bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does L‐Arginine induce intestinal adaptation by epithelial growth factor?
Authors: Camli Alparslan , Barlas Meral , Yagmurlu Aydin
Published: March 2005

Background:  To evaluate whether L‐Arginine has an effect on endogenous epidermal growth factor secretion and intestinal adaptation in massive small bowel resection an experimental study was performed.

Methods:  Fourteen albino Wistar rats weighing 250−300 g were used for the study. After performing 50% small bowel resection and anastomosis the rats were randomly divided into two groups. The first group received 500 mg/kg/day of L‐Arginine intraperitoneally for 14 days just after the surgical procedure. The control group received isotonic saline instead. Body weight measurement was preformed daily. At the end of the second postoperative week all rats underwent relaparotomy. Small bowel was resected for histopathological examination. Levels of epidermal growth factor were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in serum, saliva, and urine at the end of second postoperative week in both groups.

Results:  The weight gain was higher in the L‐Arginine treated group (P < 0.05). Serum, saliva and urinary epidermal growth factor levels were significantly higher at the end of the second week compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The villus height was higher on histopathological examination in L‐Arginine treated group compared to the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:  L‐Arginine resulted in a better intestinal adaptation after massive bowel resection. The high levels of epidermal growth factor in body fluids of L‐Arginine treated rats could be the explanation for this effect.
Growth behavior of itchgrass (Rottboellia cochinchinensis) in Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: ALLOUB HALA , JURAIMI ABDUL SHUKOR , RAJAN AMARTALINGAM , KADIR JUGAH , SAAD MOHD SAID , SASTROUTOMO SOETIKNO
Published: March 2005

A glasshouse experiment was conducted at University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, to study the growth pattern of itchgrass collected from 13 locations. The itchgrass was either associated with crops or found along roadsides in six infested estates located in Johor, Kedah, Pahang, Perak, Perlis and Selangor. Significant differences between populations were observed in all variables except in time to seedling emergence. Cluster analysis of the data classified the populations into three major groups. The first group comprised populations from Johor, Pahang and Perak found in association with banana, cocoa and oil palm plantations, or along the roadsides. The second group comprised populations from Kedah, Perlis and Selangor found in association with maize, upland rice, rubber, sugar cane and tobacco plantations. The third group was a distinct population found only along roadsides at Padang Kartong, Perlis. Principal component analysis was performed to determine the growth characteristics that separated the groups. The results showed that plant height, number of leaves, number of seeds/plant, secondary culm diameter and the weight of 100 intact or dehulled seeds were the most significant characteristics that differentiated the groups. The study provided strong evidence of the existence of three itchgrass groups in Peninsular Malaysia.
Effects of salt stress on ion accumulation and antioxidative enzyme activities of Oryza sativa L. and Echinochloa oryzicola Vasing
Authors: NGUYEN HOAI THI THU , SHIM IE SUNG , KOBAYASHI KATSUICHIRO , USUI KENJI
Published: March 2005

The effects of salt stress on physiological factors, such as inorganic ion absorption and antioxidative enzyme activities, of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Anapurna) and Echinochloa oryzicola Vasing were investigated. Although having similar morphology, rice and E. oryzicola possessed considerably different salt‐tolerance mechanisms. Echinochloa oryzicola was more salt‐tolerant than rice. When exposed to salt stress (100 mmol L−1 sodium chloride, NaCl; six days), E. oryzicola had the ability to limit the accumulation of sodium ions (Na+), maintained high potassium ion (K+) content and had a constantly higher K+/Na+ ratio than rice. Rice was not effective in limiting Na+ absorption but had a higher antioxidative capacity than E. oryzicola. The constitutive activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase of rice were three and five times higher than that of E. oryzicola, respectively. Induced activities of SOD, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase were also higher in rice than in E. oryzicola. The high antioxidative capacity was one of the tolerance mechanisms used by rice to cope with salt stress. Therefore, the salt tolerant‐mechanisms are different between the two plants.
White bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) tolerance to preplant‐incorporated herbicides
Authors: SOLTANI NADER , SIKKEMA PETER H.
Published: March 2005

There is a limited number of registered herbicides in white beans. Field trials were conducted at two Ontario, Canada, locations (Exeter and Ridgetown) in 2001 and 2002 to evaluate tolerance of two white bean cultivars, AC Compass and OAC Thunder, to preplant‐incorporated applications of S‐metolachlor plus imazethapyr (1600 + 75 and 3200 + 150 g ai ha−1, respectively), flumetsulam plus S‐metolachlor (premixed at 1443 and 2886 g ai ha−1) and cloransulam‐methyl (35 and 70 g ai ha−1). There were no differences between the two cultivars in their responses to the herbicide treatments. S‐metolachlor plus imazethapyr caused as much as 5% visual crop injury and decreased plant height up to 20%, shoot dry weight up to 39% and yield as much as 21%. Flumetsulam plus S‐metolachlor caused as much as 7% visual crop injury and reduced plant height by up to 25%, shoot dry weight by up to 46% and yield as much as 24%. Cloransulam‐methyl caused as much as 10% visual crop injury and decreased plant height up to 35%, shoot dry weight up to 55% and yield as much as 44%. There were no differences in seed moisture content among any of the herbicide treatments. This research suggests that the margin of safety of white bean is inadequate to support the preplant‐incorporated registration of S‐metolachlor plus imazethapyr, flumetsulam plus S‐metolachlor and cloransulam‐methyl in Ontario.
Contribution of ammonium to stimulation of smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.) germination by extracts of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) residue
Authors: TEASDALE JOHN R. , PILLAI PARTHAN
Published: March 2005

