bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Scratch to Notch
Authors: de Castro Belinda V. , de Guzman Allan B.
Published: April 2012

Although there is considerable anecdotal evidence that the scale of private tutoring is substantial in the Philippines, attempts to document its existence is limited. Using phenomenological inquiry, this study aimed to provide a more eidetic portrait of private tutoring transformation in the Philippines from the perspectives and collective experiences of 11 cram school and formal school administrators from 3 key urban cities in the country. Using a dendrogram, semistructured interviews surfaced three distinct syndromes describing the dynamics of private tutoring phenomenon, namely, the lean on, pass on, and ride on syndromes of private tutoring. Through the years, private tutoring was able to secure its own market niche at the fringes of the mainstream education system and has become more entrenched in Philippine society.
Accelerating Chronically Unresponsive Children to Tier 3 Instruction
Authors: Compton Donald L. , Gilbert Jennifer K. , Jenkins Joseph R. , Fuchs Douglas , Fuchs Lynn S. , Cho Eunsoo , Barquero Laura A. , Bouton Bobette
Published: April 2012

Response-to-intervention (RTI) approaches to disability identification are meant to put an end to the so-called wait-to-fail requirement associated with IQ discrepancy. However, in an unfortunate irony, there is a group of children who wait to fail in RTI frameworks. That is, they must fail both general classroom instruction (Tier 1) and small-group intervention (Tier 2) before becoming eligible for the most intensive intervention (Tier 3). The purpose of this article was to determine how to predict accurately which at-risk children will be unresponsive to Tiers 1 and 2, thereby allowing unresponsive children to move directly from Tier 1 to Tier 3. As part of an efficacy study of a multitier RTI approach to prevention and identification of reading disabilities (RD), 129 first-grade children who were unresponsive to classroom reading instruction were randomly assigned to 14 weeks of small-group, Tier 2 intervention. Nonresponders to this instruction ( n = 33) were identified using local norms on first-grade word identification fluency growth linked to a distal outcome of RD at the end of second grade. Logistic regression models were used to predict membership in responder and nonresponder groups. Predictors were entered as blocks of data from least to most difficult to obtain: universal screening data, Tier 1 response data, norm referenced tests, and Tier 2 response data. Tier 2 response data were not necessary to classify students as responders and nonresponders to Tier 2 instruction, suggesting that some children can be accurately identified as eligible for Tier 3 intervention using only Tier 1 data, thereby avoiding prolonged periods of failure to instruction.
Response to Intervention for Reading Difficulties in the Primary Grades
Authors: Denton Carolyn A.
Published: April 2012

The purpose of this article is to describe the current research base and identify research needs related to response to intervention (RTI) frameworks in primary-grade reading. Research is reviewed on early reading instruction and intervention, the implementation of multitiered reading interventions, and the determination of intervention responsiveness. Areas identified as in need of research include (a) the conditions under which early reading interventions are most effective in RTI contexts, (b) multitiered interventions for students with limited English proficiency, (c) reading instruction for students who make limited progress in Tier 3 intensive interventions, (d) criteria for determining intervention responsiveness, and (e) the effects of fully implemented RTI frameworks. Although RTI research may be expensive and difficult to implement, it may contribute to improved reading outcomes for many students who are otherwise at risk of serious negative life consequences.
A Chitosan‐Based Sinus Sealant for Reduction of Adhesion Formation in Rabbit and Sheep Models
Authors: Medina Jennifer G. , Steinke John W. , Das Subinoy
Published: April 2012

Objective

Chronic sinusitis is the most prevalent chronic disease in the United States in adults aged 18 to 44 years, with approximately 250,000 operations performed annually. Although often successful, sinus surgery fails in greater than 15% of patients. Adhesion formation is a common complication and cause for subsequent revision surgery. Here, the authors evaluate a sprayable chitosan/starch‐based sinus sealant and demonstrate its ability to reduce adhesion formation both in vitro and in 2 animal models.

Study Design

Randomized, controlled, animal trials.

Setting

Academic medical center (fibroblast experiments) and animal laboratories (sheep and rabbit studies).

Subjects and Methods

This sinus sealant was applied to human cultured fibroblasts obtained from surgically removed polyps to examine its ability to inhibit fibroblast migration and proliferation. The sinus sealant was applied to New Zealand White rabbits (n = 20) in an established cecal‐sidewall abrasion model and to sheep (n = 10) in a sinus surgical adhesion model to examine its ability to reduce adhesion formation.

Results

This sinus sealant inhibited migration and proliferation of human cultured fibroblasts and reduced the total adhesion score from 4.9 to 0.3 for a total reduction of 94% (95th percentile confidence interval [CI], 78%, 100%; P <. 001) in a well‐established rabbit cecal‐sidewall model commonly used for adhesion testing. Moreover, this sealant reduced adhesion formation from 80% to 10% for a total reduction of 70% (95th percentile CI, 57%, 93%; P =. 003) in a sheep sinus adhesion surgical model.

