bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consequences of youth tobacco use: a review of prospective behavioural studies
Authors: Mathers M. , Toumbourou J. W. , Catalano R. F. , Williams J. , Patton G. C.
Published: May 2006

Background  Cigarette smoking represents a significant health problem and tobacco has been identified as causing more preventable diseases and premature deaths than any other drug. Although health consequences from smoking have been documented, there has been a surprising lack of research into behavioural consequences.

Aims  To review what is known of the long‐term relationship between patterns of tobacco use prior to age 18 years and behavioural consequences in adulthood.

Method  A literature search of electronic abstraction services from 1980 to September 2005 was conducted. To be included in the review, studies had to have large, representative samples, be longitudinal studies with baseline age under 18 years and follow‐up age 18 years or older and clarify effects due to attrition, leaving 16 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers evaluated each paper.

Findings  Adolescent tobacco use predicts a range of early adult social and health problems. Surprisingly few studies met the inclusion criteria. The limited evidence available suggests that adolescent tobacco smoking increases the likelihood of early adult tobacco use and the initiation of alcohol use or the development of alcohol‐related problems. The link between adolescent tobacco use and subsequent cannabis use was not resolved convincingly from the studies summarized. The effects of tobacco use on later illicit drug use tended to fall away when adjusting for underlying risk factors. Existing studies of the effects of tobacco use on later mental health have many limitations. Nevertheless, a finding that youth tobacco use may predict subsequent mental health problems deserves further investigation. The possible effects of tobacco use on academic/social problems and sleep problems also warrant further investigation.

Conclusion  This review highlights links between youth tobacco use and subsequent behavioural and mental health problems. It provides health care professionals with evidence of the possible harmful effects of youth tobacco smoking on later social, emotional, and behavioural well‐being.
Non‐lethal effect of the invasive predator Bythotrephes longimanus on Daphnia mendotae
Authors: PANGLE KEVIN L. , PEACOR SCOTT D.
Published: May 2006

1. We evaluated the antipredator behaviour of Daphnia mendotae to the invasive invertebrate predator, Bythotrephes longimanus, and the consequent effect of the predator on prey growth rate (referred to as a non‐lethal effect of the predator).

2. In a laboratory experiment, Daphnia in the absence of Bythotrephes kairomones remained in the top, warmer regions of experimental columns, whereas in the presence of Bythotrephes kairomones, Daphnia migrated vertically, occupying a middle region by night and a low, cold region during the day. Over a 4‐day experiment, the vertical migration induced by Bythotrephes caused a 36% reduction in the somatic growth rate of Daphnia, a level that is sufficient to have an effect on prey population growth rate.

3. A second laboratory experiment indicated that concentrations of Bythotrephes kairomones in water taken directly from the field (Lake Michigan) were high enough to induce behavioural shifts that led to these large reductions in somatic growth rate.

4. Our results identify a means by which Bythotrephes has substantial effects on native prey populations other than through direct consumption.
Energy crops: current status and future prospects
Authors: SIMS RALPH E. H. , HASTINGS ASTLEY , SCHLAMADINGER BERNHARD , TAYLOR GAIL , SMITH PETE
Published: May 2006

Energy crops currently contribute a relatively small proportion to the total energy produced from biomass each year, but the proportion is set to grow over the next few decades. This paper reviews the current status of energy crops and their conversion technologies, assesses their potential to contribute to global energy demand and climate mitigation over the next few decades, and examines the future prospects. Previous estimates have suggested a technical potential for energy crops of∼400 EJ yr−1 by 2050. In a new analysis based on energy crop areas for each of the IPCC SRES scenarios in 2025 (as projected by the IMAGE 2.2 integrated assessment model), more conservative dry matter and energy yield estimates and an assessment of the impact on non‐CO2 greenhouse gases were used to estimate the realistically achievable potential for energy crops by 2025 to be between 2 and 22 EJ yr−1, which will offset∼100–2070 Mt CO2‐eq. yr−1. These results suggest that additional production of energy crops alone is not sufficient to reduce emissions to meet a 550 μmol mol−1 atmospheric CO2 stabilization trajectory, but is sufficient to form an important component in a portfolio of climate mitigation measures, as well as to provide a significant sustainable energy resource to displace fossil fuel resources. Realizing the potential of energy crops will necessitate optimizing the dry matter and energy yield of these crops per area of land through the latest biotechnological routes, with or without the need for genetic modification. In future, the co‐benefits of bioenergy production will need to be optimized and methods will need to be developed to extract and refine high‐value products from the feedstock before it is used for energy production.
Carbon isotope composition of fossil charcoal reveals aridity changes in the NW Mediterranean Basin
Authors: FERRIO J. P. , ALONSO N. , LÓPEZ J. B. , ARAUS J. L. , VOLTAS J.
Published: May 2006

