications

Institutional theory offers an alternative lens with which to analyse social enterprise governance. This paper advocates institutional analysis of governance as an alternative method of mapping social enterprise governance, testing existing concepts such as isomorphism within the third sector, and new conceptual research.

Originality/value

The paper consolidates the governance theory currently attributed to social enterprise governance, and puts forward an alternative theory that considers the influence of institutional pressures upon governance arrangements. It adds to the governance literature by suggesting a deeper analysis of institutional factors upon governance structure. It also adds to the growing literature that focuses on the governance of social enterprise as a distinct form of organisation in the third sector.
Spotlight on Ross Campbell
Authors: Powell Sarah
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This paper seeks to present an interview with Ross Campbell, a Melbourne, Australia‐based crisis management practitioner, focusing on the development of crisis management as distinct from risk management.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses an interview to explain the importance of investment in crisis management and outlines what is involved.

Findings

The paper offers examples of good crisis management practice and looks at some cases of failure to anticipate and prepare for potential crises.

Originality/value

The paper warns that such failures can not only damage corporate resources and reputations, but can also result in an organization's demise. The paper also lays particular emphasis on the need for a timely and efficient message strategy.
Google Scholar – friend or foe?
Authors: Taylor Stephanie
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to review and summarise the service offered by Google Scholar (GS).

Design/methodology/approach

This is the first of two articles on GS, the second of which will explore the ways that UK libraries are dealing with Google. Both deal with the subject with particular reference to document supply.

Findings

The article finds that on a practical level, GS has some work to do, but has the potential to be a useful resource. However, the implications of the presentation and branding of the search environment raise some important concerns. On a conceptual level, the question is a little more difficult. GS raises some important questions for library‐based document delivery services about the ongoing role of the library as the hub at the centre of this service.

Originality/value

The article provides a useful overview of today's hot topic which includes a list of resources for further reading and help.
Using weather derivatives to hedge precipitation exposure
Authors: Leggio Karyl B.
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the use of weather derivatives to hedge firm exposure to previously unmanageable risk events caused by natural phenomenon such as excessive rainfall.Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a case study approach to meet the objectives above, focusing on golf courses in the Midwest USA, which provide perfect examples of businesses with seasonal cash flows.Findings – It is shown that a firm can reduce its revenue volatility by up to 80 per cent. Weather derivatives are important additions to firm portfolios of risk management tools. Purchasing weather derivatives will improve the owner's ability to forecast revenues and assure expenditure coverage, both important goals for a small business owner.Practical implications – Many firms find the uneven revenue streams associated with their industry to be difficult to manage. One of the primary risks faced by firms is exposure to weather phenomena. With the introduction of weather derivatives, firms can now hedge their exposure to climatologic events. The application for weather derivatives is quite limitless. Weather derivatives are a relatively new product, and most firms are either unaware of their existence or believe them to be complicated. It is an industry that may experience explosive growth in the coming years.Originality/value – This paper demonstrates the use of derivatives to hedge exposure to climatic events.
Experiencing institutionalization: the development of new budgets in the UK devolved bodies
Authors: Ezzamel Mahmoud , Hyndman Noel , Johnsen Åge , Lapsley Irvine , Pallot June
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to examine an early stage of the institutionalization of accounting practices in devolved UK governments, concentrating on: the construction by devolved bodies of a “rational” set of planning and budgeting documents; the extent of homogeneity/heterogeneity in organizational response to seemingly similar institutional pressures; and politicians' cognition of accounting numbers.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses neo‐institutional theory to examine the planning and budgeting documents of the devolved bodies and material gathered from semi‐structured interviews.

Findings

The findings point to a process of nested translations, from mission through aims and objectives to targets, with accounting numbers present only in the last stage whereby time‐bounded targets are formulated and used to assess achievements. Because of the negotiations around the diverging interests of actors, the translation process is neither linear nor stable.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature by: examining the emergence and use of new accounting and budgeting systems in political organizations; understanding the experience of institutionalization of accounting practices; and exploring the impact of accounting reform on political deliberation and joined‐up government.
Culture and service predisposition among hospitality students in Switzerland and Scotland
Authors: Johns Nick , Henwood Judy , Seaman Claire
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the impact of ethnic/national culture on service predisposition, using Lee‐Ross's Service Predisposition (SP) Survey, plus items from Hofstede's IBM attitudes survey and from the Chinese Values Survey.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consisted of international students studying hospitality management at two hotel schools in Switzerland and one in Scotland. The questionnaire was administered to all who had recently completed an internship as part of their programme of study. The two Swiss schools produced 179 usable questionnaires and the Scottish school, 98. Thus data were obtained from students from many different nationalities, and effects due to differences in organisational culture or teaching methods were controlled.