Conclusion

This chitosan‐based sealant demonstrates promise for reducing adhesion formation in sinus surgery.
Identifying the Role of Self-Congruence on Shopping Behavior in the Context of U.S. Shopping Malls
Authors: Ha Sejin , Im Hyunjoo
Published: April 2012

A model was developed and tested to explain the effect of self-congruence on key outcomes of shopping experience in terms of shopping values (utilitarian and hedonic values), satisfaction, and loyalty intention in the context of U.S. traditional shopping malls/centers. Self-congruence concerns the fit between a consumer’s self-concept and the image of other shoppers in the shopping malls/centers. Two sets of propositions regarding the role of self-congruence were proposed: (a) self-congruence predicts shopping outcomes and (b) self-congruence moderates the relationships among shopping outcomes. U.S. consumers ( N = 508) participated in online surveys. The results showed that self-congruence significantly predicts hedonic shopping value, satisfaction, and loyalty intention. But, self-congruence does not predict utilitarian shopping value; instead, self-congruence moderates the relationship between utilitarian shopping value and satisfaction. The interrelationships among shopping outcomes (utilitarian and hedonic shopping values—satisfaction, satisfaction—loyalty intention, hedonic shopping value—loyalty intention) were also significant.
Using mobile phone diaries to explore children’s everyday lives
Authors: Plowman Lydia , Stevenson Olivia
Published: April 2012

This article describes a novel approach to experience sampling as a response to the challenges of researching the everyday lives of young children at home. Parents from 11 families used mobile phones to send the research team combined picture and text messages to provide ‘experience snapshots’ of their child’s activities six times on each of three separate days. The article describes how the method aligns with an ecocultural approach, illustrates the variation in children’s experiences and provides sufficient detail for researchers to adapt the method for the purposes of collecting data in other contexts. The article summarizes the benefits and shortcomings from the perspectives of families and researchers.
Factors and limits of interurban industrial decentralization the case of Zaragoza (Spain)
Authors: Escalona-Orcao Ana Isabel , Climent-López Eugenio A.
Published: April 2012

The pattern of interurban industrial localization is stable. A current explanatory approach argues that decentralization from large urban areas to mid-sized and small-sized towns is the only process now active and that the basic variables of this interurban decentralization are city size and proximity to or distance from a large urban area. This article provides a theoretical discussion, methodological recommendations and evidence for the argument that industrial decentralization processes are more complex than this and require less restrictive suppositions. Our analysis of new industries located in Zaragoza, one of the main Spanish urban areas, from 1992 to 2005 shows how two aspects, which are seldom found in the literature, influence these processes. The first is the structure of the urban system, because the distance-sensitive decentralization process is contingent on the spatial structure of the system. The second aspect is the industrial and urban development policies, because they can alter the competitive advantages of the different types of cities. Thus, large urban areas can maintain their industrial attractiveness because they meet different and more numerous requirements than the predictions suggested they would and because they halt the spatial advance of the industrial decentralization processes. The article concludes with a reflection on the theoretical and methodological implications of the results as well as their contributions to a better understanding, formulation and analysis of the interurban industrial dynamic.
Revitalizing regional economies through enterprise support policies: an impact evaluation of multiple instruments
Authors: Bondonio Daniele , Greenbaum Robert T.
Published: April 2012

Although enterprise support policies continue to be favored by policymakers in the European Union (EU) as tools for regional revitalization, there is as yet insufficient empirical evidence examining the effects of the policies on socially relevant outcomes. This paper helps fill that gap by utilizing firm-level data to offer robust counterfactual impact evaluation evidence on the employment effects of the coexisting European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) co-sponsored, national and regional programs commonly operated in many EU regions. By using data from a large northern Italian region, the analysis yields employment impact estimates of the policies under plausible identification assumptions. The paper finds no significant difference between the employment impacts of ERDF co-funded and national/regional programs, whereas, regardless of the funding body, the absolute per-firm employment effects of the programs are increasingly larger the higher the economic value of the incentives. However, the most generous incentives come with a much higher cost per each additional new job. The analysis also shows that the absolute per-firm employment effects of soft loans are similar to those of capital grants, but, because soft loans cost much less, they are more effective from a policy perspective.
A Focus on Antiarrhythmic Properties of Ranolazine
Authors: Vizzardi Enrico , D’Aloia Antonio , Quinzani Filippo , Bonadei Ivano , Rovetta Riccardo , Bontempi Luca , Curnis Antonio , Dei Cas Livio
Published: April 2012

Ranolazine is an antianginal drug that inhibits a number of ion currents that are important for the genesis of transmembrane cardiac action potential. It was initially developed as an antianginal agent but was found to additionally exert antiarrhythmic actions, due to its multichannel-blocking properties. In recent years, several studies about the antiarrhythmic properties of ranolazine were conducted, demonstrating the beneficial effects of this drug in both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, ventricular premature beats, ventricular tachycardia, torsades de pointes, and ventricular fibrillation. Our aim is to briefly review the main points of these studies, most more experimental than clinical.
Curcumin Attenuates Cardiopulmonary Bypass-Induced Lung Oxidative Damage in Rats
Authors: Liu Kun , Chen Hong-Lin , Huang Hua , Jing Hua , Dong Guo-Hua , Wu Hai-Wei , You Qing-Sheng
Published: April 2012

Objective:

Acute lung injury is a common complication after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Oxidative damage greatly impacts CPB-induced lung ischemic pathogenesis and may represent a target for treatment. We aimed to investigate whether curcumin upregulates heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression and ameliorates lung injury in a rat CPB model.

