bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Academic Integrity in the Business School Environment: I’ll Get by with a Little Help from My Friends
Authors: Chapman Kenneth J. , Davis Richard , Toy Daniel , Wright Lauren
Published: October 2004

The incidence of academic dishonesty has been increasing throughout the past few decades. Past research has indicated that business students cheat more than their peers in other disciplines across the university. And, of particular concern to marketing educators, the current research finds that marketing majors cheat significantly more than their peers in other business disciplines. The research results also indicate that students are much more likely to cheat in situations in which friends (versus mere acquaintances) are involved. The study identifies a robust false consensus effect in which the respondents significantly overestimate the degree to which others cheat. Finally, the research investigates behaviors, beliefs, and propensities related to cheating on electronic exams. The article suggests tactical and strategic measures that business schools and their faculty can use to reduce the incidence of academic dishonesty.
Important Factors Underlying Ethical Intentions of Students: Implications for Marketing Education
Authors: Singhapakdi Anusorn
Published: October 2004

This study analyzes the relative influences of perceived ethical problems, perceived importance of ethics, idealism, relativism, and gender on ethical intention of students. The potential impacts of grade point average and education level of students were also investigated. The results from a survey of students in marketing classes from two major universities in the United States reveal that perceived ethical problems and perceived importance of ethics have positive impacts on ethical intentions of students. The survey results reveal a reverse relationship between relativism and ethical intention. There is, however, no relationship between idealism and ethical intentions. As hypothesized, the results indicate that male students tend to be less ethical in their intention than female students. The findings indicate that grade point average and educational level are not determinants of ethical intentions of students. Some important implications for marketing education and for the management ethics training programs were discussed.
Student Observations of Outstanding Teaching: Implications for Marketing Educators
Authors: Faranda William T. , Clarke Irvine
Published: October 2004

In this article, the authors heed the call to explore the attributes of an outstanding professor “by conducting in-depth interviews with students.” The study reveals five predominant themes (rapport, delivery, fairness, knowledge and credibility, organization, and preparation) of teaching excellence, as perceived by students, through subject-directed discussion. The recurring emphases on subcategories such as empathy, communication and personal style, approachability, and accessibility underscore the need for marketing educators to maintain personal interactions with students. The insights provided are purposeful because the predominant themes, and certainly the level of emphasis of each, may be used to improve the education process.
The Dynamics of Modernization and Job Satisfaction in the British National Health Service
Authors: Fisher Colin , Harris Lynette , Kirk Susan , Leopold John , Leverment Yvonne
Published: October 2004

The U.K. government is seeking to transform the quality of the National Health Service (NHS) through a process ofmodernization. It is generally thought by government and managers within the service that improving the job satisfaction of employees is an important mechanism for delivering modernization. On the basis of job satisfaction surveys carried out within 2 NHS hospitals, this article suggests that instead of being a driver for improvement, employee perception of job satisfactionmay be acting as a barrier tomodernization. The article then discusses the possibility that there may be structural tensions between the imperatives of modernization and the wish to improve job satisfaction.
Best Value Reviews of Human Resource Services in English Local Government
Authors: Harris Lynette
Published: October 2004

The U.K.’s public sector modernization agenda has significant implications for human resource (HR) practices and how they contribute to organizational performance. Through 4 case studies of large, local authorities, this article considers how the externally imposed performance assessment process of best value review is affecting HR practices in local government and to what extent these are being developed to support the high-performance model reflected in central government performance interventions. It also explores whether these are helping or hindering approaches to the organizational development required to build the internal capability necessary for delivering local authorities’ future improvement plans.
The Civil Service as an Employer of Choice in Belgium
Authors: Vandenabeele Wouter , Hondeghem Annie , Steen Trui
Published: October 2004

Because of labor market shortages, the lack of attractiveness of government employment will have a major impact on the recruitment of employees for governmental organizations. In defining this attractiveness, we follow the lead of Herzberg and his intrinsic-extrinsic model of motivation. A three-factor solution is extracted from the factor analysis and used in explaining the attractiveness of an employer. When applied to public service employment, this model seems to lose some of its strength compared to private sector employment. Instead, affiliation with politics and policies explains a large part of the attractiveness of government as an employer. This conclusion suggests that the concept of public service motivation could be an important variable in the recruitment process.
Human Resource Management in European Public Services
Authors: Farnham David
Published: October 2004

