bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Psychology of Premature Ejaculation: Therapies and Consequences
Authors: Althof Stanley
Published: August 2006

Introduction

Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common male sexual dysfunction characterized by the loss or absence of ejaculatory control, marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and by a short intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT). PE can impact both the patient’s and his partner’s quality of life.

Aim

To review evidence concerning the psychologic influences of PE on the self-esteem and self-confidence of men with PE and the impact on their partners. To review the role of psychotherapy in the management of men with PE.

Methods

The Sexual Medicine Society of North America hosted a State of the Art Conference on Premature Ejaculation on June 24–26, 2005 in collaboration with the University of South Florida. The purpose was to have an open exchange of contemporary research and clinical information on PE. There were 16 invited presenters and discussants; the group focused on several educational objectives.

Main Outcome Measure

Peer-reviewed medical literature was reviewed concerning management of men with PE by psychologic and sexual therapy.

Results

Premature ejaculation has long been viewed as a psychological concern involving psychological interventions, although recent research also focuses on the neurobiological underpinnings of the dysfunction. Psychosexual therapies combine behavioral interventions to help the patient learn to control or delay his ejaculation and to assist him in regaining confidence and lessening performance anxiety. Psychosexual therapy can be combined with pharmacotherapies to provide an improved prognosis to the patient with PE.

Conclusions

Healthcare providers do not manage the majority of patients with PE with the same consideration and attention provided men with erectile dysfunction (ED). PE has been perceived as a psychological concern, either a learned behavior or a response to a meaningful event/interaction or sexual anxiety. Primary treatment has involved psychosexual therapy. Regardless of etiology, psychological/sexual therapy can play an important role in the management of PE.
Current and Future Pharmacotherapies of Premature Ejaculation
Authors: Hellstrom Wayne J.G.
Published: August 2006

Introduction

There are currently no oral or topical agents approved by government regulation agencies for the management of premature ejaculation (PE).

Aim

To review pharmacologic therapies for treatment of PE.

Methods

The Sexual Medicine Society of North America hosted a State of the Art Conference on Premature Ejaculation on June 24–26, 2005 in collaboration with the University of South Florida. The purpose was to have an open exchange of contemporary research and clinical information on PE.

Main Outcome Measure

Data were obtained by extensive examination of peer-reviewed published literature.

Results

Chronic administration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is associated with an increased adverse event profile encompassing dry mouth, nausea, drowsiness, and reduced libido. Their use may also facilitate the development of other sexual dysfunctions, such as anejaculation and erectile dysfunction (ED). Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors have also been investigated for the management of PE, as an indirect consequence of their ability to prolong erections. Trials have found PDE-5 inhibitors to be appropriate for men with PE secondary to ED, or when they are used in conjunction with other agents such as SSRIs. Trials of topical formulations that contain either anesthetic agents or other ingredients report significant increases in ejaculatory latency times; however, long-term safety and efficacy studies are lacking. New agents are being developed specifically for the management of PE. Among these are a topical formulation and numerous oral agents. Only one agent—dapoxetine hydrochloride (DPX)—has undergone Phase III trials. DPX is a serotonin transport inhibitor (STI) with a pharmacokinetic profile conducive to on-demand dosing for the management of PE. Unlike the current oral agents, DPX has a rapid onset of action and is effective from the first dose.

Conclusions

Well-designed clinical trials utilizing appropriate outcome measurements are needed to provide safe and effective pharmacologic options for men with PE.
A descriptive analysis of producers’ attitudes toward biotechnology: a five‐state comparison
Authors: Lawson Michael E. , Stover Ronald , Hirai Satoko
Published: August 2006

This paper lists the results of a survey randomly administered to traditional and organic agricultural producers in five midwestern states. One of the purposes of the survey was to compare these producers in terms of their beliefs regarding the practical challenges in the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their attitudes and values about GMOs. Results indicated that while the traditional producers generally represented a homogenous group in terms of these criteria, there were some marked differences visa via the organic producers.
Explaining employee turnover in an Asian context
Authors: Khatri Naresh , Fern Chong Tze , Budhwar Pawan
Published: August 2006

Employee turnover is giving sleepless nights to HR managers in many countries in Asia. A widely‐held belief in these countries is that employees have developed ‘bad’ attitudes due to the labour shortage. Employees are believed to job‐hop for no reason, or even for fun. Unfortunately, despite employee turnover being such a serious problem in Asia, there is a dearth of studies investigating it; in particular studies using a comprehensive set of variables are rare. This study examines three sets of antecedents of turnover intention in companies in Singapore: demographic, controllable and uncontrollable. Singapore companies provide an appropriate setting as their turnover rates are among the highest in Asia. Findings of the study suggest that organisational commitment, procedural justice and a job‐hopping attitude were three main factors associated with turnover intention in Singapore companies.
Managing equal opportunities for women: sorting the friends from the foes
Authors: Ng Catherine W. , Chiu Warren C. K.
Published: August 2006