Although several proxies for the inference of precipitation have been proposed, evidence of changes in aridity during the Holocene is scarce, and most is only qualitative. Moreover, precipitation regimes show relatively poor spatial correlations and can exhibit contrasting responses to global climate trends in different areas. Thus, there is a need to concentrate efforts at the local scale in order to increase the spatial resolution of palaeoclimate records, especially regarding water availability in semiarid zones. We propose the analysis of carbon isotope composition (δ13C) in fossil charcoal (routinely recovered from archaeological sites) to quantify changes in water availability in the past. We applied this approach to reconstruct variations in aridity during the last four millennia in the Ebro Depression (NE Iberian Peninsula). First, we studied the effect of carbonization over a range of temperatures (300–500°C) on the δ13C of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) wood cores, collected from nine locations in NE Iberian Peninsula with distinct water availability. Despite significant changes in δ13C caused by carbonization, the original climatic signal of wood δ13C was well preserved. Moreover, δ13C shifts induced by this process were successfully corrected by accounting for variation in charcoal carbon concentration (%C). After removing the effect of carbonization, we estimated annual precipitation (P) and the ratio between annual precipitation and evapotranspiration (P/E) from the δ13C of fossil charcoal. In general, estimated water availability in the past was higher than present values, indicating that latter‐day (semiarid) conditions are mostly due to recent climate changes. The good agreement between our findings and other evidence indicates that the analysis of δ13C in charcoal may be useful to expand current palaeoclimate records as it provides a complementary (and quantitative) source of information to assess climate dynamics.
Learning styles' recognition in e‐learning environments with feed‐forward neural networks
Authors: Villaverde J. E. , Godoy D. , Amandi A.
Published: May 2006

AbstractPeople have unique ways of learning, which may greatly affect the learning process and, therefore, its outcome. In order to be effective, e‐learning systems should be capable of adapting the content of courses to the individual characteristics of students. In this regard, some educational systems have proposed the use of questionnaires for determining a student learning style; and then adapting their behaviour according to the students' styles. However, the use of questionnaires is shown to be not only a time‐consuming investment but also an unreliable method for acquiring learning style characterisations. In this paper, we present an approach to recognize automatically the learning styles of individual students according to the actions that he or she has performed in an e‐learning environment. This recognition technique is based upon feed‐forward neural networks.
A community of practice approach to the development of non‐traditional learners through networked learning
Authors: Guldberg K. , Pilkington R.
Published: May 2006

Abstract
This paper analyses a sample of online discussions to evaluate the development of adult learners as reflective practitioners within a networked learning community. The context for our study is a blended learning course offering post‐experience professional training to non‐traditional university students. These students are parents and carers of people with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). We use Lave and Wenger's ‘communities of practice’ as a theoretical framework for establishing how students develop a learning community based upon mutual engagement, joint enterprise and shared repertoires. Those three aspects are analysed according to two measures. The first focuses on learner appropriation of the professional discourse, values and goals of the ASD carer through the network. The second relates to changes in the quality of collaborative activity over time. Our analysis demonstrates that students belong to an overarching community of practice, with different subsets who work at sharing and co‐constructing common understandings. This shared discourse and common notions of what constitutes good practice help create a safe interaction space for the students. Once group identity is consolidated, more challenging questions emerge and the group are able to define further common values, understandings and goals through processes of resolution.
A psychometric evaluation of the Learning Styles Questionnaire: 40‐item version
Authors: Klein Britt , McCall Louise , Austin David , Piterman Leon
Published: May 2006

Sixty‐six English‐speaking postgraduate distance‐education medical students completed the Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ: 40‐item version). This was completed while attending a residential workshop at the beginning of the semester, and 44 of these students completed the same LSQ questionnaire 5 months later at the completion of the semester. The psychometric properties of the LSQ were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (internal consistency), test‐retest, correlational analyses and factor analysis. The results indicated that the LSQ (40‐item version) has poor reliability and validity, and therefore requires further development and psychometric evaluation.
Modelling Count Data Time Series with Markov Processes Based on Binomial Thinning
Authors: Zhu Rong , Joe Harry
Published: May 2006

Abstract. We obtain new models and results for count data time series based on binomial thinning. Count data time series may have non‐stationarity from trends or covariates, so we propose an extension of stationary time series based on binomial thinning such that the univariate marginal distributions are always in the same parametric family, such as negative binomial. We propose a recursive algorithm to calculate the probability mass functions for the innovation random variable associated with binomial thinning. This simplifies numerical calculations and estimation for the classes of time series models that we consider. An application with real data is used to illustrate the models.
A Cautionary Note on Estimating the Standard Error of the Gini Index of Inequality*
Authors: Modarres Reza , Gastwirth Joseph L.
Published: May 2006