Hairy vetch is a leguminous winter annual cover crop that provides a significant contribution toward meeting the nitrogen requirement of succeeding crops. Hairy vetch residue is capable of suppressing weeds, but low levels of residue can intermittently stimulate the emergence of weeds, particularly smooth pigweed. This research was conducted to assess the inhibitory and stimulatory effects of hairy vetch extracts on two smooth pigweed lots with differing dormancy conditions under differing germination conditions (25 or 35°C in light or dark). Full‐strength extracts inhibited germination of both lots under all conditions, a result explained by the inhibitory osmotic potential of the full‐strength extract. At ≤ 0.1× proportions of the hairy vetch extract, there was a slight stimulation of germination above that of the control (average = 11%) of both lots of pigweed under all germination conditions, except for a large stimulation (87%) by the more dormant lot at 25°C in light. A similar response to ammonium hydroxide solutions was observed, in which germination stimulation averaged 7% for all conditions except for germination of the dormant pigweed lot that was stimulated 115% by 15 p.p.m. of ammonium ( ) at 25°C in light. As the

concentration in the hairy vetch extract was similar to that in the ammonium hydroxide solutions that promoted the largest stimulation of germination, and because there was a high correlation between the degree of germination stimulation by hairy vetch extracts and by ammonium hydroxide,

appears to be the principle ingredient in the extract responsible for stimulation of smooth pigweed germination.
Effects of humidity and temperature on the fatigue behaviour of an extruded AZ61 magnesium alloy
Authors: SAJURI Z. B. , MIYASHITA Y. , MUTOH Y.
Published: March 2005

Load‐controlled fatigue tests were performed at 20 and 50 °C using two relative humidity levels of 55 and 80% to characterize the influence of humidity and temperature on the fatigue behaviour of an extruded AZ61 magnesium alloy. Fatigue tests were also conducted at 150 °C. No significant variation in fatigue properties was noticed with respect to temperature over the range from 20 to 50 °C for both the humidity levels. Fatigue limits in the range 140–150 MPa were observed for relative humidity of 55%. Fatigue strength decreased significantly with increase in temperature to 150 °C. Further, a significant reduction in fatigue strength with a fatigue limit of ∼110 MPa was observed with increase in relative humidity to 80% at 20 and 50 °C. The crack initiation and propagation remained transgranular under all test conditions. The fatigue fracture at low stress amplitudes and high relative humidity of 80% results from the formation of corrosion pits at the surface and their growth to a critical size for fatigue‐crack initiation and propagation. The observed reduction in fatigue strength at high humidity is ascribed to the effects associated with fatigue–environment interaction.
Fatigue failure of adhesively patched 2024‐T3 and 7075‐T6 clad and bare aluminium alloys
Authors: DUQUESNAY D. L. , UNDERHILL P. R. , BRITT H. J.
Published: March 2005

The fatigue behaviour of adhesive patches used for repairing aircraft components was investigated. Adhesive patches were simulated using single‐lap shear specimens on clad and bare 7075‐T6 and 2024‐T3 aluminium alloy substrates. Stress–life curves were generated under constant amplitude loading at three stress ratios: R=−1, 0 and 0.5. In the bare materials, failure always occurred in the adhesive itself leaving the substrates intact. At fatigue lives below about 100 000 cycles, the clad alloy specimens also failed in this manner. However, at lower stress levels, the clad alloys failed by cracks initiating in the cladding layer along the end of the lap and subsequently propagating through the substrate. The fatigue strength of the substrate, due to the adhesive patch on the clad materials, was reduced by an order of magnitude compared to the Military Handbook values.
Fatigue life calculation by means of the cycle counting and spectral methods under multiaxial random loading
Authors: ŁAGODA T. , MACHA E. , NIESŁONY A.
Published: March 2005

The paper contains a new algorithm for estimation of fatigue life in HCF regime under multiaxial random loading using spectral methods. Loading of Gaussian distribution and narrow‐ and broad‐band frequency spectra were assumed. Various characteristic states of multiaxial loading were considered. The equivalent stress history was determined with use of the failure criteria of multiaxial fatigue based on the critical plane. For determination of the critical plane position, the method of variance was applied. During simulation, the authors compared the results obtained by a spectral method in the frequency domain with those from the rain‐flow algorithm in the time domain. The paper also contains the results of fatigue tests for 18G2A structural steel subjected to bending and combined bending with torsion. The tests were performed in order to verify the proposed algorithms for determination of fatigue life. It has been shown that under multiaxial random loading results of fatigue life calculated according to the considered algorithms in frequency and time domains are well correlated with the results of experiments.
Marketing Theory Matters
Authors: Burton Dawn
Published: March 2005