Methods:

A total of 80 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 sets of 5 groups (n = 8 per group): sham; control (CPB); vehicle; low-dose curcumin (L-Cur); and high-dose curcumin (H-Cur). Animals were pretreated with a single intraperitoneal injection of vehicle, L-Cur (50 mg/kg), or H-Cur (200 mg/kg) 2 hours prior to CPB. Lung tissue, serum, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was harvested 2 or 24 hours postoperatively. In the control group, CPB-induced lung injury was confirmed by histopathologic examination and a significantly increased wet-to-dry lung weight ratio and pulmonary permeability index value was observed ( P < .05 vs sham group). Cardiopulmonary bypass was associated with a marked rise in the level of malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase and a fall in superoxide dismutase 2 and 24 hours after surgery ( P < .05 vs sham group). Administration of curcumin ameliorated lung damage and reversed the oxidative stress markers in a partially dose-dependent manner ( P < .05 vs vehicle group). Furthermore, HO-1 gene transcription and protein expression were elevated to a greater extent in the lungs after curcumin pretreatment compared with the vehicle pretreatment.

Conclusions:

Curcumin has the potential to provide protection from CPB-induced lung damage reflected in the expression of oxidative stress markers. The antioxidant effect of curcumin may be partly related to upregulation of HO-1.
The Energy Saving Potential and the Associated Thermal Comfort of Displacement Ventilation Systems Assisted by Personalised Ventilation
Authors: Makhoul Alain , Ghali Kamel , Ghaddar Nesreen
Published: April 2012

This study examined the effect of assisting displacement ventilation ( DV) systems with personalised ventilation modules on the segmental and overall comfort of the human body during transient load variations and the associated energy saving of the combined system. A transient thermal space model has been developed for the DV system aided by the personalised task ventilator. The model was coupled with a human bioheat model to predict the segmental skin and core temperature and to assess segmental and overall thermal comfort. A case study of a typical office including six occupants was considered to assess the energy savings associated with operation of the DV system with and without personalised ventilation for the same comfort level. Higher room air temperatures in the occupied zone of the order of 26℃ (78.8°F) were found acceptable for the combined system resulting in a thermal comfort of 1.4 on a scale of −4 (very uncomfortable) to +4 (very comfortable). The DV system aided by the personalised ventilator used 27% less energy over nineteen hours of daily operation when compared to a standalone DV system providing the same level of comfort. Higher room temperatures exceeding the limit of 26℃ were found not to be beneficial in terms of energy saving.
Primary Care Guide to Routine HIV Testing
Authors: Simmons Emma M. , Clarke Jennifer G. , Diaz Joseph A.
Published: April 2012

HIV/AIDS is a serious, but preventable disease that can have improved outcomes with early diagnosis and treatment. Primary care providers are experts in prevention and early treatment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that HIV testing be routinely incorporated into health care settings for patients aged 13 to 64 years. There has been much confusion and noncompliance with these recommendations. Primary care providers should understand the rationale behind these latest guidelines as well as their own states’/territories’ regulations and laws around HIV testing to embrace these latest recommendations in order to provide their patients with the best possible care.
Bone Graft from the Distal Medial Tibia in Foot and Ankle Surgery
Authors: Singleton Tanya J. , Schuberth John M.
Published: April 2012

Autogenous bone graft is the ideal substrate for primary and revisional foot and ankle surgery. The distal medial tibia is an easily accessible site that provides both cancellous and corticocancellous autograft. Thirty cases of distal tibial bone graft with a minimum follow-up of 1 year are presented. There was an 86% union rate, and there were no stress fractures, persistent pain, or reported nerve injuries at the donor site. An efficient and versatile technique for harvesting both cancellous bone graft and corticocancellous graft is described. The use of distal tibial bone graft eliminates the need for a second surgeon and more lengthy harvest procedure and offers sufficient autograft material for foot and ankle applications with a low rate of complications.

Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV
Matrix metalloproteinase-2 governs lymphatic vessel formation as an interstitial collagenase
Authors: Detry Benoit , Erpicum Charlotte , Paupert Jenny , Blacher Silvia , Maillard Catherine , Bruyère Françoise , Pendeville Hélène , Remacle Thibault , Lambert Vincent , Balsat Cédric , Ormenese Sandra , Lamaye Françoise , Janssens Els , Moons Lieve , Cataldo Didier , Kridelka Frédéric , Carmeliet Peter , Thiry Marc , Foidart Jean-Michel , Struman Ingrid , Noel Agnès
Published: April 2012