We will show that the regression approach to estimating the standard error of the Gini index can produce incorrect results as it does not account for the correlations introduced in the error terms once the data are ordered. To assess the effect of ignoring the correlation in the error terms we examined two distributions and show that the regression method overestimates the standard error of the Gini index. We recommend that the more mathematically complex or computationally intensive methods be used.
New Appendix Criteria Open for a Broader Concept of Chronic Migraine
Authors: Olesen J , Bousser M-G , Diener H-C , Dodick D , First M , Goadsby PJ , Göbel H , Lainez MJA , Lance JW , Lipton RB , Nappi G , Sakai F , Schoenen J , Silberstein SD , Steiner TJ
Published: May 2006

After the introduction of chronic migraine and medication overuse headache as diagnostic entities in The International Classification of Headache Disorders, Second Edition, ICHD-2, it has been shown that very few patients fit into the diagnostic criteria for chronic migraine (CM). The system of being able to use CM and the medication overuse headache (MOH) diagnosis only after discontinuation of overuse has proven highly unpractical and new data have suggested a much more liberal use of these diagnoses. The International Headache Classification Committee has, therefore, worked out the more inclusive criteria for CM and MOH presented in this paper. These criteria are included in the appendix of ICHD-2 and are meant primarily for further scientific evaluation but may be used already now for inclusion into drug trials, etc. It is now recommended that the MOH diagnosis should no longer request improvement after discontinuation of medication overuse but should be given to patients if they have a primary headache plus ongoing medication overuse. The latter is defined as previously, i.e. 10 days or more of intake of triptans, ergot alkaloids mixed analgesics or opioids and 15 days or more of analgesics/NSAIDs or the combined use of more than one substance. If these new criteria for CM and MOH prove useful in future testing, the plan is to include them in a future revised version of ICHD-2.
Development of a one‐stage process for pretreatment and cationisation of cotton fabric
Authors: Hashem Mohamed M
Published: May 2006

A one‐stage process for cationisation and pretreatment of cotton fabric was developed. Cationisation of cotton cellulose was carried out with 3‐chloro‐2‐hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, whereas pretreatment comprised enzymatic and oxidative desizing, scouring, bleaching with hydrogen peroxide, combined desizing and scouring as well as combined desizing, scouring and bleaching. Each of these pretreatment operations or their combination with and without cationisation was carried out using three techniques, namely, cold pad–batch, pad–steam and exhaustion. It was found that the cationisation chemicals were compatible with the scouring ingredients and, to a lesser extent, with the formulation of enzymatic desizing. On the other hand, cationisation chemicals were not compatible with oxidative desizing or peroxide bleaching ingredients. Efficiency of the one‐step process for scouring and cationisation was maximised through detailed investigation of the process parameters. The treated fabric can be dyed without electrolyte and the fabrics show a high levelness of colour shade, residual wax content and nitrogen content.
Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Shame: Three Key Variables in Reducing School Bullying
Authors: Ahmed Eliza , Braithwaite Valerie
Published: May 2006

This study examined the relationships between forgiveness, reconciliation, shame and school bullying. The sample consisted of 1,875 Bangladeshi adolescents (60% girls) in grades 7 to 10 (M= 8.28). In a structural equation model, both forgiveness and reconciliation directly predicted less bullying. In addition to the direct effect, an indirect pathway showed reconciliation reduced bullying via adaptive shame management. Shame acknowledgment predicted less bullying whereas shame displacement predicted more in accord with the shame management theory. An alternative model was also tested, which demonstrated that parental forgiveness eroded when children displaced their shame. The nature of the intersection between these two theoretically viable psychological models has implications for both restorative justice theory and practice.
Engaging Families as Experts: Collaborative Family Program Development
Authors: FRAENKEL PETER
Published: May 2006

This article presents the collaborative family program development (CFPD) model, a collaborative research‐based approach to creating community‐based programs for families. In this approach, families are viewed as experts on the nature of their challenges and on what they desire in a program. This approach is particularly useful in developing programs for families who have experienced social oppression and who may have been reluctant to participate in programs created for them by professionals without their consultation. In contrast, when professionals adopt the stance of respectful learners, families respond by actively engaging in the program development research and in the program created from it. This article describes the nature and complexities of a collaborative program development stance, the unique contribution to community‐based program development offered by a family systems focus, and the 10 steps in the CFPD approach. These 10 steps guide movement from initiating the project and forming collaborative professional partnerships to engaging cultural consultants; conducting in‐depth research to understand the problems, resources, contexts, and recommendations from the perspective of families who will receive the program and from the perspective of front‐line professionals working with these families; transforming research findings into program contents and formats; and implementing, evaluating, revising, and replicating the program. The approach is illustrated by a program called Fresh Start for Families, developed and replicated for families in New York City who are homeless and attempting to move from welfare to work.
Discovery of magnetic fields in the βCephei star ξ1 CMa and in several slowly pulsating B stars
Authors: Hubrig S. , Briquet M. , Schöller M. , De Cat P. , Mathys G. , Aerts C.
Published: May 2006