This collection of articles spread over two issues of the Review of Public Personnel Administration consists of eight case studies reporting and analyzing new human resource management (HRM) practices in selected European public services. Collectively, they cover staff communication and consultation, job satisfaction, HRM reforms and organizational performance, learning and development, and public services as employers of choice. Individually, these studies examine changes in the managing of people at different levels of government— centrally, regionally, and locally. The significance of each case is that it is linked with public management reforms, or modernization of public services, so each provides some insights into the interactions between developments in HRM and the modernization process. These articles also highlight some of the ambiguities, tensions, and contradictions inherent in the reform process. It is these ambiguities, tensions, and contradictions that have to be managed by public managers, supported by human resources specialists, in conditions of change.
Efficacy of Therapeutic Touch in Treating Pregnant Inpatients Who Have a Chemical Dependency
Authors: Larden Cheryl N. , Palmer M. Lynne , Janssen Patricia
Published: October 2004

Chemical dependency is known to complicate about 3.8% of pregnancies in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In this study, 54 English-speaking, hospitalized women were randomly assigned to receive either (a) daily Therapeutic Touch over a 7-day period for 20 minutes each day, (b) shared activity with a registered nurse for 20 minutes over a 7-day period, or (c) standard ward care. Anxiety was measured using Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Withdrawal symptoms were measured using a standardized Symptom Checklist. Anxiety scores were significantly less on Days 1, 2, and 3 (p < .05) for the group receiving Therapeutic Touch. Therapeutic Touch may be of value as an adjunctive measure in the treatment of chemical dependency among pregnant women.
Striving for Purity
Authors: Lindahl Elisabeth , Gilje Fredricka , Norberg Astrid
Published: October 2004

Caring for the sick has been important throughout all times. Nursing care has been illuminated from various perspectives. The aim of this study was to illuminate nursing care as narrated by 27 retired care providers in northern Sweden. The themes of cleanliness, order, and clear conscience stood out as important in the text. The results are interpreted as pointing to purity. Purity is a complex phenomenon within the cultural context. Some literature states that in the past, physical cleanliness, moral purity, and order were closely interrelated. Nurses were expected to be religious, morally pure persons in clean and perfect uniforms, always prepared to serve and do their duty. Purity is not always readily apparent. It is often revealed through its absence or opposite. Purity and conscience are seldom addressed in contemporary nursing research. More research is needed to further reflect on purity and its significance for nursing care today.
“Developing Holistic Nursing Interventions to Improve Adolescent Health”
Authors: Rew Lynn , Johnson Regina J. , Jenkins Sandra K. , Torres Rosamar
Published: October 2004

Adolescents learn health behaviors in a sociocultural context of community, family, and peers. Although many adolescents engage in behaviors that protect and promote health, others engage in behaviors that threaten or compromise their health. The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of health-risk behaviors and the morbidities and mortalities of adolescence that are related to these behaviors. Interventions that address these health behaviors and outcomes are presented along with suggestions for a holistic nursing response to this important public health concern.
Qigong as a Therapeutic Intervention With Older Adults
Authors: Kemp Carol A.
Published: October 2004

The use of complementary therapies in the United States is growing. One complementary therapy that has received little attention in the nursing literature is Qigong. Qigong is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine and consists of gentle flowing body movements, breathing, and quieting the mind. Qigong facilitates the movement of qi, the vital life energy, throughout the body, thereby enhancing health and healing disease. Preliminary research indicates that Qigong may be an effective complementary therapy for promoting health and wellness in older adults and an effective adjuvant intervention for managing chronic conditions in older adults. This article provides an overview of Qigong, reviews the English-language research literature on the therapeutic effects of Qigong, discusses the implications of Qigong as a complementary therapy for older adults, and suggests directions for further research on the use of Qigong as a therapeutic approach for older adults.
A Narrative Study of Nursing Art in Critical Care
Authors: Gramling Kathryn L.
Published: October 2004

The purpose of this study was to describe nursing art from the perspective of patients who had been nursed in a critical care unit. The study pursued two objectives: (a) to generate stories of occasions in which nursing was considered art in a critical care setting and (b) to describe the meanings made manifest in those stories. Using a narrative inquiry, 10 persons were interviewed twice for the purpose of answering the research question. Stories were generated in open-ended interviews, tape recorded, and analyzed by the primary researcher using Van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological framework. Five themes were found to represent critically ill persons’ experience of nursing art: (a) perpetual presence, (b) knowing the other, (c) intimacy and agony, (d) deep detail, and (e) honoring the body. The stories cultivated a human face and contextual detail for the abstract holistic concept of nursing art.
The Salient Stressor Impact Questionnaire (SSIQ)
Authors: Bloch George J. , Neeleman Lori , Aleamoni Lawrence M.
Published: October 2004

High stress is known to affect health, but stress impact, determined by events and responses to them, has not been studied systematically. For the Salient Stressor Impact Questionnaire (SSIQ), the impact of events was assumed to depend on their salience and chronicity and the impact of responses on their chronicity and intensity with greater unfavorable appraisal associated with greater response. The SSIQ assessed a person’s two most salient stressors. Chronicity items discriminated between clinically stressed and nonclinical participants and measured the chronicity of stressful feelings (distress) and the event. The remaining items measured the degree of distress and unfavorable appraisal. The SSIQ showed good test-retest and internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity, and stability across diverse populations. Exploratory analyses grouped items into distress, chronicity, and appraisal elements, and confirmatory analysis revealed a good fit to the hypothesized model. Preliminary data suggest that the SSIQ will be useful for studying relationships between stress and health.
Predictors of Neuropsychological Test Performance After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Donders Jacobus , Nesbit-Greene Kelly
Published: October 2004