Employees working in Hong Kong were surveyed on their attitudes towards managing equal opportunities for women. Results indicate that gender is a better predictor of attitudes than work identity. Manager/employee work identity has an add‐on moderating effect on some women‐friendly policies but not on others. Out of seven women‐friendly dimensions, women as managers are less receptive of only two: 'training and development' and 'positive equal opportunities'; men as managers, in contrast, are less resistant to 'training and development' and 'flexitime'. The findings suggest that there are three levels of gatekeeping: one, male employees; two, male managers; and three, female managers. We suggest that to help women employees break the glass ceiling, different organisational and societal change programmes are needed to target the different groups of gatekeepers.
HRD in multinationals: the global/local mix
Authors: Tregaskis Olga , Heraty Noreen , Morley Michael
Published: August 2006

This article is concerned with how MNCs (multinational corporations) differ from indigenous organisations in relation to their human resource development (HRD) practices, and whether this relationship changes across countries. We question whether local isomorphism is apparent in the HRD practices of MNCs, or whether MNCs share more in common with their counterparts in other countries. A series of hypotheses are put forward and tested, using survey data from 424 multinational and 259 indigenous organisations based in the UK and Ireland. The results suggest a hybrid form of localisation, where MNCs adapt their practices to accommodate national differences, but that these adaptations do not reflect convergence to domestic practice. The results also indicate that MNCs are selective in the HRD practices that are adapted. Evidence from this study indicates that country differences in career traditions and labour market skill needs are key drivers in the localisation of associated HRD practice. In contrast, MNCs, irrespective of national context, adopt comparable systematic training frameworks, ie training‐need identification, evaluation and delivery.
Partnerships and the private recruitment industry
Authors: Druker Jan , Stanworth Celia
Published: August 2006

This article, based on a postal survey and qualitative interview‐based research, examines the relationship between major private recruitment bureaux and their clients in the UK, with particular attention to the recruitment and selection of temporary workers. The private recruitment industry is growing and large bureaux are seeking closer partnership arrangements with clients. Contracts for labour services are being developed on a 'preferred' supplier basis – similar in type to the approach taken for the purchase or supply of goods or components. However, formal preferred supplier contracts with temporary work bureaux were used by only a minority of clients, usually larger organisations or those having projects or workplaces with high volume demand. While such bureaux seek models of relational contracting or partnering, many clients prefer less fully engaged or 'semi‐distanced' relations facilitated by the informal dimensions of inter‐organisational contacts.
Exploring the relationship between HR and middle managers
Authors: Currie Graeme , Procter Stephen
Published: August 2006

Despite the importance of the relationship between the HR function and line management (see Guest, 1987; Storey, 1992), there appears to be a lack of understanding of the process of enhancing the willingness and ability of line managers to take on responsibility for HR issues. It is towards plugging this research gap that this case study contributes. Specifically, it focuses on middle‐level line managers and their involvement in the management of human resources in an NHS hospital trust. Using a framework drawn from the strategic management literature (Floyd and Wooldridge, 1992, 1994, 1997), it examines their involvement in realising strategic change in the HR area and the organisational conditions that frame this. The study suggests that, in their relationship with the HR function, middle managers may enjoy significant involvement in bringing about strategic change ‐ beyond merely implementing the strategy determined by the HR function; the relationship is one of partnership. To facilitate this, middle managers should be allowed to cross functional boundaries within the organisation, there should be significant investment in their development, HR strategy should consist of broad themes rather than tight prescription and the HR function should operate alongside middle‐level line managers.
Ambiguity, ambivalence and indifference in organisational values
Authors: Murphy Michael G. , Davey Kate MacKenzie
Published: August 2006

In this article the authors explore the use of official company values as a device for the achievement of cultural control. A qualitative study is presented, investigating the relationship between a set of official values and their enactment, as perceived by company employees. The study reveals a perceived discrepancy between the official espousal of the values by the company and their actual enactment, especially in the attitudes and behaviour of senior management. The ambivalence of this group towards such values is reflected in the indifference of staff, for whom the values have little salience as drivers of company policy or practice. The embedding of company values is represented as part of a larger descriptive framework of salience. It is also argued that political considerations, including powerful, unofficial cultural and subcultural norms, will override the impact of officially espoused, but unembedded, values.
Small firms and internationalisation: learning to manage and managing to learn
Authors: Anderson Valerie , Boocock Grahame
Published: August 2006