We present the results of a magnetic survey of a sample of eight β Cephei stars and 26 slowly pulsating B (SPBs) stars with the FOcal Reducer low dispersion Spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope. A weak mean longitudinal magnetic field of the order of a few hundred Gauss is detected in the β Cephei star ξ1CMa and in 13 SPB stars. The star ξ1CMa becomes the third magnetic star among the β Cephei stars. Before our study, the star ζ Cas was the only known magnetic SPB star. All magnetic SPB stars for which we gathered several magnetic field measurements show a field that varies in time. We do not find a relation between the evolution of the magnetic field with stellar age in our small sample. Our observations imply that β Cephei and SPB stars can no longer be considered as classes of non-magnetic pulsators, but the effect of the fields on the oscillation properties remains to be studied.
Elevated plasma free fatty acids decrease basal protein synthesis, but not the anabolic effect of leucine, in skeletal muscle
Authors: Lang Charles H.
Published: May 2006

Elevations in free fatty acids (FFAs) impair glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. However, there is no information pertaining to the effect of elevated circulating lipids on either basal protein synthesis or the anabolic effects of leucine and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). In chronically catheterized conscious rats, the short-term elevation of plasma FFAs by the 5-h infusion of heparin plus Intralipid decreased muscle protein synthesis by ∼25% under basal conditions. Lipid infusion was associated with a redistribution of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4E from the active eIF4E·eIF4G complex to the inactive eIF4E·4E-BP1 complex. This shift was associated with a decreased phosphorylation of eIF4G but not 4E-BP1. Lipid infusion did not significantly alter either the total amount or phosphorylation state of mTOR, TSC2, S6K1, or the ribosomal protein S6 under basal conditions. In control rats, oral leucine increased muscle protein synthesis. This anabolic response was not impaired by lipid infusion, and no defects in signal transduction pathways regulating translation initiation were detected. In separate rats that received a bolus injection of IGF-I, lipid infusion attenuated the normal redistribution of eIF4E from the active to inactive complex and largely prevented the increased phosphorylation of 4E-BP1, eIF4G, S6K1, and S6. This IGF-I resistance was associated with enhanced Ser307phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1). These data indicate that the short-term elevation of plasma FFAs impairs basal protein synthesis in muscle by altering eIF4E availability, and this defect may be related to impaired phosphorylation of eIF4G, not 4E-BP1. Moreover, hyperlipidemia impairs IGF-I action but does not produce leucine resistance in skeletal muscle.
Route of administration (enteral or parenteral) affects the contribution of l-glutamine to de novo l-arginine synthesis in mice: a stable-isotope study
Authors: Boelens Petra G. , Melis Gerdien C. , van Leeuwen Paul A. , ten Have Gabrie A. , Deutz Nicolaas E.
Published: May 2006

A pathway from enteral l-glutamine as substrate for l-arginine synthesis is suggested by previous studies. l-Glutamine and l-glutamine dipeptides exhibit numerous beneficial effects in experimental and clinical studies. In trauma patients, enteral l-glutamine supply increased plasma l-arginine. The present study was designed to quantify the contribution of l-glutamine to the de novo l-citrulline and l-arginine synthesis in mice when l-glutamine is administered in a high dose of labeled l-glutamine or l-alanyl-l-glutamine by the enteral or parenteral route. For this purpose, male Swiss mice ( n = 43) underwent a laparotomy, and catheters were inserted for sampling and infusion. A primed, constant, and continuous infusion of l-alanyl-l-[2-15N]glutamine (dipeptide groups) or l-[2-15N]glutamine (free l-glutamine groups), simultaneously with l-[ureido-13C,2H2]citrulline and l-[guanidino-15N2,2H2]arginine, was given (steady-state model). Mice received the l-glutamine tracers intravenously (jugular vein) or enterally (duodenum). Enrichments of metabolites were measured by LC-MS. Arterial l-glutamine concentrations were the highest in the intravenous dipeptide group. l-Glutamine was converted to l-citrulline and l-arginine when l-[2-15N]glutamine and l-alanyl-l-[2-15N]glutamine were given by enteral or parenteral route. The contribution of l-glutamine to the de novo synthesis of l-citrulline and l-arginine was higher in the enteral groups when compared with the intravenous groups ( P < 0.005). Therefore, the route of administration (enteral or parenteral) affects the contribution of l-glutamine, provided as free molecule or dipeptide, to the de novo synthesis of l-arginine in mice.
Mechanisms of Liver Injury. II. Mechanisms of neutrophil-induced liver cell injury during hepatic ischemia-reperfusion and other acute inflammatory conditions
Authors: Jaeschke Hartmut
Published: May 2006

