bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘The Question Is – Is It All Worth Knowing?’ The cultural circulation of the early British quiz show
Authors: Holmes Su
Published: January 2007

This article draws on archival research in order to explore the cultural circulation of the early quiz show in Britain-the conceptions, interpretations and evaluations which structured its development. The history of the British quiz show remains particularly neglected in television scholarship, and is often only discussed in relation to the advent of commercial television. Here it is usually invoked as the epitome of ITV's bid to woo the audience with ‘cheap’, undemanding and ‘trivial’ fare. This association between the quiz show and commercialism has rendered the BBC, a public service broadcaster, particularly invisible in quiz show history. But the BBC played a crucial role in developing the broadcast conception of the quiz/game show well before ITV was part of the cultural landscape. Ranging across both radio and television, it is this history that is explored here.
ImagiNation: news discourse, nationhood and civil society
Authors: Frosh Paul , Wolfsfeld Gadi
Published: January 2007

This article explores the ways in which television news broadcasts represent and construct nationhood in circumstances of protracted political and often military conflict. Such circumstances can lead to an affirmation of nationhood by foregrounding civil society rather than the state or organized politics: media representations turn the resilience of everyday interpersonal relationships into a conspicuous national value, and ultimately into a myth of national character. Analysing an extreme instance of news discourse in crisis conditions (Israeli television coverage of a suicide bombing of a bus in Jerusalem), the article identifies several discursive strategies for constructing an overall image of national civil society, focusing in particular on the ways in which these intertwine both ethnic and civic conceptions of nationhood.
Self-Cognitions in Antisocial Alcohol Dependence and Recovery
Authors: Corte Colleen , Stein Karen Farchaus
Published: January 2007

Cross-sectional relationships between content and structural properties of the self-concept and alcohol use in young adults with antisocial alcohol dependence (AAD) ( n = 24), those in recovery from AAD ( n = 18), and controls ( n = 23) were examined using the schema model of the self-concept. Persons with AAD had a trend toward fewer positive self-schemas than did controls, and had more negative self-schemas and a trend toward higher interrelatedness than did those in recovery and controls. They also showed evidence of a drinking-related self-schema, whereas those in recovery showed evidence of a recovery-related self-schema. Finally, evidence to support a model using properties of the self-concept to predict high levels of alcohol use was found. These findings provide a beginning empirical foundation for the development of nursing interventions aimed at altering self-structure to prevent the development of and promote recovery from antisocial alcohol dependence.
Health Status in an Invisible Population
Authors: Kilanowski Jill F. , Ryan-Wenger Nancy A.
Published: January 2007

One goal of Healthy People 2010 (2003) is to close the gap of disparities in access to care and health. The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study was to evaluate health status indicators in the children of itinerant carnival and migrant farmworkers aged birth to 12 years. Health status outcomes (immunization records, well-child examinations, dental health status, and growth parameters) were compared between the two groups and to national averages to identify health disparities. All forms were available in Spanish and English. A total of 97 children were recruited for this study: 45 carnival children and 52 migrant farmworker children.
Social Change Education: Context Matters
Authors: Choules Kathryn
Published: January 2007

Social change educators challenge social, economic, and political injustices that exist locally and globally. Their students may be people marginalized by these injustices or conversely, people who benefit from unjust systems. Much of the current social change pedagogy derives from the foundational work of Paulo Freire, developed in Brazil in response to the stark economic and social inequities there. Freirean pedagogy is known in Latin America as “popular education.” In the West, social change education is often categorized under the broad heading of critical pedagogy and has been significantly influenced by Freire’s pedagogy. Applying Freirean pedagogy in contexts very different to its origins is problematic and may result in experiences that reinforce rather than challenge injustice. Rather than minimizing or even ignoring differences in context, this article seeks to analyze how social change pedagogy needs to take its shape in response to the context in which it is enacted.
Using Freirean Pedagogy of Just IRE to Inform Critical Social Learning in Arts-Informed Community Education for Sexual Minorities
Authors: Grace André P. , Wells Kristopher
Published: January 2007

The authors work in the intersection of theorizing, experience, and research in this article as they explore a critical social model that they created to guide an informal, arts-informed, community education project for sexual-minority youth and young adults. As they consider the influence of arts-informed education and Freirean pedagogy of indignation or just ire in framing this model, the authors consider possibilities for informing and transforming adult education as a field of study and practice.
Bimodal Clock Gene Expression in Mouse Suprachiasmatic Nucleus and Peripheral Tissues Under a 7-Hour Light and 5-Hour Dark Schedule
Authors: Watanabe Tsuyoshi , Naito Emiko , Nakao Nobuhiro , Tei Hajime , Yoshimura Takashi , Ebihara Shizufumi
Published: January 2007