Small firms contribute significantly to the UK economy, but most research into learning and work features the experience of large organisations. This article focuses on learning and work in small organisations. An interpretive framework relating to organisational learning is derived from the literature. Data on learning in small firms that internationalise are analysed to assess the extent to which models of organisational learning are applicable to the context and challenges they face. The article suggests that the large firm model of learning is inappropriate; the distinctive culture and communication systems of small organisations require different approaches to the acquisition, transmission and interpretation of knowledge. Tacit knowledge, developed through informal learning, is a priority and learning through local business networks is more important than participation in formal programmes. Advocacy of human resource development (HRD) practices based on conventional theories of organisational learning, therefore, may hinder rather than encourage performance in small organisations.
The impact of Investors in People: a case study of a hospital trust
Authors: Grugulis Irena , Bevitt Sheena
Published: August 2006

This article reports on case study research conducted in a hospital trust and explores the impact that the Investors in People award had on employees. Investors in People is widely seen as the principal mechanism for increasing workforce skills within a voluntarist system as well as supporting ‘good’ employment policies. Yet in this case study, as elsewhere, most of the ‘soft’ HR initiatives had existed prior to accreditation and the internal marketing of corporate value statements was met with both amnesia and cynicism. More worrying, training activity was focused on ‘business need’, which was defined in the narrowest sense, with the result that some employees had fewer opportunities for individual development. Motivation and commitment levels were high, staff were enthusiastic about their work and many actively engaged in training and development. But this owed little to Investors in People, and its impact here raises questions about its influence on skill levels more broadly.
Call centres and beyond: a thematic evaluation
Authors: Deery Stephen , Kinnie Nicholas
Published: August 2006

This introduction aims to place the articles in this special edition in the context of the wider literature on call centres. The discussion is arranged around four themes: the characteristics and organisational features of call centre work, the choices and strategies that are available to manage the work, the effects of this type of work on employees and, finally, the responses and reactions of call centre staff to their work experiences. The articles selected, which are drawn from a conference sponsored by this journal, are then summarised.
The viability of alternative call centre production models
Authors: Batt Rosemary , Moynihan Lisa
Published: August 2006

In this article we outline three alternative production models and discuss their applicability to call centre management. These include the classic mass production model, the professional service model and the mass customisation model. We then develop a theoretical framework that identifies potential causal links between management practices, workers‚ affective and cognitive reactions, and performance outcomes. We use this framework to review literature on service workplaces in organisational behaviour and HR studies and to assess the empirical evidence regarding these causal explanations. Finally, we present two recent quantitative studies of call centre performance – one that examines affective explanations and one that explores cognitive explanations for the HRperformance link. We conclude with directions for future research.
Tensions and variations in call centre management strategies
Authors: Houlihan Maeve
Published: August 2006

Management strategies in call centres face a series of tensions stemming from conflicts between achieving efficiency and providing a quality service to the customer. Recent research suggests high commitment management (HCM) techniques are being applied in call centres in a paradoxical strategy of ‘low discretion, high commitment’(LDHC). This article presents case findings on four British call centres that confirm the LDHC model but suggest that it operates in a variety of forms. By characterising the research sites according to the combined dimensions of HCM orientation and job design implementation, a typology of LDHC approaches is proposed. These are containment, alleviation, structured employee development and involvement. In essence, the LDHC model is an attempt to reconcile the costs of control with the levers of commitment. However, an examination of the realities of LDHC in action reveals a varied but persistent pull towards control. Fundamentally this exposes LDHC as a substitute for, rather than a reflection of, commitment.
Assessing skills and autonomy: the job holder versus the line manager
Authors: Green Francis , James Donna
Published: August 2006

Managers and their employees may have different perceptions of the skills used in jobs. We carried out a survey aimed at explaining such differences, in respect of verbal, physical, problem‐solving and planning skills, the qualifications required to get the job and indicators of workplace autonomy. First, for most skills there is a reasonably good match between the perceptions of the line manager and those of the employee. But in the case of the contested skills associated with autonomy there is little agreement. Secondly, for most skills there is a small ‘perceptions bias’, in the sense that employees rate required skills at a higher level than their line managers. Thirdly, consistent with the hypothesis that skills are socially constructed, when the manager is male and the worker female there is a tendency for the boss to underestimate and/or the worker to overestimate their skill level by comparison with other gender combinations.
The impact of teamwork on skills: employee perceptions of who gains and who loses
Authors: Bacon Nicolas , Blyton Paul
Published: August 2006