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils) are a vital part of the innate immune response to microbial infections and tissue trauma, e.g., ischemia-reperfusion injury, in many organs including the liver. However, an excessive inflammatory response can lead to a dramatic aggravation of the existing injury. To design interventions, which selectively target the detrimental effects of neutrophils, a detailed understanding of the pathophysiology is critical. Systemic or local exposure to proinflammatory mediators causes activation and priming of neutrophils for reactive oxygen formation and recruits them into the vascular beds of the liver without causing tissue injury. However, generation of a chemotactic signal from the parenchyma will trigger extravasation and an attack on target cells (e.g., hepatocytes). Adhesion to the target induces degranulation with release of proteases and formation of reactive oxygen species including hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorous acid, which can diffuse into hepatocytes and induce an intracellular oxidant stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Various neutrophil-derived proteases are involved in transmigration and cell toxicity but can also promote the inflammatory response by processing of proinflammatory mediators. In addition, necrotic cells release mediators, e.g., high-mobility group box-1, which further promotes neutrophilic hepatitis and tissue damage. On the basis of these evolving insights into the mechanisms of neutrophil-mediated liver damage, the most selective strategies appear not to interfere with the cytotoxic potential of neutrophils, but rather strengthen the target cells' defense mechanisms including enhancement of the intracellular antioxidant defense systems, activation of cell survival pathways, or initiation of cell cycle activation and regeneration.
Cardiac protection by mitoKATPchannels is dependent on Akt translocation from cytosol to mitochondria during late preconditioning
Authors: Ahmad Nauman , Wang Yigang , Haider Khawaja Husnain , Wang Boyu , Pasha Zeeshan , Uzun Özge , Ashraf Muhammad
Published: May 2006

This investigation elucidates the Akt/mitochondrial ATP-sensitive K+(mitoKATP) channel signaling pathway in late pharmacological preconditioning, using the mitoKATPchannel openers BMS-191095 (BMS) and diazoxide (DE). BMS (1 mg/kg ip) and DE (7 mg/kg ip) alone or BMS plus wortmannin (WTN, 15 μg/kg ip), an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and BMS plus 5-hydroxydecanoic acid (5-HD, 5 mg/kg ip), an inhibitor of mitoKATPchannels, were administered to male mice. Twenty-four hours later, hearts were isolated and subjected to 40 min of ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion via Langendorff's apparatus. Both BMS and DE reduced left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and increased left ventricular developed pressure as well as reduced LDH release. Coadministration of BMS and WTN abolished the beneficial effects of BMS on cardiac function. Moreover, BMS and DE accelerated Akt phosphorylation in cardiac tissue as determined by Western blot analysis and also significantly reduced apoptosis compared with ischemic control. WTN significantly suppressed BMS-induced Akt phosphorylation, whereas 5-HD had no effect on Akt phosphorylation in cytosol, and the effect of BMS on apoptosis was abolished. It is concluded that the cardioprotective effect by mitoKATPchannels is attributed to the translocation of phosphorylated Akt from cytosol to mitochondria.
Podocytes are sensitive to fluid shear stress in vitro
Authors: Friedrich Colin , Endlich Nicole , Kriz Wilhelm , Endlich Karlhans
Published: May 2006

Podocytes are exposed to mechanical forces arising from glomerular capillary pressure and filtration. It has been shown that stretch affects podocyte biology in vitro and plays a significant role in the development of glomerulosclerosis in vivo. However, whether podocytes are sensitive to fluid shear stress is completely unknown. In the present study, we therefore exposed cells of a recently generated conditionally immortalized mouse podocyte cell line to defined fluid shear stress in a flow chamber, mimicking flow of the glomerular ultrafiltrate over the surface of podocytes in Bowman's space. Shear stress above 0.25 dyne/cm2resulted in dramatic loss of podocytes but not of proximal tubular epithelial cells (LLC-PK1cells) after 20 h. At 0.015–0.25 dyne/cm2, lamellipodia formation in podocytes was enhanced and the actin nucleation protein cortactin was redistributed to the cell margins. Shear stress further diminished stress fibers and the presence of vinculin in focal adhesions. Linear zonula occludens-1 distribution at cell-cell contacts remained unaffected at low shear stress. At 0.25 dyne/cm2, the monolayer was broken up and remaining cell-cell contacts were reinforced by F-actin and α-actinin. Because the cytoskeletal changes induced by shear stress suggested the involvement of tyrosine kinases (TKs), we tested several TK inhibitors that were all without effect on podocyte number under static conditions. At 0.25 dyne/cm2, however, the TK inhibitors genistein and AG 82 were associated with marked podocyte loss. Our data demonstrate that podocytes are highly sensitive to fluid shear stress. Shear stress induces a reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and activates specific tyrosine kinases that are required to withstand fluid shear stress.
Diabetes-altered gene expression in rat skeletal muscle corrected by oral administration of vanadyl sulfate
Authors: Willsky Gail R. , Chi Lai-Har , Liang Yulan , Gaile Daniel P. , Hu Zihua , Crans Debbie C.
Published: May 2006