Using the mPer1::luc real-time monitoring technique, the authors observed the bimodal patterns of mPer1 bioluminescence on each side of the SCN, in parallel with maintaining synchronization between the left and right sides of the SCN under an artificial light:dark:light:dark (LDLD) 7:5:7:5 condition. In situ hybridization analysis of mPer1 and mBmal1 mRNA distribution in the SCN showed that in 1 photophase (morning photophase; M) of LDLD, the mPer1 level in the ventrolateral-like (VL-like) subdivision of the SCN was higher than that in the dorsomedial-like (DM-like) subdivision, and this regional distribution pattern was reversed in another photophase (evening photophase; E). In contrast, the mBmal1 level was higher in the DM-like subdivision than in the VL-like subdivision in the M phase, and this distribution changed in the E phase. The prokineticin 2 ( PK2) mRNA that encodes an SCN output molecule that is thought to transmit the circadian locomotor rhythms was reduced in both the DM-like and VL-like SCN and did not clearly correlate with the activity under the LDLD condition. The expression of mPer1 and mPer2 in the liver was clearly bimodal, whereas the expressions of other clock genes were not synchronized to the LDLD condition. These results may provide important insights into the mechanism underlying the splitting or bimodal rhythms that may in turn facilitate the understanding of the ability to measure the seasonal day length in mammals.
Fast Setting Calcium Phosphate Cement-Chitosan Composite: Mechanical Properties and Dissolution Rates
Authors: Sun Limin , Xu Hockin H. K. , Takagi Shozo , Chow Laurence C.
Published: January 2007

Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) can self-harden in vivo to form hydroxyapatite (HA) with excellent osteoconductivity. In recent studies, CPC-chitosan composites are developed with high mechanical strength and washout resistance. The objectives of the present study are to optimize the setting time and mechanical properties of a CPC-chitosan composite by tailoring the chitosan content, and to evaluate the bioresorbability by using an in vitro dissolution model. Six chitosan mass fractions are tested: 0, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30%. Specimens are immersed in solutions with pH ranging from 3.5 to 5 to simulate the acidic environments produced by osteoclasts in vivo. Dissolution is measured as the fraction of mass loss versus immersion time from 7d to 28d. The CPC-chitosan composite with 20% by mass chitosan has a setting time (mean±SD; n=4) of 13 1 min, significantly less than 87 7 min for CPC control without chitosan (p<0.05). The composite flexural strength (mean±SD; n 1/4 6) was 14 2 MPa, significantly higher than 4 1 MPa of CPC control (p<0.05). At an intermediate pH of 4.5, the fraction of mass loss for CPC with 20% chitosan and CPC control without chitosan are not significantly different (p>0.1). The dissolution rates (fraction of mass loss per day,%/d) were 1.05 for CPC control and 1.08 for CPC-chitosan. In summary, a CPC-chitosan composite is developed with fast-setting and a flexural strength three-fold of that of CPC control without chitosan. Both materials are soluble in acidic environments, indicating that adding chitosan did not compromise the bioresorbability of CPC. The strong and resorbable CPC–chitosan composite may be useful in moderate stress-bearing craniofacial and orthopedic repairs.
The Influence of Consumer Identity on Perceptions of Store Atmospherics and Store Patronage at a Spectacular and Sustainable Retail Site
Authors: Hyllegard Karen H. , Ogle Jennifer Paff , Dunbar Brian H.
Published: January 2007

The Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) Denver flagship store represents a spectacular consumption site that builds REI's brand identity and corporate image as an environmentally responsible business while contributing a unique combination of lifestyle retailing and sustainable development to the community. This study explored the relationship between consumers' identities and their responses to spectacular and sustainable retail design at REI Denver. The research was guided by an integrative conceptual framework proposing that consumer identity may shape responses to a spectacular consumption site, including perceptions about store atmospherics and intent to patronize that site. A store intercept survey approach was used to collect data from 186 consumers. Findings indicated that consumer identity as an outdoor enthusiast and/or an environmentally responsible citizen had little impact on consumers' perceptions about the importance of selected store atmospherics in the decision to shop at REI Denver but did influence some of their intended REI patronage behaviors.
Purchase Intent for Fashion Counterfeit Products: Ethical Ideologies, Ethical Judgments, and Perceived Risks
Authors: Ha Sejin , Lennon Sharron J.
Published: January 2007

In two studies ethical ideologies, ethical judgments, perceived risk, and purchase intent associated with fashion counterfeit products were examined. Study 1 ( N= 115) found that one perceived risk factor (general uncertainty about consequences) influenced intent to purchase fashion counterfeit items, but ethical ideologies did not. Incorporating ethical judgments, Study 2 ( N= 326) found that one of the risk dimensions (general uncertainty about consequences) was significantly related to intent to purchase fashion counterfeit products. In addition, consumers' relativism positively predicted ethical judgments regarding purchasing fashion counterfeit products, whereas idealism did not. Consumers' ethical judgments regarding fashion counterfeit products negatively influenced purchase intent for fashion counterfeit products. The purchase and ownership of fashion counterfeit products were fairly common. The findings of these exploratory studies can be used in the development of course lectures and activities, as well as strategies to offset fashion counterfeiting purchasing.
ESPA net/JESP Doctoral Researcher Prize Essay: Country-level comparisons of welfare state change measures: another facet of the dependent variable problem within the comparative analysis of the welfare state?
Authors: Kühner Stefan
Published: January 2007