Findings

Significant relationships were found between the SP components and the Chinese value dimensions. The Hofstede cultural dimensions showed anomalous results. The biggest differences within the sample were those between the Scottish and Swiss sites, and most of these were concerned with SP components rather than value dimensions. European, rather than Asian respondents were responsible for most of these differences, but there were some significant cultural differences between individuals of different nationalities.

Research limitations/implications

Students were used as subjects, and this may have influenced the results. Observed differences in service predisposition seemed more dependent on personal values, although there was some cultural element. The locations and nature of the internships may also have influenced the results.

Practical implications

This study has increased understanding of how culture affects service attitudes, how training affects service predisposition, and hence how staff teams could be managed and recruited.

Originality/value

Effects of culture on customers' service perceptions have been widely studied, but there has been little research into the impact of culture on service delivery or front‐line staff. This study helps to fill this gap.
The Supermalt identity: how Brixton‐based Afro‐Caribbean consumers construct a Danish malt beer brand as one of their own
Authors: Bech‐Larsen Tino , Esbjerg Lars , Grunert Klaus G. , Jørn Juhl Hans , Brunsø Karen
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The objective of this article is to conduct a case study of the Supermalt brand of malt beer, which has become the preferred beverage of Afro‐Caribbean consumers in Brixton on a very limited marketing budget.

Design/methodology/approach

The article uses the concepts of personal identity and brand identity in a qualitative study to explore how Brixton‐based Afro‐Caribbean consumers construct their self‐identities and the brand identity of Supermalt. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 14 Afro‐Caribbean consumers. Each interview was divided into three parts. The first part focused on consumers' self‐identities. The second part explored the role of food and beverage products in the construction of self‐identities. The final part focused on the construction of brand identity for Supermalt.

Findings

The article provides information on the self‐identities constructed by Afro‐Caribbean informants. The food and beverage consumption of informants reflects their mixed cultural identity. The brand identity Supermalt appears to be malleable, with ample room for consumer co‐construction. Perceptions of brand identity differ markedly among informants, who are all able to construct Supermalt as one of their own.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are based solely on semi‐structured interviews with a small sample of Afro‐Caribbean consumers. The findings are therefore not generalizable.

Practical implications

The Supermalt brand represents an interesting case for companies aiming to develop strong brands with a limited marketing budget. Based on the Supermalt case, suggestions are made regarding branding in relation to ethnic minorities.

Originality/value

This article provides a study of a brand that has become strong within a narrowly defined group of consumers.
Why UK companies hedge interest rate risk
Authors: Dhanani Alpa , Fifield Suzanne , Helliar Christine , Stevenson Lorna
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the interest rate risk management (IRRM) practices of UK companies. In particular, the study examines five theories that have been advanced in the literature to explain why companies hedge: tax and regulatory arbitrage; under‐investment, volatility of earnings and future planning; financial distress; managerial self‐interest; and economies of scale.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a questionnaire survey to examine the importance of hedging theories and to look at the detailed risk management practices of companies.

Findings

The research findings confirm that all five theories of financial risk management have some support in practice. However, while the responses to some questions supported the theories, other information elicited from the questionnaires did not. This finding demonstrates that studies which employ large disaggregated datasets that result in generalised conclusions often miss the dynamic nature of corporate affairs and that, as such, more qualitative research is needed in this area.

Originality/value

The use of a questionnaire survey facilitates an investigation of the IRRM practices of companies on an individual basis rather than the aggregated analysis afforded by most quantitative studies in finance. In addition, the qualitative approach adopted here permits an examination of many factors that relate to risk management practices, rather than just a limited number of financial ratios or factors that are typically used in studies of large datasets.
The Dynamic Organic Transformational (D.O.T.) team model for high‐performance knowledge‐worker teams
Authors: Courtney Hettie S. , Navarro Ernelyn , O'Hare Carrie A.
Published: March 2007

Purpose

This paper aims to explain the dynamics of the five dimensional Dynamic Organic Transformational (D.O.T.) Team Model for knowledge‐workers to use in achieving high performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The D.O.T. Team Model is a dynamic team model developed to integrate and expand key concepts from open systems – contingency and dynamic congruence, transformational leadership, and learning organizations. The five dimensions of the D.O.T. Team Model consist of purpose, people, partnerships, process, and performance. The D.O.T. Team Model is most applicable where subjective measures are used for high performing teams. This model transcends the existing team performance theory and provides a basis for future researchers to build onto the continuing evolutionary changes in team performance.

Findings

The D.O.T. Team Model is a comprehensive and holistic approach for knowledge‐workers to achieve high performance. This model is grounded in theory and by applying the five dimensions (purpose, people, partnerships, process, and performance) this model enables optimumfitwith a high‐performance team's organization and environments – allowing knowledge‐worker members to effectively respond to dynamic changes and enhance its team and organizational performance.