Treatment with vanadium, a representative of a class of antidiabetic compounds, alleviates diabetic hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Oral administration of vanadium compounds in animal models and humans does not cause clinical symptoms of hypoglycemia, a common problem for diabetic patients with insulin treatment. Gene expression, using Affymetrix arrays, was examined in muscle from streptozotocin-induced diabetic and normal rats in the presence or absence of oral vanadyl sulfate treatment. This treatment affected normal rats differently from diabetic rats, as demonstrated by two-way ANOVA of the full array data. Diabetes altered the expression of 133 genes, and the expression of 30% of these genes dysregulated in diabetes was normalized by vanadyl sulfate treatment. For those genes, the ratio of expression in normal animals to the expression in diabetic animals showed a strong negative correlation with the ratio of expression in diabetic animals to the expression in diabetic animals treated with vanadyl sulfate ( P = −0.85). The genes identified belong to six major metabolic functional groups: lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, muscle structure, protein breakdown and biosynthesis, the complement system, and signal transduction. The identification of oxidative stress genes, coupled with the known oxidative chemistry of vanadium, implicates reactive oxygen species in the action of this class of compounds. These results imply that early transition metals or compounds formed from their chemical interactions with other metabolites may act as general transcription modulators, a role not usually associated with this class of compounds.
Intracellular Hydrogen Peroxide Production Is an Upstream Event in Apoptosis Induced by Down-Regulation of Casein Kinase 2 in Prostate Cancer Cells
Authors: Ahmad Kashif A. , Wang Guixia , Ahmed Khalil
Published: May 2006

We have shown previously that down-regulation of CK2 activity (protein kinase CK2, formerly casein kinase 2) by employing its inhibitors apigenin or 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole promotes apoptosis in prostatic carcinoma cells. In an effort to define the downstream mediators of this action, we show that cell apoptosis observed on down-regulation of CK2 is preceded by intracellular generation of hydrogen hydroxide (H2O2) in various normal and cancer cells. In this regard, both androgen-dependent ALVA-41 and androgen-independent PC-3 cells treated with 80 μmol/L apigenin or 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole or with antisense CK2α oligonucleotide or small interfering RNA respond similarly to down-regulation of CK2. Interestingly, whereas chemical inhibitors of CK2 elicited H2O2 production in both cancer and noncancer cells, the antisense CK2α-mediated down-regulation of CK2 showed significant H2O2 production in cancer cells but had minimal effect in noncancer cells. The basis of this key difference is unclear at present, but this observation may have implications for the therapeutic potential of antisense CK2 oligonucleotide in cancer therapy. The H2O2 production induced by antisense CK2α was associated with robust caspase-3 activity, nuclear factor-κB nuclear translocation, cytochrome c release, and subsequent DNA fragmentation in prostate cancer cells (ALVA-41 and PC-3). These findings describe, for the first time, a relationship between CK2 and reactive oxygen species, such that CK2 inhibition leads to production of intracellular H2O2, which may serve as a downstream mediator of apoptosis in cancer cells. (Mol Cancer Res 2006;4(5):331–8)
Snow Cover Distribution, Variability, and Response to Climate Change in Western China
Authors: Dahe Qin , Shiyin Liu , Peiji Li
Published: May 2006

A study is presented of the geographical distribution and spatial and temporal variabilities of the western China snow cover in the past 47 yr between 1951 and 1997. The data used consist of Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) 6-day snow-depth charts, NOAA weekly snow extent charts, and the daily snow depth and number of snow cover days from 106 selected meteorological stations across western China. Empirical orthogonal function was performed on the SMMR dataset to better understand the spatial pattern and variability of the Qinghai–Xizang (Tibet) snow cover. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to show the association of interannual variations between snow cover and snow season temperature as well as precipitation. Further, the autoregressive moving average model was fitted to the snow and climate time series to test for their long-term trends. Results show that western China did not experience a continual decrease in snow cover during the great warming period of the 1980s and 1990s. It is of interest to note that no correlation was identified between temperature and precipitation in the snow cover season. However, year-to-year fluctuation of snow cover responds to both snowfall and snow season temperature. About one-half to two-thirds of the total variance in snow cover is explained by the linear variations of snowfall and snow season temperature. The long-term variability of western China snow cover is characterized by a large interannual variation superimposed on a small increase trend. The positive trend of the western China snow cover is consistent with increasing snowfall, but is in contradiction to regional warming. In addition, many constraints of the Qinghai–Xizang (Tibet) snow cover force the author’s challenge of Blanford’s hypothesis.
Physically Based Global Downscaling: Climate Change Projections for a Full Century
Authors: Ghan Steven J. , Shippert Timothy
Published: May 2006