The introduction of innovative macro-measures has been one of the preferred means to account for identified limitations of traditional quantitative approaches in comparative analyses of the welfare state. However, these state-of-the-art indicators are not powerful enough to account for the nuanced politics of ‘welfare state change’ across mature welfare states as they produce inconsistent - and in several cases contrary - findings on the country level, which also appear to be at odds with the established notion of ‘regime dependence’ in the historical, case-study literature. Touching upon the limitations of the relevant indicators, we argue that they can at best be seen as crude approximations; this is the root cause for the above asymmetries. The ‘dependent variable problem’ within the comparative analysis of the welfare state is a problem of data and operational definitions as much as it is a problem of theoretical conceptualization. While the combination of nuanced quantitative and historical findings has become the norm in the broader literature, the article stresses the potential of disaggregated analyses of individual social policy domains within nations and its combination with detailed case-study analyses of social policy making.
Housing inequalities in an enlarged European Union: patterns, drivers, implications
Authors: Norris Michelle , Shiels Patrick
Published: January 2007

This article examines variations in housing quality, accessibility and affordability in the EU, and on this basis proposes a typology of inter-country variations in housing conditions. This typology reveals good housing conditions in the ‘long-standing’ northern EU member states, intermediate conditions in most of the remaining ‘long-standing’ member states and poor conditions in many of the ‘new’ Central and Eastern European member states. The institutional context within which these variations have arisen is also considered specifically in relation to: housing tenure systems, finance and subsidy systems, construction systems and trends, and governance arrangements, as are the implications of these inequalities for the EU and how they can be addressed.
Individual Values of Mexico’s New Centurions: Will Police Recruits Implement Community-Based Changes?
Authors: LaRose Anthony P. , Caldero Michael A. , Gonzalez-Gutierrez Israel
Published: January 2007

This article explores one element of community-oriented policing: the need to recruit police officers who will act as agents of change for the community. Using the Rokeach theory of human values, this article reports the findings of a class of police recruits in Mexico City and addresses the prospects for the future success of Mexican community-based police reforms. The value patterns of these recruits suggest that, like their northern counterparts, those who choose to enter the police profession may do so with a consistent conservative set of values that may be anathema to instituting community-oriented policing.
Enterprise Resource Planning Software in the Human Resource Classroom
Authors: Bedell Michael D. , Floyd Barry D. , Nicols Kay McGlashan , Ellis Rebecca
Published: January 2007

The relatively recent development of comprehensive human resource information systems (HRIS) software has led to a large demand for technologically literate human resource (HR) professionals. For the college student who is about to begin the search for that first postcollege job, the need to develop technology literacy is even more necessary. To meet this technology need, many business schools have started to think about or have begun to incorporate more advanced technology such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems into their curriculum. This article describes the efforts of faculty from two university business schools that incorporated the HRIS module of an ERP system into their HR management courses. In both cases, HRIS was used to illustrate examples of HR processes, measurement, best practices, and planning. Outcomes and lessons learned from the past 2.5 years are also described.
Music at Work: An Introduction
Authors: Prichard Craig , Korczynski Marek , Elmes Michael
Published: January 2007

There are many ways in which music and the management of work, space, time, bodies, and feelings are linked, and there is a small but rich tradition of academic research that has attempted to explore these connections. This special issue aims to contribute to this work. Our introduction identifies existing work, introduces the three articles that make up the substantive contribution of this special issue, and points to opportunities for researchers to make further contributions.
The Raval Nord Study: Descriptive Analysis of Survival Rates During 10 Years of Home Care
Authors: Noguera Josep Maria Segura , Bastús Núria Bastida , Guadaño Núria Martí , Romeva Montserrat Riba , Carretero Mireia Marsà , Lancho Santiago Lancho
Published: January 2007

This longitudinal study describes the urban population of chronic patients treated at home and analyzes survival rates of the first 10 years (1992 to 2002) of a primary health care team. Participants included all of the 1,357 home care chronically ill patients registered since the beginning of a home care program (May 1994 to December 2002). The average age was 82 years, 68% were female, 76% lacked elevators, 18% cited loneliness, 11% were totally dependent, and 20% suffered severe cognitive alterations. Cox’s proportional risk method and survival probability curves by the Kaplan-Meier method were used. Factors linked to lower survival (p < .001) included being male (relative risk, RR = 1.67), existence of terminally ill patients because of neoplastic pathologies (RR = 7.72), living accompanied by other people (RR = 2.39), deteriorated cognitive function status (slight moderate, RR = 1.74; severe, RR = 2.71), and worsening degree of autonomy (partially dependent, RR = 1.63; totally dependent, RR = 3.54).
Pain and affective memory biases interact to predict depressive symptoms in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Bruce J M , Polen D , Arnett P A
Published: January 2007