There have been concerns about the slow pace of theory development inside and outside of marketing for a number of years. Rarely have some of the possible reasons for this lack of development been considered, or an assessment of the ways in which a more theoretically driven focus might emerge been discussed. This paper addresses these gaps in the current debate. Potential difficulties have emerged as a result of a lack of theorists, lack of theory courses, business school strategies and misguided perceptions of practitioner‐oriented research amongst other things. Suggestions for future action to drive a more theoretically driven marketing are proposed.
Electoral Politics, Ideology and American Social Policy
Authors: Peele Gillian
Published: March 2005

This article addresses the politics of social policy in the context of the 2004 American presidential election. It examines the divisions in American society and their distinctive agendas. It also explores the record of the Bush administration on key social policy issues and shows how it relates to the broader conservative tradition as well as to the Clinton administration's reform of welfare. Finally, it examines the election results. The article argues that the Bush administration has a distinctive agenda on social policy issues and that its approach is likely to reduce further the role of the social government in the provision of social policy, by emphasizing market forces and philanthropy as well as cutting taxes. It also notes, however, that the Bush administration has taken a strong stance on traditional moral values and that its opposition to abortion and homosexuality is an important part of its political strategy.
The 48‐week efficacy of once‐daily saquinavir/ritonavir in patients with undetectable viral load after 3 years of antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Cardiello P , Srasuebkul P , Hassink E , Mahanontharit A , Samor T , Ruxrungtham K , Lange J , Cooper D , Phanuphak P
Published: March 2005

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of once‐daily saquinavir‐soft‐gel‐capsules/ritonavir (SQV‐SGC/RTV) 1600 mg/100 mg plus dual nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in HIV‐infected patients with plasma viral load (pVL) <50 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL following 3 years of antiretroviral therapy.

Methods

A total of 69 patients with pVL <50 copies/mL after 162 weeks of antiretroviral treatment started SQV‐SGC/RTV 1600 mg/100 mg once‐daily while continuing dual NRTIs. Previous treatment consisted of 66 weeks of treatment with a half/full dose of zidovudine (ZDV)/zalcitabine (ddC), followed by 2 years of SQV‐SGC twice a day (bid) plus ZDV/lamivudine (3TC) or didanosine (ddI)/stavudine (d4T). Efficacy (pVL), safety and immunological changes (CD4 cell counts) were evaluated after 48 weeks in this open‐label, single‐arm prospective study.

Results

SQV‐SGC/RTV once‐daily was well tolerated. No patient changed regimens or was lost to follow‐up. After 48 weeks, 63 of 69 patients (91%) had pVL <50 copies/mL (five of the six remaining patients had pVL <400 copies/mL, and one patient had an unexplained rise to 39 500 copies/mL, which decreased to <50 copies/mL 12 weeks later). Median CD4 count increased from 534 cells/μL at the start of the SQV‐SGC/RTV once‐daily treatment to 664 cells/μL (P<0.001). Compared to the preceding 48 weeks on bid SQV‐SGC, the CD4 cell count improved significantly on once‐daily SQV‐SGC/RTV (P<0.001).

Conclusions

These data support the use of SQV‐SGC/RTV 1600 mg/100 mg once‐daily with two NRTIs as a convenient, safe and cost‐saving regimen to maintain viral suppression and CD4 counts for 48 weeks in this preselected cohort on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with pVL <50 copies/mL. The CD4 count rise may be a result of continued immune reconstitution in patients with well‐controlled infection.
Are maternal smoking and stress during pregnancy related to ADHD symptoms in children?
Authors: Rodriguez Alina , Bohlin Gunilla
Published: March 2005

Background: There are some indications that maternal lifestyle during pregnancy (smoking and stress) contributes to symptoms of ADHD in children. We prospectively studied whether prenatal exposure to maternal smoking and/or stress is associated with ADHD symptoms and diagnostic criteria (according to DSM‐IV) in 7‐year‐olds.

Methods: Nulliparous Scandinavian women were consecutively recruited at their first prenatal health care visit and assessments of smoking and stress were collected at gestational weeks 10, 12, 20, 28, 32, and 36. Children were followed up at 7 years old. We obtained full data for 72% of the sample: ADHD symptoms were rated by 74% of mothers (n = 290) and 96% of eligible teachers (n = 208). Attrition analyses showed no differences on key variables between participants and non‐participants at follow‐up.

Results: Results of multiple regression analyses showed prenatal exposure to smoking (β = .16,p < .01) and stress (β = .18,p < .01) were independently associated with later symptoms of ADHD. Results of logistic regression analyses showed that fulfillment of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD was related to exposure to prenatal stress (β = .68,p < .01) especially in boys. The results were not confounded by sociodemographic factors or birth outcomes.