The move to teamworking and the accompanying changes in job boundaries and responsibilities have been viewed as exerting a postitive impact on levels of employee knowledge and skills, particularly where there is also increased training and regular job rotation. However, given the diverse positions of different occupational groups prior to teamworking, in practice a more differentiated relationship between teamworking and skills may be anticipated, with some groups experiencing a much more favourable outcome in terms of the knowledge and skills than others. The study reported here considers the impact of a move to teamworking across an entire manufacturing workforce, incorporating former craft and production grades and different levels in the former job classification hierarchy. Longitudinal findings are reported, with entire workforce surveys undertaken prior to and following the introduction of teamworking. The result is a more finely grained account of the impact of teamworking on skills that also hightlights the need to differentiate the effects of workplace change on different groups of employees.
Sharing knowledge in knowledge‐intensive firms
Authors: Swart Juani , Kinnie Nicholas
Published: August 2006

Knowledge‐intensive firms need to share knowledge held by employees if they are to gain the most from their intellectual capital and compete effectively in the marketplace. Sharing and integrating knowledge within the organisation depends partly on building social capital. However, there are obstacles to this integration because knowledge is often distributed throughout the organisation. This article draws on a detailed study of a single case to examine the ways in which HR policies and processes contribute to overcoming these barriers to sharing knowledge. We highlight the role of HR policies and processes as facilitators of the social capital that interconnects knowledge by focusing on the needs of knowledge workers.
HR strategy and competitive advantage in the service sector
Authors: Boxall Peter
Published: August 2006

While taking its cue from studies of high‐performance work systems in manufacturing, this article examines theory and research on the potential for HR advantage in the service sector, building directly on recent studies of market segmentation and HR strategy in the sector. The article uses these studies, along with strategic management theory, to put forward a new typology of market characteristics, competitive dynamics and HR strategy in services. Three broad types of competition, ranging from mass market to knowledge‐intensive services, are identified. This framework helps the article to explore the issue of whether competitive differentiation through human resources is possible only in high‐skill areas such as professional services. It argues that opportunities for HR advantage are broader; they exist where quality and/or knowledge are important in competitive strategy. However, seeing the opportunity is not the same as achieving the result. Service firms that identify and pursue these opportunities face the problems of building and maintaining barriers to imitation, and of managing the ‘politics of appropriation’.
Knowledge‐intensive firms: the influence of the client on HR systems
Authors: Swart Juani , Kinnie Nicholas
Published: August 2006

HR systems play a critical role in growing knowledge‐intensive firms (KIFs) by facilitating the conversion of human capital into intellectual capital, which has market value. However, the choice of HR system is constrained by the relatively small number of clients they have in business‐to‐business relationships. This article seeks to understand how and why these client relationships affect the choice of HR practices in these firms. We address this issue by drawing on extensive empirical research currently under way in KIFs. Our research shows that HR practices can be influenced strongly by the client, both directly and indirectly. However, some KIFs will use their HR practices as a means of managing the relationships they have with their clients by shaping their boundaries with their clients and building organisational, professional and client identities. The varying client influence can be understood by examining the nature of the power relationship between the client and supplier, which is influenced by the uniqueness of the services provided. This has implications for our understanding of the factors affecting the exercise of a constrained choice of HR systems.
Finders, keepers? Attracting, motivating and retaining knowledge workers
Authors: Horwitz Frank M. , Heng Chan Teng , Quazi Hesan Ahmed
Published: August 2006

Attracting, motivating and retaining knowledge workers have become important in a knowledge‐based and tight labour market, where changing knowledge management practices and global convergence of technology has redefined the nature of work. While individualisation of employment practices and team‐based work may provide personal and organisational flexibilities, aligning HR and organisational strategies for competitive advantage has become more prominent. This exploratory study identifies the most and least effective HR strategies used by knowledge intensive firms (KIFs) in Singapore for attracting, motivating and retaining these workers. The most popular strategies were not always the most effective, and there appear to be distinctive ‘bundles’ of HR practices for managing knowledge workers. These vary according to whether ownership is foreign or local. A schema, based on statistically significant findings, for improving the effectiveness of these practices in managing knowledge workers is proposed. Cross‐cultural research is necessary to establish the extent of diffusion of these practices.
Using sequential tree analysis to search for ‘bundles’ of HR practices
Authors: Guest David , Conway Neil , Dewe Philip
Published: August 2006

This article reviews progress in the search for a ‘bundle’ of HR practices, using the work of MacDuffie as a starting point for the analysis of the concept of a bundle. The different methods by which bundles might be identified are reviewed and sequential tree analysis is presented as a possible alternative approach. It is then tested alongside factor analysis and regression on accounts of HR practices and aspects of performance provided by a sample of 1,308 managers. The results show that sequential tree analysis does identify a relatively parsimonious set of practices; these overlap partly with those identified in factor analysis and more extensively with those occurring in regression analysis but are more interpretable and therefore potentially more useful for policy‐makers.
Evaluation and change management: rhetoric and reality
Authors: Skinner Denise
Published: August 2006