Practical implications

The article is particularly relevant to practicing knowledge‐worker leaders and team members that operate in a dynamic environment requiring a high‐performance team that can rapidly adapt and respond to change. The D.O.T. Team Model creates an understanding of the organizational and environmental dynamics necessary to achieve a high‐performance team capable of operating in this dynamic environment.

Originality/value

Practitioners will find the information in the article extremely useful in helping to understand how the D.O.T. Team Model can assist them in creating the properfitwith a high‐performance team's organization and environment. The significance of the D.O.T. Team Model was demonstrated by two highly‐recognized teams from both the public and private sectors whose performance philosophy mirrors the dimensions of the D.O.T. Team Model.
What makes a good investigative interviewer of children?
Authors: Wright Rebecca , Powell Martine B.
Published: March 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine police officers' perceptions about their role in interviewing children, and to compare these perceptions with those of child eyewitness memory experts.

Design/methodology/approach

A diverse sample of 23 police officers (from three states of Australia) individually participated in in‐depth interviews where they were asked to define what makes a good interviewer in the area of child abuse investigation.

Findings

Irrespective of the background of the officers, the important role of interviewers' personal attributes was emphasised (e.g. having a relaxed, empathetic, warm nature). Such personal attributes were more prominent in the participants' descriptions than knowledge of legislation and children's development, prior job experience, and interviewing techniques.

Research limitations/implications

The paper shows that while child eyewitness memory experts acknowledge the importance of establishing a bond of mutual trust between the interviewer and the child, the importance of utilising an open‐ended questioning style for enhancing rapport, and for eliciting a detailed and accurate account of abuse cannot be overstated. The possible reasons for the police officers' emphasis on personal qualities are discussed.

Originality/value

This paper has revealed that limitations in the competency of police officers in interviewing children is not merely a problem of “doing” (i.e. learning to ask open‐ended questions), but may also reflect ingrained attitudinal and organisational barriers.
Measuring and managing intangible value drivers
Authors: Marr Bernard
Published: March 2007

Purpose

Intangible assets are seen as critical drivers of future performance for most organizations. For this reason many managers endeavor to better measure and manage those intangible value drivers. This article explores the challenges of measuring and managing intangibles.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by practical experiences, case examples, and theory, this article systematically outlines how to tackle the problems we face when measuring aspects of organizations that are inherently difficult to measure.

Findings

There are different reasons for measuring and managing intangibles in organizations. Some require objectivity (accounting, external reporting), whereas others focus on the informative value (internal reporting, strategic decision making). It is difficult, if not impossible, to derive meaningful and objective measures for intangible assets.

Practical implications

Instead of trying to quantify the unquantifiable for accounting and objective external reporting purposes, managers should design indicators that can be used to assess performance of intangible elements in order to guide management decision‐making and strategic learning.

Originality/value

This article, based the book Strategic Performance Management, outlines why striving for objectivity can yield meaningless performance indicators and dysfunctional behavior. The real value is derived from indicators that assist our day‐to‐day decision‐making and organizational learning.
Natural subsidence of the Venice area during the last 60 Myr
Authors: Barbieri C. , Di Giulio A. , Massari F. , Asioli A. , Bonato M. , Mancin N.
Published: March 2007

Integrated geohistory analysis performed on high‐resolution stratigraphy of Venezia 1 and Lido 1 wells (Quaternary–Pliocene interval) and low‐resolution stratigraphy of a simulated well extending Lido 1 down to the base of Cenozoic (Palaeocene–Miocene interval) is used to reconstruct the interplay between subsidence and sedimentation that occurred in the Venice area (eastern Po Plain) during the last 60 Myr, and to discuss the relationships between calculated subsidence rates and time resolution of stratigraphic data. Both subsidence and sedimentation are mostly related to the tectonic evolution of the belts that surround the Venice basin, influencing the lithosphere vertical motions and the input of clastic sediments through time. In particular, two subsidence phases are recorded between 40–33.5 and 32.5–24 Myr (0.13 and 0.14 mm year−1, respectively), coeval with tectonic phases in the Dinaric belt. Vice versa, during the main South‐Alpine orogenic phase (middle–late Miocene), quiescence or little uplift (−0.03 mm year−1) reflects the location of the Venice area close to the peripheral bulge of the South‐Alpine foreland system. Early Pliocene evolution is characterised by a number of subsidence/uplift events, among which two uplifts occurred between 5–4.5 and 3–2.2 Myr (at −0.4 and −0.2 mm year−1, respectively) and can be correlated with tectonic motions in the Apennines. During the last million years, the Venice area was initially characterised by uplift (−0.6 mm year−1 rising to −1.5 mm year−1 between 0.4 and 0.38 Myr), eventually replaced by subsidence at a rate ranging between 1.6 and 1.0 mm year−1 up to 0.12 Myr and then decreased to 0.4 mm year−1, as an average, up to present. Our results highlight that time resolution of the stratigraphic dataset deeply influences the order of magnitude obtained for the calculated subsidence rate. This is because subsidence seems to have worked through short‐lived peaks (in the order of 105 years), alternating with long relatively quiescent intervals. This suggests caution when components of subsidence are deduced by subtracting long‐term to short‐term subsidence rate.
Role of sex hormones in allergic inflammation in mice
Authors: Riffo‐Vasquez Y. , Ligeiro de Oliveira A. P. , Page C. P. , Spina D. , Tavares‐de‐Lima W.
Published: March 2007