Conclusions: This study provides evidence that prenatal exposure to stress and smoking is independently associated with later symptoms of ADHD in human children, particularly for boys. Because stress and smoking are relatively common during pregnancy, and yet preventable, these results are of public health significance.
Heterodimerization of opioid receptor‐like 1 and µ‐opioid receptors impairs the potency of µ receptor agonist
Authors: Wang Hung‐Li , Hsu Chia‐Yu , Huang Pei‐Chen , Kuo Yo‐Li , Li Allen H. , Yeh Tu‐Hsueh , Tso An‐Swe , Chen Ying‐Ling
Published: March 2005

Nociceptin activation of ORL1 (opioid receptor‐like 1 receptor) has been shown to antagonize µ receptor‐mediated analgesia at the supraspinal level. ORL1 and µ‐opioid receptor (µR) are co‐expressed in several subpopulations of CNS neurons involved in regulating pain transmission. The amino acid sequence of ORL1 also shares a high degree of homology with that of µ receptor. Thus, it is hypothesized that ORL1 and µR interact to form the heterodimer and that ORL1/µR heterodimerization may be one molecular basis for ORL1‐mediated antiopioid effects in the brain. To test this hypothesis, myc‐tagged ORL1 and HA‐tagged µR are co‐expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. Co‐immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that ORL1 dimerizes with µR and that intracellular C‐terminal tails of ORL1 and µR are required for the formation of ORL1/µR heterodimer. Second messenger assays further indicate that formation of ORL1/µR heterodimer selectively induces cross‐desensitization of µR and impairs the potency by which [d‐Ala2,N‐methyl‐Phe4,Gly‐ol5]enkephalin (DAMGO) inhibits adenylate cyclase and stimulates p42/p44 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. These results provide the evidence that ORL1/µR heterodimerization and the resulting impairment of µ receptor‐activated signaling pathways may contribute to ORL1‐mediated antiopioid effects in the brain.
Phosphorylation state of postsynaptic density proteins
Authors: Trinidad J. C. , Thalhammer A. , Specht C. G. , Schoepfer R. , Burlingame A. L.
Published: March 2005

The postsynaptic density (PSD) is an electron‐dense structure located at the synaptic contacts between neurons. Its considerable complexity includes cytoskeletal and scaffold proteins, receptors, ion channels and signaling molecules, in line with the role of PSDs in signal transduction and processing. The phosphorylation state of components of the PSD is central to synaptic transmission and is known to play a role in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory. The presence of a range of kinases and phosphatases in the PSD defines potential key players in this context. However, the substrates that these enzymes target have not been fully identified to date. We analyzed the protein composition of purified PSD samples from adult mouse brains by strong cation exchange chromatography fractionation of a tryptic digest followed by nano‐reverse phase liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization–quadrupole time of flight tandem mass spectrometry. This led to the identification of 244 proteins. To gain an insight into the phosphoproteome of the PSD we then purified phosphorylated tryptic peptides by immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography. This approach for the specific enrichment of phosphopeptides resulted in the identification of 42 phosphoproteins in the PSD preparation, 39 of which are known PSD components. Here we present a total of 83 in vivo phosphorylation sites.
Hypoxia sensitizes human malignant glioma cells towards CD95L‐induced cell death
Authors: Steinbach Joachim P. , Wolburg Hartwig , Klumpp Andrea , Weller Michael
Published: March 2005

Death ligands such as CD95 ligand (CD95L) have limited activity against glioma cells under normoxic conditions. Hypoxia is a critical aspect of the microenvironment of gliomas in vivo. We investigated the effect of co‐exposure to acute hypoxia and CD95 ligand in three human malignant glioma cell lines with different susceptibility to CD95L under normoxic conditions. Hypoxia sensitized all three cell lines towards CD95L‐induced cell death. Co‐exposure resulted in apoptotic changes in the early phase, with gradual conversion to secondary necrosis with increasing length of hypoxia. The mitochondrial injury induced by hypoxia was enhanced by co‐treatment, and caspase cleavage became prominent. Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), although sensitizing glioma cells to CD95L under normoxia, protects glioma cells from hypoxia by reducing energy consumption. However, the opposing effects of EGFR signalling on death induced by CD95L or hypoxia were neutralized by co‐exposure to hypoxia and CD95L. Furthermore, inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide also reduced glucose consumption and conferred protection from hypoxia, but did not modulate CD95L‐induced cell death under hypoxic conditions. These results suggest that death ligands may be useful to target hypoxic tumour cells resistant to conventional therapies or to complement strategies aiming at the induction of tumour hypoxia.
In vitro1H NMR spectroscopy shows an increase in N‐acetylaspartylglutamate and glutamine content in the hippocampus of amygdaloid‐kindled rats
Authors: Shirayama Yukihiko , Takahashi Seizo , Minabe Yoshio , Ogino Takashi
Published: March 2005

We examined energy metabolism and amino acid content in the hippocampus of amygdaloid‐kindled rats using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Three weeks after the last stage 5 seizure, kindled rats were killed by microwave irradiation. The hippocampus was dissected out and subjected to MeOH/CHCl3 extraction. All 1H spectra were analyzed to quantify absolute concentrations using a non‐linear least squares method, combined with a prior knowledge of chemical shifts. Saturation effects were compensated for by the T1 measurement of each component. Levels of energy metabolism‐related compounds, phosphocreatine, creatine, glucose and succinate were the same in both kindled rats and sham controls. Lactate concentration had a tendency to increase, although this was not statistically significant. When compared with sham controls, levels of aspartate, glutamate, glycine and glutamine, as well as GABA and inositol, were increased in the ipsilateral but not the contralateral hippocampus. In contrast, levels of taurine, alanine and threonine were unchanged. Finally, N‐acetylaspartylglutamate content was elevated, whereas N‐acetyl‐l‐aspartate content was unaltered in the ipsilateral hippocampus of kindled animals. Our results suggest that amygdala kindling may affects amino acid metabolism, but not energy metabolism.
Short‐ and long‐term enzymatic regulation secondary to metabolic insult in the rat retina
Authors: Acosta Monica L. , Kalloniatis Michael
Published: March 2005