Despite its inclusion in prescriptions that are offered for successful change management and the benefits this could bring, it is widely recognised that systematic, planned evaluation of initiatives rarely takes place. On the basis of the findings from qualitative case study research undertaken in the public sector, this article explores both the rhetoric, as represented by the literature, and the reality of evaluation in the context of three change initiatives. What emerges is the importance of informal, personal evaluation which appears both to negate the need and to act as a replacement for systematic planned evaluation for the management group. Equally significant is the evidence of informal evaluations occurring at every level of the organisation that were not recognised by management as important – and which were being neither captured nor shared, other than in a very restricted sense. Consequently, decisions were being made on the basis of an assumed reality that did not necessarily reflect the experience of those affected by the change. Rather than emphasising the need for planned, systematic evaluation processes for change initiatives, it is suggested that inclusion of approaches that facilitate recognition and sharing of perception and experience across group boundaries may be more acceptable and productive.
Understanding the development of temporary agency work in Europe
Authors: Koene Bas , Paauwe Jaap , Groenewegen John
Published: August 2006

This article develops an explanatory framework for understanding the growth and development of temporary agency work (TAW) and the related industry. The analysis shows that explanations based on economic logic are helpful in understanding the choice of TAW in general. These explanations, however, fall short when trying to explain the growth of agency work over time or the variation in its use among European countries. To cope with these shortcomings, we extend our explanatory base to include a variety of sociocultural dynamics. Our analysis shows how deep‐seated national work‐related values (‘deep embeddedness’) affect the way TAW is regulated nationally. It also demonstrates how differences in more changeable norms, attitudes and practices (‘dynamic embeddedness’) affect the process of embedding agency work as a societally acceptable phenomenon, providing a basis for its subsequent proliferation.
Cementing skills: training and labour use in UK construction
Authors: Forde Chris , MacKenzie Robert
Published: August 2006

This article explores questions of labour reproduction and skill development under different contract arrangements within the UK construction and civil engineering industry. The central concerns of the article relate to the impact skills shortages within the sector have had on recruitment practices, training provision and the use of contract alternatives in terms of both direct and non‐standard labour. The argument primarily draws on data from a national postal survey conducted in 2002, covering firms of all sizes within this key economic sector. The article reveals some interesting findings regarding recruitment and training practices which, despite encouraging headline figures on the existence of training, reveal an over‐dependency on contingent labour and low levels of apprenticeships – particularly among small firms, which are predominant in the industry. This suggests that the recognised problems of labour shortages within the sector are ongoing, and that the aim of attracting new workers into the industry remains unrealised.
Evaluating human capital: an exploratory study of management practice
Authors: Elias Juanita , Scarbrough Harry
Published: August 2006

The article explores the development of systems of human capital evaluation in a number of large UK firms. Human capital is a much used term in business literature, and it is widely recognised that firms need to develop mechanisms to determine the value of their employee base. An extensive human capital literature has developed in which the authors propose elaborate systems for measuring a firm's human assets. This article does not seek to offer yet another human capital model. Rather, the aim is to examine the management practices through which human capital evaluation is undertaken. The article is based on an exploratory study of such practices in 11 major firms in the UK. The findings are highlighted as follows. First, we note the preference for internal over external (static accountancy‐based) reporting. Secondly, we highlight the diverse nature of human capital evaluation systems that exist across UK business. Thirdly, we explore the relationship between practices of evaluation and the role and position of the HR function within the firm. Finally, in conclusion, we address the implications of the human capital perspective for practitioners, arguing that there is no single formula that can be applied to its evaluation. We go on to suggest that the importance of the human capital concept and its measurement may lie in its ability to re‐frame perceptions of the relationship between the contribution of employees and the competitive performance of the business.
Who's in the driving seat? Managing human resources in a franchise firm
Authors: Truss Catherine
Published: August 2006

This article reports on the findings of a study within the automotive franchise retail sector which shows how employees' experiences of HRM can, under some circumstances, be influenced both directly and indirectly by third‐party organisations. A model that describes these patterns of influence is put forward. These findings point to the way in which inter‐firm relationships influence the employment relationship from the perspective of both the employer and the employee, and raise questions about the limits of control exercised by HR department policies and activities. The article also contributes to the relatively limited literature on the operation of franchising systems, in particular concerning the role played by HR policies and practices as a mechanism for inter‐organisational control.
No news is good news? Evaluating new pay systems
Authors: Corby Susan , White Geoff , Stanworth Celia
Published: August 2006