The influence of neurological and demographic variables on neuropsychological test performance was examined in 100 9-to 16-year-old children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Regression analyses were conducted to determine the relative contributions of coma, neuroimaging findings, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender to variance in performance on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Third Edition (WISC-III), California Verbal Learning Test—Children’s Version (CVLT-C), and the Children’s Category Test. Both neurological and demographic variables contributed to performance on various WISC-III factor index scores as well as the CVLT-C. No evidence for a moderating effect of demographic variables was found, but speed of information processing mediated the effect of neurological and demographic variables on CLVT-C performance. It is concluded that demographic variables have an incremental effect on the neuropsychological test performance of children with TBI above and beyond the influence of injury severity.
Test-Retest Reliability and Standard Error of Measurement for the Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.) With Healthy School-Age Children
Authors: Leark Robert A. , Wallace Denise R. , Fitzgerald Robert
Published: October 2004

Test-retest reliability of the Test of Variables of Attention (T.O.V.A.) was investigated in two studies using two different time intervals: 90 min and 1 week (2 days). To investigate the 90-min reliability, 31 school-age children (M = 10 years, SD = 2.66) were administered the T.O.V.A. then read ministered the test 90 min afterward. Significant reliability coefficients were obtained across omission (.70), commission (.78), response time (.84), and response time variability (.87). For the second study, a different sample of 33 school-age children (M = 10.01 years, SD = 2.59) were administered the test then read ministered the test 1 week later. Significant reliability coefficients were obtained for omission (.86), commission (.74), response time (.79), and response time variability (.87). Standard error of measurement statistics were calculated using the obtained coefficients. Commission scores were significantly higher on second trials for each retest interval.
An Examination and Replication of the Psychometric Properties of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Second Edition (MAYSI-2) Among Adolescents in Detention Settings
Authors: Archer Robert P. , Stredny Rebecca Vauter , Mason John A. , Arnau Randolph C.
Published: October 2004

There is a high prevalence of psychological disorders among adolescents in detention facilities. The need for a simple, effective screening tool led to the development of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI) and its successor, the MAYSI-2. This study evaluated the MAYSI-2 psychometric properties based on the records of 704 youths evaluated at intake to detention facilities. In addition to factor structure, the study evaluated test-retest reliability and concurrent external validity. Results were generally encouraging in terms of the use of MAYSI-2 in detention facilities, and directions for future research are discussed.
Relative User Ratings of MMPI-2 Computer-Based Test Interpretations
Authors: Williams John E. , Weed Nathan C.
Published: October 2004

There are eight commercially available computer-based test interpretations (CBTIs) for the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), of which few have been empirically evaluated. Prospective users of these programs have little scientific data to guide choice of a program. This study compared ratings of these eight CBTIs. Test users were randomly assigned to rate either a single authentic CBTI report on one of their clients or a single CBTI report generated from a modal MMPI-2 profile for their clinical setting. In all, 257 authentic and modal CBTI reports were rated by 41 clinicians on 10 dimensions. Each of the authentic reports received substantially higher ratings than the modal reports, with ratings of perceived accuracy and opinion confirmation best differentiating between authentic and modal reports. Automated Assessment Associates’ report received the highest overall ratings; reports published by Western Psychological Services, Pearson Assessments, and the Caldwell Report were also distinguished on one or more ratings dimensions.
Factor Structure of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire
Authors: Hazlett-Stevens Holly , Ullman Jodie B. , Craske Michelle G.
Published: October 2004

The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) was originally designed as a unifactorial measure of pathological trait worry. However, recent studies supported a two-factor solution with positively worded items loading on the first factor and reverse-scored items loading on a second factor. The current study compared this two-factor model to a negative wording method factor solution among college students. A method factor model with all PSWQ items loading on a single worry factor and reverse-scored items loading on a negative wording method factor provided as good a fit as the two-factor model. This method factor alone did not predict a generalized anxiety disorder diagnosis. Finally, the psychometric properties of an abbreviated scale containing only positively worded items were examined. The PSWQ appears to measure a single unitary construct, but response patterns differ between positively worded and reverse-scored items. Theoretical implications for pathological worry and assessment-related issues are discussed.
Psychometric Properties of the Life Events Checklist
Authors: Gray Matt J. , Litz Brett T. , Hsu Julie L. , Lombardo Thomas W.
Published: October 2004