A large literature supports a direct relationship between pain and depressive symptoms among various patient populations. Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently experience both pain and depression. Despite this, no relationship between pain and depression has been found in MS. The present investigation explored the relationship between pain and depression in a sample of patients with MS. Consistent with cognitive theories of depression, results supported the hypothesis that pain would only contribute to depression when MS patients exhibited a concomitant cognitive vulnerability. Cognitive vulnerability to depression was measured using a performance based affective memory bias (AMB) task. Patients with high levels of pain and negative AMB reported more depressive symptoms compared to patients with pain and positive AMB. Implications for the identification and treatment of depression in MS are discussed.
The relationship among depression, subjective cognitive impairment, and neuropsychological performance in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Julian L , Merluzzi N M , Mohr D C
Published: January 2007

The aim of this study was to examine, within the context of a treatment study, the relative contributions of depression and neuropsychological performance on patient ratings of cognitive functioning in a cohort of 58 moderately-depressed multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. All participants were randomized to one of three 16-week conventional treatments for depression. Assessments were conducted pre and post-treatment using: (1) Cognitive Function subscale of the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54) to evaluate subjective cognitive impairment (SC), (2) Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and (3) a neuropsychological index score (NP). Prior to treatment, 8% of the variance in SC was explained by NP, whereas 14% of the variance was explained by BDI, above and beyond NP. At post-treatment, patients were classified as ‘responders’ (BDI<11) and ‘nonresponders’ (BDI≥11). Among those participants classified as ‘responders’, NP accounted for 39% of the variance in SC, and BDI did not significantly predict SC. The results of this study suggest that depression may influence subjective reports of cognitive impairment, but these reports may not be reliably related to objective neuropsychological performance. Furthermore, patients may be more accurate reporters of their cognitive impairment after successful treatment for depression, suggesting that depression decreases the accuracy of patient reported cognitive impairment.
Cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis: association with the APOE gene and promoter polymorphisms
Authors: Parmenter B A , Denney D R , Lynch S G , Middleton L S , Harlan L M
Published: January 2007

Background Studies examining the ε4 allele of the APOE gene as a factor affecting the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) have yielded conflicting results. The focus of these studies on physical disability to the neglect of cognitive impairment is surprising in light of the associations between the ε4 allele and other dementia conditions. Only two studies examine the relationship between the ε4 allele and cognitive impairment.

Methods A neuropsychological test battery was administered to 263 MS patients, and their current disability status was evaluated. Genotypes were determined for APOE epsilon and for two promoter region polymorphisms (-219 G/T and -491 A/T).

Results Although effects were generally weak, female patients with the -491 AA genotype had a later age of disease onset, lower disability scores, and somewhat higher scores on the cognitive battery. Male patients with the ε2 allele had lower disability and higher scores on the cognitive battery. The ε4 allele was not related to physical disability, and there was no difference between ε4+and ε4– patients in overall cognitive performance. However, when patients with severe cognitive impairment were identified, a greater proportion (52%) of these patients had the ε4 allele than those in the unimpaired group (27%).

Conclusion An association with the ε4 allele was evident in this study, but only in cases of severe cognitive impairment.
Screening for cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test
Authors: Parmenter B A , Weinstock-Guttman B , Garg N , Munschauer F , Benedict R HB
Published: January 2007

Cognitive impairment is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), yet difficult to detect duringroutine neurologic examination. Therefore, briefscreening tests that identify patients who may benefit from a more thorough assessment or treatment are needed. We investigated the utility of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) as a screen for cognitive dysfunction because it can be administered and scored in about 5 minutes. One hundred MS patients and 50 healthy controls, matched on demographic variables, participated in the study. Examination procedures included the neuropsychological (NP) tests included in the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS (MACFIMS) battery. Patients were considered impaired if they performed one and a half standard deviations below controls on two or more MACFIMS variables, excluding theSDMT. Bayesian statistics showed that a total score of 55 or lower onthe SDMT accurately categorized 72% of patients, yielding sensitivityof 0.82, specificity of 0.60, positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.71, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 0.73. These results suggest that the effectiveness of the SDMT as a screen for cognitive impairment in MS is roughly equal to that of other psychometric and questionnaire methods.
The relationship between subjective fatigue and cognitive fatigue in advanced multiple sclerosis
Authors: Bailey A , Channon S , Beaumont J G
Published: January 2007

The present study examined the cognitive performance and ratings of subjective fatigue in people with advanced MS and matched healthy control participants. A continuous n-back task, involving attention (0-back), was performed at the beginning and end of one testing session; a task involving working memory (1-back) was performed at the beginning and end of another testing session. Subjective fatigue was rated at regular intervals during each session. Overall, there was limited evidence of objective cognitive fatigue in the MS group, as assessed by the change in n-back performance during the sessions. The MS group did report a greater increase, than the control group, in the level of subjective fatigue during the 1-back testing session, but change in subjective fatigue did not correlate significantly with change in cognitive performance. The implications of these findings for our understanding of cognitive fatigue in MS are discussed.
Separation-individuation processes of adolescent children of parents with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Yahav R , Vosburgh J , Miller A
Published: January 2007