The evaluation of the impact of changes in reward systems is a common recommendation in the personnel practitioner literature, but little has been written about how and to what extent practitioners themselves evaluate. This article therefore focuses on the activities of HR managers who have introduced new pay systems, not on academic studies of reward system change. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted in 15 large, unionised organisations in England between 2000 and 2002. The study found that little formal evaluation of changes in pay and grading systems had been carried out and that managers expressed considerable scepticism about the evaluation process. They relied heavily on informal or anecdotal feedback, and appeared to have little psychological incentive to evaluate. The article suggests explanations for this lack of formal evaluation, drawing on the management decision‐making literature, and recommends how changes in reward systems should be evaluated.
Managing temporary workers: work identity, diversity and operational HR choices
Authors: Koene Bas , van Riemsdijk Maarten
Published: August 2006

Strategic HRM theory argues that organisations should distinguish different types of employees according to their value and availability. We argue that this has resulted in an underestimation of the importance of specific HRM practices in relation to temporary employees. Building on theoretical work that discusses the employment relationship for temporary employees, the process of identification with the organisation and different ways of managing diversity, we distinguish three approaches to the operational management of temporary employees. We explore two cases that reflect opposite ends of the scale. They illustrate the value of the theoretical framework and substantiate the claim that, even after the strategic choice for a lean, distanced and uninvolved temporary ‘employment mode’ is made, different operational HRM practices lead to differences in performance.
Making and Evaluating an Electrical Battery
Authors: Niculescu Adam , Martin Peter
Published: August 2006

This paper describes an experiment that can be used to introduce the operation and working parameters of a battery to either high school or college students. The experiment shows students how to use a simple cell to light an LED and how to measure current, voltage, and power when they are changing with time. The experiment can be extended to show how effective electrode area controls the current and voltage, and how to measure the internal resistance of the battery.
Origin of Bird Flight: A Physics Viewpoint
Authors: Feldman Bernard J. , George Thomas F. , Long Charles A. , Long Claudine F. , Zhang Guoping
Published: August 2006

The debate over the origin of bird flight dates back over 100 years. Over the last century two opposing viewpoints have emerged. The first claims that flight originated by running along the ground and then leaping and flapping—this is called the “ground-up” theory.1 The second claims that flight originated from the trees—from jumping out of trees and gliding—and is called the “tree-down” theory.2 Recently, Long et al. proposed a new theory—“flutter-gliding”—that combines features from both of these previous theories.3–5 This paper will discuss all three of these theories of the origin of bird flight in terms of Newton's second law of motion and provides a simplified version of a series of articles published by Long et al.3–5 We believe this material is a wonderful application of Newton's second law of motion that is appropriate for both high school and college introductory physics courses, and leads naturally into a discussion of the physics of gliding, flying, and sprinting.
Lecturing with a Virtual Whiteboard
Authors: Milanovic Zoran
Published: August 2006

Recent advances in computer technology, word processing software, and projection systems have made traditional whiteboard lecturing obsolete. Tablet personal computers connected to display projectors and running handwriting software have replaced the marker-on-whiteboard method of delivering a lecture. Since the notes can be saved into an electronic file, they can be uploaded to a class website to be perused by the students later. This paper will describe the author's experiences in using this new technology to deliver physics lectures at an engineering school. The benefits and problems discovered will be reviewed and results from a survey of student opinions will be discussed.
Transmission of Elk and Deer Prions to Transgenic Mice
Authors: Tamgüney Gültekin , Giles Kurt , Bouzamondo-Bernstein Essia , Bosque Patrick J. , Miller Michael W. , Safar Jiri , DeArmond Stephen J. , Prusiner Stanley B.
Published: August 2006

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal prion disease in deer and elk. Unique among the prion diseases, it is transmitted among captive and free-ranging animals. To facilitate studies of the biology of CWD prions, we generated five lines of transgenic (Tg) mice expressing prion protein (PrP) from Rocky Mountain elk (
Cervus elaphus nelsoni
), denoted Tg(ElkPrP), and two lines of Tg mice expressing PrP common to white-tailed deer (
Odocoileus virginianus
) and mule deer (
Odocoileus hemionus
), denoted Tg(DePrP). None of the Tg(ElkPrP) or Tg(DePrP) mice exhibited spontaneous neurologic dysfunction at more than 600 days of age. Brain samples from CWD-positive elk, white-tailed deer, and mule deer produced disease in Tg(ElkPrP) mice between 180 and 200 days after inoculation and in Tg(DePrP) mice between 300 and 400 days. One of eight cervid brain inocula transmitted disease to Tg(MoPrP)4053 mice overexpressing wild-type mouse PrP-A in ∼540 days. Neuropathologic analysis revealed abundant PrP amyloid plaques in the brains of ill mice. Brain homogenates from symptomatic Tg(ElkPrP) mice produced disease in 120 to 190 days in Tg(ElkPrP) mice. In contrast to the Tg(ElkPrP) and Tg(DePrP) mice, Tg mice overexpressing human, bovine, or ovine PrP did not develop prion disease after inoculation with CWD prions from among nine different isolates after >500 days. These findings suggest that CWD prions from elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer can be readily transmitted among these three cervid species.
Gender Susceptibility to Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection Associated with Interleukin 10 Promoter Polymorphism
Authors: Paladino Natalia , Fainboim Hugo , Theiler Graciela , Schroder Teresa , Muñoz Alberto Eduardo , Flores Ana Claudia , Galdame Omar , Fainboim Leonardo
Published: August 2006