Changes in oxygen and/or glucose availability may result in altered levels of ATP production and amino acid levels, and alteration in lactic acid production. However, under certain metabolic insults, the retina demonstrates considerable resilience and maintains ATP production, and/or retinal function. We wanted to investigate whether this resilience would be reflected in alterations in the activity of key enzymes of retinal metabolism, or enzymes associated with amino acid production that may supply their carbon skeleton for energy production. Enzymatic assays were conducted to determine the activity of key retinal metabolic enzymes total ATPase and Na+/K+‐ATPase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase. In vitro anoxia led to an increase in retinal lactate dehydrogenase activity and to a decrease in retinal aspartate aminotransferase activity, without significant changes in Na+/K+‐ATPase activity. In vivo inhibition of glutamine synthetase resulted in a short‐term significant decrease in retinal aspartate aminotransferase activity. An increase in retinal aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities was accompanied by altered levels of amino acids in neurons and glia after partial inhibition of glial metabolism, implying that short‐ and long‐term up‐ and down‐regulation of key metabolic enzymes occurs to supply carbon skeletons for retinal metabolism. ATPase activity does not appear to fluctuate under the metabolic stresses employed in our experimental procedures.
ATP inhibits the hypoxia response in type I cells of rat carotid bodies
Authors: Xu Jianhua , Xu Fenglian , Tse Frederick W. , Tse Amy
Published: March 2005

During hypoxia, ATP was released from type I (glomus) cells in the carotid bodies. We studied the action of ATP on the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) of type I cells dissociated from rat carotid bodies using a Ca2+ imaging technique. ATP did not affect the resting [Ca2+]i but strongly suppressed the hypoxia‐induced [Ca2+]i elevations in type I cells. The order of purinoreceptor agonist potency in inhibiting the hypoxia response was 2‐methylthioATP > ATP > ADP ≫ α, β‐methylene ATP > UTP, implicating the involvement of P2Y1 receptors. Simultaneous measurements of membrane potential and [Ca2+]i show that ATP inhibited the hypoxia‐induced Ca2+ signal by reversing the hypoxia‐triggered depolarization. However, ATP did not oppose the hypoxia‐mediated inhibition of the oxygen‐sensitive TASK‐like K+ background current. Neither the inhibition of the large‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ (maxi‐K) channels nor the removal of extracellular Na+ could affect the inhibitory action of ATP. Under normoxic condition, ATP caused hyperpolarization and increase in cell input resistance. These results suggest that the inhibitory action of ATP is mediated via the closure of background conductance(s) other than the TASK‐like K+, maxi‐K or Na+ channels. In summary, ATP exerts strong negative feedback regulation on hypoxia signaling in rat carotid type I cells.
Signal transduction pathways implicated in neural recognition molecule L1 triggered neuroprotection and neuritogenesis
Authors: Loers Gabriele , Chen Suzhen , Grumet Martin , Schachner Melitta
Published: March 2005

The signal transduction pathways involved in adhesion molecule L1‐triggered neuritogenesis and neuroprotection were investigated using the extracellular domain of mouse or human L1 in fusion with the Fc portion of human immunoglobulin G or L1 purified from mouse brain by affinity chromatography. Substrate L1‐triggered neuritogenesis and neuroprotection depended on distinct but also overlapping signal transduction pathways and on the expression of L1 at the neuronal cell surface. PI3 kinase inhibitors, Src family kinase inhibitors as well as mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase inhibitors reduced both L1‐triggered neuritogenesis and neuroprotection. In contrast, fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors, a protein kinase A inhibitor, and an inhibitor of cAMP‐mediated signal transduction pathways, blocked neuritogenesis, but did not affect L1‐triggered neuroprotection. Proteolytic cleavage of L1 or its interaction partners is necessary for both L1‐mediated neuritogensis and neuroprotection. Furthermore, L1‐triggered neuroprotection was found to be associated with increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1/2, Akt and Bad, and inhibition of caspases. These observations suggest possibilities of differentially targeting signal transduction pathways for L1‐dependent neuritogenesis and neuroprotection.
PKC site mutations reveal differential modulation by insulin of NMDA receptors containing NR2A or NR2B subunits
Authors: Jones Michelle L. , Leonard John P.
Published: March 2005