The current study examines the implications of responsibility and obligation on separationindividuation processes and the appearance of various symptoms of psychological distress in adolescent children of multiple sclerosis (MS) parents. We examined 56 children, between the ages of 10 and 18 years, each with a parent with MS. The results were compared to a control group of 156 children whose parents were healthy. Children's emotions were examined by means of two questionnaires: Youth Self Report (YSR), and Separation Individuation Test of Adolescence (SITA). It was found that children with a MS-affected parent displayed higher levels of depression and anxiety than children from the control group. Furthermore, children in the study group reported a greater degree of separation anxiety, compared to the control group. We conclude with clinical recommendations for developing therapeutic interventions for adolescents to MS-affected parents, as well as for their ill and healthy parents.
Origin of DSS: to present the plan
Authors: Kurtzke J F
Published: January 2007

The Disability Status Scale for multiple sclerosis was the direct result of World War II, in which 16.4 million persons served in the US military. Thereafter academic medicine enabled the modernization of the Veterans Administration in patient care, research, and training.

Under the GI Bill, I attended Cornell University Medical College, where there was an intensive course in neurological diagnosis requiring detailed recording of positive and negative findings. This was used in junior and senior clinical clerkships and residency training, all of which I took at the Bronx VA Hospital.

During my residency we assessed a possible treatment for MS, which required a comparison group and a means of measuring change. The former comprised the records of over 300 MS patients, whose neurological deficits were then consolidated into mutually exclusive Functional Systems, each with grades for severity. As rank-order scales they could not be summed or compared directly, but they were used as the basis for the DSS, which ranged from 0 (normal) to 10 (death due to MS). This scale was later expanded into the EDSS by halving each step 1 through 9. This bifid system is applicable to all patients with MS regardless of type or severity of neurological impairment.
Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies in pathologically proven multiple sclerosis: frequency, stability and clinicopathologic correlations
Authors: Pittock S J , Reindl M , Achenbach S , Berger T , Bruck W , Konig F , Morales Y , Lassmann H , Bryant S , Moore S B , Keegan B M , Lucchinetti C F
Published: January 2007

Controversy exists regarding the pathogenic or predictive role of anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Four immunopathological patterns (IP) have been recognized in early active MS lesions, suggesting heterogeneous pathogenic mechanisms. Whether MOG antibodies contribute to this pathological heterogeneity and potentially serve as biomarkers to identify specific pathological patterns is unknown. Here we report the frequencies of antibodies to human recombinant MOG (identified by Western blot and enzymelinked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA)) in patients with pathologically proven demyelinating disease, and investigate whether antibody status is associated with clinical course, HLA-DR2 genotype, IP or treatment response to plasmapheresis. The biopsy cohort consisted of 72 patients: 12 pattern I, 43 pattern II and 17 pattern III. No association was found between MOG antibody status and conversion to clinically definite MS, DR-2 status, IP or response to plasmapheresis. There was poor agreement between Western blot and ELISA (kappa=0.07 for MOG IgM). Fluctuations in antibody seropositivity were seen for 3/4 patients tested serially by Western blot. This study does not support a pathologic pattern-specific role for MOG-antibodies. Variable MOG-antibody status on serial measurements, coupled with the lack of Western blot and ELISA correlations, raises concern regarding the use of MOG-antibody as an MS biomarker and underscores the need for methodological consensus.
Developmental coordination disorder and reported enjoyment of physical education in children
Authors: Cairney John , Hay John , Mandigo James , Wade Terrance , Faught Brent. E. , Flouris Andreas
Published: January 2007

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are less likely to enjoy participating in physical education (PE) than children without motor coordination difficulties. However, no studies have attempted to quantify this relationship or examine potentially modifiable mediating variables. Using a large sample ( N = 590) of children (aged 9 to 14), we examine differences in the enjoyment of PE classes between children with DCD and those without using a standardized measure. We also examine whether differences in perceived adequacy towards physical activity, body fat and fitness explain why children with DCD score lower on this scale. Of all these measures, perceived adequacy accounts for the largest proportion of the effect of DCD on enjoyment. Interventions aimed at improving enjoyment of PE for children with DCD should target perceptions of their abilities with regard to physical pursuits.
A longitudinal study to ascertain the factors that impact on the confidence of undergraduate physical education student teachers to teach dance in Scottish schools
Authors: MacLean Justine
Published: January 2007

This paper reports on the complex construct of student teacher confidence and the usefulness of practicum and the ITE course in preparing students to teach dance in their pre-probationary years. A longitudinal study tracked 85 students (f = 46, m = 39) for four years during their undergraduate degree programme in physical education (PE). Students completed questionnaires annually to ascertain the factors that impacted on their confidence to teach dance. In addition, ten student teachers took part in semi-structured individual interviews after their third and final year teaching practicum. Multiple regression results indicated that a model of ‘previous experience’, ‘practicum’ and the ‘university dance module’ explained 55 percent (female) and 43 percent (male) of the variance in level of perceived confidence to teach dance. Comparative analysis of the interviews supported the findings from the questionnaires and revealed that students' sense of identity was central to producing feelings of confidence to teach dance.
Language Play in the Aramaic Letters from Hermopolis
Authors: WESSELIUS JAN-WIM
Published: January 2007