A global atmosphere–land model with an embedded subgrid orography scheme is used to simulate the period 1977–2100 using ocean surface conditions and radiative constituent concentrations for a climate change scenario. Climate variables simulated for multiple elevation classes are mapped according to a high-resolution elevation dataset in 10 regions with complex terrain. Analysis of changes in the simulated climate leads to the following conclusions. Changes in surface air temperature and precipitation differ from region to region in a manner similar to simulations without the subgrid scheme. Subgrid elevation contributes little to spatial variability of the change in temperature and the relative change in precipitation. In some regions somewhat greater warming occurs at higher elevations because of the same tendency in the free troposphere, but in others greater warming occurs near the melting level where snow albedo feedback amplifies the warming. Changes in snow water are highly dependent on altitude because of its nonlinear dependence on changes in the melting level. Absolute changes usually increase with altitude because more snow is currently available for depletion, but for extremely cold conditions the simulated warming is insufficient to increase melting. Relative changes in snow water always decrease with altitude as the likelihood that a warming will enhance melting or change the phase of precipitation decreases with decreasing temperature at higher altitudes. In places where snow accumulates, an artificial upper bound on snow water (which is required in any climate model that does not treat lateral snow transport) limits the sensitivity of snow water to climate change considerably. The simulated impact of climate change on regional mean snow water varies widely, with little impact in regions in which the upper bound on snow water is the dominant snow-water sink, moderate impact in regions with a mixture of seasonal and pemanent snow, and profound relative impacts on regions with little permanent snow.
Influence of the Seasonal Cycle on the Termination of El Niño Events in a Coupled General Circulation Model
Authors: Lengaigne Matthieu , Boulanger Jean-Philippe , Menkes Christophe , Spencer Hilary
Published: May 2006

In this study, the mechanisms leading to the El Niño peak and demise are explored through a coupled general circulation model ensemble approach evaluated against observations. The results here suggest that the timing of the peak and demise for intense El Niño events is highly predictable as the evolution of the coupled system is strongly driven by a southward shift of the intense equatorial Pacific westerly anomalies during boreal winter. In fact, this systematic late-year shift drives an intense eastern Pacific thermocline shallowing, constraining a rapid El Niño demise in the following months. This wind shift results from a southward displacement in winter of the central Pacific warmest SSTs in response to the seasonal evolution of solar insolation.

In contrast, the intensity of this seasonal feedback mechanism and its impact on the coupled system are significantly weaker in moderate El Niño events, resulting in a less pronounced thermocline shallowing. This shallowing transfers the coupled system into an unstable state in spring but is not sufficient to systematically constrain the equatorial Pacific evolution toward a rapid El Niño termination. However, for some moderate events, the occurrence of intense easterly wind anomalies in the eastern Pacific during that period initiate a rapid surge of cold SSTs leading to La Niña conditions. In other cases, weaker trade winds combined with a slightly deeper thermocline allow the coupled system to maintain a broad warm phase evolving through the entire spring and summer and a delayed El Niño demise, an evolution that is similar to the prolonged 1986/87 El Niño event. La Niña events also show a similar tendency to peak in boreal winter, with characteristics and mechanisms mainly symmetric to those described for moderate El Niño cases.
Predictability of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index in Kenya and Potential Applications as an Indicator of Rift Valley Fever Outbreaks in the Greater Horn of Africa
Authors: Indeje Matayo , Ward M. Neil , Ogallo Laban J. , Davies Glyn , Dilley Maxx , Anyamba Assaf
Published: May 2006

In this paper the progress made in producing predictions of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) over Kenya in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) for the October–December (OND) season is discussed. Several studies have identified a statistically significant relationship between rainfall and NDVI in the region. Predictability of seasonal rainfall by global climate models (GCMs) during the OND season over the GHA has also been established as being among the best in the world. Information was extracted from GCM seasonal prediction output using statistical transformations. The extracted information was then used in the prediction of NDVI. NDVI is a key variable for management of various climate-sensitive problems. For example, it has been shown to have the potential to predict environmental conditions associated with Rift Valley Fever (RVF) viral activity and this is referred to throughout the paper as a motivation for the study. RVF affects humans and livestock and is particularly economically important in the GHA. The establishment of predictability for NDVI in this paper is therefore part of a methodology that could ultimately generate information useful for managing RVF in livestock in the GHA. It has been shown that NDVI can be predicted skillfully over the GHA with a 2–3-month lead time. Such information is crucial for tailoring forecast information to support RVF monitoring and prediction over the region, as well as many other potential applications (e.g., livestock forage estimation). More generally, the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS), a project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other specialized technical centers routinely use NDVI images to monitor environmental conditions worldwide. The high predictability for NDVI established in this paper could therefore supplement the routine monitoring of environmental conditions for a wide range of applications.
A CGCM Study on the Interaction between IOD and ENSO
Authors: Behera Swadhin K. , Luo Jing Jia , Masson Sebastien , Rao Suryachandra A. , Sakuma Hirofumi , Yamagata Toshio
Published: May 2006

An atmosphere–ocean coupled general circulation model known as the Scale Interaction Experiment Frontier version 1 (SINTEX-F1) model is used to understand the intrinsic variability of the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD). In addition to a globally coupled control experiment, a Pacific decoupled noENSO experiment has been conducted. In the latter, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability is suppressed by decoupling the tropical Pacific Ocean from the atmosphere. The ocean–atmosphere conditions related to the IOD are realistically simulated by both experiments including the characteristic east–west dipole in SST anomalies. This demonstrates that the dipole mode in the Indian Ocean is mainly determined by intrinsic processes within the basin. In the EOF analysis of SST anomalies from the noENSO experiment, the IOD takes the dominant seat instead of the basinwide monopole mode. Even the coupled feedback among anomalies of upper-ocean heat content, SST, wind, and Walker circulation over the Indian Ocean is reproduced.