Background
A number of clinical studies have documented both a pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory role for sex hormones in the context of lung inflammation and worsening of asthma.

Objective
To determine the role of sex hormones in a murine model of allergic inflammation and airway hyper‐responsiveness (AHR) induced by ovalbumin (OVA).

Methods
Female BALB/c were sensitized to OVA on days 0 and 7 and subsequently challenged on day 14 over a 3‐day period. Mice had their ovaries removed either 7 days before or 8 days after the first OVA injection on day 0. Pulmonary eosinophilia and AHR were measured 24 h following the last antigen challenge. In other experiments, ovariectomized mice (Ovx) were pre‐treated with oestradiol benzoate. In further studies, the effect of the oestradiol antagonist tamoxifen on allergic inflammation in intact mice was evaluated. Spleens from all groups were collected for proliferation assays and measurement of cytokine release.

Results
Removal of the ovaries 7 days before sensitization to OVA significantly inhibited lung eosinophilia and IL‐5 levels in lung lavage. Furthermore, airway reactivity (maximum response) but not sensitivity (PC100) to methacholine were significantly reduced in these mice. Proliferation of spleen cells and release of IL‐5 collected from Ovx mice was significantly attenuated compared with spleen cells obtained from non‐Ovx mice. Ovx mice treated with oestradiol benzoate presented partially restored levels of eosinophils and IL‐5 in sensitized mice. Moreover, pharmacological antagonism of the effect of endogenous oestrogen with tamoxifen significantly reduced the number of eosinophils in the lung of intact sensitized mice, reproducing the effect of ovariectomy, and suggested a role for oestrogen in the process of antigen sensitization in female mice. In contrast, removal of ovaries 8 days after the first OVA injection failed to alter significantly pulmonary eosinophilia or AHR to methacholine in comparison with non‐Ovx mice. Moreover, removal of the ovaries 8 days after the sensitization period induced a significant increase in levels of IL‐5 in lung fluid. Spleen cells collected from these mice also had a significantly higher proliferation index and production of IL‐5 in response to OVA than non‐Ovx mice. Treatment with oestradiol benzoate partially reduced levels of eosinophils present in the lung of Ovx mice, supporting an anti‐inflammatory role of sex hormones during the effector phase of the response to inhaled antigen.

Conclusion
Sex hormones play a dual role in regulating allergic lung inflammation in mice.
A comparative proteome analysis of human metaphase chromosomes isolated from two different cell lines reveals a set of conserved chromosome‐associated proteins
Authors: Takata Hideaki , Uchiyama Susumu , Nakamura Naoko , Nakashima Shoko , Kobayashi Shouhei , Sone Takefumi , Kimura Sumiko , Lahmers Sunshine , Granzier Henk , Labeit Siegfried , Matsunaga Sachihiro , Fukui Kiichi
Published: March 2007

A comparative proteome analysis of human metaphase chromosomes between a typical epithelial‐like cell, HeLa S3, and a lymphoma‐type cell, BALL‐1, was performed. One‐dimensional (1‐D) SDS‐PAGE and radical‐free and highly reducing two‐dimensional electrophoresis (RFHR 2‐DE) detected more than 200 proteins from chromosomes isolated from HeLa S3 cells, among which 189 proteins were identified by mass spectrometry (MS). Consistent with our recent four‐layer structural model of a metaphase chromosome, all the identified proteins were grouped into four distinct levels of abundance. Both HeLa S3 and BALL‐1 chromosomes contained specific sets of abundant chromosome structural and peripheral proteins in addition to less abundant chromosome coating proteins (CCPs). Furthermore, titin array analysis and a proteome analysis of the ultra‐high molecular mass region indicated an absence of titin with their molecular weight (MW) more than 1000 kDa. Consequently, the present proteome analyses together with previous information on chromosome proteins provide the comprehensive list of proteins essential for the metaphase chromosome architecture.