The Life Events Checklist (LEC), a measure of exposure to potentially traumatic events, was developed at the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) concurrently with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) to facilitate the diagnosis of PTSD. Although the CAPS is recognized as the gold standard in PTSD symptom assessment, the psychometric soundness of the LEC has never been formally evaluated. The studies reported here describe the performance of the LEC in two samples: college undergraduates and combat veterans. The LEC exhibited adequate temporal stability, good convergence with an established measure of trauma history—the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ)— and was comparable to the TLEQ in associations with variables known to be correlated with traumatic exposure in a sample of undergraduates. In a clinical sample of combat veterans, the LEC was significantly correlated, in the predicted directions, with measures of psychological distress and was strongly associated with PTSD symptoms.
Improving Knit Fabric UPF Using Consumer Laundry Products: A Comparison of Results Using Two Instruments
Authors: Kim Jihyun , Stone Janis , Crews Patricia , Shelley Mack , Hatch Kathryn L.
Published: October 2004

This study investigated the use of two instruments to measure the ultraviolet protective factor (UPF) of T‐shirt knit fabrics. After various laundering treatments, specimens were cut and UPF was measured from the wale, course, and bias directions with the ISO MET® UV‐Meter and the Cary UV‐Visible Spectrophotometer. Similar results were found between the two instruments and among repeated measures. Before UPF measurement, the shirt fabrics were repeatedly laundered using various household detergents and laundering additives commonly available to consumers. Statistically significant effects on the mean UPF values were found related to type of fabric, type of detergent/laundry additives, number of repeated launderings, and interaction effects of combinations of the three factors. Consumers can improve the UPF of their cotton and cotton‐blend clothing by using detergents with brightener and/or products containing ultraviolet absorbers. Conclusions and implications for educators and apparel and textiles industry are provided.
Family and Consumer Sciences 2003 Theses and Dissertations: Perspectives on Research
Authors: Makela Carole J.
Published: October 2004

The 2003 thesis and dissertation titles were compiled from 20 universities. Reporting universities and title subject matter are explored in the tables. Observations related to the process and the enhancement of research reporting are stated.
The Work‐Family Interface: Differentiating Balance and Fit
Authors: Clarke Maribeth C. , Koch Laura C. , Hill E. Jeffrey
Published: October 2004

Work‐family fit has recently emerged in work and family literature, comparable to work‐family balance in that it represents interactions between work and family and yet distinct because it precedes balance and other outcomes. This study explores the relationship between, predictive factors of, and interactive moderating effects of work‐family fit and work‐family balance. Data are from a survey of business graduate school alumni (n = 387). Findings indicate that fit and balance are two separate constructs. Fit is uniquely predicted by work hours, age, family income, and household labor satisfaction. Balance is uniquely predicted by frequency of family activities. Job satisfaction and marital satisfaction predicted both fit and balance. Analyses suggest that fit is based more on the structural aspects of work‐family interactions, whereas balance appears to be based more on the psychological factors. Job satisfaction, marital satisfaction, and frequency of family activities moderated the relationship between fit and balance.
Dietary Intake and Health Behavior Among Black and White College Females
Authors: Shankar Padmini , Dilworth Jennie E. Long , Cone Diana
Published: October 2004

Nutrition, exercise, diet, and health risk factors of 422 Black and White college females were studied. Both groups showed marked deficiencies in key nutrients, and Black females had higher fat and calorie intake than White females. In selecting foods, White females relied more on nutrition knowledge and Black females were more influenced by cultural traditions. Body image dissatisfaction was higher in White females, complemented by increased use of compensatory dieting techniques. Self‐identified risk factors were significantly different between groups, and for both groups, health behavior contradicted known risk factors.
Content-rich biological network constructed by mining PubMed abstracts
Authors: Chen Hao , Sharp Burt M
Published: October 2004

Background

The integration of the rapidly expanding corpus of information about the genome, transcriptome, and proteome, engendered by powerful technological advances, such as microarrays, and the availability of genomic sequence from multiple species, challenges the grasp and comprehension of the scientific community. Despite the existence of text-mining methods that identify biological relationships based on the textual co-occurrence of gene/protein terms or similarities in abstract texts, knowledge of the underlying molecular connections on a large scale, which is prerequisite to understanding novel biological processes, lags far behind the accumulation of data. While computationally efficient, the co-occurrence-based approaches fail to characterize (e.g., inhibition or stimulation, directionality) biological interactions. Programs with natural language processing (NLP) capability have been created to address these limitations, however, they are in general not readily accessible to the public.

Results

We present a NLP-based text-mining approach, Chilibot, which constructs content-rich relationship networks among biological concepts, genes, proteins, or drugs. Amongst its features, suggestions for new hypotheses can be generated. Lastly, we provide evidence that the connectivity of molecular networks extracted from the biological literature follows the power-law distribution, indicating scale-free topologies consistent with the results of previous experimental analyses.