The scribe of the Aramaic family correspondence of the fifth century BCE, which was found in Hermopolis in Egypt in 1945, as a kind of language play deliberately presented the same information in these letters in different words, in effect creating parallelisms between the letters and sometimes even within individual letters. In some cases, this observation helps us to find new interpretations of difficult passages in the Hermopolis letters. Such language play is, albeit in different forms, very common in ancient West Semitic texts, both when dealing with mundane and with highly important political and religious subjects.
Analytical Models for Calculating Thermal Bridge Effects Caused by Thin High Barrier Envelopes around Vacuum Insulation Panels
Authors: Tenpierik Martin , Cauberg Hans
Published: January 2007

Although vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) are thermal insulators with very low center-of-panel thermal conductivity, their effective thermal conductivity is raised significantly due to large edge heat fluxes caused by a continuously enveloping high barrier laminate, especially if metal based foils are applied. This study therefore presents and validates two analytical approximating models for calculating this thermal edge effect for thin high barrier laminates around VIPs. A comparison of these models with numerical simulations shows that they can be applied with an inaccuracy of <5% for idealized barrier laminates, considering the limitations specified. These models also demonstrate that the linear thermal transmittance, representing this edge effect, amongst others depends on envelope thickness and thermal conductivity, panel thickness, and center-of-panel thermal conductivity. Moreover, this study shows that these models are able to estimate the linear thermal transmittance resulting from more realistic VIPs with seams near their edges, as well. For these realistic panels, deviations between numerical data and prediction model maximally amount to about 9%. Using the presented models then, enables VIP designers, architects, and building engineers to estimate the overall thermal performance of a VIP.
Trib1 and Evi1 cooperate with Hoxa and Meis1 in myeloid leukemogenesis
Authors: Jin Guang , Yamazaki Yukari , Takuwa Miki , Takahara Tomoko , Kaneko Keiko , Kuwata Takeshi , Miyata Satoshi , Nakamura Takuro
Published: January 2007

Cooperative activation of Meis1 and Hoxa9 perturbs myeloid differentiation and eventually leads myeloid progenitors to leukemia, yet it remains to be clarified what kinds of subsequent molecular processes are required for development of overt leukemia. To understand the molecular pathway in Hoxa9/Meis1-induced leukemogenesis, retroviral insertional mutagenesis was applied using retrovirus-mediated gene transfer. The mice that received Hoxa9/Meis1-transduced bone marrow cells developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and Trib1, Evi1, Ahi1, Rarα, Pitpnb, and AK039950 were identified as candidate cooperative genes located near common retroviral integration sites. Trib1 and Evi1 were up-regulated due to retroviral insertions, and coexpression of these genes significantly accelerated the onset of Hoxa9/Meis1-induced AML, suggesting that Trib1 and Evi1 are the key collaborators. Furthermore, Trib1 by itself is a novel myeloid oncogene, enhancing phosphorylation of ERK, resulting in inhibition of apoptosis. These results demonstrate the importance of specific oncogene interaction in myeloid leukemogenesis.
Nur77 converts phenotype of Bcl-B, an antiapoptotic protein expressed in plasma cells and myeloma
Authors: Luciano Frederic , Krajewska Maryla , Ortiz-Rubio Paulina , Krajewski Stan , Zhai Dayong , Faustin Benjamin , Bruey Jean-Marie , Bailly-Maitre Beatrice , Lichtenstein Alan , Kolluri Siva Kumar , Satterthwait Arnold C. , Zhang Xiao-Kun , Reed John C.
Published: January 2007

Defects in apoptosis mechanisms play important roles in malignancy and autoimmunity. Orphan nuclear receptor Nur77/TR3 has been demonstrated to bind antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and convert it from a cytoprotective to a cytodestructive protein, representing a phenotypic conversion mechanism. Of the 6 antiapoptotic human Bcl-2 family members, we found that Nur77/TR3 binds strongest to Bcl-B, showing selective reactivity with Bcl-B, Bcl-2, and Bfl-1 but not Bcl-XL, Mcl-1, or Bcl-W. Nur77 converts the phenotype of Bcl-B from antiapoptotic to proapoptotic. Bcl-B is prominently expressed in plasma cells and multiple myeloma. Endogenous Bcl-B associates with endogenous Nur77 in RPMI 8226 myeloma cells, where RNA interference experiments demonstrated dependence on Bcl-B for Nur77-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, a Nur77-mimicking peptide killed RPMI 8226 myeloma cells through a Bcl-B–dependent mechanism. Because Bcl-B is abundantly expressed in plasma cells and some myelomas, these findings raise the possibility of exploiting the Nur77/Bcl-B mechanism for apoptosis for eradication of autoimmune plasma cells or myeloma.
Rat models of acute inflammation: a randomized controlled study on the effects of homeopathic remedies
Authors: Conforti Anita , Bellavite Paolo , Bertani Simone , Chiarotti Flavia , Menniti-Ippolito Francesca , Raschetti Roberto
Published: January 2007

Background

One of the cardinal principles of homeopathy is the "law of similarities", according to which patients can be treated by administering substances which, when tested in healthy subjects, cause symptoms that are similar to those presented by the patients themselves. Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the number of pre-clinical (in vitro and animal) studies aimed at evaluating the pharmacological activity or efficacy of some homeopathic remedies under potentially reproducible conditions. However, in addition to some contradictory results, these studies have also highlighted a series of methodological difficulties.