Lymphatic dysfunctions are associated with several human diseases, including lymphedema and metastatic spread of cancer. Although it is well recognized that lymphatic capillaries attach directly to interstitial matrix mainly composed of fibrillar type I collagen, the interactions occurring between lymphatics and their surrounding matrix have been overlooked. In this study, we demonstrate how matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)–2 drives lymphatic morphogenesis through Mmp2-gene ablation in mice, mmp2 knockdown in zebrafish and in 3D-culture systems, and through MMP2 inhibition. In all models used in vivo (3 murine models and thoracic duct development in zebrafish) and in vitro (lymphatic ring and spheroid assays), MMP2 blockage or down-regulation leads to reduced lymphangiogenesis or altered vessel branching. Our data show that lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) migration through collagen fibers is affected by physical matrix constraints (matrix composition, density, and cross-linking). Transmission electron microscopy and confocal reflection microscopy using DQ-collagen highlight the contribution of MMP2 to mesenchymal-like migration of LECs associated with collagen fiber remodeling. Our findings provide new mechanistic insight into how LECs negotiate an interstitial type I collagen barrier and reveal an unexpected MMP2-driven collagenolytic pathway for lymphatic vessel formation and morphogenesis.
Hematopoietic stem cells lacking Ott1 display aspects associated with aging and are unable to maintain quiescence during proliferative stress
Authors: Xiao Nan , Jani Kaushal , Morgan Kelly , Okabe Rachel , Cullen Dana E. , Jesneck Jonathan L. , Raffel Glen D.
Published: April 2012

Aging degrades hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) functions, including stress response; however, the involved molecular pathways are incompletely defined. Murine BM conditionally deleted for One-Twenty-Two-1 (Ott1), is able to maintain lifelong hematopoiesis and has preserved numbers of long-term HSCs, yet cannot repopulate nor sustain itself after transplantation against a competitor even when Ott1 is excised after engraftment. We show, specifically under replicative stress, that Ott1-deleted HSCs have a significant reduction of the G0 cell-cycle fraction associated with self-renewal and undergo early failure. Therefore, Ott1 is required to preserve HSC quiescence during stress but not steady-state hematopoiesis. Reduced tolerance of replicative stress, increased myeloid potential, and greater absolute numbers are mutual characteristics of both Ott1-deleted and aged HSCs, and comparison of their gene expression profiles reveals a shared signature. Ott1-deleted HSCs share multiple aging-associated physiologic changes, including increases in NF-κB activation and DNA damage. Loss of Ott1 causes increased reactive oxygen species; however, antioxidant treatment does not rescue the competitive defect, indicating the existence of additional essential Ott1-dependent HSC pathways. In conclusion, our data establish a requirement for Ott1 in stress hematopoiesis and suggest that Ott1-dependent processes may converge with those affected by aging.
Synthesis and antibacterial activity against ralstonia solanacearum for novel hydrazone derivatives containing a pyridine moiety
Authors: Wu Jian , Kang Shenghong , Song Baoan , Hu Deyu , He Ming , Jin Linhong , Yang Song
Published: April 2012

Background

Ralstonia solanacearum, one of the most important bacterial diseases on plants, is a devastating, soil-borne plant pathogen with a global distribution and an unusually wide host range. In order to discover new bioactive molecules and pesticides acting on tobacco bacterial wilt, we sought to combine the active structure of hydrazone and pyridine together to design and synthesize a series of novel hydrazone derivatives containing a pyridine moiety.

Results

A series of hydrazone derivatives containing a pyridine moiety were synthesized. Their structures were characterized by 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, IR, and elemental analysis. The preliminary biological activity tests showed that compound 3e and 3g exhibited more than 80% activity against Ralstonia solanacearum at 500 mg/L, especially compound 3g displayed relatively good activity to reach 57.0% at 200 mg/L.

Conclusion

A practical synthetic route to hydrazone derivatives containing a pyridine moiety by the reaction of intermediates 2 with different aldehydes in ethanol at room temperature using 2-chloronicotinic acid and 2-amino-5-chloro-3-methylbenzoic acid as start materials is presented. This study suggests that the hydrazone derivatives containing a substituted pyridine ring could inhibit the growth of Ralstonia solanacearum.
DE-Cadherin regulates unconventional Myosin ID and Myosin IC in Drosophila left-right asymmetry establishment
Authors: Petzoldt Astrid G. , Coutelis Jean-Baptiste , Géminard Charles , Spéder Pauline , Suzanne Magali , Cerezo Delphine , Noselli Stéphane
Published: April 2012

In bilateria, positioning and looping of visceral organs requires proper left-right (L/R) asymmetry establishment. Recent work in Drosophila has identified a novel situs inversus gene encoding the unconventional type ID myosin (MyoID). In myoID mutant flies, the L/R axis is inverted, causing reversed looping of organs, such as the gut, spermiduct and genitalia. We have previously shown that MyoID interacts physically with β-Catenin, suggesting a role of the adherens junction in Drosophila L/R asymmetry. Here, we show that DE-Cadherin co-immunoprecipitates with MyoID and is required for MyoID L/R activity. We further demonstrate that MyoIC, a closely related unconventional type I myosin, can antagonize MyoID L/R activity by preventing its binding to adherens junction components, both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, DE-Cadherin inhibits MyoIC, providing a protective mechanism to MyoID function. Conditional genetic experiments indicate that DE-Cadherin, MyoIC and MyoID show temporal synchronicity for their function in L/R asymmetry. These data suggest that following MyoID recruitment by β-Catenin at the adherens junction, DE-Cadherin has a twofold effect on Drosophila L/R asymmetry by promoting MyoID activity and repressing that of MyoIC. Interestingly, the product of the vertebrate situs inversus gene inversin also physically interacts with β-Catenin, suggesting that the adherens junction might serve as a conserved platform for determinants to establish L/R asymmetry both in vertebrates and invertebrates.
A new asymmetric division contributes to the continuous production of infective trypanosomes in the tsetse fly
Authors: Rotureau Brice , Subota Ines , Buisson Johanna , Bastin Philippe
Published: April 2012