Conclusions

Chilibot distills scientific relationships from knowledge available throughout a wide range of biological domains and presents these in a content-rich graphical format, thus integrating general biomedical knowledge with the specialized knowledge and interests of the user. Chilibot http://www.chilibot.net can be accessed free of charge to academic users.
Cdc42 Effector Protein 2 (XCEP2) is required for normal gastrulation and contributes to cellular adhesion in Xenopus laevis
Authors: Nelson Karen K , Nelson Richard W
Published: October 2004

Background

Rho GTPases and their downstream effector proteins regulate a diverse array of cellular processes during embryonic development, including reorganization of cytoskeletal architecture, cell adhesion, and transcription. Changes in the activation state of Rho GTPases are converted into changes in cellular behavior by a diversity of effector proteins, which are activated in response to changes in the GTP binding state of Rho GTPases. In this study we characterize the expression and function of one such effector, XCEP2, that is present during gastrulation stages in Xenopus laevis.

Results

In a search for genes whose expression is regulated during early stages of embryonic development in Xenopus laevis, a gene encoding a Rho GTPase effector protein (Xenopus Cdc42 effector protein 2, or XCEP2) was isolated, and found to be highly homologous, but not identical, to a Xenopus sequence previously submitted to the Genbank database. These two gene sequences are likely pseudoalleles. XCEP2 mRNA is expressed at constant levels until mid- to late- gastrula stages, and then strongly down-regulated at late gastrula/early neurula stages. Injection of antisense morpholino oligonucleotides directed at one or both pseudoalleles resulted in a significant delay in blastopore closure and interfered with normal embryonic elongation, suggesting a role for XCEP2 in regulating gastrulation movements. The morpholino antisense effect could be rescued by co-injection with a morpholino-insensitive version of the XCEP2 mRNA. Antisense morpholino oligonucleotides were found to have no effect on mesodermal induction, suggesting that the observed effects were due to changes in the behavior of involuting cells, rather than alterations in their identity. XCEP2 antisense morpholino oligonucleotides were also observed to cause complete disaggregation of cells composing animal cap explants, suggesting a specific role of XCEP2 in maintenance or regulation of cell-cell adhesion in early embryos. This loss of cell adhesion could be rescued by co-injection with a morpholino-insensitive version of the XCEP2 mRNA.

Conclusions

XCEP2 appears to be an essential component in the early developmental program in Xenopus laevis. XCEP2 is involved in maintenance of cell-cell adhesion, and as such may constitute a regulatory component that could help to balance the need for tissue integrity and plasticity during the dynamic cellular rearrangements of gastrulation.
Genome-wide microarray analysis of TGFβ signaling in the Drosophilabrain
Authors: Yang Maocheng , Nelson Don , Funakoshi Yoko , Padgett Richard W
Published: October 2004

Background

Members of TGFβ superfamily are found to play important roles in many cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, development, apoptosis, and cancer. In Drosophila, there are seven ligands that function through combinations of three type I receptors and two type II receptors. These signals can be roughly grouped into two major TGFβ pathways, the dpp/BMP and activin pathways, which signal primarily through thick veins (tkv) and baboon (babo). Few downstream targets are known for either pathway, especially targets expressed in the Drosophila brain.

Results

tkv and babo both affect the growth of tissues, but have varying effects on patterning. We have identified targets for the tkv and babo pathways by employing microarray techniques using activated forms of the receptors expressed in the brain. In these experiments, we compare the similarities of target genes of these two pathways in the brain. About 500 of 13,500 examined genes changed expression at 95% confidence level (P < 0.05). Twenty-seven genes are co-regulated 1.5 fold by both the tkv and babo pathways. These regulated genes cluster into various functional groups such as DNA/RNA binding, signal transducers, enzymes, transcription regulators, and neuronal regulators. RNAi knockdown experiments of homologs of several of these genes show abnormal growth regulation, suggesting these genes may execute the growth properties of TGFβ.

Conclusions

Our genomic-wide microarray analysis has revealed common targets for the tkv and babo pathways and provided new insights into downstream effectors of two distinct TGFβ like pathways. Many of these genes are novel and several genes are implicated in growth control. Among the genes regulated by both pathways is ultraspiracle, which further connects TGFβ with neuronal remodeling.
Characterization of an endogenous retrovirus class in elephants and their relatives
Authors: Greenwood Alex D , Englbrecht Claudia C , MacPhee Ross DE
Published: October 2004

Background

Endogenous retrovirus-like elements (ERV-Ls, primed with tRNA leucine) are a diverse group of reiterated sequences related to foamy viruses and widely distributed among mammals. As shown in previous investigations, in many primates and rodents this class of elements has remained transpositionally active, as reflected by increased copy number and high sequence diversity within and among taxa.