Elevated levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10) were previously described for chronically hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. We determined by a sequence-specific oligonucleotide probing technique the IL-10 promoter genotypes in 286 Argentinean HCV patients grouped according to disease outcome. The GG genotype (position −1082) is known to be associated with high IL-10 production, GA is considered an intermediate producer, and AA is associated with low IL-10 production. We found an increase in frequency of the GG genotype in female patients who do not eliminate the virus (RNA+). In these patients, the GG frequency was 0.19, versus 0.10 in controls (P= 0.03). This association became more significant in those RNA+female patients with elevated hepatic transaminases (GG frequency of 0.25;P= 0.0013). Additionally, this genotype frequency was higher in noncirrhotic female patients than in controls (GG frequency for noncirrhotic female patients was 0.31;P= 0.009). In RNA−patients, the GA frequency was elevated compared with that in controls (GA frequency of 0.76 in RNA−patients versus 0.48 in controls;P= 0.01), that in all HCV patients (GA frequency of 0.43;P= 0.001), and that in RNA+patients (GA frequency of 0.40;P= 0.0005). We conclude that a gender effect is observed with women carrying the GG high IL-10 producer genotype. The higher levels of IL-10 present in those individuals are associated with a higher risk of an inefficient clearance of the HCV and the development of a chronic HCV infection together with a lower risk of progression to cirrhosis in female patients.
Oligomerization of Hantavirus Nucleocapsid Protein: Analysis of the N-Terminal Coiled-Coil Domain
Authors: Alminaite Agne , Halttunen Vera , Kumar Vibhor , Vaheri Antti , Holm Liisa , Plyusnin Alexander
Published: August 2006

Hantaviruses constitute a genus in the family
Bunyaviridae
. They are enveloped negative-strand RNA viruses with a tripartite genome encoding the nucleocapsid (N) protein, the two surface glycoproteins Gn and Gc, and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The N protein is the most abundant component of the virion; it encapsidates genomic RNA segments forming ribonucleoproteins and participates in genome transcription and replication as well as virus assembly. In the course of RNA encapsidation, N protein forms intermediate trimers via head-to-head and tail-to-tail interactions. We analyzed the amino-terminal trimerization domain (amino acid residues 1 to 77) of Tula hantavirus using computer modeling, mammalian two-hybrid assay, and immunofluorescence assay. The results obtained were consistent with the existence of an antiparallel coiled-coil stabilized by interactions between hydrophobic residues. Residues L44, V51, and L58 were important for the N-N interaction; other residues, e.g., L25 and V32, also made a contribution, albeit a modest one. Our alignments of the N-terminal domain of the hantaviral N proteins suggest the coiled-coil structure, and hence the mode of N-protein oligomerization, is conserved among hantaviruses.
Inhibition of the Type I Interferon Response by the Nucleoprotein of the Prototypic Arenavirus Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus
Authors: Martínez-Sobrido Luis , Zúñiga Elina I. , Rosario Debralee , García-Sastre Adolfo , de la Torre Juan Carlos
Published: August 2006

The prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a formidable battle horse for the study of viral immunology, as well as viral persistence and associated diseases. Investigations with LCMV have uncovered basic mechanisms by which viruses avoid elimination by the host adaptive immune response. In this study we show that LCMV also disables the host innate defense by interfering with beta interferon (IFN-β) production in response to different stimuli, including infection with Sendai virus and liposome-mediated DNA transfection. Inhibition of IFN production in LCMV-infected cells was caused by an early block in the IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) activation pathway. This defect was restored in cells cured of LCMV, indicating that one or more LCMV products are responsible for the inhibition of IRF-3 activation. Using expression plasmids encoding individual LCMV proteins, we found that expression of the LCMV nucleoprotein (NP) was sufficient to inhibit both IFN production and nuclear translocation of IRF-3. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of an IFN-counteracting viral protein in theArenaviridaefamily. Inhibition of IFN production by the arenavirus NP is likely to be a determinant of virulence in vivo.
Extremely Low Exposure of a Community to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus: False Seropositivity due to Use of Bacterially Derived Antigens
Authors: Leung D. T. M. , van Maren W. W. C. , Chan F. K. L. , Chan W. S. , Lo A. W. I. , Ma C. H. , Tam F. C. H. , To K. F. , Chan P. K. S. , Sung J. J. Y. , Lim P. L.
Published: August 2006