Insulin modulates N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the CNS and potentiates currents of recombinant NMDA receptors in a subunit‐specific manner in Xenopus oocytes. Previously we identified two sites in the NR2B C‐terminus as targets for direct phosphorylation by C‐type protein kinases (PKCs). Mutating these sites reduced insulin potentiation of currents by one half, reflecting the PKC‐mediated portion of the NR2B insulin effect. The PKC‐proline rich tyrosine kinase (Pyk2)‐Src family kinase pathway may also mediate insulin potentiation. A dominant negative Pyk2 mutant significantly reduced insulin potentiation when co‐expressed with NR2B‐containing receptors, suggesting that Pyk2 and downstream Src‐family tyrosine kinases are involved, along with PKCs, in insulin potentiation of NR2B. The NR2A C‐terminus contains two residues homologous to the NR2B PKC targets. Mutating both these sites eliminated insulin potentiation of NR2A‐containing receptors, while co‐expression of dominant negative Pyk2 had no effect. Together, these data indicate that PKCs alone mediate the NR2A insulin effect. When tested individually for importance in insulin potentiation, the two PKC sites showed an additive effect in potentiation of NR2A‐containing receptors. Insulin modulation of NR2A‐containing receptors is mediated solely by PKCs, whereas insulin modulation of NR2B‐containing receptors is mediated by PKCs and tyrosine kinases (PTKs).
Combined pharmacological, mutational and cell biology approaches indicate that p53‐dependent caspase 3 activation triggered by cellular prion is dependent on its endocytosis
Authors: Sunyach Claire , Checler Frédéric
Published: March 2005

We have previously established that cellular prion PrPc elicited p53‐dependent caspase 3 activation in various transfected cells and primary cultured neurons. Although we showed that PrPc modulates p53 expression at both transcriptional and post‐transcriptional levels, it remained unclear as to whether cellular prion signals at the membrane to trigger intracellular messages or if prion proapoptotic activity necessitated its translocation into the cytoplasm. Here, we compare the processing and cell death‐related functions of PrPc with those of a mutated PrPc protein (N‐3F4 MoPrPc) in which three basic N‐terminal residues responsible for PrPc internalization had been mutated. As expected, N‐3F4 MoPrPc remains exclusively located at the membrane, whereas PrPc partitions between membrane‐associated and intracellular compartments, but both, proteins undergo constitutive and protein kinase C‐regulated disintegrin‐mediated proteolysis, leading to N1 fragment production. Unlike PrPc, N‐3F4 MoPrPc expression does not induce caspase 3 activation after stimulation by staurosporine and was inert on p53 expression and promoter transactivation in both human cells and TSM1 mouse neurons. Interestingly, PrPc‐induced caspase 3 activation was closely linked to its endocytosis. This phenotype was enhanced by proteasomal inhibition and prevented by sucrose treatment. Accordingly, immunohistochemical analysis showed that protection towards degradation increased intracellular PrPc‐like immunoreactivity, while sucrose treatments fully abolished PrPc intracellular expression and co‐localization with transferrin. Altogether, we, establish here, using combined biochemical, mutational and cell biology approaches, that the caspase 3 activation associated with cellular prion is closely related to its ability to undergo endocytosis. This is, to our knowledge, the first direct description of an endocytosis‐dependent PrPc‐associated function.
Spinal p38β isoform mediates tissue injury‐induced hyperalgesia and spinal sensitization
Authors: Svensson Camilla I. , Fitzsimmons Bethany , Azizi Sara , Powell Henry C. , Hua Xiao‐Ying , Yaksh Tony L.
Published: March 2005

Antagonist studies show that spinal p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase plays a crucial role in spinal sensitization. However, there are two p38 isoforms found in spinal cord and the relative contribution of these two to hyperalgesia is not known. Here we demonstrate that the isoforms are distinctly expressed in spinal dorsal horn: p38α in neurons and p38β in microglia. In lieu of isoform selective inhibitors, we examined the functional role of these two individual isoforms in nociception by using intrathecal isoform‐specific antisense oligonucleotides to selectively block the expression of the respective isoform. In these rats, down‐regulation of spinal p38β, but not p38α, prevented nocifensive flinching evoked by intraplantar injection of formalin and hyperalgesia induced by activation of spinal neurokinin‐1 receptors through intrathecal injection of substance P. Both intraplantar formalin and intrathecal substance P produced an increase in spinal p38 phosphorylation and this phosphorylation (activation) was prevented when spinal p38β, but not p38α, was down‐regulated. Thus, spinal p38β, probably in microglia, plays a significant role in spinal nociceptive processing and represents a potential target for pain therapy.
D2 dopamine receptor activation of potassium channels is selectively decoupled by Gαi‐specific GoLoco motif peptides
Authors: Webb Christina K. , McCudden Christopher R. , Willard Francis S. , Kimple Randall J. , Siderovski David P. , Oxford Gerry S.
Published: March 2005

The GoLoco motif is a short polypeptide sequence found in G‐protein signaling regulators such as regulator of G‐protein signaling proteins type 12 and 14 and activator of G‐protein signaling protein type 3. A unique property of the GoLoco motifs from these three proteins is their preferential interaction with guanosine diphosphate (GDP)‐bound Gαi1, Gαi3 and, sometimes, Gαi2 subunits over Gαo subunits. This interaction prevents both spontaneous guanine nucleotide release and reassociation of Gαi‐GDP with Gβγ. We utilized this property of the GoLoco motif to examine dopamine (D2 and D3) and somatostatin receptor coupling to G‐protein‐regulated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels in mouse AtT20 cells. GoLoco motif peptides had no effect on either basal channel activity or the initial responses to agonists, suggesting that the GoLoco motif cannot disrupt pre‐formed G‐protein heterotrimers. GoLoco motif peptides did, however, interfere with human D2(short) receptor coupling to GIRK channels as demonstrated by the progressively diminished responses after repeated agonist application. This behavior is consistent with some form of compartmentalization of D2 receptors and GIRK channels such that Gβγ subunits, freed by local receptor activation and prevented from reforming a heterotrimeric complex, are not functionally constrained within the receptor–channel complex and thus are unable to exert a persistent activating effect. In contrast, GoLoco motif peptides had no effect on either D3 or somatostatin coupling to GIRK channels. Our results suggest that GoLoco motif‐based peptides will be useful tools in examining the specificity of G‐protein‐coupled receptor–effector coupling.
ON GOODS AND SERVICES
Authors: Hill T. P.
Published: March 2005