Results

Here we examine whether proviral-like sequences may be suitable molecular probes for investigating the phylogeny of groups known to have high element diversity. As a test we characterized ERV-Ls occurring in a sample of extant members of superorder Uranotheria (Asian and African elephants, manatees, and hyraxes). The ERV-L complement in this group is even more diverse than previously suspected, and there is sequence evidence for active expansion, particularly in elephantids. Many of the elements characterized have protein coding potential suggestive of activity.

Conclusions

In general, the evidence supports the hypothesis that the complement had a single origin within basal Uranotheria.
Evolutionary relationships of Aurora kinases: Implications for model organism studies and the development of anti-cancer drugs
Authors: Brown James R , Koretke Kristin K , Birkeland Marian L , Sanseau Philippe , Patrick Denis R
Published: October 2004

Background

As key regulators of mitotic chromosome segregation, the Aurora family of serine/threonine kinases play an important role in cell division. Abnormalities in Aurora kinases have been strongly linked with cancer, which has lead to the recent development of new classes of anti-cancer drugs that specifically target the ATP-binding domain of these kinases. From an evolutionary perspective, the species distribution of the Aurora kinase family is complex. Mammals uniquely have three Aurora kinases, Aurora-A, Aurora-B, and Aurora-C, while for other metazoans, including the frog, fruitfly and nematode, only Aurora-A and Aurora-B kinases are known. The fungi have a single Aurora-like homolog. Based on the tacit assumption of orthology to human counterparts, model organism studies have been central to the functional characterization of Aurora kinases. However, the ortholog and paralog relationships of these kinases across various species have not been rigorously examined. Here, we present comprehensive evolutionary analyses of the Aurora kinase family.

Results

Phylogenetic trees suggest that all three vertebrate Auroras evolved from a single urochordate ancestor. Specifically, Aurora-A is an orthologous lineage in cold-blooded vertebrates and mammals, while structurally similar Aurora-B and Aurora-C evolved more recently in mammals from a duplication of an ancestral Aurora-B/C gene found in cold-blooded vertebrates. All so-called Aurora-A and Aurora-B kinases of non-chordates are ancestral to the clade of chordate Auroras and, therefore, are not strictly orthologous to vertebrate counterparts. Comparisons of human Aurora-B and Aurora-C sequences to the resolved 3D structure of human Aurora-A lends further support to the evolutionary scenario that vertebrate Aurora-B and Aurora-C are closely related paralogs. Of the 26 residues lining the ATP-binding active site, only three were variant and all were specific to Aurora-A.

Conclusions

In this study, we found that invertebrate Aurora-A and Aurora-B kinases are highly divergent protein families from their chordate counterparts. Furthermore, while the Aurora-A family is ubiquitous among all vertebrates, the Aurora-B and Aurora-C families in humans arose from a gene duplication event in mammals. These findings show the importance of understanding evolutionary relationships in the interpretation and transference of knowledge from studies of model organism systems to human cellular biology. In addition, given the important role of Aurora kinases in cancer, evolutionary analysis and comparisons of ATP-binding domains suggest a rationale for designing dual action anti-tumor drugs that inhibit both Aurora-B and Aurora-C kinases.
Variation suggestive of horizontal gene transfer at a lipopolysaccharide (lps) biosynthetic locus in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the bacterial leaf blight pathogen of rice
Authors: Patil Prabhu B , Sonti Ramesh V
Published: October 2004

Background

In animal pathogenic bacteria, horizontal gene transfer events (HGT) have been frequently observed in genomic regions that encode functions involved in biosynthesis of the outer membrane located lipopolysaccharide (LPS). As a result, different strains of the same pathogen can have substantially different lps biosynthetic gene clusters. Since LPS is highly antigenic, the variation at lps loci is attributed to be of advantage in evading the host immune system. Although LPS has been suggested as a potentiator of plant defense responses, interstrain variation at lps biosynthetic gene clusters has not been reported for any plant pathogenic bacterium.

Results

We report here the complete sequence of a 12.2 kb virulence locus of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) encoding six genes whose products are homologous to functions involved in LPS biosynthesis and transport. All six open reading frames (ORFs) have atypical G+C content and altered codon usage, which are the hallmarks of genomic islands that are acquired by horizontal gene transfer. The lps locus is flanked by highly conserved genes, metB and etfA, respectively encoding cystathionine gamma lyase and electron transport flavoprotein. Interestingly, two different sets of lps genes are present at this locus in the plant pathogens, Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac). The genomic island is present in a number of Xoo strains from India and other Asian countries but is not present in two strains, one from India (BXO8) and another from Nepal (Nepal624) as well as the closely related rice pathogen, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoor). TAIL-PCR analysis indicates that sequences related to Xac are present at the lps locus in both BXO8 and Nepal624. The Xoor strain has a hybrid lps gene cluster, with sequences at the metB and etfA ends, being most closely related to sequences from Xac and the tomato pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato respectively.