African trypanosomes are flagellated protozoan parasites that cause sleeping sickness and are transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly. To complete their life cycle in the insect, trypanosomes reach the salivary glands and transform into the metacyclic infective form. The latter are expelled with the saliva at each blood meal during the whole life of the insect. Here, we reveal a means by which the continuous production of infective parasites could be ensured. Dividing trypanosomes present in the salivary glands of infected tsetse flies were monitored by live video-microscopy and by quantitative immunofluorescence analysis using molecular markers for the cytoskeleton and for surface antigens. This revealed the existence of two distinct modes of trypanosome proliferation occurring simultaneously in the salivary glands. The first cycle produces two equivalent cells that are not competent for infection and are attached to the epithelium. This mode of proliferation is predominant at the early steps of infection, ensuring a rapid colonization of the glands. The second mode is more frequent at later stages of infection and involves an asymmetric division. It produces a daughter cell that matures into the infective metacyclic form that is released in the saliva, as demonstrated by the expression of specific molecular markers – the calflagins. The levels of these calcium-binding proteins increase exclusively in the new flagellum during the asymmetric division, showing the commitment of the future daughter cell to differentiation. The coordination of these two alternative cell cycles contributes to the continuous production of infective parasites, turning the tsetse fly into an efficient and long-lasting vector for African trypanosomes.
Bcl11a is required for neuronal morphogenesis and sensory circuit formation in dorsal spinal cord development
Authors: John Anita , Brylka Heike , Wiegreffe Christoph , Simon Ruth , Liu Pentao , Jüttner René , Crenshaw E. Bryan , Luyten Frank P. , Jenkins Nancy A. , Copeland Neal G. , Birchmeier Carmen , Britsch Stefan
Published: April 2012

Dorsal spinal cord neurons receive and integrate somatosensory information provided by neurons located in dorsal root ganglia. Here we demonstrate that dorsal spinal neurons require the Krüppel-C2H2 zinc-finger transcription factor Bcl11a for terminal differentiation and morphogenesis. The disrupted differentiation of dorsal spinal neurons observed in Bcl11a mutant mice interferes with their correct innervation by cutaneous sensory neurons. To understand the mechanism underlying the innervation deficit, we characterized changes in gene expression in the dorsal horn of Bcl11a mutants and identified dysregulated expression of the gene encoding secreted frizzled-related protein 3 (sFRP3, or Frzb). Frzb mutant mice show a deficit in the innervation of the spinal cord, suggesting that the dysregulated expression of Frzb can account in part for the phenotype of Bcl11a mutants. Thus, our genetic analysis of Bcl11a reveals essential functions of this transcription factor in neuronal morphogenesis and sensory wiring of the dorsal spinal cord and identifies Frzb, a component of the Wnt pathway, as a downstream acting molecule involved in this process.
Post-translational modification of Ngn2 differentially affects transcription of distinct targets to regulate the balance between progenitor maintenance and differentiation
Authors: Hindley Christopher , Ali Fahad , McDowell Gary , Cheng Kevin , Jones Alison , Guillemot Francois , Philpott Anna
Published: April 2012

Neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) controls neuronal differentiation cell-autonomously by transcriptional activation of targets such as NeuroD, while simultaneously controlling progenitor maintenance non-cell-autonomously by upregulating Delta expression and Notch signalling. Reduction in Cdk-dependent multisite phosphorylation of Ngn2 enhances its promoter binding affinity. This leads specifically to an increase in neuronal differentiation without an apparent increase in progenitor maintenance via Delta-Notch signalling, although the mechanism underlying this imbalance remains unclear. Here we show in Xenopus embryos and mouse P19 cells that the NeuroD promoter is substantially more sensitive to the phosphorylation status of Ngn2 than the Delta promoter, and that this can be attributed to differences in the ease of promoter activation. In addition, we also show that the phosphorylation status of Ngn2 regulates sensitivity to Notch signalling. These observations explain how Ngn2 post-translational modification in response to changes in the cell cycle kinase environment results in enhanced neuronal differentiation upon cell cycle lengthening.
Cognitive Dysfunction in Dínus saga drambláta and Le Roman de Perceval
Authors: Barnes Geraldine
Published: April 2012