The present study was designed to explore the possibility to test in a controlled way the effects of homeopathic remedies on two known experimental models of acute inflammation in the rat. To this aim, the study considered six different remedies indicated by homeopathic practice for this type of symptom in two experimental edema models (carrageenan- and autologous blood-induced edema), using two treatment administration routes (sub-plantar injection and oral administration).

Methods

In a first phase, the different remedies were tested in the four experimental conditions, following a single-blind (measurement) procedure. In a second phase, some of the remedies (in the same and in different dilutions) were tested by oral administration in the carrageenan-induced edema, under double-blind (treatment administration and measurement) and fully randomized conditions. Seven-hundred-twenty male Sprague Dawley rats weighing 170–180 g were used. Six homeopathic remedies (Arnica montana D4, Apis mellifica D4, D30, Atropa belladonna D4, Hamamelis virginiana D4, Lachesis D6, D30, Phosphorus D6, D30), saline and indomethacin were tested. Edema was measured using a water-based plethysmometer, before and at different times after edema induction. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Student t test.

Results

In the first phase of experiments, some statistically significant effects of homeopathic remedies (Apis, Lachesis and Phosporus) were observed (the reduction in paw volume increase ranging from 10% to 28% at different times since edema induction). In the second phase of experiments, the effects of homeopathic remedies were not confirmed. On the contrary, the unblinded standard allopathic drug indomethacin exhibited its anti-inflammatory effect in both experimental phases (the reduction in paw volume increase ranging from 14% to 40% in the first phase, and from 18% to 38% in the second phase of experiments).

Conclusion

The discrepancies between single-blind and double-blind methods in animal pharmacological research are noteworthy and should be better investigated, also in non-homeopathic research.
JAK kinases control IL-5 receptor ubiquitination, degradation, and internalization
Authors: Martinez-Moczygemba Margarita , Huston David P , Lei Jonathan T
Published: January 2007

IL-5, IL-3, and GM-CSF are related hematopoietic cytokines, which regulate the function of myeloid cells and are mediators of the allergic inflammatory response. These cytokines signal through heteromeric receptors containing a specific α chain and a shared signaling chain, βc. Previous studies demonstrated that the ubiquitin (Ub) proteasome degradation pathway was involved in signal termination of the βc-sharing receptors. In this study, the upstream molecular events leading to proteasome degradation of the IL-5 receptor (IL-5R) were examined. By using biochemical and flow cytometric methods, we show that JAK kinase activity is required for βc ubiquitination and proteasome degradation but only partially required for IL-5R internalization. Furthermore, we demonstrate the direct ubiquitination of the βc cytoplasmic domain and identify lysine residues 566 and 603 as sites of βc ubiquitination. Lastly, we show that ubiquitination of the βc cytoplasmic domain begins at the plasma membrane, increases after receptor internalization, and is degraded by the proteasome after IL-5R internalization. We propose an updated working model of IL-5R down-regulation, whereby IL-5 ligation of its receptor activates JAK2/1 kinases, resulting in βc tyrosine phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and IL-5R internalization. Once inside the cell, proteasomes degrade the βc cytoplasmic domain, and the truncated receptor complex is terminally degraded in the lysosomes. These data establish a critical role for JAK kinases and the Ub/proteasome degradation pathway in IL-5R down-regulation.
Clinicopathologic and Pedigree Differences in Amsterdam I–Positive Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer Families According to Tumor Microsatellite Instability Status
Authors: Valle Laura , Perea Jose , Carbonell Pablo , Fernandez Victoria , Dotor Ana M. , Benitez Javier , Urioste Miguel
Published: January 2007

Purpose

To establish the clinicopathologic and familial differences within Amsterdam I–positive families, showing either tumor microsatellite instability (MSI) or microsatellite stability (MSS) in order to confirm or deny the existence of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) without defects in the mismatch repair system.

Patients and Methods

Sixty-four Amsterdam I–positive families were included in the study for which full, three-generation, family medical histories and colorectal paraffin-embedded tumors were obtained. Both personal and clinicopathologic information of patients were collected. In all cases, both the MSI status and the mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression were analyzed. MMR genetic testing was performed on the MSI families.

Results

Of the Amsterdam I–positive families, 59.4% were tumor MSI, and 40.6% were tumor MSS. When comparing both groups, the statistical differences were observed in the age of onset (MSI, 41 years; MSS, 53 years); in the colorectal tumor location, more frequently proximal in MSI cases; in fewer mucinous tumors in MSS; and loss of MMR protein expression in the MSI tumors. Regarding the individual and familial cancer history, we observed a predominance of individuals with multiple primary tumors in MSI pedigrees, as well as differences in the type of tumors developed within the family.