Conclusion

This is the first report of hypervariation at an lps locus between different strains of a plant pathogenic bacterium. Our results indicate that multiple HGT events have occurred at this locus in the xanthomonad group of plant pathogens.
Transcriptional oscillation of canonical clock genes in mouse peripheral tissues
Authors: Yamamoto Takuro , Nakahata Yasukazu , Soma Haruhiko , Akashi Makoto , Mamine Takayoshi , Takumi Toru
Published: October 2004

Background

The circadian rhythm of about 24 hours is a fundamental physiological function observed in almost all organisms from prokaryotes to humans. Identification of clock genes has allowed us to study the molecular bases for circadian behaviors and temporal physiological processes such as hormonal secretion, and has prompted the idea that molecular clocks reside not only in a central pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of hypothalamus in mammals, but also in peripheral tissues, even in immortalized cells. Furthermore, previous molecular dissection revealed that the mechanism of circadian oscillation at a molecular level is based on transcriptional regulation of clock and clock-controlled genes.

Results

We systematically analyzed the mRNA expression of clock and clock-controlled genes in mouse peripheral tissues. Eight genes (mBmal1, mNpas2, mRev-erbα, mDbp, mRev-erbβ, mPer3, mPer1 and mPer2; given in the temporal order of the rhythm peak) showed robust circadian expressions of mRNAs in all tissues except testis, suggesting that these genes are core molecules of the molecular biological clock. The bioinformatics analysis revealed that these genes have one or a combination of 3 transcriptional elements (RORE, DBPE, and E-box), which are conserved among human, mouse, and rat genome sequences, and indicated that these 3 elements may be responsible for the biological timing of expression of canonical clock genes.

Conclusions

The observation of oscillatory profiles of canonical clock genes is not only useful for physiological and pathological examination of the circadian clock in various organs but also important for systematic understanding of transcriptional regulation on a genome-wide basis. Our finding of the oscillatory expression of canonical clock genes with a temporal order provides us an interesting hypothesis, that cyclic timing of all clock and clock-controlled genes may be dependent on several transcriptional elements including 3 known elements, E-box, RORE, and DBPE.
A report of dangerously high carbon monoxide levels within the passenger compartment of a snow-obstructed vehicle
Authors: Griffin Jill A , Playe Stephen J , Osborne Benjamin , Smithline Howard A
Published: October 2004

Background

We sought to determine how quickly carbon monoxide would accumulate in the passenger compartment of a snow-obstructed vehicle.

Methods

A 1992 sedan was buried in snow to the level of the undercarriage, the ignition was then engaged and carbon monoxide levels recorded at 2.5-minute intervals. The primary outcome was the time at which a lethal carbon monoxide level was detected. Six trials were conducted: windows closed; windows open one inch; windows open 6 inches; windows closed and tailpipe swept clear of snow; windows closed and one cubic foot of snow removed around tailpipe; windows closed and tailpipe completely cleared of snow to ground level in a path 12 inches wide.

Results

Lethal levels of carbon monoxide occurred within 2.5 minutes in the vehicle when the windows were closed, within 5 minutes when the widows were opened one inch, and within 7.5 minutes when the widows were opened six inches. Dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide were detected within the vehicle when the tailpipe had been swept clear of snow and when a one cubic foot area had been cleared around the tailpipe. When the tailpipe was completely unobstructed the carbon monoxide level was zero.

Conclusions

Lethal levels of carbon monoxide occurred within minutes in this snow-obstructed vehicle.
Lack of association between vascular dementia and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection: a case-control study
Authors: Chan Carusone Soo , Smieja Marek , Molloy William , Goldsmith Charlie H , Mahony Jim , Chernesky Max , Gnarpe Judy , Standish Tim , Smith Stephanie , Loeb Mark
Published: October 2004

Background

Chronic inflammation appears to play a role in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia. Given the association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and stroke, the possibility exists that previous exposure to C. pneumoniae may play a role in vascular dementia. The objective of this study was to determine if there was an association between serological evidence of C. pneumoniae infection or inflammatory markers with vascular dementia.

Methods

28 case-patients with vascular dementia at a geriatric clinic and 24 caregiver-controls were tested for C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA antibodies. The association between vascular dementia and C. pneumoniae titres as well as inflammatory markers was estimated by using both conditional logistic regression and stratified logistic regression.