Chrétien's Roman de Perceval and the Old Icelandic romance of Dínus saga drambláta share a seam of cognitive dysfunction. This paper considers these otherwise disparate works as tales of quest, hindered by imperfect comprehension, in the context of medieval thought about human development, education, and the proper domain of knowledge.
Translation or Adaptation?: Parcevals saga as a Result of Cultural Transformation
Authors: Marti Suzanne
Published: April 2012

In a medieval context, it is often difficult to distinguish between a translation and an original work. Is it appropriate to call the Old Norse version of Chrétien de Troyes' Le Conte du Graal a translation? Or do we need entirely new terminology to discuss medieval adaptation, transformation, and translation of texts?
Tristram: From Civilizing Hero to Power Politician
Authors: Orning Hans Jacob
Published: April 2012

This article compares the world views in two sagas about Tristram and Isönd-one from Norway and composed in 1226, the other from Iceland and composed in the fourteenth century. The former situates King Mark's chivalric court in the midst of giants. The latter lacks both the missionary zeal and the giants; people had become more similar, and the geographical horizon had expanded.
Persistence Of Income Inequality: Does Child Mortality Matter?
Authors: Sarkar Dipanwita , Sarkar Jayanta
Published: April 2012

Many developing countries are afflicted by persistent inequality in the distribution of income. While a growing body of literature emphasize differential fertility as a channel through which income inequality persists, this paper investigates differential child mortality - differences in the incidence of child mortality across socioeconomic groups - as a critical link in this regard. Using evidence from cross-country data to evaluate this linkage, we find that differential child mortality serves as a stronger channel than differential fertility in the transmission of income inequality over time. We use random effects and generalized estimating equations techniques to account for temporal correlation within countries. The results are robust to the use of an alternate definition of fertility that reflects parental preference for children instead of realized fertility.
Technology Transfer And Technology Policy In A Developing Country
Authors: Ray Saon
Published: April 2012

The transfer of technology from developed to the developing countries plays an important role in meeting the technological needs of the latter. A strict patent regime adopted by a developing country encourages the transfer of the latest technology from the developed world. At the same time however, such a regime impedes the spread of the technology within the developing country through spillovers. This paper examines the welfare effects of technology policy of a developing country, which depends on both the technology transferred as well as the spillover of knowledge from such transfers. Situating the model in a welfare maximizing framework, we show that there are gains as well as losses from a stricter patent regime, which underlines the case for an optimal technology policy that may involve a semi strong patent regime.
The Dynamic Implications For Wage Changes On Productivity, Prices, And Employment In A Developing Economy: A Structural Var Analysis
Authors: Baffoe-Bonnie John , Gyapong Anthony O.
Published: April 2012

This study employs a Structural Vector Autoregression (SVAR) model to analyze the dynamic effects of wage changes on Ghana's economy. In particular, the paper sheds light on how changes in wages affect the short-run and long-run dynamics of labor productivity, employment and prices in the agricultural and the manufacturing sectors. The empirical results indicate that shocks to wages have no significant impact on employment in the two sectors. While a wage increase does not encourage workers in the agricultural sector to work more, such increase does induce manufacturing workers to increase their productivity in the short run. The empirical results also indicate that, persistent increases in wages may be price inflationary within industries and in the economy as a whole. Therefore a wage policy that moderately increases wages, especially in the manufacturing sector, may provide a partial solution to reduce poverty and increase the standard of living of workers in Ghana.
Household Work, Labor Time And The Schooling Of Girls In Rural South Asia
Authors: Khan Farida Chowdhury
Published: April 2012

This paper uses an applied general equilibrium framework in which family labor use, including the labor of male and female children, is incorporated to examine the effect of income subsidy schemes designed to encourage schooling of children on intra-household resource allocation within rural households in Bangladesh. Various subsidy schemes that are tied to hours of schoolwork by girls or all children are examined under existing preferences and under altered preferences that increase the desire for schooling. The effects of these subsidy schemes are compared to a general income subsidy as well as a scenario where the demand for increased paid domestic work, which often is female child intensive, increases. It is found that household welfare increases most when a subsidy is combined with households altering their preferences by placing greater value on the education of girls. The success of policy experiments that have combined advocacy and educational reform with economic incentives can be explained from this finding.
A Spatial Approach To Measure Productivity Spillovers Of Foreign Affiliated Firms In Turkish Manufacturing Industries
Authors: Catik A. Nazif , Karacuka Mehmet
Published: April 2012

In this paper we aim to analyze the productivity spillovers of foreign affiliated and domestic firms in Turkish manufacturing industries. As a novelty inter-sectoral linkages are modeled through the use of spatial models. Our results indicate the existence of positive and significant productivity spillovers among the neighborhood firms. We also find that an increase in the share of foreign affiliated firms in a given industry has positive impact on the productivity level of vertically related industries. However, our results do not provide any clear evidence that domestic firms benefit from the foreign affiliated firms either operating in the same industry or in the neighborhood industries. The findings suggest that unlike the effects of foreign affiliated firms, research and development expenditures significantly contribute to the productivity levels of domestic firms.
Quality Of Civil Administration And Economic Growth: A Threshold Analysis
Authors: Islam Nazrul
Published: April 2012