The paper is concerned with the concept, definition and measurement of a service. Although services are often dismissed as immaterial goods, they are not special kinds of goods and belong in a quite different logical category from goods. The search for appropriate units of quantity in which to measure services is not an idle metaphysical pursuit. Without quantity units there can be no prices, and most economic theory becomes irrelevant. Indeed, large parts of economic theory may be irrelevant to the analysis of services anyway, precisely because they are not goods which can be exchanged among economic units. Services are as important as goods in modern developed economies and they need to be identified and quantified properly if the measurement of economic growth and inflation is to have any meaning for the economy as a whole. The concept of a service is explained in some detail in the paper, and various ways in which services can be classified for purposes of economic analysis are elaborated. The distinction between private and public goods, or rather between private and collective services, is re‐examined in the light of the general concept of a service proposed in the paper. Externalities are shown to be simply special kinds of services.
SOCIAL ACCOUNTING MATRICES FOR DEVELOPMENT PLANNING1
Authors: Pyatt Graham , Round Jeffrey I.
Published: March 2005

The paper reports experience in constructing social accounting matrices (SAMs) for three national economies, viz. Iran, Sri Lanka and Swaziland. The SAMs focus particularly on the distribution of income through disaggregation of household sector income and outlay accounts consistent with more conventional disaggregation of production, factors, etc. The SAMs were conceived as an initial step towards understanding income distribution as an integral part of the development process and have been developed in parallel with work on planning models. Both the Iran and Sri Lanka SAMs were constructed within the context of the International Labour Office, World Employment Programme: that for Iran was intended as a contribution to the work of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy Mission to Iran under WEP auspices; while the Sri Lanka SAM was more specifically a research oriented study. The Swaziland study was financed by the Overseas Development Ministry, London as a research activity.

Some learning‐by‐doing was involved in the sequence of SAMs and the problems encountered, solutions adopted and lessons learned provide the main substance of the paper.
AN ESTIMATION OF U.S. FAMILY WEALTH AND ITS DISTRIBUTION FROM MICRODATA, 1973
Authors: Greenwood Daphne
Published: March 2005

This paper presents a method of estimating U.S. family net wealth across the entire population, utilizing capitalization of several income items available from income tax microdata. Other forms of wealth, and debt, are indirectly estimated using relationships gleaned from estate tax data. Concentration in the distribution of wealth, and assets such as corporate stock, are measured with Gini coefficients and Lorenz curve analysis and compared to similar estimates of concentration in the distribution of income. Comparisons of the results with previous estimates for the United States are made in the latter section of the paper.
GOVERNMENT SERVICES IN RELATION TO TOTAL CONSUMPTION OF THE POPULATION IN ASIAN AND PACIFIC COUNTRIES, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO INDIA*
Authors: Tiwari S. G.
Published: March 2005

The paper focuses on hitherto neglected fields of trends in the total consumption of the population in the Asian and Pacific countries and pays special attention to situations in India. In doing so it presents a comparative picture on the basis of four variants of the concepts as delineated in the Technical Report prepared by the United Nations Statistical Office. The proportion of government services in the total consumption of the population in the countries depended on socio‐political arrangements and policy considerations. Over the years these proportions either increased or remained constant or declined as the situation developed. In the Indian context the paper deals in detail with the magnitude and proportions of each type of government service over the period 1960‐79. Recognizing that it is the access to and not provision of the services which should rightly be considered, the Indian National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) during July 1980—June 1981 collected country‐wide data from households on the benefit they received from public services in the field of education, health and public distribution of essential commodities. The data from the survey in conjunction with further work proposed by the NSSO should help in the preparation of quantitative estimates of benefit received from these services by various socio‐economic groups in rural and urban areas. The paper touches upon the factors affecting personal consumption expenditure. It provides broad direction for future work on the subject.
INFLATION ACCOUNTING FOR THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY RESULTS USING DIFFERENT DEFLATOR PRICE INDICES
Authors: Lützel Hheinrich
Published: March 2005

The purpose of inflation accounting as proposed by Jack Hibbert1 is to show the changes in purchasing power of the assets and liabilities by sectors resulting from general price movements. This paper shows the results of inflation accounting for the Federal Republic of Germany on the basis of complete balance sheets for the sectors “Private households,”“Enterprises,”“General government” and “Rest of the world” in 1980. It is evident that the results of inflation accounting depend to a high degree on the kind of price index which is used as an indicator of the changes in the purchasing power of money in general. The price index for inflation accounting should in general be selected according to the aim of the analysis. On the other hand, however, the validity of the results of inflation accounting depends on and is limited by the price index chosen for that purpose. The figures presented also show that the results of inflation accounting depend to a high degree on whether estimates of the value of tangible assets are included or not. This holds for reproducible tangible assets as well as for land.
WEALTH HOLDINGS AND POVERTY STATUS IN THE U.S.
Authors: Wolff Edward N.
Published: March 2005