As in the observation, IOD peaks in boreal fall for both model experiments. In the absence of ENSO variability the interannual IOD variability is dominantly biennial. The ENSO variability is found to affect the periodicity, strength, and formation processes of the IOD in years of co-occurrences. The amplitudes of SST anomalies in the western pole of co-occurring IODs are aided by dynamical and thermodynamical modifications related to the ENSO-induced wind variability. Anomalous latent heat flux and vertical heat convergence associated with the modified Walker circulation contribute to the alteration of western anomalies. It is found that 42% of IOD events affected by changes in the Walker circulation are related to the tropical Pacific variabilities including ENSO. The formation is delayed until boreal summer for those IODs, which otherwise form in boreal spring as in the noENSO experiment.
Does Female Representation on Boards of Directors Associate With Fortune's “100 Best Companies to Work For” List?
Authors: Bernardi Richard A. , Bosco Susan M. , Vassill Katie M.
Published: May 2006

This study examines the influence of women in business using a sample of firms on Fortune's “100 Best Companies to Work For” list and is an extension of Bernardi et al.'s work. We use the data from Bernardi et al. to determine whether a higher representation of women on a board signals an increased commitment of a firm to a quality environment and employment characteristics necessary to establish the firm on Fortune's “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Our findings include a significant increase in the number of female directors on Fortune 500 companies between 1977 and 2001. The initial analysis of the 27 firms appearing on both Fortune's “100 Best Companies to Work For” list and the Fortune 500 in 2001 indicates a positive correlation between the number of female directors and a company's appearance on the “100 Best Companies to Work For” list.
Just(?) a True-False Test
Authors: Scott Elizabeth D.
Published: May 2006

Recognizing dishonesty is difficult. It involves both cognitive and moral judgments in situations where it is often costly to gather information. Some individuals are better at it than others; some situations make information gathering less costly. This article uses signal detection theory to model the individual and situational effects on assessments that someone has lied. Signal detection theory is explained, and examples of how it can be used to model other moral judgments are provided.
Organizational Spiritualities
Authors: e Cunha Miguel Pina , Rego Arménio , D'Oliveira Teresa
Published: May 2006

The topic of spirituality is gaining an increasing visibility in organizational studies. It is the authors contention that every theory of organization has explicit or implicit views of spirituality in the workplace. To analyze the presence of spiritual ideologies in management theories, they depart from Barley and Kunda's Administrative Science Quarterly article and analyze management theories as spirituality theories with regard to representations of people and the organization. From this analysis, we extract two major dimensions of people (as dependent or independent workers) and the organization (as spiritually informed or spiritually uninformed) that, in combination, result in a typology that advances four organizational types of spirituality: the soulful organization, the holistic organization, the ascetic organization, and the professional organization. The expression of spirituality in each of these forms is discussed with the aim of contributing to a critically informed analysis of organizational spirituality.
The Rhetoric and Reality of Workplace Alternative Dispute Resolution
Authors: Van Gramberg Bernadine
Published: May 2006

Three dilemmas emerging from the critical literature on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) were explored in this study of workplace conflict resolution. The study found that most practitioners and industrial relations experts surveyed believed that ADR practitioners would take measures to circumvent the dilemmas, should they arise. These measures include applying appropriate standards and laws to ADR decisions; balancing power between disputants; and not exercising bias in order to obtain future work. In other words, the skills and attributes of ADR practitioners were represented by the surveyed population as being vital to delivering key qualities of ADR such as fairness and independence. However, three case studies of workplace mediation demonstrated that these normative traits were not met by the reality of ADR practice. The study raises training and accreditation issues for workplace ADR practitioners and questions the quality of workplace justice for disputants.
Union Reach, the ‘Representation Gap’ and the Prospects for Unionism in New Zealand
Authors: Haynes Peter , Boxall Peter , Macky Keith
Published: May 2006

The New Zealand Worker Representation and Participation Survey, drawing on earlier surveys in the USA and Britain, charts the incidence, location and nature of demand for union membership in New Zealand for the first time. Using Freeman and Roger™s (1999) definition, we estimate the ‘representation gap™, the extent of unsatisfied demand for union membership, at 17.8 percent of the labour force. The gap is greater among younger and lower paid workers in smaller organizations in private sector service industries. How much of the gap consists of workers who would definitely join a union if actually offered the opportunity is a debatable point. New Zealand unions face three major challenges: indifference on the part of the majority of workers in non-unionized firms, lack of union reach (mainly into small, private sector workplaces), and free-riding. These challenges imply a mix of responses in union strategy and public policy.