The paper distinguishes between 'immediate measures of the quality of civil administration' (IM-QCA), such as corruption, and the 'final measure of the quality of civil administration' (FM-QCA), which is the growth performance of an economy. The paper argues that, instead of being monotonic and linear, the relationship between civil service compensation and economic growth is characterized by vicious and virtuous circles, which are indicative of multiple equilibria. The paper uses the threshold regression methodology to test the multiple equilibria hypothesis and finds support for it. This finding questions the appropriateness of across-the-board salary reduction of civil servants as part of budget balancing austerity measures. Instead, the results of the paper suggest that civil service compensation can be an important policy tool for promoting economic growth, provided the complex, non-linear nature of the compensation-performance relationship, as revealed in this paper, is properly understood and taken into account.
Globalization And Monetary-policy Independence In India
Authors: Paul Biru Paksha
Published: April 2012

Globalization of the early 1990s is thought to have caused the loss of monetary-policy independence in India. I find that India's monetary-policy independence is anchored in the exchange-rate regime along with its state of foreign-exchange reserves, and not necessarily in globalization per se. India significantly followed US interest rates even in the absence of globalization in the 1960s when the country faced foreign-exchange constraints and maintained a fixed exchange rate. From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s, India exercised monetary-policy independence under a floating exchange-rate regime. The loss of monetary-policy independence since the early 1990s is not attributable to globalization per se, but mainly to the stable exchange-rate policy of India, which heavily resembles the policy of the 1960s.
The Results In The Provision Of Public Education Under Different Decentralized Contexts: The Colombian Case
Authors: Melo Becerra Ligia Alba
Published: April 2012

An analysis of the results in the provision of public education under different institutional contexts is carried out for Colombia where, during the decentralization process, different degrees of autonomy to manage education public expenditures have coexisted. The analysis is undertaken by using frontier analysis techniques, which allow us to estimate cost and production functions, in order to determine differences in costs and technical efficiency in the provision of education across regions. The results show that the strength of decentralization had a more positive impact on increasing enrollment than on the improvement of the quality of education. It was also found, that high levels of cost and production inefficiency are present in different regions of the country, implying that savings in public expenditure and better educational results could be achieved if all local authorities could operate at the most efficient level.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Being: Misrecognition, Pleasure, and White Identityin Kipling's Kim
Authors: Christensen Tim
Published: April 2012

With the title character in Kim (1901), Rudyard Kipling creatively articulates a unique and durable ideal of (specifically white) racial identity, which can best be understood through the conceptual lens of Lacanian misrecognition. Within Kipling's formulation of whiteness, the process of misrecognition becomes a source of intense pleasure rather than anxiety. To be white as Kim is white requires the ecstatic embrace of the fracture inherent in any act of identification. Kipling constructs an ideal of white identity that is based on extracting pleasure from the ontological inconsistency of the (racial) self. This ideal is fundamentally performative and, at the same time, profoundly racist, for within Kipling's India only whites can engage in this process, while all ethnic others are confined within their essential Indian being. Kim therefore demonstrates that complex notions of performativity have been utilized within imperial discourse to reinforce racial hierarchy.
Un/Speakability and Radical Otherness: The Ethics of Trauma in Bram Stoker's Dracula
Authors: Khader Jamil
Published: April 2012

This article argues that vampiric trauma in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), in
its horror, endless repetitions, paradoxical structure, and apocalyptic potentialities,
constitutes an allegorical site for exploring complex epistemological,
metaphysical, and ethical aporias that beset and haunt modern life in a postatrocity
imaginary. Reading the operation of trauma in Stoker’s vampiric text
with and against the claims of cultural trauma theory, I argue first that the
novel re-presents traumatic experiences as unspeakable at the individual
level, but possible to recover and communicate at the collective level. Second,
Stoker’s novel shows not only the limits and impossibility of witnessing, as
Giorgio Agamben surmises, but the inhuman potentiality of testimonies that
ultimately mutilate the victims and condemn their sacred memories to oblivion.
And finally, the novel reconfigures the radical alterity of the vampiric
Other within the specific dialectic of perverse pleasure, allowing for the reinscription
of the vampire at the same level of representation in the specular
space of the mirror, and articulates a sense of ethical responsibility for the
persecutory Other.
Referring to the Human in Contemporary Human Rights Literature
Authors: Huehls Mitchum
Published: April 2012

In the wake of late-twentieth-century critiques of humanism in general and of human rights in particular, what basis remains for robust claims on behalf of the rights of humans? Through readings of work by Ishmael Bead, Dave Eggers, Helon Habila, and Chris Abani, this article suggests that a new generation of twenty-first-century authors have learned the lessons of those critiques but nevertheless refuse to abandon the human rights project altogether. Instead, each of these authors develops unique models of reference that struggle to overcome the impasse between universality and particularity that has historically plagued debates about human rights.
Academic Discourse at Havana: Pan American Eugenics and Transnational Capital in Alejo Carpentier's ¡Écue-Yamba-Ó!
Authors: Park Stephen M.
Published: April 2012