Estimates of seropositivity to a new infectious agent in a community are useful to public health. For severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the figures are conflicting. Herein, we screened 12,000 people in a community stricken by SARS 10 months previously and found 53 individuals (0.44%) who had immunoglobulin G antibodies to the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid (N) produced in bacteria. However, only seven of these (group 1) had sera which also reacted with the native N antigen expressed in SARS-CoV-infected Vero cells, N-transfected 293T cells, and tissues of infected SARS patients. Of these, six individuals had had SARS previously. The remaining person, as well as the 46 other individuals (group 2), were healthy and had no history of SARS. Group 1 antibodies recognized epitopes located slightly differently in N from those of group 2 antibodies, and a mouse hybridoma antibody resembling the former type was generated. Unusually, group 2 antibodies appeared to recognize cross-reactive bacterial epitopes that presumably were posttranslationally modified in eukaryotes and hence were probably not induced by SARS-CoV or related coronaviruses but rather by bacteria. The N antigen is thus highly unique. The extremely low rate (0.008%) of asymptomatic SARS infection found attests to the high virulence of the SARS-CoV virus.
Modulation of the Unfolded Protein Response by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Protein
Authors: Chan Ching-Ping , Siu Kam-Leung , Chin King-Tung , Yuen Kwok-Yung , Zheng Bojian , Jin Dong-Yan
Published: August 2006

Perturbation of the function of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes stress leading to the activation of cell signaling pathways known as the unfolded protein response (UPR). Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS-CoV) uses ER as a site for synthesis and processing of viral proteins. In this report, we demonstrate that infection with SARS-CoV induces the UPR in cultured cells. A comparison with M, E, and NSP6 proteins indicates that SARS-CoV spike (S) protein sufficiently induces transcriptional activation of several UPR effectors, including glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), GRP94, and C/EBP homologous protein. A substantial amount of S protein accumulates in the ER. The expression of S protein exerts different effects on the three major signaling pathways of the UPR. Particularly, it induces GRP78/94 through PKR-like ER kinase but has no influence on activating transcription factor 6 or X box-binding protein 1. Taken together, our findings suggest that SARS-CoV S protein specifically modulates the UPR to facilitate viral replication.
Amino Acids in the Basic Domain of Epstein-Barr Virus ZEBRA Protein Play Distinct Roles in DNA Binding, Activation of Early Lytic Gene Expression, and Promotion of Viral DNA Replication
Authors: Heston Lee , El-Guindy Ayman , Countryman Jill , Dela Cruz Charles , Delecluse Henri-Jacques , Miller George
Published: August 2006

The ZEBRA protein of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) drives the viral lytic cycle cascade. The capacity of ZEBRA to recognize specific DNA sequences resides in amino acids 178 to 194, a region in which 9 of 17 residues are either lysine or arginine. To define the basic domain residues essential for activity, a series of 46 single-amino-acid-substitution mutants were examined for their ability to bind ZIIIB DNA, a high-affinity ZEBRA binding site, and for their capacity to activate early and late EBV lytic cycle gene expression. DNA binding was obligatory for the protein to activate the lytic cascade. Nineteen mutants that failed to bind DNA were unable to disrupt latency. A single acidic replacement of a basic amino acid destroyed DNA binding and the biologic activity of the protein. Four mutants that bound weakly to DNA were defective at stimulating the expression of Rta, the essential first target of ZEBRA in lytic cycle activation. Four amino acids, R183, A185, C189, and R190, are likely to contact ZIIIB DNA specifically, since alanine or valine substitutions at these positions drastically weakened or eliminated DNA binding. Twenty-three mutants were proficient in binding to ZIIIB DNA. Some DNA binding-proficient mutants were refractory to supershift by BZ-1 monoclonal antibody (epitope amino acids 214 to 230), likely as the result of the increased solubility of the mutants. Mutants competent to bind DNA could be separated into four functional groups: the wild-type group (eight mutants), a group defective at activating Rta (five mutants, all with mutations at the S186 site), a group defective at activating EA-D (three mutants with the R179A, S186T, and K192A mutations), and a group specifically defective at activating late gene expression (seven mutants). Three late mutants, with a Y180A, Y180E, or K188A mutation, were defective at stimulating EBV DNA replication. This catalogue of point mutants reveals that basic domain amino acids play distinct functions in binding to DNA, in activating Rta, in stimulating early lytic gene expression, and in promoting viral DNA replication and viral late gene expression. These results are discussed in relationship to the recently solved crystal structure of ZEBRA bound to an AP-1 site.