Conclusion

Our findings support the suspicion of another hereditary colorectal syndrome different from HNPCC and characterized by MSS, the normal MMR immunohistochemical expression, the presence of only colorectal tumors, and the absence of individuals with multiple primary tumors. All these circumstances suggest the existence of a non-MMR gene being responsible for this new syndrome.
Are Nonresorbing Osteoclasts Sources of Bone Anabolic Activity?
Authors: Karsdal Morten A , Martin Thomas J , Bollerslev Jens , Christiansen Claus , Henriksen Kim
Published: January 2007

Some osteopetrotic mutations lead to low resorption, increased numbers of osteoclasts, and increased bone formation, whereas other osteopetrotic mutations lead to low resorption, low numbers of osteoclasts, and decreased bone formation. Elaborating on these findings, we discuss the possibility that osteoclasts are the source of anabolic signals for osteoblasts. In normal healthy individuals, bone formation is coupled to bone resorption in a tight equilibrium. When this delicate balance is disturbed, the net result is pathological situations, such as osteopetrosis or osteoporosis. Human osteopetrosis, caused by mutations in proteins involved in the acidification of the resorption lacuna (ClC-7 or the a3-V-ATPase), is characterized by decreased resorption in face of normal or even increased bone formation. Mouse mutations leading to ablation of osteoclasts (e.g., loss of macrophage-colony stimulating factor [M-CSF] or c-fos) lead to secondary negative effects on bone formation, in contrast to mutations where bone resorption is abrogated with sustained osteoclast numbers, such as the c-src mice. These data indicate a central role for osteoclasts, and not necessarily their resorptive activity, in the control of bone formation. In this review, we consider the balance between bone resorption and bone formation, reviewing novel data that have shown that this principle is more complex than originally thought. We highlight the distinct possibility that osteoclast function can be divided into two more or less separate functions, namely bone resorption and stimulation of bone formation. Finally, we describe the likely possibility that bone resorption can be attenuated pharmacologically without the undesirable reduction in bone formation.
Differential Roles of NR2A- and NR2B-Containing NMDA Receptors in Activity-Dependent Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene Regulation and Limbic Epileptogenesis
Authors: Chen Qian , He Songtao , Hu Xiao-Ling , Yu Jing , Zhou Yang , Zheng Jing , Zhang Shilei , Zhang Chi , Duan Wen-Hu , Xiong Zhi-Qi
Published: January 2007

Fleeting activation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs) induces long-term modification of synaptic connections and refinement of neuronal circuits, which may underlie learning and memory and contribute to pathogenesis of a diversity of neurological diseases, including epilepsy. Here, we found that NR2A and NR2B subunit-containing NMDARs were coupled to distinct intracellular signaling, resulting in differential BDNF expression and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation. Selective activation of NR2A-containing NMDARs increased BDNF gene expression. Activation of NR2B-containing NMDARs led to ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, selectively blocking NR2A-containing NMDARs impaired epileptogenesis and the development of mossy fiber sprouting in the kindling and pilocarpine rat models of limbic epilepsy, whereas inhibiting NR2B-containing NMDARs had no effects in epileptogenesis and mossy fiber sprouting. Interestingly, blocking either NR2A- or NR2B-containing NMDARs decreased status epilepticus-induced neuronal cell death. The specific requirement of NR2A and its downstream signaling for epileptogenesis implicates attractive new targets for the development of drugs that prevent epilepsy in patients with brain injury.
Resistência insulínica e perfil metabólico em pacientes com síndrome dos ovários policísticos de peso normal e sobrepeso/obesidade
Authors: Kuba Valesca Mansur , Cavalieri Patricia M. , Christóforo Ângela Casillo , Faria Junior Raul , Caetano Rosângela , Coeli Cláudia Medina , Athayde Amanda
Published: January 2007

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a sensibilidade insulínica e o perfil metabólico em portadoras de SOP com peso normal e sobrepeso/obesas. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas, retrospectivamente, 49 pacientes, entre 18 e 45 anos, divididas em 2 grupos, conforme o índice de massa corporal (IMC): grupo 1 (18,5-24,9 kg/m²) e grupo 2 (25-40 kg/m²). Dados coletados: pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) e diastólica (PAD); valores basais e após TOTG da glicose, insulina, e da relação glicose/insulina; área sob a curva para glicose e insulina; HOMA-IR, HOMA-beta; perfil lipídico; testosterona total (T) e livre (TL). RESULTADOS: Maiores médias de níveis pressóricos, insulina, triglicerídeos, TL e índices de resistência insulínica, além de menores níveis de HDL, foram encontrados no grupo 2. Não houve correlação entre o IMC com nenhum dos dados, nem da TL e dos índices de RI com o perfil lipídico. CONCLUSÕES: A obesidade está associada a maior prevalência de RI e DM na SOP, independentemente da história familiar de DM. A ausência de correlação entre os índices de RI e da TL com o perfil lipídico sugerem que outros fatores, como os ácidos graxos livres (AGL), possam estar envolvidos na patogênese da dislipidemia na SOP.