This article examines Alejo Carpentier's novel ¡Écue-Yamba-Ó! within the historical context of Pan Americanism, particularly the First Pan-American Conference on Eugenics held in Havana in 1927. The conference aimed to establish a set of criteria for identifying so-called degenerates throughout the hemisphere. But, while this was taking place, Carpentier was imprisoned in a nearby Havana jail, surrounded by the Afro Cubans who had been labeled degenerates and criminals by the Cuban state. I read ¡Écue-Yamba-Ó! as a rebuttal to the eugenicists and the state since it presents a unified vision of black labor in the hemisphere.
Local Food Initiatives in Tobacco Transitions of the Southeastern United States
Authors: Russo Richard A.
Published: April 2012

A raíz de cambios significativos en el mercado tabacalero estadounidense, las agencias estatales y regionales para el desarrollo económico agrícola promovieron la producción para los mercados locales como una alternativa pos-tabaco. A través de un análisis de los datos de las ventas directas del Censo de Agricultura de los EE. UU., este estudio evalúa si las iniciativas locales de los sistemas de alimentos en condados anteriormente dependiente de tabaco en tres estados (Maryland, Kentucky y Carolina del Norte) han fortalecido los vínculos entre los productores y los consumidores durante la década entre 1997 y 2007. Los resultados sugieren que los alimentos locales, iniciativas directas de mercado han sido las más exitosas en el sur de Maryland, aunque todavía no reemplazan los ingresos perdidos debido a la merma de la producción de tabaco. En el centro de Kentucky y de Carolina del Norte, las ventas directas han sido solamente una pequeña parte en la recuperación asociada con la transición de tabaco que pueden ser principalmente atribuidos al cambio a la producción ganadera.
The Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Individual Fishing Quota Program in Florida: Perceptions and Implications
Authors: Alsharif Kamal , Miller Nathan
Published: April 2012

La pesca de huachinango (pargo rojo) del Golfo de México comenzó operaciones bajo un sistema individual de cuota pesquera (IFQ) en enero de 2007. La expectativa es que la participación directa en la propiedad por parte de los pescadores llevaría mayor participación por parte de los dueños de barcos y de los pescadores, así como prácticas de pesca más responsables y sostenibles concernientes a una población de peces deprimida. Encuestas en línea y por teléfono a pescadores involucrados en la pesca del huachinango de Florida se realizaron para medir sus respuestas a este cambio en la política de manejo. Además, los precios del huachinango se evaluaron antes y después del sistema IFQ. Contrario a opiniones publicadas por los partidarios del IFQ, nuestra encuesta descubrió que la mayoría de los pescadores desaprobaron el proceso de diseño del IFQ y generalmente desconfiaron de su manejo pesquero. Aunque la sugerencia de muchos de los participantes de la encuesta para restringir la propiedad de las cuotas del IFQ a solamente los pescadores activos puede ser vista como extrema, tal regulación puede ser apropiada. Además, los datos disponibles sobre los precios del muelle para el huachinango indican un aumento de diez por ciento en el precio que los pescadores reciben por sus pescas.
Nutrient Demand in Food Away from Home
Authors: Richards Timothy J. , Mancino Lisa , Nganje William
Published: April 2012

Food away from home (FAFH) and, specifically fast food, has been targeted by academics and public policy officials alike as a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Criticized as high in energy, fat and sugars, the implication is that consumers demand the combination of nutrients in FAFH in excess. If market-based policies intended to correct the perceived market failure in nutrient demand are to be successful, information on nutrient elasticities is required. Moreover, co-dependent relationships between nutrient intake and bioeconomic outcomes – obesity, physical activity and health status – are found to be important in the public health literature, but are not typically included in econometric studies of FAFH demand. Nutrients, however, do not have market prices. This study derives a set of implicit nutrient prices and estimates the elasticities of demand for nutrients in FAFH that takes into account the endogeneity of bioeconomic outcomes. Our estimation results show that fat is the only macro-nutrient that is elastic in demand, and all cross-price elasticities are small, so nutrient-based price policies may indeed be effective in modifying FAFH choices. Simulation results confirm this hypothesis, and also support the use of policies that subsidize positive health outcomes.
European medical laboratory accreditation. Present situation and steps to harmonisation
Authors: Huisman Wim
Published: April 2012

Accreditation of medical laboratories in Europe is primarily according to ISO15189. The percentage of accredited laboratories is still small. The time spent on an assessment is quite different between countries. More important is the way the assessment process is carried out. Harmonisation in accrediting medical laboratories is the main task of the Health Care Committee within EA (European cooperation of Accreditation). The EFCC Working Group on Accreditation strongly contributes as the representative of laboratory professionals. An important item is the use of flexible scope. The intention is that all tests within a medical discipline are offered for accreditation. This is not yet normal practice. Other items concern accreditation of point-of-care testing (POCT) – reliability of the pre-analytical phase, when the phlebotomy is not done by the laboratory, and practical use of uncertainty and verification. Also the diversity in time spent for an assessment is discussed. The added value of accreditation is strongly dependent upon the assessors who have an important task. Their training and calibration needs continuous input. The medical laboratory professionals should participate in all aspects concerning the quality system, starting with the standard, working on the guidelines, the assessment itself, and input in the accreditation bodies.