Results

When matched cases were compared to controls, there was no significant difference in elevated C. pneumoniae specific IgG antibodies (titre ≥ 1:32), odds ratio [OR] 1.3 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.3 to 6.0), p = 0.71, or in elevated C. pneumoniae specific IgA antibodies (titre ≥ 1:16), OR 2.0 (95%CI 0.5 to 8.0), p = 0.33 indicative of past or persistent C. pneumoniae infection. Similarly, no difference in high IgG or IgA antibody levels (IgG titre ≥ 1:512 or IgA titre ≥ 1:64) between the two groups, indicative of recent C. pneumoniae infection, was found, OR 0.4 (95%CI 0.1 to 2.1), p = 0.27. For C-reactive protein (CRP), the mean difference between 18 matched pairs (case – control) was – 3.33 mg/L. There was no significant difference between cases and controls when comparing log transformed values, OR 0.03 (95%CI 0.00 to 2.89), p = 0.13 or comparing CRP values above or below the median, OR 0.8 (95%CI 0.2 to 3.4), p = 0.71. For fibrinogen, the mean difference between pairs (case – control) was -0.07 g/L. There was no statistical difference between cases and controls when comparing log transformed values, OR 0.6 (95%CI 0.0 to 31.2), p = 0.79 or between fibrinogen values above and below the median, OR = 0.5 (95%CI 0.1 to 2.0), p = 0.50.

Conclusion

We found no evidence for a significant association between C. pneumoniae infection, inflammatory markers such as CRP and fibrinogen, and vascular dementia.
Cerebral relapse of metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor during treatment with imatinib mesylate: Case report
Authors: Hughes Brett , Yip Desmond , Goldstein David , Waring Paul , Beshay Victoria , Chong Guan
Published: October 2004

Background

The management of unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has previously been difficult as they are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiation. The development of imatinib mesylate has made a major impact on the management of advanced GISTs. It is apparent that there are sanctuary sites such as the central nervous system where imatinib does not achieve adequate concentrations. We describe the case of a man with metastatic GIST who experienced multiple cerebral relapses of disease while systemic disease progression appeared to be controlled by imatinib.

Case presentation

A 47-year-old man presented in July 1999 with a jejunal GIST with multiple hepatic metastases. The jejunal primary was resected and after unsuccessful cytoreductive chemotherapy, the liver metastases were also resected in December 1999. The patient subsequently relapsed in August 2001 with symptomatic hepatic, subcutaneous gluteal, left choroidal and right ocular metastases all confirmed on CT and PET scanning. Biopsy confirmed recurrent GIST. MRI and lumbar puncture excluded central nervous system involvement. The patient was commenced on imatinib 400 mg bd in September 2001 through a clinical trial.

The symptoms improved with objective PET and CT scan response until December 2002 when the patient developed a right-sided foot drop. MRI scan showed a left parasagittal tumor which was resected and confirmed histologically to be metastatic GIST. Imatinib was ceased pre-operatively due to the trial protocol but recommenced in February 2003 on a compassionate use program. The left parasagittal metastasis recurred and required subsequent re-excision in September 2003 and January 2004. Control of the systemic GIST was temporarily lost on reduction of the dose of imatinib (due to limited drug supply) but on increasing the dose back to 800 mg per day, systemic disease was stabilized for a period of time before generalised progression occurred.

Conclusion

This case illustrates that the brain can be a sanctuary site to treatment of GISTs with imatinib. Maintaining dosing of imatinib in the face of isolated sites of disease progression is also important, as other metastatic sites may still be sensitive.
Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania
Authors: Blomberg Bjørn , Mwakagile Davis SM , Urassa Willy K , Maselle Samwel Y , Mashurano Marcellina , Digranes Asbjørn , Harthug Stig , Langeland Nina
Published: October 2004

Background

Antimicrobial resistance is particularly harmful to infectious disease management in low-income countries since expensive second-line drugs are not readily available. The objective of this study was to implement and evaluate a computerized system for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania.

Methods

A computerized surveillance system for antimicrobial susceptibility (WHONET) was implemented at the national referral hospital in Tanzania in 1998. The antimicrobial susceptibilities of all clinical bacterial isolates received during an 18 months' period were recorded and analyzed.

Results

The surveillance system was successfully implemented at the hospital. This activity increased the focus on antimicrobial resistance issues and on laboratory quality assurance issues. The study identified specific nosocomial problems in the hospital and led to the initiation of other prospective studies on prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial infections. Furthermore, the study provided useful data on antimicrobial patterns in bacterial isolates from the hospital. Gram-negative bacteria displayed high rates of resistance to common inexpensive antibiotics such as ampicillin, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, leaving fluoroquinolones as the only reliable oral drugs against common Gram-negative bacilli. Gentamicin and third generation cephalosporins remain useful for parenteral therapy.

Conclusion

The surveillance system is a low-cost tool to generate valuable information on antimicrobial resistance, which can be used to prepare locally applicable recommendations on antimicrobial use. The system pinpoints relevant nosocomial problems and can be used to efficiently plan further research. The surveillance system also functions as a quality assurance tool, bringing attention to methodological issues in identification and susceptibility testing.