Families below the poverty line are better off in terms of wealth than income. In 1962, the ratio of mean income between families below and above the poverty line is 0.19 and the ratio of mean wealth is 0.29. The corresponding ratios for 1983 are 0.16 and 0.19. On average, the elderly poor are better off in terms of wealth than the younger poor, particularly relative to their own income. However, the poor have become worse off in terms of wealth between 1962 and 1983, when their real income grew by 6 percent and their real wealth declined by 11 percent. The inclusion of pension and social security wealth in the household portfolio narrows the wealth gap between the poor and non‐poor, particularly for families under 65 years of age. Alternative poverty rates are also calculated based on the inclusion of annuity flows from wealth in household income. The reduction in the poverty rate between 1962 and 1983, from 21 to 15 percent on the basis of the official rate, is considerably lower with these alternative definitions.
INCOME INEQUALITY IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS AND RECENT TRENDS
Authors: Saunders Peter , Stott Helen , Hobbes Garry
Published: March 2005

In this paper we present results on the distribution of income in Australia and New Zealand that can be compared with those for a range of other advanced countries. The framework of analysis, concepts and definitions used have been developed as part of the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS). Using data for the early 1980s, the results indicate that the income distributions in Australia and New Zealand are not, as previous research has suggested, more equal than those in other countries. Neither country has an equivalent net family income inequality ranking in the top half of the eight countries studied. Further analysis indicates increasing inequality in Australia in the first half of the 1980s and, on the basis of some indicators, in New Zealand also. The paper does not investigate the causes of these increases in inequality, although the results indicate that the rise in property income has been a factor behind them.
TRADE AND FINANCIAL FLOWS IN A WORLD ACCOUNTING FRAMEWORK: A BALANCED WAM FOR 1990
Authors: Vos Rob , Jong Niek de
Published: March 2005

How accurately do we measure the external deficit of the U.S. or the surplus of Japan? If checked at the global level, statistics on international trade and finance show large discrepancies. Such global statistical discrepancies hamper the analysis and understanding of world economic developments. An accounting framework—labelled World Accounting Matrix (WAM)—is proposed to cross‐check the statistical consistency of commodity flows, international payments and internal balances across countries. The framework is applied to data for 1990. To obtain global consistency, substantial adjustments had to be made to the estimates of the external balances of the U.S. and Japan. The implications for global modelling work are potentially vast.
MEASUREMENT OF POVERTY: POLAND IN THE 1980s
Authors: Szulc Adam
Published: March 2005

This paper presents results of an examination of poverty in Poland in the 1980s. The individual welfare measure is expenditure on consumption per equivalent adult. Household equivalence scales are estimated using a quasi‐exact scales trans logarithmic model. Four poverty indices are calculated. These are intended to capture the following aspects of poverty: (1) incidence, (2) relative deprivation, acid (3) social ability to eliminate poverty by income transfers. The study revealed significant changes in poverty during the investigated period, from 9 to 30 percent with persistent poverty resulting for pensioners, farmers and low educated persons.
“NOMINAL” AND “REAL” INTERSTATE INCOME INEQUALITY IN THE UNITED STATES: SOME ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE
Authors: Ram Rati
Published: March 2005

Using a good inequality index, and data on personal income and cost‐of‐living estimates for the period 1981–90, interstate inequality in “nominal” and “real” personal income per capita is compared. Four points are noted. First, inequality in real income is smaller than that in nominal income. Second, while the nominal‐income inequality shows the well‐known increase over the 1980s, real‐income inequality declined during the period. Third, inequality patterns in the wage and the non‐wage components of income are somewhat different. Last, even the nominal‐income inequality indicates a decline in the early 1990s.
RELATIVE INEQUALITY AND POVERTY IN GERMANY AND THE UNITED STATES USING ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENCE SCALES
Authors: Burkhauser Richard V. , Smeeding Timothy M. , Merz Joachim
Published: March 2005

We use data from the Luxembourg Income Study to show the sensitivity of measures of relative economic well‐being of persons in the U.S. and Germany using official equivalence scales and consumption‐based country‐specific equivalence scales developed for the two countries. Overall inequality and poverty levels are found not to be sensitive to the equivalence scale used. However, the official German equivalence scale yields quite different results from the others with respect to the relative income and poverty levels of vulnerable groups within the population, especially older single people.
PRIMARY VERSUS SECONDARY PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES IN U.S. MANUFACTURING
Authors: Mattey Joe , Raa Thijs Ten
Published: March 2005

In this paper we analyze the determinants of material inputs into individual production activities as a function of their outputs. We use observations on a large cross‐section of U.S. manufacturing plants from the Census of Manufactures, including those that make goods primary to other industries, to study differences in production techniques. We find that in most cases material requirements do not depend on whether goods are made as primary products or as secondary products. We thus elucidate support for the commodity technology model as a useful working hypothesis.